The Record Newspaper - 15 February 2012 by The Record

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BREAKING THE SILENCE

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

A victim of abuse speaks out - Pages 12-13

Going beyond the physical to the spiritual - Page 14

Half a millenium for Somascans

St Jerome Somascan Youth Group members celebrate 500 years since St Jerome Emiliani was liberated by the Virgin Mary from imprisonment. Festivities were held at the Fr Barry Whitely hall at St Jerome’s parish in Munster. During the celebrations, Chris De Sousa (left) was blessed by Archbishop Barry Hickey before entering discernment of his vocation with the Somascan fathers. Natalie Ambrose (centre) and Zorana Gligor (right) enjoy the festivities with hundreds of parishioners. PHOTO: MAT DE SOUSA

Sun rises on bishop’s remarks By Robert Hiini ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey’s comments on child welfare and de facto and same-sex family arrangements, posted on his weekly online series, gained national media attention last week. Channel Seven’s morning programme, Sunrise, extensively covered the story after it was published in The West Australian, following publication in The Record. Sunrise interviewed former president of the Australian Medical Association and same-sex marriage campaigner, Kerryn Phelps, and the Australian Christian Lobby’s Chief

of Staff, Lyle Shelton, in response to the Archbishop’s comments that unstable, non-marital family arrangements were putting children at risk of harm. Ms Phelps said the Archbishop’s advocacy of marriage for child rearing was, in effect, “a case for (samesex) marriage equality”. “I think it’s irrational and insulting to the growing number of children being raised by same-sex couples,” Ms Phelps said. Mr Shelton said the right of children to a mother and a father should be paramount and criticised gay marriage advocates for allegedly “demonising” their oppo-

nents. “If this is what the gay marriage agenda is doing to free speech in Australia, God help us all,” Mr Shelton said.

“If this is what the gay marriage agenda is doing to free speech in Australia, God help us all.” “A civil society will err on the rights of children every time ... we should be able to advocate for com-

monsense; for what we know to be the best for children.” The Archbishop’s comments were made in an episode of AWord for Today’s World, a series posted on the Faith Centre’s website, which uploads a new video every Friday afternoon. In the fourth and latest episode, Archbishop Hickey addressed the vexed issue of addiction and lack of freedom. “God’s love can heal addictions to drugs, alcohol, pornography and gambling,” the Archbishop said. “If you are struggling, ask God to lift you up, to take away your anxieties and fears and heal your

addictions,” he said. “Freedom is not just about choice. “Freedom is about choosing the good; it is about making the right choice. “People with debilitating addictions desire ‘real freedom’ which is the freedom of the spirit. “Even though this is a free country, many of us can still be imprisoned in our own selves. “We should use our freedom to reject error and harmful actions and choose truth and right actions,” he said. Episode five will be posted on Friday, 17 February on www.thefaith.org.au.

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15 February 2012, The Record

Audit for the best: new Mass

Bunbury men receive Papal nod for cathedral

By Robert Hiini FATHER Danai Penollar is a man with a reputation - in a good way. When a draft of the new English Mass translation was released online, his background in auditing reared its head. He spotted several errors and he couldn’t help himself. The Sydney priest, recently in Perth to help form altar servers, emailed his suggested corrections to Fr Peter Williams, the director of the National Liturgical Commission in Parramatta. Before long, Fr Danai had been drafted on to the Catholic Truth Society London’s team of proof readers in recognition of his skills. What followed was many sleepless nights, scouring over reams of text in preparation for its use not only in Australia and New Zealand but also in Scotland, England and Wales. “Coming from an audit background, I noticed some errors just jump out at me. I was happy to offer my gifts,” Fr Danai told The Record. In his home archdiocese of Sydney, Fr Danai works closely with Australia’s most senior prelate, Cardinal George Pell, as the cathedral’s master of ceremonies. Knowing of Fr Danai’s great fondness for accuracy, Cardinal Pell, known for a playful streak, took joy in chiding him about a mistake he found in the missal’s index. “My boss is always trying to find fault with me,” Fr Danai said with a laugh. “He’s got a dry humour so he’s always trying to take a jab at me. He found something in the index ‘draught’ instead of ‘drought’.” “I didn’t review the index, in my defence,” Fr Danai was keen to

Fr Danai Penollar, who proofread the final draft of the new translation, with altar servers from Albany.

clarify. “I was looking at the content.” His proofreading wasn’t the first time he had been involved in the new translation. From 2003, he had been involved in a committee for translating some of the ‘collects’ (opening prayers), prayers over offerings and prayers over communion. During his visit to Perth, Fr Danai also gave a talk to parishioners at St Jerome’s Parish, Spearwood about the reasons for the new translation and his involvement in its development.

He gave an extensive history of the previous translation to the small crowd of around 30 Catholics in the church. A translating approach known as dynamic equivalence was adopted immediately following the Second Vatican Council. Paraphrasing and approximating Latin Mass parts had the benefit being quick and easy relative to more literal approaches to translation, he said. Problems arose when loose translation meant that the meaning of the original words and SAINT OF THE WEEK

Peter Rosengren

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Journalists Mark Reidy mreidy@therecord.com.au Robert Hiini rthiini@therecord.com.au Sarah Motherwell s_motherwell@hotmail.com Sub Editor Chris Jaques Advertising/Production Mat De Sousa

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Two of the three Fatima visionaries, this sister and brother were beatified in 2000. With their cousin, Lucia dos Santos, they had monthly visions of Mary at Fatima, Portugal, from May to October 1917. Mary asked the shepherd children to promote devotion to her Immaculate Heart and pray the rosary daily. Both Martos died of influenza, Francisco at age 10 in 1919, and Jacinta at age 9 in 1920. Their cousin, who became a Carmelite nun, died in 2005 at age 97. Fatima is among the world’s great Marian shrines and pilgrimage sites.

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Monday 20th - Green 1st Reading: Jas 3:13-18 Humility and wisdom Responsorial Ps 18:8-10,15 Psalm: My rescuer, my rock Gospel Reading: Mk 9:14-29 Help my unbelief

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connection between different lines and parts were lost. Other non-English speaking countries made their vernacular translations from the English version, extrapolating any inaccuracies and loss of meaning, he said. The new translating rules meant orthodox and liberal Catholics had wins and losses when the Latin originals were translated. Fr Danai recommended the explanatory DVD resource Become One Body, One Spirit in Christ for anyone wanting to know more.

Sunday 19th - Green 1st Reading: Is 43:18-19,21-22, 24-25 A new deed Responsorial Ps 40:2-5, 13-14 Psalm Heal my soul 2nd Reading: 2 Cor 1:18-22 Yes to God’s promises Gospel Reading: Mk 2:1-12 Jesus forgives

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Mary sets lake alight PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Three hundred bright lights circled Lake Monger last weekend as the Legion of Mary held its annual torchlight procession on Friday, 10 February. Attendees walked the complete circumference of Lake Monger in an hour and a half while singing songs and praying the rosary in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes. The torchlight procession has taken place every year since August 2000 and always runs on the Friday closest to the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Attendees stuck to the fire ban by using torches instead of open flames.

READINGS OF THE WEEK

Blessed Francisco and Blessed Jacinta Marto Editor

Two Bunbury men have received papal honours from Pope Benedict XVI for their contributions to rebuilding the Bunbury Cathedral precinct. John Ogilvie was awarded a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great and Ward Italiano a Knight of the Order of St Sylvester. Mr Ogilvie was honoured for taking on additional responsibilities to his diocesan role by becoming the project manager for the new Cathedral precinct building programme. The award is bestowed on Catholic men and women in recognition of personal service to the Church at a national level. Mr Italiano also took on additional responsibilities, assuming many of the tasks normally undertaken by a diocesan financial administrator. This award is given to honour lay people who make an outstanding contribution to the Church within their own profession. The awards also recognise the outstanding contribution to the cathedral project by diocesan staff who endured six years of cramped working conditions while waiting for the centre to be completed after it was destroyed by a tornado in 2005.

Tuesday 21st - Green ST DAMIAN, BISHOP, DOCTOR (O) 1st Reading: Jas 4:1-10 Internal battles Responsorial Ps 54:7-11,23 Psalm: The Lord, our refuge Gospel Reading: Mk 9:30-37 The first must be last Wednesday 22nd - Violet ASH WEDNESDAY 1st Reading: Joel 2:12-18 Come back to me Responsorial 50:3-6,12-14,17 Psalm: A spirit of fervour

2nd Reading: 2 Cor 5:20-6:2 The favourable time Gospel Reading: Mt 6:1-6,16-18 Rewards from the Father Thursday 23rd - Violet ST POLYCARP, BISHOP, MARTYR (O) 1st Reading: Deut 30:15-20 Life or death Responsorial Ps 1:1-4,6 Psalms: The two ways Gospel Reading: Lk 9:22-25 Christ’s followers Friday 24th - Violet 1st Reading: Is 58:1-9 Which type of fast? Responsorial Ps 50:3-6, 18-19 Psalm: Have mercy on me Gospel Reading: Mk 9:14-15 The time for fasting Saturday 11th - Violet 1st Reading: Is 58:9-14 Relief to the oppressed Responsorial Ps 85:1-6 Psalms: You are my God Gospel Reading: Lk 5:27-32 A great reception

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15 February 2012, The Record

Page 3

Out of the blackness, into the light By Sarah Motherwell LIBBY was 16 years old and in the middle of Year 12 when she was admitted as an inpatient to a psychiatric hospital for obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). She was suffering from severe psychotic episodes that left her in either a near catatonic state or endlessly screaming. Doctors had effectively assessed her as a “basket case” and said she would not be able to function as a normal person, Libby’s mother Faye told The Record. Faye and her family had to face the idea that Libby was so sick she would never get better. OCD is an anxiety disorder where a person suffers from unwanted thoughts or feelings, pushing them towards unwanted and damaging behaviour. Most people with the disorder rarely carry out these thoughts but live with the fear of doing so. When Libby began hearing disturbing thoughts from a young age, her mother - who also suffered from mental illness - told her to visualise putting them in a balloon and to let it float away - a method she learned during her own treatment. “I chose black (for the colour of the balloon) because I didn’t want to infect any of the other colours with my bad thoughts,” Libby said. From a young age, she had always been very moralistic and had looked to other religions and what she could take from their teachings. She said she lived by the motto, “what would Jesus do?” A devout Greek Orthodox who always wore her cross, Libby said that initially she had turned her back on God because of her illness.

Libby and her mother, Faye, have emerged from the worst of Libby’s harrowing ordeal with obsessive compulsive disorder.

Faye said her daughter was slowly slipping into an abyss. “Libby had gotten to the stage when her thoughts had consumed her. She couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat - wasn’t functioning,” she said. A few days after being admitted to hospital, Libby had a severe psychotic episode and began thrashing and screaming on the floor. A nurse, who Libby said was not religious, saw the cross on Libby’s necklace and asked her to pray for help because nothing else was

working. Seemingly left with no other options, Libby prayed for a sign from God that she would be okay. After two attempts with no sign of improvement, Libby tried

past. “My mind was still,” Libby said. She made an almost instantaneous recovery and was released from hospital before her 17th birthday, going on to complete her TEE

Libby was slowly slipping into an abyss ... a nurse suggested prayer because nothing else worked. one more time, praying at her hospital window. When she opened her eyes she saw a black balloon float

later that year. Now 22 years old, Libby no longer suffers from psychotic episodes. She is studying

PHOTO: SARAH MOTHERWELL

communications and law at the University of Western Australia and is in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend of three years. Libby said she knows she experienced a miracle. Her doctor told her that he had never seen anyone recover so quickly. At university, Libby has helped other students suffering with mental illness through their studies. When she graduates she hopes to continue helping others and to get married to her boyfriend.

Drafting the ethics to match the moment ACADEMICS at the University of Notre Dame’s Fremantle School of Medicine have contributed to a new ethics textbook that aims to help health students identify their values and beliefs when making ethical decisions in practice. Ethical Practice for Health Professionals is designed to engage students and demonstrate the practical importance of ethics. UNDA academic and contributing author Lyn Isted said this second edition of the book addresses

practical ethical issues for health professionals. It includes chapters on the ethics of indigenous health, the health of dying people and their care workers. Senior lecturer in indigenous health at the University of Notre Dame Shirley Godwin said the new book focuses on the ethics of indigenous health provides health professionals with a framework for ethically sound practice when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. “This is an

important and timely contribution to the literature as the Australian health workforce struggles with the challenges of closing the gap in health disadvantage between indigenous and non-indigenous people,” Dr Godwin said. “It is vital that health professionals not only acquire effective clinical skills but also develop a deeper appreciation of the ethical issues they may be confronted with when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

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Academics from the University of Notre Dame’s Fremantle School of Medicine have lent their skills to a new ethics text. PHOTO: UNDA

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15 February 2012, The Record

Bunbury summer camp fun

New set of bells for St Patrick AURAL delights await the people of Bunbury with the installation of St Patrick Cathedral’s new bells on 9 February. A construction team, equipped with a winch, elevated the bells into place and spent the next two days fitting the required headstocks, made in the United Kingdom, and large timber wheels into place. The diocesan financial administrator, John Ogilvie, said Bunbury’s longheld desire for bells came out of the consultation process following the demise of their previous cathedral when a tornado hit the area in 2005. Mr Ogilvie said, “From the early days, as soon as the cathedral was being planned, people wanted a belltower and a spire.” While the bells can be operated with an electronic ringing system, they can also be rung with ropes by local parishioners.

Above: This year’s group of Bunbury summer camp kids. Below: A man cools off on the slip and slide.

New Bunbury bell. PHOTO: FR ROBERT CROSS

A GROUP of 26 young people from nine parishes across the Bunbury Diocese were asked the question “where do you stand” at this year’s summer camp youth retreat. Youth ministry co-ordinator for the Bunbury Diocese, Fr Wayne Bendotti, said the event was a great success. “It was wonderful to see young people discovering new depths in their faith and feeling free to express their faith in a positive, affirming environment,” he said. Various talks were presented over the course of four days to explore the question and looked at the challenges of living as young people in today’s world and how these challenges impact on their faith. After each talk, the children formed small

groups to reflect on how it applies to their daily lives. The camp, which ran from 9 to 12 January, was organised and run by the diocesan Youth Ministry

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St Emilie’s welcomes Archbishop PARISH communities need to develop relationships beyond the Church and school communities, Archbishop Hickey told parishioners at St Emilie de Vialar in Canning Vale on 5 February. The Archbishop had been invited by the parish to concelebrate Mass with Fathers Robert Carrillo and Emmanuel Dimobi as a thanksgiving for his services to Western Australia and, more specifically, for his support and guidance in the development of St Emilie. During his homily, Archbishop Hickey gave the example of a woman who had become estranged from the Church but, through contact with other Christians, had begun to develop a relationship with Christ and eventually became a Catholic. He commended the parish for its willingness to look beyond itself through its new outreach programme, “St Emilie’s Care”. The Archbishop wished the programme, which is currently discerning the feasibility of assisting two communities in the Philippines, every success. During the Archbishop’s visit, the new school principal, Tanya Thuijs, introduced herself to parishioners.

