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STUDENT EDITION
AXIMILIAN
WHY MARY MATTERS:
Social. Visual. Catholic
JULY 2014
RELIGIOUS LIFE
A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY!
WHICH TEMPERAMENT DO
YOU HAVE?
Paul Elarde gives you insight into the importance of Mary
CELEBRITIES
PLUS: MEDIAVIEW MUSIC & the Whimsical Cook!
5
RAISED
CATHOLIC
NEW!
SUCCESSFUL STUDY STRATEGIES plus 40 inspiring stories of life, forgiveness and hope!
Meet the
TEAM Photographers ELA GLOGOWSKA GIOVANNI PORTELLI PATRICK J LEE Graphic Designers MICHAEL DARMADI TANYA D’SOUZA CATHY NGUYEN Digital Imaging ADRIAN PURTON Business Consultant MARTA GANKO Writers NAOMI SPINKS SAMANTHA GIANNA PAUL ELARDE MARGARITA NGUYEN ANGELINE KURMANN ANTONIO MOURA ROBERT HADDAD IMOGEN ELVIS
Sponsor ST JOSEPH’S CAMPERDOWN PLEASE DONATE! Guest Writers MICHAEL DARMADI FR JOHN CORRIGAN JONATHAN TEIXEIRA SARAH JUSZCZAK Inspiration MILITIA IMMACULATAE + THE IMMACULATA SISTERS
letter from the editor Hey guys! Editor here,
to welcome you to the student edition of the Maximilian! If you’re reading this online, don’t forget, if you email us, we can organise to have you sent a hardcopy, free of charge! This is our gift, to the young people of Sydney. Student edition? Isn’t every one of these magazines for students? Well yes, technically Maximilian magazine is primarily, in itself, created for Sydney students, BUT, this edition specifically targets common issues among students - how to go about study in the most effective way, how to better understand our fellow (sometimes annoying!) peers, what might happen if life takes a difficult turn and we want to give up and what other students have been up to in the past month! Student life might sometimes be difficult. It might seem impossible at times. But don’t forget: Everyday is a new day! A chance to be different to who you were yesterday. A fresh start. As it seems appropriate, I’ll share here two quotes that inspire me most: “Lord, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” [Luke 5:5]
We can do this! We got this! And a personal favourite: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Blessed Mother Teresa Forget the past! Live for today! For Christ, in this moment! Enjoy this month’s edition! And if you ever want to share your story, feel free to contact us - www.maximilianmagazine.org
CM
From the editor
“To know God, to love God and to make God known.” Mother Mary Therese “Let us not esteem worldly prosperity... but let us live elsewhere, and raise all our attention to heaven... esteeming virtue, which unites us to God.” - ST GREGORY NAZIANIEN -
Cover Photo: Giovanni Portelli
M AXIMILIAN
WHAT’S
INSIDE THIS MONTH!
LIVE Laugh LOVE EVENTS PAGE 5
LATEST NEWS STORIES PAGE 7
THE WHIMSICAL COOK MARGARITA NGUYEN SHARES HER WISDOM PAGE 17
40 REASONS TO LIVE
QUOTES
CELEBRITIES CATHOLIC
MEDIAVIEW
PAGE 9
YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE PAGE 11
CRADIO PAGE 12
LIVING WORD PAGE 13
VOCATIONS SR CECILIA ROSE PAGE 14
APOLOGETICS ANONYMOUS WITH ROBERT HADDAD PAGE 15
PAGE 19
BOOk, APP & FILM REVIEWS PAGE 20
MUSIC
INTERVIEW: HOPE 103.2 PAGE 21
INSIDE THE MIND
ACT OF CONSECRATION PAGE 29
FULL HOUSE ELIZABETH SULTANA PAGE 30
WHY MARY MATTERS PAGE 31
15 PROMISES oF THE ROSARY PAGE 33
THE TEMPERAMENTS PAGE 23
CLERGYWORD
LETTER TO THE GIRLS & GUYS
LIVES OF THE SAINTS
PAGE 25
5 TIPS: STUDY PAGE 26
PUZZLES PAGE 27
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PAGE 35
ST THOMAS MORE PAGE 36
FEATURED BLOG FATHER JOHN CORRIGAN PAGE 37
BLESSED MOTHER TERESA
LIVE
SYDNEY
WHAT’S GOING ON IN SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
1 Feast of the most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
6 St Maria Goretti
7 School of the Word, Rosebery, 7pm
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8 City Silence & Catholicism 101 St Mary’s Cathedral
13 St Henry II
14 St Bonaventure School of the Word, Rosebery, 7pm
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St Margaret of Antioch School of the Word, Rosebery, 7pm
15 City Silence & Catholicism 101 St Mary’s Cathedral
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St Mary Magdalen City Silence & Catholicism 101
St Mary’s Cathedral
27 St Pantaleon
28 St Innocent I
29 St Martha City Silence & Catholicism 101 St Mary’s Cathedral
CALENDAR OF EVENTS & FEAST DAYS WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
2 Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St Elizabeth
FRIDAY
3 “Pope Francis comes to SYDNEY!” St Pat’s Church Hill Young Adults
St Thomas More
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Encounter Mass various locations across Sydney!
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St Pat’s Church Hill Young Adults
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St Bridget of Sweden
“Pope Francis comes to SYDNEY!” St Pat’s Church Hill Young Adults
30 St Peter Chrysologus
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31 St Ignatius of Loyola
Head onto the CYS Facebook page for more details and events!
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St Frederick
St Vincent de Paul
St Camillus de Lellis
Vinnies Youth Brekkie Van 8am, Prince Alfred Park Sydney
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St Christina of Bolsena
12 Vinnies Youth Brekkie Van 8am, Prince Alfred Park Sydney
17 “Pope Francis comes to SYDNEY!”
Gracefest! (Ages 16-30)
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Commemoration of all Holy Popes
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St Christopher
St Joachim, St Anne
St James the Greater
Vinnies Youth Brekkie Van 8am, Prince Alfred Park Sydney
LIVE
The Maximilian TOP NEWS STORIES & UPDATES
Winter calendars are full for these uni students
Catholic students of UNSW get busy with tea, Christ and charity.
Catholic Student Society UNSW members were kept more busy
than usual this month with their annual AGM and lunch, a girls’ tea party for the women and a winter clothes drive; an opportunity to donate winter woollies for the people of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Lima, Peru. The society reported a positive outcome from the charity event. “The winter clothes drive was a great success”, they said. “As a society we raised enough clothes to distribute amongst the three locations
that we had intended on sending the winter clothes to.” “They will be distributed by local mission workers in an initiative taken up by the Fraternas,” said one of the students of the St Paul Society. The response from the attendees of the girls’ tea party was also positive. “The girls’ tea party was a wonderful opportunity to intellectually connect with and relate to each other about real issues that we face regarding femininity and identity,” one student said. “Flair, femininity, forte and fulfillment” was the theme for the tea party, based upon St John Paul the Great’s words, “The personal resources of femininity are certainly no less than the resources of masculinity: they are merely different. Hence a woman, as well as a man, must understand her “fulfilment” as a person, her dignity and vocation, on the basis of these resources.” The students also participated in the Church’s Corpus Christi procession, together as a society. See our article on the following page.
175 Years Young in Sydney’s South-West Youth of All Saints Church unite to celebrate the parish’s 175th birthday
BY MICHAEL DARMADI
Church in LiverA llpoolSaintshostedCatholic a parish expo on June,
14th, together with its neighbouring All Saints schools, local ministries and the wider community. The expo was held in conjunction with the parish’s historic celebration of 175 years. There was plenty to see and do from the showcasing of local ministries such as the Antioch youth movement, Couples for Christ and Legion of Mary, as well as live music and entertainment provided by the local Samoan and Tongan choir groups. International food stalls which brought Italian and Filipino cuisines as well as the traditional Aussie sausage sizzle, kept all the attendees and volunteers well fed while they browsed the expo.
There was even a petting zoo filled with piglets, lambs, goats and chickens on show for the little ones to pat, cuddle and take photos with. For history lovers and enthusiasts, there was a room set up with photographs, memorabilia and newspaper articles of the history of the parish as well as some of the first religious orders to have been established in Australia. Despite patches of rain, the weather held dry for most of the day and the turnout was fantastic with people of all ages; including both parishioners and those from abroad, coming together on what was a fun and engaging day. The broad multi-cultural presence also signified that the All Saints parish and greater Liverpool community is strong, alive and well. Here’s hoping this expo was not a one-off. 7
JUNE - JULY 2014
Capuchins prepare for YouthFest
Capuchin Youth and Religious team up to serve the young people of Sydney! people from all over Australia Y oung settled in Sydney on the 26th of June
to participate in the Capuchin Friars’ first ever Youth Fest. Featuring talks by Capuchins from America, this four day long retreat touched the hearts of many. One young participant, an Eastern Sydney resident, found it different to any other retreat she’d experienced. About main speaker Father Paul Dressler, she said: “In his talks he was a really good speaker. It was very easy to concentrate and not drift off.” “The one thing i can take away from what he spoke about was in his mercy talk; His three points for letting Christ’s light into the darkness of your heart: 1. Stop running. 2. Sit still. 3. Rediscover whose you are. (to whom you belong)”
Last Sunday at the Friary Catholic Youth of Sydney say goodbye to loved Father
siders will gather to farewell a S ydney beloved friend and priest Father Lam,
for the second time, this July. Following a successful farewell last month on June 25th, it is expected that dozens will be present this coming Sunday on July 6th, to participate in the Mass and celebrations at his final “Sunday at the Friary”.
