The month of November is a time when we especially remember all souls and the community of saints that have gone before us.
When thinking about loved ones and our community of saints, I found myself wondering... Is there a main message that they have left us with?  Through researching the lives of the saints and much prayer, I recently had a 'light bulb' moment as I began to see a motif emerge from my contemplative brain cocoon! I began to see that all saints show us by their lives that relationship with God and experiencing true life on earth does not come through specifically what we say. God’s love grows through our ordinary actions. I'm sure we all have fond memories of our loved ones and their simple actions of love. For example; I won't always remember what my Grandfather said, but I will forever remember him especially making me a traditional Maltese dish every Friday night - an action of love that united us.

St Mary MacKillop alludes to the need for us to to act in love when she wrote to Sisters on the 25th March 1873: "I need not tell you to be dutiful and thankful to God for this, and to show by your actions more than by words that you are so."  Importantly this quote is part of a powerful letter Mary wrote before she departed for Rome. She was leaving Sisters in the care of Fr Reynolds and others she trusted as she courageously ventured off to try to get Rule approved for the Sisters of Saint Joseph (spoiler alert, she accomplished her mission!). In this letter she calls for unity, respect while she is away, asking for "a true spirit of charity and unity amongst you." She is essentially asking Sisters to act in the ordinary with charity and kindness. She goes on to say "See then how careful you must be. In our unity lies, under God our strength." We know that Mary certainly lived these actions throughout her life. 

Ironically many saints have explained this through words - even though their actions speak much much louder:
"Preach the Gospel at all times and only if necessary use words" ~ St Francis of Assisi
"The proof of love is deed." ~ Catherine McAuley
"Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak" ~ St Anthony of Padua 
"Love has to be put into action, and that action is service" ~ St Teresa of Calcutta
"Christ has no body now, but yours. No hands, no feet on earth, but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks compassion into the world. Yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world." ~ St Teresa of Avila

As I began to think about quotes from our community of saints and the actions of loved ones I felt inspired to create some cartoons around these. About this time our librarian at school also asked me, "can you create bookmarks for us with quotes that we can give our students?" Then low and behold two others also randomly asked for bookmarks. Their requests stayed with me, inspiration struck, and before I knew it I was creating bookmarks. I am in no way a saint but these three bookmarks are just a small ordinary action to remember the actions of those on whose shoulders we stand. These are available to download for free below. I hope this small act of kindness may inspire you to "go and do likewise". May the actions of the saints and souls we love continue to unite us, growing like a mustard seed in our hearts...  and in-turn passing onto others... 
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"Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, 
​And let perpetual light shine upon them. 
May they rest in peace. Amen."

Much love, Jane 

- View this month's News Flash: November #6  +  Sign up here
- Much gratitude also to those who have helped with the bookmarks especially Roslyn Kennedy (our archivist at North Sydney) and Sr Marie Foale rsj for your help and wisdom in researching and understanding Mary's letters.
- As a side note,  You'll see on the time-lapse video (for Mary's bookmark) that I had originally drawn "We must teach more by example than by word" believing it was a quote from Mary after finding it several places online. But, as it turns out, it was adapted over time and not accurate. There is a cheeky quote that seems to fit here; "Thou shalt trust everything you see on the internet ~ Abraham Lincoln"

Recently I have found myself thinking about happiness. Now, to be clear, I'm not talking about the kind of happiness that lasts the length of a mouth watering burger, or that flutters by at the sight of a butterfly. Sure, those things are happy, but temporary. It seems to me that being happy is rather different. So, what is it, where does lasting happiness come from, how is it attained and sustained? 

Serving God, being in relationship and community (small and large) are the pieces of wood that keep the happiness fire burning in my soul.  A particular quote has been fascinating me lately: "find happiness in making others happy".  This is part of a letter Mary wrote to Sisters in South Australia in 1899. She instructed Sisters to visit the homes of their pupils and develop relationships. Essentially I think she was communicating that service and being in relationship with others / God, is an essential way to be happy. Even if sad or restricted, she was saying that it is best to not dwell in our own single worlds. We find God together, in and with others.

