John McGinley Across the UK & Ireland, something quiet and yet unmistakable is stirring. People are beginning to seek God. A quiet revival is breaking ground, and the Spirit is moving with fresh power and purpose. The Lord is at work, drawing hearts, shifting spiritual atmospheres, and calling His Church to consecration, and courageous obedience.…
“The support of my parish and family carried me all the way to ordination,” hears Pedro Esteva It takes a village to raise a priest,” said Rev. Tiernan Burke, reflecting on the long journey which recently brought him to the transitional diaconate – just one year away from full priesthood. Now 40, Rev. Burke described…
Nothing says “pilgrimage, not holiday” more than sleeping on the floor of an airport. The night before my early flight to Rome for the canonisation of our two newest saints, there was a certain sense of silent solidarity between all those who, for one reason or another, had to find somewhere comfortable, or tolerable, to…
In the two previous articles, we considered Knock as a uniquely silent apparition. We saw firstly the importance of silence as a necessary preparation to ponder and reflect. We focused on the absolute silence of The Lamb of God. But there is a third reason for the silence of the vision before us. Silence accompanies…
Shauna Rose Pickering The motto of the St Louis family — Ut Sint Unum — “That they may be one,” took on new life and deeper meaning this summer as 14 Year-13 students and five staff from St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, journeyed to their sister school in Oku, Ghana. What began as a fundraising…
In this second article of the series on the Knock apparition we focus on the most important Person of the vision– the Son of God – the ‘Lamb of God.’ Jesus appeared then as He is now seen face-to-face in heaven. Last time we referenced the silent aspect of the Knock Apparition as a striking…
“They want something different to everyday life. They’re looking for something real, something rooted,” said Fr Simon Nolan, Carmelite Prior of Whitefriar Street Church, reflecting on the growing number of young people getting involved at the historic Dublin church. Speaking at the Carmelite Novena to Our Lady of Mt Carmel, Fr Nolan said he was…
Two things I’ve discovered since coming to Ireland: first, that there is a huge hunger for God here that I have not seen elsewhere. There is a hunger for God here. Secondly, because of this hunger, I believe there is evidence of a new hope arising in Ireland that we are on the cusp of…
How do we each play our part in passing on the Catholic Faith in today’s society? The Gospel reading for the fourth Sunday of Easter points us in the right direction. Jesus is depicted as the Good Shepherd –the one who lays down his life for his sheep. Sheep are known for their tendency to…
I spent my birthday last year at Knock. It was my first time going and I didn’t know what to expect. On the bus ride we prayed the rosary and there was a great feeling of peace and gentle anticipation. It was the celebration of 800 years of the Dominicans in Ireland, and Archbishop Anthony…
Fr John McCarthy