The Record Newspaper 16 April 2008

It’s ‘GO’ for Bunbury

New Cathedral will honour the past and serve future generations, says Bishop Gerard Holohan

A new St Patrick’s looking out over regional centre is essential in a moment when values are breaking down, campaign patron tells launch.

The Diocese of Bunbury has launched its fundraising campaign to replace St Patrick’s cathedral destroyed by a cyclone in August 2005.

Over $1.25 million of the $3 million needed has already been raised to build the new cathedral, Bishop Gerard Holohan of Bunbury has announced.

Meanwhile, Bunbury City council has cleared the way for the project by approving the plans for the redevelopment of the St Patrick’s Cathedral precinct largely destroyed by the cyclone.

“Eighty-seven years ago the people of Bunbury faced the same challenges we are facing now. They did an outstanding job...”

- Campaign Chair, John Perry

The details were announced by Bishop Holohan at a fundraising campaign launch on April 7 and in an update circulated to Bunbury parishes last weekend.

Bunbury Council’s clearing of the regulatory hurdle at a meeting in early February had effectively given the green light to the appointment of the various consultants and engineers necessary for the project; these were already at work, Bishop Holohan revealed.

The theme of the campaign is: ‘Honouring heritage, assuring the future’, echoing the key challenge facing the designers of a new cathedral to honour the history and traditions of the previous building but also to construct one suitable for future generations.

The new St Patrick’s is expected to stand for hundreds of years, said Bishop Holohan.

Continued - Page 2

New website offers virtual connection with a global church community

New hub can also be a focus for WYD pilgrims.

Pilgrims attending World Youth Day this year will have a new way to connect and stay connected before and after the July event through the social

networking site FaithTrip.net. The site, whose concept is similar to Facebook and MySpace, was launched on April 7 in response to a recommendation from Australia’s episcopal conference to use new technologies to better serve the faithful. It has been developed by Church

Resources, a purchasing organisation for Church and nonprofit groups.

The site brings the characteristics of online networking to the life and ministry of the Catholic Church, as well as offering the global faith-based community a

Continued - Page 3

Rudd Labor signals focus on religious values

■ By Paul Gray

A senior strategist in the Australian Labor Party has given voice to the Rudd Government’s recognition of the place of religion and religious education in national life.

In an apparent sign of the growing warmth towards religion felt by a party often tagged as secularist, senior Labor MP Bob McMullan has commended the religious role in promoting respect for human dignity, fairness and justice.

“Australia is a secular nation, one in which there is dynamic religious and cultural diversity and this is supported by the Government,” Mr McMullan told The Record after returning from an interfaith meeting in Cambodia.

“All great religions of the world share common perspectives on respecting human dignity and the importance of having a society that promotes fairness and justice,” he said.

The MP added that values “determine how we and future generations live.” Through his career, Mr McMullan has been seen as a significant powerbroker and strategist in the nation’s ruling party.

As well as holding the safe Labor seat of Fraser in the ACT, he is now Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance.

Continued - Page 6

INDEX

The Parish - Pages 4-5

The Nation - Pages 6-7

Letters - Page 8

Perspectives - Vista 4-Page 9

The World - Pages 10-11

Panorama - Page 14

Classifieds - Page 15

Saint for the week

Pope Leo IX

1002-1054

feast – April 19

Christened

He led troops of the bishop of Toul into Italy to put down a Lombard rebellion against the emperor.

Bunbury gets its new Cathedral

Continued from Page 1

The bishop died while he was in Italy and Bruno was named his successor. In 20 years as bishop of Toul, he attacked clerical abuses and promoted monastic reform. He became pope in 1049 and

The preparation of building specifications would be “an arduous task” and take several months, he said.

The rezoning of various lots and titles which make up the precinct had also been approved by the Bunbury Council and would now go to the Western Australian Planning Commission for final approval, he said.

He said the community’s response to the artist’s impressions of the new Cathedral precinct, including the planned centrepiece Cathedral building, “has been overwhelmingly positive.” In order to save costs and make up time the site and servicing works would be separated from the building contract, enabling local businesses to work on and donate to the project.

These would include jobs such as site clearing, the building of retaining walls, and the installation of water, gas, electricity and sewerage.

Clearing of the site in preparation for following building stages is the first job to accomplish, with the first building activities planned to commence in Spring, he said. Meanwhile, Geotechnical engineers had already begun drilling on the site in order to build a soil profile and determine factors such as soil density, he said.

During the April 7 campaign launch, fundraising patron Dr Ern Manea AO spoke of the importance of a cathedral to the life of the city, describing it as an asset which must be rebuilt.

Walking with Him Daily Mass Readings

22T

White Acts 14:19-28 Commended to God

Ps 144:10-13.21 Glorious splendour Jn 14:27-31 I bequeath peace

23W St George, martyr (O)

White Acts 15:1-6 A long argument

Ps 121:1-5 The Lord’s name Jn 15:1-8 You are the branches

24T St Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr (O)

White Acts 15:7-21 No distinction

Ps 95:1-3.10 Sing a new song

Jn 15:9-11 God’s love

25F ANZAC DAY

Violet Wis 3:1-9 Tested like gold

Ps 114:5-6;115:10-11.15-16

God’s compassion

1 Cor 1:18-25 Victory in the cross

Jn 12:23-28 The Son glorified (Alt. readings may be chosen)

26S ST MARK, EVANGELIST, Feast

Red 1 Pet 5:5-14 Be calm but vigilant

Ps 88:2-3.6-7.16-17

Joy in your name

Mk 16:15-20 Proclaim Good News

27 6th SUNDAY OF EASTER

White Acts 8:5-8.14-17 Message welcomed

Ps 65:1-7.16.20 See God’s works

1 Pet 3:15-18 Clear conscience

Jn 14:15-21 Another Advocate

28M St Peter Channel, priest, martyr (M)

Red Acts 16:11-15 A devout woman

Ps 149:1-6.9 Praise God’s name Jn 15:26-16:4 The Spirit as witness

With the gradual breaking-down of Bunbury society, a sign of Christ’s message on the hill overlooking the city was more important than ever, Dr Manea told those in attendance. Meanwhile, he said, “There are two important memories during my early years as a medical practitioner in Bunbury.

“The first is the great humanitarian work of the Sisters in the old St John of God Hospital. The other was St Patrick’s Cathedral overlooking Bunbury.”

“While the St John of God Hospital has relocated, it is important that Bunbury has an everlasting symbol of love and hope overlooking its city” Dr Manea said. Campaign President Mr John Perry urged

Cathedral beyond repair.

the community to give their financial support for the benefit of current and future generations.

“Eighty-seven years ago the people of Bunbury faced the same challenges we are facing now. They did an outstanding job in an era substantially less affluent than ours. Community support is crucial if the campaign is to achieve its goal of raising $3 million and turn this project into a reality”

Mr Perry said

At the launch Bishop Holohan thanked all those who have already backed the campaign. “My deepest appreciation goes to all who have pledged their financial support and participated in this rare opportunity to rebuild the Cathedral precinct.

“The old St Patrick’s Cathedral was much more than just a Catholic building. It was a community building. The new Cathedral will continue the vital community role of the original St Patrick’s. With a life span measured in centuries the rebuilding of St

Patrick’s will be one of the largest, most important and most enduring projects ever undertaken in Bunbury.

“Hopefully people throughout Bunbury and the surrounding regions will participate in this rare opportunity to rebuild this vital and exciting community asset.”

Apart from Dr Manea, campaign patrons include emeritus Bunbury Bishop Peter Quinn and Professor Michael Quinlan.

The Campaign President is John Perry and there are three Chairs for the various fundraising sectors: Chares Martella will chair the Leadership Gifts committee; Kevin O’Connell chairs the Major Gifts committee, with Pat Dillon, chairs the Community Gifts committee.

Catholics rally behind World Youth Day pilgrims

■ By Matthew Biddle

A group of young pilgrims is a step closer to attending World Youth Day after almost 250 people attended a fundraising event on Friday. The quiz night was held at St Joseph’s Hall in Queens Park and attracted a crowd bigger than most had anticipated. Proceeds from the sale of all tickets went towards sending the ‘Our Lady Queen of Peace’ group to Sydney in July. The group consists of about 35 young Catholics from the Willagee, St John’s Pro Cathedral, Queens Park and East Cannington parishes. The evening began with a fitting prayer by Willagee parish priest Fr John Piumatti,

who was the evening’s quizmaster for most of the night.

Marlena Brabant, one of the many group leaders who organised the event, said she was delighted with the attendance. “It was better than we expected … we were only expecting about 180,” she said.

“All in all it was a good, social, fun night in the Catholic spirit … it was a big success.”

With tickets priced at just $8 and various raffles held throughout the night, Ms Brabant said more than $2000 was raised.

The group were also fortunate because some generous supporters donated the prizes awarded, which comprised more than $1000 in value. Fellow group leader Kathleen O’Hagan expressed her gratitude

Bronte welcomed into the Catholic Church

Held by godmother Aline Norris, with godfather Tim Norris, at left, and parents Jacinta and Troy Thompson, at right, six-month-old Bronte Erin Thompson was welcomed into the Catholic Church on March 8. It was a special celebration for the Kununnurra-based Thompson family with Fr Brian McKenna, who had wedded Bronte’s parents, celebrating the baptism at Corpus Christi church in Mosman Park.

Peter

to all who supported the night, on behalf of the group.

“We’d like to thank all the people who donated, we’d like to thank the parish of St Joseph’s for the use of their hall, and of course all those who attended,” she said.

“People have been so generous and the night would not have been possible otherwise.”

The individual parishes have all undertaken their own fundraising events for World Youth Day, as well as organising several larger events.

But the quiz night was easily the group’s biggest and most important fundraiser, according to Ms Brabant.

“We’ve done nothing so large-scale, this was the biggest and the best so far,” she said.

Looking to the future: An artist’s depiction of the new Bunbury Cathedral precinct, which was once just a pile of rubble after a cyclone shook the foundations of the previous

Dr Ern Manea

■ By Matthew Biddle

Ayoung historian from the University of Notre Dame has made a bright start to his research project on the second bishop of the Archdiocese of Perth.

Odhran O’Brien began work on the historical biography of Martin Griver – the Bishop of Perth from 1873 to 1886 – in August last year and has since made solid progress.

It was then that he was commissioned by the Archdiocese of Perth to complete the project as part of his master’s thesis and given a two-year research grant.

His first task is to complete his master’s thesis, after which he will produce a separate, larger biography for the Church.

The body of Bishop Griver, along with that of Bishop Matthew Gibney, was exhumed from St Mary’s Cathedral in 2006 after their discovery.

The 23-year-old said he had always had a keen interest in history which was enhanced when he began studying the subject at Notre Dame.

But in particular it was his involvement in the exhumation which created a strong internal desire to find out more about Bishop Griver.

“I started researching the two bishops we exhumed and discovered there was very little written about Griver, so that’s when I got an interest in him,” he said.

“Until the exhumation in 2006 of Griver … I think a lot of people had forgotten about him, so this is going to try to bring new light to his story.”

One of the only sources of information on Griver’s life was a booklet written by

Archbishop Goody, but its contents were limited. “It’s a good read, but it really only gives a very brief overview of Griver’s life,” Mr O’Brien said.

“This will be a much larger, detailed account of his life and we’ll try to make sure that it corrects some of the errors.”

The research project involves translating piles of letters written by Bishop Griver in Latin, Italian, Spanish and French. But the task has been made much easier by

the help of numerous volunteers. “There’s a large number of people involved, its not just me, its almost a group project really,” Mr O’Brien said.

During the time already spent on the project, much has been achieved, but due to the volume of material there is still a massive workload ahead.

According to Mr O’Brien, only “one or two per cent” of the documents have been translated so far. He said he hoped the even-

tual book would renew interest in the life of Bishop Griver. “That’s one of my main priorities, to have something that people will enjoy reading and therefore they’ll learn more about his life,” he said.

“I hope it also creates more interest in the history of Catholics in WA. “We want to achieve greater awareness of how the Catholic Church was established.”

Mr O’Brien said he had already discovered an array of interesting information about Bishop Griver.

“He had a great resilience to the hard circumstances here and he was very passionate about spreading the Catholic faith within WA,” he said.

“He was also a doctor and there’s a lot of letters that showed he was treating a lot of people, including some of the indigenous people at New Norcia and lots of clergy members.

“He lived a pretty amazing life … and he worked as a clerk during his studies to become a priest.”

Although using documents almost 150 years old to write a biography has its challenges, Mr O’Brien said he’s enjoying the project.

“It does get stressful at times, there is a lot to get done, but the enjoyment overshadows that,” he said.

But in order to complete the project before his grant expires, the young researcher desperately needs some help.

“If anyone has a knowledge of Spanish and would be interested in doing some translations, I would be very grateful if they got in contact with me,” Mr O’Brien said.

“If we can’t find more translators then we’ve just got to prioritise and do whatever we can in the time that we’ve got, and we won’t be able to look at everything.”

If you can help Odhran O’Brien in his historic project, he can be contacted on 0415 104 889 or via email: oobrien@nd.edu.au

Young Christians crave access to better communications

Continued from Page 1

chance

It

unique videos,

events, wikis, thoughts, news

more, all with a faithful flavour. FaithTrip

also act as an educational instrument for faith-based academic institutions.

A FaithTrip site manager and professional youth leader, Joseph Davies, 20, told me: “There is a distinctly renewed interest in religion, faith and spirituality among young people in Western Society today.

“FaithTrip will finally give us a clear reference and avenue to develop our

concept of faith and values through dialoguing opportunities.”

Bishop Peter Ingham, chair of the Media Advisory Commission of Australia’s episcopal conference, is enthusiastic about the initiative and noted the boundless potential for such a network.

“It’s a great long-term online communications strategy to service the communication needs of the enormous Church community,” he said.

“It’s also vital that the youth in search of meaning can be met and can meet us via the tools they are comfortable with.”

Although FaithTrip hasn’t been built around any particular event,

single community or charism, developers and youth leaders hope the site may help to link World Youth Day pilgrims before, during and after the event via forums and photo galleries of their friends and communities.

Also, they hope the site will do the same for other events, such as the Eucharistic Congress in Canada, and for the Church community in general.

The launch was timed to mark the feast of the Annunciation and Catholic Schools Week using the FaithTrip patron - a comic version of the Archangel Gabriel. This character, based on the biblical messenger of God, has already been

busy announcing the FaithTrip site on YouTube <http://www.youtube. com/user/faithtrip> and Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=1184195945> .

In just a few days since launching, FaithTrip Software Manager Michael Neylan says the site has attracted more new members and communities than anticipated for that amount of time.

Neylan, who has led a variety of test groups in the development of this software platform, encourages those new to the site to “enjoy what’s on offer now, but to expect a lot more enhancements to come as we aim to bring you to the Church and the universal Church to you.”

in brief...

Caritas says hungry would fill MCG 8200 times

Caritas Australia’s CEO Jack de Groot says malnutrition is already afflicting 820 million people around the world – and rising food prices are set to worsen the problem further. Caritas says the number of malnourished is 40 times the population of Australia, and could fill the MCG every weekend until the AFL finals of 2165. Mr de Groot said the United Nations’ World Food Program needs to refocus its activities to become not only a collection and distribution point for food aid.

Historian attempts to unravel Bishop Griver mystery.

Going back in time: Odhran O’Brien with some of the ancient letters he’s using to write a biography of Bishop Martin Griver. PHOTO: MATTHEW BIDDLE

Gregorian chant tour

■ By Matthew Biddle

The return of Gregorian chant to Perth parishes is underway, with Kelmscott the first to hold a one-day workshop in the sacred music.

Music scholar Andrew Cichy presented the workshop at the Good Shepherd parish on Saturday to an eager class of 20.

The aim of the workshop was to provide the participants with a basic Gregorian chant repertoire for use in the liturgy, which could be gradually developed in time.

The workshop began with prayers to St Cecilia (patroness of church music), St Gregory (founder of Gregorian chant) and St Thomas Aquinas (patron of students).

Mr Cichy then covered vocal technique and pronunciation, before going through, line by line, the entire Mass setting.

“I also taught them how to sing a couple of motets for use at the offertory and communion,” he said.

