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ISSUE 25 SEPTEMBER 2020
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SOCIAL MEDIA
WO R K I N G AT H O M E
Worried about partners than the virus PAGE 14
COVID-19 crisis management: helpful or harmful? PAGE 18
Hardly child's play with
Official magazine for the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth
children PAGE 24
Centre for Faith Enrichment
COURSES & EVENTS
TERM THREE 2020
P L E A S E N OT E In Term 3, the CFE will be offering both on-site and online adult faith education classes. Please check the location of the course you are interested in. For on-site courses, physical distancing and hygiene measures will be adopted.
DAYTIME COURSES (ON-SITE) Thursdays 3 – 24 September ∞ 10:00am – 12:00pm
Understanding the Relationship between Scripture and The Church This course explores the foundations of Catholic Christian tradition from Old Testament concept of who God is and the New Testament revelation of Jesus: incarnate Son and Saviour. The course will also examine the faith communities that grew out of that experience. Cost: $35, 4 sessions With: Dr Peter Christofides Where: Newman Siena Centre (Clune Lecture Theatre)
EVENING COURSES (ON-SITE AND ONLINE) Tuesdays, 1 – 22 September ∞ 7:30pm – 8:45pm
EVENTS (On-Site and Online) Friday 11 September ∞ 9:30am - 11:00am
Catholic Social Teaching Series Faith in Action: The Pope’s Message on Migrants & Refugees
Within a workshop format, Pope Francis’ message for World Migrant & Refugee Sunday 2020 will be explored. Cost: $10 With: Dcn Greg Lowe Where: Newman Siena Centre and livestreamed online
What does it mean to be The Church in the 21st Century: How we got here and where are we meant to be? The Church tells us that as “the people of God” (Gaudium et Spes, 11), each person within the Church is called to be Priest, Prophet and King. This understanding affirms the common identity and equal dignity of everyone in the Church and sheds light on the ‘call to holiness’ for all. Where did such understandings come from and what does it mean for us today? How can we best respond to this life of holiness in the reality of the 21st century? Join us for four evenings online as we address these and other questions and enrich our understanding of faith. Cost: $15, 4 sessions With: Mr Joe Tedesco Where: Online
Tuesdays, 1 – 22 September ∞ 7:30pm – 8:45pm
Ideal for Young Adults | Saint John Paul II’s understanding of Freedom, Love and Responsibility In partnership with Catholic Youth Ministry, Perth, this course is aimed at young adults and those interested in learning the Church’s deep and inspiring understanding of sexuality and sexual ethics. It will focus on Saint Pope John Paul II’s book Love and Responsibility, which arose from his pastoral care of young people, couples preparing for marriage and married couples. The idea behind the book was to assist people in maturing their eros from attraction, to romantic love, to true friendship, to the surrender of self in spousal love. We will discuss JPII’s concept of the primacy of the person in love, the sexual drive as part of our personhood, dealing with shame, the true meaning of chastity, and living justice in marriage. A light supper will be provided.
Friday 18 September ∞ 9:30am - 11:00am
Catholic Social Teaching Series Faith in Action: Theology of Hospitality & The Welcoming Parish
Within a workshop format, the notion of hospitality as a way of understanding God will be explored; passages from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures will be studied to support this understanding of God as a gratuitous, hospitable being. Our stance towards welcoming the newcomer at the parish level will be discussed including any barriers around cultural and religious difference that may be present. Cost: $10 With: Dcn Greg Lowe Where: Newman Siena Centre and livestreamed online
Cost: $20 (includes light supper) With: Ms Natalie Thomas Where: Catholic Pastoral Centre, 40A Mary St, Highgate (entry via carpark off Harold St)
Mondays, 7 - 21 September ∞ 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Adult Faith Foundational Programme – Part 2 Responding to the Call to Holiness The Second Vatican Council document, Lumen Gentium, tells us that “in the Church, everyone whether belonging to the hierarchy, or being cared for by it, is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: ‘For this is the will of God, your sanctification’”. As we come to know ourselves, this call makes itself more pronounced in our life. Pope Francis’ exhortation, Gaudate et Exsultate, brings contemporary meaning to this understanding of God’s call to us. How do we respond? How do we recognise those nudges of the Holy Spirit that direct us towards holiness? Over four terms, this four-part foundational programme will cover core topics of the Catholic tradition such as Church, the call to holiness, liturgy, sacraments, Scriptures and missionary discipleship. Cost: $15, 3 sessions With: Dr Margaret Scharf OP Where: Newman Siena Centre and livestreamed online
Thursday, 24 September ∞ 7:30pm – 8:30pm|
The Domestic Church: Home is a Holy Place
Where is God in your home? God is present within all the messiness of family life. How can we appreciate that the ordinary life and activity of our homes are vehicles of God’s love and grace? This one-off online evening event will address the challenge of making God’s presence more widely known, served and celebrated within the home. Cost: Free of Charge With: Dr Carmel Suart - Office of Christian Initiation
Visit www.cfe.org.au/courses-and-events for more information. For enquiries, contact us at cfe@perthcatholic.org.au.
F E AT U R E D T H I S M O N T H
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The Spanish Flu And the work of the Church
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16 Bushfire crisis Faith is all that remains for two Yanchep survivors
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me! Let anyone who believes in me come and drink!”
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— John 7:38 F R O M T H E E D I T O R Jamie O’Brien
Saint Patrick’s Community Ten thousand meals
In this Issue 25 of The Record Magazine, we take a look at the theme of Crises and Trauma.
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We are living in an unprecented times. For some, the recent months have proven very difficult, for others, while the situation has been perhaps been challenging, it has been manageable. Nevertheless, regardless of the situation we each have faced, it is important we stay close to God to help us continue our journey with him. In this issue of Crises and Trauma, we speak with Yanchep parishioner Iris Geneve, who lost her home in the bushfires. We also talk to Mirrabooka parishioner Ana O’Brien about her experience of losing a child, as well as Joy* and her experience of domestic violence. We also profile the “Good Work” of our Catholic community and beyond, including St Pat’s Community Centre, and their Doorstop Dinners Appeal. We also speak with St John of God Health Care Director of Emergency Medicine, Dr Jason Fitch, and his experience of working in trauma care. Don’t forget that these and many more stories of our local Perth Catholic community are available at www.therecord.
Recipe Creamy Quattro Formaggi Tagliatelle
FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE From Archbishop Timothy Costelloe From Bishop Donald Sproxton
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IN THIS EDITION 2020: The Year of Trauma and Crises Domestic Abuse Miscarriage Social Media and Crisis Emergency Medicine for Physical Trauma
com.au. The Record Magazine is a magazine for the people and
Working from Home
I hope you will enjoy taking the time to engage with us. Please
Seal of Confession
feel free to share your thoughts via editor@therecord.com.au.
Colouring Page
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I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 3
JESUS WALKS WITH US
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB celebrated the Australian Catholic Youth Festival Closing Mass at Trinity College on 10 December 2019. Photo: ACBC/ Daniela Tan.
