Discovery - November 2008

discovery

As Christmas draws near, most Australians understand what this picture means. But the nation’s Department of Immigration doesn’t. And all because of a child.

What’s wrong with that picture?

In THE HOUSE...

The official World Youth Day DVDs are available - now!

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CHRISTMAS CATALOGUE

Presents that put the meaning back in Christmas

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Colouring Competition Winners

Competition

Women of the Bible

The Record received nearly 100 entries for our Women of the Bible competition.

The entries were Sp ECTACULAR! In the end winners were chosen for the creative thought that they had put into their colouring. Congratulations!

EDITOR

Peter Rosengren cathrec@iinet.net.au

JOURNALISTS

Anthony Barich abarich@therecord.com.au

Mark Reidy reidyrec@iinet.net.au

Robert Hiini rhiini@iinet.net.au

We were originally going to choose five winners but ended up with six. Winners will receive a copy of Women of the Bible in the mail in a few weeks.

Women of the Bible colouring book is also available from The Record Bookshop 9227 7080 for $7.95

ADMINISTRATION

Bibiana Kwaramba administration@therecord.com.au

ACCOUNTS

Cathy Baguley recaccounts@iinet.net.au

p RODUCTION & ADVERTISING

Justine Stevens production@therecord.com.au

587 Newcastle St, Leederville. PO Box 75, Leederville, WA 6902

Tel: (08) 9227 7080 Fax: (08) 9227 7087

in brief...

The multi-generational family is making a comeback in the US as mum, dad, kids and grandparents live under one roof. The number of parents aged 65 and older moving in with adult children

increased by 62 per cent between 2000 and 2007, the Census Bureau reports. Those under 65 who did so grew by 75 per cent. For some families it is a matter of choice; others are driven by higher housing costs and economic need. In still other cases

caregiving is the motivating factor. The step can be very positive for all generations, giving older people more to do - picking up kids from school, some food shopping, cooking once a week - and a sense of purpose.

- MeRcaToRneT

Adele l ilburne 10 years

St Mary’s Star of the Sea Carnarvon

yvette pA ng 12 years ursula Frayne Catholic College

SA r A h r AtA j C z A k 8 years home Schooling

kA r A bASS ett 10 years

St Mary’s Star of the Sea Carnarvon

z hen MA j ye A p 5 years Sacred heart primary School

tony nguyen 6 years o ur lady’s Assumption School

Downs boy decision bizzare - any way you look at it

discovery comment

The Australian Department of Immigration’s policy to refuse a family Permanent Residency smacks of bureacracy divorced from reality

Australians are facing yet another Christmas in which those who administer and govern in our name are reminding us that the Christmas spirit has no place in what is done year-round in our name.

We all know that the Christmas feeling doesn’t last all year round, but feelings are not supposed to last forever. Seasonal celebrations like Christmas and easter, or annual occasions like birthdays and wedding anniversaries are designed to generate feelings of generosity and love that will strengthen our rational commitment to behave with generosity and love when there isn’t a mountain of emotion to help us.

to be truly human is to make rational decisions not because they feel good, but because they are good. Major community celebrations (and you will notice that they are primarily religious celebrations) are designed to make our emotions and our reason con-

Laws discriminate against disabled: Bishop

Bishop Joseph Grech of Sandhurst (pictured, at right), who is also the Australian Bishops’ spokesman on Immigration, said the case pointed to a deeper issue regarding the principles of human dignity on which Australia’s immigration system should be based.

“We accept that any immigration scheme must be subject to rules and criteria,” he said.

“However making a disability a reason for refusing a family permanent residency is not acceptable.

“Sadly, it is the norm in our world that international laws and customs do not permit people with disability free movement across borders, or the right to settle in a country of their choice on equal terms with others.”

gruent, so that our decisions will be rationally good even in the face of negative emotions.

In this particular case that looks like blighting our Christmas, a German doctor and his wife and three children have been denied permanent residency in Australia because one of the children, 13-year-old Lukas, has Down Syndrome. t hey have been here on temporary visas since 2006 and are entitled to stay until 2010.

t he case is not without hope because numerous public figures – including Bishop Joseph Grech who represents the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference on immigration - have objected to the

decision. However, many of the barbarous decisions made under immigration law have proved very hard to change in the past.

Immigration officials are no doubt forced by the law to make many of the weird decisions they produce in our name – and they may even claim the defence that they are rationally following ‘the rule of law’ as it applies to immigration.

However, the issue at stake is whether the decisions (such as this one) that are produced by the ‘rule of law’ bear any resemblance to what Australia and Australians stand for. We certainly hope they don’t.

t here are many profound issues involved. t he first is Australia’s attitude to families. Lukas Moeller is very much a part of a family, a family that is very much committed to Lukas.

In fact, they brought him to Australia because they believed this was the best place in the world for him because he and they would experience less adverse discrimination here than anywhere else.

t hat, in itself, should tell federal Parliament and anyone else who needs to be told that this sort of decision does not fit the attitudes of Australians who are strongly supportive of people with any sort of disability. families have always been the foundation and strength of human society, although there has always been some antipathy between families and the state.

Dictatorial regimes hate families because they cannot control them; bureaucratic regimes dislike them because they are not sufficiently well ordered; and our country has suffered from an underlying belief that governments can do the work of families better than families can.

In these days when far too many people break up their own families, officialdom might have an argument, but it is not strong enough to overturn the faith that most Australians have in fami-

lies. Lukas Moeller is part of a strong family that cares for him. He should be seen as benefiting that family and from that family, not as someone who can be turned into a cause of disqualification of his family.

