Catholic Life May 2016

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Catholic Life Publication of the Diocese of Sale

May 2016

ISSUE 193

New Council of Priests

THE Bishop’s Council of Priests with Bishop Pat O’Regan (right) before their meeting in Sale. Members are (from left) Episcopal Vicar Fr Denis O’Bryan, Dean of the Cathedral Fr Peter Bickley, Fr Bernard Buckley, Fr Peter Kooloos, Fr Harry Dyer OMI, Fr Francis Otobo, Vicar General Fr Peter Slater, Fr Jeff Kleynjans, Fr Aju Varghese CMI, Fr Brendan Hogan and Fr Michael Willemsen.

SALE - The newly appointed Bishop of Sale Pat O’Regan before meeting at the former who meet regularly with the bishop’s house. bishop and vicar general.

Sale Diocese Bishop’s earlier this year.

The council concelebrated The council of priests is an About half the council Council of Priests has Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral on 10 member advisory group of members make up another gathered for the first time.

They were appointed by

April 26 with Bishop O’Regan

priests from around the diocese

group known as the Consultors

whom Canon Law dictates the bishop must discuss issues of diocesan governance and administration before any major changes are made.

This issue highlights

Trinity Families annual May appeal - Page 3

Tao Pham to be ordained soon - Page 4

Fr Hengel retirement - Page 7

Nagle student off to Olympics - Page 20

Trinity FAMILIES

Think of all the families you can help

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, May 2016

Easter: A week of weeks OF all the seasons, my favorite is autumn. It is the time between the intensities of summer and winter. It is less volatile than spring, and the colors and crisp air are both bracing.

Most of all it is also when Easter falls, and while a moveable feast, it is the most important feast and season of our liturgical year.

It was my joy in early Lent to celebrate, in our Cathedral, the Rite of Election. Listening to the stories of those who were anticipating being baptised and welcomed into full communion with the church at the Easter Vigil, was fascinating.

Listening to how the grace of God was active in their lives, leading them to the gift of faith was inspiring. Each with their own particular personal history; each responding to the movement of the Holy Spirit in their own way; each reflecting their own slight hesitancies and each high in their praise of the RCIA teams throughout our diocese who have helped them love and deepen their relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

All spoke glowingly of their sponsor and how helpful and encouraging they have been.

Holy Week in Sale with its many ceremonies, including the Chrism Mass, again was most prayerful with large crowds attending. Our six seminarians were with us all for the week a graceful time for all.

On May 1, I celebrated a thanksgiving Mass in Warragul, for all those who were baptised or welcomed into to full

communion with the Church.

Same thing! Inspiring stories of how the grace of God is at work in the lives of people.

Another experience reminding that God is good and good indeed.

While it is a privilege listening to and coming to know the people behind these stories it was a reminder that this is the journey for us all during Lent and Easter each year. A journey which rediscovers the grace of God at work in our lives. If we never look we shall never find.

Mingling with the neophytes reminded me how easy at times to see God at work, and as Pope Francis reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. As has been often said, “As the RCIA goes, so goes the Church.”

Easter has also seen the beginning of the confirmation season for the year, again the grace of God at work is easy to see.

Another joy of Easter was attending our diocesan clergy retreat at Pallotti College, Millgrove. This annual retreat was given this year by the Jesuit Fr Patrick O’Sullivan. A great atmosphere prevailed at the retreat and day by day another aspect of God’s grace at work unfolded.

On the final day of the retreat Pope Francis released his Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia. While rather long, 262 pages in the version I read, it is profound. It is at the same time a compendium of teaching of marriage and family life, a profound spiritual

Catholic Life PO Box 1410, Warragul Vic. 3820 Phone: (03) 5622 6688

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in the lives of our people.

It is believed that by the time they are completed there will be over 300 people who will have attended.

Some still think Easter is but a day. For us Easter is a season of 50 days, a week of weeks.

For me Easter this year has had many graces, I invite you to reflect on what graces Easter has shown to you.

treatise on the love of God and an encouragement to all who are seeking a pathway through the myriad of options in our complicated world.

It shows that he has digested the contents of both the recent Synods on family life and papal teaching on the family in the last 50 years. That’s not an easy thing to accomplish but I believe our Holy Father Francis has done so.

It will be for us a guiding document for many years to come, and will help to inform our decisions in the future. I encourage you to get old of a copy and read it, and mediate upon it.

Another sign of Easter life is that we have have reconstituted the Bishop’s Council of Priests.

We’ve had a preliminary meeting already.

At the present time we are engaged in a series of Called and Gifted workshops throughout the diocese.

These are designed to be both helpful in bringing deeper life to our parishes and diocese and

Published 6 times a year

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Editor: Colin Coomber

Deadline for advertising copy and editorial contributions for our next issue is June 6.

Issues distributed free through parishes and schools from June 15.

One more thing. Last September I asked I you to join in a special effort to help support our seminarians. Our seminary, Corpus Christi in Carlton, needed eight new rooms, and this special collection aimed at helping to provide for this need.

While a good problem to have, needing new rooms, the challenge is rather great.

With the combination of the participation of our seminarians, and a special video made for the occasion, and other materials provided for the appeal, I am delighted to say that the Diocese of Sale has exceeded its quota raising a wonderful $46,831.75 for the seminary building appeal.

Thank you so much for your generosity. It is truly good news and a great investment in our future and a wonderful way of providing for the needs of our seminarians. Again thank you.

MARK RIDDLE Consultant 2002900

IT is a busy year this year with 10 Sale Diocese clergy celebrating milestones of ordination.

Two retired priests Fr Tom O’Connell, Trafalgar, and Fr John Readman, Pakenham, celebrate their 60th anniversaries of ordination this year.

Fr O’Connell, who is the last of the Irish priests ordained for Sale Diocese, will celebrate his diamond anniversary on June 17.

Fr Readman’s diamond anniversary is on July 22.

Pakenham parish priest Fr Bernie Mahony will celebrate 50 years since ordination on December 19.

Chancellor Fr Brian O’Connor, Sale, celebrated the 30th anniversary of his ordination on April 27, and Fr Manny Lomagno, Wonthaggi,

will also celebrate 30 years on August 30.

Fr Bernie Krotwaar, Trafalgar, celebrates 20 years on August 24, and Fr Jeff Kleynjans, Berwick, will celebrate 10 years on May 27.

Three of our permanent deacons also have milestones of their anniversary this year.

Former diocesan secretary Deacon Jim Erskine, Warragul, will mark 40 years of being a permanent deacon on September 9.

Celebrating 10 years since ordination to the permanent diaconate are Deacon Mark Kelly on June 23, and Deacon Terry Rooney on October 15.

Another golden anniversary, connected to our diocese is for Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Joe Oudeman OFMCap who was ordained a Capuchin priest at Iona 50 years ago on June 29.

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 3

Annual May appeal supports Trinity Families PARISHES through Sale Diocese will be holding annual collections for the diocesan charitable fund Trinity Families.

Church groups are also invited to make a donation at this time to further the work of the charity.

Schools in the diocese are asked to hold one event each year to support Trinity Families and the results of their efforts last year was extremely pleasing.

Executive officer Colin

Coomber said that Trinity Families relied on the support of parishes to bring in enough money to bolster the trust fund against inflation eroding the holdings.

Trinity Families acted as a philanthropic fund which distributed its earnings each year.

“The amount available to donate to projects in the Greater Gippsland area varies depending on the return from our investments, but I am

pleased to say that even in these low interest times we have been able to increase our annual disbursements.”

He said that Trinity Families had donated over $1.2 million since it was established with all money being used to fund

Seminarians gather at cathedral

charitable works benefitting families in the municipalities of Casey, Cardinia, Baw Baw, Latrobe, Wellington, East Gippsland, Bass Coast and South Gippsland.

Mr Coomber said he realised that people could only support a limited number of charitable appeals each year but he urged people to make Trinity Families one of their charities of choice.

Charities raised millions of dollars a year in the region but most of the benefit of that money went into the metropolitan area.

“Charities operating in Gippsland and the eastern growth corridor, which make up the area covered by Trinity Families, struggle to get enough

funds to run programs.

“Trinity Families is making a real difference and the main reason for that is the strong support in past years by Catholic parishioners.”

Mr Coomber said people who used internet banking could donate directly by using the bank account details on the Trinity Families website www. trinityfamilies.org.au.

Those who wished to donate using credit cards were encouraged to fill out the online form and post it in.

He said people should not send credit card details by email because of the risk of email accounts being hacked.

Darren Chester Putting Locals First #lovegippsland

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John Lania & Associates THE six seminarians for Sale Diocese all spent Holy Week with Bishop Pat O’Regan at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale. They gathered for this photograph with the bishop after the Chrism Mass. They are (from left) Confidence Masvosva, Hiep Nguyen, Paul Zaher, Avinash George, Jithin Anto and Stanley Devasia. Hiep and Avinash are currently doing their pastoral year in parishes and will return to the seminary for further studies before being ordained deacons.

Death of former Polish chaplain established a mission here in 1959 and Fr Lisik came in 1962, serving Polish immigrants in New Zealand, Sydney and South Australia, before coming to Sale Diocese in 1992.

He served as Polish chaplain until 2001 being based in Yallourn North, Sale, Morwell and Narre Warren parishes.

Fr Lisik was well-liked in this diocese, visiting all Polish parishioners, carrying with him his Bible, Rosary beads and a Polish joke book.

He strongly urged recitation of the Rosary and formed home Rosary groups in Narre Warren.

He urged the Polish immigrants to become involved in parish life and organised regular picnics and outings after Masses so people could get to know and love Gippsland.

Fr Lisik was a strong supporter

Help where it is needed

of the project to build a Divine Mercy Shrine in Keysborough and this came to fruition in 2006 when it was consecrated

by Archbishop Denis Hart.

On his retirement in 2007 he went to Belarus to serve Belorusian and Polish Catholics living there, then in 2008 moved to Ukraine to where he was based at Holy Trinity Church, Woloczysk. As well as his priestly duties, he organised humanitarian aid for his parishioners.

Fr Lisik returned to the Mother House of his congregation at Poznan at the start of this year for what was to be a routine operation and had expected to return to Ukraine.

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THE death has occurred in Poland of former chaplain to the Polish immigrants in Sale Diocese Fr Wladyslaw (Les) Lisik.

Fr Lisik died age 83 in Poznan following complications with what was expected to be a minor operation.

