The Record Magazine Issue 01 (March 2016)

THE YEAR OF MERCY: SEEKING AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST Official magazine for the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth

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ISSUE 1 MARCH 2016

Featured this month 8

The Year of Mercy A true moment of encounter with the mercy of God

Synod on the Family Looking into the Family

LifeLink The Shopfront - Lending a helping hand

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Liturgy Living liturgically - What does it all mean?

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“This is my Son, the Chosen One.

Listen to him.” — Luke 9:36

FROM THE EDITOR Jamie O’Brien

Health Opening of St John of God Hospital

It has been an honour to be part of the hardworking team that has worked together in developing the new publication of the Archdiocese of Perth, The Record Magazine.

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FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE From Archbishop Timothy Costelloe From Bishop Donald Sproxton

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IN THIS EDITION Obituary - Stephen Court Synod on the Family Catholic Youth Ministry Communications Notre Dame University Life of the Parish Movie Review Book Review Events

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THE RECORD MAGAZINE

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With 140 years of history behind its development, I am certain readers will be able to appreciate the research, intuitive writing and creative design that have come together to deliver the Good News for the Church across Perth and beyond.

On behalf of the Communications team, I extend a huge thank you to Marco Ceccarelli, Feby Plando, Caroline Smith, Rachel Curry, Fayann D’souza, Lydia Stanley, Christine Jaques and Bibiana Kwaramba for all their support and patience.

I also extend our thanks to Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Bishop Don Sproxton, Fr Peter Whitely, Terry Wilson and Julie Fuge, whose never failing support and guidance I could not do without.

The Record Magazine is a magazine for the people – and I am hopeful you will all take the time to engage with it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas at editor@therecord.com.au or by contacting us on 08 9220 5900.

ARCHBISHOP’S WORD

NEW BEGINNINGS

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hen the decision was made in September 2013 to cease publication of The Record newspaper, which had been in circulation for 140 years, many people were sad, some were disappointed and a smaller number were distressed. The decision was not easily or quickly taken, and it was a cause of regret to me that circumstances had, in my view, made such a decision inevitable.

Since that time, a great deal of energy, expertise and commitment has been invested in making The eRecord a worthy successor to the weekly newspaper. I am proud to acknowledge that the very same thing can now be said of our new publication, The Record Magazine, which will be an Archdiocesan bimonthly publication, for the first edition of which I am writing these few words.

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Catholicism, and Christianity generally, is a religion of the Word. The Scriptures we read in our liturgies, and hopefully also reflect on in our homes, are the inspired written Word of God. They witness above all to the Word of God, Jesus Christ, who reveals the face of God to us in a way we can understand. Pope Francis, in this Year of Mercy, has reminded us, in fact, that Jesus Himself is the face of the Father’s mercy. This Jesus, whom we are invited to continually place at the heart of our lives and our faith, makes this divine mercy clear to us in the pages of the Scriptures, and especially, of course, in the Gospels. There, we learn what God’s mercy looks like when it is expressed in a human way. There, we hear the call to live as disciples of Jesus, allowing the Father’s mercy to also shine on our faces so that the joy of the Gospel can bring hope to people’s lives.

ARCHB SHOP S WORD

As a Church, we have Good News to share: it is the Good News of God’s constant loving and compassionate presence in our lives.

My prayer is that, through the pages of our new Archdiocesan magazine, as well as in The eRecord, the same life-giving Word, the same joy of the Gospel, might be reflected in the stories, in the articles, in the photos and in all the other content which will appear in each edition.

As a Church, we have Good News to share: it is the Good News of God’s constant loving and compassionate presence in our lives. It is also the story of the ways in which we, as a community of disciples, in spite of the personal and collective failures which blight our lives, are able to be instruments of that divine love in our world.

As we continue our journey of becoming ever more a people walking together in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd, seeking to respond to the urgent call of the Church to find new ways of faithfully proclaiming the Gospel, my prayer is that The Record Magazine, together with The eRecord, will play an increasing role in helping us to share the Good News of Jesus among our own communities and with the wider society we seek to serve. May it function as an instrument of deepening communion among us so that we can be a credible witness to the Lord and His saving mercy. +Archbishop Tim Costelloe Archbishop of Perth

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Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB written a letter has 15th anniversaryupon the of One in Christ, a landmark document in the Archdiocese of about disability Perth context of the in the Church.

The Archbishop’s letter is printed in full, below.

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Pope himself praised Cardinal Marc on how l Canadian of the wisdom has long Archbishop’s presentation l Conventional 68, is a member in increasingly will never all the worlds’ held that the cardinals lest the to revive the faithas “enthusiastic, Ouellet,of St Sulpice, whose mempope, Society emerge only after secular societies just the 117 who speaking, diocesan an American conbers are, strictly cardinals – not80 and eligible to elect and profound”. the Church appear leadership of States’ joyfulAlthough not a familiar name priests but which is normally will be under Hence, he l at the Vatican to be linked with the United domia religious order. of reli– begin meeting is Hungarian Cardinal 19 members and book- votethe coming days. One thing of economic and geopolitical and in the press,of Esztergom-Budapest, sidered is one of only in extroverted Erdo because the cardinal WHEREVER journalists nance. But the Timothy Dolan, Peter a major figure among his peers clear, however: getting the names gious orders among makers may be top candidates for alreadyexperience and the esteem many 60, is jocular Cardinal who are overwhelmingly Church’s traditional in Europe, the the region of more electors, clergy. He is prefect of the on their lists ofit’s not from the car- their enjoy among their peers, cer- 63, charmed and impressed Cardinals in and diocesan which the next Pope, actually vote in the they cardinals are likely to serve as the College of he delivered heartland the cardinal electors. He Congregation for Bishops,Page 12 when rest in the in than half dinals who will custom and canon tain Please turn to February 2012 advisers to the at a meeting to a second five-year election. Both cardinals to discuss trusted election.

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life’s purpose

UPCOMING retreats to be held on July 20 and August 25 in the idyllic surrounds of the Schoenstatt t houtside erecor d . c o m . awill u Armadale shrine just offer women aged 17-30 a unique opportunity to seek life’s purpose.

The most recent Grace and Silence retreat day was held at the Shrine for single young women on Sunday June 30.

So far, 19 women have participated in the event since it began in May. The days offer single young women the relatively rare opportunity to immerse themselves in prayerful silence to contemplate their life’s vocation; the retreats are experience positivean proving to be aduring After preaching and leading the congregation evening service at Good Shepherd Parish in Lockridge, Fr Michael Nguyen, a Vietnamese-born Redemptorist based in Rome, prays over participants. for those who attend.

Hundreds attended his talks in three parishes in Perth and came PHOTO: ROBERT HIINI are forward to receive prayers for a myriad of intentions. See Robert Hiini’s interview - Page 6 organisers and Silence Grace delighted with the echoes which the participants have shared with them.

“I didn’t realise how much I needed it until I was there. It really helped me clarify a few things in my mind and to make a few decisions regarding my vocation and fulfil it,” wrote to do toFrancis what I need“Pope UNDERSCORING growing interwill lead a Prayer and many of our parish and other of the birth of Mary, Queen of respond to violence, to conflict and one participant. national concern at the worsening Vigil in St Peter’s Square, Vatican communities will already be pray- Peace. to war, with the power of dialogue, are scheddays retreat Two final on July situation in Syria, Pope Francis at 7.00pm on20 Saturday. He ing for peace in Syria, I would ask “On 7 September, in Saint Peter’s reconciliation and love. She is our 9.30am-4.30pm uled for City 25. The and August called on individual Catholics, “felinvites the retreats whole cost you to invite your people to pray Square, here, from 19:00 until 24:00, mother: may she help us to find refreshlunch andand $20 including low Christians, followers of other Church, in a special way on Saturday and we will gather in prayer and in a peace; all of us are her children! ments. Registration is essential and religions and all men of good will” indeed Sunday with and for those who spirit of penance, invoking God’s Help us, Mary, to overcome this limited.all people places are everywhere to enter into a day ofFor more of good will, toconare suffering. You may choose to great gift of peace upon the belovedforthcoming most one-day difficult moment to dediinformation, 20 and on Julyand retreats Armadale. Two outside 090 or 306 in 0415him in the foothills Shrine SUPPLIED fasting and penance for peace tact in Hanna uniteonwith use the Prayers the of the Faithful orlocated nation of Syriajustand upon each situa- cate ourselves each PHOTO: day to building Schoenstatt to A young woman reads in the grounds of chance to escape the business of everyday life to focus on hearing God’s call to them. visit www.schoenstattwa.org.au 17-30 a agedopportunity the war-torn nation this coming prayer and fastother for prayer tion of conflict and violence around in every situation an authentic culwomen August 25 will offerany download a registration form.

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Saturday September 7.

His call came during his Angelus homily last Sunday.

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB this week supported Pope Francis’s call to the whole Church in a statement issued to priests, deacons, staff and friends.

ing for the gift of peace which only the Lord can give, and to pray in a special way for those whose lives are beset by turmoil and violence at this time,” Archbishop Costelloe said.

“Although the notice is short,

you deem appropriate.

the world,” the Pope said.

“Let us join as best we can in “Humanity needs lives to see these in our as the faithFrancis outlines solidarity with Pope and beacon gestures of peace and to hear words Francis’ first encyclicalthe Church throughout the world of hope and peace! I ask all the

Follow ‘the light of life’ at this time of great suffering for so many.”

The day chosen by Pope Francis for the prayer initiative is the vigil

local churches, in addition to fasting, that they gather to pray for this intention.

“Let us ask Mary to help us to

By Francis rocca POPE FRANCIS’ first encyclical, Lumen Fidei (“The Light of Faith”), is a celebration of Christian faith as the guiding light of a “successful and fruitful life”, inspiring social action as well as devotion to God, and illuminating “every aspect of human existence”, including philosophy and the natural sciences.

The document, released on July 5, completes a papal trilogy on the three “theological virtues” following Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclicals Deus Caritas Est (2005) on charity and Spe Salvi (2007) on hope.

Publication of the encyclical was one of the most awaited events of the Year of Faith which began in October 2012.

Pope Benedict “had almost completed a first draft of an encyclical on faith” before his retirement in

February 2013, Pope Francis writes, adding that “I have taken up his fine work and added a few contributions of my own”.

Commentators will likely differ in attributing specific passages, but the document clearly recalls the writings of Pope Benedict in its extensive treatment of the dialogue between faith and reason and its

many citations of St Augustine, not to mention references to Friedrich Nietzsche and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

On the other hand, warnings of the dangers of idolatry, Gnosticism and Pharisaism, a closing prayer to Mary as the “perfect icon of faith”, and an entire section on the relevance of faith to earthly justice and peace echo themes that Pope

ture of encounter and peace. Mary, Queen of QUOTABLE Peace, pray for us!” lost its sense

has culture “Ourand Parishes individuals can share their of God’s tangible presence and ideas activity and activities with think of The Wereaders in our world.

Recordthat on God ourisFacebook in the to be foundpage. reality, What did your parishlevel do?ofSend your stories on another beyond, to: editor@therecord.com.au far removed from our everyday

Francis has already made signatures of his young pontificate.

Lumen Fidei begins with a brief survey of the biblical history of faith, starting with God’s call to Abraham to leave his land – “the beginning of an exodus which points him to an uncertain future” – and God’s promise that Abraham will be “father of a great nation”.

The Bible also illustrates how men and women break faith with God by worshipping substitutes for him.

