The Record Magazine - Issue 41 [Spring 2023]

ASSEMBLY

Archdiocesan Assembly

Launched

PAGE 12

ANNIVERSARY

Palmyra Parish 100th Anniversary

PAGE 14

COMMUNITY

Maronites breate new life into East Cannington

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Official magazine for the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth

ISSUE 41 OCTOBER 2023

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Our mission is to provide news, features and perspectives for the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Perth and Western Australia.

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Jamie O’Brien jamie.obrien@perthcatholic.org.au

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Michelle Tan michelle.tan@perthcatholic.org.au

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Bibiana Kwaramba bibiana.kwaramba@perthcatholic.org.au

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FROM THE EDITOR Jamie O’Brien

Welcome to Issue 41 of The Record Magazine.

On our front cover, we feature the lifesize giant cross created by students as part of the Archbishop’s 2023 LifeLink Day for Primary Schools.

Don’t miss Archbishop Costelloe’s speech at the Australasian Catholic Press Association Dinner, where he spoke about Pope Francis message for the World Day of Social Communications. A new logo has been launched for the upcoming 2023-2024 Perth Archdiocesan Assembly, which explains Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn, is the first of its kind for the Archdiocese and was announced by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in April 2023, and launched on Trinity Sunday 4 June 2023 at St Mary’s Cathedral.

Established in 1923 by then Perth Bishop Matthew Gibney, the parish of Palmyra celebrated its 100th anniversary in July, with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB encouraging parishioners to pray in remembrance and guidance for all those in the parish during the past 100 years who have strived to be faithful with mercy and compassion. With thanks to our sponsor, the University of Notre Dame Australia, for their very valued support. Don’t forget that these and many more stories are available at www.therecord.com.au

UNDA World Youth Day Pilgrimage

“Then the owner of the vineyard though, ‘What am I to do? I will send them my own beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’”

Luke 20: 13

World Youth Day 2023

Palmyra Parish 100th Anniversary

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

ACBC President and Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe was the keynote speaker at the 2023 Australasian Catholic Press Association Awards Dinner, Thursday 7 September at The Westin.

As many of you are aware, I belong to the Salesians of Don Bosco. Saint John Bosco founded his congregation in the middle of the 19th century and he died in 1888.

This year the Salesians in Australia celebrate the Centenary of their arrival in this country. They came here, initially to Western Australia, at the request of the Holy See to care for the aboriginal people, and especially the young people, in the Kimberley. Half a dozen or so Salesians, cobbled together from various parts of Europe, landed in Fremantle, where they were welcomed by the Oblate Fathers. Shortly after, they set out for the Northwest only to discover when they got there that not only were there not the hordes of young indigenous people the Holy See had assured them were waiting for them, but those who were there were already being well cared for by the Pallottines.

As you would understand, this proved to be a difficult and delicate situation, and eventually the Salesians withdrew and went to Melbourne where, at the request of the famous Archbishop Mannix, they

established a foundation at Sunbury, just north of what is now Tullamarine Airport.

As a way of marking this Centenary the Salesians have brought the relics of St John Bosco to Australia and they will be welcomed here in Perth at the Cathedral on Sunday week.

I mention this because St John Bosco decided to name his Congregation after Saint Francis De Saleshence the name, Salesian. And of course, as Pope Francis reminds us in his message for the 57th World Day of Social Communications, this year is also the Centenary of the proclamation of Saint Francis de Sales as patron of Catholic journalists.

When John Bosco was a little boy of nine years of age, he had a dream which was to exercise a significant influence over his life. In many ways, this dream catches perfectly the reason why St John Bosco chose Francis De Sales as the patron of his new religious family. In his dream, the young John found himself among a group of young boys who were all yelling and screaming and fighting and punching each other. In order to try and stop them from behaving so badly, he threw himself into the midst of the group, trying to separate them from each other, and getting caught up in the fight himself. Then, in the dream, a stranger appeared who told him that he would not

Some of the 50 Catholic media and communications professionals from Diocesan Communications Offices and publications from across Australia, with Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, and Vicar General Fr Peter Whitely, who gathered in Perth this week for the 2023 Australasian Catholic Press Association Conference, Mass and Awards. Photo: Supplied.

win these boys over with fists and fighting, but with gentleness and kindness. John became confused and upset and asked the man who he was, and what this all meant. The man then said to him that a woman would help him to understand. The man disappeared and his place was taken by a woman, Mary. She pointed to the group of boys who had now turned into a pack of wild animals, snarling and growling and fighting, and who then changed into a flock of gentle, peaceful lambs. John was even more confused and started to cry. The woman consoled him, telling him that he should make himself gentle, humble and strong, and that he would eventually understandand then he woke up.

This dream planted a seed in the young John’s mind, and eventually lead him into the seminary and then into the industrial city of Turin as a newly ordained priest where he began to take care of boys who were being exploited by their employers.

To cut a long story short, when he eventually realised that if his work for young people, especially those who were poor and mistreated, was to have any permanent future he would need to establish a religious order, and it was then that he decided to give them the name Salesians because, he said, he wanted his followers to imitate the zeal and the gentle, loving kindness of Francis De Sales. Knowing the story of Francis de Sales so well Don Bosco had already realised, through experience, that education - because he believed that providing a good

education for young people was a key to their material and spiritual well-being - was ultimately a matter of the heart.

When we read this year’s message from Pope Francis for the World Day of Social Communications, the importance of speaking with the heart and from the heart emerges as his key theme. He is very keen to point out that the exhortation of Saint Paul in the letter to the Ephesians, namely, that we must speak the truth in love, means that in our desire to communicate the truth we must also do so from a place of love - and for us as Christians, as disciples of Jesus, that means love for God, love for Christ as the one who reveals the truth about God to us, and love for all God’s people, no matter who they are, or where they are in their journey of life. It means to speak always from a position of profound respect for the other and always, I would say, with the intention and the hope that whenever people encounter the Church through us, and tonight, especially for all of you who work in the field of communications, when they read what we write or listen to what we say, they come out of that encounter with a new and deeper openness to the presence of God in their lives, and in the world around them.

It is all summed up quite beautifully, I think, in a phrase which comes from Saint Francis De Sales, and which became the motto of one of the great more contemporary saints of our tradition, St John Henry Newman: heart speaks to heart. Speak the truth in love. These words of Saint Paul are very significant, and like many parts of the scripture they can be read and interpreted in a variety of ways. Some people even see them, or rather see the two words truth and love, as somehow difficult to hold together, if not opposed to each other. If we are committed to speaking the truth then, some people suggest , we must do so plainly and clearly whether people want to hear the truth or find it palatable or not. Others would say, and this is very common today, that if the truth is challenging or confronting for some people, then out of love and concern for them, we do not put this truth before them.

Archbishop Costelloe speaks to communications and media professionals, Thursday 7 September, as the Keynote Speaker at the Australasian Catholic Press Association Dinner. Photo: Michelle Tan.

ACPA President Neil Helmore from the Diocese of Townsville, welcomes Archbishop Costelloe. Photo: Michelle Tan.

Archbishop Costelloe with Communications Manager and The Record Editor Jamie O’Brien at the annual Dinner and Awards Night. The Record took home four awards. Photo: Michelle Tan.

Pope Francis, of course, alludes to this challenge in his message. “We should not,” he says, “be afraid of proclaiming the truth, even if it is at times uncomfortable, but (we should be afraid) of doing so without charity, without heart.” What I would like to suggest to you this evening is this: that, in this matter of speaking the truth in love, as in fact, in every aspect of our Christian lives, it is Jesus himself who shows us the way. There are many examples of Jesus speaking the truth in love in the pages of the Gospels, but I would like to offer you simply one this evening, and invite all of us to reflect on it when we have the opportunity. It is the story of the woman caught in adultery, which we find in John’s Gospel.

