Latest news with #IrishCatholic
Boston Globe
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Divine intervention: A powerful podcast on Boston's Catholic anti-Vietnam War protests
Sheltering Couming was very much on brand for the liberal priests' anti-Vietnam and anti-Catholic hierarchy endeavors. But their superiors were far from encouraging. After a three-day standoff between Hoover's mostly Irish Catholic agents and the Paulist priests, US Marshals entered the center peacefully and The lefty priests and their supporters plunged themselves into all manner of anti-Vietnam ops, e.g., destroying draft files and organizing protests. Narrator Hughes has great characters to work with, including the two priests who shook up the Paulist Center in the early '70s: his father, Patrick, and Floyd McManus. James Carroll, the future author ('Constantine's Sword') and Globe columnist, is their fellow seminarian and comrade in arms. Advertisement Additional cast members include Boston University's Wyzanski is the jurist who let Ray Charles skate on a 1964 drug bust, when the blues singer was caught at Logan Airport with ' Advertisement 'Divine Intervention' is an ensemble masterpiece not unlike J. Anthony Lukas's superb book about the Boston busing crisis, ' There's more. Patrick Hughes and his wife, Marianne, staged the first Why am I kvelling on here? Because Brendan Hughes's story is also personal for me. His father, Patrick, died young, at age 41, and his mother, Marianne, subsequently married the late Globe editorial page editor Kirk Scharfenberg, who brought me to this newspaper. Color me prejudiced. I like these people, a lot. What I liked most about 'Divine Intervention' is that Hughes takes the church, and the activist Catholics' commitment to moral behavior and social justice, seriously. Reading newspapers and watching television these days, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Christian church is primarily a conspiracy for abusing children and fabulating hypocrisy. The truth is a bit more complicated. Advertisement Hughes, who is not religious ('I've always felt like it's not for me,' he told me) understands that the church can also inspire selfless and ethical behavior among its followers: Reasonable people can disagree about whether the Boston lefties breaking into federal offices, destroying files, and removing draft cards was the correct way to protest an unpopular war. But no one can challenge the sincerity of the activists' commitment and their principled appeal to moral authority. 'All these zany Catholics brought a ferocity of love to everything they did that cannot be denied,' Hughes concludes in the final episode. God bless them. Is the series perfect? No. Like everything in the digital world, it's too long; 10 episodes that could be fewer. The history is at times a bit fanciful. Did Pope John XXIII's intervention ' But I don't seek perfection. 'We all stumble in many ways' — James 3:2. I admire great work, and that's what this is. Do yourself a favor and give a listen. Alex Beam's column appears regularly in the Globe. Follow him
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
‘The Last Irish Missionaries' review: Two-part RTÉ documentary doesn't avoid thornier issues around missionary work
Bryan Dobson and Dearbhail McDonald co-present an exploration of Irish Catholic priests and nuns spreading the world abroad Pat Stacey Today at 17:35 To be honest, I approached two-part documentary The Last Irish Missionaries (RTÉ One, Monday, July 15, and RTÉ Player) with trepidation. For people of my generation, who attended school in the 1960s and 70s, the word 'missionary' is a loaded one. It evokes memories of tin-shaking and guilt-tripping.
