How mothers are crucial to the men their sons will become.
Mercedes College students support fair trade.
The Young Mercies have immersed themselves with enthusiasm in their “I have traded fairly” campaign this term.
Students have visited and volunteered at the Fair Go Trading shop in Brisbane St and have heard about the extensive international network of producers, traders, marketers, advocates and consumers supporting fair trade.
Owners of Fair Go Trading, Robert and Norman have shared with the girls the importance for primary producers in economically disadvantaged communities to be given a fair and sustainable price for their produce.
Students have researched items on sale in the store and the communities they come from. They have discovered that many communities across the globe are suffering from trading trends that put profit before people.
Fair trade is all about building equitable trading relationships from the producer to the consumer. In an effort to support this relationship the
Young Mercies hosted a Fair Trade Fair in preparation for Mothers’ Day next month.
Hundreds of students visited the exotic marketplace, over two days, in the convent Conference Centre and picked up delightful gifts that were beautifully wrapped. The
Wondering how to tackle parenting in the 21st century?
This six-week program provides tools and roadmaps for the way ahead and will empower parents to build the healthy, nurturing family they want.
Survival Skills for Today’s Families is designed to make everyone in the family feel more confident and comfortable and children over 8 are invited to join in.
Starting Thursday 22 May at 6.30pm in West Leederville $80 single parent/family or $120 couple/family
Like to know more? Call (08) 9489 6322
Editor Peter Rosengren
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Discovery is a bimonthly publication distributed through parishes and schools of the dioceses of Western Australia.
young Mercies were keen to support $1,220 worth of trade of behalf of local producers from disadvantaged communities.
Germany, which gave kindergarten its name, is witnessing a return to the roots of the concept in a growing number of “forest kindergartens” in which children spend their days outdoors year-round.
The kids fill in the time singing songs, building fires, climbing trees and playing in the mud.
The 700 Waldkindergarten are a throwback to Friedrich Fröbel who counselled that children should play in nature and not be immersed in numbers and letters.
The German movement started in the mid-1990s, following the lead of a Danish community, and similar schools exist elsewhere in Scandinavia, Switzerland and Austria.
The first such program in the United States opened last year. Early research suggests the children are better at using their imaginations, creating and communicating.
They also seem to get sick less often. However, their writing and some other skills are less developed.
“The computer arrives early enough,” says a supportive German academic.
And the American founder of Mother Earth kindergarten says the emphasis on formal skills in mainstream preschool programs is producing “early academic fatigue syndrome...”
“We have five-year-olds who are tired of going to school.” The founder of another forest kindy in Scotland admits the children fall out of trees “quite often”, but adds that she doesn’t let them climb higher than six feet - the cut-off point for her insurance policy.
Family EdgeAn American judge has mortally offended Harry Potter fans - and no doubt irked author J K Rowling - by saying the names in her books sounded like gibberish and that he couldn’t understand the one HP book he had tried to read to his grandchildren.
Judge Robert Patterson is hearing a case in which a Michigan librarian, Steven vander Ark, is accused by Rowling of breach of copyright.
Vander Ark, a Potter fan, compiled The Harry Potter Lexicon as a reference guide to the series and RDR Books in the US has it ready for publication.
The judge thought there might be genuine worth in such a guide.
Gibberish or not, Rowling regards the contents of the stories as her own and she angrily declared in court that “the floodgates will open” if copyright is not upheld.
The judge, who mischievously said he found Rowling’s “magical world” much harder to follow than that of Dickens when it was read to him as a child, continued the Dickens theme with a reference to a long drawn-out suit in Bleak House - Jarndyce v Jarndyce.
He said Rowling’s suit involved unresolved areas of American law and was almost certain to end in years of appeals and misery.
■ Reviewed by Mark Reidy
Holy Spirit Take Our Hand CD
By Angela BendottiAngela’s debut CD packages her heart and soul in faith inspired music and reflections that can be used both personally and communally to build faith and inspire worship.
$29.95
Resource Book
This book contains the music, lyrics and reflections of Angela’s Holy Spirit Take Our Hand CD and can be used as a powerful resource for parish, classroom or individual use. $24.95
Angela’s desire to bring others to a deeper understanding of Catholic Liturgy began during her time as a music teacher in late 1980’s when she began explaining to her students why certain parts of the Mass were
sung and why certain songs were played. This led to a vision for teaching liturgy in schools, which has eventuated in the establishment of SHINE Creations, a ministry she began in 1999.
An acronym for, Something Hidden In Everyone, this ministry now also educates through workshops, formation days and retreats and has culminated in the CD and book.
Ms Bendotti’s prayer is that her music and reflections can in some way draw others to worship and a greater appreciation of Church Liturgy.
Family Edge
Better known for fashion than for large families, France this week upped the stakes in the debate over anorexic models by advancing a legal ban on promoting extreme thinness.
The country’s National Assembly adopted a bill that would give judges power to imprison offenders and fine them up to 30,000 Euros if convicted of “inciting others to deprive themselves of food” to an “excessive” degree.
The legislation, which would apply to magazines, advertisers and websites, will go to the Senate within a few weeks.
Family Edge
World Youth Day (WYD) is celebrated by 16-35 year old Catholics and will be hosted this year in Sydney 15-20 July. Many of the ‘young at heart’ Australians have been keen to support them and ‘Get into the Spirit’ of WYD.
A local parish had the drive to help make a difference to overseas pilgrims. Immaculate Conception East Fremantle Parish is a predominately older parish, that doesn’t have any young pilgrims travelling to WYD this year. The parish was keen to support pilgrims travelling from East Timor to go to the Sydney WYD.
After a series of morning teas and fundraisers specifically for WYD, the East Fremantle parish has raised $1,500 to support pilgrims from East Timor to attend WYD.
“The pilgrims that the parish will support will attend the Perth Days in the Diocese and we intend to arrange a time for the pilgrims to meet the parishioners that helped bring them to Australia.” said Archdiocese of Perth WYD Coordinator Anita Parker.
“The East Fremantle Parish were happy to outreach and support WYD in a way that the National organising committee called for mature aged Australians to support WYD.” Miss Parker said.
“World Youth Day presents an opportunity like no other to inspire and engage our younger generation,” said WYD08 Coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher OP.
“In sharing their own wisdom and life
experiences, mature age Australians have a valuable contribution to make towards inspiring greater peace, understanding and compassion in young people,” he said.
“We ask them to pray for our young people and encourage their attendance at World Youth Day.”
There are many ways that mature age Australians can offer their support.
1. Pray for WYD08 and the young people participating.
2. Volunteer for WYD08: positions are
available during the event week.
3. Purchase a WYD08 Gift Voucher to help a loved one attend WYD08.
4. Sponsor a pilgrim from Oceania or a remote Australian indigenous community through the Pilgrim Partnership Support Program.
For more information on assisting local pilgrims or overseas pilgrims, contact the Perth WYD office on 9422 7944 or on the web www.wydperth.com.
Large families may be unpopular for all sorts of reasons today, but a Norwegian study suggests they are good for the parents’ health.
