A CATHOLIC MISSION MAGAZINE ISSUE 22
Building Bridges from ‘Bree’ to Bourke Getting in touch with the Kutchi Kohli Happy to be a fish out of water Inside: Your full-page poster and special thank you card!
Pumping new life into Madagascar
In this issue… RESPONDING TO POPE FRANCIS’ LAUDATO SI’ 3 BUILDING BRIDGES FROM ‘BREE’ TO BOURKE
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WORLD MISSION MONTH 2016
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PULL-OUT POSTER
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FILLING UP TUMMIES AND HEARTS
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PUMPING NEW LIFE INTO MADAGASCAR
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GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE KUTCHI KOHLI
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HAPPY TO BE A FISH OUT OF WATER
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Cover image: Children on the lookout from the family home in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Catholic Mission acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which this magazine was published.
Message from the National Director Greetings to all, I write to you having recently returned from Rome, where for the first time in my still relatively new role as National Director I was able to meet with my contemporaries and discuss the direction of the Pontifical Mission Societies, of which we are so proudly and significantly a part.
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special feature of these trips is the opportunity to meet Pope Francis, whose words were directed as much to you, our supporters, and the broader Church as they were to us as directors.
A hallmark of Pope Francis’ oratorical style is his youthful verve, which has captured the attention of the secular world especially. The zeal that has been credited with attracting a whole new audience to the Church was on display when he spoke to the national directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies. Acknowledging the centenary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, Pope Francis asked us all to commit to permanent formation to the mission to which we are called. Departing from his prepared text, Pope Francis told us that we had to do more than just make money—important though that is, he said. We must also inspire “zeal” for the mission. Father Paolo Manna established the Pontifical Missionary Union with the aim of forming clergy for mission abroad. Pope Francis believes that such formation should be far-reaching, beyond just the clergy and to all people with a heart for mission. In this issue of Mission Today, you can read about how we at Catholic Mission are responding to this call, not only through our mission formation activities, but also through our support for missionary activity in communities in need all around the world. I invite you to join us in this immense challenge. I hope that as winter hits its stride, you’ll find comfort in the warmth of the stories within these pages. Blessings to you and your family,
PO Box 1668 North Sydney NSW 2059 T: 02 9919 7800 F: 02 8904 0185 E: admin@catholicmission.org.au
Freecall: 1800 257 296 catholicmission.org.au
Fr Brian Lucas National Director
Responding to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Beth Riolo
In his groundbreaking environmental encyclical, Laudato Si’, Pope Francis invites every living person on this planet to a dialogue about our common home and how we are shaping its future. A key component of Catholic Mission’s response to this invitation from Pope Francis has been the Francis Effect II Colloquium program that has been successfully rolled out across Australia throughout 2015 and 2016. The Francis Effect II Colloquiums are the fruits of a joint partnership between Catholic Mission, Catholic Earthcare Australia and Catholic Religious Australia, and they have been held in capital cities and regional centres, including Melbourne, Ballarat, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Sydney, Brisbane, Bathurst, Wollongong and Maitland-Newcastle. They have indeed been wonderful opportunities for people from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, parish and work settings to engage in meaningful conversation and dialogue with the substance of Laudato Si’ using prayer, input, conversation and workshop processes. Much of the success of the colloquiums has been due to the presence of the renowned ecological theologian, Father Denis Edwards. Through his series of keynote addresses covering the Universal Communion of Creation; Integral Ecology; and Ecological Education and Spirituality, colloquium participants were able to explore the content of the encyclical and consider the implications for themselves as an individual, for their own families and
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Mark Raue addresses the Francis Effect II Colloquium in Sydney in October
communities of work, parish and school. Each colloquium has provided opportunities for people to discern and respond to the Pope’s challenge for action on behalf of all creation. Another important component of the colloquium experience has been the presentations from people sharing their real stories of how they live Laudato Si’ in their own local context. For many participants this has been where the theory meets the practical and has given rise to new ideas and inspiration for action. Pope Francis’ vision in Laudato Si’ is a vision that calls everyone to “read the signs of the times” and respond with a change of heart—environmentally,
FRANCIS EFFECT III PRE-ORDER TODAY FOR CHRISTMAS!
MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
spiritually and morally, that leads to a new way of living on Earth and relating to not just the human world, but indeed to all of creation differently. Catholic Mission, through the Francis Effect II Colloquium program, has certainly contributed to this “reading of the signs of the times” in a most positive and practical way.
Some participant responses… “An excellent way to approach the issue. I have many ideas to take back to my workplace and my home life. Fantastic day for encouraging this.” “Father Denis unpacked the encyclical in a very user friendly manner. He took us into the richness of the text.” ■
To celebrate the Jubilee Year of Mercy and Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation ‘Amoris Laetitia: on the Joy of Love in Families’, Catholic Mission will publish The Francis Effect III: The Mission of Love And Mercy in October 2016. You can pre-order your copy today at:
shop.cm.org.au
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Building bridges from ‘Bree’ to Bourke
Catholic Mission’s Indigenous Immersions Coordinator Fran Kelly shares her experience of visiting the far west of New South Wales to explore partnerships with one of Australia’s largest dioceses.
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he Catholic Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes is one of Australia’s largest and oldest. Originally established as the Diocese of Wilcannia in 1887, it was expanded in 1917 to include Forbes, Parkes, and four other rural areas taken from the Bathurst Diocese. Today, it covers the entire western half of the state of New South Wales. It comes as no surprise then, that getting around the diocese is a challenge for Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green, who was appointed by Pope Francis in April 2014. I spent about ten days in May travelling around the diocese, first with our Schools and Advocacy Program Manager Jenny Collins-White and then with Bishop Macbeth-Green and Therese Newell from the Catholic Education Office. Making the journey from the bishop’s office in Forbes
We were visiting at the invitation of Bishop Macbeth-Green, and we were welcomed very warmly … wherever we went. PAGE 4
to Cobar, then onto Bourke and Brewarrina illustrates the vastness and diversity of a diocese that stretches from Goodooga to Gonn. Visiting at the invitation of Bishop Macbeth-Green, we were welcomed very warmly by the local community wherever we went. It certainly helps that Bishop knows the diocese so well; he grew up on a farm in Forbes and he knows the way of life, which is important for his understanding of the challenges that the community faces. The trip was a sort of “first cuppa” towards developing a more formal relationship between Catholic Mission and the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese. From a parish dinner in Cobar to witnessing the Confirmation of young students in Brewarrina, it was clear to us that there is rich Catholic life in this diocese and that an immersions partnership could open eyes and hearts to this reality. In Bourke, we explored that idea further, with discussions of an Outback Immersion Program—a reimagining of Catholic Mission’s current Indigenous Immersion Program. A Catholic Mission Immersion allows adult and student participants to experience a new perspective on life, faith, and justice in a context outside their own.
This exciting immersion program will ideally be held in the school holidays and will involve the elders of the Ngemba tribe, the traditional owners of the land in Brewarrina and essential partners in facilitating the immersions. Pilot programs are now being discussed with individuals and organisations that have expressed interest in either hosting or participating in the immersions, including Bathurst’s MacKillop College. Catholic Mission plans to revisit Brewarrina and connect with the Ngemba family once again to develop this partnership and deliver an amazing, interactive immersion experience to Australian students. Stay tuned for updates! ■
Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Looking ahead
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
World Mission Appeal 2016 Catholic Mission’s World Mission Month Appeal this year takes its theme from the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi: ’Lord, make me an instrument of your peace’. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, it is a timely and fitting focus. Catholic Mission has been reaching out and supporting communities locally and globally for 194 years to help them fully realise the meaning of this unmistakable prayer.
