WEST AUSTRALIAN MEDAL OF HONOUR RECIPIENT GRATEFUL FOR FAMILY SUPPORT
By Amanda Murthy
Kalgoorlie-Boulder parishioner Brian Peter Landers AFSM OAM is one of 86 recipients from Western Australia to be awarded with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for dedication and service to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Western Australia and St John Ambulance Kalgoorlie.
The Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) in January announced
732 awards in the Australia Day 2022 Honours List which recognise outstanding and inspirational Australians.
2022 marks the highest ever percentage of women recipients (47 per cent) and 45 per cent are for service to local communities.
The Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia is scheduled to formally invest Western Australian recipients with the insignia of their appointments and awards at an Investiture Ceremony in April.
Mr Landers who was born and bred in Kalgoorlie, (and still living there) said that coming from a large family, and his faith upbringing naturally drew him to ‘lend a hand’, wherever
he saw the opportunity to.
“I am the fifth of 14 children and so naturally, my siblings and I have always helped my parents take care of the home affairs and of one another,” Mr Landers said.
“I studied at St Mary’s Primary School, then completed my tertiary years at the Christian Brothers College. I attended St Mary’s Church all my life and have been an acolyte for 41 years. I think all these experiences helped shape me, and it helped me recognise the importance of serving the community in need.”
A ‘jack-of-all-trades’, Mr Landers career path led him to take up roles of various fields, from a Baker Apprentice, a Filter Assistant in an oil and gas company, to truck driving before finding his true calling with the Western Australian Fire Brigades Board for 45 years.
“I had met a few firemen that were doing part time driving trucks, and they encouraged me to apply – I remember that once I got the job, I had to go to Perth to do the training. This worked out to be the best job,”
Mr Landers explained.
“My involvement with St John Ambulance Brigade started because I wanted to upskill and be prepared as a firefighter if I had to attend to an emergency call. Having these skills also helped when we attended traffic accidents and other jobs.”
The father of six and husband to Faye Landers says that he was ‘lost for words’ when he received the news of his medal, adding that Faye deserves all the credit for her support and equal involvement in volunteer work.
Brian Landers AFSM OAM, already a recipient of six medals has been awarded with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for dedication and service to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services Western Australia and St John Ambulance Kalgoorlie. PHOTO: SUPPLIED.
MANNING PARISH HONOURS ANCIENT TRADITIONS,
NEW COLUMBARIUM OPENED AND BLESSED
He continued by explaining that the traditional Chinese calendar follows the lunar cycle, the waxing and waning of the moon, and that the New Year celebrations are one of the most important family events in Chinese culture.
“It’s like Christmas, it’s a family reunion and we are able to celebrate out our ancestry: the meaning of who they were, so that we can recognise who we are; it ensures that we don’t wipe away where we came from,” Fr Patrick said.
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ENCOURAGED WITH STORY OF ST NICK
Catholic school system.
Gathering at the Catholic Education Office, 50 Ruislip Street, Leederville, on Monday 6 December, the Trustees of the Foundation met with representatives of the University of Notre Dame (UNDA), the leaders of Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) and distinguished members of the KSC (WA) to bestow the scholarships.
Officer of KSC and current Chair of the KSC Education Foundation, Wojciech Grzech.
In his address, Mr Grzech, shared the inspirational story of St Nicholas, encouraging the scholarship recipients to reflect on how the life of this saint could inspire them in their own vocations, nurturing young Catholics in the faith.
By Eric Martin
Two ancient traditions from two different cultures were celebrated at Manning Parish on Sunday 6 February, with some 150 parishioners and members of Perth’s Chinese community gathering, first for the blessing and opening of the new Columbarium at St Pius X Church, followed by a special Mass to mark the Chinese New Year.
“I want to make a connection between this beautiful Columbarium that we are blessing and dedicating today and the ancient tradition of having a cemetery around the local parish church,” said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, chief celebrant and guest of honor.
“It is really important that we see this as a way of keeping alive that sense of communion that we share with each other, those who have died and came here so often to celebrate Mass and the other sacraments still united with us who still gather here… When we gather here, we are with the Lord and so we are with them.”
“The church is the past, the present and the future,” elaborated Fr Patrick Lim.
“The past is the foundation, the
people who came before us: they established the parish and then we carried on that work, there is a continuity, and it is important to recognise that their lives still continue from here; our community feels that this is sacred space now.
“When I first came here four years ago, they were already talking about it, so I said, ‘Alright, let’s look into it’.”
Donations and contributions were received by numerous parishioners, which statues, pot plants, flowers and time, including that of Fr Patrick, who spent more than 70 hours building the backdrop and plinth for the statue of the Virgin Mary that holds pride of place in the new Columbarium, not to mention crafting the garden furniture.
Following the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, Archbishop Costelloe performed the Blessing, sprinkling Holy Water (symbolic of our new life through Baptism) around the Columbarium and over the faithful, before joining Fr Patrick for the next event of the morning – Chinese New Year.
“I wear two hats,” laughed Fr Patrick.
“I am the parish priest here and I am also the chaplain to the Chinese community, and now the Chinese community has moved here.”
“The recognition that we include in today’s Mass is part of showing our respect to our ancestors: they established the future for us, and it is an important tradition that we hold to – just because we are Christian doesn’t mean that we wipe away everything, we enhance the culture. We can bring Christ’s presence into our society.”
A presence which, Archbishop Costelloe highlighted, is both appropriate, and even essential, at this time in human history, when a strong belief in God is no longer the firm foundation of many people’s lives that it once was.