Researchers used national registers to get data on all Norwegian men and women born between 1935 and 1958, and followed up a large number of them between 1980 and 2003, when they were aged 45 to 68 years.
They took account of educational qualifications and marital status as well as number of children when looking at death rates.
They found that life tended to be shortest for childless women - who had a 50 per cent higher risk of dying by late middle age than those with two children - and for childless men (35 per cent higher risk). The next highest risk was for those with only one child.
Results for those with children showed that those who began parenthood earlier were also more likely to live longer. A late age at the last birth, however, was l inked with reduced life expectancy. Overall, more children meant a longer life.
The authors say that the similarity of results for women and men suggests that there are social as well as biological factors at work.
Family Edge
In May and June
the World Youth Day Cross and Icon will visit Catholic schools and parishes in a 20-day whirlwind tour of Perth. Schools and parishes have planned a blitz of activities in which everyone can participate and, organisers hope, the visit of these international travelling symbols will help focus attention on World Youth Day in Sydney from July 15-20. Here is the program for the visit. Is one of these events near you?
When World Youth Day takes place in Sydney in July, the WYD Cross and its accompanying Icon will have spent 12 months being taken around the nation in an epic journey. Before they arrived in Australia they had journeyed through Africa, which has never had a World Youth Day, and countries in the region of Oceania.
As Cardinal George Pell of Sydney said, “the cross is passed from group to group like the Olympic torch before the Olympic Games, but the cross’s pilgrimage has been pretty constant since Pope John Paul sent it on its way in 1984.
“His message was simple. The cross is a symbol of Christ’s love for all people and spells out the claim that only in the risen Christ can people find redemption and salvation.”
The Icon of Our Lady honours Mary, to whom Jesus entrusted the human race as he was dying on His cross. As countless millions of people every day experience, she guides everyone to her Son and answers every prayer to her.
Wednesday 21 May
Mazenod College and Lesmurdie Parish 8am to noon at Mazenod College, Gladys Road, Lesmurdie. Enq: Katie Thompson 9291 6500 or: Thompson.Katie@mazenod.wa.edu.au
Wednesday 21 May
CBC Fremantle 1pm to 3:30pm at CBC Fremantle, 51 Ellen St, Fremantle. Enq: Peter Baldry 9336 2700 or: peterb@cbcfremantle.wa.edu.au
Wednesday 21 May
University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle 3:30pm to 7pm at Notre Dame University, 19 Mouat St, Fremantle. Tom Gannon 9433 0629 or tgannon@nd.edu.au
Wednesday 21 May
St Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle 8pm to 6:30am at St Patrick’s Basilica, 47 Adelaide St, Fremantle. Enq: Fr John Sherman OMI 9335 2268 or: jsherman@oblates.com.au
Thursday 22 May
Lumen Christi College, Martin 8am to noon at Lumen Christi College, Station St, Martin. Enq: Cathy Marie Tommasi 9394 9300 or tommasic@lumen.wa.edu.au
Thursday 22 May
Chisholm College, Bedford 1pm to 4pm at Chisholm College, 1104 Beaufort Street, Bedford. Enq: Mary Casotti 9271 9000 or casotti_m@yahoo.com.au
Thursday 22 May
John XXIII College, Mt Claremont 6pm to 9pm at John XXIII College, Mooro Dve, Mt Claremont. Enq: Caroline Watson 9383 0419 or watson.caroline@johnxxiii.edu.au
Friday 23 May
Mercy College, Koondoola
8am to noon at Mercy College, Beach Rd, Koondoola. Enq: Jennie Jago 9247 9211 or jago. jennie@mercy.wa.edu.au
Friday 23 May
Ballajura Parish Noon to 7:30pm at Blessed Mary MacKillop Church, cnr Pelican Parade & Cassowary Drive, Ballajura. Enq: Fr John Jegorow 9249 1247 or mackillopball ajura@bigpond.com
Friday 23 May
Neocatechumenal communities, Morley 8pm to 6am at Redemptoris Mater Seminary, 26 Camboon Rd, Morley. Enq: Andrew Georgiades 9349 2890 or andrew.georgiades@horizonpower. com.au
Saturday 24 May
St John of God Hospital, Subiaco
8am to 10:30am at St John of God Hospital, 12 Salvado Road, Subiaco. Enq: Jennifer Gardner 9382 6192 or Jennifer.gardner@sjog.org.au
Saturday 24 May
Claremont Parish
11am to 1:45pm at St Thomas the Apostle Church, 2 College Rd, Claremont. Activities will continue into the afternoon/evening, concluding with a youth night at 7:15pm. Enq: John Kinder 9384 4925 or john.kinder@uwa.edu.au
Saturday 24 May
Woodvale Parish
2:30pm to 5:15pm at St Luke’s Church, Duffy Tce, Woodvale. Enq: Suzi Martins 9409 2823 or stefsule@iinet.net.au
Saturday 24 May
Whitfords Parish
5:15pm to 7am at Our Lady of the Mission Church, 270 Camberwarra Drive, Craigie. Enq: Jonathon Egan 9401 8815 or jonoegan@iinet.net.au
Sunday 25 May
Balcatta Parish
4:30pm to 8pm at St Lawrence Church, 392 Albert St, Balcatta. Come and experience the power of these two symbols of World Youth Day that have touched the lives of millions of youth from around the world! Enq: Linda Franchina 9445 2869 or linzf84@hotmail.com
Monday 26 May
Social justice groups, Kings Park 9am to noon at Synergy Parklands, Kings Park (off May Dve). Come and experience the power of these two symbols of World Youth Day that have touched the lives of millions of youth from around the world! Enq: Katie Mellick 6380 5293 or mellick. kate@cathednet.wa.edu.au
Monday 26 May
Rockingham Parish and Kolbe Catholic College 5pm to 8:30am at Kolbe Catholic College, Dowling Street, Rockingham. Enq: Leanne Joyce 9591 4206 or joyce.leanne@cathednet.wa.edu.au
Wednesday 4 June
Kalgoorlie
11am + all day event at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Cnr. Brookman and Porter Streets, Kalgoorlie. Enq: Matthew Hodgson WYD Office, (08) 9422 7944 or wyd.projectworker@highgate-perthcatholic. org.au
Thursday 5 June
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Merredin 1.30pm – 3pm at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, South Avenue, Merredin . Enq: Parish Council, (08) 9041 1118 or stmary@westnet.com
Thursday 5 June
Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, Toodyay 6pm + evening at Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, 36 Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. Enq: Friar Gabriel Cortes, (08) 9574 5204 or avemaria@perthcatholic.org.au
Friday 6 June
St Joseph’s School, Northam
9am - 11am at St Joseph’s School,Wellington Street, Northam. Enq: Fiona Tabone, (08) 9622 1105 or tabone. fiona@cathednet.wa.edu.au
Friday 6 June
St Thomas More College, Morley
1pm - 3pm at St Thomas More College, Mounts Bay
Road, Crawley. Enq: Pauline Ibbs, (08) 9386 0112 or stmcssec@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Friday 6 June
YCS/YCW, Perth city
4pm – 8pm at Forrest Chase – Perth City, Corner Wellington Road & Hay St Mall, Perth. Enq: Katherine Radosevich, (08) 9422 7910 or perth@ycw.org.au
Saturday 7 June
Schoenstatt Shrine
1am – 7am at Schoenstatt Centre, 9 Talus Drive, Armadale. Enq: Sr M Georgina Heger, (08) 9399 2349 or g.heger@bigpond.com
Saturday 7 June
Thornlie Parish
8am - Noon at Thornlie Parish, Cnr Ovens Rd and Discovery Drive, Thornlie. Enq: Michael Elder, (08) 9459 2113 or fastmik@iprimus.com.au
Saturday 7 June
Spearwood Parish
