Faith And Mercy
The Octave of Easter, traditionally known as “White Sunday” because of the white garments of the neophytes which were then laid aside as they went out to proclaim their newfound faith to the world, is in our day more popularly known as Mercy Sunday, thanks to the revelations of Our Lord to St Faustina Kowalska. […]
Christopher Dawson Lecture
Lecture delivered today at the Christopher Dawson Centre for Cultural Studies, Hobart, Tasmania. The Benedictine Contribution to Western Christianity First of all, I am no historian. So, when Dr Daintree was so kind as to ask me to deliver this lecture, after giving it some thought, I suggested having a look at the Benedictine contribution […]
Passion Sunday: Hodie, Si Vocem Eius Audieritis — Today, If You Hear His Voice…
Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. This verse from psalm 94 which is recited everyday at the beginning of Matins, takes on new significance during Passiontide. Our Holy Mother the Church, by making of this verse the invitatory during this holy season, seems to be wanting to evoke two sentiments in us. […]
Fiat, From Annunciation To Calvary
According to Tradition, 25 March is both the beginning and the end of the earthly existence of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Conceived on this day in the immaculate womb of Mary, He also expired on the cross on Good Friday some 33 years later (that’s why it’s also the feast day today of the good […]
Scienter Nescius Et Sapienter Indoctus.
Today is for all Benedictine monks and nuns around the world a day of joy and celebration, it being the “transitus” or passing of our holy Father St Benedict to the joys of Heaven. Standing in the oratory, surrounded by his brethren, having received the Sacred Body of His Lord, St Benedict gave back his […]
From The Isle Of St Joseph
As Fr Julian Tennyson Woods called it, Tasmania is the “Isle of St Joseph”. An extra reason for us, who have St Joseph as secondary patron of the Priory of which his Immaculate Spouse is the principal patroness, to invoke this extraordinary man on his feast day. From my 32 years at St Joseph Abbey […]
“My Eyes Are Always To The Lord” (Psalm 24)
19 March, 3rd Sunday of Lent The anguish felt by the patriarch Joseph when he was sold into slavery by his own brethren, the distress of the heart of our Blessed Lord pursued by the malice of the elders of his own people, the dark fear of those who are still under the power of […]
Lent And St Joseph
Every year Lent overlaps with the month of St Joseph, but every few years the beginning of Lent coincides with the beginning of the month: an invitation from Divine Providence to look up towards this extraordinary man whom the Son of God Incarnate chose to call “Papa”, seeing in him the image of His Eternal […]
Divine Complementarity
We have received O God Thy mercy in the midst of thy temple. These words of psalm 47 which ring out on the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord celebrated on the 2nd of this month are most appropriate as we offer thanks for the untold graces received over the past few weeks during […]