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Cathedral decision very close: Hickey
In this issue
A decision on the completion of St Mary's Cathedral is very close, said Archbishop Hickey last Friday March 22. A financial feasibility study and the selection of an architect to prepare drawings will be the next steps in the plan to complete St Mary's. Archbishop Barry Hickey said that he discussed the future of the Cathedral at his Consulters' meeting last Friday. The meeting dealt with a conservation plan which had been prepared for the Cathedral building committee. The report indicated that the desired objectives of better liturgical use and better visibility for the congregation could be achieved within the constraints of the Cathedral's heritage values. The meeting supported the proposal in principle and decided to appoint a finance
The Pope urges priests to re-emphasise Reconciliation's importance, while Perth priest Fr John Piumatti talks about how Reconciliation can bring healing in relationship with God - PAGES 128(13 Are you the missing person at Sunday Mass? Shei la G arcia from CNS looks at some of the reasons people drift away - PAGE ii My story: Gisela Lehovec tells how she discovered faith. . . . and the Catholic Church - PAGE 8 BOOKS: The Pill and you what you're not being told. S tephen Clune looks at a question and answer book every woman should read. G eorge Russo looks at a new book about a great WA trotter - PAGE 19
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committee to assess the feasibility of financing the plan. Architects' drawings would also be prepared so financial feasibility and a specific design could be considered simultaneously. Archbishop Hickey said that no timetable had been set, but the drawings and financial assessments would be presented to the community before any decision was made to proceed with the project. "There is no doubt that the Cathedral needs to be completed." the Archbishop said. "However, more thought is needed before we can make decisions on the final shape of the Cathedral and the means of financing it." The correct name of the Cathedral is The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but it is commonly known as St Mary's.
World's troubles inspire crucifixion painting
Betrayal: In an annual letter to the world's priests Pope John Paul II says clergy sex abusers betray the priesthood - PAGE 2o Perth Priest Fr Tim Foster turns out to be a deft hand with a brush, and at raising money to send three youth off to World Youth Day. - PAGE 14
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A new Roman Missal is delivered (in Rome) - PAGE 2.3 F r Bryan Rosling installs new stained glass windows, which also feature a feline tale, or is that tail? - PAGE 24
The present troubled state of the world is what drove Perth artist Ilya Stojanovic to paint the crucifixion of Christ, which hangs in the Midland parish presbytery. Ilya, whose work has been sold worldwide, said the painting shows Christ at his most vulnerable. He depicted Jesus, with his hands upturned to heaven, as if he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The colours in the painting also have special significance. The reds and yellows indicate the resurrection of Christ and the blues represent his mother Mary. So his message is also one of hope. Ilya said the painting not only shows the anguish of Christ at the time of crucifixion, but also his anguish at the moral decay of today's society. But Ilya's artistic expression is not only confined to painting, he is probably better known for his abstract sculptures and is also a keen poet. A short poem Triumph is an example:
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Page 2
Look! Power of darkness comes to its peak. On face of Christ puts its glory and wanted to triumph over the cross with the power of death. But forever He separates it Within the night of endless silence, bawl,' the dawn light be enormous Christ risen from the dead. - Ilya Stojanovic
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Bishop's Easter Messages
Easter is the time to renew personal friendship with Jesus Christ
aster is a time for revival of Faith in the Risen Lord Easter is the time to revive your personal friendship with Jesus Christ. Our celebration of the Resurrection, the greatest event in human history, is a reminder of the quality of the friendship we are talking about. On the Easter weekend, attendance at Mass is always much greater than during the year and it is an encouragement to all of us to know that there are many people who want to maintain that friendship even if it is a bit distant much of the time. If you are one of those, please feel welcome. God welcomes you and so does his church. And please consider reviving your friendship with Jesus on a deeper level because he has so much to offer you. He stands at the door of your heart laden with gifts, just waiting for you to let him in. The gifts he is offering include his personal involvement in your life and the wonderful insights into human nature that are contained in his teaching. These teachings are not impositions on us, but revelations about who we are, how we function and where we are going. Another of his gifts is the opportunity to associate with other friends of Jesus in the life of the Church in each and every parish, creating a commu-
Celebration of the Resurrection is the greatest event in human history
W
hen the waters of the imposing Fitzroy River, the major artery of the Kimberley, lap the expansive bridge at WiHare, the wet has truly arrived. An essential ecological cycle of life is at work in this special part of our world, as it has been for thousands of years. Before too long the riverbank sparkles afresh with hurried growth. Towering river gums, cadjeputs and leichhardt trees are nourished by the powerful surge of water and silt. Grasses and shrubs emerge triumphant after the torrent has passed. Animals, fish and bird
28 Mai ch 2002
nity which knows that no other teaching and no other power is ever going to match the one who could voluntarily accept Calvary and then rise glorious and immortal from that death. Such a one is worth listening to, and when he says that his way is easy and his burden light we should need no other encouragement to come back and listen to him and receive the food of his life in the sacraments. Certainly, the world around us has no attractive alternative. Our social and moral environment are scarred by family breakdown, loss of respect for human life, and fear-driven individualism which leads to selfishness and neglect of our responsibilities to others. The best thing you can do for yourself. your children and your grandchildren is to revive and revitalise your friendship with Jesus so that his love can flow through you into the world. Only those who hold faithfully to something stronger and greater than themselves can provide the stability and the inspiration that will gather and form the next generation into people who can rise to the challenge of goodness in this life and the next. Jesus is the answer to the riddle of humanity, and he makes the answer available through the love of those who accept his friendship. Archbishop Barry Hickey, Perth
Fitzroy flood brings miracle of new growth
populations are sustained in their humanity, in a covenant of er Faith because, to put it simply. natural environment by this spec- promise and triumph. God is with us. tacular annual event. Our human This Easter gift we celebrate His Grace nourishes, refreshes spirit also needs to be nourished, reveals God's love for the world and sustains us so that we may refreshed and sustained in the bringing meaning, purpose, sal- meet these challenges of our effort to grow and reach our ful- vation and new beginnings for all. times with hope and courage. filment. The river of grace. poured out in We rely emphatically on the For us the river of Grace began love for us by Christ, beckons us Holy Spirit, our helper and our with the Easter event. Christ's to a communion with God "- who guide.The Holy Father's exhortadeath and resurrection united calls us out of darkness into his tion to proclaim the New Evangeheaven and earth. God and own wonderful light." lisation has yet to be fully Bishop Christopher Saunders It is God's will that we are pre- appreciated by our Faith-Comsent now, in an age when so many munities. There is much work to be done things appear merely relative, particularly morals and faith con- if the Easter Faith is to shine victions. To live as a disciple of brightly in human lives throughChrist is an engaging challenge in out our world. Very many Christians have "lost today's secular and egocentric a living sense of the faith, or even society When governments proclaim no longer consider themselves laws which affect the God-given members of the Church and live sanctity of the family, when com- a life far removed from Christ and munity standards are reduced to his gospel". (Pope John Paul II). a handful of politically correct This is the time God has chosen prohibitions, when public opin- for us to live in his world. For us ion is manipulated by an there is no other. We are called by unscrupulous media, when the God, who so graciously loves us. principle of the common good is to serve his Gospel and to minisignored, when spirituality is inter- ter to his people, to proclaim his preted in terms of crystal angels message, and to live in his grace. May this Easter Faith always and stardust- in this milieu, to walk as a disciple of the Lord is flow freely in your lives...for the greater glory of God. often harrowing and difficult. But to stand against this Bishop Christopher onslaught is not impossible for The flooded Fitzroy River innundates the surrounding scrubland at the WiHare Bridge. Saunders, Broome those graced by the gift of the East-
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28 March, 2002
Bishops' Easter Messages
Compensation in SA abuse case The Catholic Church is negotiating compensation with parents of intellectually disabled children in South Australia who were sexually abused by a school employee in the late 1980s. A small group of parents contacted the SA Catholic Education Office in July last year over the failure of police to lay charges. The church has since met police and had follow-up meetings with families. Yesterday about 60 letters were sent to the parents of students who attended the school at that time, including the Parents of disabled children who had since (lied, effectively advising them their children, aged from seven to 20. may have been exposed to abuse. Parents of current students were also notified. Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson met Police Commissioner Mal Hyde but was unable to say yesterday why the man had never been charged. An internal inquiry will be held to find out why the abuses, which were reported soon after, were left unattended for so long. A new police investigation is under way and a team of special investigating officers has been appointed to pursue the case. The incidents, believed to have affected from 10 to 15 students, occurred at St Ann's Special School in the Adelaide suburb of Marion between 1986 and
Judith R sought relief from family grief
Bishop Justin Bianchini
1991.
Archbishop Wilson yesterday apologised to parents and students at the school.
Caritas aid to Africa
Caritas Australia has made a quick response to the needs of those affected by food shortages in southern Africa, with a pledge of $40,000 in immediate aid. Millions of people are being threatened by severe food shortages across southern Africa following two years of flooding and drought. People in Malawi. Zambia and Zimbabwe are affected and many have resorted to eating seeds stored for next year's harvest. Il ls feared that this will plunge them into a cycle of food shortages, as the harvest for next year will be badly affected.
Page 4
ecently I was thinking of her degree and is now looking for our Centacare here in work. C;eraldton and some of When her final results arrived our good Catholic Services in the mail, she hurried in to Cenoffered by the staff and volun- tacare to share the good news, teers at Centacare. saying "I couldn't have done this I was reflecting on the following without you". Good News story which our local To me this is one practical exampaper The Guardian had pub- plc of how Jesus, our crucified lished. and Risen Lord was The story is of a working in the life woman local of Judith. ("Judith" for the sake The Risen Jesus is of anonymity) who also evident in found herself in difthose who supportficulties after the ed and helped her. suicide of her husSome people may band. think that this is Besides living with belittling the Easter grief and the associevent of Jesus ated feelings that breaking the bonds accompany suicide of death and rising of a family member. gloriously from the she had four small tomb. children to care for Yet this is a pracon a social security benefit. tical flow on of Jesus' risen life. Judith had little support from Things like this show how our her family and her husband's Risen Lord is at work in people's family as they tried to come to lives and in the ordinary events turns with their own grief and lit- of life tle understanding of why this had The more we look, the more we happened. will see these "God moments" Judith found herself at Con- and "resurrection happenings" tacare looking for some financial each day. assistance. The more too we will see the She received some help, but connections between Jesus' more importantly she found death and resurrection, our celesomeone who would listen to her bration of it each Eucharist and without judging, who gave her our lives day by day. encouragement and support. and lb put is simply the above examwho helped her to believe in her- ple is one of millions which bears self again. out what Jesus said in John 10:10 Judith decided that she didn't "I have come so that they may want to be a "welfare recipient have life and have it to the full". statistic" and that she would A very happy Easter to all. May return to school along side her we all allow our Risen Lord to own children. become more life giving for us. She passed Yr 12 obtaining Bishop Justin Bianchini, entrance to University, completed Geraldton
A good news story in Geraldton as Centacare volunteers rally to help
Bishop Donald Sproxton's reflection - Page 6
Right to a just wage
Every worker has the right to earn a just wage. and the payment of a just wage is the employer's responsibility, according to the Australian Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (ACCER). The Catholic Weekly reports that the Commission said enforcing the principle of "a level of remuneration that allows an employee to support him or herself and their family in dignity" is the responsibility of the state. The Catholic body was making a submission to the living wage case being heard by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, which is considering a request by the ACTU for a $25 per week increase for Australia's 1.4 million workers on award wages. Rather than endorsing a specific amount, the Catholic submission addresses "the social and moral principles that need to be considered by the Full Bench. It said that "flat dollar" rather than percentage increases gave "the greatest assistance to the low paid". The Federal Government and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have rejected the ACTU submission. The ACCER is both advocate and employer representing Catholic agencies, hospitals, schools and other Catholic organisations employing around 176,000 people. The wage decision is expected to be handed down early in April.
Record II
F
rom media images, one could be forgiven for becoming depressed at the apparent growth of evil in our world. Images of September 11 still haunt us, along with the seemingly intractable Middle East conflicts, suburban violence and home invasions. The threat of weapons of mass destruction has extended beyond the nuclear and famine and war seem permanent features of news programs. Many people find evils growing also in their personal lives. Divorce continues to increase, more children experience family break-down and child abuse seems on the increase. Then there is unemployment. and the many other sources of personal stress. Examples seem to be endless. Evil seems to be spreading across our society too. Killing the unborn as a soloHon to problems is widely accepted, farming embryos for stem cell research is becoming tolerated, and legislators consider it acceptable not to defend sixteen- yearolds against older predators. It could be otherwise. Easter reminds us that God does not will evil in the world. Jesus suffered, died and rose again to conquer all evil. He does so today through all who convert to become his followers - that is, all who reject sin, and who worship, pray and strive daily to live as he taught. Easter reminds us that Jesus rose from the dead, and that His is a glorified body [Corinthians 151. It is no longer limited by time and space, or confined to this world [e.g. Luke 24 and John 20:11-291. Unlike Lazarus, whose body was not glorified when Jesus raised him from the dead, Jesus cannot die again. Belief in his presence is a requirement for sharing in the ministry of Jesus. Only by relating personally with him is it possible to play our parts in replacing evil with goodness and selfishness with love. Here-in can lie a problem. A poll of Church-goers from a variety of Christian denominations some years ago showed that many more believed in the Resurrection than in the continuing presence of Jesus. They saw Jesus as a great teacher, rather like Confucius. Buddha or Mohammed.
Jesus died and rose to save us all
The power of the Kingdom of God The Resurrection is the greatest demonstration of the power of the Kingdom of God. Jesus had demonstrated this power during his ministry when healing the sick, forgiving sins. restoring cripples, the deaf, casting out devils - and so on. It is the power that brings about God's 'new creation' [Romans 8:19; Colossians 3:10: and Peter 3:131. The prayer after the first reading in the Easter Vigil reminds us that the 'new creation' power of the Kingdom is greater even than the power God revealed in the creation of the universe. There was no evil at the first creation. The power of the Kingdom can conquer all evil and sin. No evil power is greater. People of hope Let us renew our faith in the presence and power of the Risen Lord this Easter. Let us remember that this power is infinitely greater than any evil in our lives. The power of Christ recreates. It brings good from every evil. It builds upon all our efforts to do good. This may not be obvious immediately, nor may the good appear in ways we expect. We should be people of hope, no matter what. Whatever our adversity, whatever harm we see in society, let us remember that the Risen Lord is working to turn all to good. It will break sinful habits, free us from sins. Our task is to pray, to listen, to discover and to play our part. Christ offers us his power when we are struggling against temptations, failings or weaknesses. It will strengthen us in our trails, and our sufferings, and console us in our tragedies. He will renew us if our marriages fail or our mistakes are grave. May this Easter be a feast of renewed faith and hope in the Risen Lord to all. Bishop Gerard Holohan, Bunbury
An Easter reminder that God does not will evil on the world
Bishop Gerard Holohan
28 March, 2002
ReCord
Booklet started prayer chain In December 1998, Father Johnnie Doherty CSsR, an Irish priest, produced a booklet to be used as a guide for continuous prayer for marriage and family. His vision was to spread the good news of God's plan for marriage and family life; to raise awareness of the sacrament of matrimony - the 'extraordinary in the ordinary' - and to counteract the cynicism and antifamily practices in society. In February 2001 a small group of members of the Australian Evangelisation through the Family Group (ETUFG) were invited to trial the process. Peter and Veronica Dymond Peter and Veronica Dymond mark their were part of that initial group. The reaction of the group was very wedding anniversary. positive and a decision was taken to prayers to be said in the book. This propose to the National Bishops' exercise not only asks God to Committee for Family and for Life strengthen our loved ones but also that the book be offered to parishes brings those we remember foremost as a useful tool in the establishing of in our minds. a continuous chain of prayer. Bishop Robert Healy, a former Fr Doherty's aim is to have at least member of the National Bishops' one person praying for each hour of Committee for Family and for Life is every day of the month; the type of very supportive of this initiative. praying can be very flexible. How- Bishop Justin Bianchini and Archever, the book is the tool that helps bishop Barry James Hickey have to focus on the needs of marriage encouraged their priests to consider and families. promoting it in their parishes. The book addresses five distinct A parish or an organisation would groups of people - those preparing undertake to cover one day per for marriage; married couples rang- month; one person is required to ing from newlyweds to those cele- organise a roster of pray-ers to combrating Golden Anniversaries and mit themselves to a specific hour of beyond: families, again the full spec- prayer on that day each month. trum of types of families: the fourth The first parish off the rank in \ group is those married people who is Maida Vale, where Deidre Lyra are alone, through death, separation, has filled 18 hours of one day. Palm illness, divorce: and the final group Sunday was their first day. is all the people who support marIn today's society, where marriage riage either professionally, legally or and families are exposed to so many through church movements. negative influences, this is an area The prayer itself is a rewarding that can involve all parishioners for hour's journey through the memo- the good of all families. ries of our family and close friends. rTo find out more about this initiawe remember people who have tive contact Peter and Veronica touched us, briefly remember how Dymond phone/fax 9574 2688; email they have affected our lives, then we pvdymond@avon.net.au where say a short prayer. brochures and books (53.00) are There are various suggestions of available.
