Corpus Christi

this post was first published on the Contemplative Art page on 6th June 2026

Corpus Christi

Whatever you are doing today, why not spend just a moment in thanksgiving to Jesus for giving His body and His blood for us, for giving His body and His blood for us to adore and to eat. 

Stop on this page and pray with Pope Benedict XVI; better still, go to YouTube and find a church that is live streaming Adoration; even better still, go if you can to a church in person and meet Him there. 

Whichever you do, though, even if you don't have that time, be sure that Jesus loves you and will always love you, whoever, wherever you are. He gives Himself always for you and will always do so.

A Short Prayer

Dear Lord

Thank you for the gift of Our Lord's body and blood.

Help me to receive it worthily;

Help me to live in sight of it always.

Dear Jesus, thank you!

Amen

6th June 2026

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Inside the Vatican

Ann Widdecombe (1947-2026) R.I.P

Yesterday morning I heard the news that Ann Widdecombe had died. I was shocked. Although she was now 78 I hadn't heard that she was in bad health or anything like that. I said a prayer for her and wrote a short post on my Keys Substack page (1).

Suddeny, in the afternoon, news came through that she had been murdered. Dreadful, dreadful news. Widdecombe's status as a prominent politician (still active in that sphere though no longer an MP) immediately made me wonder if the crime could have been politically motivated. For the sake of the British body politic, I hoped and hope not. 

I feel bad about thinking about her death in terms of politics. Sadly, though, it's one of those things that happens to people no better than I: instead of focusing on the only important thing - the deceased - we contextualise what has happened straight away. 

There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but it would be good if it could not happen for at least a few hours, preferably a few days, after the news of their death has come through. The danger is that when we start contextualising we lose sight of the person at the centre of the matter.

In the afternoon, I prayed a rosary and offered my evening prayer for the repose of Ann Widdecombe's soul. Being a politician, she was a divisive person; I hope, though, that this will now be set aside by everyone in favour of doing the one thing that matters: praying that the Lord may forgive any sins she committed and bring her into the peace of His heavenly kingdom. Amen.

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International Business Times

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati

Today (4th July) is the feast day of Pier Giogio Frassati, and not just the feast day but first feast day of St. Pier Giorgio as well! 

Frassati was canonised in September last year, along with St. Carlo Acutis, by Pope Leo XIV. Back then, my focus was on St. Carlo, and no wonder, he was in life a truly remarkable young man - well, boy, really, as he died aged just 15. I am quite sure that in the years to come, he will, like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, become an even more remarkable saint.

In the last few months, though, I have found myself thinking about St. Pier Giorgio Frassati more. In truth, he was hardly less remarkable in life than St. Carlo. Born in 1901 into a rich Milanese family, Frassati used his portion of that wealth to help the poor of his hometown. 

When he died aged just 24 (from polio, probably contracted from one of the people he helped along the way), the Frassati family were astonished by the numbers of people who came out to pay their respects. Pier Giorgio remembered the poor, and the poor remembered him. 

Earlier this morning, I asked myself what is it about Pier Giorgio that I like so much? I think the answer, at least today, is threefold:

1. His evident holiness. He not only helped the poor but went out of his way to do so. When he travelled by train, he could have gone first class. Instead, he went Third and gave the difference away to the poor. 
2. His vibrancy. He didn't just live, he really lived. Frassati enjoyed mountain climbing as a hobby. That wakes me up and gives me 25% more energy just thinking about it! I'm sure it did even more for him.
3. His friendliness. Pier Giorgio had a very friendly and attractive personality. And he didn't use it for his own glory, so's to speak, but to bring people to God. 

Basically, Pier Giorgio Frassati is the kind of man I would like - in my own particular way - to be. It doesn't matter that I am now 30 years older than him. When you come face-to-face, as it were, with someone like Frassati, age doesn't matter. It's all about the personality, leading to the relationship with God, leading to the holiness. 

I can't finish this post without mentioning PGF's famous motto, scribbled onto a post card he once wrote: verso l'alto! To The Heights! Every day, even if it is by just one step, I pray that I too may be able to ascend the heights of faith. In so doing, I ask for Frassati's intercession.

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one of my favourite images of PGF

Catholic Journey

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati - pray for us!

What's In A Name?

I am delighted to have discovered a new blog today.

