The International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Never has our world needed peace more.  This year’s theme is Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals. It is a call ...

We are familiar with Thomas (recorded in John’s Gospel) asking Jesus “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  and Jesus answering, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.  There are many times in our lives when we need to understand well ...

The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) since 1914 as an opportunity to express concern for different vulnerable people on the move; to pray for them as they face many challenges; and to increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers.  Every year the WDMR is the last Sunday of September; in 2023 it will ...

An Ecumenical Prayer Vigil will take place on Saturday, 30 September – immediately preceding the General Assembly of the Synod.  This service will emphasise the centrality of prayer in the synodal process and highlight the relationship between synodality and ecumenism. Presenting the event at a press conference at the Holy See Press Office, Sr. Nathalie Becquart, Undersecretary of the General Secretariat ...

The Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, on September 12th to honour the name of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  This feast day has been celebrated since 1684, but actually dates back to 1513 as local celebrations were held in Spain.   The name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invokes the inexpressible love of the Mother of ...

In his beautiful Apostolic Exhortation ‘Gaudete et Exsultate’, Pope Francis spoke at some length about the call to holiness in today’s world. He reminded us that holiness exists not only in those whom the Church has beatified or canonised, but in those “saints next door”, who don’t appear in any book and whose names are known only to God. Such people are ...

“ … we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity. As the people of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace ...

Heritage was not a word up until now, that I had thought too much about, particularly in relation to Presentation Life.  In these days of National Heritage Week 2023 however, I have come to realise that ‘our heritage’ as Presentation People is somehow something more personal, inspirational and people-centred than ‘legacy’ can ever be.  It is foundational, the scaffolding on ...

The World Youth Day from the 1-6 August 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal was truly a moment of God for all of us who could connect with it in any way – there was no distance! When a lamp is put on the lampstand there is no limit to where the light can reach.  At his weekly General Audience in Rome on ...

July 30th was the World Day Against Trafficking of Persons. Across the world, a further opportunity to raise awareness of disturbing developments and trends while profoundly aware of all those committed to a life of action, education and advocacy beyond this ‘one-day’ focal point.  This news piece is an opportunity to give a flavour of the responses shared by Global Sisters ...