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...it implies there is a God, says Guy Crouchback. If so, why does an atheist like Richard Dawkins believe in one and not the other?
PARISH S'IOMES: parishes@therecord.com.au SCHCIOL STORIES : cathschTT1ools@therecord.com.au (NarE: send ONLY hi-resolution photos) "Be indefatigable in your purpose and with undaunted spirit resist iniquity and try to conquer evil with good, having before your eyes the reward of those who combat for Christ." -BISHOP MATTHEW' GIBNEY 1874
THE PARISH. THE NATION. THE WORLD. Western Australia's award-winning Catholic newspaper since 1874 - Wednesday, November 4 2009
Perth, Western Australia $2
Pentecostal churches target Catholics But Pentecostal churches need to
understand Catholics really are Christians, ting Vatican aide tells The Record BY ANTHONY BARICH
Little Sisters of the Poor from Glendalough greet well-wishers before the Mass of Thanksgiving for the canonisation of their foundress, St Jeanne Jugan, whose Order has a special charism of looking after the aged and frail. PHOTO ANTHONY BARICH
St Jeanne Jugan's girls Known all over Perth and Kalgoorlie, a beloved congregation of women finally get to see their foundress canonised
CEL BRATE BY AzsrrtioNY BARICH National Reporter
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Blessed Jeanne Jugan is depicted with an elderly man and woman in this icon by George Pinecross. PHOTO: CNS/COURTESY OF THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
ewly canonised St Jeanne Jugan provides a powerful message to politicians responsible for legislation regarding the value of vulnerable elderly people, the local Mother Superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor said at the Order's foundress' canonisation Mass. "Newly canonised saints always have a message for present day society and St Jeanne's message is certainly about the dignity of human life, especially that final stage of the journey towards eternity," said Mother Elizabeth Anne Lee LSP, Superior of the Perth congregation of the Order whose special charism it is to give palliative care, compassion and comfort to the elderly and infirm. "May she be a light and coI ,rt to the elderly, to those who care for them and to those responsible for legislation regarding the value of their lives." The Order was introduced to Australia by Archbishop James
Goold OSA in 1884 and the first WA community was established at Adelaide Terrace, Perth from Sydney in 1920. The liturgy, celebrated by Archbishop Barry Hickey and 26 priests and Religious at Infant Jesus Church, Morley on October 31, was prepared by the Little Sisters and had a special focus on the dignity of the human person at all stages of life. The theme was reflected in t I- readings, the Gospel of the Beatitudes read by the Little Sisters' Glendalough chaplain Fr Eugene McGrath, and the Prayers of Intercession, which said: "For the elderly of the whole world, that through the intercession of St Jeanne Jugan they may have their rights respected, their dignity upheld and receive the love and care that they deserve." Another Intercession prayed: "For our politicians, that they may be convinced of the innate dignity of every human person and protect the lives of the vulnerable." The Mass, celebrated in a packed church, included Dominicans, Benedictine monks frIII New Norcia, Carmelites, Please turn to Page 2
DIALOGUE is essential to understanding why the rapidly growing Pentecostal movement is targeting Catholics to recruit as part of the `Pentecostalisation of Christianity", says the Vatican aide in charge of dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Pentecostal movement. Colombian Monsignor Juan Usma Gomez, in Australia for the October 30-November 1 National Conference of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Commissions in Brisbane, told The Record on October 30 that overcoming "misunderstandings, prejudices and antagonism" is the first step towards unity. Mgr Gomez, who has overseen Catho Pentecostal dialogue in the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity since 1996, added that Catholic charismatics could hold the key to dialogue with Pentecostalism, which, with an estimated 600 lion members worldwide, is the second-largest Christian group in the world behind Catholicism. Pentecostal churches and the non-Catholic char• ismatic movement are the fastest-growing churches in the Christian world. "(Catholic charismatics) have a role to play also • in the relations between Catholics and Pentecostals; that would be good to include them in these relations," said the Monsignor, in his visit to Australia. "Analysts speak about 'the Pentecostalisation of Christianity', so we need to address What happens when a Christian church is Please turn to Vista 4
Principal withdraws vote endorsement BY ROBFRT HIINI Parish Reporter CATHOLIC Education Office Director Ron Dullard intervened after the Principal of Sacred Heart College in Sorrento endorsed sitting Joondalup mayoral candidate Troy Pickard in a communication to parents in September. Mr Dullard spoke to Sacred Heart Principal Ian Elders, who issued a subsequent letter on September 18, admitting the endorsement was a mistake, particularly as he was "not a ratepayer of the City of Joondalup". In the letter, Mr Elders urged parents to give "due consideration" to Mr Pickard's fellow candidates Councillors Bruce Corr and Russell Poliwka. On his election website, Mr Corr said he had earlier complained to Mr Dullard, declaring the Principal's actions to be "highly inappropriate and unfair to Russell Poliwka and myself." Please turn to Vista 4
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November 4 2009, The Record
THE PARISH
(C ra-rol onvam Great day for St Jeanne's girls . klawara. ZOOM LIVE YCI UR
Fli htwo.' rid 200 St. George's Terrace, Perth WA 6000 Tel: 9322 2914 Fax: 9322 2915 michael@flightworld.com.au www.tlightworld.com.au
\ Michael Deering 9322 2914
Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity 1880.1906 V o.crithrr ti Elizabeth Cater lom her father, a French anny officet when she was 7 Later. her family opposed her wish to enter the Carrnebte order. A charming beauty, she had several suitors. but at 21, with her mother's consent, she became Elizabeth oldie Trinity at the Cannel in Dijon t ier health failed after a kw years of religious life, and she died of Addisods disease Her prayer to the Trinity is cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Nn 260), it begins: '0 my God, Tr ty whom I adore, help me forget myself entirely solo establish myself In you. Immovable and peaceful iffnv soul were already in eternity.'
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Above left, a Little Sister of the Poor carries a globe into the church that was placed before the pulpit symbolising the global reach of St Jeanne Jugan's ministry. Top right, the Sisters are honoured by walking in first before the Mass started at Morley. Left, a Little Sister of the Poor shares a moment of joy with Sisters from the Missionaries of Charity and the Holy Family of Nazareth.
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A LIFE OF PRAYER
PHOTOS: ANTHONY BARICH
... are you called to the Benedictine 41e ofdivinepraise andEucharistic prayerfor the Church?
TYBURN NUNS Contact the: Rev Mother Cyril, OSB, Tyburn Priory, 325 Garfield Road, Riverstone, NSW 2765 w ww.tyburnconvent.org.uk
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Continued from Page 1
Redemptorists, Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the Redemptoris Mater Rector and seminarians of the Neocatechumenal Way. Religious Sisters at the Mass included Josephites, Presentation Sisters, Missionaries of Charity, Holy Family of Nazareth, Servites and Ursulines. Newer Associations including Missionaries of the Gospel and the New Apostolate Consecrated in the Heart of the Holy Family were also present, as well as the
Ukrainian Catholic Religious Order, the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate. Archbishop Hickey said that while the circumstances of society have changed since St Jugan's time, the poor are still with us, and the challenge to shelter the homeless poor and share bread with the hungry remains as relevant as ever. He said that 18th Century Europe was beset by hostility in St Jeanne Jugan's time, yet many saints were produced in this period. Even now, he said, when
the dignity of life is threatened, the Holy Spirit is awakening people again even in European countries that appear to be "completely paganised". He said that the October 31 Mass was thanksgiving to God for one of the earliest Religious Congregations to arrive in the Swan River Colony, before Perth was called an 'Archdiocese'. Little Sisters and Association of Jeanne Jugan members stood and declared their Renewal of Commitment, which included their desire to offer to the elderly in their care a safe environment where they are respected and loved. "We desire to show to all with whom we come in contact, the primacy of eternal values and the boundless love of God," they said, before Certificates of Appreciation were presented to 16 staff and supporters who had given between 10 and 37 years of service to the Little Sisters. There are 12 Little Sisters in Perth and 80 in the Province which covers Australia, New Zealand, Western Samoa, Noumea and New Caledonia.
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hand-painted stained glass for the reception of the head office and adjacent entry doors to staff offices. Tradition Stained Glass also has just recently had four of its latest works blessed by Bishop Donald Sproxton on June 21 at St Simon Peter Parish in Ocean Reef. These beautiful hand-painted windows were the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication. As with all works carried out by Tradition Stained Glass, it is its belief to be creative at the highest level and to excel in craftsmanship at all times. Viewed online at www.traditionstainedglass.com.au and latest works can be viewed in an updated gallery.
November 4 2009, The Record
Page 3
THE PARISH
Indonesians strengthened
priests
All in the family
BY ROBERT HIIN1 Parish Reporter THE Western Australian Indonesian Catholic Community (WAICC) in Perth celebrated its 17th birthday on Sunday, 1 November 2009 at St Benedict's Church, Applecross. Mgr Brian O'Loughlin, Vicar General, and Fr Blasco Fonseca, Vicar for Migrants, attended together with the Indonesian Chaplain, Fr An OCarm. About 300 Indonesian Catholics attended the Mass and young people made up about half the congregation. The Mass started with a rendition of Amazing Grace, played in Indonesian traditional music instruments called Angklung to welcome everyone, followed by Indonesian traditional dance from Aceh performed by Indonesian young people. When WAICC was first established, only a few Indonesian families who migrated to Perth gathered together to celebrate the Mass. The membership of WAICC has grown, not only in numbers but also in religious and community activities such as Bible study, children's liturgy, retreats, fundraising initiatives and concerts. WAICC has a future mission to build its own centre so that the Indonesian community can more readily celebrate Mass, hold meetings and carry out its various religious and social activities. Coinciding with the Feast of All Saints, Mgr Brian O'Loughlin reminded the community during his homily that a saint can be someone in one's own family, community or circle of friends who inspires and strengthens one's own faith in Jesus. At the end of the Mass, current WAICC President Christian Taniputra thanked everyone in the community for their contribution to WAICC for the last 17 years. He added that it would not have been possible without God's blessing. Words of encouragement and congratulations from Fr Fonseca to WAICC followed. Fr Fonseca noted the WAICC's willingness to participate in the wider Catholic community. Mass was followed by a lunch gathering at the outdoor area of St Benedict's Church.
Fr Mascarenhas Mgr Brian O'Loughlin, Vicar General, accepts the gifts from members of the Western Australian Indonesian Catholic Community, above. Below, Indonesian culture was celebrated through song, cuisine and dance.
FR FRANCISCO Mascarenhas was born in Goa and his ancestors were the first Catholics baptised in that area. The Portuguese Jesuit who baptised them gave his own name to them. He arrived on May 1, 1560 and between that time and now, every generation has had at least one or two priests in the family. "That family background influenced me to become a priest, and in the home chapel that we had, I used to pretend and practise the Mass (as a child); he said. His late mother and father were also a great influence on him - his father going every day to church and his mother praying at home, saying two Rosaries and one with the children. Fr Francisco was ordained in Goa, Western India, on May 1, 1980 after studying for the priesthood at the Patriarchal Seminary of Raphol in Goa which dates back to 1547. Fr Francisco is now Parish Priest of Santa Clara Church, Bentley and is valued and appreciated by his parishioners for the work he has done in the 18 months he has been there. Joining the parish in February 2008, he has taught many things and his homilies are not long, but they convey messages in a simple, yet fulfilling way. He has a way with children and encourages them to be more aware of the importance of the sacrifice of the Mass. As many as 60 children attend the
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WAICC
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Children's Liturgy during the 9.30am Sunday Mass, where once a dozen was a crowd. The congregation at the Sunday Masses has increased tenfold and the 9.30am Mass is so full that parishioners must come early to get a pew. The Vigil Mass is proving popular with people of all ethnicities. Divine Mercy Devotion attracts people from neighbouring parishes as well as from within, and the cuppa afterwards and the morning teas on the first Sunday of the month are popular. New friendships are being made and a sense of fellowship has been renewed. In 1992, Fr Francisco went to America, working in parishes and with I:Arche, founded by Jean Vanier as a community for the disabled in Washington DC. In WA, he first worked in Kalgoorlie, then Mirrabooka. "Bentley is a very peaceful parish with very loving people, andIlove working with the children in the school, visiting them every week - this happened when I was growing up in Goa," Fr Francisco said. "Working with the elderly is also my passion, with 10 nursing homes in the parish to which I take communion with the help of acolytes and special ministers. "Birds - two weiros were given to me - the garden, and music (the violin, guitar and organ) are my other passions:' Aged 56, Portuguese is his mother tongue, as Goa was a Portuguese colony until 1961. and he learnt English at school.
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Parish Visitation, Kelmscott - Archbishop Hickey
9
Meeting of WA Bishops with Catholic Religious Western Australia St Charles Borromeo Mass for Clergy - Archbishop Hickey, Bishop Sproxton
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Meeting of WA Bishops Blessing of Chapel at Hollywood Private Hospital - Mgr Brian O'Loughlin VG
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Year 11 Mass, Mercedes College - Archbishop Hickey St Thomas More College Council Meeting - Archbishop Hickey
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Lifelink Spirit Award, Xavier Catholic School, Hilbert - Bishop Sproxton
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Parish Visitation, Kalamunda - Bishop Sproxton
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Mass for Servite Sisters, Riverton - Archbishop Hickey
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Opening of Extensions at Cross Roads Community - Archbishop Hickey
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Reconciliation for Years 7 and 8, Mercedes College - Archbishop Hickey Launch of St Mary's Cathedral Organ Scholarship - Archbishop Hickey
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THE PARISH
November 4 2009, The Record
More take tour for building project of a lifetime BY ROBERT HIINI Parish Reporter ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey and Mgr Michael Keating welcomed 100 guests to St Mary's Cathedral on Saturday, October 24 for a pre-opening tour and morning tea. The touring party was made up of generous donors to the St Mary's Appeal, Appeal Committee members and Prospective Leadership Donors (for donations over $10,000). Brett Mendez, Appeal Manager, told The Record that as of October 2 1, the appeal had raised $27.9 million. There remains an amount of $5 million yet to be raised if the Perth Archdiocese is to hit the revised target of $32.9 million. The newer target was announced by Archbishop Hickey after Mgr Keating's February statement citing a blow-out in building costs relating to Western Australia's building boom.
Archbishop Barry Hickey, above, provides up to the minute information to guests on the fruits of their efforts. Bottom left, the founder of WA law trim, Irdi Legal, Gus Irdi and his wife Amelia Irdi. Below centre, guests make their way to the place of St Mary's new altar in the centre of the Cathedral. Below right, Archbishop Barry Hickey observes his dream made real in an unguarded moment of contemplation. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ST MARY'S CATHEDRAL APPEAL
For more information regarding St Mary's Cathedral or to make a donation visit www.stmarysappeal.com.au.
DEEPLY saddened by the crisis engulfing Christianity in the Middle East, Pope Benedict XVI has asked the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to provide urgent help. Sadly, due to ongoing violence and oppression, the proportion of Christians in the Holy Land has plummeted from 20 percent to as little as 1.4 percent in the last 40 years. ACN is helping to keep faith and hope alive throughout the region by providing urgent aid to priests, religious and lay people, offering subsistence help to r efugees and building and repairing churches and convents. Please help us strengthen and rebuild the Church in the land of Christ's birth. "... Churches in the Middle East are threatened in their very existence... May God grant ACN strength to help wherever the need is greatest."
A beautiful, handcrafted crib, made of olive wood in Bethlehem, will be sent to all those who give a donation of $20.00 or more to help this campaign. Please tick the box below if you like to receive the little olive wood crib*.
