I hope you have managed to hear a great Christmas homily in recent days and that your priest or minister did not disappoint. I have heard (via Youtube) a superb homily...
john oconnor
how unexpected
The Christian community often struggles to be an effective communicator of the heart of the life of Faith. Thanks to St. Paul's Anglican Church in Auckland who in...
bye bye lully lullay
Surrounded by presents and tinsel, peaceful nativity scenes and Christmas goodwill, it is easy to forget the full reality of the Christmas event. December 28, the feast...
what about now?
Pope Francis never ceases to amaze us. Speaking at the December 17 General Audience, he said, “The Incarnation of the Son of God opens a new beginning in the universal...
God is with us
I have just arrived home after celebrating the first three Masses of Christmas: Amberley 5.00pm, Culverden 7.00pm and Hanmer Springs 9.00pm. In the past 30 hours I have...
worth sharing
Now here's a Christmas poster worth printing and sharing... (download at this link) perhaps print and give as an affordable gift...
santa’s birth
We can no longer assume that people know the meaning of Christmas. A child recently asked about the significance of Christmas replied: “it is when Santa Claus was...
Advent Angelus
You might recognise the Collect or Opening Prayer from this Sunday's Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. It is the prayer of the Angelus: Listen carefully to...
the “O” antiphons
Perhaps the most popular Advent hymn is the antiphon O Come O Come Emmanuel. This great hymn is formed from the "O Antiphons" that guide us through the last seven days...
Pakistan peace
A few years ago I led retreats for the de la Salle brothers' communities in Pakistan. I was impressed with the commitment and peaceful strength of the brothers, and...
Latest Posts
getting real
This post is not for everyone and I have no doubt that some people will be upset with the thoughts I’m about to offer.
rethinking Lent
The games we play with projects and goals, success, ambition and achievement are powerless to deliver the stability and happiness that they promise.
confident hope
While the visible present fear is a biological virus, the fact is that we humans face fear every day.
on our knees
Who needs God (we think)? We can achieve all we need on our own. And then a completely unexpected event brings us back to earth. We are grounded. We are on our knees.
first things first
In my class with the seminarians this morning I reflected on the importance of keeping perspective. Then I left the class and lost perspective completely.