November 2026
Kia ora and greetings,
he month of November doesn’t only start with All Saints & All Souls Day, but it is a month in which we remember many well-known saints. One of them is Pope St Leo I, the Great, who was not only significant through his theological teachings but also supported charitable works in the city of Rome of the 5th century, challenged by famines, an influx of refugees, and poverty. It is said that he promoted the practice of fasting with charity and almsgiving. Another famous saint is St Martin of Tours who cut his coat in half to give one half of it to a beggar. He then dreamed that Jesus was wearing the part of the coat he had given to the beggar. The part of the cloak that he had kept became a relic, the ‘cappa Sancti Martini’ (cloak of St Martin). The priest who looked after this relic was later called ‘chaplain’…
St Margaret of Scotland who lived in the 11th century was a devout Christian and is said to have had very positive influence on her husband and on the life of the people in Scotland. She gave an example of reaching out to the poor and marginalised of her time.
St Leo from Italy, St Martin who worked in Central France and St Margaret who spent most of her life in Scotland are three examples of Christians who carried out charitable work and spread the Gospel in their times. Each one in a different way.
St Luke the Evangelist would have laid the foundation to their work. He is said to be responsible for about ¼ of the texts in the New Testament. What makes the Gospel according to Luke so special – even in our times?
Fr Kevin Waldie sm will introduce us to this topic in his online presentation on Monday, the 16th of November when he will speak about ‘Content & Characters’ in the Gospel according to Luke.
Please register to receive the Zoom link.
Our recent Muffin Talk interviews are:
- Ted Woudberg: Bible Card Characters
Bible Character Cards for the whole family – collect, swap, play and learn. - Fr Kevin Waldie sm: The Gospel of Luke
St Luke is the author of about 1/4 of the New Testament and was passionate about sharing the Good News to the diverse community of his time.
Please also check out the News & Views page with short articles on events and reflections on the Sunday Scriptures.
Recent articles:
Can we escape Technology?
Data Centres & Pope Leo’s call to cultivate responsibility
Don’t forget to heck out our online Gift Shop including our New Zealand Christmas cards on the website.
Upcoming Events
Our next Webinar:
Content & Characters in the Gospel of Luke with Fr Kevin Waldie
Monday, 16 November 2026, 7-8.30pm (Zoom)
Please register with us.
Many blessings,
Beate
Beate Matthies—Titipounamu Study & Joy
https://www.facebook.com/TitipounamuStudyandJoy
YouTube: @titipounamustudyandjoy
Between Two Popes – Journal of a Pilgrim
There is now a printed version of the accounts of my pilgrimage to Rome in 2025. My journey started two days after Pope Leo XIV was elected and finished one day before his inauguration.
This is a compact guide through the main churches and Holy Doors in the Year of Jubilee. A combination of historic facts, stories and a journal. Easy to read with many pictures. Available through this website.
