"You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky".


Archbishop Hickey addresses the Congress on the opening night - The Year of the Rosary and Living in the Light.


Delegates came from many areas of WA. The Sister of Nazareth came from Geraldton approx. 360 km north of Perth.

YEAR OF THE ROSARY - Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress
ARCHBISHOP HICKEY - The Year of the Rosary & Living in the Light.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky".
Archbishop Hickey gave the opening address at the Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress and said Pope John Paul's exhortations expressed in his letter on the new mysteries of the Rosary can be used as a means of becoming more familiar with the Bible.

Archbishop Hickey said that the Rosary could be used as a catechism for Bible study which would give a better understanding of the Baptism of Christ, the Proclamation of the Kingdom and Conversion, the Transfiguration, the Wedding Feast at Cana and the Institution of the Eucharist. Commenting about how the Pope had a new idea to use the Rosary format as a Catechism or Bible Study, he said that he had thought of a similar series of meditations before the Pope introduced the Mysteries of Light, of using the Rosary as a form of Bible Study taken from the first two chapters of Gospel of John - Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan - Calling the first disciples - The Wedding at Cana - Cleansing of the Temple. His reason was because Catholics are not very knowledgeable of their bible and these meditations could assist as a small catechesis. The Archbishop said that these mediations based on the first two chapters of the Gospel of John being made available to schools and shared in the classrooms would give children some depth and insight into the bible and help them to develop an interest in it.

On the theme of light, the Archbishop issued a challenge as the basic point of his message for Catholics to live up the Saint Paul's message in Philippians 2:15, "... be innocent and pure as God's perfect people who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky." He said this was frightening challenge but said that, "I must ask this of you and also of myself... how we were can live up to this?... And yet it is expected of us - to be able to live among evil and change it, not compromising it." He said.

The effect of God's light would make us free people, healed of spiritual and physical pain and injury as well experiencing God's peace and adoption as God's children.

Archbishop Hickey spoke at length about our calling in the transforming effect of God's light and the real experience of His love making us all part of the Church's mission in the world by becoming light to them. He gave several examples of how he allows drug addicts and homeless people to sleep on his back verandah in spite of the objections of others. Using several scripture references, the Archbishop said that we are a chosen race and royal priesthood who are called out of the darkness into the Kingdom of God's light. - The effect of God's light would make us free people, healed of spiritual and physical pain and injury as well experiencing God's peace and adoption as God's children. The Archbishop said that the theme of light was a common thread in the Scriptures and that Jesus refereed to himself as The Light of the world - "The light that was resisted by darkness, and that darkness could not overcome it."

Using other references in the first chapter of Genesis "Let there be light." The Archbishop also referred to Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and salvation." He explained that this was consistent from Genesis to Revelation, and reiterated his challenge asking if people were stars lighting up the sky in a dark world? - The Archbishop also asked why people were Catholic or Christians? - "Was it a habit? Or was it conversion? - "Have you made a choice to accept Jesus? - Have you experienced that journey from death to life? To freedom? The light?" He said.

Throughout his inspiring address, Archbishop Hickey continually encouraged and urged the delegates to promise Jesus to live in the light. - He said people would then know they are loved by God and they would then have freedom and forgiveness.

"The Eucharist is fundamentally the Christian Passover. With Jesus, The Risen Lord, we pass from death to New Life."

New Rosary Meditations - Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress
BISHOP DON SPROXTON - The Institution of the Eucharist
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I believe that what we are to reflect on has the potential to give us a greater appreciation of the Eucharist - the gift of our loving Redeemer."

Bishop Sproxton's presentation on The Institution of the Eucharist at the 13th Annual Flame Congress was an exemplary and inspiring study of the Biblical foundations of the Mass. During his session Bishop Sproxton said the reason why the Passover was chosen was a most important question. "In answering it, we discover another dimension of the Eucharist and our celebration of the Mass that has been obscure for nearly 1500 years. I believe that what we are to reflect on has the potential to give us a greater appreciation of the Eucharist - the gift of our loving Redeemer." He said.

