ARCHBISHOP John Bathersby of Brisbane has highlighted the value of prayer and scripture groups in a homily given during a Mass to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Catholic Women’s League of Australia (CWL) in Brisbane archdiocese.
More than 200 CWL members attended the Mass held in St Stephen’s Cathedral on September 7.
The archbishop praised the achievements of the many thousands of women belonging to the movement since its foundation in Queensland as the Catholic Daughters of Australia (CDA) in 1927.
“Their membership relieved the hardship and suffering of so many people,” Archbishop Bathersby said.
The importance of scripture was a key message in the archbishop’s homily.
He said “one of the great gifts of the Second Vatican Council was its emphasis on the importance of scripture”.
“Its reading (has) provided us not only with great joy and satisfaction, but with a profound knowledge of our Catholic faith also.”
He said Christ’s emphasis on prayer in the New Testament gave an important message that Christian life was not about action alone.
“A necessary balance must be maintained always between prayer and action in the life of each Christian and in the life of the Church.”
The archbishop concluded his homily by asking for God’s blessing on all people, alive or dead, who had contributed to “the CWL’s success we rightly acknowledge and celebrate”.
