This feast had its origin in the East as the “Conception of Mary by St Anne.” It spread through the West during the Middle Ages as the “Immaculate Conception” and was extended to the entire Western Church in the eighteenth century. The feast celebrates Mary, preserved from sin from the moment of conception; she is the first-fruits of her Son’s redemption and a prophetic model of what the Church is called to be.
John the Baptist is the focus of the liturgy on the Second Sunday of Advent each year. His challenge to us to ‘prepare a way for the Lord’ is at the heart of the Advent message. We worship the one who will surely come to us.
Association of Catholic Priests statement on public Masses for Christmas Friday 4th December 2020 The go-ahead for public Masses given by the government, after the last lockdown was lifted, creates…
Some good news on the Lectionary translation front: 1. Publishing company Darton, Longman and Todd is producing a translation of the Lectionary which would avoid the non-inclusive English Standard Version…
Apologies are a dubious currency in Covid era Western People column As we edge towards the end of a second COVID lockdown, we look back and look forward. Back…
From the outside, looking in Chris McDonnell CT Belonging to a social group, a sports club, a political party or a local community association involves accepting certain rules and patterns…
Michael Seán Winters from the National Catholic Reporter writes: At last week’s general audience, Pope Francis expressed his concern about Catholic groups that chart their own path. His words are…
Caritas Christi urget nos. (2 Cor 5.14) For the birds: The mornings are good. The river is hospitable. The ducks and herons sleep on. The swan- family fly in together…
This was sent to me by a friend. Worthy of a repost here… https://vimeo.com/55083284
Brendan Hoban reading a reflection from his new book ‘A Priest’s Diary’ on Midwest Radio’s Faith Alive programme with Monica Morley. https://soundcloud.com/monica-morley-858811797/grace-1?fbclid=IwAR2hfd1RRQy6B4kygZg3JJFhJuRK8FwaBnlMi9PmuGB2SnU-9G1Lhd7bjq8 Copies of ‘A Priest’s Diary’ are now available…
The man from Del Monte was one of our own I’ve just published my new book, A Priest’s Diary. Not so much a diary as a series of…
Advent begins today, and with it a new year in the Church’s life. We look forward with hope to the end of time, when Christ will come in glory — and with joy, even in the midst of pandemic, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.
This Advent Coming Chris McDonnell CT In the Northern hemisphere, the weeks before Christmas are often dark and dank, “the ways deep and the weather sharp, the very dead of…
A Priest’s Diary Brendan Hoban The word ‘diary’, used to describe these jottings, is a bit of a misnomer. Usually a diary is a private document, written for the…
Every day is a blessing. The Eucharist of nature: The day was quiet. The river was mostly a whisper with some variations. And then there was the heavy flapping of…
From Joshua J McElwee – National Catholic Reporter… ROME — Pope Francis has strongly defended his record on naming women to positions of authority at the Vatican, saying in a…
Brendan Hoban’s Western People article… Joe Biden’s Catholic faith is distinctly Irish For all of his political life, Joe Biden has sought the American presidency. In 1980 when he was…
Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. At the end of time, this king will come in glory to judge the living and the dead. He will ask how we treated the hungry and thirsty, the stranger, the naked, those sick or in prison. But in the meantime, he will bind our wounds and revive our sometimes-drooping spirits, like a Good Shepherd.
Seán O’Conaill writes: Too Many Steps Too Far It is impossible to watch the first episode of the fourth Netflix ‘season’ of The Crown without being appalled at the…
Anne Soupa Candidate to become Archbishop of Lyon Followed by Q & A 7.30 – 9.00pm Monday 23rd of November 2020 Online ZOOM event Anne Soupa Anne Soupa is…
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