IN OTHER NEWS! We say goodbye to the Vivid Light festival and welcome the Sydney Winter festival, ACSA Conference and YCON! Search Facebook for these events! They are not to be missed!
Photo: Lauren Coyle
LIVE
“To see hundreds of people gathering and praying together to give witness to our Catholic faith is something amazing.” says Mary Jankovic.
Thousands walk the streets of Sydney in a powerful procession behind Christ Himself Young Sydney Catholics join in the Corpus Christi procession on June 22nd
BY SAMANTHA GIANNA
annual Walk With Christ in T hecelebration of the Feast of Corpus
Christi, on June 22nd, was a sight to behold with the closure of Sydney’s CBD to make way for a procession of thousands of Catholics. The streets were lined with photographers and stunned onlookers taking photos on their smart phones. Volunteers wearing “ask me” shirts were positioned on street corners to converse with strangers and evangelise. The Eucharistic procession began at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and ended at Saint Mary’s Cathedral and was led by numerous clergy who carried with them the canopy which veiled the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. The participants included lay and religious of all ages praying the rosary and singing hymns. Mary Jankovic, age 21, gives us an insight into what the procession means to her and others. “The Annual Corpus Christi procession is one of my spiritual highlights of the year,” she said. “To see hundreds of people gathering and praying together to give witness to our Catholic faith is something amazing. It seems as if everything stops for this event. Passers-by stop what they are doing to watch hundreds, if not thousands, of Catholics walking for Christ and walking with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.” At the arrival of the participants
outside Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Bishop Peter Comensoli read the Gospel and gave a homily about the actual presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He ingeniously contrasted one’s ‘presence’ in a virtual reality to the reality of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. “At the heart of the Holy Eucharist is our belief in the real presence of Jesus Christ; not a virtual reality, but his real presence. Jesus presents his own, real self to us sacramentally, and we really receive him into ourselves.” Bishop Comensoli drew the audience’s attention to the façade which social media creates of a person and explained how Jesus does not wear a false persona in the Eucharist. “There is no way in which Jesus could adopt a persona that is not truly him, because there is nothing between him
and us to hide behind; and for the same reason there is no way we can present a fictitious persona to Jesus. There is nothing virtual about the Eucharist; it is something living. Or more accurately, it is someone living in me.” His advice became increasingly practical as he continued to address the issue of social media. “Even though Facebook is a neat form of social communication, it will always be a facade, a mask that in fact hides rather than reveals what is real,” he said. “There is no need for truthfulness (on Facebook); and no way of testing for genuineness. Facebook has no real presence about it because it does not require me or anyone else to be really present.” There is much hope that this event will continue to attract more Catholics every year.
Human Rights Considered by Comensoli Young adults across Sydney gather to discuss the secular and sacred
BY SARAH JUSZCZAK ydney’s annual Pentecost Catechesis was held at St John’s College on 6 June, focusing on theme ‘Human Rights and Religious Freedom in Australia.’ The annual event is an opportunity for the Archbishop to meet with youth from around the Archdiocese and address a particular issue. At this year’s event, Apostolic Administrator Bishop Peter Comensoli spoke to more than 200 young people about the importance of being free
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to live out our commitment to our faith. “Religious freedom is about bringing meaning, reasonableness, truthfulness into our world,” Bishop Comensoli said. “And it is about proposing that meaning and value and truthfulness to others in our world. That’s the importance of religious freedom,” he said. The Pentecost Catechesis was organised by Catholic Youth Services. For their other events, find them on Facebook.
LIVE
40LIVE
REASONS TO
Inspiring pro-life stories, stories of forgiveness and of hope*
St Maria Goretti, on her deathbed, declared that she forgave her attacker. He had attempted to rape her and stabbed her multiple times. She was 11.
Earlier this year, an Iranian woman and mother, had to attend and participate in the hanging of her son Hosseinzadeh’s killer. Rather than go through with it, she forgave the man, and her husband set him free, sparing his life.
UK’s TINIEST baby, was given a 1% chance of survival. Aaliyah faced death as early as when she was in the womb when the doctors told her mother to abort her. She is now a healthy ten year old!
Saint Pope John Paul II, during the war, faced death, as the Nazi soldiers entered each room of the building and killed everyone. He lay on the floor in the shape of a cross and prayed the rosary. They did not enter his room and his life was spared.
If you read our interview in the MUSIC section, you will read of the man who changed his mind about suicide because of a song on the radio that gave him hope.
Ady Guzman DeJesus publicly hugged and forgave the youth who shot and killed her daughter, just last month. Her action brought many of those who were present, to tears.
When Bonnie Engstrom’s son was born limp and blue with a knot in his umbilical cord, her parents baptised her and prayed through the intercession of Venerable Fulton Sheen. After an hour of not breathing, and declared dead, baby James Fulton rose to life.
When the Buetlers’ were told their daughter was going to be born dead, they prayed for a miracle and watched it unfold as little Abigail learnt to breathe and developed, despite her lack of kidneys!
Melissa Ohden’s body was found in a garbage can by a nurse who saved her life. Upon hearing this story - it is evident that this second chance at life is a tremendous reason to live!
Sydney student says: “I have some very close friends who were almost aborted, but thanks to the courage of their mothers who, even under pressure, chose life. I would not have had the amazing blessing of their friendships had their mothers chosen otherwise.”
Billy Joel, frequently battled depression, and tried to end his life but survived. He wrote a song to help prevent the same thing happening to others.
Sydney resident Jessica chooses life every single day as she battles depression, anxiety, and a difficult home life. By surrounding herself with community and friends, she is able to find joy in living. Read her story in our next edition.
Sydney student Belinda* faced death in the womb. “Before birth the shadow of death was there. My family wanted me aborted because my mother had lost a lot of blood, miscarried my twin, and my heart had stopped beating. But she fought for me. She is the reason I live.”
Elton John and EMINEM turned to their talents after failed suicide attempts. Their music in these difficult times express messages of hope and encouragement.
Justin Beiber faced death in the womb when his mother, at 17, a victim of sexual abuse, was pressured to abort him. She chose life for him!
Andrea Bocelli: “A young pregnant wife has been hospitalized... The doctors... suggested that she abort the child... because the baby would be born with some disability... That woman was my mother, and I was the child.”
Jim Caviezel when speaking of the death associated with abortion, says: “You don’t have to die to experience heaven”
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Pope John Paul II visited his attacker who shot him. He forgave him. “I spoke to him as a brother whom I have pardoned, and who has my complete trust.”
Immaculee Ilibagiza is a survivor of the Rwandan genocide that took place in the mid-nineties. Ilibagiza chose to forgive the people who killed her family. One day, she met one of the murderers face-to-face and told him directly that she forgave him.
LIVE
Napier and the Dickson’s daughters were killed by a drunk driver. They responded by founding a foundation that promotes safe driving, forgiving the drunk driver and spreading the message with him.
If you read our featured blog in this edition, you will read how Corrie Ten Boom publicly forgave a Nazi soldier. Even after the Nazi’s had kept her in a concentration camp which led to the inevitable death of her sister.
Christina Martin: “I was saved from abortion when my birth-mother changed her mind after being brutally raped at the age of 17...” In response she has now been a pro-life advocate for five years.
In 2011, Patricia Machin lost her husband when he was hit by a car. She responded to this death with no ill will toward the driver, and wrote a letter in his defense, expressing her empathy toward him.
Pierce O’Farrill faced death when James Holmes opened fire on a crowd of people in Colorado, killing 12 people. Although he suffered three gunshot wounds, when asked about the killer, he said “I forgive him with all my heart.”
April lost her two sons in a tornado. Her response was to say Isaiah 55:8-11. She said her sons had fulfilled their purpose in life and that she had a peace about it.
The father of one of 49 killed, said to the killer: “Mr. Ridgway...there are people here that hate you. I’m not one of them. You’ve made it difficult to live up to what I believe, and that is what God says to do, and that’s to forgive. You are forgiven, sir.” These words brought the killer to tears.
Baby Ashley’s parents were persuaded by the Sydney 40 days for life team to protect her life and not abort her. Many others have been saved in this way!
Jenna and Jillian, “mono mono twins” survived the odds of one in ten thousand. It is said that they were born holding hands.
*Most of these stories can be found in full at LifeSiteNews.com. Some names have been changed.
40LIVE
REASONS TO
Just last year, the Octogenarian triplets whose doctors said they would not survive, celebrated their 80th birthday. Audrey, Alan and Eric have 35 grandchildren altogether!
In 2006, Charles Roberts entered a school and started shooting, killing five children and himself. Family members of the children actually attended his funeral, forgave him and comforted his widow, offering her financial support.
Faith Noah from LifeTeen was nearly aborted. In her words: “She didn’t abort me. No matter how messed up I was...” (about her mother) “...she was willing to trust it was a part of God’s plan.”
