The Family Models Synodality

Only two of our five children, now adults, still reside with us. As resident adults, we respect their right to make decisions about their personal life, but we also impose some house rules. For example, we require them to communicate about their movements, tidy their rooms, do their own laundry, and participate in the preparation…

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Discover your Unique Love Profile

Do you know your love needs and love busters? Do the quiz below to determine your top five love needs and worst three love busters. Love Need: a behaviour or gesture which communicates love to you and helps you feel close and connected to your spouse. Of the following list, choose the five Love Needs that…

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SmartLoving Keys

On a mission to love… Every couple wants to avoid divorce and get along without too many fights. A successful marriage however, is much more than just this; it is a life-long union in which both husband and wife flourish as individuals and enjoy a deep and passionate intimacy. Thinking only in terms of ‘avoiding…

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Smiling Saints

st valentine

St Valentine is the one saint with a feast day (Feb 14) that is known by millions of people, including non-Christians. But how many know why he is a saint?   The back story is that Valentine, a Roman priest at the time of Claudius II, was imprisoned for conducting secret weddings against the orders of…

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Loving Smart

Loving Smart

Everyone experiences love differently. Biology, upbringing, personality and experiences all influence the way an individual likes and needs to be loved. Being different in this way isn’t a problem. In fact it’s one of the things that makes relationships a rich and wonderful experience. What is a potential problem is that both you and your…

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Our family is a mess!

The Christmas Vigil Mass features the Gospel of Matthew (1:1-25). Depending on whether you get the long or short version, you might hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ – a rather long list of the forebears of Jesus, going all the way back to Abraham. It includes some of the most dysfunctional characters from the…

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Walking the Talk is More Than You Think

This morning a friend from Canberra forwarded us a reflection on walking called: Keep Moving. It noted that walking was good for physical health but that it is also good for spiritual health. It recalled the many stories of the New Testament where Jesus and/or the disciples were walking, not just physically from one place…

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Engaged Couple Interview with Priest

So, you’re getting married in the Catholic Church and you’ve booked a meeting with the parish priest. You may be wondering: What questions will the priest ask? We’ve got you covered below! Welcome! We’re really glad you’re here and are honoured to be part of your journey to marriage. The Catholic Church is a community…

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Prayer for Catholic Engaged Couples

Celebrating St Valentine|St Valentine's Prayer Card - Front|St Valentine's Payer card - back|St Valentine's Day Powerpoint|Powerpoint image St Valentine

Congratulations on your engagement! This is an important formation period and we encourage you to pray regularly, preferably daily, for your upcoming wedding and the commitment you will make. Here are two prayers you could use, or you can write your own!

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Spiritual intimacy shouldn’t be taboo

Religious practice and spiritual belief is often a point of difference for couples, especially if they come from different religious traditions. But having religious differences should never be a reason for avoiding a topic or making it taboo. Even for couples of the same faith like us, differences persist and make sharing our spiritual life…

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