Mission Today issue 21

A CATHOLIC MISSION MAGAZINE ISSUE 21

The Francis Effect II Settling in to the new Marialaya home The chapel at the top of the hill Welcoming the most vulnerable children

Hope and ambition for a young Church

In this issue…

THE FRANCIS EFFECT II

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SETTLING IN TO THE NEW MARIALAYA HOME

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SAFER LEARNING AT SCHOOL 5 IN MICHAELPURAM THE CHAPEL AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WHEN WE LOVE WE WILL BE LOVED

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IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME 10 WELCOMING THE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN

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Cover image: A young girl in Cocoa, Timor-Leste benefits from a feeding program supported by Catholic Mission.

Catholic Mission acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which this magazine was published.

Message from the National Director It is with great pleasure and a sense of anticipation that I take this opportunity to say a few words to the supporters of Catholic Mission. Having had already the chance to meet some of the dedicated staff at Catholic Mission, I am looking forward to getting to know you better as I settle into my new role in February 2016.

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or the last 25 years as Secretary and Financial Administrator in Sydney, and as General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, much of my work has been dealing with many internal issues of Church governance and administration. In this new role I look forward to joining with you in the Church’s work of evangelisation locally and at an international level.

I was appointed National Director of Catholic Mission by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, who gave me three instructions: to make known the importance of the missionary activity ad gentes of the Church; to encourage the faithful to support this spiritually; and to encourage financial support for the Church in missionary lands. I intend that these instructions will guide our agenda and I ask for your ongoing support.

In 2015, Catholic Mission celebrated 175 years in Australia. Prior to our foundation at a meeting in Sydney in 1840, Australia was itself a mission land. In the time since, Catholic Mission has grown to become a leading contributor of funds not only to the pastoral work of the local Church, but globally as well. That we have for so long maintained and also grown our capacity to lend support where it is most needed is testament to the rich culture of altruism that exists in Australia; a culture underpinned by the notion of a fair go for all. I am committed to working with our staff and volunteers around the country to foster this growth and ensure that your generosity continues to change lives for the better.

I understand how important it is that your donations are used both efficiently and effectively, for the purpose of the Church’s work in spreading the Gospel in word and action. I welcome your feedback on the information we send.

Within the pages of this issue of Mission Today, we profile just some of the people and communities for whom your support means so much. I hope you read their stories, and are inspired to give generously now and throughout the coming year. Thank you for all you do for the work of mission.

PO Box 1668 North Sydney NSW 2059

Blessings to you and your family.

T: 02 9919 7800 F: 02 8904 0185 E: admin@catholicmission.org.au

Freecall: 1800 257 296 catholicmission.org.au

Fr Brian Lucas National Director

The Book

Colloquiums

Twelve prominent Catholic leaders from various sectors and ministries of the Australian Church offer their perspectives on Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology and creation. The book offers readers insights and challenges to what Pope Francis calls “the greatest moral challenge of our time.”

You are invited to come and participate in an opportunity to engage with Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology and creation and deepen your understanding of his challenge for each of us to protect the earth, dignify humanity and restore God’s gift of creation.

Within these pages are inspiration and practical ideas for caring for our Common Home, for family members and parishioners, Church, business and Catholic agency leaders, young people, Catholic educators, social service and pastoral care workers, people engaged in health and aged care and those charged with the responsibilities of leadership and governance.

In 2015-2016, Catholic Mission, Catholic Earthcare Australia and Catholic Religious Australia will host individual authors of the Francis Effect ІІ book at public colloquiums across Australia.

Inspired by the words of Pope Francis, the authors write from their own professional and personal perspective about how each of us is called to protect the earth, dignify humanity and restore God’s gift of creation. This book is an excellent tool with far reaching application for all those who contribute to the various organisations, communities, parishes and agencies of our Church.

The Pope places the environmental crisis as “the greatest moral challenge of our time.” The Francis Effect II: Praised Be You – On Care for our Common Home colloquiums will assist participants to explore Pope Francis’ vision, offering inspiration and practical ideas for caring for our Common Home – in our lives, at work and in our community.

PURCHASE THE BOOK OR REGISTER FOR A COLLOQUIUM www.thefranciseffectII.com

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

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INDIA

Settling in to the new Marialaya home

When she was stolen from her family as an infant, Shorti wondered if she’d even survive. She was put to work as a beggar at a railway station—torment that ended only when the Salesian Sisters rescued her at the age of three. Now as she rests her head at the new Marialaya Shelter Home, she thanks God for the opportunity at a better life.

