Thirtieth Sunday of the Year

If we are to love our neighbours, before doing anything else we must see our neighbours.

With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists,

we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces.

Here it is love that is the frame we see them in.

Frederick Buechner, Whistling in the Dark

For the first time ever, this year's annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in a Pacific Island State: Samoa. The event will run from October 21-26 under the theme of 'One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth', and will see the leaders of 56 Commonwealth nations attend, including King Charles and Queen Camilla, along with one of our own Edmund Rice Centre Pacific climate fellows, Mr Robert Karoro.

Samoan Prime Minister Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa said:
"We're very much looking forward to welcoming the Commonwealth family to Samoa, and we're very much looking forward to our country also being exposed to what the Commonwealth is through the representation that will be arriving in Samoa...Everyone is impacted by climate change and we see value too in how other countries are adapting, mitigating and responding to the climate crisis."

29^th Sunday of the Year

In recent weeks, Jesus has taken us on a journey towards Jerusalem whilst instructing his disciples about what it means to follow him. Last week we heard that a wealthy man unable to be seduced to let go of his possessions and experience the Reigning of God. As has often occurred, Jesus’ message has been distorted and interpretations completely self-serving. Each time Jesus warns his disciples about his approaching passion, they go in a different direction as Peter tries to silence him and later, instead of listening to Jesus, they argue about ‘who is the greatest’ among them.