04 May 2024
 Marist Laity Australia would like to invite you to join us on a Spirituality Day entitled 'Living with Todays Paradoxes'. Exploring questions like 'How do we maintain hope and joy in the face of global challenges and personal trials?' and 'What does it mean to be a peacemaker in today's world? Key note speaker Brother Tony Leon fms who has worked many years in Marist spiritual formation both in Australia and internationally. |
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07 April 2024
 In Luke's Gospel, we are encouraged to embody the role of angels as messengers of hope, mirroring the angelic interventions at significant moments, such as the announcement of Jesus' resurrection to the women at the tomb and the Annunciation to Mary. These narratives underscore the importance of delivering God's message despite skepticism and fear, emphasizing personal experience and the Holy Spirit's role in understanding and faith. We are called to be reassurances in the face of doubt, to invoke the Holy Spirit in guiding ourselves and others, and to be bearers of light, faith, and hope. This mission involves helping others discover God's presence in their lives through their own reflections and experiences, emphasizing the freedom to explore faith, and reminding them that they are never alone, with the enduring presence of God's love and guidance, even in our absence. |
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06 April 2024
 Francis Chan's talk emphasizes the profound importance of God's love and presence in the lives of believers, urging them to maintain a deep, personal connection with God beyond mere religious knowledge. He discusses the church's current series on God's love, motivated by a collective desire to ground the congregation in the fundamental understanding of being loved by a holy God. Chan highlights the limitations of teaching alone and stresses the necessity of prayer to break spiritual strongholds, invoking the mystery of spiritual transformation through communal prayer. |
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04 April 2024
 Bishop Robert's talk on the Holy Spirit emphasizes the critical role and vibrant presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and its believers, leading up to the feast of Pentecost. He argues against the notion that the importance of the Holy Spirit is underplayed, pointing out the Spirit's evident work throughout Scripture and Church history. The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, is likened to the soul of the Mystical Body, vital for animating the Church's life. |
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30 March 2024
 This podcast focuses on the broader themes of hope, change, and the role of the church in a rapidly evolving global context. Father Timothy reflects on the period between the two assemblies of the Synod as a time of germination, expressing uncertainty but also personal growth in understanding the new world order emerging post-1989. He critiques the presumption that liberal democracy was the end goal for all societies and highlights the need for the church to adapt and find its mission in bringing hope to this multipolar world, viewing the current moment as both challenging and exciting. |
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29 March 2024
 In addressing how we can confront our fears and anxieties, the blog explores the encouragement found in Jesus' teachings, specifically the exhortation 'do not be afraid,' despite the inevitability of suffering and death inherent to the human condition. It highlights the importance of embracing these realities through reflection, prayer, and drawing closer to God, using examples from the Bible, such as Mary's courage and Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, to illustrate how facing fears with faith can lead to a transformational strength and the realization that we are not alone. Through engaging with our struggles and the divine, the text suggests that we can find rest in God, confront injustices with love and humility, and become vessels of hope and bearers of God's love, embodying the eternal love that lies beyond our immediate realities. |
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19 March 2024
 In this in-depth conversation on the Leadercast podcast, Father Richard Rohr, a spiritual mentor and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, shares profound insights into leadership, humility, and the journey of life. Father Richard emphasizes the transformative power of humility in leadership and reveals his perspective on the secret to life, which he believes revolves around love. |
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14 March 2024
 This blog draws a parallel between the task of cleaning out a kitchen cupboard infested with moths and the introspective journey of addressing sin and imperfection in our lives. It reflects on how sin, often denied or overlooked, is akin to the unnoticed infestation that requires thorough cleaning. The blog touches on the Greek concept of sin as missing the mark and expands on the idea that sin encompasses more than just our visible faults or the ones we choose to acknowledge. It stresses the need for external help in our transformation, much like the cleaning of a cupboard goes beyond mere surface tidying. |
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09 March 2024
 Matt Abrahams' talk focuses on improving communication skills in spontaneous situations, offering a blend of strategies, activities, and insights to manage anxiety and enhance speaking abilities. He starts by highlighting the challenge of catching attention and maintaining engagement, proposing that effective communication in impromptu settings is achievable through practice. |
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04 March 2024
 During a recent Youth Ministry Equipping School organized by the Canberra Diocese and the Australian Catholic University, Archbishop Christopher Prowse imparted a profound message to attendees, urging them to embrace the present with God's grace and to view Christianity not as a mere accumulation of resources or rituals, but as a living faith expressed through encounter, discipleship, and mission. He highlighted the need for the Catholic community to actively engage with those on the margins, following Mary's example of reaching out and listening. Emphasizing the importance of genuine spiritual conversations and acknowledging our humanity, Archbishop Prowse stressed that true discipleship involves reflecting on our experiences and being present to one another. He warned against the complacency of being 'armchair critics' and encouraged a mission that extends the Church's reach, questioning the depth of engagement behind titles like 'Social Justice Captain.' By intertwining encounter, discipleship, and mission, he envisioned a more profound service and connection within the community, guided by the spirit and mercy of God. |
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24 February 2024
 This delves into the evolving nature of church leadership and the resistance to change within the Church. Beginning with Jesus' selection of Peter, it highlights the transformative journey of the Church as a living community of faith. Through quotes from influential figures like John C. Maxwell and Pope Francis, it emphasizes the importance of inclusive leadership and embracing change. The narrative explores the crisis of relevance faced by the Church and the necessity of adaptive leadership in navigating it. It calls for a shift towards a more collaborative and participatory model of governance, echoing the sentiment that leadership and learning are intertwined. Ultimately, it advocates for embracing change while upholding timeless values, presenting a roadmap for renewing the vitality of the Church amidst a changing world. |
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22 February 2024
 The song shares thematic parallels with Jesus' transfiguration, particularly in its messages of hope, faith, and anticipation of divine revelation. Just as the song speaks of a brighter sunrise waiting beyond the darkest night, the transfiguration event in the Gospels portrays Jesus' appearance becoming radiant with heavenly glory, signifying a profound manifestation of God's presence. This imagery suggests that even in the midst of darkness and uncertainty, there is the promise of divine illumination and transformation, echoing the spiritual awakening experienced by Jesus and His disciples on the mountain. |
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15 February 2024
 Marists seek simplicity in life. Marists search tochoose the essentials in our own life. Today, welive in an information rich world which can oftenblock out God’s word and will. A more simplelife style enables a freedom to let go of the thingswhich prevent us from striving for and findingwhat is most important. |
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15 February 2024
 A short story of the life of Marist Founder Jeanne Marie Chavoin. |
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11 February 2024
 In a world where the fabric of traditional Christianity is continually being reshaped by a secular society, the 'Association of Marist Laity: Synodal Steps' article offers a poignant reflection on the future of the Marist Communion. This thoughtful piece delves into the Marist identity within the Church, highlighting the significance of such an identity not merely as an inherited tradition but as a deliberate and active choice to live out Christ's mission with a Marist essence. The article acknowledges the challenges that accompany maintaining a religious identity in a world that increasingly values diversity and individual spirituality over traditional communal experiences. It contemplates a move from a passive reception of Christianity to an engaged, choice-driven faith, where being Marist means embracing a spirituality characterized by discretion, simplicity, and service—a way of being that permeates all aspects of life and work.The article calls on readers to consider the prophetic role of the Marist tradition in today's Church, advocating for a Church that is unified in its diversity and open to the different expressions of one spirit for the spiritual enrichment of all. It emphasizes communion over hierarchy, prophetic contribution over passive tradition, and spiritual renewal over secular challenge. The vision presented is not merely an institutional affiliation but a dynamic, living tradition that engages with the contemporary world's thirst for meaning and spirituality. The future for the Marist communion, as suggested, lies in its ability to be authentically Church—fully embodying the body of Christ in a way that remains relevant and transformative both within the ecclesial community and the broader secular society. |
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10 February 2024
 'Who You Say I Am' is an affirmation of the identity, worth, and status that, according to Christian faith, are given by God to those who believe in Jesus Christ. It's a declaration that a person's true identity is not defined by their past, their mistakes, or their circumstances, but by what God says about them in the Bible. This song is often used in worship services to encourage believers to embrace and celebrate their identity as children of God, liberated and loved by Him. |
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27 January 2024
 The Marian Lecture titled 'A Tender Revolution' focuses on the virtue of tenderness in the context of Christian faith and family life. It emphasizes tenderness as a revolutionary virtue, deeply rooted in love and necessary for genuine human interaction and community building. The lecture draws upon biblical stories, including the Prodigal Son and the Holy Family, to illustrate the power of tenderness in fostering forgiveness, understanding, and empathy. It also discusses the challenges of expressing tenderness in a modern, often impersonal world, and how this virtue is crucial in personal growth, relationships, and spiritual development. The lecture calls for a reevaluation of tenderness as a strength rather than a weakness, highlighting its transformative potential in both personal and communal contexts. |
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21 January 2024