If Dr Moeller is suitable to stay in Australia to work in private practice at Horsham (Vic.) and as a specialist at the Wimmera Base Hospital, his son Lukas can stay with him. Apart from that, in his two years here young Lukas has developed an effective kicking style with an Aussie rules football, and that’s a very human consideration.

Using disability of this kind in this way is treating human beings in the same way we treat nuclear waste – we don’t want anyone else’s! t his is not what Australians think, and it is time our law stopped pretending that we do think that way.

As Christmas approaches, let us all examine how we feel about families – all families and all members of families – and tell our politicians that we want our laws to protect those standards.

n Art as a second language - re-learning the heritage of Christian art.

- Pages 14-15

n Want to put the Christ back in Christmas shopping? See The Record Bookshop’s Christmas Catalogue.

- Pages 7-10

The WYD DVDs everyone wants are available - now

Want to recapture the special experience of World Youth Day in Sydney? Whether you were there or not, the official DVDs are available from The Record now.

n By Robert Hiini

After two delays in production and numerous local calls of inquiry to the Perth World Youth Day Office and Catholic Youth Ministry, the official DVDs covering and commemorating World Youth Day (WYD) have been released.

t he DVDs went on sale last month and depict the events of

WYD over July 15 – 20 this year when almost half a million pilgrims journeyed to Sydney to be with Pope Benedict XVI and their fellow Catholics, young and old.

Working with St Paul’s Publications, World Youth Day Sydney have put together a box set of DVDs covering all of the major events, a highlights DVD and a DVD covering the Stations of the Cross – a feature of every international WYD.

t he box set covers the event’s opening Mass, the arrival of Pope Benedict in Sydney Harbour, the Stations of the Cross that took place throughout the streets of Sydney’s CBD, the evening vigil with the Holy father at r andwick and the final Mass.

In their advertising, organisers

invite those who went to WYD to “listen again to the powerful messages of each event and let them inspire you to build with Christ and his Church a new civilisation of life, love and truth.”

t he DVDs will retail for prices set by WYD Sydney: $79.95 for the box set and $24.95 for the Stations of the Cross DVD or the Highlights Package DVD.

t he highlights DVD – featuring over three and a half hours of content - includes an introduction from Sydney Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell ruminating on the impact of WYD in Sydney.

“Christianity makes a difference to daily living and WYD enabled us to restate our central claims in dramatic fashion. Our first task always being to present

Jesus Christ – his teachings and his followers who make up the Church,” the cardinal said.

In the DVDs’ production, Bishop Anthony fisher OP, the event’s coordinator, says that the DVDs should not be simply a memento of a massive event but should also prompt introspection and a desire to evangelise.

“Now the challenge is to be the WYD Apostles that Christ

and his Vicar have called us to be,” the bishop said. “Ask yourself what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do next in worshipping God and building a better Church and world.”

The three WYD ‘08 DVDs are available from The Record Bookshop. Email the Bookshop’s Caroline at: bookshop@ therecord.com.au or phone (08) 9227 7080.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

2 x Youth Ministry Officers and Administrative Assistant for Catholic Youth Ministry

The Catholic Youth Ministry office is seeking 2 full time Youth Ministry Officers and a full time Administration Assistant. (Part time job-share positions would be considered)

These workers would be part of an energetic team to build and support youth ministry throughout the Archdiocese of Perth following on from the success of World Youth Day.

Applicants must demonstrate commitment to the ethos and values of the Catholic Church. Minimum one year experience and/or tertiary qualifications in the appropriate field would be preferred. The appointments will be subject to a Working With Children Check.

For a copy of the full job description, download a copy from www.cym.com.au

Please forward a cover letter with your CV including 2 referees and a parish priest reference to Miss Anita Parker: anita.parker@highgate-perthcatholic.org.au

Applications close: Friday November 21, 2008.

For any queries please call 9422 7944.

Notre Dame offers places to 75 Catholic school TEE students

Early offers give Fremantle campus edge in attracting state’s high achievers from Catholic schools

thE university of notre dame australia, Fremantle has offered 75 university places to high achieving Western australian school leavers as part of the Early offer Program for 2009.

the program was introduced two years ago to give secondary schools in Western australia the opportunity to nominate academically strong students who have made an outstanding contribution to school, church and community life. this year notre dame

received over 122 applications from schools around Wa. Rommie Masarei, Manager of the admissions office, commented, “We were very impressed with the applicants this year, particularly with the breadth of their achievement – academically at school, in the community and church, and in extracurricular activities. this program is a great opportunity for outstanding students to be acknowledged.”

notre dame’s Fremantle campus hosted a special event for these applicants, at which students and their families were invited to celebrate the achievement of each individual school leaver. the students were addressed by the new Vice chancellor, Professor celia hammond. notre dame looks forward to seeing these students in 2009.

Future teachers lend a hand to new arrivals

Students make learning fun when English isn’t first language

Education students from t he university of notre d ame australia’s Fremantle campus have been spending time at Beaconsfield Primary School to assist students in the intensive English centre (iEc) with their mathematical skills.

notre dame students have been visiting classes on a weekly basis for a hands-on teaching experience as part of an assessment for the iEc students math’s specialty unit. using the internationally acclaimed maths card game, numero, which has been sponsored for the school by Ric Publications, students work to encourage and develop the maths skills of the children.

notre d ame’s Manager, o ffice of Professional Practice in the School of Education, Ms Serena d avie, explains: “Mathematics research indicates that chil-

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dren must articulate their moves orally for maximum learning. the game works well to reinforce language as well as mathematics with these children.