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Help keep Christianity alive in the Holy Land and Middle East Send To: Aid to the Church in Need, PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148
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Phone/Fax No: (02) 9679-1929 E-mail: info(a aidtochurch.org Web: wwwaidtochurch.org I enclose a cheque/money order payable to Aid to to help keep IANe enclose $ Christianity alive in the Holy Land Middle East. the Church in Need OR please debit my Visa or Mastercard [j Yes please send me the little olive wood crib* Made of olive wood from the Holy Land, this delightful little crib scene is powerfully evocative of Christ's birthplace. The cribs are lovingly, handcrafted by poverty stricken families in Bethlehem and your donation helps them survive. (Size:10.5 cm x 10.5 cm x 5.5 cm) Aid to the Church in seed .... a Catholic charits
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ndent on the Ilols See, pros iding pastoral relief to needs and oppressed Churches
November 4 2009, The Record
THE PARISH
Choir sings a special song BY ROBERT MINI Parish Reporter NINE masterpieces were barely enough for an appreciative crowd at the Indonesian Catholic Youth Organisation (ICYO) Choir's recent Gelaran Samilan (Nine Masterpieces) concert. Over 400 guests turned out to St Joseph's Church, Subiaco on October 24 with all funds raised going to the establishment of an orphanage and seminary house in Ruteng on Indonesia's island of Flores. The orphanage will accommodate around 60 children aged 7 to 14 in a region where poverty is a persistent problem. The concert was the second of its kind for the ICY°, following Swara Perdana in 2007 which also took place at St Joseph's and raised funds for the construction of a school in Malang, Indonesia. The concert featured a 25-strong choir under the direction of Nathalie Hudyana who, along with the choir members, shares her talents with the Parish of St Benedict's, Applecross, and the Western Australian Indonesian Catholic Community (WAICC) that celebrates Masses there. The night included traditional pieces from throughout Indonesia as well as works by John Rutter and modern takes on classics by Handel and Beethoven. International Soprano, Christina The, flew into Perth specifically for the fundraiser, performing works in both English and Indonesian. Opening remarks of encouragement and congratulations on the prestigious event were offered by a representative of the Indonesian Consulate in Perth and by WAICC Chaplain, Fr Agustinus An Pawarto OCarm. Fr An praised the choir for its social concern and its professionalism. "In this event I see that our young people have great affection for others," Fr An said. "Especially for those who need our help."
Page 5
Top, the ICY() under the direction of Nathalie Hudyana. A bove left, international soprano, Christina The. Above right, Fr Agustinus An Pawarto OCarm. Below, Timotia Devi as soloist, chair of the concert committee.
Good music's on at Good Shepherd
••• • • •
When the students and families of Good Shepherd Primary School in Kelmscott gathered in the Lumen Christi College Performing Arts Centre on October 29 it was a happy occasion the school Band had won for the fourth year in a row the Parents and Friends Federation's Award in the General Band Section of the Performing Arts Festival. All items performed on the evening received Honourable Mentions during the Festival as well. School Principal Peter Panizza thanked Music Specialist Mrs Diana Newman, below, for her o utstanding work with students. Among the performers on the night: Year 7 student Kerry Paez-Johns on the saxophone and Wilson Spreadborough a s a great hedgehog.
PRINCIPALSHIPS MACKILLOP CATHOLIC COLLEGE MacKillop Catholic College, BusseIton, is a co-educational Year 8-12 secondary college with an enrolment of 570 students. The College is named after Mary MacKillop who founded the Sisters of St joseph of the Sacred Heart and was beatified in 1995. Mary was very involved with the people of Australia in their struggle to make a living and her aim was to provide education for the children of the poor. As members of the MacKillop Catholic College community we are called to follow the example of Mary MacKillop in caring for those in need. MacKillop caters for all ability levels with support for students with special needs, as well as those who require additional support with learning difficulties, especially in literacy and numeracy. In the senior school there is a balance of subjects catering for the diverse career aspirations of students. Middle school students have the opportunity to participate in curricula devised to cater for their academic ability through extension, general and focus classes in English, mathematics and science. The Principal will be a creative and committed leader who will work collaboratively with the community in meeting both contemporary educational needs and planning for ongoing development
The Itoad to Bcthlehcni An evening of Nine Kradings and Carols in preparation for ChristmaS
ST MARY STAR OF THE SEA CATHOLIC SCHOOL St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School, Camarvon, is a coeducational school catering for 306 students. The school is located in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia and is part of the Geraldton Diocese. Carnarvon is approximately 904 kilometres north of Perth on the mouth of the Gascoyne River. The school was founded by the Presentation Sisters in 1906. St Mary's has a long and proud history within the community of Carnarvon. Catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 10 allows the school to effectively link primary and secondary education. The staff of the school are enthusiastic and committed to providing quality Catholic education to all students. The school has implemented the RAISe (Raising Achievement in Schools) program and places a strong emphasis on early intervention. Providing early childhood education is a strong focus at the school and great emphasis is placed on pastoral care and the development of strong Christian values through the Fruit of the Spirit and PATHs programs. St Mary's has a strong link to the parish and wider communities and their involvement and support are highly valued. Parents are an integral part of the school and it is through this partnership that the school is able to provide students with the best possible education. St Mary's seeks a community minded, creative and energetic leader to further advance its educational vision and administer its Building the Education Revolution infrastructure plan. The successful applicants for these positions will be required to commence on 1 January 2010. Applicants need to be practising Catholics and experienced educators committed to the objectives and ethos of Catholic education. They will have the requisite theological, educational, pastoral and administrative competencies, together with an appropriate four year minimum tertiary qualification, and will have completed Accreditation for Leadership of the Religious Education Area or its equivalent. A current WACOT registration number and a Working With Children clearance form must also be included. The official application form, referee assessment forms and instructions can be accessed on the Catholic Education Office website www.ceo.wa.edu.au. Enquiries regarding these positions should be directed to Helen Brennan, Consultant, Workforce Relations Team on (08) 6380 5237 or email wrd@ceo.wa.edu.au. All applications, on the official form, should reach The Director of Catholic Education, Catholic Education Office of Western Australia, PO Box 198, Leederville WA 6903 no later than Monday 16 November 2009.
St Thomas the Apostle Church Claremont W ednesday fth December ZOO? The Sursment of
ecoiscilistion will be available
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November 4 2009, The Record
THE NATION
Church needs re-focus on marriage Marriage formators say couples can literally change the world if they embrace the Church's mission for them
Selfless strategies save marriages: Van Beeks
BY ANTHONY BARICH National Reporter A RENEWED focus on marriage formation is needed across the Catholic Church if it is to effectively empower married couples to respond to the challenges facing contemporary couples, say marriage formation facilitators Byron and Francine Pirola. The Sydney-based Pirolas are the directors of Marriage Formation for the Pastoral & Matrimonial Renewal Centre (Australia), which has over 60 trained marriage facilitators worldwide and runs courses such as Celebrate Love and Embrace. Speaking at the Renaissance of Marriage Mini-Conference series in Christchurch and Wellington in October, they told dozens of couples that while the Church has invested deeply in pre-marriage preparation, the investment has not been matched in other stages of marriage formation. While the work of the PMRC addresses the four stages of marriage formation a- remote (children), proximate (youth), immediate (engaged couples) and enrichment (married couples), as spelt out by the Pontifical Council of the Family in 1996, the Pirolas' proposed that a fifth stage of marriage formation be adopted: empowerment. "Enrichment helps the couple to develop their sacramental awareness and couple spirituality and is a necessary precursor to empowerment", Mrs Pirola said. "Empowerment, however, goes further than this. It transforms the couple from a passive, yet wonderful example of married sacramentality, into active coupleleaders within the Church. "Empowerment takes couples
Francine and Byron Pirola
from the mentality of 'ministry' to 'mission"; Mr Pirola elaborated. "The difference is crucial. Ministry is the good and vital work a person does under the direction of another, like children's liturgy, sacrament preparation or youth groups under a parish priest. "Mission, however, demands something more. "Mission requires a mentality of ownership, a sense of dedication and responsibility for ensuring the work is accomplished." This call to mission is not new. In May of this year, Pope Benedict XVI addressed an ecclesial conference for the Diocese of Rome on Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility. Pope Benedict called for a "change of mentality," especially regarding laypeople, shifting from "considering themselves collaborators of the clergy to recognising themselves truly as 'co-responsible' for the being and action of the Church." Mr Pirola said that while being accountable to the Church and loyal to its teachings, empowered couples do not rely on 'Father' to direct or motivate them. "Nor are they daunted by setbacks or criticism. They are literally 'Married and on a mission' he said. Mrs Pirola said that married couples are uniquely equipped, through their sacrament, to highlight Jesus' nuptial relationship with the Church as described by St Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians and richly elaborated by Pope John Paul II in the Theology of the Body.
PRESENTING with the Pirolas in New Zealand, their Perth-based colleagues Luke and Vannessa Van Beek gave practical insight into couple decisionmaking processes and demonstrated the PMRC's Values Based Decision Making framework. All couples develop strategies for making decisions, Mr Van Beek said, and while sometimes these strategies are respectful and fair, other times the strategies themselves can subtly undermine the couple's unity. "For example, many couples use the strategy of going with the one with the strongest feelings," Mr Van Beek said. "One problem with this strategy is that if they both feel strongly, the decision making process becomes a battle over whose feel- Perth marriage formators Luke and Vannessa Van Beek. ings are stronger rather than a rational consideration of what the might have a value for gift giving them to "get out of the gridbest decision might be:' and charitable generosity. lock". Developed specifically for Mrs Van Beek said that every "It might start as a disagree- couples, Values Based Decision person has deeply held values ment about how much to spend Making makes the pre-eminent which "drive our feelings and on their nephew's wedding value in any decision the couple's preferences. Most of the argu- present, but if they can learn to unity. This is like the trump card. ments couples have over deci- articulate their deeper values He said that before a couple sions are not about the details of about money they can make deci- commits to any decision, they the decision, it's about feeling that sions that respect the values of should ask, `Will this decision their values are being ignored or both spouses," Mr Van Beek said. advance our unity?' A relationship counsellor "With this basis, every decision dismissed". Mr Van Beek said that argu- present found the workshop par- a couple or spouse makes will ments about money, for example, ticularly insightful. Dealing with draw them closer and strengthen often boil down to the relative couples all the time who have their marital bond: he said. value people place on financial become entrenched on opposite For more information about security. One spouse might have a sides over a decision, Mr Van the PMRC and its resources visit very strong value for security and Beek said that the Values Based www.thepmrc.org. so have a bias for saving rather Decision Making framework Enquiries: 02 9662 7272, 08 9293 1998 or than spending. The other spouse will be very useful in helping bfpirolkcetheprmc.org.
"The charisms of their sacrament are the primary tools (rather than their individual talents or professional skills) that can lead the Church in deepening her understanding of the spousal meaning of the body," she said. "When a couple is truly empowered, their life-giving energies reach beyond themselves and their children. They become active lead-
ers in many areas of parish life bringing a particular relational sensitivity to their outreach:' As a practical first step in formally embracing this empowerment stage, the Pirolas called on their colleagues to broaden and deepen the significance of their work beginning with a simple change in language from `marriage education' to `marriage formation'.
"Marriage Education involves the transfer of information and skills" Mr Pirola said. "Marriage formation, however, is more than this. "It involves integrating the skills, their spirituality and the practice of their faith. Good formation assists the couple to develop the virtues and spiritual strengths necessary for successful marriage
Misconception hampers WA school chaplaincies BY ANTHONY BARICH National Reporter THE perception that chaplains are predominantly priests and Religious continues to hamper recruitment into this crucial area, a leading Perth chaplain to 40 public schools in WA says. Joe O'Brien, a former seminarian who is now an Area Chaplain (supervisor) to 26 chaplains along the coast between Kwinana to East Fremantle and 12 between Boddington and Gnowangerup, said that while numbers have risen sharply since the Coalition Federal Government invested $165 million over three years, there remains a stigma attached to the vocation. Mr O'Brien, an Area Chaplain for the Churches Commission on Education, the WA ecumenical body also known as YouthCare, said there are barely nine Catholic chaplains among government schools. He said that before he started chaplaincy in July 2007 he didn't know what a chaplain was, and he now encourages priests to explain what chaplains do, saying "it's quite common that people don't
understand the terminology". He said this perception rises among Catholics largely out of the fact that chaplains in Catholic schools are priests and Religious, though they often have pastoral teams to complement the priest's sacramental chaplaincy. There are almost 2,000 National School Chaplaincy Association (NSCA) chaplains in State schools across Australia, but 65 percent of government schools are still without a chaplain. In WA, 275 State schools have an NSCA chaplain. Mr O'Brien, 49, a former management consultant, said chaplaincy is the job people rarely tend to appreciate until they've experienced it; adding that it gave him a new level of respect for priests and other pastoral workers. "I used to think priests had an easy job, but having worked as a chaplain and having more to do with priests, I realise how hard they work. Everyone wants a piece of them," said Mr O'Brien, a Catholic Beaconsfield parishioner. Figures released last week in an inaugural national study found that chaplain numbers had tripled
Joe O'Brien
since the Federal funding began in 1997. Mr O'Brien said the rise was especially noticeable among males, which he attributes to men wanting to continue their involvement among children once their own have grown up, but without the authority role. He said that divorce and fly-in, fly-out mine work by parents were among the most traumatic factors for students that chaplains deal with. "You can almost pick the day when one - or in many cases
both - parents are due to leave or return from work off-shore or in the mines, as the child plays up," he said. "It's about listening and being there - even the most troublesome students can often sort themselves out if they're just listened to." Chaplains also deal with mental health professionals in the case of suicidal teens, and are known to receive calls in the night or during holidays when a student dies, and the chaplain must deal with the family, "which can be quite scary", he said. However, there is less stigma for a student going to see a chaplain than a psychologist, so they are the preferred option, and principals from public schools have commented on the positive influence chaplains are in their school. Hillman Primary School principal Wayne McKay said the National Schools Chaplaincy Program has made a significant difference, as many of his students who previously felt isolated and alone are now willing to discuss and confront their personal issues. Of the principals who took part in Australia's national research project on The effectiveness ofNSCA
Chaplains in Government Schools in Australia, 98 percent said that chaplaincy in Australian government schools is "making a major contribution to school morale - it is proactive, unique, effective and important. Government project funding should be continued when the three year cycle of project funding ends". Chaplains do not require any formal qualifications but go through a rigorous screening process. This includes an online application; three ministerial references from ministers or priests are checked; applicants are sent to a counsellor chaplain who assesses him/her on the issues they are likely to face with troubled students, then finally they are interviewed by two area chaplains. "Many don't get accepted," Mr O'Brien said. "Some chaplains in my area deal with the toughest kids around. There is one bloke who's a bit of a crazy character but the school loves him, and he loves the place. He's a top bloke:' Chaplaincy also draws people from other fields, including one man who left a six-figure job offer to work as a chaplain. Go to schoolchaplaincy.org.au for info.
