2012
Year of Grace Beginning this Pentecost Sunday, every Catholic in Australia will be challenged to reconnect with Christ in their everyday lives. We ask Perth coordinator, Paddy Buckley, what the Year of Grace is all about - pages 8-9
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LOCAL
Round-Up CHRIS JAQUES
Mercy top health care dog in the water saving stakes Mercy Hospital in Mt Lawley was the only health care facility out of 129 businesses honoured by the state government for its water-saving efforts as part of the water-efficiency management plan. It was opened as St Anne’s Nursing Home on April 10, 1937. Established by the Sisters of Mercy, St Anne’s was the Sisters’ response to meeting the areas of unmet need they saw within WA health services at the time. The Sisters determined that if the Perth community was to receive the high quality health care it deserved, the Congregation would have to build its own hospital. This generous, innovative and courageous response to an issue has been part of the Sisters of Mercy character since its foundation. Today, Mercy Hospital Mount Lawley is a modern, not-forprofit private hospital that continues to proudly serve its community with the same philosophy of exceptional care started by the Sisters. It has also just won recognition as a waterwise business for its 35 to 50 per cent improvement in water use since 2009.
Eagle returns to spur on the home side for Red Shield effort Prendiville Catholic College kicked off its efforts towards the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal recently
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when ex-student and Eagles midfielder Matt Priddis returned to the school to provide encouragement. The college has been raising money from a variety of events for more than ten years under the leadership of Christian learning service coordinator Paddy Devlin. The target of $860,000 from this year’s May 19-20 appeal will help the homeless, domestic violence victims and others struggling to feed and clothe families.
Mums everywhere were smiling
Not the only Western Australian to attend Campion Correction: The article ‘Education no chore for homeschool graduate’, which appeared in the last edition of The Record (May 16, 2012, page 3) said that Ben McCabe was the only Western Australian studying at Campion College, Sydney. We accurately reported the information with which we were supplied, which turned out to be incorrect. At least one other WA student attends Campion.
Barbara Paterniti (second from the right) and volunteers from the Catholic Women’s League at the Open Garden day.
Mother’s Day Open Garden fundraiser a great success Catholic Mission’s Mother’s Day Open Garden raised $6,133 last weekend for Sr Maureen Elliott’s rural health centre in the Vicariate of Awassa, Ethiopia. Over 700 people attended the open garden week-end. Many commented on the peacefulness of the garden, the warmth of the hospitality provided, and the easy-listening ambience created by the musicians, making the
total experience truly memorable. Sr Maureen and the Catholic Mission office said they were grateful to all involved, especially Tony Williams for making his garden available and for “the tremendous work that had gone into preparing it for this event”; Barbara Paterniti and her team of volunteers from the Catholic Women’s League who provided the hospitality on the Saturday and Helen Lesniak and her team of volunteers from St Francis Xavier parish in Armadale who provided the hospitality on Mother’s Day itself. Catholic Mission director, Francis Leong gave special thanks to his brother-in-law and mandolin player, Peter Rosengren and the String Tanglers who “so perfectly provided the musical accompaniment and
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Oral tradition preserved and embellished the story of this founder of one of Ireland’s main pilgrimage sites. Born in Leinster and baptized by St. Cronan, Kevin was educated in a monastery near Dublin. After ordination, he lived alone in a cave for seven years, compromising his health and using a Bronze-Age stone tomb as his church. After recovering, he gathered some disciples and founded the abbey of Glendalough in Wicklow. According to legend, he made a pilgrimage to Rome, visited St. Kieran at Clonmacnoise and lived to the age of 120.
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Professor John Finnis an internationally renowned legal scholar and philosopher, will speak on Law, Philosophy and Immigration
Sunday 27th - Red PENTECOST SUNDAY (SOLEMNITY) Vigil Mass 1st Reading: Geb 11:1-9 A tower to heaven Responsorial Ps 103:1-2, 24, Psalm: 27-30, 35 Majesty and glory Gospel Reading: Rom 8:22-27 Wait to be set free Mass during the day 1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11 Preaching God’s marvels Responsorial Ps 103:1, 24, 29-31, 34 Psalm: God’s Spirit gives life 2nd Reading: 1 Cor 12:3-7, 12-13 Same Spirit, Lord, God Gospel Reading: Jn 20:19-23 Receive the Holy Spirit Monday 28th - Green 8TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II 1st Reading: 1 Pet 1:3-9 A new birth, a sure hope Responsorial Ps 110:1-2, 5-6, 9-10 Psalm: The beginning of wisdom Gospel Reading: Mk 10:17-27 What must I do?
Classifieds/Panoramas/Subscriptions Catherine Gallo-Martinez
Aquinas specialist to invite public discussion on immigration
Policy at Notre Dame Fremantle on Tuesday, June 5. He is a Professor of Law and Legal Philosophy at the University College, Oxford; Biolchini Family Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana; and was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate by The University of Notre Dame Australia Professor Finnis has expertise in the fields of social, political and legal theory and the work of Aquinas and Shakespeare. He has authored six books, including: Moral Absolutes: Tradition, Revision and Truth, Aquinas: Moral, Political and Legal Theory and Natural Law and Natural Rights. Prof Finnis will speak in the Santa Maria Lecture Theatre, beginning 6pm. Contact Rachael on 9433 0840 to reserve your seat.
