Somascan Mission Snapshot

Today, when I’m with somebody, I try to listen carefully to where a person’s story is like mine ... I then express real sympathy, showing I’ve walked a similar pathway. ” - James Parker

rience despair or loneliness, trauma or pain, or doubt in God as I have done. I then express real sympathy, showing I’ve walked a similar pathway. This opens their heart to then listen to me as I share from my own struggles. I’m also then permitted to speak about how Jesus continues to walk with me in my struggles, or about how His presence has helped me to move beyond my challenges. Either way, the relevance and reality of being in relationship with Jesus is proclaimed. It’s my story. It’s true. So, I’ve nothing to prove to anyone.

What stories do you have of Jesus im

Jan-Mar 2020 / Somascan Serve pacting your life? The simpler they are, the better. Only by being aware of them can we then be open to sharing them. Once aware of your stories, ask God to give you opportunities to share them with those you meet. Then, be open to simply sharing.

It’s can be very exciting, satisfying and humbling drawing others into God’s perfect love. Evangelization therefore is merely sharing what is true for you. It’s simply telling real stories of Jesus impacting our daily lives. The rest of the work is often done by the Holy Spirit. Anyone for evangelization?

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Building up the Kingdom

Jan-Mar 2020 / Somascan Serve I have worked for 9 years as a civil engineer in a leading construction company. Over this time, I have witnessed money being held as an idol and the driving force for decisions and actions. It has often led to an unhealthy work environment and relationships.

My experience of the Catholic faith, and my time in the workforce can often feel at opposite ends.

However I have found that trying to be an authentic Catholic witness in the workplace has been effective.

Treating others with respect and giving them the time they deserve goes a long way to building relationships. Demonstrating active listening and supporting others with compassion recognises the dignity of each human being. I have found that a good sense of humour builds relationships and I have often used this as an opening to express my faith. Often people don’t expect to hear about my relationship with Christ, but it can be a springboard to being an authentic witness and allowing others to open up about their own faith journey.

Spending the majority of my hours in a secular workplace does not mean I need to follow the secular norm, but rather use this time as a chance to bring others to know Christ. Peter Catalano (Spearwood Parishioner)

23 I have found that a good sense of humour builds relationships and [can be used] to express faith.” - Peter

Somascan Serve / Jan-Mar 2020 Somascan Youth ministry C ommenced in 2005, the Somascan Youth and Young Adults carry out their mission as lay-apostles in the Somascan spirituality through their weekly events of prayer, Lectio Divina, formation, fellowship, animating Youth Mass and Eucharistic Adoration at St Jerome’s Parish, Spearwood. Somascan Youth Ministry has been represented at local and interstate youth conferences as well as at a number of World Youth Days. EASTER MONDAY ROSARY 1 4 years ago, Somascan Young Adults, inspired by the post-Resurrectuion appearance of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the disciples and joining them for breakfast along the Lake Tiberias, each year publically witness on Easter Monday that the Paschal Celebrations continue past ‘Easter Sunday’ for an Octave and entire Season, by praying the Holy Rosary along the local Coogee Beach, followed by breakfast. Miani Mothers S ince 2017 a group of mothers have connected over weekly Christ-centred meditiations of the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, sharing of spiritual experiences and resources while providing support to each other in increasing their faith and that of their families. somyouth BREakfast club 2 019 saw the Somascan Young Adults volunteer with the Chaplaincy team at Fremantle College for the Breakfast Club, serving the young students and ensuring they were well fed before school while providing a space for conversation and friendship to develop. This outreach action was in response to the young adults wanting to bear the fruit of their faith and answering the call of Christ to share the Gospel in a secular environment. Mission: What we do 24 Somascan Snapshot

SOMASCAN MISSIONS L ocal, interstate and international missions collaborations with the Somascan Fathers for SomSpirituality Youth Retreats, Archdiocesan youth events in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and overseas lay mission trips to Somascan communities in India and Mozambique. GUARDIANS MUSIC group homes and Christmas visitation and nativity play at two local aged care facilitates. MARRIAGE CONNECT M arriage Connect involves the linking up of young married couple with an engaged couple preparing for marriage. Centred on a weekly meal at home, accompanied with a catechetical resource and testimonial conversation.

An outreach apostolate for young adults living with various disabilities that provides creative therapy through music lesson, shared meals and live karoake singing that concludes with a guardian angel ‘tune up’ Christian message for reflection and application.

