De La Mennais Brothers: Making Jesus Christ better known and loved by young people

Wherever I lay my hat (or Irish tweed flat cap)... that's God's home where he invites me to stay awhile and make it mine.

Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. One of my heroes, Bro. Gregory Casey ficp, a fellow De La Mennais Brother, worked tirelessly for 20+ years in #Lourdes to organise liturgies for English-language groups. He had a little office to the left of the Basilica where all received the same warm welcome: from youngsters to bishops. This photo is of the 2 of us in 1986 while I was there with the #HCPT. Four years later, he came to my Noviciate in Ciboure (nr. St. Jean-de-Luz, 2 hrs. drive from Lourdes) for the opening Mass of my Noviciate year. Our Novice Master then took our group for frequent weekends to Lourdes (about 8 all told) over the rest of the Noviciate year, knowing that I had someone there from my home country who could act as a mentor for me. “Grogs” would get me singing in the underground Basilica choir for the International Masses, saying the Rosary at the microphone for the outdoor processions, etc... There are things he told me that have stuck with me e...

Another post in response to friend David Kralik (see his blog linked below): http://myoblatereflections.blogspot.com/2019/12/hermitage-notes-returning-to-womb.html That's a very interesting idea - the return to the womb + the cyclical nature of existence. Our annual 1 week retreat and termly recollection days perform a similar function. Sabbatical years also. In fact, Sundays themselves too. More + more I'm feeling the call to make my attitude during such times (a greater willingness to learn + to listen to God in my heart, allowing myself to be recreated) my default daily attitude in the world where I am, to live the womb experience in my place of mission. Daily recreation. It can be tough. Takes great humility + spiritual detachment. Clay in the potter's hands. Your blog also made me think of T. S. Eliot's "Little Gidding" esp. this passage in the last section: "We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring  Will be to arrive w...

I recently wrote this in response to a Facebook post by friend David Kralik: Faith and hope help us to keep our eyes lifted up to the heavens, even in the darkest of times, as we journey on to the source of all love. And when we meet Him face to face (God willing) those two companions on the journey withdraw, their work complete. All that is left, as you say, is love.  The Beatles got it partially right... 😉🎸  

Mental Wellbeing  (written for our school Bulletin in November 2019) Hello to you all! I'm currently in the car with Bro. Francis, driving back from our school in Southampton (St. Mary's of which we are both former students). It's funny how life sometimes comes full circle. Last night, Bro. Francis chaired the school's annual Speech Night prize-giving celebration (their equivalent of our Proclamation) and I was the guest of honour, giving the speech and distributing the prizes to a great bunch of wide-eyed, engaged young people. A surreal experience for me. 34 years ago, when in 5th Year (Yr. 11) I received a prize from a certain Bro. Francis who was the guest of honour that night. Afterwards, the school shared a photo of myself and Francis taken during my speech, to which I added a photo from that night 34 years ago. As the great Paddy McAloon of the '80s/'90s band Prefab Sprout would say, it's a "Life of Surprises"! Bro. Francis and mysel...