1pm – 4pm at St Jerome’s Catholic Parish, Cnr Troode Street & Rockingham Road, Munster. Enq: Christopher John De Sousa, (08) 9418 4821 or christo.desousa@gmail.com
Saturday 7 June
Applecross Parish
4.30pm – 8pm at St Benedict’s Church, 115 Ardross
St, Ardross. Enq: Paul Ciccarelli, (08) 9315 1325 or ciccarelli@ozemail.com.au
Sunday 8 June
Stations of the Cross pilgrimage walk, Swan River foreshore
7am – Noon at Swan River Foreshore Stations of the Cross Pilgrimage Walk. Enq: Tammy Nguyen, Perth WYD Office, (08) 9422 7944 or wyd. formation@highgate-perthcatholic.org.au
Sunday 8 June
Bateman Parish
5pm – midnight. St Thomas More, Bateman, 100 Dean Road, Bateman. Enq: Laura Kendrick, (08) 9364 8947 or laurakendrick88@hotmail.com
Monday 9 June
Prendiville College, Ocean Reef 8am - Noon. Prendiville Catholic College, Prendiville Avenue, Ocean Reef. Enq: Gemma Wooltorton, (08) 9301 6284 or gwooltorton@prendiville.wa.edu.au
Monday 9 June
Lockridge Parish
1pm – 9am at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 215 Morley Drive East, Kiara. Enq: Fr. Vinh Dong, (08) 9279 8119 or vinhdong@perthcatholic.org.au
What Benedict said to youth in the US - Pages 8 & 9
WITH THEM: Pope Benedict greets 50,000 youth on April 19 in what was likely to be the run-up to World Youth Day in July. His message focussed on two things: Jesus Christ is the hope of every person’s entire life; the best example for following him and getting to know him is the lives of the saints throughout history. Photo:CNS
Much was raised for Caritas’ Lenten Drive - Project Compassion - as students and staff of Catholic schools across the state did what they could to lend a helping hand.
Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese confronted the challenge to assist those in need, with creativity and firm resolve over the recent Lenten period.
From the far north to the deep south of Western Australia, students and staff gave up luxuries, pondered the plight of the world’s poor and did what they could to help through
this year’s Caritas Project Compassion drive.
At one of the smaller schools within the Bunbury Diocese, St Michael’s in Brunswick, 78 students set their target of raising enough funds to purchase one pig for a poverty-stricken family in Vietnam.
They raised $220 - the equivalent of purchasing four pigs.
Having achieved this so quickly they decided to double their funds, and presented Caritas diocesan director, Ray Lowe with a cheque for $440.
Principal at St Michael’s, Mrs Maureen Tully commented on how the whole school
community worked together to achieve the great result.
Meanwhile, at Kururrungku School in Billiluna, the remote Indigenous school community managed to raise over $1000.
The school community hosted a fun day on February 15, with lucky dips, food stalls, a raffle and many other games.
All this from a community of only 200 people.
“Although the students at our school are quite disadvantaged in many ways, they were extremely generous throughout Lent and raised a lot of money for Caritas,” religious education coordinator at the school, Leah Thorp said.
On a mission to help the world’s needy:
Some of the Billiluna guys crowd together for a photo at their local school grounds (top right).
Meanwhile, Elton Padoon, (above left) enjoys his meal with his buddys, some of whom enjoyed having their face painted during the February 15 fun day at the remote Kururrungku School.
‘Thumbs-up’ from Cassius Manson (above right) who enjoys a cool drink on what must have been a very hot and fun day in Billiluna. Even the teachers got involved in raising the necessary funds with ‘Thorpy’ helping Samuel Boxer to win a game of wheelbarrow. All
Mothers are not irrelevant to their sons - although many seem to assume that they are - at least, compared to a father. Two Record staff (Justine, married with two sons and one daughter) and Caroline (sole parent with one son), pictured at right, review a fascinating book exploring how critical and character-building a mother’s influence can be in her son’s life.
Preparing him for the other woman – a mother’s guide to raising her son to love a wife and lead a family
By Sheri Rose ShepherdRRP $25.95 + postage
Available from The Record
This book is for every mother. It particularly focuses on preparing your son or sons to become the best husband and father that they can be.
However, all mothers will take something away from this beautifully written book that places life learning at the feet of God, the true father.
Sheri Rose Shepherd is a popular Christian conference speaker in America where she has been featured on Lifetime Television for Women and NBC’s Inside Edition. Her book Life is not a dress rehearsal has been endorsed by Women of Faith.
Reading how Shepherd was inspired to write this book draws at every mother’s heartstrings. She addresses an amazing concept,
beginning by asking the crucial question, ‘What kind of husband will your son grow up to be?’
It offers hope to mothers regardless of their family situations.
In a world with a 50 per cent divorce rate both inside and outside the Church, where pornography is no longer a hidden shame but endorsed as acceptable entertainment, where boys have better relationships with their play stations, televisions and computers than they have with their families, this book makes essential reading and gives real hope that you can raise your son to one day love, lead and protect a wife and family in today’s world.
Shepherd argues that it is imperative that a mother builds the spiritual foundations so that her son can become a man with a godly heart.
Shepherd is specific when she says that this book is not meant as a replacement for the role a father plays in his son’s life and that we all know how important a Godly, loving father is. You are blessed if you have one.
But one in four homes today is without a man in the house at all and others have fathers who have given up or never learned the key role they are meant to play.
Shepherd offers hope by saying that although, as a mother, you cannot replace the father role you can raise what she calls a ‘modern day hero’ who will do right by his wife and family.
She reasons that it is our responsibility as mothers and that we can build and show our sons, through our own mother-son relationships - that as mothers we need to share a spiritual intimacy with our son to show him how to fight for love, and that it is worth it!
The chapters are short, easy to read and practical, with bible readings and prayers, to inspire. Shepherd divides each chapter into four sections: Life Happens, A Mother’s Influence, A Mother in Action; divided into age groups relevant to your sons stages of development, which makes it practical and easy to follow. She then concludes chapters with The Big Picture
Justine: As a mother of sons I found this book particularly heartening as ‘life does happen,’ and sometimes we get lost along the way, becoming caught up in daily chores and forgetting that we are not just meant to survive our children’s childhood, but to parent for our children to become adults.
I found myself guilty, perhaps, of passing off ‘the boy stuff’ to my husband and maybe not being as involved as I should be. Shepherd showed me that I too have a huge role in preparing my son for his future wife and family.
