Thy mercy dost compass me about
Nicholas and Benjamin were welcomed as postulants today, Divine Mercy Sunday. Quasimodo Sunday: The Feast of Divine Mercy In the early Church, the newly-baptized would...
The Trust I Have In Your Mercy
On the occasion of the visit of the relics of Saint Claude La Colombière to Ireland in 2006, Father Bernard McGuckian, S.J. prepared some remarkable...
Miracle of the Sacred Thorn
Italian News services have just announced that once again, at 16:10 (Italian time) the miracle of the Sacra Spina has occurred. When Good Friday coincides...
Ave — Consummatum est
Good Friday falls this year on the feast of the The Annunciation of the Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The two mysteries intersect: the...
The astonishing humility of God
As for us, it is fitting that we should glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is health and life and resurrection...
The Birthday of the Chalice
Maundy Thursday We entered singing: “For us, no boasting” (Gal 6:14). No boasting, that is, of anything that is ours. For who am I and...
Saint Francesca of Rome
This painting, attributed to Antonio da Viterbo the Elder (1450-1516), depicts Saint Francesca being clothed by the Blessed Virgin in the great white veil that,...
By your word revive me
Saturday of the Third Week of Lent John 8:1-11 Excessive Mercy Today’s Gospel almost did not make it into the canon of the Scriptures; it...
Now begin the mysteries
Saint Augustine preached this morning at Matins. The eloquence, the rhythm, the depth of his homily stir one to the depths of the soul. With...
Febris nostra, febris nostra . . .
Febris enim nostra, avaritia est: febris nostra, libido est: febris nostra, luxuria est: febris nostra, ambitio est: febris nostra, iracundia est. (Homilia sancti Ambrosii Episcopi...
Saint Joseph
O glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, just man, son of David, whom the very Son of God did love, honour, and...
Vidi Dominum facie ad faciem
The Stational Church It is a curious fact of liturgical history that originally the Second Sunday of Lent had no Mass of its own. The...
O mulier, magna est fides tua
A Favourite Antiphon This evening’s Magnificat Antiphon, taken from the gospel of the day (Matthew 15:21-28) is one for which I wait all year long....
Ember Wednesday of Lent
Santa Maria Maggiore One of the graces that comes with living in Rome is the opportunity to go often to the basilica of Saint Mary...
The Rosary of the Seven Dolours
The Ember Wednesday of Lent, with its stational Mass at the basilica of Saint Mary Major, constitutes a Lenten homage to the Mother of God....
An Act of Hope and Confidence in God
February 15th is the liturgical memorial of Saint Claude La Colombière, Priest, S.J. My God, I believe most firmly that Thou watchest over all who...
Nothing shalt thou have to fear
At the Stational Church Originally, the forty days of Lent were counted from this Sunday. In Rome, the stational church is the basilica of Saint...
Yielding to the attraction of the saints
Every Lent I choose — or rather ask Our Lord to choose for me — a saint or saints to be my Lenten companions. From...
Now Christ, Thou Sun of righteousness,
The Lengthening Day Lent is a lovely word. It belongs to that distinguished family of old English church words. Some of them — Shrove Tuesday...
The Crown of Thorns and Mental Illness
Union with the Passion of Christ The sacred liturgy provides man with the divinely inspired means to express his need in every situation, affliction, infirmity,...