Pilgrimage in Lockdown – an invitation

I would have been going on pilgrimage next week. I was so looking forward to it. Last year, I spent three days on my own walking from Rochester to Canterbury. This year, two friends were going to join me to walk for four days along part of the Cornish Saints Path, finishing at St Michael’s…

Tips for offering Spiritual Direction online

As many of us have begun to practice social distancing, and the venues that we may usually hire close their physical doors, you might have found yourself wondering how to continue your spiritual direction relationships. When I first sought out a spiritual director, I was living overseas and could not find someone local who offered…

When Love is an Ocean

You call me out upon the waters The great unknown where feet may fail And there I find You in the mystery In oceans deep My faith will stand – Oceans, by Hillsong I sat on the wooden floor of the church meeting room, surrounded by the gentle chattering of my colleagues on the course and…

Is an ordinary life enough?

I realised with a start today that we’re already a week into Ordinary Time, that big empty space on the Christian calendar that falls between Pentecost and Advent. I’m not sure I like ordinary time. I don’t know what to do with this uninterrupted expanse. I’m used to the gentle spiritual practices of Advent and…

The beauty of holy wandering

I’m two weeks into life in our new neighbourhood, and slowly getting to know my way around. Each morning I strap the toddler into the pushchair and encourage my preschooler daughter onto the buggy board, and out we go to explore. We practice getting lost. It’s something I learnt sometime around two moves ago, when…

The Practice of Blessing

When we were moving last time, I did my best to fit in final coffee dates and chats with all the people who had been meaningful to me. One hot afternoon I found myself in the home of a Catholic friend with whom I’d had many deep conversations about theology and practice. We talked for…