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Catholic Life
Publication of the Diocese of Sale
Iona priest to return to India - Page 3
ISSUE 148
Death in Malta of Fr Spiteri - Page 3
March 2011
Project Compassion feature - Page 11
Deacon to be ordained SEMINARIAN Tao Pham will be ordained a deacon for Sale Diocese at Narre Warren on March 16. Originally from Vietnam, the 41-year-old has been studying at Corpus Christi since 2005. Principal celebrant will be Bishop Christopher Prowse. The ordination in Our Lady Help of Christians, Narre Warren, will be at 7.30pm on the vigil of St Patrick’s Day. Up to 30 seminarians from Corpus Christi are expected to attend in support of Tao. He grew up in a farming family in Vietnam and after completing his schooling worked as a farmer 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 priest in Vietnam was thwarted by government policy which strictly limits the number of ordinations to the priesthood which can take place. In 2005 he sought to come to Australia to train for the priesthood and following an accli-
matisation period the following year, entered the seminary as a student for Sale Diocese in 2007. On the day of his ordination seminarians will lead vocational talks with students at St Peter’s College, Cranbourne, and St Francis Xavier College, Beaconsfield. It is expected that about 30 seminarians will be available in pairs to talk to students during the final period of the day. Sale Diocese has had two more students enter the seminary this year, bringing the total number of our seminarians to four. The men come from Morwell and Pakenham. A little more than 12 months ago Tao Pham was our diocese’s only seminarian. It is hoped that later this year we will also benefit by the arrival of another seminarian from India who met Bishop Prowse during an overseas trip last year. In addition several priests from Nigeria, India and Sri Lanka are currently working through the visa process and it is hoped they will arrive to work in the diocese later this year.
Softwear update READERS may have noticed some slight changes in the past couple of issues as Catholic Life changes progressively to new production softwear. The program in use up until now has been the same one since we established the newspaper as a free publication back in 1997. We have tried to replicate the newspaper without doing a full overhaul. Several readers have picked up a change of font used in the
text which is slightly larger and therefore easier to read. Last issue about a third of the pages were done with the new program and after a few hiccups in producing high quality images required for the printer. this month only a couple of pages remain in the old program. The changeover has necessitated that most advertisements be recreated or, when possible, changed over to the new format.
SEMINARIAN Tao Pham with Bishop Christopher Prowse.
Project Compassion launch WARRAGUL - The annual Lenten Appeal, Project Compassion was launched for Sale Diocese yesterday at Marist Sion College, Warragul. Bishop Christopher Prowse attended the launch, along with several priests from surrounding parishes and representatives of various schools from around the diocese.
Our launch is traditionally held on Shrove Tuesday, the last day before Lent. Those attending were offered pancakes for lunch, in keeping with the tradition of using up the rich foods before the period of fasting during Lent. Project Compassion is run by Caritas Australia which supports many worthwhile pro-
Help restore St Mary’s Cathedral Bishop Christopher Prowse has launched an appeal to raise up to $1 million to restore and enhance the Mother Church of the Diocese of Sale. Please be generous in your giving. Send donations to Cathedral Appeal, Reply Paid 508, Sale, 3853 * Credit card form can be downloaded at www.sale.catholic.org.au. Fill-in on line, print, sign and post.
jects around the world where it works with locals to provide community building projects, as well as emergency aid. Project Compassion kits and cardboard donations boxes are available from parishes. Families and individuals are asked to give generously during Lent and then return the boxes after Easter.