Jesus was left there alone with the woman. Jesus has certainly spoken truth to the men who have dragged this woman before Jesus and humiliated her. But it is very interesting to reflect on the way in which he has brought the truth home to them: not by a direct confrontation or an angry rebuke, or a lecture on their lack of understanding of the law, but simply by posing to them a question, which is really an invitation to reflect on themselves, and on their own attitudes of mind and heart. He is looking for conversion and trying to offer this possibility to them – not aggressively but gently.

And then, of course, Jesus speaks to the woman. “Has no-one condemned you?” he asks. “No-one sir,” she replies. And then come the crucial words. “I don’t condemn you either. Now go, and don’t sin anymore.” Jesus certainly speaks the truth to her - go, and don’t sin anymore. He does not tell her she has done nothing wrong. He doesn’t try to make excuses for her. He doesn’t tell her it doesn’t matter what she has done.

I imagine you all know the story very well, so I won’t retell it now beyond reminding you that Jesus is in the temple precinct, a large crowd has gathered, including many of the religious leaders of the time, and a woman who has been caught in the act of committing adultery is brought before Jesus. It is important to realise that in doing this those who have dragged a woman before Jesus are not interested in her at all, but rather are interested in trapping Jesus and embarrassing him. “She has been caught committing adultery,” they say. “Moses has told us that such people should be stoned to death. What do you say?” The trap is clear. If Jesus says, “Follow the law of Moses”, all his talk of compassion and forgiveness is undermined. If he says, “Don’t follow the law of Moses” then he is an unmasked as a faithless Jew and betrayer of his people‘s traditions. As you will remember, Jesus turns the tables on the men attacking the woman by saying to them, “Well, let the person here who has never sinned at all be the first one to throw a stone at her”. It is almost as if he is saying, “Well, the law is clear, but who here regards him or herself as authorised to implement that law? Who has the right to make the final judgment?” We know what happened next: one by one they all walked away until, the gospel tells us,

But if we want to know the mind and heart of Jesus, if we want to know what speaking the truth in love looks like in practice, then we will notice the order in which Jesus speaks to her. The first thing he does is assure her that he doesn’t condemn her - only after that does he tell her not to sin again. And it seems reasonable to suggest that the woman, who has been belittled, humiliated, and condemned by everyone else, is only able to hear - really hear - the words about changing her life because she has also heard, and believes, the first thing Jesus tells her – that he, unlike the others, doesn’t condemn her.

Behind all this is a question we really need always to have in the front of our minds when we seek to speak on behalf of the Lord, on behalf of the Church, on behalf of the Truth. The question is this: what do I, or what do we, want to achieve? If my aim is to be able to go home at the end of the day and pat myself on the back and congratulate myself because I stood up for the truth, I told them how it is, I gave it to them straight, then we may have spoken the truth, but there may not have been much love in evidence. But if, instead, my aim has been to create a situation

Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB with Archdiocese of Hobart (The Catholic Standard) Multimedia Officer Joshua Low, right, and ACPA President Neil Helmore. Photo: Michelle Tan.

NZ Catholic Editor Michael Otto and ACBC Communications and Media Director Gavin Abraham were awarded Life Membership of ACPA.

Photo: Michelle Tan.

where the person or people to whom I am speaking, or to whom I am addressing my written word, is or are more open to God, more ready to tune into the presence of God’s Spirit, more willing to reflect a little more deeply on their life, then my judgement at the end of the day might be a little different. It won’t so much be about how I performed, but rather about how much I was able to touch their hearts.

In this archdiocese I am constantly reminding myself, and everyone else, that “how we go about what we are trying to do is as important as what we are trying to do”. So the question we must ask is this: what are we trying to do? What are we hoping to achieve. And in the end, as disciples of Jesus, I would hope that we are trying to be followers of the one who is both the Truth - yes, absolutely - but also the Way. We are called to proclaim the Truth which the Lord reveals to us, and to do so in the Way of Jesus. When we put the two together, we really are faithful disciples of the one who, because he is the Way and the Truth, is the giver of Life to the full.

When Don Bosco was near the end of his life, he had another dream. He was in Rome attending to some business for the Pope, and he was missing his Salesians and the boys who were all back at his school in Turin. One night in his dreams, he found himself back in Turin and was being led through the playground by two of his past pupils. Although everything seemed to be going well Don Bosco did not experience the sense of enthusiasm, of joy and youthful energy that he was expecting. When he turned to the two past pupils and asked them what was wrong, they said to him, “The problem, Don Bosco, is that the Salesians do not love the boys as much as they used to”. Don Bosco was rather upset by this and said in reply, “How can you say such a thing? These Salesians have dedicated their whole life to the boys. They are up at the crack of dawn and look after them all through the day: in the playground, in the dining room, in the classroom, in the chapel, everywhere. They are working themselves to the bone. What more could they possibly do?”

And then came the reply, which is at the heart of the Salesian approach to education, and I would suggest at the heart of the gospel itself, because it is at the heart of Christ. “It is not enough that the boys should be loved. They have to know that they are loved.”

The woman who met Jesus in the temple precinct was not left in any doubt that the Lord loved and accepted and respected her. She knew it, not just because of the words Jesus said, but of the way he said them, and of the way he treated her. Jesus wanted this woman to go away from the encounter with him encouraged, renewed, filled with hope - and he choose the best way he could think of to achieve

that aim, and he chose perfectly.

What is your aim as you write your article, or prepare your script, or make editorial decisions about what is being produced? How does this aim, this goal, line up not just with the Truth of the Lord but also with the Way of the Lord? Will your readers, or viewers, or correspondents be more open to the Lord’s gospel and the Lord’s Church or will they be discouraged, or scandalised, or further alienated.

As the Pope says in this year’s World Communications Day message:

Today, more than ever, speaking with the heart is essential to foster a culture of peace in places where there is war, to open paths that allow for dialogue and reconciliation in places where hatred and enmity rage. In the dramatic context of the global conflict we are experiencing it is urgent to maintain a form of communication that is not hostile. It is necessary to overcome the tendency to discredit and insult opponents from the outset, rather than to open a respectful dialogue …… As Christians, we know that the destiny of peace is decided by conversion of hearts, since the virus of war comes from within the human heart. (But also) from the heart (can) come the right words to dispel the shadows of a closed and divided world, and to build a civilisation which is better than the one we have received. Each of us is asked to engage in this effort, but it is one that especially appeals to the sense of responsibility of those working in the field of communications, so that they may carry out their profession as a mission.

In the end, this is the pope’s invitation to you all: to see your profession as a mission. I hope that your conference this year is helping you to understand more deeply the vital role you play in making the Church an instrument of the Lord’s peace.

Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB with Ballajura Parish Priest and Editor of The Crossroads, Fr John Jegorow, Archdiocese of Perth Communications Office Production Officer Michelle Tan and Communications Manager and The Record Editor, Jamie O’Brien.

Photo: Joshua Low.

+ Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB ARCHBISHOP OF PERTH

MARRIAGE DAY MASS 2023

“The image that we have just heard before the gospel that we’ve heard this morning, the image that Jesus puts to the first disciples was that He is the trunk of a vine. And we are meant to be the branches. He then goes on to apply that image to the words of the gospel that we have just heard proclaimed, that it is that love of Christ for His father, the father for His son Christ, that creates that unity among them and enables them then to offer that same bond with us.

