NEWS & MEDIA
exploreAway with Vocations Ireland
For those who are considering the possibility of a vocation to priesthood or religious life this coming Sunday something special is happening. As part of Vocations Ireland's exciting new exploreAway programme for 2013 we are holding a taster afternoon for those who...
Face Paints and Footie MSC Volunteering
How do you get yourself ready for the experience of a lifetime? How do you prepare to expect the unexpected? What do you pack with you when you boldly go where no volunteer ( well quite a few really - I'm taking dramatic licence ) has gone before. Well for a start you...
Vocations Sunday – A Sign of Hope
What does it mean to be called by God? Many people who consider that they may have a vocation to the priesthood or religious life often feel that they are not good enough. They haven't had the dramatic moment of conversion or call like Matthew, Peter or Paul had. They...
Celebrating Lourdes Irish Pilgrimage Trust
A two hour Mass. You can't be serious! In one respect you are absolutely right. Some of the most wonderful celebrations of the Eucharist are to be found in Lourdes during the annual Irish Pilgrimage Trust / HCPT week in Lourdes. It really about celebrating faith and...
Pope Francis speaks about WYD 2013 in Rio
It's getting nearer and the excitement is building! It's less than four months to WYD 2013 and we're all getting ready for our trip to Rio. It was hoped that there would be over 3,000,000 people in attendance, but now it's going to be at least 3,000,001. Pope Francis...
Passion for Mission – MSC Lay Volunteers
'The Africa Bug' Last weekend saw the first gathering of our lay missionary volunteers in Sacred Heart Community, Western Road. It was an opportunity for the four people who are preparing to journey to South Africa for three months to meet up and get to know one...
Youth Pilgrimage on the Camino
If you are looking for an altogether different experience this summer you can find yourself on The Way. For the first time we are organising a pilgrimage for young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 to walk along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela or the Way of...
Habemus Papam – Pope Francis I
As the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina addressed the massive crowd in front of St. Peter's as Pope Francis I he asked the people, "Before I give you a blessing, I ask you for a favor -- I want you to bless me." But he wasn't speaking just to the people in...
200,000 Years of Missionary Life
Last week I was at a talk in Dublin on the work of the VSO and the future of overseas volunteering after 2015. All in all an interesting morning with good contributions from representative of the UN, the European Parliment and academia. They also invited Fr. Fachtna...
Lifers – A Celebration of Missionary Life
What would possess you to risk your life in the service of others, for decades, in one of the world's toughest and most dangerous environments? In prison terms, 30 years is a life sentence. It is also the average period spent by Irish missionaries in the field,...