Catholic life dec2015

Free

Catholic Life Publication of the Diocese of Sale

December 2015

ISSUE 191

This issue highlights

Death of Mgr Bill Caffrey - Page 3

Trinity FAMILIES Trinity funds eight programs - Page 8

Long journey for Santa - Page 17 - 123RF Stock Photo/anyka

Trinity FAMILIES

Think of all the families you can help

This Christmas you can assist families in the Greater Gippsland region for years to come by supporting Trinity Families. We direct funds to programs where there is the greatest need. Please give generously.

To donate visit www.trinityfamilies.org.au or phone (03) 5622 6688 for a credit card deduction form.

Page 2 - Catholic Life, December 2015

Seeing through the eyes of God NOBODY welcomes tragedy. It is as unwelcome and unbidden as it is unavoidable.

This is the more so for often it comes so unexpectedly and so quickly. The recent events in Paris and other parts of the world all leave us feeling just that little more vulnerable and uncertain.

A series of “what-ifs” roll around in our minds.

It is Advent again and soon to be Christmas. It’s that awkward time of the year where there is too much to do and too many expectations to manage.

Little wonder we barely have the time to think about the first Christmas and what it might mean for us today. Tragedy or triumph?

If we were planning how God might enter into our world bringing the gift of salvation, we may well have had another idea, and somehow done it, well, a little better.

After all it was winter. Mary and Joseph had to travel a long distance along an unwelcoming road to register for the census.

It wasn’t actually all that convenient or easy that trip to Bethlehem even if you were fit, let alone when nine months pregnant.

Yet travel they did, and embarked not only on a long journey, but a journey of faith, little knowing that it could so easily have ended in tragedy.

With this in mind it is important to reflect that this Advent is different.

Different because it marks the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

The Jubilee of Mercy will begin when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome on December 8, 2015 (the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council) and concludes when he closes that same door on November 20, 2016.

By now we fairly familiar with the concept of ‘years’. We have had recently: The Year of ‘Grace’; the Year of ‘Faith’ and we are coming to the end of the Year of ‘Consecrated Life’, and now we are beginning together the Year of ‘Mercy’.

We do so both with the backdrop of world uncertainty and local uncertainties: random tragic terrorist attacks in several places overseas; local challenges to our understanding of what constitutes a marriage; questions around how could we have possibly failed to protect our children and vulnerable adults so badly.

No wonder then that it can be tempting to think to ourselves well what can I do? What difference might I make?

What if Joseph and Mary had said the same thing? What if Mary and Joseph had simply said, “It’s all too much, we are staying put! Go and ask someone else!”

The Year of Mercy and Advent this year invite us to look to the Holy Family as a example of faith and mercy.

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simply through their own eyes, but risk looking that bit further and deeper by looking through the eyes of God, and thus seeing and touching the plan and face of God made visible in Jesus Christ.

Irreducible faith in God guided all their decisions, even if they did not always understand them or did not understand all the implications of what these decisions may mean. Irreducible faith called them forth to respond to face tragedy with hope.

Many times before and after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were called upon to not simply look through their own eyes, important, but to look through the eyes of God, necessary and more important.

A risk yes, but risk enough to turn tragedy into hope, risk enough to challenge even the fiercest tragedy.

It was for example when they experienced rejection, ‘no room at the inn’, that God ended up being even closer to them, ‘Emmanuel, God-with-us’, the outsider comes inside.

In their abandonment and near tragedy they were able, hard as it may have been when everything else suggested otherwise, to summon up the grace to look not

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My hope is that as we as the People of God in the Diocese of Sale live well this Year of Mercy; that we can imitate that fearless faith of Mary and Joseph and allow Christ to be born in our hearts anew.

Live it in such a way that we might allow the transforming grace of this coming Year of Mercy to melt our hearts so that we no longer see through our own, at times, limited eyes, but dare, as Mary and Joseph did to see through the eyes of God. Only by doing so can we allow God to turn tragedy into triumph.

A Blessed Christmas Epiphany to all.

and

+ Bishop Pat O’Regan Bishop of Sale

New ACBC secretary

Editor: Colin Coomber

Deadline for advertising copy and editorial contributions for our first issue is of 2016 is February 8.

Issues distributed free through parishes and schools from February 17.

The Word was made flesh.

Tragedy may speak its name, but it could no longer have the final word, for God has spoken, and spoken a word we can understand.

MARK RIDDLE Consultant 2002900

FR Stephen Hackett, a priest of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, has been appointed the new general secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

The Australian bishops announced the decision during their plenary meeting in Sydney last week.

Fr Hackett, a parish priest from Tasmania, will commence in early 2016 following the appointment of Fr Brian Lucas as national director of Catholic Mission after 13 years as ACBC general secretary.

Born in 1959, Fr Hackett was professed to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in 1982 and was ordained in 1986.

He has ministered in parishes, diocesan governance, secondary education, university chaplaincy, and the vocations apostolate.

His primary academic qualification is in theology, with postgraduate awards in peace studies and education, and a doctorate specialising in architecture and liturgy.

Studying for a Bachelor of Theology at Melbourne College of Divinity, a Masters of Literature and a Masters of Education from the University of New England, Fr Hackett achieved a PhD from University of New South Wales in 2011.

Fr Hackett is currently parish priest at St Therese of Lisieux Parish, Moonah-Lutana.

Between 2005 and 2008, Fr Hackett was the Vicar General in the Diocese of Darwin.

In 2001 and 2002, Fr Hackett was the Catholic Chaplain at the University of New South Wales, Sydney and prior to this appointment, he was MSC vocations director for the Australian Province, and MSC Superior.

Fr Hackett’s current research interests include church architecture and the liturgical arts. His personal and professional interests include theology, liturgy, education, the interplay between faith and culture, poetry, figurative religious art, music, design, and architecture.

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 3

Well-loved priest Mgr Bill Caffrey dies age 90 THE funeral took place this week of veteran Sale Diocese priest Mgr Bill Caffrey who died at O’Mara House, Traralgon, on November 24.

Mgr Caffrey, 90, had been a priest of the diocese for more than 66 years.

Requiem Mass took place on Tuesday at St Mary’s Church, Maffra, and he was later laid to rest at Maffra Cemetery.

He was born in Maffra and raised in Tinamba where his parents were farmers.

After primary schooling at the local government school he went on to become a boarder at St Patrick’s College, Sale, completing his matriculation before entering Corpus Christi seminary at Werribee in 1942 to train for the priesthood.

At the seminary he shared a room with Eric D’Arcy who went on to become the sixth Bishop of Sale and later Archbishop of Hobart.

He was ordained a priest on July 24, 1949, the first graduate of St Patrick’s College to become a priest of this diocese.

He became a entitled to use the prefix monsignor in 1990 when he was appointed a Prelate of Honor by the Pope.

In his early years as a priest he served as assistant at Warragul, Sale, Leongatha and Morwell.

He also served as administrator at Trafalgar and Cowwarr before being elevated to parish priest in the newly formed parish of Morwell East.

After that he was parish priest at Orbost, Koo Wee

MGR Caffrey at his golden jubilee of the priesthood in 1999.

Rup, Morwell, Traralgon and Maffra, where he spent more than 15 years, before taking up residence at O’Mara House.

His time at Koo Wee Rup was faced with challenges because the parish and several others at the western end had been excised from Melbourne Archdiocese in 1959, and he was the first Sale priest to serve there.

However, his dry wit, handson style of ministry and innovative ways of fund-raising soon made him a favorite of the people.

One of his fundraising ventures was to establish a series of bee hives and sell the honey.

His love of bees was developed at the seminary where he was in charge of the apiary, and his skills resulted in some of his honey in the comb winning a gold medal at the Apiarists’ Association convention in

Queensland and a third prize at the Royal Melbourne Show.

Mgr Caffrey was highly active in the Westernport Light Opera Society and was wellknown for his strong singing voice and love of theatre.

He was also a talented sportsman particularly in cricket, football, tennis and golf.

He represented Sale-Maffra Cricket Association at country week, played football for Leongatha and Cowwarr and is credited with hitting a hole in one at Maffra Golf Club.

Mgr Caffrey was known as great teller of yarns and one he often told was of his football days when a curate at Leongatha.

Bishop Richard Ryan and the Leongatha parish priest both frowned on priests being involved in football but the young priest managed to play several seasons as a ruckman under an assumed name, and went within a vote or two of winning the league best and fairest one season.

He recalled how during one home match he was dragged off the ground and sent to the showers to avoid being recognised by his parish priest who had turned up to watch the game, something he did only every year or two.

He said he had not originally intended to defy the bishop and had only started training with the football club to stay fit, but one thing led to another and he found himself being selected to

Year of Mercy from next week THE Jubilee of Mercy will begin next Tuesday on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception when Pope Francis opens a Holy Door at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Over the next 12 months millions of pilgrims are expected to pass through the door, symbolising stepping through into God’s arms of mercy and renewal.

Next week’s ceremony in Rome is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council.

In Sale Diocese a symbolic Holy Doorway will be dedicated at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, during the 9.30am Mass on December 13.

Doors have always held special significance for the Church as the divide between the secular world outside and the sacred world within.

In times past people could claim sanctuary from arrest and persecution once they entered through the doors of a church.

The doorway is representative of Jesus who according to John’s Gospel (10:9) said “I am the gate.

Whoever enters by me will be saved …”

A Holy Year traditionally begins with the opening of a Holy Door to signify a renewed opportunity to encounter Jesus who calls everyone to redemption.

A plenary indulgence, the remission of temporal punishment due to sin, is offered to those who make a pilgrimage and fulfil other conditions

New priest comes to Sale A NEW priest arrives this week to work in Sale Diocese.

He is Fr Anthony Phillips, formerly with the Missionaries of God’s Love, and he has initially been placed in Sale cathedral parish.

Fr Phillips is originally from country Victoria and has deep experience in the counselling field.

Bishop Pat O’Regan has welcomed him to the diocese and announced his appointment

until final arrangements can be made.

In other clergy news Fr Darren Howie, Maffra, has sought and been granted incardination in the Sale Diocese. He was originally incardinated in Wagga Wagga Diocese.

Coincidentally, former Sale Diocese priest Fr John Speekman has sought and been granted incardination in Wagga Wagga.

of receiving the sacraments of penance and Eucharist, prayers for the intention of the Pope, and performing simple acts such as visiting the sick.

The first Holy Door is believed to have been opened by Pope Martin V in 1423 and then Pope Alexander VI called for all four Holy Doors in Rome to be opened at Christmas 1499 for the Jubilee year of 1500.

The last Holy Door was for the jubilee year in 2000.

Mgr Bill Caffrey, taken earlier this year play.

Dogs always formed a large part of Mgr Caffrey’s life and over the years he had a succession of highly trained pets who rarely left his side. In later years he said that his last dog Lady was the best he had ever had because of its uncanny ability to understand and act on a command the first time he gave it.

Mgr Caffrey’s health has slowly deteriorated over the past few years and even though he has been confined to a wheelchair he has still been able to attend many diocesan functions.

Earlier this year he and Mgr John Allman, who also resides at O’Mara House, hosted a combined lunch to celebrate their 90th birthdays.

