The Record Magazine - Issue #02 (May 2016)

FAMILY W H AT D O E S I T M E A N I N 2 0 16?

Official magazine for the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth

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ISSUE 2 MAY 2016

Featured this month

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Marriage True friendship the key to long marriage

Conversion Story A journey and a family affair

Mercycare Homeless youths reconnect

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‘He is not here, he has risen, as he said he would.’ — Matthew 28:6

Vocations

Benedictine Sister offers insight into extraordinary life journey

FROM THE EDITOR Jamie O’Brien In this second edition of The Record Magazine, we take a close look at the meaning of marriage and family.

Health Creighton Model of Fertility

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FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE From Archbishop Timothy Costelloe From Bishop Donald Sproxton

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IN THIS EDITION Obituary: Nga Dinh and Anh Hoang Identitywa Communications and Family Sculptor and Fatherhood Masculine Strength Movie Review Book Review Events

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Our stories this month look at the various dynamics of family life in today’s society - an issue that affects all of us and, most importantly, the role the Church has in providing the spiritual nutrition that is needed to sustain us.

Much of this discussion has stemmed from the recent release of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love.

As Archbishop Costelloe explains, the document encourages the whole Catholic community to recognise the beauty of human love, especially as it is embodied in marriage and in the family.

Many thanks for your feedback and support following the release of our first edition in March.

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 via editor@therecord.com.au or by contacting us on 08 9220 5900.

ARCHBISHOP’S WORD

“LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY”

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hen I was a young boy, I somehow came to understand that our Catholic faith is ultimately about relationships. This realisation was a gift I did not earn or deserve, and it is not a gift I have always made the most of. It is, however, a precious insight into the mystery of human life, as our Christian faith presents it to us.

When he therefore says to us, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34), we come to understand that our love for him will inevitably, and joyfully, lead us into relationships with those he himself loves - and that is everybody! We begin to see, in other words, that everyone is our brother or sister, deeply loved by the Lord and, in and through him, deserving of our love as well.

In many ways, the journey of our Christian lives is all about learning to live this truth in our particular context - and humbly seeking forgiveness, from God and from our sisters and brothers, when we fail to do so.

The first and most important relationship we have is our personal relationship with God, which for us as Christians, is centred on our relationship with Jesus. As He Himself says, “no-one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). As we enter into a genuine relationship with Jesus, we will find that what is important to him gradually becomes more and more important to us.

Because this commandment of love will be lived out in the concrete reality of our lives, the Pope’s recent Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, represents a precious gift to us all.

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More often than not, the people closest to us are the members of our families, and the Pope’s Exhortation offers many beautiful reflections and many practical proposals to help us live our family relationships, even in times of great difficulty, with serenity, with joy and with hope.

One expression of our love is our prayer. We show our love for God by spending time in God’s presence, and we show our love for each other by praying with and for those we love. Not everyone finds prayer easy. Indeed, many people would believe that they do not really know how to pray at all. The first disciples of Jesus experienced something of this. Saint Luke’s Gospel tells us that, on one occasion, seeing Jesus himself in prayer, his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray”. In response, Jesus taught them what we now call The Lord’s Prayer (cf Luke 11: 1-4, also Matthew 6: 7-13). In our tradition, we often speak of it as “the pattern of all Christian prayer”. This is undoubtedly both because of its content and because of the spirit which animates it. Ultimately, it is a prayer of complete trust. We ask that God’s kingdom (rather than our own) might come and that God’s will (rather than our own) might be done.

We ask for all that we need (our daily bread) rather than for what we might selfishly want, and we pray, rather dangerously, that God will forgive us our sins in the same way that we forgive others their sins against us.

Perhaps the most striking thing about The Lord’s Prayer is that it is a prayer for a community rather than for isolated individuals. I may well find myself alone when praying this prayer but I nevertheless address it to our Father, not to my Father. I ask the Lord not to give me my daily bread, or to forgive me my trespasses, but to give us the bread and forgiveness we need. The Lord’s Prayer does not allow us to forget our brothers and sisters when we pray. It does not allow us to have a relationship with the Lord which isolates or separates us from others.

[Prayer] does not allow us have a relationship with the Lord which isolates or separates us from others.

Yes, our Christian Faith is about relationships, with God and with others. As we open ourselves to God and his people, especially in prayer, we become the people God created us to be. The Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love, takes root and begins to grow within us. Thus, God answers the prayer Jesus taught us: thy kingdom come, thy will be done. +Archbishop Tim Costelloe ARCHBISHOP OF PERTH

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BE THE FACE OF COMPASSION

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here is no doubt that actions and gestures speak louder than words. An occasion when this was brought out was during the recent celebration of the Day for the Unborn Child on 2 April.

This commemoration is marked annually by the Mass for the Unborn Child at St Mary’s Cathedral on the Saturday closest to the Feast of the Annunciation. The congregation is made up of people who work in Pregnancy Assistance and other agencies that promote respect and the defence for human life, as well as families who have suffered the loss of a child before, during or sometime after their birth.

As a prelude to the Prayers of Intercession, a very poignant procession by the families brought forward flowers to be placed in baskets at the front of the sanctuary. Mothers and fathers, and their children, came forward with their flower.

The children, particularly, came forward with great reverence and very gently placed a flower with the others.

Some of the children were so young that they might not have remembered their little brother or sister who had died. Many were old enough to remember.

Regardless, it seemed that the families are determined to hold that child in their memory.

The Day for the Unborn Child originated in Argentina in 1999. More and more dioceses have taken up the celebration, with the Archdiocese of Perth celebrating it for ten years.

The Feast of the Annunciation was chosen because, on that day, Christians celebrate Mary’s decision to accept the invitation of God to become a mother. Her womb became the sanctuary of the Son of God.

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Some of the mothers told me about the deep healing that has happened for them as they prayed for their little loved one. Others explained how the simple act of giving a name to the child helped them to acknowledge their identity and personality. A renewal of faith for them has meant that they realise their child coming to life in their womb has delighted God, who has made an eternal home for them in heaven.

Parishes have taken up the initiative to celebrate an annual Mass for families who have lost a baby or young child. I have heard from parents how much they appreciate the thoughtfulness and care they have received from their parish community through these occasions.

This is but one way a parish can be the face of compassion this year and beyond.

Bishop Donald Sproxton

NGA AND ANH REMEMBERED FOR DEDICATION TO FAITH AND FAMILY The tragic loss of two valued and treasured members of the Perth Vietnamese Catholic Community recently sent shockwaves throughout the Archdiocese of Perth. Nga Dinh and Anh Hoang passed away in late February while on a holiday in Cairns with family and friends. Their funerals were held on 12 March 2016 at the Vietnamese Catholic Community Centre in Westminster.

WORDS Marco Ceccarelli

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phrase often used by friends and family to describe Nga Dinh and Anh Hoang in the weeks following their passing was brief and to the point: “They were women who gave much and expected little in return”.

Whether this was in reference to Ms Dinh’s wholehearted commitment to caring for her disabled husband, to Ms Hoang’s organ donation which saved the lives of four people after her death, or quite simply to the tireless service of both women within the Perth Vietnamese Catholic Community, one thing is for sure, theirs were purposeful lives in service to others.

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MOVIE REVIEW OBITUARY

Mother of two and wife of Hien Nguyen, 51-year-old Ms Hoang was born in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam in 1965 and arrived in Australia in 1983 at the age of 16.