He was a member of the Society of Christ Fathers, a missionary congregation established to serve Polish people living abroad.

Born at Silislaw, Poland, in 1932, he joined the society in 1952 and after his priestly ordination in 1960, taught at the seminary for two years.

Many Polish people had come to Australian and New Zealand after the Second World War and to escape the Communist regime in their country.

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Page 4 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Reason for delay

SORRY for the delay in getting this issue published.

As most readers would be aware Catholic Life is a oneman band and yours truly literally fell off the perch at Easter.

Despite rumors to contrary I still assert that the ladder fell out from under me, rather than me being careless atop the ladder.

It was not the fall which did the damage, nor the sudden stop, it was blood clot and infection in my shin which developed a couple of days later which caused me to have an operation, a stint in hospital, bucket loads of antibiotics, daily visits from hospital in the home and three weeks off work.

So what you have in your hands is the postponed April issue, renamed May. The June issue will come out as usual next month, then we will be back to the twomonthly cycle.

Get copy in

OUR advertisers and contributors will have to be on the ball to get copy in for the next issue as the deadline is only three weeks away.

Remember when sending in items, please send photos original size and make them separate JPG attachments.

We cannot handle photos in Word files because quality is

Four former bishops deaths too low when the photos are extracted.

It you have any concerns about how to send the photos give us a call.

Heritage award

CONGRATULATIONS to Sale parishioner and local identity Peter Synan on being named the Volunteer of the Year Award by Heritage Victoria.

Peter has been a keen historian, writing several books on Sale and district and has served of many local committees over the years.

He is a former Mayor of the City of Sale and the brother of the late Terry Synan who was formerly director of Catholic education and a monthly contributor to Catholic Life.

Benefit card

IF any reader shops in a Ritchies IGA store and do not have a community benefits card, we can give you one which allocates a percentage of every purchase to the diocesan charity Trinity Families.

Just call us on 5622 6688 and we will post it out.

FOUR retired Australian bishops have died since our last issue went to press.

They are Bishop Emeritus of Townsville Raymond Benjamin, Bishop Emeritus of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns, Bishop Emeritus of Lismore John Satterthwaite and Bishop Emeritus of Bunbury Myles McKeon.

Bishop Benjamin, 91, was Townsville’s fourth bishop who served between 1984 and 2000, was regarded as a great leader of the diocese He served in parishes in the Rockhampton Diocese for 34 years before his episcopal ordination in 1984.

Bishop Benjamin’s funeral took place after pontifical requiem Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Townsville, on March 17.

Bishop Mulkearns was the sixth Bishop of Ballarat serving between 1971 and 1997.

He died on April 3 and was laid to rest on April 11 at Ballarat General Cemetery after a funeral Mass in a small chapel inside the nursing home where he died.

Embroiled in controversy over his handling of sexual abuse complaints against various clergy, he recently gave evidence to the Royal Commission from the nursing home via video link.

Bishop Mulkearns was the first bishop in Ballarat’s history

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

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.

to be buried in a common grave and not in the crypt at Ballarat Cathedral.

The Church said it had decided on a simple, low-key funeral because of the controversy around Bishop Mulkearns’ time as Ballarat’s Bishop.

About 30 people attended the funeral, including his only sibling, and a number of nephews and nieces.

Bishop Satterthwaite was the fourth Bishop of Lismore, serving as coadjutor bishop from 1969-1971 and then from 1971-2001 as bishop.

He died on April 23 at Port Macquarie where he lived in retirement.

His funeral was held on

May 2, following pontifical requiem Mass in St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore.

Bishop McKeon, 97, was an Irish priest who studied at the missionary seminary All Hallows in Dublin before coming to Australia in 1947.

He was ordained an Auxiliary Bishop of Perth Archdiocese in 1962, moving to become the second Bishop of Bunbury in 1969.

He served the diocese until retiring through ill-health in 1982.

Bishop McKeon died on May 2 and his funeral will be held next week.

Tao Pham to be finally ordained FORMER Sale Diocesan seminarian Tao Pham will be ordained a deacon by Melbourne Archdiocese on June 25.

Tao was only two weeks away from being ordained a deacon at Narre Warren by Bishop Christopher Prowse in March 2011 when he collapsed during Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale.

After initial treatment at the Sale hospital, he was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital suffering a severe infection which led to him being a prolonged coma in intensive care ward.

Septicaemia caused multiple major organ failure and his life hung in the balance for many months.

At one stage it was feared that his life support would be turned off. Family travelled from Vietnam and just when it seemed Tao’s death was imminent, he started to show signs of recovery.

Tao spent 12 months fighting the infection which attacked his body organs, wasted away leg muscles and fused his joints.

The septicaemia was believed to stem from a thumb which became infected after being accidentally squashed when a car boot closed on it.

After release from hospital he spent another 12 months of intensive rehabilitation in Melbourne.

Tao was well enough to travel to Sale for Bishop Jeremiah Coffey’s funeral in late 2014 and returned to Corpus Christi seminary where he completed his final units of study.

The illness robbed him of mobility but his desire to serve God through the priesthood remained strong.

Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart will ordain Tao a

Tao Pham deacon in St Patrick’s Cathedral, East Melbourne, at 10am on June 25 and then on September 10 he is expected to ordain him a priest for the archdiocese.

Tao needs ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation, which he will be able to access more easily by being a priest in Melbourne where he has developed a strong network of friends during his four year battle with illness.

Tao’s journey has been a long one – he grew up in a farming family in Vietnam and after completing schooling, he worked on the farm for several years before studying at Saigon University in Ho Chi Minh City.

In 1999 he entered a Catholic monastery and in 2000 became a novitiate, taking religious vows in 2002.

His desire to become a Catholic priest was thwarted by government policy which strictly limited the number of ordinations to the priesthood which could take place.

In 2005 he sought to come to Australia to train for the priesthood and was accepted by Bishop Coffey who encouraged him to acclimatise to Australian ways and undertake English classes.

He finally entered Corpus Christi in 2007.

Away for a weekend and need to check local Mass times?

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

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 5

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Page 6 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Harden not your hearts WE seem to like complaining – just listen to talk back radio!

Sometimes we seem to want to tell others about every grief or injustice we may have suffered, every misery we have endured.

No matter how good it gets, we can still find something to complain about.

Psalm 95 reminds us of an incident that happened at Meribah.

O today that you would listen to God’s voice!

Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the wilderness when your ancestors tried me and put me to the test even though they had seen my works.

God had rescued the people from slavery in Egypt and had provided for them, cared for them in the harsh wilderness of the desert and had brought them to the edge of the Promised Land.

In the words of Acts, ‘God led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert (Acts 7:36)’. But grumble, grumble, grumble. It just wasn’t good enough, why couldn’t we have this, what did it have to be like that? We need more water. We need more food…..

Jesus is confronted with the same problem. Just after he fed the 4000 people with seven

loaves, some Pharisees come demanding a further sign from heaven!

In teaching his disciples shortly after that frustrating encounter, even they still did not understand him: “Are your minds closed?” he asks them.

“Like the Pharisees, have you too hardened your heart? Have you eyes that cannot see?”

(Luke 8:17) What is hardness of heart?

In broad terms, it is a lack of openness to the mystery of God’s presence and activity, a lack of openness to God’s ways which may not always coincide with ‘our ways’!

It is often characterised by stubbornness in our own beliefs, in our own ways of doing things, an unfeeling and even domineering reaction to what others might say or believe or propose.

Prejudice is another of its effects. Prejudice is prejudgment. It is one-sided; the mind made up without the full examination of all sides of the question, ready to leap to a conclusion.

Hardness of heart brings with it an unjust and ungenerous attitude of the mind, it lacks tenderness, warmth and generosity of spirit.

Hardness of heart brings with it a lack of guilt – we can become so judgmental about others’ actions and motives but excuse our own.

We can become quick to remind God how this person ought to be judged or treated or punished but not apply the same standards to ourselves.

In fact, there is often a great reluctance to admit mistakes or that we may have misjudged others or that our motives are anything less than pure. We can try to make ourselves look good by putting others down: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

Luke 18:11-13 Hardness of heart brings with it a lack of generosity, not just in sharing our good fortune but we can harbour resentful feelings, especially to those we perceive to be more fortunate or those who may have injured or neglected us or hurt our feelings or pride.

Like the Pharisees who came often to trick Jesus, we can resent those who do not believe as we do, who see aspects of our faith in different ways, or who may belong to another faith tradition.

We cannot ask ourselves why

Help us to help others Donate now to support charities aiding 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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Reflections

by Jim Quillinan or try to put ourselves in their shoes. They are simply wrong!

We can indulge ourselves in hard, unkind and jealous feelings and in the process render ourselves unhappy.

It is not for nothing that we pray in the Mass, peace to people of ‘good will’, for those who do not have good will are far from peaceful.

Finally hardness of heart is characterised by a lack of

a loving and compassionate generosity of spirit. Sadly we cannot accept that “the Lord is a compassionate and merciful God, patient, always faithful and ready to forgive (Exodus 34:6)”.

Sadly, as at Meribah of old, we too can put God to the test, even though we have seen God’s works and we have experienced the wonders of God’s love.

Bishops wants us using same book THE Bishops of Australia launched a new liturgical worship book at the Catholic Leadership Centre in Melbourne on April 8, 30 years since the last one was published.

The new Catholic Worship Book II will be the official liturgical music resource for the Catholic Church in Australia, Archbishop Denis Hart, President, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said during the official launch.

The Catholic Worship Book II hits all the right notes with a broad range of liturgical music, including the chants for the revised Order of Mass (2010), new and revised Mass settings and service music, plus music for the Sunday Eucharist, the various rites of the Church and morning and evening prayer.

Prepared by the National Liturgical Music Board, an advisory board of the Bishops’ Commission for Liturgy, the worship book reflects the Catholic Church’s rich heritage of chant – in Latin and English - and traditional hymns and contemporary liturgical songs from local and international sources.

Music featured includes old favorites like Praise to the Holiest by Cardinal Newman and Christ be our Light by Bernadette Farrell but also contemporary Australian music like Chris Willcock’s, If I could Tell the Love of God and Michael Herry’s, Lord, to Whom Shall we Go? Chair of the Bishops’ Commission for Liturgy,

Bishop Patrick O’Regan, sang the praises of the new publication as “an essential resource for every parish, school, choir and chaplain in celebrating the liturgy.”

The book is available in two versions, a full music edition with two volumes, hard case, in a slip case and the peoples’ edition, also known as the pew edition, available in hardback for long life and durability in parishes.

