tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-115784272011-12-28T13:30:27.058+01:00A meagre contribution to the mission and work of the Order of Preachers: my reflections, thoughts, ideas and the occasional rant on matters mainly theological, philosophical and ecclesiastical, drawn primarily from my reading and experience of life and the world. Striving to be always Catholic, firmly Christian and essentially Dominican, flavoured with dashes of Von Balthasar.Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.comBlogger5151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-56632327745613382932006-12-24T00:17:00.000+01:002008-12-11T14:04:05.596+01:00

Click to enlarge... and please do visit 'Godzdogz', the new English Dominican students' blog

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1163093770039738222006-11-09T17:06:00.000+01:002006-11-19T02:16:10.206+01:00

The Dominican student brothers at our Studium (Blackfriars) in Oxford have started a new blog, which I shall be significantly involved in, called 'Godzdogz'. The site will officially 'launch' and become active on the first Sunday of Advent. Please click the link or the photo above to visit the site.When in Advent of 1511, fray Antonio de Montesino preached a sermon condemning the unjust treatment

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150641449379872052006-06-18T15:09:00.000+01:002006-06-18T15:45:04.920+01:00

"My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150639651908542362006-06-18T14:58:00.000+01:002006-06-18T15:07:32.153+01:00

As promised, here are some photos from our Eucharistic Procession on Thursday, the Feast of Corpus et Sanguinis Christi, which was held in the grounds of the Dominican Priory in Cambridge:The Blessed Sacrament was taken under a canopy on procession around the garden. Above, bearing torches, are Sr Jordan James, OP and the Prior, Fr Richard Conrad, OP who served as deacon at the Mass.We knelt in

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150321900104412112006-06-17T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-16T21:07:27.480+01:00

On this Saturday after (or before, in some countries) the Feast of Corpus Christi, let us contemplate this wonderful sacrament with Mary. As the words of this famous hymn puts it:"Ave verum Corpus, natum De Maria Virgine, Vere passum, immolatum In cruce pro homine, Cuius latus perforatum Unda fluxit et sanguine, Esto nobis praegustatum In mortis examine."'Hail, true Body,

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150314665449805242006-06-16T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-15T23:13:00.540+01:00

The English Church rejoices this day in the memory of St Richard de la Wyche (c.1197-1253), Bishop of Chichester. St Richard was born in Droitwich (hence his 'surname') near Worcester and was initially educated by Benedictines.He went on to study at Oxford, Paris and Bologna and was captivated by the new Order of Friars Preachers. He studied theology with the Dominicans in Orleans and was

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150070300072323292006-06-15T18:00:00.000+01:002006-06-15T23:22:49.473+01:00

UPDATE: PHOTOS WILL BE POSTED THIS SUNDAY...The Dominican Priory of St Michael the ArchangelBLACKFRIARSBuckingham Road, CambridgeThe Solemnity ofCORPUS ET SANGUINIS CHRISTI(A Holy Day of Obligation)Second Vespers 6pmSolemn Mass 7pmfollowed by Corpus Christi Procession and BenedictionReception afterwards in the Priory

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150296078848311462006-06-15T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-14T20:03:38.956+01:00

The English Jesuit, St Robert Southwell (1561-1595) was a poet of some note, who was martyred for the Faith at Tyburn. Unlike his family who capitulated to Anglicanism, St Robert Southwell maintained and professed the Faith of the apostles and saints and he wrote much of his poetry, which is radiant with this Faith, when he was imprisoned for it. It is believed that some of the saint's poetry was

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150320040583356452006-06-14T22:10:00.000+01:002006-06-15T23:21:54.780+01:00

The first episode of 'The Convent' which follows four English women trying to live with the Poor Clares in their community in Arundel has just been aired on BBC 2 tonight. It was an excellent introduction to contemplative religious life and I was very moved by the women's stories and experiences. We're really looking forward to the next episode and the series promises to be as good as, if not

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150207168201280612006-06-14T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-13T22:51:28.083+01:00

The Holy Eucharist is Viaticum, Bread for the Way. Some of us may be familiar with Tolkien's interpretation of this phrase, as expressed in the 'Lembas', or 'Waybread' which the elves give to the Fellowship of the Ring: this Bread is more strengthening than any other food known to mankind, it is offensive to evil creatures and the more one relies on it alone, the more powerful its effect on the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150130475837078012006-06-13T08:32:00.000+01:002006-06-13T08:36:33.986+01:00

"The Lord has put his faithful servant in charge of his household, to give them their share of bread at the proper time" (Lk 12:42).This verse is fittingly given as the Communion antiphon in the Common of Doctors of the Church. Today, we commemorate one such doctor, St Anthony of Padua, popularly invoked as the patron of lost things (and persons)! However, St Anthony was also known for his love

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150103232417441542006-06-12T10:03:00.000+01:002006-06-12T10:07:12.446+01:00

Of your Charity, please pray for the Repose of the Soul offra' Romeo Asuzano, O.P.who was called to the Lord on this day in 2004.Readers who are not aware of the manner and nature of his passing and the significance of this event in my life, may want to read last year's post."Receive our prayers, O Lord, on behalf of the soul of Thy servant Romeo,that if the stains of earthly contagion remain,

