The Record Newspaper 24 February 2000

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Parishes confront GST By David Kehoe

The Archdiocese of Perth has asked its parishes, priests and archdiocesan agencies to register separately for goods and services tax payment.

The Archdiocese's Gsr consultant, Brian Power, urged priests and parish finance representatives meeting at St John of God, Subiaco, last 'Tuesday evening to adopt separate registration to deal with the imposition of a GSF on items and services purchased by a parish, priest or agency. If a parish purchased goods and services worth $45,000 in a year, It would pay $4,500 Gsr when buying the goods but be entitled to claim the $4,500 back from the ATO, he told The Record in an Interview last Monday. A parish fete committee could legitimately deal simply with the GSF by operating as a sub-entity Brian Power, the Archdiocese's GST of a registered parish, as long as consultant, speaks to the parish GST it did not earn more than meeting last Tuesday evening. $100.000, kept separate accounts.

and donated all net income to the books of account for the sub-entiparish. Parishes should also ty," he said. If you bought goods realise that they could get a GST with GSF on them and were not refund on all their capital expen- registered, "you could not claim Input credits back" diture as well. The fete would then donate the "So if they build a new wing on the church, they can claim an net profit to the parish. A priest would have the option Input credit back on that," he said. But once a parish's turnover - of registering, Mr Power said. "There could be some priests minus its second collection - rose above $100.000, it would be where it may not be worth their required legally to register for while registering and claiming a GST over that figure, Mr Power refund of the GST they have paid." said, but would have the option of "[But for I parish priests generregistering below that figure to ally, it would be in their interests claim a refund for GSF paid. to register." Parish presbyterys were GST They should register to get back free because parishes allowed a full GST refund rather than wait priests to use them rent-free. to claim GSF as a deduction when Parish fund-raising would be filing an income tax return, which GST-taxable, apart from raffles, would be a lower amount bingo and sale of second-hand Mr Power said that, to be regisgoods and donations. tered for the payment of GST, a "If you are running a fete . . . . parish, priest or agency would you could register the fete with also have to acquire an Australian the Tax Office as a sub-entity of Business Number (ABN). the parish." This would happen as part of That meant. Mr Power said, the the registration process on one fete would get its own ABN num- ATO form to be supplied by the ber but it wouldn't register for Archdiocesan Finance Office at GST. the end of February. The registration process had to "So that you keep separate

be finished by May, he said. A list of all archdiocesan institutions with public benevolent institution (PBI) accreditation for receiving donations under the outgoing tax system would also have to be compiled before 30 June so institutions receiving donations could be endorsed by the ATO as Deductible Gift Recipients (DGRs), Mr Power said. Failure to get endorsement would mean that donors would not be able to claim income tax deductions for their donations. After 30 June, parishes, priests and agencies would have to decide if they would lodge returns monthly or quarterly for GSF purposes, with the monthly system likely to incur higher administration costs than a quarterly return. "So at the end of each quarter, if they are lodging quarterly, they should get a refund rather than paying out GSF," Mr Power said. "So it's in their interests to register." A second seminar on the GST for parishes will be held at St John of God Hospital next Tuesday, 29 February.

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Bishop stirs wedding hornets' nest with timely reminder By Susan K Virgalitte YOUNGSRMN, Ohio (CNS) An Ohio bishop's column on how priests struggle with many aspects of modern wedding preparations created a firestorm in a newspaper's advice column when the newspaper printed a letter about the issue, then invited clergy to share their views. The original column that sparked the reaction was by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Youngstown. Writing last May in his "Without A Doubt" column in his diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Exponent, he pointed out that many priests in his US diocese were not happy with the secular practices surrounding wedding ceremonies and receptions. He said in part that "wedding rehearsals are a constant irritant for priests who have to deal with

large, unruly wedding parties and people who aren't used to being in the church." "Wedding liturgies themselves become parties rather than prayer, making it nearly impossible to maintain any sense of decorum, any sense of the sacred," he said. He cited drunken groomsmen. crying flower girls, inappropriate music, and photographers who disrupted the service. An Exponent reader sent the bishop's column to columnist Ann Landers, who printed excerpts from it and invited clergy of all faiths to respond. She devoted her 16 and January columns to the responses she received, noting that she was "still reeling from the bags of mail that resulted" from Bishop Tobin's remarks. Her columns indicated that the wedding ceremony controversy generated a heavy response from clergy and lay leaders around the

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Happier weddings: 32 Hispanic couples had their civil marriages validated by the Church in a ceremony in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, last November. See story, Page 11. Photo. CN&Jose A. CarnevalvArlIngton Herald

country who agreed with Bishop Tobin's sentiments. Landers was on vacation and unavailable for comment on the response. "On one level, I found it very amusing," Bishop Tobin told The Exponent in a recent interview.

"On a more serious level, what the discussion indicates is that! hit a real nerve and said something that apparently many other priests and clergy are thinking," he said. "It indicates that, throughout

the country, we have a real problem about the way people are celebrating weddings today. 'Marriage is a very beautiful and important vocation and sacrament," Bishop Tobin continued. "The way we celebrate weddings has to reflect that, or the marriage gets off to a bad start." The wedding ceremony and other festivities surrounding a wedding indicate how people feel about marriage, the bishop said. "If it's just a party or a social event, it lacks that profound spiritual significance," he added. Of course, not every wedding has these problems. "There are many beautiful and thoughtful and prayerful wedding ceremonies," the bishop said, "but the problems are frequent and indicate we have a lot of work to do to remind people of what marriage is all about." Continued on Page 15

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. Iast week the Heads of Churches were invited by the Hon. Peter Foss, Attorney General and Minister for Justice, to inspect the Women's prisons of Bandyup and Nyandi. I was happy to be among those who went. The reason for the tour of inspection goes back a while, a little over a year, when protests occurred in some prisons over a "lock down" due to overcrowding. The Heads of Churches visited the male prisons and offered their suggestions to the minister. To complete the inspection we were invited by Mr Foss to see the women's. prisons as well. First was Bandyup set in the picturesque Swan Valley countryside. That we were expected was quite obvious, as the lawns and gardens were beautifully presented, with not a leaf or a weed in sight. The buildings, too, were spic and span. We were greeted by the

prison authorities with genuine friendliness. It was obvious that they were quite proud of the way the facility was being run and happy to show us around. Having visited the male prisons a number of times, I was pleasantly surprised by Bandyup. The buildings were a little old but not at all sterile or formidable like the large structures built for male prisoners. There were plenty of feminine "touches", like neat corner gardens, art work on the walls, personal photographs and fluffy toys in the cells, and an aviary happily tended by one of the women prisoners. We were able to chat with the prisoners we met on our tour and were well received. Admittedly we were only visitors, not inspectors, and would not have been able to do more than gain superficial impression, nor would we have been able to hear complaints of any substance.

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By Peter Rosengren Father Vincent Glynn has been appointed Director of Adult Faith Education for the archdiocese of Perth as part of changes in the adult faith education field announced by Archbishop Barry Hickey recently. Father Glynn will work with Br Des Crowe FMS, a Marist Brother, who will continue to be involved as co-ordinator of the Maranatha Institute programs which are run at the Catholic Education Centre in Leederville. In an effort to promote the spread of adult faith education, the changes announced by the Archbishop include plans to augment current Maranatha Institute courses with courses and programs offered in parishes and other local venues. Archbishop Hickey has provided increased funding for the developments to occur. Br Crowe has served as Director of the Maranatha Institute, which operates as the archdiocesan institute of adult faith education and formation for ministry. since 1992. Archbishop Hickey said the changes are designed to significantly enhance the priority given to the continuing spiritual formation and religious education of adult Catholic men and women across the archdiocese. Father Glynn told The News you won't get anywhere else:

The Record

ORDER OF CANONS REGULAR OF PRgMONTRP, finding unity with the brethren on the way to God ...

Fr Peter J Stiglich, 0.Praem. St Joseph's Priory PO Box 354 Cannington WA 6987 Telephone: (OR) 9458 2729 Email: norhert©Bnethet.au

The Record, February 24 2000 Page 2

Archbishop's

Perspective Forum on Prisons at the UWA Law School on 18 and 19 March this year. It would be good to attend this forum in the spirit of the Great Jubilee.

Director of adult faith education appointed

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However, the impressions were received were positive - the generally favourable,I must say. friendly atmosphere, the good The grim reality of prison life attitude of the staff, the smiles of was brought home very sharply the prisoners. in the initial reception area where These women, some very young, prison clothes were handed out were preparing themselves for and in the sick bay where a num- release back into the community. ber of prisoners on admission I can only report what I saw and were affected by drugs. experienced. The de-tox facilities reminded Iknow that in every prison there one of the sad lives of many is violence and despair and tragwomen whose crimes were often ic occurrences. drug-related. But they were not evident on our About one third of the prisoners visit. were Aboriginal. The unexpected humane atmosThis is a sad situation whose phere I sensed in Bandyup and solution lies way beyond the Nyandi contrasts sharply with visprison situation or even the jus- its I have made elsewhere. tice system. Despite this,Iknow that the punIt is a symptom of historical and ishment of prison life is not realcontemporary issues in society ly measured by the harshness or which are difficult to solve, but otherwise of the living conditions, which eventually must be solved. but by the deprivation of liberty From Bandyup we went to Nyan- the enforced separation from famdi in Bentley. ily and friends. Nyandi is a smallish, pre-release The high fences and razor wire prison from where the prisoners left me in no doubt about that. can go out to work and return at The WA Conference of Churchnight. The impressions we es is sponsoring a Social Justice

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Record last week he planned to spend the rest of the year looking at the kinds of programs needed in the archdiocese and ways of taking them out into the parishes. The new programs will not replace the Maranatha Institute programs, which are offered on Thesdays and Fridays at the CEC in Leederville. However the Institute had already begun planning programs with Catholit Outreach, the archdiocesan parishbased volunteer care network, and pastoral volunteers in hospitals, he said. Archbishop Hickey also said the changes would give effect to the General Directory of Catechesis published by Pope John Paul II. Fr Glynn told The Record the Directory, published by the Congregation for Clergy in 1998, "looks at evangelisation and faith formation from the womb to New directions in adult faith education for Perth - Fr Glynn, left, with Br Crowe. the tomb." "It looks at all areas of catechesis in the ministry leading to a Diploma of Pastoral Church, not just schools," he said. Ministry is also available. Brother Crowe said Maranatha InstiFather Glynn said part of his work over tute programs provide adult religious the next 12 months would involve lookeducation over a range of subjects such ing at which programs currently being as: Scripture, liturgy and sacraments, offered by a variety of groups around the spirituality, moral theology, the local archdiocese have been most successful church, mission and justice. or popular. Personal development programs are The Maranatha Institute was estaboffered through the Institute, he said. lished in 1977 at the request of the heads A second-year program of supervised of religious orders in WA.

Bibliophiles: Get ready, get set, go! Books on Australia, history, fiction, and for children are among the 55,000 that will be on sale at the Mercy Community Services' annual book sale over the March Labour Day long weekend. The sale will be held at the Catherine McAuley Family Centre, Wembley, on Friday, 3 March, from 5.30pm to 9pm, and from Saturday, 4 March, to Monday, 6 March, from 9am to 4pm. The Centre's Op Shop, selling secondhand goods, will be open on the Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 3pm. The annual book sale has been held for the past six years to raise funds for the many community and aged services the centre provides, as well as enabling the local community to obtain good quality books at cheap prices. This year the funds will go towards the upgrade and refurbishment of a child day care centre in Neathridge, a much-needed ser-

Busy bargain hunters scour for book value at last year's Mercy sale. vice in that area. Some donated books go to the book sale, others are sent to Third World countries and those that are damaged are recycled. About 500,000 books have been

sent to children in countries such as the Philippines, Ghana and Zambia. More information about the sale can be obtained from Jean GarrattReed on 9442 3444. - Glynnis Grainger

Pope encourages deacons By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Permanent deacons must not let anything stop them from bringing Christ to the world, Pope John Paul II told deacons celebrating their jubilee at the Vatican. "Do not let difficulties and opposition trouble your hearts but, on the contrary, wow in your trust in Jesus who redeemed men and women through the martyrdom of the cross," the Pope said. More than 2,000 people - deacons, their wives and family members - attended the 19 February papal audience during the Jubilee for Permanent Deacons at the Vatican. Pope John Paul called the jubilee a good opportunity to promote a deeper understanding of the permanent diaconate, a ministry restored to the Latin-rite church after the Second Vatican Council. Being misunderstood or ignored Is the most common form of "martyrdom" Christians are subjected to today, and many deacons know that personally, the Pope said.

"Dear deacons, some of you may be worn out from exhausting commitments, from frustration because of apostolic initiatives which did not succeed or from being misunderstood by many," he said. "Do not lose courage," Pope John Paul told the deacons. "Place yourselves in the arms of Christ; he will restore you." More than 85 per cent of the world's deacons are married and have children, Cardinal Castrillon told reporters; because a deacon's marriage came before his ordination, "that is his primary commitment." When Romulo Scelza, a deacon and director of health care in the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, spoke about his ministry during the jubilee, he referred constantly to the importance of his wife, Maria Christina. "When people ask us about any shortage of time" for family when both devote so much time to Church activities, "we answer that if the quantity is less, the quality is undoubtedly higher," Scelza said.

Catholic groups oppose mandatory sentencing By Peter Rosengren The Australian Catholic Social Justice Coundl this week called on the Federal Government to intervene in the mandatory sentencing debate. Other Catholic bodies joined the fray. The ACSJC's chairman, Bishop Kevin Manning of Parramatta. said the council deplored the practice. The debate was sparked by the death in custody of a 15-year-old boy at Don Dale Juvenile Centre in Darwin who had been sentenced to 28 days imprisonment under the NT's mandatory sentencing laws. Amid calls for the Federal Government to override the state and territory laws, Prime Minister John Howard ruled out a conscience vote for Coalition MPs on the issue. Bishop Manning said the Federal Government should use all its powers to prevent such a tragedy happening again. The Catholic community does not want to see young people 'criminalised' by being jailed, but helped to change their ways. Imprisonment must not • be an automatic response to an offence, especially in the case of the young, he said. The Bishop noted indigenous Australians "are massively over-represented in our prisons. . . . It is a national disgrace that so many. . . . have died [there]," he said. The Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes, which represents Catholic and some Anglican religious orders also called on the Federal Government to end the NT's laws. Mandatory sentencing as a solution to crime was also condemned by the co-ordinator of the Diocese of Bmome's Office of justice, Ecology and Peace, Christian Brother Shane Wood. Broome diocese has a high concentration of indigenous Australians among its population. Br Wood said it was difficult to see how taking discretion in sentencing away from judges would solve the problem. "Judges need to have the opportunity to look behind the facts of a case to apply sentences that they feel appropriate - not just as a punitive measure, but also to .... provide for some rehabilitation," he said.