That image is a beautiful image of that connection between each of us and I would extend that obviously to married couples. That image of being connected so intimately and so closely to God. That we are like the branches of a vine that is connected to the trunk from which we get the strength. We receive the graces, and we receive those gifts that we need in order to be firstly, disciples of Christ. Then through marriage, to be witnesses of that love of God at work between us. That love of God is comprehensive, it is part of our lives, it is part of

every moment of our lives. It is that love that brings about the possibility of unity despite all those things in our lives and even in our society, that are attempting to pull people apart. I would say that Christian marriage is one of those wonderful things that we’re able to offer to the world as an example of the power that Jesus Christ has, the power the spirit Has to bring about unity. Perhaps the only principle that will bring unity among us. It really is a comprehensive power, this love of God.

When we grow up in a family, we experience the love of God, we experienced that love, in what we see happening in the lives of our parents. We see that love expressed in their union, and in their struggles. Of course, we are all imperfect people and therefore, the love that we experience in our families, is as good as it can be. And we will always be imperfect. Even that desire in our hearts, through our marriages, to be examples, living examples of the love of God, you could say is experienced in an imperfect way, because of who we are. The need that we have to

Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton greets a couple celebrating their anniversary during the Annual Marriage Day Mass, Saturday 19 August. Christian marriage, said Bishop Sproxton, is one of those wonderful things that we’re able to offer to the world as an example of the power that Jesus Christ has, the power the spirit has to bring about unity. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

remain connected to Christ, to maintain that bond with Christ, who is the source of love, who is the source of us growing in love. I don’t think there is a greater sign than that which we cherish in our Christian faith, of the cross, a sign of forgiveness, a sign of that possibility that we can be healed, of that possibility that we can be more than we might have been before. It’s a continuing sign and reassurance to us, that there is the possibility of healing and of being released from those things that impede our ability to love. It is a sign that it is possible for us to ask forgiveness, to say sorry, and is on the other side, a possibility that we can be able to forgive. So, the cross, in that sense remains a very powerful image and a very important promise given to us by the Lord, that we will be able to take that risk to ask forgiveness and take that risk, to offer forgiveness in our marriages, because this is really the very core of love.

Today, we are celebrating these many, many years of marriage. Some here are celebrating anniversaries, which might be five or 10 years, perhaps, 20 years, some 50 years, there might even be some even more than that. In a previous year, I think we even had a couple celebrating 70 years of marriage.

It is wonderful that we’re able to gather and for the Church to recognise the journey that each and every one of you is on. To recognise the aspirations that you expressed on that day of your marriage, when you said “I make this promise to you to love you all

the days of my life, to love you in the good times and in the times of challenge and struggle.” When you said “I will love you and I will express that love when I am able to ask forgiveness, and when I am able to forgive.”

It takes time to heal, of course, and many of the hurts that we have had, will take time. But we’re committed to using time, in order to enable that grace of God, to bring about a healing within us. To make us aware and alert to the negative power of bitterness, and resentment, which can take hold of us. That bitterness is like a cancer - it fuels itself, and it will eventually destroy the person who holds this bitterness in their heart.

Let’s always be reminded of those words of St Paul, do not let the sun go down on your anger. Let that be in a sense, that principle that we will use each day. So that forgiveness can be given, that forgiveness can be a blessing at the end of each day, so that we can begin afresh on that next day. Bearing in mind, of that cross that is in our life, that cross of redemption, that cross of possibility, that we can be people of faith, of trust, and people who are able to offer forgiveness to one another.

So, we thank God for you and we encourage you to continue to be a sign of the presence of that powerful spirit in our world today. That brings unity, when everything, many things perhaps, are opposed to unity. We pray that Your witness, your love, will be an encouragement to others.”

+ Bishop Donald Sproxton

BISHOP OF PERTH

From left, Charles and Anne-Marie Lotten celebrated 50 years of marriage, Nibin & Nimmy celebrated 10 years of marriage, Giuseppe & Yvonne D’Ascenzo celebrated 56 years of marriage and Fernando and Miriam Romiti celebrated 50 years of marriage. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY: NEW LOGO A REMINDER TO PRAY AND DISCERN

The Archdiocesan Assembly Prayer Gracious God,

You have blessed our archdiocese with many gifts, and you call us to share those gifts with others. We thank you for this call and commit ourselves anew to responding with courage and generosity.

In this time of challenge and hope for the Church, you invite us to start afresh from Christ your Son and to contemplate his face so that we might recognise him in others.

A new logo has been launched for the upcoming Archdiocesan Assembly.

Developed by the Archdiocesan Communications Office in conjunction with the Diocesan Assembly Reference Group, the diocesan assembly logo uses the colours found on the crest of the Archdiocese of Perth: gold, red, and blue.

Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn explained the different elements of the logo call on the Perth Catholic community to reflect on the role and purpose of the Assembly in the Archdiocese of Perth.

• The golden sun represents Western Australia and a new dawn, entering into a new journey of synodality as called for by Pope Francis.

• The second circle in white represents the Eucharist, which reminds us that the Eucharist and the celebration of the Eucharist is at the heart of our Catholic faith.

• The image of the Cross reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ and His redeeming love for all.

• The image of the flames is a traditional symbol of the Holy Spirit. A reminder to us that the Holy Spirit is the source of all our Assembly deliberations.

The 2023-2024 Perth Archdiocesan Assembly, continued Fr Vincent, is the first of its kind for the Archdiocese and was announced Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in April 2023, and launched on Trinity Sunday 4 June 2023 at St Mary’s Cathedral.

The Assembly, he said, will focus primarily on the establishment of a Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) and how a DPC can reflect synodality and the synodal model as called for by Pope Francis.

The Archdiocesan Prayer, written by Archbishop Costelloe for the Year of Mercy, has also been adapted by Fr Vincent Glynn to reflect the journey of the Diocesan Assembly.

The prayer, explained Fr Vincent, is modelled around the understanding that in our preparation, formation, and experience of the Assembly, the whole Archdiocese and in particular the Assembly delegates are called to enter into a journey together led by the Spirit.

“This journey together calls all to be open to the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Fr Vincent said. Newly printed prayer cards were this week blessed by Fr Vincent at Scott Print.

As we enter the preparation, formation and experience of our Diocesan Assembly, may we experience a new wave of grace as we journey together led by the Spirit. Bless our Diocesan Assembly Delegates, attune their hearts and minds to the presence of your Holy Spirit in all their listening and discernment. May all be open to the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit that our Church may be transformed, our archdiocese be a sign to the world of your presence with us, our relationships be healed, and our nation grow in compassion and justice. With the intercession of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, who showed us new ways of living the Gospel, we make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen. Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.

Fr Vincent emphasised that a Diocesan Pastoral Council is made up of members across the Archdiocese to advise the Archbishop on the pastoral life and activity of the archdiocese.

“The Diocesan Assembly will bring together people from across the Archdiocese including, but not limited to, priests, deacons, parishioners, representatives from Catholic Religious Western Australia and nominees from the many organisations involved in the work of the Church,” he said.

“This will enable us to address one of the final decrees of the Fifth Plenary Council of the Catholic Church in Australia,” he said.

“Those participating in the assembly will be called to discern and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, to listen deeply to one another and to ensure that synodality becomes part of the lived experience for each one of us in the life of the Church.”

Delegates attended their first formation day on Saturday 23 September. to not be afraid to participate where appropriate,” Fr Vincent concluded.

DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY LAUNCH: GOD WHO IS TRINITY IS A GOD OF LOVE, SAYS FR VINCENT

should be governed is in a synodal manner, with the appropriate participation of those who are baptised.

“This is certainly also in the heart and mind of Pope Francis, who is also calling for all the Church to be open and to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit with open hearts,” he said.

