The kids were only back in school a few days before the inevitable message from school came through. A child in one of our kids’ classes had tested positive for Covid. We soon learned that it was not a child in our child’s pod, and so she could continue to go to school if we…
Personal Profile This has been a busy year for Fr Ger Jones of Ennis parish. Firstly, he celebrated 10 years as a priest this and now, following the elevation of Fr Ger Nash to be Bishop of Ferns, Fr Jones is stepping up to fill his shoes as diocesan secretary for Killaloe. “Fr Ger Nash…
Recently at a workshop, a woman shared her anxiety about the death of her brother. Her older brother had died from the Covid virus before there were vaccines for it, and had died because he had dangerously exposed himself to catching the virus. However, he had exposed himself to that danger for a worthy reason.…
Children’s Corner There are many tests to see how fit and healthy you are, each checking certain parts of your body. One of the indicators of good health is lung volume. Just how much air can your lungs can hold? With the help of a few simple household objects, some scientific know how and a…
The Sunday Gospel In today’s Mass we reach the halfway point of Mark’s Gospel (Mark 8: 27-35). The first half develops the identity of who Jesus is and it is time to ask the question, “Who do people say I am?” The second half will deal with the question of the way that Jesus is…
Population of Republic above 5 million for first time since 1851 The country’s population was estimated to stand at 5.01 million in April, the latest statistics from the CSO revealed last week. This is the first time the population has risen above five million since the 1851 census, when the population stood at 5.11 million.…
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…
Everyday Philosophy There’s a standard bit of ethical terminology that gets thrown around a lot in Catholic circles: the difference between moral questions that involve ‘intrinsic evils’ and moral questions that involve ‘matters of prudential judgment’. This comes up a lot in politics: support for certain things like abortion and euthanasia are supposed to be…
“But mummy it is only 8 o’clock. I am not tired yet.” “Tired or not we are back to school soon and you need your sleep.” Many households are the same, trying to return to their old routine after the summer. For many including myself it is a new stepping stone as my youngest is…
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.…
Ruadhán Jones
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Chai Brady
Ben Conroy