On the Feast of Stephen…not Boxing Day!
As the mid-19th century hymn has it, Good King Wenceslaus first went out, on the feast of Stephen, when the snow lay 'round about,...
Silent Night, of Joy and Peace Amidst the Tumult
The beloved hymn Silent Night was first performed on Christmas Eve, 1818, fittingly at Saint Nicholas parish in Oberndorf in what was then the...
John of Kanty’s Holy Hidden Life
On this Eve of Christmas Eve, we celebrate in a subdued manner the commemoration of John of Cantius (1390 - 1473), or 'Kanty' in...
Saint Dominic of Silos and His Chanting Monks
While we're on the topic of chant with the Alma Redemptoris, this December 20th also marks the commemoration of Saint Dominic of Silos who...
God: The Science, the Evidence – A Review
God: The Science, the Evidence, by Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies, is an intriguing book, not quite what I expected when asked to review...
The O Antiphons and the Last Seven Days of Advent
On December 17th we begin the seven days of proximate preparation for Christmas, analogous to the more familiar twelve days of Christmas, which follow...
Pagan Darkness and Advent’s Light
I have fond memories of strolling along beautiful Bondi beach years ago, while at World Youth Day in 2008, and it never crossed my...
Saint Lucy’s Luminous Light
It may be difficult to believe in these dark December days, but a scant week from now, once we pass the winter solstice, the...
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother and Mystery
December the 12 is the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe, elevated on the eve of the Third Millennium by Pope John Paul II...
Pope Saint Damasus: The Faith, the Vulgate and the Mass of All Time
We owe quite a lot to Pope Saint Damasus (305 - 384), who oversaw the universal Church during the tumultuous era of the lingering...
