Easter is the season of new life and new beginnings, a time to claim God’s amazing promises and to revel in the joy and hope of the resurrection.
David Brown is one of many new Catholics who—through the Rite of Christian Initiation—embarked on the most exciting ‘new beginning’ of all this Easter. Still basking in the peace that surrounded him at his baptism, he shares with us the remarkable story of how God led him to his new life in Christ via an unexpected and eventful World Youth Day pilgrimage.
Also this week, Melbourne’s own Susan Pascoe is awarded an honorary doctorate by ACU, recognising her significant contributions to Catholic education, the community and the Church. In light of the Vatican’s recent declaration Dignitas infinita and Pope Francis’ video prayer message for April, we share the stories of three brave women who, with the support of Caritas Australia, have claimed lives of dignity and hope for themselves and their communities. Ahead of the first-ever World Children’s Day next month, Pope Francis reminds children all over the world that they are ‘precious in God’s eyes’. And we hear how CatholicCare’s Settle Well program helped asylum-seeker Vinith on his journey to new life in Australia.
Finally, we reveal the little-known connection between celebrated Catholic author JRR Tolkien and one of Melbourne’s Catholic newspapers, and explore some of the other insights into Tolkien’s life and faith to be found in a fascinating new biography.
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