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ISSUE 17 FEBRUARY 2019
PLENARY 20 COUNCIL 20
A WHOLE CHURCH ENTERING INTO
MISSION, DIALOGUE AND DISCERNMENT S Y N O DA LIT Y
O U R R I C H H I STO RY
PE RTH
An opportunity not to be missed PAGE 12
The Catholic Church and Plenary Councils PAGE 14
What has been happening so far? PAGE 18
Official magazine for the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth
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Featured this month
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Tony Giglia What will be discussed at the 2020 Plenary Council?
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Our rich history Catholic Church in Australia and Plenary Councils
“This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.”
— Mark 9:6-7
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Canon Law What were the decisions made?
FROM THE EDITOR Jamie O’Brien
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Welcome to Issue 17 of The Record Magazine, which is focused on the upcoming 2020 Plenary Council. I am sure most of you would have heard about the Plenary Council -
Perth; Plenary 2020
but if you haven’t, now is the chance to make a difference.
What has been happening?
In a recent article published by our national colleagues, Shane Dwyer from the National Centre for Evangelisation talks about the need to stay on topic, particularly when looking at the question posed by the Australian Bishops, to which we are all encouraged to give a response, What do you believe God is asking of us in Australia at this time? Mr Dwyer explains even before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses ionto Child Abuse, the Australian bishops commissioned a Year of Grace, as a way to help us all begin to prepare for this event. This Issue of The Record Magazine gives a overview of some
FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE From Archbishop Timothy Costelloe
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IN THIS EDITION Plenary Council 2020: An Overview What will be discussed at Plenary 2020? Synodality at Work History of Plenary Councils in Australia
of the technical aspects of Plenary 2020 (such as Canon
What has been happening in Perth?
Law), while also taking a look at what has been happening
Plenary Council & Canon Law
here in Perth. The Record Magazine is a magazine for
Elijah Boylen: ACYF
the people and I hope you will enjoy taking the time to
Colouring Page
engage with us. Please feel free to share your thoughts
Activity Page
via editor@therecord.com.au, or by contacting us on
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08 9220 5900.
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A R C H B I S H O P ’ S WO R D
WH AT D O YO U T HINK
GOD
IS
ASKING
O F US AT T HIS T IME ?
A
s most readers of The Record Magazine
in radical fidelity to all that God wants for His Church.
would know, this is the question which is
For us in the Archdiocese of Perth, of course, this desire to
at the heart of the Plenary Council for
be faithful is already encapsulated in the “motto” of our
which the Church in Australia is
archdiocesan plan: that we are, and are becoming ever
preparing at the moment.
more fully, a people who walk together in the footsteps of
The Plenary Council is a formal and very significant meeting
the Good Shepherd.
which will be attended by all the bishops of Australia, and
In one sense, it can seem presumptuous or even arrogant to
by a wide variety of Catholics, lay, religious and clergy from
speak of the Church’s fidelity at a time when the infidelity
across the Church, who will gather together in October
of so many in the Church has been laid bare for all to see.
2020 and again in May 2021 to try and “listen to what the
And yet in the face of the terrible infidelity of some, it
Spirit is saying” to us at this crucial time in our history.
becomes even more important that we recommit ourselves
The goal of this very important event is to ensure that as
to that journey of conversion, renewal and reform which
we move into the future we, the Church in Australia, do so
should always be a part of the life of the Church.
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Archbishop Timothy Costelloe with Fr Albert Saminedi and Mercy College students and staff at the 2018 Lifelink Spirit Award. Photo: Ron Tan
For many months in many parishes, agencies, and other
branches. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it
Catholic communities in the Archdiocese, people have
abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me”
been gathering together, listening to each other in an open
(John 15:5).
and respectful way, sharing their own experiences of life in
As so many of you have heard me say so often, unless Jesus
the Church, and in this way trying to catch the voice of
Christ is at the centre of our lives and of our Church, all our
God’s Spirit.
efforts at renewal and reform will come to nothing.
Catholic communities in every diocese across our vast
We must try to listen, then, with the mind and heart of
country have been doing the same.
Christ.
As we undertake this journey together, we do not know
In communion with Him, we listen to what is going on in our
exactly where the Spirit will lead us and what the Spirit
world and in our hearts; to the experiences, the hopes and
might ask of us.
the dreams of our brothers and sisters in the faith; to the
What we can be sure of is that, as long as we are genuinely
cry of the poor and the abandoned, the marginalised and
trying to listen to the Spirit, we can be confident about the
the forgotten; to those whose faith is strong and those
future of the Church in Australia, and more locally, in the
whose faith is fragile.
Archdiocese of Perth.
And if I may, can I propose that we listen with the hearts
Some of us might think of themselves as radicals or
and minds of those who want the Church to be, not other
progressives. Others might think of themselves as
than it is, but more fully what it really is: the Body of Christ;
anything but.
the Pilgrim People of God; the sacrament of communion
When I speak of “radical fidelity” to all that God wants for
with God and with each other; “a chosen race, a royal
his Church, I am thinking of the call to return to the roots
priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, (called
(the word “radical” comes from the Latin word for “root”) or
together) to declare the wonderful deeds of God who called
to the basics of our faith.
you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (cf 1 Peter 2:9).
In this sense, we might recall the Lord’s words to His
So let me ask again, What do you think God is asking of us at
disciples in the Gospel of John: “I am the vine, you are the
this time?
+ Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB A RCH B I S H O P O F PER T H
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What does it mean as a Catholic community to live the life and mission of Jesus in contemporary Australian society? It is this question that has moved the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) to announce a Plenary Council of the Church in Australia to be held in the year 2020.
PLENARY
20 20
A WHOLE CHURCH ENTERING INTO
MISSION, DIALOGUE AND DISCERNMENT
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Director for the Office of Evangelisation from the Diocese of Broken Bay, Daniel Ang, who is also a member of the Executive Committee, Plenary Council 2020, provides this insightful outline at the commencement of the process in 2018.
that the sense of the faith of the faithful – what is known as the sensus fidelium – is a source of the Church’s life and learning as it seeks to fulfill its Gospel mission. This means that the Plenary Council is more than a single event to be held in the year 2020; but an extended process that invites the entire Catholic community, even now, to ‘walk the path of dialogue’ and interpret what God is doing today and how God is calling the Church to live the Gospel
I
n 2018, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference sought the approval from Pope Francis for this Council, with the official endorsement arriving in March 2018. Put simply, a Plenary Council is the highest form of communion between the various local or particular churches of a nation. It is, then, not simply a meeting of bishops but a process that calls for the participation of the entire Catholic community.
