Category: Chaplaincy

An introspective retrospective – 10 years of blogging

TEN YEARS AGO today (as I turned 42) I began this blog. I wrote a brief retrospective after five years. Here’s an update on the next five: having ‘come out of the Catholic church‘ in 2011, then authorised as a lay leader in  Church of England, I have now become a Methodist thanks to its commitment …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2022/08/31/an-introspective-retrospective-10-years-of-blogging/

‘Keep me out of Your way’ – Fr Mychal Judge, chaplain & casualty of 9/11

Father Mychal Judge was a little-known Franciscan friar ministering humbly to the disenfranchised and unloved on the streets of New York City… until September 11, 2001, when he suddenly became a global figure. As chaplain to the city’s Fire Department, he rushed to help first responders at the World Trade Center but was killed by …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/09/11/keep-me-out-of-your-way-fr-mychal-judge-chaplain-casualty-of-9-11/

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans – What I learned from the #10YearChallenge

While I don’t usually take part in social media trends, this one seemed worthwhile, as this past ten years has been particularly significant for me.

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/01/09/enjoy-your-achievements-as-well-as-your-plans-what-i-learned-from-the-10yearchallenge/

Will you welcome #HomelessJesus this Christmas?

TODAY the YMCAs in the Liverpool City Region gathered for a carol service in the city’s Parish Church, opposite the world famous Liver Building. As the chaplain for YMCA Liverpool and YMCA St Helens, I gave a reflection on the Christmas story and what it means for the people the YMCA supports

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/12/13/will-you-welcome-homelessjesus-this-christmas/

‘So what is a chaplain then?’ – Inspiration from St Martin

As the chaplain at YMCA Liverpool and YMCA St Helens, I am often asked this question by residents.
Rather than get into complicated church jargon with people whose experience of church may be limited or negative, I have found it helpful to share a story that is often told to illustrate the origin of the word ‘chaplain’ and an example of chaplaincy in action.

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/11/11/so-what-is-a-chaplain-then-inspiration-from-st-martin/