Homilies

Today’s Gospel scene (Lk 1:26-38) is one of the most memorable in the Bible and has inspired great artists for centuries.

The arrival of the Magi, who wanted to venerate the new kid on the block, and who were using a comet as their sat-nav, caused quite a stir.

Infatuated! Drunk! Mad!I’m not describing some embarrassing aunt at a Christmas barbecue or some creepy guy at an office party. No, this is how St. Catherine of Siena – fourteenth century mystic

Infatuated! Drunk! Mad! I’m not describing some embarrassing aunt at a Christmas barbecue or some creepy guy at an office party. No, this is how St. Catherine of Siena – fourteenth century mystic…

“I am become Death, Destroyer of Worlds.” So J. Robert Oppenheimer, ‘father of the atomic bomb’, famously said upon seeing the first detonation of his bomb and the destructive power he had unleashed.

Why are we hearing about the Annunciation only five days out from the Nativity? Everyone knows there are nine months between a conception and a birth, and in Jesus’ case there was a great deal of

The composer Arnold Schoenberg, notorious for his atonal music, once famously said that ‘my music is not lovely’. In my opinion, he was right. But he insisted that there can be a beauty in music

So began the last book by Theodor Seuss Geisel – ‘Ted’ to his friends or ‘Dr. Seuss’ to those of us who grew up on his story books. I remember The Cat in the Hat when it was

 When we think of nineteenth century comic operetta we naturally think of evan zâytz  Ivan Zajc; but one of the best-loved comic operas is not his but Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado.

Around this time of year, people often phone the cathedral or their parishes to ask what time the Midnight Mass will be. In fairness to them, they are not being stupid: the time of the “Mass at Midnight of the

Why Advent? Lent is sort of obvious: as Jesus makes His way to Jerusalem, to His trial and Cross and tomb, we accompany him with hushed voices, downcast faces, wearing the colour of his bruises.

Today’s Gospel scene (Lk 1:26-38) is probably one of the most memorable in the Bible