EE FR
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ISSUE 13 JUNE 2018
GOD , SCIENCE , CHURCH
PLE N A RY 2 02 0
PA R I S H LI F E
H E A LTH
Archbishop launches Plenary 2020 PAGE 08
Parishes unite for first time PAGE 12
Dr Dan Fleming: better ethical arguments PAGE 20
Official magazine for the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth
Centre for Faith Enrichment
COURSES & EVENTS TERM 3, 2018 DAYTIME COURSES Exploring the Second Vatican Council: A Journey through Times and Documents (Part 1) When: Tuesdays, 21st August – 25th September From: 10:00am – 12:00pm (6 sessions) Cost: 6 sessions, $50 (includes printouts of Vatican II documents) With: Dr Margaret Scharf OP Location: Newman Siena Centre, Everything Ablaze: Meditating on the Doubleview (Clune lecture Theatre) Vatican Council II was one of the most significant gatherings in the Church, whose impact Mystical Vision of Teilhard de Chardin upon the lives of Catholics was immense. There are people who remember the Church “before When: Wednesdays, 1st - 29th and after” and those who only know the contemporary Church and who ask: what was all the August, 10:00am – 12:30pm fuss about?! This program will be offered in two Parts of 6 weeks each as an exploration of Cost: 5 sessions, cost $55 such topics as: The Lead-up to Vatican II (Church history), The Council is Called, a Study of (includes a copy of the book) the 16 Documents, Post-Vatican II Developments and Pope Francis and the Spirit of Vatican With: Sr Shelley Barlow RNDM II. Part II of the program will be offered in Term 1 - 2019. Location: Newman Siena Centre, Doubleview (Clune lecture Theatre)
EVENING COURSES
ONLINE COURSES
Very Human Prayers to God When: Thursdays, 2 -16 August, 7:30pm - 8:30pm Cost: 3 sessions, cost $15 With: Rev. Dr Charles Waddell nd
th
The psalms embody the vast array of human feelings we can take to God who is at the centre of every occurrence comprising your life and mine.
The Books of Proverbs to Ecclesiasticus: There is a time for... When: Thursdays, 13th - 27th September 7:30pm - 8:30pm Cost: 3 sessions, cost $15 With: Rev. Dr Charles Waddell This course reviews Biblical Wisdom – the pursuit of which Is our noblest endeavour; its attainment is to be with God.
Nurturing Faith within the Home: Passing on Faith to Your Children When: Wednesdays, 8th August - 5th September (No Class on 15 August. Additional Prayer Family Event on 12 September) Cost: $20 suggested donation With: Dr Carmel Suart Location: Bateman Parish, St. Thomas More “If parents are secure in their faith… then the faith will indeed be passed on to the next generation” – Sandra De Gidio. Held over four evenings in August, this course has been designed to affirm, encourage and support families in their endeavour to nurture faith within the home. The course will be divided into four sections: Understanding the domestic Church: what are families Called to do?; Teachable faith moments; Praying in the home and Rituals: Helping families create and celebrate. Please note: there will be an additional Prayer Family Event on 12 September at 6:00pm in which parents are encouraged to attend with their children to create their family prayer.
An exploration in book-club style of Everything Ablaze: Meditating on the Mystical Vision of Teilhard de Chardin by Rev Dr David Richo. In just 140 pages, Fr Richo offers us an inspirational and compelling synthesis of sound theology, scientific insight and practical spirituality for daily life. Book is included in Course payment.
EVENTS
Indigenous Spirituality and Our Catholic Faith Reflection Afternoon When: Sunday, 12th August, 2:30pm – 5:30pm With: Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Location: Newman Siena Centre, Doubleview (Clune lecture Theatre) An afternoon to reflect on your relationship with God, drawing upon wisdom from Aboriginal spirituality and our Catholic Faith.
Visit www.cfe.org.au/courses-and-events for more information. For enquiries, contact us at cfe@perthcatholic.org.au.
Featured this month 14
Plenary 2020
8
Candles blessed and received
10
God, Science and the Church “Science is dead”
20
Health and Ethnics We need better ethical arguments
“ If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples...”
— John 8: 32 FROM THE EDITOR Jamie O’Brien In this issue of The Record Magazine, we take a look at this
Why Food is Important Nourishing both body and spiritual needs
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concept of God, Science and the Church. In his article for this Issue, Archbishop Costelloe speaks about Psalm 8 and the question it poses, whenever the question of faith and science is raised. We further talk about the relationship between God, Science and the Church and the statement from philosopher Professor Karl Popper who stated and claimed scientific finding,
FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE
also needs to be able to be falsified, or it is not a finding at all.
From Archbishop Timothy Costelloe
We have ethicist Dan Fleming talk about the need for better
From Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton
ethics arguements, particularly when the stakes are so high. We also look at the importance of food, and speak to grains
IN THIS EDITION
farmers Bob Panizza and his wife Jaqueline, while Dr Anthony
Parish Renewal
Horton gives us an insight into Pope Francis’ call to focus on
Telethon Speech & Hearing
self-education and action in regards to climate change.
Australian Catholic Superannuation
The Record Magazine is a magazine for the people and I hope
Climate Change
you will enjoy taking the time to engage with us. Please feel
Recipe: Fruity Frangipane Tarts
free to share your thoughts via editor@therecord.com.au, or
Colouring Page
by contacting us on 08 9220 5900.
Activity Page
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I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 3
HOW GREAT IS YOUR NAME, O LORD OUR GOD
Archbishop Costelloe anoints the altar with Chrism oil at the official opening and dedication of Attadale Parish’s St Joseph Pignatelli Church. Photo: Matthew Lau
ARCHBISHOP’S WORD
O
ne of the great benefits of regularly praying
beauty, glory and mystery of the true origin of
the official Prayer of the Church each
the universe, of God”.
day, as deacons, priests and bishops do, along
One of the greatest dangers we Christians
with many lay people and members of Religious
face in relation to our faith is the temptation
Orders, is the way in which the psalms become
to “domesticate” God; to fall into the trap of
so familiar that they easily arise in our minds and
thinking that we have understood God, or know
hearts as spontaneous prayers.
God through and through. To the extent that we,
For me one such psalm is Psalm 8, which includes
perhaps even unconsciously, believe this to be
these words:
true, we may very well be adding to the criticism of those who do not believe in God and who
When I see the heavens, the work of your hands,
claim that, rather than God creating humanity in
the moon and the stars which you arranged,
the divine image, humanity has created God in
Who are we that you keep us in mind,
its own image.
Mere human beings that you care for us? (Cf. Psalm 8:3-4)
The almost incomprehensible vastness and
I am always reminded of these words whenever
complexity of the universe should remind us that,
the question of the presumed conflict between
as Saint Paul once commented, “now we are seeing
faith and science comes up.
a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be
While I acknowledge the point of view of those
seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect, but then I shall know as fully as I am
who believe that science will ultimately be able to explain everything about the world and the
known” (1 Cor 13:12).
universe in which we live, and that therefore there
Science, as it discovers more and more about
is no need for God, my own experience, as I look
the nature of reality, is not a threat to our faith
into the night sky, is one of awe and wonder. And
in God, but rather a God-given way of entering
at least for me, the more that science discovers
more fully into the mystery of God and of God’s
about the nature and the origins of all that exists,
creation. So on the next clear night go out into
the more that wonder and awe increases.
the back-yard, stare up into the sky, and allow the
The existence of the universe is not simply a puzzle
words of Psalm 8 to rise in your heart:
to be solved: it is a mystery to be contemplated.
