Words unspokensound loudest for those who hearwith the inward ear. A smile unbrokenby kindness is knownto maim, wound and kill. For those who feel,it’s a cut to the bone.When one smiles in silence, it is sharp, polished steel,or perfect benevolencecarved in stone.

Fr Newman has a new website and blog. Under the link Divine worship you can go through a cool slide show of High Mass at St Mary’s. How blessed we are to have been brought to such a vibrant parish! For Ash Wednesday the place was packed, the liturgy was splendid and the spirit truly [...]

In a recent comment a reader asked about the Immaculate Conception: about the Immaculate Conception. As a mere Anglican I still wonder ‘why?’. It may be so but surely Our Lady would still be unique in creation even if she were not immaculately conceived?Good question. May I humbly recommend my book Mary: A Catholic-Evangelical Debate? [...]

Every year this argument comes up in our household: I’ve heard that every Sunday is a feast day of the resurrection so you can break your Lenten fast on Sundays. Sure enough, if you count the ‘forty days’ from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday there are actually 46 days, so if you take out the [...]

St Augustine says that by asceticism we empty ourselves to make room for God. If you have a sack that is already full there is no room for anything else. If you have a life that is already full you have no room for God. Empty the sack to re-fill it. Empty the life to [...]

Incarnation Why should a single object—one small stone,a rose, a picture or a Chinese vasesummon strong passions? Why should onechild singing high and clear lift you to the stars,while a leaden sky hurls you down to hell?How literal. And yet, what other wordshave you? With what language can you tellof your silent discourse with another [...]