Sunday reading

The founder of the Carthusian order, St Bruno of Cologne, exemplified in his life the humility that characterises his followers to this day.

Born around 1030 to a well-to-do family in Cologne, Bruno undertook his theological education at Reims in northern France.

He was probably ordained in his homeland around 1055. Read more »

The story of Therese Martin, the young French girl who longed to join the Carmelites and dedicate her life to Christ, is one of the fairy tales of our age.

No doubt at all that Therese is the most popular Catholic saint of the last hundred years and no wonder Mother Teresa took her own name from this saint. Read more »

Francesco di Bernadonne was born in 1182 in Assisi, to a wealthy merchant family. His youth was filled with romantic ideals, and he tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to become a knight.

At the age of 23, he heard the crucifix in the church of San Damiano in Assisi challenge him: “Francis, go repair my house! It is falling into ruin.”

Taking these words to heart, he divested himself of his wealth, his fine clothes and his property, and left home a beggar. His mission: the ‘repair’ of the entire Christian Church. Read more »

The Church universal celebrates the liturgical memorial of Saint Martha today.

However, for those who live the Benedictine charism, the ordo (notes for Mass and the Divine Office) is much more expansive by observing the feast of Saints Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Even though these holy siblings predate Benedict and his blessed Rule, they are easily considered Benedictines. Read more »

Three parables follow in quick succession – the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price, and the dragnet which brings in a haul of fish.

All these are stories of the Kingdom of Heaven seen from different points of view.

The first two parables – the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price – are addressed to the individual, unlike most other parables which are addressed to the group. Read more »

Today is Trinity Sunday and for most Catholics, the Trinity means geometry and equilateral triangles!

Or perhaps they grapple with the idea of “three persons, and yet one God”, and give up.

Yet the Trinity is among the most sublime truths of our faith. Read more »

Originally, Barnabas was called Joseph. He was a wealthy Jewish Levite from the island of Cyprus and was in Jerusalem around the time of the first Pentecost.

He was familiar with the apostles and received the Holy Spirit as a disciple of the Lord.

Even more, he sold all his possessions and generously gave all the money to the Church, thus earning for himself the name ‘Barnabas’ which means son of consolation. Read more »

Love shares itself, joy spreads itself. You can’t hide either. This is the meaning of Mary’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth.

All women need confidantes, whether to cry together in sorrow, or to giggle with in joy. The visitation describes the sharing of two women who don’t quite know what is happening to them, but realize that whatever it is, it’s just too good! Read more »

Jesus called his disciples “friends, not servants.”

Nevertheless, the disciples are still as servants before he who is Lord and Master.

What Jesus says to them now is by way of encouragement and comfort.

“The world will hate you, my disciples,” he says. Read more »

Pope Francis embarks on a much-anticipated tour of the Holy Land this weekend, visiting a host of biblical sites, political leaders and clergy from an array of faiths in three jam-packed days.

Like most things that take place in this part of the world, the trip has stirred controversy. Ahead of the pope's arrival, some Jewish extremists scrawled offensive graffiti on Christian churches and monasteries. Read more »