“Idols exist, we begin to see, as a pretext for setting ourselves at the centre of reality and worshipping the work of our own hands,” the Pope writes. “Once man has lost the fundamental orientation which unifies his existence, he breaks down into the multiplicity of his desires ... Idolatry, then, is Continued - Pages 10-11

relationships. But if this were the case, if God could not act in the world, his love would not be truly powerful, truly real, and thus not even true, a love capable of delivering the bliss that it promises. ... Christians, on the contrary, profess their faith in God’s tangible and powerful love, which really does act in history and determines its final destiny: a love that can be encountered, a love fully revealed in Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.”

- from Lumen Fidei, Ch 2 We have believed in Love

Archbishop Barry Hickey shows Archbishop-designate Timothy Costelloe the inside of St Mary’s Cathedral in East Perth on 20 February, the day Pope Benedict XVI announced the Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop’s appointment as the new Archbishop of Perth.

PHOTO: MICHAEL CONNELLY

By RoBeRt Hiini POPE Benedict XVI has appointed Salesian Bishop Timothy Costelloe SDB as the sixth Archbishop of Perth, making the announcement in Rome at noon on Monday 20 February (7pm local time).

Archbishop Costelloe said he felt a sense of “gratitude, humility, and also a certain trepidation” in taking up his new role.

“I am very grateful to his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI,” he said, “for the confidence he has shown in me by appointing me to this role”.

Born and raised in Melbourne,

Victoria, Bishop Costelloe has served as Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne since June, 2007.

He was ordained a Salesian Father on 25 October, 1986 and spent the better part of 25 years in a teaching capacity; helping to form seminarians, teaching high school students and lecturing at colleges and universities.

The new Archbishop is no stranger to Perth, serving as Parish Priest of St Joachim’s in Victoria Park from 1996 to 1999 as well as lecturing in Systematic Theology at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle.

“I came to value the vibrancy

of the faith of the Catholic people of the Archdiocese,” he said.

“We are a very multi-cultural society and, consequently, a very multi-cultural Church. This is a source of strength and hope for us all.”

[He is] a scholar, a pastor and a very amiable companion.

He admired the “commitment and strong sense of solidarity” among Perth’s clergy and hoped “to foster this spirit of mutual respect

and cooperation”. Bishop Costelloe will take possession of the archdiocese on 21 March during a solemn Mass and liturgical reception at St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth.

Retiring Archbishop Barry Hickey said he welcomed the announcement of his successor.

Archbishop Hickey said he knew Bishop Costelloe’s personal qualities well, describing him as “a scholar, a pastor and a very amiable companion”.

The then-Father Costelloe was one of two personal theologians chosen by Archbishop Hickey to advise him at the 1998 Synod of Continued on Page 2

Farewell Mass A special Peoples’ Farewell Mass will be celebrated in St Mary’s Cathedral on Tuesday 6 March at 6.30pm to farewell Archbishop Hickey.

Bishop Donald Sproxton is currently preparing invitations to parish and diocesan representatives as well as friends and personal acquaintances of Archbishop Hickey

Installation Mass The Installation Mass for Archbishop Costelloe will be held on Wednesday 21 March at 6.30pm in St Mary’s Cathedral.

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By Matthew Biddle and Carol Glatz BISHOP Christopher Saunders has called for the Federal Government to increase payments to job-seekers around the country.

Bishop Saunders, the chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, made the request in the ACSJC’s annual pastoral letter.

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St Jerome’s Munster parishioner Montais Portinha takes a moment after placing a crown on a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes during 10am Mass at St Jerome’s Church last Sunday. During the Offertory, parish children carried flowers to the church’s sanctuary in prepation for the parish’s annual Crowning of Mary Queen of the May ceremony. See story - page 6.

PHOTO: MATHEW DE SOUSA

Newly marrieds and mentor couples gathered for dinner at the beginning of 2011.

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Visiting Priest draws faithful in three parishes to hear a Gospel of Conviction

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mark 20 years of indepence

A LIFETIME commitment is a big thing to promise and with changing jobs, the arrival of a newborn, and moving house, the first five years can be a real challenge.

A new initiative, Ministry to the Newly Married was launched in Perth in 2010 and has grown considerably since then.

From starting with three newlywed couples, this year the number is up to 60 and over 100 are expected by 2014.

The five year long programme counsels newly married couples through the initial, difficult years with longer-married couples as

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mentors. Meeting three times during the year for a meal, they discuss particular themes such as forgiveness, planning for life and dealing with big changes.

Ministry to the Newly Married hopes to help couples build their marriage to be fulfilling and rewarding. Registration is open to any couple in their first two years of marriage or any couple marrying before 31 March 2012.

Ministry to the Newly Married is coordinated by Jacqueline and Simon Anthony and Karen and Derek Boylen. They can be contacted for more information or to register on 08 9405 4465 (Karen) or 0414 285 884 (Jacqueline).

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The Lily of the Mohawks: set to be the first native Clifford Mitchell American 0439 791 974 Indian saint.

Dressed in national costume, women from Perth’s Croatian community gather at St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Croatia’s recognition.

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determinant.” During regular conJohn Falzon, the chief executive screening tool would also encoursultations, Canadian patients are officer of the St Vincent de Paul age GPs to form better relationTHE ST VINCENT de Paul Society asked if they had difficulty making Society, told The Record the idea ships with social services and refer patients on where appropriate.” has thrown its support behind ends meet at the end of the month, was a good one.

We d n Mr e s dLaverty a y, 1 8said.

January 2012 t h e diseases a r i brought s h t h eMeanwhile, a t ion o October N th Catholic Health Australia’s (CHA) “Preventable 16,ethe call for poverty screening tests to “As patients, we are asked ques- about by poverty are a huge burden Society launched a report on poverbe included in standard doctor’s tions about family history, diet and on our health care system, and lead ty in Australia to mark anti-poverty appointments. risk-taking behaviours when we to unnecessary suffering for those week. The report provides several On October 14, CHA chief exec- visit the doctor,” he said. who are afflicted by them,” he said. recommendations for the governutive officer Martin Laverty told ment, in light of the facts on pova NSW Health Ministry summit erty in Australia. that a number of chronic diseases GPs will be able to identify risk factors by talking “We are calling on the new govcould be identified and treated earernment to revisit the recommenlier if doctors use a socioeconomic with patients about their social circumstances. dations of the McClure Report comscreening tool. missioned by the Howard govern“ The Canadian Medical “By assessing for poverty along“By encouraging GPs to talk with ment in 2000,” the Society’s national Association in a July report said side these other risk factors, doctors patients about their social and eco- president Anthony Thornton said. tackling poverty was its first prior- will better determine if a person nomic circumstances, they will be “It’s time we got serious about ity for health care,” he said. has a chronic disease and treat it better able to identify important poverty and mustered the politi“Parts of Canada are now screen- accordingly.” risk factors and encourage preven- cal will as a nation to broaden our ing for poverty in doctors’ surgerCHA hopes the plan will be con- tion and early treatment where revenue base so that we can systemies. Australia should follow suit, sidered and utilised by all State and problems are identified. atically reverse the slide into two and address poverty as a health Territory governments.

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INSIDE “It is for this reason that what we are doing here in the Cathedral Change we can tonight is so important. Along with the countless number of people believe in who have prayed in this Cathedral Our time is no we too want to say, “Hail Holy more spiritually Queen, mother of mercy, hail our complex than life, our sweetness and our hope. the first few To you do we cry… to you do we centuries of send up our sighs. Turn your eyes of Christianity, mercy towards us. Pray for us now, Ordinariate and at the hour of our death.” head says, The Papal Nuncio Archbishop and the world Gallagher spoke briefly before the is ripe for the close of proceedings, assuring the saving. people of Perth of the Pope’s good wishes: “It is my honour and pleasPages 12-13 ure to represent Pope Francis here this evening, to speak to you in his name and to assure you of his love and support and his prayers at this $2.00 time.”

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By Matthew Biddle

ues to be our mother and our helper today.

“At a time when the Church throughout the world, and therefore also here in our Archdiocese, is in great need of help as we face many difficult challenges, we need to turn to her again, rely on the power of her prayers, and entrust ourselves

or the of the Council of the on the Acts of the Catechism or any Faith.

Year of four articles Church, in church of day of the location.visit, in the the final outlined a total could Catholic other suitable decree has nomia papal time they the faithful l Each a Costelloe for Perth: The in which Faith indulgencways of a pilgrimage, catacomb, dates Archbishop Year of that they following site desJames the obtain the however, by faith- course a Christian nated the Feast of St 25) or a holy for the indicating, take basilica, church July Reidy be received l The of es, penitent, the cathedralby the local ordinary minor (Thursday, of St Mary could only Costelloe and are “truly to ignated Faith (for example, Timothy six days Apostle Solemnity (Thursday, ful who Confession l The Year of and shrines dedicated in accordance MacKillop ARCHBISHOP the the Holy Sacramental announced and pray Supreme the Cross basilicas and Virgin Mary, SDB has Catholics within 8) Eucharistintentions of the obtain a the Exaltation the Blessedor patron saints), celFeast of on which of Perth can the Year August (Saturday, with the l The in Pope as in a sacred for a ”.

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by Reuters photographer Benedict’s attend at least REUTERS, CNS Continued Costel ebration, a September it was captured Memoria of Faith b i s h o p official appearances PHOTO: ALESSANDRO BIANCHI, 4) l The on from newspapers afterturned out for one of the last time they the Holy October All Saints Emeritus Arch agencies and l Each followed XVI issued who during of 12, onwards the world’s news thousand people Assisi (Friday, coverage - Page three lessons rocketed around Solemnity 1) announcement estimated hundred College in Rome. Transition three sermons which Pope Benedict l The Mark Baumgarten or at least was among an American decree of Perth seminarian 14 last year November Christ the 17. Mr Baumgarten at the Pontifical North to desigThis photo of (Friday, Solemnity of 24), also Missions, Angelus on February as a student on September local bishops their diothe Pope led the of studies for the priesthood l The November authorised days within could is in his third year King (Sunday, nate specific which indulgences ceses on be obtained.

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mother to the beloved disciple and entrusting the beloved disciple to his mother, came alive as people began to turn to her in prayer and experience in their day to day lives the power of her presence and of her prayers for them.

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“We need to turn to Mary again, rely on the power of her prayers, and entrust ourselves to her care.”

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By RoBeRt Hiini ST MARY’S Cathedral was teeming with life last Monday night as the Catholic community of Perth celebrated 100 years as an Archdiocese.

The date could not have been more fitting, falling on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the feast after which St Mary’s, formally known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, takes its name.

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The anniversary with the important also provides us opportunity recognise that, to work and good in spite of the hard will of so many ple, much remains peoto be done. must keep recommitting We A young man touches to our ongoing ourselves the cheek of Pope Francis the principles efforts to implement during the pontiff’s belong, and ments set out and practical requireto feel at home, weekly audience faith communities. in our “Of at St Peter’s the same timein One in Christ. At course I Square at the ble we all deserve As far as possiVatican on May that in this area we must recognise II once gaveam!” Pope John Paul to have our 14. special circumstances in our archdiocese expression own understanding PHOTO: CNS the integrity of vital concern for PHOTO/CLAUDIO to recognised, acknowledged PERI an opportuwhen he said this nity to assess being called of the Church we are the Church and embraced. and school of that implemented how well they to conversion is the goal towards must be This school and heart, and of mind always the principles, have each play our communion” we must of communion”.“a home and course, be working. which we must takes time. The all true conversion and of with part with generosity, the practical Our communities courage new vision steps, outlined The Pastoral in the Pastoral in the letter where communion, must be places Letter One in tion. As with and with determinaLetter. calls us to see laid out reflects on Christ for I would everything else eyes of Christ, another word with the principle an important theological which is “belonging”, life of the Church in the to revisit theencourage everyone which ears of Christ, to listen with the the task of fully really is recommit realizing Pastoral of inclusiveness must be at the heart the heart of and to respond with themselves Letter and disabilitiesthe rights of people with Christ. We abilities in our for people with disto the task to full inclusion the Spirit’s gifts will need pastoral, spiritual every human communities: that in the of compassion, courage, of and sacramenperson is made of the image tal life of the in patience. I determination and of of God, is endowed we must be Church is one which an extraordinary Archbishop was very struck with dignity by with to achieve. continually striving of his or her 1874 his letter thatHickey’s reminder in INCE humanity, andvirtue much more Much has been done: ER S “in a very real every that at home.