Its URL is https://associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/ but the blog title is Association of Catholic Bloggers.

It isn't unknown for a blog to have a different URL and blog name. Obviously, I don't know why the word 'women' appears in this one's URL and not the blog name. Perhaps it started out as being for female bloggers before evolving into an association for both sexes. Having said that, their Facebook page is named The Association of Catholic Women Bloggers so clearly that title is still valid. 

To acknowledge the difference of titles, I have added the blog to the blog list under the title the Association of Catholic (Women) Bloggers. I'll amend it if I find out that one or the other version of the names is the correct one. In the meantime, I hope you will join me in exploring the blog and growing in faith through it.

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Today (20th June 2026) is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This image comes from the Catholic Fire blog. Do visit it, and say a prayer for the soul of its founder Jean M. Heimann and her husband, Bill (Read more about them here).

Meditation of St. Francis of Assisi

First published on the Contemplative Art page

Meditation of St. Francis of Assisi

Is there any saint who has a softer image than St. Francis of Assisi? If we had known the real man, however, we would have seen a far tougher figure, both in terms of how he lived, and his beliefs. 

Francis lived simply, very simply; we would find the rawness of his life tough to replicate. He was completely committed to his Catholic Faith and explored it with an intensity that most of us, I imagine, would hardly dare. 

If I met someone who emulated St. Francis, I would waste no time in asking him or her to pray for me, for I would know that the Lord is hearing those prayers! 

In this image below, Francis is doing something that, again, many of us simply don't, and probably wouldn't like, to do: contemplate death.

We ought to do it, though, for sooner or later it will happen. The wonderful thing is that there is no need to be afraid of it. When it happens, it won't be the End but simply the beginning of something - please God - very great indeed. Death is but a doorway, and the never-ending land beyond is every good thing that we could ever wish for and so much more transformed by the very presence of Almighty God Himself. Talk about an exciting prospect.

A Short Prayer

Dear Lord

The thought of death scares me,

Even though you achieved victory

over it forever.

Grant me the grace to never fear it,

But to love what it leads to:

Life with you forever,

in bliss, eternal bliss

Amen

30th May 2026

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Muscarelle Museum of Art

The Road to Emmaus

first published on my Contemplative Art page on 19th April 2026

The Road to Emmaus

It can be hard being a Christian sometimes. The promise that is given to us, however, is eternity in the bliss of heaven. Something of that bliss appears in this painting of Jesus meeting the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. The scene is very bucolic, there are no other people or animals getting in the way, it is just Cleopas and his companion, listening to the Lord. Perfection. Yes, being a Christian can be very hard, but if we focus on what Jesus says to us, heaven can, in a manner of speaking, come to us even in the difficulties that we face.

A Short Prayer

Dear Lord

Help me.

Help me to listen to you,

to focus on you,

to show heaven in my life now

by being faithful to you.

Amen

19th April 2026

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Emmaus Homes

Love is the Way

From Pinterest:

This quotation is currently on my mind. The Faith as a love affair. Well, we are in relationship with Jesus, I guess; indeed, with the Holy Trinity, so it makes sense to see ourselves as lovers with the Divine. 

But it also feels awkward somehow, because - to me, anyway - a love affair is a loose space where you, if not break rules, then potentially bend them in pursuance of the beloved and in the sharing of that love. 

The Catholic Faith, by contrast, feels a bit more rigid due to the importance it gives to right doctrine. 

Maybe my view of love affairs is too dominated by unrealistic films and books. Chesterton's words, however, have a ring of truth about them, and I hope I get the chance to ponder them more in the next few days.

A Prayer Answered

Over the last day or two I've had a cold coming on. Up till this morning, it was no more than a slightly runny nose. When I woke up today, however, my head felt heavy; I had a head cold. I went upstairs to wash last night's dishes. Before starting I said a quick, almost perfunctory prayer for healing. I then started saying the Rosary and doing the washing.

Within a minute or two the head cold lifted. The cold is still with me but the worst of it has gone. 

At the point at which the head cold lifted I hadn't taken any medication. I look upon what happened as Our Lady answering a very poor (sinner's) prayer. By-and-by, I had been thinking about going to confession today. Had the head cold stayed that wouldn't have happened. Now that it has gone, however, I am looking forward to setting out for some spiritual healing. 

