I MADE IT PEOPLE!

YES! I DID IT! I MADE IT TO MASS THIS MORNING! :-D

The way it turned out, seems like I was meant to go for a reason. Not only did the readings talk to me, I also spent a good ten-minutes before mass started, on my knees, deep in prayer, and several times during the mass.

At the conclusion on my way out, I checked for any interesting reading material to take away with me. It's the start of the month, so naturally the December issue of "Together", the monthly newspaper for the Wagga Wagga Diocese, was there, along with the Christmas edition of "Australian Catholics". Hidden beneath a bunch of St. Vincent de Paul Society "Vision" magazines, I found a small paper publication of the Sacred Heart parish - "Our Special Heart". I knew of this publication from seeing the parish website, but have never seen it at the church since moving here in April.

I was quite excited by this as I missed the similar "Parish Talk" that is distributed in the Wodonga Catholic Parishes. Once arriving home - a short stroll over the road - I opened it up and had a little flip through it. Haven't read any of the material yet, more just a flick through, but an advertisement caught my eye in "Our Special Heart" calling for front-cover design for what will be renamed "Heartbeat".

"Great! This is right up my alley!" I thought, so jumped straight online and emailed the parish secretary checking if they are still looking. I'm not sure if this is a monthly publication or a quaterly one, like "Parish Talk". Assuming it is quaterly, they will be taking submissions for some time. In the meantime while I wait to hear back, I plan to make a few rough sketches of different designs, choosing a few of my favourites to then transfer into digital-form using Adobe PhotoShop and/or Illustrator.

Many of the people in the parish are older, so presumably not many people would have ideas to enter, or if they do, they will be somewhat too outdated looking, not the look they're after, too simple or something-or-other. Not big-noting myself there, but that's the way I see it! With my creative talent and ideas, perhaps each new edition of "Heartbeat" will be adorned with MY design I can only hope!

It will give me a stronger sense of belonging in the parish. At the moment, I don't really "belong" in the parish as I have rarely been going to mass. The Church I have the strongest sense of belonging to would by far be the Wodonga Catholic Parish, where I was bought up, where my parents attend. I did their website for sometime, I had regular meetings with one of the priests for a general chit-chat over coffee and a bite at the cafe, I would help out on the days when the school-kids were to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion (as my mother was the Religious Coordinator at one of the Catholic Primary schools in Wodonga) and was also a Eucharistic Minister, though I never actually administered it too often as there are so many active parishioners there willing to do it, and I would always get a little shy standing up at the sanctuary in front of the congregation - Sacred Heart Church in Wodonga is a pretty big church!!! However, I was a Eucharistic Minister - I had been educated, I had received my certificate signed by the Bishop, name badge to identify myself if I administered to those at home or in hospitals or elsewhere.

I really want to become an active parishioner of a church - make it mine. So by participating and hopefully having the winning design will be the start of that, giving me a bigger sense of belonging!

Speaking of belonging, on my way out, I held the door open for two ladies coming out. They smiled and thanked me, and one of them started talking, "I haven't seen you here before. Are you new?" to which the other replied "Oh yes I have seen you before!" I told them how I had only moved here in April, and lived right across the road, pointing to my block of flats. We continued our little talk as we walked out of the Church grounds, then went our seperate ways. I liked that! Someone noticing another they haven't before encountered! Had I never been before, I am sure she would be the "Welcome!" type. That made me feel happy, brightened my day just that bit.

Another thing that brightens my day - usually happens every time I go on a weekday - are the many old people who look at me and simply flash me a warm smile - a happy smile, welcome smile, good to see a young person smile - not a look of worry - "Is he one of those thugs that will sit at the back and steal my purse when I go for communion?"