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Great moment for modern Moses at Mount Sinai - Page II

Sr Rosa an angel for the elderly - Page 8

Fr Pittarello begins Lenten meditations - Page 6

Bateman parish makes it happen for server Nicholas

Heather Cooper and Nicholas Peters serve Fr Joseph Tran.

Nicholas Peters always wanted to be an altar server, as all his school friends were altar servers. But for a long time he was afraid to ask for fear of being rejected, as he was born with spina bifida and spends a lot of his time in a wheelchair. liis parents, Anna and Norman Peters, realised the difficulties but encouraged him to personally approach Monsignor Michael Keating, their St Thomas More, Bateman, parish priest. According to parishioner, Gary Garreffa, Mgr Keating was delighted and arranged with a couple of parish acolytes to see how this request could be achieved. Once the logistical problems were overcome, Nicholas was soon on the parish altar servers' roster. When he served for the first time last August, all his family were there in the front row to

show support and love, including his grandparents, uncles and aunties. Last month, Nicholas was rostered to serve Mass at a time which dashed with his competing in the WA Disabled Sports Association annual games. Rather than organise a replacement, Nicholas asked if he could swap with someone else to serve the following weekend. At the WADSA games he competed in eight events - the under12 javelin, shot-put, discus, as well as wheelchair racing in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m. and 1500m - and won eight gold medals. Gary Garreffa said Nicholas' mum Anna said younger sister Christina was sometimes a little fed up with Nicholas getting so much attention. But, on the other hand, Christina wants to grow up and be just like her big brother, because she

Norman, Christina and Anna Peters with Nicholas, dressed for serving. is so proud of him. Bateman's

Cooper family - acolyte Colin, and altar servers Heather and Chris - have done everything possible to help and work in with Nicholas when serving together. Nicholas is a student at Yidarra Catholic Primary School, BateGlyrmis Grainger man.

'Caritas is your agent' Secondly, Caritas existed to form longterm policy, to respond with advice and technical assistance on how to grow crops Flood, violence, starvation - whatever the so that people could sustain their own lives. crisis - Caritas Australia does things for After the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, people in need around the world that Jesus built 400 homes in the north of the Caritas wants us to do, a Melbourne auxiliary Bishfor people whose homes had been country op told Massgoers attending St Mary's destroyed. Australian Catholics response Cathedral 1Iam Mass last Sunday. on this occasion was only exceeded by Caritas Australia chairman Bishop Hilton their response to the recent East Timorese Deakin preached on why Catholics should crisis, he said. contribute to the Catholic Church's nationEducation in justice - an expression of the al overseas assistance and development belief that we must act justly and walk agency in Australia. humbly with God our Father in everything Bishop Deakin was in Perth to assist Archwe do - was also a key reason for the bishop Barry Hickey commission parish agency's existence, he said. and school representatives for Caritas's Finally, from time-to-time Caritas acted as forthcoming annual Lenten appeal, Project an advocate of the Gospel message in AusCompassion. tralia, Bishop Deakin told the congregation. Project Compassion will be launched in Just a few years ago, the agency had supparishes around Australia this weekend, ported Adelaide Mercy Sister Pay Poy's Sunday 5 March. Young people dressed in anti-landmines drive and helped to collect East Timorese costumes processed into St a massive petition across the nation. Mary's before laying objects at the foot of In part because of the petition, the Fedthe altar symbolising the things which will eral Government subsequently signed the help rebuild East Timor - food, education The hats have it Bishop Healy, left, Archbishop Hickey and Bishop Deakin, with the young people anti-landmines proliferation treaty in and a Project Compassion box. Ottawa, Canada, he said. dressed in East Timorese costume who brought symbols of East Timor to the altar. It was a poignant reminder of the vioAnd, he concluded, it was Project Comlence which took place in East Timor last [in Australia] and our capacity," he said, lages was extraordinary, he said. On that passion's dollars - most of which are spent year and to which Caritas Australia and noting that Caritas Australia had a sphere occasion Caritas had flown in trauma on the first and second objectives he outother charitable agencies responded as of influence that stretched virtually experts to assist survivors; even on recent lined - that enabled it to continue to act on throughout the entire Oceania and Pacific visits he was still being thanked by sur- behalf of the Church in Australia. soon as they were able to. vivors for that action. Bishop Deakin outlined the four objec- regions. After Mass Archbishop Hickey and Bish"And it was all done in the name of Christ op Deakin distributed Project Compassion The response from Catholics in Australia tives which lie at the heart of Caritas: first, the agency tries to make an effective to the Itapi tidal wave or tsunami in New and your name," he told those present on kits to school and parish representatives for this Sunday's appeal launch. response "to any emergency in reach of us Guinea last year that swept away entire vil- Sunday morning. By Peter Rosengren

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'Dogma' a product of the age we live in

he problem with condemning a film is the free publicity it gets as a consequence. I remember a few years ago going to see the film "Priest" precisely because it had been roundly condemned by many Catholic organisations. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It turned out to be a piece of homosexual propaganda aimed at changing Church attitudes. Without the publicity I would never have gone to see it, as I rarely go to the pictures. A film showing at a local cinema is "Dogma", rated MA. From what I have read about it, I would not want to see it nor would I want anyone else to see it. It appears to be a blasphemous

travesty of the life of Jesus, his disciples and his relatives. I certainly urge Catholics to avoid this film, but I do not want to give it the sort of publicity that would make it a box-office success. Quite a dilemma. From what I hear, I doubt if it will last much longer. Whatever about selecting one particular film for special condemnation, the general moral tone of many films and television programmes gives rise for grave concern. Isuppose the areas that are often raised for public debate are explicit sex scenes, violence and killing. The boundaries are being pushed out all the time. Equally of concern are the more subtle attempts to undermine

Christian morality in films and television shows, like the complete acceptance of fornication, infidelity, unquestioned sexual freedom, serial divorce and remarriage, homosexual lifestyles and euthanasia. Add to this the impression that life is about selfish personal satisfaction and the accumulation of wealth, and we have a pretty sorry picture. I have no doubt that many parents exercise proper control over their children's viewing, but I am equally sure that many others don't. Despite the best efforts of parents young people are exposed to the secular gospel and all its values to saturation point. Is it any wonder that the Gospel of Jesus Christ often falls on stony ground? Is it any wonder that the

Church seems ineffective when competing with such intense, almost evangelical preaching of contrary values? There are organisations that monitor films and television for content. They need our support. People who feel powerless against the forces that would undermine family Christian values would do well to join them or offer them financial help. The problem of offensive films and television goes beyond any particular production. It is now part of the culture of films, and only constant resistance and pressure will gain the attention of producers of such fins. sooner the Nevertheless, "Dogma" disappears from our cinemas the better.

Archbishop's

Perspective

Vatican H: no break with the past By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) - People who believe the Second Vatican Coundl marked a break with the Catholic Church's past cannot correctly interpret its teaching, Pope John Paul II said. The "genuine intention" of the members of the council must be rediscovered, "overcoming prejudiced or partial interpretations which have prevented the best expression of the newness of the council's teaching," Pope John Paul said. Although he had just returned from his pilgrimage to Egypt. the Pope interrupted his rest to give the closing address at a 25-27 February Vatican meeting on the Implementation of the Second Vatican Council. The Pope convoked the meeting of some 250 cardinals, bishops, theologians and historians as part of the Church's Holy Year "examination of conscience." Calling

A . A

Vatican II a "little seed" planted by Pope John XXIII, the Pope said It has become "a tree which has spread its majestic and mighty branches over the vineyard of the Lord." Although the council ended 35 years ago, he said, the Catholic Church has yet to implement it fully or realise all of its potential. "It has given us many fruits in these 35 years of life, and it will give us many more in the years to come," Pope John Paul said. Pope John Paul rejected the idea that the Catholic Church needs a new council to reorganise its structure and its mission to respond to modern needs and concerns. He said he and other bishops attending the council faced the challenge of explaining the nature of the Church and its relationship to the world at a time of rapid social and technological changes. "That which we accomplished at the council was to make clear that even contemporary man, if

he wants to understand himself Scripture and tradition. Keeping completely, needs Jesus Christ God's Word alive also requires a and his Church, which remains in commitment by all Catholics to the world as a sign of unity and pass on the faith in its integrity. communion," the Pope said. • Renewed the liturgy so that it The Catholic Church has an would be a fitting expression of obligation to share the Gospel the worship owed to God. with all men and women and to "Every minister, conscious of the do so in a way that is intelligible responsibility he has to the peoto them, he said. ple entrusted to him, must faithVatican II, which "was a gift of fully maintain respect for the the Spirit," helped the Church sacredness of the rite, growing in map out its response to modern the understanding of that which needs and questions while remaining wholly faithful to he celebrates." • Explained that the Church's Church teaching and tradition, foundation is communion among the Pope said. "If one reads the council pre- its members, a relationship which suming that it marked a break is evident in its institutions acting with the past, while in reality it under the guidance of the Pope. The yearning for communion placed itself in line with the faith of all time, he definitely has gone and unity extends to all those who are baptised in Christ and is the astray," Pope John Paul said. Highlighting the teaching in the basis of the Catholic Church's council's four dogmatic constitu- "irreversible" commitment to ecumenism. tions, the Pope said the council: • Encouraged the Church to be • Emphasised the importance of the Word of God and the com- courageous in engaging in a diaplementary relationship between logue with the world, conscious

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of the fact that in the Gospel ui Jesus Christ. the Church holds the answers to the questions that most plague modern men and women. Bishop Pere Garriga told the meeting that many bishops at the council thought "that at the moment of liturgical reform. greater participation in the liturgy would be automatic." "Many thought that it would he enough to change from Latin to local languages and to turn the altar around," he told reporters. adding, "But participation in liturgy is a spiritual practice" that requires spiritual preparation. "The liturgical reform of the council brought about liturgies which, in themselves, are much better than they were 60 years ago," the bishop said. "But the secular, consumeristic culture has had an impact that has not been addressed." Cardinal Ratzinger also speaks on the meaning of Vatican II - Page II

Clergy Appointments Archbishop Barry Hickey announced several clergy appointments this week Father Terry Pushparaj, assistant priest at Whitfords Parish, has been appointed parish priest of St Jude's Parish, Lynwood from 4 March 2000. The deacons from the Neo Catechumenal Way's Redemptoris Mater seminary in Morley who were ordained on 29 November last year, have been assigned their parishes: Reverend John Allen to Whitfords, Rev Giosue Marini to East Fremantle, Rev Melvin Llabanes to Rockingham. Rev James D'Souza to Mirrabooka. Fr Lionel Henry, a Salesian priest, has returned to the archdiocese. He will be stationed at GoomaRing while Fr Doug Hoare recovers from heart surgery.

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Cool response to PM's choice By Glynnis Grainger In putting off the deadline for reconciliation between Aborigines and other Australians beyond December 31, Prime Minister John Howard has probably stated the obvious, Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome said. "It is (a question) of the hurt, and one of attitude, and I don't think the Government and the people are ready for reconciliation," he told The Record this week. Bishop Saunders is secretary of the Bishops' Committee for Aborigines. "It is quite obvious from the polls and native title and mandatory sentencing, [that] we continue to implement policies which cut across the needs of indigenous people," he said.

"The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was against the imprisonment of children unless as a last resort." "Our laws don't reflect the national attitude; for example, the fact that mandatory sentencing can be applied to children and they are locked up." "Our laws need to reflect an attitude that shows that we believe in national reconciliation." "The attitude is largely what is wrong; it is the attitude of too many ordinary Australians." The chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Aborigines, Bishop Edward Collins of Darwin, said we must try and understand what Mr Howard is driving at. "He might have some other plan; we have to give him a chance," Bishop Collins told The Record.

Bishop Christopher Saunders

"He doesn't like committing the Government to it (reconciliation). "The Bishops apologised and signed a document of reconcilia-

tion a couple of years ago. We had would like him to be," Mr Smith no problem with saying 'sorry'. told The Record. "It is something We had a ceremony up here at that can be dealt with when he which we apologised before all has the time." the Aboriginal people." "Political expediency and politi"We must try and see what can cal ideology take precedence over be possibly done for the Aborigi- issues of justice." nal people. Their education is way "If he doesn't move with it, he is behind our outback people." going to be left behind." "Health is probably bigger than "We will be continuing to work education, as Aboriginal people towards reconciliation ourselves." are dying young." "If the Government wants to be "You have to have them alive in left behind it will be." The president of the Australian order to educate them." The chairman of the National Conference of Leaders of ReliAboriginal and Torres Strait gious Institutes, Sr Margaret CasIslands Catholic Council, Peter sidy, strongly criticised the Prime Smith, said from Darwin the coun- Minister's statement. "It is extremely disappointing cil were upset by Mr Howard's decision but they were not all that that the leader of this country has downplayed the whole reconcilisurprised by it. "We get the feeling he (Mr ation process by saying that the Howard) is not as committed to setting of a deadline for reconcilthe reconciliation process as we iation was a big mistake," she said.

Floods wash away ten years' work in minutes

You couldn't give them a happier start to their schooling years

LONDON (CNS) - Ten years' worth of development was washed away in minutes by the floods and cyclones in Mozambique, said a spokesman for the English and Welsh bishops' aid agency. In one project helped by the agency. the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, a project set up to help female heads of households had losses of nearly US $900,000. "Many of the women being helped were women who had been widowedbl. the war," said CAFOD spokeswoman Fiona Fox. "This project had been helping them get back on their feet, and now it has been destroyed. It is absolutely tragic." Carla Ferreira, CAFOD's program assistant for Mozambique, said the country was devastated by the disaster. "Although Mozambique is a success rescued from the flooded city of Chokstory at a macro-economic level, it's still South African Army Captain G J Mnguni carries a child photo: CN.SiFieurets February. 28 on Mozambique in we one of the poorest countries in the world. Ninety per cent of the population are liv- Is a disaster. Our partners are devastat- been destroyed. More than 300,000 peoing below the poverty line of less than ed - after years of progress they are back ple lost their homes in the flooding. one dollar a day, and a staggering 65 per to square one." CAFOD has pledged an initial grant of cent of those people struggle to survive CAFOD warned that the situation US $30,000 for the work of Caritas, the on half that." around Maputo would get worse as national Catholic relief organisation. The money will go to meeting immedi"If this cyclone and floods had hit another cyclone and high river levels in Britain or any other developed nation, neighbouring countries threatened to ate needs for food and long-term rehabilitation in housing and sanitation. the infrastructure would have survived, exacerbate the flooding. The agency is also preparing to send The agency estimated Mozambicans and recovery would be much quicker. But in a poor country like Mozambique would need massive relief aid for at least out emergency staff to support partners' where most people work on the land. it the next year, since this year's crop has efforts to respond to the crisis.

