Posts by Kiara Pirola
A Catholic Parent’s Manifesto
2015 May-June
Welcome to our exciting two part series! We begin this month with Raising Catholics: Taking Kids to Mass and will follow it up with Raising Catholics: Faith at Home. Taking kids to Mass is fraught with emotion and frustration. Parents are conflicted, sleep-deprived, busy and stressed and so are highly reactive and sensitive to perceived…
Read MoreHow do you do it? Surviving Mass with Kids
Dear Friends, We are looking to write an article that explores the experiences of parents with Kids at Mass. We’ve all had good and bad experiences – we’d love to hear yours and the lessons you’ve learned. Sometimes, we all need a little inspiration from people who have been there. We need the data quite…
Read MoreApril 2015 ANZAC SPECIAL
This ANZAC Day, we have gone to a little extra effort to mark the Centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign of WWI. We present to you here a story that is often overlooked in our mainstream histories and national rituals; the story of Catholic military chaplains. These men worked tirelessly for the material and spiritual well…
Read More2015 April
This month we have updated our Holy Week Special. We go through each of the most important days from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday and break it down with simple themes, fun activities and prayerful rituals that will make for special and unique family memories. Let us know what you think! Is this helpful for…
Read MoreSt Patrick’s Breastplate
St Patrick is one of the Church’s most well known saints and is practically synonymous with all things Irish. This saint is ultimately very mysterious, living, preaching and converting the inhabitants of the Emerald Isle in the 5th century AD. This beloved saint also gave us a beautiful prayer known as St Patrick’s Breastplate or…
Read MoreOne Flesh Union
It can be hard to get our heads around the amazing gift that Jesus made of himself by dying on the cross for our salvation. We are told that it was a personal sacrifice, that if we were the only one in need, he would have still gone through with it – his love for each of…
Read MoreWaste Not Stale Bread
One of the ways we can heighten our appreciation of the food God gives us is to avoid wastage. Here’s an Tuscan favourite for using up stale bread. Panzanella Ingredients: 2/3 loaf of day-old bread (Sourdough works best. More than one type is fine too. Just don’t use regular sliced bread) 500 g of mixed…
Read MoreSeasons of Grace
Among the Seasons of the Church, the great season of Lent calls us to the grace of perseverance. Modern family life is busy. The constant stream of events and activities shuttling kids around, work, parish or community commitments… It’s a constant drone that makes it difficult to maintain our focus on the things that really matter. Our Church calendar is a great…
Read More2015 February
From the Editor As we move towards Lent, we turn our thoughts towards spiritual rejuvenation and toning. Just as an athlete prepares for weeks (or even months) for a major event, so do Catholics spend weeks preparing for Easter. And like an athlete, the better our preparation, the better our performance at the main event!…
Read MoreExamination of Conscience
Preparing for Reconciliation is a must. A simple five minutes to slow down and reflect is all you need to make this sacrament meaningful and significant. One of the most useful tools to help you prepare is an Examination of Conscience. Catholics are encouraged to examine their conscience everyday and offer a prayer of sorrow. Having…
Read MoreAct of Contrition Cards
A business card-sized Act of Contrition to keep handy in your wallet or purse. An essential item if you’re not too good at remembering these things by heart! Prints about eight to one A4 page. Act of Contrition O my God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do…
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