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"It is a gift of God that my wife, Maria Christina, and I can give witness to Christian marriage and to the blessings we have received in 40 years of marriage," he said. US Cardinal Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, led a special jubilee session for deacons' families. The New Testament calls Christians, and particularly Christian spouses, to be submissive to one another, the cardinal said. "Both spouses must show a readiness to renounce one's individual will for the sake of the other, for the sake of the marriage bond," he said. The deacon and his wife have a responsibility within the Christian community to be models of marriage and of parenthood, showing the world that the sacrament of matrimony is a reflection of God's love, he said. Cardinal Stafford said the practical elements of the spiritual life of deacons and their families should include an observance of the penitential character of Fri-

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find ways to allow holiness and Gospel values to inform all aspects of their lives professionally, in political and economic choices, in their families and in their sexuality the cardinal said. The spirituality of the married deacon is not "characterised primarily by flight from the world, horror of the world, but by a responsibility in and for the world," Cardinal Stafford said. Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez of San Juan, Puerto Rico, told the deacons that the Church, in restoring the diaconate, was restoring "a bishop's missing arm," the arm "in whose veins Cardinal Francis Stafford flows the blood of Christ the servant." days throughout the year, not only He asked the deacons to imitate during Lent; frequent recitation of deacons described in the those the Rosary together, and the strict observance of Sundays as a day Acts of the Apostles: "Let us hope that you all will be men of good of prayer and rest. "The deacon, his wife and mem- reputation, dedicated to helping bers of his family are to have an the needy, that you will be virtuabhorrence of the very thought of ous heads of your families so that evil," which demands a critical you can be the light of the world attitude toward television, films and the salt of the earth, continuand other forms of entertainment, ing the mission of announcing he said. Deacons constantly must Christ to the world."

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So what do sex and love have to do with God? By David Kelm What has an expert in theological anthropology got to tell the Catholic Church in Australia? Such a question could have been put in the Monty Python skit about intellectual life in Australia at the 'University of Woollomoolloo' where all the lecturers were called Bruce and cold cans of beer are required passports to intellectual debate. But the technical term for Bishop Angelo Scola's expertise has an ordinary meaning that can be understood by anyone willing to listen: it is simply the study and understanding of human nature according to what God has revealed about it. And it is the assumptions that citizens make about what it is to be a human being that finally determines all social policy. Instead of believing human nature to be nothing more than what biology and history makes it - just one of the more intelligent animals - theological anthropology puts God, who created the universe and man and woman into the question of the meaning of life and what human nature is, what a man and a woman are. It takes the belief that God created men and women to know, love and serve Him here on earth and be happy with Him in heav-

en forever as a fact revealed by 'other' is the condition in order to God to human beings that must tell T," Bishop Scola said during be included in any study of a break in talks at the Catholic human nature for the results to be Church Offices. valid and sound. The limits that difference Bishop Scola, the President of between male and female Pope John Paul H's Institute for seemed to imply for the world Marriage and Family, was in Perth were in fact the opportunity for last week as part of a visit to Aus- equal dignity based in self-giving tralia for discussions leading to love. the establishment of a branch of It was at this point that God's the institute in Australia, perhaps Trinitarian life, while a mystery, in Melbourne. gave some insight into how difBishop Scola is also the rector of ference, through self-giving love, the Pontifical Lateran University led to equal dignity and unity. in Rome, of which the institute is God the Father eternally begets part. His Son, Jesus Christ and their He told The Record in an interlove for one another is the Holy Bishop Angelo Scola view last Tuesday week that the Spirit. modern world had tried to dispositive "is in the full sense of the So, as the Three Persons of the miss the differences in the nature rather term," than a source of diviof men and women in an attempt Blessed Trinity are different but sion. to create equality for women with one in a mysterious way, men and "To tell that man and woman, as women when they give themmen. being the image of God, share in But it had failed to see that it was selves to each other at all levels of that kind of Itrinitarian] perfectheir relationship are able to live tion," he through the differences in their said, "is a way to try to biological, emotional and spiritu- in harmony in a similar way. enter little bit more into the mysThis love expresses itself in the tery of the way difference is the al natures that men and woman were able to find their equal dig- procreation of children, where way to equality and unity without their love invites the llinitarian destroying the uniqueness of the nity and rights. By giving their difference to each love of God to create a new soul individual person." other they discovered the true in love and for love. "It means that the dual unity "The deeper meaning of the love which constitutes a human being nature of the man or woman conof the Trinity," Bishop Scola said, - that means the fabric of a human cerned. This self-giving love that lived "Is to understand by grace that the being is always soul and body, beyond the individual with the difference could be put also with- always man and woman, always other was one ground on which in the foundation of the Triune Individual and community - is in their equality rested. God." the ultimate instance an expres"At the end I cannot tell [under"In that sense, difference" as per- sion of his participation in the life stand] 'I' without the 'other', the fect, absolute unity and identity of the Thnity which Jesus Christ

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revealed to us," Bishop Scola said. This meant "that a human being is capable of otherness, of acting according to his own intelligence and will, of assuming responsibility, of entering into a relationship, of building up a civil society." And this was not an understanding that only intellectuals and educated people could understand and live. Everyone, including those without the Faith, can learn the "what is the otherness, what is the difference" of another through the "elemental experience of love." Even non-believing philosophers often admit that the idea of difference in the framework of love was worth considering. From these foundations a dialogue with the world about what human nature is, what a man and woman are, can begin so that the Church's often misunderstood view of men and women can be seen to be positive, the bishop concluded. Hopefully the arcane ring of the term "theological anthropology", will not stop it from helping Christians and Catholics in Australia understand what God has called men and women to be, so that they might be able to propose to other Australians a view of human nature that will enable them to escape the contradictions and absurdities of current social debate and policy.

Catholic Education COMMIts101? of

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Newman College is a Catholic metropolitan coeducational eight-stream secondary College with two campuses situated at Doubleview (Years 8-9) and Churchlands (Years 10-12). The College embodies in its mission the Dominican and Marist traditions. It offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes extensive offerings in TEE and VET, a Special Education Unit and a highly developed International Student programme. The College is governed jointly by the Archbishop of Perth and the Provincial of the Marist Brothers, Southern Province. This position will become available due to the announcement of the Governors of Newman College, that Br Stephen Bugg will complete his seven year term of distinguished service as Principal of the College, at the end of 2000. The successful applicant will take up the position on 1 January 2001. Applicants need to be actively involved in the Catholic Church and be experienced educators committed to the objectives and ethos of Catholic and Marist education. They will have the requisite theological, educational, pastoral and administrative competencies together with an appropriate four year minimum tertiary qualification and will have the necessary Accreditation to teach Religious Education. Applicants should also be able to demonstrate the ability to value Marist spirituality and promote the educational vision of Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers, as well as work collaboratively with the Marist Province, the Catholic Education Office, the local Church and Principals of the feeder schools. Official application forms are available from Ms Carmen Jones on (08) 9212 9224. For further information please contact Sr Clare Rafferty, Consultant, Leadership Team, on (08) 9212 9268.

Official application forms should be addressed to The Director, Catholic Education Office of WA. PO Box 198, Leederville WA 6903 and be lodged no later than Friday 31 March 2000. Wehsite: http://www.ceowa.perth.catholic..edu.au

Catholic schools are smoke-free work places. The Record, February 24 2000 Page 4

People of Asian origin should think about joining the Red Cross Bone Marrow Registry, according to an Indian-born West Australian who lost his wife to Leukaemia last year. Willetton man Andre Sequeira's wife Jennifer, 33, who was born in Bombay, died on 5 March, the day after his 32nd birthday. "Initially, people aged 18-50 only have to go for a free blood test and be matched up with people of the same ethnic group," Mr Sequeira said. On the world-wide register there are about three million people and the chance of being a donor is extremely rare, about one in 450 to one in 750,000." "As there are very few potential (Asian) donors, this is what makes it very hard for people of Asian origin to have a complete cure." "Some countries don't have affiliation to

the international register, based in the United States, and some don't even have a data base." At the end of last year, Mr Sequeira spent three months touring the world, visiting India, to see his parents, Europe, to visit Lourdes and Taize, and the US, where he visited his sister and e-mail contacts in the health profession. The Sequeiras were married in 1993, but it was only two years later, in 1995, when Jennifer was diagnosed with Leukaemia, so they couldn't have any children. Mr Sequeira said he feels Jennifer is always with him wherever he goes, even though they were married for only six years. If you have any questions or wish to join the registry, you can telephone Marrow Match at the Red Cross on 9325 3333. - Glynnis Grainger

Jennifer and Andre Sequeira the day before she went to hospital last year.

ACU offers doctoral scholarships Crucifixion concert

Research projects on multiculturalism, secularisation and ministry in Australia are topics for three new PhD scholarships being offered by the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. Applications close on 10 March for the scholarships, which provide a living allowance of $21,183 a year for three years, exempt from income tax, and other expense allowances. Grants worth $200,000 from the Australian Research Council have made the three scholarships possible. The Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference and three religious Orders - the Scalabrians, the Redemptorists and the Augustinians - will provide about $15,000 in funding a year. "High quality research is the life-blood of the modern university," the Vice-Chancellor

of the ACU, Professor Peter Sheehan, said. "ACU welcomes this opportunity to expand our collaboration with the Bishops' Conference and the religious Orders, since the Church is an important sponsor of the University." Scholarship winners will be supervised by the director of the joint ACBC/ACU Office of Pastoral Research, Redemptorist Dr Michael Mason, who also holds the position of senior research associate in the university's Research Institute. "Our mission is to carry out research that will both meet high academic standards, and also assist the ministry of the Church," Dr Mason said. For more information contact Dr Michael Mason on (03) 9816 9342 or e-mail m.mason@mcd.unimelb.edu.au - Glynnis Grainger

Vatican paper comments on spill VATICAN CITY, FEB 17 (ZENIT). - Following the environmental disaster that has struck the Danube, the Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano called for 'international cooperation free of egotism" and the promotion of 'an environmental culture,' 'The time has come to promote international cooperation free of egotism and barriers,' the article states, at the end of a full report on the ecological catastrophe caused in Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia by escaping cyanide from the mine in Roma-

nia. Seventeen countries gravitate toward the Danube basin with 80 million people. "Adequate laws are necessary and supranational surveillance for proper draining. "But, above all, what is necessary is preventive work and the growth of a culture that respects the environment and man,' the Vatican newspaper stated Australia has been drawn into the international controversy through West Australian mining company Esmeralda's owning a halfshare in the mine.

St George's Cathedral will echo to the sounds of the 80voice University of Western Australia Choral Society when Stainer's Crucifixion is performed on 14 April. Soloists - tenor James Malcolm and bass/baritone Cornelius de Munck - will be accompanied by the Cathedral's resident organist Simon Lawford and the choir will be conducted by John Beaverstock. The Australian Army Band Perth, under the direction of Captain Peter O'Connor, will perform in the first part of the evening. The oratorio is a fund-raising event for Citizen Advocacy Eastern Suburbs which arranges one-to-one, voluntary relationships between suitable citizens and people with disabilities. The Crucifixion will be performed on Friday, 14 April, at 7.30prn. Ticket prices are A Reserve $15 and B Reserve $10. For bookings or information telephone 9274 7443. - Glynnis Grainger

Catholic nurses' association: a necessary voice By Glynnis Grainger The Catholic Association for Nurses will be launched next month to answer the need for a Catholic voice to address the emerging issues affecting nursing in WA. Bishop Robert Healy will officially launch the association on behalf of the Archbishop at a function held at the St John of God Conference Centre, Subiaco. from 10am to 2.30pm on Saturday, 11 March. Attending the launch will be a range of guest speakers including the International president of Catholic nurses' groups, Sir Richard Lai, visiting Perth for this function. Mrs Margaret Hubery and Ms Karen Tinnelly, who will talk on the medical and ethical criteria concerning artificial nutrition and hydration. The function will mark the first of the planned activities of the association, which seeks to provide a forum for nurses to influcare health the ence environment, governments, and the nursing profession itself.

Margaret Hubery

The association intends to provide seminars and workshops on ethical issues, as well as opportunities for spiritual enrichment and social gatherings. An annual retreat is planned for later this year as well as formal breakfasts with speakers on

topics relevant to nursing. "Nursing, like all aspects of health care, is being assailed by persistent change," Stephen Carmody, the chairman of the interim executive of the association, told The Record. "The human face of health care must be maintained so that the care of the sick is predominantly a response to the dignity of the human person and not the dictate of resource availability or a goal of technological achievement" The association welcomes memberships from nurses and student nurses of all faiths, who support the ethical principles and values associated with the rich tradition of nursing in Catholic hospitals and other health care facilities. Annual subscriptions are $20 and application forms can be obtained from the LI Goody Bioethics Centre. Glendalough, or by telephoning 9242 4066. Attendance at the launch and conference is free, with a light lunch provided. Nurses can join the association on the day.

Catholics to host Olympic families sought in the greater Sydney area, from the Central Coast in north, to Wollonthe Catholic (CNS) Sydney's SYDNEY. Australia community has responded enthusiastically to an gong in the south, invitation to host members of the families of the and the Blue Mounworld's elite athletes during the Sydney 2000 tains to the west of the city. Olympic Games. When requested The plan is for up to 6,400 members of athletes' guests, factors by throughhouses in families to be accommodated out Sydney, reported The Catholic Weekly, the other than location language, diet, culnewspaper of the Archdiocese of Sydney. ture, mobility and The Catholic co-ordinator for the Samsung Ath- religious or cultural letes' Family Host 2000 program, Helen Ferrara. observances - will said the response from potential hosts had been be considered when overwhelming. guests matching "We've had a wonderful reaction from parishes with hosts. who've advertised the program in their bulletins," In a similar prosaid Ferrara. gram conducted dur"So far, we have 130 families who've nominated ing the 1996 Atlanta themselves to host Olympics guests. Games, Olympic "The Catholic coordinating committee is aiming more than 2,000 to provide 500 host families from a total of 4,000 guests, including a Bishop Peter Ingham families drawn from church and community large contingent of Australians, were accommodated with host local groups," she added. To ensure that athletes attain peak mental and families. physical levels during the Games, competitors are Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Peter Ingham said the asked to nominate as guests two individuals, usu- hosting program allows parishioners to show genally close family members, who will provide them erosity and leadership, and it fit in well with the with the best support at the time of competition. Gospel values of welcoming the visitor and lovGuests will be matched with hosts on the basis ing one's neighbour. of proximity to the venues of events they will be "The quality and manner of the welcome we attending. offer will say much about the spirit of this nation. This requires that guests be accommodated Sydneysiders have much to offer visitors as a city within one hour's travelling time by public trans- with a rich and thriving multicultural base," Bishport to the venue. Consequently, hosts are being op Ingham said. By Dan McAloon of the Catholic Weekly, Sydney

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Bishop's visit aims to aid Project Compassion By Glynnis Grainger The chairman of Caritas Australia is visiting Perth for the launch of Project Compassion 2000 and the commissioning of parish and school representatives from 24 February to 1 March. Bishop Hilton Deakin, of Melbourne, will preach at the 11.30am Mass at St Mary's Cathedral on Sunday 27 February. Representatives from Catholic parishes and schools in the Perth Archdiocese have been invited to participate in this Mass at which they will be commissioned by Archbishop Barry Hickey for Project Compassion. Bishop Deakin returned two weeks ago from Dili. East Timor, where he travelled extensively. He found immense devastation in West Timor as well; where there used to be 1- 7.000 homes there were 4.000 now He visited Maliana with Bishop Belo and found hardly a home had a roof on it. "It had changed since the time I was there before; to the east 50 per cent of the houses had been burned," Bishop Deakin said. At Loutem, he visited the site where two nuns, two deacons and four others were shot and killed by the militia, and where they were buried in the grounds of the Salesian college, about 10km from where they were killed. "I talked every day to dozens of people. The destruction was almost complete," he told The Record. "Sadly, all of the historical records have been destroyed; the history of the people has been destroyed." "The militia were gone. Once the Interfet people came they all disappeared." "Last year I saw them all the time in Dili where they were killed people. They went berserk after the ballot in September.

