Fr Chris Alar’s Mega Tour!

Above: Fr Chris Alar, MIC presented a day-retreat and offered Holy Mass at Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Rouse Hill

It’s hard to remember a time we have been as busy at Parousia as we have been over the last couple of months. We have been so busy, that we have had to roll the June and July newsletters into one!

Back at the end of May, we welcomed Fr Chris Alar, MIC to Australia for his first visit with Parousia, in partnership with John Canavan and Divine Mercy Australia. From the moment we began advertising this tour, we knew it was going to be big. The response was so overwhelming that we had to scramble to add extra events to the schedule to meet the demand. From the retreats and parish events around the country, to our annual fundraising dinner, we had large, enthusiastic audiences everywhere we went.

Fr Chris was on fire throughout and, even though he lost his voice towards the beginning of the trip, he managed to struggle through and, thanks be to God, his message was heard loud and clear by all in attendance throughout the whole tour.

Above: Fr Chris Alar, MIC presents at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Keysborough, Victoria

It was so pleasing to see people so engaged that they followed Fr Chris from event to event, soaking themselves in the message of hope in Jesus’ Divine Mercy. Not only were so many in attendance, but we have never distributed as many resources in one tour as we did on this particular trip. It was so encouraging to see people so keen to get their hands onto these valuable resources. It’s one thing to get swept up and excited by a big event, but it takes great effort and commitment to continue once the event is over. It is up to us to continue the learning and to dive deeper into the beauty of our Catholic faith. I pray that the resources distributed over the course of this particular tour will bless many souls.

Above: Fr Chris Alar, MIC with Archbishop Julian Porteous down in Tasmania

Parousia Annual Fundraising Dinner

One of the events included in Fr Chris’ tour was our annual fundraising dinner, and what a night it was! We had a packed, enthusiastic room once again. Fr Chris gave a talk on the topic of ‘How to Evangelise’. The full recording of this talk can be found on our YouTube page.

As was the case with many of Fr Chris’ events, he was accompanied by Catholic Singer/Songwriter Anna Nuzzo (read more about Anna’s visit to Australia in our previous newsletter). Anna played and sung beautifully as always, which added to the relaxing mood of the night. Parousia’s own Alejandro Fernandez-Cotta Andrade was in the room hand-drawing his own version of the Divine Mercy image, which was auctioned off on the night. As always, we are so grateful for those who generously donated their time and talents towards our cause and we are always appreciative of the financial contributions made at this and other events throughout the year. We would not be able to continue doing what we do without the amazing support of so many!

Above: Charbel Raish with artist Alejandro Fernandez-Cotta Andrade and his hand-drawn image of the Divine Mercy, drawn live at the fundraising dinner, along with the winning bidder, Steven, from the auction for this image

Parousia Podcast

Since our previous newsletter, Charbel Raish has hosted some more interesting discussions in our Parousia Podcast. He began by speaking with Anna Nuzzo about her recent ‘Limitless’ Australian Tour. He spoke with renowned professor of scripture, Dr Mary Healy, on the topic of her own faith journey. He caught up with Dr Peter Howard and discussed the ‘Fulton Sheen Movement’ and also had a chance to sit down with well-known iconographer, Michael Galovic, to talk about his life and work in the field of iconography.

To hear any of these discussions, visit our website – https://www.parousiamedia.com/podcast/ or find us on all good podcasting apps and on YouTube.

Australian Speakers Bureau

At Parousia, we regularly host international speakers on tours around Australia and the region. In addition to these tours, we also provide a local Australian Speakers Bureau, offering twelve quality Catholic presenters, ready and willing to share their expertise and their love of the faith. In recent times, demand for our speakers has increased and we are working with more and more parishes, schools and community groups. To browse our list of available speakers, please visit our website – https://www.parousiamedia.com/parousia-speaker-bureau/

Charbel Raish Sharing His Testimony

Above: Charbel Raish speaking at a recent ‘God and Beer’ event in Notting Hill, Victoria

A good example of our Speakers Bureau in action has been our director, Charbel Raish, recently speaking at events in Melbourne and Sydney. Charbel first spoke at the ‘God and Beer’ event at the Notting Hill Hotel in Victoria, followed by an event with the St Joseph’s Maronite Men’s group in Croydon, Sydney.

In addition to Charbel speaking on the topic of his own faith journey, he also offers other talks, including ‘The Bible in One Hour’ and ‘How to Love Your Spouse the Way They Want to Be Loved’. Once again, please visit our Speakers Bureau page to learn more about Charbel and our other speakers.

What’s Next?

As we wrap up another very busy couple of months at Parousia, stay tuned to our website to keep track of all our upcoming activities. As this newsletter is released, we are drawing to the end of our ‘Ignite Australian Bible Study’ tour with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and Sonja Corbitt. We will have a review of this tour in our next newsletter. As always, we are working with other apostolates from around the world to ensure that we are bringing to you the best of quality Catholic content. Keep your eyes on our online store to see new release resources as they become available. Please also prayerfully consider contributing financially to our work. Please visit our website and click ‘Donate Now‘ at the top of the page. Please continue to pray for us and know of our prayers for all of you. God Bless.

Mark Griffin. Operations Manager

How to Pray Like Mary

– Sonja Corbitt (Paperback)

Listen—and Respond—Like Mary at the Annunciation. Mary has been called the “mother of listening.” She didn’t just hear the Word; she pondered it in light of her own relationships and circumstances and then let it transform her. 

Sonja Corbitt is a best-selling catholic author and one of the most dynamic and compelling new voices in the Church today. After years of Bible study, she recognized that the “mother of listening” was providing a model of prayer that has the power to revolutionize your life of prayer.

Starting with Mary’s response to the Annunciation, Sonja Corbitt will show you how to pray with Scripture under the guidance of the Blessed Mother. You will learn a powerful practice for daily prayer as Mary models it: Listen, Observe, Verbalize, Entrust. Sonja Corbitt draws from vivid biblical texts to show you the key to loving Scripture and deepening your relationship with God.

The Art of Practical Catholicism 2: Your Faith Guide 

– George Manassa (Paperback)

The Art of Practical Catholicism series will aid the faithful to take practical measures to live the faith, which in turn will aid you in achieving your personal salvation and that of those around you. 

This book will take you into your everyday life, in and outside the life of the Church, to help you implement your faith in our modern world.

2 Masses: A Journey to Experience Catholicism Across America

– Daniel Markham (CD)

One of the best parts about being Catholic and practicing the faith is the ability to attend mass every day. Daniel Markham, author of the book 52 Masses, ventured across America to celebrate mass in every state. In this talk, he shares his experiences with different parishes around the country and recalls his encounters with unique people he met while on his journey.

The Gift of Door-to-Door Evangelization

Austin Habash (CD)

Spreading God’s message is our most important job as Catholics, but it starts from within our own homes. In this talk, Austin Habash takes us through his journey with door-to-door evangelization and explains to us the significance of sharing the Gospel with our neighbors.

Ignite: Read the Bible Like Never Before

– (Parousia On Demand)

In this series, designed to accompany the ‘Ignite’ book, Deacon Harold and Sonja want the pages of the Bible to enkindle your heart and draw you more deeply into the sacramental life of grace. ‘Ignite’ will help guide and equip you to experience the depth of God’s love so that the Word becomes a living flame in your heart and life. Great for use in parishes and home study groups!

No matter how well you know the Bible — a little or a lot — Ignite will help you read it with new eyes.