News

‘Sister India’ is a new documentary by Irish filmmaker Myles O’Reilly, which is currently being screened at a number of film festivals in Ireland and in India.  It tells the story of a 91-year-old Presentation Sister,   Sr. Loreto (Peg) Houlihan who was born near Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary in 1927 and who has spent 70 years teaching in India. Sister ...

Pope Francis has written a new apostolic exhortation on “the call to holiness in the contemporary world”. “Gaudete et Exsultate” is the Latin title of the text, which translated into English means “Rejoice and Be Glad”.  The words are taken from the Gospel of Matthew (5:12) at the end of the discourse on the Beatitudes.  Why should we “rejoice and be glad”?  ...

Reacting to the announcement that Pope Francis will attend the WMOF2018 in August, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference said: “On behalf of the faithful of Ireland we warmly welcome today’s announcement, by the Holy Father himself, that he plans to visit Dublin in August for the World Meeting of Families.  We are deeply honoured that Pope Francis will come to our ...

‘Promoting tolerance, inclusion, unity and respect for diversity in the context of combating racial discrimination’  is the theme for this year’s International Day for the elimination of racial discrimination on 21 March. We only have to watch the local and world news to realise that racism, xenophobia and intolerance are problems prevalent in all societies.  Discriminatory practices are widespread, particularly ...

Today, it is the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.  A time of rebirth. This marks the first day of the astronomical Spring.  At this  time of equinox the Sun shines directly on the equator and the length of day and night is nearly equal. Even if you didn’t already know this, there is a sense in these recent mornings ...

An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told them that whoever got there first, would win the sweet fruits.  When he gave them the signal to run, they all took each other’s hands and ran together.  Then they sat in a circle enjoying their treats. ...

On International Women’s Day 2018,  as we look to  seek out ‘mighty’ women as inspiration, encouragement and torch-bearers for those most in need today, we need look no further than Nano Nagle – a woman for our times. “Meet a woman whose love was stronger than the viciousness, greed and violence that swamped her city and nation. She was a ...

The theme for International Women’s Day, 8th March 2018, is “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”. This year, this Day comes on the heels of an unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice. Sexual harassment, violence and discrimination against women has captured headlines, propelled by a rising determination for change. People around the world are mobilising ...

In these days, as we emerge gradually from the challenges of  extreme weather conditions we are drawn to look at the world and those around us with different eyes and with an increased awareness that this is ‘our common home’.   Often when we hear the word ‘home’ we  may only think of a physical building and its rooms. But what ...

David Donoghue co-delivered the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a historic global plan to end poverty by 2030.  Ahead of delivering the annual Trócaire Lenten Lecture on March 6th, he gives his thoughts on how to deliver this ambitious agreement. This global agreement – signed by every country in the world – outlines 17 goals and 169 targets for delivering a world ...