We can learn a lot from a simple Italian friar, writes Eve Parnell There’s a painting in the National Gallery of Ireland, big, oil on canvas, 17th century, dark colours, easy to walk by and not notice, but one day a little flash caught my eye. I looked at the painting, really looked, for the…
Vocational Supplement One can passionately trust that Religious Life, religious community, and the work they do, for example the Presentation Brothers, continue to fine news ways expression and relevance in our Church and world today. As Presentation Brothers, we have kept praying. inviting, promoting, and encouraging new life and vocations to our Congregation. We believe…
The Sunday Gospel The Fourth Sunday of Easter is called Vocations Sunday, and each year the Gospel is about Christ the Good Shepherd and the flock of his followers. Today’s reading is short enough to quote it in full. “Jesus said: ‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow…
At the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, St Luke bridges the gap between the mission of Jesus and the mission of the Church founded on the apostles. “He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for 40 days he had continued to appear to them and tell them…
A new programme for young couples is seeking to help them grow individually, as a couple and in communion with God and their neighbours, writes Jason Osborne Once the wedding is done and dusted, couples are often left adrift, figuring marriage out on their own. While it can be done, as with everything else on…
Writing from the Polish border and Kraków, Chai Brady investigates the fate of refugees who have fled Ukraine During Holy Week, the border is not as hectic as usual. Apparently four weeks ago NGO workers and volunteers could barely manage the huge numbers entering Poland from Ukraine, through the Medyka border crossing. The road leading…
A trip to Kraków revealed the loving service the Church in Poland is offering its Ukrainian neighbours fleeing war, writes Jason Osborne Poland has been lauded for its response to an unprecedented refugee crisis that comes off the back of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As of April 15, nearly 2.8 million people fleeing the…
As we noted at the start of Lent, the number 40 is usually associated with a period of preparation. Following the 40 days of Lent, there are 40 days of preparation between the Resurrection and Ascension. My very young grand-nephew once asked me a very profound question: “Where was Jesus in the time between his…
The Catholic Chaplaincy at Queen’s University Belfast marked 50 years of its presence at the chaplaincy’s iconic site situated at the heart of the Queen’s campus, Friday April 8. All gathered in the University’s Great Hall were treated to a rich programme of art, poetry and music, much of which was performed by current students…
Easter Sunday is the most important day of the year. Pope St Paul VI said that the resurrection is the unique and sensational event on which the whole of human history turns. It is so central to our Christian belief that St Paul wrote: “If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your…
Chai Brady