Peru’s bishops pleaded for peace as violent protests against the country’s current president and legislature have claimed the lives of dozens of people. “We deplore the violence that has been unleashed because violence only begets more violence,” the Peruvian bishops’ conference said in a message published January 20. “The death of more than 50 Peruvian brothers and…
Saint Brigid is, perhaps unexpectedly, at the forefront of the public’s mind, what with her feast day becoming the occasion of a public holiday this year. However, many have chosen to focus instead on the pre-Christian goddess of the same name – some going so far as to say that there was no historical St…
Woodeene Koenig-Bricker Advent has its wreath, its candles, its hymns – all of which culminate in Christmas. Lent has ashes, fasting, Stations of the Cross – and the Resurrection. It’s easy to be energised and excited about the Faith during the High Holy Days. But Ordinary Time in the Catholic Church? It’s just so, well,…
When Fr Michael Mithamo King’ori lost his sight as a deacon, he thought his dream of becoming a priest was lost. But nothing is impossible for God, and on January 15, Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri ordained Fr Mithamo King’ori as the first-ever blind Kenyan Catholic deacon to become a priest. Fr Mithamo King’ori could…
Veteran RTÉ broadcaster and advocate for those living with Motor Neurone Disease Charlie Bird will visit Sr Stan at the Sanctuary on Dublin’s Stanhope Street on February 7 at 3pm, where Sr Stan will present him with a copy of her book, Finding Hope. Sr Stan dedicated the book to Mr Bird “for his inspiration,…
Politicians are shamefully trying to outsource life and death decisions, writes Eilis Mulroy As a representative democracy, we elect our TDs to represent our views and interests in the Dáil. There is a considerable degree of trust and confidence placed on the shoulders of our politicians, who are equally responsible to the wishes of their…
St Brigid’s sanctity and miracle-working were obvious from her childhood, writes Lorraine Mulholland Have you ever heard of St Brigid of Kildare? Of all our wonder women, Brigid of Kildare is by far the star! Brigid is so important that from February 2023, St Brigid’s Day is going to be a yearly national holiday…
Joyce, Aristotle and Aquinas, by Fran O’Rourke (A volume in the Florida James Joyce Series, edited by Sebastian DG. Knowles; University of Florida Press, US$90hb/US$35pb/£38.95pb /€44.50pb) Today marks the anniversary of James Joyce’s birth in 1882, the first indeed in what can be seen as the second century of Ulysses. That book is now so…
On the feast of St Francis de Sales, the patron saint of journalists, Bishop Francisco Javier Acero, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Mexico, remembered and asked for prayers for the members of the media who have been murdered in Mexico and for their families. According to the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico,…
Sometimes when chatting with those of different denominations, or even with those of no faith at all, Catholics are asked why they confess their sins to a priest. Confessing sins directly to God is usually understood easily enough, but something about sharing our sins with another person in order to receive forgiveness is puzzling to…
Peter Costello