Archbishop Barry Hickey with parishioners from St Emilie de Vialar in Canning Vale. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

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Rio ready to party on for World Youth Day 2013 By Mark Reidy

Holy Father will join with hundreds of thousands of youth from every tribe and nation.” After successfully

HELPING pilgrims experience the flavour of South American faith and culture will be a priority of the tour operator chosen by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) for World Youth Day 2013 in Brazil but it will not be the highlight. Managing Director of Harvest Pilgrimages Philip Ryall said, “whether it is rebuilding a church in a poor area of Lima, praying at the Jesuit missions of Posadas or witnessing God’s creation at the Iguasa Falls, all roads will lead to the one sacred highpoint in Rio where the

Harvest Pilgrimages have been chosen to help Australian pilgrims to the 2013 World Youth Day. co-ordinating over 3,000 Australian pilgrims for the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid, the ACBC has once again opted to use the com-

pany to enhance the experience of those attending the event in Rio de Janeiro. Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life (BCPL) Delegate for Youth Bishop Christopher Prowse said, “I am happy to see Harvest Pilgrimages partner with us again.” “I encourage all groups considering making the pilgrimage to WYD 2013 to contact Harvest to begin preparations,” he said. BCLP Senior Youth Ministry Projects Officer Malcolm Hart said WYD is an encounter with the risen Christ through an experience of the Universal Church and that it is critical that group leaders are supported.

The official logo for the 2013 World Youth Day, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. PHOTO: CNS

150th looms for a Sydney landmark By Mark Reidy WHEN Cardinal George Pell leads a Solemn Pontifical Mass on 24 February to celebrate the 150th anniversary of one of Australia’s oldest Catholic churches, it is expected to be far shorter than the eight hour Mass that occurred at its consecration in 1862. The cardinal will be joined by Apostolic Nuncio Giuseppe Lazzarotto at St Benedict’s Church in Broadway to commemorate the beginning of a parish that has played a central role in the spiritual, educational and social life of Sydney residents. Not long after the first Mass, led by Australia’s first Catholic Archbishop, John Bede Polding, the parish rapidly expanded with a surge of migrants fleeing famineravaged Ireland. The parish church became home to a girls school run by the Good Samaritan Sisters and a boys school run by the Marist brothers. It continued to grow and became the second largest parish in Sydney. In 2005, the University of Notre Dame Australia established its Sydney campus on the St Benedict’s site.

Cardinal George Pell will lead the Solemn Pontifical Mass on 24 February at St Benedict’s church in Broadway, Sydney.

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15 February 2012, The Record

MILESTONES

moments past, passing and to come

Quiet man with strength of St Joseph By Brian Peachey

fter a long struggle, Arthur White, the loving husband of Gwen for 51 years and father of nine, died in Glengarry Hospice on 22 December aged 78. Large numbers packed St Dominic’s Church in Innaloo for his concelebrated Requiem Mass on 30 December. Arthur White was a quiet man; some may have judged him to be a shy person. But in reality, he was blessed with many virtues, not the least of which was his humility. He was never loud or outspoken, which deceptively hid his strengths: love and integrity to his wife, his large family, the Church, society and his trade. On 6 February 1960 he married Gwen Hogan in Queen of Martyrs Church, Maylands. They had nine children: Therese, Marie, Vincent, Edward, Robert, Louis, David, Peter and John. In 1962, they purchased their home at 242 Holbeck St, Doubleview and never moved. As his son Vincent said in his eulogy: “It became home to nine children, nine dogs, in excess of 20 birds, two cats, a blue tongue bobtail, a longnecked tortoise and a pet magpie. Combine that with a pool table,

Obituary

Arthur White Born: 1933 Entered eternal life: Glengarry Hospice, 22 December 2011 trampoline, skateboard ramp and cricket pitch and there was never a dull moment in our backyard ... and all the neighbours loved us.” Son Louis, who also gave a eulogy, said: “Our parents taught us good moral values but that is not to say on occasion we haven’t strayed from the path. Our parents

Arthur White was a quiet man. Some may have judged him shy. In reality, he was a man of many virtues which deceptively hid his strengths. always supported us no matter what we had done wrong. It was comforting on all levels.” Arthur White was a painter all his working life, from the time when he left the Christian Brothers’ College, Leederville at age 12 to work for his father – a contract painter – until

his retirement from his own business at 73. Like St Joseph, whom St Matthew described in Scripture, Arthur White was a man of honour. This is testified to by those who contracted him. His work as a professional painter was thorough and meticulous. Some have said he was generous to a fault because of the work he did for nothing or an inordinately low fee. He had a deep sense of duty to issues and institutions he judged to be fundamentally important, the parish church and school, the pro-life movement, charity to the poor by way of St Vincent de Paul, the Australian Family Association, the NCC and to his social responsibilities which, during their long marriage, was the work of his loving partnership with wife Gwen, a counsellor for years with Pregnancy Assistance and a helper in SVDP op shops. Arthur White was a staunch member of the Painters Union, which led him into the realm of politics. In the 1950s, he opposed the pro-communist takeover of unions, particularly the Painters, and the Labor Party. In the 1963 Federal Elections, he was the Democratic Labor Party candidate for the seat of Perth and ,in the 1971 state election, for the seat of Toodyay. Society was enriched by the goodness of his presence.

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15 February 2012, The Record

Page 7

Send your milestones to editor@therecord.com.au

God’s providence present in Irene’s constant life of faith

rene Coleman (nee Miller) left school at 14 and became sacristan in Palmyra parish in the days when few girls went out to work. As the church/hall served also as a school, Father Kieran turned the lounge in his borrowed house in Bicton into an oratory for daily Mass. He required the floor of the chapel to be polished daily. Irene did the job in the custom of the day on hands and knees. Fr Kieran gave Irene a 30cm statue of the Sacred Heart. She kept it for 82 years in almost pristine condition and it stood on the altar at her funeral rosary vigil. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis at 17 and given three months to live. At this time her jockey brother, Jim, won a big race for Dr Quinlan, a specialist. The doctor asked why Jim wasn’t happy after the win. Jim related his sister’s plight. “Have her at St John’s in Subi at 10am tomorrow and I’ll have the radiologist there,” the doctor instructed. Irene’s life was saved and she remained forever grateful. Later came a health holiday in Kalgoorlie by steam train with her sister. On the way, her large bottle of medicine, codliver oil, spilled inside the case carrying all her clothes. Her sister flung both case

Obituary

Irene Margaret Coleman Born: East Fremantle, 8 April 1917 Entered eternal life: 30 December 2011 and contents out of the train window. Irene was a daily Massgoer for 82 years in her parish of Palmyra. As a girl she had developed a love of daily Mass, walking with siblings from East Fremantle to St Pat’s, Fremantle, where she had been baptised, to meet her grandmother for Mass before school. She loved to relate a very happy childhood, singing, dancing and playing tennis. When the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions commuted to Palmyra from East Fremantle by tram each school day, Irene arranged free daily bread from the family bakery and milk from the cow for them. Irene married during the war. Her husband Bob had been a primary classmate at St Gerard’s, Palmyra. It was also the church of their nuptial Mass. With a shortage of building materials, they waited five years to build, making the verandah of her parents’ house their home. Three children arrived. Irene assisted in establishing

the family business, later known as RJ Coleman Transport. In the 1950s, she manned the home phone, answering with a melodious “Coleman Carriers”, her pleasant manner effective. One day Irene sat on the front steps of her home beside Canning Highway, praying to the Sacred Heart, three children joining in. She had to pay a bill of 400 pounds for truck repairs at 4.30pm but didn’t have the money. Just before that, a chap drove past, saw her and turned around to come and pay his bill for cartage. It was 400 pounds. In mid-life Irene, accompanied by her first granddaughter, was hit by a car on a Canning Highway crossing. She was always grateful to God for being inspired to carry the walking child across the road. Flying out of Irene’s arms, the child went through the windscreen of the car and was saved. Told she would never walk without crutches, Irene didn’t listen and astounded doctors. In her 90s, she was still seen running up the hill to Mass in Palmyra. Irene was glad to have been on the jury of a murder trial even though her experience was stressful at a time when jurors were locked up without airconditioning until a decision. Afterwards, Irene prayed

every day at Mass without fail “for that young person”. Irene lost her husband Bob of 65 years the year before her own passing. She is

survived by six children and their spouses, 21 grandchildren and 30 greatgrandchildren, two sisters and two brothers.

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15 February 2012, The Record

China Church ‘schism’ threat By Mary Shovlain CHINESE Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun warned that the Chinese Catholic Church is “on the verge of a schism” between communities cooperating with government structures and those who refuse to register with government authorities, and called on the Vatican and other Catholics to shun “organisms that are not only foreign but clearly hostile to the Church” in China. Cardinal Zen, retired bishop of Hong Kong, made his comments in an article by Asia News, a missionary news agency based in Rome.

“The situation of the Church in China is particularly unusual because not bishops, but bodies outside the Church ... are leading our Church,” Cardinal Zen wrote, noting the government’s continued supervision of the Church through the State Administration for Religious Affairs and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. China’s more than ten million Catholics are divided among communities registered with the communist government and those, sometimes called “underground,” who have refused to register. In recent years, as many as 85

per cent of government-approved bishops have been recognised by the Holy See, a “strategy of compromise” that Cardinal Zen argued has demoralised the unregistered communities. “We can see that the underground community that once flourished so well now runs the risk of dying of frustration and discouragement, because it seems to be neglected and considered inconvenient by the Holy See,” he wrote. Noting the illicit ordinations of three government-approved bishops without the Pope’s approval since November 2010, Cardinal Zen wrote that Beijing “still wants

absolute control of religion and, in the case of the Catholic Church, China wants to detach the Church from obedience to the Holy See.” A number of validly ordained bishops participated in those illicit ordinations, reportedly under duress. Cardinal Zen criticised the decision by the Sant’Egidio Community, a Vatican-approved international association of the faithful, to invite one of those, Coadjutor Bishop John Baptist Li Suguang of Nanchang, to an international conference in Germany last year. - CNS

US Catholic press adjusts to future now By Liz O’Connor THE Catholic press in the US and Canada is working to fulfil its mission of informing, educating and evangelising Catholics by continuing to publish strong print publications while increasing its use of other media. More and more people want their news and features available in more ways, at more frequent intervals, editors agreed as they spoke of websites, electronic book platforms, podcasts and mobile apps. Greg Erlandson, president of the Catholic Press Association and president and publisher of Our Sunday Visitor, a national and privately-owned Catholic newspaper in the US, noted that the printed version of Catholic publications is still the most effective “push” medium, that is, one sent to readers on a regular basis without readers having to take the initiative to visit a website or take any other positive action. In Canada, Glen Argan of the Western Catholic Reporter, newspaper of the Diocese of Edmonton, Alberta, said a recent extensive readership study conducted by his newspaper showed the majority of respondents were not users of Internet-based media at all although that hasn’t stopped his organisation from having an active website for 15 years. Some people, he said, have asked if in print he’s building on “a burning platform.” So far, he said, “it’s only smouldering,” and the readership study confirmed his belief that print continues to look good for the foreseeable future. Along with other editors, Argan spoke of the ongoing call for religious education components in Catholic publications. An example of his response, he said, was a recent series of 30 articles he wrote on St Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life, a classic work on how all people are called to holiness regardless of their state in life. Christopher Gunty, editor and associate publisher of The Catholic Review, newspaper of Baltimore Archdiocese, said that following an 18 month strategic planning process, the Review has just launched a reformatted, bi-weekly print version along with a redesigned website. His organisation is adding staff to enable them to have a more frequently updated website and other electronic media including social media such as Twitter and YouTube. The website is mobilefriendly and they’re working on developing smartphone apps. “We’re adding (staff ) to our newsroom because we know content is what’s going to drive this process forward,” said Gunty, also CEO of the newspaper’s parent publishing company, the Cathedral Foundation/CR Media. The newspaper, while published

ROME

Pope says world must help Africans in Sahel POPE Benedict XVI urged the international community to address the problems of poverty and malnutrition in Africa’s Sahel region. “The Sahel was seriously threatened again in recent months by a notable decrease in food resources and by famine caused by a lack of rain and the resulting increase in desertification,” the Pope said on 10 February, adding that for residents of the Sahel, “living conditions are deteriorating.” UN agencies and non-governmental organisations estimate that 6 million people in Niger are highly vulnerable to food insecurity, extreme poverty and malnutrition; 2.9 million in Mali; 700,000 in Mauritania; and more than 2 million in Burkina Faso. Thirteen of Chad’s 22 regions could be affected by food insecurity. - cns

BRAZIL

Colours of Brazil make winning WYD logo

CEO Christopher Gunty talks with managing editor Paul McMullen in the newsroom of The Catholic Review newspaper in Baltimore. Catholic newspapers are tackling the challenges of a changing media landscape. PHOTO: CNS/ BOB ROLLER

less frequently, will have more pages and focus more on the “why” of Catholic news, while the electronic media will more speedily deliver the who, what, when and where of traditional news reporting. For example, he said, the first issue of the newly designed print edition features a cover story, “Why Marriage?” Meanwhile, the multiple frequency and formats of the other media will, he said, enable the organisation “to reach multiple audiences.” In addition to a web editor, he now has a social media coordinator who can, for example, post an article on YouTube, then re-tweet a White House tweet with a link to the story and the tweet “What say you, Catholics?” to get a conversation going on a given topic. Father Drew Christiansen, editor-in-chief of America magazine, said America is just submitting a strategic plan to its board of directors, which he expects

“It isn’t just journalism, it’s evangelisation,” says Penny Wiegert, editor of The Observer in Illinois. will endorse America’s being “a multimedia platform.” America has had an awardwinning website for years, is on Kindle, working at being on Nook (both electronic book platforms) and expects to begin negotiating with Apple in time to have an app for next year’s 50th anniversary of Vatican Council II which will have not only the conciliar documents

OFFICIALS of World Youth Day 2013 unveiled the winning logo for the event at a ceremony attended by more than 100 Brazilian bishops, government officials and local organisers. Gustavo Huguenin, 25, is the creator of the winning logo. The contest was open to anyone, and the logo was chosen by a Vatican council from more than 200 entries from around the world. The logo shows Rio’s most famous symbols - Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, the Brazilian coastline and the World Youth Day pilgrim’s cross inside a heart symbolising the heart of the disciple. The green, yellow and blue of the heart are the colours of the Brazilian flag. - cns