 Archbishop Rowan William's presentation delved into the teachings of the Desert Fathers, focusing on themes of life, death, and relationships with neighbors. He emphasized the interconnectedness of human lives and the spiritual importance of our interactions with others. Archbishop Rowan William's highlighted the Desert Fathers' teachings on humility, solidarity, and the dangers of judgment and superiority, suggesting that true spiritual growth stems from understanding and embracing our shared human experience. He advocated for reimagining Christian community life not as a competitive endeavor, but as a collective journey towards reconciliation and wholeness. Main's presentation called for a deeper integration of these ancient teachings into contemporary Christian practice, emphasizing self-reflection, humility, and the cultivation of genuine relationships as pathways to spiritual development and a deeper connection with God. |
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20 January 2024
 In 2024, the 'Call to Be' group at Aquinas Academy in Sydney is pleased to present two insightful lecture series. The first, titled 'Blind to Being Blind: St John’s Gospel and the Revelation of Self-Deception,' delivered by Dr. Robert Tilley, explores the theme of self-deception as presented in the Gospel of John, highlighting the dangers of hypocrisy and the subtleties of being blind to one’s own blindness. This series, scheduled for February 7, 14, and 21, delves into how self-deception manifests in personal, political, and spiritual realms. The second series, 'Develop your own Spirituality III,' led by Fr Michael Whelan and Sr Marie Biddle, questions the adage 'Forgive and forget' and examines the interplay of the past and future in shaping human life, the role of imagination in thought processes, the importance of integrating feelings for a fulfilling life, and the significance of images, symbols, and rituals. This series runs on Thursdays, February 29, March 7, 14, and 21. Both series are held at the Crypt of St Patrick's Church, The Rocks, with registration available online. |
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24 December 2023
 Br. Michael Green's presentation on the 'Christocentric and mystical foundations of Marist spirituality' emphasizes the essential focus on Jesus Christ in Marist spirituality. He reflects on how Marist spirituality, particularly as it developed from the early brothers, is relational, affective, and mystical. Green notes that throughout history, Marist spirituality has faced challenges, including risks of asceticism and 'stylism,' which could detract from its Christ-centered essence. |
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17 December 2023
 In an interview, actor Jonathan Roumie discusses the transformative impact of his work on the 'Hallow' app and the series 'The Chosen' on people's understanding of Jesus's life. He highlights the Pre-25 Advent Prayer Challenge on the 'Hallow' app as a means to deepen one's relationship with Christ, especially in today's turbulent world. Roumie emphasizes that the app offers numerous ways to engage with faith, from scripture readings to music, catering to all denominations of Christianity. |
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14 December 2023
 The video 'Mary from 'Who Cares About The Saints?' with Fr. James Martin, S.J.' discusses the significance of Mary in Catholic culture and personal devotion, particularly through the practice of praying the rosary. Fr. Martin shares personal anecdotes and reflects on Mary's roles as depicted in the Gospels: the Mother of God, the first disciple, and the one who points to Jesus. He delves into the story of the Annunciation, highlighting Mary's choice to accept God's will, and interprets this biblical event as a mirror to our relationship with God—showing God's approach to us, our fears, questioning, and ultimately, our acceptance. The video conveys Mary's enduring message of faithfulness and the transformative power of saying 'yes' to God's will. |
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12 December 2023
 The “Marist Millennium Pledge” is a Formation tool which can use to help structure our discernment and way of living as Marists. Across a total of 12 months a person is invited to discern about ten things where God is calling them to follow Mary and Jesus. These commitments will take time to emerge. Over several months, through our own prayer life and our encounters with spiritual friends or Marists these pledges will begin to appear. |
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07 December 2023
 at the Marriott Hotel in Quincy, Boston, USA, from April 15 to 18. Barbara Ashwell from Marist Laity Australia reports on the event, which saw significant participation from Australian and New Zealand delegates among the 200 attendees from various states, including Hawaii. On April 16, Father Craig Larkin set the conference's tone by outlining goals like growing in prayer, holiness, Gospel challenge, bonding as Marists, understanding Mary's spirituality, rebuilding the Church, and discovering the laity's role in today's Church. Keynote speaker Andrea Pichelmeir, a theologian from Germany, discussed the meaning of being 'Marist' and Father Colin's vision, emphasizing the importance of context in understanding spiritual texts. |
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05 December 2023
 The blog post reflects on the author's experience playing the role of Zechariah in a life-sized Nativity Play. Zechariah, an old man in the biblical narrative, initially does not believe the angel's message that his wife Elizabeth will bear a child, as she is beyond childbearing age. The post delves into Zechariah's skepticism, rooted in the science and logic of his time, and his subsequent suffering, symbolized by his inability to speak—a punishment for his disbelief, but also a spiritual journey towards trust.The author draws a parallel between Zechariah's story and our own lives, suggesting that everyone, at times, plays the role of Zechariah..... |
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03 December 2023
 Father Michael Whelan's presentation on spirituality from a Marist perspective, titled 'Do As He Tells You' The Way of Obedience, delves into the concept of obedience as a central aspect of spiritual life. He starts by emphasizing the human ground of religious behaviors and practices, aligning with the idea that the incarnation of God in human form confirms the significance of human experience in spirituality.
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09 November 2023
 On 28th November, Marist Laity Australia held its November Reflection day, leading us into the season of Advent. Fr Ray Chapman, a Marist priest who has given MLA such wonderful support over many years, was asked to facilitate this day. Fr Ray will be finishing his time as Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Church Hill at the end of this year. Our hopes were answered when he graciously agreed to give us this parting gift.
Ray chose as the theme, Mercy begins with ME, in step with the Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on 8th December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Some 50 people turned up, many of whom were wanting to tap into Ray’s wisdom before he leaves for France. |
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27 October 2023
 Listen to the audio of Pope Francis' message of Peace for January 2021 entitled 'A Culture of Care for the Path of Peace'. |
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01 September 2023
 Spiritual direction remains relevant at all stages of spiritual development because it serves as a mirror that reflects an individual's compulsions, delusions, and shadow aspects. It helps individuals confront their illusions and move beyond ego-driven spirituality. Without this reflective guidance, the ego can remain firmly in control, even within religious contexts. The process of spiritual direction involves shadow work and questioning, facilitating personal growth and deeper consciousness. The pathway to spiritual insight and growth often involves suffering and loss, as these experiences challenge individuals to relinquish their need for control and draw them closer to a transcendent reality or understanding of the divine. Suffering serves as a crucible through which individuals can transform and deepen their spiritual journey. |
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18 August 2023
 The transcript by James Finley from the podcast episode discusses his book 'The Healing Path: A Memoir and an Invitation.' In this excerpt, Finley reflects on various themes from the book and his personal experiences. He mentions how he resonated with Thomas Merton's desire for solitude and shares his own connection with Merton's teachings. Finley talks about the transformative power of spiritual writers whose words resonate deeply within, and how such writers can guide us on the spiritual journey. |
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09 August 2023
 In Father Colin’s thought,of the phrase “Ignoti et occulti” brought out the necessity of a careful studyof what Father Founder meant when he pointed to Our Lady herself as amodel for our hidden apostolate. For there are undoubtedly numerous waysof interpreting this idea of an imitation of the hidden life of Mary and,while each of these has an equal right to exist in the Church, it is essentialfor us that we should grasp clearly what our Founder meant when he recommended that we be unknown and hidden in the world after the exampleof Our Lady. |
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23 July 2023
 In Sydney on July 23rd 2023 over 100 people are partaking in the celebrations of Fourviere. They will begin at Bradfield park North Sydney for the acknowledgment of country. will then walk across the harbour bridge like those first Marists who climbed the 800 steps at Fourviere. There will be a presentation at St Patrick's Church Hill, the first Marist church in Australia and the sharing of a meal. The pilgrims will then join a special Fourviere bus to Hunters Hill where there will be a Fourviere Liturgy and Final celebration.But for those who cannot join these celebrations, please join us as we celebrate online and invite you to join the Marist Millennium Pledge. |
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19 July 2023
 In Richard Rohr's presentation on 'Everything is a Gift,' he advocates transcending the logical mind to access a deeper contemplative self. Through prayer practice and mindfulness, one can realize that everything is a gift, fostering a sense of gratitude and humility. He highlights the significance of recognizing the mystery of the divine and avoiding presumptions of understanding God's nature. |
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17 July 2023
 In this presentation, Bishop John Shelby Spong addresses a unique and courageous church gathering, emphasizing the tension between embracing the Christian faith seriously while being citizens of the 21st century. He points out that some people, referred to as fundamentalists, hide from contemporary challenges by retreating into a religious bubble of outdated beliefs. These entrenched mentalities often lead to prejudice and discrimination justified by selectively quoting the Bible. Spong urges for a more open, inclusive, and rational interpretation of the Scriptures that resonates with the realities of the modern world. |
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18 June 2023
 We are entitled to infer from those words that, for Luke, Mary has, evenmore generally, a role that is central and mediating in the new-bornChurch, a body that he knew was made up of several blocs that weredifferent and liable to disagree, even violently. That is, of course, thebasic meaning of the Greek word ekklesia that we translate as ‘Church’: itis an ‘assembly’, which brings together distinct groups or parties. Byexercising this role of mediation or even reconciliation, Mary ‘supports’the newborn Church. This is the scripturally based paradigm of the ‘workof Mary’, in which Marists are called to take part - our Mission. |
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17 June 2023
 ‘On July 23, 1816, at the shrine of Our Lady of Fourvière, Lyons, twelvepriests and seminarians pledged themselves to found a congregationbearing the name of Mary. Those who worked for the next twenty yearsto carry out this promise were convinced that they were responding to awish of the Mother of Mercy, which found expression for them in thefollowing words: “I supported the Church at its birth; I shall do so againat the end of time'' |
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14 June 2023
 The book of Job: faith and justice in a world of incomprehensible nihilism. |
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11 June 2023
