A Catholic Monthly Magazine

St Patrick’s Church, Sydney (6) Anniversary Year 2018 – Charles O’Neill (0)

From: www.vinnies.org.au with additional notes by Michael Whelan SM

Charles Gordon O'Neill was born in Glasgow in 1828. He was an engineer who led the St Vincent de Paul Society in the Western Districts of Scotland between 1859 and 1863. He moved to New Zealand in 1863 and became then one of the foremost civil engineers in the colony.… More

Port Chalmers’ Church (0)

Port Chalmers lies some 15 kilometres northeast of Dunedin’s CBD. As Otago’s main port, this delightful little town attracts thousands of visitors each year, especially from the many cruise ships that dock there. Modern day cafes and galleries, along with a rich maritime history, make it hugely popular.… More

Fr Paul Cooney SM (0)

Born 16 March 1953
Professed 21 January 1973
Ordained 3 June 1978
Died 5 August 2018

Paul Cooney, born on the 16th of March 1953, was raised the second of eight children of Ben and Joan Cooney in the New South Wales south coast town of Thirroul.… More

Remembering our Dead (0)

During November we pray especially for those who have died -- friends, family members, fellow parishioners and even people we never met, believing that it is an act of love to pray for them. Since they now live outside time, in eternity, our prayers are of benefit to them at the very moment of their entering eternity, at the moment they died.… More

All Saints (0)

Pope Francis’ address after the Angelus, St Peter’s Square, 1 November 2017

The Solemnity of All Saints is ‘our’ celebration: not because we are good, but because the sanctity of God has touched our life. The Saints are not perfect models, but people through whom God has passed.… More

Remembering the New Zealand Marist Chaplains of World War One (0)

Fr Segrief was the first NZ Catholic Chaplain to serve in World War One and saw service throughout the whole war.

Story of a Story (Comments Off)

St Thérèse of The Infant Jesus would almost certainly have remained unknown to the world at large had it not been for her elder sister Pauline, who, in 1895, was Prioress of the Lisieux Carmel where Thérèse lived. In passing we should also note that of Thérèse’s four sisters, three of them were also at that time living with her under the same convent roof.… More

The City of Lyons in Early Marist History (2) (0)

A number of buildings in the city of Lyons are significant in early Marist history.

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist

This Cathedral is in ‘old Lyons’, directly beneath the hill of Fourvière. Building began in 1180 above the ruins of a 6th century church and was completed in 1476.… More

For the Ordinary Things (Comments Off)

for the Messenger by M.H.B.

Thank you, Lord, for the ordinary things,

for the frost for the cold and the glow they bring.

For the child who is well and the child who is not

warm and content in her own little cot.… More

Praying with the Movies – Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri (0)

Directed by Martin McDonagh

Find the Key to the Human Heart

The poet William Blake (1770-1820) wrote "We see through our eyes, not with our eyes. We see with our vision - the power of our imagination."

Blake could not have had the films of Director Martin McDonagh in mind when he wrote those words, but they are certainly apposite to McDonagh's most recent movie, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.… More

Sit and Sip (0)

On my recent retreat the theme that challenged me was to ‘sit and sip’. It centred on ‘having a cup of tea’! All very innocuous we might think, but a full cup of wisdom present.

The expression that focussed the retreat was part of Thich Nhat Hanh’s theme of ‘mindfulness’.… More

November Saints (0)

Blessed Luigi & Maria Quattrochi

Luigi was born in 1880 in Catania, Italy. He obtained a degree in law, and entered the service of the Inland Revenue Department, holding responsible positions in the Italian State.

Maria Corsini was born in 1884 to a noble family in Florence.… More

The Afterlife (0)

The limits of human knowledge

On my computer I have images of galaxies in deep space captured by the Hubble telescope in its orbit around the earth. I’m stunned by their beauty and complexity. Even more than that I’m amazed that only 5% of our universe is accessible to us; according to astrophysicists about 95% is made up of dark energy and dark matter undetectable by our instruments.… More