The light began to fade, and the cathedral was touched by a gradual darkness. Outside, a solar eclipse was unfolding; inside, the words of Luke’s Gospel seemed to come alive: “And the sun was eclipsed” (Luke 23:45). It was the evening of August 12 this year, around 6.45 p.m., and I was presiding at prayers…
While studying in Leuven, Belgium, in June 2021, I visited the war cemeteries around Ypres. At Artillery Wood Cemetery, I found the grave of Francis Ledwidge, the Irish poet from Slane, Co. Meath, who was killed near Ypres 1917. In ‘Home’, he writes: “This is a song a robin sang / This morning on a…
Confirmation preparation begins again: dates are set for spring 2027, enrolment is under way and preparation Masses are taking place. We readily associate the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as right judgement, courage, understanding and wisdom with young people navigating life’s choices. Yet we can easily overlook another gift: Wonder and Awe in God’s…
Are we made in the image of God or the machine? asks Fr Barry White When I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011, an unsettling thought came to mind: human beings can create something they believe they control, only to discover that it has developed beyond the limits they imagined.…
During the Palm Sunday Passion this year, one seemingly incidental detail caught my attention. As Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate, Matthew inserts an unexpected interruption: “Now as he was seated in the chair of judgement, his wife sent him a message: ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man. I have been greatly troubled today…
Sport is not simply an escape from reality. It is also preparation for reality writes, writes Fr Barry White As the FIFA World Cup kicks off today, June 11, 2026, across North America, many of us will spend the weeks ahead captivated by the drama that only a World Cup can provide: stunning goals, heroic…
Authority as service lies at the heart of Pope Leo XIV’s Augustinian formation, writes Fr Barry White We are marking the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8 2025, when Robert Francis Prevost stepped onto the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica. He appeared calm, if visibly moved, introducing himself simply…
“The Christian life is not meant to be lived alone,” writes Fr Barry White When Friends premiered in 1994, with The Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There for You,” it captured a recognisable season of life. At its centre are six flawed, funny friends—Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey—growing into adulthood together. The series is less…
Lent invites us to journey through the landscapes of Matthew’s Gospel, where Christ enters every terrain of human experience says Fr Barry White While exploring Southeast Asia—especially Cambodia and Vietnam—I discovered how travel opens a window into the soul of a people. The ancient temples of Angkor Wat, Buddha statues, incense, and lotus flowers revealed…
Chaplaincy to the sick stands at the meeting point of human fragility and divine closeness says Fr Barry White Hospital wards, nursing homes, and cemeteries mark the limits of human life. They remind us, often uncomfortably, that people suffer, age, and die. These are the everyday landscapes of healthcare and end-of-life chaplaincy. It is…