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Perth Sisters travel to Rome for beatifications By Glynnis Grainger

An artist's depiction of the deaths of the 11 Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth due to be beatified this weekend by Pope John Paul II.

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Two Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, based at North Beach, are visiting Rome this weekend for the Beatification of 11 Sisters of their Order martyred during World War II. Sisters Joseph and Emilia will be present for a week in Rome for the beatification of Sister Mary Stella and her 10 companions by Pope John Paul ll on Sunday, 5 March. The Order was founded by Blessed Frances Siediska, in Rome, in 1875. The Sisters work all over the world in different ministries. The community follows the example of the Holy Family and their main aim is to pray and work

with families, Sr Annuntia, the superior, told The Record. Their religious habits make them easily identifiable in North Beach and surrounding suburbs. The 11 Sisters to be beatified were killed in Nowogrodek - now Belarus - in 1943 during the Nazi occupation of war-torn Poland. One night in the summer a mass arrest of Polish men took place. Distressed women approached the Sisters begging for prayers that their husbands and fathers would not be executed. As the Sisters witnessed the arrests of many men from their village, they asked God to accept the sacrifice of their own lives in order to spare the lives of the men with families. Sr Stella expressed the common

desire of the Sisters in the prayer: If sacrifice of life is needed, accept it from us, 0 God!" Without warning on Saturday, 31 July, 1943, 11 Sisters were taken to the commissariat. After a night shrouded in mystery they were taken away in a van and, in the early hours of the morning, shot and buried in a common grave. Later on the same day the most recently imprisoned men were released. After the Nazis left Poland, the Sisters' bodies were located and exhumed. As news of the events of that night spread, people began to ask God for favours through their intercession. Many graces have been reported from those who prayed for their intercession.

'Focus on Jesus, resist absence of values' The Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Perth has reminded Newman College students of their obligation to resist the values of secular society and remain focused on the teachings and values of Christ. The reminder from Father Gerard Holohan came during the opening Mass for the year at Newman College In Doubleview on 22 February. Father Holohan commented particularly on the requirement that Catholic Education focus on the first two of the Ten Commandments - that we love God with all our hearts and that we share this love with others. His theme was reflected in the choice of readings as well as during the

investiture of the new student leaders whose prayer was We ask for the Lord's guidance in all we do. Help us to remember Jesus' example of service and to follow Him in our role as leaders in the College community." As well as the investiture of the Student Representative Council, eleven student Special Ministers were also commissioned. The challenge to all present was to. In this year of Jubilee, return to a life of prayer and the Sacraments and reconsider our relationship with Christ. Are we living a life in His peace and love, or are we Just following the The archdiocese of Perth's Director of Religious values of our secular community?" Fr Education, Fr Gerard Holohan, officiates at the investiture of student leaders at Newman College. Holohan asked.

Candles to light up families Servite kicks off the school year

KSC EDUCATION FOUNDAFION

Scholarships to the University of Notre Dame Australia

The Trustee of the KSC Education Foundation Inc (a project of the Knights of the Southern Cross) takes pleasure in announcing the award of scholarships to the following teachers of Religious Education in Catholic Schools for further study at the University of Notre Dame Australia in 2000. Marie Barton Matthew Gibney High Wycombe tetske Fitzpatrick St Vincent's Kwinana Stephen Hall St Thomas' Claremont Paul Kelly Aquinas College Manning Carla Klomp Santa Clara Bentley Shaun May-ne Lumen Christi Gosnells Helen McKeon Our Lady Mt Carmel Mullewa Saroya Musitano Matthew Gibney High Wycombe Maria Outtrim Newman College Churchlands Aaron Peters Prendiville College Ocean Reef Russell Pratten St Brigid's Primary Middle Swan Mark Ratajczak La Salle College Midland Marya Stewart Santa Maria Attadale Paulina Sweeney MacKillop Primary Yangebup Mary Bizzaca St Joseph's Boulder Sandro Coniglio St Brigid's Middle Swan Andrea Dopson Iona Primary Mosman Park Rodney Ellyard Agriculture College Bindoon Tim Emery Good Shepherd Kelmscott Brooke Fraser Dewar St Brigid's Bridgetown Lynne Lambert Iona Primary Mosman Park Clam Magee Ida Notte St Mary's Kalgoorlie Shaun O'Neill St Joseph's Pinjarra Mark Panaia St Dominic's Innaloo Justin lbohy St Mary's Merredin Neville Ward, Secretary, KSC Education Foundation Inc

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Prayer service with a Jubilee theme - Santa Clara primary school Year 7 teacher, Darlene LeGuay, and one of her students, Lisa Chandler, prepare to distribute Jubilee candles to families.

Jubilee Candles were presented to each family at the first special Santa Clara Primary School Jubilee prayer service last Monday week. The theme chosen for the service 'Celebrate' - was linked to the core school values of positive self-esteem, appreciating the gifts of others and accepting one's capabilities. The Year Seven students led the school in the service, thanking God

for the gift of each person. Staff of the school, located in St James, have used 12 core values connected to four Jubilee themes in their planning for the Jubilee at the school this year. In this way, the Jubilee is receiving daily focus in every classroom and is integrated into the curriculum, school liturgies and prayer times for students, staff and parents.

Jubilee 2000

Religious Arts Award Celebrating 2000 years of Christianity

Servite College students dressed in saris lead a procession into St Mary's Cathedral on 17 February for the opening Mass of the school year. The feast day of the seven founders of the Servants of Mary, the Servites, came at a propitious time for Servite College in Than Hill

recently. Falling on 17 February, it coincided with the opening of the official school year at the college. On that day, the Year 2000 Servite College opening Mass was celebrated by Father Christopher Ross, college president and chaplain, in a packed St Mary's Cathedral. New staff and students were formally introduced to the school and a special blessing was given to new student leaders Phillip Russell and Christina Placko. The Servile Order, founded in the 13th century by seven Florentine merchants known as the Seven Holy Founders, has a worldwide reputation in the field of education.

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Catholic health care welcomes Democrat tax bid By Glynnis Grainger The Catholic Church in Australia's top health lobby group has welcomed the Australian Democrats' opposition to the Federal Government's fringe benefits tax plans for the Church and charitable sector. Democrats' leader. Senator Meg Lees, has written to Treasurer Peter Costello, to confirm Democrat opposition to the proposed $1Z000 cap on FBT tax exemptions for charities. Catholic Health Australia executive director Francis Sullivan said CHA had always contended that the benefit was for charitable organisations to use to attract and retain staff. "The Government has never justified its position in attacking Church organisations over the use of the FBT exemption," Mr Sullivan said. "Rather, it has clumped everybody in the same basket." Senator Lees said the charity sector could not accommodate the impost without reducing services and that was "simply not acceptable to the Democrats."

Churches celebrate Melville's 100 years

"Charities need time to focus on on FBT exemptions for Church implementation of the new tax and charitable organisations. "The Government should also Yidarra Catholic primary students celebrate with liturgical dance. system without facing additional introduce limited regulation over costs caused by increased FECI:" St I'll ( )mas More Catholic She said the Democrats had long the definition and extent of eligibeen concerned at the lack of def- ble benefits accompanied by ( hurch Bateman last Sunday inition of what constitutes a char- auditing powers for the tax office." hosted a combined Churches celSenator Lees called on the ALP ebration to mark the centenary of ity and how they should be taxed. "We have asked the Government to oppose increased FLIT on char- the City of Melville. Over 300 attended the celebrato establish a two-stage inquiry ities. "At the last election, Labor said tion with members from the into charities, looking first at the Church, Anglican definition of charities and then at they would support the Govern- Melville Attadale Baptist Church, Willagee their tax treatment," Senator Lees ment's plan." she said. "Now that the full extent of the Salvation Army and Melville Unitsaid. "Armed with this knowledge, impost on charities is clear,Ihope ing Church joining Catholic the Democrats would be able to Labor will join us in 'rolling back' parishioners from St Benedict's, Applecross, Corpus Christi, Myareview what tax concessions are this new impost." Senator Lees said the Democrats me, St Joseph Pignatelli, Attadale, appropriate for the not-for-profit supported the FBT exemption for St Thomas More and other sector." Churches. Mr Sullivan said the charities remote area housing. Captain Judith Brown of the Willagee The All Saints College Band, Salvation Army participates in the "We ask the Government to conalready had extra costs to deal with under the GST, and if the sider broadening the FBT exemp- directed by John Beaverstock, pro- ecumenical service. Government's FBT policy was tion for remote areas to help vided music for the celebration. The celebration began with an Catholic community. Pastor Grapassed, wage bills would rise by not-for-profit organisations attract nt of Aboriginal ham Mabury addressed the gathacknowledgme another 15 per cent, or employ- professionals," Senator Lees said. prior connection ering. their and people also Democrats the Meantime, ees' take-home pay would drop Prayers of the people, led by stated that they would continue with the land by Professor Brian by up to 10 per cent. from each of the Hill. members "Ultimately, the capacity of the discussions with the Government the to followed by a colresponded was Taylor Churches, Ben FBT on cap proposed the on to sector charitable and Church of Commubehalf on Murdoch the for lection acknowledgment deliver essential services would exemptions for public hospitals. enjoyed Participants people. Hospice. nity Aboriginal on cap any to agree not will "We be reduced," he said. Michael courtyard the in tea Monsignor afternoon an Following "The only sensible policy which FBT exemptions unless hospitals to all church folwill guarantee that the sector is are compensated fully for this rev- Keating's warm welcome the of St Thomas More of behalf celebration. on the lowing participants not worse off is a 30 per cent cap enue loss," Senator Lees said. API

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The Record. March 2 2000 Page 5

Let us resurrect the Sabbath POUF 141,m Lonlinues with his meditations on the readings for Sunday's Mass. This week the ninth Sunday, Year B

A Layman's

Meditation

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oday's liturgy contains important Mass on holy days of obligation which lessons for us at a time when fall during the working week is lower there is an alarming decline in than on Sundays. the number of Australian Catholics People also need to have their avarice attending Sunday Mass, and there are a curbed. growing number of people working on God has done this by commanding a Sunday. day of rest, when people normally canWe need to remember that the first not legitimately work for money. Christians changed their day of rest In today's Gospel passage (Mark 2:23from the Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, to 3:6) we see Christ rejecting the pharthe Lord's day, Sunday, because Christ isees' over-rigid interpretation of the rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. Sabbath, and enunciating the principle: On Sundays, they gathered for Mass, "The Sabbath was made for man, not which they referred to as "the breaking man for the Sabbath." of bread." The first reading, (DeuteronHe was implying that the Sabbath was omy 5;12-15) contains God's instruc- instituted for people's benefit. tions to the Jews regarding the Sabbath. Our Lord showed something of the It says: "For six days you shall labour Implications of this by curing the man and do all your work, but the seventh with a withered hand on the Sabbath, day is a Sabbath for the Lord your God. and posing the question: "Is it against You shall do no work that day." the law on the Sabbath to do good, or It is worth reflecting on some of the to do evil?" reasons God has in mind for comThe Jewish Sabbath and the Christian manding a day of rest. Sunday are days for doing good. Besides People need time off to recuperate leaving us free to attend Mass, not workafter work. ing gives us time to do good. People need time off to be free to go It might be writing to, visiting or phonto worship. ing a shut in, or it might be helping Priests have found that attendance at count the church collection, it might be

babysitting to give a busy mother time to herself. Does Sabbath worship and rest for Jews and Sunday Mass and rest for Catholics really have any benefit? I have already indicated some of the benefits I see in it, so let us consider today's second reading (2 Corinthians 4:6-11) in which St Paul gives an account of his trials. He writes: "We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down but never killed. . . We cannot but admire St Paul's heroism, but we cannot let the matter rest there. We need to try to explain the reason for his heroism. At least a large part of the explanation lies in the fact that he was helped by regular worship. He was motivated by Scripture and strengthened by prayer as a Jewish worshipper. After his conversion, St Paul was motivated by Scripture and strengthened by prayer and the Eucharist. Having seen what motivated and strengthened St Paul, will we be so foolish and ungrateful to God as not to attend Sunday Mass which offers us the same blessings?

The ashes of Lent are a powerful symbol Fr Adrian littarelk), Vicar for Migration. begins a series of reflections on thc readings associated with the Lenten and Easter seasons

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or anyone who lives the spirit of the current Jubilee Year any other event occurring in it becomes endowed with a new emphasis. Perhaps no other season of the year should be lived with greater commitment than Lent. Lent is by itself, in any year, the most engaging season for any Christian. The celebration of the Great Jubilee adds momentum to it. The ceremony marking the beginning of Lent - the imposition of ashes on people's head - may be seen by many as obsolete and anachronistic. Recently I asked a couple I was instructing for the Sacrament of Marriage what Ash Wednesday was all about. The only thing they could think of was the bushfire that occurred on Ash Wednesday in Victoria and South Australia in 1982! For many Christians Ash Wednesday remains an important celebration, for it marks the beginning of Lent. Ashes in

With Fr Adrian Pittarello the modern world have practically disappeared from everyday life - we use gas or electricity. Ancient people had to deal with ashes all the time, for the only source of fire was wood or coal. Ash is all that is left out of combustion; hence it is a symbol of the annihilation of matter. Cremation was in ancient times a common way of disposing of human bodies; hence ashes have come to symbolise human mortality The ashes of the holocaust had a particular meaning - the sacrifice that burnt completely the animal offered as victim to the divinity. The animal symbolised and took the place of the human person. The remaining ashes were to remind human beings of what they

deserved for their sins. Placing ashes on our head is, therefore, a powerful symbol. It means that we acknowledge our mortality, that we recognise that we have done wrong, and that we regret our sins. At the same time Ash Wednesday reminds us of the salvation that God offers us in Jesus Christ: "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel". At the beginning of Lent we must identify which sins we must turn away from. We cannot be engaged in real conversion if we do not recognise where we need conversion. Conversion means to recognise that we have being going the wrong way. that we must turn back, retrace out footsteps and start again on the way of the Gospel, the way that will lead us. through death, to the resurrection in and with Christ. There are a lot of good things that we are called upon to do during Lent (prayer, penance, Project Compassion. etc). Unless we identify at least one area of our life where we should conform more to Christ, we will not fully benefit from the Lenten exercises.