When I see the heavens, the work of your
When, before I was appointed as a Bishop, I taught
hands, The moon and the stars which you arranged, Who are we that you care for us,
theology both here in Perth and in Melbourne, I
Mere human beings that you keep us in mind?
used to encourage my students to wait for a clear night to lie on the ground in the backyard looking
And in asking this question remember the way in
up at the moon and the stars.
which Psalm 8 continues:
“Remember” I used to say to them, “that what you
And yet you have made us little less than gods,
see is only the tiniest fragment of the universe –
With glory and honour you have crowned us....
and that even if you could see the whole universe,
How great is your name, O Lord our God,
it would still be only a dim reflection of the
Through all the earth!
+ Archbishop Tim Costelloe SDB A RCH B I S H O P O F PER T H
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I S S U E 1 2 MARCH 2018 5
BISHOP’S WORD
BISHOP SPROXTON: CHURCHES
In April this year, Archbishop Timothy and l travelled to Port Moresby to join the bishops conferences of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Zealand, the Pacific Island nations and Australia for our four yearly meeting.
T
he Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania meeting allowed us to focus our common concerns on human rights, climate change and c are for the environment. Our theme was ‘Care of our Common Home of Oceania, A Sea of Possibilities.’
We w e r e f o r t u n a t e t o r e c e i v e pre sent ations on t he ef fe c t s of climate change given to us by eminent scientists.
We g a t h e r e d i n P o r t M o r e s b y five weeks af ter the devastating earthquake had struck the highlands of PNG. This had caused crops to be lost and some 35,000 people to have lost their homes, and a total of 125 people to be killed.
T h e b ish o p s of t h e di o ce s e s i n Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga shared their experiences of very severe cyclones t hat have wreake d c at as t rophic damage on their islands. At the same time, the people on the Marshall Islands have suffered from a crippling drought between 2015 and 2016.
At several times during the large public Masses and the meeting, we paused to remember everyone who had been affected by this tragedy.
The bishops told us of the rising sea levels. Islands have been inundated by sea water which has destroyed once productive land and in some cases
These helped the bishops to understand the impact of the changing climate on the small island communities in the Pacific.
forced people to leave their home islands that have been “drowned”. Fiji has been able to take these climate change refugees to this time. T he FCBCO me eting benef it ted from a review of the environmental c h all e n ge s f a cin g O ce a nia . T h e theme of our meeting constantly stood as a reminder to us that we are interconnected and decisions made in one part of our region can cause irreparable damage on other nations. It was inspired by the encyclical letter of Pope Francis, Laudato Si. Cardinal Parolin, the Secretar y of State for the Holy See, attended the meeting. He urged the bishops to fight the ideology of individualism that tends to cause alienation b et we en p e o p l e an d har ms t h e environment, as he quoted from the encyclical. The cardinal pointed to the erosion of communities and natural connections which leave people more and more isolated, and contributes to social decline.
OF THE PACIFIC ARE VIBRANT
The Bishops at the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania assembly in Papua New Guinea. Photo: Fr Ambrose Pereira
His words were to frame our discussions on how the nations of Oceania must approach development of their economies whilst balancing care for the marine ecosystems and respecting traditional land and sea owners. The challenge presented by deep seabed mining was scrutinised, as it appears that the technology to be used does not have sufficient scientific research behind it. Questions still remain on the impact of this form of mining on coral reefs and the important tuna fishery to the north east of PNG, and the effects that it could have on Fiji, Niue, Tonga and the Cook Islands.
in the minds of the peoples of PNG and the Solomon Islands about deep sea mining as it is proposed, and the use of the machinery that has already been delivered. A session of the conference was devoted to a discussion on the detention centre on Manus Island. There is considerable feeling in PNG about the situation where 600 asylum seekers had been placed in the centre. The problem for Australia, as they see it, has been shifted to become PNG's problem. We were told that the centre was closed late last year but hundreds of detainees have remained, and have been moved to transitional camps. Their futures are uncertain.
I found it interesting to learn of the strong attachment of the peoples of Oceania to land and sea. Clans are the traditional owners of areas of the sea as well as land. The people have deep spiritual ties to these areas and they are dependent on them for their livelihood.
The bishops have pleaded for more compassionate and just treatment of asylum seekers. I returned to Perth grateful for the opportunity to listen to and support the bishops throughout Oceania. The churches of the Pacific are vibrant and the faith of the
The machinery which is to be used for underwater mining has not been tested or used for mining in the countries where they have been manufactured. The effects of silting in the otherwise pristine waters of the seas around Manus, New Britain and New Ireland are not known. There has been enough research on ocean currents to raise major concerns
people is very important to them. They have much to teach us in our comfortable and well-resourced communities. We left the conference more aware of the great challenges being faced by our neighbours and committed to do our part to protect our common home.
Bishop Donald Sproxton AUXILIARY BISHOP OF PERTH
7
PLENARY 2020 JOURNEY LAUNCHED: WHAT DO YOU THINK GOD IS ASKING OF US AT THIS TIME? WORDS Jamie O’Brien
A
rchbishop Timothy Costelloe has now launched the 2020 Plenary Council journey for the Archdiocese of Perth. The launch of the 2020 Plenar y Council journey - which took place at the Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, Saturday 26 May at St Mary’s Cathedral – was a unique opportunity for Archbishop Costelloe to invite those present to ask a fundamental question; Who is this God, whom Jesus makes known, and what is this God calling us to do and to be? Archbishop Costelloe explained that, in simple terms a Plenary Council is a solemn gathering of all the Catholic bishops of a region - in our case of the whole of Australia - to prayerfully discern what we believe God is asking of us all. “Over the next 12 months there will be opportunities for all of us who care about the Church to share our hopes and dreams together,” Archbishop Costelloe explained. “It is this sharing of hopes and dreams, based on our prayerful listening to the voice of God’s Spirit speaking in our lives and in our hearts, which will
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THE RECORD MAGAZINE
guide the bishops as they seek to be the humble servants and shepherds of God’s Church,” he said. The celebration of the Holy Trinity, said Archbishop Costelloe, is an especially appropriate time to launch this major event here in our Archdiocese because it is in this feast that we discover the very heart of our faith. “Believing what we do about Jesus as the Son of God, we know that Jesus in his humanity unveils the hidden mystery of God to us in a way that we can at least to some extent understand,” Archbishop Costelloe said. “In doing so, Jesus also reveals the nature of our human and Christian vocation, for we are all called to be together, the signs and bearers of God’s love for others, just as he was,” he said. More than 500 representatives from parishes, agencies, groups and lay faithful gathered for the Mass, which was con-celebrated by Vicar General Fr Peter Whitely, Acting Cathedral Dean Fr Don Kettle, Assistant Parish Priests Fr Stephen Gorddard, Fr Jeffey Casabuena and Fr Conor Steadman as MC, along with Redemptoris Mater Seminary Rector Fr Michael Moore SM.
