Singing priest Fr Ray Kelly lived to ‘dance’ another day after surviving another elimination on RTÉ1’s Dancing With The Stars. Fr Kelly performed the paso double to the theme from The Magnificent Seven movie with professional dance partner Kylee Vincent on Sunday, January 26. Yet despite posting the lowest score for the third week running,…
Sex is reserved for married heterosexual couples, new pastoral guidance from the Church of England has affirmed. The new guidance also draws a clear distinction between marriage and civil partnerships, noting that sexual relations are not proper to the latter. The guidance, ‘Civil Partnerships – for same sex and opposite sex couples: A pastoral statement…
During Mass to celebrate Catholic Schools Week (CSW) the Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown criticised discussion among some of Northern Ireland’s political leaders about creating one educational system, and defended the merits of a Catholic education. The Derry Diocesan Launch of CSW, which runs from January 26 to February 2, attracted large crowds of all…
Tribute to a statesman Seamus Mallon’s principles, rooted in a strong Faith and in an unstinting commitment to a culture of life, remained steadfast even in face of opposition, writes Archbishop Eamon Martin In the entrance hall of the Seamus Heaney ‘home place’ in Bellaghy, Co. Derry there is a quotation from one…
A parent’s perspective An article on The Catholic World Report website discussing Pope John Paul II’s vision of marriage and the family describes love in marriage as the union of one man and one woman to form “a communion of persons, through a sincere gift of self”. It talks of love forming the inner dynamism…
St Columbanus: Selected writings compiled by Alexander O’Hara, introduction by Fr Sean McDonagh (Veritas, €9.99 / £7.25) Columbanus and the Peoples of Post-Roman Europe edited by Alexander O’Hara (Oxford University Press, £68.00) Jonas of Bobbio and the Legacy of Columbanus: Sanctity and Community in the Seventh Century by Alexander O’Hara (Oxford University Press,…
The new bishop of Achonry has said that the Church needs to prioritise ministry with young people. It was announced on Monday that Pope Francis has appointed Carlow-born Fr Paul Dempsey as the new Bishop of Achonry. Up to this point Fr Dempsey (48) has been Parish Priest of Newbridge in the Diocese of Kildare…
Letter from Rome The controversy surrounding retired Pope Benedict XVI’s contribution to a new book on priestly celibacy demonstrates just how much both substance and appearances matter. And, as far as substance goes, the book paid scant attention to the uninterrupted presence of married priests in all but two of the Eastern Catholic churches. Published…
Representatives of the US bishops expressed sorrow after three US fire-fighters died in an air crash while fighting bushfires in Australia. “As the people of Australia continue to endure terrible fires, let us renew our prayer and generosity. Today, the suffering was brought even closer to home with the loss of three brave American crew…
Utopia: The History of an Idea by Gregory Claeys (Thames & Hudson, £9.99) Looking at the cover of this brief but well-informed and penetrating history of the utopian ideal, I was engaged by the cover. This shows the flying city of Laputa from a Victorian edition of Gulliver’s Travels, a book much concerned with ideas…
Chai Brady
Archbishop Eamon Martin
Maria Byrne
Peter Costello