Novena to the Immaculate Conception. Day 8 Mother most merciful

Tota Pulchra Tota pulchra es Maria, et macula originalis non es in te. Tu gloria Ierusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri, tu advocata peccatorum.O Maria! O Maria! Virgo prudentissima, Mater clementissima, ora pro nobis, intercede pro nobis, ad Dominum Iesum Christum. You are all beautiful, Mary, and the stain of original sin is […]

Christmas Traditions: The Nativity Scene

On Christmas Eve 1223, in Greccio, a small place approximately 60km to the northeast of Rome, the practice of creating Nativity scenes was born. The first, requested by St Francis, was a live re-creation of the cave of Bethlehem complete with a living ox, ass and donkey!   It is thought that the poverello of […]

Novena to the Immaculate Conception. Day 7 Your name is blessed for us O Mary

Tota Pulchra Tota pulchra es Maria, et macula originalis non es in te. Tu gloria Ierusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri, tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria! O Maria! Virgo prudentissima, Mater clementissima, ora pro nobis, intercede pro nobis, ad Dominum Iesum Christum. You are all beautiful, Mary, and the stain of original sin […]

Second Sunday of Advent

The Gospel of the second Sunday of Advent takes the text from the Prophet Isaiah which spoke of, “A voice of one crying out in the desert,” to refer to the mission of St John the Baptist. He prepared his people for the coming of the Messiah by preaching a baptism of conversion for the […]

Novena to the Immaculate Conception. Day 6 You are the advocate of sinners

Tota Pulchra Tota pulchra es Maria, et macula originalis non es in te. Tu gloria Ierusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri, tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria! O Maria! Virgo prudentissima, Mater clementissima, ora pro nobis, intercede pro nobis, ad Dominum Iesum Christum. You are all beautiful, Mary, and the stain of original sin […]

Novena to the Immaculate Conception. Day 5 You give honour to our people

Tota Pulchra Tota pulchra es Maria, et macula originalis non es in te. Tu gloria Ierusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri, tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria! O Maria! Virgo prudentissima, Mater clementissima, ora pro nobis, intercede pro nobis, ad Dominum Iesum Christum. You are all beautiful, Mary, and the stain of original sin […]

Novena to the Immaculate Conception. Day 4 You are the joy of Israel

Tota Pulchra Tota pulchra es Maria, et macula originalis non es in te. Tu gloria Ierusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri, tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria! O Maria! Virgo prudentissima, Mater clementissima, ora pro nobis, intercede pro nobis, ad Dominum Iesum Christum. You are all beautiful, Mary, and the stain of original sin […]

St Cecilia – A love song for our time

Since the 4th Century the Church has honored St Cecilia, a Virgin, spouse and martyr who is often remembered as the Patron Saint of musicians. Surprisingly to some, Cecilia was no musician! Her “song” was that of love, love of Christ and Christian witness and this music can still strike a chord that resonates with […]

We Don’t Need Another Hero!

On the Solemnity of All Saints the Church presents all those men and women who have lived their Christian lives to an heroic level and now are enjoying the eternal beatitude in heaven. It is, one might say, a roll call of the Church’s heroes! In this Solemnity, the Church places before us all those […]