Marist Messenger

By Fr. Brian O’Connell

One of the speakers at the ARPA conference in Brisbane was Michael Choi, a member of the state parliament, and he gave a challenging talk. He told us that his immigrant parents refused to teach him all their customs, because some would be of no use to him in his new country. So he set about taking aboard the customs of his new country, but not all of them. The point he was making was that no country has a perfect set of values. Read more »

by Sue Jones
Of late I have been in the presence of babies whose age is counted still in weeks. They have a power of which they are completely unaware. Take a neonate into a staff room or a classroom and that child can change an atmosphere in an instant. People love babies.
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In some Christmas scenes from the late Middle Ages and the early modern period, the stable is depicted as a crumbling palace. It is still possible to recognize its former splendour, but now it has become a ruin, the walls are falling down – in fact, it has become a stable. Although it lacks any historical basis, this metaphorical interpretation nevertheless expresses something of the truth that is hidden in the mystery of Christmas. David’s throne, which had been promised to last for ever, stands empty. Read more »

By Dan McAloon

The power of the Internet as a medium for evangelisation and connecting with young Catholics was highlighted at the 52nd annual Conference of the Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA). Read more »

by Graham MacBride-Stewart

As a fairly frequent traveler I was aware that some of the thriving cities of the Far East can do “Commercial Christmas” on a scale, and with an enthusiasm, that leaves us Westerners breathless and aghast. Read more »

by Maria Kennedy

1. The Jubilee
Lourdes, France, made famous in 1858 when Mary appeared to fourteen year-old Bernadette Soubirous, is nearing the end of its 150th anniversary year. Read more »

by Tom Ryan sm
This is the 5th in the series: Our Senses: Five Pathways to God
Reflect on these words of John: (1 John 1: 1-4 or John 1:14) ’The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth’ or ‘The full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity’ (Col. 2:9). Read more »

By Kilian de Lacy

When in the year 369 Saint Ambrose, the young son of a Roman Senator, was sent by Probus, the Prefect of Italy, to a large province in Italy, the officer said to him, “Go and act not as a judge, but as a bishop.” Read more »

Saint Marguerite d’Youville, the first native Canadian to be canonised, was born in Quebec. When she was seven, her father died. After two years’ study with the Ursulines in Quebec, she returned home to support her mother and educate her siblings. Read more »

Saint Thomas, son of an English nobleman, was born in Southwark, England. He was endowed by both nature and grace with many gifts and was educated in a monastery. In the government of the London police, he became aware of many injustices imposed upon the clergy and chose to leave that employment. Honesty, truthfulness and chastity marked his character. Read more »

by Fr John Kelly ocso
a monk of Southern Star Abbey
Kopua, Hawkes Bay, NZ

In my last article I spoke of the need for all Christians to undergo a double conversion. We all need to be converted to moral living and we also need to be converted to the love of God. In this article I would like to reflect on various factors that contribute to both initial conversion and ongoing conversion. Read more »

by Kat Walsh

Last Column from Messenger Special Correspondent
Six months after World Youth Day, little remains of the euphoria and excitement that flooded my veins in its immediate wake.
But hopefully a deeper and more meaningful change is beginning to awaken in me as with a clearer head I think about what was really happening during those busy days at WYD in Sydney. Read more »

The writer is a retired academic and published author who spent many years in Africa, and is now keen to help other Messenger readers who write to prisoners
in Africa. Read more »

Mary
In early Advent we celebrate the Feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. Read more »

Click HERE to download the December/January Children’s Page

Three boys are in the school yard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, “My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50.” Read more »

A son of Hawkes Bay, celebrated missionary to Tonga, parish priest, retreat preacher, spiritual director, friend. Read more »

Holy Mass is offered each month by the Editor for those whose names occur in this list. To add a name, simply write to the Editor.
Recently Deceased: Francis Maloney, Irene Frances Delaney, Fr John O’Rourke sm
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