The Record Newspaper - 16 October 2013 by The Record

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Mongolia isolated no more

Violent choice

Bishop remembers missioning in a land with no Catholics - Pages 12-13

Protestors try to derail March for Babies - Page 7

Two Perth men have been ordained deacons at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome

It takes a family to serve

Perth man Christian Irdi and his family following his ordination to the diaconate in St Peter’s Basilica along with fellow Perth seminarian Mark Baumgarten on October 3.

TWO Perth men studying for the priesthood in Rome have been ordained Deacons at St Peter’s Basilica, with one of the men going on to serve for Pope Francis at the Mass for Our Lady of Fatima, last Sunday. Christian Irdi and regular Record contributor Mark Baumgarten entered the diaconate on October 3 at the hands of Cardinal James Harvey. Both men are in their fourth year of studying in Rome in preparation for being ordained priests for the Archdiocese of Perth in mid-2014. They were ordained along with 39 of their Pontifical North American College fellows, including Matthew Baldwin from Melbourne, with eight bishops and around 300 concelebrating priests surround-

ing the altar. Deacon Irdi said the experience of serving at the papal Mass last Sunday, part of Marian celebrations culminating in Pope Francis consecrating the world to Our Lady, was a moving one. “My vocation came to me by means of Our Lady of Fatima, and I have had a devotion to her from a very young age,” Mr Irdi said. “It was a tremendous privilege and a great act of divine providence through her maternal intercession.” Mr Irdi also spoke glowingly of his ordination to the diaconate and of what it meant to serve God and his people, as a deacon. “The experience of prostrating on the marble of the sanctuary of St Peter’s… of laying down my own life before God only metres away from St Peter’s tomb and the place

of his own martyrdom was incredibly powerful for me… “I am more aware than ever before of my own nothingness before the infinite power and love of God, realising most clearly that Holy Orders is a supreme

“Since I’d been away from the Church for a while prior to entering seminary, I was never in a rush to get formation over and done with,” Deacon Baumgarten told The Record. “I’ve been glad for the slow thoroughness of it all, as I needed

The men lay prostrate on the marble, metres away from St Peter’s tomb and the site of his martyrdom. but unmerited gift, given to those whom Christ calls,” Mr Irdi said. Mr Baumgarten, whose face became known to millions earlier this year as that of the “We will miss you” sign-holding seminarian following Pope Benedict’s resignation, described his ordination as a “definitive moment”.

to relearn the faith as much as learn how to be a priest. That said, the last couple of years I’ve been feeling both a greater confidence in my call and a growing desire to engage in ministry. “It’s been a great joy to take this definitive step into Holy Orders, particularly given that I’ve been

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able to do it alongside such fine brothers in my class.” As he approached the altar for the laying of hands, his thoughts were about the people of Perth. “I was very consciously carrying both my family and the whole Church of Perth with me, knowing that no vocation occurs in isolation but that it rather stems from and is for a community of faith.” Prior to studying in Rome, Deacon Baumgarten spent threeand-a-half years at St Charles Seminary and Deacon Irdi, twoand-a-half years at Good Shepherd seminary in Sydney. Following their ordination, the men and Melbournian Deacon Matthew Baldwin, celebrated with Mass at Domus Australia. MORE ON THE SPECIAL EVENT - PAGE 8

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Praying the ZimCatholics way

Round-Up

they go to school in a bid to break the poverty cycle that is rampant in the Philippines. Together with Holy Rosary Parish and the Year 5 students, items were collected on Social Justice Sunday with a staggering total of 120 shoe boxes. “Flyers were given out to friends and family and a workshop was held at Holy Rosary Parish,” Mrs Carter said. “We are overjoyed with the response having made our target and thanks to our wonderful community.” Other Catholic schools have also joined the efforts of Shoeboxes for Jesus. The boxes will be shipped in early November in time for the Jesus Fiesta for street children and orphans planned for December 1.

JUANITA SHEPHERD

Zimbabwean Catholics hold inaugural conference in Perth The first ZimCatholics Australia and New Zealand Conference was held at Swanleigh in Middle Swan, September 19-22. Approximately 200 people were present each day at the conference, the aim of which was to combat spiritual dryness and to enhance the faith, especially in the Year of Faith and the Australian Year of Grace. The conference went on all night on Saturday, the last Mass being celebrated on Sunday at 5am. Two priests flew in from Zimbabwe especially and delivered powerful talks on prayer. “We ran out of time because of the depths of the catechesis... and we ended up not having all the talks which were on the program,” Bibiana Kwaramba, one of he principal organisers said. “We wanted everyone to be there so it was an open invitation,” Mrs Kwaramba said. “We had ZimCatholics from across Australia and some other Zimbabwe nonCatholics who experienced what Catholicism is and were amazed.” Mrs Kwaramba also explained the genesis of the conference’s name. “ZimCatholics is the name which we thought would identify us as Catholics with our origins from Zimbabwe. It is just an identity name otherwise we are obedient and operate under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Perth,” Mrs Kwaramba said. “Having such gatherings is what we grew up doing. It makes us unified and also because of the catechesis which took place helps people grow spiritually. We felt there was something missing and also it was a way of trying to pull

Invite to get quizzical for protection of life

Attendees of the inaugural ZimCatholics conference held in Perth, September 19-22. Speakers included Fr Constantine Mapuranga O Carm, centre left, Fr Raymond Mupa CSsR, and Sr Rebecca Sampang, far right. PHOTO: ZIMCATHOLICS back some Catholics who have strayed and joined other churches.” The ZimCatholics Conference took for its theme the same as the Year of Grace: “Starting afresh in Christ.” Preparations are already underway for the next conference, scheduled for 2014 in New South Wales. “On Sunday when I came back home I felt as if I was lost because we were out of this world living on the word of God for three days and all of a sudden it was gone,” Mrs Kwaramba said. “I feel challenged by the talks and what life we are supposed to live as followers of Christ and as Catholics.” For more information about future ZimCatholics events call 0458 945 444.

Shoebox charity the fruit of chance meeting The Holy Rosary Parish, together with the Year 5 children of Loreto Nedlands Primary School, have come together to aid orphaned children in the Philippines with an scheme called Shoeboxes for Jesus. “The idea for Shoeboxes for Jesus came from when I was living in Houston, Texas and every year the school my sons went to would organise shoeboxes for the homeless men,” Raewyn Carter, parishioner of Holy Rosary Parish told The Record. A chance discussion with Sherita Rodrigo,

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SAINT OF THE WEEK

Monday 21st - Green 1st Reading: Rom 4:20-25 Glory to God Responsorial Ps/Lk 1:69-75 Psalm: Love fulfilled Gospel Reading: Lk 12:13-21 Be on your guard

John de Brebeuf 1593-1649 October 19

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Born in Normandy in 1593, John entered the Jesuits in 1617 and was ordained in 1622. Despite having tuberculosis, he went as a missionary to New France (Canada) in 1625. He had little success among the Huron Indians, and returned briefly to France when Canada became English. But in 1633 he undertook a second mission and lived with the Hurons for 15 years, producing the first Huron dictionary. In 1649, he and Jesuit Father Gabriel Lalemant were captured in a raid by Iroquois warriors. After indescribable tortures, John died March 16 and Gabriel March 17. They are among the eight Jesuit North American martyrs, the patron saints of Canada and North America whose joint U.S. feast is October 19.

Tuesday 22nd - Green 1st Reading: Rom 5:12,15,17-21 Sin and death Responsorial Ps 39:7-10,17 Psalm: An open ear Gospel Reading: Lk 12:35-38 Dressed for action

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another parishioner from Holy Rosary Parish about the opportunity to do something with shoeboxes at Christmas set the wheels in motion. “Sherita got us together with her friends Ruby and Michael Soh,” Mrs Carter said. The Soh Family have their own self-funded charity called Buckets for Jesus; they organise shipping containers from their Subiaco base loaded with donated goods to ship off to the poorest communities in the Philippines. “After a meeting with Ruby and deciding what sort of things should go in the boxes, Shoeboxes for Jesus was born,” The boxes are filled with educational supplies and the basics that the children need when

The Right to Life Annual Quiz Night will be held at the Perth Soccer Club on Friday October 25 at 7.30pm. “Being a voluntary organisation we need the funds,” Peter O’Meara State President of the Right to Life told The Record. The quiz night has been running for over five years and draws approximately 250 people each year; all the money raised will go towards the work done at Right to Life. The organisation was established in 1976 but developed in 1989 after Mother Theresa spoke at a conference at the Perth Entertainment Centre. “We go out to schools,” Mr O’Meara said. “We also have a pregnancy life group and councillors who assist families and we become involved in public issues.” The Right to Life Association defends the right to life of all human beings from conception till natural death. The organisation strongly campaigns against abortion, euthanasia, and infanticide and embryo stem cell research; at the moment Right to Life WA is supporting the inquiry into the death of 14 babies who were aborted at King Edward Hospital. For more information about the quiz night call 9221 7117.

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Psalm: The Lord’s law Gospel Reading: Lk 12:49-53 Fire to the earth Friday 25th - Green 1st Reading: Rom 7:18-25 Unspiritual self Responsorial Ps 118:66,68,76-77, Psalm: 93-94 You give me life Gospel Reading: Lk 12:54-59 Signs of the times Saturday 26th - Green 1st Reading: Rom 8:1-11 Free from the law Responsorial Ps 23:1-6 Psalm: To see God’s face Gospel Reading: Lk 13:1-9 Unless you repent Sunday 27th - Green 30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 1st Reading: Sir 35:12-14,16-19 The Lord not slow Responsorial Ps 33:2-3, 17-19,23 Psalm: The Lord hears 2nd Reading: 2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18 The Lord saves Gospel Reading: Lk 18:9-14 The Lord forgives

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Spirit of Francis alive in Perth By Matthew Biddle AS THE popularity of Pope Francis continues to grow right around the world, local Catholics took part in an ancient tradition in honour of the saint whose name the Holy Father chose when he was elected. The Secular Franciscan Order in Perth celebrated the Transitus of St Francis of Assisi on October 3 at Our Lady Queen of Poland church in Maylands. About 30 members of the Order joined members of Perth’s Polish community for the Mass, during which they professed a renewal of commitment. To symbolise the death and transition of St Francis from earth into heaven, an empty Franciscan habit was laid at the foot of the altar. Fr Tomasz Bujakowski OFM, who celebrated the Mass along with Fr Stanislaw Tomasiak OFM and Fr Marcellinus Meilak OFM, told the congregation that they could learn from the way St Francis lived “in transit”. “It’s our way to follow. It’s not easy, it’s very challenging and difficult for us to really believe that we are only pilgrims in the world,” Fr Thomasz, who is the Secular Franciscan’s spiritual assistant, said. “The time here is really only a transfer time. If we try to live as a pilgrim on the earth it will be easier to cope with difficulties and problems in our lives.” Member of the Secular Franciscan Order for the past seven years Angela McGuire said St Francis’ transition from earth to heaven was an important event. There are about 120 members of the Secular Franciscan Order in Perth, although many of those are unable to attend meetings, Mrs McGuire said. “Each member is required to attend a meeting once a month, plus the special occasions like the Transitus of St Francis and the Transitus of St Clare,” she said. The Mass included three unique readings recounting the saint’s illness and suffering at the time of his death and his final actions. It is believed the celebration of the Transitus first became common in France in the 18th century. During his pastoral visit to Assisi, which coincided with St Francis’ feast day, Pope Francis warned against a spirit of “worldliness”. “Today [the Church] must strip herself of a very grave danger,

Tannock to become Jesuit school’s first lay principal By Matthew Biddle

Below, an empty Franciscan habit symbolised the transition of St Francis to heaven at Maylands parish.

which threatens every person in the Church, everyone: the danger of worldliness,” he said.

The popularity of Pope Francis and the saint whose name he took, growing in Perth. “The Christian cannot coexist with the spirit of the world, with the worldliness that leads us to vanity, to arrogance, to pride.” St Francis of Assisi was born in 1181 and died on October 3, 1226.

Catholic Clarity in Complex Times

PHOTO: M BIDDLE

MARK TANNOCK, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, has been appointed as the principal of St Aloysius’ College in Sydney. Mr Tannock will take over from Fr Chris Middleton SJ, who ends his term as principal at the conclusion of Term One next year. The announcement was made public on September 20, signalling the appointment of the first lay principal in the Jesuit school’s 135-year history. Mr Tannock will commence work at the school at the beginning of 2014, spending the first school term getting acquainted with the all-boys college and visiting the other schools and works of the Jesuit Province in Sydney. He will also take part in an Ignatian formation process under the guidance of Fr Peter Hosking SJ, the school’s rector. Having completed his secondary studies at John XXIII College in Perth, Mr Tannock said he was delighted to be taking up a position at another Jesuit school. “I am deeply honoured by the call to serve the Aloysian family as its first lay principal,” he said. “I hope that I might serve the college and its community by inheriting the remarkable legacy of leadership from Fr Chris Middleton SJ and all the Jesuits who have devoted their lives to educating ‘men for others’. “I look forward to becoming a part of the Aloysian family and learning what makes the college such a special place – one that graduates young men of outstanding character.” Mr Tannock has previously taught at three Catholic boys’ schools in Perth – Trinity College, Aquinas College and CBC in Fremantle. He has served as the Pro-Vice Chancellor at UNDA since 2011, after spending three years at the university’s Sydney campus. St Aloysius’ College is an independent Catholic school for boys from Year 3 to Year 12 in Milson’s Point in New South Wales.

