As some of you know, I travelled overseas in December-January. I am grateful to all who contributed to the February edition of Aurora and particularly to acting editor, Head of Diocesan Communications, John Kingsley-Jones. It was a novelty for me to read the edition afresh on Aurora Wednesday!
‘Wisdom in the square’ is a new series for 2018. Each month, an individual of significant standing in the Australian Catholic Church will share with Aurora readers something that matters to him or her. It might be an issue or belief about which the writer feels strongly or a reflection on experience worthy of a wider audience. The page title is derived from the Book of Proverbs, “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the open squares she raises her voice… I will pour out to you my spirit, I will acquaint you with my words” (1:20/23). Last month the ‘wisdom figure’ was Jesuit Richard Leonard. This month, I had the opportunity – daunting but exciting – to interview Geraldine Doogue about some of her passions.
Even more exciting is the news that Geraldine will be the guest speaker at the 2018 TWEC Dinner, on Monday, 21 May at the Therry Centre, East Maitland. Geraldine was a popular speaker in 2002 and the committee is happy to welcome her back. Geraldine is
Contact Aurora
Next deadline 7 March 2018
Aurora enquiries should be addressed to The Editor Tracey Edstein
E tracey.edstein@mn.catholic.org.au
PO Box 756 Newcastle 2300
P 4979 1288 | F 4979 1119
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a highly respected journalist and broadcaster and has a longtime commitment to the Catholic Church. See page 7.
Sally Cowling wrote, “Have just finished reading the latest Aurora and loved the piece by Dr Loretta O’Donnell. It is always sublime to read about people whose experiences of education have been foundational and have inspired extraordinary contributions.”
While overseas I visited Belgium for the first time. I knew that, like many European countries, Belgium was strongly oriented towards secularism. Not long home, and collecting the stamps that colleagues donate to benefit the Dominican missions, I noticed a Belgian stamp depicting three religious figures − a rabbi, a priest and an imam − with the caption, “all equal, all different”. Clearly the place of religion and faith is respected, if not trumpeted.
I hope you find something of value in this edition.
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TRACEY EDSTEIN – Editor
One man's meat...
OK, we’re going back in time. Not very far, but you’re reading this in March while my head is still in February. I’m going to one of our high schools this afternoon to have a conversation with its student leaders, and I have a trick question to put to them. In passing, let me say that I find these occasions very worthwhile and I’m always impressed by the good sense and good humour of these student leaders. Anyway, I intend to ask whether they did anything special at school for ‘yesterday’. My cunning plan is to assess from the responses the relative impact on a Catholic high school population of yesterday’s concurrent occasions, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. I’m not hopeful, but I may yet be surprised.
Of course, when I was a high-schooler there was no contest, for two very good reasons. First, (Saint) Valentine’s Day didn’t exist. We knew about it from American shows, but it was non-existent in Australia. Those old enough to remember may recall that decimal currency was introduced ‘… on the fourteenth of February nineteensixty-six…’ without their, or anyone else’s, ever thinking, ‘Oh, that’s Valentine’s Day.’ It simply wasn’t in our calendar then.
On the other hand, in a Catholic school Ash Wednesday was unavoidable. Very probably there’d been Mass and
distribution of ashes at school. (One of the Jesuits who taught me could ash five foreheads in the space of one statement of the formula, ‘Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return’, but he was exceptional in many ways.) Of at least equal significance to schoolboys, however, meat was ‘off’ at the tuckshop. No corned beef and pickle sandwiches were to be had, and even pies and sausage rolls – which, it was rumoured, might contain some meat – were not available. Ash Wednesday had its consequences, though the same conditions applied every Friday in any case. These days, for reasons of developmental health that may, I suppose, be relevant in Upper Volta or somewhere, the laws of fast and abstinence don’t apply to kids under 16, so the school canteens of today have the law largely on their side.
Mind you, I’m not sure that the official rules applied to kids back then, either, but they certainly were applied, regardless. You were a Catholic child, you did the Catholic stuff.
Now, I’m no doubt giving the impression that I regret the passing of the old rules. That is not entirely the case. If there’s one thing the church has learnt in my lifetime it is surely that rules are a fairly poor device for teaching values. ‘Fasting and abstinence’ were all about the values of
penance and self-denial. But they didn’t actually inculcate those values. At least in Irish-Australian Catholicism, they were just rules you had to keep to avoid going to Hell and to define yourself as ‘Catholic’ in contrast to the surrounding Protestants. The values they represented were rulekeeping and being different, not penance and self-denial. That was apparent as people hoed into their lovely fish dinners on Friday nights, and painfully obvious when the rules were changed. The church said, ‘Now you can choose your own penance’, but the populace largely just said, ‘Whacko. No more “fish on Fridays”’. So now we’re in Lent. There are virtually no rules to shape this penitential season any more, but the need to impose some restraint on ourselves, as a reminder of our faults, as a discipline to see that we are not just suckers for every passing impulse to self-gratification, as a way to build capacity to be charitable to the poor, these things have not passed away. We just have to find for ourselves the ways we can build those values into our lives. I’ll see what the young leaders think.
IRAQ: It’sn ow or ne ver -p lease help Iraqi Christians re
FOR displaced Iraqi Christians forced from their homes and living in displacement camps, the moment they have been longing for has finally come. After three years of occupation, the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) has been driven out of the area. Now,thousands upon thousands of people have the chance to go back to their villages in the Nineveh Plains –their families’ homeland since beforethe time of Christ.
But the task of repair and renovation is huge and the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) –the largest contributor of assistance help since their escape from the Nineveh Plains –is determined to continue to stand with them. It is now or never.Their futureisinyour hands. With your help, we can assist the work of the Christian Churches to roll out plans to restorethousands of homes devastated by IS, and continue to provide emergency and pastoral aid for Christian families awaiting resettlement.
Abeautiful olive wood Comfort Cross made in Bethlehem, will be sent to all those who assist this cause with adonation of $20.00 or moreand tick the box in the response coupon.
The Comfort Cross is designed to fitcomfortably into the palm of one’shandasanaid to prayer or meditation. It is ideal as aspiritual companion for yourself or for someone you love or carefor
nclose
acheque/moneyorder payable to Aid to the Church in Need OR please debit my Visa or Mastercard:
The ComfortCross will be sent out to all those whocan assist this cause with adonation of $20.00 or more and tick this box
Bishop Bill Wright Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
Archbishop Mouche of Mosul, holding a broken statue of Our Lady,desecrated by IS.
Beyond the Gates
By MARYANNE KERRINS
An initiative of St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead and CatholicCare
Most young people and their families experience times when things are not panning out as they had hoped. All families and individuals have times when help is needed to navigate some turbulence that may have appeared on the horizon. Turbulence can creep in slowly, unnoticed and certainly uninvited. Or it can arrive like a bolt of lightning – out of the blue, unannounced and potentially destructive.
Adolescence is a time of massive change and development for young people. One of the primary developmental tasks of the adolescent is to move towards independence. This can be painful for both the young person moving in this direction and the parents/carers experiencing this movement.
The Beyond the Gates Project is a collaboration between St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead, and CatholicCare Social Services. The trial project aims to
improve student wellbeing by working with families and students in their homes and also in the communities that make up the school’s catchment areas. The project will run for one year and will be reviewed and assessed throughout that time.
