Come & See Inspirations

Chris Dundon of St. Senan's Parish came on the programme to tell us about Barrigone Blessed Well which is on the road between Foynes and Askeaton. The pagan Irish just like the pagan Romans, worshipped many Gods. Manannán Mac Lir was their God of the Sea, and each river and stream had its own particular deity (divine status).  Springs, especially strong springs in arid regions were specially venerated and to such spring the people came to worship and revere.  We can assume that the well at Barrigone was one of these revered springs to which the local people came on certain days in each of the seasons.Time passed and in 432 A.D. St. Patrick came to our land bringing the Christian message to our pagan ancestors. He came on the Munster Mission converted and baptised Aengus, King of Munster in Cashel journeyed to Penny Well, Patricks Well, out by Eas Geitine and so to Donnaghmore, now known as Robertstown.  Like a politician at election time, St. Patrick always sought out the assembly places:- the aonach(fai

Mary Kury joins us this week to speak about the history of Christianity in Ardagh with St Molua and tells us about the traditions associated with the well dedicated to the saint. Of course any history of Ardagh could not ignore the great national treasure which is the Ardagh Chalice.

It is the holiday season at the minute and many people are also undertaking pilgrimages to the likes of Lourdes, Fatima and Medugorje as well as walking the Camino to Santiago and also more local pilgrimages to Lough Derg and Knock. It is traditional to bring back souvenirs and memento's especially pious objectives for those at home from such journeys. But there can be a tendency by some people to view such items as being superstitious or as some kind of "magic" item. At the same time there are also some who view such items as medieval and passé, anachronistic or mildly embarrassing  like an eccentric old aunt. So on this weeks programme the SS102fm team discuss what exactly sacramentals are, how they are different to the Sacraments, the different types of sacramentals and how they are supposed to be used and respected and ultimately what is the point and purpose of them as guides and sign posts in faith towards Christ. 

On this weeks programme John and Lorraine interview Meabh Carlin about the movement "Rise of the Roses" and their upcoming visit to Limerick which is being hosted by the Salesian sisters in Fernbank on August 1stRise of the Roses has blossomed from friendships formed through the Michaela Foundation. Through volunteering at the Michaela Girls Summer Camps these young adults have discovered a tremendous thirst for God amongst the young girls of Ireland. There is an eagerness to know God and a huge amount of energy and joy that is palpable when young people embrace their faith. Their desire to spread the joy of our faith has led them to some very special people  and religious congregations.We have all been invited  to help them with a special project .They were inspired by Pope Francis' call for Religious Congregations to 'wake up the world' and they asked us to help them come up with a way to promote and celebrate this 'Year for Consecrated Life ' (Nov 2014-Nov 2015). Together

On this weeks programme John, Ann and Shane are joined by Fr Eamonn Conway who is a Professor of Theology at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick to discuss the latest papal encyclical Laudato Si.The discussion on the encyclical in this weeks programme is excerpted from the main programme and available HERE.“LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”. This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her. We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will. The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is al

On this weeks programme John, Anne and Martina are joined by Fr Patrick Cahill of the Family of Mary. Fr Patrick discusses the upcoming Children Faith Summer Camps in Abbeyfeale.

Bishop Cullinan was born in Lahinch, County Clare in 1959 to Christy and Rita and has four sisters and five brothers.  He was a priest of the diocese of Limerick.  His family moved to Limerick city where he attended the Salesians for early education, John F Kennedy National School and the Crescent College Comprehensive (SJ) for his secondary education.  From 1978-1981 he attended Mary Immaculate College of Education Limerick and qualified as a primary teacher (B.Ed) in 1981, and taught for six years in Castleconnell, County Limerick. He worked part-time during that time for four years with the Bunratty Castle Entertainers before going to Spain where he taught English for two years in a school in Valladolid.  Bishop Cullinan studied at Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth from 1989-95 where he completed an STL (Licentiate in Theology).  He was ordained by Bishop Jeremiah Newman in 1994 in Saint John’s Cathedral, Limerick, and appointed Curate in Saint Munchin’s Parish Limerick city 1995-1996.  Father Cullinan’s ne

On this weeks programme we have an interview with Eliza Jane Phillis about NET Ministries Ireland. Eliza is originally from Prince Edward Island, Canada but has been living in Ireland for the past five years volunteering with NET. She currently work in their main office up in Ballybofey, Co. Donegal coordinating all of the sponsorship fundraising efforts, managing the office, and most importantly supervising the team based in Athenry, Co. Galway. Before joining staff, she spent two years on team starting on the Road Team and then as part of the first local team based in Delvin, Co. Westmeath. NET stands for National Evangelisation Teams. They are Catholic Missionaries who share Jesus' gospel message with young people in a team format. NET Ministries Ireland encourage young people to love Jesus and embrace the life of the Church. NET Ireland recruits and trains teams to evangelise to over 20,000 youth every year in churches, schools, parishes, and dioceses across Ireland.​You can find out more about NET M

On this weeks programme John is joined by Antoinette Moynihan who is the national coordinator of the Children's Adoration programme which is now in its fourth year. 

On this weeks excerpt from the main programme, Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon joins us to give an update on what has been happening since the publication of Bishop Leahy's pastoral letter stating his intention to convoke a diocesan synod back in October 2014. He fills us in what has been happening in terms of training and faith formation for the various lay delegates to the Synod, the different meetings and trainings that have been held and also the listening and parish discernment process which is currently drawing to a close in various parishes around the diocese. If you would like to see what training the delegates have been receiving and the resources made available to them check out the Synod website here.As well as the training for the delegates there was a series of public talks and lectures as well as courses being organised by the diocesan pastoral centre which are still on going. You can learn more about the talks here and check out the diocesan website for the various courses which are being run by LDPC

On this weeks programme John and the SS102fm team are joined by Dr Donal Murray, bishop-emeritus of Limerick to explore the understanding of what it means to have an informed conscience.Dr Donal Murray helps us to explore and tease out what it means to have an informed conscience. "Freedom of conscience" is regarded as one the key human rights of the current age but what does it actually mean? What is conscience? Can a person be compelled to act against their conscience? How is a person to form his conscience so that it is not just their opinion but a considered and informed discernment?

