RTÉ - Sunday Spirit

In the last programme in the current series we'll hear of the upcoming visit to Ireland of two relics of St. Anthony of Padua. Plus Fr Eamon Conway on his new book and we'll hear plans for the the first Irish speaking congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Galway.

This morning Michael talks with Jayne Ozanne, a founder member of the Archbishops' Council in the Church of England about her work as a Director of Accepting Evangelicals and as Ecumenical Bible Week 2016 comes to a close in Dublin today we hear about the event in it's third year.

Ed Parkinson from Eckankar Ireland and Catherine McCann who talks about Shekina - her Wicklow garden.

Fr. Donal Neary on the life of Fr.Michael Paul Gallagher S.J. The Gospel Rising Music Festival and a preview of a new exhibition of sacred scripture at the Chester Beatty Library

Bishop Willie Walsh talks about his life and his views on a role for women in the Roman Catholic Church. Also is Mindfulness just a new buzzword and what are it's connections to faith and spirituality, and Joe Duffy tells us about a commemoration service for the Children on 1916.

Michael's guests include Monsignor Hugh Connolly, President of Maynooth University, Dr John Cullen talks about his research in the use of the phrase pagan in Irish media and Maan Kantar talk about the healing power of sound and meditation.

On the Sunday Spirit this morning - the work of the Dublin Interfaith Forum, a preview of Rubicon 2016 and that "religion" question on the Census form.

We review Laudato' Si, the Pope's second encyclical with Catherine Devitt, and Fr. Dermot Lane, continues our theme as he talks about his paper on contemporary Catholic Education.

A special edition of the programme which explores a selection of some of the images of Christ in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.

Fr.Gabriel Daly talks about Church reform, Sr.Joan Roddy on life in direct provision facilities and a preview of the film Risen with Dr.David Shepherd of the Loyola Institute.

The spirituality found in the writing of Virginia Woolf, an update on the refugees on the island of Kos and the steps towards the beatification of Father John Sullivan.

Today, a new course in Theology that focuses on Spirituality and we'll hear about plans for an event next week where young people can explore faith and life - Faith Fest 2016.

This morning the story of Dag Hammarskjöld, the UN Secretary General who died in 1961, his biographer Dr.Roger Lipsey talks about the spirituality that guided this Nobel Prize winner. And we hear the story behind the Book of Kells, described by James Joyce as "the most purely Irish thing we have"

Three women tell three different stories of faith and spirituality, for Catherine McCann it was a solo trip to India at the age of 80, for Bronagh Catibušic travelling to Croatia to help refugees gave her new insight and for Rosin Fitzpatrick a near death experience became the catalyst to change her life.

On this mornings programme the story of one woman's reparations for the campaigns of Oliver Cromwell and new research on Islamophobia in Ireland.

Lent starts next week and the question is, are the health benefits of 40 days of abstinence worth considering, we'll hear from Professor Donal O'Shea.

This morning on Sunday Spirit, on the eve of St.Brigid's Day, Dolores Whelan talks about Brigid of Faughart, saint and goddess.

This morning we hear from Fergus Quinlan an architect who drafted his thoughts on reason and philosophy while on a 40,000 mile voyage that started in Bellharbour County Clare.

Dr.Eddie Deevey talks of his time in 1960s America and we hear of a Belfast conference that seeks to explore the events of 1916 the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme.

We hear from Archbishop John McAreavey who is in Gaza as part of the Holy Land Co-ordination Group. Theologian Angela Hanley on A La Carte Catholics and Poet and writer John F. Deane talks about his early life and his book, Give Dust a Tongue.

This week the programme looks back to five interviews from 2015 that left a lasting impression on listeners.

Valerie Cox tells of working with refugees on Kos, Dr Robert Hensey on Brú na Bóinne ahead of the solstice and Baz Ashmawy talks about his search for the faith of his father.

On this mornings programme, philosopher Mark Dooley on home, memory and personal identity in the cyber age and Mary Burke from Crystal Swing on the power of prayer in her life.

This weeks guest is Fr.Brian Darcy on his book ."And Catch the Heart Off Guard".

Michaels guest is Robbie Merrigan who 4 years ago, following kidney failure found himself like over 500 other people facing the prospect of being on the kidney transplant list. Plus Niamh McManus reports from Rubicon 2015, a discussion about the intersection between faith and culture.

Today, Frank Kelly on his faith and his famous role as Fr.Jack Hackett in the comedy, Father Ted. Plus, Doris McCann and Fardus Sultan talk about Sisters of Faith for Peace.

This morning an extended interview with Carol Ann Milton, author of The Coldest Night and suicide prevention activist and there's a report on faith at the Web Summit 2015.

Actress and author Mary McEvoy talks about her book 'Ordinary Beauty - Meaningful Moments in Everyday Life'. Plus Wendy Grace talks about the 2015 Synod of the Family.

Michael Nugent talks with Michael Comyn and argues that atheism provides a better model of reality. Plus a look at faith action with Crosscare.

On todays programme we hear from writer, poet and theologian Padraig O'Tuama about living well in a troubled world.