The Irish Spirit – Issue No. 6 Emma Tobin   When trying to understand addiction, it is important to remember what every human is addicted to. We are all addicted to breathing, for example. It’s easy to test, just start holding your breath and soon enough your body will want some air. A little longer,…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Once upon a time…not too long ago…it took courage of a sort not to go to church in holy Ireland. People who did not go to church were regarded as odd, or maybe worse. They swam against the social tide which equated church attendance with respectability. How…

As parishes we will have to invest a lot of energy in community building as we emerge from this time of social isolation and cannot take it for granted that people will simply return writes Bairbre Cahill   You’ve probably heard the story of the hungry caterpillar; well I’m currently feeling like the rather anxious…

As parishes begin to re-open for public Masses the virtual space is here to stay, writes Michael Kelly While Cardinal John Henry Newman’s vision of a Catholic university in Dublin ultimately floundered, the church he built in the city centre remains a jewel in Ireland’s ecclesiastical map. Consecrated in 1856, it has remained an important…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap.   “The bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Sadly, our churches are still closed but the good news is that they will soon be open again.…

Award-winning Knock film director Campbell Miller looks at the filmmaking future with Chai Brady   The film production industry faces huge challenges in the future due to the coronavirus pandemic and the need for social distancing, but a Northern Irish director who has won a prestigious award for his docudrama about Knock is determined to…

A musician with a passion for psalms speaks to Chai Brady about the idea behind his initiative   A London-based composer and music teacher has taken to the online world to bring sacred music and hope to people in isolation during the coronavirus emergency by posting a cleverly edited video each day of himself, and…

Moving worship online has led to an increase in prayer and religious practice, according to a new survey of faith leaders writes Ruadhán Jones   Before the pandemic began, 44% of faith communities on the island of Ireland did not provide online worship opportunities; now this figure is down to just 13%. This is just one…

While it is not yet possible to welcome pilgrims, the spiritual storehouse that is Lough Derg is very much open Fr La Flynn tells Michael Kelly   In a normal year, Lough Derg in Co. Donegal would now be putting the finishing touches to plans to welcome pilgrims to the penitential island. But these are…