Among the Fields of God: Poetry from Parish Life
Sean O’Leary’s new poetry collection, Among the Fields of God, looks at faith as it is lived in Irish parishes today. Instead of focusing on headlines or big events, the poems celebrate the quiet, faithful people who keep parish life going: sacristans, catechists, Eucharistic ministers, secretaries, volunteers, pastoral workers, priests and ordinary parishioners.
The poems grew out of the rich experiences of everyday parish ministry with lay women and men undertaking the Diploma in Pastoral Ministry or the Certificate in Collaboration & Mission, conversations with priests, pastoral visits, funerals, school work and the small acts of service that rarely make the news. At the heart of the collection is a simple idea: much of the Church’s most important work happens away from the spotlight, carried out by people whose faithfulness is known fully only to God.
The title reflects a hopeful vision. While talk of decline and challenge is common, these poems point to something else: God’s grace still at work in communities, relationships and ministries. Seeds are still being planted. New life is still growing.
Baptism runs through the book. Before any role or title, every Christian is called through baptism to share in Christ’s life and mission. Many of the poems show how this calling is lived out in homes, schools, nursing homes, funeral homes and local communities.
One poem was inspired by a parishioner who, after Mass each Sunday, brought Holy Communion to a neighbour who could no longer get to church. She listened, shared Scripture, prayed and stayed for a chat. Moments like these may seem small, but they show something essential about the Church: Christ being carried into ordinary places through ordinary acts of love.
Written during a time of real change in the Irish Church, the poems do not ignore the difficulties. Instead they view them through the lens of the Paschal Mystery – endings and beginnings held together, loss and renewal side by side, with Easter hope at the centre.
Gratitude is another strong thread. The poems honour those who continue to serve generously despite challenging times, recognising a quiet holiness in steadfast presence: at hospital bedsides, gravesides, in hospitality and in the unseen tasks that sustain parish life.
In his foreword, Bishop Ger Nash speaks of the importance of noticing. That spirit shapes the whole collection. These poems invite readers to pause and recognise God’s presence in familiar places and everyday encounters.
Among the Fields of God is for anyone involved in parish life – priests, pastoral teams, parish councils, catechists and volunteers. It is a celebration of the people who continue to build up the Church through generosity, commitment and hope.
Ultimately, the collection tells a truthful story about the Church: one that acknowledges real challenges while also recognising the enduring presence of grace. It invites us to see holiness in familiar faces and to trust in the quiet work of God among his people.
Among the Fields of God by Sean O’Leary, with a foreword by Bishop Ger Nash, is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.