08 November 2024
 The presentation 'Emotional Coaching for Teens and Young Adults' offers a structured approach for parents to guide their children through emotional challenges, emphasizing connection, empathy, and resilience. Using relatable stories, it outlines five key steps: noticing emotions, clarifying with questions, acknowledging and validating feelings, reflecting and labeling emotions, and providing follow-up support. Grounded in research by experts like Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Jessica Borelli, the guide stresses the importance of fostering autonomy and emotional intelligence over offering immediate solutions. The presentation concludes with a prayer, seeking divine guidance for parents in this journey. |
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04 November 2024
 The Tuning into Teens parenting course provides valuable insights for parents navigating the shift from guiding young children to supporting teenagers. As children grow, they often 'fire' parents from a managerial role, preferring them as 'consultants' who advise but allow independence. The course explores various parenting styles—Dismissing, Disapproving, Laissez-Faire, and Emotion Coaching—and their effects on children's emotional growth. Emotion Coaching, the preferred style, encourages empathy, validation, and constructive guidance. By focusing on awareness, connection, active listening, and fostering interdependence, parents can build strong, trusting relationships and equip teens with emotional resilience and confidence. Although parents may not always use Emotion Coaching, dedicating even 30-40% of interactions to this approach can positively impact a child's development and well-being. |
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22 October 2024
 Yuko Munakata offers an alternative, research-backed reality that highlights how it's just one of many factors that influence the chaotic complexity of childhood development. A rethink for anyone wondering what made them who they are today and what it means to be a good parent. |
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21 October 2024
 'From A Slap' by Fanpage.it features young boys, aged 7 to 11, who are introduced to a girl named Martina and asked what they like about her. When instructed by the interviewer to slap her, all the boys refuse, with one stating, 'I don't want to hurt her,' and another quoting, 'Girls shouldn't be hit, not even with a flower.' The video aims to highlight the innate moral compass children possess when faced with gender violence, advocating for adults to reflect on their behaviors and encouraging women experiencing domestic violence to find strength in resisting abuse. With over 3.5 million views, the video delivers a powerful message against violence toward women, showing that children naturally choose compassion. |
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25 August 2024
 Dr. Tori Olds' presentation 'Finding Your True Self' explains how our personalities are made up of different parts that develop to protect us from harm, but these parts can sometimes take over and limit our true potential. Through Internal Family Systems therapy, she discusses how we can 'unblend' from these protective parts to access our 'Big S Self'—our true, core self characterized by qualities like compassion, creativity, and courage. By stepping back from conditioned responses, we can unlock our full cognitive and emotional abilities, allowing us to approach life’s challenges with greater wisdom and contribute positively to the world. |
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18 August 2024
 Julie and John Gottman, founders of the Gottman Institute, have spent their careers studying relationships, discovering that how couples fight, rather than whether they fight, determines long-term success. Their research shows that maintaining a positive-to-negative interaction ratio and focusing on understanding rather than winning during conflicts can strengthen relationships. They identified key negative behaviors, like criticism and stonewalling, that harm relationships, but also found that most conflicts are perpetual and must be managed rather than resolved. By using tools like the 'dreams within conflict' conversation, couples can deepen their understanding of each other, leading to more resilient relationships and contributing to a more peaceful society. |
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26 May 2024
 In her TED talk, 'What We Carry for Our Ancestors: Intergenerational Healing,' Serene explores the profound impact of intergenerational trauma, particularly within indigenous communities, and shares personal insights into her journey towards understanding and healing. She discusses how historical oppressions, like the Native American boarding school era, have left deep psychological scars that manifest as internalized and lateral oppression within communities today. Through a personal narrative, including a transformative dream and the story of her late brother's struggles with addiction and trauma, Serene highlights the importance of reconnecting with cultural roots and community practices for healing. She advocates for integrating traditional healing methods with clinical approaches to address the deep-seated pain passed down through generations, ultimately encouraging individuals to confront and transform inherited traumas into a source of strength and renewal |
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21 April 2024
 The YouTube clip titled 'Foundation to Raising Mentally Strong Kids' discusses the importance of brain health as the basis for mental strength, emphasizing that many mental health issues are fundamentally brain health issues. It highlights the use of brain imaging studies at the Amen Clinics, which reveal insights from over 250,000 scans, to treat children and adolescents. The clip underscores that psychiatric conditions often stem from the brain's health rather than purely psychological origins. |