ARCHBISHOP ’S WORD
In his homily for the Third Sunday of Easter, Archbishop
them as he spoke to them on the road. In these strange times
Timothy Costelloe reminded Perth Catholics that Jesus
through which we are living we could well spend some time reflecting on ways in which, although we did not recognise
is present “in these strange times we are living”.
him at the time, Jesus was walking with us. As we look back
O
over the last few months can we remember times when
f all the stories in the Gospels, of the
our hearts burned within us, when it seemed as though
appearances of the risen Lord Jesus to his
something had happened or someone said something which
disciples, the story of the two disciples on the
brought us a sense of unexpected joy, or hope, or love?
road to Emmaus is perhaps one of the best
Perhaps it was something we heard in a homily as we watched
known and most loved of all.
the Easter celebrations online. Perhaps it was some act of
In this strange year in particular, when we are all living
kindness or of courage which we heard about or read about
through an experience which most of us could never have
in the news, or even experienced ourselves. Perhaps it was
imagined, this story of Jesus appearing to his disciples and
in the way family members or friends or neighbours went to
yet not at first being recognised by them, is particularly
great trouble to keep in touch with us in the present difficult
encouraging for us. There is a sense, perhaps, in which the
circumstances. Perhaps it was in the capacity we discovered
two disciples in this Gospel are symbols of each one of us, as
in ourselves to be tolerant and understanding of those closest
we journey through this strange time.
to us and to forgive all those little ways in which people
The story indicates that the two disciples have set out on
perhaps inadvertently irritated or offended us.
their journey two days after the events in Jerusalem. Their
In all these ways and in so many more we will have
conversation with the stranger who joins them reveals that
experienced what lies at the heart of Easter: that love is
they are downcast and discouraged. It might also be the case
greater than hatred, that life is more precious and more
that they are deeply afraid. The other disciples have remained
powerful than death; and that it is in mutual support and
in Jerusalem, locked in a room for fear of the Jews, but these
encouragement rather than in isolation or harsh criticism that
two men are escaping.
we are at our best and most fully alive.
They are heading for another village a good distance away
Our faith is based on our belief that Jesus has risen. He does
from Jerusalem where perhaps they believe they will be
walk with us in the day-to-day journey of our lives. He does
safe from the authorities who destroyed Jesus and are now
reach out to us and touch us not only through the sacraments
seeking to destroy his followers. It is into this situation of fear,
which are so precious to us, but also in the very ordinary
confusion, disappointment, and of hopes dashed, that Jesus
circumstances of each day. The two disciples on the road to
comes to journey with the two disciples.
Emmaus recognised Jesus at the breaking of the bread. It
What is the first thing he does? He walks alongside them and
took them a long time, and a tiring journey, to do so. As we
listens to them. He invites them to share their distress, their
look forward to the time, when we can once again gather in
confusion and their doubt with him. It seems important for
our Churches for the Eucharist, let us pray for the grace to
Jesus to give them the chance to speak from their hearts, to
be able to recognise Jesus in all the other ways in which we
name their fears and confusion, and only then to remind them
experience a different kind of Eucharistic presence of the
of what their faith, their sacred writings, and their experience
Lord Jesus among us.
of Jesus during his life had really been pointing to: that
Let us not be slow to believe, as those two disciples at first
everything that had happened to Jesus had been a necessary
were. Let us be ready for the burning of our hearts within us
part of God’s plan. In that mysterious plan what looked like
as Jesus encounters us, often in unexpected ways. And let
an absolute disaster and a failure turned out to be instead the
us, especially in these difficult times, be eager to share our
moment when the power of death was overcome by life and
stories of our encounters with the Lord with those around
the power of fear and doubt was overcome by trusting faith.
us, just as those two disciples were so eager to hurry back to
As Jesus journeyed with those two disciples, even though
Jerusalem to share their joy with their brothers and sisters in
they had not recognised him, their hearts still burned within
the community of faith.
+ Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB ARCHBISHOP OF PERTH
5
CHRIS T S TA NDS BESIDE US IN EVERY TRIAL
In his homily for the Second Sunday of Easter, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton spoke about the immense compassion and mercy of God. Photo: Ron Tan.
BISHOP’S WORD
In his homily for the Second Sunday of Easter, also known
The parents are now being asked to do so much more in
as Divine Mercy Sunday, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton
guiding their children at home with their work, and are fortunately supported by the teachers. Even more is being
spoke about the immense compassion and mercy of God.
D
asked of our teachers and school staffs as parents are encouraged to send their children back to school. They will
ivine Mercy Sunday, the last of the eight days of
be attempting to cater for children in classrooms and those
special rejoicing and celebration of Easter, was
who remain at home.
inaugurated by St John Paul II to highlight that
We are seeing the best in people. Families reaching out
at the centre of Holy Week and Easter, lies the
to elderly neighbours and asking if they need help with
immense compassion and mercy God has for all people. The
shopping. The connections are trying to be maintained with
greatest sign of the love of God for us has been the sending
the members of our families, especially the grandparents
of Jesus, who by enduring his passion inflicted on him by
and those living far away. So many needs are being provided
scheming men, would bring about our salvation and freedom.
for, including our mental health, through our efforts to
On this Sunday, we reflect on the promise that Christ stands
remain connected.
beside us in every trial, and that he alone strengthens faith
There will be more, perhaps, many more weeks ahead of
and hope. The experience of these past weeks has been
restrictions and sacrifices being asked of us. There will
very difficult.
be moments when we will tire or find what is being asked
As Christians, we have been deprived of being together and
beyond us. This will be when our faith will be needed so
celebrating with our communities the great acts of the love of
that hope can be sustained in us: faith to go the extra mile,
God for us, shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
faith that God is with us.
It has been difficult, yet necessary for us to join in the effort
The Word of God today gives us encouragement. We have
required of us all to minimise the impact of the Coronavirus on
heard how the first Christian communities sought to live.
the people of our State and nation. Thankfully, our efforts and
Many of those were noted for the love that seemed to be
sacrifices are showing signs of success.
actively at work among their members. They cared for and
We are grateful for the wonderful commitment of each
supported one another. At so many times since in history,
person who stays at home and observes social distancing
we have looked back to this vision of the church, and have
and good hygiene practices; for the medical professionals,
been inspired to work for renewal so that the church might
doctors, nurses, general staff and scientists who are on
be again what God has meant us to be.
the front line of the work to stop the advance of the virus
The trials of life that come our way, from outside and from
through our community and who are providing excellent
within us, upset the peace and harmony that we strive for
care for those suffering and hospitalised; for the leadership
in our community. Our history teaches us that very soon
of the Premier and Prime Minister, and government ministers
after the Christian community began, the first of many
and officials; and the voluntary work of people in our
persecutions occurred and internal disagreements arose.
community who are responding to the many needs of people
Yet, those early Christians came to realise that the times
affected by this crisis.
of trials were when they had experienced the consolation
One image that to me was very powerful was the photo in the
of the power of God in special ways. Their faith had been
media of the nurse whose face was red raw from wearing a
tested and proved like gold. In fact, they found that they
mask during the long shifts she worked caring for patients.
had grown in faith and were stronger by passing through
I know of the amazing work being done by teachers who have
those painful times.
put together packages of work for their students and connect
As Christians, we know that faith in the resurrection leads us
with them each day online.
to hope.
+ Bishop Don Sproxton AUXILIARY BISHOP OF PE RTH
7
2020: THE YEAR OF TRAUMA AND CRISES WO R D S Jamie O’Brien
It is no doubt the year 2020 will be remembered
For Catholics, perhaps the most difficult of the
as one of the strangest and perhaps the most
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the
challenging in recent history. Across the world, it has been a year plagued with tragedy, crises and trauma.
closure of Churches and places of worship. We have been prevented from coming together to share in the sacraments which is at the heart of lives as a people
For those of us here in Australia, it has been somewhat
searching for Christ and the meaning of his message.
crises after crises, and just (literally) as we had come
Perth’s own Archbishop Timothy Costelloe spoke about
out of the fires, the COVID-19 pandemic crept in (the first patient was diagnosed on 25 January).
these extraordinary circumstances in two Pastoral Letters in early March. “Even though we cannot gather at the moment to celebrate Mass together we are not deprived of the
In this situation of the COVID-19 crises – each one is different and brings varied effects and consequences – borders across the globe have been closed, hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs and we have all been forced to isolate from each other. Since that point, more than 6900 people have reported and more than 300 people in Australia have died (as at early August). At the time of going to print, nine of those were from Western Australia.