“another great benefit is that the game is able to improve the mathematical thinking of struggling and excelling students of all ages. it is also fun and inexpensive!”

Many of the children in the iEc come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have migrated to australia, with their families, from countries such as Sudan, uganda, afghanistan and Burma. Some have never had toys, played games in their homes or even attended formal schooling.

School Principal at Beaconsfield Primary, Mr Graham dart said, “ this partnership is a ‘win-win’ for both Beaconsfield Primary students and notre dame. the interactions not only promote mathematical thinking and test operations knowledge; they also provide an excellent language experience.

the Education students get to hone their instructional techniques and make a positive difference to a child’s day.”

SELLING FAST!

People should live in houses

Academics speak out on why homelessness isn’t good enough

Notre Dame students help raises awareness of ‘Homelessness’

StudentS from the university of notre dame got involved with Anti-Poverty Week which was held from October 13-17 this year. the national initiative was established in Australia as an expansion of the united nations annual International Anti-Poverty day on October 17.

Social Justice students from notre dame’s Fremantle Campus hosted a variety of activities including a group ‘sleep out’. Students spent four nights ‘sleeping rough’ to help raise awareness for staff, students and local community members.

during the week local businesses such as the Freo Street doctor, Mobile Health Clinic; St Pat’s Gimme Shelter; edmund Rice Centre; the Big Issue and the Australian Red Cross promoted their work to students. these businesses help to provide services to the homeless in and around Fremantle the university’s d ean of Medicine, Professor Gavin Frost, also gave a presentation on ‘ the economics of Homelessness.’

Professor Frost’s talk came as part of the university’s Conversations on tap series which is held four times a year.

the series raises awareness of various social justice issues, and others have lent a hand. In addition to Prof. Frost, Mr Wyn Williams, the Chief executive Officer of

the June O’Connor Centre, and School of Business Adjunct Professor for notFor-Profit Leadership and Management, Professor david Gilchrist, also pspoke. Professor Gilchrist addressed homelessness versus affordable housing, covering

issues such as rising rents, the need for emergency and crisis accommodation, mental health and access available for mental health and how this affects pensioners, youth, aged, unemployed people and people released from prison.

in brief...

Spanish divorce drop

AFteR RISInG steadily for a quarter of a century, to more than 100,000 a year, divorce numbers in Spain went into a clear decline earlier this year, when the meltdown of the country’s key property sector and the beginnings of the global financial crisis put an end to more than a decade of economic growth.

With unemployment rising and house prices dropping, as many as 30 per cent of couples who might have divorced are hanging on.

Some might even stay together permanently, says Madrid lawyer Antonio Prada. “ the economic crisis would help to preserve marriages” in cases where the partners have at least friendly relations, he adds.

Couples who can’t stand the sight of each other, however, are resorting to “internet divorces” based on standard contracts supplied by law firms charging low fees.

these create problems, says Prada, because they do not deal with the details of dividing property, child custody and other specifics. Spain legalised divorce in 1981 and Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero’s Socialist government made it easier in 2005, putting it on a no-fault basis.

the economic slump is also bringing adult children back home as they lose their jobs or find difficulty obtaining mortgages or credit to start a business. the number of young people leaving home fell last year and the number of 30-somethings moving back has risen.

- MeRCAtORnet.COM

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Speaking out: Students from the University of Notre Dame sleep out rough on the streets of Fremantle to make the point that for many people this is the only sort of place they have to call home.

‘No WA child will miss schooling because of global financial crisis’

WA’s Catholic education system commits to families affected by world credit crunch. Promises children will not miss out on schooling because of inability to pay fees.

CatholiC education has responded proactively to the current global financial crisis by making an undertaking to all parents and families that their children will not be denied a Catholic education due to an inability to pay fees.

the Catholic Education Commission of Western australia has issued statements reassuring families that, in this period of economic downturn, they will be supported to enable their children to enjoy a Catholic education regardless of their financial situation. the 150 Catholic schools across the State already offer significant financial support to families, with lower-income families paying only $3.50 per week in fees for primary schools.

“i can reassure parents and families that no child will be denied a Catholic education due to a genuine inability to pay fees. this applies to current and prospective students at our schools,” said Director of Catholic Education in Western australia, Ron Dullard.

“i encourage families to approach their school Principal who will respond to individual situations with care and sensitivity.”

Three more deacons for Perth

hail from three parts of the globe: Jean-Noel from Mauritius, Bonaventure from Kenya and Jeronimo from El Salvador. like many such recent ordinations to the priesthood the three new deacons lend an increasingly international flavour to the local church - both in terms of clergy and the populations gathered in local parishes.

CECWA Enrolment Policy

No child will be denied a CATHOLIC EDUCATION due to the inability to pay fees

Dear

REASSURANCE IN THE FACE OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

The impact of the current global financial crisis is being felt all over the world.

Catholic schools in Western Australia are aware of the significant strain parents may find themselves under as the economy slows down. We understand that paying school fees may become difficult for some families. Our schools already provide significant support to families needing financial assistance.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, I urge you to approach your school Principal who will respond to your situation with care and sensitivity. This support applies to existing and prospective students. Please be assured that no child will be denied a Catholic Education because of a family’s genuine inability to pay fees.