“They’re all taken from Pope Paul VI’s Jubilate Deo published in 1974, which really should be the minimum chant repertoire for any Catholic parish.”

He said he was satisfied the workshop had achieved its aims.

“The participants could go away, practise what they’ve learnt, and hopefully sing a Mass within a fortnight,” he said.

“The idea was to provide some beautiful music for Mass that’s accessible in time.”

Kelmscott parishioner Clive Maher attended the workshop and said it was a fantastic event.

“I was very happy and pleasantly surprised at the concept, the turnout, and at the end of the day, the success,” he said.

“We achieved so much in such

a short time.

“It’s a very difficult topic to cover – yet the majority of people left feeling they are now more educated and more accomplished.”

Mr Cichy agreed, saying he was extremely pleased with the results of the workshop.

“People came out of it with enough music to be able to sing at Mass and they’ve got the beginnings of a good Gregorian repertoire,” he said.

“The fundamentals are now in place, all they need to do is consolidate them and then begin to look at expanding their repertoire.”

Although he is also conducting a more in-depth 10-week course in Gregorian chant, Mr Cichy said he would be happy to do more oneday workshops at parishes.

“Any priest interested in having a workshop in their parish can contact me and we’ll discuss their particular musical needs and try to develop something that is appropriate to that parish,” he said.

“The second Vatican council encouraged the use of Gregorian chant, and what I’m trying to do is put a Gregorian repertoire, or at least a part of it, back into the congregation.”

The response from Kelmscott parishioners was overwhelmingly positive and very encouraging, according to Mr Cichy.

“It showed the interest is out there and that Gregorian chant is quite accessible,” he said.

“The people took to the melodies and took to them fairly quickly.

“Essentially it shows that Gregorian chant is an accessible art form, that it’s not too difficult for the people in the pews, and that it will add a very beautiful dimension to the liturgy.”

St Jerome’s farewells Fr Valerio

Born in 1943 in Italy, Fr Valerio Fenoglio took his first religious vows as a Somascan in 1960 and was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

Fr Valerio’s missionary odyssey started a few years later when he went to India on an exploration basis, on behalf of a humanitarian organisation. During his journey, he was inspired by his encounter with Mother Teresa of Calcutta, at the Calcutta leprosarium.

In 1980 Fr Valerio was sent to the Philippines with two Somascan confreres, to open the first Somascan community and seminary in Asia.

Fr Valerio spent almost 20 years in that beautiful country, devoting himself to a variety of forms of apostolate: seminarians’ formation, pastoral care in parishes and especially youth ministry in schools and orphanages (which is the preferential “charism” of the Somascan Congregation).

In 2000, Fr Valerio was sent to Bangalore, India, to assume the role of Novice Master. Some of the

young men who were his novices are now reaching the stage of priestly ordination. In 2004, due to immigration problems (he was in India with a mere tourist visa), Fr Valerio moved to the neighbouring country of Sri Lanka where the Somascans had just established the first “Boys’ Home” (an orphanage for boys). He had no time to settle, however. In April that year, his superiors asked him to go to Perth where Archbishop Hickey, being informed of the Somascans’ expertise in the field of youth ministry,

had requested the presence of this Congregation in his Diocese.

In December 2004 Fr Valerio was appointed parish priest at St Jerome’s, Spearwood, and a few months later – with the arrival of Fr Johnson and Fr Giovanni – the first Somascan community in Australia was a concrete reality.

Now, Fr Valerio has received the “obedience” to leave behind everything once again, and to start from scratch in a new country. He will be in charge of the formation of the first group of Somascan novices in Sri Lanka.

Students graduate from unique college

■ By Matthew Biddle

Wednesday was a night to remember for two young students who graduated from the Acts 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation.

Patrick McCabe and Seamus Jordan both received a Certificate IV in Christian Ministry after completing the one-year course.

The awards were presented by college patron, Archbishop Barry Hickey, who celebrated Mass before the ceremony.

Following the graduation was the commissioning of the nine full-time students studying at the college this year – which involved praying over each one for success in their studies.

Mr Jordan also received the Excellence award for 2007 – which rewards excellence in studies, attitude, and in the pursuit of faith development.

College principal Jane Borg described both graduates as “very diligent students”.

“They’re both very commited Catholics, they’re active in their church, and they’re now studying at Notre Dame, continuing their faith education,” she said.

As part of their course, the students were required to fulfill 120 hours of practical work – 30 hours of works of mercy and 90 hours of evangelisation.

The college, which is based in Osborne Park, is in its fourth year of operation, and is staffed entirely by volunteers.

Mrs Borg said each course offered by the college provides students with fantastic skills in a year of intense study.

“The students receive training in communication and group skills, a variety of life skills, as well as a broad-based studies on Scripture, church teachings, church history and doctrine,” she said.

“They’re in a complete Catholic environment here – we start with Mass every day, they have corporate

prayer together twice a week – they’re totally immersed in their faith while they’re here.”

The aim of the college is to form students to be missionary in their actions and words so they can help others evangelise while living a normal life. It takes its name from the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, which recounts the events of Pentecost.

Mrs Borg said the college has gradually grown since its inception and was confident the trend would continue. “The first couple of years we started with three full-time students, last year we had seven, this year we have nine,” she said.

“The college also has up to 30 part-time students, in both day and evening courses.

“We are hoping for a further intake of full-time students in second semester after World Youth Day, and hopefully next year we’ll have even more.”

Monks sign CD deal-Vista 3

Missed: Fr Valerio Fenoglio will be missed by all his parishioners at Spearwood parish.

Esteemed company: Acts 2 College graduates Patrick McCabe (left) and Seamus Jordan (right) with Archbishop Barry Hickey.

PHOTO: MIKE SANDRINI

the Parish

Celebrating 100 years of service

St Columba’s Primary School in South Perth celebrated its centenary year with a Mass, exhibition and supper on the evening of March 28.

The occasion was also a night to honour the dedication and labour of the founding orders of St Columba’s, past and present staff, parents, students and the wider community whose involvement over the last century has contributed to the ongoing development of the school.

The Centenary Mass was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton together with Fr Henry Byrne, a former curate of St Columba’s Parish, and Fr Michael Casey, the current Parish Priest.

Everyone met in the school undercover area after Mass for an official traditional Aboriginal ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony followed by grace and supper.

Many took the opportunity to meet up with other past students and friends and to relive memories as they walked around the school.

The school classrooms and archival display in the Parish Hall were open until about 10pm. The many items of memorabilia on display gave the viewer a real sense of the story and history of St Columba’s.

The evening was the first of a number of functions that have been planned for the year.

Later in the year there will be a gala ball and a school fete. The school can be contacted on 9367 3666 for further details.

School Principal Mr Chris Lamb

The Founders

In 1908, the Sisters of Mercy were asked to establish a school in South Perth, on land purchased by Bishop Gibney. The Sisters travelled to and from their convent in Victoria Park by horse and buggy each day and continued to provide an education to the local children until 1915.

In 1915, the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart took over the running of the ‘church school’, after they had established themselves in a convent in the former residence of the architect, Mr Dennehy, in York Street South Perth. The ‘church school’ was now called Mount St Joseph’s and had an enrolment of 66 students.

In 1919, two additional wings were added to the original ‘church school’ and, on completion, were used as classrooms. This left the hall as a kindergarten during the week and a Mass centre on Sundays. In 1936, St Columba’s Church was built and in 1938 the

told The Record that the positive feedback and success of the evening was testimony to the hard work of the many volunteers who had worked for its success.

name of the school was changed back to St Columba’s School.

In January, 1948 the foundations of a new school were laid, but the buildings were not completed until 1949 because of the post-war shortages of building materials.

The new buildings comprised three classrooms, a rest room for the Sisters and a cloakroom. The new school buildings were finally opened and blessed by the Archbishop of Perth, the Reverend Prendiville, on Sunday 6 February 1949 and were soon filled to capacity.

The school remained under the administration of the Sisters of St Joseph for seven decades. The first lay principal, Mr Jim Green, was appointed in 1986.

In 2008 we celebrate one hundred years of Catholic education and remember the dedication of the founders of our present school. We praise and thank God for giving us these wonderful people who have contributed to the formation of our school.

A special day: Members of the St Columba’s community help to make the centenary celebration one to remember. Many members of the school and church community have generously donated their time and skills over the years.

Looking back: The original school, established in 1908 by the Sisters of Mercy has undergone some great changes over the years.

All together: Parishioners and members of the school community enjoy a shared meal after the centenary Mass, on March 28.

History: Jim Green and other community members enjoy a reminiscent look at the historical display on show at the school during the centenary celebrations, on March 28.

Memories: A well presented historical display detailed the history of St Columba’s parish and primary school. Many visitors marvelled at the changes that the church and school have undergone and the rich traditions of faith that are still a part of the Catholic community in South Perth.

in brief...

After World Youth Day, the National Youth Gathering

The Australian bishops have moved to ensure World Youth Day makes a lasting difference by announcing a National Youth Gathering in November. The Bishops’ Commission for Pastoral Life will sponsor the November gathering which will try to tap into the expected enthusiasm and spiritual awakening associated with the papal pilgrimage to Sydney in July.

Commission member Bishop Joseph Grech said the gathering would be a significant post-World Youth Day event for people involved in youth ministry. He said the gathering would enable youth leaders to be part of a national forum to pave the way for future pastoral care of young people by the Church in Australia. It will also afford discussion of issues facing young Catholics. The commission will soon begin seeking registration from youth workers and leaders.

Disabled are spiritual too: newsletter

The problem of “one-hour friends” – people in church who are kind to disabled people during a weekly church service, but do not involve the disabled in other aspects of their lives – was highlighted in a recent presentation at Australian Catholic University by a visiting UK Professor of Practical Theology, John Swinton.

Prof. Swinton’s research on the spiritual lives of people with intellectual disabilities is one issue highlighted in the autumn edition of “We have a story,” the quarterly newsletter of the National Network for Disability and Spirituality. The newsletter is available on the website of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, acbc.catholic.org.au .

ACL to Rudd: what about marriage?

Kevin Rudd’s 2020 summit should consider the state of marriage in Australia as an urgent priority, the Australian Christian Lobby said in an official submission to the summit. In its submission, the Lobby advocates a national campaign to promote the benefits of stronger marriages, and free vouchers for marriage preparation courses.

ACL managing director Jim Wallace said studies show marriage is fundamental to a healthy society, and far more beneficial than cohabitation. He also argued strong marriages play a vital role in facilitating social justice, because families that are strongly bound together are better able to avoid the disadvantages associated with family breakdown, such as poor educational achievement, teenage pregnancy, homelessness and criminal behaviour.

the Nation

Bishop praises school over sex-shop

The bishop of Townsville has praised a Catholic school and its parents for taking a public stand against the opening of a sex shop immediately across the road from the school.

The opening of an “adult” store opposite St Catherine’s primary school in Proserpine, near the Whitsunday Island tourist resorts, sparked outrage around Queensland and attracted national media coverage last week.

The issue was brought to public attention by the actions of parents, the school principal and the parish priest, said Proserpine’s local bishop, Michael Putney from Townsville.

The attention has provoked a strong political reaction with the State Government of Queensland now promising to review planning regulations which have allowed the problem to emerge.

The St Catherine’s controversy has also had a flow-on effect, with residents on Queensland’s Gold Coast last week raising a new storm of anger through the secular media after another sex shop was opened near a youth skating park.

“Right from the first rumour of this shop opening near the school, the parish priest and principal wrote to the council and everyone

they could to protest,” Bishop Putney told The Record. Now, the whole community is very much behind the St Catherine’s community and against the introduction of the sex shop near it, the bishop said. “The Mayor supports them, the Council supports them. Everyone’s on their side.”

However Queensland’s planning regulations mean there is nothing that can legally be done to stop the shop opening opposite the school.

Bishop Putney described the shop’s opening as “one of those unhappy results that happens because the regulations were too loose.”

Last week, Queensland’s Acting Premier Paul Lucas promised the Queensland government would consult with the state’s local government association regarding what it called “potential changes” to regulations on the location of adult stores.

“We want to be sensible about this,” Mr Lucas said. The Acting Premier described sex shops as “legitimate businesses,” but said he understood “some communities” are concerned about them opening too close to schools.

He promised the Government would look

at ways to regulate the shops’ proximity to schools.

Bishop Putney would not comment on whether the State Government had been tough enough by expressing these intentions, but said, “I suspect the pressure on them is great”.

However, last week it appeared there was little likelihood the Proserpine adult shop would be obliged to shut down, even if the regulations are amended.

Under Queensland’s existing planning regulations, adult shops cannot be located in industrial areas but are legal in retail precincts.

The Proserpine shop was allowed to open after it leased a retail space near St Catherine’s. Just days after the State Government promised a planning review, another controversy broke out on the Gold Coast, with another sex shop given permission to open only metres away from a taxpayer-funded youth skate park.

The Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper quoted a local councillor who said: “It’s a highly inappropriate setting.” Another councillor argued adult businesses had to be allowed into sex shops because they were denied permission to open in industrial areas.

Aussies deliver message on grandparents

■ By Paul Gray

About 20,000 grandparents in Australia have become the prime carers of their grandchildren, most often because of drug and alcohol problems among the parents, a Pontifical Council for the Family meeting in Rome was told.

Two Australian members of the Council, Ron and Mavis Pirola from Sydney, spoke at the body’s 18th Plenary Assembly this month. They said while the care of grandchildren is one of the great joys of grandparents, it can also be a heavy burden.

Australian law does not require grandparents to undertake the role of prime carers of grandchildren, the Pirolas said in a joint paper delivered at the meeting. “However, out of love they do so readily often at great personal cost. It is a phenomenon that is independent of economic circumstances.

“Indeed, in some of the most disadvantaged Aboriginal communities, the care of grandchildren by grandparents is quite inspirational,” Mr and Mrs Pirola said.

An opening Mass for the Pontifical Council for the Family Assembly was held in St Peter’s Basilica, with Cardinal George Pell the principal celebrant.

The Council has 20 member couples including the Pirolas. Other experts, consultors and representatives of family and life movements within the Church also attended the Assembly.

Demographic changes around the world have meant the proportion of grandparents

Represented

www.allenorganswa.com

and grandchildren is at its highest level in history, the Assembly was told, and the ratio will increase further.

The stabilising influence of grandparents in children’s lives was also highlighted at the Assembly. The collective wisdom and memories of grandparents are like a ‘library of values’ for society, providing a sense of continuity and hope for the future.

Grandparents can also play a crucial role in passing on the faith to the younger gen-

eration. This role is of increasing importance in modern society and it needs to be affirmed, the Assembly was told. However, family breakdown and increasing geographical mobility – the relocation of families, often for work purposes – provide major challenges to the role of grandparents.

Respect for the elderly was also being undermined by some contemporary attitudes. The Assembly concluded after an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

Rudd signals focus on religious values

Continued from Page 1

In that capacity he led the Australian delegation to the Fourth International Dialogue on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and Harmony, held in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh this month.

The Dialogue was initiated in 2004 by then-Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, in a joint initiative with the Government of Indonesia.

It was designed to bring about faith-to-faith consultation between Muslims in Indonesia and people of other faiths, at a time of rising concern over Islamic extremism.

Dialogues have since been held annually in different countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The meetings constitute an attempt to reduce religious extremism across the region by marshalling local forces of religious moderation.

Questioned by The Record about the Rudd Government’s attitude

towards religion, Mr McMullan said there is “unity in the diversity” of religious belief in Australia.

In his own international development portfolio, for example, he has noticed that all Australians, regardless of religious affiliation, have a strong sense of moral obligation to help and collaborate with other people around the world.

He said the Rudd Government wants to promote interfaith harmony in the Asia-Pacific region, and to this end Australia co-hosted a Regional Youth Interfaith Forum in December.

Mr McMullan said Australia has also held regular exchanges between Australian Muslim leaders and their counterparts in Indonesia, the Philippines and southern Thailand. Australia has also supported some 30 grassroots interfaith initiatives in the Philippines. Some of this work has been done in the

media and education sectors. Mr McMullan said it was critical faith communities were ready to speak to one another.

