Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Basil was most people’s idea of the perfect diocesan bishop. He was a theologian of distinction, who as a monk devoted himself to much prayer and teaching.  He leapt to the defence of the Church from the persecution of the Arian emperor Valens, but also appreciated great secular literature of the time, gave away his...

It was: 100 years ago, on 5th Jan 1919, that the German Workers’ Party was founded by Anton Drexler. In February 1920 it was renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ party – better known as the Nazi Party. 90 years ago, on 6th Jan 1929 that Mother Teresa arrived in Calcutta, India to begin working...

‘Discipline’ is now virtually a banned word, along with ‘risk’, ‘problem’ and ‘failure’. They seem to have been replaced respectively by ‘focus’, ‘safety‘, ‘challenge’ and ‘opportunity’. On the occasions when we do recognise and applaud the virtue of discipline, it’s usually in the lives and activities of soldiers, police officers, dressage horses and the dog....

The Rectory St James the Least My dear Nephew Darren Your New Year resolution of getting up at 4am and devoting the first four hours every day to prayer and meditation does you credit – although I am not entirely certain you will get past the first week. I, too, make an annual resolution; this...

‘Auld Lang Syne’ was sung over the New Year, especially in Scotland. It should, we are told, ‘never be forgotten’. But what is it? The words actually mean something like ‘long time ago’ and it is the ‘acquaintances ‘of long ago that we should not forget. In other words, and somewhat to contradict the usual...

Quite frankly, this hermit was about as weird as they come.  But he loved God, and God blessed him, strange though he was.  So perhaps Simeon Stylites (390 – 459) should be the patron saint of all REALLY eccentric people. Simeon was the son of a shepherd on the Syrian border of Cilicia.  He joined...

It is still hard to comprehend history’s evidence that 5million-plus Jews were systematically assassinated by last century’s Nazi regime.  It is a never-to-be-forgotten evil. A hundred years ago there was another genocide which people don’t talk about today.  During World War 1, Christian Armenians were driven out of Turkey, subjected to death marches, deprived of...

“It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer – then goes off and boasts about the purchase. Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.  (Proverbs 20:14-15)  People in Bible times loved to shop, just as we do today.  People bought and sold and haggled for...

One hundred years ago, on 5th January 1919, the German Workers’ Party was founded by Anton Drexler. In February the following year it was renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party – better known as the Nazis. Drexler was a Munich locksmith who was opposed to the armistice of November 1918 and followed the outlook...

Half a million more people were diagnosed with depression in England in 2017 than in 2018.  Clinical depression now accounts for nearly one in ten conditions seen by family doctors. NHS Digital’s latest data reveals that prescriptions for antidepressants have soared in recent years.  Nearly 4.6million of us were diagnosed with depression in 2017/18, as...

On 6th January we celebrate Epiphany – the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus.  But who were these Wise Men?  No one knows for sure.  Matthew calls them ‘Magi’, and that was the name of an ancient caste of a priestly kind from Persia.  It wasn’t until the third century that they...

Sister Mary Teresa – the future Mother Teresa – arrived in Calcutta 90 years ago this month, on 6th January 1929, to begin working with the poor and the sick. Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, in 1910, she was of Albanian heritage but had moved to Ireland in 1928 to join the Sisters...