Tired Eyes!

My eyes need a rest! I have spent the last 2 days in front of the computer... designing a website and experimenting with some computer music recording stuff! The highlight of my day was doing communion rounds for the sick! I also went for a short walk to the shopping mall to see if my sunglasses are ready yet... they should be in my hands tonight!! I'm now off to meet with some priests top didcuss ideas for Sunday's homily! There are a few conferences on healing, youth and other subjects in the Bendigo area which I am looking forward to soon!!

Cruising Around!

I was supposed to spend today and the next few days in Melbourne, but there was a sudden change in plans. My day was spent designing a web page for the Sandhurst Diocese World Youth Day. I found out that the car I am driving is a Holden, just like the one in the pic... but not as new-looking and grey in colour.

I went for a long drive with a friend into the bush (countryside)... there is such beautiful scenery here!! Will try and take some snapshots the next time I go. I also got down to buying a new pair of sunglasses, to prepare for the upcoming summer;)

Got a Car!

3 weeks have passed since I got to Australia... and today I was given (or rather lent) a car. It' s huge V6 or V8 automatic engine car! I don't even know what make it is (Toyota I think) ... I'll check that tomorrow. So this afternoon I drove to the city and then to the gym. The morning was spent in the parish office preparing for this Sunday's first youth meeting. I pray and hope that some teens will turn up!

Relax...Thank God for Mondays!

Monday is a good day... it is my official day of relaxation after a busy weekend and week! I woke up a bit later than usual this morning and had a good time of prayer. Then I went cycling to the city and bought some gym shoes and the new Nickleback CD. After lunch I rested and cycled to the gym where I did a good workout! Now Im going to relax with a few friends by the TV and eat my fish and chips!!

On the go!

An interesting day today! I went to mass today to speak to the people about the upcoming youth meetings and sing a song or two. Word is getting around here that there is a singing seminarian around;) I then went to a Lutheran baptism - the baby of the pastor got baptized and there was a big feast at his house. They are lovely people!! Here the different Christian denominations work well together. After that we had a local Catholic council meeting with the bishop - it was a very fruitful meeting - it's so nice to work with a bishop who is so close to his people! Now i'm off to dinner with some friends.

Yet Some More embarrassment!!

I just came back from a long trip. It took us four hours driving to the place where bishop Joe was to give a one-hour talk. After the talk we had lunch and drove 4 hours back to Bendigo. I drove part of the way back. My driving went very well until I had to stop to change drivers. We were going 120km/hour and then I forgot there was no clutch so I really braked hard and nearly gave the sleeping bishop a heart-attack! The joke is I could not figure out what I was doing wrong! Yet another embarrassing event!! Oh well!! I saw an interesting looking pub along the way... take a look at the building in the pic.

Headache!

I have a massive headache from spending most of my day in front of the conputer screen. I am designing a web-page for the diocese here. Just want to give a shout out to the seminarians who begin the seminary today!! God bless you guys! I will be joining the bishop for a conference on vocations tomorrow... 4 hours drive away from here - So I have an early morning tomorrow.

Embarrassing!!

Had a fantastic 3 days in Melbourne city. I met some Maltese priests, had lunch with a Maltese family and I just got back after having supper at the bishops house. I spent this morning in the city and had two embarrassing incidents. First I went to a coffee shop... I had a few dollars in my pocket so I got the smallest coffee I could find. I calculated that I had just enough to buy a small biscuit with it. As I went to pay I realized I did not have enough for the biscuit... I had to return my 90 cent biscuit!! Then... I went to the seminary in Melbourne and when I left they opened the electric gate for me. It opened and closed with a fancy green button, and as it was opening I could not resist... I pressed the button... and the gate jammed! I broke the blooming gate!! M'hemmx taghmel!

I am now preparing for a youth meeting I hope to animate next Sunday! I am writing an advert for the bulletin and deciding on some ice-breaker.

It could be You;)

I woke up later than usual this morning as I was up kinda' late last night watching a DVD - Failure to Launch - not a very good film! I lazed around for a while, wrote a long article for the religious newspaper here and then went to the city centre with my newly aquired means of transoport - a bicycle. I bought some flashy lights for it and a plastic-looking helmet... so embarrassing;) Its ok here I guess! I went to the city to buy an international calling card! So guys and girls... stay close to your phone... the next person I call just might be you!!!!!

I'm off to Melbourne city till Wednesday!!

Roasted Pig!

I was invited to the birthday party of a Filipino woman. It was a nice evening in the country-side. There was enough food to feed a regiment... and a whole pig to eat too!! Please note... that is not blood on the pig but some BBQ sauce or something!!

Other than that I've been kept busy with parish life, attending all the masses to be introduced & play a few songs. Been great fun meeting new people! Below is a pic of Fr Joe Taylor the parish priest, and me after mass.

I'll be going up to Melbourne this week to meet some Maltese people there.

Eventful Day!

Today proved to be my busiest day since I've arrived here in Australia. I began my day with mass, then went to visit some of the elderly and sick at their homes. I love doing that!! After that we had a big meal here at home (11 people) after which I went to buy a bicycle. The roads here are fantastic for cycling! Everywhere is flat. I went to a second-hand shop to buy it... Unbelievable... I bought a mountain-bike for $5 (Lm1.50). Now I have to get a safety hat (helmet). Ok... Then I came home, discussed some plans with the bishop, spent some time composing a song and then I went to the gym(right)!! I hope to go to the gym 3 to 4 times a week... issa naraw!!

