The Record Newspaper June 2005 - Discovery

“That

Contents

Blogs - teens love them, parents are less impressed. Where should the lines be drawn?

6

Is modesty making a chic comeback?

6

Meet some people doing a really cool job - maybe you can help?

13

Studied from every angle, marriage is undoubtedly best for all involved. Our new series begins

7-9

Fr Richard Leonard is no ordinary parish priest - he also heads Catholic Church TV Australia

12

The hinges of life the key

Catherine Parish

home

Our local State primary school has just introduced a “virtues programme”.

I believe it will be a positive reinforcement of what we try and teach our children at home.

And it shows that the teachers are not only good educators (which they are) but good people who have discerned a need in children passing through their care and wish to address it as best they can.

Whilst it is emphatically not a religion-based programme, the originators have trawled through various religions, exhaustively seeking those time-honoured virtues that seem common to all.

It is intriguing to see this admission that human beings need a firm moral framework if they are to function successfully, and that the most successful framework has traditionally been within a religious context - a glimmer of realisation

Discovery

Catholic magazine for families

EDITOR PETER ROSENGREN Letters to: cathrec@iinet.net.au

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587 Newcastle St, Leederville Post: PO Box 75, Leederville, WA 6902

Tel: (08) 9227 7080

Fax: (08) 9227 7087

Discovery is a bimonthly publication distributed through parishes and schools of the dioceses of Western Australia.

that religion is actually good for you.

I went along dutifully to the information/workshop evening arranged for parents, and had to have a bit of a private giggle.

There was a massive list of about 200 virtues to choose from (the teachers had chosen 52 to focus on!)

When I went to (Catholic) primary school, there were only four - the Cardinal Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance - called Cardinal virtues, because they are the hinges on which all other moral virtues turn.

And every one of the 200 in the school’s programme belongs under the umbrella of one or other of these Cardinal Virtues.

Prudence is the virtue that guides our practical common sense in choosing what is truly good, and setting out to do it.

It is the soul “looking where it is going”, and seeing that it is going towards God who is all good.

Justice is the virtue that gives a firm will and determination to give their due, first to God and then to one’s neighbour; to respect the law of God and the rights of each of our neighbours.

It is the virtue of truly upright conduct and right thinking.

Fortitude is the virtue that

ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in seeing what is good. It strengthens our will to resist evil and overcome obstacles to good in our moral and civil lives.

It enables us to conquer fear - even fear of death - and to face trials and difficulties. It even disposes us to renounce and sacrifice life itself in defence of a just cause.

Temperance is the virtue that moderates the attractions of worldly pleasures, and provides a balance in our use of created goods.

It is an antidote to today’s heavily materialist view of life, and helps us master our determination to have our own way no matter what. We add to these the quality of Perseverance.

This is necessary for us all in our daily lives and our spiritual lives, and it can best be developed in

the home. We all have the best of intentions in trying to behave well, but can quickly be discouraged when we fail.

We need to encourage our children (and, remember, ourselves as well) that even when they do not achieve their set goals of goodness and virtue, it is not a reason for giving up, but for trying all the harder.

Without being smug - well, maybe a little - I felt my Catholic beliefs vindicated yet again.

The Catholic Church is so completely in tune with what people really need, as distinct to what they want, in order to be happy in this world - and to be happy forever with God in the next.

But then what more could you expect from the religion given to us by the One who ‘searches us’, who ‘formed us in the palm of His hand’?

School calls all young singers

If you love singing and are aged between eight and 18 then the annual Royal School of Church Music choristers’ course might be for you.

Thousands of young people have sung, learnt new skills, laughed and made lifelong friends at the Annual RSCM Choristers’ Course. This year’s course, the 31st, is being held from July 5-10 at Muresk College in Northam.

The musical director is Dominic Perissinotto, director of music at St Patrick’s Basilica in Fremantle.

Last year’s course was in Geraldton, and saw 125 kids and 30 adult leaders learning traditional and contemporary sacred choral music.

They then sang for services at the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting churches, as well as participating in a joint concert with the Geraldton Choral Society.

This year’s event in Northam promises to be just as worthwhile.

Besides music, there are opportunities for kids to be involved in sport, art, drama and/or dance. A quiz night, in-house concert,

and themed party where everyone dresses up are also planned for the week.

Course fees for tuition, accommodation, meals and music are $250/person; $260 if two or more children from the same family attend; $170 per person in the Northam area if accommodation is not required (includes lunch and dinner).

The RSCM (Royal School of Church Music) is an international

organisation for church and church school musicians.

The State Chairman in WA is Fr Timothy Deeter, director of liturgy and music at St Mary’s Cathedral in Perth.

For more information, see www.geocities.com/rscm_cc/ or contact Lucy Commander, the course co-ordinator: on (08) 9450 2083 (evenings) or e-mail lucycommander@graduate.uwa. edu.au

Got a helping hand?

The wettest start to winter in over 50 years has meant high demand for St Vincent de Paul Society and additional pressures in delivering support.

St Vinnies has already supplied more than $100,000 worth of mattresses, sheets and blankets to West Australians in need this winter and the demand at its 6 Low Cost Food Outlets is up approx. 15 per cent on last year.

State President Brian Bull called on the community to remember the many people facing difficult times this winter.

“When you are in the warmth of your home with the rain pouring down outside, remember those without the comforts many of us take for granted,” said Mr Bull.

“Blankets, warm substantial food and winter clothing are necessities at this time of year and we need your help to respond to the demand,” he continued.

“Donations to this year’s Winter Appeal have been slow and our resources are being stretched as more and more families turn to our welfare lines as a call for help,” he added.

Donations to the Winter Appeal can be made by calling 13 18 12 or by visiting www.vinnies.org.

au/wa

You can help Vinnies this winter

■ St Vinnies’ has 88 parish based volunteer groups in WA that act out their faith by responding to the needs of people facing difficult times in their local areas.

■ Assistance given to anyone in genuine need includes provision of food parcels, essential clothing, household items and family support.

■ St Vinnies bases its mission statement and vision on that of the Catholic faith, but is independent, not funded by the church or the government.

■ St Vinnies helps 155,000 people throughout WA each year. Volunteer recruitment drives are held regularly through each parish.

■ To find out more about the diverse range of volunteering opportunities available or other ways to become involved call St Vinnies on 9475 5420.

WA Catholic schools back a worthy cause Page 5

Meet St Benedict’s movie mums

■ By Bronwen Clune

Ever dreamed about making that great idea for a feature film? Meet two mums who are well on their way to doing just that.

When Lizzy Pike aired her filmmaking ambitions to friend Fleur de Campi, the two of them decided it was something they could do together and they had soon formed a film and television production company “Cracked Productions”.

They are now a month away from filming their first independently funded short film, which has attracted one of Australia’s rising stars and AFI nominated actors Olivia Pigeot – a big accomplishment in itself.

So far the ride into the impenetrable film industry has been fairly smooth. What makes this all the more remarkable is that all the planning and negotiating has been done around their children – both being mothers of three who attend St Benedict’s parish school in Applecross.

It was when Lizzy’s twins went off to kindy that she found she had a bit of spare time to develop her idea for a feature film.

However, her bigger ambitions were somewhat dampened when she looked into getting an Australian feature film off the ground with no real experience in the film industry.

What she did learn though was

that the best way to make inroads into the industry is to take small steps and it was then she decided that an independently funded short film would be the way to go. She enrolled herself in a script-

writing course at the Film and Television Institute in Fremantle, but after a few attempts decided scriptwriting wasn’t quite her calling. However, her tutor put her onto some short film scripts and it was then she came across the script for their first film ‘Cracked’.

Armed with a few good connections Lizzy has been able to put together an accomplished West Australian cast and crew.

