Mark Holan This year’s fraught US presidential campaigns have got many Americans wondering what has become of the once powerful ‘Irish vote’? This problem comes into even sharper focus with this recently published history of the Irish American strain by Prof. Timothy J. Meagher. Meagher was once associate professor of history at Catholic University of…
Over the last 20 years, the way in which homeless services are provided in Dublin and beyond has gone through significant change. We have moved from a position where a number of voluntary homeless service providers operated in relative independence from each other with limited co-ordination of effort and resources, to a position where the…
Jonathan Luxmoore Greece’s minority Catholic Church has deplored a parliamentary vote to allow same-sex marriage and child adoption, the first in a predominantly Orthodox country. “Our reaction is clear – the Church doesn’t accept same-sex marriage, and we’re surprised the government pressed ahead so quicky with this measure,” said Archbishop Josif Printezis of Naxos, Andros,…
If there is a scale of how critical the housing crisis in Cork can be, it’s at the upper end, the head of Cork Simon told The Irish Catholic. The charity’s shelter is “packed to the rafters” every night, says Paul Sheehan, adding that what started out as a 47-bed shelter now typically accommodates 74…
Scott P. Richert Every year, for over 40 years now, I have given up watching TV for Lent. I know it’s no longer fashionable to give something up for Lent; instead, we are urged to ‘do something positive’, something that will make a difference in our spiritual life or (preferably, it seems) in the corporal…
I hate crowds, at least most of them. I’m okay at football games, where a crowd has bracketed its sanity for a couple of hours for a cathartic release. But I hate those crowds that are caught up in a fever that feeds off group think, be that a cultural fad, a political ideology, a…
Recently Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP was in Dublin to give the annual Patrick Finn Lecture at St Mary’s, Haddington Road. It was an opportunity which many took to hear one of the more influential Catholic theologians of today. It was judged by those who attended to have been a great success. Those who might wish…
Deacon Greg Kandra Incredibly, we’re already entering the third week of Lent. The ashes are a distant memory. We’ve gotten used to grilled cheese and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches on Fridays and we’ve mustered the self-control to resist having that chocolate bar at 3pm. Maybe we’ve settled into the rhythm of Lent and become used to it.…
Dear Editor, A USA lady bravely faced applause when she declared she sleeps with Bill Clinton every Christmas. She brought to mind people having a similar ‘durable relationship’ with our very own Taoisigh. All of this gains fresh relevance as our Government asks us to vote in a referendum, March 8. They say existing definition of…
It’s probably the wrong thing to say, but I really enjoyed the State funeral of the late John Bruton, RIP. It was an occasion of deep sadness for his family and I did pray for them during the Mass, but I was also moved by the rituals of Church and State, so beautifully executed for…
Ruadhán Jones
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Peter Costello