Easter Renewal

Posted on 13. Apr, 2017 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Community, Easter

Easter is a time of death and renewal. Every year the Avila centre in Donnybrook run a Holy Thursday Retreat starting at 2pm. According to Jim Noonan OCD, this is one of their most popular retreats – a time when people are coming out of the season of Lent and beginning to prepare for the […]

Epiphany – the Revelation of Christ

Posted on 05. Jan, 2017 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Festivals, Seasons of the Church Year

When we think of the feast of the Epiphany, we usually think of the three wise men coming from the East. People often joke that they arrived late with totally impractical gifts for a new mother who was forced to give birth to her son in a manger. Abbot Brendan Coffey of Glenstal Abbey talked […]

Putting Christ back into Christmas

Posted on 22. Dec, 2016 in Christian Values, Christmas, Church Teachings, Community, Gospel Values

Christmas, in the modern age, is usually a time of parties and excess. Fr Brendan McConvery CSsR says we need to take a step back and remember what the season is really about. He talks about putting Christ back into Christmas and remembering the true meaning and simplicity of the season. He begins by telling […]

The Darkest Midnight

Posted on 22. Dec, 2016 in Christmas, Music Therapy, Poetry, Prayer

As carols singers across the country sing out for Christmas, it’s nice to remember some of the traditional Irish songs. Hers is “The Darkest Midnight’ sung by Noirin ni Riain’s celebrating the birth of Jesus.

2nd Sunday of Advent

Posted on 01. Dec, 2016 in Advent, Christmas, Seasons of the Church Year

Sunday December 4th is the second Sunday of Advent  – another candle lit on the Advent wreath, in the countdown to the Feast of Christmas. Still in the season of ‘Waiting’. Dominican priest Fr. Joe Cullen examines how we deal with the past and how we can respond to God’s grace as we face the future. […]

The Resurrection and the Rising

Posted on 31. Mar, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Easter, Retreats

The Resurrection is the central tenet of Christianity says Eugene McCaffrey OCD. It represents the beginning of something new and miraculous. Fr Eugene believes that the people who took part in the 1916 Rising chose Easter time because they had in mind the resurrection of Ireland and the creating of a new country. He cites […]

Asylum seekers in Ireland

Posted on 24. Mar, 2016 in Community, Easter, Family, Gospel Values, Poverty, Refugees, Seasons of the Church Year

40% of asylum seekers living in Direct Provision have been waiting 5 years or more for a final decision to be reached on their claim for protection. JRS Ireland is working to secure durable solutions for these asylum seekers and their families. Miriam Gormally spoke with David Moriarity, policy and advocacy officer with JRS, about how […]

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 […]

New Look for Trocáire box

Posted on 24. Mar, 2016 in Christian Values, Church Teachings, Easter, Fundraising, Schools, Seasons of the Church Year

This year’s Trocáire box comes with a difference. Instead of focusing on the people who will be receiving the money it will be focusing on those who are giving money. They also talked about why in particular they have been focusing on climate justice and why it is the most important issue of the day. […]

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 […]