Waving goodbye to your child is hard but there are ways to cope, writes Colm Fitzpatrick There are times during parenthood when mums and dads fantasise about their child finally leaving home; perhaps it’s during the infancy stage after a series of sleepless nights, or when their stroppy teenager refuses to speak to them. It’s normal…

Personal Profile God is present in the cries and injustices of the world, Colm Fitzpatrick learns Words usually don’t do justice to depict real, lived experiences and this sentiment couldn’t be truer when describing the harrowing conditions in Kenya’s Mukuru slums. With rising poverty and violence across the region, it can be difficult to muster…

Hallowe’en should be spent with family and friends, not in A&E, writes Colm Fitzpatrick   Hallowe’en is a highlight for many in the calendar year; the opportunity to dress up as your favourite superhero or ghoul, stay up late into the night, and eat an endless supply of sweets makes it a favourite among the…

Youth Space Youth 2000 retreats are a time for spiritual reflection and growth, Grace Masterson writes If you’re between the ages of 16 and 35 and haven’t been to a Youth 2000 retreat yet…GO! I remember two years ago when I went to my first Youth 2000 retreat, which happened to be their annual summer…

Don’t give up on dating when you’re older, it might just save your marriage, writes Colm Fitzpatrick   “Marry, and you will regret it; don’t marry, you will also regret it; marry or don’t marry, you will regret it either way,” the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once remarked. While this quip was written to shed…

Youth Space   We can open up a space to help people encounter God, writes Gerard Hanley “I’d like to believe in God but he’s probably not real”. This is how I expressed my faith to a friend when I was 13-years-old. I was setting myself up for a life without God. I hadn’t seen,…

Parents should be the first educators when it comes to sex, writes Colm Fitzpatrick   Most people find broaching the topic of sex uncomfortable and for many parents this awkwardness is only heightened when discussing the subject with their children. ‘The Talk’ as it’s euphemistically phrased, denotes the time in your child’s life when you…

Youth Space Pilgrimages abroad are a wonderful opportunity to meet like-minded Catholics, writes Mark Caffrey The Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia who are based in Limerick once again organised a young-adult pilgrimage to Rome at the conclusion of this summer. Our journey took us to the very heart of the Faith. Thematically based around St…

Taking good care of your back should be a health priority, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Most of us are taught from a young age to stand up straight and keep our shoulders back, but very often this advice falls on deaf ears. It can be more comfortable to eat dinner at the dining table or watch…