Category: Features

Astronomy for amateurs

Ireland has some of the best dark sky reserves around and the longer nights beckon us out to appreciate them, writes Jason Osborne Always having had a fascination with space and all things celestial, I’ve been strangely looking forward to the encroaching darkness of autumn and winter this year, and the possibilities it presents for…

Gospel people at the United Nations

Personal Profile Sister Jean Quinn DW is surely doing for others as Christ did for us, her life’s work being that of uplifting people from homelessness, focusing on the spiritual as much as the material. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Sr Jean says that she comes from as deeply Catholic a background as they come:…

How to pack health into school lunches

Packing school lunches can be a struggle, but there are ways to ensure even the pickiest eaters are healthfully fed, writes Jason Osborne I must have caused some headaches at times in my house as a child, so picky were my eating habits. It only dawned on me in adulthood what a monumental task it is…

Back to school during the pandemic

A second school year begins under the shadow of the pandemic, but knowing what to expect eases anxieties,  writes Jason Osborne I doubt many would have expected such an altered start to the school year for a second year in a row, but here we are. Students heading back to school this September are entering uncharted…

Following the Lord wherever he leads

Personal Profile Fr Brendan O’Donoghue celebrated 65 years of priesthood this year, and though officially retired, he continues to work in the parish of Shannon, Co. Clare. Looking back on his ministry, especially his involvement in the social work of the Church, he recalls the ways the Lord led him on paths he didn’t expect.…

The Season of Creation 2021

The Church has highlighted the importance of playing a responsible role in the complex web of creation in recent years, writes Jason Osborne The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made for sober reading, warning that unless there are immediate, grand reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, it won’t be possible to limit global warming…

Avoiding overworking at home

The World Health Organisation says working longer and longer hours is killing hundreds of thousands each year, writes Jason Osborne The line between work and personal life blurred throughout the pandemic for many, with bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms slipping in and out of ‘office-mode’ during the days of the week (and sometimes the weekend).…