Saint Andrew

All four Gospels regularly identify Andrew with his brother Peter.  Now, does this mean he was just a sidekick to the chief Apostle, a bit like Robin was to Batman?  No, their relationship is much more equal, more like Paul and Barnabas: collaborators. Neither brother would have been the man they were without the other. 

Monday of the 1st Week of Advent

The unnamed centurion showed great confidence and courage in asking Our Lord to heal his servant.  For an officer in the Roman army to seek out a freelance Jewish rabbi from a small town in Galilee wouldn’t have been a politically expedient thing to do.  And yet this man didn’t hesitate to approach Jesus.  Where

First Sunday of Advent

One of my oldest friends, who used to work with recovering alcoholics, told me that one of the most common reasons for drinking to excess is to counteract the feeling of depression.  People who abuse alcohol generally feel sad, or find it difficult to talk to other people, and alcohol has the effect of raising

Saturday of Week 34 in Ordinary Time

The message of today’s first reading is that the powers which stand against God will be destroyed and the eternal Kingdom of God will be given to his faithful people.  The great prophecy of the triumph of good over evil was fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.   But

Friday of Week 34 in Ordinary Time

Those of us who were around in the 1960’s or before would have seen them everywhere: on street corners, at the beach, at sporting events; usually men in flat caps and long grey overcoats carrying placards announcing: The End Is Near!  Most people gave them a wide berth and casually ignored their messages of doom. 

Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Over the last few weeks, Our Lord has warned us that we may be persecuted for being his followers but that it will lead to our witnessing to him.  He said we shouldn’t fear or need to rehearse what we might say to those who oppose us and our values, for Our Lord promised: “I

The Dominican Martyrs of Vietnam

Today the Church honours the memory of the 117 Martyrs of Vietnam who suffered for their faith in Christ during the 18th and 19th centuries.  These martyrs were recognised and beatified in four separate groups, and the second group beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1906 were all Dominicans – Saint Ignatius Delgado and his

Tuesday of Week 34 in Ordinary Time

The readings of this last week in Ordinary Time continue to remind us that the world, as we know it, will one day come to an end.  And so how do we respond to these prophetic warnings of the End Times?  Do they cause us fear, anxiety, or hope?  People in every age have wondered

Saint Cecilia

Today we honour the memory of Saint Cecilia, who suffered martyrdom for assisting at the burial of two brothers who were also martyred.  Cecilia was arrested and ordered to sacrifice to pagan gods.  When she refused she was suffocated, stabbed in the neck and then beheaded.  Saint Cecilia is one of the seven female saints

CHRIST THE KING

Most major feasts of the liturgical year celebrate events in the life of Christ.  Today’s feast rather celebrates an idea or a concept: Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords: to echo the responsorial psalm of today’s Mass: “The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.” In the gospel we meet Pontius Pilate, the