Morning Star Publishing representative Hugh McGinlay said, the original Catholic Worship Book was published in 1985 and since that time, there had been dramatic changes in available liturgical resources both at a local and international level.

“The new edition has been in the planning phase for almost 10 years. From the beginning, the National Liturgical Music Board wanted to provide resources for Australian Catholics from the richness of the Catholic tradition as well as a range of sound, contemporary compositions.

“A special feature of the planning has been to promote the work of Australian writers and composers and they are well represented among the texts and music,” McGinlay added.

For more information about the new worship book, including costs and availability, please contact Morning Star Publishing by email: cwb@ morningstarpublishing.net.au.

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Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 7

Pakenham parishioner a papal knight

Of nuns, monasteries and monkeys WHEN Emma Allchurch from Newry, near Maffra, joined the cloistered Benedictine Congregation known as Tyburn nuns, her family never expected to have any trouble in keeping track of exactly where she was.

But the congregation, whose charism is one of liturgical prayer and perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, also has an irrepressible missionary spirit.

This spirit has led to the rapid expansion of the congregation across Australia and New Zealand, Europe, South America and now also in Africa.

So following a circuitous route via New Zealand, France, England, Ireland and Scotland, Emma, now known as Mother Mary Justin, finds herself as the member of a small Tyburn community working to found a monastic centre of prayer and hospitality in the heart of KwaZulu Natal in the much troubled country of South Africa, at the invitation of Bishop Graham Rose of Dundee Diocese.

As South Africa faces crisis on many levels; political, economic, social and ecological, the Church’s mission of evangelisation and hope becomes increasingly imperative.

The little Tyburn community, with sisters from all different races and backgrounds, are giving themselves totally to

help in every way possible as Benedictine religious.

Their monastery, which is currently under planning, will be dedicated to the Holy Family and will be a place of Eucharistic spirituality, fraternal equality and natural sanctuary to which all will be welcome.

The Sisters plan to establish the monastery property according to the principles of permaculture and hope that this could become a model for the surrounding townships and informal settlements, fostering nutritional independence and sustainability in a punishing climate very similar to Australia.

Currently the Sisters have been warmly welcomed and accommodated by the Dominican Sisters in Blaauwbosch, and feel very much at home among the majority Zulu parish where already the ministry of prayer is much appreciated.

However, the Sisters are eager to get on site and so are looking to establish some simple, temporary housing to be used over the next couple of years while the chapel and monastery are being built.

This will include a small chapel where Mass and Eucharistic Adoration will begin immediately. It will also allow for the beginning of the property development and the oversight of the construction

MOTHER Mary Justin, formerly from Newry, with a batch of freshly baked hot cross buns at Easter in South Africa where she is now serving the Tyburn nuns. process.

Funds for the purchase of this basic accommodation and the upkeep of the little community POPULAR parish priest of are in very short supply.

Warragul and Drouin parishes If you are able to help this Fr Herman Hengel will retire new venture of prayer and from active duties on Sunday hope to become a living June 12. reality, the Sisters would be To mark the occasion the most grateful! Donations can parishes are holding a three be sent to ‘Tyburn Missions’ at course luncheon in McCartan Tyburn Priory, 325 Garfield Rd Hall, Marist Sion College, East, Riverstone NSW, 2765.

Warragul at noon that day.

PAKENHAM parishioner Herbie O’Flynn was honored with a papal knighthood earlier this year.

He was made a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great to recognise extraordinary service to the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn over more than 30 years.

His first appointment was as executive director overseeing the visit to Canberra by Pope John Paul II in 1986 and he then became first general manager of the Archdiocesan Catholic Development Fund for 19 years.

He was archdiocesan financial administrator from 2004 to 2011 and played key roles in archdiocesan synods and other pastoral initiatives. He was also involved in the development of the Canberra cathedral precinct redevelopment project until August last year when he moved to Pakenham.

Fr Hengel retirement Cost is $25 per head, children under five free, and children 5 -12 reduced rate.

Bookings are essential and those attending should advise no later than Friday June 3.

For further information contact either Joan Robertson 5623 1642 or Susan Collis 0407 231 292.

Insurance that gives back to the Catholic community When you choose CCI Personal Insurance, you not only get great insurance at a great price, you’re also supporting the Catholic community.

Each year we give back via a range of Catholic community programs.

We also support worthy initiatives and causes, all with the objective of making a positive contribution to the Catholic community.

So when you choose CCI Personal Insurance, you’re not the only one who benefits.

Visit our website or call us to learn more about CCI’s dedication to the Catholic community.

catholicinsurance.org.au/ community 1300 655 003

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Page 8 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Nigerian sisters’ agreement

A papal blessing

BISHOP Pat O’Regan presents the couple with the papal blessing, watched by Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral, Fr Peter Bickley and two of their grandchildren.

WELL known Sale couple Len holidaying. and Lyn Althaus celebrated their At the dinner Mr Althaus golden wedding anniversary on launched a book on his life April 23 with Mass and a dinner which covered everything from in the St Mary’s Cathedral being born in East Germany, chapter house. his escape to the West, coming At the Mass Bishop Pat to Australia and right up to the O’Regan presented the couple present day. with a framed papal blessing.

To celebrate the golden They married in Melbourne in wedding the couple spent a 1966 after having met in Lakes week in Singapore.

Entrance where they were both

SR Roseline Okolo SON and Bishop of Sale Pat O’Regan sign the agreement watched by (from left) Sr Mary Olufu, Sr Faustina Ede and Sr Mercy Akoh.

Dates are set for canonisations

THE Nigerian congregation of the Sisters of the Nativity have renewed their agreement to provide sisters in the Diocese of Sale.

Vicar General Sr Roseline Okolo travelled to Warragul during a month long visit with her Cranbourne sisters to meet Bishop Pat O’Regan and sign the new agreement.

There have been three Sisters of the Nativity serving St Agatha’s Parish, Cranbourne, for the past 10 years.

They are the only members of the congregation in Australia.

POPE Francis will declare Blessed Teresa of Kolkata a saint at the Vatican on September 4, the conclusion of the Year of Mercy jubilee for those engaged in works of mercy.

The date was announced last month during a meeting of the pope, cardinals and promoters of sainthood causes that formally ends the sainthood process.

At the same consistory, the

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Pope set June 5 as the date for the canonisations of Blessed Stanislaus Papczynski of Poland, founder of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, and Blessed Mary Elizabeth Hesselblad of Sweden, who re-founded the Bridgettine sisters.

In addition, Pope Francis declared that on October 16 he would celebrate Mass for the canonisations of Argentina’s “gaucho priest,” Blessed Jose Brochero, and Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio, a 14-yearold Mexican boy martyred for refusing to renounce his faith during the Cristero War of the 1920s.

Setting the dates concludes a long process of studying the lives and writings of the sainthood candidates.

Mother Teresa was widely known as a living saint as she ministered to the sick and the dying in some of the poorest neighborhoods in the world.

Although some people criticised her for not also challenging the injustices that kept so many people so poor and abandoned, her simple service touched the hearts of millions of people of all faiths.

Born to an ethnic Albanian family in Skopje, in what is now part of Macedonia, she went to India in 1929 as a Sister of Loreto and became an Indian citizen in 1947. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.

Shortly after she died in 1997, St John Paul II waived the usual five-year waiting period and allowed the opening of the process to declare her sainthood. She was beatified in 2003.

Around Catholic Schools 1

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 9

AROUND CATHOLIC SCHOOLS DIOCESE

of

SALE

faith ... learning ... growth

May 2016

Celebrating Catholic Education Week We are also privileged to have in attendance, our bishop and members of the diocesan clergy. The Mass and awards function formally opens Catholic Education Week in the diocese, a week of celebrating all that we do in our Catholic schools to support and further the mission of Catholic education.

- Maria Kirkwood The theme for this year’s ON Friday evening, April Catholic Education Week, 29, the annual Diocese of “God’s Mercy is from Age Sale Catholic Education to Age” was chosen to reflect leadership Mass and dinner and develop the focus on this was held in Traralgon. year as the Pontifical Year of This most enjoyable Mercy. event, commencing with At the end of Mass, the Mass at St Michael’s and bishop acknowledges those followed by a formal dinner in our schools who have and awards ceremony at the given 25 plus years of service Premier Functions Centre, is to Catholic education. generally attended by around This year we had recipients 250 leaders from our Catholic who have provided well in schools and colleges.

excess of that figure with plaques being received by those who had given between 25 and 40 years of dedication to the mission of Catholic education.

During this part of the evening we also acknowledge principals new to the diocese and also religious education leaders who have commenced in that very important leadership role this year.

The awards dinner, which is always a very enjoyable function, being high on socialising and networking and low on speeches (always a bonus from my perspective) acknowledges the special work and influence of both staff and students in schools in the diocese.

The Archbishop D’Arcy Award, in particular,

congratulates those students from our secondary colleges who receive VCE scores of 40 plus in Scripture and Religious Education. We also acknowledge at this time the work of the staff, especially RE staff in schools, who have influenced the learning of these young people.

Staff in our schools are put forward for consideration for a range of other awards by their principals and colleagues.

The Daniel Ahern Bursary and Spirit of Catholic Education Awards in Faith, Learning and Growth are a small but important way of saying well done to those staff in our schools who very obviously go the extra mile consistently in their support, encouragement and development of students, families and their colleagues

alike.

This annual event celebrates leadership in all its forms, from students through to principals.

The energy, enthusiasm and fun experienced on these evenings speak very much of what Pope Francis was promoting in Evangelli Gaudium - the Joy of the Gospel. Education and especially leadership in education should be a joyous vocation. The leadership Mass and dinner, and Catholic Education Week, are important ways of living out that joy publicly.

My congratulations to all recipients of awards for 2016 and encouragement to all schools to celebrate Catholic Education Week with vigour.

Why do we collect data?

By Peta Murray St Mary’s Primary School, Sale WHY do we collect data?

This is a question that we all grapple with during our teaching careers. Sometimes we can feel as though we are just ticking a box at ‘that time of the year’, but data should be used to help design our outcomes for each of our students.

This year after collecting our MAI data we have decided to use it quite specifically during our mathematics sessions.

We have grouped our classes into the growth points in which we want to elevate the children to.

Each week the children are involved in four short sessions in which they learn a new activity, specifically aimed at their focus for

that week in one of either, counting, place-value, addition and subtraction or multiplication and division.

