Dec 21 – Memorial for St. Peter Canisius, priest, doctor of the Church St. Peter Canisius (1521–1597) was the son of Jacob Canisius, a wealthy burgomeister, and Ægidia van Houweningen, who died shortly after Peter’s birth. He was educated in Cologne, Germany, where he studied art, civil law, and theology. He received a master’s degree... Continue Reading →
19 December, Tuesday — Obeying God’s call to holiness
19 December Jdg 13:2-7,24-25Lk 1:5-25…must drink no wine, no strong drink. If you were to have known or met me pre-COVID, you would have noticed one thing about me – I enjoyed drinking alcohol. In my 20s and 30s (even into my mid 40s), I was well-known to be able to finish off a fair... Continue Reading →
18 December, Monday — Who Is God To You?
18 December Jer 23:5-8Mt 1:18-24 ... a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’. I am writing this while at a silent retreat in the rustic and peaceful grounds of the Cebu Center for Ignatian Spirituality, Jesuit Retreat House. On arrival in the evening of ‘Day Zero’, we were assigned a spiritual director and given a verse to... Continue Reading →
5 December, Tuesday — On Authenticity
Tuesday of the 1st Week of Advent Isa 11:1-10Lk 10:21-24 “…and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” I have just gotten through performance appraisal season and this time round, I decided to have one-on-one chats with the staff who were assessing others for their first time. In those chats, I was heartened... Continue Reading →
18 November, Saturday — The view from the other side of the Cross
Nov 18 – Memorial for the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul The Basilica of St. Peter is located within the Vatican City. It occupies a unique position as one of the holiest sites and as the greatest of all churches of Christendom. It is the burial site of St. Peter,... Continue Reading →
11 November, Saturday — Spirit move in our hearts
Nov 11 – Memorial for St. Martin of Tours, bishop St. Martin (316-397) was born to pagan parents. His father was a Roman military officer and tribune. Martin was raised in Pavia, Italy, where he discovered Christianity and became a catechumen in his early teens. He joined the Roman imperia army at the age of... Continue Reading →
10 November, Friday — He’s Got This…
Nov 10 – Memorial for St. Leo the Great, pope, doctor St. Leo (c.400 – 461) was born of Italian nobility. He was a strong student, especially in scripture and theology. As a priest, he was an eloquent writer and homilist. He was pope from 440-461 during the time of the invasion of Attila the... Continue Reading →
9 November, Thursday — Building Foundations
Nov 9 – Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. It is officially named ‘Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, St. John Baptist and... Continue Reading →
25 September, Monday — The Things We Tend To Hide
Monday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time Ez 1:1-6Lk 8:16-18 “…nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light.” Two years ago, I recall watching in awe, the fantastic runs of two then unknown teenage tennis players -- Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez -- who played against each other, in their maiden Grand... Continue Reading →
17 September, Sunday — The End of the Road
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Ecc 27:33-28:9Rm 14:7-9Mt 18:21-35 Remember the commandments... As I reflected on today’s readings, I couldn’t help but realise how God was drumming home to me the need to constantly stop and check myself, especially in the area of dealing with my staff. Having had to deal with three resignations over... Continue Reading →