Some 1300 people were present for the Trinity Sunday Mass, following the announcement by Archbishop Costelloe in April this year that he would hold a Diocesan Assembly in September 2023.

The Assembly will now be held in July 2024, with delegates from parishes having now commenced formation at the end of September.

Speaking in his homily for the Mass, our journey towards a Diocesan Assembly has already begun, highlighted Fr Vincent.

“After today parishes, clergy, agencies, religious orders, education providers, youth will be among groups of the Archdiocese who will be asked to select members who will commit to the journey of this Assembly,” Fr Vincent explained, as part of his homily.

“Those participating will be called to discern and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

“In particular, the Archbishop, flowing from the Plenary Council, is eager to discern the role of a Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC).

We are called to remember that God who is Trinity is a God of Love, a God who sends his son Jesus Christ out of complete love for you and me, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn has said.

Fr Vincent Glynn, the Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, was speaking at the launch of the 2023-2024 Diocesan Assembly, Sunday 4 June at St Mary’s Cathedral on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.

“This is made very abundant to us when through the power of the Holy Spirit, our lives are transformed when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in communion,” Fr Vincent said.

Formally launching the Assembly on behalf of Archbishop Costelloe, Fr Vincent explained that convocation of the Assembly comes out of the recent Plenary Council held by the Church of Australia in 2021 and 2022.

“The call of the Plenary Council was for all the Church to open our hearts to listening and discerning where the voice of the Holy Spirit was leading the Church,” Fr Vincent said.

“The Plenary Council affirmed that the way the Church

A DPC, outlined Fr Vincent, is a council made up of members from across the Archdiocese to advise the Archbishop most especially on the pastoral life and activity of the Archdiocese.

“Those attending the Assembly will be asked to discern how this DPC can reflect the synodality asked for by Pope Francis.

“I ask today as we begin this journey towards an assembly that you pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for all who will be involved. I also encourage you to not be afraid to participate where appropriate,” Fr Vincent concluded.

Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn blesses the Archdiocesan Assembly Prayer Cards at Scott Print, Tuesday 12 September. Watching on is Scott Print Dispatch Manager Olivera Tupaneska. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

The new prayer cards were blessed by Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn.

Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

PERTH PILGRIMS EAGER FOR A WORD OF TRUTH AND ENCOURAGEMENT DURING WORLD YOUTH DAY

WORDS Dr Francesco Piccolo

Pope Francis has urged some 1.5 million young people not to let their “great dreams” of changing the world be “stopped by fear.”

In his homily for the closing Mass of World Youth Day, Sunday 6 August, the Holy Father asked for “a bit of silence” from the pilgrims who stayed overnight in Lisbon’s Tejo Park following the previous night’s vigil.

“Let’s all repeat this phrase in our hearts: ‘Don’t be afraid,’” he told the hushed crowd. “Jesus knows the hearts of each one of you, the successes and the failures, he knows your hearts,” Pope Francis said. “And today he tells you, here in Lisbon for this World Youth Day: ‘Don’t be afraid.’”

104 pilgrims from the Perth Archdiocese Neocatechumenal Communities joined the more than 1.5 million youth who attended the vigil and Mass. This 14-day pilgrimage, led by Dr Francesco Piccolo and his wife Lisa from Mirrabooka parish, will remain a memorial for many of these young people for the rest of their lives.

A group representing these parishes, writes Dr Piccolo, arrived in Barcelona and travelled by bus via Zaragoza to Madrid and then onwards through Segovia to Santiago de Compostela. From there they travelled through Tui and Fatima, finally reaching Lisbon.

“Our itinerary and plans were precarious right from the onset. This precariousness made clear that our pilgrimage was in the hands of the Lord, and he did not disappoint.

Spurred on in our Journey by the Pope’s personal invitation to Lisbon our youth travelled in two buses as a pilgrim community; praying, celebrating the Eucharist, sharing their experiences and living in the kind of communion that only the Holy Spirit can create. In Lisbon, we spent six days as guests of parishioners of Brandoa St Therese of the Infant Jesus Church.

It was beautiful to experience such free hospitality and to be treated with care and love by strangers who were our brothers and sisters in Christ. The young people were touched by the lives of the Saints that can often seem distant from their own lives.

However, in these sites their holy presence was palpable as their catechists spoke to them of St Anthony in Lisbon; St John of God in Toledo; St John of the Cross and St Theresa in Segovia; St James in Zaragoza and Santiago de Compostela; and the three young shepherds in Fatima. Hearing about the lives of the saints and their humanity allowed the young men and women to see that these were ordinary, real people they could relate to. Understanding how these individuals felt loved and in turn fell in love with Christ who revealed to them their vocation, transforming their life and the life of those around them was a real inspiration. The pilgrims received catechesis on the vocation to a holy life that all Christians are called to, as St John Paul II taught us: “Don’t be afraid to be holy”. With this backdrop, we discussed the truth of human and divine love in the context of the Theology of the Body.

The young people were, at all times, eager for a word of truth and encouragement. When visiting Tui, the birthplace of Rosendo Salvado, our Perth pilgrims discovered the wonderful connection with Western Australia, that faith has no bounds and God has an amazing plan of Love. The visit to the Sanctuary of Fatima was a beautiful opportunity to pray at the feet of Mary, something the young pilgrims took very seriously. In this very place Mary reached out to three young people, just like them, asking them to pray with real purpose: “to bring peace to the world”, something still very relevant in today’s world.

The Pope’s meeting was a real miracle. After an arduous long walk, in the unrelenting European heat wave, together with another more than 1.5 million people, in an astounding silence, so many knelt during the vigil to pray before the blessed sacrament which was at least 1km away from our designated sector. The Sunday Eucharist was magnificent. The young people were really touched by the words of our Pope. Without hiding his frailty his assurances were like the gentle breeze of Elijah. It was as if the Holy Father spoke directly to our pilgrims, who have clearly experienced that “nothing is free in life, everything has to be paid for” with many having voiced the sufferings and real difficulties in their lives. Several spoke of the comfort that Pope Francis’ words have given: “Only one thing is free:

the Love of Jesus!”. There were so many blessings during this pilgrimage, too many to recount here. The young pilgrims have returned with so much joy, a true happiness that replaces the many fears they experience in their daily lives. Pope Francis raised his voice when he spoke - deviating from his written homily - to the pilgrims during the vigil “Move forward without fear. Do not be afraid!”. Through the many events of this pilgrimage, the rich meeting with Pope Francis, the love received from host families and the communion lived among pilgrims, we experienced a true and momentous meeting with Jesus.

The same Jesus that we wish all young men and women, our friends and siblings, coworkers and all Australians could meet. The same Jesus we heard about in the Gospel, who walking over the water of our worries and fears calls out “Courage! Don’t be afraid. It’s me!”.

More on World Youth Day 2023 in Issue 42.

Dr Piccolo said hearing about the saints’ lives and their humanity allowed the WA pilgrims to see that these were ordinary, real people they could relate to.

Photo: Supplied/Jose De Los Reyes Algarin.

The Perth and Bunbury pilgrims at the World Youth Day OIive Tree at St Mary’s Cathedral with Archbishop Costelloe, Sunday 9 July. Photo: Samuel Chan/Archdiocese of Perth.

Seminarians from Redemptoris Mater Seminary at the 2023 World Youth Day Vigil. Photo: Supplied/Jose De Los Reyes Algarin.

Perth pilgrims from the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way play their guitars in the streets of Portugal during their World Youth Day journey. Photo: Supplied/Jose De Los Reyes Algarin.

PALMYRA PARISHIONERS REMINDED TO KEEP FAITH ALIVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AT 100TH ANNIVERSARY

God is great and has done marvelous deeds over the long history of this parish, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has recently told Palmyra parishioners.

