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World Youth Day- Lisbon 2023

Image: www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk On Tuesday of this week, August 2nd, Pope Francis arrived in Portugal for the first World Youth Day (WYD) since the Covid -19 Pandemic.  He was accompanied by journalists on the papal flight, and he joked with them that he will return to Rome on Sunday “more youthful”.  WYD brings together young people… Read More

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The Mystery of Holy Week

Image: Canva When we enter Holy Week and Jesus enters Jerusalem, we begin to confront the great mystery of our faith – the  Paschal Mystery: the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Christians call this “a mystery” because it is a truth known only because it has been revealed to us by God.  Reason alone… Read More

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Happy Anniversary Pope Francis!

Image:www.americamagazine.org On Monday of this week, Pope Francis marked 10 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church by celebrating Mass with cardinals in the chapel of the Vatican’s Santa Marta residence where he has lived since his election.  He never took possession of the papal apartments in the Apostolic palace used by his predecessors,… Read More

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The Transfiguration of the Lord

Image: www.catholicnewsagency.com In his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Maria, Pope St John Paul II instituted the Luminous Mysteries, also referred to as the Mysteries of Light.  The Fourth Mystery is a meditation on the Transfiguration of the Lord and the gospel reading at Mass last Sunday was about this beautiful and glorious event. The word… Read More

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Some Symbolic Lenten Foods

Image: Canva The word ‘symbol’ comes from a Greek word that means ‘to juxtapose’ or  ‘throw together’. Broadly, a symbol can be an object, word, or drawing that represents another reality not directly perceivable or expressed. An obvious example is the exchange of wedding rings which symbolize the love of a couple getting married. Symbols… Read More

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Left Out in the Cold

Image: StSavioursPriory Two people I was talking with recently both mentioned in passing that snow is expected later in the year. This is not good news. We have been warned incessantly that we are facing a very difficult winter ahead, mainly as a consequence of the huge rise in energy costs caused by Putin’s war… Read More

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No Catholics Need Apply !

  Image:members.parliament.uk History was made on two accounts this week when Liz Truss was elected Prime  Minister in the United Kingdom. For the first time the Leader and the Deputy Leader are both women and the latter, Thérèse Coffey, is the first Catholic to serve in this position. There has only been one baptized Catholic… Read More

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Saint Rose of Lima

Image:www.catholicnewsagency.com This week on Tuesday the 23rd we celebrated the feast day of St Rose of Lima who was the first canonized saint of the Americas.  She was born in Lima in 1585, the eleventh child of Spanish Indian parents.  From her earliest days, she showed an awareness of  God and His Son Jesus.  When… Read More

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Defender of the Faith: Then and Now

Image:neemopani.com Last weekend was a very special one for the citizens of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as they observed  4 days of celebration to mark the Platinum Jubilee of  Queen Elizabeth II. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British History with the previous record-holder being her great-great-grandmother, Victoria who was on the throne… Read More

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The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Image: www.olmcsandiego.org Next week we celebrate the lovely feast of the Visitation when Mary went to visit her much older cousin, Elizabeth. This came about because Gabriel, the Angel who told her she was to be the mother of Jesus also gave her more extraordinary news when he said Elizabeth was going to have a… Read More

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The Good Shepherd

Image:shcct.com Last weekend on 8 May the Church celebrated the Fourth Sunday of Easter which is also called Good Shepherd Sunday.  Even in these industrial and technological times, the image of the Shepherd is an instantly recognisable one.  The Shepherd is the person who looks after the sheep and traditionally protects them from predators, animals,… Read More

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The Annunciation of the Lord

  Image:www.reddit.com Mach 25th, marks the Feast of the Annunciation, where the Archangel Gabriel, with Mary, begins the journey of Christianity. This is the moment when God’s decision to break into human history is revealed to the person who is essential for its progression. As Jesus came to earth to do the father’s will, Mary… Read More