A few weeks ago, I wrote about the crime of sexual abuse of children and other vulnerable people at the hands of clergy, religious and others working in the name of the Church. I referred then to Pope Francis’s verdict, in his Letter to the People of God, that this
Continue readingI’ve been asked to tell you about St Ed Connect, and in order to do that I need to mention the Covid-19 volunteer programme, because St Ed Connect was, in a way, a branch of that support. A team of volunteers was formed; how this happened, I don’t recall, but
Continue readingEvents, both spectacular and ordinary can cause us to reflect on God and on our faith. It was the ordinary that has made me pause for reflection. Recently Fr Simplicio and I took a much needed and welcome break in the beautiful countryside of Somerset where we stayed in a
Continue readingAs I sit down to write a few lines for our weekly newsletter two things have caught my attention. I have just heard that the government has announced a large infusion of cash to help children and teenagers catch up with learning after the disruption caused by Covid 19. I
Continue readingTHIS SUNDAY we keep in this country the feast of Corpus et Sanguis Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ, a feast day which began in the Middle Ages to celebrate, away from the sombre atmosphere of Holy Week, the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper.
Continue reading►What if our church had to meet in secret? ►What if following Jesus meant facing violence or even death? ►What if owning a Bible was illegal? ►What if family members turned against you because of your faith? ►What if you were put in prison for your faith? ►What if spies
Continue readingThe feast of Pentecost is here and coincides this year with the long awaited easing of lockdown, two reasons for celebration. Today we mark the end of the Easter season, fifty days after the Resurrection and ten days after the Lord’s Ascension into Heaven when the Holy Spirit, the breath
Continue readingThree years ago I was on a retreat for members of the clergy. During a session assigned to discussing current issues in our ministry, I asked how colleagues were responding to their parishioners’ concerns about the scandal of sexual abuse of children, young people and other vulnerable people within the
Continue readingIn the midst of a crowd of children and adults, a young boy was being encouraged to ask a question of Pope Francis but he couldn’t bring himself to utter the words. Despite much prompting he remained silent. It was too much of an ordeal and eventually he covered his
Continue readingThis Saturday is the feast of St Joseph the Worker, a special observance established by Pope Pius XII some years ago to coincide with ‘May Day’, associated with the struggle for workers’ rights throughout the world (and the reason why Monday is a bank holiday) – it’s particularly important this
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