November 4 2009, The Record
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THE NATION
Mama 'a legitimate choice' Urban Theology in pub debates legitimacy of Obama BY BRIDGET SPINKS National Correspondent US President Barack Obama is a legitimate choice for Catholics as "a candidate's position on a single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter's support". That was the argument taken from a US Conference of Catholic Bishops' document the negative team successfully used during the October Urban Theology (UT) session in a Sydney city pub. For the audience and adjudicators, this was deemed more convincing than the affirmative side which used the sanctity and dignity of life as the foundation for their argument. For Lucy Gresser, first speaker of the affirmative team, this quote was misrepresented as the full quote from the document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, which continued to say: "Yet a candidate's position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support." Campion College graduate Conor Power, one of three adjudicators, said the affirmative team neglected to properly respond to the holistic arguments put forward by the opposition. "The nega-
Left, Urban Theology organiser Ky Chow, who said the event, while controversial, sparked intellectual Catholic debate; middle, Amy Vierboom from the losing team debates whether US President Barack Obama is a legitimate choice for PHOTOS' GIOVANNI PORTELLI Catholics; right, Timothy Chandran from the winning team makes his point.
tive team cited John Paul II and Benedict XVI, from his writings as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, in saying it's valid to look at [the potential candidate's] stance on health, life, economic policies, education and foreign policy. The foreign policy was a huge argument because Obama's actions are in line with Catholic social teaching on torture. For example, he has closed Guantanamo Bay and is committed to decreasing the nuclear weapons in the world:' Both sides drew on scripture, encyclicals, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Compendium of Social Doctrine. The topic was That Barack Obama is NOT a legitimate choice for Catholics. Ms Gresser, Amy Vierboom and John Macaulay argued the affirmative side, while
Geraldine Pace, Michael Kenny and Timmy Chandran argued against the topic and won. Based on debating talent, ability to respond to the opposition as well as the team's 'continuity' (ability to work as a team), the negative side won the debate. "I thought there was no two sides to this topic (because in no way can he be a just, valid or a lawful alternative)," Ms Gresser said. "But the negative team were really persuasive in suggesting that a Catholic in good conscience can vote for Obama." Debaters, audience and adjudicators were asked by UT organisers to put their personal views aside to debate and/or vote "purely according to how well you thought each side made their case" as these debates are designed to show how
well "young Catholics can convince others". UT organiser Ky Chow said the debate was an intellectual exercise for like-minded Catholics who are loyal to the Church's teachings, who want to explore the faith together. "It's not about who won; it was to better understand those with whom we might disagree, tackle issues where there may not be a consensus even amongst devoted, pro-life Catholics, and enjoy seeing speakers in action who are not only passionate and smart, but also hugely entertaining," he said. "That's why we pick topics that do not undermine Church teaching nor legitimise views that are in opposition to Church teaching but ones where we still know there's plenty of scope for passionate discussion among devout Catholics".
in brief...
Desperate need The St Vincent de Paul Society Christmas Appeal's theme Help Complete Their Christmas" urgently requires help, with over 13,000 homeless in WA, 4,500 of whom are youth, with 70,500 unemployed or actively looking for work and 1,334 property repossessions in WA in 2008/09 opposed to 686 in 2007/08. The St Vincent de Paul Society will provide food, clothing, bedding, household goods and help with utility bills and attempt to complete Christmas for the many disadvantaged in our state. Lucinda Ardagh, St Vincent de Paul Society WA spokesperson, said Christmas is always a busy time of year for the Society and the WA community. "We expect it to be a very busy Christmas with many people needing welfare assistance. September was a very busy month for the Metropolitan Call Centre with a total of 1,421 calls for assistance recorded with October figures much the same; she said. The Christmas Appeal runs from November 1 — January 31 and aims to raise $600,000. To donate to the 2009 Christmas Appeal and help put the 'merry' back into Christmas, call 13 18 12 or log on to www.vinnies.org.au. To donate material goods, phone (08) 9475 5400.
The stand out industry super fund for all Australian Catholics Visit www.catholicsuper.com.au or call 3.300 658 776 today.
SCS Super Pty Limited is the trustee of the Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund (CSRF). ABN 74 o64 712 607. MS Licence 230544. RSE L0002264 and RSE R1o55436.
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Death, Resurrection, happiness
1
t is impossible to let two such wonderful and deeply inspiring occasions as the Feasts of All Saints (November 1) and All Souls (November 2) pass without comment, for they are such beautiful and encouraging moments in the year of the Church. These two days, which are something like a double-barrelled occasion of joy for all members of the Church, inspire us because they confirm and re-confirm the most essential truth of Christianity and the Catholic Church - that death is not the end of existence as it was once supposed and has been conquered forever by Christ's victory upon the Cross and His Resurrection. Beyond death there is no uncertainty, no cold and infinite universe lacking meaning, no extinction of self in a greater reality or nothingness, but instead a loving Father who wants us to be with Him, free. Forever. Both events also reiterate a simple and profound secondary truth, that Christianity is not irrelevant to modern life but completely relevant, a message not to be heard from any of the usual authorities to whom our society and culture turn for ultimate moral guidance: government pronouncements, nightly news bulletins, radio talkback shows, movies, witty television talkshow comperes or any other of the vast array of media that ceaselessly bombards us with (mainly) mediocrity 24 hours a day. In all these things, it seems, everyone is constantly talking, but almost no-one is actually saying anything. In the shadow of this modern and sometimes seemingly-pervasive culture of dismissal (and often ridicule) of religious belief, it can take some courage to cling to concepts that seem so quaint, so redolent of unfashionable things, so apparently out of PO Box 75 Leederville WA 6902 step or irrelevant to everyone around us. Living in the midst cathrec@iinet.net.au of a culture that has so quickly and substantially rejected God Tel: (08) 9227 7080 within the space of a few genFax: (08) 9227 7087 erations, it becomes apparent that the Christian vocation is not only a vocation of love, but a vocation that both requires, and bestows, courage. Therefore, in the face of living the difficulty and isolation of the Christian vocation in such an often-empty and shallow nation as Australia, what is the contemporary Christian to do? One important and joy-filled part of the answer, which is always Christ, the Word of God and His Church, is to turn to the saints. So many of our contemporaries fear death as the ultimate end, and spend their lives trying to escape it through things such as possessions, power, importance, money, drugs and so on; the list is almost endless. The Saints already in heaven and those now bound for it, but not yet arrived, teach us that none of the things our society values most offer true happiness. The Saints and the Holy Souls reconfirm, instead, that we are not ordinary, but are immortals. They reaffirm, yet again, that the ways in which we often see ourselves and our lives are so far adrift of the truth as to be practically beyond satire: in fact, all the baptised are, in reality, sons and daughters of God. They teach us that death is not extinction, but merely a step through a doorway into that far-off country that is our true home. They teach us that heaven is real. They show us the possibility of our lives. They show us that the mediocrity lived so often among our contemporaries and believed by them to be normality is in reality an abnormality and a suffocation of our true vocation, to be free. Forever. And so they teach us not to settle for that mediocrity surrounding us. They teach us, also, that intimate friendship with God, which we also call holiness, is the normal state of being a Christian in this life. And this, in turn, shows us that we can, and should, aim high and not settle for 'good enough' in our relationship with the one who created us for Himself. In reality, the Saints and the Holy Souls show us that sainthood is not just something for priests and religious (and only a few of them at that) but is what is expected of all of us - now. In a very real sense the saints and the Holy Souls teach us a dangerous and subversive truth (dangerous and subversive for our society, and even for many within the Church) because they show us what could be, if only we are willing to cast off the shackles of conventionality and no longer live our Christianity as a pale imitation of a real faith. Against those, some of whom hold office in the Church, who appear to believe that Christianity is merely about 'niceness' and not disagreeing too strongly with someone else, the Saints and the Holy Souls stand as shining examples of a faith that is alive, courageous, visionary and audacious. We, for our part, can pray for their intentions and seek to imitate the examples of both the officially canonised and the vaster number of uncanonisable and unknown Saints already in heaven. We can ask them to pray for us. As one Anglican writer said some years ago, to belong to the Church of Christ is to belong to the only institution in the world that exists simultaneously in time - and out of it. Therefore, to fall within the sheepfold of Christ is to be able to draw in an instant on nothing less than the power of heaven. For the Holy Souls we should never stop praying. Last month this paper urged all its readers to pray the Rosary in the month usually known as the Month of the Rosary. This month we dare to ask our readers to pray seriously for the Holy Souls in Purgatory - for their release into heaven, for their intentions and their intercession. They will in turn, you may rely upon it, return the favour. The Catholic Church is a paradox - a Church for sinners and a Church for Saints. We are, it is true, all sinners. But the Saints show us what is possible for our own lives and what we are meant to be. They show us that we are called to walk the same shining path they trod themselves. With faith in God and the help of God we can do this. In them, we see the difference between mediocrity and true Faith.
THE RECORD
November 4 2009, The Record
OPINION a the t
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Letters to the editor
A flight of fancy on Israel
I
wonder whatever motive prompted Hal G P Colebatch to enunciate his flights of fancy regarding the machinations of the Jews and the Israel state? In parts, his diatribe blatantly contradicts factual and reported history such as penned by Dr Bill Mathews; he also ignores the many and continuing atrocities being enacted by Israel. He conveniently forgets the Palestinians are only trying to take back their own country, which was unlawfully annexed by the bully boys with the support of America. The Palestinians' somewhat ineffectual rocket attacks are in retaliation for the constant killing and murdering by the Jews which in recent tines is reported to be averaging six Palestinian deaths for every Jew killed. the keeping They are Palestinians in abject poverty, taking their land, destroying their homes, erecting concrete barriers through Palestine to restrict movement and, as the latest report from Amnesty and the World Bank testifies, Israel has restricted water supplies to the Palestinians to a minimum and will not allow new wells to be drilled or old well repairs and this, after the recent offensive when they bombed reservoirs, wells, sewerage networks and pumping stations. Time and space does not permit listing of the full extent of Israel's callous and corrupt behaviour. The United Nations, and even America's Obama, have asked Israel to modify its behaviour but so far without success. Patrick Walsh Melville
Please cancel the Lawrence speech ,
I
think it's the absolute height of hypocrisy to invite Carmen Lawrence to deliver the annual Catherine McAuley Oration at Mercy Hospital in November. Carmen Lawrence's pro-legalised abortion stance is well known. This is a great insult to West Australian Catholics and poor Catherine McAuley will turn in her grave. Dr Harries, please cancel the appointment now before it's too late. Pat Leahy Waroona
Fr Brennan on gay marriages
F
Frank Brennan SJ (The Record 28 October), on ABC rTV again, has been looking down his nose at 'a lot of older Australians' (adding, dismissively, 'and guess what, a lot of them happen to be married') who 'seem to be against' same-sex 'marriage', and for whom it is 'still an issue'. What does he think can be
done with such benighted people? 'We've got to bring them with us as we look at any change on that issue', he said. Notice his use of the words 'them' and `us: By 'us' he means the people he identifies himself with, the proponents of 'homosexual rights' laws. By 'them' he means the rest of us, people so unenlightened that they 'seem to be against' laws which make no distinction between marriage and homosexual liaisons. Fr Brennan says that 'younger Australians' don't see same-sex 'marriage' as a problem. If that is so (and I don't know whether it is or not), could that be, in part, because priests like Fr Brennan have never told them that homosexual acts are, as the Catechism puts it, 'intrinsically disordered', but prefer, in his words, to say that 'whether particular homosexual acts are appropriate for an individual ... would require a pastoral discussion with that individual'? We have heard this sort of thing before from Fr Brennan. For years he has been telling anyone who would listen that, because for some people abortion is 'not an issue' as they don't see that killing a child before birth is killing a human being, it would be illiberal to maintain laws against abortion. What sort of argument is that? If there are some people who think (or who say they think) that wife-battering, rape or business fraud are no big deal, does that mean we don't need laws against those activities, and that to maintain those laws is illiberal? I am at a loss to understand the phenomenon of Fr Brennan. Ted Watt Claremont
Evolution's evidence is disappearing
I
read Patrick Gilligan's article on evolution recently in The Record with much amusement. The statement, "the evidence has become almost irrelevant in this debate"; has to be the biggest joke of all. There isn't any evidence. The scientific data available has destroyed any possibility of macro evolution, ie microbes to mammals. The evolution propaganda machine now has to resort to concoctions like Gilligan's, supported by academia and the secular media to promote their religious belief. Belief in evolution is non-factual, blind and dogmatic, rejecting and refusing to believe in a creating God. As for Pope Benedict, Dr Tracy Rowland from the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne, earlier this year gave an address at Murdoch University. She said: "Ratzinger's critique of evolutionary theory is subtle and I don't have the space to present it in all its complexity today, but suffice to say that while accepting that there are 'micro-evolutionary' processes at work, Ratzinger does not accept that there is empirical evidence for what he calls macro-
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evolution." Considering that the evidence stacked against evolution is even more compelling today, it is quite clear that Pope Benedict still does not accept macro-evolution as fact, but believes it is simply something to be studied. This was the same approach that Pope John Paul II used, although the scientific data has totally destroyed any possibility of macroevolution. Gilligan mentioned radiometric dating of trilobites to 250 million years of age. But scientists specialising in these dating techniques were given a live snail shell to date using radiometric dating, and came up with the grand old age of 27,000 years. (Science, vol 224, pp 58-61, 1984). The factual and scientific evidence against evolution is very accessible to the average person. Paul Sheridan B assendean
Of two masters, and Poverty
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Federal ustralia's Government plans legislation to end multi-million dollar executive pay packets. The Opposition opposes them, saying that such perks don't affect taxpayers and are therefore no business of government. But that is wrong. Huge incomes for big shots distort people's idea of what "success" in life means. The Church should be saying something about this. Remember the ultimatum Christ gave his disciples: "No man can serve two masters. "Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. "You cannot serve both God and Money." He also said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." Christians must make desire for wealth the lowest of their priorities. They should say so in public debate. They should practise "spiritual poverty" consistently, showing the Faith as an alternative to Australia's materialistic mindset. Meanwhile, the experts tell us that rising interest rates are good news. But is high interest "good"? The Bible condemns interest calling it "usury" - the way the rich use the poor. The Book of Proverbs says: "The rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is slave to the lender." These words, written apprpoximately 3,000 years ago, get truer every day. Usury, now talked up by media experts and tame academics, results in countless hard-working innocents daily losing farms, houses and businesses. How urgent to educate young people against getting into debt. How hard to make them listen with our controllers, both public and private, using addictive communication media to preach the opposite. Mary MacKillop taught respect for poverty, not fear and loathing: "I longed for a religious life, one in which I could serve God and his poor neglected little ones in poverty and disregard of the world and its fleeting opinions ...Ilooked for poverty more like unto that practised in the early Religious Orders of the Church, a poverty which in its practice would make a kind of reparation to God for the little confidence now placed in his divine Providence." Arnold Jago Mildura, Victoria
• November 4 2009, The Record
THE RECORD VISTA
Inner city Sydney convenc gets coat o paint •
Pr
Above, the newly-renovated Chapel in the St Joseph's Convent in Camperdown; right, faith turns into action as Sr Moira Debono discusses the job at hand with Charbel Ellias.
"It started with two girls baking cookies in the kitchen with Sr Regina Marie RSM....." BY BRIDGET SPINKS
IF
Above: Volunteers Jennifer Suen and Chilo Caballero add some paint to the Sydney inner-city convent in their own labour of love; below, Dave Ekman, Sr Lydia Marie RSM, Sr Moira Debono RSM and Diana Ekman in the convent.
or two Religious Sisters of Mercy from Michigan, spending Saturday afternoons renovating their new convent in an inner-city Sydney suburb has not been half bad. Earlier this year, between Easter and Pentecost, St Joseph's Convent Camperdown adjacent to the parish church and a Sydney University girls' college became available when a previous religious community returned to their provincial house. So, every Saturday bar four since May, Sr Mary Julian Ekman RSM, Sr Moira Debono RSM and Sr Lydia Marie Allen RSM have steadily worked to convert the historical Josephite convent into a "Home of Mercy" with up to 12 parishioners and volunteers at a time. Sr Moira, who has been in Australia since May last year, said the Sisters are doing the renovations to make it a true "House of Mercy where all can experience the mercy of God". "I think when you bring someone into the house, it speaks to their dignity and that's the charism of Mother McAuley," Sr Lydia Marie said, in reference to their original Irish foundress. The Sisters do all their own cooking and cleaning as they believe in caring for their own property and as part of their vow of poverty. They're also grateful for all the help they receive from volunteers and for donations such as paint from their generous benefactors. She said it has been a unifying experience. "Everyone's happy. You see them at the end of the day and it's like they've been friends for ages," Sr Lydia Marie said. "It's a good way for us to be with our friends; and working on a common project you can talk about God while you're painting or ripping up the linoleum - it makes for opportunities to talk about godly things," Sr Moira said.
