In 1936 my maternal grandmother Peggy Hallum died of cancer – she was only thirty-six and my mother only fourteen. When I was a child my mother often used to talk about her mother’s illness and death; and one thing which I remember vividly was her telling me how much
Continue readingFRIDAY was a holy day of obligation – that is, a day when the Church asks you to go to Mass – the feast of Ss Peter and Paul. For Catholics it’s important not only because Peter and Paul were the most important apostles, the founders after Christ in many
Continue readingThis Sunday I will be travelling up to Liverpool for the funeral of an old friend which takes place in the city’s cathedral the following morning. Myles Dempsey passed away on 12th of this month after suffering a heart attack. He had celebrated his ninetieth birthday on 1st May, the
Continue readingTHIS PICTURE is an illustration of people voting in one of the plebiscites which confirmed Napoleon Bonaparte in power as First Consul of France and eventually Emperor at the beginning of the 19th century. Although the word plebiscite originated in the ancient Roman Republic as a way of consulting the
Continue readingLAST SUNDAY we heard a pastoral letter from our archbishop about the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress, entitled Adoremus, taking place in Liverpool at the beginning of September. He asked every parish and school in the diocese to reflect and pray about the themes of the congress in the months
Continue readingI have been invited to share some thoughts, based on the St Edmund’s Confirmation Course that I have recently attended and on some additional research I have made on the internet. Confirmation means accepting responsibility for your faith and destiny. When I was young I was told what to do,
Continue readingSome of you may remember that about three years ago Pope Francis wrote an encyclical letter about care for creation, known by the Italian title Laudato Si’. It has been very important in strengthening Catholic moral teaching and consequently has come under attack, even from some Catholics. One of the
Continue readingTODAY, Whitsunday or Pentecost is one of the great feast days of the year in the Christian calendar, after Easter and Christmas. We reach the culmination of the Easter season, celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus and on his blessed Mother Mary. One of
Continue readingFling wide the gates! Fling wide the gates, for the saviour waits to tread in his royal way. He has come from above in his power and love to die on this passion day. Fling wide the gates, He waits, the saviour waits! Some of you, perhaps of an older
Continue readingOn Easter Sunday, 1st April, 21 Coloma girls and I, along with 4 teachers travelled to Lourdes in the South of France. However, this was not the start to our journey; we met every week for months preparing and training for what we were about to experience on the trip.
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