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Page 4 - Catholic Life, December 2015

Merry Christmas

CATHOLIC Life would like to thank all its contributors, advertisers, those involved in the printing, distribution and handling of our accounts for their great effort in making things flow smoothly over the past year.

The two monthly format of Catholic Life has been a bit of a challenge because it is more difficult to keep items newsy and unfortunately some items have to miss out.

We will be back again in the new year with our first issue on February 17.

Finally we wish all our readers, contributors and everyone involved a happy, holy and safe Christmas.

Take care on the roads and if you get a chance to take a break, enjoy your time with family in friends.

Plate mystery

IT is amazing how many vehicles there are travelling our Gippsland roads with one or both number plates missing.

In a recent trip down the Princes Highway we passed three vehicles missing a rear number plate (and possibly the front but it was not safe to check).

We parked next to one missing plates and on the way home saw another missing both plates.

What is going on? Are the plates being swiped by people who want to drive off without

New CatholicCare manager experienced in child protection paying for fuel, travel on toll roads without paying, speed past a speed camera or do a drive-by shooting?

Oratory insight

MANY people have asked over the past few months about what was happening with the Brisbane Oratory of which Sale priest Fr Andrew Wise has become a founding member.

There is a 20 minute video on You Tube which features the Oratory and its members and explains its formation.

The link is https://youtu. be/2Az4ZyrJgGs and makes for interesting viewing.

And yes that dot in the middle of the word youtube should be there!

Spirit waning

INTERESTING to see a few centres not holding their normal Christmas parades and pagents this year.

Many traders are obviously feeling the pinch and are not supporting these events.

In the latest cancellation the Lions Club which has organised the Sale parade for a few years has pulled out of organising the event.

THE new family and relationships program manager for CatholicCare Gippsland is Mark Tanti who comes to the position after 24 years with the Department of Human Services where he worked in the often confronting field of child protection.

Mr Tanti said the most difficult thing was dealing with families who did not think they needed help and that everything was fine, when really it wasn’t.

Often clients were suffering from intergenerational problems and in those cases it was difficult to bring about change.

He said that the only thing which kept child protection officers going was the success stories, even if they were far and few between.

It was tough for officers to hear the stories, having to go to courts, be threatened and chased out of homes.

Mr Tanti said most of the people he dealt with came from dysfunctional families who were going through trauma, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, family violence, or a combination of several of these factors.

He said he was pleased he had made the change to working for CatholicCare and had already been buoyed by the spirituality and faith which was evident working for a Catholic agency.

“It is almost like coming back home, doing social work and reconnecting with my strong spiritual values.”

The spirituality factor was something which was missing when working for the public service.

Mr Tanti said he was enjoying helping families in the Sale Diocese, providing counselling support and working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

He had spent some time already with the Sudanese in the Pakenham area and he hoped that

Of all the decisions we make in our lifetime, making a valid will is among the most important.

Mark Tanti programs which were working there to assimilate these people could be extended to helping Syrian refugees of which about 4000 were expected to come to Victoria.

Mr Tanti said he was looking forward to revitalising and improving CatholicCare services, and to add to the goodwill already established by his predecessors.

He said his strong family background, growing up as one of seven children in a Maltese family living in Coburg, just a stone’s throw from Pentridge Prison, had taught him many lessons in communication and getting on with one another.

His upbringing had helped to see it was necessary to find ways around the roadblocks in our life’s journey and so CatholicCare was available to help individuals and families to successfully navigate their way through life.

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Use the QR scanning app on your smart phone and it will take you directly to the Diocese of Sale website

BARRY AND ANNETTE LETT This final testament speaks loudly of the values, causes and possessions we hold most dear. We bequest personal treasures and mementos to special friends and loved ones and ask them to care for them after our passing.

If you hold the Church dear, you may consider leaving a percentage of your estate or a specific amount to the Diocese of Sale.

The Diocese is grateful for the support of its benefactors, who have enabled the Church to grow in its service of its people, and invite you to share in this rich heritage.

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Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 5

Nativity story ends with Jesus being a refugee

By Colin Coomber THE picture on the front page of this issue is a familiar depiction of the Holy Family with doting parents Mary and Joseph holding their newborn son Jesus.

At this time of the year it sometimes takes an effort to push aside the commercial aspects of Christmas and focus on the nativity.

It is worth reflecting on the birth of Jesus and what happened immediately afterwards.

His birth is only mentioned in two of the Gospels and each gives a vastly different insight into what happened in Bethlehem.

Luke tells us that Joseph and the pregnant Mary travelled from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea for a census but as there was no place in the inn, Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger.

Angels heralded the birth to shepherds who decided to pay homage and found Mary and Joseph with the baby.

This short description is the one which gives the enduring image of the child born in a stable, surrounded by animals.

Matthew’s Gospel makes no mention of the census, Jesus having been born in a stable, or the visit of any shepherds.

There is nothing low-born in his birth narrative. Instead he tells of wise men visiting from the east who call on King Herod and ask where they could pay homage to the child born King of the Jews.

They tell of seeing His star rising and this is sometimes

taken to mean they were astrologers who read something in the night sky which indicated an important birth.

Herod’s scribes refer them to a prophecy that a ruler would come from Bethlehem and so Herod send them off but asks them to report back so he too can pay homage.

The wise men travel the 8km to Bethlehem where they see the star over the place where the child was, and on entering the house (not a stable) they see Mary with the child and they present gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The wise men are warned in a dream not to return to Herod and return home by another route.

Joseph is warned in a dream that Herod is about to seek out Jesus to destroy Him and Jesus. so Joseph should flee to Egypt MODERN day refugee families on the move in Europe share a bond with the baby - 123RF Stock Photo/Vasilis Ververidis with the child and His mother However, the thing which standards by moving to the and to remain there until told They were lucky that they many people miss about Western world where they could return to their homeland otherwise.

The Gospel describes how Matthew’s narrative is that hope to receive welfare benefits after a few years but for most unavailable in the homelands.

Herod ordered what is now Jesus was a refugee. of today’s refugees this will He had to flee His homeland It does not really matter not be an option because their referred to as the massacre of the innocents, killing all children and go to another land where whether these people are fleeing homelands have been laid to for their lives like Jesus or are waste, destroyed by conflict two-years-old or younger who He would be safe.

At the moment there are economic refugees. They are and economic mismanagement. were in or around Bethlehem.

After Herod’s death the angel millions of refugees worldwide, still refugees - people seeking So this Christmas, as you tells Joseph it is safe to return all fleeing their homelands to refuge in another land. think of the baby Jesus, also And as refugees they deserve give thought to the thousands with the family but when they seek safety elsewhere.

The number seeking to make help in being resettled and being of babies around the world who hear that Herod’s son is now ruling Judea, they decide to Australia their home is a trickle encouraged to become part of share in His refugee status. go north to Galilee where they compared with the flood of life in their new countries.

Pray for a satisfactory people from Africa and the We don’t know how the Holy outcome to their plight of their settle in Nazareth.

If we only had Matthew’s Middle East who are surging Family was treated during families.

Gospel, our image of Jesus into Europe, risking their lives their stay in Egypt, whether Also pray for an end to Joseph and Mary could find terrorism and growing racial could be of that a child born into in the process.

There has been much debate work, or whether they relied and religious intolerance. It is an influential Bethlehem family which is visited by some rich about whether many of these on the generosity of others, what the Christ-child would men who presented expensive people are asylum seekers or but somehow they managed to hope that we would pray for just out to improve their living survive. gifts. peace and goodwill to all.

Bishop Coffey’s death remembered SALE – The first anniversary of the death of Bishop Jeremiah Coffey was remembered with a special Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral on November 19.

Bishop Coffey, the seventh Bishop of Sale, is buried in the cathedral grounds.

Bishop Pat O’Regan led the Mass which was attended by clergy and religious from across the diocese, including several religious sisters who travelled from Melbourne for the event.

Bishop O’Regan pointed out that he had only met Bishop Coffey the once and they had chatted for just a few minutes.

He praised Bishop Coffey’s commitment to the Diocese of Sale where he had faithfully

served as a priest, then bishop for more than 54 years.

He had been in contact with the Coffey Family in Ireland and they were pleased to hear about the Sale Mass.

A limestone plaque bearing Bishop Coffey’s name was being added to a family grave in Midleton, Cork, where many of the Coffey family were buried.

After the Mass Bishop O’Regan called everyone to gather around Bishop Coffey’s grave for a few moments of prayer followed by the Litany of the Saints, blessing of the headstone with holy water and the singing of the priests’ hymn Salve Regina.

VICAR General Fr Peter Slater sprinkles holy water as Bishop Pat O’Regan, clergy and religious sisters give a blessing over the grave.

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Page 6 - Catholic Life, December 2015

Australian bishops Christmas a graced event respond to Paris eflections terrorist attacks

by Jim Quillinan

THE Australian Catholic Bishops have expressed their deep sympathies for the hundreds of innocent people killed and maimed in the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

President of Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart said, “We offer our prayers and condolences to the victims of these horrendous attacks. Like all Australians, we join in solidarity with the people of France and share in the hope that the perpetrators and their networks will be swiftly brought to justice.

“Our shock and sadness draws us close to the victims and their families. As we mourn for them and their loved ones, we must affirm that feelings of grief and compassion are a sign of a fundamental goodness in humanity that cannot be defeated by evil.

“The disregard of terrorists for the sanctity of human life

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is an abomination. And, as the Holy Father Pope Francis has stated, ‘using the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy’.

“These acts of terrorism can never be allowed to divide communities through fear and hatred. Divisive actions of hate will only serve to help evil organisations like ISIL. Their aim is to divide the world and make Muslims the enemy of the West. Hence, we must resist calls to close our borders to refugees from the Middle East.

It is love and not hate that will defeat extremism.

“We pray for the victims of these atrocities in Paris.

“We pray for the millions of Syrian and Iraqi refugees fleeing similar atrocities by Islamic State against Christian and other minorities.

“Here in Australia, we pray for a continued national resolve to assist refugees fleeing this violence and oppression. We pray for unity among all cultures of our diverse Australian community, and call for a special concern to ensure that Australians of Middle Eastern background and Muslims are not subject to intimidation or vilification as a result of these tragic world events.”

CHRISTMAS in July is a popular event.

Some celebrations involve bus trips to Christmas lunch in the hills, mimicking what a European Christmas might look like, providing some nostalgic memory of ‘The Old Country’ perhaps.

Possibly we want to re-create the happy times we recall at our Christmas celebrations at home, a recognition that Christmas is a significant family event for so many. Whatever motive we may have to celebrate Christmas again, it reinforces that Christmas is a graced event.

One of the greatest theologians in the last hundred years is Fr Karl Rahner. Grace, God’s presence in the life of the world, might be called ‘his special subject’. Grace is not something apart from human life, an add-on, a superficial veneer, he said: Rather, it is the ultimate depth of all that the spiritual creature experiences – and so in its laughter and in its tears... in its loving, living and dying... whenever man (sic) keeps faith with the truth, breaks through his own egoism in his relationships with his fellows... whenever, in a word, life is lived as man (sic) would seek to live it, in such a way as to overcome his egoism, then Rahner says, God is truly present.

