Today, especially in this diocese (where it’s not optional) is the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a feast which marks the foundation of the Carmelite order in the Middle Ages. Mount Carmel in northern Israel, the scene of the dramatic confrontation between the prophet Elijah and the prophets
Continue readingAlthough in the diocese of Portsmouth today is kept as the feast of St Swithun (about whom I have reposted an entry from elsewhere today) in the Church’s general calendar today we honour the great medieval Franciscan theologian St Bonaventure. In the thirteenth century he was one of the earliest
Continue readingIn recent years I have paid a few visits to the Institute Catholique de Paris in order to build up stronger relationships between it and St Mary’s University. The picture here is of the ‘Jardin des Carmes’ in the institute grounds, a garden next to the originally Carmelite church around
Continue readingToday is the feast of St Benedict. In our Lady chapel at St Edmund’s we have a small statue of him – unfortunately you can’t access the chapel at the moment. It was given in memory of Tony Kinch, whom some of you will remember. Tony had for many years
Continue readingToday the Church honours St Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 other Chinese martyrs, who lost their lives for the Catholic faith between the 18th century and 1930. They were all canonised by St John Paul II twenty years ago. The eyes of the world are on China, partly because of
Continue readingThere have been further changes to our public worship. From this Saturday there will be, for the first time since March, Confessions in the Lady chapel from 5pm – 545pm. Please observe social distancing and follow the directions of stewards into the chapel. The public Masses on Saturday evening and
Continue readingWith effect from Saturday 12th July the Church will be open for Confessions and for evening Mass on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mass and Confession times and revised opening times Sunday Mass: 6:00 pm (Saturday); 9:30 am; 5:30 pm. As well as Mass in the church, there will be over-spill
Continue readingToday is the feast of St Thomas the Apostle, ‘doubting Thomas’, as he is sometimes called, because of the incident in John’s gospel after the resurrection of Jesus (John 20) when he says he won’t believe that the Lord has risen until he can see and touch his wounds. A
Continue readingToday is the feast day of St Oliver Plunkett. This is a photo of the best known image of the saint in this diocese, on the outside wall of St Francis Xavier College in Balham. He was the last priest to be martyred in penal times in this country, in
Continue readingToday the Church keeps the feast day of the first martyrs of the Church to lose their lives after St Peter and St Paul. A picture can be found at https://www.bing.com/images/search…. We continue today to pray for the Holy Father and for those who administer the diocese of Rome at this
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