The school currently provides a number of internal supports which meet the needs of many of the students. However, staff have identified students falling between the cracks of current systems, particularly when they step beyond the school gates. Beyond the Gates offers a very flexible model of support to students and families who have historically not engaged well with mainstream services. CatholicCare’s aim is to deliver a more responsive, inclusive and accessible style of support that may better suit the needs of marginalised families – families who have been doing it tough without a lot of support.
The objective of the project is to make a difference in the lives of students in the St Mary’s community. The Year Co-ordinators will make referrals to Beyond the Gates project worker, Lucy Karbowiak.
“I’ll be co-ordinating programs and involved in case management and coordination to see how we can best support the wellbeing of these young people,” said Lucy.
Ideally, this will be done after discussions with the student and his/her parents about what the project can offer. Lucy will then seek to contact parents/carers to seek consent to contact their child. If this proceeds, Lucy will meet with the student to map out a plan of how best to provide support. This can include support to stay engaged with the school, the family, community and friends or to access information about a range of helpful resources.
“Our students live in incredibly complex times, probably more complex than any other generation before them. With this program, we’re able to support them to the highest level possible so they can grow into the best person they can be,” said Peter Antcliff, Assistant Principal of St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead.
“We’re incredibly excited for the program and we’re incredibly thankful for the cooperation of the Catholic Schools Office and CatholicCare. Lucy has been doing a great job and we can’t wait to see it grow bigger and better.”
CatholicCare is very excited about this joint venture as we believe it fills a gap that appears in most communities. An extra hand is something we all need from time to time.
MaryAnne Kerrins is Operations Manager, Permanency Support Program, CatholicCare Social Services.
Students meet with Lucy Karbowiak and Peter Antcliff.
Nurse on a mission!
By KEVIN WILSON
St Paul’s, Rutherford, parishioner Sue Bartlett has embarked on a two-year mission in Kiribati through Palms Australia. After applying in 2017, Sue was prepared for this challenge at the orientation course in January.
“Sue is a well-qualified and experienced nurse who came highly commended by her colleagues,” notes Palms Executive Director, Roger O’Halloran. “They emphasised her resourcefulness, character strength and deep practical faith. We saw these qualities ourselves, along with her infectious humour!
“In Kiribati, Sue will be based in the outer islands, working as a nurse in schools. She will address students’ health needs, provide preventative health education and raise community awareness of nutrition and hygiene. Most importantly, Sue will mentor local nurses, fostering their strengths so services continue beyond her placement.”
Kiribati is on the frontline of climate change but many other challenges face the country. Health and poverty are closely interrelated in Kiribati. While health care is free, access is limited, especially on the outer islands. Diminishing farm land means there is more dependence on preserved imported food. Diabetes, obesity, gout, heart disease, stroke and cancer are prevalent.
Illnesses relating to poor water quality, sanitation and hygiene are also increasing, with more than 35,000 cases reported annually. Alcohol and substance abuse too is rising, signalling a need for improved access to physical and mental health care and education.
Sue will assist by addressing the immediate medical needs of students and community members. In addition, she will provide preventative health education to increase awareness around nutritional eating, hygiene issues and health risk factors across the community.
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Living in the community will enable Sue to understand and respond to the health issues affecting the rural people. Her presence will also assist community links with the existing limited health services on the Kiribati outer islands. “Given Sue’s professional expertise and experience, combined with her empathy and sense of community, we have every confidence of success in her placement”, says Roger.
To learn more about Sue’s work, support her placement or volunteer, visit www.palms.org.au or P 02 9560 5333. Palms Australia has been committed to strengthening communities for over 55 years in 39 countries.
Kevin Wilson is Communications and IT Officer, Palms Australia.
Nurse on a mission, Sue Bartlett, with fellow parishioner, Ian Searston.
Q&A
with Geraldine Doogue
This month, renowned journalist and broadcaster, Geraldine Doogue, shares some of the things that matter.
TE Geraldine, you’re a woman of many commitments and yet, in the midst of all that, there’s still room for the Church and for the faith that was part of your upbringing. Keeping that space must be challenging – why bother?
GD That’s a question I’ve wrestled with… as one of my friends said the other day, “It’s been a bad church.” I bother because it’s been part and parcel of my identity development and I really have liked the church culture. I critique it, but it’s really mattered to me and it’s helped me cope with life. There’s a vacuum in ‘meaning provision’ for my children and grandchildren and that worries me. The idea that the church might seriously vanish – or become a ‘bonsai church’ – that would be a real loss. The idea that an Australian community (let alone an international community) without a really solid input from the Catholic Church would be a casualty-free zone, and might be an improvement, is nonsense. I'm waiting for people to work out that we need a healthy, forward-thinking, hope-filled Catholic Church to contribute to society. Essentially, we can’t just let it go.
there is such a thing as a meaning-filled life which has guts
TE What might a healthy, hope-filled church look like?
GD It would have a much greater role for the laity. Something I’ve felt for quite a while is that we lay people have been ambivalent about whether we really want to step up – and a lot of us are just fully stretched already… We have to acknowledge that we haven’t done anything like the Anglicans or other Christian denominations; we’ve left it to the clergy and now we’re finding there was a tremendous price to pay for that.
I would like far more of a sense of joining in where people are in their lives, offering hope to modern people who I think are truly questing to live a good life. Modern Jewish communities are putting into practice the idea of ‘belonging before believing’ – I think we’ve probably emphasised ‘believing before belonging’. We’ve prioritised doctrine and defined ourselves by what we believe – something’s going wrong there. The nature of relationship, welcome, hospitality, that sense of offering some roadmaps to real people – all of that’s important. I’m not just about saying ‘yes’ to everything – but perhaps there’s room for a subtle shift towards an emphasis on virtues, codes that are helpful for people to reflect on so that they do feel that there is such a thing as a meaning-filled life which has guts, if I can put it like that.
TE How have the revelations of the Royal Commission impacted on your commitment?
GD It's devastating, it’s bewildering, and shame springs pretty fast to my mind.
However, I went through my worst times about five years ago, before the Commission started, I experienced a real nadir, I felt that the Good Shepherd had been completely laid aside. The Ellis case, too, was disgraceful whereas the Ballarat and Newcastle stories were just hard to process. Yet I also found myself pondering things like proportionality… I just did not know, growing up as a Catholic, that this was occurring. I might have found folly and annoyance in the clergy and the nuns whom I dealt with, but I found a lot of goodness too.
At the same time, huge numbers of Catholic schools are doing very good work, the Church is the largest provider of welfare other than the government. I feel quite strongly that a lot of the angriest people – leaving aside the victims who feel immensely betrayed – don’t want to know that goodness can sit in the same vicinity as depravity… that’s the troubling paradox. I’m still asking myself the question: how does one sort out the appropriate judgement, acknowledging both the goodness and the horrors?
TE You are someone who talks about virtues. Are there particular virtues you try to inculcate in your children and grandchildren?
GD I really believe in hope, but I feel these days it’s almost become the purview of idiot-optimists when it’s much deeper than that. It needs to be modelled realistically. You don't accept terminal setbacks, you do find a purpose which is not just blind optimism and you trudge on because you're not in despair. Despair is the real accompaniment to cynicism which has become very ‘vogue’. It really bugs the life out of me that a lot of older people who had been encouraged to have hope now seem to think it’s an optional extra and that young people will cope – and they won’t! Also, humility – the older I get, the more interested I am in the true understanding of humility. I used to think it was frightful meekness – we were encouraged to be meek and humble of heart – how dreary! But as I grow older, sit in institutions like the ABC and watch the Catholic Church, I realise humility is such an important element of leadership. You accompany others and humbly reassess your own abilities time and time again. You sally forth – with all your misgivings and shortcomings – it’s the ultimate test of faith!