Roos and Koalas

I finally saw my first kangaroos! First I saw a number of dead ones beside the road... then... there they were... hundreds of them... wild roos!! I could not get close enough to take a good photo! Ok, enough excitement!! Next venture - Koala! We just came back from Feathertop, four and a half hours in the car and all I feel like doing now is watching a film... but I have no film to watch:( Maybe I'll just finish off the book I'm reading!!

Mountain Update!

Managed to get some internet access here in Harrietville (pic), a small skiing village, in a resort owned by the Church (under Bishop Joe). This is 4 hours away from where I am living... just beneath the mountains. It is really cold here at night, but during the day I have been going swimming!! In an indoor pool though:)

We have been following a great and fun course on public speaking. It's amazing how much there is to learn about preaching and story-telling. Still have not seen any kangaroos yet! Should be home (Kennington) tomorrow.

Critical!

Bendigo, the city I am living in is going through a water crisis. There is a big lack of water. The city gets its water from 2 big reserves which are now down to 6%! It has been low for 4 years, but now is somewhat critical. People are not allowed to water their lawns, wash their cars (though all cars look clean to me) with fresh water. The city needs rain, and lots of it!! I went to visit one of the almost-empty reserves yesterday (right).

Now I'm really off to he mountains!! I hope to see some wild kangaroos... have not seen any yet!

Settling Down

Have not gone up to the mountains yet... apparently we are leaving tomorrow!! Could be the Australian accent, got the day wrong. Just as well... had a great day today! I went to play at some masses in the bush (countryside) today and met a few teens!! I invited them to a youth meeting we would be starting soon - they all seemed excited - especially the part when I told them we would be getting drunk ;) Hmmmm!!!

After going out for lunch I got a surprise call from a Maltese woman, Pauline who came for me and took me around! That was fun... I then went to have supper at her house. Oh yeah... I also wrote a song today, but then I went out and when I returned I forgot the tune... Oh well!! Need to get some mp3 recorder or something!

Admiring the Common Bird!

The parish priest has decided to give me the week off to get some rest and to settle down. Ok, I like to relax but I cannot wait to get down to some work. Australia will be hosting the World Youth Day in 2008 and I will also be helping out with that.

As I had nothing planned this morning I decided to go for a walk and take my camera with me. I took some photos of the local wild birds. Some were too fast for me to snap a shot, but I did get some of the wild parrots. Incredible!! Parrots, cockatoos and other beautiful birds are as common as our local sparrows – they just run wild (or rather, fly wild). I did some research to find their Latin names (ref. to pic:).

I will be meeting a Philippino group this evening for a small prayer meeting. It should be fun. Tomorrow I’ll be going up the mountains for a week of seminars, so I am not sure if I’ll be able to update this blog till next Friday!

Venture for Youth

Getting into parish life here, which I must say is much more relaxed than that in Malta. I noticed a great lack of youth here, so we are going to try and get a band started with some of the local teens and also organize some kind of youth meetings. Slowly, but by God’s grace surely!! Played at mass this morning for some more school kids at the parish here (pic above-next door to where I live) and then went around some houses to give Communion! This evening I am going to meet some other priests with the bishop. Next week I will be going up the mountains for a weeklong seminar on public speaking!!

Exploring the Grounds!

So here is what I have been up to!! First of all... I've been waking up at 3am every morning - still jet-lagged you see!! Yesterday I went around to take a look at the parish area, and after that I went to the curia to speak to the national Catholic youth director to organise some workshops and stuff for youth, and visit Bishop Joe. This morning I went to a mass and to speak to some 11 year-old kids whom I may be working with soon. I also went to a beautiful lake (Weeroona Lake - strange name!!) and then to the city centre (pic on the right)! Oh yeah!! I also got a 3 month membership to the local gym!

Have a new Australian mobile... email me and i'll send you the numba'!!

10 Words That Don't Exist, But Should!!

AQUADEXTROUS (ak wa deks'trus) adj. Possessing the ability to turn the bathtub tap on and off with your toes.
CARPERPETUATION (kar'pur pet u a shun) n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.
DISCONFECT (dis kon fekt') v. To sterilize the piece of confection (lolly) you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow 'remove' all the germs.
ELBONICS (el bon'iks) n. The actions of two people manoeuvring for one armrest in a movie theatre.
FRUST (frust) n. The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until they finally decide to give up and sweep it under the rug.
LACTOMANGULATION (lak' to man gyu lay' shun) n. Manhandling the "open here" spout on a milk container so badly that one has to resort to the 'illegal' side.
PEPPIER (pep ee ay') n. The waiter at a fancy restaurant whose sole purpose seems to be walking around asking diners if they want fresh ground pepper.
PHONESIA (fo nee' zhuh) n. The affliction of dialling a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.
PUPKUS (pup'kus) n. The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.
TELECRASTINATION (tel e kras tin ay' shun) n. The act of always letting the phone ring at least twice before you pick it up, even when you're only six inches away.

It was a long trip but i'm finally settling down here in Bendigo, Australia; still a bit jet-lagged though! I spent the day with Bishop Joe after he picked me up from the airport. Who would have thought!!! A bishop waiting for me at the airport at 3am!! Makes you feel kinda' special. Off to city centre... will update more soon!

See yah!!

I begin my long trip today! Consequentially I will not be able to update my blog for 2 or 3 days, until I arrive and get internet access!!

I'll be arriving in Melbourne early morning on the 5th of September. Keep me in your prayers!! See yah!!

Lighting your Desktop!

Last-minute preperations undarwey!! I'm getting somewhat excited for the trip... I will be travelling for 25 hours, 23 of which will be in the plane!! The "What do you say?" single has been released on local stations and the Pro-Life Campaign will soon be launched!

I took a professional-looking ;) photo this week in Bugibba... thought some of you may be interested in using it as a wallpaper... just click on the image!!