Fr Paddy
Fr Paddy is the parish priest of Abbeyleix. From Carlow town, he was educated in Carlow CBS and studied Business and Politics in Trinity College Dublin before training to be a priest in Carlow College.
He writes for a number of media outlets. He has almost 31,000 followers on Twitter.
Fr Paddy: Meandering our way through unprecedented times
Security is an important reality we all desire, even though most of us spend most of our lives doing just that. We long for...
Fr Paddy: A message of Hope following a walk in Emo Court
As we move closer to the Month of May, it brings a sense of hope and fresh opportunity.
A recent walk in Emo Court, reminded...
Fr Paddy: Easter – A time to hope
Easter is a time of hope and new life, an opportunity to begin again in a new way.
The Angel said to the wounded followers...
Fr Paddy: Make time to share a meal this Easter
This is Holy Week, a sacred time when through ritual and symbolism we remember and give thanks for the great sacrifice Jesus made for...
Fr Paddy: The danger of keeping silent
The number of priests and members of religious orders in Ireland has dropped by 70% since 1970.
In the past three years more than...
Fr Paddy: The Strangest Dream
Tanks in the city streets of Ukraine. Blocks of flats on fire. Wrecked and burnt-out trucks, twisted metal and shattered windows.
Small groups of cold...
Fr Paddy: The Little Flower … a powerful Saint
St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897) was a French Catholic who became a Carmelite nun at an early age.
She died in obscurity at the age...
Fr Paddy: St Patrick – icon of solidarity
After two long years of lockdowns and living with the reality of pandemic, it is with a great sense of joy that we can...
Fr Paddy: Martin Luther King’s Letter to White Church Leaders
In 1960, Martin Luther King was imprisoned after leading a civil rights march. His dream seemed a long way off.
Criticised by white church leaders,...
Fr Paddy: Make the most of Lent
Saint Basil, known as the Great, was a fourth-century bishop of the Eastern Church who was known for his care for the poor.
He was...
Fr Paddy: ‘No one can do everything, but everyone can do something’
In the Bible, the Virgin Mary was named Sella Maris, which means star of the sea.
The Virgin Mary is a symbol of guidance and...
Fr Paddy: The importance of slowing down
Most of us live rushed lives, dashing from one thing to another. One consequence is that we live on the surface of life, skimming...
Fr Paddy: Stay positive because life is the best educator
February is such a beautiful month. The brighter evenings and earlier mornings, awakens within us, a new energy.
Winter has passed and thankfully the darkness...
Fr Paddy: A springtime of hope
There was a great sense of relief and unburdening, when An Taoiseach Micheal Martin, announced the ending of most of the restrictions, regarding COVID-19.
We...
Fr Paddy: Remembering Ashling Murphy
The recent tragic death of Ashling Murphy, has left a deep sense of vulnerability and pain, in the heart and soul of our nation.
Ashling’s,...
Fr Paddy: Five spiritual tips for new year 2022
The best resolutions are elastic, they cannot be broken with a single act.
If you swear never to touch red meat, one burger ruins the...
Fr Paddy: Happy New Year
A new year is here! This means new beginnings, new journeys, and new resolutions.
The New Year is often seen as an opportunity to improve...
Fr Paddy: Let the light shine
At this time, every year, we hear these words from Scripture: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light’.
Familiar words indeed,...
Fr Paddy: ‘O Holy Night’ continues to inspire hope and comfort
The gun should never have been left lying around in the first place. Making the carelessness even worse was that it was loaded.
With two...
Fr Paddy: The Little Drummer Boy
Generosity is a wonderful gift. To have a big heart is a blessing that is to be open and compassionate in love to the...
Fr Paddy: Advent – A counter cultural season
Christmas seems to arrive now by the start of November and ends on Christmas day.
In a secular culture the season of Advent, a time...
Fr Paddy: Celebrating the Feast of Christ the King
This week, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, we are called to work with this King.
And this King is the one who...
Fr Paddy: Climate change and COP26
The two young ladies were noisy. Vinisha Umashankar and Greta Thunberg.
Vinisha said: “We’ll build the future, even if you are stuck in the past....
Fr Paddy: How prayer can help overcome phobias
Many situations in this pandemic world present themselves as almost impossible: coping with stress, keeping going under pressure, addressing tough health issues, coping with...
Fr Paddy: November – A time to remember
Halloween did not come from Hollywood but rather its origins are strongly connected to ancient Celtic roots.
In Celtic Ireland, about two millennia ago, Samhain...
Fr Paddy: In the name of God
Pope Francis, in a keynote address to the popular movements, a group that includes activists working on a wide variety of justice causes, called...
Fr Paddy: Nine principles for building solid foundations
One key biblical image is that of building solid foundations, making a dramatic distinction between building on rock as opposed to on sand (Matthew...
Fr Paddy: Leave the phone at home
“God brings forth His Son in thee, whether thou likest it or not, whether thou sleepest or wakest; God worketh His own will. That...
Fr Paddy: Celebrating the feast of St Francis
This week we celebrate the Feast of St Francis. St Francis is among the most beloved and most familiar of all the saints of...
Fr Paddy: Wisdom on life
George Carlin at age 102, offered the following wisdom that is deeply relevant for us all.
If you don’t read this to the very end,...