The Record Newspaper 17 August 2006

Path to the priesthood stony, but beautiful

The lifelong journey of a Vietnamese priest now living in Australia to his ordination is an inspiring tale of tenacity, inner strength, and absolute trust in God’s goodness.

■ By Hugh Ryan

Peter Hung Manh Tran was born in South Vietnam in 1960 just as the first Americans arrived to take part in what we call the Vietnam war.

When the war ended in April 1975, he was 15 and had almost completed his secondary education.

On a return visit to Perth last week to launch his new book Advancing the Culture of Death, he said he had not been greatly aware of the events of the war, but had been very sad to see people die so tragically, leaving all their loved ones behind.

“I felt deeply for the orphans and widows whose fathers and husbands had been killed during the war,” he said.

At the end of the war, more than a million South Vietnamese soldiers were captured and put in concentration camps throughout the country and several hundred thousand clergy, religious men and women, and seminarians were detained in jail and re-education camps.

Perhaps as many as 60 per cent of these people died. They had never been allowed visits by their families or relatives and had lived as though they had been forgotten.

For those not in camps, life had been turned upside down. They were constantly

Continued - Page 7 Fr Tran’s booklaunch - Page 7

Bishop praises MPs on asylum

■ By Paul Gray

The Australian bishops’ delegate on immigration and refugees, Bishop Joseph Grech, this week warmly applauded the politicians who scuttled Prime Minister John Howard’s

Continued - Page 14

A

Perth, Western Australia ● $2

ST MARY’S WINDS DOWN

A grand old lady stands ready for completion

The way is clear: In this earlier photograph taken before he departed on sabbatical earlier this month, Archbishop Barry Hickey stands outside St Mary’s Cathedral with the section to be completed immediately behind him. Work is expected to take two years before St Mary’s is re-opened to worshippers and visitors.

No more through these doors: Clergy process through the front entrance of the cathedral in this file photo.

The new, much larger, entrance will face West, towards Perth’s

CBD

Photos: The West Australian

Crowds, dignitaries, visit old friend for farewell Mass

■ By Sylvia Defendi

Representing

Archbishop Barry Hickey, Bishop Donald Sproxton recalled the ever-changing and ongoing history of St Mary’s Cathedral, during

the official farewell ceremony last Sunday, August 13.

For the last 76 years iron spokes have stood witness to the Cathedral’s unfinished state, with this year marking the beginning of works towards its completion.

Perth city council-

lors, representatives of the State Government and the Opposition, along with His Excellency, Ken Michaels, the Governor of Western Australia, joined Bishop Sproxton, Monsignor Thomas McDonald and Vicar General Brian

Continued on Page 10

Memories of Sofia go online

Family of murdered girl establishes website in her memory, and to say ‘thanks’

■ By Sherilee

Kingston

Sofia RodriguezUrrutia Shu’s family have published a memorial website through the Mater Christi Primary School site. The website has been set up to acknowledge and thank the public for their overwhelming support and love, after Sofia was murdered on June 26.

On the website Sofia’s family, in a thankyou letter, comment “since the loss of our special little girl, we have received overwhelming and incredible moral support from the community of all over Australia and relatives and friends from overseas.”

Although they were unable to personally thank everyone for their support and care through the time of grief, their website offers thanks to those who sent the family their condolences.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Australian community for their condolence

Continued on Page 7

■

By Sylvia Defendi

As the Perth Archdiocese prepares to farewell St Mary’s Cathedral as it presently stands, Jacinta Jakovcevic, official organist for the past five years, will be displaying her musical talents for one last time at a long-awaited

FIRST FOR RURAL

Ready to play: Jacinta Jakovcevic.

Sofia RodriguezUrrutia Shu

MacKillop day a hit!

■ By Sylvia Defendi

In the spirit of Blessed Mary MacKillop, whose feast day was celebrated across Australia on August 8, the Busselton-based MacKillop Catholic College put aside a day for fun and festivities in celebration of the life and virtues of their patroness.

“Each year, students and staff are reminded of the love that Mary MacKillop had for God and her dedication to education,” said Sherry Walker, deputy principal (ministry) at MacKillop College.

The annual MacKillop Day, as it is called, was celebrated on August 11 with fundraising activities and stalls, a staff-versus-student soccer match,

music activities and a MacKillop Day Concert.

“As always, the concert proved to be the highlight of the day with students impersonating teachers and teachers performing various humorous acts,” said Deborah Walter, the college’s communications officer.

Beginning the day with a school Mass at Our Lady of the Bay Church in Busselton, the college managed to raise $3000, which will be donated to the Sisters of St Joseph for their work in Peru and the college’s on-going commitment to East Timor.

Piñatas, putt-putt golf, pancakes, hair colouring, head shaving, sponge throwing and an obstacle course, were just some of the activities that were enjoyed on the day by students and staff.

Guide aims to raise vocations profile

Parish guidelines’ launch heralds national Awareness Week.

New national parish Vocations Awareness Committee Guidelines, intended for use in all Australian dioceses, have been launched as a curtain raiser for this year’s ninth annual National Vocations Awareness Week.

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The publication, a collaborative project of Catholic Vocations Ministry Australia, the Serra Council of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, and the NSW Vocations Network, was launched by Bishop David Walker of Broken Bay, on August 4.

“The Guidelines will encourage and resource parishes and dioceses across Australia, by providing a whole range of suggestions for ongoing activities that are

designed to further develop a vocations culture within parishes and dioceses,” said Bishop Walker.

In the Foreword to the document, Bishop Walker said that over 40 years ago, the Second Vatican Council challenged Catholics to make parish communities “vocations conscious.”

“To meet this challenge all of us have a responsibility for creating an environment which recognises the primary vocation of each and every Christian: to life and love; holiness and discipleship; witness and service.

“Such an environment would take for granted that young people will be endowed with the skills, knowledge and support that will enable them to make an informed, discerned, conscious choice about their life’s vocation,” the bishop declared.

Bishop Walker said Catholic communities should pray and work together to encourage and nurture a vocations culture, with special attention given to fostering vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life.

He welcomed the publication of the Guidelines and urged parishes to prayerfully and energetically consider their use.

“I commend the document to you as a user-friendly and valuable resource for the task of fostering a vocations culture in our parish communities,” Bishop Walker said.

Initially, each parish in Australia will receive two free copies of the publication, and additional copies will be supplied, on request.

The Guidelines are available through the CVMA website at: www.catholicozvocations.org.au.

Apostolate invites young to prayer

■

By Mark Reidy

A Children’s Worldwide Holy Hour is being held on Friday October 6 this year and Catholics across the globe are being encouraged to participate.

The event is being organised by the World Apostolate of Fatima (WAF) USA and will be broadcast live on EWTN, which is now widely available in Australia, from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. The satellite and radio broadcast will be provided three times throughout the day to allow for varying time zones.

Connie Schneider, National Chairwoman for Children’s Programs at WAF, told The Record that the unprecedented event would provide children around the world with the opportunity to unite their prayers for international peace

and for families. She said that she was currently gathering together a “Children of the Eucharist” Committee whose aim will be to bring the Fatima message of prayer and penance to today’s children and to assist them in implementing it into their lives. The Worldwide Holy Hour is a part of this process.

The apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, occurred between May and October 1917, when Mary appeared to three local children. (Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco) and exhorted them to pray for world peace.

The Worldwide Holy Hour hopes to nurture this message through “a newfound love for Jesus present in the Eucharist” Ms Schneider said.

During the October 6 event Principals and Priests are being encouraged to invite parish children to gather in their church before the Blessed Sacrament, light a candle as a sign of unity and follow the pro-

The WAF suggested program (for use before the Blessed Sacrament)

• Light a candle as a sign of unity.

• Process an image of Our Lady into your Church.

• A child crowns the image of Our Lady.

• A short teaching by the bishop or priest on the “Message of Fatima” – Focusing on the ‘Angel of Peace’ who visited the children a year before Our Lady and taught them prayers of Eucharistic Reparation.

• The children would then be invited to bow down before the Blessed Sacrament to pray these prayers:

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love Thee! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee. (3 times) and,Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore Thee profoundly! I offer Thee the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.

• A short prayer entrusting themselves to the Immaculate heart of Mary.

• Pray the Mission Rosary for their families and for all families of the world.

• Closing with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. For further information on the Children’s Worldwide Holy Hour see; www.childrenoftheeucharist.org

roles, please telephone Jenny Gardner on 08 9382 6192.

Additionally, we are looking for general volunteers.

For information or to make an application please contact Vicki Hobbs, Volunteer Coordinator, on 08 9382 6681.

gram suggested by WAF (listed below). Teachers are invited to take their students to their local church or chapel and families who cannot attend church are asked to gather in their homes.

Fun in a good cause: Students, Jessica Klein and Emma Greaves clown around as they raise funds for Josephite works in Peru and East Timor.

Archbishop cancels Israel pilgrimage

Despite the recent ceasefire, the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon has caused Archbishop Barry Hickey to cancel his planned visit to the Holy Land.

“I am saddened by the death and destruction,” Archbishop Hickey said.

“It disappoints me greatly to have to abandon what would have been a prayerful pilgrimage for peace.”

All the pilgrims have, however, been offered an alternative which will leave on the same date, September 27.

Meeting with Archbishop Hickey in Egypt, the pilgrims will follow the journey of Moses to Mt Sinai, where he received the Covenant of the Ten Commandments.

Later, they will also have the opportunity to visit the ancient monastery of St Catherine, located at the foot of Mt Sinai.

On their journey, pilgrims will visit the oasis, Wadi Feiran, which is covered with the ruins of ancient churches, some dating back to the 4th century.

The popular oasis also houses the rock from which Moses drew water.

The pilgrims will then fly to Istanbul in Turkey where they will

visit places made famous by Saints John and Paul.

A ferry will take them to the Greek islands of Patmos and Samos.

Patmos is famous in history as the place of St John’s exile: “I, John . . . was in the island, which is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).

It was on Patmos that St John wrote the Apocalypse, the imagery of which was in part inspired by the scenery of the island.

The pilgrims will then fly to Athens and then onto Rome as originally planned, where Archbishop Hickey has arranged for them to visit noteworthy religious sites and enjoy a Papal Audience before returning to Australia or other parts of the world on October 12.

Archbishop Hickey said that those who had primarily intended to visit the Holy Land could withdraw and have their money refunded.

This has created opportunities for others who may want to join the alternative pilgrimage.

Those interested should contact Northline Travel on (08) 9328 6100 for details.

One last organ recital

Continued from Page 1

recital, just hours before the doors are officially closed for construction.

The organ recital, which is open to the general public at no cost on August 27, will showcase a repertoire spanning almost 100 years, as Ms Jakovcevic transports the audience back to the year 1910, when the Cathedral organ was first built.

“The Cathedral has not hosted a recital for a very long time. Yet, the organ’s English and French structure allows astonishing music to be played,” Ms Jakovcevic said.

Boasting a Bachelor of Performance with various postgraduate diplomas, Ms Jakovcevic is primarily a pianist but has always been fascinated by the organ.

So much so that six months ago she embarked on rigorous training in preparation for international examination.

Recently rewarded with a distinction from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, based in the UK, Ms Jakovcevic said she was excited to be playing some of

her examination repertoire for the 3pm recital.

With plans to continue her studies of the organ, Ms Jakovcevic commented on her sadness at having to leave St Mary’s Cathedral.

“Playing the organ has become such a large part of my life that having to leave the grand organ at St Mary’s is saddening. At the same time however, I am excited to bring my music and the choral melodies of the choir to St Joachim’s in Victoria Park and I’m greatly anticipating the re-opening of the new Cathedral,” she said.

The recital will conclude with Widor’s Toccata moments before the last 5pm Mass.

“It is very fitting to reminisce on the past and look forward to the future through the beauty of the organ, which has had a large part to play in the Cathedral’s history,” Ms Jakovcevic said, adding that she is intent on bringing as many people as possible to the Cathedral before it is officially closed, “to celebrate the historic moment of its closure for completion.”

I’m John Hughes, WA’s most trusted car dealer

Do I guarantee that when people come to do business with me, they will be treated with courtesy, sincerity, professionalism and ef ciency?

I say “I want your business and I m prepared to pay for it” and “I stand behind every car I sell”. Is that really true?

Is it true that I have over 40 technicians who are dedicated to getting my used cars in rst class condition before sale?

Is it true that every year for the last 17 consecutive years

I ve been Australia s top selling Hyundai dealer?

Is it true that if somebody buys a used car from me, I will pay for a pre-purchase RAC or similar inspection?

I have a warehouse selling cars under $10,000. Is it true that I offer a full money back guarantee within one week?

Goodbye - for now: Jacinta will give a free organ recital on August 27.

Rabbi urges faiths to safeguard identity

Be firm in your own faith, rabbi urges Australian Christians, Muslims and Jews.

■ By Paul Gray

An Israeli rabbi internationally respected for his efforts to bring about peace between Jews and Muslims has urged the members of all faiths, including Catholics, never to compromise on their own religious identity.

Speaking at an interfaith conference of Christians, Muslims and Jews in Melbourne last weekend, Rabbi Michael Melchior said it is crucial for every person of faith to teach their own children the reasons for belonging to that faith.

This must be done in addition to teaching respect for people of different faiths. It is dangerous to lose one’s own religious identity in the course of an exaggerated desire to respect other religions, said Rabbi Melchior, who is also a member of Israel’s Knesset, or national parliament.

“If you don’t know precisely where your own borders lie, that is when you get border battles,” he said.

Rabbi Melchior said interfaith dialogue between Jews, Christians and Muslims had nothing to do with proving the superiority of one religion over another, but was about generating peace between human beings. Before engaging in interfaith dialogue, each individual should be confident, well-informed and firm in what they themselves believe. Otherwise the dialogue is pointless.

From an entirely different religious tradition, Rabbi Melchior’s words on this theme provide a significant parallel with those of Pope Benedict XVI. At his first public Mass as pontiff, Pope Benedict reiterated the commitment of his papal predecessors that the Church would continue “open and sincere dialogue” with other faiths.

This dialogue was “in search of the true good of man and society,”

he said. But at the same time, Pope Benedict also publicly emphasised the importance of maintaining the “indispensable Christian roots” of European culture and societies.

Rabbi Michael Melchior, an Hasidic Jew who holds the honorary title of Chief Rabbi of Norway, visited Australia to address the fifth annual Abraham Conference, an interfaith gathering supported by leaders from Australia’s Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities.

Representatives of the Melbourne Catholic archdiocesan interfaith dialogue commission were among Christian denominations participating in the conference. Australian Catholic University and several religious and university groups sponsored the event.

Rabbi Melchior holds several international peace awards including the Church of England’s Coventry Prize and an award from Sweden’s Nobel Committee.

He has been a Minister in the Israeli Government, and established the Citizen’s Accord Forum between Jews and Arabs in Israel, which campaigns for coexistence between the two peoples.

He also played a key role in initiating the Alexandria Declaration, whereby religious leaders of all the major communities in the Holy Land agreed to work towards peaceful resolution of conflicts.

With leading religious and political figures in the Muslim community he has established the Centre for interfaith dialogue in Israel. He also leads an orthodox Jewish congregation at a synagogue in Jerusalem, where he lives. Rabbi Melchior told the Abraham conference in Melbourne that there is a clash of civilisations occurring today.

