Contemplating Holy Week

Posted on 18. Apr, 2019 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Conflict, Easter, Holy Week, Liturgy, Seasons of the Church Year, Vocation

What’s the first thing you would do if you were betrayed by your closest friends, asks Paddy Greene SJ to his trainees. Well if your Jesus, he says, you put your arms around them. Here he looks at how Jesus must have felt when his teachings of universal love where being challenged by Church officials. […]

Chaplain In Wheatfield Prison

Posted on 24. Mar, 2016 in Chaplaincy, Christian Values, Community, Crime, Education, Holy Week, Places of Conflict, Poverty, Prison, Rehabilitation, Seasons of the Church Year

A recent article in the Irish Times featured an interview with Stephen Plunkett, chief executive of U-Casadh, a programme aimed at rehabilitating prisoners. In it he says that the vast majority of prisoners are not violent and shouldn’t be locked up but rather rehabilitated. The Easter Christian message in particular reminds us of the respect […]

Pope Francis – three years on

Posted on 17. Mar, 2016 in Church Teachings, Feminism/Women in the Church, Holy Week, Pope Francis, Seasons of the Church Year, Vatican

March 13th 2016 marked the third anniversary of the accession of Cardinal Bergoglio to the Papacy as Pope Francis. He laid out his mission statement for the future of the Catholic Church on November 24th 2013 in his inspirational letter Evangelii Gaudium. In May 2015 another major development occurred with his issuing of his encyclical on […]

Remembering 1916

Posted on 18. Feb, 2016 in Church of Ireland, Community, Easter, Holy Week, War / Civil Unrest

On Wednesday Feb 17th, The Church of Ireland Historical Working Group marked the centenary of the Easter Rising with talks from noted historians. Entitled ‘A state of chassis – Ordinary People in Extraordinary Circumstances in Dublin in 1916’, the talk featured Dr Fearghal McGarry (Queen’s University Belfast) as well as Dr Jason McElligott (Marsh’s Library), […]

The last words of Jesus

Posted on 02. Apr, 2015 in Christian Values, Easter, Holy Week

Jesus Christ made seven final statements during his last hours on the cross. These statements offer a glimpse into the depths of his suffering to accomplish redemption. They reveal his divinity as well as his humanity. Pat Coyle was part of a group that was asked to pick one of the statements and to give […]

Holy Week

Posted on 26. Mar, 2015 in Church Teachings, Easter, Gospel Values, Holy Week, Lent

For Fr. Michael McCullagh, spiritual director in Maynooth University, Holy Week and Lent are a time when we’re walking in the footsteps of the Lord. Here he talks us through the time from Ash Wednesday to Holy week, looking in particular at Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. He explains to Miriam […]

Palm Sunday

Posted on 26. Mar, 2015 in Church Teachings, Easter, Holy Week

On Palm Sunday, Christians celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday, or “Passion Sunday,” marks the beginning of Holy Week, which concludes on Easter Sunday. The Bible reveals that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him by waving palm […]

The Women Of Easter

Posted on 17. Apr, 2014 in Christian Values, Easter, Feminism/Women in the Church, Gospel Values, Holy Week, Lent, Liturgy, Saints, Seasons of the Church Year

  The Women of Easter: When we think of Good Friday we might wonder what happened since he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, or the crowd calling out ‘crucify him’ or we might turn our attention to Pilot, to the soldiers or to Simon who helped Jesus carry his cross.  Dr Noirín Ní Riain talked […]

The Passion Story

Posted on 28. Mar, 2013 in Easter, Holy Week, Seasons of the Church Year

The Passion story is a tale of betrayal, suffering, forgiveness and redemption. Pat Rogers CP, long term lecturer in the New Testament in Milltown Institute and currently Assistant Director for religious life at CORI spoke about how the Passion story can bring meaning to our own lives and help us to make sense of our […]

Easter Week

Posted on 29. Mar, 2012 in Easter, Holy Week, Seasons of the Church Year

Easter week is the culmination of the festival of Lent. It is the ultimate Christian celebration, where we rejoice in the resurrection of Christ. The Rev. Patrick Lawrence spoke with Canon Mark Gardiner about the importance of Easter week. They spoke of the traditions, past and present, including foot washing on Maundy Thursday. The Rev. […]