The Final Word

The vocation of the theologian

Volume 18, Issue 21“Among the vocations awakened in this way by the Spirit in the Church is that of the theologian.” (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian, 1990). In recent months I have sought to draw our attention to some of the Christian vocations by focusing particularly on God’s call to the priesthood, God’s call to religious life, God’s call to be a Catholic teacher and (above all) God’s call to each of us that we should be holy – that we should be saints.

Anonymous saints?

Volume 18, Issue 20

The face of Mother Teresa must be one of the most recognisable in the world. Despite the fact that she has only recently been beatified and has yet to be canonised, she is the most familiar of all the Church’s ‘official’ saints.

It is estimated that there have been over 10,000 saints who have been officially recognised by the Church.

All the faithful for all the world - World Mission Sunday

Volume 18, Issue 19

There is a striking story in the Scriptures about the generosity of a widow who gave hospitality to the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17). Because of a severe drought, the widow had only a little oil and flour left for herself and her son. Yet Elijah asked for her to make some cakes for him from what little she had. She made the cakes, and discovered that for as long as the drought lasted, neither the flour nor the oil ran out.

In the Gospel of St Luke (Chapter 21), Jesus remarks upon the faith of the widow who “gave all she had” to the temple treasury, even though that was only two small coins.

Days in the Dioceses: Get involved now!

Volume 18, Issue 18

It is only eight months away, and I am excited by the plans that are in place for the Melbourne
‘Days in the Dioceses’. From Thursday 10 July to Sunday 13 July, 2008, the Melbourne Archdiocese will host an estimated 25,000 international pilgrims, aged between 16 and 35, from more than 150 nations around the world, on their way to World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney.

The vocation of a Catholic teacher

Volume 18, Issue 17

This year the Catholic Education Office of the Archdiocese of Melbourne is celebrating it’s 75th anniversary. In 1932 Archbishop Daniel Mannix appointed Fr Matthew Beovich as the first Director of Catholic Education. Fr Beovich later became Archbishop of Adelaide (1939 to 1971) and attended the Second
Vatican Council.