Ron Dullard Director of Catholic Education in Western Australia

More shepherds: it’s recorded in the acts of the apostles how the apostles found themselves becoming more and more overwhelmed with work in ministering to the rapidly-growing numbers of converts to the new faith of Christianity in Jerusalem shortly after Christ rose from the dead. their solution? ordain special assistants to help in administration and other tasks for the Church, freeing the apostles for the critical task of preaching the good news about Jesus Christ. So began the office of Deacon, special assistants to the Church’s first bishops, whose jobs included preaching the gospel, ministering to the poor, caring for widows and orphans and distributing alms to those in need.

the three newest deacons in the archdiocese of Perth are Jean-Noel antione Marie, Bonaventure anny Echeta and Jeronimo de Jesus Flamenco, who were ordained to the diaconate by archbishop Barry hickey at Good Shepherd Church in lockridge in front of a packed congregation of several hundred last Saturday evening, November 2. the three, all of whom studied at St Charles Seminary in Perth,

archbishop hickey said during the ceremony that the task of being a deacon is not a job; it is a special call from God that comes with great importance and responsibilities. “it must be approached in fear and trembling,” he said of the weighty responsibilities associated with the diaconate.

Meanwhile, the three new deacons have a special role awaiting them: as deacons they must serve - both the Church and its people, “especially the poor.” they will not be able to do that “unless they get to know the poor personally. it’s something they have to do,” he said.

photo: Peter rosengren

Full report and photos in next weekend’s Record

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Family and LIFE

Committee for Family and for Life

This is the sixth edition of the Committee for Family and for Life’s (CFFFL) Newsletter in 2008 published as part of this edition of discovery The Record and discovery are proud to promote the valuable works of the Committee.

Members of the Committee for Family and for Life are:

Bishop Donald 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 Karnewicz 9375 2029; Su Goh 0413 560 033 Jane Borg 9202 6859; Julie Cook 9313 1784; Sr Dolores Coffey 9227 8432

Parishes turn to Saints for inspiration

In the recent survey (see article at right) by the Committee for Family and for Life, thirty five parishes listed “Celebrating the Parish’s Patron Saint’s Feast Day” under activities in the parish which support family life.

Respondents gave reasons for celebrating the Parish feast day as “Patron Saints are seen as being chosen as special protectors or guardians over areas of life. These areas can include occupations, illnesses, churches, countries, and causesanything that is important.”

One parish pointed out that “Patron Saints are often chosen today because an interest, talent, or event in their lives overlaps with a special area, Even Angels can be named as patron saints. For example, Francis of Assisi loved nature and so he is patron of ecologists. Francis de Sales was a writer and so he is patron of journalists and writers. Clare of Assisi was named patron of television because one Christmas when she was too ill to leave her bed she saw and heard Christmas Mass - even though it was taking place miles away”.

One Priest said: ”In the saints we see people whose lives we can imitate and because we belong to the Communion of Saints we can ask the saints to pray for us. Celebrating our local parish’s Patron Saint is one way of bringing to mind an example of a saint whose life we can imitate and whose help we can seek.”

Fr Karol Kulceyck from St Anthony’s in Greenmount said that “For all the diversity that is the modern parish, (we have people from Poland, Italy, Croatia, Ireland, Australia and Vietnam to mention just a few), members can feel connected to the parish Patron Saint. Young and old can unite in learning from and honouring the same saint.

“Like celebrating a birthday, the parish celebrates its Patron Saint. Just as we have a name day, so too does our local church. We may not know why our church was given the name St Anthony but we can honour the example and spirit St

Results of Perth church family and marriage survey to be shared

Many of Perth’s 100 or so parishes are doing many things in an active attempt to support marriage and the family unit, a recent survey carried out by the CFL has found.

The CFL recently sent out survey forms to all parishes in the Perth archdiocese. The purpose of the survey was to get to the bottom of what, if anything, parishes are doing to support family life, marriage, parenting, children, youth, and the dignity of the human person.

The results of the survey are enlightening. Even the process of just filling in the form enabled many parishes to discover just how much they do, in fact, to support family life. Survey results will also enable the CFL to share with all the parishes of the archdiocese what other parishes are doing. Following on from this successful response, the CFFFL is now surveying all archdiocesan agencies and organisations so everyone can benefit from the experiences of others.

In this edition of discovery the CFFFL shares some of the stories discovered through the survey process.

Anthony shows by his life. Our celebration remembers and honours the past as it encourages present parishioners”.

Each year on the Sunday nearest the feast of St Anthony, June 13, the parishioners celebrate their multiculturalism by wearing their national costumes, using different languages in the Mass and shar-

ing foods from their countries. Fr Karol provides a donut for each parishioner. The day concludes with fun and games.

St Denis parish in Joondanna recently celebrated their patron’s feast day over the weekend of October 11/12.

Fr Michaelraj Maniham, the parish priest, shared with the

parishioners something about the saint and the connection with the parish.

Even though we may not know a lot about the Patron Saint of our parish, we can still reflect on the life of the saint to inspire and encourage.

For example, Fr Michael explained, St Denis and his companions, Eleutherius and Rusticus, (who lived around 250 AD) were disciples of Jesus and missionaries of Christ in leaving Italy to go to France to proclaim the Gospel.

Fr Michael said, “They witnessed to Christ. The legend says that they were beheaded and that St Denis picked up his head held it in his arms and continued preaching for some time.”

Referring to the Gospel reading for the feast day celebration where Jesus calls his disciples, “salt of the earth, light of the world with the Spirit of the Lord upon them to do their missions,” Fr Michael said that “in the eyes of the world our saints are dead - but in the eyes of God they are very alive.” He encouraged parishioners to “take pride in having St Denis as our Patron who was an ardent disciple

of Jesus, zealous missionary, holy Pastor, and an heroic martyr. St Denis is leading our parish from his place in Heaven.”

