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Saints Alive! | St Thomas Becket

Thomas Becket (1118-1170) was born in London and became a close friend of King Henry II. He was only a deacon when he was appointed chancellor of England. When he was ordained as archbishop of Canterbury, he underwent an abrupt conversion of life and began to defend the Church’s rights against the king. He had to take refuge in a French monastery for six years, and when he returned to his diocese four knights, inspired by careless words from the king, assassinated him in his cathedral on 29 December 1170. He was immediately acknowledged as a martyr and the king later did penance and endowed his shrine. He is remembered for his courage in defence of the rights of the Church. For more about this saint, please click on the image. Peace be with you!

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Divine Office | In the fullness of time there came also the fullness of God

In today's Office of Readings we encounter a reading from a sermon by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). Bernard was born near Dijon, in France, in 1090, of a noble family. In 1112 he joined the new monastery at Cîteaux. This had been founded fourteen years before, in a bid to reject the laxity and riches of much of the Benedictine Order of the time (as exemplified by the great monasteries such as Cluny) and to return to a primitive poverty and austerity of life. Bernard was a man of great holiness and wisdom, and although he was often in very poor health, he was active in many of the great public debates of the time. He strongly opposed the luxurious lives of some of the clergy, and fought against the persecution of the Jews. He was also a prolific writer, and the Liturgy of the Hours uses extracts from many of his sermons. For a reflection, "In the fullness of time there came also the fullness of God," please click on the image. Peace be with you!

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Articles of Faith | Feast of the Holy Family

The Feast of the Holy Family falls within the season of Christmastide and in the General Roman Calendar since 1969, it is held on the Sunday between Christmas Day and January 1; if both are Sundays, the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on December 30th. For more about this day, please click on the image. Peace be with you!

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Saints Alive! | The Holy Innocents

The Holy Innocents are the children who were slaughtered at the orders of King Herod, in the hope that by killing every boy born in Bethlehem at the same time as Jesus, he would succeed in killing the new-born King of the Jews. The Church venerates them as martyrs. It it is uncertain how many children were killed, whether a small number, or in the thousands. The Latin Church instituted the feast of the Holy Innocents in the fifth century. Today, they are also a reminder of the vulnerability of the child in the womb. May innocent lives be spared and expectant mothers protect the holy innocent in the womb. Holy Innocents, pray for us! For more about these saints, please click on the image. Peace be with you!

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Divine Office | The example of Nazareth

In today's Office of Readings we encounter a reading from an address given at Nazareth by Pope Paul VI (1897-1978). He was born Giovanni Battista Montini on 26 September 1897 in the village of Concesio, in the province of Brescia, Lombardy. He was ordained priest on 29 May 1920 and worked in the Roman Curia, the Vatican civil service, until he was made Archbishop of Milan in 1954. He was elected Pope on 21 June 1963, successfully saw the Vatican Council through to its completion, promoted the renewal of the Church’s life and especially of the liturgy. He also promoted ecumenical dialogue and the proclamation of the Gospel to the modern world. He died on 6 August 1978. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2018. For a reflection "The example of Nazareth," please click on the image. Peace be with you!