1.  Novena of Grace

The Novena of Grace, in honour of St Francis Xavier, takes place from March 4th-12th each year.  Now in its 299th consecutive year in inner-city Dublin, people come also from other parts of Dublin and Ireland.

St. Francis Xavier was a student of Saint Ignatius Loyola and co-founder of the Society of Jesus.

Fr. Dónal Neary, parish priest in Gardiner St. parish speaks to Liam Ó Cathasaigh about the Novena, its history, and what it means to him personally.

 

2.  Ecumenical Perspectives on Lent

On successive Thursdays during lent, Churches in the Stillorgan / Blackrock / Booterstown area of Dublin are holding several Ecumenical Lenten Talks and discussions on issues relating to Christianity.

The communities involved are: the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

For the first lecture Revd Ray Moloney and Dr Andrew Pierce discussed ecumenical issues surrounding the Eucharist or Holy Communion.

Dr. Andrew Pierce is a lecturer in Ecumenical Theology, at the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin.
Liam began by asking Dr. Andrew about his address to the audience of over two hundred people who attended the first of the Lecture series,
where the communities discussed the issues that bring them together and Divide them.

 

 

3.  International Woman’s Day – March 8th


Suraya Pakzad is a 38-year-old Afghan woman from the province of Herat.

She is the Founder of the Voice of Women Organization in Afghanistan, is married and has six children.  She has been helping Afghan women since 1998, when she started running a secret home school for girls.  The period of the Taliban was a big challenge, as girls and women were not allowed access to education.

She focuses on education and basic legal and social rights not only for free women, but also for women who are in prison.

She speaks to Liam Ó Cathasaigh about her work, the current situation in Afghanistan, and her hopes for the future.  Liam began by asking her about the history of the Voice of Women Organisation.