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  As posted on Hallow: "To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it."                                                                           G.K. Chesterton

(From Birczanin, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) If no news is good news, then there's good news from Manyava, Ukraine. Or maybe it's Maniava. I've seen both transliterations of Манява. In Polish, I gather that it's Maniawa.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A look at the Bohorodchany Iconostasis, a masterpiece of Baroque art; its travels from 1698 to the present, and Ukrainian history.)

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  I love it when I can share something written by an author that explains exactly how I feel.  In the current issue of FAITH Magazine, Father Joe Krupp addresses a common problem:  What do we do when different people insist we have to do certain things to be a good Catholic? But let's not limit ourselves to Catholics, because this is a universal problem.  I was talking to a woman of a different faith years ago, who said she quit practicing her faith because she felt like someone was always looking over her shoulder, waiting to judge her. This is terrible and it is real pet peeve of mine. In his FAITH article, Father Joe shares some pearls of wisdom from his own experiences.  He identifies himself as a passionate person while warning about passionate people: "I've noticed that some folks take their personal call from God and assume it should apply to everyone." He further wrote, "Passion does not equal rightness." These are two very important poi

  The Last Supper El Greco    [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 13:31-33a, 34-35 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    When Judas had gone out, Jesus said,  “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.   If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.   Little children, yet a little while I am with you.  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.   By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”   Léachtaí i nGaeilge John 13: 31-33a, 34-35 in Filipino Sign Language A familiar sight four years ago here in St Columban's, Dalgan Park, Ireland, where we have a community of more than 60 Columban priests, mostly

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During Lent, my Alma mater, Augustine Institute, did a weekly discussion on My Imitation of Christ by Thomas è Kempis.  It is such a wonderful little book, dense with wisdom.  So much so, that I couldn't complete it on time because I often had to pause to ponder a particular insight! Anyway, in Book III, Chapter 30, like the entire book, there is a lot to consider, so I thought I would share some of it with you. The language is a bit archaic, so I'll paraphrase as needed. I am hoping that you will find something that speaks to you, that you might pause on as well, and find some relevance to your life. In the beginning of this chapter, Jesus is speaking.  He reminds us to come to him "when it is not well" with us, because what prevents us from "heavenly comfort" is that we are "slow in turning thyself to prayer." The other problem is that before we pray to him, we seek "many comforts and delightest thyself in outward things."

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(From Wikipedia, used w/o permission.) From 1803 to 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte was defending France from the United Kingdom, the Holy Roman Empire, the Russian Empire, Naples, Sicily and Sweden. Or being thwarted in his dreams of conquest. At any rate, tens of thousands of dead bodies later, European politics had changed a tad. But not, arguably, all that much. Wars of the Coalition got up to at least number six. And a century after that, what we call World War I started. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Channel Tunnel: imagined by a mining engineer, feared by some Englishmen, and finally built. And how I see history.)

  The Good Shepherd Early Italian Christian Sculptor [ Web Gallery of Art ] WGA note on this sculpture :  The allegorical figure of the Good Shepherd was originally based on the pagan representation of a man bringing his offering to the altar but, by the 3rd century, had also come to represent the 'ram bearer' with its connotations of philanthropy and loving care. The latter image accorded well with the Christians’ understanding of a divine Shepherd who would lay down his life for his flock.  In a period of persecution, such images had the advantage of directly addressing the adherents of the Christian faith while not drawing attention to them, since the images were already popular with non-Christians  [ emphasis  added]. Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 10:27-39 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)   

In the Acts of the Apostles, (Chapter 8, verse 26+) Philip took a trip.  An angel spoke to him and he headed off down a desert route to Gaza.  Have you had an angel speak to you, directing your journey? Along Philip's journey, he came across an Ethiopian * eunuch riding along in a chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah.  The eunuch needed some help understanding what he was reading, so Philip " opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him."  (He was reading Isaiah 53:7-8 ) This account usually focuses on the Ethiopian's conversion, but I think there is something additional for us to consider. This encounter took place because Philip listened and followed God's prompting.  And, he was ready to accompany the Ethiopian, teach him, walk with him to his baptism, and--here's the interesting part--after he had completed the task God had given him, move on to continue his work. Now you may not be in a position to instr

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Garland of Flowers with Madonna and Child Christiaen Luyck [ Web Gallery of Art ] Bring Flowers of the Rarest This hymn, very popular in Ireland particularly in May, was written by Mary E. Walsh in the late 1800s. The words are  here . It was sung by the late Irish tenor Frank Patterson at the  Faith of Our Fathers  concert in Dublin in 1997. Frank was a deeply committed Catholic and died in 2000 at the age of 61. May he rest in peace. Continue at Bangor to Bobbio .