“People at the grassroots level first must understand how their own faith promotes acceptance and love for their fellow man, no matter what their religion,” he said.

“And they need to be encouraged to be open to other faiths.”

Mr McMullan said ordinary lay people ought to become involved in interfaith cooperation.

“Widening the dialogue beyond the interfaith experts to broader lay communities of both practising and non-practising people is important,” he said.

In addition, governments should only be involved in promoting religious harmony up to a certain point, according to Mr McMullan. “Success or failure rests with community leaders,” he said.

Pride and joy: Ron and Mavis Pirola from Sydney hand Pope Benedict XVI a photo of their eight granchildren during the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family in Rome.

PHOTO:

the Nation

Archbishop Little dies at 82

■ By Paul Gray

The former Archbishop of Melbourne, Sir Frank Little, has been remembered as a man who was happier being a simple priest than in being a leader burdened with the responsibilities of Episcopal office.

Archbishop Little died in his sleep at home in Melbourne last week. He was 82.

It was Archbishop Little’s resignation for health reasons in 1996 which led to the elevation of then Bishop George Pell – now Cardinal Pell – to the rank of Archbishop.

Cardinal Pell’s successor in Melbourne, Archbishop Denis Hart, told The Record last week that Archbishop Little “was always a man of great humility and compassion.” He was a man who built friendships everywhere he went as a priest.

The late Archbishop showed “constant gratitude” for the gifts of faith and life, and was loved by many people because of this, Archbishop Hart said.

Archbishop Little was ordained to the priesthood at Propaganda Fide college in Rome in 1950, and was consecrated a bishop by Cardinal James Knox during the International Eucharistic Congress in 1973.

A year later he succeeded Cardinal Knox as Archbishop of Melbourne. Last week numerous commentators observed that Archbishop Little found the tasks of Episcopal office burdensome, and frequently worried greatly over the details of projects.

In an obituary, Melbourne auxiliary bishop Christopher Prowse recalled Archbishop Little’s own version of how he learned of his appointment to the See of Melbourne.

This occurred while the future Archbishop, who was a lifelong Essendon football fan, was visiting a friend’s house on his way to a match between Essendon and Collingwood.

“I was told there was a foreigner on the phone,” Archbishop Little later wrote. “It was the Pro-nuncio

who said the Holy Father had chosen me for the See of Melbourne.

Two minutes later he said ‘are you still there?’ I said I would call him the next day.

Archbishop Little completed the story: “I rang him on the morrow after a brilliant Essendon victory and said if that was the wish of the Holy Father I would have to accept it.”

Questioned by The Record about whether his predecessor had been more comfortable in the role of priest or bishop, Archbishop Hart said that after retirement he returned to more ordinary priestly duties with enthusiasm. “He liked it and he excelled in the role,” he said. Archbishop Hart said once the burdens of Episcopal office were removed, the pastoral gifts of Archbishop Little shone through.

Up until his death Archbishop Little remained active in the priestly role. He had agreed to launch a new book edited by Fr Anthony Paganoni on April 27. The book, The Pastoral Care of Italians¸ was a natural topic of interest for the late Archbishop who was active helping Italian migrant families settle in Australia, in his early years as a priest in the 1950s and 1960s.

As Archbishop, Sir Frank Little was also active in supporting lay movements such as the Teams of Our Lady, and in encouraging ecumenical initiatives. He himself was close friends with the late Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, Frank Woods.

Archbishop Little was made a Knight Commander of the British Empire in 1977. Archbishop Hart said he had once heard the late Archbishop relate the story of how, as a young boy of seven or eight, he had crept down the corridor of his family home late at night and walked into his father’s study.

His father, who had lost a leg in World War I, was kneeling, with his head in his hands, praying.

Archbishop Little said seeing his own father expressing faith this way came as a terrific shock to him. He said this became a defining moment in his life.

in brief...

Lawyers swell Sydney seminary ranks

Three ex-lawyers - two of whom once crossed swords in court on opposite sides in a car insurance case - are among the latest batch of seminarians to undertake priestly studies in the Sydney archdiocesan seminary. Christian Irdi from Perth, another lawyer, is also among nine first year seminarians at Sydney’s Good Shepherd Seminary in 2008.

The story of the three lawyers caught the eye of a secular Sydney newspaper, the Inner West Weekly, this month. In addition to the nine first year seminarians, the Sydney seminary has another 35 candidates enrolled for the priesthood in later years of study, including deacons. Meanwhile the number of priesthood candidates enrolled in Melbourne’s archdiocesan seminary is 48, an increase of about 50 per cent in the past few years.

Father’s essential role in upbringing confirmed

Fathers are often missing from family life and this puts their children at a considerable disadvantage, research over the last 20 years has revealed.

A Swedish team reviewed 24 published studies and found active, involved fathers, or “father figures”, protect boys from developing behavioural problems and girls from psychological problems.

The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will be assisting up to 100 youth from Sudan, Myanmar (formerly Burma) and other poor and oppressed countries, attend World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney, 15 – 20 July 2008. Without financial assistance, youth from these poor and oppressed countries, would not be able to respond to the Pope’s invitation for all youth of the world to attend WYD.

ACN sponsored the youth delegation, pictured left, to WYD in Cologne 2005. These young people from Sudan returned home and spread the good news of their meeting.

James Shawish will never forget the words of the Holy Father. “He encouraged us to feel united with God, our country and the world at large. He urged us to go and proclaim what we had heard to our friends, to their families and to share what we had experienced when we were together as brothers and sisters from all over the world.”

Perspectives

Philosophy is needed

editorial letters to the editor Around t he tabl e dnuorA t eh lbat e

Fifty years ago. It was easy to get involved in a philosophical argument about politics. Indeed, it was often hard to avoid philosophical arguments about politics. Today, it is almost impossible to find either an argument or a philosophy. Here in Western Australia, the philosophical divide was essentially between the Labor Party’s belief in socialism and the Liberal philosophy of private enterprise.

The philosophies were genuine attempts to describe the circumstances that were best for the full expression of human nature and they had real effects on the business of government, effects that reached a watershed when the Liberals won the 1959 election and remained in office for 12 years. Those old enough to recall 1959 will remember that the State under Labor owned a number of business enterprises such as sawmills and brick works, as well as administrative bodies to buy and supply all sorts of materials to Government departments. The Liberals sold many state industries (but not all of them) and one of their first executive decisions was to instruct departments to buy their supplies wherever they could get the best service and best price.

Within a decade, even the Labor Party had abandoned socialism as an unworkable system and an unbelievable philosophy. That was the end of philosophical debate in Australia, and, sadly, the end of any serious attempt to propose a philosophy that might guide government in this State or in Australia as a whole.

THE RECORD

PO Box 75

Leederville, WA 6902 cathrec@iinet.net.au

Tel: (08) 9227 7080

Fax: (08) 9227 7087

At about the same time, Australia lost most of its understanding of the need for a coherent, truth-based moral code that would guide personal and community life. In 1958, most people knew the Ten Commandments and even if they could not recite them, they could recognise them when someone else named them. Along with that recognition there existed a strong awareness that knowledge of right and wrong were fundamental to personal, family and social life. Human weakness still abounded, but it always bumped against a communal awareness of the need for right behaviour beyond even the limits of the criminal code. In fact, the criminal code was entirely based on the Christian understanding of moral law, and it may have been far more effective if it had been known as ‘the moral law, and what society will do to protect it’ or some such positive description of its meaning and purpose instead of the uninspiring and unenlightening ‘criminal code’.

The means of mass communication (not yet called ‘the media’) were expected, and generally expected themselves, to support truth, goodness and beauty. Today, the terms ‘truth’ and ‘moral law’ are largely irrelevant in public communication and are frequently resented as impositions on ‘freedom’. This is odd in a particularly odd way. If anything could be said to have taken over our minds, it is the belief that we are ‘scientific’ thinkers. We are not, but we have been intimidated into thinking that we can’t have a belief unless it is ‘scientific’. Well, science has demonstrated beyond dispute that human beings are made in truth. The polygraph, or lie detector, shows that every system in the complex structure of the human person is weakened whenever we so much as prepare to tell a lie. The Christian moral law is the most serious attempt ever made to describe the truth of human nature. It is the most rational program for human thought and behaviour ever devised, it is backed up by endless experience of what happens to individuals and societies when they ignore it, and we now have scientific evidence that truth of thought and action are fundamental to who we are. Collectively, however, we still do not want to know about it.

The worst examples of our addiction to untruth are in our attitudes to marriage and children. People enter marriage with a commitment to love one another for life. They join their lives totally and pledge to cherish and protect that union forever. And yet, after many years of that commitment and the expectation that their life will continue in that union, people can wake up one day to find their life partner has gone. Every study done by social scientists demonstrates that married couples are healthier, wealthier, happier and better contributors to society than their divorced counterparts, but even so this gross betrayal of marriage happens so often in our society that ‘it’s just the way it is these days’.

The betrayal of children is at least equally bad. They are not single-parent creatures. They are the fruit of two parents and they need the love of two parents. Many children are deprived of a parent for inescapable reasons (death of a parent being a good example), but nobody has yet produced a study that advocates this pathway. Early in this 50-year period, when the rush to abandon children began, many of the vociferous argued that children would be better off if their parents split up rather than persist in an unhappy marriage. Fifty years of countless studies have consistently proved the contrary, and they have likewise proved that parents can far more easily learn to live their marriage properly than their children can learn to live with the incomprehensible suffering of the division of their parents, which is in truth the division of themselves. Yet the abandonment of children goes on at the rate of about 50,000 a year.

Last week’s published figures about the growth in the number of abortions and the continuing growth in the number of teenagers and young adults with sexually transmitted diseases are just two more examples that we have abandoned the truth about our sexual nature. But the truth exists and every month or so figures are published to show us that we are suffering dreadfully for ignoring it. Unfortunately, no amount of evidence seems to stimulate our community leaders into developing a truthful description – or philosophy - of who we are.

And if anyone is uncertain about whether politics is suffering from the lack of any coherent philosophy of who we are, just look at the farcical behaviour in recent times of Parliament’s privilege committees, the CCC, the parliamentary inspector, the premier and anyone else who can get involved. They don’t know who they are, what the parliament is, and what its agencies are supposed to do for it. We are rapidly degenerating into an incoherent people.

Happy from afar

The Record received this note attached to a subscription renewal form:

Yes, we wish to renew.

Although we are long time expatriates from WA, we find the Record very interesting and informative. It also has a great range of instructional and inspirational articles.

R Finnegan Holder ACT

Happy with the TV, for a change

Iwould like to share with you that I’ve had Catholic TV in my living room for about two months now. I would like to highly recommend it. EWTN means Eternal Word Television Network. These excellent programs come from the State of Alabama in the United States of America

Instead of some of the timewasting stuff and outright seductive and sinful shows our senses are assailed with on the ordinary channels please choose EWTN. Providentially founded by a Poor Clare Religious Sister called Mother Angelica and her community about 15 years ago, it operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week into Australia. You only need to install the Satellite Optus D2 small dish on your roof, something like the Foxtel dish. There are no additional or hidden costs or monthly subscriptions.

Installation of EWTN does not interfere with your normal Television Channel viewing. It will give you more choice and enrich your family’s understanding of our wonderful Catholic faith. It will give you a fuller understanding of God and His path for you in this life and the next. You can download full programme schedules from www. ewtn.com

I suggest you have a browse of this wonderful internet website.

“It is one of the most important evangelising initiatives of recent times. It is making a significant contribution to the life of the Church in Australia and I wholeheartedly recommend it.” (Cardinal George Pell, Sydney)

There are excellent shows you can watch or tape for the children and young adults. You get the latest in Catholic news around the globe. Questions and Answers that are wise and orthodox. “Journey Home” is hosted by a former Presbyterian minister and features many well known converts and returnees who delve into their diverse and always compelling reasons for their ‘journey home to the Catholic faith. “Threshold of Hope” with Fr Mitch Pacwa SJ is excellent too. You can see the General Audiences with the Holy Father. Interviews with young enthusiastic Catholics and persons who have written books. You can have a look at other Christian channels too. Good Christian music too. The cost will be approx $400.00- and a once only.

A friendly Christian from Perenjori, John Morris, who got me off and running, is ready to take your call and advise you how to connect. 9973 4131.

Let me give the last word to Peter and Margaret Thomas of Tardun, parents of 5 and grandparents of 8 who have experienced EWTN even a little long-

er than me. “We hardly watch other channels now. Housework is a little more difficult now but I think I am getting quicker! It is certainly enjoyable and uplifting. We don’t regret the expense and would advise every Catholic family to get EWTN”

Fr Brian Ahearn, parish priest Dongara

Alleluia, Alleluia and Happy Easter to you.

The following letter was received recently from Fr Luis Ruiz in Macao.

Christ is risen and we will follow Him. Fr Azpiroz SJ is also sending his greeting to you. Fr Azpiroz will be away from Macau for a year and a half to finish his Jesuit formation. Meanwhile, Guang-Chi studio from Taiwan have made a video of my work in China. I will send one to you.

Thank God, the Chinese Government wants to improve some leprosariums here so they are capable of receiving more patients. I have received the enclosed letter from the Sisters and I am sending a copy on to you to see how they are working – wonderful.

With a renewed Easter greeting, I pray for you, and God bless you.

Fr Luis Ruiz

Edited letter from Sisters in Hanchuan working with Fr Ruiz and the Jesuits

Thanks for the Lord that He lets us pass a year safely and smoothly, and now here we are in 2008. The Sisters who serve in Hanchuan centre send their compliment to you during this New Year and wish you good health.

We want to report to you regarding our work. Everything has been going smoothly for the last two years. We have managed to introduce improvements especially in the hygiene of the dining-hall here, the environment both inside and outside the Hanchuan centre, in medical hygiene and particularly in group living of the patients.

The patients seldom quarrel – which is a big improvement. They love the Sisters as parents because of the concern, support and love they receive from the Sisters.

We feel we have been coordinating our work quite well and have been responsible and careful in caring for the patients.

In particular we have been very careful in treating ulcera-

tions among patients. Sr Zhang and Sr Wu will depart for training in June, while patients are using the bandages, ointment, scissors, sticks and sponges given to us by Fr Roberto.

The patients really do appreciate the care provided through Casa Ricci Social Services; they are quite happy and thank the Lord and the Jesuit Fathers. We went on retreat in turn to Hanzhong and Xichang in July and August, for the benefit of both our physical and spiritual lives. Moreover, you asked Fr Fermin SJ to come to prepare the spiritual work for us every year. We presume that we get the special, abundant love from the Lord and also raise our spiritual view.

Thus, this act increases our services with the sense of the Holiness and Mission so as to have the power and energy to present our love because of our loving God.

In November, Fr Fernando and Fr Gao came to see us and we were extremely grateful for their visit.

In December, Mr Hu arranged a celebration of Christmas. The patients and the sisters rehearsed happily every night in preparation. There were also many performances from representatives of other places near here. The purpose was to activate the living of the patients, to raise their cultural thinking and standards.

The spectacular performances were better than last year. The patients also invited our Superior and another three Sisters to join the Christmas party. The village committee also invited a musical band. Fishermen who live and work nearby came to dance and sing with us at the party.

Because so many people were present we put in limited money to build the canopy in the courtyard. More than one hundred attended the traditional event. We would appreciate it if you, the Fathers, can support us.

In January, we observed the 21st World Leprosy Day. We worked busily on the hygiene of the leprosarium. Those in attendance for this event included our Superior, the Central Health Department, the Provincial Health Department, the Red Cross, the Disabled Society, the city Health Department, the Bureau of Civil Affairs and other officials.

The priests from Wuhan Diocese organised Catholic primary, middle-school and college students to come and visit, presenting gifts and money. The patients were much moved.

We have often visited the lonely old people in old folks’ home, to give them clothes and medicine, to clean up their rooms and blankets. We also helped the old men in the village.

Our efforts have gained respect and support from local people, and praise from the community.

Vista

the MAN he could be

Mothers are not irrelevant to their sons - although many seem to assume that they are - at least, compared to a father. Two Record staff (Justine, married with two sons and one daughter) and Caroline (sole parent with one son), pictured at right, review a fascinating book exploring how critical and characterbuilding a mother’s influence can be in her son’s life.