Caroline: As a single parent raising a son I have been bewildered as to the profound influence his father has on him for some years with so little contact. Witnessing first-hand just how deep the male bond can be, I found myself questioning whether I could even compare. I was given this book at a time when my heartache was as its peak only to find that, yes, a mother plays a significant role in her son ‘s life and that it is just as important. Not only that, it has been able to guide me in how I should approach certain key areas.
Justine: This book also made me consider how my sons related to, and treated their sister and also how my daughter related to them. I found that often if my sons were not particularly nice to my daughter (perhaps an understatement) I would express my dislike in terms of how they were treating another person. After reading this book I now get them to think about her feelings, her point of view and how their actions may have affected her. In Shepherd’s words ‘preparing him for one of the greatest challenges: understanding that his words and actions have the power to either hurt or heal a woman’s heart’
“Shepherd showed me that I, too, have a huge role in preparing my son for his future wife and family.”
Caroline: Once, my son turned to me during Sunday Mass and asked why the same man had to take up the collection. I explained it was his job.
No sooner had I said that than I saw it as an opportunity to elaborate. I explained that this man wanted to do something good for God so that God can be happy with him. It is not so much about whether the explanation I gave my son could have been said differently, but more about learning to take advantage of life’s opportunities to help my son grow.
This book has enlightened me about ways I can steer him towards a relationship with God, which has been becoming more of an issue to me in establishing his faith with his church. I foresee myself referring to it many times as guidance and for support.
We have both found this book thoughtprovoking and profoundly moving in many ways. People say that when you read a book you learn only one thing from it. With this book there are a handful of important lessons.
Shepherd has provided a clearer path by channeling a mother’s intuition into practical ways of enhancing the mother-son relationship. It also challenges your thinking and proves that a mother’s role is not to be underestimated, and even more valuable than you may realise
She shows that, with God’s guidance, our prayers, training and influence in our son’s lives we can equip the next generation of men. We hope you take the time to read it and that it illuminates your role as a mother in your son’s life just as much as it has done for us.
Pope Benedict's April 15-20 visit to the United States was a smash hit with the Americans, especially his speech to 50,000 young people in New York. Here are some selected quotes from some of the Holy Father’s speeches that give a sense of what Benedict wanted to communicate.
April 19, Yonkers, New York
“My own years as a teenager were marred by a sinister regime that thought it had all the answers; its influence grew - infiltrating schools and civic bodies, as well as politics and even religion - before it was fully recognised for the monster it was.
“It banished God and thus became impervious to anything true and good. Many of your grandparents and greatgrandparents will have recounted the horror of the destruction that ensued. Indeed, some of them came to America precisely to escape such terror.”
“What happens when people, especially the most vulnerable, encounter a clenched fist of repression or manipulation rather than a hand of hope? ...the dreams and longings that young people pursue can so easily be shattered or destroyed. I am thinking of those affected by drug
and substance abuse, homelessness and poverty, racism, violence, and degradation - especially of girls and women.
“While the causes of these problems are complex, all have in common a poisoned attitude of mind which results in people being treated as mere objects - a callousness of heart takes hold which first ignores, then ridicules, the God-given dignity of every human being.
“The second area of darkness - that which affects the mind - often goes unnoticed, and for this reason is particularly sinister. The manipulation of truth distorts our perception of reality, and tarnishes our imagination and aspirations. I have already mentioned the many liberties which you are fortunate enough to enjoy.
“The fundamental importance of freedom must be rigorously safeguarded. It is no surprise then that numerous individuals and groups vociferously
An encyclical on the Eucharist as the source and summit of the Church’s life and mission.
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claim their freedom in the public forum. Yet freedom is a delicate value. It can be misunderstood or misused so as to lead not to the happiness which we all expect it to yield, but to a dark arena of manipulation in which our understanding of self and the world becomes confused, or even distorted by those who have an ulterior agenda.
“Have you noticed how often the call for freedom is made without ever referring to the truth of the human person? Some today argue that respect for freedom of the individual makes it wrong to seek truth, including the truth about what is good.
“In some circles to speak of truth is seen as controversial or divisive, and consequently best kept in the private sphere. And in truth’s place - or better said its absence - an idea has spread which, in giving value to everything indiscriminately, claims to assure freedom and to liberate conscience. This we call relativism.
“... How many young people have been offered a hand which in the name of freedom or experience has led them to addiction, to moral or intellectual confusion, to hurt, to a loss of self-
The
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respect, even to despair and so tragically and sadly to the taking of their own life?
“Dear friends, truth is not an imposition. Nor is it simply a set of rules. It is a discovery of the One who never fails us; the One whom we can always trust. In seeking truth we come to live by belief because ultimately truth is a person: Jesus Christ.
“That is why authentic freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in; nothing less than letting go of self and allowing oneself to be drawn into Christ’s very being for others.
“How then can we as believers help others to walk the path of freedom which brings fulfillment and lasting happiness? Let us again turn to the saints.
“How did their witness truly free others from the darkness of heart and mind? The answer is found in the kernel of their faith; the kernel of our faith…
“... Here you might recall the prayer uttered on the most holy night of Easter: “Father we share in the light of your glory through your Son the light of the world inflame us with your hope!
“And so, in solemn procession with our lighted candles we pass the light of Christ among us. It is “the light which dispels
The fundamentals of Christian tradition.
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all evil, washes guilt innocence, brings m out hatred, brings us earthly pride.”
“This is Christ’s li the way of the saints vision of hope - Chris to be guiding stars Christ’s way of forgiv humility, joy and pea
“At times, howev to close in on ours strength of Christ’s r horizon of hope. Tak gaze on our saints.
“The diversity o of God’s presence discover anew the b Christianity.
“Let your imaginat the limitless expanse Christian discipleshi looked upon as peop prohibitions. Nothin from the truth!
“Authentic Christ marked by a sense o
By: Joanna Bogle
Meet a man who is St Peter’s successor, read what he actually says and discover the way he thinks and acts.
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Pope Benedict XVI
“This book is my sonal search for the of the Lord.” - Bene XVI
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t away, restores lost mourners joy, casts peace, and humbles
ight at work. This is s. It is a magnificent st’s light beckons you for others, walking eness, reconciliation, ace. er, we are tempted selves, to doubt the radiance, to limit the ke courage! Fix your of their experience e prompts us to readth and depth of ions soar freely along e of the horizons of p. Sometimes we are ple who speak only of ng could be further tian discipleship is of wonder. We stand
before the God we know and love as a friend, the vastness of his creation, and the beauty of our Christian faith.
“Your personal prayer, your times of silent contemplation, and your participation in the Church’s liturgy, bring you closer to God and also prepare you to serve others.
“The saints accompanying us this evening show us that the life of faith and hope is also a life of charity. Contemplating Jesus on the Cross we see love in its most radical form.
“We can begin to imagine the path of love along which we must move. The opportunities to make this journey are abundant.
“Look about you with Christ’s eyes, listen with his ears, feel and think with his heart and mind. Are you ready to give all as he did for truth and justice?
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
April 18 New York
“…our thoughts turn also to the way the results of scientific research and technological advances have sometimes
been applied.
