The Record Newspaper 19 August 2004

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Pope draws strength at Lourdes

J P I I s h a r e s p h y s i c a l w e a k n e s s o f p i l g r i m s w h i l e p r a y i n g a t S h r i n e

By Cindy Wooden

LOURDES, France (CNS) —

Sharing the physical weakness of thousands of his fellow pilgrims at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pope John Paul II prayed for comfort for those who suffer, for the protection of every human life and for peace in the world.

Although he was fine for most of the August 14-15 pilgrimage, his initial visit of the weekend to the Massabielle grotto, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous, was emotional and difficult.

Pushed in his wheeled throne to the grotto and helped to his knees, the Pope was able to stay erect for less than a minute. He began to slump over, and his private secretaries came to his assistance, lifting him back into his chair.

Although the person needing assistance was special, the scene was repeated thousands of times over the weekend as teen and young adult volunteers known as “hospitaliers” pushed wheelchairs, lifted the sick with gentle care and used blue “chariots” — similar to rickshaws — to transport those unable to walk up and down the town’s streets.

The text the Pope had prepared to read at the grotto was read instead by retired French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, a longtime Vatican official.

Father Raymond Zambelli, rector of the shrine, offered the Pope water from the grotto’s spring, holding the glass up to the Pope’s lips. He told reporters later that the Pope was visibly moved, but also quite tired, which was why Cardinal Etchegaray was asked to read his text.

Greeting the sick, the Pope’s text said, “With you I share a time of life marked by physical suffering, yet not for that reason any less fruitful in God’s wondrous plan.”

In his text, the Pope said he always has relied on and benefited from the prayer offerings of those who suffer.

He asked the sick to join him “in offering to God, through the inter-

Candles and torches flicker in a view from the front of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the Basilica of the Rosary during the traditional nighttime procession at the Marian shrine in Lourdes, France. Pope John Paul II turned out for the procession, which he watched from the terrace of the Notre Dame guesthouse. Photo:CNS/Reuters

cession of the Virgin Mary, all the intentions of the church and the world.”

Waiting for the Pope at the grotto on the shore of the Gave River, French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin of Lyon, head of the

French bishops’ committee for the pastoral care of the sick, said Pope John Paul’s obvious tenderness for those who suffer “is a strong message to new priests and bishops.”

The Cardinal told reporters that

in the Pope’s recent autobiography, Get Up, Let Us Go, he said he initially had been very uncomfortable around sick people, never knowing what to say or what he could offer.

The Pope not only got over his

unease, but discovered how to offer comfort to the sick, “and now the Pope himself needs this comfort from the maternal hand of Mary,” Cardinal Barbarin said. C o n t i

C

B e g i n n i n g s YOUTH Gathering in Cathedral a smashing success! P a g e 1 1 T h e C h i l d GIRLS LOSE OUT AGAIN Birth control gone mad P a g e s 8 & 9 P e r t h CATECHISTS to gather for national conference P a g e 5 W i t n e s s BACK IN HARNESS Fr Groeschel returns to work P a g e 1 6 T h e P a r i s h T h e N a t i o n T h e W o r l d

The 84-year-old Pope, who has Parkinson's disease and severe arthritis, visibly struggled as he wound up an emotional visit to the French miracle shrine of Lourdes on Sunday.

A crowd of about 200,000 listened to his words from a field near the grotto where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a peasant girl in 1858.

"It was one of the most moving celebrations ever," Cardinal Danneels, told the Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws last Sunday.

"The Pope's health has seriously weakened. When the Pope says: 'I end my pilgrimage here', that could mean two things. That, at least was how people listening to him in the field interpreted it. It was almost his goodbye to Lourdes and maybe also to his life," the cardinal added.

Danneels told Belgian VRT radio the Pope's comments about the end of his pilgrimage "may point to something deeper".

"It could of course mean that it is not something that will happen tomorrow or next month but that he does consider that the end is approaching," he added.

For ever greater unity and cooperation among Institutes working in the missions.

a r d i n a l D a n n e e l s s a y s P o p e ' s h e a l t h “ s e r i o u s l y w e a k e n e d "

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Roaring ovation for effort

Continued from page 1

Welcoming the Pope to his diocese for the August 15 Mass on the feast of Mary’s Assumption into heaven, Bishop Jacques Perrier of Tarbes and Lourdes thanked him for being a friend of “the elderly and the disabled, among whom you place yourself.”

“We have never heard words of despair or resignation coming from you,” the Bishop told the Pope. “Your courage comes, perhaps, from your people. But your hope comes from God.”

The Pope’s courage was on display about half an hour later when he struggled mightily through his long homily, even gasping “help me” in Polish at one point and muttering, “I must finish.”

Every time the Pope seemed to run out of breath, the crowd applauded their encouragement, and at one point an aide brought him a cup of water.

The Pope drank from the plastic cup and continued his homily.

In his homily, Pope John Paul asked others — especially women — for signs of faith and courage.

“Appearing here, Mary entrusted her message to a young girl, as if to emphasise the special mission of women in our own time, tempted as it is by materialism and secularism: to be in today’s society a witness of those essential values which are seen only with the eyes of the heart,” he said.

“To you, women, falls the task of being sentinels of the invisible,” the Pope said.

“I appeal urgently to all of you, brothers and sisters, to do everything in your power to ensure that life — each and every life — will be respected from conception to its natural end,” he said.

“Life,” Pope John Paul told the crowd estimated at 250,000 people, “is a sacred gift, and no one can presume to be its master.”

Although he cut a couple of lines from the homily, he emphatically repeated the phrase calling on people “to ensure that life — each and every life — be respected.”

The crowd responded with a roaring ovation.

Pope John Paul, like most people who make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, also turned up for the customary 9 pm

procession in the town in the French Pyrenees.

Sitting on the terrace of the Notre Dame guesthouse overlooking the Gave and the shrine on August 14,

Pope John Paul had difficulty read-

ing his greeting to the procession participants as darkness fell; but once an aide brought a flashlight and shone it over the Pope’s shoul-

Trip shows unity with suffering

Pope John Paul II’s pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, is a sign of his solidarity “with the world that suffers,” said German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a top Vatican official.

The cardinal said he thought that during the August 14-15 visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, famous for its miracles, the Pope would pray not for personal physical healing, but for “maternal consolation and interior strength” for himself and for all who suffer.

In an August 13 interview Cardinal Ratzinger said “Suffering from illness and from old age,” the Pope “goes to pray at this Marian shrine in a gesture of solidarity with the world that suffers.”

The gift of interior strength enables

a person “to transform suffering, which is a negation of the forces of life, into love and the gift of oneself,” he said.

When someone is sick, it is natural to ask God why, he said.

The answer is almost never clear, but prayer and pilgrimages like those to Lourdes “help us ask for strength from the Lord so that we can enter with our suffering into his suffering, which he transformed into love.”

The Lourdes shrine offers a free email service for prayer petitions; the prayer requests — sent through the shrine’s website, www.lourdesfrance.org — are printed each day and placed at the grotto. - CNS

der onto the text, the Pope continued with relative ease.

The Pope said the procession is a reminder that in participating with Mary in a “dialogue between heaven and earth,” words are not enough. Believers, he said, are called to “journey at her side along the pilgrim way of faith, hope and love.”

As the pilgrims processed behind Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Mechelen-Brussels, Pope John Paul asked them to “join me in imploring the Virgin Mary to obtain for our world the longed-for gift of peace.”

“May forgiveness and brotherly love take root in human hearts,” he prayed. “May every weapon be laid down and all hatred and violence be put aside.”

Earlier in the day, the Pope had returned to the grotto to open another procession, this one featuring the recitation of the rosary using the “mysteries of light,” which he offered the church in 2002.

Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities for the disabled, offered the meditations on each mystery. Vanier walked ahead of the Popemobile as the procession made its way from the grotto, to the baths where the sick seek strength and healing, past the Church of St. Bernadette and to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary.

After reciting a long prayer to Mary at the basilica, the Pope did not get back into the Popemobile, but rather was pushed on his wheeled throne across the Gave River and to the guesthouse where he was staying.

Pope John Paul returned to the grotto for a third time on August 15, stopping for what the Vatican had said would be a “private” prayer before returning to Rome.

The faithful crowded around and were delighted that the Pope arrived and left not in the Popemobile, but simply being pushed on the wheeled throne.

As the Pope moved down the path, over the river to the grotto and back, a dozen parents passed their infants and toddlers to members of the Pope’s security detail.

The agents in turn held the children up for the Pope to kiss and bless, then gave them back to their parents.

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Pope John Paul II prays at the Massabielle grotto at Lourdes, France, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Photo:CNS /Reuters

Wa s this John the Baptist’s cave?

Archaeological site may have been base for biblical figure

By Karin Laub

KIBBUTZ TZUBA, Israel (AP)Archaeologists think they’ve found a cave where John the Baptist baptized many of his followers - basing their theory on thousands of shards from ritual jugs, a stone used for foot cleansing and wall carvings telling the story of the biblical preacher.

Only a few artifacts linked to New Testament figures have ever been found in the Holy Land, and the cave is potentially a major discovery in biblical archaeology.

“John the Baptist, who was just a figure from the Gospels, now comes to life,” British archaeologist Shimon Gibson said during an exclusive tour of the cave given to The Associated Press.

But some scholars said Gibson’s finds aren’t enough to support his theory, and one colleague said that short of an inscription with John’s name in the cave, there could never be conclusive proof of his presence there.

John, the cousin of Jesus, according to the Bible, was a fiery preacher with a message of repentance and a considerable following.

Tradition says he was born in the village of Ein Kerem, which today is part of modern

Jerusalem. Just 2.5 miles away, on the land of Kibbutz Tzuba, a communal farm, the cave lies hidden in a limestone hill - 24 yards long, four yards deep and four yards wide.

It was carved by the Israelites in the Iron Age, sometime between 800 B.C. and 500 B.C, the scientists said. It apparently was used from the start as a ritual immersion pool, preceding the Jewish tradition of the ritual bath.

Over the centuries, the cave

filled with mud and sediment, leaving only a tiny opening that was hidden by trees and bushes.

Gibson, who has excavated in the Holy Land for more than 30 years, moved a few boulders near the walls and laid bare a crude carving of a head. Excited, he organized a full-fledged excavation.

Over the next five years, Gibson and his team, including volunteers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, cleared out

Website breaks new ground

The Catholic Inquiry Centre has broken new ground in its strategy for faith outreach, says national director Paul O’Donnell.

“We aim to work better in tandem with schools, organisations responsible for health care, welfare and charitable services, as well as with parishes, in their various works such as the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, bible study and adult faith education.”

“In recent years, there has been a significant development in the quality and range of Catholic micro-media productions, such as

newsletters, bulletins and websites.”

“Many groups have expressed an interest in using such communications to reach out to a wider audience, in order to direct the questions people may have to specific faith outreach services.”

“In the past three years, the Catholic Inquiry Centre, an entity with the confidence of the Australian Catholic community behind it, has been developing helpful materials to support such outreach.”

Two such initiatives are the centre’s main website – www.catholi-

cenquiry.com - which provides information about the Catholic faith and the ASK website –www.ask.catholic.org.au (or alternatively e-ask.info) – an auxiliary website geared towards the wider curtilages of faith, where people ask questions about the meaning of life and the possibility of spiritual things.

The centre, which is an agency of the Bishops Committee for Evangelisation and Missions, also produces banner advertisements, which are available for use in diocesan publications, smaller scale newsletters or websites.

