TO support the Sacred Heart Mission, the Marron Singers will present their annual Christmas concert on Wednesday November 39 at 7.30pm at Xavier College Memorial Chapel, Kew. Cost $25 (concession available) tickets at door or bookings on www.trybooking.com/234068

ONE of the reasons for my trip to the North Coast of NSW was to intervene in a family situation  where one of the daughters was caught in a drug addiction and other police issues. It was a grim situation that required calm thinking and what is sometimes called ‘tough love’. Ice, Crystal meth or […]

THE scripture for last Thursday was the gospel from Luke 12, on Christ coming to bring division on earth – placing father against son and son against father and so on. It is often found to be a confusing message and, more so, because it is one of several gospel texts that point to division […]

THERE is morning Mass in the church every weekday day (except Tuesday) at 9am. Attendance is good and varies between 20-45. A homily is given at each Mass which, of course, varies in quality. The school children join the congregation most Wednesday mornings. The first Friday of every month is celebrated for the sick and […]

AT Saint Bridget’s we aim to be a community united in faith and love. However, as elsewhere, we have a struggle to hold our young people and increase the number of young families. This is, in part, demographic. Young families cannot afford to buy or even rent in the Eastern suburbs. However, it is also […]

ONE of the greatest human crises of today is the plight of refugees displaced from their homes due to war and persecution and forced to live without a home, without safety and live in appalling conditions in camps on Nauru and Manus Island. It is time to close the camps and bring the refugees to […]

THE 2016 Rerum Novarum oration on “A new day dawns – Ecological Conversion” will be delivered by Fr Sean McDonagh on Tuesday 15 November, at Cardinal Knox Centre, 383 Albert St, East Melbourne at 7.30pm. Enquiries at justice@cam.org.au or call 9926 5727.

THIS week I received the sad news that Jesuit Father Georges De Schrijver had died while teaching at the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines. Georges had been my mentor and since 1984, when I first arrived as a student from Rome to Leuven in Belgium. He supervised my Doctorate  Sacred Theology in Sacred Theology and […]

I WAS delighted to receive the news that Archbishop John Ribat, already knighted by the PNG government, and a fellow Missionary of the Sacred Heart , was named Cardinal by Pope Francis. The Archbishop had been a student of mine. I now count 10 Bishops and now a Cardinal as past students. It is also […]

WE recently honoured Annette through an outstanding service award but, recently, there was a short biography published by the SVDP Society which is a beautiful summary of her commitment to others. Some people come to the Society early in life, perhaps through their parish and a friendly tap on their shoulder; others in retirement. Annette’s […]