Pilgrim progress- a disciple on a journey!

This doodle I did last year came up on my facebook timeline yesterday and I was reminded of these 'be-attitudes. Afterall the Beatitudes are the Gospel's commentary on "attitude." Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves; they will always have entertainment. Blessed are those who can distinguish between a mountain and a molehill; they will save themselves a lot of trouble. Blessed are those who can rest and sleep without looking for excuses; they will become wise. Blessed are those who are intelligent enough not to take themselves too seriously; they will be appreciated. Blessed are you if you can look seriously at small things and peacefully at serious things; you will go far in life. Blessed are you if you can admire a smile and forget a scowl; your path will be sunlit. Blessed are you if you can always interpret the attitudes of others with good will, even when appearances are to the contrary; you may seem naive, but that is the price o...

PDDM Chapel, Dublin A popular quote we hear but may find hard to understand is the phrase “Beauty will save the world.” It was Fydor Dostoyevsky, the Russian novelist, who composed this enigmatic phrase. However, when has it ever happened in the course of history that beauty had saved anyone from anything? Indeed, beauty had provided embellishment or has uplifted but how will it save the world?   In today’s world, t here is huge pressure on people to look perfect and beautiful. From plastic surgery to smoothing skin and erasing wrinkles to enlarging muscles and slimming waists, airbrushing, or "photoshopping,”, the bombardment does not do much for self-esteem. These images don’t reflect reality, yet from a younger and younger age, people are aspiring to these biologically impossible ideals, dangerously so. These are distortions of truth. If only people would realise that for 2000 years, God has been telling each one of us that we are beautiful in His eyes because we are c...

Blessed Timothy Giaccardo On the 19th of October, in the Pauline Family throughout the world, we recall the memorial of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, first Pauline priest and a powerful intercessor for our Congregation. Up until two years ago, the memorial was on the 22nd of October but an indult was received from the Holy See to move the feast as it was now the day assigned for the memorial of Pope John Paul II.  Back in 1928, the Founder, Father Alberione had set apart several Daughters of St. Paul, the first female Congregation in our religious family  to form the nucleus of a new community, one dedicated solely to contemplation and the liturgical apostolate. Both Fr. Alberione and Fr. Giaccardo realized the importance of contemplative prayer to support and enliven the various works of the Congregations that make up the Pauline Family. However, the Holy See advised that no separation from the Daughters of St. Paul would be allowed. The Founder ordere...

The ABBA song “Money, Money, Money”, paints a picture that all will be sunny if you had money, for it’s a rich man’s world. Yet, that’s not always the case as we see in today’s Gospel. It presents to us the story of the rich man and the poor man Lazarus. A very quick synthesis of the Gospel reminds us that wealth in itself is not bad. But wealth brings with it certain responsibilities, a certain stewardship. We must give account for how we handle the wealth God has entrusted to us. The rich man walked by the poor man Lazarus, without acknowledging him, that he existed or that he was in need.   Jesus’ parable does not tell why he ignored Lazarus, but we know how society worked then and still does: the wealthy have power and privilege; the poor are marginalized and set apart. Most of you know that my home town is Athlone. We don’t have really have beggars or homeless people on our streets there. We have some Romanian men who sit outside Athlone Castle at the Town Bridge and ...

What is the cost of following Jesus? When we’ve allowed the image of God imprinted on our souls to be disfigured by social and economic pressures, by the fear and doubt we coddle in our hearts, by the desire to be liked. When those sharp jags and rough edges that make disciples eventually become smoothed and rounded over time by the steady drip of compromises we make in life to keep peace. When the deadly burden of our possessions keep us isolated, deadened, and unhappy and the injury and violation we allow to mar our souls becomes too awful to contemplate, save us, O God. Don’t let our souls harden in the dry shell of despair, but let us feel the purity of hate- for the compromises we make, and for the fear and doubt, and for what we allow to happen to us. For this is not your will O Lord, and it is right and salutary to hate that which disfigures the soul, and keeps us from loving you with our whole hearts. Let hatred cleanse our spirits, but not devour us. And...

No, you didn't read the title wrong...the Rose of Lima, not the Rose of Tralee. This evening, a familiar tune will drift through the televisions of many Irish households and through the internet for many other international followers. As a tenor belts out the words “The pale moon was rising…” this haunting melody signals that the new Rose of Tralee had been crowned. The Rose of Tralee International Festival is a week long festival and is one of Ireland's largest and longest running festivals. It is based around the selection of the Rose of Tralee, an international event that encompasses young women of Irish descent from Ireland and around the world. People sometimes ask if the Rose of Tralee Festival is a beauty pageant. As their website states, “The Rose of Tralee Festival is a multifaceted event that celebrates the many attributes of modern young Irish women.” When we were younger, we all wanted to be a ‘Rose’, to dress up in a beautiful dress and share our story with t...

I found this great post over at www.vocation.com so thought I would share it. A postles. From the very beginning, help your children see that a Christian is meant to make a difference in the world around him, we are Christ’s ambassadors. Light of the world and salt of the earth. Make them aware that their faith is a gift and talent to share. A nswer your children's questions about priesthood or religious life; never discourage them or ridicule them if they bring it up. Baptism. Celebrate each one’s Baptism Day as well as birthday – and yours too. Build family traditions around the celebration… a specially decorated Baptism Candle that you light for the occasion with a special prayer…, displaying photos of their baptism.., writing a card or saying a prayer for the priest who baptized them…. B ring your family to an Ordination Mass or prayer vigil for religious.   C atechism. Teach, explain, challenge and have them memorize. Always connect it with life. C hallenge your teenagers ...