Newgrange and 'The Light of the World'

In 2007 we had the wonderful experience of visiting the ancient burial site at Newgrange, Ireland. Situated on a rise near the River Boyne this large passage tomb was constructed around 3200BC. This makes it more than 600 years older than the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, and 1,000 years more ancient than Stonehenge.

We weren’t there for the Winter Solstice, but every year on December 21, just after 9am, the sun begins to rise across the Boyne Valley and the sunlight strikes the front of the Newgrange mound which is faced with white quartzite rock. Above the entrance is an opening called ‘the roofbox’, which was specially designed to capture the rays of the sun.
The beam of light stretches into the 18m passage of Newgrange right into the central chamber of the 12m high mound, where, in Neolithic times stone basins held cremated human remains. With simple stone technology, these wonderful people captured a very significant astronomical moment in a most spectacular way.
It has been suggested the human ashes were placed there so that the path of the sunlight beam would allow the dead to communicate or connect with the sun god or that their spirits could travel up to the god along the path of sunlight.
So at the darkest time of the year the people found a way of using the sun to connect their spirits with their god.

I was thinking that Christmas is about a similar concept. Christ is the Light of the World sent by God to personally communicate with humanity – our guiding light.
We were taught that burning a candle would sent our prayers "up" to God. We still light candles, not to attract God’s attention, but as a tool and a reminder for ourselves that we are praying and communicating with our God.
And just as important, it is also a reminder that Christ is our light always ready to hear what we have to say even though God knows what is in our hearts without us having to speak it.
Prayer helps us to change for the better!

Newgrange

Earthrise

It's 40 years ago when the Apollo 8 astronauts took this famous photo of Planet Earth as they orbited the Moon. It made us think of our place in the universe in a whole new light!

Astronaut Frank Borman’s Prayer:
Give us, O God, the vision which can see thy love in the world in spite of human failure.
Give us the faith to trust the goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness.
Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts, and show us what each one of us can do to set forth the coming of the day of universal peace.
Amen.























18 years ago Voyager 1 took this photo of Planet Earth seen from 6.4 billion km away! It is known as the Pale Blue Dot almost obscured in a beam of scattered sunlight.
Scientist and astronomer Carl Sagan :-

“Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader", every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.
Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.
It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”

Isn't it totally awesome!!
Link

The Adelaide Achievers Aktion Club

Each year, just before Christmas the Tranmere Conference of the St Vincent De Paul Society receives a friendly phonecall from Mr Denis Molyneux informing them that Adelaide Achievers Aktion Club would like to help with the Christmas Hampers for the needy. Would they like that?!!

The Adelaide Achievers Aktion Club, a club for intellectually challenged young adults, is sponsored by the Burnside/East Adelaide Kiwanis. The club provides activities for members to promote skills and opportunities for personal growth and undertaking community service. The members strive to return to their communities the benefits, help, and caring they have received, as well as develop important skills in the process.
Tranmere St Vincent De Paul has been the grateful recipient of their generosity at Christmas for many years. We thank them sincerely.

The Adelaide Achievers Aktion Club members are quiet achievers of the highest order and so is Denis. He will probably cringe if he ever reads this but his dedication and passion to the cause of encouraging young people with disabilities is outstanding.
On Australia Day 2005 Denis was awarded an AM - Member of the Order of Australia - for service to people with a disability through the development of sport and recreation opportunities.

Link:- http://www.aktionclub.org/
Link:- http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/pages/bio.asp?pID=63
Link:- http://www.kiwanis.com.au/

The Annunciation

Henry Ossawa Tanner (June 21, 1859–May 25, 1937) was an African American artist who studied with Thomas Eakins and was the first African American painter to gain international acclaim.I was intrigued by his painting of The Annunciation.....
Link 1
Link 2

"See how they care for one another"

In his message this week Mgr John refers to the “New Evangelisation.”

“You know, in a way we need a John the Baptist today, or someone like him to bring about a new awakening to the purpose of Christ’s coming among us. It is what is being called the 'New Evangelisation' – bringing the true joy of the light of Christ to a world in which there is so much darkness and pain.”

I came across an article by Sydney Catholic, Harvey Smith, and it prompted the following reflection.

