…I first realised this some years ago when I struggled with the imperfection that is so evident in many of the structures, communications and people of the institutional church…

The St. Bede’s College community in Christchurch have this week completed the building of a magnificent new chapel…

None of us likes to suffer, but on reflection we do know that at times we have had the maturity and the patience to endure times of difficulty knowing it is the only pathway to a greater reward…

If parish committees have as their prime purpose to lead parishioners to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, all their work of maintaining buildings and managing finances takes on a life-giving and eternal purpose…

Too often religion is presented as the answer to questions that no-one is asking. At The Meeting faith is presented as the adequate response to human existence…

The biographies of those named as saints in the church often promote the false idea that a saint is more likely to be an introvert who prefers to hide in a chapel than to engage with the world…

Knowing that we too are invited to this divine life is the whole point of human existence. To miss this point, is to miss the whole point of life…

By happy coincidence I have spent time this week in the same course of study as a couple of dozen seminarians from the U.S. I have been inspired by their vocations stories and their enthusiasm…

Saints are not saints because they have achieved self-mastery or psychological wholeness. It is not even avoidance of sin that makes a saint so…

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…

I am deeply grateful to those who support me in my desire to live fully as a priest…

Thank you to all who are active in promoting diocesan priesthood as a fulfilling, God-centred life of adventure and service…

You might remember beginning every new page of school work with the heading A.M.D.G. recalling that the letters stood for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God…

It’s the feast of Ignatius Loyola today and he has helped me to see that my fears and compulsions often tragically lead me to go through days and weeks as if I’m at least half asleep…

If you sometimes feel driven and trapped by your compulsion and activity you might find this reflection helpful…