My Jimdo Geocities Lifeboat
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In today's Gospel reading, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and then entrusts him with the care of His flock, hinting this mission will lead to a death that glorifies God.
In God’s plan, apparent losses are not the end. The eloquence of Stephen, the masterful leadership of Peter and the passionate ministry of Paul are great gifts to the Church even today. Even though enemies eventually killed these great men, they live on and inspire us.
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Thought for the Week Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us.
We all need to grow, to grow as human beings and children of God. But
growth is slow and painful. We do not easily let go of the old garment,
woven out of old habits and attitudes. But we have been given a wonderful
Facilitator, namely the Holy Spirit. The Spirit awakens us to the mysterious
power within us, bids us live, and help us grow.
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Setting forth on your Journey
It’s very fitting that the celebration of St Brendan the Navigator
takes place at this time of year. It coincides with students
embarking on important exams, going out into the world to take
up jobs or going abroad for the summer on J1 visas. It can also
be a time of reconsidering our own choices and paths in life
regardless of our age.
Completing any journey is easy once we know our destination as we can put all our
efforts and focus into going forward with a mindful purpose.
But if you are currently in a place where you are struggling to find your destination,
don’t get crestfallen in not knowing. Instead, make the one good decision today that
will get your boat out of the harbour. It doesn’t have to be the absolutely definitively
perfect answer. Rather, it is a starting point. It is only on our journey across the seas of
life that we can see new horizons and explore new regions. Remember on your voyage
to always sail under a flag of honesty, integrity, and moral courage. Be prepared to
help those you find in need on the way. Your life isn’t about one destination but a
journey of rich discovery where you find your greatest expression in a life well lived. Let
Truth and Love be your compass. Bon Voyage and God Speed!
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In today’s Gospel, Jesus prays for unity among all people and between people and God. He promises to continue to reveal God to us in order to accomplish this unity.
That’s the bright side of the Christian life. In the reading from Acts we hear about Paul’s ordeal in Jerusalem. Disputes arose which divided the whole assembly. A loud uproar ensued. So great was the conflict that it was feared Paul would be torn to pieces! That’s the dark side. But the Lord appeared at Paul’s side and told him to keep up his courage. God continues to reveal himself even in the midst of trial.
Reflect
In today’s first reading, Paul expresses concern for the flock of the Holy Spirit and encourages the ministers to shepherd the church of God. He exhorts them to watch for distortions of truth, to love the gracious word of God, not to envy riches, and to help the weak.
Today, “the flock” is made of more than 2 billion people, and continues to need nurturing and care. Each of us has a role to play in the family of God.
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Reflect
"This is the triumph. Earth rises to heaven. I see Thee going up."
That's from a meditation, a prayer by St. John Henry Newman. Simple words, they begin to tell us about the grace of the ascension, what it means to us that the risen Lord "was lifted up" and that we have seen it either with our eyes or by faith (Acts 1:9).
What astounded Newman was how the incarnation of Christ leads to the ascension of Christ.
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22 April 2026
Easter 4 A Sean Sheehy
The Only Way to Heaven
American humorist, Seba Smith, around 1840, wrote a short story titled “The Money Diggers” in which he noted that, “There are more ways than one to skin a cat.” He was talking about the many ways to dig for money. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote a love poem in the nineteenth century which began with the line, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Jesus teaches us that there may be many ways for doing many things but there’s only one way to enter Heaven, namely His way. In his play “As You Like It”, Shakespeare, through the forlorn character of Jacques, opined that, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances.” The world may be a stage but life is not a play; it’s real and often painful. It’s an experience of one’s developing self from the moment of conception to natural death expressed in thoughts, words and actions. There are entrances and exits such as conception, birth, entering and leaving childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, old age, finally exiting in death and entering the beyond. A good exit is more important than a flamboyant entrance because the way we exit determines the smoothness or roughness of our entrance into the next stage or phase of life. Death is our final exit from the world in which we now live, move, and have our being. How do we prepare for it satisfactorily? A productive retirement follows when we exit a career or job with a vision of what we want to be and do as we enter the next phase of life. For the Christian, a good exit means being prepared to enter Heaven. St. Peter teaches us that “the goal of our Faith is the salvation of our soul” (1 Peter 1:9). There’s only one way to achieve that reality, namely through, with and in Jesus Christ. This is why St. Peter in his first sermon confronted the Jewish leaders’ willingness to hand Jesus over to be crucified, reminding them that they killed the only one who could save them. Bishops and clergy have an obligation to confront the world with this truth just as Peter did.
