A MILD mannered and soft-spoken Franciscan Friar had firm words for the pandemic – “do not let the fear stop you serving God and the Church and the people”. Franciscan Father Harry Chan likened the COVID-19 pandemic to the rampant spates of leprosy in the days of his order’s founder, St Francis of Assisi. “Still, St Francis and the early ... Read More »
Tag Archives: vocations
Learn to be a ‘seeker’ of Christ like St Bernard of Clairvaux
During this month when the Church in Australia calls us to reflect more deeply on the idea of our ‘vocation’, I would like to focus on the vocational call and life of one particular man. You may be surprised to learn he was not a Dominican. Well, not officially. But I like to think that St Bernard of Clairvaux – ... Read More »
National Vocations Week: Young seminarian twins find common ground in call to priesthood
BJ Perrett and Thomas Popovic, both twins, have formed a strong friendship among the brotherhood of Holy Spirit Provincial Seminary, Banyo. Thomas, whose twin Matthew’s also in priestly formation, first met rural BJ, a twin to Eve, at the Quo Vadis (Where are you going?) discernment weekend in 2017. A recent mid-semester trip in BJ’s home parish of Stanthorpe, in ... Read More »
Brides of Christ sign a blank cheque to God and embody the joy and hope of their vocation
FOUR fresh faces have found their vocations with the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres, wedding Christ in their perpetual profession at St Stephen’s Cathedral on February 2. Sr Marion Tran, Sr Maria Josephine Phan, Sr Anna Pham and Sr Marie Claude Vo are all originally from Vietnam, but have spent the past few years at Boronia Heights with their ... Read More »
Fr Michael Grace called to study in Rome
QUEENSLAND’S next generation of priests might work closely with Fr Michael Grace, who is headed to Rome for a two-year course specialising in vocational formation. The Brisbane priest of eight years has accepted the invitation to study a Licentiate of Spiritual Theology in Rome with specialisation in Vocational Formation. Archbishop Mark Coleridge invited Fr Grace to undertake the course at ... Read More »
Sr Melissa Dwyer: The world needs young people “now more than ever” to choose religious life
THE more I reflect on the call to follow Jesus as a consecrated woman, the more convinced I am that religious life is just as relevant and just as essential to the Church as it has ever been. Religious life is radical. Now more than ever, the Church needs young people who are ready to witness with the totality of ... Read More »
Youth Leader: Counting down to 2016 youth expo
SPONSORED BY ST STEPHEN’S CATHEDRAL YOUNG ADULTS MINISTRY (YAM) THE St Stephen’s Cathedral’s Youth and Vocations Expo 2016 welcomes youth and young adults to engage with more than 30 Catholic youth ministries, religious congregations and multicultural communities, to share live music, cultural sweets, souvenirs, food, drinks and a free Aussie barbecue. The expo, on Sunday, August 7, sparks youth evangelisation ... Read More »
Youth Leader: Run the good race with all your heart
SPONSORED BY VOCATION BRISBANE RUNNING Man – it seems another craze takes hold in the world. I actually think this one is very funny. But consider the running man – my boo vocation. Where are we running to – on the spot or toward something? I pray that we continually run toward God with all our heart in answer ... Read More »
My journey on a convent crawl
THE first question I ever asked a religious sister was, “What kind of face-wash do you use?” I was 14, and flabbergasted that anyone could look so luminous without make-up. The sister in question laughingly responded that a bar of soap was the sole product of her skin-care regime. Every nun I’ve met has looked at least 10 years younger ... Read More »