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omestic violence and broken relationships are distressing experiences that frequently result in lasting physical and emotional trauma. Women and children are most often the direct victims, but it also affects men and the broader community as
well. Sadly, domestic violence is as real an issue in Australia as it is anywhere else in the world. Here, the federal government has committed significant funding and resources to support campaigns aimed at preventing the problem of domestic violence. But in
developing countries, the response has been slow and less coordinated. Just as here in Australia, in Papua New Guinea, domestic violence is painful, damaging and life-threatening. It is also highly prevalent. Coupled with poverty and the distinct isolation of many of its communities, Papua New Guinea is especially exposed to the dire consequences of domestic violence. Even so, despite some legislative progress, the issue is yet to receive the public profile that it has in Australia. However, change is coming gradually. The Sisters of Mercy in Australia and Papua New Guinea have established their development arm, Mercy Works, to deal with issues such as domestic violence. They have set up the Family Life and Community Advocacy programs to raise awareness, educate the community and support families who are at risk. The programs are delivered to remote communities throughout the Daru-Kiunga Diocese, and are freely accessible to all. Community leader Steven Dude is one of the project’s coordinators. With the help of Catholic Mission, and along with other project support staff, Steven travels to various communities, engaging with people of all ages, genders and backgrounds; listening to their stories, caring, advocating, and training them. This year’s World Mission Month Appeal invites parishioners to reach out through their financial gifts and prayers to support the work of Steven and other community leaders, in Papua New Guinea and around the world, to help their people heal wounds and find peace through mercy. Keep an eye out for the appeal this October! ■
MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
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MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Children wash and play in a river in Madagascar, where Catholic Mission is working to help improve water quality and safety MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
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Work with Children
KENYA
Filling up tummies and hearts The small central Kenyan town of Embu is blessed with an eclectic mix of Christian churches and ministries, jostling for space in the tiny city on the Rupingazi River, north-east of the capital Nairobi. While parish and community life is rich in Embu, local community and Church members are concerned about serious issues threatening the people, especially vulnerable children.
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n the past decade, drug use, disease and suicide have become common in Embu, and mortality rates continue to creep up to worrying levels. Although it is hard to pinpoint why the prevalence of these issues is so high, Sister Florence Wairimu says that food insecurity is at the core of the issue. Because most of Embu is semi-arid land, fresh food is scarce, and the insecurity drives people to harmful choices. Most at risk are the many orphans resulting from these high death rates. With no one to care for them, they are placed in life-threatening danger due to the food shortage. The school welcomes these children through its doors, regardless of their religion, and provides the care they require. Two years ago, the diocese set up a feeding program for vulnerable local children at the St Peter and St Paul Catholic School, where Sister
Florence works. The feeding program, supported by Catholic Mission, provides the children with one nutritious meal per day, sustaining them on healthy quantities of maize, beans, sugar and rice. It ensures they receive the nourishment they require for physical and mental development, while keeping the children healthy, happy and focused. The feeding program has far-reaching impact, beyond just filling hungry tummies. “We were able to keep some of these children in school and
Many children are orphaned and are forced to drop out of school so they can be employed in child labour.
A young girl in Kenya benefits from a feeding program supported by Catholic Mission * The subject of this photograph benefits from a similar program to that featured in this story
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integrate them into normal learning programs,” says Sister Florence. In addition, those children from Catholic families can be taught catechism and receive the sacraments. Most importantly for many of the children, the school offers a safe home environment, saving scores of vulnerable young people from a terrifying reality that Sister Florence explains is far too common in Embu. “Many children are orphaned and are forced to drop out of school so they can be employed in child labour,” she says. “The majority end up abusing drugs and roaming the streets.” Millicent Wanjiku is one of the school’s success stories. A very intelligent girl, she is now in the eighth grade at St Peter and St Paul Catholic School after a more difficult beginning than any child should have to face. Abused at a young age, Millicent was left an orphan after her father left the family and her mother committed suicide shortly afterwards. She was left to the care of her grandmother, who passed away two years ago. To make matters worse, the house Millicent lived in burnt down not long after her grandmother’s passing. Bishop Paul Kariuki Njiru found Millicent and brought her to the school to be cared for and nourished. Today, she is excelling at class, and is happy and friendly. There are many other children just like Millicent who desperately need the care and security provided by the sisters at St Peter and St Paul Catholic School. Your generous support helps ensure the feeding program remains operational, and that these children have their most basic needs catered for. With rising rates of premature death and children being abandoned at young ages in Embu, your support of this project is crucial. ■ MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Work with Children
MADAGASCAR
Pumping new life into Madagascar Things were getting dire in Madagascar. After months without rain, the river beds were drying up, and the water that remained was a dirty brown and unsafe to drink. Worst affected were the children, whose stomachs swelled and ached with hunger. Malnutrition was rife; many children were weak, frail, pale-faced and sweaty. This was the scene in Vatomandry, on the island’s east coast, just over three years ago. Thanks to your support, things have improved significantly.
