Aug 22 – Our Lady, Mother and Queen Whoever, therefore, reverences the Queen of heaven and earth – and let no one consider himself exempt from this tribute of a grateful and loving soul – let him invoke the most effective of Queens, the Mediatrix of Peace; let him respect and preserve peace, which is... Continue Reading →
16 August, Sunday — The Inclusive Mercy of God
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Isa 56:1,6-7Mt 15:21-28 “Woman, you have great faith…” Today’s gospel is interesting because we see a side to Jesus that seems uncharacteristic. Despite the Canaanite woman shouting to get his attention, Jesus seems to ignore her pleas, the urgency of her request notwithstanding. She must have heard of his many... Continue Reading →
28 May, Thursday — Humility Revisited
Thursday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time 1 Pet 2:2-5,9-12Mk 10:46-52 “Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.” Today’s readings really spoke to me, especially when I looked at the behaviour of Bartimaeus (which isn’t his name -- 'Bartimaeus' means “the son of Timaeus”) A few years ago at this time, I had been... Continue Reading →
19 March, Thursday — Quiet Obedience
19 Mar – Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Joseph is a descendant of the house of David. A layman and a carpenter, he was the earthly spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and foster and adoptive father of Jesus Christ. He was a visionary who was visited by angels,... Continue Reading →
7 February, Saturday — Wisdom at the Heart of Life and Love
Saturday of Week 4 in Ordinary Time 1 Kgs 3:4-13Mk 6:30-34 Give your servant a heart to discern between good and evil... We are told in the Christian life to "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). While this maxim or rule... Continue Reading →
1 February, Sunday — A slice of ‘umble pie’
4th Sunday in Ordinary TimeZep 2:3,3:12-131 Cor 1:26-31Mt 5:1-12a …seek humility… Of all the virtues, humility is probably the hardest for me to cultivate -- largely because it is so difficult to define and measure. With other virtues, like patience, I know I am practising it when I restrain my anger instead of lashing out.... Continue Reading →
4 November, Tuesday — Gifts Are Meant To Be Used
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 →
OXYGEN 