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THE INTERVIEW WITH ANN RODRIGUES Born in Kerala, the southernmost tip of India, she grew up in the Middle East, before settling down in Perth. Ann Rodrigues, a nurse at Royal Perth Hospital, tells The Record about growing up Catholic in a predominantly Sunni country, why The Shawshank Redemption is her favourite movie and what her faith really means to her.

Q A

What’s the best thing about your job?

You get to be there for somebody at their worst and at their best; you get to see a side of them that the family usually doesn’t and it is amazing to see the strength in people’s weakest moments. I get a lot of job satisfaction when I go home, and the good days outweigh the bad days. Every day is different and I get to meet new people every day, there is no monotony in my job. I get to see people from different cultural and social backgrounds, I feel as if I am travelling around the world. I love my job.

Q A

What’s the worst thing about your job?

Death. Seeing death is the worst thing about my job. I also miss out on a steady social life because of shift work; it is very hard to plan things as there is a different roster every week, but I don’t mind at all and I adapt quickly to whatever the circumstances I find myself in.

Q A

What does your faith mean to you?

It is an identity and it also brings my family together; we go to church together and do things together relating to our faith. I carry it with me wherever I go, it helps me to deal with life’s ups and downs; it is just a part of me.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to become a nurse?

Definitely go for it because it is a very rewarding career. You have to be persistent and you’ll have some challenges, but don’t give up. As long as you are willing to keep on learning and if the idea of helping people appeals to you, go for it.

Q A

How does your faith help you in your day-to-day life?

It helps bring peace to me when I’m distressed and it helps bring me down to earth when I’m floating on air.

Q A

Ann Rodrigues works as a nurse at Royal Perth Hosptial, where she witnesses both joy and sorrow as patients deal with illness. In times of distress she seeks the consolation of God, visiting the nearby St Mary’s Cathedral. PHOTO: JUANITA SHEPHERD

becoming a nurse just became a natural choice for me.

What are some of your hobbies?

I enjoy going to the gym, I’m not into competitive sports but I like the act of keeping fit. I love cooking for friends on special occasions and I like baking.

Q A

What is a typical day at work like?

Every day is different depending on the cases that you get, there is no such thing as a typical day at work and it is always different. There’s so much to do and there is no set routine but you have to adapt to the situation, which is always changing, especially when there is a sudden emergency.

Q A

Why did you choose nursing?

It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, even as a kid. I always used to look after my younger cousins and over time

What was it like being a Catholic and growing up in the Middle East? It made my faith stronger as I had to hold onto it more. Living in Qatar, which isn’t quite as strict as some of the other Gulf countries, I was able to go to church and it was special because there was only one church in the area that I lived in.

Q A

What is your favourite holiday destination?

I would very much like to travel to Europe, just for the history.

What were some of the challenges you faced living in the Middle East?

I didn’t face many challenges, Qatar is quite free compared to many countries in the Middle East; it is not as restrictive as Saudi Arabia.

Q A

What do you like about Perth?

Q A

What is your favourite movie?

The weather, the beaches and the atmosphere, it is so laid back, I love it.

The Shawshank Redemption. Every time I watch it I feel like I’m watching it for the first time, I never get fed up and I cheer for the underdog, it’s so heart warming. I liked the main character.

Q A Q A Q A

Who is your favourite actor? Robert Downey Jr. His acting is so good and convincing. What is your favourite medical drama on TV? Grey’s Anatomy; McDreamy all the way. Who is your patron saint? St Anne.

With Christmas around the corner what’s the best thing about it?

There are so many things that I love about Christmas, spending time with my family and the [general] atmosphere.

What do you hope to achieve in your career as a nurse?

I hope to specialise in a field in nursing; I haven’t decided which one yet and the possibilities are endless. I would also like to volunteer my services as a nurse.

Have you ever been faced with a decision that has tested your beliefs?

No not really, it is not part of my job to push my personal beliefs onto other individuals, my faith is part of me and that’s it; I go to St Mary’s Cathedral because it is so close and it is just nice to sit there for some time.

- JUANITA SHEPHERD

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Members of the public can register to join the Collegium Symphonic Chorus performing Handel’s Messiah on November 16 at Wesley Church. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

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St Brigid’s struggles to help boarders By Matthew Biddle CATHOLIC FAMILIES wanting to enrol their daughters at St Brigid’s College in Lesmurdie next year may be unable to after the school’s plan to accommodate more students fell through. The school has experienced a surge in the number of boarding students recently, forcing it to examine other ways of accommodating them. Principal Amelia Toffoli told The Record the school had presented a proposal to the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes parish to use its parish centre to board 16 students. But parish priest Fr Ken Asaba said, after holding a forum to discuss the proposal, the parish decided not to go ahead with the plan. “We had around 60 parishioners to make the decision and to get a feeling of the parish for the proposal,” he said. “Unfortunately the conclusion was that the people were opposed to the idea.” Speaking to The Record before the decision had been made, Ms Toffoli said the plan to use the parish centre was the school’s best option. “If we can’t get that option, the possibility is that we may need to refuse Catholic families boarding,” she said. “We have land, but we’re not in a position to build further accommodation. We’ve refurbished everything that we’ve got on site for boarding, so it’s either that or Catholic families may miss out.” In the last decade the number of boarders at St Brigid’s has increased from 138 to 172.

St Brigid’s College had hoped to use the Our Lady of Lourdes parish centre, at right, to accommodate up to 16 students.

The current number already surpasses the all-girls school’s accommodation limit, and Ms Toffoli said she was expecting even more boarding students in the next two years. “In 2015 the State is moving its Year 7 students from primary to secondary campuses, and we’re anticipating, with our farming families, that they may be forced, if they

want their children in a Catholic school, to send us their daughters,” Ms Toffoli said.

of interest from those families, so we’re anticipating further increases. “We saw an opportunity in the

“If we can’t get that option, the possibility is that we may need to refuse Catholic families boarding.” “In addition to that... Nagle has shut down it’s boarding, and we’ve received already five expressions

old parish centre that had been used very little, that needed refurbishment. We thought we could

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

help the parish do that, and we proposed what we proposed.” Fr Ken said it was unfortunate the parish decided not to accept the proposal. “I personally thought it was a brilliant idea,” he said. “It was going to be perfect, using this facility which is actually underused. Unfortunately the parish is not ready to engage with this sort of situation yet.”

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Perth parishes respond to the consecration call By Matthew Biddle

The Statue of Our Lady of Fatima during Pope Benedict’s visit to the shrine in Portugal on May 13, 2010. PHOTO: CNS

Event tries to make talking about suicide easier

SEVERAL Perth parishes were united with Pope Francis on October 13 when he consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At Christ the King Catholic Church in Beaconsfield, Fr Liam Keating SMA consecrated the parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at all of the weekend Masses. St Anne’s in North Fremantle, Infant Jesus in Morley and St Lawrence’s in Bluff Point (Geraldton diocese) all consecrated their parishes on the weekend. Meanwhile, at Holy Spirit parish in City Beach, a Holy Hour of Adoration was held in union with the Papal event. The parish consecrations

occurred after Sydney-based Catholics John Maklouf and Stewart Davies sent a letter to the 1,800 parishes around Australia. The letter asked parishes to join the Holy Father and consecrate their parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on October 13. Mr Maklouf said there was a “great response” from parishes, including several in WA. Earlier this year the pair wrote to every Australian bishop, asking them to consider consecrating Australia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In reply, the bishops confirmed that the proposal was on the agenda for the November meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Mr Davies said following Pope

Francis’ announcement to consecrate the world on October 13, he was informed that the Australian bishops had decided to “unite spiritually” with the event. “Since the most urgent demand of Fatima is reparation, the collegial consecration of Australia would be a great act of reparation on behalf of this nation and its peoples,” he said. “It would also put Australia among the small company of nations that are in the forefront of making the glories of Mary known to the whole world in these times.” October 13 marked the 96th anniversary of the final apparition of Mary at Fatima, Portugal, and the famous “Miracle of the Sun” in 1917.

Mao’s last dancer wows them with words

By Chitsy Kapambwe CIARA THIEDEMAN and a dedicated group of volunteers want to help people break through the stigma surrounding suicide with a fundraising fashion gala on October 25 at Aranmore Catholic Primary and a sale of clothes at the school the following day. Garments donated by some of Western Australia’s best known personalities will be up for grabs with celebrities including Jessica Rowe and former WA Premier Geoff Gallop lending their support to the event. Ms Thiedeman said she wanted to raise awareness around suicide following her own mother’s untimely death. “We are trying to make talking about suicide and the ugly side of mental health a little easier by making it ‘fashionable’,” Ms Thiedeman said. “I felt a horrible loneliness when my mum was really ill and after my mum’s suicide because people didn’t know how to talk about it.” Ms Thiedeman said she hopes the gala will help people in similar circumstances, including their friends and loved ones, to feel more open about discussing the issue. Funds raised go to Vincentcare, a St Vincent de Paul Society outreach for people living with mental health issues and homelessness. The nighttime event will be hosted by 96FM’s Carmen Braidwood and will be styled by fashion guru Ingrid Hocking of Brownlow Medal gown fame. All celebrity-donated fashion items will be available for pre-sale on the night of the gala. Clothes will also be sold at the primary school from 10am to 4pm, with entry by a gold coin donation.

Around 500 guests, including Bishop Donald Sproxton, front far left, were treated to words of wisdom from Li Cunxin, front second from right, at the 2013 MercyCare Oration last month. MercyCare CEO Chris Hall hailed the event as a huge success, praising Mr Cunxin’s triumph over adversity. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Tickets to the gala event are on sale for $25. For more information on the gala or the following day’s sale, contact Aranmore Catholic Primary School on 9444 9366.

If you are feeling suicidal or have been affected by suicide and need to talk to someone, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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Divine Mercy needing help ADVERTORIAL THE DIVINE MERCY Church in Chittering is gradually taking shape. In April, the copper dome was erected above the transept and bells were installed. Work is currently being carried out to close-in the Church, however there is still much fundraising required before the Church can be completed. This work includes flooring, ceilings, interior walls and painting. The Parish has been asking people to donate a Pew ($1,000 ea) currently being crafted out of local Jarrah wood. A beautiful brass plaque and donor inscription will be attached to each pew. Other items which people may like to donate include a Station of the Cross ($250 ea), stained glass rose window ($20,000) for the Western facade. Stained glass windows to the side chapels (3 at $6,000 ea), large windows (45 at

The Divine Mercy Church is gradually taking shape.

$3,000 ea), small windows (55 at $1,500 ea), stonework to exterior ($300 square metre). Mass will be offered in the Church each month for all the benefactors. It is great to see the Divine Mercy devotion

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

growing and the number of prayer groups multiplying. There are many stories of lives changed for the better by turning towards Our Lord in the Hour of Mercy. DONATIONS - 9571 8068

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therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

Violent scenes at the March for Babies By Matthew Biddle PROTESTERS ambushed the annual March for the Babies in Melbourne on October 12, in a violent and ugly display that left several people injured. More than 3,000 people, including children and the elderly, gathered for the annual pro-life walk through the streets of Melbourne, but were met by a group of about 50 protesters coming in the other direction. Police stood between the two groups for about an hour, and although the pro-lifers had a permit to march and had pre-booked the event, they were forced to turn around to finish their march. The March for the Babies has been held annually since 2009, commemorating the passing of the Abortion Law Reform Act in 2008, calling for the law to be repealed. During the peaceful march, which received an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Benedict XVI last year, those present recited the rosary and sang hymns. Deputy chairman of March for the Babies Dan Flynn said while he respected the views of the protestors, the recourse to violence was unnecessary. “Every group has the right to lawful assembly and free speech, but no group has a right to violently attack such a lawful assembly with abuse and violence,” he said. American pro-life activist and international speaker Bryan Kemper used social media to relay what was happening during the march. “Near riot situation; we are being attacked as we march. Prayers please. Very bad. I’ve been hit many times already,” he posted on Facebook. “They are surrounding us. Police won’t arrest them. I am in front protecting our people. This is the craziest thing ever... This is scary.” Several Catholic priests took part in the march, as did Victorian Senator John Madigan and Liberal MP Jan Kronberg. Chairman of March for the Babies and member of the Legislative Council Bernie Finn said participants were “basically mugged” by protesters. “What ensued over the next couple of hours was pretty disgraceful,” he said. “There were assaults, and the language that was being used

Pro-life participants in Melbourne’s March for Babies last Saturday were subjected to aggression and violence from some ‘pro-choice’ protestors.

was straight out of hell’s kitchen, it was a pretty horrendous scene for a lot of people.” Despite the police presence, Mr Finn said the hostility and violence continued: “The police stood back and watched this occurring,” he alleged. Mr Finn, whose 15-year-old daughter was hit in the face, said he would ask the Victorian Police Minister to investigate the alleged lack of protection given to the walkers in the next sitting of parliament. No arrests were made on the day. Mr Finn claimed people, including the elderly, were punched, kicked, thrown to the ground, stomped on, and hit with various projectiles, including eggs. “Mums with babies in prams were particularly singled out for the vilest language you can imagine, although a number of eggs did also hit them,” he said. “It was pretty distressing.” Mr Finn said it was only the restraint of the pro-lifers that averted a “blood bath”. “We held back and were quite vigilant in ensuring that anybody that was getting a bit hot under the

collar was calmed down,” he said. Protesters also invaded the Youth for Life dinner on October 11, but Mr Finn said both events would continue next year, as the pro-life movement seeks to repeal “the most extreme abortion law in the world”. “It allows abortion right up until the moment of birth, it denies doctors the right of conscience, allows

partial birth abortion, allows sexselection abortion, it allows abortion for any reason at all right up until birth,” he said. Despite the ugly scenes at the weekend, Mr Finn said the resultant media attention has been a positive outcome for the pro-life cause. “I have been absolutely inundated over the last two days

PHOTO: FIONA BASILE

with support, not just from around Australia, but from around the world,” he said. “There’s no doubt that right at this moment, abortion is a much bigger issue than it was a week ago. And I suppose we have our friends from the abortion coalition to thank for that.” Scare tactics won’t stop abortion - page 15

Life and Family Issues Officer Life, Marriage and Family Centre The Life, Marriage and Family Centre is an agency of the Archdiocese of Sydney that has been established to extend the research, policy, educational and pastoral activities that the Archdiocese undertakes with respect to life, marriage and family issues. The Life, Marriage and Family Centre is looking to enhance its capacity with respect to the development and co-ordination of pro-life and pro-family policy work. Particular areas of focus include biomedical and life issues such as abortion, euthanasia, reproductive technology, embryo experimentation, family planning and other related issues. There is also a need for further engagement in life, marriage, and family educational work within the schools and parishes of the Archdiocese. Assistance with the co-ordination of events hosted by the Life, Marriage and Family Centre is also a part of this role. This role is available on a part time (minimum 3 days) or full time basis and will be based at the Polding Centre, Sydney.

