Recently I have heard people commenting on how hard it is to be a Catholic today and then following on from that some of them actually asked me for any advice I might have in that regard. In one way I am loath to offer advice as I feel it Read more…
(These are ten snakes that are alive and well in the Ireland of today. Clearly they must have given St. Patrick the slip. They are particularly evident in the Irish Church). fideitepidis (literally tepid or lukewarm about faith) probably one of the most common of today’s snakes. People are often Read more…
Once again we find ourselves with that little footnote in the Church or liturgical calendar reminding us that we have arrived at Church Unity Week. WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY (18-25 JANUARY) In fairness it is not a ‘little footnote’ for everybody. It will be celebrated officially by the Read more…
We have been talking about you in the past few days. I guess it’s important to be clear who the ‘we’ is. By ‘we’ we mean those of us here in the Faith Community of St. Matthew’s in Ballyfermot, I include myself, here in the Bunker, from where I write Read more…
I guess in my head I knew that the business of reform was not going to be popular. However it is only in recent days that it has begun to dawn on me just how dirty a business it might be. As the launch of my reform initiative, The Roncalli Read more…
There is a lot of talk these days about Church. Where’s it all going? What happened the Church of our childhood? Will there be a Church for our grandchildren? What will remain, if anything? There has been so much change. Surely the Church could not die? It might be better to get this Read more…
I recently went to see the latest Tom Cruise movie which is in the tradition of the well known Mission Impossible stories. It is, as you might imagine, full of action, nail biting scenes full of danger and intrigue. Granted, whilst a lot of the more dangerous stunts are quite improbable, this does Read more…
The truth is the Church has apologised on a number of occasions. They have been significant apologies and have indeed been offered by successive pontiffs. Many would find it hard to believe that John Paul II made over a hundred apologies to a whole range of people. The groups that Read more…
The truth is the Church has apologised on a number of occasions. They have been significant apologies and have indeed been offered by successive pontiffs. Many would find it hard to believe that John Paul II made over a hundred apologies to a whole range of people. The groups that he said sorry Read more…
‘They are neither in the Church, nor out of it. Neither fish nor flesh. These are the modern curse of the Church, these a la carte Catholics. They tick the box. They pick and choose. They use us when they need us, and don’t bother with us the rest of Read more…