john oconnor

a New Year gift

Jan 1, 2018

Today is the final email in the Advent / Christmas pilgrimage. If you have not yet completed the brief survey please take a moment to do so by clicking on the image...

social media

Dec 31, 2017

my inmost calm

Dec 30, 2017

If you didn't read my request yesterday could I ask that before you read today's reflection you take a moment to complete the brief evaluation. Your comments will...

take a moment

Dec 29, 2017

Today is the fifth day of the Christmas Octave, and on the eighth day of the Octave (New Year's Day) our Advent / Christmas daily retreat pilgrimage concludes. It has...

no place for them

Dec 26, 2017

With yesterday's celebration of Christmas we began the eight days (the Octave) of Christmas, and we conclude our December retreat with a relaxed journey through the...

where is love ?

Dec 25, 2017

Christmas Greetings to you all. There are many things that I could share in this Christmas day clip, but the image that keeps coming to mind is the Christmas dinner...

the refiner’s fire

Dec 23, 2017

The first reading from today's liturgy is perhaps best known because it features in Handel's Messiah: Let's take a moment to examine the message which seems to be a bit...

Handel’s Messiah

Dec 21, 2017

I was a student in the seminary when I was first introduced to Handel's great oratorio, Messiah. This work is widely considered to be a master-work both of composition...

a discerning life

Dec 21, 2017

If you are following the daily liturgy gospel readings this week you'll notice a couple of repeats. Yesterday's gospel from Luke is the account of the encounter between...

humble hearts

Dec 20, 2017

This year the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has celebrated 150 years of caring for the poor, the sick and the vulnerable in New Zealand. Throughout the country and in...