Mass celebrated in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh · Pope Francis invites us, in a spirit of compassion, to “embrace all those fleeing from war and hunger, or forced by discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homelands” · My wish on this World Day of Peace is that Christians everywhere, who exchange the […]

“At Christmas time we are especially conscious of families who have been bereaved this year, or who have someone in hospital or in care. The plight of homeless, migrant and refugee families is also in our Christmas thoughts and prayers, as well as the anguish of families caught up in war or violence in various […]

Please find below the message of Pope Francis for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace 1 January 2018 Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace Heartfelt good wishes for peace          Peace to all people and to all nations on earth!  Peace, which the angels proclaimed to the shepherds on Christmas […]

Christmas and the Scandal of Christianity ‘The Word became flesh and lived among us’ must be the sentence that encapsulates more powerfully than any other the shocking presumption of Christian faith.  For non-believers who give the Christian claim any serious thought it has to seem at best ridiculous and at worst scandalous.  It is indeed […]

2018 – A Year dedicated to the Family When I look back on 2017 there were many significant moments and events, but a few dates stand out for me, two of them falling on Sundays.  On Sunday 25 June, I had the privilege of ordaining David Vard to the priesthood in Saint Conleth’s Church, Newbridge; […]

Emmanuel – ‘God is with Us’ The liturgy of Christmas announces: ‘For in the mystery of the Word made flesh a new light of God’s glory has shone upon the eyes of our mind, so that, as we recognise in him God made visible, we may be caught up through him in love of things […]

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5 A couple of weeks ago, we both travelled to Rome to meet with members of the Sant’Egidio Community and to experience at first hand – however briefly – some of the wonderful work that these remarkable Christian disciples are carrying […]

Although it is children who are often the centre of attention at Christmas time, this season brings its blessings in many ways to us all.  For families it is a time of togetherness, when extra effort is made to be at home and to renew the bonds of love and support.  For those of Christian […]

Christmas is a time of hope.  Into this uncertain world where every human being, however powerful is vulnerable, Christ was born, “the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1. Cor. 1. 24). In the infant of Bethlehem, God became part of human history.  He shared the vulnerability of a child just as later he shared […]

I was born almost exactly six months after Christmas; so my first Christmas was spent in the comfort of my mother’s womb. The only gift I got was the only gift I really needed, the gift of life. I was the first child for my parents, and I imagine it was both an anxious and […]