Loving Our Neighbour One of the tough things about writing a weekly blog about faith and daily life is that you sometimes have to tackle subjects you know are very emotive and difficult. After the events of the past few days in Northern Ireland where I live and work, it’s hard to avoid the topic […]
A Couple of Beautiful Books Sometimes, books touch our soul in a way that few things can. One of the great gifts my parents gave me was to instil a love of reading, and books have always filled the homes I have lived in. I love bookshops, browsing and picking them up. I love to […]
Feeling the Presence There are days in my job that are filled with conversations, and there are other days that are very solitary. Sometimes, there are many functions and gatherings to be part of, and other days you are holed up in your study reading, praying and studying as you prepare a talk or do […]
The Power of Invitation One of the things I have been thinking about recently is the power of invitation. Invitations can lead us in both positive and negative directions. During my second curacy, where I served as an assistant in a busy parish in Dublin, my boss used to impress upon us the importance of […]
Making New Starts It’s the time of year when social media feeds are full of photos of children heading back to school. Some are starting for the first time and are there smiling nervously while their older seasoned siblings seem to be taking it all in their stride. People are making preparations, too, for heading […]
Making the most of who we are, where we are Over the summer months I have had the privilege of worshipping in a few different places while on holiday, and certain things have struck me very powerfully. Those who have been leading worship have prepared thoughtfully and conscientiously to make it a positive and inspiring […]
An Inspiring Meeting on the Glider Belfast was buzzing last week as it hosted the biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, the Fleadh from 2-9 August. It is estimated that 1.65 million visitors came to the city to sample the atmosphere and take part in the multiplicity of concerts and events around this special […]
Thinking Outside the Box A cousin of my father’s was an artist in London. He could turn his hand to many mediums and was continually creative in how he responded to situations. He was once refused entry to a nightclub in the early 1970’s and, in response to this, when we came to visit he […]
The Joy of Pilgrimage A few weeks ago, I stood at the top of Croagh Patrick with my son Conor. It’s often called Ireland’s holiest mountain and is associated with St. Patrick, who is believed to have made the ascent in 441 AD and spent 40 days in prayer and fasting as he considered how […]
When Church Takes Your Breath Away Over the years that I have been writing this blog I have tried, in a small way, to pull back the curtains and to let people know what sorts of things go on in a church. I’m very conscious that, for many people in our society, churches are a […]