Medical Matters As we wade deeper into the coronavirus pandemic our healthcare system is feeling the surge in cases of Covid-19. A virus that may have emerged out of a market in Wuhan, China a little over three months ago has infected over one million people in over 170 countries, in what has been…
Personal Profile “What keeps me going is just a strong faith and belief that this is what Christianity is about,” says Sally Roddy, long-time member and current President of Viatores Christi (VC). She has spent years working on staff and volunteering with VC, the lay missionary group who this year are celebrating their 60th.…
Jesus’ death washes everything clean, including our ignorance and sin. That’s the clear message from Luke’s account of his death. As we know, we have four Gospels, each with its own take on the passion and death of Jesus. As we know too, these Gospel accounts are not journalistic reports of what happened on Good…
In May 2015, Pope Francis published the encyclical Laudato Si’ – Care for Our Common Home inviting everyone into a conversation about what is happening to our environment, God’s creation. This year we celebrate the fifth anniversary of its publication and Pope Francis has invited all of us to mark this special anniversary in some…
It’s been a lovely lockdown so far. The sun has shone kindly over our pleasantly shrunken world. Life is simpler and there’s no longer any rush to school, to clubs or birthday parties. There are no weekend breaks or daytrips. There’s something pleasant about not having to decide what to do, for the only thing…
High blood pressure and child development issues High blood pressure in pregnancy, or pre-eclampsia, an already established threat to a mother, has been found to increase the risk for several developmental problems in children. The study published by JAMA Psychiatry, using a Norwegian health database, observed 980,560 children. Of these, 28,068 were exposed to pre-eclampsia…
RóiseMcGagh writes about just how important reading is, and how you can encourage your kids to pick up a book Can you recall the smell of that perfectly flat, untouched paper, the cracking of a stiff spine, and the feeling of excitement after reading the blurb of a new book you have been dying…
Mindful Living Noel Keating This monthly column is focused on the benefits of meditation for adults and children alike. The practical benefits have been demonstrated beyond doubt through scientific research over recent decades. The regular practice of meditation gives rise to physical, psychological, emotional and cognitive benefits. For this reason, meditation is now regarded…
Sweet Treats These might be easy to buy, but why not try to make your own this Easter, you won’t regret it! They are crunchy and golden on the outside but wonderfully soft on the inside. If that doesn’t sound indulgent enough, they are then coated in cinnamon sugar. A definite crowd pleaser! Ingredients…
We don’t much like the word ‘disillusionment’. Normally we think of it as a negative, something pejorative, and not as something that does us a favour. And yet disillusionment is a positive, it means the dispelling of an illusion and illusions, unless we need one as a temporary tonic, are not good for us. They…
Dr Kevin McCarroll
Fr Ronald Rolheiser