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17 March 2024
 In the podcast 'The Best Thing for Your Marriage' by Francis and Lisa Chan, part of the Crazy Love series, the Chans discuss the importance of setting one's sights on heavenly rather than earthly treasures to foster a godly marriage. They emphasize the need for husbands to lead their families towards spiritual values and for both partners to remember their purpose and identity in Christ. The core message is that marriage is not about individual desires or gains but about serving Christ and embodying the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness, as outlined in Colossians 3. |
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17 March 2024
 'The Notebook' is a 2004 romantic drama directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on Nicholas Sparks' novel of the same name. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as the young couple, Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton, alongside James Garner and Gena Rowlands, who portray the couple in their later years. The story is set against the backdrop of the 1940s in South Carolina and spans several decades, exploring themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of memory. |
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09 March 2024
 Matt Abrahams' talk focuses on improving communication skills in spontaneous situations, offering a blend of strategies, activities, and insights to manage anxiety and enhance speaking abilities. He starts by highlighting the challenge of catching attention and maintaining engagement, proposing that effective communication in impromptu settings is achievable through practice. |
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07 March 2024
 ABC News reported on a study examining the impact of screen time on toddler's speech and language development. Conducted over 2.5 years with 220 Australian households, the research, led by Dr. Mary Bru from the Ton Kids Institute, involved attaching a Fitbit-like device to toddlers and recording 16 hours of audio daily. The findings revealed that the average 3-year-old might miss out on hearing up to 1,100 words, making 840 vocalizations, and participating in nearly two conversations each day due to screen time. This phenomenon, referred to as 'technoference,' suggests that screens are limiting the amount of language, conversation, and connection children experience, which is crucial for early language development. Speech pathologist Katherine McKinley highlighted that approximately 23% of children are behind in language and literacy development by school age. However, the study also suggests that eliminating screen time is not necessary; rather, the focus should be on moderation and selecting educational content to support children's development. |
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01 March 2024
 A teen’s opinion on parenting from stereotypes and experience. This talk teaches parents about technology, teen emotions, and types of parents, all from a teen’s perspective. Lucy Androski is 13 years old and just completed her 7th-grade year at Okoboji Middle School. As Lucy is our youngest speaker, she has a unique view on parenting teens. She enjoys music, art, and playing tennis. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. |
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18 February 2024
 The blog explores the teachings of Franciscan Richard Rohr on the transformation of pain, emphasizing that if we do not transform our pain, we inevitably transmit it. It discusses how pain and suffering manifest in various aspects of life, including parenting, marriage, societal injustice, psychological shadows, and spiritual disconnection. Drawing from Jungian psychology, the blog highlights the importance of acknowledging and transforming our inner traumas to prevent them from surfacing in harmful ways later in life.The blog further explores different methods and examples of transforming pain, such as Van Gogh's art, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's writings, sports for mental health, and the supportive nature of groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. It suggests that spiritual practices, meaningful conversations, and creative expressions can be pathways to dealing with pain and suffering, offering a deeper understanding and acceptance of these experiences as part of the human condition.The narrative also delves into the role of pain in spiritual growth, using the story of Mary's experience of pain and presence during Jesus's crucifixion as a metaphor for being fully present in the face of suffering. It concludes by asserting that pain and suffering, when acknowledged and transformed, can open doorways to divine experiences and personal growth, urging readers to embrace these experiences as opportunities for transformation rather than avoiding them. |
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28 January 2024
 Dr. Gabor Maté's lecture 'The Myth of Normal & The Power of Connection' delves into the complex interplay between individual health and societal factors. It underscores the importance of understanding human behavior from a holistic perspective, considering the crucial role of childhood development, societal stress, and emotional connections in shaping mental and physical well-being. The lecture challenges traditional medical dichotomies between mind and body, advocating for a more integrated approach that acknowledges the impact of cultural, racial, and environmental factors. Emphasizing the importance of attachment and connection, it also explores how personal and historical trajectories influence health, advocating for a transformation in health perspectives to include spiritual and ecological dimensions. |
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20 January 2024