Much is said and written about the relevance of Christianity, of the Church, in the modern world. Many ideas and theories are tossed around trying to address that issue.
One of the great challenges for Christians today is the cynical, sceptical portrayal of ‘church’ in secular society. It has been suggested that a most effective way to respond to that portrayal is to do what the early Christians were praised for: “See how they care for one another".
Caring for one another requires energy, awareness and commitment. Our personal example, our committed involvement, is a powerful form of evangelisation.
Harvey Smith is active in the Lay Apostolate in Sydney. He is engaged in Gospel Study Groups and has been an active evangelist in the Archdiocese of Sydney for many years.

We welcome your thoughts.....

Australian Catholic website about Evangelisation_ Link

World AIDS Day 2008

Do you remember Eve van Grafhorst?
Her name was in the headlines of Australian media in July 1985 when she was 3 years old.
Eve died 15 years ago, aged 11, in New Zealand, a country that welcomed her and allowed her to lead a relatively normal life.
LINK: Wikipedia


Journalist Brian Haill working for the ABC at that time was very much involved with Eve’s predicament.
It was described as one of the darkest pages in Australia's HIV history. The family was chased right out of Australia by a hysterical and terrified Gosford (NSW) community that couldn't — and wouldn't — cope with HIV...into the arms of generous New Zealanders on the other side of the Tasman.

Brian has been a very active person in the fight against AIDS in many places. He set up The Australian AIDS Fund and it has been doing fantastic work. The website is very much worth a visit.
LINK: aids.net.au

Spot On Pauline Connelly!

On page 5 of the December issue of ‘The Southern Cross’ newspaper Pat reflects on the relationship between the media and truth!
The manner in which the death of Daniel Awak was reported by the media included much creative speculation and innuendo. Truth played a very minor role.
The “sensationalism and clanging rhetoric of the daily media was well and truly laid bare!”
Should we accept this form of reporting?

Last year media companies published a report, “Right To Know,” in order to highlight the difficulties they claim they are experiencing in getting access to factual information from governments and public institutions.
In the report the government is accused of all kinds of control, manipulation and spin that diminish the rights of the public to accurate information.

Yet these same media companies continually display incredible hypocrisy by perpetrating exactly such manipulation and spin themselves!
Their focus appears to be not on reporting public events and controversies, but on trying blatantly to create controversies, often with hurtful consequences.

The coverage of Daniel’s death was another embarrassing example of journalists manipulating, distorting and spinning in order to beat up controversy, innuendo and public distrust.

Do ‘journalists’ ever reflect on journalistic ethics?
Aren’t readers, listeners and viewers entitled to have news and comment presented to them honestly and fairly, and with respect for the privacy and sensibilities of individuals and communities?
Doesn’t the media have a public duty to provide fair news reports about matters of public interest?

Related story:
http://www.adelaide.catholic.org.au/sites/SouthernCross/top-stories?more=9635

Oscar Romero on Advent

An Advent reflection from Archbishop Oscar Romero.

Advent should admonish us to discover
in each brother or sister that we greet,
in each friend whose hand we shake,
in each beggar who asks for bread,
in each worker who wants to use the right to join a union,
in each peasant who looks for work in the coffee groves,
the face of Christ.

Then it would not be possible
to rob them,
to cheat them,
to deny them their rights.

They are Christ, and whatever is done to them
Christ will take as done to him.

This is what Advent is: Christ living among us.

Who was Oscar Romero?
Archbishop Oscar Romero was murdered on March 24th 1980 as he was saying mass in his home town in El Salvador.
El Salvador had been ruled by a succession of corrupt and violent governments and the military organised 'death squads' to murder and terrorise people that worked for justice. When a Jesuit priest was murdered because of his work for social justice, Romero was deeply affected. He underwent a personal transformation and became a champion for justice and human rights.
In spite of constant threats from other bishops and Government he continued to protest and spoke about the need for the Church and Government in El Salvador to bring the gospel values to life.
Romero appealed to the military in the following speech: "The peasants you kill are your own brothers and sisters. When you hear the voice of the man commanding you to kill, remember instead the voice of God. Thou Shalt Not Kill …. In the name of God, in the name of our tormented people whose cries rise up to heaven, I beseech you, I beg you, I command you, stop the repression".
But they did not listen and the next day Romero was shot dead as he was saying Mass.