Preparing him for the other woman – a mother’s guide to raising her son to love a wife and lead a family

By Sheri Rose Shepherd

RRP $25.95 + postage

Available from The Record

RESOURCES FOR LIFE

This book is for every mother. It particularly focuses on preparing your son or sons to become the best husband and father that they can be. However all mothers will take something away from this beautifully written book that places life learning at the feet of God, the true father.

Sheri Rose Shepherd is a popular Christian conference speaker in America where she has been featured on Lifetime Television for Women and NBC’s Inside Edition. Her book Life is not a dress rehearsal has been endorsed by Women of Faith.

Reading how Shepherd was inspired to write this book draws at every mother’s heartstrings. She addresses an amazing concept, beginning by asking the crucial question, ‘What kind of husband will your son grow up to be?’

It offers hope to mothers regardless of their family situations.

In a world with a 50 per cent divorce rate both inside and outside the Church, where pornography is no longer a hidden shame but endorsed as acceptable entertainment, where boys have better relationships with their play stations, televisions and computers than they have with their families, this book makes essential reading and gives real hope that you can raise your son to one day love, lead and protect a wife and family in today’s world.

Shepherd argues that it is imperative

that a mother builds the spiritual foundations so that her son can become a man with a godly heart.

Shepherd is specific when she says that this book is not meant as a replacement for the role a father plays in his son’s life and that we all know how important a Godly, loving father is. You are blessed if you have one.

But one in four homes today is without a man in the house at all and others have fathers who have given up or never learned the key role they are meant to play.

Shepherd offers hope by saying that although, as a mother, you cannot replace the father role you can raise what she calls a ‘modern day hero’ who will do right by his wife and family. She reasons that it is our

responsibility as mothers and that we can build and show our sons, through our own mother-son relationships - that as mothers we need to share a spiritual intimacy with our son to show him how to fight for love, and that it is worth it!

“Shepherd showed me that I, too, have a huge role in preparing my son for his future wife and family.”

The chapters are short, easy to read and practical, with bible readings and prayers, to inspire. Shepherd divides each chapter into four sections: Life Happens, A Mother’s Influence, A Mother in Action; divided into age groups relevant to your sons stages of development, which makes it practical and easy to follow. She then concludes chapters with The Big Picture

Justine: As a mother of sons I found this book particularly heartening as ‘life does happen,’ and sometimes we get lost along the way, becoming caught up in daily chores and forgetting that we are not just meant to survive our children’s childhood, but to parent for our children to become adults.

I found myself guilty, perhaps, of passing off ‘the boy stuff’ to my husband and maybe not being as involved as I should be. Shepherd showed me that I too have a huge role in preparing my son for his future wife and family.

Mother knows: Justine, left, and Caroline find Sheri Rose Shepherd’s ‘Raising him for the other woman’ refreshing, insightful and full of hope. It reasserts the importance of a mother’s role in the life of her sons.

Pope to find US Protestants more recep

Benedict XVI will be welcomed by many American Protestants when he visits the US next week.

■ By Gerald McDermott

When Pope Benedict XVI goes to America next week, he will find a religious landscape different from that which greeted his predecessor John Paul II. He will be greeted by an American Catholicism that has been haemorrhaging non-

Hispanic whites, mainline Protestants who have diminished in numbers and importance, and the emergence of evangelicalism as the largest religious tradition in America.

Benedict may also find less Protestant hostility to Rome and the papacy than at any previous time in American history.

These are some of the startling implications of the most important survey of American religion in decades.

In February 2008 the Pew Research Centre released its first report on the “US Religious Landscape Survey,” a massive study that conducted 35,000 in-depth interviews of a representative sample of American adults between May and August 2007.

The other woman in his life

from

Continued

Caroline: As a single parent raising a son I have been bewildered as to the profound influence his father has on him for some years with so little contact. Witnessing first-hand just how deep the male bond can be, I found myself questioning whether I could even compare. I was given this book at a time when my heartache was as its peak only to find that, yes, a mother plays a significant role in her son ‘s life and that it is just as important. Not only that, it has been able to guide me in how I should approach certain key areas.

Justine: This book also made me consider how my sons related to, and treated their sister and also how my daughter related to them. I found that often if my sons were not particularly nice to my daughter (perhaps an understatement) I would express my dislike in terms of how they were treating another person. After reading this book I now get them to think about her feelings, her point of view and how their actions may have affected her. In Shepherd’s words ‘preparing him for one of the greatest challenges: understanding that his words and actions have the power to either hurt or heal a woman’s heart’

Caroline: Once, my son turned to me during Sunday Mass and asked why the same man had to take up the collection. I explained it was his job. No sooner had I said that than I

saw it as opportunity to elaborate. I explained that this man wanted to do something good for God so that God can be happy with him.

It is not so much about whether the explanation I gave my son could have been said differently, but more about learning to take advantage of life’s opportunities to help my son grow.

This book has enlightened me about ways I can steer him towards a relationship with God, which has been becoming more of an issue to me in establishing his faith with his church. I foresee myself referring to it many times as guidance and for support.

We have both found this book thought provoking and profoundly moving in many ways. People say that when you read a book you learn only one thing from it. With this book there are a handful of important lessons.

Shepherd has provided a clearer path by channeling a mother’s intuition into practical ways of enhancing the mother-son relationship. It also challenges your thinking and proves that a mother’s role is not to be underestimated, and even more valuable than you may realise. She shows that, with God’s guidance and our prayers, training and influence in our sons’ lives we can equip the next generation of men. We hope you take the time to read it and that it illuminates your role as a mother in your son’s life just as much as it has done for us.

Some things have stayed the same in American religion.

For example, atheists and agnostics taken together still number only 4 percent of American adults, and Protestants still outnumber Catholics by more than 2 to 1.

But there are striking differences. The Protestant market share is shrinking markedly: as recently as the 1980s Protestants were twothirds of the adult population, but now they are only 51 percent.

According to the Landscape Survey’s summary, “The United States is on the verge of becoming a minority Protestant country.”

There is also a new “loosening of denominationalism.” More than one-quarter of American adults (28 percent) have left the faith in which they were raised in favour of another religion— or no religion at all.

16 percent of American adults say they are unaffiliated with any particular religion.

But one-third of these people are adopting the European pattern of “believing without belonging.” They say religion is “important” to them, but they haven’t joined a religious group.

No American religion has lost more than Catholicism: 32 percent of those raised Catholic have left the Church — half of those have become Protestant, usually joining an evangelical church.

The American Catholic Church has retained its market share—one-fourth of America—but only because of Hispanic immigration.

Latinos are now one-third of all US Catholics, and nearly half of all Catholics between the ages of 18 and 29.

This reflects the burgeoning Latino community — now 14 percent of the US population and projected to be 29 percent by 2050.

Twenty per cent of all American Latinos have left the Catholic Church, and most have joined evangelical churches.

According to Gastón Espinoza, president of La Comunidad of Hispanic Scholars of Religion, there are “nine million US Latino Protestants [and they] are overwhelmingly Evangelical and Pentecostal in their orientation.”

Another big change is the “homogenous, ageing and diminishing” state of mainline Protestantism.

Once the majority of Americans, now these Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians and Congregationalists number only 18.1 percent of American adults.

They are divided internally by questions about sexuality, biblical authority, and the necessity of Jesus for salvation.

“Progressives” regard the biblical restriction of sex and procreation to heterosexual marriage as unenlightened and uncompassionate, and think non-Christians can be saved without Jesus. Self-styled “orthodox” say the Bible’s vision of sex and marriage is true for all ages, and that Jesus is the only Saviour. Progressives

Pope on the Move

Open Embrace

By Sam and Bethany Torode

Freedom publishing RRP $22.00 + postage

Available from The Record Bookshop

■ by Mark Reidy

PThree popemobiles are used by the Vatican to tra

The one Benedict XVI will use during his U.S. visit The routes:

IN WASHINGTON

April 16

April 17

White House to apostolic nunciature

To the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Around the field at Nationals Park before Mass

From Catholic University of America to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

IN NEW YORK

April 19

April 20

Cardinal’s residence near St. Patrick’s Cathedral to residence of the Vatican’s ambassador to the United Nations

Around the field at Yankee stadium before Mass

Pope John Paul II first used the white, Jeep-like modern take on the papal throne on poles that to make the pope more visible to pilgrims and w

BULLET-PROOF • WINDOWS added after the 1981 attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II

HANDRAIL • so the pope can stand and wave to crowds as the popemobile is moving

Security: Features of the popemobile, which will tran while on his journey through America.

define the gospel as liberation from earthly structures of oppression such as racism, sexism, heterosexism and imperialism.

The orthodox retain the traditional definition of gospel as salvation by Jesus’ death and resurrection from sin, death and the devil. Evangelicals now number 26.3 percent of American adults. Unlike mainline Protestants,

rotestant couple, Sam and Bethany Torode, have a lot to teach us about understanding sexuality in a Catholic context.

During their engagement period they began to explore the question of contraception in preparation for marriage, but found little wisdom on the subject within Protestant circles.

Most of their friends, it seemed, accepted contraception as a part of married life, but no one really knew why.

After further investigation into the issue, including the oft-ridiculed Catholic stance, the Torodes decided that it was necessary to write a book that would provide the opportunity for others to at least become aware of the opposing view. The resulting book, “Open Embrace”,

ptive than they were under JPII

they are young and growing.

But like mainline Protestants, they are also divided. While all evangelicals agree that the Bible is their authority and they should share their faith with others, there are differences between those who prefer the term “fundamentalist” and the rest of the evangelicals.

Fundamentalists tend to read the Bible more

literally, while other evangelicals tend to look more carefully at genre and literary and historical context.

Fundamentalists question the value of human culture that is not created by Christians or related to the Bible, whereas more evangelicals see God’s “common grace” working in and through all human culture.

Fundamentalists tend to restrict their social witness to protests against homosexual practice and abortion, but most evangelicals also want to fight racism, sexism and poverty.

The growing strength of evangelicalism is one reason why the Pope may find more openness from Protestants than ever before.

While fundamentalists and conservative evangelicals continue to denounce Catholicism as false religion because they think it teaches salvation by good works, evangelical leaders in recent years have found common cause with Catholics. This began with the pro-life movement, in which evangelicals and Catholics found themselves working together in the 1970s and 80s to fight abortion-on-demand.

Then in 1994 prominent evangelical leaders joined hands with Catholic theologians to start “Evangelicals and Catholics Together,” a movement that has pointed to theological agreements on the Bible and salvation while at the same time disagreeing about prayer to Mary and the saints, purgatory, and other doctrines.

For decades evangelicals in non-denominational charismatic and Pentecostal churches, which may number half of all American evangelicals, have felt an affinity for their brethren in the Catholic charismatic movement.

A recent article in Pro Ecclesia, an American journal “of Catholic and Evangelical theology,” argues that Jonathan Edwards, the most distinguished American theologian ever and a hero to most evangelicals, held a view of salvation similar to that of Thomas Aquinas, perhaps Catholicism’s greatest theologian.

One of the most noted developments in American evangelicalism in recent years has been the rise of “emergent” and “missional” churches, which are dominated by 20-somethings who are less concerned with doctrine than social action and mystery-which some find in Catholiclike liturgy. Many of these young evangelicals admired John Paul II’s boldness and warmth, and find attractive

and clarity into the beauty and simplicity of sexuality as God intended. “If marriage is about completely giving yourself to your spouse, then sex should embody that truth”, they write.

Each sexual act should be a renewal of the wedding vows but when fertility is withheld, couples are then effectively replacing the “I do” with an “I don’t”. “Would Christ ever withhold any part of Himself from the Church or sterilise His love?” they ask.

Indicative of their well balanced approach, the Torodes then explore and advocate the utilisation of Natural Family Planning, explaining how it is a God-given gift that can be used to draw couples closer and enhance sexuality through the loving discipline of self-giving.

The Torodes also provide a thought-provoking analysis of the historical and legal evolution that has allowed many protestant churches and more generally, secular society, to accept and then embrace a contraceptive culture. They cleverly sum up this moral blindness with the words of G K Chesterton, “I suppose that even Jonah, once he was swallowed, could not see the whale”.

“Open Embrace” is confirming of Catholic teaching, never judgemental in its tone or attitude and is persuasive by its truth. It could be a powerful and life-changing book in the hands of someone who is willing to openly and honestly explore the issues surrounding contraception, no matter what their denomination.

Catholicism’s devotion to social justice, defence of biblical morality, and opposition to capital punishment.

Latino evangelicals will also be attentive to the Pope’s visit. The Landscape Survey found that most of them left Catholicism not because something negative “pushed” them out, but because the desire for more intimate religious experience in evangelical churches “pulled” them. According to Professor Espinoza, “Many Latino Catholics who convert to Protestantism feel a little betrayed by their previous faith - wanting to know why it took a conversion experience to another tradition to facilitate and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.

But they are also less hostile to the papacy than fundamentalists because they admire the positions on family issues which the last two popes have taken.”

Even Baptists, who now represent one-third of all US Protestants and close to one-fifth of the American population, have a “selective appreciation” for the Pope.

Michael McClymond, religion historian at St Louis University, says that Baptists, who in 1960 led the opposition to (Catholic) John F. Kennedy’s election to the presidency, now show a growing recognition that John Paul II and Benedict XVI have become the “de facto leaders of world-wide Christianity.” Many mainline

Protestants will also listen appreciatively to the Pope next week.

The progressives among them oppose Catholic positions on birth control, women’s ordination, abortion and homosexuality.

But the orthodox - for example, Episcopalians who now call themselves “Anglicans” to protest their denomination’s acceptance of liberal theology - appreciate the Vatican’s commitments to historic doctrine and morality.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (at 4.8 million members, the largest American Lutheran church) is beginning to follow the direction of the liberal Episcopal Church, but it also signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (1999) between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church—abandoning the anathemas Lutherans and Catholics hurled at each other nearly four hundred years before.

In short, next week in America Benedict will face a new American religious scene. He may also get a hearing that is historically unprecedented.

Gerald McDermott is Professor of Religion at Roanoke College, the second oldest Lutheran-related college in the US. He is the author or editor of ten books, including Understanding Jonathan Edwards: An Introduction to America’s Theologian (forthcoming from Oxford University Press).

Monks record chants

“Magical” chants win Austrian monks recording contract.

Berlin, (CNA).- After “blowing away” music executives with their performance of Gregorian plainchant, a group of Austrian monks has been given a record deal with Universal Music, the Independent reports.

Universal had been persuaded that there was a market for albums of Gregorian chant by the success of the video game Halo. The game, which has sold over 16 million copies, uses in its soundtrack a plainchant sung by male choirs without musical accompaniment.

Dickon Stainer, head of Universal Classics and Jazz, said, “Young people have an awareness of Gregorian chant, even though it’s not something you come across in everyday life. It made us think that there was something in it.”

The music company placed an advertisement in The Tablet and The Church Times seeking “men of the cloth” to sing on an album of Gregorian chants.

After a contact in London informed the Cistercian monks of Holy Cross monastery about Universal’s search for Gregorian singers, the 80 monks compiled a clip of their singing and put it on YouTube as an audition.

The professionally edited video begins with a shot of altar candles and then switches to images of monks

clad in white habits walking in double file through the ancient cloisters. The video closes in a picturesque aerial shot of the Holy Cross abbey, set deep in the Austrian woods. “I was blown away by the quality of their singing,” said Tom Lewis, an executive at Universal. “They are quite simply the best Gregorian singers we have heard.

“They make a magical sound which is calming and deeply moving. They are using the very latest communication devices to get their music heard. They’re very passionate and excited about this opportunity.”

Lewis said the company had received hundreds of videos in response to its advertisements, but the Cistercians were the clear winners.

The monks have described their success as “divine intervention.”

They were scheduled to record an album last year, but the recording session was cancelled after it conflicted with a visit to the monastery by Pope Benedict XVI.

The monastery, which dates back to 1133, has been famous for its relic of the True Cross.

Father Karl, a spokesman for the abbey, welcomed the news. “Gregorian chant is part of spirituality and our life,” he said, according to the Independent. “Any profits will be spent on training future brothers.”

