Category: Daily Life

To Mum & Dad’s again this Christmas and it was a lovely peaceful day. The nieces and nephews were spending the day with their other grandparents this year, so it was just the five of us – Mum, Dad, Nan, Jo and me.

I happened to see the kids on Christmas Eve though. I went over to meet Dad on our way to Mass and the kids were there with Pete and Jodie. They had just opened their presents and seemed pretty happy with their haul.

Santa brought me the Doctor Who series three DVD set, a couple of store cards, a beautiful ornament box, choccies, a bottle of French champagne, a Christmas tree ornament and hand towel. This last was from Gayle, my boss at the Hospice – we had to laugh because my gift to her was very similar.

There’s a rumour that Billie Piper will be reprising the role of Rose Tyler in the next season of Doctor Who, will be simply wonderful to have her back.

Nice little clip on Youtube for a “Rose fix”:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnhvLNwZ65M&rel=1]

Matthew 11:2-11

Today’s Gospel reminds us that the coming of the Messiah confounded everyone’s expectations. God’s answer to Israel’s prayers was no military conqueror or woldly politician but a humble preacher with a message of peace. During Advent let us attune our hearts to the peace of Christ, the true spirit of Christmas.

– Fr. John Conway

One of the nice vollies at work, Christine let me borrow Sally Morgan’s My Place. I had better get stuck into it!

Always a voracious reader as a kid, I’m sorry it has dropped off. If I needed any further convincing about getting back to reading I need go no further than Brad Isaac’s 26 Major Advantages to Reading Books article (a Stumble).

Following Archbishop Bathersby’s Advent Pastoral Letter, the focus for this Christmas Season and beyond, will be on encouraging Catholics to rediscover the wealth of this faith that is so important to all of us. The Christmas Masses seem to overflow every year with people who come to share and to celebrate as members of our faith communities, and it is always great to see them at Mass. But what happens when Christmas has come and gone. Where are these people of faith during the Ordinary season of our Church Year?

Perhaps it is important for all of us who come along each week to endeavour to encourage these members of our faith Community who are part of the Church, but absent for so much of it to return. That will only happen if they feel welcomed and at home in our midst. If these people of faith arrive at any of the Masses and made to feel like outsiders because we simply ignore them, then why should they come back to God through us?

So, in highlighting the Archbishop’s concerns and his focus on evangelisation, it is important for all of us to play our part in welcoming others into our midst. That is the mission of the Church. That is the mission of the People of God. That is the mission that each of us are charged: to welcome and to reach out, not only at Christmas, but throughout the whole of our year. Then those occasional Catholics may see the need for our Church and our Community to be a part of their lives and the lives of their family members. But it begins with us, and our call to mission and ministry as members of this Body of Christ.

– Fr. John Conway

Busy days! At the Hospice we are having our office Christmas party on Saturday night, about 100 persons attending. Then on the following Monday we are having Carols by Candlelight with about 200 persons expected. Today vollie Gwen and I were sent out armed with a shopping list that was three pages long. Four hours later we had managed to get most of the items; the rest I have to pick up tomorrow.

For my other job, Melissa is taking a month off from Christmas. During this time the Sales/Accounts office will be closed for phone calls, we will only be dealing with enquiries/sales via email – this will be my job. So I’ll be checking the emails every day and otherwise taking it easy. Hopefully we’ve seen the last of the speed issues we’ve been having lately, and nothing else happens to cause unhappy customers.

I have finished most of my Christmas shopping! I don’t know yet what I’m doing for Christmas. I have to go into work on Christmas eve (Hospice), but have the rest of the week off. Hubby will most likely be working. Bah humbug.