The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
Three studies from a celebrated Australian biblical scholar contribute to the debate about how we understand priestly ministry within the Catholic tradition.Frank Maloney argues that any assessment regarding the ongoing viability of an institution must include study of its origins which is why central to the book is the chapter that explores the New Testament origins of priesthood. The chapter questions and challenges some traditional teaching connecting priesthood with Last Supper narratives or the so-called priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17.Yet, he also acknowledges the centrality of Eucharist in the ancient Christian communities as disciples gathered to remember the teachings of Jesus and to celebrate his memory in the breaking of bread. The importance of Eucharist led to a growing sense of the dignity and significance of those chosen to preside, resulting in a natural development of the church's understanding of that special ministry within the community.So the first and the third chapters serve as a 'frame' around these reflections. Chapter One 'Encountering Jesus: Exploring our Biblical Heritage' argues that all biblical reflection upon the Christian life - including priesthood and leadership in the church - must start with the person and message of Jesus of Nazareth; while Chapter Three develops this challenge to contemporary Catholicism, asking where we find access to this Jesus Christ whose memory we recall at the breaking of the bread and the pouring out of the cup.Although the focus and the centre-piece of this collection is the Catholic priesthood, the message at the heart of Broken for You is directed to everyone in the church, asserting - against the scourge of clericalism - that there is no class distinction among the people of God who look to Jesus Christ as their guide, light and hope.
Communal Wisdom invites and promotes a Spirit-led Church and builds on the author's conviction that the Spirit of God is ever-present and all-pervading. God's Spirit dwells in all people and all creation - and in the communion of all people and all creation. (Romans 5:5) Many of the movements in our times stem from this truth: the movement towards justice and peace for oppressed peoples, the feminist movement seeking full equality of women and men, and the ecological movement calling for a renewed relationship with the earth.Discernment is the process of listening to this Spirit of God, noticing in one's inner experience the signs of the Spirit's invitation and the signs of the work of any spirits not-of-God, luring us away from God. Traditionally, the term discernment means to separate or sift these signs.Communal Wisdom treats discernment on an individual level, listening to the signs of the spirits in human experience, and then applies this to the parallel work of the spirits in community. The wisdom of a group is not only in the shared contribution of all members but in the group as a whole listening to movements of the spirits in themselves and amongst themselves. Brian Gallagher builds on long experience in group facilitation, offering concise explanations of the ways of God's Spirit and spirits not-of-God in group experience and a step-by-step process for group decision making. Theologian Denis Edwards' Foreword notes that Pope Francis is calling for a more synodal church. This involves participation at all levels of the church, including parish groups, diocesan synods and plenary councils. In these situations, community discernment, communal wisdom, has a fundamental role to play. And Peter Bentley of WellSpring Centre in Melbourne notes that the volume 'is packed with practical insights into discernment processes that promote a contemplative and spiritual approach to decision making within communal contexts'.
This book asserts and explores the centrality of Christ as the cornerstone of the Catholic school. It is a scholarly invitation into reflection, discussion, integration, collaboration and action for service within the Catholic school, in the Spirit of Christ.The metaphor of cornerstone invites the response as to how the life and message of the living Jesus is mediated through the visible lives of his followers; while the sub-title 'Encountering the Spirit of Christ in the Catholic school' reminds us that it is through the Spirit of Christ that the community of the Catholic school draws its life and imagination. This is an imagination that seeks to become present and responsive to the Spirit of Christ in ways that are authentic, comprehensive, personal and practical.Those practical responses are explored in six chapters that combine faithfulness to the Catholic tradition with contemporary insights into the nature of education, how we learn as individuals and communities and how the Spirit of God enlightens our endeavours as Catholic leaders, teachers and educators. The book is sensitive to and reinforces professional practice shaped by a Catholic Christian meaning system; explores this meaning system through spirituality, mission and leadership; and develops ministry as the integrating quality for service and communion within the Catholic school.It integrates contemporary themes from Educational Philosophy, Theology and Spirituality and will be welcomed by all who share a concern for Catholic School Mission and Identity, Catholic School Leadership, Religious Education, Ministry, Evangelisation and Formation.'This book is a shining light that will become a beacon of hope and possibilities for Catholic leaders and educators who are grappling with challenges and problems within contexts of disruption, uncertainty and rapid change…'Professor Emeritus Patrick Duignan
At a time when democracies are under pressure and authoritarian regimes are on the rise, the world's religions find themselves challenged in new and unfamiliar ways, with opportunities to co-operate in new ways. Pluralism & Peace explores how the relationships of the religions among themselves interact with the emergence of the civil society that makes these relationships possible. Civil society in many Asia-Pacific countries is fragile and threatened. Yet we may be seeing a global civil society taking shape, that can circumvent the repressive measures of authoritarian governments and establish itself as an international forum for the expression of opinion and political involvement. This process gives reason to hope that globalisation can be ethically responsible. Pluralism & Peace argues that, far from being the fossilised remains of a distant past, religions could prove to be the non-renewable spiritual resources that make ethical globalisation possible. Before they can play this role, however, they must divest themselves of their historical baggage of mutual antagonism, violent sectarianism, fundamentalist extremism and refusal of genuine pluralism. A new type of collaborative theology will be necessary, a global theology, that will open up ways of peaceful cooperation without destroying the distinctive identities of religions and cultures. This is a difficult task, butt the task is urgent: it concerns nothing less than humankind's continued existence on this threatened planet.
