Archives for Articles

The Baptism of Christ, Pietro Perugino (1446–1523) and his workshop, c.1482 (detail)

The transformation of Baptism

Sunday 10 January 2021

There was nothing new about baptism as an idea, ritual cleansings were a common part of religious practice; so when S. John started to preach his baptism, it was an idea which was easily understood. But this particular baptism was something entirely different.

Blessing of the House at Epiphany

Thursday 7 January 2021

It’s customary to bless the house each year at Epiphany, with chalk and water which has been blessed for the purpose. You may have been able to obtain some; it’s generally distributed after Mass at Epiphany, and many churches make it freely available during the days afterward. Even if you’re isolating and can’t get it […]

Seek, find and rejoice

Thursday 7 January 2021

We need to have the humility to put aside our own ways of looking and searching. We need to be willing to submit ourselves to God’s revelation, to the Faith once delivered to the Saints, to the Church who has been given to us as our guide.

Adoration of the Shepherds, Charles Le Brun (1619–1690), 1689; Louvre, Paris

Christ the Eternal Word

Sunday 3 January 2021

The celebration of the Word made flesh in the Babe of Bethlehem is the promise of God made real. The Incarnation reveals that all God’s words of hope spoken through the prophets are made a concrete reality.

Rejoice! The Lord is near

Monday 14 December 2020

Our joy resides in the gift of the eternal promise of a new heaven and earth without tears, sorrow or sadness, and that shall never pass away.

Let us each our hearts prepare

Sunday 6 December 2020

The call then is to make straight his paths, through what is often the barren wilderness of our hearts. It is a call to prepare with thanksgiving, works of charity, generosity and love and a willing heart to come before our Lord acknowledging our sins in an act of penitence.