Letters: Catholic Church is a strange organisation indeed
Church’s policy on leaving is akin to that of ‘Hotel California’
Catholic Church
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the Catholic Church
Fintan O’Toole’s analogy between the decline of the Catholic Church and the potential fall of the British monarchy is clever
Pope to tour four African countries in 2026
Leo’s first major overseas trip will involve visit to Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon
Dublin cathedral to close for two years for €25m refurbishment
St Mary’s was designated a cathedral by Pope Leo last year on its 200th anniversary
Weaknesses in policymaking: A challenge to the Convention on Education
Reviews of the Department of Education have found it to be overworked, reactive, overly absorbed in short-term operational issues and lacking space for long-term strategic thinking
Britain’s King Charles should heed the lesson of the crumbling Irish Catholic Church
Abusers did not bring down the hierarchy here, it was down to the repeated cover-ups by bishops
Record number of people convert to Catholicism in Archdiocese of Dublin
St Mary’s Cathedral welcomes 129 at this year’s ceremony, up from 14 converts in 2022
Outsider by Paul Cullen: Moving memoir holds a torch up to cruel attitudes of the past
Cullen’s journey of discovery is the type that can haunt its reader in the middle of the night
The papal portfolio: more S&P 500 than sermon
Two new stock indices launched in conjunction with Morningstar – one for the US, one for the euro zone – are calibrated to Catholic principles
Appetite for church weddings rises among Gen Zs and millennials, says Catholic survey
Research by Catholic marriage agency Accord reports rise in couples seeking its marriage courses
The Irish Constitution: Leading judge on how it could impact the drive for a united Ireland
The Constitution, designed to achieve unity, ‘may ultimately complicate that ambition’, not ‘because it was weak and inflexible’ but ‘rather because it was sufficiently flexible and strong’
David Ryan’s papal audience followed participation in 2022 radio documentary
Blackrock Boys broadcast led to hundreds of testimonies involving some of State’s best known schools
Some Catholic teaching is ‘rancid’ and needs updating, says Mary McAleese
A bunch of celibate male bishops will not make required changes, says former president
Workhorse by Caroline Palmer: Nastier and more sophisticated than The Devil Wears Prada
Set in 2001 at a Manhattan magazine, the novel’s length sees plots sag, losing their deviousness and dread
Photo essay: A long road to priesthood – the journey of a Capuchin brother
The ordination in Dublin of Br Anthony Kurian was a milestone for the Kerala native, his family and the Capuchin Franciscan Order in Ireland
The pledge: Denis McClean on the pitfalls along the way to giving up the demon drink
Trust your instincts and know that one must always be on guard against the begrudgers
In so-called bad old Catholic Ireland, there was no homelessness
Rite & Reason: There is a small but significant return to the Christian faith, particularly Catholicism
Archbishop Eamon Martin ‘saddened’ by online Christian commentators ‘armed for battle’
Catholic Primate of Ireland: Christians who dismiss others because of perceived differences ‘particularly disappointing’
Opposition politicians dismiss archbishop’s claim that seizing church assets is ‘opportunism’
Minister for Children Norma Foley has sought legal advice on compelling religious orders to make contributions
‘I’m an honorary Irishman now – a black Paddy’: Nigerian priest on his ‘reverse mission’ to Mayo
Fr Victor Akongwale describes himself as ‘a Catholic of Irish descent, as Nigeria is’
Pope Leo decries conditions for Palestinians in Gaza in first Christmas sermon
Leo laments conditions for homeless across globe and conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Mali and Thailand and Cambodia
This is the week when ‘lapsed Catholics’ and ‘spiritual but not religious’ go to church
Churches will be full this week, but not everyone will find meaning when they visit them. We should ask why this is
One of Ireland’s first women priests reflects on Christmas
Rite & Reason: This was a revelation of what church-going needed to be - a sharing of God’s love and an invitation to be part of that love in our daily lives and relationships
Frank McNally on 19th century engineering project that linked Tipperary with ‘civilisation’
Fr Edmond Walsh was a late vocation, having previously worked as a carter
Catholicism may be raising its head high but the body underneath is ailing
St Mary’s has been elevated to a cathedral at time when Dublin’s Catholic Archdiocese faces financial meltdown
Change to Catholic patronage of Irish schools is slow to come – for good reason
Rite & Reason: The Department of Education and Youth is currently running an online survey of parents and guardians
Converts by Melanie McDonagh: Entertaining exploration of those who turned to Rome
Catholicism provided greater certainty than the Church of England, which was considered a wishy-washy institution by many in the 20th century
Beneath the Surface by Dr Harry Barry: An engaging quest for healing and meaning
Exploring an unromantic, multi-faceted idea of service to our fellow humans
Ireland’s Catholic bishops criticised for silence on Vatican extending ban on women deacons
Group calls it ‘shocking’ that Vatican commission believes ‘masculinity of Christ is integral part of sacramental identity’
Parents upset after school declined hall request for secular event on first Communion day
Co Wicklow school later gave permission for use of hall, but parents involved have not decided whether to use it
The immaculate misconception: today’s Catholic feast day is not what you think it is
It is frequently assumed to be about the conception of Jesus to a supposed virgin. Not so
A Divine Calling: One woman’s priestly vocation
Soline Humbert’s spiritual autobiography makes a strong case for women’s ordination in the Catholic Church
No women deacons in the Catholic Church, Vatican Commission decides
Argument against female deacons includes wish to preserve ‘masculinity of Christ’ and of those who receive holy orders
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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