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ike 12 million other children in India who are stolen or sold for slavery, Shorti* was not long ago begging for money at a bustling Chennai train station. She was found by the Salesian Sisters of India and brought to the Marialaya Shelter Home. There, she made a new friend—Vandoosha*— who came from a similar background.

Sold to a wealthy family by her parents at the age of five, Vandoosha was rescued by the Sisters after the family’s neighbour witnessed physical abuse and reported it to the police.

The two girls have now been at the Marialaya Shelter Home for nearly eight years. Sister Dora Stanislaus, the superior at the home, has noticed the impact of a stable and loving environment on the girls. “When the children come here, many can’t help but have hatred in their hearts,” she says. “But we care for them and they feel loved. ”When they come here they change;

there’s a transformation. They share their joys and sorrows, and they are grateful to God and their benefactors.”

A psychologist employed at the Shelter Home helps the children to understand what happened to them and why they are here. “Before they came here, there was no motivation among the girls. They were not interested in their studies,” recalls Sr Dora. “Now, after coming here to Marialaya, they enjoy going to school and learning.”

In 2014, the Marialaya Shelter Home was relocated away from the busy, polluted streets of Chennai and into the quieter neighbourhood of Chengalpattu, one and a half hours away. Made possible by the support of Catholic Mission donors like you, the move to the bigger and better home proved popular with the girls. “The new shelter home is big and spacious,” says Vandoosha. “We get lots of fresh air and all our needs are met here.”

Sister Dora (above) says Marialaya offers a stable, loving environment for children

Shorti is learning computer skills

Both Vandoosha and her friend Shorti agree that one of the best things is having more space in which to play.

“The new building is open and we can play, but in the old home we did not have a place to play,” says Shorti.

While games form a vital part of the girls’ development, the Sisters also stress an academic focus; and the girls are achieving success in this aspect.

Shorti attends the local school and is at the very top of her grade six class.

Soon she will be taking computer and English classes in the hope of one day being a doctor. Vandoosha is more creative, and would like to become a social worker—primarily for one reason: “I don’t want other children to experience the same things I did.”

Thanks to your generosity, children like Vandoosha and Shorti can enjoy opportunities that were previously inaccessible to them. Sister Dora says the Sisters are trying their best. “We constantly need to prepare to keep up with the youth of today. They are so different, it’s a challenge that we are trying to address. We thank you for your generous support.” ■

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of these girls.

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MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Work with Children

Safer learning at school in Michaelpuram

Listening intently, the children watch as their teacher scratches out an equation on the faded chalkboard. Suddenly, a loud crash permeates their concentration. A large roof tile shatters on the ground outside as the children hear a cracking noise from above. They begin to panic, but the teacher coolly leads them out of the classroom and into the open courtyard, where they’ll remain while the building’s safety is cautiously assessed.

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his is almost a daily occurrence at St Michael’s Parish School in Michaelpuram, a tiny remote village 200 kilometres south-west of Chennai.

The school is the only one of its kind in the immediate area, so about 420 students from five neighbouring villages pour in each day to learn language, mathematics, religion and ethics, and nutrition and hygiene.

With hundreds of bright young faces packing in to the school each day, the wear and tear has left the old school building decrepit and dangerously untrustworthy. Built with mud and tiles by local villagers in 1934, the schoolhouse is in desperate need of replacement, says Father Magimai, the local parish priest and school principal.

“The mud walls are starting to crack, and the tiles are falling off the roof,” he says. “We need to provide a safe environment for all the students, but it is now in a dilapidated condition.”

Like much of rural India, most of the Michaelpuram community relies MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

on agriculture for their income and survival. Changes in climate have had a negative impact on the production of crops, forcing many men and women to leave their families and migrate to the bigger cities for work. This means that mostly women and children are left to care for the land, and their schooling can suffer as a result. As most of its students are aged between five and ten years old, St Michael’s Parish School is crucial to the early education of children in Michaelpuram and the surrounding districts.

Thanks to generous supporters like you, children and teachers at St Michael’s Parish School can receive the education they deserve, without fear of the disaster that is inevitable in their current surrounds. “A new school building will provide a safer and more accessible learning environment for the students, while adding credibility to the school as a place to gain a sound education,” says Father Magimai.