“When belief in God is no longer at the heart of a society’s understanding of itself that society can begin to lose its way,” Archbishop Costelloe said. “There is no longer a common understanding of what it means to be a human person and therefore there is no longer a solid basis for a shared set of values by which people in a society or a community intend to live.”
“In our Christian faith, and especially as we understand it in our Catholic tradition, the idea that we are mutually responsible for each other is absolutely central.
“We never come to God isolated from our family - our Christian family - but always together with our brothers and sisters in the faith and, indeed, with our brothers and sisters who are not part of our Christian community but are part of the human family, of which God is the one Father.”
By Eric Martin & Jamie O'Brien
In honour of a 30-year tradition of serving the community and supporting those in need, the Knights of the Southern Cross (KSC) Education Foundation Inc have once again offered some 50 scholarships to help meet the need to provide quality Religious Education in the
Special guests for the occasion included Professor Francis Campbell, Vice Chancellor of UNDA, Professor Caroline Mansfield, UNDA’s Executive Dean of Education, Philosophy and Theology, Dr Debra Sayce, Executive Director of CEWA, Mr Tony Curry, CEWA’s Director of Leadership and Employment Services, Fr Michael Moore SM, Rector of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, Nigel Hayward, in his capacity as State Chair of the KSC, John Walczak, State Executive
“St Nicholas’s parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young, but before their death his parents raised him in the fullness of the Catholic faith, that was both intellectual and very practical. He lived at a time when the ruling authorities ruthlessly persecuted Christians – so much so that prisons were so full of Christians with little room for the real criminals,” said Mr Grzech.
NEW CEO APPOINTED AT SOUTHERN CROSS CARE WA
With more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles in the health and aged care sectors in both Australia and the United Kingdom, Ms Grieveson commenced her new role in November 2021.
In announcing the new appointment, Chair of Southern Cross Care WA, Bradley Prentice said Ms Grieveson will lead the executive team to deliver the organisation’s vision, mission and values through a new and exciting stage in the organisation’s history.
“We are very happy to have such a high calibre executive join us as CEO at Southern Cross Care WA,” Mr Prentice said.
Southern Cross Care WA, one of Western Australia’s leading aged care providers, has appointed Clare Grieveson to the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
“Her extensive experience in advisory roles on government policy issues and changes that are currently affecting the aged care and health sectors will be invaluable.”
Ms Grieveson has worked in senior management roles at Monash
Health and the Victorian Department of Health. Most recently, Clare held the role of Executive Director Quality, Safety and Innovation at Mercy Health Australia. She has a clinical background in speech pathology and holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Speech Sciences from University College London. She also holds a master’s degree in Health Services Management from Monash University and has a Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Catholic Culture from the Australian Catholic University. Clare said she was honoured to be joining Southern Cross Care WA at such a crucial time of change and opportunity in the aged, social housing and community disability sectors.
Mr Wojciech Grzech welcomes KSC Education Foundation scholarship recipients and guests to the presentation ceremony, Monday 6 December 2021. PHOTO: SUPPLIED.
Manning Parish Priest, Fr Patrick Lim, and Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB unveil the plaque commemorating the opening of the new Columbarium at St Pius X. PHOTO: ERIC MARTIN.
Clare Grieveson has been appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer at Southern Cross Care. PHOTO: SUPPLIED.
NEW ERA BEGINS FOR QUEENS PARK NORBERTINES
Last year was full of significance for Australia’s largest Norbertine community, based at St Joseph’s Church and St Norbert College in Queens Park, as the Norbertine communities worldwide celebrated 900 years of the founding of the Order.
On Sunday, 14 November, hundreds of attendees witnessed the Profession of Vows of Brothers John De Agnel Anthoni Samy O Praem, Kenneth Torogori O Praem and Stephen Tee Chean Leng O Praem at St Joseph’s Church, Queens Park.
One of the Norbertine Perth congregation founding fathers Fr Stephen Cooney O Praem, who is now in his 90s, was also in attendance.
The Professions were celebrated
during a Solemn Eucharist celebrated by Queens Park/East Cannington Parish Priest Rev Father Peter Stiglich, followed by a reception.
Brothers John and Kenneth took the Solemn Profession of Vows (life vows) and Brother Stephen took the Simple Profession of Vows (temporary, for three years).
The whole St Joseph’s Parish Choir combined to make the liturgical celebration uplifting, attracting the active participation of the congregation which filled the 500seat church.
The brothers were fortunate to be joined by their spiritual directors and priests from the Diosese as well as colleagues and friends from Notre Dame University. The event was live streamed to
their families in Malaysia and Papua New Guinea and to Norbertine communities in America and Germany.
The highlight of the ceremony was when Brothers Kenneth and John – in a prayerful position called “prostration” – lay face down with their head in their arms in “humility and submission to the will of God” during the Litany of the Saints.
In his homily, Fr Stiglich said these significant steps taken by the brothers on their journey to full incorporation into the Order heralded a new era for the Norbertines of the Canonry of St Joseph in Queens Park.
The professions coincided with the 900-year anniversary of the founding of the Order by Norbert of Xanten in 1121.
Communications Manager jamie.obrien@perthcatholic.org.au
Journalist amanda.murthy@perthcatholic.org.au
Journalist eric.martin@perthcatholic.org.au
Production Officer michelle.tan@perthcatholic.org.au
Administration Officer bibiana.kwaramba@perthcatholic.org.au
Brothers Stephen, Kenneth and John stand in front of the 900-year anniversary banner for the Norbertine Order on 14 November. PHOTO: SOURCED.