 The video emphasizes the importance of simplicity and service in our lives. It highlights how chasing material possessions and addictive behaviors only leave us empty inside. Instead, we are encouraged to serve others, to take care of those in need, and to be the hands that feed and support our brothers and sisters. The Eucharist is presented as a reminder of this call to closeness and solidarity, to remain close to those who are alone or struggling. By celebrating the memorial of the Eucharist, we heal our memories and place it as a priority in both the Church and our personal lives. Additionally, the passage encourages us to engage in adoration and continue the work of doing good and bringing healing to those who are in great need, which is especially important in challenging times. |
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06 June 2023
 The General House Communication Office has launched a video to convey the message of Saint Marcellin in Marist centres worldwide.This 10 minute video, prepared in collaboration with the Tabor Producciones company |
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04 June 2023
 This article discusses the future of the Marist Communion from various perspectives: ecclesial, Marist, and Gospel. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the implications of the step taken by lay Marists and examines the role of the Marist direction in the Church and the world today. The article explores the relationship between being Marist and being a member of the Church, highlighting the love and criticism for the Church as well as the unique character of the Marist approach. It also touches upon the significance of the laity within the Marist Association and the broader Marist Family. The author reflects on the challenges and tensions faced by religious congregations, such as the Society of Mary, in relation to the Church, and the need for a renewed spiritual anchorage. Furthermore, the article delves into the diversity and unity within the Marist Communion, addressing the distinction between religious and lay members and the evolving dynamics between them. Ultimately, it suggests that the focus should shift from the debate about the role of the laity to the urgent task of what Christians have to offer to the world. The article concludes by proposing the concept of 'Marist communion' as groups of Christians dedicated to living their mission in the world in a distinctive manner. |
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21 May 2023
 In his message titled 'Go Make Disciples,' Father Jim McKeon reflects on Jesus' final words and the Great Commission before His ascension. He acknowledges that the Australian Catholic Church has struggled with making disciples, relying on large Catholic families in the past. However, with declining birth rates and increased migration, the Church has seen a shift. Father Jim emphasizes the need to understand what it means to be a disciple, defined as a disciplined follower of Jesus who rearranges their schedule to prioritize Him. He questions whether Catholics are truly rearranging their lives to put God first or simply fitting Him in where convenient. Father Jim highlights the importance of making Jesus a priority above all else and the challenges of doing so in a busy world. He encourages the Church to fulfill the mission of making disciples by understanding the thresholds individuals go through in their journey to discipleship and committing themselves to Jesus. As the Feast of Ascension approaches, Father Jim reminds us that Jesus demands our allegiance and emphasizes the significance of being disciples ourselves before making disciples. |
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16 May 2023
 You are invited to join Medi as she takes up what it means to be a Christian in the 21st Century through being revolutionaries of love and tenderness in living our daily lives. |
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14 May 2023
 As a youth group, school, or community. Watch the film 'The Case for christ'. Reflect, discuss and pray together about the themes raised by the film. |
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07 May 2023
 This will take about 20 minutes. First, Listen to the Luke's Gospel Chapter 6. Second, Select ONE Journal Question. Third, Reflect on your question and journal and write on paper, in your exercise book, or journal book. |
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25 April 2023
 This will take about 20 minutes. First, Listen to the Luke's Gospel Chapter 4. Second, Select ONE Journal Question. Third, Reflect on your question and journal and write on paper, in your exercise book, or journal book. |
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23 April 2023
 This will take about 20 minutes. First, Listen to the Luke's Gospel Chapter 4. Second, Select ONE Journal Question. Third, Reflect on your question and journal and write on paper, in your exercise book, or journal book. |
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22 April 2023
 This will take about 20 minutes. First, Listen to the Luke's Gospel Chapter 3. Second, Select ONE Journal Question. Third, Reflect on your question and journal and write on paper, in your exercise book, or journal book. |
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18 April 2023
 This will take about 20 minutes. First, Listen to the Luke's Gospel Chapter 2. Second, Select ONE Journal Question. Third, Reflect on your question and journal and write on paper, in your exercise book, or journal book. |
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17 April 2023
 This will take about 20 minutes. First, Listen to the Luke's Gospel Chapter 1. Second, Select ONE Journal Question. Third,Reflect on your question and journal and write on paper, in your exercise book, or journal book. |
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25 March 2023
 Prayer this prayer with your family, community, school or friends. Download the prayer. PRINT the prayer for each person. Spend 15 minutes praying through mindfulness. In Drawing, Colouring, Writing, Sharing, Discussion, and Song. Tell your family. Set a time. Pray mindfully. |
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24 March 2023
 Prayer this prayer with your family, community, school or friends. Download the prayer. PRINT the prayer for each person. Spend 15 minutes praying through mindfulness. In Drawing, Colouring, Writing, Sharing, Discussion, and Song. Tell your family. Set a time. Pray mindfully. |
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18 March 2023
 Marist Laity Australia is one contemporary expression of the lay branch of the Marist Family tree. This family is composed of Religious Sisters, Missionary Sisters, Brothers and priests as well as lay men, women and children. All Marists share the one spirit of Mary and all share in the task of doing her work. |
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18 March 2023
 Father Jean-Claude Colin, the first Superior General of the Society of Mary, once described his way of thinking and acting. He said, ” I place myself in the home of Nazareth and from there I see all that I have to do.” |
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12 March 2023
 The following is the text of the Holy Father Francis’s Message for Lent 2023, on the theme: “Lenten Penance and the Synodal Journey |
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11 March 2023
 Chaos and order are two things are very much connected. They flow through life in lots of ways. In a connected fashion. When people try and track the chaos in their life. Mostly everyday has moments of chaos. It is possible, all the time. The most disturbing chaos, are the ones that disturb the centres. The points where things are normally stable. That is where the chaos can really get a person. |
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07 March 2023
 A Marist Perspective from Father Paul Cooney sm |
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07 March 2023
 With the beginning of Lent right around the corner, Bishop Barron talks about this ancient period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter, and offer several recommendations on how to have a more spiritually powerful Lent. |
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26 February 2023
 Recently at the Youth Ministry Equipping School in Canberra I was asked the question “whether discipleship was more important than Baptism?” The presenter said, “discipleship is more important than baptism”. I silently and respectfully disagreed. I thought to myself “at baptism we are marked by the grace of Christ”. |
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12 February 2023
 Is it possible that the Holy Spirit is working underground in places today where we may not have even considered? Come and listen to renowned spiritual guide and former Abbot of the famous Glentsal Abbey in Ireland, Mark Patrick Hederman OSB, as he unearths underground cathedrals and explores where the Holy Spirit is at work in the world and lives of ordinary people today. |
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12 February 2023
 Our hearts were enflamed when we considered our good fortune in being the first children of Mary, and when we considered the great needs of the people. |
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11 February 2023
 In todays text Jesus speaks as a prophet. He says to his disciples 'unless your righteousness goes deeper than the seeds of the scribes and the pharisees you will not enter the Kingdom. There are two major themes in the prophetic tradition. It reminds the people of the covenant of God's promises, God's intent, God's love and God's care. It reminds us of the human capacity of human beings to deceive ourselves. To be forgetful and to miss the point. Part of this can be how we use religion and devotion. The prophets were well aware of the people's potential, but especially, the leaders of the people. To use religious ritual, devotion and law to mask a life which is actually at odds with the covenant. |
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09 February 2023
 Script by Marist Father Edwin Keel sm. Our text is from the Book of Revelations. This is a book of visions, dreams and nightmares! In our text we hear of a woman who gives birth to a son 'destined to shepherd the nations'. The child and woman are attacked, but God saves them both. |
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07 February 2023
 This meditation brings together two texts which the early Marists saw as closely related Mary’s presence among the apostles and disciples at Pentecost, and the description of the early Church. The texts simply tells us that Mary 'was there'. |
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05 February 2023
 Jesus is speaking to the disciples and to us. Saying 'you are the salt of the Earth. You are the light of the world'. This is not a commandment to do something. It is a reminder that we are something already. It is a call to be who and what we are. Light to the world. Salt to the earth. If you are what you are made to be, this is what will happen. This is where you will go. This is what you will do. This is a call to be. |
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05 February 2023
 Show me Your ways. That I may walk with You. Show me Your ways. I put my hope in You. |
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28 January 2023
 To meditate on this passage, it is important to be aware that, in the mind of St. John, the crucifixion of Jesus is not a defeat, but Jesus' supreme victory. His determination to carry out the Father’s will has triumphed over every evil force that tried to stop him. |
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26 January 2023
 By Marist Father Justin Taylor sm. On July 23, 1816, at the shrine of Our Lady of Fourvière, Lyons, twelve priests and seminarians pledged themselves to found a congregation bearing the name of Mary. Those who worked for the next twenty years to carry out this promise were convinced that they were responding to a wish of the Mother of Mercy, which found expression for them in the following words: “I supported the Church at its birth; 1 shall do so again at the end of time'' (Constitutions of the Society of Mary, n. 2). |
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26 January 2023
 Script by Marist Father Edwin Keel sm. Setting: But Jesus is also experiencing great opposition from his enemies. Jesus knows that God’s will is that people come to life that they be freed from the oppression of evil of every kind, that they walk upright with dignity as sons and daughters of their heavenly Father. The enemies of Jesus do not understand what God |
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25 January 2023
