Fr Paddy
Fr Paddy is the parish priest of Abbeyleix. From Carlow town, he was educated in Carlow CBS and studied Business and Politics in Trinity College Dublin before training to be a priest in Carlow College.
He writes for a number of media outlets. He has almost 31,000 followers on Twitter.
Fr Paddy: Spirit of God, Loving and free, Spirit of God, flow through me
Time moves by too quickly; soon we arrive at the longest day of the year - June 21.
These long bright days I pray will...
Fr Paddy: Health of body and peace of mind through the prism of St...
As we move through life, we all can agree with the wisdom, “Our health is our wealth”. Health of body and peace of mind...
Fr Paddy: Power of the possible with the story of the humble farmer Thomas
In a quaint village nestled between rolling hills and valleys of Mount Kilimanjaro, Thomas, a humble farmer, faced a severe drought that threatened his...
Fr Paddy: The Lord hears the cry of the poor!!
First Holy Communion, continues to be an incredibly special day, not just in the life of young people, but for their entire families and...
Fr Paddy: There is something about Leo
There has been huge focus on the Catholic Church over the past number of weeks.
As Pope Francis' health declined, media commentary intensified following his...
Fr Paddy: Ten tips for keeping balance and good mental health
As I write this article, the cardinal electors, are currently in conclave. Their task, to select the 267th successor of Peter.
I pray that the...
Fr Paddy: The Conclave – explaining the fascinating process of electing a new pope
As I write this article, looking out of my window, the month of May, begins in splendid sunshine. Birds singing loudly, new leaves on...
Fr Paddy: Remembering Pope Francis – a kind, courageous, and gentle pastor
The death of Pope Francis fills me with a deep sadness as we mourn the loss of a kind, courageous, and gentle pastor.
I also...
Fr Paddy: Carlo Acutis to be formally canonised and declared a saint
On Sunday, April 27, Carlo Acutis, will be formally canonised and declared a saint. This will take place in an open air ceremony in...
Fr Paddy: This Easter, let’s be bold in our hope, unshakable in our faith,...
These days of bright blue skies, and spring blossoms, make it easy to identify with the Easter message. In this Jubilee Year of Hope,...
Fr Paddy: We are invited to indulge in a wonderful promise that our God...
The month of April has begun with splendid sunshine and blue skies.
This is a beautiful time of year, nature awakens within us all a...
Fr Paddy: Prayer is often personal and perhaps is best practiced in silence
As we get closer to Holy Week it is good to reflect on how we pray. Prayer is often personal and perhaps is best...
Fr Paddy: Seven tips to help you achieve peace of mind
This week we celebrate the effects of the spring equinox. For the next six months there will be more light than darkness.
Light is good...
Fr Paddy: St Patrick’s Day inspires faith and is a global event
As I write this article, Taoiseach Micheál Martin is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on March 12, 2025,...
Fr Paddy: Vocation is a rich and deeply fulfilling way of life
There is a real sense here in Ireland, that the vocation crisis, to the priesthood, is having real consequences in terms of aging clergy...
Fr Paddy: Pope Francis – a voice of sense and reason in a turbulent...
As I write this article, I'm very conscious that the health of Pope Francis, seems to be seriously declining.
Pope Francis has led the Catholic...
Fr Paddy: Make the most of Lent 2025 as we are reminded of Christian...
Our world is indeed going through very troubled times. In a time of turbulence, it is important to be reminded that Christian values such...
Fr Paddy: The life story of Matt Talbot – a powerful recovery
Addiction is lived reality for many good people. The life story of an Irish man and his recovery is an inspirational one.
Matt Talbot was...
Fr Paddy: A different kind of love on St Valentine’s Day
This week we celebrate St Valentine’s Day.
Traditionally this day is associated with romance and love. Historically it is interesting to trace its evolvement.
There were...
Fr Paddy: Tales of wisdom after the storm
Weather wise January 2025 has been dreadful. Because of heavy snow and dangerous pathways, it was reminiscent of lockdown.
The recent storm Eowyn caused devastating...
Fr Paddy: St Brigid – A woman of great hope
February is it time of growth and invitation for us all. The light of spring slowly triumphs over winter darkness.
The story and celebration of...
Fr Paddy: The inspirational life of Sister Clare Crockett
The beatification cause of Sister Clare Crockett, an inspirational young Irish religious sister who died in 2016, formally opened Sunday, January 12, with a...
Fr Paddy: First 25 years of new Millennium prove to be turbulent chapter for...
Where does time go by? It's hard to believe that it is now 25 years since the world anxiously embraced the new Millennium.
Now, we...
Fr Paddy: May the Lord fill us with health of body and peace of...
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ this year, I’m conscious of all what we have to be grateful for.
Many long for...
Fr Paddy: May Christmas 2024 be a time of great blessing
A woman was Christmas shopping with her two children.
After many hours of walking down row after row of toys and after hours of hearing...
Fr Paddy: ‘There is something inherently decent and kind in all our hearts’
More than 300 people recently attended the funeral of a woman in Carlow, after an appeal on social media by a funeral director who...
Fr Paddy: The more I care for myself the greater I can care for...
It's wonderful these days to see the brightness of Christmas lights decorating our streets, shops and homes.
In the darkest days of the year, we...
Fr Paddy: The Advent season – a time to get ready for Christmas
There is a story of six people who froze to death around a campfire on a bitterly cold night.
Each had a log of wood...
Fr Paddy: Never underestimate the incredible genius that defines our human spirit
The gift of creativity and vision always brings hope and optimism.
Hope is a great gift and an important value to maintain and cherish these...
Fr Paddy: ‘When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden’
A motivational speaker walked confidently around the room holding a glass of water while leading a seminar on stress management.
Everyone guessed she was going...