Christmas is a celebration that brings out the best in us, despite our complaints about the big shops starting to sell

Remember us at Christmas Donate now to help support families Trinity Families needs your financial support to ensure that it can continue to meet the needs of families in our region.

We need to greatly enlarge our financial base so we can continue our support to charities providing vital welfare services.

Direct debits can be made to Trinity Families BSB 083-879 A/c 84343 9687 or you can use the form below to make a credit card donation.

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Christmas stuff as early as August!

Christmas is a time when we reach out, when we break through our egoism, when we want to rejoice and be glad, when we feel thankful for what has been. And we try to do that together.

At Christmas time we all make an attempt to connect with family and friends. We send cards or emails to friends, with those we have perhaps forgotten during the year. ‘We must meet up in 2016’; we phone our family whether they are in Australia or overseas.

Children are placed at the centre of things – we take photographs of them opening their presents; people exhaust themselves around the shops because everyone must have a present at the Christmas celebration.

We remember to send a donation to a chosen charity, or visit the elderly lady who lives on her own down the street. Or we might even invite those in our street for a Christmas drink.

We sit down for a large family meal, a rare event for many families now. We are all at our best and we wear our best clothes to show it.

Gifts, communication, the giving of gifts, our time, just being generous in spirit, the children, the welcomes, the meals: all these are graced moments and activities; they are signs of Emmanuel that God is with us.

Sometimes families join their local church for the Christmas liturgies, perhaps their only time this year.

They may have come because they recall something of their own childhood at this time, and they want their children to experience that too. They may have come to rejoice in the celebration of Christ’s birth.

That can provoke two very different responses. Some more regular churchgoers are exasperated, frustrated. ‘Why aren’t they here every Sunday?

‘If only they would realise that Jesus, Mary, the crib and the Mass are the centre of Christmastime!’

Or we can be grateful that they are here, that they have come to celebrate with us, to make this liturgy a part of their family Christmas which is a graced event in itself.

The parents coming to the Christmas Eve Mass are already in their own way, celebrating God’s presence in their home.

Is once a year enough? Just this once, why not let God be the judge of that?

Those congregations who go out of their way to welcome the visitor, to make welcome those who have come to be together on this Christmas, have been graced by their presence and have given grace.

In that way, those who have joined with us may even have a keener sense of wonder at the astounding goodness of God.

Family mealtimes important - Pope SPENDING time interacting within the family is important, and therefore, togetherness shouldn’t be replaced by having phones out and televisions blasting, according to Pope Francis.

He stressed this during a weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square on November 11, as he continued his catechesis on the family.

Togetherness, he pointed out, involves sharing together the good things of life with your loved ones and being happy to do so, and also sharing the difficult times, such as loss of a loved one.

The Holy Father began his catechesis pointing out that sitting at the table for the family dinner, and sharing our meal and the experiences of our day, is a fundamental image of togetherness and solidarity. He also said togetherness is a reliable “thermometer” to measure the “health” of the relationship.

He noted how if a relative had a struggle, speaking about it together at the table helped to

find a solution.

“A family that almost never eats together, or is not at the table, but watching the TV or on their smartphones, is hardly a family,” he said, lamenting when “the children at the table are attached to the computer, to the phone and do not listen to each other.”

Since Jesus gave us the Eucharist as a meal, Pope Francis pointed out, there was a close relationship between families and the Mass.

This togetherness we experienced in our families was meant, in the family of the Church, to extend to all as a sign of God’s universal love. In this way, he observed, the Eucharist becams a “school of inclusion,” where one learnt to be attentive to the needs of everyone.

The Holy Father lamented that the family meal was disappearing in some societies, and that food itself, which represented our sharing with others, was often wasted, while brothers and sisters throughout the world went hungry.

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 7

Boom times see rapid growth at our newest school OFFICER – The rapid growth of housing in the eastern side of Officer sees the diocese’s newest primary school experiencing boom times.

The school opened at the start of this year with 92 children and four classroom teachers operating from one large hall as the first stage classrooms were not yet complete.

Move forward 12 months and the school will have 240 students and 10 teachers.

There will be more than 80 students in Foundation Year (previously known as Prep.)

Principal Helen Staindl said the growth was a remarkable 150 percent and there was little sign of it abating.

Tenders for the second stage of construction would be called early next year and it was hoped that construction would begin some time after Easter.

She said the second stage works included eight new learning spaces, hard playing surfaces, a presentation space and landscaping.

Estimated cost was about $2.8 million and it was expected that the new facilities would be ready for the start of the 2017 year.

Ms Staindl said total staff at the school would rise from nine to 20 next year as the school moved from a three to four learning streams.

The official opening of St Clare’s took place just a few days before Bishop Pat O’Regan headed overseas to

attend a special colloquium for new bishops and take some leave.

St Clare’s Primary School is at Officer and falls in Pakenham Parish, unlike St Brigid’s on the other side of town which is in Berwick Parish.

The rapidly growing school is already planning for stages three and four which are expected to serve a student population of close to 500 students by 2020.

Bishop O’Regan paid tribute to the foresight of St Patrick’s Pakenham principal Mick O’Bryan and parish priest Fr Bernie Mahony who identified the need for a second primary school in the parish which was experiencing rapid urban development.

The bishop told students and parents that he would be visiting Assisi in Italy where St Clare established her religious community and worked closely with St Francis and his brothers.

Director of Catholic education Maria Kirkwood said she was always pleased to be present when a new school was being blessed.

The blessing meant the school became a sacred place to be used by the students, staff and parents.

She also spoke about St Clare.

Federal Member for Latrobe Jason Wood said the government has been pleased to support the advancement of education in the area. The new school had attracted $4 million in capital grants and

the Australian Government had provided $1.35 million of that.

Fr Mahony told the students they were the pioneers of the school and would be able to long remember the first days when everyone was sitting in one big room, awaiting arrival of classrooms.

There was no grass and so students couldn’t go out to play and then there was the novelty of the portable toilets.

He said the first students and teachers had endured those difficult times as the school developed but they could be assured that next year the school would double in size and there would be twice as many students and staff.

ST Clare’s students in their distinctive red uniforms sing up during the official opening ceremony.

FEDERAL Member for Latrobe Jason Wood and director of Catholic education Maria Kirkwood cut the St Clare’s celebratory cake flanked by (from left) principal Helen Staindl, parish priest Fr Bernie Mahony, school captain Jayavi, Bishop Pat O’Regan and school captain Amy.

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Page 8 - Catholic Life, December 2015

Trinity Families funds eight regional projects EIGHT Gippsland charities have this week shared in $124,780 in funding from the Sale Diocese charity Trinity Families.

Cheques were presented to representatives of the charities at a morning tea at Warragul on Tuesday.

The Trinity Families disbursement brings the total amount distributed to programs aiding Gippsland families to more than $1.2 million since its inception as Bishop’s Family Foundation 14 years ago.

Recipients this year include four charities which have never been beneficiaries before.

CatholicCare Gippsland received the largest amount of $60,000 which will enable to it to continue to provide free or subsidised counselling services throughout Gippsland but particularly at Sale and Pakenham.

Newcomer Remar Australia received $15,000 towards

its Christian-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre at Nyora. The centre was operating at Kinglake but was burnt out in the Black Saturday fires and has relocated into Gippsland.

Gippsland Carers Association received $10,000 to set up support groups and to enable it to expand its services out of the Latrobe Valley to East and South Gippsland as well.

Another newcomer A Better Life for Foster Kids received $10,000 to improve the situation of foster children who often arrived at the homes of their foster parents with little more than the clothes on their back.

FareShare, a large Melbourne-based charity kitchen which collects excess food, donated and almost out of date foodstuffs, received $10,000 towards its operations which sees it providing meals in Gippsland through various

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providers including St Vincent de Paul Society.

Warrina Counselling received $8280 towards its project targeting early intervention for young clients in the Traralgon area who are experiencing family and relationship issues.

Bass Coast Health received $7500 for a pastoral care volunteers program operated by the combined churches in the Bass Coast region.

Gippsland Women’s Health received $4000 to assist it in vehicle running costs and occasional accommodation costs incurred by its breast-care nurse.

Trinity Families executive officer Colin Coomber said it was rewarding to be able to assist the charities to provide grass roots family support in the Greater Gippsland area but it was disappointing that more charities could not be funded.

This year there were 20 applicants for funding who sought a total $413,000 which was over three times the amount Trinity Families had to give.

He said total cost of those projects, including other funding sources, was around $1.4 million.

“As a philanthropic charity we must preserve our invested funds and only give away our earnings. The low interest rates available to us over the past three years have meant that we have not been able to support as many projects as we would have liked.”

Mr Coomber said all of the projects were worthy of support and the only way Trinity Families could assist was to boost the size of its invested funds.

All donations to Trinity Families were invested to earn interest year after year, unlike

TRINITY Families executive officer Colin Coomber. most of the big charities which any of the funds make their way saw donations eroded by paying back to helping the Gippsland commissions to collectors, community.” huge promotional budgets and He said Trinity Families was staff salaries.

Gippsland-based and used its “Some of the high profile earnings to fund projects run charities are distributing only by other charities to benefit the about a quarter of what they community in this region. raise. I suggest that before All applications for funding you donate, think about how were vetted to ensure that good much of your dollar will get value was being received for through, and ask yourself will the available dollars

No date for canonisation DESPITE rumors that a date has been set for Mother Teresa’s canonisation next September,

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The Archdiocese of Melbourne/Diocese of Sale–Catholic Development Fund (CDF) is designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Diocese of Sale. We welcome your investment with CDF rather than with a profit oriented commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable, Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church. CDF is not subject to the fundraising provision of the Corporation Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Neither CDF nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Trusts Corporation for the Archdiocese of Melbourne/Diocese of Sale is prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. Contributions to CDF do not obtain the benefit of the Depositor Protection Provision of the Banking Act 1959. The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Diocese of Sale have indemnified the CDF against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the CDF through CDPF Limited, which is a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. In essence, this means that your investment and any interest payable is guaranteed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and Diocese of Sale.

the Holy See Press Office said last week that the cause for sainthood has not concluded, and no date has been officially set, reports the Catholic News Agency.

Fr Ciro Benedettini, vice director at the Holy See Press Office, confirmed that the setting of a date would require the sainthood cause to be concluded and the Pope Francis to give his consent.

However, in September, Fr Caetano Rizzi, who works in the Vatican’s congregation for saints, is reported to have said that the Pope was interested in canonising Mother Teresa during the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy.

She was an Albanian Kosovar who founded the Missionaries of Charity Sisters and spent most of her life working with the poorest of poor in India.

She founded hospices, orphanages, soup kitchens and mobile clinics and was recognised for her work when she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

She died age 87 in 1997 and at the request of Pope John Paul II her cause for sainthood was instigated earlier than would normally be allowed.

She was beatified as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta in 2003.

Catholic Life, November 2015 - Page 9

AROUND CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DIOCESE

of

SALE

faith ... learning ... growth

November 2015

Looking Back, Looking Forward Passion, was published describing the challenges to which Catholic educational institutions are called to respond and reinforcing the importance the Church places on the mission of Catholic education.

The Rome Congress adopting the title of Instrumentum Laboris (2014) aims to re-energise the Church’s commitment to education.

