Given the popularity of St Patrick’s Day, many celebrators know little about St Patrick the man. They might be surprised to learn that he never ate corned beef and cabbage, never drove snakes out of Ireland, and had no leprechaun friends. The majority of St Patrick’s Day customs, myths, and fables have been perpetuated and…
Marking International Women’s Day on March 8 is a good moment to reflect again on the history of women within the Church and to imagine a different future. I recently came across the story of St Mary of Egypt, who ran away from her home to Alexandria at the age of 12, spending the next…
Syria’s top Christian leaders have condemned the recent killing and wounding of hundreds of Alawites, many civilians, by security forces and Islamist gunmen linked to the country’s new rulers. The pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) issued an urgent appeal for prayers, warning of escalating violence that has targeted innocent civilians, including…
People across Sri Lanka have united to protect elephants, an animal revered in Buddhist culture, after increasing deaths from collisions with passenger trains. The issue garnered widespread attention after a passenger train truck a herd, killing six elephants in Habarana. In response, the Centre for Environmental Justice petitioned Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court urging coordinated efforts…
The ‘ReArm Europe’ plan proposes 800 billion euros of arms spending in the Old Continent. But would this really guarantee our security? The increase in economic resources for armaments has once again become an instrument of relations between states, showing that peace is only possible and achievable if it is based on a balance…
Letters Dear Editor, The snakes are back! Poor St Patrick, even after driving out the snakes of pre-Christian paganism, here, they reappear, in the form of our annual An Post, contribution for the feast or rather now, the festival of St Patrick’s Day, as they call it. They are multicoloured and long. What is…
As conflict continues to devastate eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC) has warned of potential regional spillover. At a meeting in Tanzania, bishops from Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda called for peace, denouncing what they termed a growing “culture of death.” The M23 rebel offensive, backed by…
Peter Kasko I was in the shop earlier this week. As I was putting the items away, I nearly walked out without paying. A funny conversation ensued and at one point the cashier said: “Nothing in this life is for free.” I simply nodded while tapping my card away, and she continued: “Or in…
Additional Reporting (KNA) There is currently a lot of speculation in and around the Vatican. Only a few people know what the true state of the ailing Pope is. Now he is startling observers with a scheduled meeting – and awakening memories of Pope Benedict’s resignation. Despite his unchanged critical state of health, Pope Francis…
Dear Editor, As Pope Francis nears the end of his papacy, his legacy remains a topic of debate. While some have found him controversial, it is undeniable that he has been a Pope committed to reform, transparency, and outreach. His leadership has challenged the Church to face difficult questions and to become more open to…