Christian Buchanan was born with no eyes and his mother responded to the hate perpetuated by pro abortionists with the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWCbkyR0cy0
Steven Mcdonald was shot three times, and faced death, though survived with paralysis. Instead of bearing hatred in the face of his attacker, he forgave him and tried to contact him in jail. He is now a speaker who travels to promote forgiveness wherever he goes.
In July 2013, Yasmin Gomes was born dead, with declaration of death occuring one hour after birth and a death certificate issued. After placement on an altar for three hours, she came back to life.
Little Corbin was given a 1% chance of survival, and died 19 days after birth. But he did so with half a million fans and followers online. When he died, they said that rather than mourning, they were celebrating life.*
Claire survived an abortion that killed her twin. She responds to this second chance at life today by sharing her story and speaking up for babies around the world, so that they too, can have life. “The abortion still affects me today... but... life is still worth it!”
After suffering depression and attempting suicide, Luke* made a stirring video of his experience to touch depressed teens by letting them know they’re not alone and encouraging them to seek help.
Gianna Jessen survived her abortion. When she found out, she responded by travelling the world sharing her story and forgiving her mother for trying to kill her. The unfinished abortion caused her to have cerebal palsy, but still she is joyful and loves life.
Jesus... the greatest reason to live.
Thousands of young people face the difficult decision of suicide and abortion every day. Sadly, today, many of them still suffer from their past decisions.
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CELEBRITIES
LIVE
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YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE CAT HOL
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After her annulment, married her great love Keith Urban in a Catholic Church.
“We do everything that’s Catholic, but we don’t really have anything traditional except go to the park and have barbeques on Sundays after church.” She asked her father for a promise ring, and he gave her one, after having gone to the church to have it blessed. Her words: “He actually used me as an example for other kids. I’m going to keep my promise to myself, to my family and to God.”
SELENA GOMEZ NICOLE KIDMAN
GERARD BUTLER
An ‘Irish’ Catholic, from a very big family. These days he is less devout than his grandparents. “I was brought up a Catholic. I’m not a practising Catholic.”
RTS
REVE & S T VER CON
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY
KEITH URBAN
...to marry his lady [above] in the Church, we deduce that he must have become a Catholic!
LY? L A E R
katie holmes Became Catholic so he could be married in a Catholic ceremony. Though his wife was born and raised catholic, he was raised Methodist. True fact: He was named after St. Matthew, and for this reason prefers to be called “Matthew” than “Matt”. And we all remember his Oscars speech!
Most people already know the whole Katie-Cruise story. To clue you in, just in case: Christian --> Scientologist --> Christian aka Home!
VANESSA HUDGENS
This talented singer and actress is sometimes spotted by the paparazzi, going to mass with the family.
K C I P OUR
She was home-schooled too!
LADY GAGA
ANTONIO BANDERRAS
Raised Catholic, but went her own way. Catholic, not by name, most certainly not by nature, though with the prayers being sent out for her, perhaps she will make it to our ‘Revert’ list!
Calls himself an agnostic, though he is spotted immersing himself in the rich traditions of Holy Week in his home town Malaga, every year.
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ROBERT PATTINSON
An English Catholic...in Hollywood!? A rare find...AND he has been heard promoting abstinence too!
LIVE
’S WHAT ! NEW NOTEABLE
RELEVANT
RECENT
We tuned into Cradio again for added inspiration. It’s funny how sometimes you go on their website, initially with an intent to listen to one or two podcasts, or just to hear the news...and you end up sitting there for hours, inspired... sometimes gobsmacked at the types of stories you hear, and the testimonies that are shared. See below for some of the links that really stood out!
NOTEABLE
RELEVANT
TO BE YOUNG, TO BE CATHOLIC
TO BE CATHOLIC, TO BE A STUDENT
Father Anthony Casamento tells of the life of St Aloysius Gonzaga who celebrated his feast day late last OF THE month. At the raw age of thirteen he made the resolution to become a Jesuit! Four years later he entered the seminary where he studied philosophy with St Bellarmine...hear what Fr Casamento says about his life...
SAINT
BEFORE I KNEW, I WAS ON A PLANE TO ANOTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD says student Anitra Yu who speaks about her pilgrimmage, what spurred her on to take the journey and how the experience has changed her life.
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“Aloysius was an Italian noble, who grew up in a castle, the son of a compulsive gambler. He trained from age four as a soldier and courtier, but he suffered from kidney disease, which he considered a blessing, as it left him bedridden with time for prayer.”
“It was more than just travelling, it was a pilgrimmage and I remember I had just finished my HSC and I saw the ad for it on Facebook and I thought ‘Oooh What’s this? Really really interesting.’ So I started to look at the itinerary and it was a seven day pilgrimmage from Mexico to New York and finally to Washington DC...I thought, ‘okay, well, why not?’ ”
“He received his first communion from St Charles Borromeo. At age 18, Aloysius signed away his legal claim to his family’s lands and tied them to his brother, and became a Jesuit novice.”
From the Avenue of the Dead in Mexico, to a three day retreat with the Sisters of life, to the March for Life in New York, this pilgrimmage provided many learning experiences for Anitra.
“He was a spiritual student of St Robert Bellarmine, and tended to the plague victims in Rome, in the outbreak of 1591. He also eventually caught the disease himself, and it killed him at age 23.”
“We heard a lot of stories that the Sisters told us, and a lot of inspiring stories that really remind us that life is definitely sacred and how women’s lives have been changed through meeting the Sisters of Life and living with them.”
“He was beatified by Pope Gregory XV, in 1621, and canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on the 31st of December, 1726.”
“This has definitely been life changing...”
Hear the full recording at: http://cradio.org.au/talks-and-resources/interviews/to-theends-of-the-earth-for-life
Hear the full recording at: http://cradio.org.au/shows-and-audio/saint-of-the-day/ st-aloysius-gonzaga
RECENT
FEATURED LATE LAST MONTH
FORGIVENESS IS NOT A FEELING says Paul Elarde, on Cradio’s regular A Minute with Mary show. Christ is very strong in asking us to forgive those who hurt us - but this is easier said than done. Paul provides a short reflection in this episode, with advice on how to forgive. “The love found in the hearts of Jesus and Mary is rich in mercy and forgiveness. But in order to share in this love we too are called to love and forgive others. In the prayer of the Our Father, Jesus teaches us that in order for our sins to be forgiven, we must forgive those who sin against us.” “This is not at all easy, but to be spiritually, emotionally and physically healthy, we have to effectively deal with the hurt done to us by others. The key to forgiving others is to remember that forgiveness is not a feeling. It is an act of the will. If we wait until we feel like forgiving, it will never happen.” “Our first prayer might have to be to ask for the grace to want to forgive. On our own we can never forgive. We must persevere daily, by asking for this grace. Remember that in forgiving, we are not making excuses for the other person. No, we leave all those aspects for God to deal with. Our part, is to forgive, so that we can truly be free. When we are full of resentment to the person who hurt us, we are simply giving them more power over us, which sooner or later, causes us to sin. But in forgiving them, we allow God to deal with them in accordance with His perfect will while we
are set free.”
Hear the full recording at: http://cradio.org.au/shows-and-audio/a-minute-with-mary/forgiveness-is-not-a-feeling/ Listening to this podcast in particular is strongly recommended!
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LIVE
LIVING WORD ‘You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you,
persecute you;
love your enemies and pray for those who
so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. - [ Matthew 5:43-48 ] -
Reflection What makes the disciples of Jesus different from others and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with loving-kindness, forbearance, and mercy. God is good to the unjust as well as the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and selfish towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill, both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil. How can we possibly love those who cause us harm or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy? Was Jesus exaggerating when he said we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? The original meaning of “perfect” in Aramaic is “completeness” or “wholeness”. God gives us every good gift in Jesus Christ so that we may not lack anything we need to do His will and to live as His sons and daughters. (2 Peter 1:3) He knows our weaknesses and sinfulness better than we do. And he assures us of His love, mercy, and grace to follow in His ways. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbour? Ask the Holy Spirit to change and transform you in the image of the Father that you may walk in the joy and freedom of the gospel. - Laudate
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VOCATIONS
LIVE
An interview with
Sr Cecilia Rose
During a visit
to Washington DC for the March for Life, a little girl in a museum spotted Sister Cecilia Rose in her habit and yelled to her father “DAD! There’s a princess, there’s a real princess!” This young girl was definitely onto something; Sister Cecilia Rose is a daughter of God and a bride of Christ.
especially the Vietnamese ones. But Mass was in Vietnamese. Everything - prayers were in Vietnamese…It was almost like I was Vietnamese and Catholic, but then I went to school and I was Australian and I didn’t care much about religion. I didn’t quite own my faith until Second year at uni.”
Sister Cecilia grew up in Western Sydney in a very strong Vietnamese Catholic family with her three younger brothers and her parents who were refugees that met in Australia. Sister gives us an insight into her childhood.
It was through studying Nursing at the University of Sydney and working with terminally ill patients that Sister began pondering about her life’s purpose. She realised the desire in her to not just restore peoples’ bodies, but also their souls.
