A CATHOLIC MISSION MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
‘ Mission: one heart many voices’ 2017 Bishop biking for a benefit A mission to ‘love all’ Leading the way in PNG
Crossing
borders
Message from the National Director
In this issue… ‘MISSION: ONE HEART MANY VOICES’ 2017
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BISHOP BIKING FOR A BENEFIT
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LIFE TO THE FULL: 2017 CHURCH APPEAL
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PULL-OUT POSTER
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THE CYCLE OF LIFE
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A MISSION TO ‘LOVE ALL’
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CROSSING BORDERS
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LEADING THE WAY IN PNG
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Cover image: A young boy reflects at the Arrupe Centre in Battambang, Cambodia (more on page 9).
Catholic Mission acknowledges that we are on the land of Australia's First Peoples. We pay our respect to the ever-present spirituality of Elders past and present.
Editor: Matthew Poynting mpoynting@catholicmission.org.au
Warm greetings to all our supporters. Welcome to this winter issue of Mission Today, in which we share the stories of the many people and projects you support through your contribution to Catholic Mission. Your generosity is so valuable to the people featured within these pages, and I hope that in their stories you find inspiration to continue your wonderful mission of service. The stories in this winter issue take you to a warmer place, focusing on our projects in beautiful, diverse Cambodia. You’ll read about our work with children, including a young girl who is making the most of her opportunity to attend school to help her siblings, too. Also, there is the story of the priest from Thailand who yearned for education, and now is ensuring children and young people in his adopted home can access it themselves. Turn the page for an update on our new initiative this year, the Ride to Reach Out—a 250-kilometre ride through Cambodia where up to 20 participants will have the chance to visit our projects, just like the ones in this magazine. One of those very special participants may come as a surprise to you. On behalf of all of us here at Catholic Mission, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support of global mission. With your continued partnership, together we can respond to Pope Francis’ call to ‘go out to the margins’ and be a truly missionary church. Please enjoy this issue of Mission Today, and I invite you to share it with a friend or family member. On the back page are ways in which you can further your support of our life-giving work with children, communities and future church leaders; or join us in partnership for the first time, by becoming a regular supporter, making a single contribution, or leaving a lasting legacy with a gift in your will. For more information on the work we do and how you can help, I welcome you to contact us. Wishing you and your family a blessed second half of the year,
PO Box 1668 North Sydney NSW 2059 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
‘ Mission: one heart many voices’ 2017
Over 450 registrants from around the world flocked to Sydney in May for Australia’s premier conference on mission. The SMC Conference and Function Centre was the venue for 'Mission: one heart many voices' 2017, which featured renowned leaders in mission including Father Frank Brennan SJ AO, Dr Cathy Ross, and Evelyn Enid Parkin.
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ather Brennan both opened and closed the conference with his keynotes, which expertly brought together the key themes, which included reconciliation, mercy, leadership for mission, diversity and Indigenous spirituality and theology. ‘For us to be a Church of mission in 2030, we must provide a place at the table for all … for Indigenous people, for women, for refugees and for the abused,’ he said in his closing address on Day 3. ‘We must be adaptable and open to change.’ The tone of the conference seemed to change with each new day. A sombre mood of reflection was set early on Day 1 with the Welcome to Country and Opening Prayer, delivered by Dr Elsie Heiss and Evelyn Parkin. It was followed by a moving simulation of the
MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
South African post-Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings.
For us to be a Church of mission in 2030, we must provide a place at the table for all … for Indigenous people, for women, for refugees and for the abused. Ginn Fourie, who was involved in the hearings as the mother of a young woman killed in a 1993 attack on a Cape Town pub, then surprised those gathered in the auditorium as she came on stage and shared her emotional story.
