Author Archives: hughpol

Today’s first reading at Mass was the story of Cain and Abel which we rarely hear about these days. It only comes up in the readings at Mass every so often and increasingly many people in the country will never have read it or come across it. Yet there are phrases in it like ‘AmContinue reading “15th February 2021”

Just chatting to someone from the Parish Church on Waterside, it could have been a much longer chat but for the biting cold. He was saying how much he appreciated Bernard Loveland when he went to preach there during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Bernard settled into their community so easily and whenContinue reading “13th February 2021”

For some reason I always remember that this was the day I was confirmed in St. Kentigern’s in Blackpool, quite a few years ago now. But for me this feast always reminds me of my trips to Lourdes with HCPT. I had never wanted to visit a Marian shrine, but parishioners in Carlisle persuaded meContinue reading “Our Lady of Lourdes 11th February”

St. Scholastica was the sister of St. Benedict and was head of the convent below St. Benedict’s community. There is a story that one day Benedict went down to visit to see her and they spent to time in prayer and conversation. As the evening came on she asked him to stay but he saidContinue reading “St. Scholastica 10th February”

Beautiful day for a walk even if it began with another stroll to Bushey Walk for a test as it is time I got back to visiting the hospital and they would like me to have an ‘all clear’ test. There is something about these cold clear days, just hope my car is enjoying sittingContinue reading “9th February 2021”

A friend of mine from college in Rome has just been made an Archbishop, not of a particular place but so that he can go off to be the Papal Nuncio (ambassador) to small country in Africa. If you are not archbishop for a city or region but for administrative reasons they give you theContinue reading “7th February 2021”

Today is the feast of St. Agatha, a big saint in Sicily, who was martyred as a very young girl in the days of the Roman Empire. Her name holds her message for us, it simply means ‘good’ in Greek. In certain situations how do we decide what the good answer or course of actionContinue reading “St. Agatha 5th February”

St. Blaise is the patron saint of sore throats. He was a bishop in ancient Armenia so I am not sure how the legend of him and the throats became so universal but the liturgy of the throats is still with us. Sadly we could not do it this year but probably many needed it.Continue reading “St.Blaise 3rd February”

Some news that will not be of great interest to you but I am sharing it anyway is that my niece had a baby last night, Honor Rose, and just made it to the hospital in time, much to the taxi driver’s relief I guess. A man asked to come into church this evening toContinue reading “Candlemas”

A bit late in the day to say White Rabbits. We always used to say it on 1st Feb but apparently you can say it on the first of any month. Just watching ‘The LIfe of the Mountain’ on Helvellyn. Suddenly would love to be up there again. I would have to be healthier andContinue reading “1st February 2021”