Tag: Fr Paddy Byrne

Wilma Rudolph is the absolute proof that nothing is impossible. Born prematurely, in a family of 21 children, with little to no resources to sustain...

I love this story from Katharine Hepburn’s childhood; it is beautiful, in her own words... “Once when I was a teenager, my father and I...

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...

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...

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...

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...

It has been a tough year since last Easter, and many people, Christians and others, have found ways of making the best of a...

A Laois priest has hit out at a Vatican directive which has banned the blessing of same-sex marriages. The ruling was issued by the Vatican’s...

This is our Second Easter, in Lockdown. As restrictions continue, our television rooms have now become the place where we can participate in Mass, say...

A woman, pushing on in years, boasted to her pastor that she did not have an enemy in the world. He was very impressed. What...

Carole King’s fabulous song Tapestry begins with these words: ‘My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue, an everlasting vision of...

The wait for students in one Laois school is almost over as their brand new building is set to be fully completed in the...

Brendan Kennelly’s poem Begin launches us into our Spring-time. This past week has seen changes in the weather. The extra light each morning and evening...

Concerns have been raised about asylum seekers in a Laois facility following a Covid-19 outbreak. Around 17 residents of the the Hibernian Direct Provision Centre...

In his message for Lent 2021, Pope Francis focuses on the three theological virtues inviting us to “renew our faith, draw from the living...

Lent in lockdown is perhaps enough penance for any of us!! Living through a pandemic brings huge challenges, not just physically but also emotionally and...

Fear and anxiety about a possible future event or circumstance is often a greater suffering than the suffering we endure when (and if) the...

Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in US history, has become an international voice of hope. She is a hugely inspirational woman. Her voice is...

As the evenings lengthen and new signs of life appear in our gardens, we welcome a new spring. The following ancient story tells how the...

A Laois parish priest has explained how the loss of a traditional Irish funeral has exacerbated the grief that is being experienced by the...

The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland recently expressed shock, over what he says is a “blasphemous” satirical clip broadcast on RTE’s New...

2020 has been a tough year. For months on end we have been listening out for the figures: how many new cases today? How...

Saint Matthew, tells us that the Lord had said through the prophet that the virgin will be with child and they will call him...

Christmas 2020 comes after a most challenging year, a year we will never forget. We see light at the end of the tunnel, but...

Current restrictions are about to lift. Whilst we continue to live in this time of pandemic, I’m really looking forward to the resumption of...

I love this story from Katharine Hepburn’s childhood; it’s beautiful, in her own words... Once when I was a teenager, my father and I were...

November is a time to remember and pray for family members, colleagues, neighbours and friends who have died since this time last year. Those who...

1. Life is messy (Covid especially: world-wide mess, winter weather, weariness) The lived experience of life is what makes us who we are. If we...

2020 has been some roller-coaster, one that will be remembered for generations to come as the year of the pandemic. As we begin weeks of...

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going...