The clash is occurring within each of the main faiths, he said.

Totalitarian elements within each religion are threatening to crush more tolerant and moderate elements within those faiths. It is “crucial for civilisation” that the moderates within each faith be strengthened and encouraged by the international community, he said. Such moderates are present in every community but do not

Infant Jesus Parish Week

■ By Sherrilee Kingston

Well-known Australian moviereviewer and Jesuit priest Fr Richard Leonard SJ will be one of several motivational speakers at Infant Jesus’s Parish Week in Morley.

The week runs from Sunday August 27 to Saturday September 2 and will focus on the topic ‘Being Christian in Today’s World.’

The Parish week is designed to inspire people to question and grow in their personal faith.

Activities will centre on how we apply being Christian in a world that could not have been imagined when the early church set out to follow Jesus - the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Fr Leonard is the Director of the Australian Catholic Film Office, and Catholic Church Television Australia and is making a brief visit to Perth. He will be speaking on the topic Lights! Camera! Action!

“Whether we like it or not, the media is the modern day market place where minds and hearts are

receive media attention, Rabbi Melchior said. He made an impassioned appeal to media representatives to report more widely on positive statements made by Islamic leaders, rather than concentrating solely on statements by radicals and supporters of violence.

In an interview with The Record before the Abraham Conference, Rabbi Melchior said Islamic leaders he knew personally had been working “night and day” within their own Palestinian community to seek the release of an Israeli soldier taken hostage by radicals.

The hostage-taking was the incident which sparked the latest round of warfare involving Israel.

Commenting on the inter-religious conflicts in the Middle East, said that rather than a source of division, religion can be used for reducing violence, if religious leaders themselves take the initiative.

Among examples where interfaith dialogue has proved its usefulness, Rabbi Melchior told of an incident involving Jewish cartoonists who circulated insulting drawings of the Prophet Mohammed in Hebron, Israel.

The incident provoked a furore, with one prominent religious leader phoning Rabbi Melchior to tell him that on the following Friday, every preacher in every mosque in Hebron would preach against

the Jewish people. Despite condemnation of the cartoons by Israeli politicians including then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, all previous attempts at dialogue between Muslims and Jews were now finished, the Rabbi was told.

In response, Rabbi Melchior proposed a meeting between the grand Imam of Jerusalem and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

At this meeting, which Rabbi Melchior chaired, the Chief Rabbi told the Muslim leader that the cartoons were a desecration not only of Islamic tradition, but of Jewish tradition as well, because Jewish tradition holds respect for other faiths as sacred.

“The Grand Imam was stunned at this. He almost fell off his chair,” Rabbi Melchior told the Abraham conference.

Subsequently, the Grand Imam told the preachers of the Hebron mosques that “the head Jew” had told him personally that the cartoons were against Judaism.

As a result, no anti-Jewish sermons were preached, and possible war was averted.

Rabbi Melchior related several humorous stories from Jewish tradition to illustrate the importance of respecting other faiths. One story concerned a 70-year-old man who visited the “the father of all our faiths,” Abraham, in his tent.

After inviting the man to share his food and give thanks to God before doing so, the man refused. Angered at his impiety, Abraham threw the man out of his tent. Later, God asked Abraham why he had thrown the man out. “He would not even give thanks to you, Lord,” Abraham replied. God then reproached Abraham, saying: “I have tolerated this man in my tent for more than 70 years. And you can’t even tolerate him for one hour!”

Rabbi Melchior said the story highlights the importance of extending charity and hospitality towards those we disagree with on faith grounds.

The conference was officially opened by the Federal Parliamentary secretary for multicultural affairs, Mr Andrew Robb.

Perth Christians prepare for big impact

won and lost. But how much do we know about the media culture that forms us?” said Fr Leonard.

“What is on our agenda and what can Catholic parishioners and families do about it?”

Other guest speakers and topics include Rev. Hollis Wilson, who will talk on ‘What I learnt as a Rocket Scientist’; Carmel Stuart, who will speak on subjects such as ‘Teachable Faith moments’ and ‘Let’s have a chat’; and Sr Jo Dillon, who will talk on the vocation of being a volunteer.

The week will be filled with numerous daytime and evening sessions and events.

These include bushwalks, videos, kids’ activities and culinary experiences, including Sunday breakfast, Devonshire morning tea, supper, and a wine and cheese evening, with a final Dedication Mass and Parish Dinner.

The annual Parish celebrations will be held at Infant Jesus Parish, 47 Wellington Rd, Morley.

For further information contact Pearl, Sue or Darren at the Parish Office on 9276 8500.

■ By Mark Reidy

Over 4000 interdenominational Christians gathered in Balcatta on July 27-29 to lay the spiritual and practical foundations for the Impact World Tour (IWT) which will arrive in Perth in February next year.

Enthusiastic crowds filled the Churchlands auditorium over three evenings to pray and worship together and to encourage active and financial participation for the seven-week program.

IWT, which has been successfully conducted in over 200 cities throughout the world, aims to bring the power and relevance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to today’s youth.

Over 100 evangelists and missionaries from around the world will converge on Perth for the event and will address young people in schools and churches as well as conducting evangelistic nights in large public venues.

Gospel messages of love, life and freedom in Christ will be conveyed

through music, dance, extreme sports and entertainment in a way designed to attract and challenge young people.

The goal of the three-evening prayer sessions in Balcatta, entitled “Transform”, was to plant spiritual seeds for IWT, as well as promote awareness and commitment to the cause.

Speaking on Thursday evening, international evangelist, Ed Silvoso, described IMT as a window of opportunity to transform Perth. He stated that Christians must undertake a paradigm shift so that they can see beyond the confines of personal revival and embrace the concept of converting the entire country.

He believes that this can be done by transforming the government, business and educational sectors of Australia, which he describes as the “heart of the nation”.

He believes that a program such as IWT will induce such a transformation.

Following praise and worship on each evening, a concept known as

a “Prayer Wall” was introduced to those in attendance.

The goal of this Internet-based program is to establish continuous prayer up to and beyond the IWT campaign.

Participants are encouraged to commit to praying at a specific time for the campaign and to register this on a 24/7 roster.

Requests were also made for practical assistance regarding administration, discipleship, transport, hospitality, ushering, publicity, music, accommodation and financial contributions to cover the $1.4 million expenditure.

Anyone wanting to become involved with or contribute to the IWT campaign can contact Kaye Rollings of Flame Ministries International.

Kaye is the Catholic representative on the IWT Board of Reference in Perth, on (08)9382 3668 or Impact World Tour co-ordinators on (08) 9478 6652

To place your name on the “Prayer Wall” see: transformperth. com/prayerwall.

Rabbi Michael Melchior: Says secure knowledge of one’s own faith is necessary for interfaith dialogue.

Universities’ rural medical clinic a first

UNDA joins UWA to strengthen rural medicine.

■ By Sylvia Defendi

In an effort to combine expertise and resources, the University of Western Australia and the University of Notre Dame Australia have forged a unique partnership in rural medical education, by officially signing a memorandum of understanding on August 9.

The memorandum, which was a national first, requires both universities to support rural clinical training for WA medical students through the formation of the joint UWA – Notre Dame Rural Clinical School.

Twenty-five percent of students in third year from Notre Dame and

fifth year from UWA will enrol in the Rural Clinical School for the entire 2007 academic year.

For that year they will be located at the current RCS sites, which

were established in 2002, in Albany, Broome, Esperance, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, and Port Hedland, and at two new sites to be opened in Bunbury and Narrogin.

Students play for PM

The Servite College band entertained over 1000 guests, including Prime Minister John Howard, at the Chung Wah Community Centre in Balcatta on July 27.

Mr Howard was visiting Western Australia and the

Balcatta Community in particular, to show his ongoing support for multiculturalism.

Servite executive officer, Ann Gurr, said that the invitation to play for the Prime Minister was a well-earned reward for the dedi-

cation and commitment demonstrated by Band members. She also acknowledged Head of Music, Mrs Anne Lee, as a significant driving force behind the success of the school’s Music program.

Cursillo invites men to weekend

■ By Sherrilee Kingston

Perth can expect great things with the comeback of the Catholic Cursillo movement to be held at the Wollaston Conference Centre in Mt Claremont on October 26 to 29. The Cursillo movement presents ways of living as a Christian in today’s society by which a deeper relationship with God may be developed.

Cursillo was originally founded in Spain in the 1940’s and means short course in Spanish. It was brought about at a time when the Catholic people were disheartened during the Spanish Civil War. After the war there was a need for heal-

ing and apostolic direction. In 1941 there was an extensive reorganisation of the Spanish Catholic Action. Believed to be the best way for healing and spiritual direction, a pilgrimage to the shrine of St James the Apostle at Santiago de Compostela was arranged.

The movement came to Australia in the 1960’s and was active in Western Australia until 1990, but was in recess for several years until a Cursillo event was held in Perth in 2004.

Today the Cursillo movement offers a method by which an individual’s relationship with God may be developed, deepened and lived out with other Christians.

The Catholic Cursillo movement weekend is open to men of all ages. It offers interested men a chance to get away from their normal routine lives to consider their beliefs in the Christian walk in life and to ponder the questions: Where have I been? Where am I going?

Topics covered over the three day short course program include; knowing yourself, knowing the Christian community and embracing God in your lives. The cost for the weekend is $220 beginning on Thursday night October 26 and running to Sunday afternoon October 29. For further information or to book for the weekend call Andrew Booth on 9364 9567.

excellent rural experiences, in the hope that these experiences will encourage our graduates to practise in areas of unmet need.

“The UWA – Notre Dame Rural Clinical School will assist us greatly in achieving this outcome,” Dr Peter Tannock, Vice-Chancellor of Notre Dame said.

Research has shown that students located in a Rural Clinical School for one year of their course do equally as well, if not better, than their fellow students who remained in the metropolitan area.

Students will share a common curriculum, delivered by local academic staff and through web-based applications. “At Notre Dame we aim to provide our students with

“This far sighted strategy has provided funding to universities for the establishment of rural clinical schools on a national basis that will secure a rural education and training network, and increase the availability and viability of rural health services in the long term,” UWA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson said.

CYM seeks youth to lead

■ By Mark Reidy

Catholic Youth Ministry Director, Father Don Kettle, has invited two young people from every parish in Perth to attend a Leadership Conference on November 3-5.

The Conference, to be presented by Jonathon Doyle of Choicez Media in Melbourne, will be designed to empower representatives with the skills required to lead a group to World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney, 2008.

Fr Don hopes that Parish Priests will rally behind the venture and encourage participation in the Conference. He believes that the skills gained from the three-day program will inspire participation for WYD and enhance the youth leadership qualities in each parish.

Doyle, who holds a Degree in Education, a Master’s degree in

Leadership and Management and a Master’s Degree from the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne, is known nationally for the teaching and promotion of Values Based Sex Education, and is equally passionate about the importance of leadership training for youth in both Christian and secular circles. Doyle was involved in WYD training programs in Melbourne and Sydney for Cologne in 2005 and will address topics such as Leadership theories, models and styles, Management, Role of Evangelisation, Developing vision and mission, communication and cultural challenges during his time in Perth. With representation from each Parish and from Youth organizations within the Diocese, Fr Don is anticipating between 200300 participants for the event.

Anyone seeking more information can contact Robert Hiini on 9422 7915.

UNDA to host statue

■ By Sylvia Defendi

Students at the University of Notre Dame Australia in Perth have been given a unique opportunity to welcome the visiting Pilgrim Statue of Fatima in a special way, while it resides in St Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle.

UNDA chaplain Fr Greg Watson said the hour of worship and praise, which will occur from 8 to 9pm on August 19, has provided Perth’s only Catholic university with the opportunity to offer an alternative prayer and worship segment while the statue visited the basilica.

“Being a Catholic university we wanted to offer something and be involved in the event,” said Fr Watson.

Students from the university will run the hour with Fr Watson, which will include reflections, scripture readings, songs of praise and prayer. He said that he personally wanted to give students at Notre Dame an opportunity to experience pious devotion.

All are welcome to attend the event, which will be part of the on-going veneration of the Pilgrim Statue of Fatima.

For further information, contact Fr Watson on 9433 0551.

Not brain dead, but ripe for transplant

A drive to increase the number of available organs for transplant by changing the definition of death, has divided the medical world.

Doctors normally wait to confirm a patient is brain-dead, by which time organs are often irreparably damaged. So most organs are transplanted from patients with such severe brain injuries that brain-death can

be determined whilst the life-support is still on. However, in June, Canada announced their first organ transplant from a patient who hadn’t been declared braindead but whose heart had stopped beating. A similar shift to try and increase the pool of healthy organs and potential donors in this way is taking place in the US and Australia.

At the official signing: Deputy Director of The Rural Clinical School of WA, Professor Geoff Riley; Notre Dame Dean of the School of Medicine, Professor Adrian Bower; Notre Dame Vice Chancellor, Dr Peter Tannock; UWA Vice Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson and UWA Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, Health Sciences, Professor Ian Puddey.

Parish sets its thanks to organist in brass

St Thomas the Apostle Parish, Claremont has commemorated its recently departed organist, Dorothy Townsend, who was also a founder of a prayer group for paretns whose children have drifted away from their faith.

The Sunday before her death, Dorothy played the church’s highly regarded J.E. Dodd pipe organ as usual. On Monday, June 19, Dorothy suffered a stroke and died peacefully in Royal Perth Hospital

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on Saturday, June 24. When the J.E. Dodd pipe organ arrived from Adelaide on January 27, 2003 it carried on the polished timber facade the commemorative plaques for the succession of organists who had served since the organ was built for the Epworth Methodist Church, Parkside, SA in 1912.

St Thomas’ organists and choir members thought it would be very appropriate to continue that tradition and place a plaque on the organ in Dorothy’s memory.

Her widower, Pat readily agreed and offered to pay for the polished brass plaque.

It was decided to also commemorate on the plaque Fr Barry Whitely, who grew up in Claremont and died the day before Dorothy.

Fr Barry Whitely’s brother, Fr Lynn Whitely’s name had already been placed on the commemorative plaque when the organ was blessed by Archbishop Barry Hickey on August 30, 2003.

Fr Lynn a Columban missioner, died in Santiago, Chile in 1971. The

new polished brass plaque reads:

“In loving memory of Dorothy Kathleen Townsend, 21 August 1931 - 24 June 2006. Devoted organist of this Church. Placed here in her memory by her husband Pat, her family, the priests, organists and choir members and Rev. Fr Barry Heston Whitely who grew up in Claremont, was ordained a priest of Perth in Rome on 7 December 1954 and served the Archdiocese faithfully until his death on 23 June 2006. R.I.P.”

Dorothy Townsend was a founding member of the Monica and Augustine prayer group for which she composed a much-appreciated “Prayer for our Children” as follows:

Dear Jesus, Mary and Joseph, always known as the Holy Family, and perfect example of family life. We remember with great joy and gratitude when each of our children were born, each one a miracle of new life, and made us into a family.

We are in need of your help and consolation, as we see our children

leave the Church behind them, and all that we hold dear and essential in our lives. All that we have tried to do, by prayer, example and communication has not brought about the gift of faith, which we know is vital in our own lives and those of our children. Following St Monica’s example of prayers and tears, we plead for a spiritual awakening in our children, that so far we seem unable to have imparted by word and deed.