Social justice forum aims to disturb

The Perth Catholic Social Justice Council and St Patrick’s parish in Fremantle will be conducting a forum on August 20 focusing on the disturbing presence of God in each person’s life.

The guest speaker will be Dr Anthony Gittins, Professor of Cross-Cultural Theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.

The forum will run from 7.30pm to 9pm that evening at a cost of $5 per person (free for unemployed).

The aim of the forum will be to reflect on and discuss the ‘disturbing presence’ of God in our lives:

How do I turn to the God of jus-

tice and compassion? How do I carry the fruits of this encounter into the world I live in?

How do I sustain my journey?

Father Gittins is a Catholic Priest of the Spiritan Order. He trained as a social anthropologist and worked in East and West Africa. In addition he has worked in cross-cultural contexts in Pakistan, the Trob-riand Islands and Kiribati in the South Pacific. For the past 20 years he has taught at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. For many years Father

Gittins has been involved in ministry among the homeless women of Chicago.

Anyone interested in attending needs to RSVP by Wednesday August 17 to Angie Emanuele at St Patrick’s Parish office on (08) 9335 2268 between 10am-3.30 pm Monday to Friday or to Ann Marie at the Catholic Social Justice Council on (08) 9422 7900.

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layers of soil, picking up about 250,000 shards from small jugs apparently used in purification rituals.

The explorers uncovered 28 steps leading to the bottom of the cave. On the right, a niche is carved into the wall - typical of those used in Jewish ritual baths for discarding the clothes before immersion. Near the end of the stairs, the team found an oval stone with a foot-shaped indentation - about shoe size. Just above,

a soapdish-like niche apparently held ritual oil that would flow through a small channel onto the believer’s right foot.

Crude images were carved on the walls, near the ceiling, and Gibson said they tell the story of John’s life.

The figure of the man appears to have an unruly head of hair and wears a tunic with dots, apparently meant to suggest an animal hide. He grasps a staff and holds up his other hand in a gesture of proclamation.

James Tabor, a Bible scholar from the University of North Carolina, said there is little doubt this is John himself. The Gospels say that John was a member of the Nazarites, a sect whose followers didn’t cut their hair, and that he adopted the dress of the ancient prophets, including a garment woven of camel’s hair.

On the opposite wall is a carving of a face that could be meant to symbolize John’s severed head. The preacher had his head cut off by Herod Antipas after he dared take the ruler to task over an illicit affair.

But the images are from the Byzantine era, apparently carved by monks who associated the site with John, following local folklore, Gibson and Tabor said.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t find any inscriptions” that would conclusively link the cave to John, Tabor said.

The entrance to the site which is believed may be a cave where John the Baptist baptised his disciples. Photo:CNS

Bishop goes home to Iraq to tend his flock

Death threats have beset Iraq’s grief-stricken Christians, just days after the suicide bombs, which devastated Church communities. Key clergy including the Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, Emmanuel III Delly, have received anonymous messages saying: “We will kill you”. Terrified of leaving their homes, the number of people at Mass in Baghdad on Sunday (August 8) was about 30 percent down on normal.

It comes a week after evening Mass goers were sent running for their lives after eight churches were targeted in the Iraqi capital, and the northern city of Mosul. Up to 50 died and many more were injured. Church leaders have since reported an upsurge

in people trying to emigrate the country, hopeful of joining thousands of family and friends in the West via Syria and Jordan. In a sign of the severity of the situation, Chaldean Patriarch

Emmanuel III Delly has ordered his auxiliary, Bishop Andraos Abouna, to cut short his trip to London and return to Baghdad immediately.

Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need on Monday (9 August 2004), just hours before his departure, Bishop Abouna said: “Everybody is afraid but right now the people need me. I must go back to encourage them. We want to tell them not to give up.”

Patriarch Emmanuel recalled Bishop Abouna after receiving anonymous letters threatening to kill him, accusing the Church of colluding with the US-led coalition.

Bishop Abouna said: “The Patriarch feels the situation is now very serious - he feels very

alone and there is nobody there to help.”

Monsignor Abouna, who was appointment as bishop last year, said his first task on returning to Baghdad would be to visit Christians who were too terrified to leave their homes.

The bishop will also assess the full extent of the damage caused to the churches - six in and around Baghdad and two in Mosul.

Windows and doors were shattered by the blasts, and in many cases there was fundamental structural damage.

A key priority will be to return power to Christian communities in Baghdad, where two generators, funded by Aid to the Church in Need, were destroyed, cutting

off electricity to SS Peter and Paul’s Church and the nearby St Peter’s Major Seminary, half of which collapsed in the bomb blast.

In an appeal to the Church in the West, Bishop Abouna said: “What we need at this moment is your prayers.

“The Catholics in Iraq have a great devotion to Our Lady and it would be nice for them to know you are united with them in prayer.”

For information about the Church in Iraq or to make a donation to help suffering Christians in the country, contact:

Aid to the Church in Need, PO Box 6245, Tel: 02 9679-1929email: info@aidtochurch.orgweb www. aidtochurch.org

Purgatory: it’s there, but aim high!

DEARPADRE

Question: What is the lowdown on purgatory these days? Is this still a teaching of the Church, or did it go out the window?

Purgatory is a teaching of the Church, and one that makes perfect sense to me. I reason like this:

When I die, will I be perfect?

(Remember: Jesus says that ‘you must be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect’ –Matthew 5:48). Heaven is a state of perfection. It wouldn’t be heaven if souls were admitted with all their faults. Unless I really get my act together, or unless I have access to the sacraments at the time of death, I’ll probably still be dealing with some of my weaknesses when I die.

If I’m not perfect when I die, will I go to hell? Hell is a state of rejection of God. I don’t think I’ll ever get to that point – God and I have been through too much together for me to completely

turn my back on Him. But if I haven’t rejected God when I die, yet am not perfected, where will my soul be? Here is what the Church teaches:

All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. . . By reference to certain texts of Scripture, the Church speaks of a cleansing fire. . . This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture . . . From the beginning, the Church has honoured the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead. (Catechism nos. 1030-1032)

I can already hear someone saying, ‘Where is purgatory mentioned in the Bible?’ The name ‘purgatory’ is nowhere found in the Bible; but the concept and belief certainly are there:

On the foundation (of faith in Christ), you can build in gold, silver and jewels – or in wood, grass and straw. But whatever the material you use, the work of each builder is going to be clearly revealed when the Day (of judgment) comes. That Day will

begin with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If the structure stands up to it, he will get his wages; if it is burnt down, he will be the loser, and though he is saved himself, it will be as one who has gone through fire. (I Corinthians 3:1315)

St Paul is saying that when we die, we will be accountable for what we have done with our lives, what we have ‘built’ on the foundation of our faith. The ‘gold, silver and jewels’ of our lives are the good and enduring aspects of our accomplishments. The ‘wood, grass and straw’ are the unworthy and ‘throw-away’ parts of our earthly existence.

The ‘fire’ is not a physical fire, just as the ‘gold’ and ‘straw’ are not physical building materials. But as fire destroys cheap building materials, it also purifies gold and silver and leaves them stronger and better. Scripture

teaches us, then, that there is a ‘purification’ after death for those requiring it. The Church has given the name ‘purgatory’ (from ‘purge’, meaning ‘to cleanse’ and ‘to purify’) to this purification. There is another text: When Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will have been tested and proved like gold – only it is more precious than gold, which is corruptible even though it stands up under testing by fire – and then you will have praise and glory and honour. (I Peter 1:7)

St Peter is writing to those enduring persecution, who were certainly being tested. But he is not only speaking of the testing and purification we endure here on earth; he speaks also of Christ’s final revelation at the end of time, the Day of judgment, and he uses the same image St Paul uses: gold purified in fire. Why would a Christian need to be purified, unless he or she possessed impurities and needed to be refined, as gold is refined in fire? Again, this is not physical fire; but I think the pain of dying and then realising that we are not yet in the presence of God because of our own feet-dragging and wandering on the road to perfection while we were alive on earth will be extremely painful for us.

At that moment we will hopefully repent – fully, completely, unreservedly – and that complete openness to God, spurred on by the pain of being separated from Him, will be our purification. Then we will be ready to begin the life of perfection in heaven.

Pope St Gregory the Great (540604) says this: As for certain less-

er faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. Christ, Who is Truth, says that ‘whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come’. (cf Matthew 12:31) From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. (Dialogues 4:39)

In other words, why would Jesus talk about the pardoning of sin ‘in the age to come’, i.e., after death, unless it were possible? That’s what purgatory is – a purification from sin in the next life.

Finally, Jesus speaks about not delaying to settle our earthly problems before death, because if we don’t, we are still accountable: Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:25-26)

If the court is our judgment after death, and the judge is Christ, what is the prison? It can’t be hell, because hell is everlasting and one doesn’t leave. It certainly isn’t heaven, because heaven isn’t a prison and no one wants to leave! So this temporary state of accountability for unfinished business must be purgatory. It only makes sense!

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Saints Peter and Paul’s Church, Baghdad, one of the targeted churches.

Photo:ACN

Bishop Andraos Abouna

Farewell to Karridale church

Story, Photographs: Margaret Hall, Steve Versteegen

The Feast of the Assumption was an appropriate occasion to bid farewell to theCatholicChurch of Karridale in the south west of WA.

Karridale is a small town between Margaret River and Augusta. The petrol stations, shops and tavern service the farms and residences that are spread throughout this picturesque area.

In the early 1930’s Sunday worship with Fr Langmead of Busselton, took place in the tiny local school with the McDonalds, O’Kanes, Mr and Mrs Whilley and Mr Don Reardon.

In 1936 Mass was celebrated at a farm off the Nannup Rd, then as the congregation grew, there was a move to the ‘Sheoak School,’ a more central location with the new parish priest Fr Cunningham, who was very popular in the district.

As the group settlers vacated their properties and new people moved to the district, plans were discussed to build a local church.

Years of fundraising and ‘Catholic Dances’ in the Karridale Hall paved the way for these plans to become a reality.

The Karridale Catholic Church was built and completed in 1955 and was blessed and opened by the newly appointed Bishop of Bunbury, Bishop Launcelot Goody in the same year.

The church was given the name “Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament,” with Father Walsh the Parish Priest at the time.

The simple but inspiring timber frame

building was constructed by Harry Challis and his workers with most of the timber cut and donated by Ray Buller from his block just north of the church site. Hubie McDonald who worked for Ray at the time was responsible for carting the timber to the site.

During the 49 years of operation the church has been a centre for community worship and interaction. The site on the corner of Bussell Highway and Bushby Road was perfect for parishioners and visitors alike, providing a place of worship and prayer for parishioners from Karridale, Alexandra Bridge, Kudardup and the surrounding area.

People from this community were responsible for the regular maintenance

and upkeep and it is a credit to them that the building is in such good condition.

On Sunday August 15 the final Mass and gathering in the church was celebrated by Fr William Holmes with parishioners from the local area as well as Augusta and Margaret River. Fr William praised the efforts of the people in the past and present and all those involved in this little piece of history.

Fr William read out the notice of official closure from Bishop Gerard Holohan to complete the service.

The church building is likely to be utilised by a neighbouring community school. Worship is now centred at the Lumen Christi Church in Augusta and St Thomas More Church in Margaret River.

October conference open to catechists

Salt of the Earth… Light of the World… this is the theme of the Conference for Catechists that will be held over the 20th and 21st of October at the Catholic Education Centre in Leederville.

The conference, to be opened by Bishop Don Sproxton, is expected to be of much benefit to those who work with children in the areas of Religious Education and Catechesis.