 Bishop Geoffrey Robinson's presentation on sexual morality is a critical examination of the Catholic Church's traditional teachings on the subject, especially in light of the sexual abuse crisis within the Church. He challenges the assertion that every sexual act must be both unitive and procreative to align with God's will, highlighting that this perspective fails to consider the full complexity of human relationships and the individual circumstances that affect moral decisions. |
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18 January 2024
 The presentation starts by illustrating how the mind is a natural storyteller, making connections and creating narratives to understand the world. This is demonstrated through a quirky exercise where the audience is asked to consider how a desk could be the mother of a chair, highlighting the mind's tendency to form stories even in the absence of logical connections. |
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01 January 2024
 In his World Day of Peace message on January 1, Pope Francis addresses the intertwined relationship between technological advancements, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), and the pursuit of global peace and human fraternity. He highlights the potential of science and technology to improve human life and foster peace, while also cautioning against the risks posed by AI, including the threat of exacerbating inequalities, conflicts, and individualism. Emphasizing the importance of ethical responsibility, human oversight, and respect for human dignity in the development and deployment of AI, the Pope calls for a global cooperative effort to ensure that technological progress contributes to the betterment of humanity and the creation of a more equitable, just, and peaceful world. |
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31 December 2023
 Relationships, especially with family, can provide both great joy and painful sorrow. And often, the relationship between a mother and daughter is the most sensitive. Yet the ability to understand another's point of view, their fragility, and your own perceptions can dramatically improve any relationship. And perhaps the most powerful insight of all is forgiveness. Having the ability to forgive not only others, but the ability to forgive yourself, is one of life's greatest superpowers. Idea: The Power of Forgiveness: Making Waves in Human Interaction by Forgiving and Focusing on the Future. |
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14 December 2023
 The blog post uses the wedding at Cana, where Jesus turns water into wine, as an allegory for marriage and personal growth. It suggests that like Mary, who notices a need and invites Jesus to help, we should be aware of what is lacking in our lives and seek assistance from those around us, such as a spouse or others. It challenges the individualistic approach to life and marriage, advocating for teamwork and community support. The post emphasizes that marriage is more than just romance and emotions; it is about making daily choices that shape our lives together. It discusses the need for change and growth within marriage, and the importance of creativity and small gestures to maintain the connection. The narrative stresses that a healthy marriage allows for individual growth and reflects the nature of the divine, suggesting that God is present in the union and that marriage is a dynamic vocation of love, intimacy, and sacrifice. |
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30 November 2023
 When faced with profound questions, Jesus often replied with queries of His own, nudging inquirers to delve deeper into their souls. This method inspires us to ponder the cultural context that breathes life into our questions. |
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28 November 2023
 In an era marked by rapid change and global upheaval, the wisdom from Pope Francis' 2022 message for the 55th World Day of Peace rings with renewed urgency. His call for 'Dialogue Between Generations, Education and Work: Tools for Building Lasting Peace' beckons us to rediscover the transformative power of intergenerational learning—a time-honored bridge to harmony and understanding. In a world grappling with the pandemic's aftermath, the Pope underscores dialogue as the essential path we must tread, avoiding the extremes of apathy and upheaval. |
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26 November 2023
 In Rob Bell's Nooma video 'Luggage,' he explores the concept of forgiveness through a series of narratives and reflections. The central theme revolves around how carrying the burden of unforgiveness is like lugging heavy bags throughout life, causing exhaustion and preventing true freedom. |
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26 November 2023
 In the YouTube clip 'How to Forgive People' by Bishop Robert Barron, the discussion revolves around the Christian approach to forgiveness. Bishop Barron, drawing from Tim Keller’s article and other sources, highlights several key aspects of forgiveness from a Christian perspective: Forgiveness as a Practice: Forgiveness is emphasized as a set of practices rather than primarily an emotion. It is about doing, not just feeling. Barron agrees with the post-liberal idea that practice precedes emotional changes. |
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26 November 2023
 Leila and Danny Abdallah experienced a profound tragedy on February 1, 2020, when three of their children, Antony (13), Angelina (12), and Sienna (8), along with their cousin Veronique Sakr (11), were killed by a drunk driver. The children, along with other family members, were walking to a local shop to buy ice cream when the accident occurred​​. |
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26 November 2023