Bishop Sproxton told delegates that the Passover was the great celebration of the Jews established through Moses and, like our Easter was only celebrated once a year at the same time as our Easter. He also explained that the Passover was not a Jewish creation but that it pre-existed the Jewish people. "In Exodus 5:1, we discover Moses was sent to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go into the desert to celebrate a feast in honour of God - the Pasch". He told delegates that it was most likely the family festival was celebrated at night, at the full moon on the northern spring equinox. He said that it was celebrated by Hebrew and non-Hebrew alike when, "The young kid, male without blemish, was offered to God to draw down blessings on the flocks."

Bishop Sproxton said that Moses' meeting with Pharaoh marked the beginning of the book of Exodus. - The Exodus had brought new meaning to the old pagan festival of the Pasch and that if we were to follow the Old Testament we would begin to see that the Passover itself had changed. He said that when other events in the history of Israel came to pass, the Passover acquired new symbols and meanings, "It became more elaborate and it celebrated other exoduses, like the Exile, and the return from the Babylonian captivity". Bishop Sproxton explained that the Passover fundamentally celebrated the historical deliverance by God of His people from the [captivity, slavery and] oppression of Pharaoh, to the freedom of the Promised Land.

Linking the history of the Hebrew Passover to the Jewish Passover, he said that, "Jesus chose the Passover meal and changed it still further to embrace the meanings of His coming, and the work of salvation He accomplished by doing the will of the Father." He told the delegates that it would be right for us to say that the Passover of the Hebrews was finally fulfilled in the passing over of Jesus. "It had been a type or model of the real Passover of Jesus from death to life." He said. "The Eucharist is fundamentally the Christian Passover. With Jesus, the Risen Lord, we pass [from death] to new life." Bishop Sproxton said.

"The whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of Light". Fr Bob said. "The first of these Mysteries of Light is the Baptism in the Jordan."

New Rosary Meditations - Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress
FR BOB CARDEN OFM - Christ's Baptism in the Jordan
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Without contemplation the Rosary would be a body without a soul."

Fr Bob Carden said that praying the Rosary was more than rattling off prayers and letting the beads just run through our fingers. - "The whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of Light. The first of these Mysteries of Light is the Baptism in the Jordan." Fr Bob said.

Following this perspective, Fr Bob said that the river Jordan held a story of some mighty events in the history of God's people. "It is a river that starts at Benias in the north in the territory of Dan that flows from a stream towards the south into the Sea of Galilee and to the bitter waters of Dead Sea". Fr Bob said that the river Jordan was known to the Jews as The Descending One coming from Dan, well above sea level, to the Dead Sea, well below sea level.

Fr Bob said that when we look at the history of the Jordan it would be easy to see why it was chosen by God to reveal the wonder of the Baptism of Jesus because after the death of Moses, Joshua led the people dry-shod over the Jordan as they passed into the Promised Land, and as the priests bearing the Arc of the Covenant entered the water, the waters parted and the entire nation passed through. He also referred to the Prophet Elijah who had also parted the Jordan and crossed over dry-shod. When Elijah had ascended, Elisha also parts the river and walks dry-shod across the Jordan. Naaman the leper who, under Elijah's instruction, washed in the Jordan and his flesh became clean. "And so I suppose the greatest day of the Jordan is the day we celebrate in this first mystery of Light." He said.

Fr Bob explained that the significance at the Jordan was John the Baptist's fulfillment of Scripture in preparing a straight path for the Lord. John was also preparing a way for Jesus' Baptism by the people who flocked to him for repentance and forgiveness - John's baptism was for people who were sorry for their sins and wanted to be free of them. John's baptism was also representative of other movements in Jesus' time and it was one of a number of movements because people were seeking renewal in their lives and a return to God - "It was a time of revival. People wanted to repent of their sins and enter a new way of life. So what had a Baptism of Repentance to do with Jesus? He said.

Fr Bob said that many people would say that Jesus was just like us in all our human weaknesses and that Jesus was baptised like us. "But that wasn't true! Jesus was not baptised like us!" He said. "Yes, Jesus was like us in every way, but without sin because he was, the sinless one". He then asked if John's baptism was irrelevant and unnecessary for Jesus because there was no sin to be forgiven? He said that with the compassion Jesus had, he certainly felt the weight of sin of those who were its victims. - He was aware of the burdens put upon the people by the Pharisees. He said that Jesus' intimacy with God would have led him to believe that there was a better way, and because of his compassion, Jesus went to where John was baptising for repentance, and there identified with the outcasts and sinners. "So when Jesus lined up with the penitents and allowed himself to be baptised by John, he identified totally with the repentant Israel - He identified with the chosen people of God suffering in their alienation - Before calling Israel to repentance, Jesus first identifies with Israel with her sinfulness and her need for cleansing. At this he is not the overpowering heavenly deliverer, but rather the humble servant whose life is given as a ransom for the multitude". He said.