On Day 2, the collective feeling shifted towards one of vision and hope, as Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long inspired all at the conference breakfast with a stirring call to action, challenging each and every person to break free of the status quo. ‘As a Church, we must find the courage to reimagine our future and venture into unknown chaos,’ he said. ‘In doing so we will find love.’ The 2017 conference, the third of its kind, was the biggest yet, with over 50 guest presenters hosting a vast array of workshops, masterclasses, facilitated conversations and Q&A sessions. Plans are already in place for the 2019 instalment of the biennial event, to be held in Sydney again, with Sister Carol Zinn SSJ confirmed as a keynote speaker. ■ PAGE 3
Bishop biking for a benefit
As if leading one of the most far-flung Catholic dioceses in Australia wasn’t tough enough, one Australian bishop has signed up for a very different kind of challenge. Bishop of Wilcannia‑Forbes Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE has joined Catholic Mission’s Ride to Reach Out, a 250-kilometre cycle through the heart of Cambodia, to raise funds and awareness for the organisation's work. supported by Catholic Mission I think is really important,’ says Bishop Columba. ‘To put faces, names to people at the other end of giving … makes it real, and that’s the important thing for me is to be able to connect with the people.’
Bishop Columba is "fairly confident" of handling the 250-kilometre Ride to Reach Out in November
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he 12-day experience, from 15-26 November this year, will immerse the Bishop and up to 19 other participants in the beauty and culture of one of Southeast Asia’s most stunning regions, while also allowing them to make a practical difference to the lives of people in need.
is unlikely to involve traversing his 414,398-square-kilometre diocese.
But is one of Australia’s youngest bishops ready for the challenge? ‘Prayer is going to have to help me through it,’ he says with a laugh. ‘I don’t know how I’ll handle the humidity, but I’m fairly confident because it’s not a sprint. I’m just looking forward to it. With God, you can do anything.’
Besides the obvious physical benefits of cycling 250 kilometres in a tropical climate, Bishop Columba will have a first-hand opportunity to meet and work with some of the beneficiaries of programs supported by Catholic Mission.
‘It’s too flaming big! Combined with the heat, and the magpies, I think I’ll stick to night riding,’ he says. ‘I haven’t ridden in a while, but this gives me a reason to get back into it. I’ve got a goal now.’
‘To actually go to the communities
Bishop Columba has already planned a suite of fundraising activities to meet his individual targets. ‘In my own diocese, we have some functions planned. We have a trivia night scheduled and we’ll try to get the schools involved,’ says Bishop Columba, whose specialty is geography.
To put faces, names to people at the other end of giving … makes it real, and that’s the important thing for me is to be able to connect with the people. For more information on the Ride to Reach Out and how you can support Bishop Columba or others, visit catholicmission.org.au/r2ro. ■
The journey will take participants from the breathtaking temples of Angkor Wat and Siem Reap, to the calm splendour of Tonle Sap lake and eventually into the bustling heart of the capital Phnom Penh. Bishop Columba is a keen cyclist, and while he hasn’t taken to the two wheels for a while, five months out from the adventure he says his training PAGE 4
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2017 Church Appeal
UGANDA
Life to the full
If you have ever been in an ambulance or know someone who has, Catholic Mission’s 2017 Church Appeal might have added meaning. The annual appeal focuses on Uganda, where the Daughters of Mary, a local order, are trying to improve women and children’s health through Jesus’ life-giving mission.
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t St Luke Health Centre in Bujuni, a small village three hours west of Kampala, Sister Mary Goretti manages a small staff to prepare expectant mothers for safe delivery of their babies, among other services. With prenatal and postnatal education programs, general health check-ups and a maternity ward for new deliveries, St Luke’s provides an invaluable service for the local community; yet many young women risk their lives to receive this essential healthcare. Evas Masanyu is a 24-year-old woman who lives on the outskirts of Bujuni. Last year, as she went into labour, Evas’ only option to get to the nearest health centre was on the back of a motorbike.
