This afternoon bishop, priests and people of our Christchurch diocese gathered for the funeral Mass and burial of our priest and brother Fr. Bernie Goulding. Just...
john oconnor
let go
Have you ever heard a well-intentioned speaker talking of the life of faith as a journey of 'letting go'? Â Were their examples motivated by fear, or by the attraction...
a new beginning
Happy New Year! With the season of Advent a new church year begins. For a month now we will prepare for Christmas with scriptures of anticipation yearning for a deeper...
Advent I
There is a story told of the holy French priest Jean Vianney (Ćure d’Ars d.1859). He noticed an elderly man who would spend hours in the church before the Blessed...
a new bishop
This morning Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Steve Lowe, priest of the diocese of Christchurch, as the next bishop of the diocese of Hamilton, New Zealand. This immense...
Christ the King
the king, with the crown...of thorns. It’s the last Sunday of the Church year today. In recent weeks the readings of the liturgy have been preparing us for the end...
Consecrated Life
Pope Francis has announced a Year of Consecrated Life beginning on the First Sunday of Advent (November 30). This afternoon Bishop Barry Jones opened this Year for our...
November “Traces”
One of the highlights of my monthly reading is the Traces magazine of the Communion & Liberation community. A couple of months ago the decision was taken to no...
four years on…
In the early 1990′s I lived for four years in the small West Coast township of Ngahere. It was a privilege to serve as the priest for the people of the Grey Valley, on...
Xt. the Kg. prep.
If you are preparing to preach this coming Sunday for the feast of Christ the King you might find these thoughts helpful. In 1925Â Pope Pius XIÂ spoke strongly against...
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good company
Happy the people who do not hang around toxic environments carelessly socialising with those who lead us to superficial attachments and confused priorities.
to Jerusalem
“More than ever I find myself in the hands of God. This is what I have wanted all my life from my youth
let’s talk it over
In the midst of good and evil, ups and downs, and through the routines and demands of life we need to be able to express ourselves and to know that we are heard.
with many voices
I was pondering what piece of music to use tonight with the seminarians to help them to understand and appreciate how the beautiful texts of our faith can be enhanced by beautiful melody.
opening the door
The Transfiguration of Jesus is the event that opens the door between earthly ordinariness, days and weeks of routine, mundane and struggling existence, and divine eternity.