TE Do you have any thoughts on the #MeToo movement?
GD It’s an extraordinary moment we’re living through… I would say two things.
I don’t like anything that lacks mercy. I think one of the great yields of my faith Tradition is the quality of mercy – central to our justice system, central to trust, central to moving on; the whole idea, the genius of Christianity, that you can in effect reinvent yourself. I don't want us to revert to a super punitive ‘stuck fast’ way – I don’t ever want to be part of that society. Secondly, the idea that women might be cast, not straight away but eventually, as wowsers. If you have any knowledge of Australian history, you know that’s not a good place to be. It could backfire and I don’t want us to slide into that cliché, so we have to watch ourselves, while also struggling to make sure the codes and attitudes that need to shift, do so.
For more, visit www.mnnews.today/aurora/. You can hear Geraldine Doogue speak at the annual TWEC Dinner on 21 May. Her topic will be “Beware the Distractibles –the Art of Perseverance”. See page 21 for more details.
Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.
Celebrating academic excellence in our diocese
By GABRIELLE SUTHERLAND
Students from across the diocese have been recognised for achieving outstanding academic results in 2017. Before family, friends, principals and CSO staff, students were presented with trophies for excelling in the areas of Religious Literacy, Studies of Religion, Industrial Technology, General Mathematics and Construction Examination. Awards were also presented to the top achievers in the diocese and the HSC diocesan Dux.
OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS IN NSW
BEST IN STATE
Thomas Howlett : St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton –Fifth in State for Industrial Technology
Lachlan Tolomeo : St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton –Fourth in State for Mathematics General
Lachlan Davies: All Saints’ College, Maitland –Third in State for Construction Examination
RELIGIOUS LITERACY YEAR 6
Equal first place in diocese
Sophia Bechly & Samuel Bottom : St Therese’s Primary, New Lambton
MOST OUTSTANDING ALL ROUND PRIMARY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE
St Patrick’s Primary, Cessnock
RELIGIOUS LITERACY YEAR 10
Equal first place in diocese
Polytra Liufalani & Claudia Minter : All Saints’ College, Maitland
MOST OUTSTANDING ALL ROUND SECONDARY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE
St Pius X High School, Adamstown
STUDIES OF RELIGION 1 UNIT
Diocesan first in course
Olivia McEnerny : St Paul’s Catholic College, Booragul
STUDIES OF RELIGION 2 UNIT
Diocesan equal first in course
Carmel Hall: All Saints’ College, Maitland
Megan Purkiss: St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton
Lara Duggan : St Paul’s Catholic College, Booragul
DIOCESAN DUX – 2017 HSC CONNOR MCRAE
St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton – ATAR: 98.95
CATHOLIC STUDIES – 44/50
ENGLISH – 89/100 – Diocesan Equal First in Course
MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1 – 99/100 – Diocesan Equal First in Course
MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 2 – 94/100
PHYSICS – 93/100 – Diocesan First in Course
BIOLOGY – 93/100
Connor reflects on his schooling years as a time filled with hard work, amazing experiences and new opportunities, all shared with great people.
“As I prepared for my final exams which would be so instrumental in determining my future I remained very focused and worked tirelessly with some early morning starts, late nights and weekends devoted to revision and study.
“I understood the importance of always maintaining a very strong work ethic and remained self-motivated throughout the whole year. I successfully managed a study/life balance with a part-time job, tutoring and training daily,” he said.
Connor hopes to pursue a career in the field of statistical work and mathematics and this year begins a Bachelor of Mathematics at the University of Newcastle.
There was a large gathering to celebrate student achievements in the 2017 HSC.
Gabrielle Sutherland is the Communications Officer - Content for the Catholic Schools Office.
Diocesan Dux, Connor McRae, with proud parents, Adrian and Debbie McRae.
Making health a family affair
As my 8-year-old son was getting dressed for school the other day, he told me he had “jiggly bits” – referring to his stomach. At the time, I didn’t know what to say so I brushed it off. But the truth is, I know my son is heavier than he should be at his age: partly because he enjoys processed sugary food, partly because he is not as active as his older brother and would prefer to spend time on his iPad, and partly because I don’t force or encourage him to be any different. But I worry about his health as he is getting older, and now that he has made this comment, how do I introduce the idea of a healthier lifestyle?
CatholicCare’s Manager of Counselling and Clinical Services, registered psychologist Tanya Russell, addresses an issue each month.
The advice provided is general in nature and does not replace ongoing support and advice from your health professional. To talk to someone about counselling support, P 4979 1172.
Call Lifeline 24/7 on 131 114.
Do you have a question for Tanya?
Email your question to aurora@mn.catholic.org.au or write to Aurora -CareTalk PO Box 756 Newcastle 2300.
At some point, our children will think about their weight. This can be a tricky topic to talk about but there are ways you can talk about it without negatively impacting on your son’s self image or self esteem.
Keep it low key. Don’t start with a “serious” talk. You don’t want to make your son feel it is a big deal at this stage. Find opportunities to talk about health and why it is important to eat healthily and exercise.
Be curious. When your son mentions anything about his weight, you could ask a question. For example, “What makes you say that?” “Should we do anything about those jiggly bits?” You can then open further conversation from there. Make health a family affair. Involve your son in making healthy choices by asking “What could we all do to be a bit healthier with food and physical activities?” If he offers a choice, even something small, acknowledge this and make further suggestions. Also provide him with reasons why it is important to eat fewer sugary foods and more healthy
snacks, or why it is important to spend more time outside and less time on the iPad. Still allow him time on the iPad so he doesn’t feel like he is being punished in any way. Come up with a family schedule together.
Acknowledge healthy choices. Celebrate the small victories when healthy choices are made. For example, “I’m really happy that we’re walking together today.” Or “It’s great that you chose yoghurt first as a snack.” Also involve your son in what goes into his lunchbox – he can still have one of his usual choices as long as there are other healthy options there too.
Introduce physical activities. Encourage your son to go for walks with you. If this seems boring for him, can he ride his scooter or bike if he has one? Do you have a dog to walk together? You could make the walks more interesting by going to areas with interesting scenery such as the lovely beaches in Newcastle and surrounds, the waterside at Warners Bay or the local park. If your son is not already playing a sport, think about doing this.
You can also take advantage of the $100 Active School Kids Voucher available from Service NSW. Visit www.service. nsw.gov.au.
Don’t become discouraged. Your son may still prefer junk food – this is pretty normal for a kid. You don’t need to say anything about the “bad” choice but you could say “Why don’t I cut up an apple first and if you are still hungry, you could have the LCM bar afterwards.”
Be mindful of your language. Be careful that you don’t use the words like “fat” or “skinny” – focus on the word “healthy” instead. Also, be aware of how you speak about your own body in front of your children.
It may take some time and patience and all the advice above may not be successful at first. Habits do take time to change but if you do it together, your family health will improve. Be careful not to compare your younger son with his older brother. They may never be the same physically but a healthier change is good for the whole family.
If music be the food of love...
Philip and Bernadette Matthias share a unique relationship. They met through their passion for music and eventually married; their love for each other and for music is keeping their lives exhilarating and demanding. With two sons, three-year-old William and 16-month-old Thomas, and a new baby due in August, their lives are a whirlwind of activity. Their backgrounds are very different. From age eight to 17, Philip learned to play the violin, as well as choral singing. Music was also a family affair; Philip’s mum played the piano and his siblings all played instruments.
