Saint of the Week A mother of five who went on to become a religious sister and the United States’ first saint is one of the examples the Church pays tribute to January 4. St Elizabeth Ann Seton was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley, into a prosperous Protestant family from New York in 1774 – a…
Silence plays a mysterious and important role in a healthy spirituality, writes Jason Osborne “There’s nothing so much like God in all the world as silence,” 14th Century German mystic and theologian Meister Eckhart is reported as saying. Whether he said it or not, it certainly sums up a certain vein of the Church’s spiritual tradition,…
Faith in film The Christmas and New Year’s period is a great time to sit down as a family and watch a film. But it’s not always easy to agree on what to watch, or to know what is suitable for younger children and what isn’t. So here’s a suggestion, a lovely animated film which…
Saint of the week One of the most famous poets in history, Dante, in his masterwork, the Divine Comedy, glimpses a moving scene: the stoning of a young man, who, while dying, asks forgiveness for those casting the stones at him. Dante chose to commemorate the unparalleled charity of the man often held up as…
Spiritual programme Exodus 90 challenges men to become better through prayer, asceticism and fraternity, writes Jason Osborne Exodus 90 is touted as a “roadmap” to a more fulfilling life for an increasing number of men year on year. Started in a seminary in the US in order to help seminarians grow spiritually and to overcome…
Faith in film The undisputed Christmas classic is It’s A Wonderful Life. The 1946 drama tells the story of an upright businessman, George Bailey, who needs the intercession of an angel to understand the true meaning of his life. It’s a decidedly Christian story from an era that was unashamed to be so. Through his…
Saint of the Week “In his loving providence, God made St Peter Canisius his own ambassador at a time when the voice of the Catholic proclamation of faith in German-speaking countries risked falling silent.” So wrote St John Paul II of St Peter Canisius SJ, in a letter to the German bishops to mark 400…
Even the greatest believer goes through the tunnel of doubt John the Baptist, hearing of Jesus’ works, is seized with doubt as to whether he is really the Messiah or not. In fact, he imagined a stern Messiah who would come and do justice with power by chastising sinners. Now, on the contrary, Jesus has…
New York-based authors Audrey Elledge and Elizabeth Moore have found safe harbour in the practice of inviting God into every moment of modern life, writes Jason Osborne ‘Liturgy’ is the public prayer of the Faithful, but it takes many forms. Whether it’s in Mass or the Liturgy of the Hours, liturgy gives structure to our…
It delights me that Babette’s Feast is one of Pope Francis’ favourite films. It is a lovely film and quite subtle, deserving much more than the small, but devoted following it had previously. Set in a small community in Denmark, with its particular virtues and expectations, it is about how these can both elevate and…
Ruadhán Jones