Nov 4 – Memorial for St. Charles Borromeo, bishop St. Charles (1538-1584) was born to a wealthy, noble family, the third of six children, and the son of Count Giberto II Borromeo and Marghertita de’ Medici. He was the nephew of Pope Pius IV. He suffered from a speech impediment, but studied in Milan, and... Continue Reading →
12 September, Friday — Baking, Blindness and Becoming
Sep 12 – Holy Name of Mary This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters. The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and, in 1671, was extended to... Continue Reading →
5 September, Friday — Do I want to fast?
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 →
31 August, Sunday — Pride goes before a fall
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Ecc 3:19-21,30-31Heb 12:18-19,22-24Lk 14:1,7-14 The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly… So if humility is so important, why is it so that people in high positions are so arrogant? Is it because in rising to their lofty positions, they feel self-important that they forget where they came... Continue Reading →
25 August, Monday — Authentic Faith
Aug 25 – Memorial for St. Louis of France, married man; Memorial for St. Joseph Calasanz, priest, religious founder As king of France, Louis (1214-1270) made numerous judicial and legislative reforms. He promoted Christianity in France; established religious foundations, aided mendicant orders, propagated synodal decrees of the Church, built leper hospitals, and collected relics. “In... Continue Reading →
15 July, Tuesday — Love and Pride
Jul 15 – Memorial for St. Bonaventure, bishop, religious, doctor St. Bonaventure (1221-1274) entered the Franciscan Order when he was 22. At the age of 35 he was chosen General of his Order and restored a perfect calm where peace had been disturbed by internal dissensions. He did much for his Order and composed The... Continue Reading →
18 June, Wednesday — Humility vs Glory
Wednesday of Week 11 in Ordinary Time 2 Cor 9:6-11Mt 6:1-6,16-18 “…your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you” One word that strikes me from today’s Gospel is -- Humility. When Jesus said to His disciples not to parade our good deeds before men, or to give alms and have... Continue Reading →
1 June, Sunday — Saints in the making
7th Sunday of Easter Acts 7:55-60Apo 22:12-14,16-17,20Jn 17:20-26 “I have given them the glory you gave to me...” It has been an interesting couple of months for me -- serving at our now-regular 2nd Saturday overnight vigils, especially juggling the timings in order to also get to my parish for 7am mass where my choir... Continue Reading →
24 April, Thursday — Permitted Victim, Planned Sacrifice
Easter Thursday Acts 3:11-26Lk 24:35-48 ...neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Spotless victim, holy sacrifice, Led to the slaughter, obedience tetheredby a gentle feather. Yet... Continue Reading →
1 January, Wednesday — Trust in Mary
1 Jan – Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is celebrated on Jan 1, the Octave Day of Christmas (i.e. 8th day after Christmas). It is a celebration of Mary’s motherhood of Jesus. The title ‘Mother of God’ is a western derivation from the Greek... Continue Reading →
OXYGEN 