Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and its newspaper, has been called many things: an activist, a journalist, a radical, a bohemian, a mother, a convert, a mystic, a prophet, a faithful daughter of the Church. After her death in 1980, historian David O’Brien famously called her “the most important, interesting, and influential figure in the history of American Catholicism.” Get to know more about this fascinating woman with Clare McArdle on Wednesday 6 October, 10.30-12 midday on Zoom.
The disciples are on a steep learning curve as Jesus instructs them about what true discipleship is all about. True discipleship is not about holding the mystery of the Kingdom to our self, to dispense as we see fit, deciding who merits our love, concern and service, and who does not. The mystery belongs to God who chooses and uses whomever God wills in the service of human beings and the kingdom. In the leadership of service there is no place for those who exult themselves or believe themselves to be holders of some privileged position with the power to control the mystery. Read more
Celebrating At Home 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time [PDF]
Celebrating At Home 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time [ePub]
The Carmelites of Australia & Timor-Leste were due to meet in Melbourne last July. Due to COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions it was decided that the Assembly should be held in 2 sessions, one in Timor-Leste and one in Australia. Last week almost 40 Carmelites gathered in Hera, Dili, from 15-17 September. Next week, Carmelites in Australia will gather on Zoom from 28-30 September. More story
The liturgy takes up this underlying sacramentality in all things as it uses water, wheat, grape, oil, music, smell, and touch to transform us into a new creation. The blessing tradition of the liturgy enables us to recognise the paradoxes of material degradation and human sin within creation, reminding us that Christ is the centre of all goodness. Within the realm of created things, we humans carry a sacramental trace of Christ. Jesus teaches that to care for one of the least is to care for him (Mt 25:40).
In this 3rd week of the Season of Creation we continue to listen to the Australian Bishops' Social Justice Statement helping us to see the presence of God in all things. pdf Read our reflections here.
On 17 September Carmelites celebrate the Feast of the author of the Carmelite Rule, St Albert of Jerusalem. Albert did not impose all his own ideas on the group of hermits who came to him - he listened to what they told him about their way of life, and he adapted it and gave it structure. He was careful not to be too demanding or rigid and stressed the importance of common sense in interpreting what has to be done. This openness and flexibility gives a great "human feel" to the Carmelite Rule. Read more
Jesus continues to instruct the disciples that he will suffer and die and rise again, but the disciples seem very slow to understand and are too afraid to ask him about it. Perhaps it is an awful truth they just don’t want to face. Maybe they want Jesus to be a ‘warrior-king’, a liberator who would restore Israel to greatness and crush the Romans. Perhaps they have begun to think of themselves as princes and rulers in this new Israel. Using a little child as an example Jesus tells the disciples that real leadership is about service and giving without expecting anything in return. Read more
Celebrating At Home 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time [PDF]
Celebrating At Home 25th Sunday of Ordinary [ePub]
"The three-person God is a Trinity of love. Every creative act and every part of creation emerges from this divine interplay of love." Join us for the Season of Creation during this month of September as we take time to pray and listen to Creation, alive and vibrant around us, as we pay attention to God’s beautiful Creation and the need for us to renew and restore the health of our planet.
We will continue to unpack the Australian Bishops Social Justice Statement over these weeks to inspire us to work towards some form of extra action that each of us can take.
All of us, at least to some extent, shape our identity and measure ourselves in response to the comments and ideas of others. From an early age we are taught how to speak, dress and act in order to be ‘acceptable’ to others. Usually this is a good thing, but sometimes it can go horribly wrong.
This Sunday’s Gospel teaches us how to find our true identity. Read more
Celebrating At Home 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time [PDF]
Celebrating At Home 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time [ePub]
Today is traditionally the day on which we celebrate Our Lady's Birthday. No one knows, of course, when Mary of Nazareth was born, but like all families we celebrate important events in the lives of those close to us. The birth of her son, Jesus, was the hope and dawning of salvation for the whole world.
Mary has long been considered the model of the Christian person: one who puts their faith and trust in God and who allows the Word of God to take root in their hearts and who gives that Word human shape and form in loving words and actions.
This Sunday is Fathers’ Day. Due to COVID many of us will not have the opportunity to gather with our fathers and other family members to celebrate. We will, of course, find ways of being in contact with them or to spend some time quietly remembering those who are no longer with us. We are very conscious of those fathers who have died because of COVID-19. We hold them and their families in our prayer.
Whatever your circumstances, you might like to pray this prayer for all the fathers you know.