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"A lot of the funds for the militia came from the Foreign Affairs Department run by Mr All Alitas (of Indonesia)." When he was in Timor, eight months earlier, the "psychopathic militia were there and all the shops were destroyed." Communications, the electricity supply and water supply were all destroyed, he said. "The work for Timor is only part of the work of Caritas," Bishop Deakin said. "I had a fairly long session with General Cosgrove of the Australian Army, land] with Bishop Belo." "Everybody thinks Australian soldiers are wonderful. Everybody in Australia should be proud of them." "I think they are doing a very fine job. I was impressed with them." He has been a bishop for eight years and is chairman of Caritas Australia. president of Caritas Oceania and vice-president of Caritas International. "None of my travel is to holiday spots," Bishop Deakin said. "This is where the Church is feeding and clothing the hungry. "Caritas Australia have something to be very proud of and Perth. in particular. just expands its capacity in gift-giving."

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The Record, February 24 2000 Page 5

Ready your heart for renewal Peter Dwan continues with his meditations on the readings for Sunday's Mass. This week the eighth Sunday, Year B

A Layman's

Meditation

T

oday's liturgy presents the important but all too often halfforgotten truth that religion involves the heart. The implications of this truth for Catholic living in the twenty first century are profound. In the first reading (Hosea 2:16-1Z 21.22) the prophet Hosea says: "Thus says the Lord: "I am going to lure her and lead her into the wilderness and speak to her heart." Commenting on the passage The Glenstal Bible Missal says: "Why is the wilderness the chosen place for God to lure his people? Because in the midst of desolation, man can ask himself if God will satisfy the love of his heart." This question takes on added significance as many in the Church hope and pray for the canonisation of the great nineteenth century English convert, Venerable Cardinal John Henry Newman. Misunderstood by many of his contemporaries, Cardinal Newman took as his motto the words: "Heart speaks to heart." Cardinal Newman once said: 1 offered my heart to Rome and she rejected it. I offered it to God and He accepted it." We can always offer our hearts to God, no matter how much misunderstanding we encounter from others. Cardinal Newman wasn't, of course, the only convert to experience trials.

An 1885 photo of Cardinal Newman by Louis Barrand

In the second reading (2 Corinthians 3:1-6) we can see how the great convertapostle, St Paul, was abashed by his versatile and superficial Corinthian converts. He doesn't argue. He appeals to the faith with which they first received his preaching, it is written in their hearts by the Spirit. This is St Paul's only letter of recommendation. The Gospel passage (Mark 2:18-22) has far more to say about religion and

the heart than many realise or would like to admit. The joy of the bridegroom's attendants should remind us of the joy which should fill the heart of every Christian. The late Mother Teresa of Calcutta wrote about joy. Her well-known quotation includes the words: "Joy is a net in which you can catch souls. A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ Risen." In the concluding verses of the Gospel passage, Christ says: "Nobody puts new wine into old wineskins, if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!" We have been offered the new wine of renewal by Vatican II. Ihave heard a priest purport to explain that this new wine of renewal has been largely lost because it has been poured into the old wineskins of preconciliar Church structure. This is,Iconsider, just making the preconciliar Church structures a convenient scapegoat. The Council documents see renewal as coming within diocesan and parish structures, and give detailed instructions on this very point. The new wineskins which the Council demanded are renewal of heart, teaching explicitly the universal nature of the call to holiness. When our hearts are burning with love, we will gladly follow all the Second Vatican Council's directives and experience the renewal it envisaged. Until then, the renewal Vatican II envisaged will remain a utopian dream.

To Jesus through Mary .. . a column of Marian devotion By Benedicta Cipola

T

he Renaissance Shrine of Our Lady of Mongiovino, which reopened on 20 February after more than a year of renovations, is just one of the thousands of tiny cultural jewels dotted throughout Italy that the average tourist misses. But locals are hoping the restored shrine, situated halfway between Orvieto and Assisi in the region of Umbria, will draw some of Rome's expected 25 million Holy Year visitors to their neck of the woods. Rome, with its myriad churches and museums newly resplendent after years of restoration work, provides stiff competition for the rest of Italy in the campaign to attract Holy Year pilgrims. Smaller towns, however, are jockeying for a piece of the pilgrim pie, and statesponsored Holy Year restoration funds have targeted some of the country's lesser-known sites in an attempt at a nationwide facelift. "I hope jubilee pilgrims will discover not only Rome but sites elsewhere as well," said Archbishop Giuseppe Chiaretti of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, who officiated at the shrine's inaugural Mass. "Of course Rome has its own special significance. But there are other places no less important or significant," he said. Construction on the church began in 1524, but the story of the sanctuary, intertwined with the history of the Umbrian people, dates back to the Middle Ages. Sometime during the 14th century,

according to local legend, a small roadside shrine with a painting of the Madonna and Child fell into disrepair. One day a shepherdess by the name of Andreana, tending her flock near the shrine, heard Mary call out to her, asking that the area be cleared of weeds and other debris. Andreana ran to the church to tell the parish priest and townspeople what she had witnessed, but they scoffed at her tale. Soon after, Andreana once again heard the Virgin's voice, telling her to return to the town bearing a broken jug full of water. The townspeople would believe her. said Mary, when they saw that the water did not pour out of the hole on the jug's bottom. Andreana was finally taken at her word, and the roadside shrine grew to be an important stop for pilgrims making their way over the Umbrian hills en route to Assisi. The painting of the Madonna and Child was transferred, some 200 years later, from its stone hut to its present place at the main altar of the Shrine of Our Lady of Mongiovino. Residents of Mongiovino and the surrounding area turned out in full force for the reopening celebrations, which included a conference on the shrine's history and a theatrical monologue on pilgrims to Marian shrines throughout the centuries. "This church is very important to us," said one of the village's 67 remaining inhabitants. "My children were baptised here,Iwas

married here, and I'll be buried here," she said. Archbishop Chiaretti underlined the local population's devotion to the shrine, which boasts newly-cleaned paintings by two Flemish artists depicting events in the life of Mary and frescoes by G. B. Lombanielli portraying miracles attributed to the Virgin's intervention on behalf of Mongiovino's population. 'This represents a festival of the people," said the archbishop, gesturing to the hundreds of local people milling about the piazza in front of the sanctuary after Mass. The local lay community decried the decrepit state of the sanctuary in the 1980s and spurred Umbria's regional government to take action. When the Italian government set aside jubilee funds to restore sites outside Rome, Mongiovino's residents pressed for their shrine to be included in the initiative. The church's restoration cost $US2.6 million, and the government has already earmarked another $US2.6 million to renovate the buildings adjacent to the church. While it may not possess the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica, Mongiovino's Marian shrine merits a visit, said Daniele Orlandi, the mayor of Panicale, whose district includes the village of Mongiovino. "It's not as well known as it deserves to be," he said. "The sanctuary has a powerful cultural, artistic and spiritual tradition, and that's what we're trying to renew today," Orlandi said. - CNS

Risk only what you can afford: Vatican investor ROME, February 8 (ZENIT). - Only the that are always promising "fat returns". money that one can afford to lose should Among the tips he offered to families be invested in the stock market. was a recipe, "eternal and immutable", This is the advice that the Pope's that "no one should offer more if there is banker, Angelo Caloia, President of the a greater risk at stake; when one wants Vatican Institute for the Works of Reli- to make too much, the possibility of losgion, commonly (but mistakenly) known ing that capital also exists". as the Vatican Bank, gave in an interview Nevertheless, Caloia explains that his to the Italian Catholic magazine Famiglia statement is not a condemnation of the Cristiana [Christian Family]. stock market, and not even a lack of faith Sooner or later, warned Caloia, the day in it. will come when stock market abuses will "What frightens me is an environment come back to haunt us. where it is very often forgotten that true He criticises "hyperliberal economists" progress is born from inquiry, tenacity, The Record, February 24 2000 Page 6

entrepreneurial sacrifice, and not from the exchange of collector cards." "We must be attentive so as not to run after fashions, the primacy of technology", he warns. "It is necessary to alert people about the dangers of the stock market, where there is an unacceptable separation between a company's market value and its real worth." Currently the "Vatican Bank" handles some 40 thousand bank accounts in various world currencies. Speculation is completely excluded.

Priest who told jokes to the Lord in the tabernacle

With Fr Anscar McPhee

/

have a story today of a Priest who couldn't sleep for worry. He worried about his people. One night, at about 1.30am, he found himself in tears that things were so bad around him. He saw face after face of people he felt unable to help, even of being saved. He'd prayed for years for some of them and they seemed to be worse than ever. Of course, things are never the same in the night as in the cold light of day! But he wasn't thinking of this. He got up from bed and went to his little chapel Collapsing onto his Jason Recliner, he poured out his anguish to Jesus, crying for those souls for whom Jesus and he were responsible. He cried especially for one. All of a sudden the tears stopped and he looked at the Tabernacle. There was a calm in the presence. Then the most ridiculous, absurd thing happened. This priest who admires greatly the mystics of the Church also has a love for the stories of Don Camillo who used to talk so familiarly to the Christ on the crucifix. So our priest found himself saying to Jesus that if he, the Priest, could make Jesus laugh. could there be a deal whereby his straying friends might be brought back to good. holy, upright living? It was quite a challenge, he felt, considering the Lord would have heard most good jokes and happily forgotten the rest. Nevertheless, our Priest, who had a goodly number of highly successful party jokes to call on, was confident that his quick punch-liners would hit the funny bone. Says he to the loving presence, beginning to laugh as was his style to create atmosphere. "Did you hear about so and so . . . a? and off he went with one absolute prize-winner after another laughing uproariously (quietly in the night) as he told them . . . . All of a sudden he became aware of something unspeakable. He felt taken up and hugged by God! In somewhat of a state of shock he tried to settle down again, as he seemed to imagine the Lord, his friend, his lovely friend, telling him to go on with the jokes! The Priest tried but the jokes waned in their enthusiasm for he couldn't take his eyes off the Tabernacle and his attention to the presence, the love, and the mystery of God. Suddenly he felt overwhelmed by sleep and asked Jesus if he could sneak off to bed. He moved towards the door but couldn't leave the chapel. He stood there wordless in the need to stay with his friend. The friend gave him another hug. It was too much for one small priest, too lovely, but then the need to stay was gone and he went to bed. He slept soundly. Next day he stood in the doorway and said to the Lord, Jesus. "1 won the challenge, you know, dear Lord." "I know my jokes probably weren't heavenly standard but it must be the first time in the history of the Church that someone sat up at one in the morning before the Tabernacle telling you jokes." "That's just so mad, so crazy - so funny!" Thank you for letting me win the challenge to make you laugh. I can confidently leave that soul now to you - and all of mine are truly yours - and so am I." - Reproduced with permission of the Kimberley Community Profile, monthly newspaper of the diocese of Broome.

Promoting marriage: priority for 21st century This editorial on the challenges facing marriage today appeared in the 6 January issue of The Catholic Messenger, newspaper of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, in the United States. It is equally relevant to the threats to marriage faces in Australia.

The Record

t has been a mark of modern times that the most progressive societies are those which saw the rise of a strong middle class. And a mark of the middle class was adherence to an ideal of family life which required formal marriage - sanctioned either by the church or civil authorities. Development of this middle-class stability was crucial in the remarkable spread of personal security and prosperity during the 20th century At the same time, rising prosperity made it possible for the multitudes to feel free of those middle-class constraints. Was a particular sexual mating desirable? Why complicate it with marriage? Did a girl desire to have a baby? Marriage hardly seemed necessary. Did a boy feel pressure to prove his viril-

Why, instead, is traditional marriage ity by making a baby? Marriage was a under further attack - and being ignored bother. Was a spouse no longer interesting? Or or dismissed as the basic building block hard to adjust to? Walk away and look for of society? A great part of the reason must be the a new coupling. Divorce was easy. The institution of marriage has become conflicting desire for individual liberty. Close behind, in the modern advanced degraded in the Western societies we like societies, is the ease with which the conto call "advanced." That is a clear legacy of the 20th centu- sequences of individual actions may be shifted to society at large. ry. Marriage as a distinctive institution And as marriage suffered, so have chilgiven unique protection in society is also dren. Studies in the United States have repeat- under direct attack by homosexual edly shown that the children of marriage groups. The effort to gain equal status for homofare far better than those who grow up in single-parent - typically fatherless - sexual couples, under way for more than a decade in some parts of the country, is homes. This holds among the poor as well as the now gaining momentum and spreading nationwide - and worldwide. middle class. France made that move last year, grantiIf traditional marriage is so important to a healthy society and the well-being of ng all the benefits available to married new generations, as we believe the evi- couples to any cohabiting pair who regisdence shows, why is there no general ter with a court clerk in a "civil solidarity pact." alarm as it suffers abuse and decline?

Arounof T

7aae

I

Drums for East Timor call

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have just received a request from East Timor, from the Don Bosco Technical School in Dili, for some musical instruments. The school. extensively damaged by the militia last September, is operating again in restricted surroundings and provides Introductory training for carpenters, electricians and welders. The Don Bosco students are very keen on music and have asked if! can help get them some drums, electric guitars and a sound mixer. Perhaps some of your readers can assist. After all, music is really the universal language spoken by the young throughout the world. I would appreciate any support for these young people who have gone through so much and now want to get on with their own lives and re building East Timor. My address is Salesian Missions Office, PO Box 80, Oakleigh, Vic 3166. Brother Michael Lynch Oakleigh. Victoria

Singing to God's glory

I

was disappointed in the petulant review of Together in Song in last week's Record. If a reviewer so roundly damns the hard and considered work of many people, he should at least reveal the criteria for his criticism. Your reviewer simply reveals a festering series of prejudices. Perhaps he may have stopped to consider the question why Christian people believe it to be worthwhile to compile anthologies of hymns. As he seems to have neglected any thought of the motivation of the committee of Together in SongI will take the risk of seeming arrogant myself and suggest two possible reasons why well-respected hymn writers, musicians and liturgists have exerted their talents over many hours and years. 1. They believe that the people of God are helped by singing hymns and compiling a collection [which) may assist worship: a worthy aspiration. 2. They recognise that the worship needs of Christian congregations change with changing years and cultural expressions. Together in Song is a collection of over 700 hymns and songs from the Christian heritage of the last 2000 years. It includes plainsong with words from the second and third centuries and music from the great era of Pope Gregory

It comprises a balance of more modern hymnody from the 17th to 20th centuries. Considerable effort has been made in balancing the choice across these centuries. Your reviewer objects to revision. However, hymns in which words have changed their meaning lose their value for worship. We stopped long ago singing about the "rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate", because our sensibilities in social justice made singing this verse of "All Things Bright and Beautiful" simply too uncomfortable. A good example of a revision in Together in Song is the first line from the hymn by Georg Neumarlc, a strong hymn expressing God's love even through difficult times. In The Australian Hymn Book the predecessor to Together in Song, the hymn began with these words. "If thou but suffer God to guide thee." Even allowing for the unusual thee and thou of previous centuries, it is very difficult to get the gist of this translation. The new translation plainly reads: "If we will trust in God to guide us." The meaning is immediately clear and more elegantly expressed. The choice for the compilers of hymn books is stark Revise a good hymn or leave It out. If you don't change it, it won't be used. Figures from the National Church Life Surveys make an interesting correlation. In parishes where hymns from the 19th century and earlier are predominantly sung, the parishioners are predominantly 60 years and older. In places where there is a good balance of 20th century songs and earlier hymnody there is a greater chance of finding people under 50. Your reviewer is right to suggest that it is more difficult to judge the quality of contemporary music, because we are too close to it. However, if we wish to continue to attract a new generation to worship, we are obliged to make the effort to include good music from this (or is it last?) century. I differ in nearly every respect from your reviewer. I congratulate the committee of Together in Song for their attempt to include quality new music. Of course, you can never please everyone. There is always room for difference of taste. But look through Together in Song before you write it off as did last week's reviewer. It is a good and useable collection, and will resource parishes for years to come. It will help the people of God sing to God's glory Ted Witham Parkwood

The "solidarity" is acknowledged to be of the loosest sort, however, since such pacts may be easily and simply revoked by either party with three months' notice. The Supreme Court of Vermont last month ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same benefits available in law to married couples, but the sticky question of what kind of coupledom we are talking about, and of what duration, is left hanging. The implication of the court's judgment is that homosexual coupling should have equal status with marriage. In California, voters will decide in March whether to declare that marriage is exclusively the union of a man and a woman. We may expect that even if those voters show common sense, the issue will come back in some way - as it surely will in Iowa, the rest of the states and in federal legislative and judicial halls. Marriage, its distinctive meaning and value, will certainly be one crucial contest of the 21st century. • The opinions expressed in this editorial, and any other Record editorial, are not necessarily those of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth.

