The courage to answer the Lord’s call

The courage to answer the Lord’s call

“Everyone has a calling in life. Vocations Sunday is a chance to recognise that. Sometimes we think a vocation is only for priests and nuns. But that’s not the case. In and through life’s circumstances, God is calling each person to become fully alive, fully in tune with his plan for them …”

The occurrence of a global pandemic has only brought to the fore the essential work the religious do around the world in fields of healthcare and education. Medical missionaries, christian educators and diocesan priests have all rallied together to support and heal society as it fights back the scourge of this virus

As the leading publisher of religious and theology books in Ireland, Columba Books has published a wide variety of books that explore religious life in historical monasteries and abbeys of Ireland:

Glenstal Abbey: Through the Seasons

Through this collection of stunning images, we get a rare insight into the daily life of the community of Benedictine monks based in Glenstal Abbey, Co. Limerick. From the sacred liturgical celebrations to the buzz at Glenstal Abbey school, to the silence and prayer of the guesthouses and retreats, and the beauty of the woods, gardens and farm, this book captures a unique way of life.

€24.99
Sending Positive Vibes

Born and brought up in Dublin, Fr Bryan Shortall shares his daily rigours as a Capuchin priest in the city. The book reads as a diary written over the course of the year, consisting of Fr Bryan’s memories and reflectionsand offers a rare insight into the lives of the priests and religious who work so tirelessly about us – a stark reminder of the good that the religious continue to do in modern Ireland.

€12.99
Let Nothing Trouble You

One of the most famous Carmelites, Teresa of Avila lived well, prayed well and was as much at home in the kitchen as in the chapel. She knew how to make poetry, music and dance from her spiritual experiences. Of the thousands of words written by her, few have struck such a universal chord throughout the centuries as the short, pithy lines of her ‘Bookmark’. They are her meditation on the daily struggle of life.

€9.99
A Year in the Life: Glencairn Abbey

Through a series of images and words we get a rare insight into the daily life of the Sisters of St Mary’s Abbey in Glencairn, County Waterford. Nestled in the rich heartland of Waterford, they live out their lives through work and prayer. There is a mysticism and rhythm to their daily life, which is intertwined with the seasons of nature and liturgies of the year. Their lives are a true, living, monastic journey fulfilling the motto of St Benedict ora et labora.

€24.99
A Short Life of St Vincent de Paul

Founder of the Vincentians and the Daughters of Charity, Vincent de Paul is the great saint of the poor and yet his life story shows that his journey was long and tortuous. His personal ambition and a natural inclination towards wealth characterised his early life, and the dark and difficult times he experienced in the course of his conversion are an inspiration to everyone. A modern biographyof this popular saint whose influence is felt by so many in their daily lives.

€8.99