It invites the whole Church into dialogue, to discern how its communities can live the Gospel with renewed vitality amidst new questions and challenges. The Plenary Council itself will feature representation from among the laity, religious and ordained ministers, together with the bishops of Australia, as the culmination of a sustained pilgrimage in faith.
into the future. It calls the Church to undertake a pilgrimage of listening and learning, to be a synodal and receptive Church that engages in honest speaking and mutual listening to the Holy Spirit, to share insights and also hear insights shared. Throughout this process of listening, dialogue and prayer, experiences of diverse lives will be welcomed and invited to share their sense of faith, questions and hopes for the Catholic Church – from those who are attempting to live a committed and sacramental life in the Church, those baptised Catholics with lesser involvement in ecclesial life, to those who are vulnerable in Australian society, who may be more distant from the Church, or who have been hurt and may or may not still regard themselves as Catholic in some way. We are invited by the announcement of a Plenary Council to develop together a culture of dialogue and discernment to determine how best to ensure the pastoral needs of the people of God are provided for and, with regard for the universal law of the Church, ‘to decide what seems
As such, a Plenary Council is an expression of the ‘synodality’
opportune for the increase of faith, the organisation of
of the Church, the nature of the Church as a communion
common pastoral action, and the regulation of morals
of persons ‘walking together’ in faith as disciples of the
and of the common ecclesiastical discipline which is to be
Lord. The Plenary Council recognises that all the baptised
observed, promoted and protected’ (Code of Canon Law,
have received a common vocation to be a ‘sacrament or
c.445). Following their listening to and discernment with
instrumental sign of intimate union with God and of the unity
the whole Church, the members of the Plenary Council will
of all humanity’ (Lumen Gentium 1) and upholds with faith
convene in 2020.
that it is by our mutual listening to the Holy Spirit – who
This will include all active bishops, vicars general, episcopal
guides the Church ‘into all truth’ (John 16:13) – that we can realise our mission most deeply as a community of faith.
vicars, some major superiors of religious institutes, rectors of major seminaries and Catholic universities, and deans of
As set out in Canon Law, a Plenary Council has legislative
faculties of theology and canon law.
power with the final decisions reserved to the bishops
Others who can also be called to the Plenary Council
by nature of their episcopal ordination as successors of the Apostles.
include lay persons, retired bishops, other priests, and religious. The bishops will have a deliberative vote (that is,
The bishops are obliged to make decisions on the basis of
cast a ballot to determine outcomes) while other council
their careful discernment of the work of the Holy Spirit in
delegates will have a consultative vote (the right to speak
the minds and hearts of all the People of God, recognising
about the issues under discussion).
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Leaders from across the WA Catholic community gathered to talk about and prepare for the 2020 Plenary Council in April 2018. Photo: Supplied
The Plenary Council will then enact laws which, subject to approval of the Holy See, will bind the Catholic Church in Australia.
... for the exchange of
In calling a Plenary Council, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has recognised that the patterns of change confronting the Church and the wider community impel the Australian Catholic Church to review, analyse and discern
faith and ideas, and to encounter the Holy Spirit and the Church
the signs of the times and interpret them in the
in one another.
light of the Gospel (Gaudium et Spes 4). It has opened a pathway for dialogue, for the exchange of faith and ideas, and the chance
As a way of being the Church, ‘synodality’
to encounter the Holy Spirit and the Church in
promotes a form of governance that involves all
one another.
the People of God, with governance referring to
Pope Francis himself has encouraged the need
those processes for making and implementing
to prayerfully discern together what the Spirit is saying to our Catholic community at this time,
their personal calling as well as our shared
remarking, “A synodal Church is a Church which
mission as a communion of faith.
listens, which realises that listening ‘is more than
Plenary Council 2020 will be the fifth plenary
simply hearing’. It is a mutual listening in which
council in Australia’s history with the last plenary
everyone has something to learn.
council held in 1937, some 80 years ago. Two
“The faithful people, the College of Bishops, the
sessions for the Plenary Council have been
Bishop of Rome: all listening to each other, and all listening to the Holy Spirit, the ‘Spirit of truth’
proposed to the Holy See, the first session in the latter half of 2020 and the second session in
(John 14:17), in order to know what he says to the
May 2021.
Churches (Revelations 2:7)”.
The ACBC established a Bishops Commission to
In addition to the call of Pope Francis for a
oversee, plan and prepare for the Plenary Council
synodal and discerning Church, the Royal
8
decisions so that each of the baptised can fulfill
which will have three phases: preparation,
Commission into Institutional Responses to Child
celebration and implementation.
Sexual Abuse has also raised the critical need
The Chair of the Bishops Commission is
for reform within the Church and its manner
Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane. Other
of governance, themes with which the Plenary
members of the Commission include Archbishop
Council will also wrestle.
Timothy Costelloe SDB (Archdiocese of Perth),
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Archbishop Philip Wilson (Archdiocese of Adelaide), Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFMConv (Diocese of Parramatta), Bishop Michael Kennedy (Diocese of Armidale), and Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay OLM (Maronite Diocese of St Maroun). A Facilitation Team has also been appointed including Ms Lana Turvey-Collins, Fr Noel Connolly SSC, and Mr Peter Gates (Catholic Mission) together with an Executive Committee for the Plenary Council which includes people with particular expertise related to the holding of a Plenary Council. The Executive Committee members have a range of backgrounds, are diverse in their experience and will offer advice and guidance to the Facilitation Team and the Bishops Commission throughout the Plenary Council journey. As a local Church, the Archdiocese of Perth has entered into this national process of dialogue and discernment beginning with a year of listening in 2018, followed by discernment throughout 2019 and the sharing of proposals to the Plenary Council in 2020. This local dialogue will not only inform the national Plenary Council but also the discernment of our Archbishop, parishes and local communities, our schools and agencies in Perth on how best to express the life and mission of Jesus at this critical juncture of our life as Church. It will be an opportunity to name those issues that are important to our faith in charting a course for the future of the Catholic Church in Australia, and to share perspectives and practices that God can use to touch ordinary lives. Dialogue on the faith and mission of the Church will be encouraged across the Archdiocese of Perth parishes, school communities, migrant communities, and social outreach services, these constituting “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters” (Evangelii Gaudium 26). All people have been welcomed and invited to engage in this process locally. Support, guidance and resources for this process of dialogue have been provided by the Centre for Faith Enrichment, parishes, schools and Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) in collaboration with the national Facilitation Team for the Plenary Council. As a member of the Executive Committee, I look forward to sharing more information with you as it comes to hand. There is still much yet to be clarified and I look forward to discovering the way forward together. I hope this outline is a helpful introduction and an encouragement for
TOP: Plenary Council Facilitator Lana Turvey Collins, (centre)
our journey ahead. I believe with faith that in these most challenging
with Fr Noel Connelly (right) and Bishop Greg O’Kelly (left)
of times for the Church, the Plenary Council is a gift of the Holy Spirit
from the Diocese of Port Pirie. Photo: Sourced.
and that it has the potential to open up new horizons within ourselves and our communities, to discern ways to live our Catholic faith anew
CENTRE: A Listening and Dialogue session at
Claremont Parish. Photo: Supplied. BOTTOM: Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB
in contemporary Australian society.
listens to the experience of a young woman
Daniel Ang is the Director, Office for Evangelisation, Diocese of Broken
entering the Church in 2018. Photo: Ron Tan
Bay and a member of the Executive Committee, Plenary Council 2020. You can contact him at plenarycouncil@bbcatholic.org.au.
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What will be discussed at the 2020 Plenary Council? WORDS Tony Giglia, Archdiocesan Co-ordinator, Plenary Council 2020
S
10
o, what will be discussed at the 2020
process, we have been encouraged to speak
Plenary Council? The honest answer to this
boldly and to listen to one another.
question is that we do not know.
By the end of November 2018, there had been
This is perhaps most unsatisfactory for those
approximately 32,000 contributions to the
who like definitive responses to their questions.
Plenary Council listening and dialogue process.
That is, however, just how the Catholic Bishops
It will come as no surprise that there have been
of Australia have designed the process.
a wide range of topics contributed.
When Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge
Some topics relate to Church structures, some
went to Rome to put the case on behalf of the
to the presence of the Church in the community
bishops and for the celebration of the Plenary
while others relate to the involvement of people
Council, he was asked what the agenda for the
in various Church enterprises.
Plenary Council would be.
It is perhaps important to remember that these
His response was that there is no agenda, and
topics have been contributed largely from people
that it would come from the voice of the people.
sharing their stories in the listening and dialogue
In an age of royal commissions and
sessions and then lodging their submissions.
parliamentary enquiries with their clearly
One of the topics to emerge is what the
defined but often restricted terms of reference,
priesthood might look like in the future, including
this seems like an unusual approach to adopt
reference to married and women priests.
towards an undertaking that has not occurred
The issue of a greater role for women in
in Australia since 1937.
positions of leadership and responsibility in the
From the beginning of the Plenary Council
Church has also emerged.