Born in Victoria, Fr John Wallis (1910-2001), Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Hobart, founded the Australian Religious Order, the Missionary Sisters of Service, in Tasmania, in 1944. The Sisters were to be available to go into the highways and byways; and flexible to meet the pastoral needs of isolated communities throughout Australia. This series of letters to John's parents and family gives us a rare and precious insight into his life as a seminarian and young priest. They also reflect a growing development of his piety and spiritualty, where seeds were sown that would develop into his deep concern for people, especially the poor and the marginalised in rural and outback areas of Australia, and for ways to meet their pastoral and social needs. The letters have been arranged in ten chapters, with a general introduction about that period in John's life. Each letter itself has a commentary that contextualises the letter, providing biographical and other details that make the entire series come to life, tracing his experiences, development, misgivings and plans. They anticipate his enthusiasm for the changes that followed the Second Vatican Council and played such a part in his priestly ministry. The series of letters in each chapter close with insightful reflections from eminent Australians who consider John's character and spiritual growth as well as applying his insights into contemporary Church life in Australia. 'Bernadette Wallis has provided the contemporary reader with a lovingly familiar insight into the development and vision of one of Australia's great pioneer priests…' Fr Frank Brennan SJ
'The ugliest perversion of the Church' (Pope Francis)When the chief bishop of the Catholic Church condemns clericalism in words like these, it's time for Catholics - especially the people in the pews - to acknoweledge the seriousness of the situation and explore options to confront it.In Call No One Father, Berise Heasly brings unique insights to her consideration of clericalism, based on many years as a professional educator and an informed Catholic layperson. She well understands that confronting clericalism head on will be insufficient to address its root causes and historical development. Rather, with skill and experience, she moves beyond exclusive binary (either/or) ways of thining to suggest other, gentler approaches, encouraging more transparency and accountability, with soundly based recommendations for seminary formation and the ongoing educationand formation of priests and ministers.In the current situation, where many in the churches are demoralised and disheartened, Call No One Father provides a realistic appraisal, informed reflection, strategies for change and reformation, and above all, hope for the community called the Church.'A prophetic book, the harbinger of a long-awaited paradigm shift' - John D'Arcy May; Trinity College Dublin, Australian Catholic University.'Berise Heasly demonstrates the usefulness of educational theory, principles of architecture and physics, as well as common sense both born of outrage to move the whole in a healthy, safer direction' - Mary E Hunt PhD Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (USA)'Berise Heasly has done a huge service to all Catholics with this book - shining a light and her clear understanding on this perverse culture which continues to operate and has to be eradicated' - Dr Peter Wilkinson, President, Catholics for Renewal.
