Youth Space   Books can open up our hearts and minds to God, writes Matthias Conroy I had never attended a book club when I heard about the opening meeting of a new reading group for the writings of C.S. Lewis which would be operating out of St Saviour’s Priory on Dominick Street, led by…

Arguments tend to arise at Christmas so try avoid them before they ruin the day, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Movies and adverts tend to idealise Christmas day; it’s thought that families come together to exchange hugs, presents and kind words in a charitable environment of love and understanding. The only tiffle there might be is over…

Personal Profile Young people will open up to God if we bring the message to them, Colm Fitzpatrick learns With an increasing number of young people no longer formally and institutionally identifying with the Catholic faith, being in the business of evangelisation can be a tough job. What’s needed are novel and captivating approaches that…

You should try out an eco-friendly Christmas this year, writes  Colm Fitzpatrick   The environment has a litany of enemies who are all determined to suffocate and destroy it. The list is almost endless; carbon emissions, deforestation, plastic pollution and oil spills all contribute to ensuring the planet will not be in a fit state…

Personal Profile Students can be a source of hope and encouragement, Colm Fitzpatrick learns It’s tough being a chaplain, especially when it involves providing pastoral support to students in one of Northern Ireland’s most popular universities. Fr Dominic McGrattan has recently been appointed as chaplain in Queen’s University, Belfast, replacing Fr Gerard Magee. He describes…

Everyone procrastinates but it can become a problem when it takes over our lives, writes Colm Fitzpatrick   There’s washing to be ironed, bills to be paid and that murder-mystery novel you’ve always wanted to write (but never found the time). With all the tasks that need to be completed in your life, it’s hard…

Personal Profile Bro. Tony Dolan’s agricultural initiatives have changed lives, writes Colm Fitzpatrick   The Italian friar St Francis of Assisi is renowned for his love of nature and is globally known as the Patron Saint of Ecologists. While few can claim that they have successfully captured the attention of birds through preaching, one Irish…

Spending time outdoors can make a massive difference to your life, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Do you remember how you had fun during your childhood? Is it radically different to how kids spend their leisure time today? When the older generation reflect on how they spent their youth, usually the images of hopscotch, conkers and tag…

Personal Profile The African Church can teach us more about Ireland than we think, Colm Fitzpatrick learns   With over 30 years of missionary experience in Ghana, a Kerry-based priest believes the Irish Church can learn a lot from its African counterpart. The second eldest of eight children, Fr Patsy Lynch who serves as parish…

Christmas spending doesn’t require breaking the bank, writes Colm Fitzpatrick   For children, Christmas is a magical day in the Christian calendar where gifts, toys and sweets miraculously appear in large, overstuffed stockings. However, behind the innocent smiles of children overwhelmed by the presents before them, is usually the worry of a stressed parent unsure…