My childhood memories are filled with holy statues, the smell of incense, the sound of pews squeaking on a tiled floor in an echoey church. Visits to the crib and offkey hymns were Christmas. The somewhat gory sight of the Virgin Mary’s foot crushing a snake fascinated me during primary school assemblies, and the comforting Sunday [...]
Today on the show I spoke to Rebecca, a former Jehovah's Witness, who described growing up in "The Truth". She told me how life for members consists of constant judgment and restriction, with activities, even for young people, restricted to meetings, Bible study, and preaching door to door. Rebecca was questioned by two middle aged men, [...]
[polldaddy poll=8623303] The latest utterances of Pope Francis have rather ruined the reputation he was beginning to get among liberals; suggesting that Catholic women do not have to "breed like rabbits" while continuing to forbid the use of contraception confirms that yes, the Pope is a Catholic. The Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy, has made the [...]
This piece is from last week's Cork Independent and also appeared in the Herald - my thoughts on Fr Kevin Doran's 'ethos' comments in relation to the Mater and whether it will obey the provisions of the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Act. http://corkindependent.com/20130808/news/no-mater-what-S70357.html
This is my editorial from last week's Cork Independent As I drove to work last Wednesday, I was delighted to hear on the radio that a protest against the attitude of the Catholic Church to women is being organised, for 26 September. Finally, I thought, women are getting angry.I have been angry for quite some time [...]
'I will put enmity between you and the woman...' 3:15No, that's not a quote from Joseph Ratzinger at 3.15 this morning.It's a quote from the Bible, a compilation of hearsay, rumour, innuendo, misogyny, fairytale, legend, biography, social history and advice written by various men over a period of a few hundred years. The Bible has largely [...]
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