 In the TED Talk 'The Real Risk of Forgiveness–And Why It’s Worth It,' Sarah Montana shares her personal journey of grappling with the concept of forgiveness after the murder of her mother and brother. She outlines her struggle to genuinely forgive the perpetrator, a struggle compounded by the societal expectation to quickly forgive. Montana delves into the reasons people forgive, often prematurely, such as to be seen as a good person, to alleviate discomfort for others, or as a perceived shortcut to healing. |
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25 November 2023
 'One' by U2 is often interpreted as a song about unity and reconciliation. The lyrics suggest a dialogue between two people who have experienced conflict and are contemplating whether their relationship can be salvaged. The song speaks to the possibility of coming together as 'one' despite differences, but also acknowledges the hurt and bitterness that can keep people apart. |
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25 November 2023
 The YouTube video titled 'Oprah Winfrey & Dr. Perry ON: Healing From Childhood Trauma & Becoming Self Aware, Confident Adults' is a discussion hosted by Jay Shetty, featuring Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry. The conversation focuses on their book, 'What Happened to You?' and covers various topics related to childhood trauma, healing, and personal growth. |
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24 November 2023
 The YouTube clip 'Fratelli Tutti' features a summary of a letter from Pope Francis titled 'Fratelli Tutti,' which translates to 'Brothers and Sisters All.' In this letter, Pope Francis urges people to come together and build a better world based on fraternal love. |
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21 November 2023
 Maintaining a clean and orderly home is a Herculean task, especially when children are in the mix. Their innate ability to accumulate and scatter possessions is matched only by our own adult tendencies to add to the domestic chaos. This realization often comes into sharp focus when we step into the pristine environment of someone else’s abode, prompting an introspective look at our living spaces. |
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08 November 2023
 True belonging is about a spiritual practise. It is about an ability to find sacredness in both being a part of something but also the courage to the stand alone. For those of us who have the courage to stand alone especially when we know that we are risking that sense of being a part of something because we disagree and because we have a different opinion, because we love something different. That is the mark of true belonging. The ability to say yes I belong, but also to stand alone when I need to. |
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05 November 2023
 In this TED Talk, Michael Kimmel, a sociologist known for his work on masculinity and gender equality, shares a powerful narrative about the invisibility of privilege, particularly as it pertains to race and gender. Kimmel recounts an eye-opening experience where a conversation about race with women of different backgrounds made him realize his own race and gender were invisible to him due to his privilege as a white man. This privilege, he notes, is invisible to those who have it. |
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27 October 2023
 Listen to the audio of Pope Francis' message of Peace for January 2021 entitled 'A Culture of Care for the Path of Peace'. |
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04 June 2023
 Tim and Kathy Keller discuss the distorted and unreal relationship our culture has with marriage. They break down their talk into three parts. Firstly, they present statistics that reveal the changing landscape of marriage, such as the rising divorce rate and the decrease in the percentage of married adults. They also highlight the increasing prevalence of cohabitation. These statistics reflect underlying assumptions, such as the belief that most marriages are unhappy and the importance of finding a perfectly compatible soul mate. |
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03 June 2023
 This video discusses the four traditional styles of parenting: authoritarian, permissive, authoritative, and neglectful. Each style is characterized by different approaches to control, warmth, and responsiveness. The effects of these parenting styles on children's development are explored through the lives of four fictional children. |
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05 February 2023
 Yesterday was the first day back for one of my sons to school. He did not want to get out of bed at 7.15 am to prepare for school. Part of me wanted to get angry with for not doing what I wanted and thus force him to get moving. Part of me thought “this is not the best way to start the year with angerâ€. Next to his bed where he still lay I started doing a whole series of sit ups, push ups and leg crunches. Hoping that this energy would motivate him to start moving. This did not work. As he is smaller than I, I grabbed him like a puppet and walked him to in front of the mirror of the bathroom. I started to sing a song which I made up on the spot “Let’s get going and start the day. It’s time to go to school and start the dayâ€. At the same time, I started dancing with him. Moving his arms up and down and outwards. Despite him feeling tired and not wanting to move. It was a silly song, but soon the negative emotions started to melt away. Humour. Suddenly giggles and laughter appeared. Within about 3 to 4 minutes of singing and dancing my son was ready to get ready for school. There was something about the human contact and humour I had with him which changed everything. |
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21 January 2023
 In 2020 it was a difficult year for many people. Shaking hands, a peck on the cheek suddenly became weird. For tactile people this would have been really difficult. Many teens are very tactile. You walk into a school playground in a high school you see girls hugging and guys fist pumping. Lots of physicality but then they were told, sorry no, 1.5 metres apart. You cannot even sit near each other in school assemblies. |