Bending Towards Justice is a series of reflections that call us to look more deeply into what the Gospel is and what it isn't. With clarity and prophetic insight, the author shows us that when Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God, he wasn't talking about a place set aside for us in the sky when we die; he was talking about the very rule of God right here on earth, in the form of justice, peace, and restored relationships with one another and with the very earth itself.Nils von Kalm's greatest passion is to show how Jesus Christ is relevant to all of life. If Jesus really is who he said he is, and if we really believe it, then it has to affect every aspect of existence, from our relationships to our politics, our economics, our sexuality and our care for the earth. These must all be central Gospel issues and not optional add-ons to the so-called 'real' issue of getting people into heaven.Forged out of two decades of experience in the field of aid and development, as well as his own personal experiences, you will find in these pages a passionate collection of stories and reflections that are at once thoughtful, hopeful, compassionate and confronting. With disarming clarity and honesty, they will challenge you to rethink what the Gospel is and who God is.At a time when fear, hatred and division seem to be everywhere we look, these reflections show us again how Jesus is relevant to life in the here and now. From stories about life in poor nations to the struggles of loneliness and depression in the affluent West, you will read about how Jesus is just as relevant today as he was 2,000 years ago.
On 10th April 2014 the community of the Pontifical Gregorian University was received by the Holy Father Francis in the Paul Vl Hall. 0n that occasion the Pope summarised with a few words the task of theology and the features of a true theologian. According to theology, one should create a true "evangelical" movement which goes from the centre to the peripheries and back (according to the logic of a God who reaches the centre from the peripheries in order to return to the peripheries). From this image of theology, which is always moving from the centre to peripheries and back, a new figure of a theologian emerges, one who will be more fruitful and effective, the more fully he is animated by his love for Christ and for the Church, and the more the relationship between study and prayer is strengthened and made harmonious.Centre and peripheries. Study and prayer.Here are Nine theologians and their essays have come together to try to answer a fundamental question: Which theology does the Church need?
Different times and different cultures have influenced the ways in which the Eucharist has been celebrated and understood; and the action received from the Lord to be done in his memory has shown different aspects of its deeper reality in these differing human situations.We now live in times in which belief in God is no longer taken for granted and in which there are many different approaches to life and its meaning. This has its influence on those who believe in Christ as well as those who do not.This new situation invites us to present our faith in Christ differently, calling us to offer a presentation of the Eucharist that can begin on common ground with our contemporaries and in language that believers today may find inviting and meaningful.As a means of achieving this, the Frank O'Loughlin suggests that we look again at the basic things we use as signs in the Eucharist. These are things we have in common with other human beings: bread, wine, water, symbolic actions and our own bodies.These things are taken into our celebration of the Eucharist and are used as signs that take us beyond themselves into the depths of the Eucharist, that is into its very mystery.The author also points out the human grounding of those things indicated by words we use in speaking about the Eucharist: memory, presence and sacrifice.We are dealing with everyday, human things that take us beyond the ordinary from which they come, into the mystery of God among us in Christ which we celebrate when we gather for Eucharist.
The meditations brought together in the current volume lead us to the heart of the New Testament message. Cardinal Martini reflects on the account of the Passion in various retreats he based on the canonical Gospels. The fact that they have once more been brought together in a single volume allows our reader to access the lively, humble and at the same time, authoritative prose of a preacher who approaches the subject of his preaching in fear and trembling, thus displaying his sincere empathy with all his listeners. It matters little that there is no clear connection between all the mediations (in fact the material has been drawn from different contexts): a believer among believers, Martini confesses the consternation which overcomes the mind preparing to reflect on the mystery of the Passion, clearly highlighting the seriousness, the dramatic nature of this kind of meditation which, when it occurs truthfully, that is, by seeing the consequences for our life, seems rather like a snare that snatches us and sweeps us up.
The Theme of this volume is the Our Father, which Cardinal Martini tackles at a retreat he gave to priests. The Archbishop of Milan offers a series of reflections to his retreatants on the Prayer which Jesus taught, seeing it, along with Tertullian, as the "summary of the whole Gospel." Though it is true we are talking about a prayer everyone knows by heart, it should not escape notice that the Our Father is "ever new, mysterious, all-purpose". It is indicative of a richness that only Christ could communicate since there we find "a correspondence, a perfect correlation between the Our Father, the teaching of the Gospel, the life of Jesus the Son of God who died and rose for us." The pages are packed with thoughts intended to accompany the reader on a journey. Step by step he reintroduces this journey to us so we can discover the inexhaustible treasures of the believers' best known prayer: the Our Father.
In 1981, the name of the Church of England in Australia was officially changed to the Anglican Church of Australia. There was a growing awareness of independence and a sense of identity less reliant on formal, historic ties with England. Developing that awareness, this book acknowledges that the roots of Anglicanism in Australia were English, transported here through invasion and dispossession, and asks how the Anglican Church in Australia can replant itself in authentic Australian soil.
