The first report of the Synod on Synodality was published last month and makes for very interesting reading. It was the first of two sessions. Of the 364 voting delegates who attended, 50 were women and they, with the lay men and others who attended, were able to vote on this report and on the…
A baby was screaming rather loudly at Mass the other day – so loudly from the church porch that the priest’s final blessing was being drowned out. So, he paused, smiled widely, and declared: “When I hear a child crying in church, I know the Church has a future. And it always does.” But sadly,…
What is Rishi Sunak thinking? With the Conservative Party well and truly tanking in the polls, hanging on to only its most loyal voting base and an election a mere fortnight away, he chooses to announce that he is not opposed to assisted suicide. The Conservative Party, after 14 years in power, overseeing and implementing…
Dean Keating These recent elections were not the parting of the fog that many had hoped for or the endorsement of Government that the Taoiseach has claimed. At best, we can see a stagnation for all three major parties and a diversification of the Irish political spectrum, caused by a rejection of the Government’s more…
Catholic Church representatives have welcomed a ruling by Europe’s top human rights court that countries have no obligation to allow physician-assisted suicide. However, they also voiced concern at suggestions that it could be recognised as a human right in the future. “This judgment largely concerns procedural questions – but it’s a very good result,” said…
Women could be named Ministers Dear Editor, Dr Cerrato tells us women may not be ordained deacon for “fundamentally theological” reasons [The Irish Catholic – June 6, 2024]. Also, while there were “Deaconesses” in the past, he points out they were not “equivalent” to male deacons. He may well be right, but that need not…
It is of the essence of the Catholic Church to be Catholic. At first glance, this statement seems rather peculiar or even so self-explanatory to be tautologous. What else would the Catholic Church be except Catholic? The community formed by the followers of Jesus was first called Catholic in 110AD by St Ignatius of Antioch.…
When planning how to mark the 800th anniversary of the arrival of the Dominicans in Ireland it seemed right and fitting that the pilgrimage to Lough Derg be included. It is a unique place of pilgrimage in the entire Church worldwide and it is Irish. Last weekend, 10 of us Dominicans, together with some people…
A recent Vatican move to lodge schism charges against Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a notorious papal critic who’s accused Pope Francis both of covering up sexual abuse and also various doctrinal errors, has drawn potentially surprising support from a couple of high-profile conservative commentators. Luigi Bisignani, an influential lobbyist and power-broker who has strong ties…
Ireland’s hate speech bill has garnered international attention from critics who argue it will impede on free expression and debate. Home to a multitude of big tech headquarters such as Meta and Twitter or X Irish domestic legislation will have major international repercussions for public participation on the internet and for society as a whole.…
Nuala O’Loan
Martina Purdy
John L. Allen Jr.