Chai Brady looks into Fairtrade Fortnight Unbeknownst to anyone who buys a product in Ireland, they could be seriously negatively impacting and perpetuating the suffering of a person who is being exploited somewhere in the world. It’s well known that in many countries, particularly in developing countries, workers are paid a pittance to work…
Questions of Faith Most people have heard of or watched pseudo-Christian movies like The Da Vinci Code or Stigmata which make claims that Jesus had a secret marriage with Mary Magdalene or that the Kingdom of God is in all of us. The role of these movies is to sensationalise commonly accepted teachings about Christianity…
My daughter’s friend describes himself as not having faith. Then a couple of weeks ago my daughter came to me saying, “When we were in that graveyard, he blessed himself at every grave he stopped at.” She asked him why. It would seem that he is not so much an unbeliever as one who believes…
Children’s Corner Get your children off the couch and away from the TV so they can focus on something much more fun and creative. Making toilet-paper-roll owls is easy and is a great way to make use of something you would otherwise have thrown out. These colourful creations can be kept to decorate anywhere…
In 1970, the famed British writer Iris Murdoch wrote a novel entitled A Fairly Honorable Defeat. The story had numerous characters, both good and bad, but ultimately took its title from the travails of one character, Tallis Browne, who represents all that is decent, altruistic and moral among the various characters. Despite being betrayed by…
Personal Profile Chai Brady speaks to a renowned Catholic academic about his life and Faith “Do not be afraid to be holy” was then Pope John Paul II’s message to pilgrims during World Youth Day in 1989, and that struck a chord with a young man soon to enter seminary. Dr Neil Xavier O’Donoghue,…
A view of the flu For history lovers and those who want to discover more of their own heritage, the National Museum’s Country Life department is offering a chance for attendees to learn about one of the most severe flus that hit the country. The Enemy Within – The Spanish Flu in Ireland explores the…
Everyday Philosophy Peruse the Catechism of the Catholic Church or a collection of papal encyclicals from the last century or so and it won’t be long before you find a denunciation of utilitarianism, the philosophical position that’s often summed up as being about the pursuit of ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’. Utilitarianism…
Chai Brady discusses what sustains a marriage St Valentine’s Day is a time many couples spend quality time with each other and focus on their relationship, with care, intimacy and love being key objectives. But what happens when passionate feelings of love become more subdued, when the ‘honeymoon phase’ is long over and married…
As a vowed, religious celibate I’m very conscious that today celibacy, whether lived out in a religious commitment or in other circumstances, is suspect, under siege, and is offering too little by way of a helpful apologia to its critics. Do I believe in the value of consecrated celibacy? The only real answer I can…
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick
Bairbre Cahill
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Ben Conroy