It seems today that common sense has become uncommon, and many people are increasingly disturbed by the direction we are taking in the living of our lives. Simple has been replaced by complex. Contentment with 'what is' has been replaced by 'always wanting more'. Acceptance of the ordinary has been replaced by desire and demand for the extraordinary. Where once being reasonable was normal, it now seems that being unreasonable is to be accepted.The author - following a long career in psychotherapy, counselling, group dynamics, restorative justice, spiritual direction and clinical supervision - goes to the heart of the search for a meaningful life; finding fulfilment and happiness through values and approaches that are positively life-giving for ourselves, our fellow humans, and the life of our planet.His concern is the question of life's meaning that all of us need to ask: What's it all about? Who am I? What am I worth? How did the world get in such a mess? What causes hate, wars, oppression and wholesale destruction? What can we do about it? How do I become comfortable with the mystery and wonder of life?Along the way, he challenges what he calls the delusion that our thinking is our highest function. Wisdom of the ages tells us clearly that it is not. And the book is a reminder for us of things we all urgently need to learn or relearn and, more than that, act upon, if life on earth is to survive and thrive.So Uncommon Sense is basically a collection of awarenesses, strategies, skills, thoughts, beliefs, motivations, new habits (or old ones 're-membered'), etc, that many folk have found to be essential if we are to get anywhere near the care and contentment in life that we all dream was intended.
The Gospels are full of references to people who were drawn to Jesus, usually to listen and to learn; sometimes to be healed of whatever prevented fullness of life, sometimes to challenge his authority, mostly because of the power of his teaching and the simple message of God's love that he preached.The six chapters in this book reflect deeply on six incidents in his life recorded in Scripture. Each begins with a simple encounter but leads to an exploration into what it really meant to see Jesus, not only for them but for all who claim to be his disciples.We Want to See Jesus is an invitation to be surprised by the experience, to be called from preconceived expectations, to see reality from a new perspective, to encounter the challenge of experiencing the presence of God in our lives.Peter Varengo asserts that when we read and tell these stories of 'seeing Jesus', we are not simply retelling the stories - disciples curious about the identity of Jesus - but acting them out in our daily lives. So we identify with Mary searching for a dead body in an empty tomb (chapter 1), we are the woman by the well of Samaria, engaged, despite ourselves, in conversation with a stranger (chapter 2). We are Martha and Mary, in danger of being so focused on ourselves that we might forget the presence of God in our lives (chapter 3); we are Zacchaeus, unexpectedly caught up by a Jesus who invites himself into our lives (chapter 4); and we are the disciples on the road to Emmaus, so trapped by despair that we do not notice the God who walks with us (chapter 5); we are the disciples gathered in community and instructed to go beyond some self-satisfying ritual performance by remembering the active and self-living presence of God in love (chapter 6)
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.The Dream of a Gospel Inspired Church provides a focus on the vision of the evangelical and missionary Church dreamed of by the Pope both through the ecclesiological examination of his most important documents and through a profound reflection on his teachings centered on the Gospel of Mercy. In the perspective of the ecclesiological teaching of Pope Francis, there is a chapter on the reform of the Church which is currently underway and which he strongly desired so that, in the passing of time and in changing situations, he may remain "evangelical and transparent to the merciful God who lives and makes it exist"
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
Set me Free: Spiritual Direction and Discernment of Spirits offers a remarkably clear and rigorous account of the practice of spiritual direction. Thorough, well researched and well written, it will be welcomed by spiritual directors, pastoral ministers and all people interested in the life of the Spirit.The author bases his study of discernment on a sound theology of the Holy Spirit, a psychology of human freedom, and practical examples from his and others' experience of the spirits. Built on a life-time of ministry as a spiritual director, supervisor and teacher in spirituality, he believes that discernment of spirits is integral to the ministry of spiritual direction and all forms of pastoral ministry; and that people become more discerning only through growth in inner freedom. Spiritual directors discover rules for discernment in their own experience of the ways of the spirits in their lives. This has definite parallels for other pastoral ministers and clear implications for the formation programs that prepare them for ministry. 'Brian Gallagher offers a remarkably clear and rigorous account of the practice of spiritual direction… He describes the pastoral practice that is at the heart of spiritual direction: a spiritual director discerning their inner movements while contemplatively listening to a directee. The sacred ministry of spiritual direction will come to nothing without a discerning heart. Importantly, he distils the core insights of others and integrates them with his own wisdom born of fifty years' experience as a spiritual director. Gallagher's book is filled with psychological, theological and spiritual insight. If you are a beginning spiritual director or an experienced practitioner, or one who provides formation and ongoing supervision in the art of spiritual direction, your ministry will be enhanced by reading and re-reading this book.' (Michael Smith sj)
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
Why did Jesus speak in parables? This is the question that brings together the reflections in this volume, a collection of meditations preached by Cardinal Martini at a spiritual retreat.With profound wisdom, Martini reflects on the many gospel parables - parables about the seed, judgement, call, the lost and found. He highlights and identifies first of all how Jesus has the need to communicate the mystery of the Father very much at heart. But the mystery of the God is so far beyond any notion of ours that it is precisely for this reason it can be expressed in so many ways. Hence, to reveal the confounding love of the Father, Jesus chooses to speak in parables, in this way respecting our freedom and also being attentive to our fragility. Jesus' parables also force the listener to take a stance regarding his message and person. It is a book that introduces us to a wise reading of the Gospel and to hearing the questions hidden within the Scriptures, as well as tasting God's presence.
