We had a few sunny days this week which I’m sure everyone enjoyed. One parishioner mentioned that she had gone to a Garden Centre to buy some bedding plants and found the car park so packed that she couldn’t find…

I have missed writing these words during the past three months while I was on medical leave. But now that it is behind me and I am delighted to be back, busy and well. I can only begin with a…

The Collins dictionary word of the year for 2022 was ‘permacrisis’. Gosh what a word to capture the reality that crisis after crisis have swept across the world in recent times. The war in Ukraine, Covid, energy supply and cost…

There are just a few days in the year that we celebrate in the here and now, while below the surface of our feelings are all the experiences of this same day celebrated in times past. We have had a…

I heard a short piece on the radio during the week about Christmas Carols. The presenter had sent a reporter out to a shopping centre to ask people about their favourite Christmas Carol, she also asked them when they had…

Patrick Kavanagh’s poem Advent speaks to and from the religious culture of his own time, an era when penance was practiced and heartfelt hope in the power of Bethlehem offered redemption. The Advent darkened room he recalls was a place…

This week I’ve been 3 years in my current position as Moderator of the parishes of Clonskeagh, Mount Merrion and Kilmacud. When I was asked to undertake this role I really did wonder if it would be possible to manage…

Walking through the church grounds the other day I stopped to watch the gardeners at work. One man was blowing the leaves into piles, while another shovelled them into blue bags. His friend was bent over digging small holes under…

You might have seen the traffic chaos on Tottenham Court Road in London during the week. Some newly installed Christmas decorations, blew down and went bouncing up the street, causing cars to swerve, slam on breaks and stop, in a…

Near Half Moon Bay, just a short drive from San Francisco about 15 years ago I visited Lemos Farm, the best pumpkin patch on the West Coast. I was amazed to see a huge variety of pumpkins, large and small,…

A priest from my local parish worked on the Missions. He came home every few years and was always a welcome visitor to our school and sometimes he said Mass in the parish. He was different from our regular priests,…

When I was about 14 my dad and I went to Cresslough to see their new Church, St Michael’s. It had been designed by the Irish architect Liam Mc Cormick, who dad admired, and was one of 7 modern churches…

Here are some words I wrote almost 10 years ago. It was at this time that we felt the need to start talking in Dublin about the direction we were beginning to move in.  “An old teacher in the seminary…

One of the joys of coming to daily Mass is the celebration of the feast days of the saints. This coming week is very special indeed, Saturday October 1st is the Feast of Saint Thérèse so much loved in Mount…

Opening of the academic year Masses and Services are a wonderful gathering of the whole school community. For many reasons, an energy pulsates through the environment when so many students gather with their teachers in the church. The daily and…

When someone we know and love dies a wave of feelings, emotions and reactions that are both seen in our tears and felt in our hearts can overwhelm us. It helps when visitors call, quiet chats and cups of tea…

I was at Mass one day during the week at Holy Cross Monastery near Rostrevor, Co. Down. The Abbot was the presider and preacher. About 10 people made up the congregation and there were another 6 monks present. All in…

30 years ago I hugged Barbara and said goodbye. It was the last day of our 3 years as post grad students in Rome and the whole group went for a mass, a meal and with back slaps and hugs…

I saw four teenage girls in full school uniform on the street the other day, I checked my watch for the date, August 24th, where did the summer go! So, a week earlier than I’d planned, let’s give a big…