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150046976766390512006-06-12T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-12T10:08:38.686+01:00

The next three days before the beautiful Solemnity of Corpus et Sanguinis Christi may be marked as a 'Triduum'. The Lord's sublime gift of the Holy Eucharist is so central to our lives that, in so many ways, our thoughts, reflections and contemplation often dwells upon It. However, just as we have just celebrated a Feast, highlighting our faith in the Triune God, confessing the One Whom we

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1150067860807705022006-06-11T23:57:00.000+01:002006-06-12T00:17:40.936+01:00

It came as a revelation to me that Rocco Palmo, who writes for 'The Tablet' and who blogs the informative and delightful Whispers in the Loggia is only twenty-three years old. And he has some very interesting view points, which are well worth reading. Do check out The Rocco Report and The Gospel according to Rocco. Here are a few quotations I felt was quite thoughtful and insightful:About the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149938640625674642006-06-11T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-11T01:15:24.330+01:00

Benedicta sit sancta Trinitas atque indivisa unitas:Blessed be the holy Trinity, and undivided unity:Te toto corde et ore confitemur, laudamus atque benedicimus:tibi gloria in saecula!With all heart and voice we confess, praise and bless You:to You be glory forever!Fr Geoffrey Preston, OP, in his book, 'Hallowing the Time', offers some thoughts for today's great Solemnity and encourages all to

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149958957833504632006-06-10T17:42:00.000+01:002006-06-10T18:04:47.640+01:00

Bro Paul Mills and I watched England's first game in the FIFA World Cup this afternoon, which produced a not-great-but-satisfactory result... however (as usual) my mind was ticking over with other thoughts. I have long wanted to research and write a thesis on 'Elements of Ritual, Cultus, and Liturgy in Football' and could not help noticing how many 'religious' or 'devotional' aspects there are to

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149872682918948452006-06-10T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-09T18:04:44.923+01:00

Freedom is one of contemporary society's most valued concepts and yet it is probably least understood; many seem to view freedom as liberality or relativism. The freedom that Christ promises us however, is true freedom, predicate on the Truth (cf Jn 8:32). Rather like the peace He gives us which is not of this world (cf Jn 14:32), so too this promised freedom is not the kind which the world

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149780784337396822006-06-09T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-08T23:32:51.516+01:00

In the Novena before Pentecost, we looked at the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and tried to gain some understanding into how these Gifts aid us in the spiritual life and facilitate our growth in holiness. In a sense, these Gifts train and teach us to advance in the Christian life of perfection, perfecting the virtues within us, and the One who trains us and causes the virtues to mature is the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149751185997531472006-06-08T08:16:00.000+01:002006-06-08T08:21:48.726+01:00

Today, we join the Dominican nuns in celebrating the memorial of Blessed Diana and Blessed Cecilia. One of the great joys of the Order of Preachers is the various branches that comprise the Dominican Family. The contemplative nuns of the Order are the oldest branch and indeed, this year they celebrate 800 years of the Dominican charism which first took root among them at Prouille in 1206. The

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149604430920615002006-06-07T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-06T20:08:43.080+01:00

Today's reflection by an anonymous Carthusian monk, given as conferences to novices, beautifully describes the Holy Spirit as the kiss of love between the Father and the Son. Thus the Church says in the words of Solomon's Song: "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine" (Song of Songs 1:2). Truly on Pentecost, Holy Mother Church has been kissed by her

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149547189457188502006-06-06T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-05T23:46:13.373+01:00

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." (Jn 16:13).We continue our journey during the Octave of Pentecost by considering through the conferences of a Carthusian monk what it means to call the Holy Spirit the 'Spirit of truth':"The Paraclete is called the Spirit of Truth because he is the Spirit of Christ, who, himself, is the Truth. Certainly, Christ revealed

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149545476636348892006-06-05T23:07:00.000+01:002006-06-05T23:11:16.960+01:00

Br Paul Mills and I have now entered the final stage of our Novitiate. The process has begun for our brethren to consider and vote on whether we may proceed to make Simple Profession in September. We had our first interviews today and the Formation Council votes on 16 June. Following that, if successful, we shall have yet another interview before the Provincial Council votes on 9 July. The Prior

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149439603398593642006-06-05T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-04T20:32:09.490+01:00

For the Octave of Pentecost, we shall consider various roles attributed to the Holy Spirit and hopefully, come to know better who He is in our Christian lives. From the Ascension until Pentecost Sunday, the versicle after the brief Scripture reading at Vespers simply sang: "Spiritus Paraclitus", 'The Spirit [is the] Paraclete'... This word, Paraclete, taken from St John's Gospel, is a Greek word,

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149456489488775022006-06-04T22:21:00.000+01:002006-06-04T22:34:27.880+01:00

My Stat-Counter logged its second visit to date from the Holy See today... I often wonder what people working at the Vatican think of the many Catholic weblogs that are around and which ones they read, if any! Well, for the visitor from the Vatican City State who stopped by, albeit for 0 seconds (!): "Benvenuto".

