Author Archives: hughpol

Yesterday we heard the sad news that Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue, otherwise known as Pod, has died. He had a wonderful warmth about him and was someone who people immediately felt they could talk to. In fact one of his great skills was that he could attend a parish do or celebration party for just aContinue reading “Ss. Timothy and Titus 26th January”

Just feels good to start getting back to some form of normality after self-isolating. Just a walk up by the castle, and after you have had covid an increasing surprise that so many people don’t get the importance of keeping their distance and even look at you a bit oddly if you give them aContinue reading “Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul”

I really like St. Francis. He has great common sense. He lived in the late 16th early 17th centuries, around Annecy in south east France and was Bishop of Geneva at a tough time when much of the city was Calvinist. He is buried in the church in Annecy which we went to once butContinue reading “St.Francis de Sales”

Just enough snow for someone to build a tiny snowman down by the river and the temperature must be just low enough for it to survive. Good wintry scene. Russell T. Davies is a good writer who came to my notice when he completely revamped Dr. Who which I had not watched for years. HeContinue reading “23rd January 2021”

Good to get out for the first time after self-isolating and just walk down the river to the Parish Church. I never before thought that so small a walk would feel so good. I sort of had the feeling that others should be saying, ‘Good to see you out, or welcome back’ as I walkedContinue reading “22nd January 2021”

St. Agnes’ Eve—Ah, bitter chill it was!       The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;       The hare limp’d trembling through the frozen grass,       And silent was the flock in woolly fold:       Numb were the Beadsman’s fingers, while he told       His rosary, and while his frosted breath,       Like pious incense from a censer old,       Seem’d takingContinue reading “21st January St. Agnes Day”

Watching the swearing in of the new president, I remember having open house at the university to watch Obama’s first election in 2008. Most of the students were delighted with the result, but not all. Two young Catholics from Colorado, keeping quiet, could not imagine voting Democrat because they believed they were generally pro abortion.Continue reading “20th January 2021”

Watching the rain from my self-isolating post, i.e. my couch. While most days I have a real desire to get out, strangely today is not one of them. Perhaps the rain is sent to help deal with the situation. I have noticed that the weather looks a lot better on one side of the houseContinue reading “19th January 2021”

One of the group who went to Lourdes hated hugging people. He was great with the kids but never one for mass hugs. Was very cautious if the sign of peace at Mass was more than a handshake, which it often was at Masses there. This of course egged the less merciful on to createContinue reading “18th January 2021”

There are practical problems with self-isolating. Shouting your date of birth through the window to a delivery man who says he needs some personal details to confirm who I am before he drops off the package. Then there is someone leaning on the doorbell at midnight. Clearly they are not going away so the guyContinue reading “17th January 2021”