The Record

To be successful in this role the ideal candidate will have a deep knowledge of the teachings of the Catholic Church on life, marriage and the family and a personal commitment to these; tertiary qualifications ideally to Masters level in an area relevant to the role, (e.g. Bioethics); relevant experience either in similar role or in a role encompassing the key responsibilities of this position; excellent writing and research skills; while not essential, experience in pastoral work and care of those affected by family and life issues, in Medicine or Biomedical science or in Education would be an advantage; an ability to deal sensitively and intelligently with difficult issues; and an ability to communicate effectively and compassionately. A position description detailing further information about this role is available at www.catholicjobsonline.com.au. Applications to be sent in confidence to: Anthony Spata Manager, Employment and Staff Development Polding Centre, Level 5 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 or to: anthony.spata@sydneycatholic.org Enquiries: (02) 9390 5317 Applications close Thursday, 31 October 2011

The Year of Faith rosary designed by the Vatican rosary makers will be sent out to all those who assist this cause and tick this box.

Aid to the Church in Need …. a Catholic charity dependent on the Holy See, providing pastoral relief to needy and oppressed Churches

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therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

Deacons ordained on the rock

Perth seminarians Christian Irdi and Mark Baumgarten have spent the past four years studying for the priesthood in Rome. On October 3, they were ordained deacons before the Altar of the Chair of St Peter.

All photos courtesy the Pontificial North American College.

Top, Christian Irdi pictured at the reception following his ordination to the diaconate. Above, Mark Baumgarten walks in procession with his fellow deacons. Right, candidates for the diaconate laying prostrate on the sanctuary of St Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. PNAC

Above, men lie prostrate, praying to the saints. Left, Cardinal James Harvey and Perth seminarian Christian Irdi during the laying on of hands. Below, Perth seminarian Mark Baumgarten, left, at the reception following his ordination, pictured with Perth seminarian Conor Steadman. PHOTOS: PNAC PHOTO SERVICE

WORLD

therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

Motherhood shapes, not limits, women By Francis Rocca POPE FRANCIS said women’s “vocation and mission” today remain essentially connected to their capacity for motherhood, but warned against unjustly restricting their participation in the church or civil society on that basis. “Many things can change and have changed in our cultural and social evolution, but the fact remains that it is the woman who conceives, carries in her womb and gives birth to the children of men,” the pope said on October 12. “This is not simply a biological matter, but carries a wealth of implications for the woman herself, for her way of being, for her relationships, for the way in which we lend respect to human life and to life in general,” he said. “Calling a woman to maternity, God entrusted the human being to her in an altogether special man-

ner,” he said. The pope made his remarks in a speech to participants at an academic conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Laity to mark the 25th anniversary of Blessed John Paul II’s apostolic letter “Mulieris Dignitatem”

to a social role, to a task, albeit noble, but which in fact sets the woman aside with her potential and does not value her fully in the building of the community. This is both in the civil sphere and in the ecclesial sphere,” he said.

Woman has a particular sensitivity for the things of God, above all in helping us to understand the mercy, tenderness and love God has for us. (“The Dignity of Women”). Pope Francis described it as a “historic document, the first of the papal magisterium dedicated entirely to the subject of woman.” Pope Francis warned there are two ways of betraying women’s inherently maternal role: “two opposed extremes that demolish woman and her vocation.” “The first is to reduce maternity

“I suffer -- I speak truly -- when I see in the church or in some ecclesial organizations that the role of service -- which we all have and should have -- that woman’s role of service slips into a role of servitude ... when I see women who do things out of servitude, and that it is not well understood what a woman ought to do,” he said. But the pope said there is also

the “other danger in the opposite direction: that of promoting a type of emancipation which, in order to occupy spaces taken away from the masculine, abandons the feminine with the precious traits that characterize it.” “Woman has a particular sensitivity for the things of God, above all in helping us to understand the mercy, tenderness and love that God has for us,” he said. Pope Francis praised “Mulieris Dignitatem” for its “profound, organic reflection, with a solid anthropological basis illuminated by revelation,” and said the document was a point of departure for further study and efforts at “promotion” of women. Noting that the Italian word for church (“chiesa”) is a feminine noun, the pope exclaimed that the “church is a woman. The church is a mother. And that’s beautiful, eh? We have to think deeply about this.” - CNS

Court tries to deprive Christians of “Allah”

A Muslim woman recites a prayer during a demonstration outside Malaysia’s Court of Appeal in Putrajaya. description of pictured scene. On October 14 a Malaysian appeals court upheld a government ban against the use of the word “Allah” to refer to God in non-Muslim publications. PHOTO: CNS

US Catholics not looking for God online By Carol Zimmermann MOST US Catholics are not looking for spirituality online, in fact, half of them are unaware the Church even has an online presence, according to researchers at Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. The most widely used communication tool in Catholic Church is the parish bulletin, followed by a diocesan newspaper or magazine - in print form - which one in four adult Catholics have read in the past three months, CARA reports. Narrowing the focus on Catholics who attend Mass each week, CARA said 13 percent of them read Catholic blogs and 17 percent view religious material on YouTube. These findings and other trends among US Catholics were presented on October 10 by CARA’s Melissa Cidade, director of pastoral assistance surveys and ser-

vices, and Mark Gray, director of Catholic polls, to a group of editors in Washington attending a Catholic Press Association/Catholic News Service Liaison Committee meeting. CARA’s communication findings were of particular interest to the

Catholics are not clamouring for news online” - which could be particularly disheartening to Catholic journalists who focus on their online product, but also needs to be balanced with the finding that one in four Catholics overall have read a diocesan paper recently - primarily

That diocesan papers still reach so many Catholics is something to think about, especially with the limited resources of many diocesan newspapers. group. Robert DeFrancesco, CPA president and editor and associate publisher of The Catholic Sun, newspaper of the Phoenix Diocese, said the study affirms the good work the Catholic press is doing and also highlights the work they still have cut out for them in balancing print and online efforts. He said it reveals how “younger

in print - and eight in 10 readers described these papers as good or excellent. The fact that print versions of diocesan papers still reach so many Catholics is something to think about, he noted, especially with the limited resources of many diocesan newspapers. In discussion about the CARA findings, participants

highlighted the need to continue to find new ways to tell the story of today’s Church and connect with readers. They said one key way to do this was through continuing to emphasise the words and actions of Pope Francis who has appealed to so many. CARA studies on parish life revealed that parish closings across the country have been regionalised, closing in the Northeast but growing in the West. Currently there is a 1:1 active ratio of active diocesan priests to parishes and the median age of US Catholics is 53. One key finding CARA researchers noted was a decrease in number of baptisms, weddings and funerals in the Catholic Church in recent years. They also discussed the multicultural diversity in the church, highlighting aspects of a recent study commissioned by the US bishops’ Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church. - CNS

Pope Francis consecrates the world to Mary By Francis Rocca BEFORE a congregation of more than 100,000 in St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis formally entrusted the world to Mary. “We are confident that each of us is precious in your sight,” the Pope said on October 13, facing the statue of Mary that normally stands in the shrine at Fatima, Portugal. “Guard our lives in your arms, bless and strengthen every desire for goodness.” The short ceremony was the culmination of a special Marian Day organised for the Year of Faith. In his homily during the morning’s Mass, Pope Francis celebrated Mary as a model of docility, fidelity and gratitude to God. “Let us invoke Mar y’s intercession,” he said. “May she help us to be open to God’s surprises, to be faithful to him each and every day, and to praise and thank him, for he is our strength.” Many in the crowd held small replicas of the crowned statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which had arrived in Rome the previous afternoon on a TAP Portugal airlines flight from Lisbon. An Italian air force helicopter transported the statue, inside an ivory-coloured triangular container resembling a musical instrument case, to Vatican City. The statue was then brought to the residence of retired Pope Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where he briefly venerated it. Afterwards, Pope Francis welcomed the statue at the Vatican guesthouse where he lives. At the beginning of an October 12 prayer vigil in St Peter’s Square, four attendants carried the statue on a litter through the crowd and brought it up to front of the basilica. Pilgrims waved white handkerchiefs in a traditional gesture of devotion as the statue passed. Pope Francis led the vigil, which included a recitation of the seven sorrows of Mary. In a catechetical talk, the Pope said that all believers can emulate the mother of God by giving “human flesh to Jesus” when they assent freely to his call. “Believing in Jesus means giving him our flesh with the humility and courage of Mary, so that he can continue to dwell in our midst,” the pope said. “It means giving him our hands, to caress the little ones and the poor; our feet, to go forth and meet our brothers and sisters; our arms, to hold up the weak and to work in the Lord’s vineyard; our minds, to think and act in the light of the Gospel; and especially our hearts, to love and to make choices in accordance with God’s will.” Later that night, Pope Francis sent a video message to faithful gathered at 10 Marian shrines around the world, stressing Mary’s role as a bridge to her son. “Mary points to Jesus,” he said. “She asks us to bear witness to Jesus, she constantly guides us to her son Jesus, because in him alone do we find salvation. He alone can change the water of our loneliness, difficulties and sin into the wine of encounter, joy and forgiveness. He alone.” Pope Francis has signaled his strong devotion to Mary from the first morning of his pontificate, when he made a brief pilgrimage to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome’s principal Marian shrine. He later dedicated his pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. - CNS The Pope’s Marian Day homily overleaf

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therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

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BE SURPRISED BY GOD, LIKE MARY Hubris is no way to heaven, Pope Francis has reminded Catholics in numerous media interviews and statements in recent weeks. Speaking before a crowd spilling out of St Peter's square last Sunday, Pope Francis said it was better to be like Mary. In holding nothing back, she showed us what it means to be Christian, Pope Francis said in this Marian Day homily.

N THE PSALM we said: "Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things" (Ps 98:1). Today we consider one of the marvellous things which the Lord has done: Mary! A lowly and weak creature like ourselves, she was chosen to be the Mother of God, the Mother of her Creator. Considering Mary in the light of the readings we have just heard, I would like to reflect with you on three things: first, God surprises us, second, God asks us to be faithful, and third, God is our strength. First: God surprises us. The story of Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, is remarkable. In order to be healed of leprosy, he turns to the prophet of God, Elisha, who does not perform magic or demand anything unusual of him, but asks him simply to trust in God and to wash in the waters of the river. Not, however, in one of the great rivers of Damascus, but in the little stream of the Jordan. Naaman is left surprised, even taken aback. What kind of God is this who asks for something so simple? He wants to turn back, but then he goes ahead, he immerses himself in the Jordan and is immediately healed (cf 2 Kg 5:1-4). There it is: God surprises us. It is precisely in poverty, in weakness and in humility that he reveals himself and grants us his love, which saves us, heals us and gives us strength. He asks us only to obey his word and to trust in him. This was the experience of the Virgin Mary. At the message of the angel, she does not hide her surprise. It is the astonishment of realising that God, to become man, had chosen her, a simple maid of Nazareth. Not someone who lived in a palace amid power and riches, or one who had done extraordinary things, but simply someone who was open to God and put her trust in him, even without understanding everything: "Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Lk 1:38). That was her answer. God constantly surprises us, he bursts our categories, he wreaks havoc with our plans. And he tells us: Trust me, do not be afraid, let yourself be surprised, leave yourself behind and follow me! Today let us all ask ourselves whether we are afraid of what God might ask, or of what he does ask. Do I let myself be surprised by God, as Mary was, or do I remain caught up in my own safety zone: in forms of material, intellectual or ideological security, taking refuge in my own projects and plans? Do I truly let God into my life? How do I answer him? Two: In the passage from Saint Paul which we have heard, the Apostle tells his disciple Timothy: Remember Jesus Christ; if we persevere with him, we will also reign with him (cf 2 Tim 2:8-13). This is the second thing: to remember Christ always â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to be mindful of Jesus Christ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and thus to persevere in faith. God surprises us with his love, but he demands that we be faithful in following him. We can be unfaithful, but he cannot: he is "the faithful one" and he demands of us that same fidelity. Think of all the times when we were excited about something or other, some initiative, some task, but afterwards, at the first sign of difficulty, we threw in the towel. Sadly, this also happens in the case of fundamental decisions, such as marriage. It is the difficulty of remaining steadfast, faithful to decisions we have made and to commitments we have made. Often it is easy enough to say "yes", but then we fail to repeat this "yes" each and every day. We fail to be faithful.