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149366138688214252006-06-04T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-03T23:49:50.470+01:00

"And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak of the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:4)Today's reflection for Pentecost Sunday was preached by fra' Johannes Tauler, O.P., (c.1300 - 1361) who was a contemporary and disciple of the Dominican Meister Eckhart, one of the school of Rhineland mystics and one of the most influential medieval German preachers who is credited (among

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149258325256520322006-06-03T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-02T20:09:30.380+01:00

Today Holy Mother Church commemorates St Charles Lwanga and his companion martyrs (left). These 22 Catholic martyrs of Uganda were executed by king Mwanga between 1886-1887. It is said that when St Charles Lwanga"was sentenced to death, he seemed very peaceful, one might even say, cheerful. He was to be executed by being burnt to death. While the pyre was being prepared, he asked to be untied so

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149173823741667292006-06-02T00:01:00.000+01:002006-06-02T12:32:12.223+01:00

AMENDED & UPDATED ON 2 JUNE AT 12:20PM"The Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (Jn 14:26).We have seen in past days how the Holy Spirit enlightens us to perceive rightly and He directs us to judge rightly. It is particularly noteworthy that so many of the Spirit's seven Gifts

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149094231927120722006-06-01T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-31T20:34:03.010+01:00

"You have been anointed with the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge..." (1 Jn 2:20).St Thomas Aquinas assigns the Gift of Knowledge to the perfection of the Virtue of Faith. Fr Jordan Aumann OP writes that "The gift of knowledge is a supernatural habit through which the human intellect, under the action of the Holy Spirit, judges rightly concerning created things as related to eternal life

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1149019099914034132006-05-31T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-30T20:58:19.953+01:00

Today's joyous Feast of the Visitation culminates the month of Mary and also fittingly falls within the Novena before Pentecost, because the narrative in St Luke's Gospel of the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth and the fruit of their wombs, the Lord and His Herald, highlights the action of the Holy Spirit in human lives. John, while still in the womb leaps for joy upon hearing the voice of

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148932391633063812006-05-30T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-29T20:56:50.120+01:00

The Psalmist, quoting Proverbs 1:7 says: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps 111:10). As we considered the Gift of Wisdom yesterday, it would be good to look at this Gift of the Fear of the Lord (timor Domini) which the Scriptures and Sacred Tradition calls the beginning of wisdom. How are we to understand this?We can begin by saying what it is not: Pope Benedict XVI in his

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148848351992306132006-05-29T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-29T20:57:31.220+01:00

In the beautiful and ancient hymn to the Holy Spirit, the Veni Creator Spiritus, we sing: "You are seven-fold in Your gifts".The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (cf Isa 11:2) are Wisdom, Insight, Counsel, Courage, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord. These seven gifts are given in fullness to Christ and called down upon us at Confirmation but we seldom grasp how they work, which is a great pity:

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148855927699841562006-05-28T23:08:00.000+01:002006-05-29T21:33:46.006+01:00

The Holy Father, self-styled as a "son of the German people", personally insisted on a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau today and to walk around the camp (above), to meditate in that place of tremendous suffering and to pray and lay a candle at the memorial and to meet with survivors of the Nazi concentration camp.The BBC video clip (which is available via this link to the BBC News page) clearly

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148729672692145872006-05-28T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-29T09:52:32.733+01:00

The Preface of the Ascension proclaims that Christ is the "king of glory... the mediator between God and man, judge of the world and lord of all... the head of the Church" and expresses the Church's faith and the Christian's hope that "where he has gone, we hope to follow". As such, our Head has already "ascended to heaven" and we, while still on earth, await the union of the Church, His Body

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148589684650536702006-05-27T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-26T23:56:41.720+01:00

On this day, the Church in England rejoices in the memory of St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury and Apostle to the English. The photo above is of the reredos of the chapel of St Gregory and St Augustine in Westminster Cathedral. St Augustine is shown in the habit of a Benedictine monk next to Pope St Gregory the Great. In the mosaic above the opus sectile reredos, St Augustine is

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148499259744981652006-05-26T12:01:00.000+01:002006-05-26T23:56:21.150+01:00

The image of wine was frequently used by early Dominican preachers, as noted in Paul Murray OP's excellent book 'The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality' and I have mentioned in previous posts the aptness of wine as an image of evangelical preaching and the joy of the Gospel. Here is a beautiful quotation from the Golden Legend by Blessed James of Voragine OP, which I came across yesterday in his

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148593171706878282006-05-25T22:35:00.000+01:002006-05-25T22:39:49.456+01:00

Andrew Sullivan, whose blog I stumble onto every now and again, is currently running a series in which he invites readers to send photos of the view taken from any window of their homes. These photos have to be un-doctored and taken the day that it is sent to him by e-mail.It's a marvellous idea and very impressive because one sees his wide readership base from across the globe. Do check out

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148491061073568842006-05-25T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-24T20:45:30.576+01:00