There’s no stairway to Heaven as God revealed in the story of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9) whose builders tried to gain entrance to Heaven on their own. Rather, we walk with the One who has descended from Heaven and now has ascended and resides there. Regarding who will be saved, Jesus responded: “Enter through the narrow gate, the gate that leads to damnation is wide, the road is clear, and many choose to travel it. But how narrow is the gate that leads to life, how rough the road, and how few there are who find it!” (Mt 7:13-14). Jesus tells us, “No one has gone up to Heaven except the One who came down from there – the Son of Man who is in Heaven” (Jn 3:13). Later He explained, “… it is not to do my own will that I have come down from Heaven, but to do the will of Him who sent me. … Indeed this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life. Him I will raise up on the last day” (Jn 6:38-40). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who “calls His own by name and leads them out …” He promised that, Whoever enters through me will be safe … I came that they might have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:3, 9-11). Fullness of life can only be experienced in Heaven.
We hear people today, even leaders of the Church, claim that “all religions are paths to God.” That is a lie which Satan loves because it either reduces or dismisses the importance of Jesus and His Church as necessary for salvation. Jesus states clearly that, “… no one comes to the Father but through me” (Jn 14:6). The Word of God through St. Peter emphasizes that Jesus is the only Savior: “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other Name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:11-12). The fact is that there’s no other way to Heaven. Jesus is the only Savior of mankind. Neither Islam, nor Buddhism, nor Hinduism, nor Confucianism, nor any other man-made religion can save a man or woman from hell. That’s why in death everyone must opt either for or against Jesus who “judges the living and the dead” (2 Tim 4:1). Since Jesus and His Church cannot be separated, no one can opt for Jesus without also opting for His Church. That’s why St Peter publicly proclaimed this truth on Pentecost Sunday when he preached the following: “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). Those who heard Peter’s confrontational sermon implored in their guilt, “What are we to do?” Peter responded, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). Repentance and baptism marked the exit from their sinful ways and their entrance into a new way of life, namely Jesus’ way, the Christian way, through membership in His Church. It is active membership in Jesus’ Church that prepares a person for a positive exit from this world and a happy entrance into the next world.
Jesus revealed that, “Eternal life is this: to know You, the one true God, and the one you have sent, Jesus Christ” (Jn 17:3). The intentional member of the Church can declare with assurance in the words of the Psalmist that, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for You are at my side with Your rod and Your staff that give me courage” (Ps 23). Imagine the peace and security that prayer gives us when Jesus is at the centre of our life. Jesus shepherds us through His Church and guides us through the Holy Spirit to meet all our needs by accompanying us and calling us to yoke ourselves to Him (Mt 11:29) as we enter and exit the different stages and experiences of life. He walks with us daily through, with and in His Church’s prayer, worship, Sacraments and service, especially in the Holy Mass where He enables us to be present with Him at Calvary where He sacrificed Himself to atone for our sins in order to save us. This is a visible display of His love for us. Through His Church’s Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick Jesus enables us to die peacefully by preparing us for a good exit from this life through dying with Him in order to rise with Him (Rom 6:8). Jesus empowers us to “suffer injustice and endure hardships through making us aware of God’s presence,” reminding us that He is always with us. “You have seen … how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself” (Ex 19:4). Peter reminds us: “Christ suffered for you … to have you follow in His footsteps. By His wounds you were healed. At one time you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls” (1 Pt 2:21-25). What greater security could anyone wish for than that which Jesus offers us? He calls you and me by name and wants to have a personal relationship with us as members of His Church into which He granted entrance through Baptism. Do you recognize His voice as He speaks to you and meets you in each of His Church’s Sacraments especially in His Mass through the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist? He is the only One who can take you to Heaven since He alone knows the way because He is the only Way to Heaven, the only Truth about who God is, who we are and how to get to Heaven, and the only giver of Heavenly Life. If you don’t hear Jesus it’s not because He isn’t speaking to you but because you aren’t listening. “Today, if you should hear His voice, harden not your hearts as at the revolt” (Heb 3:15). What do we need to do? We need to reform our life, repent, and believe in the Gospel. That is the only way to Heaven. He has given us His Church to make that possible. It is all so simple, isn’t it! Like the Nike slogan, “Just do it!” (fr sean)
Gifts to Pray For
Lord, grant me the gift of wisdom, discipline, and understanding, that I may not be hardened by sin, weakened by laziness, or blinded by foolishness. Amen! (Liturgy of the Hours)
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POPE: Amira Abuzeid Vatican
April 1, 2026
Pope Leo XIV has renewed his appeal for peace in a world wounded by conflict and violence.