"And I ask myself: Am I a Christian by fits and starts, or am I a Christian fulltime? God asks us to be faithful to him, daily, in our everyday life... even if we are sometimes unfaithful to him, he remains faithful."

Mary said her "yes" to God: a "yes" which threw her simple life in Nazareth into turmoil, and not only once. Any number of times she had to utter a heartfelt "yes" at moments of joy and sorrow, culminating in the "yes" she spoke at the foot of the Cross. Here today there are many mothers present; think of the full extent of Mary's faithfulness to God: see-

on to say that, even if we are sometimes unfaithful to him, he remains faithful. In his mercy, he never tires of stretching out his hand to lift us up, to encourage us to continue our journey, to come back and tell him of our weakness, so that he can grant us his strength. This is the real journey: to walk with the Lord always, even at moments of weakness, even in

they need love and strength, and they are looking for someone to heal them. Jesus responds by freeing them from their disease. Strikingly, however, only one of them comes back, praising God and thanking him in a loud voice. Jesus notes this: ten asked to be healed and only one returned to praise God in a loud voice and to acknowledge that he is our

"There it is: God surprises us. It is precisely in poverty, in weakness and in humility that he reveals himself and grants us his love, which saves us, heals us and gives us strength." ing her only Son hanging on the Cross. The faithful woman, still standing, utterly heartbroken, yet faithful and strong. And I ask myself: Am I a Christian by fits and starts, or am I a Christian fulltime? Our culture of the ephemeral, the relative, also takes it toll on the way we live our faith. God asks us to be faithful to him, daily, in our everyday life. He goes

our sins. Never to prefer a makeshift path of our own. That kills us. Faith is ultimate fidelity, like that of Mary. Three: The last thing: God is our strength. I think of the ten lepers in the Gospel who were healed by Jesus. They approach him and, keeping their distance, they call out: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (Lk 17:13). They are sick,

strength. Knowing how to give thanks, to give praise for everything that the Lord has done for us. Take Mary. After the Annunciation, her first act is one of charity towards her elderly kinswoman Elizabeth. Her first words are: "My soul magnifies the Lord", in other words, a song of praise and thanksgiving to God not only for

what he did for her, but for what he had done throughout the history of salvation. Everything is his gift. If we can realise that everything is God's gift, how happy will our hearts be! Everything is his gift. He is our strength! Saying "thank you" is such an easy thing, and yet so hard! How often do we say "thank you" to one another in our families? These are essential words for our life in common. "Sorry", "excuse me", "thank you". If families can say these three things, they will be fine. "Sorry", "excuse me", "thank you". How often do we say "thank you" in our families? How often do we say "thank you" to those who help us, those close to us, those at our side throughout life? All too often we take everything for granted! This happens with God too. It is easy to approach the Lord to ask for something, but to go and thank him: "Well, I don't need to". As we continue our celebration of the Eucharist, let us invoke Mary's intercession. May she help us to be open to God's surprises, to be faithful to him each and every day, and to praise and thank him, for he is our strength. Amen.

Far left: Pope Francis prays in front of the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima during a Marian vigil on October 12 in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. Top: A woman prays the rosary on October12 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. Above: People wave handkerchiefs as Pope Francis leads the Marian vigil to a crowd of thousands (Left) in St Peter's Square at the Vatican. PHOTO: CNS/PAUL HARING/ MATTHEW BARRICK

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therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

From zero to hero: Mongolia finds God After spending 70 years under the rule of the Communist Party, the small country of Mongolia found itself isolated from the world and religion. That was until Bishop Wenceslao Padilla and two other missionary priests brought Catholicism to the nation, as Matthew Biddle explains...

HEN BISHOP We n c e s l a o Padilla arrived in Mongolia with two other missionary priests in 1992, there were no Catholics in the entire country. His mission was much like that of the early apostles, to bring Catholicism to a land that was yet to encounter it. Twenty-one years later there are more than 900 Catholics in Mongolia, 71 religious priests and sisters from 12 congregations, four Catholic parishes and a unique Cathedral. The progress the Church has made in the former communist nation is astounding. Bishop Padilla visited Perth last month to launch the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference statement for Social Justice Sunday. He told The Record that while he was pleased with the gradual spread of Catholicism in Mongolia, the Church there is still very much in its infancy. “When I see the people who have joined the Catholic faith, I am really very happy,” he says. “But there is a pinch of sadness too because, of the 900 converted Mongolian brothers and sisters, around 19 or 20 per cent are already leaving the Church. The nomadic mentality is still very active in the Mongolian life.” Reversing that trend is the biggest challenge for Bishop Padilla, but he says there are several other important issues that also require attention. One of these is the recently adjusted quota system, which will affect the number of foreign missionaries the Church can have in Mongolia. Previously, for every 40 foreign missionaries working for the Church, 60 locals were required to be employed. But the quota has recently increased. “Now, for every 25 foreign missionaries you have to employ 75 Mongolian locals, but we cannot have any more local workers, we don’t have the money to pay salaries,” Bishop Padilla explained. The unexpected change caught the Mongolian Church off-guard. “We have overshot the quota system,” Bishop Padilla says. “We are around 16 missionaries over the quota, so either we have to send the 16 away or to increase our workers by another 66, added to the 200 Mongolians we already have.” While negotiations with the government have given the Church more time to amend the imbalance,

Bishop Padilla says Catholicism in Mongolia is under constant threat. “The government is trying to tell us that we are not to teach religion in our schools, if we teach religion it should be in the church premises,” he says. The first Catholic elementary school was opened in September last year, and has 85 children in its kindergarten class and another 60 on the waiting list. Bishop Padilla says even if religion is withheld from the school’s curriculum, he is still hopeful for its future. “Good manners, right conduct, ethics and human values – these are the things that maybe we can inculcate in the minds of the children when they come to the schools,” he said. The Philippines-born bishop’s own journey to the priesthood and then to the leadership of the Church in Mongolia is fascinating. Born into a Catholic family with six siblings, as an infant he was severely unwell and was close to death before what he describes as a “miracle” occurred. His parents took the young Wenceslao to a place of pilgrimage and offered him to God, praying that if God would heal him, he would be God’s own. Those prayers were answered, and, at the tender age of 11, Wenceslao entered the seminary to study for the priesthood. He was eventually ordained a priest for the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM) in 1976. He spent five years as a parish priest in Taiwan, before serving as the regional superior there for a further six years. Establishing Catholicism in Mongolia was the last thing the then-Fr Padilla expected would be his next assignment. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Mongolia was liberated from Communism and began to have diplomatic relations with democratic international communities, including Vatican City. As a result of such discussions, Pope John Paul II asked the CICM Order to lead the missionary work in Mongolia. In 1992 the CICM appealed for priests to volunteer to establish a mission in Mongolia, and Fr Padilla joined two fellow clergymen in offering their services. He says he was inspired largely by the example of his father, who died shortly before the mission in Mongolia began. “He had been a religious educator and a catechist for 36 years,”

Bishop Padilla says. “He was doing missionary work in the mountain provinces of the Philippines. I owe him a lot and also my mother, who is still alive, she is 97 years old.” On arriving in Mongolia, the three missionary priests soon realised they had a lot of work to do. “We started from zero. We didn’t have any church building, we didn’t have any local Catholics... so it was a very difficult start,” Bishop Padilla says.

“Our Church has been like a nomad,” Bishop Padilla says. “Before we had the formal church, we transferred seven times.” In 2001 the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul was constructed, with a capacity of 600 people. “The Cathedral was inspired by the dwelling of the people,” Bishop Padilla explains. “It’s sitting on a one-story building in the form of a cross. The first floor is used for the quarters for the priests... and

“The government is trying to tell us that we are not to teach religion in our schools, if we teach religion, it should be in the church premise.” “We used our parlours, the living rooms of the apartments that we were renting to be the worship halls on Sundays.” But such a venue could not accommodate the growing numbers of Mass-goers for long, resulting in constant shifts to larger premises.

there are classrooms for the children coming for their studies, and we have a library too.” There are also four parishes and five sub-stations – places where Mass is said occasionally – throughout the city of Ulaanbaatar. The Mongolian capital itself has undergone a major transformation

in the two decades since his arrival, Bishop Padilla says. “When I arrived in 1992, Ulaanbaatar was the most ugly city I had ever seen, full of very dull colours because it had just been released from the communist regime,” he says. “The city of Ulaanbaatar is almost the same as the modern cities you have now... there are a lot of high-rise buildings coming up.” Bishop Padilla says while foreigners still call Mongolia “the hardship country”, living conditions are improving and the number of homeless children is decreasing. “With the market economy and the change of government administration… life is getting better, but we still have people who are very poor,” he says. After spending almost 70 years under the rule of communism, there are still remnants of the old regime in the mentality of the people, particularly government officials, Bishop Padilla says. “If there is antagonism against the Catholic religion it is because

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therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

The Rosary: A compendium of the faith We have recently tried to reintroduce the family Rosary but my sons, aged 11 and 13, say they find it boring. I have not been able to convince them otherwise. Can you help me?

of them,” he says. “They don’t like religions to operate [in Mongolia], they think we are the opium of the people. But it’s getting less and less, because many of these government officials now are young people who have been educated in Europe or democratic countries.” The decades of communist rule may even be responsible for the large percentage of Mongolian Catholic converts who have left the faith. “During the communist regime there was a spiritual vacuum, because they had always been under brainwashing from the communists,” Bishop Padilla says. “So when communism collapsed, any new thing introduced to Mongolia became very attractive to the Mongolians. “That’s why I think we are losing some people because they are just shopping to see which is the best religion.” About 80 per cent of Mongolia’s population of 2.8 million follows Tibetan Buddhism, which claims to be the national religion.

There are also about 200 different Protestant denominations present in Mongolia, all competing for the membership of people who may have never encountered religion. But Catholicism is making steady progress, and Bishop Padilla says he feels “fulfilled” with the work the Church is doing in Mongolia. “We have two orphanages or street children centres, one has 50 children and the other has 30, and we give shelter and food to all these children,” he says. Bishop Padilla says he hopes to be able to continue the work the Church has started in Mongolia and change the nation for the better. “As I look into the future… I would like to change the mentality of the people from nomadic to a sedentary form, which is civilisation,” he says. “That means a lot of education has to be inculcated in the minds of the people, starting from the lowest levels of education to the highest levels.”

Bishop Wenceslao Padilla in Mongolia’s Cathedral, top, and at his installation, above. PHOTOS: CNS

XPERIENCE tells us that children will always say that something is boring when they don’t want to do it. How many times have we heard that the Mass is boring, or the Stations of the Cross, or even visiting the grandparents or other older relatives? There are a number of things we can say about this. First, we shouldn’t look on the Rosary, or the Mass or visiting relatives, for that matter, as a form of entertainment. It was never meant to be that. If we are going somewhere to be entertained we can rightfully say that we find it boring. But if we are doing something to please someone else, or for some other noble reason it doesn’t make any difference whether we find it boring. We still do it. Thus we visit relatives whom we may find boring because we want to show them our love, and we take subjects in school that we don’t find particularly interesting, because they are necessary for our overall education. And we wash the dishes after a meal and work in the garden to please our parents who have done so much for us, even though we may not particularly enjoy these activities. So too in our relationship with God we do such things as go to Mass and pray the Rosary not to please ourselves, but to show our appreciation for all God’s blessings and to grow in love for him. As regards the Rosary in particular, Our Lady herself asked us to say it. In the apparitions in Lourdes in 1858, she appeared with the Rosary beads in her hands and she recited it together with St Bernadette. At Fatima in 1917, in the first apparition on May 13, Our Lady appeared holding the beads and she asked the three children to pray the Rosary every day. In the July apparition she again asked the children to pray the Rosary every day for peace in the world and for the end of the war. In the final apparition, on October 13 before the great “Miracle of the Sun”, Mary identified herself as “the Lady of the Rosary” and she showed the children three tableaux, or visions, representing the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the Rosary. If it were only to please our heavenly mother, who loves us so much and who asked us to pray the Rosary, we should do it, no matter how boring we find it. But the Rosary not only pleases Our Lady. We derive much benefit from it ourselves. If in saying the Rosary we meditate on the mysteries, we come to know Our Lady and Our Lord much better. After all, the mysteries of the Rosary consider the principal events in the life of Christ, from his con-

Q&A FR JOHN FLADER

ception in the virginal womb of Mary, through his infancy and public life to his suffering, death and Resurrection and finally his glorification, along with that of Our Lady. For this reason, the Vatican’s Directory on the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Ecclesiae Imago, says the Rosary “has been ceaselessly recommended by the popes as a kind of compendium of the Gospel and therefore as a model devotional practice recommended for the Church and splendidly confirmed by the practice of the saints.” When we meditate on the mysteries we do not find the Rosary boring. Rather, we find it short as we have only some three minutes to meditate on each mystery. In order to make this meditation more practi-

If it were only to please our heavenly mother, who loves us so much and asked us to pray the Rosary, we should do it, no matter how boring we find it. cal, it can be good to focus on some particular aspect of the mystery, such as a virtue, a sacrament, a truth or devotion suggested by it. In this regard, my booklet Understanding the Rosary, published by the Catholic Adult Education Centre in Sydney in 2008, can be helpful. It has a section at the end with five different themes for meditation on each mystery. In this way, the Rosary is not only a compendium of the Gospel but a compendium of the entire Catholic faith. When saying the Rosary with children, it is good to ask each child lead a mystery and to suggest an intention for which the family will offer that mystery. When the children suggest these intentions – peace in Syria, children who have lost a parent, a sick friend or relative, someone who has just died – they are more inclined to say the Rosary willingly, and they find it more meaningful. Finally, we should remember that people in love do not tire of saying the same things over and over again: “I love you.” “I love you too.” They do not find it boring. Nor should we find boring our loving reflection on the life of Christ and Mary contained in the Rosary.