The parish celebrated the saint with special prayers at weekend masses and with an afternoon of activities and a barbecue.

The front garden of the church was fenced in with safety netting so children would have a large safe area to play. Inside the foyer of the church, a Wii game was set up and supervised by a volunteer. This game machine was as popular with the adults as the young people.

Face painting under the trees for the young ones spilled over onto a couple of adults, too. The Australian flag face belonged to one of the young band members from the “April 22 Band,” students from Year 7 class at St Denis school, whose average age is 12. This band entertained parishioners with some of their own compositions as well as songs from the more famous.

Children and adults were refreshed, glad to be parishioners of St Denis and went home licking an ice cream.

Donuts for all: At St Anthony’s parish in Greenmount the feast of the parish’s patron saint is a big occasion, marked with all sorts of activities. One way of making it special and fun is for everyone to hoe into a donut.

Fun formula: St Anthony’s involves all in the parish feast day.

Committee for Family and for Life

“Heaven knows, we need more carers”

It’s one of the saddest facts of life in Western Australia: children who effectively have no functioning family. So... have you ever considered being a foster carer for a child in need of a home? MercyCare’s Dr Nicola Howe urges discovery readers to think about the possibility.

“Sadly, there are growing numbers of unlucky Western Australian children who will be reported as being at risk in their family environment,” Dr Nicola Howe, Group General Manager, Organisational Development for MercyCare told the CFL.

“We understand the complexities at the heart of child protection, and the need to balance the rights of the child to a safe and happy life, with the need to strengthen parental capacity to create a safe environment for the care of children.

“Our response is to develop innovative solutions which will improve the lives of many vulnerable children at risk in their family setting and, where necessary, outside of it,” she said.

“Family connection is vital for children, so one of our responses to need has been securing foster carers who will take groups of siblings; brothers and sisters are then kept together,” she said.

One of the first Agencies to return the Organisational Survey form was MercyCare.

Dr Nicola Howe. Group General Manager, Organisational Development was very pleased to share the work of MercyCare. She said, “In November 1999, the Perth Congregation of Sisters of Mercy instituted a new organisation named MercyCare, with

a lay Board of Governance. MercyCare now provides a diverse range of health, aged care, employment, training and community services to the sick, frail and most vulnerable in the community”.

“Our Foster Care Program”, Nicola said, “recruits and trains families and people to become foster carers, medium to long-term for children aged 0-17 years who are unable to live with their parents”.

Nicola said “This year we are introducing a privately funded programme called ‘Foster Care Plus’ which ensures that each of the children in our foster care program are provided with the health care they so desperately need and the extra-curricular activities that other children take for granted.”

Dr Nicola Howe was asked how readers of discovery could help.

“There are two ways you can support our

work,” she said. “One way is to consider being one of our foster carers for a group of siblings (minimum two). Come and speak to some of our foster carers and staff to find out more about the rewards of providing the love and care for children in need. Many Christians find this a very enriching way to give love. Heaven knows we need more carers”.

Another way she said help could be given was to support such children by providing financial contributions to the work MercyCare does in this area.

“We seek your donations so we can provide each child in the MercyCare Foster Care programme with private health insurance; a full-paediatric and development assessment; necessary care interventions (speech therapy, psychology, physiotherapy) and remedial tutoring where required.

“We also try to provide at least two of the following activities for each child: music lessons, participation in a team sport, solo sport, art, theatre or dance lessons for each child and their foster care siblings”.

Other ways people can be involved in MercyCare’s help for children can include becoming an adult “older sister” or “older brother” for support and mentoring, or weekly baby-sitting support for the fostercare family.

Support for Parents

If you would like further information on all their services please contact 9208 4444.

Children at risk

To help support these Western Australian children, please contact the MercyCare Foundation on 9208 8468 or email nreid@ mercycare.com.au or view their website on http://www.mercycare.com.au

MercyCare fills gaps in ordinary lives

One of the first agencies to return the CFL’s Organisational Survey form was MercyCare. Dr Nicola Howe, Group General Manager, Organisational Development (pictured) was pleased to share the work of MercyCare with discovery. She said, “In November 1999, the Perth Congregation of Sisters of Mercy instituted a new organisation named MercyCare, with a lay Board of Governance. MercyCare now provides a diverse range of health, aged care, employment, training and community services to the sick, frail and most vulnerable in the community”.

Tips to make a small world safe

Paul Everall sees many parents and children in his daily work at MercyCare and runs workshops for families and parents and provides a monthly reflection on Parenting in a local newspaper. Paul shares some of his reflections on the topic of helping children during times of fear and helplessness.

Paul, a Social Work practitioner and manager at Mercy Family Services, says “As I put this reflective piece together I couldn’t help thinking how easy and “safe” it would be to avoid talking about how our children experience and deal with fear and helplessness. However, our

worlds and our children’s worlds can be turned upside down during times of crisis or difficulty. How do we help our children deal with these situations? What would we as parents and caregivers need during these times?

What do our children look for during these times?”

Paul’s experience in this field helps him draw the following conclusions on how parents can

Watch Me Grow

best help their children in this area. He says it depends on:

n Our ability to take charge: be firm and kind (bigger, stronger, wiser and kind).

n Our choosing to soothe: focus on clear and hidden cues of distress and to do this consistently.

n Deciding to be available: emotionally and physically to offer protection, comfort and organisation to make sense of

the feelings the child has or is expressing.

n Giving children time: to feel safe and then venture out for exploration and play.

n Continuing to reassure (even if it seems endless and unreasonable): because the child needs and wants it.

n Being available: our willingness to simply be available, rather than thinking that a specific problem solving skill is required.

n Being at the centre of our children’s world and be the most important resource our children need to make all the difference.

