DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY: NEW LOGO A REMINDER TO PRAY AND DISCERN
A new logo has been launched for the upcoming Archdiocesan Assembly.
Developed by the Archdiocesan Communications Office in conjunction with the Diocesan Assembly Reference Group, the diocesan assembly logo uses the colours found on the crest of the Archdiocese of Perth: gold, red, and blue.
Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn explained the different elements of the logo call on the Perth Catholic community to reflect on the role and purpose of the Assembly in the Archdiocese of Perth.
• The golden sun represents Western Australia and a new dawn, entering into a new journey of synodality as called for by Pope Francis.
• The second circle in white
represents the Eucharist, which reminds us that the Eucharist and the celebration of the Eucharist is at the heart of our Catholic faith.
• The image of the Cross reminds us of the sacrifice of Christ and His redeeming love for all.
• The image of the flames is a traditional symbol of the Holy Spirit.
A reminder to us that the Holy Spirit is the source of all our Assembly deliberations.
The 2023-2024 Perth Archdiocesan Assembly, continued Fr Vincent, is the first of its kind for the Archdiocese and was announced Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in April 2023, and launched on Trinity Sunday 4 June 2023 at St Mary’s Cathedral.
The Assembly, he said, will focus primarily on the establishment of a Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) and how a DPC can reflect synodality
and the synodal model as called for by Pope Francis.
The Archdiocesan Prayer, written by Archbishop Costelloe for the Year of Mercy, has also been adapted by Fr Vincent Glynn to reflect the journey of the Diocesan Assembly. The prayer, explained Fr Vincent, is modelled around the understanding that in our preparation, formation, and experience of the Assembly, the whole Archdiocese and in particular the Assembly delegates are called to enter into a journey together led by the Spirit.
“This journey together calls all to be open to the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Fr Vincent said. Newly printed prayer cards were this week blessed by Fr Vincent at Scott Print.
The Archdiocesan Assembly Prayer Gracious God, You have blessed our archdiocese with many gifts, and you call us to share those gifts with others.
We thank you for this call and commit ourselves anew to responding with courage and generosity.
In this time of challenge and hope for the Church, you invite us to start afresh from Christ your Son and to contemplate his face so that we might recognise him in others.
As we enter the preparation, formation and experience of our Diocesan Assembly, may we experience a new wave of grace as we journey together led by the Spirit.
Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn explained the different elements of the logo call on the Perth Catholic community to reflect on our Archdiocese. IMAGE: ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH/MICHELLE TAN.
ARCHBISHOP COSTELLOE REPEATS APOLOGY AT PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has this week testified before an inquiry into the options available to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in Western Australia.
Chaired by Liberal MP Dr David Honey MLA, other members of the Inquiry included Member for Burns Beach, Mr Mark Folkard MLA, Member for Bassendean, the Hon David Kelly MLA, Member for Churchlands Ms Christine Tonkin MLA and Member for Nedlands Dr Katrina Stratton MLA. The Community Development and Justice Standing Committee is inquiring into the compensation avenues available to victims of historic sexual abuse in the wake of law changes enacted in response to a landmark Royal Commission into the issue.
One of the primary recommendations of the Royal Commission – enacted in WA – was to remove time limits on making a civil claim for damages in recognition of the fact many child victims took decades to work up the courage to report what had happened to them.
Attending before the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee's inquiry Monday 11 September, Archbishop Costelloe began his testimony with his repeated “sincere apology to those who have been so badly wronged by members of the Catholic Church”.
Archbishop Costelloe was supported at the Inquiry by Executive Director, Office of the Archbishop, Daniel Lynch and Acting Director of the Safeguarding Office, Barbara Blayney.
“I continue to be horrified by the extent of this abuse in Catholic institutions and am personally shamed by the failure of so many of our leaders to respond with compassion and integrity,”
Archbishop Costelloe said.
"The safety and wellbeing of children and young people in Catholic settings is now a fundamental priority for us all."
After his opening statement, Archbishop Costelloe was questioned at length by MP’s David Kelly and Katrina Stratton, particularly in regard to the structure of the Church, his authority in relation to other dioceses and the role of thew WA Professional Standards Office.
Archbishop Costelloe responded to the many questions of by highlighting that the Catholic Church is a complex organisation.
"Every bishop is directly responsible to the Holy See, so we don't have a structure of a national church or a national leader of the church in Australia.
“The reality of the Church is much more complex than people appreciate and that’s not to make
any excuse for it, it is the reality,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
When asked his thoughts on how a survivor may feel re-traumatised when seeking justice only to be told they had not come to the right place, Archbishop Costelloe responded in a similar vein.
“I reject the suggestion that I am being dishonest or insincere in anything I’ve said about my commitment to this issue,” he said.
“I belong to the Church and must operate within the reality of the Church, we may or may not like the reality of the way the Church is structured, I can’t change it, I have to operate within it.”
Archbishop Costelloe said the WA Professional Standards Office was the appropriate body for first contact for survivors, but agreed it might not be well enough known, and highlighted the Church’s improved accountability through his Archdiocese’s safeguarding program and the establishment of Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited at the national level.
"Through our safeguarding program here in the Archdiocese of Perth, and through the establishment of Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited at the national level, stringent protocols have been adopted and embedded in the way in which the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth operates," he said.
