Occasional Scribbles

The cliches and platitudes come a-rolling these days. But behind all that there is something extraordinary about next Tuesday. We celebrate ...

Happy Christmas to all readers of this blog. Again, this week the Irish Jesuit web magazine has loads of interesting material plus a fine sh...

On Sunday December 9 Irish Rail introduced their new timetable. But they forgot to tell the travelling public – mugs like me – that the new ...

The next world youth day takes place in Sydney. Benedict XVI will attend. There will be young people from all over the world in attendance, ...

How do priests do it? Fr Vincent Twomey has made amazing comments about the playing of carols before Christmas. The first mention of Christm...

The western world has been most critical of the current democratic process that is taking place in Russia? Is it because it sees there are f...

Back to the cycle lane on the south bound side of O'Connell Street. A garda told me today that it is positively dangerous to cycle in Du...

Newstalk ran a piece on the Brenda Power show this morning re the phenomenon of people going to Mass on Christmas Day, who never see the ins...

The Jesuit website, AMDG, carries a wise editorial this week. It reads Christmas is imminent and with it comes the shopping frenzy that seem...

According to 'The Irish Daily Star' Pope Benedict refers to Christmas as the biggest feast in the Christian calendar. Is Easter not ...

Yesterday I stood at a bus stop in Shankill at 18.15. It was a cold evening. I arrived in O'Connell Street at 19.55. Not a pleasant expe...

In yesterday's blog reference was made to the cycle lane in Dublin's O'Connell Street. It really is an appalling affront to cycl...

The current issue of 'The Irish Catholic' carries the images of 21 bishops. It is a 32 page publication. Readers may like to know th...

Anyone cycle down Dublin's O'Connell Street of late? A new cycle path has appeared. It may have been done under cover of darkness. L...

Millions of people log on to web pages Monday to Friday. Traffic is far lighter at weekends. Every company every organisation has a website....

RTE screened 'Would You Believe' on Sunday evening. It was a profile on Fr Peter McVerry SJ and the work he does in Dublin in helpin...

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah. The prophet writes: "He will wield auth...

There is an interesting piece in today's 'the guardian'. It is written by Giles Fraser, who is vicar of Putney and a lecturer in...

A Spanish archbishop is before the courts for an alleged bullying offence. The archbishop is accused of bullying a priest and causing insult...

England's 'theguardian' newspaper carries an editorial today on how BBC's 'Today' programme yesterday did not air ...

An interesting article appears in today's 'Irish Times'. Two paragraphs in the article stand out. One is: "I believe we onl...

The Dublin bus strike is over and the buses are rolling out of Harristown again. But does anyone know what is the outcome of the industrial ...

The website of the worldwide Dominican Order, section on friars, was last updated on August 2, 2007. The website of the Irish province of th...

Fr Brian McKevitt writes in today's Irish Times. The Rite and Reason column makes for interesting reading and adds to the debate on libe...

It is being reported that the new papal master of ceremonies is sporting a lace surplice. Is no-one going to cry stop before all this madnes...

The response at Mass on Sunday tells the listener that the Lord will rule with fairness. It is a lovely idea. It is another of those aspects...

The comment on this blog re the tabloid press takes something of a battering today. The lead headline on today's 'Irish Daily Star...

My normal means of transport around Dublin is on the bicycle but because of a persistent cold/cough I have been off the bike and have moved ...

Some months ago this blog reported on a Dominican who while preaching in church recommended that people should not listen to 'experts...

People regularly dismiss the tabloid press. Maybe they should think again Today's 'Irish Star' carries a complete and accurate a...

Anyone who is the subject of media scrutiny will often complain that the media sensationalises and on other occasions gets the story wrong. ...