The Record Newspaper 06 November 2003

W W h h y not pr y not pr a ay with John P y with John P aul II? aul II?

NOVEMBER

General: That the Christians of the West may constantly increase their knowledge and appreciation of the spirituality and liturgical traditions of the Oriental Churches.

Missionary: That the Church in America,celebrating the Second American Missionary Congress in Guatemala,may be inspired to more generous evangelising activity even beyond her own frontiers.

WA’s only Catholic weekly newspaper

Perth: 6 November 2003 Price: $1

Fighting the good fight

By Debbie Warrier

Young people have been called to join the campaign against ‘sex sells’ advertising and lend their voice to the issue first reported in The Record last week.

Campaign leader Jing Ping Wong is wanting to hear from young people, especially those targeted by fashion labels such as the LIVE Clothing company, but says that all support is welcome.

Far from being discouraged by the negative response of LIVE Clothing company, Jing Ping and his growing group of supporters against sexually provocative advertising have just begun to fight. Now he wants even greater numbers to join the cause.

Jing Ping is hoping to organise a large gathering of young people to discuss the campaign and form a strong united stand against the “negative sales approach”.

Ultimately, he would like to persuade the media to join in his vision and recognise that many young people are rejecting the ‘sex sells’ message. He wants to present the media and advertising outlets with healthier ways to reach the youth market, on behalf of all young people.

Jing Ping’s campaign has already attracted the attention of secular media outlets. He had a live interview with 6PR’s station Nightline host Graham Maybury, on October 29. During the hour

there were eight calls from people in their twenties, mostly supportive of Jing Ping’s view.

Jing Ping said the dismissive email from LIVE Clothing representative Bradley Caswell had not been a setback.

“It’s not about targeting one company. LIVE Clothing’s response was important, but it’s only one grain of sand in the desert.”

“The vision that I have for this is a greater vision that encompasses all people and the media,” he said.

“It’s not about targeting one company. LIVE Clothing’s response was important, but it’s only one grain of sand in the desert.”

Jing Ping believes the response may have helped his cause.

“I appreciated his response. It has helped us clarify and strengthen our own response to this issue,” he said.

He adds he had no intention of making a personal attack on either of the models depicted in the LIVE Clothing catalogue and has called on the young models to join with the campaign’s pursuit of more fulfiling ideals.

“In our action we are not attacking the models Gemma or David.

We disagree with the underlying intentions of the ‘sex sells’ approach and we disagree with models allowing themselves to be portrayed that way,” he said.

From the number of responses he’s received, Jing Ping said he got the feeling this was something many young people were already fired up about. They wel-

comed the opportunity to express their concerns about the media’s influence on their personal lives and their families. “We want to be facilitators to other people on this issue. A group they can relate to, feel safe with and join with to speak out against ‘sex sells’ advertising and media,” he said Jing Ping said the responses were

from a wide age range, predominantly young people. Not unexpectedly, grandparents and parents wrote in to express their support. One parent said she was forced to take her children on a different route to avoid sexually explicit billboards or rip similar advertisements out of the news

LifeLink appeal target $350,000-plus

The Archbishop’s Christmas appeal for Lifelink will be launched in all parishes next weekend, November 15-16, with a target of at least $350,000.

Lifelink funds the 12 major welfare organisations run by the Archdiocese.

They help more than 55,000 Western Australian families and individuals each year.

Bishop Don Sproxton pointed out at the liturgical launch of the appeal on Wednesday evening last week, this figure represents one person helped

for each person who attends Mass in the Archdiocese each weekend.

“It is a useful reminder that when the Catholic Church works together it does fantastic work for others, many of whom are not Catholics,” he said.

“This is true locally and around the world,” he added,

The liturgical launch at the Redemptorist retreat house in North Perth attracted 101 parish priests and parish LifeLink appeal representatives who undertake to promote LifeLink in their parishes.

Commissioning them for their work, Bishop Sproxton urged them to make the appeal widely known, to challenge people to give generously to this oncea-year appeal in the parishes, and to ask the whole community to pray for the success of the appeal.

A letter from Archbishop Hickey will be circulated in the parishes this weekend to give people a sense of the importance of the work of the LifeLink agencies at a personal level. C

Jing Ping with a copy of The Record which highlighted his campaign last week

Bishop Sproxton launches the LifeLink Christmas appeal

DISTRIBUTION

The Record, established in 1874, is distributed to Catholic Churches, presbyteries, religious houses and subscribers throughout the Archdiocese of

Per th, Geraldton, Bunbury, Broome and overseas.

THE TEAM

Managing Editor

Peter Rosengren

Production/ Advertising

Carole McMillen

Office Manager

Kylie Waddell

JOURNALISTS

Bronwen Clune

Debbie Warrier

CONTRIBUTORS

Hugh Ryan, Paul Gray, Fr Tim Deeter, Tony Evans, George Russo, Peter Dwan, Norma Woodcock, Guy Crouchback

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Youth exposing the truth

e d f r o m p a g e 1 papers. Many expressed relief that young people were taking up such a cause and felt more hopeful for the success of the campaign for the same reason. The response from local youth has come from people aged 16 to 30 from varied backgrounds.

Jing Ping said “The majority were like ‘At long last, this is happening.’”

“We’re not doing this campaign as a religious group.

Taking a stand against this kind of advertising or media that degrades people by portraying them as physical objects comes from my own deep-seated, personal values. It goes across the board, in terms of religion and culture,” Jing Ping said.

All the responses from young people showed they feel pressured and under the weight of media influence. Some wanted to know why there was a stand being taken now, when such advertising has been commonplace for years.

Through his own personal experiences, Jing Ping felt inspired to help others avoid the pitfalls of such advertising and media portrayals that degrade the dignity of the human body. He is keen for all the young

The story featured in The Record last week

people who wish to join in the campaign to help shape its direction.

Jing Ping emphasized that the desire to look good was natural. He likes to dress well, but wants young people to understand they are much more than the clothes they wear or the media’s definition of ‘cool.’ Clothes should be about personal expression, and it is possible to look good without selling out personally.

Anyone wanting to promote the campaign within a youth group, contact Jing Ping on 0422 229 232.

Emails Jing has received in support

I would like to congratulate Jing on behalf of the youth of Perth for being courageous enough to speak out against sexually provocative ads and the 'sex sells' campaign. I know that myself and many other people share the same values and opinions as Jing and we are tired of having the graphic and gratuitous images being prominently and deliberately shoved in our face and displayed for people of all ages to see. We are given no choice but to see these almost pornographic images as they are displayed so frequently in public and throughout all the media.

This type of advertising is

sending the wrong message to our youth. This type of advertising degrades the value of a person to merely a 'sex object' and it promotes the value that in order to be considered as being sexy, you must look and act in a demoralising nature as those displayed in their advertisements.

"This is an unhealthy message. Well done Jing! Keep it up! Know that you have the support of the youth of Perth behind you!”

Michael & Jae

M o n t e r o s s o ( 2 6 & 1 9 )

Hi! my name is Anouska, I’m 16 years old and I live in Perth, Western Australia. I just finished reading your artcile in this week’s

LifeLink appeal

C o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 1 The letter features the story, in his own words, of Chris who suffers Bipolar Affective Disorder and who has enriched his life by prayer and by attendance at the Shopfront at Maylands, the newest of the LikeLink agencies.

More than 1300 people each year seek help through Shopfront –homeless people looking for an extra blanket, the

lonely seeking companionship, those who are lost and looking for a way out. “As I launch my Christmas appeal for LifeLink, I urge you to hear Chris’s story,” the Archbishop said.

“Open your hearts and help shine light into the darkness this Christmas for someone in need.

“LifeLink represents faith in action and helps us to understand and live

'Record'. and decided that I should see what I can do. So if there's anything I can do, please just email me and I'll do it! What you started is very inspirational and I know that God is and will be in the future, working amazingly in your life! God bless,

Anouska

Congratulations to Jing

Ping Wong and supporters! It's great to hear of a growing network of young people from all over Perth and Regional Western Australia, who are fed up with this degrading and offensive form of advertising, and are banding together to make a stand against it.

G McCann

Jesus’ words: “Your light must shine before people so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) LifeLink funded agencies provide a wide range of services including accommodation for people with physical and mental disabilities, employment and training services, support for people with AIDS and their families, the Emmanuel Centre, and support for people with hearing impairment.

M arriage seminar more than an engaging encounter

Royal Perth Hospital Clinical Pastoral Education

Specialised training in pastoral care, pastoral formation and pastoral supervision

We are now accepting applications for

● Six and nine month full–time CPE internships 2004

● Autumn CPE Quarter March 10 - May 12, 2004

● Part-Time CPE 2004

● Certificate in Pastoral Care 2004

● Pastoral Supervision: Theory and Skills

Details from:

Director of Clinical Pastoral Education

Centre for Pastoral Care and CPE

Royal Perth Hospital

GPO Box X2213, Perth 6847 Telephone: (08) 9224 2482

* Pilgrimage Specialists

*

By Debbie Warrier

Bishop Don Sproxton, priests, marriage counsellors, and parish support groups gathered to attend a marriage seminar initiated by Engaged Encounter, on October 24.

Marital breakdown in our society is rated as high as 47 per cent. The aim was to increase the awareness of priests and all those involved in marriage preparation. It was also to seek the support of like-minded volunteers. Retrouvaille, Engaged Encounter and Marriage Encounter are all lay services.

Engaged Encounter presenters Paul and Des O’Sullivan gave a personal account of the impact the group had on them as reluctant participants when they were engaged. These lessons were still valuable in their marriage years later.

Bio Ethics Director Father Joe Parkinson told those assembled “Couples’ expectations, hopes, fears, their good and bad experiences form a collage that they bring with them to marriage preparation,” he said.

Fr Parkinson posed this question to those involved in marriage preparation. “How can I as a marriage presenter bring about a symbiosis between the lived experiences of this couple and the Church teachings?” The key was to be positive,

giving young people the truth and affirmation of marriage they seek.

Catholic Marriage Education Services (CMES) Director

Christina Graves said the Archdiocesan agency offered various courses on marriage preparation, including remarriage. CMES also provides school programs and parish based programs on request.

Marriage Encounter presenters Neil and Doreen Fisher reflected on their own experience and the benefits they still experience on the group weekends they run for married cou-

ples.

Dr Alan Tapper is a lecturer at Edith Cowan University. He presented statistics on marriage.

The research showed an improved quality of life enjoyed by married people despite current trends against marriage.

Fr Geoff Beyer represented the Marriage Tribunal and spoke on annulments.

Retrouvaille or ‘rediscovery’ is a French Canadian program that teaches married couples effective communication.

Enquiries, contact CMES on 9325 1859.

The marriage seminar presenters give the thumbs up to married life.

A new lady for the Bay

By Debbie Warrier

Afresh entry in Busselton’s recorded history began with a 100th year celebration Mass of Catholic Education, at the newly constructed Our Lady of the Bay Church on Wednesday October 29.

Students from St Joseph’s, Mary MacKillop Catholic College, Our Lady of the Cape (Dunsborough) , and St Thomas More (Margaret River), attended. Bishop Gerard Holohan, Bishop

The students participated in a liturgical dance and drama. Performers dressed in bright yellow danced in front of the altar and through to the back of the Church.

On their way out, they passed a striking new water feature - a large red rock that bubbles Holy Water in the foyer.

There was also a colourful dramatisation of the Parable of the sower Matthew 13: 3-9. Students played the sower, the good and the bad seed, the sun and the crows in the Bible passage.

As part of the entrance procession a capsule was left at the altar containing a photo album, the written reflections of students from the four schools, commemorative badges specially designed for the 100 years of education in Busselton, the history of the school a school enrolment packet, Bishop Holohan’s Mass booklet and a picture of Blessed Mary MacKillop.

It is now displayed in the St Joseph’s school library.

The voices of the combined tudent choir blended to make the most of the acoustics in the new Church. The high ceilings, skylights and windows allowed sunlight to stream in during the Mass.

The Church is able to seat 500 and has an overflow capacity of 250 in standing room.

There is a community room within the building that can seat an additional 250 people.

The blackbutt wood altar is carved to symbolise praying

hands, and there are jarrah pews.

Fr Russell said the Church was in the process of getting a new statue of Our Lady.

Well-known Melbourne artist Pauline Clayton made the statue, and when installed it will bear the name of the Church.

The bronze statue is of a young Jewish women moving with great purpose. In her hand she carries a Nautilus shell.

Fr Russell said the specially ordered statue was intended to symbolise Mary prior to having the Christ child.

He hoped the statue would speak to young women in particular, providing a positive role model of Mary’s inner strength.

“We wanted a woman who speaks to young women today, a woman in her own right,” he said.

The Nautilus shell was chosen because it grows deep down in the ocean for years, before it is found discarded on the shore.

The shell was intended to be symbolic of life’s long journey, Fr Russell said.

After the Mass, the Principal of St Joseph’s, Sister Kathleen Hitchcock, officially welcomed the new Director of Western Australian Catholic Education Mr Ron Dullard, who was present in the congregation.

The original St Joseph’s Church will be retained as a city chapel, Fr Russell added.