For those who are interested in discovering more information about building a circle of safety and security around our children, Paul suggests visiting the Circle of Security Project Website: www.circleofsecurity. org or contact him on 9208 4444.

CFL

Wanted: One true heart, two strong arms. Our society is rapidly becoming more anti-child, and children are suffering the consequences. MercyCare offers families the chance to step in and fill the gap in the lives of children who have no functioning families. Perhaps you are being called?

Committee for Family and for Life

Making the stranger welcome

The Edmund Rice Centre, inspired by the founder of the Christian Brothers, has created a new way to welcome migrants and refugees to Australia as its Director, Stephen Bowman, tells the CFL...

On the afternoon of Friday 17th October 2008, 52 adults and 47 young people travelled to the peaceful and relaxed setting of Camp Kelly near Dwellingup in the State Forest area for a Harmony Weekend Camp experience.

“This was the second of two camps we have held in 2008 with the first camp in May of this year.

“After arriving, settling into accommodation and an evening Aussie Barbecue, everyone began to meet one another in an opening ‘Welcoming Ritual’ organised by Richard Mavros from the Edmund Rice Formation Team.”

“One of the elements of this ritual includes every participant writing their name and country of origin on a piece of card and placing this on a large world map. Sixteen countries were represented.

‘On Saturday morning all participants had the opportunity to learn about the indigenous history and spirituality of the area, to learn some Nyungar language, to listen to the didgeridoo and songs, witness an “emu dance” and finally to participate in a bush walk through the forest and sample the local bush foods.

“George Walley and his cousin Frank were excellent presenters and both shared their own personal story”.

“After a short break for morning tea, individuals shared their own stories in small groups with others people they had not previously met. After lunch, an introduction about the diversity of religions in Western Australia was followed by short presentations on the Baha’i Faith, islam, Christianity, and Buddhism.

“This session concluded with discussion and sharing as well as recording the similari-

ties that exist between faiths. These similarities were to be recalled later in the camp in the Multi faith Service. Saturday concluded with a multicultural feast with a large variety

“iof dishes from around the world, a campfire and some very lively multicultural dancing and music led by Jackie (originally from Jamaica). On Sunday morning we celebrated

was Happy to see the questions asked by the Committee for Family and for life of our agency relating to supporting families because i believe it is important that everything we do is supportive of the family,” said Stephen Bowman, Director of the Edmund Rice Centre in Mirrabooka. “Our educational programs certainly help individuals who, through their new learning, are better able to carry out their roles in the family and help other families who may not come to the Centre.”

“Just filling in the CFl survey form”, he said, “gave us an opportunity to review just what it is that we are doing and why we do what we do. At the same time i am looking forward to reading about other agencies and the sort of things they do to support family life. i believe we can all learn from and support each other”.

The Centre was established in 1998 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers and named for their founder, Edmund Rice, a wealthy 18th Century businessman-turnededucator-of-the-poor. Each week the Centre offers adult learning, youth programs, community settlement programs and life skills to 600 people.

a multi-faith service which brought together the indigenous story and our own personal and faith stories and our reflections of the weekend.”

Stephen said, “The Harmony Weekend proved again to be very successful with new friends made, a greater appreciation for the richness of our diverse community in Western Australia and the beauty of the natural environment.”

A baby shower for... Jesus?

As we prepare for Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Archdiocese of Perth’s Pregnancy Assistance agency is inviting interested people to host a ‘Baby Shower for Jesus’ in their school, home, parish or work place.

Over the last two years, various groups have gathered for such events, an innovative way that groups used to gather gifts for babies and their mothers in time for Christmas.

Hosting a “Baby Shower for Jesus” is a great opportunity to have some fun.

Students or guests are invited to bring a baby gift which will then be donated to Pregnancy Assistance to support newborn babies and their families. It’s also a great way of encouraging people, especially children, to remember others less fortunate, especially at Christmas time.

Suggested items include: baby items for newborns such as formula, nappies, baby bottles, dummies, soap, baby wipes, clothes (newborn to age one) and other baby furniture.

If hosting a shower is not possible then gifts can simply be donated; one parish in 2007 kept a donation box in the church foyer for parishioners to place gifts in.

For further information, email info@pregnancyassistance.org.au or contact Therese on 9405 6735 or Lydia on 9328 2926.

Helping others when today is too unbearable

Mental Health training program aims to assist those in regional and rural Western Australia

The state of our mental health can be influenced by many outside factors - the loss of a job, death of a loved one, divorce and illness to name a few.

While we all experience change in our lives, some changes can be traumatic.

On the other hand, we or someone in our family may live with a mental health issue; it is not easy to cope.

Over the last twelve months, the Catholic Mental Health group, operating through the Archdiocese of Perth’s Emmanuel Centre, has organised a series of talks focussed on change.

Entitled “Understanding and Coping with Grief” these sessions were held both North and South of the River and many people travelled long distances to attend.

But pleas for similar workshops came from outer metropolitan and country areas.

A small grant was obtained from the Victorian-based Pil OT li GHT organisation.

Pilotlight, whose motto is “a tiny flame sparking big ideas, projects, and alliances,” heard about the work already undertaken by the Catholic Mental Health Group and offered support.

in 2009 the Catholic Mental Health group under the auspices of Emmanuel Centre is organising a two-day weekend training seminar entitled “Working WiTH those who grieve.”

it will be open to all with a particular welcome to people living in Regional and rural WA.r

Those living outside the metropolitan area do not have ready access to support and the seminar will aim to help people to help themselves and others in their communities.