Speaking at the Mass to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the parish, Sunday 23 July, Archbishop Costelloe explained that all current members or friends of the parish, or past parishioners, know that the parish community of today is the inheritor of the extraordinary commitment of the clergy, the religious and the laity who over one hundred years have built the community of faith.

“You would also understand that it is the task of today’s parish community to keep this faith alive so that future generations will receive what we faithfully pass on to them with gratitude,“ Archbishop Costelloe explained.

“This is why Pope Francis would ask us not only to look back in gratitude, which we do in a special way today, but also to live the present moment, with all its challenges, with passion and remain open and hopeful as the future unfolds,” he said.

Highlights of the past 100 years were displayed in a special video created for the anniversary by parishioner Harry Neesham, highlighting how the the suburb of Palmyra was established in 1912, when Mr J Charles bought and subdivided 425 acres and laid out a township.

Families moved into the area over the next 10 years and in 1923, then Perth Bishop Matthew Gibney determined there should be a parish established. This parish was to be serviced from North Fremantle and would extend from Petra Street to Canning Bridge and south to Spearwood. The Oblate Fathers purchased two acres on the corner

Archbishop Costelloe with Palmyra Parish Priest Fr Benedict Lee, back row, second from right, Episcopal Vicar, Education and Faith Formation, Fr Vincent Glynn, together with acolytes and altar servers. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.

of Foss Street and Hammad Street, intending to expand but subsequently agreed to sell their land to the Parish for what it cost - £150.

Father Humphrey Kearin was appointed Parish Priest and upon receiving financial guarantees from 40 families the parish set out to build a hall. The hall was to serve as both school and church and the naming would be the privilege of the person donating the altar.

Mr John Blencowe and his wife donated the altar and named the parish St Gerard’s. The hall was opened in April 1925 and so began the parish journey.

In the early 1950’s then parish priest, Fr John Lynch, felt it was important to create a shrine dedicated to

Our Lady of Fatima in the community which was completed in 1953.

In 1952, the school’s name was changed from St Gerard’s to Our Lady of Fatima. The school crest was created by one of the sisters.

Archbishop Costelloe continued by saying that the world and the Church of 2023 are very different from the world and the Church of 1923.

“The first community which formed this parish so long ago could not have imagined what lay ahead,” Archbishop Costelloe said.

“In a world of conflict, uncertainty and great suffering, when evil seemed to be so powerful, all people could do was look to the Lord and pray, as the psalm does, You, God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger and rich in love and truth, turn and take pity on us.

“In spite of the dramatic changes which have taken place over the last 100 years, this prayer is as relevant today as it ever was.

“Today we pray in remembrance and gratitude for all those who for the last 100 years strived to be faithful to this ideal here in this parish.

“We acknowledge with admiration and with gratitude all those who work together in our own time to give expression to this ideal of faithful discipleship.

“And we entrust to the Lord with hope and confidence all those who will come here in the future to be a part of this ongoing story of fidelity, giving expression to the hope expressed by the Lord Jesus Himself at the Last Supper, ‘By this will everyone know that you are my disciples; that you love one another as I have loved you,’” Archbishop Costelloe concluded.

Harry Neesham speaks about the history of Palmyra parish during the 100th anniversary Mass, Sunday 23 July. Photo: Jamie O’Brien

Archbishop Costelloe greets long-time parishioners during the 100th anniversary Mass, Sunday 23 July. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.

Josephine Regan with Avery present the new parish plaque parish to be blessed by Archbishop Costelloe. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.

UNDA STUDENTS GAIN DEEPER APPRECIATION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CATHOLIC AT WYD

World Youth Day is an event like no other. It offers young people from every continent of the world an exceptional opportunity to come together in one place to celebrate the Catholic faith.

More than 40 students and staff from the University of Notre Dame Australia embarked on a three week pilgrimage that culimated in celebrating World Youth Day in Lisbon along with two million other young people of faith from around the world.

The “Saints, Scholars and Notre Dame” pilgrimage prepared students for WYD 2023 by drawing on the event’s theme of, “Mary arose and left with haste” (Luke 1.28) and developing the influence of “Notre Dame” throughout European university education across the millennia.

Pilgrims from UNDA experienced contemporary and historic Catholic universities alongside the sites of some of the first cathedral schools. They were encouraged to consider the approach to the

relationship between faith and reason that gave rise to the Benedictine, Dominican, Franciscan, Carmelite, and Jesuit orders, considering their influence on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. In advance of their trip, students wrote a paper on the importance of charisms in the intellectual life of the Church. From Paris and Lourdes to Loyola, Burgos, Caleruega, Segovia, Avila and Salamanca, the pilgrims’ trail took students through the glorious countryside and the most sacred regions of France and Spain, then concluded by journeying into the heart of Portugal to join the 16th WYD.

This provided the students with a unique opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of what it means to be Catholic. Notre Dame students exchanged gifts with pilgrims from around the world. They braved very hot conditions to participate in the sleep out and commented on the strength of the Catholic faith and their joy at meeting faith filled young

UNDA student pilgrims with the University’s banner on display in Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day 2023. Photo: Supplied/UNDA.

people from across the globe. Language was not a barrier and conversation flowed easily between pilgrims. Students joined other youth in singing and dancing in the middle of the streets and this joyful engagement was amazing to witness.

World Youth Day is an international festival comprised of a series of events over five-six days including catechetical sessions, artistic performances, faith sharing and liturgical celebrations that are designed to offer young people a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ. The occasion culminates with an overnight prayer vigil and final Mass celebrated by the Pope.

The event was established by Pope St John Paul II in 1985 following several well-attended gatherings of youth with the Pope in Rome. The first official World Youth Day was held in 1986, followed by the first international World Youth Day held in Argentina in 1987.

The location for World Youth Day this year was the vibrant city of Lisbon, Portugal, with young people attending World Youth Day events in historic churches and other venues across the city. The theme of this year’s World Youth Day was ‘Mary arose and left with haste’. The Pope reflected on this theme in his address to 200,000 pilgrims at Fatima on Saturday 5th August, where he prayed for the young pilgrims and for peace in the world This year’s catechetical sessions were titled ‘Rise-up encounters’. There were three of these for the entire English-speaking population. The three reflection topics presented by Bishops were Integral Ecology, Social friendship, and Mercy.

On Sunday 6 August approximately two million people attended the final Mass with Pope Francis held outdoors at Parque Tejo. Young people and their leaders camped out at the location following the prayer vigil the previous evening. In the Pope’s homily at the Final Mass, he called on young pilgrims to “be not afraid”, reminding them that Christ knows their joys and sorrows. The Pope encouraged them to listen and to shine, reflecting the light of Christ in the world.

Notre Dame is committed to providing its students with a holistic educational experience that encompasses spiritual growth alongside professional and intellectual development. The Notre Dame students and leaders who participated in the pilgrimage have gained a deep and rich perspective on the universal dimension of the Church. They have returned home with renewed faith, with fresh enthusiasm and with memories that will last a lifetime.

More than 40 students and staff from the University of Notre Dame Australia embarked on a three week pilgrimage that culimated in celebrating World Youth Day in Lisbon along with two million other young people of faith from around the world. Photo: Supplied/UNDA.

On Sunday 6 August approximately two million people attended the final Mass with Pope Francis held outdoors at Parque Tejo.

Photo: Supplied/UNDA.