Gregorian Chant, which is named for Pope Gregory I, had some popularity in the 1990s and was featured in several successful CDs by the group Enigma.

Welcomed: Pope Benedict XVI with monks at the Cistercian Abbey of the Holy Cross in Heiligenkreuz, Austria.

PHOTO: CNS.

appearances.

nsport Pope Benedict XVI to and from his destinations, GRAPHIC: CNS.

Seminary life rekindled my prayer life

Perspectives

We are responsible for our

Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton

As I have grown through my thirty years of priestly life, I have come to recognise different periods where prayer has changed and different methods of prayer have become more important.

From my childhood the Rosary has been a part of my prayer, although its use waned a little in my adolescent years.

How I Pray Now

I rediscovered it during my seminary years when I would recite it each evening before dinner. We were fortunate to have a regular seminary program and time of prayer from about 5:30 each evening which was very special for me. The Rosary became again a part of my daily routine, and now as a bishop, I focus the intentions of my Rosary on the issues that I face each day.

with Debbie Warrier

I have always enjoyed the recitation of the Divine Office or, as it is known more commonly, the Prayer of the Church.

Again, while in the seminary, I was introduced to this prayer, and many years later, I received an excellent series of catecheses on the psalms which has increased my love of this form of prayer.

Even though the Office is celebrated in a four week cycle, I never tire of praying the psalms, or the readings from the Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church which we read every year.

I learnt the style of prayer that has been called Centering Prayer when the clergy of the Archdiocese received the Ministry to Priest Program in the 1980’s. This prayer I find has an immediacy which means that with continual practice you can easily put yourself into the presence of God and remain focussed on Him.

I have discovered that this is a very ancient form of prayer which was practised widely by the hermits and early monks in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

Centering Prayer brings calmness and a deep sense of union with God so that at difficult moments during the day I can feel the benefit of that prayer in the different reactions I experience and graces that have surprised me.

The Mass will always remain the greatest prayer for me. I am not always able to celebrate the Mass with a congregation but I have discovered the great privilege of being able to celebrate quietly, without haste in my private chapel.

I am struck occasionally when I contemplate the presence of Christ, certainly in that Eucharistic presence in the form of the host and the wine, but also when I hear a word from a prayer, a Scripture reading or a verse from a psalm. It can be like an arrow penetrating deep into a worry or concern or an attitude I may be carrying at that moment.

Finally I have prayed for as long as I can remember in a more spontaneous way which is like an ongoing conversation with God about things that happen during the day.

This prayer comes out of very ordinary events, and can be a prayer for a particular gift as I am engaged with an issue brought by another. It can be a reflection on what I or the other person said or had done that surprised me or got my attention.

It might be through some experience that elates me and fills me with joy. Whatever sparks the prayer it brings me back into the presence of God and we talk again and I get to know Him and myself a little better.

debwarrier@hotmail.com

No far enough:

There is no such thing as “corporate guilt.”

As readers of this column may know, I greatly admire the works of C. S. Lewis.

Yet I also find it possible to disagree with him, or at least to suggest an occasional, and I hope gentle, correction. I was recently re-reading his The Problem of Pain (Fontana, 1957). In this he says:

“A reaction – in itself wholesome – is now going on against purely private or domestic conceptions of morality, a reawakening of the social conscience.

“We feel ourselves to be involved in an iniquitous social system, and to share a corporate guilt. This is very true: but

In clear view

By Guy Crouchback

the enemy can exploit even truths to our deception.

“Beware lest you are making use of the idea of corporate guilt to distract your attention from those hum-drum, old-fashioned guilts of your own which have nothing to do with “the system” and which can be dealt with without waiting for the Millennium.”

I confess I am not a trained theologian. But here I think Lewis does not go

far enough. I do not think we can ever address the problem of “corporate guilt” except to deny it. It does not exist.

Sin can only be committed by individual souls.

Even with an institution, organisation or government whose workings result in much wickedness, the guilt lies not with the corporate entity but with the individuals who make it up to the extent that they are responsible for its policies.

If a newspaper knowingly prints lies, the newspaper has not sinned. Paper and ink cannot sin.

The company which owns it, and which has no existence except as a legal concept, cannot sin.

The sin is that of the individual reporters who wrote the lies, the individ-

Catholic, Orthodox and Eastern

I have friends who belong to various Eastern Rites and others who are Orthodox. Sometimes I get confused about which is which and how they relate to the Catholic Church. Could you please give me a little background on this to make it clearer?

Perhaps it would be easiest to begin with the Orthodox Churches and how they came to be separated from the Catholic Church.

There are two main groups of what we now call “Orthodox” Churches. The first group, which is smaller, separated from communion with the Catholic Church in the fifth century, following two ecumenical councils.

In 431 the Council of Ephesus proclaimed that Jesus Christ was one person, the divine person of the Word, and it condemned the errors of Nestorius,

Q&A

By Fr John Flader

who taught that there were two persons, a divine one and a human one.

After the Council some followers of Nestorius left the Church and eventually became what is now the Assyrian Church of the East. That Church no longer holds the Nestorian heresy.

Twenty years later, in 451 the Council of Chalcedon proclaimed that in Christ there were two natures, the divine and the human, and it condemned the errors of Eutyches who maintained that there was only one nature, an error known

as “monophysitism”. Today there are five Churches that separated after the Council of Chalcedon: the Armenian Apostolic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Malankara Orthodox Syrian Churches. These five Churches are in communion with each other.

The largest group of Orthodox Churches comprises those that separated from Rome in 1054, when the papal representative Cardinal Humberto da Silva excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius, and the Patriarch in turn excommunicated the papal legates then in Constantinople.

Following the excommunications, the four Patriarchates of the East and the Church in the countries that had been evangelised by missionaries from the East separated from Rome and went into schism, no longer recognising the

The renowned C S Lewis, immortalised in this statue, warrned people of “making use of the idea of corporate guilt to distract your attention from those hum-drum, old-fashioned guilts of your own which have nothing to do with ‘the system,” in his acclaimed book, The Problem of Pain

own sins

ual editors and sub-editors who passed and consented to them, the individual share-holders who permitted the policies, and perhaps the newsagents who sold the paper (that is, of course, to the extent that each of these consciously knew they were party to a lie and had power to control the outcome, or were negligent).

The concept of “corporate guilt” leads quickly to atrocities in wartime, or at least to gross callousness with a clear conscience, even among good people: an enemy sailor from a sunken ship is left to drown because his government runs atrocious prison-camps, for example.

One of the most egregious examples is, of course, anti-Semitism: Jews were historically persecuted on the grounds that a tiny number of their ancestors clamoured for the execution of Christ centuries ago.

One might have thought that, in the post-Holocaust world, such feelings were out of court among civilised people, but we have seen a shocking and alarming resurrection of anti-Semitism in recent times.

If we follow the rules and conditions necessary for a “Just War,” we should not fight thinking that enemy soldiers or civilians are corporately guilty although there is always a temptation this way.

It is also necessary, if one must go to war, to fight whole-heartedly and to fight to win, and to fight effectively it is probably necessary not to be racked with guilt over the fact that one is killing people who are individually innocent – that is one reason why the Christian rules for a “Just War” hold that, among other things, war must be a last resort. But that is another matter.

Perspectives

Of God and the gay gene

Speaking in Sydney this month, before a crowd of nearly 600 young people gathered in preparation for World Youth Day, I was asked various questions about the Catholic teaching on human sexuality.

While I spoke mainly on what might be called the phenomenology of same sex attraction (what it feels like to be a same sex attracted man, and how that experience has lead me to a greater appreciation for Catholic teaching) and the Catechism condemnation of homogenital acts, many of the attendees asked one or other of a number of variations on these questions: how likely is it that scientists will discover a so-called ‘gay gene’ and what might that mean for the Church’s teaching on homosexuality?

It was, at first, an off-putting line of questioning.

I am not, of course, a scientist, certainly far from an expert in gene-technology and research, but inasmuch as I write about same sex attraction and morality, and about the Catholic approach to sex and homosexuality, the issue had not featured much in my previous efforts.

Indeed, since the event, it has become clear that I haven’t even given the idea much prominence in my private reflections and analyses.

Why not?

I just don’t think these questions and the ideas behind them, while seemingly pressing, really get at what is at stake in any discussion about moral responsibility and human sexuality.

In fact, the importance accorded the question probably rests on a mistaken understanding, one that is alien to the Catholic approach and most of the more compelling moral theories on offer.

For it is open, of course, in the sense that it is at least possible, that the discovery of a ‘gay gene’ might radically overturn some individuals’ views of human sexuality. Certainly, inasmuch as someone thinks that various sexual behaviours (perhaps sodomy and fellatio) are constitutive of being ‘gay’ and inclinations to the same are stereotyped according to one’s genetic heritage; one would be inclined to think the discovery of a ‘gay gene’ very significant indeed.

But this is not the way Catholics and other serious moral theorists think about human sexuality.

This is because all of the most impressive, robust accounts of human agency, moral value and responsibility stress the distinction between pre-determined outcomes and situations that involve some free-agency, impli-

Being Heard

By John Heard

cating one’s will, intentions and orientation with regard to some moral standard.

Put simply, one is judged, in the best moral theories and certainly in Catholic teaching, according to what one does, not on who or what one is. Where some characteristic, attribute or pattern of behaviour is uncontrollable or unchangeable (one’s skin colour or propensity to breathe for instance) it is necessarily morally neutral (at least as it bears on individual responsibility).

For a ‘gay gene’ to wreck Catholic teaching, then, it would need to provide irrefutable evidence that the Catholic account of human nature, that there is no real difference between human beings as to sexuality except that which is related to one’s sex (‘male and female He created them’ – Genesis 1:27), is flawed.

It would need to show that same sex attracted men and women are, by virtue of genetics alone, either a new category of human, a third sex perhaps, or otherwise endowed with some normative attribute or mechanism that always leads, in a pre-determined way, to specific, stereotyped behaviour (sodomy, fellatio, etc.).

Put like this, it becomes obvious that such a thing is so unlikely that the common view of a ‘gay gene’ is mostly ridiculous. For it to pose any major threat to Catholic teaching on homosexuality, a ‘gay gene’ would need to produce something like a ‘gay male arm’ that is inextricably patterned so as to grasp only other male genitals, is patterned so even despite the best intentions of the arm’s owner; alongside even more outlandish and indeed fantastical – I’d hazard – appendages and their rigidly predictable associated forms of behaviour.

Why? Because, again, the Church teaches against homogenital acts. She abides by the sage, humane distinction between what a man does and what he experiences, unchosen, as a man-in-the-world. Catholics are not called, therefore, to some extreme standard, some impossible way of living that wars against our natures and our very biology.

We are, rather, called to govern ourselves, to choose right over wrong, and to know the difference.

John Heard is a Melbourne writer.

Rites - what is the difference?

authority of the Pope. Naturally there were more fundamental issues than the excommunication itself that brought about the lasting split, which is today known as the “Great Schism”.

The principal present-day Orthodox Churches that broke away in 1054 are the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, and the Orthodox Churches of Russia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, Czech and Slovak Republics and the Orthodox Church in America.

In addition, there are other Churches that depend on the ones just mentioned.

These Churches accept the teachings of the first seven ecumenical councils and they have

valid sacraments, including the priesthood. Their faithful are allowed to receive the sacraments of the Eucharist, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick from a Catholic priest.

Over the centuries following 1054, some parts of these Orthodox Churches returned to full communion with Rome and were for that reason sometimes called “Uniate” Churches.

They are referred to more properly as Catholic Eastern Churches and they retain their Eastern liturgical and disciplinary traditions.

They are governed by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1990 and by their own particular laws.

They are the Coptic, Ethiopian,

Syrian, Syro-Malankara, Armenian, Chaldean, SyroMalabar, Byelorussian, Bulgarian, Greek, Hungarian, Italo-Albanian, Melkite, Romanian, Ruthenian, Slovak, Ukrainian, Yugoslavian, Albanian and Russian Churches.

In addition to these 20, there is the Maronite Church, which has always been in union with Rome.

It is these Catholic Eastern Churches that are often referred to as Eastern Rite Churches.

They are fully part of the Catholic Church and contribute greatly to the universality and richness of the Church by their diverse traditions.

A fuller treatment of this subject can be found in Archbishop Michael Sheehan’s Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine, edited by Fr Peter Joseph.

Search: Will science find the so called ‘gay gene,’ and does it really matter, writes John Heard.

C S Lewis,’ The Problem of Pain

China cites inconvenience

the World

Hong Kong diocese cancels Marian pilgrimage Google anything - well almost

HONG KONG (CNS) - The Diocese of Hong Kong has cancelled a plan to send organised pilgrimages to China’s most prominent Marian shrine on May 24, a special prayer day for Chinese Catholics, after Shanghai government authorities said it would be inconvenient.

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun of Hong Kong told the Asian church news agency UCA News on April 5 that the diocese planned the pilgrimages and a local novena in response to the call Pope Benedict XVI made last June in his letter to Catholics in China.

Shortly after the papal letter was released, Cardinal Zen led three sessions introducing it to local parishioners. The Shanghai-born prelate initially told them he wanted to take 1,000 pilgrims to Sheshan for the prayer day, scheduled on the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, the name of the parish at the Sheshan shrine.

Over the past months, however, Chinese authorities have conveyed concerns to the Vatican about the Hong Kong pilgrimage, Cardinal

Christian group in UK sues Google for refusing advert.

■ By Simon Caldwell

LONDON (CNS) - A Christian group is suing the Internet giant Google after it refused to take advertisements on abortion and religious content. The UK-based Christian Institute, a nondenominational Christian charity, wanted to place an AdWords advertisement so that when an Internet user typed the word ‘abortion’ into the search engine a link would appear on the right hand side of the page saying: “UK abortion law: news and views on abortion from the Christian

Zen said. To ease their worries, the cardinal said he decided not to go on the pilgrimage and to have it organised on a smaller scale.

Institute. www.christian.org.uk.”

The Christian Institute announced on April 8 that it has started legal proceedings against Google on the grounds that it is infringing the UK Equality Act 2006, which prohibits religious discrimination in the provision of a good, facility or service. The Institute is seeking damages, costs and the permission to publish its advertisement.

Google said it had a policy of declining ads from organisations that mix abortion with religion.

“At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement of Web sites that contain abortion and religion-related content,” the Google AdWords team based in Dublin, Ireland, said in its reply to the institute in March. Google does, however, accept advertise-

Cardinal Zen is known for publicly denouncing restrictions on Chinese Catholics by mainland authorities and for supporting direct elections

ments for abortion clinics and secular pro-abortion sites.

In an April 8 statement, Mike Judge, spokesman for the Christian Institute, said: “Google promotes itself as a company committed to the ideals of free speech and the free exchange of ideas.

“It is against this standard that Google’s anti-religious policy is so unjust,” he said.

“For many people, Google is the doorway to the Internet. It is an influential gatekeeper to the marketplace of debate.”

Judge said that “if there is to be a free exchange of ideas, then Google” can’t give rights to secular groups while “censuring religious views.” The institute sought to promote its online articles before a May vote on embryos in the UK.

in Hong Kong. In late March, the Shanghai Diocese told Hong Kong officials that, due to security reasons and an expected huge crowd

of mainland pilgrims at Sheshan, local authorities decided that May 24 was not a convenient day for Hong Kong Catholics to be there, although they were welcome on other dates.

The diocese called off the pilgrimage on April 1.

“As it is not convenient for them, we don’t want to push it,” Cardinal Zen said, adding that individual priests and laypeople could still proceed with their pilgrimage plans, but the Diocese of Hong Kong would not be the organiser.

Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, vicar general of the diocese and chief organiser of the pilgrimage, told UCA News six pilgrimage tours had been planned since January, each with at least one priest to accompany each busload of pilgrims. Different itineraries and routes were set, but all were to converge and celebrate a Mass in Cantonese at the Sheshan basilica on May 24, he said.

The Marian month of May is a peak season for pilgrimages to Marian grottos in mainland China, and the May 24 day of prayer is expected to draw tens of thousands of pilgrims to Sheshan.  CNS

Bush feels he ‘sees God’ in eyes of visiting pontiff

US President George Bush came up with a surprising answer or two when interviewed by by the influential Catholic satellite TV service EWTN recently.

