Pilgrimage Points by Irish Jesuits

André Brouillette SJ, author of The Pilgrim Paradigm: Faith in Motion and lecturer at Boston College speaks with Pat Coyle about the three aspects of Pilgrimage, embodiment, vulnerability, and memory.

'Wildness and Structure' was just one of the many themes to emerge from the SpIRE (Spirituality Institute for Research and Education) lecture. The general title for the event was 'Pilgrimage by Land or Sea: Portal to Spiritual Awakening and Eco Awareness.'

The keynote presenters were André Brouillette SJ, lecturer in Boston College, USA, and author of The Pilgrim Paradigm: Faith in Motion. And Dónal Ó Céilleachair, award-winning filmmaker of The Camino Voyage, a documentary following the pilgrimage of four men in a boat who rowed from Dublin to Santiago de Compostela.

In this interview with Pat Coyle, Brian Grogan SJ remembers his friend the late Imogen Stuart, renowned German-Irish artist.

Well-known papal author Austen Ivereigh's latest book, 'First Belong: On Retreat with Pope Francis' is a new departure for him and he explains why in this with Pat Coyle of Irish Jesuit Communications.

Imogen Stuart, German-Irish sculptor influenced by 19th-century Expressionism and early Irish Christian art died at the age of 96 on 24 March 2024. On 4 November 2017 Imogen joined Brian Grogan SJ for an open interview with a live audience in Knock. The live interview was captured and can be listened to at the link above.

In the interview Imogen discusses various aspects of her life and art down the years, her grandson Émile flashes images of her work on a large screen behind her as Imogen provides an in depth look at each piece of art.

Imogen says “The Holy Spirit is most definitely in my work”. This was especially true of one of her carvings, namely a  bee-hive cell, along the lines of those on Skellig Michael, ‘though Imogen’s was made out of cedar wood and not the stone that the monks would have used. The cell is used as a meditation room to this day and can be found in Knock at knock Shrine.

Author Brian Brock speaks with Pat Coyle about 'disability theology', the Christian community and how it responds to those with disabilities.

Brian Grogan SJ launches a 'Creation Walk' developed around the extensive church grounds of Knock Basilica on Saturday 25 May 2024, 10.30 am -3.30 pm.

The walk is a wheelchair-friendly half-kilometer of stations telling the story of the creation of the universe, with gospel quotes to aid meditation and prayerful reflection along the way, The walk, a first for Ireland, is inspired by Brian Grogan's latest book 'Creation Walk - The Amazing Story of a Small Blue Planet.

As Brian tells Pat Coyle in the interview above, the 'Creation Walk' is a scientific story told along a contemplative path that one walks in the presence of the great God-creator who gifts us with all of good things. He also tells her how the walk came to be, the spirituality that underpins it, and his hopes for its future development.

'New Models of Solidarity and Collaboration' was the title of a talk given by Fr Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orabator, to Jesuits and colleagues who gathered in the Arrupe Room, Milltown Park, Dublin on Monday 4 March 2024 at 7pm. His friend and fellow Jesuit John Guiney SJ, Director of Irish Jesuits International, warmly welcomed him to Ireland to give this talk and the Trocaire lecture the following evening.

Fr Orobator is the dean of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. He is widely known for his scholarship and talks on the study of the Church, and for his specific focus on ethics, human rights, and human dignity.

You can listen to his talk followed by a probing question and answer session.

When James (Jim Foley) an American journalist, was tragically murdered by the terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) in 2014 a video showing his beheading was released by the group, shocking the world and drawing widespread condemnation. Jim Foley's death was a horrific and senseless act of violence but his heartbroken mother, Diane Foley was determined that her son's death would not be in vain.

In this interview with Pat Coyle, she is joined by well-known Irish author (based in New York) Colm McCann. He has just co-published a book about Diane and Jim called American Mother. Together they tell her of, what they call, the God -instances that brought them together and how they continue.

Diane speaks of both her and Jim's Jesuit connections. He attended the Jesuit-run Marquette University where 'Be the Difference' was their motto, which she says, changed him. She did the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius every week in a little church in Maine, all through Jim's captivity in Syria. "Two years of prayer that got me through it," she says.