My Dear Family, One and All, Who can forget our young Australian Cricketer, PHILLIP HUGHES, who was struck down and killed by a rising cricket ball while batting? Who can forget the sight of the hundreds of people quietly marching behind his coffin in sorrow and support? Why would I begin a Christmas Message of Hope as I have? Many times I heard people say that Phillip Hughes would be looking down from Above, and amazed at the number of…
What a great day it was! We were blessed with perfect weather for the reunion. 55 turned up to reminisce and renew friendships which had started decades ago through the vibrant youth groups at St Anthony’s. The reunion held a true sense of community as we gathered on a bright and sunny spring day. There was no better place than in the fields of St Anthony’s. Our thanks to Fr. Jose for granting us permission to use the grounds of…
How can we get back some good Old Fashioned Family Time? The following quote from a local Sydney newspaper got me thinking about this question …
“Walking through the waiting room of our busy psychology clinic this morning, I heard three families swapping stories about their Earth Hour experiences. One described the fun they had turning off the TV, PlayStation and stereo and playing an old-fashioned game of charades by candlelight. Another described the challenge of playing cards by candlelight with six children. One mother mused on how nice it was to simply sit and talk as a family.”
On the weekend (31st May – 2nd June) I was in Melbourne for the annual Australian Directors Gathering of the Passionist Family Group Movement (PPFM) by kind invitation of the Provincial Fr. Tom McDonough CP. Whatever misgivings I may have had in accepting the invitation to travel such a great distance and spend a weekend with people I had never met, they soon dissipated with the warmth of welcome I received. It was in keeping with the Motto of the Movement, a ‘Family for All.’
I guess it was 1988 when we joined the Lunnon Family Group, having been members of the St Anthony in the Fields community since 1983. We’d migrated to Australia in 1981 and after a couple of house moves ended up in Terrey Hills, where by 1988 our three children were at primary school. St Anthony’s was a special place for us as a family and joining a Family Group, capital letters or not, seemed a natural thing to do. We…
Dearest Fr Peter, Where do I start???? I didn’t realise the impact that our presence at the change of leadership handover last night would have on everyone. It really is a special moment when you can feel so loved and welcomed amongst a group of people who you haven’t seen for a few years but have come to know as your ‘extended’ family. I must thank you for letting me be a part of this wonderful Family Group all those…
You could easily say that I am one-eyed! Well, that eye is on you and it’s an eye of gratitude and love. It certainly doesn’t stop me from wishing you a very happy and blessed Christmas. With Santa busily working over my shoulder, what else could a
man say?
Occasionally you meet someone with a dynamic personality whose memory lives through what they can inspire, when the dream becomes the reality.
Such a person is Fr. Peter McGrath, an Australian Priest, who has had an amazing impact in St. Wilfrid’s School and Parish recently. Rarely have I experienced so much spontaneous joy and laughter, especially in the Church, shedding new light on aspects of God’s love, and raising our awareness for the need of friendship, support and love in tparish. Through his wealth of stories and anecdotes he enkindled a new desire for love and belonging.
As we all remembered the tragedy of 9/11 ten years ago, Father Peter McGrath was celebrating a Mass of Remembrance in Auburn, Maine USA with the parish of St. Phillips where their 7 Family Groups were celebrating 15 years. Fr. Roger Chabot, Pastor when Family Groups were first started but now retired, returned to take part in the Mass and the following celebration. Also, Chief Dan Daly was giving a heart rending presentation in Dublin to remember the victims of…
by Reporter Philip Grier
In a recent interview with Fr Peter McGrath CP, the worldwide head of the “Family Group Movement”, Fr McGrath excitedly informed this reporter that he is being inundated with phone calls, faxes, letters and emails from all round the world relating stories of miracles happening in the lives of many of the “Family Group” members.