Category: Daily Life

Jo and I attended a local concert last night, comprised of mainly local acts – they put on a good show. We went mainly to catch Kirsti Falconer’s act, she was quite good although there is a dark and tragic tone to her music which I wasn’t really in the mood for. She played a couple of her own compositions and did a good cover of Joplin’s Me and Bobby McGee.

I really enjoyed Troy Troutman, The Farley Sisters (from Lowood) and Beautiful Distraction. Troutman played a couple of his own compositions – about catching yabbies and being with the one you love, another about saying what you need to say to the people who mean the most, before it’s too late. A couple of others including a good cover of Archie Roach’s Beggar Man.

The Farley Sisters and Beautiful Distraction were each a duo of female vocalists. Jemma and Ruby Farley each played guitar, performed percussion and sang beautiful harmonies. They did some brilliant covers, including Kate Miller-Heidke’s Apartment and Chris Isaac’s Wicked Game. Ruby (who sang Wicked Game) seemed to have some sort of speech impediment but it just added a charming dimension to her voice.

Beautiful Distraction were a couple of young women with incredibly different voices, one played guitar the other played piano. At first they seemed to drown each other out but it might have been the choice of song (Rob Thomas’ This is How a Heart Breaks). As their set wore on though they were wonderful.

Dropped in for a cuppa with my Nan today, she cracks me up. We had been saying how if either of us worked in a chocolate or biscuit factory we would probably get the sack for eating the stock! Nan remembered her mother had once been engaged to one of the biscuit-making Arnotts family. If they’d married, she said, at least we’d never be short for biscuits.

The Church recognises that each vocation is equal in the sense that no vocation is better or less than any other. However, because God calls you to a particular vocation – whether marriage, priesthood, religious life, single life or diaconate – that vocation is the best one for you, and the one that will “fit” you best and make you the most happy.

Here is a brief outline of the five vocations:

Priesthood: A Catholic priest is a male ordained minister of the Church. Because they give their lives in total service to the Church, priests embrace the gift of celibacy and commit to a life of prayer. They proclaim the Good News, teach the Catholic faith, minister the Sacraments, work to build up their local faith community and lead their faith community in worship. Most priests will minister in a parish setting, while others may serve as chaplains to universities, hospitals, prisons, the armed forces and other industries.

Religious Life: A religious priest, brother or sister commits his or her life to sharing in the life and mission of their religious community. Religious priests, brothers and sisters embrace the call to poverty, chastity and obedience, and nurture their call through a life of celibacy, faith, prayer and service. Religious priests, brothers and sisters serve in areas such as education, health care, parish, youth ministry, aged care, spirituality, pastoral ministry, social work, amongst the poor and as a contemplative, and many will serve as missionaries in other cultures. Depending on the religious order, they may dress in “normal” clothes or in a habit.

Marriage: A married person lives a vow of faithful love to a spouse through the sacrament of marriage. Husbands and wives share a self-giving, love-giving and life-giving relationship with their spouse, and are committed to helping their spouse grow to human and Christian maturity. They seek to form a family home, and are together the first teachers of their children in Christian faith and values. Married people may serve in their parish community or in the Church in a number of different ways.

Single Life: A person called to single life comes to believe that remaining single is the true and right way to faithfully live his or her baptismal call. Single men and women embrace the gift of celibacy while living alone, with a family or with others who are single. They are able to devote time and energy in service of others, and may serve in their parish community or in the Church in a number of different ways.

Deacon: A deacon is an ordained minister of the Church. Most people are familiar with deacons who are in formation as priests but there are married and single men, who are called to the permanent, life long, ministry of deacon. Deacons proclaim the word of God, in preaching and teaching, administering the sacraments and pastoral ministry. Some deacons are in full time secular employment and some in part time or full time ministry within the Church. Deacons may exercise part or all, of their ministry in a parish. Often they may be engaged as chaplains in schools, universities or with particular communities and some may have roles within the administration and agencies of the diocesan church.

In each vocation, the person lives a life of faith and prayer to continually grow in relationship with God.

– Fr John Conway

John 10:27-30

Today’s Gospel presents Jesus as shepherd to his people. His shepherd leadership is characterised by compassion, care, strength and protection. The message is one of belonging.

As God’s people we are called to an intimate relationship with Christ. Our lives are about listening and responding to the voice of the true shepherd.

– Fr John Conway

Very early yesterday morning my newest little nephew Emmett was born; it also happened to be his mummy’s birthday – what a memorable day for her! I dropped round my brother’s house yesterday, good timing as he was there planning to head off about an hour hence to visit J and the new bub in hospital again. He’d been up since 1am that morning, was looking pretty tired but seemed happy.

Emmett’s older brothers and sisters are very excited about his arrival. The four eldest have been staying with our parents since Friday and going back home today. Bubby Aiden (can’t really call him ‘the baby’ now, he has a younger bubby brother!) stayed with his other grandparents while P was at hospital, but P had him again by the time I dropped in.

Not sure when J is leaving the hospital but there were no complications with the birth and both she and Emmett are doing well so it might even be today!

This morning after mass Dad told me about the World War I records of our uncle, which have been digitised and included in the National Archives web site as part of the “Gift to the Nation” project.

It was fascinating to read about my uncle James Joseph Ferris, who was not quite 23 years old when he enlisted in August 1915, joining the 13th Reinforcements, 1st Battalion at Dubbo.

In December he embarked from Australia to Egypt, where he joined the 54th Infantry Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir. He was shortly after transferred to the 5th Pioneer Battalion. During this time his pay was docked to replace a lost army issue felt hat.

In June 1916 he was shipped from Alexandria to Marseilles on the BEF Canada. The following year he is promoted to Lance Corporal but several months later reverts to ranks at own request. During this time he seems to have distinguished his career by taking an officer to hospital (pity the records don’t go into the circumstances).

After a couple of weeks leave in England in Oct 1918, he rejoins his unit in France. By February 1919 he is very ill and is shipped back to Australia on the Wyreema. He receives a medical discharge in May, and is formally discharged from the AIF in August almost four years to the day he enlisted.

He was awarded two service medals – The British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

I read up on some of Hubby’s relatives as well – he has two uncles who fought in WW1. Frank Lenon was 18 when he signed up in 1919 – he was killed in action in France the same year. His older brother Hugh Lenon enlisted in 1914, a Lighthorseman he took part in the action at Gallipoli. Hugh got into a spot of bother back in Egypt and was shipped back to Australia.