AS I write this article our This Christmas concludes Director, Maria Kirkwood my first year as Deputy along with Directors Director Catholic Identity of Catholic Education Learning and Teaching in the throughout Australia are in Diocese of Sale and is one Rome attending the World that I will always look back Congress on Catholic on as a year of grace.

Education.

I have been blessed and The Congregation enriched by the people I have for Catholic Education met and the opportunities this year celebrates the afforded me to shape the 50th anniversary of the strategic directions for Second Vatican Council’s learning and teaching in our Declaration Gravissimum diocese.

Educationis.

I have been made to In celebration of feel very welcome in our this anniversary the educational communities Instrumentum Laboris and privileged to listen to (2014), Educating Today principals and school leaders and Tomorrow: A Renewing share the joys and challenges

of their work in the service and mission of Catholic education.

In the same way that the Instrumentum Laboris speaks to the centrality and diversity of learners, so has been my experience of the Diocese of Sale.

We are a diocese characterised by multiplicity and this is both our strength and our challenge. In all conversations I have had with principals and school leaders, without exception, I have witnessed commitment to learners and learning.

As educational leaders in the diocese, we clearly see this as not only our moral obligation but a central organisational principle in improving our school and system performance.

Out of our diversity comes the opportunity for dialogue and shared wisdom as we work in common and collegial ways to support each other in our efforts to ensure the best possible opportunities and outcomes for each and every child and

young person in every school in our diocese.

I have been quoted as saying, “as education leaders we are only as successful as those outcomes achieved by the most vulnerable child/ student in any one of our schools.” And I do strongly believe that we are better together and can achieve more together than we can on our own. I like to conceptually think of this as “strength in unity.”

Diversity also brings its challenges for both schools and the Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Sale. Our data demonstrates that the variability within our schools and between our schools is vast.

Each of our schools is challenged in catering for the diversity in learning achievement that spans, on the average, seven+ years in any one cohort of students.

The challenge is for us to find new ways of leading and teaching where students experience expert teachers one after the other ensuring

a high rate of progress and achievement for each and every child.

Similarly as a Catholic Education Office we must acknowledge and embrace the diversity in schools in the diocese and structure service delivery models which customise service provision aimed to build the internal capacity of each school to continuously improve itself.

Our partnership and collective work in this important space of school improvement whilst fledgling is one of great promise.

As a diocese, I am confident that we are open to change, that we are open to challenge and that we are on the right path to achieving high quality outcomes for each and every one of our children and youth in schools in our diocese.

And to this end our commitment is unwavering.

Debra Punton Deputy Director Catholic Identity Learning and Teaching

Harmony in Officer at St Brigid’s School ST Brigid’s Catholic Primary School in Officer is very fortunate to be involved in the “Harmony in Officer” Learning Program.

Windermere Child and Family Services support and help run the program and it is funded by Sunshine and Crocodiles Pty Ltd, a philanthropic company directed by Pam Usher.

The ultimate aim of the program is to learn about cultural awareness and enhance harmony among students and their families within Officer and surrounding communities.

This learning program brings together students in Grade 6 from six schools in the local Officer area.

Students participate in activities that allow children from different cultural and religious backgrounds to get to know each other in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

The six schools involved in the program are: St Brigid’s Primary School Officer, Berwick Grammar School, Minaret Muslim School, Officer Specialist School and Maranatha Christian School.

Once a term the children gather together. In Term One they were involved in a Tabloid Sports Day and enjoyed a halal barbecue. In Term Two, students attended a Cultural Day and in Term Four a Leadership and Mindfulness session.

In Term Three St Brigid’s hosted a Literature Day. The children all received a book called Give Peas a Chance – and Other Funny Stories by Morris Gleitzman, supplied by the program.

Approximately 160 children gathered in our Multi-Purpose Room for the day and enjoyed some getto-know-you activities and discussions about the some of the stories in the book.

Catholic Educa on

MORRIS Gleitzman with some of the students displaying his book.

Windermere were fantastic write some of his books.

Overall, it was a great day He also provided a lengthy for St Brigid’s to host and we in organising a visit from Morris Gleitzman the guest question time for the children certainly value being part of speaker for the day. He to ask those curly questions such a wonderful learning spoke about his passion for and then managed to sign opportunity. writing and why he chose to every child’s book!

faith … learning … growth

Page 10 - Catholic Life, December 2015

Narrative writing at St Joseph’s

October 2015 Inside this issue Page 1 Debra Punton Looking Back, Looking Forward St Brigid’s Officer Cultural harmony program

Page 2 St Joseph’s Warragul Narrative writing St Laurence’s Leongatha Learning with iPads Page 3 St Joseph’s Korumburra Inquiry learning St Mary’s Bairnsdale Japanese sister school Page 4 St Michael’s Heyfield Growth in numeracy target St Joseph’s Wonthaggi Investigation time

Around Catholic Schools

NARRATIVE Writing has been a genre focus across all levels at St Joseph’s Warragul in 2015.

Teachers discussed, suggested and recorded a list of suitable narrative types for each grade, given the life experiences and interests of the students.

Each level then focused on their selected narrative type allowing the students to become familiar with the elements of the genre, the writer’s craft, the writing conventions and the writing process.

The senior students focused on memoirs, Years 3 and 4 on Realistic Fiction and the juniors on personal narratives, “Small Moment” stories.

Initially the students were immersed in their writing style by exposure to a rich variety of stories and mentor texts.

Throughout this phase “Noticings and Wonderings” were noted on anchor charts.

Then the writing process began with planning, drafting, revising, editing and finally publishing.

STUDENT work on display shows a diverse range of talent.

The students were exposed they are especially important during National Numeracy to specific writing skills and for capturing the reader’s and Literacy Week.

All of the students were encouraged to experiment attention and building to with them. “Sizzling Starts” the climax (problem or able to celebrate their and “Tightening Tensions” surprising event) in the text. endeavours in Narrative A local author Michelle Writing by displaying their were taught and modelled.

These techniques can be Lewry also visited and spoke work in our Multi-Purpose used across a broad range of with the children on ways to Room and inviting feedback approach Narrative Writing. from other students, teachers genres.

The school’s writing focus and parents.

For Narratives, however, culminated in an Expo

1:1 iPad program at St Laurence’s THE journey to implement a 1:1 iPad program has been strategic. It was based on research which included visits to other schools, discussions with experts, building teacher capacity through in- school and external professional development, undertaking a school trial and seeking teacher and student feedback.

Thorough preparation for the 1:1 program was required including preparation of protocols, user agreements, student iPad Passports, cyber safety programs and security measures.

This work contributed greatly to the ultimate success of our 1:1 implementation program.

The purchase of iPads has been gradual over three years. In 2013, teachers were provided with an iPad to gain confidence and a greater understanding of the potential of the iPad for learning.

All staff participated in ongoing professional development including regular sharing at grade level and whole staff meetings.

Staff feedback regarding the use of iPads as a learning tool was very positive and all were keen to move forward

with student access to the iPads.

Later that year, we had the opportunity to acquire 40 second-hand iPads and 10 large plasma TVs. These were set up and installed for use in all classrooms. In 2014 a trial 1 to 1 class was established.

During 2014 there was continuous communication with parents via newsletters, notes home and information evenings.

Examples of student work on their iPads were featured at an open night, expo evening and school assemblies.

This was an important step towards educating parents about the value of the iPad as a tool for learning. Great emphasis was placed on the wellbeing aspect of the 1:1 program.

We continually reminded parents that this was a journey that we are all taking together. We see this as an opportunity to work with parents to help guide their children to become resilient and responsible cyber citizens.

This year parents of all Grade 5 students entered into a purchase plan or provided a new device to initiate the 1:1 iPad program.

Catholic Educa on

The family support has continued to play a central part in all aspects of the role out. A parent survey clearly showed support and appreciation for the program, and the strategic steps taken to keep parents informed.

We are now preparing for our next roll-out which will see all Grade 5 and 6 students involved in the 1:1 iPad program.

STUDENTS are finding the iPads to be valuable learning tools.

faith … learning … growth

Around Catholic Schools

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 11

Inquiry learning at St Joseph’s Korumburra AT St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Korumburra, the staff have revisited their Vision Statement as a part of the process of School Renewal.

The Vision is the ‘springboard’ that guides the direction of the school through the Annual School

Improvement Plan (ASIP).

We envision that at St Joseph’s, successful learning is a collaborative journey of curiosity and innovation where learners are empowered to question, seek solutions, make connections and take action in our world.

We know that children

are growing up in a rapidly changing world and consequently, schools need to be flexible in the delivery of their curriculum.

We know that if students are to thrive they need to be able to solve problems, be creative, be risk takers, be innovative and be able

INQUIRY learning opens up a whole new world for young minds.

to work in teams and independently.

They also need to be resilient self-managers who can motivate, monitor and regulate themselves.

They will also need to be able to think about their learning and how to apply it (metacognition).

Inquiry Learning is about working on meaningful topics that grow out of a child’s inclination to question the world.

Inquiry Learning can build on what a child has learnt and, by using open–ended questions, the child can research and find answers according to individual ability levels and thereby differentiating their learning.

As children focus on their questions, they tune in, find out information for their investigation and sort ways to organise and represent their findings and reflect on them.

They can then take action from their learning and contribute in a positive social context.

For example, from their inquiry-based unit of work, our Grade 5 and 6 students have been doing something positive for the environment as they have been collecting rubbish from the yard and weighing it daily to promote a greater awareness of keeping the school tidy.

The students are encouraged to use the many resources within their community.

This was illustrated by our Grade 2 and 3 class who invited guest speakers to contribute to their unit on the human body.

The children in Grades Prep, 1 and 2 took action by researching insects and making a display that could be shared with other classes.

Children enjoyed sharing their learning and deepening their understanding by taking such positive action within their community.

St Mary’s Bairnsdale Japanese sister school ST Mary’s has a sister school in Shizuoka, Japan.

Each year students from Salesio Primary School in Shizuoka come to Bairnsdale for a home stay program.

All Salesio students, together with the Year 5 and 6 students from St Mary’s, were required to interview and find out more about five individuals from the opposite school and record all information in booklets provided.

Students are billeted with St Mary’s While there were some challenges families where they stay for five with language barriers, the results nights. were positive for all.

They attend St Mary’s school each The relationship that has been day and participate in a range of experiences and lessons where they developed and sustained over many can share information and learn more years with Salesio is both rewarding and appropriate for contemporary about their countries. education.

Throughout the year the staff, This provides a very real and students and families have contact with meaningful opportunity for our Salesio School via video conferencing and by exchanging letters and emails. students to remain globally connected with a culture which in many ways is Each year the students from Salesio so different from their own. showcase some of their traditions and This experience is valuable for St culture through a Japanese Fare which Mary’s students as they are able to invites the participation of all students learn about, appreciate and celebrate at the school. the uniqueness of another culture is This year, the Years 5 and 6 important for our students. students from St Mary’s organised an Australian Fare with the aim of teaching Australian traditions, symbols and stories.

STUDENTS were involved in They also organised a new presenting an Australian Fare to interactive experience where students showcase some Australian traditions. could communicate and learn more about one another.