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THE RECORD MAGAZINE
presence of the Lord,” Archbishop Costelloe explained, in his letter of 19 March. “We know that he is with us, closer to us than we are to ourselves. We know that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (cf. Hebrews 12:1), who always accompany us on our journey of faith. Mary, the Mother of God, walks with us in company with the saints who never stop praying with us and for us. God continues to send his angels to protect us and guide us. The Church, especially though, not only through its ordained
Masses commenced being livestreamed at St Mary’s Cathedral weekly and then daily from the end of March via the Archdiocesan website and social media. Cathedral Dean Fr Sean Fernandez said he was grateful such a service was able to be provided with the support of the Archdiocesan Communications Office and IT Office. “Many people may be experiencing the inability to participate in Mass as a deprivation, even as a desolation which is testing their faith. This is perfectly understandable; we, Catholics, are a sacramental people and the Eucharist is at the heart of our faith,” Fr Sean said. “It is important for the people to know that even though they can’t be physically present, the livestreaming of Mass is one way they participate in the prayer of the community,” he said. Despite churches across the city being closed, the Centre for Faith Enrichment (CFE) remained operational in
“... he is calling us to discover him in the midst of this crises...”
an online capacity, providing a unique opportunity for Catholics to use the quarantine time to build their faith through education and understanding. “Now is the time to explore the wonderful richness of our Catholic tradition,” Dr Marco Ceccarelli, Director of CFE, said on 22 April. “Despite the COVID-19 situation, we made a real effort to prioritise remaining operational, so that people could continue to receive faith formation.
ministers, continues to be the Lord’s chosen instrument
“We want to offer people a variety of formation options
through which he remains present among us as our Good
that range from study of scripture, Church History,
Shepherd.”
spirituality and other specific topics of interest, such as
The Archbishop continued by talking about the
John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.”
importance of the Eucharist.
In closing his Pastoral Letter of 24 March, Archbishop
“The Eucharist is the greatest gift we have. Our Catholic
Costelloe drew on the experience of Jesus’ disciples.
faith is also very rich in its many other spiritual traditions.
“When the disciples of Jesus were overwhelmed by a
The first Catholics in Australia, deprived of the Mass,
storm which had overtaken them, Jesus came to them
gathered around the Blessed Sacrament, left by a priest
in the midst of the storm, encouraging them not to be
who was unable to remain in the colony in what is now
afraid because He was with them. He reached out to
Sydney. In the presence of their Eucharistic Lord, the
Peter as he was sinking and lifted him up (cf. Matthew
people entrusted themselves to Christ at a time of great
14:22-33). The Lord is with us in this present storm which
uncertainty. With this in mind I have asked our priests to
is engulfing us and He is encouraging us, too, not to be
keep our churches open for private prayer where possible,
afraid. He has not deserted us. Rather He is calling us to
and to organise times of Eucharistic Adoration. As long
discover Him in the midst of this crisis and allow Him to
as only small groups gather, and maintain a safe distance
lift us up and lead us safely to shore.”
from each other, this will be an ongoing possibility for us
“The Lord also reminds us that, on the cross, he gave us
and a source of strength and comfort for many.”
his mother, Mary, to be our mother. In Australia we turn
Across Perth, agencies and parishes worked to ensure
to her as the Help of Christians. May she come to help us
congregations and friends were not along during the many
now with her prayers for us and with her presence among
weeks of lockdown.
us,” Archbishop Costelloe concluded.
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 9
Over the past few months, the world has grappled to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, many parallels have been drawn between this current crisis and the outbreak of the Spanish Flu following the end of the First World War in 1918. A brief comparison with the Australian experience during 1918 to 1919 provides insight as to how well the current health crisis has been managed by both civil and community leaders across the country.
The work of the Church and the Spanish Flu
A Spanish Flu patient at Woodman Point Quarantine Station. Photo: Sourced
WORDS Odhran O’Brien
T H E S PA N I S H F L U The Spanish Flu reached Australia in late 1918 and
local outbreaks. An important quarantine station in Western Australia was at Woodman’s Point near
spread throughout the country during 1919. Over the
Fremantle.
course of the pandemic, it affected about 40 per cent
WES TERN AUS TR A LIA
of Australians and resulted in the death of around
A ship called the Boonah arrived in Western Australian
15,000 people at the time the population was over 5 million. On a global scale, the disease killed more than 50 million people and was most prevalent among adults aged between 25 and 34.
waters on 11 December 1918 and on board were 1,000 Australian soldiers of which 300 were infected with the Spanish Flu. The Boonah had left Fremantle with Australia troops assigned to fight in
Island communities, such as Australia, imposed
the Middle East during the First World War. The ship
strict quarantine measures to quell the spread of
reached Durban, South Africa, three days after the
the disease. Government authorities screened
armistice ending the war was signed. In Durban some
incoming vessels from overseas and quarantined
passengers contracted the flu.
Woodman Point Quarantine Station.
Photo: Sourced
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THE RECORD MAGAZINE
The ship ‘Boonah’ arrived in Western Australian waters on 11 December 1918. Photo: Sourced, Wikipedia Commons
On return to Fremantle, the Commonwealth Government initially refused to allow the vessel to dock. A few days later 300 soldiers disembarked on to a ferry and were brought to Woodman’s Point, where temporary hospitals were established for the sick soldiers. Woodman’s Point was within the boundaries of Fremantle Parish which was under the care of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. In mid-December, Fr John Flynn OMI, the priest at St Anne’s in North Fremantle, volunteered to attend the quarantine station at Woodman’s Point which was approved by Archbishop Patrick Clune CSSR.3 Fr Flynn was born at Stamullen, County Meath, on 10 December 1869 in Ireland. He attended the Irish Christian Brothers’ School at Drogheda, County Louth, and was received as a novice in 1888. After taking vows, he studied in Holland, where he made his final vows in 1890. He was ordained in 1894 at Liege and sailed for Australia in 1899. 5 Newspaper reports from the period record that Fr Flynn embraced his work with the soldiers at Woodman’s Point wholeheartedly. A Dutch-Lutheran and a ScotchPresbyterian soldier were interviewed following their release from the station and they expressed admiration that Flynn provided pastoral care to all soldiers regardless of their religion and he tried to cheer up all his visited. 6
“
As we continue to navigate our way through these challenging times in 2020, it is important to look at how others have responded with generosity in equally difficult times.
During his first stint at the quarantine station in January 1919, Flynn had caught the influenza himself, but he managed recovered quickly following time on self-isolation. Despite the risks to his health, in March 1919 Flynn returned to the station again to provide spiritual care for dying solders. This was followed by another period in isolation before Flynn returned to work as the priest at North Fremantle. In June, Flynn made the brave decision to return to Woodman’s Point a third time and miraculously survived further infection. Flynn’s work at the station was heralded as among his great achievements in Western Australia when he was farewelled before returning to Ireland in 1921. 9 As we continue to navigate our way through these challenging times in 2020, it is important to look at how others have responded with generosity in equally difficult times. Fr John Flynn OMI decided to place himself at the centre of the Spanish Flu crisis in Western Australia and in a position of service to those who most needed it. The men who Flynn served had sought to serve our nation at its hour of need. A total of 27 soldiers and four nurses
(Back) John Smyth, William McCallion (Front) Joseph Wheeler, Charles Cos, Fr. John Flynn OMI. Freemantle c. 1907. Photo: Sourced
died at Woodman’s Point. Flynn’s example is a salient reminder of Christian generosity in the face of adversity.
Odhran O’Brien is the Director of the Archdiocesean Archives.
1
‘Australia’s Population’, The Argus, 18 June 1919 8.
2
‘PNEUMONIC INFLUENZA IN W.A’, Sunday Times, 15 December 1918, 1
3
‘North Fremantle’, The W.A. Record, 8 February 1919 p. 17; G. Byrne, A Basilica
in the Making: the Centenary of St Patrick's, Fremantle, Mazenod Press, 2000, 75. 4 5
‘Clergyman’s Services’, The West Australian, 13 December 1918, 7. https://oblates.ie/john-flynn-omi-australia/;‘Father John Flynn OMI Farewelled’, The WA Record, 9 April 1921, 2
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 11
Two Yanchep women in their 80s never imagined they would live to see their home and family business engulfed in fire, let alone in the span of just 15 minutes. But that is exactly what happened to Cecilia Vaz and Iris Geneve when tragedy struck them and changed their lives forever on 11 December 2019.
