Photo was taken sa Feothanach on the Dingle Peninsula, West Kerry (Irl)

It was a beautiful sunny weekend right across Ireland and especially in Co.Kerry! This group of Transition Students from Col√°iste Choilm, Ballincollig spent the weekend learning Irish while at the same time having some fun agus craic!

Thought on Monday – March – 26/03/2012

‘We appear as trying to justify our presence. We should rather start out from the point of view that religion has contributed to, continues to contribute to and will contribute to Irish society, as it contributes to any other society in the world.’ ~Archbishop Diarmuid Martin

The Archbishop of Dublin made some wise comments in a recent address on how the role of religion in Ireland has changed and how this change has in the great part been good. In the past many thought that the strength of the Church was in numbers. While there may have been strength in numbers they hid a faith and a commitment that was not as strong as many had imagined. Today it is clear that Christianity is in a way becoming a minority culture. Here he adds a critical point: “What is important is not about becoming a minority. What is important is that the Church becomes an active and creative minority and never an irrelevant one.” It is easy to be pessimistic, critical and feeling that all things connected with religion are a waste of time. Such thinking fuels irrelevance and smothers creativity. As we move into the latter stages of Lent, there is still plenty of time to reflect and value what is active and creative in our Church. The most important place to look is our local church and community where lots of creative energy is bubbling away.