What's Inside... Real life stories in Perth that would interest Charles Dickens or John Steinbeck - Page 11 A layman reflects on prayer and penance in Lent as it fast approaches - Page 6 PERTH, WA: February 15, 1996
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A bishop reminds young voters of their chance to make a difference - Page 4 Unemployment: hidden poll issue - Page 3
Bishop Saunders takes reigns in the Kimberley By Peter Rosengren On a typically hot and humid tropical evening in the heart of the
Kimberley at Broome, an ancient Christian ceremony was performed before nearly 1500 people in the town's Civic Centre last week when Father Christopher Saunders was ordained Bishop by the same man who ordained him as a priest twenty years ago. Ordaining the new bishop was the retired Bishop of Broome. Bishop John jobst, assisted by bishops Justin Bianchini of Geraldton and Edward Collins MSC of Darwin, the two closest episcopal neighbours of this remote Western Australian diocese. The ordination was one of the largest events the tourism and pearling industry town has seen in many years and was broadcast live throughout the Kimberley on ABC Radio, with Perth priest Father John legomw as host broadcaster. Eleven other bishops from around Australia attended and participated. including the Apostolic Pro Nuncio, Archbishop Franco Brambilla from Canberra and Cardinal Edward Clancy of Sydney, the most senior member of the Australian Catholic hierarchy. As the late afternoon sun set and a thunderstorm gathered out to sea, hundreds more who were unable to fit inside sat on temporary seating around the building and watched a televised broadcast of the ceremony on large television monitors. Inside, Broome Catholics, members of the community and representatives of Aboriginal communities from throughout the Kimberley, including many who had travelled enormous distances to be there. participated in the ceremony by singing and praying over the new bishop. As cups of cold water were distributed through the evening by children from St Mary's College. the colourful Kimberleystyle ceremony was conducted before
onlookers and participants in the Civic Centre - Broome's largest venue. The Cathedral Church of the diocese. St Mary's, was unable to hold all those attending - as it was. the Civic Centre was stretched to the limit with locals and visitors. Before Bishop Saunders ordination. Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter appointing Fr Saunders as the second bishop of Broome was read out by Pallotine Father Wendelin Lorenz. and assented to by prolonged applause from the congregation. While young children played in the gathering darkness outside the building and celebrants and members of the congregation sweated in the humidity of Broome's "Wet" season. Fr Saunders was presented to the principal consecrator. Bishop jothst. In an ancient ceremony stemming from the beginnings of the Catholic Church. he was questioned before the congregation on his resolve to uphold the faith and discharge his duties faithfully. "My brother, are you resolved by the grace of the Holy Spirit to discharge to the end of your life the office the apostles entrusted to us, which we now pass on to you by the laying on of hands?" Bishop jobst asked. "I am." Fr Saunders replied. Following the traditional questioning of the bishop-elect. Bishop fobst ordained Fr Saunders, followed by Bishops Bianchini and Collins and then the other bishops who all came forward to lay hands on the new bishop's head. Bishop Saunders' ordination was something of a unique ceremony. not likely to he matched anywhere else in Australia in the near future. Unique - for its strong Aboriginal component which highlighted both the makeup of the diocese's population and the distinctive nature of the Church's work throughout the far north of Western Australia. Continued on Page 8
The newly ordained Bishop Saunders is led by Stanley Walbidi, right, Stanley's father, Merridoo Walbidi and his mother Agnes Walbidi down into the congregation where members of Aboriginal communities hi be Kimberley, below, came forward to pray over him as a sign of his acceptance as bishop in die Aboriginal community.
More pictures, interview with Bishop Saunders - Pages 8-9
CEO, teachers negotiate on new wage levels By Peter Rosengren The Catholic Education Office was endeavouring this week to explain its case to teachers in Catholic schools as the teachers considered their response to a wage offer. The CEO offer of an 11.85 per cent wage increase in three stages comes as part of the current enterprise bargaining process being conducted in the Catholic schools system. Ivan Sands. secretary of the Independent Schools Salaried Officers' Association of WA (ISSOA), said the union had been discussing the CEO's offer and its own proposals with members and other teachers in Catholic schools throughout the last
week and a decision would be made by Monday. As yet. no work bans or industrial action had been discussed by the union. Independent schools wage deals in Western Australia have been historically influenced by negotiations conducted in the State school system. Mr Sands said the ISSOA was pursuing a wage claim that would maintain the salary lead of teachers in Catholic schools over their counterparts in the State system. "Based on $1200 above the Ministry (of Education) rate which we've had for some time, we're claiming the basis of the Ministry of Education and State School Teachers' Union deal, which was two lots of seven and a half per cent. (15 per cent) and still retain that ($1200) level above it."
However his claims were rejected by Ms Jennifer Nicol, head of the Community and Industrial Relations section of the CEO who said the CEO simply wanted to be assured of moving in tandem with the Education Department instead of in advance of it. Mr Sands said the CEO had offered an agreement which would provide wage levels slightly below that of teachers in the State system and with two conditions on its implementation. The first condition was that the CEOISSOA enterprise agreement could not be registered until after the agreement reached between the Ministry of Education and the SSTU. but this could take some time.
But Ms Nicol said the CEO was merely attempting to stop a repetition of problems with the first enterprise bargaining agreement concluded in 1994 when the CEO signed a pay deal with the ISSOA after advice from the Ministry of Education that its own agreement would be concluded shortly after. "We signed in good faith and then subsequently (the Ministry's) capacity to sign disappeared and they haven't actually even signed one yet," she said. "So the first round of increases that we gave was on the promise of a similar movement of salaries in the Education Department (which didn't occur)," she said. Continued on Page 3