I
ris, 88 purchased the four acre
out Iris’ home and her surrounding
property in 1969 and moved
property such as her orchard, but the
in with her late husband and
fires somewhat missed my home and
four children. Shortly after, the
jumped to the service station located
Geneves were joined by the Vaz
next to my home,” she added.
family, who would own the only
Cecilia left in a hurry, carrying
other property in the peaceful
nothing with her.
neighbourhood as well as operate the
Along with the service station,
Yanchep Petrol and Service Station next to Iris’ home for the next 35 years.
Cecilia’s sons lost their six cars, personal documents, medication, personal memories, and above all, the
As time went by, both husbands
place where her late husband Danny
passed away and the children grew
worked hard and spent most of his
older, eventually leaving home.
time up until his death.
Iris, a former bus driver up until her
Iris, who thankfully had her daughter
70’s, found great kinship in Cecilia,
visiting at the time of the incident,
and the pair would spend time in the
who was able to help her out of the
company of each other chatting or
home, grabbing only her two cats,
supporting each other with various
one dog and her handbag.
tasks in life and around the home.
“Honestly, both Cecilia and I did not
On the day of the bushfire, both
realise the extent of the fires until the
women recall it being a ‘beautiful
aftermath, we had faced occasions
summers day.’ Cecilia had recently
where we were told to evacuate but
walked over to the service station
everything happens for a reason,
it was next to my house, most of my
all I can do is keep my faith strong,
things were stored at the service
thank God for the good life I’ve lived
station.
for the past 50 years in that home,
“At around 1:45pm, my sons and I
thank God that He kept Cecilia and
saw an airplane going over the house,
I safe throughout this ordeal, and be
but the fires looked very distant.
grateful that my daughter Fiona has
“Within minutes, we realised it was
welcomed me to her home.
moving extremely quickly and before
“Shortly after the fires, Fiona was
you know it the fire brigade were at
diagnosed with Leukaemia, so
our door asking us to evacuate, I got
being able to take care of my young
into my sons car and we drove away
grandson while she is in hospital, is
to a distance as everything turned
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
but what affected me most were the
“However, I do believe that
and out of the service station, and
12
there was nothing left of my home,
way.
“Because our family was always in
was jumping - it completely wiped
“I was devastated when I found out
didn’t expect to lose the house in this
and Melwyn were working.
“I describe the fires as though it
time was different,” Iris stated.
memories I had built with my family, I
where her three sons James, Sidney
into ashes before our eyes.
our property never got affected – this
Iris Geneve, 88 lost her home in the Yanchep Bushfire on 11 December 2019. This photo was taken a week before the incident. Photo: Supplied. Photo: Supplied
my main focus for now. “This tragedy also opened my eyes like never before to see the goodness in my community, with their many
Cecilia Vaz lost her family business of 35 years, the Yanchep Petrol and Service Station to the bushfire on 11 December Photo: Supplied.
BUSHFIRE CRISIS
Faith is all that remains for two Yanchep survivors WORDS Amanda Murthy
“
This tragedy also opened up my eyes like never before to see the goodness in my community, with their many calls and prayers.”
calls and prayers - I appreciate all the kindness shown,” she added. A parishioner of the Yanchep Pastoral area, Cecilia too is thankful for the help offered by Priest-in-Charge Fr Augustine Puthota PiC and the surrounding community, but the
Iris Geneve home after the bushfire that cost her home on 11 December. Photo: Supplied
family will have to face a tough road ahead as they try to rebuild their lives
“My three sons and I are now
time to spend with our loved ones.
and careers.
unemployed, but like Iris, I have to see
“Occasions such as birthdays (Iris’
“Although my home was still in tact
the silver-lining in this - we are alive,
birthday was on 24 February and
because the fire brigade managed to
and unharmed, that we get to be with
Cecilia on 23 March), Christmas,
put off the fires in time, the house is
our families.
Easters, New Years, will never be the
not liveable and I don’t want to be
“I did get a chance to meet with Iris a
same – but we have to accept what
alone, left with all the sad memories
few times after the fires, and we try
has happened, and ultimately thank
– so I now live with my eldest son
to keep in touch – often thanking God
God for never abandoning us,” Cecilia
James,” Cecilia said.
for saving our lives, and giving us more
concluded.
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 13
WO R D S Matthew Lau
Businesses have closed, jobs have
‘Victims of domestic abuse
been axed, and the city’s streets have been deserted – these have been just a few of the adverse effects of the
economy-damaging Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). But what about the those facing an increased risk of domestic abuse during the lockdowns?
M
ore than 2000 reports of family and domestic violence were made in WA during March 2020, the highest for any month on record. Statistics also
show a 17 per cent increase in incidents of family violence this year. The Australian Government has promised a $1.1 billion health and domestic violence package to
A victim of domestic abuse shares her story with The Record. Joy* met her partner in the Philippines. They endured five years of long-distance when he moved to Australia on a permanent residency visa, after which she then followed him to Perth and they registered their marriage in 2018. Life together started well, however, once she moved in with him, conflict arose and his character changed. “He has anger management issues. Whenever he got frustrated, he would hit me and kick me,” she said. “I am very meek, even in the physical aspect – he’s a man,
help protect vulnerable Australians during the
if I had fought back, I would have been overpowered.”
COVID-19 pandemic.
When Joy secured a full-time job in the customer services
According to Centrecare Executive Manager Rod
industry, his insecurities rose, so too did his fists.
West, recent trends found by the Catholic not-for-
“My visa was under his visa at that time. It was quite graphic
profit organisation have suggested an increase in
actually; I never thought he would be like that. I love him,
survivors utilising services, people searching for
really I do. I never had any man in my life, just him.”
domestic violence services on Google, and stories
He never apologised for his wrongdoings, she added.
of how coronavirus is used to control survivors.
“I tried to understand the situation, to think positively, but it
“The dynamics of coronavirus, like other global
was so frustrating for me too.
crises, is a prime environment for abusers to use to
“Working in customer service, having to put on a strong front
their advantage and choose to control and abuse
with a forced smile, despite the fact that my mental state had
people,” he told The Record.
been affected, even if I thought I was a strong person, I had
Some tell-tale signs that a perpetrator may
been affected already because of my home issues.”
abuse in the home include: past abuse and abuse
In February 2020, feeling trapped with no sight of restoring
patterns, increased stress, compounding stressors,
their marriage, Joy planned to fly to Sydney alone to escape
opportunities to abuse, and using the virus as an
and to take her own life.
excuse to not attend support services.
“I wanted to commit suicide in a way that nobody could blame
Mr West’s advice for a victim who may feel
my partner – I tried to protect him by removing myself from
trapped is that he or she should not hesitate to
Perth.”
reach out (where possible) to family, friends, or a
Fortunately, just two hours before departure, Joy’s best friend
support service. “Ask someone reliable to make regular contact if it is safe to do so and create a safe word with them to inform them that things are not okay at home and they require police assistance,” Mr West affirmed.
informed her that she would join her. “I mentioned to her what I was going through and what I was planning to do if I came alone to Sydney. She was shocked and offered me support,” Joy recalled. “I prayed: ‘Lord, I cannot do this alone’.” Despite still holding feelings for her husband, Joy knew she had to resolve the problem when she returned to Perth.