Our St Mary MacKillop wanted her Sisters to be happy and share happiness with others. She knew the joy of the Gospel and I'm sure would have loved Papa Francesco's Evangelii Gaudium. It makes me think of a story that a Sister once shared with me, she said Mary had laughed so much at one time that she almost fell off her chair!

In that same letter she further instructed Sisters to "...keep the Rule with regard to morning and evening Mediation, examination of conscience and other spiritual duties". I think she was saying that to be happiness in the world, means that we need to '"find" it too, it requires searching, choice, commitment and faith in God.​ The famous bloke we know as Jesus had the same message. Dare I say it, but maybe Mary stole a page or two out of his book?  In Matthew 7,  Jesus reminds us to go, be with, find - "Seek and find..."

Perhaps she was saying we can be happiness in the world by growing relationship interiorly and exteriorly, going out with acts of kindness and love. Micah 6:8 is central to the Constitution of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, and further reminds me that God is asking us to go out, giving in acts of kindness and love: "He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" 

So, I don't think i've completely cracked the code, but I guess that's the point too. We are always learning, searching, seeking, finding and being acts of loving kindness along our earthly journeys - Muchas gracias Mary and Jesus! And a further thank you to Roslyn Kennedy and Sr Marie Foale for their help researching and understanding Mary's full letter (as below). We have an incredible Josephite community. I hope you enjoy this new cartoon and the video of the sketch coming together. I hope my small act of love stokes and inspires your happiness fire. 

FYI:
- The Sisters of Saint Joseph are currently in the middle of a process called Chapter. This gathering happens every 6 years and will help to determine future leaders and future vision of the congregation. Your prayers would be deeply appreciated: Pray with the Sisters here. 
- If you are curious about what a 'day in the life' of my current ministry is like, you might enjoy this article.
- At this time we honour the anniversary of the passing of Julian Tenison Woods (130years). We give thanks for his life and are mindful that our Father Founder was a man of many things, including service and finding happiness:  "We must love others so much as to feel no happiness so great as that of serving them and advancing their interests" (Julian Tenison Woods - 1870). 
- View this month's News Flash: October #5

May the peace and happiness of Christ flow into our world...
AMDG
~ Jane

Recently I kept seeing a particular quote and couldn't seem to get it out of my head. "Remember we are but travellers here" seemed to be everywhere. Believing it's best to listen to what is stirring in my heart, I became curious and started to research the quote. As I attempted to understand the time and place, I discovered this was written very early in St Mary MacKillop's religious life (27.11.1866). This was just after she started our first Josephite school in a disused stable in Penola, South Australia. She also used the same word "travellers" in a letter to her Mum (Flora) only three months before: "Bear in mind that we are only poor travellers, that our home is not here" (14.8.1866). 

- What would have led to this line of thinking? -
At that time Mary was entering into a new way of life by starting the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. She was taking her first steps on a new journey with Julian Tenison Woods. It’s easy to see how her use of the word “travellers” was relevant at this time; her heart was surely raised in hope and trust as she travelled with others into the future unknown. Perhaps in her youthful exuberance she thought something akin to 'lets give it a crack, what have we got to loose' - O how Australian of her! She reminds us that our time on earth is short, we must trust in God, and trust in the whisperings we hear stirring in our hearts.  "We" is also a key word as this would link with her understanding of what Jesus teaches us through the Gospels (Mk 12:30-31) - love all, there is no otherness.

- The spirit works in mysterious ways - 
All the while I felt drawn to create a new cartoon based on this quote, so I started working away on it. And it really is amazing how the spirit works, I recently experienced a remarkable connection at school (where I am fortunate to be in ministry). I was sitting with our Principal (Mrs Narelle Archer) and she told me about her speech for our St Mary MacKillop day - she was planning to use the fearless girl statue and a focus quote... would you believe which quote? Yes, you guessed it! 