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t is astounding what a difference a year can make. Sister Rose and her fellow Daughters of Wisdom run the Wisdom School in a small city called Vatomandy, on the northern coast of the island. When they featured in Catholic Mission’s Church Appeal last year, the sisters had only recently installed a series of vital water pumps that meant the children at the school could access safe water for drinking and cleaning. Just over three years ago, Vatomandry was at crisis point. “The area around the school was very dirty and stinky, especially during the hot summer days,” said Sister Rose. “The children, including their clothes and workbooks, were also dirty as they could not wash their hands after using the bathroom and playing outside. Many students were falling sick all the time.” However, after the water pumps had been installed, Sister Rose noted significant change. “I have seen great changes in the children. Being able to wash themselves and keep clean has increased their self-confidence and eagerness to learn,” she said. “The children pass on what they learn to their parents … Now, the whole community has improved.” In a recent letter, Sister Rose reported back, “We are happy to share with you that since we have had water with pumps and wells, we do not have a lot of worries about the health of the children because the cleanliness and hygiene has improved.
MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Sister Rose Rasoavololona and students enjoy clean water from a pump provided by Catholic Mission
“I can tell you that the disease caused by lack of water, dirt and stomach aches are no longer problems for us, thanks to your help and your support. We are truly grateful for everything you have done for us.” With its students now enjoying better health than ever, the Wisdom School still needs your support to ensure they receive a good education. Madagascar is a land of destructive cyclones and the Wisdom School has suffered as much as any other area. Its school buildings often take a battering, and one primary school building is so badly damaged that it needs to
be completely rebuilt. “The building was built over 60 years ago and has suffered the ravages of time,” says Sister Rose. “As the dilapidated roof and framework are often damaged by cyclones and bad weather, it is necessary to repair them regularly. Now we must rebuild them entirely.” For your support of the good work of the sisters in Vatomandry, Sister Rose is entirely grateful. “On behalf of the entire educational community of the school—sisters, the teacher’s team, the parents and the pupils—we thank you for what you can do to help us.” ■ PAGE 9
Work with Communities
PAKISTAN
Getting in touch with the Kutchi Kohli Father Jimmy Lindero MHM travelled to the south of Pakistan on behalf of Catholic Mission UK to spend time with the Kutchi Kohli people. He shares his experience of both the history and current reality of life for this marginalised community. daughters to study, as historically their priority is to educate only their boys. The sisters who run the school have a rule that families with daughters cannot send their boys to school unless they send the girls as well. A ‘Village Children’ program, which includes catechesis, prayers, games, and health and hygiene lessons, is conducted on an annual basis with children from the villages. Last year, more than 300 children participated and were provided with spiritual formation and an opportunity to enjoy being with other children in the parish. The Kutchi Kohli are a marginalised people sustained by farming crops such as cotton
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istorically, the Kutchi Kohli people belong to one of the indigenous ethnic minorities of Hindu background in Sindh Province, east of Hyderabad in Pakistan. Equivalent to India’s ‘untouchables’, the Kutchi Kohli people are often caught in a debilitating cycle of debt and poverty due to extremely low wages and dishonest manipulation by landowners who take advantage of their illiteracy. For the Kohlis, who live in a community where fear is often an underlying emotion, Jesus Christ represents a God who shares their joys and sorrows and freely offers them unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness. The Catholic Church’s work in the community focuses on the faith formation of the laity and empowering the potential parish lay leaders. The aim is to promote peace and justice, interfaith dialogue, and integral development of the Kutchi Kohli people through formal PAGE 10
One of the challenges in this community is convincing parents to send their daughters to study.
