Experience the Living Word with Bishop David Walker
October 15th marks the feast day of the first female Doctor of the Church, a mystic, and a profound reformer. In an age of turmoil, when the Church struggled under internal challenges and spiritual stagnation, a quiet yet fierce voice rose from within the walls of a Carmelite convent in Ávila, Spain. This voice belonged…
Do all you can to preach the gospel and if necessary, use words! As a young girl I chose Francis as my Confirmation name, Virginia Mary Francis. And so began a lifelong fascination and deep appreciation of the genius and humility of St Francis. My parents were committed members of the Franciscan 3rd Order and…
Hildegard of Bingen OSB was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 and he recognized her as a Doctor of the Church—one of only four women in Christian history. Pope Benedict described St. Hildegard as “a woman of brilliant intelligence, deep sensitivity, and recognized spiritual authority.” He also celebrated her “fearlessness, a feature of every…
Reflecting on this Sunday’s Gospel, Luke 14: 25-33, I’m taken aback by the directness with which Jesus asks me to consider if I am prepared to pay the cost of discipleship. He outlines in detail the foolishness of the landowner and the king because neither were prepared to pick up the Cross and put their…
In preparation for the feast of St Augustine on 28 August I ask myself what is it about Augustine’s life story, as told in his Confessions, that can still captivate modern readers, and no doubt frames the way of thinking for Pope Leo? He lived in North Africa over sixteen hundred and fifty years ago and…
A Fire of Passion and Purpose in Luke 12:49-53In this week’s Gospel reading, Luke 12:49-53, Jesus proclaims a bold and startling message: He has come to bring fire, not peace. “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12:49).This may seem like an unusual proclamation…
On July 31st we celebrate the Feast Day of St Ignatius. St Ignatius has had a profound impact on all Catholics and his entire life and legacy is pure gift. I was reflecting on the words of Fr Dermot Preston, previous British Provincial of the Society of Jesus, and it made me laugh out loud….
Reflections on Luke 10:38–42 If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by responsibilities while others seemed to have the luxury of rest, then you’ll resonate with one of the most relatable stories in the Bible—the Gospel encounter between Martha and Mary. In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus visits the home of two sisters. One is busy serving, the other…
Many years ago, I read these words from the late Verna Holyhead sgs. The opening context opened my eyes to power of Jesus the teacher. What we have come to call the parable of the Good Samaritan is told in the context of a meeting between two teachers: the Jewish lawyer and the Jewish Jesus….
A New Pope, It is an exciting time to be Catholic. It’s exciting because we are welcoming a new leader to inspire us, guide us and lead us closer to Jesus. He has always been one of us, but now he’s one of us on the world stage. We are all curious about who Pope…