In remarks to journalists on March 31 outside the papal villa of Castel Gandolfo, the pope reminded that “Easter should be the holiest, most sacred time of the year. It is a time of peace, a time for much reflection, but as we all know, once again in the world, in so many places, we are seeing so much suffering, so many deaths, even innocent children.”
The Pope said he had been told President Donald Trump wants to end the war in the Middle East and expressed hope that Trump is seeking a way to decrease the violence.
Pope Leo asked everyone, “especially Christians,” to “live these days recognizing that Christ is still crucified today, that Christ still suffers today in the innocent, especially those who are suffering from violence, hatred, and war.”
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Saint Hugh of Grenoble’s Story
Today’s saint could be a patron for those of us who feel so overwhelmed by all the problems in the world that we don’t know where to begin.
Hugh, who served as a bishop in France for 52 years, had his work cut out for him from the start. Corruption seemed to loom in every direction: the buying and selling of Church offices, violations of clerical celibacy, lay control of Church property, religious indifference and/or ignorance. After serving as bishop for two years, he’d had his fill. He tried disappearing to a monastery, but the pope called him back to continue the work of reform.
Ironically, Hugh was reasonably effective in the role of reformer—surely because of his devotion to the Church but also because of his strong character. In conflicts between Church and state he was an unflinching defender of the Church. He fearlessly supported the papacy. He was eloquent as a preacher. He restored his own cathedral, made civic improvements in the town, and weathered a brief exile.
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Lent
In the Gospel of John, the Evangelist presents the Last Supper against the enormous backdrop of a cosmic battle between good and evil, which Jesus will win on the cross.
In first-century Jerusalem, foot washing was usually done by a slave. The host would never do such a thing. Yet Jesus, the host, wraps a towel around his waist as a slave would and washes his disciples’ feet.
We gain an ‘‘inheritance’’ with Jesus, because he embraced death on the cross. Partially understanding this, Peter says in exuberance, ‘‘Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.’’
Master, thank you for embracing the cross for our salvation.
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Ireland
There are about 109 Sisters of St Louis in the Irish Region. The Irish Region encompasses Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Most sisters in the Region have reached official retirement age. However, apart from sisters who are ill or very frail, most sisters continue to actively serve others and make the world a better place. We have, however, largely moved from active corporate ministry to one of collaborative outreach and prayerful solidarity with local communities and the wider world. Many sisters are involved in internal ministry and care of each other. Some are also involved in pastoral and prayer ministries, retreat work, chaplaincy, spirituality and religious formation. Still other sisters continue to be active in education in both community and formal settings. This includes second chance education opportunities, teaching English as a second language, acculturation programmes and homework clubs for migrants, development education with particular reference to climate change and the integrity of creation, Governance, strategic development and trusteeship roles.
At least 100 sisters who are currently members of the Irish Region have lived and been in ministry in Belgium, Brazil, California, England, France, Ghana, Liberia, or Nigeria.
The Charity details for the Irish Region is as follows:
Charity Name: Sisters of St Louis, Irish Region
Registered Charity Number (RCN): 20014759
CHY Number: 7147
Trustees: Uainín Clarke SSL, Noreen Shankey SSL, Ann Matthews SSL, Eithne Woulfe SSL.
https://stlouissisters.org/about-us/where-we-are/ireland/
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Michael McGivney got none of that. He just worked himself to death for people he'd never meet, creating something he'd never see.
And maybe that's the most powerful kind of service there is. The kind that asks for nothing back except the faith that somewhere, somehow, it matters.
#ForgottenStories #Faith #Service #IrishAmerican #KnightsofColumbus
~Forgotten Stories
https://www.facebook.com/ForgottenStoriess
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ROADS: event on March 11/12 is called ‘Safer Roads’, hosted by Kerry County Council in association with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Over 300 delegates, will hear from 28 keynote speakers. Details at https://www.saferroads.ie
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ART in the Park; Opening Tralee Library on Tuesday, March 3 and running until the March 16, the theme for the exhibition is ‘Wild’.