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A group of Salvadoran migrants, part of a caravan travelling to the United States, walks along a road on 2 November in Tecun Uman, Guatemala. Photo: CNS/Ueslei Marcelino, Reuters ∞ Catholic Education Western Australia Executive Director Dr Debra Sayce, speaks at the 2018 LifeLink for Schools Day. Photo: Ron Tan ∞ Auxilary Bishop Don Sproxton ordains Liam Ryan on 7 December 2018. Photo: Ron Tan
LEFT TO RIGHT
... we are all going to need courage and humility and trust.
“Sometimes when we listen really carefully, we hear things that surprise us or even unsettle us,” Archbishop Costelloe said. “We might have some of our strongly held views challenged or even turned upside down. So we are all going to need courage and humility and trust.” The Plenary Council has the capacity to propose legislation for the way the Catholic
The longer the listening and dialogue process
Church in Australia will operate into the future.
has continued, however, the more attention has
Perhaps those with the greatest challenge of all
turned to issues such as rebuilding credibility
in this journey are our bishops as they listen and
and trust in the Church, calling for the Church
discern what is in the hearts and minds of those
to have a stronger voice in the media and on
who are making their submissions.
social and justice issues.
We need to keep them in our prayers and
The emergence of topics such as fostering
support them in every possible way.
greater inclusivity and ministering to migrants,
The listening and dialogue process is the first
youth and Indigenous groups points to a greater
part of the journey. In the months ahead, there
focus on people rather than structures.
will be further opportunities to contribute to
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, both
discussions on the themes that emerge from the
Chairman and President for the Plenary Council
data analysis being undertaken by the National
2020, has said that listening can sometimes be
Pastoral Research Office and to comment on
a difficult or confronting thing.
the papers that are prepared as a result.
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One of the reasons why we have all been invited into opening listening and dialogue sessions is to hear what the other is saying and to speak boldly. As we do this, we are guided by the question “What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” Photo: Matthew Lau
Synodality at Work:
Journeying together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit WORDS Dr Marco Ceccarelli
YEAR OF GRACE 2012/2013 There are many who will recall the Year of Grace that was celebrated during 2012 and 2013. There are probably few, however, who will know that this year was held to begin preparation for the Plenary Council 2020. In other words, our journey towards this great event began some six years ago. The theme at the heart of the Year of Grace was “Contemplate the Face of Christ” – an indication that Christ needed to be at the very centre of a year in which we were invited to attribute the events of our lives not to chance, but to grace, which operates through faith. In an address about the Year of Faith delivered in early 1
2012 , Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB explained that
T
he Plenary Council is much more than just an event taking place in 2020. If it is to deliver on its promise of revealing what God is calling us to, it vital for it to be
understood as a process that invites the Catholic community to walk together on the path to dialogue.
this is not another program. “It is a call and invitation from the bishops to the Australian Church to encounter conversion rather than education…more a time to know Jesus, rather than know about Jesus”. It is a call to prayer and an opportunity for reflection and not a time for problem solving, he explained.
For this reason, the first phase of the Plenary Council has focused
Archbishop Costelloe acknowledged the difficulties faced
on open Listening and Dialogue sessions in which people are
by the Church at the time, but was adamant that unless we
called to pray together, reflect in silence and openly share their
were first centred on Christ, we would not be in a position
experience of life, faith and Church.
to deal with these challenges.
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The year, he said, was the result of much prayer and reflection and was the work of the Holy Spirit. It resulted in the bishops inviting the Australian Church to enter a period of retreat, putting aside the busyness of life and taking time to “let the Holy Spirit work within us to show us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus”. Archbishop Costelloe also acknowledged that the year was an “Abrahamic Journey” – a call to leave where we are even though we are not sure where we are going. “We will trust where the Holy Spirit will lead us,” he said. SYNODALITY IN PRACTICE Much of what Archbishop Costelloe said that year resonates with us today. In our Plenary Council journey, we are taking steps towards becoming what Pope Francis has called a “Synodal Church”, that is, a Church that walks together and listens. One of the reasons why the journey has started with opening listening and dialogue sessions is to give us an opportunity to speak boldly and to listen humbly. As we do this, we are guided by the question, “What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” – a question focused on what we believe God is asking of us, rather than what we think is wrong with the Church and what it should do to change. For this reason, it is crucial that listening and dialogue sessions are grounded in prayer and a moment of silence within which each person seriously contemplates the question at hand. Without this foregrounding, the risk that group discussions become argumentative and inconclusive is significantly heightened. As we pray, reflect, speak and listen to each other, we are also placing ourselves in the best possible position to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. “A synodal Church is a Church which listens, which realises that listening ‘is more 2
than simply hearing’,” Pope Francis said in October 2015 , commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the synod of bishops. “It is a mutual listening in which everyone has something to learn. The faithful people, the College of Bishops, the Bishop of Rome: all listening to each other, and all listening to the Holy Spirit, the ‘Spirit of truth’ (John 14:17), in order to know what he ‘says to the Churches’ (Revelations 2:7).” AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED The Plenary Council offers us an opportunity to come together, share our faith, our insights and our questions. This demands a certain kind of vulnerability from our part, which can be unsettling. For those of us who may not have entered into a dialogue with others for years, our first interactions may be clumsy and messy. It may take time before we can express what we truly want to say. Listening humbly can also be very difficult – for this it is important that we ask God to help us discern what the Spirit is saying. In the end, perhaps the decisions that will be made at the Plenary Council in 2020 may not even reflect exactly what we had in mind. Yet if during the process we become a more open, synodal and participatory Church, it will certainly be Top: Plenary Council Facilitator Lana Turvey-Collins during a Listening and Dialogue session at the Centre for Faith Enrichment. Bottom: Attendees watch a
worth it. To learn more about the Plenary Council, please visit
video of Archbishop Timothy Costelloe speaking about
www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au
Plenary 2020. Photos: Jamie O’Brien
Dr Marco Ceccarelli is Director for the Centre of Faith Enrichment.
1
www.therecord.com.au/news/in-depth/year-of-grace-pregnant-with-possibilities/
2
w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/october/documents papa-francesco_20151017_50-anniversario-sinodo.html
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‘Our history is not ours alone, to casually remember or forget, or consign to ignorance. It has been bought and paid for. It is itself the record of that mysterious, life-giving transaction.’ — Patrick O’Farrell, The Catholic Church and Community: An Australian History
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne was chosen as the venue for the 1869 Plenary Council as St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney had been devastated by fire on 5 January. Photo: Adobe
C AT H O L I C C H U R C H I N A U S T R A L I A AND PLENARY COUNCILS
WO R D S Robert Hiini
Our rich history 1844 At the time of the first provincial council, the still nascent Church
A
s the Church in Australia moves towards its first Plenary Council in more than 80
years, it could hardly be said that its past conciliar experience looms large; in fact, it has been largely forgotten. What might we learn from the six previous gatherings of “the Church” in Australia: the provincial councils of 1844 and 1869; and the “plenary” or all-encompassing councils (following the erection in Melbourne as a second metropolitan to that of Sydney) of 1885, 1895, 1905 and 1937? What was the experience of our Catholic and Australian forebears?