On this weeks programme John is joined by Ann, Michael and Martina as they share thoughts on May - the month of Mary.Popular tradition associates the month of May with devotion to Mary. Catholicculture.org reminds us that "The month of May is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady," and it is the occasion for a "moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world [pay] to the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God's mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance" (Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May, no. 1). This Christian custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at the end of the 13th century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianize the secular feasts which were won

On this weeks programme we continue with our intermittent series on the Sacraments with a reflection and focus on the Sacrament of Matrimony.The Sacrament of MatrimonyAs we covered the first sacrament at the service of communion and mission last week, i.e. Holy Orders, when we had an interview with our diocesan seminarian, Aidan O’Rourke, we said we would look at the sacrament of marriage this week, the second sacrament at the service of communion and mission.The Seven Sacraments are divided into:  The Sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist; The Sacraments of Healing: Penance (Reconciliation) and Anointing of the Sick; The Sacraments at the Service of Communion and Mission: Holy Orders and Matrimony.“Two sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, confer a special grace for a particular mission in the Church to serve and build up the People of God. These sacraments contribute in a special way to ecclesial communion and to the salvation of others.” For Catholics, the Sacrament

On this weeks programme excerpt John has an interview with Aidan O'Rourke who is a seminarian in Maynooth and Fr Leslie McNamara, the Vocations Director for Limerick diocese.Aidan and Fr Leslie reflect on the meaning of vocation and in particular the vocation to priesthood and Aidan shares his faith journey to date which has led him to discerning his vocation at the national seminary at Maynooth

On this weeks programme excerpt John is joined by Martina O'Sullivan and Emer Williams to discuss the up coming Charismatic Renewal conference to be held in Limerick on April 25th and 26th 2015.The Limerick Diocesan Charismatic Renewal Service Committee invites people to a conference on April 25th - 26th in the Radisson Blu Hotel Limerick. On this weeks programme Emer Williams speaks to John and Martina about the conference. The theme of this years conference is "The Word is made flesh".Speakers include Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop-emeritus Donal Murray and CoI Bishop Kenneth Kearon Also speaking will be Marie Beirne, James Armitage, Sr Mary Bridget Dunlea, Ed and Fiona Collins. 

Divine Mercy SundayMartina, Michael and John share their thoughts and reflections about Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope John Paul II introduced Divine Mercy Sunday following on the private revelation to the Polish nun St Faustina. Many Catholics gather in churches throughout the world today at 3pm to partake in the Divine Mercy Chaplet, veneration of the image of Divine Mercy, confessions, Mass etc.Michael reminded us that God's Mercy can be traced back through Scripture and both he and Martina stressed that God's Mercy is for all. Both Martina and Michael shared experiences and Miracles attached to Divine Mercy as well as some details of the Divine Mercy conference held in Dublin earlier in the year.The Feast of Divine Mercy, celebrated on the Octave of Easter (the Sunday after Easter Sunday), is a relatively new addition to the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. Celebrating the Divine Mercy of Jesus Christ, as revealed by Christ himself to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, this feast was extended to the e

On this joyous Easter morn, the SS102fm team wish you every joy and blessing of this Easter Day to you and yours! On this weeks programme, we mark Resurrection Day with a reflection from Fr Frank Duhig on the gospel of the day as well as some other quick reflections for Easter.

On this weeks programme John, Anne, Shane and Martina reflect on Palm Sunday and various particular focal points of the events of Holy Week and how we can enter into a deeper reflection of the Sacred Triduum.For Palm Sunday we focus on the entrance of the Lord into the Holy City and how the acclamation's of Palm Sunday turned to the baying of a mob on Good Friday. Where are we in that crowd? Do we run with hare and chase with the hound in a mob context? We jump ahead to Spy Wednesday and remind ourselves that Judas was one of the Twelve, called by Jesus to be an apostle but whose path got turned aside thinking the ends justified the means. It gives us pause for thought before we condemn someone else.Holy Thursday night we focus on the Mandatum - the Washing of the Feet and the call to Christian Service as well as the fact it is also the commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist. How well do build up the Body of Christ in our service to God and to one another? Garden of Gethsemene - can we stay on

Interview with Br Conor McDonagh OPBr Conor McDonagh OP joins John and Shane on the programme this week to share his journey to becoming a Dominican friar and onto his diaconal ordination on 15th March. In what is an interesting discussion, Conor reflects on what it means to be a Dominican and a in a particular way to reflect on what it means to be a young religious in Ireland today. Conor reflects on the challenges and opportunities that religious have as people of encounter and how religious life is an opportunity of evangelical witness.

On this weeks programme John is joined by Fintan from Trocaire and Fr Derek Leonard of Limerick diocese to speak about Trocaire's 2015 Lenten campaign.This year, Trócaire’s Lenten campaign highlights how communities in developing countries are struggling to survive in the face of extreme changes in their weather systems. Climate change is now a leading cause of poverty in many of the communities where Trócaire works. Hundreds of millions of  people rely on agriculture for their daily survival.  But unreliable rainfall, storms and floods are making it increasingly difficult to grow crops. With your support and solidarity, Trócaire is working with affected communities to adapt and cope with the unpredictability of the changing climate. This includes finding alternative water supplies, diversifying crops, sustainable land management and being prepared for extreme weather events when they happen.