Francis recognises new martyrs of the 20th Century Pope Francis has recognised the martyrdom of six religious priests and brothers and seven laypeople who were killed in the 20th Century “in hatred of the faith”, clearing the way for their beatification. Among the soon-to-be blesseds are three Spanish priests of the Missionaries of the Sacred…
In the Hebrew bible, when Abner is slain, King David says to his men: “Do you not realise that a great man has fallen in Israel this day?” I thought about it when news started to emerge on Friday afternoon that Seamus Mallon had died at the age of 83. Mr Mallon was indeed a…
World Visions Ireland has welcomed the first conviction of a Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)case in Ireland. On Monday, a married couple were sentenced to prison. The father, aged 37 received five and a half years and the mother, aged 27 received four years and nine months. Fíona O’Malley from the Christian organisation World Visions Ireland…
Personal Profile Sometimes it is easy to forget just how lucky we are. In Ireland, we are ranked as one of the wealthiest countries in Europe. People largely have access to healthcare, free water, some – be it expensive – housing and plenty of food. Niall O’Meara had the opportunity to realise just how lucky…
Dear Editor, Fr John Harris penned an excellent article highlighting issues that need to be addressed by the Catholic leadership in Ireland (IC 16/01/2020), the importance of preaching to those “Catholics” in the pews who have yet to really listen to the Gospel and convert to Christ. And the additional lesson from the life of…
You’ll struggle to find anything about it in the Irish media, but last Friday’s March for Life in Washington was impressive by any standards. March for Life (EWTN’s live coverage) was broadcast most of the afternoon and evening. Probably the most prominent part of the event was the address by President Trump – the first…
A magical oceans lab Many people get put off by science, resolving that the subject is either boring or only fit for geniuses to study. However, science is something we should all be exploring and trying to understand. Marine and environmental science is at the forefront of our current affairs with the plastic pollution of…
Notebook On a recent episode of RTÉ’s Operation Transformation, one of the people featured made incredible strides in improving her health and losing weight. She joined a weekly walking group and looks forward to the meeting each week. I hope I am not doing her a disservice, but I think she described it as “the…
French protesters march against controversial bioethics bill Debate began on a bioethics bill in the French Senate last week after tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of Paris to protest state funding for medically assisted procreation for lesbian couples and single women. “A child is a gift to be received, not an…
As I mentioned at the beginning of the year, 2020 commemorates the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth in Bonn in December 1770. Son of Johann, a court musician, and his wife Maria Magdalena, Ludwig was their second child. An older brother, also named Ludwig, lived only a few days in April of the previous year.…
Michael Kelly
Brendan O’Regan