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Showing posts with the label Lawrence Dowd

'She out of her poverty has put in everything she had.' Sunday Reflections, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

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The Widow's Mite , James Tissot  [ Wikipedia ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mark 12:38-44 [or 41-44] ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)      [As Jesus taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places,  and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets!  They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’ ] He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.  A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.  Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow h

'I was able for once to offer the Holy Sacrifice on my knees.' Sunday Reflections, The Transfiguration, Year A

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Transfiguration of Christ , Paolo Veronese   [ Web Gallery of Art ] As the Feast of the Transfiguration is a feast of the Lord  it is celebrated today instead of the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Matthew 17:1-9 ( NRSV, Anglicised CatholicEdition )   Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.  Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I   will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’  While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, an

My great-uncle's death in the Great War, 6 August 1917

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. At the grave of my Great-uncle Lawrence Dowd in  Potijze Chateau Cemetery, Ieper,  Belgium, September 2001.  Uncle Larry, my maternal grandmother's older half-brother, was killed on the Feast of the Transfiguration, 6 August 1917. I was the first relative to visit his grave, in September 2001. Potijze Chateau   Cemetery where my Corporal Lawrence Dowd is buried.  The Great War, World War I, began one hundred years ago this week and has been marked by ceremonies recalling that awful conflict. Here is something I wrote in 2003 and  posted in 2008 . There are some minor changes and corrections. ‘IN FLANDERS FIELDS’ In September 2001 I visited the grave of my great-uncle Lawrence Dowd who died in action near Ieper (Ypres), Belgium, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, 6 August 1917. This happened during the Third Battle of Ypres, often called simply ' Passchendaele', that lasted from July to November 1917.   He’s buried in one of many war