If ever there was a saint for the poor, humble and marginalised, it must be the Canadian Alfred Bessette, or St André Bessette. Born in Quebec on August 9, 1845, he was orphaned by the time he was 12. He was forced to work to support himself, travelling from place to place and taking up…
Jennifer Bryson tells Jason Osborne that forming a Catholic conscience was key to working in a pressure cooker like Guantanamo Bay detention camp “If there is anything I learned during my time as an interrogator at Guantanamo Bay, it is the importance of a well-formed conscience. Too seldom do we use periods of ease to…
The Bible continues to provide naming inspiration in modern Ireland, with four of the top five most popular male names given December 2021 coming from biblical figures. ‘Jack’, the exception, remained at the top of the 12-month list for the second year running, with ‘Noah’ coming in close behind at second place. Michael, James and…
Pope Francis thought it a good idea to hone in on the life of St Francis de Sales on the 400th anniversary of his death and so should we, writes Jason Osborne On December 28 Pope Francis released an apostolic letter Totum Amoris Est (‘Everything Pertains to Love’), to mark the fourth centenary of the…
An accusation frequently levelled at the Church is that while it talks a good game regarding helping the impoverished, it actually hoards its riches in a very immoral way. Comments such as “The Pope lives in a palace” or “The Church should sell some of its treasure to help the poor” are commonplace in this…
Saint of the Week A mother of five who went on to become a religious sister and the United States’ first saint is one of the examples the Church pays tribute to January 4. St Elizabeth Ann Seton was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley, into a prosperous Protestant family from New York in 1774 – a…
‘Vivid’ history of women religious launched A “vivid” account of the experience of women religious in Ireland from 1530-1700 was launched at the Poor Clare Monastery, Galway, recently. The book, Irish Women in Religious Orders, 1530-1700, is the first comprehensive study of the lives and experiences of women religious for that period and shows how…
The President, Taoiseach and Tánaiste have led Irish tributes to the late Pope Benedict XVI, who died this morning. President Michael D. Higgins said in his message that Benedict will be remembered for “his untiring efforts to find a common path in promoting peace and goodwill throughout the world”, including for maintaining a “steadfast interest”…
Carol Glatz/CNS Here are some important events in the life of Pope Benedict XVI. April 16, 1927: Joseph Ratzinger is born in Marktl am Inn, Germany. 1945: With World War II ending, the 18-year-old conscripted soldier deserts from the German army and is held briefly as a US prisoner of war. June 29, 1951: He…
Cindy Wooden/CNS During his many years at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as well as during his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI made incisive contributions to the search for Christian unity, although some of his teaching also was read as ecumenically insensitive. While the late pope forged strong bonds of friendship and esteem…