Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

During lockdown the little Methodist chapel to which Pen and I belong has been refurbished. After the builders left, we started putting things straight, and were stunned to realise how much stuff we had. Old hymns books. A broken communion set. Paper and defunct pens, stickers and dried glue from Messy Church. Wonky plastic chairs. A...

With international concern about the welfare of children, Angela is a good saint to remember. Not only did she herself survive a harsh childhood, but she went on to dedicate her own life to helping children in need. Angela was born near Lake Garda, in Desenzano, where she was orphaned as a young child. The...

Have you noticed that it is getting harder to park your car? And that when you finally do get parked, you can barely get the door open enough to squeeze out? It is not your fault.  Modern cars have grown so big that many drivers now have as little as 21cm of room to spare...

A look back over the last 60 years, at 20-year intervals, reveals the following snapshot of the ages of various residents in the White House: 60 years ago, on 20th January 1961, John F Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States. The youngest to become president by election, Kennedy was only 43 years...

As men take on more domestic household chores, here may be a surprise result: more women are tackling the family allotment, and often taking the children along to help out. Nationally, half of all allotment holders are now women. This is up from two per cent in 1973, and 20 per cent in 2003. It...

Are you wondering about which charities to support this year? Does it matter to you if your money is used wisely or not? If so, then Maedoc of Ferns is the patron saint for you this month. He certainly knew how to deal with people who would waste his money. Maedoc (d 626) was born...

Debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has welcomed a recent funding boost from the Scottish Government which will help reach people in debt who desperately need support. CAP’s National Director in Scotland, Emma Jackson, said: “This funding boost will enable us to reach people who are being hit the hardest by the pandemic.  We’re...

Did you know that mince pies have been traditional English Christmas fare since the Middle Ages, when meat was a key ingredient?  The addition of spices, suet and alcohol to meat came about because it was an alternative to salting and smoking in order to preserve the food. Mince pies used to be a different...

Editor:  We have provided some notes on the Season and some of its saints… As Saints’ Days do not change from year to year, we have offered material on many of these days before.  The sections marked with asterisks are new this year. 1          Eloi – a patron saint for the euro?  3         ...

It’s many years since Europe switched over to the Euro (January 2002).  So, this is a good time to remember Eloi, bishop of Noyon, who was born in Gaul, and started out as a goldsmith.  He entered the service of Bobon, the royal treasurer.  He went on to become master of the mint for King...

Ignatius Loyala sent his friend and follower Francis Xavier (born 1506) to the Orient as a missionary.  What a missionary!  Imagine David Livingstone, Billy Graham and the Alpha Courses rolled into one.  His mass conversions became legendary – he baptised 10,000 people in one month and in just ten years of work was credited with...

Thousands of our churches are currently involved in various mission initiatives across the UK.  If it is tough going at times, we should spare a thought for poor Birinus, a priest from Lombard, who was sent here on his own 14 centuries ago.  Pope Honorius 1 gave him the daunting task of being the apostle...