Repentance means not only turning from what is bad, but also from many things that are good, but just not for us at this time…(Read More)
In the midst of the extra demands of this month, the Season of Advent beginning today offers a timely way to stay happy and centred when everything else threatens to steal our healthy perspective…(Read More)
FFF’s Advent Online daily email reflections begin Sunday morning 1 December, the first day of Advent. Make sure you’re signed up, and share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested…(Read More)
If we follow Christ we experience freedom. With Christ we are freed from the trap of following every fad, fashion, celebrity or opinion. In this way we followers become leaders…(Read More)
Welcome to Food For Faith for Advent. Even though we don’t begin Advent until this Sunday I’m thinking ahead, especially because I’m celebrating Mass and preaching at St. Mary’s pro-Cathedral in Christchurch this Sunday at 5.30pm. Here’s our first Advent reflection, a video clip inviting us to consider…(Read More)
If I were to give this Sunday the Fourth Sunday of Advent a name, I would designate it as Angelus Sunday. Here’s why…(Read More)
It’s only a few more sleeps until Christmas. You might find this three minute Food For Faith Youtube clip encouraging in the midst of pre-Christmas busyness…(Read More)
Many people are surprised to learn that the celebration of the Mass before the changes following the Second Vatican included much more scripture than the form of Mass used in most parishes today. The revision of the English text in 2011 sought to use more recognisable scriptural translations for the prayers of the Mass, for…(Read More)
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 Collect at Mass this weekend. You may recognise this prayer, prayed by the priest as the opening prayer of the Mass for this Fourth Sunday…(Read More)
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 of preparation for Christmas from 17 – 23 December. These antiphons feature at Vespers (Evening Prayer of the Church) on each of these days.…(Read More)
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 longer publish a hard-copy magazine in English, but to move this edition to a digital format. I was nervous, until I saw the first edition…(Read More)
Every day in the life of a priest has unexpected highlights. Today I was invited to lead an Advent service for Years 9 & 10 students with staff at St. Bede’s College. The first thing I noticed was the devotion of the young men. The service was held in the school Gym, but because…(Read More)
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 personal and communal experience of God-among-us. When Christians celebrate Christmas we often focus on the Christ child as a small, weak and vulnerable…(Read More)
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 Sacrament. The ćure was curious about what happened in this man’s prayer. ‘What do you do when you are praying” he asked…(Read More)
After my post about the Advent “O Antiphons” a couple of days ago, some have comment that they had never heard about the “O Antiphons”. But most Christians know the Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, and anyone who has sung this hymn has sung the O Antiphons – each of the seven verses, one…(Read More)
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