John Church
Br John Bernard, raised a Catholic by an English father and Dutch mother, first encountered the Dominicans at Blackfriars while studying Classics at the University of Oxford, and entered the noviciate in 2018. An attraction to religious life initially grew out of time spent working with the Missionaries of Charity, which then crystallised into a Dominican vocation through a desire to integrate the contemplative life with preaching and study. Based on his recent reading, he looks forward to delving further into St John of the Cross and the Carmelite mystics, as well as combining his preaching vocation with a love of the outdoors.
john.church@english.op.org
DYM Advent Retreat: Silent in His Love
About the retreat Advent is a time of waiting for the Lord. St Bernard taught that we ought not to think
The pitfalls of the student
Jesus rebukes the lawyers for taking away the 'key of knowledge'. How might this rebuke help students, particularly Dominican ones,
The English Martyrs
The martyrs teach us to fix our gaze on the cross, for it is there that we learn how to
The link in a chain
St Timothy was one of the first to hear the Gospel preached by St Paul, and went on to become
The Shadow of His Wings
In today's Gospel, Jesus laments over the city of Jerusalem, with words that are striking for their maternal imagery. The
I know whom I have chosen
Christ's knowing and loving is key to how we understand his act of washing the disciples' feet. In today's Gospel
But who do you say that I am?
Christ poses a demanding question to his disciples in today's Gospel, the answer to which defines the identity of every
Noble obscurity
We know very little about Sts Simon and Jude, despite their significance as apostles of the Church chosen by Christ.
Mysteries Made Visible – an interview with Fr Lawrence Lew OP
Book Review | Fr Lawrence Lew OP has recently published a book of photos and meditations on the rosary, entitled
A radical call to conversion
By Br John Bernard Church, O.P. | In our Gospel today we hear Jesus the lawgiver of the New Covenant deepening
An Oasis for the Soul | Mountains and Mosquitoes
By Br John Bernard Church, O.P. | This Lent, the student brothers invite you to discover those places that have
St Joseph the Mousetrap Maker | Merode Altarpiece
By Br John Bernard Church, O.P | The Merode Altarpiece has a curious depiction of St Joseph, the carpenter working