The Secrets of My Heart

When Thomas More was being led to his execution on Tower Hill in 1535, a large crowd gathered to witness. Robert Bolt’s play A Man for all Seasons portrays the scene: More’s beloved daughter Meg breaks from the crowd and rushes to embrace her father, in tears. More...

Stephen Hackett, msc Provincial Visitation

Newly-appointed MSC Provincial, Fr Stephen Hackett msc, is visiting the different communities in each city since returning to Australia from Vietnam. He spent some time today with the group from the Heart of Life Centre for Spiritual & Pastoral Formation, met the...

Human Relationships

Continuing with our 40th Anniversary celebrations, we present Brian’s Reflections, a series of observations from Heart of Life co-founder, Fr Brian Gallagher msc. We humans are instinctively relational. We are made for relationships. ‘No man is an island,’ wrote John...

God’s Spirit in Creation

Pope Francis wrote in his encyclical Laudato Si (#42): Because all creatures are connected, each must be cherished with love and respect, for all of us as living creatures are dependent on one another. Loud bells rang for me.  I lived near the sea for many years....

Understanding Spiritual Direction

Heart of Life calls itself a Centre for Spiritual and Pastoral Formation. Pastoral formation is about preparing people for their pastoral ministry. But what is spiritual formation?  Something to do with preparing people inwardly, preparing one’s heart and soul, one’s...

Listening Hearts

Former chief justice, Sir Gerard Brennan, was much loved by Australia’s first peoples because of his significant ruling on Aboriginal land rights, the Mabo ruling.  Senator Pat Dodson, a Yawuru man from Broome, often called the father of Reconciliation, spoke at...

A Day With Pádraig Ó Tuama

Last week Heart of Life joined with Kardia, Living Well and Wellspring to host a masterclass for Spiritual Directors with Pádraig Ó Tuama. Though wet and cold, and more of a wintry blast than a Melbourne autumn, it was a most extraordinary day. Gently held and weaved...

New Provincial: Missionaries of the Sacred Heart

Heart of Life is privileged to have been represented at the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Chapter meeting in Sydney this week. We congratulate Stephen Hackett msc on his appointment as the Provincial for the future. We will hold Stephen in prayer as he prepares to...

Where Are You?

Editor’s Note: Continuing with our 40th Anniversary celebrations, we present Brian’s Reflections, a series of observations from Heart of Life co-founder, Fr Brian Gallagher msc. The first words in the bible are God’s words: ‘Where are you?’  The Book of Genesis tells...

Nothing Short of Magnificent – by Lynn Moresi

Lynn Moresi writes: This year’s University of Divinity graduation service was nothing short of magnificent.  St Patrick’s Cathedral stood tall and proud and the beauty and majesty of this stunning piece of architecture simply added to the significance of the...

Broken Hearts

Editor’s Note: Continuing with our 40th Anniversary celebrations, we present Brian’s Reflections, a series of observations from Heart of Life co-founder, Fr Brian Gallagher msc. I was in New Zealand early in 2019 at the time of the massacre of Muslim people in their...

In Honour of Friendship

At a birthday lunch with Heart of Life colleagues this week, we were talking about friends.  “Who is the first person you would you call if something really bad happened to you?”  For two of us at the table, the answer was someone in a different country, which...

Religion & Spirituality

Editor’s Note: Continuing with our 40th Anniversary celebrations, we present Brian’s Reflections, a series of observations from Heart of Life founder, Fr Brian Gallagher msc. The 2021 census revealed that 39% of Australians say that they have no religion. ...