“Notwithstanding the enormous benefits that humanity can gain, some instances of this represent a clear violation of the order of creation, to the point where not only is the sacred character of life contradicted, but the human person and the family are robbed of their natural identity.
“Likewise, international action to preserve the environment and to protect various forms of life on earth must not only guarantee a rational use of technology and science, but must also rediscover the authentic image of creation.
“This never requires a choice to be made between science and ethics: rather it is a question of adopting a scientific method that is truly respectful of ethical imperatives.”
TO YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES
April 19 New York
HELLO: Pope B enedict greets the massive crowd of youth who turned out to welcome him in New York on April 19. Among other things he spoke of his own experience as a youth living under the Nazi regime. It was, he said, “monstrous.” Along with thousands of others a young girl, at left, waves in greeting to the Pope. Photos:CNS
“Sometimes it is challenging to find a reason for what appears only as a difficulty to be overcome or even pain to be endured. Yet our faith helps us to break open the horizon beyond our own selves in order to see life as God does. God’s unconditional love, which bathes every human individual, points to a meaning and purpose for all human life.
“Through his Cross, Jesus in fact draws us into his saving love (cf. Jn 12:32) and in so doing shows us the way ahead - the way of hope which transfigures us all, so that we too, become bearers of that hope and charity for others.
“Dear friends, I encourage you all to pray every day for our world. There are so many intentions and people you can pray for, including those who have yet to come to know Jesus. And please do continue to pray for me. As you know I have just had another birthday. Time passes!”
April 17 Washington
“We observe today a timidity in the face of the category of the good and an aimless pursuit of novelty parading as the realisation of freedom. We witness an assumption that every experience is of equal worth and a reluctance to admit imperfection and mistakes. And, particularly disturbing, is the reduction of the precious and delicate area of education in sexuality to management of 'risk', bereft of any reference to the beauty of conjugal love.
“How might Christian educators
respond? ... the profound responsibility to lead the young to truth is nothing less than an act of love.
“Indeed, the dignity of education lies in fostering the true perfection and happiness of those to be educated. In practice "intellectual charity" upholds the essential unity of knowledge against the fragmentation which ensues when reason is detached from the pursuit of truth.”
April 19 New York
“I would like to draw your attention to a few aspects of this beautiful structure which I think can serve as a starting point for a reflection on our particular vocations within the unity of the Mystical Body.
“The first has to do with the stained glass windows, which flood the interior with mystic light.
“From the outside, those windows are dark, heavy, even dreary. But once one enters the church, they suddenly come alive; reflecting the light passing through them, they reveal all their splendor... It is only from the inside, from the experience of faith and ecclesial life, that we see the Church as she truly is: flooded with grace, resplendent in beauty, adorned by the manifold gifts of the Spirit. It follows that we, who live the life of grace within the Church’s communion, are called to draw all people into this mystery of light.”
The full text of the Pope’s speech to young people can be found on The Record’s website: www.therecord.com.au
As the Cross and Icon visits Notre Dame Sydney students and staff, Fremantle’s campus invite all to join a competition.
The University of Notre Dame Sydney Campus welcomed the World Youth Day Cross and Icon earlier this month.
The same renowned cross and icon is scheduled to arrive on the Fremantle campus on Wednesday May 21.
Notre Dame Fremantle Campus is very fortunate to be one of the very first communities to host it in Western Australia.
The arrival of the World Youth Day Cross at the University of Notre Dame carries the
opportunity to explore the meaning of the cross. For some, it symbolises courage, fear, suffering, hope, new life and resurrection.
Notre Dame would like to extend an invitation to take part in a photo exhibition in celebration of World Youth Day to all those who are interested.
The theme of the Exhibition is ‘Confronting the Cross’ and asks people to explore what the Cross means to them.
The competition wishes participants to ask the following questions when taking their photos: What does the cross symbolise for you and where do you see it represented in your day-to-day life?
Please submit your photo, along with an explanation of no more that 30 words, to gwatson@nd.edu.au by May 7.
Trinity College year 12 boys enjoyed a delightful night with their partners as they entered the world of the mad hatter, white rabbit and Alice for their April 24 school ball. They were greeted by characters including the White Rabbit, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, The Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter from the Mad Hatters Tea Party. Year 12 Coordinator Eileen Lane and student mother Marilyn Harris had been working on the decorations for the past month.
Deaf parents Dean and Emma, share what is is like to live in their family home, with their two children.
What’s it like being a teenager?
This question was asked of the Chevron family recently. The Chevrons consist of Dean, Emma, Kiefer,14, and Laura, 12.
For Kiefer, being a teenager means being able to get to do more things. Soon I will be able to learn to drive a car.”
For Laura, who attends Iona College, the idea of having more freedom and parental trust in her makes the coming years very attractive.
Dean works as a carpenter and Emma works as a casual bus transport assistant helping people with disabilities to their destinations.
Over the years Kiefer and Laura have not been given a set amount of pocket money per week.
Many of their friends receive pocket money, however, if Kiefer and Laura really want something, they ask and they usually get it.
During school holidays they are given spending money for each day.
This all changed for Kiefer last Christmas when at the age of 14 he was allowed to work and gain some independence with his own budgeting.
Kiefer is a student at Christian Brother’s College in Fremantle. During the Christmas vacation, Kiefer’s grandfather noticed a vacancy at a local IGA store and Kiefer was quick to enlist his mother’s help to type up an application.
After successfully obtaining the “packing” job, Kiefer has learnt the value of earning his own money.
Soon Kiefer hopes to gain employment at the local video shop.
One of the rewards for Kiefer of having a paid job, is “Zac”, a black Labrador puppy. A long time dream realised.
Laura also contributed toward the cost and is 1/60 part owner. Laura’s responsibility is to exercise the dog every day.
Having a puppy has meant Kiefer and Laura learning to put things away and out of reach of the dog.
The score for the dog, so far, is a mobile telephone, numerous shoes, and a mobile phone recharger, and part of a lounge chair.
Kiefer’s next major purchase will be a computer and saving to go with his friend to the FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) World Cup Soccer matches in 2010.
Laura is too young to get a job but still thinks that being a teenager is better than
being a younger child. As soon as she is old enough, Laura, too, hopes to get a job at the video store.
Emma, Kiefer and Laura will be attending World Youth Day in Sydney in July and will spend some time before the event visiting relatives.
All three are looking forward to seeing snow for the first time. Kiefer in particular, wants to go snowboarding. This trip will be a “major” holiday.
A recent minor holiday in Hyden was deemed by all members of the family as disastrous.
After the initial sightseeing at Wave Rock and surrounds the rest of the time was not as stimulating as they would have liked and there were flies, no TV, boredom.
When asked, “Who picked Hyden?” Emma sheepishly admitted that it was her choice. The family laughs about it all now.
A “major” holiday to the Gold Coast, on the other hand, was a huge success for the whole family.
Laura will sometimes go out with her friends to the movies or have sleepovers. Kiefer often goes to a friend who lives in Armadale and they attend a church youth group there on Friday nights.
