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Next YCG Meeting
Saturday 7 Sseptember
In June we continued studying Carmelite prayer from Sr Mary McCormack's 'Upon this Mountain'. This time we did 'The Apostolate of Contemplation' and there were many questions about the apostolic value of prayer, particularly when it is rooted in love.
Our most recent YCG meeting was on a Sunday, 10 March. The Topic: 'Prayer as Relationship: Finding the Real Person and the Real God' from 'Upon this Mountain' by Sr Mary McCormack ocd
After a very busy few months, we re-started our YCG meeetings in February 2024, beginning a series on Carmelite Prayer. As you can see, Stephanie has joined us during this time.
June 2023
It was the eve of Trinity Sunday so we shared reflections on St Elizabeth of the Trinity's beautiful Prayer to the Trinity. Unfortunately, some could not come, with assignments due and exams looming, but they have the text to ponder in their own time.
April 2023
We were happy to have two seminarians join us for our April meeting. Unfortunately they and others had to leave early. We used chapter 26 of St Teresa's 'Way of Perfection' to help us prepare for Holy Week.
January 2023
We are getting into deep water now, studying St Teresa's symbolism for the life of deepening prayer. The third water continues on the theme of decreasing human effort in prayer as it is met by the divine work of grace. In the third water, Teresa uses the image of a stream flowing through the garden. This is not entirely without work, as the gardener needs to direct the flow of water. But the flowers and fruits are now obvious.
There are more on our side of the grille, but we are having very deep and reflective conversations about St Teresa's stages of prayer. In December we studied the second way of 'watering the garden' - that is, of a water wheel, which yields more water with less effort: the beginnings of the 'living water' promised by Jesus.
In October we began a series on St Teresa's teaching on prayer using her image of four ways of watering a garden. The first way - drawing water in a bucket from a well - is very laborious. When a person begins to pray, it is necessary to apply oneself to meditating on the life of Jesus.
On Saturday 27 February 2021 we resumed our YCG meetings after the long break due to the pandemic. Our topic was: 'And It was very Good': Asceticism for the Lenten Season
We discussed some insights from our Carmelite Sister Ruth Burrows
February 2020
Following the recent visit of the Relics of St Therese and her parents, Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, we began with an audio visual presentation on Therese and a reflection
on Therese's prayer for priests. Those who had spent time with the Relics,
either here or elsewhere, also shared their impressions.
Saturday 30 November 2019
Our topic was 'A Humble Heart' - the third prerequisite for a life of prayer
as explained by St Teresa in 'The Way of Perfection'
Our topic for October was 'A Free Heart'
St Teresa tells us there are three things that are absolutely essential for anyone wanting to live prayerfully. In August we studied the first: a loving heart. This is the second. The NET UQ Chaplaincy Team bolstered our numbers and we had some really engaging discussion.
13 April was the eve of Palm Sunday, so we took St. Teresa's 'Way of Perfection' chapter 26 to help us stay close to Jesus in his suffering and death, the topic being:
'Praying with St Teresa - Walking with Jesus through Holy Week’
Our 2019 meetings began on the feast of the Presentation with the topic
'Praying the Scriptures with Mary: an Invitation to Lectio Divina'
Our topic on 6 October was 'Back to the Gospel - The Message of Thérèse of Lisieux' and we had a big group from UQ joining us. Several didn't make it into the photo. We said good-bye to Katherine and Michael who are finishing up with NET and returning home - Katherine all the way to the USA.
Our August topic was 'The Loneliness of Jesus: Insights from St Teresa
and the Gospel of Mark
Our topic in June was 'St Therese of Lisieux - Her Discovery of Love'
Notice Ariel has leaped through the grille? She entered Carmel in February.
On 3 February 2018 we continued our themes from 'The Spiritual Canticle'
of St John of the Cross with the topic: 'Immersion in God's Beauty'
We said goodbye to Hien who is entering the Benedictines at Jamberoo next weekend. She is starting to feel a little nervous, but looks very peaceful and happy. We will keep her in our prayers.
It was also Aushra's last time with us, before she returns home to Lithuania.
We remember all those who have been part of our YCG and hope they have come a little closer to God through our Carmelite spirituality.
At present we are reflecting on some themes from the 'Spiritual Canticle'
Our first meetings in 2017 focused on different aspects of the spirituality of St Therese of Lisieux. Then we started looking at St. John of the Cross's poem: 'The Spiritual Canticle'
During Advent we reflected on 'Waiting in Silence and Prayer with St Elizabeth of the Trinity'
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