Fr Bob said that the true identity of Jesus is revealed in his coming up out of the water. At the same time there is a corresponding coming down as the heavens open and the Holy Spirit that descends upon him, and God spoke the revelation, "This is my beloved son..." He said this reflected Isaiah's plea that the heavens would be ripped open so that God would come down from his heaven to the help his people. After his baptism, Jesus life changed - He became a preacher and healer and an extraordinary witness to love and this began another movement in Israel. - Jesus' experience at his baptism marked the beginning of a new creation. He said this was reflective of God's Spirit moving over the chaos in Genesis as God spoke his Word to creation. It also reflected Moses parting the Red Sea as God sent a driving wind that blew all night making dry land. Fr Bob reiterated the connection with the heavens being torn open which also reflected the splitting of the rock in the desert. "Just as the heavens were spilt open at the baptism, so it was years before when God split open the rock to let water flow in the desert". He said.

Fr Bob said that the Jews had a concept of more than one heaven, and that in the highest heaven God sat in light where no-one could approach him. However, there were rare times when the heavens opened and God spoke, but it was such a far away place that it was only an echo of God's voice that they heard, such as that of an angel who became an intermediary from an unapproachable God. "Never-the-less, it was God speaking. So here at the Jordan we hear God breaking through! - This was a momentous moment for the Jews. - God is now speaking directly and not using an intermediary - He is speaking directly to Jesus in the here-and-now and the heavens are torn open removing all obstacles to the Father - God is now speaking a Word that is to bring about the redemption of the world, and through Jesus the way is open for everyone to enter in. Jesus' eternal consecration as the Messiah was revealed at the time of his baptism... God's anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus revealed to Israel its Messiah... and not just the Messiah of Israel, but our Messiah". He said.

Fr Bob explained that the Holy Spirit [the Anointing], who came upon Jesus in the form of a Dove was a reflection of the dove in Noah's day which announced the end of the deluge - a message of a new beginning and a new creation. He said that the dove also represented the turtledove in the Song of Songs and the whole song of Isaiah 42 that captures the essence of Jesus' baptism experience at the Jordan. "At the time of Jesus' baptism he is still the hidden servant - only through his public ministry in the world do people begin to see who he really is." Fr Bob said that through meditating on this Mystery of Light, Jesus leads us into a greater appreciation of who he is. This meditation draws us into the revelation and life of the Blessed Trinity who are all present at the Baptism in the Jordan. This also brings us to the realisation that we too, are the beloved sons of God. - We realise that we are adopted sons of God and begin the hear God saying of, and to us, "This is my beloved son."

"When we pray we experience in a small way the transfiguration because our soul shines... When prayer is properly done we are bathed in light."

New Rosary Meditations - Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress
RAYMOND DE SOUZA - The Transfiguration
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Placing the event of the Transfiguration in its historical context, Catholic Apologist Raymond de Souza told delegates at the Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress that the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mt Tabor took place in early August 33 AD seven months before the crucifixion. The Scribes and Pharisees had consistently come to challenge Jesus, oppose his mission and to win over his followers. To encourage his disciples Jesus took Peter, James and John to Mt Tabor - a Hebrew name which means; Bed of Purity or Bed of Light, to give them a glimpse of his divinity. He went up for prayer and they arrived around sunset. Posing a rhetorical question about what prayer is, he said that prayer was elevating the mind and soul to God. He said that in the Old Testament Mosaic Law there were sacrificial acts of adoration, sacrifices of penance, sacrifices of thanksgiving and sacrifices of supplication. Today Catholic worship has the same four ACTS - Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving and Supplication.

