Remember this? Humpty Dumpty to Alice in Through the Looking Glass: ‘When I use a word,’ he said, in a rather scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.’ It’s no wonder Humpty ended up having a great fall. The point of language is...

The brethren of the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield recently gave me a relief depicting St Francis of Assisi after the School Luca della Robbia. For those of you who may not realise, Luca was an Italian 15th century artist from Florence. He is particularly...

St Teresa of Avila advises us to, “Try and keep a good conscience.” In order that we might be successful in this we need to be honest and to pursue the way of truth and to be honest in all things. It strikes me that the insights of the saints were born of their own...

St Benedict of Nursia in Italy was born in the last quarter of the fifth century and died in the middle of the sixth. By the time of his death he had laid the foundation for Western Monasticism and was later canonised as the Patron Saint of Western Europe. He wrote...

As we all know the 6th of February marks The Queen’s Accession Day in 1952. I am sure that we will all offer a special prayer of thanksgiving for her life and dutiful service of her people over the last 67 years. In 1953 these words spoken by The Queen to women in the...

When I was a chaplain in the Royal Air Force my postings officer once asked me where I should like to serve. A couple of places came to mind; one of them was in Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and the other one was Akrotiri in Cyprus. Imagine my surprise when I was told...

Saint Margaret of Scotland was an English princess and a Scottish queen and is referred to in many quarters as “the pearl of Scotland.” She was actually born in Hungary and was a devout and pious Christian given to many good works including funding the pilgrims...

I have recently been asked to assist at an Anglican Chapel in the University of Manchester as their Honorary Chaplain; this I am very happy to do. The dedication of the chapel is to St Anselm of Canterbury, Priest and Doctor. The motto of the Chapel and the Hall...

During September the Church celebrates “Holy Cross Day”, a day upon which we commemorate the dedication, in 335, of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which was built over the supposed site of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus. The cross on which Jesus...

Saint Clare of Assisi is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition. She wrote their Rule of Life which is the first set of monastic...

One of my very favourite films is the adaptation of Robert Bolt’s play, A Man for All Seasons. It is set in Tudor England and is concerned with the final years of St Thomas More. I still have the copy that I bought when I was in the UVIth at School. I guess that the...

The Office of Deacon is one of three Orders that characterise not only the Church of England but also the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches too. St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was also one of the first Seven Deacons appointed by the primitive Church that...