Being Catholic
20 August 2023
So welcome to Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church! Now, what does it actually mean to be a Catholic Church? Catholic means universal. Universal means everyone. Everyone is included. It dates back to St Cyril of Jerusalem in the early 2nd century. It was the first recorded use of this term catholic. And I guess…
Into stormy silence
13 August 2023
There are so many situations that we face in our lives where. It’s we’re just. Overwhelmed. But things just get too much for us and I think. Both our first reading and our gospel today, when we read the bigger context, provide those. Why does Jesus need that alone time well earlier on in the…
Transformed
6 August 2023
Sometimes we have an experience that was so sublime, so magical, so amazing – that we struggle to even share all its details with a close friend. Even when it is photographed, and videoed, and instagrammed to within a millimetre of its life, some things can defy simple, adequate descriptions. Maybe the event wasn’t even…
The strange way of wisdom
30 July 2023
One of the things that I kind of find myself struggling with as I grow older is some of the stories that I heard and learned when I was a child, and particularly in church circles. Some of those stories about the Saints and heroes of the faith. Like the only thing that I really…
Body and Nephesh
25 June 2023
Play MP3 This year the last few Sundays seem to have been inviting us to reflect upon the very essence of who God is, how we stand in the presence of God, how we make sense of the nature, the quality of God. Last week, the Apostles were first named as such: they were sent…
Being Segullah
17 June 2023
I suspect that when many of us hear this kind of talk about being sent, about being called to go out to be part of the mission of Jesus, that we get very uncomfortable about that. We’re like, yeah, you know, that’s fine for the good sisters; that’s fine, maybe even for those crazy priests…
The Sacred Heart of Jesus
16 June 2023
The fact that we need to have this Feast day is a testament to the nature of of humanity. That the scriptures are so full of these details about the compassion of God, about the mercy of the Lord, about the Lord who is full of steadfast love, who is so committed absolutely to the…
The Lord feeds us
11 June 2023
Many polls indicate that few census Catholics believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This may also explain why so many of the people who once gathered each Sunday to celebrate with us, have not returned after the pandemic. If you do not believe that in receiving the Eucharist you actually receive…
Compassionate and Gracious
4 June 2023
Season of Growth, Solemnity, Year A
Trinity Sunday What is God life? When I was a kid, I had a pretty clear idea. God was an old dude with a long white beard. He sat on a big golden chair. He had a kindly face, but a really short fuse. He seemed to get ticked off by almost anything at all….
Silence and Space
28 May 2023
I grew up in the country. I don’t think I really noticed a couple of key things until much later – because often you only notice things when they’re not there anymore. But there were two things. When you would go outside, particularly on a night like this, pretty chilly kind of night. The night…
Silence and Word
28 May 2023
I grew up in the country. I don’t think I really noticed a couple of key things until much later – because often you only notice things when they’re not there anymore. But there were two things. When you would go outside, particularly on a night like this, pretty chilly kind of night. The night…
Doubting faith
21 May 2023
Ascension Sunday When I was 21, I was living in a formation house as my first year of attempting to follow this desire to be a priest. Towards the end of the first year I got sick. But before I realised that I was getting sick, I had come down with Chicken pox and as…
Advocate
14 May 2023
The Sixth Sunday in Easter, Year A Play MP3 | Watch video When I was a kid, I kind of grew up with a lot of science fiction as part of my diet, both in reading and and watching TV. And one of the wonderful things about sci-fi is you can kind of imagine almost…
Called and Chosen
12 May 2023
Mass from St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Campbelltown with Fr Richard Healey Friday in the Fifth Week of Easter (Friday 12 May 2023) First Reading ‡ Acts 15:22-31 It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and ourselves not to burden you beyond what is essential. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 56:8-12 I will praise you…
Chosen
7 May 2023
Easter – Sunday 5 Play MP3 Watch video Resources 00:00:00 Sometimes it can be really difficult to accept the simple claims that the gospel makes to know that we are indeed loved with this amazing intimacy of life and goodness to trust. 00:00:21 That God actually wants us to have that experience of this intimacy,…
More than enough life
30 April 2023
Easter, Sunday 4, Year A. One of my pet peeves are the shallow stereotypes that abound around ideas of “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Tight-laced, Straight. Goody 2 shoes. Narrow. Conservative. Anti-Environment. Homophobic. Backward. It is really hard to live well against this. I’m sure you faced this often enough when you…
Hope along the road
23 April 2023
Sunday 3 in Easter, Year A In this Catholic Mass, we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Easter with a focus on the Gospel of the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). Join us in exploring the theme of Hope along the road as we reflect on the journey of the disciples on their way to Emmaus….
