In the early Church, after the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, and having reflected at length on his parables, miracles, suffering and death, the focus of the debate about him moved from what Jesus did to who Jesus was. This conversation was not without pain and controversy. Positions on Jesus’ identity moved between two extreme…
The American theologian and commentator Stanley Hauerwas once said that the problem with Christianity is not that it is socially conservative or politically liberal but that “it is just too damned dull”! On April 29, the Church celebrates the feast day of a saint for whom faith was anything but dull or boring. For St…
Easter is a time to re-centre the faith, hope and mission of the Church on Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. As St Paul reminds us, it is the foundation of our faith. If it never happened, or if we reduce it to a mere symbol, then we are the most pitiful of all people…
In her wonderful prayer of the ‘Magnificat’, Mary glorifies God who has “brought down the powerful from their thrones and raised up the lowly” (Luke 1:52). With these words, Mary testifies to the reversal of order inaugurated by the kingdom of her Son whereby worldly power structures and expectations would be turned on their heads…
This week, I conclude the triduum of reflections on saints who were centrally involved in the events of Jesus’s death and resurrection. This week we focus on St John, also known as the Beloved Disciple. This term was not given to John by anyone but himself in the Gospel that bears his name. John is…
Last week, we highlighted the figure of Peter who is one of the saints that features prominently in the Gospels during Holy Week and Easter. This week, we feature another, namely that of Mary of Magdala and see in her the beauty of a life transformed by Christ. Mary became one of Jesus’s most prominent…
We often want God to follow our plans but discipleship begins when we learn to follow Christ writes Fr Billy Swan The liturgical calendar is quiet at this time of year as feast days of saints rightly give way to the approaching celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. That said, I would like to focus…
My father died fourteen years ago. I miss him. His presence in my life mattered when he was alive and his absence matters, now he is dead. Fatherhood matters. It is not a social construct. It is gift of nature that nurtures a child in a way that complements the gift of motherhood. On March…
The three pillars of the Synodal pathway are communion, participation and mission. These are the three essential features of Christian witness in the Church today. For his feast day this year, I would like to explain the ways that St Patrick’s life as a missionary bishop contained the elements of communion, participation and mission and…
We celebrate the feast of St Patrick this year, conscious of the approaching centenary of his arrival in Ireland. Although we don’t know for certain the precise year of Patrick’s arrival and knowing that he certainly wasn’t the first Christian in Ireland, the date of 432 will be forever associated with the arrival of the…