Occasional Scribbles

Today's Irish Star prints the words uttered by Tommy Tiernan at Electric Picnic. The Archbishop of Dublin has to be complimented for ex...

One of the Ireland's senior bishops on European affairs has said Catholics have no reason to vote No in the Lisbon Treaty referendum on ...

Welcome to the 13 men who have joined the Dominican noviciate in Pope’s Quay in Cork. It must be the largest number joining the Irish provin...

The General of the Jesuits was in Ireland last week. This is a quote from a sermon he gave in Limerick. Quoting Zorba, in the film ‘Zorba th...

The report carried in today's Irish Times and carried on the wires re the Alive free newspaper is profoundly sad. It would be hilariou...

The profile of the current head of the Jesuits worlwide appears on AMDG Express Jesuit News. Two years ago, when Adolfo Nicolás was setting ...

Lara Marlow on RTE Radio 1 yesterday reported on a story on Sarah Palin . She made the point that it was difficult to pin point exactly wha...

Today 70 years ago Britain declared war on Germany. The previous day Hitler's Germany had invaded Poland. On the evening of the declarat...

If anyone in the Dublin area is looking for an excellent builder at a good price I can recommend someone. I have had a major renovation job...

I have discovered the on-ground equivalent of Ryanair. All the thrills of using Ryanair and never spending a moment in the sky means I paid ...

Cardinal Brady 's comments in Limerick at the weekend are receiving much attention, so too is the issue of ' pre -signed Mass cards...

The letter below 'Guidelines for funeral Masses' appears in today's Irish Times. Watching the funeral of Edward Kennedy at the w...

It's not fitting to knock someone or an organisation when they are down. Notwithstanding, it does seem in order to make a comment on Iri...

An author of a book published in 2008 quotes Al Queda's reasons for wanting to stop the march of western culture. He writes, "They...

Irish Rail received a call about the viaduct at Broadmeadow on the Monday before the mishap. A sea scout telephoned them and explained what...

Today's Irish Times carries at least three stories related to subjects dealing with the Catholic Church. It reports on Fr Eamonn Conwa...

On Saturday an elderly lady was distributing leaflets outside the Swan Centre in Dublin's Rathmines on the upcoming Lisbon Treaty refere...

Irish Rail was spectacularly lucky on Friday. What would have been the outcome if a train or two trains had been travelling on the viaduct a...

Last week I learned of the death of Fr Columba Ryan OP. When I first heard the news I mistook the man for another Irish Dominican who had l...

Is there an official mechanism within the Catholic Church for 'leaving'? The comment from the director of the Catholic Communication...

This article appears in yesterday's London Independent. It is a shocking story and gives an insight into the damage that is done when pe...

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink was in the news some years ago. It has also been made into a film. Schlink portrays Hanna , with whom Mich...

Fr Ross McAuley died at the Drogheda Memorial Hospital on the Curragh in Co Kildare on Sunday. His remains were removed to the Dominican chu...

Is there a Latin version of 'Caritas in Veritate'? It seems there is not. Is this unusual? In what language was it written?

The Anglican Communion is currently attempting to come to terms with the issue of homosexuality among its priests. There has been much publi...

Last week Guardian columnist Timothy Garton Ash wrote about the Conservative party's allies in the European Parliament. He referred to...

If you are looking for all the thrills of no frills airline Ryanair without lifting a foot off the ground then visit the newly opened Ikea s...

The dispute in the diocese of Galway as to whether a coffin should or should not be left open in Liscannor church is receiving an amount o...

An Irish Dominican I know for 42 years lies on his death bed. He was born on Christmas Eve 1939. It makes him 69. He is not old. He was born...

There has to be something wrong in an economy where the farmer receives circa 20 cent for a litre of milk and a pint of milk in Rathgar cost...

In recent weeks I have been attending Mass in various churches in different places. Sitting down listening to sermons I have been confirmed ...