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STACK:
Listowel Native Named Kerry Association Of New York Kerry Person Of The Year
Written by [email protected] on February 17, 2026
More in News:
Dr Elizabeth Stack
THE Kerry Association of New York has announced that Dr. Elizabeth Stack, PhD, has been named the 2026 Kerry Person of the Year, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Irish and Irish American history, culture, and community life.
A native of Listowel, Dr. Stack is a distinguished historian, educator, and museum leader whose work has significantly advanced the preservation and understanding of the Irish immigrant experience in the United States.
She currently serves as Education Director at the Celtic Junction Arts Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a member of the Historical Advisory Committee for Irish America 250, a national initiative examining the Irish dimension of the American revolutionary era.
Dr. Stack previously served as Executive Director of the American Irish Historical Society in New York City, where she revitalized the organization through an ambitious program of lectures, screenings, and community outreach at its landmark Fifth Avenue headquarters.
Prior to that, she spent six years as Executive Director of the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany, New York, expanding the museum’s footprint and programming to better serve the Irish American community.
She earned her PhD from Fordham University, focusing on the experiences of Irish and German immigrants in early 20th-century New York, and holds a Master’s degree in Anglo-Irish Relations from University College Dublin and a Higher Diploma in Education from University College Cork.
Dr. Stack has also taught Irish and Irish American history at Fordham University’s Institute of Irish Studies and earlier in her career taught in both Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Stack said: “I’m delighted and honoured to be chosen as this year’s Kerry Person of the Year. It is always meaningful when your own community recognises you, and I’m very thankful for the support of the Kerry Association of New York.”
“Immigration has given the most significant and lasting link between Ireland and America. It is essential to explore these stories—from diplomacy to culture—to ensure they are never lost. My work in Irish America feels personal to me as an immigrant myself, and I have loved hearing from so many members of our community who remember their family’s journeys and the challenges and opportunities of starting again.”
Dr. Stack has received numerous honours for her leadership and scholarship, including the Irish Echo’s 2025 Heroes of Irish America Award, recognition from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, citations from the New York State Attorney General and the American Irish Legislators Society of the New York State Assembly, the Kate Mullany Medal from the American Labor Studies Center, and the NEXT Award for Emerging Museum Professionals from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network.
Founded in 1881, the Kerry Association of New York is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the people of Kerry connected through culture, community, and charitable support.
The Association has donated more than $700,000 to charities, community groups, and individuals in need, both in County Kerry and across the New York area.
The Association is currently undertaking a major capital campaign to support the Kerry Hall, its community center in Yonkers, New York.
The Kerry Hall receives no government funding and serves as a vital cultural hub for the Irish community, hosting 12 community groups and welcoming more than 10,000 patrons annually through cultural, educational, and social programming.
Dr. Elizabeth Stack will be honored at the Kerry Association’s Annual Fundraiser Dinner on Friday March 20th, 2026 at Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester NY, just outside Manhattan.
Proceeds from the evening will support the Association’s charitable work and the ongoing Kerry Hall capital campaign where $100,000 is needed to fund urgent repairs to The Kerry Hall and secure its future.
Tickets and sponsorships for the annual dinner are available at www.nykerry.org
https://traleetoday.ie/listowel-native-named-kerry-association-of-new-york-kerry-person-of-the-year/
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Joseph Pronechen Nation- February 9, 2026
Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) was one of the best-known Catholics of 20th-century America and the world. His preaching on radio and TV drew acclaim, and he also served as a bishop, first as an auxiliary of the Archdiocese of New York and then as bishop of Rochester, New York, from 1966 to 1969.
On July 6, 2019, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to Fulton Sheen’s intercession, paving the way for the venerable bishop to be beatified that Dec. 19. But a challenge put the beatification in a holding pattern — until now, as Sheen’s beatification is now able to move forward.
Pending the big day, here are 11 surprising, fascinating facts about Fulton J. Sheen.
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What is a 'session'?
A session is a gathering of musicians who want to get together on a regular basis to play commonly known tunes. This can be for both personal enjoyment and the entertainment of others. Informal gatherings for the sharing of music, song and dance have a long history in Irish culture, and from this has come the organised traditional Irish music sessions found in pubs and clubs in Ireland and throughout the Irish diaspora. A session is always a social occasion as much as a musical one.
This is an exciting opportunity for musicians and singers to express their talents and to entertain patrons of the Canberra Irish Club.
All musicians are welcome to attend.
Just email [email protected] for more information.