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was listening to some grand and mighty music on a CD. It was a day apart from my usual occupations. The music became for me an experience of God. His Presence was like something you could touch or rather that absorbed you. God seemed to have made Himself music, glorious music, to capture my distracted gaze, to enter my washed-out emotions, to call forth the primordial yearnings of the human soul for its Maker. Violins in amazing unity were saying to me to "Come, my love, my dove, my beautiful one," and the double bass was adding that "winter is over now and the rains have
all passed away". Clarinets were suggesting that "the turtle dove was already to be heard in our land". Who was the great conductor of this orchestra that seemed of heaven and of earth? Not a musician myself, I am the more overwhelmed by the giftedness of this human talent. It reflects the harmony of the most high while its glorious timing suggests the very exact timing of God in human affairs. The rhythm and flow of the tempo with its thrilling crescendos that lead to a mighty pitch of musical excitement make one imagine he/she is looking beyond the
with Fr Anscar McPhee
hidden Godhead of the heart to the splendour of the Divine Face in the daylight of eternity. As music can so uplift one however, it can as is often the case, also disturb one. Tastes may vary according to our age and background, but God is where we find Him. The danger is to drown Him out, to become deaf to Him with the noise, deaf to the aesthetic loveliness that God uses in music to capture us. I imagined musicians in all the order and unison of a great orchestra, their instruments brilliantly responding to talented touches, to be like a soul finely tuned to a
A time to bless God for his faithfulness to us The gathering of the faithful with their priests and the Archbishop on Holy Thesday evening is always an impressive and encouraging experience. The occasion holds a promise of the Lord that is renewed for us each year. The promise is that he will be with us until the end of time in many ways but especially in the Sacraments. Priests gather on Holy Thesday for the Blessing of the Oils to be used in the Sacraments throughout the year and to renew our faith that Jesus Christ will strengthen us in our lives of mission and service. It is a significant start to the glorious time we have in Holy Week! It is a time of deep. prayerful reflection and thanksgiving. It is a time to bless God for his faithfulness and his faith in us. It is a time to exalt our God who continues to show us such love and mercy. Because we are capable of grasping only so much. Holy Week allows us to approach one aspect at a time of the mat, central mystery of God's love and mercy in the Easter event. The priesthood. the Sacraments, the Eucharist and the service in love of one another, the judgement of Mercy on Calvary and the gift of God's life in Baptismal Faith are all given to us to reflect upon and celebrate at Easter. Icannot think of a better time for us to make a retreat than during Holy Week. This is impossible for most of us. but if we approach this week with the same earnestness and openness to the Lord's spirit, if we enter these great celebrations, we will discover the great richness the Church wants us to receive and
"My prayer this Easter is that we. . . . will be strengthened by the Gifts of God, and will be renewed by the Spirit to carry the experience of our faith to our brothers and sisters, particularly those oppressed by the power of darkness and despair."
Jo
God-given touch of grace. How similar is an orchestral presentation to a life lived for God and under the baton of God-reading our music in the signs of the times as written for us by the eternal composer and watching for signals to play our part in the great drama of life. If great music can so stir the soul what will the Grand Promenade Orchestra of Paradise produce in us when finally. are joyfully trumpeted into the sight and sound of the immense concert hall of God. Let us love Him without counting the cost in the struggles of our daily cormboree of life.
Ji. US 1 fiROLIGH iVIARY 'A column of 'Marian devotion
C
he renewed in faith. My prayer this Easter is that we in the Catholic communities of Western Australia will hear again the Promise, will he strengthened by the Gifts of God, and will be renewed by the Spirit to carry the experience of our faith to our brothers and sisters, particularly those oppressed by the power of darkness and despair. St Leo the Great encouraged the Catechumens who were preparing for baptism at Easter. He preached that Jesus Christ shook the Powers of Evil when he submitted to death. Their anticipated victory over him turned to defeat when Jesus rose from death, thus destroying their power over death. Jesus broke the uninterrupted sequence of death. He turned the understanding of death from despair and senselessness to certain hope in eternal life. I pray that we will be refreshed, and given the gifts of strength and courage to be Christ to this generation. Bishop Donald Sproxton Auxiliary Bishop of Perth
ertainly she would have heard evangelists have considered them the echo of his discourses, of episodes of private value only. Cerhis miracles, and even of his tainly the heart of Mary, her thoughts, diatribes with the scribes and Phar- her preoccupations were constantly directed toward her son and his activisees. There will have been those who ities. We imagine that the Lord wanted to rejoiced with her for having such a son, and those who would have criti- present us with a great lesson in this period of the life of Mary: namely, how cised her for the same reason. It is most probable that she would we can efficaciously collaborate in the have continued to frequent the Temple apostolate even in the obscurity of an on the occasion of Passover (John ordinary life, offered with love to God. speaks of three Passovers that Jesus In the acceptance of his will each day spent in Jerusalem during his public and offering for that purpose the life, and from this information we prayers, fatigue, and suffering that life deduce that the public life of Jesus last- presents. Ills for this reason, coming down to our own ed three years): then she would have times, that we see associated as directly heard her son. She had likewise heard him on that patrons of the missions St. Francis unfortunate visit to Nazareth which Xavier, the great preacher of the Oriprovoked in Jesus that sad indictment: ent. and St Therese of Lisieux, who "No prophet is accepted in his own never set foot outside her convent. native place" (Lk 4:24). Not only that. Reflections but his beloved neighbours wanted to About Mary - Certainly it cost her kill him by hurling him down from the brow of the hill on which their town immeasurably to have been set aside. After having spent her life and her was built. Even today at Nazareth there is a lit- activity directly on the person of her tle church called St. Mary's Tremors to son, she is seen to be set apart. But she recall Mary's anxiety on that occasion. accepted with total generosity this. the The Synoptics report an exception Father's will. She understood that her which seems due more to the will of hidden life was not useless, as she his relatives than to an initiative on the awaited that great appointment which came to her in Cana when the hour of part of Mary. "One day his mother and brothers Jesus would come. With prayer and a showed up where he was, but they life lived in conformity with the teachcouldn't get near him because of the ings of her son, the model for all his crowds. So he was informed, "Your followers, she is in her own right an About us - A true mother and your brothers am stand- example for us. and intimate relationship with Jesus is ing outside and wish to see you. acquired by listening to and putting But in answer he said to them, "My his words into practice: what counts is mother and brothers are those who a life in conformity with the teachings hear the word of God and put it into of Christ. The wish to follow him is not practice" (Lk 8:19-21). enough: "Not everyone who says to me It is a brief response that has a 'Lord, Lord.' will enter the kingdom of twofold value. In the first place, Jesus heaven, but only the one who does the announces a new kind of relationship will of my Father" (Mt 7:21). with him, not based on natural bonds, When waiting in obscurity costs but on hearing his word. more than direct action, let us think In the second place, it indicates to us that what always counts most is to do the true greatness of Mary: even before the will of God. her maternity, she was great because she heard and practiced his word: she From The Gospel of is the most faithful disciple. Vatican II Mary - a month with specifically cited this text (LG 58) to THE the Mother of God by exalt the Blessed Virgin. Were there GOSPEL Fr Gabriel Amorth SSP, other encounters between Jesus and OF St Paul Publications. RRP Mary not reported in the Gospels? MARY $23.50 It is probable, but in this case the
Ecumenism boosts numbers for Christian meditation By Neil Smith An ecumenical spirit is evident in the rapid global growth of the Christian Meditation Community, a visiting Benedictine said in Perth this week. Dom Laurence Freeman OSB, who is based in London, addressed a congregation at the University of Western Australia and an assembly of clergy of all denominations at the St Cecilia's Parish centre in /lomat. Dom Laurence, the director of the World Come-mity for Christian Meditation is spre ig the Christian meditation messw re community founded by his con-
fitpt '
frere. Dom John Martin OSB in the 1960s, although the Benedictine order has been enthusiasts since John Cassian influenced St Benedict in the late fourth century. The community uses mantra and deep meditation in prayer. Dom Laurence, who tours Australia about every two years, visited Perth after first addressing meetings and assemblies in Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney. Canberra, Melbourne. Ballarat and Adelaide. He said an increased global spirituality combined with the ecumenical nature of Christian mediation had seen an unprecedented growth around the world.
- courtesy Kimberley Community Profile
Dom Laurence said on a proportional basis, Australia has the biggest national community worldwide. In Western Australia, there are 17 communities in the Perth metropolitan area and at country centres at Esperance. Broome and Mandurah. Visiting director of the World Community for Christian Meditation, Dom Laurence Freeman OSB chats during morning tea with Jan Munt of the Anglican Church at City Beach at the assembly of clergy Dom Laurence addressed at the St Cecilia's Parish centre at Floreat
Easter remains the great victory
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11j aster is the great victory that sets us free for all eternity. Calvary was the ultimate attack in which the forces of darkness sought to defeat God himself by tearing down his Son, the Christ, the one who was sent, the Son of Man, the Son of the Most High. They knew who it was they were attacking. The Gospels tell us repeatedly that when Jesus went to help people suffering from demonic possession the demons called him by name, acknowledged his power over them, and even asked favours of him. Despite this, in the blindness and anger of their chosen world of non-love, they deluded themselves that they could attack him and tear him down. And their attack was monstrous in its scale and its severity. Using humans as their instruments (as always) they assailed him in every part of his being - body and soul, human nature and divine nature. They mocked him, scorned him, spat on him, denied him his place among his own people, the Chosen People, and denied him his place in the Blessed Trinity. The charge of blasphemy was designed to shake his faith in his own existence. If he could blaspheme the Father he was not the Son. Then he was taken through the most extreme human suffering possible; it is not right to call it the most extreme suffering imaginable because we have no ref-
The Record PO Box 75, Leederville, WA 6902 Tel: (08) 9227 7080, Fax: (08) 9227 7087 cathrec@iinetnetau
erence point by which to imagine it. St Brigid of Sweden, in her prayers based on her visions of the suffering and death of Jesus said that his loss of body fluids was so total that "even the marrow of his bones dried up". Modern medical science has given us a hint of that pain as it occurs in bone marrow transplants, but it is only a fraction of a hint of what Jesus endured. Throughout the suffering, the jeers and the doubts about his identity assailed him in the desperate hope that in his human weakness he might doubt his divine person. But he did not. In everything he held fast to love, for. as St John told us in his Gospel, God is love. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." "My God, my God why have you forsaken me" - recalling to their minds Psalm 22, which so accurately foretold his death and so accurately foretold that from his death would come salvation for all the world. "Father. into your handsIcommend
Arouno .&e T
God loves us and we dare to accept his love. It is a relationship that is an unspeakable abomination to the devil, and he and his legions do their utmost to convince us that such a glorious thing could not be possible. The great victory of Easter is a perpetual reminder to us of the abundance of God's love that is so liberally available to us in all that we are and all that we do. It is something we need to remember every day of our lives so that we can put our trust in his love instead of being driven by fear. We cannot afford to forget because while Jesus has won the war, the battle rages on. Many casualties fall around us, all of them screaming that they are doing something good, such as tearing down the Church in the name of truth, committing adultery in the name of love, killing babies in the name of freedom, and denying God in the name of greatness for humanity. Each day we need to remember Jesus in the victory of Easter and the Church he gave us as the pillar and bulwark of truth so that we will not be deceived by the false goods Satan sets before us. Have a happy Easter - for the rest of your life!
my spirit." Not into the hands of the spirits of darkness, but into the hands of his loving Father, and ours. It was the moment of triumph, and at that moment the veil of the Temple was split from top to bottom - to signify that the Holy of Holies was now open to us and the dead rose from their graves and walked abroad - to signify that in the spiritual realm death had been conquered. It was a dreadful moment for the forces of darkness. What they thought would be their ultimate triumph was their greatest failure. As Jesus "descended into hell", as we say in the Apostles' Creed, as a prelude to his Resurrection they faced the awful realisation that what they hated most love - had conquered. They had lost not just the battle, but the war. Not only had hatred and attack failed, but love in even greater abundance had flooded into the world and into the lives • The opinions expressed in this editorof what they see as puny and pathetic men ial, and any other Record editorial, are not and women. They hate us because we necessarily those of the Roman Catholic were created so much less than them. but Archbishop of Perth.
Lthers lo /6e Colifor
Islander missions with a difference
because the 1984 National Conference and Gay Law Reform) Bill 2001. This Bill National Conference. The effect of this Resolution gives ALP members a con- is in direct conflict with Catholic moral was the sorry spectacle of one Catholic teaching on the nature and purpose of MP. Margaret Quirk, chairing the Minisscience vote on abortion. Similarly a National Executive resolu- sex: the unique status of marriage. terial Committee of homosexual activists tion has given ALP members a con- including the obligation of the state to that recommended the measures now science vote on euthanasia and, just in recognise and protect marriage in civil enacted in the bill. Continued page 21 ohn Moynihan's letter in The Record moved the last weeks, both the Federal and State law: the right of a child to both a mothme to reflect on Rottnest and its chaplains. ALP have acknowledged the right to a er and a father; the obligation of any eduThe Father Cox referred to was Fr Charles conscience vote for members on destruc- cational system to instruct children in virtue, not encourage or promote vice: OMI. who was parish priest of Fremantle tive embryo experimentation. t is interesting to note that Dr Philip Each of these issues deals with the the right of both the state and citizens to from 1900 to 1912. who ran on a voluntary Nitchke. discriminate justly to protect marriage He was an outstanding priest, author and killing of innocent human beings. ticket in the recent SA euthanasia The Labor Party has wisely acknowl- and the welfare of children. retreat giver. In 1912 he was appointed Vicar Catholic members of the ALP were election, received just 1.2 per cent of the Apostolic (and later bishop) of the Transvaal. edged that to force members to vote South Africa. against their conscience on a matter denied a conscience vote on this legisla- vote and was one of the first to be eliminated. Fremantle of priest parish third the He became Involving life and death would be intol- tion. This in spite of the fact that Adelaide is As the Premier. Dr Gallop said, they to become a bishop in the space of 25 years. My erable - or perhaps, more cynically, home town and as claimed by Nitchke's folthe joined. but historical records here are sparse would make it impossible for any seri- knew the rules when they The rules state that ALP members of the pro-euthanasia lobby, voluntary lowing entries in the Oblate historical Codex ous, believing Catholic to join the party may be of interest.parliament are bound to vote in accor- euthanasia is supported by 70 per cent or, indeed, to vote for it. 1902 January 21: Fr O'Reilly went to spend a dance with a majority decision of caucus of the population! conthe However, last week we saw week at Rottnest. cluding stage of the parliamentary on any matter unless given a conscience Gillian Gonzalez 1910 January 9: Governor Strickland and his debate on the Acts Amendment (Lesbian vote by caucus, the National Executive or Willetion family being at Rottnest, the Fathers at Dr Gibney's request went to the island to say Mass on Sundays (staying about two days. according to circumstances). 1935: Fr Kenny flies to Rottnest for Christmas Mass. First Oblate to fly to Rottnest. As an altar server in Fremantle, it was a regular occurrence to go across to Rottnest with the Priest for Sunday Mass. The Oblates continued this work until the advent of the then Fr O'Shea For traditional funeral arrangements. or who has done so much for the island. For the a refreshingly different approach, you can record, the island is still officially part of the Fremantle parish. count on our expertise and complete (Fr) Don Hughes, OMI Lesmurdie support. Well-appointed chapels and
JJ
No niche for Nitchke
I
Who can you turn to?
Catholics and the ALP?