was grappling with the challenges posed by the country’s vast distances and sprawling population. In 1841, Australia’s first bishop, the idealistic English Benedictine, Archbishop John Bede Polding of Sydney, had taken the advice of his eminently practical Vicar General, William Ullathorne, travelling to Rome to urge the establishment of two suffragan bishoprics – Hobart (1842) and Adelaide (1843). Taking advantage of the impending consecration of Francis Murphy as Bishop of Adelaide, Polding gathered the three bishops and an unknown number of priests to discuss and legislate decrees for the unity and good order of the Church. The 10 to 12 September council drew large crowds to its associated liturgical functions. But lay people, men and women, were almost entirely absent from formal proceedings, save as witnesses to the bishops’ reviewing and signing of council decrees at the conclusion of the gathering. (The laity would continue to be absent in all the following councils.) The bulk of its decrees, which had to be sent to Rome for emendation and recognition before becoming (canon) law,
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The situation that confronted the Church in 1869
included disapproval of a secular educational system that
was radically different. Government funding for
impeded the Church’s ability to teach faith and morals,
churches had ceased. The state was introducing
and a claim that Catholics had a right to a share of public
a free and secular system of education, and the
funds for the proper education of their children.
general population, many giddy after several gold
The vexed issue of mixed marriages again reared its head
rushes, had grown substantially more materialistic.
in the decrees. In a rare display of pushback, priests
St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne was chosen
attending proceedings put forward a petition arguing that
as the venue, St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney
some parts of the previous decree on mixed marriages
having on 5 January been devastated by fire.
be modified or deleted, and that the matter be left to
The council’s decrees on education, another
their prudential discretion. (The bishops disagreed.)
major topic of subsequent councils, became
In their subsequent pastoral letter, dated 24 April 1869,
the foundation of the bishops’ stand on
the bishops railed against “indifferentism” – “the deadliest
Catholic education for almost a century. They
of all errors” – mixed schools and mixed marriages. ●
1869
1885... With the appointment of the first
concerned the administration of
Cardinal Archbishop to the Australian
sacraments and clerical discipline.
episcopate – a respected son of the
Celebrants, the decrees said, were
Irish Church, no less – the Church in
to manifest holiness, and fidelity to
Australia entered a period in which it
the rubrics, as well as avoiding any
felt it could take its “rightful” place as an
appearance of simony (selling
eminent institution in Australian society.
favours and pardons) or avarice
Cardinal Patrick Moran, who arrived amid
(greed for wealth).
great fanfare in 1884, wasted no time in
They were to avoid dances, horse
convening a plenary council – the Holy
races, public theatres and
See naming him as its apostolic delegate.
“unbecoming meetings”, and they
The Council, which would provide a
were to commit to reserving half an
blueprint for the subsequent councils,
hour each day for meditative prayer, and to wearing the Roman
Archbishop Polding Photo: Steven Langford
collar, among other minutiae. And in a topic that was to reappear, time and time again, in the decrees of future meets, the council dealt with the “problem” of mixed marriages – marriages between Catholics and Protestants – and marriages that had not been conducted in a Catholic church (judged valid but illicit). And in keeping with the times, the Council decreed that unmarried mothers
was particularly notable for the triumphal pomp of its public celebrations. There were five public sessions, with 5,000 people attending its opening Mass and ceremonies, which Cardinal Moran proclaimed as “the grandest ever witnessed in the Southern Hemisphere”.
were not to receive the usual blessing of mothers after childbirth. ●
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The Church surged in institutional
edifice that Moran hoped would go
presence, with unprecedented pace in
on to become a national seminary for
the building of schools and churches
what he also hoped would become
and the proliferation of episcopal sees.
a united and federated country.
Eighteen prelates attended the
The bishops sent 287 decrees to
Council, possessing deliberative
Rome for ratification on a large
votes, along with 52 priests – 34
number of subjects: avoiding
diocesan and 18 religious – who
dangers to the faith, uniformity
possessed consultative votes.
of discipline, education, male
Two general meetings of the Council
religious, nuns, the propagation of
bishops and priests took place in St
the faith to Aboriginals, fasting, and
Mary’s Cathedral, as well as 14 private
avoiding disputes among them.
episcopal meetings in the presbytery.
The Council Fathers would
On 19 November, all participants
recommend Brisbane and Adelaide
travelled to Manly for the laying of
to the Holy See as metropolitan
the foundation stone of St Patrick’s
sees, as well as the establishment
College Seminary – a beautiful if
of dioceses in Grafton, Wilcannia,
not more ideally termed ‘grandiose’
Sale, and Port Augusta.
In a great victory of Australia’s first recognised saint, in 1888, Rome suppressed a decree of the 1885 Plenary Council, which meant the governing of the Mary MacKillop’s Sisters remained vested in its congregational leadership in Sydney. Photo: Sourced
... 1885
1895
16
1905
At a meeting in Sydney, 17 November to
Cardinal Moran wrote to the prefect of
1 December, the Council followed the same
Propaganda Fide, under whose auspices
processes as those of 1885, once more attracting
Australia would remain until 1976, asking if
large crowds to its public events.
another council would be opportune.
The sessions included a long discussion about
Receiving a reply in the affirmative – including
remedies for alcoholic priests, whose difficulties
a positive reaction to his suggestion that the
were thought to have been compounded in an
New Zealand bishops again be included, as
Australian context by the problems of distance
they were in 1844 – Moran seized the
and loneliness.
opportunity of a May meeting to capitalise on
Two new dioceses were recommended
hospitable weather.
for Western Australia (Geraldton and
Perth had to be represented by a priest sent in
Coolgardie), and two for Queensland
Bishop Matthew Gibney’s stead, the bishop
(Townsville and Maranoa).
having been hospitalised in Sydney after falling
Decrees included a requirement that clerics
ill during the sea-journey.
commit to ongoing development through reading
This time around, the committees into which
and attending conferences, as well as regulations
the bishops and priests were divided numbered
around missions in parishes (to be conducted in
only three: Faith and Sacraments, Discipline,
each parish at least every five years). ●
and Education.
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In an ill-considered but unsurprising
Anyone imagining an unbridgeable
move, given the paternalistic exercise
chasm between our own time and
of episcopal authority at the time,
1937 might consider what had
the bishops sided with their South
transpired in the world between
Australian confrere Bishop Christopher
the 1905 council and its successor.
Reynolds in a decree affecting his
Catholics, no less than other
stoush with Mary MacKillop over the
Australians, had felt the ravages of
governance of the Sisters of St Joseph.
war and Depression, and the
The relevant decree backed bishop
plenary council decrees manifest a
control over any religious congregations
more outward looking and socially
present in his diocese, rejecting the
concerned Church, although not
idea of central government by a
along the polemical, progressive-
congregational superior general.
conservative lines of today.
In a great victory of Australia’s first
The Council passed 685 decrees,
recognised saint, Rome suppressed the
some along the same ecclesial
decree in 1888, and government of the
grooves as before – a requirement
Mary MacKillop’s Sisters was vested in its congregational leadership in Sydney. ●
Cardinal Patrick Moran.
Photo: National Portrait Gallery.
to preach twice a year on the evils of bad reading and cinema, for example – but many others addressing the broader needs of the populace.
1937 The resulting joint pastoral letter evidenced a concern that wage Priests expressed their views on a number of subjects, including teachers’ colleges and the prohibition of sending children to government schools, treatment for alcoholic and mentally ill priests, the challenges of the mission areas of WA and the NT, and some priests’ unhappiness at being prohibited from the racetrack and theatre. Educational issues, as well as mixed marriages, were again addressed in the meetings and subsequent decrees, with one decree stipulating that there should be a Catholic teachers’ college in each ecclesiastical province. Former Perth Bishop Matthew
earners be afforded justice by governments and employers, that the good work of nuns in educating rural children be celebrated, and that the state should establish a safety net for the unemployed and their families. The bishops also decried “the evils of atheistic communism … (an) insidious anti-Christian movement that had already spread like cancer through a large portion of the body of society”, and called for, in the
Archival records reveal other things, too. The Bishop
words of the then-pontiff, Pius XI,
of Geraldton, for example, is recorded as voicing
“a sincere renewal of private and
priest at the 1905 Plenary Council,
frustration at trying to relieve himself of the
public life according to the
after having been hospitalised in
Diocese of Victoria and Palmerston (now part of the
principles of the Gospel by all
Diocese of Darwin), pleading with Rome, apparently
those who belong to the fold
with no success, for the previous four years. ●
of Christ”. ●
Gibney had to be represented by a
Sydney during the sea-journey. Photo: Archdiocese of Perth.
