Irish Jesuits

Irish Jesuit theologian Dr Gerry O'Hanlon SJ believes there are important lessons to be leart from the recent report into the Mother and Baby Homes report,(12 January 2021). The report, which covered the years from 1922 -1998, was both controversial and shocking. It was based on the testimonies of over 500 women who recounted their experiences of living in the homes whilst pregnant and subsequentl...

Jesuit.ie writer Gavin T Murphy draws from his American education at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Barack Obama’s ‘Yes We Can’ presidential campaign to offer a short reflection and mantra exercise.

Jesuit.ie writer Gavin T Murphy presents a guided meditation on faith and mindfulness. He invites listeners to use their imagination to get in touch with an intimacy with Jesus and offers an exercise to enter into a spacious mind.

Dr Kevin Hargaden of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice in Ireland says we are not heading into an ecological crisis, we are in it now. He says we need to act immeditaely in an integrated and structured manner that will challenge every sector of society. We need a 'structural conversion' he says, for what we have done to our planet is not just wrong but profoundly sinful.

The ecological disaster is now by Irish Jesuits

"We can breathe again, a weight has been lifted and I somehow feel lighter". So says Donal Godfrey SJ, speaking in the wake of the 2020 elections in America.  Donal is an Irish Jesuit working as a chaplain in the Jesuit University of San Francisco and he spoke recently to Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications about a number of issues arising from the historic election which saw one of the highe...

Pope Francis hit the headlines with comments he made endorsing civil unions for same-sex partnerships. Gerry Whelan SJ, an Irish Jesuit theologian teaching in the Gregorian University in Rome gives the background to this and other recent stories from the Vatican. He's talking with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications.

Irish Jesuit theologian Gerry O'Hanlon discusses the significance of Pope Francis' latest encyclical in which the Pope gives his unique reading of 'the signs of the times'. He's in coversation with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications.

The former Salvadoran Colonel Inocente Orlando Montano was sentenced in Spain on Friday 11 September 2020 to 133 years in prison for the murder of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, Julian Elba Ramos, and her daughter Celina. The massacre took place on 16 November 1989. Michael O'Sullivan is an Irish Jesuit who worked under death treat Pinochet's Chile. He knew some of the Jesuits who died. In...

The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice in Ireland is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, 2020. It's directorDr Kevin Hargaden says the work of the centre is developing and flourishing. In this interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications he outlines the integrated policy work of the center in the areas of the environment, housing, prisons, and public health.

Irish Jesuit Bishop Alan McGuckian, is Bishop of the diocese of Raphoe in Co. Donegal. In July 202o he set off on a 240 km pilgrim trek taking in many places in Donegal and Derry associated with St Colmcille, the Irish saint who ended up founding a monastic settlement on the island of Iona, Scotland. In this interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, Bishop Alan tells the tale of his...

In this interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications Niall reflects on his ordination on Sat 22 August 2020, and the challenges to the day posed by Covid-19. He recounts how he still felt the presence of the Spirit especially when he prayed in silence before the ceremony, at the tomb of fellow Jesuit Blessed John Sullivan SJ. He also notes the importance of the presence of his fellow Je...

Nobel peace prize winner and proud Derry man John Hume died in his native city in the early hours of Monday 3 August 2020, aged 83. Pat Coyle, Director of Irish Jesuit Communications is a Derry woman who grew up besdie him in the Bogside. She knew him since she was a child and later when working as a journalist for the BBC in Belfast and then RTE in Dublin. In this interview with Miriam Gormally o...

In this interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications Michael McGuckian SJ talks about his work in Ankara and what it is like being a Christian in Turkey. He also updates her on the Covid-19 situation as the country emerges slowly from lockdown. A substantial part of the interview concerns Michael's latest book which he has just completed. 'The Charismatic Structure of the Church: Priest...

Dr Con Casey, lecturer in theology at the Loyola  Institute in Trinity College Dublin, outlines the specifics of their new year-long certificate course in Christian theology. He speaks to Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications and suggests who would benefit from the course or who it might appeal to; the mode of assessment (essay not exam); and the general content that will be covered.

Irish Jesuit Gerry Whelan SJ is a theologian writing and teaching in the Gregorian University in Rome. He is also working with the Jesuits and their co-workers in Hong Kong, a place where the Chinese government has been clamping down on pro-democracy protestors. One aspect of Gerry's work involves supporting Jesuits and their lay colleagues who are facilitating dialogue in their local retreat cent...

JaNaé Bates works in Minneapolis USA as a minister in the United Methodist Church. She is a member of Isaiah, a grouping of religious organisations from Christian, Muslim, and other faith backgrounds working for racial and economic justice for everyone in the state of Minnesota. In this interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications, JaNaé talks about her work with Isaiah. She describes t...

Jesuit.ie writer Gavin Thomas Murphy offers a three minute guided meditation in which we ask ourselves three questions on gratitude and the Covid-19 pandemic: Can we be grateful for the time we have had? Can we be thankful for what this time has taught us? Can we carry forth lessons into the future? He also shares his own personal learning over the last three months.

Michael Kirwan SJ is a theologian with a particular interest in political theology and who lectures in the Loyola Institute of Catholic theology in Trinity College Dublin. This interview by Zoom with Pat Coyle on Wednesday 3 June 2020 took place against the backdrop of the anti-racist protests across the United States of America after the murder of George Floyd by white police officers and the con...

On World Environment Day (5 June, 2020) Jesuit.ie writer Gavin Thomas Murphy gives a short guided meditation on connecting with the meadows and streams of our minds. Using our imagination and scripture, we focus on turning from our inner critic to our inner observer. It encourages a deep connection between all living things. Share your voice on social media for the protection of our environment us...

Michael Kirwan SJ is a thelogian with a particular interest in political theology and who lectures in the Loyola Institute of Catholic theology in Trinity College Dublin. This interview with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications took place on Wednesday 3 June 2020 took place against the backdrop of the anti-racist protests across the United States of America after the murder of George Floyd by...

Donal Godfrey is an Irish Jesuit priest and university chaplain living and working in San Francisco. He has been preaching in his church and protesting on the streets along with other peaceful marches demanding an end to racism in the US,  in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In this interview above from the United States with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications Do...

Irish Jesuit Myles O'Reilly has recorded a guided meditation for anyone who would like to explore more deeply the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on their life and make the road ahead by walking it. Myles is the founder and director of the spiritual accompaniment group Anam Cara,

Jesuit.ie writer Gavin Thomas Murphy gives a three-minute guided meditation (and a one-minute introduction) on facing one of the biggest challenges in the spiritual life. Acedia, also known as the ‘noonday demon’, is a kind of listlessness or restlessness that leaves us without a sense of divine presence. It was experienced by the desert mothers and fathers who were tempted to turn to distractions...

Jesuit.ie writer Gavin Thomas Murphy offers a three minute meditation (with a one minute introduction) on the theme of praise. Drawn from his blogpost 'Bursting Out in Praise', there is an initial focus on mindful breathing followed by the repetition of a word of praise that arises from our hearts. It aims to encourage us to develop a habit of praise that seeps into our souls.