Here before us are the relics of St Therese of the Child Jesus, universal patroness of missions. It is good that this happen while we are reflecting on the passion for evangelisation, on apostolic zeal. Today, then, let us allow the witness of St Therese to help us. She was born 150 years ago, and…
We all need to learn how to forgive and how to be reconciled in this imperfect world, writes Dr Joseph White Forgiveness is a thread that runs throughout the story of our faith. In the Garden of Eden, we see the frailty of human relationships, both with God and one another. Throughout our history, we…
Faith in film What’s a western doing on a Vatican film list? A genre that typically praises the triumph of individualism and a non-conformist Protestant culture might seem ‘anathema’. But Stetsons, stoic heroes, fantastic landscapes and engaging action have some Vatican sanction with its inclusion of the iconic western Stagecoach (1939) on a 1995 list…
Saint of the week One of the host of remarkable men the early Church offers up is St Ephrem the Syrian, who is now known far and wide for his remarkable hymns and poems that offer us a profound glimpse into the Divine. Probably born in the year 306 in the city of Nisibis (modern-day…
Deacon Frank Browne In my local parish we are preparing for the feast of Corpus Christi, when we plan to involve all the children who made their Holy Communion recently. But what does it mean for us when we receive Holy Communion at Mass or venerate the Blessed Sacrament? Perhaps it can mean many things…
We can and we must prevent the worst effects of climate change from happening, writes Pope Francis “Let Justice and Peace Flow” is the theme of this year’s ecumenical Season of Creation, inspired by the words of the prophet Amos: “Let justice flow on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (5:24). The evocative image…
Devotion to the Sacred Heart will always be central to the life of the Church, writes Fr James Hanvey SJ The image of the Sacred Heart can be found in many of our churches. Once it was a familiar feature of many Catholic homes, as were the prayers and practices that went with it: the…
A consistent life ethic takes us beyond ideas of the deserving and undeserving poor and vulnerable, writes Aimee Murphy When approached to write this piece, I first considered expounding upon my understanding of all the various issues that the consistent life ethic touches on: ending abortion, war, the death penalty, euthanasia, embryo destruction, police brutality,…
Parishes and lay associations can be a leaven for each other, writes Prof. Susan Timoney “To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body.” Rather than a contemporary summary of the Second Vatican Council’s idea of the renewal of the vocation of…
There are, to my mind, two great Jane Austen adaptations. One, the 1990s miniseries of Pride and Prejudice, I think many will know already and it’s available on Netflix. The second adaptation is less well known, a 1995 TV film version of Persuasion, Jane Austen’s last novel. It’s a wonderful film, as different from the…
Ruadhán Jones