Posted on 07. Dec, 2017 in Book Reviews, Charity, Christian Values, Gospel Values, Volunteering
Author of Suprised by Fire, Martina Lehane Sheenan spoke about where we get our happiness from. She pointed to studies that showed that most of our happiness comes, not from our external belongings, but from our own inner attitude. She spoke with Miriam Gormally about how happiness shouldn’t necessarily been seen as something outside of […]
Posted on 09. Nov, 2017 in Book Reviews, Community, Death, Economy
Conor Mcguire – an artist and columnist for the Western People has written a book called the “Hunger House”. Set in Ballina, Co. Mayo, just before the Great Famine in Ireland, the book looks at the lives of people in this less well known time in Ireland. Speaking with Pat Coyle, Conor argues that this […]
Posted on 17. Aug, 2017 in Book Reviews, Caring for Children, Church Teachings, Schools
This is a piece from 2006, looking at getting ready for school. Many new parents are facing this issue again this year, with new junior infants off to school for the first time. Whether it’s the first in the house to head off to school or someone further down the line, it’s still a day […]
Posted on 15. Dec, 2016 in Book Reviews, Charity, Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Eastern Spirituality, Faith and Justice, Film Reviews, Gospel Values
Martin Scorsese considered joining the priesthood before becoming a director and that interest is certainly obviously in Silence, his most theologically dense film yet. James Martin SJ, an advisor on the film said ‘it was like a prayer’. An adaptation of the book by Shūsaku Endō, it follows two 17th century Jesuit priests, Father Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) […]
Posted on 28. Jul, 2016 in Book Reviews, Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Ecology, Gospel Values, Nature
God You’re Breaking my Heart: What is God’s response to suffering and evil? is a new book by prolific Jesuit author, Brian Grogan SJ. He is the author of the classic bestseller, Finding God in All Things and many other titles on Ignatian spirituality. In this book Fr. Grogan explores the mastery of evil. Each […]
Posted on 05. May, 2016 in Book Reviews, Christian Values, Gospel Values
Games of Thrones is a popular fantasy fiction that subverts the traditional ideas of fantasy fiction. This is why, according to David Quinn, it will never be as popular as classics like Lord of the Rings. He argues that the nihilism in it prevents it from being one of the great myths. He talks about how […]
Posted on 10. Mar, 2016 in Art, Book Reviews, Christian Values, Spirituality, War / Civil Unrest
Well-known author Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) may have been an atheist, but she nonetheless had a rich and deep spirituality, according to Professor Stephanie Paulsell of the Harvard Divinity School. She spoke in Milltown Park on March 8, at the invitation of SpIRE, the Spirituality Institute for Research and Education. Professor Paulsell described Woolf’s family ties […]
Posted on 28. Jan, 2016 in Book review, Book Reviews, Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Gospel Values, Spirituality
Brian Grogan SJ’s latest book, Making Good Decisions – A Beginners Guide, is a fresh and interactive approach to good decision-making. The author says it’s a dynamic approach where theory is illustrated with case studies, stories and real-life experiences, including his own. The book is aimed at anyone (Christian or other) interested in making wise […]
Posted on 24. Dec, 2015 in Book Reviews, Christian Values, Christmas, Church Teachings, Community, Faith and Justice, Gospel Values, Liturgy, Prayer
“Let everything secular about Christmas remind us of its Holy meaning.” says Donal Neary SJ, i in his most recent book of reflections of Luke’s Gospel. Donal is well known as the parish priest of Gardiner Street in Dublin and prolific author who was recently appointed editor of the Messenger. He talks about why he published […]
Posted on 20. Aug, 2015 in Book Reviews, Celibacy/Sexuality, Church Teachings, Discrimination
Oscar Wilde and the Catholic Church certainly make for a strange combination, but Father Leonardo Sapienza, head of protocol at the Vatican, published a book called, “Provocations: Aphorisms for an Anti-conformist Christianity” devoting a large section to quotes by Oscar Wilde. This use of a homosexual icon is no doubt a surprise to many. Miriam Gormally […]