The Month of the Two Crowns.

Dear Friends, 

The Feast of St Maximilian Kolbe and the solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady have passed and I had hoped to write a few words before then. But  nevertheless we can look back and reflect on both for our meditation . St Maximilan we know as young boy had a vision of the Blessed Virgin in his local Church, after going there to find consolation.

 Our Lady offered him the crowns of sacrifice and purity. Young Raymond at the time accepted both. We know how  through his death in  the cell at Auschwitz,  St Maximilian Kolbe had lived the two crowns as a Conventual Franciscan priest . He had offered his life in union with Christ the Divine Victim on Calvary  to save the life of another. This offering of Kolbe's life was completed on the vigil of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary 1941.

Today as MI s we are called as St Maximilian to  follow the Divine Master in union with the Immaculata. Christ calls us to carry the cross and to give our hearts totally to Him. This task can be so diffcult in our daily lives and it risks unpopularity and being misunderstood often by those who are closest to us whether at work, in family and  community. Though we may not be called as Kolbe to give our life for another, It might mean sacrificing our aspirations or legtimate desire for a  higher yet more painfull good. Being misunderstood can be painful especially in the pursuit of what is seemingly good and just. St Maximilian knew this as a friar living in his religious community. May Our Lady and St Maximilain gives us the strength,( when  we are misunderstood or suffer being unpopular), to give  ourselves  to Christ Crucified,through the Immaculata, so Christ  may  live and work through u.

Br Louis Mary OFM Conv

Easter Message

Dear Friends,

May the Peace of Our risen crucified Lord be with you and your dear ones. May Our Lady, who was the first to be greeted by Her Son, intercede for all our intentions as we celebrate Easter.

Through our consecration to Our Lady in the MI , we especially unite our selves with the mission of the Church. At this time in Australia there are few bishops t o be appointed , and we know that the leadership of the church especially in Australia is crucial for the transmission of the Holy Faith to future generations. May Our Saviour grant us courageous successors of the Apostles to help strengthen the mission of the Church in our country Australia. May the Holy Spirit through the intercession of the Immaculata, renew the hearts of our clergy to be more united with the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

How important it is that we pray for our priests and bishops and pray they will not fail in their fidelity to Christ and His Church. The bishops have grave responsibilities before God , for the salvation of souls in their care, let us remember to pray for them our shepherds.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary guide us always according to the will of the Most High God.

St Maximilan Kolbe always stressed obedience may be obey the the Lord who speaks his word to us through His Church.

Br Louis Mary

A Moment With Brother: Friday Penance

From time to time, readers of our humble publication, The Little Troubadour, write in for advice of the friars. Their questions or troubles often concern things that affect us all. Over the past year I have dedicated some space in our magazine to answer these questions. I thought it might be helpful to share them here as well.




Barbara from Sydney wrote and asked:


“Brother, are we still supposed to give up meat on Fridays? I thought this was now optional except for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.”




Dear Barbara,


The canon law of the Church states in Can 1251: “abstinence from meat, or some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays unless a solemnity should fall ...”. This means that the Church has given the responsibility to the bishops of each country determine whether abstinence from meat is obligatory or optional. In a country like ours, where the bishops have indeed made Friday abstinence optional, Catholics who do not abstain from meat are still obliged to perform some form of penance. Except when Friday is celebrated as a solemnity (such as Christmas, All Saints, the Assumption etc.), each Friday is a day of penance. The Church through the Catechism teaches that “the seasons and the days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (lent and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice” (CCC, 1438).


Some countries still prescribe abstinence from meat products on Fridays, while in Australia (as we have mentioned) it has become optional (other than Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and ember days – special days of prayer and penance on the first Fridays of March and September). Many Catholics in Australia still observe the praiseworthy practice of meatless Fridays including religious orders such as our own. The practice points to the fact that on Fridays we are called to remember the sufferings (the Passion) of our Lord for our salvation and to offer up a sacrifice out of love for Christ. It is an act to show that we are sincere in our sorrow for sins, our own and those of the world. It is an act of reparation, such as what we offer to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on First Fridays. Our Lord suffered and died for each one of us. Our acts of penance show our love and our gratitude to Jesus, as well as our sorrow for sin and humanity’s indifference towards our Lord’s suffering for our salvation. Sadly, it seems, many Catholics have forgotten this.


The bishops of Australia therefore remind us: “Friday is a traditional day of penance and should be marked by:(1) Prayer – participating in the Eucharist, family prayer, visiting a Church, reading the Scriptures, making the Way of the Cross (Stations), praying the Rosary; (2) Self denial – abstaining from meat, sweets or dessert, giving up entertainment to spend time with the family, limiting food and drink in support of the poor; (3) Helping others – giving special attention to someone who is poor, sick elderly lonely or overburdened.” Personally, I think it would be good to try something from each category. Let’s remember that these beautiful practices of our faith are given to help us to draw closer to Christ our Lord, so that we can grow in love of Him and our neighbor, and come to salvation.


