Reflection for Easter Vigil

Continuing the theme of this Holy Week, the words of John Paul II highlight the richness of Aboriginality, “The establishment of a new society for Aboriginal people cannot go forward without just and mutually recognized agreements with regard to these human problems. You, the Aboriginal people, must show that you are actively working for your own dignity of life. You must show that you can walk tall and command the respect which every human being expects to receive from the rest of the human family. The Gospel of Jesus speaks all languages. It embraces all cultures. It uplifts and it … Continue reading

Reflection for Good Friday

In the talk at Alice Springs the Holy Father went on to say “Some of the stories from your dreamtime legends speak powerfully of the great mysteries of the human life, its frailty, its need for help, the closeness to spiritual powers and to the value of the human person. It is wonderful to see how people, as they accept the Gospel of Jesus, find the points of agreement between their own traditions and those of the Jesus of history”. But then John Paul brings us into the context of this Good Friday when he continues “So many of you … Continue reading

Prayers of the Faithful for Holy Thursday

Prayer 1:

Dearest Lord, let us look outside these walls and feel the heartbeat of a city in pain. The construction of roads and buildings, the toxic emissions from our cars, the media’s obsession with appearance and folly – these are transient tragedies that empty our collective soul of the rich spirituality that we all possess. Let us return to the land and embrace the pulse of the natural world. With complete sincerity and eternal love, we lower our heads and pray for the earth.

Lord hear us…..

Prayer 2:

Dearest God, let us … Continue reading

Reflection for Holy Thursday

Today we celebrate the Last Supper.

Welcome to our little community here in Redfern. Today is a day that has a special sense of the sacred. We enter into a mystery of the Other. It is the God within our midst and we share in unraveling this sublime mystery. We partake of a meal but more profoundly we experience the sacred in a way that transcends words and proofs. We are part of a mystery that is beyond mystery. It is to use the words of Judith Wright “Where wisdom shells the words away, where the sun joins earth to … Continue reading

Bloody Aboriginals

Almost 2 years ago (Wednesday 17 March 2004) Prindiville’s handling of a request to hold the funeral of Aboriginal Elder, Betty Roberts, led one of her daughters to ask “Wasn’t that terrible? Is he always like that?” ====== A couple of Sundays ago (26 February 2006), Jonathan was delivering a thoughtful reflection on the day’s readings while Prindiville and a seminarian sidekick sat on their thrones behind the altar. An obviously distraught Cindy, one of the Koori regulars, approached the Neocat priest with hands outstretched; he shooed her away awkwardly. She then tried the seminarian, who refused to move … Continue reading

Video of Ted’s Funeral

The video of the celebration of Ted Kennedy’s life is now available. Over 7 hours of professionally shot video of the occasion have been edited down to a moving 78 minute tribute to our dear friend.

(See the Church Mouse home page for links to this web site’s coverage of the event)

DVD: A$15.00 (waged) / A$10.00 (unwaged) plus $A$2.50 packing plus postage

VIDEO: A$15.00 (waged) / A$10.00 (unwaged) plus $A5.00 packing plus postage

Email bintu@dodo.com.au to … Continue reading

8th Sunday of the year: commentary

Before commencing this commentary I ask us to leave this space and journey into the hearts of the ancient spirits of this land. Although they remain invisible they are seated with us, keeping watch over our ritual. We thank all indigenous peoples for their soulful treatment of this earth and we apologize for the merciless way in which our governments have destroyed their highly practical and deeply spiritual way of life….. (pause) (pause) (pause)

Initially I did not know what to make of this week’s readings. After a first glance I sat down and scratched my head and wondered what … Continue reading

Benedict XVI Brings the Neocatechumenals Back to the Right Way

The confidential document in which the pope cracks down on abuses in how the Neocatechumenal Way celebrates the Mass

by Sandro Magister

ROMA, December 27, 2005 – In his powerful pre-Christmas address to the curia, Benedict XVI dedicated a passage to the synod of bishops on the Eucharist, which was held in the Vatican last October.

The pope expressed his appreciation of the fact that “there is a reawakening in the Church of the joy of adoring the risen Lord present in the Eucharist flesh and blood, body and soul, divinity and humanity.”

He recalled that this revival of … Continue reading