A SPORTS injury that blocked his road to the Rome Olympics, a Christian Brother who offered him a “free ticket to Heaven” and a persuasive aunt all played a part in Br Chris Pritchard’s vocation story that’s spanned 60 years. Br Chris, a key man at St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe, was well on his way to representing Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe) ... Read More »
Tag Archives: Christian Brother
Called to be a joyful, hope-filled and servant community for all in Plenary spirit
The Plenary Council 2020 has delivered six national themes for discernment for discussion. Br Damien Price has written a reflection on each of the six themes. LONG before I had ever heard of Labour politician Richard Marles I knew what a snow globe was. As a small boy my father had a snow globe, which he used as a paperweight ... Read More »
Christian Brother Brian Grenier reflects on self-sacrifice and the greatest love there is
OF the ways in which Jesus defined his mission, the one that sums them all up is: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Read in the light of his post-resurrection commissioning of his disciples – “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn 20:21) –these words also define the mission ... Read More »
Are you building bridges or walls? Christian Brother Brian Grenier reflects on the human heart
AS I write, the stand-off between the United States Congress and President Donald Trump over his campaign commitment to build a “big and beautiful wall” along the border with Mexico continues. Trump would not be the first leader to erect a protective barricade of this kind. There have been many such structures across the ages. Partially effective in their own ... Read More »
Have you blessed anyone today? Christian Brother Brian Grenier sheds light on the age-old practice
“BLESS yourself before you go”, my mother often said to me as I left for St Anthony’s School in the Brisbane suburb of Kedron. It was a perfectly natural thing to do; for, as Catholic primary-level pupils in those days, we lived in a world of blessings. Before school business began we chanted a long, drawn-out greeting to our teacher: ... Read More »
Unravelling the mysteries of chocolate ice-cream and the way we want the world to be
JOHNNY Farnham had a song more than 30 years ago called You’re the Voice. Farnham sings: “You’re the voice, try and understand it … we’re not gonna sit in silence, we’re not gonna live with fear.” In October 2020 the Australian Church will gather in Plenary Council. Constantly over the past year we have been asked: “What do you think ... Read More »
How God keeps surprising Paul and Christine Hodgkinson
PAUL Hodgkinson, approaching 83 and aware it might be time to call it a day as a teacher, turned to God for guidance. He was bowled over by what happened next. He’d been a teacher in Christian Brothers schools all around Queensland and for the past 20 years has been a Religious Instruction volunteer in state schools near where he ... Read More »