It was when Lizzy’s twins It was when twins went off to kindy that she went off to that she found she had a bit of a spare time to develop her spare time to her idea for a feature film a film.

Fleur, who has a background in visual arts, was happy to be involved in the film originally as the continuity person. But soon she and Liz discovered that they actually worked tightly as a team and decided to tackle the industry together.

They are hoping there will be enough interest in their first film to attract industry funding for future

RETIREMENT NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD.

OVER 75% SOLD

projects they have in the pipeline – including Liz’s original feature film.

Their film’s first real test will be at the internationally recognised Tropfest held across Australia in February.

Until then they are working hard to raise the $8,000 they need to pay for their first film.

Rather than ask for donations they have taken a fundraising approach so that people get something for money they spend.

“We’re not a charity so we are not asking for people to donate money to us,” Fleur said.

“What we have done is attract sponsors so that we can offer our supporters some great deals as well.”

They have managed to do this in the form of a silent auction and movie night to be held at the Astor in Mount Lawley on Thursday June 30. Tickets cost $15 and include the movie ‘A good woman’ as well as drinks and nibbles. The silent auction includes autographed Eagles and Dockers jerseys, designer jewellery and sunglasses, kids art classes and more. Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can contact Fleur on 0411 558 197.

For over 155 years the Sisters of Mercy have provided wonderful aged care and community services from the Wembley site.

Now, as part of a program to expand and develop these important services, a substantial area of this historic site is being transformed into an over 55s village of world-class.

Mercy Village–Wembley will offer luxury apartments, villas and terraced villas in a safe, involving and superbly planned community, with its very own chapel.

To find out more about the limited opportunities available to become a part of this incomparably well located, premium–quality village, simply telephone Karen Bailey or Chris Gaggin now on 1800 144 313.

Or visit the Sales and Information Centre located at the Catherine McAuley Family Centre, at 18 Barrett Street, inWembley.

You’ll soon discover that we’ve taken care of absolutely everything.

Sights on the big screen: Lizzie Pike and Fleur de Campi.

Students get behind LifeLink

■By Hugh Ryan

Archbishop Barry Hickey and Bishop Don Sproxton celebrated the annual schools LifeLink Day on Wednesday morning with an interactive webcast to Catholic schools.

Students had the opportunity to e-mail questions to the Bishops and to listen to their responses, although the volume of traffic was so great that many questions were left unanswered.

At least 60 primary schools and 20 high schools took part in the webcast which was divided into two 45-minute sessions, one for primary schools and the other for high schools.

It was conducted from the offices of WestNet Internet Services in Osborne Park, with schools logging on through the IT facilities of the Catholic Education Office.

Archbishop Hickey said that LifeLink Day was an annual event which encouraged young people to show they care for people in the community who need help.

LifeLink is the umbrella organisation through which the Archdiocese funds 13 agencies that help more than 60,000 West Australian families and individuals each year.

The agencies provide practical assistance and supportive programs for the unemployed, the homeless, migrants and refugees, people with physical and intellectual disabilities, those suffering from AIDS/

HIV, families in crisis, those battling drugs and other addictions, abused women and children. The appeal is on-going and many schools use it as the foundation for practical education in Christian charity.

The Archbishop said that classes and groups of students in Catholic schools showed creativity and leadership in developing service programs within the school, through LifeLink agencies, in the general

Why Marriage Matters Pages 7-9

“give your baby the gift of communication”

Australia

Teach your baby sign language before they can talk! Benefits of teaching your child to sign include: Reduced frustration and tantrums, talking earlier, improved cognitive and social development, and a closer bond with parents and carers.

Sign Speak is a parent workshop developed by a practising speech pathologist and mother of three. For more information contact: Karen and Derek Boylen 0409 682 923.

community and in mission experiences elsewhere in the State or overseas.

The complete record of the webcast is available on www.lifelink.com.au where information is

also available about the LifeLink agencies and there are facilities to receive donations.

The LifeLink agencies between them deliver more than $24million in caring services in WA each year.

Students from St Pius X School in Manning prepare to participate in a live webcast for Archbishop Hickey’s recent Lifelink appeal. The students are, from left, Joshua Sanchez-Lawson, Danielle Devereux, Jonathon Wong and Clare Titheradge. Photo: Jamie O’Brien

Teens love it, parents are nervous

Parents and teenagers in the US have found a new area of concern and conflict, according to an article by Christian Science Monitor correspondent G. Jeffrey MacDonald.

MacDonald wrote that earlier this year, 13-yearold Shannon Sullivan of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, was socialising in the same way as dozens of her classmates at Our Lady of the Assumption School. She maintained a personalised page on a website that contained her photograph and details about what makes her unique. Friends would surf by and leave fun messages.

But then her mother found out. And now her site, and those of her friends - once lovingly adorned with everything from sound bites to video clips - are fast disappearing at the insistence of their safety-minded parents.

"They're not aware how easily something [predatory] can happen over the Internet," says Shannon’s mother, Margaret, who is a computer-science teacher at Assumption. ”They really

shouldn't have these sites. Maybe when they're older, in college or something, but it’s just not safe before that."

MacDonald reported that in taking on the web-posting habits of their children, parents are picking what can be a thorny fight. Personal web pages for the preadolescent and teenage set seem to have become as common as diaries and locker decorations once were.

Of the world’s approximately 38 million “blogs”, or self-published Web pages, 52.8 percent belong to those age 19 or younger, according to survey data from the Perseus Co, a maker of Websurveying software.

By year’s end, the firm expected the total number of blogs on the Web to reach 53.4 million.

Perseus said the typical blogger is a teenage girl who used the medium primarily to communicate with five to ten friends.

MacDonald reported that as technologysavvy youths enlisted computers in the timeless teen quest to establish identity, some adults feel the stakes are too high to accept it as just another form or phase of self-expression. In this camp, crime worries trump a desire to honour young people’s privacy.

Continued on Page 10

Fashion business not always skimpy

The prestigious US newspaper, the Christian Science Monitor, reports that many individuals and groups in the US have established lucrative businesses by countering the fashion houses’ addiction to inappropriate clothing.

New York Staff Writer Kim Campbell tells how they discovered there is a greater demand for modesty in clothing than they expected when they first decided to make a stand.

Campbell wrote that a few years ago, Chelsea Rippy was a frustrated shopper. She would go out once a week looking for new clothes and would come back empty-handed. Racks of cleavage-baring tops and low-rise jeans were leaving the stylish young mum with few options for clothes she felt comfortable in.

Ms Rippy, a Mormon, finally decided to fix the problem herself. She launched her own line of stretchy T-shirts and camisoles that can be worn under today's most revealing clothes. She's been surprised by the reception her shirts have received - and by the diversity of customers who buy from her online and at-home parties.

"I knew that if I needed these

shirts, someone else did. But I had no clue as to the magnitude of it," the CSM reported the founder of Shade Clothing as saying from her home in American Fork, Utah.

"I originally started it thinking I would appeal to other members of my religion, but it’s gone far beyond that now.”

Fed up with the revealing clothes popular in recent years, some in the Christian community have chosen to design their own or modify what’s available. They've launched successful Web-based businesses and are hosting fashion shows for teens.

Campbell reported that in some cases, groups received the cooperation of - or at least the ear of – major department stores, and there was some indication that it was not just churchgoers who are taking an interest in dressing modestly.

Skin is out, coverups are in Campbell said that news from the runways last autumn high-lighted a return to styles that included lower hemlines and ladylike sweater-sets. Although it typically takes months or even years for runway trends

to trickle down to mass-market buyers, some of that modest spirit is informing spring fashions. Tops are still low-cut, but they are longer, as are skirts, thanks to the hippie chic motif. Layering is popular, too.

