“What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?”

That’s the question we are being urged to consider as the Church in Australia embarks on the journey toward Plenary Council 2020. A tall order perhaps, but the key might be found in the Plenary Council logo: ‘Listen to what the Spirit is saying’.

The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters in Australia celebrated their big feast day of Pentecost with music, dancing and communion with others, including refugees and asylum seekers.

The Sisters, who were founded by St Arnold Janssen, along with the Divine Word Missionaries and another order of women religious, the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, had Pentecost celebrations in Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville and Brisbane.

Today we celebrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity.  It is a mystery that is part of our Catholic DNA, but we seldom reflect on it.

During my holiday in the Philippines a few years ago, I visited some of the Holy Spirit Sisters at their convent in Manila.

Happy New Year! I hope that as we’re already in the last week of January, it’s not too late to say that. Although, of course, for our Asian friends, the New Year is still to come, so maybe I’m in time after all.

I’m not really one for New Year’s Resolutions. I mean, like most people, I’ll try to eat better and exercise more and all that, but really, I prefer to just try and stay open to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit in my life, and in this busy, noisy world, that can be a challenging enough resolution in itself.

Today the Church celebrates the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, one of the most basic tenets of our Christian belief and underlying principle of our faith. As Catholics we utter the name of the Holy Trinity many times. 

 May the Loving Creator Spirit, who has given life and faith to each one of us, sustain and guide us on our way through life so that each of us may truly give glory to God.

Imagine there are two people having this conversation, “If you really love me, then prove it!” A girl asks her boyfriend. The boyfriend responds, “Let’s go outside and let’s watch your favourite movie, ‘Godzilla’! The girl responds, “Yeah! You really love me!!! I can’t imagine you who love watching rugby, would join me watching a movie about a giant lizard!!!”

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Ascension of the Lord; the feast of our Lord’s ascension to heaven.