“We prayed together as a family every night, at least a decade of the Rosary and we’d go to Mass and liturgical feasts,
She was introduced to Catholic Youth Services (CYS) in 2007 and took a gap year to serve the Church. Her time spent with CYS presented her with the opportunity to take responsibility for her own faith. It was during this fruitful experience that Sister Cecilia Rose realised the call in her to serve the Church, which gave her great joy. In 2008, she stayed on the team to help with World Youth Day which is where she met the Dominicans of Saint Cecilia. Sister Cecilia saw in them joy and confidence and she desired this for herself. In January of 2009, she went to a vocation retreat in the Dominicans of Saint Cecilia’s mother house in Nashville where she experienced freedom, peace and joy. It perplexed her that she travelled so far to feel a sense of belonging. To Sister Cecilia Rose’s delight, she
“DAD! There’s a princess, there’s a real princess!” 14
Samantha Gianna interviews a Dominican sister of Saint Cecilia: Sister Cecilia Rose, age 30, who is in her third year of temporary vows. discovered was not alone in her discernment process. She recounts how her younger brother Joseph, now a Franciscan in Melbourne, was also discerning religious life. “It was on the feast of the Annunciation in 2009 that we told each other. I actually called him and said ‘I think I am called to the Dominicans’ and his reaction was ‘I think I am called to be a priest.’ I think it was the graces of WYD that made us open.” They were both novices in the same year and were able to support each other through similar experiences. Entering religious life is a significant transition which comes with its unique challenges. Sister explains her greatest challenge in the convent. “Each person comes to the convent with a different history. We have to be less selfish and more considerate of others. You can never be too charitable... the biggest challenge is to be more charitable each day and find more occasions to do that.” When discerning your vocation, Sister Cecilia advices that it is important to pray and surround yourself with supportive people. “For the young women discerning any vocation, not just religious life, I would recommend them to pray and get to know the person of the Lord”.
POLOGETICS NONYMOUS
LIVE
WITH ROBERT HADDAD
ANON ANON ANON ANON Why do you have to work for your ANON ANON ANON ANON A N O N A N Osalvation? N ANON ANON Salvation for most Protestants is viewed as a gift that is freely given by God and not earned by human works. All that we have to do to be saved is to respond with faith. Works are only evidence of saving faith; they have no intrinsic salvific value in themselves. If works are not relevant for justification then it follows they are equally not relevant when Christians come before Jesus in judgment – all that Jesus will be looking for will be whether we had faith in Him as personal Lord and Savior. The Biblical data, however, presents a different picture. Every judgment scene mentioned in Scripture indicates that evidence of good works will be a decisive factor in the personal judgment of each individual: “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done” (Matt 16:27). “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Cor. 13:12-17).
“Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt 25:41-46). “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:9-10).
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29). “For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury” (Rom. 2:6-8).
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Rev. 20:12).
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12).
In summary, though Catholics also view salvation as an unmerited gift from God, all of the above make it absolutely clear that faith alone on our part is not sufficient for final justification and salvation. Yes, without faith one cannot be saved, however, it must be a faith that is fruitful in hope and love. Unless one first has faith, his/her works are not meritorious in the eyes of God. Done in faith and in response to grace, those who practise hope and love receive an eternal reward from God. Those who have faith but are not fruitful in hope and love cannot be saved. Let us then heed the words of St Paul, who in writing to the Philippians said: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
[ G O T Q U E S T IO N S ? A SK U S ! W W W. SU RV EYM O N K EY. C OM / s / J C Q 3 G P Z [ 15
Enjoy yourselves as much as you like, if only you keep away from sin... Have fun, but do not neglect study and prayer. ST JOHN BOSCO
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Tiramisu
Light &Creamy Cooking method: 1. Whip 300mL of full cream thickened cream until it reaches soft peaks. Add 1 cup of soft icing mixture and whisk in softly.
2. In a separate bowl, you’ll need 6 egg yolks and 1/2 cup of soft icing mixture. Whisk until white. Then slowly whisk into the thickened cream.
Italian Tiramisu! Well not really, I’m not a fan of cheese inside cake & I don’t like soggy cake…
So here’s my take on it! Light cream & light biscuits!
3. Leave the egg whites in another bowl & remember to whisk these too until it forms peaks! Carefully fold the egg whites into the thickened cream & egg yolk mixture.
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5. Place your sponge fingers in bowl or wine glass & add the cream mixture! 6. Decorate it with chocolate & enjoy!
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300mL Thickened Cream
1.5 cups Soft Icing Mixture 6 Eggs
1 packet of Sponge Fingers Coffee (3 teaspoons) Sugar
Vanilla Essence
Chocolate for decoration
Serves 6
4. Prepare your coffee in a medium sized bowl. Add vanilla essence & sugar to taste. Quickly dip the sponge fingers in; note, do not soak it for over a second because it’ll get soggy.
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Margarita is a self-taught cook. She’s one of five children in a Vietnamese family where food is very central to her culture. Despite her young age and little experience in the hospitality industry, she has been catering for retreats, youth camps & events for different organisations over the past 2 years. She enjoys cooking Italian cuisines. Visit her new and improved food blog: http://anasianmargarita.wordpress.com/ 18
Laugh Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.
Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest to you.
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not admit that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
- Blessed Mother Teresa -
- St Ignatius of Antioch -
The earth could exist more easily without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
- St Charles Borromeo -
- St Padre Pio -
POTENTIAL. ST POPE
JOHN XXIII The things you are passionate about are not random. They are your calling.
The world does not need what you have, but who you are.
- F. Fredrickson -
- St Edith Stein -
Peace begins with a smile. - Blessed Mother Teresa -
Spending time with God puts everything else in perspective. - Joe Stowell -
Don’t compare your love story to those you watch in movies. They’re written by scriptwriters, yours is written by God. - Unknown -
THE
QUINTESSENCE
OF LOVE IS SACRIFICE
AND
SUFFERING. ST FAUSTINA
KOWALSKA
- St Pope John Paul II -
Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.
The thing that is really hard and really amazing is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.
- St Therese de Lisieux -
- Verily Magazine -
CONSULT NOT YOUR FEARS Lord, on the day I called for BUT YOUR help, You answered me. HOPES AND YOUR DREAMS. - Psalm 138 THINK NOT ABOUT YOUR FRUSTRATIONS, BUT ABOUT YOUR
UNFULFILLED
We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son.
A Christian knows when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak. He knows that God is love and that God’s presence is felt at the very time when the only thing we do is to love. - Pope Benedict XVI Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world. - Kim Culbertson -
Begin to practise self-denial in little things so that later you will be able to do so in bigger ones.
Don’t waste your time on what happened before. If something is hurting you, preoccupying you, get it out. Make a good confession.
Sometimes we are saddened by the weight of our sins. May we not be discouraged. Christ has come to lift this burden and give us peace.
- Blessed Mother Teresa -
- @Pontifex -
DO NOT BE AFRAID.
DO NOT BE SATISFIED WITH
MEDIOCRITY. PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP AND LET DOWN YOUR NETS FOR A CATCH.
ST POPE
JOHN PAUL II The more a soul loves God, the less it feels this love. - Padre Pio -
Do what is just, to show constant love. And to live in humble fellowship with our God.
- St John Bosco -
I don’t go to religion to make me happy... a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity. - C.S. Lewis -
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- Micah 6:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. - Matthew 5:8 -
If we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others? - Pope Francis -
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EDITOR’S PICK! (22, NSW)
]
This novel encompasses a thoroughly researched, comprehensive and subjective collaboration of evidence and first person accounts of what was going on both inside the Vatican and around Rome during WWII. Have you ever had people bring up the incredulous idea that the Pope caused WWII? Or that he helped Hitler? Or that his neutrality proves the Church’s ‘role’ in the massacre of thousands of Jews. This popular myth was first perpetuated by people during WWII, where the assumed silence of a pope was perceived as consequential inaction. Gordon Thomas presents a strong case in narrative format in defense of the Church’s apparent inaction during WWII. Read how Thomas destroys these myths, and equip yourself with the truth for when a dishonest situation arises. The author does not even need to mention any dogma to get his idea across. It is solely fact, put into narrative form and in sequential order for us to read, for us to see the seemingly silent hero in swift action as the gates of hell loomed closeby, held off by no more than a single painted line, separating conflict ridden Rome from the neutral Vatican city wherein the keys of the heavenly kingdom lie. Without meaning to, in giving a detailed account of the ongoings of the Vatican before and during WWII, this novel pays tribute to Pope Pius XII.
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JONATHAN’S PICK! (FROM FOCUS.ORG)
]
Most people know the Pope has a Twitter account, but did you know he has an app? As you might have guessed, The Pope App is all about the Pope. It’s powered by news.va, which is run by the Pontifical Council for Social Communication. If you like the Pope, you’re gonna love this app. You can browse photo galleries of recent General Audiences and Papal events, watch video clips of the Pope’s addresses, read transcripts of his speeches, check out the Pope’s upcoming schedule of events, and even watch live streaming video. The Pope App also has a Pope News section, links to other great resources (Pope’s Twitter account, various Vatican news sources, etc.), and Vatican webcams. Wish you could see who’s praying at JPII’s tomb or how many people are in St. Peter’s Square right now? Now you can!