Beginning prayer at 5.30am, and Some strangers have even knocked on the door ready to help, having later on the weekend, each day begins heard about the opportunity through with an hour and a half of prayer, followed by Mass. emails from friends of friends. Every day they have a Holy Hour But University of Notre Dame Australia Medicine student Jennifer of Adoration at 5.30pm in the Chapel Suen, 26, is no stranger, having come followed by supper, some time for from Cherrybrook in Sydney's west- recreation and later Compline before ern suburbs to help the Sisters three retiring to rest. Their intentions include praying times. Ms Suen says she enjoys the for the priesthood, in reparation for camaraderie of meeting new people sin and for others' needs. "All our holy hours are open to from various Sydney dioceses while painting, gardening or eating lunch guests," Sr Moira says. For 33 years Sr Moira has been together. "It's fun and It doesn't feel like a Sister of Mercy bringing Christ's you're working; it just feels like you're mercy to the poor, sick and ignorant. helping renovate a friend's house," Sr Lydia Marie has served for 25 years. she said. The goal of their life, they say, is to For Sr Lydia Marie, a trained psychologist, the experience of living show that at the centre of the Cross: in a home that originally housed "the mercy of God meets the misery Josephites and, later, Daughters of of mankind". "There are many ways to serve the Charity is very meaningful. "What I find grounding is that poor, sick and ignorant. You can be Sisters have always lived here, always poor humanly, spiritually, relationalprayed here; every day, every night," ly; and this is where we try to serve," Sr Lydia Marie said. she said. And with the convent's renova"Even the walls are imbued with prayer, it's not just a simple building; tions nearly complete, the Sisters it's a home of prayer, and always has are very pleased to resume a former apostolate they had begun while in been." Sr Moira, a lecturer in Theology at residence at St Joseph's Riverwood. "Mary's Roses" which began on UNDA, notes that the convent is situated on ground where Australia's first the feast of St Rose of Lima just Blessed, Mary MacKillop, would have after World Youth Day in 2008, is a monthly catechesis and craft afterwalked over 100 years ago. "In 1889, before the first corner- noon for 6-14 year old girls. It started with two girls baking stone of the Camperdown convent of St Joseph was later laid in 1915, there cookies in the kitchen with Sr Regina was a cottage here next door to the Marie RSM but by February, six Church," Sr Moira says, "and Sister months later, there were 20 children coming along. Mary MacKillop died in 1909." On one occasion, Sr Maria Lin "It's part of Australian culture. Don't you ever think that [B1 Mary guided them in making a book of MacKillop] would have walked their favourite prayers and pictures. Now, with the floorboards polhere?" Sr Moira said. "There were so many convents of ished and roses blooming in the St Joseph and she would have made Camperdown garden, the Religious visitations to all of them, that's what Sisters of Mercy resumed "Mary's Roses" on October 24. foundresses do." For more information, contact Today, the Sisters continue this tradition of prayer by following their the Religious Sisters of Mercy at srmoira@msn.com. normal rhythm of life.
•
Across Western Australia's wide expanses, a new Saint is honoured, and her followers revered
Meet the woman who Charles Dickens praised, who sacrificed self
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Above left, Little Sisters of the Poor at their Glendalough home at the time the canonisation was first announced months ago. Top right, A depiction of St Jeanne Jugan, their foundress, with elderly in her care. Bottom right, the saint depicted with Rosary beads. She had a great love for the Rosary since before she founded the Order.
PHOTO. ANTHONY BARICH; IMAGES COURTESY CNS
St Jeanne Jugan BY GEORGE WEIGEL Denver Catholic Register
D
uring the brutally hot summer of 2003, thousands of French vacationers remained on holiday rather than returning home to bury their recently deceased parents who had died from the extraordinary heat and were being stashed in airconditioned storage lockers. Those acts of filial impiety cast into sharp relief the October canonisation of Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Born during the virulently antiCatholic French Revolution, Jeanne Jugan learned early in her life that fidelity to Christ and His Church could be costly. A history of the period of her childhood sums things up neatly: "In spite of the persecution, the people of Cancale kept the Faith. During dark nights, in an attic or a barn, or even in the middle of the countryside, the faithful gathered together, and there in the silence of the night, the priest would offer the Eucharist and baptise the children.
"But this happiness was rare. There were so many dangers." Jeanne Jugan knew poverty as well as persecution, and developed a marked sensitivity to the humiliation that those who have fallen through the cracks of society's net of solidarity can feel. She declined an offer of marriage because, as she put it, "God ... is keeping me for a work which is not yet known, for a work which is not yet founded?' That work came into clear focus when, at age 47, she met an elderly, blind and sick woman whom she took into her care; from that seemingly random encounter was born a tremendous work of charity. The congregation of women Religious she founded dedicated itself to the care of the poor and elderly and supported itself by begging, with the foundress, Jeanne Jugan, as chief beggar. The Little Sisters of the Poor spread rapidly throughout Europe, America and Africa, but the going was never easy for Jeanne Jugan. In 1843, Jeanne Jugan's re-election as superior was quashed by the community's priest-advisor, Fr Augustin Marie Le Pailleur. Refusing to contest what others would have deemed an injustice (but
which she thought to be the will of God), Jeanne Jugan accepted this curious decision and went on the road, supporting her sisters by begging. For the last 27 years of her life, she lived at the Order's motherhouse in retirement, again according to the orders of Fr Le Pailleur; her role as foundress was never acknowledged during her lifetime. Yet the novelist Charles Dickens could write, after meeting Jeanne Jugan, that "there is in this woman something so calm, and so holy, that in seeing her I know myself to be in the presence of a superior being. Her words went straight to my heart, so that my eyes, I know not how, filled with tears". To enter a house of the Little Sisters of the Poor today is to recapture what Dickens experienced. Elderly men and women with noone else to care for them are given exquisite attention; the dignity of every patient is honoured, no matter how difficult that dignity may be to discern amidst the trials of senility and disease. The Little Sisters of the Poor and their patients are living reminders that there are no disposable human beings; that everyone is a someone for whom the Son of
God entered the world, suffered and died; and that we read others out of the human family at our moral and political peril. Yet that is the temptation facing the United States, and every other affluent society confronting a graying population, longer life expectancies, and spiralling medical costs. Where this temptation can lead is brutally displayed in the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal for years; and, as the late Father Richard John Neuhaus said of such travesties as the Dutch "death with dignity" laws, what is permitted will soon become mandatory. That is precisely what has happened in Holland and indeed wherever euthanasia is legally permitted. St Jeanne Jugan, Sister Marie of the Cross in her religious life, is thus a powerful - and badly needed - intercessor for all who would defend the gift of life from conception until natural death. George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Centre in Washington, D C Weigel's column is distributed by the Denver Catholic Register, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Denver.
Forty years of Goldfields hard yakka winds up The ripping yarn of the Little Sisters of the Poor, who have now departed the Eastern Goldfields after 40 years of loving service to the frail and aged. :'
l I LARRY ARGUS
hen one era begins, another often passes away. Such was the case on October 25, when over 400 past and present parishioners gathered with Little Sisters of the Poor for a special Mass for four reasons: lb celebrate the canonisation of St Jeanne Jugan, foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor, to thank the same Order of Sisters for 4( ) years of dedicated, loving service for the elderly and frail; to say goodbye to the SidOers as they would depart their Nursing Home in Kaleorlie on November 2 due to the lack of vocations; and to introduce and thank the Catholic Southern Crass Care for taking over the running of the Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home in Kalporlie. With Pope Benedict XVI s October 11 canonisation of Jeanne Jugan in Rome, a new era of appreciation has begun for the woman some have called the Mother Teresa of her generation, overcoming extraordinary odds toPring about God's kingdom among the ttost vulnerable. While the Order still has 2,710 Sisters and 60 novices working in 202 homes welcoming over 13,000 elderly residents on five continents, the WA congregation is shrinking, after Sisters from Sydney established the first WA community at Adelaide Terrace, Perth in 1920. With a deserved sense of reverence, then, a moving Mass was concelebrated by Frs Joseph Rathnaraj, Andrew Albis, Chris Alambe, main celebrant Brian McKenna and Maurice Toop. In his homily, Fr -loop painted a picture in words of the Sisters' life and work on the Goldfields. It is a story of remarkable sacrifice and service, not just for the elderly but for the local indigenous on the fringes of society - in the true spirit of their foundress. Twelve Little Sisters of the Poor attended the Mass, eight of whom were former staff members in Kalgoorlie. They had come from all parts of Australia for the occasion, including Sr Mary Anne from Sydney, the Mother Provincial of the Order in Australia. The Little Sisters of the Poor had prepared a special liturgy and hymns for the Mass. After Mass, the little Sisters invited all for a barbeque lunch on the lawns of their Nursing Home, where many speeches of thanks and gifts were presented to the Sisters from the likes of the Parish Priest, Fr Rathnaraj, the Mayor of Kalgoorlie, Ron Yuryevich, Parish Council Chairman Robert Hicks and Kevin Bartle representing his wife and patients of the Home. The Little Sisters were told of the great work that they had done over the years and that they would be sadly missed in the future. Mother Mary Geraldine said in reply that even though they were very sad at going, they knew they were leaving the Nursing Home in good hands with their dedicated lay staff who were staying behind; and knew that the Home would be administrated by a well-known Catholic organisation, Southern Cross Care. The I.ittle Sisters arrived in the Goldfields just over 40 years ago hop-
ing fully in God's providence, and in doing so had made great changes in the town and brought much happiness to the lives of many elderly people through the years. In 1966, there were many public discussions about the welfare of the old people in the town of Kalgoorlie and Boulder. Many elderly people living in the town who could not look after themselves were accommodated in the Kalgoorlie Regional and St John of God's Hospital and Coolgardie Hospital. There were also many elderly frail prospectors living in camps on their mining leases around the Goldfields who lived alone. In a survey carried out that year, Dr Lefroy ot the Public Health Department and then-Kalgoorlie Mayor Bert Hammond found there was a need for a home for the frail to be established in the town. In November 1966, Fr Maurice Toop, the Parish Priest of Kalgoorlie, approached Bishop Myles McKeon, the Auxiliary Bishop of Perth, about the possibility of inviting a religious congregation to set up a home for the aged in Kalgoorlie. The Bishop then spoke of the matter to the Provincial, Mother Marie de la Passion of the Little Sisters of the Poor. She was very interested, especially when she was tofd that the Goldfields was the home of many Aborigines who needed much help. Bishop McKeon accompanied Mother de la Passion and her assistant to Kalgoorlie in April to find a suitable site for a home for the aged. Various sites were suggested by the Kalgoorlie Town Council, but the two Sisters and Dr Lafroy insisted that the home should be within walking distance of the town's main centre. Town Clerk Douglas Morrison was extremely helpful, and with his help an application was made to the Council for a portion of Victoria Park in Croesus Street to be made available. The Council then supported the idea and released two acres of the park for a home. Still, the area was found to be insufficient and by June of that same year, Bishop McKeon and the Sisters returned to Kalgoorlie where Mother Marie de la Passion addressed a meeting of the Council, asking for the whole area of Victoria Park. Strongly supported by Councillors Hartrey, Grace Pilkington, Ivanac and others, the motion was unanimously passed to make the whole of the park available for a home. The Councillors' decision fired up fierce controversy amongst the town's population, and by the end of November 1967, the park was vested to the Little Sisters of the Poor to build a home for the frail, with the exception of a strip of land taking in a rotunda building on the south-east side of the park. Meanwhile, the Little Sisters of the Poor had purchased a house at 12 Croesus Street where the first community lived. Mother Marie Consolata and Sr Bernadette quickly established a Day Care Centre in their residence, and began systematic visitations to many old people's homes around the town and carried out meal services to them, with the help of women from the Magellan Club of Kalgoorlie. Their visits also included checking on many prospectors and Aborigines living in shelters on their gold leases and reserves in the bush around Kalgoorlie. Often they would bring in old people to their convent for a bath, change of clothes and a meal. The sisters were also given help and advice from George Budge and Morris Brownly of the Native Welfare Department, who were also deeply concerned for the welfare of the elderly Aborigines around the town. In time, and through Government and private donations, work building the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged started in 1968, and, true to the style of Jeanne Jugan, for many years the Sisters doorknocked through the Goldfields and into the wheatbelt for
Above, the Little Sisters of the Poor home for the aged in Kalgoorlie. Bottom left, The stained glass window in the centre's Chapel depicting a prospectors, on the right, and Christ on the Cross on the left in the branches of the tree. Right, Mother Mary Geraldine, Superior of the Little Sisters of the Poor's Kalgoorlie mission, with a resident at the Kalgoorlie centre. PHOTO: HARRY ARGUS
funds to finance their building, which depict the "Spirit" of their Home - that also included attending at the doors and there all may find peace and happiness, gates of crowd-gathering functions, such after the hard struggles in the inexorable as horse race meetings in Kalgoorlie with heat and hardships of the Goldfields. In the chapel, the altar, credence table, a donation box. The Sisters in Kalgoorlie would each the top part of the two lecterns and the year travel as far as the wheat growing cantilever from the wall on which the areas around New Norcia to ask farm- tabernacle is placed, have been built ers for donations, which may have also out of lepidolite stone mined from the helped finance their Home for the Aged disused Felspar Mine 20km south of Coolgardie. This stone, when polished, at Glendalough in Perth. During 1969 the partly completed has a beautiful pinky-blue appearance Home for the Aged in Kalgoorlie began which comes from the lithium mica that to take in its first elderly patients but it is prevalent in the stone; in today's techwas not until April 5, 1970 that the build- nology, this mineral is used for making ing was officially blessed and opened by batteries to store up electricity. From the time that the Little Sisters Archbishop Launcelot Goody and H A arrived in Kalgoorlie they gave much Hammond, the Mayor of Kalgoorlie. The building was dedicated to the of their time to looking after the large Immaculate Heart of Mary, and provided number of Aborigines who had come to a great need for the aged and frail people live on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie after of all religious faiths in the Goldfields. the pastoral properties of the Goldfields The second floor of the building became could not employ them and their large families any, more due to the Australian the convent for the Sisters. Perth Auxiliary Bishop Peter Quinn Government's granting equal rights and blessed the new chapel and infirmary wages to Aborigines in 1967. This caused conditions on the outat the Home for the Aged on November skirts of the town and reserves to be 27, 1971. Originally, the Sisters intended to overcrowded, with food and health relocate the Catholic Church in Ora being a serious issue, especially in the Banda and use it as a chapel at their cold winter months. The St Vincent de Paul Society who Nursing Home in Kalgoorlie. However, owing to the poor condition of the old provided a "soup kitchen" during the galvanised and timber building, it was 1960s-90s was a great help to the Little Sisters' apostolate for the plight of the decided not to shift it into Kalgoorlie. Instead, the Sisters decided to build a Aborigines. The Little Sisters purchased more land new brick chapel similar to the architecture of the Ora Banda Church, and dedi- in 1972 close to their Home for the Aged cated it to the memory of the departed and built an Aboriginal daycare centre to gold prospectors. shelter the Aborigines. A beautiful large stained glass winThey first built what was known as dow, which takes up nearly all the east- the "Round House," which was offiern side of the chapel, was designed by cially opened and blessed by Archbishop the Little Sisters in Kalgoorlie and made Goody on September 17, 1972. in Perth. This was built for the Aborigines to The image on the stained glass win- come and mingle in a safe, sheltered dow tells this story of an old prospector environment away from the weather and on his way home to God after a weary perils of bad society. journey through life in the Goldfields. In The main attraction at the Round glorious shades of amber up to the bril- House was a large wooden fire, which liant red colour of the Kalgoorlie land- burnt in the centre of a fully enclosed scape, and the hue of purple sky reflects building; and where the community on the form of the old prospector sitting could sit around and tell their "dream on a mound of stones and sand. He time" stories, and reminisce on the past wears the typical slouched corduroy hat, life they enjoyed in the bush. With money from the Federal and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, tired and thirsty he gazes out across the sandy State Governments and private donawastes which roll across the window, in tions, the Little Sisters built a 23 bed "C" swirls of vivid colours towards the trees, Class Nursing Home for the Aborigines, blessed and opened on May 22, 1974 at the end of the window. In one of the trees can be seen the by Archbishop Goody and Mr Byrne, form of Our Lord on the Cross, bearing representing the Minister for Aboriginal down in an attitude of tender compas- Affairs, Mr Cavanah. sion towards the tired old prospector, Between 1974-1979, the Parish Priest beckoning him on towards a place of of Boulder, Fr Toop, was released from peace, serenity and security. There, they parish duties to work fulltime in the
Aboriginal Apostolate in Kalgoorlie. This was a great help and support for the Little Sisters of the Poor during that time until he had to return to Perth due to the shortage of priests in the Archdiocese. During the first half of 1979 the St John of God Brothers arrived in Kalgoorlie to establish a Foundation and help the Aborigines, and they were also a great help for the Little Sisters in establishing a strong apostolate. But due to the shortage of vocations, the St John of God Order abandoned the idea after six months and returned to the Eastern States. The Aboriginal Apostolate was very large in Kalgoorlie and, to help the Little Sisters, between 1992-98 Fr Peter Toohey SSC was sent to Kalgoorlie at the request of the Parish Priest to give help to the Aborigines. During 1993-1995, two Sisters from the Order of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul came to Kalgoorlie to also help out Fr Toohey and the Little Sisters. With the onset of the mineral boom on the Goldfields since the mid-1960s, the WA Government re-wrote the Mining Act in the 1970s and '80s in favour of the mining companies, and made it harder for the old prospectors to mine their leases. This also did not encourage many younger prospectors in the latter years to search for the precious metal, and thus now there are very few old prospectors living in the Little Sisters of the Poor Home, as the old ones are gradually departing this life for their eternal reward, and there are very few to replace them. But with the town's increasing population and the unending love and charity the Little Sisters had given to the elderly over many years, the Home for the Aged in Kalgoorlie flourished and grew in size with local aged residences. With extra extensions completed in 1997, Bishop Robert Healy came to Kalgoorlie and blessed and opened the Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home, a new office, additional rooms and a hall for functions and concerts on September 20, 1997. The previous day, the Bishop had attended in Kalgoorlie the 25th anniversary of the "Round House" at the Aboriginal Nursing Home, with celebrations and an open day. In 2002, the Little Sisters closed their Nursing Home for Aborigines due to the lack of patients caused through the Government building a similar Nursing Home for Aged Aborigines in the Northern Goldfields. The last six elderly Aboriginal patients who were in the Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home were transferred to a New Anglican Home for the Aged that had just been built in Kalgoorlie at that time. In September 2004, the Missionary Sisters of Charity arrived in Kalgoorlie at the invitation of the Parish Priest, Fr Tony Vallis, to help the poor families and many Aborigines of the Goldfields. Their work today amongst the poor in the Goldfields is extensive and rewarding. As the years wore on, the Little Sisters found it harder to continue with the lack of vocations to their Order. Despite the workload being harder for the very few older working Sisters in the Home, they have also been blessed with wonderful" lay staff to help them. But it was only after much prayer that the Little Sisters of the Poor had to give into the inevitable and think of eventually leaving. With inquiries, Southern Cross Care were pleased to come to their aid and take over the running of the Nursing Home in the future. The Parish of Kalgoorlie-Boulder passed on its profound thanks to the Little Sisters of the Poor for their "wonderful, loving work" in the Goldfields and thanked Southern Cross Care for taking on the administration of "such a well established, loved and blessed Home", and look forward for a great future for the elderly in the Goldfields.