READINGS OF THE WEEK
Kevin Acting Editor
dulcet tunes to enhance the garden experience on both days”, Mr Leong said. A number of people who weren’t Catholic did comment on the worthiness of the cause and of the feeling of welcome they experienced, Mr Leong reported.
Tuesday 29th - Green 1st Reading: 1 Pet 1:10-16 Be holy! Responsorial Ps 97:1-4 Psalm: Sing a new song Gospel Reading: Mk 10:28-31 Many now last will be first
Wednesday 30th - Green 1st Reading: 1 Pet 1:18-25 Let love be real, pure Responsorial Ps 147:12-15, 19-20 Psalm: Praise the Lord! Gospel Reading: Mk 10:32-45 No lording over others Thursday 31st - White VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (FEAST) 1st Reading: Zeph 3:14-18 Enemies driven away Responsorial Isa 12:2-6 Psalms: Praise God’s name Gospel Reading: Lk 1:39-56 Mary exults in God Friday 1st - Red ST JUSTIN, MARTYR (M) 1st Reading: 1 Pet 4:7-13 Share Christ’s sufferings Responsorial Ps 95:10-13 Psalm: God’s just rule Gospel Reading: Mk 11:11-26 Have faith in God Saturday 2nd - Green SS MARCELLINUS AND PETER, MARTYRS (O) 1st Reading: Jud 17, 20-25 Build on your faith Responsorial Ps 62:2-6 Psalm: your love better than life Gospel Reading: Mk 11:27-33 what authority have you?
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One Kolbe to another, school receives blessing THE sun shone brightly on Kolbe Catholic College, Rockingham, as guests arrived for the official blessing and opening of the college’s newly refurbished Visual Arts and Home Economics Centre and the new Technology Centre last week. At the beginning of proceedings, the Archbishop of Perth articulated his special connection with St Maximilian Kolbe. He remembered back to when he was appointed a bishop, five years ago and his first blessing - the site of a new school in Victoria. The name of the school to be built on that site was, coincidentally, Kolbe Catholic College. So His Grace found it amazing that his first visit to a secondary school in Western Australia was to another Kolbe Catholic College community. The Year 8 students played a pivotal role throughout the ceremony, leading prayers and readings and
presenting an ornate drama presentation of the Gospel reading of Martha and Mary. After the archbishop had taken a tour of the facilities, blessing them as he went, he extended blessings to all the Year 8 students, dousing them with Holy Water.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe’s first visit to a Western Australian high school. A staff member said “the college community was most privileged to have Archbishop Timothy Costelloe in attendance to lead the blessing ceremony”, along with the support of Catholic Education’s Ron Dullard, and other dignitaries.
Above, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe blesses Kolbe Catholic College’s Year 8 students in Rockingham. Left, students act out the Gospel story of Martha and Mary. PHOTOS: LEANNE JOYCE
Infant Jesus ministers are worth their weight in silver
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Absolutely!! WA’s most trusted car dealer Long-time Eucharistic ministry co-ordinator, Sylvia Brough accepts a gift of thanks from Infant Jesus parish priest, Fr Sunny Abraham OCD. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
EIGHT stalwarts of service were honoured at Infant Jesus Parish Morley on May 12 for 25 years of distributing the Eucharist. The eight were commissioned at the very beginning of the ministry in the parish, on April 14, 1987. Fr Tadgh Tierney presented each with a certificate of appreciation, with most of the parish’s 98 extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist joining them for the ministry’s Silver Jubilee. Following Mass and dinner, the evening also presented an opportunity to make a presentation of flowers to retiring coordinator, Sylvia Brough, who had served in the role
for nearly seven years. All the acolytes of the parish were also included in the celebration, some of whom had been distributing communion during Masses for up to 28 years. The cutting of the cake was reserved for our longest serving acolyte, Br James Groth, who recently retired after 38 years serving on the Altar. “It was a wonderful evening of fellowship and thanksgiving and a perfect opportunity to express our thanks to those who have given so much to the parish over the last quarter of a century,” said parish priest, Fr Sunny Abraham OCD.