“A tale of sisterhood, true love and adventure, set in a breathtakingly beautiful world of ice and snow. With all of the hype surrounding this film, we went in expecting to enjoy ourselves, and we weren’t disappointed... We came out singing the songs and wishing we could watch it again.” READ ABOUT FROZEN BY ONE OF OUR YOUNG WRITERS: IMOGEN ELVIS!
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[
IMOGEN’S PICK! (19, NSW)
]
Princesses Elsa and Anna have been isolated from the outside world their entire lives because of Elsa’s secret: her uncontrollable power to freeze anything she touches. When she accidentally unleashes her icy magic at her coronation, Elsa flees, afraid of being rejected because of her power. Determined to end the eternal winter that Elsa accidentally caused, Anna sets out to find her sister and convince her to unfreeze the kingdom. From the emotionally conflicted Elsa and her ever optimistic sister Anna, to the supporting cast of princes, reindeer and even a snowman, this movie is filled with loveable characters. As well as having a great cast, ‘Frozen’ is packed with catchy songs such as Elsa’s ‘Let it Go’, an emotional showstopper, and ‘In Summer’, the hilarious song of a snowman who wants to experience the warmer seasons. The film’s main message is that true love is willing to make difficult sacrifices. ‘Frozen’ also has a refreshing theme of sisterhood that is very different from the usual sibling rivalry. Another theme is that people are not always what they seem. We came out singing the songs and wishing we could watch it again. I highly recommend seeing ‘Frozen’ and buying it when it is released on DVD. Like us, you will want to watch this movie more than once.
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Why tune into
HOPE 103.2
Read how Hope 103.2, a radio station like no other, plays a role in transforming people’s lives; both from within, with its faithful employees, and externally, with the people who tune in. Dwayne Jeffries shares why young people should tune in too, and what events are coming up for the Christian Youth of Sydney!
WHY SHOULD OUR READERS CHOOSE HOPE 103.2?
A place like Hope, while it doesn’t play all of the songs you’re going to hear on other radio stations, the truth is, it’s being built to help people through the tough times, and then celebrate the really good times with them. We have a bunch of different shows on Hope that are ideally suited to you. Places like the Switch, which is our night show, which is full of fantastic music you hear on other radio stations but also music we’ve selected that carries messages of affirmation and hope. Music that will leave you feeling better about life, as opposed to making you wonder why you’re even here. Hope chooses its music and the people that appear between the songs to make sure that you are left in a better place. That’s the point of a place like Hope.
THE SWITCH, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO ELABORATE FURTHER?
The Switch is hosted by Laura Bennett, who is a relatively recent uni graduate. She’s passionate about finding brand new music, both that’s Christian and also contemporary secular music. And then there’s also Fresh, which is on a Saturday night - brilliant contemporary Christian music, that if you were to introduce a friend who isn’t a Christian to, they’d still love it because it’s great music.
AS CONTENT DIRECTOR YOU WOULD HAVE CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS OR LISTENED TO INSPIRATIONAL STORIES WHILST ON AIR. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY THAT HAVE TOUCHED YOU, DURING YOUR TIME HERE?
There’s a story where, last November, we had a listener call in, who was on the brink of ending their life, and they were making choices about where they were going to do it, and the kind of message they were going to leave behind for their family. They weren’t a listener to Hope at all, and they were just flicking around, in fact the caller, when they rang, said they must have accidentally hit the seek button on the car radio and ended up at Hope. We happened to be playing a song at that same time, that was talking about a person driving to a location to end their life, and how they chose not to do it, because... they realised there’s much more to life than just this moment. And living through this moment, knowing that you’re not alone, was enough to keep them living to the next moment, and the moment after that. And so our listener, heard that song, on the day they were planning on doing something similar. And said, “Wow, that’s where I’m at, I just don’t see any reason to keep going. And here in the words of this song, is somebody saying, ‘Keep going, because it’s worth it. Keep going, because you’re not alone. Keep going, because that’s not what you were made for. You were made for something excellent and incredible and if you live through this moment, and you seek help and support, you’ll get there.’ ” And so this person changed their mind about ending their life...You’re never alone when you have a faith, and a place like Hope; if you don’t have a place to go to, can be a starting place.
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We do, yes. Trained counsellors who are available 24/7. We also have a Prayer 4You month where people can leave a message in total anonymity and ask for one of the staff here to pray... When we came to our first Prayer4You month, and those messages started to come through, I realised that all of us reach a point where there is no one else to turn to... And I can tell u that there are people around here, who, three or four times a day during that month, will stop what they’re doing, grab an email or a ...AND I voicemail msg, go to a room, sit down with another workmate UNDERSTAND and go “Let’s pray for this person, they’re doing it tough.” That’s a cool thing.
“
YOU GUYS PROVIDE A CARE4YOU LINE?
...I realised that all of us reach a point where there is no one else to turn to...
IS THAT JUST YOUR STAFF, OR ARE YOU OPENING THAT UP TO OTHERS JOINING?
PERHAPS FOR ANY ASPIRING ARTISTS OUT THERE, CHRISTIAN ARTISTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THE RADIO, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR THAT WITH HOPE?
“
...You’re never alone when you have a faith...”
Laugh AND I HEAR CITY2SURF IS COMING UP AND YOU GUYS HAVE A TEAM GOING!
We do. No we’d love as many people to run with us as possible. We have a VIP section, and I don’t know if that’s full yet, it may well be... we’re also running in the general category as well. So you can contact us through our webpage, there’s a page set up there for our City2Surf team, or you can speak to Linda by calling through the front desk, here at Hope 103.2 and she can point you in the right direction as well.
YES. ORANGE T-SHIRTS? Orange-y/Red-y/Pinkey! Its one of those iridescent colours. They look red-y/orange, but when you take photos they change colour, it’s a weird thing...Its a good run too by the way. (Editor note: fourteen kilometres!) I did it last year for the first time. It was great fun. There’s a sense of achievement when you get to the end... awesome.
MMM. NOT TOO TIRED? No. Some of the less fit of us were hobbling around a bit the next day. But for the Sunday itself, it was a lovely run.
We love to hear music, and now that people can record their music in their bedrooms, lounge rooms, using really simple recording devices, we’re getting great music coming through. So don’t worry even about getting studio quality, record your song with your band, wherever you can, and then send it to myself Dwayne Jeffries, or Aaron Wright, who’s not only our breakfast guy here, but hes also the day to day program director of Hope 103.2. We can even bring you in and we can record a session here in our own studios. We have live music regularly. We’ve got great facilities...
“
...when it comes to difficult times, at home or bullying or other relationship issues... it’s never only you. And you are worthy.”
FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, WORKING IN SUCH A FAITH-FILLED ENVIRONMENT; FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE UNDERGOING ISOLATION, BULLYING AND A HARD TIME AT HOME, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE?
When I first arrived at Hope, working in my first all Christian working environment, while I’m a guy of faith, it was still pretty weird. Because people are genuinely interested in how you’re doing. And my advice outside of a place like Hope, has always been with things like bullying. That you are not alone in being bullied, there are many other people in that same position as you. The most nasty thing about bullying is that you’re made to feel like it is just you; You’re the only person who is being treated like this; And you deserve to be treated like that; where the truth about bullying is neither you don’t deserve ever to be treated like that and you aren’t the only person being treated like that...When you come to a place like Hope you realise very quickly that it’s not just you and it’s not just the person next door to you in the office. This whole place is on your side. You’ve got a whopping great big couple of footy teams who’ve got your back. And that’s the advice that I’d give anybody when it comes to difficult times at home or bullying or other relationship issues that make you feel like you’re not worthy or that this is only you. Because it’s never only you. And you are worthy. 22
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INSIDE THE
MIND.
THE TEMPERAMENTS
More than just a theory. More than just a personality test! “The temperaments... isn’t that like some type of Catholic astrology?” In their book “The Temperament God Gave You”, Art and Laraine Bennett answer this question; among others, very clearly and concisely; to give a well researched and thorough teaching on what the temperaments are, when regarded in light of Christianity. Below you will find an excerpt from their book! And in each edition we will take a closer look at each of the temperaments. The following page and our online test will help to indicate your dominant temperament.
