Lourdes is a sacred place that continues to inspire hope and healing. A recent visit by Graiguecullen parish of over 300 people reminds me of the sacred connection between Laois and Lourdes. Soon Pope Leo will visit Lourdes, embracing a sacred place where vulnerability is embraced and healing is celebrated. What makes Lourdes so real The post Lourdes and Laois appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

I’m very conscious of over 60,000 Leaving Cert students, as we move towards results time. Huge emphasis can be placed on the number of points received and the various college courses that will be offered. It can indeed be a time of enormous anxiety, placed on young shoulders. The points system fundamentally fails to recognize The post Hold On To Hope…. Inspirational Lives appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

What do a former US president, the Canadian prime minister and two of the world’s biggest rock stars have in common? They’re all celebrating. Mayo overcame a 75-year-old ‘curse’ and finally broke its barren run in one of Ireland’s biggest sporting occasions. Victory in the Gaelic Athletic Association’s (GAA) All-Ireland Senior Football final had eluded The post Mayo for Sam……. appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

I was greatly inspired recently by the story of the Ulma family, patrons of family life and the unborn child.  In a world overshadowed by terror and brutality, the story of Józef and Wiktoria Ulma and their six young children shines as a beacon of humanity and moral clarity. Living in the quiet village of Markowa The post The Ulma Family appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

One day a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway-it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to The post The Donkey in the Well appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.

Much focus these days is on the United States of America. The U.S. hosts this very enjoyable World Cup, true to form the various stadia are exuberant and very big in every sense of the word!  The recent celebration of the 250th anniversary of its foundation celebrated the extraordinary contribution The United States has made over The post Sr. Helen and the death penalty appeared first on Portlaoise Parish.