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Catholic Chiro works healing hands in India By Juanita Shepherd WHEN Catholic, Andrew Smith arrived in India, his fellow chiropractors said the following two weeks would change his life. They weren’t wrong, Mr Smith, 25, told The Record last week. Mr Smith was volunteering with Hands on India, a Murdoch University chiropractic student initiative, begun in 2005 by Brett Dellar. Each year, students travel to India to provide chiropractic care to the people of Siliguri, a small town situated on the riverbank in West Bengal. “I’ve been doing chiro for the past five years.” Mr Smith said. “I wanted to be part of giving back to the community so when I heard about the trip to India I knew I wanted to go and make a difference.” Mr Smith travelled with a group of 21 students and 10 practising chiropractors to Bagdogra at the end of last year. Bagdogra is the home of Seva Kendra, the Catholic Mission that supports Hands on India. “When we got there one of the chiropractors said the next two weeks are going to change your lives, spend some time and think about your lives now and write it down and put it away.” Mr Smith said “And at the end of the trip see
how you’ve changed.” Mr Smith and his group set up five separate clinics, all held at a number of different locations within the region. The Balasan catered to the ‘rock breakers’ community – people who broke rocks and loaded them on trucks for a living, the Jesuit Ashram, a hospice providing care to patients suffering a variety of diseases was the second clinic followed by the Mother Teresa Hospital, the Chenga School run by nuns and finally the Seva Kendra Mission, a clinic set up for the local community of Siliguri. “I spent an afternoon at Chenga School.” Mr Smith said about his first visit to a school in the slums. “We arrived there and we were just greeted by so many kids with big smiles.” Many children received treatment. Mr Smith managed to treat around 40 children while four other students reported similar numbers. “It was great spending that time with the kids.” Mr Smith said. “Some of them were really shy and scared but give them a cuddle and a tickle and they leave with a grin on their faces. To be a positive influence in the life of a child is the best thing you can do, I love working with children.” Hands on India takes part in a number of activities, not only do the members administer their chi-
Chiropractor Andrew Smith makes a friend during his time volunteering in India.
ropractic skills, but they have managed to purchase a plot of land in India and plans are under way to build a new school for the children. “We have a quiz night, movie nights, sausage sizzles and a char-
Girls get uplifting counsel YEAR 12 students at Mercedes College raved about the time they had talking to the mentors at their mentoring breakfast on May 17. The Mentors’ Breakfast is held each year to provide an opportunity for students to gain valuable information about careers they may be considering. Andrea McClure, who sat at the Law table with Brie Ayling (1995), who is a criminal lawyer, said after speaking with Brie it was comforting to know that you do not need to have your pathway mapped out straight away. “Brie explained that to begin with she found general law very dry, but she found as her studies progressed that her pathway became much clearer.” Brie Ayling works for Legal Aid WA as defence counsel for people charged with criminal offences. It was the first time Brie had attended a College function since her graduation and she was very impressed with Mercedes future graduates. “The students had lots of questions which showed how much thought they had given to their tertiary options,” she said. Careers Counsellor, Cheryl
ity ball to raise funds.” Mr Smith said. “We develop on what we did last year.” “Throughout the year we fundraise.” Mr Smith said. “The money goes towards medical supplies,
Alach said ex-students were invited from diverse career backgrounds including architecture, environmental science, journalism, medicine, law, health, journalism and
finance. “Students were given the opportunity to select a Mentor they wished to speak to (and) were able to move to another table and gather information from another mentor.”
CBC Perth & Trinity College
Staff Reunion Sundowner All past CBC Perth & Trinity College staff are warmly invited to a Jubilee Staff Reunion Sundowner as part of the celebra�ons to mark our �ieth year on our East Perth site. The Sundowner will be held on Friday 8 June 2012 so please RSVP by Thursday 31 May to Julie Fazey on 9223 8106 or fazey.julie@trinity.wa.edu.au
interpreters, transport and into developing programs.” The organisation has an upcoming quiz night on June 16. For donations and general enquires please contact info@handsonindia.com.au
Year 9s excel, collect three tonnes for Vinnies EMMANUEL College’s Year 9s have collected three tonnes of clothing and bedding for St Vincent de Paul. The students took part in the Door to Door Clothing Appeal as part of their community service project. Emmanuel’s Christian Service Coordinator, Megan Mentz said Vinnies will let them know how many of each item was collected. “Students respond better when they know what happens afterwards,” Mrs Mentz said. Each student was given 10 door hangers for the project, with two
Mercedes College students benefit from the experience of Mercedes graduate and criminal lawyer, Brie Ayling. PHOTO: MERCEDES COLLEGE
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Vinnies clothing bags per hanger and instructions to ask 10 houses in their neighbourhood to donate clothes. “In terms of service time, the Year 9 project is the biggest. They have to give their time, move out of their comfort zone and they have to collect on Saturday - their day off.” Mrs Mentz said the three tonne truck Vinnies sent to collect the donations was filled to the brim. “All the parents said very positive things and no one begrudged giving up their time and said they enjoyed spending time with their kids,” she said.