"Our compliance with these protocols will be regularly audited and the results made public.
"As a result, church authorities will now operate with full accountability to the Catholic community and the community at large."
The WA inquiry has previously heard some institutions – including Catholic organisations – had resorted to applying for a permanent stay of proceedings to halt trials, often relying on claims of a lack of evidence due to the passage of time or the death of an alleged perpetrator.
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has this week testified before an inquiry into the options available to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in Western Australia. IMAGE: SOURCED/PARLIAMENT OF WA.
FR FRANCIS UGHANZE HONOURED AT GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION
Former Palmyra Parish Priest Fr Francis Ughanze was given a heartwarming send-off following his retirement.
Parishioners from near and far came together at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Palmyra Parish, Friday 5 May as the choir sang The Power of Your Love as the entrance hymn, marking the beginning of what was a beautiful, spiritual and uplifting celebration for Fr Francis Golden Jubilee.
In celebrating the Mass, Fr Francis was joined by concelebrants, Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey, incoming Parish Priest Fr Benedict Lee, Yangebup Parish Priest Fr Peter Bianchini, South Perth Parish Priest Msgr Brian O’Loughlin, East Victoria Parish Priest Fr Nicholas Nweke, Lesmurdie Parish Priest Fr Michael Separovich, Parish Renewal Co-ordinator Fr Nino Vinciguerra and retired clergy Frs Edward Miller,
Greg Donovan an Oswald Lewis. Parishioners young and old, friends and community members gathered for the occasion, in which Fr Francis took all present on a journey centred on God’s love for each of us, and the role of the Priest during his homily.
Fr Francis highlighted that the Catholic priest’s primary function is to show the Catholic people of God that God loves them, also explaining that God does not behave as human beings do.
A human being, explained Fr Francis, can love you today and dislike you tomorrow. God’s love is constant.
“In the scriptures we discover that God is presented as everlastingly kind and loving. God is loving, and has no hate in him,” he said.
“The God of Jesus Christ has no favourites in his loving. He loves everyone equally. He does not love people based on their religious beliefs. The Catholic Christian is
as lovable to him as the Anglican Christian or Jehovah witness or a Muslim.
“The love showered by God does not depend on the worship of him. The God of Jesus Christ cannot be like the human being who cannot love us unless we worship him.
“We have all grown up to use the term worship in our relationship to the unknown being we call God.
“If we read the scriptures properly, we would discover that God is not worshipped but imitated.
A heartfelt acknowledgement of Father Francis’s unwavering dedication to his parishioners in their moments of happiness, joy and suffering was articulated beautifully through a powerpoint presentation with photos of Fr Francis’s 23 years as Parish Priest at Palmyra.
A gift from the parish and school community included an icon painted by young artist Yusef Hourani.
Fr Francis was ordained 6 May 1973 and celebrated his Golden Jubilee with the Palmyra parish and school community. PHOTO: SUPPLIED /PALMYRA PARISH.
NEW VOCATIONS OFFICE WEBSITE LAUNCHED AT YOUTH RALLY
Under the guidance of Rev Fr Israel Quirit, Vocations Director, the Archdiocesan Vocations Office has recently created and launched a refreshed look and messaging to reflect its soon-to-be-launched three-year Strategic Plan. The aim of the new website is to enhance the reach, support and engagement with all members of the community who are searching for ways to act on their calling from God.
One way to communicate this support is through a new Vocations website, in addition to collaborating with parishes, agencies and the Catholic community to provide Vocations assistance.
As such, the website – along with Perth Vocations’ “Life to the Full” messaging was shared for the first time at the Unite Youth Rally event on Friday 25 August at the University of Notre Dame.
A commitment to cultivate a culture of Vocations Fr Israel shared the Vocations Office commitment to support anyone’s
unique call from God to love and care for others.
“As Pope Francis says: ‘No vocation is born of itself or lives for itself. A vocation flows from the heart of God and blossoms in the good soil of faithful people, in the experience of fraternal love.’ (Pope Francis on the 51st World Day of Prayer for Vocations),” Fr Israel said.
“Our commitment to cultivate a culture of vocation is based on Jesus’ mandate to ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations’ (Mt 28:19) and ‘Do this in remembrance of me’ (Lk 22:19; cf. 1 Cor 11:24).”
“However, to fulfill Jesus’ mandate, we need all the faithful to nurture God’s call through their prayers and encouragement; so that every person may have the courage to say Yes to wherever God is calling them to be – married life, single blessedness, religious life, or the ordained ministry.”
“We have subtly given importance to all types of vocations, hoping to cast the net of God’s vineyard as wide as possible and to encourage all
people to take part in the nurturing and in cultivating the culture of vocations in every family and parish community.”
“This important shift in orientation, I hope and pray, will lead to a journey, not taken alone, but a journey taken together as the People of God.”
The website will continue to be updated with more resources and with events we will hold and be part of.
Fr Israel and the team at the Vocations Office welcome any feedback and/or comments to improve the website. In addition, we also welcome invitations to be part of your events, programs or community outreach where the Vocations Office can help support anyone seeking a mature relationship with Christ, particularly those who are suitable for the priesthood/ordained ministry or religious life.
The new website is available at https://vocations.perthcatholic. org.au/
The new Vocations Office website. PHOTO: SUPPLIED.
JAMIE