Self knowledge is a virtue... ...that St. Teresa of Avila said must never be neglected. By better understanding ourselves and our loved ones, we will be able to improve ourselves and grow in our spiritual lives...When we understand our temperaments, we can begin to master those inclinations or untoward actions that may thwart our growth in virtue and in love. We will develop greater compassion for others and will stand ready to encourage and strengthen our loved ones... “Every temperament is in itself good, and with each one man can do good and work out his salvation.” (Father Conrad Hock) Enthusiasm, energy, intelligence and a strong will combine to make the choleric temperament a classic go-getter. The melancholic, more than any other temperament, tends to value the ideal - whether it be truth, beauty, or justice, and all that is noble. The creative, fun-loving, high-spirited sanguine’s natural tendency to look on the bright side, to enjoy people, and to seek out adventure, sometimes results in a label of superficiality and frivolity. But the world is a brighter, more joyful place because of the inspiration, enthusiasm, and fellowship he provides. Phlegmatics are reserved, prudent, sensible, reflective, respectful, and dependable. They are loyal and committed, tolerant and supportive. The book describes the temperaments...and how they can influence our personality, our motivations, our lives. It is important to understand how our individual temperament affects us and how best to work with its particular strengths and weaknesses to form ourselves both humanly and spiritually. But it is equally important to remember that temperaments never tell the whole story. Understanding temperament doesn’t mean we now have a handy label to slap on [others]. Our temperament should never be used as an excuse for bad behaviour. See our next issue where we will be taking a closer look at the sanguine temperament! Are you predominantly Sanguine? -->
“The Classic Key to Knowing Yourself, Getting Along with Others, and Growing Closer to the Lord” (The Temperament God Gave You) “It doesn’t only help you to tolerate others...it also helps you understand yourself better, why you do certain things and ultimately, appreciate who you are...” (From the editor)
The following indicator is adapted with permission from The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett 23
INSIDE THE
MIND.
THE TEMPERAMENTS
ARE YOU?
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Does this sound like you? You might be primarily a:
Slow to react; doesn’t react intensely; reactions of short duration;
quiet; diplomatic; peaceful; makes decisions based on relationships/
feelings; sensitive to others; dependable; procedural; dispassionate; dry wit; follower; introverted; calm under pressure; dutiful; likes structure; requires motivating; hates conflict; enjoys peace and quiet; well-liked by almost everyone; peacemaker; reserved; homebody; constant; prefers routine; process-oriented; patient; tolerant; not easily provoked, but feelings can be easily hurt; well-behaved; respectful; would rather please others than do what he wants; orderly; unmotivated; low-key...
Slow to react, with intense reaction growing over time and of long duration; thoughtful; spiritual; deep; poetic; introverted; overly cautious; perfectionist; thinker; critical; doesn’t prioritize well; tends to discouragement and self-pity; worries over possible misfortune; can be a hypochondriac; easily hurt; slow and sometimes indecisive; pessimistic; moody; goal-oriented; detached from environment; few friends; exclusive; likes to be alone; second-guesses; introspective; holds grudges; abhors injustice; is motivated by problems; looks at the down side; selfsacrificing; sensitive; makes decisions based on principles... Quick to react; reactions of short duration; relationshiporiented; doesn’t hold grudges; life of the party; funny; loves to be with people; optimistic; likes groups; talkative; popular; follower; seldom embarassed; loves variety; attuned to environment; likes clothes; can be faddish; enjoys shopping and eating out; high energy; quick to forgive; welcomes change; frank; talkative; sociable; less interested in follow-through; can be superficial; cordial; makes friends easily; selfassured; carefree; eager; likes to talk in front of groups; enthusiastic; prone to vanity; artistic and creative; spontaneous; sometimes forgetful; process oriented; restless; makes decisions based on relationships/feelings; social butterfly... Quick to react; intense reaction of long duration; leader; initiator; logical; pragmatic, person of action, forthright; pushes plans through; doesn’t display emotions easily, except anger; not given to anxiety; impetuous; eager to express yourself; love debate; defensive and prideful; persevering; self-confident; self-reliant; not a follower; driven to achieve goals; private; inclined to retaliation; extraverted; take-charge; argumentative; abhors sentimentality; logical; goal-oriented; decisive; intense; quick-tempered; optimistic; interruptive; needs acknowledgment; wants to be right, a doer; headstrong; competitive; looks for the positive; impatient; productive; makes decisions based on principles.....
Phlegmatic! IN-A-WORD:
PEACEMAKER
Melancholic! IN-A-WORD:
DEEP-THINKER
Sanguine! IN-A-WORD:
SOCIALITE
Choleric! IN-A-WORD:
LEADER
head online to www.maximilianmagazine.org, click | PREVIEW | and
T a k eT at kh ee tt he se t t te os t f it no d f ionudt ! o u t ! 24
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A Letter to the Girls ANGELINE KURMANN My dear little sisters, Let me introduce you to a beautiful, holy, loving, courageous and inspiring woman. Some of you may have never met her before, others may know her well. She is Mary, mother of Christ, my mother and yours.
Angeline works as a teachers’ aide in the InnerWest, and is a student at the University of Sydney where she majors in high school education. Based in Newtown, she regularly runs youth events near Sydney city whilst maintaining a consistent prayer life! She is one of the most highly respected female role models among us and inspires us daily. Now a regular columnist for the Maximilian, she is willing to share with you her wisdom and knowledge, well formed by solid Christian friendships, the formation of Immaculata sisters and her experiences as a young woman.
Who is she, the mother of Our Lord, and our mother? She has many beautiful names: Mother of Christ, star of the sea, mystical rose, comforter of the afflicted, health of the sick, hope of the weak, refuge of sinners, seat of wisdom, morning star. What is she like? In the gospel of Luke, Mary’s cousin Elizabeth speaks of her thus: “And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
and trusting in His word. She is filled with love of God and of neighbour: after the angel Gabriel appeared to her, she immediately made the journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth so that they could together rejoice in the greatness of God. She is steadfast even in great trial and sorrow, remaining at the foot of the cross. This is who Jesus’ mother is, and our mother. Jesus has given us such a beautiful, tender and intimate gift in the gift of His very own mother, who He loves so much. Do not be afraid to welcome Mary into the home of your hearts as your own mother! She will lead you by the hand ever closer to the Heart of her Son. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother,
Mary visits us where we are, and she brings joy at the sound of her greeting! She believes in the Lord’s promise, she is faithful
‘Woman, behold your son!’. Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’
A LETTER TO THE GUYS ANTONIO MOURA In the previous edition, we saw how we can be inspired and influenced by others, particularly those close to us. Our friends, our idols and those who we admire, say more about who we are than we realise.
The farmer told the eagle’s story. The friend said to him, “he is not a chicken!”. But the man argued, “he’s been eating, flying and acting like a chicken for a long time, he wouldn’t even survive outside the farm”.
This reminds me of a famous tale that I heard once in my youth. It is the story of the eagle and the chickens.
His friend couldn’t accept it. So, he put the eagle over the fence and told him to fly up high. The eagle looked down towards the chickens, and jumped back to them. The farmer said, “I told you, he is not an eagle any more”.
“A farmer found a wounded eaglet and took him home. He put the bird in the chicken coop and took care of him. The eaglet got better and continued to live among the chickens. The eagle grew thinking he was a chicken. He loved his home but it seemed his spirit cried out for more. Somehow he felt different from everyone else. One day, the eagle looked skyward and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring. “Oh,” the eagle cried, “I wish I could soar like those birds.” The chickens laughed at him saying, “Have you ever seen a chicken soaring?”. A friend of the farmer came to visit and noticed this eagle acting like the chickens.
The next day, they took the eagle to a high mountain with a steep cliff. The eagle was looking around trying to find the chickens but couldn’t see them anywhere; he got really scared. The friend said, “I hate to do this” and threw the eagle down. The eagle tumbled through the air. Then instinctively he stretched his wings and the wind started to catch them. Suddenly he started to soar. They were amazed! He truly was an eagle! He flew, soaring into the heavens . He no longer had to live like a chicken as he was no longer earthbound. In a same way, God created man to be free
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Antonio is an IT graduate, and a student at the Catholic Institute of Sydney where he majors in Theology. Based in Sydney’s Inner West, he regularly partakes in youth events around Sydney and used to work in a pizza place! Now a community service worker at St Vincent de Paul, he is happy to share his experiences with you of his youth and those who have inspired him to become the man he is today. and soar up high like eagles. But many become insecure and broken whilst living among “chickens”. Like that eagle, our spirit cries out for more! We know it in our hearts. There is a need for us to fly higher. Antonio Landell de Moura antoniolandell@gmail.com
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FIVE TIPS
#1
Laugh
to finding joy in daily life PART II: STUDY
Scientifically Proven: Test yourself. Don’t let the undergrad psychology students steal all the good results because they know these methods! In psychology undergraduate lectures, its taught that even testing yourself just once before the exam is proven to be more effective than a read through of your notes. Its less boring too!
If you close your eyes and picture a yellow mug with a purple hippo sitting inside wearing green overalls for 5 seconds now, I guarantee that in two weeks time, upon recall, you will remember this image and be able to describe it. If you have to remember that John Hunter was the second governor of NSW, picture a hunter with a giant red “2” on his head for five seconds and you’ve got that mark covered!
Scientifically Proven: Picture the answer.
3
4 Get rid of your screens! Pretty self explanatory. Either put them somewhere else or go to a place where there is no lure of the laptop, mobile or TV.
Pray before all study Not only will it clear your mind, (psychologically speaking), when you get fantastic grades, you can definitely credit God for helping you!! Not sure how to pray before study? See our St Thomas Aquinas prayer for Students before Study on page 35.
If you do have work to do on the computer, and use Google Chrome...
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Install Chrome Nanny - you have the option to add any number of websites, restricting the times you have access to them and also limiting the time you’re allowed on any particular website. See what happens to your browser when you Do you need to use the try to visit the website during those hours!
computer for research or for Microsoft Office use, but just can’t stop checking Facebook or Reddit, Instagram or Twitter?
