Stories | Fr Mirko Integlia

A Countdown I Couldn’t Join

My apologies. I did not celebrate the New Year. People keep asking me the same question:“So, how did you celebrate New Year’s Eve?” I smile, change the subject, postpone the answer. But maybe it is time to tell the truth. I went to bed at 9:30 pm. I tried not to hear people shouting, toasting, celebrating, or the fireworks exploding over Sydney Harbour. I know—hopeless. Not exactly postcard material or Instagram stories. I am not saying they should have done the same. But I s

November Letter to My Grandmother Teresa.

Nonna, how are you, where are you, who have you become in the afterlife?

Nov 14, 2025

What the ‘Venue’ has joined together, let no one put asunder.

When I look at the trend of weddings held outdoors — beneath trees, beside lakes, on a beach, in a vineyard — I think about how much these ceremonies reveal about who we are and where we stand as a society.

Oct 25, 2025

See you at the ‘border’!

“Lord, where can I meet you?”“Come,” the Lord answers, “meet me at my favourite spot.” “Where is your favourite spot?” I reply.The Lord says, “Meet me at the border.”

Oct 15, 2025

130 Miles from Gaza: Faith that moves waves

They are now 130 miles from Gaza—the crew members of the Flotilla. What will Israel do, and who are these adventurers of human rights ? On their website, they declare their belief in: “Justice, freedom, and the sanctity of human life.” On the same site, one can even follow the live broadcast of their navigation—something I find deeply striking. Some admire them; others dismiss them as exhibitionists.I don’t know the answer. But one thing is certain: they are putting their l

Oct 2, 2025

When the Heart Whispers: If Only!

Last night I asked ChatGPT: Tell me, how many songs are there that say, ‘Do not judge’? The answer came back: Impossible to count. There are too many, in every language, in every style. And yet… the Gospel today reminds us that judgment is real. I then read the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)and it really moved me. The rich man is judged and condemned, and the way the evangelist describes his fate is so vivid that it stays with you long after hearing it:

Sep 28, 2025