A Mid-Lent Reflection As I am writing this we are just half way through Lent and depending on your outlook that can be good news or bad. “Can I keep going?” or “We are nearly there”! Lent is of course that period of time allocated to our preparation for Easter, the most important time in… Read More
Category: Faith
Religion and Young People
Religion and Young People Are you a young person aged between fifteen and twenty – nine? If the answer is yes, then there is a good chance that you no longer go to Church on Sunday, or any other day, except for funerals or weddings of course. Any Catholic will tell you the biggest challenge… Read More
Lent: the journey towards Easter
Did you notice anything unusual about some of the people you encountered on your travels on Wednesday of this week? Many of you might have wondered why they had a big black smudge on their foreheads; others among us will be familiar with the ashes which are distributed every Ash Wednesday during Mass. This is… Read More
Confession is Good for the Soul
Confession is good for the soul Most of us at one time or another will have heard the expression ‘Confession is good for the soul’. It is actually an old Scottish proverb and has no Biblical roots. Of course, confession can have many different interpretations. E.g. someone can confess their love for another person and… Read More
The Virtue of Kindness
I recently learned that February 17, last Sunday, is the date on which National Random Acts of Kindness Day is celebrated. It is celebrated by individuals, groups and organizations nationwide to promote acts of Kindness. Originating in New Zealand it has spread to other countries and indeed it is encouraging to know that the observation… Read More
St Brigid’s Day – Lá Fhéile Bríde
February 1st was originally a pagan festival marking the beginning of the new Season. It was known as Imbolc, which referred to the coming birth of the spring lambs, and observed in Gaelic Ireland during the Middle Ages. Now we celebrate it as the feast day of St Brigid who has been called the Pearl… Read More
Family is at the heart of Christmas
At the heart of the Christmas, the message is the story of a family, the holy family of Nazareth, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. There was a lovely tradition in the country, years ago, where a large red or white candle was lit on Christmas Eve at 6pm, Christmas night and St Stephen’s night to shine… Read More
Coping with Grief
In the month of November, as we pray especially for the Holy Souls, we are reminded naturally of the process of death and the grief, which accompanies it. Nearly all of us have to face the reality of death at some point in our lives and even though the loss is particular to each individual,… Read More
St Martin de Porres: Life and Celebration
On November 3rd we celebrate the feast of St Martin de Porres. But who is this saint and why is he so popular? When I first began working in St Martin Apostolate I did not really know very much at all about St Martin’s life. Over the years however I have become very familiar with… Read More
November: Month of the Holy Souls
At this time of year, in the month before December, a lot of peoples’ thoughts are turning towards Christmas. That is the particular season when the loss of loved ones will be most keenly felt in many families and circles of friends. Experiencing Loss Most of us experience loss at some time in our lives;… Read More
Losing Faith in a Secular World
There is a lovely saying from Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian poet and philosopher, ‘Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.’ This of course indicates that, unlike science, there are no proofs on which faith can rely. People who believe, do so without any evidence on which to base their… Read More