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21 January 2023
 This morning my son and I had an appointment with the skin doctor. It is important to regularly get your skin checked out. My son was very resistant saying “no I do not want to see the doctorâ€. He stayed in bed arguing. I said to him that it is important to get your skin checked out regularly. He ignored me. I then said “Life is hard. Once you accept that life is difficult you are more able to move through itâ€. This reminded me of the opening pages of Scott Peck’s book The Road Less Travelled. |
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16 January 2023
 Father Paul Sullivan sm, Director of Marist Mission Centre, has worked for many years with the Indigenous People of Australia. He recently gave some input to our Marist Commission for Inter-Religious Dialogue. |
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16 January 2023
 No one can be saved alone.Combatting Covid-19 together, embarking together on paths of peace. |
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04 January 2023
 Many tensions within a relationships can be looked at within a concept used within psychotherapy. The idea of rupture and repair. For psychotherapists every moment can be a moment of frustration or rupture. When we suffer a loss of trust within another person in someone we can safely deposit our love and where we believe who can be kind and understanding of our needs. The ruptures can be quite small and the outside observers and outside observers see them as imperceptible. |
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31 December 2022
 I would like to tell you a story of a little boy in Sweden. That boy was me. My dad hit me. I walked in front of the TV and dad hit me. When you get abuse at home you have 2 choices. Fight or flight. But, I learnt later there is a third choice. You freeze. By the time I was 11 or 12 I was drinking. My dad sent me to live with my grandparents. They talk care of me. |
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29 December 2022
 About ten years ago I was invited to dinner by a familyin Cincinnati (it's always nice to invite the pastor). This niceItalian family had three charming children. The youngestwas named Christopher; he had big brown eyes, and hehad just learned to run. After dinner he ran through theliving room and fell down the stairs. But we didn't heara sound or any crying, so we were very worried becausewe didn't know whether he had injured himself. |
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24 December 2022
 Social anxiety at Christmas time. There can be a lot of build up. We need to manage expectations at this time. Make people aware. Christmas is a lot about expectations. Like what are the presents? We need to let people know ahead of time. In the social environment some move into become over functioning and take over. Whilst others under functioning where you with-drawl and move away. Christmas can be a drowning time. It is okay for people to step away. To self sooth. We don't need to do the same thing at the same time. |
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24 December 2022
 Sibling rivalry is normal. When we are stuck at home with lock down. Is there a Silver bullet? No. Children often do not have the language skills or emotional intelligence to deal with this. How can we deal with children fighting? What are the top tips to deal with children fighting? |
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20 December 2022
 This video explores the burden often placed on parents to prepare for Christmas and how families can think a little bit differently to prepare. |
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13 December 2022
 Marist to me means a big community. It has a lot to do with being together. Relationships are very important. I base a lot of my life and my experiences even with Christ on relationships. Relationships to me are places where I feel I belong where I can connect with others who really care for me and where I care for them. I love to be able to connect with other people and to share many experiences with them. To learn from others. It is important that I am continuing to grow as Marist and as a person in community. I can learn a lot from those people who are around me. |
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02 December 2022
 Everyone is aware that there is a crisis in marriage and family life, and no one knows what to do about it. Some people see that crisis only too clearly as the marriages of their children and their friends break down. It is clear in the abundance of one-parent families, and in the prevalence of divorce, ill-health, depression and suicide. Neither the Church nor the wider society seems to know what to do about this crisis. |
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29 October 2022
 Just for a moment I want you to imagine that you are 4 years old. You are on the ground building a tower. In the next minute a kid comes running along and kicks over your tower and you are outranged. You feel these feelings bubbling inside of you of hurt, panic and frustration and helplessness. Just in that moment an adult comes in. Gets up close and says “Honey. What happened?†You see in their eyes there is compassion. You feel that their body is calm and regularity. All those feelings come bubbling out. Frustration. The anger. The helplessness. This out goes “oww…yeah….tell me all about itâ€. They do not fix it. They do not say to you “don’t worry you can build another oneâ€. They just let you feel all that you are feeling. They open their arms. You snuggle in. And you feel better….then you can get back to building your tower. |
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27 October 2022