Interviewed on Friday April 11 by EWTN anchor Raymond Arroyo, he said he feels as if he sees God in the eyes of Pope Benedict XVI.

Arroyo noted that Bush is planning an all-out welcome for the Pope, who arrives in the United States on Tuesday for a five-day visit. Most notably, Bush will go to the airport to receive the Holy Father, a courtesy he has never extended to any visiting leader.

The president says he plans to do this “because the Pope is a really important figure in a lot of ways. One, he speaks for millions. Two, he doesn’t come as a politician; he comes as a man of faith. And, three, that I so subscribe to his notion that there’s right and wrong in life, that moral relativism has a danger of undermining the capacity to have

more hopeful and free societies, that I want to honour his convictions, as well.”

The Holy Father, Bush said, “represents and stands for some values that I think are important for the health of the country, and when he comes to America, millions of my fellow citizens will be hanging on his every word. And that’s why it’s important.”

The EWTN anchor noted that the Pope will probably bring up the issue of the war in Iraq, asking what the US government is doing to protect the Christian minority there.

Bush said that “something we have been doing all along, is urging the government to understand that minority rights are a vital part of any democratic society. And by the way, my concern isn’t just for minority rights in Iraq; it’s for minority rights throughout the Middle East.”

In another area of rights, Arroyo asked Bush why he plans to attend the Olympics opening ceremonies

in Beijing, given China’s dire human rights record.

Bush stated that he did not want to make the Olympics a political platform: “And the reason why is because I can talk to China about religious freedom prior to the Olympics, during the Olympics and after the Olympics - which I have done.

I don’t need the Olympics to express my position to the Chinese leadership on freedom. I just don’t need them - because that’s all I have been doing as your president. In other words - if people say, well, you need to express yourself clearly about freedom of religion, my answer is, what do you think I’ve been doing?”

Bush talked as well about embryonic stem cell research, for which he has restricted federal funding.

Arroyo noted, “In 2001 you met with then Pope John Paul II; he encouraged you not to endorse federal funding. You didn’t; you

restricted the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. As a result of that move, alternative technologies were analysed; adult stem cells have now produced cures for 80 different diseases.”

And Bush affirmed: “I feel like it was the right decision then, and obviously the data has now shown that - I hope it shows to people it’s the right decision. By the way, I think this is the beginning of what is a very interesting debate that future presidents are going to have to deal with, and that is science versus ethics, the value of life versus saving life - supposedly. I’ve obviously drawn the line in the sand that honouring life in all forms is a touchstone for good science.

“I think it’s important for people to understand that a culture of life is in our national interests and that - it’s also important to understand that the politics of abortion isn’t going to change until people’s hearts change, and fully understand

the meaning of life and what it means for a society to value life in all forms - whether it be the life of the unborn, or the life of the elderly; whether it be the life of the less fortunate among us, or the life of the rich guy. I mean, it’s a moral touchstone, I think, that will speak to a healthy society in the long run.”

The president said that the moral strength of the Pope is key for politicians.

“And I’m going to remind the Holy Father how important his voice is in making it easier for politicians like me to be able to kind of stand and defend our positions that are, I think, very important positions to take,” he said.

Finally, Arroyo asked him, “You said, famously, when you looked into Vladimir Putin’s eyes you saw his soul. When you look into Benedict XVI’s eyes what do you see?”

And Bush answered immediately, “God.”

‘Catholic votes should reflect the non-negotiables of life’

New laity desperately needed, says scholar.

VERONA, Italy, APRIL 10, 2008 (Zenit.org) - When a Catholic goes to vote, he should take into account that there are “non-negotiable principles,” affirmed the director of the Verona-based Cardinal Van Thuân International Observatory for the Social Doctrine of the Church.

Stefano Fontana, in an Italianlanguage statement, affirmed that among these non-negotiables are the values of life, family, and freedom of education and religion.

The observatory collaborates with bishops’ conferences and other ecclesiastical organs, as well as educational centres and international agencies, in promoting social doctrine.

It shares the aims of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Fontana asked if Catholics, either as politicians or as voters, are will-

ing to compromise these principles, noting that they “express fundamental values of reason and faith to build a society respectful of the dignity of the human person” and thus “cannot be the subject of negotiation.”

But in every election year, Fontana lamented, these principles are questioned, because some see “politics as the art of the possible.”

How should this situation be dealt with, Fontana asked. And he responded that there are certain issues that “do not leave room for compromises.”

“The right to life, to be conceived and not produced, to be born in a family,” he said, “it is not understandable in these cases what a compromise could consist in.”

Speaking then about the “values of the others,” Fontana explained, “The ‘values’ that do not respect the fundamental principles of natural moral law are not values.” Regarding the affirmation that if politicians

all affirmed absolute values, there would be no room for negotiation, the scholar affirmed that “it is not true that by referring to absolute values, a clash necessarily arises.”

In the first place, he explained, because many questions are not absolute; secondly, “because subscribing to absolute values does not mean wanting to forcefully impose them.”

On the contrary, Fontana continued, “precisely the absolute value of the dignity of the person guarantees a peaceful and respectful dialogue.”

“Clashes are born from renouncing absolute values so that everything becomes possible, even violence,” he added.

Many distinguish between personal and public life, and justify compromises in this way, Fontana noted.

But, he said, “the distinction between personal convictions and their public expression” does not count for everything. “When we’re

dealing with actions that deeply wound the dignity of the human person there can be no distinction between personal conviction and political action.”

Thus, Fontana affirmed, public officials should not silence their consciences; he recalled how Pope John Paul II proposed St Thomas More as patron of politicians.

“Conscientious objection hasand will have more and more - a great political significance, and in certain cases, conscientious objection demands even leaving posts.”

Responding to the idea that conscientious objection will bring Catholics to leave politics to those without values, Fontana affirmed that “it is not licit to do good by way of evil, and actions that are absolutely evil should never be carried out.”

Moreover, he affirmed, applying religious convictions in the public realm is not a false blurring of separate realities, since the principles in

question are based in natural moral law, “precepts of reason, afterward reinforced, if you like, by faith.”

Fontana concluded that “it corresponds to the laypeople involved in politics to work to permit the political application of non-negotiable principles, freeing themselves from the destiny of the compromise.”

If these principles don’t exist, he added, “The common good is not possible because nothing would impede the discrimination of man against man... The common good is not the least common evil,” he said.

“He who aims to impose a democracy of compromise toward decline, sustaining that every absolute value is in itself violent, applies the same reactionary terrorism that he wants to combat.

“New laypeople and new Catholics are urgently needed, capable of dialoguing not to limit themselves but to enrich, not to adapt themselves to what exists, but to propose ambitious goals.”

the World

Exorcist gives inside look at dealing with the Devil

Urges separating possession from psychiatric problems

ROME, APRIL 11, 2008 (Zenit. org) - Some of the mystery surrounding the devil and exorcism is being unveiled in a television and Internet report series, detailing the work of the exorcist of the Diocese of Rome.

Society of St Paul Father Gabriele Amorth, Rome’s exorcist for the past 21 years and a specialist in the figure of Mary, explained in the first edition of the series how he performs exorcisms.

“I go to one of Rome’s churches, to a parish that is closed during the day,” he said.

“There is Mass in the morning and then the church is closed. There I perform the difficult exorcisms. I always work with seven to 10 people who help me, and use a small bed. Sometimes we need to tie people down or simply subdue them.”

With Christ, the priest said, it is possible to overcome the devil: “The exorcist acts in the name of Jesus and with the strength that comes from Jesus.”

The first question Father Amorth addressed in the report is if the devil exists: “I respond with the words of John Paul II, who was once asked this question: ‘Your Holiness, I find many bishops who don’t believe in the devil.’ And John Paul II responded: ‘One who doesn’t believe in the devil doesn’t believe in the Gospel.’

“The devil is an angel, and therefore, a pure spirit created good by God and who perverted himself because he rebelled against God. Therefore, he maintains all the characteristics proper of a pure spirit,

such as a very large intelligence, immensely bigger than ours.”

The devil is pleased by the way he is generally represented - with wings and a tail, horns, as a bat, etc. - because these images make him seem ridiculous and help people to believe that he does not exist, the exorcist reported. Father Amorth suggested that diabolic problems

be separated from psychiatric ones; and to do so an exorcist is needed in every diocese to help in discernment.

“Normally when a person experiences these conflicts and problems, the first thing he does is see a doctor and psychiatrist,” he said. “It is very difficult to distinguish the devil’s action from a psychological

Benedict urges a renaissance of ethics for sake of Europe’s future

Renewal will avoid repeating mistakes, says pontiff

■ By Carol Glatz

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The future of Europe cannot rest solely on political and economic unity; the continent must also undergo an ethical and spiritual renewal if it is to avoid repeating its past mistakes, Pope Benedict XVI said.

A crucial source for that renewal can be found in St Benedict, the patron saint of Europe, who is still the best teacher to show people “the art of living true humanism,” he said.

The Pope spoke about St Benedict, the fifth-century father of Western monasticism and “patron saint of my pontificate,” during his April 9 general audience in St Peter’s Square.

The Pope referred to St Gregory the Great’s writings about St Benedict in describing the life and contributions of the Italian saint who lived from 480 to 547.

He said St Gregory wrote the book “The Dialogues” during a time when Europe was experiencing a “tremendous crisis of values” and turmoil caused by “the fall of the Roman Empire, the invasion of new peoples” and traditional

customs sinking into decadence. The sixth-century Pope believed St Benedict was “a shining star” whose life, example and rule could light the way out of such dark times in history, the Pope said.

St Benedict’s legacy created a new kind of unity based on Christian spirituality and culture which the whole continent shared, and in this way “the reality of what we call Europe was born,” the Pope said.

Today, Europe is again searching for a new kind of unity and identity after emerging from two tragic world wars and the aftermath of “great ideologies revealed as tragic utopias,” the Pope said.

While political, economic and juridical agreements and institu-

tions are important, he said, it is also necessary to foster “an ethical and spiritual renewal that taps into the continent’s Christian roots; otherwise Europe cannot be rebuilt.”

Without drawing from its Christian heritage, he said, people “will remain exposed to the danger of succumbing to the old temptations” of man-made redemption through utopian visions that have so far only set humankind back.

In the search for “true progress, let us listen to the rule of St Benedict today” and use it to light the way forward, he said.

Pope Benedict said the saint’s guidelines and suggestions for abbots are also helpful for today’s leaders.

The saint taught that an abbot should be “a tender father, also a strict teacher, a true educator, inflexible against vices, but called above all to imitate the tenderness of a good shepherd, to help rather than dominate, to highlight all that is good and holy more through one’s actions than words,” to teach the commandments by example, and to seek advice from one’s brothers, even the young who often have the better solution, the Pope said.

These guidelines are “surprisingly modern,” the Pope said, and those who hold political responsibility at any level must be people who listen and know how to learn from what they hear.

suggests an exorcist.” The exorcist confirmed that Satan’s great foe is the Virgin Mary.

He explained: “On one occasion an exorcist friend of mine asked the devil what most hurts him about Our Lady, what most annoys him. He responded, ‘That she is the purest of all creatures and that I am the filthiest; that she is the most obedient of all creatures and that I am the most rebellious; that she is the one who committed no sin and thus always conquers me.’”

Father Amorth affirmed that on some occasions, God forces the Prince of Lies to tell the truth, however, the devil’s main struggle is to make man fall into sin.

“... [Mary] is the purest of all creatures and... I am the filthiest; ... she is the most obedient of all creatures and... I am the most rebellious; ... she is the one who committed no sin and thus always conquers me.’”

“To lead man towards evil is to make him fall into sin; this is the devil’s preferred activity and we are all subject to it from our birth until our death.”

problem. The person goes to a psychiatrist and after years of therapy obtains no result. “Then he begins to suspect that the problem is not a natural one and goes to a conjurer from whom he obtains even greater harm. This is what normally happens. At this point, it is possible that someone more experienced in these matters

in brief...

According to Father Amorth, Mary is a key figure in the fight against the devil’s tricks, especially since she herself was tempted:

“Mariology is my field and I have often been asked if Mary was tempted by the devil. Definitely. When? From her birth until her death. But she always triumphed.”

Parts of the weekly reports, transmitted in eight languages, can be viewed at H2oNews http://www.h2onews.org/_page_search. php?testo=amorth.

Obama, Clinton take on tough faith questions at Compassion Forum

GRANTHAM, Pa. (CNS) - The two US Democratic senators seeking their party’s nomination for president sought to define themselves in terms of their religious faith in an April 13 forum at Messiah College in Grantham that was broadcast live on CNN. Senators Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York talked about the role of faith in their lives, about the place they think religion should hold in civil society, about their beliefs on when life begins and how that influences their political stances on abortion and end-of-life care. The Compassion Forum, held at an evangelical liberal arts college in a state holding its Democratic presidential primary on April 22, marked a significant shift in the way Democratic candidates are willing to talk about religion.

“This wouldn’t have happened even a couple of years ago,” said Senator Bob Casey, a fellow Democrat, after the forum. Both candidates have been fairly open about the influence of religious faith in their lives, Casey told Catholic News Service. “I think this was a very important forum for the country and for the Democratic Party,” Casey said.

Franciscan says Catholic schools in Holy Land must be supported

LONDON (CNS) - Christianity could vanish from Israel and the Palestinian territories within two generations unless more is done to support Catholic schools, said the head of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, whose order maintains most of the Christian biblical sites in the Holy Land, said the religious identity of Christians had grown extremely fragile as more of them migrated abroad for a better life.

He told an April 11 press conference in London that the main challenge for the Christians, who form one per cent of the population of Israel and the Palestinian territories, was how to remain united. Father Pizzaballa was in London to address the Terra Sancta Education Trust, a UK-based charity for the advancement of education and relief of the poverty of Holy Land Christian families. He urged British Catholics to support Holy Land Christians through pilgrimages and initiatives such as the twinning of schools in the UK and in Israel and the Palestinian territories.  CNS

Scourge of devils: Pauline Father Gabriele Amorth, who works as an exorcist in the Diocese of Rome, speaks at a Communion and Liberation conference in Rimini, Italy, in 2006. Father Amorth said demonic influence is strong in today’s world. The wellknown priest has recently participated in an Internet television series explaining the work he does as an exorcist.

PHOTO: CNS/DANIELE COLARIETI, CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO

Pope Benedict XVI

Has the Church obscured or defended women?

Spanish priest Father Fernando Rivas Rebaque spoke with ZENIT about why women’s roles in early Christianity are little-known and the challenge the Church faces regarding the promotion of women today.

■ By Miriam Díez i Bosch

Father Rivas specifies three types of female protagonist roles within the Church in his Spanish-language book Banished Daughters of Eve: the protagonist roles and marginalisation of women in early Christianity

Perpetua, Felicity, Blandine, Melanie the Younger - why do so few people remember the roles of these women as protagonists in the Church?

Father Rivas: Very few people remember these women of the early Church because history, in general, and that of the Church, in particular, focuses preferentially on the great events that “changed” history - wars, reigns, leaders - and tends to forget daily life, the events that make up the existence of every day. This means that the history of the Church tends to be the history of Popes, bishops, leaders, saints and theologians who have “marked” the life of the Church, leaving forgotten or underappreciated the other people, laypeople in the first place, more so if they are women, due to their reduced possibilities of social influence.

Only a few women who exhibited particularly outstanding behaviour in one field or another passed into the memory of history.

In what spheres did feminine protagonists stand out in the early Church?

Father Rivas: Women’s protagonist roles in the early Church varied

according to historical times and places. Summarising them, it may be said that there are three types of protagonist roles common to all periods and regions: that of ascetics, expressed mainly in virginity and monasticism, that of martyrdom, and that concerning the role of wealthy benefactors of the community, very highly appreciated in the Church.

Furthermore, a type of protagonist role that developed considerably in the Eastern world is that of deaconesses, which did not have a counterpart in the Western world. Are women gaining visibility in ecclesial spheres?

Father Rivas: To begin with, one would have to distinguish between visibility, protagonist roles, authority and power.

