Parish St Thomas a'Becket OLSC Brisbane

03/04/2026

Anglo-Catholic Altar Books and the Genesis of the English Missal Authors Stephen Hill Catholic International University DOI: https://doi.org/10.25365/exf-2026-5-7 Keywords: Anglo-Catholicism, English Missals, History and Criticism, Ritualist Movement, 19th–20th Centuries Abstract This article exam...

03/04/2026

“He descended into hell.”

Do not mistake this day for absence. Holy Saturday is the stillness between death and resurrection, when Christ lies in the tomb, yet is not idle. He descends to the dead, entering even the depths of death to break its hold from within. This is the mystery of the Harrowing of Hell: the Lord goes to seek Adam, to call forth the righteous, to bring light into the darkness. What appears as silence is, in truth, the hidden work of redemption. The Cross is not undone in death, but carried even into it.

In the Ordinariate, this mystery is given voice in the Divine Worship: The Office. At Mattins, Psalm 88 is prayed, the cry from the depths, alongside Zechariah’s promise, “I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit” (Zechariah 9:11), and St Peter’s teaching that Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example (1 Peter 2:19–end). The ancient homily on the Lord’s descent then proclaims Christ seeking out Adam in the darkness. At Evensong, Psalm 27 declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” while Job confesses, “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25), and the Gospel points to the temple of His body that will be raised (John 2:13–22). Holy Saturday teaches us to wait in faith, to trust that even in silence, Christ is at work, bringing life out of death.

03/04/2026

“It is finished.”

Do not rush past the Cross. Good Friday is the crescendo of Holy Week, where everything leads to this moment. It is called “Good” not because of what is done to Christ, but because of what Christ accomplishes through it. The suffering servant of Isaiah is lifted up, “pierced for our transgressions,” bearing the weight of sin. The Letter to the Hebrews shows us Christ as the true High Priest, who offers not another sacrifice, but Himself. And in the Passion according to John, we see not defeat, but fulfilment. The work given by the Father is brought to completion. The Cross is not the collapse of Christ’s mission, but its climax.

This is why there is no Mass today. The Church does not offer the sacrifice of the altar because she stands before the one sacrifice that is sufficient for all time. Instead, we venerate the Cross, we hear the Passion, we receive what has already been given. Good Friday is marked by silence and simplicity, because nothing can be added to what Christ has accomplished. The question is not what we will do, but whether we will remain. Will we stand at the foot of the Cross, behold the love poured out for us, and allow it to transform us? Here, at the centre of all things, we see what God is like, and what it means to love.

02/04/2026

“If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

This night is called Maundy Thursday from the Latin mandatum, meaning “commandment,” taken from Christ’s words: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.” Do not receive the gift of Christ without becoming like Him. On this night, the Church enters into the mystery of the Last Supper, where Christ gives Himself to His disciples in both sacrament and service. He institutes the Eucharist, as St Paul recounts, “This is my body… this cup is the new covenant in my blood,” fulfilling the Passover of Exodus where the lamb was sacrificed for deliverance. Then He kneels to wash the feet of His disciples, revealing that love is not only received, but enacted.

This night shows us the shape of the Christian life. To receive His Body is to be drawn into His self-giving love. The Lord who feeds us also humbles Himself before us, showing that true authority is found in service. Before the Cross, there is this command: to love as He has loved. We are not merely to remember it, but to live it. As we come to the altar, we are called to become what we receive, to embody the love Christ has shown, and to carry it into the world.

01/04/2026

Below is the music for Sung Mattins for Easter Sunday. All are welcome.

31/03/2026

The morning after the Chrism Mass.

31/03/2026

“What will you give me, if I deliver him to you?”

Do not betray Christ for what cannot satisfy. On this day, often called Spy Wednesday, we remember the moment Judas goes in secret to the chief priests, seeking an opportunity to hand Jesus over. The name comes from this hidden betrayal, the quiet scheming that unfolds under the surface. Yet this is not only Judas’ story. It reveals how easily the heart can turn, how devotion can give way to calculation. In Isaiah, the servant remains steadfast, “I have not rebelled,” trusting fully in the Lord even in the face of suffering. In contrast, Judas measures Christ’s worth in silver.