Priest resigns over Mass style

Greg Erlandson, new president of the US Catholic Press Association, attends a board of directors meeting in June last year in Pittsburgh. PHOTO: CNS/NANCY WIECHEC

but commentaries on them. He said that, like all journals, America was hit hard by the recession but is confident it has come through and looks forward to a future that will be “more interactive with readers.” Penny Wiegert, editor of The Observer, newspaper of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, said everyone is facing financial hurdles and she believes the key to getting resources allocated for Catholic media is to emphasise that “it isn’t just journalism, it’s evangelisation.” She said “it would be tragic” if Catholics didn’t have an authoritative, official Catholic source in which to find accurate reporting about the news of the Catholic world. The mission of the Catholic press is “to reach and teach” Catholics everywhere and every diocese has to discern how to support that mission. “We just have to keep improving in order to fulfil our mission,” which she said is challenging, rewarding and exhausting. “This is a challenging business right now,” Erlandson, recently

appointed to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said, “because we’re in the midst of so much change without clear signposts as to what direction we’re going in.” He said he’s convinced print is still “viable and essential”, of continuing importance because often the most avid readers are the most committed and active Catholics, the ones most likely to contribute time, talent and treasure to the work of the Church. If they had to depend on the general press for their information about what’s going on in the Catholic world, they’d be getting “a very thin diet.” He also noted the importance of the Catholic press in adult faith formation, a matter almost everyone agrees is of utmost importance but to which few resources are devoted. It’s critical, he said, to build on bishops’ awareness that they need the voice offered them by the Catholic media. “It’s essential for the church to communicate with its people,” he said. - CNS

An American bishop accepted the resignation of a long-time parish priest with whom he has had discussions about how the priest celebrates Mass. Father William Rowe, who for the past 17 years has been parish priest of St Mary Parish in Mount Carmel, said he offered to resign after conversations did not resolve Bishop Edward Braxton of Belleville’s concerns about his celebration of the Mass, including his failure to follow the new English translation of the Roman Missal, implemented in November. Over the years, Fr Rowe said, some people have complained about the way he celebrated the liturgy, using what has been described as an improvisational style. - cns

COUNTRY

CDF official urges abuse accountability The Vatican’s top sex abuse investigator called for greater accountability under Church law of bishops who shield or fail to discipline paedophile priests. Monsignor Charles Scicluna, promoter of justice for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, made his remarks to reporters in Rome on 8 February, after addressing an international symposium on clerical sex abuse. “It is a crime in canon law to show malicious or fraudulent negligence in the exercise of one’s duty,” he said, regarding the responsibility of bishops to protect children and punish abusers. - cns

15 February 2012, The Record

Page 9

US bishops ready to fight Obamacare By Francis Rocca US CARDINAL-designate Timothy Dolan of New York said on 13 February that President Barack Obama’s proposed revision to the contraceptive mandate in the health reform law did nothing to change the US bishops’ opposition to what they regard as an unconstitutional infringement on religious liberty. “We bishops are pastors, we’re not politicians, and you can’t compromise on principle,” said Cardinaldesignate Dolan, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. “And the goal posts haven’t moved and I don’t think there’s a 50-yard line compromise here,” he added. “We’re in the business of reconciliation, so it’s not that we hold fast, that we’re stubborn ideologues, no. But we don’t see much sign of any compromise,” he said. “What (Obama) offered was next to nothing. There’s no change, for instance, in these terribly restrictive mandates and this grossly restrictive definition of what constitutes a religious entity,” he said.

‘Vocations from being open to God’ LOVE of God nurtures love of neighbour, especially in people with vocations to the priesthood or religious life, said Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the 49th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. “The profound truth of our existence is thus contained in this surprising mystery: Every creature, and, in particular, every human person, is the fruit of God’s thought and an act of his love, a love that is boundless, faithful and everlasting,” Pope Benedict wrote. “It is in this soil of self-offering and openness to the love of God, and as the fruit of that love, that all vocations are born and grow. By drawing from this wellspring through prayer, constant recourse to God’s word and to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, it becomes possible to live a life of love for our neighbours, in whom we come to perceive the face of Christ the Lord,” the Pope wrote. Pope Benedict wrote that love of both God and other people “must be lived with a particular intensity and purity of heart by those who have decided to set out on the path of vocation discernment.” - CNS

“The principle wasn’t touched at all.” Obama’s proposed revision of the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate left intact the restrictive definition of a religious entity and would shift the costs of contraceptives from the policy holders to the insurers, thus failing to ensure that Catholic individuals and institutions would not have to pay for services that they consider immoral, Cardinaldesignate Dolan said. For one thing, the cardinaldesignate said, many dioceses and Catholic institutions are selfinsuring. Moreover, Catholics with policies in the compliant insurance companies would be subsidising others’ contraception coverage. He also objected that individual Catholic employers would not enjoy exemption under Obama’s proposal. “My brother-in-law, who’s a committed Catholic, runs a butcher shop. Is he going to have to pay for services that, as a convinced Catholic, he considers to be morally objectionable?” he asked.

US Cardinal-designate Dolan says bishops will not back down on the health mandate. PHOTO: CNS

Cardinal-designate Dolan said he emailed Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity who heads the Catholic Health Association, on 10 February to tell her that he was “disappointed she had acted unilaterally, not in concert with the bishops.” “She’s in a bind,” he said of Sr Carol. “When she’s talking to (HHS Secretary Kathleen) Sebelius and the president of the United States, in some ways, these are people who are signing the cheques for a good chunk of stuff that goes on in

Catholic hospitals. It’s tough for her to stand firm. Understandably, she’s trying to make sure that anything possible, any compromise possible, that would allow the magnificent work of Catholic healthcare to continue, she’s probably going to be innately more open to than we would.” In a 10 February statement, Sr Carol praised what she called “a resolution ... that protects the religious liberty and conscience rights of Catholic institutions.” Cardinal-designate Dolan said Obama called him the morning of his announcement to tell him about the proposal. “What we’re probably going to have to do now is be more vigorous than ever in judicial and legislative remedies, because apparently we’re not getting much consolation from the executive branch of the government,” he said. The cardinal-designate said the bishops are “very, very enthusiastic” about the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, introduced into US Congress, which he said would produce an “ironclad law

simply saying that no administrative decrees of federal government can ever violate the conscience of a religious believer individually or religious institutions.” “It’s a shame, you’d think that’s so clear in the Constitution that that wouldn’t have to be legislatively guaranteed, but we now know that it’s not,” he added. Cardinal-designate Dolan also said that some “very prominent” lawyers, some of them non-Catholic and even non-religious, had already volunteered to represent the bishops. “We’ve got people who aren’t Catholic, who may not even be religious, who have said, ‘We want to help you on this one.’ We’ve got very prominent attorneys who are very interested in religious freedom who say, ‘Count on us to take these things as high as you can.’ And we’re going to.” “You’d think that (the Obama administration) would be able to read the tea leaves, that these things are going to be overthrown,” the cardinal-designate said. - CNS

St Peter’s shares in Europe’s blanket of white

The moon shines over St Peter’s Basilica on 11 February in the early morning after the second snowfall that week at the Vatican.

PHOTO: CNS/PAUL HARING

Speakers: don’t wait for abuse bomb to explode By Carol Glatz THE TAKE-AWAY message from a Vatican-backed symposium on clerical sex abuse was clear: victims, truth and justice come first. And the Church can no longer wait for a crisis to erupt before it begins to address the scandal of abuse. “We do not need to wait for a bomb to explode. Preventing it from exploding is the best response,” said Philippine Archbishop Luis Tagle. The Archbishop of Manila was one of more than 200 bishops, cardinals, priests, religious and laypeople who attended a landmark symposium held from 6 to 9 February in Rome. The conference aimed to inspire and educate bishops’ conferences around the world as they seek to comply with a Vatican mandate to establish anti-abuse guidelines by May. US Cardinal William Levada,

prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the office that issued the mandate, said more than 4,000 cases of sexual abuse have been reported to the CDF in the past decade. Those cases revealed that an exclusively canonical response to the crisis has been inadequate, he said, and that a multi-faceted and more proactive approach by all bishops and religious orders is needed. Countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and Germany are among those with the most comprehensive and binding guidelines or norms, he said. “But in many cases such response came only in the wake of the revelation of scandalous behaviour by priests in the public media,” he added. Learning the hard way, after generations of children and vulnerable adults are harmed and traumatised, shouldn’t be the norm, sym-

posium participants said. “Does each country around the world have to go through this same agonising process?” asked Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, clinical associate professor of pastoral studies at The Catholic University of America. Hard lessons over the decades have taught the Church the essential elements of an effective child-protection programme, Mgr Rossetti said, but such standards need to be implemented globally today. Not all bishops or superiors are fully on board, he said, as some believe that no abuse has happened or will happen under their watch. “It is kind of like moving a mountain,” trying to convince everyone that addressing abuse with swift and effective programmes is an urgent obligation. “It’s not just changing a few policies, it’s a change in the way people think about these

issues, and that takes a cultural shift,” he said. That kind of conversion did happen at the conference, he said, for Church officials who had never heard a victim speak in person about his or her trauma. Marie Collins, an abuse survivor from Ireland, said having her abuser’s superiors shift the blame onto her and fail to stop the perpetrator caused her more pain and shock than the abuse itself. Canada’s Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, and ten other bishops led a solemn penitential service on 7 February, in which they asked forgiveness for failing to protect children and serving instead as an “instrument of evil against them.” The Vatican’s top investigator of clerical sex abuse, Mgr Charles Scicluna, didn’t leave any wiggle room when it comes to comply-

ing with Church and civil laws. Everyone, especially the lay faithful, he said, needs to develop the confidence “to denounce the sin when it happens and to call it a crime – because it is a crime – and to do something about it.” The “deadly culture of silence, or ‘omerta,’ is in itself wrong and unjust,” Mgr Scicluna said, and bishops have a duty to cooperate fully with civil authorities when civil laws are broken. Experts, too, insisted that listening to victims and putting truth, justice and their safety first must be the top concerns of all Church leaders. Mgr Rossetti told CNS that if there had ever been any doubt about the Vatican’s position, “those days are over.” The Pope and the Vatican are “all on the same page, and so that’s a powerful message to every bishop in the world,” he said. Marie Collins speaks - Pages 12-13

Page 10

15' February 2012, The Record

OWN

YEAR

Who decides what the Faith is? David Schutz was a Melbourne Lutheran pastor when changes in his Church prompted heart-searching questions. There were, he says in this account written exclusively for The Record, many more to come ... “YOU may think how lonely I am. ‘Obliviscere populum tuum et domum patris tui’ [“Leave your people and your father’s house”, Genesis 12:1] has been in my ears for the last twelve hours. I realise more that we are leaving Littlemore, and it is like going on the open sea.”

John Henry Newman 20 January 1846

lessed John Henry Newman’s words from his Apologia were on my mind during the service on Palm Sunday 2001 when I presided as a pastor of the Lutheran Church of Australia for the last time. The next Saturday night at the Easter Vigil, I was one of many worshippers gathered at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church in Ringwood, Victoria, for the lighting of the new fire. In that week, I stepped out of the Christian community into which I was born and had lived for 34 years and stepped into the Catholic Church. That was more than ten years ago now and, although I still like to call myself “a Lutheran in communion with the Bishop of Rome”, I have become very much at home in my new community. The road that led there was long: my attraction to the Catholic Church took hold in 1985 when I was still a seminarian, ironically after attending an Anglican service led by the well-known Fr John Fleming (who entered the Catholic Church only a few years later). A lot of water passed under the bridge in the next 15 years. I had married my high school sweetheart, completed my theology degree and a degree in Arts at Adelaide University, been ordained as a Lutheran pastor, begun ministry in a parish, been separated and divorced, shifted from Adelaide to Melbourne, pastored (at first) one, then two and then three small congregations while also working part-time as a librarian, remarried, and rejoiced at the birth of two daughters. Although the “Call to Communion” (the title of a book by Joseph Ratzinger that was a great influence in my conversion) never completely went away, I tried to live out a small ‘c’ catholic faith as a Lutheran. But my attempt was severely tried during the 1990s when the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) was going through a time of widespread rejection of their traditional liturgy and of controversy over the question of the ordination of women. All this came to a head at the start of 2000. In January of that year, a friend gave me a copy of a tape by Fr Fleming explaining to a group of Anglicans why he became a Catholic. The ‘call to communion’ was reignited! Then, later in the year, the ques-

David Schutz reached a point of decision by Christmas 2000. Would he join the Catholic Church or not?

tion of whether women could be ordained as pastors came up at the national Synod. After days of debate, the motion was defeated, but (only by the narrowest of margins) failing to reach the required 67 per cent majority for a change of our ancient practice. This shook my confidence in the authority of the

Lutheran Church and in its claim to be in continuity with the Church of all ages. At its inauguration in 1966, the LCA had declared the practice of ordaining men only was “binding on all Christendom” – and here they were now voting on it! I was also re-reading, at the time, the very many documents that had

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

come out of the Catholic-Lutheran dialogue. At some point, I was hit by the realisation that I was agreeing more with Catholic teachings than the Lutheran ones. It was a ‘eureka’ moment for me – literally, as I was in the bath at the time! – when I finally confessed to myself that I was indeed a Catholic and

not a Lutheran. As they say, it was “all downhill from there”. But there were plenty of ‘uphill’ moments to come! Once, while at a dinner, a lady asked Cardinal Newman, “Why did you become a Catholic?”. He answered, “Madam, it is not a matter properly explained between the soup and the fish course”. I often get asked this question, and have the same difficulty. My “soup and fish course” answer is: “Authority, Continuity, and Authenticity.” I have always been concerned to believe and teach the authentic Christian faith. But who decides what this faith is? In order to know the authentic Christian faith, one must rest upon those who have the authentic authority to teach. But, authority is always something that is conferred, never taken for oneself. In the Church, authority to teach is conferred upon the bishops at their ordination by other bishops who have themselves been properly authorised at their own consecration. It is an impressive fact to contemplate: the line of authority of our Catholic bishops goes right back in a continual line to the apostles - and thus to Jesus himself! The Lutheran Church had broken with both that continuity, and therefore the authority to teach in the name of the Lord, when they broke with the Pope and bishops at the time of the Reformation. To me, that raised important questions about the authenticity of the Lutheran version of Christianity. Of course, there were a lot of other theological considerations I had to take into account over the following months, but once I became convinced of the authority of the Catholic Church to teach in the name of the Lord, the end point was clear to me. The only question was: “When?” I raised my thoughts with a priest friend, Fr Denis Stanley, who told me an Italian proverb: “Between the saying and the doing is a deep blue ocean.” How true! Complicating factors – barriers to full communion with the Catholic Church – immediately became apparent. For a start, I was dependant upon the Lutheran Church for my livelihood. I had a young family to support - my second daughter was due to be born in October. What would my wife think? And speaking of wives, what about the fact that both my wife and I had been previously married? The day I realised, already well along the track towards commitment to the Catholic Church, that being in a second marriage was a deal breaker for being received into full communion with the Church, was a terrible setback. I turned to the priest who first set me on my road to Rome, Fr John Fleming. He put me in touch with two wonderful priests

15' February 2012, The Record

Page 11

RGRACE OF

Gift giving on notice: there is no such thing The notion of a gift registry for the celebration of marriage contradicts the idea of gift giving and makes it a form of social duress.

