A Catholic Monthly Magazine

Cairns Cathedral – Bucket List Item (Comments Off)

Several friends who had been to Cairns told me that the stained glass windows were superb. So I put it on my ‘bucket list’. The chance finally came to fly there after a road trip with friends that ended in Brisbane.… More

Death of a Marist (0)

Bro Clément Bonhommeau SM

Born 11 October 1926,
St Mars de Goutais, Loire-Atlantique, France
Professed 31 May 1951 at La Neylière
Died 23 January 2020, Finetomai, Wallis

Bro Clément was the third child in a family of five girls and four boys.… More

Fr John Lopdell Mori SM (Comments Off)

Born in Napier, 5 May 1943
Professed at Highden, 7 January 1963
Ordained, 1 July 1967
Died in Napier, 24 July 2019

Although John was born in Napier, his family later moved to Wellington. He was educated at the Petone Convent School and St Patrick’s College town.… More

Fr (Patrick) John O’Neill SM (1)

Born in Fairlie, 19 September 1926
Professed, 4 February 1944
Ordained, 17 December 1950
Died in Wellington, 28 August 2019

John O’Neill was small of stature but large of intellect, a high achiever who led a humble and simple life; one who confidently engaged with political and educational leaders, but gave his life to teaching young people at school; an intellectual with two Masters degrees, one from Victoria University (NZ) and one from Cambridge University (UK), who happily lived a quiet religious life.… More

“… just after the sun had risen…” (0)

A high school student wrote, “I had just finished my paper route on Easter morning. As I passed the church, the sun was coming up. I didn’t intend to go in for Mass, because I was in the midst of a teenage rejection of the Church.… More

Francis Speaks (0)

Extracts from the Pope’s Easter Vigil homily, 20 April 2019

The women bring spices to the tomb, but they fear that their journey is in vain, since a large stone bars the entrance to the sepulchre. At times, it seems that everything comes up against a stone … It seems that the steps we take never take us to the goal.… More

The Holiness of the Catholic Church (0)

Symbols of hope

Some years ago I visited the new cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. I was struck by the multi-coloured woven banners, each about five metres high, decorating both side walls and depicting saints of all the Americas, north, south and central.… More

The Town of Belley in the Early History of the Society of Mary (0)

Part 2 of 2

The Cathedral and Bishop Devie

Work began on the Cathedral in the 12th century, the builders added a lofty Gothic chancel in the 1400s, and in 1835 the transformation into its present form began. In 1851 it was complete.… More

Plea for a Marian Church (0)

By Fr François Marc SM

I would like to plead for a Marian church:
not a church that multiplies processions
or blesses huge statues …;
rather a church that “lives the Gospel after the manner of Mary.”

A Marian church follows Mary into the mountains
going off with her to encounter life.… More

Marists in Ranong – Critical Times (Comments Off)

Our Marist Mission in Ranong, Thailand, has been supporting Burmese Migrant children and families since 2006. In early September we have had some challenges that remind us just how vulnerable Burmese Migrants are. An order was issued from the Department of Labour in Bangkok to search and scan all 10 Burmese Migrant Learning Centres in Ranong.… More

MM 50 Years Ago (0)

Mission Sisters return to Samoa

The Sisters of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions have just returned to work in Samoa at the invitation of Bishop Pio SM.

They will begin a new co-educational school in Savai’i next year.… More

When Frailty Hits Home (0)

We do enjoy our own and each other’s high achievements. In sport, artistic endeavours, economic benchmarks, scientific breakthroughs, newly-married love all provide us with delight, awe and wonder, and give us a sense that all is right with the world.

We’d love to think that these times of achievement and joy are available to everyone.… More

A New Bishop for Auckland (Comments Off)

Bishop-elect Michael Andrew Gielen was born in 1971 in Cambridge, NZ, and was ordained priest in 1997.

He holds a Bachelor of Theology degree from the University of Otago, a Master in Theology degree from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, USA, and a Licentiate in Theology from the St.… More

Euthanasia – A Radical Shift (Comments Off)

Euthanasia is not an incremental change to current end-of-life practices, but a radical and massive shift in our society’s and civilisation’s foundational values, says internationally renowned Australian ethicist, Margaret Somerville.

Dr Somerville, who is a Professor of Law, Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, and Founding Director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, was speaking at the University of Notre Dame (Sydney), as part of a series of public lectures on ethical issues surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide during her recent visit to Australia.… More

See You Mate! (0)

On a stunningly beautiful day I took the train to Waikanae. As we passed a millpond-calm sea, sparkling in the sun, a young man and a senior citizen struck up a conversation. It seems they did not know each other, but the older man remarked on the lovely day and the younger one replied by saying that he was looking forward to walking home from the train.… More

Walking the Ignatian Camino (Comments Off)

Part 2 of 2

Marian Shrines on the Camino

In May-June 2019 I walked the Ignatian Camino -- camino ignaciano -- in northern Spain. This walk is different from the caminos that go to Santiago de Compostela in the north-west of Spain, because the camino ignaciano goes east towards Barcelona.… More

April Saints (0)

Blessed Maria
Assunta Pallotta
(1878-1905)

Maria Assunta was born in Piceno, Italy. In her youth she was obliged to perform every manner of lowly service in order to help her impoverished parents. She attracted everybody by her modest reserve. Jesus in the tabernacle was the love of her soul.… More