Faith and Life News - April 2010

	Faith and Life News | Catholic Diocese of Wollongong April 2010 Welcome to our April Edition of our Faith & Life eNewsletter. Besides the offerings below, please keep in mind the national e-conference on Mary - First Disciple, taking place on 18 May. Please also be sure to participate in our pastoral planning process. Go to www.ourjourneyahead.org.au to read the 16 page pastoral planning information guide, to find out consultation times and venues, and to have your say on-line. Please keep our Diocese in your prayers during this process, and encourage others to participate. We are also seeking a new diocesan position: Ministry Support Coordinator. The successful applicant will become a member of our Parish Services Team, supporting the pastoral needs of parishes. Contact Helen on helen.bennett@dow.org.au or call (02) 4253 0900 to receive a position description. Applications close on 9 April 2010. May the blessings of the Easter Season be with you and yours!   April Events 1 – 3 April Easter Triduum Join in the Easter Triduum liturgy in the context of your own prayer journey. St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park.  4630 9159 Due to re-roofing at St Mary's the retreat will be conducted at Hartzer Park Centre, Eridge Park Road, Bowral. 2 April Good Friday 3 April Holy Saturday 4 April Easter Sunday 4 April Dawn Chorus Parish of Ss Peter & Paul, Kiama Lighthouse Project Break open your senses – gather on Kiama's Surf Beach to experience the hope of the Easter Dawn through the wonders of God's creation.  In stillness, prayerful reflection and music we will welcome the Risen Lord anew into our lives.  Contact Ann 4234 0865, Marie 4232 1535 or Ben 4232 2319 8 – 16 April Eight day directed Retreat In the silence of retreat we make a space in our busy lives to hear the echo in our hearts of God's abundant love for us.  St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park.  4630 9159 Due to re-roofing at St Mary's the retreat will be conducted at Hartzer Park Centre, Eridge Park Road, Bowral. 9 April Life Ascending Bookclub 10.00am – 12noon Life Ascending is for Catholics and all Christians in their middle and later years.  Spirituality to deepen awareness of God in their lives.  Friendship to create and enjoy close and lasting friendships.  Loving Service to share their wisdom and concern for all those in need.  Our Bookclub tries to achieve the above by sharing our insights in the books we have decided to read.  Contact Simonette Bunder 4227 5637 11 April Creation Walk Parish of Ss Peter & Paul, Kiama Lighthouse Project Join a walk into the prehistoric past to the Permian Period along Love's Bay rock escarpment at Gerroa or Gerringong.  Learn about the geology and view fossils on that part of the earth we now live in.  Contact Ann 4234 0865, Marie 4232 1535 or  Ben 4232 2319 17 April Prayer Around the Cross Reflection day, Benedictine Abbey, Jamberoo 9.30am – 4.00pm.  Contact Gabrielle Fogarty 4232 2735 or email gfogarty@exemail.com.au, Pat Boniface 4232 1034 or Pam Waters 4236 0202 18 April Y God.  Topic: Lest We Forget: The Anzac Spirit in a War Torn World.  3.00pm Venue information at www.dow.org.au/youth Y God is a series of gatherings for young people in the Diocese; a chance to discuss and ponder the issues of today and the challenge of living Christian values in a world of competing values.  Together we will seek answers to the eternal question – Y God? 18 April Prayer Day – Seeing with Easter Eyes Facilitator Sr Megan Donohue olsh Burradoo.  Contact 4861 3223 hartzprk@bigpond.net.au 20 April Catholic Women's League Moss Vale CWL 20th Anniversary 27 April Catholic Women's League Diocesan Meeting, 10.00am.  Parish Centre, Berry 30 April – 30 May Life's Journey Experience A month-long sabbatical retreat of renewal and healing for your life's journey, opening and building a deeper intimacy with your God.  The Life's Journey Experience can be made as a month-long sabbatical with three eight-day stages or as one of the stages separately.  1. Spirituality for Intimacy (offered also January 2011)  -explores relationships with self, others, God.  It embraces the ability to grieve and let go.  2. Life's Healing Journey - drawing on the spirituality of the Hear of Jesus.  Any hurtful life experience, or loss, is within the scope of this retreat.  3. Contemplative Directed Retreat – deepening my covenant relationship with God. As a sabbatical the format of the first two stages is: daily input session; group prayer; daily meeting with Prayer Companion; daily celebration of Eucharist; celebration of Reconciliation; celebration of Anointing (Healing Retreat).  The format for the third stage is: daily meeting with prayer companion and celebration of the Sacraments.  St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park.  4630 9159 1 – 9 May Exploring Sacred Intimacy Eight day guided Retreat with daily spiritual direction The Spirituality for Intimacy Retreat explores our capacity and resistances for intimacy towards God, others and our very selves.  We only risk intimacy when we grow in the trust and confidence that is born out of the experience that we are loved by a Divine Lover, who has loved me with an everlasting love.  The Intimacy Retreat is composed of: daily input session; the opportunity of a daily meeting with a prayer companion; daily celebration of Eucharist and the opportunity for individual sacramental Reconciliation.  The retreat beings with the 6.00pm meal on the evening of the first date, followed by an introductory talk and Eucharist.  It usually concludes after 2.00pm Eucharist on the last date shown.  St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park.  4630 9159 1 – 9 May Eight day directed retreat Come to the silence, there to hear your God speaking deep within. St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park.  4630 9159 1 – 9 May Eight day directed retreat Come to the silence, there to hear your God speaking deep within. St Mary's Towers, Douglas Park.  4630 9159 3, 10, 17 & 24 May Partnership Course (Marriage and relationships) Campbelltown.  7.00pm – 9.30pm.  Enquiries 4628 0044 4, 11 & 18 May Partnership Course  (Marriage and relationships) Wollongong.  6.30pm – 9.30pm.  Enquiries 4227 1122  News items or events are featured here...
Catholic Diocese of Wollongong, 86-88 Market Street (PO Box 1239), Wollongong NSW 2500. For more information, please call (02) 4253 0900 or email info@dow.org.au