Vista 4
THE PARISH
Perth boys make Campion history
Cyber Survivor essential viewing for parents, students BY MARK REIDY Parish Reporter OVER 200 schools have embraced an innovative DVD and webbased resource that unites students, parents and teachers in their endeavours to navigate the treacherous waters of digital technology. The Cyber Survivor program, which promotes this threepronged approach to Internet safety and cyber bullying, is the brainchild of Jonathan and Karen Doyle, founders of Canberra-based firm CHOICEZ Media. Having already produced programs, seminars and training sessions on issues such as valuesbased sex education and pornography, the Doyles believe that dealing with the dangers of the rapidly expanding and unprecedented world of cyberspace is essential for today's youth, and that it is the responsibility of the adults in their lives to help provide the necessary protection. "While Internet and digital technology provide young people with extraordinary new possibilities in terms of creativity, research and connection", the Doyles said in their latest production, "it can also generate some real dangers to their emotional, psychological and physical health and safety". The strategy behind Cyber Survivor is that each school that purchases the program is provided with a three DVD set (Student, Parent, Teacher) as well as two unique codes, one for staff and one for parents, that allow access to the CHOICEZ Media website. It is suggested that students watch the DVD during class, parents during information evenings and teachers during staff meetings. The codes are to be distributed to all staff and parents (via email or school newsletter) and this will allow them to download the manuals, question sheets, answers pages, essay topics and other printable content from the website, as well as allowing those who were unable to attend the group presentations to view the program from their own computers. Each of the DVDs is divided into three sections and is presented by the Doyle's and a team of teachers and legal experts. The presenters explore the vast array of digital technology available today and present the dangers and pitfalls associated with each, focusing particularly on the growing phenomenon of bullying which, in the cyber world, has now extended its devastating reach from a limited time in the playground to an infinite access. One of the goals of the three-pronged attack is to pool the wisdom of adults with the technological savvy of youth, to provide a haven where young people can safely explore this exciting new world without fear of harassment, threat, intimidation or/and emotional and psychological scars that may last a lifetime. The Student DVD discusses, explains and provides information on what cyber bullying is, how it happens, who it affects and what strategies can be adopted to minimise the chances of it occurring, as well as warning them of the permanent repercussions that can occur by posting personal information and photographs onto a public network. Adults are also educated on why this new technology is so vital to young people, as well as how devastating such bullying can be and why it can go undetected for so long. They are also equipped with a list of warning signs to watch out for, strategies that can be implemented to prevent or stop unwanted communication, the legal avenues and technological safety nets available for those who are harassed and the legal ramifications for perpetrators. Cyber Survivor is a timely and much needed tool that is designed for children of upper primary age and above. It is a program that is designed to educate parents and teachers on the dangers associated with the rapidly expanding marketplace of technology but more importantly, it is designed to protect those who are most vulnerable in this new world. 0111111.re1.••••• 1.11.14.••••
Campion College uniqueness lures WA students
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Cyber Survivor Program $349.95 (GST EX(LUSIVE) + $12.95 P& H To order or for more information contact CHOICEZ Media on info@choicez.com.au or phone (02) 6273 4608. Visit their website on www.choicez.com.au
November 4 2009, The Record
Dressed as St Therese of Lisieux, a kindergartner at St Christopher School in New York, participates in a prayer service in observance of All Saints' Day. CNS
'We are never alone': Pope VATICAN CITY (CNS) Underlining people's connection with those who have gone before them, All Saints and All Souls Days remind Christians that "we are never alone," Pope Benedict XVI said. "We are part of a spiritual fellowship in which a deep solidarity reigns" through the prayers of the living for the eternal repose of the dead and through the intercession of the holy deceased on behalf of those still living, the Pope said during his Sunday Angelus address on November 1, the feast of All Saints. On the November 2 feast of All Souls, the Pope paid an evening visit to the grotto of St Peter's Basilica where he knelt in silent prayer before the tombs of some of his deceased predecessors. The connection between the living and their deceased loved ones is a mysterious reality of sharing where the good one person benefits all, he said.
WHILE many first year students heading off to university struggle with the isolation of being away from their family, the communal feel at Sydney's Campion College makes David Chua, 18, and Matthew Biddle, 22, feel right at home. The two boys, from Willetton and Kelmscott respectively, are the first West Australian students to enrol at Campion College and are halfway through their second semester, living on campus at Old Toongabbie as two of the 39 boarders from around Australia. A fter living on campus for almost a year, both boys agreed that at first it was different, but it has now "become routine, a good, comfortable one". Matthew, who completed a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) at Curtin University after graduating from Kelmscott Senior High School in 2003, said the smaller student numbers than other universities gives the College its communal feel. "You get to know almost every student, and build up a relationship with each other; Matthew said. "You can actually sit down at lunch and talk about theological issues. This wouldn't happen to the same extent at other universities:' David, from Trinity College, said part of Campion's appeal is that it is the "only university in Australia which offers personal education in small classes'', while Matthew adds that its courses are connected, while at other tertiary institutions they are separate. David said that Campion's integrated approach to its subjects of philosophy, history, theology, literature, and science is
David Chua, left, and Matthew Biddle at Campion College's Toongabbie grounds. PHOTO. COURTESY OF CAMPION COLLEGE
part of its appeal, and that it provides personal education in small classes in courses that are integrated, unlike many secular tertiary institutions. David was drawn to the Liberal Arts degree itself because in America, where there are over 500 Liberal Arts Colleges, Liberal Arts is "a serious option, which almost everyone considers doing". He believes that Liberal Arts is something in ten years' time that "will be the way to go". Liberal Arts liberates you, you're free to make a difference in any field you chose to do, because you're given the tools; he said. The religious nature of the College also appealed to both boys, Catholic in name and practice. Both boys also found it nice to be around like-minded dedicated people. Matthew feels that it is "inspiring to see so many other Catholics studying, and having the same thinking". Both boys miss home but return to Perth during breaks when they can. At the conclusion of his degree, Matthew plans to return to Perth and work in his chosen vocation in his home city.
Pentecostals dialogue needed for understanding Continued from Page 1 encountering accepting and Pentecostalism in its midst? We need to address it pastorally and theologically," he told The Record. "The most difficult thing for Catholics is to understand that the Pentecostals have an ecclesial character, they're not only sects. On the Pentecostal side, I'd like them to understand and admit that Catholics are truly Christians. This is the main problem at the grass-roots lever The Monsignor, also a member of the Joint Working Group with the World Council of Churches, said unity for Pentecostals is a different concept than for historic churches. "(Pentecostals) would say unity is a spiritual unity, and so far the dialogue is about mutual acknowledgement and a way of overcoming difficulties and misunderstandings; they have a different concept of Christian unity," he said. "We can have a lot of progress in this, but we would not say that this is not enough, as for a Catholic, it is not only a spiritual unity or spiritual community through spiritual experience, we also need concrete ... communion, so that, to this extent, as Christians we can recognise each other. The rise in Pentecostalism, which Mgr Gomez calls "the latest fruits of
Australian singer Guy Sebastian is one of the well-known faces of Pentecostalism in this country. However, Pentecostals must accept that Catholics are real Christians too, a visiting Vatican aide has told The Record.
the Reformation," has long been a concern for the Catholic Church. He said that dialoguing with Pentecostals is the key to "understanding who they are, why they exist and why Catholics are joining them, and the other way around; why Pentecostals in some ways are targeting Catholics as part of their missions. Through dialogue, we can clarify both sides". He stressed that this dialogue has not derived from a sense of the Catholic Church "considering ourselves in danger as 'we're losing people'; we're talking with them as we consider it's something we need to do as Catholics. "Christian unity is very much part of the Catholic identity. It's not only a question of a strategy": He said the Pontifical Council officially
began dialogue with "classical" Pentecostal leaders in 1972. International Pentecostal leader Rev. David du Plessis was a guest at the Second Vatican Council, and the first two exploratory meetings were in 1970. He said Pentecostals are a unique entity to deal with as they "don't have a wide range of ecclesial structures among themselves, nor a central headquarters, nor are they an international organisation that represents themselves at the world level". "Yet we're talking about a movement that's impacting on all denominations; it creates new denominations and is present in the vast majority of Christian churches in the form of the Charismatic movement," which he said the Catholic Church has given recognition to within its own communion. "It is clear that (dialogue between Pentecostals and Catholics) is key to the restoration of the Church Jesus founded, but we need to overcome misunderstanding, prejudices and antagonism - this is the first step. "We need to try to know each other better in order to have a mission together by announcing the Gospel to the world." He urged Australian church leaders to established dialogue groups with Pentecostals as "it is clear that there is a very vibrant presence in Australia".
College principal withdraws vote endorsement Continued from Page 1 He said that Mr Dullard took swift action to ensure an apology and the subsequent letter. In a joint statement issued in midSeptember, the defeated candidates noted that Troy Pickard's father-in-law is the College's Business Development Manager and that the school was recently involved
in a planning controversy when it secured approval for a building that went beyond the City of Joondalup's 10m coastal height limit. That planning decision was made in the first half of 2008. Council minutes show that Mr Pickard declared his conflict of interest in the decision, advising the council of his family connection to Sacred Heart College's Building Manager.
Mr Pickard was elected mayor in
2006, five months after the-then WA
Government sacked the entire Council in the wake of an inquiry which found unethical Council decisions had been made. Voter turnout for the Mayoral ballot on October 17 was at 25 percent of eligible electors, with Mr Pickard winning 53.57 percent of the vote.
November 4 2009, The Record
Kids bitz jokes
Page 9
CHILDREN
colour in
KIDS' COOKING PANCAKES WITH CARAMEL BANANAS Ingredients:
Kid prayers
Nut-free
Dear God, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? Natalie
1 quantity of buttermilk pancakes 4 bananas, peeled and sliced 100g unsalted butter
Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don't you just keep the ones you have now? Jane
1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup caster sugar 2 tablespoons water
Dear God, Who draws the lines around the countries? Katy
1/3 cup cream Thick cream or icecream, to serve
Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? Brandon Dear God, Thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. Jacinta Dear God, It rained for our whole vacation and is my father mad! He said some things about you that people are not supposed to say, but I hope you will not hurt him anyway. Your friend (but I am not going to tell you who I am) Dear God, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. Ben
Method:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Dear God, If we come back as something, please don't let me be Jennifer Horton, because I hate her. Brooke
—DEAR KIDS, PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS— If you have great kid's recipes please share them with us and we will publish your recipe in kidz bitz with your name. If you would like poems, drawings or photos published please send all to:
Dear God, I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions. Catherine
Justine Stevens, The Record, PO Box 75 Leederville WA 6902 or email production(&therecord.cormau
Dear God, I bet it is very hard for you to love all the people in the world. There are only four people in our family and I can never do it. Melanie
For each serve, make a stack of two or three pancakes, scatter with banana slices, pour over a generous amount of caramel sauce and serve with cream or icecream.
PITA PIZZA Ingredients: 3 wholemeal 20cm Lebanese pita breads tomato paste canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed red capsicum 6 thinly sliced button mushrooms diced fresh or tinned pineapple 1 tomato, thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, grated
Connect the dots to find out who St. Francis of Assisi is preaching to.
Dear God, Of all the people who worked for you, I like Noah and David the best. Sam E • D•
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Dear God, If you watch me in church on Sunday, I'll show you my new shoes. Caroline
Method: A healthy pizza recipe which is a favourite with kids and adults. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place bread onto oven trays and spread with tomato paste. Add desired amounts of other ingredients and top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. When slightly cooled, cut into wedges and serve.
Serves: 4+
Dear God, We read Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday School, we learned that you did it. So I bet he stole your idea. Sincerely, Donna
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Stir in cream, bring to boil, then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Serves: 4-6
puzzles
Dear God, My brother told me about being born, but it doesn't sound right. They are just kidding, aren't they? Joanna
To make the caramel sauce, heat butter in saucepan, add sugars and water. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugars dissolve.
Dear God, I want to be just like my daddy when I get big, but not with so much hair all over. Ridge
Dear God, I think about you sometimes, even when I'm not praying. Thorn
Cook pancakes as per recipe.
