Archdiocesan Office for Youth. Pray Witness Serve

Some of our previous sessions...

The Challenge of Everyday Holiness (with visiting Professor Donna Orsuto)

Originally from Ohio, Donna Orsuto is the Co-founder and Director of the Lay Centre in Rome - an international residential community that seeks to foster the intellectual and spiritual growth of students enrolled in pontifical universities in Rome. She is also a Professor at the Institute of Spirituality of the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome, Italy). She lectures extensively and gives retreats in various parts of the world.  Her most recent book is entitled Holiness (London: Continuum 2006) and explores the challenge of holiness and how ‘everyday’ people can embrace the call to holiness. She is involved in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, having served as a consultor for the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and as a member of the Commission for Ecumenism and Dialogue of the Diocese of Rome. Here is an article she has written that you might like to read: The Challenge of Lay Spirituality

 

There's Something About Mary!

On Thursday 29 April, we had a chat with Sr Rita Malavisi rsj, a Josephite Sister, about the upcoming canonisation of Mary MacKillop. Blessed Mary MacKillop will become Australia’s first Saint in October 2010. Sr Rita got everyone involved in making a timeline of Mary MacKillop's life, starting from her birth right here in Melbourne to her beatification in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. She also shared Blessed Mary's undying desire to provide a good education for less fortunate children, along with the infamous period of excommunication of our future saint. "Mary and the sisters (of St Joseph) were dedicated to their work in the school, but unfortunately there was some miscommunication between the sisters and the bishop at the time that caused a bit of strife. In the end it was all resolved and Mary, in her persistence and goodwill, continued to work for others."

For a more detailed tour through Blessed Mary's life and works, pay a visit to the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre (Albert Street, East Melbourne) that is open daily from 10-4pm. It is a highly engaging exhibit that traces Mary's beginnings in Fitzroy, her stint as a governess, and then eventually to her life's work around Australia with Fr Woods and the Sisters of St Joseph. Visit http://www.marymackillop.org.au/index.cfm for more information.

 

Bishop Tim Costelloe SDB shares his love for Lord of the Rings!

In the first Cultured Cafe for 2010, we interviewed Bishop Tim Costelloe SDB, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne and Episcopal Vicar for Tertiary Education. Below is a snippet from the night - where the bishop shares how he got his "call to be a bishop" in the carpark of Chadstone Shopping Centre!

After completing his theological studies, he was ordained to the priesthood at St Peter’s Church, East Bentleigh, on 25 October 1986, by Archbishop T. F. Little. He has previously taught Systematic Theology at the University of Notre Dame in Western Australia and at Murdoch University.Currently, he teaches at the Catholic Theological College here in Melbourne and is Auxiliary Bishop for the Northen Region of the Archdiocese. And here's something you didn't know about Bishop Costelloe... On the rare occasion he has a day off, the bishop enjoys sipping a cappuccino and re-reads(!) his Lord of the Rings book collection!

BINH THERE. DONE THAT! Getting to know FR BINH LE

Fr Binh Le, the Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Melbourne gave us an interesting take on what it was like growing up the youngest of seven children and how being ina big family helped him in his vocation to the priesthood. Click below to watch some highlights from the night!

Born in Vietnam as the youngest of seven children, Fr Binh migrated to Australia in 1990 and settled in Braybrook, where he attended Chisholm College. After completing a Bachelor of Building Engineering, he worked as a sales and project engineer for three years. Realizing that life was about more than just money and success, he took a leap and through much prayer and discernment, recognized that it was in the priesthood that God was offering him true peace and happiness. Highly engaging and approachable (just ask any of the people in his parish youth group out in Laverton with whom he regularly goes bowling with!), Fr Binh was ordained in September 2008.

Walking the world with Sam Clear

In the 18 months that led up to WYD08, Sam literally walked (that's right, on foot!) across the four corners of the globe, inviting people of all ages and cultures to pray for unity amongst the Christian churches. With only his tent, muesli bars and gear in tow, he walked 15,500km to the eastern most point of Brazil, through South America, Central America and North America, across Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railway and on foot again from Moscow to the western most point of Spain. The journey encompassed 20 countries and 10 languages, with Sam having to find food and water every day and relying on the hospitality of complete strangers. He was mugged at knife point, threatened at gun point, bashed on the side of the road, came face to face with dangerous animals and experienced temperatures from -33C to 47C.

Sam’s testimony was inspiring and his message was clear: God's love in action got him through the most incredible circumstances. Everyone is invited to join Sam in continuing to pray for peace by stopping for a prayer every day at 4.01pm. Read more about Sam's incredible journey at his blog: www.ymt.com.au/walk4one/