EACH week during Lent, Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion campaign highlights the story of someone who has overcome incredible odds to become a leader in their community. This week, Caritas introduces 22-year-old, Jamila, is a single mother, living in the world’s largest refugee camp in in Bangladesh. A Rohingya woman, she fled the armed conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to save ... Read More »
A CATHOLIC organisation fighting modern slavery and human trafficking has launched it’s slavery-free Easter Chocolate Campaign. Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) is asking people to name their ‘chocolate change’ in Lent and stick to it beyond Easter. “There’s so much we can do in 2021 to help eliminate slavery or child labour,” ACRATH Executive Officer Christine Carolan said. “Buying chocolate ... Read More »
THOUSANDS of Brisbane Catholics are lining up in churches today to start their Lenten journey with a COVID-safe sprinkling of ash as the liturgy adapts to the ongoing pandemic. The new practice brought in to maintain social distancing has been the custom in many countries like Italy for hundreds of years. It became another change in a long list of ... Read More »
Pope Francis has used his message for Lent 2021 to called on Catholics to “experience Lent with Love” by extending the hand of charity to those affected by coronavirus. “To experience Lent with love means caring for those who suffer or feel abandoned and fearful because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Francis wrote in the message published ahead of the liturgical season ... Read More »
ALICE Carwardine’s husband thought she was “just going through a phase”. How wrong he was. Forty days has turned into a whole new lifestyle. And James Carwardine is fully on board with his wife’s decision. Then again, it’s not about just one decision, but a whole lot of little ones. It’s all about adapting their lives to heed the call ... Read More »
SINGING missionary and theology lecturer Sr Maeve Heaney has written a Lenten program designed to lead Catholics through forms of prayer “essential” to understanding the meaning of conversion in Lent. Titled “light from within”, the new program includes prayerful reflections on the Sunday Gospels in Lent (Year A) and four new songs written by Sr Heaney, a consecrated missionary sister ... Read More »
CATHOLICS around Australia have used the liturgical season of Lent to restrict their use of social media applications like Facebook. The traditional custom of giving up something for Lent is voluntary; but during his 2019 Lenten message Pope Francis urged the faithful to consider it a gift. “The celebration of the Paschal Triduum of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, the ... Read More »
ON Ash Wednesday, we began our journey into a season of grace when we are marked with ashes indicating that we are ready and willing to celebrate the season of Lent. It is a time when our Lord offers us the discipline of prayer and to become involved in Lenten programs. It is also a time when we commit ourselves ... Read More »
I ONCE worked in a school with a rowing program. I was in awe of the students’ ability to get up long before dawn and be on the water by 5am. Occasionally I would accompany them in the coaches tinny and loved the early-morning freshness of the Brisbane River at dawn. These same students would put their bodies through so ... Read More »
The Catholic Leader Keeping Faith with You