One of the Church's best-known converts (from Anglicanism), Cardinal John Henry Newman.

in Melbourne, Fr Greg Pritchard (then parish priest of Ringwood) and Fr Anthony Fisher OP (then resident in Camberwell). These two priests supported and guided me along the twisting path that was to follow. I began attending Mass at Ringwood. I began catechisation with Fr Anthony. And I began official proceedings with the local tribunal to investigate the validity of my first marriage. By Christmas 2000, I knew I had to make the decision sooner or later. Then, in January 2001, I was offered a new posting in Adelaide that was everything I wanted – IF I wanted to remain a Lutheran pastor. Yet re-installation in a new ministry would require me making new promises about my adherence to Lutheran beliefs. Could I do that without crossing my fingers behind my back? And if I turned down this call, what was I saying about my future direction as a pastor in the LCA? In the end, it was my wife who, though she never expressed

any interest in becoming Catholic herself, encouraged me to act on my heart’s desire – “otherwise this question will never go away for you and I want your attention back as a husband and father to our family.” That encouragement was what I needed. I gave notice of my resignation, effective as of Easter 2001.

The day I realised being in a second marriage was a deal breaker for communion was a terrible setback. I started looking for work. As an answer to prayer, in the last week of my ministry, Fr Pritchard employed me in his parish as music director, and I picked up a part-time job as a librarian in a primary school. That took care of the income problem, but we still had to find somewhere

PHOTO: CNS

to live and I still had to wait on the outcome, first of my own annulment application, and then (a much more drawn out wait) for the outcome of my wife’s application to Rome for a dissolution of her former (non-sacramental) marriage. Only when both judgements came through in favour of our current union could I be received into the Church. Easter 2000 to Easter 2001 was a “year of grace” for me in many ways, but the following two years were a testing time. Attending Mass as a non-communing Catholic was a real test of faith. In July 2002, I was employed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne as Executive Officer of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission, a position I still hold to this day (and in which Fr Stanley is now my ‘boss’!). But I was still on that “deep blue ocean” until I was finally received into the Church by Fr Fisher on 16 June 2003. Like Newman, I had found my harbour.

ome good friends of mine were married recently but when the invitation arrived there was something conspicuously absent, that little card advising me where preferred gifts could be purchased, or on how I might fund their honeymoon. There was no wedding gift registry. A friend was rather bothered the couple had decided not to specify their gifts and even more surprised when I said I do not even usually follow the registry. I admit I am not a fan of gift registries; I do not like them, rarely follow them and would never use them. In my mind, an invitation to a wedding is an invitation to witness and share in the joy-filled marriage of a particular couple with whom I share a friendship. When a registry card is inserted, the invitation has a clause attached which is, “We like gifts, we would like you to bring a gift, and here is a list of gifts you can choose from”. It is not that I think less of those who opt for the registry and it makes a lot of practical sense but when a person expresses the expectation of a gift and proceeds to put conditions on the gift, the very idea of a gift is undermined! Of its very nature, a gift can only be a gift when it is freely chosen and given. A gift is something that has to be decided upon and given out of love for another. Perhaps it helps to consider the gift registry under the guise of friendship. Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle spoke of three kinds of friendship: that of utility, pleasure and goodness. You might have a wonderful bus driver with whom you exchange polite greetings each morning but if the driver tells you he is being transferred to another bus route and you do not feel the need to ‘friend’ him on Facebook, then that is likely a friendship of utility. You pay the fare and he drives you where you need to go. You may have a friend at work who watches your favourite TV show, so each week you catch up for lunch and dissect the previous episode but if the show was taken off the air and your friendship was only one of mutual pleasure, then the reason for your lunches would disappear. However, a friendship based on goodness and not what benefit or pleasure I can receive is the deepest form of friendship and lasts because the relation-

Foolish Wisdom

“a foolishness wiser than human wisdom” (1 Cor 1:25)

By Bernard Toutounji ship is not about the characteristics or ability of another person but the person themselves. If the humble gift registry was to be categorised under one of the above kinds of friendship, then there is only one place it would fit, and that is utility. That does not mean that those who opt for the registry are seeing all their friends through utilitarian eyes but the registry of its very nature is utilitarian. Its purpose is to ensure that (a) I get gifts and

Gift registries, being base and utilitarian, should not intrude on the commodity of friendship, no matter how practical. (b) they are only the gifts that I want. One would hope that those invited to the wedding know the couple to some degree so as to be able to thoughtfully choose a gift (if they are going to give one). If an invitee is so completely lost for an idea, then they could simply take the novel approach of asking the couple what sort of gift they would appreciate. That is very different to the couple issuing their wish list before the invitee has even responded to the invitation. What would a parent say to a six year old who wanted to include with each invitation to his birthday party a list of the toys he wanted the other children to give him? My guess is the parent would talk to the child about the nature of friendship and why a party is a time to celebrate with good friends, not an opportunity to build up one’s toy cupboard. What is logical for a six year old should also be logical for two adults. Practicality aside, friendship is too precious a commodity to be infiltrated by something as base and utilitarian as the gift registry. - WWW.FOOLISHWISDOM.COM

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15 February 2012, The Record

Marie

GOES FIRST For the first time at an official assembly of the Catholic Church, a victim of the scandal has spoken, Marie Collins of Ireland, sexually abused by a priest when she was 13 years old. WARNING: Some details may distress.

was a victim of clerical child sex abuse. I had just turned 13 and was at my most vulnerable, a sick child in hospital, when a priest sexually abused me. Although it happened more than 50 years ago, it is impossible to forget and I can never escape its effects. As was common in children of those days, I had no knowledge of sexual matters; this innocence added to my vulnerability. I took my Catholic religion very seriously and had just made my Confirmation. I was sick, anxious and away from home and family for the first time. I felt more secure when the Catholic chaplain of the hospital befriended me, visited me and read to me in the evenings. Unfortunately, these evening visits to my room were to change my life. I did not turn against my religion, I turned against myself. This chaplain was only a couple of years out of the seminary but he was already a skilled child molester; I could not know this. I had learned that a priest was God’s representative on earth and so he automatically had my trust and respect. When he began to sexually interfere with me, pretending at first he was being playful, I was shocked and resisted, telling him to stop. He did not stop. While assaulting me, he would respond to my resistance by telling me “he was a priest”, “he could do no wrong.” He took photographs of the most private part of my body and told me I was “stupid” if I thought it was wrong. He had power over me. I felt sick, I felt everything he was doing was wrong, but I could not stop it; I did not call out, I did not tell anyone. I did not know how to tell anyone. I just prayed he would not do it again, but he did. The fact that my abuser was a priest added to the great confusion

Top: Irish abuse victim Marie Collins talks during a press conference in downtown Rome. Above: Bishop Joseph Duffy of Clogher, Ireland speaks at a press conference in Rome in February 2010. Bishop Duffy spoke to reporters in advance of a two day meeting with Pope Benedict XVI concerning clerical sexual abuse in Ireland. PHOTO: CNS

in my mind. Those fingers that would abuse my body the night before were the next morning holding and offering me the sacred host. The hands that held the camera to photograph my exposed body,

This added weight to my feelings of guilt and the conviction that what had happened was my fault, not his. When I left the hospital I was not the same child who had entered. I was no longer a confident, carefree

me of any feeling of self-worth. I withdrew into myself, turned away from my family and my friends, and avoided contact with others. My teenage years were spent alone, keeping everyone at a distance in

I was convinced I was a bad person and I needed to hide from everyone. I did not turn against my religion, I turned against myself. in the light of day were holding a prayer book when he came to hear my confession. My abuser’s assertion that he was a priest and could do no wrong rang true with me, I had been taught that priests were above the normal man.

and happy child. Now, I was convinced I was a bad person and I needed to hide that from everyone. I did not turn against my religion, I turned against myself. The words this priest had used, to transfer his guilt to me robbed

case they would find out what a bad, dirty person I was. This constant feeling of guilt and worthlessness led to deep depression and problems with anxiety which became serious enough to need medical treatment by the time I

was 17. Long hospitalisations with depression followed and this left me unable to follow a career. At 29 I met a wonderful man, married and had a son. But I still could not cope with life; the depression, severe anxiety and feelings of worthlessness continued. I developed agoraphobia which meant I could not leave my house without suffering severe panic attacks. I was unable to give my son all the attention a mother should and could not fully enjoy his childhood. I felt I was a failure as a wife and mother. I felt that my husband and son would be much happier if I left them or died. I was 47 before I spoke of my abuse for the first time; this was to a doctor who was treating me. He advised me to warn the Church about this priest. I arranged a meeting with a curate in my parish. I was very nervous. It would be only the second time I had spoken to anyone about what had happened to me. This priest refused to take the name of my abuser and said he saw no need to report the chaplain. He told me what had happened was probably my fault. This response shattered me. I had only begun to accept, through my doctor’s help, that I had done nothing to cause my abuse. Now being told by my priest that it was “probably my fault” caused all my old feelings of guilt and shame to resurface. I could not face talking of it again so stopped seeing my doctor. This curate’s response served to keep me silent for a further ten years, more years of hospital stays, medication and hopelessness. He later told the police that he did not take my abuser’s name because that was what he had been taught in the seminary. Ten years on there was extensive coverage in our press of serial sex-

15 February 2012, The Record

ual abuse by a Catholic priest. For the first time I began to understand that the man who had abused me might have done it to others. Thinking it was something about me that caused it to happen, I had never considered that my abuser might have harmed others. Now I understood more I knew I must try again to let people know what had happened so that children might be protected. This time I decided to go to the top with the certainty of mind that, once his superiors knew that this priest was a possible danger to children, their safety would come first and every step would be taken to ensure that no more would be harmed. I wrote to my archbishop and then gave details of my abuse to his chancellor, a monsignor and canon lawyer. This began the two most difficult years of my life. The priest who had sexually assaulted me was protected by his superiors from prosecution. He was left for months in his parish ministry which included mentoring children preparing for Confirmation — the safety of those children ignored by his superiors. All this went against the Irish Catholic Church’s guidelines on child protection of the time - they were ignored. It has since come to light that these guidelines were thrown into doubt by opinion from the Vatican that they might not conform to canon law. My archbishop told me he did not have to follow them, despite the people being told they were being followed to the letter. I was treated as someone with an agenda against the Church, the police investigation was obstructed and the laity misled. I was distraught. I could not believe leaders in my Church would think it morally right to leave children at risk. The accused priest had admitted his guilt to the diocese but during a meeting with my archbishop I learned that his priority was the protection of the ‘good name’ of my abuser. I asked him how he could leave a known abuser in a position of trust with children? Rather than answer the question, he admonished me for referring to this priest as ‘an abuser’, insisting it was a long time ago so I could not call him that. The archbishop considered my abuse “historical” so felt it would be unfair to tarnish the priest’s “good name” now. I have heard this argument from others in leadership in the Catholic Church and always there is blindness to the current risk to children from these men. Why? When I disclosed my abuse to the hospital authorities where it took place, I received a very different response. They were concerned for my well-being, offering me counselling and care while they immediately reported to the police and co-operated with their investigation. After a long struggle my abuser was brought to justice and jailed for his crimes against me. My case is an example of how so called “historical” reports must be treated just as seriously as current ones. My abuser was jailed again last year for repeated sexual assaults on another young girl. These assaults took place a quarter of a century after he abused me and while he was still a trusted priest in her parish. He threatened this victim that her Catholic family would be thrown out of the Church if she told anyone what he was doing to her. These men can abuse for their whole lifetime, leaving behind them a trail of destroyed lives. The mishandling of my case by the Church leadership led to a total collapse of my trust and respect in them and in my Church which until then had survived intact despite the actions of my abuser. What they had done

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No rocket science in why they are leaving Dear Father, I am aware of a growing number of Catholics who have gone over to evangelical groups, and am very disturbed by this. Why does this happen and can something be done about it?

was contrary to everything I held dear. I had believed justice and the centrality of moral law were embodied in my Catholic Church. The final death of any respect that might have survived in me towards my religious leaders came after my abuser’s conviction. I learned that the diocese had discovered, just months after my abuse, that this priest was abusing children in the hospital but did nothing about it except move him to a new parish. This was on his file when I made my report but, despite knowing this, they had still protected him. After the trial the archbishop issued a press statement to reassure the laity, saying the “diocese had co-operated with the civil authorities” in my case. When pressed on this obvious lie, the diocesan representative admitted that they felt the statement was justified, as it

Apologising for the actions of abusive priests is not enough. There must be acknowledgement and accountability. did not say they had co-operated “fully”. How could I believe in anything my Church leaders said in the future knowing they were capable of this type of mental gymnastics, or, known in the Church, as “mental reservation”? I lived a life for over 30 years where just getting from one day to another was a struggle. I felt these were wasted years, a wasted life. I had many treatments for my mental health problems, some of which were helpful but none solved my problems. The beginning of recovery for me was the day in court when my abuser took responsibility for his actions and admitted his guilt. This admission had a profound effect on me. It led in time to my being able to forgive what he had done and no longer feel him as a presence in my life. I attended therapy for nearly two years and through this came to understand how this abuser had twisted my view of myself. This had come at

a crucial time in my development. My feelings of guilt and very poor self-image led me to turn away from those nearest to me and isolate myself. My deep-seated anxiety led to depression. Gaining insight into all these areas helped me to believe things could change. I could be in control of my life rather than have my past control me. I was able to leave the wasted years behind. I have not been hospitalised with any mental health issue since that time. Trying to save the institution from scandal has caused the greatest of all scandals has perpetuated the harm of the abuse and destroyed the faith of many victims. My one regret is that I can rarely bring myself to practise my Catholic religion. My faith in God has not been touched. I can forgive my abuser for his actions, he has admitted his guilt. But how do I regain my respect for the leadership of my Church? Apologising for the actions of abusive priests is not enough. There must be acknowledgement and accountability for the harm and destruction that has been done to the life of victims and their families by the often deliberate cover up and mishandling of cases by their superiors, before I or other victims can find real peace and healing. Trying to save the institution from scandal has caused the greatest of all scandals and has perpetuated the harm of the abuse and destroyed the faith of many victims. I feel the best of my life began 15 years ago when my abuser was brought to justice. During those years I have worked with my diocese and the wider Catholic Church in Ireland to improve their child protection policies. I have used those years to become involved in working for justice for survivours and spoken out for better understanding of child abuse and for the improved protection of children. My life is no longer a wasteland. I feel it has meaning and worth. This is why I speak here today with Baroness Hollins. I hope what we have said will be of value to you in understanding the victims of this awful crime. Thank you for being open to listening to our presentation today. Marie Collins spoke at a Vatican symposium on clerical abuse held from 6-9 February in Rome.