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“I decided to do the right thing by asking for help, I didn’t want him to be put to shame by others, so I spoke to one of my mentors in my charismatic church community. “My friends from church gave me courage. It is possible; there is a way out of this.” Eventually, Joy plucked up the courage to report him to the police, applied to have a restraining order placed against him, and filed for divorce. “He called me nasty names and cursed at me. After a week, he sent an objection letter to the court – he could not accept his wrongdoing. “I am alone now, all the anxiety is still there – I am still grieving for the relationship. I thought I was going to have a good marriage,” she expressed. As the coronavirus pandemic worsened, Joy had been stood down from her job, which, she said, was a blessing in disguise, as it gave her time to reflect and grieve. “I don’t have to go to work and force myself to smile. I am isolated at home alone, can do things for myself. “Right now I might not have the love of my life, but at least I have given myself the chance to regain my self-value. I am looking forward to what’s ahead in life,” she beamed.
Prior to her role as Director of Perth Archdiocese’s Safeguarding Project, Andrea Musulin was a police officer. During her 30-year career, she was the Officer-in-Charge of the WA Police Family Unit attached to the Community Services Command in Cannington. This office dealt with policy and training for WA Police on a state-wide basis. Mrs Musulin is all too familiar with cases such as Joy’s, having also been the chairperson of the Hedland Women’s Refuge and the Carnarvon Family Support Service, which included the Gascoyne Women’s Refuge and the Domestic Violence Referral Service. “Cabin-fever is very real and it is defined as feeling dissatisfied, restless, irritable and bored when confined,” she explained. “For people who are feeling well, being isolated may initially provide a novel respite from daily responsibilities. However, this can quickly become stressful and anxiety provoking.” For Catholics, being denied access to Church may actually cause some of these feelings, she added, and that “many victims of domestic violence will be more worried about their partners than the virus itself”.
more worried about their partners than the virus’
“As the COVID-19 outbreak intensifies and the crisis deepens in WA and Australia, I think we can expect to see an increase in domestic violence cases due to an increase in stress and anxiety levels in individuals and families,” Mrs Musulin predicted.
“Some complicating factors – in addition to those provided above – can include financial stresses, lack of social or extended family support, increased drug and alcohol use, forced isolation, stress due to the uncertainty of where the virus may spread, increased anxieties and phobias and the limited freedom of movement.”
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call: • •
Centrecare: (08) 9325 6644
•
Anglicare WA: 1300 114 446
Women’s Domestic Violence
•
Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277
Helpline: 1800 007 339 • •
Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline:
•
Lifeline: 13 11 14
1800 000 559
•
Men’s Helpline: 1300 789 978
Crisis Care: 1800 199 008
•
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
The way Australians responded to the outbreak by hoarding toilet paper and other essential items, she said, was an indication that there was an increase in psychosocial impacts of the virus, which could correlate with a spike in domestic violence. *Real names have been changed for anonymity I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 15
Like most parents, Ana O’Brien and her husband were over the moon when they found out they were expecting their first child.
T H E I M PA C T O F LOSS AND THE BE AUT Y OF LOVE WO R D S Amanda Murthy
“
I recall writing an email to my younger sister (all in caps letters) extremely excited about the news that I was pregnant, we broke the news to our loved ones immediately,” Ana said.
However, things would take an unexpected turn at just 17 weeks of the pregnancy. Ana narrates the intimate details from her miscarriage, sharing her journey, recovery process and why she chose to continue with her pregnancy, against the advice of medical practitioners. Ana also shares about some of the ways she now honours Sarai’s memory, 10 years after her death. Six weeks into the pregnancy, Ana suffered from a bleed, but upon conducting scans, the baby seemed to be doing fine. “I was 17 weeks into the pregnancy, my water broke unexpectedly in the early hours of the morning.” The couple were told that the chances of the baby’s survival were zero. “With tears in his eyes and genuine sympathy, the doctor broke the news to us,” she said. “Zero is a very definite number when you hear it from a doctor and I’m certain he wanted to give us realistic expectations, and in his experience, which I’m sure was extensive, he thought it to be true. Although since then I have heard of babies surviving in very similar circumstances.” The weeks ahead were an anxious-filled time for the O’Briens, with Ana often questioning where things went wrong.
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The doctor presented the couple with two options – to continue the pregnancy but risk both mother and daughter’s lives, or to induce the labour, and inevitably lose their child, due to the lack of amniotic fluid. “My initial reaction was – well this pregnancy did not work out and if my daughter is going to die regardless, why not just induce the labour? I can be back at work in a few days and continue on with my life. “But in my heart and with the enlightenment of my faith, I questioned how I would ever know for sure whether the doctor was right, if I took the situation into my own hands and chose to induce the labour, and in the process, speed up my daughter’s death. After several difficult discussions and surrendering to faith, the O’Briens wholeheartedly continued with the pregnancy, with the hope of a miracle. On 10 October 2010, after 22 weeks of fighting for her life, Sarai Gabriela O’Brien passed away. “As heartbreaking as this was, I will always be comforted by the fact that if I hadn’t continued the pregnancy, we would have missed out on amazing moments of feeling her kick,
speaking to her, and loving her. We gave her a name, and
strength to carry on with hope that we can all reunite with
had a beautiful funeral, which was attended by more than
her someday when we leave this world.
150 family and friends, and which the funeral directors said
“I appreciate so much the fact that God has given me more
was one of the most beautiful they had witnessed.
children and I recognise that the moments that I have with
“To me, this is amazing, considering that generally, even in
my kids are extremely precious, and I don’t take that time
hospitals, a life isn’t considered viable before 24 weeks,” she
with them for granted.”
added.
When she was ready, Ana chose to use her strength to
The aftermath was a long road for the O’Briens. Ana recalls
empower other mothers faced with similar situations. She
spending countless moments in tears, trying to comprehend
started a website, Hello Bub, with the aim of encouraging
the situation. Family and community support were a huge
parents, particularly mothers, who are in a difficult
strength for Ana during this time.
pregnancy situations to share their experiences and be
“
equipped with support through the available avenues.
... we would have missed out on amazing moments of feeling her kick, speaking to her, and loving her.
Through this project, Ana also displayed another talent, using water colour paint and hand-lettering techniques to create beautiful mother and parent-child themed artworks, which are accompanied in this article. “The experience of having Sarai taught me something which
“Our Church community would go out of their way to give
I already knew - That life begins at conception.
me a call, pray for me or express words of encouragement
“When you hold a 22-week-old baby in your arms [as I did],
and people would share their own experiences, which
you see their face, hands, fingers, fingernails, feet, toes, a
helped bring me great comfort and aid in my process of
baby that is a combination of you and your partner, that is
recovery.
100 per cent herself and know that baby is a baby, not just
“Ultimately it was my Catholic faith that brought me
cells. The cells are present from the moment of conception
comfort and knowing that my daughter was now more than
and nothing is added or subtracted from that embryo.
a guardian angel – she truly had fought the good fight and I
“Sarai was the first to teach me what it is to love as a
think of her as a Saint in Heaven.
mother, a love I never knew possible.
“Through my faith in God, I have to see the beauty of this
“I believe the way I love my children now, is in part owed to
experience, which is that Sarai is already in heaven.
her, and for that I am blessed.”
“She is already with Jesus, and knowing that gives me
You can visit Hello Bub at www.hellobub.com.au
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 17
SOCIAL MEDIA AND COVID-19 CRISIS MANAGEMENT WO R D S Eric Martin
HELPFUL OR HARMFUL? lockdown2 , with social media providing valuable emotional support during a crisis by enabling people to virtually band together, share information and demand action to perceived problems3. And we saw signs of that uptake right here in the Archdiocese of Perth.
Under the shadow of COVID-19, social distancing
Identitywa, the Catholic agency that provides
measures resulted in the cancellation of group
accommodation and community activities for some of
recreational activities at all levels, many businesses
Perth’s most vulnerable people, those with physical or
were forced to close and others have had to require their employees to work from home: the world found itself stuck at home and our use of digital technology has spiked massively as a result, with both positive and negative consequences.
