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The teaching of Jesus encourages us to believe in guardian angels.  He once said, ‘See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.’  (Matthew 18:10) The existence of angels was suggested in various...

How much stuff do you have?  Do you find it really hard to throw things away?  You are not alone!  But the problem is so serious for some people that hoarding has now been classified as a medical disorder.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) says this could benefit thousands of people, because they will finally...

With Islamic State’s current savage persecution of Iraqi Christians in mind, here are two saints for this autumn:  Hewald the Black and Hewald the White (d.c. 695).  These 7th century Anglo-Saxon priests were living peacefully in Frisia among the Old Saxons, worshipping the Christian God by daily Mass on a portable altar, and reverently devoting...

When you are over-tired, do you feel like having people around?  Most likely not.  And that is a big problem. For what doctors are calling the loneliness epidemic in the UK may well be fuelled by so many people’s trouble with getting enough sleep. A recent study at the University of California has found that...

The heatwave this summer was a powerful reminder that our planet is not disposable! The evidence that carbon dioxide is heating the planet is seen in melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels and extreme weather. In the church September and early October is designated Creationtide, a time to reflect on God as Creator and...

Next time you are at the school gate, have a look at the children coming out.  How many are overweight?  Recent data from Public Health England (PHE) has found that one in ten children are classed as obese when they start primary school, and one in five of them is obese by the time they...

Just about the only thing most people know about Francis of Assisi is that he talked to the birds. Church-goers also know the popular hymn based on his famous prayer, ‘Make me a channel of your Peace’, which was sung at the funeral of Princess Diana. However, Italy’s patron saint, whose feast day is this...

Congratulations! You are using many fewer plastic bags. On average, you now use about 19 a year – as opposed to 140 a year. The number of disposable carrier bags issued by the seven biggest supermarket chains has declined by 86 per cent since the charge was introduced in 2015, according to statistics from the...

How do you spell popular names for boys and girls?  This argument has rumbled on for years. Now a recent YouGov poll has asked the public, and some results point to a swing back to preferring more traditional spellings. Joe 87 per cent; Jo 4 per cent John 79pc; Jon 9pc Mark 78pc; Marc 9pc...

Harvest is a time of thanksgiving to God for all His provision for us. It is good to cultivate a grateful heart, and studies have shown that people who practise thankfulness tend to have a more positive outlook on life, be more optimistic about the future, and are generally healthier than those who do a...

St Francis (1181 – 1226) is surely one of the most attractive and best-loved of all the saints.  But he began by being anything but a saint.  Born the son of a wealthy cloth-merchant of Assisi, Francis’ youth was spent in fast-living, parties and on fast horses as a leader of the young society of...

This month is the 501th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation, and so a good time to pay tribute to an outstanding English scholar, translator and martyr of the Reformation. William Tyndale (c. 1494 – 6th October 1536) was born near Gloucester, and studied at Oxford and Cambridge.  He could speak seven languages, and...