"You don’t have to show all the

skin. It’s definitely an on-trend thing to layer," says Tara McBratney, fashion director at CosmoGIRL! magazine, who noted strap tops over T-shirts and skirts over white khakis.

Women of faith may be the most

outspoken about recent styles, but more women and mothers - regardless of religious affiliation - are saying they, too, would like to see the trend in skimpy clothes reversed, she wrote.

Women of faith may be the most outspoken about recent styles, but more women and mothers - regardless of religious affiliation - are saying they, too, would like to see the trend in skimpy clothes reversed.

Personal web pages for the preadolescent and teenage set seem to have become as common as diaries and locker decorations once were.

Why marriage matters Why marriage matters

Marriage, they used to say, is an institution. But perhaps we had forgotten why it was such a good institution. Now, social science is rediscovering the data that show marriage is key for not only individuals, but societies as well. This edition of dicovery begins a series that will continue in The Record over coming weeks.

What do we know about the importance of marriage for children, for adults and for society?

That question is the starting point for the organisations and authors who have published the booklet Twenty-One Reasons Why Marriage Matters from which articles on the following pages are drawn.

They have drawn their answers not from theory, not from their own opinions, not from religious beliefs, but from the results of 40 years of rigorous study and research in the social sciences about the effects of marriage and non-marriage on adults, children and society as a whole.

There has never before been a time in so many countries when there has been, firstly, such high rates of divorce, secondly, such high rates of cohabitation and our-of-wedlock births, and, thirdly, such huge numbers of children

forced to live without both of their biological parents to contribute to the their up-bringing and their understanding of themselves and the community they live in.

This huge social experiment has also occurred at a time when the techniques and talents of the social sciences have been sharply honed to ensure that research is disciplined, realistic and reliable.

The researchers and the publishers acknowledge that the advantages of marriage and the disadvantages of divorce do not apply equally to all. Individual situations, such as sustained violence, destructive drug addictions and the like must be taken into account when people are making decisions about their own circumstances.

However, the results of the research are overwhelming and the information needs to be widely understood. Although marriage is entirely an individual choice freely made,

it is not only a personal matter; it has profound effects on others and on the society. Governments have very positive social reasons to strengthen marriage by facilitating support programs before and during marriage, and by ensuring that the wisdom of the social sciences is incorporated in education so that young people grow up with more reliable advice that will help them make good choices that will support their long-term future.

The fundamental conclusion of the researchers and writers of this book is: Marriage is an important social good, associated with an impressively broad array of positive outcomes for children and adults alike

The following pages give some of the 21 reasons why. Further articles will appear regularly in The Record, which is now available in all schools and from all parishes.

Continued overleaf

Reason Two

Cohabitation is not the functional equivalent of marriage.

Adults who live together are more similar to singles than to married couples in terms of health.

As a group, cohabitors in the United States and Australia more closely resemble singles than married people. Children with cohabiting parents have outcomes more similar to the children with single (or remarried) parents than children from intact marriages. Adults who live together are more similar to singles than to married couples in term of phiysical health and emotional well-being and mental health, as well as in assets and earnings.

Selection effects account for a large portion of the difference between married people and

cohabitors. As a group, cohabitors (who are not engaged) have lower incomes and less education. Couples who live together also, on average, report relationships of lower quality than do married couples - with cohabitors reporting more conflict, more violence, and lower levels of satisfaction and commitment. Even biological parents who cohabit have poorer quality relationships and are more likely to part than parents who marry. Cohabitation differs from marriage in part because couples who choose merely to live together are less committed to a lifelong relationship.

The health disadvantages associated with being raised outside of intact marriages persist long into adulthood.

As adults, children of divorced parents have lower occupational status and earnings and have increased rates ofumemployment.

Reason Thirteen

Married mothers have lower rates of depression than do single or co-habiting mothers.

2. 17.

Reason Seventeen

The absence of marriage is a serious risk factor for maternal depression. Married mothers have lower rates of depression than do single or cohabiting mothers.

One study of 2,300 urban adults found that, among parents of preschoolers, the risk of depression was substantially greater for unmarried as compared to married mothers.

Marriage protects even older teen mothers from the risk of depression. In one nationally representative sample of 18 and 19 year old mothers, 41 percent of single white mothers having their first child reported high levels of depressive symptoms, compared to 28 percent of married white teen mothers in this age group.

because single parents have less support and because children in disrupted families have less access to their (non depressed) other parent.

Australian research shows that in terms of mental health, “never-married men suffer more from not being married than never-married women. But in all other categories women show a higher level of benefit from marriage than men. Separated, widowed, and divorced men were 55 percent above the male average in rates of mental illness while the separated/widowed and divorced category of women had rates 67 percent above the women’s average.”

The 1994 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study found that married people are three times happier than previously married people, and twice as happy as never married people.

Longitudinal studies following young adults as they marry, divorce and remain single indicate that marriage boosts mental and emotional well-being for both men and women. We focus on maternal depression because it is both a serious mental health problem for women and a serious risk factor for children. Not only are single mothers more likely to be depressed, the consequences of maternal depression for child wellbeing are greater in single-parent families, probably

More recent Australian Data reveal the same findings. An Australian Unity Wellbeing Index released in July 2002 found that married people where those with the most happiness and greatest sense of wellbeing. Married people scored 77.7 percent on the personal well being test compared to 65.1 percent for those who were separated.

Married people, especially married men, have longer life expectancies than do otherwise similar singles.

Married men appear to have greater work commitment, lower quit rates, and healthier and more stable personal routines.

13.

Married people live longer than do otherwise similar people who are single or divorced. Husbands as well as wives live longer on average, even after controlling for race, income and family background. In most developed countries, middleaged single, divorced, or widowed men are about twice as likely to die as married men, and non married women face risks about one and a half times as great as those faced by married women.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the median age of death for nonmarried men in 1992 was 52.2 years, but the figure leaps to 72.5 years for married men. However, never married Australian women live slightly longer than married women (74.2 years to 71.1 years).

Findings of the Australian National Health Strategy show that: “Both men and women who are married have much lower standardised

death rates than those who are not. Compared with their married counterparts, never married men have a death rate which is 124% higher and divorced/widowed men have a death rate which is 102% higher; never-married women have a death rate which is 91% higher and divorced widowed women have a death rate which is 49% higher.”

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study of 1994 found that never married and perviously married people had mortality rates twice that of married people. An Australian Bureau of statistics study reported the following: “In 1996 married people overall experienced lower death rates than those who were divorced, widowed or never married. Males aged between 20 and 69 years who had never married experienced death rates two to four times higher than those who were married.”

Derek Boylen

Marriage is more than a private emotional relationship. It is also a social good.

Reason Twenty-One

Overall, single and divorced women are four to five times more likely to be victims of violent crime.

21.

A child who is not living with his or her own two married parents is at greater risk of child abuse.

Children living with single mothers, stepfathers, or mother’s boyfriends are more likely to become victims of child abuse. Children living in single-mother homes have increased rates of death from intentional injuries.

As Martin Daly and Margo Wilson report, “Living with a step parent has turned out to be the most powerful predictor of severe child abuse yet.” One study found that a preschooler living with a stepfather was 40 times more likely to be sexually abused than one living with both of his or her biological parents. Another study found that, although boyfriends contribute to less than 2 percent of non parental childcare, they commit half of all reported child abuse by non parents. The researcher concludes that “a young child left alone with a mother’s boy-friend experiences elevated risk of physical abuse.”

In Australia, former Human Rights Commissioner Brian Burdekin stated that there was an alarming 500 to 600 percent increase in sexual abuse of girls in families where the adult male was not the natural father.

A 1994-95 study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that more cases of child abuse involved children from single parent families (39%) than families with two natural parents (30%) or other two-parent families (such as families with step-parent)

(21%). Of neglect cases, 47% involved children from female single parent families compared with 26% from families with two natural parents. More recent Australian research has found that the typical child murderer is a young man in a de facto relationship with the victim’s mother.