Y God

Y GOD begins for 2010

• Y God is a series of gatherings for young adults to discuss and ponder the issues of today and the challenge of living Christian values in a world of competing values. Together they will seek answers to the eternal question - Y God! Come along, hear what others have to say and debate, affirm or just listen and ponder.

You are invited to join in the first conversation with Jenni Hickson, exploring the topic "Love in the Age of Facebook". 
Jenni Hickson has worked with young people in the area of faith formation, spirituality and justice, for both the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Australian Jesuits. 
Recently she worked on an Ignatian World Youth Day program, designing and leading numerous immersion programs for young people throughout Asia and Australia.

When: Sunday 21 February 2010 @ 3.00pm

Where: St Mary's College Library, (Market St entrance), Wollongong

NB: Even if you are not quite Gen Y, you are welcome to come along if you are aged between 16 and 35.

Thought this might be amusing! The NSW Labor government transport plan 2010 from 1998 that I found among some old papers. I note that the Bondi Beach railway is marked as under construction/development. LOL!

Born for This - opens Tuesday 16 February 2010

BORN FOR THIS – OPENS TUESDAY NIGHT! Don't miss your chance to see this youth production, presenting a contemporary Way of the Cross across our diocese throughout Lent. Tickets are $10/$5 (Concessions) and can be booked online (www.dow.org.au/born-for-this) or by contacting Jane Edwards (jane.edwards@woll.catholic.org.au or 4253 0899) or depending on availability, at the door. All profits will go directly into supporting the Diocesan Pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain. A guide for making an online purchase of tickets. Once you are on the Born for This page, you'll see a list of all the venues and times and under each ticket type (normal or concession) an "Add to Cart" box - type in the number of tickets that you want to buy, and click 'Add to Cart". That will bring up a pop-up box confirming that you have added the items to the cart. On the top right of the screen you'll see (under the image banner) a box labelled "Online Shop" - one of the options in that box will be "Show Cart". Once you have finished shopping, click that. That will give you a summary screen for your purchases. Click "Checkout." If you haven't logged in you will be prompted to do so now or to create a new user name and password. You will then be given the Checkout Screen with the option to pay by either Credit Card or Cheque. Credit Card payment will be the easiest and will allow you to instantly download your tickets. Click Next. Then click "Confirm Order". You will then be taken to the Commonwealth Bank payment website. Select either Visa or Mastercard, then you will be given a payment screen. Complete your card details. Once you have completed the payment you will be brought back to the Diocese of Wollongong website, and then you will be sent an email giving you the code that you need to download the tickets. Use the links that are contained in that email to download the file(s). This may seem a little complicated, but it is really quite straight forward! All your details are safe, and your credit card payment is processed directly by the Commonwealth Bank, and we never see the details of your credit card.

Catholic Diocese of Wollongong, 86-88 Market Street (PO Box 1239), Wollongong NSW 2500. For more information, please call (02) 4253 0900 or email info@dow.org.au

Christmas Morning

God Said No

I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness..
God said, No.
I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from
worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said... Ahhhh, Yes!
finally you have the idea.

(Original source unknown)

2010 Championships entry forms

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Masters Swimming NSW <admin@mastersswimmingnsw.org.au>
Date: 2009/11/6
Subject: FW: 2010 Championships entry forms
To: Masters Swimming NSW <admin@mastersswimmingnsw.org.au>


Hi All,
Please find attached the information for your members about the 2010
National Championships in the beautiful Apple Isle.
Please pass on the individual pack to you members and keep the Race
Secretaries pack for your reference when swimmers enter the Nationals.

Thanks again for your assistance in disseminating information.

Cheers,
Di
Di Coxon-Ellis
Administrator, Masters Swimming NSW
Try Masters Swimming for fun, fitness and friendship.
Phone 02 8116 9716 Fax 02 8732 1606
Website www.mastersswimmingnsw.org.au



-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Brien [mailto:mastersswimmingtas@bigpond.com]


Subject: 2010 Championships entry forms

Hello All,
I have attached all the necessary forms for individuals & Club
secretaries.  Could you please distribute to your clubs.  Paper copies
will be posted within the next week to all clubs as well.
The forms are in .pdf & word format.   Club
secretaries have the option of downloading the Team manager file from
National web site and entering the information so we can insert it
straight into Meet manager.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers
Ray