Caoimhe de Barra Over the coming days and weeks, the faces of two women will adorn the walls and tables of homes in parishes all over Ireland. Standing alongside their young children, Angela and Madris are like all other mothers in the world who want to provide futures for their children. But these two mothers…
Thomas Morrissey The Enigma of Arthur Griffith: ‘Father of Us All’ by Colum Kenny (Merrion Press, €19.95) The sub-title ‘Father of Us All’ stems from a declaration of W.T. Cosgrave in 1925 attributing to Michael Collins the statement: “Griffith was the greatest man of his age, the father of us all.” There have been a…
Three former pupils of an Argentine school for the deaf have travelled to Rome to demand the release of records on priests who abused them. Daniel Sgardelis, one of those abused at the Provolo Institute for the Deaf in La Plata, said he wants an international law which would force the Vatican to “stop covering…
Eduardo Campos Lima The search for a new dialogue between black Catholics and the hierarchy is on the agenda with Afro-Brazilian Catholic activists struggling to promote and increase participation of black people in the Church and society. Almost 56% of Brazil’s population has some African descent and, according to a recent survey on religion…
A prominent number of young people were present at the Divine Mercy Conference over the weekend. Speaking with The Irish Catholic, they said they had found new strength in their faith by joining communities in college and realising they were not alone. Jack Ryan from University College Cork (UCC) said he had been private about…
Eight Christians accused of kidnapping 60 children for the purpose of converting them to Christianity have been acquitted in India. The six men and two women were alleged to have attempted an illegal religious conversion of tribal children were freed in Madhya Pradesh on February 18. The adults were on their way to Nagpur with…
Letter from Rome February 21 marked exactly one year since the anniversary of Pope Francis’ historic summit on the clerical sexual abuse crisis, which brought together presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences to promote a global culture of transparency and accountability. Coincidentally, the milestone came as the world focuses on a very different kind of…
Womb with a Window: Ethical Reflections on the Personhood of the Unborn Through Scripture and Science by Msgr Dr Antony Perumayan (Shanway Press, £12.00; contact 15 Crumlin Road, Belfast, Antrim BT14 6AA; email infro@shanway.com; tel: Northern Ireland 028 9022 2070) The reverend author of this book is the National Co-ordinator of the Syro- Malabar Church…
Catholic bishops in East Africa have called for increased action to combat the region’s worst desert locust infestation in 70 years. Like scenes from the Book of Exodus, swarms of locusts are ravaging grazing lands and endangering the economies of seven countries heavily dependent on agriculture for food security. Bishop Giorgio Bertin, who heads the Church…
Ampleforth College: The Emergence of Ampleforth College as the ‘Catholic Eaton’ by Peter Galliver (Gracewing, £12.99) Ampleforth College in Yorkshire over the past centuries as often been called ‘the Catholic Eton’, though this title might well be disputed by those who went to Stonyhurst. However, this short book is subtitled ‘We must look to…
John L. Allen Jr.
Peter Costello