Irish Jesuits

Dr Kevin Hargaden, Social Justice Theologian at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice and Presbyterian Elder, spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about the importance of spiritual nourishment during the often-difficult time of Advent.

The latest UN report has found that Ireland is the worst country in Europe on tackling climate change. Catherine Devitt, Environmental Justice Officer at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about the details of the report and identified what is needed for radical change.

The first ever Irish Parliament -Dáil Eireann - was elected 100 year ago in January 1919. The elections took place in December 1918. Dr Tony White has compiled a biography of every TD (MP) and Senator that has sat in the Dáil over the last century. In this interview he talks to Pat Coyle about some of them, and how they came to be elected,

During a wide-ranging and frank conversation about the aim and content of his latest book on Ignatian spirituality, Dr Brian O'Leary SJ speaks of St Ignatius the mystic, Ignatius the pilgrim, and Ignatius the aristocrat. He argues that the founder of the Jesuit order had an aristocratic background that was responsible for a certain authoritarianism that the author finds less than appealing.

'Does Common Good mean anything?' was the title question of a lecture given in the Loyola Institute on Wednesday, 31 October 2018 by Dr Patrick Riordan SJ, Irish Jesuit and philosopher at Campion Hall in Oxford. Before his talk, he spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications and referenced a few of the themes that he would be addressing later. He was particularly concerned about populism's...

Dr Kevin Hargaden, theologian at the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice, is calling on the government to implement robust laws against the incitement to religious hatred in light of the recent referendum on blasphemy. In this podcast interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, he declares that the Irish legal system needs to protect those who are liable to be oppressed and marginalis...

Although we mark the feast of All Souls and All Saints on two separate days, Dr  Dermot Roantree, Editor with Jesuit Irish Jesuit Communications, says they are really two sides of the one coin. In this interview with Miriam Gormally of Soulwaves Radio, he says that there are mysteries like death which don't yield easy answers and indeed it may be better that we don’t expect answers, but only ask q...

New Zealander Michael Smith SJ spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about his work as International Education Officer with Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome. He described his work as a representative for 184,000 students around the world from preschool education to adult education, and teacher training. He also spoke of JRS's values of advocacy, service and accompaniment.

Jesuit John J. Moore SJ, former Professor of Botany at University College Dublin, talks about his life as a Jesuit, an African missionary, a botanist, and a friend of the renowned Jesuit photographer, Fr Frank Browne.

James Martin SJ spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about his book signing after his LGBT talk at the WMOF Pastoral Congress at the RDS in Dublin on 23 August, 2018. Fr Martin, author of 'Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity', engaged with pilgrims for a number of hours and sees book...

Retreatant Máire Fitzgerald spoke on the call to love and service – reaching out to wounded hearts. She spoke about being empowered to go out and give of herself in service.

Retreatant Feargal O’Cleirigh talked about living his faith and getting his feet muddy in the world today. He also talked about being inspired by the many events of the World Meeting of Families.

Retreatant Sean O’Rourke spoke about meditating and contemplating on Saint Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises. He also spoke about the spiritual movements of consolation and desolation and basking in gratitude.

The Irish Jesuits organised a ‘Faith in the Modern World’ retreat for young people from all over Europe in preparation for the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland at Manresa Jesuit Centre of Spirituality, Dublin from 20 to 26 August 2018. In his work with the retreatants, coordinator Niall Leahy SJ discussed the consolation of the head and heart working together. He also d...

Renowned American Jesuit James Martin spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about clerical sex abuse in light of the recent Pennsylvania report in the United States. He came to Dublin on foot of an invitation from the Vatican to talk about ‘Showing welcome and respect in our parishes for LGBT people and their families’ at the World Meeting of Families 2018 Pastoral Congress in the RD...

Bernard McGuckian SJ, Mary Brady and Vera Casey spoke to Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about the work of the Pioneer Association and the Messenger Publications' best-selling books at the World Meeting of Families Pastoral Congress in the RDS, Dublin from 22 to 24 August 2018.

In this podcast with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ of the Raphoe Diocese spoke about the impact the World Meeting of Families Pastoral Congress had on himself and his family. He also talked about the Pope’s visit and the shadow the clerical sex abuse scandals cast over the event at the RDS, Dublin from 22 to 24 August 2018.

German-Irish sculptor Imogen Stuart and Jesuit author Brian Grogan spoke to Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about their purpose-built prayer garden for pilgrims at the World Meeting of Families Pastoral Congress at the RDS in Dublin from 22 to 24 August, 2018. Imogen talked about her famous beehive creation where members of the public could enter and pray for three minutes at a time.

In this podcast with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, Siobhán Murphy and Iva Beranek, spiritual guides in the Ignatian tradition, spoke about what arose for them during the World Meeting of Families Pastoral Congress at the RDS in Dublin from 22 to 24 August 2018. This included helping the faithful to tap into their own wisdom.

Renowned American Jesuit Fr James Martin gave a workshop entitled ‘Showing welcome and respect in our parishes for LGBT people and their families’ at the World Meeting of Families 2018 Pastoral Congress in the RDS, Dublin on 23 August 2018. In this podcast interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, he shared many personal stories of LGBT exclusion by priests and religious and encoura...

Kevin O'Rourke SJ, assistant director of Jesuit novices, speaks to Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications on Pope Francis' pending visit to Ireland and the shadow that the recent report on clerical sexual abuse in the United States has cast on the Catholic Church. In the podcast, Fr O'Rourke likens the current crisis to the reformation in the 16th century, commenting that it is a worldwide probl...

Bart Kiely SJ died on 17 August, 2018 aged 76 years in the loving care of the staff at Cherryfield Lodge nursing home, Dublin. People can listen to the homily at his funeral Mass given by Fr Mike Drennan SJ.

Fr Michael Smith SJ, International Education Officer for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome, speaks with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about the Ignatian practice of communal discernment or discernment in common. In the interview, the New Zealander explains the dynamic process in a step-by-step approach and looks to the founding of the Jesuits and the dealing of the clerical sexual abus...

Palestinian refugee Iman Matawi, who has worked both academically and practically with refugees in recent years in Egypt, was in Dublin with her Irish husband Darragh Murphy. During this time, she spoke with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about her struggle, the recent Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) report and the bill to ban Israeli goods from occupied Palestinian territories.

Irish Jesuit priest Ashley Evans, who has been working in Cambodia for over 30 years, speaks to Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about his work helping people to move on from the country's brutal autocratic regime.