The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Today’s Gospel about the Apostles’ boat on a stormy sea (Matt 14:22-33) is timely. The logo chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for the Year of Faith in 2013 pictured a boat tossed high on waves. We all recognise that this is a difficult time for the Church.…
The Youth 2000 e-festival will be a place where young people can encounter God in fresh ways, writes Amy-Hurle McCann Youth 2000 Ireland has a full calendar each year with eight regional retreats, a Christmas festival and a summer festival. The Youth 2000 leadership team work tirelessly throughout the year to make each retreat a…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Today’s Gospel (Matt 14:13-21) throws light on loneliness which is another name for the hunger of the heart. A popular film years ago was called The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. One form of loneliness is the grief experienced after the death of a loved one. On…
The Irish Spirit – Issue No. 9 In the Hebrew Bible, mountains have always been significant places where the Israelites encountered the Presence of God. Because mountaintops were high above the clouds the Jewish people discerned that this is where God could be experienced par excellence. Mountains were the places where the patriarch and the…
The Irish Spirit – Issue No. 9 Exclusive Excerpt from Sending Positive Vibes by Fr Bryan Shortall We have to make our minds up to be joyful. It comes down to a choice; do we stand out in the sunshine or do we prefer to stay indoors with the curtains closed? It is easier said than…
The Church is adapting to the fact that the parish is no longer attached to its geographic location, writes Elise Ann Allen Urging parish communities to abandon ‘outdated’ models and to embrace what Pope Francis has styled as a spirit of ‘missionary evangelisation,’ is the top line in a new instruction on the renewal of…
Many people with a curiosity about faith find that studying theology brings them to the next level, writes Deirdre Soffe The thought might have crossed your mind that someday, you would like to know more about theology. Perhaps while your knowledge and skills in an occupational field advanced, your knowledge of the core issues of…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. In today’s Gospel (Matthew 13:44-52), Jesus continues the seven parables about the kingdom of Heaven in our lives. What is this Kingdom? In the scriptures, the Kingdom of Heaven has several different shades of meaning. In today’s parables it refers to the hidden treasure in the heart:…
Matt Talbot’s devotion to the Eucharist allowed him to make an offering of his entire life writes Fr Hugh O’Donnell SDB As the centenary of the death of the Venerable Matt Talbot approaches (2025), maybe it’s time to recall one of Dublin’s acknowledged – though somewhat neglected – holy people. When too narrowly represented as…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. The mission of Jesus was to establish the rule of God, the Kingdom of God, on Earth. The taskforce for the continuation of his mission would be the community of believers known as the Church. Today, in Matthew 13:24-43, three parables show how this Church is a…
Michael Kelly