I was on a 30- day retreat at Sevenhill in Adelaide this October to mid-November. For 30 days I was praying with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I felt incredibly blessed by the work that Jesuit priests were doing at Sevenhill. When I first got there, everything was bursting out with the newness of spring.

My favourite retreat ever has been this year’s Claiming Hope: Creative Healing Retreat. It was an opportunity to bring whatever needs we had for healing to Jesus in creative prayer times that used all sorts of mediums.

During the second half of this year, our Pentecost Retreat Intensive (which was run as in-person 4/5 day retreats in Canberra and Sydney in June) has been attended by a further 35 participants in various formats: Kathryn ran a small group based in Penshurst (Sydney), while Judy and Berna hosted online small groups and our program of videos and small group sessions was run by our friends at the Yona Shalom prayer group in Townsville.

Do you have books that you mean to get around to reading, but never seem to make it to the top of the list?  That was Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age for me.  At over 800 pages, there just always seemed to be a shorter book that I had to read first!  Then Kathryn decided to do a philosophy subject at Uni that was based on the book, and it disappeared from our house altogether.  It came back on my radar last year, when Kathryn, now finished at Uni, moved to Varroville.  The book came with her, and so did a whole lot of interesting conversations about it. 

The Canberra sisters have been hosting some workshops, aimed at growing in the use of the charismatic gifts. Here, Patti Jo shares about what has been happening…….

Discerning your vocation is definitrly worth it - and Pope Francis has some great wisdom to sharen in this area. In this blog, Steph shares 3 quotes from Pope Francis that might encourage and guide you in your journey.

Julie made her Perpetual Vows in May - here, she shares about the gift of her consecration and the celebration of her vows.

Rachel has recently returned from her Sabbatical - have a read about her powerful experiences!

One of the blessings of our life as MGL Sisters is seeing the Holy Spirit move as it did on the day of Pentecost.  How have we seen this happening lately?  Check out our latest blog to hear about our adventures.

Did you happen to catch this article from our recennt newsletter written by Therese? It's all about sharing the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Did you know that today - September 1 - is the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Rachel has been enjoying creation across Australia during her sabbatical. Check out her reflections here.

The other day, I made my 50^th donation to the blood bank. To my surprise, the staff gave me a gold pin and a certificate and took my photo for the “heroes” board and made a big fuss of me. I felt like a right superhero for the hour I was there. (Then I went back into traffic and became an ordinary person in the world again.)

Recently, Kat and I went to a Paint n Sip night with the other women from our branch of Disciples of Jesus in Sydney North. As the night progressed and we worked at our lighthouse paintings, guided by a YouTube tutorial, each one of us at some point fell into the trap of tinkering too much with our paintings: obsessing over a crooked line, a wonky petal or some imperfect colour blending.

I recently visited the Henri Matisse exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW.  Matisse’s early work is a collection of colourful and detailed paintings and sculptures, often depicting real life images and people. In the final room, Matisse’s work takes a dramatic shift, a result of his battle with cancer that almost took his life and greatly limited his physical capacity. Rather than give up, Matisse poured his creativity into developing a new art form using paper and scissors.

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. And now, like many others, I find myself trying to solve the daily word in as few guesses as possible. My personal record, (AKA a fluke) was 2/6 but more often than not it takes me about 4 guesses. There is definitely something about Wordle that draws me (and indeed millions around the world) in.

Today we launch a new blog series - Things I love about MGL Life. 

The other evening was surprisingly balmy for Melbourne, so Mel, Ayanthi and I made our way into the city to see the Christmas lights and displays, including those in the famous Myer windows in the downtown CBD. This year it is Peter Rabbit themed and we joined the large crowds that were still out at 10pm, lining up with small children in order to make our way past the multiple display windows, exclaiming at the cute way mechanical mice ran in and out of fake vegetable plots while Peter Rabbit peered over upturned buckets and an angry farmer brandished spades and pitchforks.

As the Year of St Joseph ends, Angela shares what it has meant for her.

I have an avalanche of praise and intense gratitude to God for St Joseph, a faithful and noble saint who loved Jesus as his own. I met first met him when I was quite young, but was re-introduced by an 85-year old friend this year and found myself drawn to his fatherly care at this stage of my vocation.

I grew up isolated, lonely and always felt invisible, so the gift of knowing St Joseph showed me new truths about fearlessly trusting that God has gifted me with people to keep showing me the truth of who I am. Here are the truths I that I have grown in through St Joseph.

Did you know that FOMO is a real word? An acronym for Fear Of Missing Out, FOMO was added to the Oxford dictionary back in 2013. It describes the experience of anxiety at the thought that exciting and interesting things might be happening elsewhere, and that you aren’t able to be a part of it. Many of us know the experience of feeling disconnected to a group of people who start to reminisce about something important or trivial, funny or solemn, exciting or otherwise of which we have not been a part.

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.

