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JEWISH CATHOLIC
Hundreds turn out as Kelmscott parish celebrates its new Church of the Good Shepherd
Gathered around Him
As parishioners, acolytes and clergy look on, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB censes the Blessed Sacrament after it has been reserved in the new tabernacle in the new Good Shepherd Parish Church in Kelmscott. Archbishop Costelloe consecrated the Church last Sunday, opening a new chapter in a story that began 50 years ago in 1963. Reports - Pages 9-12 PHOTO: PETER ROSENGREN
Incoming PM wishes he could make Sunday Mass more often By Robert Hiini AUSTRALIA’S incoming Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his Catholic faith does not determine his politics in any way. Mr Abbott spoke frankly about the role of faith in his life to journalist Annabel Crabb on the ABC’s light entertainment program Kitchen Cabinet on September 4. The purpose of religious faith, Mr Abbott said, was to “assure people that it’s not entirely meaningless” and that “regardless of what happens, there will be some solace and comfort at some point”.
“I’m a pretty traditional Catholic, Annabel,” Mr Abbot said. “I’m not an evangelical, a charismatic Christian, I’m not. I try to attend Mass. I certainly don’t get there every Sunday any more, I wish I did, but I don’t. “Faith has certainly helped to shape my life but it doesn’t in any way determine my politics.” In a pluralist democracy, there are numerous passionately-held views, he said, describing as “bizarre” the idea that anyone could make those private views mandatory. “This is why I think that it is essential that someone of faith
understands that while faith is a splendid thing in private life it can often be quite a misleading guide in public life,” he said. Mr Abbott also provided intimate insight into his discernment
others”. In his mid-20s, he thought the best way he could do that was to become a priest. “I discovered pretty soon that I was a bit of a square peg in a round hole at the seminary. I persisted
In school the Jesuits instilled in him the idea that everyone was called to be a ‘man for others’... as a 29-year-old, fourth-year seminarian, that he was not cut out for the priesthood. During his schooling, the Jesuits had instilled him the idea that everyone was called to be “a man for
nevertheless for quite some time until eventually working out, I’m afraid I just didn’t have what it took to be an effective priest so I gave it away, probably to the great relief of the-then Archbishop of Sydney,”
Mr Abbott said. Asked if there was a particular moment of realisation, he nominated a discussion with a friend who told him he would not be able to make a planned catch-up the following week because he had to travel to the UK to sign a 1.5 billion pound deal. “I was 29-years-old. I’d been the president of the [Student Representative Council] at Sydney University. I had degrees in economics and law. I’d been a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. “I thought, if he’s doing something like that, I am wasting my Continued on Page 5