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an Catholics vote for or join the ALP? In
1998 six ALP members of the WA State
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totwersion story
28 March, 2002
Rebord 111
Medal's help led to conversion Christian Funeral Company
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isela Lehovec's mother was raised Catholic and her father was an atheist. They called themselves "free thinkers" and did not instill The gift of' God any religion in their children. But looking back over her life, Lehovec, is eternal life 7Z said she "was born to be a Christian even though my parents didn't want this." Her parents, she said, "had values, but what was missing was a moral backbone." In a recent talk to her fellow parishioners at St. Patrick/St. Raphael Parish in Williamstown and in an interview with The Catholic Observer, in the U.S. newspaper of the Springfield Diocese, Lehovec talked about her childhood growing up in pre-World War II Germany and how her faith grew through war and other experiences. Born in Germany in 1924, Lehovec went to the United States in 1949. She was married in 1952 and is the mother of four and grandmother of three. A retired children's librarian, she worked for 22 years at the Bennington Free Library in Bennington. Vt. She moved to Williamstown nine years ago. Lehovec said that, although her parents did not instill in her any kind of religious faith, they placed great importance on a good education with an emphasis on reading the classics and knowledge of music. They raised their children with 302 Whatley Crocent Maylands the idea that, when they were old www.christianfuneralcompany.com.au enough, they could decide for themWA ownedanti operdtal selves if religion was something they needed. "As a child. I wish I had something," she said. "I DIOCESE OF BROOME didn't know what I was The Catholic Bishop of the Broome Diocese is seeking to appoint a missing." Confidential Personal Secretary/ Administrative Assistant As a young This position requires a person with appropriate qualification and woman duror experience in possession of the following skills: ing World War • Administration - appointments, confidential correspondence. Lehovec travel/ accommodation and reception worked as a • Demonstrated IT skills - MS Office, Photo Editor, Outlook Express & Internet • Outstanding organisational skills • High level interpersonal and communication skills
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Convert Gisela Lehovec, a retired librarian, believes an individual's faith journey can have its ups and downs. CNS photo librarian in a town on the border of then-
Czechoslovakia and Germany. "People were scared to go out. There were awful things happening," she recalled. Because it was unsafe to live alone, she moved in with a friend. One night, six drunken Russian soldiers barged into the house "looking for women." Frightened, the residents hid. "Thank goodness (the soldiers) were so drunk, they didn't find us," she said. Fearful of living under such conditions, Lehovec and her friend decided to leave. Upon their departure, her friend's aunt hung a medal of the Blessed Mother around her neck and said, "May Our Lady protect you." Lehovec said the words and the medal meant nothing to her because she did
not know who the Blessed Mother was, but she would later learn about Our Lady and develop a special devotion to her. "In retrospect, ever sinceIheard about Jesus' mother, Mary, I felt drawn to her. She ... pulled me through thick and thin. ... She was there for me." One morning a band of Russians found her group and lined them up in front of a barn. They selected her, and again it was what she called "the rape scare." They began to rip off her blouse, but when they saw the medal of the Blessed Mother, they stopped and began to pray. The medal "meant something to them," she said. "They suddenly did some Russian mumbling and left me alone." Those and other experiences led Lehovec to seek instruction in the Catholic faith from a Franciscan priest who baptised her when she was 23 at the Franciscan Monastery in Hagen, her home town in Germany. After she became Catholic. Lehovec's father told her "some people are weak and need something" like religion. Her mother, who had "mellowed." seemed to find some comfort in knowing her daughter went to church, and she asked her daughter to pray for her. She never returned to the church. "but I think she was there spiritually," Lehovec said. After moving to the United States. Lehovec experienced difficult times and became "mad at God." She stopped attending church. "A faith journey is not guaranteed to be always up, up, up." she said. "You have your down times too." In 1972 while living in Bennington. Lehovec was out walking one day when she heard the bells of St. Francis de Sales Church. She followed the sound. and "something made me go in" the church. she said. A few weeks later she visited her daughter in New jersey. They went to Mass together. and she told her daughter how much she liked to go to church. Her daughter asked her why she then didn't go daily. "Since then. I've gone every day," she said. "I wouldn't want to miss it."
Pro-life procession for Midland
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Ppg,e, 8
One per child: a field of crosses on Perth's Esplanade represents babies killed In abortions In WA each year.
Archbishop Barry Hickey will take part in the Carey SSC and the Franciscan Friars of the monthly pro-life procession in Midland on Friday Immaculate for four years. April 5 and will celebrate Mass, together with Fr People travel each month from as far away as Raphael FFI and Fr Elias Busselton and Northam to take part in them. FFI. at St Brigid's Since the founding of the Helpers of God's PreChurch, Midland at cious Infants in 1989, by Monsignor Philip Reilly 9.30am. in New York. thousands of women have chosen After Mass those par- life or come back to God after their abortions: ticipating will proceed many abortion clinics have closed and abortionC HRISTIAN in prayer to the Marie ists and staff have left the culture of death and C HANTELLE Slopes abortion clinic, returned to God. carrying a picture of The Day of the Unborn Child was proclaimed Our Lady of Guadalupe In Argentina in 1999, to be celebrated on the Feast that was brought to of the Annunciation. Perth from the shrine in Other countries have since done likewise. In Mexico City. Sydney on April 6, a rally and procession will A peaceful prayer vigil move through the city to Martin Place and then outside the clinic will to Parliament House. Vincent Filia, International conclude at 11.30am. In Perth the Pro-Life processions on Friday April hair stylist, is back. In Perth, monthly First 5 at Midland and Saturday April 8 at Belmont will PH: 9321 4224 Friday and First Satur- celebrate the sacredness of every human life and 320 Murray Street. day processions have the blessings of motherhood. All are invited to Perth WA 6000 been led by Fr Paul participate. - Helen Sawyer
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28 March, 2002
From near and far
ibicord
President's man and Mother Teresa Terrorism needs to be defined "While the Government must ensure that Australia's national security arrangements are adequate, especially in the light of last year's terrible terror attacks, it is essential that all such arrangements respect and protect human rights", said Bishop William Morris, Acting Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council today. "It is the experience of the Church that national security legislation in many countries in our region is often misused as a tool of oppression. While we do not believe this to be the intention of the Australian Government's counter terrorism legislative package, we do want to be sure that Australian national security legislation will not be open to such abuse. For example, the definition of terrorism needs to be precise, and the right to freedom of association must be preserved", he explained. "To fight terrorism effectively, we must ensure that our methods respect and protect human rights and do not fall into the logic of ends justifying means, as this Is the logic of terrorism itself. "The open and public scrutiny of important legislation is essential. We welcome the referral of the recently Introduced counter terrorism Bills to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee for proper scrutiny", he concluded.
Challenge secularisation Sydney's Archbishop George Pell says Catholics in Australia need only stay faithful to the Saviour, hold their nerve and keep talking if they are to overcome the challenge of secularisation. By adhering to the basic Christian message, secularisation and the move away from religion will be overcome. Archbishop Pell told the NSW Press Forum on Monday, reports The Catholic Leader. "While regular Sunday worship among Catholics has fallen from about 50% in 1960 to 18% today, attendance at Christmas and Easter is more than double this. "And demand for Catholic services in schools, hospitals, welfare and aged care continues to rise. "Catholicism is now an accepted part of mainstream Australia and everyone feels entitled to have an opinion on Catholic beliefs and practices." Archbishop Pell said that the larger danger for the Australian Church was not that people believe without belonging, but that they belong without believing. "Our large system of Catholic schools is a wonderful asset," he said. "But by themselves schools are often unable to Inculcate or strengthen faith when it is very weak in a family."
Stop Sunday trading The Archbishop of Hobart, the Most Rev. Adrian Doyle, opposes plans to deregulate Tasmania's shop trading hours, warning that economics and convenience should not be the only considerations. He has appealed for the special nature of Sunday to be retained and has asked that consideration be given to the impact extended trading would have on the lives of many. "In the traditions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, there has been a common feature, that of one day of the week being special and being different," he said. "The common themes have been those of a day of rest, a day of recreation and a day of worship...There still seems to be a desire in the community to see Sunday as being different, being special, and rightly so. Even if there is not, on the part of many, a desire to be part of a formal act of worship on Sunday it is still important for everyone to have a day of rest and recreation." Page 10
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ics who do not feel the same way and who think religious organisations should not be tapping into federal funds for their charitable work in the first place. He responds by saying, "This is nothing new." In other words, religious organisations have received federal dollars for decades to help in their work with the poor. He also urges critics to picture this country without any of the religious institutions that provide countless services for the poor. "Groups don't preach on the U.S. dollar," he said, noting that the president clearly believes in the First Amendment separation of church and state. A major responsibility of the office, Towey said, is not only to get legislation passed, but to educate the public and religious organisations in particular about "what is in bounds and what is out of bounds." The confusion runs both ways, he pointed out, giving the example of a shelter in North Dakota that recently was shut down temporarily because a voluntary prayer at the soup kitchen used the name of Jesus. "People would rather have their soup and sit through 30 seconds of a prayer," he said. Working through details and misunderstandings is a major part of Towey's job, but as he is quick to point out, "I was not hired to be a chaplain. I'm here to follow the law." He also knows he doesn't need to wear his faith on his sleeve. "It becomes private." he said. "when I put on my White House badge and go to work."
By Carol Zimmermann
im lbwey, newly appointed director of President Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, does not to get so caught up in his work that he forgets why he is there in the first place. That's why he starts his day by attending daily Mass at 6:30 am, before heading to his office across the street from the White House. Towey, a lifelong Catholic, said going to Mass helps him to "keep things in perspective." His uncluttered office, in an old renovated townhouse, also contains subtle faith reminders. A sketch of Mother Teresa shares a wall with a photograph of President Bush, and an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe hangs on a side wall near the U.S. flag. Wht n he was appointed to the office on February 1, succeeding John Dilulio, media Lifelong Catholic Jim Towey, director of Presireports highlighted the fact that Towey had dent Bush's Office of Faith-Based and CommuPhoto CNS dot) Holier been the legal counsel for Mother Teresa nity Initiatives. for 12 years and also had lived for one year people." Being with the poor, he said, as a full-time volunteer in her home for inspires a reaction one way or another: people with AIDS in Washington. "Either your heart grows cold or compasAnd during the White House ceremony sionate. It can't be indifferent." He knows the president places special when he was named to the position, he credited Mother Teresa for introducing importance on the Office of Faith-Based him to "this joy that comes from befriend- and Community Initiatives. "We're a tiny ing those in need and discovering their office as far as power goes," he said, but he Is confident the office is one "that the prestremendous dignity." In a March 21 interview with Catholic ident wakes up caring about." Towey also knows there are plenty of critNews Service, the head of the office that President Bush inaugurated one week after he became president spoke of Mother Teresa as a close friend and mentor, pulling out pictures from his desk of the nun holding one of his four sons and of 40 Missionaries of Charity posing with him and his wife at their wedding. Although Mother Teresa could not attend the wedding, she did call him that morning. The two crossed paths nearly 20 years ago when Towey, who was working in Washington as legislative counsel for Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., visited India on a work-related trip and thought it "would be cool" to meet Mother Teresa. That meeting led Towey to visit Sister Luke, who was running the home for the dying in Calcutta. The sister, who assumed he was there to help, handed him some cloths and antiseptic and asked him to clean a dying man with scabies. "I was too proud to say I couldn't do it." Towey said, but he acknowledges that "not the tiniest bit of me wanted to be with the Poor." That encounter and subsequent volunteer experiences with these nuns ended up Jim Towey and his wife, Mary, meet with Mother Teresa in this 1994 photo. Towey, newly appointchanging his life and showing him for the ed director of President's George W Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, confirst time that he "had the capacity to love sidered the late founder of the Missionaries of Charity a close friend and mentor.
CDF emerges from 2001 with surplus By Neil Smith The Catholic Development Fund (CDF) has survived and come through a year of difficult economic conditions that have seen some spectacular failures in other institutions, the Archbishop of Perth, Barry Hickey said. Despite the difficult year, the CDF has returned a surplus of $3.3 million. Writing in a foreword to the fund's annual report, Archbishop Hickey said it was a great source of comfort that its board members, management and staff exercised the highest degree of ethical and professional behaviour. He said: "A number of significant companies in Australia got into financial difficulties - and in some cases collapsed altogether. "In many cases this has been a result of poor management and questionable business decisions at executive level." Fund manager, Brian Parry said it had been a very successful year for the fund although it had been confronted with many difficulties. The fund had maintained its position as an active participant in providing Church infrastructure in the Perth archdiocese and the dioceses of Geraldton and Broome, and providing a safe haven for clients' investments.
Mr Parry said the CDF provides most of the poor and disadvantaged. the services of a bank, including savings The CDF in Perth is also hosting the 27th accounts, direct debit and in some cases biennial conference of the Australia and cheque accounts, and there had been an New Zealand Catholic Development Funds increasing awareness among a number of in June. Archbishop Hickey said the theme of the people in the community. together with Christ" would Archbishop Hickey said six reductions by conference the Reserve Bank of Australia in "official" set the tone of the conference which was interest rates had made 2001 a difficult a major undertaking for Perth. He also thanked the management and year. Financial markets had been volatile for staff for their pro-active approach in assisting many parishes, schools and others to much of the year. The $3.3 million surplus was pleasing in adopt more cost -effective and efficient view of all the circumstances in the year, banking arrangements to their overall benefit. Archbishop Hickey said. The CDF had fostered a sense of sharing, Almost $1 million has been set aside and added to the CDF's accumulated reserves. growing and working in partnership The broad range of Church agencies will through sponsoring a number of major use the balance of the surplus in 2002- and minor activities and events. The CDF chairman, Greg Gaunt, and Mr 2003 to meet the spiritual and welfare Parry reported that the fund's total assets needs of the community. This applies in particular to the needs of had grown by 18.5 per cent to $179,033,645, and accumulated funds increased $9,220,768, or 11.9 per cent. The surplus of $3.3 million was down 10.1 per cent on the previous record year, Archbishop Hickey paid tribute to two but still well above the previous record of retiring members of the CDF board. $2.4 million in 1999. Tony Howarth and Terry Gabbedy had They said the six, downward movements made a significant contribution over an in official interest rates - compared with extended number of years, Archbishop four upward movements in 2000 - comHickey said. pounded a difficult economic climate for fund managers.
Tribute to members
il! tre you the missing person? Record
00
8 Ma
SHEILA GARCIA, assistant director of the US bishops' Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth, looks here at some of the reasons Catholics drift away from, or choose to leave, the Church.
Catholic college students, for example, speak of having their faith challenged by secular philosophies. TV programs, music and movies present powerful messages that contradict Christian values. Nonreligious young adults may question or even ridicule the beliefs of their Catholic friends. In the face of such pressure, young Catholics without a solid grounding in faith Catholics cite various reasons for becom- may gradually abandon it. In the past we ing inactive. A painful childhood memory, have assumed that such young adults an insensitive remark or action by a church would return to active religious practice minister, a failed marriage or simple lazi- with marriage or the birth of their first ness can lead people out the door. child. Today this return is no longer certain. If we understand a person's reason for Third, some feel they have been hurt by leaving, we can more effectively extend an other Catholics — clergy, religious or laity Invitation to rejoin the faith community. - and have not been reconciled. Some hurts Divorce is a major reason Catholics run deep. Others are more superficial. One become inactive. Some people incorrectly woman resents that no Catholic minister believe that a divorced person is excom- visited her during a week-long confinemunicated, that is, no longer a church ment in a Catholic hospital. And people are member. In 1977 Pope Paul VI abolished especially vulnerable at emotional times the directive of excommunication. Pope such as weddings and funerals. They John Paul II has encouraged pastors to remember words and actions of church reach out to divorced people and to facili- ministers long after the event has passed. On the other hand, when one cohabiting tate their participation in parish life. Still, many divorced people feel uncomfortable couple anxiously approached the parish or unwelcome in their parishes. They may priest for marriage preparation, he invited struggle to find their niche, especially if them to examine and explore the reasons The missing person at Mass. Is that you? Photo: CNS/Reuters they have been known as part of a couple. they had decided to live together and what They wonder if anyone understands their they had learned from the experience. Per- homosexual sons and daughters. Many pie stop attending church because of lazihaps as a result of the way he worked with have welcomed the statement as a reason ness or the press of other activities. If we pain and loneliness. Some divorced Catholics find that the the couple, these potentially inactive for remaining in the church despite the dif- don't make faith a priority, it will fade from our "to do" list. Sleeping late or reading the ficulty of the teaching for them. annulment process brings closure and Catholics later became parish leaders. can soon replace Sunday Mass. newspaper practicing their Hurley, director of the stop Father John some people Paulist Fifth, healing and keeps them connected to the church. Divorced Catholics who remarry U.S. bishops' evangelisation office, has said faith because of guilt and remorse over One Sunday I stopped at Home Depot on without an annulment are considered by that many Catholics "drop away with the past behaviour. Instead of approaching the my way home from 10 am Mass. The the church to be in an irregular marriage. hope that someone will notice, and with sacrament of reconciliation, or seeking out church had been fairly full, but the Home Although the church says that they may not large congregations in many parishes, often a church minister's guidance, they leave Depot parking lot was packed! People leave receive Communion, they are encouraged no one does. Would you want to join a the church and carry their burden alone. the church for profound or petty reasons. to attend Mass and participate in the church that doesn't care when you fall This is often true of those who have had an Each story is unique, and each deserves someone who will listen and understand. abortion or helped others obtain one. parish. Second, some Catholics become away?" Rachel" for people leave is "Project some such as fourth reason Resources A - Catholic News Service inactive because they are poorly formed in the faith. Young adults in particular are because they disagree with church teach- women who have had an abortion can help • Sheila Garcia can be contacted at sgarChurch them to accept that God's love and mercy often ignorant of basic church teaching. ing, especially about morality. teaching about such issues as abortion, are greater than any sin. Finally, some peo- cia@nccbusccorg. homosexuality and premarital sex can be found hard by some people, especially if they do not feel it If we understand a person's reason for is presented with clarity and becoming an inactive Catholic, we can sensitivity to their situation. For more effectively extend an invitation to The catechism is 196pp and measures example, church teaching on his beautifully illustrated book rejoin the faith community. challenged has homosexuality 210mm by 148mm. introduction to the basics is an means bringing the Evangelisation gay and lesbian Catholics and of the Catholic Faith and is good news of the Gospel to someone. The first part of the book is based upon their families. Recognising the .4 Little 1.atholic Cstretskai The first requirement for reaching out addressed above all to families, but the Apostles Creed. Each article of the difficulty, a committee of the in this way is love. Love has a way of could also serve as a basic text for laity. Creed is explained in a separate chapter U.S. Catholic bishops' conferdrawing people to itself. priests and religious involved in reliand illustrated with exanples from the message, developed a ence The inactive Catholics around us gious education. The publication of Bible. The second part is devoted to the Children, Our Always include family members, neighbours, this book is a response to the 'growSacraments, the life of Jesus and an of parents the to addressed and co-workers. introducthe Lord's Prayer. The
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Page 11
recliscove
Understanding the richness of reconciliation By Father Herb Weber
T
he sacraments are so rich that there can be many moments of introduction - and reintroduction to them during a person's life. A few years ago I decided to provide a class for the parents of children who were preparing to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time. While some admitted hesitation, many parents attended my three-week course. We spent time reviewing their own experiences with this sacrament. Some recalled their own personal horror stories or latent fears. Others confessed that they had not confessed for many years. Overall, however, the parents
were rather open to the adult understanding of reconciliation. At the end of the final session, one man approached me with one of those looks of discovery saying: -I get it! This course was for us parents and not simply something we are supposed to tell our kids!" I was wondering secretly if the other parents had figured out my intent. As things turned out, I didn't have to wait long to find out. The following week we celebrated a reconciliation service for the families. Most of the parents participated In the sacrament's celebration, excited to find that they had been able to approach reconciliation in ways they had never previously expected. For many it was the beginning of a wonderful relationship with a sacrament they had
overlooked. All sacraments can be rediscovered at various stages of one's life. Unfortunately, many folks work on a "been there, done that" approach to sacramental celebrations. Almost as if they have a mental list, they check off baptism. Eucharist, confirmation, reconciliation! It is as if once that celebration has taken place, they can move on. Every so often, however, something powerful helps bring a sacramental celebration back in a powerful way. Not many years ago most Catholics had a passive relationship with the sacrament of baptism because it had taken place at a time they could not remember, namely, in their infancy. Young parents might have re-experienced baptism with a newborn child, but
it still wasn't a part of the parish's active faith life for them. Our parish started inviting parents to have their children baptised at a Sunday Mass. Many found it an attractive option. We assigned the baptisms to different liturgies so that they would not always be at the same Mass times. Soon the celebrations of baptism at Mass became focal points for bringing new members into the community. Furthermore, it became apparent that all members of the assembly were affected by the baptism taking place. After completing a baptism at Mass, I usually carry the newly baptised child up and down the church aisles, introducing the new member to the community. I try to hold the child so that he or she is
Giving God our sin
looking into the faces of those in the pews. I have witnessed grown men crying and teenagers looking - in spite of themselves - as I come by with the child. Most people smile, and some talk to the child. Often after Mass other parishioners will approach the parents of the newly baptised child and give words of encouragement and support. As in these examples of reconciliation and baptism, people start to rediscover sacraments through particular celebrations. As they become reintroduced to these moments of grace, the power of God's presence begins to transform both the individual and the community. • Father Weber is parish priest of St. Peter's Parish in Mansfield, Ohio.
