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: Christianity and the scapegoat – a mighty challenge
Christianity is the only religion which worships the scapegoat, the one who is hated, excluded, spat upon, blamed for everything, ridiculed, shamed, and made...
Fr Paddy: Life is a continuous process of letting go, in order to begin...
Recently I had a very sad encounter with a young man just as he was being released from prison.
I stopped to chat with...
Fr Paddy: The Homelessness Crisis
July 19 marked the third anniversary of the launch of Rebuilding Ireland, the government’s plan to address the housing and homeless crisis.
Any honest assessment...
Fr Paddy: The importance of staying positive
Our world screams out for poetry even if it can’t cope with it. Faith can only exist in a world of poetry.
God is...
Fr Paddy: Harvest – A Time of Hope
Recently I was greatly inspired by the kind gesture of a neighbour calling with a bag of fresh vegetables from their garden.
There is something...
Fr Paddy: The ‘Elephant Man’ story demonstrates the power of love and acceptance
The movie The Elephant Man tells the true story of John Merrick. Merrick was born in the slums of England in 1862, and almost...
Fr Paddy hits out at Taoiseach Leo Varadkar following Dail comments on ‘sinning priests’
At a recent exchange about funding for a by-pass in Cork, An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, compared the leader of the opposition to ‘one of...
Fr Paddy: Cardinal John Henry Newman set to be canonized
The Vatican announced recently that Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman will be canonized on October 13th 2019, in Rome.
During a consistory of cardinals July...
Fr Paddy: 10 guidelines for a happy and peaceful Summer for all
This week marks the beginning of our summer holidays for all primary school children. Let’s pray that they will all enjoy a happy and...
Fr Paddy: How to come out on top when faced with adversity
A very clever dog!
A wealthy man decided to go on a safari in Africa. He took his faithful pet dog along for company. One...
Fr Paddy: Martin Luther King’s letter to White Church Leaders
We can wait no longer - Martin Luther King’s Letter to White Church Leaders.
In 1960, Martin Luther King was imprisoned after leading a civil...
Fr Paddy pens words of appreciation after serving in Portlaoise for seven years
Last week we broke the news that popular Portlaoise priest Fr Paddy Byrne is set to leave for a new role as parish priest...
Fr Paddy: Turning Green is being Christian
Recent European and local elections highlighted that our environment and climate change is a fundamental concern among most citizens.
Young people lead this awareness in...
Fr Paddy: Increasing our Faith
You don’t just wake up one morning, light streaming in from the window, birds fluttering about, and jump from your bed with exuberance declaring,...
Fr Paddy: A prayer for students
As we move through the month of May thousands of students prepare for exams.
Exam-time brings with it many mixed emotions and feelings. Soon it...
Fr Paddy reflects on 18 years of being a priest
Vocation is a way of life. Vocation is how we live our lives as followers of Christ.
Vocation is much more than a job or...
Fr Paddy: May – the month of Mary
Mary Queen of the May.
May is marked with 'Alleluias' as we celebrate the Resurrection and live into the Easter joy we proclaim.
May is also...
Fr Paddy: Divine Mercy – A sacred gift
How can anyone argue against Divine Mercy Sunday?
Divine Mercy is hope wrapped up in a loving God, ever ready to embrace us and forgive...
Fr Paddy: Easter – A time to hope
“He is not here, he is risen”, is the signal message which the women receive as they make their way to anoint this dead...
Fr Paddy: 13 steps to ensure you have brighter days
Take just a few minutes and apply one of the tips below and see how it brightens your day.
1. One minute of appreciation
Take a...
Fr Paddy: Parable of the Prodigal Son challenges us all
The story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 1–3, 11–32) has an extraordinary amount of wisdom and good advice packed into it.
Indeed, the more...
Fr Paddy: A mother’s love – A blessing
Sure I love the dear silver that shines in your hair. Does anyone recognise that song? An old, old Irish favourite, Mother Machree.
I remember...
Fr Paddy: Spring – a blessed season of Hope
According to the English Catholic priest-cardinal John Henry Newman, “Growth is the only evidence of life.”
Life is then most apparent in the springtime with...
Fr Paddy: St Patrick’s Day – a celebration of our Irishness and our faith
On St Patrick’s Day we celebrate our Irishness and our faith.
For so long in our history they have been intertwined, perhaps at times identified....
Fr Paddy: Lent – a time to embrace positivity
Lent is an old English word meaning 'lengthen'. Lent is observed in spring, when the days begin to get longer.
Lent is a good time...
Fr Paddy: Being merciful and responsive in time of Lent
The Trócaire Lenten Campaign for 2019 focuses on land-rights. The four-sided “Trócaire Box” has stories to tell.
One about families forced from their homes, another...
Fr Paddy: Where is my brother?
“Where is your brother?” This is the question that God asks each one of us in our hearts regarding our brother who is sick,...
Fr Paddy: The Weight of the Glass
The Art of Letting Go is about deciding to stop making the same mistakes and choosing to take a different path.
It has been...
Fr Paddy: Fr John… A lovely man
The recent tragic death of Fr. John Cummins, following a freak car accident has left me numbed and deeply saddened.
It resonates with ancient...
Fr Paddy: From beyond hope to Amazing Grace
John Newton was a cruel and vile man who seemed beyond hope, but he became an example of God’s amazing grace.
His true story...