Unfamiliar Stories about the Holy Week
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
3d ago
It looks familiar – Holy Week, Easter Triduum, and Easter story. All look familiar – the usual stuff from Palm Sunday to Easter vigil. I am here to discuss the unfamiliar things you missed during the Holy Week. You may find a familiar parallel to your life journey. You will discover hope when things crumble and you are above to be crushed. I suggest you approach the Holy Week with a sense of wonder and awe rather than seeking explanations for things you cannot comprehend about the Easter story. What is the Easter Triduum? It is not a pageant or mystery play unfolded over three days. Easter Tr ..read more
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Jesus’ Passion: Not Invited to Understand
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
1w ago
I hopped into a car to witness the Passion of the Christ enacted by St. Anselm’s Rising Youth Ministry at Southall. But I did want to avoid offering trifle excuses on a Saturday evening. After finishing “A Day with Mary” at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Osterley, it was a long day for me. I am glad I sat with a packed congregation for the passion play at St. Anslem’s Church Southall. It evokes a sense of Jesus’ agony like never before. “Now, you will not understand.” As the play began, it was the scene of the Last Supper. “Now you will not understand,” a person who played Jesus’ role said to Pe ..read more
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Walking the HOLY Mile in Walsingham
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
2w ago
I notice rare things in holy places.  I did so at Walsingham, a famous pilgrimage site in England.  It looked like two miniature statues of pigs guarding the house’s front door near the common place junction in little Walsingham.  I walked down the high street and noticed an “Oddfellow Hall” tiled onto the façade of a Medieval English House. And then, again, just before stepping into St. Mary’s Church, a plaque on the side of the front door stating, “On This Site Sept. 5, 1782 NOTHING HAPPENED.” How do we make sense of such signs? Walsingham witnesses a 1000 years of history of ..read more
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In Manchester, for a different reason
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
3w ago
It was 1:10 pm at Manchester Piccadilly. Manchester was beginning to see crowds heading in one direction. And why not? It was supposed to be the most crucial derby in the town – a football match between Manchester City and Manchester United. I was not in Manchester for … Thomas Alphonso, a kind-hearted volunteer who came to pick me up at the stations, told me about the match. Now, I could understand why my train from London was jam-packed, with passengers standing for almost three hours and a few sitting on the floor of the passage of the compartment. An earlier train was cancelled, and annou ..read more
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What does it mean? Blessed Virgin Mary Crushing the Serpent
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
7M ago
An 86-year-old woman discovered a beautiful statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at a nearby garden centre. The immaculate white figure, standing at two-and-a-half feet tall, captivated her immediately. Excitedly, she called her friend to share her admiration for the statue on display. Her friend, equally enthralled, urged her to purchase it before someone else did. Determined, the woman drove back to the garden centre and made the purchase, with the condition that the salespeople would load it into her car. After the deal was finalized, she realized this statue was the only one in the shop’s in ..read more
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Magisterium AI: Did You Try It?
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
7M ago
Have you ever wondered how artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to the spiritual realm? Recently, the Vatican released a new AI-based app to exclusively offer teaching of the Catholic church interference of other AI platforms. What is Magisterium AI and its potential benefits for Catholic readers? You need to provide the prompt – or type the query. Understanding Magisterium AI Magisterium AI refers to the application of artificial intelligence in the context of the Magisterium, which is the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. It aims to enhance the dissemination of Catholic teach ..read more
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World Youth Day: Exploring the Unique Experience
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
7M ago
Fr Patrick D’Souza and I during the WYD missioning mass with over 12000 priests and 1.5 million people in Lisbon Promoting World Youth Day (WYD) can be challenging, especially when conveying that it is more than a retreat or a tour abroad. This global faith event, which brought together 1.5 million people in Lisbon, Portugal, is a unique celebration that aims to evangelise young people through various media. From meeting Pope Francis to participating in an overnight outdoor vigil along the coastline, WYD offered an unforgettable experience beyond a traditional religious pilgrimage. A Curiosity ..read more
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10 reasons to go on a pilgrimage
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Melbourne Rodrigues
9M ago
Pilgrimage appears to be a new trend post-pandemic; even non-religious people seek to find inner peace. It is obvious that people flock to religious places even for non-spiritual reasons. Pilgrimage is eternally attractive. What, then, are ten reasons why Christians go on a pilgrimage? 1. ​Walk in the footsteps of Christ. Christian pilgrimage is a faith journey – to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Pilgrimage reminds followers about Jesus’ earthly journey to Calvary, the Cross and Resurrection.   2. ​Be in a Sacred Place The place is important – it is a reminder of sacredness ..read more
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Can Delaying Gratification indicate future success?
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
1y ago
I am sharing what I wrote for CONTACT, a magazine of Goan Chaplaincy UK (December 2022 issue).  Researchers suggest that one ingredient for future success in life is based on delayed gratification in a given moment to receive a future reward. It is known as the marshmallow test to measure a child’s ability to delay gratification. The child is given the option to wait a bit longer to get two marshmallows or receive one without any wait time. Walter Mischel, a professor at Stanford University, led the famous marshmallow experiment on delayed gratification in 1972. The researchers followed ..read more
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Unexpected at the Epic Centre in the Holy Land
Feroz Fernandes Blog
by Feroz Fernandes
1y ago
It was 4:30 am. I was at the gate of Damascus, along with the other pilgrims eager to walk the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem. It was dark. We navigate through the narrow alleys, stopping at a spot marking a significant moment in the life of Jesus’ walk towards His crucifixion. I could feel the silence of the early dawn. As we walked forward, vendors opened their shops, and workers cleaned the streets. There were road repair works in progress, forcing us to change routes or skip the usual way. It was a prayerful morning, singing hymns and reciting traditional prayers. We had to wind up ou ..read more
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