Mental Illness & Bipolar Disorder

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, BarbaraTherese said:

 

My two cents: The key to what the Archbishop has to say above is in the word "only".   It is intrinsic to a sound and balanced spirituality, to pray for oneself and for one's neighbour at times, while the most important thing in the heart of the saint is to pray for abandonment to God's Will in all circumstances - and in praying for self and neighbour, the saint is abandoned to God's Will nevertheless.

The key to holiness is the Our Father in which the pronoun "us" and "we" feature including "our" in the title of the prayer.  The Our Father is also a whole rule and way of life and holiness taught to us by Jesus.

 

[Guest]

                       

 

                                      Prayer of Intercession

We pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are pushed to the edges of society; whose value and potential are not recognised -

That their silenced voices may be raised in hope.

Amen

 

Corona Virus:  When to use, and how to use, a mask:   https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

 

Corona Virus: Hand Hygiene: https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Hand_Hygiene_Why_How_and_When_Brochure.pdf

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I am realising that due to my 20 years of serious illness and many hospitalisations per year, I have learnt to get by without those things important in the normal course of a human life and good in themselves.  My goals and hopes are detached from those things and this never would have occurred, I don’t think, without those 20 years of serious illness etc., while I recognise that all things are indeed possible to God.

  My detachment was a case of have to do so rather than a conscious act of virtue.  But that “have to do so” because they were taken from me through illness rather than given away by me in the order of virtue has served me and served me well.  Because illness had taken things away from me, I learnt in the journey to get by without wanting or needing them.  Without conscious choice, I can see now with hindsight, my goals and hopes underwent radical change.

  I am aware, only with hindsight now, that those things being absent did not create a vacuum other than as a stage of transition.  That stage of transition was forced on me through illness and what was taken from me i.e. my goals and hopes for my journey.  At the time, I did not recognise major loss as only transitory as major loss, nor as having a positive end point.

[Guest]

I have had a nasty two weeks - increased physical pain and depression.  I now realise, it has been a change of seasons, although this recent change to autumn here on 1st March has rocked me more than a usual change of seasons.  Today, I am back to my normal self and prepared for the worst while hoping for the best most always.  I try to take each moment as it comes and respond to that without argument.   Deo Gratius Laudate Dominum

[Guest]

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Look not back on yesterday
  So full of failure and regret;
Look ahead and seek God's way--
  All sin confessed you must forget.
   - Dennis DeHaan

 

 

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“Have the courage to own up to one’s omissions and blunders.”
– St. Vincent de Paul

[tinytherese]

I've been reading a book called, "Give Up Worry for Lent!: 40 Days to Finding Peace in Christ!" by Gary Zimak. It's a tough thing to give up, especially with my flaw of obsessing and ruminating over things. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, tinytherese said:

I've been reading a book called, "Give Up Worry for Lent!: 40 Days to Finding Peace in Christ!" by Gary Zimak. It's a tough thing to give up, especially with my flaw of obsessing and ruminating over things. 

You are not alone, TT.  I obsess and ruminate over things too and relentlessly.  Medication doesn't help as a side effect can be anxiety.

I found your book on Amazon Aust $23.43 https://www.amazon.com.au/Give-Up-Worry-Lent-Finding/dp/1594718814

Kindle $6.75 (I am going to get it on Kindle - thank you for the recommendation  )

 

 

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CathNews - Australia

":Lack of Faith can impact validity of marriage" 

HERE

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Cardinal Pell's conviction appeal being heard today:HERE

Ex cathnews.com (Catholic News Australia)

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"The 78-year-old was jailed for six years last year for sexually abusing two choirboys at Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral, shortly after being appointed Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996.

He was convicted by a jury in 2018 of the rape of one 13-year-old choirboy and sexual assault of another. The first boy gave evidence against Cardinal Pell while the second died in 2014.

Cardinal Pell maintains his innocence.

Victoria's Court of Appeal last year upheld the verdict in a 2-1 ruling.

The High Court has not formally granted Cardinal Pell's application for appeal, instead referring it "for argument".

That means after the hearing, which is scheduled to continue tomorrow, the court could refuse the application for special leave, or approve it and either allow or dismiss the appeal.

Cardinal Pell's lawyers are arguing the appeal on two grounds.