Narelle quoted in her speech what I said to her next...
“Wow, this in incredible and providential. We are all interconnected!  We have no need to fear when we trust in God.  Would you believe I have been working on an image of Mary because I kept hearing “remember we are but travellers here”, and couldn’t get it out of my mind. As I was driving to Year 11 retreat the letter from Mary with that quote randomly played with my phone on shuffle, and when I arrived Ms Layton told me that “remember, we are but travellers here” was the theme of the retreat. It’s amazing... We are travellers together. We are fearless when we are together. Serving God together.”
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​And wouldn't you believe it, when our head girl (Joelle Sassine) gave her speech on that day she too focused on how Mary would be with us today, how she would travel with us today, and yes, she used the same quote too.

- Listening and responding - 
After receiving such a positive response from the cartoon I created for Mary's feast day, I also realised there is a real spiritual hunger /poverty for many people who seek spiritual connection through contemporary artwork. I hope to serve God and our community with this new cartoon - I've done my best to do as Mary suggested and "listen to the whisperings of God to your own heart." Hopefully helping others, reminding us in a Josephite way that God always travels with us, we are all included (no matter our age, country of birth or background), we are only here for a short time and our journey on this earth is best shared. I hope this drawing brings joy and connection and be sure to check out the 30 second time-lapse video below too.

We especially remember Our Lady with several feast days this month - Happy Birthday to her on the 8th!
And if you are interested in religious life be sure to read this incredible reflection from Sr Colleen Gibson: Final Countdown to Final Commitment
May 'we' travel together with gratitude,  listening with fearless love and deeply trusting in God as both Mary's did.
Much love and prayer fellow travellers, Jane .

News Flash for September  >> HERE
September 8 — Birth of Mary,  September 12 — The Most Holy Name of Mary
​September 15 — Our Lady of Sorrows, September 24 — Our Lady of Mercy

Today we give thanks to our God for the life and example of everybody's Saint. Happy Feast day to our St Mary MacKillop!
To celebrate I have been working on a special Illustration for Mary's Feast day. May we keep planting seeds today for God's garden of tomorrow. I hope Mary would have found joy in this, and I hope you enjoy this and celebrate in style! 

News Flash for August  >> HERE
Featured Artwork: https://www.designjane.com/contemporary-holy-family.html#/
You'll find a new group prayer under the resources: https://www.designjane.com/group-prayer--quotes.html#/
More quote illustrations here: https://www.designjane.com/quote-illustrations.html#/

Watch the time-lapse video of Jane creating this illustration below:

On the front of St Mary MacKillop's tomb three words boldly and significantly remind us to Trust in God. There is immense depth in these three words, but i'll be honest - I find that sometimes I can misplace these crucial words as the so called rollercoaster of life chugs along its merry way at sporadic speeds. Many times I catch myself... "doh, I'm worrying into the future  again!" 
Recently I was listening to a women who is struggling with a transition in her life. As we concluded I simply said that what helps me is to remember; "all we have is the now, today, and everything else is imaginary." Upon reflection in my examen prayer that night I realised that trust in God is the crucial heart space that helps me to remain in the present moment. These three words are something that I  continue to come back to time and time again. 

Quotes are powerful reminders too, I've seen some great quote graphics recently. So, when a friend text me this timely providential reminder all the way from the USA this month, I was inspired to bring St Teresa of Avila to life. If I trust in God, God lifts me up in love and takes me places that can only be gained through trust. Trust in God gives peace. 

Be sure to watch the 30 second video showing the process of creating the sketch. And please let me know by commenting on this post if there are any quotes you would like made into a graphic or a cartoon Saint too?
I pray this image may lift you up too... happy travels! 
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Much peace, trust and joy 
~Jane 

News Flash for July >> HERE