Archbishop Costelloe lights the Plenary Council candle at the Perth launch on 26 May. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.
Several other priests from across the Archdiocese were also present for the occasion. At the commencement of the Mass, Archbishop Costelloe blessed and lit the Plenary Council candle, recognising the call to the urgent, challenging but Spirit-led task of trying to discern exactly what God, at this moment in our history, is asking of us. “In a very real sense, today’s feast already provides us with the answer,” Archbishop Costelloe explained. “God is asking us, as His Church, to become in practice what we are in our deepest and truest identity: a living, powerful, unmistakable and convincing sign and bearer of God’s love made known to us in Jesus,” he said. Smaller versions of the candle were also blessed by Archbishop Costelloe and received by the representatives, with the encouragement to conduct their own Plenary Council launch with their local parish community.
WA LEADERS COME TOGETHER Leaders from across the WA Catholic community have come together on 7 April to talk about and prepare for the upcoming Plenary Council scheduled for 2020. Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has also announced Tony Giglia, Manager Research and Project Development as the Archdiocese of Perth Plenary Co-ordinator. Mr Giglia, a former Catholic school principal, will work closely with Archbishop Costelloe, Acting Executive Director of Catholic Education WA, Dr Debra Sayce (who is also part of the Bishops Commission for the Plenary Council) and various parish and agency representatives in ‘keeping the ball rolling’.
Leaders from across the WA Catholic community gathered to talk about and prepare for the 2020 Plenary Council. Photo: Supplied.
We invite all people to speak about whatever they want to speak about from their heart and mind... “We invite all people to speak about whatever they want to speak about from their heart and mind,” Mrs Turvey-Collins said. As the first Plenary Council since 1937, the starting point for the 2020 Plenary was the official national launch on 20 May, with an invitation to Catholics and organisations alike to provide their views, through a range of meetings and online kits – downloadable from the Plenary website (www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au). This ‘listening and dialogue’ stage will take a year, and Mrs Turvey-Collins expects tens of thousands of responses, but if there is to be one overarching question for the Church, she believes it is ‘What do you think God is asking of us in Australia?’.
Leaders from across the WA Catholic community gathered to talk about and prepare for the 2020 Plenary Council. Photo: Supplied.
Presenting to attendees at the WA Leaders meeting on 7 April was Lana Turvey-Collins, who has been appointed by the Australian Bishops as the facilitator of the historic event and is leading a three-year transformative journey with the cultural reform of the Church on the table. Mrs Turvey-Collins provided attendees at the 7 April meeting with an insight into some of ‘nuts and bolts’ of the Plenary Council, while also having the opportunity to provide feedback and establish how the Archdiocese will be involved.
Dr Debra Sayce. Photo: CEWA
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 9
GOD, SCIENCE AND THE CHURCH WORDS Michael Britton
It could be argued that science and scientific enquiry have reached a critical turning point in its evolution; with some, paraphrasing a Nietzschean term, have proclaimed that “science is dead.”
THERE ARE
growing numbers
Firstly, God exists and a person lives
of people who no longer subscribe
outcome for that particular person.
to the belief in anthropogenic
Secondly, God doesn’t exist but a
global warming, less parents are having their children vaccinated and the belief that the universe spontaneously came into existence from nothing, is also under fire. Others have argued that science has become more driven by faith t h a n p r a g m a t i c e n q u i r y. F o r example, agenda-driven scientific documentaries fill the screens of nations, telling viewers that if there a billion galaxies each with a billion suns and that each sun has plenty
does; similarly, a good outcome as they lived a good life. Thirdly, God exists but a person doesn’t live their life as if he did exist; could be a worry when death comes knocking. Fourthly, God doesn’t exist and a person doesn’t live their life as if He does; not much of a worry when death comes as nothing would make any difference because everything meant nothing.
out there.”
In essence, Paschal gives four out of
Given the sheer numbers,
four reasons to logically believe, and
this seems to be a logical and
live, as if God exists.
philosopher Professor Karl Popper s t ated: Any claimed scientif ic finding, also needs to be able to be falsified, or it is not a finding at all. Therefore the finding that there “must be life out there” cannot be falsified because it is more of a scientific hope or gamble than an empirical and actual finding. In fact, if anyone wanted to take a pragmatic, even scientific, gamble on the existence of God (and its implications) they could test out philosopher Blaise Paschal’s wager which sets out four approaches to life and what it might mean for the afterlife.
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
person still lives their life as if he
of planets, then there “must be life
reasonable statement but, as the
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their life as though he does; a good
to put one in natural opposition to science, rather than in compliment to science.
In some of the areas where science has progressed, faith has receded. But belief in God and science are not mutually exclusive fields of study. Catholics are given quite a lot of latitude in how they may approach the existence of the universe. The Big Bang Theory, first postulated by Belgian priest, Father Lemaître, the evolution of humanity through Darwin’s findings and the Genesis story of creation are entirely compatible. The Church hasn’t proclaimed that the world was made in seven days since the days of the early Church Fathers; and even then it wasn’t a unanimous belief. The rest of the Genesis story is more of an allegory about the ontological death (or “wounds to the soul”) that sin causes; it doesn’t oppose the Big Bang Theory but, rather, compliments it. To its credit, science has slowly pulled away many veils and uncovered many mysteries to life as we know it. But as the recently deceased Stephen Hawking stated later in life: This proved that we needed less of God.
A well-known saying, also used by Saint John Paul II, asserts that faith without science is superstition whereas science without faith is Nihilism. Belief in black ladders, black cats and broken mirrors as bad luck do not have any element of science in them and is superstition at it s worst . But , similarly, an unrelenting belief in scientific development and progress, without faith, has seen the slaughtering of millions through the creation of weaponry technologies (such as the United States’ atomic and military capabilities) the near-extermination of an entire race of people by Nazis as if nothing mattered but the attainment of a scientifically supreme human being and the Soviet’s perusal of social sciences in attempting to create a “new man for new times.” The Church has acknowledged that a sensitive and sensible balance is required between Faith and Science and this has been promoted through Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si.
appoint s around 8 0 scientist s from all races, faiths and creeds to collaboratively participate in scientific enquiry; many of whom have won Nobel Prizes through some of their inquiries into the deepest of questions regarding existence. Pope Francis has called for this dialogue to be respectfully continued. The Big Bang Theory is arguably the most valid theory of creation for our time, which means every single element and, subsequently, every single person, star, comet, planet and piece of space rock has come from the same single source at the same point in time. One may call that as an act of God (as the Agent) or one may call it an event without an A gent. The deeper question, yet to be resolved, is how did humans (whose building blocks equate to around 97 per cent similarity to that of all distant stars) gain consciousness to discuss and debate such mysterious issues.
This is why the Catholic Church continues to actively commit to science through it s Pontif ic al Academy of Sciences which
It is true that science has discovered many of the hidden mechanisms behind the inner workings of the universe. But, despite a long rich history between the Church and Science, it is still often maintained that a belief in God is often assumed
I S S U E 1 2 MARCH 2018 11
In what has been described as ‘ground breaking’ by Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, four neighbouring parishes from the Archdiocese of Perth united for a Joint Parish Retreat Day to chart a course into the future for their communities.