 Script by Marist Father Edwin Keel sm. The scene is a wedding feast (which, in those days, lasted sevendays!) in a small country village, undoubtedly involving all thepeople of the village as well as many guests. This incident occurs at the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, before the beginning of the Church. Nevertheless, it tells us something about Mary's presence in the Church, and about the effect her presence has. As she will be present at the birth of the Church (at Calvary and at Pentecost) Mary is present here at the 'birth' of Jesus’ mission as Messiah. |
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23 January 2023
 I believe it is helpful, when we are seeking to understand and live out the Christ Life, to look for the human ground of those behaviours and practices that we would want to claim as “religious.” More specifically, what is the human ground of those ideals and practices we want to bear witness to as disciples of the Risen Lord? Searching for the human ground is no more nor less than a central implication of the Incarnation: God has chosen to enter our world in the flesh, in a given moment of history, in a particular cultural and social context. In acting in this way, God has confirmed the flesh and history and culture and society as the chosen place of our redemption. |
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17 January 2023
 How to deal with uncertain liminal space? |
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16 January 2023
 In both the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New Testament, the words used which we translate as obey, obedience and obedient, all have a close relationship with the various words we translate as hear and listen. One scholar summarizes the use of those Greek words in the New Testament: |
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31 December 2022
 Walter Kasper rightly observed that the new recognition of thelaity’s mission in the Church is not because of the shortage ofpriests and religious, nor because of the progress of democracy,illustrated for example by parish councils. These are important butexternal factors. Nor do they operate equally throughout theChristian world. The major shift in mentality towards laity isbecause of a clearer and deeper understanding of the nature ofthe Church and its mission. Struggling to find an answer to thequestion ’What should be the basic orientation of the Marist LayMovement today,’ that is of a movement which is both Marist andlay, it seemed sensible to look in the same place where the Churchitself made its discoveries. |
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30 December 2022
 This Word of Life concludes a talk whereSt. Paul tries to explain to the Christiansin Corinth, the force behind his apostolicactivity: his immense love for Jesus. Atthe same time he wants to address a strongcall to certain members of the community whoshowed that they had not fully graspedJesus’ message. They had not understoodthat Jesus came to bring about a totalchange in their lives. |
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19 December 2022
 Mary has got a place in every life. Probably got a place in all our lives to some extent. We are talking about her having a fully place. What we are talking about is her spirituality in the age we inhabit. The Marist vision and Marist spirituality is not something infused it has got to be communicated. How is it going to be communicated? |
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18 December 2022
 It is very nice to be in Gladstone. I am aware what a missionary centre it is. Marists are a missionary congregation and it is good to reminded of this. I have spoken so far in Australia to groups of lay people. This is the first time I have spoken to all the branches of the Marist family. I was also glad to the Sisters of Mercy who taught me as a small boy in Dunedin. The Mercy Sisters draw attention to something which is very central to the Marist charism. Mary is the mother of mercy. The first Marists set out for mission father Colin gave a sermon say “we come among you however unworthy as instruments of Divine mercy”. Marists believe that our founders are gifts not only to us, but to the whole church. They are there for all of us. |
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14 December 2022
 9 Key Marist Documents exploring the themes “when will the time come”, “the confraternity of both sexes living in the world”, “like a bridge”, “shine out into the church”, “a new church” etc. |
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14 December 2022
 For many years people would quote 'to live is to change and to change often is to be perfect'. Many people would say Newman was a liberal. But this is far from the truth. In his first cardinals speech he argued against the claim that there is no objective truth in matters of religion. He is not advocating change for the sake of change. Newman knew that precisely because of ideas unfold they can unfold positively or negatively. But growth can be an authentic development of an implicit truth..... |
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13 December 2022
 Marist to me means a big community. It has a lot to do with being together. Relationships are very important. I base a lot of my life and my experiences even with Christ on relationships. Relationships to me are places where I feel I belong where I can connect with others who really care for me and where I care for them. I love to be able to connect with other people and to share many experiences with them. To learn from others. It is important that I am continuing to grow as Marist and as a person in community. I can learn a lot from those people who are around me. |
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01 December 2022
 I was standing once in a big building when suddenly a sparrow flew in at one high window and almost immediately flew out again at another across the hall. It happened so quickly it might not have happened at all. And there was no sign the sparrow had passed. Someone who had noticed this common occurrence wrote that it was a symbol of the brevity and inconsequence of human life. We can accept the brevity, but not the inconsequence. We know lives matter. Certainly, whatever one's attitude to the meaning of human existence, everyone wants to live a life that counts. Everyone wants to live a truly significant life. |
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30 November 2022
 A student once approached a Teacher. 'Teacher.' she said, 'teach me the way to wisdom.' |
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26 November 2022
 This Word of Life contains the fundamental law of all Christian life. Through baptism, the world and sin no longer have a hold on us. We are now living a new life in which Christ dwells in us and we live for him. |
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10 November 2022
 We are moving into our third session. This session is called “Love is forgiveness”. I am going to show you a film clip. This film was made in 1986 called “The Mission”. The mission is about the Jesuits trying to do mission work in South American in the 1705 to 1709. One of their commitments was to make contact with the Guaraní people (or the indigenous peoples). |
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08 November 2022
 There are all these tensions going on. One of the tensions was between a “false I” and a “True I”. Another tensions was between a “false God” and a “true God”. Nietzsche may not have believed in God, but he had an image of God. Nietzsche says “the only God I knew was impossible a tyrant and a power”. Teresa of Avila comes back and says “the only God I know is the God that Jesus reveals”. |
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07 November 2022
 We will enter into conversations throughout the day. Through each conversation I have tried to capture a number of conversations of love. The first face and first conversation is that we want to look at is that of humble love. This relates to the Marist and Marian movement. We see Mary as a mother of humility. What does that mean? Can this conversation gives us insight into the meaning of humility? |
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05 November 2022
 Humility is a key virtue which Marist Founder John Claude Colin often writes about. For Marists we do not take on the Stoic and Greek ideal of humility, but seek a Christian humility who seeks to live in relationship with God and other people. |
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30 October 2022
 Do we accept the real presence of the Eucharist? The faith of the church from the beginning becomes the Body and Blood of the Lord. The Second Vatican Council tried to bring a balance. The Council recognised many ways Jesus is present. Jesus is present in the community “Where two or three are gathered in my name”. But this is not the Eucharistic presence. Jesus is present in the scriptures. God is the eternal Word. “In the beginning of the Word and the Word was with God”. Jesus of truly present in the scripture. Jesus is truly present in the pastoral presence. We cannot go it alone. Finally, Jesus is present in the sacraments. Saint Augustine said, “it does not matter if it is Judas who baptises or Peter who baptises”. Why? Because it is Christ who baptises. |
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16 October 2022
 Marists, and one feels that he is concerned that this perhaps has not taken place, or is not taking place in the lives of many Marists. Many Marists are in this 'second conversion'' time of life. In this article I am thinking of those who are either beginning, or already experiencing the second half of lite. to help us understand what is taking place within us, and what challenges lie before us; in the hope that, being freed from the fears that lack of awareness brings, we will be able to embark |
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26 September 2022
 As for me the only thing I can boast aboutis the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world (Galations 6:14) For Paul there is no greater suffering than to see. some of his recent converts repudiate and denigrate the cross of Christ in everyday life. |
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16 September 2022
 We believe Colin and his companions were chosen by Mary to have a special relationship with her and to allow her to continue her work through them. 'We are the bearers of a particular grace in the Church and for the Church. We do not hide it under a bushel, we wish to share it. |
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15 September 2022
 You received around Easter the new Decreta Capitularia of the Society of Mary, No. 112 speaks of the responsibility of the Superior General and his Council and of the Provincial Superiors and their Councils to foster the development of the Third Order and lay Marist groups. The nature of the responsibility is specified when the decree goes on to speak of your duty to 'initiate reflection and research with the laity themselves on how to integrate lay Marists into the global mission of the Church in the way envisaged by Father Colin.' |
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07 September 2022
 One of the remarkable things that are taking place in Christian awareness today is the way in which we are being forced to look beyond familiar categories and to own again the elemental realities of Christian faith and life. One of the things that we are rediscovering is the importance of celebration, as an essential element of our human and Christian existence. When we celebrate an event or an occasion, we enter together into the deeper reality of our life: to know its wonder, its joy, its inspiration, and its challenges: Because it is a meeting with the deeper realities of life, a celebration always has an undercurrent of profound seriousness, even a margin of pathos. I am profoundly conscious of this as I try to find words appropriate to this Marist celebration. |
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06 September 2022
 We are very much in a time of balance - in between crisis and challenge. To say that we are living in a changing world hardly sounds a new topic for reflection or consideration. Cardinal Newman said: 'to live is to change, and to become perfect is to have changed often.' |
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14 August 2022
 The early Christian community was a faith community, sharing a common belief in a resurrected Jesus, a loving Father and an empowering Spirit. So strong was this belief and the power it had to draw its members together in true communion that it be came a counter-cultural and prophetic force, able to attract new members from every class of people and race, holding them together in a life of mutual love and service.
