Fundamental to our faith is our belief in the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural end, because all life comes from God. This eternal truth informs all we do. In the secular world there is no belief in God, and, for many, little belief in the sanctity of human life. Those who have…
US Election – lessons for Irish politicians
Irish politicians may well be looking warily on the US election results as they move into the race for power. There can be no doubt that Donald Trump won the election because he was listening to what mattered to the people of the United States, and planning to address their very real concerns which echo…
A united Ireland must envisage a solid, respectful future
In his recent comments Leo Varadkar moved the debate on Irish unity forward. Free of the responsibilities of government, he is now encouraging all Irish political parties to move from aspiration for a united Ireland, to a stated objective. He also recommends two referendums, one to enable the people to express their views in principle,…
Repealing Legacy Act: a critical moment for Troubles victims
The suffering of the victims and survivors of Northern Ireland’s conflict was very much compounded by the passing last year of the NI Legacy (Troubles and Reconciliation) Act, which was forced through parliament despite the united opposition of all the political parties in Northern Ireland, the vast majority of Troubles victims throughout the UK, most UK…
Another step on the synodal journey…
The first report of the Synod on Synodality was published last month and makes for very interesting reading. It was the first of two sessions. Of the 364 voting delegates who attended, 50 were women and they, with the lay men and others who attended, were able to vote on this report and on the…
We must not ignore scientific reality for short-term gain
When the Covid-19 pandemic emerged we were repeatedly told that we must “trust the science”. There was no scope for argument. Those who questioned the construction of the new mRNA vaccines and their universal administration were ridiculed and called anti-vaxxers. Yet those vaccines did not have full approval when they were administered to millions of…
The answer to loneliness, addiction and despair should not be death
Questions are asked openly about the future of the Church. It is said that it is in terminal decline.They have said this for centuries. Yet still it continues to grow. It was most unlikely, given the might of the Roman empire and the power relationships existing in the Holy Land at the time of Christ,…
The vicious hounding of the Princess of Wales
Humanity has always been flawed. We do not need to read the account of creation to know the extent of those flaws. Since time began it seems, the world has been at war. A world which is capable of providing for all its people, if we all but lived as we are called to live,…
Women and men walking side by side for peace, justice and equality
As International Women’s Day approaches there is much focus on the current status and situation of women across the world. There will be much celebration about what has been achieved in so many countries. I spent last Saturday in Paris at an International Women’s Day event organised by the National Council of Resistance of Iran. It was…
UK Legacy Act will inflict further damage on victims
Many people will have seen the recent TV programme about the Post Office scandal involving the wrongful prosecution of and conviction of sub-postmasters and the wrongful demands by the Post Office for tens of thousands of pounds allegedly missing from post office accounts, all the result of a faulty computer programme, Horizon, and, seemingly, the…