S PA P we are all disabled sense of the baptized person is a member NEW Archbishop remains to be done. As I C be LTo in one way Body of Christ. at home means Hickey reminds another”. Those AT H O or therefore, not enough to N GbeC accepted, to to of working We are among us whose INNI disability is re-affirm the us it is intimately united valued and to be welcome, to be R D - W all, towards the ples: we must princieach other andL I A ’ S AWA be understood. mentation full implewith we are a mirror perhaps more visible seek “to understand R A mutually better the issues sible AUST respon- ties don’t experience these When guidelines of the proposals and see ourselves in which we can all E R N for each contained within. in ability and affirm surrounding disrealiW E S Tthe question other. In answer This to know a Christian community have eyes that reflected, if only we which Cain in practical the dignity instinctively we heart, uwill require an openness God are open and posed to of all members ways that understand. that something aa of Body of hearts Abel after he had killed his is wrong - we . c o m . recognition of ord of the Christ”.

We all wish our failures feel – “Am I my brother’s brother r e c and a the willingness The fifteenth we don’t belong. to the answer d. priorities. Most to reconsider our anniversary W o r l of of a Christian keeper?” in Christ the Most Rev Timothy of all it will require is always, oN. t iprovides every parish One of each of us a readiness N aother every Costelloe SDB Archbishop of and nise that . the Catholic community Perth rish if our own local to recoge Pa community 12 t h To read or download 21, 20 is to really beChristian M a rc h a copy of One In “a home emmanuelcentre.com.au/media/one_in_chr e s d a y, Christ, visit We d n

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CELEBRATING THE NEW LIFE OF EASTER The paper became very popular with the Catholics, who, we are told, looked forward to the arrival of the next copy of The WA Catholic Record.

The paper provided them with a sense of connection, as many lived in very isolated areas. The news it delivered came from overseas and from the other colonies around Australia, as well as the news from the developing districts of the Swan River Colony.

T

he very first edition of The Western Australian Catholic Record newspaper saw the light of day on Monday, 6 July 1874. There were only 7,000 Catholics in the diocese of Perth at that time, which meant that resources were very limited.

This, however, did not kill off the idea to establish a Catholic paper, nor the enthusiasm of the intrepid founding staff. Fr Gibney was appointed editor and the famous JT Reilly supported Fr Gibney with his experience. The initiative was in response to the reluctance of the secular press to report on issues that concerned Catholics, and, when it did, the stories were not always presented fairly.

In time, The Record archive became the great repository of the history of the Church of Perth, that comprised the entire land mass of what is Western Australia. The newspaper served the people of our state for 140 years. The digital version that we have today – The eRecord - is very different and in keeping with the times in which we live. Some of the needs of our Catholic community are strikingly the same, so I expect that this new version of The Record, in magazine format, will be very welcome.

This first edition of The Record Magazine comes to us at the glorious time of Easter. The Resurrection of Jesus is the central event that gives rise to our faith. St Paul was overcome with joy and wonder when he wrote that, if Christ is not risen, then our faith is in vain.

I have often thought about the power of the faith in the death and Resurrection of Christ, and how it was so real to the first Christians.

The Apostles, almost to a man, were prepared to give up their lives for the faith. You would have to be crazy to die for an unfounded hope.

5

No, they gave their lives in witness to what they had seen when they encountered the Risen Lord.

Death had lost its sting. Jesus had defeated the powers over death.

Easter for us, in this Jubilee Year of Mercy, has a special significance.

As we celebrate the events of Holy Week, we are drawn to meditate on how the mercy of the Father was shown to us. No one except the Son of God could lift the burden of sin from our shoulders. No one could crush sin and its demeaning effects in us, except the Son of God. There can be no greater sign given to us of the love and mercy of God. The Father sent His Son to redeem us.

Let us meditate on so great a mystery so that we may be caught up in the same joy and wonder of St Paul. May our reflection in Holy Week and the season of Easter have the power to enlarge our capacity to be merciful, understanding of one another and ready to forgive. The new life of Easter has the power to make of each of us outstanding images of the Merciful Father.

May the Risen Lord bless you and your families in this glorious time.

Bishop Don Sproxton

OBITUARY: STEPHEN COURT Even from the young age of two, Stephen Court had an inspiring effect on people.

The 58-year-old father of five, grandfather of one, accountant, active Applecross parishioner and Archdiocesan committee member, passed away peacefully in Melbourne on 18 September 2015.

Wife, Carmen, and sister, Suzanne, shared with The Record Magazine some of their positive, faith-filled memories of Stephen.

The below obituary also contains excerpts of the eulogy by son, Ben, and daughter, Gemma.

B

orn on 4 November 1956 at the former St Anne’s Hospital, Mt Lawley (now St John of God Health Care) to John and Maureen Court, Stephen spent the first few years of his life living with his parents and grandparents in Forrestfield.

After moving to Mt Pleasant and then Alfred Cove, where he grew to adulthood, Stephen was joined by siblings Suzanne (Sue) and Andrew (Andy). It was at this young age that he met lifelong friend Neil Constantine who would come and visit Stephen regularly.

In 1962, Stephen began what would become a lifelong relationship with St Benedict’s Parish, Applecross, following his commencement as a student at the primary school.

Stephen was to become very inspired by then Parish Priest, Fr Albert Lynch. It was Fr Lynch’s musical charisma and influence, along with learning to play the organ, that was to have a profound effect on Stephen.

Growing up, Stephen became known for his meticulous, precise and often

6

THE RECORD MAGAZINE

painstakingly diligent and thorough manner, earning himself the title of perfectionist. Sue says she can recall catching him as a young teenager, Dyno taping sections of his wardrobe to stay organised.

Also known for his caring nature, Sue went on to recall that, when she bought her first car, he showed her how to change a tyre and lock the door (with the keys). “I just wanted to get in the car and go but he’s like ‘No, we have to make sure you are safe first’. Then he’d go back to step one and make me do it,” Sue said.

As a young man, Stephen’s mentor was one of the best salesmen that Perth had ever seen – his father.

Capable of selling screen doors to a submarine skipper, it was John Court who taught his son how to close a deal. From the age of nine, Stephen would regularly summon siblings Sue and Andy to his room for a compulsory auction where he would sell off his used toys and almost flat batteries.

Despite a mischievous start, Stephen matured into a highly respected and capable businessman. His attention to detail, patience, diplomacy

and fine-tuned negotiation skills were just a few of the qualities he demonstrated in the working world.

He was a trusted advisor to many.

Obtaining a Bachelor of Business degree in 1978, Stephen went on to working full time as a junior auditor at Price Waterhouse Coopers in 1979, gaining his status as a Chartered Accountant.

A few years down the track, he commenced working with his father at EMECO (earthmoving business) as a partner and financial director, before eventually going into business for himself.

His work included partnerships with his father’s business, as well as a number of years consulting for Port Bouvard Limited. In addition to managing his own business, Stephen volunteered many hours of his time for causes that were close to his heart, including Aquinas College, the Archdiocese of Perth, LifeLink, St Mary’s Cathedral Building Committee and St Benedict’s Church. He was always willing to assist close friends and family with their own business or financial queries, too.

In early adulthood, Stephen’s incredible show of faith, natural leadership qualities and passion for music came together through his involvement in the St Benedict’s Music Ministry. In a leadership capacity, he was pivotal in maintaining a rich culture of music at the parish for some 40 years.

It was Stephen who was largely responsible for the organisation of a new organ – twice. Carmen recalls that, before Stephen passed away, he asked that the organ at the family home be donated to a parish in need. It was Stephen’s way, says Carmen, of giving back to the community. The organ was donated to St Jude’s Parish Lynwood/ Langford.

even in his most difficult days, he still put Carmen first.”

As a father, Stephen will be remembered by his children for his incredible patience and gentle nature.

Ever the family man with nieces, nephews and the children of friends,

Even from the young age of two, Stephen Court’s inspiring character had an effect on people. The 58-year-old father of five, Applecross parishioner and Archdiocesan committee member, passed away peacefully in Melbourne on 18 September 2015. Photos: Supplied

In what he often recalled to family and friends as his greatest achievement, Stephen met Carmen in 1976 at St Benedict’s. Carmen was new to the parish at the time and, while she initially sat at the back of the church (away from the choir), it was after she joined that their relationship began to blossom.

Some four years later, the young couple married on 1 November 1980 and went on to have five children – Benjamin, Gemma, Adam, Joshua and Daniel.

In his eulogy at the Funeral Mass, Benjamin recalls the love his father showed for Carmen.

“You could tell every time that you saw him watching her. The love in his eyes was so deep and so sincere.

He did everything in his power to make her happy, even if that meant always giving her the first cuddle of their beautiful grandson, Oliver.

“He was very proud of her and loved introducing his beautiful wife to new people. He continued to thank Carmen day after day during the final months of his battle. And,

he became well known for showing them what a light switch was, turning it gently on and off as they marvelled at his magic.

Even in his last moments, Stephen continued to fight, maintaining his sense of humour, like the time he had an oxygen mask on his face and, when son Josh walked into the room, exclaiming, “Josh, I am your father” (Star Wars reference).

“Let Dad’s life be a constant reminder to all of us to be more patient with each other; to accept each other’s flaws; to be more devoted husbands who cherish their wives; to be more supportive and accepting brothers; to be more patient and committed fathers; to be more respectful sons, more involved uncles, more loyal friends; to be more ethical and careful businessmen; more generous and selfless in giving of our time to others; to be genuinely welcoming of strangers; to be gentle men and gentlemen; and to keep God at the centre of our lives.

“The world is a brighter place for having had you in it, Dad, and now your light shines down from heaven.

Hopefully, it shows the way for a few more of us to get there, too.”

The final words of Ben’s eulogy summarised the role that Stephen Court played in the lives of those he met.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST DURING THE

JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY WORDS Marco Ceccarelli

“Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy.”

These words, found in Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction on the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, have often been quoted by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe since the Year of Mercy was inaugurated in our Archdiocese on 8 December 2015.

The Archbishop has been carefully unpacking the meaning of this phrase in his various homilies, emphasising that in this Year of Mercy the Pope is inviting us to search for mercy in the eyes of Christ and, in turn, to be the face of the Father’s mercy to each other.

How can this be possible? During a vigil Mass celebrated on 12 December 2015 for the Opening of the Cathedral’s Jubilee Holy Door of Mercy, the Archbishop explained that, when we plead for the Lord’s mercy, what we are essentially saying is that, in and of ourselves, we have no merits to plead our cause.

“In the end, all we can do is come to the Lord in honesty, sorrow and hope, throwing ourselves on His mercy. We cannot demand that we be forgiven, or rewarded, or exalted or restored: we can only come, as the poor man did who sat at the back of the Temple, praying ‘Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner’,” the Archbishop said.