A recent study of 1998-1999 Victorian child abuse victims found that 45 percent lived with single parents. The report, by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, found that children who lived in natural two-parent families had a relatively low risk of abuse.

And a more recent report from the same Institute entitled Child Protection Australia 1999-2000 reveals that children are most likely to be neglected or abused in single-parent families. It found that the ACT has the highest number of cases of maltreatment of children from female one-parent families (47 percent), compared with 29 percent in two parent natural families and 18 percent in step families or blended families.

And a newer report from the same body found that “a relatively high proportion of substantiations [or child abuse] involved children living in female-headed one-parent families and in two-parent step or blended families.

Photo:

Kids flick sends positive friendship message

Madagascar

■ By David

DiCerto

Aquartet of pampered zoo animals take a walk on the wild side in the entertaining animated comedy “Madagascar” (DreamWorks).

Directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, the tale opens in New York City’s Central Park Zoo, where we meet discontented zebra Marty (voiced by Chris Rock), who, on his 10th birthday - middle age for a zebra - heeds the nagging call of the wild and makes a break to explore the untamed outback of Connecticut.

Though quite happy in their comfy captivity, his zoo mates - lion Alex (voiced by Ben Stiller), the zoo’s star attraction; hypochondriac giraffe Melman (voiced by David Schwimmer); and hippo Gloria (voiced by Jada Pinkett Smith)follow in comical pursuit through Manhattan’s subway system. In the midst of their adventure, they are caught, crated and shipped back to Africa, because the zookeepers

think the mischief was a result of urban stress.

While en route, a group of show-stealing penguins hijack the freighter and abruptly change course to Antarctica, causing the shipping crates to topple overboard. (The penguins’ “Great Escape”-style breakout is a hoot.)

The cargo boxes wash up in Madagascar, where the foursome is, er, lionized by the local lemur population, lorded over by King Julien (voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen), who gives new meaning to the word “party animal.” The lemurs live under constant fear of the caninelike foosa, the island’s main predators.

In a reverse “Born Free” twist, the castaways find it difficult adjusting to life in the wild; this is especially true of the mollycoddled Alex, who longs to return to captivity.

Meanwhile, the lemurs try to convince the city slickers to stay by showing them the upside of their exile, in the hopes that their oversized presence (and Alex’s topof-the-food-chain credentials) will keep the foosa’s diet lemur-free.

But the whimsical comedy takes

an unexpectedly dark turn when Marty and Alex’s friendship is tested. As Marty finds out about his maned mate, you can take the carnivore out of the wild, but you can’t take the wild completely out of the carnivore.

Visually, “Madagascar” is a delight, with vibrantly lush jungle backgrounds and richly detailed cityscapes. But the movie’s early Big Apple sequences promise a better film than actually unfolds.

Despite a strong setup, the plot is pretty bare. Once the action switches to the island setting, the film’s sharp wit gives way to a slapstick brand of broad cartoon comedy which, though quite funny at times, is more sight gags than story.

Compared with DreamWorks’ past computer-animated offerings, “Madagascar” doesn’t quite compare to “Shrek,” but ranks heads and fins above “Shark Tale.” As with those two films, “Madagascar” is full of pop-culture references (though to a lesser degree), which may in years to come date the humour somewhat.

The voice talent is good across the

board, though no one really stands out (with the possible exception of Rock). Following the current trend of animated features, “Madagascar” has something for everyone. The motley menagerie will have the kiddies - and toy marketing executives - giddy with laughter. Parents, on the other hand, can view the film’s subtext as a Lockean refutation of Rousseau’s nostalgia for nature, or an indictment of modern society’s enthronement of comfort over freedom ... or they could just have a blast picking out the clever

movie references (including “Planet of the Apes,” “American Beauty” and “The Twilight Zone”).

“Madagascar” imparts a positive message about friendship. And apart from a few rude expressions and innocuous off-colour jokes, the film’s wild kingdom wackiness is, like Alex, rather tame.

The film contains mildly crass language and humour, cartoon violence, as well as some thematic elements that may be disturbing to very young children.

- CNS

Parents cautious about kids internet use

Continued from Page 6

Internet stalkers had killed at least four minors in the past three years, and law-enforcement authorities counted about 5,000 reports of attempted sexual predation over the Internet in the past year, according to Parry Aftab, executive director of

statistics, parents need to get over the feeling that they’re invading their children’s privacy by reading their blogs, Ms Aftab told CSM. She believed that parents must bring their judgment to bear on the content of what’s posted. “When you get hormones

heavy machinery of the Internet under impaired judgment.”

Others feared, however, that certain precautions could amount to swatting a fly with a sledgehammer, and could take a hefty toll on family life. The likelihood of tragedy was far greater when a child rides in a car or goes swimming than when he or she posts a name, photograph, and

other personal information on the Internet, said Laurence Steinberg, an expert in adolescent psychology at Temple University and author of "The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting."

After age 13 or 14, children with a good record of being responsible teenagers should be able to post personal content without parents

looking over their shoulders, he told MacDonald..

"The downside of prohibiting it is worse than the downside of allowing it," Dr Steinberg said. “A good parent-child relationship is based on trust, and trust is a reciprocal feeling. I think people do get especially worked up for

Continued on Page 11

Why Marriage Matters

Alex (lion, voiced by Ben Stiller) tussles with Marty ( zebra, voiced by Chris Rock) in the movie Madagascar.

Teens want to be stylish, hip

Continued from Page 6

Hip styles, but less cleavage, please

Rose Anderson, a friend of Rippy's who is also a young mum, said she's not ultramodest, and doesn’t share her friend's religion, but would like to see options that don’t show lots of cleavage, for example.

"We're young, and we try to be hip, but we don’t want to be that hip," said Ms. Anderson, who lives in Seattle. "It’s hard to find things that are fun and cute but still a little modest."

Sparking conversation about modesty is one goal of the Pure Fashion show, put on in early May in Bellevue, Washington, by an affiliate of a national Catholic girls' group.

Challenge Clubs for girls around the country have been hosting the shows for a handful of years, but this was only the second time the Seattle-area teens had sashayed down the runway in clothes they found at stores like The Gap, Limited Too and Macy’s.

Their crowd grew to 350 this year from 250 last year - growth the organisers found particularly significant, considering that last year they had national media coverage of a member who had written a letter to Nordstrom asking for a wider variety of clothing for girls.

"It has struck such a chord for people," said Pam Gunderson, the adult head of the Greater Seattle Challenge Club, and mother of Ella,

Continued from Page 10

some reason over the Internet. But snooping on what your child does on the Internet, to me, in some ways is no different from snooping through your child's dresser drawers or eavesdropping on your child's telephone conversation or reading your child's diary.

“Any of those things done without cause [for suspicion] are to me violations of what I think is a reasonable right of teenagers to have some aspect of their lives that their parents are not privy to," he said.

Though the value of pursuing a reasonable level of safety goes undisputed in this discussion, adults differ on the value of increasing a child's freedom and privacy over time, especially in cyberspace.

Aftab of wiredsafety.org supported ado lescent privacy with pen-and-paper diaries, for instance, because the content there is "between the child and the page," whereas website content is "for the whole world to see." Posting private Web content before age 16

the letter-writer. "It’s just a natural inclination to want to be sufficiently covered up. It doesn’t take faith to realise that, but sometimes I think it takes faith to move people to action."

The girls she works with - ages 10 and up - are not looking for dowdy styles, but want to be stylish and feminine. Sometimes they alter the clothes they find -adding waistbands or layering shirts.

Ruled by the racks

Campbell reported that despite the changes, some teens still find it difficult to be fashionably modest with what’s on the racks.