MT LAWLEY, HIGHGATE, JOONDANNA PARISHES and the ORDINARIATE of OUR LADY of the SOUTHERN CROSS
UNITE FOR FIRST TIME EVER WORDS Josh Low
H
osted by Mt Lawley Parish and Parish Priest Fr Tim Deeter at St Paul’s Primary School on
10 March, 70 people from the parishes of Mt Lawley, Highgate, Joondanna and the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross were in attendance. With the keynote address delivered by Bishop Sproxton, the event was part of an initiative in line with the Archdiocesan Plan for Strengthening and Revitalising Parishes. In his address to those present, Bishop Sproxton said the retreat day was a very important way of inspiring and encouraging one another and a way in which new ideas could be shared with other communities.
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“A day like this is a great opportunity for us to look at the ways in which we can assist one another, what sort of pastoral work is a challenge for each of us and what work we could then do together,” he said. He said the hope was for the day to be replicated in the future across the Archdiocese with the aim of building a stronger Catholic presence in the various regions. “These hubs of parishes will hopefully provide a model for other parishes. “We hope they will be able to see that through the outcomes of this meeting and from the sharing of experiences, it might open up some possibilities in other areas so other hubs can be formed.
PARISH LIFE
“In this way, opportunities will arise for them to continue working together to create a more vibrant community in each parish and as a whole in that region therefore, a stronger Catholic presence through the various ministries they work together on,” Bishop Sproxton said. Small group discussions during the day allowed for participants to brainstorm ideas on various topics, such as what parishioners can give to their parishes and the practical means of doing so, as well as addressing the questions of ‘What do I need from God?’ and ‘How can my parish help with this?’. Each small group’s findings were then taken to a larger open discussion, facilitated by Mt Lawley Parish Priest Fr Tim Deeter and Leader of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Mgr Harry Entwistle.
God has the opportunity to reach out to touch the heart of each individual when the time is right
Participant Antoinette Torre said it is important for parishes to have the frameworks in place, to open up possibilities for Christ to move in people’s hearts. “We reflected on the times in our lives; that youth group, that choir, that one homily which gave us the opportunity to grow and develop in our faith. “So I think if we can tap into that moment of our own inspiration, we can then explore how to provide a framework for those around us in the parish, and that could be a really positive thing. “I think it’s important that as parishes we have that framework available to our children, to the youth, young couples and older groups; so that with it, even if our group sizes wax and wane, God has the opportunity to reach out to touch the heart of each individual when the time is right,” she said. Participant Siobhan Page said being involved in a vibrant community and seeing a living faith in others engaged and interested in Catholicism was something that touched her on her own journey of faith. “That’s why I think an event like this where there is a larger Catholic network coming together to inspire each other and share ideas can be very powerful,” she said. Having come to the retreat day with her husband as new parishioners of Mt Lawley Parish, Siobhan explained that they went without many expectations, but a desire to deepen their involvement with the parish.
“The best thing was meeting the people that I see often at Mass but don’t know personally. “I believe it is so important to have personal relationships with other Catholics and that parishes can only benefit by having the people connect with and know each other, know that they want the same things like faith formation and support in living out the faith for their parishes, the wider Church, their family and themselves. “With those connections, forged through a day of prayer and reflection, good things will surely follow!” she concluded.
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 13
KICKING GOALS
TELETHON SPEECH & HEARING’S PROGRAM at ST BRIGID’S with
WORDS Josh Low
Supporting students with speech and hearing difficulties, allowing them to pursue their passions, is an aspect of a program currently being run at St Brigid’s College in Lesmurdie by Telethon Speech & Hearing.
K
nown as the ‘Outpost’ program, its aim is to allow hearing impaired students to take a full and active part in mainstream school life.
O n e s u c h s t u d e nt w h o h a s b e n e f i te d greatly from the Outpost program is Year Six student Saxon Miller, who also plays Australian Rules Football and cricket for St Brigid’s College. As his parents Rob and Gabby explain, it was only after Saxon was already at St Brigid’s that they realised he was deaf in one ear. “It was at age four that he did the eyes, ears and nose test – that’s when we realised he was deaf in one ear and how he ended up being a part of the Outpost program at the school,” they said.
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THE RECORD MAGAZINE
A number of support staff work closely with both the teachers and Saxon to ensure that he is fully supported in his daily school life.
“He’s come a long way since the early days that’s for sure, and the help that he’s given has definitely helped him in his passion for sport.”
Attending mainstream classes and receiving individual tuition in areas of language, speech, auditory and academic skills, he benefits from Telethon Speech & Hearing’s team of experts including audiologists, speech pathologists and occupational therapists who visit the school who a regular basis.
Gabby said that everyone at the school plays a part in helping the students to learn effectively.
On a daily level though, Saxon said the process is quite simple.
“To have Saxon in your class is a bit of an effort, but they’re all about putting the kids first.
“I give the FM to every teacher and we check everything to make sure that it is all working,” he said.
“The teachers have really been great at St Brigid’s and everyone that’s involved, whether it’s the audiologist or the speech therapist, is really helpful; you can see that it’s a team effort,” she concluded.
“When the teacher speaks it goes straight into my hearing aid for me to listen in class.” Rob said the hearing aid and setup which Saxon has at the school allows him to better focus his hearing. “The teacher takes the FM system from Saxon, wears it around their neck and speaks, which then goes directly into Saxon’s hearing aid through a wireless connection. “The hearing aid amplifies the sounds, in a sense helping to eliminate some surrounding noise that at times can be too loud for him to distinguish what sounds to focus on,” he said.
“It has now gotten to a stage where because we’ve got a few kids in this program, they connect the FM system to the speakers at assemblies or Mass for the kids with hearing difficulties to get direct hearing.
AUST R ALIAN C AT HOLIC SUPER ANNUAT ION AND RE T IREMENT F UND
SUPPORTING MEMBERS WITH MORE THAN JUST SUPER STORAGE
WORDS Jamie O’Brien and Cameron Wood
In December 2017, the Australian Catholic Bishops launched 2018 as the Year of Youth. Australian Catholic Superannuation and
So Cameron, Australian Catholic Superannuation has been helping Australian’s plan for their financial future since 1981, why should I look to Australian Catholic Superannuation to ‘manage my super’?
Retirement Fund have hence turned their
Thanks Jamie that’s a really relevant question up front. Firstly,
attention to helping young people and their
Australian Catholic Superannuation has been keeping the needs of
families understand what they need to do in
our members at the forefront of everything we do.
order to better manage their financial needs.
We have an excellent investment return of 9.2 per cent since inception
Australian Catholic Superannuation Head
We aren’t C atholic-in-name-only, that sense of ethic s and
of Marketing and Business Development Cameron Wood sat down with The Record Editor Jamie O’Brien to talk super, investments and why Australian Catholic Superannuation is one of the most innovative funds in the country. 16
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
and are a multi award-winning, low cost industry superannuation fund. responsibility permeates through our organisation from our values to our behaviours. From a pastoral perspective, Australian Catholic Superannuation focuses on providing every one of our members with a dignified retirement. Our in-house administration provides members with a personal level of service they trust and appreciate resulting in Australian Catholic Super receiving top quartile customer satisfaction scores year on year.
AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC SUPERANNUATION
Australian Catholic Superannuation has been recognised as one of the most innovative superannuation funds in the country by being awarded the Australian Financial Reviews top 50 most innovative companies. We have also received innovation awards for our RetireSmart allocated pension product, default investment option LifetimeOne and other initiatives like our customer relationship tool. These all demonstrate a fund leading the market in delivering products and services that assist our members in their retirement planning journey.
So, Cameron, what is an industry super fund and what are the benefits of one? As an Industry Super Fund, we are run only to benefit members, have low fees and never pay commissions to financial planners. We are focused on taking care of people throughout the course of their entire life. Simply, we’re focused on taking the challenge out of retirement planning. We’re more than just a place where you store your super until you retire. We offer our member’s three tiers of financial advice ranging from general advice to free over-the-phone advice and a more comprehensive fee-forservice advice – all provided to help create a plan to manage and grow your wealth. We are a trusted partner for life and assist members with their financial and non-financial well-being.
What are the hidden benefits then, of an industry super fund? Is it really going to support me when I retire? The real beauty of an industry super fund is that we don’t hide our benefits at all. We have always been strong advocates of disclosure and stand proud behind our strong historical investment performance, low fees and profit-for-member model. Our ultimate goal is to help put you in a position to have a comfortable retirement.
We are responsible for the decisions ma d e dur ing ever y s tep of yo ur journey to retirement. When returns are excellent, we look for ways to keep them growing. When they aren’t performing as well, the onus is on us to find a way to do better. We also provide service that goes far and beyond the expectations most people have of most superannuation options – all done while keeping our fees low. This includes offering excellent insurance options, responsive customer service and a team that truly cares about our members. Finally, and simply, we’re there for you after you’re done working. Our retirement income options help our members keep their funds growing even as they access them to pay for retirement. We’ve won awards for our RetireSmart account-based pension product, so I hope that we’re not keeping it hidden. RetireSmart and RetireChoice are a good option for our members because it allows them to keep the bulk of their money invested and growing, which can stretch it out longer. Considering that life expectancies continue to grow – as does the quality of life – it’s important that your retirement savings continue to work as hard for you as possible. We don’t drop our members af ter they’ve retired and, in fact, we’re working hard to find new ways to continue to support retirees including providing guidance around selecting an aged-care facility.
There are plenty of superannuation funds around today. What sets Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund above the rest? Our dif ference comes from being member-focused and providing an amazing customer experience. Everything that we do is about helping our members plan for a comfortable life in retirement . We introduced LifetimeOne to help people better manage their investments across their
lifetime. Our financial advice services provide members with a variety of ways to get advice that is tailored to their individual circumstances. Our Retirement products are designed to take care of our members after they’ve retired. Most importantly, all of our decisions are guided by the care and compassion that comes from Catholic ethics. Unlike 90 per cent of our competitors, we run our own administration service in-house which provides us with the agility and control to develop and implement produc t s and ser vices efficiently and effectively. For example, we int roduced our new lifec ycle default investment option LifetimeOne to market in nine months and our new public website in three months – you don’t see that every day.
Can you tell me some of the misconceptions about changing to a self-managed superannuation fund? There’s a belief that moving to a selfmanaged super fund is going to be cheaper than using a more traditional super-fund because of the money that is spent on fees. We keep our fees low to help members retain more of their own money in their account. We reinvest dividends and profits back into the fund or use it on their behalf to improve their experience through developing innovative new products and services. We’re both transparent with our fees as well as confident in the value they provide for our members. If you want to take on the responsibilities of managing and monitoring your investments and are able to keep expenses in check, a SMSF might be something worth considering. Many p e o p le un d ere s t imate t h e complexity of running a self-managed fund and the effort involved. And finally, for the majority of people, however, having a trusted provider like Australian Catholic Superannuation look after your retirement savings is a more appealing option. I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 17
CLIMATE CHANGE
SELF-EDUCATION AND ACTION the keys TO ADDRESSING POPE FRANCIS’ climate change CALL WORDS Dr Anthony Horton
W
e celebrated the third anniversary of Laudato Si in May. Following a time of reflection that Easter affords, it is increasingly apparent to me as a scientist who works in the field of climate change, that if we as Catholics are going to accept and address Pope Francis’ call to stop it, we need to focus on two aspects: self-education and action. Pope Francis is quite correct in his assertion that by far the greatest impacts of climate change tend to be felt by those that are least responsible for it- refugees and the poor. This tends to also be the case for other important environmental issues such as air and water pollution. As part of my work – which I am very fortunate to say is really a passion in reality – I actively engage with social media. I acknowledge that there are positives and negatives of social media just as there are with other forms of media. I also acknowledge that as a result of my education and experience, I am fortunate to know where to source climate change information that is balanced and credible, which is not always easy.
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My point is two-fold. First, we need to have courage and engage with all forms of media and the information that is available on the plethora of platforms we have available to us. Secondly, in engaging with this information, as Catholics we need to take responsibility for educating ourselves in the many aspects of climate change. All of us are blessed to have a variety of gifts and talents, and while some Catholics may question whether they can understand and interpret the science of climate change, as humans we are also blessed to have a community to whom we can reach out, for example: our parish community, our family, our friends and others. In reaching out to this community, we can often find a richness of information, knowledge and understanding. I believe that social media platforms can also assist with this – including for the aspects of climate change that would perhaps not be front of mind for many of us. One such aspect is refugees. The possibility of significant numbers of climate change refugees in coming decades has been gaining traction on Twitter for many months.
CLIMATE CHANGE
While I can’t say with certainty that this traction is related or in response to the statement by Pope Francis that refugees tend to be more impacted by climate change, the traction that the subject is gaining on social media is in my opinion, an ideal illustration of the opportunity for self-education that these platforms provide. As part of our Catholic faith, the call to act with respect to the poor and refugees is clear. The call with respect to using our gifts, talents and in particular our resources is also clear. When I worked in Academia, I witnessed first-hand the transformative power of self-education, and I am sure many of us can recall examples within our own networks. It seems logical to me that climate change is a good example of an issue – one of the most important of our time – that as Catholics we can influence greatly if we take courage and accept to responsibility to educate ourselves. Climate change is a complex issue, however, if we take responsibility to educate ourselves, the next logical step is action, which is in many ways simply the practical application of the knowledge we gain. Rapid advances in technology afford us a range of actions we can take with respect to addressing climate change, including decisions regarding the type and source of energy that powers our homes and vehicles, our use of public transport, our choice of products we purchase from supermarkets and decisions involving financial investments. I would pause for a few seconds and then respond “you are one person but you can lead by example and do something within your means that inspires many other one persons”.
I can recall many conversations in the very recent past in which I told people what about my work and the first thing many people would say is “but I’m only one person, what can I possibly do about climate change?”. “Many social movements have started in a similar way so why should climate change be any different?”. The more discussions I have with people from all walks of life, the more I hear about, and am encouraged by individuals and businesses who were the “one persons” who decided to do something within their means and create a climate change.
This is the cover of the English edition of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.” The long-anticipated encyclical was released at the Vatican on 18 June 2015. Photo: CNS/USCCB.
