As we stand on the cusp of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and profound intimacy with Christ’s suffering, I find myself compelled to address a grievance that resurfaces time and time again. It is an accusation flung at Catholics with an almost tiresome predictability, a claim made not in the spirit of inquiry but … Continue reading Almost Lent, So… In Defence of Mary: A Passionate Rebuttal to the Doubters
Tag: Christianity
A Pathetic and Shadowy Medley: Tolkien’s Catholic Critique of Protestantism
Having spent a considerable amount of time in Durham Cathedral of late, I have also found myself immersed in The Last Office, a compelling work of narrative history that chronicles the sixteenth-century dissolution of the monasteries - most notably, Durham itself. Meanwhile, like many in recent years, I have been hearing the ever-growing clamour for reparations, … Continue reading A Pathetic and Shadowy Medley: Tolkien’s Catholic Critique of Protestantism
Be Still, My Soul – Finding Peace in God’s Embrace
I think I've mentioned before that there are a few hymns that either bring a lump to my throat or tears to my eyes: Be Still, My Soul is one of them. The lyrics were written by Katharina von Schlegel in 1752, and the music was composed by Jean Sibelius in 1909, giving it a … Continue reading Be Still, My Soul – Finding Peace in God’s Embrace
Three Legends of Saint Nicholas
Three Legends of Saint Nicholas. Gerard David c. 1520 I first came across Gerard David’s Three Legends of Saint Nicholas during the Art History module of my degree, back when I was young, idealistic, and still capable of pulling all-nighters fuelled solely by instant noodles and a questionable energy drink. Much of what I learned back then … Continue reading Three Legends of Saint Nicholas
The Agonising Genius of Blaise Pascal: A Personal Ramble Through Pensées
Last year, I stumbled upon this little gem on Amazon, priced at the princely sum of 23p. Naturally, I couldn’t resist - who could, at such a bargain? It brought back a flood of memories from years ago when an English teacher handed me a tattered old copy, its pages barely holding together. Where that … Continue reading The Agonising Genius of Blaise Pascal: A Personal Ramble Through Pensées
Wording 