Many European countries ban both commercial and non-commercial surrogacy for very good reasons, writes David Quinn Successive governments have been planning legislation to regulate the area of Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR), which cover techniques like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). It looked as though such a law would finally be passed sometime earlier in the life…
Month: January 2024
‘Baggage free’ youth hunger for faith say college chaplains
College chaplaincies have seen “rapid growth” since Covid as young people are “hungry” for faith, college chaplains have said. Growth of college chaplaincies has been “exponential” on campuses across the island of Ireland, with many seeing thousands of students coming through their doors each week, chaplains told The Irish Catholic. While Census 2022 highlighted that…
Committee told gas capsules are good for assisted suicide
For the past several months, an Oireachtas Committee looking at Assisted Suicide has been hearing from expert and other witnesses in regard to the medical, political, social and ethical issues around the frankly disturbing concept of killing another person under the guise of compassion. One of the members of the Committee, Gino Kenny, who is…
Priest praises bumper turnout for Christmas Masses this year
Many parishes across Ireland saw packed churches this Christmas as people turned out in droves to celebrate the birth of Christ. This followed calls from priests and prelates across the country in early December for people to use the festive period to encourage their friends and neighbours who have been away from the sacraments, to…
Handel’s ‘Messiah’: Is it just the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus?
Handel’s Messiah offers soul-food this Christmas season, writes Fr Vincent Ferrer Bagan OP The “Hallelujah” chorus from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah is probably the most well-known classical piece of music written for choir. People love to hear it, and they love to sing it. If you have sung in a school, college or church choir,…
You don’t really know who you are
David Mills One of the most important rules for living in the world is: You are probably not who you think you are, and many others know you better than you know yourself. This is an old-guy lesson, I’m afraid, one of those lessons one learns from long and painful, often embarrassing experiences. We charge…
Archbishop Martin decries ‘shocking’ modern warfare in Gaza
Archbishop Eamon Martin has decried the “shocking” example of modern warfare in Gaza in his message for World Day of Peace. Reflecting on Pope Francis’ message highlighting the “serious ethical questions related to the armaments sector”, particularly the weaponisation of artificial intelligence, the archbishop of Armagh said “we must not lose sight of the shocking…
AI poses ‘grave risks’ Pope says in Peace Day message
Carol Glatz All forms of artificial intelligence should be used to alleviate human suffering, promote integral development and help end wars and conflicts, not increase inequality and injustice in the world, Pope Francis said in his message for World Peace Day 2024. “Artificial intelligence ought to serve our best human potential and our highest aspirations,…
Dialogue at Catholic college ‘opaque, disquieting’ say staff
Staff at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) have criticised the “long, disquieting” and “opaque” dialogue process with University of Limerick (UL), which has ground to a halt. MIC staff are now questioning if the college is in a weaker position than at the start of the dialogue process. The comments come in response to revelations that…
The Pope’s 2023: A year of health challenges, travel and the synod
Cindy Wooden Pope Francis’ 2023 was a year of important trips made or postponed, a predecessor’s funeral and his own 10th anniversary as Pope, a call to the world to act on climate change and a call to the Church to strengthen its mission by learning “synodality”. The Argentine pope, who was born on December…