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Assisi, a beautiful town in the Italian province of Umbria, was the birth-place in the twelfth century of two of that country’s greatest saints, Francis and Clare. Francis first, and then Clare, discovered the liberating effect of release from the burden of wealth. For them simplicity, a godly poverty, was the way to blessing. Their...

In the year 1212 Clare, the 18-year-old daughter of a local Count, heard a young preacher called Francis. A few years earlier he had caused a sensation in the centre of the town where they both lived, Assisi in Italy, by stripping himself of his wealthy clothes and declaring that from now on he would...

Clare (1194 – 1253) was the famous virgin foundress of the Minoresses or Poor Clares.  Born at Assisi of the Offreduccio family, Clare grew up to hear the teaching of St Francis of Assisi, and at 18 she renounced all her possessions and joined him at the Portiuncula, where she became a nun.  Soon Francis...

St Radegund (518-87) is a saint for anyone who has suffered domestic abuse. She is also a reminder that domestic abuse can occur in any family, however wealthy, and can span the generations, so that some women go straight from violent father to violent husband. Radegund was born in 518, the daughter of Berthaire, king...

All in the month of AUGUST 25 years since the death of Princess Diana Philip Larkin – the ‘other Poet Laureate’ Remembering Enid Blyton Edinburgh Festival – 5th – 28th August National Allotment Week ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates in the month (this time, AUGUST) down the years. Here...

If music be the food of love… Going off to Uni Things you do on holiday but never at any other time Walnuts Two sleep better than one How to keep your house cool in a heatwave How many hours of sleep do you really need at night? Eat your porridge Have you taken your...

Some people’s lives seem to epitomise the suffering of millions, but also to shine with a Christian response to it.  One such person was Maximilian Kolbe, 1894 – 1941, a Franciscan priest of Poland, and publisher extraordinary. Maximilian was born at Zdunska Wola, near Lodz, where his parents, devout Christians, worked in a cottage weaving...

The Church responds with a resounding ‘Yes’ to that question, as we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary on 15thAugust. (Usually her feast day is on the 16th.) An ancient name for this day is the transition of Mary – her crossing over to eternal life – or the assumption of Mary. But her story begins...

Have you done something bad which haunts you?  Does the memory of it still follow you through each day – and keep you awake at night?   If so, then Laurence Loricatus (c. 1190 – 1243) is the saint for you.  He was born at Facciolo (Apulia) and as a youth he killed a man. After...

It was: 200 years ago, on 25th August 1822 that William Herschel, German-born British astronomer died. He discovered the planet Uranus and infrared radiation, conducted the first deep sky surveys, and was the first president of the Royal Astronomical Society. 125 years ago, on 11th August 1897 that Enid Blyton was born. This enormously popular...

 You are in the centre of your local town looking at market stalls, and you become aware of a growing racket nearby. Some local young musicians have got loose. Pretty soon you cannot even hear yourself speak because it is so noisy. The sound is blaring out through amplified loudspeakers with a heavy bass. People...

Some people are pushy and a bit grasping.  They get on your nerves.  Pray that they go on to find God’s will for their lives, for then all that pushiness is put to good use. Take Jeanne Delanoue.  She was born at Saumur in 1666, and grew up small, authoritarian, and quite frankly, a bit...