Leffers /0 /Ae Ccfifor

Immigration debate

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es to genuine refugees, no to queue jumpers" (The Record, 10 February) was a refreshing change to the usual Cloudcuckoo Land unthinking welcome to the influx of illegal migrants. I was heartened to see that the editorial writer actually mentioned the danger of our social structure being subverted, and the possibility that drug lords were sending agents here to be local agents in their destruction of our young people. Australia's politicians have consistently done the opposite of what Australians used to want, namely, little or no immigration. A classic case was when then Prime Minister Bob Hawke gave the Chinese students, who had all passed through the rigorous Communist loyalty checks, temporary visas to stay in Australia after the Tianamen Square massacre. You see, if those students were frightened to go back to Communist China, and were willing to give up seeing their families again, they could have been invited to finish their studies and go to Nationalist China, that is, Taiwan. In Taiwan they wouldn't have had to face persecution or racial discrimination there, would they? But they will face the underground racial dislike that is a feature of many Australian's belief systems. The reality is they had been handpicked by the Communists, and they are busily nominating more and more of their relatives to come to Australia, which will change the voting patterns here. Many refugees from Moslem persecuting regimes could flee to nearby Moslem countries. Refugees from murderous South American landowner regimes could flee to nearby Latin American countries. And so on. Australia's long-term unemployment problem, salination, the ruination of the Snowy River, the destruction of the forests, the draining of people from rural areas, and the inhuman "infilling" of the metropolitan areas, all are signs that at present Australia is overcrowded in the sense that it cannot properly handle more people in a sustainable way. The causes might include bad politics, but with governments selling out to greed, and a recent bid to resist the wrong policies discredited by the fraudulent registration of the reform group, the policies aren't likely to change in the next few years. Bill Mulvaney Ferndale

Compassionate teacher

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his letter is re Sister Lucy, whom few are now likely to have known or to remember. However, the following

small anecdote has a lesson that still seems worth recording. Sr Lucy (more correctly 'Lucius', I suppose) picked me out one morning playtime in the Mary Street Highgate Primary School. It must have been in about 1922, for I would have been about eight years old. Father Crowley, then our parish priest, lived in the presbytery just across the road. Sister gave me a verbal message which would I please give to Fr Crowley. So acrossIdutifully went and knocked on his front door, to be greeted not by Father but by a middle-aged lady, whom I at once took to be Father's wife! As he was out, the lady kindly offered to give him the message as soon as he returned. So I did that, and returned to the school playground. Sr Lucy was still there overseeing. and she asked me had I delivered the message correctly. I replied that in Father's absence I had given the message to his wife! 'Oh!' said Sister, but turned and went back into the nuns' quarters, which were through a small side gate, having thanked me, of course. A couple of days later it was the same playtime again, andI and a few other children were playing quite near this side gate, when through it came Sister back into the playground. She then, without in any way seeming to single me out, gave the whole group of six or so, a tactful little homily enshrining the fact that priests did not have wives. I took in this nugget of information and soon returned to the schoolroom, never thinking for one moment that it was intended for me, But over the years the incident came back many times into my mind, still continuing to puzzle me. Many years later, I was about 38 years old, andIwas in the British Royal Navy and in Scotland. World War Two was in full swing. It must have been about 1943. And the incident involving Fr Crowley's "Wife" came once again into my mind, still continuing to bother me. Then and there suddenly I realised that dear Sr Lucy had been gently, tactfully speaking to me! And so, at long last, the little incident of Sister was laid to rest in my mind. Brilliant Sr Lucy, the best teacher I think I ever had, and the gentlest and kindest! 'Nat' (C.C.) Gould York The Record, February 24 2000 Page 7

Features

Features

Pilgrim roads also wend their way to Freo's St Patrick's Basilica By Peter Rosengren

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St Patrick's Jubilee Holy Door.

Photos: Peter Rosengren

t Patrick's Basilica in Fremantle is one of the eight Churches in the Archdiocese of Perth designated as a destination for Jubilee pilgrimages. Parish priest Father Don Hughes, a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate order which has served St Patrick's parish since 1894, told The Record last week he wanted several things to come out of the Jubilee Year for pilgrims who visit St Patrick's. One was that he hoped that pilgrims visiting St Patrick's will leave more prayerful in their lives, and the other was that they would gain the indulgence set out by Pope John Paul II for the Jubilee. And, being a basilica, St Patrick's also has a strong link with the Holy Father and with Rome, Fr Hughes said, adding that there are only four other basilicas in Australia - two in Melbourne and one in Sydney. But St Patrick's is also an historic place and pilgrims can soak some of that history up during a visit there. Fremantle is always a colourful part of the Perth scene: it occupies a special place in its history and is a major tourist destination for visitors to the West. This year the two elements, colourful sights and history, are being married in a mixture of traditional celebrations and newer Jubilee activities conducted at St Patrick's Basilica in the port-side city for the Year of Groat Jubilee. Celebration is the key word: there will be at least five major events - four feasts and one centenary - marked throughout the year including

a series of concerts staged once each month in the historic and picturesque basilica. St Patrick's parish priest and Oblate, Fr Donald Hughes, spoke to The Record last week about the program centring on St Patrick's for the rest of 2000. He said that feasts and processions through Fremantle streets, which are traditionally marked annually at the Basilica, have been incorporated into St Patrick's jubilee celebrations. As in years past, the four feasts will be those of St Patrick, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Tindari, and Our Lady of Martyrs - which always features two statues of the Madonna: Our Lady of Martyrs and Our Lady of Capo D'Orlando. St Patrick's Day celebrations on 12 March will see Perth Auxiliary Bishop Robert Healy celebrate 11am Mass before the statue of the Irish saint is taken out of the church and carried through the streets to the Esplanade. "It's [the basilica's] feast but it's the Irish association too," Fr Don said. Unfortunately for St Patrick, he is the only man who gets a look-in' at the church during the Jubilee year. The other three processions which occur throughout the year go to Our Lady. The first is Our Lady of Fatima on 13 May and, as in past years, it promises to be a spectacular sight. Just as St Patrick belongs to the Irish, so Our Lady of Fatima belongs predominantly to the Portuguese, many of whom have been involved In WA.s fishing industry and live in and around Fremantle. An evening Mass is followed by a candlelight

procession through the streets of Fremantle as those taking part recite the Rosary and sing hymns. "It's more prayerful, and I don't mean that in any derogatory sense [compared to St Patrick's]," Fr Hughes said. During the procession the magnificently-decorated Fatima statue of Our Lady is pulled through the streets in a boat-shaped carrier, he said. The procession of Our Lady of Tindari, popular among members of the Italian community, sees the statue of Our Lady of Tindari removed froni its place in the basilica's 'Italian' chapel, which was built in 1996, before being processed through Fremantle streets on 10 September. In fact, the main occupant of the chapel is Our Lady of Martyrs, but her feast day is not until later in the year. Interestingly, Fr Hughes pointed out, Our Lady of Tindari is the only black Italian Madonna represented sitting with the Infant Jesus. The final feast-procession is the feast of Our Lady of Martyrs on 22 October, more popularly known around Perth as the Blessing of the Fleet. This pmcession often sees two statues - which as Fr Hughes said "normally sit beside each other in peaceful harmony" - Our Lady of Martyrs and Our Lady of Capo D'Orlando both processed through the streets of Fremantle from the basilica down to the Fremantle waterfront where each is placed on a fishing boat The statues then lead other boats around the harbour for the blessing of the fleet, which in past years has been conducted by Archbishop Hickey, Bishop Healy, Monsignor Keating, Monsignor O'Shea and Bishop Quinn of Bunbury. This year. however. the Pope's ambassador to

in a canonised saint, who is venerated in Spain as Maria della Perth Christian Brother has Cabeza, from the fact that her head suggested to The Record (Spanish. cabeza) is often carried that we write about St in procession, especially in time of Isidore, of Madrid, for the benefit drought. They had one son, who died in of our rural readers. his youth. Brother Leslie Howe said he read On one occasion, this son fell into about the saint in a book about 25 a deep well and at the prayers of or 30 years ago. "I pray to him every day," Br his parents, the water of the well Howe said. "He has been a big is said to have risen miraculously to the level of the ground, bringing help for years. the child with it, alive and well. "We all need prayers," he said. Hereupon, the parents made a Br Howe has served the Church for 40 years in WA, - at Tardun and vow of continence and lived in Bindoon Agricultural Colleges, separate houses. Forty years after Isidore's death Castledare and Clontarf - as well as years spent in Melbourne at on 15 May, 1130, his body was South Melbourne Boys' Home, transferred from the cemetery to the church of St Andrew. Lower Plenty and Bundoora. When King Philip III of Spain St Isidore was a Spanish day labourer, born near Madrid, about was cured of a deadly disease by touching the relics of the saint, the the year 1070. The Catholic Encyclopedia, first king replaced the old reliquary edition, says he was in the service with a costly silver one. Pope Gregory XV canonised of a certain Juan de Vargas on a Isidore, along with the more-well farm in the vicinity of Madrid. Every morning before going to known saints in modern times: Sts work he was accustomed to hear Ignatius, Francis Xavier, Teresa, a Mass at one of the churches in and Philip Neri, on 12 March, 1822. Madrid. St Isidore is widely venerated as One day his fellow-labourers the patron of peasants and daycomplained to their master that labourers. Isidore was always late for work in The Spanish cities of Madrid, the morning. Leon, Saragossa and Seville also Upon investigation, so runs the honour him as their patron. legend, the master found Isidore His feast is celebrated on 15 May. in prayer, while an angel was Pope Pius XII proclaimed him doing the ploughing for him. patron of farmers in the US. On another occasion, his master Father Steve Casey, of St Joseph's saw an angel ploughing on either parish, Kellerberrin, here in Westside of him, so that Isidore's work ern Australia, told The Record was equal to that of three of his fel- recently he had no doubt that low-labourers. many contemporary farmers Isidore is also said to have would indeed find in St Isidore an brought back to life the deceased inspiring model to follow. daughter of his master and to have Although poor themselves, caused a fountain of fresh water to Isidore and his wife would often burst from the dry earth in order share meals with the hungry. to quench the thirst of his master. In a similar way, country folk He was married to Maria Torrib- were also very generous and pull

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The Record, February 24 2000 Page

together in times of hardship and need, Fr Casey said. "During a crisis, such as a fire. farmers without hesitation will leave unattended their own property to go to the aid of a neighbour, near or far, who may be more immediately threatened," he said. "In times of injury or death, farmers have rallied to the side of a distressed family and helped to finish seeding or harvest. "Rural communities are great at fundraising for a good cause. Partly it's necessity, so the locals just pitch in to do a lot of the work themselves. "It is fair to say that rural residents have a keen sense of citizenship, of serving the common good, and not just the common good of their own communities but of all humanity. "There are many folk living in the bush who give humbly but liberally to charitable organisations that serve beyond our own country or kin. "There is a parallel between St Isidore and Australian farmers, who have given of themselves to wartime service in disproportionate numbers. "Every tiny Australian country town has a monument as tribute to those of its young men (and women) who made the ultimate sacrifice. "So St Isidore, in more ways than one, is a fitting role model for modern Aussie farmers." Fr Casey said: "I'm often inspired by the example of my own hardworking parishioners, who put in very long hours and who still faithfully come to Mass every Sunday, even after atrocious weather has wreaked havoc, and stoically carry on as if nothing has happened. "Of course, St Isidore wasn't a malingerer at all, but simply knew that all his blessings came from

Australia, the Canberra-based Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Francesco Canalini, will conduct the blessing. Those are the processions, which each year and especially in the jubilee - add to the colour, movement and action of 'Free'. The Oblate motif at St Patrick's is continued with the visit on 28 May of Oblate and Cardinal Francis George of Chicago in the United States to mark the centenary of the Basilica. Although Pope john Paul II conferred basilica status on St Patrick's in 1994, it has stood as a church since 1900, making this year its cente-

nary. The Oblate order, which administers the parish has been stationed continuously at St Patrick's since 1894, making 104 years of their presence. Benedictine Brothers built the first church at Fremantle, opened in 1860, on the current church site, Fr Hughes said. The foundation stone of the current St Patrick's was laid in 1898, while the church was completed, blessed and dedicated by Bishop Matthew Gibney on 3 June 1900. Cardinal George. a leading figure in the Church in the US, will therefore celebrate both a jubilee

Papal visit to Egypt a litmus test for relations between ancient antagonists

Would you let an angel drive a valuable header at harvest time? By Glynnis Grainger

St Patrick's Basilica in Adelaide Street, Fremantle: 100 years old and going strong.

and a Centenary Mass in a single event, most likely at 11.30 am on 28 May, Fr Hughes said. Among other events marking the jubilee are a monthly organ or choral concert coordinated by the Director Music at St Patrick's Basilica, Dominic Perissinofto, who in many cases will also be the organist But a Jubilee year is pre-eminently a spiritual event and one of the ways chosen to mark it will be a mission conducted by an Oblate priest The priest, Fr James FitzPatrick, was born in Kalgoorlie and educated at St Louis college here in WA. He is now based in Rome as a postulator general, one who promotes the cause of sainthood for those who have lived their faith in an heroic fashion, and is currently working on the causes of 32 Oblates and others. Fr FitzPatrick, a director of the Catholic Inquiry Centre in Sydney for a decade, will preach at all Masses on the weekend of 11 and 12 March in the leadup to the mission, which will then run from 13 to 16 March inclusive. One of the outstanding feature of the mission will be all-day Eucharistic exposition from 10am in the morning until lOpm in the evening throughout its duration, praying for its success. "I admire that," Fr Hughes said. "I think over the years I'm not so sure I've seen that backup of prayer [for a missionj very often." A 'Back to Freo' Day will also be held on 4 September and on 11 November a Requiem Mass for all deceased parishioners and priests of Fremantle will be celebrated as well, he said. So the Jubilee Year is well and truly 'on' at St Patrick's. Those seeking a spiritual renewal throughout the year can find a new beginning in one of Perth's oldest churches.

By John Norton

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An artist's depiction of an angel assisting St hiders of Maddd. God and that nothing was possible without His help and grace. "My parishioners have similar faith, and our prayers at Sunday Mass are as often in thanksgiving for God's goodness as they are for asking special favours. "But for all the similarities of many of my parishioners with the saintly Isidore, I wonder whether one of them today would entrust a header (harvester) worth hundreds of thousands to the competent hands of an angel. "They have great faith but this particular act of trust may take some convincing. "I'm sure they

believe in guardian angels, but they would still prefer to do the driving themselves, lest they alarm an unbelieving neighbour at the sight of a runaway header going around and around a paddock!" Prayer: (submitted by Br Howe): 0 merciful God, we beseech you to grant us the grace that, through the intercession of your confessor, blessed Isidore the fanner, we may not grow proud but rather may serve you with deep humility. We make this prayer through Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

xuding friendliness and selfassurance, a portly sheik in a three-piece suit and a blue sheik's cap leaned forward in his chair and smiled confidentially. "Within 50 years both Europe and the United States will be Muslim." he predicted with aplomb. Sheik Alaa Abul-Azaeim Tariqa Azmeya, a sufi or Islamic mystic at Cairo's al-Azhar University, the centre of Islamic studies for the world's 1 billion Sunni Muslims, voiced a conviction felt by many of his colleagues. For many Muslims in Egypt, who represent at least 85 per cent of the country's population, this confidence in the growth of Islam makes dialogue with non-Muslims superfluous. According to Sheik Tariqa, as many as 80 per cent of Egyptian Muslims "probably don't care" about Pope John Paul II's 24-26 February visit to their country. He said that between 10 and 20 per cent of Egyptian Muslims, traditionalists and hard-liners, were actively opposed to the visit, and that a similar number were actively in favour. Among the clearest supporters of the Pope's visit was Egypt's government. Bowling over concerns of offending some Muslims, President Hosni Mubarak insisted that Pope John Paul celebrate Mass in a large-capacity sports stadium instead of a Cairo Catholic cathedral as originally planned.