The activity chosen for that week is hands on and highly engaging. They are also designed to have multiple out comes to ensure the children remain engaged in the activities each session.

Throughout the four sessions the students are able to learn about a new concept, practice and consolidate it during the week.

The main outcome that has been evident in this new way of thinking is that our students basic number facts and mental computations have improved. What we have given them is time to investigate how numbers work together, patterns of numbers and an opportunity to have a success based program which encourages

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a consolidation of their learning.

These activities have been easy to implement into our program as there is little equipment needed, and what we do need is easily found within our classrooms.

Dice, cards and counters are regularly used.

Our major resource for these activities has been the SINE Volume 2 a resource that has been published by the Catholic Education Office Melbourne, however many activities can be resourced once you know the targeted CAITLYN Youl, Billy Wain, Izabella Dicorleto and Kade Kiss. skill that is the focus.

Continued data collection outcome is it has given the regularly write that a student due to the children developing students and opportunity to needs to practice their new skills is vital as each work with other classmates, number facts, well in our week our groups change. developing more social skills classrooms we have made The groups are fluid and the as each week the groups this an everyday occurrence students have become more change because of the where the results are really capable and adaptable to weekly focus. being shown. change.

In our students reports we One other encouraging

faith … learning … growth

Page 10 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Around Catholic Schools 2

We are the branches

May 2016 Inside this issue Page 1 Maria Kirkwood Catholic Education Week St Mary’s, Sale Why do we collect data?

Page 2 Lumen Christi, Churchill We are the branches St Ita’s, Drouin Employment opportunities Page 3 St John’s, Koo Wee Rup Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden St Michael’s, Traralgon Levelled literacy intervention Page 4 St Thomas’s, Sale Welcome to the art room

EVERY garden has a black spot, an eyesore, where plants are reluctant to take root and even the soil’s best friend, the earthworm, makes a detour.

School playgrounds are no different, there always seems to be one area that appears to be neglected, in spite of any attention given.

Lumen Christi, Churchill, had until recently, one such problem, a galvanised section of fence next to the Mary MacKillop building.

Enter the school environmental team. The team consists of students from Grades Five and Six who spend a lot of their own playing time at recess and lunch working hard to improve the natural surroundings of their school.

They knew that the fence could not be removed, that would just result in another problem, a gaping hole, so the search was on to choose a plant that was sturdy enough to thrive without much human intervention and that

would gradually camouflage the fence and enhance the schoolyard.

The choice was easy, the good old ornamental grapevine. Planting anything is a sign of hope as it takes the passage of time for a plant to mature and literally blossom. The environmental team nurtured the young vine, giving it just the right

amount of water and at times having to guide the tendrils away from downpipes.

All students will be able to appreciate the seasonal changes as the verdant leaves turn to a rich red in autumn, drop off in winter and repeat the cycle in spring with the appearance of new buds.

Before the vine completely

took over an embroidery sampler stating I Am The Vine was moved from the prayer table and firmly secured on the fence.

The galvanized fence, once a blot on the landscape, now serves a vital role supporting the vine, with the vine providing shade for the students and also habitat for bugs and birds.

Employment opportunities at St Ita’s AS part of St Ita’s, Drouin, five year strategic plan, developed in 2015, we are committed to offering teaching round placement and where possible employment opportunities to graduate students who have completed their teaching degree at Australian Catholic University (ACU). Graduate teachers offer enthusiasm to the profession, a desire to learn and are eager to work collaboratively with more experienced staff.

Our graduate teachers are very important to the future direction of St Ita’s and their insights into learning and teaching already enhance the collective knowledge within our school.

This year we appointed two new graduate teachers; Anthea Nooy, grade 3-4 and Jessie Cole, grade 2.

Both Anthea and Jessie participated in teaching rounds at our school, where they did an outstanding job displaying their understanding of effective learning and teaching.

Their transitioning from student-teacher to graduate teacher has been amazing to watch as they establish their position as classroom teachers and members of staff. Below is a reflection

of Anthea’s journey so far. We look forward to watching their development as they continue to grow professionally.

out and organised lesson plan can fall to pieces if it is not aimed to meet the needs and interests of the students.

I have also learnt that it is okay to not be perfect the What is it like to be a first time around. I have teacher? come to realise that to better For me, a teacher means understand the students being: a planner and assessor and how they best learn is of student work, a nurse on the by trialing and evaluating playground when somebody different activities. falls over, an interior designer trying to make my What is an area of learning classroom look bright and that really interests you? welcoming, a nurturer to I have always been really those who are hurting or interested in mathematics, upset, a resource creator, a especially because of how moulder of compassionate different the teaching of and independent individuals, it is now compared to my and a master of thinking education. I am really on my feet. Overall, being excited to get the students a teacher is definitely more physically involved challenging, overwhelming with their learning of and exhausting, but the mathematical concepts and last role I play makes the trying to push them to reach a challenge all worth it. That level of higher order thinking role is to be proud of my through problem solving. students and the learning that they show every day.

What have been your highlights?

What have you learnt in There have been many your first term of teaching? highlights so far, however the The most important thing biggest for me has definitely that I have learnt is the been getting the privilege to necessity to get to know get to know 24 wonderful my students, how they best children, caring for them, and learn and what struggles they being able to have a laugh have (in the classroom, on with them in the classroom. the playground or at home). I also feel so lucky when the Even the most well thought students come in eager and

Catholic Educa on

excited to share their stories a new challenge; dealing with me. with behavioural issues, keeping on top of planning, What have been your trying to keep things greatest challenges? engaging and meaningful, For me, the most and above all, catering to the challenging part of being a individual needs of the 23 teacher has been balancing children in my class. work and life. I have I have felt exhausted and at always been somewhat of times emotionally drained, a perfectionist and strive to however the positive give my all in whatever job experiences far outweigh I have. So, I have found it anything else. Seeing one of quite difficult to adjust and my students get it for the make sure I have time with first time, having a go in all my family and friends. areas, asking questions and Another challenge has been supporting one another being a part of a large, and through their learning are all new planning team. It has things that keep me motivated taking time and effort to get to in the classroom. know each member and how They are the things that they like to plan. This has make me so passionate about also involved trying multiple teaching. ways of communicating, as As I reflect on my first we do not always have time term I am proud of what I to sit and plan together in have achieved, and have person. learnt so much. I am so much more aware that children Jessie offered the following take time to adjust, just as I reflection piece: do, and of the great Stepping into my first job importance of really getting as a graduate teacher has to know your students. been one of the most I have seen first-hand that challenging, yet rewarding when children feel valued, experiences of my life. No supported and nurtured they one can prepare you for the can be effective learners. I role you take on when you feel privileged to have the become a teacher and how it job I do and within just nine extends far beyond the short weeks, I have grown classroom perimeters. both professionally and Every day I am faced with personally.

faith … learning … growth

Around Catholic Schools 3

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 11

Stephanie Alexander kitchen garden EACH week in our Kitchen Garden Program at St John the Baptist Primary School, Koo Wee Rup, our Year 3/4 children discover the pleasure of hands-on food education.

The creation and care of a

kitchen garden teaches children about our natural world, about its beauty and how to care for it, how best to use the resources we have, and an appreciation for how easy it is to bring joy and wellbeing into one’s life through growing, harvesting,

preparing and sharing fresh seasonal produce.

During garden sessions the children work in our vegetable garden learning to grow and harvest a wide variety of vegetables and herbs.

Led by our teachers and parent helpers, the children prepare delicious fresh and healthy food from the seasonal garden produce they have grown. Through this program children have the opportunity to experience ingredients that they may not normally have been exposed potentially broadening their appreciation of food for life.

After preparing food in our kitchen many of our students are inspired to cook at home with their families.

The program, integrates learning skills from across the curriculum including; personal and social d e v e l o p m e n t , communication, health and physical education, creative arts, science and sustainability, mathematics.

Levelled literacy intervention A NEW initiative for the CEO has been the introduction of Collectives as a way to improve English and Maths in our schools.

Traralgon’s St Michael’s School together with three other schools is part of an English collective with a goal to improve the Literacy outcomes for all our children.

One of the strategies St Michael’s is using to ensure the growth of all their

students is the introduction of a new literacy initiative called LLI (Levelled Literacy Intervention program).

LLI supports learning in both reading and writing, helps students expand their knowledge of language and words and how they work.

The goal of LLI is to bring students to grade level achievement in reading.

Children work in a group of three or four with a

facilitator.

The children have 30 to 45 minute lessons at least four days a week, during which they read, write and learn about phonics.

The LLI lessons are given in addition to the literacy lessons they receive in the classroom. The program is available for children who may need some individualised help in any of the year levels.

GRADE 3 student Ava with Grade 4 student Liam.

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At the moment we have nine groups of students participating in the program.

Each night the students take home a book which has been introduced to them in the lesson given on that day as well as any other handouts they have completed on the day.

Their task is to work with their parents and practise

the skills learnt during the lesson.

Principal Cathy Blackford said “It has been very rewarding to see the enthusiasm of both students and facilitators and to have the support of the parents who are working closely with their children.”

GRADE 3 student Ashlyn reading.

faith … learning … growth

Page 12 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Around Catholic Schools 4

Welcome to St Thomas’s art room ART Matters … because the Earth without art is just ‘Eh’!

St Thomas’s Primary School, Sale, is buzzing with excitement and oozing with creativity after opening its doors to a new art room and Visual / Media Arts program this year.

Art teacher Viv Comben, is planning a year filled with fun, creativity and a lot of art production in 2016!

The Media Arts and Visual Arts Programs are derived from the Victorian F - 10 Curriculum document, and are a components of “The Arts” as a whole.

All students will have the opportunity to have experiences with exploring and expressing ideas, creating and making art, exhibiting and responding to different art forms and artist’s works.

Throughout the year, many projects will be focused on giving children experiences with art elements, such as line, colour, texture and form.

Senior year levels will also focus on learning about art principles such as pattern, balance, emphasis, unity, and movement.

Throughout the year, students will experiment with various materials in 2D and 3D forms, along with opportunities to exhibit their artwork and visit galleries to

view art installations.

Students are encouraged to express their imagination, creativity and ability to innovate by extending and transforming ideas.

This is achieved within a supportive, progressive curriculum and classroom climate that develops risk taking, courage and perseverance. Hence our motto.

In the art room we like to

call our mistakes, “Beautiful Oops!!” Our motto is taken from the book, Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg in which mistakes are turned into teaching moments, instilling an important life lesson (it’s okay to make mistakes), along with fostering a great spirit of creativity in our art room.

