A Lot of Firsts and a Universal Truth
I arrived at 3:30 pm for a 4:00 pm Mass at St. Nikolaus, already marked by a couple of small firsts — including being dropped off at church on a moped taxi. I was about to attend Mass in a foreign country for the first time.
Walking into St. Nikolaus, the differences announced themselves. The north and south walls were floor‑to‑ceiling shutters, swung wide so the humid air moved through the nave; the church breathed with the outside world. Inside, Buddha‑style gold detailing and faux gilding caught the light, a decorative language borrowed from Thai temples and folded into Catholic ritual. The effect was dazzling and new, nothing like Launceston.
Voices rose in mixed accents during the pre‑Mass recitals, the cadence uneven, the rhythm improvised. My attention kept returning to those contrasts, but the noticing was generous — a glass‑half‑full curiosity that welcomed variety rather than judged it.
As people filled the pews the congregation read like a small map of the world: Thais, Indians, Koreans, Filipinos, Brits, Greeks, Italians. The parish felt like a gathering of many homes, each bringing its own colour and cadence.
Then the choir struck a single verse and everything changed. The shutters, the gilding, the accents — they fell away beneath that note, and an invisible, universal joy filled the room.
That was the grace moment: not uniformity of ritual, but the universality of spirit.
About Jason Bresnehan
Jason is a writer and recovery advocate whose work explores the intersection of Catholic faith and the lived experience of addiction. His books and essays weave scripture with the rhythms of everyday life, showing how grace can surface in the most ordinary encounters.
Through A Catholic Gospel Journey – Through the Lens of Alcohol Recovery and related projects, Jason offers reflections that connect the Sunday readings to the struggles and victories of recovery. His approach is rooted in clarity, rhythm, and respect for tradition, while remaining accessible to those navigating the challenges of addiction and renewal.
Founder of the Hadspen Foundation, Jason is committed to building frameworks for spiritual recovery that are both repeatable and personal. His writing is guided by discernment, narrative cadence, and the belief that doctrine should support—not overshadow—the human story.