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Women lock arms to rejuvenate faith By Glynnis Grainger THE WA branch of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) part of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) held its annual Mass on Friday, May 11 at St Benedict’s Church, Applecross, with celebrant Parish Priest Fr Peter Whitely. The theme of the Mass was “Go Now You Are Sent Forth” and was attended by about 80 CWL women, hosted by the Applecross branch. WUCWO in the Asia Pacific Region comprises Catholic women’s organisations from Australia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines and Tonga and the Mass included prayers and readings chosen by the members of their sister organisation CWL Fiji. WUCWO is an international network of Catholic women’s organisations and has special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. CWL Archdiocesan President Barbara Paterniti welcomed all to the WUCWO Day of Prayer, “which we celebrate with our sister organisations around the world.” Catholic missionaries reached Fiji in the 1840s and there are now approximately 80,000 Catholics in Fiji, just under 10% of the total population, she said. This makes Catholicism the second biggest denomination in Fiji, behind the Methodist Church. According to the 1996 census, just over 75% of Catholics are
indigenous Fijians, with minority communities making up the balance. Mrs Paterniti said: “The CWL in Fiji has also been proactive in promoting peace and reconciliation, and has worked closely with Christian women of other denominations, and CWL Fiji president Mrs Susana Evening currently serves as Regional vice-president of WUCWO.” In his introduction, Fr Whitely said the CWL, through WUCWO,
With member organisations in Fiji, India, Korea, Tonga and the Phillipines, the women are in a good position to evangelise. aimed to work with the women of the world and the women of Fiji. In his homily, Fr Whitely said WUCO promoted the Mission to evangelise and work for human development, to send the good news to the poor and freedom to captives. “Women have a special role in that and can still make a difference,” Fr Whitely said. “Evangelisation - bringing the good news of God is His role for us. Pope John Paul II promotes the New Evangelisation, revitalising
Send us your
Women from the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations and Fr Peter Whitely.
them and helping them come back to good relations with God. “People have left the Faith, given up. We have to deepen our relationships with Christ.” Fr Whitely continued: “We must not just be saying prayers but actually praying, making sure we pray from our hearts. “Where is Jesus in what I am
doing?” he asked the congregation to ask themselves. Josephite Sr Carla Curran and Applecross branch president Pat Richards read the Prayers of the Faithful and Bev Macri and Sheila Cullinane took up the Offertory gifts. St Benedict’s School students sang for the Mass and were invited
PHOTO: GEORGE GRAINGER
to join the buffet lunch, catered by the Applecross branch after the CWL members had eaten. Also attending was Molly Indermaur who has been a CWL member for 50 years. The CWL will celebrate 75 years in WA on May 27 at St Mary’s Cathedral with Mass said by Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey.
Child’s Bible - ‘God Speaks to His Children’ The Catholic Church’s most successful Child’s Bible ever! Feed a Child with the Word of God
Year of Grace stories to
Worldwide, the Church is under attack Beautifully illustrated by Spanish nun, from atheistic regimes, militant Islam, Miren Sorne, this delightful Child’s bible is sects and basic ignorance of the Faith. available for a donation of $7.00. The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is able to counter these attacks by supplying Child’s Bibles to children and families who simply cannot afford them, in countries where the Church is poor or persecuted.
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Contemplate the
face of Christ
Since its launch in 1979, ACN has printed and distributed 48 million copies of God Speaks to His Children in 167 languages. It is the Catholic Church’s most successful Child’s bible ever!
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Rosary from the Holy Land
Simple in design and yet profound in its symbolic significance, the olivewood rosary, handmade in Bethlehem by Christian families struggling for survival, are also available for a donation of $7.00. All proceeds will go towards the work of Aid to the Church in Need for the poor and persecuted Church worldwide.
This inspiring book can also teach the Faith here in Australia: with your family, godchildren, or in your parish or school. The Child’s Bible is a perfect gift for children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces, especially to mark a First Holy Communion. The Bible complements the catechism and children’s rosary booklet also published by ACN and available via our website.
BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT 48 Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments Available for a donation of $7.00 A lovely gift idea!
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NATION
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Same person at the core in a new media world By Anthony Barich A lot has changed since Jesus Christ’s first Disciples travelled “to the ends of the earth” to proclaim the Gospel. Today, one of the Church’s crucial missionary lands is on the Internet – online - and the apostles are also young, using for good the world’s technology that also has so much power for destruction. To form a plan of action of how the Church in Australia can do this, scores of bishops from around the country joined many more Catholics who work in both religious and secular media to address the April 30-May 2 Congress’s theme: Communicating the Word: Timeless Messages, New Media. The theme was especially appropriate given the words of Pope Benedict just three years prior, on World Communications Day 2009: “In the early life of the Church, the great Apostles and their disciples brought the Good News of Jesus to the Greek and Roman world. “Just as, at that time, a fruitful evangelisation required that careful attention be given to understanding the culture and customs of those pagan peoples so that the truth of the gospel would touch their hearts and minds, so also today, the proclamation of Christ in the world of new technologies requires a profound knowledge of this world if the technologies are to serve our mission adequately. “It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this ‘digital continent’.” Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, addressed the Congress about the ramifications for the Church that people are communicating more online, especially through ‘social media’. To this end, the Congress held workshops on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, e-conferencing, e-learning technology and blogging, as well as the ethics that can be involved. “We are living through an extraordinary time of change,” he said in an interview with The Record after the conference. “There have been phenomenal changes in technologies – the machines that we use to communicate are faster, smaller, more
Mgr Paul Tighe, keynote speaker at the recent Communicating the Word media conference.
powerful, more linked in than ever before,” he said. “What is really interesting is how people have used all these new technologies in order to change the patterns of communication. So our interest is how the culture of com-
has in the area of communications is the extraordinary number of people who work in what is known as ‘Catholic media’ – like The Record: journalists, website developers, plus TV and radio producers who have chosen to work to use these skills
PHOTO: ACBC
terms of our presence in the media world,” he said. Mgr Tighe said that at the core of all communication among and from the Church – that is, all the baptised – is not a message per se, but a person.