Now that National Vocations Awareness Week is drawing to a close, it may be helpful to take a minute to think about how God might be calling you to keep walking, that is, to keep journeying with him and asking the big questions about what he is calling you to in your life.

In a time of discernment, it is a gift to have Mary by our side. Today Rachel shares 3 ways Mary has journeyed with her. 

It fits well with our '3' theme. We have '3' pillars in our MGL life, and today Katherine shares about the gift of prayer, sisterhood and mission - as well as a mystery 4th pillar.

In the blog we shared last week, I talked about journaling as a way of prayer after discovering the dictate function on my laptop. Now there are many ways we can journal but last week I shared the idea of asking God a question and listening for his response. If you haven't had the chance to read that, you might want to check it out before you read this one.

I've just found the dictate function on my new laptop so I'm starting out by speaking this blog rather than typing it. However, it got me thinking - I wonder how accurate it can be. So far it hasn't managed any punctuation, but it's typed exactly what I've said. I simply gone back and added the punctuation just so it is possible for you to read. And you know what I'm thinking now - just imagine if the words that started to appear on the screen we're not mine, but God's answers to my questions that I have for him at this time.

On Saturday May 29, two of Rosie's brothers - Stephen and Daniel - were ordained to the Priesthood. Here, in a reflection originally written for Catholic Outlook, Rosie shares about her own joy celebrating this day.

Eleven years ago, my brothers Daniel and Stephen surprised most of my family, including myself, by announcing they were joining a religious order, the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity. While I’ve had over a decade to get my head around the reality that two of the six brothers I’ve played sport and board games with and done farm chores alongside, and even occasionally fought with, were preparing to become priests, it was still surreal watching them be ordained.

Imagine the best view you have ever seen… where were you and what did you see?

Were you sitting on a beach and watching the constancy of the waves as they constantly broke upon the shore?

Had you climbed a mountain, rising to the top and looking out to see a panoramic view of trees, rivers, hills, cities and more?

Were you watching a sunrise or sunset, awestruck by the colours?

Melanie Edwards recently made her perpetual vows and what a wonderful celebration it was! Many people came from Melbourne, Wollongong, Sydney and other places near and far.

Mel expressed that her day of vows was like her wedding day. She told the congregation that her groom Jesus is just in love with them as He is with her. She also said that her groom Jesus is just as interseted in them as He is in her.

Mel also shared a story about her 5 year old neice telling her own mother that she couldn't wait to Aunty Mel's 'special day' coz she wanted to see what Jesus looked like. Mel encouraged us all that we too need to become like a little child and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to us.

Click below on 'read more' to see photos of this exciting day!

On December 17th we enter into the final stretch of our Advent preparation. In the 'Prayer of the Church' (Divine Office), at Evening Prayer, before the 'Magnificat', the great "O Antiphons" are sung.

Some people also add these Antiphons/prayers to their Rosary, or recite them before or after Mass or simply use them in their daily prayer in the lead up to Christmas day.

We invite you to use these "O Antiphons" in your prayer and in your preparation.

The MGL Sisters will guide you in a chant, reflection and short hymn everyday till the 23rd, enjoy and please share with your friends.

Katherine once dreamt of being a hairdresser, but then she found her true calling. "Something sparked inside me, this was my true calling!"

Journalist Jeanette Francis from SBS2 spent some time with the MGL Sisters. The story explores the lifestyle, spirituality and why and when these young women joined religious life.

The MGL Sisters have recently gathered in Canberra for their Convocation which occurs every four years. During the 5 day meeting, the Sisters spent time with one another in prayer, sisterhood, conversation, sharing, decision making and to elect a new leadership team (Council and Leader of Sisters).

Meet Julie Ann Adlawan from the Philippines!

The ‘Sisterhood’ has moved into Quakers Hill in the Diocese of Parramatta. Sr Therese Mills MGL, Sr Rosie Drum MGL and Community Leader Sr Judy Bowe MGL are Sisters in a vibrant and relatively young religious order.

The Missionaries of God's Love began within the Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community in Canberra in 1986, under the guidance of Fr Ken Barker MGL. The MGL Sisters have a charismatic spirituality which through their ministry of evangelisation, with youth and the marginalised, seeks to pass on their belief in Jesus and love for the Church.

On Sunday 15 August, Archbishop Denis Hart launched the latest book by Fr Ken Barker MGL, His Name Is Mercy, at St Benedict’s Parish, Burwood. The launch, which followed Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Hart, Fr Barker and parish priest Fr Tony Schick MGL, was attended by parishioners, friends and members of the Youth Mission Team...

Missionaries of God's Love founder Fr Ken Barker spoke in Brisbane recently about God's divine mercy and forgiveness. He shared his insights with MATT EMERICK.

JIMMY Mizen was an energetic, Catholic schoolboy from south London with a joy-filled nature - a teen who would do anything to help another human being.

The day after his 16th birthday in May 2008, he went to a local bakery to buy a treat and his first lottery ticket. It was the last thing he ever did...