The concept of “demanding forgiveness”, the Archbishop went on to explain, is linked to the temptation we may

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have as Christians to think that we can “win” our salvation.

What we should be instead searching for, he said, is a relationship with Christ in which we begin to see, hear and speak as He does.

“There has been a great temptation in many strands of Christianity to believe that we can win our salvation through our own efforts: that we can somehow deserve to be saved.

“If we say enough prayers, or do enough penance, or give enough money to the poor, then God will have no choice but to reward us. But this is not true… it is not our good deeds which will save us: rather, it is our faith in Jesus, our constant entrusting our lives to Him, which will save us.”

More poignantly, the Archbishop went to the heart of the Pope’s message in this Year of Mercy, offering at the same time a key to understand how the Father’s mercy may be visible in us.

“God looks on us with love, not condemnation; with compassion, not with harsh judgement; with mercy, not with exacting legalism.” For this reason, despite us being a broken people, the Archbishop stressed that God goes beyond the surface of our sins to search within our hearts for a seed of desire to love Him.

“The seed of desire is enough, the honest acceptance of our need is sufficient, for God’s mercy to begin to flow in us and transform us,” the Archbishop said.

As a way of helping us on this journey of discovering a Jesus who is the face of the Father’s Mercy, a number of Holy Doors have been opened throughout the Archdiocese within designated pilgrimage churches.

These will remain open until the closing of the Year of Mercy on 20 November 2016. The Archbishop has invited all Catholics to enter through the Holy Door of St Mary’s Cathedral or of other specially designated churches in the Archdiocese.

The designated pilgrimage churches and shrines for the Archdiocese of Perth are: • St Mary’s Cathedral, 17 Victoria Square, Perth • St Patrick’s Basilica, 47 Adelaide Street, Fremantle • Holy Trinity Abbey, Great Eastern Highway, New Norcia • St Mary’s Church, Brookman Street and Porter Street, Kalgoorlie • Our Lady of the Mission, 270 Camberwarra Drive, Craigie • Carmelite Monastery, Elizabeth Street and Thomas Street, Nedlands • Schoenstatt Shrine, 9 Talus Drive, Mt Richon • Redemptorist Monastery, 190 Vincent Street, North Perth.

In order to obtain the “Jubilee Indulgence” for the Year of Mercy, the faithful are encouraged to observe the following conditions: pilgrimage to the Holy Door, Sacrament of Reconciliation, celebration of the Eucharist which includes the profession of Faith, prayers for the Holy Father, prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father and reflection on Mercy.

Archbishop Costelloe opens the Holy Door at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday, 12 December to mark the commencement of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Photo: Jamie O’Brien The passage leading to the Holy Door at the Carmelite Monastery’s chapel in Nedlands has been adorned with mercythemed images and quotations, in order to enrich the experience of pilgrims. Photo: Rachel Curry The Redemptorist Monastery in North Perth has designated its front door as the Holy Door for the Year of Mercy.

Photo: Marco Ceccarelli The Holy Door of St Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle, was opened at the 11am Mass on Sunday, 13 December last year.

Photo: Marco Ceccarelli Parish Priest Fr Joseph Tran and Assistant Priest Fr Renald Anthony at the Whitford Holy Door. Photo: Caroline Smith Sisters of the Schoenstatt Shrine in Mt Richon, WA, open the Holy Door to their church on 13 December 2015. Photo: Supplied A Benedictine Monk from the New Norcia Benedictine Community walks through the Holy Door to one of the Monastery’s chapels.

Photo: Supplied

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LOOKING INTO THE FAMILY WORDS Rachel Curry PHOTOS CNS/L’Osservatore Romano

T

he world sits in eager anticipation as it awaits the release of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, following last year’s headline-grabbing Synod of Bishops on the Family.

A total of 270 prelates from 120 nations descended on the Vatican last October to discuss the position of the family in the modern world, eventually voting on a final report to be presented to the Holy Father.

With bishops hailing from such a diversity of cultures, there is no doubt that reaching a consensus on the 94-paragraph report was difficult, but there is one thread that runs clearly throughout.

That is, that the family – founded on the indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman – holds a special significance in the life of the Church and is the foundation of our society at large.

The document does not contain any major changes to Church doctrine, as predicted by some, but it does open the door ever so slightly to a path back to the sacraments for divorced and remarried Catholics.

The much-discussed paragraph 86 speaks of such couples holding an “internal forum”, or private conversation, with their priest to help them move towards “a fuller participation in the life of the Church”.

Whether this includes receiving Communion is not made explicit.

On the other headline-grabbing topic of homosexuality, the report reiterates Church teaching that every person, regardless of sexual orientation, should have his or her dignity respected.

The concept of homosexual unions, however, is rejected as being “in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family”.

The wide-ranging report also highlights the need for the Church to encourage couples living together outside of marriage towards the sacrament, and to involve more women in decision making and administration.

It denounces abortion, artificial insemination and surrogacy, euthanasia, the death penalty and pornography, and warns of the threat posed to families by mass forced migration.

While Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on the family will give the final word on these subjects, there is one person closer to home – right here in the Archdiocese of Perth – who can provide special insight into the Synod’s inner workings.

Western Australian family welfare expert Dr Maria Harries was one of a privileged 51 people worldwide invited to observe the Synod as an auditor.

An Adjunct Professor at Curtin University and Senior Honorary Research Fellow in Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Western Australian, Dr Harries has a wealth of experience assisting children and families.

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Clockwise: A couple attend a prayer vigil for the Synod of Bishops on the Family in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican last year, Pope Francis waves as he leaves the final session of the Synod of Bishops on the Family at the Vatican, Western Australian family welfare expert Dr Maria Harries was invited to observe the Synod of Bishops on the Family as an auditor, Bishops arrive in procession for the opening Mass of the Synod of Bishops on the Family in St Peter’s Basilica.

She is the chairperson of Catholic Social Services Australia and a member of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council established by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

She believed these issues were “resolved in a way that provided opportunities for ongoing thought and reflection” and would be further explored by Pope Francis.

Speaking to The Record Magazine about her observations at the Synod, Dr Harries said there was huge emphasis on the central place of families in the life of the Church and the difficult situations that families face.

The theme of the openness of the Church strongly pervaded the Synod, Dr Harries added, which prompted comparisons to the Second Vatican Council.

“Because I’ve worked for so long with families in trouble, the messiness and troubles and trials of families were uppermost in my mind,” she said.

“The Church often presents the image of the ideal family – I call it the ideal; it’s realisable but it’s ideal – and I compare this to the memory and the knowledge I have around the terrible trials that families have.

“This comparison was brought to light very strongly by the bishops from the Middle East, the bishops from Asia, particularly Syria, and our bishops (who) talked about the issues facing refugee families.

“These are all people who are struggling to even be together, to have a home, let alone to realise what ideal family life is actually about.”

“There was a big resistance, a big worry among some bishops about the thought that there might be a challenge to Church doctrine,” she said.

“But there was a general openness to how do we engage better as a Church, how do we become more transparent, how do we appear less bureaucratic, how do we engage young people, how do we use the media to benefit (and) how do we do what Pope Francis wants us to do and be a Church with open arms rather than a Church that punishes? And that was fantastic.”

While some critics have dismissed the Synod as not breaking any new ground, it is clear from Dr Harries’ observations that the Church is responding to the challenges families face today.

To find out the exact form of that response, we will have to wait for the final word from Pope Francis.

On the controversial issues of divorced and remarried Catholics receiving Communion and recognition for homosexual people, Dr Harries said tensions were apparent throughout the Synod.

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HEALTH

ENSURING A HEALTHY FUTURE

I

t has been a remarkably smooth transition for St John of God Midland Public Hospital, which opened its doors on 24 November last year, with the promise of providing an increased range of health care to an area that hasn’t seen a new hospital for half a century.

Delivered on time and on budget, the $360-million facility is the first public hospital entrusted to the St John of God Health Care (SJGHC) group in Western Australia.

Speaking after the successful opening, SJGHC Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Stanford opened up about what WA’s newest public hospital means for the state.

He said the 307-bed facility would improve on previous services in the area by reaching more people and targeting identified community needs.

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“The question should not be about whether health care should be delivered by the public or private sector but who is able to best deliver the service where and when it is needed,” Dr Stanford said.

It will deliver higher acuity and complex clinical services in more areas than previously available at Swan District Hospital, such as intensive care, coronary care and cancer care.

“Just as the pioneering Sisters of St John of God worked with the state in 1895 to respond to a societal need when the gold rush brought on typhoid outbreaks, we continue their mission to deliver compassionate care where it is needed.”

The hospital also provides expanded services in emergency, paediatrics, aged care and rehabilitation, surgery, medicine and mental health.

The public hospital is co-located with a 60-bed private hospital and will service the rural MidWest, as well as its metropolitan catchment area.

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Dr Stanford said that, in putting forward SJGHC’s bid to operate the hospital, consideration was given to the group’s longstanding organisational priority to help close the gap in Aboriginal health in Australia.

“The increased service offered at Midland, in a community with a significant Indigenous population, will support this priority and we’ve also committed to employ and train more Indigenous Australians at all our hospitals,” he said.

Working in a more integrated system of care like that provided by the public sector would have spin-off benefits for the way SJGHC’s private hospitals

the hospital would be grounded in the mercy, compassion and respect for the worth and dignity of every human person engage with their communities and public hospital colleagues, Dr Stanford added.

“A greater public health profile will increase our capacity as a provider of medical education, which will assist in our long-term goal in Western Australia of becoming a primary allocation centre in our own right,” he said.

“Ultimately, we want to be more aware and sophisticated in working with government so that, when opportunities for partnership present, we are able to help shoulder the responsibility to deliver quality health outcomes when and where they are needed.”

The new hospital was blessed

by Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe at the official opening ceremony last year, where he was joined by other Western Australia

religious

leaders,

including Chief Rabbi of WA Dovid Freilich, Baptist Church of WA’s Reverend Philip Bryant, Imam of Islamic Council of WA Sheikh Hisham, Sikh Temple’s Head Priest Jasvinder Singh, Anglican

Parish

of

Midland

Church Warden Lynne Oliver and Buddha Light International’s Venerable Miaoxi Shih.

Archbishop

Costelloe

said

that, as a facility operated by a Catholic organisation, the hospital would be grounded in the mercy, compassion and respect for the worth and dignity of every human person – values we have learnt from the teaching and actions of Jesus.

“They are, of course, values which are at the heart of every religion, every faith, and are found in the heart of every person,” he said.

“It is my hope, my expectation and my prayer that everyone who engages with this hospital, whether as staff, as visitors or as patients, will experience a sense of being deeply honoured, valued and respected.”

Premier Colin Barnett and Federal Assistant Minister for Health Ken Wyatt also spoke at the event, reflecting the joint funding of the project by the state and Commonwealth governments.

The new St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals bring the health care group’s total number of facilities in Australia and New Zealand to 23, providing a total of more than 3,000 beds.

Clockwise: Archbishop Timothy Costelloe blesses the new St John of God Midland Public Hospital as part of the official opening ceremony on 20 November last year. Photos: Rovis Media/St John of God Health Care; WA Premier Colin Barnett unveils the plaque at the opening of the new St John of God Midland Public Hospital. St John of God Health Care Group chief executive officer Dr Michael Stanford stands far left. Photos: Supplied I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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SAFEGUARDING

PERTH SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE The Archdiocese of Perth is setting the pace when it comes to developing new ways to repair the damage caused by child abuse.

