The first reading this Sunday looks forward to a new covenant between God and his people. This covenant will not be written on stone, but on human hearts. This new covenant cannot be broken since God always forgives and never remembers our sins. It is in our hearts that we learn the truth about the strength of God’s love for us and recognise ourselves as God’s beloved people.
There is a lovely phrase in the preface of Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation I which captures this sense: You have bound the human family to yourself through Jesus your Son, our Redeemer, with a new bond of love so tight that it can never be undone.
Australia and Timor-Leste have signed a new treaty establishing a permanent maritime border between the two nations. The treaty was signed at the United Nations Headquarters in new York on 6 March by East Timor's Deputy Prime Minister, Agio Pereira, and Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop.
The new treaty gives Timor-Leste a greater share of the revenue from the Greater Sunrise oil and gas deposit which lies between Timor-Leste and Australia and is vital for the economic future of Timor-Leste.
Every person has a story. Stories are rich messages about who we are and who we want to become. This term in Religious Education, our new Year 7 students have been learning about the Whitefriars story in the unit Belonging to Community.
Brothers Sean Keefe and Matthew Tonini generously volunteered their time during the last few weeks to visit each of the Year 7 Religious Education classes to educate our boys about the story of the Carmelites, and how that vision of community, prayer and action shaped, and shapes, the story of Whitefriars.
This Sunday marks a change in the Lenten focus. We are no longer so absorbed by our own limitations and weaknesses in faith. We are more confident of God’s kindness, forgiveness and healing without which we would never dare embark on this journey. We look forward to the Easter celebrations with joy and hope.
On our journey from temptation to transfiguration we are becoming, through faith in Christ, the living presence of God in the world, the light in the darkness.
Br Avelino Dos Santos (far right) and his English Language class recently went on an outing to practice ordering coffee in English. After successfully ordering and drinking their coffee they couldn't resist standing in front of the 'No Standing' sign outside the cafe. See the full photo.
The English Language School for Pastoral Ministry in Box Hill (VIC) helps students develop their English language skills for theological studies and pastoral ministry. Carmelites, Marcolino Gomes, Agostinho Dos Santos and Avelino are all studying at ELSPM this year.
The Gospels of the last two Sundays showed us that the Christian journey is from Temptation to Transfiguration. The Gospels of the next three Sundays of Lent present Jesus as the road (or The Way, as the early Christians referred to him) from temptation to transfiguration.
In the Old Testament scriptures the idea of the people of Israel being ‘the people of God’ is clearly established. By their behaviour they were to be a ‘light to the nations’, and the dwelling-place of God’s presence. Only much later did the idea of God dwelling in a building called a temple develop. Even so, the Jews never lost the sense that they were to be God’s own people.
This month Peter Thomas looks at 'Our Forgotten People' and the connection between mental illness and homelessness.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimates that 105,000 Australians are homeless on any given night and a high proportion of these people have a mental illness. Some estimates are as high as 75%.
Peter Thomas
This Sunday’s Gospel of the Transfiguration completes the ‘little parable’ formed by the Gospels of the first two Sundays of Lent.
These Gospels tell us what Lent is about and what Christian life is about: a constant journey from temptation and doubt to transfiguration and faith.
Transfiguration means to be ‘shot-through’ with the presence of God. Being transfigured is about allowing the presence of God to completely transform us.
Mr Anthony Kirley has been commissioned as the new principal of Whitefriars College, Donvale (Vic). During Mass to begin the School Year at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Mr Kirley made his commitment to serve as Principal and was presented with a Bible, a copy of the Mission & Values Statement of the College and a lit candle – symbol of Christ the Light.
The Carmelites present prayed the Commissioning Prayer over him and Fr Paul Cahill (Prior Provincial) warmly welcomed My Kirley to his new role. More photos.
We know the power of fire to destroy, to blacken and to reduce to ash. We know that evil can do the same - destroy our wholeness of spirit, blacken our lives and reduce the beauty of human life and our good intentions to so much dust.
We begin Lent in the ash of acknowledging our own part in harbouring, creating and doing evil and those places in our hearts where the fire of anger, bitterness and selfishness has left nothing but dead, cold ash.