Her Catholic upbringing back home meant that Ms Hoang kept her faith alive in Perth and quickly became involved in choir groups with other Vietnamese Catholics.

It was in the choir group that she met her husband, Hien, whom she married in 1988 and often accompanied on lengthy trips to Port Hedland, WA, where he worked as a Metallurgist and where both their children were born. The couple settled permanently in Perth in 2005, where Ms Hoang took up a part-time job and became much more involved in the Perth Vietnamese Catholic Community, particularly in St Celia’s Choir.

“She very much enjoyed singing in the choir,” Mr Nguyen said.

“She attended the choir with her other two sisters, who also sing very well, and she loved singing solos. She also enjoyed physical activity and never skipped her exercise,” he added.

“There is now a big vacuum in my life and I don’t know when that will be filled… one thing I do want to say is that she was a very wise woman and a wonderful mother.

“She was a great presence in all of our lives.

She raised our children perfectly and, when I worked 1,700km away, she left the comforts of friends and family in Perth to provide invaluable company to me. She was also of indispensable service to the Vietnamese Catholic Community.”

Even after her death, Ms Hoang’s altruism continued to live on as she donated her heart, liver and kidneys to patients waiting for a transplant.

“She saved the lives of four people,” Mr Hien said. “She brought happiness to four families.

Just imagine if you were waiting for an organ transplant and the news arrived that a heart was being donated… we need to celebrate this.”

Similar comments about selflessness and service were used to describe 48-year-old Nga Dinh.

Also born in Saigon, Ms Dinh has been described as a person who never tired of helping others, a quality she demonstrated through the steadfast assistance she gave to her husband who requires full-time care.

The care she showed to her husband was an inspiration to all who knew her and admired her caring spirit.

Ms Dinh also had a passion for singing and joined Ms Hoang within St Celia’s Choir.

Choir leader Lamson Lam, who regarded both women as talented vocalists within his choir, spoke of Ms Dinh as a person who loved to be surrounded by people and who wholeheartedly dedicated herself to whatever task was entrusted to her.

“She had a very big heart, a very big heart indeed. Whenever a large function had to be organised, she was always the first to volunteer and begin making arrangements. We were looking forward to having her sing in the choir this Easter, but it would not be so.

“We really miss her. We miss both of them very much,” Mr Lam said.

More than 600 people attended the funerals of Nga Dinh and Anh Hoang, celebrated by St Mary’s Cathedral Assistant Priest, Father Michael Quynh Do, on 12 March 2016.

Nga Dinh and Anh Hoang, who sadly passed away in late February, have been remembered for their altruism and undying spirit of service to their friends, family and the Perth Vietnamese Catholic Community. Photos: Supplied

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FAMILY and MARRIAGE WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN 2016?

WORDS Jamie O’Brien

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t should come as no surprise that it was Pope Francis who said, in his letter for the 8th World Meeting of Families in 2015, that the mission of the Christian family, today as yesterday, is that of proclaiming to the world, by the power of the Sacrament of Marriage, the love of God. The Holy Father went on to say that, from this very proclamation, a ‘living’ family is born and built, one which sets the heart of love at the centre of its human and spiritual dynamism.

So, the question begs, what do families and marriage look like in today’s modern context?

For Australia, marriage and family carry very diverse meanings among the many groups and cultures.

While the two institutions have historically been linked, it is obvious from recent statistics that their connection is becoming increasingly complex.

According to the Australian census conducted in 2011 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), there was a total of 5,584,000 families. These families consisted of couples without children (37.8 per cent), couples with dependent children (36.7 per cent), one-parent families with dependent children

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(10.6 per cent), couples with non-dependent children only (7.9 per cent) and one-parent families with nondependent children only (5.3 per cent).

This great diversity in family structure and dynamic has not been ignored by the Church – worldwide and across Australia. A Pastoral Letter, issued by the Bishops of Victoria in March 2012, explained that the Church firmly believes that marriage is founded on the wonderful fact of sexual difference and its potential for new life.

Without this there would be no human beings and no future. Bringing new human life into the world is founded on the loving union in difference of male and female.

Children are best nurtured by a mother and father.

“At the same time, as we know, in families tensions arise: between egoism and altruism, between reason and passion, between immediate desires and long-term goals, and so on.

“But families also provide the environment in which these tensions are resolved: this is important. When we speak of complementarity between man and woman in this context, we must not confuse the term with the simplistic idea that all the roles and relationships of both sexes are confined to a single and static model.

“Complementarity assumes many forms, since every man and every woman brings their personal contribution — personal richness, their own charisma — to the marriage and to the upbringing of their children.

Thus, complementarity becomes a great treasure. It is not only an asset but is also a thing of beauty.”

For Australia, marriage and family has very diverse meanings among the many groups and cultures. While the two institutions have historically been linked, it is obvious from recent statistics that their connection is becoming increasingly complex.

This reference to the complementarity of man and woman was further strengthened by Pope Francis, who, in his address for the International Colloquium on the complementarity between man and woman on 17 November 2014, insisted that leaders concerned about children and the long-term health of civil society must “promote the fundamental pillars that govern a nation…

The family is the foundation of co-existence and a remedy against social fragmentation.”

Sponsored by the Congregation for the Doctrine for Faith, the Colloquium was attended by some 350 people, including theologians, social scientists, psychologists, marriage counsellors, family lawyers, media experts, ministers, and pastors from 14 different faith traditions and 23 countries.

This discussion of family and the complementarity of man and woman has now been further reinforced with the release of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love.

Speaking on the release of Amoris Laetitia, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe said that Pope Francis has encouraged the whole Catholic community to recognise the beauty of human love, especially as it is embodied in marriage and in the family.

“The Pope recognises with great clarity the complex situation facing the family today. He sets out the importance of the institution of marriage for the well-being of children, and the relationship between Christian marriage and the faithful love which binds the Church to Christ,” the Archbishop said.

“The task ahead of the Catholic community in the Archdiocese of Perth is to carefully read, reflect on, and discern how we, in our local situation, can implement the challenges contained in this remarkable document. *Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies. 2015.

“It is fitting,” the Holy Father said, “that you have gathered here in this international colloquium to explore the theme of the complementarity between man and woman.

“In effect, this complementarity lies at the foundation of marriage and the family, which is the first school where we learn to appreciate our talents and those of others, and where we begin to acquire the art of living together.

The family, continued the Holy Father, is the principal place in which we begin to “breathe” values and ideals, as we develop our full capacity for virtue and charity.

I S S U E 1 MARCH 2016

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CATHOLIC CONVERSION IS BOTH A JOURNEY AND A FAMILY AFFAIR SAYS WILLETTON PARISHIONER WORDS Caroline Smith

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or Willetton parishioner, Holly Bentley, the decision to convert to the Catholic faith was inspired by her encounter with some of its Sacraments, including Marriage and Baptism. Ms Bentley recently graduated from the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) run through Sts John and Paul in Willetton, and said she first thought about joining the Church while preparing to get married.

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During the process, try to have an open heart’ this statement has stuck with me throughout the journey.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Catechumens and candidates with their sponsors and the rest of the RCIA team at the Baptism; Holly Bentley (left) with her friend, Jody, at their Baptism at the Easter Sunday Vigil Mass; pictured with her husband, Zach. Both are members of Sts John and Paul Willetton Parish. Photos: Supplied

“I first became familiar with RCIA when I was in the process of marrying my husband, Zach, last December,” she said.

“Zach was raised as a cradle Catholic, and we attended marriage counselling with Father Thai and met our Catholic marriage sponsors to help prepare us for our big day and beyond.

“Leading up to the wedding, I was curious to learn more about the religion my husband was raised with.”

In addition, Ms Bentley was named as godmother to her niece Madison last year, providing her with further contact with Church Sacraments and teachings.

“This was a huge honour and it made me want to learn more about the Catholic faith,” she said, adding that what she learned had helped consolidate values and views that she herself had been raised with.

After that, she decided to join the RCIA and work towards receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist – which she did on Easter Saturday, alongside other group members.

Ms Bentley commended the RCIA at Willetton parish for its support and guidance.

“It has been a journey and, the more you put in, the more you get out of it,” she said.

“I've been blown away with the kindness and inclusiveness Howard Ong, (group co-ordinator), the candidates and other sponsors have shown me.

“Howard told us earlier in the course ‘during the process, try to have an open heart’ - this statement has stuck with me throughout the journey.”

With her entry into the RCIA group, Ms Bentley became a Catechumen – someone who seeks Baptism into the Catholic faith – and the program also welcomes Candidates, who have been baptised but wish to receive full Communion.

Ms Bentley said the people in RCIA – including her friend, Jody, who did the program with her – were one of the best things about it.

“Along the way, I have met some wonderful people,” she said.

“Rosanne, my sponsor, has been an outstanding role model and has offered consistent support and guidance to me at all times.

“I look forward to what's to come and am excited to continue as a member at Sts John and Paul Catholic Church.”

I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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ertility specialist and founder of FertilityCare and N a P r oTe c h n o l o g y (Natural Procreative Technology) in Perth, Dr Amanda Lamont, opened a new practice at the beginning of this year – much to the delight of couples experiencing sub-fertility problems.

The Magnificat Fertility Centre is located in the suburb of City Beach and is currently headed by Dr Lamont, with Dr Antoinette Torre set to join her in the following months.

“The aim is to make FertilityCare and NaProTechnology more available and accessible. I have really enjoyed being involved in this work again and am excited to bring my new learnings of the past few years to further improve the care we can offer,” said Dr Lamont.

“While it has been present in Perth all this time, the service had not been advertised, so people may not have been aware that it was in fact available. I would like to make it easier for people to access natural fertility methods while offering something that is ethically acceptable and is generally good medicine,” she added.

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The “Triangle of Support”

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WORDS AND PICTURES Marco Ceccarelli

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BREAKTHROUGH REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE MAKES A COMEBACK IN PERTH

HEALTH Dr Amanda Lamont sees the establishment of her new practice in City Beach as another step in her personal vocation. Dr Lamont originally set up FertilityCare at St John of God Hospital Subiaco, in 2002, with the intention of helping people reach full procreative health. Photo: Marco Ceccarelli

Dr Lamont first set up FertilityCare - a method that combines natural fertility awareness with a medical treatment program (NaProTechnology) - at St John of God Subiaco Hospital, in 2002, with the intention of helping people reach full procreative health.

In 2006, the practice was moved to the suburb of Yokine where it grew until 2012, when Dr Lamont was forced to travel overseas for family reasons.

Since then, two specialists in the field, Dr Catherine Hurworth and Dr James Kho, have continued running N a P r oTe c h n o l o g y services in Perth – Dr Hurworth from the Perth Hills until December 2013 and Dr Kho from his Thornlie practice to date.

On the eve of her comeback, Dr Lamont reiterated the benefits of the FertilityCare program, particularly for those interested in Natural Family Planning methods that are in line with the Catholic ethos.

“Teaching women and couples about their fertility and bodies so they know what is happening, and to identify the problems when they occur, this is the aim of the FertilityCare system.

“The NaProTechnology program is about restoring normal fertility, not overstimulating, not suppressing, just keeping the fertility functioning normally, investigating and treating any disease processes. If there is something wrong, then it is treated, fertility is restored to normal and then people can conceive naturally, without the need of artificial intervention.

“NaProTechnology management plans can include the use of natural and other hormonal medications, supplements, surgery if required, and consultation with dieticians, counsellors and other allied health professionals according to the specific needs of each person involved.”

Conscious of the great challenges that come with the infertility and sub-fertility journey, including miscarriages and problems linked to conception, Dr Lamont pointed to other benefits of FertilityCare that can strengthen unity between spouses.

“The process of helping couples through infertility and sub-fertility needs to empower them in knowledge, information and control on levels other than physical ones.

“FertilityCare and NaPro technology is very much about that - trying to strengthen the relationship through very difficult circumstances.”

Looking back at FertilityCare and NaProTechnology’s origins in Perth, particularly its affiliation with St John of God Hospital’s mission and values, Dr Lamont pointed to the profound respect for life and its Creator as the driving force of the program.

“As Catholics, we have a deep appreciation for life and lay emphasis on God’s hand in the creation of every person and the dignity of each little embryo.

“With this also comes an understanding and a sensitivity towards the suffering caused by sub-fertility.”

Dr Lamont summed up the establishment of her new practice as another step in her personal vocation and reflected on her calling as mother and her ability to balance the two honourable vocations of home life and work life.

“I’ve tried to escape many times but God keeps calling me and wants me to do this work.

“FertilityCare really is a family ministry for us, as I depend on the support and help of my husband, children and parents to allow me to offer what I can with FertilityCare.

It is an ever-changing balance between family and work.

“The vision for the work of FertilityCare and NaProTechnology in Perth would be, God willing, for multiple centres around the city to offer this service,” she concluded.

FertilityCare and NaProTechnology are available from Dr Lamont’s new centre in City Beach, and from Dr Kho’s rooms in Thornlie. The FertilityCare charting system, an integral part of NaProTechnology, is taught in Perth by Loretta Spadaccini (Stirling) and Nicole Syed (Melville). Details for all centres in Australasia are available on www.fertilitycare.com.au.

To find out more about NaProTechnology, visit naprotechnology.com.

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While getting through each day can be a challenge for families affected by disability, the support of Identitywa gives them the breathing space needed to picture the future.

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or many parents, it can be a real challenge to juggle all the tasks that are required on a daily basis in caring for their family’s emotional and physical wellbeing.

For families which have a member with a disability, it is important that they access the right guidance and support for their individual circumstances.

Archdiocesan LifeLink agency, Identitywa, has been supporting people with disability and their families for almost 40 years, working towards the vision of a community in which “all people live with a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging and a sense of wellbeing”.

Based on Catholic values which respect the dignity and worth of every person, the agency provides person-centred support through a range of services.

These include individual and shared accommodation, the opportunity to ‘Have a Break’ for adults and children, in-home and outof-home support, community and recreation programs and assistance for school leavers.

CEO Marina Re said it was just as important to support the family of a person with a disability, as it was to support the person him/herself.

IDENTITYWA – FORGING FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS “At Identitywa, we know that a good break works two ways,” she explained.

“It is about carers recharging their batteries, and it’s also about individuals having a good time away from home, enjoying new experiences and also some familiar ones too.”

One family which knows the difference Identitywa can make are the parents and sisters of five-year-old Sadie.

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IDENTITYWA

After being referred by the Disability Services Commission, Sadie’s family began to access the day services available at Identitywa’s children’s house in Nollamara in 2014, and last year made the leap to overnight stays at the house.

“I came with my list of instructions, (basically her routine), wanting it to be a success so that, in a selfish way, we could have a moment to breathe.

The experience was emotionally testing, as Sadie’s mother Lynley described in a piece she wrote recently for Identitywa’s newsletter, Identikite.

“A staff member rang me that night at around 6.30pm to reassure me that Sadie was fine… That thoughtful phone call meant I could get to sleep knowing that she was safe and happily tucked up in bed.”

“The first night, I was a mix of emotions, mainly apprehensive, and all sorts of things went through my mind,” Lynley recalled.

With that first experiment a success, Sadie has continued to access Identitywa’s services, visiting the house one day a week and staying overnight once a fortnight.

CLOCKWISE: Five-year-old Sadie and her mum, Lynley, (right) have benefited from the use of Identitywa’s children’s house in Nollamara. Photo: Supplied. Callan, 18, has gained his L-plates with the help of an Identitywa family support worker. Photo: Supplied Identitywa CEO Marina Re says they work in partnership with people with disabilities and their families. Photo: Ron Tan

Lynley said she was excited that Sadie finally had the chance to interact with other children and adults and, over time, had developed a unique relationship with many of them.

“We are so happy she is experiencing a different environment and having the opportunity to be with other children. It’s her own special place where she feels safe and welcome,” she explained.

“As for our family when she is in respite – well, it’s very different. It’s less measured. I don’t have to stick to a plan and our life is more flexible but, at the same time, the children miss her immensely.”

Lynley isn’t the only parent whose life has been changed

by Identitywa.

Lisa has watched her 18-year-old son, Callan, grow in confidence since he left secondary school, with the assistance of an Identitywa family support worker.

This extra help has enabled Callan to travel by bus or train to his weekly commitments, including classes

at TAFE, sessions playing guitar in a music group and regular gym workouts.

He has also recently passed the written test to get his L-plates, something he is thrilled about, as he pursues his ultimate goal of driving V8 Super Cars.

“Identitywa has really been wonderful,” Lisa said.

“I had tried to find people to support Callan in the past but without success. Identitywa took this pressure away from us to find the right person.”

While getting through each day can be a challenge for families affected by disability, the support of Identitywa gives them the breathing space needed to picture the future.

And, with Sadie enrolled in mainstream schooling and Callan out on the road, the future is a bright one.

LifeLink agencies such as Identitywa 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.

I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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drian dos Santos has hit a dead end. At loggerheads with his parents in the midst of Year 12 studies, the 18 year old was sinking under the pressure of their expectations for his crucial final school year and the strain had spilled into every aspect of his life.

“The tension with my parents had really started to affect me and my schoolwork,” he said. “In the end, I had enough so I left.

“I basically ran away and was staying at a friend’s house when I told my school that I was no longer living at home. They put me in touch with MercyCare Reconnect.”

Adrian was one of the 220 young people helped last year by MercyCare Reconnect – an early intervention outreach support service for young people aged between 12 and 18 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

In the past five years alone, more than 1,000 youths and their families have been helped by MercyCare Reconnect, with many interventions resulting in family reconciliations and more stable living arrangements.

The program works with families to keep young people living at home, reduce parent-teen conflict, improve school attendance and engage young people in their community.

It comes amid estimates by the National Youth Coalition for Housing that, on any night in Australia, 26,000 people under the age of 25 are homeless.

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HOMELESS YOUTHS RECONNECT WITH HELP OF MERCYCARE MercyCare Reconnect coordinator Lisa Brown said young people and their families were referred to Reconnect for a variety of reasons, including to repair parent-child relationships, drug and alcohol issues, mental health, truancy, bullying and social media addiction. Parenting skills and strategies are also offered.

“Most young people don’t choose to be homeless,” Ms Brown said.

“Many see it as a last resort and an escape because they can see no way out of their problems.

“At times, there can be conflict in the home because of rules and expectations while, at other times, the conflict or issues are outside the young person’s control.

“Conflict in the home affects a broad cross-section of the community. It doesn’t just affect those in low socio-economic areas, but also extends to wealthy families and parents who work professional jobs. No family is immune.”

Ms Brown said a greater number of younger clients – some just 12 years old – were using the service compared to a decade ago.

“Ten years ago, 15 was the average age of young people who were at risk of homelessness,” she said.

“Now, we are working with more young people aged 12 and 13.”

MercyCare Reconnect has been operating for 18 years in Perth

Eighteen-year-old Adrian dos Santos was one of the 220 young people helped last year by MercyCare Reconnect – an early intervention outreach support service, for young people aged between 12 and 18, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Photo: Supplied

Conflict in the home affects a broad cross-section of the community. It doesn’t just affect those in low socio-economic areas.

“We explore all alternatives. Our number one aim is to have the young person return home and, where that’s not possible, we try to stabilise their living arrangements, whether that’s living with parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles or friends,” she said.

and helps families across the metropolitan area from Two Rocks to Rockingham and Armadale to Morley.

Adrian said being able to turn to MercyCare Reconnect and case worker, Sheryl Naidoo, when the relationship with his parents fractured was a huge comfort and had helped him find direction.

Ms Brown said case workers were closely linked to schools and school support staff who identified young people in need of assistance, counselling and mediation.

“At the time, I was bitter with my parents and not really interested in going home but Sheryl helped me see the bigger picture. I was able to reconcile with my parents

and I went home after a couple of months,” he said.

Ms Naidoo said Reconnect had worked with Adrian and his parents separately and provided family mediation to negotiate boundaries and consequences, improve communication and increase Adrian’s independence.

He successfully completed Year 12 and is now studying screen production at Murdoch University.

Reconnect is a free, confidential service funded by the Department of Social Services. Referrals can be made by calling 1800 800 046.

I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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NEWS

FAMILY - THE ‘MODEL’ OF COMMUNICATIONS

WORDS Natasha Marsh

Pope Francis chose “the family” as the theme of the 2015 World Communications Day. In his message for the day, Communicating the Family; A Privileged Place of Encounter with the Gift of Love, the Pope said the family was an ‘appropriate theme’ considering it had been a topic of profound reflection in the Church.

W

orld Communications Day was first established by Pope Paul VI in 1967. Each year it is celebrated by the Church on the Sunday before Pentecost. In his encyclical, Redemptoris Missio (1990), Pope St John Paul II called World Communications Day the ‘Areopagus of the modern age’, referring to the moment when the apostle Paul preached ‘Jesus’ and the Resurrection to all who would listen at the Areopagus, the honoured tribunal site of ancient Greece.

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FAMILY AND COMMUNICATION

World Communications Day has always been linked to Pentecost, evangelisation and the preaching of the Good News. Each year the Pope issues a message on January 24 (chosen to coincide with the feast of St Francis de Sales, patron of writers) with the topic and theme for the World Communications Day later in the year. Over the past halfcentury, the Popes have preached on a range of topics, including ‘the internet’, ‘silence’ and ‘children in the media.’

In 2015, Pope Francis reflected on how the family is the first school of communication.

“In the family we realise that others have preceded us, they made it possible for us to exist and in our turn to generate life and to do something good and beautiful. We can give because we have received.

This virtuous circle is at the heart of the family’s ability to communicate among its members and with others.

“The family is also the place where we learn how to deal with conflict lovingly. A ‘perfect family’ does not exist. We should not be fearful of imperfections, weakness or even conflict, but rather learn how to deal with them constructively.

The family, where we love one another despite our limits and sins, becomes a school of forgiveness.”