"Clothes today are too tight, too sheer, and too revealing," Sarah Kator, a Meridian, Idaho, teen, told her in an e-mail. "I always have to buy shirts a size or two larger than they are designed to be worn, and I'm not a very large girl."

Ms. Kator, a senior in high school, recently won a contest to design a modest prom dress sponsored by the Modest By Design Clothing Co. The prize: Her black pinstriped creation made up for her to wear to her recent prom.

Like Rippy, she is Mormon, and prefers clothing that has sleeves, appropriate coverage, and is not clingy.

As the modesty movement, as it’s been dubbed, gets more publicity, there is some debate about its necessity, and about whether it’s just another way to control how women dress and look.

only invited trouble, she said, yet many teens do it in a highly public bid for "attention, recognition, and affection."

MacDonald reported that Lisa O'Beirne, another Assumption School mother of a 13-year-old, tries to put safety first. For example, she got her daughter a cellular phone, "so I always know where she is." She calls her daughter at least once every 30 minutes whenever she's not in school. She says her daughter, Ashley, at first protested, saying, "Why are you always calling me? You’re embarrassing me." But in this, as in her rule forbidding Web postings by her daughter, the rationale is that the end justifies the means.

"My daughter has said, ‘You’re making me feel like an outcast’ because her friends participate in “social networking websites" such as Myspace.com, Ms. O'Beirne says. "I'm going to do everything I can to protect my child," she adds. "Whether she believes it’s because we love her ... or we're trying to make her an outcast. When she's

The last word on the subject came from Heather Gist, one of the owners of Modest By Design, who disagreed with the idea that those

grown up she'll realise why we do what we do."

Finding the right balance between security and freedom can be a challenge.

Parents are right to "exercise an unusual amount of caution in this area because the damage can be so great," says the Rev. John Conley, a Fordham University professor of philosophy and frequent writer on the subject of rights and relationships within families. What's age-appropriate?

Where cautious parents sometimes err, Fr Conley says, is in adopting rigid computer usage rules that don’t evolve as a child demonstrates responsibility and discretion. "What can be damaging to the child is if, at the age of 18, the child is being bound by the same rules as in early adolescence," Fr Conley says. "Children at some point are going to have to exercise their own judgment and their own freedom. That won’t occur unless parents are willing to relax the rules at some point between ages12 and 18.

calling attention to more demure styles were the oppressors.

Without a choice in clothing styles women were being controlled by

One area youths can run into trouble with their own Web postings, according to wiredsafety. org, is by menacing their peers.

Aftab gives a hypothetical example of bullying in a teenager who pretends to be another student by putting up a website, identifying the student as gay, and declaring a sexual preference for football players. More common is lying to get access. Myspace.com, for instance, requires that participants be 16 or older; hence the scores of underage teens who use it have simply lied about their age to establish a site there.

Shannon Sullivan, for instance, says she did just that. Still, she didn’t see the enterprise as dangerous until adults told stories about the potential horrors.

"I don’t go in chat rooms," Shannon says. "I'm against talking to people I don’t know on the Internet. But I just hadn’t thought about what could happen at the Myspace blog."

Lying about age should concern parents, Steinberg says, because it violates a trust code.

the fashion industry, and by the attitude that women are only pretty or desirable when they wear clothes that leave them open for all to see.

He also encourages families to "have a talk about Internet safety," and to put computers in public spaces in the home, where troublesome activity is less likely to occur.

Still, Steinberg says, while parents need to monitor Web usage by teens, they also should accept that they won’t always know everything about a child's life, especially as children become older teens.

"There are going to be lots of things that I don’t know about in my child's life, and that’s OK," Steinberg says. "It’s part of the development process."

Sources:

The substance of this story and the one on modesty and fashion were drawn from two articles in Monitor World, the weekly international edition of The Christian Science Monitor, widely regarded as one of the best newspapers in the world. Subscription details can be found at www.csmonitor.org

Some teens still find it difficult to be fashionably modest with what’s on the racks.

Photo: CNS

Church builds bridge to TV culture

■ By Jamie O'Brien

The introduction of Catholic programs to Pay TV has brought the mission of the Church to a new level, says Jesuit priest Fr Richard Leonard.

"It has taken proclaiming the Good News back to the marketplace," the Director of the Australian Catholic Film Office said.

"The Church was looking for an opportunity to find an avenue to have a voice in TV media,”

Fr Leonard is not your average parish priest. As Project Manager for Catholic Church Television Australia he recently spent a week visiting teachers in Western Australia.

In his role with the Australian Catholic Film Office, Fr Leonard writes film reviews and providing

Catholic Church Television Australia on Aurora Community Television, Foxtel Digital and Austar Digital, Channel 183

Times for programs were not available as discovery went to print but should be available by checking programming guides. More detailed times will be published in coming editions of discovery and The Record.

Week beginning 3rd July

Mass for You At Home (30 mins)

“Octava Dies” shows the ministry of the new Pope and the international work of the Vatican. (30 mins)

“Young at Heart” focuses on the message of hope and peace the Dalai Lama preaches especially to the young people of the world. The words of the Dali Lama find a resonance and an encouragement

movie reviews

Batman Begins

A dark and brooding prequel that explains how Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) became the costumed crimefighter and reveals the "hidden years," detailing his training as a member of a clandestine order of ninja-like vigilantes, leading up to his donning

media education, in particular to teachers. "This is so important," said Fr Leonard. "If Catholic teachers are not taking seriously the media world in which their students are living then we are making the job of informing them as young Catholics harder," said Fr Leonard.

“Catholic Education is building a bridge between the teachings of the Christ and the Church and the real lived reality of our students in schools. That reality is a mediasaturated culture.”

In his role with CCTVA, Fr Leonard also acts as TV presenter, providing an introduction and conclusion to the programs which go to air.

Most of the programs originate from the National Catholic Library or Vatican TV.

On March 1 this year, Foxtel Digital and Austar Digital began

to all people of good will, who are searching for the truth. (60mins)

10th July

Mass for You At Home (30 mins)

“Octava Dies” shows the ministry of the new Pope and the international work of the Vatican. (30 mins)

“Freedom or Madness.” Is living as a hermit running away, selfindulgent or an act of freedom? (30 mins)

17th July

Mass for You At Home (30 mins)

“Octava Dies” shows the ministry of the new Pope and the international work of the Vatican. (30 mins)

“Nuns in the USA” lifts the veil on the extraordinary and diverse lives and ministries of nuns in the Church today. (30 mins)

the cape and cowl to become Gotham City's self-appointed guardian. Director Christopher Nolan goes for a more gritty "reality-based" approach, focusing on the psychological dimension of Bruce/Batman's inner conflict rather than comic-book heroics. Intense action violence, some frightening images and mature thematic elements, as well as a few crude expressions and an instance of profanity. Parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Shark Boy and Lava Girl

Entertaining family fantasy

broadcasting a new channel throughout Australia on Aurora Community Television.

Aurora (Channel 183) is the new community channel available on the basic package of Foxtel and Austar. It provides an opportunity for faith-based groups, not-for-profit social service companies, and nonGovernment organisations to have a voice on Australian TV.

Aurora has made only two demands on participating organisations: their programs cannot vilify anyone, and they must be of the highest production values.

