Happy Christmas!

Today we celebrate the nativity of our Lord! Let us rejoice, be glad, and reflect on the gift that is given. Jesus did not come to us to save us because we merited it, as we can hear in the reading of the Dawn Mass, but come to us because he loves us! Let us respond to His love by embracing the gifts He is giving us!

Please listen to a part of a sermon by Pope St Leo the Great in our Ears to Hear series::

Ears to Hear 9: Sermon by St Augustine

It’s nearly Christmas! After weeks of waiting, the day of the Birth of our Lord is just around the corner. Today’s reading is a reminder then, to get things in perspective. If you have been absorbed recently in the commercial side of Christmas, St Augustine’s reading reminds us of the true meaning of the season: ‘Wake up, O man’, he says, ‘it was for you that God was made man!’

Please listen:

Ears to Hear 8: Homily of St Bernard (141)

Throughout the twenty centuries of Christianity, writers and preachers have been falling over each other trying to do justice to Mary, the Mother of God. Perhaps the most successful in this regard is St Bernard of Clairvaux. He was a Cistercian monk and he had an enormous impact on the Europe of his day. Here, though, we see his tender side, as he addresses our blessed Mother. Appropriately for this stage of Advent, he turns to the moment when the Word became flesh, when Mary said Yes to what God was asking of her.

Please listen:

Ears to Hear 7: Epistle to Diognetus

The Letter to Diognetus is one of the most interesting documents we have from the early Church. It was probably written in the second century, and is an example of early Christian apologetics, that is, explaining the Christian faith to pagans. We don’t know who wrote this text, the author refers to himself only as ‘a disciple’. In the segment we will hear today, the writer reflects on how the coming into the world of the Son of God is a revelation of God’s love for us.

Please listen:

Credo Series Preview

We are currently in the process of recording a series which explains the Nicene Creed, as recited during Mass on Sundays. The Creed expounds the fundamentals of our faith. This series is aimed to give an easy to understand explanation of the different articles of our faith. Have a look at the preview:

Youth 2000 Christmas retreat in Newbridge!

For anybody in Ireland who is still considering to com to the Youth 2000 Chrsitmass retreat in Newbridge: DO, come and join us! More info on the Y2k website!

This is a recording of the retreat two years ago:

Ears to Hear 6 - Augustine on the Psalms (98)

We continue our series of Advent readings today with another excerpt from St Augustine’s writings – I warned you that he wrote a lot! Today he’s talking about one of his favourite topics: desire! For Augustine, having desire in our hearts is a good thing, but it must be desire for the right things. Ultimately, he thinks, desire will lead us to God, who alone can satisfy us completely. In the meantime, we should be like lovers yearning for the presence of the Beloved. And so, as the days get darker, our yearning for the light of Bethlehem grows stronger and stronger.

Please listen:

Symposium - Friendship, Religion and the Spread of Darwinism

In this episode of St. Saviour's Symposium we have Dr Miguel DeArce giving a presentation on 'Friendship, Religion and the Spread of Darwinism'.

Ears to Hear 5: Sermon by Augustine

We hear again this week from St Augustine, the great teacher of the Christian West. In today’s reading, he’s comparing the figures of John the Baptist and Christ. John the Baptist is a great Advent figure. He reminds us that preparing for Christmas involves not only buying presents, but also a spiritual preparation: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’ he says! He teaches us also the great virtue of humility too – he wished only to stand aside when Christ arrived on the scene. This is the humility with which we should be approaching the Christ-child in the cradle...

Please listen:

I briefly featured on onebillionstories.com

Two of us Irish Dominicans, Fr. David and myself, featured on onebillionstories.com:

Ears to Hear 4: Augustine on the Psalms

St Augustine was a Roman African who lived in the dying days of the Roman Empire, he was a bishop, a theologian, and one of the greatest minds of the early Church. He wrote and preached an enormous amount of material, and we hear today a selection from his teaching on the book of Psalms.

Please listen:

Maranatha - Come Lord Jesus!

The Gospel today is taken form the beginning of the Gospel according to Mark. Here, at the very beginning, Mark situates the historical events of the incarnation Word of God in the Old Testament tradition, making sure that there can be no doubt of who Jesus really is:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”

“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 

‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

This Sunday focusses on John the Baptist. John gives us the promise of 'the one to come'. And while that promise was historically towards the start of the ministry of Jesus here on earth, it is always a promise which is alive and active!

God has promised us that He will come, in the second coming, the time when the promise of Heaven will become a reality for all of us. But the fact that the promise will be fulfilled, and the hope this gives us during our lives does not take away from the fact that God is alive and active in our live now and then.

The fact that God promises to come does not mean He is not with us now! He has sent us the spirit to console us, to guide us, to be with us every monument of the day. God is active in our lives, always tries to help us, and is always seeking to deepen the relationship He has with us.

There might be a tendency nowadays to think that 'even if God exists' that God is not actively involved in creation. A philosophy which can be excused, I guess, as we can see the devastation and sufferings all around us, but an indication of a poor understanding of our possible closeness to God. We can indeed live a life where God is distant, a God who just kicked the ball into the air at the beginning of time, and who is not with us during our lifetime. Even if we are firm believers, this can give us the hope which makes life worth living. But God is offering us so much more! He is offering us a friendship, a personal friendship, inviting us to walk close to Him, to walk with Him during our lives. To make part of the fullness of Joy which we will enjoy in His presence in Heaven might already be fulfilled in our lives here on earth!

This is a reality, a reality to which millions of people testify! And so, an invitation during this time of Advent can be to reflect on this possibility, to review what our 'attitude' is towards God's friendship in our lives... Do we want this friendship, do we want to walk close to God, and are we prepared to spend the time in prayer to build up this friendship? Are we ready to quite our own voices to listen to the little voice in our heart, the Holy Spirit whispering encouragement to us?

It is only when we allow God to be near to us that we can really discover the fullness of life! This is a fact, a fact that can be seen in the lives of so many who have accepted God's gracious gift!

Maranatha - Come Lord Jesus!

New audio series!

The students of the Dominican Order in Ireland have begun an audio series, called 'Ears to Hear' (taken from Revelation). Currently, the series has little reading appropriate to the session of Advent. I wilt try from now on to post them on my Blog.

Of course you can also see them on the website 'Dominicans Interactive' or use our iPhone/iPad App to follow us!

Introduction to Ears to Hear:


Ears to Hear - Advent 1:



Ears to Hear - Advent 2:



Ears to Hear - Advent 3: