Christopher Moriarty takes a look at the life of Haydn, one of the greatest composers of classical music and a devout Catholic.
Raymund J Festin SVD from the Philippines writes about his work in Angola, where he learned some important lessons on being a missionary.
This handbook is designed by editor Brian Magee CM to help the reader prepare the readings for a wedding, so that their message can be conveyed in a way that is meaningful for the couple and the congregation. Each reading is prefaced by a short commentary, and there is a [...]
Has the Church made mistakes in its pronouncements in the past? If a person today finds themselves in conflict with Church statements, what should they do? Seán Fagan SM tries to shed some light.
Archbishop of Dublin during the takeover of Ireland by the Normans and King Henry II, his efforts in the peace process and his frustration with King Henry probably caused his early death. Highly honoured at Eu in Normandy, France, where he died. Kevin Doran, parish priest of Glendalough, tells his [...]
Desmond Forristal gives a lively account of the life of Oliver Plunkett from young priest in Rome through his travels to Ireland. We follow him through his ministry as archbishop, the disguises he adopted, his experience as a fugitive, his imprisonment in Dublin, his trial in London and final execution [...]
In this book, Maurice Reidy meets with four people: two are believers and two are not and explores their experiences of religious belief and unbelief. He shows that to believe in God is a reasonable decision and one that can be sustained. He concludes with a personal account of his [...]
J. Andrew Kirk has selected a variety themes for thoughtful consideration of what present day ‘Christian mission’ looks like in a world that is post-modern, post-Christian and post-Western, post-everything! It should be helpful to for church leaders, students and all thinking Christians, inside and outside the academic world, wishing to [...]
Lacordaire was a famous French priest and preacher of the 19th century. He had a marvellous grasp of the beauty of the Christian message. His somewhat eccentric personality is profiled here by John Murray.
Seo dhíbh amanna agus láithreacha na n-Aifreann as Gaeilge in Ard-Deoise Bhaile Átha Cliath.
This book by the Benedictine Mark Patrick Hederman gives an introduction to the Tarot, a history of its uses and abuses, a practical guide to its value as an underground map to the unconscious where the springs of our creativity are hidden, and where God can enter our lives. It [...]
In 2005 the Church published The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. This is an accessible summary of Catholic social teaching of the last century. Gerry O’Hanlon stresses that this is not something added on to our faith. It is the practical application of the Gospel.
This is a delightful book for children, based on the well-known Christmas carol. It is written by Kathleen Darragh and and illustrated by Jeanette Dunne. Here children can discover for themselves in pictures and by reading the people, the images, the symbols and the variety that is the Christmas story. [...]
There are probably as many different ways of praying as there are people. Dermot Mansfield SJ adopts the wise Benedictine saying “Pray as you can, not as you can’t” and goes on to suggest a few ways people may find helpful.
Sister Wendy Beckett writes about her visit to Rome to see five ancient icons of Our Lady which pre-date the iconoclasm of the 8th century.
In 2005 The Compendium of the Social doctrine of the Church was published. It included a chapter on “Safeguarding the Environment”. Cathy Molloy introduces us to this comparatively new aspect of Church teaching and the issues involved.
Nusha Yonkova is the information officer at the Immigration Council of Ireland (ICI). Here she share her busy day with us.
A book by Veritas catechetical writer Tom Gunning that helps you celebrate prayers and rituals in the home for all the important occasions and times of the year. For birth and death, for going out and coming home, for the living and for the dead. Every Christian family would love [...]
Seventy-five year old retired Maynooth vice-president and parish priest Denis O’Callaghan sees his life in three phases: the twenty five years of his childhood and preparation for the priesthood, twenty five years teaching moral theology in Maynooth and twenty five years as parish priest in Mallow. This fascinating memoir charts [...]
This is an excellent and user-friendly guide to the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church”. It is also an invaluable reource for anyone searching for direction from the Church’s social teaching on many of the social and ethical problems facing the modern world. The author, Pádraig Corkery, is [...]
There seems to be only two vocations spoken of in the Church: to marriage or to religious life. What about single celibate people, who neither want to marry nor take Holy Orders or enter a religious congregation? Could ‘singledom’ be described as a vocation? John.
John Murray PP tells the story of the Austrian farmer, Franz Jägerstätter, who rejected arguments of obedience and his own safety and refused to enlist in the Nazi army: he felt in his conscience what they were doing was evil and he would have no part in it.
If God wants to speak to us – to you or me – how do you think He goes about it? From his experience John Callanan SJ gives an insight as to how this works.
Brendan McGuire was born in Bray, Co Wicklow. He worked in IT in the USA before being ordained in 2000 and is now pastor in San Jose, California. Here he shares his Sunday homilies for the year when Matthew’s gospel is read. We have chosen his homelies for the six [...]
Martin Gani visits Avignon and learns about the infamous “Babylonian Captivity”.
Eileen writes: A passage from Luke (12:49-53) read at Mass last summer disturbs me. To me the Lord is full of compassion and love, yet Jesus says, “Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on, [...]
The central movement in Christianity is from death to life. Death is often the spiritual death of guilt, sin, injustice; life is often the liberating joy of doing the right thing. Columban Missionary Fr Shay Cullen sent us this story for Easter 2008.
This month the Pope asks us to pray ‘that the World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, may inspire young people and make them the seed of hope for a new humanity’. Fr Leon Ó Giolláin SJ explains who are the young people who will be at Sydney and are the [...]
