A Special Thank You

21 days to go now till I embark on my journey to the Philippines and Poland!

I would like to truly thank everyone who has made this experience possible for me, in particular the St. Patrick's Primary School Parramatta community. Their continuous support and encouragement has allowed me to grow and prepare for this uplifting experience. 

What I have learnt is that my pilgrimage starts here, in this moment. I look forward to fulfilling the works of Mercy and most importantly bringing my experience home to everyone. 

Each week I have been attending formation nights, where all pilgrims from the Parramatta Diocese gather together. These nights  have allowed each of us to prepare for our journey together and most importantly our journey towards Christ. We have had the privilege of listening to two inspirational guest speakers by the names of Steve Angrisano and Jason Evert who both shared their spiritual journey with us. 

‘What is Prayer?”

Fr Andrew, a Chapin who will be coming to WYD with youth from the Parramatta Diocese spoke about the importance of prayer. A biblical reference that he quoted which spoke to me was;
“Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (Thessalonians 5:16-18).

What does this mean for us? It means that we are to simply stand before Christ, particularly during adoration with open arms and experience the moment where the divinity meets humanity. It is through the Eucharist we experience our heavenly father and therefore we are called to build that continuous relation with him throughout our lives.

So therefore, as a time of reflection as a family, I encourage you to gather together and discuss these three powerful questions:
1.      What does prayer mean to me?
2.     Why do I pray?
3.     When do I make time to pray?

Prayer helps us to build our faith, it guides us to knowing who Jesus and allows us to simply have a conversation with the Lord our God.

Mercy & Reconciliation

Jesus held the Good Samaritan as a model for right relationship, as the Good Samaritan modelled true mercy (LK 10:29-37).

This year being the year of Mercy, we each are called to know God more and have a deeper relationship with him. God’s mercy is greater than our sins. It can hurt people physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. The Church offers the sacrament of Reconciliation as a means of intimately experiencing God’s mercy and receiving grace. To reconcile is an opportunity to hear those words of forgiveness from our Christ. Pope Francis has been an exemplar of encounter. He shows how mercy and reconciliation intersect.