This is My Story of Real Conversion
In last month’s column, I wrote that conversion is more than a single moment. Conversion often comprises many small events and encounters throughout our lives that lead us deeper into the heart of God. Yet,...
Category: Sarah-Leah Pimentel
Conversion Can Change the World!
The film Amazing Grace (2006) recounts the efforts by William Wilberforce to convince late-18th century England to abolish the international slave trade. But it wasn’t Wilberforce’s plight that draws my attention, but rather the...
What Does Really Matter in Life?
What really matters in the measure of a life? A few weeks ago, I attended the funeral of a 95-year old lady. It was a quiet affair, attended by a few of her family...
Don’t Blame Church if We’re Lukewarm
Waiting in line for confession a few weeks ago, I witnessed two adults sharing their relationship with the Church with the children who accompanied them. At one end of the line, a little boy...
As We Prepare to Vote
A few months ago one of The Southern Cross’ followers on Facebook asked whether South Africa’s only weekly Catholic newspaper would tell readers who to vote for in the upcoming 8 May elections. As...
7-point Plan to Keep Sane on Social Media
Every year, one of my colleagues gives up Facebook for Lent. The rationale is quite simple; she wants to use the time she would normally spend on social media to make more time for...
Lessons from a Virtual Reality Game
I played a virtual reality game for the first time at a recent team-building event at work. At first it was really strange putting on the headset which immerses you in the virtual reality...
Faith When We Are Running on Empty
Two blocks from my house there is a small church. It has no signboard to indicate its denomination. On a Sunday, the parking lot is rarely full and the tiny congregation is elderly and...
Come, Lord Jesus, Come
Can you remember the excitement of the arrival of a new child to the family? From the moment the expectant parents announce the news, there is a flurry of activity to prepare the room...
Fight Back With Love
The world is changing. It is becoming angrier, more hateful and less trusting of those who are different — either because they come from a different country, practise a different religion, have a different sexual orientation, or hold different political or social views.
My Spiritual Lesson From an Ear Infection
For the past few weeks I have been struggling terribly with my ears. I picked up an ear infection while travelling for work, and it’s thrown me completely off balance, literally. At first I...
Holiness in Hopelessness
I am reading Pope Francis’ document on holiness, Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and Be Glad”), which was published earlier this year. But to be honest, I’m finding it really hard to be holy....
