Posted on 28. Apr, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Faith and Justice, Humanitarian Aid, Poverty, Refugees
The ormer chairperson of the Working Group on the Protection Process for asylum seekers, retired Judge Bryan McMahon, expressed disappointment at the slow rate of change in direct provision. He looked at the failure to resource key recommendations over the past 10 months. Speaking at the launch of ‘The Search for Refuge’, the May 2016 […]
Posted on 28. Apr, 2016 in Church Teachings, Community, Environment, Faith and Justice
In a piece on the Limerick Synod website titled Setting the Compass you read ‘If the synod were to be no more than an event of a few days, it would probably be a waste of time. The risk would be that it would only produce a report gathering dust on the shelf. The Synod […]
Posted on 21. Apr, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Faith and Justice, Feminism/Women in the Church
The role of Church in society is often a contentious one, with some protesting at the sign of any public symbol of religion and others feeling the loss of a communal sense of celebration. Miriam Gormally spoke with Michael O’Sullivan SJ, author and academic, about the question of how there can be room for public prayer […]
Posted on 14. Apr, 2016 in Christian Values, Faith and Justice
Towards Peace was set up by the Church as an organisation to provide a safe supportive space, where people who have been affected by abuse in a Church context can be accompanied as they seek their own experience of spiritual peace, one step at a time. People who have experienced abuse, in particular by Church […]
Posted on 10. Mar, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Faith and Justice, Gospel Values, Grief, Hospice, Spirituality, Suicide
Marianne Quinn is the chaplain in St Columcille hospital in Loughlinstown, Dublin. Her work involves caring for the dying and for those who have been bereaved. She says that her work allows her to channel God’s mercy and to be present in whatever way she is needed. Mercy, she says, is particularly important in deaths […]
Posted on 04. Feb, 2016 in Christian Values, Community, Economy, Faith and Justice, Politicians, Politics
Political parties all over the country are preparing themselves for election. They will soon be knocking on doors and looking for votes. Michelle Murphy from Social Justice Ireland talked about we need to use this time to think about the kind of society that we want to build and how we can make it fairer […]
Posted on 07. Jan, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Faith and Justice, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values, Liturgy
Prof Siobhán Garrigan, Loyola Chair of Catholic Theology, says the commonly perceived image of God has a profound impact on how we view people’s roles in society. She argues that it infiltrates into our concepts of who is suitable to lead and which people are most likely to reflect divinity on earth. It is however also […]
Posted on 07. Jan, 2016 in Church Teachings, Faith and Justice, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values
Brendan Butler from We are Church talks about his hopes for the Church for New Year. He looks at the concept of current Year of Mercy and asks whether it might be better to have a Year of Justice, where the Church take on a charter for human rights, including women and members of the LBGT […]
Posted on 24. Dec, 2015 in Book Reviews, Christian Values, Christmas, Church Teachings, Community, Faith and Justice, Gospel Values, Liturgy, Prayer
“Let everything secular about Christmas remind us of its Holy meaning.” says Donal Neary SJ, i in his most recent book of reflections of Luke’s Gospel. Donal is well known as the parish priest of Gardiner Street in Dublin and prolific author who was recently appointed editor of the Messenger. He talks about why he published […]
Posted on 24. Dec, 2015 in Christian Values, Community, Faith and Justice, Prayer, Vocation
Thomas Merton was a writer, mystic, monk, poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. He was fascinated by Eastern Spirituality and met with the Dalia Lama who said he considered himself one of [Thomas Merton’s] Buddhist brothers. John Cooney, journalist and broadcaster has had a long time fascination with Thomas Merton and has written about […]