The experience of being at Lisbon’s World Youth Day as chaplain for the North Queensland Catholic education offices pilgrim group was a gift that will be cherished for a long time for Fr Joseph Reddy SVD.

Fr Joseph, who is a parish priest in Townsville, said that being with faith-filled young people from around the world and listening to the words of Pope Francis to not be afraid and to be a welcoming Church for everyone helped nourish his own faith and send him home with refreshed spiritual vigour.

This Sunday’s Gospel presents us with the scene of Jesus dialoguing with His disciples about Himself. The dialogue took place at a crucial moment. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to fulfil the plan of salvation for us.

At Te Papa Museum in Wellington, New Zealand, I once saw some boys and girls holding some paper and being asked to answer some questions, but in order to do that they had to run and find the answers located in different exhibitions all over the museum.

One of the most frustrating things for a farmer is to have weeds in the fields. They steal whatever nutrition is there for his grain.

As we gather on this 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Word of God reminds us of the enduring invitation to find rest in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.

A program to provide formation for indigenous catechists from the Arrernte and Walpiri people of Central Australia to hand on the faith in their culture is under way in Alice Springs, with the local parish embracing the opportunity.

Speaking at the Mission: One heart, many voices (MOHMV) conference in Sydney this month, Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish in Alice Springs, Fr Prakash Menezes SVD and two parishioners, Dolores Furber and Paula Turner explained through words and art, how the program is unfolding.

On the Mount of Olives, just outside of Jerusalem, there is a small mosque. In the centre of this Muslim house of prayer is a flat rock a metre or so in diameter. In the centre of this rock are two foot-shaped indentations.

We have a belief that if you love someone, you’re willing to do everything for him or for her. In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus is challenging all of us that if we really love him then we must obey his commandments.

Before his earthly departure, Jesus in his farewell discourse to his disciples (Jn 14) assured them that not only would he not leave them orphans, but he also introduces them into his spiritual family, a spiritual family that has many rooms able to accommodate all, and is life giving.

Vietnamese Catholics in Noumea, New Caledonia, were treated to Masses and pastoral care in their own language during Holy Week and Easter, thanks to a visit by Fr Viet Nguyen SVD.

Fr Viet is the Mission Secretary for the SVD Australia Province, and his visit to Noumea was part of a pastoral outreach begun in 2015 by former Mission Secretary, Fr Truc Phan SVD.