Thanks to your generosity, a new

building housing five new classrooms will be constructed in the school this year. Archbishop of Pondicherry and Cuddalore, Antony Anandarayar, says your support is vital to the completion of the new buildings. “Since the people of this parish are economically very poor, your financial support has helped to bring a new school building to St Michael’s Parish School. Thank you very much.” ■

Father Magimai with Sister Clara at St Michael’s Parish School

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TIMOR-LESTE

The chapel at the top of the hill

The chapel in the tiny Timorese village of Samalete takes pride of place at the top of the road into town. Coming from nearby Railaco, the long road snakes its way up, down and around the mountains 20 kilometres south of the nation’s capital Dili. Eventually, it straightens and climbs along a tight ridge to finally meet the chapel—appropriately placed atop the hill. The chapel, built in 1991, is the sacred home of the faithful in Samalete. It represents so much for a community that experienced a brutal struggle for independence at the turn of the century. Yet, with the chapel in a state of disrepair, the cherished ritual of Sunday Mass is now at risk of endangering lives.

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he Catholic Church in Timor-Leste recently celebrated its 500th anniversary. Not only does the faith have far-reaching roots in Timor, but also strength in numbers, with 97 per cent of the population identifying as Catholic. Mass attendance is strong, especially in the rural parts of the country, and Samalete is no different, with about half of the one thousandstrong population turning out for

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Mass each Sunday in their best attire.

Oracio, a faithful parishioner in Samalete, makes an extraordinary effort to get to Mass. Still full of vitality, the 78-year-old walks five kilometres to and from the dilapidated chapel every Sunday. His faith and determination is never dampened, regardless of the weather. “According to my faith, whether it is raining or

sunny, I must fulfil my promise to God and to the Church,” Oracio says. “I come to Mass every Sunday. It is what I have done all my life.”

For Oracio and the local community, having an adequate place to gather and practise their faith is of great importance. Prior to 1991, there was no such place in Samalete. The faithful in the village would gather in a simple MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Work with Communities Thankfully, because of your contribution, Catholic Mission is supporting the community of Samalete to make the crucial repairs to their beloved chapel.

Vital restoration work will make the roof and windows weather-proof, meaning the community can gather without fear or reservation, even during the treacherous wet season.

The chapel at Samalete is in desperate need of repair

shack, packed to the walls and spilling outside. Regrettably, Sunday Mass became too overcrowded for many parishioners, who stayed home instead.

Thanks to your generosity, Oracio can continue to make the journey to a safe and sacred home to celebrate his faith.

began to grow from then.”

Now, Antonio says the dangerous condition of the chapel’s roof and windows means that parishioners are beginning to stay away as a result of their concern. “The challenge for the people of Samalete at the moment is the chapel,” says Antonio. “The Church is traditionally our sacred home where we come together; but with the condition of the chapel at the moment, people feel unsafe coming here.”

“Also, they worry about how they are going to fix the issue. That’s the second concern.”

Antonio believes the repairs to the chapel will breathe new life into the parish, in a similar way to when the Catholic faith first began to grow in Samalete. “I have a hope that the renewed chapel will have a similar effect on the people. I have this hope because now in Samalete the population is growing past one thousand.”

With the chapel in its current state, it may have eventually become impossible for Oracio to come to Mass each Sunday—the risk would have been too great. Now, thanks to your generosity, Oracio can continue to make the journey to a safe and sacred home to celebrate his faith with his loved ones. It is news that brings a smile to his face. “The new chapel will make me happy for the rest of my life,” he says. “Thank you. Your work and your presence in this community are very good for us.” ■

Oracio clearly recalls the feeling in the community when the chapel was completed in 1992. “When the parish priest told us we had to prepare for a new chapel to be built, the parishioners were very happy to build the church from traditional things like grass and bamboo, just to start the process,” he says.

“It was just the second chapel in the Ermera area,” adds Antonio, a former Samalete community chief. “Back in the 1960s, the people of Samalete were looking for a place to be baptised. At that time, people would get baptised and not really know anything about God or Baptism, but they were still keen to learn. When the parish priest first came here in 1969, it made the people happy to be involved in the Church. The faith MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

A newly restored chapel will make Oracio, 78, “happy for the rest of [his] life”

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TIMOR-LESTE

When we love we will be loved When we love, we will be loved. For Father Nato Gusmao this is more than just a personal mantra. He feels it encapsulates his mission and that of every other priest in Timor-Leste. Even though the Catholic Church has been in Timor-Leste for 500 years, Fr Nato agrees with senior clergy who believe it is facing one of its most challenging periods. Nevertheless, he is proud of how far the nation has come in his short time as a priest.