Mubarak's aim in amplifying the Pope's visit is to improve the Egyptian government's international image. said Sheik Tariqa. But the stadium Mass would be seen by members of the Muslim majority as Catholic "propaganda." he said. -lb make a Mass in the stadium will give (Muslim) people hard feelings," he said. "It would be much better for Muslim feelings" if the Pope just greeted the country's religious and civil leaders "and talked about peace." Pope John Paul was scheduled to meet shortly after his arrival in The Monastery of St Catherine is nestled in a foothill of Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Pope Photo: CNSIF'alnck Godeau Cairo Grand with Sheik John Paul II will pray at the mountain during his 24-26 February visit to Egypt Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi, who Asked in a written question how ian scholars respect the cere- struggles and tensions." He cited heads al-Azhar University and is he would respond to the fears of monies of other religions," he said, tensions in the Holy Land, southseen as Sunni Islam's highest reli- some Christians in the West about adding with a laugh: "The most ern Sudan, Indonesia and the gious authority. Islamic extremists, Sheik Tantawi important thing is that the Mass recent killing of some 20 ChrisAfter Sheik Tantawi became al- responded, "Fear should be far will not be held in the Azhar." tians in the Egyptian village of Azhar's grand sheik in 1996, the from interreligious dialogue, To promote understanding Kosheh. Sheik Tariqa, though conVatican and the university began a because it causes a gap between between Muslims and other cerned about the Pope's planned series of contacts. peoples." believers, he said, there were plans stadium Mass, said he was optiIn 1998, the sides signed a perBayoumi, dean afoot at al-Azhar to open a special mistic about Muslim relations Sheik Abdel manent framework agreement to of al-Azhar's College of Islamic college for non-Muslims, who are especially with Catholics. build a mixed committee for dia- Theology, also hailed the Pope's currently prohibited from univer"All of my non-Muslim friends, logue. both here and in the (United) planned visit to the university. sity enrolment In a personally signed statement "It is a great thing that the relaBut some of Egypt's Christian States, are Catholic," he said. to Catholic News Service on 13 tionship between the Church and leaders warned against overstat'They are open and friendly - I February, Sheik Tantawi said that the Islamic world has turned from ing the potential positive impact never feel I am a stranger with he whole-heartedly welcomed the the Crusades into making visits made by the Pope's visit on future Catholics." But he criticised Catholic misPope's visit. and dialogue with each other," he Christian-Muslim relations. "Dialogue is a true Islamic value," said. 'The Middle East is boiling with sionary efforts in non-Christian he said. This is significant in the history religious feelings," said Bishop countries as misplaced. "You focus too much on non"The Koran says that all people of humanity." Athanasius, the Coptic Orthodox Christian countries, and you forget should know each other." Sheik Bayotuni, a member of al- metropolitan of Beni Suet Calling Pope John Paul a "wise Azhar's dialogue committee with Though he said he prayed that about your children," he said. "You may gain one per cent (conman," the sheik said that the Pope's the Vatican, downplayed criticism the Pope's visit would help message of universal peace and of the Pope's scheduled Mass in improve relations with Muslims, versions) abroad, but at home you love, common to the world's main Cairn Stadium. 'These days it's very, very difficult will lose 100 per cent" religions, benefited all humanity. 'The great majority of al-Ahazar- to define - every day you hear of - Catholic News Service The Record, February 24 2000 Page 9

Features, Book Reviews The *cord 1Ott, years ago With Mary Busher, Perth Catholic Church Archives volunteer

Excerpts from the WA Catholic Record, February 2-1. 1900.

Esperance decline

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writer compares Esperlance as it was in 1896 with the present time. . . . On the way to Norseman we passed over 40 splendid wagon teams and the roads bore evidence of frequent traffic. As many as 20 men might be seen tramping alongside the loaded wagons. But on a recent visit to Esperance we found a change Indeed. The town which now has its streets perfectly formed, we found practically deserted. Its streets silent and nearly all the shops and houses, with blank windows that advertise disaster dire. There was the new jetty nearly half a mile in length, alongside which the great vessels of the sea might rest. On the shore were the sheds and public buildings which along with the jetty cost about £60,000. The population formerly computed at 1500, is now about 400. Someone has blundered indeed, but even now the remnant of the people live on hope. Naturally they are Separationists and in favour of Federation. They know that Separation would make their port superior to Fremantle in a few years.

Straight talking A.E. Morgans MLA M indulged r in what was described as "straight talking"

at a banquet given to Mr Venn, chairman of the Paris Exhibition Commission. On development. Morgans said 95 per cent of the prosperity of the colony was due to the British capitalists who had Invested £10,000,000 here. This colony, compared with the others in Australia was "an Eldorado for the working man? On the high cost of living on the goldfields Morgans said "the reason for this did not lie with extravagant rates of freight on the railways, which were the lowest in Australia, but with the fact that the traders were robbing the workers."

Catholic men's reading rooms A fter some months of work / land fund raising the [Perth Catholic Young Mens Society] opened its new reading rooms (situated above Messrs Hughes and Doheny's premises) for members. About 35 members, plus visitors honoured the toast proposed by spiritual director, Father Keogh to "the prosperity of the society" President Mr E.J. Hayes said - "the rooms, will be open every evening for the use of members." The Society as now constituted offers many inducements to Catholic members of the community and should be availed of by a large number of the Catholics of the parish.

These stories of healings will bring tears to your eyes Healing Fire From Earth: Lourdes 2000, By Father Paul Glynn SM, Published in Australia, May 1999, by Marist Fathers Books, 1 Mary Street, Hunters Hill NSW 2110 Reviewed by Father Paul Carey SAC

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ather Glynn has already given us five beautiful books: A Song of Nagasaki, The Smile of a Rag-picker, Psalms - Songs for the Way Home, Hearers of Silent Music and Thank You Brother Fire. This is the most beautiful of them all. Healing Fire from Frozen Earth brings us an evangeliser, a missionary at his best. There is a fire in these pages that will profoundly affect even the most frozen of God's people, Christians and agnostics alike. He begins with his own testimony. When he lost his mother at age four, doubts about a loving God were sown. In his twenties the struggle was heightened, as he read of the

atrocities in the second World War and the on-going devastation in so many areas of the world. "Was God no longer in control, or was He no longer? Was he ever?" He began to investigate the reported miraculous cures at Lourdes. Despite his doubts, he gradually came to the conviction that instantaneous healings of verified physical diseases were happening. For him this meant God is for real; a loving God who listens to and heals the broken-hearted. He tells us "one of the messages to Bernadette Soubirous, the Lourdes seer, was that our mortal lives are essentially a journey, not a terminus. Life was sometimes painful, like most long journeys but its destination was sharing in God's full life of love forever. This made all the wear and tear and pain of the journey eminently worth-while." And so he explains: "I am writing this book for one purpose only: to help people on the lour-

Healing Fire f ro4Prozen Earth PAUL GLYNN

ney to discover God and come closer to Him in love. If such a journey of discovery appeals to you, I hope you will add prayer as an accompaniment to reading this book." He writes for people who are hurting, who are thin on hope and peace of heart. We all like to hear

true stories of real people. This book is replete with them. It is largely a collection of people's experiences of instant, physical healing: people he met personally and interviewed, or people he discovered through the signed documents kept in the Lourdes Medical Bureau. These true stories are mindblowing, awe inspiring. I have read and re-read them, often with tears, overcome with the love of our good God. There is a healing for all of us who read these pages. Finally Fr Glynn tells us: "I have tried to present the healing miracles of Lourdes as a strong reason why unbelievers might start seeking God in prayer." "But the Lourdes messages are primarily for believers. They are a call to prayer of the heart and committed Gospel living. "They repeat what Christ said: 'I have come to cast fire on the earth and howIlong for its blazing now. . . . They are calling for people with, to use an apt expression, fire In their belly."

Latest views on Christian Churches in Australia revealed Religion in an Age of Change, Edited by Peter H Bayliss and Gary D Bouma, Christian Research Association, RRP $16 Reviewed by Glynnis Grainger

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his little Australian book gives the latest views on the Christian church in this country and has four parts and 10 chapters. Written by various contributors, each chapter covers a different topic such as: "The Future of Faith: Where Poetry and Science Meet" by Rufus Black, "Journeys of Christian Feminist Theology" by Robyn Schaefer and "Clergy at the Crossroads"

by P. Harry Ballis. Discussing "Teenagers and Religious Education," Kath Engebretson concludes: "Experience in teaching cognitively focused religion education courses to secondary students from Year 7 to Year 12 has convinced me that the subject is not served well by an artificial distinction between 'knowledge and understanding' (cognitive/intellectual) and 'faith development' (affective). "Young people may more readily grow in a sense of personal meaning through the intellectual journey." "The intellectual study of living religious traditions actually feeds and nurtures the spiritual sense of the student, even if spiritu-

al/affective responses are not an explicit part of the learning process." In her chapter "Leadership Issues Facing Catholic Education In the 1990s," Therese D'Orsa concludes: "In a sense everything has changed since 1820, and at the same time nothing has changed. "Just as was the case with George Morley, Mary MacKillop and the hundreds of other Catholic educational leaders, the precious human being who comes through our doors still gives us the inspiration to move ahead and to continue to believe in her/his future, both as a child of God and a first-class Australian."

Both aristocrat and peasant embraced martyrdom

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t is quite appropriate that Pope John Paul II has created so many African Cardinals, as Africa was an important Catholic centre in the ancient world. About 60 per cent of the population of some Roman cities in the north of Africa were Christian, even when Christianity was illegal. Consequently, at the start of the third century in 203 AD, we find several significant Christian figures in Carthage, a very important city of North Africa. This is an important date, because it marks the first official, empire-wide persecution of Christians, by imperial edict of the Emperor Septimus Severus. Previous persecutions of Christians had been local affairs, usually restricted to Church leaders. The authorities tried more widespread crackdowns when this method was obviously not working, but by then Christianity was far too popular and widespread to be eradicated. During the persecutions of 203 AD, when St Irenaeus was martyred in Lyon, in Carthage another group of Christian martyrs were sent to the arena. Among them were two women, a Roman matron with a baby,

The Record, February 24 2000 Page 10

called Vibia Perpetua and a pregnant slave woman named Felicity. They are famous because Perpetua kept a record of her imprisonment up to the day before the public games in Carthage where they were thrown to a wild cow. This diary was incorporated into her martyrology after her death. Ills one of the earliest pieces of Christian writing by a woman. Perpetua records her arguments after her imprisonment with her father, a pagan, who was desperate to save her life. During her trial, the magistrate had her father beaten and removed from the court for interfering too much. She gives some insight into the other suffering surrounding the Christian persecutions. Perpetua's family were distraught, especially the pagan members who had little understanding of her motivation. She also left her infant son an orphan. Felicity, the slave woman with Perpetua, was pregnant, about eight months. The Romans would not execute a pregnant woman, and indeed, women could sometimes avoid

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e4r1st 2000

erth historian Dr Jennifer Skerritt sheds some light on Catholic history to mark 2000 years of Christianity. This week:

Sts Perpetua and Felicity death if their pregnancy could delay matters until the fervour of persecution dissipated. Felicity, however, prayed that her child should be born before she was due to die, so that she could be martyred with her companions. She subsequently gave birth to a daughter and gloried in going from the midwife to the executioner. Her death with the aristocratic Perpetua was a striking indication of the ability of Christianity to overcome intense social bafflers at that time. Her great desire for martyrdom is perhaps even more interesting. In the face of persecution, the Church in Carthage had become more rigorous, more ascetic and more fervent. In this atmosphere, one of the

most important Christian writers

of the third century was produced, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, known as Tertullian, who will be the subject of next week's column. Both Tertullian, and the martyrs Perpetua and Felicity, had sought to find their way as Christians in the midst of a hostile pagan culture. It was a very difficult time for Christians. They responded by refusing to compromise their values and beliefs, even to the point of death. As a result the Church grew stronger, and flourished. Christians today, also surrounded by a hostile pagan culture, will find that if they too are fervent, rigorous and zealous in the practice of their faith, the Church will flourish.

News and Features

Catholic doctors' groups need boost: Shanahan mendations for reinvigorating • Conferences, seminars and Catholic hospitals and doctors' lectures which offer education in ethics and ethos need to be sponA West Australian member of associations: sored by Catholic hospitals and • At least part of the solution lies the Vatican's Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Work- in mutual support between the the Church; education in ethics ers has told doctors from around institutions and Catholic profes- would be a significant challenge into the future. the world that more needs to be sional associations. • Special provision would need • To prevent further decline done to reverse the declining to be made for training doctors towards a dominant secular outactivity of Catholic doctors' assocome, there was a need to focus and nurses in Catholic ethics, ciations. Both the associations and the on the Catholic identity as allowing time off from their rosChurch need to do more to boost expressed by the spiritual ethos ters. "An area of special need will be the ethos of Catholic healthcare and ethical dimensions. the training of Catholic obstetri• The current membership of institutions as well, reversing "a decline towards a dominant sec- Catholic doctors' associations cians and gynaecologists, who are urgently needed," he said. ular outcome," he said. depends largely on those of the Dr Shanahan also said the Dr Michael Shanahan spoke at older generation who grew up in Catholic doctor associations of the council's 9-10 February con- a more highly organised Catholic Australia needed to work togethference, one of many events educational structure from school er by forming an effective federascheduled in conjunction with the to university and in a Christian tion of Catholic medical 11 February Jubilee for the Sick culture and Catholic sub-culture. associations. and Health Care Workers. These could be converted to a "The associations also need to The Catholic healthcare system sense of mission by asking for be more 'lobbyist' on such issues around the world was having their help with social issues such as abortion, euthanasia and problems reaching its high ideals, as indigenous health matters, genetic experimentation," he said. which include the provision of drug problems and hospice care, Catholic doctors' associations quality medical care in conjunc- among others. also need to put more effort into • Catholic healthcare institu- welcoming younger members, Dr tion with the social and spiritual needs of the patient who is made tions should invite committed Shanahan said. from conception in the image of Catholic doctors to assist in man"The central core of the associaGod, he said. agement by joining committees tions, usually made up of only a He made a number of recom- using their specialised skills few committed individuals, will By Peter Rosengren

Europe, Oceania and Africa, highlighted the differences in health care needs between wealthy nations and the developing world. Participants from North America, Europe and Oceania focused on the dehumanising effects of excessive specialisation and on ethical issues like euthanasia and abortion, while those from Africa called for attention to more basic needs. "Europeans discussed their aging population, but this is not a problem with us," said Bishop Paul Balcyenga of Mbarara, Uganda. "We have the problem of lookDr Michael Shanahan ing after young people. Our young need to make a greater effort to population is dying," he said. For many Africans, proper medwelcome other younger members and encourage them to take ical treatment to fight disease was responsibility and make deci- hard to come by. The skyrocketing cost of drugs sions." "Finally, and not the least, will is another problem, participants be a closer collaboration with the in the meeting said. The president of the Pontifical Church, working together for mutual benefit especially through Council for Health Care Workers, the Catholic bioethics centres Archbishop Javier Lozano Barrawhere they are established," he gan, noted that 15 per cent of the said. world's population consumes 85 The conference, attended by per cent of the world's available participants from North America, drugs.