Dear Lord, we know that You love us and are with us in all things, so we ask for a respone from our children that can be obtained by our constant prayers. Give us the peresverance to “storm Heaven” in this regard, so eventually our children will again know the consolation of the Your Love, Presence and Peace. Amen.

The next meeting of the Monica and Augustine prayer group will be at St Thomas the Apostle Church, 2 College Road, Claremont on Tuesday, October 31 at 7.30pm. Further details from www. claremontcatholic.org.au

Rev. Fr Brian O’Loughlin, P.P.

Question: Can you spot the future priest? Answer: any of them - including the boy. A total of 18 enquirers came to join seminarians at St Charles seminary in Guildford last Sunday, while an additional five apologies were received.

Julian singers celebrate 30 years

existence.

Celebrating 30 years of choral melody, Perth’s Julian Singers were congratulated with an anniversary Mass at Holy Family Church, Como, on August 2.

More than 50 past members and friends joined current members of the choir at the Mass, which was concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton and Fathers Pat Cunningham, Chris Ross, John McGinty and Jim Petry, Fr Ernest Rayson, the founder and first musical director of the choir, came to Perth with the Blessed Sacrament Fathers in December 1975, where he established the Julian Singers in honour of St Peter Julian Eymard, founder of Fr Rayson’s religious order.

Before coming to Perth, Fr Rayson had already established a choir called the Julian Singers in Melbourne, which is also still in

“The changes that had taken place after the Second Vatican Council had led to the replacement of music that had been used in the liturgy for centuries by a flood of new music, much of which has already proved not to be of enduring quality,” said Chris deSilva, who has been the choir’s musical director for 11 years.

“Fr Rayson was concerned that the musical heritage of the Church was in danger of being lost and he established the Julian Singers to keep the heritage alive,” he said.

The choir is still faithful to this ideal, with a repertoire that spans seven centuries, and includes the work of many contemporary composers.

Following the anniversary Mass, presentations were made to Sr Noreen Cahill, Sr Norbert Greally, Mary D. Haydock, Philip Jack and Chris deSilva in recognition of their membership and services over the past 30 years.

Dorothy Townsend

■ By Sylvia Defendi

Trust in God led to goal

Fr Tran’s story of his life, from refugee to priesthood as a Redemptorist can inspire all

Continued from page 1 under persecution for their faith, there was virtually no freedom at all and they lived in fear.

“We did not know what would happen to us tomorrow; our fate was totally in the hands of members of the Communist Party,” he said.

Into these chaotic circumstances came God’s first call to the priesthood.

“I reacted strongly against it because I knew it was impossible for me to follow that call,” he said.

“Firstly, there was no seminary to study in, secondly it would be dangerous for me and my family if the government found out, and ultimately I felt that I would not be worthy to become a disciple of Jesus.

“However, God has his own way to bring about his plan, and in 1979 I joined a diocesan seminary in Vietnam.”

After 16 months, the local police found out he wanted to become a priest and forced him into the communist army with the idea that after four years service he would give up the idea of being a priest.

With active service in Kampuchea looming, and an 80 per cent death rate for soldiers in Kampuchea, after six months training he abandoned the army camp and eluded the military police by constantly moving from one hiding place to another.

Eventually, he had to stop running and found himself a place in the jungle where he built a hut and cleared some ground to grow vegetables, corn and sweet potatoes to provide basic survival.

After 12 months of this, his family warned him it was not safe to stay and that his only option was try to escape from Vietnam.

Fortunately, he knew someone who knew an organiser, and late one night he and 50 other people, including children and the elderly, crammed onto a small fishing boat and set sail for the high seas.

They had little idea where they wanted to go or what direction to go in, but after surviving severe storms they arrived at a small island in Malaysia called Pilau Bidong.

After eight months in a refugee camp there, in August 1982 he came to Australia and a new life in Perth, where he began to study English again with the intention that one day he would be able to enter a seminary and continue his study for the priesthood.

“Throughout all my difficulties, I had longed in my heart to be a priest,” he said.

But his troubles were not over. He had no family, no friends, no money, and almost no English.

He found the culture and cus-

toms alien; people talked, behaved and related to one another so differently from what he had experienced.

“At times I felt like a deaf and dumb person who would not be able to hear or communicate.

For two years I felt lonely, isolated, frustrated and depressed,” he said.

He spent a short time in St Charles’ seminary, but after nine months in Perth he moved to Sydney where he joined the Redemptorists in December 1983.

He was ordained in the parish of Maidstone in Melbourne in July 1994 and soon afterwards returned to Perth to the Redemptorist Monastery at North Perth and to complete a Masters degree at the University of Notre Dame in 1998.

This was followed by a doctorate in moral theology in 2003 at the Alphonsian Academy, Pontifical University of Lateran, Rome.

Following that, he was able to return to Vietnam to visit his family and to visit the Redemptorist Major Seminary there.

Looking back over the passage of his life, Fr Peter said: “God has always been my companion.

“He has given me the strength and the courage to continue and has guided me through the darkness of my life, although sometimes I would not recognise his presence.

“Many times I thought the date of my ordination would never arrive, but God is always faithful to his promises, and what he has promised he will bring to fulfilment.”

He was particularly grateful that God had led him to become a Redemptorist because he was very much at home with their spirituality and their work of preaching and reaching out to the poor, the outcasts and the rejected.

- Vocations Week: Vista 1-Page 9

Reason, not faith, the basis of public debate

Arguments against euthanasia and physicianassisted-suicide (PAS) must be expressed by reason, not by faith, if they were to carry the day in public and parliamentary debates, according to several speakers at the launch last week of Fr Peter Hung Tran’s book, Advancing the Culture of Death

The book has been published by Freedom Publishing and sponsored by the Knights of the Southern Cross of WA.

Fr Joe Parkinson, Director of the L.J. Goody Bioethics Centre, said Fr Hung Tran’s book was an outstanding analysis of the arguments on both sides and said that it had the potential to play an important role in the current public debates about euthanasia and PAS.

He said that Fr Hung analysed the subjects from two angles: one grounded in Catholic Christian faith, and the other grounded in plain human reason.

“This continues the very best of our intellectual tradition, which for centuries has defended the essential link between our belief in a loving God on one hand, and, on the other our ability to know, to understand, to judge and to choose according to the power of human reason,” Fr Parkinson said.

Many people argued that Christians should keep their noses out of public policy and stop trying to foist their beliefs on others - they are only personal beliefs after all.

But, as Fr Tran, points out in his book, while matters of faith may not be the ground of public policy, people of faith are one of

Focus groups offer clues

■ By Sherrilee Kingston

Sisters from the St John of God order visited The University of Notre Dame’s Fremantle campus on August 4 to promote their Order and to share their new approach to vocations ministry with young women on the campus.

Sister Ann Cullinane the Vocation Director for SJOG was part of the visiting group that came to engage particularly the young women in helping them discern where God is calling them and to support them on their journey.

The Sisters are very keen to raise awareness of their work within the community and to give health care students the opportu-

nity to discover what they have to offer them whilst they are studying and when they have graduated.

“We wanted to get a focus group together at Notre Dame to help us understand the perceptions within the community regarding religious life and the vocations young people of today are attracted to,” Sister Cullinane said.

“We realise we need more opportunities to share our story. It is obvious from our research that young people see St John of God as the hospital only and we need to inform them of our varied ministries,” Sister Cullinane said.

The Sisters will be conducting further focus groups in the upcoming weeks with one to be held in Broome.

Sofia’s site to say ‘thankyou’

Continued from Page 1 cards, flowers, teddy bears, angels, rosaries, letters and pictures.

“We have received all kinds of wonderful presents, letters and emails that have given us the strength to deal with this difficult time. We have read everything that has reached us,” commented the family on the website.

The website acknowledges those who have supported the family through this traumatic time but with Sofia’s photos shown through-

the many ‘constituencies’ contributing to public life and they have a right and duty to enrich society by acting on their convictions.

However, Fr Parkinson said Fr Tran argued that when we exercise our right to a voice in public life, we need to be able to do so using arguments the wider society can understand, the arguments not of faith, but of reason.

We could not expect people to legislate solely on the basis of faith, but all legislators had the responsibility to base law on sound reason.

“Despite our differences in religious faith, we share a common language of life, of reason, and of compassion,” Fr Parkinson said.

“In this, we have a service to offer to the whole of society: to engage in dialogue on reason’s grounds, so that more people can come to see what we see.

“He said that throughout his book Fr Peter brought clarity and commonsense to his rational analysis.

Firstly, there is no such thing as a ‘right to die’. One cannot grant a ‘right to die’ to a sick person without also granting it to a healthy person; and, in any case, there is no reason to claim as a right something that will inevitably happen (It is also hard to claim a ‘right not to die’).

It was important always to remember the distinction between ‘actively killing’ and ‘allowing to die’, a distinction that proponents of euthanasia and PAS often did not recognise because they judged things purely on external appearances rather than looking at the meaning of the act.

PILGRIM’S ROAD

GRACES

out the website it also acts as a memorial for the community to remember young Sofia. Sofia’s family in their letter said, “we need all prayers in the world to help us follow the only road that matters towards Heaven to be with God and our dear Sofia.”

Everyone is invited to view the website that not only thanks those that supported the family but gives the community a chance to contact and leave messages for Sofia’s family. To view the website visit: www.mcps.wa.edu.au/home/sofia

PATHWAYS OF ST PAUL

Vocation found: Fr Peter Hung Tran CSsR, priest and moral theologian

A new springtime comes

When Pope John Paul II foretold a new springtime for the Church at the beginning of this current millennium, few could match his enthusiasm for the state of affairs at the time. Although not denying it, Pope Benedict in the earliest days of his papacy admitted that he could not see all of it yet. None of us can. But there is little doubt that the new growth is shooting and the buds are beginning to form on the branches.

The need for revival in the life of the Church is not new. Crises in belief and practice have accompanied the Church on its journey since the beginning. St Paul often complained in his letters about the divisions and errors that had crept into the churches he had only recently left as he traveled on to continue spreading the Gospel. Heresies, schisms, immorality and apostasy were part of the life of the Church. Political interference from emperors, princes, and various rulers who were little better than warlords threatened the Church’s possession of its churches and its authority to appoint its own bishops and clergy.

Sometimes the problems were local, and sometimes widespread. Reform was always led by strong popes, legates and local bishops, but true revival, the revitalisation of the Church’s ability to spread the spiritual and moral truths entrusted to her, became clear only when there was a new springtime of vocations to provide the priests, monks, nuns, and laypeople needed for the work in the vineyard.

letters to the editor

Reporting not nuanced enough

From past reading I accept that your article writer Paul Gray and correspondents Hal Colebatch, Ted Watt and Brian Peachey are genuine and admirable people. From time to time they all draw attention to important aspects of our faith and in general terms I have no quarrel with the doctrinal stance they take.

Vilification laws

ThePO Box 75, Leederville, WA 6902

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

The situation in the Church at the beginning of the last millennium is analogous to the present day, although the actual circumstances are obviously different. Major reform was needed and it began with the decree of Pope Nicholas II at the Lateran Synod (April 13, 1059) which reserved the appointment of a new Pope to the Cardinal Bishops, thus breaking lay interference in papal elections and causing the former rights of the Emperor to simply disappear. With its independence recovered, the papacy, under a series of popes, launched major reforms, breaking the practice of simony (the sale of bishoprics and churches, often by lay people), ending the immorality of clergy through the practice of concubinage by reinforcing the old Roman laws on celibacy, and breaking lay control of church lands and goods, which often led to undue influence over the appointment of bishops and clergy.

The reform took 70-100 years to be firmly entrenched, and soon afterwards came the revival in the form of many vocations, particularly to the new Dominican and Franciscan Orders. The Dominicans (Order of Preachers) got their start in 1205 when Dominic realised that the Church needed well educated preachers to combat heresy and to help people in danger of losing their faith.

Around this time there sprang up a number of lay movements preaching and living a life of poverty, often with an anti-clerical streak and a reluctance to adhere to the Church. The exception was the group established in 1208 by the man who became St Francis of Assisi, a group of lay people who lived in extreme poverty but who were totally devoted to the Church. When they appeared in Rome before Pope Innocent III in 1212, he approved their way of life, they were ordained to various minor orders with Francis made a deacon (he never became a priest). This new order was even more spectacularly successful than the Dominicans in their appeal to the idealism of their time, but both Orders have had a profound influence on their Church right up to the present time.

Our new millennium had its major reform in the Second Vatican Council. It was a spiritual and intellectual reform to prepare the Church to communicate more successfully with a rapidly changing world, blessed with vast bodies of new knowledge but often tainted by nihilist philosophies and totalitarian political theories.

It also equipped the Church to go past old rancours to communicate more effectively with separated Christians of many persuasions in pursuit of Christ’s prayer that all may be one. This reform was preceded by many relatively small signs, not least Pope Pius XII’s 1943 encyclical Divino afflante spiritu which gave such a boost to Catholic scriptural studies, but it was nevertheless a spectacular explosion of the life of the Church in order to meet new circumstances.

The reform has again been accompanied by a revival which is characterized by growth (after an apparent slump) in vocations, and particularly by growth in the understanding of vocation as the call by the Holy Spirit to all Christians to live their life as a response to the invitation from Christ, “Come, follow me.” The increase in vocations - and in the establishment of new religious orders - has been greater in Africa and Asia, where the new springtime is already evident, and least in tired cultures like Europe where the shoots of new life are harder to find. In many other parts of the world, the issue remains in the balance.

But in all parts of the world, there is a great revival among young people who are prepared to commit themselves to an explicit life with Christ, regardless of the circumstances and pathways of their life. This commitment is expressed in the many lay movements within the Church, in the spectacular growth of lay missionaries over the last 25 years, and even in the growing number of teachers who want to make a permanent career of teaching and living the Catholic faith in Catholic schools.

How all of this plays out around the world over the next 50 years or so is in the hands of the Holy Spirit, but since it will determine the success of the Church and the happiness of mankind for the next 500 years or so, the adventure deserves everyone’s prayers and support.

Premier of Victoria, Mr. Steve Bracks must be laughing all the way to the next election with his vilification legislation. He has successfully driven a wedge between Catholics, Protestants and Muslims; who can now focus their energies on interfaith conflict while he, and his Party, continue on their merry way; facilitating the deconstruction of families, and with them the beliefs of traditional communities which form the basis of Australian society

The lynchpin of this belief system is free speech, whereby we are free to express our opinions without fear or favour; a right we accord to all others even though they may disagree with us. In this regard, we are not at liberty to use this privilege in an excessive, extravagant or outlandish fashion; being constrained by the demands of the Common Law which carries severe penalties for the crimes of defamation and libel.

What Bracks and his cohorts have done in Victoria, and there should be no doubt about this, is to take the forceful word “vilification”, and, under this draconian legislation, apply it to situations which merely represent differences of opinions.

Whilst we should applaud Fr Kenny, the Episcopal Vicar for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne for the good work that he and his organisation undoubtedly do on behalf of Catholic-Muslim dialogue, we should be less than honest were we to admit that there are no major differences between the two faiths; and that these differences may often form the basis of subjects for discussion and, in some cases, dissension. To their credit, the Protestants in Victoria have recognised this basic fact.

We should pray and work tirelessly in order that the excesses perpetrated in the State of Victoria will be revoked, and that they will never be replicated in WA.