A
mental disabilities that prevent them from taking part in society independently, reported that the uptake of social media and other digital communications platforms played a crucial role in maintaining relationships for housemates. “Given the challenge of being in isolation and how it can affect people emotionally, we have worked to provide a variety of additional resources in our houses for
nd as more and more social interactions move
housemates to use, including activities and games, arts
online, the conversation around COVID-19 has
and craft, the opportunity to access smart technology and
continued to expand, with communications
the latest offerings in communication,” said Identitywa’s
researchers from Australia, the United State
Chief Executive Officer, Ms Marina Re.
of America and China reporting that growing numbers are
“The opportunity for people to use communication
turning to social media for both information and company.
technology such as FaceTime, Telehealth, Skype and
For example, the authors of #COVID-19: The First Public
Zoom has been a wonderful success and it is definitely
Coronavirus Twitter Dataset , collected some 50 million
something that will continue to be used in the future.”
tweets about the pandemic from 28 January until 16
Similarly, the Archdiocese streamed weekly and daily
March 2020.
Masses for the Catholic community with positive results,
Positively, platforms such as Twitter and Facebook
allowing people to stay connected with their faith, with
have become central to the technological and social
parishes across WA working to bring their content and
infrastructure that allows us to stay connected during
services online.
1
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SOCIAL MEDIA
However, despite many such beneficial uses, misinformation
relevant to the COVID-2019 outbreak, as people tend to
can also spread on social media and “can actually heighten
perceive novel viral threats as higher in risk compared to
peoples’ perceived risk and fear about health-related topics4.”
more common threats such as influenza.”
The University of California has been conducting current
In addition, their research reports that beyond the purely
research on the negative health-related impacts of
mental health effects from the increased stress, “media-
information about COVID-19 being spread through social
fuelled (including social media) distress placed unnecessary
media (as an alternative to traditional media sources) and
strain on emergency departments and other health care
their research shows that the Achilles heel of information
facilities as they dealt with an influx of worried people, even
sourced via social media is its ambiguous nature5.
in communities that were not experiencing an increase in
That is in general, we don’t trust news content from social
the incidence of the disease8.”
media - and as our emotional response to COVID-19
Another major problem caused by media-driven stress
increases along with the frequency of social media content
about the epidemic was the surge in panic buying of specific
about it, our ability to filter out information that isn’t true
goods, which in turn led to extra stress for everyone
decreases: and further, we are more likely to share this
affected as well as posing other significant health risks.
incorrect piece of information as part of that emotional
“The COVID-2019 outbreak of consumer hoarding of
response.
facemasks has led to a global shortage of facemasks and
This is exacerbated by the fact that peoples’ faith in
respirators, which are critical to protecting those at high risk
traditional sources of news are also diminished , leaving
– particularly health care professionals performing routine
them even more reliant on ‘ambiguous’ social media content.
and specialised care,” state Garfin and her peers9.
And concerning, the prolonged effect of such heightened
This shortage is still jeopardising lives.
concern and exposure can lead to a downward spiral in
And it’s not just healthcare professionals who were hurt by
terms of mental health.
such a response: panic buying of essential consumer items
In their paper The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019) Outbreak:
like toilet paper, first aid kits, bottled water, and hand
Amplification of Health Consequences by Media Exposure7,
sanitiser in response to COVID-19 “led to global shortages
the authors state that, “these phenomena are particularly
and price gouging of important necessities10.”
1. Emily Chen, Kristina Lerman, Emilio Ferrara, 2020. #COVID-19: The First Public Coronavirus Twitter Dataset. University of Southern California, Information Sciences Institute, CA, USA. 2. Dana Rose Garfin, Roxane Cohen Silver, and E. Alison Holman, 2020. The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019) Outbreak: Amplification of Health Consequences by Media Exposure; Health Psychology, Vol. 39, No. 5, 355–357. University of California, Irvine, USA. 3. Yan Jin, Brooke Fisher Liu, and Lucinda L. Austin, 2014. Examining the Role of Social Media in Effective Crisis Management: The Effects of Crisis Origin, Information Form, and Source on Publics’ Crisis Responses; Communication Research, Vol. 41, p 74 - 94. SAGE Publications, USA. 4. Yury Kryvasheyeu, Haohui Chen, Nick Obradovich, Esteban Moro, Pascal Van Hentenryck, James Fowler, Manuel Cebrian, 2016. Rapid assessment of disaster damage using social media activity: Disaster Management; SCIENCEMAG, National Information and Communications Technology Australia, Melbourne, Victoria. 5. Lifang Li, Qingpeng Zhang, Xiao Wang, Jun Zhang, Tao Wang, Tian-Lu Gao, Wei Duan, Kelvin Kamfai Tsoi, and Fei-Yue Wang, 2020. Characterizing the Propagation of Situational Information in Social Media During COVID-19 Epidemic: A Case Study on Weibo; IEEE Transactions on Computational Social Systems, Vol. 7, No. 2. China. 6. Leysia Palen and Kenneth M. Anderson. 2016, Crisis informatics—New data for extraordinary times: Focus on behaviours, not on fetishizing social media tools; SCIENCEMAG, Vol. 353, p224. Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA
The importance of compassion and care in emergency medicine WO R D S Theresia Titus In the world of medicine, physical trauma is defined as “wounds produced from deliberate physical injuries as a result of traumatic events such as accidents and/or acts of violence.”
D
Trauma care that patients receive is unusual in that emergency personnel have to “operate in big teams and a lot of action happens simultaneously, often with multiple specialists at once”. “We have to have a clear structure, process and order to
r Jason Fitch, Director of Emergency
what we do so that we can care for patients efficiently and
Medicine at St John of God Murdoch
effectively,” Dr Fitch explained.
Hospital – who has been working in the
“When a patient comes in with major injuries they might be
field of emergency medicine for 20 years
in spinal precautions, strapped down and unable move. This
– believes love, compassion and humanity
is confronting and confusing.
are crucial to the healing process of physical trauma.
“So it is important that we remember to keep patients
“Compassion is a part of our core values at St John of
at the centre of our care, to make sure their needs are
God Health Care and this means having deep care for
assessed and try to reassure the patient by talking them
our patients, their situation and their family,” he said.
through the process,” he added.
“Importantly we have to remember what a visit to an
Dr Fitch stated major injuries treated in Perth are often a
emergency department for that patient or their family
result of motor vehicle accidents, sporting injuries or falls,
means to them in the context of their lives.
producing blunt force injuries that can be life-altering.
“For many, the experience of an emergency department
“Some injuries we see are life-threatening, but much more
is unfamiliar, confronting and distressing, and respond
likely to be life-changing and the recovery involved can
accordingly with love, compassion and humanity,” he
last months to years after our initial care, physically and
continued.
emotionally,” Dr Fitch said.
Dr Fitch believes the care for trauma patients goes beyond physical medicine aspect but also the patients’ emotional and spiritual wellbeing, which is why love and compassion are essential in emergency medicine. Photo: Supplied
Dr Jason Fitch, Director of Emergency Medicine at St John of God Murdoch Hospital who chose his field of practice because of his interest in the “breadth, variety and unique challenges involved with early decision making to care for patients”. Photo: Supplied
“ “Most people who experience traumatic injuries are initially in shock: one second you are fine and all of a sudden you have significant injuries. As a result, many
“Working in emergency care in London I
... many patients are in a state of disbelief when they come to the hospital.
patients are in a state of disbelief when they come to the hospital.”
”
cared for a man who had a wound injury to his heart and subsequently had a cardiac arrest. We resuscitated him and relieved the pressure on his heart in a surgery that has low survival rates. “He recovered well and the next day was out of intensive care, but he struggled mentally. He experienced PTSD and survivor guilt after looking up his
Patients’ reactions towards traumatic events can widely vary
condition and realising the survival rates, struggling with
often as “a result of fear or frustration”, which sometimes
comprehending why he had survived when so many don’t,”
can be expressed in a form of anger or aggression.
he continued.
