Ageing with Alzheimers

Posted on 30. Jul, 2020 in Christian Values, Chronic illness, Community, Health, Mental Health

Des O’Grady SJ currently works as a chaplain in Dundrum central mental hospital. He himself was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers and in this first of at three part series from the archive, he talks candidly about his experience and the learning he has received from it. He says that the disease has given him more […]

Depression – a Christian Perspective

Posted on 09. Jul, 2020 in Christian Values, Depression, Mental Health

Depression is ‘the common cold’ of our psychology. The illness effects approximately one in every five people. According to the Vatican, it is the biggest disease in the world. In this piece from the archives, Fodhla McGrane, from Kells, Co. Meath, is an Oblate of St Benedict. She leads retreats on “Depression from a Christian Perspective”. […]

Bursting Out in Praise

Posted on 02. Jan, 2020 in Achievement, Christian Values, Community, Depression, Gospel Values, Mental Health

Gavin T. Murphy, blogger with the website, I love bipolar  talks about the spiritual journey that the highs and lows of bipolar have brought him on. He has also presented a series of reflections on his life’s journey with RTE Radio One’s A Living Word programme.  From that series he was asked to write a […]

Forgiveness

Posted on 27. Nov, 2019 in Church Teachings, Mental Health

Can even the most awful of crimes be forgiven? Robert Enright is a Professor  of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and has given his input into education to Le Chéile, a school trust with the object of developing a vision of Catholic Education. He is a co-founder of the International Forgiveness Institute […]

Remembering Fr Coote

Posted on 29. Aug, 2019 in Depression, Mental Health, Relationships, Suicide, Young people

Fr Tony Coote passed away on Wednesday, August 28th, following a battle with motor neurone disease. He was a much loved priest and in particular well remember for his time in UCD as a chaplain helping others. In this piece from 2007, we hear him talk about the work he did for parents who had […]

Freedom of Angels

Posted on 08. Jan, 2019 in Conflict, Crime, Grief, Stress

Bernadette Fahy, counsellor, writer and survivor of institutional abuse talks with Pat Coyle about how her faith was broken by the Church. She says that the faith of survivors was broken, not just once but three times. She grew up in Goldenbridge, and in her book, Freedom of Angels  she tells the inside story of […]

Finding God with Alzheimers

Posted on 27. Sep, 2018 in Christian Values, Community, Mental Health, Older People

In this final part of our three part series, Des O’Grady SJ, talks about finding God in his journey with Alzheimers. He talks about how the disease has not made him bitter but rather allows him to be more contemplative. He currently works as a chaplain in Dundrum central mental hospital and says Alzheimers makes […]

Schizophrenia – Journey to Recovery

Posted on 12. Jul, 2018 in Health, Mental Health, Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the Irish population and involves hallucinations, hearing voices and an altered perception of reality.  It is extremely distressing for those suffering it and for anyone close to them.  In this piece from 2006, John Saunders, director Shine, formerly Schizophrenia Ireland, was speaking at a conference, called The Journey to Recovery […]

By Time is everything Revealed

Posted on 31. May, 2018 in Art, Cancer, Community, Ecology, Health, Medicine, Meditation, Mental Health

As plants everywhere are blooming we remember this interview with author, gardener and broadcaster, Fiann Ó Nualláin. In his book,”By Time is everything Revealed” he looks at mindfulness and spiritual awareness.  Fiann brings old Irish proverbs to life for the current generation. Proverbs stand the test of time because, as they contain timeless wisdom that can […]

January Blues

Posted on 11. Jan, 2018 in Depression, Mental Health, Suicide, Young people

In this piece from 2007, Miriam looked at how people can deal with the January Blue. They looked at how after all the Christmas festivities finish, there is often a feeling of anticlimax in January. Nowhere is this more obvious than in a university.  Miriam Gormally met Tony Coote, chaplain for UCD and one of […]