The 20th century was dominated by a series of crises, including 2 World Wars, the rise of National Socialism, wide-spread poverty and racial and religious discrimination. In this article, Sanny Bruijns, O.Carm., looks at how Titus Brandsma responded to the unfolding crises of his day, and how he faced his own personal crisis after his imprisonment in January 1942.
We are very used to thinking about the Real Presence of Jesus being in the Blessed Sacrament. But the real presence of Christ is also in the community when it gathers in his name to feast on the Word of Scripture, to recall what Jesus said and did at the Last Supper (not only the words over bread and wine, but also the washing of the feet), when it shares the food of the Eucharist together, when it goes out and continues to break and pour out that food in acts of loving kindness, in soothing and nourishing words which brings others to life.
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Celebrating At Home Body & Blood of Christ [PDF]
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Celebrating At Home Body & Blood of Christ [ePub]
Over 400 paper cranes were folded to decorate Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Coorparoo (QLD), for Pentecost - a prayer for the gift of universal peace and a celebration of the spirit present and alive in the members of our community.
“Like peace, folding paper cranes is not always so easy, but takes perseverance, patience and trust,” Fr Matthew Tonini, Associate Pastor, said. “Every attempt brings us closer as a community and unites us in a commitment to justice and peace.”
The colourful cranes were folded by parishioners, students and teachers from Mt Carmel school and St Peter Claver College and children’s liturgy of the word and threaded and hung around the church in an array of colours and patterns.
“The diversity of cranes reflects the diversity of our community united in the one Spirit,” Matthew said.
The display will remain in the church for the month of June. (See gallery below)
When we allow God’s heart to speak to ours in love we begin to absorb more of God’s life into our own. We are being transformed. Our values and attitudes, our ways of looking at and being in the world start to change. We begin to see with God’s eyes and feel with God’s heart.
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Celebrating At Home Trinity Sunday [PDF]
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Celebrating At Home Trinity Sunday [ePub]
As a philosopher, Titus was an ‘ideas man’. But truth for him was no mere idea. Truth was ultimately a reality, a person, Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6). Titus had been locked up, imprisoned, but the truth was setting him free. Truth was a person. It had a face which Titus had before him. The face of Christ. And, for Titus, the act of looking at the image of Jesus in his cell was not one-sided. It was based in friendship. It was a look that was returned, from the Beloved to the one loved, a gaze that travels back and forth in mutual understanding, support, and love.
Fr Simon Nolan, OCarm, unfolds 5 things about truth in the life and writings of St Titus Brandsma.
"As a human species we are increasingly disconnected from the planetary ecosystem that sustains our life. We are now living in what scientists describe as the anthropocene, a new era where the actions of human beings threaten the future of entire species, including our own." There is a movement of people all over the world, including here in Australia and New Zealand, seeking ways to address the issue of climate change and caring for our planet. Read our JPIC Newsletter for June.
During his homily at the Canonisation Mass, Pope Francis said, ‘We have turned holiness into an unattainable goal. We have separated it from everyday life, instead of looking for it and embracing it in our daily routines, in the dust of the streets, in the trials of real life and, in the words of Teresa of Avila to her Sisters, “among the pots and pans”.
At Pentecost we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the first group of Christian believers - the disciples. This gift of the Holy Spirit is the culmination of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It would be wrong to think that this gift happened only once, in one moment of history. In fact, the gifting of the Holy Spirit is a continuing event in the life of every believing person and, therefore, in every age of human history. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God with us - the enduring way in which Jesus remains present in the Church and in the life of each person.
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Celebrating At Home Pentecost Sunday [PDF]
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Celebrating At Home Pentecost Sunday [ePub]
You can download and save the scripture texts, reflections and prayers for Lectio Divina for each day of this month. Lectio Divina is a traditional way of praying the Scriptures. Visit our Lectio Divina page for more information about how to pray using Lectio Divina. Join our Lectio Online group every Friday at 10am (Australian Eastern Standard Time) to prayerfully reflect on the coming Sunday's Gospel. Register here.
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Lectio Divina June 2022 [PDF]
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Lectio Divina June 2022 [iPhone/iPad]
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Lectio Divina June 2022 [Kindle]
Among the 21 new Cardinals announced by Pope Francis on 25 May is Archbishop Virgilio do Carmo da Silva, Archbishop of Dili, Timor-Leste. He will be the first cardinal from Timor-Leste, Asia’s youngest nation. The news was greeted with great joy in Timor-Leste by both civil and religious leaders.
“Thank you, Holy Father, for nominating Timor-Leste’s Archbishop Silva among your new 21 cardinals,” Timor-Leste President Ramos Horta said. “We believe that this announcement brought not only privilege to Archbishop Silva alone, but also a great honour to the catholic church of Timor-Leste,” Horta said.
Archbishop da Silva said that his appointment was such good news for Timor-Leste’s Catholic Church and the Timorese people.
He will be installed as a cardinal during a ceremony at the Vatican on 27 August.
