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| Upcoming Events |
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Day Retreat for Mothers
May
Mass for Pregnant Mothers
August
Mens' Breakfast
September
Marriage
and Family Sunday
October
Respect Life Sunday
October |
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Welcome to issue 1 of LMF News; something new for a New Year! ('LMF' for Life, Marriage and Family in case you were wondering).
LMF News will be one of the major ways that we can keep in touch with the people of the Archdiocese of Sydney and beyond.
The Life, Marriage and Family Centre is the agency with the marvellous task of extending the educational, pastoral and research activities of the Archdiocese in regards to those issues that exist so close to our lives and hearts.
This year continues to see our agency standing up for important issues as they come to hand, (at the moment we are working on a submission into an inquiry regards a religious freedom bill), but also reaching our pastorally, (such as in our upcoming afternoon for young couples...see flyer in this edition). We are in the process of building a completely new website as well which will be a real interactive resource.
We want to be able to extend our contact base and would be so grateful if you could forward this email onto your contacts who may be interested, and especially those within your own circles (parish, school etc) so that they can subscribe. They can join our mailing list by clicking in the box at the very top left of the newsletter, or by going to the front page of our website www.lifemarriagefamily.org.au and entering their details. LMF News will be no more frequent than once a month and your details will not be passed onto any third parties so rest easy :) Also if you could confirm your willingness to receive our little newsletter by clicking the confirmation at the very top that would be terrific!
The newsletter will be a mix of short timely news articles and opinions as well as articles from us (and perhaps from you) and information on what is coming up. On the top left of this newsletter you will see the list of items in this issue, below that our events for the year and below that some websites you might find of interest. This issue has a few articles taken from from the recent World Meeting of Families held in Mexico which was a great success.
I'll stop here and hope you enjoy our first little issue of LMF News. We're open for comments, suggestions and always happy to receive your news and events surrounding life, marriage and the family. Feel free to email us at lmfnews@sydney.catholic.org.au.
Blessings,
Bernard Toutounji
Education Officer |
| An Invitation to... |
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An Afternoon
for Couples Hoping to Conceive
Each year the Life, Marriage and Family Centre organises a number of events to strengthen and affirm couples and the family. Our next such event on Saturday 28 March and is an afternoon for couples who may be having trouble conceiving a child. We extend the invitation to all couple and ask you to forward this invitation to others.
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| XI World Meeting of Families |
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| 10,000 delegates in Mexico
Events such as the World Meeting of Families are a reminder of the Catholic and universal nature of the Church, and what is at the heart of its mission, says Chris Meney, director of the Sydney archdiocese's Life, Marriage and Family Centre. "It is the linking of the truth about marriage and family with the opportunity to give God what is His due through Mass and adoration that was the essence of this gathering in Mexico," he said. The sixth World Meeting of Families (January 14-18) in Mexico City was attended by more than 10,000 delegates. Click here to read the complete article |
| Families that eat together, stay together |
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MEXICO CITY, JAN. 16, 2009 (Zenit.org).- It is no more complicated than sitting down together at the table, but according to an economist from the Catholic University of America, simply sharing family meals is key for children's development. And, the economist suggested, strong families are good not just for the children given life within them. They are also good for the economy.
These were affirmations made by Maria Sophia Aguirre, a professor in the department of economics at Washington, D.C.'s Catholic University of America, during her address today at the 6th World Meeting of Families, underway in Mexico City.
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| Archdiocesasn Family Life Network |
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| Join us...
One of intiatives the Life, Marriage and Family Centre hosts is the Archdiocesan Family and Life Network. One aim of this organisation is to enable nominated members from all parishes to share their collective insights with respect to marriage and family issues. In addition, we try to facilitate a deeper formation with respect to Church teaching in related areas and to work collectively to promote life, marriage and family within the Church and the wider society.
The Archdiocesan Family and Life Network meets at the Catholic Adult Education Centre, 3 Keating St, Lidcombe.
Our next meeting date is Tuesday 24 February
from 7:15 to 8:45pm (with supper afterwards!)
Our further meeting dates for 2009 are 26 May, 25 August and 24 November.
Our next meeting will include information on upcoming Archdiocesan events, details of some of the parliamentary submissions we have been working on, a report on the recent World Meeting of Families in Mexico and a report on a course undertaken in the USA on the Theology of the Body.
We would love to have you join us. It's also a great way to meet others and share any intiatives and news from your own parish. |
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The Family is a School of Love |
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Respect for Life Begins at Home
MEXICO CITY, JAN. 14, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Where does one begin to promote the value and dignity of life in a culture that has shown itself antagonistic to protecting it? Helen Alvaré suggests beginning at home. The George Mason University law professor said this today at the 6th World Meeting of Families, being held through Sunday in Mexico City. Her talk was titled "The Family and the Values of Human Life."
Alvaré, a consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, was the director of planning and information for the Secretariat for Pro-life Activities of the U.S. episcopal conference from 1990-2000.
The professor spoke of the "genuine crisis of contradiction" between the teachings of the Church regarding life "and the policies and rhetoric of powerful national and international governments and organizations."
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| It's not enough to be good people... |
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 ...we need to be Saints!
Lima, Nov 11, 2008 / 09:10 pm (CNA).- The Archbishop of Lima, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, said this week "the family is a gift from God" and that contrary to the common saying, it's not enough to be "good people," "we should be saints."
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| 'Unwanted' pregnancies and the US economy |
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| Love is the real answer
Nancy Pelosi [US House of Representatives Speaker]made "stupid" history this week by her claim that "family planning" funds will stimulate the economy. Her argument, if you can dignify it with that term, is that reducing unwanted pregnancies will reduce the burden on taxpayers. But she doesn't ask herself whether more contraception is really the answer to "unwanted" pregnancies.
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| Law Reflects Confusion about Man & Woman |
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Canadian Prelate Addresses Family Conference
MEXICO CITY, JAN. 14, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The family crisis is not just a problem of morals; it goes much deeper and is rooted in misunderstandings about the very nature of men and women, says the archbishop of Quebec.
Cardinal Marc Ouellet affirmed this today at the 6th World Meeting of Families, underway in Mexico City.
He spoke of the disorder in values, saying it explains certain nations adopting laws that recognize homosexual couples as marriages, and even permit them to adopt children.
This "cultural battle," the prelate said, involves a "vision of the world without God that tries to replace the Judeo-Christian heritage," with grave consequences at the "human, social and religious level." Click here to read the complete article | |
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The Life, Marriage and Family Centre is an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and has been established to extend the research, policy, educational and pastoral activities the Church undertakes with respect to life, marriage and family issues.
Thank you for taking a few moments to read our newsletter. We welcome your suggestions and feedback and we hope we will be able to serve you in some capacity in 2009.
Yours in Christ,
The Life, Marriage and Family Centre Team |
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