Tag Archives: Faith Development

There is an urgent need to humanise education, focusing on the centrality of the person and creating the necessary conditions for an integral development. Giving children and young people a proper autonomy and the necessary leadership will make it possible for each one to grow inwardly, as part of a living, interdependent, and fraternal community. In sharing a common destiny, ...

In Pope Francis’ Message for the 2nd World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and Elderly on 24th July 2022, Pope Francis encourages the elderly to persevere in hope and reminds them of their great power to transform the world through prayer and tenderness. The World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is an opportunity to proclaim once more, with joy, ...

Who is this man Patrick, who came among us (from another place) and whom we have never forgotten?  A man who suffered a turbulent and challenging journey through experiencing at times hunger, isolation, separation and imprisonment, doubting often his own capacity and ability to act – but certain of the hand of God and his protection.  What better way to ...

Today, we reach day eight, the final day of prayer in our ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’.  Praying together to understand better through  the light of the Spirit how we can witness and live fully to fulfil that prayer of Jesus to the Father: ” … that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and ...

A global tragedy such as the Covid-19 pandemic has made the already existing inequalities and inequities gain momentum almost exponentially. Humanity seems increasingly shaken by processes of massification and fragmentation.  The tragic condition faced by migrants in all regions of the world shows how high and strong the barriers dividing the single human family still are.  Indeed, the Encyclicals Laudato ...

Mount St. Anne’s Retreat and Conference Centre (Killenard, Portarlington, Co. Laois) is located in the heart of the Irish midlands. The very special surroundings and the closeness to nature contribute to the renewal that can be experienced through these Autumn Opportunities on offer through the Centre. All courses will run from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm (GMT). Mount St. Anne’s ...

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU 2021) is traditionally observed annually from 18 – 25 January.  However, in the southern hemisphere, where January is a vacation time, churches find another time during the year to celebrate it, for example around Pentecost which is also a symbolic time for the unity of the Church.  The theme for this year ...

Pope Francis signed his new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, on Saturday 3 October 2020 during a visit to Assisi. The phrase ‘Fratelli Tutti’ is taken from the writings of St. Francis, one of the major inspirations for Pope Francis’ third encyclical, on fraternity and social friendship. The full text of the encyclical, the third of Pope Francis’ pontificate was released on Sunday ...

In Ireland story-telling is embedded in the culture of who we are.  As far back as we can remember there must have been story-telling and the sharing of ‘a good yarn’ in the dusk of an evening at the fire or in the coming together at the crossroads after a hard day’s work in the fields.  This seems even now ...

Today, 24th March is the 40th anniversary of the assassination of  Oscar A. Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, El Salvador.  He  was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass in a small chapel in a cancer hospital where he lived. This prayer was composed by Bishop Ken Untener (1937-2004), drafted for a homily by Cardinal John Dearden in 1979 for a celebration of departed ...