De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

If you are a regular re ader you will know about my special affiliation with, and love of Lourdes , the small hill town in the French Pyrenees where, in 1858, the Blessed Mother of our Lord and Saviour appeared to a poor fourteen year old Miller's daughter, Bernadette Soubirous. To this gentle child, Mother Mary spoke words teaching of the merits of prayer, penance, poverty and Church. In the first and most widely recognised Marian apparition of modern times, a personal message was delivered also to Bernadette—She would not find happiness in this world, but only in the next. Bernadette was to die twenty–one years later in 1879 after a prolonged and painful illness. After her miraculous experience, she felt compelled to religious life (who wouldn't?) and remained hidden in a convent for the rest of her life in Nevers, which is about 300 miles from her home. Here she found refuge from the constant interrogations about her experience as well as the never-ending stream of pilg...

The weather is so bad in the USA that today it was announced that Hell has quite literally, frozen over! Situated at the heart of the 'polar vortex' sweeping across the United States, the small town of Hell in Michigan (population: c.200) has reportedly got so cold temperatures have plunged to as low as -13C, with a wind chill of -33C. Bloomberg reporter Derek Wallbank tweeted: “It has literally frozen over.” The town of Hell is not thought to take its name from the fiery pit of eternal torment, but possibly from the German word “hell”, meaning bright, the terrible conditions encountered by early explorers, or a flippant comment by a settler. Love to all my readers in the US suffering from the dreadful conditions, this global warming's a killer eh? Stay safe and you are in my prayers.

In this fascinating video from CNS, Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno of the Vatican Observatory talks about the possibility that the Star of Bethlehem was a real astronomical event.

Epiphany is a great feast, one were we all can reflect on our search for God, just as the wise men did 2,000 years ago. Where do we find Christ today and what are the signs that point to Him? The word "Epiphany" comes from the Koine Greek: ἐπιφάνεια,  epiphaneia , "manifestation", "striking appearance" or "Theophany" Ancient Greek (ἡ) Θεοφάνεια,  Τheophaneia,  meaning "vision of God". It is the day when we celebrate the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. Epiphany is one of those great feasts that has lots and lots of meaning packed into the narrative. There's a lovely way of looking at it taught by Blessed Pope John Paul II that emanates from the very mystery of human faith. If we consider faith in God in the light of the Epiphany, we can see that far from having its starting point in nothingness, in plain self-deception, in fallible opinions or in uncertainty, it is based on the Word of God who canno...

Further to my post yesterday about marital break-up and the damage it causes, the wonderful Jackie Parkes tweeted me a link to a really interesting website with an article about the epidemic of the Father wound. There, Dr. Fitzgibbons explains: While the term “father wound” is not an officially recognized clinical term, it is used by many mental health professionals in identifying the origin of numerous emotional and behavioral conflicts in spouses, singles and children. These difficulties can be the result of failing to have a strong, loving and supportive relationship with a responsible father, or as a result of modeling after and then repeating significant weaknesses of the father such as selfishness, excessive anger, emotionally distant behaviors or indifference to the faith. Fortunately, many men have experienced a relationship with a father who was a strong, firm, reliable and trustworthy and was a protector of their emotional and spiritual lives. He goes on to explain: I...

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  —Ps 90:10 Having lost a child in 2009, Christmas has been a tough old struggle for the last few years. It is a time which tends to be all about the kids, right? So when one is missing, the season serves to focus pretty much all your attention on that fact. And that fact is the hard, concentrated, epicentre of pain you try to keep locked away deep inside you most days. It is hard to shop for presents when every store you go into abounds with things you know she would love. It's, well, it's quite frankly heart breaking. This year is the second Christmas we have spent with our beloved Mary, who was pretty much 17 months old by Christmas day. Mary being around has made this all easier. Not just for me, for Lou and the boys too. I sense we are all a bit stronger, and we are all a bit more f...

"Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name." Pic From news.va Pope Francis celebrated Mass this morning in the mother church of the Jesuit order, the church of the Gesù, to mark the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus and to give thanks for the new Jesuit saint Pierre Favre. Canonised by Pope Francis on 17th December, Pierre Favre, was the first companion of St. Ignatius of Loyola. For this reason he is known as “the second Jesuit” and one of the founders of the Society of Jesus, of which he was also the first priest. The tombs of St. Ignatius and St. Pierre Favre are located in the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. In his homily, the Holy Father spoke of the particular way in which the Jesuit Order is marked—and desires to be signed—by the name of Jesus:  “To march beneath the standard of His Cross.”  Pope Francis went on to explain that this means sharing in and having Christ’s very own sentiments....