Fatima was originally scheduled for last August. Its release was delayed for almost a year because of Covid. The virus gives it a strangely appropriate backdrop. It’s like a metaphor for the horrors of World War I. The war underpins Marco Pontecorvo’s uplifting evocation of the beatific visions of three Portuguese children in 1917. Both…
Parnell and his times ed. by Joep Leerssen (Cambridge University Press, £30.00) Felix M. Larkin It is often difficult to find an appropriate print outlet for a scholarly paper prepared for a particular occasion or otherwise in a very specific context. The fruits of much research and reflection are thereby lost. A volume like this is,…
Dear Editor, Being from the Republic, I read with astonishment that there is a policy in the North, as well as the rest of the UK, that disallows poorer families to receive child benefit for a third or subsequent child. I would certainly not call myself a bleeding-heart socialist but children should never be put…
Maintaining healthy lifestyle may reduce Covid risk – HIQA A healthy weight, regular exercise, receiving enough vitamin D, moderating alcohol consumption and not smoking all have positive effects on health and may reduce the risk of poor Covid-19 outcomes, the Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) has said. They examined 46 studies which focused on…
Bishops praise Biden for committing vaccines to needy The president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace praised President Joe Biden June 23 for his commitment to provide 500 million Covid-19 vaccines to lower-income countries. This was recently matched by the G-7 nations,…
On Tuesday of last week the sad story of the healthy baby aborted in Holles Street Hospital was the main story on RTÉ News at Nine, a welcome acknowledgement of a high profile casualty of repealing of the Eighth Amendment. Next morning on Newstalk Breakfast presenter Ciara Kelly mentioned it first in her review of…
Notebook Recently I visited the three schools of our parish to celebrate first penance with the boys and girls preparing for First Holy Communion. It is noteworthy that the number of children involved between the three schools is fourteen. I say this, as a slight aside, because when we hear of numbers, restrictions and NPHET…
Fr Michael Toomey criticised an “off the cuff” remark from the Tánaiste on June 29, saying the Government “pushed aside” the celebration of Baptisms, Confirmations and Communions
Even the lowliest of sinners can become the greatest of apostles by answering God’s call and allowing his grace to work in their heart and mind, Pope Francis said
The annual Reek Sunday pilgrimage will be going ahead this summer in an extended format. The event, which was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, will be taking place from Wednesday to Saturday, July 1-31. Announcing the news, Fr Charlie McDonnell of Westport said they are “delighted” to offer an extended Reek Sunday pilgrimage…
Aubrey Malone
Brendan O’Regan
Ruadhán Jones