We need to utilise new media in the best possible ways, not to communicate a message, but to introduce people to the person, Jesus Christ. munications has changed. “This means that to communicate effectively, we have to do so in a new and different way.” Mgr Tighe stressed that the Council he works with is not the press office of the Vatican, nor is it a media outlet. Its role is to advocate and promote the importance of communications in the life of the Church generally. He reported that one of the most important sources the Council has identified globally that the Church
to promote the message of Christ and, therefore, the teachings of the Church. Media workers, inside and outside the Church, are living through a time of massive upheaval in their industries. “The conference focused on trying to understand the media, helping people who are often too busy working in the media to be able to step back and make the kind of reflections that are necessary, so that we can be more effective in
“(It’s) a person called Jesus Christ who showed us what God’s love means, who demonstrated the fullness of God’s love for us and who invites us into relationship with Him so that we can know what it is to be loved so that we can discover our own capacity to be people of love and service. “So in any message we’re promoting, and if we’re to be faithful to be the teaching of Jesus, we’re always trying to draw people into relationship with Christ and with
each other, and we’re also calling them to embody physical service of other people. That, in itself, offers us some orientation as to how we go about our business.” But the practicalities present a conundrum – especially as younger people in particular are more inclined to browse media than to really read, Mgr Tighe said. “They’re clicking through, they’re flicking through, and unless you say or show them something quickly that grabs their attention, they’ll just move on,” he said. This challenge is compounded by the fact that today’s new media allows for a more direct presentation of what we want to say, but it can be lost in a bigger volume of communications. “The danger now with the internet is that there is so much there, but instead of relying for a global exchange of information it can actually lead to a type of polarisation – ‘I only go to certain websites; I only watch certain shows; read certain newspapers, because I know I’m in agreement with them’,” Mgr Tighe said. Archbishop Coleridge believes the Congress’s demographics may point towards an answer. He said that it revealed a very clear divide between what he called “digital natives” (young people) and “digital non-natives” (people like himself, in his early 60s). In this regard, he said, he is “always speaking a foreign language” when he is using online social media, which is not his “mother tongue, no matter how well I speak”. “For younger people who have grown up in this digital world, it is their ‘mother tongue’. So this is one of the crucial areas of Church life where we have to listen to younger people and they may well be the missionaries of people my age,” he added. However, the bishops don’t get off ‘scot-free’: they must take responsibility for forming young people through catechesis and helping equip families with the armoury needed to form their children to decipher right from wrong, true from false, good from evil. “The bishops don’t have to do everything; they never have had to. The bishop has to oversee and ensure it’s done. That’s why there was an impressive number of bishops at this media congress,” he said.
Private Catholic health goes public By Sarah Motherwell AUSTRALIAN’S want access to private healthcare, and preferably care which is Catholic if the evidence is anything to go by, the Chair of Catholic Health Australia, Tony Wheeler, said recently. Mr Wheeler told The Record the growth of Catholic Health Australia hospitals was a sign Australians wanted a private health system and State Governments are looking to the Catholic health care family to deliver more public services. Earlier this month at a conference with the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers at Vatican City, Mr Wheeler spoke of the growth of CHA hospitals from 55 to 75 in the past decade, with St John of God Health Care about to build a new public hospital in Perth and in New South Wales. “To some extent I think it is evidence of the fact Australians want a public health system (aswell) and its part of the evolution of the system, which is growing in strength,” Mr Wheeler told The Record. He said Australians want a private health system, one, which is
Catholic-based, and looks to care for the whole person - not just treating a disease or an ailment. CHA is currently campaigning for the Federal Government to launch a Senate Inquiry into the social determinants of health. “The nurture people receive in childhood and education that they receive whether they have a job, a
Australia’s private Catholic hospitals attend to the whole person, Mr Wheeler said, not just ailments. home and social interaction... these issues part in the longevity of not just Australians but people everywhere,” Mr Wheeler said. In his speech to the Council, Mr Wheeler spoke of Indigenous population’s vulnerability to eyesight problems, with rates of blindness and vision loss in Australians at least six times higher than in rates
of non-Indigenous Australians. “In Indigenous populations, it is the remoteness of the area. It is not always easy to get clinicians and those able to assist them into those areas and the people themselves are not keen to present to clinicians.” There is currently a worldwide shortage of individuals who are qualified to treat vision-impaired patients. Mr Wheeler said the conference gave an estimate that there are about 285 million people who are vision-impaired and 205,000 ophthalmologists, most of which are concentrated largely in developed countries. Later this year Mr Wheeler will be stepping down from his position as Chair at CHA and board member of Mercy Care WA. Director of St Vincent and Holy Spirit Health and Mary Aikenhead Ministries trustee, Rowena McNally, is expected to fill the position. Mr Wheeler lives in Busselton and has been Chair of CHA for five years. The 2012 Catholic Health Australia conference will be held in Perth from August 20 to 22.
