Brisbane Oratory News

Br Conor writes this months reflection in the Newsletter

The last reflection which I shared with you was written from the cold and wet, yet always beautiful Eternal City, Rome. This time I am writing to you from sunny one day, perfect the next Brisbane (though if I am being honest, today is anything but sunny). A lot has happened since my last contribution to our Oratory Newsletter. Both Br Tyson and myself have returned home to continue our studies at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) and with Oratory Father, Scot Armstrong. We have also had to say goodbyes to Shawn and Hung after they decided that the Oratorian life wasn’t for them. Their departure gave me cause to stop and reflect upon my own vocation. While it always deeply regrettable to see someone leave the Community it is also an opportunity to reflect on where we are and where we are heading.

I have now been back in Brisbane for just over three months and it has been such a joy to be home. Only now after having returned do I appreciate fully the need for us, the Fathers and Brothers of the Brisbane Oratory, to be together in one place, living and working together. While my workload has certainly increased with both studies and responsibilities around the House and Parish I can say with confidence that I am in the right place! My vocation has been tested throughout my four years, which is to be expected, but with each test I grow in confidence and knowledge that I am truly following the path God has laid out for me. Being back in Brisbane really has been a blessing. Now that I am home for good I can start to set down roots, so to speak, and get to know parishioners and friends of the Oratory. I can now begin to settle down and create for myself a stable life which will see me remain here with the Oratory and in the Parish for the remainder of my life, God permitting.

To read the rest of this reflection and even more in this months newsletter please click the link below.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the Feast of St Philip Neri, founder of the Oratory, and principal patron of the Brisbane Oratory in Formation. This feast day also marks four years since our Oratory in Formation officially began and we continue to look to the future to our formal establishment.

After Mass we gathered on the lawn for drinks and canapés. It was a great opportunity to catch up with many of you our parishioners and supporters and thank you for your continued support.

Join us for one of the biggest Catholic social events in Brisbane, the Brisbane Oratory Vallicella Dinner and Dance 2019. Enjoy canapés by the river, drinks, dinner, and desert. Then join the live band for dancing or step outside for a drink and catch up with friends or make some new ones!   Proceeds from the evening support the works of the Brisbane Oratory in Formation and the education of our seminarians.  Raffle tickets can also be purchased on this site, with or without tickets to the dinner.  Major prize: $2’500 Visa Card.  Raffle tickets are $10 each or six for $50.

Saturday 17 August 2019 6:30pm

Dress: Semi-Formal | Evening wear

Ticket price includes canapes, drinks, three-course dinner.

Riverside Receptions, 50 Oxlade Drive, New Farm.

In Holy Week, the Church recalls the mysteries of Christ’s passion and resurrection. In this way “the Church opens to the faithful the riches of her Lord’s powers and merits, so that these are in some way made present for all time, and the faithful are enabled to lay hold upon them and become filled with saving grace” (SC, 102). Attending the Easter Ceremonies is a wonderful way to receive very many signal graces. We encourage you to attend all, or as many as possible, of them, as a most effective way to grow in the life of faith.

For our newsletter reflection this month, I would like to provide a brief outline of ways the Brisbane Oratory in Formation is living out some of the key traditional charisms of the Congregation of the Oratory. These are attributes of the mission given to the whole Church by Our Lord Himself before His ascension into heaven. They are given a distinctive form and expression through the service an Oratory community provides to Christ’s Faithful in the life of the Church.
 
The Sacred Liturgy, especially holy Mass, is firstly the ‘work of God’ for our ongoing sanctification through Jesus Christ and also the worship, adoration and thanksgiving that we, as members of Christ’s Body the Church render to almighty God. This is quite simply the ‘right and just’ way to live our lives as human beings made in the image and likeness of God Himself.

St. Philip Neri usually spent many fruitful hours in the confessional every day. The ministry of the confessional has thus always been a special charism of the Oratory and the Brisbane Oratory in formation is no exception in this regard. We have set periods for confessions every day of the week (except Tuesdays) during which time you will always find one of the fathers present in one of our traditional, anonymous confessionals, either hearing confessions, or prayerfully waiting for penitents to arrive. We have catholics from all over Brisbane choosing to avail themselves of the plentiful opportunities we provide to receive God’s forgiveness in this great sacrament of the Lord’s mercy. At the same time we also seek to offer each penitent sound advice in faithful harmony with the perennial teachings of the Catholic Church.

This extract from the Reflection by Fr Wise is in this month’s newsletter. To read the rest of the Reflection and newsletter please see the link below.