Dunstan Hartley Dianella

World gone cold

The Record is WA’s Awardwinning Catholic Newspaper so please keep the articles to Catholic teachings that build up, not divide, the faith.

There are many newspapers that cause confusion, distort the truth and give their own opinions, so why Frank Brennan and others use these instead of Catholic newspapers or venues?

But when I saw the three letters in your edition of 10th August referring to Paul Gray’s article in the earlier edition of 3rd August, this first giving what could not possibly have been a definitive outline of the circumstances in which the comments of Jesuit Father Frank Brennan had been made and then roundly condemning him, my curiosity was aroused, for the last named is I believe, a very solid competent priest and certainly no heretic.

I looked up the Brennan paper on the net which requires fourteen A4 pages to print off and feel that the Gray report, whatever it’s accuracy, is over-selective and doesn’t do justice to the nuanced position behind the paper. I suggest your correspondents would be more helpful if they had read and studied the whole thing in depth before holding forth.

The nub in the Brennan paper is trying to answer the suggestion that American Presidential candidate in the 2004 election Catholic John Kerry (not mentioned by name in the Gray report) had no right to the catholic vote because of his earlier support for state legislation on abortion etc. On acceptance of this perception Catholics would be left with only the alleged warmongering right wing George Bush (also unnamed in the Gray report).

So what do we do about political candidates for office, known to have wide-ranging views on a variety of subjects only some of which are contrary to our own? Father Brennan turns to the supremacy of informed conscience which he has ably justified elsewhere.

If there is someone with greater competence than him (and by implication Cardinal Newman, Cardinal Avery Dulles, a majority of senior American Bishops and the Holy Father himself who are all quoted in his paper) then I would like to hear from her or him.

Peter Beeson College Grove

The unborn child is the most innocent of all, and much-needed for the future of Australia.

A mother also needs love, help and support during her pregnancy, not negative ideas when she could be feeling afraid and uncertain about coping in a world that has grown cold on women having babies.

Margaret Thomas Mullewa

No will can be imposed

In regards to the front page report ‘how to reject church’ in The Record (August 3), by Paul Gray, Fr Frank Brennan is acting in the role of devil’s advocate by saying that we should be prepared to compromise with non-catholics on abortion and euthanasia.

He tries to use two major intellectual authorities: Cardinal John Henry Newman and Pope Benedict XVl to support his views.

But Fr Brennan has gone wrong. The Catholic Church when teaching the infallible truth cannot be wrong or compromise on something that is evil.

The Church teaches, as Christ taught, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Just as God will never impose His will on our “free will”, so too those leaders of the church who teach the truth will never impose their views on anyone.

They can only teach in their capacity as teachers and advise us of any potential evil or wrong which is constantly amongst us.

When addressing the United Nations Mother Teresa said:

“If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill each other? Any country that

accepts abortion is not teaching it’s people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.”

Wes Wlodarczyk

Canning Vale

Such evidence does not exist

Dr Mal Washer the Liberal Member for Moore is reported as saying that a debate on embryonic cloning and stem cell research would change the opinions of MPs when they considered the evidence in its favour.

There is debate as to whether research on stem cells taken from living embryos could achieve any more for people with disabilities than research on stem cells taken from adult tissue or umbilical cord blood. There is no debate that the taking of stem cells from a living human embryo will kill it. The embryo is a living human being, deserving of respect. It has all the DNA that it will ever have and the potential to grow into an adult. It may have the inherent gifts that would enable it to become a person with the creative talent of a Mozart or a doctor of medicine or even a Member of Parliament.

There is no evidence that should persuade the Parliament that the killing of any human being could be justified to alleviate the suffering of another human being or even to save the life of another human being.

Brian Peachey Woodlands

Hopes for Holy Land

Pope Benedict XVI addresses the media on his hopes for peace in the Middle East.

Page 11

Perpetual Rosary on again

48 hours on continuous prayer to celebrate Mary’s birthday

Page 12

Franciscan Friars

“And after the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what I had to do but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the pattern of the Holy Gospel.”

So wrote St. Francis of Assisi eight centuries ago; it is a good summary of what he tried to do in his life - and what Franciscans have been trying to do in their lives ever since.

The Franciscan Friars are firstly an order of “brothers”; men, whether priests or not, who live together, pray together and share their lives together, striving to be a community who truly come to love and regard each other as brothers.

And we are men who live “according

to the pattern of the Holy Gospel.” Like Francis, no work or ministry is foreign to us as long as it is done with the simple joy and generosity of the Gospel, which reaches out to the excluded and forgotten of our world. To be Franciscan is to live the Gospel in brotherhood with all of creation.

Whether they are missionaries, teachers, parish priests, counselors, tradesmen, chaplains, advocates or whatever, above all the Franciscan Friars are brothers living the Gospel. Can you be the same?

Do you:

Find yourself eager to bring peace to the conflicts around you?

Have compassion for the neediest in our society?

Admire and revere the gifts of God in creation?

Dare to give up what you have to live the way of the Gospel?

Then you have a lot in common with Saint Francis of Assisi - and with his followers, the Franciscan Friars. Why not say “Yes” one more time?

“Yes!” I want to know more from: The Franciscan Vocation Office, 1089 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill, Vic 3101. Ph: (03) 9816 8621 vocations@franciscans.org.au

Franciscan Sisters

THE CHALLENGE: CROSS THE BOUNDARIES

We are a community of Missionary Sisters who follow Jesus in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, and Elizabeth (Sister M. Ignatius) Hayes. We are presently ministering in eleven countries worldwide.

No money for AIDS

African Churches unable to access funds for AIDS therapies.

Page 12

We wish to manifest God’s universal compassion through inclusive non-dominating relationships of love. We endeavour to identify with the victim, the poor and the marginalized in seeking a peace built on justice.

I focus in this article today on relationship with the people of the Moslem faith since to achieve peace we must “maintain good fellowship among the nations” (1 Peter 2:12).

Following the deep desire and extraordinary efforts of Francis to make peace with the Sultan of Egypt, and fulfilling the wish of our Foundress to open a mission there, our sisters opened their first mission at Fayoum in January 1898.

Our missionary endeavours among both the Moslem and Christian people of Egypt have continued through different services related to health, education and pastoral concerns in Egypt to this day.

At the start of the 2005 academic year, Sister Josephine Rush from Australia joined the staff of St Clare’s College in Heliopolis, as

Principal, working with an Egyptian Headmistress. This school in Cairo, opened by our sisters in 1933, has this year a student body of 955 girls with close to equal Moslem and Christian students.

A second college founded in 1937 in Alexandria has a student body of 650 girls of whom more than half are Moslem.

Through their mission of teaching, as well as through pastoral care

of the families of the girls and the fostering of the practice of mutual respect, the sisters manifest what we truly believe.

That is, living cross-culturally, trusting, loving and serving across the boundaries of culture, language and religious beliefs – creating fellowship - is fundamental to peace in the world and a vital missionary focus today if we are to enable the fulfilment of the prayer of Jesus.

That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee

(Jn 17-21)

Josephine Rush with girls from St Clare’s Heliopolis, Cairo

Cecilia Prest - Woorabinda

Good Shepherd Sisters

If you would like to join us or find out more, please contact Sr Jacinta at 9381 3955

360 years ago in France a woman raised her hand to challenge a priest: “It is all very well to preach your fine words but what are you going to do about the needy woman on our streets?”

The Good Shepherd Sisters trace their origin back to the response of that priest, John Eudes, who founded the order of Our Lady of Charity otherwise known as ‘The Refuge’ in Caen, France in 1641.

John Eudes was deeply affected by the exploitation of young girls who were abandoned and uncared for in a society caught between two civil revolutions and at the commencement of the Industrial revolution.

In 1841 a young woman by the name of Rose Virginie Pelletier joined the Order ‘The Refuge’ and was thereafter known as Sr Mary Euphrasia.

Her vision and spirit led to the expansion of their work into the worldwide order known as the Good Shepherd Sisters.

Some forty years later, four Good Shepherd Sisters arrived in Melbourne, Australia and by 1887 had extended to Christchurch, New Zealand. In both countries the Sisters continued their ministry with girls and young women at risk of homelessness and exploitation.

Today there are Sisters and Good Shepherd agencies in over sixty countries.

Here in Australia there are three youth and family focused agencies, Rosemount in NSW, Good Shepherd in Vic and St Clare’s School in WA. The focus on women and girls also finds expression in the ‘Good Shepherd Social Justice Network’ and ‘Good Shepherd Trading Circle’. Both seek to address the cases of, and explore alternatives to, systemic poverty and global injustice.

The Good Shepherd Sisters are part of a tradition that three centuries on continues to answer the original question but now in contemporary environments and circumstances.

The Good Shepherd Sisters are currently working in Australia and New Zealand in partnership with people who share their mission for compassion and reconciliation and the spirit of ‘shepherding’. Good Shepherd people work in a variety of ways to address the misery and distress that many face in today’s society.

The Good Shepherd Sisters believe that one person is of more value than a world.

The charism of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd affirms the dignity of all persons, with special consideration for those who experience injustice and oppression.

For more information please contact Sr.Jacinta Unger (08) 9249 8632, or visit the website www.goodshepherd.com.au

Sisters of St Joseph T

Relieving Suffering and Bringing Hope

his year, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart celebrate 140 years since the beginning of our congregation in Penola, South Australia.

Since that time, many women have been drawn into following the example of Blessed Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods, who believed that God was calling them “to work in ordinary, simple ways to bring to the poor the message of their human dignity and of Christ’s saving love.”

The Vision of the Josephites today is to recapture the radical response of Mary MacKillop and her companions to the ‘misery and wretchedness’ of our era remembering that central to our identity is our service to people who are without real choices, excluded or destitute in some way.

The Sisters of St Joseph can be found working throughout Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Peru and East Timor. Wherever we are, we seek to live out our commitment to the isolated and marginalised, and this calls us to address issues such as grief and loss, abuse and violence, the active participation

of women in Church and society, reconciliation, and the inclusion of religious and cultural difference within our society. Our Sisters minister both within and beyond their own culture, working towards the empowerment of indigenous peoples, those in Peru and East Timor, and all who struggle to live with dignity in the face of poverty and injustice.

As we live out our personal relationship with God and in community, we hear the words of Mary MacKillop echo in our lives: ‘Seek first the poorest, most neglected part of God’s vineyard’.

We know there are other women called to journey with us as Sisters of Saint Joseph. Are you one of them?

Passionists

Members of the Passionist Congregation are men and women who are passionate about people, about God and about prayer. Passionists have a passion for life and live life in community.

The Congregation of the Passion, a Catholic congregation of priests, brothers and sisters, was founded to pray about the Passion – the sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus, and to preach it to others. In our reflections, Passionists focus on the love, mercy and compassion of our God.

The Passionists were founded in Italy in the 18th century by St Paul of the Cross. In 1843, a group of Passionists came from Italy as missionaries to the Aboriginal community at Stradbroke Island, off the coast of Brisbane.

In 1887, Passionists came from England and Ireland to the parish of St Brigid’s in Marrickville, NSW. Later, foundations were made in South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria.A mission has since been established in Papua New Guinea.

Passionists are also involved in the life of the Church in New Zealand. Today, Passionists in 55 countries are involved in diverse and challenging ministries.

In the Holy Spirit Province, which incorporates Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, Passionists can be found in:

• Parish Ministry

• Parish Missions and Retreats

• Passionist Family Group Movement

• Passionist Youth Teams

• Ministering in hospitals, detention centres, nursing homes

• Spiritual Direction and Retreat Centres

The Passionists hold regular Institutes and Retreats where people interested in religious life can spend time in discernment, prayer and contemplation.

Are you being called to be aPassionist ?

“The

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.sosj.org.au

CONTACT : Sr. Clare Ahern

Tel: 09 9334 0999

Email:

SIGN UP FOR ACTION!

A commitment made 51 years ago to join the De La Salle Brothers begins with teaching, leads to leadership roles and stretches now to Pakistan.

At 68, Br Colin Griffin is a man of action. He has been involved in a range of teaching, administrative and leadership roles in secondary schools and adult education in Australia and New Zealand.

Last month he departed Australia to Pakistan as the President of the Delegation of Pakistan responsible for the policymaking and day-to-day organization of the De La Salle Brothers in Pakistan.

“My role is to support the Brothers (19 in total) in the management and development of services to meet the needs of the young and their families in a country where resources and financial assistance is limited.

“There is no government funding. The work of the Brothers is supported predominately by the fees accrued from the two English schools they operate in the cities of Faisalabad and Multan which are largely attended by Muslim students”.

“These Lasallian schools are the ‘cement’ that the rest is built upon. They provide the funds to finance the resources to operate the schools, orphanages, hostels and drug rehabilitation centres which the Brothers provide in Pakistan”.

Of the 137 million people in Pakistan, 1 million

are Catholic and are localized mainly in the Villages. It is in the villages in Khushpur and the outskirts of Faisalabad and Multan that the Brothers run seven small schools, where the national language Urdu is spoken.

Br Colin describes his new role as “challenging and exciting”. Living in a Muslim country has its hazards.

“On my last visit to Pakistan earlier this year I was largely confined to the compound where the Brothers live and work. I was told never to venture alone in the streets of the city”.

“To be honest, at this stage of my life taking this role in Pakistan was the last thing I imagined I’d be doing. I ask myself, am I prepared to put up with the cultural differences, the food and climate in Pakistan? But that’s what this life is all about; being Brother calls me to say yes. Saying yes throughout my 51 years as a Brother has given me an extraordinarily rich life, one which I would never have dreamed of as a young boy”.

For now, Pakistan dominates his mind. He is committed to supporting the Brothers and sharing the spirituality and vision of the founder, St John Baptist de La Salle to care for the youth, especially the poor. For information on joining or supporting the work of the De La Salle Brothers call (02) 9795 6412, text 0412 853 573 or click www.delasalle.org.au.

De La Salle Brothers

World Youth Day Co-ordinator

The Archdiocese of Perth seeks a committed Catholic for a part-time (20 hours per week increasing) position of Archdiocesan World Youth Day Co-ordinator.

Interested applicants would preferably have attended one or more World Youth Days and be available to travel for meetings, have good organisational and communication skills and preferably some theological or other relevant graduate qualifications together with IT capacity.

Remuneration would be commensurate with qualifications or negotiable.

Interested applicants should send a CV and references by August 31, 2006 to Bishop Don Sproxton, Catholic Church Office, 25 Victoria Avenue, Perth WA 6000.

Augustinians

To live together “in unity of mind and heart on the way to God”.

The first condition of human goodness is something to love, the second is something to reverence - therefore everyone has a story – your story is the thread of your life.

It is when one loses or forgot one’s story that one’s life begins to fall apart.

So, I now invite you to join me in an adventure journey. This journey is the story of my life.

My name is Minh –Tan Hoang, I was born on the 5th June 1972 in a small war torn village of Cam Ranh Bay – Viet Nam. My village survived by mean of fishing and farming according to the season. I have an older sister, three younger sisters and two younger brothers.

My family fled Viet Nam in 1980 on a small wooden fishing boat and left behind a little boy, and that little boy was me.

In early 1982 I escaped with my fraternal grandparents on their fishing boat with 66 other people within the village, young and old. The boat was so crowded that we had no space to stretch our legs.

