Lent

An excellent spiritual activity for today is praying the powerful Divine Mercy Chaplet. In today’s feature, Australia’s MGL Sisters teach us to pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy through reflection and song in this beautiful podcast! The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy is a popular devotion based on the visions of Jesus by Saint […]

My name is Mother Graciana, and I’m from Peru. I live in a small village up in the mountains, where people’s lives are very harsh. That is why we are here. No priest resides in this mountain region that is why we got special permission from the Holy Father to assist at marriages, to confer […]

In prayer, we discover who God is and who we are before Him. One form of prayer is a prayer of petition, where we ask, beseech, plead, invoke, entreat, cry out, beg and even sometimes wrestle with God. Another is intercession, where we ask in a similar way, but on behalf of others. We can […]

 Sketch of Fulton Sheen by Beth Larkin Meditate upon the profound words of Venerable Fulton Sheen, best known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. In this episode, we reflect upon his words on the Holy Eucharist. Quiet your heart and begin this video in a state of prayer. Afterwards, […]

Catholic Social Teaching covers all spheres of life – the economic, political, personal and spiritual. With human dignity at its centre, a holistic approach to development founded on the principles of CST, is what Pope Paul VI called ‘authentic development’. Explore the Catholic Social Teaching principles and learn how we can be people who work […]

I’m a girl, therefore, I’m all for romantic comedies. Nothing beats staying in on a rainy day with tea and chocolate binging everything in this category. However, since diving further into my faith I’ve found myself more aware of certain postures to uphold, especially in the little things, such as those certain viral movies available […]

Why do we celebrate Easter with eggs and bunnies? In this video, two young Sydney Catholics talk about the symbolism behind it all and where it came from. REFLECT PRAYER ACT Do you have a holy image in your house? If not arrange to get one. If yes, spend a few minutes in front of […]

A visual animation to Danielle Rose’s song ‘Crown of Thorns’, in which a beautiful story unfolds throughout about our plans vs God’s plan. This video feature provides a creative reflection on ‘the rose’ that became the crown of thorns: the crown that was forced by soldiers violently onto the head of our Lord and Saviour, […]

When you make the sign of the cross before a prayer multiple times or in the course of the Mass it is easy to forget all that is behind it. Contemplate the meaning of the Passion on death of Jesus with Mark Hart from Lifeteen. WARNING: The verbal content in this video may be considered […]

Reflect upon the meaning of today, Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, when we commemorate the day on which Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples. “In tonight’s Gospel Jesus washed His disciples’ feet and gave them the mandatum to do the same. Those apostles’ feet were, I suspect, tired, gnarled, pongy and […]

Living with a disability was challenging for Nguyet. Yet, since featuring in Project Compassion 2017 Nguyet has successfully built her own business, a dream that has become a reality with the support of Caritas Australia. Connected to the world in new ways, Nguyet has become independent, an important member of her community and has great […]

Fr Daniele Russo continues his story from wanting to be a business entrepreneur in high school to discovering his purpose in life – the priesthood. REFLECT PRAYERAlmighty and Eternal God,look with mercy on your priests,sharing your Fatherhood in the holy Church. Your son, the Lord Jesus, has made thempriests and victims with himself:day by day, […]

Once there were 3 trees that stood upon a mountain top, and dreamed of what they wanted to become… Listen to this beautiful story about our plans vs God’s plan.As told by Xt3 REFLECT1. Was there a time in my life when I was happy about the way thingd were going, only to see later […]

Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem. In […]

In this podcast, Dr Matthew Tan explores the way sin governs not only our actions, but also our hearts. Many of us understand ourselves to be sinners in the sense that we may do sinful things, but there is another way in which sin is operating, when we are not intentionally doing anything wicked. For […]

What is fasting? Is it the same as dieting? Is it just about giving up something? In this video, we learn what fasting is, why Jesus did it and why we do it. REFLECT1. After watching this video, how has my attitude changed towards fasting?2. How can I fast better this Holy Week? PRAYJesus, tender […]

No, it’s not an uprise of a punk rock faction in our Church. It’s actually an ancient spiritual practice based on ‘Memento Mori’, which translates from Latin to English into ‘Remember Your Death’. How should we think about death? As a young atheist, Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble was deeply troubled by the meaning of mortality, […]

You may remember Salma, who featured in Project Compassion 2013. At the time she was pregnant with her first child, sick and terribly frightened. In distress, she sought the help of a midwife trained by Caritas’ Safe Motherhood Program. Six years on, she’s now a healthy mother of two strong, happy children. Salma is committed […]

