The future of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom is to be decided on December 16. The body, a federally funded commission which advocates for religious freedom and monitors religious abuses globally has been targeted as America attempts to reduce its trillion dollar deficit. When the commission’s funding came due for re-approval in late…
Michael Kelly meets Dr Patrick McDevitt, the passionate new president of Dubin’s All Hallows College Dublin’s All Hallows College will next year celebrate 170 years of existence. Nestled in the city’s Drumcondra suburb the college has undergone a considerable transformation since its establishment in 1842 as a seminary to train young Irishmen for the priesthood.…
The Pope has called on world leaders to be courageous and ethical in their responsibilities to their people. Speaking during his November 18-20 visit to the African nation of Benin, the Pontiff urged leaders: ‘Do not deprive your peoples of hope! Do not cut them off from their future by mutilating their present! ‘Adopt a…
That much-admired broadcaster, Olivia O’Leary, has been telling us how she will celebrate the faith side of Christmas: not attending a ‘Roman Catholic Church’, because she gave all that up two years ago, but at St Patrick’s Anglican Cathedral in Dublin, where the carols are wonderful, and the lessons uplifting, and she can feel her…
A new committee is seeking memories of the famed council, writes Cindy Wooden With a view toward the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, a pontifical committee has launched a worldwide treasure hunt. Many of the more than 2,800 cardinals and bishops who participated in all or part of the 1962-65…
Chernobyl Children International (CCI) launched its annual Christmas gift campaign last week, appealing for support from the Irish public to help light up the lives of children in need. The CCI is the leading United Nations NGO accredited organisation working in Belarus, Ukraine and Western Russia. The organisation has raised over €90m in aid…
The former Israeli ambassador to Egypt offers his perspective on Egypt’s elections to Paul Keenan The earliest election results for Egypt came through last week as The Irish Catholic met with Israel’s former (2005-2010) ambassador to Cairo, Shalom Cohen. Inevitably, the scheduled interview turned towards that subject, and the past, present and future of the…
Paul Dunphy describes the effects of life-changing gifts to the developing world Since Oxfam launched the Unwrapped range of Christmas gifts, Irish people have truly embraced the spirit of Christmas and given more than 125,000 life-changing gifts to people in need. These gifts have helped improve the lives of more than 500,000 people in…
Fr Liam Lawton’s journey in song reached a milestone in 2011. Paul Keenan reports Within any chosen path, to be able to describe oneself as ”busy” after 20 years can only be what’s called ‘a good complaint’. But busy is exactly what Fr Liam Lawton has continued to be through 2011, the 20th anniversary year…
I have to confess to being a bit of a fan of Woody Allen. I know a lot of his views would be completely contrary to mine, or the Church’s for that matter. But he is (or can be) an inventive and funny film-maker and his movies often touch on matters of ultimate meaning. Also,…