Laudato Si

January 6.  A JUBILEE PRAYER. Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of love enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace…

January 5.   Sunday C.  Epiphany.  Fr Michael, as a Missionary of Africa had worked in many places and had got to know leaders as well as the poor and needy.  On the feast of the Epiphany he shared with the congregation,  “I have often…

January 4.   Taking stock is an excellent thing, for individuals but for a whole family too. It can be done at the beginning of the year, or regularly, from time to time.   Mr Purser suggested, “How are we going to practise our family listening and sharing times this…

January 3.  Most Holy Name of Jesus.  Bruce always felt a bit awkward talking about religion at home.  Most of the family were Catholic but he had never converted from Judaism. He said to himself, “I think that during this Jubilee Year of hope, in the…

MARFAM WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER 2 JANUARY A SPECIAL NEW YEAR BLESSING TO ALL.   It appears that there is Irish tradition to open the door at midnight to let the Old Year out and the New Year in.   I’m not sure how they manage to do that without falling over each other but…

31 December. New Years Eve.  JESUS.   Read, reflect, share, pray.   The name Jesus means Saviour, meaning something active, but it should also be understood as gift.  God’s merciful gift of love that he gave to us at Christmas in the Incarnation is not only an…

30 December. Ancestors for today.  Read, reflect, share, pray.    What role do ancestors play in the Church and society today?  Many families do continue to have a relationship with their own ancestors, honouring and communicating with them at…

29 December. Holy Family Sunday.  Read, reflect, share, pray.  This special day, the 1st Sunday after Christmas, that commemorates the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, calls on every human family to be a holy family. Holy most simply means whole or complete, not…

28 December. Holy innocents. Read, reflect, share, pray.  Lifegiving and lifedestroying.    Matthew’s gospel tells the story of the three foreign Wise Men bringing gifts. It also tells how King Herod out of jealousy and fear about a possible new king of the Jews…

27 December.  St John. Apostle and evangelist.    Read, reflect, share, pray.  The apostle John is often described in the gospels as ‘the one whom Jesus loved.” He was also chosen to remain with the early Christian community for a long time as a witness of God’s love….