This Sunday the Church in Australia celebrates its first saint, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop who was declared a saint on 17 October 2010. Born in Fitzroy, Victoria in 1842, Mary worked from the age of 16 to support the rest of her family. In 1866 she travelled to Penola, South Australia, and with Fr Julian Tenison Woods, opened a school in a disused stable. Eventually other young women came to join her and the Sisters of St Joseph began to take shape. The Sisters spread in groups to small outback settlements and large cities around Australia. Read more
Celebrating At Home Solemnity of Mary MacKillop [PDF]
Celebrating At Home Solemnity of Mary MacKillop [ePub]
As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, we also celebrate and give thanks to God for reaching 3,200 Instagram followers... we remember all our social media followers and their families in our prayers. "At Pentecost, the Spirit made the apostles go forth from themselves and turned them into heralds of God’s wondrous deeds, capable of speaking to each person in his or her own language. The Holy Spirit also grants the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness (parrhesía) in every time and place, even when it meets with opposition. Let us call upon him today, firmly rooted in prayer, for without prayer all our activity risks being fruitless and our message empty. Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence." - Pope Francis
In the month of July when we celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, we also celebrate and give thanks to God for reaching 220,000 Facebook followers... we remember all our Facebook followers and their families in our prayers.
"The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew." Pope Francis Follow us on Facebook | Follow us on Instagram
When Cyclone Seroja’s high winds and torrential rain hit Timor over the Easter long weekend, communities throughout the country experienced a big storm sustained over several days. While there was no severe flooding in Zumalai sub-district, which is on the south coast of East Timor, there was still damage caused to farming land and several schools.
Three Catholic primary schools in Zumalai are linked through a network of schools with one principal, Carmelite Br Antonio Olavio Exposto. When Br Antonio described the extent of the storm damage at two of those schools, Carmel Impact was able to develop a School Roofing Project to respond to the need. More story & photos | Donate here
Flood waters rushed through Dili and neighbouring areas during the Easter long weekend this year. The floods caused by Cyclone Seroja was reported widely in Australia, with over 25,000 households displaced from their homes and 45 fatalities. Susan is a small hamlet situated in Hera, on the outskirts of the capital city Dili and was also impacted by the cyclone. It is home to 12 households and 80 people. Susan hamlet has a river running through it and as a result of the floods, several homes built on the banks of the river were completed washed away. More story & photos | Donate here
When Cyclone Seroja’s torrential rain and high winds caused damage throughout Timor-Leste last Easter, communities were impacted in different ways. In addition to homes, shops and offices being inundated with water, other vital community infrastructure was also damaged in several places.
In Dili, the Carmelites observed problems with the drains that run along the street where the Carmelite community house is located. The drains were blocked and in general disrepair, which meant they impeded the flood water from flowing away from the neighbourhood, affecting several households in the area. More story & photos | Donate here
Over the Easter weekend this year, Cyclone Seroja hit Timor causing extensive flooding in Dili and storm damage in communities throughout the country. With generous donations from Australia and around the world, we have been able to respond with several projects implemented through Carmel Impact.
A primary focus of our response to the floods was immediate and direct support to flood victims and their families. Our Carmelite brothers assisted and visited over 2,000 people across 500 households during the initial weeks of the disaster response. More story & photos | Donate here
Our August JPIC newsletter highlights the importance and value of media productions which portray values in the spirit of the gospels. JPIC Team member, Peter Thomas, was recently invited to be part of a panel to judge documentary films from around the world and shares with us his insights and choices.
As well, the Australian Plenary Council to be held in October is fast approaching and in this newsletter we take the opportunity to draw attention to, and invite your prayerful consideration of, just one aspect of the many important points which will be central to the discussions.
The COVID lockdowns across our country have plunged us back into a world of fear, uncertainty and anxiety. When we experience this kind of anxiety we usually look for two things: someone to blame and someone to be our saviour. The people of Jesus’ time knew exactly who was to blame for their plight: the Romans occupying their land. They looked for a messiah to rid them of the Romans and restore the land to them. But the Messiah they got what not the Messiah they expected, or even wanted. Jesus comes armed not with spears and clubs, but with bread. Read more
Celebrating At Home 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time [PDF]
Celebrating At Home 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time [ePub]
Born in Bolsward (The Netherlands) in 1881, Blessed Titus Brandsma joined the Carmelite Order as a young man. Ordained a priest in 1905, he earned a doctorate in philosophy in Rome. He then taught in various schools in Holland and was named professor of philosophy and of the history of mysticism in the Catholic University of Nijmegen. He was noted for his constant availability to everyone. He was a professional journalist, and in 1935 he was appointed ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists. Both before and during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands he fought, faithful to the Gospel, against the spread of Nazi ideology and for the freedom of Catholic education and of the Catholic press. He was arrested and sent to a succession of prisons and concentration camps where he was killed at Dachau. More story | pdf Liturgy for today.
