Tags: Reflection
Empathy
Posted: Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:42
There are two big news stories, from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, that have caught my attention recently—me and millions of others I suspect. Over one year on, the citizens of the USA are still coming to terms with a violent attack on their Capitol Building. A good democracy is rooted in the notion of free and fair elections, where everyone who is eligible has a vote that is counted. For... Read More »
Happy Christmas Holidays
Posted: Tue, 28 Dec 2021 08:49
The Holy Father gave his usual interview to journalists on his Aegean Airlines flight home to Rome, after another successful pastoral visit to Cyprus and Greece. As always, the questions ranged far and wide, but one centred on a recent directive from the European Union. Before faithful readers of the 'Daily Express' have mass apoplexy, no, it has nothing to do with the shape of bananas! Rather our... Read More »
Family & Friends at Christmas
Posted: Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:20
The family - that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.
(Dodie Smith)
It is said that Dodie Smith was moved to write her popular children's novel 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' when a friend commented, on seeing Dodie's own pet Dalmatians that "they would make fantastic fur coats!" You may have seen the 1961 Disney cartoon based on... Read More »
Check in
Posted: Tue, 07 Dec 2021 12:03
One thing that has really amazed me during this pandemic were the lengths that so many people have made to reach out to me. I've received emails, WhatsApp's, FaceTimes, Zoom calls, phone calls and even the good old fashioned slow mail of the GPO. While I've obviously missed the contact that Social Distancing have forced on all of us, we have had to find new and exciting ways of keeping in touch. Perhaps,... Read More »
Nothing can stop us from the love of Christmas
Posted: Tue, 30 Nov 2021 12:54
According to the powers that be at the supermarket giant, Tesco, 'this Christmas nothing is stopping us', as we can sing along to the Queen hit, 'Don't Stop Me Now!' I am sure this is a challenge to the situation that we all had to experience last year when Christmas had to be somewhat subdued. As I watched their Christmas advertisement during my recent holiday in Ireland, I was struck by how government... Read More »
Real friends in a Virtual World
Posted: Fri, 05 Nov 2021 10:56
The new Sarah Smith animated Disney film shares a topic that I suspect many parents, grandparents and teachers would identify with. Set in the mythical town of 'Nonsuch', the movie focuses on its children's love of social media and the various gadgets that are used to connect to the World Wide Web. However, 'Ron's Gone Wrong' is as much a warning to adults as it is to the young. The fictional tech... Read More »
Reflection - All Souls Day
Posted: Tue, 02 Nov 2021 10:22
Honourable pain—honouring those gone before us, marked with the sign of faith.
I had an amazing conversation with a friend this week on the topic of grief. As we move towards the month of November, memories of loved ones will come to mind. He talked to me about the pain of losing someone dear to you; it can be a real physical emptiness and hurt that can tear you apart-if you let it. It made me... Read More »
September 11, 2021
Posted: Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:33
This reflection, written by Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB, reflects on the events of September 11, 2001, and of Fr Mychal Judge OFM
Watch and reflect:
Those of us of a certain age, we will remember well what we were doing on 11th September (9/11 is US speak) 2001. I remember the day well as I was in Oxford to attend an interview for a teaching post. On my happy drive back to London... Read More »