The Record Newspaper - 22 August 2012

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therecord.com.au

Actions, not words, count in Catholic health care, expert tells health professionals

Hospitals must live values

By Robert Hiini

MISSION statements are not enough, only embodied values make Catholic health care worthwhile, the former managing director of US-based international investment giant JP Morgan told Australian Catholic health care professionals on Monday, August 20. Speaking to around 380 delegates from Australia, Singapore and New Zealand, Chris Lowney, Trustee of the US-based Catholic Health Initiatives, said he had looked at the

values listed on Australian Catholic health care websites in preparing for his leadership talk: “Words like compassion, excellence, respect [appear] time and time again … and kudos to boards and management teams … but both you and I know that laying words like that out there becomes hollow if we can’t get 35,000 people who work in Catholic health care to stand up and role model those values,” Mr Lowney told delegates. St John of God’s new Midland hospitals would have a specific bal-

ance sheet value but their true value was in the way they operated. “We all know that what is going to make the building valuable at the end of the day is how the people who walk into it behave. “If [staff] are role modelling the values you care about then that building is going to be a fabulous success and if they are not, the building is going to be a big waste of money.” Mr Lowney’s comments were part of a wide-ranging talk, Leading for a New Age, in which the one-

time Jesuit seminarian spoke about the kind of leadership necessary for economic and moral success amid uncertainty. He was the first in a heavyhitting line-up of speakers over the Leading the Way conference’s three days, including Youth Off the Streets founder, Fr Chris Riley, the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s John Della Bosca, and 2005 Australian of the Year, Fiona Wood. In a post-talk question and answer session, Mr Lowney said

the strong desire for self-awareness exhibited by staff of different and no religious backgrounds, often related to the “ultimate questions” propounded by the great faiths. Referring to the Ignatian heritage of his seminary days, he suggested people take a moment of reflection during the day to focus on ultimate priorities, to re-orient busyness toward the most important things. The Catholic faith contained much human wisdom which could be shared with others without them Please turn to Page 9

A moment of joy for all, but especially Sr Quynh

It was a landmark day dominated by happiness and rejoicing as Sr Quynh made her solemn profession of vows before Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB at the Carmelite convent in Nedlands on Saturday August 18. Friends and relatives, including her brother Fr John Nguyen, a priest in Vietnam, came to support her for the occasion. PHOTO: ROBERT HIINI

By Glynnis Grainger A VIETNAMESE Bishop, priests, relatives and the Perth Catholic Vietnamese community turned out in force to support Carmelite nun Sr Quynh Mary of the Most Holy Trinity as she made her solemn profession at the Carmelite Monastery chapel, Nedlands, on Saturday, August 18, before Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB and concelebrating priests. Bishop Paul Bui van Doc, Bishop of May Tho in Vietnam, Sr Quynh’s older brother Fr John Nguyen and

many priests of the Archdiocese concelebrated the Mass of Thanksgiving with Archbishop Costelloe on the morning. Her mother, sister, niece, a priest who is her cousin – Fr Joseph Khanh – and Fr Joseph from Denver, Colorado, all visited Perth for the special occasion, along with other Vietnamese priests and relatives. Perth Vietnamese religious sisters, many parishioners and friends of Nedlands Carmel were also present. In his introduction, Archbishop

It’s all about Sr Quynh. It’s wonderful to reflect on the things that God gives us. Costelloe said: “It is all about Sr Quynh. It is wonderful to reflect on all the wonderful things that God gives us.” The cantor was parishioner Mary Creed and the choir was from the Vietnamese community. In his homily, Archbishop

Costelloe said that he was reflecting on the readings that Sr Quynh had chosen for the celebration and was struck by the line in Mary’s Song of Praise, the Magnificat, which was used as the responsorial psalm. “In that song Mary speaks of the Almighty who has done great things for her. I’m sure that Sr Quynh can echo the same words as she reflects on the ways in which God has been present in her life, calling her to follow him,” he said. “ . . . I found myself also reflecting on the words of psalm 16 . . . which I think might speak very

directly today to you, Sr Quynh, on this special day. In that psalm, the writer asks this question: ‘How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?’ “Sr Quynh . . . I would encourage you and all your Sisters, to make this prayer and this question your own. The gift of a religious vocation is a precious one, not given to all, and certainly not better than any other, but for those who are called, like you, it is the pathway to deep joy, peace and contentment. “The example of faith, courage Please turn to Pages 10-11


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