After a five-week journey through Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel (Sundays 17 to 21 in Ordinary Time), we find ourselves on the first day of Spring taking up Mark’s account of the life and ministry of Jesus from where we left off at the 16th Sunday.A Reflection for the 22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

We are about to begin the season of Advent, a time of waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ, both in the manger at Bethlehem and his second coming at the end of time.

As we look around our world at the serious situations of conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine and various other places, we know that we are more in need than ever of the coming of the Prince of Peace at Christmas.

An atheist friend once said, “The Bible message is nice to read, but it is too beautiful to be true”. Of course, it is beautiful, who would say otherwise?

On Palm Sunday this year, I was privileged to have been part of a walk for justice and freedom for refugees, writes Fr Clement Baffoe SVD. The event was organised by Amnesty International-Townsville in collaboration with the Townsville Multicultural Support Group(TMSG) and a number of people from different faith backgrounds.

I then used my talk to appeal to all to open their hearts and doors especially the doors of our country to refugees. Opening our hearts and doors means we are giving people hope and the chance to live a dignified life. May we all stand up for the justice and freedom of refugees, especially those who remain in limbo at detention centres.

Since the celebration of Easter, the Church has invited us to reflect on the origins of the Christian community.

As I write this message, we have just received news that Russia has begun attacking its neighbour, Ukraine with military force.

We, in the SVD AUS Province, pray for the people of Ukraine and the whole world as a period of great instability stretches before us and we join in Pope Francis’ call for a day of prayer and fasting for Ukraine on Ash Wednesday, March 2.

As winter sweeps over Europe, as the landscape is covered by vast drifts of white snow, an idyllic picture of romantic, post-card proportions presents itself. However, the picture remains short lived, when a greater reality becomes apparent: not everyone is enjoying the snowy scene, reflects Fr Michael Hardie SVD.

Especially not the migrants and refugees crowded into makeshift camps, without adequate clothing and footwear, without enough food to last from one day to another, with no help and no hope in sight. These are the refugees who have trudged the Long Walk from their homes and countries of origin in Syria and Iraq to find a better future in Europe, but as the biting cold eats into their meagre reserves of strength, those dreams are fast fading.

The Divine Word Missionaries AUS Province recently joined the anti-nuclear fight by signing up to ICAN, the international body campaigning for the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

The move came as the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons reached the required 50 states parties for its entry into force, after Honduras ratified just one day after Jamaica and Nauru submitted their ratifications.

After the resurrection of Jesus the disciples hid themselves behind locked doors for fear of the authorities. Now one can lock oneself in a room because one believes that the world is unfriendly and hostile, and so prevent the world from entering the room, but then one also can’t get out. Since the crucifixion the disciples had bunched together behind locked doors in fear and anxiety. It must have been like hell.

However there is a way out of this terrible fear. Into this room of trapped people comes Jesus with his gift of peace and he says, “Peace be with you”.

The various faith communities of Alice Springs came together recently for a time of prayer and shared grieving following the killings at a Christchurch mosque and at Sri Lankan churches and hotels.

The interfaith gathering was the initiative of the Catholic Parish of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, which hosted the event.