 In a cultural where we like to fix or prevent vulnerability Brené Brown is reviving the notion that our struggles make us who we are. This is based on data and scientific research first into shame and then into qualities that distinguish lives with a strong sense of worthiness. There is a gulf between what we want to be true and what is true in vulnerability between men and women. She talks about the difference between making our children happy and raising engaged human beings. |
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21 October 2022
 Domestic and family violence and abuse are a plague on our society. Far too many people do not feel safe in their own homes. And really, the time has come for this to stop. Our relationships should be marked by equality and reciprocity, rather than dominion and violence, respect and freedom, rather than coercion and control. Far too often, some use false religious teachings or beliefs, to justify these destructive attitudes and behaviours. |
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17 October 2022
 Heal the world. Make it a better place. For you and for me, and the entire human race. There are people dying. If you care enough for the living. Make a better place for you and for me |
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16 July 2022
 A few years ago a public relations firm asked people if they had a great deal of confidence of leaders in certain sectors of society. The 2007 survey focused on confidence. The results found confidence in political leaders (10%), business leaders (15%), education leaders (20%), and religious leaders (20%). What are some names of some quality leaders? What qualities of attributes are there in a good leader? |
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12 July 2022
 Be realistic of what happiness is. In the torment of the insufficiency of everything attainable we come to understand that here, in this life, all symphonies remain unfinished. |
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10 July 2022
 I am going to teach you another way to process emotions. This is a powerful way to process all the jumble of emotions that are all up in your head. Therapists have this phrase 'make the implicit explicit'. You might think you are doing something wrong. But what the academics are saying take something inside your head and to make it clear. Solid. External. Something you can physically touch almost. One thing that is common among all therapy is making the implicit explicit. Taking the vague and making it solid. This is an effective way to solve problems. To resolve internal conflicts and too sooth painful emotions. |
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03 July 2022
 Steve Biddulph likes to remind us that humans are 'big sensitive mammals' with needs for connection and self awareness. |
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03 July 2022
 Teenagers love their phones. All day. Every day. Even at night. And while there are lots of really great things about smartphones, there are so many pitfalls — strangers, bullying, porn, sexting. How do you guide your teenager's digital life? Find out when Maggie Dent talks with Dr Ginni Mansberg, GP and co-author of The New Teen Age, a book which looks at what teenagers are up against on their devices. |
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18 June 2022
 Many of our sensations are like bells which may not have no solid hard wire back to our consciousness. They ring at a peculiar frequency that is not picked up by our minds when these have been attuned incorrectly. This may for example, happen around tiredness. Our body may have growth extremely weary over many years, but consciousness may not be simply interested because it has been calibrated only to an agenda which sets store by a fast paced pursuit of status and money. |
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18 June 2022
 Many people after they have been in a couple for some time will privately admit that they are frustrated and disappointed with the person they have chosen to share their lives with. If pressed for details they will have no problem coming up with a list. Their partner they might complain is to loyal to their irritating family or does not share their views on the lay out of the living room. Or, never wants to go on camping holidays. Or, plays tennis every Wednesday evening no matter what. Or does not like Moroccan food. Or, does not share their enthusiasm for 19th century novels. Or, has a habit of adding the word “Actually†to ever second sentence when it's “actually†redundant. |
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19 April 2022
 About 6 weeks ago my seven year old son had COVID. I woke at 2 am in the morning to the words “I cannot breatheâ€, “I cannot breatheâ€, I cannot breatheâ€. Racing to my son’s bed I smacked his back to help clear the flem which was preventing him breathing. The flem cleared and he began to throw up. He was sweating. |
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12 April 2022
 A house builder does not start with the roof or the tiles. Our relationship with God are within stages like a builder building a house. You need to start with a foundation. The beginning stages is the laying of the cement. There is a natural beginning when we draw upon the natural elements and building blocks of our own lives. God speaks to us most fully through our own life experience. |
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16 March 2022
 In Australia the price of living is going up sharply. The cost of vegetables seems to have doubled or tripled. The price of fuel has never been this high. I said at the dinner table last night “inflation is increasingâ€. My children responded, “what is inflation?†They have never experienced inflation in their lifetimes. My ego and mind immediately thought “how do we make more money to get by?†|
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13 March 2022