FUN FAITH With

OCTOBER 20, 2013 • LUKE 18: 1-8 • 29TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

CROSSWORD

TODAY’S GOSPEL Luke: 18:1-8

RESPECTED FEAR PRAY FAITH WIDOW SPEEDILY Across

Down

1. For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, “Though I neither ____ God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will side with her.”

2. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor ____ man”

5. Will not God side with his chosen, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will side with them ____. 6. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find ____ on earth?”

And Jesus told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, `side with me against my enemy.’ For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, `Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will side with her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God side with his chosen, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will side with them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

3. And Jesus told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to ____ and not lose heart. 4. There was a ____ in that city who kept coming to him and saying, `side with me against my enemy.’

WORD SEARCH HOW MANY WORDS FROM THE CROSSWORD CAN YOU FIND?

“Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God side with his chosen, who cry to him day and night?... I tell you, he will side with them speedily.”

VISTA

therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

What the pro-life movement can look like: More than 25,000 people gathered for a pro-life vigil outside the Irish parliament in Dublin earlier this year.

PHOTO: JOHN MCELROY, CNS

Scare tactics won’t stop abortion Jewels Green has witnessed the pro-life vigils from all sides, as a former abortion facility worker, a post-abortive mother, and now a Catholic convert. She says only prayer and compassion, not graphic signs and finger pointing, can end abortion.

WAS NERVOUS. I’ve been pro-life for about three years but I’d only prayed outside abortion facilities a few times. Each time I’d been nervous, uneasy, worried. Each time had been painful, discouraging, yet grace-filled. Bearing witness to the horror and brutality of abortion was something I’d felt called to do, and following that call took me out of my “comfort zone” and tapped into my precious reserves of chutzpah to do so. Each time I had been joined by people with similar – if not identical – tactics on how best to achieve our shared sacred goal of saving lives, of changing the hearts and minds of those misguided mothers on their way to making the worst mistake of their lives. Not this time. I found the place easily (which is a huge achievement for directionally-challenged me, even though I had been there to pray once before – but after business hours). I felt conspicuous walking a few blocks down a residential street with the sign I’d made the night before on the particleboard drawer bottom of an old changing table: “LET US HELP U”. But when I got to Planned Parenthood and was greeted by a few smiling faces I felt more comfortable. We prayed together and talked a bit about the current 40 Days for Life campaign and dutifully stayed behind the white line in the parking lot as a couple of cars pulled in to park. I said, “Let us help you” to the first couple I saw exiting a car. When the next car arrived, a woman next to me said, a little too loudly for my liking, “Your baby’s

heart is beating, you can’t do this!” My Christian charity was overshadowed by my judgement of what I perceived as her elevated volume and accusatory tone. I approached her about my misgivings and was swiftly chided, perhaps rightfully so, but she and I amicably discussed the sadness of it all and how petty bickering among ourselves wouldn’t save anyone. We prayed together.

“

U” sign and MapQuest directions to the pregnancy resource centre, and a man with a very large, professionally-made “CHOOSE LIFE!” sign with a photo of an adorable sixmonth-old baby. Then they showed up, and suddenly it all made sense. I am new to the pro-life movement. I fully accept that any of my opinions are subject to suspicion because I used to work in an abortion facility.

wanted to keep her baby) would never have approached these hostile people shouting nastiness and holding violent signs. I felt as if I was in a movie clip filled with caricatures of what proabortion people, clinic escorts, and clinic workers think pro-lifers are. It was as if someone had called Central Casting and asked them to send the woman carrying a crucifix the size of her ribcage, dousing

I ran out of the clinic the day of my first appointment and no one was in the parking lot praying – how I wish there had been!” - Jewels Green

Then more escorts arrived. After an hour or so of solemn prayer and only a couple of cars coming to the centre, I noticed the blue-vested clinic escorts had increased in number. We’d had two the first hour, then there were three, four, wow – FIVE escorts here now – for an abortion centre with only six or seven spaces in the parking lot. There were only about eight of us there praying. A few people had flyers for the local pregnancy resource centre (only a couple of blocks away), me with my “LET US HELP

But I’m also a very regretful and repentant post-abortive mother who was pressured into having an abortion I did not want. I had already named my child, had a prenatal care appointment made, and a call in to the local medical assistance office. I ran out of the clinic the day of my first appointment and no one was in the parking lot praying – how I wish there had been! But if any of these people had been there, I can tell you with absolute certainty that the terrified, pregnant 17-year-old me (who

holy water, and mumbling under her breath; her contemporary carrying the huge photo of the top half of an aborted baby’s skull held in forceps and snarling, “You know what you’re doing is murder!”; and another cohort with a homemade sign scrawled on a bedsheet with words I couldn’t quite make out – but I could clearly hear her screaming (loudly): “DON’T KILL ME, MUMMY!! PLEASE DON’T LET THEM KILL ME, MUMMY!” over and over and over again. After what felt like forever, but was probably only a few minutes, I

literally shook and fell to my knees, propped my sign up on my legs and softly sang “Amazing Grace”. I didn’t know what else to do. Then I left. I had to. I asked someone to walk me to my car because the fear generated by those surroundings had taken hold of me – the fear generated on the same side of the line upon which I now stood. A very dear friend with a similar background and conversion experience told me, “Truth without mercy is just facts”. I saw no mercy or compassion from these people. No sense of welcome or kindness or “Let us help you” emanated from them as from those first few sidewalk counsellors I’d met during my first hour there. The overwhelming and demonstrable (and verifiable) success of the 40 Days for Life campaigns should prove to us that scare tactics simply do not work as well as the peaceful, prayerful, compassionate witness of people offering practical assistance to pregnant mothers and their families. I know that lives have been saved by the graphic signs and the shouting – but now that we know even more lives can be saved with mercy rather than shock, why wouldn’t we change our tactics toward increased proven success? Because shouting down the man saying, “We can help you with medical care during your pregnancy, and there is always adoption” with “You know what you’re doing is murder” isn’t working. Jewels Green is a post-abortive mother and a pro-life Catholic convert football-loving bibliophile with four tattoos, three kids, two degrees, and one regretful past in the abortion industry. For help call Abortion Grief Australia on 1300 363 550.

OPINION

IN CONTEXT

US spending crisis full of moral quandries

o matter how one tries to parse it, every economic decision has a moral dimension to it. The same is true with one of the biggest economic decisions the United States has ever faced: Do we increase the national debt ceiling, or allow the federal government’s borrowing power to run out on October 17? And what are the implications of either choice? It’s a script many Americans have seen before: A Democraticled White House and Senate, fending off political assaults from a Republican-led House on issues from the “fiscal cliff ” to sequestration to the as-yet-unresolved federal government shutdown, with both sides taking matters to the brink. Yet somehow this issue is less about another political rerun than the effects of the choices made by elected officials. “There is a very ethical and moral concern here,” said David Fiorenza, an economist and professor of economics at Villanova University, whose specialty is in public sector and urban economics. “And it’s really people who are in need. People who really do need Medicaid, or because they’ve exhausted all other possibilities of assistance. Children who still do not have parents at the age of 18. It’s a moral duty for the United States to make sure those people are covered every month.” For Alan Gin, an economics professor at the University of San Diego, “the moral equation is if you tell somebody you’re going to engage in a financial transaction with somebody, you’re going to pay them” - and that means everybody from debt holders to Social Security recipients. “There is some talk among some people that the government should first pay the bondholder, paying interest on the principle,” Gin added. But “how do you prioritise among the other categories? How do you define who gets paid and who doesn’t?” Charles Zech, another Villanova economics professor, told Catholic News Service that the mere act of paying some and not others would be extremely hard to do in practice. “The government writes thousands of cheques every day,” he said, “but it would be a nightmare to determine who goes first.” Zech said, “We’ve made some commitments here,” including to “those who have been lending us money” and “the American people.” PO Box 3075 Without a rise in the debt Adelaide Terrace ceiling, he added, “we won’t PERTH WA 6832 be able to continue the program areas we’ve committed office@therecord.com.au ourselves to, like the Social Security program”. Tel: (08) 9220 5900 The range of options, Fax: (08) 9325 4580 according to Fiorenza, would all involve higher costs to the government, and by extension, taxpayers. Not increasing the debt limit would result in the United States paying a higher interest rate for future borrowing, which would have to be taken into account the next time the debt ceiling needs to be raised. The cost of a federal jobs program to get people back to work would increase the budget deficit. If, as Fiorenza believes, it’s the private sector’s responsibility to create jobs, then the federal incentives made to employers to get those jobs created also costs a lot of money. As of October 11, the federal debt hit $16.7 trillion. The Obama administration wants Congress to raise the debt ceiling or not enough funds will be available to pay the nation’s bills. House Republicans said October 10 they would offer a temporary debt-ceiling increase - Fiorenza said it would take a $1 trillion increase to get the country through another year - in exchange for an opportunity to talk with President Barack Obama on issues related to the government shutdown. Obama, for his part, has said he would welcome a short-term extension, but not one with GOP demands on other issues. If there’s no debt-ceiling deal and the government defaults on its obligations, the choice becomes more stark. What gets paid first: people’s Social Security and veteran’s benefits, which in turn would keep the economy going, or interest on the debt to keep the country’s bond rating high and future borrowing costs low? “This is the time the president should stand up and provide leadership and say, ‘This is what we’re going to do,’” Fiorenza said. Zech said America is already hamstrung by its current debt, unable to launch broad-scale jobs programs that would get people off government assistance and paying taxes on their wages. Federal budget deficits have been pushed upward in the past five years because of joblessness aid, he noted; the current official unemployment rate is 7.3 percent, which does not take into account underemployed workers and those too discouraged to continue looking. China buys a lot of US debt, Zech said, because “it hardly does anything for its citizens” compared to US initiatives. Kathy Saile, US bishops’ conference director of social development, said the Circle of Protection group the bishops are a part of cares less how the stalemate is resolved than that it doesn’t target the poor. For the USCCB’s part, she added, it would like to see an accord include a more comprehensive accommodation for religious organisations with regard to the Health and Human Services’ mandate on abortion and contraceptive coverage.

The US bishops care less about how it will be resolved than whether or not the poor are harmed.

THE RECORD

Mark Pattison writes for Catholic News Service.

therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

LETTERS

A private faith? No such thing Mr Abbott I WAS disappointed to read that Australia’s incoming Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, was reported as saying that his Catholic faith did not determine his politics in any way (‘Incoming PM wishes he could make Sunday Mass more often’, September 11). He is reported as saying that “while faith is a splendid thing in private life it can often be quite a misleading guide in public life”. These observations can only be explained as those of someone obsessed with the decision to appear secular in public life. They cannot be correct, because faith guides a person’s behaviour

and thinking in all aspects of life, not just private life. This is so whether the person holds public office or is privately engaged in the pursuit of professional, business or other occupations. It does not mean that every decision is guided by faith, but rather that there is an underlying religious and moral ethic that governs decision-making. For Mr Abbott to deny this is a worrying aspect of his introduction to the Prime Ministership of the country. Further, Mr Abbott’s statement that with all his degrees and Rhodes Scholarship success, he was envious of a friend who was doing a £1.5billion deal beggars belief. How this could be a defining moment for him and could convince him that writing essays ‘on

the Desert Fathers’ was a waste of time is difficult to comprehend. Success of others in business life does not mean that people committed to a religious life should give it up. Were this the case, the Church would be deprived of the benefit of many priests. This is an era in which people should be standing up for Christian beliefs, not denigrating them. Geoffrey Miller THE VINES

Something to say? LETTERS TO THE EDITOR office@therecord.com.au

Witnessing faith in action helped to make me Catholic Megan Walter was raised in the Pentecostal Church but became Catholic earlier this year, largley due to the inspiration of a special Catholic friend. Why I became

Catholic

AS TOLD TO DEBBIE WARRIER

THOUGHT about becoming Catholic because I went to school at Lumen Christi Catholic College. It was something that was always on my mind. Then when I got married I thought “I definitely want to do this”. We have been married for a year and a half. Many of my friends and family members are Catholic and they always speak so highly about their faith and experiences. I became Catholic in March during Easter at St Emilie de Vialar Catholic Church in Canning Vale. My parents are Pentecostal but they are not really practising. I used to go to prayer meetings but I stopped going when I was about 17 or 18. It just wasn’t for me and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did in the past. I find the Catholic Church to be a lot more formal. That actually appealed to me – I like structure! It made my faith seem more real and validated. My friend Maryann used to work with me for a couple of years and she influenced my decision to convert. She is a good role model as a Catholic. I like her whole outlook on life and she just showed me how wonderful her faith is by example. She is humble and loving. Maryann would give her last dollar to somebody who needed it. She is a really giving person and I would like to be more like her. She encouraged me throughout my conversion and became my Godmother. It is really a special bond and the RCIA process brought us closer together. The RCIA process was a positive experience and the people that ran it were fantastic. We covered everything to do with Catholicism and we were encouraged to ask any question big or small, even if it seemed silly. You knew that your secrets were safe and that gave you the confidence to talk openly. When I was Pentecostal I always thought that Catholics worshipped Mary like Jesus. So it was interesting to find out during the RCIA that it was more like they looked up to her and admired her. I definitely see Mary as a good role model. She was very humble. I admire her for saying “Yes” to being the mother of Christ at the Annunciation, even though she

Kindergarten teacher Megan Walter says going through the RCIA program helped to clear up her misconceptions about Catholicism. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

knew she could be stoned for being pregnant outside of marriage. She knew the trouble she could be in but she still did it. She was brave. I admire her courage and those of other saints that were willing to stand up for their faith even if it meant martyrdom. Now I find myself praying to the patron saints of different causes for

“I can’t imagine living without my faith. There would be no point... My faith is a way of life.” intercession. After I became Catholic, I felt like a lot of burdens had been lifted off my shoulders. I was baptised, confirmed and received my First Holy Communion at the same time. I haven’t done confession yet but I think it is good to get a clean slate. It is a little bit intimidating, but once I have received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, everything I have done before is gone. There is a lot to be learnt from the priest and I think once I have

done it, I will feel relieved. Everyone sins and it is nice to say, “Hey, I’m in my adult life and I can start over and keep trying”. How many people get the chance to start again? I have been a kindergarten teacher for three years and I enjoy it. I work at an Islamic school. I do not teach about Catholicism; I stick to the curriculum. It is quite a good school to work at actually. Everyone is respectful, friendly and loving. They treat you like you are part of the family and it’s really nice. It is quite sad when I look at the media coverage of Muslims because I have found Islam to be a very peaceful religion. I have always been respectful of other religions. You have to understand a point of view before you judge it. I usually am quite a happy person. I try to see the good in everything. I pray for everyone I love to be safe, healthy and happy. I pray about everything and I feel like my prayers are always answered. I feel that my faith will help me overcome any obstacles that may come my way. I have always believed; just in different ways I suppose. I can’t imagine living without my faith. There would be no point. I would have no hope and without hope you don’t have a future. My faith is a way of life.