Dr Anthony Horton dubbed the “climate change guy” is an accredited Lead Auditor for the internationally recognised ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and has more than 15 years of experience in research, consultancy and delivery of customised solutions for academia, the mining industry, government bodies, health organisations and other forums across Australasia. Born, raised, and educated in Perth WA , he currently divides his time between offices in Australia and China. His speciality is in air quality monitoring and management, and he has a thorough knowledge of and expertise in a wide range of environmental issues also encompassing water, soil and land.
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 19
WE NEED BETTER ETHICAL ARGUMENTS WHEN THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH WORDS Dr Dan Fleming Group Manager, Ethics and Formation St Vincent’s Health Australia
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In his brilliant interview with Jerry Seinfeld in 2007, Andrew Denton asked if there was anything Seinfeld considered ‘bad taste’ in comedy. He answered no, and then said: “I have my own style that I like to work in, which is clean. I like, I don’t like to use any sexual situations or dirty words. It’s just, it just keeps me writing better jokes. You have to write a better joke to do well if you don’t use any of those things”.1
I
n t hat s ame inter v iew, S einfeld remarked on the excellence of Denton’s own research and preparation. For me, the interview was the highlight of the Enough Rope series.
We might use Seinfeld’s comment to help us think about debates in ethics, such as last year’s debates in Victoria and NSW over p hy sician-as sis te d suicid e an d euthanasia (PAS-E). Given the high stakes involved—care for people who are suffering at the end of their lives and the possibilities of legalising suicide and euthanasia—it is reasonable to expect ‘better’ ethical debate from those who are for and against the legislation. Unfortunately, for the most part, that’s not what we saw, and that was true on both sides. The ethical equivalents of ‘dirty jokes’ were rife in the arguments that held our attention in the public square. These threaten to endure this year as the enactment of the legislation draws near in Victoria, gets debated in Western Australia, and no doubt reignites across the country.
Dr Dan Fleming, Group Manager, Ethics and Formation at St Vincent’s Health Australia. He holds a PhD in theological ethics, and is the author of over 30 publications in the areas of ethics, theology, moral education and religious education. Photo: Supplied.
Philosophers have long reflec ted on what constitutes better or worse ethical argument s, and have given names to those s trategies which count as the ethical equivalents of ‘dirty jokes’. These are strategies that seem to resolve ethical disagreements in a quick and easy way, but do not have the substance of better arguments. Like a dirty joke, they do not take much thought or creativity, and their impact is immediate but short-lived. They lack the excellence of other contributions, hence the analog y to Seinfeld’s comment above.
O n e su ch s t r ateg y in et hic s—w hich we witnessed frequently in last year’s debates—is an ad hominem argument. This translates from Latin as ‘to the person’. An ad hominem occurs when someone dismisses an argument because of the person, or a characteristic of the person, who is making it. For example: since this idea was put forward by Jack— and we don’t like Jack for whatever reason—we don’t need to take his idea seriously. Another form of this argument would be: since this idea was put forward by Jill—and Jill is a member of this group—we don’t need to take her idea seriously. The latter is particularly effective when Jill’s group is not popular. Most of us have been on the receiving end of ad hominem arguments, and have probably used them from time to time as well. The ad hominem technique was frequently used in the Victorian debate (and will be used again and again in other contexts) to dismiss the view of any who speak on the issue and have an association with the Catholic Church—whether as an employee of a Catholic hospital or aged care facility, as an academic in a Catholic university, or from a leadership position in the Church. The script follows a familiar pattern: Jill, a clinician at a Catholic hospital, speaks against PAS-E in an online op-ed. The comment section below is filled with responses which follow a formula such as: “of course Jill would say that, she works at a Catholic hospital, and Catholics are always ...”. Two things are effective in this use of the ad hominem ‘dirty joke’.
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 21
First, the credibility of the Catholic Church in speaking on any ethical issue is at rock bottom at the moment, and it is easy to understand why. Among other controversies, the recent Royal Commission threw light on the scandalous abuse of children by clergy and others in the Church, and the consistent—and unbelievable—failures of leaders and communities in dealing appropriately with this. To cast a person’s views as Catholic in this context is to immediately discount their value. Second is the assumption built into the ad hominem that only Catholics—or people with a religious worldview— oppose this legislation. This is untrue. Consider that during the debate in Victoria, the Australian Medical Association sent a communication to its members which a c k n ow l e d ge d t h e sh a r p di v isi o n s in i t s membership on this issue. Are all doctors who oppose the legislation doing so on the basis of Catholic beliefs? Given the recent census results, it is hard to imagine as much.2 Now, of course it must be noted that these ethical ‘dirty jokes’ are used on both sides of the debate. It is unfortunate when they are, and lazy also, because it distracts us from grappling with the deeper issues at play. It allows us to get away with cheap ethics—and we need something better than cheap ethics when the stakes are so high. So what does it look like when we have to work harder to create a better argument—to paraphrase Seinfeld—in the context of this issue? In other words, what does it look like when we throw that ad hominem strategy out? One of the first things we notice is that there are a number of strong philosophical reasons for opposing PAS-E. Broadly speaking, they fall into the three most important ethical theories in our current context—all of which can stand independently of religious convictions. These are deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. It is worthwhile taking a look at how each of these three approaches might consider the issue of PAS-E.
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… as we enter into this debate we can do so by constructing strong arguments that genuinely respond to the seriousness of the issues at play and appeal to people beyond the Catholic tradition. Given the high stakes involved— care for people who are suffering at the end of their lives and the possibilities of legalising suicide and euthanasia—it is reasonable to expect ‘better’ ethical debate from those who are for and against the legislation. Deontology holds that in the domain of ethical responsibility we are bound by certain duties that we must never compromise. There are no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ in this approach. Such duties can be discovered independently of religious beliefs if we put our rationality to work in thinking about them. This is an unfashionable position today, but when we pay close attention we discover plenty of such duties that are widely held. These include: we should never abuse others, we should never drink drive, we should never steal, and so on. One of the strongest duties is this: we should never directly and intentionally kill an innocent person, nor assist a person to commit suicide. Someone who holds to this ethical framework could not agree with PAS-E. Consequentialism is less concerned with such ethical duties and turns instead to what the consequences of a given action will be.
HEALTH
One of its most important contributions to ethics has been its insistence that in all of our actions, we seek the greatest good for the greatest number—and any means can be justified in seeking this end. While not inherently opposed to PAS-E, a consequentialist position would need to look carefully at, for example, the potential risks that these practices would have (including on those who are vulnerable), and on cost-effectiveness for a stretched healthcare system.3 If the legislation does not sincerely seek the greatest good for the greatest number, then it should be opposed on the consequentialist view. Having said this, it is important to note that many proponents of the legislation use a form of consequentialism, which argues that the reduction of suffering represents the greatest good, and hence we can employ the means of PAS-E to achieve it. Virtue ethics takes us into different territory when compared to deontology and consequentialism. The first question of virtue ethics is: what does an excellent human life look like? Or, what does it mean to flourish as a human person? It then asks what human characteristics make this possible. The most famous virtue ethicist— Aristotle of ancient Greece— claimed that we needed the virtues of justice, practical wisdom, moderation and courage to cultivate an excellent life. On the other hand, cowardice and gluttony undermine it. The point is that by establishing the goal of our activities, we can understand what dispositions allow us to reach it, as well as those that undermine it. The former are worthy of moral praise and cultivation, the latter are to be avoided. This approach can be deployed when it comes to disciplines of practice, such as medicine. Here we must first establish the goal of the discipline (in the case of medicine: to promote excellence in healing), and then we can look to that which supports this goal (for example, a high degree of skill in diagnosis) and also that which undermines it (for example, poor capacities for diagnosis).
