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Performance is our God? When did we lose a love of wisdom, leading Perth educator asks - Pages 12-13
Perth packs a punch full of goods for devastated Philippines
Perth boxer Danny Green with Michael Soh from Buckets for Jesus. The team received an overwhelming amount of donations from generous Catholics in response to Typhoon Haiyan. Full Story - Page 6
Pope Francis issues his first Apostolic Exortation at the close of the Year of Faith
Perth’s Christian representative
PERTH’S CHRISTIAN Irdi was chosen to receive the Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Francis on behalf of all deacons at the Mass on November 25 for the close of the Year of Faith. At the end of the Mass, the Holy Father consigned his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium to 36 representatives from 18 countries, with just one deacon - Mr Irdi - joining a bishop, a priest, a seminarian and various others in receiving the document. The Mass in St Peter’s Square also marked the solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe, and was concelebrated with several leaders of the Oriental Catholic Churches. For the first time, the relics of the Apostle Peter were displayed alongside the altar for public veneration, contained in a bronze casket. Before the Mass, a collection was made in aid of the people of
the Philippines, recently afflicted by the Typhoon Haiyan. During his homily, Pope Francis thanked his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI for commencing the Year of Faith. “By this providential initiative, he gave us an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of the journey of faith begun on the day of our baptism, which made us children of God and brothers and sisters in the Church,” he said. Reflecting on the readings for the Mass, the Pope stressed the importance of recognising Christ as the centre of our lives. “When this centre is lost, when it is replaced by something else, only harm can result for everything around us and for ourselves,” he said. “Besides being the centre of creation and the centre of reconciliation, Christ is the centre of the people of God. Today, he is here in
our midst. He is here right now in his word, and he will be here on the altar, alive and present amid us, his people. “Finally, Christ is the centre of the history of humanity and also the centre of the history of every individual. To him, we can bring the joys and the hopes, the sorrows and troubles which are part of our lives. “When Jesus is the centre, light shines even amid the darkest times of our lives; he gives us hope, as he does to the good thief in today’s Gospel.” In concluding his homily, the Holy Father said asking God for forgiveness would never go unheard. “Today, we can all think of our own history, our own journey,” he said. “Each of us has his or her own history: we think of our mistakes, our sins, our good times and our bleak times.
Perth deacon Christian Irdi receives the Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Francis on November 25 at Mass in St Peter’s Square. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
“Jesus’ promise to the good thief gives us great hope: it tells us that God’s grace is always greater than the prayer which sought it. The Lord always grants more, he is so
generous, he always gives more than what he has been asked: you ask him to remember you, and he brings you into his kingdom! Let us go forward together on this road.”