Breathing Mercy
16 April 2023
Sunday 2 in Easter – Sunday of Divine Mercy This year, during this season of Easter, we will be working our way through this first letter of Saint Peter. We don’t really know when it was written, there were no markers to kind of indicate when that happened. Peter used a secretary called Sylvanas to…
Resurrection Bodies
9 April 2023
Easter, New Creation, Seasons, Teaching
First Reading ‡ Acts 10:34.36-43We have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 117:1-2.16-17.22-23This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Second Reading (option 1) ‡ Colossians 3:1-4Look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is. Gospel ‡ John 20:1-9The…
Why did Jesus die?
8 April 2023
A reflection on the Passion of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Play MP3 When I was a kid, the only thing that I seemed to want to do was to be older and bigger, you know, big enough that I was able to go out the back with my older brothers, with Dad on…
Passionate love revealed
3 April 2023
Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday, Year A Commemoration of the Lord’s EntranceYear A ‡ Matthew 21:1-11Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. At the Mass First Reading ‡ Isaiah 50:4-7 I did not cover my face against insult and I know I will not be ashamed. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 21:8-9.17-20.23-24 My…
Unbind him
25 March 2023
Lent 5. Year A Lazarus – El’Azar (God is my help) we are told that Jesus loves Lazarus, along with his two sisters, Miryam + Marta. Yet, when he hears that Lazarus is sick, he delays. How odd! What is going on? Have you felt like God is delaying in answer to your prayers? WTF?…
Mary says ‘yes’
25 March 2023
The Annunciation of the Lord (25 March 2023) This feast originated in the East during the sixth century and gained universal observance in the West during the eighth century. It is a feast of the Lord, commemorating the announcement to the Virgin Mary of the Word made flesh, Mary’s acceptance of God’s will, and the…
Trusting and Believing
20 March 2023
19 March (20 March 2023) St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary 02:53 Reading 1 – 2 Samuel 7:4-5.12-14.16 03:58 Psalm: The son of David will live for ever. 05:09 Reading 2 – Romans 4:13.16-18.22 07:35 Gospel – Matthew 1:16.18-21.24 08:53-11:49 Homily – Trusting and believing Play MP3 Watch Video
Will you believe?
19 March 2023
Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year A First Reading ‡ 1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13 In the presence of the Lord God, they anointed David king of Israel. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 22(23) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Second Reading ‡ Ephesians 5:8-14 Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you….
Called in love
17 March 2023
17 March – St Patrick, evangelist First Reading ‡ Jeremiah 1:4-9 Go now to those to whom I send you. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 116 Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. Second Reading ‡ Acts 13:46-49 We must turn to the pagans. Gospel ‡ Luke 10:1-12.17-20 Your peace will rest on…
Thirsty
12 March 2023
First Reading ‡ Exodus 17:3-7Give us water to drink. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 94:1-2,6-9If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Second Reading ‡ Romans 5:1-2,5-8The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. Gospel [longer form] ‡ John 4:5-42The water that I shall…
Guided by a cloud
5 March 2023
To have a sense of where you’re going is something that is so crucial. We all now take it for granted with our phones offering us GPS and our cars giving us guidance and direction along the way. But it’s still within our living memory of what it was like to try and find your…
Temptation Training
26 February 2023
Lent Sunday 1, Year A Remember the last big meal. How did you feel after? Food coma. Not clear thinking. Sleepy. Suggestible. Jesus goes into the wilderness. 40 days and nights. He fasts, so he’s not in a food coma. Open to God. 40 – highly symbolic. Israel in the wilderness 3 testings – very…
Following the Father
19 February 2023
Sunday 7 in Year A First Reading ‡ Leviticus 19:1-2.17-18You must love your neighbour, as yourself. Responsorial ‡ Psalm 102:1-4.8.10.12-13The Lord is kind and merciful. Second Reading ‡ 1 Corinthians 3:16-23All things are yours, but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. Gospel ‡ Matthew 5:38-48Love your enemies. Play MP3 Watch Video