Posted on 21. Jan, 2016 in Celibacy/Sexuality, Christian Values, Church of Ireland, Church Teachings
The International Anglican Communion has in recent times been struggling to reach a decision on their views of same sex marriages and relationships. Earlier this month, they managed to avoid a split by reaffirming the Church’s teaching on marriage as between a man and a woman, but it remains a difficult issue within all Anglican Churches. […]
Posted on 14. Jan, 2016 in Christian Values, Community, Conflict, Saints
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has expressed the hope that official events to mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising will not try to airbrush religion from the story. Writing in a special commemorative issue of The Irish Catholic newspaper, which was dedicated to exploring the role of faith in the lives of the rebels as […]
Posted on 14. Jan, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Faith Groups, Gospel Values
Sr. Bridget Dunne is the joint chair of the national service committee for charismatic renewal. Sr Bridget has been involved in the movement for 46 years. She talks about how we can use all parts of our body to praise Jesus and renew the Holy Spirit in our lives. Here she talks with Conor Deane […]
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 07. Jan, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Climate Change, Community, Ecology, Economy, Environment, Nature
The recent United Nations climate change conference in Paris in December was declared by Francois Hollande as a “revolution for climate change.” 150 presidents and prime ministers were present, the largest ever single-day gathering of heads of state. Éamonn Meehan, Executive Director of Trócaire, was also present representing the Christian obligation to remember the poorest […]
Posted on 31. Dec, 2015 in Christian Values, Gospel Values, Media, War / Civil Unrest
The coming of the New Year is a time to take stock, reassess life and consider what is really important. So says Brendan Butler from We Are Church. His resolution this year is to stop talking about war, something which he says only serves to make the arms industry rich. Instead he says he will […]
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 […]
Posted on 17. Dec, 2015 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Faith Groups, Grief, Pilgrimage, Pope Francis
Fr. Michael McCullagh recently travelled to Rome with the Parish of the Travelling People to meet Pope Francis. It was to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Parish of the Travelling People. Fr. Michael was their first parish priest and their current priest, Fr. Derek Farrell invited him along. The celebration was […]