With a certain Scholastic clarity and the confidence of faith, the Dominican bishop, Blessed Jacobus de Voragine, who wrote the famous 'Golden Legend' in the 13th century presents a veritable treatise on the manner and where and why of the Lord's Ascension. His writing on the Solemnity which we celebrate today seeks to provide sound answers to the questions that may arise in relation to this

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148327662079745972006-05-24T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-23T19:42:04.273+01:00

Today the Order of Preachers celebrates the memorial of the Translation of our holy father Saint Dominic. He had been buried in the church of St Nicholas of the Vineyards at Bologna and his brethren "whose simplicity outweighed their prudence" were reluctant to acknowledge the many miracles of healing taking place at his tomb. Finally at the urging of Pope Grefory IX, St Dominic's remains were

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148324647471097082006-05-23T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-23T10:18:18.850+01:00

This week's Gospel readings point to the necessity of Christ's return to the Father, for our good and indeed, for the good of His Church. As the Lord says to his disciples in today's Gospel: "I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you" (Jn 16:7).We do well to ask what this means and

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148252885750986242006-05-22T00:08:00.000+01:002006-05-22T00:12:54.236+01:00

Yesterday, the Dominican Family in our Province had its annual pilgrimage to 'Little Nazareth', the beautiful and serene village of Walsingham in Norfolk where Our Lady appeared in 1061 and her Holy House was built. Pilgrimages to Walsingham have been held since then and after the Reformation was revived in 1897.On the right is the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham which was carved in the Marian

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148154100007733882006-05-21T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-21T08:42:05.776+01:00

"This I command you: love one another" (John 15:17).One of the many striking passages in Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, is the honest observation that love cannot, in a sense, be commanded; and then the Holy Father's Christian response to the apparent paradox of Christ's divine injunction that is read in today's Gospel. As His Holiness notes in paragraph 16: "Moreover, love

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1148038651152287992006-05-20T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-19T23:53:06.593+01:00

Rather like Pilate who asked "What is Truth?" some people today seem quite eager to play fast and loose with truth. The Da Vinci Code received its premiere in Cannes this week and came onto general release in the UK yesterday. The tagline on the posters for this movie was: "Seek the Truth".Indeed! For if one were to actively seek the Truth, one finally comes to Jesus Christ, who is "the Way, the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147962045385475912006-05-19T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-18T20:04:44.153+01:00

"I have called you friends..."(Jn 15:15b).These beautiful words of Christ to his apostles, disciples and to us are an important part of St Thomas Aquinas' theology and of Dominican spirituality. However, perhaps the word and idea of 'friendship', like 'love', has become debased and somewhat casual, so we need to retrieve the Christian understanding of friendship and reclaim the word for our

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147872225809329322006-05-18T00:19:00.000+01:002006-05-18T14:37:23.786+01:00

"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love" (Jn 15:9).Today's Gospel, in a sense, is a prelude to tomorrow's Gospel in which Christ calls us his friends; it sets love as the foundation of friendship. Fr Herbert McCabe OP in the book 'God, Christ and Us' offers a reflection on love, friendship and holiness, all of which have their source and origin in God and which are offered

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147807951127667342006-05-17T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-16T22:44:42.913+01:00

Today's Gospel allows us another chance to re-visit the Gospel we heard on Sunday (Jn 15:1-8) and thus we may felicitously look at another interpretation of the sacred text. Often when this 'parable' comes up there is a tendency to focus on what the Lord promises us if we abide and remain in Him; there is also perhaps some anxiety about whether one is firmly grafted onto Christ and thus bearing

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147814437335840812006-05-16T22:13:00.000+01:002006-05-16T22:20:37.396+01:00

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet my first fellow blogger and a reader as well! Fr Tim Finigan, parish priest of Blackfen, and an amazingly prolific and dedicated priest, is also the author of The Hermeneutic of Continuity. Fr Tim was in Cambridge to give an excellent talk for the Faith Forum and it was capped by an enjoyable hour in a nearby pub with stimulating conversation. Do check out the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147699368251126452006-05-16T01:19:00.000+01:002006-05-18T14:37:59.330+01:00

Recently, one of the things Emmanuel and I discussed over a glass of wine was prayer. Wine was very much in our minds on Sunday, given that day's Gospel on the Vine and the branches and Emmanuel's work - he is a viticulturalist. Moreover, as I am coming to the conclusion of the superlative book by fr Paul Murray OP, 'The New Wine of Dominican Spirituality', it seemed very natural to move from a

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147648122012178772006-05-15T00:05:00.000+01:002006-05-15T11:51:01.610+01:00

Yesterday was a reunion of sorts for me as our priory welcomed two guests for the weekend: Daniel Jeffries who until last month was a Dominican Volunteer in the Philippines and Emmanuel Reymanu (on the left, with me in the Philippines; and below left, in Blackfriars garden this morning), who was also a volunteer in the Philippines, having gone out from France to work with Tahanang Puso. Emmanuel

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147554467133574602006-05-14T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-13T22:07:58.176+01:00