Every religious community modelled on the early Church community is called to be a faith community with these and other similar characteristics. |
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12 August 2022
 By Marist Father John Thornhill sm. In his letter to mark the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 (8 Dec. 1999), Joaquin Fernandez suggested that, if the Society of Mary is to meet the challenges which lie ahead, we must be prepared 'to deconstruct all those certainties (and they are many) - material, intellectual .and spiritual which we have built up with great effort over a long period of time'. These 'certainties', he continued, 'prevent us from discerning the newness of God, to be free to proclaim a message of true hope and to place ourselves, in coherent fashion, in the midst of the world'. |
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15 July 2022
 VENERABLE Father Colin was a man of strength. And this virtue of fortitude sprang from the certainty that God, using his nothingness to perform a work, filled that nothingness with His own divine strength: ' I can do all things in Him who strengthened me.'' |
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12 July 2022
 Welcome to the retreat in daily life. It is a very simple and natural process, which invites you to live your normal life, but in addition to put aside half an hour or so for prayer each day at a time and in a place you find helpful. In addition, you are encouraged to talk about what happens in your prayer with a guide or mentor twice a week. At the end, you will have the opportunity to reflect together on the process and what it has meant for you. |
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08 July 2022
 His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Kim. In order to help us understand our mission of evangelizing the poor, I wish to reflect with all of you about the kind of evangelization that Jesus did. I thought of calling this talk: 'Jesus' Evangelization of the Poor', since, in His heart, the poor were the prime target of His Good News. But the thought occurred to me that Jesus' evangelization was not limited to the poor. Rather, his bias for the poor, His evangelization of the poor, His identification with the poor was itself His message of evangelization to the rich as well, showing them in a most graphic way the path of their salvation. |
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03 July 2022
 Our True self is who we really are. Who we are before God. In contrast our false self is who we think we are. It is our mental self-image and social agreement, which most people spend their lives living up to |
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03 July 2022
 No one wants to be cynical. No one wants to have an old heart. What you want is that you have stumbled into a mysterious work of art. Also known as your life. What you want is that you have been participating in an unprecedented phenomena this entire time and you just now are becoming aware of it. What you want is joy. |
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03 July 2022
 ALL real charity, all apostolic work, is and cannot be other than the blossom and the fruit of renunciation and the interior life. That is why, when founding a Society given to active apostolate, Venerable Father Colin taught his sons first and foremost detachment from everything, together with the necessity of a life of prayer: |
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26 June 2022
 Union with God will be made quite easy, if we allow ourselves to be deeply penetrated with the truth, the essential truth, that God really lives in a pure soul. It was the holy Founder's wish that his children be conscious, at every moment of the day, of this life of God within them, that their every thought, word and deed spring from this consciousness, that God be the centre of their lives, their all. |
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25 June 2022
 Simplicity must be properly understood. Our Lord said to His apostles: 'Be as wise as serpents, and as simple as doves.' Those words are addressed very specially to us. We must be simple, but our simplicity must be that of the Blessed Virgin. We must have but one heart and no other object in view save the glory of God. True simplicity shuns all ostentation, affectation, singularity, all want of tact and of dignity. It is above all triviality, all vulgarity of posture, of words and of actions. Neither is it akin to dissimulation. . . . I wish you all that time simplicity of Mary which draws, wins and pleases God and man.' |
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24 June 2022
 VENERABLE Father Colin's soul was greatly attracted to the hidden life. And be found it nowhere in such perfection as in the little house of Nazareth, in the humble life of the Holy Family which he proposed to his children as a constant subject of meditation. It is, in truth, an infinitely rich theme. |
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22 June 2022
 Joan Chittister found her community as a teenager, seventy years ago, when she joined the Benedictine sisters in Pennsylvania. For decades she has devoted herself to renewing community in and beyond the Catholic church. Her fierce advocacy for women has put her at odds with some within the hierarchy, but as a spiritual writer she had brought the insights of her tradition to a wider world. |
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19 June 2022
 This leaflet is simply an outline guide for individuals and groups who are Marist according to the spirituality lived in the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers, Sisters Brothers, and Missionary Sisters). The name Marist is a family name belonging to a great variety of groups: the four religious congregations: Marist Brothers of the Schools, Marist Sisters, Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary, Society of Mary and many lay groups.The Society of Mary is only part of something much greater. The first Marists called it 'the work of Mary'. This expression has a rich meaning: that Mary wants all people to experience the mercy of God. She calls others to share her concern: 'I will give you my name and you will do my work'. The work of those who live her spirit is to bring the gospel of love and mercy to the world. So when, as individuals or groups, we call ourselves 'Marist' we express a desire to live in a certain way and participate in this work of Mary. |
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19 June 2022
 I would like to plead for a Marian church; not for a church which multiplies processions and blesses huge statues ... rather a church which 'lives the Gospel after the manner of Mary'. The Marian Church follows Mary into the mountains, going off with her to encounter life; she visits men and women, and, though things may seem to be sterile, she is on the watch for what is coming to birth, for possibilities, for the life which beats in things. |
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19 June 2022
 I first met the Marist Missionary Sisters in Jamaica, where I was working as a doctor doing medical research. After a wonderful journey of discovery of myself and the Marist Missionary Sisters, I began my postulancy in Jamaica. However, it was not until I returned to Australia that I had any formal class on the Marist spirit. I had not learnt much about obedience either, and so, when Sister. Gail told me to read 'The Marist Ideal', I told her that I was not prepared to read anything until I could call 'Our Lady' by her name 'Mary' as the other sisters did. My experience of Marist Missionary Sisters in both Jamaica and Australia was that they had a familiarity with Mary which I had never previously encountered and it was for me the essence of the Marist spirit. Even at that stage, I understood that the Marist spirit is not taught but caught. |
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| Poverty | Marist Father John Claude Colin |
18 June 2022
 Principles of the Spiritual Life. In the Constitutions of the Society of Mary, Venerable Father Colin returns three times to the spirit of poverty. His third reference to this subject is the very last Article of those Constitutions, as though, his work completed, his fatherly soul felt the need to insist once more, in a sort of spiritual testament, on a point intimately dear to him. |
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18 June 2022
 At the beginning of Jesus' ministry he goes to the well of Jacob in Samaria in the middle of the day by himself. Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman and in effect breaks the Jewish law. Jesus chooses her to be one of the first to proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus chooses the rejected as the voice for the Kingdom of God. |
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15 June 2022
 Principles of the Spiritual Life. 'Obedience consists in obeying man for God's sake. It enables brethren to live together harmoniously, and leads them to heaven by a safe path.' 'That is why all must endeavour to esteem it highly, and to practise it with such perfection that if they allow other religious to surpass them in knowledge, in mortification, in poverty, they will let none outdo them in obedience. They will thus show themselves to be the true children and servants of the Blessed Virgin who, though Queen of Angels and of men, always submitted humbly to all with whom she lived.'' |
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11 June 2022
 I have recently completed two years formation as a spiritual director with Spiritual Growth Ministries (New Zealand) and in that time my understanding and experience of spiritual direction expanded enormously. The formation experience did not change my spirituality, which is essentially Marist, but added depth and integration to it. In this paper I offer a taste of Marist spirituality, particularly as experienced by laity today and reflect on how that spirituality sustains and develops my direction ministry. |
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| Humility | Marist Father John Claude Colin |
10 June 2022
 Principles of the Spiritual Life. According to venerable Marist Father John Claude Colin . Those who knew Venerable Father Colin, those who have spoken of him, have all emphasized the out standing humility of his soul. His deep under- standing of the principle of true humility is aptly summed up in these words of his : 'You see, God is He who is. The creature is that which is not.' |
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06 June 2022
 VENERABLE Father Colin often re-emphasized the necessity of penance -and love of the Cross. But, scattered among other teachings, the texts dealing with that subject are difficult to isolate. Suffice it to say that the spirit of penance is a typically Marist virtue. For to continue the mission of Mary crucified with her Son one must be crucified with her. |
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05 June 2022
 At Nazareth, even before the birth of the Church, the fullness of the Kingdom of God existed in the life of a simple family of ordinary people. Two believers gathered around Christ, and their only thought was the will of the Father. |