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INSPIRING TRUE STORIES: Miracles of the Eucharist Part I
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A few days later, upon opening the tabernacle, he saw to his amazement that the Host had turned into a bloody substance. He informed the Cardinal, who had him have the Host professionally photographed. For several years the Host remained in the tabernacle, the whole affair being kept a strict secret. Since the Host suffered no visible decomposition, Cardinal Bergoglio decided to have it scientifically analyzed.
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Can you make these numbers into 21? You can only use each once! 6x4-3+2x0
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r. Alejandro Pezet was saying Holy Mass in Buenos Aires. As he was finishing distributing Holy Communion, a woman came up to tell him that she had found a discarded host on a candleholder at the back of the church. Fr. Alejandro placed it in a container of water and put it away in the tabernacle of the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.
DIDYOUKNOW?
Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini all had their Catholic education stopped at a young age, leaving them without the necessary tools to fight off the evil that almost consumed them entirely.
In October, 1999, (three years later!) in the presence of others, Dr. Castanon took a sample of the bloody fragment and sent it to New York for analysis. Since he did not wish to prejudice the study, he did not tell the scientists anything. Only to examine the substance. One of these scientists was Dr. Frederic Zugiba, the well-known cardiologist and forensic pathologist. He determined that the analyzed substance was real flesh and blood containing human DNA. He testified that, “the analyzed material is a fragment of the heart muscle found in the wall of the left ventricle close to the valves. This muscle is responsible for the contraction of the heart. It should be borne in mind that the left cardiac ventricle pumps blood to all parts of the body. The heart muscle is in an inflammatory condition and contains a large number of white blood cells. This indicates that the heart was alive at the time the sample was taken. It is my contention that the heart was alive, since white blood cells die outside a living organism. They require a living organism to sustain them. Thus, their presence indicates that the heart was alive when the sample was taken. What is more, these white blood cells had penetrated the tissue, which further indicates that the heart had been under severe stress, as if the owner had been beaten severely about the chest.�
Fancy yourself a comic artist? Email us your comics and jokes at CCU.Media2014@gmail.com 27
Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist. ST GREGORY THE GREAT
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ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE MOST
SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND
Immaculate Heart of Mary Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I CONSECRATE myself and my whole family to you. WE CONSECRATE to you: our very being and all our life. All that we are. All that we have. and all that we love. To you we give our bodies, our hearts and our souls. To you we dedicate our home and our country. Mindful of this CONSECRATION, we now promise you to live the Christian way by the practice of Christian virtues, with regard for human respect.
O, MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS and Immaculate Heart of Mary, accept our humble confidence and this ACT OF CONSECRATION by which we entrust ourselves and all our family to you. In you, we put all our hope and we shall never be confounded.
MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS, HAVE MERCY ON US.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, BE OUR SALVATION.
ENCOUNTER MASS (DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS) ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM 8PM AT ST JOSEPH CAMPERDOWN - 2 Missenden Road, Camperdown NSW Check out the St Joseph Camperdown Facebook page for more details! 29
FULL HOUSE
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SAMANTHA GIANNA
Freelance journalist Samantha Gianna asked two young women, both residing in Sydney, what it’s like being part of a family of ten plus. With society today, telling married couples to wait before they have kids, and to go no further than one or two, what a blessing it is to have these young women share what it’s like to be part of a family of ten plus!
From a family of 11: Elizabeth Sultana. “Strength in Numbers” Sultana is accustomed E lizabeth to the various reactions she gets
when she introduces herself as one of nine children. She is often met with perplexed faces as people wonder how her family manages to keep up with so many children. “I am so proud that I am part of a large family. It gives me so much joy that I have so many people who love me and have got my back. Sometimes I think, ‘Who needs friends when you’ve got 8 fun, loyal and honest brothers and sisters?’ ” Looking after her siblings has fostered a caring nature in Elizabeth which has manifested in her career as a childcare worker. “I am the oldest sister so I have the responsibility to look after my younger siblings…My youngest brother and sister are diagnosed with severe autism and therefore require assistance in grooming and bathing”. In Elizabeth’s case its true to say that there is strength in numbers as her other siblings help lighten the load. “My siblings and I are rostered on certain days to help our younger brother and sister.” “We have a roster on washing up dinner every night. We pair up and are rostered
on to clean the kitchen twice a week.” Although during primary school it was not affordable for the children to take up extra-curricular activities like dance or swimming lessons, this did not hinder her parents from nurturing their talents. “During school my brothers joined the football/soccer teams, which both my parents supported… My parents tried
“Growing up like this has definitely made us happier and more appreciative of the things we receive!” their best to teach us how to swim and encourage us to explore our talents by providing all the resources needed. For example; paint brushes, music and musical instruments.” Sultana family activities typically included barbeques, fun at the beach and praying the Rosary together. Just as the family grew, so did the childrens’ gratitude for all they had. “During our childhood we were never spoilt. This does not mean we grew up with nothing because we still got what we wanted on our birthdays and during Christmas. Since I am from a big 30
family most of the gifts we received were presents we had to share. Growing up like this has definitely made us happier and more appreciative of the things we receive.” Of course coming home to a full house meant that loneliness was not a common occurrence. “I love coming home from work, social outings or uni and seeing someone always home. It brings so much happiness and joy that there is always life in my house.” A great benefit of being brought up with many siblings is the countless opportunities to grow in social skills. “Growing up in a large family has given me the opportunity to develop my social skills and learn to adapt to a range of different personalities. Through these various interactions, I have increased my social network as I meet friends of my siblings.” To some it may seem that Elizabeth’s large family is crazy and counter cultural, but perhaps growing up with eight siblings brings more blessings than one might expect. After all, it would definitely put boredom at bay.
Many thanks to Elizabeth and Rioghnach for sharing their stories with Maximilian Magazine!
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WHY MARY
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MATTERS
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Insights that help us understand the importance of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. PAUL Welcome to ‘Why Mary Matters’. Each month we will be looking at the importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Christian life. To do this we will draw from Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition and plain old common sense and logic. They all build to form a solid case to prove that devotion to Mary is not merely an “optional extra” of Christianity. To a certain degree, each of the articles will build upon each other to form a complete presentation, so if you miss one, be sure to pick up a back copy.
One of the problems
in understanding the importance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is that there is quite a bit of misinformation floating around. Add to that, a generally poor level of understanding of the Church’s teaching and the result is that many people are missing out on huge graces that the Lord is offering us through His Mother! We never like to miss out on exciting gifts, especially when they are free! So let’s start discovering the truth about Mary that Jesus Himself has established...for our benefit.
Mary’s purpose - Mary exists to
glorify and honour the trinity and to bring all of humanity to glorify and honour the Trinity. We don’t adore or worship Mary. Mary can only lead us to Jesus. Sometimes you hear people boldly proclaim, “I don’t pray to Mary, I go straight to Jesus!” As if leaving out Mary was some kind of short cut. But the truth is the exact opposite. The shortcut to Jesus is via Mary! This truth has been testified by millions of Christians and great saints down throughout the ages. Devotion to Mary will bring about a relationship with Jesus that is more intimate and more profound than without Mary. In fact, there are degrees of union with Jesus that are impossible to experience without going via Mary.
It’s all about the glory - Franciscan
University of Steubenville professors Scott Hahn and Mark Miravelle, present an excellent approach to overcoming the most common objection about Mary. Their approach is in the form of questions and answers. Q. Why are some people reluctant to have a strong devotion to Mary? A. They feel that somehow devotion to Mary detracts from the glory of God. Q. Did God create the world to get more glory? A. No! God is complete in Himself. He lacks nothing. God created the world to GIVE glory!
“...the truth is the exact opposite. The shortcut to Jesus is via Mary!” Now here is a key understanding - when God gives, He empowers others through His gifts. In His Mother, Jesus has empowered Her the most by giving Her every gift He can possibly give Her! We see this in any normal family. Parents are not envious of the children’s success. Parents want to give gifts to their children which empower them. God is not threatened by empowering His children with gifts from His love. God is the Creator of all - everything else in creation owes its existence to Him!
God’s masterpiece in all His creation,
is Mary. Why should we be surprised that Jesus gave His Mother every possible gift He could give Her. Did you ever stop to think that Jesus is the only one who could choose and create His own mother? If
you could choose and create your mother, would you preserve her 32
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free of sin? Of course you would, but that is an absurd concept for us. But not for Jesus! It’s really that simple. Jesus can and in fact did preserve His mother free of sin.
Notice that if we say Mary is doing great things, it isn’t because Jesus couldn’t get them done on His own. We need to stop thinking in limited human ways and discover the way God thinks. Human ways hold back through fear or pride, but God says, “I want to give all to my mother, why do you doubt?!” Say for example, that I walk into an art gallery and compliment a magnificent painting. The more I compliment the painting, the more I am complimenting the artist who painted it. Suppose now the artist was to say, “Well thankyou for your kind words”, and I was to reply, “oh no, I’m not complimenting you, I’m complimenting the painting!” Well this is silly because the more I compliment the painting, the more I am complimenting the person who painted it. It’s the same with Mary, the more we extol the
greatness of Mary, the more we extol the Artist who made Her!
