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Sunday, June 10, 2012
Faith & Life News | June 2012
VIVID Sydney
Friday, June 8, 2012
Spirit Alive Diocesan Ministry Festival - Thank You
On behalf of Bishop Peter Ingham and the Diocese of Wollongong, thank you so much for your involvement in the Spirit Alive Diocesan Ministry Festival.
We are overwhelmed with the response we had from both stall holders and the general public and believe the day was an outstanding success.
Bishop Peter Ingham said: "The day showed that while Jesus Christ is central to us in our worship, there are also many ways we serve Jesus Christ in our community. The many stalls on the day featured our work in health and aged care, for people living with disability, with education and support for young families, foster care, prison ministry and international aid. Sometimes as Catholics we also need to be reminded of the many good ways we serve the broader community. And there is always an invitation for others to start afresh from Christ."
Photos of the Spirit Alive Ministry Festival and Spirit Alive PM Youth Festival are available for viewing on Bishop Peter Ingham's Facebook page at the following links:
· Spirit Alive Diocesan Ministry Festival Photos
· Spirit Alive PM Youth Festival Photos
Once again, thank you for your involvement and I hope to work with you again soon.
Kind Regards,
Keryn
Further feedback:
· Fr Michael Healy, Parish Priest at Campbelltown, was amazed with the turn-out. He said: "I never expected it to be like this. This is great!" Catholics from around the Diocese also shared this enthusiasm. Trevor Kellam from the Catholic Development Fund said: "It was great for me to see the many good things we are a part of."
· Cameron, one of the young adults at the festival, said: "It was great to share my faith with other young people. It's great to see the Church so alive. It gives me hope for the future." Patrick, a young man training for the priesthood, said how much he enjoyed the day. "This is the church come to life!" he said
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Stranger
THE STRANGER
A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger
who was new to our small town. From the beginning,
Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer
and soon invited him to live with our family. The
stranger was quickly accepted and was around
from then on.
As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my
family. In my young mind, he had a special niche.
My parents were complementary instructors: Mom
taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey.
But the stranger... he was our storyteller. He would
keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures,
mysteries and comedies.
If I wanted to know anything about politics, history
or science, he always knew the answers about the past,
understood the present and even seemed able to predict
the future! He took my family to the first major league
ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The
stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem
to mind.
Sometimes, Mum would get up quietly while the rest of
us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to
say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet.
(I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)
Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions,
but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them.
Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home - not
from us, our friends or any visitors. Our long time visitor,
however, got away with four-letter words that burned my
ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush.
My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol but the
stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made
cigarettes look cool, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished.
He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments
were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally
embarrassing..
I now know that my early concepts about relationships were
influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he
opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked
... And NEVER asked to leave.
More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved
in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly
as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into
my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over
in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and
watch him draw his pictures.
We just call him 'TV.'
He has a wife now....we call her 'Computer.'