Celebrating Mass with Diocese reaches out to civil marriage couples 'back to the people' not more orthodox: Vatican T he Arlington Diocese has begun a marriage program inviting Hispanic Catholic couples who have married outside the Catholic Church to have their unions validated by the Church. Father Ovidio Pecharroman, director of the diocesan Spanish Apostolate, calls it "a muchre-evangelisation needed effort." He estimates that only eight out of every 100 Hispanic couples in the Northern Virginia diocese are married in the Church, even though most say they are Catholic. Analysts estimate there are about 200,000 Hispanics in the diocese. They regularly send their children to local parishes to learn basic Catholic teachings, but a vast majority of their parents were married in a civil ceremony or are not married at all. In response the diocese has launched a marriage validation program, carried out by Hispanic lay couples who go through a six-month training period sponsored by the Spanish Apostolate. Father Pecharroman, who wrote the manual for the program, said that "matrimonial love confronts a serious chal-

lenge" today in a society with so much "transition and insecurity" and such an overemphasis on sex and material goods. Oblate Father Mark Mealey, Judicial vicar for the diocesan marriage tribunal, said the goal of the Church's pastoral care for a couple preparing for marriage -is to assist the couple to form a closer union with Christ and his Church" "For every man and woman who is part of a civil marriage or common law union, the Church reaches out to welcome them into a life of communion In the Church through the validation of their union," he told the Arlington Catholic Herald. diocesan newspaper. At Good Shepherd Parish in Alexandria, 60 Hispanic couples had their marriages validated in ceremonies last year. "There is a great lack of religious education," said Father Jesus Navarrete, who officiated. "We are just opening our eyes to this problem and it will take a long time to integrate all this Into the dynamics of the Church." Both Father Navarrete and Good Shepherd Hispanic ministry co-ordinator Leah Thnorio said more than 25 per cent of their Hispanic parishioners had not been married in the Church. - CNS

of those who benefit spiritually from such celebrations and their televised transmission, and the technical features linked to the medium." Among the norms was a reaffirmation of Bishop Foley's decree last northern hemisphere autumn that when the priest is standing at the altar during a televised Mass, he is to face the people. In that decree he said the almost universally adopted custom of celebrating Mass facing the people "is in accord with the desire of the Church to promote the active participation of the faithful in the liturgy" and presenting a different model in televised Masses "causes wonderment and dissension." Before last fall's decree, EWTN regularly featured Mass telecasts

in which the priest at the altar faced away from the people. Father Donohoe said those Masses, however, were celebrated in the old chapel of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, where the priest would have his back either to the people in the nave or to the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration behind the cloister grill in the apse. Since then the monastery has completed a new chapel, in which the nuns' cloister is to the right side of the altar and the priest celebrates Mass facing the people. Father Donohoe said Bishop Foley would withdraw last fall's decree once the new norms for televised Masses were implemented. - CNS

By Jose Carnevali

intended to make her work even better," he said in a telephone n a letter to a US bishop, the Interview. He said the bishop sent the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the norms to priests of the diocese Sacraments has rejected argu- and discussed them personally ments that priests should give with the priests who celebrate the preference to Eucharistic Prayer 1 televised Masses before making and should stand at the altar with the norms public. The two Vatican letters to Bishtheir back to the people when op Foley were signed by the worthey celebrate Mass. The letter, responding to ship congregation's prefect, inquiries by Bishop David Foley Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez, secretary, Archbishop of Birmingham, Alabama, was and sent to all US bishops and was Francesco Pio Tamburrino. Father Donohoe said Bishop made public on 22 February. Also sent to the bishops were Foley's exchange with the congrecopies of detailed new norms gation about the eucharistic Bishop Foley has issued for the prayers and the status of which proper celebration of any tele- way the priest faces during Mass vised Masses produced in his dio- stemmed from a talk given by a priest last year criticising the seccese. Accompanying the norms was a ond, third and fourth eucharistic second letter from the Vatican prayers and arguing that the only worship congregation, praising true perennial tradition of the the norms and commending Bish- Church was for the priest and op Foley for producing "a most people alike to face "ad orientem" useful pastoral instrument for the - "toward the East" - during the regulation of telecasts of the eucharistic sacrifice. Someone sent the bishop a transacred liturgy." While the norms apply only to script of the priest's talk and asked televised Masses produced in the him why the Birmingham Diocese Birmingham Diocese, they have did not have its priests following global import because that is the the more correct way of celebrathome of Mother Angelica's Eter- ing Mass, Father Donohoe said. In a letter to Cardinal Medina, nal Word Television Network. EWI'N airs a live Mass daily at Bishop Foley posed the two ques8 am Eastern time and reruns the tions and asked for "an authoritatape at noon, 7 pm and Midnight tive clarification on these most contentious matters." Eastern time. On the priest's orientation CarThe telecast can be seen across the US and in numerous other dinal Medina answered that "the countries where EWTN is carried. rubrics of the Roman Missal, and It also can be picked up world- in particular the Institutio Generwide on the Internet at alis Missalis Romani' (General www.ewtn.com. Instruction of the Roman Missal), Father Richard Donohoe, Birm- foresees that the priest will face ingham diocesan secretary for the body of people in the nave liturgy, told Catholic News Ser- while leaving open the possibilivice that Bishop Foley is support- ty of his celebrating towards the ive of Mother Angelica's work and apse. appears personally each week on "These two options carry with EWTN 's "Pillars of Faith" pro- them no theological or discipligram. nary stigma of any kind," CardiThe televised Mass norms "are nal Medina continued. "It is not going after her, but they are therefore incorrect and indeed By Jerry Fitteau

I

quite unacceptable that anyone affirm. as Your Excellency sums up this view, that to celebrate towards the apse 'is a theologically preferable or more orthodox choice for a priest who wishes to be true to the Church's authentic tradition.— Of the four eucharistic prayers provided by the Roman Missal in the reforms following the Second Vatican Council, the first is the Roman Canon, which, with minor exceptions, had been the sole prayer allowed eucharistic throughout the Latin Church for centuries before the council. Father Donohoe said the talk sent to Bishop Foley cast suspicion on the other three eucharistic prayers. suggesting that they were innovations whose development after the council was not in accord with the council's own norms of liturgical reform. Cardinal Medina answered that Eucharistic Prayer 1 "was a venerable text which deserves all respect," but "the other three eucharistic prayers are also in one way or another ancient and in any case are worthy of the veneration and deep respect of priests and faithful. To suggest otherwise is at the least erroneous and irresponsible." He said the notion that Eucharistic Prayer 1 is somehow "more orthodox" than the others "is without any foundation." If someone holds that priests ought to use only that prayer, he said, "it must be said firmly that such a view is in direct conflict with the position of the Holy See." In his second letter Cardinal Medina thanked Bishop Foley for consulting with the congregation before publishing the norms for televised Mass and commented. "The text is sensitive to the essential meaning of the sacred liturgy, to the requirements of correct liturgical celebration as defined by the liturgical books, to the human needs and circumstances

The Record, February 24 2000 Page 11

International News .

Rebel Congolese troops Orthodox meeting set urged to free Archbishop In Brief

BALTIMORE (CNS) Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders from around the world will meet from 9-19 July at Mount St Mary's College and Seminary in Emmitsburg. Maryland; for the first such session in the Western Hemisphere. Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore will host the historic 10-day event, originally scheduled for June 1999 but postponed due to religious tensions provoked by NATO's attacks on Kosovo. The meeting is the eighth plenary session of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue Between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

Poll loss 'a sign' CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) - A 15 February referendum result that spelled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's worst defeat in his 20-year rule was a sign of Zimbabweans' deep dissatisfaction with the economic crisis in the country, Church officials said. The 55 per cent vote against a new constitution that opponents said would strengthen Mugabe's already considerable powers revealed "people's reaction to the economic situation in the country, rather than to the constitutional issues involved." said Fr Walter Nyatsanza. general secretary of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference.

Patriarch stroke JERUSALEM (CNS) Melkite Catholic Patriarch Maximos V Hakim, 91. has been hospitalised and his condition is worsening. Melkite Archbishop Loutfi Laham of Jerusalem said the Patriarch, who was hospitalised on 16 February in Beirut, Lebanon. suffered a stroke and is paralysed on one side. The Patriarch has been ill since November, he said.

Namibia fears CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) - Namibian religious leaders expressed concern over the government's increasing involvement in the conflict in neighbouring Angola. Nine members of the Council of Churches of Namibia, met with the Namibian President in mid-February and stressed their concern that "everything be done to regain control" of Namibia's border with Angola "and to contain the spilling over of the war into Namibia."

Christians freed ISTANBUL, 17 February (ZENIT) - According to the Compass agency. Saudi Arabia released four Filipino Christians in Riyadh on Tuesday. 40 days after their arrest by the country's strict Islamic police for engaging in Christian worship in a private home. The four were all discharged from the Ministry of the Interior (MOD detention centre, where they had been held since 7 January.

By Benedicta Cipolla VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul II urged the return of a Congolese archbishop to his archdiocese, calling rebel authorities' refusal to let him travel home "a grave violation that painfully injures all Catholics." The Pope made his remarks following his 16 February weekly general audience. He appealed for an end to Congo's civil war and prayed that Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko of Bukavu. Congo, "would return quickly to the flock that has been entrusted to him." Archbishop Kataliko was on his way home from the capital. Kinshasa, on 12 February when members of the rebel group Congolese Rally for Democracy seized him and sent him to Butembo, his childhood home. He remained under house arrest. Archbishop Francisco Javier Lozano Sebastian. Apostolic Nundo to Congo, called the incident

"unacceptable" in a 14 February interview with Fides, the Vatican's missionary news agency. The Bukavu Archdiocese has been under the control of the Congolese Rally for Democracy and allied Rwandan troops for several months. The CRD is one of several rebel groups fighting against Congolese President Laurent Kabila. In Washington on 16 February, Kinshasa Cardinal Frederic EtsouNzabi-Bamungwabi said he and Archbishop Kataliko had been in meetings together in Kinshasa before the Archbishop tried to go home. The cardinal said before the meetings, a news article published in Kinshasa had reported the Archbishop's arrest. The cardinal said he took the article to Archbishop Kataliko, who was showing it to people at the meetings and joking "I'm not here, I'm in prison." Cardinal Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi said when he arrived in the

Photo CNS Reuters

Cardinal Frederic Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi

US and heard of the Archbishop's arrest, "I didn't believe it, because it had already been published. and I thought it was a joke." Only later did he confirm that the Archbishop was under house arrest in Butembo. The cardinal

said the Congolese Rally for Democracy accused Archbishop Kataliko of "inciting ethnic hatred" and a mass uprising because of a Christmas letter to the people. People in and around Bukavu have held strikes to protest against unpaid wages. "Bishop Kataliko did not incite people to ethnic hatred and to violence," said Cardinal EtsouNzabi-Bamungwabi. Fides quoted Archbishop Kataliko's Christmas letter as saying: "Foreign powers, with the collaboration of some Congolese brothers, are organising wars with the resources of our country. These resources, which could be used for development, the education of our children, to heal the sick, to help us live in a more human manner, serve to kill us." Congo's civil war, which has embroiled five African countries, has continued despite a July, 1999 peace accord signed in Lusaka. Zambia.

Ex-KGB clergy, laity urged to stand up 80 shrines WARSAW. Poland (CNS) Lithuania's bishops urged priests and laity who collaborated with the former Soviet regime's secret police to come forward. The appeal follows moves in several East European countries to settle the problem of Communist-era agents who operated in the Catholic Church. "We urge everyone - dem/ and laity - who was caught in the KGB's web at this time to notify the special state commission, as required by law. We fraternally remind them that, if they fail to do so, they may face serious problems in fulfilling important functions," they said. Vetting procedures against former Soviet

agents were launched on 1 February by a commission appointed by the Lithuanian parliament. Under the new regulations, former agents who came forward by 30 June would have their names kept secret, while those found later would be publicly identified. The bishops' appeal, signed by Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius of Kaunas and the bishops' conference secretary-general, Auxiliary Bishop Jonas Bonita of Vilnius, said the KGB had removed most agent files after the 1991 collapse of Soviet rule, but had left the files kept on priests "to blackmail them through their spy rings." It added that Church members should recall "not only

actions they took." but also "those which we failed to take when our life was totally removed from the Gospel." -There is only one way of reckoning with the past and of barring those who may attempt to achieve wicked aims in future: confession and penance," the bishops said. "The attitude of clergy in repairing past errors will encourage other countrymen to rid themselves of this oppressive burden too," the bishops added. An underground Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, launched in 1972 regularly gave details of KGB informers in diocesan offices and the Church's single seminary at Kaunas.

Kosovo faith leaders condemn abuses PRIZREN, Yugoslavia (CNS) Islamic, Orthodox and Catholic leaders signed an agreement condemning violence and human rights abuses in Kosovo and calling for a lasting peace. The leaders addressed their appeal "to all of our believers in Kosovo," local authorities and the international community's representatives in Kosovo. They said that while recognising that their religious communities differed, they understood that

their traditions hold common values that could "serve as an authentic basis for mutual esteem, cooperation and free common living in the entire territory of Kosovo." They said their faiths all call for the respect of fundamental rights. "Violence against any persons or the violation of their basic rights are for us not only against man-made laws, but also breaking God's law," they said. The agreement condemned:

• "Acts of hatred based on ethnicity or religious differences." • "The desecration of religious buildings and the desecration of graveyards. • "The expulsion of people from their homes. • The "obstruction of the free right" of people to return to their homes. • "Acts of revenge. • "The abuse of the media with the aim of spreading hatred."

destroyed

ROME (CNS) - More than 80 Serbian Orthodox churches, shrines and monasteries in Kosovo have been destroyed by ethnic Albanian attackers since the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force, a Serbian Orthodox diocese reported on its Web site. Father Rasko Radovic. a Serbian Orthodox parish priest in the north-eastern Italian city of Trieste, criticised the United Nations for failing to protect the structures, -which are the cultural patrimony not only of Serbs. but of the whole world." In a telephone interview on 21 February, the priest said "you have to ask why" the destruction took place after the deployment last summer of a multinational peacekeeping force. "Maybe there are just too few soldiers to protect the churches." he said. Kosovo, legally part of Yugoslavia. has been under the responsibility of a NATOled peacekeeping force and the United Nations since the 1999 NATO bombing pushed out Serb forces.

Solomon's wisdom needed for Elian: Miami archbishop MIAMI (CNS) - In deciding whether six-year-old Elian Gonzalez should return to Cuba or remain with relatives in the United States, the US courts face "every bit the challenge King Solomon had when the two mothers claimed the same child," according to the archbishop of Miami. Archbishop John Favalora made the comparison in a column about the Elian case in the 18 February editions of The Florida Catholic and La Voz Catolica, the English-and Spanish-language archdiocesan newspapers. Like King Solomon, to whom God had given the gift of wisdom in answer to his prayers, "we too must now seek the Lord's wisdom

The Record, February 24 2000 Page 12

and place the Elian case and its ultimate outcome in the hands of our Provident God," Archbishop Favalora said. "As this case moves toward a conclusion, the prayers of people of faith will be the appropriate preparation for receiving the final decision by the courts." he added. "Whether the child returns to Cuba or remains here, in either case, much prayerful reflection and discernment is in order for everyone concerned." Archbishop Favalora said good arguments could be made for returning Elian to his father in Cuba and for keeping him in the US. The child's mother and stepfather died fleeing Cuba by boat in

November, and Elian was found clinging to an inner tube off the Florida coast. "One could make a very convincing case based on natural law and solid moral principles that a child belongs with his parents," the archbishop wrote. "One could also argue with equal conviction that life without freedom and other basic human rights is not a fitting environment for raising a child." But whatever decision is made in the US courts, it must be respected, Archbishop Favalora said. "This is how our country operates. It is part of our democratic process," he said. "No matter what side of the issue one argues, the decision has to be followed."

