Taste and see

In Autumn we are gathering the fruits the earth produced, grateful for its provision. Autumn is an in-between time, between the warmth of the summer and the dark nights of winter. It is a time of gratitude for this year’s gifts, and a time of letting go, when leaves change their colours and they fall. […]

Loving the enemy – a way of healing our attitudes

“Loving our enemies is the core of the Christian message and the challenge that Jesus presents us. If we want to know what Jesus is about, and what following Jesus is about, then the call to love our enemies is as close to the center as we can get.” Henri J. M. Nouwen Jesus left […]

Christ Church Cathedral welcomes refugees and asylum-seekers

‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’—these words of Jesus may be familiar to us, yet like so much of what Jesus had to say, it can be a challenge putting the teaching into practice. To welcome, to make space for another, in particular a stranger, is not always easy. It may mean reprioritising […]

Decluttering and mental health

We are in time of the year when some people do ‘spring cleaning’. Not just in Ireland, but in other parts of the world too, this winter was prolonged and we are looking forward to the days turning more spring-like. Weather can affect our mood so finding activities that give us energy may help while […]

A Healing Tree

St. James’s Church, Castledermot, is situated on the site of monastery founded around the year 800 by the father of St. Diarmuid and is an active church in West Glendalough Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, Church of Ireland. Dean Philip Knowles, Priest in Charge encouraged the parishioners of the group of parishes of Narraghmore, Timolin, […]

Starting the year with gratitude

“Gratitude … takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference.” Thomas Merton Nowadays we can hear a lot about […]

Merry Christmas

The Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland wishes you all a very happy and blessed Christmas.  May the God of gentleness be with you may his tenderness shine through you and the blessing of gentleness be upon you May the God of peace be with you taking your fears and doubts May the blessing of peace […]

Self-care around Christmas

It is a few days to Christmas and some of us will find it harder than others to enjoy the festivities. It could be we have been very busy and need rest, but we don’t know how to incorporate it in our schedule over the next days. Or it could be that we lost a […]

Advent gives us riches, stored in secret places

‘I will give you….riches stored in secret places’. (Isaiah 45:3) This verse from Isaiah, pledging hidden riches, was written at the end of the exile, a time of homecoming. God assures his people, not just of a new home, but of one which is thrilling beyond expectations, where treasures are waiting to be discovered. He […]

Waiting is God’s word

“They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31) Waiting is something that we regard as a bit of a nuisance. At best it is a waste of time that could be […]