Christian women are present and visible in everyday ecclesial spheres - celebrations, groups, activities. What’s more, I would say that, in these cases, they are not only a majority but, in some cases, practically the only visible component.

On the other hand, in the measure that we go climbing the ladder of directors, the presence and protagonist roles of the woman remain practically reduced to a few ecclesial spheres - despite the fact that they could enter into posts that are not united to ministerial roles - to the point of practically disappearing in ecclesial cupolas.

This situation is far more worrying because it grows increasingly distant from what is occurring in the social field, where women’s visibility, presence, protagonist roles and power are daily on the rise.

However, the Holy Father has recently denounced macho attitudes and the vulnerability of many women who suffer just for the fact of being women. What concrete action is the Church undertaking to counteract this?

Father Rivas: The Church has struggled for women’s dignity ever since its origin because it has united salvation to a personal and non-

Pro-press Pope has high hopes for daily

The press plays a powerful role in the capacity of perceiving the real world, which is why Benedict XVI gives it priority, according to his secretary of state.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone spoke with L’Osservatore Romano about the Pope’s interest in the role of the media, reflected not only when he refers to journalism in his messages, but also through his encouragement of the Vatican’s semi-official newspaper.

L’Osservatore Romano is not just an internal publication of the Holy See, but “deserves to be known and read as a means of communication where each Christian can find faithful reproductions of the Pope’s thought and the activities of the Holy See,” noted the cardinal.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone - in the paper’s Italian Sunday edition - noted the influence the press has in affecting popular perception of the world.

For example, he cautioned against the fallacy of describing the world as a global village, since in this “village” not all of the inhabitants enjoy the same opportunities in the realms of justice, material benefits, education and so on.

“Precisely the capacity of perceiv-

ing the real world, so different than the virtual world, depends on the access to the new and traditional communications media.”

“Thus it is evident the importance that Benedict XVI, so faith-

MISSION MATTERS

ful to the Council that has pushed the Church in this new dimension, gives to information,” he affirmed.

Even evangelisation often passes through a filter created by the press, Cardinal Bertone said, which

(Missionary reflections on the Sunday Gospel)

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

It is through the work and presence of our Catholic missionaries in developing countries everywhere that the comfort and hope of these words are recognized and realised. Your prayers and support for the missionary work of our Church strengthens Christ’s presence as the Way, the Truth and the Life for the countless many who suffer daily from poverty, violence and persecution in our broken world.

implies that the Church “has to be capable of announcing the Jesus of the Gospels and his message of salvation valuing as much as possible the techniques proper to the ever evolving field of communication.”

Sisters send their compliments

Continued from Page 8 Letters

Our hope is to show the glory of God. We have gained lots of experiences here and we believe that our leprosarium will become better and better through our efforts.

We have a simple plan. We want to rear pigs and ducks in

transferable option made by each human being in relation to God and neighbour. In this way, it broke away from other religious patterns in which the ethnic-racial, national, class, gender, or cultural factor was important, and has forced a sphere of fundamental equality between men and women.

Moreover, the Church shows a marked preference or option for the poor, which in many cases enables it to come in contact with the world of women, many of whom are victims of this condition; this has given rise to a number of institutions, resources and measures in favour of people in need, among which women have been and are a majority.

The Church has even empowered women’s participation in many spheres of protagonist roles - asceticism, education, associations, relationships - in which women have been able to show the best of themselves, without restricting themselves to the domestic sphere.

This does not change the fact that in every case, the dominant culture, marked in great measure by patriarchal tints, has coloured many of her expressions.

More specifically, and within the spheres of my everyday life, which are the parish of a working neighbourhood and the university, the Church has enabled many women to attain levels of knowledge, relationships, activities, and protagonist roles higher than those of the majority of institutions they find around them.

It serves as a platform for the great majority of women who have come into contact with the parish or the university, enabling their personal development and their progress as believers.

Globalisation and evangelisation are, therefore, the framework for the renovation of L’Osservatore Romano that has taken place since its new director, Giovanni Maria Vian, took office in October, he said.

“I think L’Osservatore Romano is effectively trying to gradually fulfill the objectives set out by the Holy Father,” Cardinal Bertone affirmed, pushing toward a “vigorous project that includes amplifying the use of technologies to consolidate a solid presence on the Internet, applying adequate marketing principles, perfecting the level of professionalism and achieving a place for itself with a unique and distinct voice, recognised and respected, in the arrangement of the international press.”

Thus, the cardinal noted, it is understandable the “depth of the Pope’s expectations and his sensitivity in desiring that the newspaper be a perfected instrument of dialogue and listening within the Catholic Church represented in its variety, but also in the colloquy with the other Churches and religions, with cultures, sciences and the new branches of investigation about man.”

 ZENIT.ORG

order to raise income, to plant vegetables so as to reduce living expenses and raise the quality of living. We hope Father Ruiz can help us.

We will try much harder to improve what we do. We want to give the love of Christ to those who are needy in order to let the patients pass the rest of their lives as happily as possible.

From the Sisters of the Hanchuan Leprosarium

Notice:

Due to a technical error in transmission between The Record and the printer, last week’s colouring-in competition appeared in reverse. The correct version appears on Page 13 opposite.

Introduction

In preparation for the arrival of the WYD Journey of the Cross and Icon into our diocese, we will be holding a colouring in competition for our pre-school and primary school children.

Learning about the WYD Icon

In 2003, Pope John Paul II gave young people a second symbol of faith to be carried in the world, accompanying the WYD Crossthe Icon of Our Lady, ‘Salus Populi Romani’. You can learn more about the Icon by visiting to the WYD website, www. wyd2008.org and going to the section on Journey of the WYD Cross and Icon. Here, you can click on the numbers surrounding the image of the Icon to learn more of it. How to enter Entry forms will be available through all Archdiocese of Perth Catholic Primary Schools and Parish Offices. The entry forms will be photocopied on A4 paper and need to be coloured and filled-in and must include the entrant’s name, age, school and phone number. They will then be required to be posted to the Perth World Youth Day Office.

Eligibility

No computer work or scanned images will be accepted. Only original copies will be accepted. To be eligible for WYD Icon colouring-in competition, colour in the WYD Icon picture, fill in the details on the entry form on the back and post to: Perth WYD –Journey of the Cross and Icon Colouring Competition 40A Mary Street, HIGHGATE, WA 6003

Competition duration This competition closes at 5.00 pm on Friday the 9th May 2008.

Time and date

The winners will be decided on Thursday 15th May 2008, by a panel of judges from the Archdiocese of Perth, The Perth Mint & Gattos Christian Shop. Once a winner has been notified, the decision will be final and no further correspondence will be entere d into. Prize details

There are three categories; preschool (4-6 yrs old), primary (7-9 yrs old) and primary (10-12 yrs old).

The winners from each category will receive the following prizes:

Primary (10 –12 yrs old)

1oz WYD Silver Proof Coin value at $90.00 ea + $25.00 gift voucher from Gatto Christian Shop

WYD Aluminium Bronze Coin valued at $14.00 ea + Perth DID Showbag valued at $12.00 ea

WYD Aluminium Bronze Coin valued at $14.00

Preschool (4 –6 yrs old)Primary (7 –9 yrs old)

A Family Pass to the Perth Mint value at $40.00 ea + $25.00 gift voucher from Gatto Christian Shop

1st Prize WinnerA Family Pass to the Perth Mint value at $40.00 ea + $25.00 gift voucher from Gatto Christian Shop

WYD Aluminium Bronze Coin valued at $14.00 ea + Perth DID Showbag valued at $12.00 ea

2nd Prize WinnerWYD Aluminium Bronze Coin valued at $14.00 ea + Perth DID Showbag valued at $12.00 ea

WYD Aluminium Bronze Coin valued at $14.00

Notification

3rd Prize WinnerWYD Aluminium Bronze Coin valued at $14.00

The winners will be contacted by phone or mail by Friday 16th May 2008. The winners will be presented at their school assembly on Monday 19th May 2008 or Tuesday 20th May 2008.

Entry Details

Date of Birth: __________/__________/_

(W/M)

___________________________________________________

Name:

Phone Contact: (H) ________________________________________

School:

Age Category:

(4 –6 yrs old)

(7 –9 yrs old)

(10 –12 yrs old)

Preschool

Primary

YOUTH DAY

WORLD

Age:

Sunday April 20

TAIZE MEDITATIVE PRAYER

7pm to 8pm at Sisters of St Joseph Chapel, 16 York Street, South Perth. Come and be still and pray with the community in the candlelit chapel. Song, Scripture and silence. Everyone welcome. Bring a friend and a torch. Enq: Sister Maree Riddler 0414 683 296.

Sunday April 20

PERTH WYD SUNDAY SESH #3 AT LOCKRIDGE PARISH

Youth Mass starting at 6pm and Sunday Sesh at 7.15pm. Good Shepherd Parish, 215 Morley Drive, Kiara. The Sunday Sesh is back again! April’s theme: “Developing our own journey with Christ, and Journey of the Cross and Icon (JCI)”. Learn more about the WYD Cross and Icon to prepare for its arrival in Perth. It is an open event. All welcome. Enq: Tammy 9422 7944 or www.wydperth.com.

Thursday April 24

MASS IN HONOUR OF THE FIRST VIEWING OF THE REMAINS OF ST PIO OF PIETRELCINA IN ITALY

Good Shepherd Church, cnr Morley Drive and Altone Road Lockridge. Mass 8am followed by DVD of Santo Pio of Pietrelcina’s life. 10am praying of the Rosary followed by the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 4pm. Lunch BYO, Tea/Coffee supplied. Evening Mass 7pm celebrated by Fr Brian O’Loughlin. Special invitation to all priests in the Archdiocese. All welcome. Enqs: Nick 0418 956 273 or Fr Hoang 9279 8119.

Thursday April 24

CATHEDRAL PRAISE MEETING CPM

Starting at 7.30pm at 450 Hay Street, Perth. Meet JAMES “BUTCH” MURPHY who carried a 6ft wooden cross through America as a witness to Christ. It took 18 months and 14 pairs of shoes! Catch the excitement of Jim’s testimony - a Love Offering will be received. Enq: Flame Ministries International: 9382 3668 or email: fmi@flameministries.org.

Friday April 25

HEALING FIRE BURNING LOVE

HEALING EUCHARISTIC SERVICE

Our Lady of the Missions, 270 Camberwarra Drive, Whitfords. 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Come and experience Jesus’ love for you and the healing power of the Holy Spirit in your life. This is a charismatic Healing Service and there will be the laying on of hands for those wanting to be prayed with. Enq: Jenni Young 9445 1028 or 0404 389 679.

Friday April 25

MEDJUGORJE  EVENING OF PRAYER

7pm-9pm an evening of prayer with Our Lady Queen of Peace at Our Lady’s Assumption Parish, 356 Grand Promenade, Dianella. Program: Adoration, meditation and Rosary, followed by Holy Mass. Enq: 9402 2480.

Saturday April 26

WORLD YOUTH DAY QUIZ NIGHT

Join the young people of Holy Spirit Church to make this quiz night an unforgettable one! Holy Spirit parish hall. 2 Keaney Place, City Beach, 7.15pm. Tables of 8. Tickets - $10. BYO drinks and nibbles. Tea and coffee available. Enq: Melissa 9446 9682.

Sunday April 27

HOLY HOUR

4th Sunday of the month, 2-3pm for vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. Infant Jesus Church, Wellington Road, Morley. Includes exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. “Let us continue to implore our God to rain down an abundance of new life into our Church, and to open our hearts and those of the young people of the world to really hear His Word for us now, today” (Religious Sister). Prayer works! All welcome! Enqs: 9276 8500.

Sunday April 27

PERTH WYD SUNDAY SESH #3 AT APPLECROSS PARISH

Youth Mass starting at 6pm and Sunday Sesh at 7.15pm. St Benedict Parish, 115 Ardross Street, Ardross. The Sunday Sesh is back again! April’s theme: “Developing our own journey with Christ” and Journey of the Cross and Icon

Panorama

A roundup of events in the Archdiocese

(JCI)”. Learn more about the WYD Cross and Icon to prepare for its arrival in Perth. It is an open event. All welcome. Enq: Tammy 9422 7944 or www.wydperth.com.

Monday April 28

REDISCOVERING THE MASCULINITY IDENTITY

TRUE LOVE WAITS OPEN SESSION

Starting at 7.30pm at Catholic Pastoral Centre off Harold Street, Highgate. Not to be missed! Paul Kelly, husband, father and teacher will inspire and challenge a new generation of men in this seminar to live out the calling that God has placed in each man’s heart. Enq: Stephen 0431 228 630 or email: truelovewaitswa@yahoo.com

Monday April 28

COUNCIL FOR AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC WOMEN

Scriptural Prayer Program-Ignation Spirituality

7.30 to 9pm at St Mary’s Parish Centre Franklin Street, Leederville. The prayer program continues on the 4th Monday of the month led by Sr Kathleen Brennan IBVM. All welcome. Enq: Kathleen 94987377 or kerrymac4@hotmail.com

Wednesday April 30

THE JULIAN SINGERS

7.30pm to 9.30pm at 36 Windsor Street, East Perth. The health benefits of singing are well recognised. It reduces stress, is mentally invigorating and improves your wellbeing and happiness. We are a liturgical choir and practise every Wednesday night. Second term commences 30 April. Enqs: Chris 9276 2736 or Shirley 9344 2105.

Thursday May 1

HEALING SERVICE

Alan Ames Ministry is holding a healing service, following 7pm Mass, at St Jude’s Catholic Church, 20 Prindiville Way, Langford. All welcome.

First Friday May 2

ALLIANCE AND TRIUMPH OF THE TWO HEARTS

Holy Mass and Eucharistic vigil at St Bernadette’s Church Glendalough. Confessions at 5.15pm. Parish Mass at 5.45pm followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, hourly Rosaries, hymns and reflections etc. Vigil concludes with midnight Mass in honour of the BVM. Enqs: Fr Doug Harris 9444 6131 or Dorothy 9342 5845.

Saturday May 3

DANCING OUR JOYS

10am to 4pm. An Easter Retreat Day giving expression to gratitude and praise through creative movement and dance. St Catherine’s House of Hospitality, 113 Tyler St, Tuart Hill. Enqs: Shelley Barlow on 9217 3873.

Saturday May 3

DAY WITH MARY

9am to 5pm. St Gerard Majella Church, Cnr Ravenswood Drive & Majella Road, Mirrabooka (Westminster). A video on Fatima will be shown at 9am. Includes Sacrament of Penance, Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Sermons, Rosaries, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Stations of the Cross. Please BYO lunch. Enqs: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate 9250 8286.

Sunday May 4

THE 2008 B USSELTON MAY ROSARY CELEBRATION IN HONOUR OF OUR LADY

12.30pm at Queen of the Holy Rosary Shrine, Bove’s Farm, Roy Road, Jindong, Busselton. Holy Concelebrated Mass led by Fr Tony Chiera 1pm. Rosary Procession and Benediction following Mass. Afternoon tea provided. All welcome! Bus bookings from Perth Francis 0404 893 877 or 9459 3873. Note: Roy Road runs off the Bussell Highway, approximately halfway between Busselton and Margaret River.

Sunday May 4

THE PROBLEM OF REPRESENTING GOD

For 20th Century Christian and Jewish Artists. 3pm in The Boardroom, Temple David 34 Clifton Crescent, Mount Lawley. Lecture by Simon Blond, Lecturer in Visual Culture and Art History, Curtin University. $5 members, $10 non-members. Light refreshments following lecture. Email: ccjwa@aol.com or visit: www. ccjwa.org.

Sunday May 4 DIVINE MERCY

An afternoon with Jesus and Mary will be held at St Joachim’s Church, on the corner of Shepperton Road and Harper Street in Victoria Park starting at 1.30pm. Program: Holy Rosary and Reconciliation, Sermon: with Fr John Joseph FFI followed by Divine Mercy prayers and Benediction. Afterwards refreshments in the parish hall, followed by a video/DVD with Fr John Corapi on Garden of Holiness and Family. Enq: John 9457 7771 or Linda 9275 6608.

