On September 14 we celebrated the feast day of the Exaltation of the Cross. This is a commemoration of two historical events: the Finding of the True Cross and the dedication in 335 of the basilica and shrine built on Calvary by Constantine, which mark the site of the Crucifixion. The Roman Emperor Hadrian (117-38… Read More
Tag: Catholic Church
What is the meaning of Religion?
The Coronavirus and resulting Lockdown have taken their toll on many areas of life, including religious practice. Religion and its meaning in peoples’ lives have been the subject of much comment as places of worship across the country were closed for weeks on end. Such a state of affairs was unprecedented in modern times. What… Read More
John Hume – Blessed be the Peacemakers
The main topic in the news this week and the only one to topple Covid-19, albeit temporarily, was the death of John Hume, the man without whom peace would never been attained in Northern Ireland. Those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s here in the south were used to the daily… Read More
First Preacher of the Gospel-Mary Magdalene
On July 22, we celebrated the feast day of St Mary Magdalene, a woman who has been both fascinating and controversial in equal measure. Magdalene is not a surname but rather identifies the place Mary came from, Magdala, a city in Galilee, located in the northernmost region of ancient Palestine, (now northern Israel). It lies… Read More
Upon St Swithun’s Day
On Tuesday, July 15 we celebrated St Swithun’s Day. He was even mentioned on the RTE news, not an accolade afforded to too many saints in these times of religious indifference! However, this saint may be an exception because of his association with a topic close to the hearts of us Irish, namely the weather…. Read More
Anti-Catholicism, and the last Irish Martyr
This week we celebrated the feast of St Oliver Plunkett, who when canonized in 1975, became the first Irish saint for almost 700 years, as well as the first of the Irish martyrs to be beatified. It was an honour that he had paid for dearly – with a life on the run filled with… Read More
Brotherly Love – Pope Benedict’s last trip
The news from the Vatican this week was a reminder that we are living in a unique period of history because we have a reigning pope Francis, and a retired pope Benedict both alive at the same time. Benedict was the first pontiff to resign in 600 years and still lives within the walls of… Read More
Life after Covid19
This week we saw the beginning of what is referred to as the opening up of our country. Hand in hand with this is the notion of ‘the new normal’, a phrase which strikes fear in the hearts of some, intimating that things have changed irrevocably. I am still getting used to the idea of… Read More
Love Thy Neighbour?
Within the last two weeks the usual headlines regarding Covid-19 have been replaced by another huge news item; sadly not a good one. What should have been a minor incident in Minnesota turned into a world news story, leading to scenes of mass protests and demonstrations across the United States. On May 26, George Floyd… Read More
The Church in a time of crisis
The current unprecedented coronavirus crisis has affected all areas of life including church services. Not only are the churches closed, but we are unable to celebrate the end of life by having a funeral in the normal way. This has been particularly difficult for us Irish who are at our best on social occasions and… Read More
Pope Pius XII: A Hero of His Time
Beside my desk, in the office, I have two Noticeboards, one of which I just use for pictures I like, animals, landscapes and photographs. One of these shows Pope Pius XII with a tiny little bird perched on his hand. Pius was head of the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958. The story behind the… Read More
Lent: The Fast before the Feast
Wednesday of this week was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent and the beginning of our journey towards the most important day in the Church’s Calendar, Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday mark the two days when Catholics are asked to limit their eating to one full meatless meal. Two smaller ones may… Read More
Dealing with Cancer
Cancer, the very word in itself is enough to strike fear in the hearts of us all. Almost every one of us, at some point or another, will be affected by it and even if we have not had it ourselves we will know a friend or family member who are battling with the disease. … Read More
From Anti-Semitism to Auschwitz
On January 27, 1945 the notorious Nazi death camp at Auschwitz was liberated by Soviet forces. On Monday this week, hundreds of Holocaust survivors joined delegates from world governments, (including our own President Michael D. Higgins) at the site where more than one million people were murdered when the Nazis occupied Poland during World War… Read More
The Two Popes
This week I went to see the film The Two Popes showing at the IFI in Eustace Street. The stars are Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict and Jonathon Pryce taking the part of Pope Francis, when he was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. The occasion is a series of secret meetings which took place between the two… Read More
Mary McAleese and the Catholic Church
Former President sparks Controversy There has been a lot of controversy in the media lately over remarks made by the former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. On Saturday, November 2nd she told a gathering in Trinity College, Dublin that women were not full members of the Catholic Church, the architecture of which was designed to… Read More