Gerry Smith, a long-time grief counsellor,

will lead participants through various exercises which will look at a number of aspects of grief.

Topics include the ‘Experience of Grief,’ ‘Picking up the Pieces,’ ‘Children grieve, too,’ ‘Working WiTH those who grieve,’ and ‘Healthy Carer… Healthy Caring.’

comprehensively and will hand out notes complementing each session.

Besides helping themselves, participants will be better equipped to help others on their return home.

Gerry will cover these topics

If you are interested in registering for this weekend, planned for early 2009, contact Barbara Harris on 9328 8113.

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Together: A weekend camp for migrant families and refugees organised by the Edmund Rice Centre in Mirabooka offers a welcome to their new country, Australia, by focusing on harmony.

discovery’s Robert Hiini spoke to a Perth academic who’s passionate about helping others to see more in Christian art than a picture...

She isn’t a linguist but academic, Dr Angela McCarthy, delights in teaching a language at once so integral to the Church and yet largely unlearnt by most of us.

Standing before a painting by local artist Robert Juniper in St Thomas More Church, Bateman, she teems with enthusiasm and reverence as she explains the rich symbolism of the work - the meaning of each and every element the artist has chosen to represent.

She says that we have lost this language of symbolism and our ability to understand the Glory of God through art.

And she ought to know. A lecturer at Notre Dame University, she describes herself as having been fascinated with art her entire life, fondly remembering the years her mother sent her to weekend art classes at the technical college in Newcastle from the age of 10.

Her interest in Catholic art is not only academic but also personal being one of nine children born to parents she describes as “incredibly staunch Church people.”

Beginning on November 26 at Notre Dame she will teach a series of classes called ‘Windows to Heaven’ on the ‘writing of icons.’

She says that while icons are “the original Christian art form,” they are more: They are sacred objects – developing in the early and then eastern Church out of a desire to be close to God. “They are sacred in that the theology that’s written there leads you into an understanding of God and as you understand more and more of

Rediscovering the capacity to

tion in her Fremantle office, she takes a print of Fra Angelico’s Annunciation down from the wall and proceeds to explain the dense array of symbols contained therein.

“The book on her lap indicates that she is already engaged in the Word of God,” as the angel comes to announce the presence of Christ in her womb.

“Her gesture is saying “surely not me” and yet her face is saying “yes, I will do God’s will.” The blue of her mantle is an ancient symbol of divine truth so she’s wrapped in heavenly truth.”

“The arches echo that heavenly truth and connect her with the truth of God in heaven” as well as conveying an attitude of privacy that the angel enters in to from the outside, signifying “that this is the innermost deepest richest place of herself where God is implanted.”

The presence of Adam and Eve slinking off to the left symbolises the reverse of Mary’s fiat: “They go because now we have someone in Mary who has fully accepted God’s presence in the world.”

the symbolism, you engage deeper and deeper in an understanding of who God is.”

Having run the classes at her own parish of Bateman last year, she will take a new group of discoverers through a number of different icons, pointing out and explaining the symbols used in each. Over the three weeks, participants will get an opportunity to write their own icon; an activity Dr McCarthy assures me is more about spiritual engagement and less about actual artistic talent.

Like all good religious art, she says, icons evoke

meditation and contemplation on the spiritual reality the artist is trying to signify, hence the title ‘Windows to Heaven.’ “We examine all of those symbols and a the-

ology that is profoundly accepted by the Church and as you engage in that it becomes a very revealing and often healing exercise.”

At this point in our conversa-

As she proceeds to explain the meaning of all the other symbols in the painting I confess what had been my ignorance up until that point and while not laying any fault at my feet, she is not surprised.

“We have lost this language of symbols so when we look at a painting like that we say “oh yeah, it’s a painting but too old fashioned for me” until we get in to the story and theology of it and learn what each of those symbols means. Then we go to a different place.”

More specifically, she says that we have lost liturgical art – art that “in some way needs to engage us in the paschal mystery” as Fra Angelico’s painting does, “because it brings us to contemplate the incarnation.”

Rather than bemoaning this loss of understanding, through ‘Windows to Heaven’ and other teaching engagements, she is trying to share what she knows with others to further enrich the faith lives of her fellow Catholics.

“My fervour is about spreading that wonderful richness that’s left us for a while, that should come back.”

But how did it leave us?

Referencing the work of another academic she says that prior to industrialisation, any religious image was created by an artist –beautiful things designed to draw us into the mystery of God.

“In our era now some of the religious objects in churches and peoples home were never touched by human hands.”

I wonder out loud about the difference between a pious image and a piece of art. “One’s done by an artist. Something that’s been created by an artist is going to enter in to completely different levels of symbolism and will evoke something from us visually. A pious object will only evoke that piety.”

She laughs as she recounts a

Into the mystery: Fra Angelico’s Annunciation (above) in which the New Eve embraces God’s plan for her life and Robert Juniper’s painting of an egret over baptismal waters (right) at St Thomas More Parish in Bateman.

see within the symbols

pilgrimage she made some years ago to Lourdes. While she marveled at the atmosphere of prayer - the thousands of people worshipping God pursuing healing and reconciliation – she was rather less enamoured with the religious items peddled by the thriving tourism trade.

“There’s this kitsch everywhere – plastic Jesus, plastic Mary...the luminescent jobs.”

She laughs even harder when admitting to having bought a statue herself, giving in to that other great human need to commemorate a trip with a purchase.