Chair of Catholic Health Australia, Tony Wheeler.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
WORLD
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Do not withdraw, engage Pope tells US bishops VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In five speeches over a period of six months, Pope Benedict XVI warned visiting US bishops of the threats that an increasingly secularised society poses to the Church in America, especially in the areas of religious liberty, sexual morality and the definition of marriage. Yet the pope did not advise that American Catholics withdraw from a largely hostile environment in order to preserve their values and faith. Instead, as part of his call for a new evangelisation within the church and beyond, he urged believers to engage even more closely with wider society for the benefit of all Americans.
Pope Benedict addressed five of the 15 regional groups of US bishops making their periodic Ad Limina visits to the Vatican, which began in late November and ended May 19. One constant was the pope’s warning against the demoralising effects of secular culture, which he said had led to a “quiet attrition” among the church’s members, who must therefore be the first targets of “re-evangelization.” Yet the pope argued that moral decay is also threatening the stability of secular society itself. He noted what he called an “increased sense of concern on the part of many men and women, whatever their
A faithless world would be a disaster: ex-PM Blair
The Son alive in the Eastern Rites
LONDON (CNS) - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair made an impassioned defense of religion, saying the world would be heading for tragedy and disaster without faith. He made the comments during a May 14 interview in front of more than 4,300 people at an Anglican conference in the Royal Albert Hall, London. Blair, a former Anglican who became a Catholic in 2007 - less than a year after he stepped down from leading his country for a decade - said that faith was vital because it introduced the virtue of humility into societies. “What is the essence of our faith besides all the things we believe, certainly as Christians, about Jesus Christ and his place in our lives?” he asked. “It is also fundamentally a belief that there is something bigger and more important than you, that you are not the only thing that matters, that there is something that is greater and transcendent,” he told the leadership conference. “I think that essential obligation of humility for humanity is deeply important,” he said. “It is what allows us to make progress, it is what keeps us from ideology or thought processes that then treat human beings as if they were secondary to some political purpose,” he said. “For a long period of time, what people thought was that as society became more developed and as we became more prosperous, that faith would be relegated, that it would become a kind of relic of the past -- what kind of ignorant people do but not what civilized, educated people do. I think a world without faith would be a world on the path to tragedy and disaster, I really believe that.”
religious or political views” that a “troubling breakdown in the intellectual, cultural and moral foundations of social life” has imperiled
Defence of marriage is a matter of justice, the Pope said, since it entails the good of the entire community. the “future of our democratic societies.” He identified issues such as “respect for God’s gift of life, the
protection of human dignity and the promotion of authentic human rights.” In particular, Pope Benedict called Catholics to the front lines in defense of “that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion,” which he said was especially threatened by “concerted efforts” against the “right of conscientious objection ... to cooperation in intrinsically evil practices.” The pope’s presumed reference there was to an Obama administration plan which would require that the private health insurance plans of most Catholic institutions cover surgical sterilisation procedures and birth control.
Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Stefan Soroka of Philadelphia delivers his blessing after concelebrating the Divine Liturgy at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome on May 16. PHOTO: CNS/ PAUL HARING
American society also is served by the church’s promotion of sexual morality, Pope Benedict said, since a “weakened appreciation of the indissolubility of the marriage covenant, and the widespread rejection of a responsible, mature sexual ethic grounded in the practice of chastity, have led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost.” The pope characterised the bishops’ defence of traditional marriage against proponents of same-sex unions as a matter of “justice, since it entails safeguarding the good of the entire human community and the rights of parents and children alike.”
Work is for people, not people for work: Pope VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Work obligations should not harm a person’s family relationships but should provide support, giving couples the resources to have and raise children and spend time together, Pope Benedict XVI said at the end of his weekly general audience on May 16. Work should not be an obstacle to the family, he said, “but rather should support and unite it, help it to open itself to life” and interact with society and the church. Pope Benedict also expressed his hope that Sundays would be respected by employers as “a day of rest and an occasion to reinforce family ties.” In his main audience talk, the pope looked at prayer in the biblical letters of St Paul. “Prayer should not be seen simply as a good work we do for God - something we do - but as a gift, the fruit of the living spirit of the Father and of Jesus Christ within us,” the pope said. Pope Benedict said often “we do not know how to pray in the right way,” but simply opening oneself up and setting aside a bit of time for God, the Holy Spirit will take over. “The absence of words, but the desire to enter into dialogue with God, is a prayer that the Holy Spirit not only understands, but carries to and interprets for God.” Through regular prayer, he said, a believer’s relationship with God grows so deep that “nothing can destroy it.” Of course, having a strong relationship with God does not mean nothing bad or painful will ever happen, the pope said. But it does mean that a believer will never feel abandoned by God. “There is no human cry that is not heard by God,” he said.
