A cardinal said that Europe should be “ashamed” after fire devastated the continent’s largest refugee camp, leaving 13,000 people without shelter. In a September 9 interview with Vatican Radio, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), lamented the destruction of the Moria camp on the Greek…
Calling it “necessary and urgent” to return to public Masses as soon as Covid-19 measures permit, the Vatican’s top official for liturgy has urged Catholic bishops around the world not to let religious worship be relegated to a priority level below “recreational activities” or treated as just another public gathering. Signed by Cardinal Robert Sarah…
In a Harbour Green: Celebrating Benedict Kiely by George O’Brien (Irish Academic Press, €19.95) In the hurry and bustle of modern Irish literature, Ben Kiely belongs seemingly to another world. This may well be because he was one of that generation of writers whose normal route to writing was though journalism and broadcasting. The broad rich…
When the issue of climate change comes up there can be a very natural reaction to step away, saying: “This has nothing to do with me, it’s up to the governments, the energy producers.” Pope Francis however sees it differently. He invites each one of us to an “ecological conversion”. Now just what does he…
Bangladesh Catholic hospitals treat Covid-19 patients with Pope’s ventilators he Catholic Church of Bangladesh has expressed its gratitude to Pope Francis for donating three ventilators in the country’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Donated through the Apostolic Nuncio, a ventilator was sent to Dhaka and the others were sent to two Catholic hospitals in Dinajpur…
The excusable doesn’t need to be excused and the inexcusable cannot be excused. Michael Buckley wrote those words and they contain an important challenge. We’re forever trying to make excuses for things we need not make excuses for and are forever trying to excuse the inexcusable. Neither is necessary. Or helpful. We can learn a…
While my late friend and revered music critic of the Irish Independent, Mary MacGoris, maintained danger lurked around every corner, I believe things are looking up. As Fred Astaire sang in the Gershwin brothers film A Damsel in Distress, “bitter was my cup/but no more will I be the mourner/for I’ve certainly turned the corner/oh,…
Notebook My summer holidays in Ireland included a visit to a rural pub/restaurant, where a family function was taking place. This event, maybe a christening or possibly a quiet second marriage, was attended by a large number of children, running all over the premises and annoying hoary old celibates like me. Sensing my annoyance, one…
Alert, Aware, Attentive. Advent Reflections by John Cullen (Messenger Publications, €4.95/£4.50) From a background of service in Ireland and Kenya, John Cullen brings us some ideas about Advent. As the editor of Intercom he is a practised hand at communication. His little book will be an aid to many as Advent comes down on us to…
What have déjà vu and doublethink got in common? I got a strong sense of both in the media last week. Mostly it was in relation to the assisted suicide debate that kicked off during the week as Gino Kenny TD intends to introduce a Dying with Dignity Bill. On three Drivetime programmes (RTÉ Radio…
Peter Costello
Bairbre Cahill
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Brendan O’Regan