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faith … learning … growth

Page 12 - Catholic Life, December 2015

Around Catholic Schools

St Michael’s targets growth in numeracy ADOPTING a whole school targeted approach to Numeracy is paying dividends for students at St Michael’s Heyfield.

The school targeted specific learning needs for all students using the Mathematical Understanding Interview (MAI) Growth Points throughout the year.

It was powerful for teachers to provide feedback to

teachers and students to meet their individual learning targets.

Initially the Learning Team (teachers and students) chose a Learning Target (what the student is going to learn by the end of today’s lesson) for every numeracy lesson.

“Providing specific feedback makes learning more relevant and transparent for students” said Majella who is a teacher

students about their learning at the school. needs.

The second stage of the A learning process was process involves doing, implemented to assist talking and recording which

is key to students thinking about their learning in Maths.

After a short activity as a whole class to introduce the concept, students are asked to complete independent or teacher lead tasks in small groups before rotating through all the activities.

Students use I can statements or success criteria (what it means to do quality work in today’s lesson) to check if they are meeting the

Learning Target.

When learning about probability Harry, a student at the school, said, “In Roll a Tower you roll the dice and whatever number you get you build it. We rolled mostly 1’s, 2’s and 4’s. We have only rolled 3 and 6 once.”

Effective learning is assisted through teacher, peer and self-evaluation.

This is seen as vital in

order for students to take responsibility for their learning.

This was evident when a student, Chloe identified that “Two digit numbers are easy.

I would like to try three digit numbers next!”

Through the provision of such specific feedback learning and teaching in Maths is made more relevant and transparent for students.

Investigation time at St Joseph’s Wonthaggi AT St Joseph’s Primary School Wonthaggi, we know that the beginning years of school are an exciting time for children and their families.

From Prep to Year 2, teachers and students have embraced the Walker Learning Approach.

This innovative learning approach personalises learning for each child based on their developmental needs and interests. It involves the

promotion of self-direction and self-management, the use of play to drive and connect to formal learning with authentic opportunities to consolidate the year levels’ learning intentions that come from the Australian Curriculum.

Our open-plan Prep and Grade 1 and 2 classrooms offer a highly engaging and productive environment for children to explore their learning. Class time involves

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a mix of active investigation time and formal instruction.

The investigation areas reflect the children’s interests and current learning objectives across all curriculum areas and include: construction, sensory, dramatic play, collage, reading, numeracy resource area, literacy resource area, tinkering and science and nature.

Investigation is a very structured time and includes: Tuning in – discuss current learning intentions. The Focus Child, Reporter and Photographer are invited to speak before the class and have a supported conversation about their ideas for the day or a specific role the teacher has in mind, chosen to match the learner’s learning needs and current learning objectives.

Investigation time – children engage in selfdirected learning. They are free to decide on the area they would like to work at and there are often ongoing projects that the children return to work on.

The teacher spends time scaffolding the Focus Child, the Reporter and Photographer in their

learning.

Reflection – The Focus Child, Reporter and Photographer report back to the class on their learning while the teacher draws out explicit links to the Learning Intentions. Links to the rest of the day’s learning are also made so that the children see Investigation Time as an integrated part of their school day.

Resetting – Children make decisions about their activities: Are they work in progress? Are they finished?

Equipment is packed away ready for the next part of the

school day.

Rosters are created to ensure all children have an opportunity to be a Focus Child, Reporter and Photographer. Filling these roles is an exciting time for the children and they look forward to their day.

The Walker Learning approach in Prep to Year 2 at St Joseph’s Wonthaggi, places children at the centre of their learning, respecting their interests and aims to create confident lifelong learners in today’s everchanging world.

faith … learning … growth

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 13

Celebrating 125 years of establishment of Sion SALE – The 125th anniversary of the establishment of Our Lady of Sion College was celebrated two weeks ago.

The former girls’ boarding school is now the Sion junior campus of Catholic College Sale.

It has its origins with the first Bishop of Sale James Corbett who went to Europe to find religious sisters to establish a girls’ secondary school.

There was a great fanfare in Sale in 1890 when the bishop, brought back seven Our Lady of Sion Sisters and a group of six Irish priests.

The bishop allowed the sisters to live in his house and they quickly established a secondary school.

The following year they opened a boarding school in a temporary building erected for the purpose and in 1892 they began construction of the spectacular three storey red brick Convent of Notre Dame de Sion.

The first section of this building was in French Gothic style and was completed in just 13 months at a cost of 10,000 pounds ($20,000). The chapel, sacristy and Norman tower were completed in 1902.

Former students and teachers

travelled from far and wide to attend the 125th anniversary celebrations.

Tours ran hourly throughout the day, allowing the former students and interested locals to explore the beautiful old building and gardens.

About 70 took part in the first tour of the day which was led by deputy principal Peter Centra.

The following day Bishop Pat O’Regan celebrated the 125th anniversary Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral and afterwards there

was a gathering of the Friends of Sion and a picnic lunch in the Sion gardens.

In the afternoon the bishop led a prayer service in the Sion chapel.

During the weekend Sr Lauraine Brice, Sr Stella O’Donnell and Sr Mariana Handley held a join celebration to mark their 90th birthdays which all fell this year. Sr Lauraine was the last Sion Sister to live in Sale.

CATHOLIC College Sale deputy principal Peter Centra (centre) prepares to take a large crowd on a guided tour of the former Our Lady of Sion convent.

Catholic and Anglican bishops join on ecology discussion

PEOPLE wander through the former convent and chapel, looking at the displays mounted for the 125th anniversary.

BISHOP of Sale Pat O’Regan and the Anglican Bishop of Gippsland Kay Goldworthy will host a public discussion on Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’.

The event will be held on Raymond Island, Paynesville, on December 19 from 11am.

The Anglican Church’s Abbey Centre for Spirituality and the Environment at a’Beckett Park will fittingly be the venue.

The discussion will be the

first time that the leaders of Gippsland two main Christian denominations have jointly hosted an event.

Both Bishops are new to Gippsland, having their installations within weeks of one another earlier this year.

The impact of Ladauto Si’ outside the Catholic Church has been something which was probably unexpected when Pope Francis deemed to write on ecological issues.

Diocese colleges sign agreement with FedUni THE Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Office and its seven secondary schools have signed a five year Memorandum of Understanding with Federation University Australia to work together on a range of common goals.

These include improving secondary students’ literacy; enriching the teacher education experience for FedUni students; enhancing educational attainment and aspirations for communities across the region; and, enhancing students’ learning and achievement through whole school improvement within each of the diocese’s secondary schools.

The agreement was formally launched at Warragul on October 29.

Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts Professor John McDonald said “This is a significant new partnership for the university. As a regional university, FedUni is deeply committed to serving its regions and to lifting educational attainment.

“It also gives our staff and students the opportunity to work with experienced educators in the Catholic system to produce better graduate teachers.”

Director of Catholic Education in Sale Diocese Maria Kirkwood sees it as an important educational venture, particularly in a diocese such as Sale which covers a wide area, with schools spreading from the Melbourne fringe through to East Gippsland.

She said “The Catholic Education Office fully supports this initiative and will be providing targeted staff expertise to ensure service delivery of high quality to the Catholic secondary colleges in the diocese.

“Our strategic intent is best practice Catholic education in Victoria. Joining with Federation University in the provision of specific professional learning programs is a key tool in this strategy going forward.”

In the first phase of the partnership, a Literacy Educators’ Network involving teachers and academics will be formed to share information and research knowledge and to develop a joint professional learning program.

The Diocese of Sale schools and FedUni’s School of Education will also work together on new models of teacher education to ensure that graduate teachers are ‘classroom ready.’

The partnership will also develop a new approach to teacher education placements which will be geared to improving literacy outcomes for secondary students.

Chair of the Diocese of Sale Secondary Principals’ Association and Marist Sion College principal Peter Houlahan said “Literacy is vital for success in modern life. The partnership will help build overall literacy levels in Gippsland Catholic schools, and will enable FedUni preservice teachers to improve the literacy of their students after graduation.”

Prof McDonald said “FedUni is expanding its suite of teacher education programs delivered through our Churchill campus in 2016 including Early Childhood, Masters of Teaching Primary, Masters of Teaching Secondary, Master of Education Studies, and the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education. This partnership gives us the opportunity to work

with the Catholic school system to meet the needs of regional tertiary students.

“The partnership gives classroom teachers, academics and pre-service teachers a way of learning from one another.

Teachers and students in Gippsland’s Catholic secondary schools stand to benefit from the collective learning which arises, as will academics and pre-service teachers at FedUni.” The Catholic secondary schools in the diocese, with total enrolments exceeding 8000 students, are Catholic College Sale; Lavalla Catholic College, Traralgon Marist-Sion College, Warragul; Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Leongatha; Nagle College, Bairnsdale; St Francis Xavier College, Beaconsfield, Berwick and Officer; and St Peter’s College, Cranbourne.

RUSSELL Broadbent, MHR, McMillan and director of Catholic education Maria Kirkwood sign the agreements watched by (from left) Diocese of Sale Secondary Principals’ Association chairman Peter Houlahan, Gary Blackwood, MLA, Narracan, and Federation University executive dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts Prof. John McDonald.

Mooted redress scheme is welcomed by Church’s TJHC THE Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council has welcomed reports the New South Wales and Victoria Governments have thrown their support behind the Royal Commission’s proposal for a national redress scheme for child sexual abuse survivors.

The TJHC chief executive officer Francis Sullivan said there now seemed to be an inevitability about the Royal Commission’s redress scheme becoming a reality.

“With the NSW and Victorian Government and the Catholic Church now on the record supporting the proposal, abuse

survivors can have some hope that fair, equitable and easy to access redress might not be far off,” Mr Sullivan said.

“The NSW and Victorian Governments and the Catholic Church account for roughly 75 percent of the cost of the 10-year scheme so there is no longer any excuse for other institutions, particularly other state governments, not to become part of the scheme.”

As part of the Royal Commission’s redress proposal released in August the scheme would be funded by the institutions where the abuse occurred, including a proportion

that would be funded by state governments where abuse occurred in a state-run facility.

The scheme would also offer counselling and psychological care, and a response from the institution if requested.

The Truth Justice and Healing Council also supports an insurance levy on all institutions that work with children, including churches, to provide a pool of funds to ensure that all survivors get access to redress even if the institution in which they were abused no longer exists.

Page 14 - Catholic Life, December 2015

TJHC guidelines for response Quick calendar to child sex abuse claims What’s on & when THE Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council has released guidelines for how Church authorities should respond when claims of child sexual abuse are made against them.

The guidelines, which have been endorsed by the Church leadership, will come into effect from 1 January 2016 and are designed to promote justice and consistency in the way the Church handles child sexual abuse claims and conduct litigation when taken to court.

They also include a requirement for Church dioceses or religious orders to assist a claimant to identify the correct defendant to respond to legal proceedings.

The CEO of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, Francis Sullivan, said the community expects the Catholic Church to have a compassionate and consistent approach towards survivors of child sexual abuse,

including when they take legal action.

“These guidelines provide a framework for Church authorities to do the right thing in court and ease the trauma of litigation for survivors,” he said.