Cardinal praises the Eastern churches THE EASTERN churches are living symbols of the apostles, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches said before a gathering of US-based bishops from Eastern Rites. Eastern Catholics “are a bridge” supporting Catholics in their homelands with prayers, advocacy and financial support while at the same time enriching the nation with their cultural and religious identity, Cardinal Sandri told US bishops from the Chaldean, Ruthenian, Maronite, Ukrainian, Armenian, Melkite, Syriac and Romanian Catholic churches. The cardinal met with the 14
bishops on May 15 to discuss a wide variety of common concerns at the beginning of the US bishops’ Ad Limina visits to the Vatican. Summarising the common challenges of the Eastern Catholic dioceses, Cardinal Sandri said, “Your territories are enormous, and your communities often find themselves far from each other. Some of the eparchies are young and still in need of adequate structures.” The arrival of new immigrants, many fleeing persecution in places like Iraq, have increased the size of several of the Eastern churches, like the Chaldean Catholic Church. But the cardinal said other Eastern
churches, whose membership is composed largely of people who have been in the United States for
“You are living symbols of the apostles who set out in all directions ... encountering ignorance, opposition”. several generations, “are experiencing a dramatic fall” in numbers. “You are not immune to the
same corrosive effect on morals and family life as are your fellow Latin Catholics,” Cardinal Sandri said. All the churches are hurting for clergy, he said. Cardinal Sandri told the bishops that sometimes they might feel like the first apostles who, after having spent time with Jesus, were sent out on mission “into a hostile world.” “We can be a true community of saints who shine as models of chastity and charity before a culture in great need of this witness.” “You, dear Eastern bishops, as representatives of the diverse Eastern churches in the Catholic Church, are living symbols of the
apostles who set out in all directions from Jerusalem to establish Christian communities. Like them you have encountered opposition, indifference and ignorance along the way,” he said. Jesus knew the challenges his disciples would face, which is why he promised them the Holy Spirit, the cardinal said. He urged the Eastern Catholic bishops to join their Latin-rite counterparts in the United States to “fight against the rising tide of religious intolerance. May your courage and confidence convince the multitudes that without God there is no peace, no prosperity, no salvation.”
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YEAR OF GRACE
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
Year of Grace:
P
When she was asked to coordinate
addy Buckley is so full of energy and vitality so it is difficult to imagine her in any other light. She admits, however, that when she was invited by former Archbishop Barry Hickey to co-ordinate the Year of Grace for the Perth Archdiocese, her first reaction was one of reluctance. It took the story of a lost young boy to change her mind, she said, because the words he spoke changed her heart. “Unless I am able to put my whole self into a project, I won’t take it on,” she said during a recent interview. “So when the Archbishop approached me in the middle of last year my immediate reaction was, ‘what exactly is grace and how can I present it to others?’” It was with these questions in mind that she attended an information meeting in Sydney in July last year. The purpose of the event was to gather together potential co-ordinators from across the country to explain and answer any queries in regard to the Year of Grace that had been pronounced by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). In one of the sessions a Bishop suggested that his own understanding of grace was clarified during a visit to a classroom of young children. When questioned as to the best way to respond if they ever found themselves lost, a small boy put up his hand and summed up the scenario with a simple yet profound theology. “I know what to do”, he shared “My Mum told me. She said, ‘Just stand still and I will find you’”.
ContemPlate the faCe of Christ “Our witness would be hopelessly inadequate if we had not first contemplated his face.” Novo Millennio Ineunte 16
Design is a hard
Jeremy Yuen, 28, a graphic designer How did you come to be a designer?
National Prayer Gracious God, You have blessed this ancient land with many gifts, especially its people. We thank you for the Year of Grace, a time to start afresh from Christ.
Pentecost 2012 - 2013 www.yearofgrace.catholic.org.au Send us your Year of Grace stories:
parishes@therecord.com.au
These were the words that shed the scales from Ms Buckley’s eyes. It was a moment of revelation that helped her understand that grace was not something that had to be, or even could be, packaged and presented in a program or formula. “Time is such a precious commodity in today’s world”, she said. “We all have so many things to do that we never allow ourselves to be still.” She realised that the Year of Grace was, in actual fact, simply an invitation from the bishops to individuals and parishes across the country to provide themselves with the opportunity to let God into their everyday lives. With her newfound passion Ms Buckley returned to Perth to share and promote the Bishop’s initiative, which will be officially launched at 5pm Mass on Pentecost Sunday at St Mary’s Cathedral. Ms Buckley said that a number of exciting ideas are available on the Faith Centre’s website and that more would be provided throughout the year, but organisers are encouraging parishes and schools to tailor ideas to suit their own communities, focusing, above all, on how they can lead the faithful to a personal encounter with Christ. There are also prayers and reflections for Sunday Masses as well as other initiatives such a gallery of pictures of Christ that can be used for contemplation - to remind us of the role God is, or isn’t, playing in our lives. Also included on the website is a list of retreat places that can be utilised by school and parish groups as well as the contact details of people with experience in run-
You invite us to contemplate the face of Jesus your Son, that we may experience a new wave of grace, and that the light of Christ may burn more brightly in our lives. Attune our hearts and minds to the presence of your Holy Spirit, that our Church may be transformed, our relationships be healed, and our nation grow in compassion and justice. With the intercession of St Mary MacKillop, who showed us new ways of living the Gospel, we make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen. Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.