Df7oto: CNS/Reuters

Elian Gonzalez

International News

Artists and Pope celebrate as kindred spirits By Benedicta Cipolla VATICAN CITY (CNS) Putting aside their paintbrushes and chisels for a day, artists celebrated their Jubilee with a kindred spirit, Pope John Paul ll. "It is time that the prolific partnership between Church and art is re-established," the Pope told more than 3,000 artists in St Peter's Basilica on 18 February to celebrate their designated Jubilee Day. Such an alliance depends on artists living their faith, said the Pope, "so that it becomes the generator of culture and gives to the world new epiphanies of divine beauty, reflected in creation." With poetry and plays to his credit, Pope John Paul can be counted among the ranks of the world's artists. Pope John Paul II waves to a group of artists gathArchbishop Francesco ered in St Peter's Basilica on 18 February for their Marchisano, president of the special Jubilee Day. Photo CNS/Reuters Pontifical Commission for the

Cultural Goods of the Church, which organised the jubilee for Artists, was quick to point out the kinship between the 79year-old pontiff and the thousands of faithful in the basilica. In his brief address, the Archbishop recalled a 1973 encounter with the late Polish Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski. Gesturing to the man who would become pontiff five years later, Cardinal Wyszynski told then-Father Marchisano: "Cardinal Wojtyla is a great artist. He is a great poet." Poets were among those present at the 18 February Jubilee, along with painters, sculptors, architects, musicians and representatives of other artistic media. No matter what form it takes, said the Pope, the artistic endeavour resembles people's daily effort to better their existence. "In artistic creation, man reveals himself more than ever as the image of God . . . by

moulding humanity's stupendous material and then exercising a creative dominion over the surrounding universe," he said. "If (artists) are able to discern one ray of supreme beauty in the multiple manifestations of the beautiful, then art becomes a path toward God," said the Pope. The secretary of the Vatican's cultural goods commission, Father Carlo Chenis, said he hoped the Jubilee for Artists might act as a catalyst "for a new season of art with a Christian inspiration." Matteo Silva, a musician from Florence, Italy, agreed. "It's an occasion to reflect on art in the service of something higher," he said. Looking back on the Church's long history of using art to communicate its message, Archbishop Marchisano said contemporary art should be no different. "Modern art must he

able to transmit the message in a way that can be understood to all," he said. Polish film director Krzysztof Zanussi, whose "Our God's Brother" was based on the 1949 play by the future Pope John Paul, said his films attempted to communicate Christianity's truths. "Spirituality is in fashion today, but it no longer goes deep; it doesn't explore issues of human existence in depth," Zanussi told The Pilgrim's Journal, published by the Vatican's Jubilee committee. "I think this is the great challenge and the strong point of a cinema that deals with the Christian faith: to once again place man and the destiny of man at the centre of a story." he said. The papal audience in St Peter's followed a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, president of the Vatican's Holy Year organising committee.

Oil poured on Sudan's simmering civil war Vatican regets Bruno's burning Pilgrim pontiff travels in spirit to Iraq VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Israel and the Palestinian territoAlthough unable to visit Iraq, ries on 20-26 March. Pope John Paul II said he will lead He had hoped to begin the trips a special pilgrimage in spirit to at Abraham's birthplace in Ur in the land of Abraham's birth. what is now Iraq, but after long "This will be the beginning of negotiations, Iraqi officials said my jubilee pilgrimage to the an international embargo against places linked to the biblical their country and the US - and account of God's interventions in British-imposed no-fly zones history," the Pope said on 16 Feb- made it impossible to organise ruary at his weekly general audi- such a trip. ence. "Because this was not possible. The Pope said he would lead a I want to carry out, at least spirispecial reflection on the life and tually, such a pilgrimage." the faith of Abraham on 23 February Pope told an estimated 16.000 visat the Vatican. itors at the 16 February audience. Pope John Paul was scheduled A pilgrimage, he said, is a to travel to holy sites in Egypt on reminder that human life is a jour24-26 February and in Jordan. ney toward God and that God

By DecIan Walsh MANKIEN, Sudan (CNS) - The streets and buildings of Mankien are peppered with bomb craters, some fresh from the latest Sudanese government raid, on southern rebels. Traditionally, the war has been seen as a struggle between the Arab. Muslim northerners and the black African southerners, who have Christian and animist beliefs. But now there is a new reason to fight: oil. "The government needs a security buffer around the oil fields. and that's at the expense of the local population, who are being forced away" by the thousands, said Niall O'Keefe, Sudan project officer for Trocaire, the Irish bishops' international relief and development agency Mary Nyatuak who lost her husband and three children in the fighting, said: "The oil is why we are being displaced and bombarded. The Arabs want to take it from us. but Ills ours." Manlden is in the heart of western Upper Nile province, where critics say an oil rush involving a Canadian multinational is exacerbating and prolonging the war. Talisman Energy Inc., based in Calgary, Alberta, has been pumping oil from western Upper Nile since September, currently at a rate of 155,000 barrels per day. Since then, the Sudanese government - also a shareholder in the oil project - has stepped up its attacks on civilians to defend the oil fields from rebel attacks. resulting in widespread human

rights violations. Church groups have led criticism of Talisman's involvement in the oil project and have helped persuade a number of big US pension funds to divest their holdings in the company in recent months. As a result, Talisman stock has fallen in value by 30 per cent since September, and the Canadian government ordered an inquiry into the oil project. The Canadian envoy's report, released on 14 February, found that Talisman was turning a blind eye to human rights violations around the oil field and had allowed government bombers to use one of its airstrips. The droning noise of the Russian-built Anotov bombers is only too familiar to the people of Mankien, who have been attacked on a monthly basis since September. The bombs - pushed out the back door of the planes only occasionally hit a target, but their terror value is evident. Expectant mothers have miscarried, and many people have reported strange health problems after the bombings. "After the bombs explode, people start getting swollen throats, flu and bronchitis," said Peter Majuoy, a local community health worker. The United Nations has stopped flying relief supplies into the area, and other aid agencies have pulled out because it is deemed too dangerous. As a result, people eat wild berries and use roots instead of modern medicine to cure illnesses.

intervenes at various times and in various places along the way to help everyone reach him. • Hundreds of rabbis are protesting against the celebration of a papal Mass on a Saturday in March, saying it will force the desecration of the Jewish Sabbath by requiring security forces to work The rabbis have signed petitions asking Pope John Paul II to avoid celebrating a Mass scheduled for 25 March in Nazareth. Israel, because it would require the extensive mobilisation of Jewish police, soldiers and security personnel. The rabbis said they expect the Pope to respect Jewish tradition.

By John Thavis ROME (CNS) - As academics and politicians placed flowers on the spot where rebel philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake 400 years ago. a Vatican official profoundly regretted the execution but said the Inquisition's judges had acted in good faith. Bruno's "atrocious death" in a Rome square on 17 February, 1600, was viewed with "profound regret" by the modern Church, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, said in a message to an Italian conference. But Cardinal Sodano said it was not up to modern Church leaders A bas-relief depicts Giordano Bruno being burned at the stake 400 years ago to pass judgment on the motives in Rome. Photo CNS/Reuters of those who sentenced Bruno for Dominican friar, was burned at practices of the day. In Rome's heresy or executed him. "What emerges from history the stake after refusing to recant Campo de' Fiori, where a statue gives us reason to believe that the on his position questioning the of Bruno marks the site of his exejudges of this philosopher were Trinity and other tenets of the cution, a crowd gathered to comanimated by a desire to serve the faith. Modern Church officials, memorate the philosopher. truth and promote the common while rejecting his punishment as Members of the Italian Radical good, while doing whatever pos- Immoral, have said Bruno's eight- Party used the occasion to critisible to save his life," Cardinal year-long trial was carried out cise the Vatican and the Holy Year Sodano said. Bruno, a one-time according to the common legal celebration.

Cardinal: Pinochet's odyssey should end ROME (CNS) - The "odyssey" of the aged former Chilean dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, should be ended and he should be allowed to return to his homeland, the Vatican Secretary of State said. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who had served as Papal Nuncio to Chile during Pinochet's rule, said on 17 February it was up to the Chilean government and people to decide the general's fate. Pinochet. 84, was arrested in England more than a year ago. The British government held him on a warrant from Spain, which wants Pinochet extradit-

ed to stand trial for human rights violations. The British government was considering whether to extradite the general or to allow him to return to Chile on the basis of claims that his ailing physical and mental status make him unfit for trial. Arriving at a Rome hotel for a meeting with Chilean President Eduardo Frei, Cardinal Sodano told reporters that the Pinochet matter was a "case which worries everyone and which is a humanitarian and juridical matter which worries the government of Chile and the Holy See." The Record, February 24 2000 Page 13

Asian Catholic News

Strife closes Catholic schools MANADO, Indonesia (CNS) - All Catholic-run schools and health facilities in Indonesia's North Moluccas province stopped operating after some facilities were burned or destroyed in recent sectarian clashes. Sister Alexia Eva, head of the Poor Sisters of St Joseph community house in Ternate, the North Moluccas capital, said the congregation's 11 schools, hospital and leprosy home had stopped operating. Her remarks were reported on 16 February by UCA News, an Asian Church news agency based in Thailand. Based on reports from Catholics arriving in Manado, about 272 kilometres west of

Ternate, after the 31 January riots on Bacan island, south of Ternate, Sister Alexia said: "There is no Catholic school left intact in North Maluku. All have been burned and destroyed." Maluku is Indonesian for Moluccas. The nun said that her congregation used to run 11 schools ranging from kindergarten to secondary schools to one offering a sewing course. Besides the schools, the congregation also had a hospital and a leprosy home in Ternate. Although they were not burned, the two health centres were badly damaged and their facilities looted by rioters, Sister Alex-

ia said. Bishop Joseph Suwatan, of Manado, told UCA News on 3 February that the Catholic Church practically stopped its activities in the North Moluccas after the riots broke out in the newly-established province last November. Bishop Suwatan said that as president of the Indonesian bishops' conference he will discuss with the superiors of the Poor Sisters of St Joseph the fate of Catholic education and health service institutions in the North Moluccas. "In the coming days, we will discuss it. We will decide whether the works in education, health, and social services should be continued, stopped or moved to other

places," the bishop said. Bishop Suwatan accompanied Vice-President Megawati Sulcarnoputri on her 25 January visit to the Moluccas and the North Moluccas provinces. Based on his observations while he accompanied her, Bishop Suwatan said that efforts to restore peace in the region would take much longer because tension still prevailed between the conflicting parties. "I think stern measures and decisive law enforcement could support the efforts to reconcile the conflicting parties," Bishop Suwatan said.

Students, activists protest Bishop says review 'political' against Papuan shootings JAYAPURA, Indonesia (UCAN) - Rights advocates and Catholic students here have protested against the shooting of civilians on 16 February by police during a protest in a town in Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) province, Indonesia. Catholic students from Merauke district, 3,690 kilometres east of Jakarta. staged a peaceful rally on 21 February on the grounds of the provincial House of Representatives to protest against the shooting incident that killed a high school student and injured two others. All three victims sustained gunshot wounds. In a statement issued on 17 February, advocates of the Institute of Human Rights Studies and Advocacy asked the provincial police chief to explain the incident to the public, arrest those who fired at the protesters and bring them to justice. Police Brigadier General Silvanus Yulius Wenas, Papua's provincial police chief, told the press on 16 February the three victims were hit by rubber bullets. Wenas said that police had to open fire upon seeing that the crowd was beginning to destroy public facilities. Many of the rioters carried weapons and attacked the police, 11 of whom sustained wounds caused by arrows and sharp weapons, he

claimed. "We have no objection if people express their aspirations in a peaceful way, but when they commit crimes such as destroying public facilities, the police should take action." Wenas said. Disputing Wenas' explanation, the ILIRSI'AD statement quoted a surgeon who said that the victims were hit by live bullets and that only three policemen suffered injuries. "We have asked the National Commission on Human Rights in Jakarta to investigate the rights violation in Meraulce to clarify the different reports on the incident," said IHRSIAD supervisor John Rumbiak. The IHRSTAD activists also asked the government to respond to people's aspirations for independence in the spirit of democracy and in the context of respect for human rights. During the Catholic students' rally at the provincial House of Representatives, some leaders said that the Papuans in Merauke held the protest action to vent their accumulated anger about many unsolved problems. "We protest because instead of holding a dialogue with the Papuans, the police shot people causing the killing of one man," said Koknak, Atanasius spokesman for the Merauke Catholic students.

Dayak bishop installed SINTANG, Indonesia (UCAN) The new bishop of Indonesia's Sintang diocese says that he is determined to develop a local Church that is rooted in the indigenous culture of his Dayak people. Bishop Agustinus Agus told UCA News that the Dayak have always upheld "Christian values" and many elements in their culture are consistent with Catholic teachings, like the prohibition of theft and killing of humans. "I have a dream to develop a Dayak Church in Sintang diocese

-Imean a Church that lives in the culture of local Catholics like Christ who lived in the Jewish tradition," Bishop Agus said. He said he considers his episcopal mandate as "a gift from God" and said "I will offer my soul and body entirely for the Church and the Catholics." The former apostolic administrator of Sintang diocese was ordained Bishop by Jesuit Cardinal Julius Darmaatmaja of Jakarta on 6 February at a football stadium in Sintang, 840 kilometres north of Jakarta.

NEW DELHI (CNS) - The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India denounced the government's handling of a constitutional review committee as "undemocratic." In separate letters to Indian President K R Narayanan and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on 15 February, the bishops' conference president, Archbishop Alan de Lastic of Delhi, said he does not approve of the review. Establishment of the commission was not "done in a democratic manner," said the archbishop, who noted that most members in the commission "have definite political leanings." "No democratically acceptable result can come from a structure which is itself rooted in what the people perceive to be undemocratic decisions," Archbishop de Lastic said. On 13 February the federal government - led by the pro-Hindu Indian People's Party announced an 11-member review commission comprised mainly of politicians and jurists. The government mandated the commission to examine the

the framework of parliamentary democracy" and without altering the Indian Constitution's basic structure and basic features. However, Archbishop de Lastic said he regrets that the government failed to consult the "reprein our bodies sentative democratic republic" in setting up the commission. 'The parliament of free India has been bypassed, the President not only not consulted, but ignored." he added. "Does it augur well for the future? "I ask you, does this add to the confidence of the people, especially of the minorities who look on the constitution of India as the safeguard of their fundamental rights and liberties?" the Archbishop asked the Prime Minister. Archbishop Alan de Lastic Narayanan has already voiced capacity of existing constitutional his disapproval of a comprehenprovisions to respond to the coun- sive review, saying the constitutry's need for an "efficient, smooth tion is still valid for India. The Archbishop's letter to and effective system of governance and socio-economic devel- Narayanan said the nation "seems opment." to be in a very critical stage" and The commission is to recom- implored him to "do what you can mend changes required "within to save our nation."