Finally, I offer some beautiful words from St. Clement of Rome: “Let us fix our eyes on Christ’s blood and understand how precious it is to His Father, for, poured out for our salvation, it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance.”

God love you,
Br. Louis Mary

A Moment With Brother: The Lord's Day

From time to time, readers of our humble publication, The Little Troubadour, write in for advice of the friars. Their questions or troubles often concern things that affect us all. Over the past year I have dedicated some space in our magazine to answer these questions. I thought it might be helpful to share them here as well.

Katrina from Southport writes,

Dear Brother,

Why do we as Catholics observe Sunday as the Lord’s Day? Friends of mine who are now Seventh Day Adventists tell me that as Catholics we are not following the Word of God.

Dear Katrina,

We again see that when we separate the Sacred Scriptures from the authority of the Church, which is its authentic interpretation and helps us to understand it correctly, that we are at risk of distorting the meaning of the Bible for us as Christians.

The third commandment of God is: “remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Originally this referred to the seventh day, the day on which God rested after the work of creation. Our Jewish brothers and sisters continue to keep Saturday as the Sabbath day.

But for Christians, the Sabbath was changed (by the authority of the Church given to it by Christ) from Saturday to Sunday, to recall the Resurrection of our Lord from the dead on Easter Sunday and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday, when the Church began the mission of the proclaiming the Gospel. Sunday, as ‘the first day of the week’ (Mark 16:2), “recalls the first creation; and as the ‘eighth day’, which follows the Sabbath, it symbolizes the new creations ushered in by the Resurrection of Christ. Thus, it has become for Christians the first of all days and of all feasts. It is the day of the Lord in which he with his Passover fulfilled the spiritual truth of the Jewish Sabbath and proclaimed man’s eternal rest in God” (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 452). So the obligation of heeding the law of God has not changed, but through God’s redemption of the world he has providentially re-ordered this observance to reflect the fulfillment of the Old Covenant through the New Covenant in Christ.

As Christians we are called to keep Sunday as a holy day, “by refraining from those activities which impede the worship of God and disturb the joy proper to the day of the Lord or the necessary relaxation of mind and body” (Compendium, 453). Sadly, our society has made Sunday like any other day. Many forget the Lord’s Day and engage in unnecessary activities which disturb our rest. We mow the lawn, pull out the leaf blower and wash the car. Sunday is to be a day of rest and worship. We are called to abstain form unnecessary work. Of course there are people who are employed on Sundays and this is unavoidable in our society, especially in occupations of essential service to the community. But if we can cut the grass or paint the house on another day, then we should leave Sunday as a day to relax, to enjoy the gifts of God, to recreate and give thanks to Him through our participation at Holy Mass.

In coming to Mass, we should be conscious that we are celebrating our new creation in Christ. We come dressed for the occasion, and yet too frequently we come as if dressed for the football or the beach. It is to our shame that in poor countries people still wear their ‘Sunday best’ to church (which is often their only decent clothing) in order to show fitting respect for God. Being human, a unity of body and spirit, we worship God not only with mind and soul, but also with our bodies. We should therefore be modest in our dress. While our easy going nature as Australians is a great quality, we must be careful that this does not become laziness and irreverence towards God, nor scandalous through a lack of courtesy towards others.

Such matters concerning a proper observance of Sunday were addressed by Bl. Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter to the Church Dies Domini. It might be a good idea for us to read this so that we can all give due respect to the Lord’s Day and keep it holy.

Lenten reflection from Brother Louis

Dear MI members,

This Lent let us pray especially for Our Holy Father and the College of Bishops, especially here in Australia. They have a tremendous responsibility to guard the flock of Christ from error, as well as to make sure that the faithful are nourished with the truths of our Holy Faith , so all may know and love fully Our Lord Jesus Christ, and come to eternal salvation.

Our Lady warned at Fatima that the Holy Father would have to suffer much. Pope Benedict XVI recalled this reality during his pilgrimage to the the Shrine of Fatima. Pope Paul VI, warned the Church, that the smoke of Satan has entered the Sanctuary of God. What chilling words, but true. We look around and see that in so many parishes, schools, and religious houses, around the world, a diabolical disorientation has manifested its influence. We must pray, therefore, and do penance, for only the the help of Heaven will defeat this ailment that affects so many and causes many to lose the gift of faith or that drives the lost sheep into a deeper darkness.