he phenomenon you describe is indeed disturbing. It is happening in other parts of the world on an even greater scale, particularly in South America, Africa and the Philippines. Why do people who have been baptised and brought up in the Catholic Church, with the fullness of truth and of the means of salvation given by Jesus Christ, leave this Church and go over to other Christian groups? Obviously, each person will have his or her own story and their own reasons and the best would be to ask personally. But I believe there are some common factors. One is that Catholics, and others, are attracted to a Sunday service that they find more lively, with rousing singing and powerful preaching. For some, this seems to satisfy more their spiritual needs. Another is that these evangelical groups often have a great spirit of fellowship, and are very welcoming to everyone who approaches them. Sometimes they knock on doors and draw people into their groups through their friendship and caring attitude. Some of these groups are charismatic, and people can be attracted by being prayed over, by healing services and other manifestations of the Spirit. Then too, these evangelicals often know the Bible better than many Catholics and they draw in Catholics by quoting scripture passages that seem to undermine Catholic teaching, or simply by inviting them to Bible study sessions. There are undoubtedly many more reasons for Catholics gravitating to these groups, but I think these are the main ones. Is there anything that can be done? There are two aspects: what can be done to lessen the exodus and what can be done to bring them back? There are a number of measures that can be taken. First, and perhaps most importantly, we must do a better job of forming Catholics in the faith, especially our children. It is clear that a Catholic who truly knows and loves the beauty of Catholic truth and life is not going to abandon it for another group. This has been one of the chief reasons for the haemorrhaging of Catholics from the Church in many countries. In addition to better instruction in Catholic truth, it is also important to help our people grow in a true life of piety, in a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not enough

Q&A

By Fr John Flader just “to say our prayers.” Again, if someone has this relationship, they are much less prone to be attracted to a group which seems to have it. We can also foster more study of the Bible. Thanks to God, there have been more and more Catholics studying the Bible in recent years, but still more can be done. As regards our Catholic parishes and communities, we can often do a much better job of being more welcoming, of creating a greater spirit of fellowship. Some parishes and groups are very good at this, and it is a big help in attracting

We can do a better job of being more welcoming. There is no reason why other Christians should be better at this than us. non-Catholics and keeping the Catholics involved. There is no reason why other Christians should be better at this than Catholics. And as for the conduct of our worship, we can often do better. Good singing certainly enhances the attractiveness of the Mass, as does good preaching, along with more reverence in the way Mass is celebrated, both by the priest and by other ministers who assist him. We are blessed in the Church by having a Mass which is the sacrifice of the New Covenant and which has been celebrated in much the same way since the earliest centuries, with readings from Scripture, the Eucharistic prayer and the reception of the true Body and Blood of Christ in Communion. Evangelical groups do not have this, lacking the sacrifice which Christ left to his Church. We should encourage our young people to get involved so that they become truly committed Catholics. And as regards how to bring Catholics back, our insistent prayer for them is always the most important, united with our gentle understanding.

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15 February 2012, The Record

SPREADING THE

WEALTH FOR REAL PROGRESS Underlying poverty and inequality must be addressed for any real change to occur in Latin America, writes Barbara Fraser.

he rocky road to Milagros Echevarria’s flimsy wooden house is lined with plastic barrels. Several times a week, when a bright blue tank truck rumbles up the hill to fill the barrels, she and her neighbours must lug buckets of water up the steep slope to their homes. Echevarria has worked since she was 13, mostly cleaning other people’s homes. She finished high school and hoped to study accounting, but the birth of her daughter, Lucero, put her plans on hold. Now 25, she earns just more than $200 a month cleaning local government offices at night, returning in the morning to the dusty neighbourhood on the edge of Lima, where no-one has a water hookup and many lack electricity. Although Peru’s economy has grown by more than 5 per cent annually for most of the past decade, Echevarria feels the boom has passed her by. While immigration, organised crime and protests against huge development projects grab headlines around Latin America as 2012 begins, little progress will be made unless underlying poverty and inequality are addressed, said Peruvian Archbishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno, who heads the social justice commission of Latin American bishops’ council, or CELAM. While poverty rates in Latin America have crept downward in recent years, countries that are rich in natural resources must ensure that the economic benefits of industries such as mining, oil and gas reach people like Echevarria, who still lack basic services, Archbishop Barreto told Catholic News Service. “The Church continues to criticise the dominant economic system,” Archbishop Barreto said, noting that at the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Brazil in 2007, the region’s prelates called for a new economic model based on the social doctrine of the Church. Such a model would include more dialogue among government leaders, industry executives and communities about large development projects such as mines, oil

drilling, dams and highways that would displace local residents or have a significant impact on the environment, Archbishop Barreto said. In recent months, protests have flared over the Belo Monte dam, which is already under construction on the Xingu River in northern Brazil; a gold mine in northern Peru; and the paving of a highway through a Bolivian national park that is also home to indigenous communities. “There is a need for honest, transparent dialogue,” Archbishop Barreto said. “In these social conflicts, there is a lack of credibility on both sides. The company does not trust the people and the people don’t trust the company.” Those and similar battles are likely to continue during the year ahead. Brazil, where demand for electricity is expected to rise by more than 50 per cent over the next decade, has expressed interest in financing and building hydroelectric dams in neighbouring countries, including Peru and Ecuador. The projects in Peru stalled after protests by indigenous communities that would be flooded, and bishops in Peru and Brazil spoke out in defence of indigenous people’s land rights. In a region that has been strongly marked by civil wars and dictatorships in the past half-century, governments in some countries are still too weak to defuse tensions over such issues before they erupt into conflict. Weak governments also contribute to the problems of drug trafficking, violence and organised crime that have spread through Mexico, Central America and Colombia and are gaining a stronger foothold in South America. Last year, Latin America registered the most murders of Church workers, both religious and lay, with seven killed in Colombia, five in Mexico and one each in Nicaragua, Brazil and Paraguay. Problems of “security, drug trafficking and violence are likely to continue, despite the best government efforts,” said Richard Jones, Catholic Relief Services’ deputy regional director for global solidar-

Top: Milagros Echevarria stands outside her home on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. Above: Residents look on as a worker fills a water container in a shantytown on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. For many residents of Latin American shantytowns, everyday life revolves around the arrival of a tank truck that brings water for drinking, cooking and bathing. PHOTO: CNS

ity and justice. Countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala have become transit routes for drug shipments to the United States. El Salvador had 4,300 murders in 2011, the highest number since the civil war ended in 1992, although the murder rate there was still lower than in neighbouring Honduras. In Mexico, where drug-related violence may have claimed as many

ing elections and governments throughout the region. “People talk about narco communities, especially in the Peten,” a vast rural region of farms and forests in Guatemala, bordering Mexico, where drug lords install water and electricity service or pave roads, Jones said. The security threat to rural residents from organised crime and violence is exacerbated by severe

Latin America and the US are increasingly linked by shared problems, from food shortages, which spur migration, to money laundering and trafficking in drugs, guns and people. Archbishop Barreto called for stronger bonds between churches in the two regions. “We have to get over the idea that anything that doesn’t affect me personally isn’t my problem,” he said.

The future of the world depends on young people ... If they do not learn to dialogue for justice and peace, the future will be much more uncertain. as 40,000 lives in the past five years, the bishops wrote a pastoral letter and pledged action by the Church, turning to their Colombian counterparts for advice. Mexican bishops have been “very outspoken that they need to address violence in terms of the Gospel,” Jones said. Observers worry that drug money is increasingly influenc-

storms which have hit Central America and Colombia especially hard in the past several years, destroying crops and displacing families. The disasters cut into food supplies, pushing prices up. “There are serious food crisis issues on the horizon if governments don’t do something,” Jones said. “I don’t see major changes if they don’t create more jobs.”

“We have to work hard on global solidarity.” He added that Church workers in both regions must encourage young people to become involved in social justice issues. “The future of the world depends on the young people of today,” he said. “If they do not learn to dialogue for justice and peace, the future will be much more uncertain.” - CNS

15 February 2012, The Record

Page 15

FAITH

WHAT

and what it is NOT

Dismissed as credulity or naïvete, faith is misunderstood by many. But while the strict rationalist can tell us about the physical world, he can never come to know a person, writes Fr Robert Barron.

rotestant theologian Paul Tillich once commented that “faith” is the most misunderstood word in the religious vocabulary. I’m increasingly convinced that he was right about this. The ground for my conviction is the absolutely steady reiteration on my internet forums of gross caricatures of what serious believers mean by faith. Again and again, my agnostic, atheist and secularist interlocutors tell me that faith is credulity, naïvete, superstition, assent to irrational nonsense, acceptance of claims for which there is no evidence etc, etc. They gladly draw a sharp distinction between faith so construed and modern science which, they argue, is marked by healthy scepticism, empirical verification, a reliable and repeatable method and the capacity for self-correction. How fortunate, they conclude, that the western mind was able finally to wriggle free from the constraints of faith and move into the open and well-lighted space of scientific reason. How sad that, like a ghost from another time and place, faith continues, even in the early 21st century to haunt the modern mind and to hinder its progress. In October 2011, Pope Benedict XVI announced that, commencing in October 2012, the universal Church will celebrate “a year of faith.” A good way to mark that announcement is, it seems to me, a clarification of what Catholics do and don’t mean by that obviously controversial word. I will begin with an analogy. If you are coming to know a person, and you are a relatively alert type, your reason will be fully engaged in the process. You will look that person over, see how she dresses and comports herself, assess how she relates to others, Google her and find out where she went to school and how she is employed, ask mutual friends about her, etc. All of this objective investigation could take place even before you had the opportunity to meet her. When you finally make her acquaintance, you will bring to the encounter all that you have learned about her and will undoubtedly attempt to verify at close quarters what you have already discovered on your own. But then something extraordinary will happen, something over which you have no real control, something that will, inevitably, reveal to you things that you otherwise would never know: she will speak. In doing so, she will, on her own initiative, disclose her mind, her heart, her feelings to you. Some of what she says will be in concord with what you have already found out, but much of it— especially if your relationship has

the theological sense. For Catholics (and I would invite my internet friends to pay very close attention here), authentic faith never involves a sacrificium intellectus (a sacrifice of the intellect). God wants us to understand all we can about him through reason. By analysing the order, beauty, and contingency of the world, there is an enormous amount of “information” we can gather concerning God: his existence, his perfection, the fact that he is endowed with intellect and will, his governance of the universe, etc. If you doubt me on this, I would invite you to take a good long look at the first part of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa theologiae. Now one of the truths that reason can discover is that God is a person, and the central claim of the Bible is that this Person has not remained utterly hidden but has, indeed, spoken. As is the case with any listener to a person who speaks, the listener to the divine speech has to make a choice: do I believe him or not? The decision to accept in trust what God has spoken about himself is what the Church means by “faith.”

Some of what she says you might be able to verify but as she speaks of her feelings you have to decide whether you believe her or not.

Fr Robert Barron is a prolific evangeliser, with regular video spots on YouTube. His television series Catholicism was syndicated on American public television last year. PHOTO: CNS

deepened and your conversations are profound and intimate—will be new, wonderful, beyond anything you might have discovered on your own. But as she speaks and as you listen, you will be faced with a choice: do you believe her or not? Again, some of what she says

you might be able to verify through your own previous investigation but, as she speaks of her feelings, her intentions, her aspirations, her most abiding fears, you know that you have entered a territory beyond your capacity to control. You have to decide: do you trust her or not? So it goes, whether we

like it or not, anytime we deal with a person who speaks to us. We don’t surrender our reason as we get to know another person, but we must be willing to go beyond our reason; we must be willing to believe, to trust, to have faith. This is, I think, an extremely illuminating analogy for faith in

This decision is not irrational, for it rests upon and is conditioned by reason, but it presses beyond reason for it represents the opening of one heart to another. In the presence of another human being, you could remain stubbornly in an attitude of mistrust, choosing to accept as legitimate only those data you can garner through rational analysis; but, in so doing, you would close yourself to the incomparable riches that that person might disclose to you. The strict rationalist, the unwavering advocate of the scientific method, will know certain things about the world, but he will never come to know a person. The same dynamic obtains in regard to God, the supreme Person. The Catholic Church wants people to use reason as vigorously and energetically as possible—and this very much includes scientific reason. But then it invites them, at the limits of their striving, to listen, to trust, to have faith. This article was first published by Catholic News Agency in October 2011.

THE RECORD

Clarification over Rachel’s retreat

I WISH to make a clarification regarding the article ‘A way through the pain towards heal-

d the t

It now seems clear that relatively little thinking has been done about how our society has impacted Catholic family life. But it is precisely families who will evangelise the future.

Jacinta Jakovcevic Director of Cathedral Music ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

l e Aro

ilaire Belloc, one of the most remarkable apologists and defenders of the Church in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, once remarked that the Church is an institution run with such knavish imbecility that were it not the work of God it would be dead within a fortnight. There have probably been no wiser words ever said than these on the paradox of the Catholic Church and it would be hard to demonstrate convincingly he was wrong. It is certainly a definite and strange paradox of Christianity that persecution seems to cause it to flourish. A time or era of plenty, conversely, often sees religious belief wane. Both observations are, admittedly, generalisations but, one can argue, they are also generally true. Perhaps it is that in times of difficulty people are confronted more directly by reality and, in a sense, forced to face up to the really deep questions of what their lives are about because of the immediacy of the situation. Surrounded by material comfort, however, humans tend to lapse, drifting towards what makes them comfortable rather than what is right or most important to do. What is true at a social or institutional level is true because it begins at the personal, daily level of our own lives within the reality that is the human heart. This reality of what it is to be human has a corresponding effect upon the Church. The Church’s desire to evangelise the world is limited only by the weakness of its own members. That the Church continues to be able to preach the kingdom of God is, given the human nature that Belloc described, remarkable, bordering on astonishing. Those who may find Belloc’s remark about divine providence overcoming the Catholic imbecility factor difficult to believe could reflect upon the words of Pope Benedict XVI to German Catholics during his remarkable visit to his homeland in September last year. In a meeting in Freiburg with officials of Germany’s central lay Catholic committee, the Pope bluntly described the German Church as “superbly organised” but lacking in spirit. Rather than relying on big Church structures and programmes, he said, “new evangelisation” will depend more on small Catholic communities and individuals able to share their faith experiences with coworkers, family and friends. It is hard to see why the Pope’s comments are not also applicable to Australia. When one considers the Church in this country, one sees an organisation that, on paper, is impressive. The Church is the largest private employer in the nation. Its assets in Catholic schools, hospitals, nursing homes, diocesan funds and real estate holdings, not to mention a huge variety of bureaucracies (some substantially government funded), are worth billions of dollars. Yet it is hard not to feel that for decades the Church in Australia PO Box 3075 has often placed its trust in Adelaide Terrace the big Church structures and PERTH WA 6832 programmes the Holy Father mentioned during his German office@therecord.com.au trip. The sheer bureaucracy that Tel: (08) 9220 5900 has risen in Australian Church Fax: (08) 9325 4580 life and the impression that in many places evangelisation has been effectively delegated to committee or bureaucracy is clearly one of the reasons why one can also describe the Church in Australia as not only wealthy but superbly organised. Part of this picture has been the rise of the power of diocesan financial institutions in determining much of the character and psychology of the Church and, hence, its attempts to evangelise our society. Perhaps, to the extent that this has occurred, an area of blindness has emerged in Church life around the nation. Conversely, it now seems clear that relatively little thinking has been done by those who should be doing the thinking about how our society has affected Catholic family life and, therefore, about what the likely course of action might be. Nor, it sometime seems, has there been much thought put into the importance of Catholic families and family life to the new evangelisation, helping Catholic families to live their faith, nor about the small Catholic communities and individuals able to share their faith experiences with co-workers, family and friends whom the Holy Father described. The renovation of the Church so longed for by still so many Catholics, will come about not by the diktat of diocesan committees who automatically default to the most popular but least creative solutions, but from Catholic marriages, from Catholic husbands and wives, Catholic mothers and fathers, who ignore the bureaucratic solutions and resolve simply to live their faith. Often their success is, and will continue to be, linked to the small Catholic communities who, fascinatingly, are all completely different from each other but who all believe in exactly the same things. Like the fresh green buds on the bare winter branches that Pope John Paul II described in his 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis, these are the people who do not lack spirit and who, in their daily lives and in the daily settings will, in tandem with their clergy and religious, rebuild the Church in Australia. This process will probably take a century or more, and will have almost nothing to do with big programmes and Church bureaucracies.