IT TAKES A DIOCESE TO TRULY RENEW A PARISH

Vinciguerra, Coordinator, Parish Renewal

An Australian study into parish life by Trudy Dantis of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Pastoral Research Office, identifies eight key areas that lead to stronger parishes, namely:

• Planning

• Faith formation

• Liturgy

• Community

ƒ Hospitality

• Social outreach

• Mission

ƒ Leadership

When the question is asked, how can we develop these key areas, there is a range of factors that can be explored: raising competency, sharing resources,

learning time management and many others. It is the strong belief of the Archdiocesan Parish Renewal Team that formation in these factors is best conducted collaboratively.

Parishes collaborating with each other, with their Catholic schools and with the resources of the Archdiocese, create efficiencies and benefits that are more difficult to attain when parishes attempt this renewal alone.

In contrast, echoing the wisdom that “it takes a village to raise a child,” the Parish Renewal Team believes, that it takes a diocese to truly renew a parish, a renewal that is Christ centred, and long lasting.

WORDS Fr Fr Nino

Collaborative Pastoral Practice calls parishes to look beyond their parish boundary, to take seriously the phrase ‘neighbouring parishes’, and promotes working in Hubs. Photo: Joshua Low.

THE RENEWAL MODEL: COLLABORATIVE PASTORAL PRACTICE

While it is true that an individual person is responsible for his/her own life, human experience tells us, that it is being in relationship with each other that we discover our true selves and realise our true potential. An individual needs a ‘village’ and a parish community, a diocese. In light of this wisdom, the model the Parish Renewal Team has developed for parish renewal is the Collaborative Pastoral Practice. This model encourages and promotes a change of mindset and a shift of perspective.

A Collaborative Pastoral Practice asks individuals and parish communities to reflect not only on what do I need to do in my personal life to be a good Christian, but also what does my parish need to do?

Collaborative Pastoral Practice calls parishes to look beyond their parish boundary, to take seriously the phrase ‘neighbouring parishes’, and promotes working in Hubs.

Parish Hubs are a group of three to five parishes working collaboratively with each other, with their Catholic schools as well as with Archdiocesan agencies and organisations, to achieve long lasting renewal outcomes for parishes and for the whole Archdiocese.

Collaborative Pastoral Practice calls parishes to look beyond their parish boundary, to take seriously the phrase ‘neighbouring parishes’, and promotes working in Hubs.

Parish Hubs are groups of three to five parishes who, while maintaining their independence, strive to work collaboratively with each other on common pastoral initiatives, to achieve long lasting renewal outcomes for parishes and for the whole Archdiocese.

Since the Church’s task in our day is so great its accomplishment cannot be left to the parish alone… (therefore) For the renewal of parishes and for a better assurance of their effectiveness in work, various forms of cooperation even on the institutional level ought to be fostered among diverse parishes in the same area.

John Paul II, (1989). Christifideles Laici

At the heart of the model is prayerful discernment by communities, who are open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It calls them to ask, what is God asking of this community to realise the mission of Jesus, and how can they respond in concert with other communities to build and strengthen the larger faith community, the diocese? This prayer filled discernment echoes the fundamental call of Synodality and the Plenary Council of Australia.

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

Attributed to St Teresa of Calcutta MC

Journeying together as an Archdiocese, developing a mindset that allows for collaboration between parishes and their Catholic schools, and with the agencies and organisations of the diocese, is very much in the spirit of synodality.

A diocese, adopting a Collaborative Pastoral Practice, permeated with the wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, calls and empowers the diocese to develop vibrant parishes, who in turn, foster the vitality of the diocese.

This moves us to be, in the words of Archbishop Costelloe (Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan 2016-2021), a people walking together, in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd.

The Parish Renewal Team in 2023 includes Dr Carmel Suart, Marcelle Battici, Alan Wedd, Episcopal Vicar, Strengthening and Revitalising Parishes, Bishop Don Sproxton, Fr Nino Vinciguerra and Nigel Hayward. Photo: Supplied.

MARY MACKILLOP INSPIRES STUDENTS IN LifeLink DAY INITIATIVE

Students from several Perth Catholic schools joined Archbishop Costelloe in launching a creative project on the grounds of St Mary’s Cathedral. As part of Archbishop Costelloe’s 2023 LifeLink Day for Primary Schools initiative, students were invited to create a collage that visually expressed their learning and educational experience resulting from LifeLink Day. Students were encouraged to identify the issues people in need face here in the Archdiocese of Perth which the LifeLink agencies support and then search newspapers and magazines, thinking about the role newspapers and magazines play in creating or stopping the issues people in need face in our society today.

The creative, informative and inspiring artworks were then collected and incorporated into a significant art installation in the shape of a giant cross at St Mary’s Cathedral. The project took inspiration from St Mary McKillop,

with the installation taking place Saturday 28 July in advance of the feast day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Tuesday 8 August 2023.

The giant cross was then installed on the front grass of St Mary’s Cathedral.

LifeLink Manager, Brett Mendez explained to The Record the Cross symbolises three main points.

• Life, it points to overcoming of suffering through the resurrection of Christ.

• Hope, it is a calling for us to decide to live as Christians and to trust in the promise that we will be given the strength to do so. It is a commitment to remain strong in our faith no matter how difficult life become.

• Identity, a reminder of our religion and a representation to the world of who we are, It marks us as followers of Christ, the body of the Church.

WORDS Jamie O’Brien

Archbishop Costelloe, students and their teachers from Newman College, St John’s Primary Scarborough, St Paul’s Primary Mt Lawley celebrate the installation of the cross on the grass area of St Mary’s Cathedral.

Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

Speaking about the important role of St Mary MacKillop, Archbishop Costelloe said she devoted her life to ensuring a holistic Catholic education for children from rural, poor families.

“What an amazing woman Mary was, guided by an unshakeable love of God and called to the service of the poor and the marginalised across Australia,”

Archbishop Costelloe said.

“She faced many challenges and experienced many hardships... and yet she endured.

“Her motto, ‘never see a need without doing something about it’ became the foundation for her response to need in the community - educating the poor, caring for the sick and providing shelter for women and children.

“Saint Mary MacKillop often said, ‘We must teach more by example, than by word.’

“She tried hard every day to demonstrate respect for the dignity of every person she met, to help in any way she could, whether a friend or colleague, homeless or poor, aged or infirm.

LifeLink agencies reach out to help people in need in the community. Through your support of LifeLink Day, you are continuing the tradition of Saint Mary, demonstrating in a very real and practical way, your love and compassion for our brothers and sisters in need,” he concluded.

Archbishop Costelloe assists students from St Paul’s Primary Mt Lawley, Newman College and St John John’s School Scarborough, work together to assist with the installation of the banners, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Saturday 28 July.

Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

Students from St Paul’s Primary, Mt Lawley, work together to assist with the installation of the banners, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Saturday 28 July. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

Students from St John’s Primary, Scarborough, work together to install the banners on the gates of St Mary’s Cathedral, Saturday 28 July. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

MARONITES BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO EAST CANNINGTON CHURCH

WORDS Jamie O’Brien

Maronite Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, centre, with youth from the East Cannington Parish, Sunday 9 July, following the re-opening and dedication of the St Charbel’s Church, formerly known as St Francis. And below; parishioners gathered in the hundreds from across Perth to witness the new Church being opened. The first for Western Australia. Photos: Michelle Tan.

The Maronite community in Western Australia is overjoyed following the opening of the first Maronite Catholic Church in Western Australia, and the consecration of the altar at St Charbel’s Church.

Formerly known as St Francis Catholic Church of Queens Park/East Cannington Parish, the sacred space has been meticulously and lovingly renovated to meet the spiritual needs of the Maronite community in Perth, who had been eagerly anticipating a spiritual home in their State.