Bernadette began singing in the East Maitland parish choir with her Dad, Bill Lannen. As a professional vocalist, Bernadette has an eclectic vocal range including church, Celtic, classical and musical theatre.
Philip has a remarkable academic background. He graduated as a choral conductor, composer and organist from Sydney University and then studied at the Royal College of Music in London. He remained in the United Kingdom for seven years while he gained his Fellowship for the Royal College of Organists. Philip is especially proud of his tenure as Vice President of the Guild of Church Musicians (UK).
Meanwhile, Bernadette studied at the University of Newcastle and gained a degree in Speech Pathology. She was invited by the Community Stroke Team of
Hunter New England Health to conduct a choir of stroke survivors, which presented an opportunity to research the influence of choral singing on recovery. “BrainWaves” now runs each week as a community choir at the Conservatorium. For the past few years Bernadette has been studying for her PhD in this area. It is a work in progress as life takes detours!
Philip gained the position of Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral, hence his life-changing move to Newcastle. He teaches at the Conservatorium of Music and in the School of Creative Industries at the University of Newcastle. He founded and conducts the University of Newcastle Chamber Choir, now named Echology.
Bernadette and Philip eventually met through music, naturally! Bernadette says, “I knew Philip of course, I had seen him zipping around the Con.” To improve her singing she was advised to join a good choir. “I auditioned for the Chamber Choir.” Philip was the conductor. They were formally introduced by a friend, but Bernadette says, “I can’t remember it.”
Not an auspicious beginning!
Philip’s Chamber Choir won the ABC Adult Choir of the Year in 2006. Bernadette joined the group later and was a member when the successful choir won the television competition, Battle of the Choirs, under Philip’s leadership. They became friends and as time passed they grew closer, marrying in April 2012.
Philip admits, “The Battle of the Choirs
opened me out and I’ve kept on that path since then. Because of that competition, we got into Torres Strait Islander music. That has given me a whole new dimension of music making.” Philip met Toby Whaleboat, a Torres Strait Islander living in Newcastle. Toby left a deep impression on Philip, igniting a lasting friendship.
Later, Philip gave his students an option, “We can do some pop songs or I can bring my mate Toby and we can learn some Torres Strait Islander music.”
They chose the latter, “So Toby came and taught us songs and that was a real journey.”
Each July the Matthias family travels to Townsville to join the Islander group celebrating a major TSI Christian historic event. Philip says, “It’s their sense of community and belonging and family… family is number one. They say to us that we are part of that.” They are both proud of their connection to the Torres Strait Islanders.
Philip has achieved huge success as founder and conductor of Echology.
Under his direction the choir has toured internationally nine times, with Bernadette a member for many of those trips. In 2016, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members travelled to New York and performed at the World Youth Assembly at the United Nations headquarters.
“The choir is going to Canada this year; we’re taking choir members plus ten Indigenous students. I’m really pleased,
By TRISH BOGAN
that’s the space I’m working with at the moment.” The students are from the Wollotuka Institute at the university.
The couple has individual musical pursuits but they create opportunities to work and enjoy those special moments together. “Philip often accompanies me at weddings.” They have also played on special occasions for friends and family and have written music together.
One of the goals they hope to achieve is collaborating on sacred and liturgical music. “Philip is a Catholic now, we have talked about writing a Mass; the music comes from the congregation, how can we contribute to that, writing hymns or pieces for community?” They would make it fresh and Australian. With Bernadette and Philip’s expertise, there’s a sense this will be a reality one day.
William and Thomas are used to having musical instruments throughout their home. There’s a keyboard, organ, piano, drums, shakers and William’s favourite, the ukulele. Thomas loves “bashing the drums”. With their next baby on the way, the musical potential of this talented couple is vast. Bernadette and Philip have music coursing through their veins; their offspring can’t possibly miss out!
Trish Bogan is a member of the Aurora editorial team.
CatholicCare links with other Muswellbrook community providers
By ELIZABETH SNEDDEN
Member for Upper Hunter Michael Johnsen MP and Bishop Bill Wright officially opened the Muswellbrook Community Hub, encompassing a variety of community providers, in February.
The Muswellbrook Community Hub incorporates CatholicCare Social Services Hunter Manning, Access Programs and One Door Mental Health, with additional providers likely to join the premises in the coming months.
“The opening of the Muswellbrook Community Hub is CatholicCare’s response to the strong interest in our social services from the Upper Hunter community, particularly from those interested in becoming foster carers, as well as from those seeking access to mental health support,” said Director of CatholicCare, Gary Christensen.
“We invited other service providers to join us in the Francis Street location, so that collectively we could provide holistic support across the lifespan,” Gary said.
The opening of CatholicCare’s Muswellbrook office marks the second office in the Upper Hunter for the organisation, with the opening of its Singleton office taking place in October 2017.
“Our Muswellbrook office enables us to extend the services we provide to the wider Hunter community in general but in particular to the number of young people and children who need our support.
“An increasing number of children is unable to live with their birth families, and the situation is now at crisis point. In Australia, there are over 30,000 children who have been living away from their birth parents for over two yearsCatholicCare is working vigilantly to provide these children with a loving, safe and secure home. The opening of our Muswellbrook office will enable us to provide greater support to our existing carers and hopefully entice more locals to consider becoming carers, which will assist in addressing the massive shortfall across regional NSW,” Gary said.
To learn more about the service providers at the Muswellbrook Community Hub, please visit www.accessprograms.com.au, www. catholiccare.org.au and www.onedoor.org.au.
Soul Food
Life is not hurrying on to a receding future, nor hankering after an imagined past. It is the turning aside like Moses to the miracle of the lit bush, to a brightness that seemed as transitory as your youth once, but is the eternity that awaits you.
− RS Thomas The Bright Field.
Elizabeth Snedden is Stakeholder Engagement Manager, CatholicCare
Michael Johnsen MP and Director of CatholicCare, Gary Christensen, at the opening of the Muswellbrook office.
Project Compassion: Evangeline’s story
Caritas Australia is helping youth in First Australian communities to strengthen their culture and create opportunities for their communities.
Evangeline is employed as a Senior Artsworker by the Caritas Australiasupported Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, based in Beswick (Wugularr) in the Northern Territory.
Today she is strengthening Aboriginal culture, making a living for herself – and creating opportunities for her community.
Featured in Project Compassion 2016, Evangeline went from seeking employment to being a Senior Artsworker and an inspirational leader for youth.
Her work at the non-profit Aboriginal organisation, Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, has supported the organisation’s growth from a multi-media project to a multi-level contemporary arts and culture centre. An example of
excellence in Indigenous tourism, it’s now a major employer for young people in the remote Northern Territory community.
Evangeline’s community faces challenges, stemming from the violent experience of colonisation, including few employment opportunities, crowded housing, lack of access to services, alcohol and health problems and poverty.
Limited political influence continues to disempower Australia’s First Peoples. Lack of opportunity draws young people away from their country and culture into towns and cities where they are most vulnerable.
This year Evangeline is busy guiding tourists, co-ordinating cultural activities and helping community members practise and market their arts, such as weaving and jewellery - making.
“Now we have a new gallery. And we have our new kitchens, we look after these and we now maintain this to make sure it’s in
good condition. We’re also trying to open up another tour for tourists to go around the waterfall,” says Evangeline.
