Blog
Could this be a John XXIII moment for the Catholic Church?
Announced in every news outlet, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentinian Jesuit who is the first in his order and the first from Latin America has been named as the bishop of Rome – Pope number 266.
In these early hours of the announcement, we are left with the crumbs of his …
RINGING OF BELLS – Reflection of visiting writer Ailsa Piper
Ailsa Piper has been working in the parish for the last few weeks and has conducted two
writing workshops and a conversation with Monsignor Tony Doherty about her book,
Sinning across Spain.
Walking pre-dawn camino roads in Spain, bells would ring out across the waking valleys and fields. Different tones, tunes and rhythms …
The Grace of Disgrace
(This is an article from an Irish priest Daniel O’Leary which has some added relevance these days>)
I have a recurring nightmare. I open the morning paper to find my name and photo splashed across the front page. The news is bad about Daniel O’Leary. I’m now in disgrace. How …
Some Historical Notes About The Second Vatican Council
1. Initiated by Pope John XXIII the Council started in October 11, 1962; Pope Paul VI concluded it on December 8, 1965.
2. It has been described as the largest meeting in human history (in the sense of a gathering with a specific agenda, resulting in actual decisions). It was a gathering the likes of …
CARLO MARTINI – CARDINAL AND JESUIT
A memoire Tony Doherty
There are few experiences like it – strolling through Sydney’s Botanical Gardens on a faultless September morning with a spring sun glinting on the harbour through its magnificent trees.
My companion was Carlo Martini, Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal, biblical scholar in his own right and Jesuit. Living at St …
The Woman Who Dreamed of a School in Africa
Tony Doherty – a journey
She was there in the crush of Kilimanjaro airport. About ten months pregnant. With her middle son Nathan for company.
What is it about this woman? The arrangements had been made that someone would pick me up and drive the fifty minutes journey from the airport to …
Carrying the pain of others
Reviving an ancient journey
At first blush, the concept seemed frankly medieval. An idea left behind centuries ago. Not just pre-Vatican 11 but pre-Lutheran. Quaint theology but tinged with medieval superstition with more than a whiff of magic and money.
The idea – a pilgrim setting out to walk the famous Camino …
A letter to a niece approaching marriage
Dear Catherine,
Learning to genuinely love one another is the adventure of a lifetime.
Our hearts are made to be given away. But this rarely happens without pain.
Keep the dream fresh. Hold on tight to your first enthusiasm. If it dims
at times – as it might given the tough culture …
Stuff I have read recently
This is another attempt at sharing with you some of the writing in the contemporary church that has recently caught my attention amidst the daily avalanche of stuff that comes across my desk. Hope it makes some sense to you in your busy lives.
THE ABRACADABRA GOD …
