We know from the life of St. Martin that he was a great supporter of the younger brothers in formation. Those preparing for the priesthood always found him encouraging and a source of comfort when they found life difficult. We also know that he was well able to converse with them on theological matters. One… Read More
Category: Community
An East and West Divide: Religion
Last week Pope Francis completed a six-day Apostolic Journey to Cyprus and Greece. The trip was a significant one for Greeks, who saw his visit as a message for Christian unity with a Catholic minority and an Orthodox majority. The pope met with a delegation from the Greek Orthodox Church, in which he recalled… Read More
The Value of Retreat
When I was in Secondary School, back in the ‘70s, we had a retreat with the Chaplain and a team once a year and I always looked forward to those few days. Of course, it made a change from the daily routine and afforded me a break from the dreaded Maths classes! It provided… Read More
The Devastation of Bullying and Praying for Change
The Devastation of Bullying. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29 Bullying, it’s a word that parents dread and something that a great many people have had to… Read More
Celebration of Life Mass- Sunday 3 October
Celebration of Life Mass- Sunday 3 October Where: St Saviour’s Church, Upper Dominick Street, Dublin 1 In the early days of the lockdown caused by the covid-19 pandemic my good friend’s father died. At that time of course we were unable to go into the Church so there was no funeral Mass. Friends and neighbours… Read More
A Visit to Knock
Last Saturday I was in the west of Ireland for the weekend and took the opportunity to pay a visit to Knock Shrine in Co Mayo. The journey from Ballaghaderreen, where we were based, is a pleasant one through tranquil countryside. We made our way past houses and shop fronts festooned with Mayo flags in… Read More
The Princess and the Saint
The seven days which began on 31 August 1997 with news of the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and ended on 6 September with her funeral are unlikely to be forgotten by those, like myself, who lived through them. I will always remember the sight of her coffin, draped in the multicoloured Royal… Read More
Celebrating Grandparents
Last Sunday, July 25th, marked the first observation of the Church’s annual Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. On January 31, 2021, Pope Francis made the announcement of this new event to be celebrated every year on the fourth Sunday in July. In the Vatican, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, standing… Read More
A World without War, Amen
Every war has its iconic images which show the suffering that people endure as a consequence of the aggression. I am thinking of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Photographer Eddie Adams, whose 1968 ‘Saigon Execution’ helped fuel the anti-war movement and end the US involvement in Vietnam. On the front of the paper one day this week… Read More
Patrick, the Man Behind the Myth
Sometimes I find it really amazing to think that St Patrick’s Day is celebrated the world over. The name of our national saint is known far and wide across the globe. Of course, it has to be acknowledged that what was primarily a religious feast day has become widely secularized. This year because we are… Read More
In Praise of Letters and Cards
In the years when I was young and growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, we were all used to sending and receiving letters on a fairly regular basis. I even had a pen pal in England whom I corresponded with diligently for a few years. When I was in my twenties a friend… Read More
Making the Most of Quarantine (Lockdown)
The continuing fight against Covid-19 means that we are in the middle of another lockdown with no absolute certain end in sight. We heard earlier this week that there will be no St Patrick’s Day parade. While we could probably have predicted this it is still another dampener on our potential plans. In a time… Read More
Going too far?- Adapting during Covid19
One day last week I noticed that the doors of my parish church were open so I decided to go in and see what was happening. I discovered that a small section of the church was in use for people to make a visit, just to light a candle and say a prayer. There was… Read More
COVID 19 – Message to Supporters
COVID- 19 (Coronavirus) Message to Our Supporters At this time of unprecedented COVID-19 crisis in our country, and across the globe, we would like to assure you that all of you are in our thoughts and prayers. Please take the utmost care in terms of personal safety, and to follow the HSE guideline. This may… Read More
International Women’s Day – Celebrating Progress & Change
International Women’s Day – Celebrating Progress & Change This Sunday is the 8th of March and on that date every year we celebrate International Women’s Day. It originated from the trade union movement in America in the early twentieth century, particularly in the activism of the women who worked in the clothing industry “sweatshops” of… Read More
From Anti-Semitism to Auschwitz
On January 27, 1945 the notorious Nazi death camp at Auschwitz was liberated by Soviet forces. On Monday this week, hundreds of Holocaust survivors joined delegates from world governments, (including our own President Michael D. Higgins) at the site where more than one million people were murdered when the Nazis occupied Poland during World War… Read More