Evangeline believes that Caritas Australia’s support for Djilpin Arts, through Project Compassion, is vital for all Wugularr’s young people. Although families do their best to pass on knowledge, Elders are dying and she is keen to spearhead the preservation of culture and lore for future generations.
“It’s good for them to learn and to keep their culture strong,” says Evangeline.
Support Project Compassion 2018 and help provide employment and training opportunities for First Australians like Evangeline. A just future starts with you. Please visit www.caritas.org.au.
By DANIEL NOUR
New Release
Burial and Crypt Options at Sandgate Cemetery
Northern Cemeteries understands the importance of memorialisation and are dedicated to caring for a diverse community by offering options which respect the faith, culture and needs of families.
Sandgate Cemetery has listened to the needs of the community and developed and opened new areas, with more new areas currently under development.
To find out more or to book an appointment our office is open Monday to Friday 8am-4pm, phone 02 4968 3602.
Lofty conifers and evergreen tuckeroo trees are the plantings of choice and beautifully accentuate the ambience of this full monumental memorial
An intimate outdoor chapel with a suspended domed roof and surrounded by free standing pillars. The crypts provide families the choice of single or double sites.
Situated in a manicured lawn setting conveniently located by the front gates. Add a prestigious final touch to honour your loved one with a sculpted granite headstone.
Daniel Nour is a Content Specialist at Caritas Australia.
Take the pressure down
Is parenting harder in 2018 than it was last century? And does it really matter?
Our perspective as parents is shaped by our experiences as children.
My husband, Jason, and I are constantly bemoaning the lack of respect shown to us by our kids. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said, “I never once spoke to my parents the way you speak to me”, I would be rich! But was I more respectful or did I grow up when family hierarchy was more dictatorship than democracy? All I know is that comparing our own childhoods with our children’s is unhelpful. We idealise our own childhoods and my husband and I hero-worship our parents’ style
Achieving that balance is surely the Holy Grail of parenting
of parenting. But we aren’t our parents and our children aren’t us, so to long for something unattainable just adds pressure to the mix.
Parenting has always been hard. All parents face the same dilemmas with children – sleeplessness, separation anxiety, friendship dramas, puberty, boundary pushing, rebelliousness, illness and their relationships with others. To be a parent has always been to worry, to struggle, to feel frustrated, to fail, to love beyond what seemed possible.
And while I know that parents throughout time have faced these struggles, I also know that being a good parent in the 21st century is hard – and I’m not even going to broach the minefield of the internet.
Jason and I have three kids – 12, 10 and 6. We love them; sometimes we even like them. If you met them I am sure you’d find them personable, engaging and fun – and they are. We are proud of them.
But like their peers, they have a PhD in how to push their parents’ buttons. They also know exactly how to get each
By JOANNE ISAAC
other fired up and seem intent on doing these things when we are particularly tired or stressed!
We spend a lot of time wishing we were better parents. The pressure can be debilitating, but it’s pressure we put on ourselves. I don’t want to yell and scream, but I do yell and scream. I don’t want to lose my cool but I do. I want to get down to their eye level and reason with them when they are angry and frustrated, but the twelve-year-old is taller than I am and the others usually stomp off before I can attempt such a caring manoeuvre!
We also have unrealistic expectations of our children. We think that they can be cognisant of our moods and dilemmas and stress; that they will be as attuned to us as we are to them. We think that they might look around the house and think, “Oh dear, the floor hasn’t been cleaned for a while, where’s that mop?” They’re never going to do that. They’re supposed to be self-absorbed. They’re supposed to enjoy their childhoods, unencumbered by adult problems. I didn’t help out all that much around the house when I was young. But because I am so busy now
I have extra expectations of them. I’m just looking for someone to help and annoyed because I can’t clone myself or at least employ a chef/cleaner/nanny. Our kids will eventually be parents themselves – yes!
So yes, we live busy lives now and perhaps we can’t help but crave a simplicity that seems as elusive as winning Lotto. But we would be much happier as parents if we could just relax and let go of rueful comparisons and high expectations. Yes, we should insist on respect, boundaries and kindness and there is no doubt that our children need to be helpful members of our families and understand the consequences of their actions. Achieving that balance is surely the Holy Grail of parenting.
Our present reality though is characterised by juggling too many balls. It’s no wonder that we rarely get through a day without some drama. Mornings are fraught with indecision about breakfast choices, unrealistic hairstyle requests and at least one fight about who did what to whom. It’s the evenings that really destroy my husband and me and more often than not lead to conflict. I’m going to blame daylight saving, going back to school, sporting endeavours and the fact that three nights a week I don’t even get home until six o’clock – but really, the lack of routine is our downfall. I’m sure you can picture it – snide remarks, not staying in bed after lights out; the list goes on. And of course, it’s bedtime when they want to express their deepest thoughts and feelings. So tensions are high, everyone is tired, parents still have many tasks and sometimes the fuse catches alight. So going to bed exhausted, worried and questioning your own parenting skills (or lack thereof) is common.
But no matter how disappointed we are, the next morning Jason and I get up and try again. And no matter how angry and upset our kids might be the previous evening, the next morning the first thing they want is a hug. We love each other, no matter what. And there is tremendous hope in that.
Isaac is Event and Project Manager, Lina’s Project.
Joanne
The life of Brian has arrived in Wollongong!
By TRACEY EDSTEIN
Former Vicar General of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, Brian Mascord, was ordained Bishop of Wollongong on 22 February at the WIN Entertainment Centre.
For all things give thanks. (1Thess 5:18). These words from St Paul to the Church in Thessalonica are among the first existing words written after the death and resurrection of Jesus. They are the words I have chosen for my personal motto. I have chosen them because I believe that just as they were a challenge to an infant Church learning to walk and navigate its way in a hostile world, so they remain a challenge to us today as we try to bring to life, in our world today, the promise of the gospel, a mission we all share through our mutual baptism. −
“…as St. Augustine… declared in a sermon on the anniversary of his own ordination, ‘Where I’m terrified by what I am for you, I’m comforted by what I am with you: for you, I am a bishop, but with you I am a Christian. The first is merely an office, the second a grace; the former a danger, the latter salvation. If as a bishop I feel tossed about in the open sea, as a Christian I find myself in safe harbour.’ (Sermon 340) Now Bishop Brian will have the benefit of many safe harbours of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven!”
FROM ARCHBISHOP ANTHONY FISHER’S HOMILY
For more, see www.mnnews.today/your-dio/ and watch the ordination liturgy at www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSyPFVWNEgk
BISHOP BRIAN’S WORDS AFTER HIS ORDINATION
John Mascord proclaims the Word.
Photo Alphonsus Fok.
Bishop Brian kneels before his parents, Ron and Margaret.
Photo Daniel Hopper.
Bishop Brian gives Communion to Carole Wickham.
Photo Daniel Hopper.
The newly ordained Bishop Brian presides at the altar. Photo Daniel Hopper.
Saint Augustine once described his daily life as a bishop: “The turbulent have to be corrected, the fainthearted cheered up, the weak supported; the Gospel’s opponents need to be refuted, its insidious enemies guarded against; the unlearned need to be taught, the indolent stirred up, the argumentative checked; the proud must be put in their place, the desperate set on their feet, those engaged in quarrels reconciled; the needy have to be helped, the oppressed to be liberated, the good to be encouraged, the bad to be tolerated; all must be loved.”
