Pilgrim progress- a disciple on a journey!

A nurse in a nursing home tells this story: "A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he manoeuvred his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. 'Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't have anything to do with it!' he replied." Wouldn't it be great to be able to live like Mr. Jones, to live as if happiness is something you decide on ahead

Beware of the fate of Don Quixote: In short, he so busied himself in his books that he spent the nights reading from twilight till daybreak and the days from dawn till dark; and so from little sleep and much reading his brain dried up and he lost his wits. —Cervantes Ok, whilst I am not at the stage where my brains risk 'drying up', the Reading Week was greatly welcomed!  I've noticed over these past few weeks that I feel like a wind-up toy that is...well winding down. I'm less and less able to do high volumes of work at high intensity (which is probably no harm!). I feel the need for more breaks and am less governed by the clock. I suppose this is one of the advantages of being a full-time student, I can permit myself to work at my own pace.  When I was younger, I would go for long periods of time without resting much and trying to squeeze in as much as possible.  I am a night owl and like to work late in the evenings but that isn't always compatible wi

Bl.Timothy Giaccardo Today, 22nd of October, in the Pauline Family throughout the world, we recall the memorial of Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, first Pauline priest and a powerful intercessor for our Congregation, the Disciples of the Divine Master. Back in 1928, our founder, Fr. Alberione had set apart several Daughters of St. Paul, the first female Congregation in our religious family to form the nucleus of a new community, one dedicated solely to Eucharistic Adoration, service to the priesthood and the liturgical apostolate. Both Fr. Alberione and Fr. Giaccardo realized the importance of contemplative prayer to support and enliven the various works of the Congregations that make up the Pauline Family. However, the Holy See were quick to advise that no separation from the Daughters of St. Paul would be allowed. Blessed James Alberione (founder) and Blessed Timothy Giaccardo When in 1936 Fr. Alberione and Maestra Thecla Merlo, Superior General of the Daughters of St.

It was one of those days. Yes, even nuns have bad days! You know the days where you know from the start that things are going to be challenging. It started with sleeping out the alarm and waking up with enough time to get ready and go to Mass, despite a blood pressure reading of 80/50. Receiving the Lord did make the day a lot sunnier but it still needed copious amounts of coffee to get motivated and get ready for lectures. After lunch, I had to pick up some things so I headed out. Waiting over 30 minutes for a bus did not help my mood but it did become a time to think and observe and take stock. I had forgotten my mobile (which I never do!), had no e-book reader so I took out my Rosary and prayed and watched the people go by. Bookmark from the carpark As I got off the bus, I was still annoyed, it was pelting rain and I had betrayed my Irish roots and gone out without an umbrella! As I dodged fellow pedestrians and dog-walkers, I made my way to the Residence. As I crossed t

  In Ireland, this Sunday, we celebrate the ‘Day for Life’. The bishops made their appeal in a special pastoral message which will be read and distributed in all Catholic parishes on the island this weekend and which also marks the start of a month of prayer around the theme “Choose Life!”, announced last month. Ireland’s Catholic bishops have called on “all who believe in the equal dignity and beauty of every human life” to “join us in calling on our public representatives to respect the humanity and life of children in the womb and to reject abortion.” Throughout Canada and the US, something similar called the 40 Days for Life is currently in course. It began on the 26 th of September and runs until the 4 th of November. There have now been ten coordinated 40 Days for Life campaigns since 2007, mobilizing people of faith and conscience in 440 cities across the United States and Canada, plus cities in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belize, Denmark, England, Georgia, Ger