Among the presenters at the two-day event will be Fr Elio Capra SDB, a Salesian priest with many years experience as a secondary, tertiary and adult educator. Currently lecturing at the Catholic Theological College in the field of Sacramental Theology and Liturgical Studies, Fr Elio is renowned as a vibrant, engaging presenter.

His keynote presentation will precede a comprehensive workshop program in which delegates will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in everything from Liturgy and the Word of God, to creation, art, reflection, relationships, music and walking the sacred path.

Further information and registration details can be obtained by calling Jenny Suares of the Catechist Service on 9212 9257.

EU Turkey opposed

PARIS (CNS) - Bringing Turkey into the European Union would put European culture at risk, said a top Vatican official. “Europe is a cultural and not a geographical continent,” said Cardinal Ratzinger, head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. “Turkey always represented another continent throughout history, in permanent contrast with Europe,” so to equate the two continents “would be a mistake,” he told the magazine of the French newspaper Le Figaro in an interview published on August 13.Turkey has been an official candidate for European Union membership since 1999, but EU officials delayed negotiations to discuss its accession until more progress had been made in economic, political and human rights reforms.

Whether Turkey, a mostly Muslim nation, can join accession talks is set to be decided by the 25-state European Union later this year. Cardinal Ratzinger, a German, said Europe is united by its “culture which gives it a common identity. The roots which formed ... this continent are those of Christianity.”

Claremont mission offers experience of renewal aiming at evangelisation

St Thomas the Apostle parish in Claremont begins a mission entitled “Set My People on Fire” on Tuesday September 7 at 7.30pm. The mission is being conducted in response to Archbishop Hickey’s call for a New Evangelisation.

The 15 weekly sessions include a retreat weekend every fifth week and will conclude on the final retreat on Sunday December 12.

The first five-week segment covers subjects essential to conversion and empowering by the Holy Spirit.

The second five-week segment covers subjects concerning spiritual growth and equipping for a fuller Christian lifestyle.

The last five-week segment prepares delegates for the work of evangelisation by giving them a formation to defend and proclaim their faith to others.

The weekend retreats allow biblical subjects to be unfolded in greater depth.

The strategy for evangelisation is to invite all non-practising Catholics and others of good will in the surrounding areas to “Come home for Christmas.”The mission offers an opportunity for people to participate and to make the mission an inter-parish evangelisation event.

So far, Cottesloe, Swanbourne and Mosman Park will participate and Nedlands is supporting with promotions.

Shared meals are a feature of the weekends that help to build friendships and consolidate the weekly seminars.

The conclusion of the mission will have a ‘Welcome Home Celebration’ to make new people feel welcome in the parish community.

“Set My People on Fire” is open to anyone that wants to learn more about the Catholic faith and the Bible and has helped participants in England, Australia, Malaysia, USA and New Zealand to become more effective in their evangelisation efforts since beginning in Perth during 1990.

Filmed by Perth’s Flame Ministries, the seminars will be available on VHS each week at a special seminar delegates price of $12 each. Music and Worship will be led by Flame Music Ministry.

Registration is free but organisers are asking that those attending make a donation.

The Claremont mission will be the first time the Flame seminars have been conducted in Perth as a parish event.

Previously SMPOF were conducted as parish missions in Birmingham and Peterborough in England during 1994.

For further information contact Flame Ministries International on (08) 9382 3668 or Email: fmi@flameministries.org

Pre-pay your funeral with an Oakwood Guardian Plan and secure your family’s peace of mind. Guaranteed.

Using Oakwood Funerals’ Guardian Plan to pre–arrange your funeral frees your family from worry at the one time they can least afford to worry. It also means your wishes are carried out to a T. And, because the Guardian Plan is a nationally accredited funeral fund,

The church that has served a faithful community for half a century.

The October conference will be of benefit to catechists working with children.

Catholic Mission in Perth has launched a new Christmas project for people who would like to send practical Christmas gifts to children around the world.

Known as “For the Manger”, the project invites individuals or groups to prepare Christmas parcels that will make a difference to children and their families living in impoverished and marginalised communities overseas when Catholic missionaries live and work.

The gifts will be directed to a missionary lay person, sister, brother or priest who will be responsible for distributing them to the most needy in the community.

The Catholic Mission office in Perth will supply contact details, will alert the missionary to the impending arrival and will be informed when the package is received.

The Diocesan Director of Catholic Mission, Mr Francis Leong, said the packages should not be too bulky – tough post bags might be better than boxes. To save on transport costs, the

OpinionReflection &

&

opinions from around Australia - but mainly news this week

Catholic Mission launches practical Xmas opportunity

gifts could be sent sea-mail and posted before the middle of September. Parcels should be declared as educational supplies. The actual gift items in each package should be attuned to the needs of children and their families in circumstances vastly different from our own.

Suggested items that are not bulky, are comparatively light, and would meet the needs of children and families include plain and coloured pencils and pencil sharpeners, rulers, rubbers, glue sticks, small scissors with blunt tips, large marker pens, coloured felt pens, ball point pens, A5 exercise books, small note books, playing cards, balloons, simple word puzzle books, simple small jigsaws, small soap bars, sewing kits, shirt buttons, and non-hybrid flower and vegetable seed packets.

Majellan clubs and other school and parish groups could find “For the Manger” a worthwhile Christmas project.

For further information contact Francis Leong at Catholic Mission on 9422 7933.

Vinnies street sweepers

The St Vincent de Paul Society hopes to clean up on Friday September 17 2004 when the annual Street Sweep Appeal is held.

Hundreds of volunteers from around the state will be out in force this year, collecting to help build a future for youth.

St Vinnies, the state’s largest charity, is calling on businesses, schools and community groups to join them in holding a collection. St Vinnies State President

Brian Bull says that it only takes a few minutes to do a quick sweep around and that every dollar raised counts.

“We want to build a future for youth and invite community members to work with us to make a difference,” said Mr Bull.

To register your business, school or community group as a ‘Street Sweeper’ to collect on the day of the appeal, call 9475 5416.

Notre Dame lecture

The University of Notre Dame Australia will host a lecture by Professor Gerald O’Collins SJ on August 25.

The Slattery lecture is called The Living Heritage of Vatican II. Professor O’Collins, a graduate of Melbourne University, is the Professor of Systematic and Fundamental Theology at the

Pope

offers prayers for massacred Tutsis

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope

John Paul II offered prayers for some 160 ethnic Tutsis massacred in a Burundian refugee camp and asked his ambassador to Burundi to convey his condolences to their families and to the more than 100 people injured. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, papal nuncio to Burundi, told Catholic News Service that the scene at the Gatumba refugee camp was "quite horrific." "It is a very large field with groups of very simple tents erected by the UN

I Say, I Say......

with Guy Crouchback

Writing in An Experiment in Criticism, C. S. Lewis made an interesting point about the writers John Buchan, author of the Victorian-era African adventure Prester John and World War I spy-thrillers Greenmantle and Mr Standfast, and Rider Haggard, author of the Victorian-era African adventures King Solomon's Mines and She.

Gregorian University Rome. He is the holder of the Thomas More Chair of Jesuit Studies, a joint initiative of the University of WA and Notre Dame.

The lecture will be held at Notre Dame’s Foley Hall and starts at 7.30pm.

For more information phone 9433 0138.

High Commissioner for Refugees. About half the tents are burned completely or partially," he said on August 16 in a telephone interview as he prepared to return to Gatumba for an ecumenical funeral service. A Burundian Hutu rebel group, the Forces for National Liberation, took responsibility for the Aug. 13 raid on the camp, claiming there were Tutsi rebels hiding there. The Hutu rebels, apparently assisted by Hutus from Congo and Rwanda, entered the camp late at night, burned the tents while people were sleeping, shot some of the victims and hacked others to death.

There was no doubt, Lewis said, that Buchan wrote better: his descriptions and dialogue were clear, achieving their effects without wasted words, his plots convincing and his characters consistent.

Yet though Haggard was Buchan's inferior in these things, Haggard's stories had a quality of myth and poetry that Buchan's lacked. In both Prester John and King Solomon's Mines the heroes were trapped in a cave and faced starving to death while, ironically, surrounded by vast treasures of gold and diamonds which they could not eat.

Reading of Buchan's hero, Lewis said, the reader asks: "How will he get out of this?" But reading of Haggard's heroes in a similar situation, the reader asks in effect: "How will I get out of this - will I ever forget it?"

This is true and raises some fascinating literary, artistic and even spiritual questions.

To make the matter even stranger, Buchan can today be seen as in many ways the more authentic prophet of the two. Prester John told of an anti-White uprising in Africa motivated by a

Buchan's Greenmantle, written during World War I, predicted a resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism. This must have seemed an outré romantic fantasy to readers of the day, in the first war of aeroplanes and submarines. They probably felt it was not resurgent medievalism but excessive modernity which would be the threat of the future. Mr Standfast mentioned the use of Anthrax germs in warfare. Buchan deserves another look.

* * *

I don't know how anyone could be stupid enough to buy stocks and shares recommended via unsolicited junk e-mails, but since people keep sending these recommendations out, they must get a supply of suckers from somewhere.

distorted form of Christianityand in the 1960s and 1970s socalled "liberation theology" was indeed using a form of Christianity to justify and encourage anti-White terrorism. We have tended to forget just how violent and anti-Western some allegedly Christian theological works published at that time were, such as Unyoung, Uncoloured, Unpoor, by The Rev. Mr Colin Morris, which praised terrorism against anyone, basically, who was any of the things in the title, and The Liberated Zone, a Guide to Christian Resistance, replete with such gems as ‘The Twelve Apostles were born Viet Cong.’

Those tempted to take up such offers might ask: what conceivable motive could anyone have for gratuitously recommending a stock to masses of total strangers apart from ramping the price so they themselves can get out at a profit?

I tracked one such tip recently. When it first arrived, backed by all sorts of glowing and superficially convincing financial data, it was trading at $1.13. I was assured it would be trading at $3.00 in two months time, with "a short-term target of $5.50." Two months later I received another "must buy" tip for the same stock. It was then trading at 99 cents. This was probably a better performance than many such.

St Simon Peter Parish, Ocean Reef, Majellan club mothers pictured last week preparing Christmas boxes for children and families in Mission areas: Isabelle MacAdam, left, Margaret Laundy, Johanna van de Peppel, Mreee Keedy and Claire Dixon.

Robert Donat saves Marlene Carroll from a secret organisation of bad guys. Robert Donat is one of the good guys. The 39 Steps was written by John Buchan.

The truth of life is emerging

Just when we thought it safe to abandon the ABC’s religious program Compass for all time, up they come with two great programs, one giving a realistic and truthful account of the remarkable lives of the nuns who have served the people of the Kimberly, and especially the Aboriginal people of the Kimberly, so admirably from their first arrival in 1907 to the present day; and the other giving a fac tual, account of abortion.

Judging from reactions and comments since My Foetus was screened on August 8, it appears that it may have a profound effect on community attitudes to abortion. It was presented in a matter-of-fact, unemotional style that did not argue right or wrong. In doing so, it may have contributed more than anything else to putting that aspect of abortion beyond debate.

For anyone seeing the film, abortion clearly is what it is – the killing of a baby in the womb. In the last 20 or 30 years of vigorous community debate, this point has not been so irrefutably accepted. It has been ignored, denied, lost in a torrent of words about rights, choices, freedom, ‘reproductive health’ and almost anything else that sprang to mind to avoid acknowledgement of what it is.

There is no doubt that many people will go on arguing that women should be allowed to kill the babies in their wombs and that society should be forced to pay doctors to do it for them. But from this point on, no one will be able to delude themselves that this is merely about choice. The actual choice – its nature, its meaning, its purpose – will be far more widely known and understood.