The Church re-opening and consecration of the new altar is a momentous occasion that holds great significance for the Maronite Eparchy in Australia, as it coincides with the Golden Jubilee of its official establishment as a diocese in this great land, as well as the upcoming Feast of the Church’s beloved patron St Charbel on Sunday 16 July.

In his homily for the occasion, Maronite Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, Bishop AntoineCharbel Tarabay said the dedication and commitment of those who made the dream of a Maronite Church in Western Australia a reality will ensure its spiritual, theological and liturgical heritage is kept alive, especially for future generations.

“This sacred space we now stand in, St Charbel’s Church, is not merely a building of bricks and mortar but a holy space that nurtures a strong sense of community, and that will inspire the Maronite community’s faith journey,” Bishop Tarabay said.

Bishop Tarabay also expressed his gratitude to all those who dedicated their time, talents, and resources to make St Charbel’s Church East Cannington a reality.

“I want to acknowledge and thank, in particular, the Archdiocese of Perth and its esteemed Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, for the invaluable support throughout the restoration process,” Bishop Taraby continued.

“My heartfelt appreciation to Father Tony Moussa, Parish Administrator of St Charbels and everyone who played a role in establishing a Maronite Parish in Western Australia,” he said.

The official opening of the Church of St Charbel was preceded by a special welcoming procession of the relics of Maronite and Australian Saints who have been visiting parishes all around the country - St Maroun, the Maronites’ spiritual father, St Charbel, St Rafqa, St Nehmetallah, and St Mary MacKillop - in a reliquary specially designed on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Maronite Eparchy of Australia. The newly renovated Church of St Charbel stands as a symbol of the unwavering dedication of the Maronite community of Western Australia to faith, heritage, and unity.

It is a place where the community will come together to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the Maronite tradition, partake in sacraments, and foster a strong sense of fellowship, strengthening their faith community.

The official opening of the Church of St Charbel was preceded by a special welcoming procession of the relics of Maronite and Australian Saints that have been visiting parishes all around the country - St Maroun, the Maronites’ spiritual father, St Charbel, St Rafqa, St Nehmetallah, and St Mary MacKillop - in a reliquary specially designed on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Maronite Eparchy of Australia. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.

Melkite Priest Fr Elias Kilzi, Maronite Eparchy Vicar-General Msgr Marcelino Youssef VG, Maronite Eparchy Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay and Thornleigh (Victoria) Maronite Parish Assistant Priest Fr Richard Jabour cut the cake, Sunday 9 July on the occasion of the new St Charbel’s Church, East Cannington. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.

INTRODUCING THE NANO NAGLE CENTRE

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Claremont, can be found the Nano Nagle Centre.

Based on the values of Nano Nagle, the founder of the Presentation Sisters, the centre offers opportunities for people to gather for reflection in a gentle space, for prayerful meditation and reflective listening.

Retiring from fulltime work as a principal of a Catholic Primary School, and following study for a Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction, Sr Catherine Warner PBVM, accepted the opportunity to become the Director of the Nano Nagle Centre where she is a personal accompanier, a retreat director and a spiritual accompanier.

Trying to decide to how best to reach out to those looking for Spiritual direction in their lives, Sr Catherine invited two members of other groups she had worked with to help her discern how best to use the opportunities the Centre could provide.

With nursing and education backgrounds along with a diverse range of other tertiary professional studies, parish commitments and family experiences; Geraldine Taylor and Megan Phillips agreed to join Sr Catherine, and in 2019 planning for the future direction of the Centre began in earnest.

Today, the Nano Nagle Centre marks a fresh expression of Nano Nagle’s spirit as it seeks to respond to the pressing needs of people of faith in the modern world; journeying with adults exploring their spiritual journey. The Centre is open to all in need of a peaceful place where they can just ‘be’. It

offers a place where people can come and participate in a personal day/day’s retreat and accommodation is available for this sacred space and time.

Sr Catherine has facilitated School Staff reflection and professional development days, along with other groups seeking to find time away from their busy working lives for reflection.

Along with sessions developed and presented by Sr Catherine, Geraldine and Megan, several guest presenters include Dr Mary Coloe PBVM, Dr Pina Ford and Sr Shelley Barlow rndm, who have all added to the scope of what the Centre has to offer.

Recently Nano Nagle facilitators, Sr Catherine, Geraldine and Megan introduced their first weekend Retreat at St Catherine’s House of Hospitality in Tuart Hill.

Following the retreat, those present indicated how they had thoroughly enjoyed the different type of retreat that had been offered.

The weekend included workshop activities, times of solitude and times for quiet journaling focussed on articles, stories and personal faith journeys. Mass celebrated with Fr Stephen Truscott SM completed what was a faith filled experience.

For more information, visit the Nano Nagle Centre website: www.nanonaglecentre.org.au to check out the latest programs and opportunities for individual and group presentations and retreats.

Sr Catherine Warner PBVM, at left, with guests of the Nano Nagle Centre. The Nano Nagle Centre marks a fresh expression of Nano Nagle’s spirit as it seeks to respond to the pressing needs of people of faith in the modern world. Photo: Supplied.

WORDS Megan Phillips

PERTH GAINS ANOTHER PRIEST CALLED TO PRAYER, COURAGE AND HUMBLE SERVICE

WORDS Jamie O’Brien

New priest Fr Felipe Fernandez was called to be a man of prayer, a man of courage and a man of humble service to God’s people during his recent ordination to the priesthood.

Ordained by Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Friday 2 June 2023 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Fr Felipe was the second priest to be ordained this year, in addition to two diaconate ordinations.

Joining Bishop Sproxton as concelebrants for the ordination was Vicar General, the Very Rev Fr Peter Whitely VG, Redemptoris Mater Seminary Rector, Fr Michael Moore SM, Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey, assisted by Deacon Jason Yeap.

Some 20 priests from across the Archdiocese were also present for the occasion, with the Mass also livestreamed for Felipe’s family and friends in Colombia to be able to join in the celebration.

His parents, Maria-Rocio and Diego, travelled to Perth from Colombia for the occasion, together with his sisters, Isabel and Ana-Lucia and brother Diego, who is a seminarian of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in in Amsterdam.

Also attending was Felipe’s Parish Priest Fr Yormen Rua from Popoyan, Colombia, in addition to Felipe’s uncle and other friends.

Continuing his homily, Bishop Sproxton said that the priesthood asks of those who are called to go on a pilgrimage with God.

“This journey is one of discovery and learning, growth

in faith, and it’s lifelong. From that first moment of feeling a call, God draws close to us in a very special way,” Bishop Sproxton said.

“The mystery which is ourself, is gradually open to us at the same time as the mystery of God is revealed to us. This is the experience and has been the experience of people of faith. It must happen for each of us, so that we can take up the Ministry of teaching, sanctifying and shepherding,” he said.

Hailing originally from the town of Popayán, Colombia, 30-year-old Felipe trained at Perth’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary, arriving in 2012 at the age of 19. At the age of 13, he listened to a catechesis of the Neocatechumenal Way in his parish of Iglesia Espíritu Santo, Popayán.

“I joined [the Neocatechumenal community] at the time because my mother said it would be good for my life,” Felipe explained, in a special interview for The Record. It was during his rebellious teenage years that Felipe recalled he experienced a moment of enlightenment, asking God to intervene.

God certainly intervened, with Felipe “standing up” to offer himself for the priesthood during a vocation call in 2008 at a youth pilgrimage for the Neocatechumenal Way in Bogota.

He then went on to stand up again at a national meeting of the Neocatechumenal Way in 2010. Felipe says he quickly dismissed the call and didn’t think about it too much at the time.

