Ordination of Women

Posted on 30. Jun, 2016 in Church Teachings, Feminism/Women in the Church

Redemptorist priest Fr. Tony Flannery, a founder of the Association of Catholic Priests was silenced by the Vatican over his liberal views of the Church – specifically his views on the priesthood and the ordination of women. As a result he cannot practice his ministry and can only celebrate Mass in private. While this ruling […]

Reaction to Brexit

Posted on 30. Jun, 2016 in Christian Values, Community, Economy

Pat Riordan is an Irish Jesuit, who lives and works in Britain, lecturing in Heythrop College on Political Science. He talks about how the vote to leave the European Union is a great blow to the idea of Union – that it shows an abandonment of the principles of sticking together and solving things through political resolutions. […]

Unmet Commitments in Prisons

Posted on 30. Jun, 2016 in Christian Values, Prison

The Prison Services and Irish Probation Service recently launched their Annual Report for 2015 and Strategic Plans for 2016 – 2018. Eoin Carroll from the Jesuit Centre of Faith and Justice says that while progress has been made there continue to be unmet commitments from the Prison Service’s Three Year Strategic Plan 2012-2015. Chronic overcrowding […]

Atheist to Pope Francis

Posted on 23. Jun, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Economy, Faith and Justice

No Pope has attracted atheists as much as Pope Francis. So says, Bill Purcell, Associate Director of Catholic Social Tradition and Practice in Notre Dame. He has written a paper on Saul Alinksy, a non practicing Jew and community organisor who wanted to improve the rights of the marganilised. Bill explains how Alinsky was drawn […]

Sisters in the Troubles

Posted on 23. Jun, 2016 in Church Teachings, Faith and Justice, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values, Humanitarian Aid

The Troubles has been a subject of much study and discussion but an aspect that is often overlooked is the perspective of women; even more so religious women. Dr. Diane Kirby, Reader in American Studies at the University of Ulster, wanted to hear some of these marganilised voices to gain a fuller understanding of the conflict. Many of […]

Reporting on Sex Abuse cases

Posted on 23. Jun, 2016 in Crime

Professor Peter Steinfels on left Professor Peter Steinfels at Fordham University, New York worked as a religious columnist for the New York Times from 1990-2000. He looked at how the media might be used as a source for the history of the Catholic sex abuse scandals in the United States. While he feels that the […]

Pioneers in Africa

Posted on 16. Jun, 2016 in Addiction, Alcohol, Christian Values

Charles Searson SJ saw first hand the damages of alcohol which led him to become a pioneer and to promote the temperance movement. He now works in Africa where he explains to Pat Coyle that alcohol is fast becoming a problem, in particular for women. He has been working on curbing the influence of alcohol in […]

Mary’s Magnificat

Posted on 16. Jun, 2016 in Achievement, Church Teachings, Liturgy, Music

Journey to your heart is a CD from Marie Dunne CHF who has had wide musical experience, mainly in the area of Church music. She has worked with parish choirs, both as musical director and/or organist. Working with Patricia Bourke D’Souza, Mary O’Donnell and the Holy Faith Past Pupils’ Choir, she produced a moving version of […]

Helping Syria

Posted on 09. Jun, 2016 in Charity, Church Teachings, Conflict, Death, Grief, War / Civil Unrest

Michael Zammit SJ, the Middle East Director of Jesuit Refugee Service visited Aleppo, Syria shortly after the air strikes on the city hospital. He condemns what he sees as a deliberate targeting of hospitals to drive people out of the city. However he added that despite the bombings life in Aleppo was continuing in a […]

Anam Cara

Posted on 09. Jun, 2016 in Caring for Children, Community, Death

Losing a child is one of the most heart breaking things for a parent to experience. Anam Cara was set up by Sharon Vard when she lost her own daughter Rachel and found that there was no support group for bereaved parents. They offer peer support by way of a bereavement group. They meet informally […]