Whether the filmmaker intended it or

Protest was successful

Afew short months ago we were sitting in he pleasant atmosphere of a popular Northern Suburbs Perth hotel.

Perusing the drinks menu we were horrified to notice one called “Virgin Mary”. We protested to the manager and followed up with a strongly worded, but not overly emotive, letter to the managing body. We maintained an attitude of respect and nonaggressiveness in both approaches. We used phrases such as, “This name offends our sensibilities as Catholics, as indeed it would a large segment of your patrons”.

Last week we were delighted to note, on another pleasant experience at the same hotel, that the name had been changed to “Maiden Mary”. Our joy was complete when we received a polite letter from the general manager apologising for the unintended offence and informing us of the change of name.

I hope the above example will help other Catholics to take courage and make a stand when needed.

Brian Digby Jandakot

Teachers wanted

E arlier this year I contacted seven primary schools in the Midland region to ask if they would consider having Scripture classes in their schools. To my

not, this truth has escaped from under the cloud of denial and is out in the open.

It will never again be so easy for “family planning” organisations to give the inadequate and unrealistic counselling which has seen so many women misled in confusion into abortions that have caused them intense suffering for years afterwards.

One immediate hope is that Governments will give women a real choice about the kind of support that is offered to them at times of pregnancy. Although the politicians who passed the abortion law kept pretending it was not pro-abortion, but pro-choice, the only choice they have fully supported has been abortion. It is time for that to change.

The increasing acknowledgement of the truth about abortion is one of many signs that society at large is beginning to open its eyes to the high price being paid for the confusion about the meaning of sexuality and life that has dominated the western world for the last 40 years. However, not all the signs are good and it will obviously take some time for the fog to lift.

Writing about abortion after viewing ‘My Foetus’, The West Australian’s religion writer Gavin Simpson went on to say: “The other side of the abortion debate is that concerning contraception.

surprise, one principal asked me to start straight away - that’s 300 children. Another principal’s response means a further 200 children will receive Scripture lessons. Two other schools want us to start Scripture classes next year - that’s 650 children.

After walking on air at the response, I contacted the churches to find Scripture teachers to go into the schools. We arranged to have the training lessons in Midland. Because of this I further contacted approximately 20 churches outside the Midland region but only received responses from 6 people, and some others from country areas.

Day and night I am praying. Where can we find committed Christians who are prepared to spend 1 or 2 hours a week telling school children about Jesus? These children are mainly unchurched, who will, one day, God-willing, become the Church.

If there are any committed Christians near Midland, who, like me, are willing to spend time talking about Jesus’s love in schools, please contact me on 9274 6782 or Brady Williams at Youthcare office on 9286 0280. If you cannot help me, other regions will need you.

I believe that God has opened this opportunity for us to go into

It would seem fairly obvious that if there were more attention paid to contraception, then there would be a lot less need for abortion.”

Perhaps Mr Simpson can’t be blamed; he is merely repeating what ‘experts’ have been saying for 40 years. But his statement is exactly the opposite of the truth, and it is time our society began to look at the evidence.

Those who are old enough will remember that when the contraceptive pill was introduced in the early sixties, the drug companies – enthusiastically supported by the media – assured us that abortion (then a relatively rarer event) would become a thing of the past. Instead, it has flourished.

Adultery, promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, unhappy families and divorce were among the other things that would fall victim to the wondrous liberation offered by drugs, and in their place their would be a golden age of human relations. In all cases, the opposite has proved to be true.

Any impartial observer of what was promised and what was delivered must shudder in the face of the suffering caused by the combination of the contraceptive mentality and sexual enslavement sold so powerfully by the entertainment industries. The same observer must shake his head in sorrow at the way we

our schools. They want us to come and if we don’t take up this opportunity now, it could be closed forever.

David Heales Viveash

Infallibility

I suspect that Shane Negus (letters 12 August) may not realise that the “ordinary” Magisterium of the Church teaches infallibly on matters of faith and morals and that definitive teachings by the Supreme Pontiff are “irreformable”) (ie. cannot be erroneous, so are infallible).

Paragraphs 814 and 815 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church do not refer to any diversity in doctrine. The Church is one in doctrine, under one Magisterium. As the paragraph states, “profession of one faith received from the Apostles”, is one of the bonds of unity in the Universal Church. Diversity in the context of these paragraphs refers to incidentals of liturgy (eg between the Latin and Eastern Rites) etc, not of any matters of faith and morals.

As Father William Most writes in his article The Magisterium or Teaching Authority of the Church (available on EWTN’s website) …when the Church presents some doctrine as definitive or final… it cannot be in error… it is infallible. This is true even if the Church does not use the solemn ceremony of definition. The day-to-day teaching of the Church… when the Bishops are in union with each other and with the Pope and present something as definitive, this is infallible. (Vatican II Lumen Gentium #25)… A theologian (can-

continue to believe that our delusion will suddenly turn into liberation. Lasting human happiness does not come from drugs. It comes from doing our best to understand human nature, doing our best to live according to the truth of it, and passing that truth on to our young.

Human sexuality is a wondrous thing. It is the means by which each of us can personally experience the fullness of human nature by uniting in lifelong, faithful love with one of the other half of humanity. It is also the means by which we experience the wonder of generating new life. One doesn’t have to be a mystic or even a philosopher to know these things. We can see them in our own lives, in our parents and grandparents, in our children and grandchildren. We can see the opposite effect in the breakdown of fidelity, family and society where sexuality has become a plaything and a form of public entertainment.

It is when we wander away from the truth that is written in our hearts that we encounter all manner of unexpected evils, such as those mentioned above.

Another example of this principle is found on pages 8 and 9 where the consequences of population policies and attitudes in various parts of the world, particularly India and China, are beginning to reap what may well be a terrible whirlwind.

Although we know that the need of our life is fidelity to the truth of our nature, we keep desperately hoping that something else might be true, that something easier might excuse us from living out the fullness of our humanity. It is time we accepted the evidence and mended our ways. P a g e s 8 & 9 - 9 0 m i l l i o n m i s s i n g g i r l s

not) claim academic freedom lets him contradict the Church.”

Jerome Gonzalez Willetton

Courageous Gray

P aul Gray is very courageous in writing a book on Islam. While it is very topical the subject is interwoven with complex historical and now strategic issues that much deep study is required to achieve a satisfactory result. His book is a good start especially as it attempts to address some religious aspects of the matter. Some areas, which require further consideration, are:

■ The real offence which the libertarian West causes via Hollywood and the United Nations. The Vatican has for some years co-operated with Muslim leaders in defending pro-family and pro-life positions in the United Nations;

■ The Australian Family Association has collaborated with moderate Muslim groups within the context of the World Congress of Families (WCF). At the 1999 Geneva meeting of the WCF Mrs Sadat, the widow of the assassinated President of Egypt, was given a standing ovation by the Congress.

■ It is not clear which conservatives oppose the Islamists and how far are they willing to go to stop them. The Vatican does not seem to consider military force as necessary and yet how else is a terrorist group to be stopped?

■ Despite the Crusades having been, in part, immoral there was justification for Christian Europe wishing to regain what it had lost

by force of arms. St Francis accompanied the Fourth Crusade with the intention of converting the Sultan.

■ It is clear that at times in its history the Church has been authoritarian, especially when in possession of secular power. However, it is debatable whether it ever reached the position of being totalitarian unlike Nazi Germany or Communist Russia and China where every aspect of life is under the control of the State.

Anyone wishing to place this book in a world setting should read Philip Jenkins, The new Christendom

John R Barich Applecross

Pro-creation?

Of recent times I’ve begun to think that the concept of ‘creation’ promoted in post-modern society is untruthful. In fact, humans do not create anything. What humans do is procreatechildren, art, technology, medicine, engineering, philosophy, etc. Humans take the gifts they discover within themselves, and ideas from the world around them and pursue them. The results are procreation. We do not create anything from nothing.

Now, I would like to hear from other readers their thoughts on this concept as I believe it is causing a stumbling block in our communications on most of the social issues of concern to Christians and humanitarians.

Nola Viney Nollamara

One recently-published book, Bare Branches: The Security Implications of Asia's Surplus Male Population, takes a look at the consequences of an overabundance of young adult males, called "bare branches" in Chinese. Valerie Hudson and Andrea den Boer observe that China and India, with 38 per cent of the world's population, have surpluses of young males far beyond what any natural forces could produce. The authors devote a chapter to the history of sex selection, noting that female infanticide was practised in many cultures and epochs.

Asian culture has had a particularly marked preference for male offspring, and modern technology has allowed this preference to be applied much more radically than in the past.

A normal sex ratio at birth is 105-107 males born per 100 females. This general-

ly evens out, with a ratio for the total population close to 100 males per 100 females. Reliable statistics on birth ratios are hard to come by, the authors note. In China, studies on the level of sex ratios at birth range from 115.62 to 121.01 males per 100 emales. India shows levels of 111 to 113, with spikes of 132 and 156 in some localities. In South Korea, after reaching 116.9 in 1990, the number has stabilised at 109.6. In Taiwan, data from 200 show 109.5 males per 100 females at birth. The imbalance at birth can be exacerbated in the following years due to a higher level of infant mortality among females, attributed to a lack of adequate medical care. Estimates on the numbers of "missing emales" in Asia vary. The book puts the number of women eliminated in seven Asian countries at just over 90 million.

India and China account for 43per cent and 45per cent, respectively, of this total.

The authors calculate that by 2020 India

90 million missing Girls... and a $45 trillion gap

Is this what family planning is all about?

While the United Nations and family planning groups continue in their efforts to lower birthrates, several recent books have drawn attention to the severe economic and social problems linked to having too few children.

will have a surplus male population in the 15-35 year age span of between 28 million and 32 million. The corresponding surplus in China could be 29 million to 33 million. What will be the implications of so many surplus males? Drawing on multiple studies, the authors describe a number of characteristics common to such a group: low socioeconomic status due to a higher level of unemployment and low-level jobs; a higher probability of criminal behaviour; a distinctive bachelor subculture characterised by the pursuit of immediate pleasure and a lack of concern for the future; a tendency to turn to vice and violence. Looking at historical evidence, the book observes that governments can take measures to counteract the negative effects of sex ratio imbalances, but only after long struggles and high costs. Asian countries, and in particular China and India, the authors argue, have a difficult task ahead if they wish to avoid a sharp rise in violence

Some reviewers have found these three books too pessimistic in their predictions. But even if the future isn't as bleak as some of these authors describe, mainstream economic opinion is in agreement that the dramatic fall in fertility will pose severe problems for the world's economy.

and social problems. Instability could also lead to military conflict, the authors opine.

A h e a t t o p r o s p e t y

In his book The Empty Cradle Philip Longman, concentrates on the economic disadvantages of a rapidly falling birthrate. Fears of a "population bomb" aside, modern economies have depended on evergrowing populations. New businesses flock to areas where population is growing, and social security systems depend on growing numbers of taxpayers to finance welfare for each retiring generation.

He notes that it may seem counterintuitive to worry about too few children at a time when the world population is still growing by around 75 million a year.

Fertility rates, however, have plummeted in recent years and no industrialised nation has enough children being born to sustain its population. UN data show that currently 59 countries, accounting for 44 per cent of world population, are not producing enough children to avoid population decline. In the United States, even assuming high levels of immigration, by 2050 a fifth of the population will be over 65.

There, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that costs for Medicare and Medicaid programs will soar from the current 4.3 per cent of the nation's economic output, to 21 per cent in 2050. Longman warns that rising welfare costs may oblige governments to increase taxes on workers, making it harder for them to afford large families.