I arrived in Palawan an Island in the Philippines which was used

to hold refugees from Viet Nam. I stayed in the camp for over 8 months.

I came to Australia in 1983 on the 23rd of January and was reunited with my family in Wollongong. I started primary school at St John Vianney’s and High School at Edmund Rice College. Prior to joining the Augustinians, I earned a degree in Bachelor of Nursing and worked as a Registered Nurse for a few years. While doing my degree, I worked in various restaurants and a bakery to pay for my expenses.

Recently, I have made my solemn profession in the Order of Saint Augustine – Australian Province.

This is the beginning of my journey and I am now able to give myself to my vocation totally.

One of the most memorable experiences was my recent trip back to my homeland Viet Nam, meeting and talking to Vietnamese young men who wanted to devote themselves to God. I now realize that I can bring happiness to people, to understand and to be able to let go of material needs.

Thus, because at birth I bring nothing, therefore at death I’ll take nothing. Join me on my journey.

The Jesuits

Kent Rosenthal, SJ is a Jesuit student working with the Jesuit Refugee Service on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. He shares part of his vocation story.

How did I come to be a Jesuit? I often feel embarrassed to tell people that the first contact I had with the Society of Jesus was by email. It seems so impersonal and superficial. So I prefer to start my vocation story much earlier.

There were several times in my life when I thought about religious life, starting in early primary school in Toowoomba when I had a small altar in my room where I would pray with my mother each night before sleeping. Mum and dad had a simple but strong faith that included a deep acceptance of

people with other views and faiths. Weekly and often daily Mass was important, and they were involved in many parish activities, but they didn’t give an impression of being pious or overly-religious. They simply worked hard to provide the best for our family of seven children and they showed this same generosity to the people around them.

It wasn’t until the end of high school that I started thinking more seriously about religious life. It was around the time the film “The Mission” was in the cinemas and I was full of missionary zeal. I visited Papua New Guinea with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart to look at their work. Being still very young, I spent a few years studying, working and travelling in Australia and overseas. Still I felt a deeper yearning and that’s when I started finding out about the Society, visiting the Jesuit novitiate in Sydney and keeping in contact with the vocations

promoter by correspondence while I was living in Cairns. The idea of a being a “contemplative in action” with an option for the poor inspired me.

It was impossible to know every detail about life as a Jesuit by visiting Sydney for a week at a time, but I felt an enthusiasm inside that I had something to offer and that I could meet the challenges of Jesuit life as they came. The more I live, learn and travel as a Jesuit, the more the challenges around me of faith and justice seem insurmountable. But when I look at the example of Jesus, I see that not everything can be accomplished by human effort. So I pray that I can keep growing in faith.

The Presentation Sisters

On Christmas Eve 1775 in Cork, Ireland, Nano Nagle founded what was to become the Congregation of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Initially, we were known as the Sisters of Charitable Instruction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The first title reflects Nano’s embracing of the spirituality of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the later one reflects the total dedication to that Love in the ‘hidden life’ of Mary as a young girl in the Temple.

Nano’s life-story sprang from her response to the Holy Spirit, a personal inner transformation, her heartfelt yearning for God’s Kingdom to be established on earth and her intense life of prayer and action for the sake of this Kingdom. The Presentation Sisters of W.A. have been committed to this call and vision since our arrival in Western Australia in 1891.

When a woman starts to contemplate whether she may be called to this way of life a variety of wholesome questions are evoked in her. These may include:

• How do I know if God is calling me?

• What is the Presentation way of life?

• How do I actually discern a Vocation to Religious Life?

• How do I become a Presentation Sister?

• How does God use the gift of my person, presence, prayer and ministry as a Sister to help bring about the coming of His Kingdom today?

• Could I really live a life of Vowed Poverty, Chastity and Obedience and be truly joyful and fulfilled?

The good news is that such questions can indeed be answered and the journey to those answers is not travelled alone – it is shared in a process called Vocational Accompaniment. Of their very nature such questions touch the core of our being and mystery before God, so the journey to their answers takes time. It is normally a journey of gentle surprises, of unexpected joys and new-found freedoms, of unforeseen disappointments and fresh challenges. We, Presentation Sisters, pray that the Holy Spirit may inspire and strengthen generous women to consider undertaking such a Vocational journey with us as they discern whether they may be being called by our God to this holy way of life.

Confranternity of Christ the Priest

Public

celebration of Christ the Priest

Members of the Australian-founded religious society, the Confraternity of Christ the Priest, are rejoicing in achieving an important milestone in the 50-year story of their home missionary work.

Recently, Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga, the diocese in which the Confraternity is based and has two parishes, approved the public celebration of the Feast of Christ the Priest in all parishes and religious houses under his jurisdiction.

This feast, which had previously been approved by Rome to be celebrated privately by the Confraternity, occurs each year on the Thursday after Pentecost Sunday.

The Confraternity of Christ the Priest was founded over 50 years ago, by Fr John Whiting, for the specific purpose of reaching out to the 17 million Australians who have no contact with organized religion.

At the invitation of a bishop, this home missionary society takes over the care of a specific area or parish and aims to remain there for about 20 years. In that time, priests and brothers strive for personal friendship with every individual in their area, encouraging them by the example of their own lives to learn more about God and God-centred values.

Contact Magazine, which is mailed from the Confraternity’s mission house in Melbourne, provides an interesting and simple introduction to the teaching of the Catholic Church.

For more information about the Confraternity, visit their website at www.christthepriest.com

A special devotional booklet explaining the history and theology of Christ’s title as Priest and Victim is available by contacting Christ the Priest Media Centre, 8 Benedict Ave San Isidore, 2650, phone 02 6931 6445.

Christ means nothing to millions of Australians

The Marist Brothers

The tension between the call to prayer and contemplation, and the terrible needs of millions of young people around the world are the contemporary struggles that Marist Brothers and Lay Marists are negotiating in their life and ministry in this part of the world, said Br Rod Thomson, the Marist Vocations Coordinator.

Br Rod, visiting Perth over this week, noted that the Brothers are called to make a real impact on people’s lives, and seem to be working more and more with young adults searching for a spirituality that enlivens them, and an experience of ministry that engages them with young people on the margins of life.

He is presently involved in organising immersion experiences to India and Cambodia in December, Santa Teresa Aboriginal Community late January, and also to the Solomon Islands, for young adults who feel called to serve those who are less fortunate in our world.

This is in line with the recent call by the Brothers’ Superior General, Br Sean Sammon, who is missioning 150 Brothers from around the world to new countries in Asia over the next two years.

Br Sean visited Perth last week as part of a series of meetings around Australia with Brothers and young people. Br Sean said, “As Marist Brothers, we have an important role to listen to and understand the views of young people and the

Helping

things they cherish and hold dear. At the same time, we need to challenge them to more transcendent values, to live out their life’s dream in such a way that Jesus’ way of service becomes central.

Br Rod noted that the Church is all the richer for men and women down through the ages who have followed Jesus in exciting, distinct and visionary ways.

Saints and Founders of Orders like Benedict, Francis, Bridget, Dominic, Ignatius, Mary MacKillop, and someone like their own Marist Founder, St Marcellin Champagnat, have gifted the Church with charisms that continue to enliven followers today, providing precious, viable and refreshing ways to incarnate Jesus’ Spirit and further the work of the Church .

The task, then, for every baptised person, every follower of Jesus, who feels

called to live out one of these distinct charisms, is to discover what skills it takes to be part of their distinct enterprises, and whether their own personality and abilities fit the project?

And further into their exploration of these, they will feel called to decide how they wish to live this out, as a Lay apostle, married or single, as a Priest, or as a vowed Religious.

“These are exciting times in our church’s mission,” said Br Rod, “and for us as Marist Brothers, how we feel called to live this out in St Marcellin’s way, through and with Mary to Jesus.”

For those interested in joining one of the Marist Immersion Programs, or being part of a young adult Lectio Divina prayer experience, contact Br Rod on 0428 627 478 or rthomson@maristmelb.org.au

The descendants of Christ: anti-semitism is anti-Catholic Opinion

Being Heard

■ By John Heard

I’m not immediately interested in the political strife that ruins the Middle East. However, I am deeply interested in where precisely Catholics should stand on the modern rise in anti-Semitism whether it comes in the form of either a Katuysha rocket lobbed by terrorists into Israeli homes or the foul ranting of a drunk fringe Catholic in Malibu.

When I heard about the bombing of Qana (also known as ‘Cana’ as in The Wedding at Cana), I knew the hate wars were real and that an ancient cycle of suffering and enlightenment was once again playing out. Another period had come when justice seemed elusive. When I heard of Jewish children hiding in cellars and basements, Jewish mothers once again preparing to flee their homes because their neighbours were bent on killing them, purely because they’re Jews, I remembered the banner Pilate ordered to hang over the Cross of Christ:

“‘Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum”

I also remembered the brave, love-filled words of John Paul the Great when he spoke to the Jewish people from the Synagogue of Rome:

‘’The Jews are beloved of God,

who has called them with an irrevocable calling…The Jewish religion is not ‘extrinsic’ to us, but in a certain way is ‘intrinsic’ to our own religion…with Judaism, therefore, we have a relationship which we do not have with any other religion. You are our dearly beloved brothers, and, in a certain way, it could be said that you are our elder brothers.’’

From the beginning of history hatred has warred with true religion, darkness with light and the battle has been and still is today, focussed down amongst the Jewish people. Both Pilate’s script, which is at once offensive, compelling and true in the sense that Jesus was from the royal House of David (‘melech Israel’) and the first Holocaust-witnessing Pope’s speech – unprecedented in its theological, political and historical scope – show this tension. It is the same tension that prompted Mel Gibson to stupidly blame the Jews for ‘all the wars in the world’. It is borne of an honest observation: the Jews are a sign of contradiction in the whorl of human history, and a false one: the strife that often surrounds the Jews is their fault.

Even a basic understanding of human history defeats that old lie. The Jews were wanderers, persecuted and homeless long before imperial Roman politics killed Christ two thousand years ago. God made

them so, but not to punish them for some particular sin, at least not a sin attached to their Jewishness. Rather, just as He makes all men homeless, so that we can better learn about Him and come home to His Law, he made the Jews – uniquely at that time among all races – His chosen people and the first to hear His voice.

Like all men, they suffered because of Adam’s insuobordination. Whatever collective guilt the Jewish people carry, as Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate authoritatively set down, it is merely the same stain of original sin that all men suffer. We know precisely how they suffered, and why it was important for the story of God’s association with mankind, however, because the Jews are beloved of God. As Catholic theologians have concluded, the Jews are still important to the project of salvation, they are the people of the First Covenant on Sinai and God – the Father we worship in common – does not break His promises, no matter how weak the human party. Something of this mystery translates into bureacracy. The Vatican department charged with Jewish-Christian relations is the Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews and it is part of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, not the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue.

“You will find Me in the quiet...”

i say, i say

■ By Mark Reidy

“He approaches nearest to God, who knows how to be silent”.

Cato the Younger, (Roman Philosopher, 95-46 BC).

We live in a world that seems to have an aversion, or even a fear of silence. Wherever we go we are constantly bombarded by noise and activity - and more times than not, these are self-inflicted. It is as though we find comfort, both physically and mentally, in an environment of perpetual motion.

Within the gaps of our careers, family and social lives we cram diversions such as television, radio, music and conversation. This ceaseless inundation ensures that our

minds are relentlessly assailed. Whether consciously or not, it appears that we are committed to keeping a step ahead of silence.

I first became aware of my own aversion to silence when I was in my late twenties. I had drifted away from my Catholic faith, but I led what I believed to be a fulfilled life. I was soon to discover that it was only, in fact, a filled life.

A close friend commented at the time that I didn’t seem to spend much time on my own. It caused me to stop and think. I worked full time, I was a frequent visitor to pubs, clubs and parties, I played football, volunteered for a charitable organisation and I kept my finger in many social circles. I began to get defensive with myself. “What about those times in between”, I thought, “I spent them alone”. Or did I?

When I travelled in the car I had the radio on, when I came home, there was television, music or the telephone. Physically I was alone, but mentally I was being bombarded by noise and distraction. In the morning I would scan through the newspaper and as I lay in bed at night I would read a book. In a sense, my friend was right; I was never on my own. Even in isolation I allowed my mind to be constantly infiltrated. This revelation came as a surprise and resulted in me making a conscious decision to disembark from my frenetic lifestyle and actually spend a few minutes on my own and in complete silence. I wasn’t overly comfortable with the situation but during the moment a distinct thought pierced into the stillness. “You will find Me in the quiet”, it whispered. I knew I

In the modern Middle East, where the hate wars bring rockets and unprovoked attacks from outside Israel’s borders into the centre of civilian life, the story of human misery, the Fallen nature of man and the break in history is played out once more and again the central players are God’s people, Israel.

Since the Second Covenant, however, written in Christ’s Jewish blood, the whole of the Catholic world is united in history, religion and love with the plight of the Jews. More enduring than the NATO pacts, more compelling than connections to political ideologies or fashionable trends, Catholics are called to look on the suffering of the Jews and see in it the specific torment of God - Who chose to become incarnate of a Jewish mother and live as an observant Jewish Man - and the wider suffering of Fallen humanity represented by the misery on the Lebanese side of the border.

Even in bondage in Egypt, the Jews were better off than the ‘free’ Egyptians because they had God. Today, the Jews still have God, but they also have us, the whole Catholic world, to support them in their trials.

Our beloved elder brothers in faith. The family of our Saviour. These words should come out of the mouths of Catholics, whether we be drunk, sober or praying for peace.

had my answer. I had been trying to squeeze the search for spiritual meaning into my hectic routine, but this experience left me with an understanding that I needed to be more honest in my quest. If I wanted to find spiritual truth, then I needed to nurture an environment in which it could germinate.

I made a conscious effort to trim the excess distractions from my life, both actual and cerebral. I began to sit in the local church for five minutes at a time and these visits gradually increased. Today my choice of prayer is an hour of Eucharistic Adoration.

In these moments I provide myself with the opportunity to block out the distractions of the world. It allows me to listen for the voice that dwells in the silence. responses: reidyrec@iinet.net.au

Official closing ceremony points to Church renewal

Continued from Page 1

O’Loughlin, over 20 seminarians and two recently appointed deacons for the sung celebration.

On this anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral, Msg McDonald addressed the congregation, asking all to farewell St Mary’s Cathedral as it stood.

“It is indeed the biggest project the Archdiocese has undertaken since the mid 1920s. We entrust this building and its imminent construction to our Blessed Mother, to whom this Cathedral is dedicated,” he said. During his homily, Bishop

Sproxton raised a memorable Mass booklet from the Cathedral’s rededication ceremony, celebrated by Archbishop Launcelot Goody in 1973, after works had been completed to bring the sanctuary area in line with the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

“The Church has always been about renewal,” said Bishop Sproxton, adding “Today, we stand as a community to farewell part of our Cathedral and welcome a change that will allow the liturgy to be celebrated as it should be.” Bishop Sproxton went on to state

that the Cathedral was a monument to the city of Perth and that its completion would be part of the much wider community.

As the Perth archdiocese prepares itself to once again close off the doors to the Cathedral, members of the public are being invited to take advantage of a series of farewell tours. Both morning and afternoon tours are on offer, which will include explanations of the completion plans and a historical display of the Cathedral, as part of the farewell experience for those who participate.

