At the beginning of this year, Pope Francis declared 2024 to be a year of prayer in preparation for the year of Jubilee (2025). The Holy Father explained that the Year of Prayer is dedicated “to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer - prayer in personal life, in the life of the Church, prayer in the world.”

Even if you try, we know all too well it’s kinda hard to ignore global superstar Taylor Swift right now. As the one most listened to female artist worldwide and an influential voice for the young (and not only the young) it’s worth asking the question whether as Christians we should be listening. This blog will dive headlong into why Taylor’s mastermind has earned her a unique place in this world and why I should have my eyes open to this if Jesus is the real king of my heart.

Looking for a Christian take on the whole Taylor Swift phenomenon? This blog was originally published in 2021 from our resident Swiftie and pop-culture correspondent wannabe, Berna

In case you missed it, Taylor Swift released new music last week, much to the delight of her fans and the likely dismay of her exes, who generally get a bit of a roasting in her catchy tunes of love and loss.

For me, imagining living our life of mission without a life of prayer is like trying to imagine waves crashing into the shore without the expanse of ocean behind it. As MGLs, our life of ministry is like the waves in this image I’ve just used.

It wasn’t quite the greeting my sister expected.  No hello, no hug, not even any eye contact, because the excited little birthday girl could not take her eyes off the bulging bag in my sister’s hand containing the all-important present (a Frozen hoodie none-the-less).

Recently when I was praying, I imagined Jesus coming to sit beside me. As we spent time together, he handed me a beautifully wrapped gift and encouraged me to open it, telling me that it was just what he knew I needed most to receive at this time.

Even though I may sometimes struggle to get out of bed in the mornings, especially on cold winter days, I know that it is a gift to be able to rise early and spend the first part of my day with Jesus. I love being able to sit in silence with him, simply enjoying his presence, listening for his voice and allowing this to transform me.

Recently, I read a book called What a Wonderful Word (written by Nicola Edwards and Luisa Uribe). Basically, it brought together a collection of words from other languages which cannot be easily translated into English.

Not so long ago, my sister posted a video of her two-year-old in our family Facebook chat. In it, Sebastian was searching the kitchen for his dad – who was actually at work.

On my recent retreat, I was led to pray with the story of the raising of the daughter of Jairus. I had an image where I pictured Jesus and Mary placing their hands on my head and saying the words to me, ‘Talitha Cum’, that is, little girl, get up.

In case you missed it, Taylor Swift released new music last week, much to the delight of her fans and the likely dismay of her exes, who generally get a bit of a roasting in her catchy tunes of love and loss. In certain circles, the release of her re-recorded version of the RED album was significant, as it further devalues her original recordings, which are owned by a nemesis of Taylor’s.

In January I started to notice that my Facebook feed was filled with posts that had images of green, yellow and white squares with something like Wordle 250 4/6 written over the top. After a few days, curiosity got the better of me – I wanted to know what it was all about.

One of the many blessings of being Catholic is the rich tradition we inherit. There are no shortages of saints, spiritualities, prayers, rituals or advice for any contemporary Catholic.

Recently I spent a weekend with my sister and her family. My four-year-old niece was particularly anticipating my arrival.

Recently, the Melbourne sisters went on Mystery Tour #2. We ended up at a redwood forest near Warburton, about one hour from Melbourne.