RTÉ News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Irish missionary recalls effort to close naval base in Philippines over abuse
One of the last remaining Irish missionaries has spoken of his work in the Philippines where he has been since the 1960s. Fr Shay Cullen set up the Preda Foundation to rescue children from exploitation in the Philippines 50 years ago. The four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee features in the RTÉ documentary 'The Last Irish Missionaries', which charts the history of the Irish missionary movement. At the peak of the Irish missionary movement, in the 1960s, over 6,000 Irish Catholic missionaries were dispersed to over 80 countries. Now, with vocations evaporating and the last Irish missionaries ageing and dying, the movement is coming to a close. Ahead of the broadcast of the documentary's first episode, Fr Cullen said his organisation in the Philippines is still working to help the victims of sexual exploitation, some as young as six years old. He said they bring court cases against abusers, many of whom are relatives of the children. "We were quite successful in healing the kids through our emotional release therapy, which is a very healing process," he said, adding "the kids become very self-confident, very outspoken". The children, he said, "want to get justice". "So they testify in the court and we win," he said. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Fr Cullen said that the organisation secured 27 convictions last year, adding that up to July, the foundation reached "another 112 already". He said there is another programme for boys, who are rescued from prison. The missionary said the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act was passed after a ten-year campaign. Fr Cullen explained that he also campaigned for a US naval base in the Philippines to be closed after he discovered a child sex syndicate linked to its Navy personnel. "I exposed this in a newspaper at that time because we didn't have facilities and the city covered it all up," he said. "So, I broke the news. It became an international story and that began an awareness," he added. Fr Cullen said he was going to be deported and was threatened that the children's homes would be closed. He said in the aftermath, he was threatened with deportation and the closure of his children's home. The missionary said he subsequently suggested he military base be converted to an economic zone. This started a campaign and eight years later the Philippine Senate closed the base, he said, calling it a "big success". He said "all those women, 1,000 women in the sex industry" were all freed. He added that such women "were in debt bondage" and "could never leave" until the campaign. Broadcaster Bryan Dobson, who so-presents the documentary, said he was drawn to the project because like everybody in Ireland he grew up being aware of the Irish missionary story. Speaking on the same programme, he said the missionaries are described as "the best of us". He said Fr Cullen "really exemplifies part of this extraordinary Irish missionary story". Mr Dobson said at its height, the missionary movement's "numbers were enormous", adding that "something like 6,000 or 7,000" people were involved. He said "hundreds of young men and women every year" through the 1950s and the 1960s went into missionary orders. Such people, he said, were then "dispatched to the Philippines or east Africa or wherever it might be, South America". "So, I was fascinated to find out what motivated them, what drove them," he said. "The sense of vocation they had, that's clearly the case," he added.
Irish Independent
12-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Life in the missions: ‘We didn't have time to think about fear or trauma; we were too busy trying to save lives'
As a 26-year-old nurse, Gráinne Fitzpatrick loved dancing. She then became a nun in war-torn Biafra. Her story is among those told in a new RTÉ series about a way of life in decline In the 1960s, there were as many Irish men and women working overseas on the missions as there were members of the gardaí and the Irish Defence Forces. But according to the Association of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI), in 2022 there were just 626 Irish Catholic missionaries active outside Ireland. Within the next 10 years that number is expected to drop to about 200.
Irish Independent
11-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Around the Districts: Ballyhea, Killavullen and Meelin
Church Notes Mass Times – Thursday, July 10, 10 a.m.; Friday July 11, 10 a.m.; Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.; Sunday, July 13, 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will take place on Thursday after 10 a.m. Mass Holy Communion – Only those receiving Holy Communion should approach the Altar and only on a seat-by-seat basis. Booked Anniversary Masses – Booked Anniversary Masses are accepted on the understanding that Funeral Masses and month's mind Masses take precedence. Month of July – The month of July dedicated to the Most Precious Blood Feastdays for the coming week – Thursday, July 10, St Alexander. Friday, July 11, St Benedict, Abbot, patron of Europe. Saturday, July 12, Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sunday July 13, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Alms for Nigeria – Alms may still be left into the sacristy. These will be applied to a charitable purpose designated by Archbishop Crotty, Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria. New Crucifix – The parish has acquired a large out-door Crucifix from the Redemptorist Monastery in Esker, Co. Galway. To defray the purchase and transport costs a subscription list is now open for anyone who would like to support this initiative. Subscriptions may be left into the sacristy at any time. Collectors for July – 7.30 p.m. Vigil Mass: Helen O'Doherty. 