 Kids have a bad wrap today. Very rarely do you see kids portrayed well in films. You see this in Harry Potter they are portrayed positively. Kids have a sense of human from a young age. They are really playful. Kids can have the kind of relationship you set out to have. Sometimes it is more enjoyable to do things with little kids than you can with adults. The older you get what you see of the world is your memory. Artists help us break through this. The thing which is cool about having a little kid is that the kid revitalises the world. Kids bring things to life. |
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03 March 2022
 During Lent we are called to follow Jesus’ last moments of his life. Often the last moments of a person’s life can be quite difficult. This can be like a desert. Prayer helps prepare us for this moment. It connects us to God and raises our minds beyond what we can see to a deeper reality. |
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13 February 2022
 Love, Interpreted explores the different aspects of love, sex, and relationships within a college setting. It dives into important social issues such as sexual assault on campus, how diversity affects these aspects on campus, and the LGBTQ+ presence and history on campus.The Marist Circle interviewed over 25 people and couples for this initiative, and were met with outstanding support and enthusiasm, garnering incredible insights into student's personal experiences. |
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29 November 2021
 Why do we give? What happens if we change the question? Not about 'me'. Not 'Please help' but rather 'in the next 2 weeks, 'if you only give once a month, please think of me next time'. This has nothing to do with the taker, but rather the giver. |
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19 November 2021
 As a married man, forgiveness to has been one of the keys of keeping my relationship with my wife together. There have been many times when we have fought with one another and listened to one another about hurts and a lack of awareness or will. There have been countless occasions where I or my wife have had tear filled eyes. And the words “I am sorry†are spoken. |
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02 November 2021
 Our Western culture has a different way - the perfection game. Where we want to climb the ladder of success all the time. We celebrate our successes and ignore our failures. We have turned religion into this? What are you doing right? What are you doing wrong? Is life all about image? Is life all about achieving an honour point system? How many points have you scored? |
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17 October 2021
 In Western culture there is a conundrum. By late teens or early young adulthood when a person is becoming more sexually active the question arises “how do we teach our children about sex and sexuality?†This question, may have been ignored by the parent as the child has grown through childhood and teenage years. The parent may seem lost in an array of questions such as “What do I teach my child?†|
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14 August 2021
 Beautiful Iranian short film 1 minute Award winning winner of film festival. The powerful short movie depicts an older married couple reciting the Poem of Hafez to one another in the car, when they stop at a red light and notice a couple fighting loudly with their young daughter in the back seat. The older couple make a gesture that says a lot about their own marriage, and about how married love can help reconcile and restore others around us. |
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01 August 2021
 Given how important to be properly loved by one’s parents in order to have an emotional sane grown up life. One may wonder with some urgency why in cases which range from the regrettable to the truly tragic. The process can go so wrong. Why do some parents who might be in some areas descent and thoughtful characters, fail so badly to love the people they have brought into the world? |
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01 August 2021
 My children have been on school holidays. Always, entertaining kids can be quite difficult. Take yesterday. My wife had to work leaving me, dad, to look after the kids. We had planned to go to the skate park. |
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30 June 2021
 Strangely and awkwardly no human being can ever grow up sane. Unless it has been loved very deeply by somebody else for a number of years in its early life. But, we are still learning what good parenting might actually be like. How good were yours? Here are 8 rules that you might use to grade them. |
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27 June 2021
 Marist Young Adults from Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York talk with Bro. Michael Flanigan from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Their conversation is about Marcellin Champagnat's experience starting the Marist Brothers as a young adult and how that connects to our Marist Community today. The conversation took place at the Marist Brothers Center at Esopus, NY during the Fall 2019 Lavalla Weekend Experience. |
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13 June 2021
 Break down the stigma of anxiety by watching this video as a family or community. Discuss. Lift the lid on the issue. |
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01 June 2021
 Last week I attended a free seminar on “Building healthy relationships in our Teenagers†that my local council hosted. It focused heavily on the role that parents play in raising their children. The first speaker, clinical psychologist Colleen Hirst, said that teenagers need to develop skills to leave the nest or to leave the home. But in our modern culture the parent relationship has often changed to one of embarrassment. |
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29 May 2021
 How great this love. Oh, it's moving all my mountains. It's perfect love. It's casting out my fear. How great this love. Oh, it welcomes me like family. And anywhere I go. It meets me there |
