Fr Mike Schmitz is a well-known priest and podcaster in the United States and among Catholics across the world. At the end of every podcast, he signs off with, “I’m praying for you, please pray for me”. Some listeners might find this predictable sign-off as a bit monotonous, but viewing the Facebook posts associated with the podcast, I’ve noticed many listeners take it as a call to action, a call to prayer.
At the end of May, the Catholic Church will celebrate Pentecost. This significant feast day in the Church’s calendar falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter and celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ disciples (Acts 2:1-41).
A common element found in most Catholic churches around the world is the “Stations of the Cross”. There are usually 14 stations, each one represented artistically on the interior walls or in the grounds of the church. The stations depict the final hours of Jesus’ life and his death.
An acquaintance of mine once described a mutual friend as being “very holy”. It was said in a way that was more disparaging than complimentary. In hoping to defend my friend, my retaliatory response was: “There are worse things than being ‘holy’.”
In Matthew’s Gospel, there is a short conversation between the Apostle Peter and Jesus (Matthew 18:21-22). Peter asks, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus’ response to him is, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”
Paul Kelly’s 1996 hit, How to Make Gravy, is not your typical Christmas song. Yet, for many people whose Christmas will be tinged with sadness, the bittersweet message of the song will resonate.
Remembrance Day falls on November 11 each year. It is the anniversary of the suspension of fighting after World War I — but it’s a day when we remember all those who perished in war. In many private homes and at official gatherings, a minute’s silence will be observed.
As a young adult, I used to hang out with Christians from different denominations. Often I was the only Catholic, which made me a source of intrigue, interest and sometimes ridicule. At these gatherings, a question often directed to me was: “Are you saved?” This baffled me at first. Did they mean was I going to heaven when I died? Wasn’t this God’s decision, not mine?
In August, two musical legends passed away. Judith Durham and Olivia Newton-John were household names for at least one generation of Australians – if not more.
Have you ever found yourself in a conversation with a group of people, only to discover you hold a fundamentally different view on a certain topic? Sometimes the difference doesn’t really matter, and it can be fun to share opinions about favourite brands or stores, television shows, movie personalities and the like.