By Fr John Piumatti
0
ne day Our Blessed Lord appeared to St Jerome, the great biblical scholar and doctor of the Church, and said to him, "Jerome, what will you give me?" Jerome replied, "I will give you my writings." Our Lord replied. "Jerome, that is not enough". after some thought St Jerome offered to the Lord a life of penance and mortification. Our Lord replied, "Jerome, that is still not enough." Jerome then said, "Lord what else do Ihave to give you?" Our Lord replied, -Jerome you can give me your sins!" You see, all we have or own comes directly or indirectly from God. God has given each person the possibility, the grace, and the ability to have what he or she has or does. The effort that we make is also a grace from God, for without the health and energy that He gives us we would achieve little. The only thing that we can really say that is ours is our sin and our will. Sin comes about by wilfully going against God's grace, God's commandments, and God's teachings. To feed our pride and ego, we choose to sin. for we always have a choice. As we choose to sin we can also choose to give that which is our very own, our sins, to God. After all He came to take our sins away. but He cannot do that if we do not give them to Him. This is exactly what he desires from us; our sins, our weaknesses, and our repentance. No matter who we are or what we have done, God is waiting in the Sacrament of Penance, (commonly known as the Sacrament of confession or reconciliation) for us, through the Priest to take
Fr John Piumatti
our sins away. The priest is not there to judge you, the priest is not there to condemn you, he is there to help you, to heal you, to be the instrument of God's wonderful mercy. He is there as God's instrument to clean the soul and conscience, to help form it according to the teachings of the Church and to give salutary advice when needed. All that is said in Confession is secret and can never be revealed by the priest without first receiving the penitent's permission. We must not be afraid to let Christ touch our hearts in this miraculous sacrament, where the burden and guilt of sin can be lifted after a sincere and integral confession. It can change one's life, and it does! As we wash our bodies, so too we need to wash our souls. Let us not keep God waiting, let us not drive Him away with the smell of our sin, but let us clean our soul and our heart: let us clean our interior and majestic castle where God resides. If we should sin again, let us run back to Our Loxes embrace of mercy, love and peace hearing the words from the priest, "I absolve you from your sins in the Name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
A humbling event By Jennifer Brinker
I
n light of recent reports about priests and sexual misconduct, the St Louis Archdiocese's Reconciliation Weekend to promote reception of the sacrament of reconciliation was a humbling event, said Father William McCumber. Father McCumber is director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship, which sponsored the event. It took place March 15-16 in 54 parishes across the archdiocese. The priest, one of several who heard confessions at St Martin of Tours Parish in Lemay, said he had several people approach him with questions about their faith in light of recent events. "The purpose of the sacrament is to strengthen their faith," he told the St Louis Review, the archdiocesan newspaper. "It's a call to have a deeper faith." St Louis Archbishop Justin Rigali has called Reconciliation Weekend "a special opportunity to experience God's love and to prepare for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ" at
1
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Pope John Paul ll said recently that he was encouraged by the many Catholics -- including young people — win returned to the sacrament of penance during the Holy Year. Here a priest listens to a young women's confession during World Youth Day in Rome last August Photo Nancy Wfrecheci CNS
Discovering a powerful tool for personal growth By John Norton
p
ope John Paul II urged priests to help Christians "rediscover the beauty" of the sacrament of reconciliation, which he called a powerful tool for personal and spiritual growth. Despite a decline in recourse to the sacrament, confession can meet the desire of modern men and women for personal contact in an increasingly technological world, he said. The Pope made his remarks in a letter to priests for Holy Thursday,commemorating Christ's institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood at the Last Supper. The Holy Thursday letter, the second in a row to underscore the Page 12
importance of confession, was released at a Vatican press conference March 21. The 19-page letter also briefly responded to recent allegations of clergy sexual abuse. The Pope urged priests to rediscover confession above all for themselves "as a deeply felt need and as a grace which we constantly look for, in order to restore vigour and enthusiasm to our journey of holiness and to our ministry." The Pope said that in recent decades confession had passed through "something of a crisis." But he said he had seen recent signs, especially during the jubilee year, that the sacrament can have a broad appeal, even to young peo-
ple. "when suitably presented and celebrated." "Its appeal is enhanced by the need for personal contact, something that is becoming increasingly scarce in the hectic pace of today's technological society, but which for this very reason is increasingly experienced as a vital need," he said. He said confession, "without confusing it with any of the various forms of psychological therapy, offers an extraordinarily rich response to this need.lt does so by bringing the penitent into contact with the merciful heart of God through the friendly face of a brother," he said. The Pope said priests sometimes lose heart or motivation because
"so many Christians pay too little being too hard or too easy on penattention to the sacramental life" itents. or approach the sacraments super"Severity crushes people and drificially. But every confession is an ves them away. Laxity is misleadopportunity for "the surprising ing and deceptive," he said. grace of God," he said. He asked priests not to dilute "The sacrament of reconciliation moral teaching in the confessional is one of the most effective instru- out of a "misconceived sense of ments of personal growth. Here compassion." the Good Shepherd, through the "We do not have a right to minpresence and voice of the priest, imise matters of our own accord, approaches each man and woman, even with the best of intentions. entering into a personal dialogue Our task is to be God's witnesses, which involves listening, counsel, to be spokesmen of a mercy that comfort and forgiveness." he said. saves even when it shows itself as "All who receive sacramental a judgment on man's sin," he said. absolution ought to be able to feel The Pope said priests needed the warmth of this personal atten- careful training to celebrate "this tion," he said. delicate ministry," including ongoThe Pope told priests to be care- ing study of emerging ethical ful not to fall into either extreme of issues.
Janet Bluml receives the sacrament of reconciliation as Bishop Dale Melczek listens to her confession at Holy Angels Cathedral in the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, earlier in March. As part of its observance of the Holy Year, the diocese is sponsorPhoto. CNS/ Karen Callaway/ Northwest Indiana Catholic ing 17 regional missions on reconciliation that will nn through May.
Easter. Many Catholics were given informational packets on the weekend, including a letter from the archbishop, a guide for confession and a card with the parable of the prodigal son. Reconciliation Weekend first was held during autumn of 1999 and again during Lent in 2001. The date for this year's event was set last spring. Fr McCumber said there is a strong possibility that Reconciliation Weekend will take place again next year. Final figures were not yet available on the total number of Catholics who participated in the special weekend. The Office of Worship said preliminary figures from parishes that reported a count by March 20 showed that nearly 6.000 Catholics went to confession. Father McCumber noted that one of the goals of the weekend was to reach out to Catholics who do not regularly receive the sacrament of reconciliation. "I noticed people who were away from the sacrament 10, 20 years," he said. "We just talked about God's grace in our life."
Parish times in Perth for weekly availability of the Sacrament of - Page I Reconciliation Page 13
28 March, 2002
Record
Father Tim plans a retrospective of a parting gesture from Fr Foster, who plans to retire in October, n art retrospective opens after five years at Innaloo and 40 at St Dominic's Parish. years as a priest. Innaloo on Thursday, April March-April is proving a busy 4 with funds raised to go toward time for Fr Foster, arranging his sending three young parishioners exhibition, and presiding over his to the World Youth Congress in last St Patrick's Day breakfast for Canada. the parish. The parish priest, Father Tim He celebrates his 40th anniverFoster, has painted and sculpted sary as a priest on June 28. the artworks on display in the Fr Foster said it seemed only natexhibition in the parish hall that ural for him to become a priest. remains open to the public until He was born in a small GuildApril 18. ford cottage almost in the shadow Entry is free, but donations of St Charles' seminary. toward the Youth Congress "Iwas born at home, with a midappeal will be appreciated. wife - it was the way things were Fr Foster has been a keen artist done in those days," Fr Foster said. since his boyhood days in Guild- I t looks as though society might ford - so much so, he attended a even return to those days." course at Claremont Teachers Fr Foster said he was looking forCollege to qualify as an art ward to continuing with his art in teacher and taught for many years his retirement. He said his one at Santa Maria College and what regret was that he had never had is now Chisholm College. the opportunity to submit a The retrospective exhibition fea- design for the Australian flag. tures many paintings and sculp"Forget all the political nonsense tures done by Fr Foster over many - the monarchists and the repubyears. licans. Most had to be borrowed "The flag is something that reclaimed from friends and for- should represent the whole mer neighbours who have nation - be different from any received them over the years as other and easily recognisable as gifts. something that is truly AusThe exhibition is also something tralian," he said. By Neil Smith
A
Father Tim Foster with his painting of the captain of the Santa Maria swimming team, and a bust of a neighbour.
World Youth search for answers in troubled times A
By John Tbains
t a time when terrorism, war and even church shortcomings are making headlines, young people seem to be searching even harder for a personal religious experience and hope to find it at this summer's World Youth Day celebration in Toronto, a group of young Canadian Catholics said. The Canadians, members of a planning team that met with Vatican officials in mid-March to put the final touches on the World Youth Day program, said enthusiasm for the July megagathering continues to grow. They said the ongoing pilgrimage of the World Youth Day cross throughout Canada has awakened unprecedented interest in the faith. Registrations for World Youth Day continue to pour in, apparently unaffected by terrorism apprehensions in the wake of last September's attacks in the United States. Nor has enthusiasm been dampened by the recent storm of negative publicity over cases of clerical sex abuse in the United States and elsewhere, they said in interviews with Catholic News Service. "A lot of young Christians want to come to World Youth Day just to show that there is something else that goes beyond this kind of news," said Father Serge Comeau, a New Brunswick priest who is coordinating religious instruction programs for World Youth Day. "From the United States, we have heard some young people say a .
Page 14
Young Catholics carry an icon of Christ on the cross during a rally with Pope John Paul II March 21 in St. Peter's Square. The event was a prelude to World Youth Day in Toronto this summer. Photo: CNS/Max Rossi. Catholic Press
they are coming to show another Youth Day celebration. face of Catholicism in America," Sebastien Lacroix, Canadian he said. coordinator for the World Youth Canadian Basilian Father Day cross pilgrimage, said Thomas Rosica, national director younger Catholics are looking of World Youth Day 2002, said reg- beyond past episodes of clerical istrations for the Toronto celebra- misconduct. tions had reached 130,000 from "Their interest is in the faith, 139 countries in mid-March. He which exists on many levels. We said there was no sign of a slow- are building a new church,Ithink down. We are looking forward, not backSeveral in the planning group ward," he said. said that, while the sex abuse Debra Violette, who manages cases may raise important ques- the World Youth Day Information tions about the church as an insti- Center in Toronto, agreed. tution, many young people are "Young people are somewhat more interested in the personal detached from the church as an spiritual aspects of the World Institution. They're connecting
symbol of World Youth Day, has made its way across much of Canada and to ground zero in New York In coming weeks, it will be portaged through eight more dioceses in Canada on a 43-day walking pilgrimage, before arriving in Toronto in early June. Vatican officials have been Impressed by the surge in popular piety prompted by the journey of the cross, which represents the most extensive pm-World Youth Day pilgrimage ever, organizers said. Among Canadian youths, it also has kindled an awareness that "we are the church," said Steve de Quintal, a Toronto Catholic schoolteacher who is part of the planning team. "There's a real sense of ownership (when the cross arrives.) I teach at a high school and have seen how excited the kids are, making plans to walk it through the mall and other places. The kids feel like it's theirs," he said. While in Rome, the planners met with Vatican officials to finalize the main liturgies in Toronto and to discuss the catechesis sessions that will be held during the event. They said about 450 bishops will be invited to deliver talks at 150 sites throughout Toronto July 24-
with the faith on a personal level," she said. The Canadian planners said young people know and love Pope John Paul II, seeing him less as the administrative head of the church than as a personal father figure. "We're kind of John Paul H's babies. He's the only pope we've ever known. We know he's frail and is not going to be here forev- 26. er, and this celebration is a great The social activities planned for chance to be with him," said the week include such things as Janelle Reinhart. a singer from the singing at homes for the elderly. Edmonton area who regularly Information on registration and performs the World Youth Day other aspects of World Youth Day theme song, 'Light of the World." is available online at: The 13-foot-tall wooden cross, a www.wyd2002.org.