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hen we last spoke with Father Natolino ‘Nato’ Gusmao, seven years ago, he was a 27-year-old seminarian, preparing to be ordained a deacon the following year. His ethos was very similar to that which he carries today. “What keeps me giving in my life is that I feel compassion for my people,” he said. “I know their pain and suffering. We still have a vision of hope. I work to confirm them and realise that vision with our faith in God.” Fr Nato does indeed know the pain of the Timorese people. Following

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the referendum of 1999, which democratically ended the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste, Nato’s family fled to Kupang, a coastal city in the far west of West Timor. They joined thousands of other Timorese who left everything behind to flee for their lives amidst the destruction of a reluctantly retreating Indonesian military.

In the fortnight following the vote on 31 August, brutal violence and destruction broke out across the country. The worst incidents were massacres—on the street and in chapels. Many of the

tragedies cut to the heart of the nation, like the three priests shot dead in cold blood in separate incidents. Meanwhile, houses, schools, shops and churches burnt, leaving many Timorese families with nothing.

Slowly, those who had fled made their way home to begin a new life in their newly freed nation. Although independence would not be fully realised until 2002, the sense of liberation was strongly felt. Nato and his family were among the first refugees to return to the devastated MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

Work with Church Leaders city of Dili when order was restored by the International Force for East Timor, or INTERFET. Motivated by the struggle of the Timorese people, Nato soon joined the minor seminary in Dare, south of Dili, and began on his path to priesthood.

Over a decade later, Fr Nato is living out the mission that he once articulated as a young seminarian. “I find people who are seeking to know the real presence of God,” he said back then. “They can love God better when we guide and teach them. My conviction is to be a prophet in this day. Faith will always be an eternal necessity for all the people of the world.”

They can love God better when we guide and teach them ...

Faith will always be an eternal necessity for the all people of the world.

Thanks to your generous and continued support, Fr Nato was ordained in 2011 and has been involved in different ministries as a priest for four years. When he’s not travelling between 19 mission stations

Father Nato Gusmao occasionally revisits the Major Seminary of St Peter and St Paul where he was ordained a priest in 2011

in his local parish of St Vincent Ferrer in Laclo, the 34-year-old works as a local collaborator at the Catholic Nunciature of Timor-Leste—the Vatican’s embassy in Dili. “I act as a facilitator for the Nuncio within the local community,” he says. “The role relates to government and bishops; I help to facilitate contact and communication, so that the local faith community can have a say.”

The varied work keeps him busy, but very happy. “I love the work that I do as a priest, especially in the rural mountain areas,” he says. “I have a strong sense of love for the Timorese people. They are not perfect, but they have a special characteristic as a joyful, humble people.”

Fr Nato believes there is still great progress to be made in TimorLeste, sixteen years on from those

Father Nato has a “strong sense of love for the Timorese people”

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

There are challenges ahead, and I don’t know what’s next, but I will keep living faithfully.

When we love, we will be loved.

tumultuous days following the referendum. “Independence has been a challenge to the identity of the Timorese people,” he says. “People are discovering freedom for the first time and are somewhat uncertain about what it all means.”

While Fr Nato concedes the government could be taking action to overcome some of the issues in society, he feels the Church has a special role at a spiritual level for the 97 per cent Catholic population. “I feel a solution that I can offer to these issues is to say a lot and love a lot,” he says. “When I first arrived at my parish as a priest, there was a lack of Mass attendance. But that has begun to change now and we’re seeing that when we love, the people look and understand. They feel that the Church holds something important for them.”

Your contribution to Catholic Mission supports many men and women like Nato as they grow in their formation and become the vital young leaders that both the Church and the community need. Fr Nato is excited about his future and that of his beloved Timor-Leste. “I am a happy priest so far,” he says with a laugh.