Our Lady of the Bay Church has been open for two weeks and will have its official opening on November 16. S

Bishop Healy’s anniversary Mass

The first anniversary of the death of Bishop Robert Healy, formerly Auxiliary Bishop of Perth, will be celebrated at Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral at 12.10pm on Tuesday, November 18. Archbishop Hickey has invited all priests in the archdiocese to concelebrate with him. Bishop Healy spent more than 50 years hin WA as a priest, 27 of them as a Bishop. Bishop Healy was also the Titular Bishop of Mayo, according to the Church’s practice of assigning a defunct diocese to each Auxiliary Bishop. A

reader of The Record, Mr John Rayner, of Hillarys recently discovered that the new Titular Bishop of Mayo is the new Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool in England, Bishop Tom Williams. Mr Rayner studied for a while in a seminary known as the English College in Lisbon, Portugal. Its former students hold a reunion each year. Mr Rayner said that this year the meeting was in Leeds and he found himself sitting next to Bishop Williams who drew his attention to the connection with Bishop Healy through the see of Mayo, an Irish diocese which ceased to exist when it was divided into two.

Jose Carreras tickets to be won

The Record has 3 double tickets to Jose Carreras for Sunday November 16 to give away.Each double pass is valued at $240.

All you need to do is write in and let us know in 50 words or less what you would like to see in The Record or alternatively what you enjoy about The Record.

Please include your details on the coupon below and send to us no later than Tuesday November 11, the winners will be notified by telephone by close of business Wednesday November 12.GOODLUCK.

Name:

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PRINCIPALSHIP Queen of Apostles School

Queen of Apostles School, Riverton is a double stream K-7 primary school with an enrolment of approximately 498 students. The Schoenstatt Sisters established the school in 1956 and remained in a teaching capacity until 1992. Today the school still maintains the Schoenstatt traditions.

The school has as its motto Love, Unity, Peace.This motto, together with a focus on Mary as a model for all, make Queen of Apostles School a place where the Gospel message is proclaimed by word and example.

In recent years, staff have developed strong literacy and numeracy programs with added emphasis on strengthening the information technology learning area.

Queen of Apostles School has an active School Board and P & F body, as well as strong links with the Parish community.

The successful applicant may negotiate the commencement date but this will be no later than the beginning of Term 2, 2004.

Applicants need to be actively involved in the Catholic Church and be experienced educators committed to the objectives and ethos of Catholic education. They will have the requisite theological, educational, pastoral and administrative competencies together with an appropriate four-year minimum tertiary qualification and will have completed Accreditation B or its equivalent. A current Police/100 point identification check must also be included. A Police Clearance Consent Form is available from the Department of Education and Training website (www.eddept.wa.edu.au/HRRecruitment/Downloads/Police Clearance.pdf).

Official

CaFE opens at Riverton

By Eric D’Souza

Families and friends of the parishioners of Queen of Apostles Parish, Riverton were enthusiastic participants in the opening session of the Catholic Faith Exploration (CaFE) program on Wednesday, October 22.

The Parish Priest Fr. John Flynn, SAC, the organizers and participants were struck by the height of enthusiasm generated by the video presentation and the informal discussions which followed.

The CaFE program was introduced to Perth by members of Catholic Evangelisation Services from the United Kingdom.

Members of Queen of Apostles Parish who attended the introductory meeting at Leederville on Wednesday, 9 July 2003, were impressed with what they saw and enthusiastically embraced the concept. Parishioners were informed of the proposal to run the program and a team was set up to organize the venture. The team was then split up into groups, each of which was given responsibility for specific functions. The publicity and marketing group spread the good word on CaFE throughout the parish, the prayer support group were given responsibility for encourag-

ing parishioners to pray for the success of the program, the social group made arrangements for the supply and service of refreshments at the sessions, and the welcoming group were responsible for making attendees feel welcome - from the decor and table settings to the handing out of name tags and greeting at the entrance. Volunteers were called up for activities ranging from setting-up the venue (creating a virtual cafe), running the kitchen/catering, setting up and running the audio-visual equipment, to clearing the venue after the function and cleaning up both the ‘cafe’ and the kitchen. Invitations were sent to all members of the parish, and the reactions of the recipients ran the gamut of emotions from enthusiasm, acceptance, curiosity, doubt, skepticism, indifference to disinterest. The initial CaFE Program, ‘Knowing God Better’, comprises seven sessions conducted over seven weeks and a number of parishioners expressed doubts regarding their ability to attend regularly. An important feature of CaFE is its flexibility. Participants are free to attend sessions at their convenience, with no requirements as to compulsory attendance or sequence of sessions.

However, to help participants remember the sessions, invitations were fitted with fridge magnets. By the time the first session got underway, over 200 parishioners had sent in positive responses to the invitations and indeed, attended on the day.

The attendees at the first session included the converted, the curious and the critics. Refreshments were served and after a short spell of social interaction the gathering settled back to watch the first video presentation of the series. David Payne, the presenter, kept the group spell-bound with a lively, lighthearted but thought-provoking account of God’s plan for His human family. At the end of the video presentation attendees spent some relaxed time discussing their views on the topic before they were given a gentle reminder that the cafe was closing and it was time to go home.

As this was the inaugural CaFE session in our parish, the organsing committee met briefly at the end of the evening to exchange notes. It was observed that the video presentation was watched with great attention and the participants were in no hurry to leave. Not surprisingly, the feedback was that an overwhelming

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Mr Denis McInerney cordially invites the Catholic Religious Orders and WA’s Catholic Community to contact our representative, Mr Paul Zappia, for your next new vehicle.

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DL 2371

majority of attendees were full of praise for what they had seen and heard. The general response was that though they had been given an age-old message from the Bible, the manner of presentation had generated new insights and food for thought. Queen of Apostles Parish, Riverton, has taken its first

Legion of Mary to celebrate founder

By Debbie Warrier

The late founder of the Legion of Mary Frank Duff’s Annual Mass will be celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday November 9.

It will begin with Legion prayers and the Rosary at 1.30pm, followed by the actual Mass at 2pm.

Archbishop Barry Hickey and Spiritual Directors of the Legion will celebrate the Mass.

President of the Legion’s Perth branch Harry Albuquerque said the Mass would be offered in over 100 countries around the world towards the Cause of Mr Duff’s beatification.

There are nearly 3 million members internationally (not including ‘auxiliary’ or praying members of the group).

Frank Duff was born in Dublin, Ireland on June 7 1889, the eldest of seven children. He joined the St Vincent de Paul society in 1913.

It was then he developed his

love of the poor and underprivileged, seeing Christ in each one.

Three years later, he wrote a pamphlet on the call to sainthood for everyone, and the clear path provided through Catholic faith to holiness.

In 1917, his life was transformed by St Louis Marie de Montfort’s work entitled True Devotion to Mary.

He founded the Legion of Mary in 1921. This is a lay apostolic organization at the Church’s service, under ecclesiastical guidance.

The organization seeks the personal sanctification of its members through prayer and apostolic work. Such work includes visiting of the sick, elderly and bereaved: door knocking: prison visitation: street ministry; book barrow; Catechetics; distribution of Pilgrim statutes; prayer group sessions; pilgrimages and retreats.

SVDP - you can help

You can make a difference. That is the message the state’s largest charity the St Vincent de Paul Society is sending to the West Australian community this Christmas.

500,000 requests for help have been distributed throughout the suburbs in WA in the hope that St Vinnie’s target of half a million dollars will be raised.

“If everyone who received a letter donated just one dollar we would meet our target,” explained Mr Brian Bull, State President.

“The funds raised ensure that we are in a position to assist every genuine request for help not just at Christmas but throughout the year,” he added. This Christmas St Vinnies will distribute 7,500 food hampers and 20,000 gifts

steps and looks forward to an exciting trip.

The encouraging response to the first session has given them optimism and determination to make CaFE an enduring part of their parish life, with continued and ongoing support from parishioners.

Pope Paul VI invited Mr Duff to attend the Second Vatican Council as a Lay Observer in 1965.

The honour was conferred on him in recognition of his significant contribution to the lay apostolate.

Frank Duff died in 1980 and the Archbishop of Dublin Dr Desmond Connell introduced the Cause of his canonization in 1996.

All are welcome to join in the Annual Mass.

to young and old, which will guarantee some Christmas cheer to those less fortunate in our community.

“I invite West Australians this Christmas to make a difference in the lives of others by supporting the St Vinnies Christmas Appeal.”

“We are very careful how we use the money and 100% of the money received goes straight to where it is needed,” said Mr Bull.

Donations can be made by phoning 9475 5416.

Frank Duff

Riverton parishioners enjoying their night out at the CaFE

Some of the volunteers helping out at the CaFE.

Catholic chaplain

By Debbie Warrier

Out of approximately 110 Christian chaplains, Terry Dwyer is the only Catholic chaplain to be posted at a government school and he loves it.

The former teacher is currently providing pastoral services to students and teachers at Kent St High School in East Victoria Park.

He strongly encourages other Catholic chaplains to provide similar support in the public education field.

“I heard about one out of five Catholic students attend government schools, so a presence there would be good,” Terry said.

Terry said his teaching career began when he was a Marist Brother in the Eastern States.

The Marists is a teaching Order, and as part of his three-year training he studied philosophy and theology.

He left the Order in 1971, and enrolled at Curtin University in a Social Science course. After he received his tertiary qualifications in 1974, he joined the Education department.

He then taught at a number of schools before teaching at Churchland’s High School for 17 years. A classroom tragedy made him think about becoming a chaplain for the first time.

In November 1991, one of the students stabbed his girlfriend to death, said Terry.

The student told the police at the time he had “just wanted to

see what it was like.”

At the time, Terry was the Year 11 coordinator. Terry and the other school staff provided support to the students during the trial. Their chief concern was that one of the students might suicide from the stress, Terry said. Fortunately, none of the students did and Terry believes the pastoral support made a difference.

“It was my first contact with absolute evil, but we were aware the people of Perth were praying for us. It alerted me to the power of prayer,” he said.

In 1993, he was the Year 8

coordinator and saw those students through to Year 11. Then tragedy struck again and the school burnt down.

When the school bell went off for the next class, Terry found it hard leaving distressed students to resume his teaching. He was increasingly providing much needed pastoral services to students. It was then he decided to become a high school chaplain. He studied a two-year counselling course at the Wanslea Institute. By 2000, he was working at Kent St High School. He provides pastoral services, gives talks in classes on ethical issues, attends camps and school excursions. He even participates in footy and cricket in between classes.

“They asked me to be goalie. I got hammered,” he laughed.

Terry believes all his previous experience contributed to his aptitude for chaplaincy. He adds that being a committed, practising Christian is another pre requisite. Currently an acolyte at All Saints Greenwood parish, he was also previously involved in Engaged Encounter and Antioch. His wife Jill is on the Liturgy Committee at their parish, and was on the Parish Council. They live in Warwick with their five teenage daughters.

For enquiries regarding Chaplaincy work, contact Chairperson of the Board for the Church’s Commission Sr Margaret Ann Beech on 9212 9311.

Small victory for Pro-life MPs

Western Australia’s Parliament is believed to have become the first in the world to ban the use of human embryos for the testing or manufacture of cosmetic products.

‘This win was among the disappointingly few that the crossparty group of pro-life MPs achieved – but it is still a significant victory,’ said South Perth Independent MP, Phillip Pendal, the convenor of the cross-party group.

The Human Reproductive Technology Amendment Bill has now passed all stages of the Legislative Assembly and is due to go to the Legislative Council shortly.

Mr Pendal said the worst and most alarming feature of the Bill was that it now allowed the destructive testing on excess live human embryos. He said a small group of around 13 MLAs had stuck with pro-life values through thick and thin.

Those MPs opposing the Bill in the third-reading stage were: Paul Andrews (Southern River), Dan Barron-Sullivan (Mitchell), John Bradshaw (Murray Wellington), Tony Dean (Bunbury), John D’Orazio (Ballajura), Cheryl Edwardes (Kingsley) Katie Hodson-Thomas (Carine), Paul Omodei (Warren-Blackwood), Phillip Pendal (South Perth), John Quigley (Scarborough), Margaret Quirk (Girrawheen), Michelle Roberts (Midland) and Sue Walker (Nedlands).

Mr Pendal said while it was depressing that the group had failed to defeat the Bill there were two encouraging features at work: first, the group had won four significant amendments and second, the ratio of pro-life MPs to their opponents in the 2003 human embryo debate was significantly higher than the ratio in the 1998 abortion debate.

‘I believe this does show that progress – admittedly slow progress – is being made in prolife issues. The 1998 debate raised awareness to a certain level, but the 2003 debate has pitched that awareness to an even higher level.’

The Bill was passed by 27 votes to 13 in the Assembly, with 17 MPs not present or abstaining. The Human Reproductive Technology Amendment Bill 2003 also allows the WA Reproductive

Technology Council to authorise screening of human embryos for “serious genetic diseases or abnormalities”.

Richard Egan, spokesman for the Coalition for the Defence of Human Life, said the powers granted to the Reproductive Technology Council would enable it “to decide who lives and who dies, who gets admitted to the human family and who gets washed down the sink”.

Three other significant amendments were achieved by the prolife group:

● A conscientious objection clause was accepted, freeing people and institutions from any obligation to participate in research involving excess ART human embryos.

● The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has currently limited destructive embryonic research to embryos created before April 5, 2002, but granted itself the right to lift that restriction before April 5, 2005 when it will automatically lapse. WA has now joined Tasmania and South Australia in rejecting that power.

● A second Bill, the Human Reproductive Technology Amendment (Prohibition of Cloning) Bill 2003, was also passed by the Assembly.

When it is passed by the Legislative Council, all Australian States and the Commonwealth will have banned all forms of human cloning in Australia.