Photo: Archdiocese of Perth
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Perth’s response to the First Phase of the Plenary Council
WORDS Amanda Murthy
Cathedral with more than 500 representatives from parishes, agencies, groups and lay faithful present. This was marked with a special Mass, prompting Archbishop Costelloe to pose the question in focus, “Who is this God, whom Jesus makes known, and what is this God calling us to do and to be?” Plenary Council candles, which were blessed by Archbishop Costelloe at the Mass, were provided to the Animators (local representatives) and distributed to every parish and agency, to be used in local Listening and Dialogue sessions over the coming months. Prayer cards and brochures were also
F
or the next year, the Australian Catholic community
made available, as well as a video message from Archbishop
will play a huge part in contributing their thoughts and
Costelloe, to be shown at Masses that weekend.
suggestions through a process of discernment to consider its
Over the following months, Archbishop Costelloe attended
future, as they approach the 2020 Plenary Council (PC).
various events and led in Masses throughout Perth, where he
This journey began on 16 May 2018, when Pope Francis sent
met and spoke with priests, clergy, parishes, Catholic schools,
his support and blessings for the Plenary Council, officially
agencies, organisations, lay people and non-active Catholics.
appointing Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe as President
At a parish level, there were many sessions held throughout the
for the proposed three-year process.
year, with detailed guides on how to run the sessions provided
On 7 April, a session organised for Perth leaders gave Plenary
through the PC website. These sessions were organised and
Council Facilitator Lana Turvey-Collins an opportunity to meet
run by a group of handpicked 180 local representatives, better
and explain the purpose of the 2020 Council.
known as Animators.
Archbishop Costelloe then announced the election of two
The two PC sessions will take place in Adelaide in October
local representatives - Director of Catholic Education Western
2020 and in May 2021 at a location to be confirmed.
Australia (CEWA) Dr Debra Sayce was chosen to represent Western Australia as Plenary Council Executive Committee member and Tony Giglia to assist as Plenary Co-ordinator. The Perth launch took place on 26 May 2018 at St Mary’s
31 , 432
CONTRIBUTORS
Top Countries of Birth
AUSTRALIA ∞ UNITED KINGDOM PHILIPPINES ∞ INDIA ∞ NETHERLANDS
61% 31% 8%
DID NOT STATE
WOMEN
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MEN
OR DID NOT ANSWER
5/02/2019 3:45:29 PM
AU S T R A L I A N C AT H O L I C CH U R CH TO B E R E-EN ER G I S ED Perth Plenary Co-ordinator Tony Giglia said he is hopeful that the Australian Catholic Church will be re-energised and have a fresh sense of purpose through the 2020 Plenary Council, as it serves the community and continues to make an outstanding contribution to Australia as a nation.
“From the results, we can expect to see discussion papers collated by the expert groups available in the second half of this year for further public comments.” Commending the Perth Church for their support towards
“O
ne of my hopes for the Plenary Council is already
the Plenary Council, Mr Giglia cited more than 320
coming to fruition – We are having more and more
facilitators have been formally trained to assist in the
people engaging as never before with the question, “What
listening and dialogue sessions in their parishes.
is God asking of us in Australia at this time? – And they are
“The Centre for Faith Enrichment has also offered people
starting to make changes to the issues identified, which is
multiple opportunities to participate in listening and
amazing.”
dialogue sessions.
Mr Giglia explained that the National Pastoral Research
“Our Archdiocesan agencies have also embraced the
Office is currently conducting an analysis of the data
opportunity to participate and contribute submissions to
collected from the submissions that have been made to
the Plenary Council, and our Catholic schools have been
date, and will discern the major themes that are emerging
outstanding in their support and contribution,”
from the sessions.
he concluded.
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Perth brings strong leadership, young ones getting involved
A
s the Plenary Council approaches its second stage in March, Plenary Council Executive Committee
member Dr Debra Sayce spoke to The Record on some of
Dr Debra Sayce (second from left) with Archdiocese and CEWA staff
the collective efforts of many during the first phase, and
after their Plenary Council presentations for Perth parish secretaries Day and CEWA staff last November.
shared what it has been like working alongside Plenary
Photo: Amanda Murthy
Council President Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB. Dr Sayce, who is the Director of Catholic Education
resource catered to Years 5 to 12 students, which allows
Western Australia (CEWA), affirmed the involvement
them to learn about and contribute to the Plenary Council
of school students and staff from Catholic schools,
in one lesson.
acknowledging that it has been an integral part of
“Many schools and parishes have already used this
the process.
resource, and we expect more will use it in Term 1 this
“Last July, all system leaders attended a bi-annual meeting
year,” Dr Sayce said.
where national facilitator for the Plenary Council 2020 Mrs
“On a bigger scale, the 2020 Plenary Council was a focus at
Lana Turvey-Collins presented.”
the Catholic School Youth Summit in 2018 and will be a key
Other significant efforts included an educational online
theme of the Australian Catholic Youth Summit 2019, which
PARISH COMMUNIT Y SPEAK UP AS ANIMATORS GET TO WORK
P
lenary Council Animators Michael Perrott and Kevin Wringe from Applecross Parish told The Record they have made it their mission for the next two years to
encourage the local community to lend their voices and play a role in the upcoming 2020 Plenary Council. “Many of the group dialogue sessions I have led or attended have been fruitful and have elicited excellent thoughtful responses to date,” Mr Perrott said. Mr Perrott went on to explain that the majority of animators across Perth attended a training seminar at the Centre for Faith Enrichment, led by Plenary Council Facilitator, Lana Turvey -Collins, and Perth representatives, Tony Giglia and Dr Marco Ceccarelli. “It was very informative and this is where we were introduced
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will be held in Perth in early December 2019.
Dr Sayce added she feels optimistic about the outcomes
“Inclusive communities, shared understanding, open
of the Plenary Council as the process has sought to
conversation and engagement with our students is
authentically engage people in listening to what the Spirit is
paramount in building a strong Catholic community in the
saying, listening to one another and being discerning.
future, as it is their future,” Dr Sayce added.
“I have experienced in a variety of forums, people’s desire
Describing the Perth Catholic community as “vibrant and keen on getting involved”, Dr Sayce said credit is due to the leadership of Archbishop Costelloe for his dedication and commitment to our Catholic communities and leadership of the Church in the Archdiocese and Australia. “Since his appointment, Archbishop Costelloe has been unwavering in his message for people to participate and contribute in this listening, dialogue and discernment process,” Dr Sayce cited. “Each time I have met with Archbishop Costelloe or listened to him speak publicly, I have learnt many new things and never fail to be inspired by his sincerity and authentic desire to engage all people in this process. “I believe that his leadership in this historical council will serve the Catholic Church in Australia exceptionally well.”
to participate in the listening and dialogue processes, I have heard the anguished voices of people who are distressed about facets of their personal lives, Church life, family life and concern about the young,” she said. “I have also heard voices of the young who are animated with the joy of the Gospel, a strong desire for Christian discipleship and an exuberance for life and optimism within their faith life.” She concluded by citing that the WA community is blessed because each bishop has undertaken the engagement of the Plenary Council in diverse ways. “Our bishops are listening intently to their people - each in their own way and unique context are pastorally responding. “I think that they aren’t waiting for 2020 for an outcome. Instead in their listening to the diverse voices, our WA
When asked to describe the Plenary Council in three words,
bishops are praying, thinking, planning, engaging and
Dr Sayce simply stated, “an incredible opportunity”.
responding now,” Dr Sayce concluded.
to the Plenary Council website, and a few weeks later we shared this information with our parishioners by playing the video at all Masses to create awareness and encourage everyone to participate in this important process,” Mr Perrott said. “We organised some 20 gatherings in the parish for small groups, with between six to 30 people attending per session.” Mr Perrott added that the issues highlighted by the Applecross Parish community were compiled and submitted to the Secretariat of the Plenary Council. “You can see from our response how relevant and important we all believe this process means to us, and our expectation as to how seriously it will be treated by the bishops for the future of our Church in Australia,” concluded Mr Perrott.
