12th Sunday of the Year — The voice of calm
Posted: Thu, 17 Jun 2021 13:19
Storms are part of the lived human experience. It is very rare to go through life without encountering some sort of a storm—and this storm can take various dimensions to stare us in the face. Without a doubt, 2020 and 2021 will go down in history as the years of storms for so many of us. Work, education, social life and our family dynamic have been 'infected' by a tiny virus that we now have... Read More »
Brothers in formation hear about Pope Francis' approach to worldwide discernment
Posted: Wed, 16 Jun 2021 16:28
Christopher Lamb is a well known Catholic journalist and the Tablet's correspondent in Rome. He is a member of Sacred Heart Parish and agreed to come and speak to the Salesian students in Battersea at one of their weekly formation events in June.
He spoke about the concern of Pope Francis for synodality, and introduced the background to a worldwide exploration of a more collaborative way of working... Read More »
The sacredness of the ‘ordinary’
Posted: Thu, 10 Jun 2021 13:03
We have just experienced four months of liturgical highlights as we have celebrated the Lent and Easter seasons: we have journeyed from Ash Wednesday to Trinity Sunday via Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Resurrection Day and Pentecost. Our liturgical colours have gone from purple, pink, red and gold to white.
We are now back to so-called 'ordinary time' with our next season change some months... Read More »
Eucharistic hospitality: are ALL really welcome?
Posted: Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:27
In a longer read, Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB reflects on the radical hospitality of Jesus, and challenges us to consider how far we are truly extending this to all of our brothers and sisters in the Eucharist today. (Photo: Thays Orrico on Unsplash)
You may know the Marty Haugen song where he talks of building an inclusive Church 'where love can dwell'—a safe place where we can listen to prophets... Read More »
Corpus Christi - 'taste and see how gracious the Lord is'
Posted: Thu, 3 Jun 2021 13:12
I remember Fr McGovern SDB, an amazing music teacher, helping our choir to sing the Vaughan Williams classic, 'O taste and see how gracious the Lord is'. His huge choir stilled the sacred space of Bolton's Victoria Hall: 'blessed is the one that trusteth in HIM!' We need this feast of Corpus Christi to remind us just how blessed we are.
In his last meal with is disciples in the Upper Room, Jesus shares... Read More »
Sisters support new 'Youth Presence' charity
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2021 22:27
The Salesian Sisters are proud to be supporting a new charity with a deeply Salesian heart, that is beginning its work in the Kendal area to accompany and support young people, especially the most vulnerable. Youth Presence grew out of a time of retreat Mary and Ian Biddle spent in Mornese, the birthplace of the Sisters.
The charity aims to work in partnership with local schools and other organisations... Read More »
Sacred Heart Young Adults: together again for Pentecost
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2021 15:34
The feast of Pentecost this year has been an opportunity to celebrate in an even more heartfelt way the spirit of community for the Young Adults of Sacred Heart in Battersea. Following the latest government guidelines, after a great number of virtual meetings and alternative picnics in the park, the group organised an in-person gathering at the Salesian House, thanks to the ever-friendly hospitality... Read More »
Feast of the Holy Trinity – a family of love
Posted: Thu, 27 May 2021 13:16
These past few weeks have seen a gradual easing of the real hardship that had been lockdown. As the vaccination rate increases, children are back their classrooms in school, and more businesses are re-opened, we share a sense of returning to a fuller experience of community. Experts tell us that we will probably never be able to return to the days pre-pandemic: face masks and physical distancing are... Read More »
Pentecost Sunday: let the Spirit unite us
Posted: Fri, 21 May 2021 10:17
Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB reflects on the unity brought to us by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. (Image by Igino Legnaghi via Qumran2.net)
I was reading my diary for Pentecost Sunday 2020; it was clear that we thought that things may well be back to normal by summer 2020. The pandemic, it seemed, was under some sort of control. I wrote back then:
One of the amazing POSITIVE effects of being in lockdown... Read More »
SJBC students explore the legacy of St Augustine
Posted: Wed, 19 May 2021 17:28
Last week, Yr 8 at St John Bosco College were on a mission to find evidence to support the claim that St Augustine's mission to bring Christianity to England in 597AD was successful.
The RE Dept were very grateful to Rev Ruth and Zebida from St Saviour's Church, Battersea, who came to talk about their work in the local community. Sr Breda also took time out to come and chat to our students about the... Read More »