The links below provide more detail about the life and times of Oscar Romero.

http://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/page.php?pg=mission-aid1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/4376733.stm
http://salt.claretianpubs.org/romero/romero.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%93scar_Romero

Heart Life VOICE

"Heart Life VOICE" is a new album of songs that challenge us to live out our faith radically through our speaking, giving, praying and doing.
The Heart Life VOICE album includes:

• Songs designed for worship and personal listening


• Biblical background material on the issues of justice and poverty


• 10 things you can do to reflect God’s justice and compassion

Find out more here... LINK

You are invited to the Adelaide launch of the Heart Life VOICE album – a compilation of songs that seeks to reflect God’s justice through music.
The launch concert is happening on Saturday November 15 at the Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre behind Fowlers Live on the corner of Morphett Street and North Terrace, Adelaide, 5000 (please note the change of venue).
7pm to 10.45pm.
It will feature live music from Andrew Kitchen (Antiskeptic), Josh Spier and band, Winters Lament, Dan Cameron and Catherine Mackinroth.
Tickets cost $10 and can be obtained from Venuetix, 8225 8888 or http://www.venuetix.com.au/
The ticket will get you a half price CD on the night ($10, normally $20).
Drinks can be purchased from the bar and snacks will be available.
Heart Life VOICE includes new songs from Australian and overseas artists including Phil Laeger, Andrew Kitchen, Steve Bevis, Scott Reed and Michelle Kay. If you believe that our worship should be linked to our action, then this is the album for you.
Find out more and preview the songs at http://www.heartlifevoice.org/ and http://www.micahchallenge.org.au/

The Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome

Read in detail about the basilica here...LINK

Reflecting on Mgr John's message in this week's bulletin reminded me of the famous thought from St. Teresa of Avila:
"Christ has no body on earth but yours;
no hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks with compassion on the world;
yours are the feet with which He walks to do good;
yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.
Christ has no body now on the earth but yours."

Centering Prayer

Fr. William Meninger OCSO
Australian Tour 19—23 Nov 08

Centering Prayer

In 1974, Fr. Meninger, an American Trappist monk, began to teach retreats based on a 14 c spiritual classic, The Cloud of Unknowing. He recognized the book as a teaching manual for laypeople. St. Gregory the Great called this kind of prayer “resting in God”.

Southern Events:
“Centering Prayer”
Thurs 20 Nov, 7pm—9.30pm, St. Joseph’s Hall, St. George St. Willunga &
Fri 21 Nov, 10am—12.30, St. Martin’s Berwick St. Pt Noarlunga
Both sessions $15 or $10 concession
Contact: Tim Deslandes 8556 4686 or roysretreat@gmail.com

Adelaide Events:
“Julian of Norwich”
Fri 21 Nov, 7.30—9.30pm—$15 or $12 concession

“Introduction to Contemplative Meditation”
Sat 22 Nov 10am—4pm (with lunch & refreshments) $30 or $20

“Forgiveness as Fruits of Contemplation”
Sun 23 Nov 1—5pm, $20 or $18(with refreshments)

All 3 Adelaide events will be held at St. Phillips (Anglican), Cnr Galway Ave & Staffa St. Broadview

Contact: Elizabeth Connolly 8223 7499 ec@connollylegal.com
or Rev Caroline Pearce 8344 5255 chpearce@adam.com.au

LINK

The Word of God

On Friday the Synod of Bishops released a final message about their discussions on "The Word of God.”
The message focussed on four aspects
· The Voice:- The voice of the Creator speaks to us through the wonders of creation and through scripture.
· The Face:- The face is Jesus, who through his teaching brought new universal meaning to scriptures.
· The House:- The house is the Church, the community of faith, where the Word of God is reflected on and put into action.
· The Road:- The spiritual road map for us individually and for all humanity to achieve a way of life that we learn from the Word of God and that prepares us for our reunion with the Creator.

Link: the full message
Link: the message summary

The Moral Demands of Affluence

Philosopher and ethicst, Professor Garrett Cullity, of Adelaide University, has tackled an age-old question: “To what extent are we morally obliged to help those in need?” and developed a new and compelling answer, in his latest book, The Moral Demands of Affluence – the book also recently won him the $10,000 Australian Catholic University (ACU), Eureka Prize for Ethics.

