1st October
Saint Therese of Lisieux
In 1898 'The Story of a Soul' was published in France and quickly became a best-seller in several languages. It was the autobiography of a girl who...
The Saint of the Little Way
2nd October
Guardian Angels
The truth that we have a Guardian Angel is one of the loveliest of our Catholic faith. But perhaps parents do not talk to their children enough about...
Do We Know Our Constant Companion?
4th October
Saint Francis of Assisi
The life of Francis of Assisi can be summed up in the words of St Paul, “I live, no not I, but Christ lives in me."
His background and family life...
Another Christ
7th October
Most Holy Rosary
If Our Blessed Lady were to speak to us today I have no doubt what she would include in her message to us. It would be part of the same message she...
How I Pray The Rosary
15th October
Saint Teresa of Avila
One of the towering figures in Christian history lived at a time when people paid little attention to women and yet she outshone nearly all her...
Reformer and Mystic
16th October
Saint Margaret Mary-Alacoque
There are few saints who have been privileged to receive a vision of Our Lord, but Margaret Mary-Alacoque was one of those for whom He had a very...
Close to the Heart of Jesus
16th October
Saint Richard Gwyn
Richard Gwyn was born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in about 1537, of an old but not wealthy family. At the age of twenty he went up to Oxford, where he...
A Loyal Servant
28th October
Saints Simon and Jude
Among the Apostles of Jesus are two, Simon and Jude, of whom little is known. They were not part of the inner circle so we can assume they were men...
Apostles Who Should Encourage Us
3rd November
Saint Martin de Porres
Born in Peru in 1579 to a Spanish nobleman who married a free woman, Martin de Porres was black like his mother and, because of this, his father...
The Saint Who Shows His Love to All God's Creatures
3rd November
Saint Winifred
In these days of easy travel many of us have been to Lourdes, Fatima or Assisi, and these towns have become world famous. But in a small village in...
Patron of North Wales and Shrewsbury
4th November
Saint Charles Borromeo
To be born to wealth, rank and privilege may be a mixed blessing. Jesus Himself observed that it is difficult for a rich man to reach Heaven. But...
An Exemplary Bishop
8th November
Blessed Duns Scotus
John Duns, later known as the Subtle Doctor, was called Scotus on account of his birth in the Scottish county of Roxborough. He was born in 1266,...
Staunch Defender of the Immaculate Conception
9th November
Dedication of the Basilica of John Lateran
Most Catholics think of St Peter's in Rome as the pope's main church but, in fact, it is St John Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where...
Christ and We Are the Church
12th November
Saint Josaphat
Born in Russia around 1580, Saint Josaphat is very much a saint for our own times. For centuries the Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches have...
Snatcher of Souls
13th November
All Benedictine Saints
Today we honour all those men and women who made their way to God by following the Rule of Saint Benedict as I sing the praises of such a great...
We Owe So Much to Benedict and His Monks and Nuns
13th November
Saint Deduces of Alcala
God often chooses the most unlikely people to carry out a special task for Him. One of them is Saint Didacus, a Franciscan Brother, who was poor and...
The Little Brother with a Big Heart
19th November
Saint Agnes of Assisi
Any parent will tell you that teenage daughters can be rebellious and headstrong. They like their own way and their little sisters want to copy them....
Following in Her Sister's Footsteps
21st November
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Anne and Joachim were very special parents for God chose them to bring into our world the only child who was conceived without original sin. Their...
The Privilege of Parents
22nd November
Saint Cecilia
Details about her life are sparse and obscure, but it seems likely that Cecilia was a noble Roman lady who was brought up as a Christian during the...
The Bride Who Sang in Her Heart
24th November
All Holy Souls of the Capuchin Order
Today, we pray for all our deceased Brothers and benefactors our Capuchin Order. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to remember in our prayers all...
Helping Our Brothers And Sisters
3rd December
Saint Francis Xavier
The life of St. Francis Xavier, whose feast we celebrate today was a true adventure story, full of dangerous voyages, shipwrecks and travels in...
Mission To The East
6th December
Saint Nicholas
Today we celebrate the feast of one of the most popular saints: Nicholas, patron of Russia, of sailors and of children. He is honoured in both the...
The Saint Known For His Generosity
7th December
Saint Ambrose
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Ambrose, one of the Doctors of the Church because he was a great theologian and teacher.
Ambrose was born in...
A True Shepherd
13th December
Saint Lucy
We celebrate the feast of St. Lucy today. She was born in Sicily towards the end of the 3rd century and was brought up in the Christian faith by her...
Nothing Would Separate Lucy From Her Spouse
14th December
Saint John of the Cross
Today is the feast of St. John of the Cross. Towards the end of his life he wrote to a friend, "Do not be surprised if I show a great love of...
Mystical Writer And Reformer
