My homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year A) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12. "Isaiah's prophecy of the Messiah presents a challenge to those people of John the Baptist's day, whose idea of the Messiah had been… Continue reading Homilies: 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Review: The Secret Dead
The Secret Dead by S.J. Parris My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a short story that provides much in the way of background to the story of Giordano Bruno before his escape from the Dominican convent in Naples that was his home, the place where he learnt and studied philosophy and theology, and… Continue reading Review: The Secret Dead
Review: Sacrilege
Sacrilege by S.J. Parris My rating: 4 of 5 stars Our hero barely escapes the adventures to be found in this volume of the continuing series with his life intact.Travelling to the city of Canterbury, and to its Cathedral where Thomas Beckett was murdered, Giordano Bruno, a former Dominican monk and now a spy for… Continue reading Review: Sacrilege
Homilies: 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A)
My homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A) as preached during the 5 pm Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44. "Today we begin our journey through Advent - and indeed a whole new liturgical year. The Season of Advent calls us to look… Continue reading Homilies: 1st Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Review: The Evolution of the West: How Christianity Has Shaped Our Values
The Evolution of the West: How Christianity Has Shaped Our Values by Nick Spencer My rating: 4 of 5 stars This series of essays from Nick Spencer is a challenge to those who might believe that Christianity has never made a contribution to the development of the Western world, that the Western world has, in… Continue reading Review: The Evolution of the West: How Christianity Has Shaped Our Values
Review: Prophecy
Prophecy by S.J. Parris My rating: 4 of 5 stars The plots to dethrone Elizabeth and replace her with Mary of Scotland have taken on new depths and our hero, Doctor Giordano Bruno, finds himself in an enviable position in the midst of the conspirators while also acting as an agent of Sir Francis Walsingham,… Continue reading Review: Prophecy
Homilies: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year C
My homily for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year C) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The scriptures readings proclaimed were 2 Samuel 5:1-3; Colossians 1:12-20; Luke 23:35-43. "The kingship of Jesus is rooted not in a political settlement but in a covenantal… Continue reading Homilies: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Year C
Homilies: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
My homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5.30 pm Saturday evening Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Malachi 3:19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3"7-12; Luke 21:5-19. "If we focus on trying to interpret the 'signs and wonders' in the world and their connection to the… Continue reading Homilies: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Review: Resistance
Resistance: In a Nazi-Occupied Ireland, Where Would You Stand? by Brian Gallagher My rating: 2 of 5 stars As a fan of the great 'what if' genre, the basic premise of this book immediately grabbed my attention. That it was set in Ireland, a country I visited only twelve months ago, was an additional draw… Continue reading Review: Resistance
Homilies: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
My homily for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30 am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - 3:5; Luke 20:27-38. "We don't know what eternal life will look like, yet we know that God is graciously offered… Continue reading Homilies: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Review: Heresy
Heresy by S.J. Parris My rating: 5 of 5 stars Religious differences, persecutions, murder, mystery, and Oxford College and the Elizabethan age. What better combination to introduce a series that features Dr Giordano Bruno of Nola, a former Dominican monk, a philosopher, an excommunicated heretic, and an agent of Sir Francis Walsingham, the Queen's Chief… Continue reading Review: Heresy
The Vocation of Citizenship
It is...a bromide to observe that most people pay little attention to politics. They have, or so the conventional wisdom goes, much better things to devote their precious time and limited energy to. Besides, politics is all to often as corrupt as it is frustrating. There is a some truth to such sentiments, but the… Continue reading The Vocation of Citizenship
Homilies: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
My homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 5 pm Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Wisdom 11:22 - 12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11 - 2:2; Luke 19:1-10. "When he looks at Zacchaeus, Jesus does not see a tax collector or a public sinner or… Continue reading Homilies: 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Homilies: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
My homily for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings were Sirach 33:12-14, 16-19; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14. "Our Gospel today reminds us that our prayer should focus on God and what God is asking of us, and avoid… Continue reading Homilies: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Review: One Virgin Too Many
One Virgin Too Many: by Lindsey Davis My rating: 4 of 5 stars Our hero, Marcus Didius Falco, finally achieves that which he has been seeking since he first took up with his girlfriend/wife/mother of his child - Falco has been raised to the equestrian rank by fiat of the Emperor himself. Suddenly Falco is… Continue reading Review: One Virgin Too Many
Review: Communal Wisdom: A Way of Discernment for a Pilgrim Church
Communal Wisdom: A Way of Discernment for a Pilgrim Church by Brian Msc Gallagher My rating: 4 of 5 stars There can be very little doubt that the Catholic Church in Australia in late 2019 has a growing understanding of the practice of discernment. In the lead up to the Church’s Plenary Council in 2020,… Continue reading Review: Communal Wisdom: A Way of Discernment for a Pilgrim Church
Homilies: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
My homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:2; Luke 18:1-8. "Paul's passionate call to Timothy is to proclaim the message, the message of Jesus Christ, and to do so consistently… Continue reading Homilies: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Review: Treason’s Spring
Treason's Spring by Robert Wilton My rating: 2 of 5 stars I've generally enjoyed the other books in this continuing series, largely because of the combination of intrigue and the timeframes in which they were located. This volume, unfortunately, lacked a certain something in the writing that made it less enjoyable than its companions. And… Continue reading Review: Treason’s Spring
St John Henry Newman
Today, Rome time, at St Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, declared John Henry Cardinal Newman and four others to be ascribed as Saints of the Church. St John Henry Newman, pray for us. https://twitter.com/ctrlamb/status/1183301471636525058
Homilies: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
My homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) as preached during the 9.30am Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton. The readings proclaimed were 2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19. "God is always willing to lavish grace and gifts on us, to restore us to the fullness of life that God… Continue reading Homilies: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
