Often one can get to know a person in a totally different way (aside from their public persona) from studying their writings. St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching (17th March) and much is ‘greened’ and said and sung about him, oft times woven from and into myth and celebrations. Who was Patrick? I grew up nearby the familiar and often ...
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I am reflecting on ‘doorways’ today. Seemingly ordinary things. In Roman mythology, Janus represents not only the god of doors and doorways but also the god of new beginnings and of endings. Janus is a two-faced god. One face looks to the past, the other, to the future. Doors open, close, and revolve. An open door points to a new ...
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As the seasons change it can often be seen as nature’s cue to us to change our wardrobe. Fashion magazines are full of glossy spreads selling us the desire for clothes we think we need, and the new colours that will be ‘in vogue’ this time around informed by the fashion gurus. Fashion is a billion euro industry impacting subconsciously ...
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The focus of the World Day of Prayer (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) on 6th March 2020 (#WDP2020) is praying with the Christians of Zimbabwe. “This Friday, [when] millions of us – men, women and children – worldwide will be praying with and for them”. When reading the information about this day it struck me that prayer truly has ...
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The dialogue that God wishes to establish with each of us through the paschal mystery of his Son has nothing to do with empty chatter, like that attributed to the ancient inhabitants of Athens, who “spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new” (Acts 17:21). Such chatter, determined by an empty and superficial curiosity, characterises worldliness in ...
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At an award ceremony on Wednesday 19th February 2020, iScoil was named as a recipient of the Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) Children and Youth Fund. This award enables iScoil to top-up the Presentation Sisters (and other philanthropic donations) with an additional 50% funding from the State, for the next five years. This will fund development initiatives including a QQI ...
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The Presentation Sisters (North East Province -Ireland) Way of Life Office extend a welcome invitation to you to participate in a seminar which will take place in two locations – Dublin and Galway – on different dates, see full details as follows: Theme: “Hildegard of Bingen: Ecologist, Musician and Healer” When: Saturday 28th March 2020 Where: Avila Carmelite Centre (Discalced ...
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The 58th UN Commission for Social Development has just come to an end on Wednesday, 19th February in New York. This World Summit for Social Development was initiated to address emerging societal challenges to the implementation of 2030 Agenda. Amongst the global participants at this Ministerial Forum was Sr. Ann Marie Quinn, pbvm International Presentation Association (IPA Executive Director), with ...
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Valentine was a priest who died during a persecution of Christians under the Emperor Claudius the Goth. Legend has it that the Emperor was worried by a reluctance of young Roman men to join the army to fight his campaigns, a reluctance he put down to their attachment to their wives and families, or fianceés, so he came up with ...
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“Pope Francis has again surprised the world with his long-awaited document (“Apostolic Exhortation”) in response to the deliberations of the Pan-Amazonian synod, issued today, 12th February 2020. In the text known as “Querida Amazonia” (“Beloved Amazonia”) he pitches hard for justice for the region’s 33 million people, of whom 2.5 are indigenous peoples, and for the protection of their lives, their ...
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