Other groups participating on Aurora include the Salvation Army, Anglican Media, Mission Australia, UNICEF, Red Cross, UNHCR, Australian Asian Youth Centre, Plan International, the Australian Film Radio and

24th July

Mass for You At Home (30 mins)

“Octava Dies” shows the ministry of the new Pope and the international work of the Vatican. (30 mins)

“The Mind’s Eye” explores the healing and spiritual benefits of mediation and contemplation, the riches of which, as we will see, many of our fellow Australians are rediscovering. (30 mins)

31st July

Mass for You At Home (30 mins)

“Octava Dies” shows the ministry of the new Pope and the international work of the Vatican. (30 mins)

“Priests 24/7” looks at the life of the overwhelming majority of priests who faithfully and generously work hard 24/7. (30 mins)

about a picked-on 10-year-old boy (Cayden Boyd) with a fertile imagination who finds himself recruited by the superheroes he created in his daydreams - Shark Boy (Taylor Lautner) and Lava Girl (Taylor Dooley) - and blasts off on a mission to save a distant world from the sinister machinations of Mr. Electric (George Lopez).

Television School and Swinburne Film School. “The Catholic Church was approached about being involved,” explains Fr Leonard. For many years now the Church has had little direct presence on Australian television and so the Bishops’ Media Committee seized the opportunity to have access to an increasingly important television outlet where we can put to air programs from which we think the Catholic and wider community will benefit.”

Foxtel has broadcast the Aurora Community channel free of charge, but Catholic Church TV Australia must pay for the acquisition and production of programs, and the number of hours they are on the air. “Unlike running an entire channel, the costs and the associated risks in this venture are smaller for the Church,. The amount of time we are on the air will only be limited by the money we can raise for sponsorship, programming and buying on-air time,” Dr Leonard said. “This is the best cost-effective and low financial risk solution the Church has had to have a presence on TV,”

“It has either been very expensive or couldn’t compete with the

Directed by Robert Rodriguez from characters created by his 10-year-old son, this kid-friendly film is full of whimsical visuals but the gimmicky 3-D effects distract from what is otherwise a genial tale about the importance of imagination and fostering creativity. Some light comic book violence and mildly rude humor.

Deep Blue

Visually spectacular nature documentary which explores Earth's final frontier, the ocean, from its wave-tossed surface teeming with myriad marine life to its unfathomable depths, revealing both its sublime beauty and

demands.” Initially CCTVA will broadcast Mass on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10am, as well running Australian documentary films that focus on the liturgical season, a feast day, or a national Church observance.

“We want CCTVA to be of service to Catholics throughout Australia, as well as getting our message out to the people who, up to this point, don’t come near the Church,” he says.

Fr Leonard, who is originally from Queensland, began his studies towards the priesthood at the Seminary in Brisbane. In 1987 he entered the Jesuits and after ordination in 1993, began working in the parish of Kings Cross, Sydney.

The following year he was sent by the Jesuits to work with the media. He was apprenticed to Jesuitrun Albert Street Productions in Melbourne and later to the London Film School in Covent Gardens, London where he spent the next two years undertaking a Graduate course in film production.

Upon his return to Australia, he was appointed Director of the Australian Catholic Film Office, and completed a PhD in Cinema Studies at Melbourne University.

indiscriminate cruelty. Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Andy Byatt and narrated by Pierce Brosnan, this awe-inspiring tour through liquid space, with its breathtaking, up-close, underwater photography (culled from the BBC series "The Blue Planet"), is highly emotional and imparts a deeper appreciation for the wonders of God's creation. Some disturbing predatory images.

Funding for Link to Life

■ By Jamie O’Brien

Arecent application made to the Lotteries Commission to help fund the expansion, renovation and refurbishment of The Living Centre in Burswood was successful.

A cheque was last week presented by Western Australian Premier Geoff Gallop to Chief Judge of the District Court and Chairperson of the Fund for F.A.I.T.H Antoinette Kennedy.

The Fund for F.A.I.T.H is an incorporated Charity set up to raise funds specifically for The Living Centre – the families, affected, infected through HIV, representing the word Faith.

The Living Centre provides a unique support to individuals, carers and families of those living with HIV/AIDS in Western Australia.

The centre provides an accepting non-judgemental presence that supports and advocates for all those living with the illness and enables them to grow in their journey.

The centre was founded in 1988 and is funded by the Archdiocese of Perth, through the annual Lifelink appeal, in addition to donations and the support of its many volunteers.

Steward Walter, Director of the centre, said the name “The Living Centre” was chosen to reflect the changes in direction, and the term members, not clients, is used to describe the family that exists there.

Services of the Living Centre begun when Rosemary Brennan, a nurse from Silver Chain, was providing ‘hands on nursing’ from the boot of her car in 1988 to many people dying from HIV/AIDS related illnesses.

After she retired, Mrs Brennan approached then Archbishop of Perth, William Foley, who agreed that help was needed. Archbishop

Howl's Moving Castle

Marvelous, hugely imaginative Japanese animated feature based on a popular novel by Diana Wynne Jones about a young girl (voiced by Emily Mortimer) transformed into an old lady (Jean Simmons) by a witch's curse (Lauren Bacall) who becomes the housekeeper to a handsome, but reclusive, wizard (Christian Bale) and his apprentice (Josh Hutcherson) and fire demon (Billy Crystal). Hayao Miyazaki's utterly absorbing film works so well on many levels that it can be equally appreciated by children and adults, and imparts beautiful messages about taking a moral stand, respect for the elderly, forgiveness and the

Foley assigned Marist priest Fr Lou Malloy from Sydney to assist with the growing workload.

Visiting homes, hostels, hospitals, and even the odd park bench, they provided support and comfort wherever it was needed.

At the time HIV/AIDS was at the height of its epidemic in WA before treatment was readily available.

In the past 18 months, the Centre itself has lost more than five of its infected members.

“There was a great fear and ignorance among the wider community,” Mr Walter said.

Mr Walter said since then, the status of the illness has changed rapidly.

In 1995/96, because of the advances in medical knowledge and medications, infection with the HIV+ virus moved from being a terminal illness to an acute/chronic illness, with those infected living longer, although in many cases, compromised and isolated lives.

“A vast majority of the HIV/AIDS community are still isolated,” Mr Walter said.

“When the Centre was founded, women made up 0.5% of the HIV/ AIDS community, where as now this is more than 7.5%,” he said.

At the time an advisory committee was formed by the Archdiocese under the direction of Centrecare.

The Sisters of St John of God became involved and with the help of Sr Helen Connolly began helping Fr Malloy and Mrs Brennan with the workload.

The SOSJG owned a house in Wembley and started to set it up as a drop-in centre, for both the infected and affected.

Because of the prejudice at the time, the local community took up a petition against the Centre and the Town of Cambridge refused to grant an operating licence.

The SOSJG sold the Cambridge property and used the funds to

senselessness of war. Subtitles in Japanese version. Battle scenes, some frightening images for very young children. A-II - adults and adolescents.

Lords of Dogtown

Fictionalised drama detailing the genesis of the 1970s' skateboarding counterculture in Southern California, focusing on three teenage friends - timid Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), cocky Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk) and self-destructive Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) - who, through a combination of street moxie and surfer mentality, revolutionised the sport and were catapulted to rock-star celebrity. Despite fine

purchase land to build the present premises in Burswood.

Pastoral Care co-ordinator Phil Carrier has been involved with the Centre since about 1990.

“It is really about presence,” Mr Carrier said.

Part of Mr Carrier’s role at the Living Centre involves pastoral counselling, running a meditation group once a week, visiting the prisons, hospitals, homes and also facilitating talks at parishes, schools and other church agencies.

“We try to take people out of their isolation and help them to accept themselves as they are,” Mr Carrier said.

When the new Centre opened in November 1991, volunteers were providing care for about 15 people.

The house was originally designed

to assist up to 22 people. This has now increased to 137.

“The number of members has certainly increased also in the last three years because we’re making contact with people,” Mr Walter mentioned. “This is being done by visiting hospitals, the WA AIDS council and GP’s so that they know they can refer people to us.” As director at The Living Centre for two years, Mr Walter said the experience has been life changing.

He came from a corporate background and after serving some time as a voluntary Board Member, decided to take on the full-time position.