The two Bills were originally presented as one, but were divided so that MPs concerned about the rights of human embryos could vote for the cloning ban without having to vote for destructive research on human embryos.

Postinor 2 over the counter

The National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee (NDPSC) has conformed that levonorgestrel (Postinor 2) will soon available over the counter from pharmacists without the necessity of a prescription.

Presently consultation with a doctor and obtaining a prescription are necessary for the contraceptive pill but Postinor 2, which is 50 times stronger, will now be available on demand, marketed incorrectly as an emergency contraceptive, says Clare Pike Executive Officer of the Respect for Life Office.

Many women who may not even be pregnant, will be unnecessarily

exposed to a significantly high doses of hormones.

In providing Postinor 2 over the counter, can pharmacists be expected to obtain information about the increased likelihood and seriousness of potential harm to a woman in light of her medical history, she asked.

Will pharmacists warn each person that Postinor 2 can be an abortion in the event that conception has taken place or the significant health risks associated with these drugs, Ms Pike said.

She encouraged pharmacists to follow the lead of Sydney pharmacist John Wilks who refuses to sell Postinor 2 at all.

Fr Terry Dwyer

WORD

Sunday on

by Norma Woodcock ‘Dedication of St John Lateran’

The Basilica of the Lateran is the Pope’s Cathedral Church, as Bishop of Rome.

Throughout the world, in every diocese, we have a Cathedral, a symbol of the unity of God’s people gathering around their Bishop.

Each reading today focuses on a Temple, from Ezekiel’s vision, in the 1st reading, of the Jerusalem Temple totally rebuilt, to St. Paul, in the second reading, telling us that we are God’s Temple, individually and thus collectively as church. Then John’s Gospel story about Jesus driving the money changers and the people selling cattle, sheep and pigeons out of the Temple.

1st reading Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9,12. Ezekiel was in exile in Babylon when he had this vision. The Jerusalem Temple had been totally destroyed and Ezekiel sees in this vision the Temple totally rebuilt. His vision was of water flowing from under the Temple threshold and this stream then becoming a river. The angel said to him, ‘Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live. Fish will be very plentiful for wherever the water goes it brings health, and life teems wherever the river flows.’

The water flowing from the Temple is symbolic of God’s life energy, his spirit that flows from his church into each of us and then flows out to the world.

We respond in the Responsorial Psalm, Ps 45: 2-3,5-6,8-9. ‘The waters of the river gladden the city of God.’

In the 2nd reading, 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17. St. Paul tells us that we are God’s building, God’s Temple and that Jesus Christ is the foundation that has been laid. He reminds the Corinthians and us that the Spirit of God is living among us. Paul concludes, ‘If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred and you are that temple.’

In the Gospel, John 2:13-22, we have the story of the cleansing of the temple. Jesus challenges the religious and political system of his day. It was one of the key reasons used to crucify him.

Jesus made it quite clear that he was replacing temple worship with his risen presence. His body, his church, filled with his risen presence would be the temple of God on earth.

Just before the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem and in the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep and pigeons and the money changers sitting at their counters. He made a whip out of some cord and drove them all out of the temple. When the Jews intervened, they asked Jesus for a sign to justify what he had just done. Jesus said, ‘Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up.’

He was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body.

These scriptures are full of encouragement for us today.

As the stream became a life-giving river in Ezekiel’s vision, so the spirit of God in each of us individually and collectively as the Church, changes us from glory to glory. In other words, we are being transformed into the image of Jesus, becoming more and more like him. We decrease, he increases in us. His life giving spirit flowing into us must flow out of us giving growth and life wherever we go. But surely for this to happen we must let Jesus upturn a few tables and drive out what is not of him and what is not life giving.

Scripture promises us this, ‘The glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.’ We are that glory for we are his body, his temple.

Say, I Say....

Aquarter of a century with just one Pope. Now that John Paul II has successfully navigated some very difficult public moments in Rome, we can happily reflect that there are many things this Pope will be remembered for.

Controversy over what so many in the media call his "hardline" teachings. The drama of a leader who is shot – then gets up from his hospital bed, and forgives the man who shot him.

The revolutionary inclinations of a manager who turns the bureaucracy of the Catholic Church upside down, transforming the curia from an Italian-dominated set of offices into a truly internationalised phenomenon.

John Paul will also be remembered for his tours to every country in the world, including Australia. For writing books, composing poetry and singing.

All pretty important stuff. But in my mind, none of them is as important as the fact that John Paul II has proposed God to a Godless world.

John Paul grew up in Nazi and Communist Poland, and discovered the meaning of Godlessness there. He saw there how people can masquerade under the titles of

progressive ideologies, pretending to be the friends of humanity, while working directly to crush the human soul.

As a young man John Paul II came to believe that only Christianity – and only Christ – has the antidote to the poisonous, worlddestroying disease of godlessness.

The Nazi Holocaust, wiping out millions of Jews, and the Communist atrocities, exterminating so-called "class enemies" in the name of human progress, were signs of the times, to him.

They called out to the young man who would become Pope John Paul as an urgent invitation to preach a different message –the message of salvation. The message of God.

Pope John Paul has succeeded in preaching that message, as few people in history have ever succeeded. He has used the office of Pope to dramatise the message.

John Paul has been a theatrical Pope, travelling the world and addressing huge crowds at every opportunity.

He's been a Pope who has used the camera to convey vivid media images of all that he believes God to be –a God of compassion, suffering and forgiveness.

J o h n P a u l ' s

t e a c h i n g i s t h a t a t t h e c e n t r e o f a l l o u r

t r o u b l e d h u m a n

a f f a i r s , t h e r e i s o n e

f i g u r e w h o g i v e s

m e a n i n g t o i t a l l , a n d

r e d e e m s i t a l l T h e f i g u r e o f C h r i s t .

Remember the pictures of the Pope forgiving Mehmet Ali Agca? Remember all those pictures we've seen in recent weeks and months, of the pope suffering the ravages of age and Parkinsons disease.

Remember those pictures of the Pope showing his joy in the company of babies, small children, women, old people?

The Pope on his knees, begging forgiveness for all that the children of his church had done wrong throughout history?

These are some of the most memorable news pictures, and news stories of our times.

Yet they all convey the same one teaching, essentially, to the world.

John Paul's teaching is that at the centre of all our troubled human affairs, there is

with Paul Gray

one figure who gives meaning to it all, and redeems it all. The figure of Christ.

It's an understatement to say that our world has trouble with that concept.

There are billions of religious believers, of course, but early in a new century, it's still fashionable in our world – and particularly countries like Australia – to declare: "I am not a Christian."

Does that matter, if people are well-intentioned anyway?

History says that it does matter, because the evils of our times -- communism, Naziism, terrorism, consumerism – are all, in their own way, an effort to replace God with something else.

The message of John Paul II is that that "something else" – whatever it might be, in our own lives – just isn't good enough.

It's a message that, with gentleness, John Paul II has proposed, not imposed on the world.

We all say, from time to time – and perhaps not often enough -- that it's great to be alive.

One reason it's been great to be alive during the past 25 years has been to see – even from a distance – a prophet like John Paul II.

A new era in Catholic education

A new era in Catholic education has recently been celebrated in Dianella with the blessing and opening of the stages two and three at Our Lady's Assumption School.

Representing a complete redevelopment of the former school facilities that were built by local parishioners, the new school is the result of some six years of consultation, planning and development works.

Recognising the efforts of the school and parish communities over that time, Pat Brown, the Acting Deputy Director of Catholic Education, WA said the "exciting learning environment at Dianella was a great achievement for Catholic education in Western Australia".

"Many people shared the journey together towards completion of this project and, as a faith community, our journey continues as we endeavour to create environments that enhance learning, nurture young people and empower them to live the Catholic faith in the spirit of Jesus Christ," she added. As a former parishioner of Our Lady's Assumption, Bishop Don Sproxton, Auxiliary Bishop of Perth, said he had witnessed a great deal of commitment, development and change over his 32year association with the Catholic community of Dianella. In blessing the new

facilities, Bishop Sproxton said they would help meet the demands of today's learning enviroment where the students were provided with the foundations they required to be witnesses of their faith.Echoing this sentiment, Principal Helen Brennan, in her address of thanks, said the new school would provide the children with "the best possible education for their future"

Reflecting the strength of the partner ships on which the school was built and continues to be operated, Senator David Johnston, in officially opening the new facilities, called on Mrs Brown, Fr Ossie Lewis (parish priest) and Damien Luscombe (School Board Chairperson) to assist with the unvei ing of the plaques.

Bishop Sproxton with a number of students at Our Lady’s Assumption School, Dianella

A matter of thanks and praise

We seldom expect political events to give us a demonstration of why it is so important to give thanks and praise to God (and neighbour), but the recent decision by the State Government to take taxpayers’ funds to pay for political campaigns has been a good case study.

Giving thanks and praise to family, friends, neighbours, workmates and strangers is an essential part of human interaction. Those who are unwilling or unable to thank and praise others for their efforts have great difficulty establishing any form of peace in themselves and in their relationships. They are led by this lack into a world of anger and aggression.

Giving thanks and praise to God for his infinite goodness is a necessity for the very same reason. If we cannot see and acknowledge the fundamental goodness of God and his creation, we are doomed to a world of criticism and judgement leading to verbal abuse and physical attacks. Without thanks and praise, our minds become attuned and accustomed to bitterness and attack. As Psalm 120 says, speaking of our thoughts and emotional responses: “When I speak of peace, they are ready for war.”

This is the essence of much scriptural teaching from Genesis, when Adam and Eve chose to see good and bad where God

Pope no fool

Las tweek’s Record carries two letters critical of the Pope. I read, re-read and read again the letter by Brian Coyne trying to make out exactly what he was saying. It seems to me that he would support the statement put out by Mr. Chris Davies in the UK over the last week or so. That gentleman is the European MP for the NW region of the UK and he called on all Catholics to ask their Parish Priests if they supported the “Lies” put out by the Vatican regarding condoms and AIDS. I found his web-site easily and sent him an e-mail asking him why he wanted to misrepresent the work being done by the Church for those suffering from AIDS. My information is that 25% of all care for AIDS sufferers worldwide, is undertaken by Catholic agencies. I asked him if his Party (Lib. Dems) was doing even a quarter as much and I informed him that the only safeguard against this disease is abstinence. I informed him that is what the Church teaches. Does Brian Coyne agree?

Does Brian Coyne think that condoms are a sufficient safeguard against AIDS? His letter is full of obfuscation and innuendo. Peter Beeson on the other hand, infers that we need a young Pope right now.

I have not read the article by Eamon Duffy in The Tablet and so I cannot comment on that. Speaking from my own observations of that esteemed periodical over the years, I lament its slide towards more liberalism than catholicity.

What exactly would Peter Beeson have the Pope do if he, Peter Beeson, were in his place?

I suspect that it might be more of a case of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread. I do hope that he read the bit on page 12 of the Record “Church does not govern “with a tongue”.

John Rayner

Nothing old about him

In response to “Young Pope needed”, in your 30th October edition, I couldn’t disagree more!. With the media attention on our Holy Father recently, due to his 25th anniversary, one of my pet peeves has been the opinions of people regarding his ability to lead our Church with his current frailties. I think our Holy Father has proven

POBox 75, Leederville, WA 6902

Tel:(08) 9227 7080, Fax: (08) 9227 7087 cathrec@iinet.net.au

had created only good, through to St Paul telling us to think only of things of good repute – an admonition which would probably put an end to about 90 per cent of most people’s conversation.

As a solution to our problems the thanks and praise approach seems too simple for most of us most of the time, so we persist with attacks and abuse and wonder why things do not get better as a result. It is not often in public affairs that we get a direct correlation between looking for bad and creating it, but the grab for public funds for political parties provides a good example.

In the lifetime of those not even close to retirement age, people used to make donations to political parties because they wanted to support the democratic process, because they wanted to support one political philosophy over another (Yes, children, political parties used to have recognisable philosophies) or because they believed one or other political organisa-

tion had greater skill in seeking out for endorsement candidates with character and ability to undertake the responsibilities of legislation and government.

Then, partly in the 70s, but mainly in the 80s and early 90s, a campaign was launched to create the impression that all political donations were by nature corrupt and should therefore be subject to total public disclosure. Reluctantly, it has to be said that this campaign was run almost exclusively by the Labor Party, and mainly during the period when it was giving WA 10 years of the most dishonest government in its history. Sadly, they went into government believing that corruption was a way of life and they spent a lot of time searching for evidence of corruption that had occurred only in their own minds.

Apart from the evidence relating to brown paper bags and large manilla envelopes full of money relating to these same individuals, no evidence was produced of endemic corruption of the political system by traditional and ordinary donors. There was just the presumption of corruption, and the legislation inevitably followed. The campaign was vigorously supported by the media.

Anyone uncertain that the presumption of corruption is now firmly embedded in many minds should read the comment piece by The West Australian’s State polit-

the definitions of Justice given by the Macquarie Dic tionary I don’t think even C. S. Lewis would have had a problem with it. Seeking something means that you actively pursue it in order to make it a reality.

On the other hand, if it is Mercy that you need, then someone else has the power and all you can do is beseech, request or pray that it be granted to you. Does Guy want the school to change its motto to “Beg For Mercy”? Somehow, I don’t think C.S. Lewis would approve.