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17 April 2021
 By Steve Biddulph. Nearly 20 years ago, in what would become a landmark piece of research into the way men and women look at themselves, researchers had a series of American college students go into a dressing room, get changed into a swimsuit, and take a maths test |
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17 April 2021
 We are very worried about British girls. They have a 1 in 3 chance of being treated for anxiety and depression. 1 in 12 chance of an eating disorder. What we think it is that the entire country got too busy. You have the longest working hours in Europe. |
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06 April 2021
 “Man’s search for meaning†by Victor Frankl. In World War II Victor Frankl is in the concentration camp he tries to have a little notebook in which he writes his scientific research. The book is the proof of his existence. At one point he loses the book. He releases all traces that he has ever been may forever be gone. He does develop the notion of Logotherapy. |
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05 April 2021
 I am wanting to let you know about the screening of a wonderful documentary, Rosemary's Way. You will find details of the screenings at Randwick, Shellharbour and Campbelltown in April and a TBA screening at Parramatta Riverside Theatre in May. |
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05 April 2021
 Life’s essential questions first get asked and answered in childhood. Our children pay attention not so much to what our children can verbally tell them. So, we can package the perfect answer. They are barely paying attention to that. Instead, they are absorbing on a deep level. How it is that we embody and live these answers. |
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25 March 2021
 This is a myth parenting is about raising a happy child. I think that everybody thinks this. Why is this a myth? Because our children do not need to become happy. Life is not about happy happy anyway. Life is to be experienced in every nuance as it presents itself in the as is. Engagement with life to me is happiness and pure joy. Engage with it fully. |
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20 March 2021
 When we say we want #unconditional​ #love​, what we really mean is that we want an unconditional relationship. We want a #relationship​ with no consequences. We want a relationship where no matter what we do or don’t do, the other person will continue to value us and appreciate us to the degree that they will feel good towards us and never ever get into conflict suffering with us or want to leave us. Sit with this for a minute. |
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02 March 2021
 By Brene Brown. We share our shame story with the wrong person, they can become one more piece of flying debris in an already dangerous storm. We want solid connection in a situation like this. Something akin to a sturdy tree. |
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25 February 2021
 From sleeping in separate beds to their children to transporting them in prams, Western parents have some unusual ideas about how to raise them. |
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30 January 2021
 Reflective listening is the ability to bounce back at them what they are saying. This is a skill that does not come naturally to us. When involved in a conversation we tend to talk about ourselves, or give advice, we try to make them feel better or agree or disagree or tell stories. |
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30 January 2021
 A group of seven carefree siblings and cousins, enjoying a moment of childhood independence as they walked to get an ice cream from the shops on a hot Australian summer evening. Then - without warning - the unthinkable. |
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16 January 2021
 Cold Play song Everyday life recognises the need to care for each person in the community. In some parts of Africa, this is called Ubuntu. |
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12 January 2021
 Often couples do not set aside time for their own formation. Formation as a couple is important. Both spiritually and other areas of life such as sport and socially. Often work and the pressures of family take precedence and couples loose vital formation with each other. Here is a 7-day formation program for couples entitled “Retreat in your life for couplesâ€. |
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04 January 2021
 Breakthrough is a beautiful film of a mother’s faith to achieve the impossible. When her son fell through the ice, the mother’s love caused her to hope for extra-ordinary. |
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01 January 2021
 This video talks about our mid-life crisis and how to move through this with other a partner or significant friend. It then talks about key strategies families can use to be more healthy and balanced as a family. |
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29 December 2020
 Jack is a 40-year-old mega rich entrepreneur who has everything. Women, cars, money. Or at least he thinks he has everything. After risking his life to save a man held up in a store robbery, an angel, Cash, appears to him and offers him a glimpse of an alternate life. What would happen if Jack chose not to become a mega rich entrepreneur, but instead chose to get married and have children? To live a much simpler lifestyle. Not in a million-dollar apartment in the city, but in a family house in the country. |
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27 December 2020
 Research shows that greater friendships and love relationships lead to “Greater Healthâ€, “Greater Wealthâ€, “Greater Resilienceâ€, “Faster Recovery from illnessâ€, “Greater Longevity†and “More successful childrenâ€. |
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