The problem is even worse in developing nations, which have seen the steepest drops in fertility in a short time, he contends. By midcentury, for example, populations in countries such as Mexico and Turkey could have a higher median age

than the United States. UN projections contemplate a median age of 39.7 in the United States by 2050, a rise of 4.5 years from the current level. Moreover, it took 50

UN official blames ‘gender equality’ as partly to blame for fertility decline

In a speech delivered this northern hemisphere Spring that was largely ignored by the newsmedia, the United Nation’s chief demographer declared that the very existence of some nations has now been endangered by fertility decline, and the international community’s insistent call for “gender equality” is making the problem even worse. According to Dr. Joseph Chamie, Director of the Population Division of the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “A growing number of countries view their low birth rates with the resulting population decline and ageing to be a serious crisis, jeopardising the basic foundations of the nation and threatening its survival. Economic growth and vitality, defence, and pensions and health care for the elderly, for example, are all areas of major concern.”

Chamie, who was speaking in his personal capacity at the Population Association of America’s annual meeting, asserted that one-third of the countries in the world now have “below replacement” level fertility, which means that women have fewer than 2.1 children on average. In 15 countries, the fertility rate has shrunk to l.5 children or less. In an unprecedented statement for a high-ranking UN official, Chamie claimed that the drive for gender equality is partly to blame for low fertility, stat-

years for the United States to go from a median age of 30 to today's level. By contrast, in the next half-century Mexico's median age will rise by 20 years, to 42. Projections for the entire Latin American and Caribbean region put the median age in 2050 at 39.8, a fraction higher than the United States.

Many other countries are in the same situation. In Algeria the median age is set to climb from 21.7 in 2000 to 40 by 2050.

ing that, “While many governments, intergovernmental organisations, non-governmental organisations and individuals may strongly support gender equality at work and in the home as a fundamental principle and desirable goal, it is not at all evident how having men and women participate equally in employment, parenting and household responsibilities will raise low levels of fertility. On the contrary, the equal participation of men and women in the labor force, child rearing and housework points precisely in the opposite direction, i.e., below eplacement fertility. And this is in fact precisely what is being observed today in an increasing number of countries.”

Chamie also noted the some governments, especially in the developed world, may be concerned about appearing hypocritical if they seek to increase their own fertility rates, while at the same time working to decrease fertility in the developing world. According to Chamie, “Understandably, governments are reluctant to be seen as encouraging citizens to breed for the sake of the country. This is especially true for governments providing international assistance to family planning programs in countries aiming to reduce their comparatively higher rates of fertility and population.” In his address, Chamie investigated the effectiveness of a number of governmental responses to fertility decline, including promoting marriage and childbearing, reducing the costs of child rearing, and adapting work schedules to family life. He was not optimistic concerning these policies, concluding that, “the current and foreseeable efforts of most governments to raise their current low fertility rates to replacement levels seem highly unlikely.”

- Zenit

Another rapidly aging society will be China. By 2040 an estimated 26 per cent of the population will be 60 or over. And if rich countries have difficulty financing an aging population, developing nations will face a much more difficult task, having become old before getting rich.

F n a n c a s t o r m s

The fiscal crunch facing the United States due to the costs of an aging population is the subject of another book, The Coming Generational Storm by Laurence Kotlikoff and Scott Burns. The authors dedicate the greater part of their book to analysing the financial burden for the federal government of an older population. They accuse politicians, of all parties, of deliberately ignoring the longerm financial burdens in favour of shorterm political interests. The fiscal gap, the difference between the government's future receipts and expenditures, will be in the order of US $45 trillion, according to Kotlikoff and Burns. Dealing with this gap, they calculate, will mean that the lifetime tax payments faced by today's children will need to roughly double in size.

Increasing taxes on this order will lead to reductions in net incomes, and if taxes on businesses are increased they will have less money to pay for capital investment. They also point out that closing the fiscal gap will be more and more painful the longer decisions are put off.

An alternative proposed by the authors is to implement deep changes in the Social Security and Medicare systems, thus reducing future expenditures and aligning their payments more fully with people's real needs. They also recommend that people stop spending so much and start saving seriously for retirement.

Some reviewers have found these three books too pessimistic in their predictions.

But even if the future isn't as bleak as some of these authors describe, mainstream economic opinion is in agreement that the dramatic fall in fertility will pose severe problems for the world's economy.

If tomorrow's governments find that the commitments they have inherited "have drained their fiscal capacity to respond to adverse shocks, economic crisis and political upheaval could be the result," concluded Peter Heller, deputy director of the Fiscal Affairs Department of the International Monetary Fund in his 2003 book Who Will Pay? Society may well rue the day it embraced the logic of the family planning movement. - Zenit

China to balance unbalanced sex ratio

A senior Chinese official says the country is to take forceful measures to balance the currently unbalanced sex ratio in 2010. Zhao Baige, deputy director of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, told reporters the "care for girls" project is to be promoted throughout the country to protect the rights and interests of girls. At the same time, a crackdown will be intensified on illegal sex determination and sex selective abortion.

In addition, the construction of the social insurance system must be expedited in the rural areas so as to change people's preference for boys, since boys are often considered more able to take care of their parents when they grow up. A national survey four years ago shows there were 120 baby boys for every 100 baby girls, far from the natural ratio of 107 to 103. - People’s Daily online

Bentley celebrates 50 years of parish life

By Glynnis Grainger

Santa Clara parish, Bentley, celebrated its 50th Anniversary on August 8 with Archbishop Barry Hickey concelebrating the special Mass with four priests, including parish priest Fr Douglas Hoare.

About 300 past and present parishioners and their families attended the 9.30am Mass with Dominican Sisters who taught at the school and Missionary Sisters of Charity who still minister in the parish.

The concelebrants were past parish priests Fr Jim Petry (197181), Fr Lawrence Murphy (1970), and Norbertine Right Rev. Fr Roman, with Fr Hoare.

In June, 1952, Mass was celebrated in a 100-pound ($200) marquee near the site of the present Warwick Street, in what was then known as Bentley Park.

Archbishop Redmond Prendiville opened the new School Church on August 17, 1952, but it was difficult to find a Religious Order to staff the school.

The Dominican Order agreed to establish a Catholic Primary School and three Dominican Sisters travelled daily from Bedford to teach until 1957, when a decision was made to build a convent, completed in 1958.

The late Fr Patrick Dunne was the original parish priest and moved from his presbytery to provide accommodation for the Sisters.

Work began on a new church by sub-contracting in October, 1962, with the help of voluntary labour by many parishioners, and completed by May 30, when it was officially blessed and opened by Archbishop Prendiville.

When the Dominican Sisters found it necessary to leave the school at the end of 1992, Santa Clara had developed from a small parish school into a modern complex with 250 pupils from Kindergarten to Year 7. In his homily on August 8, Archbishop Hickey told the story of a man who was the leader of a cult, followed by hundreds of people

until it ended.

“It had nothing to do with religion and had many bizarre aspects to it,” Archbishop Hickey told the congregation.

“This man from the US began to have his doubts - it was so exciting and suddenly he felt the presence of Jesus Christ in his room.

“Jesus said: ‘I am the way.’

“At that he began teaching Jesus Christ. Jesus was calling him out of darkness into the wonderful light.

“I want to emphasise how wonderful Jesus is in our life.

“Every parish is a response to the call: ‘I am the way.’

“People from all different backgrounds, who form one community, one family, and to express that community as the parish.

“This past 50 years we have seen how this parish responded, from one generation to another.”

Archbishop Hickey said the early priests and Sisters had their courage in looking forward.

He said “Today is the second Sunday of this Vocation Week: We are called as children, teachers, to stay at home and look after the family, or elderly people.

“There are special vocations to the priesthood, or religious lifewe need a constant supply of priests.

“There are new parishes coming up and they need a spiritual leader. Pray for those who have a special vocation to be a priest, so that young people will hear the voice of Christ in prayer - that they not only hear it but respond.”

Archbishop Hickey thanked Fr Douglas Hoare “for the leadership he gives and the Parish Council.”

The first parish priest, Fr Dunne, died suddenly on June 12, 1970. Fr Lawrence Murphy SDS looked after the parish until the appointment of Fr James Petry in October, 1971, who began the Family Fast envelopes.

In January, 1981, the late Fr John O’Dwyer came to Bentley for 12 months and was succeeded by Fr Ted Hewitt as priest-in-charge until 1986.

Then in May 1986 Fr Thomas McDonald (now Monsignor) took charge of the parish and became parish priest soon afterwards.

On October 12, 1986, the new sanctuary was blessed and opened in the church.

Also in that month, a statue of St Clare arrived from Rome, donated by Miss Eileen Love, a former parishioner.

The Norbertine Canons of Queens Park took charge of the parish following the departure of Fr McDonald to become Administrator and Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral.

Fr William Fitzgerald and sometimes Fr Martin pastorally cared for the parish in the early 1990s until the late Fr Augustine Heron was appointed parish priest from 1993-2001.

Fr Francis Ly was appointed parish priest on the departure of the Norbertines in June 2001 until early this year, followed by Fr Douglas Hoare, the current parish priest.

At the 50th Anniversary celebrations, finger foods were brought around on trays by caterers, and bottles of wine and souvenirs were on sale.

Most of the organising of the event was done by Fr Hoare and the Parish Council.

Photos by George Grainger

Lisa Sponza, David Harris and Fr Doug Hoare look on as Archbishop Hickey cuts the cake.

Father Laurence Murphy, left, Father Douglas Hoare, Archbishop Hickey, Fr Roman and Fr Jim Petry concelebrate the Golden Jubilee Mass.

Santa Clara was packed for the occasion.

Parishioners and Missionary Sisters of Charity in the grounds of the Church.

Silvio Desvaux, a longtime parishioner, serves food for the multitudes.

Servers lead the procession out of the Church at the conclusion of Mass.

Youth gathering a smash hit!

Ijoined young Catholics on Friday August 13 for the International Youth Day Mass. We were treated to a wonderful experience. In my time here in Perth, I never remembered encountering such an event before and was determined to be there, no matter what.

I went in to the Cathedral five or ten minutes before Mass was to start. I tried to find a seat somewhere up the front, but I couldn’t see any available seats there! They were all filled. Incredible!

I was disappointed about it at first, missing out on all the front row action, but my disappointment turned to disbelief, admiration and quiet excitement as I walked past full pew, after full pew of youth. I ended up with a seat towards the back. It was packed!

Archbishop Hickey celebrated Mass with 10 or so priests who were were in turn assisted by a small legion of altar servers. The liturgy was unique, combining influences from all different groups and modes of worship. A hardworking choir anchored the Mass in song, consolidating the youth focus. I felt it was really engaging.

Archbishop Hickey urged us to recognise that Christ calls each one of us to follow Him in friendship. He commented that though Christ was sometimes a demanding friend, we can be attentive to the particular vocation that He is calling us to.

After Mass, many volunteers guided us over to the Mercy College Hall, just across the street from the Cathedral. After a short walk we were greeted with an array of youth ministry groups with stalls demonstrating their particular apostolate. I discovered a surprising amount of things are available for young people in Perth.

The hall became a hub of chatter, as hundreds of people got busy catching up with old friends, networked with one another and joined a lavish supper. Mark International Youth Day down for next year - or miss a fantastic youth event. - S t e p h e n G o r d d a r d

While city shuts down, cathedral buzzes with excitment

Friday the thirteenth of August. The clock has struck 5pm, and the majority of Perth has come to the end of another working week.