When asked if they, as parents, are concerned about their children’s future, Dean
and Emma both said that Kiefer and Laura have lots of common sense and have learnt to accept responsibility.
The technique used by Dean and Emma to encourage discussion about serious subjects, such as drugs, drinking, smoking, and sex, is for Emma to collect materials and pamphlets.
They have supporting friends and the extended family is helpful, too.
The biggest worry for both parents is that if ever the children should get up in the middle of the night to go out, they would not hear them.
Both Dean and Emma are profoundly deaf. Their deafness, however, has not prevented them from being normal parents of normal children.
The family communicate through sign language.
Emma often is involved in teaching Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to groups and individuals.
Emma says, “Communication is essential for maintaining a relationship with teenagers, or anybody else, for that matter.
Dean and I are so grateful that our children communicate with us in our language and while we have our differences, we are a family in spite of them.”
Members of the Committee for Family and for Life are:
Bishop Don Sproxton 9223 1351
Fr Doug Harris 9444 6131
Barbara Harris 9328 8113
Derek Boylen 9325 1859
Lydia Fernandez 9328 2929
Margaret Maassen 6380 5314
Bronia Karniewciz 9375 2029
Su Goh 0413560033
Classes with more girls than boys are better for both girls and boys, according to an unpublished Israeli study. Professor Analia Schlosser, an economist from Tel Aviv University, studied boys and girls in elementary, middle and high-school grades of the Israeli school system. She concluded that classes with more than 55 per cent of girls resulted in better exam results and less violent outbursts overall. “It appears that this effect is due to the positive influence the girls are adding to the classroom environment,” she said.
Prof Schlosser was inspired to do the study, which she carried out while on a post-doctoral fellowship at Princeton University, by the renewed interest in single-sex schooling in the United States. She thinks her study should cause educators to reconsider, since what girls gain from segregation could result in losses for boys.
However, one obvious question arising from the research concerns the impossibility of providing a female dominance in every class in order to achieve the desired effects. Wouldn’t that result in a surplus of boys somewhere who would have to be schooled separately?
The Archdiocesan Committee for Family and for Life Newsletter, through Discovery, can be downloaded from the internet. Go to the Perth Archdiocesan homepage www.perthcatholic.org.au, click “organisations”, then click “ecclesiastical organisations”, then click “Committee for Family and for Life”. The Newsletter is available in alternate formats, Braille, Plain English text and on audio tape by contacting Su Goh on 9242 4066 at the L.J.Goody Bioethics Centre.
For the past three years Saint Denis’ Parish in Joondanna has been organising what they call, “Family Faith Feasts.” These events bring together whole families, where parents and children are all invited to take part. This past Lent, for example, the “Family Faith Feasts” focused on the program produced by the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth Centre for Liturgy.
These “Family Faith Feasts” are held in the evenings at 6pm and begin with a shared finger food tea. After tea, the children are separated into various groups according to age and ability and move off to their respective areas. Volunteers in these areas then worked/played with the children in activities especially geared to the children present. Meanwhile, the adults split up in to workable sized groups. The material from the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth Centre for Liturgy provided the initial starting point for faith sharing.
At the end of the evening session, the children return to the parents and share with the adults some of the things that they have been doing. For the story about Lazarus, for example, the children wrapped each other, mummy-like. At the end of the evening, the children were then invited to wrap their parents. The story of Lazarus’ coming back to life took on new meaning.
During Lent 2008, the “Family Faith Feasts” were part of a larger program of faith sharing experiences in the Parish. In the Lenten program, there were seven different groups of adults each with an average of eight people.
The Parish was truly blessed to have Father Michael, OSM, recently arrived to be Parish Priest Fr Michael visited most of the groups at least once and also translated the Archdiocesan program into Italian. This Italian translated program was used by at least six other parishes in the metropolitan
Amidst the turmoil and challenges of life, in our own brokenness we sometimes miss the power of healing in the Eucharist. The Morley Catholic Mental Health Group, established in 2007 to support people with mental health issues, their families and friends, organised a Mass of Healing at Infant Jesus Parish Church on March 27. Coming so close to Holy Week and Easter celebrations, participants were well aware of the anguish of Jesus as he cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!”
Unlike the ordinary Parish Mass, many people can think that those attending Mass are people whose lives are complete and happy. For the 90 people who came to this particular Mass, everyone was prepared to admit that their life was not the perfect one. Each person at the Mass was truly aware of their need for God.
As people came into the church they were presented with a piece of paper and a pen to write down a petition, some particular need for themselves or for someone else and deposit these in a container. Later in the Mass these petitions were burnt and as Jesus offered himself again in the Mass, the
smoke from these petitions rose to God. After Communion participants were invited to come and receive the anointing with the holy oil, recently blessed by the Archbishop and the priests of the diocese at the Chrism Mass in Ballajura.
Those who wished to, brought a lighted candle and placed it on the sanctuary steps. After Mass participants were invited to take one of the candles home as a reminder of God’s continuous presence with us. Although the particular candle received may not have been the one they placed, we were reminded that we are all members of the body of Christ, and we pray for each other.
After Mass, the group gathered in the Parish Hall to listen to each other and to share. As people left to go home, they were aware that in the darkest night, in the deepest confusion, in the weakest moment, the presence of the living God is with them.
The Morley Catholic Mental Health Group meet on the fourth Thursday of every month in Infant Jesus Parish Hall, 47 Wellington St, Morley at 7pm.
and country areas Besides the obvious spiritual benefits of these parish programs, there have been many new friendships formed in the Parish. People, who had only been a face in the crowd at Mass before, now became seen as a friend in the crowd. The enthusiasm generated by these programs has spilled over into the general Parish. Many people have realised that they do have something to contribute to the life of the Parish. Moreover, it all becomes easier, when one can be involved alongside one’s friend.
Further information contact Darren 9276 8500, Linda 9275 2992 or Thelma 9276 5949.
As effective as the oral contraceptive pill
For more information call 9223 1396 e-mail: admin.nfs@aanet.com.au or visit www.acnfp.com.au
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Sheila Pozarowszczyk is a member of Our Lady of the Mission Catholic Parish, in Whitfords. She shares her experiences about Family Groups.
She says “Family groups is a movement within a parish of people who have a desire to get to know other parishioners and meet socially on a regular basis, usually monthly. Family groups is about strengthening the relationships between people with the aim of building a stronger Christian community in the parish, as in the early Church.
A ‘family’ could be a younger single person, a family with many children, a senior person with children not at home, or a couple. The parish has different styles of groups to suit different people’s needs. All are welcome.”
Sheila says” My family and I actually found ourselves in Family Groups by default. It was
about 6 years ago when our then parish priest Fr Geoff Aldeous asked me to be a group leader. I must add that I had no idea what this involved but I thought I might as well give it a go.
As time went by quite a few of the other parishioners who had joined in our group also took over the leadership role which took the pressure off any one individual.
Initially I invited quite a few families over to my home and we were introduced to one another sharing a cuppa and some biscuits. I explained to everyone that the idea was to come together socially once a month. I waved around my calendar asking everyone to give some thought on what we could plan for the first outing and what date etc. Everyone participated giving their suggestions and taking responsibility for one month’s activity.