IN RESPONSE to Peter Gilet’s letter ‘Cathedral not a venue’, all concerts held at the Cathedral are subject to strict criteria and guidelines. They involve classical music of a sacred nature and neutral instrumental pieces. The Blessed Sacrament is taken out of the tabernacle and the Archbishop himself often attends these events. To put things in perspective, it is important to emphasise that the Church has been the cradle of the development of western music throughout its history and cathedrals, in particular, have been great centres of culture: many composers were actually directors of music (Kapellmeister) and organists of cathedrals and churches. To host classical music is indeed nothing new and is still common practice in Catholic cathedrals and churches around the world. Our Cathedral concerts also fulfil a somewhat ‘evangelising role’ in that people who are not necessarily Catholic and who would not otherwise attend St Mary’s come to these events, thus fulfilling the words of Jesus as they appear on the Cathedral’s Crucifixion window (above the tabernacle): ‘I will draw all things to Myself ’.

d the t n u

A bureaucracy that is superb - but where’s the spirit?

Cathedral concerts are perfectly fine

editorial

15 February 2012, The Record

l e Aro

Page 16

Letters to the editor ing’ (The Record, p16, 8 February 2012). The Australian Chapter of Rachel’s Retreat has historically inserted an ellipsis in its oft used quote from the ‘Gospel of Life’. Resultantly, they have been exhorted to cease this practice, but obviously to no avail. What is actually written where these possibly well-meaning people have placed this ellipsis is: “Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and”; it then goes on to say, “do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation ...” (Evangelium Vitae #99). What more would a grieving woman want to hear? How on earth could these words be so offensive that they have to be censored out? Is not one of the most important parts of any healing process from grief acceptance versus denial? It seems very inappropriate and

disheartening to abridge the late, great, Holy Father’s words regarding such a very sensitive issue. Amy Harry INNALOO, WA

One bouquet for The Record CONGRATULATIONS. Your choice of articles in the last two editions of The Record has been the cause of considerable contemplation in our household. The juxtaposition of the extract of the speech on marriage by Senator Abetz, the article (and your editorial) on the radical secularism taking place in the US and the article entitled “Voice of the Victims” provided a harsh reminder of the eternal vigilance which we, as Christians, must observe to protect our beliefs and principles. Then, to follow up with that superb speech by Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sachs, was a masterpiece! His speech, I believe, should be a “must read” for all parents, educators and politicians. Again, the speech has brought home with a vengeance the clear and imperative duty we have to heed his words and not only live by them but ensure as best we can by word and deed that we pass them on. Peter Whyte Perth, WA

Something to say? Put it in a letter

office@therecord.com.au

Look beyond the physical to see the image of God in all God calls us to move beyond our personal judgements of others and discern the whole person rather than focusing on a supposed lack.

Bee in my Bonnet

Barbara Harris

cross the world on 31 December, many drew up their list, at least in their head, of New Year resolutions, things they would do differently for the coming year. Maybe you made some too. Many resolutions were centred on self. “In 2012, I’m going to get fit.” “Next year I am going to give up smoking!” A friend of mine made a resolution that she was going “to try keep the addictions down and healthy”. One of her ten strategies was to pull out of Facebook. That got me thinking that a very useful New Year resolution would be “To Clean out the Cupboard”. That’s not a physical clean out of a physical cupboard (although that might be useful). I was thinking about cleaning out my mind and my heart of the garbage that has collected over the years. In the recent Australian Tennis Open match between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, many eyes were glued to the TV for over five hours of riveting play. If I had been asked, “Who is going to win?”, I would have changed my answer many times along the way. How could these two men keep going? What was the one key fac-

tor that allowed them to play such outstanding tennis? Focus. They would have had to clear their minds of many distractions along the way. Things like the physical conditions of play – heat, humidity, crowd noise - could have drawn their minds off the task at hand. Internal turmoil like remembering past matches could also have drawn them away. Winning the Australian Open in 2012 is probably not God’s will for us. God does, however, ask each of us to rid ourself of whatever distracts us from focusing on what God wants of us.

People with disabilities often become invisible. What people notice is the disability rather than the person. The psalmist (Psalm 19) prays to be freed from hidden faults. One of our big difficulties is that we can be quite unaware that we carry any prejudice. For example, we can see a person who appears to be obviously overweight and, without a moment’s hesitation, conclude that this individual does not diet, forgetting that medical conditions and medications can be big contributors to weight. People with disabilities often become invisible. What people notice is the disability rather than the person. A few years ago there

was an advertising campaign that invited people to see the person rather than the disability. The campaign included the launch of a music video in which five of the six band members had a significant disability. The video started with the music playing and the band in darkness; audiences only discovered later in the video that those making the music were people with disabilities. Interestingly, the band later went on to tour Australia. These days, when I find myself in a situation which is outside my ‘comfort zone’, I ask myself questions. The sight of a person with a disability challenges many hidden presumptions, prejudices and areas of ignorance. Why is our first reaction to people with disabilities more often a judgement that ‘they can’t’? Our minds can become cluttered with myths, misinformation and wrong thinking about disability. For example, while not every person can talk and walk, reason and read as most people can, such abilities are not what make or determine our humanity. Perhaps if we all made a resolution to clear our minds of all those things which stop us from seeing the ‘people’ in people with disabilities, what a wonderful world we would have. We would see more than green trees, red roses, blue skies or white clouds. We would, in fact, see ability together with the face of God for we are all created in the image and likeness of God.

15 February 2012, The Record

Page 17

Despite poor press, truth of God’s love prevails The Church has always found its way back to the right path, acknowledging mistakes, and relying on the Holy Spirit.

an you imagine how many advertising agencies would love to get their secular hands on the Catholic Church? “Listen here”, they would explain patiently. “You’ve got a great product with this Jesus guy. But if you want to attract more consumer interest you’re going to have to make a few ... compromises.” This is exactly what McCrindle Research, an Australian firm that specialises in assisting companies better understand their customers, discovered in their groundwork for the Jesus: All About Life campaign in 2009. McCrindle found that Australian audiences responded to the words ‘Jesus’ very positively, ‘Christianity’ fairly positively but, losing favour, ‘religion’ was on the negative side while ‘The Church’ was perceived in a very unbenevolent light. McCrindle summed up its research succinctly – people like your product, they just don’t like the retail outlet. You can visualise the advertising gurus gathering the Pope and leading cardinals together in the inner

I say I say

By Mark Reidy

sanctum of the Vatican and laying it on the line for them. “People just don’t like all those rules you’re promoting” they would spell out on their first overhead. “You’re pushing the women away with this ‘boys only’ mentality, you’re alienating homosexuals, you’re never going to attract young people, especially today, with this ‘no sex before marriage’ stance – not to mention your prohibition on contraception. “And while you’re at it, you might want to ease up on the absolute no abortion policy – and perhaps a rethink on all that hell and devil business.” They would then point out the other Christian denominations have successfully pruned their ‘Thou Shalt Not’ list and the increasing number of spiritual books on the bestseller lists which

paint a portrait of a God who has shed all the negative aspects that are turning people away from the Catholic Church. You don’t have to live by a moral framework, this new thinking insists, because God is love and one can decide from his or her own perceptions of this love what is right and wrong. From a marketing perspective, a campaign of ‘follow your own heart’ is an advertiser’s dream. Everyone’s a winner because there are no negative repercussions. “Copy this approach,” the advertising gurus would pitch, “and the Catholic Church will broaden her public appeal and mimic the rapid expansion experienced by a growing number of liberal Christian churches and New Age peddlers.” “But you’d better do it quickly,” they would exhort, “because your numbers are rapidly diminishing. If your current marketing strategy is not working - try a new angle,” the wise heads of secularism would tell them. So why wouldn’t the Church follow such wise worldly advice? Is its leadership so removed from public opinion that they are blinded by

the reality of their own looming demise? Why don’t they pander to the well-worn marketing principles of giving people what they want and reap the rewards of repopulating the pews? “Because,” Church representatives would patiently explain to the well-meaning advertising execu-

The Holy Spirit will ultimately prevail despite the deliberate and unintentional errors and sins that men representing the Church have made. tives, “we will not compromise on the product that we have been entrusted with.” “We are not here to win a popularity contest,” they would explain, “but to be guided by the Holy Spirit – ‘Who will teach you all things’ (John 14:26). We believe that, despite the deliberate and unin-

tentional errors and sins that men representing the Church may have made in the name of God, the Holy Spirit will ultimately prevail.” They could point out Jesus’ promise to the first pope that the gates of the underworld will never overcome his Church on earth, no matter how small numbers may become. They could explain that the Church has always, albeit slowly, acknowledged the mistakes she has made over the past two millennia and allowed herself to be drawn back onto God’s intended path. They could also draw attention to the fact that many of the popular beliefs and teachings of today are founded on the shifting sands of moral relativism and not on the constant and unchanging truth of God’s love. And, hopefully, they could make it equally clear that while they have been entrusted to preserve the foundational truth of this love, it is only God, with his intimate knowledge of each person and with his divine justice and mercy, who will ultimately be the one who judges the lives and hearts of each and every one of us.

Cutting the thread of living memory Dr Damiano Rondelli believes there is hope for the weary, even an 89 year old lifelong communist who killed himself.

s a teenager, I was fascinated by political campaigns. The most fun to watch on TV were the figures of the extreme right or left, who were always fighting. One of these was a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Lucio Magri. Magri founded the most popular Italian communist newspaper, Il Manifesto, and never gave up the communist label even when, in 1991, the historic Partito Comunista Italiano (Italian communist party) dropped its name for more social-democratic harbours. Lucio Magri’s name dropped off my radar until a couple of months ago when national and international newspapers reported that, at 79, this gentleman went to Switzerland to commit – or to be assisted in committing – suicide. Over decades, his ideals never seemed to flag, though Italian society had strongly rejected Communism. But idealism was not enough when he faced the most human cause of suffering. Three years ago his beloved wife died of cancer. He could not tolerate this loss and, while still active and surrounded by friends and family, his life entered a dead end. He asked for and obtained a doctor’s permission to stop his pain by being put to sleep – forever. The reaction of friends and former opponents was regretful and sympathetic, and respectful of his record and bright intelligence, for which he was especially known. But Magri’s story is far from being an isolated case and the clinic near Zurich where he went is doing a brisk business. Moreover, on 5 January, a UK Commission reported to Parliament that assisted suicide should be legal for terminal patients with less than a year to live. In my medical practice, I’m sometimes the one to whom cancer patients or their families, who have exhausted the therapeutic options, ask for a last possible cure that does not yet exist. I feel great frustration but offer

Founder of Il Manifesto, member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, and, at 79, dead through assisted suicide. PHOTO: PUBLIC SOURCE

my time and compassion, and volunteer to be with them and help them live through the remaining time. They care about having someone with them. This time is, for patient and family or close friends, a supreme experience of love. Lucio Magri wrote in his last letter that life was no longer tolerable. Suffering becomes the mirror from which our naked humanity cannot hide. In that mirror, the mystery of

a whole life is seen and suddenly reveals the urgency of some greater meaning, of an answer that has to be reasonable and at the same time cannot leave anything or anyone out. When this meaning is not found, someone who refuses the superficiality of our society may indeed come to think life intolerable. From experience, I know that it is not for me or anyone else to judge patients who succumb to disease or families left with painful

scars due to the loss of a loved one. God will know all, including second thoughts and requests hidden from us, to weigh what is returned to him, even in the desperate act of one who voluntarily enters a hospital with a one-way ticket. I find it deeply wrong, however, for a physician who has committed his life to help improve or prolong the lives of patients to turn to an extreme painkiller such as assisted suicide. To some, it might seem an act of help, or even love, for a doctor unable to treat breathtaking pain with any medical procedure. But it is not. To me, the problem is the same for both Lucio Magri, who ran out of reasons to go on, and for his doctor, who ran out of reasons to oppose his patient’s will – and even helped him to die. I imagine Magri living his last period of life going to the Chamber of Deputies, writing his last book on the history of communism (The Tailor of Ulm), entertaining his friends and young granddaughter in his apartment in the heart of Rome, but always with a living memory of his wife and what she meant for him. That memory definitely prevailed over his long-time ideals and hopes for social justice. His wife had truly become a significant other: so significant as to make him decide to forfeit his life, so other that he was lost in remembrance. Is the hardest physical or psychological pain, when it is resistant to medical intervention, ultimately a good reason for a physician to help someone commit suicide? Isn’t that life already “finished”? Don’t I know that nothing else can be done? This is where assisted suicide and euthanasia (from Greek: euthanos, good death) are seen as merciful human acts. But would terminating someone’s life of misery make me feel better? Absolutely not. In my experience, the mystery of suffering (“Doctor, why me?”) relates

to something beyond my medical authority. It is a living memory that calls forth our acts, regardless of intellectual theories or politically correct public statements. It was a living memory of a real person that led Lucio Magri to his decision. It is a living memory that guides me when I face unfixable or intolerable medical circumstances.