The guidelines also cover issues such as: • providing records, making an early assessment of claims, keeping costs down and paying legitimate claims without litigation • being mindful of the traumatic experience for claimants during litigation and endeavouring to avoid legal proceedings wherever possible • apologising if the Church authority is aware that it or its representatives or lawyers have acted wrongfully, improperly or in breach of the guidelines.

“While going to court and litigating a claim must always be an option for child sexual abuse victims a national redress

scheme must also be available,” Mr Sullivan said.

“There will be many survivors of child sexual abuse who will not want to go to court.

“They must have access to a fair, independent, affordable and timely redress scheme that recognises their abuse and ensures the organisation responsible pays compensation and meets the cost of counselling and ongoing care.”

The guidelines are similar to the models adopted by many governments in Australia and gives effect to a recommendation of the Royal Commission in its September Redress and Civil Litigation Report.

The guidelines will apply to all current and future cases.

The Truth Justice and Healing Council can be reached at PO Box 4593, Kingston ACT 2604 or by phoning (02) 6234 0900.

St Kieran’s playgroup honor

27 – Easter Sunday.

DECEMBER 3 – St Francis Xavier 3 – Valley region Christmas lunch, Morwell Club, Helen St., noon 3-5 – Australian Catholic Youth Festival, Adelaide 4 – End of year for most diocesan secondary colleges 8 – Immaculate Conception 8 – Year of Mercy begins 13 – Opening of Holy Door for Year of Mercy at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 9.30am Mass 14 – St John of the Cross 18 – Primary school year ends 24 – Christmas Eve 25 – Christmas Day 26 – Boxing Day 27 – Holy Family 27 – Boxing Day alternate holiday 31 – New Year’s Eve

1 – New Year’s Day 1 – Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God 3 – Epiphany 10 – Baptism of the Lord 26 – Australia Day public holiday 27 – Start of Term One (there may be local variations due to staff only days, etc.)

28 – St Thomas Aquinas 1 – St Brigid 2 – Presentation of the Lord 5 – St Agatha 9 – Shrove Tuesday 10 – Ash Wednesday 10 – Start of Project Compassion Appeal

MARCH

award categories. They received a framed certificate, trophy and the ability to proudly display the playgroup awards logo.

They also won a $500 modern teaching aid voucher and professional development portfolio including conference registration to the value of

Central Catholic Bookshop 322 Lonsdale St., Melbourne (Next door to St Francis Church) Visit our Website at www.catholicbookshop.com.au

Browse through our range of books and sacramental and religious gifts, or search for specific items by author, title or keyword.

Open seven days Phone and mail orders welcome. Credit cards accepted

Phone (03) 9639 0844 custserv@catholicbookshop.com.au

$1000.

They were also a finalist for Playgroup Victoria’s Community Playgroup of the Year Award (Regional 1-4 sessions).

To top off a great week, the playgroup was also successful in their application to Latrobe City for a community grant of $2200 to purchase new equipment.

We would like to thank the coordinators of the playgroup, Michelle Guthrie, (a parent of St Kieran’s) and Kimberley Gee (community member) for their hard work and dedication and also to all the parents who attend the playgroup.

St Kieran’s Playgroup is a community playgroup and operates Mondays from 9am11.30am in the St Kieran’s hall.

Contact Michelle 0467 269 501 or Kimberley 0407 889 194, for further information.

4-8 – Sale Diocese clergy retreat 11 – Term Two begins

MAY 4-14 – Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference plenary meeting, Sydney 8 – Mother’s Day 25 – Pentecost

JUNE 13 – Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday 24 – End of Term Two

JULY 11 – Term Three begins 25-31 – World Youth Day, Krakow, Poland

AUGUST

2016 JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MOE - St Kieran’s Playgroup Moe was awarded the Minister’s Award for Excellence and Innovation in Playgroup on November 12.

The award was selected for one Victorian playgroup from all the playgroups who were nominated across the different

APRIL

7 – Labor Day public holiday 8 – St John of God 17 – St Patrick’s Day 20 – Palm Sunday 22 – Chrism Mass, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale 24 – The Lord’s Supper 24 – End of Term One 25 – Good Friday 26 – Easter Vigil

SEPTEMBER 4 – Father’s Day 16 – Term Three ends 19-23 Sale Diocese clergy inservice 30 – AFL grand final eve public holiday

OCTOBER 1 – AFL Grand (Hawthorn v ??)

3 – Term Four begins 31 – Halloween

Final

NOVEMBER 1 – All Saints Day 1 – Melbourne Cup 2 – All Souls Day 22-25 – Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference plenary meeting, Sydney

DECEMBER 2 - End of year for most secondary schools in diocese 21 - Fourth Term ends 25 – Christmas Day 26 – Boxing Day 27 – Public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day 31 – New Year’s Eve

To advertise in

Catholic Life 5622 6688

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 15

Mirboo North's Italian festa MIRBOO NORTH – The hills will come alive in February with the celebration of the Mirboo North Italia Festa.

The festa will be celebrated in Baromi Park on February 21, commencing with Summer Mass in the Park at 11am.

The Mass celebrates the feast of St Paul who is patron saint of the Italian town of Solarino and the large Mirboo North Italian community.

At the conclusion of Mass there will be the traditional procession of the statue of St Paul through the park before an afternoon of activity with the free family festival celebrating all things Italian.

From noon there will be live band entertainment from Paris

by Night and the international acclaimed comedian Joe Avati will have everyone in stitches.

Those attending will be able to buy delicious Italian foods, wines and produce from the many stalls. They will be able to dine on pizza, pasta, Italian salsicce, cannoli and gelati.

Children can be entertained by free activities such as a jumping castle, animal farm, face painting and a special

THE procession with St Paul's statue at last year's festa. appearance from Elsa and Anna.

On top of this there will be cooking demonstrations, historical and arts displays, you can try your hand at bocce, test your soccer skills, and appreciate the classic beauty of Italian Fiat and Ferrari cars.

More information about the festival is available from Rosie 0439 344 928 or Gina 0429 346 252, or search for it on Facebook.

Behavioural bias in investing I WAS thinking as this is the last article before Christmas I’d do something like budgeting, or New Year financial resolutions, but I’ve done those before, and my wife says I repeat myself often enough anyway.

So I thought about something that may help you make up your own mind as to what you may need to fix your own investment attitudes, if they need it.

Behavioural Finance is a new term from the last 20 years that defines an approach to investment behaviour which is based on the realities of investor choices and decisions.

Typically the attitude is that investors all make rational decisions based on the evidence before them, but the reality is very different. We all have biases and emotions and belief or not in our own abilities that make us very individual and not always rational.

There’s a saying that “perceptions are truth” and that’s never more true when advising people as to what may be the best for them, or what may assist them in most reliably reaching their goals.

Reality may be different than perception.

Take the GFC for instance.

Many people said that their risk tolerance changed dramatically through that time. In fact, the risk tolerance remained the same, but their perception of risk changed, so their behaviour changed.

Trying to step back and look at things rationally is incredibly difficult for many investors, and part of an adviser’s role is to help clients do just that. There are many behaviours we exhibit that hurt us financially.

Many clients are loath to realise losses, far more than realising profits so they don’t sell the poor performers but

DOLLAR$ & SENSE with David Wells

take too small a profit on the good ones.

Almost like losing $100 hurts twice as much gaining the same. People will become too conservative, and not reach their goals.

Similar is the disposition effect – the tendency to hold losing investments too long and to sell winners too early.

This means down markets are exacerbated, whereas it has been shown time and time again that good investments recover!

Overconfidence is a big behavioural problem that asserts itself very often. We are so confident that we’re right that we lose sight of reality.

Too much success can lead to failures.

Again, we can fix on a particular facet of the investment and wait for that to be achieved, even if rationally we know we’d be better off by fixing the situation once and for all.

Who has waited too long for an investment to recover its cost, and missed out on too many other good ones that would have made more?

And familiarity, the inability to expand investment horizons into other asset classes in which the investor is not familiar, especially as there are so many different ways to do this easily and cheaply.

Yes, knowledge makes management more reliable, but too narrow a focus may increase your market risk.

And the big one is that all the good choices were a result of the investor’s ability and all the poor ones were the result of unexplained, and improbable external factors…

Recognising these biases is the first step in doing something about fixing them. We all have them to some degree and in many cases they have cost us dearly. Not just in investing, either, but in other areas of life the same issues arise.

The best way to overcome them, or at least minimise their negative impact is to speak with an expert adviser, who will listen, and then make gentle suggestions as to what may constitute reality and what may be perceptions. Then listen.

You don’t have to follow their advice, but it will help you identify your behavioural tendencies. Until you do that, you won’t make the most of your opportunities.

Now you can make your own New Year financial resolutions.

I wish all Catholic Life readers a happy, peaceful and safe Christmas, and a prosperous New Year.

• This report is intended to provide general advice and figures used in this instance are for indicative purposes only. In preparing this advice, David Wells and Shaw and Partners did not take into account the investment objective, the financial situation and particular needs of any particular person. Before making an investment decision on the basis of this advice, you need to consider, with or without the assistance of an adviser, whether the advice is appropriate in light of your particular investment needs, objectives and financial circumstances.

Traralgon walkathon

GETTING into the spirit of the walkathon are Tom, Adam, Austin, Caleb, Molly and Abraham.

TRARALGON - The sun was said, “Wow! What a fantastic shining for St Michael’s Prima- morning we had for the Walkary School’s Walkathon, provid- thon. We had so many parents ing comfortable walking condi- and grandparents to support us by either marking off the laps, tions for all the children.

There were two courses, walking with us, cutting fruit, one around the outskirts of the buying icy-poles or counting school for the senior school, money.

“Everyone had a great time grades 3-6 and one around the playground for the junior and as well as being a great school, grades Prep-2. fundraiser it is also a very soAs a fitting end to such an cial time for all. Over $7000 energetic activity the children was counted on the day. What were able to enjoy some deli- an effort!! Thank you everyone cious fresh fruit, kindly donated for your enthusiasm, generosity and help.”

by Woolworths.

Principal Cathy Blackford

Maffra Sale Heyfield

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Personal advice Unrivalled experience Buy and sell shares, portfolio managememt Investment research and daily market information Investment advice for self managed super funds For all your investment needs please contact: David Wells W , Senior Investment Adviser on 03 9268 1157 or toll free 1800 150 009 or dwells@shawandpartners.com.au

Page 16 - Catholic Life, December 2015

world news ... world news ...

Nepalise bishop explains situation after earthquake

By Bishop Paul Simick THE situation of Nepal at the moment is pretty frightening as the closure of Nepal’s main borders crossing with India continues for the third month now.

There is the shortages of essential commodities including fuel and medicines and emergency medical and surgical supplies and equipment. Nepal depends hugely of its fuel and medicines on India.

In Kathmandu capital city one can see people queuing with their cars and motorbikes for hours and hours to get fuel rationed by the Nepal Oil Corporation. Many restaurants have brought their shutters down because of the shortage of cooking gas.

In some point in the city the government has started selling firewood to make up for cooking gas. Very few private vehicles are plying. City Buses and long distance Buses are packed; even on the roof people are compelled to travel. Taxi fares have increased three to four times the usual rate. This crises has also greatly disrupted schools and colleges.