OPINION

therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

Death not worth the worry, so cherish your life Even when the so-called experts tell you to “take it easy”, don’t waste time worrying, just leave it all in God’s hands.

NE NEED not experience a brush with death to gain a renewed appreciation for life; a brush with serious illness will do. Earlier this year (mid-February to be precise) I began having chest pains on a fairly regular basis. Nothing acute enough to warrant an ambulance summons, but frequent to the point of being worrisome (heart disease runs in my family). I mentioned this to my doctor at my annual physical check-up in early March, and he said he would order a stress test. Months elapsed with no word from either his office or the local hospital – whether this was due to human error or the inherent nature of government-run healthcare, I know not. By the time the test was actually booked in mid-September, I felt I no longer needed it. The pains had diminished over the summer (June-August) and I felt too fit to have heart problems. (Despite being more than 10kg overweight, I could run 5km on my treadmill in 33 minutes, with no discomfort). I had chalked up my

@ Home MARIETTE ULRICH

erstwhile pain to daily-grind stress and was prepared to leave it at that. I was frankly annoyed by the booking: my local hospital (75km distance) was unable to run the test, necessitating a 200km drive to another hospital. To add insult to irony, after having waited six months for the phone call, I was given 48 hours notice to rearrange my week (see government-run healthcare, above). But the apogee came the day of the stress test. After I’d walked briskly on the treadmill for a mere 12 minutes, the specialist scanned the heart monitor readout and announced, “It looks as though you may have [arterial] blockage; I’ll have to send you for more tests”. He instructed me to begin lowdose aspirin therapy, and told me to “take it easy” until my next round of tests. I felt shocked and baffled. I’m not sure what “taking it easy”

means for a home-schooling mum with four active kids at home (probably not what the doctor thinks it means) but I did my best – except for the anxiety. I succumbed to the meandering of an overwrought imagination: I felt afraid and depressed. My nights were sleepless, and I became hyperaware of every ache and pain. Why, I could drop dead of a heart attack at any moment! I would not live to see my daughters’ weddings, the arrival of my grandchildren;

night accommodation and contact a relative to come and stay with our minor children. During my two-week wait, the only thing keeping me sane was frequent recourse to the Liturgy of the Hours (online version highly recommended: no ribbons or getting lost). I not only found comfort and inspiration, but also a kindred spirit in the outpourings of the Psalms (which, by some wild coincidence, always seem to know just what you

I might not live till Christmas. I better burn my diaries, start planning my funeral and clean my house. Oh, no, that’s right. I have to take it easy. I might not live till Christmas — I might not live till Canadian Thanksgiving! (October 14). I had better burn my diaries and start planning my funeral. I had better clean my house. Oh, no, that’s right. I have to take it easy. Back in reality, my husband and I made arrangements for the followup tests (a two-day affair): the cardiac centre was – oh joy – 400km away. We needed to book over-

need, regardless of whether you’re in a De Profundis or a Praise-theLord sort of mood). At last came the follow-up test, which began with another treadmill adventure. This one went much better: so much so that the cardiologist cancelled the following day’s test, and diagnosed me with little more than a larger-than-necessary waist circumference.

She ordered a healthier diet and 45 minutes of daily moderate exercise. To celebrate my new lease on life, my husband took me out for lunch (heart-friendly of course) and then to IKEA to look at kitchen cabinets. Of course if I do die suddenly of heart disease any time soon, the joke will be on me, and also possibly the cardiologist, but I won’t hold it against her. If the past few weeks have taught me anything, it is that worrying about death is inordinately exhausting. Preferable by far is to leave everything in God’s hands, and to live, pray and work with gratitude. I am grateful for my wonderful husband and seven beautiful daughters, for my relatives and friends. I am grateful for the Communion of Saints, the Church Suffering, Militant, and Triumphant. I am grateful for the holy priesthood and the Mass, for the Divine Office and the Psalms. I am even grateful for my treadmill and for fat-free muffins. - LADYWRITER.ULRICH@GMAIL.COM

Brian showed mercy despite his pain He struggled through life, hurt by the world, yet he somehow managed to bring compassion and mercy to others.

I Say, I Say MARK REIDY

T WAS DIFFICULT to reconcile the animated, passionate man I knew with the cold, lifeless body lying before me, but there was no doubting it was Brian. When I had woken that morning my mind had been focused on a Federal Election and a Fremantle Dockers final, but those events seemed a world away as I stood with my arm around Kate’s heaving shoulders. Kate had known Brian since she was a vulnerable 13-year-old, when he had taken her under his wing on the tough streets of Kings Cross in Sydney. That was over 20 years ago. Both had separately made their way to the opposite side of the country to escape their pasts and had again found one other. Kate had rung me several hours earlier to ask if I could accompany her to view her friend’s body. He had been found hanging in his small unit during the week and there had been no family to claim him. No one seemed to know how long he’d been hanging. When we had arrived at the mortuary Kate wanted me to see Brian’s body first to determine whether she would be able to cope. She knew from experience the grotesque appearance that could result from this type of death – the bulging eyes, swelled and protruding tongue and scratches across the neck, inflicted during those final desperate moments. Fortunately only his face was uncovered and other than paleness and an open mouth, the morticians had made him look as peaceful as possible. Kate was grateful for the opportunity and as I prayed she gently kissed and stroked his forehead. Kate shared the world Brian had lived in – with all its hurt. She knew it intimately and was able to find peace knowing her friend had been freed from the pain that had been corroding him from within. Let me tell you about Brian. He

was born into a struggling family where love was hard to find. When Brian was about 10 he found his teenage brother hanging in a shed – he was still alive. His face was purple and his legs were kicking wildly. Brian froze – he didn’t know what to do. Eventually he tried to hold his brother up, but he wasn’t strong enough and slowly the life drained from him. Brian stared in horror, too afraid to move. By the time someone else arrived, it was too late. He had always blamed himself for his brother’s death. Years later Brian finally found some happiness and married the only woman he would ever love. Tragically he would also watch the life drain from her as he held her after a car accident on their honeymoon. He fell into a blackness from

which he would never return. What little attachment he had to society was lost and he became a citizen of the broken world that exists within our communities. It is a world of homelessness, mental illness, drugs,

would also know this side, but many would see another. Kate was one of these. Brian had protected her when she first hit the streets. He had stayed beside her when she had sunk into

Kate shared the world Brian had lived in - with all its hurt. She found peace knowing her friend had been freed from the pain corroding him within. violence and self-abuse. Those living on the outside of this lost world would have known Brian as the crazy man who would rant and rave at the top of his voice in the middle of Perth. Others would know his explosive anger or his dishevelled state. His fellow citizens in this lost world

drug addiction and prostitution. Brian had shown her love when she had no other family. Despite his own struggles – most likely because of them – he had been able to reach into her world. In his last few years, when he finally had housing, he would extend this kindness to others living on the streets, giving them

a place to stay. Sadly, it was a side of Brian most people never got to see. In the not too distant past the Catholic Church usually denied funeral rites for those who had suicided. Fortunately this is no longer the case and we have factored God’s love and mercy into our calculations. On the day I stood next to Kate praying I had a picture of Brian standing before his Heavenly Father, who was gently lifting crosses from his shoulders and laying them aside. Brian slumped into his arms and was finally at peace. Perhaps it was just my imagination, or even wishful thinking, but I’d like to think I was given a glimpse into the reception waiting for all those who were never able to find love and mercy here on earth.

PANORAMA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 Divine Mercy Thanksgiving Mass 2-4pm at St Jerome’s Church, 36 Troode St. Munster. All Divine Mercy Prayer Groups and everyone are invited to celebrate our Thanksgiving Mass in Honour of the Divine Mercy and St. Faustina. Main celebrant: Fr Varghese Parackal VC. 2pm-3pm, exposition and Divine Mercy Chaplet, 3pm-4pm Mass and talk on Divine Mercy and St Faustina spirituality. Refreshments afterwards. Enq: Connie 0437 803 322. Medjugorje Evening Of Prayer Group 7-9pm at Our Lady Queen of Poland Church, 35 Eighth Ave, Maylands. In thanksgiving the Medjugorje evening of prayer group meet monthly in a different parish to spread Our Blessed Mother’s messages. Free DVDs on Medjugorje. Enq: 9402 2480 or 0407 471 256, email medjugorje@y7mail. com. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 Vered Hasharon Travel & Tours (Holy Land) The above company representative will be giving a presentation on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. All are welcome. As places are limited please call to register. This presentation is free. Enq: Francis Williams 9459 3873 or 0404 893 877 E: perthfamily888@gmail.com. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 AND THURSDAY OCTOBER 24 Small Group Emmaus Walks 2.30pm, Sunday at Bardon Park carpark, cnr Fourth Ave East and Bardon Pl, Maylands. Thursday, 10am. 10 minutes walk from the carpark to Friendship 2000 Townhouse on the Swan River walkway. With Gospel reading and reflection session on life’s Emmaus experiences. Refreshments, donation to Mission Partners Morley outreach. Bookings essential. Enq: margaretbox7@icloud.com or 9272 8263. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22 Spirituality and the Sunday Gospels 7-8pm at St Benedict’s School Hall, Alness St, Applecross. Presenter Norma Woodcock. Everyone is welcome. Cost: collection. Accreditation recognition by the CEO. Enq: 9487 1772 or www. normawoodcock.com. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22 AND 29 Springtime with St Francis of Assisi 7.30pm Alverna Centre Meeting Room, St Lawrence Parish, 392 Albert St, Balcatta. Franciscan spirituality for youth 18-35 years. Join us on a journey of fraternity, of love, of trust – Pope Francis. Enq: Anne-Marie 9207 3691. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 Second Hand/Designer Clothing Sale 10am-4pm at Aranmore Primary School Hall, 20 Brentham St, Leederville. Funds go to Vincentcareraising awareness about suicide and mental health. Clothing donations by celebrities, sports teams and local businesses and individuals. Enq: Ciara Thiedeman 0416 765 933. Car Boot Sale – Armadale Parish 8.30am gates open at St Francis Xavier, 279 Forrest Road, Hilbert. Entry for buyers is a gold coin donation. Morning teas with freshly baked scones, cake stall, sausage sizzle and activities for children. Come along and grab a bargain! Enq: 9399 4687. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27 Auslan Cafe 10.30am-12 noon Emmanuel Centre hall next to St Francis Xavier Church, Windsor St, Perth. Ever thought about learning how to communicate with profoundly deaf people through Auslan (Australian Sign Language)? Now you can and it’s FREE. Come and learn in a relaxed and fun way. There is always an interpreter at St Francis Xavier Church for the 9.30am Sunday Mass. Lunch provided. Enq: Emma or Barbara at emmanuelcentre@westnet.com.au or 9328 8113. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 Holy Hour - City Beach 10.30am Holy Spirit Church, 2 Keaney Place, City Beach. Rosary followed by Holy Mass. Concluding 2pm. Celebrant: Fr Don Kettle. Bring lunch to share. Tea and coffee provided. Enq: 9341 8082. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 First Friday Holy Hour 7.30pm at St Bernadette’s Parish, Glendalough, cnr Jugan and Leeder Sts. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, music and chants, silence, readings and meditative decades of the holy Rosary. Tea/ coffee and cake to follow. Enq: Sean Tobin of Bl Elisabeth of the Trinity Choir 0439 720 066. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 Day With Mary 9am-5pm at St Anne Church, cnr Stirling Highway and Alfred Rd, North Fremantle. Day of prayer and instruction based on the Fatima message. 9am Video; 10.10am Holy Mass; Reconciliation, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration, Sermons on Eucharist and on Our Lady by Archbishop Emeritus Barry James Hickey, Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet and Stations of the Cross. Finish approx. 5pm. BYO lunch. Enq: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate 9250 8286. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Divine Mercy - Afternoon With Jesus and Mary 1.30pm at St Francis Xavier Church, 25 Windsor St, East Perth. Homily by Fr Alphonsous on All

