If you are seeking maturity in faith, you might find these reflections helpful. Talks, lectures, retreats, and other reflections from Fr John O’Connor.
Food for Faith now offers three podcast series. View all podcasts >
As we pray for pope emeritus Benedict in these hours following his death you might appreciate this podcast conversation between Siân Owen RSJ, Merv Duffy SM & John O’Connor.
Here are a few links to material referenced in the podcast:
Join John Kleinsman, John Kinder and Rory Paterson in conversation with John O’Connor reflecting on the scriptures for the Christmas Feast.
John Kinder refers to the carol “Sing Lullaby” which is available at this link and the lyrics at this link.
Other carols referred to:
In the Bleak Winter,
Coventry Carol
O Holy Night
I was back in my hometown of Timaru this weekend celebrating the Vigil Mass at Sacred Heart Basilica, a church I have known since my youth. Here is the homily I shared at the Mass for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Thirty years ago I contacted Leonie because of her reputation for knowing how to teach people to communicate. Over the years since she became a good friend and this afternoon I had the privilege of celebrating her Funeral Mass. I am happy to share here the homily I gave at Leonie’s funeral. Thank you also to Michael Collins, organist at Leonie’s funeral.
A reflection on prayer as an engagement with reality.
A reflection on the well-known parable of the father and his sons
A reflection on freedom, first broadcast in Lent, using the example of Jesus’ encounter with a rich young man.
Too often religion is used to justify attacks on bad behaviour. Here’s a different perspective: our acknowledged sin is our capacity for Jesus. This awareness is the birth of real self-esteem.
Fr. John O’Connor speaks to over 100 18-35 year-olds a couple of years ago at the national Aotearoa NZ Hearts Aflame gathering.
This reflection will be of special interest if you or someone you love is suffering with poor health.
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A few years ago I discovered the wonderful way that God uses my imagination in my prayer.
Such openness to imagination when seeking God does not take us away from reality into fantasy but instead brings me into what is most real and inescapably personal and intimate.
A couple of thousand years ago, a young Jewish woman was going about her normal morning routines, perhaps with a mixture of house and garden work, chatting with parents and neighbours, aware of the local drought, the sickness of a neighbour and annoyed by the neighbourhood’s lack of sleep caused by the Romans’ noisy party the night before, when God broke into her routine and entered her life in a new and powerful way.
Over the last month I have had the opportunity to work with many people across Aotearoa and further afield. In every retreat and seminar I have been with committed and faith-filled people who often feel as though they are on the periphery of the Church
It’s easy to make the mistake of seeing life as a treadmill, day after day ups and downs, a movement through time from youth to old age, then death and beyond.
Too often if feels as if we are helplessly captive carried along by the momentum of all that is expected of us and demanded from us, and we risk falling into an existence mode, a daily rhythm of survival, enduring, coping and so the treadmill rolls on.
Over the years, and even in recent months, weeks and days, I’ve prayed many prayers which have not been answered as I had hoped.
You’ve probably had the same experience: praying and wondering if and when or how your prayer will be answered.