Parishioners from Willetton Parish Sts John and Paul collaborated with Rockingham Parish Our Lady of Lourdes Church to hold Listening and Dialogue sessions. Photo: Supplied
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The Plenary Council and Canon Law WORDS Fr Ian Waters IMAGE Jamie O’Brien
Fr Ian Waters provides an indepth insight into the upcoming Plenary Council of 2020 and how it relates to Canon Law. This article has been edited but is published in full by the Australasian Catholic Record, October 2018.
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THE
Australian hierarchy was established by Pope Gregory XVI in 1842.
Since then, there have been six national Catholic councils held in Australia. The first two, celebrated in 1844 and 1869, are known as the First Provincial Council of Australia and the Second Provincial Council of Australia, as until 1874, the Australian dioceses were all in the one ecclesiastical province with Sydney being the sole metropolitan see. 1 In 1874, a second province—Melbourne—was established 2 , and the national councils since then—four of them, celebrated in 1885, 1895, 1905 and 1937—have been called plenary councils, the term used in the Catholic Church in recent centuries for councils whose participants are from more than one ecclesiastical province; in the past, terms such as regional councils or national councils have been used. As we all know, another plenary council for Australia is planned to commence in 2020. PLENARY COUNCIL PREPARATIONS, ESPECIALLY LOCALLY Unlike a bishops conference, which is an assembly of bishops, a council is a meeting of churches. A conference is an expression of episcopal collegiality; a council an expression of ecclesial communio. The planned Australian council in 2020 will be an assembly representative of all in the constituent dioceses— bishops, clergy, religious of both sexes, universities and seminaries, bodies and individuals involved in diocesan governance, and the faithful (Canon 443). It will be argued by some that there will be practical difficulties in the logistics of large numbers, even though the law provides limits to keep numbers manageable—probably no more than 300 for the planned 2020 council (Canon 443 §§3–5). Consultation is an important part of any legislative or deliberative process, but it does not imply a parliamentary situation. Committee meetings, providing expert advice, helping draft and amend documents, and engaging in research are all important to ensure that all can be as fully informed as possible of facts and pastoral needs. Councils do not just happen. They have to be convoked, planned, prepared and celebrated. Then promulgation and implementation follow. They should be a solemn proclamation of current convictions and future vision, involving the whole Catholic community. If the planned council is to engage the entire Australian Church, all Catholics must be involved in some way. Local assemblies for discussion and preparation will need canonical guidance just as much as the actual formal conciliar assemblies will need it.
1
2
Gregory XVI, apostolic letter, Ex debito pastoralis officii, 5 April 1842 (Iuris Pontificii de Propaganda Fide, pars 1a, vol. IV, Romæ, ex Typographia Polyglotta S. C. de Propaganda Fide, 1891, pp. 563–4). Pius IX, apostolic letter, Incrementa, 31 March 1874 (Pii IX Pontificis Maximi Acta, pars 1a, vol. VI, Romæ, ex Typographia Vaticana Polyglotta, 1875, pp. 311–13).
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CONFERENCE OR COUNCIL?
number must not exceed half the sum total
Canon 439 determines that a plenary council is for
of the bishops, vicars general, episcopal vicars, religious, and university and seminary
all the particular churches of the same episcopal
representatives; and from every diocese or its
conference. Canon 447 determines that an episcopal
equivalent must be sent two elected members
conference is the assembly of all the bishops of the
from its council of priests, and two elected
same country or a certain territory. Consequently, a
members from its diocesan pastoral council.
council is a gathering of churches; whereas a conference
While each diocese of Australia has a council
is merely an assembly of bishops.
of priests, not all have a diocesan pastoral council—in fact, at present, only nine are listed
THE FORTHCOMING PLENARY COUNCIL
in the current Australian Catholic Directory.5
At the council, there must be bishops. The following must be called: all diocesan bishops and those
Finally, guests may be invited. It would be almost
equivalent to them (at present there are 34 in Australia);
unthinkable not to invite some heads of other churches
all coadjutor bishops (none at present); all auxiliary
to be present as observers. Similarly, it would be quite
bishops (eight at present); and other bishops who
appropriate that the other regions in Oceania6
perform in Australia a special function given them
would be invited to send observers.
by the Holy See or the bishops conference (none at present). Other bishops who live in the territory can be called, but do not have to be called. They number about 30 — mostly retired bishops, most of whom served in Australia3 , although a few of them have served as bishops in other places such as Papua New Guinea 4 . All bishops at the council, both those who must be called and those who can be called, have a deliberative vote. As well as these bishops, current canon law legislates that various other persons must be called to the council (Canon 443). They are: • all vicars general and episcopal vicars;
So what will be the role of the non-bishops, and specifically the role of laypersons? One jurisprudential directive is found in Apostolorum Successores, which is the Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops. It states: In particular councils, only the bishops may make decisions, [...] but certain important ecclesiastical office-holders and the major superiors of religious institutes and societies of apostolic life must also be invited, so that they may collaborate with the bishops, offering their experience and their counsel.7
• some major superiors—both male and female— of religious institutes and societies of apostolic life. The bishops conference is to determine their number, and they are to be elected by all the major superiors that have a centre in Australia (note they are elected by the major superiors, not appointed by the bishops); • the rectors of ecclesiastical and Catholic universities in the territory, together with their deans of theology and canon law; • some rectors of major seminaries, their numbers being determined by the bishops conference, and they are to be elected by the rectors, not appointed by the bishops;
3 4 5 6 7
24
PARTICIPATION OF THE LAITY Canon 444 states that all who are called to a council must attend, unless they are bound by a just impediment, about which they are bound to inform the president. Clearly, the canon is stating that participation in a council is a serious rather than trivial matter; however, no penalty is prescribed in the Code for anyone summoned to a council who has failed to attend. While Canon 444 does not delineate the involvement of these lay participants, we must not overlook the fundamental provision of Canon 19: If on a particular matter there is not an express provision of either universal or particular
• some priests and others of the faithful may
law, nor a custom, then, provided it is not a
(but not must) be invited; if invited, their
penal matter, the question is to be decided
E.g., Denis Hart, Archbishop Emeritus of Melbourne, and Brian Finnigan, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Brisbane. E.g., Austen Crapp, ofm, Bishop Emeritus of Aitape, PNG, domiciled at present in the parish of Deeragun, diocese of Townsville. The Official Directory of the Catholic Church in Australia, 2017–2018 lists only the dioceses of Adelaide, Bathurst, Bunbury, Maitland–Newcastle, Port Pirie, Rockhampton, and Sale, and the Maronite and Ukrainian eparchies, as each having a diocesan pastoral council. The Pacific nations, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and New Zealand. Congregation for Bishops, Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Apostolorum Successores, 22 February 2004, 26. Henceforth AS.