Noel Bourke Heathridge

Encourage our youth

ical editor on Thursday, October 30 concerning the new legislation. This journalist was not involved in reporting politics in WA in the 80s, but in last week’s article he said “donations create many masters” for political parties. The new legislation “dilutes that power” but does not remove it and leaves parties open to “political suitors”.

Compulsory taxpayers’ funds are now needed because “disclosure laws .. have seen companies think twice about handing over cash in return for real or imagined political favours”.

There is no hint in the article that people might donate to political parties for honest reasons, and no recognition that people might stop donating when it means they can be publicly named as political donors who must ‘obviously’ be seeking political advantage. The new legislation has already corrupted our society further because it has distorted the relationship between those elected to govern and those they govern for the time being.

By its very nature, democracy is founded on truth, primarily the truth of the inherent dignity of every human person.

If we do not make a habit of giving thanks and praise for the goodness of God, we will seriously impair our ability to recognise and live up to the truth and goodness underlying democracy.

induced abortion. Surely we should expect your Catholic newspaper not to suppress this very serious proven cause of breast cancer. Otherwise what is the purpose of your existence if you are just going to parrot the secular press? For many years now all of the pro-life associations in WA have been educating their members on the connection between breast cancer and abortion. Surely someone on your staff should have been aware of this!

Because of the huge number of abortions now taking place in Australia (probably 100,000 per year or 1,000,000 every 10 years) I consider that females are entitled to be aware of this knowledge. To withhold this absolutely proven knowledge is potentially injurious to this group of Australian women who deserve a better deal than this.

more than adequately that, despite any physical frailties he may endure, he is still more than capable mentally and spiritually. He puts to shame people half his age with what he achieves. I don’t believe I am deluding myself when I believe we are in safe hands with our Pope at the helm and I feel we are blessed to have him as our spiritual leader. I enjoyed reading the articles on our Holy Father in The Record celebrating his silver jubilee. Perhaps his critics would do better by putting their energies into praying for him, pray for his health, his safety and his protection and guidance. Pope John Paul II is doing a wonderful job and I hope he’ll be around for many more years to come, to continue his good work.

Cheryl Ann Roatch Kelmscott

Beg for Mercy?

Not quite sure what Guy Crouchback was on about in his meanderings about a school’s motto, Seeking Justice, Catholic Persecution and Mercy in last week’s Record (I Say, I Say, Oct 30). I would suggest to him that when you try to get several things off your chest at once you often finish up with a very hairy argument.

Guy thinks that seeking justice is a bit dubious and quotes C.S. Lewis to argue that what we sinners really need is Mercy. I am not at all dubious about a school that urges its students to seek righteousness and right conduct, which are just some of

What

better and stronger witness than for a group of young people to make a stand against the insidious monster of peer pressure, through the blatant sexual advertisements of companies. Our youth need to know that they are being used by big business and the media in a degrading manner. We need to encourage them to stand up for their rights as Christians, to protect their morality and to fight for integrity and standards.

Lucille Yearwood Woodlands

Part of the cover-up

Congratulations on your production of discovery and its interesting articles.

On page 13 of the October edition you devoted a full page on breast cancer to coincide with Breast Cancer Day. On July

23 The West Australian published several pages on this subject and again on Monday October 27. So, in actual fact you have duplicated a lot of information readily available from the popular press. I found it very sad that you chose the ‘politically correct’ method of sourcing your information from the Cancer Foundation of WA. The breast cancer risk factors you have listed are: Gender and age, family history, previous history of breast cancer, lifestyle factors and reproductive and hormonal factors (menarche, menopause and hormone replacement therapy). Even the West Australian mentioned Birth Control Pills in both of their articles! You also left out alcohol intake. However what I found to be most disappointing was the omission of

Assistant Professor Angela Lanfranchi states in ‘Breast Cancer Risks and Prevention,’ a fully documented booklet on the issue, ‘roughly 10 women out of every 100 with no history of elective abortion will contract breast cancer in their lifetime. Roughly 14 or 15 women out of 100 with abortion history will contract breast cancer.’ This equates to an additional 40,000 to 50,000 Australian women over a 10 year period who will be affected in their lifetime by breast cancer.

Dudley Carr

Churchlands

Helping the mentally ill

Having completed a training program in Pastoral work in Mental Health, I would like to share with the community what a worth while effort it was to be involved in gaining an insight into the suffering of the mentally ill and their carers. It was also wonderful to learn of the great work being done by the various groups, self-care and organised, we knew very little about previously. Also thank you to the SDV team and others giving of their time to educate and enlighten us. God is with us. There is a course held every year for people who have a desire to help people gain good mental heath, this is excellent. This information is necessary to try and do away with the stigma and its resulting isolation that people with mental illness and their carers have to contend with.

Marge Nash

Not just bookshops

People sometimes contact The Record for details of the closest Catholic or Christian shops in their area. Here DEBB WARRIERlooks at a few of the largest outlets in the metro area in the lead up to Christmas.

C a t h o l i c s C o r n e r

U12/64 Bannister Rd, Canning Vale 6155

Tel: 9456 1777 Fax: 9456 5177

Opening Hours: Mon –Fri 9-4.30pm, Sat 91pm.

The Catholics Corner shop has been around for three years, but new owner Mrs Gail Kent started business in May this year. She sells primarily Catholic goods, and said about 20% of the sale items are for Christian clients.

Products include: Crucifixes, Bibles, religious books, religious statues, Sacramental apparel and clothing accessories (for Baptisms, Communions and Confirmations), Rosary beads, religious pictures, CDs, special occasions cards including house blessings and 9 carat gold jewellery.

Mrs Kent said “We don’t just say ‘We don’t have it.’ We try to get our customers the religious goods they’re after and nine times out of ten are successful.”

Mrs Kent believes friendly service is what brings the customers back, and said customers are welcome to come in for a chat or browse.

R i c h H a r v e s t

39 Hulme Crt, Myaree 6154.

Tel: 9329 9889

Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 10.30 to 6pm, Sat 10.30 to 3pm

Rich Harvest caters for both Christian and Catholic customers. The owner of the 6month-old store Mr Peter Wong said “The staff are friendly people, and our customers get a nice feeling about the shop. They sense God’s presence.”

Sale items in the store include: books (including Sunday Missals), statues, CDs, Sacramental gifts, altar wine, candles, Rosaries, Baptismal and Communion gifts, Priest vestments and cards.

Rich Harvest get supplies from the Eastern States, Singapore and local shops Gattos, Koorong and Word.

Store staff can find books for customers. Customers range in age and nationalities. Money isn’t the only transaction.

“People share their faith experiences when you work in a place like this,” Mr Wong said.

“

H u m b l e M e s s e n g e r

Bon Marche Arcade, Shop 16/80 Barrack St, Perth WA 6000.

Tel/Fax: 9344 1717

Mobile: 0403 133 790

Opening Hours: Mon-Tues 9.30 - 4pm, WedThurs 9.30 - 5, Fri 9.30 - 5.30, and Sat 10-2pm.

The newest kid on the block is the Humble Messenger shop, which has been operating for only two months. Owner Mrs Persi Espeleta said “People are more interested in our statues because we have such a good range.”

The items on sale are: religious articles, literature and books, statuettes, greeting cards, candles, Baptismal gowns and First Communion dresses.

“People come here to buy Catholic gifts for their relatives or friends. We want them to feel at home, to feel good about themselves and their faith, ” Mrs Espeleta said. She added, non-Catholics are welcome.

K o o r o n g

Leederville Village, 663 Newcastle St, Leederville 6902.

Tel: 9427 9777 Internet: www.koorong.com.au

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 8-6pm (exceptions: Thurs late night trading 9pm and Sat 5pm).

This Christian bookshop has been in business for 30 years, and its Perth store has been open since 1990. The regional manager is Mrs Sheila Fitch. Koorong sells a wide range of material including books, academic literature, gifts, posters and cards. It has shops nation-wide, but the Perth store is the only one available locally. Its mission is to supply a wide range of Christian products that are of spiritual benefit to the body of Christ. They provide mail orders to customers.

G a t t o s

108 Wanneroo Rd, Tuart Hill 6060.

Tel: 9345 5700 Fax: 9344 6260

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30-5.30 (except Thurs 8.30-6pm), Sat 8.30 - 4pm.

Ralph Gatto has been one of the owners of the Gatto Christian shop for 10 years.

Ralph’s parents Ben and Maria began the family business 30 years ago, originally trading under the name of “Italian Wholesalers.”

Family friend Leo Franchina became a co owner two years ago.

Paul Stinson is the store manager.

“Gattos prides itself on being a one stop shop for all Christian needs and if we don’t have it, we try to get it in. We’re the largest Christian shop in Western Australia,” said Ralph.

Sale items include: Religious vestments and Church supplies, Baptismal bibs (no other Sacramental clothes), CDs, cassettes, videos, books, jewellery, statues, icons and cards.

Once a year the family travel to Italy, Asia and America searching for new products for their customers.

While older customers like the traditional merchandise, the young tend to prefer the statutes and icons, Mr Gatto said.

He added Gattos observes these trends to move with the times, and keep up with the needs of their customers.

“We are very mindful of providing good service for the needs of our customers,” Ralph Gatto said.

sBIE

W o r d B o o k s t o r e

122 Adelaide Tce, Perth 6000.

Tel: 9221 0099 Fax: 9221 0626

Opening Hours: Mon to Thurs 9-5.30pm, Fridays 9-9pm and Saturday 9-5pm.

The mother company of Word, the Gospel Film Ministry, has been around for 60 years.

Local branch manager David Kite said his store had been around since the early 90’s.

The sale items in store are: CDs, DVDs, videos, software, stationery, general gift ideas (a nonsacramental limited range of items, which does not include clothes). If customers have specific gift ideas that are not in store, Word will try to order them in.

Their mission is to promote a Christian lifestyle by providing a full range of Christian resources and supplies in a welcoming environment at affordable prices, Mr Kite said.

Asked what was different about the Word shop in comparison to the other shops featured in the article, Mr Kite said “We have a café in the store. We also allocate points for every dollar spent and when a customer has 300 points we take $10 off their next purchase. Word offers a monthly catalogue to customers on request, and each Parish can purchase Church consignments of sale items to be sold to parishioners.”

Customers of all ages come to the shop, and Word strives to provide customers with excellent service, Mr Kite said.

And then there is

S t J o s e p h ’ s C o m m u n i c a t i o n s A u s t r a l i a

S t Joseph Communications Australia prides itself on bringing quality Catholic presentations on tape and disc.

Owner Marie McGuckin said “We have a wonderful home library resource of audio, video and cassettes on the Catholic Faith delivered by professional speakers presenting the truths and teachings of the Catholic faith.”

These media tools can be played and replayed at patrons’ own leisure and pace, she added. There are also selected catechetic books for children and adults. The range of books, videos and cassettes address topics important to today’s Catholics.

Some of these issues are: adult faith education on video, books of the bible &

prayer study, Church, catechism & liturgy, parenting, marriage & spirituality, evangelism, apologetics & testimonials, devotion, prayer & Mary, woman’s role in the Church, home faith education and catechetic books for children & adults. All orders are by mail order only.

For enquiries, contact by phone or fax on 9572 4440 or email: stjoescom@bigpond.com

F r e e d o m P r e s s

The opportunity to evangelise through print motivates Freedom Press manager Mr Anthony Capello, who has been with the NSW publishing company for 10 years.

“It’s a not-for-profit organisation that promotes good Christian authors,” he added.

Mr Capello viewed books as a powerful tool to change the world, starting historically with the Bible.

The organisation provides a free 10-page

S t J o h n ’ s B o o k s

Highgate Court

Queen Street (Cnr. of High Street)

FREMANTLE WA 6160

Tel: 08 335 1982

Opening Times: Mon to Fri 9-5pm,Sat 10-12pm.

Tucked in the corner of a nest of shops in Fremantle, is St John’s Books. It carries spiritual books from many different Christian faiths, theology, Bibles, and Bible stories. University students from Notre Dame and Murdoch are pleased to find all students are offered a ten per cent discount on the extra curricular books they find here, said owner Mrs Shirley Claughton. St John’s Books has been running for eight years. As well as wall-to-wall books, it has a small Catholic Devotional corner, small sacramental gifts, stationery, stickers and cards. Regulars are pleased to continually find the books they’re looking for at St John’s, said Mrs Claughton. Currently on sale to The Record readers is the book Meditations on Mary by Kathleen Norris. Normally $34.95. Discount sale price $14.

newsletter with pictures of the latest book releases. It’s divided into the different publishers Freedom Press represents. The newsletter is available on the website: books@newsweekly.com.au

Freedom Press has outlets available in most of Australia, bar the Northern Territory and Tasmania, Mr Capello said.

Mr Capello was very excited about The Record’s contributor Mr Paul Gray publishing a book through Freedom Press due for release next year.

As yet untitled, Mr Capello anticipates the book will be well received by Record readers who appreciate Mr Gray’s regular contributions to the “I say, I say” column. Aware of Christopher West’s visit to Perth earlier this year, Mr Capello said they will be launching the professor’s latest book “Theology of the Body explained” mid October next year. At the launch, it will be possible for NSW residents to speak with Mr West via Web Cam. The book is available for $54.95 (not including postage).

Faith psychology

An active faith life can lead to good mental health says a leading psychologist

Revised article from Sunday Visitor By Martin Mazloom

The late American Bishop Fulton.J.Sheen exposed the historical link between the Catholic faith and psychology in his book Peace of Soul.