Page 10
November
THE WORLD
4 2009, The Record
Scientist, evangeliser, Ricci had it all Vatican honours Jesuit missionary to China, Fr Matteo Ricci BY SARAH DELANEY Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY - A new Vatican exhibit highlights the life of a Jesuit missionary whose extraordinary intelligence, culture and open-mindedness helped him bring Christianity to imperial China four centuries ago. The exhibit is part of a series of events marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Fr Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit who spent 28 years evangelising, absorbing Chinese culture and bringing Western science to the faraway Asian continent. The show, which opened on October 30 in the Braccio di Carlo Magno hall in St Peter's Square, is titled On the Crest of History, Fr Matteo Ricci (1552-1610): Between Rome and Peking (the name formerly used for the Chinese capital Beijing). It was Fr Ricci's scientific acumen and enthusiasm for cultural exchange that won the trust and admiration of the Ming Dynasty Emperor Wanli. The relationship ensured that he and his Jesuit brothers would have the freedom to evangelise, the show's organisers explained in an October 28 news conference at the Vatican. A proficient cartographer, Fr Ricci was perhaps most appreciated for the maps of the world he made for the Chinese, who at the time had little knowledge of the other continents, said Antonio Paolucci, director of the Vatican Museums and head curator of the exhibit. The maps Fr Ricci drew, as well as many of the European scientific instruments he brought to amaze and share with his Chinese hosts, are among the many items on view in the show. "Matteo Ricci went to China and seduced the Chinese, offering himself as a man of science: a cartographer, an astronomer, a mathematician," and by bringing instruments like astrolabes and mechanised clocks, Paolucci said. "He was honoured and admired," immersing himself so much in Chinese culture that "he became more Chinese than the Chinese," Paolucci said. Fr Ricci also translated many works, including a Catholic cat-
This painting shows Mary drawn in the manner of a Chinese empress. The 19th Century work by Wang Suda is part of a Vatican exhibit on Fr Matteo Ricci (1552-1610).
Headstones from the graves of Catholic missionaries stand in a memorial garden locked inside a government educational facility in Beijing. The headstone from the grave of Jesuit Fr Matteo Ricci, a well-known 16th Century missionary to China, is among those preserved in the garden. PHOTO CNS/NANCY WIECHEC
PHOTO: CNS/COURTESY OF THE VATICAN
echism into Chinese and the teachings of Confucius into Portuguese, which Paolucci explained was the lingua franca of the time. Born in 1552 in Macerata, in central Italy, Matteo Ricci entered the Jesuit order in 1571. After years of study, he sailed to India, where he was ordained in 1580. A fter first travelling to Macao, in 1582 he and another priest established a Jesuit residence in Zhaoqing, a city in the Guangdong province. The Order encountered difficulties and hostility over the next few years, but Fr Ricci was instrumental in eventually opening more residences for Jesuit missionaries. In 1601, after overcoming many obstacles, he arrived in Beijing, where he was admired and befriended by the elite of the city. There he stayed until his death at 58. The Emperor made an unheardof concession, allowing Fr Ricci, a foreigner, to be buried in Beijing. Bishop Claudio Giuliodori of Macerata said that Fr Ricci's "extraordinary missionary adventure brought him to build, for the first time in history, a true bridge of dialogue and exchange between Europe and China." In a message to the Diocese of Macerata inaugurating the
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A world map drawn by Fr Matteo Ricci.
anniversary celebrations, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that it was Fr Ricci's great respect for Chinese traditions that "distinguished his mission to search for harmony between the noble and millenary Chinese civilisation with the Christian novelty". The exhibit is divided into two parts. The first section highlights the Jesuit Order and scientific knowledge of the time; it includes
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PHOTO: CNS/COURTESY OF THE VATICAN
an immense painting from 1619 of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, by Peter Paul Rubens and scientific instruments from the 16th and 17th centuries, including astrolabes, telescopes, early mechanical clocks, and Ptolemaic and Copernican models of the earth. The second part of the exhibit is dedicated to Fr Ricci's stay in China; it includes displays of
A portrait of Fr Matteo Ricci (15521610), an Italian Jesuit who spent 28 years evangelising in China and bringing Western science to the faraway continent. An exhibit at the Vatican marks the 400th anniversary of Fr Ricci's death. PHOTO. CNS/COURTESY OF THE VATICAN
his translations and examples of documents he wrote in Chinese, Portuguese and Italian; Chinese tapestries; 17th and 18th Century Chinese statuary; and a colourful early 20th Century altar honouring Confucius that belongs to the Vatican Museum.
Pornography one of the 'single largest' battles the Catholic Church must fight Pornography a 'sexual Katrina' tearing men down BY PETER FINNEY JR
Catholic News Service
NEW ORLEANS - The scourge of addiction to pornography, especially among men, has created "a sexual Katrina" that is destroying families, Church and society, a prominent speaker on sexual integrity told a recent gathering of men in New Orleans. Dan Spencer, an advisory board member of the My House anti-pornography initiative in the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, told 200 men at the 13th annual Morning Men's Spirituality event that pornographic addiction is so prevalent it qualifies as one of the major battles the Catholic
Church must speak out about and fight. "It is the single largest battle, in my opinion, in this room -- the battle of pornography," said Spencer, an advertising and marketing executive and consultant. "There are men here - and not just one or two - who are addicted to pornography and who struggle with sexual issues. This sexual Katrina is destroying homes, families, men, our society, our Church. This is enormous." Speaking on October 17 at St Rita Church, he said up to 54 percent of men admit to viewing pornography in a one month period, and 10 percent are addicted, including those who regularly attend church. "There are men here who are hooked and who are wounded and not just one or two," Spencer said. "Fifty percent of men in this Archdiocese are having this problem. It's typical.
"We want to think it's all young teenagers.I work with a number of groups, and the average age is 56. They range in age from 32 to 81." Spencer, founder and director of the St Joseph Centre and chairman of the Kansas City Catholic Men's Fellowship, said that when he was a child his father took him to the circus, where he saw huge elephants doing tricks and wondered why they couldn't break the chains around their legs. His father explained that when the elephants were first born, the chains were placed on their legs. "They learned the reality that those chains meant bondage. That's why circus elephants are only good for this rather docile activity. In a way, their identity was taken from them." In a similar way, a man's first encounter with pornography as a child can enslave him for life, Spencer said. He said the average age for exposure to sexual-
ly explicit material is nine. "And when does puberty hit? Talk about having your identity screwed up. Masturbation becomes the centre of your life. You mask the pain of normal junior high times with that. Then you have dysfunctional families and deep father wounds. A lot of people have a tough time with their dads." He said while men make up 75 percent of those addicted to porn, women are the fastest-growing group, entering Internet chat rooms as they are "starved for love and affection," he said. The easy and anonymous access to porn through the Internet has made the problem even more difficult to combat. He said the Internet has changed everything. "There are no more social barriers. You don't have to go out and buy books or go to a peep show. How many of you have PCs that are covered with protective software?" he said, adding that
viewing porn on workplace computers is also a major practice. The Kansas City Archdiocese understood that the problem with pornography was so out of control that it created a small task force to review how best to respond, which led to the creation of My House. Among the most important strategies for fighting an addiction to pornography is to join a small faith group that meets either weekly or monthly so that men must be accountable for their actions, he said. "You cannot beat this alone, nor can you help someone if you don't go to a small faith group," he said. "You must get strength from other brothers. Iron sharpens iron. Primarily, you need deep adult conversion. You must ask the Son of God to come live in all of you. You must give your whole identity, your whole life to Christ, not just this Sunday morning stuff."
November 4 2009 The Record
THE WORLD
End oflife guidelines reviewed US Bishops to consider revised directives on withdrawal of food, water BY NANCY FRAZIER O'BRIEN Catholic News Service WASHINGTON - A proposed revision to the directives that guide Catholic health care facilities would clarify that patients with chronic conditions who are not imminently dying should receive food and water by "medically assisted" means if they cannot take them normally. "As a general rule, there is an obligation to provide patients with food and water, including medically assisted nutrition and hydration for those who cannot take food orally," says the revised text of the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services" proposed by the US Bishops' Committee on Doctrine. "This obligation extends to patients with chronic conditions (for example, the 'persistent vegetative state') who can reasonably be expected to live indefinitely if given such care," the new text adds. Deleted from the directives would be a reference to "the necessary distinctions between questions already resolved by the Magisterium and those requiring further reflection, as, for example, the morality of withdrawing medically assisted hydration and nutrition from a person who is in the condition that is recognised by physicians as the 'persistent vegetative state.— The proposed revision to the directives will come before members of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops for debate and vote at their fall November 16-19 General Assembly in Baltimore. A majority vote by those present and voting is required for passage. In an introduction to the revised text, Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut, chairman of the doctrine committee, said the directives, last revised in 2001, were written long before" Pope John Paul II's March 2004 address to an international conference on Life-Sustaining Treatments and the Vegetative State" and the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's August 2007 reply to questions raised by the USCCB on artificial nutrition and hydration. The current directives based their teaching on documents by
Page 11
Berlin Wall fall plaudits ignore Church's crucial role
"some state Catholic conferences, individual bishops and the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities; the Bishop noted. Bishop Lori said the changes were needed, "particularly since the recent clarifications by the Holy See have rendered untenable certain positions that have been defended by some Catholic ethicists." Much of the ethical discussion of the nutrition and hydration question in recent years has focused on the case of Terri Schindler Schiavo, a brain-damaged Florida woman whose husband successfully fought for the right to discontinue her feeding tube. Schiavo died on March 31, 2005, 13 days after doctors withdrew nutrition and hydration. Some Catholic ethicists had argued that, because doctors consider a persistent vegetative state irreversible, artificial nutrition and hydration can be withdrawn from those patients. "While medically assisted nutrition and hydration are not morally obligatory in certain cases, these forms of basic care should, in principle, be provided to all patients who need them, including patients diagnosed as being in a 'persistent vegetative state; because even the most severely debilitated and helpless patient retains the full dignity of a human person," the proposed revised directives read. "Medically assisted nutrition and hydration become morally optional when they cannot reasonably be expected to prolong life or when they would be 'excessively burdensome for the patient or (would) cause significant physical discomfort'. "For instance, as a patient draws close to inevitable death from an underlying progressive and fatal condition, certain measures to provide nutrition and hydration may become excessively burdensome and therefore not obligatory in light of their very limited ability to prolong life or provide comfort" The proposed wording also would delete a reference to hydration and nutrition not being morally obligatory "when they cannot be assimilated by a person's body," replacing it with the "significant physical discomfort" language. The revision was drawn up in collaboration with the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities in consultation with the Task Force on Health Care Issues, Catholic Health Association, Catholic Medical Association, National Catholic Bioethics Centre and National Catholic Partnership on Disability.
People stand atop the Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate in this November 10, 1989 file photo. Cardinal Joachim Meisner (below), of Cologne, Germany, says many commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the fall PHOTO. CNS/DAVID BRAUCHLI. REUTERS of the Berlin Wall are ignoring contributions made by the Catholic Church.
German Cardinal stresses Catholic role in toppling Berlin Wall COLOGNE, Germany (CNS) - A German cardinal said various commemorations of the collapse of the Berlin Wall ignore contributions by the Catholic Church. "It is simply untrue, as many critics maintain, that the Church was introverted - just the opposite; said Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne, who served as Bishop of Berlin from 1980 to 1988. "Throughout these years, Christians formed a living protest against this inhuman system," the Cardinal said. "Yet in the many declarations, speeches, interviews and books appearing for the 20th anniversary, the Church's role is being evaluated and covered only very superficially, even by Catholics.' On November 9, Germans will commemorate the 1989 fall of the wall, which divided West Germany from the communistruled East Germany for 28 years. The anniversary will include a "Festival of Freedom" in Berlin, during which 1,000 giant foam dominos will be toppled along the route of the wall. In an October 26 article in the Die Welt daily, Cardinal Meisner said that under Communist rule the Berlin Diocese never adjust-
ed its boundaries, and Church officials refused to participate in state ceremonies. Berlin became an Archdiocese in 1994. "The complete absence of our bishops on such occasions was always seen as relativising the system; said Cardinal Meisner. "Diplomatic representatives in East Berlin repeatedly emphasised their admiration for the Catholic Church's stance." Cardinal Meisner said most commentaries had focused only on the final steps in Germany's reunification, without mentioning "the 999 steps taken earlier; in which Catholics played a key role. He said the Catholic Church had been viewed as a "tolerated subtenant" of East Germany, but had managed to provide "an annoyance, a protest against the unified mass and an actual testimony for Christ;
He added that lay Catholics had offered a "biblical testimony of nonparticipation" by boycotting communist institutions, such as the Jugendweihe youth enrolment, and by continuing daily social and charitable activities. Cardinal Meisner said some commentaries recalled the role of Lutheran churches as gathering places for protesters, while ignoring key events such as a 1987 Catholic Katho/ikentag festival that brought 100,000 people onto the streets of Dresden. "My words to the main Mass at that festival, that we would follow no other star than the Star of Bethlehem, were clearly understood as a political signal, the Cardinal added. "I think today of the many people who helped bring about the events of November 9, 1989, through unspectacular resistance along the way. They deserve their own monument, or at least to be included in the historical record; he said. The 124 mile Berlin Wall separating the German capital was completed on August 13, 1961, after 3.5 million East Germans, a fifth of the population, fled to West Germany. The wall was later strengthened with guard towers and a mined "death strip." Crossing points in the wall were opened by East Germany's communist regime during a wave of revolutionary change in Eastern Europe, paving the way for Germany's formal reunification in 1990.
Striking sentence leads to sainthood push for former African president A STRIKING sentence from the message approved by the African Synod - "Africa needs saints in high political office" - has helped to renew debate on Africa on the cause for beatification of Julius Nyerere, the former Tanzanian leader who died in 1999. Opinions are sharply divided on the influence of Nyerere, who was a devout Catholic but headed a one-party government frequently criticised for alleged corruption. The Musuma Diocese opened a local inquiry into a case for his beatification in January 2006, Catholic World News reported. A spokesman for the Diocese says that the local investigation
into Nyerere's life has authorisation from the Vatican. Nyerere, who attended Mass daily throughout his public life and was known for fasting frequently, was a respected African leader for three decades. Already an influential figure in the British colony then known as Tanganyika, he became the country's first Prime Minister after independence in 1961, and was elected president the following year. He remained in that office until his retirement in 1985, and continued to chair the country's ruling party until withdrawing from political life in 1990. Nyerere died
in London in 1999. Although admired for his idealism and personal integrity, Nyerere left a mixed political legacy. He presided over a one-party State, with severe restraints on political opposition and persistent complaints of corruption among his subordinates. Having studied economics in the Fabian tradition at the University of Edinburgh, he adapted the socialist program to his own African country in a policy known as ujama, emphasising collective farming. Later in life he acknowledged that his economic policies had been disastrous, and Tanzania
remains a severely impoverished country. Nyerere was a leader of pan-African initiatives. He was prominent among the leaders of the "front-line" African states that supported the drive for black majority rule in Namibia and South Africa. He also provided a base for guerrillas seeking to overthrow the government in Mozambique. In 1979, he sent Tanzanian troops into Uganda to overthrow the regime of the despotic Idi Amin. Right: Julius Nyerere, the former Tanzanian leader who died in 1999, is being considered for beatification.
