Women’s Breakfast 5th June at Harden/Murrumburrah with Sue and Leo Kane

Women’s Breakfast 5^th June at Harden/Murrumburrah NSW

Sue Kane co author of The Little Brown Book, about St Mary MacKillop

Guest speakers - Sue and Leo Kane authors of ‘The Little Brown Book’


The guests are the authors of - The Little Brown Book, Sue and Leo Kane. The book, delicately illustrated by Sr Helen Barnes RSJ who is artist in residence at Galong, with symbols of Mary's experiences, makes access to Mary's spirituality possible. The book is meant for any one who wants to know more about Mary MacKillop. They explore her personality and spirituality and what she could mean for each of us. The authors endeavour to show the reader how to make her words relevant as we live the Gospel in today’s world.

Jean Shea arranged a delicious Women’s Breakfast for 53 women from the Harden/Murrumburrah community at the CWL centre Whichcraft in Murrumburrah.

Jean welcomed the women of the district and quoted St Mary of the Cross MacKillop ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’. Jean said to the women present – this is for all of you ladies as a big thank you, for all you do in visiting the sick and caring for the community and responding to each need you come across. Country women do extraordinary things in a quiet way. Like Mary, generously and quietly go the extra mile.

Leo, Di, Janice, Lorraine, Mary-Anne, Gemma, Chris, Barbara, Jean, Sue

When invited to come to speak at Harden/Murrumburrah Sue said to her husband Leo, "these people are the salt of the earth – this is Mary MacKillop country". Jean had attended a Retreat Day at St Clement's Galong several months ago, led by Sue and Leo who wrote ‘The Little Brown Book’, and was inspired by their wisdom and gentle caring natures. Sue said Mary MacKillop was an Aussie battler, a saint of the ordinary people.

 “I long at times for quiet” Mary MacKillop wrote, "we all need time out to think about what is important to us.”  It is not a luxury; we need time out to look after our own needs. Mary practised this and knew her own needs and took time out to restock.

Mary’s passion was to bring opportunity to those who needed help. She said, "the good of Australian children is alone what we seek" (1873).

She set up schools, homes for orphans and Provinces – homes for unmarried mothers. Each person was shown utmost respect.

Sue and Leo told many stories of the life of Mary MacKillop and how she lived her life with love and passion. Sue told a story of Mary going to a wild prisoner on death row. He was uncontrollable. But Mary showed him respect and spoke with him gently, with love. He became settled and quietened, then spoke with her for some time. If she had been permitted she would have stood with him on the gallows. She saw a need and did something about it. She trusted the providence of God throughout her life.

We are all but travellers on the road. We need each other on the journey supporting each other.

It was a beautiful morning of fellowship, fun and friendship. It was time to have a cuppa with God.

Thanks Jean.

Mary MacKillop - The Little Brown Book

Guardian Angel

I have had a wonderful weekend at the property at Demondrille, Murrumburrah NSW. At the church of St Anthony of Padua at Harden this morning - Sunday - I met Jean who is arranging a women's morning breakfast next Saturday. The guests are the authors of - The Little Brown Book, Sue and Leo Kane. I became familiar with this book when I was researching information and writing on Mary of the Cross MacKillop, for the Icon I was writing. I am looking forward very much to hearing them speak. God is so good to have given me the opportunity to be at this breakfast.
The country folk are a wonderful testimony to the strength of faith in Australia.

The following is a book review from the Catholic Leader by Barbara Flynn, June 2009-

The Little Brown Book delicately illustrated with iconic symbols of Mary's experiences, makes access to Mary's spirituality possible.

These joint authors with academic and personal interest in the spirituality of Mary MacKillop have prepared a journey of exploration into Mary's spirituality for individuals and for members of groups.

The three instruments that they skilfully employ to involve the reader in this deep and spiritually rewarding journey are first the messages from Mary's writings, either given to her mother, to another relative or to members of her congregation.

Second, from their own backgrounds in spirituality and education, the authors offer guided contemplation in anecdotal form, generated from values inherent in Mary's written message or messages.

Third, a Scripture verse or verses with relevance to the spiritual values emerging out of Mary's message concludes each exercise.

These brief poignant Scripture verses mirror in intent the spiritual values and Christian principles encapsulated in Mary's written messages.

They are a precious enrichment in the exercise and draw the reader contemplatively deeper into imbibing elements of Mary's spirituality, derived from her deep faith, trust and hope in the providence of God.

Seventy brief messages written by Mary are recorded for the reader's exploration.

A mosaic of inter-woven values and beliefs reflecting Mary's spirituality in living out the Gospel of love and service emerges as one contemplates the meanings behind Mary's words.

The Gospel values and beliefs regarding God and God's love of her and of all people, embedded in

either written messages, become a device for anecdotal reflections guiding each contemplation.

Our Lady Help of Christians, St Mary's Cathedral Sydney

Our Lady Help of Christians, St Mary's Cathedral Sydney

Many Blessings to you and your family on this the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.
I took this photo at the time the World Youth Day Cross arrived in Sydney 2007. It is the statue of Our Lady Help of Christians, at St Mary's Cathedral Sydney. She has a most beautiful face, as does the Child Jesus.

In the early days of Australia the  patron selected by the people and their newly arrived pastor, Father Therry, for the Mother Church was Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, under the special invocation of Help of Christians.

The  feast of Mary Help of Christians is the 24th of May.

