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Holy Family (Barberini    Andrea del Sarto, c.1528 Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome [ Web Gallery of Art ] Richelle Verdeprado, the editorial assistant of  Misyon , the Columban online magazine in the Philippines that I edit, posted a link on Facebook to the article below that we published in the May-June 2004 printed issue. I have always found the writings of  Catherine Doherty   inspiring. She would very much approve of the 'smell of the sheep' imagery of Pope Francis. I've highlighted one paragraph in the article because too many times I've heard of Catholics, especially in the Philippines, who may not have enough knowledge of our faith, being led astray by 'Born Again' Christians and who reject our Blessed Mother. If you asked the same persons to reject their own mother, to tear up photos of her, never to speak to her again, they would be horrified.   An Ordinary Woman and Mother of God Adapted from  Bogoroditza  by Cath

The Dream of St Joseph , Rembrandt, 1650-55 [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)                                   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23  ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada) Now after the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”   Then Joseph   got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,   and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,   “G