Madonna -

JANUARY FEBRUARY 2004

From the Editor
Words of spirit and life.
The power and influence of words remind us of the power of the Word made flesh.

Roadside rest
The noises of love.
A working bee in the parish cemetery turns out to be something of a visit to a family photo album.

Dialogue for peace.
Words on peace from an international meeting of repesentatives from major faith groups.

Xavier — my inspiration.
Sr Cecily Dunne meets a boy who inspires courage and strength.

A spiritual experience.
Wise words from Fr Andrew Zerafa SJ, by way of a tribute.

Interview — Rosie Hoban
NATSICC. Vicki Walker has just ended her term as chair of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council. She talks of its achievements and hopes for the future.

Loved by Jordan — Teresa Pirola.
Eileen Glass, one of the founders of L’Arche in Australia, marvels at the way that Jordan, in spite of severe disability, unites those around him.

A shared experience.
Danusia Kaska gives an insight into how she writes her contribution to the Daily Prayer reflections.

YOUR DAILY PRAYER

Edmund Campion’s Australian Catholics
A scholar and a gentleman — Archbishop Eris O’Brien.
Author, historian, politician, fighter for justice, welcoming host and companion of poets and novelists — indeed, according to his motto, Omnia Omnibus.

Blessed Australia — Peter Steele SJ.
The circumstances of white Australia’s founding, and the group upon whom it was founded, are fully at odds with Jesus’ manifesto for his kingdom, found in the Beatitudes.

Naaman.
Catherine Gower’s portrayal of the story of Naaman, unpacked scripturally later in this issue by Fr Tony Campbell SJ.

Friendship.
‘A faithful friend is something beyond price’, says Margaret Ward.

Full of Surprises:
The Bible without Blinkers — Anthony F Campbell SJ
Naaman — 2 Kings 5 A renowned general, Naaman, stricken with leprosy, is told by Elisha to wash in the Jordan seven times. He is brought to the realisation that God works in small ways to achieve great things.

Around and about.
News of people and events of interest.

In review.
Recent books.