Back in the summer of 2006 I knew absolutely nothing about Scotland except for a few common (and mostly untrue) stereotypes. I was immersed in my pastoral work, and if I had any plans for the future, Scotland did not feature in them. A year later I landed in Aberdeen, leaving behind everything I’d known, and facing the unknown. Keeping…
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A boastful American from Texas was being shown the sights of London by a taxi driver. ‘And that is the Tower of London, sir’ said the taxi driver. ‘We can put up buildings like that in two weeks’ said the tourist. A little later: ‘That is Buckingham Palace’ said the taxi driver, ‘where the Queen lives.’ ‘Is that so? You…
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A while back, there was a young girl that I knew. At first glance everything seemed to be going all right in her life: she was a diligent student, she was teetotal, and she was a regular church-goer. But her seemingly ordered and good life was blighted by something deep down inside her, something that massively troubled her mind as…
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When I’m driving, I always have my radio on. It cheers me up, and it provides me with good quality entertainment, current information and invaluable updates on the traffic news. From my point of view, the radio in the car is as essential as all its other parts. Last Monday I was travelling to the far north of Scotland. BBC…
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Part of my studies in the seminary, and incidentally one of their defining moments, was a five-month parish placement. The most responsible task delegated to me while I was there was the preparation of quite a large group of children for First Communion. Part of that job involved making all the necessary arrangements for the big day itself. Twenty-odd years…