A respected Papal biographer has called on former president Mary McAleese to “tone down the rhetoric” after she said Pope Francis hasn’t done enough to reform the Church. Dr Austen Ivereigh, who wrote the book The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope, tackled Prof. McAleese after she made the comments on…
Our politicians should exhibit more grace to one another and also receive grace from the rest of us, writes Fr Martin Magill Grace is perhaps one of the greatest of God’s gifts. It is truly “amazing” as exemplified in John Newton’s famous hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, so loved in all Christian traditions and beyond. Grace is the…
The Vatican has dramatically over-ruled a British bishop’s decision to close a parish church. Bishop Peter Brignall had originally told parishioners in Conwy, north Wales that he was forced to close the church due to a shortage of priests to minister in the Diocese of Wrexham. The last Mass was celebrated at St Michael and…
There’s fatigue heading into 2020 in the US, but also cause for a bit of optimism, writes Christopher White One year ago, the US bishops gathered at Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary for a historic retreat initiated by Pope Francis in response to the latest round of the clergy abuse scandals. Some months earlier, the leadership…
Bishop Fintan Monahan is to become one of the first Irish bishops to lead a group to Medjugorje. It comes after the Vatican changed rules which had banned bishops from leading groups before this point, though they were free to visit the Marian shrine in a private capacity. Bishop Monahan will serve as spiritual director…
Iraqis fear their country, already weary from years of war, may be dragged into a conflict between the United States and Iran, following the US-targeted killing in Baghdad of Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani. “We prayed during the days of Christmas for peace on earth, and the timing of this revenge from America creates in…
As some of the worst wildfires in Australian history rage across four states, thousands of people in affected areas in New South Wales and Victoria continue to be evacuated to safety. Soaring temperatures, often higher than 100°F (37.8°C), and a protracted drought have contributed to an unprecedented national emergency which, by Christmas, had already seen…
Representatives from Knock Shrine have been invited to a celebration in the Vatican at the end of this month which will feature the Our Lady of Knock processional statue. The Mass, which will take place on January 26, will include the statue and the Knock Schola Choir. The representatives from the Shrine have been invited…
Questions of Faith The topic of married priests is hotly debated in Catholic circles today – the Bible tells us that man must leave his mother and father to be joined to his wife, so why is this injunction not applied to the clergy? It’s important to note that most clerics in the early Church…
Burmese Cardinal Muang Bo has signed an open letter condemning police brutality in Hong Kong over the Christmas holidays. “We have been horrified to see reports of police firing teargas, pepper-spray and rubber bullets at close-range at shoppers, peaceful protesters and innocent by-standers on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and again on Saturday, December…
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick