“Do not let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1).

As we come to today’s reflection, we find ourselves in a different place to that of several weeks ago. Perhaps this week provides the opportunity to reflect on our reactions to the global spread of the Covid 19 virus. As cases were diagnosed in Australia and the spread of the virus was rampant in Italy and Spain, what were your reactions?

During the 1960s there was a movie with a theme song titled “The Mother is Dear in the World”. It was sung by a young girl and, even after 50 years, is still famous today and often played around Mother’s day each year.

At the end of March we began our reflections for this ‘Corona-time’ with a passage from the Revelations of Julian of Norwich, the fourteenth century anchoress who lived through the plague. Strangely enough, I had the good fortune to spend three full days in Norwich in October last year. I remember listening to the history of the city as we drove past a park where many of the plague victims had been buried. It was hard to imagine half a city being wiped out like that. It was hard to reconcile the joy that permeates Julian’s writings with the reality of her times.

The women came back from the tomb, “Afraid yet filled with Joy”. This phrase certainly contains within it a great deal of fear, change and uncertainty. Yet at the heart of it is joy and resurrection. I think that this passage, while seemingly not as emotional as John’s Gospel, gets at the heart of the emotional ambiguity that Easter 2020 is bringing for all of us: “Afraid yet filled with Joy”.

He had always loved those who were his in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was. Jn 13:1

“Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relent from punishing. (Joel 2:12, 13)

In the months ahead, members of the Retreat Team are praying for you and your intentions at 12pm each weekday in the Trinity Prayer Room. We will offer here a little something for your prayer each week.

St Mary’s Towers Retreat Centre
415 Douglas Park Drive, Douglas Park NSW 2569
Australia

Postal Address: PO Box 19A, Douglas Park NSW 2569

Ph: 02 4630 0200

  pdf Click here to download flyer (1.49 MB) |  pdf Click here to download application form (77 KB)

St Mary’s Towers, set on 500 hectares of natural bush land, is home to a way of life. In keeping with the charism of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, it is steeped in a spirituality of the heart. This creates a beautiful and peaceful environment with a supportive and praying community for anyone seeking to relax and enjoy communion with God. Our community is motivated and informed by their personal experience of the love of the heart of Jesus and is dedicated to providing a space for people to listen deeply to God in their personal lives and in creation. We treasure the gift of silence and solitude in prayer. We offer a variety of retreat experiences throughout the year as well as day visits for individuals and groups. Retreats can be tailored to individual circumstances. Our Retreat Team is available during retreats and for ongoing direction.

Letter from the Provincial to Retreatants [27.07.2022]

pdf Click here to continue reading (80 KB)

Michael Fallon msc

Scripture, Commentaries, Homilies and Articles
Michael Fallon is well known for his insights into scripture. His website offers access to his numerous commentaries as well as homilies, retreat material, articles, books, CD’s and other material. Michael’s involvement in Adult Faith Education has enriched the journey of many thirsting for God.

He is presently one of the full time directors of the Retreat Team at St. Mary’s Towers Retreat Centre, Douglas Park.

Website: www.mbfallon.com

Heart of Life Spirituality Centre

96 Albion Road, Box Hill
Victoria 3128 AUSTRALIA
Telephone: (+61 3) 9890 1101
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://heartoflife.melbourne/

Heart of Life Spirituality Centre began in 1983 as an initiative of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

Heart of Life Spirituality Centre is an oasis for the human spirit thirsting for God. Our Centre offers spiritual direction, spirituality seminars and the formation and supervision of spiritual directors and other pastoral ministers.

Ours is a way of the heart by which we are drawn into and bonded with other human hearts, the heart of humanity and, indeed, the sacred mystery at the heart of all reality.

Our way of the heart rests on the contemplative attitude and authentic discernment integral to all our ministries. This way of the heart is fundamental to the rich tradition of Christian spirituality of which we are part.

Fr Peter Malone msc

Faith and Film – Film and Values
Peter has been involved in Adult Faith Education for many years with a gift for integrating diverse fields of human endeavour, including cinema and social communications, and contemporary understandings of the human person and the faith journey.

