Earlier pilgrims of the faith donned sackcloth and ashes during the Lenten period, whereas in today’s Ireland it’s arguably more a question of giving up KitKats or Guinness and saying extra Hail Marys – which is not to trivialise the Lenten sacrifices of the faithful but rather to set them in context against the serious…

The Clonard Solemn Novena started in the late 1970s and it is timed to coincide with the feast day of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on June 27 – the novena always takes place on the nine days prior to this feast in all Redemptorist churches throughout the world, and so as Rector Fr Brendan…

‘I get down on my knees and thank God that I’m still standing’ North of the border, Hugo Duncan is a household name on the radio, an ebullient, sprightly entertainer who regales his listeners with funny anecdotes, quips about his inordinate love of cream buns, shout-outs to aficionados in far-flung parts of the province and…

Joanne Savage The Reverend Bill Shaw is director of the 174 Trust, an organisation birthed 23 years ago that is dedicated to peace-building, reconciliation, dialogue and Christian community development. It is situated in the nationalist New Lodge estate, near loyalist Tiger’s Bay – working class areas that were both seriously affected by the Troubles. The…

Fr Gerry Clarke SJ introduces Joanne Savage to members of the UU Belfast Chaplaincy lunch where students of all faiths and none find spiritual sustenance Best known for his directorship role at the Belfast Jesuit Centre, Fr Gerry Clarke is also a half-time chaplain at the University of Ulster’s bespoke new Belfast campus, his role…