Fr Geoffrey Preston OP reflects on today's Gospel and presents the theme of the new wine of the Spirit that brings joy to humanity, a theme which was dear to the early Dominican preachers. Let us imbibe his wisdom and be intoxicated with the Word of Jesus Christ:"We speak about the true Vine and its Vinedresser, its branches and its fruit. And we take the fruit of the vine, pour it out, give

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147516490695588552006-05-13T11:18:00.000+01:002006-05-13T11:34:50.726+01:00

The art of Catholic illumination and illustration is a rare thing in this day and age; gone are the rich symbolic engravings and drawings that used to adorn our Missals... but there is yet hope for a revival when young talented Catholic artists like Daniel Mitsui are around. Do check out his work here and especially his latest drawings which include one of St Thomas Aquinas. The attention to

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147454466045294772006-05-13T00:07:00.000+01:002006-05-13T22:29:45.510+01:00

I jokingly told Br Paul yesterday that today was the feast of the patron saint of cats - St Felix. He was less than impressed with the idea but I think he is resigned to the fact that most of the Dominicans at Blackfriars Cambridge either talk to Leo (the priory cat) or about Leo! However, I wasn't altogether wrong: according to the Wikipedia, there is a Cornish Saint Felix who "was said to have

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147470390905477832006-05-12T22:15:00.000+01:002006-05-12T22:46:31.596+01:00

Amy Welborn recently posted that she liked John Cornwell's latest book and this has been picked up on other blogs. The comments on this are interesting and worth a read. They also provoked me to think about just how open we are to truth, wherever it may be found...Sometimes, people like Cornwell, Kung, Schillebeeckx, Curran and their ilk are uncharitably maligned and almost demonized. I recently

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Salamanca has not one but two cathedral churches! The older 12th-century cathedral became too small for the burgeoning university city and was superceded by a Gothic cathedral begun in 1513 but surmounted by a Baroque lantern and dome and a Baroque campanile. The catedral vieja (old cathedral) and the catedral nueva (new cathedral) stand side by side and are both in use for liturgies. In the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147373720230558892006-05-11T19:52:00.000+01:002006-05-11T20:01:18.986+01:00

For those who are interested: just two more photos from the Fisher House Mass for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life which was sung on Monday 8 May at St John's College chapel:Above: The clergy and servers, who are all students of the University of Cambridge, after the High Mass. The celebrant is Fr Alban McCoy OFM Conv., Catholic chaplain of Cambridge University, the deacon is Fr

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147279869286064472006-05-11T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-10T19:49:54.200+01:00

The Convent of Las Dueñas stands across the 'Plaza of the Council of Trent' from the Dominican Priory of San Esteban in Salamanca. Since 1419, Dominican nuns (above, in a painting from this convent) have lived on this site opposite the friars. The photo below shows the facade of their convent, as seen from San Esteban:On our third day in Salamanca we decided to visit the cloister of the nuns'

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147214536294783792006-05-10T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-09T23:45:36.453+01:00

Today the Order of Preachers celebrates the memory of St Antoninus. Born in 1389 in Florence, Antonino Fierozzi entered the Order in Fiesole at the age of 16, becoming part of the Strict Observance set in motion by Blessed Raymond of Capua. One of the Vespers antiphons for today says "He was strong in humility, rich in poverty and angelic in chastity." After his profession, he was to serve as

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147098742066919732006-05-09T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-09T00:09:30.346+01:00

On 24 August 1562, not without difficulty, St Teresa of Avila founded the convent of Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Primitive Rule of St. Joseph at Avila (shown on the right; and the plaque that commemorates it on the left). The site of her first reformed convent is outside the walls of Avila and across the city from the Encarnacion convent. She seems to have chosen St Joseph as her patron

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147129634776580952006-05-08T23:41:00.000+01:002006-05-09T00:07:15.400+01:00

Fisher House, the Catholic Chaplaincy of Cambridge University had its annual Mass for Vocations this evening, according to the 1962 Missal. I was honoured to serve in the liturgical role of sub-deacon (right) at what was a beautiful and awesome celebration of the Eucharist in the ancient Roman rite. In the absence of an ordained sub-deacon, this role is permitted to any 'tonsured cleric' and I

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1147020166933259782006-05-08T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-07T20:03:42.780+01:00

Today the Order of Preachers rejoices in the commemoration of the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary over the entire Dominican family. As Blessed Humbert of Romans, 4th Successor of St Dominic said: "From the events surrounding the beginning of our Order many reasons can be adduced why the Blessed Virgin Mary herself may be considered the special patroness of our Order. From what I have heard

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146915240434145232006-05-07T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-06T20:09:06.256+01:00

"I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away... I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep"(Jn 10:11-15).These verses of today's Gospel

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146771045868935572006-05-06T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-05T19:35:59.410+01:00

Saint Teresa of Jesus, that great Carmelite reformer and founder of the Discalced branch of that Order, the mystic and spiritual teacher and Doctor of the Church, has shed the light of her fame and glory upon the city of Avila which was both her birthplace and home and the city from which her reforms began. People throng to Avila mainly to visit the sites associated with her, but even if she had

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146824187759784562006-05-05T11:08:00.000+01:002006-05-05T11:16:27.813+01:00

Said the Capuchin to the Dominican friar:"Fratres novitii videntur sancti non sunt;Fratres studentes nec videntur sancti nec sunt;Patres non videntur sancti, sunt;Fratres vero laici videntur sancti et sunt"!Translation and anecdotes anyone?