Very few of my prayers tend to be answered so quickly. I can't really remember one that was (I should probably keep a record). I have to admit I am rather taken aback by what happened but also very grateful.

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Divina Clark (Unsplash)

St. Mary Magdalen (National Gallery, London)

This post first appeared on my Contemplative Art page on 14th April 2026

St. Mary Magdalen 

A few weeks ago I visited the National Gallery in London. Among the many works of art there, I found this one which portrays Mary Magdalen. It feels both classical with Mary being portrayed with her ointment jar (for now, let's not get into the fact that this was probably/definitely a different Mary) and curiously modern: her silver shawl really reminds me of the thermal or space blanket that marathon runners wear when they finish the race. 

This juxtaposition of ancient and new brings home to me how the imagery of Jesus' parables, despite being of their time, still remain completely relevant today. This is because while the imagery belongs to the first century AD, the truths that underpin the stories belong to eternity. This is the Gospel: eternally relevant.

a short prayer

dear Lord, you have blessed us

with your eternal truths;

help us always to see them

in art of all ages

14th April 2026

Prayer is the Answer

Over the last few days, we have seen an extraordinary attack on Pope Leo by Donald Trump. The American President attacked Leo on his Truth Social account, accusing the Holy Father 'of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and owed his papacy to Trump' (Crux). Trump then shared a blasphemous image of himself in the image of Jesus Christ, healing a sick or dead man in a hospital bed.  Why did Trump launch this attack? He was, Crux reports, 

responding to Leo’s calls for peace, in reference to the Iran war, and comments that Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization were “truly unacceptable.” (Ibid)

Leo has not taken Trump's attacks lying down, though neither has he responded in kind, saying that he is simply 'preaching the Gospel' (Ibid). Yesterday, though, he did speak a bit more sharply during his visit to Cameroon where, according to Crux , he 'blasted the “handful of tyrants” who are ravaging Earth with war and exploitation' (Crux). It is impossible to imagine that he did not have Trump also in mind when referring to those tyrants.

How should we as Catholics respond to Trump's attacks?

First and foremost, with prayer. Then, with more prayer. Then, you guessed it, with more prayer. 

• For Donald Trump - for his wisdom
• For Pope Leo - his safekeeping and strength
• For an end to tyranny in the world
• For peace in the world

If we find reading about the attacks on-line making us scared or angry then that's the time to get off the internet and pray. 

A few days ago, I had a few minutes spare between chores. I went to EWTN's Live Adoration page on YouTube. I thought I would be able to focus on Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament for a minute or two before my attention wandeed. In the end, I sat there and spoke to the Lord for over ten. It was a wonderful few minutes. If you can't go to Adoration in the flesh then using your laptop or phone is a wonderful option to have. Ultimately, our response to Trump's evil is love. It will heal us and God willing heal him too.

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Wikipedia

From Ash You Came

this post first appeared on my Contemplative Art page on 17th February 2026

Ash Wednesday

I have to admit, I am not sure if this photograph qualifies as a work of art. Not as I would ordinarily understand art to be, anyway. It does, however, take us to the heart of Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season and it is because of that, that I am using it here. 

God is a God of riches and wealth, of glory and joy. The way to these wonderful things, however, which is to say, the way to His heavenly kingdom, is through the cross. Whether or not you get to an Ash Wednesday Mass this week, contemplate the cross, what Jesus did upon it for you and those you love, for all of us. What an amazing thing!

short prayer

this lent, O Lord,

may I embrace your cross;

and in so doing,

embrace you.

17th February 2026

photo: Ahna Ziegler | Unsplash

Alleluia Is Our Song

I wrote my last post a month ago and so much has changed I hardly know where to start this one!

Lent has come to its end and we are now enjoying the fruits of Our Lord's Resurrection in Eastertide. I am still occasionally say the Rosary while I do the washing up (see last post) in the morning, though now I say it in the afternoon and on the road when I go for a walk

***

I served at all of the Triduum Masses and liturgies this year, including for the very first time, the Good Friday Liturgy. On that day, I not only venerated the cross but for a while held it while parishioners came up to perform their own act of veneration. Most people kissed the wood, usually at the bottom or Our Lord's feet; others, simply stood before it in contemplation before moving away, some after laying their self-kissed finger on the wood or Our Lord's body.

