Reflections & Homilies

Greetings from the Global Sumud Flotilla as we make our final approach to Gaza Today, I am writing a very personal letter to you all - a letter about what it means to me to be Jewish on a mission that is set to arrive to the "Red Zone" during Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. I almost never write "as a Jew". I share the exhaustion of being forced to put Jewish feelings first - wh... Read More

This month, Pope Leo XIV invites us to pray "that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice and human fraternity." At a time marked by conflicts, the Holy Father recalls that religions must be "bridges and prophecy," and not "weapons or walls." His October prayer intention arrives as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the ... Read More

Thousands of catechists attended the Jubilee of Catechists in Rome on September 26-28. On Saturday Pope Leo XIV held a special Jubilee Audience for Catechists in St Peter's Square In his catechesis, the Pope reflected at length on the sensus fidei, which he said is like a "sixth sense of simple people for the things of God." "God is simple and reveals Himself to the simple," he said. "For this rea... Read More

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabella, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem gave the following homily for World Day of Migrants 2025 at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Centre. Dear brothers and sisters, Dearest Father Matthew, may the Lord give you peace! I am glad to be able to meet you on this important diocesan occasion. Indeed, the celebration of Migrant's Day is an opportunity for us to reflect, pray and gi... Read More

The Rosary Challenge is to pray a decade of the Holy Rosary each weekday in October. With the help of Archbishop John Wilson, the Mark 10 Mission have created a series of videos to guide you through all twenty Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. For more information see: https://www.themark10mission.co.uk/rosary-challenge As an introduction to the series watch Sr Therese CFR as she sings 'As I Kneel Bef... Read More

Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time We hope that the mercy of the All Loving One will be ours at the last, and that this loving gift will forgive our worst sins and embrace us in the fullness of the love beyond our comprehension when we are welcomed into the fullness of the Kingdom. At least that is my own prayer and hope! But at the back of my mind I think of human wickedness and cruelty, action... Read More

A UK-based Laudato Si Animator puts the case for creating a solemn Feast Day of Creation. Why do we need a solemn Feast Day of Creation? There are many compelling reasons but we can approach the question in three interrelated ways: - It is integral to our Christian Catholic faith; - This is the mother of pro-life issues. What has been implicit needs to be highlighted, prayed, integrated and lived ... Read More

I thought I'd divide my reflection into two parts. The first is simply part of our preparation for reflecting on the parable of today's gospel, found in Luke 16: The unjust steward. It is a slightly complicated story! So, the first stage is easy, to enable ourselves to hear the Word, and let its two-edged sword cut deep into our heart, soul and minds; we need to pray. This is what Paul is asking u... Read More

The Pilgrimage of Hope, a national walking pilgrimage for England & Wales with four main Ways, converged at the Cathedral of St Barnabas, Nottingham, on Saturday 13 September 2025, the eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It is an initiative of the Hearts in Search of God project which promotes and develops walking pilgrimage in our nations. The Ways, named after the Evangelis... Read More

Archbishop Eamon Martin gave this homily during Mass in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Coleman, Newry, on 13 September 2025. Dear friends, our commemoration today of the raising of the siege of Malta, on the 8 September 1565, is a reminder of the power of hope, faith, and spiritual steadfastness in the face of what sometimes seem impossible odds. For back in 1565 the people of Malta - sm... Read More

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Or in our Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox: The Feast of The Triumph of the Cross (1,990th anniversary of its inception!) A short bit of history: There are several feasts of the Cross, all of which focus on the triumphant gift the Cross is for all Christians, the sign of our redemption through Christ's self offering, the key not only to our unders... Read More

Daniel Pretorius, from the Jesuit Institute South Africa, writes: Fyodor Dostoevsky's great novel, The Brothers Karamazov, published in 1880, explores timeless themes such as the human condition, morality, religion, faith, and doubt. Upon re-reading The Brothers Karamazov recently, I was struck by another recurring theme, perhaps an unlikely one for a novel written 145 years ago: ecology and th... Read More

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1. The story of Onesimus I like the story of Onesimus, touched on in the second reading. Rather like the meaning of his name in English, translated from the Greek as useful or profitable, his small tale of conversion, forgiveness, and salvation is 'profitable for our souls' and although we may not be slaves in same way he once was, I am sure we can look to his story an... Read More

Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, launched Why Sunday Matters at the 10.30 Mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, Carlow on Sunday. Bishop Nulty said: "31 August has that sense of finality; while some schools re-open now around the 20th of the month, we can be guaranteed that all will have re-opened by tomorrow. For many there is that sense of new beg... Read More