Cullity argues that the altruistic model of restricting one’s life in order to aid another is flawed; that it is not morally wrong to live a life of rich personal fulfillment. In fact, this is exactly what it is to be human. But, helping others is also part of being human and must be done with perspective, the book says.

Not letting the affluent off lightly, Professor Cullity states: “If you are not making an effort to find an effective way of helping the poor, then you are acting wrongly”.

Link: Eureka Prize Media Release
Link: ABC Radio program-Life Matters-interview
Link: Audio recording of the interview

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

In Australia, approximately 400 events were held to Stand Up and Take Action against povertry.

202,186 Australians joined with 116, 993, 629 people around the globe who stood up to let their Governments know that they want them to meet their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals and people living in poverty.

The Word of God

After 2 weeks of speeches by participants at the Synod of Bishops on the topic of "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church", all the proposals have been summarised into a set of 19 issues or questions.
These questions will be addressed by the bishops in groups during the next few days.

These are the questions:

1. How can we help the faithful to understand better that the Word of God is Christ, the incarnate Word of God? How can we go deeper in the dialogue dimension of Revelation in theology and in Church practice?
2. What implications are drawn from the fact that the liturgical celebration is the ordinary place for and the summit of the Word of God?
3. How can we educate people in a living hearing of the Word of God, in the Church, for all people and every cultural level?
4. How can we educate people in lectio divina [a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures]?
5. Is there a need for a compendium to help those preaching homilies better serve the Word of God?
6. Is it possible to revise the Lectionary and modify the selections of the readings from the Old and New Testament?
7. What place does the ministerial character of the Word of God have, and what importance must be attributed to this?
8. How can we help people to better understand the intrinsic link between the Word and the Eucharist?
9. What means should be adopted for the translation and spreading of the Bible among the greatest possible number of cultures, in particular among the poor?
10. How can the relationship between exegetes, theologians and pastors be healed and their collaboration be stimulated?
11. How can we go deeper in the sense of Scripture and its interpretation, in the respect for and the balance between the word, the Spirit, the living tradition and the magisterium of the Church?
12. What is thought of the idea of a world conference on the Word of God promoted by the magisterium of the Church?
13. How can the search for the unity of Christians and dialogue with the Jews be developed more around the Word of God?
14. What is understood by a biblical animation of all ministry?
15. What questions merit a more detailed examination from the magisterium of the Church (inerrancy, pneumatology, relation of inspiration-Scripture-tradition-magisterium)
16. How can interreligious dialogue and the dogmatic affirmation of Christ, sole mediator, be reconciled?
17. How can knowledge of the Word of God through other means besides the biblical text be fostered (art, poetry, Internet, etc.)?
18. What philosophical formation is needed to better understand and interpret the Word of God and sacred Scripture?
19. What interpretive criteria of the Word of God ensure an authentic inculturation of the Gospel message?

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

We know that every single day some 25,000 children die from preventable causes.
This is tolerated by the world’s leaders! Unless we protest we are condoning the intolerable!

U2 lead singer, Bono: "It is extraordinary to me that you can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can't find $25 billion to save 25,000 children who die every day of preventable treatable disease and hunger. That's mad, that is mad."

During the last 4 weeks the world’s rich nations have spent $ trillions to save corrupt banking systems – just like that!
In that time 700,000 children have died of preventable treatable disease and hunger!
Isn’t such neglect evil?

In Victoria Square, Adelaide, South Australians, including a considerable number of students from Catholic colleges, were Standing Up in support of the ‘Eradication of Poverty’ in the world.

We are standing now with millions around the world on this symbolic day, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to show our commitment to the fight against extreme poverty and inequality.
We are standing because we refuse to accept more excuses in a world where 50,000 people die every day as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between rich and poor is getting wider.

We are standing because we want our leaders to honour their promises to meet the Millennium Development Goals – and we ask them to exceed these goals.

We join in solidarity with people from hundreds of countries to say: To the leaders of the wealthy countries – We urge you to keep your promises on poverty – debt cancellation, more and better aid, trade justice and gender equality.

