Jun 19 – St Philip Minh, Priest and Companions, Martyrs St Philip Minh (1815-1853) is a Vietnamese martyr. Born in Vietnam, he studied at the College General in Penang, joined the Society for Foreign Missions of Paris and was ordained a priest in 1846 with the purpose of working for the Church in Vietnam. Seized by anti-Catholic forces, he was beheaded... Continue Reading →
17 June, Wednesday — Your Father Who Sees in Secret
Wednesday of Week 11 in Ordinary Time 2 Kgs 2:1,6-14Mt 6:1-6,16-18 "But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you." There is a sentence in this passage that... Continue Reading →
4 June, Thursday — Seeing the face of God
Thursday of Week 9 in Ordinary Time 2 Tim 2:8-15Mk 12:28–34 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself... I just watched the long-running musical Les Miserables, in a different format titled the Arena Spectacular version, where the cast members stand onstage and... Continue Reading →
23 September, Tuesday — To Be His Mother and Brothers
Sep 23 – Memorial for St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), Priest St. Pio (1887-1968) was ordained when he was 22. He founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920s he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000... Continue Reading →
18 September, Thursday — The cost of easy love is easy
Thursday of Week 24 in Ordinary Time 1 Tim 4:12-16Lk 7:36-50 "...she would not have shown such great love." The devil is okay with us having a little religion, but not too much. I can literally feel the unease, the downright awkward discomfort of what it would be like to be at a dinner party... Continue Reading →
3 April, Thursday — Making sacrifices
Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent Ex 32:7-14Jn 5:31-47 “…they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice” Honestly, this is the first time where it’s taking me a while to reflect. The scripture readings today did not speak to me at first. I read them... Continue Reading →
8 April, Monday — Sacrifices
8 Apr – Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord The annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Gabriel the Archangel, that she was to be the Mother of God (Luke 1), the Word being made flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit. The feast probably originated about the time of the Council of Ephesus... Continue Reading →
11 March, Monday — Simple Faith, A Faith Beyond Crisis
Monday of the 4th Week of Lent Isa 65:17-21Jn 4:43-54 “So you will not believe unless you see signs and portents!” It is usually easy to take someone familiar for granted. Whether it be a long time friend, family or relative. It is as the gospel reading tells us today: For Jesus himself testified that... Continue Reading →
6 March, Wednesday — So That You and Your Children Would Have Full Life
Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Lent Deu 4:1,5-9Mat 5:17-19 But take care what you do and be on your guard. Do not forget the things your eyes have seen... rather, tell them to your children and to your children's children. During the season of Lent, we are reminded to observe the three key aspects... Continue Reading →