Does any good father who loves their child ever feel inferior because of praise given to their child? We get caught up with our limited petty understanding of love. God’s love holds nothing back. He gives everything to Mary and She can
only give glory to God!
Reflection prayer: Jesus, we thank
You for the gift of Your Mother. You have created her as Your Masterpiece of creation. You do this as an expression of Your Love to Her and to us. You have empowered Mary so that She can help us in extraordinary ways. Jesus, by Her example and through Her powerful intercession, Mary is indeed the shortcut to You! Holy Mary, pray for us.
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from the
words of Our Lady Herself...
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Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.”
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Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.”
“All who recite the Rosary are my Sons, and brothers of my Only Son Jesus Christ.”
“Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the Light of God and the plenitude of His Graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the Merits of the Saints in Paradise.”
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The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.”
“Whosoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of Eternal Life.
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P R O M I S E S P R O M I S E S
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All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.”
“I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.”
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I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.”
“The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of Glory in heaven.”
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“It will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and it’s vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal Things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.”
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You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary.”
The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.”
I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.”
“ Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.”
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Pope Francis says...
We do not go forward without the Holy Spirit “No one is more patient than God the Father; no one understands as much as He does.”
Prayer for
Students before Study
“With Christ as the centre of your life, you will never be disappointed.” “The older theologians used to say that the soul is a kind of sailboat, the Holy Spirit is the wind which fills its sails and drives it forward, and the gusts of wind are the gifts of the Spirit.
by ST THOMAS AQUINAS
Lacking His impulse and grace, we do not go forward.”
Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance.
Youth Mass Homily, an Excerpt
Give me a keen understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.
Cardinal George Pell, 25th of August, 2013
“How many people will go to Heaven?” or “Will only a few be saved” are usually questions asked by people of faith, i.e., believers in the one true God, believers in life after death, and usually believers in God’s judgement, in accountability to God for what we do with our lives.
Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm.
... The Scriptural images of our union with God in heaven through Jesus Christ (which is beyond our understanding) are quite reassuring and beautiful; life, light, peace, a wedding feast, wine of the Kingdom, the Father’s house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise.
Point out the beginning, direct the progress and help in the completion.
But there are also a number of New Testament texts explaining Christ’s teachings on the punishment of hell, and others like today’s gospel which recounts Our Lord’s un-encouraging response to the question about how many are saved.
I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
...Catholics no longer believe that only Catholics go to heaven (if we ever did). The one true God loves people of all faiths and no faith, but everyone has to be genuinely seeking the light of love and goodness. Like you, I do not know how the good God will judge disputed cases, but no one will be damned by God by an accident of birth and no one will be damned for genuinely innocent mistakes. Genuine searchers for truth struggling towards the light in love would have good claims on the Father. Like us, their service of others will be an important criterion of judgement.
Hope “Help someone in distress and you will lighten your own burden. The very joy of alleviating the sorrow of another is the lessening of one’s own. If we dig someone else out of a hole, we get out of the hole we are in.”
Those who refuse to consider the issue of God, especially those who reject the possibility of God because accountability to God must follow are in quite a different situation. They truly do need mercy and enlightenment, so that they will not persist in their mistaken choice. The warm hand of God is always extended towards us. The one thing necessary for us is to reach out and grasp it.
“Our social position in the Kingdom of God will depend not upon our human popularity or the popularity of the propagandists, but only upon those things we carry with us in the shipwreck of the world - a clear conscience and the love of God.”
Let me conclude once again with the story of the good thief at the crucifixion. Jesus was crucified between two thieves. One was hostile and urged Jesus to get them out of their dire situation as he was the Messiah. His companion rebuked him, saying that they deserved their sentence, but Jesus had done nothing wrong. Then this criminal, probably a man of violence, turned and asked: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He then heard the most encouraging words in the New Testament: “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
- Archbishop Fulton Sheen
*Reprinted with permission from Cardinal Pell
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LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Samantha Gianna
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WITH
This month Samantha takes a close look at the life St Thomas More, Martyr and Chancellor of England. The patron saint of Lawyers, his feast day is celebrated on June 22nd.
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homas More was a witty, charming and prominent man whose honourable dedication to God inevitably led to his martyrdom. Thomas More was born in London in 1478 to Sir John More, a lawyer and judge. As a child he enjoyed a bit of frivolity but nonetheless was of good-nature. Sir John More placed Thomas in the care of the Lord Chancellor and Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morton, from age 13. In those times it was not unusual to put your child in the home of a nobleman so that they may gain wisdom and experience. Thomas had attended St Anthony’s school in London until he was around 14. His obvious intelligence prompted John Morton to send Thomas to study at the Canterbury College in Oxford. It was here that Thomas continued his studies in Liberal Arts. In the two years he resided at Oxford he had learnt Greek, French, Latin, English, mathematics and music. At the command of his father, who aspired that his son will follow in his footsteps as a lawyer, More returned to London to read law at the New Inn for two years before he was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn. At age 23 he was called to the bar and afterwards was appointed a barrister.
“I die the king’s faithful servant, but God’s first.”
Samantha Gianna worked in childcare before deciding to study Business Administration and Communications and Media. It was the boundless imagination of the children she took care of which inspired her to follow her dream to write. The dignity of every human and the beauty and goodness of creation are what constantly motivate her to write. She is a student, a regular columnist for Maximillian and in her spare time she is working on her own fictional novel and blog. Check out her articles at w w w. s a m a n t h a g i a n n a . c o m ! One of her prized reading materials growing up was a little book on the Saints. She is honoured to share with us her love for the Saints.
More was attracted to the life of the Carthusian monks which inspired him to adopt ascetic practices in his life; he would wear a hair shirt for many years, observe Friday penances, assist at daily Mass and keep a devotion to Our Lady. More came to marry and have three children. His house became a learning centre for his children, and those of his friends, where he carefully educated the girls and boys alike. He set common prayer times for the children and his servants. He also built a chapel in his parish and continued to sing in the choir. More’s charitable works extended to the poor, infirm and the elderly. He would invite the poor to his home for meals and company and at his own expense he housed the poor, infirm and elderly in a house he hired. More’s wife was a very hard worker, so her death came as a shock and a great loss to the family. More married again, this time to an older woman who was also very skilled domestically. She continued to look after the children as Thomas persisted in meeting the demands of his very busy lifestyle. During his business trips More worked on writing his legendary book Utopia. In 1516, a year after it had been written, the book was published. Saint Thomas More was furious in the fight against the spread of Protestantism. In Responsio ad Lutherum he slams Martin Luther’s false doctrines and defends the authority of the apostles and Church fathers and the traditions of the Catholic Church being guided by Holy Spirit. The language which More and Luther used in their correspondence, would seem to the modern reader, aggressive and quite amusing. In 1529, More was elevated to the position of Chancellor of England. His role was to enforce the laws against heretics. King Henry VIII wanted to remarry after the Pope declared he had no grounds for an annulment. More refused to support King Henry in his act of defiance and, after three years as Chancellor, resigned. In 1534, More was imprisoned for treason after refusing to sign an oath validating the marriage of King Henry VIII and his sole authority. More was executed in 1535 for treason and was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 as a martyr and canonised in 1935. 36
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featured
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FATHER JOHN CORRIGAN “A Country Priest” www.acountrypriest.com
How to love your enemies
Today’s Gospel is one of those we should frequently read to ourselves and continuously strive to exemplify:
and could not. Betsie had died in that place — could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?
If you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? . . . Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do. I stood there with coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion — I knew that. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the heart’s temperature.
On this measure, it’s not easy to be Christian. It’s not easy to love those who have betrayed us. It’s even harder to love those who have hurt someone we love. But our duty is clear. The good news is, we’re not alone. We can pray for the grace to love our enemies. We can pray for healing. This extract comes from Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who resisted the Nazis and hid Jews in her home. Towards the end of the war, she and her sister were arrested, and sent to a concentration camp.
“Jesus, help me!” I prayed silently. “I can lift my hand, I can do that much. You supply the feeling.”
“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart!”
And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.
“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart!”
“After the war, Ten Boom toured Europe, preaching a gospel of love and forgiveness. Her experience is a remarkable one, but it’s one we can imitate.
For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then.”
It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavy-set man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands.
Ten Boom’s most famous book is her autobiography, The Hiding Place. I think I first read it when I was in school, but I’ve also read it since. It’s worth finding.
One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!
The film version of this book is available in full on YouTube. I haven’t watched it yet, but I intend to.
Printed with permission from Father John
This man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp. “You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard in there.” No, he did not remember me.
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“But since that time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein, …” his hand came out, … “will you forgive me?” And I stood there — I whose sins had every day to be forgiven — 37
GOD BLESS
A SNEAK PEEK at what you can read in our upcoming editions: ComingUpNext:
our Marian Edition
MORE MIRACLES OF THE EUCHARIST
ASPIRING ARTISTS STEP FORWARD TO SHARE THEIR STORY A CATHOLIC PRIEST GIVES THE 411 ON HEALTHY EATING What’s YOUR main love language? DIGITAL MEDIA: HELPFUL OR HARMFUL? LOVE AND ROMANCE: The Vocation of Marriage
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