He said that mountains were special places of prayer as way of being closer to God. "When prayer is properly done, we are bathed with light." He said. Explaining that light can only be seen by the objects that illuminate it, he told the congress that in prayer we don't have to feel the light because the Holy Spirit bathes us in the divine light when we pray properly elevating our mind and soul to God. "So when we pray, we experience in a small way the transfiguration because our soul shines as the Holy Spirit baths our soul in the Divine Presence and we rise up.... Prayer is a Transfiguration of the soul although the body remains unchanged." Raymond spoke about Moses who had been on the mountain with God at Sinai. When he came down, his face was shinning. Even though he had only seen the splendor of God reflected through a bush, Moses glory was to fade, whereas the splendor of Jesus came from within Himself.

He said that many see the Transfiguration as a miracle, but the real miracle was that Jesus didn't shine all the time. He explained how Jesus who is the Light, shines naturally - so to stop shinning was the real miracle. - "The Transfiguration on Tabor was not a miracle for Jesus to shine for a while and then return to normal. Jesus' normality is to shine - It was that he stopped shinning for a while - that was the miracle." He said. Raymond told delegates that when Jesus' face shone like the sun it didn't change his features, but rather showed his Glory as a symbol of the resurrected body. He

explained that with human eyes we cannot see the source of God's light, but that the Transfiguration gave a glimpse of what we will see in heaven when we can look upon the Grandeur of God as He really is in Light in the Beatific Vision. "Those three privileged men had a glimpse of what the redeemed will look like after the resurrection!" He said.

This was a demonstration that we too, even though we die, will have a resurrected body free from corruption. Quoting the promise of the resurrection in Matthew 18, he said, - "Then shall the just shine as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father." And so Raymond said that our glorified bodies will have four distinct characteristics: One is Clarity - There is light and we will shine like the sun in the House of our Father. Two, it has Agility - Meaning that space will not mean anything in order to restrict us - A glorified body is above the laws of nature as we know them. Three, it has Impeccability because the glorified body never decays and can never become less that what it is. Four, it has Subtlety because for a resurrected body, matter doesn't matter.

Raymond said there were several reasons why Christ was Transfigured. - One was because by means of His Glory in His Brightness, and by the testimony of Moses and Elijah, he might prove His Divinity to His Apostles because the disciples didn't know that the Messiah was going to be God Incarnate. The only exception was Peter who was the first one to know six day before when God gave him the revelation that Jesus was The Christ - The Son of the Living God. Raymond said that now he gives them an added insight into his divinity when they could see the shinning light - "What Moses saw in the bush only as a symbol, now in Jesus, it was alive." Another reason was to forewarn them not to loose confidence when they see him nailed on the cross. At that time Jesus wanted them to remember they had seen him shine like God giving them a

foretaste of heaven, and to encourage them not loose hope and to remain confident in what they had seen on Mt Tabor. Another reason for the Transfiguration was to show them how he will come on the on the day of reckoning when he comes to judge the living and the dead, and through them, to encourage all the faithful throughout time to remain steadfast in the face of whatever crosses may come their way.

Referring to the Mass, Raymond said that whilst the Consecration was a miracle making Christ present, the real miracle was that it didn't shine. - "The transubstantiation happens and then the second miracle is that we don't see the Divinity." He said. [The delegates understood from this that it was because we need to see by faith and not by sight]. "Every Catholic church and chapel is a Mt Tabor for us because the same Jesus is present." He said.

Raymond's session on the Transfiguration covered many inspiring insights into God's mercy on Mt Tabor and what it means for us in practical ways today. He explained that Jesus chose Peter, James and John to go to Mt Tabor because they were going to be the ones closest to him in the Garden of Gethsemane - He later called them to himself during his agony so that they could see him in the highest of his glory on Tabor and in the lowest of his suffering in the garden.

Raymond told his audience that the reason these three were chosen was because Peter showed his love and faith and because of this Jesus gave him the keys of the Kingdom to be its chief steward here on earth. James was chosen because he was going to be the first Apostle to lay down his life and die for Christ. John was the virgin Apostle. - "St. John was the Apostle that preached virginity to the world... and he was to receive the greatest gift - the Virgin Mother. These three virtues, the love of Peter was rewarded - the martyrdom of James was rewarded, and the virginity of John was rewarded."

Raymond said that meditating on this Mystery of Light we see these three qualities for ourselves in that we are to follow in loving Jesus like Peter, being prepared to lay down our lives for him like James, and of dedicating our lives to him in our virginity like John. - "If we want to see God as they saw him on Mt Tabor, let us be ready to imitate these three Apostles in our lives." He said.

