Peter Blog a few random thoughts

  This week we are celebrating Holy Week. We recognise this week the beauty of Jesus love for us. We witness his entry into Jerusalem. This king of peace riding on a donkey comes not to take over the city but to win over peoples hearts. We recognise that here in this man we can see the face of God in human form. I love this day the palms and the excitement of seeing Jesus. This changes as we enter the Upper room. The fact that our God washed and kissed his disciples feet and invites us to do the same. We learn here to love others to be humble and wash others feet just as Jesus did for us. I often think where do I wash others feet. It's in my work in my interactions where I give up my time to help others freely sacrificing my own wants. I love watching the washing of feet seeing all the different people coming forward. The depth of the love of Jesus comes out in Good Friday. We are the disciples we run away, we deny, we are jealous, we sell Jesus out and yet Jesus says I still love

  Over the last few years I have had major issues with the Catholic Church. I think that my issue is the authority of the Church and how many clergy, not all, use and abuse their power and class the laity as stupid idiots. I can say this as for 16 years I was a priest and caught up in the system. When you're in the middle of it you can't aways see what is going on around you. I could not see what the Church as a structure was doing to peoples lives. Until I was out I realised that the Church and Im talking about the Catholic Church here is full up of repressed men who are scared of change scared of themselves and scared of the laity. Those who speak out especially clergy who want significant change are laughed at by others and classed as trouble makers. This includes Pope Francis himself who wants change but sometimes can't get it because of what he has inherited. It is an issue that has gone on your centuries.  This does not allow for a healthy functioning Church. There ne

  This morning I went to the shops and went to my usual hang out of Waterstones. I was busy looking at the CBT books and self help books. I noticed that as  I looked at books on what makes you happy other such books I over heard a couple talking.  I listened in pretending to look at a books. This is how the conversation went. " She's so full of herself, I really don't like her" Said the big black girl who so I gather was on the way to a doctors appointment.  " I know I just don't like people like that so inward looking and never really see the whole picture" As they talked they described how they did not like narcissistic people and that although they drain a lot of energy and suck the life out of you they needed to have empathy  for them. They may never speak to them and distant themselves from these toxic people. They finished the conversation saying that they thanked God that they were not Narcissistic themselves. I so wanted to say that we all had Na