Obviously, we would want to cultivate the former and discourage the latter. Taking this outlook, one needs to ask whether PAS-E as a practice within medicine supports or undermines its essential goal. Are these practices which are integrally opposed to the goals of medicine? Or can they be incorporated in some way? The Catholic position on PAS-E shares aspects of each of these approaches. While it rests on religious convictions, one does not need to accept those convictions to recognise human dignity and enter into reasonable debate about what does and doesn’t constitute an appropriate response to a person as they enter the final stages of their life. This point undermines the ad hominem strategy, but it also illustrates that as we enter into this debate we can do so by constructing strong arguments that genuinely respond to the seriousness of the issues at play and appeal to people beyond the Catholic tradition. We can— like Seinfeld does in his comedy—contribute with better arguments. And surely, when the stakes are so high, we have a responsibility to do so. This article was first published in Catholic Health Australia's Health Matters Magazine, Autumn 2018.
FOOTNOTES 1
Seinfeld, Jerry. Interview with Andrew Denton. Enough Rope, Season 6. ABC, 2007. Available at: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=MvaZWwW4V2k2
2
D Bouma, Gary, ‘Census 2016 shows Australia’s changing religious profile, with more ‘nones’ than Catholics’, available at: https://theconversation. com/census-2016-showsaustralias-changing-religious-profile-withmore-nones-thancatholics-79837, accessed 26 February 2018.
3
I explored such a position as it relates to our current economic context last year in an article on ABC Religion and Ethics Online, http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2017/06/15/4685997.htm
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 23
Why is food so important? Over centuries, food has evolved into more than a simple necessity of keeping organisms alive. Food can arouse emotions, be a cause for socialising, provides livelihoods, and can be a vocation for some.
J
esus makes himself eternally present in the tangible form of bread and wine. Devoted Catholics come together to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion as the reception of Christ's body and blood.
There is a scene towards the end of Disney/Pixar movie Ratatouille, when Chef Remy the gifted rat sparked a moment of nostalgia in the imperious and acerbic food critic Anton Ego, who is commonly referred to as “The Grim Eater”. The aptly named Ego let his guard down when served a plate of confit byaldi – a variation on ratatouille, a traditional French stewed vegetarian dish – which reminded the astonished Ego of his own mother's cooking. A delicious meal is usually the final product, but where does it all begin? Renowned Australian chef and restaurateur Matt Moran starred in the award-winning T V series Paddock to Plate. During which, instead of following the usual bogstandard template of food shows where celebrity chefs just cook dishes and plate up, Moran delved into the sourcing of produce by meeting the best growers and farmers Australia has to offer. They are the unsung heroes of our nation’s thriving agriculture industry, one of whom spoke with The Record Magazine about the practice which he had lived and breathed for the past 65 years. Bob Panizza owns a grains and livestock farm in Marvel Loch, located some 30km south of Southern Cross. Old Aprelia farm is now into the fourth generation of the family – which he runs with his wife Jacqueline, his son James, and daughter-in-law Sally. “Food is very important, you can’t live without it. Australia has a good food production in almost everything – not only grain and wool – but also livestock, lamb, milk, eggs, vegetables, fishing, they all come under agriculture,” Panizza said. “We’re a spiritual family, we always have been. We like to support the Church, the Priests, and the local school as much as we can.” 24
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
NOURISHING BOTH BODY
AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS WORDS Matthew Lau
Jacqueline and Bob Panizza.
Dr Ranil Coorey is a food scientist by training. He lectures at Curtin Universit y on the topic of Food P r o c e s s i n g & F o o d S a f e t y, h i s students usually end up in the food manufacturing field. A s a te enager, his pur suit for a career in food technology derived from his enthusiasm for eating and enjoying food. “When you go into the supermarket, any food products you pick off the shelf will have a food technologist behind it,” he said. “If it is something that is made in Western Australia, there’s quite a good chance that one of our students has had a hand in it.” Dr Coorey said the fulcrum of his academic teachings is about the chemistry and the physics of food. “A ny food item is made up of a combination of different chemicals. If you put two ingredients or food items together, they react,” he explained. “What my students do is discover reactions that produce a food product that is tasty, has good texture, good flavour, and that you will eat and is good for you. “I believe that you can’t remove all those aspects from food, it has to be all of them together and equally important. It could be nutritious, but if it is not tasty then no-one’s going to buy that product.”
Her motive for teaching young people is to develop an awareness wit h her s t udent s of t hose diverse aspects that go into decision making.
Parween Ramsahye and Carey Bray.
Lisa Shepherd of Seton Catholic College knows all too well the significance of educating people from young about respect for food. As Seton’s Coordinator of Consumer Science, Lisa tutors high schoolers on a basic introduction to nutrition, and also delves into the physical changes in food. “If you understand how food responds to preparation and cooking, then you grow a greater reverence and respect for food; therefore you won’t be wasting food, you’ll be looking at it how it contributes to your life, to your health, and wellbeing.” Shepherd said there is a great deal of decision making around food that is lifestyle related. “If we fathom as to why we eat food, and we build this respect for food, I actually think we’ll have fewer health related problems,” she expressed. “If you look at it on ever y level: environmentally, socially, morally, ethically, and nutritionally … the less sophisticated food is, the less processed it is, the better it is for you on all those levels.”
Dr Ranil Coorey
Lisa Shepherd
“I try to introduce their palates to different flavours as well, very carefully – because also I think that gives you a lot more tolerance and acceptance to differences in life. So it’s not just about food.” Marist Lodge, Belmont, is one of the seven aged care facilities of Catholic Homes. Chef Parween Ramsahye meets all the residents after admission to discuss their allergies, needs, preferences, special diets, cultural traditions or religious beliefs. Sometimes her meals evoke memories in the residents from years gone by, which can make their day. “Food is the part that connects us all, it brings everybody together. It is something that brings them to that moment of happiness. This is how we get to know our residents better. Food reminds them of some of the most beautiful things of their lives,” she said. “The residents bond over food, and then they become friends. Here at Marist Lodge we are like one big family. There is respect of diversity.”
FRUITY FRANGIPANE TARTS WORDS Matthew Lau
K
EEPING WITH THE THEME
of faith and science,
the recipe in this month’s issue involves the art of baking. Baking,
simply put, is a science. Each ingredient holds its importance in a recipe, and accuracy is essential to achieve the intended product in all its glory. But be patient, baking is a labour of love that is worth its weight it gold when you and your companions get to munch into the delicious goods. This frangipane recipe involves a degree of care and finesse, particularly when it comes to rolling and blind-baking your sweet pastry. Feel free to substitute homemade pastry dough for supermarket bought if you wish to save time – just remember to allow your pastry to be at room temperature for ease of rolling. Treats like these tartlets are perfect for dinner parties or high tea. They are real crowd pleasers that can be made in advance before your guests arrive. You can even convince yourself that it is somewhat heathy, what with fruit on top! Frangipane tarts are suitable all year round; our tip for you is to use seasonal fruits. You could go for mixed berries, some sliced kiwifruit, or durian for those more daring.