Schools in the Kathmandu valley have begun closing down, as the school authorities aren’t able to provide fuel for school buses. Many of these children were already studying at the temporary learning centres. More than 16,000 public and private schools were destroyed and thousand more damaged due to the earthquake. Schools and

Colleges in the Southern plains have been closed more than 100 days now.

This problem began after the promulgation of the New Constitution of Nepal on September 20, 2015 as the Madhesi ethnic minority in the southern plains (tarai) expressed their dissatisfaction over the political representation in the New Constitution.

Since then the tensions and violence have spread all over the Nepal-India bordering areas. So far more than 50 people have lost their lives and thousands have been injured. I think it is another disaster after the twin earthquakes that killed more than 9000 people.

The situation is going from bad to worst day by day with no sign of solving the problem. There is a blame game played by both Nepal and India.

Nepali politicians blame India for the “unofficial blockade” while New Delhi categorically denies and urges Nepal to amend its newly promulgated constitution in line with the demands of the Madhesi people.

The problem has effected Nepali people not only on the political level but also socially. The victims of the massive earthquake of April have been severely hit by the closure. The essential food and shelter materials have not reached those in need who are still in the relief camps. Moreover the winter has arrived and they need warm clothes and blankets because most of the worst earthquake hit areas are in extreme cold zones (districts) during the winter.

BISHOP Paul Simick visits Sujina Ghale, the ‘miracile girl’ in Banyatar. The four year-old,was presumed dead when her body was pulled out of the rubble of her home in the remote village of Tipling, and she was piled among dead bodies slated for cremation by the villagers at dusk. Her mother asked for her body to be checked and it was found to be still warm. © Aid to the Church in Need This closure has also severely affected in tents and not getting what they have earthquake relief and restoration work. been promised.

Most of the reconstruction materials Along with the reconstruction and like cement, zinc sheets and iron rods rehabilitation work, the Catholic Church are imported from India. The Catholic is also organising psychological help Church through its social arm “Caritas to children and adults. They have been Nepal” has been working in the worst traumatised. Even today, just before hit areas from day one since the massive our talk there was an aftershock of 5.3 catastrophe took place.

MMS. People are scarred, children need Caritas Nepal along with its healing. This psychological help is very International Caritas Federation important. were ready for the rehabilitation and This is what the church is trying to do, restoration work after the disaster but give psychological and spiritual support. sad to say that we have not able to carry We are grateful for the help we have on the work as we had planned. We received from many people and places. are not even able to go to those places We still need the help in whatever way to distribute warm clothes and blanket possible from our donors. We need your because of the lack of mobility. spiritual support. Please pray for Nepal Our rehabilitation programs have and her people. been halted because our delivery trucks What surprises me is that after more are out of fuel. Many of our Religious than three months of this border closure Congregations and many INGOs and that has led to the deterioration of NGOs are struggling to continue their National economy and people’s living ongoing efforts of reconstruction in conditions the Nepali people have not various earthquake-affected areas due shown any major protest against India or to the same story. It is heart breaking to their own political leaders. People seem see that worst-affected people still living to have accepted this as their fate.

Follow Christ to the Cross: Pope tells priests KENYA - The Pope says that religious need to follow Christ to the Cross during their lives, but then need not fret, for He will take care of the rest.

Speaking to clergy, men and women religious and seminarians at St Mary’s School in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi last week, the Pope set aside his prepared text and, in his native Spanish, reminded them how being faithful and serving the Gospel guarantees happiness and success in ministry and discipleship.

The Argentine Pontiff touched on various themes, but stressed that religious are called to follow Jesus until their final steps of this life to the Cross.

He warned against ambition, riches, and trying to be an important person in the world. “There’s no room for that,” he said.

“All you have to worry about is going to the Cross,” the Pope pointed out, adding, “After, let Him worry about the Resurrection.”

“I now tell you this seriously because we know, in the Church, it is not

a business, not an NGO,” he said, noting, “It is a mystery, a mystery of Christ’s gaze upon each one of us, who says follow me.” Francis stressed that what precedes us is the love and tenderness of Jesus.

Another point the Pope stressed was the importance of prayer. Even if you find yourself dozing when you are committed to praying, the important thing is that you are praying, he said.

“It is clear that when Jesus calls us, He doesn’t canonise us. We are still the same sinners,” the Pope said.

“I would ask if there is anyone here – any priests or religious – who doesn’t feel that he or she is a sinner: Raise your hand. All of us are sinners,” he said, including himself.

The Pope also encouraged them to weep over the things which were perplexing in the world, such as the killing of innocent children.

Pope Francis recalled St Peter’s tears, and noted that Christ made him the first pope.

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 17

A long journey from Greek bishop to Santa Claus

By Colin Coomber THE image of Santa Claus in a red suit, trimmed with white fur, is one that virtually everyone in the Western World is familiar.

However, you may be surprised that it has taken many centuries for us work this out.

Thanks to television, film, colored magazines, and now the Internet everyone now has virtually the same image.

Around the world this time of the year there are thousands of Santa’s helpers working in shopping centres, visiting schools and kindergartens and other places where children and adults gather in the preChristmas period – and you can bet every one of the helpers is dressed in red.

The origins of Santa Claus date back to St Nicholas, a 4th Century Greek Bishop of Myra, now part of southern Turkey, who legend has it was generous with his gifts to the poor.

He is said to have taken Christianity to what is now the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Germany and his remains are believed to be housed in Italy.

St Nicholas’s feast day is on December 6 and in much of Europe this is the day when gifts are distributed. Legend has it that children who had hung their stockings (socks) in front of the fire to dry overnight, found treats from St Nicholas in their stockings. Those who had been particularly naughty received a lump of coal.

From this tradition is can be seen how Santa was seen as someone who rewarded the good children but not the naughty.

Some big changes happened in the 16th Century when the Catholic Church was suppressed in England and celebration of St Nicholas’s feast was banned. Not wanting to fall foul of the puritans who also banned Christmas celebrations, the gift-giving moved to New Year’s Day. A few years later when the monarchy was restored under James I, the Catholic saints were still out of favor and so St Nicholas morphed into a more politically-correct man named Father Christmas and the giftgiving moved a week earlier to Christmas.

On the Continent, gift-giving remained on St Nicholas Day. However, like the Puritans in England, the Calvinists from

the Netherlands were also opposed to the celebration of Christmas.

It was banned for many years in the Dutch colonies of New Netherlands, an area which now covers most of the American states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

What is interesting is that it is from these early Dutch settlers that the name Santa Claus comes. Their St Nicholas was pronounced Sinterklaas and so over the years it became Sinta Klaus and finally Santa Claus.

We still did not know much about this character which St Nicholas had become but in the early 1800s there appeared several stories which revealed that Santa’s sleigh was pulled by a reindeer rather than a white horse as previously believed.

The classic story The Night Before Christmas published anonymously in 1823, but later attributed to Clement Moore, revealed that the sleigh was pulled by a whole team of reindeers who each had individual names.

The reindeer had magical powers to fly and could land on roof tops from where Santa could slide down the chimney to deliver gifts.

For the first time we also had a physical description of the jolly man, who was revealed to be “chubby and plump”.

His “Ho Ho Ho” belly laugh was also revealed, remarkably the same as the hunting cry of the Norse God Odin.

It can be presumed that Moore must have never again received a Christmas gift from Santa because, as every child can tell you, it is forbidden to stay up to try and catch a peek of him delivering his gifts.

In the 1860s famous American cartoonist Thomas Nast revealed that Santa lived somewhere near the North Pole, and he even drew him wearing a red suit, trimmed with fur, when most other images of the time usually depicted him dressed in green and wearing a stylised bishop’s mitre.

Around 1889 Katherine Lee Bates wrote a story which told that there was a Mrs Claus and in 1897 the famous Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus article in response to a little girl’s letter appeared in the New York Sun newspaper.

So glowing were the attributes of believing in the existence of Santa Claus, that this set the scene for our understanding of what celebrating his visit was all about.

Shortly after this Santa entered the commercial world and began promoting various mineral waters and ginger beers, albeit still in a green suit.

The green suit is a bit of a mystery but may have its origins in depictions of Father Christmas in England where the ancient pagan Green Man memories still held sway in popular literature.

Coming from the Eastern Rite, St Nicholas would have worn red vestments as part of the preChristmas nativity fasting period. In the Latin Rite of which we are familiar, Advent vestments are purple.

In the early 1900s it was discovered that Santa had a workshop where he made the toys distributed to children, and when it was questioned as to how one man, perhaps with the aid of his wife, could make so many toys, it was revealed he had hundreds of elves toiling away on the production line.

The Communist revolution of 1917 in Russia suppressed religious celebrations and that effectively put an end to traditional St Nicholas Day events, but it did not stop the creation of a similar character called Ded Moroz (Father Frost), who somewhat remarkably was allowed to be depicted as wearing an outfit similar to an Eastern rite bishop.

Our image of Santa changed once and for all when Coca Cola began a series of advertisements showing a jolly, chubby man with a long white beard wearing a red, fur-lined suit similar to those depicted 70 years earlier by Nast. The Coke-swilling Santa also wore a red bed hat of the type used in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but

with an added white fur pompom on the end.

In Continental Europe where St Nicholas still holds sway over his alter-ego Santa Claus, he is now usually depicted wearing red with a red bishop’s mitre.

For the past 85 years we have had a clear image of what Santa looks like and for almost as long children have been writing letters to him asking for specific presents to be delivered on Christmas Eve. At times the vast quantity of unstamped letters addressed in pencil, pen or crayon to “Santa, North Pole” must have stretched the resources of postal services around the world.

However, the modern

computerised world has caught up and children can now send emails and texts to Santa and there are also various smart phone apps which allow you to track his progress in completing your toy.

NASA has even extended its vast resources from space exploration to allow children to track Santa’s travels in real time on Christmas Eve so they know they have to get to bed early.

The world has come a long way in the 1700 years since a Greek Bishop from Turkey started being generous to the needy and taking the Christian message to Northern Europe, but his spirit still lives on in the form of a chubby man in a red suit.

Koinonia priest visits diocese

FR Marcel (the tall young man at the back) with parishioners at St Joseph’s Parish in Wonthaggi.

By Pat Kelly KOINONIA John the Baptist priest Fr Marcel Hakos, visited Sale Diocese during November.

He came to visit the local Koinonia John the Baptist community which is based in Wonthaggi.

Fr Marcel who is aged 34 has been a priest for five years, after joining the Koinonia as a brother on his 18th birthday.

He has spent time in China, Zimbabwe, the USA and a number of countries in Europe evangelising and training evangelisers.

Now he lives in his home country of Slovakia, working mainly with the Koinonia School of Evangelisation.

During his stay Fr Marcel spent time with Koinonia John the Baptist members in Sale Diocese and Brisbane.

He greatly enjoyed the sights and wildlife of Gippsland and even had a go at surfing.

He found Australians to be very open and friendly and he had many opportunities to talk about Jesus.

Fr Marcel visited prayer groups at San Remo, Traralgon and Cranbourne, and attended

the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Bishop’s Teaching Day at Warragul. He also presented a short seminar on intercessary prayer and an evening for prayer Ministry at St Joseph’s in Wonthaggi.

Fr Marcel’s visit continues a tradition of visits by Koinonia brothers and sisters each October/November.

