Notebook I have in my possession a copy of the Irish Catholic Directory 2018, printed just before COVID. There are over 4,000 priests named in its index, but only a handful of Co-PPs. An Irish Catholic Directory 2024 (if there were one) would include quite a few more. I am one myself, since 2022. But…
I grew up listening to Frankie Byrne. She was the star of the sponsored programme hosted by Jacobs on RTÉ Radio and had the title of Ireland’s agony aunt. The problems she was dealing with “might not be yours today”, she insisted — “but they could be some day”. That’s how I feel about the…
Notebook The ‘Big Day’ has come and gone: Confirmation Day in my parish, that is. was one of those pastors fortunate to be assigned a ceremony in the Easter season, so we celebrated the sacrament in Castlehaven and Myross Parish on April 26, the day after my birthday. I feel lucky to have had such…
I became a priest in 1984, 40 years ago this year. In that year, 44 of us were ordained after studies at Maynooth. By my reckoning, 20 of us still serve in active ministry in this country. Many classmates have met up every year since for a reunion, each organised in a different part of…
I received an anonymous letter a few weeks ago. I don’t normally read such correspondence but was about halfway through the screed when I realised it was unsigned. The letter was sent to inform me of the death of a priest-colleague, in another part of Ireland. The deceased was a paedophile. He had served time…
It’s probably the wrong thing to say, but I really enjoyed the State funeral of the late John Bruton, RIP. It was an occasion of deep sadness for his family and I did pray for them during the Mass, but I was also moved by the rituals of Church and State, so beautifully executed for…
We have Confirmation in the parish where I live, this year. Confirmation is celebrated every second year, with the liturgy alternating between our two churches. Thus has it ever been, since at least the Year Dot! In preparation for it and First Communion, a meeting was held with each set of parents. First Communion parents…
Notebook We won the county final. The rural parish where I’ve been based since 2022 took on the big urban city clubs in the biggest county in Ireland — and we won. It was some achievement for a tiny parish like ours. Some may wonder who is this “we”. I haven’t been known previously for…
Priests and others in ministry in different parts of Ireland have asked me how our new funeral policy is working out. This policy was introduced in Cork and Ross in 2021, as we left Covid restrictions behind, enshrining some of our Covid learnings regarding funerary practice. Some local pastoral concerns that had been crying out…
I was asked to preach at the diocesan celebration in Gougane Barra at the start of October. We were marking the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St Finbarr, so it was a great privilege to be asked