Category: Fr John’s Weekly
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Happiness
Suddenly, those moments come. They seem perfect and you feel blessed. Some of the reasons you can see, others are out of sight or touch but you know they are part of it. The feeling is one of total blessedness. You thank God and wonder whom else you must or would like to thank. You…
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Ordination Of Women Priests
The Tablet is our principal international Catholic journal in the English-speaking world. In a recent edition, Bishop Crowley suggested that the Church should look at the possibility of ordaining women to the priesthood. I sent the following letter to the Tablet, supporting that view, and an edited version is in this week’s edition. “Bishop Crowley…
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Prejudice
The sin was not hatred, murder, killings, slavery, injustice – it was same-sex relations. Dear God, we ask, what sort of sick prejudice wrote that story? The…
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Church Child Abuse
We knew it was coming and how unpleasant as it became headline radio news last week. Child abuse by Priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham was reported on by an independent inquiry. Some priests were named, and so were archbishops referred to. The overwhelming judgement was that much of the abuse would not have happened…
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Ageless
How well do you fit this picture of being young? “Youth is not a period of life, but an attitude of mind; it is an expression of the will, of the power of the imagination and of the intensity of the feeling. It represents the victory of courage over cowardice, of the spirit of adventure…
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Life’s Decisions
The lady was a brilliant lecturer. She was convinced of the beauty and truth of natural family planning as it might reflect in the fulfilling love of married couples. She was invited to speak to the priests of the diocese. They all came. She looked around the large group, took us all in, and said:…
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D-Day – The Normandy Invasion
We have heard the service men and women speak of their memories, of the comradeship they shared, of the ideals that inspired them to be willing to sacrifice…
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Nationalism and Patriotism
I admire patriotism, the love of one’s country, of one’s people but I dislike nationalism, the placing of one’s own country as superior to others. Nationalism sees rivals, foreigners, immigrants, outsiders; patriotism shares love of country with all who share similar values. “My country first” shouts Nationalism. “All peoples together” sings Patriotism, recognising others’ love…
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A Daily Brexit Prayer
A research chemist had built up a huge backlog of studies. He handed the papers to his secretary with a sincere apology for the amount of work he was giving her. “That’s all right” she said, pleasantly. “How will you manage it all?” he asked. She smiled sweetly “One at a time.”