FREE CATHOLIC MONTHLY NEWSPAPER 100,000 REASONS ALIVE!NO. 254 APRIL 2019 | 250,000 COPIES NATIONWIDE | WWW.ALIVE.IE | TO PRAY PAGE 2 IT HAPPENED ON A STAG NIGHT PAGE 3 THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH OF RSE IN OUR PRIMARY SCHOOLS PAGE 8 Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. ONLY MISS THE SUN WHEN IT STARTS THIS EASTER TO SNOW PAGE 12 FAITH IN THE FAMILY TAKE A KNEESEE PAGE 2 PAGE 13 Poll shows swing to pro-life as extreme abortion bills debated PAGE 4 • The content of the newspaper ALIVE! and the views expressed in it are those of the editor and contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Irish Dominican Province. 2 | ALIVE! APRIL 2019 Lord Mayor hosts group who FROM PAGE 1 helped pregnant friend in need THIS EASTER TAKE A KNEE he Lord Mayor of Dublin, The Lord Mayor said he was and community spirit that helps to Independent Councillor, Nial pleased to meet the Gianna Care strengthen our community, my city TRing has hosted Gianna Care volunteers, and noted that the gen- and our society. Over 22,500 citi- volunteers in a Here to Help event uine commitment and compassion zens have been into the Mansion for the organisation in the Mansion that motivates their volunteers was House so far during my term of House. evident in the group, the majority office, and a huge number of them Photo: Steve Evans “I was happy to do so,” he said. of whom were women. come from the vital and often taken “I came across the work of Gianna “l would hope that most people for granted voluntary sector,” said Care when a friend of mine who across the political spectrum will Councillor Ring. was pregnant and in urgent need of agree that providing help and sup- The Independent TD for Offaly, support was given the emotional, port for women and families facing Carol Nolan TD, spoke at the event, financial and practical help she a crisis pregnancy is work worth where she said she was proud to be needed by their volunteers. I was supporting,” he said. amongst so many pro-life women most impressed by the kindness “One of my objectives as Lord who were offering women with an and the ongoing care they provided Mayor is to encourage and rec- unexpected pregnancy real support (and continue to provide) to her.” ognise the voluntary endeavours and alternatives to abortion. Tim Tebow. A great crowd attended the JACK WALSH a God that loves them and is with Gianna Care event in the them in the highs and the lows and Mansion House. that when they’re going through im Tebow, American foot- tough times, they’re not alone.” ball star, is well-known as Tebow has spoken at events Tbeing a devout Christian, organised by the Fellowship of Photo: Damian Rosiñski however speaking to Sports Spec- Christian Athletes, whose leaders trum about his new movie Run sign a Statement of Sexual Purity the Race he is realistic about which states that sex outside mar- one’s faith journey. riage and homosexual acts are It is not that practicing reli- unacceptable to God. gion should leave one “necessarily Run The Race opened recently thinking that life is going to be in cinemas in the US with impres- easier, but believing that what- sive box office of $2.2 million in ever they’re going through, there’s sales. No release date set for Ire- hope on the other side. That there’s land yet. Church. The group has four main objectives, one of which is to promote the extension of 100,000 a practical Christianity in all phases of life. And what could be more practical than prayer and indeed their new Holy Commun- reasons ion booklet ‘Lord hear my Prayer’, with over 100,000 copies being currently distributed throughout Ireland? to pray According to Adrian King, Supreme Chan- cellor of the Knights, the booklet is very user friendly and designed so that children can LIAM O’CONNOR pray with their parents. Mr King explains that one of the objectives of the publication is to “bring prayer into the family and into t is good and healthy for men to come the community”. together and pray”, according to Adrian For Adrian O’Boyle, along with bringing “IO’ Boyle, a young married man who is prayer into the family and community, it is a member of the Knights of St. Columbanus also important for people to be instructed in Mayo. in the faith and so his group of Knights in The Knights was founded in Belfast in 1915 Mayo are organising courses on apologetics by Fr. James O’Neill who was greatly influ- to help their members be “better equip[ped] enced