We discussed low budget ideas where all age groups could participate. Once the names were put in the calendar, each family unit went away to finalise their contribution.
Well, it took off tremendously well. About 8 families met regularly, a mixture of mums, dads, young children and even a few teenagers tossed in as well.
What we did and where we went was just something else!! I’ll give a few tasters of what we did.
We stayed over for a few days at Eagles Nest, this was a great event, outside singing songs and telling stories, mothers and children only, dads missed out on this particular one.
Christmas in July at Carine Tafe, lazy Sunday afternoons at the beach enjoying a picnic and playing cricket etc. Every other month we had a night especially for the adults such as a
meal at the local Chinese restaurant. Shared luncheons, for mums and younger children. Whiteman Park bush dances. The stay at Tuppen House in Guilderton had members and friends and even relatives from overseas as it was school holidays. Approximately forty-five people attended, lots of laughter and activities, a great few days at little cost with masses of interaction.
It was not possible for everyone to attend all the functions. However it flourished, mostly because of the input of the members, who I must say are an amazing group of people.
The friendships that were forged between adults and adults and children were really special and are still blossoming today. If you would like further information about Family Groups contact Sheila Pozarowszczyk at Our Lady of the Mission Catholic Church.
Margaret Maassen is a Consultant for Student Wellbeing at the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia. Her work involves helping families in the grieving process.
“When families experience a death of a loved one, separation or divorce it usually stops them in their tracks with excruciating feelings of loss. This feeling of loss for the absent person who was significant in the family’s life is known as grief.
For most people the most difficult of experiences to deal with is grief. This is because although it is universal, it is also uniquely individual. Grief is not an illness that needs to be “cured”, “recovered from” or “got over”. Nor is it a task to be “got through” like a defined schedule or program that ensures you graduate out the other end in six weeks. Grief is the normal, natural response of the person to a significant loss in their life. This response is at every level of our being: physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological. It is not a phase in our lives but an ongoing, whole life redefining process, of living every aspect of who we are.
When a death, separation or divorce occurs, adults will often try to shield young people from what is happening. They may also be
Margaret Maasen
so consumed in their own grief they are unable to provide the needed support to their children. In times of family grief young people are often forgotten. When children are not informed of the events that are occurring, what they are prone to imagine in their own minds to be happening can be far more frightening for them than the truth.
Just like adults, children experience grief, but their grief reactions in most cases will be different to the adults around them. This is because children grieve depending on where they are developmentally. Very young children do not understand that when a person dies they will not be coming back. They have not yet developed the understanding of permanence and may continue to ask for and look for the dead person. Because young children’s lives are steeped in their world of fantasy and make-believe they can often believe that they have made the absent parent disappear and live in fear of the remaining parent disappearing also. They worry about who will take care of
their basic needs, of feeding them, dressing them and playing with them. Most grieving children will regress in their behaviours for example, bedwetting, thumb sucking, soiling, biting and hitting. They may respond by changes in sleep patterns and become very clingy and fearful. Parents can help young children by limiting your separation from them, reassuring them of your love with plenty of holding and cuddling, simple explanations talking about how they are feeling and by keeping as much consistency in their routine as possible.
When a family is grieving, older children and adolescents also worry about who will keep them safe. While adolescents are beginning to pull away from the family they still want and need to know that there is a protective haven to return to when life gets too frightening or a problem arises. Even when they have been clearly told that the life changing event was not their fault, for most young people, guilt is a nagging concern for a long time.
Some of the grieving responses older children and adolescents may have are: feelings of great sadness and loneliness with increased crying and withdrawing, extreme anger and blaming of the remaining parent, difficulty
getting along with siblings and friends, and an inability to concentrate, especially on school work. Some young people may also experience headaches, stomach aches, fatigue or an increase of erratic energy. The most sought after response of young people at this time is a parent’s constant reassurance and love both physically and verbally.
Suzy Yehl Marta in her book, ‘Healing the Hurt: Restoring the Hope’ advises that the most important role that adults have when young people are grieving is to listen – to listen with our hearts, our eyes, our souls and our ears. Thus, young people will learn that it is normal, healthy and natural to have feelings that do not feel so good. In this way they will be given permission to grieve and will do it in healthy ways. By being truly present to young people they will have the courage to ask their questions, to talk about how they are feeling, to feel understood, and be able to find their own answers to enable them to integrate this life changing experience into their lives. As adults the support we model at this time will be pivotal in shaping their lives for the future.
For further information and programs for the grieving contact, Margaret Maassen, on 6380 5314
Did you know that the Catholic Church has hundreds of Saints?
Saints are the holy men, women and children who had a close personal relationship with Christ and in faithfulness to him made their mark on the lives of those who knew them. They came from all over the world, from all walks of life, and now they are all glorified in Heaven where they intercede for us.
Complete the Saints Word Sleuth and find the hidden phrase for your chance to win a copy of The Squire & The Scroll, the adventure story about a boy who learnt about the virtue of a pure heart – the virtue which all the Saints have in common!
Post entries to:
NEW YORK (CNS) - The classic biblical tale of the Exodus is effectively retold with 3-D computer-generated imagery animation in “The Ten Commandments” (Promenade), and narrator Sir Ben Kingsley leads an impressive voice ensemble.
We know the story. Raised as an Egyptian prince but exiled because of his violent defense of an Israelite slave, Moses (voice of Christian Slater) encounters the God of his ancestors (soothingly personified by Elliott Gould) in a burning bush in the wilderness. God commands him to go to the Pharaoh, here named Ramses (Alfred Molina), and demand freedom for the Hebrews.
When Ramses refuses, we see Moses, supported by his brother, Aaron (Christopher Gaze), and his sister, Miriam (Kathleen Barr), employ miraculous God-given powers to bring down a series of plagues on the Pharaoh’s people, culminating in the deaths of all their firstborn sons on the night of Passover.
Ramses, as we know, finally agrees to let God’s people go. When he later pursues them, his entire army is drowned in the Red
Mighty: Moses, voiced by Christian Slater, is depicted in a scene from the animated movie “The Ten Commandments.” The film’s screenwriter Ed Naha, a Catholic whose previous credits include “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” said he hopes the movie “will appeal to people who don’t know the Bible.” The movie will open on 700 screens nationwide on October 19. CNS photo/Promenade Pictures
Sea. As the Israelites wander in the desert, they rebel against God and Moses. Led by Dathan (Lee Tockar), they repeatedly put God to the test. By the time Moses
■ Reviewed by Mark
ReidyNo more Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps.
By Paul CoughlinRRP $20.95 + postage
Available from The Record
As the title suggests, Paul Coughlin is not a man who is prepared to compromise his message for the sake of keeping the waters calm. In fact, he points out, that, “not making waves is the state that precedes drowning.”
Coughlin is adamant that today’s Christians are being robbed of living the fullness of life because, as children, they have and still are, being presented with a partial, or even false understanding of the character of God. He claims that by focusing solely on the gentler virtues, such as kindness, humility and compliance and ignoring the more challenging ones such as boldness, moral courage and shrewdness, parents and churches have created the most timid, risk-adverse and anxiety ridden generation that has walked the planet.