Let us ask especially St Joseph, the spouse of Our Lady and defender of the Church to assist us in this battle. St Maximilian warned that modern times would give rise to the influence of Satan. We see this in our society and unfortunately within Catholic institutions, and amongst the clergy and religious. Our response must be grounded in the sure victory of Christ Our Saviour at Calvary and in the triumph of His Glorious Resurrection. Let us have confidence in the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Mother of God and St Joseph. Let us cry unto the Master with Peter," Save us Oh Lord for we are sinking" . Surely the Lord of Heaven and Earth will respond, the storm will be silent and the waves once again be calm, for the barque of Peter.

This Lent we must look at ourselves, and see that we do our best to grow in the virtues of Christ. Let us ask implore the Precious Blood through the confessional and our reception of the Blessed Eucharist, to cleanse us anew and strengthen us, our families and those whom are lost. Protect us Oh Precious Blood from the harm of the enemy. Let us trust in your power, Oh Blood of the Lamb .

M.I.s let us ask the Mother of Sorrows to intercede for us at the foot of the Cross. May our hearts receive fully the cleansing streams of Christ's Divine Mercy.

May we become more forgiving, patient and kind. May we assist the poor, those in need, and always defend the sanctity of life, and of marriage. May the Lord grant us purity of heart and willingness to unite ourselves in our sufferings with his Sacred Passion , especially for the Church and the clergy .Give us courage, Oh Jesus, and strengthen us ! Bless and protect your beloved priests.

Let us pray for our Bishops that they will be men of courage to refute error and to forget popularity and political correctness. May they truly be open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and be of one mind with the Vicar of Christ. May the Holy Liturgy be celebrated in our Churches with due reverence, so the streams of Divine Mercy may strengthen the People of God. May our priests teach the fullness of truth from the pulpit . May our religious Brothers and Sisters be witnesses to Chris'st truth in their apostolates. May these intentions come before the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. May the Immaculata, and St Joseph, help us to truly grow in Christ this Lent. Mary our Mother and Queen, let us do the Father's will, with the total surrender of her Immaculate Heart.

God love you- Br Louis Mary OFM Conv.

A Moment With Brother - St. Maximilian Kolbe: “Love alone conquers!”

From time to time, readers of our humble publication, The Little Troubadour, write in for advice of the friars. Their questions or troubles often concern things that affect us all. Over the past year I have dedicated some space in our magazine to answer these questions. I thought it might be helpful to share them here as well.

Heather from Queensland wrote in with the following question:

Dear Br Louis,

Many people get on my nerves and I just can’t stand them. How do I overcome these feelings? I want to be a good Christian, but I can’t forget what people have done to me and I find it difficult to be nice to them. What can I do?

Dear Heather,

Join the club! Every human being feels the way you do some time or later. We are all sinners and have been sinned against by others. Surely we have all wronged someone in our lives and we seek their forgiveness as we are called to forgive others who have wronged us. We inherit the consequences of original sin, including a disorder of our feelings. If we have to live or work with people we find disagreeable, these feelings can be a daily cross. Yes, these feelings can weigh you down, but as children of God, Our Lord has taught us that we must forgive and love our neighbour.

Remember the saying of St. Maximilian Kolbe: “Love alone conquers!” It is not always easy to do this, but remember, Christ gives us the graces we need through the sacraments, especially in Confession and the Holy Eucharist, to rise above our feelings and to forgive others. We also have the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation to assist us, if only we ask the Holy Spirit to help us. One should be honest about one’s feelings in the examination of one’s conscience, (a recommended daily practice). We are called by God not to let feelings or emotions to control the exercise of our will. God calls us to overcome our feelings with His Grace. Our Lord said we are to love, but that doesn’t mean we have to like everybody. We are called to treat all people who come our way in charity and not be vengeful and nasty. We are to do unto others as we would want them to treat us – to act with kindness and courtesy towards all, especially those we ‘cannot stand’, remembering all persons are created in the image of God. We don’t have to be friends to all, but we are called to be Christ-like to all. Yes it is not easy, but Our Lord calls us to try and try again each day, every moment.

There is a saying: “The grace of God is in courtesy.” Now, if people are nasty towards us, we don’t have to be their ‘doormats’. If we can avoid the situation, then we can rightly keep away from them. But if interaction is unavoidable, we should remember to be courteous. Ask your guardian angel to help you deal with these people in a Christ-like way.

To forgive doesn’t mean that we excuse what evil has been done to us. Instead, we ask God in prayer to help them repent of their wrongdoing and to help us to love them as a child of God. We do not seek to repay them with evil by treating them in a hateful way. Our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to treat our enemies with mercy, not hatefully, remembering that in eternity God’s justice will be fulfilled, but on earth we called to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful to us. In the words our Saviour gave us we pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Hate and bitterness poison the heart and cause misery and despair. Instead, trust in the Divine Mercy of Christ and ask Our Lady to help you to be charitable to the disagreeable and forgiving in Christ’s name.