We believe that every mistake is an opportunity to create something beautiful!

A VARIETY of pictures showing the new art room to be getting plenty of use.

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faith … learning … growth

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 13

Pope between the ideal and the real POPE Francis has spoken as a true pastor who really knows the human heart and is well aware of the pressures now facing marriage and the family according to the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

Speaking on behalf of the ACBC, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said the Pope’s new Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, ‘The Joy of Love: On Love in the Family’ showed Pope Francis to be in touch with reality.

“The Pope moves between the ideal and the real, offering the Church’s vision of marriage and the family but also dealing with the facts on the ground that can be messy,” Archbishop Coleridge said.

In the exhortation, which was launched last month in Rome, the Holy Father sees marriage and the family in dynamic terms, writing of them as a journey.

Archbishop Coleridge said

the Synod process allowed for an examination of the situation of families in today’s world, opening up a broader vision and a renewed awareness of the importance of marriage and the family, which is counter cultural in today’s society.

Francis did not shy away from complex and controversial issues including divorce, abortion, domestic violence, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and gender ideology.

He stressed the need to care for the most vulnerable in society, especially the elderly, people with disabilities and migrants.

In reference to the sexual abuse of children, the Pope said, the sexual abuse of children is all the more scandalous when it occurs in places where they ought to be made safe.

On unions between homosexual persons, the Pope writes, “We would like before all else to reaffirm that

every person, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration.”

“Only the exclusive and indissoluble union between a man and a woman has a plenary role to play in society as a stable commitment that bears fruit in new life.”

The archbishop said “The Pope’s words are both highvisioned and home-spun, at times soaring but often downto-earth.

“They summon the Church to accompany people on their journey, listen to them and help them discern the truth of their situation, and discover where God is in the mess.”

Dr Maria Harries, Chair of Catholic Social Services Australia, said, “The Holy Father identifies the appalling impacts on families of a huge variety of evils such as war, violence, addictions, poverty, unemployment, homelessness,

gross materialism and greed that lead to isolation, despair, loneliness, fragmentation of families and peoples everywhere.

“He invites us to not lose hope but to walk with and embrace families who suffer, married couples who are in trouble and those who feel alienated.”

Shawn and Branka van der Linden, a married couple with four young children, who represent the Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council, said, “To have a Church document that speaks in a realistic way about the practicalities of family life is a great encouragement and relevant to our lived experience”.

The text of Amoris Laetitia is available to download from the ACBC website: https://www.catholic.org.au/ synod-2015/blog

Musical theatre focuses on God’s mercy MOE - An exciting new musical theatre production is happening in the Latrobe Valley with a locally written production being staged next month.

Fr Harry Dyer OMI, parish priest of St Kieran’s, Moe and St Mary’s, Newborough and artistic members from the congregation, have taken on a new initiative to celebrate the Catholic church’s, Year of Mercy.

The production is with a very creative and thought provoking adaptation of The Prodigal Son. Script writer and music composer, Cathy Noy, has taken a contemporary uptake of the universal and timeless biblical parable, The Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 1-32).

Cathy says, “Change of Heart remains focussed on the Father’s mercy and the mercy we show to each other, through an illustration of pertinent contemporary social issues such as homelessness, addiction, family and street violence, family breakdown, discrimination and those experiencing mental illness.”

Fr Dyer was open to support this initiative as it was based on faith, hope and trust and would assist our society to reflect on the negativity that permeated our attitudes towards the marginalised.

Fr Dyer indicated that it was about the Christian call to protect the marginalised who, at times, were part of our own families as in the Prodigal Son

parable.

This awareness of the needs of our brothers and sisters and our willingness to support them was particularly relevant during this Year of Mercy.

Director Clare Lappin, professional singer and vocal coach, said the show’s audiences would embrace an endearing and talented musical collective of cast members in the format of a band of street dwellers, trying to survive with very few resources, except their innate longing for acceptance and care for each other.

These street dwellers came from many diverse backgrounds and were all dealing with challenging issues and brokenness.

Clare was thrilled with the diverse range of musicians and actors from across Gippsland who made up a very professional and eclectic cast and crew.

Anne Barrett, speech and drama teacher, and actor in the show, said she was excited to be playing a role, as the show was about real life and real people and the rippling effects from the choices we all make – the good and the bad.

It also encapsulated the power of community and personal liberation through timeless values of forgiveness, truth, integrity, social justice and human dignity for all.

Change of Heart promises to be a truly engaging and thought provoking performance for audiences.

GETTING excited about the new musical are (from left) writer and composer Cathy Noy, director and music director Clare Lappin, and speech and drama teacher Anne Barrett.

Shows are at Lowanna College auditorium, 72-96 Newark Avenue, Newborough at 8pm on Friday June 24 and Saturday June 25, and a Sunday matinee on June 26 at 2pm.

Tickets are on sale for $20 per adult and $15 concession and are available to purchase from the parish secretary at the Parishes in Partnership office, Moe on Mondays and Thursdays, phone 5127 1057 To enquire about hosting further performances of Change of Heart in your parishes, please contact Cathy Noy 0477 159 168.

Emmaus offers Year of Mercy retreats A YEAR of Mercy retreat would be appropriate for all.

Emmaus Spirituality Ministry will come to your parish and give a retreat with a theme that you would like or we can prepare a retreat/prayer day that would suit your requirements.

We can give you retreats around the beach, forest, in creation, etc., wherever you would like to go, we can organise this for your group or parish. Each group within the parish might require a different way of praying or being creative with their prayer.

Would your parish pastoral council like to share with each other, by having a day filled with creativity in prayer and looking into the future of the parish with sharing each others dreams for the parish.

Have you ever thought about a walk that will help you grow in a deeper relationship with Jesus. Prayer will be given to read and pray with, you are enabled to be in silence if you want, each person understanding the signal that is given when a person wants silence.

Others might like to share with someone of the beauty they see in creation and God speaking to them through this beauty.

Enjoy the time and theme with each other, perhaps even in laughter and joy.

If you feel that one of these retreats might suit you in some way, please don’t hesitate to call Emmaus on 0400 800 799.

To contact the Sale Diocese headquarters at Sion House, Warragul, call the switchboard on

5622 6600.

Contact details for all parishes and their Mass times are available on the diocesan web page www.sale.catholic.org.au

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3000+ Aussies off to Poland MORE than 3000 young Australians are expected to join Pope Francis when he travels to Krakow, Poland to participate at the 31st World Youth Day from July 25-31.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Office for Youth is overseeing the Australian pilgrimage to World Youth Day, which is known as

‘Australia’s Journey to the City of Mercy’.

Over 30 groups from dioceses and Catholic organisations will travel on more than 40 different pilgrimages to places across Europe and the Holy Land, many following in the footsteps of St John Paul prior to arriving in Krakow for World Youth Day.

Bookings to attend closed last month.

The theme is ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy’ (Mt 5:7). In his message to young people, Pope Francis said, “With this theme, the Krakow 2016 World Youth Day forms part of the Holy Year of Mercy and so becomes a Youth Jubilee at world level”.

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Page 14 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Family celebrates 60 years

Quick calendar

What’s on & when MAY

ONLY one of the remaining 11 children was unable to attend the reunion. Here the others line-up in order of age - Bert, Mary, Joe, Bill, Theo, John, Peter, Tony, Jack, and Nelly.

SALE - The large Smolenaars family celebrated 60 years in Australia with a family reunion attended by about 140 people in Sale on April 24.

The family emigrated from Limburg, Netherlands, in 1956 and originally settled in the Tarwin Lower area before

moving to Yarram and then Sale.

The late Peter and Dora Smolenaars came with 11 children and their 12th Margaret was born here.

The family has expanded over the years with 45 grandchildren, 80 great grandchildren and

eight great great children who have now spread throughout eastern Australia and Ireland.

Four of the eight boys and one daughter still live in the Sale area. The eldest daughter Ann died several years ago in Queensland.

New catechist resource launched

4-14 – Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference plenary meeting, Sydney 11 – West region meeting, Berwick Parish Centre, 10.30am for 11am start 14 – Diocesan Called and Gifted workshop, Traralgon 15 – International Day of Families (UN) 24 – Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting 25 – Pentecost 26 – National Sorry Day 29 – Body and Blood of Christ 31 – Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

JUNE 1 – Diocesan celebration of CWL centenary, St Michael’s Hall, Traralgon 3 – Sacred Heart of Jesus 4 – Immaculate Heart of Mary 5 – World Environment Day (UN) 7- Ramadan begins 8 – South Region meeting, Korumburra, 11.15am 13 – Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday 16 – Valley region meeting, Lumen Christi Hall, Churchill, noon 17 - 60th anniversary of ordination for Fr Tom O’Connell 20 – World Refugee Day (UN) 24 – Birthday of John the Baptist 24 – End of Term Two 25 – Ordination of Tao Pham to Diaconate, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, 10am.

JULY

BISHOP O’Regan officially launches the new resource with (from left) Sr Rose Duffy CSB, Anne Taylor, Barb Durand, and Sr Madeleine White RSJ

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WARRAGUL - AT the annual gathering and Mass for catechists of the Sale Diocese, Bishop Pat O’Regan launched the new resource for catechists to teach sacraments to primary students outside Catholic schools.

This resource has been worked on over the past nine years by Sr Madeleine White RSJ, Anne Taylor, Barbara Durand and Sr Rose Duffy CSB. This resource was produced because of a need for a program for sacrament preparation in our diocese.

There will be ongoing training for catechists to use the resource with cluster days for each of the sacraments. These days and other spirituality and formation will form part of a requirement of 30 hours over two years for catechists to receive accreditation.

Bishop O’Regan has asked that this resource be used by all catechists in our diocese.