See Fr Daniele Russo’s story from wanting to be a business entrepreneur in high school to discovering his purpose in life – the priesthood. REFLECT PRAYER for vocationsGracious and loving God, help the men and women of our parish to hear the call to serve in the Church,especially my diocese.Our needs are great and our […]

What is Lent like for a new Catholic? Jacinta found new revert to the Catholic faith whilst at daily Mass. She was young and stuck our like a sore thumb. Jacinta approached her and came to learn her story. In this podcast, we get some insight into what Lent looks like for a new Catholic […]

In today’s Gospel comic, the Pharisees proclaim that by law, the adulterous woman must be stoned to death. They pass judgement on the sins of others without recognising their own sinfulness. Today, we are being challenged us to be merciful before we judge others, being aware of our own weaknesses. REFLECT1. Do I judge others […]

My name is Samia Jriej. I live in Homs, Syria, a city that has been devastated by eight years of war, this is the reason why many families have lost hope. Despite the devastation that surrounds us in this city, there is a lot we can rebuild again. I’m a religious Sister, our mission is […]

Every Catholic is called to love like Christ did. Some might express this through caring for their elderly parents or their children. Some might love others through serving their parish. Others, like Koreen and Daniel, strive to love like Christ by working towards building a better world for all those in need. Koreen and Daniel […]

LOUISA DANIELS Thank You For The Music In the perennial words of ABBA, ‘Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk; she says I began to sing long before I could talk.’ I’ve always been a musical person. Some of my earliest memories are Dad educating us with all his favourite music on […]

Michaela is a 21-year-old trainee at Purple House, a dialysis center in the Central Desert for people suffering from kidney disease. With the support of Caritas partners, Michaela is helping to build a social enterprise, a connection to culture and a new outlook for the chronically ill. REFLECT “Hope requires that we spin a few […]

Nora Moya is one of the students who volunteered for CatholicCare last Christmas, to prepare fresh food hampers for families in need. In this video, we learn about the rewarding experience of volunteering for an organisation and how it helped Nora grow in her faith. REFLECT1. Nora and her classmates volunteered alongside people with disabilities. […]

Sister Rosarii is a religious sister belonging to the Little Sisters of the Poor, who has given her whole self as a gift to God in service. She has dedicated her life to serving the elderly in a home run by her community in Randwick, Australia. REFLECT 1. What stood out to you in this […]

In today’s Gospel comic, the Lost Son is likened to those who return to Mass after being away for so long. Like the faithful brother, we too might be faithful, regular churchgoers, active in our youth groups or local parish. But just like the brother, we too might fall into jealousy and become indignant at […]

A sense of unworthiness troubles many young people discerning their vocation. Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP addresses this. REFLECT 1. Have I questioned my worth for my aspirations or when discerning a vocation? 2. How can I overcome feelings of unworthiness? PRAYERLord, I know that Your Word tells me that I am fearfully and wonderfully […]

Adam in the Garden of Eden and Jesus in the Garden of Gethesemane… What do they have to do with each other? Discover how Christ is the ‘Last Adam’ in this animated video, drawn from Venerable Fulton Sheen’s Life of Christ . REFLECTJesus is ‘the new Adam’, indicated by St. Paul in the Letter to […]

“She’ll be right, mate,” is a slogan as quintessentially Aussie as the Victa Lawnmower, the Hills Hoist Clothesline and Vegemite on toast. In international circles, this no-fuss, no-sweat attitude seems to epitomise the stereotypical Aussie character. But what if she isn’t alright? Don’t get me wrong, I love the optimism in this phrase. I am […]

Peter is thrilled to now have clean water on tap at his boarding school. Long walks to unsafe water sources were tiring for Peter, who is living with a disability. With more free time and fewer illnesses caused by dirty water, Peter can fulfil his hope of focusing on his studies, providing him with brighter […]

Allergic to commitment? Fear of committing can stop us in our tracks and leave us stagnant in our journey of life. Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP speaks on why so many young people today are allergic to commitment. “You are made to give your heart to someone, to something.” Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP REFLECT1. Which […]

The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the most important feasts in the Church Calendar. It celebrates the moment when the angel Gabriel declared to Mary that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus. It celebrates the actual Incarnation of Our Saviour — the Word made flesh in the womb of His […]

Our Faith is like the fig tree … when life gets difficult we can’t just give up on our Faith like the Orchard owner. We need to be patient and we need to take care of our spiritual life, through the Sacraments, prayer and scripture, in order for our Faith to be fruitful. REFLECT1. What […]

