July 2009

The gift of reconciliation

The sacrament of reconciliation, or confession, is one of Church’s great gifts to the faithful. Properly conducted, by confessor and penitent, it is a grace-giving ritual.

Refugees of superior fibre

I applaud your editorial “South Africa’s great failure” of July 1 regarding our lack of charity towards those people from other countries seeking a better life in...

Growing up with kids

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to his own children.

St Paul’s leadership challenge

God calls people in the circumstances of their lives, and every person has a duty to discover their purpose in life. The American Republican politician and Christian...

Betting to lose

The emergence of Internet gambling should give us cause for alarm, especially in light of suggestions that on-line casinos are an increasing threat to stability in marriages.

It’s not a sin to criticise the Church

The Vatican Letter by Cindy Wooden (“A safer, healing Church”) concerning child abuse in Ireland refers. Ideas concerning acceptable physical punishment have changed in the past 50...

Those old school days

Ever since I can remember, my three older siblings have insisted that while they were all born in maternity hospitals and then taken home after a few...