“You learn to re-evaluate your priorities in life and all of a sudden people become more important than measuring every dollar,” he

performances from Hirsch and Rasuk and kinetic skateboarding sequences, the vapid film, directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based on Peralta's own 2003 documentary, "Dogtown & Z-Boys," never rises above a conventional study of adolescent rebelliousness, with its more interesting elements - the characters' broken home life, the corrosive allure of fame and money - receiving shallow treatment.

Sexual situations involving minors, some violence, underage drinking and drug use, reckless and delinquent behavior, as well as recurring crude language and gestures. A-III - adults. Parents are strongly cautioned. Some material

said. The Centre provides lunch four times a week and also works very closely with a number of religious, medical, government and non-government agencies that provide support to the HIV/AIDS community.

“It is part of an integrated approach to improve the lives of infected and affected people.”

Like so many other Church agencies, the Living Centre operates through the services of about 40 volunteers, in addition to the five permanent staff.

“The Centre could not survive without the team of dedicated and hard working volunteers,” Mr Walter said. For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Linda at on 9470 4931.

may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Excessively violent - not to mention dull and unfunnyaction comedy about a couple (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) living an ordinary suburban life, each - unbeknownst to the other - a hired assassin working for rival organisations, and who, upon learning the truth, stop at nothing to try and kill each other.

The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 - parents are strongly cautioned.

Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Premier Geoff Gallop presents the cheque to Chief Judge of the District Court and Chairperson of the Fund for F.A.I.T.H, an incorporated Charity set up to help raise funds for The Living Centre. Photo: Jamie O’Brien

Helping boys grow into real men

As a Hawthorn AFL premiership player and match-winning ruckman he was an icon of Australian life. These days Steve Lawrence has an unusual job.

■ By Jamie O’Brien

Former Hawthorn footballer

Steve Lawrence gave a revealing talk to approximately 100 parents in May at Santa Maria College, many of whom were looking for support in explaining to their children what sexuality is all about.

The following day the ex-footballer who is now Catholic Chaplain at Sydney University spoke to young people in a day-long seminar at the college.

Mr Lawrence was particularly enthusiastic about educating boys who, he said, need particular help in recognising that they are not alone in their struggle for sexual purity.

Many boys have been affected by pornography and masturbation, but this is not an insurmountable obstacle in their journey towards healing.

What the Church teaches and understands about sexuality, and what other people think it believes are two completely different things.

“Young people tend to think deep down the Church is against sex,” he said.

“That might be the impression that some Christians have given but it is definitely not the Catholic view.

“That is a puritan psychology, not a Catholic understanding,” said Steve.

“God’s law is for our happiness.

“God made sex, and it is good.”

Mr Lawrence also spoke about the woundedness that comes from sexual problems, some of which can come from parents who do not live out their married love and responsibility to each other and their children.

The good news is that woundedness, while difficult in some ways to overcome, is not insurmountable in the quest for sexual purity and healing. For this to happen “each one of us has to allow Christ into our life.”

Meanwhile, “our temptations are linked to our wounds.”

Many boys have been affected by pornography and masturbation, but this is not an insurmountable obstacle in their journey towards healing.

Mr Lawrence has also more recently begun talking to young people in non-Catholic schools about the Theology of the Body, looking at how it can appeal to young people’s reality in light of creation and the redemption of Christ.

“Some of them need to hear it,

otherwise they won’t believe.”

Steven illustrated his theme for parents with five points that have been promoted strongly as part of the solution to achieving a balanced sexuality and maturity for young people by Molly Kelly, a well-known speaker in the area of chastity. These are:

● Build up - the process of building up the lines of communication.

● Tear Down - the lies that

proliferate and are aimed at young people, particularly from publications.

● Define - define the problem clearly for the sake not only of the parents but the young as well.

● Discuss - discuss the subject with honesty and sensitivity.

● Challenge - appeal to their sense of what is right and noble by challenging them to embrace a higher standard than what is

presented to them by society.

“Young people like to be challenged,” he said,

Mr Lawrence contrasted this with an example he knew of a young man who told a Bishop that his parents didn’t love him because they let him do anything he wants. The lesson was clear: parents must give young people what they need, not what they want. It will make a world of difference.

Looking with respect and honour Strength from gentleness

One of the real difficulties for men these days is the way in which women's bodies are used to promote everything. Face it, men are particularly susceptible. But there are ways to beat the advertising industry's lack of values...

■ By Peter Rosengren

Thinking about what the name of a woman portrayed in a pornographic advertisement might be is one way men can help overcome pornography’s depersonalisation of women

in their own thinking, Steven Lawrence told guys at the Santa Maria College seminar.

Women might not understand how difficult it is for men these days who are much more susceptible to pornography’s effects, and basically find themselves confronted with pornographic images in advertising virtually everywhere, he said.

“I wonder what her name is – this personalises what pornography depersonalises,” he said.

However he also prays for women whose beauty and bodies are used in pornographic and semi-pornographic ways by the advertising industry.

“I try to pray for the person who is portrayed, for her sisters and brothers, for her family, for her ‘need’ to be portrayed like that,” he said.

However, the way in which women’s bodies, physical attractiveness and beauty are used also cause women to suffer as well, he pointed out.

“It’s extremely difficult for women when this is the way they are made to feel they are supposed to look – then it becomes a great suffering for women,” he said.

He urged men to recognise this and change the way they look at women, not only for themselves but for the good of women as well, “Guys, we need to realise that women need to be looked at in a way that honours and respects them,” he urged.

“We have to ask God that our looking can be healed, and that our looking can be healing – that they realise that men can see them for their true beauty.”

- The Record

Helping boys to develop character

■ By Mark

Reidy

“If we don’t teach our sons strength, we cannot expect gentleness”, former AFL star Steve Lawrence told staff and associates at The Record office in Leederville on May 26.

Mr Lawrence, the Convener of Catholic Chaplaincy at the University of Sydney, was in Perth to speak at Santa Maria College on Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

He believes that in a society that has been permeated by contraception and pornography it is necessary for men to follow the example of Christ. Boys must be taught to be strong in their faith

and attitudes so that they will not embrace any lifestyle choice they encounter. “If they are only taught gentleness”, he said, “then we are actually only teaching them to be weak. True gentleness can only be born through strength.”

He believes that it is only with this strength and conviction that men will truly be able to embrace their spouse or future spouse, as they will then be able to follow the example of Jesus for His Church and be willing to sacrifice themselves for the glory of their wives.

Mr Lawrence also spoke of sexual wounds becoming avenues to holiness rather than obstacles to God. He said that we could, as Christ did, overcome areas of temptation and sin through prayer and choice. But we must first learn to draw on His strength and not our own.

Steve Lawrence gives a talk at Santa Maria College in May during a conference organised by Santa Maria Ministry and the Perth archdiocesan Respect Life Office.

Old fogey monks surprise the lads

Go figure. A BBC reality show put five non-Catholic guys into a Benedictine monastery for 40 days to see what would happen. The results were not quite what most people expected...

■ By Simon Caldwell

Dom Perignon, the man who put his name to one of the best-known brands of champagne, was perhaps the only Benedictine priest ever to have made an impression on Tony Burke, an agnostic who once filmed trailers for a sex chat line.

But after Burke, 29, spent 40 days and 40 nights in Worth Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Crawley, England, he was a changed man. He underwent a religious conversion, came to believe in God, quit his job - and never looked back.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” he said.

Burke, a resident of London, was one of five men selected from hundreds to take part in “The Monastery,” a three-part reality television show broadcast in Britain by the BBC in May. The show followed the experiences of each of the five participants, none of whom was Catholic, as they tried to adapt to the Benedictine way of life.