The book was published in 1949, and in it Sheen wrote, “All through the ages there has been some sort of psychoanalysis – an analysis of the psyche, or soul, along with the search for the mental causes of human troubles.

The ancient Greeks thought that the basis of human life, of wisdom, and of sanity was ‘Know thy self.’”

Director of St Michael’s Institute for the Psychological Sciences In New York, Dr Philip Mango concurs. “We [humans] are bodymind-soul integration and all three act on one another,” he said. Dr Mango illustrates his point with the teachings post the Second Vatican Council, and St Thomas Aquinas.

The Second Vatican Council encouraged the Church to use psychology in order to achieve the full maturation of the person, Dr Mango said. He added that Pope John Paul II calls on psychiatrists and psychotherapists to integrate their findings with the revelation of God in Catholicism for authentic healing.

The joint efforts of the Catholic faith and such counselling intervention is the person is able to became their authentic self and thus, pursue a life of true holiness. St Thomas Aquinas viewed the elimination of such disorders as depression, anxiety, pathological guilt and shame as means to making it easier for a person to grow in grace, Dr Mango said.

Dr Mango defined the mission of St Michael’s Institute as being the integration of Catholic theology and spirituality, psychology and psychiatry for the healing of individuals, marriages and families.

St Michael’s Institute staff use an eclectic approach to assist people with psychological disorders. The approach includes dream analysis, transference and counter-transference analysis, cognitive restructuring and medication. Further, they pray with their patients and go to the Sacraments themselves. Mother Teresa of Calcutta often brought patients to Dr Mango for treatment, and the doctor worked with her for 12 years.

For those that are concerned about the authenticity of their therapists, Dr Mango outlined four false beliefs that undermine psychotherapy:

a) Man is totally free.

b) Man is conditioned and has no freedom

c) Grace is not required for a connection with God or for psychological healing and growth.

d) Only grace and the sacraments are required for healing.

Therapy can pave the way to holiness, the healing allowing the person to become open to the

development of his or her own personal virtues. This needs to be complemented by a sacramental life, as ultimately it is through our relationship with God that we realise our true potential.

“ T h e g o a l o f t h e r a p y i s

t o r e m o v e t h e

( p s y c h o l o g i c a l ) b l o c k s

s o y o u c a n e n t e r i n t o a

s a c r a m e n t a l l i f e , a h o l y

l i f e , ” D r M a n g o s a i d

“The goal of therapy is to remove the [psychological] blocks so you can enter into a sacramental life, a holy life,” Dr Mango said.

According to Dr Mango, the law of gradualism leads to good mental health.

“We must follow the law of gradualism. There may be numerous falls along the way [toward recovery] but we recognise the law is unchanged. If sincerity is there in a person’s heart, God is pleased.”

Intellectually dishonest mental health professionals, according to Dr Mango, lead millions of people with mental health problems astray. He gave post abortion trauma and homosexuality as examples. He asserts that such health professionals largely ignore the needs of women suffering from post abortion trauma because this would require them to admit

abortions are wrong and harmful.

He further asserts that homosexuality is not a sexuality problem, nor is it related to biological or genetic causes. Dr Mango believes it stems rather from parent-child relationships. “The homosexual is really looking for identification or emotional connection,” he said.

Dr Mango believes the therapeutic task for homosexuals is affirmation of their masculinity through the development of nonsexual bonding with other men.

In general, Dr Mango believes the primary goal of modern psychology is to re-establish emotional attachment to loved ones.

To find the right psychologist, Dr Mango recommends praying for guidance. University of San Diego Psychology Professor Dr Gerald Sperrazzo recommends ensuring the practitioner is a practising Catholic, and a licensed psychologist.

Ultimately, Dr Mango asserts an active faith life leads to good mental health. His one time colleague Mother Teresa agreed, seeing the need for mental health practitioners and recipients alike. Mother Teresa once wrote to him:

“The world needs mental health professionals who are loyal to Christ and to the Holy Father. As Jesus relives His Passion in so many people who come to you for care, learn to love Him there in His distressing disguise.”

Seeking healing in God’s presence

By Debbie Warrier

“Aquieting of the mind, and an opening of the spirit “ was Mirrabooka Parish Priest Father Gerard Beeson’s description of contemplative prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

He said praying before the Blessed Sacrament helps to facilitate a state of mind that can have some therapeutic effects, as has been reported by people who are involved in contemplative prayer or meditation.

While time spent silently listening to God is powerful, Fr Gerard said those in need of professional help should not treat Adoration as an alternative.

“Miracles are very rare. You’ve got to get professional help to remove the dysfunction in your life.”

He adds that health professionals don’t actually change their clients’ lives either. There must be a mutual commitment that exists in the treating relationships, where the health professional teaches the person to help him or herself. Fr Gerard said we could all learn from the Benedictine monks observation of 10-minute silences.

“We need to find quiet times in our religion, ” he said.

Glendalough Parish Priest

Father Doug Harris supports Fr Beeson’s viewpoint.

He emphasised the value of spiritual healings that may be obtained from the Blessed Sacrament. While he believes other healings are possible (ie. mental, physical and emotional), he hastens to add it’s God’s will.

St Bernadette’s Church, in Glendalough, offers Perpetual Adoration.

“

Fr Doug said a written record of miracles received through this form of prayer, is kept on the premises. Patrons are encouraged to contribute. Fr Doug recalled a miracle that took place before the Blessed Sacrament in Highgate.

He recounted the experience of a couple praying for a sick relative being treated in the UK. Their relative was on a life support system and local doctors were requiring a decision as to whether or not to switch it off.

While the couple prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, they received a call on their

mobile. Hospital staff informed them the relative’s finger had moved.

Fr Doug said spiritual healings often gives a person the strength to deal with whatever trial is facing him or her. A spiritual healing comes from God, who is everything and this experience of His infinite love can result in the recipient feeling they require nothing further, Fr Doug said.

In certain situations, this can lead to an acceptance of the suffering or as in the case of some of the saints, a desire for more suffering. Fr Doug believes were it not for the availability of Perpetual Adoration some people would not find the time to pray.

He said the 24-hour presence of the Blessed Sacrament automatically results in a significant increase in the number of people who will visit a Church. According to Fr Doug it’s an opportunity to experience God’s presence in this world.

“God loves us infinitely and wants to take us to the spiritual realm, but He also wants to establish His kingdom on earth,” Fr Doug said. Enquiries, contact St Gerard’s Church Mirrabooka Parish Office on 9349 2315 and St Bernadette’s Church, in Glendalough Parish Office on 9444 6131.

Catholic Counsellors

Professional Network

Founder psychologist and psychotherapist Peter Watt

Tel: 9203 5278.

Cross Roads Community

Established 2000, provides counselling support to people with addictions and their families. Father Paul Baczynski runs the service.

Address: 6 Council Place, East Fremantle WA 6158

Tel: (08) 9319 8344 Fax: (08) 9319 8340

Email: info@crossroadscommunity.com.au

Website: www. crossroadscommunity. com.au

Courage

Established 2001, spiritual support group for men and women with same-sex attractions who desire to live a chaste life.

Confidentiality assured.

Address: 39 Jugan St, Glendalough WA 6016. Tel: 9242 4066.

Pregnancy Assistance

Established 1996, provides free pregnancy testing: alternatives to abortion, education in pro life issues, experienced and caring support, material help, and abortion counselling.

Coordinator Anne Marie

Langdon runs service.

Address: 195 Lord St, East Perth WA 6004. Tel: 9328 2929 Fax: 9328 2926.

A priest listens to a confession

Photo:CNS/Reuters

Overcoming addiction

By Debbie Warrier

Beyond the tenets of secular psychology is the type of healing ministry offered at Cross Roads Community which blends the power of Christ’s word and the Sacraments with theory based-counselling.

“I call it Christ’s changing of the water to wine,” said Father Paul Baczynski, linking the Marriage Feast at Cana to the transformations he has witnessed in people embracing such healing.

Fr Paul began the support service for addicted persons and their family members in 2000.

A former drug addict, Fr Paul’s own conversion led him to establish Cross Roads. He teaches patrons to analyse their interior lives, identifying the “cancerous emotions” that are preventing spiritual growth. “Anger, fear, insecurity or feeling unsupported are examples of cancerous emotions,” he said. Fr Paul always draws from the Bible in therapy, using Christ as a role model for healthy behaviour. “Christ can be seen as strong and forthright in the Bible. This was really part of His loving manner,” he said.

A significant difference in the type of counselling offered in Cross Roads is its spiritual dimension. “I will lay my hands on people and pray with them, bless them with Holy Oil and say Healing Masses for their recovery,” Fr Paul said. He believes it is the leading of a Sacramental spiritual life that results in true healing. The philosophies used in Cross Roads are those of Christo therapy and St Thomas Aquinas. The five steps patrons are required to participate in if they wish to gain control over their lives are:

l Admit that they are addicted and have an absolute willingness to gain the mechanisms necessary to be free from addiction.

l Humbly turn to God through daily prayer and meditation asking for His help and grace, knowing that the problem of addiction requires supernatural assistance.

l Be willing to separate oneself from the people, places and circumstances that in the past assisted the feeding of their addiction. They must also dissociate themselves from those who do not accept or support their efforts to overcome the problem.

l Be willing to undertake a program that includes exercise, work and a healthy diet as though the through the abuse of drugs, alcohol and their previous lifestyle, their physical bodies have become depleted and unhealthy.

l Strive after the initial stages of rejuvenation, to improve their intellect by learning new skills or undertaking some form of study. The emphasis will be on learning skills that will increase the possibility of them becoming productive members of society, whilst at the same time improving their selfesteem.

St Thomas believed that every person naturally sought true happiness, though they might not necessarily understand what the definition of that is. Addictions become a means by which to fill that inner void, which can only be satisfied by God. Being created in God’s image, we should try as best

Faith based therapy

B y D e b b i e W a r r i e r

For local psychologist and psychotherapist Peter Watt the fundamental difference in a Christian based practice is “God’s love influencing my vision of the human being, viewing him or her from that perspective.”

Mr Watt is the Founder of the Catholic Counsellors Professional Network, a register of counsellors with a Catholic faith. He is currently looking for local counsellors who share his vision for such a central based register.

Mr Watt established the Catholic Counsellor’s group in 1992. The group was approved by Archbishop Barry Hickey under the new name of Catholic Counsellors Professional Network, in 1995. Mr Watt moved to Melbourne to pursue study and work interests from 1996 to 2000. He returned to Perth with his family and worked in property development. He has started up his practice again.

The aims outlined by the professional network signify the alternative it presents to its secular counterparts. Counselling is meant to draw on faith values, the spiritual development of the counsellor is seen as an ongoing goal and counsellors are encouraged to invoke God’s assistance for the benefit for their clients. The psy-

chotherapist assists the person to be an author of their own experience, so they can develop a sense of selfesteem and ownership for their decisions, Mr Watt said.

In this sense, Mr Watt drew a parallel with the sacrament of confirmation. Having free will, we choose our level of participation in this aspect of sacramental life and define our level of commitment to God.

In response to any anxiety that clients seeking assistance with their social problems or mental health issues may not make the most moral choice, Mr Watt believes therapists have to have faith.

“God’s law is written in the human heart. The therapist must trust the capacity of the individual to know at some level what is the right thing to do, and also what is the healthy thing to do,” he said.

The moral choice and the healthy choice are linked, according to Mr Watt. Some individuals might veer from making the moral choice, especially if they view it as being the recommendation of a regimented religion.

However, these people may be more willing to make ‘healthy’ choices, which can lead to the same outcome.

Mr Watt believes the therapist’s role is to carefully lay the facts before the

we can to mirror His image.

St Thomas said addiction was not the problem but the fact that the spirit of the world, by way of sin, has infested that person and his or her ability to choose true good. The answer St Thomas believed was to entrust oneself to God, take advantage of the Sacraments, like Reconciliation, and show forgiveness to oneself and others. Secondly, he recommended humbling oneself before the Cross, to obtain the Grace to break away from the bad habits and create good ones.

Cross Roads Community patrons are encouraged to start a spiritual program or active life of prayer, and with the caring assistance of a good spiritual director find their way back to God. They learn to sacrifice themselves to the Divine will and align their daily thoughts and actions in harmony with the Ten Commandments. As a result, the person now begins to heal.

The spiritual program insists that the individual is completely honest with God about his or her own feelings, emotions and attitudes. With child like faith in God and a committed adherence to the recommended strategies, a healthier lifestyle can be

client. He or she removes the euphemisms and rationalisations, which can mask the painful reality. For example, a mother considering an abortion would then make her choice on what was in the best interests of her health and that of her unborn child.

Mr Watt believes that the therapist prematurely adopting a moral position is a sign of his or her own anxiety. He asserts there is an innate inclination towards the good and healthy choice.

“It is the duty of the therapist to present the facts accurately but not in a way that reduces the client’s position or capacity to make an autonomous decision,” said Mr Watt. For Mr Watt, being Christian is both a professional and personal commitment.

“To be truly Christian, requires therapists to integrate their faith into their lives and their professional practice,” he said.

Registration with the Catholic Counsellors Professional Network is open to all Catholics working within the counselling professions. That includes: professional counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, or social workers, who are registered with their professional body or under supervision. Student memberships are available.

Mr Watt currently lives in North Beach with his wife and five children. Enquiries, contact Peter Watt on 9203 5278.

