I love a drama series that’s unpredictable, steers clear of stereotypes and has a sharp script, a touch or more of humour and fluid acting. Inside Man on BBC One, Mondays and Tuesdays, fits the bill with delights to spare. Its black humour reminds me of Coen Brothers material, especially the Fargo film and series.…
Pope Francis has appointed Teresa Devlin, CEO of the National Board for the Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland, as a new member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland Eamon Martin welcomed Ms Devlin’s appointment, saying that the Pope appoints those “who…
The work of Irish religious and missionaries in setting up schools, hospitals and more has been “taken for granted”, warned Fr Brendan Coffey OSB. Fr Coffey, president of the Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious in Ireland (AMRI), said the “wider story” of the good done in Ireland by religious isn’t being shown today.…
Everyday Philosophy If you see a photograph of yourself as a baby you might have all sorts of thoughts. “How cute I was”, or “peaked in infancy”, or “why was I chasing that goat?” One thought you’re unlikely to think is “I wonder what he’s doing now?” You think yourself quite entitled to believe that…
Pope Francis received the leadership of the Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders group September 29, commending them for their work around the world in helping to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting took place in Pope Francis’s private apartment in Rome to discuss how school communities “can help to create a world that…
The head of the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia said the FBI’s arrest of a prominent Catholic pro-life activist known for his sidewalk counselling outside a Philadelphia abortion facility is “a horrendous stunt to intimidate pro-lifers”. Mark Houck, 48, was arrested at his home in rural Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the morning of September 23 for…
Rainbows and Windmills by Peter Tarleton Stewart (Columba Books, €14.99/£13.99) Peter Tarleton Stewart retired two years ago after 46 years as an active Anglican pastor and parish priest. From those long years of widely spread and varied experience not only among his parishioners, but also with students, the sick and imprisoned, he has seen many…
President Michael D. Higgins has called on the leader of Nicaragua’s authoritarian regime Daniel Ortega to release hundreds of prisoners. The President called on President Ortega, a former friend, to release people “who have a right to participate in debate on the future of their country”. The European Parliament passed a motion last month calling…
Encouraging Catholics to join the police in the North continues to be a challenge for many reasons, PSNI officers tell Chai Brady The North of Ireland has a long history of sectarianism that continues to rear its ugly head to this day. A police force that is more representative can help to tackle legacy issues, but just…
Letter from Rome Life, as the famous John Lennon saying goes, is what happens while you’re making other plans. In a similar fashion, we might say that news is what happens while you’re paying attention to something else. This summer, Catholic chatter was dominated by ultimately baseless rumours that Pope Francis was about to resign.…
Brendan O’Regan
Ruadhán Jones
Ben Conroy
Peter Costello
Chai Brady
John L. Allen Jr.