INGREDIENTS Frangipane filling Makes enough filling for four small 10cm (4 inch) tarts
Makes enough for four small 10cm (4 inch) tarts
Prep time: 10 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus chilling and rolling time)
Baking time: 14 minutes • 90g unsalted butter, softened
Baking time: 13 minutes
• 90g caster sugar, plus an extra teaspoon for decorating
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 50g icing sugar
• 100g almond meal
• 1 small egg, whisked
• 15g plain flour
• Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 15g icing sugar • A pinch of fine salt • 4 small plain pastry tart shells (store-bought or home-made) • Your choice of assorted fruit
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Shortcrust pastry
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• 200g plain flour • Canola cooking spray
METHOD Shortcrust pastry 1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a hook attachment, beat on a medium speed until creamy and soft. 2. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the soft icing mixture a little at a time until completely incorporated. 3. Add the egg and vanilla, then slowly add the flour. 4. Mix on high setting for a few minutes so it forms into a dough and firms up. 5. Tightly wrap in cling film. 6. Chill in the fridge for two hours. You can leave it overnight if you are making this ahead of time. The dough will need time to come to room temperature before you roll it out. 7. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced. 8. Lightly spray your tart tins with canola oil (or grease them with softened butter). 9. Divide your pastry into 90g balls, roll each one out with a rolling pin to a 5mm thickness. 10. Run your rolling pin over each tart tin so any overhanging pastry is trimmed off and you have a clean edge (leftover bits of pastry can be reused for more tartlets, or baked as biscuits with your added flavouring of choice). 11. Poke a few holes in the base of each tart with a fork. 12. Cut out four squares of baking paper, each big enough to cover a tart tin. 13. Fill the lined tart tins with baking rice, then blind bake for six minutes. 14. Remove the baking paper and baking rice, then return the tart shells to the over for a further seven minutes until slightly golden, then allow to cool completely in their tins on a wire rack.
Frangipane filling 15. While your tart shells are baking, make your frangipane cream. 16. Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment over a medium speed until soft, then add the caster sugar and continue to beat until and fluffy. 17. Add one eggs at a time until fully incorporated. 18. Add all of the remaining ingredients (except the fruit) to the bowl and mix on high speed to one minute. 19. Divide the mixture between the par-baked tart shells. 20. Bake for four minutes, then sprinkle the extra caster sugar on top of each tart. Return the tarts to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden. 21. Allow the tart to cool, then dust with icing sugar and top with your fruits of choice and edible flowers if desired.
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 27
COLOURING
28
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ACTIVITY PAGE
ACROSS 3 Brother 6
Eucharistic ___
8
Hosea, formerly
9
Catholic letters
in Jericho 26 “I am the ___, you are the branches.” (Jn 15:5)
11 Reader at Mass
27 Fr. Junipero ___
13 The Road to ___
30 Genesis plot
15 Bible section
32 Advent or Lent
17 Monasticism began here
34 Catholic portrayer of Dracula
20 Cap under a nun’s veil 21 Catholic columnist and TV commentator, Robert ___ 23 ___ of Faith 24 These fell
37 The ___ of Galilee 38 Slayer of Abel 39 John XXIII’s surname 40 Act of Contrition word
DOWN 1
Religious ceremony
2
Worms meeting that denounced Luther
3
Where 3A might live
4
The Last Supper was in an upper one
27 Omission and commission 28 Marian chain 29 Catholic comedian married to Burns 31 Gloria in excelsis ___
5
The Chosen People
32 Sacrament of the ___
7
Number of Persons in God
33 Esau and Jacob, to Rebekah
10 Noon prayer time
35 Exodus insect
11 Father of Rachel
36 “You are the ___ of the earth” (Mt 5:13)
12 Church assn. for kids 14 An archangel 16 Catholic cartoonist of “Family Circus”
ANSWERS
18 Blessing before meals 19 Chief apostle 20 Saint of Assisi 22 Biblical food 25 Commandment place
I S S U E 1 3 JUNE 2018 29
Cover image from Adobe Stock
JUNE
ISSUE 13
2018
OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Record Magazine seeks to promote awareness and understanding of vocation – God’s particular call to each of us to live and become what we were created to be. There are many such vocations – marriage and family life, priesthood, religious life or being single – with the first and universal vocation being to holiness, as described by the Fathers of the Church in Lumen Gentium.
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER & EDITOR Jamie O’Brien jamie.obrien@perthcatholic.org.au
DISCLAIMER The Record Magazine is published bi-monthly. Views expressed in published articles are not necessarily those of the publisher or Editor. The Editor may refuse copy or material, including advertisements, for publication. Inclusion of an advertisement in The Record Magazine does not reflect endorsement or responsibility from the publisher or Editor.
PRODUCTION Feby Plando feby.plando@perthcatholic.org.au
CONTENT PRODUCER
MEMBERSHIP The Record Magazine is a member of the Australasian Catholic Press Association and Australasian Religious Press Association.
Joshua Low joshua.low@perthcatholic.org.au
JOURNALISTS Amanda Murthy amanda.murthy@perthcatholic.org.au
Matthew Lau matthew.lau@perthcatholic.org.au
Theresia Titus
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS We welcome unsolicited articles and photos; however, we do not guarantee replies to unsuccessful submissions. Please send all information to: editor@therecord.com.au
CONTACT Archdiocese of Perth Communications Office Phone 08 9220 5900 Email editor@therecord.com.au Address 21 Victoria Square, Perth WA Postal Address PO Box 3075, Perth WA 6832
theresia.titus@perthcatholic.org.au
ADMINISTRATION Bibiana Kwaramba bibiana.kwaramba@perthcatholic.org.au
SITES + SOCIAL MEDIA www.therecord.com.au www.perthcatholic.org.au facebook.com/perthcatholic instagram/catholicarchdioceseofperth twitter@perth_catholic issuu.com/archdioceseofperth_therecord
NOTICE The issue may contain images of deceased members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Images are used with respect and appreciation.
© 2018 The Record.
P U B L I S H E D BY T H E
A rchdiocese
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A dignified retirement for every member is our ultimate accolade ... but here are a few others we picked up on the way Superannuation 2017
Conexus Financial Innovation and Transformation award 2017
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ABA100 Winner for Process Improvement 2017
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csia 20
SuperRatings Platinum rating: Top 25% of super funds in Australia for 8 years
Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees Best Member Facing Project 2016
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Top 50 Most Innovative Companies List 2016
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Finalist in the Customer Services Institute of Australia “Services Excellence in a Small Contact Centre� award 2016
catholicsuper.com.au
Industry Fund Financial Services Financial Planning Team of the Year 2016
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Issued by SCS Super Pty Limited (ABN 74 064 712 607, AFSL 230544, RSE L0002264), trustee of Australian Catholic Superannuation & Retirement Fund (ABN 24 680 629 023, RSE R1055436).