“We try to communicate with them as much as possible so
Dr Fitch recalled that the physical recovery of the man he
that we can reduce their fear or reassure them they have the
treated in London as one of most celebrated at the hospital
necessary information to understand what is going on and
as “a lot of trauma care involves patients who are severely
address the issue,” Dr Fitch said.
or permanently injured”.
“Once we resuscitate a patient the focus very quickly is on
“Wins like this are amazing for an emergency department
keeping them informed about what is happening to them so
team to remind ourselves that all the work we do in trauma
they can process it and understand their care.
care is responsible for such great outcomes,” he said.
“If someone is showing signs that they are not coping or
Dr Fitch also believed the care for trauma patients goes
need additional support, we will ensure that patient has
beyond physical medicine aspect but also the patients’
access to specialist care to suit their needs,” he continued.
emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Dr Fitch said “it’s very common” for patients of physical
“For those patients who are religious this means we respect
trauma to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – a
their values and beliefs, and provide them with access to
type of anxiety disorder, and many cases are “under-reported”.
supports such priests or pastors,” he expressed.
“I have seen some patients who have physically recovered
“Culture and faith can also change how patients express
quite quickly, but take much longer to recover mentally,” Dr
their ill health and anxiety, so it is important to take it into
Fitch expressed.
account when caring for patients and their family.”
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 21
Doorstep Dinners II – the second phase of St Pat’s Community Support Centre’s project collaboration commenced earlier this year, expanding after the initial project to include participants from the Perth metropolitan area.
DOORSTEP DINNERS BRINGS ME AL S AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN NEED WO R D S Theresia Titus and Amanda Murthy
D
oorstep Dinners II aims to deliver 200 meals
During Doorstep Dinners II, participants will also receive
per day to vulnerable and isolated people
dedicated triage, assessment, and support services, in
experiencing food insecurity in Perth and
addition to a hearty meal from a local restaurant.
Fremantle area, with additional support from Lotterywest, the Uniting Church, the Minderoo
Foundation, the McCusker Foundation, the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Perth. Beginning in April 2020, when COVID-19 restrictions were at their peak in WA, Doorstep Dinners delivered more than 15,000 freshly cooked meals to participants in and around Fremantle over 90 days.
St Pat’s Chief Executive Michael Piu, said Doorstep Dinners II aimed to assist participants in building resilience and independence as Western Australia strived to recover from COVID-19. “We are so pleased to deliver the second phase of this unique and important a community project to people and families in Fremantle, and expanding into Perth,” Mr Piu expressed.
Doorstep Dinners II aimed to provide 18,000 meals to people who are vulnerable, over the next three months, while also providing work for local restaurants. Photo: Supplied
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“We are delighted to also work in collaboration with the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce and welcome on board City of Perth to work directly with the restaurants providing the meals.” The National Hotel, Benny’s, La Sosta, and Ronnie Nights in Fremantle – as well as Degani Kings Square and Innovations Catering in Perth – are local restaurants and food suppliers who work with St Pat’s and its collaborators for Doorstep Dinners II. “Doorstep Dinners are important because it looks to the future, both in the immediate and long-terms,” Mr Piu added. “[The project] looks to meet the needs which have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and social impacts. “It also ensures that people not only provided with meals but connected with the services that they need to address the issues leading to food insecurity through triage services delivered to their doorsteps,” he continued. Speaking to The Record, Mr Piu explained that implementation of Doorstep Dinners Project in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis was a way to mitigate the effect caused by shortages and restrictions on the wellbeing and safety of vulnerable people.
“
... COVID-19 crisis was a way to mitigate the effect caused by shortages and restrictions on the wellbeing and safety of vulnerable people.”
“When people could not come to us for help
Doorstep Dinners II aimed to provide 18,000 meals to people who are vulnerable, while also providing work for local restaurants. Photo: Supplied
Mr Piu also stated that the feedback from the first phase of the project has been incredible. “Many people reported that just knowing someone was coming every day with a meal had reduced their anxiety and helped to lift their spirits,” he said.
and support when they began self-isolating,
“One of the restaurant owners said it has been
we needed to think laterally, adapt the way we
amazing to see people who receive our meals
delivered our services, and go to them.
come to our restaurant and say thank you for the
“My hope for the second phase is that we can help people into a better position than they were
food provided [after COVID-19 restrictions were eased].
before the pandemic started, which is a difficult
“Some of them have said they have never eaten
time in their lives, and show them that there is
food like that, and it made a huge difference in
a community here which wants to embrace and
their life. One lady, in particular, was telling us
care for them.”
her story and had tears of joy. Just amazing’.”
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 23
Everyone who has tried to work at
Many parents initially approach the WFH-with-kids scenario
home with kids in tow, knows it can
like a vacation, with very little structure. No wonder joy
be more challenging than dealing with a child surrounded by confectionary at a supermarket check-out.
F
turns to frustration and flaring tempers after just one week. Topping the list of things to do is to build a daily structure for not only yourself but also for children. The entire family needs at least some sense of what each day entails and where it is headed. Adopt a realistic approach. While you might reasonably
orget those advertisements depicting a smiling
anticipate a teenager will occupy themselves, you can’t
parent happily punching out a report on a laptop in a
really expect a toddler to sit for hours on end without
tidy, sun-lit office while a toddler harmoniously plays
demanding at least some of your attention.
blocks in the corner.
Some parents find it useful to try to get everyone in the
Working from home, (WFH) with your offspring as company is
family on the same page up front by kicking off with a
rarely that harmonious.
family meeting to establish basic ground rules for the new-
There are temper tantrums when the internet dies, constant
found workday reality.
cries of boredom, the haranguing that goes with seemingly
We cannot assume children understand our jobs so talk to
endless childhood hunger pains and, oh yes, the need to deal
them to help them come to grips with what you do.
with an ongoing trail of destruction and mess as your kids
Those in dual-parent arrangements find it enormously useful
move from one activity to the next.
to split their work shifts to free up one adult to look after
Thankfully there are steps that can be taken to make WFH
the children. One partner might work early mornings until
with your progeny a tad more palatable.
lunchtime, the other from lunch through to the evening.
Beware, though, that your capacity to put in place some or all
Many WFH parents find that to be successful, though, they
of these actions will depend on the age of the children, their
will need to alter their regular office work routine.
level of independence, the amount of support you are able to
That might involve making a very early start on work
access from others, the type of work you do as well as your
activities before children wake through to working into the
patience threshold.
evening when the offspring is asleep.
Working at home with children is hardly child’s play WORDS Professor Gary Martin
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Remember, too, that challenging times call for more flexibility. Be prepared to work a graveyard shift if your children have demanded much of your attention during regular work hours.
Think also about what you can do to incentivise or reinforce the very best behaviour – rewards could include a family movie together during the evening, a favourite meal or even some extra screen time.
If you can, solicit assistance from friends and relatives. Grandparents can come into their own during challenging times, so consider having your children tutored through video-conferencing by a tech-savvy grandparent.
“Checking in with children is particularly
important during the current crisis as they
And just like there is carpooling to share the load when it
might be experiencing the same feelings of
comes to school drop-offs and pick-ups, there is always
worry, anxiety and fear as many adults.”
the chance that parents can rotate playing teacher – via videoconferencing. Take a more relaxed approach to your child’s consumption of social media – but remain vigilant. There are a plethora of apps, games and free online learning sites that are entertaining and educational and can keep children engaged, freeing you up to carry on with your work. Just like you take breaks at work and chat with colleagues when in the office, take some breaks at home, too, but use that time to check in with the children. Checking in with children is particularly important during the current crisis, as they might be experiencing the same feelings of worry, anxiety and fear as many adults. Hearing their concerns might prevent them from becoming unnecessarily unsettled or even disruptive throughout the workday.
