Augustine’s faith was essentially a thinking faith, endeavouring to bring together the belief of his heart and the abilities of his mind. This is well illustrated by the fact that his favourite verse from scripture was a [mis]quotation from Isaiah 7:9, ‘If you do not believe, then you will not understand.’ Faith seeks understanding: faith…
Founder of the Jesuits. St Ignatius was born in 1491, the youngest son of a Basque nobleman. As a young man he was a soldier and was wounded at the Battle of Pamplona against the French. During a long convalescence he read the lives of the saints, and decided to dedicate himself to God. After…
In 2016, Pope Francis elevated thge memorial of St Mary Magdalen, traditionally observed on 22 July, to the status of a feast day. Over the past 30 years a number of studies have restored the reputation of Mary of Magdala from repentant prostitute to leading women disciple. Her title ‘Apostle of the Apostles’ is founded…
Down the centuries many customs, myths and paraphernalia have grown up around Saint Patrick and the celebration of his feast day at home and abroad. But perhaps, paradoxically, the restrictions this year are opening up an opportunity for us to focus a little more on Saint Patrick himself, and even rescue the real Saint Patrick…
Saving the roof of a new cathedral in an area of Malawi beset by natural disasters is one of the key building projects Aid to the Church is undertaking to mark the year of Saint Joseph. National director Neville Kyrke-Smith said: “These projects will transform the lives of the local Catholic communities struggling to live…
Priest, professor and former dean Titus Brandsma is an important step towards canonization. “If things go fast, it could be in February,” says philosopher and FTR dean Christoph Lüthy. Titus Brandsma (1881-1942) is well on his way to being canonized. The Carmelite, priest and former professor and dean of the Catholic University of Nijmegen who…
Several sources state Saint Nicholas is believed to have died on December 6, 343. Over the years, stories of his miracles and work for the poor spread to other parts of the world. He became known as the protector of children and sailors and was associated with gift-giving. He was a popular saint in Europe…
In their collective statement circulated Tuesday, November 3, CERNA members identify Pope Francis’ New Encyclical, Fratelli Tutti and the forthcoming canonization of Blessed Charles de Foucauld as “the two recent Church events” that “shed a new and joyful light on what we are living.” They term the Holy Father’s Encyclical a document that sheds light on the value of…
Missionary archbishop. Born in Northumbria in 658, Willibrord studied at Ripon monastery under St Wilfrid and spent twelve years studying in Ireland at the abbey of Rathmelsigi, under Saints Egbert and Wigbert. After his ordination he set out, in about 690, with a dozen companions for Frisia, or Friesland. These men covered extraordinary distances on…
“Sermon to the birds: ‘Esteemed friends, birds of noble lineage, I have no message to you except this: be what you are: be birds. Thus you will be your own sermon to yourselves!’ Reply: ‘Even this is one sermon too many!’” — Thomas Merton (Day of a Stranger, p.51) Francis and the Wolf Carlo Carretto (1910–1988)…
Why is Dominic any different from any other saint who founded a religious order? It’s a worthwhile question, and a good antidote to the personality cults that often attach themselves to the founders of religious orders. The key for me is in the opening quotation from Blessed Jordan of Saxony. Dominic felt compassion for other…
So, on this feast of St Ignatius we find him walking with us, still a pilgrim on our pilgrimage. As our companion, what might he want to share with us to keep us going in these difficult times? For a start, I think he would ask us not only to focus on the spiritual but…
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