Catholic Outlook August 2015

More documents

Recommendations

Info

NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEKSunday 2 August – Sunday 9 August 2015What shall we say to the Lord for the wondersHe has done for us?A short reflection from the temporary professed Sisters of St Paul de Chartres who madetheir First Vows on 2 February 2015.All we could say is that our heartsare filled with awe and immensejoy and gratitude that God hadcalled and chosen us, and wehave responded by following Himwith faith, love and joyful hope inthe Congregation of the Sisters ofSt Paul de Chartres.Looking back throughoutthe early years of formation, werecognised that our mission is notours but God’s. Time went by, wehave come to know before our FirstProfession how precious we are inGod’s eyes; that it is only throughexperiencing His unconditionalmercy and love can we then be ableto return love for love and have thestrength to say “Fiat” to Him in theCongregation of the Sisters of StPaul of Chartres where we live andserve Him with exclusive love.Like Mary, we had signed ablank cheque without knowingwhat lies ahead, yet we believe inHis enduring faithfulness that ourlives will be filled with graces andbeyond surprises!Because of God’s grace, theconstant guidance and supportin countless ways of the Sistersin Australia and His manyrepresentatives, we were able toprofess our first religious vowspublicly in faith and joy.We were glad to know that ourcommitment had left a specialimpact in the hearts of manyattendants and that we hadrevised the spirit of love in manyothers, too.Besides, our professionday occurred in the Year ofConsecrated Life, which helps toenhance in us the awareness ofdeep concern for the Church, aconviction that our vocation is alsothe Church’s treasure and vocation.Therefore, we pray and aredetermined to practise and livewhat we had professed to God andto His Church.We know that our BridegroomJesus knows our minds and heartsand how much we love Him anddesire to be faithful to the Fatherforever in the power of Holy Spirit.We want to tell all people thatwe love Him above all things, thatour consecration has its meaningwhen we unite the offering ofour lives to his sacrifice of praisefor the Kingdom of God and theservice of mankind.We thank God for choosingunworthy servants like us to beHis witnesses of faith, love andhope in this secular world. We areforever grateful for what our SPCSisters have done for us and haveaccepted us as we are.Yes, our lives must shine and beconsumed as the candle we held onthe very day of our First Profession.Lord, we believe in yourpromise that anyone who had leftfather, mother … shall receive ahundredfold, and shall inheriteternal life.Indeed, we have more than ahundredfold return because ourfamily is now extended to all theearth where we embrace all whomwe serve and love … From nowon, dear Jesus, help us to say eachday with St Paul, “life to me, isChrist!” (Phil 1:21)The Sisters make their First Profession.Sisters of St Paul de Chartres Sr Rosaria and Sr Anna.Yes!You too!I WANT YOUto be my joyful witnessof the Gospel !FIND OUT MORE FROMSISTERS OF ST PAUL DE CHARTRESVOCATIONS DISCERNMENT WEEKENDSaturday 22 nd August 10:00 a.m. to Sunday 23 rd August 1:00 p.m.at: St. Paul’s Convent, 28 Boronia Heights, Brisbane, QLD, 4124for booking, please contact:Sister Mary Joseph Sze spc28 Fedrick Street, Boronia HeightsBrisbane, QLD, 4124Phone: (07) 3800 6338, 0405 700 308 Email 6mj4sze7spc@gmail.comWebsite: www.srspcaustralia.org.au and www.stpaulrome.com24
The path to priesthood: ‘God writes straight with crooked lines’Tru Nguyen MSCTru Nguyen was born in Vietnamand lived there until he was nineyears old. For the next four yearshe and his mother and sisterwere refugees.They travelled from Vietnam toAustralia via Cambodia, Thailandand Malaysia. On arrival inAustralia in 1991 they settledin Adelaide. Tru has embracedAdelaide as his home townnow and is a supporter of theAdelaide Crows.At the end of 2007 Truembarked on a retreat at DouglasPark with the Missionaries of theSacred Heart (MSC). “At that timemy spiritual director guided meto listen attentively with my heart.mNATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEKThen draw all my strength tofollow that desire,” he said.“I did that and I found what Iwanted most was to be loved byGod and loved by the people Ilove and be able to love others asI am loved.“Reflecting on this, I find myresponse to my vocation is alsobased on the faith that God islove. It is a faith decision becauseI am called to leave my familiarlife and enter into a new lifewithout knowing how the new lifewill be.”During that retreat Tru wrotea letter to the Missionaries ofthe Sacred Heart expressinghis interest in joining them. Hejoined the MSCs in 2008. As thisFrom left: Br Kimi Vunivesilevu MSC, James Maher MSC,Tru's Mother Lac Nguyen, Fr Tru Nguyen MSC, Fr Peter Hendriks MSCand Br Phillip Reilly MSC.Sunday 2 August – Sunday 9 August 2015issue of Catholic Outlook went topress Tru was preparing for hisordination to the priesthood on24 July.“Each of us has a vocation,” Trusaid. “That is, we are all calledto live life to the full. We are allcalled to live as God’s beloved asJesus lived. For me to live fullyand to live as God’s beloved is ‘tobe on earth the heart of God’.”Fr Peter Hendriks MSCPeter jests, “My life proves thatGod writes straight with crookedlines!” He knows this reveals thetruth that his heart was difficult tosettle, “I was inherently restless.”After university Peter joinedthe Jesuits and was with them forfive years where he spent a lot oftime discerning if priesthood wasfor him.For the next 12 years Peterwandered through differentcareer paths: teaching, studyingTheology, completing a SocialWork degree and working asa Probation/Parole Officer. Hecontinued to attend retreats tohelp discern his vocation and life.“One day on retreat Iwas expressing my absolutefrustration with God that HeFr Peter Hendriks: “Keep walking with God, talking with God andlistening to God.”was not being clear about what Ishould do,” he said.“God’s response to my prayerwas wonderful: ‘Peter if youwant to be a layperson and getmarried then do so. If you wantto be a priest then do so. My onlyvocation for you is to know that Ilove you.’“God has a habit of being right!To know oneself as deeply loved byGod is the root of any vocation.”After Peter was accepted intothe MSCs, he was still restless.“One moment when I foundmyself struggling, God said, ‘Theonly way out is through.’”Peter experienced strongfeelings of fear and anxietybut once those emotions wereaddressed he found he was able tosettle into a life commitment.Six years after ordination asan MSC he feels grateful to livethe charism, ‘To be on Earth theHeart of God’.“God has a vocation for you thatno one else can fulfil. The answerlies in knowing that God lovesyou,” he said. “I love the saying,‘The one who walks with Godalways gets to their destination.Keep walking with God, talkingwith God and listening to God.God will reveal the best path totake, it will be a path of love.’”25
Page 1 and 2: CatholicOutlookCOVolume 18, August
Page 3 and 4: An elderly man in Kavre district wi
Page 5 and 6: CatholicOutlook August 2015 5AUSTRA
Page 7 and 8: Catholic Diocese of ParramattaNew a
Page 9 and 10: CatholicOutlook August 2015 9Euthan
Page 11 and 12: Living with gratitude, hope and pas
Page 13 and 14: CatholicOutlook August 2015 13At pa
Page 15 and 16: CATHOLICCARE SOCIAL SERVICESDIOCESE
Page 17 and 18: A historic day for Sr Ailsa Mackinn
Page 19 and 20: Spirits raised at Lifted 2015 youth
Page 21 and 22: NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEKSu
Page 23: NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEKSu
Page 31 and 32: Faith in MarriageA Conference about

Catholic Outlook August 2015

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?