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by taking into account laws enacted in similar
deliberation during the synod. From the beginning
matters, the general principles of law observed
of the preparatory work, the bishop should keep
with canonical equity, the jurisprudence and
the entire diocese informed about the event and he
practice of the Roman Curia, and the common
should continue to request their fervent prayers for
and constant opinion of learned authors.
its successful outcome. He may also wish to offer
Laws enacted in similar matters must include Canon 465, which is among those regulating the diocesan synod. All questions proposed are to be subject to the free discussion of the members in the sessions of the synod.
suitable aids for preaching, in order to promote widespread catechesis on the nature of the Church, on the dignity of the Christian vocation and on the participation of all the faithful in their supernatural mission, in the light of conciliar teaching.10 It is reasonable to conclude that all this is stating that consultation is an important part of the legislative process,
Canon 444 states that all who are called to a council must attend, unless they are bound by a just impediment, about which they are bound to inform the president.
even though it does not imply a parliamentary situation. A valid and extremely useful contribution by those with a consultative vote is to be made in committee meetings, providing expert advice, helping draft and amend documents, and engaging in research; in brief, assisting those with deliberative votes to be as informed as possible of facts, and aware of all pastoral needs of the territory, before they cast their deliberative votes. The theology in force during the previous Australian councils, and consequently the canon law, did not permit lay participation in councils. In the second millennium,
The current directory states that the composition of the
priests have always been participants as theologians
diocesan synod is to be an image of the particular church:
and as representatives of the clergy—both secular and
In accordance with the canonical prescriptions, the membership of the synod must reflect the diversity of vocations and apostolic undertakings, and the social and geographic variety [that characterises the diocese]. A prevalent role should be entrusted 8
to clerics, however, in view of their office in the ecclesial communion. The contribution of the synod members will be all the more valuable if they are distinguished for their moral rectitude, pastoral prudence, apostolic zeal, competence and prestige.9 The directory outlines the preparatory phase as follows: The faithful are to be invited by the bishop freely to formulate their suggestions for the synod, and priests in particular should be encouraged to submit
religious. In 1844, all priests in Australia were convoked; while distance prevented many from attending, more than 60 per cent attended. In 1885–1895–1905, great care was taken to ensure that as well as the priests taken by the bishops as theological and canonical advisors, each clerical religious institute would be represented, and that there would be an elected delegate of the clergy of each diocese. At these councils, all these priests were encouraged to speak freely and in the fullest manner possible; and all the evidence indicates that the bishops relied on these priests to provide solutions for some issues being addressed. As this is our Australian canonical custom (cf. Canons 23–8), there is no reason why our bishops should not presume and encourage all called to the 2020 council to speak as freely and fully as possible.
proposals regarding the pastoral governance of the diocese. On the basis of these contributions
8 9 10
and with the assistance of experts or of elected
Father Ian Waters has five graduate degrees in canon law and is a
synod members, the bishop determines the various
senior fellow at Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity,
issues that are to be presented for discussion and
Melbourne, where he has lectured Canon law since 1991.
It should be noted that the word prevalent is used here, not dominant. 19. AS, 169. AS, 173.
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A
C
Y
F
2
0
1
9
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! Midland parishioner Elijah Boylen recalled to The Record firsthand his experience of attending the 2017 Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Sydney. The next ACYF will be held in Perth, from Saturday 8 to Tuesday 10 December.
“W
alking into a dark stadium to be met with the sight of more than 15,000
young people filled with joy and ready to praise the Lord is kind of breathtaking. It fills you with hope knowing you’re not alone in your faith and that there are thousands of young people who share your enthusiasm. In December 2017, I was one of the many young people from Perth who had the amazing opportunity to attend the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) in Sydney with CYM (Catholic Youth Ministry, Perth). The theme: Opening New Horizons for Spreading Joy fulfilled; it was one of the most joy-filled times of my life. Imagine the sight of thousands of young people gathered together in a darkened stadium except for a tiny circle of white, lit up by a single beam of light. Silence. The Body of Christ amid a sea of faces. An experience like that is a visceral encounter with the Body of Christ in the Blessed
26
Youth react to the announcement of Perth as the host of ACYF for 2019 during the final Mass of ACYF 2017, held in Sydney. Photo: Cyron Sobrevinas
Sacrament. It’s adoration in a way you’ll never
During the question time, he was approached by
forget. And afterwards, a train packed with
a man who was feeling challenged by the
hundreds of young people singing praise and
Church’s teachings on same-sex marriage.
worship songs at the top of their voices. Seeing
Archbishop Fisher responded in an extremely
the joy that they bring to the life of every person
compassionate and loving way, while also
they pass. It’s hard to resist getting caught up in
standing firm in the teachings of our Catholic
the moment and this was just the experience of
faith. It was a brilliant example of evangelisation
ACYF on Saturday night.
and showed that a way to open people to a
A highlight for me was attending a talk by Sydney
relationship with Jesus is to appeal to the heart,
Archbishop Anthony Fisher about marriage.
not the mind.
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ACYF kickstarted this journey, producing a joy I carried with me through any hardship I experienced ever since.
Perth youth celebrate on the main stage following the announcement that Perth is the next host venue for ACYF 2019. Photo: Alphonsus Fok
And it wasn’t just Archbishop Fisher. The way the
You see, while I enjoy regular guy things, I’m not
other bishops interacted with the young really
sure I’d describe myself as a regular guy.
demystified them. We experienced them as regular
In 2018, I studied a Certificate IV in Catholic
people and not high and mighty judges.
Ministry at Acts 2 College of Mission and
As a guy, I like regular guy things. I enjoy listening
Evangelisation, which gave me the opportunity to
to and playing music, sports, video games and just about anything else that you could turn into a competition (seriously, name it and I’ll beat you at
minister to young people in schools all around Perth. ACYF kickstarted this journey, producing a joy I carried with me through any hardship I
it). Consequently, at the plenary sessions, I was
experienced ever since.
blown away by the music of Matt Maher, Steve
ACYF has been a life-changing experience for me
Angrisano, Emily Wilson, and Gary Pinto. Together
and strengthened my faith immensely. This year,
with the amazing talks and testimonies given by
it’s being held in Perth and I would recommend for
the various speakers, it created a Holy Spirit-filled
every young person to go; I will be! So, concluding
atmosphere that was inspiring. Nehemiah 8:10
with the words of St Paul, “May the God of hope fill
says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength” and the joy
you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the
that ACYF filled me with was indeed my strength
power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope”.
for the following year.
See you at ACYF 2019!
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COLOURING
28
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
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ACTIVITY PAGE
ACROSS 3 9
His name was
23 Church council
changed to Israel
25 Member of the
A dove brought back this branch back to Noah
10 Joshua was buried in this hill country (Josh 24:30) 11 “…is now, and ___ shall be…” 12 Diocese or bishop starter 13 Clerical color 15 Second century pope
Society of Jesus 26 Worship 29 A no-coveting commandment 31 French Christmas 32 The Garden 35 St. John ___ (Basilica) 36 Possible Easter month 37 The disciples ate this on the Sabbath (Mt 12:1)
16 Enter by the ___ gate 17 Fish part for Jonah 20 “Regina ___” 22 Type of monastery
DOWN 1
“…thy will be ___…”
27 Holy ___
2
“___ Night”
28 Vestment made of a
3
Governor Bush, convert to Catholicism
4
First bishop of America
5
Biblical city
6
Husband of Queen Jezebel
7
Secret place for Christians in Rome
8
White for a pope, black for no pope
narrow strip of cloth 30 What you should do when the herald angels sing 33 Founder of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper, Fr. John ___ 34 The Solemnity of Mary is celebrated in this month (abbr.)