by the social teaching of the Catholic to argue for the faith”. Adrian King and Adrian O’Boyle holding their new publication Photo: Cillian Kelly ‘Lord hear my Prayer’. APRIL 2019 ALIVE! | 3 There is more From a Brazilian favela to They would find a body outside to life than this an Irish parish the church almost every day. JACK WALSH Eric recounts “the priests dis- fallen into drug and alcohol addic- covered that the poor in the favelas tion”. And they have already started (slums) needed spiritual food and to attract new members. n one poor community in São so they brought Jesus in the blessed They also run regular retreats Paulo, through the power of the sacrament (setting up Eucharistic called Thalita Kum and it was at IEucharist, homicides went down adoration in a local church) into one such retreat that Ericka’s life Helena (left) with to zero in two years. This is the one of the most dangerous favelas was transformed. “It changed my Mairead Fleming, claim of Eric from Brazil, who now in Brazil”. Its impact was amazing. life”, she says. Ericka wants to also with Holy lives in Crumlin, Dublin, with his “Homicides went down to zero in bring this experience of Christ to Family Mission. wife Ericka. They are here as part of two years”, says Eric. others; and this is why she and her the Alliance of Mercy community, Eric and Ericka have set up an Alli- husband recommend people join LIAM O’CONNOR even considering to stay with Holy which was founded by two priests ance of Mercy community in Ireland. them at their next retreat. Family Mission for another year. in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2000, and A community that encourages its More details can be found on As Helena explains it is a pro- has since been recognised as a pri- members to perform works of mercy their Alliance of Mercy Irish Face- saw what Holy Family Mis- gramme that works, “as with a vate Association of faithful. “in order to redirect those who have book page. sion had done for my sister focus on the Eucharist you will “Iand I wanted what she had automatically find out who you are and that is why I decided to give and God’s plan for your life. I am it a year”, says Helena, a young now convinced my vocation is to woman from Limerick. marriage”, she said. The Holy Family Mission was set What they are taught at Holy up by Waterford’s Bishop Alphon- Family Mission, explains Helena, Photo: Cillian Kelly sus Cullinan in 2015. It is based in helps the young people to go out Glencomeragh House in Co. Water- and bring the Good News of Christ ford. Young adults spend a year to others: “Our words hopefully there learning about their faith, help people think – ‘maybe there praying together, and live in com- is more to life than this?’” munity with other young people. Helena is looking forward to Helena recalls that the first few their Passion play which will take Eric and Ericka (at the months were difficult, however place on the grounds of Glencom- back) with some members of their Alliance of Mercy she now feels very much at peace eragh on Good Friday. Visitors Irish Community. and very happy to be there, and is most welcome. IT HAPPENED ON A STAG NIGHT S P P JACK WALSH of energy on mission. However, they have many sacrifices built into their daily lives as missionaries. y the time of our Easter mission in For Conor the main sacrifice as a mis- Co. Antrim, we will have encoun- sionary is little contact with his family and “Btered over 5,000 young people”. friends: “We give up our phones and are This is the claim of Connor Duncan a young only on social media one hour per week”. man with a mission. A mission whose seed Aoife’s main sacrifice is the NET policy that was planted during a stag night in Spain. you eat what is put in front of you and she “I was on a stag night in Spain and on one hates “peppers, onions, and mushrooms”. of the streets I came across a religious pro- Community life can be a sacrifice, as with cession and I felt a stirring inside me ‘Ireland ten of them in the one van it will “always test needs to see this witness’,” explains Conor. one’s patience”, says Conor. However, he Discover the life and works of St. Pio When Conor got home he prayed about it also notes that living in close quarters “you Includes a full religious programme and visits to Pietrelcina the birth place of St Pio, and found NET Ministries. He then left his become closer like family.” the English Oce, capuchin friary and the Shrine of St.