It
Record
28 March, 2002
CONFESSION TIMES FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH
A hundred or so places where you can find Reconciliation St Benedict's, Applecross, Saturdays 5-6.30pm St Francis Xavier, Armadale, Saturday 11-12 noon St Joseph Pignatelli, Attadale, Saturday 11-12 noon St Lawrence and Mary Immaculate, First Friday 8.30-8.55am 6.307.25pm, Saturday 5-5.55 pm Blessed Mary MacKillop, Ballajura, Saturday 5-6pm St Joseph's, Bas.sendean Saturday 4-6pm and after Mass St Thomas More, Bateman Saturday 11-12 noon, 5-6pm St Columba's, Bayswater Saturday 5-5.30pm, on request Christ the King. Beaconsfield, Saturday 5.00-6.00 pm St Peter's - Bedford, Saturday 5.00-5.30 pm St Anne's, Belmont, Saturday 11.00-12.00 pm Santa Clara - Bentley, Saturday after 8.00am MASS Canning Vale Parish - By appointment Holy Name - Carlisle, Saturday 8.30-9.30 am, 5.45-6.15 pm, and by appointment St Mary's Cathedral. Perth, Saturday 12.00-1.00 pm, 5.00-6.00 pm Holy Spirit. City beach, Saturday 4.30-5.30 pm St Thomas the Apostle. Claremont, Saturday 11.00-11.45am and on request. St Andrew's, Clarkson, Saturday 5.00-5.30pm Notre Dame, Cloverdale, Saturday 5.00-5.45 pm Italy Family, Como, Saturday 5.00-5.45 pm St Mary, Star of the Sea, Conesloe, Saturday 12.00-12.30 pm Our Lady's Assumption, DianeIla, Saturday 5.45-6.15 pm Our Lady of the Rosary. Doubleview, Saturday 5.00-5.45 pm St Francis of Assisi, East Cannington, last Saturday of month. 9.00 am Immaculate Conception. East Fremantle, Saturday 11.30-12.15 pm, 6.006.45 pm. First Fridays. 5.30-6.30 pm During exposition Our Lady Help of Christians, East Victoria Park, Saturday 6.15 pm. Sunday, 7.15 am, 9.15 am St Helena's Primary School, Ellenbrook, Saturday 5.45-6.15 pm Holy 'Hinny Catholic Parish, Embleton, last Saturday of month 5 .30 Pm St Cecelia's - Floreat, Saturday 5.00-5.30 pm Basilica of St Patrick - Fremantle Saturday 9.30-10.30 am, 11.30-12.00 noon, 4.30-5.30 pm. Italian 10.00-11.00am Our Lady of Mercy - Girrawheen, Saturday 5.30-6.15 pm St Bernadette's - Glendalough. Saturday 12.00-12.30 pm Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament - Gosnells, Saturday 5.006.00pm St ANthony's - Saturday 10.00-10.30 am. 5.45-6.15 pm All Saints' - Greenwood, Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon, 5.00-6.00 pm St Mary's - Guildford, Before Mass, 9.30am & 6.30 pm Sacred Heart - Highgate. Saturday 5.00-5.45 pm Our Lady of Mt Carmel - Hilton, Saturday 8.30-9.00 am, 9.30-10.00 am St Dominic's - Innaloo, 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after all masses. St Denis - Joondana, Saturday 10.30-11.00 am Holy Family - Kalamunda. Wednesday after 7.30 pm Mass. Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon. Our Lady of Good Counsel - Karrinyup, Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon, 5.00-5.45 pm Good Shepherd - Kelmscott, Saturday 5.00-6.00 pm St Vincent's - Kwinana. Saturday 11.00-11.30 am, 5.45-6.15 pm, weekdays before morning Mass, on request. St Mary's - Leeclerville, Saturday 12.00-12.30 pm Our Lady of Lourdes - Lesmurdie, Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon, on request. Good Shepherd - Lockridge, Saturday 5.00-6.00 St Jude's- Lynwood, Monday0- Friday, 8.00-8.30 am, Saturday 11.0012.00 noon. 5.30-8.00 pm Holy Family - Maddington, Saturday 8.45-9.15 am. 5.30-6.15 pm St Francis of Assisi - Maida Vale., Saturday 10.00-10.30 am St Pius X - Manning, Saturday 11.30-12.00 noon, 6.00-6.20 pm Queen of Martyrs - Maylands, 5.30-6.00 pm and as advertised. Corpus Christi - Melville, Saturday 10.00-11.00 am St Brigid's- Midland, Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon, 5.00-6.00 pm St Gerard MajeIla - Mirrabooka, Saturday 11.30-12.30 pm 5.30 pm Infant Jesus - Morley, Saturday 10.00-11.00 am 5.00-6.00 pm Corpus Christi - Mosman Park. Saturday 5.00-5.30 pm St Paul's - Mt Lawley, Saturday 5.00-5.50 pm Holy Rosary - Nedlands, Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon 5.00-5.45 pm Our Lady of Lourdes - Nollamara. Saturday 5.00 pm OR BY APP Our Lady of Grace - North Beach, Saturday 5.00-5.15 pm Redemptorist Monastery - North Perth, Thesday-Friday 10.00-11.00 am. 4.00-4.30 pm, Saturday 10.00-12.00 noon, 4.00-4.30 pm. 5.15-6.00 pm St Simon Peter - Ocean Reef. Saturday after 8.30am Mass, after 5.30 pm, Tuesday & Friday 6.30 pm St Kieran's - Osborne Park, Saturday after 8.00am Mass, Saturday 5.306.00 pm Our Lady of Fatima - Palmyra, Saturday 11.30-12.00 noon, 5.45-6.15 pm St Joseph's - Queens Park, Saturday 4.45-5.25 pm St Maria Gorretti's - Redcliffe, Saturday 5.30-6.15 pm Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Riverton, Saturday 4.30-5.30 pm St Augustine's - Rivervale, Saturday 5.30-6.00 pm Immaculate Heart of Mary - Scarborough. Saturday 11.30 am St Aloysius, Saturday 5.00 pm St Columba's - South Perth, Saturday 11.30-12.15 pm St Joseph's - Subiaco, Saturday 4.30 pm Thornlie Parish Si Joachim's - Victoria Park, Saturday 5.00-6.00 pm Si Anthony of Padua - Wanneroo. Saturday 10.00-10.30 am 730-8.00 pm Our Lady of Victories - Wembley, Saturday 8.30-9.00 am St Brigid's - West Perth, Saturday 5.30-6.15 pm Our Lady of the Mission - Whitford, Saturday 12.00-1.00pm 5.00-6.00 pm Our Lady Queen of Peace - Willagee Saturday 10.00-10.30 am Saints John and Paul - Willetton, Saturday 11.00-12.00 noon Our Lady of Perpetual Help - Wilson, Saturday after 700pm Mass St Luke's - Woodvale. Saturday 5.00-5.30 pm or by appointment.
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The staff at The Record wishes you a happy and joyful Easter! Page 15
28 March, 2002
International News
Reheemi
Terrorist attack shakes Commission Pakistani religious meets BRIGHTON, Mass. (CNS) Boston Cardinal Bernard Law's 15-member Commission for the Protection of Children met for the first time on March 16 to select its chair and develop a charter for its work in coming months. Chairwoman Maureen Bateman, general counsel for State Street Corp.. told reporters in a press conference following the group's meeting that they "have every confidence" the cardinal "will approve of everything" in the report the body will put together. The commission created a fourpoint charter during the meeting that Bateman described as "forward looking rather than past assessing." The cardinal established the "blue-ribbon" commission (luring a January 24 press conference as one response to a growing clergy sex abuse scandal. It is charged with critiquing archdiocesan policies and advising the cardinal on future handling of sex abuse allegations.
Lefebvre hope VA11CAN CITY (CNS) - Discussions with the main group of followers of the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre are continuing, but their reconciliation with the Vatican is likely to be a long process, said Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez. The cardinal is a member of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei." established by Pope John Paul II in 1988 to foster communion with sympathisers of Archbishop Lefebvre after he was excommunicated for ordaining bishops against the Vatican's wishes. One of those ordained. Bishop Bernard Fellay, leads the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X. the main group of followers considered not in full communion with the Catholic Church. A smaller group, the Brazil-based Priestly Association of St. John Vianney, returned full to communion with the church in late January.
Haiti crisis
FORT-LIBERTE, Haiti (CNS) - Haitian church officials have called on government leaders to solve a political crisis that is crippling the troubled island nation and holding up some $500 million in foreign aid. Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, papal nuncio to Haiti. said new Prime Minister Won Neptune should reopen negotiations between polarised sectors of the government and the opposition Democratic Convergence coalition. Both sectors' failure to find a solution to a flawed vote count in the May 2000 legislative elections is holding up more than $500 million in foreign aid to Haiti. "The country needs people who are open to a compromise solution in order to unblock this situation," Archbishop Bonazzi said following a March 18 Mass in Fort-Liberte's cathedral. Page 16
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNS) A Pakistani Catholic official said the attack that killed five Protestant churchgoers in Islamabad is a message from terrorists that "they are alive," despite government security measures to curb anti-Christian violence. "The terrorists have told the government and us all that they are very much alive and can attack anywhere and at any time," said Father Emmanuel Yousaf, director of the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace. The priest added that, "if they can attack in Islamabad, no place is safe," reported 11CA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. On March 17, an unidentified man tossed grenades into the International Protestant Church in Islamabad's diplomatic enclave, where a multinational congregation of about 150 Christians was at a morning worship service. Five people were killed and 70 were injured. "This is another sad incident. After the Bahawalpur church massacre, we were getting relaxed that things were improving. Now, just before we enter Holy Week, this attack has come in a place where the security is at its highest." Father Yousaf said. Last October, gunmen killed 15 Protestants during a prayer service in a Catholic church in Bahawalpur in central Pakistan. Afterward, the government provided full security for all churches and chapels throughout the country: many feared Christmas
attacks in retaliation for the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan. The International Protestant Church is situated between the Canadian and the U.S. embassies, with police quarters barely 550 yards away. Stewart Georgia, an American and senior church committee member, said, "Our own guard should have been there but wasn't, and the government claims that they had a guard, but he, too, was not there, it seems." The media reported that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf removed the capital's two seniormost police officers after the attack, in which an Afghan, a Pakistani. an American woman and her daughter, and an unidentified person were killed. Other reports said Musharraf was dismayed at the security lapse that allowed a man with grenades to walk into a church where foreign diplomats and aid workers were worshipping. The government has appointed two official committees to investigate the bomb incident. Henna Julia. a Pakistani Christian, said she was preparing breakfast in her home opposite the church when she heard a blast. "I thought that a stove had burst. Then came another blast, and then a third. By the time I went out to see, I saw a (car) speeding off," she said. Bishop Anthony Lobo of Islamabad-Rawalpindi rushed to the site upon hearing news of the attack He later visited hospitals to pray with those injured.
A Pakistani police officer stands in front of a Protestant church in Islamabad that was the site a day earlier of a grenade attack that killed five people.
Seminarians still committed broke off into small discussion groups. By John Norton "There were varying reactions," said DeaROME (CNS) - Recent revelations of sexu- con Dennis Yumchko. 31, from the Diocese al abuse by clergy have shaken tJ.S. dioce- of Pittsburgh. san seminarians studying in Rome, "Some people, in a certain sense - not that prompting special prayer services, house they're happy - felt a kind of sense of relief meetings and a heightened emphasis on that the topic has hit the media and that priestly commitment, the seminary rector maybe we'll finally start addressing some of said. the problems that need to be addressed," he Msgr. Kevin McCoy. head of the North said. American College. the U.S. bishops' semi"From a dark and evil source, something nary in Rome, compared the seriousness of positive may still shine through," he said. the scandals' impact to the Sept. 11 terrorist Those areas that need addressing include attacks because it was "another event that the selection and formation of candidates has changed the world in which we will for the priesthood and the handling of sexminister." ual abuse cases once they happen - not, as Several seminarians told Catholic News some recently have suggested, the celibacy Service on March 21 that students at the col- requirement for priests. Deacon Yumchko lege, especially those from dioceses affected said. by the reports, felt anger, disbelief and a "1 work with a group of college students sense of loss. But the overwhelming reaction from the United States as my apostolic was a deepened commitment to priestly work," he said, "and some of the kids were holiness, they said. speculating whether this wasn't cause and "This has intensified my desire to go home effect, where celibacy leads to some sort of and serve the people of God and to basical- deviation." ly re-enkindle in them the trust that they He said he told the undergraduates that all need to have in their ministers," said Dea- Christians were called to chastity, and that con Mark Reeves, 46, from the Archdiocese celibacy was just the decision to live chasteof Miami. ly in the unmarried state. The real issue is "I actually look forward to the challenge," chastity, he said. he said. "Learning what your sexuality is. how it Among prayer initiatives, the college's 160 operates within you, and integrating that seminarians dedicated a recent Holy Hour into your full formation: That is really more to the victims and perpetrators of the abuse, the issue than any of the others that are as well as to church leaders. Msgr. McCoy being discussed," he said. said he also expected the scandal to be Deacon Reeves, who is to be ordained a raised directly in a series of house talks dur- priest In May, said priests could not allow ing Holy Week, and he has posted a note on the scandals to paralyse their pastoral activthe seminary's main bulletin board remind- ity and contact with lay people. ing students to keep the situation in their He said a priest has to be present and availdaily prayers. able to the people in his parish, someone On March 19 Msgr. McCoy convened a who "Invites himself to be inserted into their special evening meeting in the college's lives and their families. In interacting with chapel with students and staff to address the people, one has to be prudent. I don't think abuse reports. Afterward, the seminarians a reaction of fear is appropriate," he said.
Assassination a big concern WEST PALM BEACH. Fla. (CNS) - Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said he attended the funeral of a slain Colombian archbishop to show the solidarity of the U.S. church. The March 16 assassination of Archbishop Isaias Duarte Cancino of Cali, Colombia. has caused serious concern within the church and in the entire society of the South American country, Bishop Wenski said in an interview with The Florida Catholic diocesan newspaper upon his return. It was important to show the solidarity of the U.S. church by having a representative of the U.S. hierarchy present at the funeral, he said. Church officials from other countries, including Germany, Ecuador and Venezuela were present, the bishop said. Bishop Wenski is chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Migration and had been in Colombia in February to attend a meeting with Latin American church officials and to visit people displaced by Colombia's civil war. He returned for the March 19 funeral in Cali. Archbishop Duarte was killed by gunmen after celebrating a wedding in a poor neighbourhood of Cali. He was the highest-ranking Colombian church official killed during the 40-year civil war. The Archbishop was a supporter of talks to end the fighting and a critic of guerrilla groups, paramilitary organisations and drug traffickers. Prior to his assassination, he had said that drug money was financing some political campaigns. The slaying "has caused a lot of soul-searching in Colombia, a very Catholic country where the clergy is highly esteemed and the church still has high credibility," said Bishop Wenski. "To attack a bishop in that way causes everyone to be frightened," he said.
Record
International News
28 March, 2002
God inspires Church creations By Kate Blain ALBAN1, N.Y. (CNS) - Building an altar is a far cry from making a dining room table. Just ask the staff of Icarus Furniture in Troy, which specialises in furniture for sacred spaces. "It's not just a supper, it's the Lord's Supper," co-founder Jim Lewis told The Evangelist, newspaper of the Albany Diocese. "The pieces have to be so overstated compared to home furnishings. The first altar we did, the top was 8 inches thick; today, I'd make it even bigger." Icarus Furniture's work can be found in a host of churches and Catholic institutions in the Albany Diocese, from the Hubbard Interfaith Chapel at the College of St. Rose in Albany to Corpus Christi Parish in Round Lake. But back in the early 1970s, when Lewis worked at a small furniture store in Troy. he spent most of his time making waterbeds for students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Those years taught him to design and build furniture; and in 1977, he and Marianne Briggs founded Icarus Furniture, initially making everything from bookcases to coffee tables. Eventually. "ceremonial furnishings" became the business' specialty. "I've always wanted to do a lot of different things," Lewis said. "One of the first pieces we had done was a pulpit for the Berith Shalom Synagogue. Hiked doing that; there was something a little bit contemplative about it." When it comes to furnishings like pulpits and altars, he noted, "you just can't knock 'ern out." He and fellow designer Christopher Lohr found that building furniture for sacred spaces gave their work a greater purpose. "I wanted to do pieces that would make more of a difference to our society than household furniture usually does and have more artistic expression to them." said Lewis. Lewis was raised an Episcopalian, and Lohr is a Catholic. The
Jim Lewis, co-founder of Icarus Furniture of Troy, N.Y., carves a piece of wood for an attar. The company founder feels that building furniture for sacred Pno CNS. David actorciTne Evangeits; spaces gives his work a greater purpose.
heads of Icarus, along with four The Evangelist. Father Vosko reccabinetmakers who work with ommended the store to parishes, them - and a host of silversmiths, and parishes told their peers who coppersmiths, glassblowers and were looking for furnishings. other craftspeople who pitch in - Today, Icarus Furniture builds bring an ecumenical flavour to items for institutions all over the country. their work. When Icarus Furniture contracts "We try to make pieces people of any affiliation can see in their with a parish or organisation to build a piece of furniture, the setting," Lewis said. Through their work, the design- designers go to the building to ers met Father Richard Vosko. a take photos. If it is newly priest of the Albany Diocese who designed, they ask to see archiis internationally known as a tectural plans. They also look at church buldesigner and consultant for worletins, newsletters, existing art ship environments. "He gave us a leg up," Briggs told and icons - even the priest's vest-
ments - and speak to parishioners about their church's approach to spirituality. Some parishes are passionate about an ethnic heritage, for example; others have a focus on evangelism or social justice. "We take all this input and let it percolate for a while," said Lewis. Then the designers come up with several ideas and show them to their clients. Building a piece of furniture can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months; an altar, for instance, takes eight to 20 weeks to complete. The designers use a variety of
materials, particularly light woods, "because things show up better. We use a lot of curly maple: it shimmers in the light." Lewis also likes to use hammered steel and copper in his furniture. Even with a packed schedule, Lewis said it is easy to remain passionate about his work. "When you get distracted, focus again on the simple part of it." he said. "Sometimes, it's the way a chisel cuts through wood, ... the way the light breaks over a carved surface, ... watching people light up when they see (a completed piece) for the first time."