3 – National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday – NAIDOC Week begins 11 – Term Three begins 22 – Feast of St Mary Magdalen 22 - 60th anniversary of ordination of Fr John Readman 25-31 – World Youth Day, Krakow, Poland

AUGUST 6 – Transfiguration of the Lord 8 – Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop 11 – Feast of St Clare 15 – The Assumption 17 – West region meeting, Berwick Parish Centre, 10.30am for 11am start 18 – Valley region meeting, St Mary’s, Yarram, noon 22 – Queenship of Mary

SEPTEMBER 4 – Father’s Day 4 – Canonisation of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa) 5-7 - Australasian Catholic Press Association conference,

Sydney 8 – Birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary 9 – East region meeting, Bairnsdale, 10am for 10.30 start 9 - 40th anniversary of ordination of Permanent Deacon Jim Erskine 10 – Ordination of Deacon Tao Pham to priesthood, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne 16 – Term Three ends 19-23 Sale Diocese clergy inservice 23 – Feast of St Pio of Pietrelcina 27 – Feast of St Vincent de Paul ]30 – AFL grand final eve public holiday

OCTOBER 1 – AFL Grand Final 2 – Daylight saving begins (Clocks forward one hour) 2 – Centenary celebrations of CWL Victoria and Wagga Wagga, Melbourne 3 – Term our begins 10 – World Mental Health Day (UN) 12 – South Region meeting, Wonthaggi, 11.15am 15 – Feast of St Theresa of Avila 21 – Valley region meeting, St Kieran’s, Moe, noon 22 – Memorial of St John Paul II 31 – All Saints Eve (Halloween)

NOVEMBER 1 – All Saints Day 1 – Melbourne Cup 2 – All Souls Day 8 – East region meeting, Orbost, 10am for 10.30 start 9 – West region meeting, Berwick Parish Centre, 10.30am for 11am start 11 – Remembrance Day 21 – Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 22-25 – Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference plenary meeting, Sydney

DECEMBER 3 – Feast of St Francis Xavier 4 – Valley region Christmas lunch, Morwell 8 – Immaculate Conception 19 - 50th anniversary of ordination of Fr Bernie Mahony 25 – Christmas Day 26 – Boxing Day 27 – Public holiday in lieu of Christmas Day 31 – New Year’s Eve

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 15

Bishop's Mass at prison

IN HOLY Week Bishop Pat O'Regan celebrated Mass for inmates at the Fulham Correctional Centre near Sale. The prison houses more than 800 inmates. Several of the Sale Diocese seminarians also attended the special Mass. Sale Cathedral priests regularly visit the prison to celebrate Mass with inmates and staff.

Exchange traded funds explained EXCHANGE traded funds are a fast growing part of the modern Australian investment scene, but many individual investors don’t necessarily see the opportunities they present.

In fact, many Australians don’t know what they are or what they do at all.

Basically an ETF is like a managed fund that trades units on the Australian Securities Exchange without the restrictions of the normal managed fund. There are many different types of ETFs and currently there are more than 130 listed on the ASX allowing investors to cover just about any exposure they wish.

The two major types of ETFs are physical ETFs that hold physical assets, (e.g. share ETF’s that try to track a specific share index) and Synthetic ETFs that my try to track commodity prices, currencies or may just try to take a forward speculative view on markets.

In Australia synthetic ETF’s must be labelled as such.

Synthetic ETFs by their nature are riskier than normal ETFs. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission has introduced some protection for investors in Australian ETF’s, especially the Fixed Interest ones and the synthetic ETYF’s but there are some foreign ETFs available through some brokers that don’t have that protection.

There are ETFs covering European, American, Australian and other share markets, including China.

There are share ETFs that use derivatives that allow you to take a bull or bear position over various markets, too. We have property ETFs and Fixed Interest ETFs that cover foreign and local bond markets.

There are ETFs for gold, silver and other precious metals and there are ETFs for any of the metals traded on the London Metal Exchange and ETFs for

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oil and iron ore. And then there are ETFs that trade any or all soft commodities such as corn, soy beans, coffee etc.

There are ETF’s that will allow you to take any position on just about anything traded in financial markets just about anywhere in the world. And if that’s not enough, there are usually more than one ETF from which to choose.

ETF’s make trading all these things easy – you can buy and sell them through your normal broker just as you would ordinary shares.

ETF’s have a manager that makes the investments and issues new units in the fund to meet demand to buy them, or to redeem them if necessary. That why it’s important to know the net asset backing of each fund and the underlying markets.

When our share market is open, most of the international markets for investments represented by ETF’s are closed. But ETF’s are still far easier to trade than direct foreign investments.

ETF’s like managed funds have different management fees. Most are much cheaper than normal managed funds – one of their advantages – but some do not, especially some synthetic funds that use complex derivative structures.

The use of ETFs allows an investor to take a position in a market, or commodity, that would be otherwise difficult, very expensive or both. With an ETF this can be as simples as buying some units as you would a share.

This is where I see real

value for normal investors. I have clients that use ETFs as exposure to the US and also the European share markets. Rather than trying to pick specific investments, the ETFs have a very close correlation with specific indices.

It may be the Dow, or S&P 500 in America, the Stoxx in Germany, the FTSE100 in the UK or even the composite index covering Europe’s top 350 businesses.

In Australia I use a dividend ETF to gather dividends from the top 50 companies. This is currently paying a yield in excess of 10 percent.

Some clients are following some of the soft commodities on the Chicago Board of Exchange, but these are more complex and expensive ETFs and are on a “no advice” basis.

By taking an ETF you are getting expert investment managers looking after your funds to invest in a complex environment that would be unavailable to you otherwise.

And yet you can manage your exposure on a day-to-day basis with just a local call.

In terms of diversifying a portfolio, ETF’s are fantastic.

The investor just needs to be grounded in reality.

• This report is intended to provide general advice. 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.

Priest stars on greens

A HAPPY Fr Michael Willemsen (right) after his big day out at the annual Serra Golf tournament with (from left) organisers Allan Wyatt and Reg Carmody.

BAIRNSDALE parish priest Hickey 33, best lady golfer Fr Michael Willemsen revealed was Rita Wake 30 from Dawn that spending several years Goodison 28. working at Corpus Christi Other prizes: Nearest the Seminary has not dulled his pin on the sixth hole, the Rev golfing prowess.

His stableford score of 38 Rob Nicholls; nearest the pin enabled him to take home an on the 11th, Mike Hickey; armful of trophies from the longest drive by religious, the annual Serra Golf Day at Sale Rev Bruce Charles; longest Golf Club in March. drive by Serran, Steve Baldwin; His trophies included the Oils longest drive by friend of Serra, Aint Oils Trophy for the best Rene Sarolea; longest drive by score by a Sale Diocese priest, the Neville McLeod Shield for lady, Rita Wake; Not a Golfer best score of the day, best score Anyway trophy, the Rev. David by a religious and nearest the Perryman.

The presentation dinner at pin on both the 3rd and 14th holes. the Lakeside Club in Sale was The Sale clergy won the attended by most diocesan annual aggregate challenge clergy and many guests. against Serra Club members The annual raffle was drawn by one point to take home the and the main prize of a $1000 keenly contested Fr Carroll RACV voucher was won by Shield.

Lydia Camp, Sale.

However, the diocesan prizes: DMG Finances $300 voucher, clergy lost the Jeremiah Coffey Fr Other Denis O’Bryan; Quest accommodation Perpetual Shield to the non- voucher, Gill Anderson; Sale City Holden $145 service voucher, Darcy Dugan; House Proud Catholic clergy. voucher, Anita Smolenaars; Turnbull Toyota Runner-up for the Catholic $100 $100 service voucher, Joe Ravagnolo; Jeremy religious was Fr Denis Fleming Jewellers pack, Rachel Turner; Morelli O’Bryan with 34 points, best Furniture pillow, Fr Manny Lomagno; Lakeside three bottles of wine, P. Murphy; port and non-Catholic religious was the Club glasses, M. Wolfe; throwover rug, T. Scanlon; Rev Tony Peters with 36, and Toys Galore toys pack, Marie Bassett; Sale House clock, Lindsay Broughton; Sale runner-up the Rev Rob Nicholls Trophy Greyhounds $50 voucher, P and B Bourke; with 32.

O’Neills Restaurant $50 voucher, Jean Downes; Best Serran was Allan Wyatt Sale Hotel and Lazzaro Bros vouchers, Fr Slater; Sportspower golf balls and Sale with 34 from Steve Baldwin 30, Peter Newsagency cookbook, Mgr John best friend of Serra was Rene Authorised Allman PA. Sarolea with 34, from Mike

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Page 16 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Bishop Long to Parramatta Celebrating spirit of the Anzacs

Bishop Vincent Long

POPULAR Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Long Nguyen has been appointed fourth Bishop of Parramatta.

A former Vietnamese refugee who came to Australia by boat in 1980, he joined the Conventual Franciscans as a friar in 1983.

Studying for the priesthood in Melbourne, Bishop Long was ordained in 1989, was elected Superior of Conventual Franciscans in Australia in

2005 and appointed as Assistant General of the same Order and transferred to Rome in 2008.

Bishop Long was appointed an auxiliary bishop in 2011.

A date for Bishop Long’s liturgical reception as Bishop of Parramatta will be advised soon.

The Diocese of Parramatta has been vacant since September 2014 when Bishop Anthony Fisher, OP was appointed Archbishop of Sydney.

Workshops attract good numbers IN a diocesan initiative to offer every person in the diocese an opportunity to deepen their spiritual life, the Diocese of Sale has hosted four Called and Gifted Regional workshops over five weeks.

Through the parishes and schools in the Sale Diocese, Bishop Pat O’Regan invited everyone to discern God’s unique call for them through the Called and Gifted process.

In this first stage, the Called and Gifted workshops, presented by the Catherine of Siena Institute, encourages all to discover God’s call for their life through the discernments of the gifts and charisms DISCUSSING some of the issues at a Called and Gifted workshop received from God. Through baptism, God session. has gifted each person for a change the world and spread have attracted around 300 unique vocation, enriched by the Gospel, and how using participants. gifts and charisms to be used our gifts, collaboratively, Those who attended were to show God’s love to world in can transform and renew our very appreciative of the serving others. parishes and our diocese. opportunity to share their The Called and Gifted The four workshops, held stories with others and to process assists us in discerning in Leongatha, Pakenham, explore their faith and the how our spiritual gifts can Bairnsdale and Traralgon ways in which they are called to serve, within their families, parishes and the wider community.

Participants were given materials to take home for further reflection and prayer, with opportunity to request follow up phone contact regarding their personal gifts and charisms.

The second stage of the Called and Gifted process will be a half day workshop on July 9 at Sion House in Warragul for those who desire to explore opportunities for becoming more deeply involved the life of the parish or diocese.

Our communities of faith are always places of flexibility and change and renewal is an important part of developing and strengthening our parishes and diocese to take our part in Christ’s mission in the world.

GOOD attendances have been a feature of all the workshops.

Part of that renewal involves the formation of a new Diocesan Pastoral Council, as well as fresh appointments to other diocesan groups and THE centenary of the Victoria Mass at St Michael’s Church at committees.