God love you,

Br. Louis Mary

Christmas Message from Br Louis.

Dear MIs,

May the Infant Jesus bless you and your dear ones this Christmas. For many it has been a diffcult year, let Christmas renew our hope!

As we come to adore the Christ Child in the crib, let us ask our Immaculate Mother to prepare our hearts to receive the graces, which our Saviour offers to each of us, especially in the Holy Eucharist.Our Heavenly Father has sent his Son for each of us. For God so loved the world......

Let us remember , the Crib leads us to the Cross, the Cross to the Resurrection. Thus we come to the Altar of God,where the Sacred mysteries of our Salvation are made present. Let us renew our devotion the Holy Mass and not be deceived into treating the Sacred Mysteries with such casual regard as by so many. Let us pray for our priests that they may be worthy stewards of the Sacred Mysteries. Out of love for us , Our Lord offered himself totally for us in all humility and poverty, in the crib, on the Cross and continues this offering upon the Altar. In total humility, He the Divine Mercy comes to us, fully present, as the Holy Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine. As our Emmanuel, Christ remains in the Blessed Sacrament, to be with us. Oh come let us adore Him! Let us be united with Him, so we can love our neigbour and be ready instruments of the Immaculata, to advance the Kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart.

The greatest gift we can offer to the Divine Infant is the gift of ourselves. This Christmas in union with the Immaculata may we surrender ourselves totally to Jesus. Lord thy will be done!

United with Our Lady may we pray to the Most High, " Be it done unto me according to thy Will!" Before the Crib this Christmas, may we be strengthened to go and share the good tidings of Christ, like the shepherds of Bethlehem. Our Mother of God and St Joseph may we receive the Word made flesh,with your purity and trust, God incarnate, so tender and mild!

May we be united in prayer this Christmas.

Br Louis Mary

A Moment With Brother - On Purgatory

From time to time, readers of our humble publication, The Little Troubadour, write in for advice of the friars. Their questions or troubles often concern things that affect us all. Over the past year I have dedicated some space in our magazine to answer these questions. I thought it might be helpful to share them here as well.

Alex from Queensland wrote asking: “Brother, where do we find Purgatory in the Bible?”

Dear Alex,

Your question is a common question, an interesting question, but a question which nonetheless betrays a Protestant approach to Scripture. We need to remember that the Sacred Scriptures come to us through, with and in the Church. The Bible is the treasure of the Church, and separated from the Church’s understanding of Word of God (which is protected by the Holy Spirit), one can easily be led into error. The countless number of Protestant denominations which differ in scriptural interpretation attests to that reality. That’s not to say they are not sincere, good-living, Christian people; but when it comes to their beliefs, they unfortunately have lost the fullness of the Faith that has been passed on to us by the Apostles through the Church.

The word Purgatory is not found in the Bible, but the ancient belief in Purgatory is deeply grounded in what Scripture explicitly teaches about divine judgement, on the need for holiness to enter into the presence of God, and on the reality of the temporal punishment for sins which have been forgiven through Christ’s redemption. What we believe has been revealed to us by God through the Bible and in the Sacred Tradition. Sacred Tradition is not what the Church invents, but what has been passed on from the Apostles by the authority of Christ, through the Church, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

The Jews before Christ had already a limited understanding of the need for purification after death. This is revealed in the Old Testament in the Book of Maccabees – a book absent from the Protestant canon of Scripture. In 2 Macc 2:41-45 we read how prayers were offered in atonement for the dead. To this day Orthodox Jews pray the ‘Mourner’s Kaddish’ for their dead.

The Separated Orthodox and Coptic Churches also offer prayers for the dead and believe in the purification of the soul after death, even though they reject the Catholic name of Purgatory. The reality of purification from the consequences of sin after death is alluded to in the New Testament in passages such 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 and Matthew 5:25-26, 12:31-32. St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians teaches that imperfections and the consequences of misdeeds will be purged through fire which is a symbol of purification. The verses from Matthew’s gospel concern Our Lord speaking of how certain sins must be atoned for in the afterlife.

Finally, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of Heaven” (n. 1030). As I teach the children during Catechism lessons, if you were invited to dinner with someone famous, you would certainly want to be your best for the occasion. So you shower and make yourself presentable. Purgatory is our bath before we enter the eternal banquet of our Lord and God. Yes, Jesus saved us on the Cross, but the application of His mercy is also the experience of purification, of Purgatory, after death.

Alex pray, especially at Holy Mass, for your beloved dead and those who have no one to pray for them. It is a work of mercy and an act of love we can offer for our departed brothers and sisters.

God love you,

Br. Louis Mary