— WORDS JAMES PARKER

I

n recent years, no other topic has saturated the life and mission of the Catholic Church in Australia like childhood sexual abuse.

In comparison to other dioceses, the Archdiocese of Perth stands out as the national leader as it embraces an in-depth program of prevention to safeguard and protect children from any possible further abuse.

In 2014, Archbishop Costelloe shared his desire to see parishes become the safest places for children and, several months later, appointed serving senior police officer and child protection expert Andrea Musulin to be the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Project Coordinator.

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Within less than a year, an Archdiocesan-wide launch took place which would see parish communities embracing a united vision on the safety and protection of children.

Speaking of progress to date, Ms Musulin expressed delight at the Archdiocese’s response to the Safeguarding Project. “The launch was received very well, better than expected,” she said.

“Child sexual abuse is a terrible problem, and it simply has to be dealt with,” said Archbishop Costelloe at the official launch of the Safeguarding Project.

“Within a matter of months, we now have around 70 per cent of parishes with nominated Safeguarding Officers.

“We cannot sit back and do nothing,” he stated, aware that it was likely to be many months before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse would finally deliver its list of recommendations.

“The calibre of those applying was very high, with nominees having experience in policing, child protection, disability, family courts and many other areas, such that we can now tap into a wide range of expertise and professionalism to ensure we have the best educated and informed safeguarding officers possible.

“It is very, very encouraging, especially as this means that the Archdiocese will not only have experienced officers within the parishes, but also the widest range of expertise.

LEFT: Andrea Musulin speaks about the effects of child abuse at the Archdiocesan safeguarding training in September 2015. The child protection expert says the single most effective strategy to combatting child abuse is education. Photo: Jamie O’Brien TOP: Archbishop Timothy Costelloe speaks with media at the official launch of the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Program in 2015. Photo: Ron Tan ABOVE: Andrea Musulin speaks about the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Project at the official launch at St Mary’s Cathedral in 2015. Photo: Ron Tan

“In some of the larger parishes, there was a very high number of nominations put forward for the positions on offer. They have requested having more than two officers, which means more hands to the deck. In the long run, this is only a good thing.

“We are now busy identifying the most appropriate people to take up the volunteer role of safeguarding officer in the remaining 30 per cent of parishes.”

But, is change really happening at grassroots?

“The single, most effective strategy we’ve applied is education and trying to change the culture of the people who attend churches,” Ms Musulin went on to say. “We are giving people knowledge, and are delivering this in an open and transparent way.”

Visibility is also key to ensuring the entire practising Catholic community can play its role in upholding the safety of children. Many parishes now have officers visibly present among them, identifiable either by a special safeguarding vest or bright pink badge.

Originally employed for two days a week, Ms Musulin now works full time on safeguarding, and is supported by a part-time administrator, such is the urgency and importance of the operation at hand.

“This allows them to be easily recognised by other parishioners and offers parents a rightful sense of security. It also acts as a strong and notable deterrent to anybody who might consider hanging around our churches to prey on children.”

Ms Musulin’s priority to date has been to oversee the training of nearly 200 safeguarding officers. She has taken time to speak at Masses in over a tenth of the parishes. Another training workshop for officers will take place at St Mary’s Cathedral in March.

The office is a torrent of energy, underlaid with a spirit of determination. Clearly, no one is sitting back, and hundreds of Catholics are now deeply engaged.

The Archbishop’s promise of change is being rolled out.

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LIFELINK

With almost 10,000 people in Western Australia identifying as homeless at the last census, the lack of affordable and emergency housing in this state is becoming an issue we can no longer ignore.

THE SHOPFRONT – LENDING A HELPING HAND

A

quarter of homeless people in WA are children and more than a third have been displaced by domestic violence.

But, while politicians debate the best way to tackle the problem amid dwindling government coffers, it is regular Western Australians who are rolling up their sleeves and making a difference.

Archdiocesan LifeLink agency, The Shopfront, based in Maylands, is a prime example of local people reaching out to those experiencing homelessness and other issues such as poverty, depression, loneliness, addiction and violence.

Serviced predominantly by volunteers, The Shopfront was founded in 2001 by now Archdiocesan Manager of Corporate Services, Julie Fuge, following an initiative from Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey.

The agency is funded by Archdiocesan organisation LifeLink and aims to “relieve poverty

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and suffering in an environment that offers practical assistance, fellowship and hospitality”.

respect for the equal dignity of every person was at the centre of The Shopfront’s mission.

The Shopfront assists more than 3,000 people each year, many of whom are repeat visitors, by providing food, drinks, showers and clothes-washing facilities, networking with other agencies to meet people’s individual needs or simply lending a friendly ear.

“Not everyone who comes here is looking for practical assistance; some people are coming for friendship,” he said.

Director Brian Tierney said

“That element of human contact is very important. A lot of what we do is meeting people and this might be the only occasion where people do talk to someone in a friendly way.”

The agency fosters reciprocal relationships between volunteers and visitors, many of whom display great humour, courage and resilience in the face of hardship.

Above: Rosario Murace, 36, got his life back on track after visiting The Shopfront, a LifeLink agency which helps people affected by homelessness, poverty, depression, loneliness, addiction and violence. Photo: Jamie O’Brien Left: Noreen Moncrieff, Anelia Irdi, Denise Lavey and Julie Taylor are among many volunteers who provide an invaluable service at The Shopfront in Maylands.

Photo: Marco Ceccarelli

One person who has benefited from The Shopfront’s help is 36-year-old Rosario Murace, who puts a human face on the statistic-laden issue of homelessness.

Mr Murace spoke to Archdiocesan Communications Manager Jamie O’Brien as part of the 2015 LifeLink Winter Appeal.

Originally from the Swan Valley, Mr Murace became homeless last year following a series of unfortunate events where he “lost everything”.

“It was horrible. I felt like no one cared about me,” he said.

“Every day that I was on the streets, I would look at people going home, walk past the houses and I could smell the cooking and I’d think of how they have a place to relax.

“I realised I couldn’t do this

anymore, that it was time to get off the streets.”

After some six weeks living in tents and in a caravan park, Mr Murace found The Shopfront through a friend and said he was pleasantly surprised.

“Why would people help out like this?” he asked.

“When you live on the streets, you see a lot of homeless people and you think that’s how your life is going to be if you don’t do anything about it.

“That was enough for me to get myself into gear and do what I needed to do to survive.”

Mr Murace’s life is now back on track; he is currently studying at TAFE and has even taken up professional weightlifting again after a 10-year break.

Interestingly, it is not only people in need who benefit from The Shopfront.

“My experience here has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Anelia Irdi, a Shopfront volunteer of more than a decade.

“When I am here, I feel that I receive something.

“For those few hours, you’re totally divorced from your own world and you’re just focused on this part of life; your cares and worries just fade into insignificance.

“I’ve made some great friends among both the volunteers and Shopfront visitors.”

While the federal government has recently announced a new national working group on affordable housing, it is unknown whether this will translate into tangible benefits for people experiencing homelessness and poverty.

Whatever happens, it is comforting to know that The Shopfront will always be there to lend a hand.

LifeLink agencies such as The Shopfront deliver professional services and caring support to thousands of people in need throughout Western Australia each year. To donate to LifeLink, visit www.lifelink.com.au.

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LIVING LITURGICALLY WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Centre for Liturgy Director, Sr Kerry Willison, explains some of the finer points on Lent.

A

s we make our way through the liturgical season of Lent, many of us will find ourselves reflecting on the various challenges. Lent, as we know, is a penitential time.

It is a time to assess our day-to-day lives in the light of the Gospels and our baptismal promises.

In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, perhaps there is an added dimension we might consider. In the words of Pope Francis, “Lent is a good time to train ourselves to be more sensitive and merciful” to others.

He added that Lent presents the occasion to practise simplicity and sharing. So, how do the various rituals of the Easter season reflect this call to be for others as we strive to be the best people we can be as a followers of Christ?

ASH WEDNESDAY The ashes we receive on Ash Wednesday with the words spoken by the priest, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” or, alternatively, “Repent and believe the Gospel”, are a symbolic reminder that we only have one life to live, and so, just how am I going with the challenges of family, work, relationships?

Top: The Passion of Christ is re-enacted at Our Lady of the Mission Whitford Parish. Photo: Supplied Above:A student from Kolbe Catholic College with the ashes. Photo: Leanne Joyce

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Where might I need to be more sensitive to others? Who in my life might I need to ask forgiveness from? It sounds so simple and yet forgiving is so very hard to do for many people. Nevertheless, forgiveness is one of the most powerful gifts we can receive and give to one another.

Left: Pope Francis goes to Confession during a Lenten penance service in St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on 13 March 2015. During the service, the Pope announced an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy to be celebrated from 8 December 2015 until 20 November 2016. Photo: CNS/Stefano Spaziani Below: Lent is a time to assess our day-to-day lives in the light of the Gospels and our baptismal promises, says Centre for Liturgy Director, Sr Kerry Willison. Photo: Supplied

If there is one thing the world as a whole is in need of, it is advocates of peace and, as Christians, we have the most wonderful example of how to do that in Jesus. How do I create peace in my world? How do I live the message of peace? How do I share the wisdom and wonder of my faith with others?

HOLY THURSDAY Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus where He instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood.

Jesus was raised as a Jew and so celebrated the last supper as a Passover feast.

PALM SUNDAY Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and marks the end of Lent and beginning of Holy Week. How Palm Sunday is celebrated has evolved over the centuries. Today, Palm Sunday traditions are much the same as they were in the 10th century.

Jesus Himself would later fulfill His role as the Christian victim of the Passover by dying on a cross so that we might never forget what God’s love requires of each of us in the events of our daily lives. How do we

LENT

die to those parts of ourselves that keep us from truly living as Jesus showed us how to live? One of the other aspects of the Holy Thursday ritual is the extraordinarily rich symbolism of the washing of the feet, or the Mandatum, as it is referred to in Latin which also gave this day of Holy Week the name Maundy Thursday.

This action is twofold as it relates to the challenge of our baptism promises to follow the example of Jesus and the need to be cleansed of those things in our lives that contradict those promises. The action of the washing of the feet is also a symbolic action echoing a central precept of the Church: we are all called to serve.

There is so much more that could be explored with regard to each of the Easter rituals I have reflected on. It might be a good time to do some of your own research on these rich and wonderful rituals and so deepen your understanding and knowledge of these celebrations.

Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and making His way through waving palm branches was the fulfilment of the prophecy of the prophet Zachariah (9.9). The donkey was a symbol of peace and those who rode on a donkey were advocates of peace. The laying of branches indicated that a king or dignitary was arriving.

In the words of Pope Francis that I quoted in the beginning of this reflection, “Lent presents the occasion to practise simplicity and sharing”.

Above: The Passion of Christ is re-enacted at Our Lady of the Mission Whitford Parish. Photo: Supplied

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CYM:

BRINGING YOUTH TOGETHER WORLD YOUTH DAY IN POLAND 2016 promises to be an exciting time for young adults as they prepare to gather in Krakow, Poland with Pope Francis and millions of other young people from around the world in July, for the 31st World Youth Day. The week-long gathering of young people in the host city includes numerous youth festivals, daily catechesis with cardinals and bishops from around the world, vocations expos and much more.

The theme for WYD this year is entitled, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7), highlighting the Divine Mercy Shrine as a pilgrimage place for all WYD pilgrims to visit.