Raymond gave some reasons why Moses and Elijah were present on Mt Tabor. People had said that Jesus was Elijah, so he showed by Elijah's presence that he was not a reincarnation of Elijah. Moses was there to show that Jesus had not come to do away with the Law of Moses, but to fulfill it and bring it to perfection.

Through the homage paid by Moses and Elijah he showed that he was Lord. He also showed that he had power over life and death because he brought Moses who had died and Elijah who was alive when taken up into heaven, and so Elijah was still alive on the mountain. It was also to reveal his glory on the cross because this is what Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking about on Mt Tabor. - "The Apostles could see that there is no glory without the cross.... We get into the light through the cross.... It was also to show that the old covenant was passing and the new covenant was coming through Jesus Christ." He said.

Raymond concluded by explaining the significance of Moses and Elijah and Christ's self revelation in relation to them. He explained the meaning of the three tabernacles, the virtue of the cross for us and what cross is the right one to carry. He showed three ways that we can carry our cross which, by our attitudes will determine our position in Christ and in the world. "The final and most important message on Mt Tabor was - to hear Him.... By keeping our focus on Jesus we walk in the Light." He said.

"At Cana Mary was releasing Jesus from her maternal authority to 'cling to his bride - which is the Church".

New Rosary Meditations - Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress
EDDIE RUSSELL FMI - Christ's Self Revelation at Cana
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I thought I'd heard everything there was to teach on Cana until I heard this today." - A congress delegate to Eddie after his session.

Eddie Russell gave what was for him a revelation into the miracle of Cana that continued to unfold as he taught it. Other than the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Finding in the Temple we hear no more about Jesus until his Baptism in the Jordan, when God reveals Jesus' mission and public ministry. From there we see the unfolding revelation of his glory. He said that it was significant that no preaching or miracle was done by Jesus after returning from the desert until the wedding at Cana. The simple exchange between Mary and Jesus and then the servants, concluded the Old Testament and became the catalytic beginning of New and Everlasting Covenant and a time of Grace. This was something Mary had to do because Jesus was obedient to the fourth commandment and would not just ignore his mother by suddenly overruling her and leaving her for his mission. - "When Mary said there was no wine, she was releasing Jesus from her maternal authority to cling to his bride - which is the Church. This was reflecting and fulfilling Genesis 2:23-24." He said.

In doing so Mary was also repairing the damage caused by Eve in the Garden of Eden when she ignored her husband and listened to the serpent - Mary was now submitting to Jesus and revealing him as The Bridegroom. At the same time she was revealing herself as The New Eve [Rev 12] and Mother of the Church in submission to Christ as its head. - "Until now, Jesus had been in submission to his mother obedient to the fourth commandment, but at Cana Mary was submitting to Jesus as the New Adam [1Cor 15:45-49] and releasing him into ministry". [Eph 6:1-4] This exchange repaired the damage done in Eden and restored the proper roles of Adam and Eve ushering in a new age of Grace through Jesus Christ as Lord. Eddie said it was significant that it was done at a Wedding Feast because it was a symbol and reflection of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb in the book of Revelation.

Continuing to unfold the theme of a wedding Eddie said that at the Wedding Feast at Cana, the changing of water to wine changed marriage from a mere contract into a Sacrament. Eddie said that, "Just as a marriage is a blood covenant due to the hymen being broken and blood flowing when the wedding is consummated, this was a reflection and a type of Jesus and the Church at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb and the Consummation into heaven. The idea of blood at the wedding and the acclamation of Adam in Eden when he said regarding Eve, At last this is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones was reflected in Cana. - "What is in the center of your bones?" Eddie asked. "Is it not marrow? - Marrow is the where your blood is made and the building block of the body". He said.

Delegates eagerly take notes during the sessions.

Taking up St. Paul's teaching on wives submitting to their husbands, Eddie explained that it didn't mean being under the thumb, "It means to be 'Arrayed Under' - A woman fully arrayed in her womanliness is vulnerable in her beauty, but under the protection of her husband she was safe and free to be fully who and what she is without shame or fear". - This was restoring the disobedience in Eden and reflected Mary's new relationship with Jesus which was the example of the relationship of the Church to Christ. This was also relating to the New Covenant in the Body and Blood of Jesus on Calvary - The Flesh was also referring to the Eucharistic Bread and the Blood referring to the Eucharistic Wine.

