… discreetly in a restaurant, or unashamedly before a meeting, a performance or in competition on the sports field…(Read More)
“take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace…(Read More)
It is a beautiful thing to stand and sit and kneel with others in liturgy. While our voices pray in unison the prayers and responses of the Mass, so too our bodies stand together, and sit together and kneel together…(Read More)
One news report says that she lives in “isolation” but she would never say that of herself. As these brief clips below show the heart of her life was relationship with God and therefore she was never alone…(Read More)
The mature person of prayer knows that the deepest human desire is not to have our little prayers magically answered, but to know that God is with us in our joys, hopes, griefs and anxieties…(Read More)
Too often we fall into the trap of reducing God to a “spiritual” being considering Jesus to be more like a childhood “imaginary friend.” But Jesus is present with us really, physically and tangibly…(Read More)
seeing, touching, tasting and smelling what Jesus saw and touched, tasted and smelt…(Read More)
On a recent visit to Assisi, the birthplace of Francis whose feast we celebrate today, I recorded this three-minute clip as encouragement for all of us who often find it difficult to pray. I offer it again for today’s feast…(Read More)
In New Zealand this week the third of the four school terms begins. Prayers here for a healthy and happy term for all staff and students. Prayer is a regular part of the day in a Catholic school, beginning with staff prayer to start the day. I’m often asked by those who share the…(Read More)
Mount Carmel was a significant place for the prophets of Israel, especially Elijah 900 years before Christ. (you can read more about this in the first and second book of Kings, especially 1 Kg 18-19). The section that is today’s first reading is one of the many great adventures in the Bible and…(Read More)
This morning from stuff.co.nz, a feature on life as a Carmelite in Christchurch. At the crossroads of two of Christchurch’s busiest roads, Halswell and Curletts roads, lies a desert of calm. It is tricky to straddle Halswell Rd to turn into the Carmelite Monastery, but this doesn’t bother the residents at…(Read More)
Prayer is much easier than most of us think since prayer is our default setting, the most natural way of being in 24/7 relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope you find this brief video clip a helpful encouragement for your prayer…(Read More)
Today, February 22, marks seven years since the devastating 2011 earthquake which brought tragic loss of life to our city of Christchurch where we continue the long and difficult process of rebuilding lives and livelihoods. There are many signs of great hope as people work together to build a city that is not only stronger…(Read More)
Have you ever thought of prayer as child-like playfulness. There are some similarities and today’s gospel in which Jesus encourages us to be childlike gives us an opportunity to consider these…(Read More)
Often we think that the environment has to be just right for our prayer. The problem is that most of us struggle to see our own situations as conducive to prayer. If prayer was about us then this would be a difficulty, but the reality is that our prayer is primarily about what God is…(Read More)