The highlight for many young people be gins with the pinnacle Saturday night vigil prayer with Pope Francis at the venue of the massed sleepout, and concludes with the Papal Mass marking World Youth Day on the Sunday. The sight of so many young people in prayer together with the Pope is something to be experienced.

Above: Youth from Perth at the 2013 WYD in Brazil: Jessica Webb, Marcell Soegiantho, Joshua Lopez, Mary Haydon and Sheldon Burke and front, Joshua Low. Below: Veritas Youth Festival is back for the second time in Perth from 22 to 24 April. The three-day event, an initiative of the Catholic Youth Network in Perth, aims to assist young people aged 16 to 30 understand how they can find happiness and truth in their own lives. Photos: Supplied

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, the pilgrimage to Poland is very significant. The Perth Catholic Youth Ministry pilgrimage begins in Rome at the tomb of St John Paul II in the Vatican – the founder of World Youth Day – as well as the chance to walk through the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica.

The pilgrimage continues onto Warsaw, where pilgrims will encounter Days in the Diocese, which includes a time of staying with host families, learning the local culture and being hosted by a Polish Parish community.

It’s not too late for young people aged 18 to 35 years old to join the CYM Perth pilgriwtmage or, for those willing to help financially support a pilgrim to attend (donations NOT tax-deductible): please contact CYM on admin@cym.com.au or call 08 9422 7912.

VERITAS YOUTH FESTIVAL Veritas Perth Youth Festival is back for the second time in Perth from 22 to 24 April.

The three-day event, which is an initiative of the Catholic Youth Network in Perth, aims to assist young people aged 16 to 30 understand how they can find happiness and truth in their own lives.

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The event, attended by more than 400 youth in 2015, was one of the biggest Catholic youth events in WA and this year is set to be even bigger and better with an amazing line-up of speakers, workshops, exhibitors and festival activities.

The event includes youth rallies with engaging music and speakers, workshops with key youth ministry leaders, a youth discussion forum with Archbishop Costelloe SDB wand sessions focused on the festival’s theme of mercy.

During the Catholic Super Fest, attendees will enjoy festival activities, games, competitions, food, live music and the opportunity to visit the various stalls exhibiting groups and youth movements in Pewrth. Sunday will close with a public Mass with Archbishop Costelloe at 12.15pm. This will also incorporate the annual Youth Leaders Commissioning Mass.

Everyone is welcome.

All young people aged 16-30 are invited and we encourage you to bring your friends, family and youth group.

Tickets are only $50 for the weekend and include lunch and dinner on the Saturday and a festival pack.

Registration for the Friday night and Sunday Mass are free, but still require booking via the website: veritasperth.com

COMMUNICATIONS – WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? The start of a new era in how the Gospel is delivered is under way.

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he evolving methods of communication are an important concept for the Church today.

While, for many, engaging with the digital era poses more challenges than imaginable, the words of Pope Francis are paramount in reminding each one of us what is at the heart of the role of communications.

In his 2014 message for World Communications Day, Pope Francis challenged the Church to be a people of depth, attentive to what is happening around us and spiritually alert.

He sees the revolution in communications and media as representing “a great and thrilling challenge” and asks us to “respond to that challenge with fresh energy and imagination”.

It has been a challenge the Archdiocese of Perth, led by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, has addressed head on.

Following the finalisation of The Record Review in September 2013, and cessation of The Record newspaper in July 2014, a new online publication delivered via email, called The eRecord, commenced production and distribution in October 2014.

With more than 5,000 subscribers, its presence and appreciation continues to grow among a wide and varied audience – young and old.

Fr Paul Pitzen, from the Emmanuel Centre, tests the new perthcatholic. org.au website with Marie, who has been legally blind since birth. The new Archdiocesan site, which was launched in August 2015, has been developed to encourage those who are blind, deaf and/or hard of hearing to engage with the Archdiocese at a whole new level. Photo: Mat De Sousa

The weekly publication is accompanied by a PDF version that can be printed and made available to those who would still like to receive a hard copy of the weekly news to take home with them.

The new publication has been strengthened by the launch of a new Archdiocesan website in August 2015. The site includes a dynamic search engine facility that allows users to find exactly the information they are looking for, such as Mass times and parish information, as well as current news and events.

Archdiocesan Manager of Communications Jamie O’Brien, appointed in December 2015, said the new ways of communicating are being implemented with patience and perseverance.

“So that we do our best to engage with what is a very wide and varied audience, the communications team is regularly analysing how we approach each and every task,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It’s about staying focused on the end result, which can change lives,” he said.

Mr O’Brien went on to explain that the Archdiocese is not alone in its efforts to understand effective methods of communication – particularly when it comes to delivering the Good News.

Dioceses across Australia and the world – including Rome – have all been evaluating and assessing how, when and why dialogue with its people should take place.

“Don’t be afraid to engage with these new forms of communication which, as Pope Francis has said, helps us to grow closer, to know one another better and, ultimately, to grow in unity,” Mr O’Brien said.

To access back copies of The eRecord PDF, go to www.issuu.com and search Archdiocese of Perth, or email editor@therecord.com.au.

To subscribe to The eRecord, email communications.media@perthcatholic. org.au or contact 08 9220 5900.

I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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BUILDING FAITH; BUILDING UNIQUENESS; BUILDING A COMMUNITY

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he work of Campus Ministry (Fremantle and Broome) and Chaplaincy (Sydney) is at the heart of the community of The University of Notre Dame Australia.

Guided by the University’s Objects, and observing a rich tradition of Catholic faith and values, Campus Ministry and Chaplaincy provide opportunities for students to become involved in University life in ways that are instrumental for faith formation and personal development.

Above all, Campus Ministry and Chaplaincy aim to reflect the joy of the Gospel and promote, encourage and engage students’ faith on Campus so they can flourish and seek excellence beyond measurable criteria.

In 2016, the innovative QndA forum will be held again on the Sydney Campus to showcase faith and reason in action for the Notre Dame community.

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More than 350 people packed into St Benedict’s Hall for the first instalment on 19 August 2015, to debate issues involving racism, social media, terrorism, the future of religion and many more.

In Fremantle, the Holy Spirit Choir continues to flourish while the weekly Plunge In event remains a fantastic vehicle for students to make new friends and grow a sense of community on Campus.

Daniel Carney, a final-year Sydney Law student, said Chaplaincy was an important way to engage with the Catholic community, both at Notre Dame and within the broader society.

“With many avenues for discussion with experts both from the religious and laity, students are able to grow, explore and develop their faith,” Daniel said.

For Marcel Biggar, a final-year Bachelor of Education (Secondary) student, Campus Ministry has provided many opportunities to develop his faith and positive friendships.

NOTRE DAME

Marcel was one of six Fremantle students to attend the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Adelaide in December 2015, along with the Manager of Campus Ministry, Fremantle, Tom Gourlay.

“Plunge In allows all students to take time out and enjoy a free coffee and chat with people outside of their School. Campus Ministry staff have been instrumental in my faith formation and personal development by providing a great example of what attributes comprise a true role model,” Marcel said.

“I would definitely recommend to other students to become involved with Campus Ministry, especially firstyear students, as there are so many opportunities for personal development, friendships and events.”

Mr Gourlay added that the Plunge In event had been the seedbed of a variety of student initiatives, including a weekly Bible study group as well as a place to inform students of other activities available on Campus.

“The Theology of the Body discussion group which met across both semesters in 2015, regularly had more than 30 students attend, and our Holy Spirit Choir, run by Musical Director and Choir Master, Cameron van Reyk, has a growing reputation and generates significant student interest and involvement,” Mr Gourlay said.

Sydney Campus Chaplaincy Convenor, Patrick Langrell, said Chaplaincy offered the chance for students to get involved in the University’s community and grow in faith and service.

“It provides opportunities for fun and friendship, for discovery and wonder, for prayer and service, for liturgy and life, and we hope to support the spiritual life of the University and allow students of Notre Dame to receive a holistic education,” Mr Langrell said.

Mr Langrell said the QndA forums were just one of the many ways the University, guided by a rich tradition of Catholic faith and values, aimed to promote, encourage and engage students’ faith on Campus through Notre Dame Chaplaincy.

For more information, please visit nd.edu.au/campusministry.

Main: The inaugural QndA forum on the Sydney Campus attracted leading speakers on faith and reason, including: Lyle Shelton, Dr Justine Toh, Dr Ryan Anderson, The Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP and The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG. The event was chaired by Patrick Langrell (third from right).

Above left: The weekly Plunge In is an event which helps students connect with others outside of their School.

Above right: Members of Notre Dame’s Holy Spirit Choir on the Fremantle Campus I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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As he dwells on an extraordinary life of achievements, graces and favour, but also of hardship, tribulation and suffering, it is difficult for Minh Le to speak about his past without shedding a tear or two. The Bayswater parishioner, who is now serving his fourth term as President of the Vietnamese Catholic Community in WA, escaped the Vietnam War in 1982, being forced to abandon the vocation to the priesthood he had been cultivating. In an interview with Marco Ceccarelli, the now married father of three recounted his journey from a life of fear to one of gratitude.

REMEMBERING VIETNAM: A LIFE LIVED IN GRATITUDE AND SERVICE WORDS AND PICTURE Marco Ceccarelli

“I

was born in 1951 and raised in a village named Tri Buu within the Quảng Trị Province of Central Vietnam – an area renowned for the persecution of Christians by governing forces in the late 18th century and again from 1830 to 1885,” said Mr Le, contextualising his family history and somewhat hinting at his own.

“The fear of the spread of Catholicism forced many of my ancestors to live in remote parts of the country, in forests, for fear of persecution,” he added.

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Raised within a Catholic household, Mr Le felt called to enter the seminary after high school – something made possible by the support of his parents.

“After passing my high school exams, I attended university and began to study philosophy and theology in the Archdiocese of Huế. I eventually entered the Archdiocese’s St Sulpice Grand Seminary, where I did three years of study between 1969 and 1972.”

Despite a strong desire to continue his formative journey towards the priesthood, Mr Le’s life within the St Sulpice Grand Seminary was cut short in 1971 by the expanding Vietnam War.

PEOPLE

“The area in which I lived began to be affected by bombings and invasions,” he recounts. “The North Communists took over small villages on the border of the Huế and Quảng Trị Provinces. My family and friends back in my village were also affected.

“This truly was a terrible time in my life. I recall hearing cluster bombs falling from the sky while we slept, then the horrible sound of explosions, the fear of not knowing where the next bomb would fall...”

As the war escalated, Mr Le decided to put his seminary studies on hold and began working as a volunteer throughout the country, helping refugees and displaced youth.

In response to a call from the Bishop of Ban Mê Thuột for seminarians to help in his diocese, Mr Le, in turn, offered his expertise as a teacher for almost ten years of his life, from 1973-1982.

“I wanted to keep my vocation alive and still be of service to refugees who were in need of practical help and education. I kept the spirits of displaced young people alive; gave a sense of purpose to their lives.

I brought them together to do activities, to learn new things, to sing and to play,” he said.

In 1981, Mr Le was caught in yet another predicament as government forces interfered with the Ban Mê Thuột diocese and sent all seminarians home. The local government of his home village, however, did not recognise him, leaving him in a state of limbo with nowhere to go.

That year, after many discussions with his family, Mr Le decided to escape to Australia with his mother, father and younger brother. After a first failed attempt, the family managed to secretly board a boat on a stormy April night in 1982.

“Stormy weather was the ideal setting for a successful and undetected escape,” he said. “This, however, also meant that we were violently shaken in the hull of the boat for the first part of the trip. One hundred and 30 people boarded this boat when, in reality, only 100 should have been there.

