An only child, my seven-year-old daughter is already acting like a teenager, losing her temper over the smallest thing, shouting at me, banging doors and telling me she hates me. Her emotions are out of control and my husband and I don’t know how to help her. It is likely that a combination of factors…
Category: Family & Faith
Unpicking popular phrases
Everyday Philosophy Popular aphorisms, proverbs and phrases sometimes pithily summarise good ideas. And sometimes, well, they don’t. The enemy of my enemy is my friend You might figure that ‘strong opposition to the government and general programme of Josef Stalin’, might seem to be a pretty good indicator of virtue and wisdom. Not, however, if…
Faith in the family
I had checked the readings for the Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time and it was the psalm which caught my attention. It was beautiful and I decided it would be a good basis for writing. Then today, as I sat down to write, I realised that we won’t have those readings because it is…
Family News & Events
Evolution at work? Babies born without wisdom teeth More people are being born without wisdom teeth and an extra artery in their arm as a result of rapid evolution, according to scientists in Australia. Dr Teghan Lucas, of Flinders University in Adelaide, has discovered that people are undergoing a micro-evolution which allows evolutionary changes to…
Early lifestyle changes can reduce Alzheimers risk
Medical Matters Last month saw the marking of World Alzheimer’s Day as part of an international campaign to raise awareness of a condition that is still stigmatised and often misunderstood. It is estimated that there are about 50 million people in the world with dementia and this figure continues to rise with an ageing population. …
Dad’s Diary
Two wheels are good. We’ve recently had a slew of brand-new bikes arrive at our house. The coronavirus pandemic had seen bikes become impossible to come by over recent months. For a time, bikes became the new toilet paper, as shops ran out and the lead time to buy a bike stretched into months. To…
The remarkable St Francis, Fratelli Tutti and David Attenborough
Living Laudato Si’ David Attenborough’s new documentary ‘A Life on Our Planet’ was released this month on Netflix and it is certainly something that everyone should see. In this one and half hour documentary, Attenborough makes a powerful call to action for humanity to work together to restore biodiversity and the balance of our ecosystems.…
Family News & Events
Cool Food School Hallowe’en Treats The Cool Food School are offering an interactive online workshop for children to learn how to make healthy Hallowe’en snacks. Facilitated by Tallaght Library, the course is aimed at “getting your kids in the kitchen, learning how to cook and making some fun, healthy, Hallowe’en treats”! “Hallowe’en doesn’t have to…
Where your love is revealed
Mindful Living In this article I want to continue to explore the depth of meaning in the John Main prayer which we say before meditation. “Heavenly Father, open our hearts to the silent presence of the Spirit of your Son. Lead us into that mysterious silence where your love is revealed to all who call.”…
Faith in the Family
My mother-in-law Agnes used to hate the dark nights drawing in, the changing of the clocks, the prospect of winter. I can understand that many people may feel like that and that this year may feel even more challenging. Perhaps that is why the timing of Pope Francis’ new encyclical seems to me to be…

Wendy Grace
Ben Conroy
Bairbre Cahill

Dr Kevin McCarroll