Currently, Catholic Mission’s partners in the community visit over 900 families scattered throughout more than 400 villages across an area of roughly 60 kilometres. The faith of the Kutchi Kohli Christians is still very young and is in a very fragile state. There is a tendency for those who have embraced Christianity to revert back to Hinduism. Often they face discrimination, or pressure by their own Hindu relatives or fellow villagers to renounce their Christianity, as they are a minority within their Kutchi Kohli Hindu community.
One of the main pillars of the missionary activities of the parish is the separate boarding houses for Kutchi Kohli girls and boys. The homes serve as an avenue for the spiritual, faith, cognitive, affective and value formation of the children. At present, 50 boys and 35 girls benefit from the care the homes provide. One of the challenges in this community is convincing parents to send their
Nevertheless, the number of the Kutchi Kohli Catholics has continued to increase. At the dedication of a bigger church building, opened and blessed by Bishop Max J. Rodrigues, the parish priest gave a vote of thanks to local and international benefactors, which surprisingly included many local Hindus; and of course Catholic Mission’s supporters, like you, who contributed towards the construction of this new “house of prayer”. ■
and non-formal education, medical outreach, community building, the empowerment of women and livelihood projects.
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Work with Church Leaders
KENYA
Happy to be a fish out of water
Father Francis Makuba Bitute was raised on a farm in rural Kenya. He believes his upbringing and natural adaptability helped him settle into life as a priest in Nairobi’s suburbs, and become the strong and reliable community leader he is today.
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rancis Bitute was born in an area of western Kenya known as Kakamega; one of eleven children in a farming family that is still very close to its tribal roots. “I come from the Luhya tribe, a well-respected and peaceful people known for agriculture and harvesting maize, as well as bullfighting,” says Father Francis. Despite the many children living under their roof, Francis’ parents never let them go hungry. “Often we would have three meals per day. But we never went hungry as children.” The family owned two dairy cows, which would produce two litres of milk each day to be used only for the household. Once Francis finished school, his experience on the farm and with the cattle helped him land a job at a nearby factory, where he earnt a modest wage. He’d save whatever was left after supporting his family. All the while, Francis was thinking deeply about a calling he had felt since he was 13 years old. “When I was that age,” he says, “I knew that I wanted to be a priest; however, it took some time to fully commit to the idea.” At the age of 21, influenced strongly by his Catholic upbringing, Francis joined the seminary and stayed in the
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Mill Hill formation house for the next ten years. “My mother and father were not surprised when I told them I wanted to be a priest,” says Father Francis. “They had always seen it in me.” After he was ordained in 2013, Father Francis was assigned to the St Joseph and Mary Parish in Shauri Moyo, a small suburb east of the Nairobi central business district. For the aspiring missionary, staying in Kenya was somewhat disappointing.
My mother and father were not surprised when I told them I wanted to be a priest, they had always seen it in me. However, despite being raised in the country, Father Francis adapted quickly to city life, and he has made significant progress. He runs the Catholic Men’s Association in his parish, a support group that brings men from all over the parish together
to talk about issues, concerns and their faith. “The first two years in the parish have been about settling in,” says Father Francis. “But now I can see their faith growing through the ‘jumuia’, or small Christian communities. The 32-year-old Father Francis had a very busy 2015. He set up a nursery for preschool-aged children, so that working parents can leave their children in safe care. In addition, he also manages a group for high school students aged 15 to 20 years. The aim is to form these young people in their faith and involve them in liturgy and pastoral activities. Father Francis describes his vision for the future: “I really want to remain engaged in pastoral work from a faith perspective,” he says. “Also to identify the needs of the youth and help them in the future by forming them to be better citizens tomorrow. In the Shauri Moyo community, early intervention is crucial to avoid major societal problems. Father Francis says your support is essential to achieve his goal. “We are very grateful for the support we get from Catholic Mission donors. We cannot sustain any of our programs without them.” ■ PAGE 11
TOGETHER WE CAN REACH OUT AND GIVE LIFE
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