St. Francis of Assisi whose feast day it is today (4th October) believed that everything in the natural world was a gift from God and deserved to be appreciated and valued.  Because of this, Francis in his ‘Canticle of the Sun’  refers to the sun, wind, air, and fire as his brothers, and to the moon, stars, earth, water, and death ...

In the editorial of the special  50th Anniversary magazine of GROW Ireland it states: “The GROW we have today owes its existence to a vast number of people who have given themselves with a complete and awe inspiring generosity and dedication.  We begin by saluting you”. One such person whom we know very well is Sr. Gertrude Howley. This year ...

On Friday 27th September the Mayor of Kilkenny, Cllr. Martin Brett in conjunction with Kilkenny County Council hosted a civic reception to honour Sr. Magdalene Fogarty, pbvm as founding president of Clann Credo. Twenty three years ago a radical new concept began to percolate through Ireland’s community and voluntary sector, one that has challenged the conventional way of thinking ever since.  ...

A total of 102,500 people attended the first day of the 2019 National Ploughing Championships, a figure confirmed  by the National Ploughing Association (NPA). This figure  is substantially up on the 97,500 attendees that attended day one of last year’s ‘Ploughing’. Today, those who attend experience everything from farming to fashion, artisan foods to top-of-the range machinery, as well as ...

As the National  Ploughing Championships begin in Ballintrane, Fenagh, Co. Carlow in these days we are reminded of the vitality of  our daily relationship with nature and of the inter-relatedness of all life; whether ‘walking lightly on the Earth’ or working in and for this ‘Our Common Home’.  Through this  experience we have the opportunity to ‘keep pace’ with the ...

This poem by the poet Hafiz, provided the powerful reflection piece shared with participants at our North East Province Justice Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Commission Justice event in November 2018. I have come into this world to see this I have come into this world to see this: the sword drop from men’s hands even at the height ...

In December 2016, President Michael D. Higgins announced that sculptor Rachel Joynt had won the prestigious competition to create a 1916 themed sculpture for Áras an Uachtaráin. The winning design, was\entitled ‘Dearcán na nDaoine / People’s Acorn’ and used the symbolism of an acorn’s journey from small seed to majestic oak, to commemorate the past events of the 1916 Rising ...

Like very many others, I have followed the daily world media reports on the recent fourteen day journey of Greta Thunberg the sixteen year old Climate Activist from Sweden as she took on the gruelling challenge of sailing to New York for the UN Climate Action Summit in September.  I have been mesmerised by someone so young courageously taking up ...

Every time of year and season has its beauty if we have the ‘eyes’ to see. However, more often than not, that beauty beckons ‘heart to heart’, without us having to do anything at all, other than just be present to it.  This experience  can help  confirm in us a realisation of  ‘what beauty is for’.  The poet Mary Oliver ...

Pope Francis has established the 1st September as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, encouraging the Catholic community around the world to pray for our common home. The day is inspired by Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si, which calls on “every person living on this planet” to care for our shared Earth.  He calls us ...