The person who has never made an enemy will never make a friend.
It is a foolish judge who, before the evidence is presented, makes a judgement.
Pride in office without competence is as much a sin as competence without confidence.
I have done everything that you have asked, Brother Saxon,’ he told Eadulf. ‘Brother Madagan has regained consciousness but is weak. Abbot Ségdae has also recovered and is trying to organise the breth...
Two centuries ago, a New Faith came to this land. Many found it an alien creed. Others merged it in with the old ideas and values. But in that interval, between the decaying and disappearance of the O...
Lus mór na coille.
If people are forced to suppress the emotion of love for their fellow human beings then they certainly can’t have love for anything else, including God.
Half-a-dozen men had emerged on foot from the woods on the far side of the road. They were led by a man mounted on a horse – a burly man with long unkempt hair curling from underneath a polished bronz...
Why should I hide That he is still my heart’s desire More than all the world. A furnace blast Of love has melted my heart Without his love, it can beat no more.
For those who are sceptical about such events as the wives of clerics and other religious being sold into slavery with the sanction of Rome, I have to point out the following: during the time of Pope...
Fear binds people together in a way that cannot be achieved by other means. Those who would convert the people back to the old ways need fear, need something that will drive
The young woman continued to frown, displaying her irritation. ‘You would continue on and leave one of our brethren in this manner? Unblessed and unburied?’ Her voice was sharp and angry.
Sister Fidelma raised an eyebrow. ‘The beggar seems to be one of our countrymen, Mother Abbess,’ she said. The Abbess Étain moved forward to join her. ‘A beggar. They suffer greatly from the arrogance...
Beliefs are things to be cherished but we cannot be intolerant of others whose beliefs we disagree with. That intolerance can lead to war and even murder.
We all have a memory and can memorise things. The more important thing is how we act on that which we know.
Is not a book of more value than metal?’ asked Cumscrad. ‘It is the fruit of a person’s brain and contains knowledge and ideas; it has power greater than gold because knowledge and ideas can change pe...
I have need of a knife to cut our brother down,’ she explained. ‘We must pray for his soul and accord him a Christian burial.’ The others cast uneasy glances at each other.
The reason was not hard to discern. The head of the body was also shaven with the tonsure of Columba. What remained of his clothing proclaimed it to have once consisted of the habit of a religieux, th...
We are a people who question all things and only through our questions can we hope to arrive at the Great Truth and we must stand by the Truth even if we stand against the world.