Being perpetually busy is a strange state of being. Like most working parents, there is always an epically long to-do list lurking somewhere at the back of my mind. The etymology of the word busy reveals something about the state of being busy. The word ‘busy’ comes from the Middle English word ‘bisig’, which at…
Love Notes Myself and my husband are together 15 years and managed to keep our ‘spark’ alive well beyond the honeymoon stage but in the past few years things have changed without us really realising that our attraction has faded. One of the key issues here is the really distorted reality of attraction…
Mainly About Books by the books editor The fire which ravaged Notre-Dame in Paris shook not just France, but the whole word. The edifice was not merely just another site on the European tourist trail, it was a place which has rightly been seen as a mirror of the soul of France herself. Its…
Venezuelan guards launch tear-gas bombs in church While protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro raged across the country, National Guard forces loyal to the embattled head of state launched tear gas at churchgoers attending Mass at a local parish. In a letter published on May 2, Bishop Mario del Valle Moronta Rodriguez of San Cristobal…
The Notebook Fr Bernard Healy The whole Catholic world comes on pilgrimage to Rome, but where do the Romans themselves go on pilgrimage? Many head to Lourdes, Fatima and San Giovanni Rotondo like the rest of us, but the pilgrimage site that has a special place in the hearts of many Romans is Divino…
Pat O’Kelly Built between 1741 and 1755, Russborough House near Blessington is a fine example of Palladian architecture. The renowned Richard Cassels designed it for the brewer and property developer Joseph Leeson, who was created Earl of Milltown in 1763. Dublin’s Leeson Street is named after him. In 1952 Russborough became the home of…
Dear Editor, For all that Pope Francis often talks of his wish for “a poorer Church”, I don’t know how many of us expected it to entail figures for religious orders as stark as those published in The Irish Catholic this week (IC 2/5/2019). Recurring stories of losses at Veritas along with declining weekly collections…
Crafting cherished childhood memories Armagh Craft Fair returns for the ninth year to the the Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre. Bringing high quality craft to the heart of Armagh City, this annual event offers something for everyone. The Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre will transform into a vibrant hub of high quality craft,…
Every now and then watching a programme on TV you might regret your initial reaction. Watching Panorama: Scandal in the Church of England, on BBC last week (BBC1 Monday, BBC2 Friday) I couldn’t help feeling a little relieved that for a change it wasn’t the Catholic Church under the microscope, or under the cosh. Unworthy…
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation this week to ban abortions in Georgia once a foetal heartbeat is detected, which is around six weeks. The bill’s signing comes after weeks of protests and amid outcry for legal action against it. “We will not back down. We will always continue to fight for life,” the governor…
Rory Fitzgerald
Wendy Grace
Peter Costello
Brendan O’Regan