I think if we get a vehicle it will really help us to save the life of the mother and the baby... Despite the heavy rain and dangerous conditions, Evas made it to St Luke’s. But, needing a C-section, which is beyond the capacity of the small centre, Evas was referred to a larger hospital. She gave birth, but the baby was very ill and, two days later, he tragically died. Sister Mary, who visited Australia last month, says it is a tragedy that should have been avoided. ‘When she’s very weak, the mother cannot sit on a motorcycle, which is the only available means of transport,’ she said. ‘I think if we get a vehicle it will really help us to save the life of the mother MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
and the baby. People come with hope that you are going to help them. Then you look at the condition, it’s beyond our care here.’ The appeal, hosted in Catholic parishes around Australia, will support plans to expand the health centre’s maternity ward, build a new children’s ward and bring in vital scanning equipment and the desperately needed ambulance.
The 2017 Church Appeal video tells the story of Evas and the incredible work of Sister Mary and her staff at St Luke Health Centre. You can see their story and find out more about the appeal at catholicmission.org.au/ugandavideo. To make a contribution towards the vital work of Catholic Mission in Uganda and around the world, please visit catholicmission.org.au/uganda. ■ PAGE 5
Toy, an eleven-year-old boy from Pailin in western Cambodia, takes a break from the heat in a hammock underneath his family home. Toy lost his left leg in 2015 when he stepped on a landmine while picking mushrooms. He is now enrolled at the Arrupe Centre in Battambang and enjoys learning maths and playing games with his friends.
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MISSION TODAY  A Catholic Mission Magazine
MISSION TODAY  A Catholic Mission Magazine
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Work with Children
CAMBODIA
The cycle of life
Fifteen-year-old Phon Srey Pim happily rings the bell on her bike as she pulls into her driveway off a narrow lane in a small village in Takeo, a province two hours south of Phnom Penh. Her 12-year-old brother has won the race home from school, and as he dashes out the door, soccer ball in hand, Srey Pim grabs a hold of his shirt. ‘Not so fast,’ she tells him. ‘Homework comes first!’ They are desperately trying to make ends meet, having borrowed money through the Sisters’ microfinancing program—a flexible loan which Sister Vangie Dunton says is to be paid back only when it is possible, and not a minute before. Meanwhile, with a busy household to help run, time is a luxury for Srey Pim. ‘My mother and father work in Thailand, so my siblings and I live at home with our grandmother. When my mother is home, I help her to prepare food for the week.’
Phon Srey Pim can now easily and quickly get to school
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n Cambodia, especially in regional areas, it is difficult for many children to attend school. Often the fees are too high for parents to pay, or the children do not have the required documents, such as a birth certificate. Those who can attend often need help to pay, not just for tuition fees, but for uniforms, books, pencils and other essentials. Thanks to your support, the Daughters of Charity in Takeo provide these necessities for the children through their education support program, allowing them to get the most out of their time in the classroom and prepare the best they can at home. Srey Pim is in the 9th grade at the public school in town, about half an hour away by bicycle. In the early hours of each morning, before she leaves for school, Srey Pim reviews her class exercises. She then sets out with her younger brother, who also attends the school, on the pushbikes the Sisters provided to them and other children in their neighbourhood. When they return home, Srey Pim turns her focus to helping him to study. ‘In the PAGE 8
morning, we can go to school together, and the teachers help us to read and write,’ she says. ‘Then, when I have time in the afternoon, I help my brother with his homework and exercises.’
The support they give us means that my brother and I can study at a good school. If it weren’t for the Sisters I probably would not be studying.
Taking the role of big sister in her stride, Srey Pim’s circumstances drive her to succeed. ‘Because of the Daughters of Charity, I am motivated to study hard,’ she says. ‘The support they give us means that my brother and I can study at a good school. If it weren’t for the Sisters I probably would not be studying.’ Supporting Catholic Mission's work with children means that in developing countries around the world, thousands of bright young minds, like Srey Pim, can have access to education and a promising future. ■
She believes her brother can become a great doctor, and wants to help him achieve success in whatever way she can. When asked what she would like to be when she finishes school, her answer comes as little surprise: ‘I would like to be a teacher,’ she says with a beaming smile. Both of Srey Pim’s parents work as farmers across the border in Thailand.