“There are challenges ahead, and I don’t know what’s next, but I will keep living faithfully. When we love, we will be loved.” ■ PAGE 9

Immerse yourself in the experience of a lifetime

See the world from a completely different perspective on a life-changing Catholic Mission Immersion

A Catholic Mission Immersion is an unforgettable, life-changing experience. Whether you’re an adult or a student, you can join a small, tailored group and immerse yourself in an entirely different culture for up to twelve days. You’ll experience life, faith and justice from a completely new perspective, returning home inspired to live a personal sense of mission in Australia.

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ith trips to Indigenous Australian communities, including Alice Springs, Broome and Kununurra, as well as overseas locations, such as Timor-Leste, Mongolia, Kiribati, and Ethiopia, a Catholic Mission immersion is the best way to experience a broader vision of God’s family and challenge yourself to continue the mission of Jesus in the world.

Specialised pilgrimages operate to the Camino Santiago de Compostela in Spain and to Rome, Italy.

We travel light and we travel with purpose. An experienced Catholic PAGE 10

I have learned that there are people in the world doing amazing things for others and I believe that I can and should do my part too.

Immersion participant

Mission facilitator will accompany and guide the group, managing all

interactions with host communities and facilitating daily prayer and reflection.

Our immersion and pilgrimage groups are relatively small allowing us to interact in an appropriate manner with our host communities.

As we are called by Pope Francis to live the ‘Joy of the Gospel’, an immersion is a challenging but truly joyful experience that remains with participants long after they have returned home. Come and join us on the experience of a lifetime!

For more information please visit catholicmission.org.au/immersions.

MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

CATHOLIC MISSION’S 2015 CHILDREN’S APPEAL

Welcoming the most vulnerable children This year Catholic Mission’s annual Children’s Appeal, held around Christmas time, highlights the work of the Sisters of St John the Baptist in the Philippines. The Sisters run the Our Lady of Providence Home for children in the city of Cebu, where they reach out to children coming from desperate poverty, many of whom have experienced physical and emotional abuse. Even now, it is not too late to support Catholic Mission’s work with children through this appeal. from illness, or those who may have suffered abuse in their early lives. The Sisters at the home, led by superior Sister Corazon Riconalla, reach out and offer the practical and spiritual care these special children need.

Through learning about the Catholic faith, Christian values are nurtured in the children, helping them to make positive choices and have better opportunities for a brighter future.

“If we care for the children, they will ... make a real difference in the world,” says Sr Corazon

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s the shrill cries ring out through the house in the dead of night, Helen knows something is wrong.

Reaching out for her daughter Henny, she can already tell what is happening.

Henny’s body is cold, clammy and limp due to severe dehydration and a lack of food. Panicking, Helen has no choice but to leave her other children at home and rush Henny to the hospital, six hours away by foot. She knows that by the time she gets there it may just be too late.

Thankfully, the frightening ordeal had a happy ending. Helen made it to the hospital and Henny’s life was saved.

But for the recently widowed mother of eight, it was not the first scare she’d had, and she knew it would not be the last. Having lost her husband, Helen could no longer care for all of her children, and as a result, Henny MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine

and some of her siblings suffered from severe malnutrition. Helen was forced to make the hardest decision of her life: to leave her two youngest daughters, Henny and Jelly, to the care of the Sisters at the Our Lady of Providence Home.

The home cares for young children from disadvantaged backgrounds who may be orphaned, suffering

I am convinced that if we care for the children, they will better understand their value and make a real difference in the world.

Henny and Jelly have now gone through positive changes in their lives, overcoming the health issues related to the severe malnutrition from which they suffered in their early years. Lifechanging transformations like these give Sister Corazon a great sense of fulfilment while working at the orphanage; however, she is also aware that with more than a quarter of the people in the Philippines living below the poverty line, she and her fellow Sisters are only able to provide for a very small number of children. For this reason, they still urgently need our help to continue to offer life-saving care for the children at the Our Lady of Providence Home and to be able to welcome more of those who are still living in desperate situations.

Sister Corazon is certain about her mission: “When I was young and decided to become a sister, it was because I wanted to make a change in society. I am convinced that if we care for the children, they will better understand their value and make a real difference in the world.”

You can support Catholic Mission’s Children’s Appeal today by visiting catholicmission.org.au/christmas2015.

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TOGETHER WE CAN REACH OUT AND GIVE LIFE

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†For further information about the types of projects that are non-tax-deductible or tax-deductible, please go to catholicmission.org.au/taxdeductibility. *Please go to catholicmission.org.au/T&C for our terms and conditions for credit card donations.