Page 12
PERSPECTIVES
Eucharist and Rosary have real power to heal
November 4 2009, The Record
From swords to ploughshares with Catherine Parish
Charles Donovan I CAME from a very religious family. I drew strength from this faith when I was diagnosed with degenerative osteoarthritis in my left hip in 1988. I joined the Charismatic parish community and started to become more interested in the Scriptures. Through this I have come to understand my faith more and it is much stronger as a result. In 1989 I had a sudden urge to join some people praying the Rosary. Later I learned it was a lay movement called the Marian Movement of Priests led by Our Lady. After four months the parish group leader asked me to lead the prayers. She gave me the Cenacle of Prayer with the Immaculate Heart of Mary booklet and a book titled, To the Priests, Our Lady's Beloved Sons. The latter is a record of interior locutions believed to be received by Father Don Stefano Gobbi from Our Blessed Mother Mary since 1973. It was given the Imprimatur of the Bishop of Stockton, Donald W Montrose, DD in 1998. People said that I was too orthodox because I got involved with the Marian Movement. I was angry and wanted to retaliate. Then I heard this voice say to me, "Do good to those that persecute you." I believe it was Our Lady speaking and confirmation that I was on the right track. From a very young age I prayed the Rosary daily and after that I prayed it even more. Then my wife Christine got very sick with cancer. She had an operation, chemotherapy and radiation. She offered up her suffering as reparation for abortions. I left work to look after her for the last five months. It was very traumatic but we had a beautiful time together. I took her to the Cathedral and a priest prayed with us. A wonderful peace came over both Christine and me that stayed right up until her last days. Anyone who came to visit her came away feeling that peace. The Lord was with us. Christine didn't want Silver Chain to look after her so I had to do everything including lifting her up.I was constantly praying. I started to experience back pain. A doctor later found that I had problems with my vertebrae. I had a CAT scan and they put a needle through the joint to take the pain away. The doctor told me that I had to have the needle every two to three months. Meanwhile, Christine's condition continued to get worse. On the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception my wife died. I promised her that I would go to Medjugorje after her death. There, I believe Our Lady told me Christine was all right. In 1997 I went to a Mass and prayed for the healing of my osteoarthritis and back pain.I prayed the Centurion prayer, "Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word andI will be healed:' When I came home I bent down to pick something up from the floor and realised I was in no pain. Previously,I was on Voltaren (pain killers) for eight years. Since then I have been totally drug free. I thank God by going to Mass every day and adoration four days a week at the Mirrabooka Perpetual Adoration Chapel. The Eucharist has the power.
How Pray Now
If you have a story to tell please contact Debbie via dwarrier75@gmail.com
THE odd connections that I see between apparently unrelated things never fail to amuse me and probably bemuse others. This morning after I dropped my Year 1 son to school I sat for an hour in a car repair shop reading about General Stanley McChrystal's strategy for preventing a military debacle in Afghanistan. The general thrust of his argument is that the West's role is to help establish stable government, which will bring peace, in which economic and educational opportunities can flourish and the will to fight will be subsumed in the will of men to seize opportunities for gainful employment to provide a better life for their families. This wasn't all of it; but it was very obvious that it was ultimately trustbuilding and nation-building rather than conquest that is the long-term goal of the Coalition, and that they needed to alter tactics to achieve this strategy. A million miles away from A fghanistan and back at primary school, I walked into my sons classroom this morning to find a flourishing centre of commerce. My son's teacher opened a 'shop' at the beginning of Semester 2 to help teach the children about money, which was value tokens earned as rewards in the classroom. The items for sale were donated by parents. Soon after, one little entrepreneur brought in some toys to sell. Now almost every child in the class has a shop and the retail economy is booming. Some of the children began
making little things to sell, and the manufacturing sector was born. So, quite spontaneously and very rapidly, from a centralised, "governmentowned" and managed shop supplied by donations from rich outsiders, developed a thriving free market economy. With minor regulation - territory demarcation mainly - this microcosmic market economy is booming. Price negotiation, economic choices, discounting, are all going on under the benevolent but largely non-interventionist teacher's eye. They are all on their best behaviour, highly motivated to earn the rewards `money' to spend at the shops. The same holds true in developing economies where there is reasonably stable government. There are many photos on the Net that we smile at of rickshaws, mopeds and pushbikes loaded to the point of collapse with a bizarre assortment of items, and of little shops or markets in odd places. But these are signs of creative and enterprising minds seeking to better their lives by maximising their opportunities. Peace and stable government are two
of the most important prerequisites one could almost say the only two - for allowing limitless human creativity and enterprise to blossom, maximising individual opportunity and offering hope of economic betterment. The Western world has to be careful in their interventions and aid programs that they judiciously support developing economies so as to maximise both freedom and opportunity, without tying ideological strings to aid or entrenching need for foreign help. My son's classmates quite naturally fell into the way of seizing opportunities from an initially subsidised start, and capitalising on them in a peaceful and encouraging environment. The entrepreneurial spirit is obviously deepseated in human nature. This mercantile drive is natural and strong in us and tends to drive us to form communities where it can best flourish and all can enjoy its benefits. General McChrystal hopes to use these very forces in Afghanistan. Our little classroom shops show quite clearly that it may well work. Picture by Trevor Mezak
Why baptise unaware infants? Baptism of infants Can you please explain why we baptise infants when they are completely unaware of what is happening? Does this help them, or is it mainly for the parents? Also, has the Church said anything about how soon after birth infants should be baptised?
By Fr John Flader I WILL begin by explaining why we baptise anyone, including infants, and then go on to answer your two specific questions. Baptism has two principal effects, both of which are symbolised by the use of water. First, the immersion in water or pouring of water over the head symbolises the cleansing of the soul from sin. In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God' (CCC 1263). With the removal of every stain of sin from the soul, including that of original sin which affects infants as well, the soul is left perfectly purified and ready
for heaven. Second, just as water is necessary for life, so Baptism confers the life of God on the soul, including sanctifying grace, the infused virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity. There is no greater holiness than that of a newly baptised person. So this is why we baptise. But why do we baptise infants, who are unaware that all this is taking place? Simply, because the sacrament achieves its effect independently of the awareness of the recipient. The traditional expression is that the sacraments work ex opere operato; that is, they achieve their effects "by the very fact of the actions being performed" (CCC 1128). The infant will be completely oblivious to what is happening but Baptism will still produce these marvellous effects in the soul. For this reason, the Church has always baptised infants. St Augustine says that the practice of infant Baptism came from the Apostles: "The custom of our Mother the Church of infant Baptism is in no way to be rejected or considered unnecessary; on the contrary, it is to be believed on the ground that it is a tradition from the apostles" (De Gen Ad litt, 10, 23, 39). The Catechism of the Catholic Church
says of this tradition: "The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century on, and it is quite possible that, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole `households' received Baptism, infants may also have been baptised" (CCC 1252). As regards how soon after birth infants are to baptised, the Code of Canon Law is very clear: "Parents are obliged to see that their infants are baptised within the first few weeks. As soon as possible after the birth, indeed even before it, they are to approach the parish priest to ask for the sacrament for their child, and to be themselves duly prepared for it" (Can 867 §1). Furthermore, "If the infant is in danger of death, it is to be baptised without any delay" (Can 867 §2). Why the hurry? Simply because Baptism does so much for the soul, and the infant should receive these benefits as soon as possible. Sometimes parents wait many months for the Baptism, so that relatives can come from interstate or overseas for the ceremony. While it is understandable that they should want their relatives to be present for this important rite, it is more important for the infant to be given the grace of Baptism as soon as possible after birth. We are all aware of infants who died suddenly when they appeared to be perfectly healthy. The sorrow of parents at the death should not be increased by the added sorrow of not having had the baby baptised. Of course, we have great hope that unbaptised infants can be taken straight to heaven, but great hope is not the same as the certainty we have when they have been baptised. Fr John Flader. directorPcaeccom.au
November 4 2009, The Record
PERSPECTIVES
Atheists chants turn to rant 111 In clear view
ANSWERING T HE NEW ATHEISM
By Guy Crouchback
In over-analysing religion, and particularly his fascination with the Catholic Church, 'Professor of Atheism' Richard Dawkins has lost all logic IT has been interesting to watch 'Professor of Atheism' Richard Dawkins' evolutionary metamorphosis from an academic geneticist to a bigoted ranter. His major target, like that of most Western atheists, has been the Catholic Church. Indeed, anti-Catholicism has actually moved him recently to start saying almost nice things about the Anglican Church, which if I were an Anglican would make me rather worried. He stated on his Internet site recently: "What major institution most deserves the title of greatest force for evil in the world? In a field of stiff competition, the Roman Catholic Church is surely up there among the leaders. "The Anglican Church has at least a few shreds of decency, traces of kindness and humanity with which Jesus Himself might have connected, however tenuously: a generosity of spirit, of respect for women, and of Christ-like compassion for the less fortunate." There are a couple of things in this passage perhaps worthy of note. Never mind the fact that I happen to
DISMANTLING DAWKINS' CASE AGAINST Con
disagree with his claim that the Catholic Church is one of the greatest forces for evil in the world, or that in the area of "compassion for the less fortunate" Catholicism could make one or two historical claims, such as having invented the public hospital system in its earliest days, and numbering among its members, to name only two, the recentlycanonised Fr Damien and St Maximilian Kolbe. (The reader may care to make his or her own additions to the list). Further, if any religion is to be castigated for lack of "respect for women: is it not obvious to any student of history and comparative religion that the Catholic Church has shown far more respect for women, from the time of its origins, than many other religions which might come to mind? More interesting, however, is his use
of the word "evir One wonders where he gets it from. To use the word "evil" implies that such a thing as evil exists. But, it is reasonable to ask an atheist, "evil" by what standard? If there is no God, as Mr Dawkins is eager to prove, how is anything to be judged evil? If there is no God, surely Hitler's or Charles Manson's values and standards are no more or less valid than those held by you and me, the Pope, the Anglican church, or Mr Dawkins himself? Indeed, the history of 20th Century totalitarianism and its concomitant wars, massacres and holocausts has been largely a history of ideologies which set up their own arbitrary system of values. To embrace Atheism involves, sooner or later, giving up any moral absolutes. Not only does if make any conception of "evil" completely arbitrary, so also do any conceptions of Mr Dawkins' "decency, kindness and humanity" become completely arbitrary and, without a God, without any authority to support them. They are merely words for whatever Mr Dawkins happens to like or dislike. There is, however, more to come. An idea of evil presupposes an idea of good. Without good, as countless philosophers throughout the centuries have pointed out, evil is simply meaningless. If there is evil, there must be good, and if there is good, there must be some absolute standard of good. Which is to say, if there is good, there must be a God, under whatever name that God may go. Furthermore, by appealing to some kind of standard of good and evil, to some kind of universal arbitrator of good and evil if you will, our professional Atheist is actually invoking that God. - Answering the New Atheism, centre, is on sale from The Record Bookshop.
U2's unwitting theology lesson Body Language The Amazing Grace of U2 A NEW book called The Gospel According to 122 captures two of my great loves in life - Jesus and the music of these four men from Ireland: Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. Most people who follow popular music know about the Christian roots of the biggest rock band in the world. But many of the Christians who followed U2's career in the 1980s thought they "lost it" in the 1990s. I was one of them. AndI was wrong. Truth be told, I wasn't much of a Christian in the 80s. I was a rebellious teenager pursuing the pleasures of the world and, because of it,I was empty. In no small measure, it was the music of U2 that kept me alive during those tumultuous times. With these guys, it wasn't your typical "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll: They sang about dying for love and yearning for heaven. Anthems like Pride and Where the Streets Have No Name got in my blood and became hymns of hope. They stirred a voice in me that sometimes whispered and at other times screamed: Keep searching. I was new to faith in the early 90s, and it seemed the band that had inspired
Page 13
me to pursue belief had now gone off the deep end. I couldn't help but love the Achtung Baby album, but what was one to make of Bono appearing on stage dressed as the devil? It seemed he had flipped completely to the "other side.' With tinges of self-righteousness, I decided to "pray for him:' In 2000, a friend and fellow fan of the "earlier U2" called me with great delight having just listened to their latest album All That You Can't Leave Behind. He said two simple words: "They're back ..:' They were indeed - as was my enthusiasm for their gift. In fact, I became a bigger fan of U2 in my 30s then when I was a teen. And I was also put to shame for how judgemental I was of them during the 90s. As Greg Garrett, author of The Gospel According to U2, put it: "What those in panic mode did not understand [about their approach in the 90s] was that U2 had not completely lost their minds; they had merely changed their methods:' With deliberateness, they had exchanged their sincerity for satire and irony. It was a big gamble that took incredible chutzpa to pull off - indeed, they would have to (and did) put their musical career on the line for the chance to make at least two critical points to their vast, but divergent audience. First, by appearing - quite convincingly! - to have bought into the debauched excesses of "rock stardom," they knew a large segment of their fan base would not even begin to understand what they were up to, and would write them off (guilty!). But in the very process they would be demonstrating just how superficial, "uptight" and judgemental believers can be at times (guilty!). Imagine my sur-
prise whenIlearned that Bono was actually acting out scenes from CS Lewis' Screwtape Letters when he donned that devil costume. The second point they were trying to make was aimed at a different segment of their audience - those who thought the excesses of "rock stardom" were the be-all and end-all of life. As with all effective satire, the joke was on those who believed the ruse. By appearing utterly self-absorbed and full of himself in front of stadiums full of screaming fans, Bono was saying: Don't you see how ridiculous it is for you to think I'm as great as you thinkI am? Bono and the gang are certainly not saints. But nor are they your typical debauched rock stars. Those with eyes to see it can recognise that grace is at work in these four men and their craft - amazing grace. This was confirmed all the more for me at a recent U2 concert in New York City. The pinnacle of any U2 show is when the band transitions artfully into Where the Streets Have No Name, a song about heaven. On this night, it happened as Bono was singing Amazing Grace yes, Amazing Grace - with 80,000 people singing along. Then, behind Bono's voice I heard the familiar organ swell that signals the beginning of Streets. I was pierced by beauty, utterly overwhelmed. And it seemed that, together, 80,000 people were tasting a bit of heaven. What an amazing grace indeed ... I was filled with such gratitude for these four men and what their music has meant to me over the years. And I hope this column gives you the permission to "claim the comfort," as Garrett says, that your favourite music has offered you.
The tongue is a fire that can destroy or inspire I say I sa
THE world would be a better place if there were more people like Hugh McCaig. Who is he? He is neither well-known nor influential in the context of human history, but he is someone who has impacted my life in a significant way. Mr McCaig is the father of one of my childhood school friends. He would regularly attend our football matches during those early years of pubescent vulnerability, when we were striving to form our identity as men. I remember him well because he never failed to provide me with words of encouragement. Skill-wise, I was neither in the top nor bottom echelon, but could be best described, in the terms of a young teenager aspiring to find a place in the world, as "frustratingly average". But the simple words of Mr McCaig, who would always focus on those things I had done well, kept alive in me a sense of ambition that, perhaps, I could be better. It inspired me to spend more time pushing myself and practising those skills that were not so natural. By my mid-teens there came a seemingly overnight improvement in my capabilities as a footballer and with it came a foundation of confidence that proved invaluable during the uncertainty of those later, formative years. In hindsight, the importance of one's sporting prowess may seem trivial, but in the context of the insecurity of adolescence, it provided me with the knowledge that I could, in fact, be doing something well. It was a confidence that would permeate into other areas of my life. But tragically, words can be double-edged swords. They have the potential to bring life and healing; but they, too, can carry with them a seed of death.I often reflect on their destructive power in my time of ministry on the streets of Perth where I see the decimation resulting from words of hate and anger and the evolution of lives that have been spiritually crushed by them. I see it in the eyes of a young child as they cringe under the verbal tirade of an angry parent. I hear it from the drug-hazed, violent teenager who vividly recalls the words of hate drilled into him by a drunken stepfather. It is reflected in the middle-aged alcoholic who has tragically embraced the spoken lies, and in the emptiness of the old homeless man who cannot recall a kind word that was ever spoken toward him. The tongue is a fire, we are told in the letter of James, and has the potential to destroy great forests. He is right, it can sow seeds of destruction that last a lifetime and can snuff out the spirit of hope that dwells within us all. But we must equally remember that this same spirit can also be gloriously inflamed by words of encouragement delivered with love. Twentieth Century Irish poet John O'Donoghue once wrote: "One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own". I doubt very much whether Mr McCaig would even remember those seemingly insignificant moments when he reached out to a young teenager so many years ago, but I'm sure he would be surprised by the impact that they had. Words of encouragement may not seem important to those who deliver them, but they may just be the catalyst that allows a life to burn far more brightly, than had they never been spoken at all.