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Message from Our Lady, Queen of Peace, given to Marija Pavlovic Lunetti for the village of Medjugorje and the world on February 25 2000

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"Dear Children! Wake up from the sleep of unbelief and sin, because this is a time of grace which God gives you. Use this time and seek the grace of healing of your heart from God, so that you may see God and man with the heart. Pray in a special way for those who have not come to know God's love, and witness with your life so that they also can come to know God and His Immeasurable love. Thank you for having responded to my call." (It is accepted that the final authority

To Jesus through Mary ...

a column of Marian devotion

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n the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, more than 550 Catholics recited the Rosary and sung hymns in a torchlight procession around Lake Monger. The celebrant for the evening was Father Robert Zivovik, assisted by Father Hugh Thomas. Numerous

priests and religious, children in strollers and people walking with walking sticks or being pushed in wheelchairs, were among those attending. All watched a beautiful sunset while the songs of birds added to the spiritual aura of the night, which was organised by the Legion of Mary.

Our Lady's statue was lit up and was a beacon for all to follow, ahead of a moving river of lights. The evening ended with a rousing declaration of faith with the singing of the hymn "We Stand for God." It is hoped that this Jubilee celebration might become an annual event.

regarding apparitions of Our Lady at Mediugorie rests with the Holy See of Rome)

Fr Robert Zivovik blesses the statue of Our Lady before the procession.

The Record, March 2 2000 Page 6

What are we? 'Mankind' or Us-kind' - that's the question

With Paul Gray

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e're not animals - but just what are we? This eternal question pops up in the most unlikely places. Even silly Hollywood movies. And movies don't come much sillier than Leslie Nielsen's comic spoofs. These rude and at-times offensive movies do have some funny scenes. OneI saw on TV the other night featured star Nielsen playing an under-cover cop posing as a violent criminal inside a maximum security prison. To get in deep with the bad guy of the jail. Nielsen tries to set off a riot inside the prison canteen by throwing his food back at a warder. It's unfit for human consumption, he tells the jailer. "Are we animals?" Nielsen yells out loud enough for all the assembled prisoners to hear. As Nielsen leaps up on a table, his fellow prisoners bellow back: "No!" Feeling he's on a winner, Nielsen then booms out even louder "What are we?" This is followed by an awkward silence. Then finally a prisoner's timid voice pipes up uncertainly from across the canteen. *Homo sapiens?" We shouldn't think of such things in church. but this scene from Naked Gun: the Final Insult leapt to mind in Mass the other day as I noticed, not for the first time, how modern congregations often leave out the word "men" from their recital of the Creed. "For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven," this men-less credal statement says. Somehow, my tongue often trips up at this line, as I feel we should say "for us men and for our salvation." Is this because I am a sexist heretic who thinks that God became man so that only the males of the human species could be saved? Actually,I don't believe this. When I feel like saying "for us men and for our salvation", it's becauseI believe that Jesus really did come down on earth to die and rise from the dead for the sake of the whole of humanity - men, women, children, and even those whose gender is unclear. In fact, salvation is clearly not a gender issue. So why do we have this fashionable imperative in the English-speaking Church today, to avoid saying the word "men" even when it's perfectly obvious that what we mean by it is the whole of the human race? Here's a theory. The modern world seems to have lost that sense previous Christian generations had of how magnificent and complex God's creation Is. When we think of Creation, we think of the physical universe. With our modern growing understanding of just how big and complex that universe is, it's not surprising, perhaps, that we let it fill our imagination in this way. Yet in Christian belief, the physical universe Is not the whole of creation. Held in place by God, Creation includes at least two other kinds of spiritual being, angels and men. Call us men, people, human beings, members of humanity or whatever you like. The interesting feature about us is not which sex we belong to, but the fact we are part of this magnificent order of spiritual creation. Do we forget this? Ithink we often do - and hence today's habit of obsessing over whether to say "men" or "people" when referring to that race of creatures Jesus died for. Personally, I think any term is better than squibbing out altogether, as some congregations currently do, by simply saying "us" at that line in the Creed. Even "homo sapiens" might be preferable to that.

Dead dogs more rights than aborted babies • •

The Record

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o sane person is unmoved when any animal suffers. Consequently, many West Australians were filled with a sense of disgust when they read of a dog forced into a one-sided fight with a pit bull, tortured with being run over by a car, and then bashed to death. Two weeks ago, the 19-year-old responsible for the death of his mother's bordercollie received a sentence of six-month's gaol suspended for 18 months. If the young man reoffends during that period he will serve the time. It seems that this is the young man's first offence. Again, any sane person with some inkling of what mercy is will see that .the legal system has shown mercy to an unfortunate person who was drunk and high on drugs at the time of the offence, which seemed a spur of the moment act. Yet parts of the media, probably with an eye to ratings and circulation, reported that members of the public were urging that the young dog killer should have been

dealt with more severely by the courts. At fight sub-culture, and then silly enough to the same time, many Australians were get caught. Will it be a public flogging next for dog protesting against the Northern Territory's three-strikes-and-you're-in legislation that or cat abusers? It is important to remember that many was the occasion of the suicide death of a young Aboriginal detained for minor theft. of those who support a woman's non-exisIt is bizarre that sections of society are tent right to allow her unborn child to be demanding gaol to ensure justice for a slaughtered do so on the grounds that the dead dog, as opponents of so-called embryo is not a human being, that it is at least a mere blob of cells that has no permandatory sentencing protest fiercely. Is one class of human beings less valu- sonality and thus cannot be a human able or dignified because he or she has being. Of course, that is a false as it is to say tortured and killed an animal? It is indeed odd that West Australian that black is white. But if, for the moment, we assume it is MPs on both sides of the political divide voted two years ago to allow the effec- true, then why are people who abuse and tively unrestricted legal killing of unborn kill these alleged blobs of animal life not babies but are now being lobbied to incar- jailed for gross violation of the animals cerate some poor coot who was silly health, good feeling and life? If it is good enough for the wrong inflictenough to get caught up in a vicious dog-

9-grounolie 7aa• The memorable Sister Lucy

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was delighted to read the tribute to Sister Lucy from Mr "NAT" (C C Gould) in your Issue of 24 February 2000. I, too, was taught at Sacred Heart Primary School by Sr Lucy, in my case from 1927, as were my good friends the late Vin Davidson from about 1921, and Alan Edwards from 1929. Sr Lucy prepared us all for our first Communion and her preparation was always magnificent. I remember one day when she was telling us of the day when we would receive the Body of Christ for the first time and the great blessing this would bring to all of us. One of the class asked: "why do we only take the Body of Christ when the Priest takes the Body and Blood of Christ". Sister replied immediately: "whoever heard of a body without blood - if you take the Body of Christ you take his Blood". This answer certainly satisfied the eight and nine year olds who were the class! Vin Davidson and I did not see Sr Lucy again until about 1946 - we were both married and attending the annual Sacred Heart Procession when, in the distance, Sr Lucy was coming our way with her flock of "Holy Angels" and we decided to wait and greet her. However, before either of us could speak, she said "Vinny Davidson and Tommy Perrott - how nice to see you" (what a memory!). Alan Edwards lived in the Highgate Parish and has similar unique stories about Sr Lucy. Alan will be remembered as a great sportsman at CBC Perth and Aquinas College. He was the first West Australian to score more than 100 runs in both innings of a Sheffield Shield match and served the State as a Selector and finally Chairman of Selectors for the WACA. The above mentioned and hundreds of others owe so much to Sr Lucy. Tom Perron Claremont

Lenten fasting and penance

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s your editorials are always well worth reading I would like to ask you to write a "doozy" regarding the penitential value of Lent, especially in this Jubilee Year. Ills a shame that fasting and penances are rarely mentioned. To deny ourselves chocolate, wine, etc, is one aspect but our Lenten offerings can also be challenging and imaginative. As well as denial of the flesh, we can add spiritual offerings - an extra Mass during the week, visits tot he Blessed Sacrament, prayers, etc. I'm at the stage where I give up sugar for Lent, all 46 days from Ash Wednesday' (You see, every day hurts!)

Reaffirm priestly role

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have been to various Masses in the past in a

wide space of places where the priest in a very friendly home-type Mass has all the congregation sitting around the table. At Communion, he hands out the Holy Eucharist to the left and each person passes Jesus on all around the group as did Jesus at the Last Supper when He first instituted the Blessed Eucharist, after He had ordained his Apostles to be the first priests of His Church. I understand that Canon Law states that only priests can give out Holy Communion, except when the priest is too sick or when so many people attend that it will unduly delay the Mass. Then deacons, acolytes or special ministers duly appointed by the Bishop can in these special circumstances give out communion. Our Faith states that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist and due reverence should be given to Our God, and in obedience we should follow the rules of Our Church - God's Church. Pauline Caldwell Kojonup

Assurances sought ecently we were informed of the appointment of five women consultants to a cornttee headed by six bishops to oversee the implementation of recommendations on women's participation in the Church in Australia (The Record, 17 February). While we may not know how these women came to be appointed, may we be assured that: 1. At least one of the appointees represents the full-time mother - there were a significant number of submissions to the inquiry into women's participation in the Church in Australia calling on the Church to be more affirming of the role of women in the home; and 2. The appointees uphold loyalty and obedience to the Pope and fully support the teachings of the Catholic Church. Margaret O'Hagan Booragoon

• The opinions expressed in this editorial, and any other Record editorial, are not necessarily those of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth.

Harvest

pilgrimages

A journey for the Great Jubilee

Legers lo lAe Cciaor ThenI add extra for Holy Week, le., restricted or no TV as well as a variety of spiritual extras (one year I learnt the main prayers of the rosary in Latin so that I can pray with the Pope in my car) Teachers and parents need to be reminded that fasting and penance is not a foolish, useless oldfashioned practice for children. It builds character and strength, and when later faced with difficult decisions they will find it easier to say "no" to other perhaps addictive temptations. Over the years I remember thinking that this is all quite crazy. Yet now, "down the track," I know and feel the numerous graces I have received are just priceless. Name and address supplied

ed on a dog to be restituted with a prison term, then why not for whatever alleged animal it is that is in a woman's womb? Pro-abortion MPs of either political persuasion, of course, are not going to protest the agonising chemical or surgical death of animal tissue in a woman's womb because they would have to confront the fact that the embryo or foetus is, in fact, a human being, and thus entitled to the full protection of the law. As any half-wit can understand, cats conceive and give birth to cats, dogs conceive and give birth to dogs, and human beings conceive and give birth to human beings. When will pro-abortionists wake up to the fact that any outrage they express at torture and death inflicted on animals is nothing more than the redirected anger of a guilty conscience?

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M ore Holy Doors

Great Jubilee 2000 holy doors spark poetic vision By Anny Bowler Heat shimmers o'er jewelled head of roses, Green leaves slow moving in the heavy air, My steps turn to grey stone and the quiet darkness there. Ipause before the Holy Door of faith to ponder and reflect Upon the Host, Cardinal red of setting sun, Calm clouds of evening shading a Journey long since begun. My mind as though upon a Journey of its own Follows the sun's path through a shining sea, Down, down it travels to the depths of Man's mortal historY As my inward eye strives to pierce Time's misty depth. The Red Sea parts in foaming fury for Moses and the chosen few, That Exodus of people too many men eschew. Isee set in the dust twixt the half-unfurled scrolls of life itsel4 The upward road of troubled Journeys through which men grope. Two thousand years now ft is, the Jubilee of Hope. With bowed headIpass into the gentle gloom, that anteroom of Faith; With lightened step my downcast eyes perceive the rising sun, That emblem of a new beginning, to us God's benison. Iread the words inscribed upon that bounteous floor, Given to us by our Saviour, an aid to ease our plight Iam the Truth, Way, Light Over that holy floorIpass, into that cool calm, the respite of the soul. Ibow my head and genuflect and kneel before my God To pray and muse upon the past, the other naves and aisles I've trod. Though many there have been throughout the world, Now entertains my mind nostalgic thoughts of home, To parrots call and crows harsh caw and tree dad hills to main. And then most precious memory of all, sustained throughout my years. A wayside chapel in gathering dusk and a choir's sad refrain. Of friends together, side by side and tears we could not restrain. From the tracery of that chapel door arose the great white Cross, It seemed to hover in the dusk, that emblem of our Faith and Hope, To light the road that each must take and lift the burden of the yoke. Once death we feared but now its terrors wain, Our longing is to stand before our Saviour, face to face And know His loving kindness and His Grace.

Smoking chimneys, sailing ships adorn St Vincent's T

he parish of Kwinana in Perth's southern suburban region chose to combine local and eternal symbolism for the creation of their holy doors. Unveiled on Christmas Eve, they proved to be a big surprise. The design remained hidden from view until just two days earlier when the temporary boarding covering the jubilee Year entrance to the church was removed. And what parishioners saw was a renovated double entrance door decorated with leadlight symbols and flanked on both sides by glass featuring more leadlight Jubilee themes. The symbols depict the multicultural community that is a feature of St Vincent's, as well as showing local Kwinana industry - complete with smoking chimneys and a sailing ship - all safeguarded and guided by the Holy Spirit. The logos of the Vincentian priests and the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition have also been incorporated to keep alive appreciation of the work done by the two orders in the parish's first 40 years. And staff and children at St Vincent's primary school made their own artistic contribution. - Peter Rosengren

St Vincent's jubilee committee members with Kwinana 's holy door.

