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 […]
Relationships
Praying for your future spouse, and not just that you will find them
A thoughtful post from Esther Rich about why single people might pray for the person they will one day marry – even though they haven’t discovered who they are yet. And yes, she also deals […]
Is God calling you to religious life?
Is God calling you to religious life? A homily about the meaning of religious and consecrated life in the history of the Church, and whether the Lord might be calling you to some form of […]
Why are we all still single?
Some information about upcoming events linked to the Pure in Heart group and the Theology of the Body: Wednesday February 4th: Why are we all still single?: A look at some of the cultural influences […]
Learning to speak God’s own language
The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus is a great way to meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation. It can tell us a lot about what it means to be part of a new […]
Everything that Jesus has done for us depends on what Mary has done for us
A sermon by Fr Stephen Wang about the significance of Mary in salvation history: showing how everything that Jesus has done for us depends on what Mary has done for us; and the more you […]
How love matures: from the Hollywood romance to a community of service and support
The excitement of the Synod has died down, and we are left with a year to ponder and pray. For the Press, it was all about controversy – homosexuality and second marriages. But for the […]
Religious difference and the responsibility of joy
Just recently, the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome dedicated a new building to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He wrote an occasional letter entitled “Renunciation of the truth is lethal to faith”. The letter is set […]
Loneliness, part 4: the experience of Christ
An acceptance of the “original solitude” of Eden is called, in time, to mature into the loneliness as experienced by Christ in Gethsemane. In Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI writes of this defining event: […]
Loneliness, part 3: Pope John Paul II and ‘Original Solitude’
The early chapters of Pope John Paul II’s theological project, The Theology of the Body, develop a philosophical anthropology based on a close reading of the Genesis creation stories. John Paul II contends that the […]
Loneliness, part 2: the experience of the priest
The popular description of loneliness emphasises its social dimension. Loneliness is the absence of companionship, a failure to create and sustain a web of meaningful, supportive attachments. Circumstance or choice means that some people live […]
Loneliness, part 1: the human condition
For many people, loneliness is that facet of human existence that they most dread and, from which, they tirelessly labour to escape. Yet, loneliness is one of the distinguishing hallmarks of our humanity. It is […]
Human jealousy and divine generosity
Is God unfair? A sermon by Fr Stephen Wang, about the dangers of jealousy, the wonder of God’s generosity, and the puzzle of why he gives some things to some people and not to others.
How to awaken curiosity about the faith in our friends and colleagues
One of the most difficult things we can encounter as Christians are friends who have no interest at all in Christianity, even if they “respect me for being a Catholic”. It is like a bridge of trust is there, […]
Grief to Grace, Healing the Wounds of Abuse – London retreat this November
Grief to Grace is running a London retreat this November, facilitated by Dr Theresa Burke the founder of the programme. It takes place at the Kairos Centre, Roehampton, London SW15 4AJ, from 3-8 November. Contact […]
Tinder: the dangers and delights of mobile app dating
[A guest post by Stephen Rooney]. With the tag line “A fun way to break the ice” and launched initially as an iPhone application in September 2012, Tinder has taken the millennial dating market by […]
The beauty and power of the Sacrament of Marriage: a new DVD resource for parishes, schools, catechetical groups and couples themselves
Catholic Faith Exploration (CaFE) have just published a marvelous new DVD about the Sacrament of Marriage. You can order it here. You can watch the trailer above, and read the blurb that follows: A TV quality […]
The lost art of dating
Heather Cicchese writes about an experiment in a Boston College where instead of just ‘hooking up’, students take the risk of actually talking to each other. In a Starbucks on the Boston University campus, Dave […]
Evangelisation: inspiring examples and encouragement “From the Mission Field” #1
Anyone in need of some ENCOURAGEMENT?! In this new series of posts, “From the Mission Field”, I want to share some of what I can see the Holy Spirit doing through some wonderful people around the country. […]
How to find healing after an abortion: weekend retreats with Rachel’s Vineyard this June and October
Rachel’s Vineyard UK has two weekend retreats coming up over the next few months. One of the best ways of publicising these is through the parish newsletter and noticeboard. You can find out about the […]
Do you want a ‘start-up’ marriage in your 20s or a ‘corporate merger’ marriage in your 30s or 40s?
Charles Murray dishes out some advice for young people. It includes looking at the difference between a “start-up”and a “merger” marriage, how to discern a soul-mate, and the importance of religious friends. (Full disclosure: I’m […]