The World FEATURE

Pope Benedict reveals his hopes

Pope discusses Middle East, morality in wide-ranging interview.

■

By John Thavis

In a lengthy TV and radio interview, Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to fighting in the Middle East and said he hopes to travel to the Holy Land “in a time of peace.”

The Pope also explained some of the priorities of his papacy, saying he was convinced the church needs to frame its moral teachings in a positive way and shed the image of an institution that always says “no.”

The interview with German media was broadcast on August 13, eight days after it was recorded at the Pope’s summer villa in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

It was aired in advance of the Pope’s scheduled visit to his native Bavaria region of Germany on September 9-14.

Translations of the German transcript were made available by the Vatican.

The Pope addressed a wide range of topics, including ecumenical cooperation, the role of women in the church, and the unifying function of the papacy. He also offered some personal insights into the burdens of being Pope.

“It really is tiring,” he said of his schedule. But the 79-year-old pontiff said he enjoyed the continual encounters with bishops, politicians and other personalities “who want to talk to me personally.”Despite having to live behind the Vatican walls, he said, “to tell the truth, I’m not that lonely.”

Seated on a gilded throne, the Pope looked at ease as he fielded questions from four reporters, including a correspondent from Vatican Radio’s German program.

Asked about the situation in Lebanon, the Pope said everyone has to realize that “war is the worst solution for all sides.”

He expressed concern about the Christian community in Lebanon and warned of the danger of the

say: We have a positive idea to offer, that man and woman are made for each other,” and that marriage develops as a “joyful and blessingfilled encounter between a man and a woman,” he said.

When the church does oppose social or political developments, he said, it should “say it first in a positive way” and make sure people understand, for example, that marriage between a man and a woman

The Pope said a basic problem afflicting Western society was a new wave of secularisation and a loss of the sense of the sacred.

emigration of Christians from the entire region. “I’d like to visit the Holy Land, and I hope to visit it in a time of peace,” he said.

The Pope said that although he’s never felt strong enough to plan many long trips he would do so if he feels he can “communicate a message.”

He confirmed that he would visit Brazil next year for a meeting of Latin American bishops, saying his presence there would help “strengthen the hope that’s so alive in that part of the world.”

Asked why, during a recent visit to Spain, he didn’t specifically address hot-button issues like gay marriage or abortion, the Pope said he wanted to present a positive message and not overemphasize the negative.

“Christianity, Catholicism, isn’t a collection of prohibitions: It’s a positive option,” he said.

“We’ve heard so much about what is not allowed that now it’s time to

“is not a Catholic invention” but a value shared by all cultures.

The Pope said the church’s basic challenge in modern society is to try to bridge the gap between technological progress and morality.

“I believe that the real problem of our historical moment lies in the imbalance between the incredibly fast growth of our technical power and that of our moral capacity, which has not grown in proportion,” he said.

“That’s why the formation of the human person is the true recipe, the key to it all, I would say, and this is what the church proposes,” he said.

He said teaching “know-how” is never enough.

“If we only teach how to build and to use machines and how to use contraceptives, then we shouldn’t be surprised when we find ourselves facing wars and AIDS epidemics. Because we need two dimensions: simultaneously we need the formation of the heart,” he said.

In the battle against AIDS and other social ills, the Pope suggested that the church’s role is misrepresented or misunderstood as a negative one.

“We offer treatment, treatment to AIDS victims too, and we offer education, helping to establish good relationships with others. So I think we should correct that image that sees the church as spreading severe ‘noes,’” he said.

The Pope said a basic problem afflicting Western society was a new wave of secularisation and a loss of the sense of the sacred. Some African and Asian cultures, he said, are “horrified” by the West’s rational approach and its coldness toward God.

He said the church needs to underline that “believing is beautiful” and show that the Christian faith in the West is an integrating force in society and not part of “the trash of history.”

On internal church matters, the Pope said he planned to hold consistories regularly, convening cardinals to “discuss current problems together and look for solutions.”

He said his frequent one-on-one talks with bishops also favour a mutual exchange.

Everyone knows the Pope is “not an absolute monarch,” he said, but there’s a strong awareness that the church needs a unifying figure that can “guarantee independence from political powers” and make sure Christians don’t identify too much with nationalism.

The Pope addressed several other topics. He said women have always had an important role in the church, but said the faith does not allow women’s ordination as priests.

While noting that women today carry out important functions at the

Vatican, he noted a juridical problem: Church law says the power to make legally binding decisions is limited to sacred orders.

“So there are limitations from this point of view, but I believe that women themselves, with their energy and strength, with their predominance as it were, with their ‘spiritual power,’ will know how to make their own space,” he said.

“And we will have to try and listen to God so as not to stand in their way but, on the contrary, to rejoice when the female element achieves the fully effective place in the church best suited to her,” he said.

On the number of saints in the church, the Pope said he had deliberately “decentralized” the beatification process, leaving such ceremonies to local church leaders so that local figures could inspire Catholics of that specific country or region.

Those canonized, or declared saints, should be examples for the whole church, he said.

The idea is to motivate people with models of holiness, without overloading them with too many figures. “I can imagine some wonderful films” about the lives of saints, he said.

Speaking about relations with the Evangelical Church in Germany and about ecumenism in general, the Pope said a priority today is for Christians to work together to clarify and put into practice “ethical directives” in society.

Moreover, Christians must also “witness to God in a world that has problems finding him,” he said, demonstrating their belief that “humanity is not an evolutionary product that turned out badly.

We are the image of God.”

German journalists interview Pope Benedict XVI at the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.

PHOTO: CNS

The World

Church asks for funds to help AIDS victims

African churches find Global Fund money fairly inaccessible.

■ By

Michael Swan

In Kenya churches provide about 40 percent of all health care in remote and impoverished areas with no government services, but for their AIDS programs, churches receive no money from The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

“Since the inception of the Global Fund, the Kenyan bishops’ conference has not accessed any direct funding from the Global Fund, even after applying to all the rounds,” said Titus Munene, an HIV/AIDS program coordinator for the Kenyan bishops’ conference.

“It isn’t rocket science to say if 40 percent of the health care is in the church system in Kenya, you would think a good portion of (Global Fund money) is going to go to our operational system. But unfortunately, it isn’t that way,” said Maryknoll Father Ed Phillips, who runs seven community-based health care clinics.

The Geneva-based Global Fund, established in 2002, is a partnership among governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities.

The Catholic Church alone provides more than 25 percent of all AIDS care in the world, according to Caritas Internationalis, the

Catholic aid network. All faithbased organizations combined have received just 6 percent of the Global Fund’s money since the first disbursements in 2002.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, which represents South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland, has almost stopped applying for Global Fund money.

More than 18 percent of adult South Africans are HIV-positive, and the church is the largest health care provider after the government.

But church bodies have been unable to access Global Fund money either directly or through the South African National AIDS Council, which coordinates South African applications to the Global Fund.

“I have sat on SANAC, the South African National AIDS Council, which is also the CCM (country coordinating mechanism) for the Global Fund. It has not been a helpful process,” Dominican Sister Alison Munro said in an email from Pretoria, South Africa.

“The Global Fund process is too large and too cumbersome for the churches,” said Sister Alison. “If they (the churches) could apply directly to the Global Fund, some would. They can’t because of the procedures. ... The work involved is too much for any church group other than a national structure or a group with lots of capacity.”

While many nongovernmental organizations employ grant application experts, church-based agencies have tended to regard such func-

tions as wasteful of donor money.

Munene said when the churches do not get Global Fund money it weakens the fight against AIDS among some of the poorest Africans. A lack of international and Kenyan-government funding has forced mission hospitals, clinics and dispensaries to charge some of the poorest people in Kenya for AIDS treatment and services, while relatively well-off people in the cities are accessing free services.

Munene said when church agencies charge for health care it “means some of the poor cannot access services, since there are no government facilities in those rural areas.”

The 6 percent of Global Fund money going to faith-based organizations translates into $325 million spread over five years in dozens of countries. The Global Fund recognizes the number is too low, said spokesman Oliver Sabot.

“Given the essential role they play in health care in many countries, particularly in Africa, we would like to see the amount of funding to FBOs (faith-based organizations) increase,” Sabot said.

Part of the problem has been churches have not done enough to fulfil conditions that might be expected from major international funders, such as making detailed applications for funding and monitoring expenditures to the satisfaction of donors, said Father Robert Vitillo of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican’s most prominent adviser on HIV/AIDS policy.

Prayer cards promote Sainthood cause Executions delayed

Indonesia postpones executions of Catholics, hours after papal appeal.

Hours after an appeal by Pope Benedict XVI, Indonesian officials issued a last-minute stay of execution for three Catholics, but said they would be executed after Aug. 20.

Gen. Sutanto, the national police chief, announced the stay late on August 11 for Fabianus Tibo, 60, Dominggus da Silva, 39, and Marinus Riwu, 48. The three were sentenced to death after being convicted in 2001 of murdering 200 Muslims in May-June 2000 in the Poso area, in Central Sulawesi.

Christian-Muslim clashes from December 1998 to December 2001 in and around the area killed hundreds of people, with estimates ranging as high as 2,000.

The Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of the three, and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono rejected their plea for clemency on November 10.

Hours before the stay was announced, the Vatican released the text of a telegram sent to Yudhoyono and signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state. In the Pope’s name, Cardinal Sodano asked Yudhoyono to intervene “on humanitarian grounds ... in order that an act of clemency

might be granted to these three Catholic citizens of your nation.”

Sutanto told reporters that officials said the executions were delayed because they were too busy preparing for Indonesia’s independence day on August 17. He did not announce a specific new date for the executions. Earlier, thousands of Indonesians across the country protested the impending executions.

In Maumere on August 10, about 5,000 students from kindergarten to university level took part in a protest coordinated by a Divine Word priest and organized by “Forum Peduli Tibo Cs” (Forum Caring for Tibo and His Friends), reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand.

That same day in Atambua, the Religious Leaders Cooperation Forum of Belu and North Central Timor districts organized a press conference in Belu’s Legislative Council office to express their stand on the executions.

Bishop Anton Pain Ratu of Atambua, head of the forum, said the situation showed that laws were enforced against “small people who have no money.” He also said: “We acknowledge Tibo and his friends may have done wrong, but their sentence is not commensurate with their acts. Tibo and his friends should not be executed because only God can take life.”

Prayer cards promote sainthood cause for Sisters of Mercy foundress.

Mercy Sister Teresa Okonski has a special affection for the foundress of her religious community, Mother Catherine McAuley.

Recently, the Erie sister traveled to Dublin, Ireland, where Mother McAuley (1778-1841) started the Sisters of Mercy in 1831.

There, she visited the House of Mercy that Mother McAuley built for poor women and children. Also, reflective moments at her grave provided Sister Teresa with a life-changing experience.

“I felt an awesome connection to her,” she said. “I learned in a new way the tremendous generosity of this woman.”

That, she said, included Mother McAuley’s use of her inheritance to build the House of Mercy for about $1 million.

“She was a woman who lived totally for God. It was because of her holiness that she was able to do so much in such a short period of time,” Sister Teresa said.

This July Sister Teresa helped announce an effort by the Mercy Regional Community of Erie to join other Mercy communities from all over the world in distributing special prayer cards to promote Mother McAuley for sainthood.

Pope Paul VI opened Mother McAuley’s cause for sainthood in 1978. Pope John Paul II in 1990 declared her venerable, signifying the completion of the first major step to sainthood.

The second step is beatification. After one miracle attributed to her intercession is verified, she may be declared blessed. The third step is canonization.

A second miracle verified by the church is ordinarily required before the candidate can be proclaimed a saint.

“We want the prayer cards to be a source of spiritual refreshment for people and also call their attention to Catherine’s cause for sainthood,” said Mercy Sister Bernadette Bell, president of the Erie community.

Sister Bernadette said Mother McAuley did not want to be named a saint, but Sisters of Mercy worldwide thought Mother McAuley and her ministries had become so international that the sainthood effort was renewed.

“We feel she was a blessed woman,” Sister Bernadette said.

The prayer cards are being distributed at Mercy ministries and Catholic parishes in the Erie area.

The front of each card is marked with a circle in which there are two likenesses of Mother McAuley: one from a painting, the other an image taken from a bronze statue.

The distinctive Mercy cross is

at the bottom of the circle as if to anchor the images.

Three different 12 x 17 cm cards have a brief biography of Mother McAuley; a prayer for her beatification; and a prayer titled “Suscipe.” Smaller cards have an assortment of Mother McAuley’s quotes on the spiritual life. A bookmark offers a prayer for those who are ill.

Both the beatification prayer card and bookmark also ask anyone who obtains a favour through Mother McAuley’s intercession to contact Mercy Sister Anne Hannon, vice postulator of the effort to have Mother McAuley canonized. Her mailing address is: Sisters of Mercy, Riverside, Birr, County Offaly, Ireland; her email address is: annehannonrsm@eircom.net.

“It is important for anyone who has had a favour granted through Catherine’s intercession to contact Sister Anne,” Sister Bernadette said.

Sister Teresa said Mother McAuley had a special compassion for the sick.

“I believe that our pursuit of her canonization through the promotion of her prayers for the sick will not only benefit those who are physically and/or emotionally ill, but will also alert the public to a woman whom we can emulate for her goodness and generosity,” she said.

The Voluntary Counseling and Testing center next to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is part of one of the most extensive AIDS programs in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. PHOTO: CNS

The World

Catholic aid helps Indonesians rebuild

Catholic universities cooperate to help Indonesian quake victims.

Two Catholic universities have been cooperating with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to build 17,000 temporary homes for victims of the May 27 earthquake in Indonesia.

The temporary structures will be built in 22 villages in the provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java, both affected by the quake. Yogyakarta City is southeast of Jakarta.

The magnitude-6.2 earthquake destroyed thousands of houses and other buildings, including Catholic churches.

Atma Jaya Catholic University and the Jesuit-run University of Sanata Dharma are to provide technical, administrative, sociological and psychological assistance for the project, while the Red Cross will provide funding.

Ignatius Purwanto Hadi, who heads Atma Jaya Catholic University’s team for quake reconstruction, told UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand, that students have helped local residents develop a temporary house prototype, and 150 students spent two weeks collecting data in the villages.

“The students have also approached quake victims and introduced the building program,” he said.

“If the people welcome the pro-

gram, we hope to reach our goal to have all quake victims out of their tents by this October.”

Hadi said the Red Cross would give a bamboo house to every family whose home was totally destroyed.

“It is just a shelter from the hot weather and rain,” Hadi said.

The people can replace the temporary structures as they wish, he said, “when funds promised by the government come or when they have another financial source.”

The quake reconstruction team uses bamboo for the temporary homes because bamboo is inexpensive and easy to find. Such houses are also quake-resistant, environment-friendly, cool in the day and warm at night. To build the houses, Hadi said, quake victims need no special skills, only some technical guidance, and “the homes can last five years if well maintained, so people have enough time to save.”

Elisabeth Dewi Purwandari,

26,

a project volunteer from Atma Jaya Catholic University, said the building of 17,000 houses in two months is a realistic goal if the morale of quake victims is high and they work together. However, Purwandari said, when she and fellow students explained the program to the quake victims, the people initially were sceptical because earlier promises of aid, including those from the government, have not materialized. CNS

Pop idol disapproval

Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in Europe have criticised the pop star Madonna’s latest world tour, in which the singer is bound to a shimmering cross while wearing a crown of thorns.