It was crowded, uncomfortable and dangerous.

“The next day, people’s faces were pale with exhaustion and fear. We had made it through the night, but at a great cost. A woman holding a baby was found unconscious and the infant in her arms had lost his life. We prayed together, wrapped the baby in a blanket and put him in the sea.”

Had God not intervened in this situation, I don’t know how we would have survived.

I thank Him every day for having protected me.”

Having experienced death so closely through this heart-wrenching experience, Mr Le and the refugees on the boat soon began to fear for their own lives as the motor broke down and could not be fixed.

Thanks to his training as a teacher and ability to speak English, Mr Le was, within weeks, resettled in Australia and arrived in Perth in June 1982.

“Had God not intervened in this situation, I don’t know how we would have survived. I thank Him every day for having protected me,” Mr Le said.

In Perth, Mr Le began to rebuild his life, found a job and took full advantage of “the freedom that only a wonderful country like Australia can offer”. He joined St Thomas Parish in Claremont, where he met his wife, and was married in 1984.

Mr Le now has three grown children and, in 1995, in recognition of his tireless efforts to serve the Church in the Archdiocese of Perth, he was elected External Assistant President of Perth’s Vietnamese Catholic Community. In 2006, he was elected President.

“If I look back at my life with the eyes of faith, I see that God has always loved me very much. Leaving my vocation to the priesthood was very difficult for me, but my desire to serve the Catholic Church remained strong.

“The overcrowding on the boat had an impact on the motor. It stopped working. We drifted aimlessly for two days, water was becoming scarce, people became weak: I was prepared to die.”

“This has brought me to serve the Church in Australia, to give back to the same Church that gave me so much in Vietnam, and to lead our Vietnamese Catholic Community. After more than 30 years in Australia, I have seen our community contribute to the Archdiocese and to the wider community in an extraordinary way. I hope it will continue to do so in the years to come.”

On the third night of the voyage, the groups saw a light in the distance and noticed an international oil rig in the middle of the ocean. They were rescued within hours, given food, clothes and brought to Malaysia to a temporary refugee centre.

As he glanced at a portrait of his wife and three children fixed on the wall of his lounge, Mr Le summarised his extraordinary life journey by repeating a sentence he had uttered moments earlier: “God has loved me very much”.

President of Perth’s Vietnamese Catholic Community, Minh Le, has lived an extraordinary life in service of the Catholic Church in Vietnam and Australia. Photo: Marco Ceccarelli I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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MAYLANDS CHURCH A SOURCE OF TRADITION AND IDENTITY FOR PERTH’S UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLICS WORDS Caroline Smith and Mark Reidy PICTURES Caroline Smith

P

After a split with Rome in 1054, Eastern churches went their own way but, at the Union of Brest in 1596, a group of bishops sought to restore the connection, and so formed the UGCC.

An adjoining hall tells the parish’s story through photographs, from its establishment in 1951 by migrants fleeing Soviet repression, to the building of the church in 1965, and a more recent visit by Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who leads this Church of around 10 million people worldwide, including four million in the Ukraine itself.

Indeed, it was not until 1989 that those who stayed in the Ukraine would have their Church recognised.

erched on a hill in the riverside suburb of Maylands, the icon-filled church of St John the Baptist serves as a reflection of the community it represents: Ukrainian Greek Catholics who have been here in WA since the 1940s, and whose story is one of hope triumphing over hardship, and of identity discovered through traditions and faith.

The parish’s loyalty to tradition is reflected in Father Wolodymyr Kalinecki who, after nearly 20 years, has been its longest serving priest.

Fr Wally - as he is known - is about to return to Melbourne, where he grew up, with Fr Ihor Holovko coming in to take the reins.

Fr Wally explains how the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) has grown over time, under the influence of Rome, but has kept many Orthodox practices. Its roots lie in the mediaeval state of Russia, and the embrace of Christianity by Prince Vladimir I of Kiev in 989.

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The Church initially experienced repression in the mid-19th century under the Tsarist regime, and this worsened significantly after the Second World War, driving the faith underground, and causing many of its adherents to flee to other countries, including Australia.

When Fr Wally tells his own story, it begins in a context of similar repression, and includes postwar deportation, divided families and emigration.

“During and just after the war, my uncle finished up in the American sector in Eastern Europe, while my mum finished up in the Russian sector,” he said.

“She was being taken to Siberia, but he was given a choice, and chose to come to Australia.

“My mum and some other ladies on the train heard that it was going to Siberia so, one night, when it slowed down a bit, they jumped from the train and walked home.”

After returning to her village, his mum was ordered by the military police to travel east towards what is now Poland – formerly Prussia – and this was where Fr Wally was born in 1949.

PARISHES

The story took a more positive turn when his uncle found the family through the Red Cross and brought them to Australia, Fr Wally said.

“We went on an Italian ship called Toscana. It took 40 days to get here, so it was like the people in the Old Testament, spending 40 days in the desert,” he added.

Settling in Melbourne, the family became part of the city’s vibrant Ukrainian community, and it was here that Fr Wally decided to enter the priesthood at the age of 40, prompting a return to Europe – this time to Rome for his training.

Fr Wally returned to Australia for his ordination, and regales how, from his very first week, he was ‘thrown in the deep end’, with some dramatic experiences.

“In 1994, I was ordained and, the very next day, the priests realised that there was another priest in the parish so they decided to take a day off,” he joked.

“Then there was a big knock on the door at about 10pm that night, and there was an older Sister there who said, ‘Hurry up, the old bishop has collapsed’.

I went to help him out and called an ambulance – he had suffered a stroke, poor fellow – so that was the first of my courageous decisions.

“So, I spent two years in Melbourne as assistant priest, and then the priest who was in Perth became ill, and the bishop’s assistant told me I was needed there.”

When he first arrived at the Maylands parish in 1995, it was expected that he would just fill in for a couple of weeks while a replacement for the current Father was found. The plan, however, changed again and Fr Wally became a permanent fixture at St John the Baptist.

“The bishop thought I’d be here for a while just relieving: he was worried because I was just a new priest,” he said.

“So, when I went back to Melbourne for a visit in 1996, I asked if they were getting a parish priest ready, and the bishop said, ‘You’re going to be there a bit longer’.”

Administering to the 240-strong parish – as well as a fortnightly trip to a smaller community in Northam – has been an enriching experience, says Fr Wally. But he expresses concern that the Church is losing many young people.

Nevertheless, a recent experience of new Parish Priest Fr Ihor may show the UGCC as a dynamic source of identity for many Ukrainians, particularly given recent conflict in the country.

Fr Ihor was studying in the Ukraine when the Euromaiden uprising began in 2014, and he found himself in a public square, praying with the crowds for peace.

He said the atmosphere of the square – where people were provided with food, medical services and other supports – was something very unique.

“People were welcome to join us in prayer, to sing Ukrainian songs, or help out in some way everyone was friendly and helpful to each other, asking if they needed anything – it was like another world.”

The protests - which began in February 2014, and involved clashes between riot police and protestors seeking stronger ties with Europe rather than Russia – point to returning times of hardship in the Ukraine but, as Fr Ihor says, “what doesn’t destroy us makes us stronger”.

While Maylands may be far away from the conflict, it appears a preoccupation for both priests, who express the hope that their Church might be a source of strength during these times, and that people from the community worldwide might find identity within it.

“It’s true that many people – not just the young – have been affected by this event; they have been changed and converted,” Fr Ihor said.

Clockwise: Perched on a hill in the riverside suburb of Maylands, the icon-filled church of St John the Baptist serves as a reflection of the community it represents: Ukrainian Greek Catholics who have been here in WA since the 1940s. Long-serving Parish Priest, Fr Wolodymyr Kalinecki, will soon return to Melbourne; Ukrainian Greek Catholics will soon say goodbye to Fr Wolodymyr Kalinecki, affectionately known as Fr Wally, with Fr Ihor Holovko coming in to take the reins. Photos: Supplied I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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MOVIE REVIEW

PERTH ARCHBISHOP SHINES LIGHT ON NEED TO RE-DOUBLE EFFORTS TO ASSIST CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVORS AND PREVENT FUTURE ABUSE Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe recently wrote a moving response in the lead up to the clergy abuse themed drama, Spotlight.

Starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachael McAdams, Liev Schreiber and John Slattery, the film tells the story of the awardwinning investigative work of journalists at The Boston Globe in the late 1990s who uncovered evidence the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston had gone to extraordinary lengths to cover up sexual abuse and silence victims through payoffs, legal threats and personal intimidation.

T

he Australian release of Spotlight, which details the uncovering of sexual abuse of minors in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, and in the United States more generally, tragically has many parallels for the Catholic Church in Australia.

Here, too, defenceless, innocent children and young people were sexually abused by priests, religious and other Church personnel.

Their faith and lives were profoundly damaged, if not destroyed, by this terrible betrayal. When they found the courage to tell their stories, they were often not believed or treated with dignity, or offered any assistance to deal with the legacy of abuse. Sometimes they had to endure the pain of seeing their abusers moved from place to place, putting more innocent young people in danger.

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The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse continues its vital work of investigating this terrible scourge which is, to our great shame as a nation, far more widespread in institutional settings than previously realised.

In our Catholic Archdiocese of Perth, we are fully committed to a number of key tasks and actions in response to this horrifying reality. We now have a well-resourced Professional Standards Office, which seeks to respond as objectively, compassionately and justly as possible to anyone who comes forward with a complaint about sexual abuse.

Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton and John Slattery star in a scene from the movie Spotlight, which chronicles the Boston Globe’s uncovering of the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston in 2002. Photo: CNS/Open Road Films All clergy and others in our Catholic Community who work with children are required to have a current Working with Children card. This requirement is monitored both at the local level and by the central diocesan office, and is, of course, a requirement for employment in our schools.

We have compulsory psychological assessments for any person applying to join our seminaries, prior to their formal acceptance, and we have ongoing formation for our seminarians in the areas of human and especially psycho-sexual development, and in the codes of conduct required by those who minister in our Church.

We have established a Safeguarding Office which organises and conducts Professional Development programs for our clergy in the area of child protection and we have initiated a program of Safeguarding Officers in our parishes, whose responsibility it is to be an immediate point of contact for any child, young person or adult who has concerns about sexual abuse of minors.

The Safeguarding Officers also monitor, in conjunction with the Safeguarding Office, compliance with policies and procedures adopted by the Archdiocese for the safety of all parishioners, and, in particular, children and young people.

Our Catholic schools have clear policies in relation to the well-being and protection of children under their care, and very clear protocols for dealing with complaints or concerns.

And, in all of this, we await the final recommendations of the Royal Commission and stand ready to change or augment our safeguarding policies and procedures where necessary.

In light of the terrible suffering inflicted on innocent children and young people by members of the Church in the past, we are determined to do everything we can to ensure that no one suffers in this way again, now or in the future.

The screening of Spotlight, even as it reveals a terrible and painful story, is an opportunity for all of us in the Church to acknowledge the extent to which some of our brothers and sisters, including our leaders, have failed so badly, also here in Australia, to be the signs and bearers of God’s love and compassion they were expected, and appointed, to be.

More importantly, it can be an opportunity to redouble our efforts to assist those who have been the victims, and now survivors, of this terrible abuse and for whom the screening of this movie might well open up painful wounds.

And it must reinforce our shared determination to make our parishes and other institutions and agencies places of absolute safety for our children and young people.