Mundaring waters part to reveal Scripture's path

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wo churches in the hills, two sets of holy doors, but one motif pointing to forever. The holy doors for Sacred Heart church in Mundaring and the parish's other Mass centre, the church of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Chidlow, both focus on the theme of 'exodus.' The difference between the two sets of doors, which are almost identical in design, is the materials used. The doors at Chidlow, although black and white, are more like the design of a stained glass window. The doors at Mundaring are a colourful relief in terra cotta. Parish priest Fr Alphonsus Savickas said the Mundaring door relief would be complemented at Easter with a Holy Floor mosaic, which would make passing through the side entrance of the church more of a 'rite of passage.' But the parish has not only chosen an unusual way to create their holy doors by using terra cotta (many others around Perth have gone for frosted glass, stained glass or leadlight) but have turned to the other arts to promote the Jubilee. A parishioner, Anny Bowler, has also composed a poem of reflection on the Holy door, the church and the Jubilee Year, which is printed on Anny Bowler puts the final touches to the Mundarthe left side of this page. ing holy door. For the holy doors, however, the saving Exodus

theme of the waters opening up and leading to something better beyond are the key image, literally linked with the opening of the sacred scrolls revealing God's words from alpha to omega. The two biblical images are completed by the sun setting over the sea, an image integral to life in coastal WA. "If our faith is formed by Scripture, and waters of Baptism set us upon our Christian journey, then our nourishment comes from the Eucharist," Fr Savickas wrote. "Hence the sun becomes a reflection of the Son of God in the Eucharist with the first three letters 'IHS' of the name of Jesus inscribed in Greek" However, he pointed out, all the parts of the holy doors are separated by a space in the shape of the Cross. "For the Cross is the real door that opens the way for the Christian to follow Christ - the way and the gate," he wrote. The parish doors also symbolised hope to human hearts, especially to those captive and in need of liberation. - Peter Rosengren

Archdiocesan workers contribute to Jubilee at 459 Hay Street

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ast Thursday morning, 24 February, turned out to be a different kind of day for the archdiocesan agencies headquartered at 459 Hay Street in Perth. While parishes throughout the Archdiocese have been busy designing, painting, firing or leadlighting all manner of holy doors for their churches, the agencies were determined not to be outdone. Voila! Thursday morning saw Wongan Hills parish priest Fr Wayne Davis on hand, together with staff, to bless and open the agencies' own holy doors which now stand at the top of the stairs leading to the offices' main entrance. Mercy College students were also on hand to sing for the opening, providing their own spectacular choral talents for the morning. The doors have been designed and decorated in a collaborative effort with symbols representing each agency, said Julie

The Record, March 2 2000 Page 8

Jeacock, office manager for the 459 Hay St second floor offices. The decorative symbols were painted by a representative from each of the agencies, she explained. The ceremony included prayers of the faithful for each agency composed by staff who work for them. Then a representative from each organisation walked through the door as a bell was rung. Among the agencies on the second floor are the Archdiocese Liturgy office, Planned Giving, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, Pastoral Data project, Catholic Outreach, the Catholic Social Justice Council, the Western Australian Council of Religious Institutes, the Young Christian Students and Young Christian Workers organisations and the Professional Standards committee. - Peter Rosengren

Fr Wayne Davis points to a highlight of the agencies' holy door.

Features

Bringing the Good Shepherd to the elderly The national and local media spotlight in recent weeks has focussed the poor care elderly citizens receive in some nursing homes. Father Geo Patrick found in the Maida Vale area a Servile Sister who, with many others in Western Australia. spends her life being comfort and friendship to nursing home residents.

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wenty-nine years of experience in pastoral visits, in Western Australia, has taught Servite Sister Rosa that pastoral care can brighten up the life of those in aged care units and bring more harmony and peace in aged care houses. Describing pastoral care as a service imitating Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Sr Rosa said pastoral care communicates a genuine interest in the person concerned, by listening to his or her side of the story with deep interest and love. "Aged people suffer many things including a feeling of being unwanted and burdensome. As they grow older, their busy life gets terminated v,idt Fadxr Geo Patrick and they become physically inactive, which often leads to loneliness and worker for the aged care homes under deterioration of their health." Pastoral visits help in a very signifi- Its management. She visits Mount cant way to bring good feeling to the Camillus Nursing Home and the Donovan Village in Forrestfield: and a aged care system. For the past 29 years, Sr Rosa has few more aged care houses including been visiting several aged care homes Joseph Cooke hostel and units at Rossincluding St Michael's and the Silver moyne and Embleton, and livo Pines Chain Nursing Home in the Sacred Nursing Home, Maylands. 'I always try `to be with them' even Heart Parish, Highgate, Hardy's Nursing Home at St Paul's Church In if it is for ten or 20 minutes, listening Mount Lawley, 'ninny Village, Dun- to all that they choose to say," Sr Rosa (Ting, Seacrest Village in the Our Lady said. of Grace parish North Beach, and "I also help particularly those living Lathlain and Carlisle Nursing Homes in units to buy medicines, mail letters, in Holy Name parish, Carlisle. take them for shopping, and at times For the past eight years, she has been to parks or beaches for fresh air". employed by the Southern Cross WA By doing all these, the pastoral care Aged Care Inc. as social and pastoral worker sends a simple message - I

Thf living vine

care for you - and it helps relieve the anxiety of the elderly. Sr Rosa's pastoral duty includes also arranging for Mass and conducting Communion services in the absence of a priest. She also organises Bible discussion groups in aged care units. "My religious formation and the special studies in pastoral ministry both in the United States and Manila in the Philippines have all helped me to serve meaningfully," she said. Not every one wants to be in a nursing home but often circumstances force them to come as last resort. Very often they reach aged care homes with hearts broken, even though the homes do a marvellous work. Therefore, pastoral care is essentiaL Those suffering terminal illness also need special pastoral care and many frequent pastoral visits, Sr Rosa said. Very old people suffer loneliness, if they are in proper senses. "I often get the impression that they look forward to my visits, and at times they call me over phone on emergency," Sr Rosa said. "Spending time, listening to them makes them happy. And their joy gives me satisfaction that I am doing them an useful service." As a religious, she said, "I realise that without a pastoral heart and pastoral sense,I would sound simply a cymbal clashing."

Sr Rosa consoles a cancer patient

Treading the Muslim-Christian tightrope in southern Philippines 1996 with the Moro National Liberation Front, he awarded Fr Merblate of Mary Immaculate cado a presidential citation for his Father Eliseo Mercado sits efforts. The MNLF is a Muslim guerrilla in the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel in Perth talking in a hunched force which has been fighting Philippines armed forces on Minforward posture. Of all the people moving quietly danao since the 1950s. Its chairman, Nur Misuari, supthrough the lobby of one of Perth's top hotels the Filipino priest, who ported Fr Mercado's nomination looks a little bit like a Buddhist as chairman of the Southern monk from a 'Kung Fu' movie, is Philippines Development Council. The council emerged from the probably the one who has been peace treaty process and is closest to danger. It's not hard to imagine him charged with ensuring Mindanao wheeling and dealing between decides whether it will remain an warring armed forces in the Philip- ordinary province of the Philippines as he seeks an acceptable pines or become an autonomous peace formula for the Muslim and province with complete control Christian communities who have over deciding its local administrabeen at war for decades in the tion and affairs. Fr Mercado believes Indonesia, southern Philippines in a conflict which has killed an estimated smarting from the crisis in East 100,000 combatants - not counting Timor, and with continuing problems of violence between Muslims civilians. That conflict was so serious that and Christians in the Moluccas or at one stage, he said, approximate- Spice Islands and elsewhere, will ly two-thirds of the Philippines be watching to see how the Philiparmed forces were stationed on pines implements a peace agree ment in a society split between the island of Mindanao. The unassuming Fr Mercado, 52, Muslims and Christians. Is the president of Notre Dame The only difference in the PhilipUniversity in Cotabato City on pines is that Muslims are in the Mindanao, the Muslim heartland minority while the Christians are of the Philippines. the majority - the reverse of the sitThe university has about 6,000 uation in Indonesia. students, of whom approximately His two lectures on peace in the 43 per cent are Muslim and the Philippines had two simple remainder Catholic. themes. These figures reflect the makeup "The first is that differences can of Mindanao, an island with be settled around the negotiating approximately 16 million people table rather than on the battleand some 10 major cities. field," Fr Mercado said. Two weeks ago Fr Mercado was "The second is that healing and the commencement speaker at reconciliation are possible in spite Curtin University's Institute of of the divisions, the hurt and the Health Sciences, but was also invit- woundedness." ed to give two lectures on the A wave of Filipino Catholic peace process in the Philippines - migration after World War II something he knows intimately. caused the conflict, he said. After Philippines' President Fidel The major eruption of conflict Ramos signed a peace treaty in between the two parts of Min-

By Peter Rosengren

0

danao's population came in 1972. An `on and off' conflict between Muslim rebels and Government troops continued from the 1970s until the signing of the peace agreement in 1996 following a ceasefire in 1992. Starting in 1974, Fr Mercado became increasingly active in Muslim-Christian dialogue and was chairman of the MuslimChristian dialogue process in Mindanao until 1992. He was the only person accepted by both the MNLF and the Philippines Government as an observer of the talks, he said. "I was welcomed by both parties during the negotiations and this is very much the reason why I was very much involved in the creation of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development after the agreement of 1996," he said. The council, composed of half Government and local Christian representatives and half MNLF, was established after the peace agreement of 1996. While the MNLF had originally fought for an Islamic republic, it had been a considerable transformation when they accepted the creation of the Council, he said. He said that the most important reasons for his work for peace were saving lives and preventing massive displacement and evacuation of refugees and the destruc- Fr Mercado in the 'Asian' foyer of the Hyatt last week Photo Peter Rosengren tion of property that always go with war. ing alternatives to those involved. ers in the agreements," he empha"Don't despair, and offer alterna- sised. The peace initiative was really a For this to happen, he pointed continuing venture of faith com- tives," he advised, pointing out that munities, Fr Mercado said, a proof the parties who are in conflict can out, they must realise that they are that dialogue is indeed possible also enrich the alternatives that are participants. Father Mercado's optimism is between Christians and Muslims. offered to them as well. Those who work for peace must "Personally I believe that the quietly infectious, bringing to mind always be prepared to go the extra peace process and settlements can the words spoken by someone else only be successful if people begin once about the sort of work he and mile. If they get stuck at an impasse, he owning these settlements and the his colleagues carry out: "Blessed said, they should persevere, offer- process . . . . becoming stakehold- are the peacemakers." The Record, March 2 2000 Page 9

Movie Reviews

Shot at Watergate satire fails the wit test

Murderers and innocent all sleep 'the Big Sleep'

By Henry Herx

T

wo high school girls in 1972 Washington get an unusual civics lesson in the weak political spoof, "Dick" (Columbia). The comic premise revolves around the bubbly adolescents (Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams) being unwitting witnesses to the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up. One implausibility leads to another as President Nixon (Dan Hedaya) befriends the dim pair after they get separated from their class during a field trip to the White House. Soon, the dippy 15-year-olds become familiar visitors, walking in and out with the president's dog or packages of cookies they've baked laced unknowingly with marijuana. Along the way, the selfabsorbed teens blissfully Ignore all they see and hear about the cover-up until they happen to hear one of Nixon's Oval Office tapes. This galvanises them into telling all to Washington Post reporters Woodward (Will Ferrell) and Bernstein (Bruce McCulloch), who identify their source as Deep Throat. Directed by Andrew Fleming who co-wrote the script with Sheryl Longin, the result is an uneven, ultimately tiresome mix of dumb teen comedy and politically mild lampoons. The premise of two dizzy adolescent girls in the Nixon White House manages to elicit a few giggles but they quickthe as ly evaporate proceedings bog down in a series of thin political skits that have little to do with satire and even less with wit. Because of sexual innuendo. coarse humour, drug use, occasional profanity and an Instance of rough language, the US Catholic Conference classification is All - adults.

By Gerd Pare

E

vil is unleashed when the seductive allure of wealth and beauty beckon "The Talented Mr Ripley." Patricia Highsmith's 1955 classic murder mystery gets a gorgeously glossy interpretation from screenwriter-director Anthony Minghella, best known for "The English Patient." This time, he deals with an impatient American, Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a bathroom attendant mistaken in the opening scene for a Princeton classmate of Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) by Dickie's industrialist father (James Rebhorn). Ripley goes along and jumps at the man's offer of US $1,000 to look up Dickle in sunny Italy and persuade him it's time to stop lolling about with aspiring writer Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow) and come

and after a while tires of house guest Ripley. The stage is set for murder most foul when the two men argue violently on a rowboat - and Ripley kills Dickie. Disposing of his body, Ripley assumes his identity. But then a quartet of problems remain: Marge, her gay friend Peter (Jack Davenport), Dickie's suspicious friend Freddie (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Meredith (Cate Blanchett), whom Ripley takes to the opera pretending to be Dickie, only to run into Marge and Peter. How Ripley evades them and avoids being unmasked takes viewers up to the chilling conclusion. From left, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Matt Damon star in -The Talented Due to occasional gory violence, 'now CNa Mr Ripley." an implied affair, discreet homohome to the family business. with the easygoing couple. The sexual innuendo, fleeting full Feigning a vague acquaintance threesome go everywhere togeth- nudity and a few instances of and a love of jazz to match Dick- er and Ripley never wants the rough language, the US Catholic ie's, Ripley admits his assignment sweet life to end. He also falls for Conference classification is AN up front and ingratiates himself fickle, who ignores any overtures adults, with reservations. - CNS f

Even Vikings would find this incomprehensible •

•

By Gerd Pare

D

estined to go down without a fight is "The 13th Warrior" (Ibuchstone), an almost unwatchable horror film pretending to be an epic Viking adventure. The preposterous tale has a tribe of 10th-century Norsemen sailing off to a northern kingdom where monstrous creatures have been devouring the inhabitants. At the advice of a seer, they draft an Arab diplomat (Antonio Banderas) to fight alongside them as

their critical 13th warrior and it is he who discovers the bearskincovered attackers are actually savage cannibals. The final battle ends limply as one side simply marches away, having given up. The film's list of failings is extensive. Loosely based on Michael Crichton's 1976 novel. "Eaters of the Dead," it is directed in chaotic fashion by action director John ("Die Hard") McTiernan. The combination of inky dark visuals, a constantly panning camera and an international cast speaking nonsensical dialogue

with indecipherable accents leaves the audience utterly perplexed. Reading the film's production notes only confirms how far off the mark the finished movie is. At most, only the Viking chieftain (Vladimir Kulich) and one other warrior (Dennis Storhoi) get more than a few lines, yet the audience was supposed to recognise who Edgtho the Silent, Ragnar the Dour, Helfdane the Fat, Skeld the Superstitious, Hyglak the Quarrelsome and a halfdozen others were. Choppy edit-

Photc, CNS

the king's jealous son just vanishing mid-film. The press notes grandly play up Omar Sharif s role as the Arab's mentor, but he too disappears from the story after little more than a cameo appearance. How the Arab and the Vikings, who speak their native tongues, suddenly converse in English is absurdly dramatised. Because of gory battlefield violence with decapitations, the US Catholic Conference classifica- CNS tion is A-III - adults.

