The Joy Bomb

If you could summarise Patrick in one word, it is joy. If you could bottle Patrick’s joy and sell it, we’d be multi-billionaires. You can get all these books and things on how to find happiness, but nope! All you need is a drop of Patrick! The older kids just adore him. When they come…

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How can this be?

“The angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son”. Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the child to be born will be called…

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How you do Housework

the results from the CathFamily survey: 70% of you are not satisfied with your current housework arrangement 75% of you would like to see your children contribute more. How you delegate housework… 65% of you introduce your kids to housework at ages 3-5 years. Most of this might not be surprising; it gets more interesting…

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Godparents: Choosing Wisely

Godparents are more than just parental back-up or a nominated guardian should parents die while their children are still young; they are specially chosen spiritual mentors for your children. They have a special role to play in your child’s upbringing and especially their faith journey. Don’t choose someone simply because you owe them a favour…

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Sacrament Essentials: Baptism

Initiation Rituals A common thread in human cultures, tribes and societies is ritualistic initiations that mark the various stages of life. They relate to all kinds of stages, such as; welcoming a new baby, introducing boys to manhood, marriage, grandparenthood and death. Catholicism has always supported the fundamental wisdom of the human need for ritual…

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Baptism is about belonging

If there is one word which sums up the essence of Baptism it would be ‘belonging’. Through Baptism, we become members of God’s family, a son or daughter of the Father. We belong to God for all eternity. As a consequence, we also belong to the family of God here on earth – our brothers…

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Child-Honouring Discipline

Think for a moment about the ways you discipline your children when they act in challenging ways. Perhaps your three year-old has just stabbed his older brother in the face with a fork. Or maybe your teenage daughter has screamed an obscenity at her younger sibling. Or you’ve just discovered your eight year-old is pocketing…

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Sacrament Essential: First Eucharist

Theology in a nutshell The sacrament of the Eucharist is a sacred meal where we break bread and share the one cup that has been transformed into Christ’s body and blood. It is the paramount sign of our unity with and in Christ. It has been described as the ‘source and summit’ of the Church’s…

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Poppy’s Story

As you gaze at the bright blue eyes, and cheeks rosy from teething, you might be forgiven for thinking that Poppy Hookway is simply another ridiculously photogenic baby. But Poppy is far from your average six-month old. She’s making a difference, one high five at a time, all thanks to her lucky fin. The lucky…

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Serenity and Suffering

Jean’s life story is not the way she would have written it. It includes early years of childhood abuse, same-sex attraction and depression, and later years of heterosexual marriage and children. She writes of the blessing of being able to trust God as the author of her life. The Serenity Prayer is a blessing and…

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Preparing your child for first communion

Make mealtimes special. Just as the Eucharist is at the heart of the life of the Church, family meals are the heart of your home, the ‘Domestic Church’. In the lead up to the First Communion Day, use your family meals as an opportunity to share memories of your own First Communion or ask your…

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Chalking the Door

a New Year’s or Epiphany house blessing. The practice of writing a special code over the entrance to a home with blessed chalk is a centuries-old traditional blessing of a home each January. It’s a reminder of God’s presence in our daily lives and a dedication of the year and everything that will happen during…

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