Our Julie has reached such a wonderful stage, The records all show that she’s now come of age. A hundred long years she has been on this earth, And seen many changes occur since her birth, No Radio, films or TV in her day. Penicillin, or drugs, to keep sickness at bay. No dishwasher, credit cards, carpets, or phones, And ...

Yesterday, among the many catalogues sent for Christmas, there was one entitled, ‘The Gift of Music.’  It made me stop and think—yes, how true and how precious a gift!  Shakespeare spoke of music as ‘the food of love’ and God is Love. This gift has the power to draw us in, to the very depths of ourselves and……. that is ...

May my life be FIRE and WATER Knowing the torment and passion of love And the calm refreshment of reason. Let it be full of contrasts: Brightness—Shadow, Colour–Clarity Warmth– Coolness Energetic dance and  Restful inactivity.  May my spirit be alive and active Fired by desire to transform and be purified Yet content with stillness And the often, drop-by-drop pace of ...

“Opposition should never keep you from the work that God has called you to do.  God blesses you when you stand up for what you believe in despite opposition.” [Jim George]  Euphrasie’s dreams and God’s plans for her were  gradually becoming clearer, since now, thanks to Fr. Lefournier, she knew of a Missionary Congregation for sisters in Cuves.  With the ...

On a recent visit to France over Toussaint (Feast of All Saints and Holy Souls) it would seem as if the whole of France stops to visit the graves of their loved ones.  It is customary to bring flowers – chrysanthemums of various colours and sizes to place on the tombs of their dead and war memorials. The cemeteries throughout ...

On Wednesday, 21 October, Missio, Mill Hill Missionaries and the CMU (Catholic Missionary Union) were pleased to host the second conference on Catholic Mission in Today’s World at Heythrop College. The Specialist Philosophy and Theology College of the University of London The theme was Dialogue between North and South: What we can learn about mission and interfaith. The keynote speaker was Prof. ...

Pope Francis and the Church of St. Francis The Post-Western Age of Catholic Rediscovery Lamin Sanneh, Yale Divinity School Contemporary Catholicism has gone through at least two major revolutions within the last half century. Vatican II instituted changes whose repercussions are still being felt today, however uneven the impact. By general consent, the modernization of Catholic theology and corresponding changes ...

“Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness…”            “Ode to Autumn”, John Keats 1795-1821 After all these years, this line of Keats still captures the essence of Autumn so vividly, as we awake to morning mists, followed by the trees emerging in a blaze of glory. They do this, even in the process of seeming to die as they shed ...

‘Tragedy should be used as a source of strength. No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose hope that is our real disaster!’                                                          [Dalai Lama X1V] 1845 heralded a year that was to bring tragedy and heartbreak to the Barbier household!  Euphrasie was now sixteen years old and her sister Nathalie a year younger.  ...

On Friday 9th,  Year 5 of St Joseph’s and St Teresa’s Primary Schools and Year 7 from Salvatorian and Sacred Heart Language Colleges came together to celebrate the Eucharist to mark the occasion of the International Year of the Consecrated Life. These places of learning were founded by the two main religious communities here in St Joseph’s parish, Wealdstone, the ...