Bzzzzzzzzz, sorry, next contestant The mile

A

young American traveller in search of paradise finds a hidden commune on the world's most beautiful beach, but must pay a deadly price to keep it a secret in "The Beach." Richard (Leonardo Di Caprio) is a restless vacationer in Bangkok looking for something more than a typical tourist trip. He is given a hand-drawn map leading to the beach pinned to his door, but the person who left it there is murdered. After lots of trouble he

finds the beach with another evil exists even in paradise gets muddled. Its repeated message tourist couple. They are accepted into the com- that the beauty and secrecy of this mune and sworn to secrecy of the heaven on earth must be preplace's existence on pain of death. served and valued above human Director Danny Boyle sharply life is appalling and perverse. Because of some gory violence contrasts the garish lights, the oppressive crowds and the con- Including a suicide, a few shadstant noise of a city with the silky owy sexual encounters with white sands, blue-green waters frontal nudity, some recreational and easy living found on the drug abuse, and recurring rough language, the US Catholic Conbeach. But putting the visual stimuli ference classification is AIV aside, the film's central theme that adults, with reservations.

loosely connected series of AAn vignettes about life in a Los geles suburb unreel in the overlong, self-indulgent omnibus, "Magnolia" (New Line). The movie juxtaposes a dozen or so characters in a variety of situations involving, among others, a dying media magnate (Jason Robards), his estranged son who's the guru of a macho cult (Tom Cruise), a closet homosexual (VV.H. Macy), a quiz show host

(Philip Baker Hall), his estranged, daughter (Melora Walters) and a good-hearted cop (John C. Reilly). Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson treats this odd assortment of vignettes with emotional extravagance, relying on outbursts of cursing, screaming, yelling, smashing things and similar excesses to show the characters have deep problems. Anderson jokingly tries to justify his arbitrary collection of nar-

Attempt at linking many stories falls short

Kirslen Dunst, right, and Michelle Williams star as witless teens in the political spoof -Dick."

ing also results in a subplot about

Boys Don't Cry

nisturbing fact-based story of a con-

Movie Briefs

fused young woman (Hilary Swank) posing as a guy in rural Nebraska where she fools some tough yokels with her male the tragic conclusion. Stylised violence including a graphic rape scene, sexual sitimpersonation, and even romances one of uations and references, brief nudity, drug their gals (Chloe Sevigny) before the ruse abuse, occasional profanity and rough lanIs discovered, with deadly consequences. guage. The US Catholic Conference clasDirected by Kimberly Peirce, the story of sification is AIV - adults, with reservations. a woman's attempt to switch genders is House on Haunted Hill convincingly portrayed as a dangerous obsession ultimately exploding in venge- Formula horror film in which a murderful violence by unstable macho males in ous married couple (Geoffrey Rush and

The Record, March 2 2000 Page 10

rative fragments by pointing to the capriciousness of nature itself as shown in a cloudburst raining frogs on unhappy bystanders. Because of some gory violence. a brief sexual encounter with nudity, numerous sexual references, intense domestic crises, recurring rough language and occasional profanity, the US Catholic Conference classification is AN - adults, with reserva- CNS tions.

Famke Janssen) and five strangers are locked overnight in a former insane asylum whose spirits rise, intent on killing all within its walls by dawn. Director William Malone's uninspired remake of the 1958 original offers more gore than goose bumps. Sporadic violence, brief nudity, frequent profanity and recurring rough language. The US Catholic Conference classification is All - adults.

Drive Me Crazy

Formula teen romance in which a seniorclass leader (Melissa Joan Hart) and a

is green

D

oath row in Louisiana's Cold Mountain Penitentiary is the grim setting for the struggle between good and evil in "The Green Mile" (Warner Bros.). The fine but unduly long movie again represents the pairing of author Stephen King with director Frank Darabont. who last directed "The Shawshank Redemption." "The Green Mile" refers to the olive linoleum over which condemned men pass on the way to the electric chair. It's an impressive work, far better than King-penned horror films that have been translated to the big screen. Because of some violence including a horrific electrocution, occasional profanity and intermittent rough language, the US Catholic Conference classification is All - adults.

surly classmate (Adrian Grenier) begin dating in hopes of winning back their former heart-throbs by making them jealous, with predictable results. Directed by John Schultz, the fitful high school proceedings are all extracurricular and mostly tedious with cliched adolescent characters mooning over how they're making out in the dating game. Sexual situations and innuendo, alcohol and drug abuse and instances of profanity and rough language. The US Catholic Conference classification is AIII - adults.

Features

Council call was holiness By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The Second Vatican Council's descriptions of the Church were not explanations of how power should be exercised, but about how the Church was to be holy, said Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. "The Church exists so that it becomes the dwelling place of God in the world," the head of the Vatican's doctrinal congregation said on 27 February at an international meeting reviewing how well the council's teachings have been implemented. When discussing the structure of the Church and relationships between its institutions and among its members, holiness must be the exclusive concern, not "the rights of precedence or

the occupation of the best places," he said. The Cardinal's remarks at the closed-door conference were summarised by Vatican Radio and by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. Vatican II "was not solely an ecclesiological council," he said. "First and foremost, it spoke about God." Members of the council were careful to frame what they had to say about the Church within what they had to say about God, "but the reception of the council has up to now overlooked this qualifying characteristic," he said. Too many people, he said, have taken Vatican H concepts about the Church and turned them into slogans. After Vatican II, the dominant themes of discussion were the council's calls for "collegiality" and its description of the

'Open throne to Catholics' MANCHESTER, England (CNS) - Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Westminster said Britain should scrap the law that prevents the heir to the throne from marrying a Catholic. Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor, who is to be installed on 22 March as the successor to the late Cardinal George Basil Hume. said in a television interview that the whole question needed to be examined. Inasmuch as the Catholic community is part of this country, there is a strong part of me that would say that an heir to the crown should be free to marry whoever he wishes. whatever denomination, and there must be freedom here," he said. The Act of Settlement of 1701 means that the queen or king of Great Britain. and their heirs, cannot marry a Catholic. The last 12 months have seen a rising tide of public opinion - particularly in Scotland - against the act. In Scotland, the move to repeal the act won support last year from Cardinal Thomas Winning of Glasgow, who said the law was an "embarrassing anachronism" for the royal family and Parliament. The act dates back to 1690, when Catholic King fames II was defeated in the Battle of the Boyne by Protestant King William of Orange and was part of a series of antiCatholic legislative measures.

Cardinal Ratzinger Church as the people of God, both of which were subject to "partial and politicised" interpretations, the cardinal said. The 1985 Synod of Bishops tried to turn attention back to a correct understanding of the council's teaching by

emphasising an "ecclesiology of communion," reflecting the love, sharing and unity found within the Trinity, he said. Unfortunately, he said, in the 15 years since the synod there has been a "distortion" or flattening of the concept of communion. In many cases, he said, communion is used as a shorthand description of the relationship between the local Church and the universal Church, "sometimes identified as the Roman Church," or even more narrowly as the Roman Curia or the Pope. While the Catholic Church must purify itself of "an excessive Roman centralism," Cardinal Ratzinger said, one must recognise "the ontological priority" of the universal Church over individual particular Churches.

US spies on Pope's words: paper By John Norton VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul ll's private communications were among those intercepted by a global "eavesdropping" system run by the US National Security Agency and including Australia, according to former intelligence officials cited by a London newspaper, The Sunday Times. "Overseas targets have even included the Vatican," the British paper said on 27 February. "Messages sent by the Pope and the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta have been intercepted, read and passed on" to British intelligence officers. The allegations follow the publication of a European Parliament report on 23 February on a US-led communications monitoring network, said to intercept and process up to two billion messages a day, including telephone calls, fax transmissions and private e-mails. Dating back 50 years to the beginning of the Cold War, the network, known as Echelon, consists of at least 10 listening stations around the globe operated by the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the parliament report said. "We are not talking about a trivial thing here," said Duncan Campbell, the report's author. "The level of use is getting out of control." A British investigative reporter, Campbell also co-authoured the Times' article identifying the Vatican as one of the targets. Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls declined to comment on the allegations on 29 February, but noted that judicial investigators

in Rome have launched an inquiry into the matter. Italian prosecutors have already been looking into Echelon for a year, since concerns first arose about the spy network's reach in Europe, the Italian Catholic daily, Avvenire said last Thesday. In the days following the report's publication, European leaders expressed shock, especially over suggestions that the information gathering was benefiting US corporations to the detriment of their European rivals. The report cites two cases where US companies beat out French competitors at the last minute in aircraft sales bids. US officials have vigorously denied that intelligence information is passed on to American companies. In the two cited cases, intelligence sources told The International Herald Tribune last Tuesday, the US government used intelligence information to influence the bidding outcome, but simply by proving the French bids involved bribery. Meanwhile, the National Security Agency defended its information gathering tactics in a letter to members of the US Congress, Associated Press reported on 27 February. Though the agency said it could not confirm or deny specific intelligence activities, "we want to assure you that the NSAs activities are conducted in accordance with the highest constitutional, legal and ethical standards, and in compliance with statutes and regulations designed to protect the privacy rights of US citizens."

Tertullian: desired martyrdom but died in his bed

I

n 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. Tertullian was a brilliant man, and a lawyer, who became a Christian before AD 197 He brought into theology an exact and legal spirit, using the strict phraseology of a lawyer and the techniques of legal argument. Tertullian completely rejected anything even vaguely pagan. This included not only the violent gladiatorial games, which was reasonable, but also plays, literature, and even business guilds. He also rejected the Greek Philosophical tradition, in contrast to other Christian writers, such as St Justin Martyr and Irenaeus. Many of his extensive writings survive. His most important work

Is the Apologeticum, in defence of the Christians. Other works deal with heretics and Christian behaviour. Tertullian was not only brilliant, erth historian Dr Jennifer Skerritt sheds he had a sharp wit and a hot temsome light on Catholic history to mark per. 2000 years of Christianity. This week: Morally, he was rigorous, to say the least. Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus He did not believe that serious sins, idolatry, murder and forniTertullian however, took a good sect. Firstly they died before the cation, should be forgiven because it only encouraged peo- thing too far. He wrote increas- sect was established, and secingly harsh tracts against what ondly, they were revered as ple to do it again. This was during a time when he saw as compromise creeping Catholic martyrs very shortly after their deaths when people Christian persecutions were into the Church. being conducted, and not every He was probably part of a who knew them were still alive. After writing more virulently Christian had the courage to movement known as Monbecome a martyr. tanism, which believed that the against the Church than even The response of some Chris- Holy Spirit was calling Chris- against heathens and persecutians in Carthage, including Ter- tians to a stricter, more ascetic tors, Tertullian separated from the Montanists. tullian, to the intense position. Even they were not strict When the Montanist prophepersecutions of the third century was to become more severe, sies were disapproved at Rome, enough for him. more rigorous, and in particular the Church in Carthage excomHe finally founded a sect of his to behave in ways most likely to municated the more prominent own. members of the sect. Ironically, according to Saint end in martyrdom. Saint Perpetua lived at the very About this time, Tertullian also Jerome, Tertullian, who had writbeginning of this time. left the Church. ten so outspokenly of the glories Her writings show the beginPerpetua and Felicity, who we of martyrdom and persecution. nings of this attitude, especially discussed last week, were defi- died peacefully in his own bed nitely not part of this heretical after AD 229. an eagerness for martyrdom.

Lyre i'n e4riSt 2000

P

..

.

. .

The Record 1 years ago With Mary Busher, Perth Catholic Church Archives volunteer

Excerpts from the WA Catholic Record March 3, 1900.

New industry

T

he Minister for Lands has proposed that the collection of the gum of the grass tree or black-boy plant could be a new industry for the Colony. The suggestion was that picric acid might be extracted from the gum and used in the manufacture of lyddite. As a first step, a ton of the gum was to be sent immediately to England for trial.

Transcontinental railway

I

, is a matter for congratulation. In a letter published by Sir John Forrest, Mr Holder, the South Australian premier pledges himself, as soon as Federation, including West Australia, has been established, to introduce a Bill giving the assent of South Australia to the construction of the transcontinental railway and to pass the Bill stage by stage with the passage of a similar Bill in the West Australian Parliament.

Christian Brothers

T

he Christian Brothers opened their first school in Perth in 1894. Their beginning was a modest one with 13 scholars attending the first week. This number is considered unlucky, but there is an exception to most rules. After the first week pupils flocked in daily, until the study halls were filled. Success followed success as the years rolled by, until today, the Christian Brothers College. Perth. in point of members and of teaching, owns to no superior in the Colony. . . . . The boarding school. opened in 1896 had about 60 boys in residence in 1900. The report continued: - "There are boys from the far North. from the goldfields and even from the City itself." "Boys of all ages and what speaks more eloquently, boys of all creeds are taught their religion: the religion of nonCatholics is respected, and in no way interfered with." Speaking at the opening of a new wing at the College, Bishop Gibney said: "They would train the reason and religion of the Catholic children as they ought, and they would cultivate the reason and moral faculties of the other children. He had no need to tell them not to interfere with the religion of the other children placed in their hands; they knew their duty too well. But he mentioned this because some people thought they had nothing to do but to go grabbing about, trying to catch souls. This was a misconception which they could not very well root out; but the way the thing must be done was by letting men see what they did."

The Record, March 2 2000 Page 11

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Because ofpoor rainfall, farmers can only produce sufficient food to feed their families for Jive or six months each year

We in Australia have no conception of what it is like to be utterly destitute and illiterate. The Australian Jesuit Mission

is situated in one of the poorest areas of India. Without experiencing it first hand, it is most difficult for people from affluent countries to comprehend what a life of extreme poverty is really like. Imagine what it would be like if. . . • You cannot read or write. • You eat just one, or at best two, meagre meals a day. • You live in a one room mud dwelling with no power, no lighting and no toilet. • The only running water is what leaks in during the monsoon. • You spend hours each day carrying water and searching for fuel. • You lack even basic medical knowledge to help your children when they get sick.

Yet in spite of their appalling lifestyle, these gentle people are capable of great dignity. They are very family oriented with a great love of children and show tremendous appreciation of everything the Missionaries are doing for them. The tragedy is that their needs are massive and the Jesuits' resources are extremely limited.

C mother prepares a meal on her woodfuelled mud stove.

Employment is scarce andpoorly paid. These women receive just 20 cents an hour.

