Crannóggy Island

  O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1) Prologue: The Landscape Within I’ve walked a long road, and the older I grow, the more I see that the desert isn’t just somewhere you visit, it also slowly unfolds inside. As a child, I imagined the spiritual life as a mountain to climb, milestones and clear vistas. But after decades in mental health and social work, in cramped offices with flickering fluorescent lights, it feels more like wandering through a vast terrain. The ‘desert’ I speak of isn’t sand and wind. It’s the state of the human heart in our restless times: the ache for meaning amid abundance, the hunger for love amid noise, the search for meaning in comfort. The Church knows this desert. She walks through changing landscapes, her voice shifting as the world changes. When I was young, she spoke with warning and clarity, guarding truths, though sometimes sh...

  Prologue: The Controversy in Rome In early September 2025, an event in Rome sparked significant controversy among Catholics worldwide. The incident occurred during the Jubilee Year, a time traditionally marked by pilgrimage, penitence, and spiritual renewal. A group of activist Catholic LGBTQ+ organisations participated in a public demonstration calling for greater inclusion within the Church.  The group entered several significant religious sites, including the Church of the Gesù and St. Peter's Basilica, carrying rainbow-coloured crosses. some were wearing T-shirts that bore slogans considered profane and irreverent. According to reports and photographs circulated online, one shirt read "F*uk the Rules." Participants described their action as a "pilgrimage of inclusion," passing through the Holy Door to affirm that LGBTQ+ Catholics, too, sought mercy during the Jubilee. Organisers of the groups insisted their act was devotional, not defiant, a public ...