The mystery of suffering is beyond the scope of medical authority; physicians, committed to preserving life, should not assist suicide. Christ is a living memory based on stories, challenges, and people that directly changed and keep changing our lives. Euthanasia or assisted suicide cut the thread of living memory when happiness seems to have disappeared due to illness, intolerable events, multiple hopeless failures or any other disastrous scenario you may imagine. But that thread was known to Christ. And He took it, lived it fully, and transformed it. He then returned it to us, not with less pain, but with an extension of meaning and hope, here and now. Lucio Magri planned everything for his last trip. He was buried close to his wife in a small cemetery in Central Italy. He chose Mozart’s Requiem for a very private ceremony. I am not sure why but I like to think that he was still listening to a few lines of the Recordare: “Seeking me thou didst sit down weary, thou didst redeem me, suffering death on the cross. Let not such toil be in vain.” Damiano Rondelli is professor of medicine and director of the Stem Cell Transplant Programme at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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15 February 2012, The Record

PANORAMA

What’s on around the Archdiocese of Perth, where and when

SATURDAY, 18 AND SUNDAY, 19 FEBRUARY

SATURDAY, 3 MARCH

Saints and Sacred Relics Apostolate Visitation

Day with Mary 9am-5pm at Good Shepherd Church, 44 Streich Ave, Kelmscott. Day of prayer and instruction based on the Fatima message. 9am video; 10.10am holy Mass; Reconciliation, procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic adoration, sermons on Eucharist and on Our Lady, rosaries and stations of the Cross. BYO lunch. Enq: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate 9250 8286.

At all weekend Masses at St Denis Parish, 60 Osborne St, Joondanna. 200 relic exhibition and talk on relics of the saints. For the first time in Australia, a first-class relic of Blessed Pope John Paul II will be exposed for public veneration. Free of charge and all welcome. Enq: Giovanny 0478 201 092 or ssra-perth@catholic.org.

NEXT WEEK TUESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY Orientation Day for Volunteer Teachers of Christian RE in Government Schools 9am-3.30pm at YouthCARE, Unit 1, 103 Catherine St, Morley. Volunteers required for teaching of Religious Education in government primary schools. Training provided. Enq and registration: John 9376 5000 (office hours) or johnc@youthcare.org.au. Lenten Preparation 7-8pm at St Benedict’s School Hall, Alness St, Applecross. Make this Lent a time of growth and preparation for an outpouring of grace this Easter. Presenter: Norma Woodcock. Weekly short video broadcast—www.thefaith.org.au. AccreditedCEO- Faith Formation for ongoing renewal. Cost: collection. Enq: Norma 9487 1772 or www.normawoodcock.com. WEDNESDAY, 22 FEBRUARY ‘Enriching brain power in the home, powerful learning: making the science of cognitive fitness work for you …’ Workshops 7.30-9pm at MacKillop room in John XXIII College, John XXIII Ave, Mt Claremont. Increase chances of maintaining mental edge and functional independence by keeping our brains fit in the same way we keep our bodies healthy. Includes latest findings on the brain’s best decision-making process. Cost: $10 adult ($5 child). Presenter: Dr Margaret Yoon (PhD). Enq and registration: Murray 9383 0444 or graham.murray@johnxxiii.edu.au. FRIDAY, 24 FEBRUARY Medjugorje Evening of Prayer 7-9pm at St Brigid’s Parish, 211 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. All are invited to an evening of prayer with Our Lady Queen of Peace with Eucharistic adoration, holy Rosary, benediction and Mass. Free DVDs on Medjugorje available on night. See ‘Classified Page’ in Record-Pilgrimage to Paris, Lourdes and Medjugorje. Enq: Eileen 9402 2480 mob 0407 471 256, medjugorje@y7mail.com. SATURDAY, 25 FEBRUARY A Reunion for Holy Cross Primary School, Kensington Any ex-students or family members, please contact Julie Bowles (nee O’Hara) on 9397 0638 or email jules7@iinet.net.au. Thanksgiving and Healing Mass 12 noon at Holy Cross Parish, 1 Dianne St, Hamilton Hill. Archbishop Hickey will celebrate Mass for all VOV and new members. As usual, bring a plate to share. Enq: Frank 9296 7591, 0408 183 325.

UPCOMING SUNDAY, 26 FEBRUARY February Latin Mass 2pm at Good Shepherd, Streich Ave, Kelmscott. Enq: John 9390 6646. Secular Franciscan Order 2pm at the Polish Franciscan Community House, 35 Eighth Ave, Midland. We are lay people who live a life in Christ inspired by the life of St Francis of Assisi, the first recorded stigmatic. We are called to live simply, humbly and peacefully, recognising God in creation. We are inviting you to the monthly fraternity meeting to discover the richness of Franciscan spirituality for life today. Enq: Angela 9275 5658. TUESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY Archdiocesan Ecumenical Affairs Committee 6pm at St Denis Parish Centre, 60 Osborne St, Joondanna. Initial meeting to plan ecumenical and interfaith events, and discuss interfaith issues and ecumenism at archdiocesan level. Any person interested in becoming part of this committee contact Fr Peter. Enq: Fr Peter 9242 2812. FRIDAY, 2 MARCH

Vigil for Life 8.30am at St Augustine’s Parish, Gladstone St, Rivervale. Begins with holy Mass followed by rosary procession and vigil at nearby abortion clinic, led by Fr Paul. Weekly prayer vigils: Monday, Thursday and Saturday 8.30-10.30am. Enq. Helen 9402 0349. SATURDAY, 3 TO SUNDAY, 4 MARCH Renewal Seminar John Paul Prayer Ministry 9.30am-5pm at Orana School Hall, Querrin Rd, Willetton (off Vahland Ave). Presented by John Paul Prayer ministry of Ss John and Paul Parish. Fr Varghese and his team will be leading this seminar. BYO lunch. Refreshments provided. Cost: offering. Enq: Michelle 9456 4215. SUNDAY, 4 MARCH Divine Mercy 1.30pm at St Francis Xavier Parish, 25 Windsor St, Perth. Begins with Mass, main celebrant to be decided. Homily: ‘St John Joseph of the Cross’. Followed by holy rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and concludes with veneration of First Class Relics of St Faustina Kowalska. Refreshments afterwards. Enq: John 9457 7771. TUESDAY, 6 MARCH ‘Set My People on Fire’ Catholic Bible Seminar 7.30pm at The Faith Centre, 450 Hay St, Perth. Runs every Tuesday until 12 June. See programme and details: flameministries.org/smpof.html. Enq: Flame Ministries International 9382 3668 or fmi@ flameministries.org. FRIDAY, 16 TO SUNDAY, 18 MARCH Lenten Retreat 7pm at God’s Farm, 40km south of Busselton. Fr Tony Chiera VG will give the retreat. Enq: For bus bookings ring Yvonne 9343 1897; other reservations Betty 9755 6212 or mail to PO Box 24, Cowaramup, WA, 6284. FRIDAY, 23 TO SUNDAY, 25 MARCH Inner Healing Retreat (Live-in) 7.30pm at St John of God Retreat Centre, 47 Gloucester Cr, Shoalwater. A time to be healed and renewed. The retreat is led by the Vincentian Fathers. Registration and enq: Melanie 0410 605 743 or vincetiansperth@yahoo.com. SATURDAY, 24 TO SUNDAY, 25 MARCH St Joseph’s Central School Oberon Centenary Celebration 7pm St Joseph’s Central School Oberon, 129 Queen St, Oberon, NSW. The school opened when four Josephite Sisters from Perthville arrived in Oberon in 1912. Saturday begins with dinner and Sunday begins with 10am Mass. All past students are cordially invited to attend centenary celebrations to meet up with old friends and to share memories. Enq: Secretary 02 6336 1384. SATURDAY, 31 MARCH Love Ministry Healing After the 6.30pm Mass at St Brigid Parish, 69 Morrison Rd, Midland. The Love Ministry healing team includes Fr Nishan and Fr David Watt. All welcome, come and be prayed over, healed from the past or present issues or stand in for a loved one who may be ill or facing problems at this time. Enq: Gilbert 0431 57 0322 or Fr David Watt on 9376 1734. SUNDAY, 6 MAY 2012 Busselton May Rosary Pilgrimage in Honour of Our Lady 2.30pm at Queen of the Holy Rosary Shrine, Bove’s Farm, Roy Rd, Jindong, Busselton. Begins with hymn singing and concelebrated Mass led by Fr Tony at 1pm. Followed by rosary procession, benediction and afternoon tea. Note: Roy Rd runs off Bussell Hwy, approx halfway between Busselton and Margaret River. Enq and bus bookings: Francis 0404 893 877 or 9459 3873.

REGULAR EVENTS

Catholic Faith Renewal – Meeting 7.30pm at St John and Paul’s Parish, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Songs of Praise and Prayer, teaching by Fr Geoff Aldous on “ Vatican II and the lay vocation”. Followed by thanksgiving Mass and light refreshments. Enq: Kathy 9295 0913 or Ann 0412 166 164 or catholicfaithrenewal@gmail.com.

Gate of Heaven Catholic Radio Join the Franciscans of the Immaculate from 7.309pm on Radio Fremantle 107.9FM for Catholic radio broadcast of EWTN and our own live shows. Enq: radio@ausmaria.com.

Pro-life Witness 9.30am at St Brigid’s Parish, cnr Great North Hwy and Morrison Rd, Midland. Begins with holy Mass followed by rosary procession to the nearby abortion clinic, led by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. Enq: Helen 9402 0349.

Pilgrim Mass - Shrine of the Virgin of the Revelation 2pm at Shrine, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook. Commencing with rosary followed by benediction. Reconciliation is available before every celebration. Anointing of the sick administered during Mass

EVERY SUNDAY

every second Sunday of the month. Pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin of the Revelation last Sunday of the month. Side entrance to church and shrine open daily between 9am-5pm. Enq Sacri 9447 3292. EVERY FIRST SUNDAY St Mary’s Cathedral Youth Group – Fellowship with Pizza 5pm at Mary’s Cathedral, 17 Victoria Sq, Perth. Begins with youth Mass followed by fellowship downstairs in parish centre. Bring a plate to share. Enq: Bradley on youthfromsmc@gmail.com. EVERY THIRD SUNDAY Oblates of St Benedict – Meeting 2pm at St Joseph’s Convent, York St, South Perth. For all interested in studying the Rule of St Benedict and its relevance to the everyday life of today for laypeople: Vespers and afternoon tea afterwards. Enq: Secretary 9457 5758. EVERY FOURTH SUNDAY Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life 2-3pm at Infant Jesus Parish, Wellington St, Morley. The hour includes exposition of the Blessed Eucharist, silent prayer, scripture and prayers of intercession. Come and pray that those discerning vocations can hear clearly God’s call. EVERY LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH Filipino Mass 3pm at Notre Dame Church, cnr Daley St and Wright St, Cloverdale. Please bring a plate to share for socialisation after the Mass. Enq: Fr Nelson Po 0410 843 412, Elsa 0404 03 8483. EVERY MONDAY Evening Adoration and Mass 7pm at St Thomas Parish, Claremont, cnr Melville St and College Rd. Eucharistic adoration, reconciliation, evening prayer and benediction, followed by Mass and night prayer at 8pm. Enq: Kim on 9384 0598 or email to claremont@perthcatholic.org.au.

The Life and Mission of St Mary MacKillop 9.30-11.30am at Infant Jesus Parish Centre, cnr Wellington Rd and Smith St, Morley. Cost: $15. Enq: Shelley 9276 8500.

LAST MONDAY OF THE MONTH Be Still in His Presence – Ecumenical Christian Programme 7.30-8.45pm at St Swithun Anglican Church, 195 Lesmurdie St, Lesmurdie (hall behind church). Begins with songs of praise and worship, silent time, lectio divina, small group sharing and a cuppa at the end. Enq: Lynne 9293 3848 or 043 5252 941. EVERY TUESDAY Bible Teaching with a Difference 7.30pm at St Joachim’s parish hall, Victoria Park. Exciting revelations with meaningful applications that will change your life. Bring Bible, a notebook and a friend. Enq: Jan 9284 1662. Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal 6pm at Pater Noster Church, Marmion and Evershed Sts, Myaree. Mass at 5.30pm followed by benediction. Enq: John 040 8952 194. EVERY FIRST TUESDAY Short MMP Cenacle for Priests 2pm at Edel Quinn Centre, 36 Windsor St, East Perth. Enq: Fr Watt 9376 1734. EVERY WEDNESDAY Holy Spirit of Freedom Community 7.30pm at The Church of Christ, 111 Stirling St, Perth. We are delighted to welcome everyone to attend our Holy Spirit of Freedom praise meeting. Enq: 042 3907 869 or hsofperth@gmail.com. Bible Study at Cathedral 6.15pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, 17 Victoria Sq, Perth. Deepen your faith through reading and reflecting on holy scripture by Fr Jean-Noel. Meeting room beneath Cathedral. Enq: Marie 9223 1372. Holy Hour - Catholic Youth Ministry 5.30pm at Catholic Pastoral Centre, 40A Mary St, Highgate. Begins with Mass, 6.30pm holy hour of adoration, followed by $5 supper and fellowship. Enq: cym.com.au or 9422 7912. EVERY FIRST WEDNESDAY Holy Hour Prayer for Priests 7.30-8.30pm at Holy Spirit Parish, 2 Keaney Pl, City Beach. All welcome. Enq: Linda 9341 3079. Novena to St Mary of the Cross MacKillop 7-7.45pm at Blessed Mary MacKillop Parish, cnr Cassowary Dr and Pelican Pde, Ballajura. Begins with Mass, novena prayers and benediction. Followed by healing prayers and anointing of the sick. Enq: Madi 9249 9093 or Gerry 0417 187 240. EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY Chaplets of the Divine Mercy 7.30pm at St Thomas More Parish, Dean Rd, Bateman. A beautiful, prayerful, sung devotion. Includes exposition followed by benediction. Enq: George 9310 9493 or 9325 2010(w).

EVERY THURSDAY Divine Mercy 11am at Ss John and Paul Church, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Pray the rosary and chaplet of divine mercy and for the consecrated life, especially here in John Paul Parish. Concludes with veneration of the first class relic of St Faustina. Please do come and join us in prayer. Enq: John 9457 7771. St Mary’s Cathedral Praise Meeting 7.45pm every Thursday at the Legion of Mary’s Edel Quinn Centre, 36 Windsor St, East Perth. Includes praise, song and healing ministry. Enq: Kay 9382 3668 or fmi@flameministries.org. EVERY FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH Prayer in Style of Taize 7.30-8.30pm at Our Lady of Grace Parish, 3 Kitchener St, North Beach. Includes prayer, song and silence in candlelight – symbol of Christ the light of the world. Taize info: www.taize.fr. Enq: secretary 9448 4888 or 9448 4457. Group Fifty – Charismatic Renewal Group 7.30pm at the Redemptorist Monastery, 150 Vincent St, North Perth. Includes prayer, praise and Mass. Enq: Elaine 9440 3661. EVERY FIRST FRIDAY Communion of Reparation - All Night Vigil 7pm-1.30am at two different locations: Corpus Christi Parish, Lochee St, Mosman Park and St Gerard Majella Parish, cnr Ravenswood Dr and Majella Rd, Westminster (Mirrabooka). In reparation for outrages committed against the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Enq: (Mosman Park) Vicky 040 0282 357 and Fr Giosue 9349 2315 or John 9344 2609. Healing Mass 7pm at St Peter’s Parish, Inglewood. Praise and worship, exposition and Eucharistic adoration, benediction and anointing of the sick, followed by holy Mass and fellowship. Celebrants Fr Dat and invited priests. 6.45pm Reconciliation. Enq: Mary Ann 0409 672 304, Prescilla 043 3457 352 and Catherine 043 3923 083. Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life 7pm at Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 2 Rawlins St, Glendalough. Mass followed by adoration with Fr Doug Harris. All welcome. Refreshments provided. Catholic Faith Renewal Evening 7.30pm at Ss John and Paul Parish, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Songs of praise, sharing by a priest followed by thanksgiving Mass and light refreshments. All welcome to attend and bring your family and friends. Enq: Kathy 9295 0913, Ann 041 2166 164 or catholicfaithrenewal@gmail.com. Healing and Anointing Mass 8.45am Pater Noster Church, Evershed St, Myaree. Begins with Reconciliation followed by 9am Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, anointing of the sick and prayers to St Peregrine. Enq: Joy 9337 7189. EVERY FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Healing Mass 12.35pm at St Thomas Parish, cnr Melville St and College Rd, Claremont. Spiritual leader Fr Waddell. Enq: Kim 9384 0598, claremont@perthcatholic.org. au. EVERY LAST SATURDAY Novena devotions – Our Lady Vailankanni of Good Health 5pm at Holy Trinity Parish, 8 Burnett St, Embleton. Followed by Mass at 6pm. Enq: George 9272 1379.

