Is it right to fear God? What is the difference between a destructive fear and a “holy trepidation”? An Advent homily by Fr Stephen Wang: Look around you at the chapel walls. Look at the […]
Archive for December, 2013
Christmas: sacred and profane
Happy Christmas from everyone at Jericho Tree! We are taking a Christmas break and will be back in the new year. The image above is from a shop window on Tottenham Court Road; the image […]
Christmas traditions: the breaking of the Oplatki bread
One of the loveliest traditions we started on Christmas Eve is one we took from our Polish friends, the breaking of the Oplatki bread. This tradition starts just before the evening meal. While the adults […]
Life in Christ: a 45 session DVD resource
I’ve just received my complimentary copy of the new Life in Christ DVD resource from the Southwark Catholic Youth Service (I do one of the sessions on prayer). It’s a mammoth undertaking: 45 sessions with […]
Ordinariate’s first monastery to be erected
On New Year’s Day 2014 – a year to the day since they were received into the full communion of the Catholic Church – the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary will formally become the […]
Family stability more important for your children than finding the ‘best’ school?
How much energy parents spend – quite understandably – on finding the ‘right’ or ‘best’ school for their children. But perhaps there are more important things, even for the sake of their education and schooling. […]
When you don’t know how to help your child or where to turn
For any mothers who know they need God’s help in their family life but are not sure how to turn to him: Take a look at this information from the Mothers Prayers website. Mothers Prayers […]
Pope Francis’s La Stampa interview: summary & highlights
The Pope’s Christmas interview to the Italian daily La Stampa shows, if nothing else, that Francis’s habit of allowing himself to be interrogated by the media is going to be a feature of his papacy, setting […]
Family traditions surrounding St Lucy’s Day
There are many legends surrounding St. Lucy. She is a young woman who courageously gave her life for the faith. Legend has it that St.Lucy and her mother prayed at the tomb of St. Agatha, […]
Nudge theory and the pro-life movement
In a recent post I explained how a successful set of ‘nudges’ can radically reorientate someone’s thinking and behaviour, and how the pro-life movement can learn from this. Many are vaguely familiar with ‘nudge’ theory. Originally […]
Abby Johnson’s pro-life conversion
On Friday last week, fresh from the studios of Women’s Hour, Abby Johnson spoke to the Catholic Voices Academy in London about “Changing Minds on Abortion”. Abby is a former executive at Planned Parenthood in Texas […]
Our Lady of Guadalupe, St Juan Diego, and the theology of the Mexican piñata
Down through the centuries there have been many reported sightings of Our Lady. But maybe none with such dramatic consequences as when she appeared in Mexico in 1531. A poor Aztec Indian named Juan Diego […]
Time Magazine names Pope Francis its ‘Person of the Year’
Reuters has the story, which begins: Time magazine named Pope Francis its Person of the Year on Wednesday, crediting him with shifting the message of the Catholic Church while capturing the imagination of millions of […]
New Rector appointed to Allen Hall Seminary
News came out today that Fr Roger Taylor, the current Vice-Rector, has been appointed by Archbishop Vincent Nichols to be the new Rector at Allen Hall, the seminary of the Archdiocese of Westminster. Fr Michael O’Boy, […]
True happiness and the real meaning of the moral life
If you are looking for a wonderful introduction to Catholic moral theology, you need look no further than William C. Mattison III’s Introducing Moral Theology: True Happiness and the Virtues. I have been working through it […]
The question is not whether we will die – but how we shall live
An address given by Fr Martin Boland at the St Francis Hospice “Light up a Life” Service, on the 2nd Sunday of Advent Last year, I went to visit a man, a parishioner from the Cathedral here […]
How going to Confession can transform your life
A sermon about the importance of the Sacrament of Confession during Advent, that should be helpful even outside of the Advent season.
Celebrating Advent within the family: stories, festivities and food!
Christmas is on its way! For children, this is the most wonderful time of the year. A time of great celebration. However, we cannot go straight into the feast of Christmas without some preparation. Advent […]
Five years on from the HFE Act: whatever happened to cybrids?
Five years ago last month, a highly contentious Bill that had ignited months of fierce debate across the country, finally received Royal Assent. The Bill in question was the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which […]
The greatest Advent calendars of all time: Number 1
I was given this tiny Advent calendar as a gift on Sunday, all the way from Germany. It’s about 10cm x 5cm. I thought it was very sweet but a bit boring – until I […]
Student Cross – looking ahead to Holy Week 2014
Student Cross is a pilgrimage organised by and for students, young adults, and pilgrims of all ages, which has been running since 1948. Pilgrims experience Holy Week and the joy of the Resurrection as a […]
