Two things I’ve discovered since coming to Ireland: first, that there is a huge hunger for God here that I have not seen elsewhere. There is a hunger for God here. Secondly, because of this hunger, I believe there is evidence of a new hope arising in Ireland that we are on the cusp of experiencing.
While in Ireland, we visited the Shrine of St Brigid. We could not leave because people at the shrine held us there. First, we prayed our Vespers and sang over the land. Then a young couple approached us while we were praying. As soon as we had finished, two of the sisters approached the couple, who immediately shared their deepest concerns with them. They told us what they were concerned about. One of the sisters prayed for them, and at the last moment, the woman leaned forward and asked, ‘Sister, how do you deal with bad thoughts?’ It’s a question we all ask. How do you handle the difficulties in your life? The sisters spoke to them about the power of God’s love and forgiveness, and the sacraments. They had barely taken a couple more steps when one of the sisters noticed a woman who was crying alone. The sister approached her, and when she saw the sister, she rolled down her window. Almost instantly, her shoulders began to shake as she started to sob. She said little to the sister, but what she said was enough for the sister to approach her. The sister asked if she could pray for her, and she nodded. As she was getting into the car, two other women who had seen what had just happened and wanted what she had just received asked them to bless their medals. They tried to explain that a priest would probably be better, but they were not happy with that. But they were not content with this answer. With the persistence we have seen time and time again, they persisted. The sisters suggested, “Let us ask the Father for a blessing together.” What they saw was God changing and entering everything.
Change
God is doing something special in Ireland. It’s not complicated. He’s changing lives and he’s coming when you and I say “yes. Come, Lord Jesus.” If you and I see him somewhere and ask for more, look for him more. Because every time we meet Jesus Christ, it changes us, even if we don’t realise it. He has the power to save, transform and make our lives new. I think the best sign of hope we have seen in Ireland is that people are hungry for God. This hunger is not being stopped because the truth is that God is less interested in changing you than you becoming you.
When we talk about hope, I just want to say that it’s not about getting tough until things in our life get better. The Church tells us every day in the morning prayer that being hard-hearted is the one thing it warns us against.
People around the world are longing to experience God. Young people are looking for answers in crystals, witchcraft and the occult. Why? Because God made us to experience him. For him to have. It has a real impact on our lives.
God’s not about fixing you; he’s about finding you again and again, exactly where you are”
I thought that faith was just about getting it right. Doing the right thing and making God happy. I checked the box on every Catholic checklist I made for myself, and I thought that if I try hard enough, God would be pleased. But I was barely living life to the full.
Even when things go wrong, the most important thing is not to worry, but to have a close relationship with Jesus.
Every person’s life is God’s gift to them, and that’s true both in Heaven and on Earth. Yes, in Heaven, but right now. You know his love and you feel it in your heart as well as your head. God’s not about fixing you; he’s about finding you again and again, exactly where you are.
Because God created you to be friends.
God sees the good things you do and never forgets them. And when we confess, we are restored to our good nature.
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Fragment from a talk which took place in Sligo during the Jubilee Night of Hope & Healing. Sr Mary Grace SV shares on the topic of Hope during this Jubilee Year of Hope and reflects on her experiences in Ireland during their Mission Trip in May 2025. Sr Mary Grace grew up on the shores of Sydney, Australia, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame Australia with a degree in Theology. She is a member of Sisters for Life in Denver, Colorado
