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...
Chatham Islands
the bishop visits
It was a pleasure for me to today accompany Bishop Barry Jones to God's furthest outpost, or, using the language of Pope Francis, to the peripheries, since no place on...
bishop to Chathams
It is a privilege to serve as the Parish Priest of the Chatham Islands (Rekohu). Tomorrow morning Bishop Barry Jones and I will be on the plane heading for the Islands....
sinking feeling
I’m not sure if you have ever been seasick? I will never forget the time I was so seasick that I would have welcomed death. The journey was in a fishing boat late one...
dawn from on high
It is a glorious morning here in Cheviot. I prayed sitting in the garden, the only sounds coming from neighbour's children no doubt enjoying Christmas presents. The...
This Town – Chathams
In 1997 New Zealand historian Michael King published a well-received history of New Zealand Catholicism. He titled his work "God's Farthest Outpost." If New Zealand is...
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living in colour
A few years ago I picked up a John August Swanson work – only a print unfortunately, but still full of power, and colour.
So much colour.
Today’s post-resurrection encounter with Jesus reminds me of this great Swanson work “The Big Catch.”
These fishermen previously endured a mere existence in black and white, getting through each day, their regular routines dictated by the demands and fears of friends and foes.
let’s get physical
Note the physicality of today’s gospel reading.
Physical features (hearts, hands, feet, mouth, eyes) abound and emotional realities are strong (peace, alarm, fright, agitation, doubt).
resurrection energy
I had planned to continue the daily reflections through this Easter Week but I’ve already missed Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday and now it’s early morning on Easter Wednesday. Thank you to those who emailed with “where are you”, “what happened” and “I haven’t had a FFF email this week.” Thank you for your enthusiasm and for keeping me on my toes.
Easter people ?
There is a great old Easter greeting: “We are an Easter people” to which hearers respond “and Alleluia is our song!” I love this, and if I see you in this Easter Week, this Octave of Easter Sundays, you are welcome to greet me in this way. The reason I need to be reminded that we are an Easter people is that I too often reduce the Easter life we are offered to ideas and categories, words and formulas, customary ways of thinking and acting.
experiencing
Consider the range of emotions that the disciples of Jesus moved through over the days of his final suffering and his crucifixion and resurrection. Such extremes of feeling cannot be imagined or pondered with disinterest. They must be experienced.