The infant Church in Australia was largely kept alive by the recitation of the Rosary. Catholic Australia remained faithful to Mary, and was the first nation to choose her, under the title of Help of Christians, as principal Patroness.

To confirm this, Archbishop Kelly's pastoral letter of 1904 lends strong weight: "The first Catholics here had brought strong devotion to Mary, Help of Christians, who was the Patroness selected by the people and Father Therry for their mother-church, Mary Immaculate under the special invocation of Help of Christians."

Indications are that Father Therry simply watered a Marian seed already planted by church-minded lay people.

The altar at St. Mary's, with its statue of Mary Help of Christians, was erected as a memorial to Fr. Therry's name.

In this remarkable way Australia became the first nation in the world to have, Mary, Help of Christians as Patroness: the first church to celebrate May 24th on a national scale.

She is also the Patroness of the Military Ordinariate.
The following is a beautiful pray for such a day - 

Mary Help of Christians patroness of Australia
and of the Military Ordinariate (Feast: 24th May)

Almighty God, deepen in our hearts our love of Mary Help of Christians.
Through her prayers and under her protection, may the light of Christ shine over our land.
May Australia be granted harmony, justice and peace.
Grant wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens.
Bless especially the men and women of the Australian Defence Force and their families.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Mary Help of Christians, pray for us.

For full text - www.theworkofgod.org

I commend this prayer to the blessed Mother for a friend of mine, Anne, who is battling with cancer at the moment. May Anne and all those fighting the battle of cancer be blessed by the intercession of our patron Mary Help of Christians.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney is a most beautiful city, this is the Sydney Opera House at dusk.
Put it on your todo list of places to visit.

John the Beloved

Icon, St John the Beloved, Corpus Christi Parish, Gowrie Canberra

This Icon I wrote last year, 2010 for the Parish of Corpus Christi, Gowrie,
Australia. It is egg tempera with gold leaf.
Icons are the written Word. The following is the meaning of some of the symbolism of this icon:
The hand of John is in an attitude of receiving from Christ, but also of supporting Christ in his journey to the Cross and Resurrection.
You will notice the folds on Christ's blue robe are symbolic of branches, echoing his words - I am the vine, you are the branches.
The water jug and towel are symbols of forgiveness and healing, and of servanthood.
John’s eyes are fixed on Christ. Christ looks to you, and invites you to come also to his table to eat and drink.
The gold sash on Christ's shoulder is the 'cloth of gold' the symbol of authority - Matthew 28:18 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me".
Wishing you many blessings as you contemplate the icon and discover what else is written in it.

Walk and Talk - 15 May Harden-Murrumburrah

Geoff and I 'Walked and Talked' on May 15 down the pretty main street of Harden Murrumburrah NSW. 

We didn't solve all the problems of the world - but we did discuss how we could support people in our lives for the better.

We did probe several subjects from family and parish communities, to our own lives. We found it a wonderfully worthwhile experience - just walking and talking about issues that are important to us.

And of couse after the walk we had a cuppa at the Terracotta restaurant - we chatted to some of the locals along the way and had a great afternoon.

Yes I hope we have made a few decisions that will change some lives for the better.

And we found it so worthwhile we have decided to have our own walk and talk each month to revisit issues we looked at on the 15th May between 2pm and 3pm.

I have spoken to six other friends who Walk-and-Talked and they also found it very rewarding and exciting.

Thanks for the initiative Fr John - we are looking forward to joining you again next year.

Walk and Talk in Paris

Merran and Peter joined the Cursillo Conversation in Mallorca with the Walk and Talk City with a Soul - the initative of Fr John Armstrong from Gowie ACT, Australia with a visit to Paris.

The following are Merran's comments on the day -

Hi John and Sue

Attaching our photo from 15 May, Walk and Talk.

Peter and I went to Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, had lunch in one of the delightful little cafes and then did our Walk and Talk between 2pm and 3pm local time all around Ile de la Cite along the banks of the Seine, right in the centre of Paris. It was fine but windy and as you see I was having a bad hair day!

The whole trip including the Conversations in Mallorca was fantastic. Wonderful to visit so many places significant to the birth of Cursillo. Subsequently we stayed with a community of Marist brothers near Lyon in southern France and did a little pilgrimage to places associated with St Marcellin Champagnat their founder. It was an incredibly picturesque region. Paris was beautiful, as always! Talk about a City with a Soul - how blessed were we!

Love Merran

The Old School house

Geoff and I have been blessed to own an old school house and 120-year-old school in NSW, not too far from Canberra. There I have a studio - it is the original kitchen which I have claimed as my studio!
The image on the right is the Icon of Mother of Tenderness which I am in the process of writing. She is beautiful. I am using pigment with egg yolk - the traditional way of making tempera paint on a board prepared with 13 layers of rabbit skin glue and whiting. It gives a beautiful rich colour to the image and through the process I feel a connection to the iconographers of centuries ago.
I love the discipline of iconography. I put on a Gregorian Chant CD and am absorbed in the moment.
Icons are 'the written word'. As the word of God is written so is an icon. It is full of symbolism which can be read by those who cannot read the written word. Stain glass windows also preach the word of God. When one sits and meditates on an icon much of the symbolism is revealed and one is drawn into the spiritual realm. Icons are 'windows to heaven'. Gold leaf surrounds the image.

We are enjoying the delights of the farm. Last weekend we picked olives from our two olive trees. We are in the process of salting them and hopefully the will be good to eat in a few months. We have also feasted on apples and nashi pears - delicious.