Hannah Harn looks into building good mental health through physical fitness Whether you cycle to work every day or are a professional athlete, routine exercise is a great way to keep in shape. However, studies show regular exercise and physical activity are just as good for your brain as they are for your body.…
Month: May 2019
Extending pro-migrant theme, Pope calls Bulgarians to ‘open doors’
Elise Harris Driving home his defence of migrants and refugees, Pope Francis told Bulgarian Catholics this week that the Church must always be a supportive community whose doors are open to all, especially those who are far away from home. As he often has in the past, the Pope in his May 6 speech…
Aontú ‘delighted’ with promising election results
Colm Fitzpatrick
New pro-life party Aontú has said it is “delighted” with the Northern Irish local election results, which saw one candidate take up a seat in Derry. Dr Anne McCloskey was elected in the Ballyarnett area of the city, and is the first Aontú representative to be elected in the North. Overall, the recently-formed party polled…
‘Sneaking regarders’ – support for the Provos in the Republic
A Broad Church: the Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1969-1980 Gearóid Ó Faoleán (Merrion Press, €19.95 / £16.99) Felix M. Larkin The controversial – and, for some, uncomfortable – argument of this book is that, to quote from it, “there was a sizable though ultimately immeasurable [sic] body of tolerance, if not support, for militant…
Archbishop calls for team work encouraging priestly vocations
The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland will say this Sunday that the Lord has not stopped calling people for the priesthood, but he can be difficult to hear among “so many competing voices”. In his pastoral message on Vocations Sunday Archbishop Eamon Martin is “keen” to encourage the priesthood for Irish youth. The…
A garden full of opportunities
Vocations Sunday Supplement 2019 Joining a religious order could be the best decision you ever make, writes Colm Fitzpatrick There’s an old, well-known joke about how different religious communities are constantly competing with one another, vying to decide which order is the best. It goes something like this: a Franciscan and a Dominican were…
Does God have a gender?
Questions of Faith There’s an old story about an astronaut who went far out into space and upon his return was asked if he had seen God. He replied, to their surprise, that he had, and when pushed to describe what God looked like, he said: “She’s black.” It’s not clear when this thought-provoking tale…
Australian Church to reform structures after abuse crisis
The Australian Catholic Church is continuing on its ground-breaking path toward a potential dramatic overhaul with the announcement that a panel of experts will thoroughly review the governance and management structures of Catholic dioceses and parishes. Such a review was a key recommendation of Australia’s landmark Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse,…
Irish Knight aims to transform community
A candidate running in the Irish local elections has said he will represent Catholic voters and those striving to improve their community. Paul Uzo, who is originally from Nigeria and is now running as an Independent candidate in Dublin’s Swords told The Irish Catholic he wants to “work as a bridge between the disaffected youth…
A habit going up in smoke
Dr Kevin McCarroll
Medical Matters It’s now just over 50 years ago since it was first announced that smoking causes lung cancer, a moment which spelled the beginning of a decline in tobacco use. Despite all of the negative effects from smoking and restrictions on its use in public places, a considerable number of people still use…