I ask her how we, as Church, get back to our heritage of producing, contemplating and understanding great works of art and her advice is eminently practical.

“We employ artists, not people who want to copy something, but real artists.”

Her own parish of Bateman did exactly that in commissioning local artist Robert Juniper to create liturgical art for their church in the early 90s.

One such painting of an egret integrates both ancient and decidedly local symbols. Situated behind the church’s baptismal font, the painting depicts “a fantastic flow of water from the hills” evoking old testament scenes of Moses hitting the rock and of the water flowing from the temple in Ezekiel. “Where the water spreads there’s greenery growing. Then flying out of the water is this beautiful egret and the egret is blue symbolising

heavenly truth. So here we have the truth coming from the water.”

She points to the landscape being very West Australian and the inference that can be drawn with knowledge about the egretthat they will not settle in polluted waters. She explains that she’s had personal experience of this when Murdoch University’s farm, within one killometre of the parish church and very close to where she lives,

became polluted and the egrets departed only to return when the site was restored to health.

I admit to her that I have walked past the other painting of Mary and Jesus many times before without giving it much attention. She says I have been missing out.

“Mary’s there with an unrecognisable face because this parish has 69 different origins of people so Mary is not recognisably of any

nation.” The depiction of the baby Jesus represents a sort of playfulness between ancient depictions and more realistic portrayls of an infant.

“Does he have his hand raised in blessing or is he going to put his thumb in his mouth? So on one side it holds you to the humanity of Jesus, this beautiful child. On the other it’s the classic image of Jesus’s

ST MARYS GIFT RANGE

hand as pantocrator and teacher –Lord of All.”

“Then you have Mary in contemporary dress. She’s wearing a kind of Broome floral, if you like.”

“Then there’s the pelicans and the early Christian legend of those is that they strip their breast to feed their young if there’s no food.”

These have not only been a great addition to the liturgical life of the parish, she says, but also a means of evangelisation – giving her an opportunity to share what she knows with her co-worshippers.

After many years spent teaching, Dr McCarthy says that she is still learning all the time. “I’m just delighted that I’m in a time and place where I can pursue it and develop it and then share it: Share it with as many people as I can.”

For more information on ‘Windows to Heaven’ email gwatson@nd.edu.au.

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Our Lady for all nations: Robert Juniper’s Mary and Jesus in Bateman are not recognisable as being of any particular nationality and (above right) local academic and Bateman parishioner, Dr Angela McCarthy. PHOTO: ROBERT HIINI

Contact: 9433 0533 or future@nd.edu.au

www.nd.edu.au

The University of Notre Dame’s academic and administrative staff would like to congratulate all graduating students of 2008 and wish everyone in the community a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Tertiary Enabling Program (TEP)

The TEP is an alternative entry program to undergraduate studies at Notre Dame. Students who successfully complete this program have an opportunity to study for a degree in a range of courses across the University. The tertiary enabling program gives students a taste of academic study in a comfortable and rewarding environment. The program is designed for students who want to better prepare themselves for

Teaching courses for everyone

Notre Dame’s School of Education offers Certificates, Diplomas and Bachelor Degrees ranging from Teachers Assistant courses to Masters programs for qualified teachers or principals looking to move into other areas of education. One of the University’s more popular courses is the Bachelor of Education Early Childhood Students undertake 32 weeks of school based experience over a four year period. This allows students the opportunity to be placed in different schools for each practical component to ensure exposure to a variety of experiences. Education students have the chance to study all or part of their degree on Notre Dame’s Broome Campus.

The School of Education also offers the following courses...

Pre-University

• Teacher Assistant Courses

- Early Childhood

- Special Needs

• Teacher Assistant (Indigenous)* for Aboriginal Islander Education Officers or Aboriginal Teaching Assistants

Undergraduate

• Bachelor of Education - Early Childhood

• Bachelor of Education - Primary

• Bachelor of Education - Secondary

• Bachelor of Education - K-7*

• Bachelor of Education - Conversion

Graduate Entry

• Graduate Diploma - Secondary

• Master of Teaching

- Early Childhood

- Kindergarten to Year 7*

- Primary

- Secondary

* These courses are only available on the Broome Campus

Postgraduate

• Graduate Certificates in Education

- Curriculum

- Early Childhood

- Leadership & Management

- Religious Education

- Special Learning Needs

• Master of Education

- Curriculum

- Early Childhood

- Leadership & Management

- Religious Education

- Special Learning Needs

• Master of Teaching Conversion

- Kindergarten to Year 7*

- Primary

For more information on Postgraduate Education come along to our next event...

Postgraduate Information Evening

When:Tuesday 11 November

Where:Health Science Building (ND 46.209)

corner Phillimore & Henry Streets, Fremantle Campus

This is a great opportunity to find out more about the University and have a one-on-one conversation with academic staff. Areas of study that will be covered on the evening include:

Education – Pre-service

• Education – Qualified Teachers

Environmental Management

Graduate entry Law

Outdoor Education

• Exercise Science

• Graduate entry Medicine • Nursing

• Theology & Pastoral Studies

Professional Doctorates in Education & Nursing

• Masters programs

• Doctor of Philosophy

Places are available for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses. Notre Dame’s admissions process is personal. Every application is considered on an individual basis. Prospective students apply directly to the University for admission. Notre Dame’s goal is to ensure that every student who gains admission graduates with a degree or diploma.

Entry at Notre Dame is based upon:

- Personal qualities and motivation to study

- Academic record

- Contribution to church, school and community life

- Interview