Contributions to the Mill Hill Missionaries website.
In the run-up to the forthcoming canonisation of Charles de Foucauld on May 15th I was asked to write an article on his influence on missionary thinking, spirituality and practice for the Dutch language periodical Tijdschrift voor Geestelijk Leven. What follows is a two part translation into English. F.E. Personal experience. Like most missionaries of my…
In the run-up to the forthcoming canonisation of Charles de Foucauld on May 15th I was asked to write an article on his influence on missionary thinking, spirituality and practice for the Dutch language periodical Tijdschrift voor Geestelijk Leven. What follows is a two part translation into English. F.E. Charles de Foucauld – Monk-Missionary In…
The word “vocation” should not be understood restrictively, as referring simply to those who follow the Lord through a life of special consecration. All of us are called to share in Christ’s mission to reunite a fragmented humanity and to reconcile it with God. Each man and woman, even before encountering Christ and embracing the…
Synodality is a way of doing church that emphasizes things like listening, shared leadership responsibilities between ordained and lay faithful, and reading and responding to the signs of the times. One of the Jesuits helping the church think about how synodality is lived out is Fr. James Hanvey, SJ. Fr. Hanvey is a theologian and…
The twice postponed 19th General Chapter of the Mill Hill Missionaries is due to convene on 21st May 2022 at the Milton Hill House in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. Originally set to have taken place in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2020, the event had to be rescheduled twice and the venue changed due to the Covid-19 pandemic….
The busiest afternoon of the year for Catholic churches is that of Good Friday. People throng to participate in a liturgy entitled, ‘Celebration of the Passion of the Lord’. The mood for this celebration is set by three readings from Scripture, which invite us to meet the Lord Jesus under three aspects: as Servant, as…
The silences in our lives and relationships are often significant. There are those silences that are filled with security and peace. Even in the midst of a frenetic world or schedule, we can still carry an inner silence – a sort of interior poise. At times, silence can be a sort of ‘at homeness’ with…
Sculpture above: Basilica of Mary Magdalene at Vézelay – ‘the hanging of Judas and the Good Shepherd’. At the top of the first capital on the right as you walk in, there us a sculpture few people know about, partly because of where it is: 20 metres from the ground. When seen close up, it…
The concern of the Church cannot and should not be that of the prestige of the community and its ministers. It cannot and should not be its social influence, that is, a desire to “matter”, to be “relevant” on the world stage, in society, or in places of power. It cannot and should not be…
Cherry blossoms remind us to appreciate life, beauty and the other moments and things we encounter while we have them, either in spite of or because of the fact that they will end. And as the falling petals teach, even the end can be beautiful. The Japanese phrase for this is mono no aware (the “alas” of…
Once a missionary, always a missionary! The call never ceases, even in retirement homes where old missionaries live with memories of what answering the call had been. The joy and grace of past service can be reawakened and experienced in new ways. This happened recently at what seemed an ordinary event — the retirement of one chef…
MILL HILL MISSIONARIES
6, Colby Gardens
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 7GZ
T: 01628 673178
E: office@millhillmissionaries.com