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...
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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...
Traces in December
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...
Inform readers
Today we welcome readers of the Christchurch diocesan magazine Inform to the Food For Faith family. For the first time the Food For Faith banner has appeared in Inform...
one priest’s life
Bishop Basil Meeking's Homily at Requiem Mass of Father Finian Conway St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral - 10th December, 2014. An era has ended with the death of Father Finian...
Thomas Merton
Thank you to Bosco Peters, author of www.liturgy.co.nz for his reminder this morning that on this day in 1968, Thomas Merton died. Merton books remain on best-seller...
Kaiangaroa visit
The centre of the Catholic Diocese for the past few days has been the remote Islands of Chatham and Pitt because this is where the bishop has been bishopping. We have...
Moriori
This morning, after arriving back from Pitt Island just after 7am, and before a few pastoral visits to the homes of parishioners, the bishop and I visited the Tommy...
Pitt Island
It is now Monday morning and Bishop Barry Jones and myself have spent the weekend on Pitt Island. There is no Church further from Jerusalem and Rome than Our Lady of...
Latest Posts
hidden things
I’m writing this at the end of the first NZ lockdown day and I can already see that my life could become dangerously undisciplined
counting blessings
In these weeks we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn to live without the compulsive busyness and idol-worship that usually fills our days
survive or thrive
The reality of living in lockdown hits home for New Zealander’s today and we accept this because we are willing to do everything we can in order to stop the spread of this terrible virus.
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.