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05 June 2022
 Principles of the Spiritual Life. According to venerable Marist Father John Claude Colin. Detachment. It is said of the Apostles, that when Jesus called them, ' they left all and followed him '. |
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05 June 2022
 How do we fall in love? Last week our parish began the Alpha Marriage program. It begins with a lovely old British couple with posh eloquent British accents. Nicky and Cecelia telling us how they met on a group holiday 40 years ago. Each of them liked the look of each other and felt attracted to one another over the space of the holiday. But each were too nervous to say anything to the other for fear of being rejected. It was only on the last day of the holiday that they found the courage to speak openly. |
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05 June 2022
 By contemplating both Nazareth and Pentecost through the person of Mary, Colin brings an enriching perspective whereby the two become telescoped in her life. |
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15 May 2022
 We need to foster culture in our society from the word 'telling' to the word 'conversation'. Are at least one of the parties is open to the possibility of 'conversion'. Father Michael Whelan speaking at the International Marist Laity Conference. |
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15 May 2022
 Christopher is a religious affairs journalist and Vatican expert who has lived in Rome as correspondent for The Tablet. Since 2013 he has travelled widely and been close to Pope Francis. He has distilled Francis’ message to the wider church and world in his recent book, The Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Catholic Church. |
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22 April 2022
 As a young adult who wants to live a life of meaning is not knowing what that looks like. There is lots of unknown. Just when we want the certainty the most. Lean into that uncertainty. It is good for your mental health and it is good for spirituality. |
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22 April 2022
 In the past laity found out about Marist Spirituality through various parishes. This was led by the Marist Fathers, Marist Brothers and Marist Sisters. There were groups all over Ireland, but they seldom met together and did not know each other. In 2000 we had a big gathering in Longford in central Ireland. We had a liturgy then followed by a party. We got to know each other and forged friendships. In 2007 there was a lay gathering of lay Marists in Tourin. This was the European gathering of lay Marists. We met Lay Marists from all over the world. We learnt how to organise ourselves. We exchanged ideas even though there were cultural differences. We worked through them. We adapted Mary's Magnificat as the official prayer of lay Marists. We returned to Ireland fired up with enthusiasm. We set about organising ourselves in structure, formation and communication. The most important part was to establish ourselves as an authenticate part of the Marist family.Independent and also interdependent with the other Marist branches. We elected 8 leaders we call the resource group. These go out and meet with other group. |
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09 April 2022
 I4give Resource and Web site. Parents Daniel & Leila Abdallah have created i4give Day as a remembrance of the four angels that were tragically lost on the 1st of February 2020. This is to also help others who have suffered in a similar way. As well as this, it is a National day of forgiveness where you could find someone you can forgive or ask for forgiveness. |
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27 March 2022
 I have recently completed two years formation as a spiritual director with Spiritual Growth Ministries (New Zealand) and in that time my understanding and experience of spiritual direction expanded enormously. The formation experience did not change my spirituality, which is essentially Marist, but added depth and integration to it. In this paper I offer a taste of Marist spirituality, particularly as experienced by laity today and reflect on how that spirituality sustains and develops my direction ministry. As a third generation Pakeha (European New Zealander) I have a deep respect for tikanga Maori (Maori culture) and te reo (language) as a precious taonga (treasure) for New Zealanders. When used I will translate Maori to English in brackets. |
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26 March 2022
 In this present period of the beginning of the Third Millennium we wish to turn in a special way to her (Mary) the one who in the night of the Advent expectation began to shine like a true Morning Star, for just as this star, together with the dawn precedes the rising of the sun, so Mary from the time of her Immaculate Conception preceded the coming of the Saviour Her presence in the midst of Israel a presence so discreet as to pass almost unnoticed by the eyes of her contemporaries shone very clearly before the Eternal One who had associated the hidden daughter of Zion with the plan of salvation embracing the whole history of humanity. |
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20 March 2022
 Marist Spirituality is about taking people where they are at. This is one of the strengths of the Marist Spiritual approach. It does not try to drag them kicking and screaming. It is about accepting in the first place. It is about building a relationship. It is about trying to understand a persons world view and respecting it. |
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19 March 2022
 An introduction to the book of Genesis and the Bible with Marist Father Yvan Mathieu. |
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13 March 2022
 Lent is a favourable time for personal and community renewal, as it leads us to the paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For our Lenten journey in 2022, we will do well to reflect on Saint Paul’s exhortation to the Galatians: “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity (kairós), let us do good to all” (Gal 6:9-10). |
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05 January 2022
 In 2013 5 lay people travelled from Australia to the Phillipines on immersion. They went to gain a sense of what it means to be in Marist community and ministry in the Philippines. |
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30 December 2021
 Discipleship and the importance of listening |
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28 December 2021
 It is well understood by good parents that life should only ever get so exciting for a baby: after friends have come around and brought presents and made animated faces, after there has been some cake and some cuddles, after there have been a lot of bright lights and perhaps some songs too, enough is enough. The baby will start to look stern and then burst into tears and the wise parent knows that nothing is particularly wrong (though the baby may by now be wailing): it is just time for a nap. The brain needs to process, digest and divide up the welter of experiences that have been ingested, and so the curtains are drawn, baby is laid down next to the soft toys and soon it is asleep and calm descends. Everyone knows that life is going to be a lot more manageable again in an hour. |
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26 December 2021
 Listen to the song 'Noel' by Lauren Daigle and Chris Tomlin . |
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06 December 2021
 This is a very complex question, but of great importance today, as the Church seeks renewal. |
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30 November 2021
 There are lots of ways that I maintain my relationship with God. It has grown out of years of questioning and engaging. I am not going to pretend it is something that I received over night. The call of being a follower of God is being a searcher. Someone who searches and it is a lifelong process. Prayer being a conversation with God. Sometimes that is worth words. Sometimes that is in a silence space. Sometimes that is allowing whatever is happening to come forth, and to evolve. There is an openness to that God will unfold things. I am in a loving relationship with God, and I do not need to work for God’s love. It is there. |
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14 November 2021
 The Marist Formation Team provides for the service of animation, formation and support of those leaders and staff involved in the various Marist Schools and Ministries across Australia. The team works with ministry leaders, educators and others, to provide a variety of formation opportunities tailored to meet the specific needs of their local context and community. |
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30 October 2021
 What is it like to think as Mary, Act as Mary and judge as Mary? This offers a spirituality which engages the whole person. How does John Claude Colin integrate Mary into his life and Spirituality. This brings some freshness to how we approach Marist Spirituality. |
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21 October 2021
 On 28th November, Marist Laity Australia held its November Reflection day, leading us into the season of Advent. Fr Ray Chapman, a Marist priest who has given MLA such wonderful support over many years, was asked to facilitate this day. Fr Ray will be finishing his time as Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Church Hill at the end of this year. Our hopes were answered when he graciously agreed to give us this parting gift.
Ray chose as the theme, Mercy begins with ME, in step with the Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on 8th December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Some 50 people turned up, many of whom were wanting to tap into Ray’s wisdom before he leaves for France. |
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13 October 2021
 On 28th November, Marist Laity Australia held its November Reflection day, leading us into the season of Advent. Fr Ray Chapman, a Marist priest who has given MLA such wonderful support over many years, was asked to facilitate this day. Fr Ray will be finishing his time as Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Church Hill at the end of this year. Our hopes were answered when he graciously agreed to give us this parting gift.
Ray chose as the theme, Mercy begins with ME, in step with the Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on 8th December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Some 50 people turned up, many of whom were wanting to tap into Ray’s wisdom before he leaves for France. |
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12 October 2021
 On 28th November, Marist Laity Australia held its November Reflection day, leading us into the season of Advent. Fr Ray Chapman, a Marist priest who has given MLA such wonderful support over many years, was asked to facilitate this day. Fr Ray will be finishing his time as Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Church Hill at the end of this year. Our hopes were answered when he graciously agreed to give us this parting gift.
