Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Patron saint of fathers and holy death Why should St Joseph’s day be in March? Surely, he belongs to Advent and Christmas, at Mary’s side in millions of nativity scenes around the world. In any case, as the foster-father of Christ and husband of Mary, Joseph played a major part in the story of the...

Beloved monk and bishop of Lindisfarne Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (c 634-87) has long been northern England’s favourite saint. It is easy to see why: Cuthbert was holy, humble, peaceable, prayerful, faithful in friendship, winsome, and really kind. Cuthbert was born into a fairly well-off Anglo-Saxon family, and he became a monk at Melrose in 651....

Archbishop of Canterbury & Reformation Martyr If you have ever been caught up in a great event at work, which has gone on to change your own life, then Thomas Cranmer is the saint for you. He was the first ever Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, following King Henry VIII’s decision to pull away from Rome,...

The events of Easter took place over a week, traditionally called Passion Week. It began on Palm Sunday. After all His teaching and healing, Jesus had built a following. On the Sunday before He was to die, Jesus and His followers arrived at Jerusalem. The city was crowded. Jewish people were arriving from to celebrate...

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when the Church remembers how Jesus arrived at the gates of Jerusalem just a few days before the Passover was due to be held. He was the Messiah come to His own people in their capital city, and yet He came in humility, riding on a young donkey, not...

 The good-natured carer (this is her normal place in the church calendar) Families are divided in two kinds of people: givers and takers. Blessed is the family with at least one ‘giver’, that someone of a cheerful, generous nature who does not panic when you ask them for help. These kindly saints are on hand...

Why saying hello is important Our young people are just so unhappy Mr Bates vs The Post Office: not the only one This Mothering Sunday, could you give the Gift of Dignity? Hundreds of displaced people in Congo helped by MAF Ripple Effect reaches more than a million ** Editor:  By the Revd Peter Crumpler, a...

Archbishop of San Salvador, martyr 1980 (this is his normal place in the church calendar) Oscar Romero was a bit of a modern Thomas Becket – loyal to the authorities until he was given great responsibility for the Church. Then, like Becket, there was trouble. In Romero’s case, it all began when he was born...

The daughters of baronets don’t usually choose to work with prostitutes and orphans, but Harriet Monsell was no ordinary woman. She was born in 1811 into one of Ireland’s oldest families. Her father, Sir Edward O’Brien, was 4th Baronet of Dromoland, and represented his county Clare in Parliament. Harriet married Charles Monsell, an Anglican clergyman...

What lessons can Christians learn from a London rail worker who was recently honoured by King Charles, for talking 29 people out of taking their own lives? Maybe something about the power of conversation and being willing to ‘stop for a chat.’ Rizwan Javed helped to save each life over a period of eight years,...

Rupert is the saint for you if you like The Sound of Music – or salt with your food! Rupert (d c 710) was bishop of Worms and Salzburg, and it was he who founded the great monastery of St Peter in Salzburg in the eighth century, thus firmly establishing Christianity in that city. True,...

Young people in the UK are feeling more lonely, and yet are less likely to have a stable relationship or friendship than they did, even a decade ago. So finds the Boys Brigade, which carried out an extensive study as part of its recent 140th anniversary events. Almost half of the young people questioned admitted...