Hello, I’m Sister Cecilia. I live in Rwanda, a beautiful country in the heart of Africa. Since I was a child, I dreamt of taking care of elderly people, the loneliest and most forgotten. God called me to do this job in the congregation of Pallottine Missionary Sisters. Some of them are so old and […]

Why do we fast and give something up for 40 days? Chocolate, games, social media, coffee – what’s the point of giving any of these things up? REFLECT 1. How am I going with the penance I’ve chosen for Lent – things I’ve given up or taken up? 2. Have I chosen something challenging enough […]

We are all called to care for every member of our society regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or any other external characteristic. Unborn babies are the most vulnerable of us all. They don’t have a voice and all too often their lives are cut drastically short through abortion. One in four of our generation […]

Tati lives in the remote forest of West Kalimantan. She is a mother of three who was earning an income working in a local rubber plantation. Since taking part in eco-tourism training with Caritas Australia and its partners, Tati can now afford to send her children to school. With new hope and commitment Tati aspires […]

On the Feast Day of Saint Joseph, we reflect upon the life of this great Saint, the foster father of Jesus. Saint Joseph is a quiet example. He shows how we work is a way we to love God. In the midst of our different work situations, we can grow in maturity and love more […]

According to tradition, St. Patrick wrote this prayer in 433 A.D. for Divine Protection before successfully converting the Irish King Leoghaire and his subjects from paganism to Christianity (the term breastplate refers to a piece of armour worn in battle) . Listen to the prayer with this video and reflect on each section. Christ with […]

The transfiguration of Jesus reminds us, during Lent, that through prayer we allow Christ to transfigure us in His likeness, preparing us to accept the Cross just as He did. REFLECTRead today’s Gospel ( Luke 9:28-36) and reflect with these questions 1. What were the disciples’ reaction to seeing Jesus with “his face .. changed […]

This is Sister Rita Kurochkina. She works at a children’s shelter in the parish of Kapshagay in Kazakhstan. In this country, communism brought huge devastation. Many people stopped believing in God. Sister Rita takes care of many children who have experienced incredibly traumatic events. They witnessed their parents battle with alcohol abuse, and sometimes were […]

Without getting too much into, “what is sin?” and “what are sins?” – maybe the first question should be, “WHY is sin bad, and why should I care?” REFLECT 1. Why should I care about sin?2. Do I trust that God only wants good for His children? For me, His child? PRAYAct of ContritionO my […]

So, if you want to try praying the Rosary, where do you start? Busted Halo’s 2-minute video has you covered. Learn about the history and tradition of the Rosary, how to pray, what it means to meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary, and more! REFLECT 1. The Rosary helps us carve out intentional time […]

Twelve-year-old Thandolwayo would walk seven kilometres each day, threatened by crocodiles, to collect contaminated water for her family. It looked like she would never realise her hope of finishing her education and becoming a nurse, until a Caritas Australia supported project created access to clean water helping Thandolwayo to stay at school and achieve a […]

If you’ve grown up in a Christian family, it’s easy not to think deeply about the prayers that you’ve learned off by heart and repeated thousands of times. But it’s really good to go back to the basics – to think about and reflect on what we’re praying. This is the ‘Our Father’ prayer broken […]

What does it mean to be a ‘fully invested Christian’? Is there a long checklist of things you should be doing as a fully invested Christian? If you have a checklist, you may find that you’ll fall short every time. Madelene Wilson from Ignite Youth shares how being fully invested doesn’t actually mean having a […]

What is temptation? Is it a fleeting thought or a nagging itch? Is it a sin to be tempted? In this short video, Laura explores how we can overcome and defeat temptations in our life through three powerful weapons. REFLECT 1. In the video, Laura says it is important to know our Scripture so that […]

My name is Julia, from Ukraine, a land that has suffered a lot: the Soviet Revolution, Great Famine, wars… Many of us think that suffering has no end. But I have experienced love, which triumphs over evil and brings hope. That love brought me here. I always prayed for a good husband, children and a […]

The Way of the Cross is a traditional devotion in honour of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The Way of the Cross had its origins in the Holy Land and in a sense, is a mini-pilgrimage through the events that covered the final hours of Jesus’ life on earth.

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Romans 8:19) Dear Brothers and Sisters Each year, through Mother Church, God “gives us this joyful season when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery with mind and heart renewed… as we recall the great events that gave us new […]

What is Lent? What is Ash Wednesday? What does fasting mean? All these questions answered in 60 seconds with this video made with Lego! REFLECT 1. ‘Spending less and giving more’: Where in my life do I need to spend less (in time, money or effort) and where do I need to give more?2. How […]