Thursday May 8

MONTHLY MASS IN HONOUR OF BLESSED MARY MACKILLOP

Starting at 6pm. Sisters of St Joseph Chapel, 16 York Street, South Perth. You are invited to join in the Eucharist Place your prayer intentions at the foot of Mary’s shrine and bring your friends. Enq: Sister Maree 0414 683 926.

Saturday May 10

ST PADRE PIO PRAYER GROUP

St Joseph’s Chapel, Villa Terrenzio, Corner Cabrini and Marangaroo Drive, Marangaroo. 9am St Padre Pio DVD, 10am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Divine Mercy, Silent Adoration and Benediction. 11am Holy Mass, St Padre Pio Liturgy. Confessions available. 12pm BYO Lunch. Tea and coffee supplied. All welcome. Enq: Barbara 9405 7559 or 0423 945 172.

Wednesday May 14

CHAPLETS OF THE DIVINE MERCY

Commencing at 7.30pm. A beautiful, prayerful, sung devotion held at St Thomas More Catholic Church, Dean Road, Bateman, will be held on the second Wednesday of each month. All are welcome. Enqs: George Lopez 9310 9493(hm) or 9325 2010(wk)

Sunday May 17

UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OPEN DAY

Starting at 1pm at 20 Ferguson Street, Maylands. The Ukrainian Catholic Church, Parish of St John the Baptist, is inviting everyone to experience in a practical way the faith of Eastern Catholics. Enq: email Peter on peter.valega@kbr. com or Nick 0401 232 894.

Thursday May 22

BE THE BEST PARENT YOU CAN

At 15 Cambridge Street, West Leederville. How to tackle parenting in this 21st century of enormous change and challenge. Build the healthy, nurturing family you want. A 6 week program providing tools and roadmaps for the way ahead. Survival skills for today’s families is relevant to children of all ages and children over 8 years are welcome to attend. Cost $80 single parent/family or $120 couple/family. Enq: Relationships Australia on 9489 6322.

Friday May 23

NEW LIFE IN GOD’S SPIRIT SEMINAR

Commencing 23 May 2008 for eight weeks from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. St Brigids Church, 211 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge. (Secure parking in the Church grounds). Registration $20 students $15, includes Booklet with weekly scripture and notes. Great preparation for WYD as seminar finishes week before. Enq: Jenni Young on 9445 1028 or 0404 389 679.

Sunday May 25

ST PADRE PIO PILGRIMAGE AND PROCESSION TOODYAY

Holy Mass 10.30 followed by procession 12.30pm. Celebrate St Padre Pio’s birthday by joining the Corpus Christi Holy Mass and procession in Toodyay. Please bring a plate (tea and coffee provided). Buses leaving at 8am from Victoria Park, Mirrabooka and Girrawheen, enq: Nita 9367 1366. From Leederville, Morley and Midland, enq: Des 6278 1540. From Hamilton Hill, Spearwood, enq: Chia 9337 3831.

Sunday May 25

WYD JOURNEY OF THE CROSS AND ICON PILGRIMAGE EVENT

12 Noon From Mends St Jetty to Mary MacKillop Centre for a beautiful ritual and Veneration of the Cross. Sisters of St Joseph chapel, 16 York St, South Perth. Everyone welcome all ages Enq: Sister Maree Riddler 0414 683 926.

Monday June 2

DIVINE MERCY PILGRIMAGE TO GINGINCHITTERING

All Divine Mercy Prayer Groups welcome! Program: 11.30am BYO lunch at St Catherine’s, Gingin. Followed by 12.30pm Holy Rosary, Exposition and Benediction. 1.00pm Way of the Cross. 1.30pm Holy Mass. 2.15pm depart to Shrine of Divine Mercy at Maryville for 3pm prayer and Divine Mercy Devotions. 3.30pm Afternoon Tea. 4.30pm return to Perth. For bookings: Francis Williams 9459 3873 or 0404 893 877. Transport cost $15.00 pp (Return). BYO Lunch. Enq: Sheila 9575 4023 or Fr Paul 9571 1839.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Jesuit Volunteers Australia calls for part-time volunteers to respond to the needs of people in the community who live in marginalised circumstances. At the heart of this program is a reflective process, based on Gospel values, which underpins the work of the volunteers. To learn more: www.jss.org.au. Enq: Kevin Wringe 9316 3469 or email kwringe@iinet.net.au.

Every Saturday VIDEO / DVD NIGHT

Starting straight after the 6.30pm Vigil Mass at St. Joseph’s Church, 20 Hamilton St, Bassendean. A variety of Videos / Dvd’s will be shown i.e. The Saints, Conversion Stories, Catholic Teaching etc. Each video is approx. 30mins. Want to learn more about our Catholic faith? Bring the family along, there is no charge. Saturday April 19 showing ‘Gospa’ (Pt. 1). Saturday April 26 presenting ‘Gospa’ (Pt. 2). First Three Mondays of the Month.

Every Sunday

SHRINE OF VIRGIN OF THE REVELATION

Sunday Pilgrim Mass is celebrated at 2pm with Holy Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at the Shrine, 36 Chittering Road, Bullsbrook. Reconciliation is available in Italian and English before every celebration. On the second Sunday of the month, anointing of the sick is administered during Mass. The side entrance to the church and the shrine is open daily between 9am and 5pm. Enq: SACRI 9447 3292.

CALLING PAST YCW MEMBERS

Were you a past member of the Perth YCW, or would you like to be informed about the actions and activities of the YCW today? The Perth YCW is in the process of creating a newsletter to “keep you in touch” with the movement, and we would like to hear from any past YCW members and/or supporters who would like to be kept on our updated mailing list. Please email the Perth YCW at perth@ycw.org.au or call Katherine or Vincent on 9422 7910 by Friday April 11, 2008. We look forward to hearing from you!

First Friday of the Month

WITNESS FOR LIFE

Pro-Life Mass at St Brigid’s, Midland starting at 9.30am. Followed by Rosary, procession and prayer vigil at abortion clinic. Led by Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. Enq: Helene 9403 2444.

Every First Friday

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE RELIGIOUS LIFE

7pm Mass at Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 2 Rawlins Street, Glendalough. Celebrant Fr Albert Saminedi. 7.30pm Holy Hour Adoration with Fr Don Kettle. Refreshments to follow in the hall. All welcome.

Every Tuesday

THE GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW

Exciting revelations into the Gospel of St Matthew in a free Bible course being conducted by Fr Douglas Rowe SFP St Joachim’s Parish Hall, Shepperton Road, Victoria Park. Every Tuesday at 7.30pm. Light refreshments will follow. Please bring your bible and a friend.

ACCOMMODATION

■ FAMILY/GROUP ACCOMMODATION

www.beachhouseperth.com Call 0400 292 100

■ TO LET

Mandurah furnished holiday apartment in resort complex. 3 bdrm, 2 bath. Phn 9381 3495 or email: valma7@bigpond.com.

■ TO LET

Room in Christian house in Secret Harbour. Single person occupancy (with use of 2 bedrooms and own bathroom) of a 4x2 brand new house $150 p/w plus utilities Keith 0448 862 130.

■ ROOM TO LET

Shared accomodation - M/F, mature/ non smoker to share lovely 3bdrm villa in Tuart Hill with mature person. $85p/w plus expenses. Contact 0402398541

■ ST ANNE’S CHURCH, BINDOON

Accomm for retreat/family/group or single tel 9576 0975.

BOOK REPAIRS

■ REPAIR YOUR LITURGICAL BOOKS

General repairs to books, old bibles & missals. 2ndhand Catholic books avail. Tydewi Bindery 9293 3092.

RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS

■ 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 Road, Canning Vale. Open Mon-Sat.

■ RICH HARVEST  YOUR CHRISTIAN SHOP

Looking for Bibles, CDs, books, cards, gifts, statues, baptism/communion apparel, religious vestments, etc? Visit us at 39 Hulme Court (off McCoy St), Myaree, 9329 9889 (after 10.30am Mon to Sat). We are here to serve.

■ KINLAR VESTMENTS

‘Modern meets tradition.’ Quality hand-made & decorated. Vestments, altar cloths, banners. Contact: Vickii Smith Veness. 9402 8356 or 0409 114 093.

HEALTH

■ DEMENTIA REMISSION

Do you, or your loved one, suffer Dementia. Get into Dementia Remission like me! http://www. wgrey.com.au/dm/index.htm or (02) 9971 8093.

WANTED

Lady seeks female travel companion to share expenses and experiences of a 30-day trip to Italy.

CLUB AMICI

Club Amici aims to build community amongst Catholic singles, couples and families by organising social events for people (some events are specifically for people in their 20s and 30s). If you would like a copy of our latest calendar or to be on our mailout list please contact Therese 9405 6735 or email clubamiciwa@yahoo.com.

Approximate date of holiday late September 2008.

Ph: 9276 5054.

BUILDING TRADES

■ BRICK REPOINTING

Phone Nigel 9242 2952.

■ PERROTT PAINTING PTY LTD

For all your residential, commercial painting requirements. Phone Tom Perrott 9444 1200.

■ BRICKLAYING

20 years exp. Quality work. Phn 9405 7333 or 0409 296 598.

■ PICASSO PAINTING

Top service. Phone 0419 915 836, fax 9345 0505.

CHRISTIAN GIFTS

OTTIMO

Shop 108 Trinity Arcade (Terrace Level). Hay Street, Perth Ph 93224520. Convenient city location for a good selection of cards, candles, statues, medals, apparel and gifts for baptism, reconciliation, communion, confirmation and weddings. We also stock a range of Monastique skin care product made by the Carmelite Sisters, fashion accessories, jewellery, handbags and Australian made gifts. Opening hours. 8.30am to 5.30am Monday to Thursday. 8.30am to 7pm Fridays.

in brief...

Robots could read to tots, bath granny

CHRISTIAN SINGLES

Meet other Christian singles over small group dinners or on individual dates. FigTrees is Perth’s ONLY genuine Christian dating agency. So, call 9472 8218 to make an appointment or check out our web site figtrees.com.au. 9-328 Albany Highway, Victoria Park. Open Tues-Fri 10am - 6pm.

tea conclude monthly meeting. Enq: Secretary 9388 3026. Contact Jane Borg on 9202 6859.

PERPETUAL ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

Christ the King Church, Lefroy Road, Beaconsfield. 24 hours per day, except at Mass times. All are invited to spend an hour with Jesus truly present. Entrance is from the porch, near the altar on the Lefroy Road side of the church. Enq: Joe 9319 1169.

First Sunday of Every Month

HEALING FIRE BURNING LOVE MINISTRY

Sunday Mass at St Bernadette’s Church, Cnr Jugan and Leeder Streets, Glendalough commencing with praise and worship at 6.30pm and Mass at 7pm. We have healing prayers after the Mass so please invite all those in need of the healing love and power of Jesus. Enq: Jenni Young 9445 1028 or 0404 389 679.

Every First Friday and First Saturday

COMMUNION OF REPARATION ALL NIGHT VIGIL

Starting Friday 7pm to 1am Saturday. Corpus Christi Church, 43 Lochee Road, Mosman Park. Prayers according to the booklet of The Alliance of the Two Hearts. Father Bogoni will say Mass and hear confessions all night concluding with Mass to honour the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 1am. Please join us even for an hour. Hymns, Rosaries and silent adoration included. Enq: Vicky 9364 2378 or Catalina 0439 931 151.

IS YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER UNDECIDED AFTER SCHOOL?

Is your son or daughter unsure what to do in 2008? Acts 2 College offers them a productive year discovering God’s purpose for their life while learning practical life skills. They will develop practical life skills in addition to learning more about the Catholic faith and deepening their own faith in God. Scholarships available. Contact Jane Borg on 9202 6859.

With a birth rate of only 1.3 children per woman and a population already shrinking, Japan faces a serious shortage of workers over the next few decades and an expanding older population who will need care. But who needs people when robots could do much of the routine work - like reading to young children or keeping an eye on great-grandma?

That’s the view of researchers at Japan’s Machine Industry Memorial Foundation, who calculate that robots could fill the jobs of 3.5 million people. It’s not a question, they say, of replacing one worker with one robot, but of

saving worker time by programming robots to do tasks such as helping bath the elderly. Nor does it mean, judging by the picture published with a Reuter’s report, being tended in your declining years by a clanking metal monster. On the contrary, a robotic caregiver might look more attractive than the lady from the agency. “Seniors are pushing back their retirement until they are 65 years old, day care centres are being built so that more women can work during the day, and there is a move to increase the quota of foreign labourers. But none of these can beat the shrinking workforce,” said Takao Kobayashi, who worked on the study. But he acknowledges that developing suitable robots will be expensive, and that people (especially those over 65?) may not take to the idea. “People need to have the will to use the robots,” he said.  FAMILYEDGE

THE 10 TOP SECRETS AT THE RECORD

10. 50 per cent of the staff is Mormon

9. Peter Rosengren secretly deposed as editor and replaced by look-alike cyborg.

8. Some articles written by an infinite number of chimpanzees.

7. Monthly staff meetings in London.

6. After minor plastic surgery, actor Michael J. Fox's new identity as Mark Reidy.

5. In an effort to give Record readers more variety, the editor plans to roll out "Reggord," a new line of spicy chicken egg rolls.

4. Accounts Manager Cathy Baguley once observed with Julio down by the schoolyard.

3. We've secretly replaced certain sections of the paper with coded instructions to Opus Dei members.

2. The location of the Bookshop apostolate's secret cache of automatic weapons and three year food supply.

1. The original marketing plan called for The Record to be printed on two tablets of stone, but this was rejected after being deemed by focus groups to be "too predictable."

THE R ECORD Bookshop

587

West Perth 6005

ph: 9227 7080

email: bookshop@therecord.com.au

“Bring the little children to me” Resources for youth

JESUS FORGIVES MY SINS

By Mary Terese Donze

The Sacrament of Penance is meant to fill our hearts with peace and joy. One way parents can help this happen for their child is to introduce them to the sacrament on a one-to-one basis in the familiar surroundings of the home. Jesus Forgives My Sins is designed to help parents do just that

$6.95+postage

LITTLE ACTS OF GRACE

By Rosemarie

Cortler and Donna Piscitelli

This colourful and practical book for young children highlights the little ways in which they can show their love for God and others by practising little acts of grace. Little things mean a lot, and this little booklet will mean a lot to both children and parents.

$12.95+postage

CATHOLIC PRAYER BOOK FOR CHILDREN

By Julianne Will

With colourful, captivating illustrations, the Catholic Prayer Book for Children helps boys and girls discover the beauty of prayer as it encourages them to form a lifelong relationship with God.

$7.95+postage

THE LIFE OF MARY

By Inos Biffi

This vibrantly illustrated meditation on the life of the Mother of God draws the reader into a greater appreciation of her role in the life of her son and the Church. It simply and touchingly chronicles 11 major events from the Gospels and ancient tradition, beginning with the joy of the Annunciation, through the sorrow of the Crucifixion and death of Jesus, to the glory of the Assumption.

$25.95+postage

JUST LIKE MARY

By Rosemarie Cortler and Donna Piscitelli

In a captivating style with delightful art, Just Like Mary presents the events in Mary’s life and shows how your youngster can begin to follow the example she gives us all.

$12.95+postage

LIVING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS FOR CHILDREN

By Rosemarie Cortler and Donna Piscitelli

The Ten Commandments have always played an essential role as guiding principles in the lives of adults and children alike. Children will appreciate the positive, real-world examples and vibrant full-colour illustrations that bring the stories and pages to life

$12.95+postage

THE MASS BOOK FOR CHILDREN

By Rosemarie Cortler and Donna Piscitelli

Here’s a delightful way to introduce your little ones to Jesus in the Eucharist. With its captivating writing style and charming art, The Mass Book for children not only teaches young children the parts of the Mass but also shows them why joining in this joyful gathering is an experience of love.

$12.95+postage

AN ILLUSTRATED CATECHISM

By Inos Biffi

An Illustrated Catechism is a wonderful teaching resource for children and an introduction to the basics of our Catholic faith for adults. Beautifully illustrated by Franco Vignazia in an intensly vibrant and rich style reminiscent of medieval illuminations, this book is organised according to the outline of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, with a section corresponding to each of its four main parts.

$29.95+postage