St Valentine's Day!

Today is St Valentine's Day, a day when we talk about love more than usual. A lot of the discussion you hear today will be light hearted and fun.
Here's something for discerners to reflect on about love...

Fall in Love
Attributed to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ (1907–1991)

Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.
- See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/fall-in-love/#sthash.vILdBG4X.dpuf

Alpha course about to start in Dublin...

A very helpful step for those who are discerning their vocation in life is to make an effort to deepen their faith. This can be done with private prayer but it is also helpful to be a part of a faith group.
Last autumn, we ran the Alpha faith development course at our house in Glasthule (just south of Dun Laoghaire) in Dublin. It went very well. The folk who attended really enjoyed the content of the course and valued the opportunity to meet other people each night.
We're going to run the course again! It starts on Tuesday night, 25th February at 7.30pm at the Presentation Brothers in Glasthule. It's free of charge. It's relaxed and informal. Why not give the first night a try?
If you'd like to find out more about the course, visit www.alphaireland.org
To book a place at our course, e-mail Brother Andrew at andrewhickey@PresentationBrothers.org

To Nigeria...

Brother Denis and I have now arrived in Nigeria. There are two communities of Presentation Brothers here.

As we visit we are hearing the upsetting news of the violence in Adamawa State which resulted in the deaths of some 53 innocent people who were attending Mass at the weekend. Another hundred people were killed in a neighbouring village on the same day.

We keep their families in our prayers and we continue to pray for peace.

Out of Africa...

I haven't been able to blog recently because I've been on a pretty intense visit to the Brothers' communities in Ghana. I've now moved on to the Brothers in Nigeria. We have two communities there.

It's been really enriching to meet so many young Brothers and so many men interested in joining the Presentation Brothers. It reminds me that the challenges facing the Church in Ireland and western Europe are not the challenges faced everywhere.

Please pray for the men preparing to be Presentation Brothers here in Africa and let's pray for more vocations at home!

It's Advent!

We seem to have a problem with waiting. People have already started to wish one another "Happy Christmas". But it's not Christmas yet. This is the season of Advent - a time of waiting and preparation.

Take a look at this 2 minute clip which explains what Advent is all about...

Vocations Weekend

We're holding another of our Vocations Weekends this weekend!
It starts at 11am on Saturday (30th November) and finishes after lunch (at 2pm on Sunday 1st December).
Over the last few years several men have attended these weekends and they find them very useful.
It's a chance to pause and reflect. It's an opportunity to pray. We always have good speakers who can give information and answer questions about vocation.
Even though it's a busy weekend, it's also a relaxed time. It's informal and there is absolutely no obligation on anyone.
The weekend is free of charge with accommodation and meals provided.
If you're interested, send me an e-mail at vocation@PresentationBrothers.org

Praying for the Philippines

I think the image says all I want to say...