Posted on 27. Dec, 2018 in Community, Conflict, Death, Faith and Justice, Grief
Fr Paddy McCafferty is the PP in Springhill Parish in West Belfast a parish that was shook in 1972 by the shooting and killing of civilians. One year before another massacre had taken place in Ballymurphy where more civilians were shot. The families of all the victims have been looking for justice for years. Now […]
Posted on 13. Dec, 2018 in Advent, Christian Values, Community, Seasons of the Church Year, Vocation
The season of Advent is full of contradictions, so says Dr Kevin Hargaden, Social Justice Theologian at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice and Presbyterian Elder. Advent is filled with light and darkness, optimism and hope, and happiness and joy – but ultimately, he said it’s about time coming to its fullness. Dr Hargaden […]
Posted on 13. Dec, 2018 in Achievement, Christian Values, Community, Eastern Spirituality, Environment, Faith and Justice, Nature, Vocation
December 10th, fifty years ago, Thomas Merton was found dead in his room near Bangkok, where he had been the main speaker at an international monastic conference. At the time he was the best known Catholic monk in the world. His autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain (Elected Silence in the English edition), was an unlikely best seller, telling […]
Posted on 13. Dec, 2018 in Christian Values, Community, Ecology
Ireland was recently ranked the worst performing country in Europe for tackling climate change. The Climate Change Performance Index ranks Ireland 45th out of 57 countries when judged on three categories; greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, and energy use, and categorises Ireland as a ‘Very Low performing’ country – the worst ranking available. The report warned […]
Posted on 06. Dec, 2018 in Christian Values, Community, Ecology, Faith and Justice, Gospel Values, Young people
Pat Coyle recently went to Rome to be part of the book launch for Sharing The Wisdom of Time, by Pope Francis and Friends. In it, he explored the advice and learning that older people can share with the next generation. Afterwards he did a Question and Answers session on the issues that were of concern to […]
Posted on 06. Dec, 2018 in Christian Values, Community, Conflict, Economy
Brexit has been a particular concern for people in Northern Ireland who are worried that it will see a return to the troubles. Fr Paddy McCafferty, PP of a West Belfast Parish – Springhill which is just off the Falls Road, talks to Conor Deane of his concerns around Brexit for the wider nationalist community and […]
Posted on 29. Nov, 2018 in Celibacy/Sexuality, Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values, Humane Vitae, Sexuality
In the last Census, 78% of people registered as Catholics and a recent survey showed that 93% of parents baptise their children. However despite this, all the recent referendums showed a country very much at odds with Church teachings. In this second part with Joe Mulvaney, he talks about how we need to separate the […]
Posted on 29. Nov, 2018 in Book Reviews, Christian Values, Economy, Faith and Justice, Gospel Values
Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age is the name of Kevin Hargaden’s new book (foreword by William T. Cavanaugh) where he addresses the Christian problem with wealth. Economics and money is not a topic that the Church speak about very much and if they do, they are frequently told to stick to religious matters. However throughout his […]
Posted on 29. Nov, 2018 in Christian Values, Crime, Vocation
Father Paddy McCafferty was one of the eight abuse victims who met with the Pope while he was visiting Ireland in August. The Belfast priest, who was abused during his training, said that Pope Francis accepted responsibility for the abuse during his visit and was very visceral in his condemnation of the abusers. Fr Paddy […]
Posted on 22. Nov, 2018 in Celibacy/Sexuality, Christian Values, Church Teachings, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values, Humane Vitae, Liturgy, Sexuality, Vocation
In this two part series, Joe Mulvaney talks about his new book, Speak Out for Reform in the Catholic Church. In this first part he talks about his own life and reservations with the Church, how he left ordained ministry and married his wife Maureen. He says that after Vatican Two there was hope that the […]