He said that modern (social) media, while an ‘essential part of life for young people,’ could be both a ‘help and a hindrance’ to communication.

“The media can be a hindrance if it becomes a way to avoid listening to others, to evade physical contact, to fill up every moment of silence and rest so that we forget that ”silence is an integral element of communication.”

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has insisted the need for real, authentic interaction, captured by his well-known images of a ‘bruised Church’, and one that ‘smells like the sheep.’

While social media enables ‘people to share their stories,’ ‘stay in contact with distant friends’ and even ‘open the door to new encounters,’ it should not replace true, authentic communication, Pope Francis wrote.

“The great challenge facing us today is to learn once again how to talk to one another, not simply how to generate and consume information.”

“All too often things get simplified, different positions and viewpoints are pitted against one another, and people are invited to take sides, rather than to see things as a whole.”

In the family, we realise that others have preceded us, they made it possible for us to exist and in our turn to generate life and to do something good and beautiful.

The Holy Father held up the image of the family, in all its beauty and brokenness, as a useful model for all communication endeavours.

“The family … is not a subject of debate or a terrain for ideological skirmishes. Rather, it is an environment in which we learn to communicate in an experience of closeness, a setting where communication takes place, a ‘communicating community.”

Pope Francis’s message for World Communications Day, ‘Communicating the Family: a Privileged Place of Encounter with the Gift of Love,’ can be read in English at the Vatican website, www.vatica.va.

Originally published in Kairos Magazine

I S S U E I S2S UMAY E 1 MARCH 2016 2016 19

TRUE FRIENDSHIP THE KEY TO LONG MARRIAGE WORDS JAMIE O’BRIEN

D

espite the fact that recent statistics show the number of marriages in Australia is on the decline and the average length of marriage is now just a little over 12 years, Armadale couple Peter and Barbara Boggon say it is still possible to have a long-lasting marriage – and, all the while, being happy.

The Mt Richon couple who, last August, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary, say that true friendship and remaining loyal has been the secret to their marriage standing the test of time.

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Married on 29 August 1970 at Corpus Christi Church, Mosman Park, the couple met through mutual friends while Barbara was on holiday in Liverpool, England in 1968.

Barbara says that having a Christian marriage was extremely important for her, because it was part of who she was.

“The Catholic faith has always been a big part of my life – I have a sister who belongs to the Presentation Sisters; I had been brought up in the Catholic faith and I can’t think of what life would be like to not be involved in the Church,” she said.

While Peter was not a Catholic when the couple were married, he was baptised 10 years later at St Thomas Parish, Claremont.

Barbara says that, in thinking about her 45 years of marriage, today’s society places a huge emphasis on the need to be happy, but often not with a Christian mindset.

“We worked on our marriage,” she said. “We have never not wanted to be married.”

In its 2015 Marriage and Wedding Report, Sydney-based social research company McCrindle said that, while the number of marriages taking place each year in Australia has been rising for more than a decade, recent figures show that marriages are on the decrease, with an average of 118,962 marriages taking place per year, a figure that is down 4,282 since 2011.

The average male marries at 29.9 years of age, and the average female marries at 28.3 years of age.

Further research showed that only 27 per cent of marriages in Australia in 2015 were religious based, with the average length of marriage lasting just over 12 years.

Director of Marriage and Fertility Services for the Archdiocese of Perth, Derek Boylen, said that marriage in the Church gives couples – at no matter what point in their marriage – the opportunity for support; through marriage preparation prior to the wedding day, support and education with raising children, counselling and a host of other services.

“With all the challenges facing a Christian marriage today, it is important we make time to remember the love and unity to which Christ calls us,” Mr Boylen said.

“As married couples, too often we go through life, day after day, sometimes without a chance to reflect on how, why and where the Holy Spirit is guiding us, showing us what it really means to love – like Christ did – and how, as Christians, we, in turn, can pass on the gift of faith to our children and those around us through this love,” he said.

Peter and Barbara Boggon say that for them, their marriage has been about knowing each other, which comes from good communication.

ABOVE: Peter and Barbara’s wedding day. Photo: Supplied LEFT: Peter and Barbara at the 2015 Annual Marriage Day Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Jamie O’Brien

“Peter and I always talk to each other - we don’t make a decision without consulting each other,” Barbara said. “We are very good friends,” Peter added.

Both Barbara and Peter agreed raising children is a difficult task – but that both parents need to be in tune with each other.

“You need to be on the same page. For Peter and I, our Christian ideals were the same, which is most important.

“Yes – it’s a challenge, especially considering you (as a parent) always feel like you are being watched - what you’re doing and how you’re doing it (looking after your child),” Barbara said.

“You also have to remember that there is another person (your spouse) who has their ideas too,” she said.

So what advice would they give to other couples looking to get married in the Church today?

“Acknowledge that there is a third person – which is God – and try to walk with Him all the time,” they said.

The Archdiocese of Perth will this year celebrate the Annual Marriage Day Mass on Saturday, 13 August at 10am at St Mary’s Cathedral. All couples and families are welcome. The Mass is an important way that our Archdiocese recognises and celebrates the important contribution that marriage makes to the Church and wider community. This special occasion is for all who are married or support marriage.

Couples who are celebrating significant milestone anniversaries (25, 30, 40, 50, 60 or even 70 years) can receive a commemorative certificate bestowing a special blessing from Archbishop Timothy Costelloe and Bishop Don Sproxton. For more information, contact Catholic Marriage and Fertility Services on 08 9241 5000 or via email to derek.boylen@perthcatholic.org.au. All details MUST be received before 24 July 2016.

I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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Growing up in rural New Norcia with her family has been a key element in the vocation of Veronica Willaway. As Australia’s only Indigenous Australian Religious Sister, she talks about how her family life helped shape her future.

Sr Veronica is currently serving at the Immaculata Convent in Nebraska, USA. Photo: Supplied.

BENEDICTINE SISTER OFFERS INSIGHT INTO EXTRAORDINARY LIFE JOURNEY

F

amily meant a lot to Veronica Willaway. Growing up in Australia’s only monastic town of rural New Norcia, 130km north of Perth, her family life was ingrained in the work of the Benedictine Sisters. It was no surprise then, when at the age of 14, she commenced her path of religious life with the Benedictine Missionary Sisters of New Norcia in 1958.

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WORDS Jamie O’Brien

Originally from the Yuat Noongar tribe, Sr Veronica is the only Indigenous Australian religious Sister.

Currently serving at the Norfolk Priory in Nebraska, USA, Sr Veronica returned to Western Australia in 2015 to spend a year volunteering at the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry of WA and, in the meantime, took some time out to speak to The Record Magazine about her vocation.

She worked in Kalumburu until 1982, when she returned to New Norcia to help the Filipino Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing.

From the young age of six, Sr Veronica went to live at St Joseph’s Orphanage together with her five siblings, with her parents’ blessing.

Sr Veronica explained that it was the ‘fashion’ for the children living in New Norcia at the time.

From this point on, a number of shifts took place that saw Sr Veronica transition not only to other geographical locations, but into another branch of her order.

“This became a sort of boarding place for us and we had the best of both worlds – going home each weekend.”

Influenced by the life of the Spanish-speaking Sisters at New Norcia, at the age of 14 Sr Veronica recalls it was then that she first felt called to the religious life and entered the convent run by the Benedictine Sisters. She professed her final vows on 12 March 1966, at the age of 21.

While this transition into the formal role as a religious sister began a wonderful period in her life, it also presented numerous challenges being seen as “different” to her friends first and foremost among them.

“Years later, all my friends and peers were very proud of me because I was only the second Aboriginal sister in the Congregation, Sr Cecilia Farrell being the first.”

In September 1974, she moved to Girrawheen to run a Child Care Centre for working parents, and was told she would be stationed there for the next 15 years.

However, barely a year into her service in Perth, things changed quite drastically for the young Sister as she was told that the Benedictine Sisters of New Norcia had decided to return to Spain and they had invited her to join them.

In the midst of so many shifts and movements, including a return to Kalumburu in 1987, Sr Veronica’s biggest transition was yet to come.

“It was a moment of confusion for me, yet somehow, in the midst of this period of uncertainty, I felt a call to follow my vocation and go to Spain.”

On 24 March 1975, she boarded the ship Galileo in Fremantle for a six -week journey across the ocean to reach Barcelona, Spain.

Her feelings of awe at the splendour of the sights she saw on her trip were only overshadowed by a growing sense of homesickness and realisation at how far her family would now be.

“My new ministry was looking after children aged between two and five. It is interesting to note that I learned most of my Spanish from them, ‘out of the mouths of babes.”

Three years later, during what she thought was going to be brief time on leave back in Australia, Sr Veronica was transferred to the Kalumburu Mission in the North of WA.

“On 27th April 1989, I was asked by the Generalate in Rome to go to the United States of America to help out in the Norfolk Priory.

After three days in the country, I was sent to the Winnebago Indian Reservation to help the community in the school and convent.

“I enjoyed my time at Winnebago and felt right at home with the Native Americans. Their culture is very similar to my Aboriginal culture. The people used to tell me that they had quite a few Aboriginal people stay with them and they soon all became very dear friends.

In mid-1991, Sr Veronica was transferred back to Norfolk, USA, where she remains stationed until this day.

Reflecting on her pastoral experience with the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry of Perth, Sr Veronica spoke about her repeated encounters with Aboriginal people whom she had previously known at New Norcia and Kalumburu.

She commented on how pleased she was to see many of them still in possession of the faith they received throughout those years.

“It is incredible to see how they have kept their faith.”

SPECIAL MISSION: Sr Veronica speaks with students, which formed a large part of her life as a religious sister.

Photo: Supplied ABOVE: Sr Veronica (left) on the day of her final profession, 12 March 1966, at the age of 21 . Photo: Supplied I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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FATHERHOOD

I

n many cases, art works say something about the people who make them, and the statue of St Joseph the Worker in Perth’s St Mary’s Cathedral is no exception.

Created by local sculptor Mehdi Rasulle in 2009 in time for the newly renovated building, the statue depicts St Joseph as an ordinary carpenter – reflecting knowledge of the saint that Mr Rasulle gleaned from his upbringing in the Islamic faith.

He said his vision of St Joseph worked well with what Emeritus Archbishop Hickey and former Dean, Monsignor Thomas McDonald, wanted for the statue, which sits at the rear of the Cathedral, close to a carving of St Mary MacKillop also completed by Mr Rasulle.

“They wanted a figure of an honest, hardworking man for the St Joseph character,” he said.

“I’m Muslim and we believe that St Joseph is one of our prophets - we know him as an ordinary working man.”

The statue is one of several works by Mr Rasulle that reflect the diversity of his experiences, including family background in Afghanistan and his journey from teenage refugee to sculptor of note in Perth.

For St Joseph the Worker, this included the addition of Hebrew words Joseph son of David carved into the jarrah wood – an idea suggested by a Jewish friend, says Mr Rasulle – together with his approach to the facial features of the saint, which the administration wanted to look more authentic.

“The other thing was to make him look more Middle Eastern,” he said.

“I described a concept for the figure and they said ‘come up with that’.”

Mr Rasulle came to Australia from Afghanistan in 2001, escaping the Taliban regime that discriminated against people of Hazara ethnic background and those who did not fall into line with the hard-line interpretation of Islam.

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Both factors affected his family, with a brother, Nik Qadem, being killed by the Taliban for teaching art – this was seen as ‘promoting Christianity’ because he taught students about classical art works which often included Christian characters.

SCULPTOR INSPIRED

BY FAMILY BACKGROUND AND LIFE OF CONTRAST WORDS AND PICTURE Caroline Smith Another brother, Abbas, had to leave his artistic career and become a panel beater because of similar threats.

After spending six months at the Curtin detention centre in the Kimberley, Mr Rasulle continued his high school studies and went on to university, where he decided to pursue a career in sculpture and art instead of architecture.

Recounting how he made this decision, he says his family background may have played a part in it.

Back home in Afghanistan, members of my family work as artists and stone masons.

“Back home in Afghanistan, members of my family work as artists and stone masons,” he said.

“Being Muslim and a sculptor is a challenge because many of the faith don’t believe in depicting living things and people.

“But my family is quite liberal, so we got commissions from around the world and did the work.”

After finishing his studies, Mr Rasulle embarked on a career that has seen him create sculptures and public art works for a number of clients, including museums, government departments and local government bodies.

“I do a lot of public art for institutions like the Department of Education and museums, things like that,” he said.

“Also art work renovations, like the sculpture that’s part of the Bunbury War Memorial – it needed to be fixed up a bit, and I found some marble from Afghanistan that could be used – it matched the original quite well.”

Outside his career as an artist, Mehdi is also a proud father, having met and married Joanne, an Irish woman, in Australia. They now have three children: Eolann, Eabha and Roisin.

Mehdi Rasulle with the statue of St Joseph which he created for St Mary’s Cathedral in 2012. Photo: Caroline Smith

FINDING THE TRUE MEANING OF MASCULINE STRENGTH WORDS Rachel Curry

St Joseph can be seen as a particularly important figure for fathers in light of depictions in the media, which often characterise fathers as helpless and playing a secondary parenting role.

F

or a man who doesn’t speak a word in the Bible, much has been written about St Joseph, a humble carpenter whose incredible faith in God led him to marry the Virgin Mary and raise Jesus as his son.

His two feast days – the Feast of St Joseph the Husband on 19 March and the Feast of St Joseph the Worker on 1 May – mark his importance, but what can a man who lived more than 2, 000 years ago teach us about the role of men in families today?

According to Tom Gourlay, Campus Ministry Manager at the University of Notre Dame Australia in Fremantle, the answer is a great amount indeed.

Mr Gourlay has been married for a little less than one year to his wife, Elizabeth, and the couple have recently welcomed their first child.

He said St Joseph was a saint of particular devotion to him and someone many men could look to emulate.

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FEATURE: St Joseph, depicted with the infant Jesus in this stained-glass window, remains an important role model for husbands and fathers today. Photo: CNS/ Gregory A Shemitz LEFT: Director of the Archdiocese of Perth’s Catholic Marriage and Fertility Services, Derek Boylen, pictured with his wife Karen and seven children.

Photo: Supplied

“While Joseph himself could be considered by some to be playing a minor role in the Gospels – none of his words are recounted, for example – his role in the Holy Family is of tremendous significance,” he said.

“His is an example of true masculine strength and courage, primarily exhibited through his purity and complete gift of self in service to his family.”

Mr Gourlay, who is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Theology at Melbourne’s John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Family Studies, said men throughout the ages had been tempted to exhibit strength and courage through domination and violence, instead of through this sincere gift of self.

