The former soldier and founder of the Jesuit order died in 1556. Pope Benedict XVI said of him: ‘St Ignatius of Loyola was first and foremost a man of God who in his life put God, his greatest glory and his greatest service, first. He was a profoundly prayerful man for whom the daily celebration […]
Today’s saint, whose name means ‘golden worded’, was born in Italy in 380 and died in 450. He was renowned for his exceptionally rich homilies. In one of these, he said: ‘There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Prayer […]
This beautiful feast shows us the essence of true hospitality. All attention is upon the Guest who has entered their home, and who blesses them by His Presence in their midst. May we show that love and care for all who enter our homes; and may God bless you this day.
Here is today’s Gospel: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one […]
From today’s Old Testament reading, from Exodus: ‘Moses said, “I pray thee, show me thy glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show […]
‘There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots’. Today we commemorate the parents of Our Lady, the ‘shoot’ from the stump of Jesse. As they were Our Lord’s grandparents, we pray today for all grandparents, giving thanks for their sometimes invisible service to their […]
‘A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How am I to set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give […]
Born in Lebanon in 1828, he grew up in a pious home and had two uncles who were hermits. He himself entered Maronite monastic life in 1851, being ordained a priest in 1859. In 1875 he embarked upon the hermit life, which he lived faithfully until his death on Christmas Eve in 1898. He said: […]
Today, as we commemorate St Bridget of Sweden, we remember in our prayers our dear friends the Bridgettine Sisters. They are true and faithful followers of her way. Here is a verse of the Prayer attributed to St Bridget, based on the Passion of the Lord: ‘Everlasting honour be to you, Lord Jesus Christ. You […]
The face of Mary Magdalen is the face of one who has gazed upon Truth, and so has found peace. This is the face of the one who, it is said, overtaken by Love, spent her last years in prayer in a cave in the south of France. ‘She who loved much’, and so was […]