How to fix the church?
Census results that show declining numbers of Christians always attract some comment. There’s a section of the community that positively delights in rushing to explain why the church, or often ‘religion’ itself, has had its day in an enlightened, scientific and liberal age.
“But a moment in time”
In April, diocesan Missionary of Mercy (MoM), Richard Shortall sj, participated in a gathering of MoMs in Rome. Richard was one of those chosen to share his story of being a ‘Missionary on Wheels’. Here are extracts from his diary of those special days.
Paving a path to success
A partnership between Mai-Wel LabourForce Solutions and Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is helping students with disabilities pave a career path.
“Icons of God’s grace”
It’s not a prerequisite that the respective Deans of the Newcastle cathedral churches – Christ Church Anglican Cathedral and Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral – are aficionados of the gospel according to Monty Python, but in the case of Dean Katherine Bowyer and Dean Andrew Doohan, it certainly helps!
There are no age limits on counselling!
Over the past six months or so I have had immediate or distant contact with members of our community who fit into the ‘Seniors’ category, that is, those who are over 60 years old. My contact with these wonderful and wise older people has come because they have been touched by some form of adversity in their lives.
Ten years feeding hearts, minds and souls
This year the school community of St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the operation of its Breakfast Club.
“I know, you’re not my friend, you’re my mum.”
I remember seeing a scene in a movie some time ago where one of the characters, a mother, said to a group of teenage girls as she was serving them mocktails, “I’m a cool mum.” She was telling them the drinks didn’t contain alcohol, but if they wanted to drink, she preferred they did it in the house.
Hope comes with a better-than-written guarantee
Adam and Eve were hopeless parents! They left their kids nothing to look forward to but drudgery and death.
Leaders without hats or badges or titles
Two teachers from diocesan schools – Sophie Cox of St Peter’s Campus, All Saints College, Maitland and Leah Wilson of St Catherine’s Catholic College, Singleton – have joined a cohort of young women from across Australia to participate in a promising new education and formation program called Leadership for Mission.
There’s a whole world in each child!
“I’m Leo the lion, and I’m king of the jungle, and my jaws are open wide. Roarrrrrr!” sings my three-and-a-half-year-old great-nephew Patrick, roaring at me over and over again in his family room.
‘Sportswomanship’ is alive and well
Even if you were not glued to the screen during this year’s Commonwealth Games, it’s unlikely you missed seeing the Australians who competed in the 10,000m women’s final. While no Australian won a medal, all three won hearts when they waited trackside to welcome Lesotho’s Lineo Chaka, the final athlete to finish the event.
What’s really going on underneath the surface?
In essence, we only know that which comprises five percent of our universe.
Catholic women deacons ‒ why not?
I wonder if, like me, you were curious and hopeful when you heard the news that Pope Francis ‒ responding to a question posed by members of the International Union of Superiors General (IUSG) in May 2016 – had established a commission to study the question of ordaining women deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.
Children and grief
When children are grieving it is natural to want to support them.
Local author tells tales tall but true!
When James Tobias (Toby) Ryan, 17, and his cousin, George Rope, found themselves in a drunken fight with police in Penrith in 1835, they decided that escape was the best course of action. Accordingly, they walked to Parramatta, thence to Sydney where they boarded the steamer, “William the Fourth”, and sailed north to Newcastle Harbour.