Today, threats to true masculinity were felt most often through pornography, overwork and luxurious living, he explained.

“Now, more than ever, the challenging words of St Paul addressed to the men of Ephesus need to be heard with renewed clarity: ‘Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for Her, that He might sanctify Her’.”

Director at the Archdiocese of Perth’s Catholic Marriage and Fertility Services, Derek Boylen, agreed that husbands should devote themselves to their wives, particularly when they become fathers and children start to dictate most of their attention.

“The best way to love your children is to love your wife,” he said.

“The most important relationship in every family is the one upon which it is based: the marriage. Loving your wife and supporting your wife is the best way to ensure that things will work out well in the long run.”

Mr Boylen, who has six sons and a daughter with his wife, Karen, added that he also looked to St Joseph as a role model, and sought his intercession, particularly in times of struggle.

“As a husband and father, he knows exactly what it takes and how difficult it can be,” he said.

“When I’ve got to get up in the middle of the night to a sleepless child, I think about how St Joseph had to do that in the middle of the night in a desert somewhere fleeing to Egypt, a foreign country with a foreign language.”

St Joseph can be seen as a particularly important figure for fathers in light of depictions in the media, which often characterise fathers as helpless and playing a secondary parenting role.

In contrast, data collected by The Fathering Project – a not-for-profit group of the University of Western Australia – shows fathers’ selfefficacy and warmth in parenting are the most powerful predictors of children’s improved health, academic, social and emotional outcomes.

Catholic men in the public sphere, such as Robert Mazza, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, can help overturn these dangerous misconceptions.

Speaking at a Catholic Men’s Breakfast event, Mr Mazza said he always prioritised his wife, Julie, and his three children, Catherine, James and Sophie, even with the high demands of his job.

“As a family, we try to eat together and, because I like to talk, I’m always trying to engage one of my kids in some kind of conversation,” he said.

“I do take my allocation of leave and almost always that means some kind of family holiday… If there is some sporting event or musical performance my children are involved in, I make a point of going to watch it.”

Mr Mazza also attends Mass with his family, though he joked that he had to resort to “occasional bribery” in the case of his children.

Clearly a devoted family man, he said this side of him wasn’t always acknowledged by others.

“Despite what I regard as a rich life outside of work, most people define me by what I do,” he conceded.

This is another area where the example of St Joseph can be useful.

Jesus’ earthly father is admired not for his own achievements, but for his sincere gift of self in service to his family. Maybe it is time we do the same for men today.

I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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MOVIE REVIEW

MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN RECOUNTS CAPTIVATING STORY OF FAITH AND SUVIVAL WORDS Peter Malone

Starring Jennifer Garner, Kylie Rogers, Martin Henderson, Queen Latifah, Eugenio Derbez and John Carroll Lynch. Directed

by Patricia Riggen. 109 minutes. Rated PG (Mild themes. Some upsetting scenes)

I

t is said that after the success, commercially, of The Passion of the Christ, American faith films received a boost of confidence, moving to bigger budgets and campaigns for wider and mainstream distribution, both in the United States and beyond. Miracles from Heaven is one of these films.

These faith films divide opinion and comment. American secular reviews of Miracles from Heaven are quite damning, not ready to give much credit to such films, saying that they are too pious, sentimental and unreal, especially in this case as in the previous Heaven is for Real, the events, the healings and miracles, too difficult to swallow.

On the other hand, for instance on the Internet Movie Database, practically all of the comments are from the faith audience, who have found this film not only good entertainment, but a reinforcement of faith and values.

the ladies of the parish accost Christy and say that either she and the family, or even the daughter, must have sinned in some way for the daughter to be so ill.

Christy loses her sense of faith.

In a sense, this is a story about family and how it deals with an illness and, the contact with a world specialist (Eugenio Derbez) in Boston with an enormous waiting list. Determined Christy takes her daughter to Boston and, providentially, gets an appointment. The doctor is cast in the vein of such medical characters as Patch Adams, having a way with children and a way with adults, cheerful and joking even when the prognosis indicates terminal illness.

There is a miracle in this film, not as one might have anticipated, but a healing.

One of the interesting aspects of presenting miracles on screen, is the response of different faith communities.

For more evangelical communities, this is an encounter with God and intervention in people’s lives. Catholics

need to remember that miracles are required for any progress on stages for beatification and canonisation and that, at any one time around the world, many Catholics are praying for potentials saints and their recognition.

Some physical comments made during the film and the issue of spontaneous reconstruction. On the other hand, with the little girl saying that she had an encounter with God, this could be seen as the equivalent of a dream – and there is a great deal of thinking and writing on the effect of dreams on the human psyche and the human body.

The film is very American, unashamed of sentiment, prayer and faith. In the final credits, there are photos and video footage of the family several years after the miraculous experience – the young daughter herself, large as life, on the screen as a testimony to her faith.

Sony. Released 24 March 2016.

Peter Malone MSC is an associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film & Broadcasting.

It is based on a true story and a book by the mother of the family: Christy Beam. She and her husband, Kevin, and their three daughters are a typical middle American family, he, a vet who works some of the land; she, a mother, and the family are members of the local evangelical church, led by very genial pastor, John Carroll Lynch. Clearly, this is a wholesome story in its perspective and treatment.

When the middle daughter experiences stomach and throat trouble, is in continual pain and the diagnosis asserts that there is basically nothing wrong with her, Christy becomes very angry with the doctors and demands further tests, which leads to the discovery that the girl has a severe intestinal problem. While the family prays, and the Christian community is supportive, there is a severe scene where two of

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Jennifer Garner, Queen Latifah and Kylie Rogers star in a scene from the movie Miracles From Heaven. Photo: CNS/Columbia Pictures

BOOK REVIEW

SEARCHING FOR MERCY IN THE FACE OF CHRIST: POPE FRANCIS LAUNCHES NEW BOOK AT START OF JUBILEE YEAR WORDS Marco Ceccarelli

Pope Francis, The Name of God is Mercy, translated by Oonagh Stransky, Bluebird Publications, London, UK, 2016; pp 151; hardcover

T

he warmth and candour that Pope Francis has demonstrated since his election to the papacy in 2013 has had a sweeping effect over so many within, and outside of, the Catholic Church.

In his latest book, Pope Francis does not fall short of delivering another powerful message that strikes at the very heart of mercy, a concept so dear to him that he decided to name a jubilee year in its honour.

The Name of God is Mercy is largely a collection of conversations between Pope Francis and Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli, although Misericordiae Vultus - the Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy - has also been included as an appendix.

In the book, Pope Francis speaks of humanity as “deeply wounded” and portrays the Church as a mother who does not wait for the wounded to knock on her doors, but looks for them in the streets, gathers them and makes them feel loved.

In light of what he sees as a humanity that has either lost sight of sin, or finds its sins and illnesses to be incurable, the Pope defines our era as a Kairos (Greek for ‘opportune moment’) of mercy, a favourable time during which we are called, more than ever, to both receive and show mercy.

In a very poignant way, Pope Francis highlights that the Church does not exist to condemn people, “but to bring about an encounter with the visceral love of God’s mercy”.

In order for this to happen, however, the Pope is adamant about the necessity for Christians “to go out from the churches and the parishes, to go outside and look for people where they live, where they suffer, and where they hope”.

“I like to use the image of a field hospital to describe this ‘Church that goes forth’.