The subject Cardinal Martini develops in this book is that of apostolic consciousness. It is the result of a retreat he preached to seminarians. Following the examples of the Apostles Peter and Paul, every Christian should be aware of being 'sent' by someone else to carry out a work that is not theirs. Christians are not people who roll up their sleeves thinking they have to undertake heaven knows what, organise strategies or believe that everything depends on their ability and efficiency. We are not about pursuing our own pet project. Rather, Christians should experience the excitement of responding to a God who loves them and calls them, and in calling them, sends them into the world, thus having them share in the 'mandate' Christ receives from the Father.In our time, as Pope Francis has also often insisted, especially in Evangelii Gaudium, it is urgent that our faith matures toward a consciousness of mission which is totally connected with that of the Son. In this sense, Martini's book can be said to anticipate Pope Francis' view of the Church.
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
The Pope is first of all the pastor of the Church and sign of its unity. He can be a theologian professionally, or he cannot be, as it has happened for the majority of popes. ln both cases, in his teaching as well as in the choices he makes or in the orientations he offers, his teaching and his style are imbued with a theological perspective and ask theologians to confront with them.The collection "Pope Francis' Theology", calling upon the expertise of eleven theologians from various Countries of the world, aims at showing us what theology is at the base of such incisive words and such simple gestures with which Pope Francis has made us so familiar.They are eleven easy volumes, written in a captivating way yet able to show in a rigorous way the deep roots of his thought and action.
No one is exempt from ageing yet there is a lack of resources to help us grow and develop a spirituality of ageing along the way.From Dawn to Dusk is Noel Mansfield MSC's honest and humble attempt to reflect on his own experience of ageing and how the ageing process has affected and shaped the development of his own spirituality as a senior priest and Missionary of the Sacred Heart.The result is not a memoir, strictly, but, once launched on the journey, he needed to check on what others had said and written about the reality and processes of growing old; and to trace events in his own life that have brought him to this place of acceptance and peace towards the last years of fruitful, apostolic life. So we learn of his childhood experiences, memories of parents and family, life in formation and health issues that were significant in the process of his growing up spiritually. We learn of his various ministries in Australia and overseas in teaching, leadership, spiritual formation, and parish work.Noel Mansfiel MSC willingly acknowledges the influence of Pope Francis on the development of his insights into the spirituality of ageing, noting the Pope's various addresses to older people, reflecting on the deep and essential contribution of older people especially in today's 'throw away' society. Francis comments: 'Christian spirituality has been taken a bit by surprise, and it involves sketching out a spirituality of older persons'.This is a book for everyone because all of us will experience ageing. Our responses to the inevitable symptoms of ageing - especially as Christian, spiritual people - will require a rethinking of our attitudes to prayer, liturgy, relationships and community, including Church. Growing old is part of our life journey. Dawn to Dusk will be an invaluable, practical and realistic resource on the way.
