In an Ascension Presents YouTube video, Father Mike Schmitz spoke about a common feeling of Christians and feeling spiritually burnt out and wanting to quit. He goes on to introduce an idea, RIM. This acronym stands for Relationship, Identity, Mission – 3 key reminders in a sequential order, to feel spiritually fueled. So what do they mean?
NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee and this year, begins on Sunday 3rd, and continues until Sunday 10th of July. This week sees celebrations of history, culture, tradition, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and is celebrated by people from all walks of life right across Australia.
This year on the 25th of June, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Immaculate Heart of Mary signifies the purity and love our Blessed Virgin Mary has for God. It also expresses her maternal love for Jesus Christ, her Son, and her love and compassion for all mankind.
On the 16th and 17th of June, Janita, Kim and Chloe from the Understanding Faith team attended the National RE Symposium at the International Conference Centre in Darling Harbour. This conference is organised by BBI-TAITE, The Australian Institute of Theological Education, with this year’s theme of ‘Scripture and RE: Teaching and Transformation’.
The Latin words Corpus Christi translates to “Body of Christ”. On the 16th of June we celebrate the Solemnity of the most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi. On this day we acknowledge and celebrate the true presence of Christ within the Eucharist. This is one of the few liturgical celebrations that doesn’t reflect on a specific even from Jesus or Mary’s life, but rather his presence during Mass, through the bread and wine.
On the 14th of June, we acknowledge and thank voluntary blood donors, and encourage new donors. Lifeblood, a division of the Australian Red Cross Society, is funded by Australian governments, who provide life-giving blood, plasma, transplantation and biological products for world-leading health outcomes.
Over 116,000 Australians are experiencing homelessness right now. On one of the longest and coldest nights of the year, June 23rd, business owners and community and government leaders are encouraged to ‘sleep rough’ for a night to raise awareness and vital funds for homelessness in Australia.
“Pope Francis has expressed his condolences for the victims of a terror attack on a Catholic Church during Mass in Nigeria’s southwestern Ondo State that killed more than 50 people, including several children.”
This year, on the 5th of June, we celebrate World Environment Day, with the theme of ‘Only One Earth’. This focuses on living sustainably in harmony with nature. Over 150 countries participate in World Environmental Day annually.
Each year we memorialise National Sorry Day on the 26th of May, to acknowledge the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the Stolen Generations, who were forcibly removed from their families.