Srey Pim (right) with Sister Vangie Dunton
MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Work with Children
CAMBODIA
A mission to ‘love all’
Kum Suor was only ten years old when he felt the lump in his leg. Helplessly he waited for it to heal, not knowing what to do. When his parents discovered something was wrong, they took him to Siem Reap for treatment, but when they were told the operation would cost far more than they could ever raise, it became a desperate situation. Thankfully, a local Catholic organisation heard Kum Suor’s story and stepped in.
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he Arrupe Centre, in the western Cambodian city of Battambang, provides education, development and community outreach programs for children with disabilities and their families. It was founded in 2001 by Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzalez, a Spanish missionary known affectionately as the ‘Bishop of Wheelchairs’ for his decades of work with people with disabilities. Over the years, the centre has welcomed many children and young people through its doors, providing a place of comfort and hope, concepts that can seem far off to a person with a disability in Cambodia. In addition to the tuition, physical and spiritual development and social activities that the centre provides, one of its most critical undertakings is the outreach into remote areas of the province, where the voices of the vulnerable remain unheard.
The Arrupe Centre makes visits to my family and brings them rice and other needs. I am glad that they are being looked after too. Kum Suor, now 14, could have experienced a very different outcome. Diagnosed with a tumour in his leg at the age of ten, and with his parents unable to afford the necessary operation despite his father taking a job in Thailand, it looked hopeless for the young boy. But the outreach team MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Kum Suor now has the opportunity to pursue tennis. Photo: Arrupe Centre
at Arrupe happened to be stationed in Kum Suor’s home village just as his family went to seek help. He returned to hospital, this time in Battambang. ‘I was in a lot of pain. I asked them, “when will you take my leg?”’ he recalls. ‘I couldn’t sleep, the pain was so bad. But then I had the operation to amputate my leg, and the Arrupe Centre paid for it. I am very grateful.’ Today, Kum Suor can afford to set his sights firmly on the future. ‘Now I play a lot of tennis. Two of the staff helped me to learn how to play with one leg,’ he says. ‘I am very happy that I can also study and go to school.’ His favourite subject in school is Khmer language, and one day he wants to be a translator. While he is excited about his future and the activities he
can now do at the centre, he is more thankful for Arrupe’s support of his family. ‘The Arrupe Centre makes visits to my family and brings them rice and other needs. I am glad that they are being looked after too.’ The Arrupe Centre is located just a short walk from the Battambang central business district, where, nestled in a narrow street is the Lonely Tree Café. The café is funded by Catholic Mission, run by a mostly volunteer staff, and is one of the primary fundraising arms of the Arrupe Centre. It serves food and drinks, and sells handicrafts made by local women as part of a social enterprise program. Supporting the Lonely Tree social enterprise and the Arrupe Centre gives young people like Kum Suor a chance for a full life. ■ PAGE 9
CAMBODIA
Work with Communities
Crossing borders Father John Baptist Haffachai Wongmasaen can recall the challenges of growing up in a small farming village in Thailand, near the Laos border. Money was always tight, and although John and his siblings always had food and shelter, in their remote hometown, it was education that the young boy yearned for the most. That same ambition led him on a journey across borders, and became a dream to help others.
Father John Baptist Haffachai Wongmasaen is working to ensure young people have a good start in education
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ather John busily moves around the pastoral centre, 1,000 kilometres away from his home village. He is now the parish priest in Prey Kabas, two hours’ south of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh. For over two years he has managed this centre, which was built thanks to the generosity of Catholic Mission’s supporters, and provides a crucial service for over 100 young people in the small, rural community. There is a kindergarten, where around 50 young children take their first steps in education, learning mathematics, English and Khmer language and health and hygiene; 15 students come each day to do extra study on top of their schooling; and nearly 50 people are involved in Scouts activities once a week. Meanwhile, the centre hosts a handful of young people who are studying at the nearby Don Bosco Technical School.
