31st March 2019 - Trócaire Lenten Campaign 2019 - Colm Hogan

On this week's programme Colm Hogan from Trócaire speaks with the team about the Trócaire Lenten Campaign for 2019 which focuses on land rights, especially in relation to Maria, Maya and Patricia, the girls on the 2019 Trócaire boxes. Colm also tells us about the different projects Trócaire are involved in throughout the world and ways in which we at home can get involved. In our programme we also continue our reflection from Bishop Brendan's Lenten Pastoral Letter and we have our usual Gospel reflection, saints of the week and notices.

You can listen to the podcast of this weeks full programme HERE.

Trócaire Lenten Campaign 2019 - Colm Hogan

Colm Hogan from Trócaire came on the programme to speak about their  Lenten Campaign for 2019 which focuses on land rights this year. Land is a human rights and justice issue.  In our world today, one quarter of families are landless. Colm spoke especially about Maria, Maya and Patricia, the girls on the 2019 Trócaire boxes, and how each were made homeless and/or landless due to injustice, greed and war.

Colm also spoke about the different initiatives and projects Trócaire are involved with throughout the world and how we at home can get involved through volunteer outreach, the Lenten Campaign, giving directly via the Trócaire website or through their Gifts of Love (which is a range of sustainable and ethical gifts). 

You can listen to the interview excerpted from the main programme podcast HERE.

Gospel - Luke 15:1-3,11-32

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.

‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.

‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.

‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”

‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”’

Reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
English Dominicans
Centre for Liturgy
Sunday Reflections

Liturgical odds & ends

Liturgy of the Hours - Psalter week 4; 4th week of Lent

Saints of the Week

April 1st - St. Ceallach (Celsus)
April 2nd - St. Francis of Paola
April 3rd - St. Agape
April 4th - St. Isidore of Seville
April 5th - St. Vincent Ferrer
April 6th - St. William of Eskilsoe

Notices

'Journey towards Transformation' - will be held in St. Mary of the Rosary Church, Nenagh on April 7th, 8th and 9th from 7.30pm. Each night will have input, reflection, meditation and live music and is facilitated by Martina Lehane Sheehan and her husband, Pat. All are welcome to this unique three night journey of meditation, scripture and healing.