To the leaders of poorer countries – make it your first responsibility to save the lives of your poorest citizens.
We ask you to tackle inequality, to be accountable to your people, to govern fairly and justly, to fight corruption and to fulfill human rights.

Today, and every day, we will STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against poverty.
We will continue the fight against poverty and inequality and to hold our leaders to their promises.
We are asking not for charity but for justice. We are millions of voices standing in solidarity to say, no more excuses - end poverty now.

Find out more....

Fr Julian Tenison Woods

Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of Fr Julian Tenison Woods, 7/10/1889.

He greatly inspired and encouraged Mary MacKillop to found the Sisters of St Joseph.
His story.....

The Mary MacKillop Centre, Kensington, is an interesting place for a visit. Sr Patricia Keane at the centre has a wealth of knowledge and has available a variety of mementos in stock for the Christmas season, including the 2009 Josephite Calendar @ $5.50

Link....

Sr Pat also publishes The MacKillop Centre Gazette which provides a wealth of information.

The October 2008 edition is available here....

The Word of God

The historic Synod of Bishops on the Bible, "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church", began on Sunday.
Apart from the 278 representatives from Catholic dioceses from around the world there will be 25 representatives from the Vatican and religious orders.

Also present will be 41 experts from 21 countries and 37 auditors from 26 countries. 25 women are included amongst these experts and auditors.

Representatives from the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, the World Lutheran Federation, the Church of the Disciples of Christ and the World Council of Churches will also be present.

Pope Benedict has also invited three special guests to address the synod, who will each present a unique perspective to the bishops.

• Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen of Haifa, Israel, who will speak about how the Jewish people read and interpret Sacred Scripture.


• Rev. A. Miller Milloy, secretary general of the United Bible Societies


• Frere Alois, prior of the Taize Community.

Link

The Draft Guidelines, or ‘Lineamenta’, for the Synod provide a comprehensive outline of the many questions that the representatives are invited to address.

Link

Only 32 of the 250+ participants will have voting rights.
Three Australian voting representatives are Cardinal George Pell, Bishop Michael Putney and Bishop Peter William

Previous information on this topic entered on September 11, 2008

Catholic Social Justice Teaching

Bruce Duncan writes:
“God will judge us on how we have responded to the needs of the poor, sick, hungry and imprisoned. Jesus meant to shock his hearers. Piety is worthless in God's eyes if it ignores one's social responsibility, since God identifies intensely with people in distress."

In his article ‘Reality Check For Antisocial Church’ he suggests that most Catholics do not know the basics of the Church’s social justice teachings or what the Millennium Development Goals are all about.
Is he right?
Read the full article here.....

Celebrating Mass

Carmel Pilcher RSJ has written about the celebration of Mass in today's communities. She wrote:

"At our Sunday Eucharist we gain strength from each other by sharing Christ’s Word and Eucharist. The Mass is less about spending my personal hour with Jesus and more about committing my life to Christ and the community with whom I worship. It is about gathering with others to focus on the life of our faith community in relation to Christ’s sacrifice. The Mass is the clearest sign of unity and love, and there is no room for division or anger. We can only truly get to know each other and become one body if we gather regularly with the same community." Link

While mulling it over I was reminded of the words of Pope John Paul II when he visited Alice Springs in 1986:

“All over the world people worship God and read his word in their own language, and colour the great signs and symbols of religion with touches of their own traditions. Why should you be different from them in this regard, why should you not be allowed the happiness of being with God and each other in Aboriginal fashion?”

That same message would surely apply to any local faith community?

Social Justice Sunday

I came across a weblog from Steve Goodier that contained some interesting quotes that, I feel, are very appropriate for this Social Justice Sunday.

Someone asked the comic, Flip Wilson, about his religion. He answered, "I am a Jehovah's Bystander."
"A Jehovah's Bystander?" remarked his friend. "I never heard of a Jehovah's Bystander."
Flip said, "Well, they asked me to be a witness, but I didn't want to get involved."

Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Edward Everett Hale: "I am only one, but I am still one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something, and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

Amanda McKenna

Stand Up Against Poverty Day

In 2007, 43.7 million people worldwide participated in Stand Up events (including Over 107,000 Australians), setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest single coordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Record.
Let's join the action!

