Author Archives: Steve Benner

William TyndaleOn this day in 1945, the United States hastened the end of World War II in the Pacific by dropping the first nuclear bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, it bombed the city of Nagasaki. The Japanese surrendered shortly thereafter. Given what we now know Born in Gloucestershire in aboutContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, October 6, 2021”

Harry Emerson FosdickHarry Emerson Fosdick, America’s greatest liberal preacher of the 20th century, was at the forefront of theological and social thinking for more than 40 years. He was also a source of controversy as he brought to his country a prophetic voice of reasoned faith and enlightened hope. A man for all seasons, FosdickContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, October 5, 2021”

FrancisFrancis was born in Assisi in central Italy either in 1181 or the following year. He was baptised Giovanni but given the name Francesco by his father, a cloth merchant who traded in France and had married a French wife. There was an expectation that he would eventually take over his father’s business but FrancisContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, October 4, 2021”

Antiphon 1 Ant. All things are submitted to your will, O Lord, *and no one can resist your de-cisions; you have madeall things, heaven and earth, and all that is contained underthe vault of the sky; you are the master of the universe.V. Blessed are those whose way is blameless, *who walk in the lawContinue reading “Oremus for Sunday, October 3, 2021”

Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/3mjx3phc I am the light of the world, says the Lord;whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,but will have the light of life. John 8 Almighty God,to whom all hearts are open,all desires, known,and from whom no secrets are hid:Cleanse the thoughts of our heartsby the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,that we mayContinue reading “Oremus for Saturday, October 2, 2021”

Romano GuardiniGuardini was born in Verona, Italy, in 1885. His family moved to Mainz when he was one year old and he lived in Germany for the rest of his life. Guardini’s books were often powerful studies of traditional themes in the light of present-day challenges or examinations of current problems as approached from the Christian, and especially Catholic,Continue reading “Oremus for Friday, October 1, 2021”

JeromeJerome was born at Strido near Aquileia on the Adriatic coast of Dalmatia, in about the year 342. He studied at Rome, where he was baptised. He tried the life of a monk for a time, but unsuccessfully. Following a dream in which he stood before the judgement seat of God and was condemned forContinue reading “Oremus for Thursday, September 30, 2021”

Michael and All AngelsThe scriptural word “angel” (Greek: angelos) means, literally, a messenger. Messengers from God can be visible or invisible, and may assume human or non-human forms. Christians have always felt themselves to be attended by healthful spirits—swift, powerful, and enlightening. Those beneficent spirits are often depicted in Christian art in human form, withContinue reading “Oremus for Wednesday, September 29, 2021”

Margery KempeMargery Kempe, who wrote the book bearing her name, and from which we attain most of our knowledge of her, was a mystic who experienced intense visions followed by a period of emotional disturbance, subsequent to which she went on pilgrimage to Canterbury. She later made pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to SantiagoContinue reading “Oremus for Tuesday, September 28, 2021”

Wilson CarlileWilson Carlile was born in 1847 in Brixton. He suffered from a spinal weakness all his life, which hampered his education. He entered his grandfather’s business at the age of thirteen but soon moved on and learned French fluently, which he used to good advantage in France trading in silk. He later learned GermanContinue reading “Oremus for Monday, September 27, 2021”