Throughout his time on earth, Jesus frequently took himself aside to pray and to spend time with the Father. For us, too, the way of the Gospel is the way of prayer.
Across the Archdiocese of Melbourne, our local communities of grace are invited to unite for a weekend of prayer from Friday 24 March to Sunday 26 March 2023. This weekend coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation, and Archbishop Peter A Comensoli has said that it ‘promises to be a moment of grace for the local Church, as together we meditate on Mary’s fiat, her total “yes”.’
Fr Cameron Forbes was announced as the new rector of Corpus Christi College last year. In the role now for two months, he shares with us some thoughts on his experience so far and the core elements of good formation. He also tells the story of his own calling to serve God. Being a priest, he says, is ‘an incredible privilege’.
This week we also hear from a woman whose life is dedicated to upholding the dignity of women and children. Melinda Tankard Reist is a speaker, activist and founder of Collective Shout, a grassroots organisation committed to raising awareness about the harmful effects of pornography. Melinda tells us about some of their victories and about why she remains hopeful, while pointing out that there is still much work to be done.
This week, we continue our exploration of the 40th International Eucharistic Congress, hosted right here in Melbourne 50 years ago this year. Among the participants were Mother Teresa, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla (later Pope John Paul II) and a significant number of Ukrainian Catholics, who brought the plight of their people to the world’s attention. We cover all of this, and some other highlights, in our rundown on what happened.
Finally, at the Rite of Election last week, catechumens and candidates affirmed their readiness to embrace the Catholic faith more fully. We hear some of their stories about why they converted and their journeys to this point.
We pray that your own Lenten journey has been a fruitful one so far. In coming weeks, may we all travel further and more faithfully along the way of the Gospel and the way of prayer.