8.30 a.m. Mass: PJ O'Driscoll. 11 a.m. Mass: Michael O'Mahony. Readers – Saturday, July 12: Elizabeth Ryan. Sunday, July 13: Mary Byrne. Sataturday July 19: Ger. O'Shea. Sunday, July 20: Sheila Fennessy. ADVERTISEMENT Church Altar Flower Arrangers – Saturday, July 12: Breda Crowley. Saturday, July 19, and Saturday, July 26: Angela Ryan. Irish Catholic Newspaper/Sacred Heart Messenger – The Irish Catholic newspaper and the Sacred Heart Messenger are available in the Porch for purchase. Irish Catholic €3, Sacred Heart Messenger €2. Pilgrimage to Medjugorje – Leaving Cork on August 20 to September 4. Early booking offers available. Money can be paid in instalments to spread out the cost. For more information, please contact Mary Cott, Group Leader 086 1220850. Church gate collections – No church gate collection taken up at St Mary's Church, Ballyhea is endorsed by the parish. Any group or organisation intending to collect outside the church gates are asked to present copies of their permits in the sacristy, together with copies of letters of authorisation of those collecting on their behalf. This should be done before the collection commences. GAA club news Lotto – The numbers drawn on June 28 were 18, 19, 40. There was no winner of the jackpot of €1,200. Lucky dips winners were: €30 Dinny Ring c/o Mike O'Kelly, €30 Ríona Garvey c/o David Garvey, €30 Oliver Herbert c/o the idle Hour. Get your tickets before 5 p.m. on Saturday from Costcutters Ballyhea, Corbett Court, The Idle Hour or from any of the ticket sellers or they can be purchased online at Thank you for your continued support. The first three numbers of the National Lottery Main Draw will be the jackpot numbers. If a number higher than 42 is drawn in the first three, the draw will continue with the next number drawn under 42. Groundskeeper Position – A part-time position is available as Groundskeeper for 19.5 hours per week at Ballyhea GAA Must qualify for Community Employment. Please contact Kathleen at 086 836 97 64 for further details. Ballyhea in Black and White – 'Ballyhea in Black and White' is a collection of memories from local photographer Michael McGrath and photos that have been collected. It features some great GAA and camogie memories from down through the years. Books can be purchased at Costcutters shop in Ballyhea for €20. Online Shop – The club's online shop is proving to be very popular. All the latest club gear can be purchased from the O'Neill's website. Check it out at Instagram – The club can now be followed on Instagram. To see the latest club pictures go to ballyheagaaclub. Ballyhea Community Alert Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10. annually. Killavullen Farmer's Market Killavullen Farmer's Market takes place this coming Saturday in the Birthplace of Nano Nagle from 10.30am until 1pm. All are welcome to come along for the local produce and the company. Community Café Community Café will reopen on Tuesday July 29th from 10.30-12.30 in Killavullen Community Centre. Men's Shed Killavullen Men's Shed meets at the Nano Nagle Birthplace, and there will be more activities planned. All are invited to come along. Contact the Nano Nagle Birthplace for further details. Date for your Diary The annual parish pilgrimage this year will be to Cobh by bus from Killavullen Church on August 15th. Mass for the Feast of the Assumption will be celebrated at St Benedict's Priory followed by a visit to the adjoining Bible Garden. A guided tour of St Colman's Cathedral will be followed by lunch at the Harbour Suite of the Commodore Hotel. In the afternoon, a guided visit to the recently opened Barryscourt Castle (Carrigtwohill) will conclude the day. Cost: €50 (under 21: €30); Reservations: Kathleen Hanley: 086-1556360 Chiropody dates Appointments with our friendly and dedicated chiropodist Patricia are now available for August 9th and September 6th. Please contact her at 086 3225052 to arrange an appointment. Lotto Killavullen Community Council Lotto takes place twice a week. The bonus ball of the National Lottery draw is the winning number each Wednesday and Saturday evening. Last week's winners were Lottie, Anna & Harry and J&C Browne both having the lucky bonus numbers. Congratulations and thank you to one and all for your support. GAA club news Lotto Jackpot shared - There were two winner's winners of the GAA lotto, on Tuesday night last, 1st July in the draw, which took place in the Community Centre. The numbers drawn were 4, 9 and 22. The jackpot on the night was at €1,500. Jake Barrett from Castletownroche, who won the Lotto before, about 2 years ago, was one recipient of the win, and the other was Norma Roche. Both long standing supporters which is always good to see. The winning tickets were sold by John Angland and Nora Roche respectively. The winners of the lucky dips were as follows: €50 - Bessie Rea (seller – Michael Rea); €30 – Brendan Luddy (seller – Lar Luddy); €20 – Jack Neenan (seller – John Beechinor) The next jackpot on Tuesday night 8th July is €1,000 again. In the Killavullen GAA club Lotto, you must pick three numbers from thirty-six which means that the lotto can easily be won, just you have to play, to have a chance. Purchase your ticket from any committee member or from our website- Thank you for your anticipated and ongoing support. Scramble for All Ireland tickets - The final whistle had not sounded in Croke Park, when the requests from staunch Cork and Killavullen supporters could be heard, seeking any kind of a ticket for the All-Ireland Final, on 20th July. With the huge following that Cork hurling has at the moment, a vibrant, youthful and colourful following, invariably there will be disappointments as people who may have followed the progression of the Cork team to every game thus far, are left disappointed. Meelin Vintage car and tractor run The Joe Withers memorial vintage car and tractor run will take place in Meelin on Sunday 13th July.