Information and Wagga Wagga Catholic 9.30am. about this second stage Women’s League is being After Mass everyone will workshop on July 9 will be celebrated on October 2 in adjourn to St Michael’s school circulated at the end of May. Melbourne. hall for morning tea followed For enquiries and However, the Sale Diocesan by conference formalities. information about the Called Committee is also holding a Centenary lunch will commence and Gifted process, please centenary celebratory lunch at 12.30pm. combined with our 2016 The organisers hope many contact diocesan pastoral Diocesan Conference at St. former members will attend and coordinator Sophy Morley on Michael’s Traralgon on June 1. tell of their experiences of time 5622 6677 or email smorley@ sale.catholic.org.au.

The day will commence with on the diocesan committee.

CWL centenary

ST Kieran’s students with the RSL visitors and Fr Mathew Jayaraj OMI display their work on commemorating Anzac Day. MOE - It was a real community effort at St Kieran’s when parishioners, staff, students and their families came together to celebrate Anzac Day with an breakfast.

Special guests at the breakfast were Moe RSL president Ray Walker and committee member Barry Rogers.

Money raised at the breakfast was donated to Moe RSL.

The visitors showed the students their medals and visited the senior grades after the breakfast.

The students learnt about their experiences at Vietnam and were given an explanation of their war medals. They also heard about the wonderful work of the Moe RSL.

Learning new skills

COREY, Charlie, Dylan, Tara, Jimmy and Georgia at archery.

TRARALGON - St Michael’s “Isabella answered “I liked Grade 6 students travelled trying and experiencing new by bus last term to Camp things.” Casey said “I mastered Coolamatong for four days of the unicycle and I enjoyed the teamwork, fun and learning. canoeing. Zoii commented, Camp Coolamatong is located “The talent show was good on the Banksia Peninsula near because we got to hear everyone Paynesville. sing.”

The goals for the camp were; There were many activities • To spend quality time with for the students to experience classmates and teachers in such as canoeing, abseiling, a a setting that is natural and night hike, low ropes, archery, uncluttered. feeding the farm animals, a • To promote unselfishness boat cruise on Lake Victoria, and consideration for others games at the beach, cycling through cooperation and team and bush craft. The bush craft work. involved learning how make • To experience new activities a safe fire and then cooking in an unfamiliar environment. damper, pancakes and popcorn.

• To develop independence Two of the highlights of the and self-reliance through camp were the disco which spending time in situations had a ‘Look alike’ theme and different to everyday life.

‘Grade 6’s Got Talent’, where Grade 6 teacher Katrina everyone was entertained by McInnes said, “A high some very talented students. emphasis was placed on TEAM School principal Cathy (Together Everyone Achieves Blackford said “The children More), which involved learning have come back with new about respect, trust, working insights into what they are together and helping others.” capable of and stories to tell.

When asked what was their Not only have they gained camp highlight, grade 6 student new skills whilst on camp Charlie replied “I loved heaps to enhance their final year at of activities and the camp primary school but also their leaders were really nice.” futures, thus Learning for Life.”

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 17

world news ...

world news ...

Priest reports on plight of Christians in Syria

By Oliver Maksan IN an urgent appeal to the outside world, Franciscan Fr Ibrahim Alsabagh is calling on Christians throughout the world to pray for the Syrian city of Aleppo, currently caught up in the midst of heavy fighting.

“Never, since the beginning of this terrible war were things as bad as they are now. I have no words to describe all the suffering I see on a daily basis”, Fr Ibrahim reported on May 3 to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

“Rockets and bombs are raining down on churches, mosques, schools and hospitals.

Now 17 people have been killed in an attack on our hospital.

And the casualties may yet be higher.

“So many houses have been partially or entirely destroyed, and so many people killed or severely injured. And when the bombs do stop falling, there is an eerie silence, like in a cemetery. The streets are as though everyone has died.”

He goes on to tell us how the Orthodox Easter, on the previous Sunday, had been a very sad affair. “It was more like Good Friday than Easter Sunday. Although two liturgies were celebrated, they were very poorly attended. People were either burying their dead or else they stayed at home out of fear.

It was depressing. When will the world community finally wake up and put an end to this new Sarajevo?”

Fr Ibrahim has been working for almost two years now in this divided city of northern Syria, the scene of fierce fighting between the Syrian government and rebel groups.

“Whoever can escape, does so. On Sunday the roads out of the city were packed with refugees. Those who remain behind are the poorest of all, the ones who cannot even afford to look for a place of safety.

“We are helping them, wherever and however we can.

Some of the people are living in half ruined homes. We help

them with repairs and support them, thanks to the help of ACN, with food, clothing, medicines, items of hygiene and other things. But now we really need any outside help we can get. We are in the greatest of need.”

Fr Ibrahim has also noticed increasing signs of psychological stress in people.

“The nervous breakdowns are increasing, and we now have so many psychological illnesses as a result of the war. There is so much misery. But at least I thank God that through his grace I am able to be a good Samaritan to all the suffering people.

“I try to console them with the word of God, but also with deeds of corporal mercy.

I always have in my ears the words of Pope Francis, that we must show people the tenderness of God. We priests and religious have really become fathers, and still more mothers, to the people, trying to bind up their wounds tenderly, like a mother.”

Fr Ibrahim compared the state of the 50,000 or so Christians still remaining in Aleppo with

the situation of St Paul in the Acts of the Apostles. “Saint Paul was in prison on account of his faith, together with Silas.

But they were liberated through their prayers. They turned that terrible prison into a place of prayer.

That is what we Christians in Aleppo are also called to do.

No matter how frightful this place is, yet we must still give Christian witness. We must not think only of ourselves.”

And he goes on to say that the cross that the Christians are carrying is very heavy. “But it also creates a communion with God and with one another such as I have never seen before. My faith and my priestly vocation have grown here in Aleppo.”

ACN has been helping the Church in Syria to provide the needy with food, clothing, accommodation and medication, as well as help for Christian refugees in neighboring countries.

Since March 2011 when the conflict began, ACN has provided over $15.5 million in aid for Syria – its largest ongoing aid package.

Counterfeit Vatican souvenirs seized

MASS devastation in Aleppo caused by ongoing missile blasts. © Aid to the Church in Need

Cardinal's five year term stays POPE Francis has confirmed that Cardinal George Pell will remain as the Vatican’s top financial official until at least 2019, reports Crux.

The news came in a statement from Cardinal Pell’s office in Rome, after a visit by Francis to the offices of the Secretariat for the Economy.

Saying the Pontiff had spent an hour in “a friendly and lively discussion” with the staff of the secretariat, the statement indicated that Cardinal Pell’s status also had been addressed during the session.

“Cardinal Pell will also be continuing with his current role

for the full five-year term,” it said.

The Cardinal was appointed to his present role in February 2014, thus a five-year term would last until February 2019.

The statement from his office suggested Pope Francis had supported their reform efforts.

“The Holy Father said he fully supported their work and reemphasised the ongoing need for transparency in continuing with their reforms,” it said.

“He also repeated the need for outside or external professional inclusion and assistance.”

Although 75 is the age at which bishops are required

FR Ibrahim outside of the Church’s pastoral centre recently damaged by a bomb blast © Aid to the Church in Need

to submit their resignations, heads of Vatican departments routinely serve longer.

Some Vatican-watchers wondered if Pope Francis would use Cardinal Pell’s 75th birthday to justify a change.

Meanwhile, the Vatican’s financial watchdog agency registered a three-fold increase in suspicious transactions undertaken in the city-state’s financial institutions in 2015, marking 544 activities as questionable.

It also froze or halted movement of a total of some $A3.2 million and 15.3 million Euros.

VATICAN CITY - Police raided a storeroom near St Peter’s Square and seized a cache of Vatican souvenirs and trinkets including flags, bracelets and key rings bearing Pope Francis’ image.

The souvenirs, numbering some 340,000, were confiscated because they were counterfeit, Rome’s financial police said in a statement on May 2.

In addition to using the Pope’s photo without permission, the souvenirs illegally carried the Vatican coat of arms and the emblem of the papal tiara.

The merchants selling the trinkets wanted to take advantage of increased tourism to Rome associated with the pope’s Jubilee Year of Mercy, the police said.

The haul would have fetched about 1.7 million euros ($1.96 million) on the market,

according to the statement.

The discovery was made after a routine check of a van, which was found to be transporting the souvenirs. Police were later able to track down a storeroom behind a hidden door near St Peter’s Square.

Three people were arrested on charges of counterfeiting, receiving stolen goods and breaching copyright.

The souvenir raid follows a police operation in December in which authorities seized 3500 fake papal parchments.

The parchments, valued at 70,000 euros (or $80,600), included a counterfeit blessing from Pope Francis in multiple languages, police said at the time.

Official souvenirs must be sold by street vendors who obtain the Vatican’s permission.

Homeless pilgrims to Rome SEVERAL thousand people who used to live or still live on the streets of Europe will travel to Rome in November to mark the Jubilee of Mercy, one week before the Holy Year draws to an end, reports Vatican Insider.

“This pilgrimage and encounter with Pope Francis will give the most vulnerable in our society, who often experience marginalisation, the chance to discover that their place is in God’s heart and at

the centre of the Church,” the organisers stressed.

Participants in the event will be received in the Vatican

by Pope Francis, who will present catechesis sessions on November 11 and celebrate a mass for them on November 13.

In October 2014, 150 homeless people from France and their helpers embarked on a pilgrimage, at the end of which they met Pope Francis briefly.

Page 18 - Catholic Life, May 2016

For the Young and Young at Heart Colour scene from Aladdin

Time for a laugh TOWARD the end of the sermon on forgiveness, the priest asked, “How many of you have forgiven your enemies?” 80 per cent held up their hands.

The priest then repeated his question. All responded this time, except one small elderly lady.

“Mrs Jones? Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?” “I don’t have any,” she replied, smiling sweetly.

“Mrs Jones, that is very unusual.

How old are you?”

“Ninety-eight,” she replied.

“Oh, Mrs Jones, would you please come down in front and tell us all how a person can live 98 years and not have an enemy in the world?”

The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said “I outlived them all!”

Test your knowledge 1. According to legend Robin Hood lived in which forest?

9. Who was the Roman God of War?

2. Who used elephants to carry his army over the Alps to attack Rome?

10. Who co-authored the Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels in 1848?

3. The oldest known Aboriginal skeletons were found at Lake 11. In what country were the Mungo. In what Australian state is famous Nag Hamadi scrolls of that? early Biblical texts discovered?

