Come & See Inspirations

John has an interview with Meabh Smith from Trócaire about the 2016 Lenten campaign. Trócaire launched their 43rd Lent campaign on 11th February, the biggest annual fundraising campaign in Ireland. For the first time, this year’s Trócaire box features people from Ireland, celebrating Trócaire supporters, who are fighting for justice for the world’s poor.The Trócaire boxes come to Limerick as charity thanks people from the Diocese of Limerick for raising €182,919 last yearLast year, The Diocese of Limerick raised €182,919 to support Trócaire’s annual Lenten campaign, which according to the charity, has supported thousands of people living in devastating poverty across the developing world.

On this weeks programme, the SS102fm crew reflect on the challenges of Lent and discuss how we take Lent as a opportunity for changing things in our lives. The traditional focus of the church during Lent - prayer, fasting and alms giving - even though old are ever new and can speak to us in our time and place.

(left to right): Sr. Rose Miriam, Sr. Mara Grace, Sr. Beatrice, Sr. Caitriona, Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia who are coming to Limerick in Aug 2016Sr Mara Grace joins us on this weeks programme to introduce us to the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia. The Nashville Dominicans are establishing a community in Limerick diocese from August 2016 with the plan being for them to take up residence in the Dominican Friary on Glentworth St as the Dominican Friars will be withdrawing after over a 750 year association with Limerick.Sr Mara Grace tells us about their order, the work that they do and reflects also on the meaning of consecrated life in the world today.Our interview with Sr Mara Grace was recorded on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord which is also the World Day for Religious Life and this year also marked the end of the Year for Consecrated Life.

Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia (Nashville Dominicans)Sr Mara Grace joins us on this weeks programme to introduce us to the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia.The Nashville Dominicans are establishing a community in Limerick diocese from August 2016 with the plan being for them to take up residence in the Dominican Friary on Glentworth St as the Dominican Friars will be withdrawing after over a 750 year association with Limerick.Sr Mara Grace tells us about their order, the work that they do and reflects also on the meaning of consecrated life in the world today.Our interview with Sr Mara Grace was recorded on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord which is also the World Day for Religious Life and this year also marked the end of the Year for Consecrated Life.

Good Queen Katherine - Exploring the story of a possible saint? The understanding of marriage and the care of those who have been divorced and remarried has dominated a lot of discussion in church (at the Synod in Rome) and in state (with the marriage referendum last year). One person who is held up as a model for Catholics of fidelity to marriage no matter what is Katherine of Aragon. On this weeks programme we have an interview between Canon John Baker of Peterborough Cathedral and John about the cathedral and of course the story of Queen Katherine. The interview hears how the Spanish Princess from one of the greatest royal houses in Europe became stranded in England following the death of her first husband, the teenage Prince Arthur, and how his younger brother came to her rescue when he became King - Henry VIII. When the succession didn't go to Henry's plan after twenty years of marriage he sought to divorce her which led to the separation of the church in England and the English reformation. Sh

Lectio Divina - "Who leads the Church? - Extracts from the Acts of the Apostles"On this weeks programme John, Anne, Martina and Michael explore the book/guide published by Bishop Brendan Leahy on "Who leads the Church? - Extracts from the Acts of the Apostles".

Ernst William - Founder of Youth 2000At World Youth Day in 1989 Pope John Paul II said to the 400,000 young people who had gathered from around the world “It is up to you young people that the task first falls of bearing witness to the faith and bringing into the Third Millennium the Gospel of Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life”.But to whom does the task fall to bring this message to those who are not at World Youth Day, who do not go to Mass on Sunday and who do not even know that God exists?This question led Englishman Ernest Williams to respond to this need by forming Youth 2000. Youth 2000 was formed because a young English man responded to the greatest poverty of our times; a generation of young people living in the spiritual poverty of not knowing that they were created in the image and likeness of God.Immediately after World Youth Day in 1989, Ernest made a pilgrimage to Fatima. It was there during a period of prayer and reflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, the structure and

Given it is Christmastide this weeks programme is a pre-recorded programme where John explores the story of the controversial pilgrimage site which is Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina during a visit to the shrine during 2015. We have a recording of the story of the apparitions as well as the personal story of Emily Aldridge who was a Welsh pilgrim.In the second part of the programme we have an account of the story of Medjugorje which was recorded during a visit to the shrine in 2015.In the third part of the programme, John has an interview with Emily Aldridge about her experience in Medjugorje. 

Adoration of the Blessed SacramentOn this weeks programme, we take a time out, a prayer moment as John and Lorraine lead us through a reflection this morning. Advent is often lost in the maelstrom that is the rush to Christmas which seems to begin earlier and earlier every year, but on the programme this morning we would like to provide a prayerful start to the holy season of Advent.