GENERAL

every Tuesday 3-4.30pm; and RCPD2 “Internalise Principles of Successful Relationships and Use Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills’, every Tuesday 4.30-6.30pm, 197 High St, Fremantle - Tuesdays 3-4.30pm. Beginning 21 Feb. Enq: Eva 0409 405 585. Bookings are essential. Courses held at The Faith Centre in 2012 450 Hay St, Perth 1. Christian Foundations This course is designed to guide you to a greater understanding and deeper appreciation of the foundational beliefs of our Catholic faith. (Maranatha Lecturer: Sr Philomena Burrell pvbm). Thursdays: 1-3.30pm, from 16 Feb–22 Mar. For enquiries or bookings ph 9241 5222. 2. RCPD2 - Internalise Principles of Successful Relationships and Use Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills This course provides knowledge of principles that, if applied, will improve all relationships. Skills of self-analysis are taught as well as communication skills. Mondays: 5-7pm, from 20 Feb–10 Dec. For enquiries or bookings ph Paul 0402 222 578. 3. RCPD4 – Increase Personal and Spiritual Awareness and Improve Relationships This course promotes self-awareness and spiritual growth. Emotional development is explained in order to improve understanding between persons. Study of Psychology and Theology. Mondays: 10am–12.30pm, from 20 Feb–10 Dec. For enquiries or bookings ph Eva 0409 405 585. 4. Higher Certificate in Biblical Studies The Higher Certificate of Biblical Studies is a distance education programme that can be followed in your own home at your own pace with periodic face-to-face contact workshops. Tutorial assistance is available as required. It is equivalent to a one-year tertiary course, although it is recommended that you aim to complete it in two years. For enquiries and enrolment, ph The Faith Centre on 6140 2420. Is your son or daughter unsure of what to do this year? Suggest a Certificate IV course to discern God’s purpose for their life. They will also learn more about the Catholic faith and develop skills in communication and leadership. Acts 2 College of Mission & Evangelisation (National Code 51452). Enq: Jane 9202 6859. AA Alcoholics Anonymous Is alcohol costing you more than just money? Enq: AA 3253 5666. Saints and Sacred Relics Apostolate Invitation SSRA, Perth invites interested parties, parish priests, leaders of religious communities, lay associations, to organise relic visitations to their own parishes, communities, etc. We have available authenticated relics, mostly first-class, of Catholic saints and blesseds including Saints Mary Mackillop, Padre Pio, Anthony of Padua, Therese of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe and Simon Stock and Blessed Pope John Paul II. Free of charge and all are welcome. Enq: Giovanny 0478 201 092 or ssraperth@catholic.org. Divine Mercy – Santa Clara There will be no Divine mercy for February.

Free Divine Mercy Image for Parishes High quality oil painting and glossy print – Divine Mercy Promotions. Images are of very high quality. For any parish willing to accept and place inside the church. Oil paintings - 160 x 90cm and glossy print - 100 x 60cm. Enq: Irene 9417 3267 (w).

40 Days For Life Campaign Pray to end abortion. Take part in the world-wide, pro-life campaign to pray for mothers and their unborn children, as well as all those involved in the abortion industry. Runs from Wednesday, 22 February to Sunday, 1 April. Join the 40 day challenge: www.40daysforlife.com/PerthWA. Enq: Helen 9402 0349 or Tina 0415 382 541.

Sacred Heart Pioneers Is there anyone out there who would like to know more about the Sacred Heart pioneers? If so, please contact Spiritual Director Fr Doug Harris 9444 6131 or John 9457 7771. St Philomena’s Chapel 3/24 Juna Drive, Malaga. Mass of the day: Monday 6.45am. Vigil Masses: Mon-Fri 4.45pm. Enq: Fr David 9376 1734.

A Different Lenten Programme WAVN (Western Australian Vocations Network) - short Lenten programme to reflect on the significance of the psalms in Christian worship. Sundays: 6-7.30pm. Dates: 19 and 26 February; 4, 11, 18 and 25 March; 1 April. Venue: Archbishop Clune Lecture Theatre, Newman Siena Centre, 33 Williamstown Rd, Doubleview. Enq: Kathy 0418 926 590.

Mary Mackillop 2012 Calendars and Merchandise 2012 Josephite Calendars with quotes from St Mary of the Cross and Mary MacKillop merchandise. Available for sale from the Mary MacKillop Centre. Enq: Sr Maree 041 4683 926 or 08 9334 0933. Financially Disadvantaged People requiring Low Care Aged Care Placement The Little Sisters of the Poor community - set in beautiful gardens in the suburb of Glendalough. “Making the elderly happy, that is everything!” St Jeanne Jugan (foundress). Registration and enq: Sr Marie 9443 3155. Resource Centre for Personal Development The Holistic Health Seminar ‘The Instinct to Heal’’,

Panorama Deadline Friday 5pm

Classifieds

15 February 2012, The Record

CLASSIFIEDS RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS

FURNITURE REMOVAL

PILGRIMAGES

CATHOLICS CORNER Retailer of Catholic products specialising in gifts, cards and apparel for Baptism, Communion and Confirmation. Ph 9456 1777. Shop 12, 64-66 Bannister Rd, Canning Vale. Open Mon-Sat.

ALL AREAS. Competitive rates. Mike Murphy Ph 0416 226 434.

TO OUR LADY OF VELANKANNI, ST FRANCIS XAVIER, ST PHILOMENA, ST MOTHER THERESA OF KOLKATA Tour covers all main cities in India: Chennai, Pondicherry, Velankanni, Bangalore, Mysore, Cochin, Goa, Delhi, Thaij Mahal, Kolkata, Darjeeling and more. Contact Charles Donovan 0400 216 257 or F Sam 0426 506 510.

RICH HARVEST YOUR CHRISTIAN SHOP Looking for Bibles, CDs, books, cards, gifts, statues, Baptism/Communion apparel, religious vestments, etc? Visit us at 39 Hulme Ct (off McCoy St), Myaree. Ph 9329 9889 (after 10.30am Mon to Sat). We are here to serve.

BRENDAN HANDYMAN SERVICES Home, building maintenance, repairs and renovations. NOR. Ph 0427 539 588. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Your handyperson. No job too small. SOR. Jim 0413 309 821. BRICK RE-POINTING Ph Nigel 9242 2952.

KINLAR VESTMENTS Quality handmade and decorated vestments: albs, stoles, chasubles, altar linen, banners, etc. 12 Favenc Way, Padbury. By appointment only. Ph Vickii on 9402 1318, 0409 114 093 or kinlar.vestments@gmail.com.

PICASSO PAINTING Top service. Ph 0419 915 836, fax 9345 0505. 9345 0557.

MISSION ACTIVITIES

LAWNMOWING AND WEED SPRAYING Garden clean ups and rubbish removal. Get rid of bindii, jojo and other unsightly weeds. Based in Tuart Hill. Enq: 9443 9243 or 0402 326 637.

LEARN HOW TO MAKE ROSARY BEADS for the missions and special rosaries for family and friends. Phone: (02) 6822 1474 or visit our website: OurLadysRosaryMakers.org.au.

MISSIO IMMACULATAE THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE IMMACULATE MARIAN CATECHETICAL MAGAZINE $36 for five issues Ph 08 9437 2792 or ffimunster@gmail.com. All for the Immaculate.

TAX SERVICE QUALITY TAX RETURNS PREPARED by registered tax agent with over 35 years’ experience. Call Tony Marchei on 0412 055 184 for appointment. AXXO Accounting & Management, Unit 20/222 Walter Rd, Morley.

SETTLEMENTS ARE YOU BUYING OR SELLING real estate or a business? Why not ask Excel Settlements for a quote for your settlement. We offer reasonable fees, excellent service and no hidden costs. Ring Excel on 9481 4499 for a quote. Check our web site on www.excelsettlements.com.au.

BOOK BINDING NEW BOOK BINDING, general book repairs; rebinding; new ribbons; old leather bindings restored. Tydewi Bindery 0422 968 572.

RENT ROOM FOR RENT Secure, luxury house – Midland. Owner/good cook - motivated person required. 0419 968 051.

PERROTT PAINTING Pty Ltd For all your residential, commercial painting requirements. Ph Tom Perrott 9444 1200.

HELP NEEDED GROWING APOSTOLATE NEEDS HELP Do you want to help evangelise and form people using Catholic audio CDs? Lighthouse Catholic Media is looking for motivated Account Managers to who are energetic, organized, and enthusiastic about sharing their Catholic faith. Work is at least few hours per week and pay is by commission. Contact: Justin McGinnity on 0432 715 263.

INTENTIONS OH MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWER OF MT CARMEL, FRUITFUL VINE, splendour of Heaven. Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin assist me in this my necessity. Oh Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother. Oh holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3 times) Amen. Say this prayer for three consecutive days. THANK YOU ST JUDE and all the saints for answering my prayers.

HEALTH ACHES, PAIN, STRESS Indian mature male masseur. Reflex Relax Massage $30 per hour Jai 0438 52 0993.

OPTION 1: 25 DAYS: PILGRIMAGE TO HOLY LAND, ROME, COLLAVALENZA, DUBLIN (IRELAND FOR EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS), KNOCK AND MEDJUGORJE Departing 22 May, from $7,790, includes flight transfers, bed, breakfast, evening meals, guide, taxes. Spiritual Director Fr Ronan Murphy. Leader Yolanda Nardizzi. Tel: 9245 2222, Mob 0413 707 707. OPTION 2: 19 DAYS: PILGRIMAGE TO ROME, COLLAVALENZA, DUBLIN (IRELAND FOR EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS), KNOCK AND MEDJUGORJE. Departing 29 May, from $5,990, includes flight transfers, bed, breakfast, evening meals, guide, taxes. Spiritual Director Fr Ronan Murphy. Leader Yolanda Nardizzi. Tel: 9245 2222, Mob 0413 707 707. PILGRIMAGE DEPART PERTH 30 APRIL, RETURN 17/18 MAY (early hours) for Paris (3 nights) visit Lisieux (St Therese), Notre Dame for Relics of The Passion, Sacre Coeur, Miraculous Medal Shrine, St Vincent De Paul. Flight to Lourdes 5 nights stay, flight to Split 7 nights stay in Medjurgorje. Spiritual Director Fr Bogoni. Costs $5,395: includes flight transfers, bed, breakfast, evening meals, guide, tipping and taxes. Contact: Eileen 9402 2480 Mob 0407 471 256, or medjugorje@ y7mail.com.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE CARETAKER WESTCARE ACCOMMODATION SERVICES We require a live-in caretaker who is to be available, manage our after-hours attendance and provide support to our residents with a disability who live in our village in Shenton Park. A furnished unit will be provided rent free for the caretaker on a seven day basis. This after-hours position also involves approx 10 hours paid casual employment per week. Interested applicants please contact the manager (Jim Mason) on 9318 1916 during business hours.

ACCOMODATION HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION Esperance holiday accommodation, 3 bedroom house f/furnished. Phone 08 9076 5083

ST PAUL LITURGICAL CALENDAR 2012 Popular pocket-size calendar, indicating readings and themes for Mass every day of the year. Presented in two-colour format.

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ACROSS 3 One of the seven deadly sins 9 Paul said he would travel here after leaving Rome (Rom 15:28) 10 ___ unction 11 Altar balustrade 12 “___ et Orbi” 13 Bishop’s hat 15 Catholic artist, Edgar ___ 16 “I will raise you up on ___ wings…” 17 See 3A 20 The Archdiocese of Niamey is found in this African country 22 Rite in the Church in the West 23 Number of days Jonah spent in the belly of a large fish (Jon 1:17) 25 Commandment that requires us to honour our parents 26 Christian love 29 Spiritual programme 31 Sacred Roman ___ 32 Type of angel that Michael is 35 Francis ___, Patron Saint of Journalists 36 Character in one of Jesus’ parables 37 The Holy Family travelled here DOWN 1 Redemptorist community (abbr) 2 ___ on of hands 3 Wife of St Joachim 4 Rosary prayer 5 New ___ Standard Version of the Bible 6 NT epistle

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www.wordgamesforcatholics.com

Alb or stole The Sacred ___of Jesus Title for a priest (abbr) “…thy will be ___…” See 6D Celestial being, to Jacques Fruit of the Holy Spirit “…and ___ us not into temptation…” The Little Flower Priests’ house Sign from Jonathan that David’s life was in danger (1 Sam 20:20– 23) See 3A “…___ through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps 23:4) What you should do when the herald angels sing Winter hours in the Archdiocese of Denver

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

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TheTRecord he Record LastBookshop W in ord 1911 The

15 February 2012, The Record

February Catalogue RESOURCES FOR EVERY CATHOLIC FROM

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NEW DVD FROM IMMACULEE ILIBAGIZA In Church-sanctioned apparitions to three school children in the town of Kibeho, Rwanda between 1981 and 1989, Mary warned of an impending disaster, but few heeded the warning. Immaculee Ilibagiza knows the story all too well. Her family was killed during the 1994 genocide and she survived by hiding in a bathroom with seven other women for three excruciating months. If Only We Had Listened follows Immaculee as she returns to Rwanda with filmmaker Sean Bloomfield, uncovering the secrets of Kibeho while reconciling with her painful past. Buried beneath the bones of a million victims, a story of faith and hope emerges. And Immaculee reveals that the apocalyptic prophecy of Kibeho is not just a warning for Rwanda, but for the entire world.

BIBIANA KWARAMBA Bookshop Manager

Telephone: 9220 5901 Email: bookshop@therecord.com.au Address: 21 Victoria Square, Perth 6000