Corpus Christi: Here in Hiding
Many years ago, the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins translated the Latin hymn Adore te devote into English. His first verse began: Godhead here in hiding Whom I do adore Masked by these bare shadows Shape and nothing more.Gerard Manley Hopkins, Adore te devote
Father Julian Tenison Woods Reflection
A reflection in the key of F on Fr Julian Tenison Woods [1832-1889]: Saint Mary MacKillop’s “Father Founder” “Fairly faithfully and fallibly following a fairly famous and fallible Founder”.
Mary MacKillop With Us
We invite you to view a poem on Mary MacKillop by Covenant Josephite, Rosa Davila.
Easter Reflections 2023
We share with you four reflections for Palm (Passion) Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday provided by Sr Michele Shipperley rsj.
Ash Wednesday: Gateway to Lent
Ash Wednesday, this year beginning on 22 February, is the gateway to the season of Lent. The anointing with ashes, which is the key element of this day’s ritual, is a reminder of our responsibility as individuals and as communities to keep alive the discipleship that our baptism committed us to. The ritual of baptism […]
The Gift of Father Julian Tenison Woods
Fr Julian Tenison Woods, a gifted and complex character, was a many-sided man: pioneer priest, dedicated and successful missionary, educator (the first director of Catholic Education in Australia), scholar of some repute and respected scientist. In his formative years, Julian encountered and was influenced by a variety of holy people and their spiritualities. Consequently, his […]
Mary MacKillop and Advent
During a recent trip to Melbourne, I attended Mass at St Francis’ Church in the city. This is a special church as it is Victoria’s oldest Catholic Church, where Mary MacKillop’s parents were married, and where Mary had the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. Visiting St Francis’ Church, which was a significant […]
Kaleidoscope: Celebrating Advent
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good. Psalm 122:9 Traditionally, Advent is thought of as a time of waiting. What happens in that waiting space? Perhaps it is a time of seeing the way patterns of hope, desire and longing disperse, change and reform so that […]
International Day for Tolerance 2022
Earlier this month we heard news of the New South Wales (NSW) Australian of the Year Award being given to Craig Foster, former Socceroo and human rights activist, who has advocated for refugees and anti-racism. Recently, he helped the Afghan women’s national football team and other female athletes flee the Taliban and campaigned for the […]
150 Years in NSW: We Remember, We Reflect, We Give Thanks
In this our sesquicentenary year of the arrival in New South Wales of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, we offer this meditation. November is the month of All Saints and All Souls so, in our Josephite story, this is our special focus: We Remember, We Reflect, We Give Thanks Take time […]
St Mary MacKillop in the Pandemic and Post-Pandemic
The pandemic was a time that surprised the world. It was never thought that the COVID-19 virus could challenge humanity on the domination of Earth. A fixation on daily death numbers, anguish, despair, pain, violence, lack of food and work, medicine, etc. all reigned. But all believers in God had hope in God. It is […]
Mary MacKillop’s Canonisation Anniversary
Canonisation celebrations at Mary MacKillop Place, 2010. For the canonisation of Mary MacKillop, all roads led to Rome on 17 October 2010. For those of us in Australia, all roads led to Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney. At the time, I was blessed to be working at Mary MacKillop Place as a member of […]