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146685812921147422006-05-05T00:01:00.000+01:002006-05-05T11:17:11.616+01:00

"O Vincent, light upon earth of the faithful peopleAnd now become a citizen of high heaven,Do thou guide our voices as we sing thy deeds..."So begins the Office hymn Lumen in terris populi fidelis, assigned for Matins on the Memorial of St Vincent Ferrer, which the Order of Preachers marks today. A popular Dominican saint and possibly one of the most challenging, he was called the 'angel of the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146641755423360592006-05-04T00:33:00.000+01:002006-05-03T19:39:19.493+01:00

Today the Church in England rejoices in the memory of those who shed their blood for the Faith of the Apostles during the Protestant Reformation: the Martyrs of England. They are depicted above in the West Window from the church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs in Cambridge.It was on this day in 1535 that three Carthusian monks (below right) were martyred at Tyburn; they were the first of

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146693322453185102006-05-03T22:50:00.000+01:002006-05-03T22:56:40.476+01:00

One of the blogs I like to keep an eye on is 'Shouts in the Piazza' by Fr Guy Sylvester. Recently he posted a speculative rumour about a successor to the Archbishop of Westminster. If this kind of thing interests you, do click on the link, read and let me know which friar you think he has in mind! I suspect the list is fairly truncated...

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146587172200303252006-05-03T12:01:00.000+01:002006-05-02T23:10:03.133+01:00

As I said yesterday, after visiting the birthplace of our holy father St Dominic, we crossed the hills to Silos and its ancient abbey in the stunning Tabladillo Valley. Monastic life began here in as early as the 7th century and Santo Domingo arrived c. 1000 and from 1041 he served as abbot until 1073. His wise and holy leadership initiated a golden age for the abbey and many of its great

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Caleruega is a small village near Burgos in Castilla la Vieja (old Castille)... it is a village so unknown to most tourists that many bypass it as they travel the road to the famous Benedictine monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos. Few realize that another Santo Domingo, named after that holy abbot of Silos, was born in this village of Caleruega, just 20 minutes drive across the hills from Silos.

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146515790331917412006-05-01T21:07:00.000+01:002006-05-01T21:37:50.280+01:00

We fittingly begin the Month of Mary by remembering St Joseph, Our Lady's "most chaste spouse". The above image from the altar of St Joseph in the Dominican Convent at Stone in Staffordshire combines some ideas for this day - St Joseph the worker, who oversees Our Lord's carpentry and Our Lady who looks on. Such ideas are echoed in the hymn provided in the English Breviary for today:"Joseph, the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146158486524530432006-04-30T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-28T00:15:56.536+01:00

POSTS FOR THIS WEEKEND HAVE BEEN POSTED IN ADVANCE AS I AM IN THE DOMINICAN CONVENT AT STONE FOR A YOUTH 2000 RETREAT. Please scroll down for the relevant day's post.In honour of our holy sister, St Catherine of Siena, below is a brief presentation of some of the spiritual themes and ideas revealed to her. Her teaching on prayer and her compassion and love for others, her concern for truth and

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146152910403583922006-04-29T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-28T00:15:35.810+01:00

Today Holy Mother Church rejoices in the Feast of St Catherine of Siena, she who has been called a Second Founder of the Order of Preachers. Together with St Teresa of Avila, she was one of the first women to be declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970 and she was subsequently proclaimed a Patroness of Europe. Both these marks of recognition from the Church are signs of the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146152450058953272006-04-28T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-28T00:17:37.906+01:00

The Priory and Church is dedicated to St Stephen, the protomartyr and his Martyrdom (shown above) is depicted in stone at the centre of the great facade of the church, which is executed in the Plateresque style that dominates Salamanca.This beautiful door on the left in honour of St Joseph leads from the cloister into the Priory church of San Esteban. Opening off the cloister are other

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1146151896238059812006-04-27T16:30:00.000+01:002006-04-27T16:31:36.586+01:00

The Friars Preachers arrived at the university town of Salamanca in 1224 and settled on the banks of the river Tormes without the city walls. That priory was destroyed by flooding in 1256 causing them to move to the site of the existing Romanesque St Stephen's church on 9 November 1256. The bishop had given them that site along with an adjoining cemetery and land on which the friars proceeded to

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We're back from a most amazing week in Salamanca and its environs and I've almost a thousand photos to sort through, but here are two to begin with: Br Paul Mills OP and me outside our Dominican convent in Caleruega, birthplace of St Dominic and home of the holy Guzman family; and the wonderful Priory and Church of San Esteban in Salamanca where we were guests of the Dominican community of

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1145228132421757292006-04-18T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-17T20:07:10.226+01:00

