In February and March of 1972, the UK experienced power cuts up to as much as nine hours per day. I remember it well. My father had just retired as a docker from Ardrossan harbour and had received his “golden handshake.” My mother talked him into spending a good...

  I’ve taken of an evening to watching old episodes of Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett as the man himself (there are 41 free episodes on YouTube!). Holmes is already a quirky character, but Jeremey Brett’s own quirkiness ups the ante quite considerably. He is annoyingly toffee-nosed but is all...

  The Gospel of the “Good Thief” today places us squarely on Calvary. I’ve always noticed as a priest that the numbers who attend Good Friday services are considerably higher than those who attend the Easter Vigil. Some say it is “Catholic guilt”! But I think it’s because the Cross...

  If Jesus were trying to market his own brand, he would be an abject failure by current standards, at least if we take today’s Gospel at face value. “Buy into my name and you will be hated by all men!” “Buy my brand and you will be persecuted and...

  All that God has ever wanted for us is that we be free. His laws and teachings are given to us, not to hamper our freedom, but to guarantee its fulfilment. And its fulfilment is to be like God, with God and in God. The real enemy of freedom...