A Quiet Place Within is a collection of short reflection entries and poems that anyone - young and old, religious or spiritual - can read, reflect and absorb even amid the humdrum and busyness of everyday life. The writings are the result of years of praying, reflecting and contemplating on ordinary experiences, social and political issues of the days. Most of all, they reflect the author's awareness of the delicate and gentle presence of the Divine within one's heart and soul. The author acknowledges that a gift with words is a grace in his life something gifted in his life because he believes that such words - expressed as reflections or as poems - represent bread for his journey and fruits of a reflective life. He asserts the centrality of serious, daily reflection because he believes that without reflection, life is no longer worth living. Yet he acknowledges that reflection is not done only through our own ability and effort; it is always a gifted grace in which one sees everything in the light of God and understands everything according to the Spirit. The book is offered as a practical help for the reflective life of the reader, not only for Christians but for anyone who searches for meaning and integrity in their everyday life.Khoi Doan Nguyen is a Missionary of the Sacred Heart in Australia. He migrated to Australia with his family from Vietnam in 2005. He graduated Bachelor of Theology and Master of Theological Studies at the University of Divinity in Melbourne and has written articles on theology, spirituality and social justice.He published his first book - thirty short reflections in Vietnamese - in 2017 and regularly contributes articles to the Populus Dei, the Vietnamese Catholic Magazine in Australia.
Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us? (Luke 24:32)The response of the disciples on the road to Emmaus has become a model for all Christians who long to have their eyes opened to the meaning of the Jesus event and its significance for their lives. And over the centuries, people have found a variety of ways of exploring the Bible to understand its message.Hearts Burning Within Us is a program for prayer in this tradition. It offers fifty separate units, based on readings used in parishes and selected from the major seasons and festivals of the church's year, as well as some general themes.The process involved is simple and detailed. It includes informed and practical background to the chosen texts; and advice for individuals and groups to deepen their understanding of the selected passages.Lectio divina is the recommended way of approaching the texts. It is a method that comes to us from the Benedictine tradition, whereby groups and individuals spend time with particular verses to deepen their awareness of its meaning and application to daily life.Included in the resource are detailed and practical suggestions for how to use Lectio Divina, making it a useful and effective way of accessing the biblical texts. Yet the program is sufficiently flexible to be used in other ways.It was the dream of the Second Vatican Council that Catholic Christians would grow in their knowledge and understanding of Scripture. Hearts Burning Within Us is a serious response towards the fulfilment of that dream, serving as a simple, accessible and structured program of formation for individuals, parish groups or anyone who wants to encounter the risen Christ in their lives.Peter Malone is a Missionary of the Sacred Heart who has taught Old Testament Studies and Theology at the Yarra Theological Union, Melbourne. He also headed the Catholic Film Offices of the Pacific and Film Offices at world level. He was president of SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communication), 2001-2005. He has written a number of books of religion and film, especially Screen Jesus. He has been reviewing films since 1968.
From Turner, Picasso and Keats to the anonymous and little known, from poets to dancers to painters, these poems sweep through mythology and art, gathering inspiration from tiny Sumerian seals of antiquity through to Brancusi's birds and Michelangelo's Pieta. Irreverent and intense, both challenging and challenged, this is one woman's take on the twin passions of her life - love and art. Both are engaged with as she quests for a woman's language of a lived poetry of both mind and heart.
Does the faith professed by Christians say anything about work? To what does Christ call us in our daily work - whether in paid employment, in the home or in voluntary situations? Has the community called the church anything to teach about work? Recent research finds that most Australian churches have few specific programs that address questions of work and faith, perhaps happy to turn a blind eye to the harm caused by a contemporary market economy that can celebrate greed, foster injustice and lead to heart disease, mental illness, diabetes, numerous cancers, traumatic incident deaths, injury, disability and poverty. Their silence may also reflect current assertions about the virtue of hard work as well as common political assumptions that economic growth is the ultimate priority for social development, and that the 'almighty dollar' is central to human flourishing. The meaning of work is rarely an issue while any assertion that God's intention for our created order may be crucial for economic, social and environmental practice is considered an irrelevance. At work with John's Gospel is an attempt to look seriously at the gospel teaching to discover ways of reflecting on the place of work in our lives according to the purposes of God. The five studies introduce us to the gospel's key characters, invite us to walk in their shoes, encourage us to connect our experiences of work and life They ask us to consider how ancient gospel wisdom still speaks fruitfully to our contemporary circumstance. In so doing, we will be challenged to reflect on how our understanding of work is shaped by our free-market economy and our system of government; and to discover how we can integrate work and faith for personal and social transformation - for healing, justice and reconciliation.
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