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: The Two Popes – an inspirational movie
Belief is central to identity and we live our lives based on our systems of beliefs.
Faith, particularly organised religion, demands a faith that...
Fr Paddy: Happy 2020 – it’s always an opportunity to begin again
It’s hard to believe we are almost ready to begin another new year, the rituals of celebrating a new year is an ancient one....
Fr Paddy: Christmas is a time to get real
I was struck by a headline on a national newspaper recently that read, “A nation yearns for meaning at Christmas”. ...
Fr Paddy: Let the light shine
Once upon a time there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn’t a Scrooge. He was a...
Fr Paddy: The gift of generosity this Christmas
Generosity is a wonderful gift. To have a big heart is a blessing that is to be open and compassionate in love to the...
Fr Paddy: Advent – A time to open doors
This week we begin the liturgical season of advent.
A hope filled few weeks, when we prepare to welcome, yet again, the light and peace...
Fr Paddy: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Jesus couldn’t do much for the man on the cross…his own hands were nailed.
He couldn’t take him off, but he gave him more than...
Fr Paddy: The Problem of Direct Provision
Fintan O’ Toole (Irish Times) recently wrote: “In 1992, the concept of limbo - a place for the souls of infants who died before...
Fr Paddy: Helpful tips to mind our mental health
Recent research shows that levels of mental illness, anxiety, and depression are at an all-time high, especially among younger people. I recently came across...
Fr Paddy: 10 tips of sound advice from the man above
I really like the following guidelines from the boss's desk!!
If we can read them slowly and often it may well help us to implement...
Fr Paddy: November – A Time to Remember
Time moves by too quickly, where has this year gone?!
This week we begin winter time. November is a time to
remember all our loved ones...
Fr Paddy: What will the Amazon Synod do for the Church?
The Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region was controversial long before this Autumn. Self-described
orthodox Catholics have worried over its potential impact far from...
Fr Paddy: Saint John Henry Newman, a wonderful saint
This Sunday, October 13 2019 will be canonized on October 13 2019, in Rome.
Pope Francis decreed that Newman and four other blesseds will be...
Fr Paddy: An ‘Extraordinary Mercy’ – ‘I give you the power of the keys’
Pope Francis made a phone call to a leading theologian and priest who was suspended from active ministry in part over his LGBTQ-affirming work,...
Fr Paddy: Know the importance of pressing the pause button
Time moves by too quickly, this week we will begin the month of October.
Sometimes it’s good to hit the pause button. The following reflection...
Fr Paddy: Life is the coffee – the jobs, money and position in society...
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.
Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in...
Fr Paddy: Transform your difficulties and draw goodness from the negatives
A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to...
Fr Paddy: Suicide prevention remains a universal challenge.
This Tuesday, September 10, is World Suicide Prevention Day.
Suicide prevention remains a universal challenge. Every year, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of...
Fr Paddy: Will we adapt to climate chaos?
The much anticipated ‘Climate Action Plan’ was recently released by the Irish Government.
The Climate Action Plan arrives as a reaction to both electoral and...
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...