Frederic Ozanam is known especially as the founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, an international voluntary Christian organisation noted for helping the poor. John Murray PP tells his story.

The editor of “Studies”, Fergus O’Donoghue SJ, writes about the cultural apostolate he and his counterparts in other countries exercise through being editor of the Jesuit cultural journals.

This book aims to get both the parents at home and the parish community involved with the candidates for confirmation as they prepare for the day they receive the sacrament and insure it will be a fruitful experience for all. John-Paul Sheridan is diocesan advisor for primary religious education in [...]

This article is a chapter from John Bollan’s book on religious education, “The Light of His Face: Spirituality for Catholic teachers”. I consists of reflections on the mysteries which, as he says himself, “cross over into any sphere of life and work”.

Although she lived on for twenty-six years, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity had an extraordinary sense of the three persons of the Trinity dwelling within her. John Murray PP tells her story.

Forty years ago in his encyclical “Populorum Progressio”, Pope Paul VI warned that “the disparity between rich and poor nations will increase rather than diminish” and so it has happened. Eugene Quinn addresses the problem of social justice and what we must do about it.

This is a collection of recent essays by Enda McDonagh – many in honour of friends – on a variety of topics such as theology in the university, education, globalisation, grief, suicide, politics, risk, transformative justice, poetry, art, theatre and tragedy.

Fr Oliver Treanor reflects on the miracle of the marriage feast of Cana and tries draw out what it means.

Apart from the prayers for the different times of the year, this book prepared by the brothers of Taizé community also gives practical instructions on how the elements, such as prayer around the cross, the icons and the meditative chants, contribute to our personal intimacy with God.

Catherine de Hueck Doherty had an enormously practical loving spirituality that brought healing to many wounded and poor people. John Murray PP tells her story.

Neil writes: “It amazes me how so many people in the modern world seem to be so anti-family. When I was young it was simply taken for granted that there was no better place for children to grow up than in a happy family. What has happened? Bernard McGuckian SJ [...]

This excellent book by Hugh Rayment-Pickard is a model of clarity and accessibility. It introduces the key themes, movements and thinkers in theology and religious studies.

Brendan Hoban has a feel for the telling phrase, the sound-byte that sums up pastoral dilemmas, like “not going to church anymore”, “teenage sex”, “making your own soup”, “neurotic curiosity”, “the grace of eccentricity”, “too many Bodenstowns”. He has the compassion to understand why people say the Church “doesn’t do [...]

Fr Michael Mullins lectures in Scripture in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. He has already produced commentaries on the gospels of John and Mark. Again this commentary on Matthew gospel is a thorough and scholarly, but written in a readable style.

Jesuit University Support and Training (JUST) is a project seeking to help young people (and some not so young) in Ballymun break the cycle of deprivation that kept them from getting into third level education. Tess Martin tells the story.

In a series of six monographs, James J. Harkins explores the historical dimensions of the coming of Christianity to Ireland and its subsequent spread to Scotland and the European continent. Using German and French sources he has interesting insights and comments on what the Irish missionaries did well and not [...]

Boethius defined ‘person’ as an individual, and that became theologically and socially dominant, whereas Augustine understood person as ‘relatio’ and Aquinas as ‘relatio subsistens’. Tom Norris thinks if we could return to thinking of the divine person as ‘relatio’ we could more easily return to a spirituality of communion.

Brian Grogan SJ looks at how being wounded in action at the siege of Pamplona brought Ignatius to a sense of crisis in his life where he had to make a decision about his future. It also revealed how he now looked at the life he led up til then.

Joe writes: Some Protestant denominations are almost as strict as the Jews about Sabbath observance. Why are Catholics so lax about it? Fr Bernard McGuckian replys.

‘Are yez handicapped or are yez deprived?’ shouted the man who was in charge of letting the children into Funderland. Paul Andrews SJ tells of his experience of working with children of St Declan’s Special National School in Dublin.

Elizabeth writes: Dear Father, Some time ago I was upset when a priest told me that it says in the Catechism that if you don’t pray you won’t be saved Was he right in this? Fr Bernard McGuckian replies.

God is always with us, behind us, supporting us, loving us, ever-present – even if not seen. John Callanan SJ tells us a Christmas story that illustrates this.

Fr Richard Leonard SJ is a visiting professor at the Gregorian University, Rome. He directs the Australian Catholic Office for Film & Broadcasting and is the author of “The Mystical Gaze of the Cinema”, “Movies That Matter: Reading Film Through the Lens of Faith in the Light of Christian Faith” [...]

How to minister in contemporary Irish society is the question addressed by the articles in this interesting book edited by St Patrick’s Missionary Fr Thomas Grenham. Topics include the roles of conversation, presence, systems theory, supervision and reading the signs of the times play in pastoral ministry.

Edmond Grace SJ clarifies some issues on the sacrament of reconciliation and explains the reasons for personal celebration of this sacrament.

Edmond Grace SJ explains the reasons for praising God.

Declan and Sarah O’Brien from Prosperous in Co. Kildare share a novel and simple way of preparing for Christmas with their children by building an atmosphere of love in the home.

I want my baby baptised but I’m not married, will the priest make a fuss about this?

Cardinal Seán Brady commends CatholicIreland.net as a method of proclaiming the Gospel.

Sister Blandina Ryan MMM found a whole new challenge in her ministry when she was asked to “help Elizabeth”.