Catholics urged to declare beliefs Feast of the Annunciation used for pro-life prayer
"Nobody is allowed to impose amounts" of official funding availBy Jonathan luxmoore on someone else a statement that able to church institutions. OXFORD, England (CNS) - A doesn't accord with that person's "It's hard to say whether we WASHING-11)N (CNS) - More Romanian bishop has urged own convictions or the heritage could argue for more government Catholics to declare their reli- passed on between generations. aid if the census confirmed an than 50 national Catholic leaders gious identities clearly in the Convictions aren't created or increase in our church's mem- have signed a statement co-writnational census, in an effort to nourished by temporary interests bership," the spokesman, who ten by three major pro-life aposhelp determine government atti- - they belong to a person's soul, declined to be named, told tolates to draw special attention to the pro-life dimensions of the tudes toward the country's Chris- language and faith," he said. Catholic News Service. feast of the Annunciation. tians. In a December message. Arch"However, the main priority is to Priests for Life, Human Life "This census has great imporcorrect and International and the Missionary tance for our country, and partic- bishop Gheorghe Gutiu of Cluj- ensure the results are Catholic Gherla urged church members to no attempt is made to doctor Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the ularly drafted the statement regarding Bishop Petru ensure "Eastern Catholic" was them," he said. community," included among recognised reliThe spokesman for the Roman- the feast, to be celebrated on April Gherghel of Iasi told Catholics. "We hope it will be a welcome gious affiliations and told them to ian Orthodox Patriarchate in 8. Usually it is observed on March occasion for clarifying and affirm- refuse to sign the census form if Bucharest, Father Costel Stoica, 25, but this year that date falls in told CNS that Orthodox leaders Holy Week ing the rights of all Romanian cit- alterations had been made. "Eastern Catholics are strongly also were "keenly awaiting" the "As Catholic leaders at a time izens, as well as for strengthening cohesion in the bosom of our advised not to let themselves be census data and would ensure when our society is beset with the persuaded to change their decla- Orthodox priests encouraged evil of abortion, and when the Catholic communities," he said. The March census in the pre- rations by so-called 'national parishioners to record their human embryo is treated as a mere object for scientific dominantly Orthodox country arguments' - that Romanian church membership. A 1992 census revealed that research, we believe that the celIncluded questions about citizens' means Orthodox, or Catholic Hungarian," Archbishop Gutiu Eastern Catholics, who combine ebration of the feast of the Annunreligious and ethnic identities. said. "It's known the Romanian the Eastern liturgy with loyalty to ciation is more important than Catholics The bishop said should "pay great attention" to the state supports denominations Rome, comprise about 1 percent ever," the statement said. "By celebrating this feast with census and complete it "openly according to their number of of Romania's population of 23 and courageously," while also believers. Those who consider million, while the Latin-rite special solemnity. and by spendresisting pressure to ignore or themselves sons of this church Catholic Church comprised about ing more time meditating on its should firmly declare themselves 5 percent. doctrinal and spiritual lessons. alter their church loyalty. However, Eastern Catholics the faithful can be even more "All people are free to call them- Eastern Catholics," he said. A spokesman for the Archdio- claimed the figures, compiled two solidly rooted in their pro-life conselves as they wish and have their choices respected," said the bish- cese of Fagaras and Alba Iulia said years after the collapse of com- victions, and spurred on to effecop. whose letter was published in the census results would "natu- munist rule, failed to reflect the tive action in defence of life," it Romania's independent Religious rally influence" government atti- country's genuine religious com- added. "We pray," the statement conLife bulletin. tudes, as well as the "small position.
cluded, "that the pastors of this church will lead their congregations in special pro-life observances on this solemnity each year." Leading the list of signers were Father Frank Pavone, co-founder and senior adviser of Priests for Life; Father Tom Euteneuer, president of Human Life International; and Dan Lynch, director of Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Among the other signers were the heads of the American Life League, the Solidarity Institute, the Catholic Leadership Institute, the National Black Catholic Apostolate for Life, the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, the Catholic Medical Association, the Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy. the Human Family Foundation and the Family Life Centre International. The statement and list of signers are available online at: www. priestsforlife.org/news/annunciation.htm." ,74:.kage- t 7
28 March 2002
Asian Catholic News
Record 111
Refugees get Church loan PALEMBANG, Indonesia (UCAN) -- A diocese in western Indonesia has provided land, housing and loans to help refugees from Aceh, Maluku and East Timor become self-reliant. Palembang diocese, 430 kilometres northwest of Jakarta, has assisted in the resettlement of 92 refugee families, Father Bonifasius Djuana, the diocese's social committee head, told UCA News March 1. The resettlement area in Pematang Jaya village, south of Palembang in South Sumatra province, could accommodate 350 families, he said. 'We offer each family a four-by-six-metre house with plaited bamboo walls and a roof of palm leaves or coarse grass, built on a 2,500-square-meter plot of land, and another two-hectares of land for farming,' Father Djuana said. For the first six months, he said, the committee provides 15 kilos of rice for each person and 100,000 rupiah (US$10) for each family every month. As short-term assistance, the priest said, the diocese offers each family a loan of
300,000 rupiah as capital for them to cultivate their land and to grow corn, sweet potato and peanuts. The loan with 2.5 percent interest is expected to be returned after four months, following their first harvest. For long-term help, the diocese offers a five-year program to help them cultivate commercial crops, such as coffee, pepper and rubber trees. The committee provides the seeds and fertilisers. When the plants begin to bear fruit, for five years, the farmers should give the committee 20 percent of the crop. After five years, all belong to the farmers,' the priest said. Out of the 92 families of refugees, about 60 percent are Christians from Maluku. Those from Aceh are mainly Javanese and Muslims. East Timor refugees are generally Catholic. They have resettled in the area in the last two years. According to Father Djuana, the resettlement of the refugees in South Sumatra was
Koreans worried new work-week will empty Church pews
spearheaded by the diocesan social committee, in cooperation with Sugiyopranoto Sosial Foundation based in Semarang, Central Java, and the social committee of Medan archdiocese. Most of the refugees were given temporary shelter by the foundation before they were moved to the resettlement area in South Sumatra. Father Djuana said that some Javanese migrants from Aceh and Maluku returned to their home villages in Java, but found themselves alienated since they no longer have relatives or friends there after having been away from the villages for more than 15 years. They then asked the foundation for help to relocate them to another place, the priest added. He also said that the latest nine families to be relocated to the South Sumatra village arrived last February 25. They were migrants from Java who were forced to leave Aceh by the Free Aceh Movement (GAM, Indonesian acronym). A refugee said Javanese migrants were
forced to leave Aceh because they were suspected by GAM members of serving as spies for the Indonesian military and government. 'The GAM people said, We want freedom. The land of Aceh is only for Acehnese. So get out or you will be killed,Martodiarjo, a Javanese migrant, said repeating CAM's threat on March 1. Martodiarjo, who came from the Bojolali district of Central Java, migrated to Aceh about 20 years ago. Javanese migrants were forced to leave Aceh since Indonesian troops who fought GAM members are Javanese, and they reportedly 'brutalised' Acehnese. Maluku refugees have sought refuge in South Sumatra since 2000 following Christian-Muslim clashes in the area that erupted in 1999. The refugees from East Timor were part of thousands of East Timorese who fled their land when pro-Indonesian militia rampaged after a U.N.-sponsored referendum in 1999 showed the people's overwhelming support for independence.
The Way of The Cross
SEOUL (UCAN) — The Catholic at the lay-run Woori Theology Church in Korea has discussed Institute, told UCA News on pastoral measures to counter a March 14 about the reactions of possible decrease in churchgoers various religious groups to the on Sunday once the government planned change in the workenforces its five-day work-week week. Catholics in Bethlehem mark the Way of the Cross, stopping to pray where someone was injured or killed or someplan. He said the Christian Council of thing destroyed in recent incursions. The procession began at the ruins of a Palestinian police station, seen in From July onward, the legal Korea, a conservative Protestant back. Holy Week began following the most deadly violence in the Middle East this year. CNS Reuters working hours in South Korea will group, has opposed the plan, saybe reduced to 40 hours per week ing the Book of Genesis says that from the present 44 hours, ending God worked for six days. But the for many half-day work on Satur- real reason for its opposition is day. that it is worried about a decrease 'With the new work-week sys- In churchgoers, he added. tem, the number of churchgoers On the other hand, Buddhists JOGJAKARTA, Indonesia that the gathering was a realisa- lowed led by IZEFA president on Sunday will be reduced,' said generally welcome the new work (UCAN) -- Some 160 Javanese tion of the friendship between Noritake Shunan Hoshi, who Father John Kim Jong-su, secre- system because it is expected that from various religions and 30 rep- Kyoto and Jogjakarta, both of reminded participants to live on tary general of the Catholic Bish- more people would visit Buddhist resentatives of a Zen Buddhist which have been 'twin cities' the basis of their respective ops' Conference of Korea. temples located in remote moun- association from Japan recently since 1985. beliefs. 'If we live that way, peace He explained that some tain areas, Lee said. gathered in Indonesia for a joint 'These activities give us a will be realised. Peace in our Catholics may opt to travel on the For the Catholic Church, Lee prayer for peace. chance to send a message of place is a contribution to the extended weekend, something said, no clear stand has been The March 3 meeting at the Jog- peace to the entire world. It means world's peace,' he said. they could not do with the pre- expressed on the matter, even jakarta royal palace, 405 kilome- that the friendship between the Responding to a question from sent one-and-a-half day weekend. though it is worried that the plan tres southeast of Jakarta, was two cities has broadened to reach a participant about the relationThe conference, during its could influence Catholics' faith attended by local Buddhists, an international scale,' he added. ship between religious life in March 3-7 biannual plenary life. Catholics, Hindus. Muslims, In his address, Aramaic' Japan and the country's governmeeting, discussed various pasThe Catholic Church does not Protestants and visiting members reminded the participants about ment, he explained that religion toral measures for the introduc- want to be seen as opposing an of the International Zen Exchange the importance of prayer and dia- and government are separate in tion of the new work-week improvement in the people's Friendship Association (IZEFA) of logue in today's world which he Japan. system. working situation and family life, Japan. said is haunted by terrorism. 'The two institutions walk The move was in anticipation of he explained. Father Ignatius Jayasewa. 'The September 11 terror attack together on their own path, and the full implementation of the The government plans to imple- Semarang archdiocese's episco- in the United States, as well as obey their own rules, and enjoy a new work-week plan which is ment the five-day work-week sys- pal vicar, represented the Catholic acts of violence in other parts of good relationship,' he added. expected to influence Catholics' tem on a trial basis, initially for Church at the event. the world, remind us of the imporAccording to the Zen associareligious life, Father Kim said. 'So administrative agencies as early Reverend Humphrey S. Karyo- tance of keeping the world's tion president, although religions it's high time for the Church to as April.' Under a tentative plan, dimejo of the Protestant Church, peace. The struggle to achieve it in Japan do not have formal relaprepare pastoral measures public servants, except the police, Haji Mohammad Toha Abdurrah- must be done continuously,' he tions with the government, they against a possible decrease in firefighters and prison wardens, man, chairman of the Indonesian said. are represented by associations churchgoers,' he told UCA News will take one Saturday off each Ulemas Council, Buddhist monk The interreligious event started that make contact with the govon March 13. month. Venerable Abbipanya and Hindu with a prayer in Arabic by a Mus- ernment through special meetSeveral surveys have showed According to a 1999 survey by leader I Wayan Suweta, also lim representative, followed by ings. He also explained that the t hat about 40 percent of local the United Nations' International attended. individual prayers by the separation of religion and state Catholics regularly attend Sunday Labour Organisation (ILO), South Governor Aramaki Tetichi of Catholic, Protestant. Hindu and prevents the possibility of the Mass. Koreans worked 50 hours per Japan's Kyoto prefecture, who Buddhist representatives. 'politicisation' of religion by govPeter Lee Eun-seok, researcher week. accompanied the Zen group, said A dialogue session then fol- ernment.
Interreligious prayer for peace
Page 18
Record
Books to read
28 March, 2002
The beginning of the death culture Contraception: the Hidden Truth, by Christine de Stoop RRP $13.50. Published by the author and available by telephoning (02) 9651 4114 Reviewed by Stephen Clune
CONTRACEPTION •.1 .
F;:i. pf,;;;11:1111 ;•
A
with Tony Evans
W
ords of wisdom and spiritual insight are not confined solely to Catholic writers of the past. As that great nineteenth century convert peer, Lord Acton (he of the famous saying 'all power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely') also wrote 'right is not always on one side, that good men are often wrong. and that wicked men sometimes accomplish what is necessary'. This is by way of Introducing our first non-Catholic writer in this series, C.S.Lewis. lie was so nearly a Catholic In his theological writings that it is a surprise to many readers that he (unlike Chesterton who Influenced him) did not finally convert to Rome as Chesterton did. Both Chesterton and C.S. Lewis wrote insightful reli,.zious works when both were ( artside the Church - Lewis a devout Anglo-Catholic. All the writings of C.S. Lewis (ire still popular and revered Including his books for children. the Narnia series, an allegory on the redemptive power of Christ, and soon to be released in a film. Ihave chosen a little passage for Easter Day from his little book entitled, simply. Miracles.
Miracles The next point to notice is that the Resurrection was not regarded simply or chiefly as evidence for the immortality of the soul. It is, of course, often so regarded today:Ihave heard a man maintain that "the importance of the Resurrection is that it proves survival." Such a view cannot at any point be reconciled with the language of the New Testament. On such a view Christ would simply have done what all men do when they die: the only novelty would have been that in His case we were allowed to see it happening. But there is not in Scripture the faintest suggestion that the Resurrection was new evidence for something that has in fact been always happening. The New lbstament writers speak as if Christ's achievement in rising from the dead was the first event of its kind in the whole history of the universe. He is the "first fruits", and "pioneer of life." He has forced open a door which has been locked since the death of the first man, He has met, fought, and beaten the King of Death. Everything is different because he has done so. This is the beginning of the New Creation: "a new chapter in cosmic history has opened."
book on contraception written by Catholics for Catholics should be an easy book to review. One should be entitled to assume that that the intended audience would be unified in its understanding and acceptance of church teaching on contraception, making the aims and objectives of the book readily apparent. Not so. One can only write from one's own perspective and mine accepts Church teaching on contraception. Whilst I appreciate that many Catholics don't, I have never really understood why so many are people so determined to resist (or perhaps ignore) the Church's teaching. Hence the difficulty in critiquing de Stoop' book. With so many variables it is hard to assess what she should have said and what she should have omitted. But enough excuses. Presented in a question and answer format the book begins with a brief explanation of the Natural Law, upon which the Church's teaching on contraception is based. From there the book develops an argument against contraception. presenting the reader with what the contraception mentality has done to society, especially since the introduction of the oral contraceptive. De Stoop links the rise in divorce and de-facto rates with the underlying principle of contraception, which is that our bodies are our own. Such feel-good notions aren't that comforting when presented with figures showing that living in a defacto relationship increases the risk of child abuse by 600 per cent. There is a brief explanation of the different methods of contraception as well as a comparison between the rhythm method and NFP. Statistics are given on the risks associated with contraception (and there are plenty), as well as their failure rates. Not surprisingly the figures for NFP compare more than favourably with just about all methods of contraception. This is an
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important point: NFP does not mean that couples lose control over their lives. To the contrary, it places them in total control by allowing them to understand each other and express their love fully, instead of abandoning their relationship to chemicals and latex. Interspersed amongst this are the inevitable treatises on abortion, not only because most 'contraceptives' are in fact aboriifacients, but because the abortion mentality is a natural consequence of contraception. Towards the end of the book there is a brief explanation of history of Humane Vitae and the controversy surrounding it. It certainly leaves little comfort for those who cling to the view that the Church's teaching on contraception is somehow equivocal, or that it has been consigned to the realms of one's own
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conscience. Essentially the book presents the teaching that sexuality is a gift from God, that it is intrinsic to all humans and that it has a dual purpose. One of these purposes is to bond with and express love for one's spouse. The other is to create life. To separate these two purposes is to make sex untrue to its nature, thereby breaking the Natural Law. Breaking the Natural Law and reducing sex to a bodily and emotional function places one of God's most powerful gifts at the disposal of men and women to use as they see fit. In this context premarital sex, extramarital sex, homosexual acts and abortion all become inevitable. Ultimately, life itself stops being cherished as gift from God and instead becomes an intrusion unless wanted.
As to the more technical aspects of the book the question and answer format, to some extent, prevents de Stoop from allowing her arguments to flow as easily as they might have done if her book had been structured in a more conventional format Further, de Stoop makes a number of unsourced statements for which one would normally expect at least one reference; for example she states that the theory of evolution has been debunked. Such comments have a tendency to distract. Overall, stating that contraception is the root of much contemporary social evil in less than 200 pages is somewhat ambitious. It exposes the writer to the risk of skimming on topics that some readers may require further analysis of, before being drawn to the next stage in her argument. In this respect, some of de Stoop's observations might be regarded as nothing more than unjustified assumptions, depending on your point of view. For example, the introduction on Natural Law, to which de Stoop assigns 5 - 6 pages, is a topic on which an entire volume could be written. ..1.s such, whilst containing a good number of sourced anecdotes and statistics (some of them hearsay, i.e. 'as cited in...1. Contraception: the Hidden Truth does have its weaknesses. But what the book does offer is a lot of common sense. Iam satisfied that divorce wreaks havoc on the well being of children. that people yearn for lasting relationships and that having sex before you're married clouds your judgment about who you want to spend the rest of your life with. without having umpteen case studies telling me so. Ultimately and quite by surprise. I found myself moved by the message that this book had to offer. The sheer beauty of the concepts that de Stoop presents allows you to suspend any misgivings that you might otherwise have had about the bona fides of her method. The simple messages to trust God, to trust your spouse and that life is beautiful are too compelling to let petty quibbles stand in the way of the Church's teaching on contraception.