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(From Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (Looking for bodies in Chernihiv's secondary school number 18. (March 6, 2022)) I hadn't planned on writing about the mess in Ukraine this soon. But stuff happened. So I'll be writing about Russia's purported military. Also what two alleged generals said, and a whole lot of allegedly-dead Ukrainians. More at A Catholic Citizen in America : Ukraine and genocide claims. The Moskva: pride of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, until it sank. Goals and Fears. And a newfangled idea that makes sense.

The Crucifixion of St Peter Caravaggio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.   (John 21:18, today's Gospel). Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 21:1-19 [1-14] ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.   Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.   Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they

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  Fr Patrick Clarke 22 March 1931 - 26 April 2022 Remember in your prayers the soul of Columban Fr Patrick 'Paddy' Clarke who died peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday 26 April. Father Paddy worked for thirty years in Japan and when he came back to Ireland spent eleven years in St Jude's Parish, Templeogue, Dublin, not far from where he grew up. He was much loved there  for his gentleness and kindness and many of the parishioners attended his funeral here in St Columban's, Dalgan Park, this morning. A unique experience for me at Father Paddy's funeral Mass was that he had written the homily himself, based on  Deuteronomy 6:4-7 , the First Reading, and  Mark 12:28-34 , the Gospel, both of which he had chosen for his funeral Mass.  Y ou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than

Have you ever sought after something you thought you needed, only to be handed something else that turned out to be what you actually needed, something that was better than what you thought you wanted? Many years ago, when I was pregnant, I expected that God would give us a baby like everyone else's.  That is what most parents expect and think.  But for us, that's not the way it turned out.  God gave us a baby that would grow with unique challenges. But within and beyond those challenges, we received a great blessing, a blessing greater than we could have ever  imagined or even known to ask for. I think it is not uncommon for God to surprise us in ways that are outside our expectations. This happened to a man who approached the apostles (Acts Chapter 3:6), asking for money.  Peter's response to the beggar was,  “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.” Sure enough, the man leapt up an

It was about five days after Easter, you know, the day we celebrate the Good News that Jesus rose from the dead, and I found myself mumbling that I could use some "good news."  I laughed out loud at the irony that I could actually be saying that so soon after Easter. How quickly we forget, and go back to our old way of thinking. I guess I am in good company.  My husband was listening to a reflection in which the commentator suggested Peter did the same thing after Jesus death/resurrection.  He simply went back to what he was used to doing--fishing.  You can read about it in the Gospel of John,  Chapter 21 . My husband noted that Peter's reaction to seeing Jesus standing on the shore was like Forrest Gump's reaction when he saw Lieutenant Dan!  Sure enough, when Forrest saw Dan sitting in his wheelchair on the dock, Forrest jumped out of his boat and went swimming towards him.  You can watch the Forrest Gump scene HERE . Scripture puts it this way: Simon P

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The Incredulity of St Thomas Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)   Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 20:19-31 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,  “Peace be with you.”   When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.   Jesus said to them again,  “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”   And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,  “Receive the Holy Spirit.   If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was

Sometimes, I guess out of boredom, I change my drive to work.  Maybe I am unconsciously looking for an easier way, with less traffic, lights, etc., I'm not really sure.  Anyway, when you change your normal path, you see things that you would not usually see. For instance, since I changed my route into work, I now see some amazing murals on the sides of buildings.  It makes me wonder about the artists.  There is some serious talent there.  What are they going to do with their talent?  Are they in school?  Will they be able to work their craft into a job? I, personally, cannot begin to imagine how you can create such spectacular paintings when you are like 5 inches from the picture you are creating (if you are hand painting).  Without a birds' eye view, how can you tell if you are in the middle of a face or painting an ear?  There must be a sketched out image before color is added, but still I wonder, how long does it take to create one?  And besides, let's not

  Fr Noel Doyle 24 September 1935 - 15 April 2022 Please remember in your prayers the soul of Columban Father Noel Doyle who died peacefully in the early hours of Good Friday and was buried here in St Columban's Cemetery, Dalgan Park, Ireland, yesterday, Easter Monday. Father Noel spent most of his life as a missionary priest in Japan. His obituary is  here . Hamabe no Uta - Song of the Seashore Composer:  Tamezō Narita [The instrument in the middle is an  erhu ] St Columban's Cemetery, Dalgan Park, Ireland