The world, and the church, owe St Dominic much. This illustrious Order has three mottoes: firstly, ‘Truth’;  secondly, and this is perhaps the best known of the three: ‘To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of contemplation’; and, finally, ‘To praise, to bless, to preach’. St Dominic gave to his religious the strong […]

Today is also the Optional Memoria of Pope St Sixtus II, whose name is mentioned in the Roman Canon. He was martyred under the Emperor Valerian in about the year 258, along with four of his deacons. Three more were put to death on the same day. St Lawrence was also part of the group […]

Here is part of today’s Gospel reading, from St Matthew: ‘After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light. And behold, there appeared to […]

From our Old Testament reading: ‘“At that time”, says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.” Thus says the Lord: “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from afar. I have loved you […]

This great priest of the confessional spent forty-two years in the parish of Ars, in France. Gifted in the reading of souls, he is much venerated even today. On the Eucharist, he said: ‘Jesus our food, incomparable glory of the Christian soul. What the Angels behold only with awe, the radiant splendour of which they […]

St John of the Cross said, in his ‘Sayings of Light and Love’, ‘When evening comes, you will be examined on love’. He refers, of course, to the time of our death, the ‘evening’ of our life; but we may also say that every night is a ‘little death’ and, as we make our examination […]

Here is part of today’s Old Testament reading, from Isaiah: ‘Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price’. The prophecy continues: ‘For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but […]

Founder of the Redemptorists, St Alphonsus was a most prolific writer, on many subjects concerning the spiritual life. His life spanned the seventeenth and eighteenth century, in Italy. He said: ‘Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with Him, familiarly and with confidence and love, as to the dearest and […]

This great soldier of Christ has had a profound influence on spirituality, even up till our own day. Here is his well-known prayer: ‘Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will, all that I have and all that I possess. You gave it all to me, Lord; I give it all […]

Here is part of today’s Old Testament reading: ‘The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was […]