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No Catholics Need Apply !

  Image:members.parliament.uk History was made on two accounts this week when Liz Truss was elected Prime  Minister in the United Kingdom. For the first time the Leader and the Deputy Leader are both women and the latter, Thérèse Coffey, is the first Catholic to serve in this position. There has only been one baptized Catholic… Read More

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Giving Prisoners Hope

Image:www.thejakartapost.com As I write this the Annual Conference of the Association of Prison Officers are meeting in Sligo and some of the issues that have arisen were a subject of a news report headline. While I listened, I was further reinforced in my view that there are few things in life worse than the prospect… Read More

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The Annunciation of the Lord

  Image:www.reddit.com Mach 25th, marks the Feast of the Annunciation, where the Archangel Gabriel, with Mary, begins the journey of Christianity. This is the moment when God’s decision to break into human history is revealed to the person who is essential for its progression. As Jesus came to earth to do the father’s will, Mary… Read More

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The Consecrated Life

On 2 February the Catholic Church celebrates the World Day For Consecrated Life.  Pope St John Paul instituted this annual observance marking it for the first time in 1997. It is celebrated in conjunction with the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas Day.  This commemorates the presentation of Christ in… Read More

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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

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The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity

Last Sunday I attended a Mass which was celebrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell in the Church of Our Mother of Divine Grace in Ballygall. As required by Covid restrictions the number of people in the congregation was limited.   Still, it feels good to be back again in the company of others and… Read More

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In the Upper Room: Holy Thursday

We are now in Holy Week, the most important time in The Church’s year, even greater than Christmas because Christ brings to fruition the mission he was born to accomplish.  From Holy Thursday through to Easter Sunday we celebrate the Triduum, the three days we recall the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I remember… Read More

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The Guardian Angels

One of the most appealing images remembered from religious instruction in childhood was that of the guardian angels protecting us all from danger, both physical and moral.  Just as parents sometimes entrust the younger members of the family to the care of their elder brothers and sisters, so our Father in Heaven commits us to… Read More