A view from the Seanad The statement from the Catholic bishops on the referendums on ‘Family’ and ‘Care’ on March 8 is covered elsewhere in these pages, but I’d like to offer a couple of observations. Bishops, these days, are slow to say ‘Vote Yes or No’ to anything. They rightly judge that any direct exhortation can…
‘Distinct’ role of faith must be respected in policy The distinct role faith plays in the North must be respected in policy bishops and experts have said as a new poll shows that 80% of people in the North identify as Christian – compared with just 46% in England and Wales and 74% in the…
So, my cousin and I fell to talking about how differently children are brought up these days in contrast to our childhood, or even to our time as younger mothers – a perennial topic among grandmothers. Modern parenthood focuses on giving children choices, and letting them voice their needs freely. Children should not be coerced…
The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has said the upcoming referenda relating to the definition of family is “likely to lead to a weakening of the incentive for young people to marry” and has urged people to oppose the two proposed amendments to the Constitution in the March 8 referenda. In their statement, the bishops said…
Eilís Mulroy Earlier this month, former Attorney General, Tánaiste, and Minister for Justice, Senator Michael McDowell revealed that his request to access 64 pages of notes and minutes by the government’s Interdepartmental Group considering the implications of the proposed family and care amendments to the constitution was refused until after the referendum. Senator McDowell dismissed the…
Catholic-founded charities helped pave the way to assist the most vulnerable who were being rejected by local authorities for housing, according to the National Director for the ‘Housing First’ initiative in Ireland. Rob Lowth told The Irish Catholic that Fr Peter McVerry, who founded the Peter McVerry Trust, saw from a “very early time” the…
Two neighbouring parishes that I am aware of recently carried out a survey of younger parishioners.Organised through the local secondary schools, the research sought to gauge the general interest and engagement of young people aged 13-15 in the life of the parishes. Perhaps encouragingly for this age group, 73% in the anonymous described themselves as…
Decisions “have to be made” on the future structure of parish life, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan has said, as his diocese mulls alternating Mass venues, changing schedules and closing churches. In a letter to parishioners, the bishop of Waterford and Lismore warned that “we cannot avoid change” in parish identity, as there is a “lot more…
Brian Friel The Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People is located on Bow Street in Dublin 7 at the rear of the Capuchin Friary on Church Street. It is an initiative of the Irish Capuchin Franciscan Friars who first came to Ireland in the early 1600’s and have stayed with and supported the Irish people…
A court ruling last week in the US state of Alabama has set the cat among the proverbial pigeons by declaring that unborn children are exactly that – children. Therefore, they must be treated with care by IVF clinics and not thoughtlessly destroyed if no longer needed, which is what these clinics routinely do. The…
Senator Ronan Mullen
Ruadhán Jones
Mary Kenny
Brandon Scott
Chai Brady
Michael Kelly
David Quinn