Recently we marked the one year anniversary of my presence in the Archdiocese of Brisbane as an auxiliary bishop – a good time to reflect on the year that was, writes Bishop Tim Norton SVD.
Over that time I’ve come to know a lot more about life and ministry here as I have taken up opportunities to visit some of our parishes, schools and communities. Time has gone quickly, however there are many memorable moments that I savour.
Fr Asaeli Rass SVD and Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC, both members of the Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) Council and leaders of religious congregations in ministry with indigenous communities, have outlined their support for the Voice to Parliament.
CRA has long been a vocal supporter of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and an advocate for a constitutionally protected voice, truth-telling and treaty and last year made a submission to the Indigenous Voice Co-Design Process calling for enshrinement of the Voice in the Australian Constitution through a referendum.
The official visitators to the SVD Australia Province have given positive and constructive feedback on the ministries being undertaken across the Province, while also encouraging confreres to continually return to their foundation of Trinitarian spirituality.
Fr Jose Antunes da Silva SVD, who is Vice Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word and was previously the provincial superior of Portugal was one of the visitators appointed by the General Council. He was joined by Fr Yosef Masan Toron SVD, who is currently serving as the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Biblical Institute.
We are about to head into Holy Week, which culminates in the Paschal Triduum, those holy days where we enter into the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Christians are a resurrection people, but all of us in our life can expect to walk the road of Calvary in some way on our road to Easter joy.
This coming Sunday’s Gospel is full of drama. It tells the story of Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, who died, was buried, then raised from the dead. There are dialogues between Jesus & his disciples, and Jesus & Lazarus’ sisters, Mary & Martha, culminating in his instruction to take away the stone which closed the tomb, and then his command to the dead Lazarus to come back to life.
Karma is something that a lot of people are asking me about, as to whether it is a Christian belief or not. Well, I would politely say that it is not. For us Christians, we believe that retribution or judgment will be happening not in this life but in the next.
Many years ago, I was watching a TV show about newly wedded husband and wives. It was a fun show about how well do you know your partner. They would have questions like, “What’s your favourite ice cream flavour?” “What’s your favourite footy team?” “What’s your kind of food that you like your wife to cook for you?” Sometimes, both partners would get the answer correct and sometimes they would get it awfully wrong and that’s the fun part.
If one single word is used to describe the foundation upon which the whole Christian life is based, it is HOPE. Hope is the main theme running throughout the heart of the Bible, from Genesis down to Revelation.
Last year I had finished a school Mass and after these Masses I always stand at the Church entrance and say goodbye to the pupils as they leave the Church, reflects Fr Clement Baffoe SVD. On this particular day, a prep student who was with his mother asked me an important question. The little boy looked at my face when leaving the Church and asked: “Are you Jesus?” I hastily replied: No! But Jesus is my friend. Both the mother and I had a laugh and they left.
The boy's question left me with many questions than answers. What has the little boy heard about Jesus? What did he see in me to then ask if I was Jesus? Is the boy searching for Jesus? And perhaps for the boy, who is this Jesus he’s been told about?
Divine Word Missionaries who attended the recent Oceania Bishops’ Assembly in Fiji have described it as a hopeful, joyful experience of collegiality and synodality, where bishops listened to the cry of the earth and oceans along with the hopes and desires of Catholics across the region for the future of the Church.
Six SVD members attended the meeting – five bishops from Australia and Papua New Guinea and one priest, the AUS Province Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD, who helped facilitate the gathering.