“Madonna is exploiting Christian symbols ... and attempting to mix human passions, including her own personal ones, with something sacred,” said a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has urged people to stay away from the singer’s concert in Moscow on September 11.

Madonna’s performance in Rome on August 6 drew disapproval from an Italian cardinal, an official of the Italian Muslim League and a spokesman for Rome’s Jewish community. They called the use of the religious symbols offensive.

Several local pastors in Rome also criticized the stage act in the days leading up to the concert.

Although the Vatican ignored the controversy, the criticism was frequently characterized in the media as “Vatican opposition.” That led a spokeswoman for Madonna to extend an “open invitation” to Pope Benedict XVI to see the show.

During the performance, images of the Pope were flashed on a giant screen along with those of other international figures past and present, including Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush.

San Antonio nuns launch NetNuns.com to spread the word

There were stops and starts along the way, but the San Antonio Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament now have an online religious gift shop up and running.

The site is NetNuns.com, and its slogan proclaims, “Bringing You Religious Items on a Wing and a Prayer.” NetNuns.com sells not only a wide variety of typical Catholic gift items, such as rosaries, scapulars, crosses and first Communion sets, but other gift lines carry interfaith symbols, including those of

the world in brief

Controversial priest dropped

Protestant denominations and the Jewish faith.

Customers can order items through the site and the manufacturer ships their purchase directly to them, avoiding extra costs and the need for the sisters to stock items and maintain a physical store.

The business venture will help support the religious community’s education and child care ministries offered through Blessed Sacrament Academy. “The why of it is all around you,” Sister Odilia Korenek, the academy’s executive director,

A top Catholic Relief Services official said CRS dropped a priest from an overseas program in which he was to be a volunteer AIDS worker in Lesotho because of controversy and high media attention surrounding him, not because he openly professes that he is gay.

More than two years ago Father Fred Daley of the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, disclosed to his congregation at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Utica, New York, and to local media that he was a gay, celibate priest.

In a phone interview on August 14,

told Today’s Catholic, newspaper of the San Antonio Archdiocese.

“The little ones in front of you, the children and young people, the teens. ... They are bright kids, often left behind by dysfunctional families and overcrowded educational systems.”

NetNuns.com is the latest adaptation to change the sisters have taken on. They originally opened the academy as a girls high school and elementary school in 1926. But a change in neighbourhood demographics in the 1980s prompted

Father Daley told Catholic News Service the controversy and media attention that have surrounded him since then are only because he is a priest who has “come out” and publicly said he is gay.

“I’m being rejected by Catholic Relief Services because I’m a publicly gay priest,” he said.

Michael Wiest, CRS chief operating officer, said in a phone interview that the CRS position is more nuanced and arises not from Father Daley’s homosexual orientation or because he has made it public, but from “the fact that he is at the centre of a controversy, that he is a sort of media magnet.”

Since March 2004 Father Daley has publicly discussed his sexual orientation in interviews on National Public Radio, CNN and ABC’s “Nightline,” in The Boston Globe,

them to refocus how best to continue their ministry on San Antonio’s south side. After prayer and consultation with neighbors and professionals, the sisters closed the school, but reopened to multiple new ministries with a citywide outreach. The Child Development Centre opened in 1989. It currently serves about 150 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Por Vida Academy opened in 1991. It is an alternative charter high school geared toward giving a second chance to students and young adults not able to succeed in

Church hit in fighting

A Sri Lankan government artillery shell, part of many fired at Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam positions, hit a Catholic church, killing 15 and injuring dozens who were seeking shelter from the fighting.

The shell hit St Philip Neri Church in Jaffna on August 13.

“There are many houses around the church, and people ran to the church to escape the shelling, but one (shell) fell on the church,” Father G. Peter, director of a Caritas-run human development centre in Kilinochchi, told UCA News, an Asian

regular public and private educational institutions.

The Parents’ Academy came along in 1994. It serves expectant mothers - and fathers - and parents with children ranging in age from toddlers to teens.

“We ran 25 programs this year,” said director Kathy Lozano, “and they all had the same foundation -learning to understand and respect your child.” This past year, 425 parents graduated from the six- to eight-week programs.

CNS

church news agency based in Thailand.

The priest has been coordinating food deliveries to the area.

“Nobody can enter the area now because of the curfew, and fighting is still going on,” he added.

Jaffna is about 250 miles north of Colombo. The Associated Press reported on August 14 that Tamil rebels refused to engage in peace talks with the Sri Lankan government after the rebels accused government forces of killing 58 in separate hits on the church and an orphanage.

A Tamil Web site reported that 43 schoolgirls in the orphanage were killed by an air force bomb. Government forces denied they had hit an orphanage and said they had bombed a rebel training camp.

The Washington Post, National Catholic Reporter and with other media.

Children stand in the ruins of a house destroyed when a tsunami hit in Pangandaran, Indonesia. PHTO: CNS

Perpetual Rosary Bouquet

■ By Sylvia Defendi

In its 18th year, the 48 Hour Rosary Bouquet will once again be offering a fitting gift to Our Lady on her upcoming birthday.

Commencing on September 5, at 6pm and concluding on September 7, the bouquet invites schools, parishes and individuals to offer a rosary, free of intentions to Our Blessed Mother Mary.

“It is our birthday gift to Our Lady Queen of Peace to use as she desires,” Margaret Bowen, official organizer said.

Everyone is encouraged to take part in this perpetual veneration, which will link parishes and people from across the state with prayer for 48 hours.

Mrs Bowen, who said she acknowledged the power of children’s prayer, especially invited Western Australian Catholic schools to take part in this year’s rosary bouquet.

Asked for his support and blessing, Archbishop Barry Hickey responded by saying “I hope that many people will respond to this invitation. The rosary is a powerful prayer and Mary is a wonderful advocate. Let us hope that the children in schools will be particu-

larly motivated to join in with the prayers.”

Those who have committed an hour to praying the rosary will have their names recorded on the official Rosary Bouquet Scroll, which will be presented during Our Lady’s birthday Mass at St Joachim’s parish in Victoria Park on September 8 at 12.10pm.

Following the Mass will be an hour of adoration and the opportunity to participate in praying a meditative rosary.

“What a consolation these 48 hours will be for Our Blessed Mother.

“In so many parts of the world she looks down on war and bloodshed, but during these hours she will be looking down on WA on those praying her favourite prayer, the rosary, out of love for her,” Mrs Bowen said.

Those who are interested in participating are asked to fill in their details on the rosary roster printed, alongside their desired time, and forward it on to Mrs Bowen at 1/44A Scalby St, Doubleview 6018; faxed to: 93418083 or emailed to bowen@iinet.net.au, so that they can be recorded on the official scroll.

For more information contact Mrs Bowen on 9341 8082.

Bishop Grech applauds senators refusal of legislation

Coninued from page 1 latest legislation on asylum-seekers. The offshore processing bill proposed by the Government was passed by the lower house of parliament, but was later dumped by the Government before it could be voted on in the Senate. Public declarations of intent to vote no to the bill by Liberal Senator Helen Troeth and Family First Senator Steven Fielding, combined with the opposition of the Australian Labor Party, meant the bill had no chance of passing parliament’s upper house. National Party Senator Barnaby Joyce, a Catholic, did not register an intention to vote no, but indicated he would abstain from the vote.

“I congratulate all of those politicians, from both Houses of Parliament, who registered their opposition to the bill, particularly those Senators whose voting intentions precipitated the prime minister’s withdrawal of the bill,”

Bishop Grech said. “Their personal strength and integrity in dealing with this legislation in the face of enormous pressure has had a powerful impact and I commend them for the stance they took.”

The Australian bishops had earlier written to the prime minister urging him to reconsider the legislation.

After the bill was scuttled, Bishop Grech said “the idea of sending asylum-seekers, including women and children, back into indefinite detention was very strongly opposed not only by the Church but by the community at large.”

Australia can maintain the security of its borders in ways which treat those who arrive on its shores as asylum-seekers with dignity and compassion, the bishop argued.

“Locking up women and children in a Pacific Island detention centre for an indefinite time was not the answer,” he said.

Please forward your committed Parish or individual times to Margaret Bowen, 1/44a Scalby St, Doubleview, 6018.; fax: 9341 8083 or email: bowen@iinet.net.au.

UK courts wrong in lesbian custody case

Two sisters taken away from their biological mother and handed over to her former lesbian partner by court order must now be given back, five British law lords have ruled. Lord Scott said the circumstances of the case did not even come close to justifying the lower courts’ decisions to take the girls from their natural mother. And Lady Hale said the lower courts had been “distracted” by the unusual context of the case and had departed from the correct principles.

The two women, who lived together from 1995 to 2002, split up after the non-biological “mother” began a relationship with a new partner. Both women, who have been battling over the girls -- now aged five and seven -- for three years, now have new partners. As a result the girls have been moved four times -- twice with their mother to different towns, then to their stepmother, and now back to their natural mother. They have continued to spend frequent weekends with the other partner.  FAMILYEDGE

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PANORAMA a roundup of events in the archdiocese

July - September

CROSS ROADS COMMUNITY

Tuesdays 5.30-7.30pm Substance Abusers Support Group & 7pm Lectio Divina at Immaculate Conception Church. Wednesdays 7-9pm Family & Friends Support Groups. Fridays 9.30am-2pm Substance Abusers All Day Support Group including Healing Mass at 12.30pm.

Sunday August 20

TAIZE MEDITATIVE PRAYER

Come and join in the Taize style of prayer in a candle lit chapel. Time for silent prayer and chanting the Taize mantras. This month we remember the first Anniversary of Brother Roger’s death the founder of the Taize Community. St. Joseph’s Chapel, 16 York Street, South Perth 7pm-8pm. Everyone welcome. Enq: Sister Maree 94573371

Sunday August 20

ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK ON ACCESS 31.

10-11 am: United Kingdom / Scott Hahn & Jeff Cavins [Our Father’s Plan; 7] (REPEAT) 1-2 pm: Turn down Pride and you’ll find Mercy / Scott Hahn [EWTN Silver Jubilee address] Your support is needed to keep these wonderful programs on air at Access 31. Please send donations to; The Rosary Christian Tutorial Association, PO Box 1270, Booragoon WA 6954

Sunday August 20

BULLSBROOK SHRINE PILGRIM MASS

Br M Noah, President of SACRI Rome, with Br David and Sr M Rivelata will make their farewell visit to the Shrine at the Mass at 2:00pm. Brother will recall the messages of the Virgin of the Revelation for conversion. All welcome. Reconciliation at 1:30pm prior to Mass. Devotions every Sunday at 2:00pm. Enquiries: 9447 3292.

Friday August 25 HEALING FIRE  BURNING LOVE

Our Lady of the Missions, 270 Camberwarra Drive, Craigie. Mary’s Role in the Miracle of the Wedding of Cana. Fr Paul Baczynski talks about the significance of Mary’s role in the ministry of Jesus through the story in the Gospel of St John. Mass followed by praise and worship with healing prayer. 7.30pm – 9.00pm.

Friday August 25

FR GREG DONOVAN SILVER JUBILEE

Fr Donovan invites all friends and past parishioners to his Silver Jubilee celebration. Mass will be celebrated in SS John & Paul Church, Cnr Pinetree Gully Road & Wainwright Close, Willetton, at 7pm, followed by a Supper in the Parish Centre. For catering purposes, RSVP by 4 August to the Willetton Parish Office, 9332 5992 or email: admin@johnpaulwilletton.org.au

Wednesday August 23

ACWL AGM

The Archdiocesan Catholic Women’s League AGM will be held at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, 40A Mary Street, Highgate, commencing with Mass in the Chapel at 10am. All welcome. Please BYO lunch to share. Enquiries: Margaret 9328 8978 or Fay 9284 3084.

Sunday August 27

TAMMIN HOLY FAMILY CHURCH ANNIVERSARY

Holy Family Church will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its opening. We extend an invitation to all past parishioners to join us on this happy occasion. A thanksgiving Mass will be held at 11am followed by a light luncheon. For catering purposes please contact Mary Stokes 9637 1131 or Mary Caffell 9637 1020 by August 13.

BUILDING TRADES

■ BRICK REPOINTING

Phone Nigel 9242 2952.

■ PERROTT PAINTING PTY LTD

For all your residential, commercial

requirements. Phone Tom Perrott 9444 1200.

■ PICASSO PAINTING

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

FURNITURE REMOVAL

■ ALL AREAS

Mike Murphy 0416 226 434.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

■ DENMARK

Holiday House 3bdr x 2bath, sleeps up to 8. BOOK NOW.

Ph: Maria 0412 083 377.

19/20 Episcopal Visitation, Gingin - Bishop Sproxton

25 Silver Jubilee Mass of Fr Greg Donovan, Willetton - Bishop Sproxton

Tuesday August 29

RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS

■ CATHOLICS CORNER

Retailer of Catholic products specialising in gifts, cards and apparel for baptism, communion and confirmation. Ph: 9456 1777. Shop 12, 64-66 Bannister Road, Canning Vale. Open Mon-Sat.

■ REPAIR YOUR LITURGICAL BOOKS

Repairs to all sorts of books and leather bindings; reliable, reasonable rates. Ph. (08) 9293 3092

OFFICIAL DIARY

27

RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS

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

■ HUMBLE MESSENGER

Shop 16/80 Barrack St (Inside Bon Marche Arcade) Perth WA 6000. Trading Hours: Tues-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-

and blessing of St Andrew’s Church, Clarkson - Bishop Sproxton

28 - 1 Clergy Retreat - Bishop Sproxton

3pm. Ph/Fax 92257199, 0421 131 7t16

IN MEMORIAM

■ KIRKWOOD ARTHUR

In loving memory of my dear father, who died on August 11, 1991. At this sad time and always you are in my thoughts and prayers, O my Pappa! May God be ever with you, and with darling wonderful Mother too. Treasured memories bring comfort until we are all again together. May they rest in peace.

PANORAMA a roundup of events in the archdiocese

MARIAN MOVEMENT OF PRIESTS MMP

5th Tuesday. CENACLE. All Saints Church, 7 Liwara Place, Greenwood at 10:30am. Rosary and Holy Mass. Celebrant Fr Timothy Deeter. Enquiries; 9341 8082.

August 31 to September 5

CATHOLIC BIBLE COLLEGE

Diarise the following short courses: August 31, Sept 1, 4, 5 – Fr Daniel Benedetti, MGL: The Bible and the Mass. All courses commence with Mass at 9am and finish by 1pm. These courses may be taken towards a Certificate IV in Christian Ministry (National Code 51446). Enquiries and Registration to Jane Borg, 0401 692 690.