The fact that this took place at a wedding also showed Mary's maternal concern for the bride and groom. "They were no doubt friends of the family.... And because a Jewish wedding feast lasted for seven days it would have been very embarrassing for the couple for the wine to run out on the third day". He said that Mary's maternal concern caused her to mention it to Jesus and as a result it also established her new role as the Mother of the Church under the headship of Christ -"They have no wine." When Jesus responded, "Woman, what has that to do with me? My hour has not yet come". Eddie explained that Jesus' response was relating to the crucifixion being the

hour he was sent for. He told delegates that seven was the number of completion in biblical terms and reflected the creation in Genesis. - The three days were referring to Jesus time in the tomb. He said that the first three days also represented the natural and the next four days represented the supernatural completion. - the first wine represented our limit in natural terms. The water represented our human and limited ability and the best wine represented a new, eternal and supernatural life and ability given abundantly in Christ. - We become new creations in Christ and this brings us to completion able enjoy the seventh day rest with God.

The intervention of Mary at the wedding revealed the supernatural provision of God which was the New Wine reflected in the New Covenant - the hour for which was still to come. "It also revealed the new birth attained through the Blood of Christ giving us New Life by the Holy Spirit... It also reflected St. Paul's teaching that when a person accepts Christ they become a new creation. - The old has passed away and the new has come." He said.

Eddie explained that the water in the jars also represented the things in the natural, but the new wine, the best kept until last, was showing the transformation from death to life and the new creation. The fact that it was water to wine was also significant he told delegates. - The water also represented our natural birth. This is when the water breaks as the baby is born... The New Wine represented our transforming new birth in the Blood of Christ and the beginning of our new supernatural life. - "God can take what is tasteless, colorless and limited in our own natural efforts and bring them to completion by supernatural grace. In fact without this revelation, it is impossible in human terms - we get so far on our own efforts and before it is completed, we run out." He said.

These few words of Mary declared Jesus as Lord! - When Jesus revealed the miracle of Cana it was the tiny pinpoint fulfillment the old, and the pinpoint beginning the new. "Now Jesus could reveal his glory and the disciples saw it". Eddie said. - Cana was also revealing Mary as the New Eve and Jesus as the New Adam and the True Vine [Jn 15] replacing the False Vine and the bitter wine of affliction in Genesis 3: 1-7. Eddie explained that we are branches that produce fruit when we abide in the Word - the fruit is from the true vine which produces the new wine. "If you say you love Mary then listen to Mary!" He told the delegates. "She doesn't say follow me, follow me, but follow him and do what he says!... He is the imperishable seed and when we

listen to the Word and act on what he says we are transformed and produce its fruit". Eddie said that God keeps the best wine until the last. - When we subject ourselves to the Divine Majesty by doing as Mary tells us, we give her great honour because she sees us becoming like her son. "She knows that you are her sons! - She knows that your were birthed in Christ - She knows you were birthed by the Seed when she accepted it. She knows that she became subject to it just like you when she said, Do what he tells you'... And you Church, as you are subject to this, your position in the heavenly Kingdom is the same as that with Mary - Reigning forever with Christ!" He said.

Eddie reminded the congregation that they were baptised Prophet, Priest and King and, that Mary is, "The model of who you already are in Jesus Christ when you have turned your life from what is the natural to the supernatural. You see, whatever you have filled your life with, God can touch it and turn it into something incredible!" He said. "If you can accept this truth, you can walk away from whatever is your poverty and lack, just as it was for the couple at the wedding feast [who could only get so far on their own resources], and you will have a banquette before you in front of your foes, and there will be no more scraps for God's people!" He said.

New Rosary Meditations - Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress RAYMOND DE SOUZA - Proclamation of the Kingdom and Conversion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raymond began his session on the Proclamation of the Kingdom and Conversion asking his audience to be clear about what these words meant. He told a story of three men carrying a stone, all seeing a different vision for it purpose. The three men were doing exactly the same thing, but their vision of reality was different. - The first only saw the stone, the second saw a wall and the third saw a Cathedral - "The third man," he said "Had the Big Vision. In this talk I would like to invite to develop your cathedral vision". He said.

