I was born into and happily raised in a devout Catholic family
where my mother kept the parish accounts and my father was involved in the local St Vincent de Paul Society. Well more than
just involved he helped introduced Vinny's Boutiques to the Western Suburbs of Sydney. Educated by the Brown Josephites and
the Patrician Brothers, I was so impressed by the lifestyle of my teachers that I joined them by making public profession
of both religion and education as a Patrician Brother. Although the vows were only temporary my commitment to both has been
lifelong and Sukyo Mahikari has helped fulfill the dreams of my youth,
My forty years in education were not
without up and downs and I found the practice of Sukyo Mahikari provided me with effective methods to overcome several episodes
of debilitating doubt in my chosen path in life. The Sukyo Mahikari principle of Gratitude to the Creator for absolutely everything
in daily life (even for depressing doubts and their accompanying insecurity) opened me to the presence of the Divine in my
life. It raised me up so that I was able to complete my teaching career with an exchange year in Nara Japan, sister city of
Canberra, and the award of an ACT Government Study Fellowship.
As a practitioner of Sukyo Mahikari
principles for over thirty years I now know from my life experience in education that these universal Sukyo principles ‘for
peace and harmony whatever the faith’ provide potential for real benefit to humankind in our world today. These principles
can be applied in practical ways by all human beings. They do however require us to make efforts similar to those involved
in breathing and the principles apply universally just like the air we all share. These principles gradually became for me,
a natural part of daily living and enriched my inner and outer life.
