28 Jan 2016

Be not troubled. Be firm in your faith.

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Saints | 0

In these troubled times for the Catholic Church, when many are confused and there is contradiction amongst cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and laity, we do well to listen to those great Doctors of the Church who have gone before us.  I have mentioned my practice of following the liturgical cycle with Dom Propser Gueranger’s ‘The Liturgical Year’.  Yesterday was the feast of St John Chrysostom and Dom Gueranger gives the address that St John Chrusostom gave to the faithful under … Read More
25 Jan 2016

Article 22 – Marriage! Nothing new under the Sun

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Catholic Marriage, Family, Legio Sanctae Familiae, The Legion of the Holy Family | 0

There is nothing new under the Sun. “A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there … Read More
25 Jan 2016

Article 21 – Marriage! The Discarding of Beauty

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Catholic Marriage, Family, Legio Sanctae Familiae, The Legion of the Holy Family | 0

Beauty Discarded. Imagine, if you will, that you are walking by your nearest town hall. You notice a skip outside the town hall and a wooden frame protruding from the skip. On closer inspection, you find that a masterpiece painted by the artist Rembrandt, which used to hang in the main reception area of the town hall, has been thrown out. In disbelief you enter the town hall to find that the masterpiece has been replaced by a modern art … Read More
22 Jan 2016

Article 20 – Marriage and Holiness

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Catholic Marriage, Family, Legio Sanctae Familiae, The Legion of the Holy Family | 0

True Devotions. This series of articles began with a look at the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage and its basis in Sacred Scripture. For the past month or so, in conjunction with a new Apostolate called ‘True Devotions’, we have been looking at the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and also at the life of St Thérèse and of her family. I would like to talk a little more about family life and prayer before returning to Catholic … Read More
22 Jan 2016

Article 19 – Marriage! The Martin Family

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Catholic Marriage, Family, Legio Sanctae Familiae, The Legion of the Holy Family | 0

The Martin Family. In the last article I introduced my newly found devotion to St Thérèse of Lisieux, and one comment I received was that whilst it was a good article, it did not say much about family life and prayer. I responded that, patience is a virtue, and that the article was going to be written in two parts the second of which would look at the family life of the Martins. Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin had nine … Read More
21 Jan 2016

Article – 18 Marriage! – St Thérèse

by | posted in: Catholic Marriage, Family, The Legion of the Holy Family | 0

Falling in Love with St Thérèse. Today I have a confession to make. In July I made my annual five day silent Ignatian retreat with the monks of St Joseph’s Abbey from Flavigny in France. The retreat was held in the Ards Friary retreat centre in north Donegal and, as I told my wife on my return, I met a beautiful woman there and I fell in love with her. No it wasn’t Our Lady! It was St Thérèse of … Read More
21 Jan 2016

Come away and rest awhile!

by | posted in: Family, General | 0

Last week, I had the great grace of making a private retreat in St Joseph de Claival Abbey in France where my spiritual director, a benedictine monk, resides.  I had the good fortune to attend Latin Mass every day and to sit in the choir loft for many of the daily Divine offices of the Community which are sung in Latin in the Traditional Gregorian chant. I arrived home to a family ravaged by a severe bout of winter flu … Read More
8 Jan 2016

Article 17 – Sacred Heart Promises cont’d

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Catholic Marriage, Family, Legio Sanctae Familiae, The Legion of the Holy Family | 0

Family Prayer and Devotion – The Sacred Heart Eight Promise – “Fervent Souls shall speedily rise to great perfection” In St Matthew we are told “Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) We know that of ourselves we can do nothing, let alone become perfect, and yet Christ desires this perfection of us so that we can enter into Heaven where nothing imperfect may enter. Christ saves sinners first by bringing them to repentance … Read More

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