A word from the Bishop
Following the life of Christ
October 2018 - Bishop of Sandhurst Les Tomlinson's October column.
Generating joy with generosity
September 2018 - Bishop of Sandhurst Les Tomlinson's September column.
A time to celebrate
The Catholic Church loves to celebrate. We celebrate feast days and solemnities, holy days and sacraments. The Church encourages private celebrations, such as the celebration of one’s Baptism day. Each month is dedicated to particular devotions, and June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Focus on family
Pope Francis has described the Church as a “family of families” (Amoris Laetitia 87). There are many people who, through Baptism, belong to the family of the Church, but who, for one reason or another, have drifted away. Saint Paul wants them to know that they have not been forgotten. “God never takes back His gifts or revokes His choice”. It is the love of God that makes us Christian in the first place, and it is His faithful love that keeps the door open for us, even when we do not see Christ or Christianity in ourselves.
Inviting Jesus in
I feel a sense of fondness and gratitude for all those people who, each day, contribute with small but valuable concrete gestures, to the good of the Diocese of Sandhurst.
What is truth?
At the core of the trial of Jesus, Pontius Pilate asks a question, self-servingly and flippantly, “What is truth?” Pilate scoffs at Jesus’ idea of bearing witness to the truth. From Pilate’s position of power, truth is optional, inconsequential even; truth can be defined anyway one wants.
Kindness is the best resolution
January 2018 will have had some of us commit to ‘new year resolutions’. Others will see the future as a clean page, a blank calendar, waiting to be written on. The brand new year has come, but what will we do with it? What difference will it make?
Peace of Christ is With us in our hurting world
"This Christmas let us pray earnestly that all human hearts will be liberated from false images of God. The message of Christmas is that it is only in God’s gift of his Son that we can see the truth of God." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Opening Ourselves to Change and Growth
"... The very heart of the Christian faith revolves around change, but it is not turning over a new leaf - it is living out a new life." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Springtime the right time for faith renewal
"September and the new season of spring are often seen as a time for spring-cleaning ... Let us use this season as a time of purification and renewal of our commitment to God.
" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Considering vocations?
"In 2015, the week beginning August 2 is Vocations Awareness Week. Catholics generally associate the word vocation with the priesthood and consecrated life. However, some often pose the question: what is a vocation?" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Green encyclical excites
"There is much excitement and discussion about the recently released encyclical Laudato Si." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Picturing our past leaders
"We remember with gratitude our earlier Bishops and might reflect on the real and mysterious communion that unites us here on Earth and those who have gone before us into everlasting life." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Live the faith with joy as an example to all
"Evangelisation is most effective when actions come first. It is said that Saint Francis of Assisi often taught the friars to ‘preach always, and sometimes use words." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Inspire youth back to our communities
"The future of our Church will depend not just on individuals, bishop or priests or charismatic laymen and women, but also on new and robust communities of faith and worship. We urgently need faith communities that embrace our young people." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Prayer, fasting leads to our Easter celebration
"... It is the time which challenges us to open our hearts and take the journey to new life, and it is the time when we may take the opportunity to encourage in ourselves a detachment from some of the pleasures and pastimes which can dominate our daily lives." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Parents called to be first educators in faith
"May I wish every blessing to our parents, teachers, our priests and everyone in the Diocese of Sandhurst, as we move together to embrace the challenges of 2015, in care and concern for one another, in the light of our Faith!" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Reflecting on Christmas
"... Pass on knowledge and values with words; but words will have an incisive effect on children and young people if they are accompanied by your witness, your consistent way of life. Without consistency it is impossible to educate, and we are all educators!" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Christmas: a time to not be afraid
"Can we make Christmas different by pausing to reflect on the marvellous happening of God becoming a newborn baby? Can we make our own, the reality that Jesus is always present for us, waiting to be recognised in order that he might be our hope, and the light when darkness is upon us, when we have lost our way?" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Time to recognise Christ in others
"... we do not expect that a Year of Faith will eradicate decades of scepticism, doubt, unbelief or indifference. It is our oneness of faith, hope and charity which makes the Gospel in every age alive and vibrant and, we hope and pray, attractive to those who have no faith, as well as to those who are hostile or indifferent to it." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
October a time to call on our Mother
"I make this heart-felt plea to every one of us, whether we are lay people, religious, deacons, priests or bishop. Let us make our prayer to our Lady of the Rosary to intercede for us as Mother of the Church and our blessed mother, as we work with Pope Francis, doing our part to rebuild the Church. Let us, as Saint Francis did, commit ourselves to playing our part in the rebuilding of the Lord’s Church." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Bishop's invitation to priesthood talks
"How do I know if I have a vocation? It is difficult to describe a vocation because, in a sense, a vocation is a mystery ..... I invite any young man interested in knowing more about the priestly vocation to contact me and maybe join us on September 7th. Maybe there are some pondering questions such as, What if I listen for God’s call? What if I don’t? Listen to the invitation of Jesus: Come and see!" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Shining light of faith
"Father, help all people to know their vocation in life, and assist them to prepare for it. For your glory, and for the service of your people, call many to be Priests and Religious. Give those whom you call the grace to respond generously and persevere faithfully.
Mary, Mother of the Church, show your care for the body of Christ, encourage many vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Amen" - Bishop Les Tomlinson
June set aside for the Sacred Heart
"The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart, a special form of devotion to Jesus. This is one of the most widely practiced and well-known devotions, taking Jesus' physical heart as the representation of his divine love for humanity. The devotion especially emphasizes the unmitigated love, compassion, and long-suffering of the heart of Christ towards humanity." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
A time to remember His precious blood
"The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus. John XXIII in his Apostolic Letter ‘Inde a primis’ reminded us that ‘by gazing at the wounds of the crucified Christ each man, even in conditions of abject moral poverty, can say: ‘God has not abandoned me, He loves me, He gave his life for me’, and thus rediscove hope." - Bishop Les Tomlinson
Items of Interest
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Letters from the Vatican #5
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Abuse summit day two: How to hold bishops to account
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A new ideology is attacking celibacy. We’ve been through all this before
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Why priests need our prayers now more than ever
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Tagle: Confront the ‘stench of filth’ caused by abuse
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Sodalit founder expelled from congregation
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California bill would force priests to violate seal of confessional
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Covington Catholic student sues Washington Post over Nathan Phllips story
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Morning Catholic must-reads: 22/02/19
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Letters from the Vatican #4
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Leading asylum-seekers down the garden path
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Pope calls for ‘concrete’ measures from summit
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Melbourne Archdiocese hit by cyber attack
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Latest media releases
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Catholic sector backs Labor’s education plans
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Caritas Australia's annual appeal turns to water
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Bold and challenging portrait of van Gogh
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Campaign based on 'deception and fear'
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Get ready for big promises in election year
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Choir on nationwide hunt for singers
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Advent Resources for 2018
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Sandhurst Diocese Pilgrimage 2019 to the Holy Land
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‘Love in Marriage' prayerbook launched
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‘Love in the Family' prayerbook launched
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‘Youth Pathways 2019’ has arrived
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St Lib’s teachers take RCIA journey
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Nathan joins the diaconate
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Ordination to the Priesthood - Reverend Dean Bongat
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St Joseph's Church Undera closes after 139 years
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Parish energy at Wodonga