Trying to round out the day with physical activity for yourself and the kids might pay huge dividends, as will taking a few minutes each day to reflect on what worked and what did not and revising your plans accordingly. And avoid listening to sceptics who will tell you that WFH with children is a recipe for disaster. While it might take some time to perfect your approach, you will get there eventually and wonder what all the fuss was about. Most importantly, remember to take care of yourself. WFH with children by your side can, at times, be more challenging than finding a penguin in the desert. A little self-care will go a long way to enable you to be a great parent at the same time as being an asset to your employer. And if things still don’t work out as planned, cut yourself some slack and just remember there is no point in crying over milk splashed over your keyboard. Professor Gary Martin is Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Institute of Management WA.
Photo: Adobe Stock
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 25
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has once again been called upon to defend the faith - this time before a State Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry on 6 August in response to the Children and Community Services Amendment Bill 2019.
‘SINS ARE NOT CONFESSED TO THE PRIEST, BUT TO GOD’, Archbishop Costelloe tells Parliamentary Committee
I
26
n an Open Letter to the Perth Catholic community
Archbishop Costelloe was joined at the hearing by
on 2 July, Archbishop Costelloe said that one of
Coptic Orthodox priest Father Abram Abdelmalek,
the main purposes of the amendments to the
who was representing the Coptic and Oriental
Children and Community Services Act 2004 is to
Orthodox Churches.
introduce mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse
“In my eight-and-a-half years as the Archbishop of Perth,
for ministers of religion, which includes ‘religious
I’ve never tried to do anything other than acknowledge
confession’.
that dreadful history [of sexual abuse], nor have I walked
Furthermore, this is not limited to confession, but to all
away from the need to translate words into actions,”
aspects of a priest’s ministry.
Archbishop Costelloe stated before the Committee.
“The impact of the proposed amendment is that any
“And it’s because of this that I understand why people
information disclosed to a priest during the course of
are confused, or even dismayed by my insistence on
Confession, which leads the priest to believe that a
upholding the principle of the absolute confidentiality
minor is being sexually abused, must be reported to the
of confession, as it is practiced in the Catholic Church.
authorities, irrespective of the wishes of the penitent,”
“However, sins are not confessed to the priest, but to
Archbishop Costelloe explained in the Open Letter.
God,” Archbishop Costelloe explained.
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
SEAL OF CONFESSION
“The priest, in fact, comes to know of the sins of the penitent ‘non ut homo sed ut Deus’ — not as a man, but as God – to the point that he simply ‘does not know’ what was said in the confessional because he did not listen as a man, but precisely in the name of God,” the Vatican document said. “A confessor’s defence of the sacramental seal, if necessary, even to the point of shedding blood,” the note said, “is not only an obligatory act of allegiance to the penitent but is much more: it is a necessary witness – a martyrdom – to the unique and universal saving power of Christ and his Church.” “Any political action of legislative initiative aimed at breaking the inviolability of the sacramental seal,” it said, “would be an unacceptable offense against the liberty of the church, which does not receive its legitimacy from individual states, but from God.” The Perth Archbishop’s written submission was presented to the Committee of Inquiry by Friday, 24 July 2020 and was informed by his Pastoral Letter to the Archdiocese of Perth - released on 18 May 2020 “My Pastoral Letter (The eRecord - 2 July 2020) outlined not only my views on these proposed amendments to the Children and Community Services Bill 2019 but also Catholic teaching and the fundamental theological
“
reasons which underpin the Sacrament of Penance in
... “is not only an obligatory act of allegiance to the penitent but is much
our Catholic tradition,” Archbishop Timothy said. “As I stated then (The eRecord - 2 July 2020), I remain fully committed to the safety of children and young
more: it is a necessary witness – a
people within the Archdiocese of Perth: any person
martyrdom – to the unique and universal
should go to the police - our Catholic Professional
saving power of Christ and his Church.”
with allegations of sexual abuse by Church personnel Standards Office stands ready to assist people to do so. “The sexual abuse of children and young people is an abhorrent crime wherever, whenever and by whomever
“The priest therefore has no right or authority to
it is perpetrated and I recommit the Archdiocese of
disclose anything that takes place in this intimate
Perth to its ongoing safeguarding initiatives that are in
encounter with God.
place across all our agencies.”
“To make the free practice of an essential aspect of
The State Government’s position, as explained by
the Catholic faith illegal, seems to me to be something
the Hon Sue Ellery (Leader of the House), when
that modern secular societies have always understood
presenting the bill to the Legislative Council on 21 May,
to be beyond the limits of their authority,” he added.
expedited WA’s expansion of the scheme to ministers
His words echo the “note of the Apostolic
of religion (over and above the other groups that were
Penitentiary on the importance of the internal forum
recommended to become mandated reporters).
and the inviolability of the sacramental seal”, which
“The royal commission noted that many religious
was approved by Pope Francis and published by
institutions had institutional cultures that discouraged
the Vatican on 1 July 2019, in light of the proposed
reporting of child sexual abuse and that mandatory
legislative challenges to the seal being instigated by
reporting obligations may help persons in religious
several governments around the world, including
ministry to overcome cultural, scriptural, hierarchical
Australia.
and other barriers to reporting,” Ms Ellery said.
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 27
This Italian-inspired four-cheese sauce (salsa ai quattro formaggi) is comfort food at its finest and works great with any type of pasta or gnocchi. It’s probably best you don’t count the calories when eating this dish, as it is indeed rich and heavy, but oh so satisfying! This pasta recipe is incredibly versatile and is a smart way to use up any odd chunks of cheese leftover in your fridge. A four-cheese sauce ideally consists of a combination of a sharp cheese (Cheddar, Gouda, Provolone), a soft cheese (Camembert, Brie, Fontina), a blue cheese (Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton), and topped with a hard cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino, Manchego). There is no need to add salt to this dish as the abundance of cheesy goodness provides a great deal of savouriness. P R E P T I M E : 10 minutes CO O K I N : 10 minutes S E RV E S : 4
METHOD
INGREDIENTS •
400g dried tagliatelle or fettucine
1. Place the pasta in a pot of rapid
4. Turn the heat down to low. Stir
boiling water; set a timer to cook
in the paprika, cracked pepper,
till “al dente”. Meanwhile, prepare
cheddar, camembert, and
your sauce on another element.
gorzongola till the cheese has
•
75g shallots, finely diced
•
100g pancetta, cut into small cubes
•
25g garlic, finely chopped
•
50ml white wine
•
6 00ml thickened cream
heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gently
water to loosen the sauce. Stir in
•
5g ground paprika
sauté the shallots on a medium
the spinach till it has wilted.
•
5g white pepper, freshly cracked
2. Begin with a glug of olive oil and a small knob of butter in a large
flame to soften.
melted. 5. Add a couple of ladles of the pasta
6. Carefully drain the pasta in a
3. Crank up the heat to high, add the
•
50g vintage cheddar
•
50g camembert, rind removed
•
50g gorgonzola
•
50g spinach
•
15g fresh parsley, finely chopped
liquid has reduced by half, and then
•
25g parmesan, grated to finish
add in the cream.
colander, and then add it to the
pancetta and stir for three minutes. Add the garlic, stir for a further
sauce, stirring to combine. 7. Portion out the creamy pasta into
two minutes before deglazing the
four serving bowls. Garnish with
pan with white wine. Simmer till the
fresh parsley and parmesan.
C R E A M Y Q UAT TRO FO R M AG G I TAG LI ATE LLE R E C I P E A N D P H O T O Matthew Lau
COLOURING
Jesus Mary And Joseph
SaintAnnesHelper.com
I S S U E 2 5 SEPTEMBER 2020 29
Photo: Engin Akyurt/Unsplashed
SEPTEMBER 2020
ISSUE 25
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER & EDITOR
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.
Jamie O’Brien jamie.obrien@perthcatholic.org.au
PRODUCTION
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Feby Plando
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