A leading theologian in the forefront of calling for liberal reforms in the Church has criticised what he has described as “incendiary” remarks by former president Mary McAleese. US-based Prof. Massimo Faggioli, an expert on Vatican II, said Mrs McAleese’s comments that infant baptism breaches human rights are unhelpful. “Making incendiary remarks has usually the…
There has been huge demand for tickets to participate at events with Pope Francis with tickets for Knock being snapped up in just over four hours. Organisers of the World Meeting of Families confirmed that the Dublin-based pastoral congress is also booked out with some 37,000 pilgrims registered from 114 countries. As of lunchtime on…
With less than eight weeks until Pope Francis visits Ireland, attention is focusing on his teachings and what his message will be to the Church in Ireland. Here we publish a study guide to the Pope’s most recent document Gaudete et Exsultate prepared by Prof. Eamonn Conway of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and Greg Daly,…
Speculation that homeless families would be moved out of temporary accommodation in Dublin hotels around the time of the papal visit highlights the scandal of families having to live in such condition, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said. “Archbishop Martin says that the fact that large numbers of people have to be accommodated in hotels in…
Derry’s bishop, Donal McKeown, has set a new challenge to the youth across the island of Ireland to follow in the bare-footsteps of the young people he encountered on Lough Derg over the weekend who are leading the way for a National Youth Pilgrimage on the ancient place of Christian Pilgrimage. Over the weekend a…
Josepha Madigan’s decision to run a Eucharistic service in a priest’s absence invites serious questions, writes Greg Daly The decision by Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan to conduct an impromptu Eucharistic service with two other readers on a Saturday evening when the priest scheduled to say Mass failed to turn…
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington, said last week he will no longer exercise any public ministry “in obedience” to the Vatican after an allegation he abused a teenager 47 years ago was found credible. Bishop James Checchio of Metuchen, New Jersey, where Cardinal McCarrick served as its first bishop, said in a statement…
Gemma Mulligan A lot can be said for the inspirational nature of the Icon of the Holy Family, as it travels from diocese to diocese and parish to parish, but for one priest in the Diocese of Ossory it led to the creation of a “reflective” piece of music. During the icon’s travels this month…
Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard by Cynthia L. Haven (Studies in Violence, Mimesis and Culture series / Michigan State University Press, US$29.95 pb) Frank Litton René Girard, who died in 2015, was one of the leading thinkers of our era – a provocative sage who bypassed prevailing orthodoxies to offer a bold, sweeping vision of…
A Vatican court has found Msgr Carlo Alberto Capella, a former staff member at the Vatican nunciature in Washington, guilty of possessing and distributing child pornography. Judge Giuseppe Della Torre, head of the tribunal of the Vatican City State sentenced Msgr Capella to five years in prison and fined him €5,000. The Vatican press office…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Greg Daly