Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Pentecost prep

Pentecost prep

It’s Pentecost this weekend. The presence of the Holy Spirit with us in every breath gives us hope in every daily decision

Mgr. Harrington RIP

Mgr. Harrington RIP

It is with sadness this morning that we have learnt of the death of Monsignor James Harrington PA. Monsignor Jim, as he was widely and affectionately known, became a...

Blessed Sacrament

Blessed Sacrament

a suitable temple Ten years ago, to mark the centenary of the opening of Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Michael Hanrahan wrote “A Suitable Temple” -...

Cathedral update

Cathedral update

It doesn't take long for nature to begin to take over a Cathedral. Christchurch's Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament has been closed to the public since September...

things that endure

things that endure

The news of the week in our local Church of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch is that every attempt will be made to save the nave of the earthquaked Cathedral of the...

media release

media release

There is a moment in Gerard Smyth's "When a City Falls" which for many Christchurch Catholics captures the devastation of the earthquakes. Gerard has led us through...

religion extinction

religion extinction

I was clearing out old computer files this evening and came across this Radio New Zealand interview from a couple of years ago. Soon after the first anniversary of the...

Latest Posts

Ascension

Ascension

Most people think of the Ascension of Jesus as being a ‘departure’ moment. Jesus was here and now he is gone. We imagine Jesus going up into the clouds and the disciples waving farewell from below.
This is an unhelpful image.
It is essential that we understand what does happen and what does not happen in the Ascension event.
It would be easy to wrongly think that in his ministry showed us how to build the city of God on earth, and now he has gone and the mission is left to us.

touching the sacred

touching the sacred

A few years ago I was on Rēkohu Chatham Islands for what has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most sacred days, the ANZAC day of remembrance in gratitude for those who gave their lives, their health, their youth, their service that we may live in peace.
The art above was produced by one of the students at the local Te One school.

every which way

every which way

A good number of Food For Faith readers have discovered one of the more recent FFF initiatives, the weekly Homily Studio.
The recording of this half-hour podcast is one of the highlights of my week.

in the room

in the room

Today’s reflection marks the end of the FFF Lent-to-Easter daily email posts. Thank you for your company on this journey.  While these daily posts (for those who have signed up for the Lent / Advent reflections at this link) will take a break until Advent, those who have signed up to receive every post or regular posts at this link.  You might take a moment now to visit this page now to check your email preferences.

During retreat this week I found myself pondering just how difficult it is to accept that God, in Jesus, is really with me today.

disciplined discipleship

disciplined discipleship

As I write I’m nearing the end of retreat days with a group of fifty priests from across the USA.  As I mentioned a couple of days ago the diversity and youth of the group is remarkable with the majority being aged under 40 and a good number ordained for fewer than five years.