Lowitja O’Donoghue

Lowitja O’Donghue announced her retirement from public speaking at a Reconciliation Week gathering at St Peter’s Cathedral on May 27.
In her swansong speech she sang!
You can find her speech here.....
You can view highlights of the speech here.....

Her biography can be read here....

Hesed Community Celebrating

We were privileged to have been able to join in 25th anniversary celebrations of the 'Hesed Christian Community' at St Joseph's Parish, Tranmere.
Fr Peter Galvin celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving and spoke beautifully about the Community in his homily.
A good number of supporters and past and present community members attended and enjoyed a lunch in the parish hall.
We were particularly impressed by the large number of people who spoke during the lunch about the Hesed Christian Community and especially the past and present members, all of whom spoke from the heart.
Link
To contact Sr Pat: phone 8333 2837
14/19 Ellis St, Magill

Bravo Peter Goers!

I won't bore you with my opinion of the 'Sunday Mail', but I must commend columnist Peter Goers, for his education story.

What a refreshing change to get such a positive story about schools, and in this case, a number of Catholic schools.

Peter's article is entitled:

"Bravo! You're a class act - Lessons learnt in the spotlight."

Link

Social Justice Sunday, September 28

Each year on the last Sunday of September the Australian bishops release a Social Justice Statement.

We are asked to read the Statement and to discuss and understand the issues presented.

More importantly, we are asked to act to the best of our ability and circumstances to address the issues of Social Justice.

This year's statement is: 'A Rich Young Nation: The challenge of affluence and poverty in Australia.'

You can download your copy here
The text only version (MS Word) is a small download - 171kb

The illustrated version (pdf) is 1212kb

Word of God

A world Synod of Bishops on the Bible has been called by Pope Benedict XVI

The Synod will take place from October 5-26 in Rome to discuss:

• the importance of the Scriptures in the life of the church,


• look at the Bible’s role in Catholic prayer and liturgy,


• evaluate its role in ecumenical and interreligious relations and


• discuss ways to improve biblical literacy at every level of the church.

Pope Benedict XVI has named six female scholars to be among the 41 experts to serve as resource people for the synod members, making it the largest number of women ever participating in a Catholic synod.

Pope Benedict also named 19 women to be among the 37 synod observers; the observers attend all synod sessions, participate in the synod working groups and are given an opportunity to address the entire synod assembly. Like their male counterparts, most of the women observers are professors or leaders of religious orders, Bible-based Catholic lay movements or large Catholic organizations.

Fair Trade Reduces Poverty

On August 1, 2008 international trade talks seeking a new era of economic cooperation collapsed in Geneva after seven years of negotiations.
This is very bad news for the world’s poor.
Global cooperation is essential to make trade fair, to address poverty and to curb global warming.

U.S. and European farm subsidies distort world commodity markets and undercut subsistence farmers overseas.
U.S. agricultural subsidies have grown out of a political system that rewards big money and defies reason.

Chinese and Indian protection measures are aimed at protecting farmers that live at levels often not far removed from subsistence.

Buy Fairtrade products

The easiest way to support Fairtrade is to buy Fairtrade! The next time you visit your local supermarket look for Fairtrade Certified products – they’re easy to find, just look for the Label. Main products stocked include; coffee, tea and chocolate.

Victorian Abortion Bill

Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO is a professor of law in the Institute of Legal Studies at the Australian Catholic University and Professorial Visiting Fellow, Faculty of Law, University of NSW.

He writes about the Abortion bill in 'Eureka Street' magazine.

Read more....

Another article worth reading comes from Bishop Prowse, writing in the 'Herald Sun'.

"A mockery of human rights"

Read more....

For those of you with broadband connections visit here to view a 'Life before Birth' video.

'The Age' newspaper has an interesting article about 'freedom of choice'

"The abortion bill seeks to constrain the rights to follow one's conscience."

Read more....

The following article I found at 'Eureka Street':- "When life begins in an ICU".

Read it here....