Saints and Holy Souls followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Benediction, veneration of first class relics of St Faustina Kowalska and Reconcilliation. Refreshments follow. Enq: John 9457 7771. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Divine Mercy Healing Mass 2.30pm at St Francis Xavier Church, 25 Windsor St, East Perth. Main celebrant is Fr Marcellinus Meilak OFM. Reconcilliation offered in English and Italian. Divine Mercy prayers followed by veneration of first class relics of St Faustina Kowalska. Refreshments afterwards. Enq: John 9457 7771. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Commemoration of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) 5.30-6.30pm in Government House Ballroom, St Georges Tce, Perth. Reflect and respond on the 75th Anniversary of Kristallnacht. Hosted by Council of Christians and Jews WA, in the presence of His Exellency Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC, Governor of WA. Guest Speaker The Hon. Justice James Edelman Supreme Court of WA. Access from 5pm-5.20pm. RSVP by Mon Nov.4: ccjwa@aol.com or PO BOX 1469, Booragoon, WA 6954. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 Medjugorje Evening of Prayer Group. 7-9pm at St.Gerard Majella Parish, 37 Changton Way, Mirrabooka. In thanksgiving The Medjugorje evening of prayer group meet monthly in a different parish to spread Our Blessed Mothers messages from Medjugorje. Free dvd’s on Medjugorje. Enq: 9402 2480 or 0407 471 256 email medjugorje@y7mail.com. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Toodyay Parish Celebrates 50th Anniversary 11am at St John the Baptist Parish (est. 1854) Stirling Tce, Toodyay. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB will concelebrate Mass at 11am followed by lunch at St Pio’s Hall. Fr Pavol Herda and the parish community cordially invites all past Priests, Religious, past and present parishioners and friends to join in this celebration. RSVP October 20 Barbara Moran 9574 5786 or oliomio@iinet.net.au SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24 Peranakan Community Perth - Fair 9am-2pm at Fr O’Reilly Centre, St Norbert College, 135 Treasure Rd, Queens Park. Proceeds from fair will go towards St Norbert College’s “breakfast club” to feed students who come to school without any basic nutrition; Holy Spirit Freedom Community for their Perth’s homeless, abused, poor ministry and those who have been hurt. Those interested in helping or running a stall offering anything typically Peranakan, are welcome. Enq: Fr Christopher Lim 0437 307 170 or 9458 2729.

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

Cathedral Cafe Cathedral Cafe is now open every Sunday 9.30am1pm at St Mary’s Cathedral parish centre, downstairs after Mass. Coffee, tea, cakes, sweets, friendship with Cathedral parishioners. Further info: Tammy on smcperthwyd@yahoo.com.au or 0415 370 357. Pilgrim Mass - Shrine of the Virgin of the Revelation 2pm at Shrine, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook. Commencing with Rosary followed by Benediction. Reconciliation available before every celebration. Anointing of the sick administered during Mass every second Sunday of the month. Pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin of the Revelation last Sunday of the month. Side entrance to Church and shrine open daily between 9am-5pm. Enq Sacri 9447 3292. Praise and Worship 5.30pm at St Denis Parish, cnr Osborne St and Roberts Rd, Joondanna. Followed by 6pm Mass. Enq: Admin on admin@stdenis.com.au. EVERY SUNDAY Latin Mass 8.30am at The Good Shepherd Church, Streich Ave, Kelmscott. Enq: John 9390 6646. EVERY FIRST SUNDAY Singles Prayer and Social Group 7pm at All Saints Chapel, Allendale Sq, 77 St Georges Tce, Perth. Begins with holy hour (Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary and teaching) followed by dinner at local restaurant. Meet new people, pray and socialise with other single men and women. Enq: Veronica 0403 841 202. EVERY SECOND SUNDAY Healing Hour 7-8pm at St Lawrence Parish, Balcatta. Songs of praise and worship, Exposition of Blessed Sacrament and prayers for sick. Enq: Fr Irek Czech SDS or office Tue-Thu, 9am-2.30pm on 9344 7066.

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EVERY THIRD SUNDAY Oblates of St Benedict’s 2pm at St Joseph’s Convent, York St, South Perth. We welcome all who are interested in studying the Rule of St Benedict and its relevance to the everyday life of today for laypeople. Vespers and afternoon tea conclude our meetings. Enq: Secretary 9457 5758. Divine Mercy Hour 3pm at St Pius X Church, 23 Paterson St, Manning. There will be Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Divine Mercy prayers, Rosary and Benediction. Please join us in prayer. Enq: Mrs K Henderson 9450 4195. EVERY FOURTH SUNDAY Shrine Time for Young Adults 18-35 Years 7.30-8.30pm at Schoenstatt Shrine, 9 Talus Dr, Mt Richon; Holy Hour with prayer, reflection, meditation, praise and worship; followed by a social gathering. Come and pray at a place of grace. Enq: shrinetimemtrichon@gmail.com. Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life 2-3pm at Infant Jesus Parish, Wellington St, Morley. Includes Exposition of Blessed Sacrament, silent prayer, scripture, prayers of intercession. Come and pray that those discerning vocations can hear clearly God’s call. EVERY LAST SUNDAY Filipino Mass 3pm at Notre Dame Church, cnr Daley and Wright Sts, Cloverdale. Please bring a plate to share for socialisation after Mass. Enq: Fr Nelson Po 0410 843 412, Elsa 0404 038 483. EVERY MONDAY For You My Soul is Thirsting (Psalm 62:1) 7pm at St Thomas Parish, 2 College Rd, Claremont. Tend to your thirst for God. Begins with Adoration, then 7.45pm - Evening Prayer; 8pm - Communion Service and Night Prayer. Come to the whole thing, or just to a part! Enq: Michelle: 0404 564 890.

LAST MONDAY Be Still in His Presence – Ecumenical Christian Program 7.30-8.45pm at St Swithun Anglican Church, 195 Lesmurdie St, Lesmurdie (hall behind Church). Begins with songs of praise and worship, silent time, lectio divina, small group sharing and cuppa. Enq: Lynne 9293 3848 or 0435 252 941. EVERY TUESDAY Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal 6pm at Pater Noster Church, Marmion and Evershed Sts, Myaree. Mass at 5.30pm followed by Benediction. Enq: John 0408 952 194. Novena to God the Father 7.30pm at St Joachim’s parish hall, Vic Park. Novena followed by reflection and discussions on forthcoming Sunday Gospel. Enq: Jan 9284 1662. EVERY FIRST TUESDAY Short MMP Cenacle for Priests 2pm at Edel Quinn Centre, 36 Windsor St, East Perth. Enq: Fr Watt 9376 1734. EVERY WEDNESDAY Holy Spirit of Freedom Community 7.30pm at Church of Christ, 111 Stirling St, Perth. We welcome everyone to attend our praise meeting. Enq: 0423 907 869 or hsofperth@gmail.com. Bible Study at Cathedral 6.15pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, Victoria Sq, Perth. Deepen your faith through reading and reflecting on holy Scripture with Fr Jean-Noel Marie. Meeting room beneath Cathedral. Enq: 9223 1372. Holy Hour - Catholic Youth Ministry 5.30pm at Catholic Pastoral Centre, 40A Mary St, Highgate. Mass followed at 6.30pm with Holy Hour. Enq: 9422 7912 or admin@cym.com.au. EVERY FIRST WEDNESDAY Novena to St Mary of the Cross MacKillop 7-7.45pm at Blessed Mary MacKillop Parish, cnr Cassowary Dr and Pelican Pde, Ballajura. Begins with Mass, novena prayers and Benediction. Followed by healing prayers and anointing of the sick. Enq: Madi 9249 9093 or Gerry 0417 187 240. EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY Chaplets of Divine Mercy 7.30pm at St Thomas More Parish, Dean Rd, Bateman. Accompanied by Exposition, then Benediction. Enq: George 9310 9493 or 6242 0702 (w). Miracle Prayers 7.30pm at 67 Howe St, Osborne Park. An opportunity to receive prayers for healing of mind, body and soul. Enq: miracleprayers@ disciplesofjesus.org or Michelle 0404 028 298. EVERY THURSDAY Divine Mercy 11am at Sts John and Paul Church, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Pray the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy and for consecrated life, especially in our parish. Concludes with veneration of the first class relic of St Faustina. Enq: John 9457 7771. St Mary’s Cathedral Praise Meeting 7.45pm at the Legion of Mary’s Edel Quinn Centre, 36 Windsor St, East Perth. Includes praise, song and healing ministry. Enq: Kay 9382 3668 or fmi@ flameministries.org.

Group Fifty - Charismatic Renewal Group 7.30pm at Redemptorist Monastery, 150 Vincent St, North Perth. Includes prayer, praise and Mass. Enq: Elaine 9440 3661.

Carey, followed by Rosary procession and prayer vigil at nearby abortion clinic. Please join us to pray for the conversion of hearts and an end to abortion. Enq. Helen 9402 0349.

EVERY FIRST THURSDAY

Mission Rosary Making at the Legion of Mary 9.30am-2pm at 36 Windsor St, East Perth. All materials are supplied. The Rosaries made are distributed to the schools, missions and those who ask for a Rosary. Please join us and learn the art of Rosary making on rope and chain. Enq: 0478 598 860.

Holy Hour Prayer for Priests 7-8pm at Holy Spirit Parish, 2 Keaney Pl, City Beach. All welcome. Enq: Linda 9341 3079. Prayer in Style of Taizé 7.30-8.30pm at Our Lady of Grace Parish, 3 Kitchener St, North Beach. Includes prayer, song and silence in candlelight – symbol of Christ the light of the world. Taizé info: www.taize.fr. Enq: secretary 9448 4888 or 9448 4457. FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAY Social Dinner (Young Adults aged up to 35) and Rosary Cenacle 6.30pm at St Bernadette’s Church, 49 Jugan St, Mt Hawthorn. Begins at 6.30pm with dinner at a local restaurant, followed at 8pm by a Rosary Cenacle, short talk and refreshments at the Church. Great way to meet new people, pray and socialise! Enq: 9444 6131 or st.bernadettesyouth@gmail.com. EVERY FRIDAY Eucharistic Adoration at Schoenstatt Shrine 10am at Schoenstatt Shrine, 9 Talus Dr, Mt Richon. Includes holy Mass, Exposition of Blessed Sacrament, silent adoration till 8.15pm. Join us in prayer at a place of grace. Enq: Sisters of Schoenstatt 9399 2349. Healing Mass 6pm at Holy Family Parish, Lot 375, Alcock St, Maddington. Begins with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Healing Mass followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Enq: admin 9493 1703 or www.vpcp. org.au. Eucharistic Adoration - Voice of the Voiceless Ministry 7.30-9pm at St Brigid’s Parish, 211 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. Eucharistic Adoration, beginning with praise and worship; and reflection to the scriptures. All welcome. Enq: adrianluke1999@ yahoo.com.au. EVERY FIRST FRIDAY Mass and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 11am-4pm at Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 2 Rawlins St, Glendalough. Exposition of Blessed Sacrament after Mass until 4pm, finishing with Rosary. Enq: Sr Marie MS.Perth@lsp.org.au. Healing and Anointing Mass 8.45am Pater Noster Church, Evershed St, Myaree. Begins with Reconciliation, then 9am Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, anointing of the sick and prayers to St Peregrine. Enq: Joy 9337 7189. Pro-life Witness – Mass and Procession 9.30am at St Brigid’s Parish, cnr Great Northern Hwy and Morrison Rd, Midland. Begins with Mass followed by Rosary procession and prayer vigil at nearby abortion clinic, led by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. Please join us to pray for an end to abortion and the conversion of hearts. Enq: Helen 9402 0349. Catholic Faith Renewal Evening 7.30pm at Sts John Paul Parish, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. There will be songs of praise, prayer, sharing by a priest, then thanksgiving Mass and light refreshments. Enq: Ivan 0428 898 833 or Ann 0412 166 164 or catholicfaithrenewal@gmail. com. Communion of Reparation All Night Vigils 7pm-1.30am at Corpus Christi Church, Loch St, Mosman Park or St Gerard Majella Church, cnr Ravenswood Dr/Majella Rd, Mirrabooka. Vigils are two Masses, Adoration, Benediction, prayers, Confession in reparation for outrages committed against the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Enq: Vicky 0400 282 357, Fr Giosue 9349 2315, John/ Joy 9344 2609. EVERY SECOND FRIDAY Discover Spirituality of St Francis of Assisi 12pm at St Brigid’s parish centre. The Secular Franciscans of Midland Fraternity have lunch, then 1-3pm meeting. Enq: Antoinette 9297 2314. EVERY SATURDAY Teachers, Parents and Friends Mission Outreach 10am at Morley Parish Centre, 47 Wellington Rd, Morley. Meet during school terms. Primary English teachers and prospective aides offer their services for a small remuneration and donations from the tuition are distributed to missionaries. “Come and See” sessions are offered. Enq: Maggie 9272 8263, margaretbox7@icloud.com. Children’s Religious Education Program (Pre-Primary and Year One) 11am–12.30pm at Our Lady Queen of Poland Parish, 35 Eighth Ave, Maylands. The official Perth Archdiocese Parish Religious Education Program gives an opportunity to children attending non-Catholic schools age-appropriate religious education in a creative and fun environment. Families outside of Maylands welcome. Enq: Hayley 0423 008 500. EVERY FIRST SATURDAY Vigil for Life – Mass and Procession 8.30am at St Augustine Parish, Gladstone St, Rivervale. Begins with Mass celebrated by Fr

EVERY SECOND SATURDAY Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Succour) and Divine Mercy Chaplet (Chant) 8.30am at Our Lady of the Mission Parish, Whitford, 270 Camberwarra Dr, Craigie. Holy Mass at 8.30am followed by Novena. Enq: Margaret 9307 2776. EVERY FOURTH SATURDAY Voice of the Voiceless Healing Mass 11.30am at St Brigid’s Parish, 211 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. Bring a plate to share after Mass. Enq. Frank 9296 7591 or 0408 183 325.

