David

The Saint Gerard Majella Blessing was live streamed to the world on his feast day on October 16 for the third consecutive year. 

As my husband, Mick and I, watch our eldest son find his way around the sanctuary at Mass on Sundays as an altar server, it’s hard to remember a time when our family weren’t regular 9am Mass goers. 

We all have family and friends who may be struggling and in need of prayers. To assist those who would like to reach out to loved ones, Majellan and the Redemptorists have introduced a new Personalised Prayer Card that includes an image of the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH). 

Food and drink are essential for any festivity. From the 4th century, when the date for Christmas was set, celebrations emerged, many from already existing mid-winter pagan practices. As Christianity spread throughout Europe (from Ireland in the 5th century to Hungry in the 10th), each country established its own Christmas traditions and customs, but all involved food.

It is a sad fact that many families struggle at Christmas. While it should be a time for families coming together and enjoying one another’s company over a meal and a few drinks, unfortunately that is not always the case.

The Majellan magazine has won the Bishop Kennedy Award for Overall Excellence in a Catholic Publication at the 2022 Australasian Catholic Press Association Awards (ACPA). 

Christmas is a fun time of the year. For most people it represents time off work to spend with families and an opportunity to watch your favourite movies. You are free to disagree, but this is my list of the best Christmas movies, carols and books to grace our homes.

As Christmas approaches each year, I’m increasingly aware of those around me who have lost loved ones in the previous 12 months. I think this awareness began the year my father died. His death was in September, and I recall being very touched by those who remembered dad at Christmas and took the trouble to acknowledge my family’s first Christmas without him. 

Every year I have the same thought. This is the year I am going to do Christmas right. It will be relaxed. It will be meaningful. It will be holy. It will be organised within an inch of its life. Every year I dream of having the sort of Christmas you could use as a model for best practice. An ideal for Catholic Family Life.