Category: Catholicism

"Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord?"

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I now have several posts in draft which I will be posting next week once I have had a chance to proof-read them.

However, today I wanted to draw your attention to a really interesting documentary which was recently aired on television and which is now available online.

CBS was granted the extremely rare privilege of being allowed onto Mt. Athos and interview some of the monks there. It is an extremely ancient site of Christian monasticism and has changed little over the course of Christian history and is commonly regarded as the spiritual capital of Orthodoxy.

Watch Part 1 | Watch Part 2

Favourite People: Fr. Robert Barron

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In a previous post I spoke about one of my favourite people, Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I spoke about how I came to discover him, his sermons and writings, as well as try and describe something of the impact he had upon me.

I think it is appropriate therefore, that in this next entry, I’ve chosen to talk about someone whom I’ve often heard referred to by other people as “The Next Fulton Sheen”.

This person is Fr. Robert Barron.

If Sheen Had YouTube…

Fr. Robert is a priest who lives near Chicago in the United States. I first came across him on YouTube while I was still living in England.  He is a published author (I finished his book “The Eucharist” this week), but he has also embraced the new media and is using it to extend the reach of his ministry. It is in this sense that he is like Fulton Sheen – he’s a superb communicator and uses all means available to proclaim the faith, although in terms of style he and Archbishop Sheen are very different.

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Byzantine Back and Forth

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This week is Holy Week and as the LifeTeen band isn’t playing this weekend, it means I can spend Easter at my favourite church, an Eastern Rite (Byzantine) Catholic parish near to where I live. Alleluia!…well, almost 😉

Christ_is_risen_21

One of the things I love about the Byzantine Rite is the standard set of greetings and responses which take place during the year. For example, when I first attended the parish I got there very early on in the morning and heard the priest greet a parishioner with the exclamation: “Glory to Jesus Christ!”, to which the parishioner responded “Glory forever!”. This seems to me like a wonderful way to begin any conversation! 🙂

These responses change throughout the liturgical year.  At “Nativity” (Christmas) it becomes:

“Christ is born!”
“Glorify Him!”

We will shortly be entering the “Pascha” (Easter) season when it will change to:

“Christ is Risen!”
“Indeed He is Risen!”

And at certain blessings, such as at the end of Great Vespers or at the Kiss of Peace:

“Christ is among us!”
“He is and will be!”

 These all seem wonderful ways of proclaiming the faith! Glory to Jesus Christ…

Symbolism: What is the significance of "IHS"?

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As I mentioned a while ago, I’ve started teaching myself New Testament Greek.  This endeavor has already started bearing some rather fruity tidbits. In the first few lessons I learnt the Greek alphabet and, even with this basic information, certain things which had previously mystified me, started to make sense. Today I would like to share with you one of my first “aaahhhh…” moments 🙂

For those Catholics reading this, it’s time for a pop quiz!  Often in churches, you will see the letters “IHS” (it’s even used on the Reformation Wall in Geneva). You see these letters on books, altars, baptismal fonts, communion hosts etc, but what does it mean?

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30% Checkup

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Are we really already a third of the way through the year? Yikes… Time for a New Year’s Resolution check up!

1. Spend 30 minutes every day in Scripture: Although my prayer life has been nice and regular, I still haven’t found time to sit down regularly and just pray with Scripture.

2. More dancing: Still not good, but my time in England with my former ballroom posse gave my the kick I needed to start fixing this. Also, Swing Diego is next month!

3. No more rushing: Despite a very packed timetable while back in England, I think I still resisted the urge to rush about.

4. No chocolate: Still abstaining…still missing it 🙁

5. Get into the best shape of my life: The diet still remains modest, but the regular exercise has yet to materialize. Having said that, I’m going running with John tomorrow at 5:30am… :-/

6. At least five minutes of guitar practice every day: Still going great. I now regularly play as part of Evening Prayer and Night Prayer.

7. Keep proper track of finances: Still going well. I’m back into the habit of regularly checking my bank accounts and keeping to a budget.

8. Get back to England for a couple of weeks: I did this last month and it was great 🙂

"Oh that today you would listen to his voice…"

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An extract from my travel journal while in England:

23rd March 2011 – Reading, England

My tour of the UK begins today. This morning I gathered my things and went to the train station. After collecting all of the tickets for my upcoming journeys (the total cost of which  should really entitle me to my own private train), I set off for Leamington Spa to see a sign-language society friend from University.

While on the train I prayed Morning Prayer. Although I often find travelling very tedious, there is also something about it which I find draws my spirit to God. As the English countryside sped past my window, I prayed the opening Psalm of Morning Prayer:

“…Oh that today you would listen to His voice! Harden not your hearts!” – Psalm 95

 I don’t think it was by chance that the Church chose *this* psalm to be the opening prayer at the beginning of each new day. Before we face the world, with its troubles, trials and temptations, we need a reminder. We need to be reminded to attend to the Lord’s voice, both before we begin the day, and also to listen for it attentively, hidden amongst the noise and clamour of a busy world.  A heart, if it is to remain beating and life-giving, must not become stoney or calloused by time spent with the world.

As I begin this tour of England to see friends and family, I realise that I’m walking into a lot of situations where, quite frankly, I’m way out of my depth. What am I to say? What am I to do?

“Oh that today you would listen to His voice, harden not your heart” – Psalm 95

A Traveller’s Prayer

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A few years ago, for my birthday, a good friend gave me a copy of “The Seven Story Mountain” which is the autobiography of Thomas Merton.

I have to admit that I didn’t really enjoy it as much as everyone else seemed to think that I should. I found it rather dry and I couldn’t relate much to either his spirituality or personality.

However, I recently started reading a little bit more of Merton and I’ve begun to find that we’re not as incompatible as I once thought…

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone”

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