Eliot wrote this in 1927–just after his baptism.  A cold coming we had of it,Just the worst time of the yearFor a journey, and such a long journey:The ways deep and the weather sharp,The very dead of winter.And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,Lying down in the melting snow.There were times when we regrettedThe summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,And the silken girls bringing sherbet.Then the camel men cursing and grumblingAnd running away, and wanting their liquor and women,And the night-fires... Read more

This painting is situated in the East end of one of the most glorious buildings in Christendom: Kings College Chapel, Cambridge. I was chaplain at the choir school there for two years, (in my Anglican days, and was able to see this picture every day. There ought to be a movement to restore sacred paintings to sacred buildings. They’re wasted in museums. Read more

Here’s an article about a husband and wife Pentecostal missionary team from the UK who have been imprisoned in Muslim Gambia. They were accused of sedition for sending emails that criticize the Islamic regime. Please remember David and Fiona Fulton in your prayers. Pentecostals and Catholics may have their disagreements, but Pentecostal pastor, Richard Wurmbrand, who suffered in Romanian jails during the communist persecutions, speaks of sharing his cell with Catholic and Orthodox priests. “In prison” he said, “we were all brothers... Read more

When I was visiting London for the day and had a bit of extra time to kill I would drop by the National Gallery to see this picture. It’s very large and this little reproduction doesn’t do it justice. I love the way the composition shows how the Holy Family reflects the Holiest Family of the Holy Trinity. Then how St Joseph gazes at us to challenge us fathers to reproduce the Holy Family and therefore the life of the... Read more

In this article in London’s Daily Telegraph the Anglican bishops attack the failure of British socialism. New Labour was voted into power in 1997 with great promises of making Britain ‘great’ again. The usual socialist manifesto was put into place: rob from the rich and give to the poor. Taxes went up. The nanny state increased its rules and regulations strangling initiative and rewarding indigence and immorality. Now after ten years of Labour rule there are more poor people in Britain than... Read more

Rob, at Coming Home Network, has sent me a splendid old conversion story written by James Kent Stone, (sometime president of Kenyon and Hobart Colleges) and published in 1869. It is written in a robust and eloquent style, and is full of a bracing kind of Catholic convert triumphalism one doesn’t see much of in this somewhat spineless age. The book is full of juicy one liners: Stone relates how the atheists reserve most of their ammunition for the Catholic... Read more

O EMMANUEL, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations and their salvation: Come and save us O Lord, our God. Read more

Liberty University is the school started in 1971 by Baptist pastor Jerry Falwell. It is described as an independent fundamentalist Baptist college. I was very pleased, therefore to hear from a student at Liberty telling me about a group he has started called Catholics at Liberty. Chris was good enough to write these few words for the blog about his story and his work there. It is hard to believe that I have been a student at Liberty University for two... Read more

O KING OF THE NATIONS, and their Desire; the Cornerstone who makest both one: Come, and save mankind, whom thou formedst out of clay. Read more

O DAYSPRING, Brightness of Light everlasting, and Sun of righteousness: Come, and enlighten him that sitteth in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Read more