Everywhere I look, people are racing around; in a hurry to get home to families, or to go out for the night with friends. But as I walked through the city streets, I thought to myself ‘Wow! Amid all this hustle and bustle, a great event is getting ready to take place.’

Young people, most of whom were Catholic, were getting ready to make their way to Saint Mary’s Cathedral for a special celebration of the Eucharist for International Youth Day. A smile came to my face.

The rainy weather didn’t stop anything and youth came out in droves. Watching a door to the entrance of the Cathedral, I thought, ‘This is awesome!’ Every face that walked through the door seemed to be smiling. Some were bouncing through the door, oth-

ers doing a bit of a dance; I even heard a few say, “I am so excited, this is going to be great”. The joy was abundant.

Archbishop Hickey led us through a beautiful mass together with many other Priests of the Archdiocese. I didn’t realise that so many priests would come to the Mass. As I saw them all walk past me, down towards the altar, i felt a few tears come to my eyes, and I thought ‘What a blessing this is to have them all come and celebrate Mass for us!’

And it was great to see so many young men up there serving the Mass as well. They truly inspired other young people to become more active in their faith.

There were many groups involved throughout the Mass, resulting in a balance between traditional and contemporary.

We had a few different music styles, and for many, a first time experience of hearing the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel being sung. For me this

was breath-taking. There were so many moments during the evening when I had to pinch myself and think, ‘Wow, this is really happening. This Mass is the biggest event that I have been to, and, for me, the only time when I have been with so many other Catholic youth!’

It was just such a joyful experience to look around and see so many of my friends, and for us all to be in the one place , attending Mass together.

I have a feeling that Archbishop Hickey was as happy to see us as we were to see him. His homily was amazing and there was a quietness among the people when he spoke.

We all looked and listened as he talked to us about our Holy Father Pope John Paul and his teachings on sexuality and marriage. I was hanging off every word, and left with a real desire to hear more of what he was speaking to us about.

Afterwards, everybody gathered in Mercedes College hall for a bite to eat and to be able to catch a glimpse of many of the Catholic Youth organisations that are operating in Perth. Each had a stall with information about their group, telling of meetings and gatherings that youth can attend. This was very impressive. Overall a fantastic night was had by all. A special thankyou to Father Don Kettle and Lucas Hurley from Catholic Youth Ministry, Perth, who were the organisers of this event, and to all those who participated at the Mass.

I can’t wait for the next one!

The view from the pews.

Archbishop Hickey celebrates the liturgy for those in the cathedral.

The celebration attracted young people from everywhere.

Fr Hugh Thomas CSsR, one of the many priests present on the evening.

Representatives of a youth group chat between answering questions.

Some of the young men who helped serve at Mass last Friday August 13.

‘Don’t receive Communion’

DENVER (CNS) - "If we're not really in communion" with the Catholic Church, "we shouldn't be going to Communion. It's a lie!" Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput told an audience of more than 200 young adults at a Denver sports bar on August 13. The archbishop, speaking to a Theology on Tap gathering for those in their 20s and 30s, addressed the question "What does it mean to be in full communion with the Catholic Church?"

He opened his remarks by discussing the ongoing debate on whether a priest or bishop should deny Communion to a Catholic politician who supports public policies that stand in opposition to church teachings - particularly on right-to-life issues. "For us to understand where the Church stands" on the Communion issue, said the archbishop, "we need to understand what is full communion."

Recalling the Gospel story of the vine and the branches, the archbishop said the Catholic faithful must be like branches, faithfully attached to Jesus, the vine, the source of life and unity for all the branches.

The archbishop suggested that there are two considerations each Catholic must make in trying to live a genuinely Christian life. He argued, first, that each should be concerned about developing an authentic, personal relationship with Christ and, second, that the faithful need to strive for unity. "This notion of union or communion is about a relationship, not only a sacrament," the archbishop said.

Pope to visit Marian shrine

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul II will visit a popular Italian Marian shrine to beatify two lay Italians and one Spanish priest. The oneday visit to eastern Italy's Holy House of Loreto on September 5 will come just three days before the Church's feast day of the birth of Mary. It also marks the Pope's second pilgrimage in three weeks. Pope John Paul joined hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in celebration of the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on his August 14-15 trip to Lourdes, France.

International News

Catholic news from around the world

Blackouts to vaccinations: Book records year’s activities at Vatican

By Cindy Wooden

Most of what happens each day inside the Vatican never makes the newspapers, but a lot of it is published.

The “inside story” about the Vatican and its operations is reported, bound and put on sale each summer in the Attivita della Santa Sede (“The Activity of the Holy See”).

The tome summarising the work of every Vatican congregation, council, office and tribunal in 2003 ran to more than 1,400 pages — excluding the 31-page, full-colour “photo chronicle” inserted in the middle. The first 611 pages of the book are devoted to a day-by-day account of the activities, meetings and appointments of Pope John Paul.

The rest of the book includes reports on documents published or being worked on by Vatican offices, major restoration work on Vatican buildings and art, and reports on roadwork, telephone traffic and visitors’ passes.

The 2003 edition, unlike some earlier volumes, did not provide figures for the litres of milk produced by the cows at the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo or the tonnes of garbage collected within Vatican City State.

The following information gleaned from the book is listed in the order in which it appeared:

■ The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith continues to consult with local bishops and bishops’ conferences about “presumed ‘apparitions’ and ‘supernatural’ phenomena.”

“The first case that comes to mind,” the report said, is that of Medjugorje, BosniaHerzegovina, where the bishops have said, “it is not possible to affirm” that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared there and, therefore, parishes or dioceses

Vatican by numbers

should not organise pilgrimages to the site.

On the other hand, it said, the congregation has worked with the Rwandan dioceses of Butare and Gikongoro, and the local bishops have recognised as authentic the apparition of Mary to three young women in the town of Kibeho.

■ During 2003 Pope John Paul established six new Eastern-rite eparchies; 11 new dioceses and an apostolic prefecture in the church’s mission territories; and 10 new Latin-rite dioceses and a military ordinariate in the rest of the world.

■ The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments confirmed the designation of Our Lady of the Street (in Italian, “Madonna della Strada”) as the patron saint of Rome’s street sweepers and taxi drivers.

No mention was made about a patron saint for taxi passengers, and nothing was reported about the ongoing search for a patron of the Internet.

■ In addition to witnessing the canonisation of 12 saints and the beatification of 21 other holy men and women, the Congregation for Saints’ Causes received: 39 formal diocesan reports on miracles attributed to a candidate’s intercession; seven diocesan investigations of presumed martyrdom; and 48 diocesan reports on the life and heroic virtues of men and women being considered for sainthood.

■ Three Oblate Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus clean, mend and iron the pope’s liturgical vestments and the linens used for papal Masses. Members of the order began offering the

service to Pope Innocent XI in 1688.

■ The Vatican press office published 671 news bulletins in 2003.

■ Experts responded to a “biological attack” — described only as leaving a white film over frescoes — in the Catacombs of St. Callistus. The catacombs are part of a major international study on treating bacterial attacks on rocks in underground burial places.

■ After taking courses offered by the Association of Swiss Security Agencies, six Swiss Guards passed an exam on advanced security techniques.

■ In St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican parish of St Anne, 658 baptisms were celebrated during the year, 391 people were confirmed, and 105 weddings were performed.

Barred Catholic politician responds in magazine

WASHINGTON (CNS) - An American Catholic congressman who said he has been told not to take Communion because of his support for some laws permitting or funding abortions responded to the ban in a five-page article in the latest issue of America magazine.

“While I detest abortion and agree with Catholic teaching that in most instances it is morally wrong, I decline to force my views into laws that, if adopted, would be unenforceable and would tear this society apart,” said Representative David Obey, a Democrat who has represented Wisconsin for 35 years.

Writing in the August 16-23 edition of America, the New Yorkbased national Catholic weekly magazine published by the Jesuits, Obey said he was told last November by Bishop Raymond

Burke of Wisconsin, “to refrain from receiving Communion if I did not conform to his wishes” outlined in earlier letters. Soon afterward, Bishop Burke was named archbishop of St Louis.

“Two issues seemed especially to trouble the bishop” — abortions in military hospitals and stem-cell research, Obey said.

On the military question, he said, “I told him that I hoped that no member of the armed forces would seek an abortion, but that I was simply not prepared to deny to any woman stationed in Iraq, wearing the uniform of the United States, the use of a military hospital for any purpose.”

On the issue of stem-cell research, Obey said he told Bishop Burke that, “in my estimation, the Church had no better chance to stop research into regenerative medicine than it had

centuries ago in trying to stop Copernicus and Galileo from positing that the earth revolved around the sun rather than the other way around.”

The Catholic Church supports research involving adult stem cells, but opposes embryonic stem-cell research because it involves the destruction of embryos.

When news of the bishop’s letters to three Catholic lawmakers from the La Crosse Diocese was made public last December, Archbishop Burke declined to name the legislators and congressman involved but said the letters were written with the recipients’ spiritual welfare in mind.

“I would be less than faithful as their spiritual leader were I not to do as much,” he said on December 5. “I know this has

been construed as a form of electioneering, but I can tell you it was not that at all.”

A spokesman for the Archdiocese of St Louis said on August 9 that Archbishop Burke had not commented on Obey’s America article.

In the article, Obey said “virtually every issue I have fought for” in Congress “has been driven by the values I learned from the nuns at St James elementary school...”

Obey said he has voted “well over 60 times for limitations of one kind or another on a woman’s right to choose abortion” but acknowledged that “my record on abortion is mixed.”

“I believe there are competing sets of equities on the part of the woman and the fetus that are far more complicated than some people on either side of the issue care to admit,” he said.

International News

Catholic news from around the world

A new lease of life for St Christopher?

An Irish academic has uncovered compelling new evidence that challenges the Vatican’s controversial downgrading of St Christopher’s status among the saints.

The Irish Independent reports that though still revered by travellers, church reforms removed St Christopher from the Universal Calendar in 1969.

It said that the Vatican had been troubled by the fact that many stories of his life may have been merely “legendary” and his beatification was the result of a number of different “legends” being cobbled together.

But now, Professor of Ancient Classics at University College Cork David Woods believes that new information based on an examination of ancient texts by scholars has strengthened the case for St Christopher.

The professor suggests that the saint we know as St Christopher was in fact St Menas, an early Egyptian martyr.

Professor Woods has studied the contents of 3rd- and 4th-century Greek and Latin texts as well as manuscripts dating from the 14th century written in Ethiopic.

These manuscripts were not available to the theologians who

booted St Christopher into the second rank of saints after Vatican II, according to Professor Woods.

“The texts strongly suggest St Christopher was a member of the north African tribe of the Marmaritae,” he told the Independent

Professor Woods says that the man who became known as St Christopher - which in both Greek and Latin literally means “Bearer of Christ” - was captured by Roman forces during the Emperor Diocletian’s campaign against his tribe in about AD 302. In a complex and fascinating

Bishop closes Austrian seminary

SANKT POLTEN, Austria (CNS)

— In consultation with the Vatican and the local bishop, a Vatican-appointed investigator has announced the closing of the seminary in the Austrian Diocese of Sankt Polten “effective immediately.”

Austrian Bishop Klaus Kung of Feldkirch, whom Pope John Paul II appointed to investigate the diocese and its seminary where thousands of pornographic photographs had been found on computers, made the announcement on August 12. The Bishop, in a statement published on the Sankt Polten diocesan Web site,

said “several” of the seminarians were healthy, holy, committed men who would be assisted in finding a new place to continue their studies for the priesthood.

