I was talking to a friend recently while we were on a walk. We were sitting in front of Dublin Bay. I asked her for ideas on blogpost topics. Topics that would interest people, and even inspire them a bit.

May is a month that is welcomed for many reasons – not least because it marks the start of Summer – for Irish people at least!

It feels as though brighter, longer days are ahead and there are more reasons to be cheerful.

Do you ever listen to conversion stories and wish you could experience a similar transformation? Is our approach to belief too reductionist, where the Gospel is a biography and the psalms akin to inspirational quotes. In this week’s podcast, we discuss how we can learn from the early Christian communities and the role of Scripture in their lives.

When it comes to relationships there is a lot to talk about.

How can we improve interpersonal communication? How can we develop our perceptions and responses so that we can get good at managing varying expectations? Or how do we manage our emotions better?

The other day I was with a friend and her newborn baby. As the adoring Mum held her little bundle up “She said she can’t really see you, you know that?” It’s true babies are not born with perfect vision, and in fact they see blurry images for quite some time.

It’s easy to think it's spring when the days begin to get sunny and a warm breeze wafts over your skin.

Not as easy when hailstones are bopping off your hat and coat. But that has been the extremes of weather this past week in Donegal.

I spent a good deal of time looking after my parents as they got older. And sometimes (because of the particular time and situation) it used to seem as if it had been going on since forever. I know that I am exaggerating as I say that. Because I never lived with them when they got older. I might stay for a night or two, and then come and go.

So, while I carried out this ‘job’ many times whinging and complaining a lot, the time came when I learned to accept it, and yes embrace it.

God comes to meet us is a well-known phrase of Pope Francis. With no mass or religious ceremonies over the Easter period, it can feel as if I cannot go to meet Him. How can we make the most of the end of Lent and Easter? Holy Week provides us with an opportunity to do precisely that.

As we suffer together in lockdown, it may be hard to see the reason behind it all. What is God's plan in all this? How can I accept this plan if it is a source of suffering for me or for those I love?

There’s nothing quite like a good night’s sleep. You waken well-rested and ready to face the day’s challenge. Yet sometimes the effort of trying to get a good night’s sleep can tire us out; plumping pillows… right room temperature… no screens before bed…warm milk…soothing app…good book (but not too good).

I don’t think I’m alone in being thankful that 2020 is finally over and feeling that there’s an even deeper sense of hope and relief with the beginning of this new year.

As I write this blog, I am aware of the bin men on the road moving up and down and emptying the huge rubbish accumulated over Christmas. I also see the postman trudging through the snow to offload the letters and parcels for all my neighbours on the street.

As we step into our third lockdown, 2021 New Year’s resolutions can seem somewhat irrelevant. We could have a sense of why bother. Do we need to look at things differently in 2021?

I recently received some Christmas cards in the post. It’s such a novelty, because receiving actual post which isn’t a shopping item or bills is unusual. I enjoyed checking the postmark and looking at the handwriting to figure out who had sent it. The anticipation of opening a card from someone I’ve not seen in months forms part of the excitement!

Yesterday, after much discussion, I agreed to find another guinea pig for our lonely little one. I need to mention that I needed another pet in the house like a hole in the head, but I had promised my children they could have another guinea. So, my search led me to find two more, a total of three. Forget that I’ve taken on three volunteer jobs that absorb my mornings, I had to take on three guinea pigs. My husband thought me mad.

In this episode, we talk about the Catholic Church and how we can see it for what it is. Touching on topics such as the importance of the saints and how the Church is a family.

Sounds incongruous doesn’t it? To link work with heaven. Or does it??

To err is human, to forgive divine is a phrase written by Alexander Pope in the 17th century. It strikes a chord within us as we recognise our tendency to make mistakes, while at the same time finding it difficult to forgive others.

“Don’t be afraid to dream a bit bigger, darling.” During the days of staycation, my husband and I were planning a dream vacation. For me, a hotel with a pool and restaurant was fine. He wanted a beautiful setting with adventurous trails and sites. I thought this was too ambitious.

Does your spiritual life feel like a bit of an experiment? Moments of great intensity but after nothing seems to have changed? In this episode, we explore how Opus Dei has helped many people to discover the adventure of spiritual life bedded down in daily routines.