NEWS
Ann Hara Smith
31 March 2012
Ka mihi nui kia koutou katoa at this time of rejoicing with whanau, to our church whanau, our whanau overseas and especially here at home. Keep God, keep safe and keep well, are my wishes for you all at this time of celebration.
My own celebration is about successfully negotiating the three years of the ‘Walk By Faith’ course to graduate with a Diploma in Religious Studies.
Who would have thought that God was pushing me to complete three years’ of study, reflection, prayer and assignments and then an evangelisation project!
This journey began when at Mass one day I realised that some words were a little different and the homily made me think the priest had been a fly on the wall at my house that morning.
The gospel message never dates and it is always appropriate at whatever stage of your life you are in.
My thanks to Mary Nankivell for directing me to the ‘Walk By Faith’ enrolment form.
I became a student again. My learnings were to help me and, through me, to help my children and especially my grandchildren come closer to God.
To the group of my Walk by Faith whanau whom I have met, thank you for your wisdom and encouragement, your truth, your tenacity to continue despite health hiccoughs, through whanau and homelands calling to you from overseas and being there for every hui. What an honour to have been part of your story.
To the course tutor, Sister Eileen Brosnahan RSM, my grateful thanks for your whakaaro and aroha, a wonderful instrument of God.
If you think this course is not for you, stop, my friend and consider, one is never too old to learn. God’s word never dates, while we do, God’s love does not.
A certificate in spiritual formation and a certificate in biblical and sacramental formation are awarded on completion of Years One and Two respectively for those who wish to participate for only one or two years of the course.
Contact the National Centre for Religious Studies for more about Walk By Faith 04 819 8387.
Image: Ann Hara Smith