This blog will be on hiatus for the duration of a Novena as the English Dominican Novitiate is going on a pilgrimage to Spain to visit the Dominican sites and also the places associated with other spiritual masters. We shall be based at our Priory in the beautiful and ancient city of Salamanca. Do keep us in your prayers, as I will remember all my readers at the holy shrines.During this hiatus,

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'This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad, alleluia!'This antiphon permeates the Easter Octave, and in the Divine Office time seems to stand still as we celebrate the Office of Easter day for the whole week, forming one great 'Dies Domini'. But even this extends into the entire season of Easter, the pentecostarion, or fifty days that form the days of the Easter day, such that the

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144529074643001652006-04-16T18:30:00.000+01:002006-04-09T15:46:29.553+01:00

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TODAY'S POSTAll are welcome to join us for the followingLiturgies for Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum this week atBlackfriars, Buckingham Road, Cambridge CB3 0DDPalm Sunday: 9.30 am Lauds11 am Blessing of Palms, Procession and Sung Mass7 pm Vespers & ComplineSpy Wednesday: 7.10 am Lauds followed by Mass (7.30)6.30 pm

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ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!Kristos Anesti!Christus Resurrexit!Christ is Risen!Mabuhay si Kristo!ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!The Dominican Friars (and Leo the Priory Cat)at Blackfriars in Cambridge wish you and yoursevery blessing of the Risen Lord and every Paschal joythis Eastertide and throughout the year!The photo above, taken in the Priory garden, shows our hand-painted Paschal candle

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144795369273960542006-04-15T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-14T21:00:51.700+01:00

The fresco above by our Dominican brother, Beato Angelico depicts the Harrowing of Hell. Christ has shattered the gates of hell, trampling the devil underfoot and putting the demons to flight and he enters hell to free the patriarchs. This is the essence of Holy Saturday - which I have already written about at this post - when Christ descends to the dead and brings the fullness of salvation to

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144768757247622652006-04-14T00:10:00.000+01:002006-04-14T00:08:36.050+01:00

Every year on Good Friday in the parish of San Lorenzo Ruiz and Companion Martyrs in Manila, the Philippines, the youth of the parish perform the Senakulo, which I have called "the poor man's Oberammergau", a "spectacular display of the Passion, a live Via Crucis and Passion Play taken into the streets, into the ordinary lives of people; out of the churches and into the highways and byways of

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144969681336513262006-04-13T23:42:00.000+01:002006-04-14T00:08:01.376+01:00

All is ready for our (slightly abbreviated) celebration of Tenebrae, perhaps the most evocative Office in the Liturgical year as we knew it. The texts of the Office, notably the responsories and the Lamentations have inspired a spectrum of composers from Palestrina, Gesualdo and Victoria to Poulenc and Rubbra. We don't have a choir to sing such beautiful polyphony but we shall sing the sublime

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144776097080951802006-04-13T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-12T23:52:07.560+01:00

"Why is this night different from other nights?" asks the youngest at the Passover Meal. This question has a special poignancy and significance for us Christians because on this night, the Lord's work of redemption begins: "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him..." (Jn 13:31). St Thomas Aquinas' hymn Sacris solemniis, which was written for Corpus Christi

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144749690840843082006-04-12T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-11T20:16:19.093+01:00

Station at Saint Mary MajorToday is the final day of Lent as the Church stands on the eve of the Sacred Triduum, and we end our Lenten journey with Our Lady and begin our entry into the Paschal Mystery in her company. The Station is held at Rome's oldest and largest basilica built in honour of the Mother of God. She is the ever-faithful one, whose 'Fiat' to God led her to follow Christ and share

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Station at Saint Prisca'sThe titulus Priscae is one of Rome's twenty-five parish churches and was built in the 4th century over a Temple of Mithras, in honour of a 1st-century Roman martyr. A font attributed to have been used by St Peter to baptise St Prisca is found here, and this Station may thus be a reminder of the sacrament of baptism that would be conferred on catechumens on Easter

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144593972147215002006-04-10T00:01:00.000+01:002006-04-09T22:37:40.096+01:00

Station at Saint PraxedesThe Station today was originally held at Saints Nereus and Achillaeus, but was transferred to this church in the 13th century because the former Stational church was felt to be no longer structurally sound. St Praxedes was built in the 4th century and as the titulus Praxedis was one of Rome's twenty five parish churches in the 5th century. A Benedictine monastery adjoins

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Today, the XXI World Youth Day, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI watched as young Germans gave the World Youth Day Cross and the icon of Our Lady (right) to the Catholic youth of Australia. The Australians also unveiled the logo for the XXIII World Youth Day in 2008 (left).The WYD 2008 will be held in the beautiful city of Sydney and the Australian federal and state governments have pledged $40

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Station at Saint John LateranAfter the blessing of Palms which took place in Rome at St Mary Major's, the procession set out for the Stational church of St John Lateran, the cathedral church of Rome and the Mistress of all churches in the City of Rome and the World.This archbasilica is a most fitting place to begin Holy Week, for not only is it the Seat of the Bishop of Rome, but the Lateran

