Our Spirituality
Trinitarian
We are lay, male and female, religious, and priests, who have a common bond in building community for the task of evangelising. Our relationships and mission are based on the Trinity. We come to the Father through Jesus in the power and love of the Holy Spirit.
Our work involves missionary outreach to schools and parishes. In addition, our community places paramount importance on the need, in these times, to motivate, mobilise, teach and equip people in the whole area of the New Evangelisation. So, in essence, to be a member of Céilí Community is to live a spiritual life in missionary action.
Patrician
Our Roots.
Our history has its foundations rooted in the writings and tradition of St Patrick. This firm foundation, ancient though it is, has freed us to build community life that looks to the future, with the values of unity, truth, outreach and love as their guiding principles. So, Saint Patrick’s life is as relevant today as it was over 1500 years ago because he too searched for meaning and mission in his life. We firmly believe that in these days of uncertainty and so-called virtual reality, we should go back to our own roots of Christianity in Ireland. So, conscious of the unique heritage bequeathed to us by our national Apostle, St. Patrick, we called our Community Céilí Naomh Phádraig (Companions of St. Patrick) or in short Céilí Community.
Our Logo
According to tradition, the Hill of Tara in County Meath, was the Coronation place and ceremonial centre of the pre-Christian, High Kings of Ireland, with whom St. Patrick was often in conflict. Patrick is said to have lit a paschal fire on the nearby Hill of Slane on the morning of Easter 433, in defiance of the order of the pagan High King, Laoire, who had forbidden this act.
Our Logo at the top of this page makes the connection with St. Patrick’s blazing paschal fire on the Hill of Slane, signifying the risen Jesus, the Light of the World, and the kerygma we are called to preach.
Modern Ireland
However, there is no denying that life has changed since St. Patrick’s time. We have advanced in technology, knowledge and science, but that same search that St. Patrick embarked upon is still alive with us today. As St. Patrick said, “In the knowledge of this faith in the Trinity, and without letting the dangers prevent it, it is right to make known the gift of God and his eternal consolation.” {Confessions of St Patrick # 14}
We find that an awareness of the quality of spiritual soil in which St. Patrick planted the seed of God’s Word helps us appreciate the importance of the Christian faith in our country and gives us all a better understanding of the unprecedented harvest which he reaped in the face of enormous difficulties.