Is it still relevant to have devotion to saints?

Fergus O’Donoghue was on the panel of RTE Radio’s discussion programme Spirit Moves on March 18. Prompted by the Feast of St Patrick, the discussion concerned devotion to saints. Here are some excerpts from the lively exchange.

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18th March 2007: On this week’s programme, the day after the feast of St Patrick, Susan McReynolds, together with broadcaster, Mary Kennedy, Senator David Norris, and Jesuit historian, Fr. Fergus O’Donoghue examined what relevance the saints have in people’s lives today. Read more »

The female face of AIDS

The Church needs to show a more feminine profile in response to the feminisation of HIV/AIDS in Africa, argues Michael Kelly SJ in his contribution to Trócaire’s Lenten Campaign.

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Gender-Based Violence
Violence against women is a major human rights problem that has special significance for HIV and AIDS. Violence in sexual encounters greatly increases the possibility of HIV transmission, both at the time of the assault and in subsequent life. This is the situation with numerous women and several children. Read more »

Reflections on the Sobrino Notification

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith accuses Sobrino of not doing justice to the divinity of Jesus, but, Michael O’Sullivan argues, Sobrino’s writings show his concern to evade a related danger: not doing justice to Jesus’ humanity.

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The Latin American Catholic bishops met for only the second time at Medellín, Colombia, in 1968. (1) They met, three years after the end of Vatican II, to reflect on “the Church in the present-day transformation of Latin America in the Light of the Council.” Read more »

The Vatican and Jon Sobrino

In March 2007 the Vatican issued a Notification on two books by Jon Sobrino SJ, declaring that they contained erroneous propositions. Gerard O’Hanlon SJ offers some reflections on this event.

Readers of AMDG may have noted the recent Notification from the Vatican Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith concerning the writings of Basque Jesuit theologian Jon Sobrino. The Notification was approved by Pope Benedict last November and published this March, with an accompanying letter asking Episcopal conferences and local ordinaries to adopt ‘measures necessary’ to implement it. Read more »

Jesuits to net €150m from move to new UCD site – Irish Examiner

Conor Ryan draws on some publicly available information to pad out the news that Milltown Institute is in discussion with UCD about relocation of the MI campus.

Use of’Roman’ Catholic title criticised – Irish Times

Describing Paul Andrews’ reflection on ‘Roman Catholic’ as ‘criticism’ Patsy McGarry synopsises Paul’s <a href=”http://www.amdg.ie/blog/serendipity/exit.php?url=aHR0cDovL25ld3NsZXR0ZXIuamVzdWl0LmllL2VfYXJ0aWNsZTAwMDc2NDY0NS5jZm0/eD1iOThGS0pILGIzMDVuVG5xLHc=&amp;entry_id=142″ title=”http://newsletter.jesuit.ie/e_article000764645.cfm?x=b98FKJH,b305nTnq,w” onmouseover=”window.status=’http://newsletter.jesuit.ie/e_article000764645.cfm?x=b98FKJH,b305nTnq,w’;return true;” onmouseout=”window.status=”;return true;” >AMDG article</a>. Page 5. 290 words.

Democracy and madness at Croke Park

Edmond Grace’s Dialogue on Democracy project continues apace. A recent seminar in Croke Park conference centre was a great success.

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A group of about fifty people gathered in Croke Park last Wednesday and, apart from the occasional peep, they were not there to watch the Irish soccer team preparing for their match against Wales. This particular group had gathered from all parts of the country and was made up of elected politicians(both national and local), public servants and leaders in the community sector. The event was organised by the Dialogue on Democracy Sector, an initiative of the Irish Jesuits which is being coordinated by Edmond Grace SJ. Read more »

A different kind of pre-nuptial agreement

The early stage of a marriage can be fraught with difficulties. Perhaps, David Gaffney suggests, a pre-nuptial agreement to keep commitments under review and to be open to counselling might help.

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The term “pre-nuptial agreement” is heard more often, as couples today – particularly celebrities – break up with bitterness, and with recourse to lawyers. Then we hear warnings that all the terms of any marital arrangement should have been copper-fastened at the beginning. Read more »

Is Lent a curse on refugees?

In his blog ‘Roaming and Rooming with Refugees in Uganda’, Patrick Hume wonders if there isn’t something amiss in urging refugees to take on some new hardship for Lent. “Are they not permanently in Lent?” he asks.

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Imagine starting Lent in a refugee camp! What can one dare ask of refugees in a Christian community to do at this time of year? How can a hungry person fast? How can a poor person give alms? How can a person who has pleaded on their knees with God for their lives be asked to pray? Are refugees not permanently in Lent?. Read more »

The European Union: broadening the vision

For the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, the Irish Jesuit Provincial, Fr John Dardis, addressed a gathering in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Faith communities, he remarked, have much to offer the new Europe.

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Background to the Treaty of Rome

We come today in a religious context to talk about the treaty of Rome 1957, which has shaped so much of the Europe that we see today and indeed so much of the Ireland.

Reflecting back on the history of the last century, probably the most violent century in world history, is sobering. It was a century which saw two World Wars, the Balkans Conflict and other major tragedies. So much human suffering and loss. Read more »

Paul Miki: Japanese samurai and Christian martyr

Originally published in The Corkman, this article by Mgr. Denis O’Callaghan looks at the powerful legacy of the martyrdom of St. Paul Miki, a Jesuit brother who was crucified along with his fellow Christians in Nagasaki in 1597.

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With changes in the liturgical calendar in recent years many feastdays of obscure saints no longer rate a mention. Philomena was no longer considered a personal name. It is an adjective with the general meaning of “loved by the Lord”. Read more »

Trocaire Lenten lecture in Belfast – Irish News

Michael Kelly’s delivery of the Trocaire Lenten lectureis is anticipated,<br />
<blockquote>”Without a frontal attack on the injustice of gender inequality – in Church, state, and every walk of life – the dominance of the epidemic will continue.”</blockquote>

AIDS expert backs gender equality drive by Trocaire – Irish Independent

John Cooney records Michael Kelly’s Maynooth lecture on page 12, linking it with the BCI’s banning of Trocaire’s advertisement.