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Justice  for All: People and Planet ‘Love  one another & spend yourselves for the poor’. The provincial Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Commission will hold a Day for Justice on November 24th, 2018 at Mount St Anne’s, Retreat and Conference Centre, Killenard, Portarlington, Co. Laois, exploring the theme: ‘Justice For All: People and Planet’. The keynote speaker is ...

There is a deeper spiritual significance that underlies the mainstream fascination with Hallow E’en, largely revolving around trick-or-treating, haunted houses, Hallow E’en costumes, and spooky fun. When we look at the origin of Samhain (Summer’s end) it can be traced back to the ancient Celts who celebrated Samhain.  Samhain was the final harvest festival of the season, celebrated at the ...

Within Nano Nagle’s story is a greater one: that of the Irish female diaspora in Newfoundland, India, North America, England, Australia, Africa and the Philippines.  ‘Nano Nagle – The Life and the Legacy’ throws open a new window on an unknown aspect of Irish social history, while also demonstrating Ireland’s significant contribution to the global history of female education. The ...

On 14th October during the Synod of Bishops on young people, the assassinated Archbishop of San Salvador, Óscar Romero will be proclaimed a saint. Romero was shot dead on March 24th 1980 as he was saying Mass in El Salvador. In his three years as archbishop, he had become an outspoken voice for the poorest people of his country, caught ...

Today October 4th, is the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order, patron of animals, birds, conservationists and naturalists.  He was born in 1281, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant.  As a young man he fought in the war between Perugia and Assisi. He was taken prisoner and became very ill. He returned home ...

On today, the Feast day of St. Vincent De Paul (renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity), we pray for all of those who dedicate their lives to working and living alongside those made poor.   See http://www.svp.ie/feastday For a someone to feel that they ‘have been seen’ and are ‘made visible’ through the love and care they receive, makes love ...

Only God whose creativity has filled the Universe with so vast, so glorious, so delightfully wonderful a range of beasts and birds, of fish and flowers and trees, of valleys and mountains, sunsets and stars, and who, in creating all the billions who constitute humanity (has never needed to repeat Himself) could call together in strong bonds of community, such ...

The beautiful icon of Nano Nagle created by the artist Desmond Kyne is alive with colour and symbolism that enables us to get to know ‘…who Nano was and who she is today’.  It depicts a young and vibrant ‘Nano’ which seems to be so apt, especially in this tercentenary year of her birth (1718) when her living legacy continues ...

A recent article prompted me to think outside the usual way of seeing things in relation to lifestyle choices and care of our common home.  Among many valuable thought provoking points made in the piece, I have chosen to mention those which struck a particular chord in relation to continuing to walk lightly on the Earth. There is a  need to ...

Nano Nagle carried the light of her lantern, and the light of the Gospel into the darkness, desolation and discrimination endured by the people of God in Ireland under the Penal Laws. ‘Because the world still needs the Gospel and Nano’s lantern light, it is timely to remember Pope Francis’ challenge to go beyond the comfortable spaces, places and territories ...