14 “___ et Orbi” 15 Sacrament of the ___
ANSWERS
18 ___ Minister 19 David played one 21 Divine time 22 Hebrew month 23 Biblical method of execution 24 The Archdiocese of Abuja is in this African country
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M O R O CC A N L A M B S AU S AG E R O L L S R EC I PE A N D PH OTO S Matthew Lau
H O W O F T E N H A V E you attended a morning tea function, a church community gathering, or potluck dinner where sausage rolls are on the table? More often than not, they are, quite frankly, terrible store-bought products. As a professional chef by trade, people often find it strange that I consider sausage rolls as one of my favourite food items. When done correctly, they are terrifically easy to make, and mightily delicious at that. All you need is a mixing bowl for your meat filling, a bit of bench space for your puff pastry, and an oven for baking. It’s really that simple.
INGREDIENTS •
500g lamb mince
S E RV E S : 4
•
1 small onion, finely chopped
P R E P T I M E : 15 MINS
•
2 garlic cloves,
CO O K I N : 25 MINS
• •
5. Egg wash the exposed edges of pastry and fold over to seal. 6. Cut the rolls to your desired
finely chopped
size and place on a baking tray
1 tsp fresh coriander,
lined with parchment paper.
finely chopped
1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
7. Brush the top of each sausage
3 tsps Ras al Hanout spice
2. Using your hands, gently
roll with the remaining egg
mix or a Moroccan spice mix
combine all ingredients
wash, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top to garnish.
•
½ tsp fennel seeds
•
½ tsp sea salt
egg, sesame seeds, mint,
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until
•
½ tsp black pepper
yoghurt and lemon juice)
golden crispy on the outside
•
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
in a large mixing bowl.
and moist in the centre.
•
1 egg, lightly beaten
3. Cut the puff pastry sheets
•
3 sheets puff pastry
in half lengthways to form
yogurt and lemon juice with
•
Sesame seeds, to garnish
six rectangles – then lay
a dash of salt and pepper
•
1 tbsp fresh mint,
each sheet on a bench
together in a small bowl,
lightly dusted with flour.
stirring until well combined.
finely chopped
30
METHOD
•
125ml Greek-style yoghurt
•
1 tbsp lemon juice
(aside from the pastry,
4. Evenly spread out the
9. Meanwhile, combine the mint,
10. Allow the sausage rolls
meat mixture along the
to cool slightly on a wire
centre of each sheet in
rack before serving with
a long, rounded log.
the Middle-Eastern dip.
THE RECORD MAGAZINE
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Photos by Ron Tan
FEBRUARY
ISSUE 17
2019
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
PRODUCTION
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.
Feby Plando feby.plando@perthcatholic.org.au
CONTENT PRODUCER Joshua Low
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS
joshua.low@perthcatholic.org.au
MEMBERSHIP
JOURNALISTS
The Record Magazine is a member of the Australasian Catholic Press Association and Australasian Religious Press Association.
Amanda Murthy
We welcome unsolicited articles and photos; however, we do not guarantee replies to unsuccessful submissions. Please send all information to: editor@therecord.com.au
amanda.murthy@perthcatholic.org.au
CONTACT
Matthew Lau
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
matthew.lau@perthcatholic.org.au
Olivia Bunter olivia.bunter@perthcatholic.org.au
SITES + SOCIAL MEDIA
ADMINISTRATION Bibiana Kwaramba bibiana.kwaramba@perthcatholic.org.au
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NOTICE The issue may contain images of deceased members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Images are used with respect and appreciation.
© 2019 The Record.
P U B L I S H E D BY T H E
A rchdiocese
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COURSES & EVENTS
TERM ONE
2019
EVENTS Wednesday, 13 February ∞ 10am – 12pm Tuesday, 26 February ∞ 2pm – 4pm
SPECIAL EVENT - 2020 PLENARY COUNCIL Listening and Dialogue Sessions Have you had a chance to answer the question: What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time? Between now and Ash Wednesday 2019, we have been invited to participate in the first phase of the Plenary Council: an open and inclusive process of listening, dialogue and discernment about the future of the Catholic Church in Australia. Join us on 13 February or 26 February to take part in open Listening and Dialogue sessions and have your say.
Tuesday, 2 April ∞ 9:30am – 11:30am
A Force for Good: The Catholic Church as Employer in Australia The Catholic Church is one of Australia’s largest employers – with over 180,000 employees engaged in diocesan and parish administration, pastoral care, education, health, aged care, welfare and community services. Underpinning its work is a long-standing and wellestablished Catholic Social Teaching that spells out the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees. Editor of Good Works: The Catholic Church as an Employer in Australia (2015), Dr Terry Wilson, will unpack this teaching for us and articulate its efficiency within an Australian context.
Location: Newman Siena Centre (Room S.101)
Cost: Free of charge (morning tea included) With: Dr Terry Wilson Location: Newman Siena Centre, Doubleview (Clune lecture Theatre)
EVENING COURSES
DAYTIME COURSES
Tuesdays, 12 March – 2 April ∞ 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Lenten Leisure: A Sabbath Approach to Lent The season of Lent is sometimes equated with extra spiritual activities and being more disciplined in how we live as Christians in today’s world. What if taking a Sabbatical approach could be just as supportive of our spiritual journey? We will review the meaning of Sabbath, applying the four characteristics of Sabbatical living to the Lenten journey in a reflective way. CEWA Ongoing Renewal: this course has been approved for Faith Formation. Cost: 4 sessions, suggested donation $20 With: Dr Margaret Scharf OP Location: Highgate Parish (50 Mary Street, Highgate, 6003)
Tuesdays, 12 March – 2 April ∞ 8pm – 9.30pm
Journey towards Easter: Discerning the meaning of Lent During the liturgical period of Lent we are called to stop, reflect and prepare ourselves for Easter. Why does the Church call us to this special time of reflection? What is the meaning of Lent and how can this time transform us? The main themes for each week of the course will be: the origins, history and purpose of Lent; the penitential time before Easter; a time of conversion before Baptism; and the Paschal Triduum. All are welcome! CEWA Ongoing Renewal: this course has been approved for Faith Formation. Cost: 4 sessions, suggested donation $20 With: Mr Paolo Sala Location: Thornlie Parish (corner Ovens Road and Discovery Drive, Thornlie, 6108)
Tuesdays, 12 February – 19 March ∞ 10am – 12.30pm
Thursdays, 7 March – 11 April ∞ 10am – 12pm
Exploring the Second Vatican Council: A Journey through Times and Documents (Part 2)
Seeking the Counsel of the Wise: A Journey through the Wisdom books
Vatican Council II was one of the most significant gatherings in the Church. There are people who remember the Church “before and after” the Council and those who only know the contemporary Church and who ask: what was all the fuss about?! This second part of the program will continue to explore the 16 Vatican II Documents, PostVatican II Developments and Pope Francis and the Spirit of Vatican II.
The ancients valued wisdom more than anything else; even greater than the finest gold or more important than purest silver is what the book of Proverbs tells us. Why did they value such a thing so much? What does it mean to be wise and how is it useful in our lives today? This course will introduce participants to the richness contained in the Bible’s wisdom literature, answering such questions and more.
CEWA Ongoing Renewal: this course has been approved for Knowledge Cost: $50, 6 sessions (includes printouts of Vatican II documents) With: Dr Margaret Scharf OP Location: Newman Siena Centre, Doubleview (Clune lecture Theatre)
CEWA Ongoing Renewal: this course has been approved for Knowledge Cost: $45, 6 sessions With: Joe Tedesco Location: Newman Siena Centre, Doubleview (Clune lecture Theatre)
Visit www.cfe.org.au/courses-and-events for more information. For enquiries, contact us at cfe@perthcatholic.org.au.
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