Archbishop Fisher said, “Like Francis of Assisi we are called to rebuild the Church. That will require a teacher’s head, a spouse’s heart, and a shepherd’s soul, as your new vestments tell. But the most important thing you will wear from tonight is the cross of Jesus Christ upon your heart.”
FROM ARCHBISHOP ANTHONY FISHER’S HOMILY
Over the years in the Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle, he has built up and maintained so many friendships and pastoral connections that it seems like the whole place is family to him. That capacity for friendship and connection with people of all sorts will now be a gift to the people, religious and clergy of Wollongong.
BISHOP BILL’S WORDS AT THE TIME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF FR
BRIAN’S APPOINTMENT.
The deacons hold the Book of the Gospels above the head of the Bishop-Elect while the symbols of mitre and ring are in the foreground before the font of baptismal water. Photo Jeremy Yuen.
The deacons hold the Book of the Gospels above the head of the Bishop-Elect. Photo Jeremy Yuen.
Archbishop Fisher places the mitre on the head of the Bishop-Elect.
Photo Daniel Hopper.
Photo Daniel Hopper.
Photo Alphonsus Fok.
Seasons of Mercy
Each one lives on
By MARGARET WALKER
As she stood at the foot of the cross, the dust swirled at her feet. The noise of the jeering crowd seemed distant as a cocoon of silence enveloped and crushed her. Her sadness was solitary and pierced at her heart, wishing every breath she took could give life to her dying son, limp on the cross.
Her tears washed her into a sea of memory. Mary remembered the birth of her only son, blessing the world with his miraculous presence. She remembered his curiosity as a child, helping his carpenter father in the workshop, his growing strength as a young man, his loneliness and outspokenness for the oppressed. He was only young, his life about to begin, cut short so cruelly by those who didn’t understand him. Mary was proud and blessed to have him. She knew, but could not understand why, her son was being taken from her and from the world. She wished for more as her world sank into darkness, her son taking his last breath.
For Mary, and the world, the saddest day and the gladdest day were just three days apart. The world
would forever remember the joy of an empty tomb. Her son returned, but not to her and not for long. But the world would always be filled with hope because he was born and remember him by the stories told by generations to come. His life will not end. As she stood holding her cross, prayers silently passed her lips. Would her prayers be heard over the minute but deafening sounds of the life-saving machinery that was keeping her son alive? Her sadness was solitary, despite the crowds of medical people hovering in this small, airless space, stripping her of any private moment with her son. Rebecca wished for silence, but feared that silence meant the end.
Her tears washed her into a sea of memory. Rebecca remembered the pain and joy of her first born coming into this world. She remembered his triumphs as a child, helping his father build in the shed, his fierce protection of his sisters, his pride in his job. He was only young, his life about to begin, cut short so cruelly by a disease she didn’t understand. Rebecca was
proud and blessed to have him. She wished for more, one last touch, one last word. As her world sank into darkness – only three days after this cruel disease had shaken her world – her son took his last breath.
For Rebecca and her world, the gladdest days − when her life was normal and her family was still whole − and the saddest day, were just three days apart. Her hope was gone, for now. Her son, though, will live on in the family stories, the treasured memories, the speaking of his name. He will not be a mere memory or a photo. His life will not end, because those who love him will speak of him.
This story was originally written for Grieve 2017, an initiative of the Hunter Writers Centre. To learn about Grieve 2018, please visit www.hunterwriterscentre.org/grieve - project.
Frankly Spoken
While a man often abstracts, affirms and imposes ideas, a woman, a mother, knows how to ‘keep’, to put things together in her heart, to give life. If our faith is not to be reduced merely to an idea or a doctrine, all of us need a mother’s heart, one which knows how to keep the tender love of God and to feel the heartbeat of all around us.
Margaret Walker is a teacher at St Joseph's College, Lochinvar.
Original artwork courtesy of Rose McAllister.
Hope floats, truly
By TRACEY EDSTEIN
When Julie Hamilton’s husband of 34 years, Patrick, died from melanoma in October 2016, aged 56, many of the couple’s plans and dreams were snatched away. Julie recalls that during the ten months of his illness, Patrick was hopeful of recovery until there was no hope, and “always easy to care for, such an easy, accepting patient”.
When it was clear he would not live, he remained grateful for round-the clock care from Julie and his children, Joseph, Olivia and Juliet. He was also quick to acknowledge the care of nursing staff and the doctor who had to say, eventually, ‘There’s nothing more we can do.” These days were full of conversation, questions, laughter and tears – and then he was gone, ten months to the day after diagnosis. As a widow, Julie was grieving for the future that would not be, supporting her children and trying not to rely too much on them. They had their own grief. She was also needing to make hard decisions and to take sole carriage of what had been shared responsibilities. She was open to the support of extended family, friends, her parish community and the hospice at Calvary Mater Hospital where Patrick died. However as many will understand, returning to the hospice was not easy. As she recalls, “I went once and I couldn’t go back.
“I thought it would be good to start a social support group of people who would come together on a different level because they understood. I wasn’t part of a couple anymore and so many others were in the same boat. I wanted a place where it would be safe for people to share, and to cry.
Olivia, a teacher at St Mary’s Primary, Warners Bay, was keen to help launch her mother’s idea. The idea was simple: extend an invitation to widows and widowers to gather in a relaxed setting and talk, without having to feel awkward or anxious.
“I also wanted a place where people could navigate things that you come across when your partner dies –banking, probate, financial matters,” said Julie.
“You have your life mapped out – you marry, you work together, you have your children, you see them grow, you get them through school and then you have the next stage in mind – retirement. You’ve worked so hard, and then it’s taken away.”
It was Olivia who came up with the name: Hope Floats. This name has its own resonance. It’s catchy, but more importantly, it captures for Julie something she always knew about herself. “I wanted, in time, to be happy again – I’ll choose happiness over misery any day.
“I don’t think there’s a right or a wrong way to do grief,
but starting Hope Floats has helped me and I believe it’s helping others too.
“Some will come a few times and not return, but sadly, there will be others whose lives have changed and who are looking for support.”
If you would like to learn more and perhaps become involved, please visit www.facebook. com/hopefloatsnsw/, P Julie, 0410 057 580 or E julie_hamilton1@bigpond.com.
Hope Floats is a Newcastle-based social support network for widowed people from any background or relationship dynamic. Events organised aim to connect the widowed men and women of Newcastle in a safe, supportive and compassionate environment.
Julie and Olivia Hamilton.
Bishop Bill Wright
Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.
Explore the myth of the power of one
By TRACEY EDSTEIN
Rev Graham Long, Pastor and CEO of Sydney’s Wayside Chapel, will visit Newcastle in May to speak at the Spiritual Care Australia (SCA) National Conference. Long’s topic seems set to challenge the cult of individualism that has long held sway, and there is no disputing his credibility in terms of ‘hands on’ experience with those most in need of support.
The conference theme is “Towards New Horizons” and this is a good indicator of the scope of the program. While there will be professional carers in abundance participating, the organising committee, chaired by Tony Hassett, President, SCA Hunter, is keen for members of the Hunter community who have an
interest in the domain of spiritual care to feel welcome to come − to the whole conference or for just a day.
“Spiritual care may not be a term in common use but there are many, many people in this area who are caring spiritually for others, professionally or as a volunteer. Being with others of like mind, hearing thought-provoking addresses and participating in workshops will, I believe, be enriching and encouraging,” said Tony.
