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Mysterious ways

The old saying goes that God moves in mysterious ways. It’s sometimes hard to predict or work out what God is doing in our lives, but when we trust and pay attention, we might discover that God has been guiding us all along, and what we thought were dead ends were actually the greatest breakthroughs.

In this week’s stories, we speak with Rev Jean-Sébastien Géry, who will be ordained to the priesthood this Saturday at St Patrick’s Cathedral. He says that only when he learnt to surrender to the mysterious ways of God did he discover the deep joy of living with a true sense of purpose.

In regional news, Pope Francis recently finished up his historic tour of South-East Asia and the Pacific, drawing enormous crowds of the faithful in both Timor-Leste and Singapore.

And in world news, as the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress drew to a close in Quito, Equador, Sydney was named as host of the next congress in 2028.

Rev Jean-Sébastien Géry: finding joy in God’s ‘mysterious ways’

Approaching his ordination to the priesthood at St Patrick’s Cathedral this Saturday, transitional deacon Rev Jean-Sébastien Géry feels ‘a deep sense of joy’. As he makes his final preparations, he is looking forward to sharing this joy. ‘I’m grateful that God is answering the deepest desire of my heart,’ he says, ‘because I always wanted to be happy. I always wanted to be a joyful man.’

Continue reading: Rev Jean-Sébastien Géry: finding joy in God’s ‘mysterious ways’

Pope’s visit to Singapore ‘the best gift at this time’

On 11 September, Pope Francis arrived in Singapore from Timor-Leste, on the final stage of his Apostolic Journey through Asia and the Pacific. In perhaps the biggest transition of his journey, the Pope travelled from one of the world’s poorest and most youthful countries—Timor-Leste—to Singapore, one wealthiest and oldest countries in the world, encouraging the thousands who flocked to Mass in Singapore’s National Stadium to discover ‘the stories of love’ behind the city’s impressive architecture and signs of progress.

Continue reading: Pope’s visit to Singapore ‘the best gift at this time’

Pope’s visit to Timor-Leste ‘a gift of faith, hope and love’

Timor-Leste—where 96 per cent of the population are Catholic—was the only country on the Pope Francis’ recent four-nation tour that has a majority Catholic population. Addressing nearly half that population—600,000 people—at Mass at a park in Tasitolu, he said, ‘Let us not be afraid to make ourselves small before God, and before each other, to lose our lives, to give up our time, to revise our schedules, giving up something to help a brother or sister become better and happier.’

Continue reading: Pope’s visit to Timor-Leste ‘a gift of faith, hope and love’

Sydney named as host in 2028 as Eucharistic Congress concludes in Quito, Ecuador

As the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress came to an end in Quito, Ecuador, the Vatican named Sydney as the host of the next International Eucharistic Congress to be held in 2028. Melbourne was the last city in Australia to host an International Eucharistic Congress, in 1973. Held every four years, the event is expected to draw tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world to Sydney.

Continue reading: Sydney named as host in 2028 as Eucharistic Congress concludes in Quito, Ecuador

‘We are but travellers’: St Bernard’s Bacchus Marsh celebrates 150 years

Monica Russell says the phrase ‘small but mighty’ often comes to mind when she thinks of her parish, St Bernard’s in Bacchus Marsh, and this was certainly apparent at the celebration of the parish’s 150th anniversary on 23 June 2024. Although they are not a huge parish, she says, over the years they have constantly and consistently tried ‘to bring Christ to those who are not sure of his place in their lives’.

Continue reading: ‘We are but travellers’: St Bernard’s Bacchus Marsh celebrates 150 years

Passions of the Soul: a book review

Michael McGirr reviews the latest book by renowned spiritual writer and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. Passions of the Soul explores the enduring contribution of the great Eastern Christian writers of the fourth and fifth centuries, including the ‘desert mothers and fathers’, who came to inhospitable places wanting to be lost but, in their lostness, learnt to ‘live in welcoming stillness’. McGirr writes that ‘The world often stands still in the pages of a book by Rowan Williams’, describing Passions of the Soul as ‘a small oasis in the deserts of our own making’.

Continue reading: Passions of the Soul: a book review

Building bridges in faith: St Brigid’s journey toward an intercultural community

St Brigid’s Catholic Church, in Melbourne’s inner North Fitzroy, is a vibrant expression of the multicultural spirit of the city. English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino and Swahili-speaking communities all call this parish home, enriching its spiritual life with their diverse traditions. Yet, despite the breadth of cultures, parish priest Fr Fransiskus Xaverius Yangminta CS believes that something more profound is needed.

Continue reading: Building bridges in faith: St Brigid’s journey toward an intercultural community

Australian participants head to Rome for Synod of Bishops

Australian Catholics will play a key role in a month-long global event aimed at shaping the future of the Church. Fifteen Australians will attend the second session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome from 2 to 27 October, which has the theme ‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission’.

Continue reading: Australian participants head to Rome for Synod of Bishops

Catholic Earthcare convocation shares wisdom on caring for our common home

More than 145 representatives from dioceses, parishes and schools across Australia have participated in Catholic Earthcare’s three-day Season of Creation Convocation. Across six in-person ‘hub’ events and a virtual convocation for those joining remotely, participants were called to ‘wonder, weave and heal’ together, to better care for our common home.

Continue reading: Catholic Earthcare convocation shares wisdom on caring for our common home

‘Safe, comfortable and seen’: specialised dementia care unit changes lives

As we observe Dementia Action Week (16–22 September), the family of a man living with dementia is calling for more specialised dementia care units to help improve individuals’ wellbeing and to slow the progression of the disease. Amelia Desmormeaux is grateful for the care her husband Bernie has received at VMCH's specialised dementia unit Lady Lourdes House, saying, ‘The relief you see on families’ faces when they come to Lady Lourdes House is palpable.’

Continue reading: ‘Safe, comfortable and seen’: specialised dementia care unit changes lives

‘I’m grateful that God has listened to my prayer. I feel I’m a happy man, a deeply joyful man, and I just want to share that joy.’

Rev Jean-Sébastien Géry

as he anticipates his upcoming ordination to the priesthood

Come work with us

Applications are currently open for the following positions:

Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

Animation Consultant, East Melbourne (including travel to the Western Region)
Library Manager—Mannix Library, East Melbourne
Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, East Melbourne
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry of Victoria (ACMV) Coordinator, Thornbury
Relationship Support Officer, CDF, East Melbourne

Parish position

Pastoral Associate at St Luke’s Parish, Lalor

If you are interested in applying for any of the above positions, further details can be found here.

Upcoming events

Chinese Alpha Australia Tour

Wednesday 18 September 2024
9.30am–11.30am

The Alpha Australia team warmly invite you to join them for morning tea at St Benedict’s in Burwood. With special guest Vinnie Tang, Rev Lam Tien Keong—from Alpha Asia Pacific—and the team at Alpha Australia, this gathering aims to ignite a passion for evangelism within Chinese churches and to unite ...