Jim Auer reflects on how all of us end up, like Christ, on Calvary, over and over in our lives; yet we can be assured that there is no dying without a rising, no Good Friday without an Easter.

“Bis orat qui bene cantat” (“Who sings well prays twice”) is the proverb with which the General Instruction of the Roman Missal introduces its section on “The Importance of Singing at Mass”. The choir, as well as sing its own parts, should fosters the active participation of the people in [...]

Thomas O’Loughlin’s book is aimed at those who regularly read the word of God during the liturgy. It explains in simple terms why we use certain readings, and why the readings come up when they do – in the belief that a deeper appreciation of the scriptures can be gained [...]

Antonin Dvorák died on 1 May 1904. One of the few practising Catholics among the great composers, he left us some of the world’s most beautiful melodies, writes Bro Paul SVD.

The recent Synod on the Word of God (October 2008) highlighted ways of more effective proclaiming the Word of God in today’s world and Have it inspire the lives of Christians. In anticipation of this, the Cloyne Commission for Liturgical Formation last year produced two beautiful companion booklets, of which [...]

Have we lost the sense of leisure in our lives? Paul Andrews SJ shares some thoughts on appreciating Sunday as a day of leisure.

Advent means ‘coming’. “The advent of the motor car”, means when cars first came to the streets. During advent we look forward to the coming of Jesus. At the end of Advent, on Christmas Day, we celebrate the feast of the coming of Jesus – the birth of the baby [...]

Christopher Moriarty takes a look at the life of Haydn, one of the greatest composers of classical music and a devout Catholic.

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.

Christopher Moriarty introduces one of the greatest composers who ever lived, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, examining in particular his fraught relationship with his father.

A 3 hour video training workshop, demonstrating the effective use of ritual, symbol, music and the Arts in Eucharistic and non-Eucharistic liturgical celebrations, as well as providing input and formation on the nature and structure of liturgy.

Again this year the Cloyne Commission for Liturgical Formation, in conjunction with Fr. Patrick Jones of the National Centre for Liturgy, editor of the Liturgical Calendar for Ireland 2009, has produced a beautifully coloured and comprehensive liturgical wall calendar.

It displays at a glance all the liturgical feasts and saints days for the [...]

Janice writes to ask: Why does the Feast of the Sacred Heart fall in May this year? I thought that June was the month of the Sacred Heart and that May was the month dedicated to Our Lady. Fr Bernard McGuckian SJ replys to Janice’s query and explains the history behind [...]

An interview with Liam Lawton, composer and performer of sacred and liturgical music, about music as a part of the symbolic language of worship.

Anne Thurston explores the season of Advent using the themes of waiting and longing, hope and expectation. Pregnancy is the potent symbol here, along with stories of annunciations and visitations.

The recent Synod of Bishops in Rome on the Word of God (October 2008) highlighted ways of more effective proclaiming the Word of God in today’s world and having it inspire the lives of Christians. In anticipation of this, the Cloyne Commission for Liturgical Formation last year produced two beautiful [...]

This is an extract from “Those Three Days: A resource for the celebration of the Easter Triduum”, by John McCann and Pat O’Donoghue. It highlights some suggestions for the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost.

To launch the Dublin Diocesan Prayer Initiative, million selling Catholic composer John Michael Talbot led prayer through music events for over 2,000 people in Drumcondra, Bray and UCD in early November. Here he talks to Link-up about his background, his ‘search for the Church’ and the source of his music.

John McCann and Pat O’Donoghue are priests involved in organising the liturgy at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. They have put together a practical collection of “dos and don’ts” to help celebrate the Easter Triduum with devotion.

Holy Saturday is a day of absence and anticipation. Click below.

Pat Seavers book gives some background into suicide itself, its effect on families and the local Christian community, general historical viewpoints, and the unique characteristics of funeral liturgies developed for such occasions.

Epiphany is a solemnity or major feast celebrated on 6th January, though – since the reform of the liturgical calendar – it is now marked by many Catholic churches on the Sunday between the 2nd and 8th January, where 6th January is not a holy day of obligation. Patrick Duffy [...]

Eltin Griffin OCarm has collected a number of essays on different aspects of the season of Advent for preachers, teachers, liturgy planners, parish leaders and general readers. A wide variety of articles in an easily readable style.

The theme of the conference was:  Benedict XVI on Church Art and Architecture. This report is by Patrick Duffy.

This article treats of the history and spirituality of Advent as it developed in both the Western and Eastern traditions. The author, Vincent Ryan OSB, also assesses the contribution to Advent spirituality of popular piety in such customs as the Advent Wreath. Finally, he gives an appreciation of the riches [...]

Eileen Deegan’s book of Parish Rituals is a collection of alternative or supplementary liturgies to the Church’s ordinary Liturgies of the Word. They are meant to help to celebrate the experiences of our ordinary everyday lives and link then with God.

Bill Long remembers spending Christmas with his friend Thomas Merton at the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemane, Kentucky.

Many Catholics and other Christians are under the impression that what we celebrate on 25th December is the actual birth date of Jesus. Catholics can become quite shocked, scandalised and even go into a belligerent mode when others, like Jehovah Witnesses, suggest that this might not be so. The fact [...]

Sean Goan’s book offers short helpful explanations of the readings used on Sundays during Year C of the liturgical cycle. For many lay people who have little or no training in theology, including readers, the readings can be difficult to understand, so this book gives an introductory article about the [...]