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Andrew McDonald: Recovery is a journey
Recovering from poor mental health is dependent on learning a whole new range of life skills.
Once the crisis period of whatever condition a person...
Fr Paddy: Harvest … A time to give thanks
Time seems to be flying by. It’s hard to believe that August has arrived so quickly!! I pray that this wonderful Season of hope,...
Andrew McDonald: Overcoming vaccination needle fear
Needles are not something any of us looks forward to. Fortunately, unless we have an ongoing health concern, most of us don’t have to...
Fr Paddy: Grandparents – a real blessing
This week, in a special way we are invited to reflect on the role of grandparents.
Family is all about ‘connection’, and grandparents are vital...
Andrew McDonald: Lockdown… To Be Or Not To Be?
Hopefully, we're well on the way back to freedom now. Few of us will be sad to see lockdown leave us.
That said, with the...
Fr Paddy: Sadness and anger at the death of Fr Stan Swamy SJ
News of the death in prison of Fr Stan Swamy SJ, an Indian human rights activist, has occasioned great sadness and not a little...
Andrew McDonald: Mental wellness and new dads
Among the biggest events in life are your own wedding and becoming a parent. The former is more of a gradual process.
You meet somebody...
Fr Paddy: Gathering around the table
I was really disappointed for so many children and families who again were prohibited from celebrating baptisms, communions and confirmations.
Our churches continue to be...
Andrew McDonald: The father of hypnotherapy
A quick question. Who is considered the founder of modern psychology?
The chances are you responded “Sigmund Freud” pretty much without thinking! Actually, if you...
Fr Paddy: Don’t judge people before you know them
Pope Francis often refers to the “Poison of Gossip”. Passing on bad news is negative and toxic.
The more at peace we are within ourselves,...
Andrew McDonald: Staying motivated whilst unemployed
Of life’s more devastating crises, losing your job can feel like it’s up there with the worst of them. It’s no wonder as the...
Fr Paddy: There is light at the end of the tunnel
Even though it’s summer, this has the feel of spring about it. We seem to be like calves released from our winter hibernation, stampeding...
Andrew McDonald: Happy work, happy mind
Most of us spend almost a quarter of our lives at work.
Take into account the eight hours or so we spend asleep every night...
Fr Paddy: How the story of The Elephant Man helps us all to understand...
The movie The Elephant Man tells the true story of John Merrick. Merrick was born in the slums of England in 1862, and almost...
Andrew McDonald: Time management is key for our wellbeing
Stress destroys both our mental wellbeing and physical health. It can ultimately lead to chronic or even terminal illness.
Stressful situations often develop when we...
Feargus Dunne: ‘It’s true what they say. Those small moments are the big moments.’
This piece originally appeared on LaoisToday in April 2020.
“Any interest in heading up to Newry for the Laois game tomorrow”?
My question appeared to catch...
Fr Paddy: Celebrating the 1,500th anniversary of St Colmcille
St. Colmcille (also known as St. Columba) is one of Ireland's patron saints, a distinction he shares with St. Patrick and St. Bridget.
He was...
Andrew McDonald: Be a fighter – put down that lighter!
Among the most difficult of habits to quit, smoking is pretty high up there. The mere idea of it is daunting enough. Should it...
Andrew McDonald: Dealing with difficult people
We all have to deal with difficult people. However, keep in mind one thing; you have to cope with them for a short time,...
Fr Paddy: What is peace of mind? Seven tips to help you achieve it
Peace of mind is a feeling of being safe or protected - it is the absence of worry.
It’s achieving a calm state of mind...
Andrew McDonald: Music affects the mind – for the positive
Music affects the mind. There’s nothing particularly ground-breaking about that revelation.
What is worth exploring though is how different kinds of music interact with our...
Fr Paddy: A prayer for students during the pandemic
As we move through the month of May thousands of students prepare for exams.
Young people have been particularly affected by this pandemic. Third level...
Andrew McDonald: Ditch the diet – lose weight naturally
Last week we looked at why dieting almost always ends in failure. This week we’re going to look at alternatives.
To kick things off, two...
Fr Paddy: Last will and testament
The celebration of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven is an important feast. It brings with it both promise and hope. These days...
Andrew McDonald: Diets do not work
The four words in the title above will come like a hammer blow for some and perhaps as a relief for many others.
The truth...
Fr Paddy: Prayer is a sacred conversation
Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential.
Concern not yourself with what...
Bronwyn Cuddy: ‘Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life’ – Fernando Pessoa
This piece was originally published on LaoisToday in March of 2020 as the world was going into lockdown - but its advice and sentiments...
Andrew McDonald: Post-lockdown stress and how to deal with it
Whisper it! Keep fingers crossed! It looks like we’re on the final leg of Covid lockdown.
With luck, we’re soon going to be back...
Fr Paddy: Things are getting better – a much brighter tomorrow awaits
Mary Robinson has joined more than 150 former heads of state and Nobel laureates in signing an open letter to US president Joe Biden...
Andrew McDonald: Healing the past with your present – how it works
Regression therapy works by reassessing memories which get stored in your mind. As you know, both your conscious and subconscious minds are like sponges.
If...