Archive for August 2017
Creating a family culture in your parish
Families are the foundation of our society and a microcosm of the Church itself. Children and their parents belong in Mass and our communities are so much richer for it. Our committed Mass goers have highlighted this particular truth in their experience of taking their children to Mass: People fear being judged… not by God,…
Read MoreThe Adoptive Experience
By Owen Vyner For some people adoption seems quite mysterious as though it is an altogether different experience of parenthood. We have to admit that there are definite differences. For example, we first held our children at Denver International Airport and not in a hospital. We had no ultrasound images to pass on to excited…
Read MorePlant a Mary’s garden
May is the month of Mary. Why not plant a Mary’s Garden this month, as a sign of devotion and to create a place of beauty and reflection? Whether we give it a whole acre of space, a single lushly planted pot on a balcony, we can pray in our Mary’s garden with our children…
Read MoreInfertility Facts
Here are some quick facts on a huge topic! To delve a bit further you’re welcome to use our links to some resources below. Subfertility or Infertility? Subfertility refers to any kind of reduced fertility where for a long time a couple are trying to conceive but cannot due to hormone inbalances, problems with the…
Read MoreCatholic Couple’s Struggle with Infertility
Many Catholic married couples struggle with infertility, whether or not they follow the Church’s teachings on married love and the raising of families. In the 2015 issue of Frankly magazine Sally Jones (a pseudonym) explained the sadness she felt as a regular Massgoer: “Infertility is difficult all the time but sometimes the sadness feels much…
Read MoreFive Tips for more Joyful Life
Gratitude Gratitude is the superfood of the soul. It has been noted as an important tool in resisting depressive thinking and can have an immediate positive impact on our mood. Gratitude fosters the habit of counting our blessings, of noticing the many, often over-looked, goods in our life, thus helping us to be more optimistic and…
Read MoreMaster of Joy
Definition of JOY Â – the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. – the expression or exhibition of such emotion a state of happiness or felicity a source or cause of delight “Joy.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. Joy is the settled assurance…
Read MoreActs of Mercy, Acts of Love
Another special theme of Advent, along with waiting, is mercy. Advent is an intense time of waiting for God the Father’s great act of mercy – sending the promised Saviour into the world. As Catholics, we know that when he came, after he rose from death, he also instituted the Sacrament of mercy, Reconciliation. So…
Read MoreAdvent Joy for kids
Here are some simple ways to bring Advent joy to children while helping them to learn about, and personalise, some of our rich faith traditions. Advent Calendars There are some beautiful religious calendars that can be purchased through Christian book shops – avoid the commercialised chocolate versions that feature toys and reindeers. Mary, Mary… If…
Read More5 Fast facts about advent
 When does advent begin and end? Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. The first Sunday of Advent is the start of each new Church year. What is it for? The word ‘Advent’ comes from the Latin word adventus, which means ‘coming’ or ‘visit’. During this time we connect with the…
Read MoreAnnulments made easy… Really?
By Francine & Byron Pirola A Painful Reality While every marriage begins in hope and optimism, sadly, many marriages flounder and in a number of those, one or both spouses decide to end the marriage through a civil divorce. In some of these cases, due to mental instability, violence or other serious dysfunction, the Church…
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