“Unfortunately,” the bishop said, “serious erroneous trends” were found among many of the seminarians. He cited in particular the practice of viewing and downloading pornography from the Internet and the development of “active homosexual relations” among members of the seminary community.

Without directly criticising Sankt Polten Bishop Kurt Krenn, Bishop Kung said, “Over the past years, too little attention was paid to the necessary criteria” for accepting candidates for the priesthood.

“The more pressing the lack of priests,” Bishop Kung said, “the more balanced, more sincere and more virtuous must be those chosen to become priests.”

In late July, Pope John Paul appointed Bishop Kung to make an apostolic visitation of the seminary and the diocese.

The appointment came after a student was arrested on charges relating to child pornography and after an Austrian magazine published photographs police had found on the seminary com-

puters. The seminary rector and vice rector resigned after the photos were published showing staff members and seminarians kissing and fondling each other.

Bishop Krenn initially downplayed the seriousness of the photos, saying they were part of a boyish prank during a Christmas party.

After Bishop Kung was appointed, Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna, president of the Austrian bishops’ conference, said the bishops’ conference and the nuncio to Austria had “warned for months” that Bishop Krenn was “dangerously ignoring the rules of recruitment” by admitting students to the Sankt Polten seminary without checking why they had been rejected elsewhere.

Bishop Kung said “all past and future candidates” for the priesthood in the Sankt Polten Diocese would undergo pastoral and psychological counselling for their own good and for the good of the Church.

“It is a painful hour for the Diocese of Sankt Polten and for the Church in all Austria,” he said.

“I am, however, convinced that in the end this will be good for the Church.”

examination of the Origins of the Cult of St Christopher he points out that in early Byzantine representations, St Christopher is depicted with the head of a dog.

This was based on a literal but false interpretation of the Greco/Roman view that those who lived on the edge of their world, including the Marmaritae, were wild or “dog headed”.

As he argues strongly that St Christopher was a real person, he observes: “One cannot help but see divine providence at work in the fact that St Christopher developed into the patron saint of travellers in the West.”

St Christopher Medal

Students, priests, arrested

HONG KONG (CNS) - Eight priests and two seminarians belonging to the underground Church community in northern China have been arrested, according to the US-based Cardinal Kung Foundation.

The priests and seminarians were arrested on August 6 at about 6 pm in Sujiazhuang village, in Hebei province, while attending a religious retreat, according to the foundation's August 16 statement.

Among those arrested were Father Huo Junlong, administrator of Baoding Diocese, and Father Zhang Zhenquan, also of Baoding. One arrested priest was identified only by the surname Huang, and the names of the other seven were unknown. The Kung statement said those arrested were being detained at the public security office in Baoding, about 130 kilometres southwest of Beijing.

On August 17 a staff member at the public security office told UCA News, an Asian Church news agency based in Thailand, that she was uncertain about the arrest, while another hung up the telephone after further inquiry.

China is split into two Catholic churches: the governmentapproved Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the underground Church community, which maintains ties with the

Vatican. At the parish level, there is some mingling of the two, and Hong Kong church officials have said up to two-thirds of the government-approved bishops have reconciled secretly with the Vatican.

Describing the August raid, the Kung Foundation said about 20 police vehicles and a large number of security officials surrounded the village and conducted a house-to-house search for the priests. According to the statement, the whole operation was carried out so swiftly that few villagers even knew the names of those arrested.

It added that the village is remote and most villagers were inside their houses during the raid, so no one even seemed to realise that the police raid targeted the underground priests and seminarians.

The two bishops and eight other priests of Baoding Diocese are currently detained in various places, the statement said.

Bishop James Su Zhimin of Baoding disappeared again late last year after he was seen for the first time since his arrest on October 8, 1997. Sources told UCA News in late November 2003 that police took away the underground bishop soon after relatives were allowed to visit him briefly in a hospital.

Protecting unborn an obvious duty, born from reason: Cardinal

Vatican official says pro-life stand doesn’t impede religious freedom

PARIS (CNS) - A pro-life stance does not infringe on the freedom of religion; rather, all governments have a duty to protect life from the moment of conception to its natural end, said a top Vatican official.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, said protecting human life “is not a position of faith”; it is an obvious fact born from reason. His remarks appeared in an interview published on August 13 by the magazine of the French newspaper Le Figaro

However, anyone opposed to protecting the right to life also would be acting against the Catholic faith, said the cardinal. “A politician who takes a different position, who does not respect the image of God (in man) and the inviolability of the

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

human person, is also in opposition to the rational elements of faith” and to the “fundamental elements of the Christian conscience,” he said.

Cardinal Ratzinger’s comments follow an

ongoing debate within the Catholic community on whether a priest or bishop should deny Communion to a Catholic politician who supports public policies that stand in opposition to church teachings — particularly on right-to-life issues.

In June, US bishops approved a statement that said politicians who act “consistently to support abortion on demand” risk “cooperating in evil and sinning against the common good.”

They determined that “all must examine their consciences” about their worthiness to receive Communion, including with regard to “fidelity to the moral teaching of the church in public and private life.”

The bishops also added that decisions about any sanctions to be imposed, such as denying Communion, rest with each bishop in his own diocese.

Cardinal Ratzinger’s congregation published a document in January stating that Catholics must not promote or vote for any

laws that would lead to attacks on human life. The Doctrinal Note on Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life said that, while the freedom of conscience leaves Catholics free to choose among political parties and strategies for promoting the common good, they cannot claim that freedom allows them to promote abortion, euthanasia or other attacks on human life.

In the interview with Le Figaro magazine, Cardinal Ratzinger said that document and its teaching do not seek to infringe on political or religious freedom, but favour pluralism.

“The state must guarantee freedom of thought and religion. We do not seek to impose our faith on others through politics,” he said.

But he added that the church is “convinced that faith is a light for reason” and that the Catholic politician must shed that light in the political realm.

Bishop Klaus Kung

Reviews

$24.95 Available in good and bad bookstores or by contacting the author on (08) 9326 8163: mention The Record and get some kind of discount Reviewed by Hugh Ryan

Australia’s first Olympic winner, Edwin Flack, was a man of many interests – and he was good at most of them.

At the 1896 Games in Athens, the first Olympics of the modern era, Flack won the 800 metres and 1500 metres.

In doing so, he established a sustained Australian love and ambition: he beat the Americans, who won every other track and field event in 1896.

He was Australia’s only representative at Athens, which itself is interesting because Australia did not then exist as a unified nation, and his presence enables us to boast that we and the Greeks are the only two nations to have competed at all modern Olympics.

The story of this impressive young man has been well told by Perth journalist Peter Sweeney in his book “Edwin Flack the Lion of Athens”. Sweeney is also the publisher. The book details Flack’s suc-

THE LADYKILLERS Movies Reviewed by David DiCerto

Aquirky quintet of crooks meets its match in a God-fearin’ granny with a nose for sniffing out sin, in the unevenly entertaining black comedy, The Ladykillers

Based on the droll 1955 British gem of the same name which starred Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers, this adaptation by writers-directors Joel and Ethan Coen transplants the story from a London flat to a sleepy town on the Mississippi Delta - the backdrop of their biggest domestic hit, 2001’s O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Yet, while the film bears the unmistakable stamp of the Coens’ off-kilter humour, it does not rank among their best work. Its deep-South setting is beautifully filmed but its obscenity-laced script may have some viewers singing the blues.

Returning to his comedic roots, Tom Hanks stars as Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, Ph.D., a charlatan professor with expertise in Latin, ancient Greek and good old-fashioned chicanery. Goateed and bedecked in a bow tie, the silver-tongued scam artist darkens the doorstep of Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall), a widowed Baptist bulldog with a low threshold for cheek — and an even lower one for the “hippity-hop” music her neighbour blasts on his radio.

Quickly ingratiating himself with sweet talk as highfalutin’ as his name, he rents a room in Marva’s house, taking special interest in her root cellar. The lettered lout seals the deal with the duplicitous disclaimer that he is “a man who is quiet, and yet not quiet.”

But, as one of Hanks’ previous personas was fond of saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.” And no sooner does Marva get

cess in athletics, accountancy, farming, community participation and organisation, and the generosity of his bequests which continue to provide benefits to many almost 70 years after his death on January 10, 1935 at the age of 61.

Edwin Flack was a meticulous keeper of records and diaries and Sweeney has gone through all the available information to give us a readable and reliable view of the man.

The book also gives many historical insights into the times, including the way Baron Pierre de Coubterin virtually conned the sporting world into reviving the Olympics.

More deeply, however, the combination of text and pictures reveals the vast physical and attitudinal gulf between the world on the edge of the 19th century and the world at the beginning of the 21st century. It is an almost eerie experience to browse through Sweeney’s book and then to watch the current Athens Olympics on the television at home.

Today’s is a different world in terms of facilities, in attitudes to sporting achievement, and in the range of international competitors and nations represented.

In his foreword to the book, Herb Elliott, the only other Australian to have won an Olympic 1500-metre title (Rome 1960), notes that Edwin Flack played his part in that, too. He points out that Flack’s willingness to be independent of the cur-

rent sporting mores and to set his own path is the attitude needed by coaches and athletes today if they want to be Olympic champions.

Peter Sweeney has written his book with the same simple, journalistic style which characterised his first book, a semi autobiographical reflection on the first 50

years of his life. Short sentences, short paragraphs and short chapters present the facts about the man succinctly and entice the reader onwards, and the liberal use of quotes from sources of the time quickly evoke the feel of the era.

Edwin Flack the Lion of Athens is an interesting and instructive read.

Tom Hanks and Irma P. Hall star in Touchstone's The Ladykillers.

a new tenant than he invites four of his “friends” to use her basement as a rehearsal space for their band, assuaging Marva’s fears with the soothing assurance, “we play church music.”

As it turns out, the only melody these guys are interested in is the metronomic rhythm of pickaxes, since what they are really doing is using her cellar as a base of operations for digging a tunnel to a vault where a nearby riverboat casino stashes its money.

Following the lead of the erudite impresario are Gawain (Marlon Wayans), the foul-mouthed inside man who works at the casino; sad-sack demolition expert Pancake (J.K. Simmons); the requisite dimwitted muscle, aptly named Lump (Ryan Hurst); and the silent but deadly General (Tzi Ma), a former South Vietnamese officer with expertise in burrowing underground.

The film spends so much time with the set-up and introduction of characters that

the actual execution of the heist seems almost like an afterthought. The story gets back on track, however, when Marva uncovers their plot and threatens to call the police if they don’t do the proper Christian thing and return the stolen money.

From this point on the comedy navigates darker waters, as Dorr’s gang decides to kill the righteous landlady — thus justifying the film’s title. Each failed attempt to knock her off results in a series of backfiring consequences that are at once twisted and perversely funny. Hanks is at the top of his game as the scholarly scoundrel. Hall’s bulletproof Baptist is also pitch perfect. Unfortunately, much of the dialogue contains unnecessarily raw language. The film at times also resorts to gross potty humour, as in the running gag involving Pancake’s irritable bowel syndrome, which flares up at the least opportune occasions. Some viewers may be put off by the use of violence to elicit laughter, especially during

the film’s gallows-humour climax.

Still, the movie is not without moral merit. “The Ladykillers” opens with a shot of a garbage barge trudging down the Mississippi underscored by Gospel music. And while the image will come into play later on, the overlaying of the sacred on the profane also cues viewers to the moral dilemma at the centre of the narrative.

After she gums up their caper, Dorr tries to bribe Marva with a full cut of the loot, playing on her pious sensibilities, by explaining that the money was stolen from a “sinful” casino and could be used to do good. The not-so-little old lady comes through the ends-justifies-the-means temptation with a little help from the disapproving portrait of her dead husband, stating, “It’s stealing. It’s just plain wrong.”