Underground' rethink HONG KONG (CNS) - Some bishops of China's underground Catholic Church are reconsidering their decisions to serve in the government-approved church following the ordinations of five bishops without papal approval. Meanwhile, at least 15 dioceses in the government-approved church in China have elected new bishops since the 6 January bishops' ordinations, reported UCA News, an Asian Church news agency based in Thailand. In Henan, where the underground Church is active, an underground bishop said in February that the underground bishops in the central province had agreed before the 6 January ordinations to be installed in the open church within months, but have to reconsider this in light of the January ordinations. The ordinations were performed during a Mass in a Beijing

cathedral, just hours before Pope John Paul!! ordained 12 new bishops in St Peter's Basilica. Church officials in Rome said the timing was a deliberate provocation, and the Vatican expressed its "astonishment and disappointment" at the act. Although China's governmentapproved Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China spurns Vatican ties, UCA News reported that up to two-thirds of the conference's 70 members secretly had sought papal approval in recent years. Sources told UCA News that most of the 15 dioceses that had elected bishops since January had not set ordination dates, with some wanting to get "secret" approval from the Pope first and others waiting for permission from the Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China and provincial religious affairs officials.

Monks minister among the Filipino bar girls, prostitutes ANGELES CITY, Philippines (UCAN) - Monks dressed in blue sit among bar girls and sex workers during Mass in their monastery set among bars, hotels, massage parlours and tourist shops in Angeles City, the northern Philippines. Aside from joining the women for liturgy, members of the Brothers of the Child Jesus, or the Blue

Brothers of Mary, congregation venture outside their monastery to counsel prostitutes and others working in the area. There are some 300 establishments in the "entertainment" district along the two-kilometre length of Fields Avenue. The establishments catered to American military personnel until the foreign servicemen left

The Record, February 24 2000 Page 14

the former Clark Air Force Base in Angeles when the treaty allowing United States bases in the country expired in 1991. They continued operating, primarily serving tourists, after the government and private entrepreneurs developed the local tourist industry to fill the void left by the US forces' departure from the base in Pampanga province.

Blue Brothers Superior Brother Reynaldo Francis said his congregation chose to work with the "daughters of God" in the sex and entertainment industry "Ills only by showing them that God is still present in this area, by being with them through communication and sharing, that we are able to lead them back to God," Brother Francis said,

China link to Vatican HONG KONG (UCAN) Amid recent reports on the ups and downs of Sino-Vatican relations, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano said that China and the Holy See have established an unofficial communication channel. According to the Vatican Radio "Journal" of 12 February, Cardinal Sodano confirmed earlier "the existence of a non-official channel of communication with the Chinese government." The senior Vatican official's remark came during a conversation with Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See in Rome. The occasion was the 71st anniversary of the Lateran Treaty, the 1929 accord by which Italy and the Vatican recognised each other's sovereignty. Cardinal Sodano released details of his talk with D'Alema to the press, and local and international media reported his comments touching on China. Avvenire. the newspaper of the Italian Catholic bishops' conference reported on 12 February the Cardinal welcomed the move to establish indirect contact with China.

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LANIGAN Joseph (died 22 Feb 99). Memories and loving thoughts of our brother and uncle whose strength of faith guides us still. Love you. Joe, Trish and Girls.

LIC. PLUMBER/gas fitter, Contact John on 9457 7771, Mobile 0412 185 209. K AVANAGH'S POOL SERVICE, for all your pool needs. Ph 9349 0223. CARPENTER, qual. tradesman Ph: Graham, mob. 0417 900 054.

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JOBS AVAILABLE WOOD MACHINIST (Experienced) For lounge frame manufacture. Able to use Docking Saw, Band Saw, Rip Saw, etc. Phone: 9330 4504 FACTORY HAND experience with Air Tools, large and small Staple guns essential, for lounge frame construction. Phone: 9330 4504

THANKS THANKS to St Jude for many favours granted. Novena prayers available. Send SAE to Celine. PO Box 279, Gosnells 6990.

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Phone: (08) 9227 7080. Fax (08) 9227 7087 e-mail: cathrec@iinet.net.au Publisher: Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth. The Record, established in 1874, is distributed to Catholic churches. presbyteries, religious houses and subscribers throughout the Archdiocese of Perth and the Dioceses of Geraldton. Bunbury and Broome. Advertising rates Display: $6 col cm. Classifieds: $3 a line Deadlines: Editorial: Tuesday, first mail. Advertising: Booking: Monday midday. Copy: Tuesday midday. Member: Aust Catholic Press Association: Aust Religious Press Association. The Record follows the Holy Spirit's teaching at the Second Vatican Council on the role of the Catholic print media. The Record will not return copy or photographs submitted for publication unless specifically requested in writing upon submission. The editor reserves the right to accept or reject any material submitted and to edit such material for clarity and brevity without recourse to the author.

WIN SUN SUM BREZ Kalbarri, 2 bir, sic home, Tel. Pat (08) 9572 3297 The Record is Good News!

FEBRUARY 26 Mass for Youth Retreat (Holy Spirit of Freedom Community) - Archbishop Hickey 27 Launch of Project Compassion, St Mary's Cathedral - Archbishop Hickey 29 Meeting with RCIA Candidates - Bishop Healy Seminar on GST for Parishes, Subiaco - Bishop Healy MARCH 1 Mass at Curtin University - Archbishop Hickey 2 Catholic Health Australia Owners' Meeting- Rev Fr Sean Bredin OSCam 3 World Day of Prayer Service 2000, Trinity Uniting Church - Sr Kerry Willison RSM 5 Mass and Induction Ceremony for Parish Priest of Osborne Park. Fr Michael Gatt - Archbishop Hickey Mass to celebrate 60th Anniversary of St Kevin's. Serpentine - Bishop Healy Mass to celebrate Annual Feast Day of Our Lady of Grace, Pickering Brook - Archbishop Hickey 7 Fundraising Garden Party (Pregnancy Assistance). Cathedral Presbytery Garden - Archbishop Hickey 8 Mass with the Blessing and Giving of Ashes, 12.10 pm St Mary's Cathedral - Archbishop Hickey

Archdiocesan Panorama FEAST OF THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS In honour of the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus we will celebrate with a 9-day novena starting f rom 27 February to 6 March, 7.30pm, Holy Trinity Church, 8 Burnett St, Embleton. Novena commences with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, hymns and prayers. On Feast day 7 March there will be Mass at 7.30pm. All welcome.

Reconciliation, Sermon (St John Joseph of the Cross) with Fr Francis Ughanze, followed by Divine Mercy prayers and Benediction. Afternoon c oncludes at the Mercy Convent. Victoria Square, w ith a video. Please bring a plate to share. Inquiries: John 9457 7771 or Adam 9448 0002.

CONFRATERNITY OF ST MICHAEL

The parish of East Cannington/Queens Park. St Joseph's Church and St Francis' Church are compiling the parish history for Jubilee 2000. If you attended either of these Churches and have photos, anything that may have some historical significance, please contact us. Post to Carolyn Pen at PO Box 354. Cannington WA 6987, or phone 9458 2729 Ext. 328 (Church Office).

The Confraternity of St Michael will resume its weekly meetings beginning on Monday 28 February at St Anthony's Presbytery. Greenmount. A 9-week series on the Book of Revelation will be presented by Fr Timothy Deeter. Meetings begin at 7.15pm with the Rosary, followed by a lecture and discussion, tea and Night Prayer. For information contact 9294 4427/casapgf @iinet.net.au PRO-LIFE PROCESSION The first Friday Mass, procession and Rosary vigil will be held an Friday 3 March commencing a t 9.30am with Mass celebrated at St Brigid's Church. Midland. The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate will lead us. All are invited to witness for the sanctity of life and pray for the conversion of hearts. Inq: Shelda 9294 2340. WITNESS FOR LIFE PROCESSION His Grace. Archbishop Barry Hickey. will celebrate Mass and lead the first Saturday procession and Rosary vigil on Saturday 4 March, commencing at 8.30am at St Anne's Church, Hehir St, Belmont. Would representatives from each parish please join us to pray peacefully for the conversion of hearts. Inq: Helen 9402 0349, PRAYER FOR THOSE ADDICTED Fr Paul Baczyinski conducts a prayer night on the first Monday of each month at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Canning Highway. East Fremantle from 7-9pm. For healing and also for those and their families affected by addictions. Program includes Mass commencing at 7pm. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Benediction and healing prayers. The next evening is Monday 6 March. All are very welcome. C ATHOLIC NURSES ASSOCIATION On Saturday 11 March at 10am Bishop Healy will launch the Catholic Association for Nurses in the Function Centre of St John of God Subiaco Clinic, 25 McCourt Street, Subiaco. Admission is free. lunch is provided and the day will conclude by 2.30pm. All nurses are welcome. For catering purposes. RSVP by 3 March to 9242 4066. DIVINE MERCY An afternoon with Jesus and Mary at St Mary's Cathedral. Victoria Square. Perth. on Sunday 5 March at 1.30pm. Programme: Holy Rosary and

WERE YOU PART OF THE QUEENS PARK AND E AST CANNINGTON PARISH?

60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS ST KEVIN'S, SERPENTINE The Catholic community of St Kevin's. Serpentine, is celebrating the 60th Anniversary on Sun 5 March. Ceremony begins at the Church. R ichardson St. Serpentine, at 2pm. followed by a concelebrated Mass of Thanksgiving at the Clem Kentish Recreation Centre. Wellard St. Serpentine. Inquiries: Mary Marshall 9525 2454. NEXT CATHEDRAL YOUTH FORUM Sun 5 March after 5pm Mass. Speaker: Raymond de Souza. Cathedral Parish Centre. 450 Hay St Perth. Fire your questions. Contact: Fr Paul 9223 1350. CHRISTIAN LIFE GROUP 7.45pm. Wed 1 March at the Mercy Retreat House, 113 Tyler St, Tuart Hill. Lead co-ordinator Brian Moylan is speaking on reflections and directions of Christian Life Groups. No entry charge. TALKS ON ST MARK'S GOSPEL Fr Pat Ahern will be offering a series of three talks on St Mark's Gospel at St Joseph's Parish Centre. Salvado Rd. Subiaco.The talks will be held on 14, 21 and 28 March at 7.30pm. Bring a Bible. notebook and biro. Cost: Voluntary contribution at door. All are welcome. Info: Richard 9212 9241. THE BEGINNING EXPERIENCE A program for widowed, separated or divorced persons.Next weekend will be held from Fri 10 March to Sun 12 March. Imelda 9457 0263. PICKERING BROOK PILGRIMAGE, FESTIVAL Pilgrimage 2000 and Annual Fruit Harvest Festival in honour of Our Lady of Grace will be held at the Catholic Church grounds Merrivale Rd. Pickering Brook. Sun 5 March. to be celebrated by A rchbishop Hickey. Procession starts 4.30pm. Open Air Mass 5pm, followed by BBC), open air dancing. children's games etc. Meat packs. hot dogs. drinks and fruit on sale. All welcome.

Bishop stirs wedding hornets' nest with timely reminder Continued from Page 1 Bishop Tobin said the good thing about the reaction that followed the Landers' column is that it has sparked a discussion about the problem of certain wedding practices and raised awareness among the public. He said he expected and hoped his column would spark some discussion among people in the Youngstown Diocese, "but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would end up in

Ann Landers' column and become a national dialogue." The letters that resulted should remind everyone, the bishop said, that we have to do a better job of teaching young people about the sanctity of marriage and the sanctity of the wedding ceremony that leads them into marriage. He said he sees the secularisation of weddings as one of the great religious crises in the Church today.

"I'm not saying one causes the Bishop Tobin cautioned those who were preparing for mar- other, but they are related." riage to stay away from secular In her column. Landers noted and even vulgar practices that that several readers who wrote are common today, such as pre- to her kept repeating that they wedding "stag" parties. were responding to "the "That sets the tone for the mar- Catholic bishop who hates riage," he said. weddings." "Ceremonies and the divorce Bishop Tobin took exception rate are related. to that, telling The Exponent "I'd "Many people do not accept like to emphasise the bishop the Church's teachings about does not hate weddings." holy matrimony today, and in "The bishop loves weddings, some way, that's reflected in the but realises they present a real ceremonies." pastoral challenge. It's because

of their importance and beauty that I think we have to fight to maintain their sanctity and dignity. "On a positive note, nothing can be more spiritual, rewarding and uplifting for a priest or minister than a beautiful and prayerful wedding liturgy," he added. "It can truly be a wonderful moment of faith. "That's what we have to fight to preserve."

The Record, February 24 2000 Page 15

St Patrick's Primary Fremantle

History, traditions and colourful meeting of cultures make Preo' school unique 0

n 24 May, 1855, four The Portuguese and Italian comFrench Sisters of the munities in and around FremanOrder of St Joseph of the tle have added a dimension of Apparition climbed into cargo their own making to the life of the baskets and were lowered over local Church with events such as the side of the Lady Amherst to be the Blessing of the Fleet and the taken ashore to the town of Fre- torchlight procession for the Feast mantle. of Our Lady of Fatima each year. The Sisters had come to WestThis naturally overflows into the ern Australia at the request of life of the school. Bishop Serra and lived for three School principal Bernadette years in the top storey of a house Scharf said the school's approach in Henry Street, the lower storey to its task is based on the fact that of which served as a church. all people are made in God's From that humble beginning image, possess great dignity and Fremantle can boast 145 years of have a future beyond this world. Catholic education running down "We hope to provide for the chilto the present day - always in dif- dren an atmosphere of trust, ferent guises but always there. where each child can develop to Today, St Patrick's is a two-cam- their full potential and allow their pus, mostly single-stream, coedu- natural creativity to emerge," she cational school attended by said. approximately 300 students from "We hope our curriculum is more than 30 suburbs. designed is such a way that stuThe past five years have seen dents develop an openness to the acquisition of additional play- truth, a tolerance of different ing area, and this year, with the views and an ability to judge crithard work of the Parents and ically and become inner-directFriends, a playground with climb- ed." ing equipment. A complete refurWith parents recognised as the bishment of the school buildings first educators of their children, and surrounds has also been car- she said, it is important to welried out. come the whole family to the One of the distinguishing fea- school and work closely with the tures of St Patrick's today is the parents. "We are aware that chilmulticultural makeup of families dren learn from the significant with children attending the adults in their lives, not only from schooL those planned learning opportuBecause of Fremantle's history nities [which we provide], but as a fishing port many students from observing us in our relations are from Portuguese and Italian with them and other adults." families who established themAside from the normal class proselves in the fishing business. gram, specialist teachers educate Today the later generations of students in music, Italian, inforthese families are now attending mational technology and physical the school. Also many new education. Sport is an important migrant families are establishing part of school life with students themselves in this area today. participating in swimming, athlet-

Showing off the spirit of St Patrick's

Year One students and teacher Ms Angela Schillaci wave for The Record.

ics and winter sports. Sports clinics using high profile sportspeople are also organised throughout the year. And something that would make the original French Sisters' eyes pop for sure would be the modern computers throughout the school. All students receive instruction in informational technology and learning, and how to integrate this new technology into all facets of education. The curriculum framework document is also being implemented. and outcomes-based education is another focus as we move into the new millennium. No doubt about it - it's a great place to be!

Maria Broadfoot, left, the canteen manager and Connie Valentino, a mother and one of the many volunteer canteen workers, provide students and the school with an essential service - food!

At a Glance

Informational Technohigy and Learning - a key part of students' education.

St Patrick's today - serving the needs of a multicultural community.

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Principal: Mrs Bernadette Scharf Address: 2 Point St. Fremantle WA 6160 Telephone: (08) 9335 5215 Fax: (08) 9430 6550 Enrolment 300 boys & girls PP-7 Email: spsfreo@iinet.net.au

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