4. What is the longest river in Victoria?

12. What is a lamprey?

13. What is laughing gas?

5. In what country does the Rhine River flow into the sea?

6. Who was the first man to walk on the moon?

14. What is the official currency of the United Arab Emirates such a Dubai and Abu Dhabi?

15. Who wrote the epic novel 7. Who founded both the scout Robinson Crusoe in 1719? and guide organisations?

Check your answers below.

8. What was the name of the 50 13-15 correct, Excellent (sign up oared ship manned by Jason and the for Who Wants to be a Millionaire), Argonauts?

10-12 Good, 6-9 Average.

The answers

“Because that will make it the longest four weeks of my life!”

AFTER a heavy night down at the local hotel, a man was showing his friends his new flat which was just around the corner.

They looked around inspecting all the modern appliances but when they got to the bedroom, they were amazing to see a large brass gong next to the bed.

“What’s that?” asked one friend.

“It’s a talking clock,” the tenant replied.

“How’s it work?”

“Watch,” he said as he picked up a large hammer and struck the gong which rang very loudly.

Two seconds later there was a shout from through the bedroom wall. “Will A BARRISTER parks his brand new you stop hitting that thing. Don’t you sports car in front of the courthouse to know that it’s 2.15 in the morning!” show it off to his colleagues.

As he’s getting out of the car, a truck A BUS full of ugly people had a comes speeding along too close to the head-on collision with a truck. When kerb and takes off the door before they died, God granted all of them zooming off. one wish.

More than a little distraught, the The first person said, “I want to barrister grabs his mobile and calls be gorgeous.” God said he did not the police. normally pander to vanity but decided Five minutes later, the police arrive. to allow it. He snapped His fingers Before the policeman has a chance and it happened. The second person to ask any questions, the man starts said the same thing and God did the screaming hysterically: “My car, my same thing. This want on and on beautiful red sports car is ruined. throughout the group.

No matter how long it’s at the panel God noticed the last man in line was beaters, it’ll simply never be the same laughing hysterically. By the time again!”

God got to the last 10 people, the last After the man finally finishes his man was laughing and rolling on the rant, the policeman shakes his head in ground. When the man’s turn came, disgust. he laughed and said, “I wish they “I can’t believe how materialistic were all ugly again.” you barristers are,” he says. “You lot are so focused on your possessions AN old man goes to a church, and is that you don’t notice anything else in making a confession: your life.”

Man: “Father, I am 90 years old, my “How can you say such a thing at a wife died 20 years ago and yesterday time like this?” sobs the barrister.

I married a 20 year old. ” The policeman replies: “Didn’t you Father: “When was the last time realise that your arm was torn off you made a confession?” when the truck hit you?”

Man: “I never have, I am Jewish.”

The barrister looks down in horror.

Father: “Then why are telling me all “Oh, where’s my Rolex watch?” he this?” screams.

Man: “I’m telling everybody!”

A BIBLE group study leader says to his group, “What would you do if you knew you only had four weeks left before the great Judgment Day?” A gentleman says, ”I would go out into my community and minister the Gospel to those that have not yet accepted the Lord into their lives.”

“Very good!” says the group leader.

One lady speaks up and says enthusiastically, “I would dedicate all of my remaining time to serving God, my family, my church, and my fellow man with a greater conviction.”

“That’s wonderful!” the group leader comments.

One gentleman in the back finally speaks up loudly and says, “I would go to my mother-in-law’s house for the four weeks.”

The group leader asks, “Why your mother-in-law’s home?”

IN surgery after a heart attack, a middle-aged woman has a vision of God by her bedside.

“Will I die?” she asks. God says, “No. You have 30 more years to live.”

With 30 years to look forward to, she decides to make the best of it. So since she’s in the hospital, she gets a face lift, liposuction, a tummy tuck, laser eye treatment and collagen injections in her lips. She looks great!

The day she’s discharged, she exits the hospital with a swagger, crosses the street, and is immediately hit by an ambulance and killed.

Up in heaven, she sees God. “You said I had 30 more years to live,” she complains.

“That’s true,” says God. “So what happened?” she asks. God shrugs, “I didn’t recognise you.”

1. Sherwood Forest 2. Hannibal 3. New South Wales 4. Goulburn River (The Murray River is in NSW. The border is the bank on the Victorian side) 5. Netherlands 6. Neil Armstrong 7. Lord Baden-Powell

8. The Argo 9. Mars 10. Karl Marx 11. Egypt 12. An eel-like sucker fish 13. Nitrous oxide 14. Dirham 15. Daniel Defoe

Catholic Life, May 2016 - Page 19

Evangelisation conference

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THE Diocese of Broken Bay will host a national conference on parish evangelisation later this year.

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VOCATIONS

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

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

If so please contact

Fr Peter Bickley 5144 4100 vocations@sale.catholic.org.au

HOLY SPIRIT You who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideals, you who gives 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 one. 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 the favour or promise to circulate copies of it to as many people as possible. This is to spread the wonder of the Holy Spirit.

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Proclaim 2016 will run across three days from September 1-3 at Chatswood, in Sydney’s northern suburbs.

Being held for the third time, this important initiative of the Bishops’ Commission for Evangelisation is expected to draw together over 500 participants to discuss, exchange and learn fresh ways in which parishes can become evangelising communities of the 21st century, filled with missionary disciples that announce the profound joy and mercy of the Gospel.

The theme of this year’s Conference, “On a Mission of Mercy: Evangelising Parishes”, embraces the challenge of Pope Francis for the joyful and pastoral conversion of our parishes, so that our practices, resources, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelisation of today’s world.

(Evangelii Gaudium 27) Keynote speakers include Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, Bishop Nicholas Hudson of Westminster and Dr Susan Timoney from Washington, with a focus on parishes as oases of mercy and centres of missionary outreach.

Their input will be complemented by numerous workshops that will offer some of the best practices and strategies by which the mercy and joy of the Gospel can be lived out by local communities of faith. Conference liturgies, panel discussions, social media initiatives, and a night of praise and worship open to young people will also form part of the conference.

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Page 20 - Catholic Life, May 2016

Olympics dream comes true for young shooter was first at the Australian Cup 2 in Sydney earlier this year and first in the Commonwealth Championships in Brisbane.

Australia Clay Target Shooting News featured her on the front cover of its March issue, even before her Olympic selection.

Last week she was competing in the 2016 Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany.

She will be the youngest person to ever represent Australia at an Olympic Games in any of the shooting disciplines.

She will not be the only Gippsland shooter at the Olympics as Keith Ferguson of Sale will compete in the men’s skeet as he did at the London

AISLIN Jones waits for the clay targets to appear. first international skeet shoot the International Sporting Shooter’s Federation world championships in Italy, then followed it up with gold at Shooting Australia’s International Grand Prix in Sydney in October.

She was third in the 2015 Oceania Championships at Sydney in December but her 71 hits out of 75 clay targets was the highest qualifying score and set a new junior women’s skeet record for Oceania and equalled the ISSF women’s junior record.

A week later she repeated that score in another competition.

Olympics four years ago.

Her many sponsors include shotgun manufacturer Beretta which had representatives travel to Bairnsdale Clay Target Club last month to fit a new stock and fine tune her under and over shotgun.

Despite her successes, she remains firmly grounded on what she has to do to achieve success at the highest level.

Aislin is managing to juggle her shooting career with her studies which include taking a couple of Year 11 classes.

Also off to the Olympics is Leongatha high jumper Eleanor Paterson who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games two years ago while a student at Mary MacKillop College.

East Gippsland Sports Federation named her as the 2015 young sportsperson of the year.

Proof that she had developed into a world class shooter came in January this year at the national championships in Brisbane when at age 15 she became the youngest ever Australian women’s skeet champion.

She then went on to gain more international experience by competing in the Qatar Open where she made her mark by qualifying fourth and finishing eighth overall.

In other recent matches he

A priest visiting the sick in Peru

OFF to represent Australia at Rio De Janeiro.

Wig service for chemo patients Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the parable of the prodigal son. Confessors are called to embrace the repentant son who comes home and to express the joy of having him back again.

Chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God, Mary, from the outset, was prepared by the love of God to be the Ark of the Covenant between God and man. She treasured divine mercy in her heart in perfect harmony with her son Jesus.

The red and white beads represent the rays of light of the Divine Mercy.

Cath Life Sale

LAKES ENTRANCE - Nagle College student Aislin Jones, 16, is off to the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro in August after being selected to represent Australia in the women’s skeet event.

Aislin who is in Year 10 at Nagle College, Bairnsdale, is one of Australia’s brightest prospects.

The Lakes Entrance teenager has been shooting shotguns competitively since she obtained her junior longarms licence at age 12.

Her father Dave Jones said Aislin was extremely determined and after showing early promise with Bairnsdale Field and Game, had set her sights on being good enough to make the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

She started in a quarry shooting cans dragged along on fishing line by her father.

Initially she used a smaller 20 gauge shotgun but opted for the 12 gauge despite its larger recoil.

Rapid improvement in the past couple of years under the coaching of former Olympic shooter Lauryn Mark has seen her Olympic dream eventuate four years early.

Aislin made it hard to be ignored by selectors when she jumped to prominence last year.

She finished midfield at her

FOR patients suffering from cancer, losing their hair through Chemotherapy treatment can be a blow to self esteem and confidence when they are already feeling unwell, scared and vulnerable.

St John of God Berwick Hospital has launched a community wig service which can assist these patients during what is a very difficult time in their lives.

Since operating day oncology, which began in 2013, the hospital has been very aware of the damaging effects of hair loss on the self esteem and emotions of their cancer patients.

The wig service was launched at the day oncology centre in Kangan Drive on April 5.

The service has been carefully designed, offering the loan of a current selection of 50 wigs, a number which is set to grow as demand requires.

The loan service is available

to any person in the local community who is suffering from cancer related hair loss, not only St John of God patients. Patients are able to loan the wig for as long as their treatment requires.

This inclusive community approach is in keeping with the social outreach mission of St John of God Health Care, a notfor-profit private health care provider.

The development of the service has also been a community effort, with a team of volunteers having been trained to fit, style and maintain the wigs and many community groups fundraising to assist with the fit out of the service and purchase of the wigs and supplies. The service will be run by St John of God Berwick Hospital with the assistance of volunteers.

For appointments please call 8793 0550

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