Sweet Treats This German gingerbread, known as lebkuchen, has the perfect balance of sweet and spiced. This version is even tastier as the biscuits are filled with raspberry. Other flavours like apricot or cherry, also work really well, or you can keep it simple and not fill them at all! Heart-shaped lebkuchen look extra decorative…
Ruadhán Jones explains how to protect yourself while shopping online It’s a truism at this point to say that online shopping has skyrocketed during the pandemic. Recently, the closure of non-essential stores, black Friday and Christmas’ imminent arrival have driven sales even higher. Many will be new to the world of online shopping and may be…
Personal Profile While the modern offices of Citibank and the humble carpentry workshop of Christ seem to many as though they couldn’t be further apart, Al Byrne informs me that they are really one and the same place, for one trying to live in imitation of Christ. “I see that through work, we can participate…
A Parent’s Perspective Christmas is rapidly approaching, one of the most exciting times of the Church year for Catholics. We already have Christmas adverts competing to achieve that much desired place as the one advertisement that most captures the spirit of what Christmas is all about. Many of the central themes involve the excited anticipation,…
Children’s Corner Some people will be hoping for a white Christmas this year but what is snow and what natural conditions are necessary for it to be created? There is an easy and fun science experiment you can do at home that will allow anyone to make their own snow crystals. You can learn how…
I had never been quite so delighted to be dropping the kids off at one of their clubs. The clever old Brownies had organised an outing to the beach. The government, in their wisdom, permit parents to drive outside the 5km limit during the lockdown, to enable children to attend sports and clubs. The logic was…
Nearly 50 years ago Henri Nouwen wrote a book entitled, The Wounded Healer. Its reception established his reputation as unique spiritual mentor and he went on to become one of the most influential spiritual writers of the past half-century. What made his writings so powerful? His brilliance? His gift for expression? He was gifted, yes,…
Wristbands to help find missing people with dementia Wristbands which can help locate missing people with dementia have given families “peace of mind”, according to a BBC report. The bracelets, developed by emergency services and charities in Somerset, store essential information about the wearer including their name and next of kin. The information can be…
Advent is a period of anticipation and preparation, writes Ruadhán Jones Advent begins this Sunday, November 29. It’s no secret as to what it’s about – preparing for the arrival of Christ. Because it’s so obvious, because it happens every year, we can overlook the wonder of his coming. But this year we may be…
Medical Matters Our lives have changed in so many ways as a result of the pandemic, which has impacted negatively on health-related behaviours such as alcohol consumption, smoking, diet and physical activity. This will not come as any surprise given that surveys suggest that up to half of the population have experienced moderate levels of…
Ruadhán Jones
Maria Byrne
Chai Brady
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Dr Kevin McCarroll