This is the sixth such visit and the hope is that some time in the future a permanent community of brothers and sister may find a home in Sale Diocese.

Page 18 - Catholic Life, December 2015

For the Young and Young at Heart Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Time for a laugh

SANTA decides he needs a few weeks holiday before the hectic present delivering around the world at Christmas.

He looks at a map of the world and decides the best way to get away from the snow and ice at the North Pole is to head to Central Australia where he can relax without all the buzz of being a celebrity.

However, as soon as he walks down the street in Alice Springs someone points at him and shouts “Look at the big guy in the red suit. That must be Santa.”

Santa thinks “I won’t get any rest if people recognise me” so he goes into the R.M. Williams store and buys an Akubra hat, moleskin trousers, checked shirt and some cowboy boots to disguise himself.

As he saunters down the street in his new outfit someone points to him and says “Look, its Santa in YOU might like to colour this picture and place it on the refrigerator or somewhere else to disguise!” remind everyone in your family the real meaning of Christmas.

Horrified he thinks “It must be my white beard” and he rushes into a barbers shop to get it shaved off.

He walks out of the barbers and immediately someone points towards him yells “Look, look. It must be Christmas soon.”

Santa walks over to the man and asks how come he was recognised.

The man looks at him and says “Listen mate, I don’t know who you are, but there behind you is Rudolph leading a whole team of reindeer. We don’t see that in Alice very often.”

Christmas Wo ordf iind

WHY was Santa’s little helper depressed?

He had low elf esteem.

The words below are some which come to mind at Christmas time. See if you can find them in this Wordfind.

ANGELS CANDLE BELLS CELEBRATION BETHLEHEM CHRISTMAS TREE CRIB

HEROD JOSEPH PRESENTS SHEPHERDS WISE MEN DECORATIONS HOLY

PUDDING SLEIGH FAMILY JESUS MARY SANTA CLAUS STAR

JIM, Joe and Jeff have been going to the same club together for years and had never won a prize in the regular Friday night raffle.

One night they all get lucky.

Jim wins a big food hamper, Joe wins a trip for two to a Queensland resort and Jeff wins a toilet brush.

A few weeks later they catch up again on the Friday night to compare notes.

Jim says the food hamper was a really handy because his wife did not have to buy food for a week and so they saved enough money for a weekend away.

Joe tells of the great week

he and his wife had spent at the resort.

Jeff then says “The toilet brush was okay but I think I will go back to using paper!”

LATE at night a man walking his dog comes across a drunk crawling along the footpath under a street lamp, looking for something.

The passer-by asks if there is anything he can do to help.

The drunk explains that he had tripped and in the fall he had lost his watch. Together the two men search for it.

After 20 minutes of fruitless searching, the man asks “Where exactly did you trip?”

“In the park over the road,” says the drunk “But the light over there is not good enough to find the watch, so I started here.”

A MAN goes into his basement and taps on an old bottle and at once a genie appears.

“Genie,” says the man “When I first released you from this bottle you granted me three wishes. I am very pleased with you. Hawthorn has won the last three AFL premierships as I requested.”

“What is it you want now?” asks the genie.

“I’d like to make my second wish!”

A NUN is sitting at the window of her convent reading some mail from her parents which included a $50 note.

While wondering how she might spend the money, she looked out the window and saw a dishevelled man sitting on the footpath.

Thinking she can help someone who might be in financial difficulties, she puts the $50 in an envelope and writes on it “Don’t despair – Sr Mary Elizabeth”. She then leant out the window, got the man’s attention and dropped him the envelope.

Next night she was in her room when Mother Superior called to advise there that there was a dishevelled man at the door demanding to see her.

The sister went downstairs and the man gave her an envelope full of cash.

When she asked what it was for, the man replied “Don’t Despair paid 50-1 in the cup and here are your winnings.”

Catholic Life, December 2015 - Page 19

Principal appointed

Classifieds death

for sale

bingo

WORSLEY, Fred - A Traralgon parishioner died at O'Mara House, Traralgon on Tuesday, October 20, 2015.

Fred had been a voluntary and dedicated driver for Monsignor Allman for over five years, making himself available to go anywhere at any time, and helping Monsignor attend many occasions/functions in Traralgon and the region.

Monsignor Allman expresses his prayful gratitude to Fred's daughter, Lee and her family.

May Fred's soul rest in peace.

WEG football premiership posters. All teams. Fully framed under glass, delivered free. Highly collectible due to WEG's passing. Brand new $165. Phone 0488 342 525.

Sacred Heart School

MATTHEW Hamer has been appointed principal at St Brendan’s Primary School, Lakes Entrance, from the beginning of term one next year.

He replaces Roslyn Joiner who has been appointed principal of St Gabriel’s Primary in Traralgon, in place of Paul Mulqueen.

Mr Hamer is currently principal at St Joseph’s Primary in Orbost.

Previously announced changes for next year include

CHRISTMAS

ROSA Bourke parrots.

Beautiful pink parrots about the size of a budgerigar. Very quiet birds which make ideal pets. Singles or pairs available now. $20 each. Orders taken for Christmas. Can be delivered most areas. Phone 5144 4251.

wanted known

Your will be done

public notices

prayer HOLY Spirit. You who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideals, you who give me a divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me; in this short dialogue I want to thank you for everything and affirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desire may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in Your Perpetual Glory. (Mention your request) Thank you, Holy Spirit for your love towards me and my loved ones. Amen.

This prayer should be said for 3 consecutive days. After the 3rd day the request will be granted, no matter how difficult it may be. While making the request one must either promise to publish on granting of the favor or promise to circulate copies of it to as many people as possible. This is to spread the wonder of the Holy Spirit.

MAY the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, loved and glorified throughout the whole world now and forever more. Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us, St Jude helper of the desperate pray for us. To be said 9 times per day for 9 days.

Must publish.

THANK YOU St Jude. O Holy St Jude Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need.

To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition.

In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked.

St Jude pray for us and all who invoke your aid. Amen.

VOCATIONS Priests & Deacons Are you considering a vocation as a priest or deacon for the Diocese of Sale?

If so please contact

Fr Peter Bickley 5152 3106 vocations@sale.catholic.org.au

Peter McKenna being appointed principal of St Kieran's, Moe. He has been deputy principal at St Ita's, Drouin.

Kevin Browning has been appointed principal of St Catherine's, Berwick, coming to the diocese from a principal's position in Queensland.

Mr Browning has considerable experience in Catholic education, having been in princicpal positions since 1999.

He also served as a principal in Tasmania

Friday, December 18, 2015 Morwell RSL Club, Elgin St., Morwell Join our annual giant customer Christmas giveaway.

Trinity Families asks you to consider assisting our work in funding charitable projects across the diocese.

Remembering Trinity Families in your will by making a bequest is an effective way of ensuring that you do something to help those struggling families in our midst.

If you need more information on bequests contact: PO Box 1410, Warragul 3820 Ph: 56 22 6688 ABN 51 486 581 500

Bingo will be closed from December 18 reopening January 22, 2016.

Further details phone 0401962 404 or 5133 7221 (AH) To our valued patrons, thank you for supporting the children of Sacred Heart School during 2015. Through your generosity we have been able to complete many projects this year.

Have a joyous Christmas and festive New Year from all at Sacred Heart School Bingo.

Please donate generously to the appeal for

Trinity Families.

The Sale Diocese charity serving the families of Greater Gippsland.

Details at www.trinityfamilies.org.au

Catholic Life

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Page 20 - Catholic Life, December 2015

St Mary’s Yarram celebrates its centenary YARRAM – St Mary’s Church last month celebrated the 100th anniversary of the laying of its foundation stone.

Bishop of Sale Pat O’Regan spent two days in the parish officiating in the annual Greenmount Catholic Cemetery Mass and the centenary celebrations.

Inclement weather forced the cancellation of the open air cemetery Mass on the Saturday and so it was moved to the Yarram Church.

The following day everyone gathered again in much finer weather for the centenary Mass and following luncheon.

Before Mass everyone

gathered outside the church where the bishop led a prayer service and parish priest Fr Bernard Buckley blessed the foundation stone with holy water.

The stone was laid by the second Bishop of Sale Patrick Phelan on October 10, 1915.

Visitors who returned to Yarram for the centenary included several religious sisters who had taught at the adjacent St Mary’s School or who had worked in the parish as pastoral workers.

Others who had links with the parish also travelled back for the occasion.

AT the centenary service was a large group of religious sisters, pictured here with parish priest Fr Bernard Buckley and Bishop Pat O’Regan. The sisters are (from left) Sr Helen Buckley FCJ, Sr Margaret Moore RSM, Sr Agnes Nunn RSJ, Sr Martha OSB, Sr Margaret Brown RSJ, Sr Audrey Thomson RSJ, Sr Margaret Daly RSJ, Sr Julian OSB and current parish pastoral worker Sr Ann Tuck RSJ. FR Bernard Buckley sprinkles holy water as Bishop Pat O’Regan reads the prayer at the short ceremony before the centenary Mass.

CHATTING at the centenary are (from left) Graeme Egan, Elizabeth Brinker-Ritchie and Merrick Daniel.

All your Christmas Mass times CHRISTMAS is a time when many people are out of their home parishes and it is always handy to be able to find out when and where the various services will be.

Our diocesan website www.sale.catholic.org.au has a Christmas Mass times page under quick links and the parishes tab.

The times are set out town by town rather than by parish as often visitors are not sure what parish they are in.

Most parishes have provided the relevant details at this stage but a few are dragging the chain and their details will be up in a few days.

ENJOYING a cuppa after Mass are (from left) Paul McAninly, Phil Dessent, Pat Moore, Dennis Arthur and John O’Callaghan.

New trades centre opens at Catholic College Sale SALE – A modern trades centre has been officially opened at Catholic College Sale by Gippsland MHR Darren Chester.

The modern facility which was built with the aid of a $980,100 Federal Government funding was blessed by Bishop of Sale Pat O’Regan.

From the start of next year local students will be able to make use of the trade training facilities to pursue vocational pathways and develop skills across a range of fields.

Mr Chester said there were real skills shortages in cities, communities and regions throughout Australia and so local students would benefit for the use of the innovative facilities.

The centre incorporates an open work spaces, automotive and engineering workshops, a commercial kitchen, hospitality kitchen, a teaching class-dining

room, staff facilities, amenities, storage rooms and equipment.

Mr Chester said skills training at secondary school provided a basis for students to pursue further training after school or to enter the workplace.

Principal Chris Randall said the project to build the trade centre was a move in the right direction to ensure a high standard of education continued at the college.

“We are very grateful to the Commonwealth Government for their trade skills centres projects and the initiatives they provide the schools, not just in Sale, but in the wider Gippsland region.”

He said the college would be able to service the needs of students from other local secondary schools.

The school will begin offering three courses at the centre next year, including VET hospitality, VET engineering and VET

DARREN Chester, MHR, Gippsland, congratulates college captains, watched by Bishop Pat O’Regan after the opening of the new trades centre. been placed on the walls of Brothers who run the school automotive.

Cross painted by women at the new centre. The college there and there have regularly Santa Teresa Spirituality Centre has a long association with the been student excursions from in the Northern Territory have mission through the Marists Sale to the mission.