The Church must stop acting as though it is “on the back foot” and have greater confidence in what the faith offers society, Fr Patrick Cahill told hundreds gathered in Maynooth for CHARIS Ireland’s National Day of Renewal.
Fr Cahill, chaplain of Holy Family Mission in Waterford, said contemporary society is “desperately, desperately searching for meaning and purpose”, urging Catholics to stop seeing themselves as permanently on the defensive. “We stop thinking we’re always on the back foot, we’re always defending ourselves,” he said. “No, we’re not.”
Throughout the day, speakers shared testimonies of the Holy Spirit at work in people’s lives, from recovery and renewed family relationships to missionary vocation and a deeper life of prayer.
Radio presenter Nikki Hayes spoke movingly about her recovery from addiction and homelessness, saying God “didn’t take anything from me, he just showed me a better way”. Maria, a 22-year-old Jesus Youth missionary, told the gathering how a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit led her to commit a year to mission.
The day concluded with an evening concert and worship.