Due to some violence, a comedic treatment of larceny, as well as much rough and sexually crude language and humour, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is AIII - adults. - CNS

Photo:CNS/Touchstone

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Sunday,August 22

ETERNAL WORD TELEVISION NETWORK

1-2pm on Access 31:Debunking the Da Vinci Code:a blasphemous novel by Don Brown/ Sandra Miesel with Johnette Benkovic (The Abundant Life Series).In a secular society in which Christianity is under attack, a strong voice is vital to uphold the Faith.Your help is needed to keep EWTN on Access 31, as funds are running low.Please send donations to The Rosary Christian Tutorial Association, PO Box 1270, Booragoon 6954.Enq:9330 1170

SundayAugust 22

GATE OF HEAVEN

Sunday at 7:30pm on 107.9 FM, Radio Fremantle.This week we will feature:(1) Our Lady in Scripture and Tradition, Mary Queen of all Saints with Fr Andrew Apostoli.(2) The Teaching of Jesus Christ, The 5th Commandment with Fr John Corapi.Donations toward the program may be sent to Gate of Heaven, PO Box 845, Claremont, WA 6910. Programs subject to change without notice.

Sunday August 22

BASILICA OF ST PATRICK

47 Adelaide St Fremantle.Flame Ministry Prayer gathering 2.30-4pm.Prayer, Rosary and Benediction.Enq:Fr John Sherman 9335 2268.

Sunday August 22

CHILDREN OF THE CROSS COMMUNITY

Please join us for our community prayer from 23pm and for morning prayer every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday morning at 7am.Prayer is held in Santa Clara Church, Bentley.Enq:9458 3922.

Sunday August 22

WORLD YOUTH DAY REUNION MASS

St Thomas More Church, Bateman (100 Dean Road) at 6pm.All past World Youth Day participants are invited to attend, as are young people intending to go to WYD in Cologne, Germany in August 2005.Enq:Bateman Youth Office 9310 1747.

Sunday August 22

ALAN AMES HEALING MASS

St Catherine’s Catholic Church GinGin.BYO Lunch, 12noon.Mass 1.30pm.Enq:Loretta 9444 4409 or Fr Paul 9571 1839.Bus enquiries 0404 893 877.

Tuesday August 24

SPIRITUALITY IN THE PUB

At the Elephant and Wheelbarrow Pub Lake St Northbridge from 7.30-9pm.The theme: Embracing Hope, continues with a performance by the Band of Angels Gospel Choir.Some of the choir members will talk about the inspiration

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of gospel music in their lives.Join us for dinner from 6.30pm.Queries:Andrew 0422 305 742.

Wednesday August 25

THE LIVING HERITAGE OF VATICAN II

Fr Gerald O’Collins SJ, a Professor of Systematic and Fundamental Theology, Gregorian University Rome, will be giving this year’s Slattery Lecture at the University of Notre Dame Australia, in Foley Hall (off Mouat Street, Fremantle) 7.30pm.The topic is The Living Heritage of Vatican II.Information:College of Theology on 9433 0138.

Wednesday August 25

SOUTHERN AREA MENTAL HEALTH

SUPPORT GROUP

Meet fourth Wednesday of each month at St Thomas More Church Parish Meeting Room, 100 Dean Road, Bateman.Starts at 7.30pm and will finish about 9pm.Contact and information, Aileen 9330 2651, Jenny 9332 4532, Lesley 9337 6295, Margaret 9364 8146.

Friday August 27

BUSINESS PERSONS MASS

Will be celebrated at All Saints Chapel, Allendale Square, Perth at 7am followed by a Breakdfast Meeting at the W.A.Club, 101 St Georges Tce, Perth.Guest Speaker:Fr Michael McMahon.Enq:9384 0809.

Sunday August 29 50TH ANNIVERSARY

NAREMBEEN CHURCH

Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Hickey at 11am to mark the 50th Anniversary of the blessing and opening of Our Lady of The Blessed Sacrament Church, Narembeen.Contact: Rhonda Hickey Box 43, Narembeen 6369 or phone 9065 3026.

Sunday August 29

BULLSBROOK SHRINE

PILGRIMAGE

Shrine of Virgin of the Revelation, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook.The next monthly pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin of the Revelation, will be held on the last Sunday of the month, at 2pm. The pilgrimage includes Rosary, the Pilgrimage Mass at 2.30pm, procession to the Shrine, Benediction and blessing of the sick. Reconciliation from 1.30pm, Pilgrimage Mass at 2.30pm.Bus transport departs Barrack St at 12.30 for Bullsbrook via Highgate, Guildford and Midland.Bookings:0409 296 810 or 9277 5378 Enq:SACRI on 9447 3292.

Friday September 3

PRO-LIFE PROCESSION

MIDLAND

The First Friday Mass, procession and Rosary

Vigil will commence at 9.30am with Mass celebrated at St Brigid’s Church, Midland.The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate will lead us. All are invited to witness for the sanctity of life and pray for the conversion of hearts.Enq: Helen 9402 0349.

Friday September 3

GOLDEN JUBILEE

St Joseph Pignatelli, Attadale.Jubilee Dinner, Tompkins Park Recreaton Centre, Alfred Cove. Contact Steve on 9330 4000.

Saturday September 4

THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC (RSCM)

Is holding a Hymn Fest from 2:30 to 4pm at St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Cnr Karoo and Ridge Sts in South Perth.Director:Fr Timothy Deeter.Organist:Dr Colin Day.Fr Deeter will present historical, theological and musical information about each hymn.Afternoon tea will follow.Enq:9328 4518 or casapgf@iinet.net.au

Saturday September 4

WITNESS FOR LIFE

PROCESSION

The next First Saturday Mass, procession and Rosary Vigil will commence with Mass at 8.30am at St Anne’s Church, Hehir St Belmont. We proceed prayerfully to the Rivervale Abortion Centre and conclude with Rosary.Led by Fr Paul Carey.Please join us to pray peacefully for the conversion of hearts.Enq:Helen 9402 0349.

Saturday September 4

DAY WITH MARY

St Joseph, Cabrini Rd, Marangaroo 9am–5pm. A video on Fatima will be shown at 9am.A day of prayer and instruction based on the messages of Fatima.Includes Sacrament of Penance, Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, sermons, Rosaries, Procession of The Blessed Sacrament and Stations of the Cross.BYO.Enq: Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate 9384 3311

Sunday September 5

JUBILEE MASS

St Joseph Pignatelli, Attadale at 9.30am, followed by displays and morning tea.Past parishioners and friends are welcome.

Sunday September 5

48 HOUR PERPETUAL ROSARY BOUQUET

For Our Lady’s Birthday commencing 6pm, concluding Tuesday Sept 7, 6pm.To take part please contact Margaret 9446 1935 Fax 9446 1933, Jan 9255 1382 Fax 9255 4182, Kathy 9622 5963 or post rosters to 2 Suso St, Woodlands 6018 or email bowen@iinet.net.au. Rosary can be said anytime during THE 48 hours.

Fr Brian O'Loughlin VG

2950th Anniversary Mass of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church, NarembeenArchbishop Hickey Induction of new Cathedral choir members, St Mary's Cathedral - Bishop Sproxton Rosary for Migrant Chaplains and Pastoral Workers, St Mary's Cathedral - Bishop Sproxton Confirmation, Armadale - Mgr Thomas McDonald

29/8 - 3/9Clergy Retreat - Bishop Sproxton

31/8-1/9Central Commission, CanberraArchbishop Hickey

You can’t keep a good man down

Father Groeschel slowed but working again after near-fatal accident

By Tracy Early

Father Benedict Groeschel, who hovered near death after a car hit

him on January 11 in Florida, is again walking and working. The priest, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal, walks more slowly and carries a cane for extra security. At daily Mass, he is usually a concelebrant rather than the celebrant. And an afternoon nap has become a new feature of his life.

“But I walked over a mile yes-

terday,” he said in an interview on August 9.

Internationally known for his retreat work and writing, Father Groeschel said he had led a retreat the previous week, the first since his accident, and had another scheduled for September.

Mother Angelica’s EWTN cable

network has been an outlet for his work, and has replayed some of his old programs during his illness. But he said he had recorded one new program and planned others.

EWTN announced on August 9 that the priest would appear via satellite on August 11 on “EWTN Live,” hosted by Jesuit Father Mitch Pacwa. Father Groeschel said he also plans to resume teaching a course in pastoral psychology at the New York archdiocesan seminary. And he outlined an ambitious program of writing — by dictation — and editing several books that he expected to see in print later this year and next year. “I’m terribly busy,” he said.

All this represents enormous progress for a priest who was brought back from Florida on a medical plane on February 20, and spent months in hospital and then in rehabilitation before his release in June.

About 30 years ago New York Cardinal Terence Cooke assigned him to use a large house as a retreat centre, mainly for priests. It is in a former private home that was given to the New York Archdiocese.

The house’s former garage was adapted for Father Groeschel’s private quarters, though currently he is staying in a guest room in the house so someone can always be nearby. His fellow friars take turns staying with him and assisting him. His condition means every detail of his daily life must get special attention. For him, performing various tasks is not necessarily accomplished with ease and comfort.

“I prayed that I would be able to get out of a chair and walk, and take care of my personal hygiene, and I can do that,” he said. “What I still need is help getting dressed and tidying up a little.”

Father Groeschel said he hopes that soon he will no longer require personal assistance and can return to his own quarters. But he said he will have to have a hospital bed — he needs to sleep with his head and feet elevated to avoid edema, or an accumulation of fluid. Despite his encouraging progress, serious problems remain, and he has to take a “humongous” amount of medi-

cine, he said.

In an August 6 message on his order’s Web site, www.franciscanfriars.com, he commented that anyone in a situation such as his has to be “prepared to live with an incredible array of pills, capsules, powders, syrups and other mysterious objects.”

Alluding to damage to his right shoulder and a crushed right elbow, he commented in his August 5 message, “I’m thinking that people will be calling me Lefty.”

The priest has been writing a daily message for the friars’ Web site, though once in a while his message does not get posted to the site.

In the interview, he showed he had regained some use of the fingers on his right hand, but said he probably could not have surgery on the shoulder and arm because he is taking a blood thinner and stopping the medication for surgery would put him in danger of having a stroke.

Although Father Groeschel, who turned 71 on July 23, anticipates further recovery, he acknowledged that he probably will no longer be flying around the country.

“I have resigned from the board of the Franciscan University in Steubenville (Ohio), and I will probably have to resign from the board of Ava Maria University,” which is in Florida, he said.

“I will do my retreats here, and I will preach at churches in the area,” he added.

One result of the accident and hospitalisation that his doctors consider positive is the fact Father Groeschel lost 40 pounds, he reported. He is supposed to maintain a low-cholesterol diet to keep the weight off.

He was postulator for Cardinal Cooke’s sainthood cause, but that role has now been given to another priest. However, Father Groeschel plans to remain involved in the cause.

Citing Blessed Mother Teresa, Cardinal Cooke and others, Father Groeschel said, “I have been blessed to know five or six people who are likely to be canonised.” And he calls on them for their intercession every day, he said.

Ed:Fr Benedict’s Arise from Darkness is available from The Record

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Father Benedict Groeschel speaks at a ceremony for eight brothers of his order who took their perpetual vows on August 1 in New York. Recovering from a near-fatal accident in January, the founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal is slowly getting back to his busy schedule.

Photo:CNS/Chris Sheridan