His reviews appeared in the Australian Annals for many

years and now can be found on the SIGNIS English website (SIGNIS is the World Catholic Association for Communication) of which Peter was the world president.
http://www.signis.net/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=36

His reviews are also on the website of the Australian Catholic Bishops.
http://www.catholic.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=4&Itemid=105

His own site contains access to numerous valuable resources including film reviews and discussion material on many individual films.http://www.signis.net/malone/tiki-index.php

Chevalier Institute

Chevalier Institute is a ministry of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Australian Province . It is a centre for formation, committed to sharing and promoting the Chevalier Family’s Spirituality of the Heart. Chevalier Institute was established in 2003.

Jules Chevalier founded the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) in 1854 and the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) in 1874. In 1900 The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred heart was founded in Germany by Father Hubert Linckens, a Dutch Missionary of the Sacred Heart. All these congregations of professed religious, along with the Lay MSC, Lay OLSH and other laity committed to the spirituality of the heart are members of the Chevalier family.

Our offices are based in the Chevalier Resource Centre at
1 Roma Ave, Kensington NSW 2033
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://www.chevalierinstitute.org.au/

The Cliffs, Shoreham

The Cliffs at Shoreham, Westernport Bay, Victoria, is available for individually directed retreats. Brian Gallagher MSC is available for spiritual direction and retreats by individual arrangement.

The large comfortable house and the two independent self-contained cottages all have spectacular sea views. The atmosphere is quiet, relaxed, and prayerful.

The Cliffs is inspired by the MSC way of the heart : the vision is inclusive, contemplative, and missionary, respecting all people and all creation.

For more information and bookings,
Telephone: 03 59898777
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Books and Music by Frank Andersen msc

The following titles provide excellent follow-up opportunities for individuals or Parish groups who may wish to pray and work together through deeper aspects of issues.

To order Frank Andersen’s music and books use the MSC Music contact page click here.

Music of James Maher msc

For the full range of James Maher’s music click here.

Other Heart Spirituality Books
Communal Wisdom
Book co-authored by Brian Gallagher msc
and Sue Richardson pbvm

A practical guide for group discernment.

Pray as You Are
by Brian Gallagher msc

A guide for coming to God as you can,
and allowing yourself to be with God as you are.

Available from:
Heart of Life Spirituality Centre
96 Albion Road, Box Hill
Victoria 3128 AUSTRALIA
Telephone: (+61 3) 9890 1101
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://heartoflife.melbourne/

Chevalier Resource Centre

Sacred Heart Monastery, Kensington, NSW
1 Roma Ave, Kensington NSW 2033Telephone: (02) 9315 2222
Facsimile: (02) 9662 6549
Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://www.chevaliercentre.org/

The Chevalier Resource Centre has proved to be a very popular venue for conferences and retreats. Situated ten minutes from Mascot airport, and ten minutes from the city centre, it has a location that offers few problems as far as travel is concerned. The Centre is a five level building with kitchen, lounge room and laundry on the basement level, with offices, meeting rooms and lounge room on ground floor level, and with bed-rooms and bathroom facilities on each of the other three levels. The exquisite views from the rooms facing south overlooking Botany Bay, and the Royal National Park are some of the best in Sydney. The peaceful monastic setting in the beautifully kept grounds is an ideal place for prayer, study, reflection or recuperation. More active visitors may prefer to use the tennis court available, or even take a 10 minute walk to Centennial Park which is one of the feature parks of Sydney.

There is a Conference Hall as part of the Centre. It can seat 200 people, or the large carpeted area can be cleared of all seats to allow other activities to take place in the hall. Parking is available on the grounds.

Groups staying overnight may share in the meals served in the Sacred Heart Monastery dining room. A continental breakfast, a two course dinner and a light supper in the evening are available at set times.

Hartzer Park Retreat & Conference Centre

Hartzer Park is an adult education centre for spiritual and human development. Set in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW with spacious grounds, beautiful gardens and a spirit of tranquillity, it is an ideal place for spiritual and personal renewal for individuals and groups. In addition to the programs offered, spiritual direction and private retreats are available at any time for those who seek them. It conducts a year-round programme of retreats, weekend workshops and courses. A range of programs are offered: directed retreats, guided and preached retreats, Yoga and holistic retreats, guided reflection days and “shoe-string” retreats. Individual and private retreatants are welcome – spiritual direction is available by arrangement. Hartzer is available to all church groups.

Conducted by the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Eridge Park Road, Burradoo NSW Southern Highlands
Postal Address: PO Box 116, Bowral NSW 2576
Telephone: (02) 4861 3223
Facsimile: (02) 4862 1872
Website:http://www.hartzerpark.org.au