Journey to your Heart

Posted on 12. May, 2016 in Christian Values, Community, Faith and Justice, Liturgy, Music

Marie Dunne CHF recently released  her new album entitled “Journey to your Heart”. Featured on the CD is a variety of newly composed inspirational and religious music.  The title track of the album is also called “Journey to Your Heart”.   Miriam Gormally met with Marie and asked her about the CD and they discussed […]

Responding to the Environment

Posted on 05. May, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Ecology

Last year Catherine Devitt took up the new position of Environmental Justice Officer, a post created by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ). In recent decades care of the environment has emerged as an important discussion on social justice issues so this new role within the JCFJ is significant. Pope Francis’ recent encyclical, Laudato si’, […]

Beatification of John Sullivan SJ

Posted on 05. May, 2016 in Achievement, Christian Values, Saints, Vocation

On April 27th Pope Francis approved the beatification of Venerable John Sullivan. Many miracles have been attributed to the Jesuit priest who was baptised into the Church of Ireland (his father’s tradition) and who became a Roman Catholic (his mother’s tradition) in the second half of his life. Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson remarked that the […]

Game of Thrones – lacking a myth?

Posted on 05. May, 2016 in Book Reviews, Christian Values, Gospel Values

Games of Thrones is a popular fantasy fiction that subverts the traditional ideas of fantasy fiction. This is why, according to David Quinn, it will never be as popular as classics like Lord of the Rings. He argues that the nihilism in it prevents it from being one of the great myths. He talks about how […]

The search for Refuge

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 […]

Outcome of Limerick Diocesan Synod

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 […]

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 […]

Solidarity and the Common Good

Posted on 21. Apr, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Economy

Social Justice Ireland recently produced a socio-economic review for 2016, “Choices for Equity and Sustainability – Securing Solidarity and the Common Good.” In it they found that there is a urban-rural divide with urban people earning more and being more likely to be in employment than people living in the country. The Border, Midlands and Western […]

Protecting Homeless Women

Posted on 21. Apr, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Humane Vitae

The Pro Life Campaign says that homelessness involving pregnant women has reached crisis point. There are over 20 pregnant women sleeping rough in Dublin every night. The Pro Life Campaign has  said that addressing the homeless crisis involving pregnant women must be a top priority for the new government. They also criticised the National Women’s Council […]