Relating to several examples of what could be called the Kingdom, Raymond then said that conversion was not a matter of persuasion, but a change in the heart that causes us to act and change direction. "If you basically agree with me in your mind, you have not been converted, you have been persuaded, your heart remains as cold as before." He said. The delegates heard that conversion is to accept the truth, act on it and change our whole life - other than that it was merely an intellectual ascent and made no difference.

Raymond told delegates that there were obstacles to the Kingdom and referred to de-Christianisation, especially in Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand. This de-Christianisation is implemented through the media, politics and fashion to remove every Christian element from our culture. He referred to a situation in France where Catholics who had become pagans had used court orders to get their names removed from the baptismal registers to deny that they had ever been baptised.

He spoke about what he called 'a false ecumenism' and told about a diocesan gathering at Aquinas College in Perth where all the different groups and movements were invited to share about their work. He noted that all of them, "...bragged that they were ecumenical or had an ecumenical dimension." He said that the only group that didn't was Flame Ministries International, "Their spokesman said their ministry existed to convert people to the Roman Catholic Church - We want to have one faith, one baptism, one Lord and one body of Christ. - I clapped him - they had got it right." He said. Raymond continued saying that FMI had got it right because Jesus commissioned us to preach the Gospel and make disciples, not to go and ecumenise them. "Befriend by all means, but because we have forgotten this we have become a maintenance church and not a missionary church". He said.

Raymond said that there were other obstacles to the Kingdom and spoke about individualism and indifference in the light of such things as abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity and contraception. "This mentality of individualism is wreaking havoc in the Body of Christ". Quoting Pope John Paul to the youth he said, "You must learn to think, speak and act in accordance with the evangelical simplicity and clarity, Yes - Yes, No - No. Learn to call good, good, and evil, evil. To call black, black and white, white and to call sin, sin and not liberation or progress even if fashion and propaganda are opposed to this teaching".

He gave an example of the visit of the Japanese bishops to the Pope who told him that no-one was converted in Japan because Catholicism is too Western and they didn't fit into the Japanese culture. - Therefore they had to inculturate to take in elements of the culture of the Japanese such Shintoism so that they could relate to them [Japanese]. "It's funny - when St. Francis Xavier went to Japan, I don't think he did that. He had what the Japanese bishop didn't have - he had holiness - it was Christ speaking through him. St. Francis Xavier didn't give a hoot about Shintoism - he preached to them as Jesus commanded and when he baptised 200,000 people he couldn't move his arm anymore." He said. "Japan had such a deep faith that for 200 years it was closed to the West, and the Catholic Church lived underground having only baptism and marriage - and the Church flourished". He said. Raymond said that today, with all the fancy ideas we have adopted have not been successful, - "Which is to convey the whole message of Jesus Christ, and not just bits and pieces." He said.

Raymond made mention of an interview on his radio program with Archbishop Hickey recently, who had said in 1996 that only 10% of Catholic children follow the faith after leaving school. In that interview the Archbishop said that there had been no improvement since then. Raymond said that we are not bringing in the youth because we are not preaching the full message. He said that the Pope's answer to the Japanese bishop's was, "We cannot settle for a life of mediocrity, minimalist morality and shallow religiosity.". Raymond said that these are the enemies of the Kingdom, which by nature opposes mediocrity.

Raymond continued this theme and explained the differences of mediocrity, minimalist morality and shallow religiosity. - Mediocrity robs the proclamation of the Gospel because it isn't popular and politically incorrect. He spoke how mediocrity leads to the rest and allows the commandments to be turned upside-down and removed from society. It allows immorality, promiscuity and blasphemy in all areas of life as a normal expression of freedom. He said that these things make our religion weak and ineffective. - We are compromising our faith, loosing a sense of the Sacred and falling into a shallow religiosity - a religiosity that cannot proclaim the full message of the Gospel and the Kingdom because it doesn't want to make waves...."as a result of mediocrity, minimalist morality and shallow religiosity, we have false ecumenism." He said. "True ecumenism is to bring all people into the same faith, not to bring all faiths into the same people". He said.