Fun keeps you close to God

It is worth thinking for a moment of all the people who bring fun into our lives. They give us life, and we should thank God for them. What we laugh at we can rise above. Humour and hope are inseparable companions.
Some who profess to be Christians believe, mistakenly and sadly, that there is no place for fun in religion. So steeped in their attachment to sin are these unfortunates that they overlook religion as our connection to God and others. Fun connects us. Sin disconnects. It's the wrong focus and it shows in their demeanour. Instead of coming to Communion to partake joyfully in the Hospitality of God the Host, their faces reveal the sort of misery and gloom that envelops constant watchers of television news. They have forgotten that Christians are meant to be people of the Resurrection, incurable optimists who keep on believing, trusting, hoping, and working for the possibility of change. - Fr Chris Gleeson,

Link:- Province Express

Abortion Legislation

The Australian Catholic Students Association has condemned legislation currently before the Victorian Parliament which will decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks as well as forcing medical professionals to perform an abortion if the mother's life is at risk.

Patrick Giam, ACSA's Media Officer, attacked the portions of the bill that violate medical professionals' right to conscientious objection as totally unacceptable.

Link: ACSA

Credo - The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed is a summary or 'symbol' of our Catholic faith.
This link takes you to a website that provides an interesting commentary and reflection on every part of that Creed.
When you open the link you will find the start at the bottom of the page, so scroll all the way down to the beginning.

Link:- Commentary on the Creed

God of Second Chances

In the words of Gandhi, “we are drops in the limitless ocean of God’s mercy.”

"There are a lot of prodigal sons and daughters among us, people who leave, return, and perhaps even leave again, but are always welcomed back by the God of second and third and fourth chances."

I came across this article at CathNews and it can be found here

Survey of World Youth Day pilgrims finds out who went and why

Although this research is still an on going project this report provides some interesting information. Over 12,000 pilgrims responded to the survey!
Read it here

Micah Challenge

Who are we?
Micah Challenge is a global movement of Christian agencies, churches, groups and individuals which aims to deepen people’s engagement with the poor and to help reduce poverty as an integral part of our Christian faith.
Micah Challenge takes its name from the prophet Micah, who wrote, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8.
Jesus and the Old Testament prophets spoke about God’s deep concern and compassion for the poor. As followers of Jesus, we must work together to deepen our own commitment to justice and kindness.

Why not explore their very informative website here

99227 Australians have signed up

"Going for Gold"

"It is estimated that the 25 gold medals won by Australian Olympians between 1980 and 1996 cost taxpayers in the order of $37million each, according to a study published in the Journal Of Science And Medicine In Sport."

Wow!!
Read the whole article here

Poultry Parable for Homeless Youth

Yes, what an intriguing title for a story!
It is a well told story that provides much food for thought.
Read it here...

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I came across the poem below, written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
At dawn on of Monday 9 April, 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was taken from Flossenburg Concentration Camp to a place of execution and hanged. He wrote the poem while imprisoned by the Nazis.

Who am I? They often tell me
I would step from my cell’s confinement
calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
like a squire from his country house.

Who am I? They often tell me
I would talk to my warders
freely, and friendly and clearly,
as though it were mine to command.

Who am I? They also tell me
I would bear the days of misfortune
equably, smilingly, proudly,
like one accustomed to win.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I know of myself,
restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
struggling for breath as though hands were compressing my throat,
hungry for colours, for flowers, for the voices of birds,
thirsty for words of kindness, for neighbourliness,
trembling with anger at despotisms and petty humiliation,
caught up in expectation of great events,
powerlessly grieving for friends at an infinite distance;
weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making
faint, and ready to say farewell to it all.

Who am I? This or the other?

Am I one person today and tomorrow another?

Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,

and before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?

Or is something within me still like a beaten army,

fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.

Whoever I am, thou knowest, O God, I am thine.

World Youth Day

There are a number of video highlights on the net.
Here are two of the many.
* The Arrival of the Cross
* Stations of the Cross

Beginning at the beginning!

The first post.

The purpose of this blog is to encourage discussion about issues related to our parish community.
Experience will tell us how effective this tool is going to be.
There are most interesting events either happening or going to happen in the near future.



The World Youth Day event has kept many people very active in our parish, diocese and in Sydney!
It was a massive event!
It is fantastic that we have so many young people from so many countries attending.
We would love to hear about your experiences and impressions about the whole event.

Tranmereweb