Reflections on memory & grief: An Interview with Alice TaylorNovember can be a hard month for many people as we recall the memory of our dead. In the Roman Catholic tradition it is the month of the Holy Soul's. And it seems to be an appropriate time to reflect and pray for our dead as the year and seasons move towards the death of winter.But coping with death and grief can be difficult and on this weeks programme we are joined by Alice Taylor to reflect on memory and dealing with grief especially after writing her book As time stood still.Alice Taylor lives in the village of Innishannon in County Cork, in a house attached to the local supermarket and post office. Since her eldest son has taken over responsibility for the shop, she has been able to devote more time to her writing.Alice Taylor worked as a telephonist in Killarney and Bandon. When she married, she moved to Innishannon where she ran a guesthouse at first, then the supermarket and post office. She and her husband, Gabriel Murphy, who sadl

Interview with Bishop Brendan LeahyWe are joined this week by Bishop Brendan to reflect on a number of things which are happening at the moment. Two and half years into his episcopate Bishop Brendan reflects on how things are going for him as a "newbie" bishop and what it has been like moving into Limerick diocese.We have a short discussion on the Synod to date and what is coming up in the next few months for the delegates but Bishop Brendan reminds us that Synod isn't just for the delegates - it is to involve the whole diocese. And as such there is a opportunity for people to become more involved with reflection on the Acts of the Apostles called 'Who leads the Church? - Noticing the Holy Spirit at work'. Bishop Brendan reminds us that all renewal in the church cannot be fruitful without a reflection on scripture which was something stressed in the pastoral letter calling the synod. The reflection on the Acts of the Apostles is a tool or guide to help people to pray, think and reflec

Parish Pastoral Councils and how we support each other in our faith journeysNoirin Lynch is the Pastoral Development Coordinator for the diocese of Limerick and joins us on this weeks programme to speak about the role and support given to parish pastoral councils in the diocese of Limerick. It is now a requirement of local diocesan law that every parish has to have a properly established pastoral council along with a functioning finance committee and proper safe guarding procedures. Noirin shares with us on the supports that are there for the development of Parish Pastoral Councils which in turn means that PPCs can then support the many and varied ministries in the parishes. PPCs role can be summed up in the question asking are we supporting those who have taken on ministry roles in the parish. At the same time because a group has undertaken a particular role for the parish the PPC also tries to ensure that we as parishioners don't absolve ourselves of our duty to participate in that particular ministry

This weeks podcast excerpt is an interview we did with Fr John Walsh OP who is the Irish Dominican Province’s Promoter of the Holy Rosary. The Rosary Confraternity is a spiritual association under the patronage of the Order of Preachers.  Confraternity members strive to pray the entire Rosary during the course of each week.  The members share in the daily prayer of the Dominican Fathers for the living and deceased and for many indulgences.On the programme Fr John reflects on the rosary and how it is a summary of scripture on a string  of beads. He leads us through the various mysteries and gives some tips on praying the rosary.If you would like to enrol in the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary and to share in its spiritual benefits and graces, simply send your name and address to Fr. Walsh at the Irish Dominican Rosary Apostolate and Confraternity, 42 Parnell Square Dublin 1. You will receive a lovely package of prayer cards, leaflets and rosary beads.   You will also benefit from knowing that you are linked i

On this weeks programme John is joined by Ann, Martina and Micheal Keating as they listen to Pope Francis address to families at the World Meeting of Families 2015 which was being held in Philadelphia, USA.

On this weeks programme we have an interview with Tim McDonald who introduces us the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham and its ancient history.The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham was established in 1061 when, according to the text of the Pynson Ballad (c 1485), Richeldis de Faverches prayed that she might undertake some special work in honour of Our Lady. In answer to her prayer, the Virgin Mary led her in spirit to Nazareth, showed her the house where the Annunciation occurred, and asked her to build a replica in Walsingham to serve as a perpetual memorial of the Annunciation.You can find out more about the history of the shrine HERE.

This weeks programme is from our "Come & See" studios in Ardagh and is part of our coverage of the Year for Consecrated Life. On this week programme John interviews Sr. Theresa Weight from the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham.The Community of Our Lady of WalsinghamThe veneration to Our Lady under her title as Our Lady of Walsingham isn't that well know in Ireland but is an old and distinguished honour to Our Lady in England since the Middle Ages.We have covered the devotion at the Shrine in Walsingham previously on the programme HERE and we have explored the feast of Our Lady which is celebrated on 24th September under this title HERE.On this weeks programme however, we have an interview with one of the newer religious communities in the wider Catholic Church - the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham with Sr Theresa Weight exploring the charism and inspiration behind this fledgling community. 

On this weeks programme the SS102fm team is joined by Rachel Lenihan and Jayne Guiney from SCoLA who tell us about the work they are doing supporting development work with children in the PhilippinesSCoLA Newcastle WestRachel and Jayne join us on this weeks programme to tell us about the work being undertaken by SCoLA and upcoming events in support of their work which is coordinated with Fr Dan O'Malley in the Philippines.

The SS102fm team is joined this week by Fr. Richard Gibbons to talk about the renewal being undertaken at the National Shrine at Knock under the title "Witness to Hope". We have a lively and enjoyable interview with Fr. Richard discussing the various approaches being taken to re-invigorating the shrine and contributing to the on going renewal of the church in Ireland.The renewal at Knock is focused around faith formation and renewal; promotion of the Shrine and refurbishment of the basilica (the first major one since it was built in 1976) and Fr. Richard fills us in on what has been accomplished to date and the plans for the future including up coming events such as the National Grandparents Pilgrimage (Sept 13th) and the National Eucharistic Congress (September 26th) plus the re-dedication of the basilica in 2016 (date tbc).

SS102fm has asked various priests and members of religious life to share their vocational stories over the years and this week we were delighted to welcome Fr Richard Keane (curate in Newcastle West) to the "Come & See" Studio in Ardagh to share his vocational journey with us.Fr Richard originally from Limerick city and ordained for the diocese in 2002 is undertaking a new ministry for the diocese in the next few weeks as he undertakes studies in canon  law for the diocese at the University of St Paul in Canada.