Neighbourhood Carols I n 2019, the annual tradition of Neighbourhood Carols, a collaboration of Somascan Youth along with the parish altar servers and their families, increased its evanglisation scope visiting all the four surrounding parish suburbs of Munster, Coogee, Spearwood and Beeliar. Procession through the streets behind a statue of baby Jesus while singing carols at designated homes that includes blessing and the bringing of Christmas greetings to the neighbour’s

SOMCHRISTMAS CARD DRIVE A nnually hand-made Christmas cards are prepared by youth and students from around Australia and season greetings sent with Christmas sweets to orphaned and poor children in multiple states throughout the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka and Mozambique.

mens ministry

Jan-Mar 2020 / Somascan Serve A ims to infuse the charism first given by the Holy Spirit to St. Jerome Emiliani, the Paternal Love of God into the lives of all men, no matter which state of life. In turn, they are able to inspire and influence other members in society, their own families, workplaces and social circles. The group is founded upon 4 pillars of prayer, brotherhood, formation and dialogue.

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ON MISSION FOR MOZAMBIQUE

Saturday 28th December, 2019 saw Somascan Movement Australia arrive at our home parish of Our Lady of the Rosary (Nossa Senhora do Rosario) in Maputo, Mozambique. We were welcomed beautifully by Fr Samy and Fr Chris and were keen for our week of service and exploration with our Somascan family on the other side of the Indian Ocean.

We celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family (Festa da Sagrada Família) at Nossa Senhora Do Rosario on the Sunday with hundreds of families from Laulane who welcomed us joyfully into their Parish.

We were also able to accompany Fr Chris who celebrated Mass at Casa Da Alegria which is situated in Hulene under the carriage of the Missionaries of Charity.

This House of Joy resonated beautiful sentiments of God’s love that was shining through the faces of each beautiful child, so eager to see what we had brought with us.

We spent time with the children in the Orphanage and visited the terminally ill patients cared for by the Sisters. This was a heart warming afternoon as we joyfully distributed handmade Christmas Cards that had been generously created by a number of schools and parishes throughout the cities of Perth and Sydney, Australia.

We packed into a land rover with the Pilarina Aspirants on a road trip through beautiful towns from Maputo, Missão San Roque, Bela Vista, Reserva Especial De Maputo and Ponta Do Ouro, where we met the Father’s from the Fransilian Order (MSFS Fathers) to learn about their work in the city, before taking a dip in the stunning Indian Ocean.

Somascan Movement Australia rang in 2020 with a new year’s mission day to Casa da Misericordia (House of Mercy), a rehabilitation house for youth and young men who have shown a desire to convert their lives while in Prison.

The vision of this project is to encourage the residents to find beauty in the ordinary.

Continued on next page 26 Alison De Sousa (Somascan movement australia laity)

Casa da Alegria

Somascan Serve / Jan-Mar 2020 Continued from previous page One of these many expressions was found in turning recyclables into beautiful works of art, while regaining their dignity through this work, devotion and charity; three pillars of our Somascan Charism. House of Mercy also facilitates the learning of trades in Agriculture and Farming, Textiles, Information Technology, Sports and Mechanics. The men expressed their gratitude for remembering them, when gifted with Christmas Cards and sweets, and visiting them as they work to rebuild their lives and prepare for their future after having profoundly experienced the merciful love of God the Father.

Additionally, we were able to make a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Namaacha where we prayed for the intentions of Somascan Movement Australia and our wider Somascan Family. Our Mission Market Day gave us the best experience of Mozamboquian-Style Markets where we bought provisions for the disadvantaged and our local Somascan Youth. This was in preparation for a joint venture with the Youth of Nossa Senhora do Rosario who joyfully prepared a traditional festa of food, beautiful music and dancing and allowed us to share the donations of our benefactors, reaffirming our commitment through a donation of 25000 MT to be used to support the youth, their activities and faith formation throughout the year as well as in service of many disadvantaged families who receive provisions regularly 28

Casa da misericordia

from the Somascan Fathers. In addition, Somascan Movement Australia were able to purchase and donate a new keyboard for use in the Parish to continue their already thriving Music Ministry. It is beautiful to be a part of the Somascan Family and now, to have seen first hand, the fruit of our partnership in supporting this faith-filled and vibrant community of Laulane. Khanimambo Mozambique!

missao sao roque

It was a great privilege to be able to facilitate the commencement of a Mission School Partnership between St Jerome’s Primary School, Munster and the students from Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Laulane.

A huge thank you to both staff and students for their generous donations which have gone toward the purchasing of Stationery and School Items for use during the school year by the local Laulane Students.

We are excited to be a part of this new endeavour which will ensure that Education is accessible for all students of the Somascan Parish here in Mozambique. Mission School Partnership