Radio Maria England

December 2023: Students in this episode reflect on the painting The Annunciation by Fra Angelico. Deacon Eric and Ms Killian lead the students as they observe the use of colour and the humanity behind each of the characters represented in the painting. The students included in the discussion were Eliza, Olivia, Hubert, Shekinah-Glory and David.

Here is Laura's bio: "My name is Laura Houghton. I live in the North West of England. I have been happily married for 31 years. I am a Mum with 3 grown up daughters, all making their way in the world. I am a practising Catholic. I have a small private counselling practice. I have been working as a Christian counsellor for 13 years. I initially specialised in addiction recovery, moving subsequently into a wider field of counselling. I typically use the model of the 12 steps as a guiding and motivational structure with my clients.When a new client is referred to me we will have an initial consultation to see if we feel we can work together. During this consultation I look at the person holistically - assessing their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.During the therapeutic process we embark on a journey of self examination by visiting the doors of the past, present and future. The work is an invitation to grow, change and connect with your authentic self. We learn to grow up and to take better care of ourselves, and build healthy connections with God, ourselves and the people around us."

Fr Toby on the experiential leap of faith.

Fr Toby and Frank Sheed on the perfect love between Father and Son, the Holy Spirit.

Fr Toby and Frank Sheed on the Son, the perfect thought of the Father.

Part two in the series.

Play: GRIMORY AND MUDWORT Writer: PENNY CULLIFORDPenny is a playwright, author and speaker.Her plays include Warden Pie, The Gingerbread Man, The Golden Chain, Saffron Hill, A Boy Called Porro, and Grimaldi’s Last Act for Tricolore Theatre company.She also wrote the Theodora’s Diary books, The Art of Standing Still and a children’s novel based on her play, A Boy Called Porro. Readers:Kenneth MichaelsKenneth Michaels is an actor and director and has worked in theatre, radio, television and film and has taught in several drama schools.As an actor he has toured extensively in the UK and Europe in works from Shakespeare to pantomime, Pinter to Agatha Christie. Kenneth works as a specialist ESOL teacher, working with refugees supporting their English learning. He is also the Secretary of the Catholic Association of Performing Arts (CaAPA). Nadia OstacchiniNadia was born in London of Italian parentage, trained as an actor and is the Artistic Director of Tricolore Theatre Company whose first dual-language English/Italian storybook based on Jesus’s parables was published this year.  She has enjoyed organising the Advent Adventures for Radio Maria & would like to give a big shout out to the parishioners of The Sacred Heart of Jesus church and St Peters Italian Church for tuning in as they promised to! Website: www.tricolore.org.uk

Today in DIVING DEEPER Daniella helps us to open our ears and hearts to God. Daniella Stephens is a young Catholic Evangelist from Manchester. She holds a First-Class (Hons) Bachelor of Divinity from the Maryvale Institute, a Pontifical Degree integrating Sacred Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church.

TBC.

“…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) During Advent how are we to respond to God’s divine condescension, His supreme act of love and humility, His drawing near to us - He who dwells in light unapproachable? One way may be through bringing words of our own into being, musing on how we can (and cannot!) speak of this wonderful mystery, the Incarnation. Sarah de Nordwall, in the fifth Bardcast, asks us to do just that! Also in this episode we are reminded of the vocation of a bard - to speak truth without fear - and just how important that is when lives are at stake if we do not. And, as usual we hear an example of a listener who has responded to last week’s prompt, sending in a verse for us to enjoy. Don’t miss this episode, and have a blessed Advent. He is coming indeed. THE BARDCAST airs live and can be listened to on www.RadioMariaEngland.uk or digital radio in London, Bristol, South Birmingham and Cambridge at 3:15pm after the Divine Mercy Chaplet on Sundays and during your lunch hour at 1:30pm on Tuesdays. Each week Sarah de Nordwall reflects on poems that have been sent in, shares a poem of her own, leaves us with a theme and a writing prompt and sends us off to write something ourselves.  If you enjoyed this programme, please consider making a once off or monthly donation to Radio Maria England by visiting www.RadioMariaEngland.uk or calling 0300 302 1251 during office hours. It is only through the ongoing support of our listeners that we continue to be a Christian voice by your side.