The Brandsma Review
Encyclopedia
The Brandsma Review is a bi-monthly magazine
of conservative Catholic
opinion in circulation in Ireland
. Its Latin
masthead is Pro Vita, Pro Ecclesia Dei et Pro Hibernia 'for life, for the Church of God and for Ireland'. It is called after the Dutch Carmelite priest-journalist Blessed Titus Brandsma
, who lived in Ireland for a period in the 1930s and was subsequently martyred by the Nazis.
The legend 'Ecclesia Dei' is a reference to the 1988 document of Pope John Paul II
, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta which deals with the Tridentine Mass
, but this is not a unanimous position within the editorial board. Board members of the Latin Mass Society of Ireland
have contributed pieces over the years. At the same time, the Review tries to cultivate a broad presentation of Catholic culture and has correspondents in North America, continental Europe and the Antipodes. It sometimes publishes articles by non-Catholics (generally Evangelical Protestants and eastern Orthodox, but sometimes Jews, Muslims and conservative secularists have contributed) on matters of common concern.
The Brandsma Review has published many articles criticising the state of catechesis in Irish Catholic schools and the existence of unorthodox liturgical practices and doctrinal statements within sections of Irish Catholicism. It has also been critical of the tendency of some traditionalists to adopt extreme-right views. The March-April 2008 issue (vol. 17 no.2) p. 2 has an editorial "Beware of French Letter Liberals - And Jew Baiters!" which describes "our sniff test for articles submitted for publication. The left nostril is for pro-contraceptionists... the right nostril, for Jew baiters. Both are incompatible with real Catholicism, and so both are a no-no." It has also published articles questioning the alleged Marian apparitions at Medugorje.
The founder editor of The Brandsma Review is Nick Lowry, a retired news editor from Radio Telefís Éireann
who contributes signed editorials and a regular column "Straws for the Camel's Back" commenting on current events within Irish Catholicism. The original model used was that of the Ballintrillick Review, which was in circulation in Ireland in the 1980s, until its editor Doris Manley died of cancer; the Ballintrillick Review was outspokenly pro-life but was somewhat more communitarian on economic matters and had no particular interest in the Tridentine Mass. Many of the original Brandsma Review subscribers had subscribed to the more stident Faith and Family which earned notoriety at the time by being banned from the Catholic book store Veritas.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
of conservative Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
opinion in circulation in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Its Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
masthead is Pro Vita, Pro Ecclesia Dei et Pro Hibernia 'for life, for the Church of God and for Ireland'. It is called after the Dutch Carmelite priest-journalist Blessed Titus Brandsma
Titus Brandsma
Blessed Titus Brandsma was a Dutch Carmelite priest and professor of philosophy. Brandsma was vehemently opposed to Nazi ideology and spoke out against it many times before the Second World War....
, who lived in Ireland for a period in the 1930s and was subsequently martyred by the Nazis.
Overview
The magazine was founded in the wake of the X Case and the resignation of Bishop Casey of Galway in 1992 and it has maintained a consistent pro-life position since then, regarding euthanasia and embryo expermentation as much as abortion.The legend 'Ecclesia Dei' is a reference to the 1988 document of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta which deals with the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
, but this is not a unanimous position within the editorial board. Board members of the Latin Mass Society of Ireland
Latin Mass Society of Ireland
The Latin Mass Society of Ireland, founded in 1999, is a Roman Catholic society based in Ireland that is dedicated to the preservation of the traditional Tridentine Mass as one of the forms of the Church's liturgy and to making it more widely available...
have contributed pieces over the years. At the same time, the Review tries to cultivate a broad presentation of Catholic culture and has correspondents in North America, continental Europe and the Antipodes. It sometimes publishes articles by non-Catholics (generally Evangelical Protestants and eastern Orthodox, but sometimes Jews, Muslims and conservative secularists have contributed) on matters of common concern.
The Brandsma Review has published many articles criticising the state of catechesis in Irish Catholic schools and the existence of unorthodox liturgical practices and doctrinal statements within sections of Irish Catholicism. It has also been critical of the tendency of some traditionalists to adopt extreme-right views. The March-April 2008 issue (vol. 17 no.2) p. 2 has an editorial "Beware of French Letter Liberals - And Jew Baiters!" which describes "our sniff test for articles submitted for publication. The left nostril is for pro-contraceptionists... the right nostril, for Jew baiters. Both are incompatible with real Catholicism, and so both are a no-no." It has also published articles questioning the alleged Marian apparitions at Medugorje.
The founder editor of The Brandsma Review is Nick Lowry, a retired news editor from Radio Telefís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
who contributes signed editorials and a regular column "Straws for the Camel's Back" commenting on current events within Irish Catholicism. The original model used was that of the Ballintrillick Review, which was in circulation in Ireland in the 1980s, until its editor Doris Manley died of cancer; the Ballintrillick Review was outspokenly pro-life but was somewhat more communitarian on economic matters and had no particular interest in the Tridentine Mass. Many of the original Brandsma Review subscribers had subscribed to the more stident Faith and Family which earned notoriety at the time by being banned from the Catholic book store Veritas.