Nov 3 – Memorial for St. Martin de Porres, religious St. Martin (1579-1639) was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman, Juan, and a young freed black slave, Anna Velasquez. He grew up in poverty and spent part of his youth with a surgeon-barber from whom he learned some medicine and care of the sick.... Continue Reading →
5 September, Monday — On Virtue
Sep 5 – Feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997), honoured in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. She was born in Skopje (now the capital of North Macedonia), then part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. After living in Skopje for eighteen years, she moved to Ireland... Continue Reading →
4 September, Sunday — Heavy Crosses
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Wis 9:13-18Phi 9-10,12-17Lk 14:25-33 …for a perishable body presses down the soul, and this tent of clay weighs down the teeming mind. The last line of today’s gospel has always filled me with discouragement. Frankly, I have never understood it. The idea that I might have to renounce my whole... Continue Reading →
16 August, Tuesday — Stewardship
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 →
5 July, Tuesday — On Disunity, Part 2
Jul 5 – Memorial for St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Priest St. Anthony (1502-1539) studied medicine at Padua, receiving his doctorate at age 22. Working among the poor in Cremona, he felt called to the religious life. He was ordained at age 26; legend says that angels were seen around the altar at his first Mass.... Continue Reading →
4 July, Monday — On Disunity
Jul 4 – Memorial for St. Elizabeth of Portugal Elizabeth (1271-1336) was a princess with a pious upbringing who became Queen of Portugal before she was a teenager. Elizabeth suffered through years of her husband’s abuse and adultery, praying all the while for his conversion, and working with the poor and sick. She rode onto... Continue Reading →
9 April, Saturday – On Quarrelling
Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent Eze 37:21-28Jn 11:45-56 “Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.” A few years ago, I was at a church event hosted by a group of women parishioners at my church... Continue Reading →
8 April, Friday – You will know them by their fruits
Friday of the 5th Week of Lent Jer 20:10-13Jn 10:31-42 "...even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do..." The concept of ‘frenemies’ is as old as the days of Christ it seems – false friends who pretend to come to your aid, but who in reality, can’t... Continue Reading →
7 April, 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 →
6 April, Wednesday – On Discipleship
Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent Dan 3:14-20,24-25,28John 8:31-42 “If you make my word your home, you will indeed be my disciples...” The thing about being authentic to something is that at some point, your convictions will be tested. It’s only when you are put under duress that you discover the true nature of... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 