Lawrence Lew OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11578427.post-1144445497447698072006-04-08T00:05:00.000+01:002006-04-08T10:09:11.480+01:00

The ever-youthful Amy at R.C. Mommy tagged me with this Holy Week meme which has been making the rounds, so here goes...1. What do you do with your new blessed palm from Palm Sunday?I usually fold it into the shape of a cross and keep it in my room or use it as a book mark. With larger palm branches, I use them to decorate my room shrine or place over doorways.2. What do you do with your old one

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Station at Saint John before the Latin GateThe Station on the eve of Palm Sunday is of a comparatively late origin: formerly the pope spent a part of the day distributing alms to the poor, and rested in preparation for the tiring ceremonies of Holy Week to come! Near the place where the Via Appia divides into two, forming on the left the Via Latina, stands a church on the spot where St John, by

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Station at Saint Stephen's on Mount Coelius Today's Stational church is popularly called 'Santo Stefano Rotondo', or St Stephen the Round, not on account of the saint's figure (!) but because this 5th-century church is a circular church modelled on the Rotunda of the Anastasis (Resurrection) in Jerusalem; indeed, it is the first circular church in Rome and has the same dimensions. Cambridge also

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Station at Saint Apollinaris' at the BathsThe Station is held today at the church built c. 780 in honour of the martyr Apollinaris by Pope Adrian I on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. The church was built in the vicinity of the Baths of Nero, hence its name. St Apollinaris was the first bishop of Ravenna, where an ancient basilica with beautiful mosaics is dedicated to him. The church is now

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Station at Saint MarcellusThe church of Pope St Marcellus where today's Station is held was one of Rome's twenty-five parish churches and is situated just down the Via Lata from yesterday's Station at Santa Maria in Via Lata. It was originally the dwelling of the matron Lucina who sheltered Pope St Marcellus who was being persecuted by the Emperor Maxentius. Later she converted her house into a

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This week I have quoted from a Jewish rabbi and unintentionally continuing in this inter-religious trend, I came across (via Zadok) a fascinating article in The Telegraph in which the Dalai Lama is interviewed. Here's a brief excerpt from the interview:"It is fascinating," he says, speaking in slightly stilted English. "In the West, you have bigger homes, yet smaller families; you have endless

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Station at Saint Cyriacus'The Church today unites the memory of a martyr with that of the Passion of Christ, the King of Martyrs, by making the Station in this church built in honour of the holy Roman deacon Cyriacus who received the palm of victory under the Diocletian persecution. However this ancient parish church of Rome was destroyed and the Station was transferred to the church of Santa

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I have received cautionary correspondence regarding the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar, in response to this post. Well... there were also worries about St Thomas Aquinas' work when he expounded his theology! Indeed, there was much controversy and heat in the church when the Order of Preachers were established! What such episodes in Dominican history teach me is that one ought to be cautious

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On Saturday, as I took shelter from the sudden cloudburst in the portico of the National Gallery, I looked over at the famous church of St Martin-in-the-Fields and lo! there were three rainbows! I didn't have my camera with me but managed this with my phone. The lower rainbow is a rare double-rainbow, where the colours of the second bow are an inversion of the first and above these was a third

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Station at Saint Chrysogonus' in TrastevereThe titulus Chrysogoni, yet another of Rome's twenty-five parish churches in the 5th century is today's Station. As the name tells us, a Greek Christian of that name dwelt here; the basilica dates to before 499. St Chrysogonus was a Roman officer in the army and martyred c. 300 by Diocletian. His name is included in the Roman Canon. Since 1874, the

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THE POSTS FOR THIS WEEKEND ARE POSTED WELL IN ADVANCE AS I AM AWAY IN OUR LONDON PRIORY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR EACH RELEVANT DAY'S POST.Station at Saint Peter's in the VaticanToday's Station returns to the basilica built on the site of Nero's circus in Rome where St Peter, in imitation of the Lord, suffered death on a cross.This is fitting as the Church enters Passiontide, that period of the

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O God,who in Your ineffable providence was pleased to number Your servant John Paul among the sovereign pontiffs: Grant, we beseech You, that he who reigned as the Vicar of Your Son on earth, may be joined in fellowshipwith Your holy pontiffs for evermore. Amen."Oh Man, on You I call, for You I searchin whom man's history finds its body.I approach you saying, not 'Come'But simply 'be'.Be there

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Station at Saint Nicholas's in CarcereThe Station is held in a church built on the ruins of two pagan temples (on right, columns from one of these can be seen) and the Forum Holitorium. The church is dedicated to St Nicholas on account of the number of Greeks who lived in the area. It bears the name in carcere because there was formerly a dungeon on this site. But the Station dates only from the

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Station at Saint Eusebius'The Station is at the 'Dominicum Eusebii', erected on the site of the house where St Eusebius of Vercelli, a 4th century bishop and an ardent defender of the faith against Arius, died a martyr c.357. It is situated on the Esquiline hill near the great cemetery of the Via Merulana and as the titulus Eusebii is one of Rome's ancient parish churches. In the 18th century the

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