The Vigil Mass this year marked my thirtieth year as a Catholic. I can still hardly believe I am now 54. I can still remember being 18 and thinking 'I am the youngest adult generation. Wow.'. Now, I am very middle-aged. In just a few years I will be a proper oldie! I wish I felt as grown up as I physically am. Psychologically, I'm not sure I made it out of my twenties or early thirties. I wonder if that is 'a thing', as they say. I suppose what I'm getting at is that I don't feel as wise - and am certainly not as accomplished (in terms of family, money, or job) as I thought I would be by this age.

The funny thing, though, is that while I do wish I was more 'grown up', I am also very happy to be who I am. I'm sure it is all part of God's plan and that's fine by me.

***

There was no 8am Mass in my parish on Easter Day (this being the one I normally serve at), so instead I made a rare visit to the London Oratory for its 11am Sung Mass in Latin. When I arrived the church was absolutely packed with the 10 o'clock goers. The 11 o'clock attendees lined the side of the aisles as they waited for the 10am Mass to end. When it did and the congregation filed out, I waited a second too long to find a pew. Before I knew it, all the seating had been taken! Having walked nearly two hours to the Oratory I now had to stand for the Mass. I did so in the St. Joseph Chapel before moving across to the other side of the church to where the Newman altar is. 

At Communion time, priests came down from the Sanctuary to give the body of the Lord from the side chapels. I received in my favourite chapel, Mary Magdalen's, which made the special moment even more special.

***

Going back to the Vigil, I was received into the Catholic Church at the Vigil Mass in 1996, when I was in my third year at university. Being a Catholic isn't always easy, sometimes it can be very hard, but I am so happy, so happy, that I listened to the Spirit and said yes to His calling. My journey to the Faith was very quick: I started exploring the Catholic Faith in September 1995, started receiving instruction in January 1996, and was received in April 1996. I had it very easy. Some people have to go through years of struggle before arriving in Rome. I don't think about that blessing enough. I really ought to.

***

 

Last Sunday, I served again at my parish church. I have to confess, I was very rusty. I forgot to ring the bell at the start, and tried to hand the priest the water instead of the wine at the start of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I made other small errors as well. It's amazing how quickly one can get out of practice.

***

But now, here I am at home writing this post. This Lent, for the first time in my Catholic life, I attended every Friday Stations of the Cross. I really miss it now! Still, hurrah for Easter!

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Pisit Heng / Unsplash

A Cleansing Experience

On most mornings, I get up early to do last night's washing up. This morning, I started washing and as I had nothing on my mind I thought I would say the rosary. This was a first. A couple of months ago my mother fell unwell and had to be admitted to hospital. While she was there, I said the four mysteries for her healing every afternoon. A little to my surprise, but great joy, I have managed to keep up the practice ever since, although since her return home I now say just one mystery per day.

Usually, I say the rosary in the afternoon. This morning, though, I thought to myself, Let's say it now; why not. Ora et Labora, right? To be sure, I didn't say all five decades. That was deliberate. You see, ever since I started saying the rosary every day, I have also got into the habit of reading a portion of St. John's Gospel and his letters afterwards. The rosary and St. John are now somewhat entwined in my mind and heart. To encourage myself to go back to St. John today, I decided to say four decades (if the washing lasted that long, which it did) this morning, and the fifth this afternoon before moving as normal to the Evangelist's gospel.

In future, however, I might make it my habit to say all five decades and the closing prayers in the morning because both it and St. John don't need to be said and read die-by-side and gosh, how good did it feel to say the rosary this morning? It was really good! I shouldn't be surprised but it was. I had that deep inner joy that only God can give, that comes from getting close to him. It isn't a feeling I enjoy very often so man I'm grateful for it.

As I write this, I am thinking I will say the rosary while doing the washing up tomorrow morning. I heartily recommend the practice to you, though I have to say, whether you do it while carrying out manual labour or not, it is a wonderful prayer. Deo Gratias! 

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James Coleman

for more of my writing visit my general blog Sehnsucht and Wine. I have updated it this week:

• Quickly, Making Sense (Hopefully)
• Written in the Calm of Morning
• Winning Big

Archbishop Moth's Visit to Our Parish

On Wednesday evening this week, Archbishop Richard Moth celebrated Mass at Our Lady and St. Joseph's in Dalston, Kingsland, my very own parish!

