Soon the summer solstice will take place. This is when the sun is at its furthest point from the equator, making it the longest day of the year. It has been marked as the high point of summer – or midsummer – since the Neolithic era. I’m very conscious of the growing harvest and all The post The brightest days of the year appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

This week, more than 150 events nationwide will celebrate Ireland’s 600,000+ family carers during National Carers Week 2026 (June 8–14). Carers Week 2026 has a simple but powerful message: ‘Thank you for caring’. Events will take place nationwide and online throughout the week, providing opportunities for family carers to connect, access information and support, take The post Thank You for Caring appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

Soon, Pope Leo XIV will travel to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, returning to a place that has become one of the most powerful symbols of the migrant crisis and the Church’s call to solidarity with the vulnerable. The visit comes thirteen years after Pope Francis made Lampedusa the destination of the very first journey The post St. Peter Claver and Lampedusa appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

Pope Leo XIV, recently published the first encyclical, major teaching letter, of his papacy.  The letter, Magnifica Humanitas (The Grandeur of Humanity) is aimed at safeguarding humanity at a time of artificial intelligence.  At its heart is an appeal to all people of good will to work together to ensure that AI will be developed and The post Magnifica Humanitas (The Grandeur of Humanity) appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

This week, we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit isn’t something that just happened in the distant past but continues to be relevant and available for all our lives. The Spirit of Pentecost landed in a room full of fear and disappointment, to a frightened and bewildered people. Pentecost The post The Monkey Trap & Pentecost appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

There is a very beautiful stained-glass window, over the choir loft, in our parish church, here in Abbeyleix. The window depicts the glorious Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ into heaven. It tells the story of Jesus, now fulfilled in his ministry, returning home to his father in heaven and making that permanent pledge to The post Ascension. A Time for Going Home appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.