Similar Posts
Tony Flannery’s interview on ‘Faith Alive,’ Midwest Radio
Audio of Tony Flannery’s interview with Monica Morley on Midwest Radio’s Faith Alive programme, following the publication of his latest book, From the Outside. https://soundcloud.com/user-211747038/tony-flannery-faith-alive-sun-8-nov-2020 Signed copies of Tony Flannery’s new book…
Irish Bishops Launch Synodal Pathway website support
The Link to the Irish Bishops Conference website on the Synodal Pathway: https://www.catholicbishops.ie/synod/
Presider’s Page for 22 February 2026 (First Sunday of Lent)
The Rite of Election of Catechumens is celebrated today. We celebrate the first Sunday of Lent. All over the world today, men and women are beginning a period of preparation…
The Tablet: The distortion of René Girard
René Girard has been mentioned a lot of late in many ACP posts. Check out this article in The Tablet by Michael Kirwan. (Registration required). Update: Full article below, submitted…
Jim Cogley’s Reflections – Tues 18 Nov – Mon 24 Nov 2025
Coming Wood You Believe Healing Seminars with Jim Cogley & Luba Rodzhuk: An Tobar Retreat Centre, Navan, Fri 28th Nov 7-9.30pm – Recovery from Loss Saturday 10am-4pm Healing and Integration…
Gerry O’Connor CSsR and ACP Leadership Team weekly Sunday video homily
‘Sight’ 4th Sunday of Lent Year A – 15 March 2026


Christmas Eve
I stood before plastic faces painted cream
With a touch of red and each head bowed to a dry straw floor
And each face frozen in time. I see wise kings,
Benevolent to children , safe men in bright plastic
Positioned before a child wrapped in straw ,
Tiny arms forever reaching out to whoever calls.
There is a Shepard standing with sheep frozen in time.
They followed from the hills safe in his care
And know nothing of the unfolding story.
It is winter aroud the wooden stable
And silent as the empty cardboard box
Which held the crib, cold as the attic from which it came ;
The dry straw , still yellow in old age is strewn
On the stable floor with stray strands sticking to a tufted carpet.
There is a cow and a donkey whose body heat
And warm breath are reported to bring comfort to the newborn child.
I see now those sleeping in city doorways :
lonely doorways where kings never tread,
where few touch their outstretched hands
and bitter winds wrap broken bodies.
I look again at a plastic child with arms outstretched.
Mary Christmas to all !
Greetings and Blessings from Bavaria, south Germany.
Fr. M. S.
Have a Christ-Filled Christmas and a Grace-Filled New Year
Pray for us – we are now public in support of the global lawsuit ‘youth v. gov’ in a region heavily reliant on the fossil fuel industry so this is heavily political subject matter.
Merry Christmas! In 2019, let’s rise to new levels in this elaborate dream.