Ray chose as the theme, Mercy begins with ME, in step with the Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on 8th December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Some 50 people turned up, many of whom were wanting to tap into Ray’s wisdom before he leaves for France. |
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26 September 2021
 Our Marist society is not characterised by any special works or by the promotion of a particular form of Marian devotion but by the desire to make the mystery of Mary in the church the daily inspirationof our life and action. |
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13 September 2021
 Marist Spirituality ZOOM conversation between 3 Marists about the questions 1- What name or image of Mary most resonates with you today?2- What Scriptural story of Mary speaks to you today?3 - Who in the world today models the qualities of Mary?Their answers are striking yet empowering. How do we model Mary in the world today causes us to think beyond what we see to a deeper reality. |
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12 September 2021
 Br Ian is currently the Community Leader of the Gonzaga Jesuit Community in Kirribilli and a member of the St Ignatius College School Board. He is the Jesuit Provincial’s Delegate for Ignatian Spirituality and Formation and the CEO of Jesuit and Ignatian Spirituality Australia. More recently, he has been working as a member of the Formation team for facilitators and members of the coming Plenary Council. |
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23 August 2021
 But when Margaret first raised this (topic), it was a time when there were Tsunamis and Christ Church. Then up in Queensland and then down in Victoria and the year before bushfires. One of the things that does happen for caring people is that they can feel overburdened or overwhelmed by what is going on in the world around them. That is part of the difficulty of chaos. |
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18 August 2021
 Share this prayer with your family or community. Create a space with a candle, cloth, bell and sacred image |
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13 August 2021
What Eucharist claims is amazing. That God is nurturing me through my life and that through that very nurturing I am becoming god. That is what it is claiming. And, that we are doing it together. Everyday when I step up and allow my life to be broken open, much like the bread is broken, I actually nurture others. That is the claim. |
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10 August 2021
We are actually designed in who we are created and who we are to become to prefer one of these spaces, chaos or order, over the other. What I want you to get to is where you do not fear the other space. Where you don’t fear chaos or you don’t fear order. Why is order preferably to lots of human beings? |
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04 August 2021
Mary in the midst of chaos for me makes Mary present now. What you have been saying about Mary being a real person, not claiming anything more or less, than being a full human being. Mary in the midst of chaos, to me indicates she is with us because this (here) is where the chaos is. If she is in the midst of chaos, it is all very well and good to think she is up there (away) up in heaven, floating around and everything is perfect. Mary in the midst of Chaos, she is here with us. |
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03 August 2021
Chaos is a very important part of living. You don’t want to ever feel that this is a strange thing for a human being. What is strange is how we think about it. |
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02 August 2021
 In 2015 13 lay people travelled to the Phillipines on immersion. They went to gain a sense of what it means to be in Marist community and ministry in the Philippines. |
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01 August 2021
On Saturday June 3rd 2011 33 people gathered for our reflection day on “Mary in the Midst of Chaos” at St Patrick’s Church Hill. Marist Brother Graham Neist ran the day. Graham started the day in conversation by inviting each person to talk with each other about our own lives and the presence of chaos in them. We quickly realized that chaos is a natural part of a daily rhythm as human beings. Where Mary appears in the Gospel’s we often find her living with Chaos. When Mary is pregnant, Jesus’ birth, or when Jesus was a teenager lost in the temple. However, Graham made a good point that people tend to run away or dislike Chaos. |
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30 July 2021
 4 Marists discuss questions regarding the foundation of the Marist dream at Fourviere and what would be the Marist founders vision for us today. |
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09 July 2021
 I think of Marist spirituality as kitchen table spirituality. That way of being and talking about life to me is Marist Spirituality. It is not that it rejects the theoretical. It is just that it assumes that living it practically and making it real is the real essence of the spirit. |
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27 June 2021
 These “Daily E-prayers” were created by the Marist Mission and Life Formation team for the Feast of St Marcellin Champagnat 2021, with a focus on our Marist Characteristics. Here, the prayer is based on 'Simplicity'. |
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24 June 2021
 We grow more spiritually by doing it wrong than by doing it right. In Falling Upward, Fr Richard Rohr offers a new understanding of one of life's most profound mysteries: how our failing can be the foundation for our ongoing spiritual growth. Drawing on the wisdom from time-honoured myths, heroic poems, great thinkers and sacred religious texts, the author explores the two halves of life to show that those who have fallen, failed, or 'gone down' are the only ones who understand 'up'. The heartbreaks, disappointments and loves of the first half of life are actually stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second half has in store for us. |
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13 June 2021
 It is surprising that the church and Christian therapists have been slow to respond to the growing secular interest in mindfulness meditation. Even though there have been some recent rediscovers of Christian meditations and contemplative prayer practise, this knowledge is only held and practised by a relatively small number of people. It is not practised in mainstream Church, Catholic or Protestant. |
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07 June 2021
 God is working in each person. The Spirit of God is present. Even if I disagree in that person, I need to be open to what they are saying. What is the Trinity trying to say? How can I catch on to what the Trinity is saying? |
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06 June 2021
 At the same time, Bishop Vincent Long announced that this approach will be known as Living Life to the Full, drawing on Jesus’ words in John 10:10: “I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full.” Reflecting the richness of our Catholic Tradition that enables fullness of life through the Gospel, Living Life to the Full is an invitation for everyone to experience human flourishing. |
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05 June 2021
 The amazing Champagnat Week 2021 resources provided to Marist Schools and Ministries by the Marist Association of Saint Marcellin Champagnat. A gift that keeps giving. We hope all 56 schools and ministries in Australia are enjoying them. |
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04 June 2021
 Transformational leaders are future oriented people who are able to see fundamental discrepancies between the way things are and the way they should be, They recognise the shortcomings of a present order and offer an imaginative vision to overcome them. |
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29 May 2021
 There is no greater gift than to honour your calling. This is why you were born. It is how you become most truly alive. |
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28 May 2021
 Studies have also found that writing in a journal can lead to better sleep, a stronger immune system, more self-confidence and a higher I.Q. |
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28 May 2021
 A 30 day project of seeing whether journalling works... |
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10 May 2021
 We begin to understand Colin's perspective on lay people only when we enter into the perspective of his vision. The man who had best understood him was Alphonse Cozon, who had known Colin had talked with him, and to whom Colin had entrusted the drawing up a new manual to replace Eymard's. |
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15 April 2021
 Mystical teachings are not the easiest teaching to convey. It is not the easiest thing to inspire people to go into themselves to discover the power of the soul. This should be the most enthusiastic journey you will ever take. Why isn’t that? |
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14 April 2021
 God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,so that everyone who believes in him might not perishbut might have eternal life. |
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06 April 2021
 From Canadian Archbishop of Regina. Over the years, I have had a recurring dream. Until a few days ago, I had not thought of this dream as being connected to Easter. Whenever I have had this dream, I have been deeply stirred by it. It comes in two forms.... |
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06 April 2021
 “Man’s search for meaning” by Victor Frankl. In World War II Victor Frankl is in the concentration camp he tries to have a little notebook in which he writes his scientific research. The book is the proof of his existence. At one point he loses the book. He releases all traces that he has ever been may forever be gone. He does develop the notion of Logotherapy. |
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04 April 2021
 By Matt Maher. Imagine going to a friend’s grave and they have just died. You show up to this tomb. Imagine all of a sudden, the grave is empty. Imagine all the emotion you must feel. The feelings. The anxiety. The confusion. Imagine to this person you knew was doing all these things and things were happening. People were being healed. Dead people were rising from the grave. |
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21 March 2021
 We live almost 2000 years later, in a very different culture, religion, and country than Mary and Joseph. Yet, Mary and Joseph’s life has something very deep to say to us about the loving way they had with God. But in the busyness of our world today, taking care of our own children, going to sport, housework, work, or even watching Netflix or Disney online we can lose a sense of the connections that Mary and Joseph modelled. |
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19 March 2021
 The General Administration of the Marist Brothers, through the Extended Secretariat of the Laity, has chosen this 19th March to launch the process of the International Forum on the Lay Marist Vocation, coinciding with the feast of Saint Joseph, patron saint of Marists and also a beautiful model for laypeople, from whom we can learn so much. |
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07 March 2021
 On Saturday. For Jewish people, Friday Sundown to Saturday sundown is the time of Sabbath. The Sabbath was a time to stop and reflect. It is not just simply because God commanded the Sabbath (Exodus 20:11), on the seventh day, to rest. But on the seventh day God rested. Thus, to rest is to follow God’s own example when God created the world. |
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02 March 2021
 By Brene Brown. We share our shame story with the wrong person, they can become one more piece of flying debris in an already dangerous storm. We want solid connection in a situation like this. Something akin to a sturdy tree. |
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02 March 2021
 Open our ears that we might hear your Word.Open our hearts that we might understand your Word.Open our mouths that we might speak your Word. |
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25 February 2021