Sweeney on the pace with Mount Eden record The Mighty MOUNT EDEN (The Story of a Legend) by Peter Sweeney, RRP $30. Available from PO Box 1061, West Leederville, WA 6007 Reviewed by George Russo
T
hey say that everyone loves a champion, no matter what the sport, nor the dignity of the supporter. This was brought home to me strongly whenI was at dinner with a Jesuit friend, and the Bishop of Bunbury at a friend's home in Claremont. It was 1971 the night of the great pacing race in Sydney, the classic Miracle Mile in which the West Aussie champ, Mount Eden, was competing. My friend andI were anxious to watch the race, but we did not know exactly how to handle the bishop. So we connived with our host to let us leave the room, quietly, and go into the lounge to see the big race on television. The bishop inquired about our disappearance so that our host was forced to tell him that we had gone into the room to watch the Miracle Mile. Instantly, he leaped from his seat and burst in to join
us. The race duly started, but not Mount Eden: he 'fluffed' the start. and was a good 100 yards from the last horse. He had 'no chance'. The bishop was more anxious than we were. But, Mount Eden caught the field and won, 'the most amazing racetrack performance' he'd ever seen, said the author, and the excited bishop would have agreed with him. Needless to say, that it set the tone for the evening. Mount Eden was such a great champion that someone simply had to take up the challenge and write a book about him. Sports writer, Peter Sweeney has done just that, and his admiration and knowledge of the 'great champion' has inevitably resulted in a small classic of the new genre. Melbourne, Adelaide and his Even the bishop would be happy home-town Perth, there they were to buy a .copy. together horse and trainer. And There are many characters in they had amazing success. It this book and they are not all would fill the page if I were to horses. The late Jack Miles who attempt to list his victories. owned, trained and drove the The trainer showed his confifamous Mount was one. dence even when all he could see Like the champ he was in per- in a race were the outlines of his petual motion; both appeared in competitors in front of him, and the winner's enclosure together delighted in reversing the posias if it had been built for them. At tion when he flashed past them Auckland New Zealand, Sydney. and won by the length of the
straight. He relished his wins as yet another signpost of his rollercoaster career. Peter Sweeney excels when he writes of the run-up to the Miracle Mile and the excitement of the crowd. Sweeney has included photographs of the great champion in various stages of his career. They are worthy reminders of his achievements, and add to the story and the quality of his book One of the best is a photograph of the young Queen Elizabeth at Gloucester Park, amid a record crowd. Some years later she was followed by her sister, Princess Margaret, and her photographer husband. In the early days when the BBC wanted to broadcast the Queen mother's wedding the Dean of Westminster was totally against it. He objected in the media 'because men might listen in pubs with their hats on'. Those silly Brits! Both the BBC and the Racing establishment (here and elsewhere) have developed a warmer response to the public since then, and royals have appeared at race meetings, making friendly gestures to crowds. r ritt:
Pag411g
John Paul II speaks
28 March, 2002
Record 11
Beg God for reawakening: Pope By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul II, responding to recent revelations of sexual abuse by clergy, said the perpetrators of such scandals have betrayed the priesthood and cast a "shadow of suspicion" over the many good priests in the world. The Pope said the church was concerned for the victims of such abuse and wants to handle each case "in truth and justice." At the same time, he asked for prayers to reawaken the spiritual ideals of the priesthood. The Pope's words came at the end of a 19-page Holy Thursday letter to all priests, made public March 21. At a press conference the same day to present the Pope's text, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos strongly defended the church's handling of abuse cases, saying the church has "never neglected the problem of sexual abuse, even before it ended up on the front pages of international newspapers." Although the Pope did not explicitly use the term "sex abuse" in his letter. Vatican officials said his language left no doubt that he was referring to recently divulged cases of alleged sexual misconduct by priests and bishops. Most of the publicised cases have been in the United States, but allegations also have surfaced in France, Ireland. Poland and other countries. "As priests we are personally and profoundly afflicted by the sins of some of our brothers who have betrayed the grace of ordination in succumbing even to the most grievous forms of the 'mysterium iniquitatis' (mystery of evil) at work in the world," the Pope said. "Grave scandal is caused, with the result that a dark shadow of suspicion is cast over all the other fine priests who perform their ministry with honesty and integrity and often with heroic self-sacrifice." he said. "As the church shows her concern for the victims and strives to respond in truth and justice to each of these painful situations, all of us - conscious of human weakness, but trusting in the healing power of divine grace - are called to embrace the 'mysterium cruets' (mystery of the cross) and to commit ourselves more fully to the search for holiness," he said. The Pope said the church needs to "beg God" for a "whole-hearted reawakening of those ideals of total self-giving to Christ," which he said were the foundation of the priestly ministry. At the Vatican press conference, Cardinal Castrillon, who heads the Congregation for Clergy, listened and took notes as journalists asked more than a dozen questions about the Vatican's handling of sex abuse cases. In response, the cardinal read a two-page prepared statement -
Pope John Paul II waves to young people gathering for a rally on March 21 at the Vatican ahead of this summer's World Youth Day in Toronto. Earlier that day the Vatican released the Pope's Holy Thursday message to priests, in which he said perpetrators of sex abuse among clergy cast a "shadow of suspicion" over many good priests in the world. Photo CNSReutets
interspersed with a few pointed asides - detailing past and present steps taken by the church to deal with the problem. most of them having to do with canon law. Cardinal Castrillon prefaced his remarks by saying it was interesting to note that many of the journalists' questions were posed in English - a fact that he said "already says something about the problem and gives it an outline." He said the problem of clerical sex abuse had developed in a culture of "pan-sexuality and sexual licentiousness." Paradoxically, he said, at the same time there also was developing a growing sensitivity to and rejection of paedophilia, with associated legal and economic penalties. He said there were not yet any accurate statistics comparing the rates of sexual abuse of minors in various professions, such as doctors, teachers, journalists or politicians. But he cited a U.S. study which estimated that about 3 percent of American priests had "tendencies" toward such abuse, and that 0.3 percent were paedophiles. "I would like to know the statistics from the other groups and the penalties the others have received and the money the others have paid to the victims," he said, departing from his prepared statement.
Cardinal Castrillon traced the history of church sanctions, including suspension from the priestly ministry, for clerics who committed sexual abuse against minors. He noted that in 2001 the Pope had strengthened the Vatican's role in handling such cases, reserving them to the authority of the Vatican's doctrinal congregation. At the same time, he said. the Vatican lengthened the statute of limitations for such crimes to 10 years, a period that begins after an alleged victim's 18th birthday: it also raised the church's legal definition of a minor from 16 to 18 in such cases. The cardinal interrupted his prepared remarks to say: "I would like to see in what other legislation in the world this has been done." He said the church's norms, Including its provisions of confidentiality, are aimed at avoiding a "culture of suspicion" when sex abuse accusations are made against clergy. "The laws of the church are serious and severe and have been drawn up in a tradition ... of dealing with internal matters in an internal way," Cardinal Castrillon said. He emphasised that this does not mean the church is trying to "avoid the provisions of civil law" in various countries, unless the
matter involves the confessional seal or the principle of episcopal secrecy, which is invoked in rare circumstances of a bishop's ministry. The cardinal said the church expects its ministers to be treated like other citizens by civil authorities - without advantages, but without disadvantages, either. Vatican spokesman joaquin Navarro-Valls said Cardinal Castrillon's comments could he considered an expression of the church's position on the issue. The Pope's letter and the cardinal's statement were the Vatican's most extensive published comments on the issue since the trial of a Boston priest in january sparked a rash of revelations about past cases of clerical sex abuse in several U.S. dioceses. In early March, Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell of Palm Beach resigned after admitting to sexual misconduct with a minor 25 years ago. In Poland, Archbishop juliusz
Paetz of Poznan - who worked for years at the Vatican - was accused of sexual impropriety by seminarians: he has denied the accusations, but the Vatican is investigating. In Ireland in January, the country's Conference of Religious agreed to pay $110 million to Irish children who were sexually abused in church-run schools from 1940-70. More than 20 priests, brothers and nuns
already have been convicted of abusing children. Navarro-Valls told Catholic News Service that the Pope has been informed fully about the developments in the sex abuse cases and is following them with attention and great sadness. The Vatican has said little about the specific cases that recently have come to light. But sources said that, behind the scenes. church officials have been making a serious review of the criteria used to admit candidates to the priesthood. Cardinal Castrillon. asked for details on potential Vatican documents or policies for the future, had no comment. He also declined to comment on the issues of priestly celibacy and homosexuality, which some have seen as related to the question of sex abuse. Last November, in a document on the church in Oceania. the Pope issued a church apology to the victims of clerical sexual abuse. He said such cases had caused great suffering and represented a "a profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of Jesus Christ." At that time the Pope said the church wants open and just procedures to deal with sexual abuse complaints and is "unequivocally" committed to compassionate care for the victims and their families.
New threats of racism must be addressed to protect vulnerable By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In its continuing struggle against racism, the international community needs to take steps to protect migrants as the most vulnerable group in an age of globalisation, a Vatican official said. At the same time, countries need to focus on new threats of racism and eugenics posed by advances in biotechnology, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin told a March 21 session of the U.N. Commission on Human Page 20
Rights in Geneva. Archbishop Martin said the global community needs to move forward "in broad consensus" against racism. "Unless racism is addressed rapidly and at its roots, then its consequences dramatically eat away at the fabric of human cooperation," he said. The archbishop said migrants constitute an especially vulnerable group in contemporary societies, suffering racial intolerance despite the fact that they bring an irreplaceable economic contribution to host countries. "A globalised community must develop a positive image of migration. Attempts to
utilise anxieties and alarm in the face of models. migrants as a calculated tool for short-term Archbishop Martin said the Vatican political advancement should not be strongly believes each country must work accepted," he said. to eliminate racist sentiments among its Warning against new forms of racism, people and monitor the ability of police Archbishop Martin said progress in medi- and justice officials to address racist abuse. cine and biology must always be used for Quoting Pope John Paul II, he said the the benefit of all and never to the disad- "moral bankruptcy" of racism and ethnic vantage of the vulnerable or with "latent hatred can be eliminated only by increasracist intent." ing the sense of the unity of the human The Vatican has warned that the increas- family. ing ability to select genetic and other traits Archbishop Martin added that terrorism could lead to attempts to exclude or dis- is an "affront to human dignity and must criminate against those who do not fit ideal be fought vigorously."
School happenings
11 Record
28 Maich 2002
Albany community sees St Joseph's develop St Joseph's College, Albany offi- 1843. St Joseph's College as it is cially opened Stage Seven of its today, arose from the merging of Building programme recently. Ave Maria College, St Pius X ColThe new Junior School Under- lege and St Joseph's school in cover area creates a large covered 1978. amphitheatre style venue in the "Catholic schooling brings centre of the Junior School build- sound teaching and learning, with ings. a distinctive flavour. This flavour The venue has already played of Catholic values underpins the host to musical performances and whole teaching and learning prosocial functions, in addition to gramme, pastoral care and what assemblies and sporting activi- happens in the playground," said ties. St Joseph's was able to access Therese. Bishop Holohan also a low interest state government referred to what makes a Catholic loan to construct the Area. school distinctive, " A real educaBishop Gerard Holohan blessed tion doesn't just get us a job, but the facility in a formal opening real happiness in life." ceremony with the College comIn St Joseph's, Bishop Holohan munity. Mrs Therese Temby, sees a "sign of our commitment to Director of Catholic Education in Catholic education, that extends WA officially opened the facility. from Gibb River(in the Kimberley In her address to the parents, staff region) to its southernmost point, and students, she spoke of in Albany." Catholic Education's long comThere are 157 Catholic schools mitment to Albany, since just after in the state.
Head Boy Andy Nilson, Bishop Holohan and Head Girl Samantha Maiden in the officially opened Undercover Area.
