Category: Fr John’s Weekly
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Our Easter Deeds
Our Holy Week and Easter are complete. We have shared in prayer and memory the sufferings of Jesus, his death and resurrection. We rejoice at the faith that allows us to look towards him in sorrow and joy – and to share God’s love as he did. Holy Week and Easter are complete when we…
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I, Daniel Blake
If someone were to ask who rules the United Kingdom, would you answer “The Queen, the Government, the Parliaments, the Civil Service”? That’s a good answer, recognising the various authorities. The question that follows is harder “Who has the power?” Of the Church we ask “Who rules?” – Pope, Vatican, Bishops. Who has the power?…
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After The Pandemic!
1962, seventeen years after end of World War II. There had been strong growth in the Church – vocations to the religious life, the priesthood and missionary religious orders, the building of new churches – but only until the late 1950’s and then a decline became noticeable. In the Nottingham diocese in 1962, 72,000 people…
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Was Jesus Right or Left-handed?
He was right-handed. When he wrote on the paving stone of the Temple (in the story of the woman guilty of adultery) what did he write? Nothing. He did not need to. The act of writing-on-stone is what the Bible calls “a parable-inaction” where no words are spoken but the action is the message. We…
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Covid 19 – Love One Another
Some of you will remember the Rwanda genocide, April-July 1994, and others of you will know about it. Twenty-seven years ago, but the horror was there before and since and court trials continue. An estimated 800,000 Tutsi were massacred by their Hutu neighbours and Christian sisters and brothers. Most of the country is Christian, and…
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Let Us Dream – Pope Francis
in his prologue to his latest book, he writes “Think of what we’ve seen during this Covid-19 crisis. All those martyrs, men and women who have laid down their lives in service to those most in need. Think of the health workers, the doctors and nurses and other caregivers, as well as the chaplains and…
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Lent 2021 – Pope Francis
“Jesus revealed to his disciples the deepest meaning of his mission when he told them of his passion, death and resurrection, in fulfilment of the Father’s will. He then called the disciples to share in this mission for the salvation of the world . . . . . This Lenten journey, like the entire pilgrimage…
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World Day Of The Sick – Pope Francis
“Before the needs of our brothers and sisters, Jesus asks us to respond . . . to stop and listen, to establish a direct and personal relationship with others, to feel empathy and compassion, and to let their suffering become our own as we seek to serve them (cf. Lk 10:30-35). The experience of sickness…
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Women In Catholic Church
You may have been surprised to learn that women can be commissioned as acolytes (altar servers) and readers at mass. The announcement was made in Rome just over a week ago. In this country we are used to seeing women carrying out these duties, and others, but there are many countries, including some in Europe,…