Cross Road success stories

Five people, who are currently attending Fr Paul Baczynski’s Cross Roads addictions service, spoke to The Record about how it has transformed their lives.

Mitch aged 39:

I was baptised a Catholic and knew Father Paul before he was a priest. That’s how I came to be here.

I remember having just finished a binge on alcohol. I remember saying in desperation “Help God, help me.”

One year later, it stopped. I admitted to being an alcoholic and decided to give up drinking. Addictions creep up on you slowly. I can’t tell you about the physical and mental pain. You look in the mirror and tell yourself how stupid you are to do it.

God led me to Cross Roads. They don’t hit you over the head with a Bible. Fr Paul and the psychologist Brett are streetwise. There’s love and understanding here. Cross Roads teaches you to live for the moment and enjoy the simple things.

Through the Holy Spirit things are good, with my work, family and in general.

David aged 44:

I use to have a drug addiction and would deal drugs to pay for my habit. I went to a lot of those [rehabilitation] joints but they didn’t work.

Fr Paul and Brett Regan [previous counsellor at Cross Roads] are ex knockabouts. They know where we’re coming from. I’ve been here since last October because I choose to be.

If someone is addicted and they seriously want to do something about it, this is for you. Nothing happens without the ‘big fella’ [God].

When you’re addicted, drugs are your number one love. Cross Roads told me the value of family and the big fella.

There’s also a gym here, which is great. Body, mind and soul are all connected like the trinity. That’s what they teach you here. Here you’re loved and cared for.

There’s more to life then putting a needle in your arm and you probably wouldn’t hang around the people you take drugs from by choice.

Michelle aged 31:

By the time I was fourteen or fifteen I was into alcohol and drugs. It started off as a social thing but then I began to binge. Personally, I think some people just have that tendency.

By the time I was 26 I was into heavier drugs. It was just to fill the emptiness; I was looking for something in life.

By the time I was 27, I’d be drinking daily from morning to night. I place the place I was staying at, my car and my children. It was a pretty bad situation.

I had therapy, went to drug [rehabilitation] places. They sometimes made me sign contracts not to suicide.

I went to University after my marriage breakdown, but had to leave. You can only get so far under the influence. After I’d lost two babies and three friends, I decided to make a change. It was just before my 30th birthday.

Since joining Cross Roads, the change in my life has been extraodinary. I’m getting my children back from their father and they can see the changes in me. I’ve managed to get a house. I pray all the time and I have so much peace. It’s a miracle that I came here. To people who are thinking of coming to Cross Roads, I say, “Just try it. What have you got to lose?”

Tau aged 41

I carried a few things from the past. That’s why I abused alcohol. I just decided it was time to address issues and be the person I wanted to be.

I have been at Cross Roads for seven or eight weeks. In that time, I’ve acknowledged that I had problems that needed fixing. Cross Roads put that into perspective for me and has given me the tools to address my problems.

For instance, I had a problem with the relationship I had with my father. That manifested itself in my problem with alcohol and having intimate relationships. Alcohol magnified those problems and led to other ones with the law.

It is awesome the things that have happened here for me at Cross Roads. To anyone who was thinking of coming to Cross Roads I would recommend it. But they have to really want to change their life. These people are on your side. They teach you important life lessons, looking at the spiritual, intellectual and physical. I can never repay them.

Cross Roads helps people overcome their addictions using faith-based therapy

Photo:Debbie Warrier

Respect symbols

Pope John Paul II said the religious symbols of the Christian majority in Europe deserve respect, even as the continent's population is shifting because of immigration. The Pope's words on October 31 to a meeting of European interior ministers came as Italy was debating a judge's order to remove a crucifix from a classroom wall after complaints from a Muslim activist. Without mentioning the crucifix issue explicitly, the pope argued that religious symbols in a Christian country simply cannot be cancelled from public life in the name of interreligious tolerance. "Europe, born of the encounter of various cultures with the Christian message, is seeing the growth in its midst of a number of cultural and religious traditions, caused by immigration," the pope said in his prepared text.

W YD 2005

ROME (CNS) -- German Catholics are proceeding with plans to welcome John Paul II to World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in 2005. "We are planning to accommodate a handicapped pope with limited mobility," said Matthias Kopp, spokesman for World Youth Day 2005. The event's Web site -www.wyd2005.org -explained that Pope John Paul started the gatherings, and he is the official host. The pope is a key part of the event, organisers said, and "he truly wishes to participate, if it is God's will." World Youth Day 2005 planners already are at work on details for the Aug. 16-21 celebration, organising activities, liturgies, housing and transportation for the estimated 800,000 young people who will attend.

International News

Catholic news from around the world

Crucifix controversy: Mixing Italy's religion, politics, culture

By John Thavis

Ajudge's order to remove a crucifix from an Italian classroom has provoked strong criticism from some sectors of the Vatican and cautionary words from Pope John Paul II.

At the same time, some Vatican officials were reluctant to wade into the controversy lest they help fuel a new and unnecessary Christian-Muslim conflict.

"It is a complicated Italian question, involving religion, politics and culture. We are not saying anything about it," said Msgr. Khaled Akasheh of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, which coordinates Vatican relations with Muslims.

No one seemed to want the October controversy -- no one, that is, except Adel Smith, a Muslim activist who has made a career out of pushing for Islamic rights and a more multicultural society in Italy, his adopted country.

In the central Italian mountain town of Ofena, Smith first asked that a verse from the Quran be displayed next to the crucifix in his children's classrooms. When that was denied, he sued. He said he's simply exercising his constitutional right against religious discrimination.

But that's one of the many paradoxes of the current crucifix debate: Although Italy is constitutionally a secular state and although Catholicism is no longer the state religion, a law dating from the 1920s requires public classrooms to display a crucifix. To some, the level of outrage was surprising in a country where a minority of Catholics bother to go to church each week and where, as Milan Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi said recently, many children don't know how to make the sign of the cross.

Parents marched under banners reading "Hands off our cross!" An Internet site dedicated to defending the cross

Crucifix outcry

sprouted up overnight, and a woman judicial employee who refused to physically remove the cross in the Ofena classroom became a national heroine. Italian politicians of every stripe sought to make hay over the cross issue. City councils across the country announced plans to adorn the halls of civic buildings with crucifixes, and one mayor said he'd be sending a cross to every local resident.

The mayor of the northern city of Caravaggio said he was erecting a seven-foot-tall wooden cross at the entrance to the public documents office, so that "everyone, including the many non-European residents who pass through, can admire this sign of Christianity."

Behind the crucifix question, in fact, seemed to be an unspoken and widespread resentment that Italy's mostly immigrant Muslim population would try to mess with the religious symbols of the majority.

But Italy's Muslim leaders appeared embarrassed by the crucifix lawsuit and in interviews distanced themselves from Smith, whom many see as a self-promoter. A World Muslim League representative in Italy, Mario Scialoia, told Vatican Radio that the judge's ruling was "unfortunate" and that Smith represents "himself and three other people, at most."

The Vatican press office made no official pronouncement about the controversy, but the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, protested the court ruling in three front-page spreads.

The Pope spoke indirectly about the controversy, saying a country's religious symbols should not be erased in the name of interreligious tolerance. He said the cross was a symbol of "the civilisation of love" and a source of "light, comfort and hope for people of every era." His language echoed the broader argument made by Italian bishops and politicians, including President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi: that over and

above its specific religious significance, the cross stands for universal values at the foundation of Italian culture. That left some people wondering whether the image of the crucified Christ was being watered down a bit.

As Italian Catholics were rallying around one cross, they discovered to their chagrin that another crucifix -- an artistic work created for Holy Year 2000 -- had been unceremoniously abandoned in an outdoor storage area amid old car parts and construction material. The 23foot-tall bronze statue of Christ on the cross was designed for World Youth Day liturgies by sculptor Stefano Pierotti.

Diocese of Rome officials say the work is destined for a new church currently under construction, but a group of young Catholics with a Web site, www.korazym.org, has denounced the storage conditions. They said that over the

last three years the piece has been damaged by corrosion and vandalized, and that the figure of Christ has lost fingers on one hand.

Initially, the youth group was assured the jubilee cross would find a home in Rome's "Jubilee Church," which finally opened its doors in October. But the style of the crucifix apparently was not to the liking of Richard Meier, the U.S. architect of the church who is Jewish.

Meier had designed his own modern cross for his church, but Diocese of Rome officials found it too abstract and hung a traditional 19th-century wooden crucifix instead.

The bronze World Youth Day crucifix may not be homeless for long.

As soon as its abandonment was documented on TV, an offer to publicly display it arrived -from the town of Ofena, where the classroom cross was still on the wall. -CNS

Historical wrongs must be recognised says Pope

By John Thavis

Pope John Paul II said it was important for the church to acknowledge mistakes and shortcomings in its 2,000year history, and he encouraged others around the world to do the same.

Behind many modern conflicts are historical wrongs that need to be recognised objectively before true reconciliation can occur, the Pope said in a message to a conference of church scholars. The experts were meeting at the Vatican on October. 30-31 to commemorate the pontificate of Pope

Leo XIII, who died 100 years ago.

Pope John Paul said he found Pope Leo an inspiring figure, especially in his openness to the historical sciences.

"Like Leo XIII, I, too, am personally convinced that it helps the church to bring to light, as much as possible, through the instruments of science, the full truth about its 2,000 years of history," the Pope said.

Against some resistance among his Vatican advisers, the Pope pushed forward a program of "purification of memory" during the jubilee year 2000, with critical examinations of Christian actions

during the Crusades, the Inquisition and World War II.

The Pope told the scholars that such a task does not mean the historian should become "accuser and judge" of people in the past, but should seek to understand the verifiable truth and the context in which acts were carried out.

The historian's primary duty is to "assert no falsehood and hide no truth," the Pope said, citing a famous dictum of the Roman writer Cicero.

All this has great application in resolving conflicts between nations and ethnic groups, many

of which have origins in historical wrongs, the Pope said.

"Whoever looks into the roots of conflicts occurring in various parts of the planet discovers that events that date back centuries continue to make their deadly consequences felt in the present day," he said.

In some cases, such "polluted memories" have crystallised into part of the national or even religious identity of a people, he said.

The Pope said the lesson to be learned is that "it is necessary first of all to reconcile oneself with the past before beginning a process of reconciliation with other peo-

ple or communities." "This effort to purify one's own memory involves -- for individuals and for populations -- the acknowledgment of errors actually committed and for which it is right to ask forgiveness," he said.

All this requires courage and humility, but it's the only way for nations and other groups to free themselves from ancient resentments and start to build a better future, he said. "One cannot remain a prisoner of the past," he said. The papal message was read at the conference by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state.

This crucifix belonged to Mother Teresa and is among her belongings that are on display in a special exhibit in Rome. Photo:CNS/Reuters

International News

Catholic news from around the world

Chinese Catholics face uncertain future

Priest says as China opens markets it tightens control over religion

By Cindy Wooden

As China opens its markets to the world, it clutches onto control over the religious lives of its people with even greater strength, said a missionary who lived there.

Father Bernardo Cervellera, who lived in Hong Kong for years before teaching in Beijing from 1995 to 1997, said there is a growing desire for religion among the Chinese and a huge interest in Christianity.

Yet, he said at an October 30 press conference, as the government opens economically to the West, it has launched new campaigns of repression against religion.

The Italian priest, former director of the Vatican's Fides missionary news agency, spoke at a conference marking the release of "China Mission," a book recounting his experiences in the country and looking at recent developments he has followed through continuing contacts with people in China.

With a new wave of repression over the past year, he said, "even those who belong to (the government-recognised) Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association are persecuted."

Father Cervellera said police drop in on priests and bishops unannounced, and they monitor where bishops go and whom they meet; a decreasing number of foreign professors are allowed to teach in Chinese seminaries; and seminarians once again are being subjected to weekly government indoctrination sessions.

The priest said it is erroneous to speak of members of the Patriotic Association and members of the underground Catholic community as if they were two distinct groups.

Father Cervellera said, "More than 80 percent of the bishops in the Patriotic Association are in formal communion with the Pope," having made declarations of faith and pledged their allegiance to the Pope - usually, but not always, secretly because it is illegal.

"In the great majority of cases, the socalled official church and the so-called underground church work together," he said. "What is important is their communion with each other and with the Pope,"

and not so much what they tell the government or allow the government to pretend.

Making a distinction between the two communities, Father Cervellera said, "serves the government's purposes more than that of the Catholics."

Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, retired president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, told another press conference on Ocober. 28: "In China there are not two churches -- one legal and the other underground -- but two faces of the same community which struggles to be Catholic and faithful to the Pope while observing the laws of the country."

The cardinal said there had been misunderstandings between the communities, particularly over how far one could go to ensure the survival of Catholicism in China while still being Catholic, but they are growing closer and finding ways to dialogue with each other.

Father Cervellera said Pope John Paul has used various channels of communication to encourage bishops in the Patriotic Association to be bolder in proclaiming the fullness of their faith while encourag-

ing the underground Catholics to be patient and merciful with their brothers and sisters in the Patriotic Association.

The missionary said he believes the declared interest of the Chinese in learning about Christianity stems from their search for religious responses to the new economic and social turmoil their country is facing.

While China is growing as an exchange partner in the international market, poverty and unemployment in the country are skyrocketing.

"Peace and harmony are the highest cultural values in China, and they are threatened," the priest said. "People are looking at different religions to help restore these values."

"China needs Christianity," Father Cervellera said.