GENERAL Free Divine Mercy Image for Parishes High quality oil painting and glossy print – Divine Mercy Promotions. Images of very high quality. For any parish willing to accept and place inside the Church. Oil paintings: 160 x 90cm; glossy print - 100 x 60cm. Enq: Irene 9417 3267 (w). Sacred Heart Pioneers Would anyone like to know about the Sacred Heart pioneers? If so, please contact Spiritual Director Fr Doug Harris 9444 6131 or John 9457 7771. St Philomena’s Chapel 3/24 Juna Dr, Malaga. Mass of the day: Mon 6.45am. Vigil Masses: Mon-Fri 4.45pm. Enq: Fr David 9376 1734. Mary MacKillop Merchandise Available for sale from Mary MacKillop Centre. Enq: Sr Maree 041 4683 926 or 08 9334 0933. Financially Disadvantaged People Requiring Low Care Aged Care Placement The Little Sisters of the Poor community is set in beautiful gardens in the suburb of Glendalough. “Making the elderly happy, that is everything!” St Jeanne Jugan (foundress). Registration and enq: Sr Marie 9443 3155. Is your son or daughter unsure of what to do this year? Suggest a Cert IV course to discern God’s purpose. They will also learn more about the Catholic faith and develop skills in communication and leadership. Acts 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation (National Code 51452). Enq: Jane 9202 6859. AA Alcoholics Anonymous Is alcohol costing you more than just money? Enq: AA 9325 3566. Saints and Sacred Relics Apostolate Invite SSRA Perth invites interested parties, parish priests, leaders of religious communities, lay associations to organise relic visitations to parishes, communities, etc. We have available authenticated relics, mostly first-class, of Catholic saints and blesseds including Sts Mary MacKillop, Padre Pio, Anthony of Padua, Therese of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe, Simon Stock and Blessed Pope John Paul II. Free of charge and all welcome. Enq: Giovanny 0478 201 092 or ssraperth@catholic.org. Enrolments, Year 7, 2014 La Salle College now accepting enrolments for Year 7, 2014. For prospectus and enrolment, please contact college reception on 9274 6266 or email lasalle@lasalle.wa.edu.au. Acts 2 College, Perth’s Catholic Bible College Is now pleased to be able to offer tax deductibility for donations to the college. If you are looking for an opportunity to help grow the faith of young people and evangelise the next generation of apostles, please contact Jane Borg, Principal at Acts 2 College on 0401 692 690 or principal@ acts2come.wa.edu.au. Divine Mercy Church Pews Would you like to assist, at the same time becoming part of the history of the new Divine Mercy Church in Lower Chittering, by donating a beautifully handcrafted jarrah pew currently under construction, costing only $1,000 each. A beautiful brass plaque with your inscription will be placed at the end of the pew. Please make cheques payable to Divine Mercy Church Building fund and send with inscription to PO Box 8, Bullsbrook WA 6084. Enq: Fr Paul 0427 085 093. Donate Online at www. ginginchitteringparish.org.au. Abortion Grief Association Inc A not-for-profit association is looking for premises to establish a Trauma Recovery Centre (pref SOR) in response to increasing demand for our services (ref www.abortiongrief.asn.au). Enq: Julie (08) 9313 1784. RESOURCE CENTRE FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT - 2013 COURSES Holistic Health Seminar The Instinct to Heal (began July 25) Thursdays 11am-1pm; RCPD2 Internalise Principles of Successful Relationships, and Use Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills, now on Thursdays 11am-1pm. 197 High St, Fremantle. Bookings essential. Enq: Eva 0409 405 585 or www.rcpd.net.au. Drop-In Centre and

CLASSIFIEDS

therecord.com.au October 16, 2013

CLASSIFIEDS Deadline: 11am Monday BEAUTY RURI STUDIO FOR HAIR Vincent and Miki welcome you to their newly opened, international, award-winning salon. Shop 2, 401 Oxford St, Leederville. 9444 3113. Ruri-studio-for-hair@ hotmail.com.

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

RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS RICH HARVEST - YOUR CHRISTIAN SHOP Looking for Bibles, CDs, books, cards, gifts, statues, Baptism and Wedding candles, etc. Visit us at 39 Hulme Ct (off McCoy St), Myaree. Ph 9329 9889 (after 10.30am Mon to Sat). We are here to serve. KINLAR VESTMENTS www.kinlarvestments.com.au Quality vestments, Australianmade, embroidered and appliquéd. Contact Vickii for a quote - 08 9402 1318, 0409 114 093 or kinlarvestments@gmail.com.

PILGRIMAGES A CALLING TO VISIT THE HOLY LAND - join us! Pilgrimage on “Treasures of the Promised Land” in Jordan and Israel from 17 November to 1 December 2013. For details, email: info@alternative-events. net or call Sue at 0421 835 408. KEEN ON CATHOLIC TOUR WITH A DIFFERENCE? Sri Lanka (16 to 25 November 2013) Myanmar (27 December to 5 January 2014) For details, email: info@alternative-events.net or call Sue at 0421 835 408. 14 DAYS: PETRA/AMMAN, HOLY LAND AND DUBAI. Departs Perth on Saturday March 8 2014 Spiritual Director: Fr Son Kim Nguyen.

17 DAYS: POLAND (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY), LOURDES, FATIMA, & MEDJUGORJE. Departs Perth on Wednesday April 23 2014. Spiritual Director: Fr Emmanuel Tv Dimobi. 20 DAYS: CANONISATION OF BLESSED POPES: JOHN XXIII AND JOHN PAUL II, ROME, POLAND, LOURDES AND FATIMA. Departs Perth on Monday April 21 2014. Spiritual Director: Fr Vinh Dong. 17 DAYS: CANONISATION OF BLESSED POPES: JOHN XXIII AND JOHN PAUL II, ROME, SHRINES OF ITALY AND POLAND. Departs Perth on Thursday April 24 2014. Spiritual Director: Fr Irek Czech SDS. 16 DAYS: PETRA/ AMMAN, HOLY LAND AND MEDJUGORJE.Departs Perth on Saturday September 6 2014. Spiritual Director: Fr Nicholas Nweke. 18 DAYS: PETRA/AMMAN, HOLY LAND AND POLAND. Departs Perth on Saturday September 6 2014. Spiritual Director: Fr Dariusz Basiaga SDS. 22 DAYS: POLAND, ITALY, LOURDES AND PARIS. Departs Perth on Monday September 22 2014. Spiritual Director: Fr Tadeusz Seremet SDS. 12 NIGHTS: ASIA CRUISE ON SEA PRINCESS. LOMBOK (INDONESIA), PORT KELANG (KUALA LUMPUR), PENANG, LANGKAWI, PUKET AND SINGAPORE. Departs Fremantle (Perth) on Tuesday July 8 2014. For itinerary and more information please contact: Francis Williams (Travel Coordinator) T: 9459 3873 (after 4pm) M: 0404 893 877 (all-day) E: perthfamily888@gmail.com Skype ID: perthfamily88.

FOR SALE ALEX STEINBACH ROMANCE PIANO with matching padded stool. Excellent condition, beautiful tone, glossy black finish, lovingly maintained and tuned regularly. 121hX150wX61d. $3750 ono. 0402 934 131.

SERVICES BRENDAN HANDYMAN SERVICES Home, building maintenance, repairs and renovations. NOR. Ph 0427 539 588. PAINTERS IN PERTH since 1933. AJ Cochrane & Sons 08 9248 8211. BRICK RE-POINTING Ph Nigel 9242 2952. PERROTT PAINTING Pty Ltd For all your residential, commercial painting requirements. Ph Tom Perrott 9444 1200. BOB’S PAINTING Registered and insured. Free quotes 0422 485 433 www.bobthepainter.com. au. VAN REYK MEDIATIONS Alternative Dispute Resolution. Contact Lisha Van Reyk on 0404 290 778.

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

THANKSGIVING MANY THANKS TO ST JUDE for answer to a desperate prayer. G.H. THANK YOU ST CAJETAN patron Saint for Employment for my Son’s new job during my Novena. He succeeded in obtaining this Employment for which I am very grateful. THANK YOU ST JUDE for the many favours received through your intercession. THANK YOU JESUS, Our Lady, St Joseph, St Anthony, Padre Pio for many favours received.

WANTED CHORISTERS COLLEGIUM SYMPHONIC CHORUS. Conductor: Margaret Pride. We invite you to sing in a large massed chorus. PEOPLE’S MESSIAH – Rehearsals: from 4th November – Performance: Sat 16 Nov – 4 pm. Wesley Uniting Church, Perth. www. trybooking.com/DLSG or 0416 667 552.

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Op Shop - Volunteers urgently needed at RCPD, 197 High St, Fremantle. 1) RCPD6 ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ This course combines theology with relationship education and personal/ spiritual awareness by teaching selfanalysis. 2) ‘The Wounded Heart’ Healing for emotional and sexual abuse promotes healing and understanding for the victim and the offender. Holistic counselling available - http://members. dodo.com.au/~evalenz/. PERPETUAL ADORATION Pilgrimage: Following Christ and His Saints Fr Tim Deeter and Fr Michael Rowe will lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Italy, Jan 6-31, 2014. Israel and Jordan, Rome, Subiaco, Genazzano, Norcia and Cascia in Italy. $7,850 from Perth is all-

inclusive except your drinks and souvenirs. Enq: casapgf@iinet.net.au or 9271 5253. Would You Not Watch One Hour with Me? Adoration - St Jerome’s, Spearwood Adorers are needed. Please contact Mary 0402 289 418. Acts 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation Competition Create a viral 30-second video that will promote Acts 2 College of Mission & Evangelisation and win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet 2.7” 8GB Wi Fi. Acts 2 is a Catholic Bible College under the authority of the Archbishop and a fully registered training organisation. Enq: 9202 6859 or http:// acts2come.wa.edu.au. Free Rosaries For The Missions If you or anybody you know are going to the missions and would like to send or take rosaries to spread the faith local

or overseas or for school or first Holy Communion please contact Felicia 0429 173 541 or Hiep 0409 128 638. Holy Hour slots at St Bernadette’s Glendalough “Every Holy Hour we make so pleases the Heart of Jesus that it will be recorded in heaven and retold for all eternity” ~ Blessed Mother Teresa. Adorers needed for: Sundays 4am-5am; Monday 2am to 3am and 3am to 4am; Thursday 4pm to 5pm; and Friday 12noon to 1pm. If you would like one of these hours or would like more information please call the parish office 9444 6131.

PANORAMA Deadline: Every Friday, 5pm

C R O S S W O R D ACROSS 1 One of seven of the Holy Spirit 3 Mea ___ 7 Son of Eve 9 Priest of I Samuel 10 ___ Father 11 The Feast of Lots is also called this (Esth 9:24–28) 12 Catholic columnist and TV commentator, Robert ___ 13 St. Bernard is the patron saint of these athletes 14 “By the sweat of your ___…”(Gen 3:19) 17 OT prophetic book 20 The ___ of saints 23 The Blessed ___ 24 Our Lady, ___ of Christians 25 St. Edith’s surname 28 Poverty or obedience, for example 29 Son of Seth 31 Florida town near Ave Maria University 33 “___ us, O Lord…” 35 Nun’s wear 37 Governor Bush, convert to Catholicism 38 The feast of St. Polycarp is in this month (abbr.) 39 Adjective for “Reverend” 40 Prepare to pray 41 Season before Easter DOWN 1 Patron saint of hermits 2 One of 1A 3 Third century pope 4 Pope during Attila’s time 5 Amos’ vision of a line (Am 7:7) 6 According to I Thessalonians, we will meet the Lord in this (with “the”)

W O R D S L E U T H

Sign from Jonathan that David’s life was in danger (1 Sam 20:20– 23) 8 Book before Nehemiah 11 Say the rosary 12 Angelus time 15 Chi follower 16 Word from Pontius Pilate 18 Faith ___ and charity 19 “…___ lema sabachthani?” (Mk 15:34) 21 They take solemn vows 22 The Ten Commandments 25 Joseph and Benjamin, to Jacob 26 Number of each animal Noah took in the ark 27 Friday in Lent no-no food 28 Sacristy 30 50’s Catholic televangelistbishop 31 ___ obstat 32 “…the race is not won by the ___” (Eccl 9:11) 34 One of the evangelists 36 French clergyman 37 First Catholic president of the US

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

t S MARY MACKILLOP ITEMS

NOW IN STOCK Two lines of caption goes here. Avoid flat description. PHOTO: ATTRIBUTION HERE

BIBIANA KWARAMBA Bookshop Manager

Telephone: 9220 5912 Email: bookshop@therecord.com.au Address: 21 Victoria Square, Perth 6000