WHEN THE HOLY FATHER addressed the United States Congress in September 2015 he mentioned four particularly outstanding Americans (shown here). Two were Catholics, the journalist and founder of the Catholic Workers the Servant of God Dorothy Day (of whom, I suspect, many members of Congress knew little or nothing) and
Continue readingLAST MONDAY Pope Francis issued a new teaching document entitled Gaudete et Exultate, ‘Rejoice and Be Glad!’ As always it is a very thoughtful and challenging document, demanding reflection on what he says over a long period of time. There are simply a few introductory remarks from me here, and
Continue readingA recent publication – Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to a Missional Parish by Father James Mallon (2014, Twenty –Third Publications) is a book that is creating big waves in the Church. In it he describes the profound renewal that has taken place in St Benedict’s church in Halifax, Nova
Continue readingONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS about Holy Week and Easter is the way in which we are enabled to relate the narrative of Our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection to the whole of our lives. This is helped by the ritual and special nature of what we do in church
Continue readingThe dramatic events in Salisbury (and possibly New Malden) really show the danger to the world of populist nationalism. If you believe that your nation state has absolute claims over your life, then the State can’t really do any wrong. Truth, justice, fairness, accountability – these things don’t really matter
Continue readingOne of the points in my Christian journey when I realised I ought to leave the Church of England was during a clergy training day in Dulwich many years ago when a speaker, thought to be an expert on mission and evangelism, said that she was fed up with churches
Continue readingPart of what Lent is about is getting ready for Easter, and that means, amongst other things, preparing for the most important act of Easter worship – the Easter Vigil, the night before Easter day. The picture here shows the Holy Father in St Peter’s holding his own candle as
Continue readingHousing Justice is the national ecumenical voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and to tackle bad housing. As Catholics, we believe that human dignity is challenged by the lack of a decent home. Housing Justice aims to mobilise Christians united in their determination to work with and for the
Continue readingTRADITIONALLY in this country we keep the Friday of the first full week of Lent as Family Fast day. Our dedicated team of CAFOD volunteers will be speaking at all Masses this weekend about CAFOD’s work and the ways in which the money you generously give to our Catholic aid
Continue readingA SURE SIGN of a society, or indeed a person, losing any real moral compass, or a real sense of right and wrong, is the use of the phrase ‘dogooder’ in a pejorative or negative sense. It’s always a snide and nasty expression, reflecting not only moral ignorance but of
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