John Bosco was born on August 16, 1815 in Becchi, a small hamlet in the municipality of Castelnuovo d’Asti (now Castelnuovo Don Bosco), into a family of poor farmers. His father, Francesco, died when John was only two years old, leaving his mother, Margherita, to raise him and his siblings. Margherita inspired her children with…

Think Christmas was over weeks ago? Think again. The Feast of the Presentation officially closes the Christmas season, 40 days after the Nativity, so there’s still one last chance to wish the world “Merry Christmas!” It is also one final opportunity in our liturgy to reflect on a vitally important motif of this season: the…

On April 2023 I was worried about my aunt. She was the most difficult thing about me being away. She was ninety-two, never married, was in a nursing home for nearly six years and I was minding her house as best I could. She had a beautiful nature, when I’d talk about Covid and how…

God tells Christians not to be afraid because he is always close, accompanying the faithful throughout their lives and through all their challenges, Pope Francis said. “God says ‘Do not be afraid’ to Abraham, Isaac and many others in the Bible, but he says it to us, too. ‘Be not afraid,’ keep going,” because God…

Rohan Healy   Music and poetry, like prayer, are unique forms of communication between the human and the divine. The Ard-Ollamh’s, or chief poet’s, social status was matched only by the High King of Ireland. The great poet kings Solomon and David, whose psalms ring out daily though the Divine Office in every nation. From…

There are some people with genuine questions, and it is our duty to answer each one of them and hopefully bring them closer to God says, Rohith Kinattukara   As a fellow Generation-Z-man who is a devout Catholic, times are looking tougher than ever before. With the age of freedom and pop culture further drifting…

Fr Adrian Crowley   St Francis of Paola was born in 1416 in the south of Italy. His parents were childless and prayed fervently to St Francis of Assisi for a child. In thanksgiving they named their son Francis. At birth the boy had a serious eye infection, and his mother once again prayed to…

From the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI General Audience at the Paul VI Audience Hall on September 3, 2008.   Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today’s Catechesis is dedicated to the experience that Paul had on his way to Damascus, and therefore on what is commonly known as his conversion. It was precisely on the road…

When a relative asked me to write about my family’s Catholic background, it felt like an adventure into the unknown. I’ve always been curious about our past, and this seemed like the perfect excuse to dig into the stories that shaped us. What I found was a tapestry of faith, family, and history that goes…

As 2025 began, a significant event in Cologne, Germany, was a proof of the commitment of young Catholics from across Europe and highlighted the growing faith among Irish youth. The SEEK conference, organised by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), brought together over 500 young Catholics for four days of spiritual renewal, fellowship, and…