University of Newcastle Senior Lecturer, Dr Kathleen McPhillips, will speak on “Silence, Secrecy and Power: Understanding the Royal Commission findings into the failure of institutional cultures in Australia”. Sadly, this topic
has great resonance for local churches and other institutions and all those affected by sexual abuse, directly or indirectly.
The topic chosen by University of Newcastle Emeritus Professor Terry Lovat is “The Challenges of our times: Reimagining spirituality in the public square”.
“Towards New Horizons” will be held on 6-9 May 2018 at City Hall, Newcastle. Please visit www. spiritualcareaustralia.org.au to enquire or register.
Spiritual Care Australia is the professional association for organisations and individual practitioners in spiritual care services.
Spiritual Care Australia seeks to unify, consolidate, support, promote & encourage the development of spiritual care within contemporary multifaith, multi-cultural Australia.
Spiritual Care Australia is committed to the values of respect, integrity, compassion and excellence.
Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.
Painting the town orange
BY TOM JONES
On 21 March 2018 the Hunter Interfaith Network would like to paint the Hunter Region a bright orange, the colour of Harmony Day.
The Hunter Interfaith Network (THIN) is an initiative of the Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle. Its members represent the Catholic, Uniting and Anglican Churches as well as Islam, Judaism and the Baha’i faith. THIN invites people of other religions to attend its meetings and activities as observers.
I have been associated with Harmony Day since it was established by the Australian Government in 1999 to celebrate our cultural diversity and I feel that this Network really has the capacity and the message to ‘paint the Hunter orange’. Why orange? Because the orange bow is the symbol of Harmony Day. The Harmony
Day theme for 2018 is Everyone Belongs.
Why 21 March? The Australian Government chose this day to celebrate our cultural diversity because it coincides with the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“Have a Happy Harmony Day” is far easier to say than “Have a Happy United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination”!
Harmony Day has long been a successful community celebration and since 1999 more than 70,000 events and activities have been held across Australia. The University of Newcastle celebrates every year, sometimes holding a Harmony Week festival including a Feast of Harmony with delicious meals prepared by students from many faiths and nations. Its success is understandable because
it falls on the northern spring and the southern autumn equinox which has long been a time of religious and cultural balance and harmony. Our Indigenous people, as well as Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and Christians, celebrate major festivals at this time.
In the Hunter, THIN will welcome all to join in silent contemplation for peace and harmony in Civic Park on Wednesday 21 March at 5.30 pm.
Happy Harmony Day everyone!
Please visit www.harmony.gov.au
To learn more about THIN, please P Alyson 4979 1117 or E alyson.segrott@ mn.catholic.org.au.
THIN Objectives
• To build understanding, good will and a sense of community with our own respective faiths and between people of different faiths
• To explore and learn about each other’s and our faith traditions
• To share our knowledge and insights with each other
• To work together and to celebrate together
• To support each other in times of difficulty.
Providing care and support
Calvary Retirement Communities provides safe, secure and relaxed community living through residential aged care, respite services and retirement villages across NSW, ACT and SA.
We have aged care places available in the following locations:
Cessnock | Muswellbrook | Sandgate | Taree
Call 1800 222 000 or visit www.calvarycare.org.au to discuss your needs and view our available rooms.
Tom Jones is a Baha’i Volunteer Chaplain at the University of Newcastle.
Cassie and Jackson give the Grandmothers new heart
I am a member of Grandmothers against Detention of Refugee Children − you may have seen us holding a vigil each Thursday at 5.00pm at the edge of Newcastle’s Civic Park opposite the City Hall. Instead of taking a break at Christmas, we decided to keep our vigil going throughout the vacation period. “After all,” Marion Gevers, one of our members pointed out to us, “People on Manus and Nauru don't go on holidays.”
Of course our numbers dropped in January. These were hot and busy days but we managed to maintain a core of protestors. We are a motley group made up of members of the Grandmothers, Amnesty, The Hunter Asylum Seeker Awareness Group, Quakers and Christians for Peace. We stand holding our banners or our placards, a reminder to people walking or driving past us in King Street, of the continuing plight of asylum seekers in our offshore detention centres. By the end of January, we vigil keepers were feeling weary and despondent, lacking the energy even to urge those passing by to sign one of our petitions. Then without warning, the following letter arrived: My name is Cassie (aged 22), and my friend Jackson (24) and I are currently running 4000kms from Cooktown to Melbourne as part of a project we've called Bounding Plains to Share. For every day that we run, we share the story of someone who came to Australia as a refugee or migrant and has settled in or around the area we're running through that day.
To see some of the stories and our daily updates, please take a look at our Facebook page: www. facebook.com/boundingplains2share/. We're also fundraising for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne.
We've now run 2350kms in 54 days, and we're currently in Valla Beach, northern NSW. We're scheduled to run into Port Macquarie on Thursday morning. We haven't found any refugees or migrants to interview in Port Macquarie, and we'd really love your assistance to do so there, as well as along the rest of our route into Melbourne if possible!
If there are any other ways that RAR [Rural Australians for Refugees] would like to get involved in our project (including running with us or just spreading the word!), please let me know. I understand there are plenty of RAR chapters along the rest of our route through Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne (and everywhere in between!).
Kind regards, Cassie Cohen
And since the Bounding Plains to Share team was due to arrive in Newcastle on Thursday 1 February, it seemed an opportune time to invite them to come to our weekly vigil and to join us in a shared picnic in Civic Park afterwards.
What an inspiration for us to meet and talk with
By ZENY GILES
these people still in their twenties, so aware of our need to have a wider understanding of the waves of refugee people who have created our rich and varied population!
I was particularly impressed with their sensitivity to the feelings of people they did not agree with. “We knew, when travelling in Queensland,’ said Cassie, ‘that many of the people we met would have been supporters of Pauline Hanson. We didn’t want to confront them.
“Exchanging the stories of local migrants has been a good way to encourage a conversation,” Jackson explained to us. ‘If we can gently nudge people, helping them to see the possibility of considering refugees differently, then we are achieving a great deal.”
Cassie and Jackson stayed a night in Newcastle, and intended to head for Sydney the next day. They aimed to be back in Melbourne, arriving at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Footscray by 2 March.
Their visit has reinvigorated us. And as one of the Newcastle Grandmothers against Detention of Refugee Children, I feel heartened that there are people, the age of our own grandchildren, taking up the cause of justice for refugees with such enthusiasm and wisdom.
Jackson and Cassie took their cause to Parliament House, Canberra.
Zeny Giles is a respected local peace and justice activist.
Concert at Sacred Spaces Singleton
The next concert will be held on Sunday 11 March at 2pm in the Chapel. It features The London Klezmer Quartet presenting the joyous and celebratory music of Eastern European Jews. Tickets $35/$5 at www.trybooking.com/ TJRG.
Seasons for Growth Companioning Training, Children and Young People’s Training: Newcastle 14-15 March , Taree 19-20 June and Newcastle 7-8 November . This training is essential for those wishing to facilitate the Seasons for Growth program with children/young people or adults. Please P Jenny 4947 1355 to learn more about becoming a Companion. Enrolments for training are completed at www.goodgrief.org.au.