Extreme poverty takes a tragic toll on young children Fr. Hans Hendricks reported recently that in many villages, even the most basic health care practices are virtually unknown. Consequently nearly one third of all children die before they reach the age of five. The life expectancy of adults is also well below normal, particularly for mothers-to-be. The Missionaries education programme, which teaches villagers fundamental health-care practices, is already helping to reverse this situation by:

Providing mothers-to-be with medical care and advice. Unfortunately a lot of this advice relates to eating more (excess food they do not have) and not lifting heavy weights like water carrying (a woman's daily job).

Providing medical care at birth. Malnourished and overworked mothers give birth to weak and under weight babies under most unhygienic conditions. The consequence is that many babies don't survive birth.

Providing nutritious food and medical care to growing children. This is a most critical time for the child's physical and mental development.

Providing a basic education.

\AI Women usually have to carry their daily water supply long distances

The lot of a woman is not an easy one. Not only is she wife, mother, home-maker and food provider, but often she is expected to be an income earner as well. Literacy is the first step on the way to acquiring the knowledge and skills that will help her and her family escape the misery of unrelenting povety.

Af' Leprosy atients are in great need of medical care and better livin

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Primitive conditions and ignorance result in widespread sickness. 44,7"77.

Insufficient food, poor diet, polluted water and living under primitive unhygienic conditions are the main causes of widespread sickness and premature death.

I

Most health problems however, can be avoided if normal practices of hygiene are introduced. Mothers need to be taught the importance of hand washing, the necessity of boiling drinking water and how to protect water supplies from contamination. Many cases of serious illness start off as easily cured minor sicknesses. The patient does not recognise the potential danger and usually does nothing, hoping eventually to get better. The Jesuits 'preventative medicine' programme is providing the answer to much of this problem. It involves the training of medical workers able to recognise potentially fatal illnesses in their early stages. It also involves the setting up and equipping of medical centres in many areas. The programme also covers the immunisation of children against measles, tuberculosis, cerebral malaria, leprosy, whooping cough and polio. Most of this work is carried out by the missionary nuns who are in charge of the operation. Their work load is immense. In caring for the sick and the training of medical workers, they often have to travel long and exhausting journeys, either on foot or by bicycle, over unmade roads and in debilitating heat. Yet in spite of their dedication and hard work, the nuns can only cope with a small part of this vast problem. Much more help is needed if many villages are to receive this basic medical aid.

' Nuns care for sick and abandoned babies 1.1

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**.ft•,/ Nun gives a child a medical examination.

Fr. Hans Hendricks (48 years in India) with Franciscan Clarist Sisters Mary, Rosy andMaria

Fr. Peter Doherty has worked 43 years in India caring for village people

The need for health care and education continues to expand faster than our Mission can finance it Over the years, the work of the Australian Jesuit Mission has had a profound effect on the lives of thousands of village people. In villages, where the education and health programmes have been established, the results are remarkable. Life expectancy and general health has improved dramatically. Immunisation of children has virtually eliminated the incidence of measles, whooping cough and polio. Food production has improved as better farming techniques are introduced. And the whole quality of life has improved as villagers become more literate and self reliant. And all of this has been made possible by the generosity of our benefactors. But what has been achieved up to now is just the beginning. Hundreds of thousands still urgently need assistance. To help them our Missionaries require much more assistance. Money to establish and equip medical centres in hundreds of villages - to train more health care workers - and to bring education to a mainly illiterate people to help them move on to new lives of independence and dignity. National Director, Father Tom O'Donovan, SJ., Australian Jesuit Mission in India (Est. 1951), PO Box 193, North Sydney, NSW, 2059. I enclose $ for education and health care in India. I pay by cheque fl Visa Card El

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Most village schools are crowded and often lack many of the normal amenities.

THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP Whatever you can afford to give will be greatly acknowledged. Cheques should be made payable to "Australian Jesuit Mission Overseas Aid Fund" and posted with this coupon. DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Please remember the AUSTRALIAN JESUIT MISSION IN INDIA in your will

International News

In Brief Jubilee for scientists VATICAN CITY (CNS) - For the first time in the history of holy years, the Vatican prepared to honour scientists with their own jubilee day. Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, presented the program for the Jubilee for Men and Women from the World of Learning on 28 February. Approximately 300 representatives of diverse fields, Including physics, mathematics, theology, philosophy, biology, economics and sociology, were scheduled to take part in a 23-24 May conference on faith and science; 5,000 were expected to attend Mass in St Peter's Basilica on 25 May and an audience with the Pope.

Seminarians rise

PREFORM (Fides) - For the first time in its history, the Catholic Church in South Africa has topped its 500 maximum number of seminarians. The Jubilee is seeing a boom in vocations. Three hundred men are training to become priests for dioceses and 200 as member of religious Orders. Bishop William Slattery of Kokstad told Fides that the Church in South Africa is taking steps to enlarge and extend seminaries and formation house premises.

Parish killings

BUKAVU (Fides) - Local sources confirmed to Fides that a young Catholic priest and two civilian parishioners have been murdered. Fr Remis Pepe aged 30, ordained only 6 months ago. and the two parish watchmen were killed in the evening of litesday 15 February at Kiliba parish which lies halfway between Uvira and Bukavu. The same sources said the attack was launched by a group of Banyamulenge rebels. nvo other priests in the parish survived.

Pius delay call CHICAGO (CNS) - In the name of scholarship. a leading expert in Catholic-Jewish relations has said the Church should take no official action for now on Pope Pius Xll's sainthood cause. Servite Father John Pawlikowski, professor of social ethics at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. said on 23 February "Such action would make it extremely difficult, particularly for Catholic scholars, to continue their investigation of his record.-

Debt, poverty VANCOUVER, Canada (CNS) - Bishops from Latin America. Canada and the US focused on international debt during a meeting in Vancouver to report on progress toward closer Church cooperation in the 'Western Hemisphere. The Church leaders gave particular emphasis to the burden of international debt on the people of Latin America and expressed gratitude to Pope John Paul II for his calls for debt relief and reduction of poverty.

Morals, democracy link experts were meeting from 23-26 February to discuss the relationVATICAN CITY (CNS) - Chris- ship between democracy and the tians in democratic societies must Church's social teaching. In his message, the Pope critidefend objective moral truths, cised a growing "intellectual relaeven those rejected by the majortivism" in democracies. ity, Pope John Paul II said. "In such a view, truth is deterInsisting on unpopular moral mined by the majority and varies norms is not "extremism or fun- in accordance with passing culdamentalism," but essential to tural and political trends," he said. building a democracy that "From this point of view, those respects the dignity and freedom who are convinced that certain of the human person, he said. truths are absolute and The Pope made his remarks on immutable are considered unrea24 February in a message to par- sonable and unreliable," the Pope ticipants of the plenary session of said. But failing to adopt objecthe Pontifical Academy of Social tive moral law as the guide for Sciences. More than 40 members political activity undermines the of the academy and invited nature of democracy, he said. "As By John Norton

history demonstrates, a democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism," he said. Though the Church insists on absolute moral truths, it "refuses to espouse that extremism or fundamentalism which, in the name of an ideology purporting to be scientific or religious, claims the right to impose on others its own concept of what is right and good," said the Pope. "Christian truth is not an ideology," he said. The Church recognises that changing social and political realities cannot be contained in rigid structures, the Pope said. "What the Church does is constantly to

reaffirm the transcendental dignity of the human person and constantly to defend human rights and freedom," a freedom which finds its fullest expression in acceptance of the truth, he said. Praising the past century's . "enormous progress in multilateral initiatives to defend human dignity and promote peace," the Pope called for even greater ecumenical and inter-religious cooperation in the new millennium. "Without the concerted and united action of all believers. . . . little can be accomplished to make genuine democracy, valuebased democracy, a reality for the men and women of the 21st century," he said.

Sharia: Nigeria's president 'must act' Bishops'

WASHINGTON (CNS) - Nigeria's President needs to take action to stop Christian-Muslim violence in the northern part of the country, said a Nigerian bishops' spokesman. "The Catholic bishops do not agree with the cautious attitude of the President," said Father Emmanuel Badejo, communications secretary for the Nigerian bishops' conference. In a telephone interview on 24 February with CNS, Father Badejo said many people believe the violence, in which more than 300 people have died, is "motivated by people who want to destabilise the government." Archbishop John Onaiyekan of -Thula. Nigeria, in an interview the previous day with the Vatican's missionary news service, Fides, said the sectarian violence was caused by "people fanning the flames in order to place democracy in jeopardy." -There are groups who do not like President Olusegun Obasanjo's politics and use the religious

unity call By Cindy Wooden

Victims of religious riots in Kaduna, Nigeria, attempt to contain a fire in their restaurant on 24 February. More than 40 people were killed during clashes between Christians and Muslims over the introduction of Islamic law there.

problem to place him in difficulty," the archbishop said. Clashes between Christians and Muslims in the city of Kaduna broke out on 21 February over the prospect of introducing Shariah. or Islamic law, in the city. Shariah has been implemented in one

northern state and is planned in others. While Obasanjo, who is Christian, has termed the introduction of Shariah unconstitutional, Archbishop Onaiyekan said regional governors disregarded him and went ahead with their initiatives.

US to consider Bills supporting Vatican WASHINGIUN (CNS) - The US ticipant by removing its status as House of Representatives and a non-member state permanent Senate are considering resolu- observer." tions that condemn moves to end Reviewing the history of Vatican the Vatican's status as a perma- Involvement in UN activities, the nent observer to the United resolution notes that "although Nations. the Holy See was an active parThe "sense of Congress" resolu- ticipant in a wide range of United tion was introduced by two Nations activities since 1946 and Catholic Republicans - Repre- was eligible to become a member sentative Chris Smith of New Jer- state of the United Nations, it sey in the House and Senator chose instead to become a nonRobert Smith of New Hampshire member state with permanent in the Senate. The resolution says observer status over 35 years ago, Congress "strongly objects to any In 1964." For about a year, the effort to expel the Holy See from group Catholics for a Free Choice the United Nations as a state par- has been leading a campaign to

change the Vatican's status at the United Nations to that of a nongovernmental organisation. Nearly 400 organisations, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation, have asked UN Secretary-General Ka Annan to review the status of the Holy See as a permanent observer. At a press conference last March, Frances Kissling of Catholics for a Free Choice said, "Why should a few acres of office space and tourist attractions in the centre of Rome have a voice in making United Nations policy?"

VATICAN crry (CNS) - Bishops have an obligation to build unity among themselves, with their priests and with all the people of their dioceses. Pope John Paul II said. "Continue in your mission as builders of communion." the Pope told an international group of bishops attending his abbreviated 23 February general audience in St Peter's Square. Pope John Paul had a special ceremony in honour of the Old Testament patriarch Abraham scheduled for the time slot usually reserved for his general audience, but first he stopped in the square for about 20 minutes to greet an estimated 12,000 people who came for the audience. Among the visitors was a group of 106 bishops attending a meeting sponsored by the Focolare movement; the focus of the bishops' reflections was Jesus' prayer that his disciples be one. The Focolare movement promotes world unity through the living witness of Christian love and holiness in the family and small community. The Pope told the bishops that they must be "faithful to the spirituality of unity" and open to sharing experiences and opinions with others in order to foster unity within their episcopal conferences, with their priests and in their dioceses.

Vatican Jubilee empties the corridors of power for a day By John Norton VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Phones rang unanswered in Vatican offices and tourists stood, confused, outside the locked doors of the Vatican Museum. Vatican City, normally humming with activity, was a ghost town on a sunny midweek morning. Not to be left out of Holy Year celebrations, the Vatican's more than 4,000 employees - from cardinals to doormen - deserted their offices for their own jubilee Mass on 22 February presided over by Pope John Paul II in St Peter's Basilica. The ceremony of the Jubilee for the Roman Curia, also marking the feast of the Chair of St Peter, began with an hour-long proces-

The Record, March 2 2000 Page 12

sion through the basilica's Holy Door from St Peter's Square. The Pope pointed out that Vatican employees have a unique responsibility in helping him accomplish his daily tasks as head of the Catholic Church. Fulfilment of that mission was inevitably touched by human weakness, he said, but found sureness in Christ's guidance. The ministry of the successor of Peter "is not founded on human abilities and strengths, but on the prayer of Christ" for his Church, said the Pope. He said that despite St Peter's "sin and his limitations, Christ chose him and called him to an extremely high task: to be the Church's visible foundation of unity and to confirm his brothers

in the faith." "We, like Simon today one likes to define our plan(Peter), feel ourselves blessed bec- et, one must not be surprised if ause we know we have no reason links with the centre of the to boast except in the eternal and Catholic communion are providential plan of God," he said. Increased" compared to past cenThe Pope said the Vatican's turies, he said. offices should reflect a strongly He said Vatican offices have "pastoral" character, which "qual- always maintained a "vivid awarifies the nature and the service of eness" of the respect due the local the Roman Curia, whose mission churches' legitimate autonomy. is precisely to work with the sucHe said there was a cultural tencessor of Peter in carrying out the dency to downplay personal task entrusted him by Christ to responsibility by "incriminating shepherd his flock" social structures, institutions as In an interview a day before the such. In this case, the curia." jubilee, the Vatican secretary of According to numbers released state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, on 21 February, the Vatican rejected suggestions that the employs 4,058 people, including Roman Curia exerts excessively more than 1,000 bishops and "centralised" power over the priests. 140 religious women, Church throughout the world. "In nearly 2,400 laymen and more a situation of 'global village,' as than 450 laywomen.