Christianity preaches that human rights, including the right to religious freedom, are inalienable, and a government cannot demand they be set aside for the good of the collective, he said.

Christianity also would promote solidarity not only within China, but internationally, he said.

Bishops must help fight corruption

(CNS) -- The Catholic Church in the Philippines, while not getting directly involved in political battles, must help the country fight corruption by educating people in moral values, Pope John Paul II said.

"To eliminate corruption calls for the committed support of all citizens, the resolute determination of the authorities and a firm moral conscience," the pope said in an October. 30 message to a group of Filipino bishops.

Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan of Tuguegarao, speaking on behalf of the bishops, told the Pope, "Graft and corruption in different levels of society continue to be our problem."

The bishops, who were making their "ad limina" visits to report on the status of their dioceses, told the Pope they have asked all Filipino Catholics to make a novena to the Sacred Heart on the first Friday of every month beginning in November as a prayer for an end to corruption in their society.

Former President Joseph Estrada, who was ousted in a popular revolt in January 2001, has been in jail for more than two years awaiting trial on charges of "plunder" -- the theft of millions of dollars of public funds.

Pope John Paul told the bishops the church has a major role to play in rooting out corruption because the church "is

the primary agent for properly forming people's conscience."

The church's function, he said, "as a rule should not be that of direct intervention in matters that are strictly political, but rather that of converting individuals and evangelising culture."

The evangelisation of society includes bringing Gospel values to bear on the spheres of government and public policy, the Pope said. "It must be made clear that no office or public service can ever be treated as private property or as a personal privilege," he said.

Pope John Paul also congratulated the bishops on the continuing growth and activity of the Catholic Church in the

Underground priests, seminarians arrested in China's Hebei province

Adozen priests and seminarians from the underground Catholic Church were arrested in China's Hebei province, near where the government demolished a church earlier this year.

UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand, reported that an October 26 press statement from the U.S.-based Cardinal Kung Foundation said the arrests were made on October 20 while the priests and seminarians were attending a retreat in Gaocheng County.

Among those reported arrested and kept at a detention house in Gaocheng were Fathers Li Wenfeng, 31, Liu Heng, 29, and Dou Shengxia, 37, as well as seminarians Chen Rongfu, 21, Han Jianlu, 24, and Zhang Chongyou, 23.

The Cardinal Kung Foundation, which supports the underground Catholic community in mainland China, did not know the names of the others arrested.

Gaocheng is within the territory of the government-approved Shijiazhuang Diocese.

Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding was released on August 24 after two months in detention. Zhengding is about 6 miles from Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital.

The foundation report mentioned that on June 21, also in Hebei, the government tore down a church in Liugou village near Shahe.

A priest of the government-approved church confirmed the demolition. The priest, who asked not to be named, told UCA News on Ocober 28 that underground priests had asked governmentapproved personnel for their help before the demolition, and negotiations with government officials were held.

According to the priest, the church was built without proper legal papers and was not registered as a religious venue.

He said that for these reasons and others, which he would not disclose, the church was finally torn down. He added that it was not yet in use when it was demolished.

The press release said the church was completed only two weeks before the demolition, and most of its 150 parishioners were new converts.

Philippines, "home to the largest Catholic presence in Asia" and "one of the most vibrant Catholic communities in the world."

However, the Pope said, too many Filipino Catholics participate in the activity of "sects which witness only to the superstitious," too few have a good grounding in Catholic teaching, and too many accept "anti-life attitudes, which include the active promotion of birth control, abortion and the death penalty."

Evangelisation, formation, education and a clear, strong witness of Christian values are needed, the Pope told the bishops.

Some underground priests told UCA News churches that do not comply with government regulations issued in 1994 are sometimes ordered to be torn down, but they are not sure whether this was the case with the Liugou church. The "Regulations on the Administration of Places for Religious Activities" orders the suppression of religious venues not registered with authorities.

In the late 1950s the Chinese government outlawed the Catholic Church and established a government-approved Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which publicly spurns ties to the Vatican.

An underground church with membership estimated in the millions also exists, but at the parish level members of the two churches mingle.

Hong Kong church officials have said that two-thirds of the bishops of the government-approved church have reconciled secretly with the Vatican.

Images of Christ and Mary are displayed in the home of an elderly Chinese woman.

Photo:CNS/Reuters

Reviews

Marriage works, is the message of a new booklet Does Marriage Matter? from the independent think-tank Civitas. The research has been accumulating for years to show that married people have the odds stacked in their favour. Unfortunately, we seem to be embarrassed to mention the fact! But the advantages of the married state should not be regarded as an arcane mystery to be confined to the pages of scholarly journals: they need to be shared with the population as a whole, and in particular with young people. For this reason Civitas is planning to distribute Does Marriage Matter? widely in schools, youth clubs and other institutions where young people gather.

Does Marriage Matter? gives a short and easy-to-follow account of what the research tells us about how marriage compares with other sorts of relationships. It looks at the evidence on a number of fronts - economics, physical and mental health, crime and domestic violenceand concludes that:

Families based on marriage are, on average, healthier, wealthier, and more stable than other family forms... Marriage is an important social good, associated with an impressively broad array of positive outcomes for children and adults alike (pp.2-3).

Does Marriage Matter? is aimed at young people who may be thinking about what they want for their own lives, and considering the different options open to them. Although marriage is less popular than it once

MOVIES

S P E L L B O U N D

By David DiCerto

E

ight students from diverse backgrounds spell their way to glory in the uplifting Oscar-nominated documentary "Spellbound" (Thinkfilm). Weaving disparate voices with economy and flair, filmmaker Jeff Blitz explores the highly competitive world of the prestigious annual National Spelling Bee, while painting a surprisingly intimate portrait of America in the process.Out of the thousands of students who compete in local and regional spelling bees, only 250 qualify for the National Spelling Bee in Washington, a gruelling two-day competition where contestants wrestle with such tongue-twisters as "cephalalgia" and "kookaburra" for the distinction of being the country's best speller as well as $12,000 in cash. The tournament's mental athletes hone their skills with the same dedication as Olympic hopefuls, spending endless hours mastering archaic etymologies in pursuit of phonetic gold, well aware that they are a tricky diphthong or one slip of the tongue away from the dreaded "ding!" which signals elimination.

Awaiting those who make it to the final round -- which is covered live on ESPN -- is a nerve-racking, pressure-cooker gauntlet, where a friendly homonym or recognisable lan-

was, most people still plan to get married, and most people do marry. However, although the advantages of marriage have been known to scholars for years, the impression which young people could easily form from the culture they grow up in is that all sorts of different relationships are equally good, and promise similar outcomes. This is simply not the case. In particular, cohabitation is not, as the media and government departments sometimes imply, just as good as marriage.

Men and women who cohabit behave more like single people than married people, and their children have outcomes closer to those of the children of single parents than married parents (p.4). It is particularly important for young people to understand that there is no such thing in law as a "common-law marriage" (p.6). People who seek the security of a legal framework for their relationships need to get married.

Marriage works - everywhere in recorded history

Marriage isn't a Western thing or a Christian thing: "since the beginning of recorded history, in all the flourishing varieties of human cultures documented by anthropologists, marriage has been a universal human institution" (p.4). The reason for this is, quite simply, that it works for everyone - not just men, women and their children, but for the broader society as well: Communities where healthy marriages are common have better outcomes for children, women and men than do communities suffering from high rates of divorce, unmarried childbearing, and high-conflict or violent marriages (p.28).

For this reason, it makes sense for policy makers to give active support to marriage. Marriage is more than a private emotional relationship: it is a social good which should be supported by "programmes to strengthen marriage and reduce unnecessary divorce" (p.28).

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Does Marriage Matter? has been adapted from Why Marriage Matters: Twenty-One Conclusions from the Social Sciences, a consensus document authored by over a dozen leading US scholars and published in 2002 by the Institute for American Values in New York. The

guage-of-origin is the only thing separating the joy of victory from the agony of defeat. With parents sweating on the sidelines, the climax of the tourney takes on the intensity of the seventh game of the World Series or the two-minute warning at the Super Bowl -- without, of course, the guaranteed multimillion-dollar endorsement deals. It is in no small part due to this grace under pressure that makes the film so engaging.

Yet, since the film is about more than polysyllabic proficiency, much of the time is dedicated to the contestants themselves. The spellers, whose pubescent awkwardness lends to their endearing charm, hail from every racial and economic group -- from Emily, a precocious teen from Connecticut privilege, to Ashley, an African-American living with her single mom in a D.C. project, to Neil, a driven East Indian whose father has solicited the

text for the UK edition was prepared by Rebecca O'Neill. Civitas is an independent social policy think tank. Its research focuses on five main areas: health, welfare, education, family and citizenship. It has no political or religious affiliations and is funded entirely from private sources.

Orders may be placed at website www.civil-society.org.uk (payment by Visa or Mastercard accepted). Alternatively, fax (+44 20 7401 5471) with credit card details or put a sterling cheque in the post to:

The Institute for the Study of Civil Society

The Mezzanine, Elizabeth House

39 York Road

London SE1 7NQ

The cost of the publication is £2.50 + £3.00 p&p (surface mail) or £4.00 p&p (airmail) - i.e. a total of £5.50 (surface mail) or £6.50 (airmail).

Around t he tabl e dnuorA t eh lbat e

prayers of fellow Hindus and pledged to feed thousands if his son wins.

And while rooting interest is diffused evenhandedly among each of the eight contestants, one story packs a particular punch. Angela, a selftaught whiz with a bright smile undimmed by braces, is the daughter of Mexican immigrants who entered the country illegally in search of their piece of the American pie, settling in the Texas panhandle. Her quest for laurels is made all the more remarkable since her parents don't speak a word of English.

The scene-stealer award goes to Harry, a hyperactive mite from New Jersey, whose quirky wit supplies many of the film's most memorable moments. In a word, "Spellbound" is spellbinding. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-I -general patronage.

One has to be sceptical of the torrent of bitter criticism in some sections of the less than credible secular media in Britain and the United States. There is repetition of the same clichés as though they were running a party line set by the condom manufacturers and the homosexual lobby.

There is substantial scientific literature that the condom manufacturers do not want heard, that shows that the porosity of condoms would permit the passage of the HIV. Southern Africa has been flooded with massive advertising campaigns to promote use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS. The manufacturers of condoms are onto a multi million-dollar bonanza. What the promotion of condoms does is to increase promiscuity. There is a large number of respectable scientists who are questioning the claims that millions of African are suffering and dying from AIDS and that HIV is spread by heterosexual intercourse. They say that Africans are dying of poverty and a variety of diseases, that have been endemic in Africa for centuries

Many have claimed that persons tested with the Western Blot test or ELISA for HIV, but infected with Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Malaria Measles and several other complaints could have a false positive HIV recording. See: Bigger R.L. et al, Lancet ii: 520-523; Ghosh K et al, British Medical Journal of Biomedical Science 58: 20-3; Papadopulos-Eleopulos et al, Bio/Technology Vol. 11 11June 1993.

There are 1.5 million new cases of TB each year in sub-Sahara Africa and 200 million Malaria. Sufferers. Condoms will not stop the spread of these diseases. Brain A Peachey Woodlands

I n C i n e m a s N o w

It is Brian Coyne who is being ignorant in his insulting attack on the President of the Pontifical Council for the Family,Cardinal Trujillio over his warning that condoms will not stop the spread of AIDS in Africa.

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panorama a roundup of events in the archdiocese

Sunday November 9

GATE OF HEAVEN

Please join us at 7:30pm on 107.9 FM,Radio

Fremantle,for programming provided partly by EWTN Global Catholic Radio.This week we will feature:(1) Archbishop Fulton J.Sheen speaking on Purgatory;(2) Fr.Paul O’Sullivan also on Purgatory;(3) Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz on the Four Last Things.

Sunday November 9

ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK

0505.

Twin rooms with en-suites or single rooms.Join the monks for daily prayer and Mass.Directed retreats by arrangement.Tariff by donation, suggested donation $45 full board.Inquiries: Guesthouse sec.phone (08) 9654 8002, fax (08) 9654 8097.Email:guesthouse_nn@hotmail. com.Please quote ref.R3

VISITING SYDNEY

Why not stay at

STORMANSTON HOUSE

27 McLaren Street,North Sydney

Restful & secure accommodation operated by the Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney.

• Situated in the heart of North Sydney and short distance to the city

• Rooms available with ensuite facility

• Continental breakfast, tea/coffee making facilities & television

• Separate lounge/dining room, kitchen & laundry

• Private off-street parking

Contact:Phone:(02) 9957 5040 or email:nsmercy@ozemail.com.au

ST CATHERINE’S CHURCH GINGIN

Sunday November 23

Christ The King - Divine Mercy Pilgrimage.

Program:11.30am12.30pm Holy Hour.

12.30pm - 1.30pm BYO

Lunch.1.30pm Eucharistic Procession through the streets.

2.50pm Divine Mercy Chaplet & Three o’clock prayers 3pm Holy Mass, Rosary & Benediction. 4.15pm.

Consecration/Veneration - Relic of Saint Faustina. 4.30pm Afternoon Tea provided.Coaches depart:Mercedes College Car Park 9.30am.To book please phone Francis Williams 9459-3873 or Mob 0404 893 877.