He told delegates that it was right to befriend people by all means, but the aim of this was to make all people members of the One Mystical Body of Christ. If we loose sight of this goal, we loose sight of the reason for the Kingdom and its Proclamation. "When I loose sight of the conversion element, my proclamation of the Kingdom will be shabby and shallow." He said. "I proclaim the Kingdom so that I may be continuously converted.... and likewise I must do the same to the people around me, and if today I do not proclaim the Kingdom as I should, it is because my idea of conversion has been diluted." He said.

Raymond gave many examples of mediocrity. Some examples were in universities where other religions are gaining ground while the Catholic chaplains, by trying to be nice, are compromising the message and becoming ineffective. "The proclamation of the Kingdom requires effort, but few of us are willing to make the effort." He said. Raymond said that conversion means to change direction. - When we do this we can then evangelise this anti-Christian culture.

Referring back to the bible Raymond said that the seed of the Church as the Kingdom of God began in the Old Testament through the three specific ministries of Prophet, Priest and King. He said that the job of the king was to help God's people to make the right choices in their social, political and economic life. The job of the Prophet was to be a teacher of the truth so that the people received instruction about what they should know. The job of the Priest was to offer sacrifice, to sanctify the people and bring them into the supernatural life of the love of God. He said that these were three independent missions. - "The king showed them the way, the prophet taught them the truth and the priest restored them to life." He said.

Raymond told delegates that Jesus called upon himself these three ministries and explained in depth Jesus' claim - I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Raymond said that Jesus is the King that rules our lives, our economies, our education and our politics. He said that Jesus is the Prophet who teaches us life. He restores us to God through his Royal Ministry and Priesthood and through the sacraments and supernatural grace on our journey to eternal life in heaven. Relating to our baptismal position he said that, "When we parents begin to teach our children the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, then the Kingdom will begin again." He said that unless the new generations are taught the truth we cannot expect them to be faithful to it.

Raymond said that, "For us to proclaim the Kingdom, we need conversion... unless we do, the Kingdom will remain silent." - He reminded delegates that we are a missionary church and said, "As the spokesman for Flame Ministries International said at Aquinas College in 2000, - We are there to convert everybody to the Roman Catholic Church... we are not a maintenance Church, we are a missionary Church." He said that bishops, priests and laity must proclaim the Kingdom in their different ways because we are all part of the same mission. However, we must begin by converting ourselves to the ways of Jesus and reminded delegates that St. Paul tells

us to preach the Gospel in season or out of season whether it is pleasing or not and, we must do it faithfully whether in groups or alone, "And then the de-Christianisation of our faith will come to an end." He said.

"Mathematically it is simple, but where are the 5 million Catholics?"

The Year of the Rosary Entering the Mysteries of Light Congress STEVE PEAKE FMI - Why The Truth is Liberating ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve spoke at the first workshop session about the many immoral laws that had been passed so easily in parliaments over the years that clearly contradict Catholic morality. He said that considering the amount of Catholics this seemed an impossibility to him. He told the Congress that there were 5 million Catholics in Australia out of a population 19.5 million people which should make a real difference in the Australian value of life. "It doesn't take much of a calculation to see that it would only mean each Catholic to share their faith with three people for that number to reach 20 million. Mathematically it is simple, but where are the 5 million Catholics?" He said.

Pointing out some of the reasons for the decline in Catholic enthusiasm for the Faith, he told his audience that it was essential to look at ourselves first and then ask ourselves, "How many people have I attracted to the Faith?" Steve spoke about the number of Catholics in Australia and pointed out that due to their numbers, there was something seriously wrong that so many are sliding away and so many anti-Christian laws were being passed. Quoting from John's Gospel, You shall know the truth, and the truth will set your free, and asked the delegates to ponder deeply what that might mean for them and the other 5 million Catholics in Australia and then spoke about the need for repentance and reconciliation as the fundamental point of change that would make all the difference - first to us, and then to others. Referring to one of Fr Michael Scanlon's books, Steve said that repentance is the key that unlocks the power of God, and that without repentance God won't act in our lives. He said that honest repentance was also the key that unlocks the joy of the Lord.

Steve spoke about the power of Lord's joy in us in the midst of all our circumstances but questioned how seriously we take this and apply it in our lives. He said that repentance, far from being a negative thing, was, "The moment that brought about the change needed in us t