With a passion borne from personal experience and many years as a junior sporting coach in the US, Coughlin does not hide his disdain for a phenomenon that has led to increasing levels of mental illness, substance abuse, self-harm, eating disorders as well as a more subtle suppression within marriages and careers.
We are more focused on producing “nice” children, writes Coughlin, who are trained to avoid conflict, rather than teaching them that a more complete understanding of the person of Jesus is one that will recognise and confront individual and corporate injustice. They have become peace-fakers, he says, not peacemakers.
Coughlin’s is adamant that God did not create us to be passive and is opposed to the “pray and get out of God’s way” Christianity
that he says can be used as a guise for fear, apathy and inaction.
He promotes insightful perceptions on scriptures that deal with meekness and turning the other cheek, placing them into a context that saw Jesus forcefully stand up to unjust authorities and driving others away with a whip.
Coughlin deals with issues such as shyness, bullying, parental over-protectiveness, and excessive self-focus and shows how they are not only interrelated, but how they contribute to both childhood and adult dysfunction.
The author’s confronting style may challenge readers, as it did with me, but I was left with a conviction that he has tapped into a key weakness that has pervaded our modern concept of Christianity.
Many have confined love to feel-good emotions and have neglected the more challenging aspects such as bravery, assertiveness and righteousness, which compel us to challenge what is wrong.
This book certainly made me analyse my own parenting style. Am I more concerned about hurting my children’s feelings than cultivating their hearts to overcome fear when making decisions?
Do I give them enough room to take risks and explore the world so that they can come to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses and therefore become stronger in character and less prone to peer pressure? Or do my overprotective arms create in them a self-focus that will blind them to the injustices that they inevitably confront?
“No More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps” raises many questions, but it also provides many answers. How it will change lives will depend on the courage of those who read it.
returns from the heights of Mount Sinai, where God has given him the tablets of the law, the Hebrew wanderers are already busy breaking the First Commandment
by worshipping an idolatrous golden calf. Directors Bill Boyce and John Stronach’s film, the production company’s debut and the first in a proposed series of “Epic Stories of the Bible” takes advantage of high-tech animation to present its story on a suitably grand scale.
There are vast crowds (no extras to pay here!) and the Pharaoh’s palace is splendiferous.
Occasionally stiff in both action and tone (the figures seem awfully inflexible), the movie is frankly not up to the standard set by Pixar in their features.
Neither is it likely to displace the beloved 1956 Cecil B. DeMille live-action version.
On the other hand, the film is essentially faithful to the scriptural record. Only a few dramatic details - such as the youthful friendship between Moses and Ramseshave been judiciously added.
“The Ten Commandments” thus provides a reasonably good introduction to a vital piece of biblical history for children, also serving as a pleasant refresher course for the adults who accompany them.
The film contains some images that may be mildly frightening for very young children.
■ Reviewed by Pamela Bruce
If you recently watched the movie “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, you might be aware that C. S. Lewis wrote a total of seven books about Narnia:
# The Magician’s Nephew
# The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
# The Horse and His Boy
# Prince Caspian
# The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
# The Silver Chair
# The Last Battle
“Prince Caspian” begins one year after the events in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” on a railroad platform where Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy are waiting for trains that will take them to their boarding schools. Suddenly they are transported into another world, and after a few adventures they realise that it is Narnia, where many centuries have passed in the meantime.
The second plot line involves young Prince Caspian, heir to the throne of Narnia, who has to flee from his usurping uncle Miraz. Deep in a forest he discovers some of the “Old Narnians” - talking beasts and dwarfs - and eventually decides to challenge his uncle for the kingship.
Things turn out bad for Caspian and his small army, and they end up besieged on Aslan’s How, a hill built over the site of the ancient stone table that played such a crucial role in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. In dire need, Caspian uses his most precious object, Queen Susan’s Horn, to summon help.
This review does not want to give away too much more of the plot and spoil the reader’s enjoyment, so let me just say that
the two plot lines intertwine, there are thrilling battle scenes (including a formal duel) and a wonderful celebration at the end.
Lewis does a great job of showing the gradual re-transformation of the four children, who once again turn from being English schoolchildren to becoming Kings and Queens of Narnia.
To me, “Prince Caspian” is one of the three best books in the Narnia series, together with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and “The Magician’s Nephew”. In many ways, it repeats themes from “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, but adds an interesting perspective by having the events of the earlier book become the stuff of legend.
Mid-year Applications are now open
For more information please contact our Admissions staff on 9433 0844 or at www.nd.edu.au for an application pack.
The World Youth Day Cross arrives on the Fremantle campus on Wednesday 21 May. The University is extremely fortunate to be one of the very first communities to host the Cross and Icon.
One of the ways in which Notre Dame is going to mark this wonderful event is by holding a photo exhibition themed ‘Confronting the Cross’. Invitations are open to all to participate by submitting photographs exploring the meaning of the cross and how you visualise it. Please refer to the main article inside this edition for further details.
The Bachelor of Preventive Health is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to work effectively with individuals and communities to enable them to successfully undertake health enhancing behaviours while addressing the underlying psychological influences and social constructs that may be barriers to change.
The program is multi-disciplinary encompassing areas such as psychology, behavioural science, counselling, sociology, marketing, media communication and analysis skills. The degree prepares students for employment in the increasingly complex context of public and community health.
Preventive Health will be presented at our next course information evening for Health Sciences,Medicine & Nursing on Tuesday 13 May, Drill Hall (follow the signs on Mouat Street), 6.15pm start.
Do you want to be kept updated this year about our events?
Contact the Prospective Students Office at future@nd.edu.au or call 9433 0533
A Day in the Life of a University Student – Friday 11 July – 9am to 2pm
ATTENTION ALL YEAR 10, 11, & 12 STUDENTS
Have you ever wondered what university life will be like? Notre Dame offers high school students the opportunity to be a Uni Student for a day. Students go through the process of enrolling, attend mini-lectures as well as hear about the transition from high school to university.
Open Day – Sunday 17 August – 10am to 4pm
Enjoy a day exploring the Fremantle Campus. Everyone is welcome.
•Attend information sessions about courses and the admissions process at Notre Dame
•Participate in interactive demonstrations and workshops
•Tour the Fremantle campus
•BBQ Lunch
•Friendly staff available to answer any questions you may have about courses and studying at university
•PLUS course information sessions and workshops
I had completed six months in an engineering degree when I discovered that I wanted a degree that was more people orientated, a degree that would give me the tools to help others improve the quality of their lives. I chose to study Preventive Health because the degree considers a persons health from a holistic point and I believe this approach to health is a positive proactive means in dealing with the future of our aging population.
I chose to study at Notre Dame because it is a private university and the only one of its kind in Perth. The surrounding community of Fremantle is great especially in the summer when you can just head straight to the beach after class and the campus is a stones throw away from the famous Café Strip. I also chose Notre Dame because of the small class sizes that allow a personal teaching environment - I like the idea of my lecturers and tutors knowing my name and recognising my face.
...the small classes allow a personal teaching environment