Parishes gear up for Lent PERTH, WA: February 23, 1989
Registered by Australia Post Publication No. WAR 0202
Number 2624
The Church in China • Pages 6 and 7
• Page 2
POST ADDRESS: PO Box 50, Northbridge, 6000 W.A. LOCATION: 26 John St, Northbridge (east off Fitzgerald St).
Lost Olfe TELEPHONE: (09) 328 1388
FAX (09) 328 7307
PRICE 600
One of the disasters of modern life is that individuals do not care for one another, says Archbishop Foley
One of the disasters of modern life is that individuals do not care for one another, Archbishop Foley told North Beach parishioners last Sunday. "People can be sick next door and not be noticed by other people moving in and out of flats and units," he said, noting that this was in spite of the development of health and welfare services by both government and nongovernment agencies. He called this fact one of the sadnesses of modern world and said that it used not be the case in smaller towns or in the earlier days of Perth. "As we grow in numbers we lose the personal responsibility to care." Archbishop Foley was speaking before he blessed and opened the new Pastoral Care and Counsel Care service of Our Lady of Grace parish.
He told the parishioners not to diminish their call to love their neighbour simply because they had new buildings and personnel helping them. Calling the counselling service the horizontal dimension of faith, he said it revealed the true nature of the parish as a People of God. "What happens outside the church building is as much part of Catholic life as what happens inside," he said. He said he hoped people visiting North Beach church would ask what the other buildings were for and what are the other dimensions of the parish life. He hoped the North Beach move, linked to Centrecare, would be a sign to the wider church and that a network would grow as in the next such move at Kalgoorlie.
Jim Somers, chairman of the North Beach parish finance committee rose to the heights last Sunday to put in place one of the crucifixes blessed by Archbishop Foley to mark the opening of the new c entre.
• Turn to Page 10 for another story and more pictures
'Test for AIDS before marriage' Couples preparing for marriage, who may have engaged in risk behaviour, should be encouraged to have an AIDS test, the Catholic Church in Adelaide said today. The recommendation is in a submission to the federal government by the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide, in response
to the Government's policy discussion paper on an Australian strategy for AIDS. People preparing for marriage, or for a relationship which will include sexual expression, have a right to know the standing of the HIV status of their future partner, the submission says.
This was for the cou"Consent for a test ple's own safety, the should always be safety of the partner and obtained which is out of consideration of informed, voluntary and any future children. uncoerced," he said. The submission's co"Pre-testing counselling author, Father Maurice should be compulsory Shinnick, a member of and the results should the Management Com- always be communimission of the AIDS cated face-to-face, with Council of SA, said all the provision of on-going testing for AIDS should counselling for people be on a voluntary basis. tested antibody positive,"
Father Shinnick said. against high risk groups, Father Shinnick said special procedures for the right of confidential- strict confidentiality to ity %yak for "grave con- protect the rights of the cern" and procedures to individual need to be ensure confidentiality developed," Father Shinnick said. needed to be tightened. For further informa"Because of the emotive elements associated with tion: Father Maurice HIV testing and the Shinnick 382 1717. amplication of prejudice, The full text of the 14 discrimination and page submission is availscapegoat ing directed able on request.
Turn to Page 11 for counselling service story