During the week, I was preparing a homily for the opening of the year Mass in a boy’s secondary school. Moments like this are a great opportunity to speak to young people who little by little are coming to identify…

“Warp speed”, “Beam me up Scottie”, “`To go bravely where no man has gone before”, these lines from Star Trek were a part of mine, my sisters and many others childhood. The Star Fleet mission was to explore new frontiers…

I’ve only been to Lisieux once, it was a slightly strange mission. I went with an American friend who had brought a little portion of a beloved partners ashes to be scattered there. It was a little surreal making a…

Carrying the coffin of my uncle John from the hearse to his grave on Tuesday felt like the end of an era. He was 87, a wonderful man, bursting with energy and full of love and goodness. He was the…

Each year when the appeal is made for Crosscare we are reminded of the many ways the Church in Dublin is at the service of the poor and people in need here at home. The range of services Crosscare offers…

The last trip I made before Covid was a two-night visit to Munich to visit my niece, her husband and two children. I always enjoy seeing them when they visit Ireland but with so many people to see and so…

Good news is always welcome and it has been great during the week to hear about the plan for reopening society as we learn to live with the residual of Covid. The expression ‘new normal’ is being used to describe…

This weekend we remember Fr Tony at his second anniversary. His fruitful ministry, courage and strength, pastoral vision and compassion for others will always be in our minds and hearts. This time last year we planted a tree, placed a…

Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, one of the many times during the year when Our Blessed Mother takes a central role in the liturgy. Special days help us to celebrate the importance of the…

I drove down Portland Row, past Kellie Harrington’s house, late on Tuesday evening. Even in the near darkness you could see there were all the signs of a warm welcome home, for a local hero and a national treasure. There…

I tend to listen carefully to the coverage of church and religious issues on TV and radio, and more recently on Twitter and social media too. Many different opinions are expressed, with emotion, showing strong attitudes and responses to these…

Last Sunday Pope Francis gave us the first ‘Day of Prayer for Grandparents and Elderly people’. As I had been away for the previous week I didn’t have time to read up on it before preparing the newsletter. So, my…

I’m just back from a week’s holiday relaxed and refreshed, what a difference the weather makes. I was with my sister and a priest friend in Derry, a city so perfectly perched on the Foyle with Donegal on one flank…

Last Sunday evening a friend came round for a bite to eat and to watch the final of Euro 2020 with me. Like everyone else we too had to choose a side. As we both lived in Rome for a…

For fans of sport there has been such an abundance of coverage of games during the week, that you might never have left the couch! Rugby and GAA, Golf and Tennis, Cycling and Soccer, all being played at the highest…

During the week, at a Board of Management meeting in a local school, held outdoors, we spotted the ‘fruit and vegetable’ bed where the boys and girls had been busy tending to their plants. I couldn’t resist having a look,…

On midsummers day, June 21st, I jumped in the car and headed down to Waterford with 3 priest friends for a few days away. It was the first proper break for all of us since last summer and the long…

You have probably seen, and chuckled at the advertisement on TV centred on a video call between a young man and his dad. The two live in different worlds, the dad is with his wife, an avid walker, and his…

I saw a graph in this morning’s paper illustrating the dramatic fall in the numbers of people in hospital and in ICU with Covid 19, it was a very uplifting image. We had hoped that the effect of the vaccines…

Last weekend we welcomed Fr Clement and members of the Indian Community from the Syro-Malabar church to visit Mount Merrion. He will shortly visit Kilmacud and make an appeal. The members of the community came to each Mass to share…