Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption - Sunday Reflection
Posted: Tue, 10 Aug 2021 14:00
It is wonderful that we can come together on this Sunday to celebrate the feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother. It always means so much to me, as I learnt a valuable lesson about Church holidays in hospital cafeteria many years ago. I had spent the morning celebrating mass in the hospital chapel and then taking communion to patients across the vast campus; on my travels I met staff who wanted... Read More »
Setting the Franciscan cat among the Latin pigeons
Posted: Sat, 24 Jul 2021 14:42
One of the reasons I remain a Roman Catholic is its inclusiveness, diversity, and universality. I am privileged to be part of worshipping community that can accept me along with greats along a spectrum of political and liturgical practice, such as Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Megan McKenna, Mother Angelica, and Cardinal Sarah. We are all part of that welcoming community that seeks to follow Christ and... Read More »
Retreat and recreation - Sunday reflection
Posted: Thu, 15 Jul 2021 14:02
Reflecting on the Gospel for 16th Sunday of Year B, Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy highlights the value of taking time to step back, rest, refresh ourselves and contemplate.
After the excitement and the 'buzz' of the apostles being on mission, this week we are presented with the aftermath of such activity: there is need for rest and recuperation. As so often happens in the ministry of Jesus, we see his care... Read More »
Trusted to make a difference: Sunday reflection
Posted: Thu, 8 Jul 2021 14:22
We don't often realise the level of trust Jesus placed in his disciples when he sent them out. Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy reflects on the message of trust, love and confidence in the Gospel for 15th Sunday of Year (Mark 6: 7-13). Image: Bernadette Lopez via qumran2.net
In the context of rejection and apparent failure in his home community of Nazareth, our Gospel today shows Jesus sending his disciples out... Read More »
Accepting the freedom of Jesus
Posted: Thu, 1 Jul 2021 15:35
Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB asks us to accept the freedom offered to us by Jesus, the son of God incarnated as the carpenter from Nazareth, as he reflects on the Gospel for 14th Sunday of Year B. Image: Jesus the Carpenter by Marcello Cerrato, via qumran 2.net.
On this day of US Independence, our Gospel brings Jesus back home to Nazareth. Across the pond, I hope that, pandemic protocols allowing, my... Read More »
Sunday reflection: The power of faith
Posted: Thu, 24 Jun 2021 14:59
A reflection on the Gospel for the 13th Sunday of the Year by Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB. Image: Julian Garcia Mejia via Qumran2.net
In our Gospel today, Jesus offers two amazing miracles: the cures of a woman and of a child. Jesus meets Jairus, a synagogue official; he faces the desperation of a parent with a dying child. On his bended knees, he begs Jesus to cure her; this loving father sees, in... Read More »
Helping students prepare their class Mass is a moving experience
Posted: Tue, 22 Jun 2021 16:56
Ms Shemaraiah Bloomfield-Johnson, (pictured above with Chaplain, Fr Saju SDB) an RE Trainee at SJBC Battersea, writes about her first experience of helping her Year 7 students plan and prepare their class Mass.
I had the honour of planning and facilitating my first Holy Mass with my Year 7 class at St John Bosco College. Admittedly, I was anxious when I knew I would be teaching Holy Mass; there is some... Read More »
Brs Joe and Greg SDB to be ordained priests
Posted: Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:02
Our Salesian Family has an occasion of great joy to look forward to on Saturday 26 June 2021, in the priestly ordination of Rev Joseph Tran SDB and Rev Gregory Echegwo SDB (pictured above at their ordination to the diaconate).
The two ordinands introduce themselves and outline a little of their journey below:
Joe
My name is Joseph Tran, Salesian of Don Bosco. I'm originally from Vietnam.
In 2008, I took... Read More »
The Euros: symbol of hope for a better future
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2021 11:50
So, here is a possible future pub quiz question: what do Nelly Furtado, 'Simply Red', Enrique Iglesias and Bono all have in common? As you are well aware, they all sang a theme song for the UEFA European Football Championships. Across various European nations, soccer fans of all persuasions are taking part in the '2020 European Championship'—due to a global Pandemic, we have experienced a twelve... Read More »
SJBC artists to show London the bigger picture
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2021 11:43
Students from St John Bosco College Battersea will have their artwork displayed on hoardings surrounding a major redevelopment site in London, as winners of a competition run by international construction and engineering company, John Sisk & Son.
The images will surround construction work at the Peabody Estate, Clapham, which the company is regenerating to produce affordable homes and a community... Read More »