Friend of the Poor: Mary Aikenhead

Posted on 10. Nov, 2016 in Charity, Christian Values, Community, Faith and Justice, Feminism/Women in the Church, Vocation, Young people

Friend of the Poor: Mary Aikenhead is a book by Rosaleen Crossan RSC looking at the life of this extraordinary Cork woman who founded The Religious Sisters of Charity. It traces her life and inspiration. Born into incredible wealth and privilege, she decided to abandon all of that and dedicate her life to serving the poor. Last year […]

Art and Soul

Posted on 29. Sep, 2016 in Art, Christian Values, Community, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values

Surrender – one of Doris Klein’s works Doris Klein is a member of the Congregation of Sisters of Agnes. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and ministers as a spiritual director, artist and graphic designer. She says she never considered herself to be an artist until one day she found that her drawings and watercolours were inspiring other. People saw […]

Becoming a Bishop

Posted on 15. Sep, 2016 in Christian Values, Church of Ireland, Feminism/Women in the Church

Pat Storey, Ireland’s first female bishop talks about her life  journey from a non-Christian background to Bishop of Meath and Kildare. When she first went to Trinity, she was sharing with a Christian friend as said she wasn’t looking forward to it. Ironically she found that sharing with this woman made her feel that she […]

The mystery of God’s mercy

Posted on 01. Sep, 2016 in Christian Values, Church of Ireland, Community, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values

Pat Storey, Ireland’s first woman bishop talks about her personal understanding and experience of mercy in this jubilee year declared by Pope Francis. She focuses on a phrase that resonates with her, “grace is getting what you don’t deserve, mercy is not getting what you do deserve” and says that this is true in her […]

Preventing Trafficking

Posted on 14. Jul, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Crime, Faith and Justice, Feminism/Women in the Church, Human Trafficking

Ruth Killcullen is director of Mecpaths, Mercy Efforts to Counter Child Prostitution and Trafficking in the Hospitality Sector. Her work focuses on raising awareness amongst hotel owners of the prevalence of children being abused on their premises. She is also an advocate of legislation that follows the Nordic model in making paying for sex illegal […]

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 […]

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 […]

Who will Break the Bread?

Posted on 02. Jun, 2016 in Celibacy/Sexuality, Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values, Sexuality, Vocation

“Who will Break the Bread for us?” is the title of Fr Brendan Hoban’s book. Spokesperson of the Association of Catholic Priests, he looks at the future of priesthood in Ireland. He says that there simply won’t be enough priest in the near future and that bringing in priests from other countries won’t necessarily be […]

Why no Women Deacons?

Posted on 28. Apr, 2016 in Church Teachings, Community, Feminism/Women in the Church

In June 2012, the Irish Church ordained eight married male deacons in a ceremony in Dublin. While many welcome this initiative, many more are angered by the exclusion of women to this role. Dr. Phyllis Zangano a leading expert on ministry by women that female deacons featured heavily in the old order of permanent deacons. […]

Church and Society

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 […]