Pilgrim progress- a disciple on a journey!

St. Teresa of Avila I recently finished reading a biography of St. Teresa of Avila by Shirley du Boulay. What can I say but that once more I have been kicked out of my comfort zone. I had read biographies of her life in my earlier days in the convent but for some reason she has made a return to my reading shelf. Here as in all her major writings, the reformer of Carmel has that gift in making us believe that she is speaking directly to us. She doesn’t compose a long soliloquy on God’s wonders or present a third-person discourse on the objective conditions for a more fulfilling life. Instead, Teresa seems to sit down with her reader, seeking out individual needs and also possible resistances to what she proposes. She establishes a You-and-I relationship and tugs at your sleeve if she fears you might walk away. There is a strength in Teresa which is fruit of the strong union she has with the Lord. Her sole desire is to love him and serve Him, listening to the strong inspirations wh

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Rosary. Last year, on this day, I shared a picture of my 'rosary beads plant'. It was originally a large potted plant from Mam but it didn't survive as I think it got a culture shock moving from Athlone to Dublin! I managed to save a tiny shoot which I replanted and now it's blooming!! One year on, it is still blooming! A lot can happen in a year...be gentle with yourself! Even when we think the plant is dying, there is still life in a single shoot, in the roots. In the right situation, with the right encouragement, in the right environment, with the right care, just like my little plant, we can all flourish! As we pray our Rosary this evening in Chapel, I will be remembering in a special way those who are struggling to grow out of whatever situation of darkness they might be in.

 The following is a prayer guide if you wish to pray a Holy Hour on this feast of the Most Holy Rosary.  Holy Hour for the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary We begin our time of prayer on this the feast of the Holy Rosary with the hymn: As I kneel before you Most of us have at least a few precious photographs in our homes, or perhaps on our phones! They keep the most important people and events of our lives in our minds, so that they’re not just distant memories but a part of who we are today. The Rosary is much like our precious photos or other mementos: it’s a simple, tangible way of keeping the most important person in our life, Jesus. But because the Rosary is a prayer, not just an object, it actually connects us to Jesus and helps us to deepen our relationship with Him. Saint John Paul II wrote in his encyclical, that the Rosary is a way of “remembering Christ with Mary,” who knows Him as only a mother can. St Luke tells us that Mary continually meditated on the mysteries in h

Two thousand years ago, Jesus sat at a wedding feast in Cana. The wine had run out, and, showing her constant concern for all, Mary simply turned to her Son and said, "They have no wine." Although Jesus responded, "My hour is not yet come," the Mother of our Lord, of course, knew her Son would listen to her, and, in a display of complete confidence, simply advised the servants to "Do whatever he tells you" (see Jn 2:1-5). Those were the final words of Our Lady recorded in the New Testament, which, unarguably, are an everlasting profession of what it means to be Christian. Our whole lives as Christians, are doing the will of the Father by following Jesus, with the light of the Holy Spirit. Saints throughout the ages, through their words and their lives, have tried to express the great love and devotion they have for the Blessed Mother. Many of you may have heard of Saint Louis de Montfort and the true devotion to the Blessed Virgin. This book is a spiritual

  “Only the heart touches hearts. We influence people in proportion to our love for them.” (Blessed Columba Marmion). Today in the Irish Church we remember Blessed Columba Marmion. As a diocesan priest in the Dublin Archdiocese he felt called to the monastic way of life. He served in Holy Cross Church in Dundrum which is just up the road from us here in Blackrock. He entered the Benedictine Maredsous Abbey in Belgium, several years after being ordained a priest. In 1909 he was elected abbot of Maredsous Abbey and served in that capacity until his death on January 30th, 1923. One of my favourite books is a composition of letters written by him, called "Union with God". He wrote to people who sought his spiritual counsel with questions about prayer, faith, temptation, suffering, and the struggles of daily life. Marmion excelled in the art of letter-writing — his advice was always simple and direct, yet profound. Remembering also the special event of the unveiling of the bea