First they say the Court of Appeal majority - Chief Justice Ann Ferguson and President Chris Maxwell - made an error in that Cardinal Pell was required to prove the offending was "impossible" in order to raise reasonable doubt against the surviving boy's evidence.

The third judge, Justice Mark Weinberg, found in favour of Cardinal Pell's appeal.

Secondly, they argue the majority found there was a reasonable doubt as to the existence of any opportunity for Cardinal Pell to have offended, so they made an error in concluding the guilty verdicts were not unreasonable.

They want his convictions on five charges to be quashed, which would mean he is released from prison immediately.

Last month it was revealed the High Court had also raised legal questions over the use of video evidence in Cardinal Pell's previous appeal, rather than relying on written transcripts alone.

FULL STORY

High Court to hear Pell appeal this week (AAP/7News) "

 

 

[Guest]

But what I would like to say is that the spiritual life is a life in which you gradually learn to listen to a voice that says something else, that says, "You are the beloved and on you my favour rests."... I want you to hear that voice. It is not a very loud voice because it is an intimate voice. It comes from a very deep place. It is soft and gentle. I want you to gradually hear that voice. We both have to hear that voice and to claim for ourselves that that voice speaks the truth, our truth. It tells us who we are. That is where the spiritual life starts - by claiming the voice that calls us the beloved.
   - Henri J. M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual

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My comment: Re the image above and quotation.  I read somewhere that God puts disagreeable people in our path to hone us in virtue.

[Guest]

Australian Commonwealth Government: "Stimulus announced: $750 for Newstart and pensioners" https://www.savings.com.au/term-deposits/winners-of-the-government-18-billion-stimulus-package

Quote

 

Excerpt: "The $750 cash payment is expected to be offered to more than 6.5 million Australians, and will start flowing through to eligible recipients from 31 March, at an estimated cost of around $4.8 billion.

The $750 cash payment will apply to those receiving:

Newstart

Carer's Allowance

Family Tax Benefit 

Disability Support Pension

Youth Allowance

Veterans Support

Commonwealth Senior Health Card holders

Aged pension"

 

 

[Guest]

 

I had to write my own Rule of Life and each of the petitions of The Our Father forms a paragraph and paragraph heading in that rule.  The Our Father is a whole way of life and the only way of life.

 

 

This Lent I am looking at attitudes I need to change and working on change.  I think this is what Father is suggesting in the video.  He also introduces an element of Divine Providence which is paramount in my own spirituality.

"Forgive us our trespasses"

I do find with attempts to change my attitude about something or other that I go along for a while with success and start to think I have achieved something......no sooner think that then the attitude I tried to change asserts itself again.  Truly do such as I think that life long will be a battle with myself somewhere or other on some level or other.......perhaps this is the narrow way Jesus spoke of: i.e. trying, succeeding, failing and falling, repenting and beginning anew again at trying - the story of my life.  Anyway, I think it will be the narrow way for me as it has been to date and hope it is the narrow Jesus spoke about.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few" (Matthew Chapter 7)

It just occurred to me that "those who find it are few" might be that pride can be easily discouraged when faced with continual failures and the need for continual metanoia (reversal of direction).  Pride can bring about abandoning the "narrow way" and even searching for something else - something that will fulfill self and pride rather than fulfilling our vocation to follow Jesus and His narrow way.  I can assert the aforementioned with expertise having experienced it and more than once.

All the above is only my two pence worth!  ............except for the videos of course  

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Found this on the internet and it struck me as a good explanation i.e. to limit one's choices: 

"What is the meaning of narrow way?

Narrow means less wide or to make less wide. When you narrow down your choices, you decrease the number of choices. A road might be too narrow for a car. When used to describe something physical such as a street or hips, narrow simply means not wide."

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On 3/10/2020 at 11:33 AM, tinytherese said:

I've been reading a book called, "Give Up Worry for Lent!: 40 Days to Finding Peace in Christ!" by Gary Zimak. It's a tough thing to give up, especially with my flaw of obsessing and ruminating over things. 

Hi TT

l bought your book on Kindle and have begun reading.  Thank you so much for posting and recommending "Give up Worry for Lent - 40 days to Finding Peace in Christ".  I have only read a few pages and already the book is speaking to me.  Kindle is wonderful too.  I can highlight passages, make notes about it, and retain it all.

Highly recommended book for anyone prone to worry!!!....and we all are at times.  A book for all.