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Happiness?

1/8/2014

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An ancient Christian writer, Augustine of Hippo, once wrote, "we want to be happy" (The Happy Life 2.10). Almost every human being ever born would agree with that.

No one deliberately wants to be unhappy. Some have lived happy lives and others sadly were not able to find happiness in this life.

But there are different views on what happiness means. Some reduce happiness merely to a psychological state. If one attains a certain psychological state marked by pleasant emotions and freedom from fear or worry then one is supposed to have attained happiness.

Another Christian writer, Thomas Aquinas, stated that, "happiness is nothing else but the attainment of the sovereign good” (I.II.4.1). Some identify this supreme good as pleasure or wealth or honour believing that by attaining one of these created goods one will be happy.

What has been revealed by Christ is that God is the sovereign Good. And thus to know God face to face is definitive happiness. Augustine puts it this way: : you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you” (Confessions 1.1).

Chris Stefanick shares some simple points about happiness in this clip:
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The Real Presence of the Lord

20/6/2014

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Words affect reality. Most people remember words spoken to them which profoundly affected. Words can affect reality. 
When a policeman lays hold of someone and says, 'You are under arrest', reality changes. The person in question had been a free citizen just a moment before. But now he or she is in the custody of the State. 
God's words do not merely affect reality, but can create reality. In the book of Genesis, when God says, 'Let there be light', light is instantly created. 
John 5 recounts how Jesus met a man who had been crippled for 38 years. The Lord Jesus says, 'Get up, pick up your sleeping-mat and walk', and immediately he is healed and starts walking. 
Likewise, at Mass when the priest speaks in the person of Christ saying, 'This is my Body', reality changes. The appearance remains the same but the reality is now the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. This faith is based on the words of Jesus Himself. (The image is a depiction of the Institution of the Eucharist)

Fr Robert Barron gives some great insights on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist in this clip: 

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The Blessed Trinity

12/6/2014

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The coming of Jesus Christ brought the revelation that God is a trinity of Persons. It means that God is not a lonely figure living like a recluse. 
Instead, divine life is an eternal exchange of love of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 
A common misunderstanding about the Blessed Trinity is that it means that there are three gods. It has been revealed that there is one divine Nature but three divine Persons. 
There is a distinction between person and nature. Each Person is not a separate god. The blessed Trinity is a mystery but not illogical - only above reason.

The following sketch may help to understand some of the terms:
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Holy Spirit?

4/6/2014

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The Holy Spirit can bring many varied images to mind. One could imagine an ethereal ghost character who floats here and there visiting people. Or one could imagine an impersonal force for good.
The bible employs varied symbols to disclose the mystery of the Holy Spirit. Important symbols of the Holy Spirit include fire,  anointing and a dove. 
The Lord Jesus communicated the Gift of the Holy Spirit to His Apostles after He rose from the dead. Jesus reveals that the Holy Spirit is a Person. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. 
He reminds us what Jesus taught and bears witness to Jesus (cf. John 14:26, 15:26). The Holy Spirit can renew our souls and minds.
 He can help us to pray (cf. Rom 8:26) and desires to bring us to deeper communion with the Heavenly Father and the Son. We can always pray the simple words, "Come, Holy Spirit". (Image is depiction of Pentecost)

In this funny clip Chris Padgett teaches about the Holy Spirit:

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Mary, Our Mother

28/5/2014

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The Virgin Mary has a special place in the hearts of Catholics. She was a jewish woman who lived in the middle East early in the first century AD. 

While still a young woman her life took an extraordinary turn. She gave birth to her first-born son Jesus who has profoundly impacted human history even to our day.

She was the most devoted follower of her divine Son remaining at His side during His crucifixion when He gave her to Christians as spiritual mother (John 19:27). While Catholics worship her divine Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, they render her special honour.

Her brightness is like that of the moon which only reflects the light of the sun. Bishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979) says, "The moon does not take away from the brilliance of the sun: on the contrary, all its light is reflected from the sun. Our Lady reflects her Divine Son; without Him, she is nothing".

In this clip Sr Anthony Mary speaks concisely about the Virgin Mary:

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Catholic Faith is reasonable

22/5/2014

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 A basic principle about the Catholic Faith is that it is reasonable. In other words, the Catholic Faith makes sense; even though we can't fully understand some of the mysteries of the Catholic Faith it is nevertheless plausible. 
We are not asked to leave our minds at the door when we enter into the Catholic Faith. We welcome questions and the effort to understand a little more. 
There are some sound resources on the internet where most questions about the Catholic Faith have already been asked. These resources can be a great help to Catholics seeking to give a reason for their hope and for inquirers in general. 

Two good quality sites recommended are:

Catholic Answers - Contains extensive answers to many questions from many inquirers; just use the onsite search engine to find what you are looking for.

WhyImCatholic - Contains great sharings from people who explain why they are Catholic.

Fr Robert Barron is an eloquent exponent of the Catholic Faith and speaks about reasonable Faith in this clip:

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Happy Mothers' Day

12/5/2014

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I hope all mums had a wonderful mothers' day yesterday. The contribution of mothers to our community in of inestimable value.
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A

8/8/2013

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Confirmation Candidates with Bishop JarrettĀ 

26/3/2012

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2012 RCIA Candidates with Bishop Jarrett from Left Larry McLean, Kylie Cawley & Erin Harrington.
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New stained glass windows for Cathedral

31/12/2008

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The existing stained glass windows of St Carthage's Cathedral, recently restored after the devastating hailstorm of 2006, have a beautiful new addition (see below) on the Western side of the cathedral.

The first of the new windows commemorates the work of the Marist Fathers and their brothers at St John's College, Woodlawn, since 1931.  It depicts the college crest, St John the Evangelist, Bishop Carroll, Miss Margaret Buckley (who donated the land for the College) and the College's first rector, Fr Thomas Segrief, SM. (See detail below) Clearly visible is the College's Latin motto:  in English, "Hold fast to the traditions."

The second window depicts the Marist saint, Peter Chanel, who was martyred on the Pacific Island of Futuna on 28th April, 1841.  Also depicted are the Marist crest, the Blessed Virgin, the Ven. Jean-Claude Colin, SM (founder of the Society of Mary), and the celebrated shrine of Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon, where twelve priests and seminarians pledged to form the Society of Mary in July, 1816. (Second detail below.)  It is graced with a motto of the Marist fathers, taken from the injunction of Jean-Claude Colin, that they should work "unknown, as if hidden."

(Information from Fr Paul Pidcock, SM)

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