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Australia Story; Earlier in the trip while strolling through the delightful village of Richmond and glancing downwards, I saw a tiny wire and wood sculpture on the pavement, an ornament of sorts, of two daisies peeking through an iron fence, obviously dropped by someone, but now mine. Then just now in the churchyard, I stop to pick up a random sprig of white paper daisies, left behind by a grieving or remembering relative. I keep both, entwined together, feeling Mary’s presence just behind my shoulder urging me on, and guiding me to look down, to look back, to continue her story, a trip to Dublin and Waterford already taking shape inmy mind. You never know what you might find about the past and about yourself if you take your time to notice the daisies and to follow the footsteps.
Recently retired from teaching in Adelaide, Amanda Williams holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Flinders University. She is looking forward to spending more time researching her ancestors.
https://tintean.org.au/2026/02/10/in-the-footsteps-of-mary-a-travellers-tale-of-ancestry/
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AUSTRALIA: Peg Cockram is well known to many Irish and Irish-Australians who go to Bloomsday, to Celtic Club cultural events, and the Melbourne Irish Studies Seminar circles. She was a serial attender of a dedicated kind. She died on 13 November 2020. ----------------------
Her story began in 1928, at the once semi-derelict Wilton House 1.5 miles from Rathkeale in Co. Limerick. Her father, John FitzGerald, had inherited his small farm at the extreme end of the Golden Vale from a much wealthier lineage, from great grandparent, Big John of the three wives, who had married two Murray sisters, and from parents John and Marie Neville. Peg had fond memories of the big house at Wilton, with its stories of gold hidden in the basement and its hidden passages and recesses.
https://tintean.org.au/2020/12/10/vale-young-peg-1928-2020/
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MONUMENT Australia website is a historical and educational research site which records the public monuments and memorials in all Australian States and Territories under various themes. These public monuments and memorials were erected by a public desire to commemorate people or events.
Monuments and memorials reflect important values within the community that should be documented and preserved, and this website aims to help in the preservation of this aspect of the cultural history of Australia.
We do not record monuments or memorials that have been erected by families to commemorate family members. We consider these to be private monuments. Also, historical plaques which do not commemorate an event are not recorded either.
https://www.monumentaustralia.org/
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This site is no longer being updated. For those that follow this blog, why don’t you head over to our new blog.
https://lesleyanderich.wordpress.com
Follow our travels on that site. For all of our followers, there is a new follow button on the bottom of the page. The latest posts are about our stay at Lara Wetlands. Birds
https://nussbaumerweb.wordpress.com/
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Vietnam trip
https://nussbaumerweb.wordpress.com/category/2017-our-trips-during-the-year/vietnam/
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This is a statue to honour Thomas Byrnes in the middle of the main intersection in Warwick. He was of poor Irish background and made it to become a parliamentarian at age 38 – only 5 months later he died of pneumonia. In Warwick he is a symbol for what can be achieved from humble beginnings.
https://nussbaumerweb.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/warwick/
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by Robancy A. Helen- February 9, 2026
Men and women are complementary to one another, and the effective functioning of society depends on the contributions of both, yet in many parts of India, daughters continue to be treated as unwanted. This contradiction remains one of the most painful and least examined aspects of Indian society. While girls are sometimes welcomed when they compensate for the absence of sons, they are rarely celebrated as "princesses," particularly when born as first daughters.
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Joe Wilson, a young Scotsman on the path to sainthood
By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
January 27, 2026 at 9:30 AM ET
“I will always be close to God, because he is the most important thing in my life.”
This is how Joe Wilson, a young Scotsman on the path to sainthood, expressed his profound relationship with the Lord in his personal diary, which since his sudden death at the age of 17 in 2011 has inspired many people around the world.
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The last Scottish-born person to be canonized was St. John Ogilvie, a Jesuit priest martyred in Glasgow in 1615 and canonized by Paul VI in 1976.
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"You mean sixty-one seconds. You said sixty-one minutes, but you mean a little over one minute."
"No," I said. "He didn’t have a pulse for over an hour."
After a healthy pregnancy, on September 16, 2010, Bonnie L. Engstrom delivered a stillborn baby boy. After sixty-one minutes, just when the doctors were going to call a time of death, James Fulton’s heart began to beat.
In that sixty-one minutes, the Engstrom’s been asking for and counting on the powerful intercession of James’s namesake: Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
That James was alive at all was a miracle. But the rest of the story is even more amazing.