Page 12 - Catholic Life, June 2011
Talking the walk with teachers CWL diocesan conference by sea
IN the name of Christian Unity, Sam Clear, a young Catholic from Tasmania, walked a long road in prayer. Known as Walk4One, Sam’s journey encompassed 29,000km over 18 months, of which 15,500km was travelled on foot. Sam encouraged every Christian to join him in praying for Christian unity at 4.01pm daily, as he travelled and now that he is home in Australia his journey continues. As a precursor to the National Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Sam spent a week in Sale Diocese presenting his seminar ‘walk4one’ to parishes and their young teachers. Regions and parishes made Sam feel very welcome as those present hung on his every word. Having commenced the journey on December 14, 2006, Sam travelled from Cape Branco the eastern most point of Brazil, through South America, Central America and North America, across Russia, and down through Europe to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The self initiated global quest then finished in Sydney on July 14, 2008 at World Youth Day. To simplify this enormous agenda and make a practical response accessible to everyday people, Sam invited and still invites every Christian to join him by setting their watch or mobile phone alarm for 4.01pm, as a reminder to stop for a moment and pray that God will unite us as, ‘one in Christ’. With Christians praying at 4.01pm across the different time zones Sam hopes to create a powerful 24 hour a day worldwide prayer session in the name of Christian unity. Sam says over the last couple of years, a number of experiences left him overwhelmed by the division amongst Christians around the world and convicted of the great sadness this brings our Lord. He felt moved to leave his job, home and family, sell everything he owned to fund the journey, and begin the 564 day mission. “I had read several autobiographies in which Christians spoke of being ostracised and worse, by family and friends when their spiritual search led them to convert from one Christian denomination to another. This left me struck by the division amongst Christians around the world. Despite all believing in Christ; various conflicting theologies, practices, experiences, misunderstandings and belief systems continue to cause judgment, conflict and division between Christians,” said Sam. “With such division it is impossible to say that the body of
INVERLOCH - The Sale Diocesan Conference of the Catholic Women’s League was held at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Inverloch, on May 10. Theme was ‘New ways of living the Gospel that respect and defend the human dignity of all in our land.’ The conference opened with league prayers and welcome from Inverloch vice president. Seventy one members attended representing most branches. Mass was offered by Fr Manny Lomagno after which the presentation of a bursary cheque was made to him as the bishop’s representative. Guest speaker for the morning was Sr Catherine Kelly a Bridgidine nun who spoke about the Bridgidine Asylum Seekers Project. She began visiting Marybynong asylum seekers, met
SAM Clear helps a Warragul teacher dress up in the balaclava, ski mask and multiple gloves he wore while trudging through -30 degree temperatures. Christ is united. It is broken. “I don’t claim to know what true unity looks like but I was, in that moment, so convicted of the broken body of Christ and the sadness this brings our Lord. I felt the need to pray and motivate others to join me in praying, so together we can surrender our own agendas and ask for God’s vision of unity to come to be”, says Sam. Sam’s extraordinary commitment to this quest is clear, after more than 130 days on the road he continues, despite facing many difficult experiences. In Costa Rica, he was robbed by a pack of thieves as he walked with a South American World Youth Day group. In Venezuela he was stalked by a puma in the middle of the night, held up at gun point by a farmer who mistook him for a robber and endured racially motivated physical and verbal abuse. On some days he was forced to walk up to 60km a day in 40 degree temperatures. He slept on roadsides and in rat infested rooms. However, he has also experienced the great hospitality of many Christian Churches along the way, which have joined him in prayer and invited him to speak of his journey and his desire for unity. Teachers present at Sam’s talks here in the diocese where enthralled with his amazing
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them face to face and listened to their stories. The Bridgidine Sisters have two houses for refugees. These people are from all parts of the world. The speakers for the afternoon were two ladies who attended the Jerusalem WUCWO assembly. They showed a Powerpoint presentation of the holy places they visited. The general president addressed the conference followed by a presentation to two retiring members, Marcia Wilkinson and Monica Clark. They have both served nine years on the diocesan committee. The conference finished with the announcement of the committee for 2011-2012, drawing of the raffle, closing prayers and afternoon tea.
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journey. Justin Henderson from Sale said “I feel inspired again after listening to Sam, I have the same feeling I did inside after I returned from World Youth Day in Sydney”. Other teachers want Sam back to present to their students and other churches. Christians are encouraged to visit the Walk4One website at www.ymt.com/walk4one, where they can add their name to a growing worldwide list of Christians praying daily for unity at 4.01pm. The website also provides further background on Walk4One.
Walker with a cross to bear visits CRANBOURNE – A visiting American who walked 8000km across the United States carrying a two metre high cross will be speaking in Cranbourne this Sunday, June 19. Jim Murphy’s talk in St Agatha’s Church, Sladen St., will be based on Jesus’ words “Whoever believes in me, will do the works I do and will do greater ones than these.” (John 14:12) The session is from 2pm to 5pm and is being organised by Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Mr Murphy was inspired in 1992 by an American Bishops’ letter ‘Heritage and Hope’ to carry the cross from the Atlantic coast in Florida to the Pacific ocean on the other wide of the country. Some 18 months and 14 pairs of shoes later, he reached his destination.
He tells many amazing stories of the goodness of God to himself and of the many times God used his struggles with the cross to bring healing and conversion to people along the way. He is a former member of Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services, based at the Vatican, and was chairman of the charismatic service committee for the USA. His life journey has seen him work from Alaska to South America, in a variety of jobs including in salvage diving, charter boat operations, archaeological research, playing in a band and even as a body guard for Mother Teresa. More information can be obtained from Peter Schreurs 5998 1554 or John Duiker 0448 343 074.
MONICA Clark (left) and Marcia Wilkinson with awards presented after retiring from the CWL executive after nine years service.
Bishop to lead teaching day on scripture BISHOP Christopher Prowse will lead a teaching day in Warragul next month based on St Jerome’s statement “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Catholic Charismatic Renewal is organising the day at Sion Teacher’s Centre on July 16, from 9.30am to 4pm. The morning will begin with praise and worship with the Our Lady Help of Christian music ministry team from Narre Warren. Bishop Prowse’s talk will include reference to the reflection by Pope Benedict XVI in his recent document Verbum Domini.