BOOK REVIEW

O’BRIEN DELIVERS COMPELLING NARRATIVE ON MAN AND BISHOP WORDS Clement Mulcahy, Past President, Royal Western Australian Historical Society

C I would encourage anyone who has a complaint about child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church to immediately contact the police. If you need help to do so, you can contact our Professional Standards Office for advice and assistance. And, if you do not wish to go to the police at this time, our Professional Standards Office will explain the protocols of Towards Healing, the process the Church follows to deal with such matters if the complainant does not wish to go the police.

As the current Archbishop of Perth, I want to conclude by once again offering a deeply and painfully felt apology to all those who have suffered sexual abuse as children by members of the clergy, religious orders or other Church workers or representatives. You were betrayed in the most terrible way possible by those from whom you had a right to expect nothing but goodness and fidelity.

So many of you have lost so much, including perhaps your faith in the Church.

Please do not give up on God. You are carried in the hearts, the minds and the prayers of the Catholic community.

+Archbishop Tim Costelloe

ommissioned by the Archdiocese of Perth, the book is a significant work that places the story of the Spanish missionary within the context of the ecclesiastical tensions and colonial isolation ex-perienced by the pioneer clergy and the laity of the Swan River colony.

The study has an international setting too, with the overview from Rome, the recruiting of men and women from Spain, Italy and Ireland, funding from Spain and the Society of the Propagation of the Faith, as well as concern from Sydney’s Archbishop Polding, whose remit included the western outpost of the continent.

Published by St Paul’s Publication – Society of St Paul, Strathfield, NSW, and printed in China, the standards achieved in this 284page, illustrated volume, complete with a comprehensive bibliography, index, list of contents, appendices, tables and maps, reflects well upon both the author and the publisher.

These sources are of particular relevance as the biography will attract international students of Church history and missiology, as well as a national readership, while many Western Australians would not be familiar with the intense Spanish and European connections with the Church locally.

The title also provides a hint of the forensic spirit that seems to have driven much of the sophisticated research that marks this biography which opens, unusually, with the exhumation of the central figure.

Professor Rafferty’s foreword gives a strong sense of the main thrust of the research, analysis and interpretation provided by the author in this study of “a reluctant bishop who nevertheless left a significant imprint in the history of Australian Catholicism”.

Odhran O’Brien has brought his material together in a compelling narrative which enables the reader to meet both the man and the bishop, the women who were the nuns, the Spanish monks who laboured at Subiaco or New Norcia and those who had been appointed priests or bishops.

This has been far preferable to offering the reader an analysis of the canonical disputes, the institutional diocese, convent, and parish, without the regard for the human frailties, strengths or social attitudes relevant to the times that permeate the pages.

The title of the book provides a link between the pioneer missionary labouring in the antipodes and a time of social and political change in Europe.

The authoritarianism unacceptable now, that permeated the Catholic hierarchy both in the 19th and 20th centuries, is placed in context.

At first glance, the title might imply that the settlement experienced the benefit of an exceptionally long bishopric, 18141886, and the calm that could have been established.

The pressure for adaptation to better meet the needs of Australian conditions faced by local bishops is well examined by the author.

Instead, Griver was caught up in the maelstrom of schism, canonical injunctions, a divided community and alienated monks and nuns.

The arresting photograph of Martin Griver on the dust cover gives a sense of the man’s serenity which countered the stress and challenges outlined so well by his biographer, Odhran O’Brien.

The absorbing narrative noted by Professor Rafferty loses none of its pace in meeting this test. Archival material is used very effectively and author research disinterred a number of documents pivotal to a more complete understanding of Martin Griver.

The book can be purchased by contacting the Communications & Media Office on 08 9220 5900 or via email at communications.media@perthcatholic.org.au.

I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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EVENTS 27 MAR AND 3 APR 2016 EASTER ART EXHIBITION St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth will this month host an exhibition of modern art, sacred icons and innovative photography on Sunday, 27 March and Sunday, 3 April, 8am to 7pm, both days.

The exhibition will showcase the work of local artists Margaret Fane, Angela King and Jamie O’Brien. All display items will be for sale. More information to follow in the coming weeks. Further info: Contact Jamie O’Brien on 0400 808 601.

2 APR EASTER SEASON MASS Identitywa will be celebrating the Easter Season by celebrating Mass on Saturday, 2 April 2016 at Infant Jesus Parish, 47 Wellington Rd, Morley, from 10.30-11.30am.

All welcome. A light lunch will be served following Mass. RSVP by Friday, 18 March to Rozanne.pugh@identitywa.com.au or 08 9474 3303.

3 APR FEAST OF DIVINE MERCY The Feast of Divine Mercy will be celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral, Victoria Sq, Perth on Sunday, 3 April as follows: 1pm Confessions, Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy followed at 2pm with Holy Mass celebrated by Mgr Kevin Long assisted by seminarians; 3pm veneration of relic of St Faustina Kowalska. Please note that priests are invited to concelebrate the Mass and parking will be at the rear of St Mary’s Cathedral Presbytery. Further info: Julia Murphy 08 9457 7771.

26 - 28 APR VERITAS YOUTH FESTIVAL VERITAS Youth Festival is an exciting event for 16-30 year olds and will be held from Tuesday, 26 April - Thursday, 28 April at Santa Maria College, Attadale.

Last year, over 400 young people attended the event from across Perth.

This year, it will be bigger, better and more dynamic! Organised by the Catholic Youth Network, VERITAS will encourage young people to seek the truth, discover their purpose in life and develop a deeper relationship with God. Further info: www.veritasperth.com or, for general enquiries, contact Catholic Youth Ministry at admin@cym.com.au.

26 APR TO 29 JUN RCIA ADULT CATECHIST FORMATION COURSE Ten weeks in Term 2 at the Newman-Siena Conference Centre, 33 Williamstown Rd, Doubleview for those involved in the ministry of RCIA and sponsors. Includes 10 theology sessions and 10 practical workshops on RCIA. Both morning and evening sessions are offered. Further info or to register: Centre for Liturgy, 08 9207 3350, rcia.cfl@perthcatholic.org.au, http://liturgy.perthcatholic.org.au.

FAITH FORMATION: THE CATHOLIC FAITH EXPLAINED Every Thursday, 7.30-9pm at St Paul’s Parish (church undercroft), 106 Rookwood St, Menora. We will view portions of the acclaimed new video series Symbol on and examine corresponding paragraphs from The Catechism of the Catholic Church. This is open to Catholics and non-Catholic enquirers, baptised and unbaptised alike. Further info: 08 9271 5253 or casapgf@iinet.net.au.

REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR OF MERCY As part of our initiation process to familiarise you with our new website, we have produced a series of prayer sheets based on the Year of Mercy.

These can be used for parish and RCIA meetings, reflections before Mass, bulletin inserts for prayer. Visit http://liturgy.perthcatholic.org.au.

OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS FOR NEW TESTAMENT LIVING Every Tuesday, 7.30-9pm at St Paul’s Parish (church undercroft), 106 Rookwood St, Menora. Further info: 08 9271 5253 or casapgf@iinet.net.au.

COME TO THE WATERS OF MERCY PROGRAM FOR 2016 A Lenten Small Groups Program, Come to the Waters of Mercy, will be available from January 2016. The program will include: reflections on the Sunday readings, discussion notes, art and environment suggestions, music for the Lent and Easter seasons, children’s Lent activities, second rite of reconciliation, and universal prayer. Program is offered free to parishes and schools. Download from the Centre for Liturgy website at http://liturgy.perthcatholic.org.au.

RCIA ADULT CATECHIST FORMATION COURSE RCIA is the preferred method of welcoming new members into the Catholic faith. The RCIA Adult Catechist Formation Program is a ten-week course in Term 2 that provides opportunities for personal faith formation and explores the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults within Archdiocesan Guidelines. Further info or registration: http://liturgy.perthcatholic.org.au.

MARIAN MOVEMENT Every Tuesday 10.30am at St Bernadette’s, Jugan St, Glendalough. Rosary, talks and Mass as we pray, especially for priests.

There is a different celebrant each week.

There is shared lunch. Yolanda Nardizzi 0413 707 707.

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016 This year, millions of young people will gather with Pope Francis in Krakow, Poland for World Youth Day in July 2016. You are invited to join us on this unforgettable pilgrimage and experience travelling with our Perth bishops and other young people through Poland. The pilgrimage is open to 18–35 year olds. For cost and itinerary, visit www.cym.com.au. Register now as places are limited, don’t miss out on this amazing event. Further info: admin@cym.com.au or 08 9422 7912.

FREE ROSARY BEADS Free Rosary beads for mission overseas or in Australia; for Baptism and schools’ first Holy Communion. Further info: Felicia 0429 173 541 or Hiep 0409 128 638.

Send your events to communications.media@perthcatholic.org.au To ensure publication, please send details a month prior before the scheduled date of your event.

30

THE RECORD MAGAZINE

Cover image by Jamie O’Brien

MARCH 2016

ISSUE 1

OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Record Magazine seeks to promote awareness and understanding of vocation – God’s particular call to each of us to live and become what we were created to be. There are many such vocations – marriage and family life, priesthood, religious life or being single – with the first and universal vocation being to holiness, as described by the Fathers of the Church in Lumen Gentium.

DISCLAIMER The Record Magazine is published bi-monthly.

Views expressed in published articles are not necessarily those of the publisher or Editor. The Editor may refuse copy or material, including advertisements, for publication. Inclusion of an advertisement in The Record Magazine does not reflect endorsement or responsibility from the publisher or Editor.

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER/ EDITOR Jamie O’Brien editor@therecord.com.au MOB 0455 099 652

JOURNALISTS Marco Ceccarelli marco.ceccarelli@perthcatholic.org.au MOB: 0425 543 335

Caroline Smith caroline.smith@perthcatholic.org.au

MEMBERSHIP The Record Magazine is a member of the Australasian Catholic Press Association and Australasian Religious Press Association.

SUBSCRIPTIONS + SUBMISSIONS We welcome unsolicited articles and photos; however, we do not guarantee replies to unsuccessful submissions.

Send your details to: communications. media@therecord.com.au.

MOB: 0413824828

Rachel Curry rachel.curry@perthcatholic.org.au MOB: 0402 546232

PRODUCTION Feby Plando

CONTACT

feby.plando@perthcatholic.org.au

Archdiocese of Perth Communications and Media Office Phone 08 9220 5900 Email editor@therecord.com.au Address Victoria Square, Perth WA Postal Address PO Box 3075 Perth WA 6832

PROOFREADING Christine Jaques

SITES + SOCIAL MEDIA www.therecord.com.au www.perthcatholic.org.au facebook/perthcatholic instagram/catholicarchdioceseofperth twitter@perth_catholic

NOTICE The issue may contain images of deceased members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Images are used with respect and appreciation.

christine.jaques@perthcatholic.org.au

ADMINISTRATION Bibiana Kwaramba bibiana.kwaramba@perthcatholic.org.au

Lydia Stanley lydia.stanley@perthcatholic.org.au

We wish to thank and acknowledge everyone who assisted in the development of this new magazine, including Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, Bishop Don Sproxton, Fr Peter Whitely, Brett Mendez, Ron Tan, Terry Wilson, Maureen Colgan, Fr Sean Fernandez, Leigh Dawson, Peter Kennedy and Tracey Roberts. © 2016 The Record Magazine Copyright 2016 No part of The Record Magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher. The Record Magazine liability in the event of an error is limited to a printed correction. Proudly printed in Australia by Scott Print.

This publication is printed using vegetable inks, is ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) and has ISO approval for international environmental certification.

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