Holy Week brings this question uncomfortably close. What is Christ worth to us? It is not always thirty pieces of silver. It can be comfort, approval, convenience, or fear. We may not conspire openly, but we can still choose lesser goods over Him. And yet, even here, Christ does not withdraw. At the table, He speaks, He warns, He gives opportunity for repentance. Spy Wednesday is not only about betrayal, but about the possibility of turning back. As the Cross draws near, we are invited to examine our own hearts and choose again the fidelity of the servant over the compromise of Judas.

31/03/2026

30/03/2026

“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

Do not be unsettled when faith is tested. On this day of Holy Week, the shadow of betrayal falls across the table. Christ is troubled in spirit and reveals that one of His own will hand Him over. Judas departs into the night, and Peter, full of confidence, will soon deny Him. Yet in the midst of this, Jesus speaks of glory. Not a distant glory, but one revealed precisely through suffering, betrayal, and the Cross. In Isaiah, the servant is called from the womb to be a light to the nations, even when his labour seems in vain. God’s purpose is not undone by human weakness; it is fulfilled through it.

This Gospel draws us into the tension of discipleship. We see both betrayal and frailty, yet also the unwavering faithfulness of Christ. Holy Week exposes the truth about the human heart, but it also reveals the depth of divine mercy. We are not called to rely on our own strength, like Peter, but to remain close to the one who remains faithful even when we falter. As we continue this journey, we are invited to trust that even in moments of failure, Christ is at work, drawing all things toward His glory.

29/03/2026

“Mary took a pound of costly ointment… and anointed the feet of Jesus.”

Do not hold back what is meant to be given to Christ. On this first day of Holy Week, we are drawn into the quiet house at Bethany, where love is poured out without measure. Mary offers what is precious, costly, and seemingly excessive. Judas objects, calculating its worth, but Christ receives it as an act of devotion. In Isaiah, the servant of the Lord is revealed, gentle and steadfast, bringing light to the nations and freedom to the captive. The anointing at Bethany prepares us for what is to come. The same Christ who is honoured with perfume will soon be handed over to suffering.

Holy Week confronts us with a choice. Will we approach Christ with the generosity of Mary, or the guarded calculation of Judas? The fragrance of her offering fills the house, just as true devotion fills the life of the believer. This is the beginning of the journey to the Cross. Before the betrayal, before the Passion, there is this moment of love freely given. As we enter more deeply into this week, we are invited to offer not what is convenient, but what is costly, to pour out our lives before the Lord, trusting that nothing given to Him is ever wasted.

28/03/2026

“Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

The same voices that cry “Hosanna” will soon cry “Crucify him.” At the beginning of Holy Week, we are confronted with the instability of the human heart. Christ enters Jerusalem not in triumph as the world understands it, but in humility, riding on a donkey. The crowds welcome Him as king, yet do not yet understand the kind of kingship He brings. Isaiah foretells the suffering servant who does not turn back, who gives himself fully to the will of God. St Paul reveals the depth of this mystery: “He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” The triumph of Palm Sunday cannot be separated from the suffering that follows.

Do not remain at the level of the crowd. It is easy to praise Christ when He fits our expectations, but Holy Week calls us deeper. The Passion narrative lays bare both the faithfulness of Christ and the frailty of man. Yet even here, there is hope. The one who is betrayed, denied, and crucified is the same one who freely offers Himself for our salvation. This is the path of true kingship, the path of self-giving love. As we enter this sacred week, we are invited not only to walk with Christ in His glory, but to follow Him through His suffering, trusting that the cross is not the end, but the way to life.

Artwork is Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, Giotto di Bondone, c. 1305, fresco, Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel, Padua, Italy.

27/03/2026

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has released a new document describing the "Anglican heritage" of the Catholic Church's personal ordinariates as a permanent reality that makes a "distinctive contribution" to the Church's evangelizing mission.