St François de Sales (January 24) said he did not necessarily disapprove of ‘games, balls and pageants’
Spiritual Life
Saint Of The Week
The hermit who lived for 15 years in a tomb
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Saint of the week
St Anthony of Egypt (January 17) inspired a new ideal by seeking spiritual growth in the desert
The nobleman who bore paralysis with great cheerfulness
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Saint of the week
St Benedict Biscop (January 12) travelled extensively, and was thus able to introduce the practices of Roman and Frankish Christianity into Northumberland
St Stephen, the first Christian martyr
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Saint of the week
St Stephen (December 26) was hauled up before a Jewish court for rejecting sacrificial worship
The Spanish abbot who liberated Christian slaves
Monday, 20 December 2010
Saint of the week
St Dominic of Silos (December 20) is an example of the remarkable possibilities open to low-born talent in the medieval Church
The saint who was tormented by her conscience
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Saint of the week
St Maria di Rosa (December 15) founded the Handmaids of Charity and died at the age of 42, exhausted by her good works
The Doctor of the Church who was reluctant to be a bishop
Friday, 3 December 2010
Saint of the week
St Ambrose was reluctantly made a bishop, but embraced Christianity to become one of the most prominent ecclesiastics of his time
The martyr who gave up worldly fame for the scaffold
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Saint of the week
St Ralph Sherwin (December 1)
The pope who warned Corinthians over their braggadocio
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Saint of the week
St Clement of Rome (November 23) is traditionally classified as the fourth pope (90-100)
St Albert the Great, one of the best scientists of the Middle Ages
Friday, 12 November 2010
Saint of the week
St Albert the Great (November 15) recognised no division between science and theology
Tory party leaders have forgotten what a conservative outlook is all about
By Francis Phillips