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The pastoral centre is one of hundreds of community projects around the world funded by Catholic Mission. Today, Father John has the means to convey the same formation and education he worked so hard for in order to provide the best possible start for scores of young people in his adopted home. It is an extension of his passion for education, which he believes led him to religious life. ‘As a child, I really liked to go to school and to study,’ he recalls. ‘When I was nine years old, I knew I wanted to be like my parish priest, who was my idol. When he was helping people … he could do things no one else could do.’ After he was ordained, Father John joined the Thailand Missionary Society so that he, too, could help people where the need was greatest. ‘I thought there were enough priests in my home province,’ he says. ‘So I asked my superior where I could be most
effective, and he sent me to Cambodia.’ The 35-year-old priest has many challenges ahead of him, none greater perhaps than building the Catholic Church in a country where 97 percent of the population is Buddhist. But the new pastoral centre is a step in the right direction. ‘It is very important to run the kindergarten here, because this is the only way that parents can learn of the good work of the Church,’ he says. ‘More importantly, children need education because they must be prepared to pass their school exams, which are more difficult now.’ Father John is keen to share the faith that you have so generously shown in him. ‘I want to invest in the youth, because they come here wanting to learn about God, not only to obtain an education,’ he says. ‘My hope is that they become good people and that they love their country. This is the priority.’ ■ MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
Work with Church Leaders
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Leading the way in PNG
Catholic Mission’s work with church leaders supports the training of seminarians and novices in their initial years of formation, whose stories we share with you in each issue of Mission Today. These young men and women will one day lead the Church in their countries, but what about the men and women training them? In this issue, we profile Father Jacek Tendej, Rector at Holy Spirit Seminary in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
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acek Tendej was expelled from church as a small child for nearly burning the place down. It was a minor mishap involving incense, but his parish priest was incensed, and for little Jacek, it was a while before he could return. From his office at the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, Father Jacek looks back with a laugh on the admittedly harsh treatment. It was a bizarre start to a spiritual journey which has taken him from his home in Poland to Rome, New York and now to Australia’s closest geographical neighbour. ‘I came to Port Moresby in 2013, after the superior-general of the Vincentians sent me a proposal saying they needed a rector for the Holy Spirit Seminary,’ he says. While it promised to be a totally new challenge for the 50-year old missionary, he recalls it was far from a done deal. ‘I had to pray a lot in the chapel where I lived to discern whether this was the right move for me to make,’ he says. ‘I was MISSION TODAY A Catholic Mission Magazine
inspired by the words of the thennewly elected Pope Francis who tells us to go to the margins.’ He noticed straight away that much work was needed, and put his experience of running a school back in Krakow to good use. ‘When I first arrived, I had a strong vision for the seminary,’ Father Jacek says. ‘We redeveloped the academic and spiritual program, drew up a charter, and generally spent time talking and enjoying meals with the seminarians.’
I had to pray a lot in the chapel where I lived to discern whether this was the right move for me to make. These were all welcome changes for the Holy Spirit Seminary, and along with much-needed renovations, such as water tanks and toilets, the
alternative style of engagement with the seminarians that Father Jacek brought began to make an immediate difference. ‘When Father Jacek came on board, there were lots of positive changes,’ says Brother Zachias Patrick, who completed his studies last year. ‘I took a lot from my time with him.’ Supporting Catholic Mission’s work with church leaders ensures that practical developments to the seminary can be made, like improvements to dormitories and upgrades to basic amenities. Perhaps more importantly, it means that under the expert leadership of devoted missionaries like Father Jacek, seminarians in developing countries can access the best possible formation. Father Jacek says this outcome is incredibly important in Papua New Guinea. ‘The Catholic Church is very young in Papua New Guinea, so the faith is not ingrained. However, it is important that local young men become good leaders and take more responsibility.’ ■ PAGE 11
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