Transport cost $14.00 per person (Return).For more details phone Fr Paul 9571-1839, John 94577771 or Sheila 95754023.

official diary

NOVEMBER

7

8

Blessing

9 Confirmation, Ballajura - Bishop Quinn

Confirmation, Ellenbrook - Mgr Thomas McDonald

Confirmation, Mercy College - Mgr Tim Corcoran

Procession for Feast of St Rocco, Leederville - Archbishop Hickey

Presentation of Michael Bell Award, St Mary's CathedralArchbishop Hickey

First Communion Mass, Cottesloe - Bishop Sproxton

11 & 12

Confirmation, Morley - Fr Brian O'Loughlin VG

13Visit CEO Team - Archbishop Hickey

14Opening of school buildings, St Clare's, Lathlain - Archbishop Hickey St Charles' Seminary End-of-Year - Archbishop Hickey

14-16Visitation and Confirmation, Nollamara - Bishop Sproxton

15Confirmation, Catholic Agricultural College - Fr Steve Casey, Dean

Opening of Knights of the Southern Cross Triennial State Conference, Booragoon - Archbishop Hickey

16Confirmation, York - Fr Greg Carroll

100th Anniversary of former Mercy Sisters' Convent and School Reunion, Toodyay - Archbishop Hickey

18Evening for Priests with Fr Donal McIlraith, East PerthArchbishop Hickey

Correction

In The Record newspaper issue October 9 it was incorrectly reported in the article “ Divine Mercy Holy Hours” that St Francis Xavier Church in Armadale parish has a Holy Hour

every Saturday from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. St Francis Xavier Church, 26 Windsor St, East Perth holds a Holy Hour at that time and is the main centre for the Divine Mercy Devotions.

1 - 2 pm on Access 31.A program on Mother Teresa is featured,which is of special significance for the occasion of her Beatification :A presentation of Mother Angelica’s tribute to her at the time of her death.Your support is needed to keep these inspiring programs on Access 31.Please send contributions to The Rosary Christian Tutorial Association,PO Box 1270, Booragoon 6954.Ring 9330-1170 for information on how to receive EWTN free-to-air via satellite dish,or for location of free video lending libraries.Visit our web site:http://www.cathworld.org/worlds/org/media/

CATHEDRAL NOVENAS

In honour of The Infant Jesus of Prague.Every Tuesday at 11am and 1pm.In Honour of St Joseph.Every Wednesday at 1pm.Please join us in prayer for our Holy Father,priests and religious,holy vocations,the sick,the deceased and all your special intentions.

Thursday November 13

REMEMBRANCE MASS

St Vincent de Paul Society has organised a Remembrance Mass that will celebrate the lives of past members,volunteers,family and friends.Ozanam House,76 Abernethy Rd,Belmont.6.30 – 7.30pm.All the names received of loved ones will be kept in a remembrance book.Specially designed brooch pins and remembrance cards can be purchased.

Saturday November 15

SPECIAL MASS

Paulian Association is having a special Mass at the monastery at 6.30pm.All past and present Paulians are asked to attend this special function,to celebrate Denise’s 70th Birthday,please bring a plate.Please ring 9398 3368 if you are attending.

Sunday November 16

BLESSING OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES GROTTO

By Fr Tony Chiera.St Louis Church,Boyanup.Mass celebration 10am,followed by the blessing and rosary. BBQ lunch.Tea,coffee,cordial all provided.

Sunday November 16

COME AND PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS COMING

An open invitation to:Individuals,Families & Prayer Groups.Holy Family Church,Lot 375,Alcock Street, Maddington 6109.11am Holy Mass-Celebrant Fr Anthony Van Dyke,Order of Preachers.Please BYO lunch to share,Tea/Coffee provided.For more information contact:Sylvia 9459 5380,Arthur 9398 1129 or Francis 9459 3873

Monday November 17

COUNTRY DAY OF REFLECTION

St Patrick’s Church,York.Commencing 9.30am with Rosary and talks,concluding 2pm with Holy Mass. Speaker:Rev Fr Donal McIlraith (St Columbans Missionary Society & MMP Responsible throughout Oceania).BYOL Tea,Coffee supplied.Please wear name tag.Enquiries:Geraldine 9641 4015,Josie 9641 2012 or Cathy 9622 5963.

Tuesday November 18

UNDERSTANDING THE MASS

With Fr Timothy Deeter.Talks on the Mass will be given on Tuesday November 18 and Tuesday November 25 at 7.30pm at the Parish hall at St Lawrence Parish,Albert St,Balcatta.All welcome.Call the Parish office on 9344 7066 for further details.

Sunday November 23

BREAKFAST GET TOGETHER

The Paulian Association are having a breakfast get together at Miss Mauds beginning at 8.30am.All those wishing to attend please contact Pat 9475 0503.Old and new faces always welcome.

Sunday November 23

BULLSBROOK SHRINE

Solemnity of Christ the King SACRI:Fervent Soldiers Of Christ The Immortal King warmly invite you to celebrate the Solemnity Of Christ The King at the Pilgrim Shrine,Virgin of the Revelation,36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook.Time 2.30pm.Bishop Quinn will preside over Concelebrated Mass,Eucharistic procession, Consecration to Christ the King.The bus departs from Barrack St at 12.30pm,cost $8.00 (return) For book-

ings contact Mrs Haddon 9277 5378 or 0409 296 810. Enquiries:Tel.SACRI 9447 3292.

Monday November 24

NEWMAN SOCIETY

Sr.Jan Gray will address a public meeting at St Dominic’s Innaloo beginning with Mass at 6pm,celebrated by Fr Gitner.The talk will commence at 7.15pm preceded by a shared meal.Please bring a plate or drinks.Contact Susanne 9446 8055.

Friday November 28 & Saturday November 29

PERSONAL,SPIRITUAL & RELATIONAL AWARENESS RETREAT

This will be a time to listen to the small,still voice within you which will direct you towards that which God has planned for you personally.Live in or out.Friday 6pm – 9.30pm.Saturday 9am – 5.30pm.Phone the Resource Centre for Personal Development 9438 3330.

Saturday November 29

THE FILIPINO CULTURAL DINNER DANCE NIGHT 7pm sharp till late.Bridgetown Recreation Centre, Steere Street,Bridgetown.$20 per person (includes buffet dinner).Book early as capacity is limited. Contact.Fr Robert Romano 9761 1241,Sonia Townsend 9764 3660,Didith Atkin 9764 3016,fax 9764 3615.For transport contact Francis Williams 9459 3873,mob 0404 893 877,fax 9493 4287.$42 per person (including buffet dinner and return trip from Perth on a party bus).Depart Perth 12.30pm.Depart Bridgetown 12.30am

Saturday November 29

CATHOLIC HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE

Interested in finding out about Catholic homeschooling? Come to Holy Name Church Hall,Carlisle for a day of workshops and talks.Fr.Timothy Deeter will speak on preparing youth.Details:Lorraine 94469682.

Sunday November 30

RIVERVALE PARISH

The 9.30am Mass will be offered for the work of the Presentation Order who will end their long association with the parish.Following Mass a morning tea will be held at the school and Sr Kathleen Laffan, Congregational Leader of the Order will address those able to attend.

Tuesday December 2

FULTON J SHEEN SOCIETY

Karen Fulte of the Archbishop Fulton J Sheen Communications Room in El Paso,USA will be speaking at St Anne’s Parish Centre,Hehir St,Belmont between 12.30 and 2pm.Holy Mass to be celebrated by the Most Reverend Archbishop Hickey at St Bernadette’s Church,Leeder St Glendalough on Wednesday December 3 at 7.30pm.

CENTRE OF SPIRITUALITY AND PEACE IN THE HEART OF PERTH

All Saints Chapel.77 Allendale Square,St George’s Tce,Perth.Fr Jim Shelton,Chaplain – 9325 2009. Morning prayer 8am (Liturgical Hours).Confessions 10.30am to 11.45am.Masses 12.10pm and 1.10pm.The Holy Rosary daily 12.40pm.Divine Mercy prayers and Benediction Mondays and Fridays 1.35pm.St Pio of Pietrelcina Novena to the Sacred Heart and Benediction Wednesdays 1.35pm.Chapel closed weekends and public holidays.

CROSS ROADS COMMUNITY

Healing Masses:1st Monday of month 7pm Church of East Fremantle,2nd Monday of month 10am St Jerome’s Munster & 3rd Monday of Month 7pm St Dominic’s Innaloo.Term 4 begins 14th October to 19th December for:Family & Friends Support Groups of Substance Abusers on Wednesdays 7pm – 9pm, Substance Abusers Support Groups on Tuesdays 5.30pm – 7.30pm & Fridays 2pm – 3.30pm & All day Group for Substance Abusers on Fridays 10.30am –3.30pm,Spirituality:Tuesdays 7pm – 9pm & Healing Mass:Fridays 12noon.

BASILICA OF ST PATRICK

Novena for Family Life every Friday till Christmas at 11.45am and followed by the 12.10pm Mass - Make a gift of prayer to your family for Christmas

BASILICA OF ST PATRICK

Fremantle is establishing A Memorial Book for the names of all those buried either from the Basilica of St Patrick Fremantle or St Anne’s North Fremantle.If you know of relatives or friends buried from either church between 1917 and 1997 please phone the Parish Office 93352268 or write to Fr John P Sherman OMI,Basilica of St Patrick,47 Adelaide St,Fremantle WA 6160.

100

100 years of Catholic education in Busselton

By Debbie Warrier

Four-year-old Demi Liddle and her new friend 90year-old Mrs Joyce Miles were happily sitting side by side on a bench at St Joseph’s Primary School. The original school building stood on the Villa Carlotta site in 1903 (now a guest house).

Both were enjoying the function set up in the school grounds to celebrate 100 years of Catholic Education in Busselton for last 100 years and had been part of the commemorative Mass held at the Our Lady of the Bay Church earlier that day, on October 29.

The new Church was built two weeks earlier and will be officially opened on November 16.

Both symbolised the bridge between the generations and the passing on of faith to the future.

Asked what she most enjoyed about going to kindergarten, Demi said “Going down the slide.”

Mrs Joyce Miles (nee Curtis) was at St Joseph’s Convent in 1922, aged 10. Her family lived on a farm at Cape Naturaliste and prior to going to the convent she had studied by correspondence.

When the resident Our Lady of Missions Sisters who ran the convent sold the old convent property to the St Joseph’s Sisters, she went with the former to study at a Sacred Heart convent in East Fremantle. Mrs Miles eventually worked as a short hand typist and bookkeeper before marrying in the early 1930’s.

“The sisters were kind, it was like living at home,” she said.

Mrs Maud Beatty (nee McGinty)

also a former St Joseph’s schoolgirl couldn’t believe the changes to the school she first attended as a six year old in 1929.

“In those days it was a mile and a half walk to school,” Mrs Beatty said.

She recalled the local train driver had been persuaded by students to make a regular and unscheduled stop close to the school. This meant they only had to walk two more streets.

She also spoke of the generosity of the nuns during the Depression era. “The nuns use to give their meals to the children,” she said.

Disciplinary standards have changed too. Students were smacked with a ruler over their hand if they wrote with their left instead of right, Mrs McGinty said.

Her niece Mrs Dorothy Savage is currently the Assistant Principal of Religious Education at St Joseph’s school. The school has a record of its 100 years, compiled by Mrs Savage.

In 1902, Bishop Matthew Gibney visited and provided spiritual support to the Vasse community. Impressed by their efforts to educate their children about their faith, he decided to send a group of sisters to Busselton to help them.

In 1903, a small group of sisters from the Order of the Sisters of Notre Dame des Missions (Our Lady of Missions) led by Mother Mary Martina OLM set up residence and opened the first school at Busselton.

Over the next two years, the school population grew steadily and plans were drawn for a new convent. The latter never eventuated as a building called Villa Carlotta was bought and used as a boarding school for senior students instead.

In 1922, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart took over the work of the school. The 1920’s

saw the introduction of the Group Settlement Scheme in the South West of Western Australia. It was a time of great hardship for new settlers.

The sisters continued to provide faith education to children and give families support. By 1929, the first Bushies School was held in Busselton. Children from remote areas were able to live in and attend school where they could learn about their faith during the school holidays.

In 1954, Bishop Launcelot Goody blessed and opened a new school adjoining the St Joseph’s Church in Kent Street.

In the 1950’s the expansion of the South West and the establishment of the Bunbury Diocese in 1954 meant the school had to be expanded to cater for more students.

By the 1970’s, there had been many changes in education and the needs of the School had changed also.

For instance, State Aid was introduced which assisted with multicultural education and some of the school resources.

In the 1980’s, some secondary students found their education needs were met at the local high school, while others travelled to Bunbury Catholic College.

The present St Joseph’s school was built in 1987. Sister Kathleen Hitchcock RFJ is the current principal. Secondary students can attend MacKillop Catholic College.

The school produced a commemorative badge for their 100th anniversary.

The open book shaped badge is inscribed with the words ‘From small beginnings 1903 – 2003.’

The phrase refers to the seed of faith and hope planted by the Busselton pioneers. The book symbolises education, the Cross stands for Catholicism and the four stars symbolise the four schools in the district.

The colours of the Cross on the book are for the following schools: blue for St Thomas More Primary school (Margaret River) , teal is for Our Lady of the Cape Primary school (Dunsborough), red for St Joseph’s and maroon for MacKillop.

Friends Demi and Joyce at St Joseph’s Primary

Students perform the Parable of the Sower in Busselton’s new church.

Photo:Debbie Warrier

Photo:Debbie Warrier

St Joseph’s School as it is now, and its humble beginnings (above).