The newly ordained Fr Felipe Fernandez hails from the town of Popayán, Colombia and trained at Perth’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary, arriving in 2012 at the age of 19. Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

Felipe went on to complete secondary school and was looking to become a forensic scientist or chemical engineer, completing one year of university in the town of Cali, some 140kms from Popayán.

“I never thought to become a priest,” Felipe exclaimed. “I was concentrating on everything else around me –friends, parties, my studies,” he said.

A conversation with his catechists of Cali from the Neocatechumenal Way in 2011, shortly before World Youth Day in 2011, had a profound impact. They had invited him to a meeting with young men who were thinking about a vocation to the priesthood. This was followed by a meeting with seminary formators in Medellin, where he commenced his first year of training at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Medellin.

Several months later, Felipe was sent to Perth, Western Australia, after being chosen together with some 30 other young men - to undertake their

formation overseas. For Felipe, the parable of the prodigal son particularly resonates with his life.

“God really protected me, guided me, and showed me a much greater plan for my life than I could have ever created,” he said.

“I am really so very grateful, and I hope that through Him I can be a sign of His love and mercy to other young people.”

Felipe’s ordination, continued Bishop Sproxton, reminds the bishops, the priests and the deacons of the Archdiocese, that their ministry and service is Christ’s, just as the Church and its mission is Christ’s.

“To ignore this is to miss the mark, and to get in the way of Christ,” Bishop Don said.

In turn, I pray that you will be a true guide and a model to others of the way of conversion and transformation,” he concluded.

NEW BUNBURY PRIEST NATHAN BARRIE CALLED TO HAVE THE ‘STENCH OF THE FLOCK’

WORDS Jamie O’Brien

Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan highlighted three charisms St Charles Seminary trained Nathan Barrie would receive in his new ministry as a priest.

Speaking Wednesday 17 May at St Patrick’s Cathedral Bunbury, the now Bishop Emeritus Holohan was joined by concelebrants, St Patrick’s Cathedral Dean Rev Dr Pierangelo Repuayan, Busselton Parish Priest Fr Jaybee Bonghanoy MSP and St Charles Seminary Rector Fr Francis Nguyen, together with priests from the Diocese of Bunbury and Archdiocese of Perth. Continuing his homily, Bishop Holohan emphasised

Fr Felipe, with Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey, and his family and friends who travelled from Colombia including parents Maria-Rocio and Diego, sisters Isabel and Ana-Lucia, brother Diego, Parish Priest Fr Yormen Rua, uncle and other friends.

Photo: Ron Tan/Archdiocese of Perth.

two basic principles to guide Nathan as he commences his priestly ministry the first being that Nathan is called to be a companion of Jesus in His ministry and the second is that he is called to be a feet washer.

“…you need to remember that your call is to serve, never to be served,” Bishop Holohan explained.

“Jesus instituted the ordained ministry during the Last Supper after teaching His disciples that they were to serve as slaves by washing their feet. The priest is called to be a ‘feet washer’.”

Speaking about the charisms Nathan would receive during the ordination, Bishop Holohan also noted they have three broad purposes.

“These are to enable you to serve in the Person of Christ whenever you actually engage in activities which serve His ministry to those entrusted to your pastoral care,” Bishop Holohan said.

“…how effectively the charisms work in your ministry will depend upon your personal conversion and your prayer life in your ministry.

“It will depend too upon how well you actually know those entrusted to your pastoral care and whether, as shepherd, you have on you ‘the stench of the flock’ – to quote the image of Pope Francis,” he continued.

Thirty-year-old Fr Nathan, who grew up in Bunbury from the age of five, studied at St Charles Seminary commencing in January 2017.

After attending St Joseph’s Primary Bunbury and then Newton Moore Senior High for his secondary education, Nathan said it was the 2011 World Youth Day pilgrimage that moved him to realise that perhaps God was calling him in another direction.

“I remember sitting on the plane on the way to Spain talking to a fellow attendee and they asked me what was I looking for in attending World Youth Day,” Nathan explained.

“I responded by explaining that I wanted to see whether God was calling me to the priesthood, and that was the first time I began to appreciate and understand where my vocation was heading,” he said.

Nathan continued by explaining that during his Days in the Diocese experience, he stayed with a family in Spain that could not speak or understand English. It was during Mass at the local parish that the grandmother said to Nathan in English, “God wants you,” he recalled.

“I needed a visible sign that this was serious and I needed to discern a vocation to the priesthood. The grandmother’s words were just that,” Nathan highlighted.

During a period of discernment for five years, in which daily Mass became part of his life, Nathan continued to work in sales and business management, later applying to study Primary Teaching at Edith Cowan University.

Nathan says he recalls many a sleepness night, but through regular dialogue with close family, his parish and friends, he began to understand he really was being called to the priesthood. Thinking about his new ministry, Fr Nathan said he is happy to be led by the Spirit.

“I will do my best to trust that the Lord will give me the courage and discernment to put Him first, to listen attentively to what the Spirit is showing me through the events of my ministry,” Fr Nathan said.

“With so many without hope in our world, I want to be a reminder that we are all beloved sons and daughters of God.”

“I want to be a light in the darkness to all whom I am called to minister, with a heart that is merciful, patient, after all, the Church is a field hospital as Pope Francis has reminded us,” he concluded.

The newly ordained Fr Nathan Barrie, with Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan and priests from the Diocese of Bunbury and Archdiocese of Perth, Wednesday 17 May at St Patrick’s Cathedral Bunbury. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.

FRESH VERMICELLI SALAD

RECIPE BY Michelle Tan

RECIPE BY Michelle Tan

INGREDIENTS

Salad Dressing

• 1 Large Fresh Red Chili (deseed for less spiciness)

• 1 Clove of Garlic

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable or Grapeseed Oil

• 1 Tbsp Fish sauce

• 2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

• 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce

• 2 tsp Sugar

Salad

• 125g Vermicelli Rice Noodles

• 2 cups Red Cabbage

• 2 cups Carrot

• 1 cup Red Capsicum

• 1 cup Cucumber

• 1 cup bean sprouts

• 2 pieces spring onion

• 1/2 cup mint or coriander leaves (optional)

To Serve

• ½ cup crushed roasted peanuts (optional)

• ¼ cup fried shallots (optional)

METHOD

1. Prepare the Vermicelli Rice Noodles by soaking in a pot of boiled water for 2 minutes.

2. Remove and immediately rinse under cold tap water.

3. Finely mince the garlic and chili.

4. Combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing and set aside.

5. Julienne the cabbage, carrot, capsicum and cucumber into long thin strips.

6. Finely chop the spring onion.

7. In a large bowl, mix all the salad ingredients.

8. Pour the salad dressing over the mixture and toss to combine.

9. To serve, sprinkle some crushed roasted peanuts and fried shallots on top of the salad.

10. A variety of protein options (tofu, fish, meat, chicken) can be added to the salad to complete the meal.

1 “…fill the earth and ___ it” (Gen 1:28)

5 Partner of Damian

8 Catholic actor of “Who’s the Boss?” fame

10 Catholic actor of “Schindler’s List” fame

11 Transport for Peter and Andrew

12 Paul was shipwrecked here

13 Communion wafers

15 Pilate ordered this above the cross (abbr.)

16 ___ of thorns

18 Series of nine

20 “___ this day our daily bread”

24 Jordan, for one

25 It is immortal

26 Administrative arm of the Catholic Church

28 Pharaoh refused to provide this (Ex 5:10)

30 Liturgy

32 Catholic horror actor, Bela ___

33 Catholic “Today Show” weather anchor

34 Sign from Jonathan that David’s life was in danger (1 Sam 20:20–23)

35 Saint ___ Tekakwitha

ACROSS