Oct 11 – Memorial for St John XXIII, Pope Pope John XXIII born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death in 1963. Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was one of thirteen children born to Marianna Mazzola and Giovanni Battista Roncalli in a family of sharecroppers who lived in Sotto il... Continue Reading →
17 August, Saturday — The Immigrant
Saturday of Week 19 in Ordinary Time Eze 18:1-10,13,30-32Mt 19:13-15 …in future, I mean to judge each of you but what he does -- it is the Lord who speaks. Sometime in July 2022, the milestone passed where I’d lived more years abroad than I had spent in the city where I grew up. Going... Continue Reading →
16 August, Friday — Details
Aug 16 – Memorial for St. Stephen of Hungary When he succeeded his father as chief of a group of people, Stephen adopted a policy of Christianisation in Hungary for both political and religious reasons. He suppressed a series of revolts by pagan nobles and welded the Magyars into a strong national group. As king,... Continue Reading →
9 July, Tuesday — On Disunity
Jul 9 – Memorial for St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, & companions Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China’s relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and... Continue Reading →
19 May, Sunday — On Gifts
May 19 -- Pentecost The Christian holiday of Pentecost, which is celebrated on the 50th day after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:15), commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as... Continue Reading →
6 May, Monday — Doers
Monday of the 6th Week of Eastertide Acts 16: 11-15John 15:26-16:4 “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home” Home. Such a private and personal space. This is where we are unguarded, where we let our defences down, unflex ourselves and move in the comfort of familiar routines... Continue Reading →
5 May, Sunday — Endurance
6th Sunday of Easter Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-481 John 4: 7-10John 15: 9-17 Love one another, as I love you “I was angry with my foe; I told it not, my wrath did grow.” – William Blake Possibly the most difficult commandment in the Bible, is Christ’s call for us to “love one another, as I have... Continue Reading →
27 March, Wednesday — On Apps
Wednesday of Holy Week Isa 50:4-9Mt 26:14-25 …I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. Some people fast from chocolate or social media during Lent. Some people fast from TV. Some people eat one meal a day. For years now, my Lenten fast has been the same -- I try to fast from Anger.... Continue Reading →
26 March, Tuesday — Judas
Tuesday of Holy Week Isa 49:1-6Jn 13:21-33,36-38 “It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread that I shall dip in the dish.” Today’s Scripture reading is the vivid tale of Judas, the pivotal character whose actions, to his dismay, directly lead to Christ’s crucifixion. We all know the story -- how... Continue Reading →
21 March, Thursday — What’s in a name?
Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent Gen 17:3-9Jn 8:51-59 “You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham...” Every year during Easter, our parish confirms about a dozen adults into the Catholic faith. In the run up to this, they spend 9 months learning about being a Catholic and take on... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 