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Continued from Page 7 Another Catholic MP - Ed Dermer - acting as whip in the Legislative Council ensured that MPs came in for the vote and voted the 'right" way. This included voting against amendments moved by Liberal Peter Foss to limit the bill by giving relinquishing parents a veto on having their child adopted by male homosexuals or lesbians: to ensure that children could not he adopted by people in multiple de facto or same sex relationships; to lift the age of admission to homosexual saunas from 16 to 18; to at least require an age check on 16 year olds entering sex-on-premises venues; to make it an offence for persons more than 10 years older than a 16 or 17 year old to have sex with them. Yet another Catholic MP - Nick Griffiths - was responsible for guiding the bill through the Legislative Council. He had the task of explaining why the Government was rejecting each of the substantive amendments proposed by Mr Foss. Thin Stephens - when taunted by Liberal Norman Moore as to why he was absent for so much of the debate and had failed to make a second reading speech In support of the bill - retorted "I support the Bill in principle and In detail". Now we are to be treated to the further irony of Catholic MP and Minister for Police, Michelle Roberts, bringing forth a green paper recommending licensing pimps and madams to recruit 18 year old girls into prostitution in brothels. While the life of an innocent human being is an inalienable good and no state and no legislature has the right to take it away, it is not the only fundamental human good that it is always wrong to act against directly. The good of marriage also deserves the support and protection of the state and of civil law. The actions of Catholic MPs in voting for legislation which directly undermines marriage by giving equivalent status in
Western Australian law to de experiments. Nor would we facto and same sex relationships agree that it would be wasteful Is wrong. Similarly their failure to allow us to live out what is left to ensure the adequate protec- of our lives, when we could be tion of the law for the welfare of used for experiments right now. children is gravely wrong. It is indeed appalling that the It is tragic that not one of these IVF clinics keep so many human Catholic MPs - including those embryos (over 10,000 in WA whose courage and whose com- alone) in frozen storage, who are mitment to the good of human going to die anyway. That is the life was demonstrated during the main reason why we should debate on abortion in 1998 - had have nothing to do with IVE But the fortitude or wisdom to do this practice of the IVF clinics any more than oppose the bill in does not justify anyone in using caucus. any of those embryos for viviUnless the ALP expands the use section. of the conscience vote to cover 2 None of us exists for the benmatters relating directly to other efit of anyone else, none of us is intrinsic human goods - such as at the disposal of anyone else, marriage and the welfare of chil- and none of us belongs to anydren, including their right to one else. If other people have no both a father and a mother - then use for me, that is their problem, it will be impossible for not mine. Catholics who take their faith My standing as a human being seriously to join the ALP or, remains unimpaired. That was indeed to vote for it. no less true when I was at the The National Executive of the embryonic stage in my life, when ALP which met last Friday Iwas already as genetically com(March 22) was reportedly con- plete as I am now. sidering just such a proposition. 'Surplus embryos', as they are To reject this proposition would called, are surplus to the reproultimately commit the ALP to an ductive plans of their parents. anti-Catholic, anti-religious sec- There is nothing in a 'surplus' ularism which, like its previous embryo to distinguish him or her adventure in sectarianism in the from an embryo which is not mid-1950s, could deprive it of 'surplus'. He or she is simply an office for decades. unwanted child very early in his Richard Egan or her life. As with any other State President unwanted child, any deficiency National Civic Council lies not in the child, but in the parents who do not want him or her. Parents of a born child whom Many people, even if they are they do not want are not entitled not pro-life, are uneasy about producing human embryos in to dispose of him or her to a laborder to perform experiments on oratory to be used in destructive them. But some of these same experiments aimed at finding a people can see nothing wrong in cure for this or that disease. performing experiments on Unborn or embryonic children 'spare, 'surplus', 'unwanted' who are unwanted are not at the embryos that already exist, and disposal of their parents either. We need constantly to remind will die anyway if they are not ourselves, and to remind eager destroyed by experiments. and Some people will even say that scientists, politicians that human it is wasteful to allow 'spare' churchmen, embryos to die when they could embryos are our equals. They be used for research. How are don't belong to us. What gives us we to answer these people? Here the right to 'consent' to their destruction? They are not at our are some suggestions: 1 We are all going to die any- disposal. There is no such thing way, sooner or later. But we as a 'surplus embryo'. would not agree that this entitles Ted Watt anyone to use us for destructive Claremont
Prestigious award for outstanding cadet Twelve months of outstanding service and commitment to the No7 Wing (WA) of the Australian Air Force Cadets has been recognised recently with Cadet Flight Sergeant Llewelyn Baker presented with the prestigious Officer Commanding - Meritorious Service Award. The Head Boy of Mercy College, Koondoola. Llewelyn was presented with the award by the Director-General of Defence Force Cadets, Major-General Daryl Low-Choy, who was visiting Perth from Canberra. Llewelyn is a senior member of Mercy College's Australian Air Force Cadets Squadron which is In its fifth year of operation, meeting once a week during school term. Recently promoted to Warrant Officer (the second highest level of command) Llewelyn said his experience sees him in more of a mentor role for the younger cadets in the program. For his own part. Llewelyn will participate in a three-week cadet exchange program to the United States in July where he will visit a number of large air force bases and facilities. As the editor of the Cadets in-house magazine, he
Fit Sgt IJewelyn Baker
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said he should have a good story to tell on his return. Currently studying hospitality at school and working at the Joondalup Resort for practical experience, Llewelyn said he was very keen to persevere with this option, but not before he completes nine solo jumps as part of the Cadets parachuting course. Phil Bayne, CEO Media
sacredness of who we were
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2002 WA Tour of The Relics of Saint Therese iif Lisieux'
tograph and word. With Love and gratitude to share the life journey and have insight of such an outstanding person. 'Saint Therese of Lisieux'. With thanks and praise all glory be to God. Thank you! Due out by the 1st October 2002 In oefebration for the feast day of St Therese of Lisruex Your expressions are welcome and much appreciated. Rs Maas up the phome erne awl thahng
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Mass and Procession to Abortion Clinic, Midland A rchbishop Hickey
6-23 Korea (Ordination to Priesthood) and Rome - Archbishop Hickey 7-13 Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-Elect Finnigan, Brisbane and Meeting of Bishops. Malaysia - Bishop Sproxton 7 Mass celebrating 40th Anniversary of Ordination to Priesthood of Fr Laurence Murphy SDS, Nollamara - Bishop Healy 13 Confirmation, Nollamara - Bishop Healy
Archcliocesan Panorama M ASS IN GERMAN Sunday 7 April, at 12 noon at St Francis Xavier Church, Windsor St, East Perth. Celebrant: Fr Peter Lang (Sydney). Inquiries 9371 1435. Ecumenical Children's Liturgy in German every 3rd Sun of month, 2pm at St John's Lutheran Church, 16 Aberdeen St, Perth. Inquiries 9227 8072. M ASS FOR FR FRANCIS XAVIER BROWN OP - RIP Died in Canberra, March 18. Memorial Mass will be offered at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Doubleview, April 4 at 7pm. Gathering in hall following Mass. Full obituary in next week's issue. PRO-LIFE PROCESSION MIDLAND The First Friday Mass, procession and rosary vigil will be held on April 5, commencing at 9.30am with mass celebrated at St Brigid's Church, Midland. Archbishop Hickey and the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate will lead us. A ll are invited to witness for the sanctity of life and pray for the conversion of hearts. WITNESS FOR LIFE PROCESSION The next Saturday Mass, procession and Rosary Vigil will beheld on April 6, commencing with Mass at 8.30am at St Anne's Church, Hehir St, Belmont. We proceed prayerfully to the Rivervale Abortion Centre and conclude with Rosary, led by Fr Paul Carey SSC. Please join us to pray peacefully for the conversion of hearts. Inq: Francette 9279 3934, Helen 9402 0349. ALAN AMES IN GINGIN Alan will be speaking of his conversion experiences at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, St Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church, Constable St, Gingin after 2pm Mass on Sunday 14 April. Healing prayers will follow. All welcome. Inq: Loretta 9444 4409 or George 9275 6608. COPYRIGHTS & WRONGS WORKSHOP FOR LITURGICAL MUSICIANS Areas to be explored: What is copyright? Public Domain. Licensing Schemes. Bring your questions and concerns. When: Thursday 11 April. At St Mary's Parish Centre, 40 Franklin Street. Leederville. Register by Friday 5 April. Archdiocesan Liturgy Office, GPO Box P1217, Perth WA 6844. Phone: 9221 1548, Fax: 9221 3694. Email: litrcia@nw.com.au VESTMENT & LITURGICAL COLOURS WORKSHOP Thursday 2 May, 7-30 pm at St John & Paul Large Meeting Room, Pinetree Gully Road, Willetton. Workshop will look at historical, designing and use of liturgical vestments. Participants to bring pens, pencils and paper. Register by Friday 26 April. Enquiries: Archdiocesan Liturgy Office, GPO Box P1217, Perth WA 6844. Phone: 9221 1548, Fax: 9221, 3694, Email: litrcia@nw.com.au LITURGICAL ABUSE Can the Catholic liturgy vary according to the personal preferences and whims of liturgical committees? Or must the rubrics laid down by the Holy See be followed? Hear the views of lay Catholics on this issue in this month's broadcast of 'Vox Populi,Vox Dei' (Voice of the people, voice of God) and have your say as well. Switch on to the Laymans' Hour on Sun 24 March to hear a full
discussion on liturgical abuse in the Church today. Radio Fremantle (107.9 FM) Sun 24 March at 7:30 PM. BULLSBROOK ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The 55th Anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary to Bruno Cornacchiola will be celebrated at the Shrine of the Virgin of the Revelation, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook on Sun April 14 at 2pm. Bishop Don Sproxton will preside over R osary, procession and Mass. Reconciliation at 1.30pm. Sacrament of the Sick will not be administered on this day. Bookings for buses from Perth ring 9277 5378. Inquiries: SACRI 9447 3292. PRAISE, TALK AND RETREAT Praise and worship by Alex Loo. Growth -Talk by Fr Vincent Lee, followed by fellowship and refreshments. Holy Family Church, Thelma St. Como April 24 at 7pm. Sin and Repentance Retreat by Fr Vincent, accompanied by Alex Loo. 25-28 April at IHD, Jarrandale. Retreat commences 4pm. Cost: Cottage $140; Dormitory S110. Registration deadline 5 April. Contact Rita 9272 1765, KatherinefThomas 9310 4316, Doreen 9470 4886, Gertrude 9455 6576 for information. WALK FOR VOCATIONS Easter Monday, 1 April. Focusing on -No peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness" John Paul II. St Mary's Cathedral to Schoenstatt Shrine in Armadale. 5.30am at the Cathedral. Enquiries Sr M Lisette - 9399-2349. RETROSPECTIVE - RETIRING ART EXHIBITION St Dominics Parish Centre, 19 Phillips Grove, Innaloo. April 4th to 18th 2002. in aid of sending our 3 parish youth to the world youth week in Canada. Ph: 9446-1666 FEAST OF MERCY Invitation to all to celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy at St Mary's Cathedral. Perth Sunday, 7 April. Confessions 1pm. Chaplet of divine Mercy 1.30pm, Holy Mass - Bishop Sproxton 2pm, Benediction 3pm, Veneration of Relic 3.15pm. Enquiries: John 9457-7771, Linda 9275-6608. ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE Pilgrimage to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Grotto. Sunday 5 May at Bove's Farm, Roy Rd, Jindong (off Bussell Hwy between Busselton and Margaret River). Commences 12.30pm with Concelebrated Mass, Rosary Procession and Benediction. Tea/coffee provided. Bus bookings: Francis Williams 9459-3873 or 0408 893 877. CROSS ROADS COMMUNITY: HEALING MASSES AND ACTIVITIES Fr Paul Baczynski from Cross Roads Community conducts on the first Monday of the month a Healing Mass at East Fremantle church at 7pm. On the second Monday of the month, Healing Mass at Munster/Spearwood church at 10am. On the third Monday, Healing Mass at lnnaloo church. At Cross Roads Community, there is a Support Group for families and friends of substance abusers on Wed, 7-8.30pm, and on Thurs 2-3.30pm. Fri at Cross Roads, 2-3.30pm support and growth group for substance abusers. Fri at Cross Roads at 7.30pm Holy Mass followed by fraternity, prayer and guest speakers on occasion. All are welcome. Inquiries: Cross Roads Community 9319 8344.
Regional News Beagle Bay restoration is well under way
28 March, 2002
Mullewa Marian tribute By Eileen Fienberg
Mullewa parishioners of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church joined in early March with the Bishop of Geraldton, Bishop Justin Bianchini, to celebrate the blessing of a Marian Shrine in the church grounds. It was all that more special for the parishioners and friends from Geraldton and Perth who helped the parish priest, Father Francis Phan, design and build the Shrine. The Shrine is an impressive structure, standing about four metres high and situated between the church and the school. It is made of local stone in a circular shape. A statue of Mary and the infant Jesus standing another 1.5m high and made of reconstituted marble, is mounted as a centrepiece. The statue was a gift to the parish from a parishioner, and imported from Italy. Beneath the statue is a large map of Australia. made in reinforced concrete by Fr Phan and the parish president, Kevin Weir, from a design by another parishioner. A large heart in steel and engraved with the message of Fatima is mounted in the centre of the map. The Sacred Heart Church in Beagle Bay is undergoing restoration. The message - the three-point For it to take on the semblance plan revealed by Our Blessed By Fr Eugene San SAC of its former glory, it needs the Mother at Fatima prayer in 1917 It is said that a journey of a thou- spire and the four pinnacles to be says Penance - Devotion - Rosary sand miles begins with the first mounted on top and the 3 bells to - Reparation - consecration to the step. Here in the diocese of be hung inside and the rendering Immaculate Heart of Mary - the Broome. the generosity of the of the walls to be done. message of Fatima - a way of ordinary people combined with The new architect Ms. Sue Peace. the assistance from the govern- Thomas, has taken charge of the Although not on the same scale ment has enabled us to take a project on behalf of Practical as the church designed by Monnumber of large steps in our Management & Development Pty signor John Hawes, the Shrine endeavour to restore the famous Ltd., Architects. will be a constant reminder to We are grateful to everyone for parishioners of Fr Phan. Sacred Heart Church in Beagle Bay. After the collapse of the bell- their support in the conservation Fr Phan worked tirelessly for tower on the 7th September 2000, and restoration of this famous many hours with Perth friend. the rebuilding of the tower piece of Kimberley heritage. Nguyen Chi Hung, and Nguyen - Courtesy: Dac Thuan, Dang Hoang Tao and became the first priority of the Kimberley Community Profile Nguyen The Vuong. of Geraldton, overall conservation plan.
Fr Francis Phan, stands beside the new Marian Shrine at Mullewa
and his parishioners to fulfil his vision for the Shrine. Fr Phan who has been four years at Mullewa was ordained in South Vietnam in 1973, facing many hardships under the communist regime of the North Vietnamese. At one stage he was captured
and imprisoned on trumped-up charges, but managed to escape 11 times before making his way on a boat to Thailand in 1989. En route to Thailand, the boat in which he escaped was attacked by pirates on four separate occasions.
Bern Roman Missal Nab, main its debut By Cindy Wooden conferences 1..4 'shops around the world are expected to begin work immediately on revising texts of prayers currently used at Mass. translating the new prayers issued by the Vatican and changing ritual practices to comply with new Vatican guidelines. The new and the revised prayers and the new guidelines - contained in the third typical edition of the Roman Missal and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal - were released March 22 by the Vatican printing press. Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said that with the public availability of the texts the new rules are church law. The official date of promulgation by Pope John Paul II was April 20, 2000, and the date the changes were to go into effect was the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ in June 2000. However, technical problems with the printing of the 1,318page book and especially with the notation and printing of dozens of pages of Gregorian chant led to an almost two-year delay for its release. "We are happy to be able to
An illustration of the Last Supper appears opposite the title page of the revised Roman Missal. Photo CN&Reuters
offer to all the clergy and faithful of the Roman Rite this new edition of the Roman Missal, the most important of all the liturgical books renewed by the Second Vatican Council," Cardinal Medina said at a March 22 Vatican press conference. The Latin text contains all of the prayers used for every Mass throughout the year as well as rubrics, or instructions, on how the liturgy is to be celebrated. Each bishops' conference
around the world is to begin work on translating the texts into their local languages, a work that must receive Vatican confirmation before being used in parishes. "The translations must be faithful and exact, not interpretations or new creations," he said. Cardinal Medina said bishops' conferences in English-speaking countries do not necessarily have to have the same translation. Currently, English-speaking countries share the Work of the
International Commission on English in the Liturgy, a conunission the cardinal has criticised in the past for not being faithful enough to the original Latin in its translations. "If one English country wants to do its own translation, the congregation is ready to consider that out of respect for the local culture, and It seems there is some movement in that direction," he said. The cardinal said uniformity is not an absolute priority. For example, he said, it is unlikely that there will be only one Spanish translation, since Spanish is spoken differently in different parts of the world. "But there will be just one German translation for Germanspeakers everywhere. This fits in with the organised, ordered spirit of the German-speaking people," he said. Cardinal Medina said the new general instruction includes a new chapter encouraging national bishops' conferences to ensure "the active participation and spiritual good of the faithful" by lookand "particular at ing exceptional" adaptations that reflect their local culture. The cardinal said, for example, the gesture of kissing the Book of the Gospels may convey something different in China, where kissing is not considered appro-
priate in public, and in Italy, France or Russia, where two or three kisses on the cheek are a normal form of greeting among friends. Different cultures also use colours differently, he said. For example, the colour of mourning is white in some cultures, while it is black or purple in others. The new edition of the Missal, replacing one issued in 1975, Includes an updated calendar of feast days and new texts for remembering those saints Pope John Paul has added to the calendar. Some, like the August 14 obligatory feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe, already have been promulgated. Cardinal Medina said 11 new optional celebrations are available with the March 22 publication of the missal. They include: the January 3 feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus; the return to the calendar of the May 22 feast of St. Rita of Cascia: and the August 9 feast of St. Edith Stein, a feast that is mandatory in Europe. The missal also includes a new prayer for the feast day of a martyr, new prayers for Marian feast days and texts for a new Mass, specifically requested by Pope John Paul, for celebrating and requesting God's mercy. Page 23
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The Last Word
Last Supper takes pride of place at Yangebup 11
By Neil Smith
„, he stained glass windows at the Mater Christi parish church in Yangebup have been installed after a three year wait. The 8.6m by 4.2m depiction of the Last Supper is a work of art in itself, inspired by the windows in St Isaac Cathedral in St Petersberg. Russia, and one that would do any cathedral proud. Arranged in 16 panels, it is the work of Dana Quinn, of Windsor Stained Glass at Rockingham. and her husband Tony. Parish priest. Father Bryan Rosling, said the windows had been well worth the wait. Designing the windows which cover an area roughly the equivalent of one-and-ahalf times the size of a suburban household lounge room, seemed at first a daunting task for Mrs Quinn, the mother of three school-age children. Working in her backyard studio. Mrs Quinn used mouth-blown, antique glass, impregnated with the colour pigments then glazed in a kiln to prevent fading. She first prepared pencil and pen-andink drawings of the design, then used them as a pattern to paint the stained glass. Working in stained glass differs from lead lighting, and is much more complicated and painstaking. The Last Supper occupies the three central gothic panels. while
Cat's whiskers
Benedict peaks out from under the table.
ne unusual criteria insisted on by Q the Yangebup parish priest. Fr Bryan Rosling, was that the window
also illustrate the parish cat. Benedict. Benedict. a female, received her name when she was born on St Benedict's Day. Close examination of the window will show Benedict, peaking out from under the table, just by the foot of the disciple on the far left of the scene. Alas. poor Benedict died last year, and never got to see her claim to fame.
Tony Quinn lifts a panel Into place.
three other panels across the bottom depict the Pope's, the Archbishop's and the parish crests. The whole is surmounted by a circular window showing the coronation of Mary. Mounted in front of the glass panels is a marble figure of Christ in the Crucifixion, which at one time stood outside the All Saints Chapel. in St George's Terrace. The figure was transferred inside the chapel in Allendale Square after the original chapel burnt down, and was donated to Mater Christi by the chapel's priest. Fr Gerard Dickinson, who died last year. A feature of the window is the meticulous attention to detail in each figure. and even small items are quite remarkable. Mrs Quinn and her husband scoured Western and eastern Australia for the perfect colours, even contacting suppliers in Britain. Mr Quinn travelled to Sydney to personally check out supplies. Every one of the thousands of pieces of glass has been painted - some sand blasted as well - and some gold stained. Most have required three firings.The final selection of glass and paints was sourced from France, Britain, Germany and Poland. One drawback was that the two companies who have specialised in this type of work in the past closely guard their trade secrets - and there are no apprentices. Until the Quinns came on the scene it was an art that was dying with the principals of those companies, who sometimes had order books stretching six or seven years. Finally, Mrs Quinn convinced one of the older artisans, Ted Gower, to share some of his secrets. She supplemented his advice with information gained on the Internet, and from personal contacts in Britain. The Quinns needed more working space and had to extend from their studio into the family garage. While Mrs Quinn concentrated on drawing, painting and cutting, her husband did more cutting, leading, stencilling, cementing and installing.
The gothic window in the Mater Christi church at Yangebup.
Father Bryan Rosling discusses with artist, Dana Quinn, where to place Benedict in the picture.
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eilrhe Record is our own Catholic weekly newspaper. It tells us what's happening in the Church locally and internationally. The television and the daily newspaper don't give much space to the Church and when they do, it's often bad news. Find out what is really going on. There is always something in The Record to interest and inspire every member of the family. Buy it every week Page 24