My first experience with the Legion was going door-to-door as a missionary, writes Bishop Fintan Monahan I often think of the comment of a religious sister who taught us at school, who claimed that the reason we were created is that God likes stories. The stories told at the Pearly Gates must indeed be interesting…
The Dublin hostel run by the Legion of Mary for unmarried mothers was more compassionate than many at the time, writes Chai Brady When the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was published in January of this year, one institution stands out as an anomaly among the 18 investigated,…
The wisdom of Frank Duff Can We Be saints? “In the heart of every right-thinking Catholic, God has implanted the desire to become a Saint. Yet few make a serious attempt to realise the ambition. The cause for this is to a large extent discouragement, due to the misunderstanding of what a Saint really is.…
The Sunday Gospel The entrance antiphon for Mass on the Third Sunday of Advent sets the tone for coming closer to Christmas. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” Today is known as Gaudete Sunday, a day of special rejoicing. The second reading is worth repeating in full…
For her latest book, Sr Stan asks a wide range of people across Irish society where they find peace From media personalities like Tommy Tiernan, Miriam O’Callaghan, Ray D’Arcy, to politicians like Taoiseach Micheál Martin and President Michael D. Higgins, all answer the question in their own way, giving us an insight into their minds…
The Sunday Gospel “The Word of God came to John son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.” I really love Advent. Each season of the liturgical year has its own rich spirituality, but I think Advent has the message that is most relevant at the moment, at least in the state of the Church in Western…
The Sunday Gospel T he First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical year. The Gospel of the day is about the end of time (Luke 21:25-28.34). It might seem odd that Advent begins, not with preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas, but his coming for us at the end of…
Last year it seemed like everything was cancelled with Covid Restrictions, including the famous Moving Crib event at St Martin Apostolate, located at 42 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. For the first time in their sixty – four years of opening, their doors were forced to close on Christmas Eve for the remainder of the festive…
The Sunday Gospel This is the last Sunday of the liturgical year when we celebrate Jesus Christ, the Universal King. The end of the year anticipates the end of time when “the Kingdom of God will come in all its fullness. Then the just will reign with Jesus Christ for ever, glorified in body and soul,…
Fr Donal O’Mahony – an activist, advocate, peacemaker and negotiator – was an extraordinary man, who set about to improve housing rights for families and individuals. His legacy now lives on in Threshold which he founded in 1978, an organisation dedicated to housing rights and homeless prevention. Today, we are in the midst of Ireland’s…
Chai Brady