The week ahead – from 2 to 8 November

I am getting over a cold, so have no voice to record with this week. Sorry about that. As a substitute, here is the podcast from this time last year (from 10 to 16 November 2024).. The days of the week will be out of step, so that when the podcast says “Monday”, please hear “Tuesday”. Normal service will be resumed next week! Saints Martin of Tours, Margaret of Scotland, Elizabeth of Hungary and Albert the Great. Friar Julian, the lost Hungarians and the Mongols. More of the gift of death. Episode notes.

Death as the End (continued): The Death of the World The Death of Others Our Own Death Episode notes.

Foreword; Prologue; Death as the End: The Death of Experience, The Death of Love.Dom Aelred Watkin (1918-1997) was a wise and respected Head Master of Downside from 1962 to 1975."Resurrection is Now" is a rare opportunity to benefit from his understanding. This book covers death in all its aspects, both as an end and as a beginning, and looks at life from the perspective of a preparation for death. It combines intellectual rigour with a poetic delight in the wonder of being in all its aspects.You can listen to the book here, or you can read it as a Daily Book in Universalis: the Episode Notes have instructions.. Episode notes.

All Souls' Day. Why we pray for the dead. Bereavement as the next step in a relationship. Keeping track of deceased friends with the Remembrance Cards feature. Dom Aelred Watkin and his book “Resurrection is Now" - as a Daily Book in Universalis and now also read aloud for you to listen to. Episode notes.

Simon and Jude, the unknown Apostles. Saint Alfonso Rodríguez. All Saints means ALL the saints. An exercise for All Saints’ Day. Episode notes.

Pope St John Paul II. The Ugandan martyrs. St John Capistrano and the minaret on St Paul's. St Anthony Mary Claret: assassinations and books. Episode notes.

Two kinds of outsiders: lepers, and gentiles. The God-fearers. Blessed John Beyzym and the lepers of Madagascar. This Sunday in Brazil: Our Lady of Aparecida and the unexpected people whose patron she is. Devotions to “Our Lady Of” worldwide: incarnation implies location. Keeping popular piety under control. Irish missionaries, Saint Gall and the bear. Saint Teresa turning the Carmelites into Carmelites. Dr Saint Luke being polite about doctors. Episode notes.

The prophet Jonah. Saint Abraham. Saint John Henry Newman. Episode notes.

The week of the angels and the crack in the clouds. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and the Guardian Angels. St Jerome; the Brazilian Martyrs of Natal. St Thérèse of Lisieux and St Francis of Assisi. A report on the Southwark Day for Catechists. Episode notes.

Saint Matthew and his Gospel. Why have Gospels? Why have three synoptic Gospels? The madness of Q. Can investment bankers be saved? Episode notes.