Antrim Rose Orlágh McClinton [pictured] has picked the Michaela Foundation as her chosen charity as she attempts to be crowned Rose of Tralee. Hailing from Glenavy, the 22-year-old said she is “delighted” to be supporting the Catholic organisation which has faith as one of its central tenets. The foundation was established to honour the life…
Letter from Rome When the Vatican announced last Thursday that Pope Francis had named a new spokesman, most early reaction suggested the move didn’t exactly inspire confidence about an upgrade in the role of the press office. The Pope tapped a 43-year-old Italian layman who’s worked in the press office for the last decade,…
Dom Eugene Boylan: Trappist Monk, Scientist & Writer by Thomas J. Morrissey SJn (Messenger Publications, €19.95) This is an important biography of Dom Eugene Boylan, the well-known abbot of Mount St Joseph, the Cistercian Abbey at Roscrea. He was the author of two once widely read books, This Tremendous Lover and Difficulties in Mental Prayer, which…
KNOCK NOVENA In the 19th Century, Knock was typical of the villages dotted around the West of Ireland. It was a small collection of thatched houses and two school houses with the parish church at its centre. On the evening of August 21, 1879, Our Lady appeared at the gable of the church in…
The Victorians: The Titans Who Forged Modern Britain by Jacob Rees-Mogg (W.H. Allen, €20.00) At the time of writing the futures of Brexit and the British Conservative party are still unsettled. But whatever happens we can expect the author of this book to have some role in it. Jacob Rees-Mogg is being spoken of by some…
Mindful living Spirituality is notoriously difficult to define because ultimately it is attempting to put into language something that cannot adequately be described in words. When we use words to describe the mysterious, the words serve only as pointers. There is an old proverb which says that when the wise man points to the moon,…
S eventeen years ago, a priest at the Church of Santa Maria in Buenos Aires was tidying up when he discovered two small pieces of a Eucharistic host on the altar. Church rules told him exactly what to do in such a situation, and he followed them to the letter – placing the pieces of…
Church representatives in Congo have urged international action to contain Ebola, after an epidemic in the country’s eastern provinces was declared an emergency by the World Health Organisation. “The Congolese people have suffered so many troubles in recent years – Ebola is only the latest,” said Msgr Andre Massinganda, deputy secretary-general of the Congolese bishops’…
A man has been charged in relation to an incident that occurred during the annual blessing of graves at Dundalk cemetery in Louth over the weekend. James McDonagh (28), with an address at Glenmore Park, Muirhevnamore in Dundalk, appeared before the district court on Tuesday. The first charge is unlawful use of a car, the…
Madison Duddy gives travel tips and tricks to guarantee a stress-free summer getaway With the summer months upon us, people begin to plan and prepare for their summer holidays. Whether it be a trip with family or friends, everyone is itching for a weekend on a beach or exploring a new city. While being on…
John L. Allen Jr.
Peter Costello