Prior to the Mass, he met with head teachers and priests from the central and east areas of the diocese, a pattern that he will be repeating as he visits the other parts of it over the next couple of weeks. I wonder what it was like for the headmasters, headmistresses, and clergy to meet their new boss. Relaxing? Nervous? Hopefully not so-so or 'meh'.

On Wednesday, I was definitely in the nervous category, though not at the thought of meeting him. I was part of the serving team for the Mass. We were ten or twelve in number; a lot, though nothing compared to the 50+ priests who were present. My role was that of cross-bearer. All I had to do was carry the crucifix into the church, place it in its stand, sit down, and stay out of the way until the end whereupon I would carry it back out of the church again. But what if I walk the wrong way? Or got up at the wrong moment? Spoiler: happily, none of these things happened!

Going back to the beginning, the servers met at 5:30pm - an hour before the Mass was due to start - to run through what we would all be doing. We have a seminarian staying in the parish at the moment and it was he who had the job of whipping everyone into shape. Some of the servers came from other parishes and their priests had told them to come for six o'clock, which was not ideal; in the end, though, it didn't matter. Everyone knew (more or less) what to do.

At just before six thirty we lined up outside the church. Below: here we are, and here I am holding the crucifix. Now, I'd love to be able to say that (to paraphrase St. Philip Neri) that is me in the centre loving to be unknown, but the truth is I was just hiding from the official photographer because I don't want to be photographed. To be fair to myself, it isn't all about shyness. It is all about Him, after all. I would not be unhappy to sit behind a wall every Sunday Mass, emerging only to perform my serving duties, so that the congregation have one less thing to look at instead of the altar.

I had expected the church to be packed out for the Archbishop's visit. This, however, turned out not to be the case. Seating was available at the back. I later learnt that at least some of the priests coming from other parishes had not told their own parishioners that they were able to come to the Mass. Good old Catholic organisation!

We processed in and took our seats in the sanctuary. Most of the priests present sat in the Lady Chapel behind us. That wasn't ideal for them as a supporting wall partially blocked their view of the sanctuary. The only alternative, however, would have been for them to occupy the front rows of the pews. But that would have obscured the view of the congregation. The servers sat on two rows of benches on the Lady Chapel side of the sanctuary. I sat in the front row. The servers behind me were seated on a light bench. Early on in the Mass, someone (presumably) accidentally pushed it back. It fell down the step into the Lady Chapel with a loud clatter, landing just in front of the priests. Thankfully, the bench was pushed back while the servers were standing. No one fell back. Also thankfully, the bench did not hit any of the priests in the front row. Disaster averted!

The rest of the Mass went without incident. The deacon who read the Gospel did so very dramatically. He reminded me of when I took part in a dramatic reading of a play at my English tutor's house while at University. Man, I enjoyed that so much. The Archbishop gave the homily. It was straight down the line - no surprises, and appropriate to the occasion. He is an engaging speaker, though, so it wasn't boring.

Something I haven't mentioned so far is that when I was asked if I could serve at the Mass, I hoped that whatever I was doing, it would not require me to be the first server in line - see my fear about going in the wrong direction above. At first, all seemed well: the thurifer and boat carrier were placed in front of me. But then, they were pulled to the back of the line! I was now first. Gulp. I was first in, and first out. Happily, though, I went the right way.

After the Mass was over and the Archbishop had said goodbye to all the parishioners, and given blessings to no few of them, he gave a blessing to each of the servers as well. I have never been blessed by an Archbishop before so I was rather happy. He, the Archbishop, then organised us all for a group photo. He did it with great efficiency, a product, he said, of his days as bishop to the Armed Forces!

I've written a lot. Let's have some photos.

Here's the Archbishop, photo'd in a moment of prayer. I wonder how easily he finds it to pray when he is the centre of attention:

These are (some of) the priests in the Lady Chapel, giving thanks no doubt for not getting clobbered by the bench. The priests near the statue of Our Lady had a view of the sanctuary (albeit one obscured by the servers). Those near the camera were behind the supporting wall.

A view of the altar at the consecration. 

The official photographer took 70 odd photos of the night; here is the only one in which I appear - that's me nearest to the wall just to the left of the crucifix on the altar:

Before finishing I should say that I nabbed these photos from the Diocese of Westminster's Facebook page and its Flikr page so I hope diocese and photographer don't mind. Thank you to both!