During July a number of Catholic Religious have been featured in the media. There's been stories on a St Joseph Sister's ministry at the waterfront and on a priest's new book providing advice on choosing a good partner to marry. As well, Melbourne priest, Father Bob Maguire who recently celebrated his golden jubilee, is the public face (with John Safran) of a new media campaign called The Grand Plan. Here's some of that coverage:
For vulnerable seafarers, Sister Mary Leahy is a beacon of friendliness, wrote Linda Morris recently in The Sun-Herald. The Sister of St Joseph is the chaplain at Sydney's Port Botany where container ships dock from all over the world.
Linda Morris describes Sister Mary as a trim and energetic Irish-born woman with a quick sense of humour, who tries to visit as many ships as she can at Port Botany, bringing bags of second-hand clothes for warmth during the winter months, phone cards, a tea cake "if the kitty allows it" and a sympathetic shoulder. Of her work in promoting the human rights of seafarers, the Maritime Services Union cannot speak highly enough, Linda Morris said.
Over the years, the Divine Word Missionary says he has tried to show the human face of the church. 'What would Jesus do?', is [my] guiding principle," he says.
Researched and written by Marilyn Kelleher SGS, Volume 2 of the Annals documents the history of the congregation from 1939-1949, while Volume 3 covers the period from 1950 to 1959. These publications build on an original Annals which chartered the history of the Good Sams from their beginning in 1857 until 1937.
"They are truly women of the Church," she said.
"The two paths open to us are to continue as is without significant change, or to look at tangible actions aimed at sustaining and growing," says Martin Laverty, CHA CEO.
