Focus

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  A feast that reminds us of our mission

  Jan 08, 2015

  The Jews were absolutely unique in the ancient world. Not only did their religion forbid them to worship any gods other than the Lord, but their prophets actually taught that the gods of other nations were mere figments of the imagination.

  
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  George Pell — the Church’s most surprising reformer

  Dec 26, 2014

  Australians, despite their small numbers, made significant contributions to changing the direction of both World Wars in the 20th century.

  
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  The Visitation — revisited

  Dec 26, 2014

  We are all familiar with the biblical story of the Visitation. It happens at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel.

  
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  Food for thought

  Dec 24, 2014

  So, Christmas Day came and went.

  
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  Preparing for the post-Christmas Day blues

  Dec 24, 2014

  Whether you are one of those who reach a Santa saturation point in mid-December, or someone who gets the blues when the presents are all unwrapped, the aftermath of Christmas Day can be a puzzle or a problem.

  
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  Christmas Day is just beginning

  Dec 24, 2014

  Most people today are aware of the Christmas song “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

  
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  Praying with Jesus in the Womb

  Dec 18, 2014

  We know his life on this earth began in the womb, at the moment of his conception. And, so we know that the first part of his journey among us - the first part of the Word of God taking flesh and dwelling among us - was nine months in his mother's womb.

  
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  Honouring talent and grace — Jean Beliveau RIP

  Dec 18, 2014

  For those of you who aren’t Canadian, perhaps this name might not mean much, but, this past week, Canada lost one of its great cultural icons, Jean Beliveau, a famed athlete. He died and all Canadians, including this Canadian in exile, mourn his passing.

  

• Food for thought

  Dec 18, 2014

  At Christmas we’re reminded that “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” But it’s often difficult to know exactly how to interpret that, or to understand why Jesus became “flesh.”

  
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  Extending our merciful hands to do God’s work

  Dec 18, 2014

  A dozen years ago, I became pastor of a parish whose priest had retired a year earlier. The town was quite small, and though the church was truly lovely, it was over 100 years old and set on an open hillside near the sea.