Sydney
29 June 2003
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‘Unethical’
to kill an embryo
Roll on, Cologne
And
they’re racing ... to help Vinnies
‘Renewal
of my faith’
Seminar ‘rekindles Bible
fire’
Year 9 - May the force be with
you
‘Appoint acting judges’ to solve
visa backlog
Charity race day
Society needs to ‘share pain of others’
Bombs found at Mass site
Movement
seeks inquiry on Iraqi conflict
Cambridge
choir in Sydney visit
China visitors
The Catholic Weekly- Spiritual tension
Letters
Moral
values ‘a major role’ for the Church
Challenge
to your neighbourhood?
Jesus Christ,
the ultimate healer
Parents’ acts
inspired Sr Huyen
Religion, art ‘a
very powerful mix’
Classic
rite controversial, but ‘a jewel’
Real
feelings of life and faith
Bishop Peter
Ingham’s message
Clergy-principals’
conference day
Students share justice
issues
New team looks at needs
New director of vocations
Vocation
Awareness Diocesan Poster Competition
Diocesan
catechists train
Gothic paradise -
the legacy of Pugin
Real feelings of life and faith
By
Marilyn Rodrigues
Momentum, a men’s spirituality group based at Peakhurst
parish, gives its members a chance to discuss their real feelings about life and
faith in a relaxed environment, says its chief founder, Philip Ryall.
It has tapped into a need for men to get together and “chew the cud, discuss our struggles and pass on snippets of wisdom to each other”, says Philip, who is also head of Harvest Pilgrimages.
About 40 men from Peakhurst and neighbouring parishes meet monthly in the Peakhurst parish hall to listen to a guest speaker talk about an aspect of their lives in the context of faith.
Each night has a theme that the men then discuss in small groups. They then share the insights gained with the larger group.
The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr George Pell, has drawn the largest crowd, with 120 men attending to hear him discuss his life’s journey.
Other speakers have included Ron Pirola of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and John Finnaran of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.
The group’s aim is to provide a balance to the many parish groups that are often the domain of women, and also give men what to women comes more naturally, a peer support network.
“It’s not that we don’t want women at the meetings but it’s more the idea that men are often in the shade of women when it comes to exploring their faith,” says Philip.
“Personally speaking, the motivation for Momentum came from a recognition of my own need to be inspired regularly.
“It is all about men needing to grow and be challenged in life and also drawing on the spirituality and wisdom of other men,” he says.
Philip says they try to keep their discussions focused on topics of faith and spirituality.