My husband, who is not a Catholic, says that seven is far too young for a child receive Communion. What do you think?
Well-known social campaigner Peter McVerry S.J. reflects on his experiences in Dublin’s inner city. His heart-felt sympathy for the young people from disadvantaged families – and his equally heart-felt anger at the failure of the establishment even to understand these people – is palpable throughout.
Martin Gani visits Avignon and learns about the infamous “Babylonian Captivity”.
The social teaching of the Church is often described as its best-kept secret. Gerry O’Hanlon SJ from the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice introduces Messenger readers to this rich source of wisdom for our lives together that is to be found in the social teaching of the Church.
Cambridge University historian Eamon Duffy examines the meaning of the word ‘magisterium’ as it applies to the teaching authorities of the Church.
Aidan Mathews gives us a series of reflective radio scripts on the Gospel of Mark over twelve months from the RTÉ programme of the same name. He reflects on his faith in a way that is both faithful to his tradition and hopeful that it still provides inspiration twenty-first century [...]
Alex Wright, Director of SCM Press, calls for theologians and churches to dialogue seriously with contemporary culture in a world where religion and faith are becoming ever more marginal.
Joseph was a carpenter from Nazareth. He was engaged to be married to Mary. Probably he was just a little bit older than her, though it is not likely that he was such an old man as you sometimes see in pictures of the Holy Family. In those days marriages [...]
Many churches have stained-glass windows of the Tree of Jesse. This is a family tree of Jesus. Jesse was the father of King David of Israel. King David was the first king to really bring together the whole of Israel, and his time is seen as a happy and successful [...]
In this booklet, John Dardis SJ brings together a set of essays on the complex realities of migration in the world today, urging Irish people to welcome those who come to this land in their hour of need.
I’m worried that our non-church-going guests might not feel at home?
Mark Raper SJ and Amaya Valcárcel outline a Christian response to the plight of refugees. This is Chapter 6 of Raper and Valcàrcel’s book, ‘Refugees and forcibly displaced people’.
Margaret Winters shares her experience as a palliative care nurse in Dublin.
President Mary McAleese tells how her experience of have children has given her some understanding of how God can extend his love to so many. There is no exclusivity in God’s love: it is all-including.
We’re living in a cynical age, writes Sean O’Conaill, one in which the media offer people instant celebrity substitutes for the leaders of the world who no longer command respect. This is a dangerous power.
From the Veritas ‘Into the Classroom’ series: Thomas Norris and Brendan Leahy examine Christ’s vision for the world and how this vision has been received at important junctures of Christian history.
Mass attendance in Ireland is continuing to fall. Desmond O’Donnell, OMI, argues that counting heads at Mass is not the most important thing.
Lindsay tells her faith story!
“Come and have breakfast” are homely words that engage us easily. Brendan Clifford OP uses them to set the scene for this “lectio divina”.
This book, edited by Bernard Tracey OP with Alan V. Martin and Tony Walsh, examines the different experiences that migrants and their host community have of the recent immigration to Ireland. It examines the options that this cultural interchange raises and suggests some perspectives for moving forward constructively.
Hugo’s life was shattered, and was slipping quickly out of control. Then Providence – and some caring friends – intervened. The names and details have been changed in this true story.
This article by John-Paul Sheridan is a general introduction to the Alive-O programme, the primary school religious education programme. Based on the quotation from St Irenaeus: “The glory of God is a person fully alive”, the programme aims at a holistic and integral development of the young person. It first appeared [...]
Retirement can bring different emotional responses which we need to attend to and negotiate. It also leaves us with a lot of free time. Tess Martin helps us to plan to make the most of the opportunities it offers.
Forgiveness is well known as being the central teaching of Christianity. It seems both eminently desirable and well-nigh impossible. Jesus’ teaching in the ‘Our Father’, his parable of the unmerciful servant and his encounter with Zacchaeus bring out how serious he is about this teaching. James McPolin SJ explains.
This collection of papers edited by Dermot Lane and Brendan Leahy reflects on the 40th Anniversary of Vatican II. It contains some of its content, historical and theological perspectives and how it can be applied it to the twenty-first century especially to religious education.
Fr Bernard McGuckian SJ pays tribute to his late mother, Pauline, who died last February 2009.
Gordon Oliver examines the difficulties and opportunities that arise in using the Bible in conjunction with contemporary pastoral practice and modern scripture studies, and in doing so opens up new possibilities for interpreting the Bible as practical theology. He guides the reader through the various approaches and perspectives that will [...]
Dear Father, many highly educated men and women claim to be atheists. Yet anyone with even a minimum of intelligence must realise that the world just could not have started by itself. Scriptures say that ‘the fool has said in his heart, “there is no God”‘. Must we conclude that [...]
This is the second chapter of Henry Wansbrough’ book “The Story of the Bible: how it came to us”. It tells the story of what Karl Rahner calls the Church’s own “self-definition”, that is how it came to decide which gospels and texts define its own reality and which do [...]
Breda O’Brien, columnist with The Irish Times reflects on the meaning of Lent and its place in today’s world.