It exists where there is combat. It is not a solid structure with all the equipment where people go to receive treatment for both small and large infirmities. It is a mobile structure that offers first aid and immediate care, so that its soldiers do not die.”

Pope Francis also speaks on confession and forgiveness and, as the first Pope to go to confession publicly during a penitential litany at St Peter’s, he emphasises the importance of confessing one’s sins in front of a priest.

“We are social beings, and forgiveness has a social implication; my sin wounds mankind, my brothers and sisters, and society as a whole. Confessing to a priest is a way of putting my life into the hands and heart of someone else, someone who in that moment acts in the name of Jesus... we face the facts by looking at another person and not in the mirror,” he said.

The Pope also speaks of God needing only “a small opening” in order to enter into the heart of a person and grant grace. “A tiny opening is enough. All we need to do is take our condition seriously. We need to remember and remind ourselves where we come from, what we are, our nothingness.”

When questioned by Tornielli on what may be seen as “too much mercy” from the Church, Pope Francis speaks of a Church that both condemns sin, yet shows mercy to sinner.

“The Church condemns sin because

it has to relay the truth: ‘this is a sin’.

But, at the same time, it embraces the sinner who recognises himself as such, it welcomes him, it speaks to him of the infinite mercy of God.” Returning to the small opening needed

by God to grant pardon, the Pope warns against the adoption of an attitude akin to the “scholars of the law” who are more attached to the letter of the law and to boundaries than they are to love.

“Jesus moves according to a different kind of logic,” Pope Francis says, taking the examples of Jesus’ contact with lepers despite the laws that forbade interaction with them.

“At His own risk and danger, He goes up to the leper and He restores him, He heals him. In so doing, He shows us a new horizon, the logic of a God who is love, a God who desires the salvation of all men.”

Pope Francis goes on to point out the difference between sin and corruption, speaking of corruption as a sin raised to systemic level and stressing the need for compassion to “conquer the globalisation of indifference” which plagues the world today.

The Pope concludes in much the same way that he started, by encouraging the believer to be open to the mercy of God by going to confession with faith.

Accompanying this, he also addresses all Christians with the powerful reminder, “try and be merciful with others”.

The Name of God is Mercy was released on 12 January 2016 in 86 countries and was presented in the Augustinianum Institute by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and the actor Roberto Benigni during a conference moderated by the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ.

I S S U E 2 MAY 2016

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EVENTS 8 JUN TO 22 JUN

31 JUL TO 7 AUG

EXPLORING THE MASS

WHO ARE YOU JESUS? WHERE ARE YOU JESUS?

The Centre for Liturgy and the Centre for Faith Enrichment invite you to deepen your understanding of the Mass, the source and summit of our Christian life. This short course will offer an overview of the history of the Mass as well as exploring why we do what we do during the Mass. Classes run from 7pm to 9pm, commencing Wednesday, 8 June at the Holy Family Parish Hall, 45 Thelma Street, Como. Only 50 places are available. For more information, contact 08 9207 3350 or email registrations. cfl@perthcatholic.org.au.

18 JUN AND 25 JUN CATHOLIC WORSHIP BOOK II This series of workshops will focus on how to use this new musical resource within the context of your parish and/ or school. The new hymnal is divided into three parts. The first workshop will teach the Service music and the second workshop will teach the hymns relating to the Seasons and the Feasts. The worshops will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Lesmurdie and Glyde Roads, Lesmurdie from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

For more information contact 08 9207 3350 or email registrations.cfl@ perthcatholic.org.au.

27 JUL IT’S ALL HAPPENING!’ WHAT’S THE TRINITY DOING IN US? Rev Dr Tom Ryan sm will present, It’s all Happening! What’s the Trinity Doing in Us? From 10am to 12.30pm at the Newman Siena Centre, 133 Williamstown Road, Doubleview on 27 July. The workshop will look at aiming to understand the Trinity’s activity in us. What happens? Why? How? Are there are any signs we can look for? Special attention will be given to the Holy Spirit and the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. It is the Spirit that enables us to breathe, live and flourish in that atmosphere unique to God’s inner life. For more information, email cfe@perthcatholic.org.au or contact 08 9241 5221.

In this two part seminar, Rev Dr Tom Ryan looks at the two questions, Who are you Jesus, and Where are you Jesus?. In the first seminar, the ‘who’ builds on Thomas Aquinas’ phrase ‘Jesus is our wisest and dearest friend.’

In the ‘where’ section, we use stories of real people whose lives and actions reveal something of the goodness and beauty of the Risen Jesus present in our world. The seminars will be presented from 2pm to 4.30pm at the Newman Siena Centre, 133 Williamstown Road, Doubleview.

For more information email cfe@ perthcatholic.org.au or contact 08 9241 5221.

3 AUG LEARNING FROM THE VELVETEEN RABBIT This workshop will build on this comment from Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbit. It will explore what the book can tell us about being real, namely, about being one’s true self. Participants are encouraged to read The Velveteen Rabbit before the workshop. It is available digitally at this link: http://digital.library.upenn. edu/women/williams/rabbit/rabbit. html. The workshop will be presented at the Newman Siena Centre, 133 Williamstown Road, Doubleview and runs from 10am to 12.30pm. For more information, email cfe@perthcatholic. org.au or contact 08 9241 5221.

THE LORD’S PRAYER SEMINAR: PRAY THIS WAY Every Wednesday, the Lion of Judah Charismatic Prayer Fellowship will host the Lord’s Prayer Seminar, Pray it this Way; at the Holy Rosary Parish Hall, Elizabeth/Tyrell Streets, Nedlands at 7.30pm. The seminar is free; however, we will take up our regular donations. Please bring a Bible, note pad, pen etc. Refreshments provided. Come and discover the immense richness intended by Jesus for a truly fulfilling life lived day by day.

Written and taught by Eddie Russell FMI, SD, the Lord’s Prayer Seminar opens up the eight stanzas over eight weekly sessions starting with songs of praise each night. For more information contact Eddie Russell via email at fmi@flameministries.org or Kaye Rollings on 0421 605 502.

COEXIST STICKERS FOR SALE No matter how we pray, we are all sisters and brothers. This sticker is designed to move us in love and respect for every soul on the planet.

These stickers are not for profit. The small amount per sticker provides a way to produce more stickers. Help us promote the coexist message throughout the world. For more information, contact Br Alan Archer 08 9258 7333; bral@emmauscommunity. com.au.

BIBLE STUDY: OLD TESTAMENT LESSONS FOR NEW TESTAMENT LIVING Every Tuesday, 7.30-9pm at St Paul’s Parish (church undercroft), 106 Rookwood Street, Menora. After reading selected biblical texts and viewing video segments, we will discuss the ethical and personal issues portrayed in the lives of Jacob, Joseph, David, Solomon and Esther.

(Please bring your own Bible.) For more information, contact 08 9271 5253 or casapgf@iinet.net.au.

FAITH FORMATION: THE CATHOLIC FAITH EXPLAINED Every Thursday, 7.30pm to 9pm at St Paul’s Parish, 106 Rookwood Street, Menora. The workshops will view portions of the acclaimed new video series Symbolon and examine corresponding paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, with discussion of basic elements of the faith. This is open to Catholics and non-Catholic enquirers, baptised and unbaptised alike. For more information, contact 08 9271 5253 or casapgf@ iinet.net.au.

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

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THE RECORD MAGAZINE

Cover images sourced

M AY 2 0 16

ISSUE 2

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

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

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