Pope John Paul II in Egypt and Sinai

Christians, Muslims urged to work for Egypt's good By John Thavis CAIRO, Egypt (CNS) - With a three-day visit to Egypt and a "virtual" journey to Iraq, Pope John Paul II began a long-anticipated series of Holy Year pilgrimages to the roots of the faith. In Egypt on Saturday, 26 February, the Pope prayed at the foot of Mount Sinai. where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and said God's law was still the only hope for modern society "The Ten Commandments are not an arbitrary imposition of a tyrannical Lord. They were written in stone: but before that, they were written on the human heart as the universal moral law, valid in every time and place," he said. Gazing over a desert mountain landscape that evoked the severity of the Bible, the Pope said the world needed to rediscover the "liberating obedience" that prompted Moses to answer God's call. The Mount Sinai pilgrimage capped a historic visit to Egypt, where the Pope celebrated Mass for his tiny flock of Catholics and reached out to Muslims and Orthodox Christians. "As-salamu alaikum - Peace be with you!" he said in Arabic after arriving at Cairo's airport. then delivered a pointed message against religious intolerance. "To do harm, to promote violence and conflict in the name of religion is a terrible contradiction and a great offence against God," he said. "But past and present history give us many examples of such a misuse of religion." Egypt welcomed the Pope with state honours and interreligious warmth. After kissing a bowl of Egyptian earth at the airport, the pontiff was greeted by the leaders of Egypt's Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic communities: Grand Sheik

Pope John Paul shakes hands with Muslim clerics in Cairo on his way to meeting Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi on Thursday, 24 February. Photo. Clsi&Reuters

Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi, Coptic Orthodox bishops and Catholic Coptic Patriarch Stephanos II Ghattas. President Hosni Mubarak, who has led a strong effort against Islamic extremist groups in Egypt. praised the Pope as "a man of courage, wisdom and tolerance," and an ally in the struggle against fanaticism and hatred. At a series of meetings. Egyptian religious

leaders dwelt on the Pope's efforts for peace and in particular his defence of Palestinian rights. But the Pope's focus throughout the visit was spiritual, and his jubilee pilgrimage actually began at the Vatican the day before his arrival in Egypt. Prevented by security concerns from travelling to ancient Ur, the birthplace of the patriarch Abraham located in Iraq, the Pope took a mental journey there instead, leading a Vatican service filled with prayers, songs and images. The Pope said Abraham, called by God to move his family across the desert to a new land, was a model of "unconditional submission" to God's will, and in a sense a spiritual father figure for Christians, Muslims and Jews. In Egypt, the Pope's Mass, celebrated in front of 15,000 people at a Cairo sports arena, was broadcast on national television on a Friday. the Muslim holy day. The Pope pointed out in his sermon that Church-run social and charitable agencies were open to all, including Muslims. "Christians and Muslims, while respecting different religious views, should place their skills at the service of the nation, at every level of society," he said. Sheik Tantawi, considered the leading spiritual authority for the world's one billion Sunni Muslims, hosted the Pope at his sprawling al-Azhar University complex, a major centre of Islamic teaching. Sheiks and imams crowded around the stoop-shouldered pontiff to whisper a few words of greeting. In extemporaneous remarks, the sheik and the Pope - quoting. respectively, the Koran and St Thomas Aquinas - agreed that Islam and Christianity shared several basic beliefs about the place of religion in human development. The sheik later announced he would

make an unprecedented visit to the Vatican next northern autumn to participate in dialogue sessions. Pope Shenouda III, the 76-year-old patriarch of about four million Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt, welcomed the pontiff to his residence the same day with a speech extolling ecumenical cooperation. The bearded patriarch escorted the Pope from room to room as small children scattered flower petals in their path. The Pope repeatedly praised the Coptic Church, Orthodox and Catholic, and its ancient history of keeping the faith, even to the point of martyrdom - an allusion to the harsh persecution of Egyptian Christians in earlier centuries. Speaking at an ecumenical prayer service in Cairo's Catholic cathedral on Friday 25 February, the Pope traced the "painful" split among the Christian community back to the fifth century and urged new momentum toward reconciliation - specifically on the issue of papal primacy. "Dear brothers, there is no time to lose in this regard!" he said. At the ecumenical service, the Coptic patriarch broke through the formality when he embraced the Pope and told him: "We love our country, and we love you!" The Pope replied moments later, "I would like to reciprocate by saying: We love you, too." The Pope plans to continue his biblical pilgrimage this month in a visit to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. The idea, said papal aides, was to follow the progress of salvation history and in the process honour its chief figures: Abraham, Moses and Christ. Vatican officials said they were still looking at the possibility of an additional visit to Damascus. Syria, where St Paul preached the Gospel, sometime later this year or in 2001.

Ten Commandments 'future of human family' By John Mavis ST CATHERINE, Egypt (CNS) - Pope John Paul II, making a long-awaited pilgrimage to the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, appealed for the return to "universal moral law- as the only hope for the future of society. Standing at the foot of Mount Sinai on Saturday, 26 February, the Pope said the modern world needed to rediscover the sense of "liberating obedience" that prompted Moses to receive God's call and lead his people to the Promised Land. "The Ten Commandments are not an arbitrary imposition of a tyrannical Lord," he said. "They were written in stone; but before that, they were written on the human heart as the universal moral law, valid in every time and place," he said. It was the fulfilment of a dream for the 79year-old pontiff, who appeared to relish the moment as he toured parts of the sixth-century Greek Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine. He fell to his knees and prayed for ten minutes at the spot where, according to the biblical account, God first appeared to Moses in the burning bush. At a prayer service, the Pope sat under a sunlit, flowering almond tree next to the monastery walls, surrounded by the stark outcroppings that have attracted hermits and religious followers for thousands of years. As some 500 people cheered him, he spoke about his deep emotion at being able to retrace the steps of Moses. In this place, he said, God gave to Moses the "law of life and freedom" and made a lasting promise of salvation to humanity, he said. "Today, as always, the 10 words of the law provide the only true basis for the lives of individuals, societies and nations. Today, as always, they are the only future of the human family," he said.

Pope John Paul II prays inside the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai on 26 February. Photo Chl&Arturo Man

He said the Commandments offered a simple and effective remedy against "false gods" past and present, like the "greed for power and pleasure" that overturned justice and human dignity. The Commandments offer freedom - not the freedom to follow blind passions, but the freedom to choose what is good, he said. The Pope also prayed for harmony among Christians, Muslims and Jews, saying that all three religions found a meeting point in God. The pilgrimage was deeply satisfying to the Pope, his spokesman said. But it was less than what the Pope had hoped for when he outlined Jubilee plans several years ago and spoke of possible interreligious

or inter-Christian meetings on Sinai. The problems were underscored when his hosts, Archbishop Damianos and his community of 22 Greek Orthodox monks, refused to join the Pope's prayer service. "We welcome the Pope. and we are happy that he has come," Archbishop Damianos told journalists as the Pope was giving his sermon around the corner. "But we cannot have prayer together because there is not ecclesiastical communion," he said. The Orthodox archbishop embraced the Pope on his arrival and led him through part of the monastic complex, showing him a 1,300year-old icon of St Peter and examples from the manuscript library, one of the best in the world. The Pope prayed before the relics of St Catherine of Alexandria, a virgin martyr whose remains have drawn pilgrims to the spot for centuries. The Pope seemed energised and in good spirits. At one point, shown a heavy jewelled mitre worn by an ancient bishop, the Pope quipped: "He must have had a hard head." On the podium outside the monastic walls, Archbishop Damianos gave a welcoming talk and the monks showered the Pope with gifts - including icons and crosses. Then the Greek Orthodox left the podium before the Liturgy of the Word began and returned only at the end. "On the issue of common prayer, we are near but not together yet," Archbishop Damianos told reporters. He said ecumenical dialogue had to move carefully toward the goal of unity. "Unity is possible, but it will take a miracle." he said. The site draws thousands of pilgrims each year, many of whom make the three-hour trek up the mountain to see the sunrise from the spot where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments.

Jerusalem graffiti JERUSALEM (CNS) - While Israeli authorities are preparing for Pope John Paul ll's March pilgrimage, they have had to contend with opposition to the visit from various groups. In Jerusalem. members of the rightist group "Kachissued pamphlets against the Pope's visit, calling it "foreign work" and graffiti opposing the Pope's visit was found on 27 February scrawled along walls of the Chief Rabbinate. Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Israel Meir Lau strongly condemned the attacks. "We have very bitter memories (of the Church) in the past . . . . but Judaism speaks to us about turning an enemy into a friend, and (this) turning of a friend into an enemy is not acceptable. We need to give the Pope the respect due him," Rabbi Lau told Israel Radio. A spokesman at the apostolic nunciature said such opposition was inevitable, but he was not concerned by it. In fact, he said, he was surprised there were not more such responses. Pope John Paul is to travel on a pilgrimage to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories from 20-26 March.

The Record. March 2 2000 Page 13

•1•-•,- • • • • Ir.:* .1, "To

•

Asian Catholic News

Children recruited for clashes JAKARTA (Fides) - In the clash- Mother of Mercy (CMM), a Dutch es between Muslims and Protes- Catholic Congregation involved tant Christians in the Moluccas, in education and health-care more than 200 boys have been which has 17 homes and 116 members working in Indonesia. seen among the fighters. They are trained to fight and The CMM runs Karya Kasih burn homes and often left to die School (Charity school) in Ambon, an institute for the deaf, when trapped in the flames. Volunteers working in refugee supported by the Effata Foundacamps report this to Fides, the tion of Amboina diocese. Brother Passianus, CMM, a news service of the Vatican's Congregation for the Evangelisation school headmaster, is reported to have said after a process of healof Peoples. Both sides - explains a Catholic ing, conducted recently, toward volunteer - have what are called one of his pupils identified as a "Agas Squads" formed of 7 to 12 fighter "the boys were forcibly year-old boys. taken and recruited as fighters We found this out from the ter- after deliberate war game comrifying story of Roland, a little boy petition and later they were of 9, who proudly told us he had trained to burn down houses in helped attack Muslims. The name both camps." Agas means 'jungle mosquitoes' "During the clashes they were known for their agility and speed equipped with molotov cocktail in attacking and flying away. bombs contained in small bottles Among the volunteers there are in their sides and jerrycans of also Brothers of Blessed Mary, gasoline on their backs. In the

Caste issue splits Goan Catholic parish wide open PANAJI. India (UCAN) - Highcaste Catholics are opposing a priest's efforts to bring low-caste parishioners into the influential lay confraternity in his parish in Goa, western India. "High castes have threatened to destroy the church and dismember my body if I dared to put low castes into the church confraternity." said Father Soccor Mendes of Our Lady of Health Church in Goa's Cuncolim village. Goan churches, which were under the Portuguese king's patronage until 1961. set up confraternities, official lay associations, to spread Catholicism and take responsibility for organising parish celebrations. "Our right (to become confraternity members) was the reward the Portuguese gave us for accepting Christianity." asserted Levinson Martins, a high-caste Goankar parishioner. He noted that association members have been exclusively Goankars for the past 400 years. However, the parish priest said that such claims violate Christian principles. "It may be their tradition to have only high castes in the confraternity, but before God all are equal," he asserted. Father Mendes also said that a 1945 decree by Portuguese King Dom Jose Costa Nunes, then

Goa's ruler, opened the confraternity to any practicing Catholic "The spirit of the decree, however, was circumvented and low castes seeking membership were charged high fees that they could not afford," he added. Describing the tradition that barred the majority low-caste parishioners from the parish administration as "ridiculous," the priest said that he was "fighting for equality." Father Mendes said that trouble began after high-caste parishioners opposed some 250 low-caste Catholics' applications for confraternity membership to assert their rights as parishioners. Alleging that Goankars have scuttled such moves since 1976. the priest affirmed his resolve to resist "intimidating tactics." Martins and other Goankars say the parish's three priests come from low castes and are biased. They charge that the clerics' actions have divided the parish on caste lines and sown discord in the village. High-caste parishioners Abilo Porob and Oscar Martins complained in a memorandum to Archbishop Raul Nicolau Gonsalves of Goa that "priests during Sunday Mass sermons called high castes criminals."

least 20 children were absent: many from Muslim families. Today our school is closed because there are no pupils. We try to continue school in the camps, with 'alternative lessons' for Muslim or Christian children. But under these circumstances it is extremely difficult". "On 12 January," the missionary said, "the Christian camps celebrated the survived boys with cheers as heroes. In the Muslim camp the boys were happily paraded in cars around the Muslim areas in the city of Ambon." Volunteers happened to see some people infiltrated into the Catholic Gonzalo camp in Ambon Two-year-old Haq is momentarily distracted while praying alongside his father city, instructing a group of youth East Timor, on 25 February. CAtS,1-iouters at a mosque in Dili, Photo how to home make weapons and Christian camp they were quite sianus said the campaign to explosives. A volunteer, Marco-ordinated and organised, but recruit children, started last Octo- garetha Sutrisno from Jakarta, among the Muslims they were ber, intensified in January after 10 said many were orphans whose often forsaken and left to be shot days of Christmas holidays: "In parents were killed in the clashdead or burned alive." Br Pas- January when school began at es.

Tension, fear reign in camps •

JAKARTA (Fides) - Volunteer Muslims, Protestants and Catholics alike, working hard to help the victims of communal strife in the Spice Islands of Molucca and trying to help reconcile the fighting parties, say their efforts are hindered by religious segregation practised in refugee camps. Clashes have caused more than 2000 deaths and about 77,000 displaced persons, now mostly in three different complexes of Ambon refugee camps where they are grouped according their religious origins. One volunteer who started working with the Volunteer Team of Humanity, under Jesuit priest Fr Sandyawan Sumardi, told Fides

, the news service of the Vatican's Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, how the atmosphere in the camps is one of overwhelming circumstances of hatred, revenge and religious bigotry. The volunteers said "this strict segregation is making the process of reconciliation more difficult." Citing one example, a volunteer said that Muslims, initially grateful for having been saved by a Protestant family in a village, then had to stay in a Muslim camp, and soon turned into partisans. "If we want the process to quicken, we have to start slowly opening the seclusion," said the volunteer, adding that the segregation was approved by the reli-

Pakistan leader reassures Ordination LAHORE, Pakistan (CNS) Leaders of minority religions in Pakistan had a first meeting with the country's chief executive, General Pervez Musharraf, who reiterated a pledge to uphold the rights of non-Muslims in the country. A delegation including Archbishop Armando Trindade of Lahore, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan, met with Musharraf at the Governor's House in Lahore in mid-February. Bishop Samuel Azariah of Raiwind, moderator of the Church of

Pakistan, was also a member of the delegation. During the meeting, Musharraf assured the Christian and Parsee leaders that their grievances would be redressed quickly. Promising to give equal opportunities to religious minorities, he directed Derrick Cyprian, a Catholic and the federal minister for sports, culture and minorities' affairs, to take necessary action. The general, former armed forces chief of staff, became chief executive after ousting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif On 12 October in a coup.