“We saw in this project an opportunity to discover what our way of life offers to people today who do not share our beliefs,” Benedictine Abbot Christopher

Jamison said. “For the participants, we hoped that they would discover hidden depths in their lives and in those hidden depths encounter God. This hope was fulfilled to an extent that took us all by surprise,” he said.

Abbot Jamison first invited the men to use silence as a “wonderful spiritual bath which we invite you to use to relax your spiritual muscles so you can start listening to God, listening to each other and listening with the ear of your heart to your own deepest self.”

The men prayed with the monks six times a day, and each participant was asked to observe the Benedictine rules of silence, obedience and humility.

Predictably, they found the Benedictine lifestyle difficult. Burke was one of the first to crack. In the first episode he was filmed leaving the abbey with Gary McCormick, a 36-year-old painter and former member of a Protestant paramilitary unit from Northern Ireland, in search of “virgins and cigarettes” in a nearby village.

The pair returned with a bag containing cigarettes, potato chips, chocolates and soft drinks; they were asked to sit down while Abbot Jamison explained that true freedom rested in being able to choose to resist the urges of the body.

Burke and McCormick were joined in the abbey by Anthoney Wright, 32, a “high-earning, highenergy” bachelor from London who boasted to the group that he had gone to the monastery straight from a “Cartier polo match.”

Wright, who works for a legal publishing company, was filmed partying in the days before he arrived at the abbey. He was shown

giving a high-five to a barman in a fashionable Mayfair salon and winking at the camera as a girl threw her arms around his neck.

Also in the group was Nick Buxton, 37, a student of Buddhism at Cambridge University who, since filming ended, has returned to his Anglican roots and regularly attends church. He took an intellectual approach to the challenge but struggled with the “part of me that doesn’t believe.”

Peter Gryffyd, 70, a retired teacher and published poet from Bristol, was the only married man

in the cast. He said he sought the answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?”

McCormick said he “couldn’t stay out of jail” after he became involved with the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and later became a drug user. He fought back tears as he told how he swore violently at his mother, “the only one who ever really stood by me in all my life.”

McCormick was one of the first to find what he was looking for - the strength to come to terms with his past - and the ensuing inner peace.

“There are 22 monks in here, and every one of them loves you and accepts you,” he said. “I have never been made so welcome in a place in all of my life.”

“They talk to you; they maybe know about your background, yet they don’t judge you. It’s hard to put into words but the acceptance here is, to me, it’s like walking into heaven,” he said. Over the weeks that followed, Gryffyd regained the faith he rejected in his youth, and Buxton edged closer to becoming an Anglican minister.

Burke discussed his past drinking problems and confessed that he was unhappy with his present life. Then, on day 38, he had a “religious experience,” and reported a “surge of energy” that left him in tears.

Burke told CNS on May 10 that he now attends a Catholic Church near his home in London.

“I was looking for a different way of approaching life, and my time in the monastery gave me a

tremendous amount of affirmation,” he said.

“I went in as an agnostic, and had a very specific and profound experience. It was something I couldn’t ignore and haven’t ignored,” he said, adding that since filming was completed in September he has also returned to the abbey at least once a month to pray with the monks.

Wright was shown coming to terms with being raised by grandparents after being abandoned as a 2-yearold. He told CNS that the monastery experience motivated him to realise his ambitions. He said he has since taken a pay cut to set up his own music production company.

He added that he now prays daily and makes the occasional visit to London’s Catholic Westminster Cathedral.

“The experience is still happening,” he said. “It is when you get back to civilisation that you start to go back over all the things you learned.”

“Definitely, the experience has changed me a lot, but at the end of the day I am not about to become a monk,” he told CNS.

“Everyone has the stereotypical idea of what a monk is. You think of them as being old-fashioned and not part of the modern world. But they were great.

“They were just like normal guys who you could talk to easily.

“It was the most unbelievably peaceful and spiritual place.

I will remember the experience forever,” he said.

- CNS Anthoney Wright, Tony Burke, Nick Buxton, Gary McCormick and Peter Gryffyd retreated from modern society to join the monks at Worth Abbey. Photo:CNS

Five men who retreated from their ordinary lives to join the monks at Worth Abbey in Crawley, England, are the stars of “The Monastery.”

Photo:CNS

MATURE AGEENTRY

Not all Notre Dame students are straight out of high-school, in fact, approximately 40% of new students starting at Notre Dame in Semester 1, 2005 were mature-age. Our mature aged students range from 20 to 70 years of age!

Most courses at Notre Dame offer a part-time option for students to continue working and/or caring for a family with as little as four contact hours per week. Class sizes are small and students are given personalised, high quality education with opportunities to pursue studies in social justice.

Notre Dame recognises that students may have limited recent experience with tertiary study and therefore offers support services. Our Student Services Office has put together programs which assist students during the transition into their university career which include amongst others an Orientation Scheme, Library and Computer Familiarisation and Study Skills workshops.

Notre Dame supports a holistic admissions process under which a single academic score is not the sole criterion for university entry. We base entry into our courses upon a range of factors including previous academic study such as the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), vocational qualifications and contributions to community life, individual motivation and recommendations by schools or employers. In some cases, extensive industry experience without previous study can also be used towards entry.

June Course Information Evening

The College of Health and the College of Science are holding a course information evening on 28 June. The evening will commence with a general presentation about the the admissions process at Notre Dame. Following this you will have the opportunity to attend information sessions for each of the courses below. These sessions will give you the chance to meet academic staff and ask any questions about the courses you are interested in. Information sessions will be available on the following areas of study:

College of Health

College of Science

• Counselling• Biomedical Science

• Health & Physical Education• Ecotourism

• Life Sciences• Environmental Biology

• Medicine• Environmental Management

• Nursing• Information Communication Technology

• Physiotherapy

Please be sure to RSVP to the Prospective Students Centre on 9433 0533

•

CALLING ALL YEAR 10, 11 & 12s!!

“A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A UNIVERSITY STUDENT”

Wednesday 13 July 8.30am-1.00pm

Notre Dame holds this event each year to provide prospective students in years 10, 11 & 12 with an opportunity to experience life on campus as a university student. Students register and enrol in units of study much like real students, and sit through two 'mini-lectures' in areas they are interested in. Some lectures that have been offered in the past include Understanding our Coast; Multiple Intelligences; What is Native Title and Why Do We Need It?; History, Politics & Social Concern; Ready, Set, Go!; Ethical Leadership & Making Teams Work; How to do Marketing; Accounting & Finance; Delivery of Intravenous Maintenance Fluids; Assessment of Normal Posture; True Love in the Digital Wilderness

This is a fun day out during the July school holidays that has proven useful to all students hoping to pursue study beyond high school.

Get a group together and book your place now by contacting the Prospective Student Centre on 9433 0533

The Tertiary Enabling Program is an alternative entry program to undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle or Broome Campuses.

What does this mean?

By successfully completing the Tertiary Enabling Program students will have an opportunity to study for a degree in Arts, Teaching or Nursing (Broome Campus Only).

The program is suitable for those who:

•did not complete TEE;

•would like to pursue a different career; or

•broaden their horizons.

The Tertiary Enabling Program is completed over one semester full-time and gives students a taste of academic study in a comfortable and rewarding environment in which to learn new skills.

Australian students studying the program have access to FEE-HELP. With no upfront fees. Notre Dame is more accessible than ever before.

MID-YEAR ENTRY - CLOSING SOON

Applications are now being received for the following undergraduate university courses to commence 8 August 2005.

Applications should be received at the University no later than 4pm Friday 8 July

•Arts & Humanities

•Behavioural Science

•Biomedical Science

•Business & Commerce

•Communications & Media

•Counselling •Ecotourism

•Environmental Biology & Management

•Exercise & Sport Science

•Information & Communications Technology

•Law

•Life Sciences

•Social Sciences

•Sport & Recreation Management

•Teaching

•Theology