Interfaith Forum
The Catholic Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Council invites you to attend four Forums throughout 2018 exploring our faith in action, discovering our differences and looking at what we can learn from each other about Prayer, Finding Spirituality, God’s Messages and the Discernment Process. The first forum, Our Faiths and Prayers, will be held on Thursday 22 March , 6pm-8pm at St Luke’s Anglican Church, Metcalf Street, Wallsend. Presenter is parish priest, Fr Andrew Eaton. Everyone is welcome. Please register with Brooke Robinson E brooke. robinson@mn.catholic.org.au or P 4979 1111.
“Before We Say I Do”
Marriage Education is a vital part of planning for a life partnership. CatholicCare offers a selection of courses for married and soon-tobe married couples to assist them in preparing for, and maintaining, their commitment to one another.
Couples are advised to attend a course around four months prior to the wedding. Book early as some courses are very popular. “Before We Say I Do” is a group program held over two days or four evenings. P Robyn, 4979 1370.
Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do, 23 and 24 March at Therry Centre, East Maitland OR Corcoran Centre, Morpeth. Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm.
Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do, 4 and 5 May at the Toohey Room, Newcastle. Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm.
Marriage Education Course (FOCCUS) at the Toohey Room, Newcastle, 14 and 21 May 5.15pm-7.30pm.
Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do, 3 and 4 August , Toohey Room, Newcastle. Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-7.30pm.
Marriage Education Course − (FOCCUS) at the Toohey Room, Newcastle, 3 and 10 September . 5.15pm-7.30pm.
Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do at Singleton CatholicCare, 19 and 20 October . Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm.
Marriage Education Course – (FOCCUS) at the Toohey Room, Newcastle, 29 October and 5 November . 5.15pm-7.30pm.
Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do, 23 and 24 November at the Toohey Room, Newcastle. Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm.
Inspiracy 2
“Inspiracy 2: A climate for change”, a festival of imagination and hope for the common good, will be held at Adamstown Uniting Church, Friday 18 May . Please visit www.inspiracy.org.au
TWEC Dinner
The Annual Tenison Woods Education Centre Dinner will be held on Monday 21 May at the Therry Centre, East Maitland. The guest speaker will be Geraldine Doogue, see page 7. $65 pp includes canapés, drinks, main meal & dessert. Bookings by 11 May to P 4979 1134 E Sharon.Murphy@mn.catholic.org Pay online at https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/about/ parish-payments/ * Select ‘Diocesan Payment’
* Skip ‘Select Your Parish’ * Payment Note ‘TWEC Dinner’ St Joseph’s Reunion
A reunion of St Joseph’s High School, Merewether, will be held on Saturday of long weekend in June ( 9 June ) at a Newcastle venue. It will be a daytime event. Details are being finalised and further information regarding the reunion will be announced. To learn more please P T’ese Butler 0411 252 094 or E tese. butler@hotmail.com, or P Margie Harris on 0438 286 513 or E margaret.harris@newcastle. edu.au.
Mums’ Cottage
Invites grandparents to Grandparent and Toddler day, every Wednesday during school terms from 10am-noon at 29 St Helen’s Street, Holmesville. Enjoy some companionship with other grandparents while children play. Mums’ Cottage offers a range of services, programs, workshops and family events and would love to welcome you at any time.
Contact Mums’ Cottage for more information, P 4953 4105, E admin@mumscottage.org.au or visit www.mumscottage.org.au.
Youth Mass
On the last Sunday of each month, the 5.30pm Mass at St Patrick’s Church, Macquarie St, Wallsend, has a youthful flavour. Everyone is welcome.
Volunteering with Palms Australia Palms is seeking qualified and experienced Australians to assist in various missionary and development activities. There are opportunities in a wide range of areas, from teaching in Timor Leste (pre-school, primary and secondary) to assisting with the development of a brass band in Kiribati; from plumbing/building in Papua New Guinea to English/Science teaching/mentoring in Samoa. Whatever your skills and experience, there is a place for you! To learn more, P 9560 5333 or E palms@palms.org.au.
Aurora on tour
This curious reindeer in Kirkenes,
many times, and now it’s witnessing Aurora as well!
Ingredients
f 250g icing sugar
f 100g plain flour
f 100g almond meal
f 6 egg whites
f 250g butter
f 1 x 500g packet frozen blueberries
f 2 tablespoons honey
Review
By MONICA SCANLON
Petrea King seeks peace and health for herself and her clients. Up Until Now is a raw, honest recount of Petrea’s challenges and her journey to seek answers and guide others.
Petrea takes the reader through her life of self-discovery. She lacked confidence as a child but advocated for causes she believed in and was always a nature lover and helper from an early age, helping people and animals.
Growing up, childhood illnesses and lengthy hospital stints led to many interruptions to her schooling. In 1983, in her early thirties, Petrea was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia which she was told was life - threatening.
Petrea has led a life rich with travel and relationships. She encountered people from all walks of life across many countries. Her adventures included spending time in outback Australia, living in a spiritual community in America, a soul-searching time in a monastery in Assisi, living on a shoestring in Europe and nannying in London. She chronicles family, friends and clients who have influenced her greatly. The mental health issues and suicide of her brother impacted her greatly.
As a qualified nurse, naturopath, meditation teacher, yoga teacher and clinical hypnotherapist, she assists those whose lives are challenging. These challenges include illness, tragedy, trauma, loss and grief. Petrea helps people turn crisis in their lives into a time for healing. She believes that with love, all things are possible. “Be where you can love the best.” She has also accompanied many people through their final days of life.
Petrea regales her readers with tales of the clients she met through generously opening her home for individual and group counselling, support and healing sessions. With a team of supporters, Petrea founded the Quest for Life Foundation and in 1989 established the Quest for Life Centre, Bundanoon, in the Southern Highlands of NSW. She is an internationally acclaimed and sought-after wellness educator and keynote speaker.
Up Until Now is an inspiring, thoughtprovoking memoir of Petrea’s personal growth and her selflessness in improving the lives of others.
Up Until Now was published by Allen and Unwin in 2017.
Blueberry Financiers
We receive many compliments on our homemade financiers –moist little cakes made with almond meal – so I thought I would share my recipe. These are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
Method
Preheat oven to 150°C fan forced.
Sift the icing sugar, flour and almond meal into a large bowl. Add egg whites to the dry ingredients, mixing well.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan until it turns a nutty golden colour, then whisk into the dry ingredients.
Whisk in honey. Pour batter into a plastic container and place in the fridge to cool.
Grease a financier tin or small muffin tin. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup, and place 2 blueberries on top of each.
Place in oven for about 12 minutes.
Cool in pan to room temperature. Remove and dust with a little icing sugar to serve.
Chef Bart’s culinary gifts can be enjoyed at Cathedral Café, 843 Hunter St Newcastle West, 9am–1.30pm, Monday to Friday. P 4961 0546.
Norway, has probably witnessed Aurora Borealis
Chef Bartholomew Connors, Cathedral Café
www.stnicholasmn.org.au
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Our Location & Features
Located close to transport, shopping and medical facilities, within minutes from Maitland Hospital and only 10km to the Lovedale Wine & Art Trail. We are a safe, secure gated community with an on site manager and 24 hour emergency call system. A GP visits the resort on a weekly basis. The NBN Internet is available for connection. The property is set on a level site with beautifully landscaped gardens. We are pet friendly and have many organised outings and activities for our residents.
Our Stunning Facilities
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Our homes are spacious architecturally designed, single level, 2/3 bedroom freestanding villas and duplexes of brick and tile construction. There are 4 different floor plans to choose from with either double or single garages with remote control doors. Each home features modern decor, are very low maintenance, energy efficient and are fully landscaped and fenced.