Basic communities fail to take root, even after 14 years By Celine De Castro MANILA (UCAN) - Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), seen by some as a vehicle to sustain the spirit of the 1986 "people power" uprising in Manila, have hardly taken off 14 years after the event, a Manila priest says. "We are still in the organising stage," says Monsignor Manuel Gabriel, who chairs Manila archdiocese's BEC Desk. He told UCA News on 11 February that a consensus on BEC models is still to be achieved, citing the "tremendous difference" In theology and in the concept of BECs among Religious and laity. "There are some who use BEGS for schools, for others transparochial communities, although technically when you talk of BEGS you're talking of community-based, grassroots (Christ-

ian) communities," Monsignor Gabriel said. According to the priest, a BEC must be centred on the Gospel and should promote human solidarity and have a social orientation. It must reach out, act on behalf of justice and implement a pmgram with the poor, he added. BECs exist in 44 per cent of the archdiocese's 272 parishes and shrines, a 15 February meeting of volunteer BEC district coordinators in the archdiocese's six districts reported. BEC Desk statistics say that only 38 per cent of the 246 Manila parishes in 1996 had BEGS. However, the BEC program is not parish-wide in all parishes that have BECs, some of which have only one or two trained BEC personnel and no "functioning" organised communities, the coor-

• The Record, Marehl 2000 Page 14

gious leaders, local dignitaries, and the military. The situation is acutely tense and cold-blooded, said Fr Yos Makin, a Vincentian Father. He said that in late January "eight heads were chopped off and consecrated at the local dignitaries' house at Amahai village. Among the heads was that of 50-year old Adunad Rumatiga, a member of Central Molucca council of the Islamic-oriented United Development Party" he said. The volunteers collect medicines, food and clothes and funds from diverse Church sources such as the Indonesian Bishops' Conference and the Jesuit Refugees Service and other donors, but also the central government.

dinators said. Nonetheless, Vicar General Monsignor Socrates Villegas told UCA News that having more than 400 BEC animators in Manila district alone shows progress. After the "people power" uprising that deposed the late former president Ferdinand Marcos, the Church formally adopted BECs as the means of actualising its mission and vision of a renewed Church of the Poor. The idea of BECs had been around since the 1979 Manila synod. Marylcnoll missioners pioneered Basic Christian Communities in the southern Philippines in the 1960s, but during the years of Marcos rule and even of his successor former president Corazon Aquino, some of the communities were influenced by communist ideology or accused by the military of being corrunu-

nist fronts. Monsignor Gabriel said Cardinals Jaime Sin of Manila and Ricardo Vidal of Cebu later pushed BECs "for the continuity of the Church's role in social transformation" and as the main follow-up of the "people power" spirit. He added, however, that in Manila "the archdiocese per se has not been as supportive as Cardinal Sin has been." The BEC Desk, he noted, is in "a very small space" at the Pope Pius XII Centre because there is no room for it in the archdiocesan headquarters. Monsignor Gabriel cited the effective dependence of BECs on the commitment and theological orientation of the parish priest and the transfer of priests every three or five years as main obstacles to BECs taking root in Manila.

goes ahead TOBA TEK SINGH, Pakistan (CNS) - A civil court issued a stay on the ordination of Bishop-designate Andrew Francis of Multan, but he was ordained before the court order arrived. On 26 February Archbishop Alessandro D'Errico, apostolic nuncio to Pakistan, and Bishop Anthony Lobo of Islamabad-Rawalpindi presided over the ordination of Bishop Francis at a private chapel of the Lahore archbishop's house - skirting a court order that arrived only after the ordination had already taken place. UCA News reported that an interim order to halt the ordination was earlier reported by the Daily Dawn newspaper. According to the report, the order was issued based on a petition filed by David Irfan, president of the Christian Journalists Forum of Pakistan, for the bishop-designate's alleged involvement in "cases of moral turpitude." On the morning of the ordination Bishop Francis joined in the procession at the scheduled venue of the ordination. About 5,000 people, who were singing hymns while waiting, burst into applause upon seeing him. Offerings from all the provinces in Pakistan were received by the new bishop at the offertory. More than 100 priests and 500 nuns attended the Mass.

Official Engagements

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World Day of Prayer Service 2000, Trinity Uniting Church Sr Kerry Willison RSM

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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

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DONALDSON, (Harry Stewart). Lillian, together with all her family wish to sincerely thank everyone for their heartfelt phone messages. home visits, floral tributes, cards, newspaper notices and attendance at the Rosary, funeral mass and crematorium service for our much loved husband, dad and poppa. You are special people and your thoughts and prayers have helped us all through this very sad time. God bless you all.

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. MACCA'S Building and Maintenance. No job too small. Phone 9451 1481. BRICK re-pointing. Phone Nigel 9242 2952

PUBLIC NOTICE FURNITURE REMOVALS All areas. Mike Murphy 1800 807 929.

SIGNS/ADVERTISING KIWI Signs and Advertising Ring Graham on 9244 2944

DEATH NOTICE VINKOVICH Louis, passed peacefully away on Sunday 20 February 2000 of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish Gosnells. Sincere thanks to Fr Josh Breen OP parish priest for his kind visits and support and for the Last Rites in hospital and at home before he died. Also thanks to Sr Gabrielle, parish coordinator for her kind visits and support in hospital and home. With my love, may perpetual light shine upon him. With Jesus and Mary may he rest in God's garden in heaven. His wife Millie

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THANKS MAY the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored and glorified throughout the whole world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus hear our prayer. St Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. Grateful thanks to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady and St Jude.

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The Record provides you with Catholic news from around the world

Mass to celebrate Annual Feast Day of Our Lady of Grace, Pickering Brook - Archbishop Hickey 7

Fundraising Garden Party (Pregnancy Assistance). Cathedral Presbytery Gardens - Archbishop Hickey Admission to Candidacy, Redemptoris Mater Seminary Bishop Healy

8

Mass with Blessing and Giving of Ashes for Mercedes College. St Mary's Cathedral - Archbishop Hickey Mass with the Blessing and Giving of Ashes for the general /public. 12.10 pm St Mary's Cathedral - Archbishop Hickey

10

10th Anniversary and Jubilee Mass. Ursula Frayne College Archbishop Hickey

11

Opening of Seminar on - Woman and Man - One in Christ Jesus- - Mercedes College Conference Centre Archbishop Hickey Ordination to Diaconate. Vietnamese Catholic Community Centre - Archbishop Hickey. Bishop Healy Launch of Catholic Association for Nurses, St John of God Function Centre. Subiaco - Bishop Healy

12

Mass for St Patrick's Day, Fremantle - Bishop Healy R ite of Election. St Mary's Cathedral - Bishop Healy Graduation Ceremony for University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth Concert Hall - Bishop Healy

12-15 National Liturgy Commission. Sydney and Central Commission. Canberra - Archbishop Hickey 16

Reception in honour of Dr Vivienne Stern and Dr Andrew Coyne (from the International Centre for Prison Studies, London) - Archbishop Hickey

[ Archdlocesan Panorama PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE C ATHOLIC CHURCH A public forum will be held at Mercedes Conference Centre on Sat 11 March.The forum will publicise the Report "Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus, Women in the Catholic Church in Australia" which was released last year. One of the c o-authors of the Report. Sister Sonja Wagner sgs will be the main speaker. Archbishop Hickey will attend and a group discussion will allow six local speakers to respond to the Report. Info: Mr Terry Quinn 9325 1212. Email: csjc@ynw.com.au. PRISON CONFERENCE Entitled "Prison - the last option: new directions for the millennium" the conference is convened by the Association of Heads of Churches in WA and hosted by UWA Law School on Sat/Sun 18. 19 March. The main speaker will be Vivian Stern, senior research fellow at the International Centre f or Prison Studies at King's College. London, Archbishop Hickey. Chief Justice David Malcolm. Attorney-General Peter Foss and Sir Ronald Wilson will also be involved. Information: Dr Paul Moyle. Law School. UWA. Ph 9380 2907. Email: pmoyle@ecel.uwa.edu.au. SEVEN CHURCHES WALK Sat 1 April. Join us for a Lenten walk around the central city Churches. This walk is based on the famous Lenten Seven Churches walk in Rome. established by Pope St Gregory the Great during which the Black Plague is said to have ceased. The walk is 7.5km and will begin 9.30am at 1) ProCathedral, Victoria Ave; 2) St Brigid's Church, Fitzgerald St. West Perth; 3) Redemptorist Monastery. Vincent St. North Perth; 4) St Andrew's Melkite Church, Glendower St. Perth (with BYO lunch in Hyde Park); 5) Sacred Heart Church. Mary St, Highgate; 6) St Francis Xavier Church, Windsor St. East Perth and concluding at 7) St Mary's Cathedral Victoria Square for the Jubilee Indulgence. Good for the body and good for the soul (Confession at 8.15am and Mass at 8.45am in the Pro-Cathedral). Info: Fr Paul 9223 1350. PRO-LIFE MASS. ST MARY'S CATHEDRAL Sat 25 March at 10am. Main celebrant: Archbishop Hickey. All are welcome. C ATHEDRAL YOUTH FORUM This Sunday. 5 March after 5pm Mass. Speaker Raymond de Souza. Invites teenagers and young aldults to come to the Cathedral Parish Centre to ask any questions about the Catholic Church, faith and morals you have always wanted to ask. Join us for refreshments at 450 Hay St an fire your questions. Contact: Fr Paul 9223 1350 or Raymond de Souza 9453 9177.

PAST PUPILS' REUNION Past pupils. friends and sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart are all invited to this event which will be held on Sun, 9 April at St Joseph's Convent,York St. South Perth. Come early enough for a seat in the garden to celebrate the Eucharist at 2pm. Afternoon tea and a gourmet hamper raffle, as well as meeting old friends, are all part of our tradition. Info: Colleen Lowry, 9450 2173. WAY OF THE CROSS The Therry Catholic Drama Society is presenting -The Way of the Cross" in the following parishes: St Anthony's. Greenmount, 7.30 Fri 10 March: St Gerard's Balga Fri 17 March: St Kieran's Osborne Park Tues 21 March. LENTEN DAY RETREATS Conducted by Fr Michael Rowe. Men - Mon 6 March, 9am to 4.30pm: Ladies - Tues 14 March. 8.30am to 3.30pm. Please bring Bible and lunch. No charge for retreat, donation towards tea and coffee. Details: 9387 8189. HOLY HOUR IN HONOUR OF ST JOSEPH St Francis Xavier Church, cnr Windsor St and West Pde. East Perth. Sun 12 March at 2pm. BYO plate for afternoon tea. 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 for those and their families affected by addictions. Program includes Mass at 7pm. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Benediction and healing prayers. The next evening is Mon 6 March. All are 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. 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.

The Record. March 2 2000 Page 15 ":

St Peter's Primary School Bedford

Family involvement in school life a key principle at St Peter's

Maria Tierney, left, John Paul and Mikaela van Vlijmen hit the back seat as ttiey get ready to be taken out for swimming lessons last Monday.

W

hy are parents of children involved in sacramental programs asked to take part in the preparation of their children at St Peter's school in Bedford? Why are evening meetings organised so that parents can be given background information about the relevant Sacrament that their children are preparing to receive for the first time? Why are family camps organised on an annual basis by the school, and why are students encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions in the daily life at school? At St Peter's primary school in Bedford the principle which guides the school is simply expressed: Christ is the foundation of the whole educational enterprise in a Catholic school. It is this principle, as the information booklet provided for parents points out, which represents the over-arching frarneVvork of St

Peter's. Of course this does not mean that St Peter's, founded in 1941 by the Dominican Sisters, is a Catholic school which teaches only religion; like any other school it exists to educ,ate students in those areas needed to reach their full potential in the world in which they live and move. But it does mean that Religious JI Education is the focus wititin an integrated curriculum which Iraws together the concepts, skills, knowledge, attitudes and values from the eight nationally i nt ed key learning areas. I• These are: Mathematics, English, Science, Health and Physical Education, Teclmology and Enterprise, Society and the Environment, the Aes and Languages Other than English. And it is these eight areas which help to develop the competencies of expressing, investigating, communicating, creating and reflecting and which will become some of the essential life-skills that stu-

School principal Red Berson steps out with the new face of St Peter's behind him. The latest stage of the building program - part of a 3 year program - has taken 6 months to complete.

dents take with them when they leave school. All programs provide for a range of teaching and learning styles in an effort to promote cognitive, sIcial, personal and equitable opportunities for students. A range of specialist programs are included within the structure o f the• scliool, including physical education and sport; library assistance, remedial support, music, computer studies, Italian and Indonesian languages, social work and a perceptual motor program which is designed to imI rove hand-eye coordination skills. Taken as a whole, these elements begin to coalesce and come together as a picture for any tor of what St Peter's school is really all about: an educational community of committed and professional staff, students and their families, which is always striving to offer the best in contemporary education but with the added advantage of doing so as a corrununity of faith. This can be seen in the sacramental pmgramme, where children are prepared for the Sacrarnent of Penance in Year 3, the Eucharist in Year 4 and for Confirmation in Year 7; very strong links with the parish have also been fostered. Parents, meanwhile, are always welcomed at the various Mass( and paraliturgies that are an integral part of school life. But being at school is not just about learning lessons - its no fun learning to count if you can't skip I S. That's why sport is an important feature of school life: it helps growing young minds let off energy through fun activities. All children, for example are involved in a fitness pmgram for 10-15 minutes three times a week. Meanwhile, Netball, Basketball, Soccer, Football, Tennis and Aussie sports are regular featiires of school life, and swimming lessons from the Royal Lifesaving Society are regularly offered. Children also benefit from normal dental treatment at the Hillcrest Dental Clinic, a service which is free and available to all children. Parent involvement is important,

Pull the ear for each year - Year 1 teacher Rebecca Kaaks teaches her class an Italian birthday custom while student Sam Pinner acts as the example.

Wayne, left and Ralph, right, builders currenffy working at the school, take a morning tea break and chat with school secretary Barbara Mountain.

even central to the school's goals. policies. In the end, St Peter's is For this reason parents are invit- about several things, but they ed to be involved at St Peter's by include building young minds helping in the classrnom, extend- and hearts for the future. ing children's experience and All discipline at the school is access to adult assistance in areas based upon respect for self and such as language activities, art others, an exercise in building and craft, physical education, behaviour in which parent supexcursions and school carnps. port is essential - an example of The Parents and Friends Associ- the philosophy that the best situation is responsible for fundrais- ation for any student is where ing to provide teac.hing resources home and school work cooperaand amenities and for providing tively. feedback on school activities. Family camps, as mentioned before, are held annually and F amilies are invited to join other Principal: Mr Red Berson families in a relaxing weekend of Address: Salisbury Street, conlinunity building at a campBedford WA 6052 site close to Perth. Telephone: (08) 9271 2896 But mums and dads also assist Fax: (08) 9271 2813 with policy and procedures, meetEnrohnent: 270 boys&girls ing regularly to provide responsEmail: stpeters@iinet.net.au es to school initiatives and

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