We have now reached the huge milestone of 200,000 Facebook followers! Our charism of prayer and contemplation reaches out to embrace all people and to share with them the richness of the Carmelite tradition. We are enriched by people who share with us the spirit of healing and developing human society through the leaven of the Gospel. They are part of our family. In just over 3 years our page has grown from less than 1,000 followers to over 200,000 and we continue to feel the love and support from the global reach of our Facebook community. A special Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated privately for all our followers and their families and for your intentions. Visit our Facebook page @carmelitesAET.
1 October is the feast day of St Thérèse of Lisieux famous for her teaching on the 'the little way of confidence and love' found in her autobiography, The Story of a Soul. Thérèse Martin was born in Alencon in France in 1873. Whilst still young she entered the Discalced Carmel of Lisieux. Her writings reveal a very human character. She frequently fell asleep during the long hours of prayer in the monastery chapel. She always had a strong sense of God's love for her and felt her calling was to be love. 'What matters,' she wrote, 'is not great deeds, but great love'. She died on 30 September 1897, just 24 years old. She was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997.
Strength, hope and prayer are needed now more than ever, to help us cope and be connected with one another as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep us isolated from each other. Our special issue ‘Carmel Contact’ newsletter is filled with prayer, pastoral and practical support to keep you and those you love safe.
On the third attempt, Matthew was ordained deacon by Archbishop Mark Coleridge in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Coorparoo (QLD) on Saturday 26 September. The two previous attempts had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne. While Matthew’s parents, Alison and Flavio, were not able to be there, Matthew’s aunt and uncle, Carlo and Maree, were able to be present and vested Matthew in his diaconal robes. Read more & view photos.
In this Season of Creation, what actions are we taking to respond to God’s call to integral ecological conversion? If we humbly recognise areas where we need to change, and desire that change to happen, we can be sure that the grace of God will never be lacking. An integral ecological conversion can be embraced in three main areas: environmental dimensions; economic dimensions and social dimensions.
The gospel message, indeed the story of the Bible, is a story of becoming. There is not one day that we are 'the same' as before. It seems to me that when I live in the illusion that the world will remain 'the same' I close myself off to the creativity of relationship and to the possibilities of forgiveness, compassion, hope and love. I close my heart off to life, to everything that God is calling and creating me to become. Read more & download Lectio Divina for this Sunday.
Celebrating At Home 26 Sunday in Ordinary Time PDF
Celebrating At Home for 26 Sunday in Ordinary Time EPUB
Br Matthew Tonini will be ordained a deacon by Archbishop Mark Coleridge this Saturday evening at 6.00pm. The ceremony will take place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Coorparoo (QLD) where Matthew has been completing his studies and ministering in the parish.
You can watch the livestream of Matthew’s Ordination at https://youtu.be/T9YQ-ZNXnDk or if you can access YouTube on your TV, search for ‘Matthew Tonini’. Matthew has also prepared a pdf reflection on the readings he has chosen for the Ordination. Read more
Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea as well as numerous offshore islands. With a land area of 462,840 square kilometres and a population of over 8.1 million, Papua New Guinea is the largest country in the Pacific region both by geography and population. It has an abundance of natural resources, with mineral deposits like copper, gold and oil accounting for nearly two-thirds of Papua New Guinea’s export revenues. Still, 85 per cent of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. The natural environment throughout PNG is extremely fragile and highly vulnerable to both natural and human impacts.
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Read this week's reflection.
That seems to have been the cry of people protesting against health measures implemented by governments around the world. Others have talked about ‘my right’ not to wear a mask, not to social distance, etc. And it’s not fair that some get the virus and some don’t; some die from it while others don’t even show symptoms. Life in the real world is profoundly unfair. Many of the protests have revealed a preference for ‘my rights’ over community health and safety. Read more
God’s outrageous and extravagant graciousness and generosity is so different to the often petty and exacting way in which we treat each other. God’s sense of fairness and justice is so much broader and richer than ours. That is what life in the Kingdom of God is supposed to be. Maybe the answer lies in the first reading for today: My ways are not your ways; my thoughts not your thoughts. So often in the scriptures, God seems to have a totally different way of approaching things to most of us. Read more & download Lectio Divina for this Sunday.
Celebrating At Home for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time PDF
Celebrating At Home for 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time EPUB