 By Bishop Geoffrey Robinson. 12 Elements in Institutional Culture that Contribute to Abuse. 2010 |
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18 February 2021
 Saint John of the Cross. There are three reasons why this journey of the soul towards union with God may be called night. |
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18 February 2021
 Faith is a choice Not a feeling. It means choosing to trust God Even when life Doesn’t seem to make sense. |
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16 February 2021
 Listen to the audio of Pope Francis Lenten Message for 2021. |
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14 February 2021
 Explore the meaning of the eucharist through a series of interactive activities. Is the Eucharist boring or is there something we are missing? Ponder the meaning.....both personally, at home, in youth group or at school. |
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| Challenges | Father Ray Chapman, Sister Gail Reneker, Brother Tony Butler and Sister Marilyn Farley |
12 February 2021
 Foundations in Marist Spirituality. An audio course in the 'Foundations in Marist Spirituality'. Listen to the audio of Marists by clicking play to discuss the origins of the founders. Also available is a worksheet for this online course to be used in your family or community. |
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| Pivotal Moments | Father Ray Chapman, Sister Gail Reneker, Brother Tony Butler and Sister Marilyn Farley |
10 February 2021
 Foundations in Marist Spirituality. An audio course in the 'Foundations in Marist Spirituality'. Listen to the audio of Marists by clicking play to discuss the origins of the founders. Also available is a worksheet for this online course to be used in your family or community. |
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| An invitation | Father Ray Chapman, Sister Gail Reneker and Brother Tony Butler |
07 February 2021
 Foundations in Marist Spirituality. An audio course in the 'Foundations in Marist Spirituality'. Listen to the audio of Marists by clicking play to discuss the origins of the founders. Also available is a worksheet for this online course to be used in your family or community. |
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06 February 2021
 An audio course in the 'Foundations in Marist Spirituality'. Listen to the audio of Marists by clicking play to discuss the origins of the founders. Also available is a worksheet for this online course to be used in your family or community. |
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03 February 2021
 A message from a mother who lost 3 of her children in a tragic accident on February 1 2020. |
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31 January 2021
 This is a summary from one of the books in the Marist Laity Australia library in the Colin Library. It's about the Marist Spirit. |
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30 January 2021
 Reflective listening is the ability to bounce back at them what they are saying. This is a skill that does not come naturally to us. When involved in a conversation we tend to talk about ourselves, or give advice, we try to make them feel better or agree or disagree or tell stories. |
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27 January 2021
 The second piece of wisdom that I have found sustaining comes from father Frank Wallace who in 1991 published a book on prayer entitled Encounter, Not Performance . |
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21 January 2021
 The Vocation of a Marist involves a response to four calls The Call of Christ, The Call of the Church, The Call of the Founder and The Call of modern humanity. |
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17 January 2021
 A reflection on the life we choose. Here's the premise: We are all, right now, living the life we choose. This choice, of course, is not a single, monumental choice. No one decides, for example, ''I'm going marry a dreadful personAnd will live together in a loveless marriage, staying together only for the kids; who I don’t much like, either.' |
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15 January 2021
 Join Marist Father Michael Whelan sm over the next 12 days on an online reflection day “Creative Waiting”. This was recorded by Marist Laity Australia in a previous Reflection Day at St Patrick’s Church Hill. Father Michael is currently the parish priest of St Patricks’. Please join each day for about 5 to 10 minutes listening to the audio, and reflect on some key ideas and questions. |
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14 January 2021
 At times I find it hard to pray in my family. A few days ago, I posted the “Retreat in the life for couples” with every intention to pray and reflect each day with my wife and partner. But. This has not happened. |
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14 January 2021
 It is post-Revolution France. A handful of young seminarians share a dream -- to form a new religious family under the banner of Mary. They would be known as 'Marists'. On a weekend of priestly ordinations in 1816, like young apostles at Pentecost, twelve youthful priests and seminarians pledge to form the Society of Mary. |
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12 January 2021
 Often couples do not set aside time for their own formation. Formation as a couple is important. Both spiritually and other areas of life such as sport and socially. Often work and the pressures of family take precedence and couples loose vital formation with each other. Here is a 7-day formation program for couples entitled “Retreat in your life for couples”. |
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10 January 2021
 By Marist Sister Marie Berise Nash sm on how we become 'Bearers of Hope'. In this present period of the beginning of the Third Millennium we wish to turn in a special way to her (Mary) the one who in the night of the Advent expectation began to shine like a true Morning Star, for just as this star, together with the dawn precedes the rising of the sun, so Mary from the time of her Immaculate Conception preceded the coming of the Saviour Her presence in the midst of Israel a presence so discreet as to pass almost unnoticed by the eyes of her contemporaries shone very clearly before the Eternal One who had associated the hidden daughter of Zion with the plan of salvation embracing the whole history of humanity. |
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07 January 2021
 Marists are people who claim to have such a vision, and who believe that what they do is supremely worthwhile. In fact, it's very important that we define ourselves as Marists, not by what we do but by our special vision of life. |
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07 January 2021
 A Quote by T. S. Eliot.“Mankind cannot bear too much reality, and in this people have pinpointed one of the essentials of human naturethe need to transcend reality and the need to dream”. |
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06 January 2021
 It is a time of darkness, of faith.We shall not see Christ’s radiancein our lives yet,it is still hidden in our darkness;nevertheless, we must believethat He is growing in our lives;we must believe it so firmlythat we cannot help relating everything,literally everything,to this almost incredible reality.This attitude it iswhich makes every momentof every day and nighta prayer.Caryll Houselander |
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05 January 2021
 Father John Claude Colin sets before the Marists the pictureof Nazareth,because in it he sees a symbolic reminderof three realities.Nazareth is a symbol of the necessity of small beginnings.A symbol of poverty and obscurityOf every great achievement in God’s plan. |
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05 January 2021
 St Benedict told his monks, 'Always keep death before your eyes.' We don't talk much about death in the modern world. But what the whole Christian tradition tells us is that if we would become wise we must learn the lesson that we have here 'no abiding city.' [We must hear] what the wise of ages past and present say to us: to have life in focus we must have death in [focus. . .]. Talking about death is hard for the worldly to understand. Indeed the principal fantasy of much worldliness operates out of completely the opposite point of view: not the wisdom of our own mortality but the pure fantasy that we are immortal, beyond physical weakness. |
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05 January 2021
 Christmas and New Year have provided us with the opportunity to pause, to watch, and to wonder at the event of the Word continuing to be made Flesh in our time. Perhaps we have found ourselves pondering with Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and the Magi at the unfolding of a Revelation among us that draws us to wonder, to encounter, to hope, and to be replenished with a new Divine-given energy. |
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04 January 2021
 A new song by Matt Maher 'Hope for Everyone'....Hear the angels singThere's hope for everyone. To announce our King. There's hope for everyone. What good news they bring. There's hope for everyone. Angels sing. There's hope for everyone. |
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04 January 2021
 The early Christians never regarded the Christian religion as an “ethic”,still less as a performance.To them it was an invasion of their own lives.by the spirit of God;their response in forgiveness and faith provided the means by which the divine could penetrate the merely human.They lived lives of super-human quality because they believed quite simply that Christ Himself was alive within them. |
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03 January 2021
 A reflection on Spirit of Mary |
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01 January 2021
 A modern version of the song 'Ave Maria'. |
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01 January 2021
 This video talks about our mid-life crisis and how to move through this with other a partner or significant friend. It then talks about key strategies families can use to be more healthy and balanced as a family. |
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28 December 2020
 I would like to propose a reason for the rapid decline of church participation in Australia. From the 2011 to the 2016 Australian National Census Christianity declined to 52.1%. From the percentage 90% of whom do not regularly practice their faith. I propose that these two percentages are actually linked. They show the devolving nature of Christian participation. This is not just a decline in numbers, what individuals can be we’re engaged simply by attending, but reflected that the reason than simply being upset or displaced from the disillusionment of the church. Some reasons may include the lack of women in leadership positions, the royal commission into the sexual abuse of children, or the treatment of the LGBTi Community. These are important issues, but the devolving nature of the church goes to a deeper reality... |
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25 December 2020
 An invitation to stop scrolling for 3 minutes and to mindfully ponder our celebration on this 25th December. Be quietly drawn through this inspiring music into the atmosphere and meaning of the season. A Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year. |
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23 December 2020
 There are many difficulties when people pray. Like when the children have gone to school or like just before we arrive at work. We try and find a point to pray. On the first day, we can pray easily. On the second day, we repeat the first day. The third day our abilities to pray tapers off. On the fourth day we find it very hard. We feel alone. |
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17 December 2020
 Wonder is a powerful film about a 10 year old boy (Augie Pullman) who is born with a significant facial disfigurement. The film journeys with Augie’s transition between being home schooled and returning to regular day school. Wonder deals with several major issues such as bullying, poor self-esteem, peer pressure and family break down. Through these difficulties Augie is able to discover the goodness of who is through the relationships and friendships that form around him. |
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