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PANORAMA
November 4 2009, The Record
A roundup of events in the Archdiocese
Panorama entries must be in by 12pm Monday. Contributions may be emailed to administration@therecord.com.au, faxed to 9227 7087, or mailed to PO Box 75, Leederville WA 6902. Submissions over 55 words will be edited. Inclusion is limited to 4 weeks. Events charging over $10 will be put into classifieds and charged accordingly. The Record reserves the right to decline or modify any advertisement. Friday November 6 CATHOLIC FAITH RENEWAL EVENING 7.30pm at Ss John and Paul Parish, Pinetree Gully Road, Willetton. Songs of Praise, talk by Mr Jean-Noel, Thanksgiving Mass, followed by light refreshments. All welcome to attend. Enq: Kathy 9295 0913 or Maureen 9381 4498. Friday November 6 EUCHARISTIC HEALING MASS 7pm at St Peter's Church, 93 Wood Street, Inglewood. Praise and Worship, and Reconciliation followed by Healing Mass, celebrants Fr Roy Pereira and Fr Sam. Fellowship later. Friday November 6 THE ALLIANCE OF THE TWO HEARTS 5.15pm at St Bernadette's Church, Glendalough. Confessions, Mass at 5.45pm followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, hourly Rosaries, hymns and reflections, etc. Concludes with Holy Mass at midnight in honour and thanksgiving of the coming reign of the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Enq: Father Doug Harris 9444 6131 or Dorothy 9342 5845.
Sunday November 8 THE COUNCIL OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS WA INC 5.30 to 6.30pm at the Sylvia and Harry Hoffman Hall, Carmel School, Cresswell Road, Dianella. Will commemorate Kristallnacht with music, drama and reflection. Guest speaker will be Rabbi Sheryl Nosan-Blank, of Temple David Congregation Inc. All welcome. Enq: ccjwa@aol.com.
Friday November 13 DIVINE MERCY THANKSGIVING MASS 2 to 4pm at St Jerome's Church, 36 Troode Street, Munster. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Mass celebrated by Fr Paul Fox. There will be Divine Mercy Chaplet and Talk on Divine Mercy. All Divine Prayer Groups and everyone are invited to this celebration. Enq: Connie 9494 1495 or Edita 9418 3728.
Saturday November 14 to Sunday November 15 OVERNIGHT RETREAT 9am at St John of God Retreat Centre, 47 Gloucester Crescent, Shoalwater. The retreat will be on prayer as aiding spiritual growth. Retreat is for young women who long to grow in their relationship with Christ. Enq: Sr Ann 0409 602 927.
Sunday November 15 ASSOCIATION OF SAN PADRE PIO 10am at St Lawrence Church, 392 Albert Street, Balcatta. San Padre Pio Feast Day Celebrations Mass will be cel ebrated in Italian. Procession at 2.15pm followed by Benediction and refreshments. Enq: Phone 9344 7066. Sunday November 15 HOLY SOULS MASS 3pm at St Joseph's Church, 20 Hamilton Street, Bassendean. Divine Mercy, Rosary, Litanies, Adoration and Benediction. Holy Mass for deceased relatives and friends, place their names at the altar. Also one month minor memorial Mass for Mary Scully - as per Irish tradition. BYO food. Tea and coffee provided. Enq: Des 6278 1540.
Saturday November 7 VIGIL FOR LIFE 8.30am at St Augustine's Church, Gladstone Road, Rivervale. Mass, principal celebrant Archbishop Hickey who will lead the Rosary procession and prayer vigil at the nearby abortion clinic. All are invited to join in and witness peacefully to the dignity of human life. Enq: Helen 9402 0349. Sunday November 15 DOMINICAN LAITY OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY PARISH 2pm at St Catherine's Convent, 31 Williamstown Road, Doubleview. Visitors are welcome. Enq: Jeff 9446 3655. Sunday November 15 DOMINICAN LAITY OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY PARISH 2pm at St Catherine's Convent, 31 Williamstown Road, Doubleview. Visitors are welcome. Enq: Jeff 94463655.
Saturday following the First Sunday of the Month DIVINE MERCY HEALING MASS 2.30 to 3.30pm at St Francis Xavier Church, Windsor Street, East Perth. Reconciliation available with Fr Marcellinus Meilak OFM. Refreshments will follow afterwards. Enq: John 9457 7771. Every Sunday PILGRIM MASS - SHRINE OF VIRGIN OF THE REVELATION 2pm at 36 Chittering Road, Bullsbrook. Commencing with Rosary followed by Benediction. Reconciliation in Italian and English is available before every celebration. On the second Sunday of the month anointing of the sick is administered during Mass. The side entrance to the church and the shrine is open daily between 9am and 5pm. Enq: SACRI 9447 3292.
Saturday November 21 ST PADRE PIO DAY OF PRAYER 8.30am at the Little Sisters of the Poor, 2 Rawlins Street, Glendalough. St Padre Pio DVD, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Divine Mercy, silent Adoration and Benediction. Mass 1lam, using St Padre Pio liturgy, celebrant Fr Timothy Deeter. Confessions available. BYO shared lunch. Tea and coffee provided. Enq: Des 6278 1540. Saturday November 21 HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL JUBILEE CELEBRATION 7.30pm at Holy Rosary School, Williamstown Road, Doubleview. Tickets available from the school. Contact Kerry 9446 4558. ACTS 2 COLLEGE OF MISSION AND EVANGELISATION - 2010 ENROLMENTS/SCHOLARSHIPS Now open for full and part-time study at Acts 2 College for Semester 1. 16 week courses commence week of March 1, 2010. All courses may be taken towards a Certificate IV in Christian Ministry - national code 51881. Acts 2 College has available one full scholarship and three part scholarships for study at the College in 2010. The full scholarship is through an essay competition; the part-time are based on financial hardship. Enq: Jane 92026859.
Saturday November 7 ST PIUS X CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL FETE 3 to 7pm corner Ley Street and Cloister Avenue, Manning. There will be lots of stalls and fun activities for the children as well as adults. Everyone is welcome. Enq: Margaret 9450 2797.
Saturday November 7 DAY WITH MARY 9am to 5pm at St Bernadette Church, Grand Ocean Boulevarde and Strasbourg Ramble, Port Kennedy. Day of prayer and instruction based on the Fatima message. 9am Video, 10.10am Holy Mass, Reconciliation, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration, Sermons on Eucharist and Our Lady, Rosaries and Stations of the Cross. BYO lunch. For transport, Nita 9367 1366. Enq: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate 9250 8286.
Third Sunday of the Month OBLATES OF ST BENEDICT 2pm at St Joseph's Convent, York Street, South Perth. Oblates affiliated with the Benedictine Abbey, New Norcia welcome all who are interested in studying the rule of St Benedict and its relevance to the everyday life of today for lay people. Vespers and tea conclude the meeting. Enq: Secretary 9457 5758.
Monday November 9 to Wednesday November 11 CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL 7.30pm November 9 and 10 at St Joachim's Pro-Cathedral, Victoria Park, 10am, November 11 at 67 Howe Street, Osborne Park and 7.30pm at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Collick Street, Hilton in Italian. Dr John Bonnici Mallia, Chairman of CCR Malta will conduct the healing sessions. All evening sessions commence with Mass. Collections taken to cover costs. Enq: Dan 9398 4973.
Saturday November 14 RICHARD AND JUDY PRIESTLY FARM GROTTO T WENTY FIRST YEAR - ANNUAL HOLY MASS 10.30am Mass. Directions; take Great Eastern Highway to El Caballo Blanco, turn south into Wariin Road, go 1.8km, turn east into Chingaanning Road and go 2.2km. Allow 40 minutes from Midland. Bring chair and hat. BBQ meat provided. Enq: 9450 2749 or 0428 502 749.
Friday November 6 to Sunday November 8 CREATION SPIRITUALITY RETREAT Friday, November 6 to Thursday, November 12 option also available. St John of God Retreat Centre, Shoalwater. Enq: Sr Shelley Barlow 9271 3873.
First Friday of the Month HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE 7pm at the Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 2 Rawlins Street, Glendalough. Mass celebrated by Fr Saminedi followed by Adoration with Fr Don Kettle. All welcome.
Fourth Sunday of the Month HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE 2 to 3pm at Morley Parish Church, 47 Wellington Road, Morley. Includes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Our prayers are powerful in assisting those called to the Priesthood and Religious life to hear with a Disciple's ear the call of God for them. Come and pray. All welcome. Enq: 9276 8500. First Friday of the Month COMMUNION OF REPARATION ALL NIGHT VIGIL 7pm to lam at Corpus Christi Church, Lochee Street, Mosman Park. Mass, Rosary, Confession and Adoration with Father Bogoni and also books for sale. Enq: 0400 282 357.
Every 2nd Wednesday YEAR OF THE PRIEST HOLY HOUR 7 to 8pm at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 2 Keaney Place, City Beach. Reflections on St John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests. Light refreshments later in the Parish Centre. Every Sunday LATIN MASS 2pm at the Good Shepherd Parish, 40-42 Streich Avenue, Kelmscott, according to the 1962 missal, with Rosary preceding. All welcome. AL-ANON/ALATEEN FAMILY GROUPS If your home is unhappy because someone drinks too much, we can help you. For understanding and support to families and friends of problem drinkers. Enq: 9325 7528. SACRED HEART OF JESUS - PIONEERS Any Pioneers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus out there in society, we invite you to attend if you would like to meet other members in prayer and reflection. Enq: 9457 7771. STATUE OF MOTHER AND CHILD OR HOLY FAMILY If any parish or person has one extra to their needs, please ring Mrs Gay Morey 9091 8403 or Fr Joseph 9021 2100 or email stmarys@emerge.net.au.
November 4 2009, The Record
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CHRISTIAN SINGLES Change your life now. Join up and join in. Social activities. Drinks and games nights. Dating. Ph: 9472 8218 www.figtrees.com.au.
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CATHOLICS CORNER Retailer of Catholic products specialising in gifts, cards and apparel for baptism, communion and confirmation. Ph: 9456 1777. Shop 12, 64-66 Bannister Road, Canning Vale. Open Mon-Sat.
CHRISTIAN BASED COUNSELLING. 25 years' mental health experience, available Saturdays and evenings. Fremantle. Medicare rebate may apply. Ph: Dennis 6420 4089.
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ACROSS 7 Mother of Ishmael 8 "We remember, we , we believe." 1 0 "I will raise you up on w ings ..." 1 2 ". . . thy wil l be done on 1 3 Where the Vatican is 1 6 With 30D, early Christian c elebration 1 8 "And with you." 20 Gibson, of The Passion of the C hrist 2 1 St Angela 2 2 Trappist monk-author 25 of the Covenant 26 "You are the of the earth" (Mt 5:13) 2 7 Shroud of 28 According to the Beatitudes, they will inherit the land 29 An apostle 3 1 Most solemn Christian feast 3 4 Biblical river 3 5 Administrative arm of the Catholic Church DOWN 1 Site of first miracle 2 False god of the Old Testament 3 Intercession 4 Liturgical 5 Type of angel that Michael is 6 Father-in-law of Moses 9 Judas
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Wife of the prophet Hosea Alpha and Catholic poet, T S "0 come, 0 come Husband of Sarai White for a pope, black for no pope 16th century council Bishop's symbol Heart of Jesus 4th Evangelist See 16A First King of Israel "I fear no _ for you are at my side...." (Ps 23:4)
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BOOKS REPAIR YOUR LITURGICAL BOOKS TYDEWI BINDERY has relocated. For book repairs and appointments kindly ring our new. Ph: 9359 2731.
OTTIMO Shop 108, TRINITY ARCADE (Terrace Level) Hay St, Perth. Ph 9322 4520. Convenient city location for a good selection of Christian products/gifts. We also have handbags, fashion accessories. Opening hours Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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MUSIC Collegium Symphonic Chorus Conductor: Margaret Pride, with soloists, organist and guest singers. PEOPLE'S MESSIA H Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 2.30pm, St Thomas' Church, College Rd, Claremont. Adult S20/Conc $15, Guest Singers $50/Conc $40, Bookings: 9252 0002.
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Walking with Him Daily Mass Readings 8 532ND SUNDAY IN ORDNIARY TIME Gr 1Kings17:10-16 Widow heeds Elijah Ps 145:7-10 Praise to God Heb 9:24-28 Christ's sacrifice Mk 12:38-44 Put in all she had 9 M The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica: Wh Ezek 47:1-2.8-9.12 Water and life Ps 45:2-3.5-6.8-9 Waters give joy 1 Cor 3:9-11.16-17 God's building in 2:13-22 Zeal for your house 10 T St Leo the Great, pope, doctor of the church (M) Wh Wis 2:23-39 God has tested them Ps 33:2-3.16-19 Rescuer in distress Lk 17:7-10 Merely servants
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11 W St Martin of Tours, bishop (M) Wh Wis 6:1-11 Power is a gift Ps 81:3-4.6-7 Defend the afflicted Lk 17:11-19 Faith saved you 12 Th St Josaphat, bishop, martyr (M) RedWis 7:22-8:1 Wisdom pervades all Ps 118:89-91.130.135.175 God's word forever Lk 17:20-25 A time will come 13F Gr Wis 13:1-9 Ps 18:2-5 Lk 17:26-37 145 Gr Wis 18:14-16;19:6-9 Ps 104:2-3.36-37.42-43
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Not to be excused Work of God's hands As in Noah's day
Peaceful silence Sing God's praise I want justice
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November 4 2009, The Record
c hm45e/na5 a/we idea14/5 The'record • ookshop
Aids to Prayer
The Saint Benedict Home Protection Kit For those looking for protection from the forces of darkness and temptation, our Saint Benedict Home Protection Kit may be just what they seek. Homeowners of all denominations are invited to bring St Benedict, the Protector of Hearth and Home, into their lives, into their homes. In this exclusive Home Protection Kit, you will find everything you need to protect your home, including step-bystep instructions for its use. Individual box contains one 5" resin statue, a full colour story card, two St Benedict Medals (3/4" Dia Pewter/Enamel Medals) and a full-colour tear-off St Benedict holy card with the Prayer to St Benedict, Protector of Hearth and Home on the back. Individual Box: 3" W x 2" H x 53/8" D; RRP $23.95
Saint Jude Prayer Kit
COLUMBAN CALENDAR 2010 The Columban Calendar has been published in Australia for more than 80 years. In that time it has become something of an institution in Australian Catholic homes. The 2010 calendar continues the fine tradition of providing a practical calendar, a liturgical calendar and reproductions of inspiring works of religious art.
St Jude, Patron of Desperate Situations and Impossible Causes, trusted greatly in the power of the Cross of Christ Jesus. Through the intercession of St Jude, may you know God's peace, support, and comfort during troubled times, and His friendship always. The Saint Jude Prayer Kit display includes: One 5" resin statue, a full colour story card, a St Jude devotional medal (374" H) a St Jude pocket token (1 1/4" Dia) and a full colour tear-off St Jude holy card with the Novena to St Jude, Patron Saint of Desperate Situations and Impossible Causes, on the back. Individual Box: 3" W x 5 18" H x 2" D RRP $23.95
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Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9am - 2.30pm on (08) 9227 7080 or via bookshop@therecord.com.au 587 Newcastle St, West Perth
St Peregrine Kit contains: One 5" resin statue, a full colour story card, a St Peregrine devotional medal (3/4" H) a St Peregrine pocket token (1 114" Dia Pewter Finish) and a full colour tear-off St Peregrine holy card with the Prayer to St Peregrine. Individual Box: 3" W x 5 3/8" H x 2" Dl" H RRP $23.95
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