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
Category: General
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 Valentine: the Patron of Love
Mention St Valentine and all sorts of images come to mind, red hearts, flowers, chocolates, messages of affection and gifts all associated with Romantic Love. Today St Valentine’s Day is second only to Christmas for the large number of cards exchanged and indeed it is a huge money-making industry. But who was St Valentine and how did… 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
Getting Ready for Christmas
Is it just me or did Christmas begin even earlier than usual this year? By that of course I mean the run up to it, when a choice of goods go on sale in the shops. For a long time now, it seems that Christmas gifts and cards have positively swamped the display stands in most… Read More
A Visit to The Moving Crib
I am not the only Irish person who has fond memories of The Moving Crib in Parnell Square, a much loved and popular Dublin attraction for over sixty years. It was a family tradition that we went every year, as part of a ‘special’ day out and as children we loved it. In fact it… 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
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