March 2026

Silence can, for me, feel like a rare commodity. There are others, including some reading this, for whom it will be a familiar part of daily life. When at a liturgical conference in Durham a few years ago, one Priest noted at the table that another young Priest had an old simple mobile phone and said, ‘you must have good mental health!’ This comment would be nearer to the mark than some would allow for.

Cardinal Robert Sarah was at one time touted as perhaps the first African Pope, being a native of Guinea on the West African coast. He collaborated with French journalist Nicholas Diat on a book called The Power of Silence published in 2016. It is a rich book with some simple yet very clear statements on silence.

‘Contemplative silence is a silence of adoration and listening by a person who stands in the presence of God. To stand silently in God’s presence is to pray. Prayer demands that we successfully keep quiet so as to hear and listen to God.’

‘There are souls who claim solitude so as to find themselves, and others who seek it in order to give themselves to God and to others.’

I have been musing for a while as to how to incorporate a ‘Holy Hour’ into the spiritual life here. This is often done in front of the Blessed Sacrament, placed into a monstrance, for adoration. In doing so we are adoring Christ. Whilst there would be some liturgy to frame and structure the hour, much of it would be in silence. For many ‘younger’ people silence is something alien, partially due to the nature of modern communications, and yet something which when done with intention could be restorative.

Perhaps it is best to end with watch and wait!

Please God, let it be that the Blessed Saints, most particularly Our Lady, continue to pray for us!