August 30 to September 8

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF GOOD HEALTH, VAILANKANNI

7pm Holy Mass. Holy Trinity Church, 8 Burnett Street, Embleton. Hoisting of Our Lady’s Banner followed by celebration at the Hall. Please bring a plate. Friday 8 September at 7pm Holy Mass, candle light procession and celebration of Our Lady’s birthday. Enq: 9271 5528 / 9272 1379 / 9342 1053

Friday September 1

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

Presented by Fr. Richard Leonard, SJ. Director Australian Catholic Film Office & Catholic Church Television Australia. How much do we know about the media culture that forms us? What can Catholic parishioners and families do about it?” Infant Jesus Parish, 7pm, 47 Wellington Road, Morley. All welcome. Phone Darren 9276 8500

Friday September 1

CATHOLIC FAITH RENEWAL  PRAISE & WORSHIP

St John and Paul’s Church, Pinetree Gully Road, Willetton, at 7.30pm. There will be Praise and Worship evening followed by a talk given by Fr Paul Baczynski titled “Coming to the Quiet” and thanksgiving Mass. All welcome. Enquiries: Rita 9272 1765, Rose 0403 300 720, Gertrude 9455 6576.

September 1 - 2

TWO HEARTS DEVOTIONS

All Saints Chapel, Allendale Square, St Georges Terrace, Perth. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus begins Friday with Mass at 9:00pm followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Rosary, hymns and prayers throughout the night, concluding with Mass at 7:00am Saturday to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Please join us even for only 1 hour. Enquiries: 9409 4543.

Saturday September 2

DAY WITH MARY

Our Lady’s Assumption, 4 Stevenson Street, Mandurah, 9am to 5pm. A day of prayer and instruction based upon the messages of Fatima. Includes Reconciliation, Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Sermons, Rosaries, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Stations of the Cross. Please BYO lunch. Enquiries: 9250 8286. Bus services: 9367 1366.

Sunday September 3

DIVINE MERCY

An afternoon with Jesus and Mary will be held at St Joachim’s Church, Corner Shepperton Road and Harper Street, Victoria Park at 1.30pm. Program: Holy Rosary and Reconciliation, Sermon with Fr Doug Harris on St Gregory the Great, followed by

Divine Mercy prayers and Benediction. Enquiries: John 9457 7771 or Linda 9275 6608.

September 3

HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS

There is a Holy Hour for Vocations on the 4th Sunday of every month at Infant Jesus Church Morley from 2-3pm. The next Holy Hour will be 27th August. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament - an opportunity to reflect and pray for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. All Welcome.

Enquiries 9276 8500

Sunday September 3 - Thursday September 7

Parish Mission Our Lady of Lourdes, Rockingham. World renowned Franciscan Father Justin Belitz will lead the Parish Mission with the theme Success: Full Living. Sessions will be 7pm Sunday to Thursday and 9.30am Monday to Thursday. All welcome. Further Details see article in The Record or contact 9527 1605.

Thursday September 7

MASS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC POLICE

OFFICERS OF WA INC

Held at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, 43 Camberwell Street, East Victoria Park. Commences 7pm. Light supper and refreshments following the Mass. For catering purposes RSVP by 1 September to either Peter Browne (9321 2155), Inspector Paul Newman (9222 1474) or Des Noonan (9291 8641).

Thursday September 7

TAIZE AT OUR LADY OF GRACE

3 Kitchener Street, North Beach at 7.30pm and every 1st Thursday in the month. Song, Silence, Sacred Scripture.

September 7-10

FEAST OF OUR LADY MARIA SS DEL TINDARI

Basilica of Saint Patrick, Adelaide Street, Fremantle. Beginning with a Triduum which will be celebrated by Fr Christian Fini O.M.I. from Melbourne on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm. The Mass will be Sunday, 9.45am. The procession will commence from the Basilica at 2pm. Enq: Joe Franchina 9335 1185 or 0404 801 138.

September 10 - 17

FEAST OF OUR LADY MARIA SS ADDOLORATA

Our Lady’s Assumption Church, Grand Promenade, Dianella. Commencing with a “Settenario” which will be celebrated by Fr Antonio Paganoni CS, September 10-16 at 7.30pm. The procession will commence from the Church, Sunday September 17, 2.30pm, followed by sung Mass with celebrants Bishop Peter Quinn & Fr Antonio Paganoni. Enquiries: Lina Giancola 9455 5619

Sunday September 10

ST ISIDOR E’S PARISH OF JENNACUBBINE ANNUAL PICNIC

Mass and picnic to be held on the banks of the Mortlock River, Jennacubbine. 11am Mass followed by BYO picnic & chair or rug. BBQs available – lots of extras provided. Everyone is welcome. Contact Cathie Bowen 9623 2264 or Fr Geoff Aldous at Northam 9622 5411.

September 15 to 17

A WEEKEND WITH ST FRANCIS

All welcome. All those interested in learning more of St Francis and the spirituality of his followers are welcome to attend. The retreat will be held at the Redemptorist Retreat House. The retreat will be given by Fr Michael Brown OFM. For information

and bookings please contact Mary on 9377 7925 by 31st August.

Saturday September 16

FEAST OF THE STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

The Secular Franciscan Order in WA will be celebrating the Feast with the readings of the Stigmata of St Francis. All welcome. The celebrations will be held at the chapel of the Redemptorist Retreat House, North Perth at 3pm and will conclude with afternoon tea. Enquiries contact Mary on 9377 7925.

Sunday September 17

KOORDA CHURCH 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Our Lady of the Assumption Church at Koorda’s Golden Anniversary this year. Past Priests and parishioners are invited to come and join celebrations. Those with photos to include in a display is welcome to send them to Kath Gosper, PO Box 68, Koorda 6475. Send copies or we will copy and return them. Day commences with Mass at 10.30am, followed by lunch at Recreation hall.

Sunday September 24 to Saturday September 30

FIVE DAY DIRECTED RETREAT

At the Redemptorist Monastery Retreat House, 190 Vincent Street North Perth. Director: Fr Joe Carroll CSSR. For more information contact Jan Broderick.

Sunday October 15

HEALING MASS

“Oh taste and see the Lord is good. He will satisfy the soul.” Catholic Charismatic Renewal invites you to experience the healing love of God. The celebration will be held at St Joseph’s Church, 1 Salvado Road, Subiaco, commencing with Prayer and Praise at 5.30pm, Mass at 6pm followed by praying over and supper. All are welcome to join us. Enq. Celine 9446 2147.

Sunday October 29

WORLD CENTENARY OF CATHOLIC WOME N’S LEAGUE

Members of the Catholic Women’s League of WA will be celebrating the Women’s League Centenary, founded in England by Margaret Fletcher in 1906. Mass will be celebrated at the Redemptorist Monastery, 190 Vincent Street, North Perth at 10.30am followed by a lunch at the Royal Park Hall at noon. Members, ex-members and their families are most welcome to attend. For more information contact Margaret Ph: 9328 8978 or Fay Ph: 9284 3084.

AL ANON FAMILY GROUPS

If a loved one’s drinking is worrying you – please call Al Anon Family Groups for confidential information meetings etc… Phone Number on 9325 7528 – 24 hrs.

ATTENTION COUPLES

Have you or your spouse been diagnosed with a mental illness? Depression? Anxiety/Panic Attacks? etc. Could you do with some help understanding your/their illness? Do you know how to get help when you need it? We can help you to help each other through the Unconditional Love Program. For more information contact Amanda Olsen: 0407 192 641, or email: mandyfolsen@bigpond. com.au.

TUESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETINGS

St Mary’s Cathedral Parish Centre, 450 Hay Street, Perth, 7pm. Come join us! Overcome the burdens in life, making prayer your lifeline with Jesus. Personal healing in prayer, Rosary, meditation, Scripture,

praise in song, friendship, refreshments. Be united with Our Lord and Our Lady in prayer with others. Appreciate the heritage of the Faith.

EVERY SUNDAY

Bullsbrook Shrine Sunday Pilgrimage Program. Shrine of Virgin of the Revelation, 36 Chittering Rd Bullsbrook. 2pm Holy Mass, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Holy Rosary. Reconciliation is available before every celebration. Enquiries: 9447 3292.

FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

The Santa Clara Parish Community welcomes anyone from surrounding parishes and beyond to the Santa Clara Church, corner of Coolgardie and Pollock Sts, Bentley on the 1st Sunday of each month for devotions in honour of the Divine Mercy. The afternoon commences with the 3 o’clock prayer, followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Reflection and concludes with Benediction.

YOUNG CATHOLIC WOME N’S I NTERFAITH FELLOWSHIP

The Council for Australian Catholic Women seeks to promote participation of women in the Australian Catholic Church. CACW is pleased to announce the 2007 application package for the Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship is now available. It may be downloaded from: www.cacw.catholic.org. au. Enquiries: Michelle Wood, michelleww@iinet. net.au or 9345 2555.

NEW WEBSITE Address for Holy Family Parish, Maddington is http://www.holycatholicfamily.org.au

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Is alcohol costing you more than just money? Alcoholics Anonymous can help. Ring 9325 3566.

BLESSED SACRAMENT ADORATION

Holy Family Church, Alcock Street, Maddington. Every Friday 8.30 am Holy Mass followed by Blessed Sacrament Adoration till 12 noon. Every first Friday of the month, anointing of the sick during Mass. Enq. 9398 6350.

Wednesdays SIGN LANGUAGE COURSE

Australian Sign Language (Auslan) Classes are offered free of charge at Emmanuel Centre on Wednesdays at 1pm. If this does not suit you, other arrangements can be made. Please contact Fr Paul or Barbara at Emmanuel Centre, 25 Windsor St Perth 9328 8113.

QUEEN OF APOSTLES SCHOOL

Those with information on Queen of Apostles School, Riverton, please tell the extension group – Call 9354 1360 and ask to speak to Veronique or email your information to veronequeregnard@gmail.com. au or janellekoh@yahoo.com.au or you can put your information into the box in the office at Queen of Apostles School. Thanking you in anticipation.

LINDA’S HOUSE OF HOPE APPEAL

To enable us to provide and offer support for girls wishing to leave the sex trade we need help. We built new offfices which are at the rear of the shelter and functioning. Send donations to Linda’s House of Hope PO Box Z5640, Perth, St George’s Tce 6831. Ph: 0439 401 009. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

The Last Word

James the Less

We continue with Pope Benedict XVI’s series of reflectoins on the twelve called by Jesus to go out into the world and proclaim God’s love for humanity; this week - James the Less.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Beside the figure of James “the Greater,” son of Zebedee, of whom we spoke last Wednesday, another James appears in the Gospel, who is called “the Less.” He also forms part of the list of Twelve Apostles chosen personally by Jesus, and is always specified as “son of Alphaeus” (cf. Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 5; Acts 1:13).

He has often been identified with another James, called “the Younger” (cf. Mark 15:40), son of a Mary (cf. ibid.), who could be Mary of Clopas present, according to the Fourth Gospel, at the foot of the cross together with the Mother of Jesus (cf. John 19:25). He was also from Nazareth and probably a relative of Jesus (cf. Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3), who, after the Semitic manner, was called “brother” (cf. Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19).

Of this last James, the book of Acts underlines the pre-eminent role played in the Church of Jerusalem. In the apostolic council held there shortly after the death of James the Greater, he affirmed together with the others that the pagans could be received in the Church without first having to undergo circumcision (cf. Acts 15:13). St. Paul, who attributes to him a specific apparition of the Risen One (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:7), on the occasion of his trip to Jerusalem names him directly before Cephas-Peter, describing him as a “column” of the Church together with him (cf. Galatians 2:9).

Afterward, the Judeo-Christians considered him their main point of reference. To him in fact is attributed the Letter that bears the name James and is included in the New Testament canon. He does not present himself as the “Lord’s brother,” but as “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1).

There is a debate among scholars over the identification of these two personages of the same name, James son of Alphaeus and James “brother of the Lord.” The evangelical traditions have not preserved for us an account of one or the other in reference to the period of the earthly life of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles, instead, show us that a “James” carried out a very important role within the early

Church, as we already mentioned, after the resurrection of Jesus, (cf. Acts 12:17; 15:1321; 21:18).

The most prominent action he accomplished was his intervention on the question of the difficult relationship between Christians of Jewish origin and those of pagan origin. In this he contributed, together with Peter, to surmount, or better, to integrate the original Jewish dimension of Christianity with the need not to impose on converted pagans the obligation to be subjected to all the norms of the law of Moses.

The book of Acts has preserved for us

mentary results were obtained, both still valid: On one hand, the unbreakable relationship is recognized that links Christianity to the Jewish religion as its perennially living and valid matrix; on the other, Christians of pagan origin are allowed to preserve their own sociological identity, which they would have lost if they had been constrained to observe the so-called Mosaic ceremonial precepts: These now were no longer to be considered obligatory for converted pagans. In essence, a reciprocal praxis of esteem and respect was being initiated, which, notwithstanding subsequent unfortunate misunderstandings, sought by its

the compromise solution proposed precisely by James and accepted by all the apostles present, according to whom the pagans who had believed in Jesus Christ should only be requested to abstain from the idolatrous custom of eating the flesh of animals offered in sacrifice to the gods, and from the “immodesty,” a term that probably alluded to marital unions without consent. In practice, it was a question of adhering to only a few prohibitions, held rather important by the Mosaic legislation.

In this way, two significant and comple-

nature to safeguard all that was characteristic of each of the two sides.

The most ancient information on the death of this James is given to us by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. In his Jewish Antiquities (20, 201f), written in Rome toward the end of the first century, he tells us that James’ end was decided with the illegitimate initiative of the High Priest Ananus, son of the Annas attested in the Gospels, who took advantage of the interval between the deposition of one Roman Procurator (Festus) and the advent of his successor (Albinius) to decree his stoning

in the year 62.

To the name of this James, in addition to the apocryphal proto-Gospel of James, which exalts the holiness and virginity of Mary the Mother of Jesus, is particularly linked the Letter that bears his name. It occupies the first place in the canon of the New Testament after the so-called Catholic Letters, addressed, that is, not to one particular Church - such as Rome, Ephesus, etc. - but to many Churches. It is a rather important writing, which insists much on the need not to reduce one’s faith to a pure verbal or abstract declaration, but to express it concretely in good works. Among other things, he invites us to constancy in joyfully accepted trials and to trusting prayer to obtain from God the gift of wisdom, thanks to which we succeed in understanding that the true values of life are not in transitory riches, but rather in being able to share one’s food with the poor and needy (cf. James 1:27).

Thus the Letter of St. James shows us a very concrete and practical Christianity. Faith must be carried out in life, above all in love of neighbour and particularly in commitment to the poor. It is with this background that the famous phrase must be read: “For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). At times this statement of James has been contrasted to Paul’s affirmations, according to whom we are rendered just by God not in virtue of our works, but thanks to our faith (cf. Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:28).

However, the two phrases, seemingly contradictory in their different perspectives, in reality, if well interpreted, complement one another. St. Paul is opposed to man’s pride who thinks he has no need of the love of God which anticipates us; he is opposed to the pride of self-justification without the grace simply given and not merited. St. James speaks instead of works as the normal fruit of faith: “The sound tree bears good fruit,” says the Lord (Matthew 7:17). And St. James repeats it and says it to us.

Finally, the Letter of James exhorts us to abandon ourselves into God’s hands in everything we do, always pronouncing the words: “If the Lord wills” (James 4:15). Thus he teaches us not to presume to plan our lives in an autonomous and selfish way, but to make room for the inscrutable will of God, who knows the true good for us. In this way, St. James is always a timely teacher of life for each one of us. TRANSLATION

BY ZENIT

Named after him: This is the interior of the Churchof James the Less in La Crosse, Wisconsin in the US, which is currently appealing for funds for renovation purposes.