I always thought I would work in the science field (I have a Bachelor of Science—Marine Biology) but I felt a call towards both working for the Church and using my talents. I began working in the Archdiocese Vocations Office, where part of my role was desktop publishing. I discovered a passion for design, which was confirmed when I did the Called and Gifted program [run by the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation]. I undertook study in design and then the opportunity came up to join the Communications Office. What does a graphic designer do? Graphic designers are visual communicators of an idea or concept. They find the most effective way to get messages across in print and electronic media using colour, typography, illustration, photography, animation, and various print and layout techniques. Our work is varied. We develop the overall layout and production design of publications, displays, packaging, brochures, logos for products and businesses, and develop signs and signage systems—called environmental graphics. An increasing number of graphic designers also work on internet web pages, interactive media, and multimedia projects. Graphic design may well be the world’s oldest profession, based on a recent discovery in a South African cave. Scientists found shells, bones and pigments—the tools of a painter—estimated to date back 100,000 years.
YEAR OF GRACE
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
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Letting God into your everyday life the Year of Grace for Perth, Paddy Buckley had to first locate the grace in her own life.
Year of Grace information and a link to the national website can be accessed via The Faith Centre at www.thefaith.org.au. PHOTO: ONLINE
ning retreats. Ms Buckley is hoping that the symbolism of a candle ceremony performed at a meeting of appointed diocesan co-ordinators in Melbourne several weeks ago will touch the lives of every Perth parishioner. During a Mass attended by members of the Australian Bishops Council, lit candles were distributed to each co-ordinator, representing the Bishops invitation to the faithful. This process will be repeated in Perth at the Pentecost Mass when parish representatives will be presented with their own candles to take back to their local churches. Ms Buckley hopes that each flame will be ignited within each parish, but realises that the impact on each congregation will depend on the enthusiasm in which the ini-
tiative is embraced. “Some parishes will create comfortable lounge fires while others will set alight great bush-fires” she said. Ms Buckley believes that parishes should compare the year with the exodus of Abraham. “He didn’t know where he was going or how he was going to get there”, she shared, “But he knew that it was a journey that needed to be taken”. Ms Buckley has already noticed a personal growth since she became involved in the initiative. “I am beginning to recognise in hindsight the role that God’s grace has played in my life,” she shared. “There are opportunities and people that I have encountered throughout my life that I now see as moments of grace. For example, there is a man at our church who has been tak-
Paddy Buckley, Year of Grace coordinator for Perth, speaking to WA priests last month.
ing out the rubbish bins each week for many years. This is grace, but something that I did not appreciate before.” Ms Buckley explains that there are saints and moments all around us, but most of us do not take the time to slow down and recognise them. The Year of Grace, she said, will provide people with an excuse to look at the same situations in a new light so that we can recognise how God is working in our lives.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Chair of the Year of Grace Working Party, elaborates this concept further on the ACBC website: “It’s a Holy time, given by God, to start afresh from Christ, contemplating his face, and listening to his word, that he may heal our wounds, overcome all our divisions and make us rich in hope, so that we may show forth his face and speak his word to the world in new ways.” Despite her hesitant beginnings, it is obvi-
PHOTO: THE FAITH CENTRE
ous from Ms Buckley’s demeanour and animation that she has been energised by her experience so far. Even though she has no idea where the journey ahead will lead, she has no doubt that it will bear wonderful fruit for the archdiocese and the nation. “If, by the end we are able to ask ourselves, in any given situation, ‘Where is Jesus in this?’, then I will know that it has been a successful year.” For more information visit www.thefaith.org.au.
but human endeavour, giving real form to grace for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, spoke to Fiona Power about his work, and designing the Year of Grace logo.
What do you enjoy about your work? No two days are the same and I relish the challenge each day brings. I thrive on problem solving, exploring concepts and developing ways to implement them. I love that graphic design is tactile, and that it involves and speaks to the subconscious. I also like using beauty as a tool for evangelisation, and knowing that my designs are helping to further the mission of the Church in a very tangible and visible way. What are some of the challenges? Having to be ‘creative’ every day! My awareness of design is also something I cannot turn off—I notice design, colour, typography all day. You read the newspaper for the news, I read it and see the kerning (the fancy word for the correct spacing between each letter). It can also be hard designing under time pressure as ideas often need time to mature, and to make sure it fits the clients’ expectations. I am also a perfectionist and it is easy to be overcritical and ‘overcook’ a design.
created the universe, therefore, he must be creative! Who better to ask than the author of creation? I can get inspiration from many places— I like to design my logos on the shower screen fog. Tell me about designing the Year of Grace logo. Our creative team work-shopped the design requirement before I began work. I then looked at Scriptural moments of grace. The one that stood out to me was the story of Saul, and how he was struck down, blinded by the light. I began drawing pictures of light—almost a burst of energy. It developed from there. Once I started drawing I saw the design could represent a cross, a monstrance, the body of Christ. What has the response been? I have been really pleased to hear how others see the design—they see it representing aspects of the Year of Grace that I didn’t think of. It has really shown me how God uses things like this to let me know he’s across it all.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
It is a process. Even if I sit myself down and do the work, I still have to worry about ideas; they don’t simply appear! That’s the hardest part. I look around me, at magazines, blogs, laneways in streets, graffiti and nature. My wife Gabrielle is an artist and her ideas often influence the direction I take. I also call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and inspiration. God
Spectating and participating in online multiplayer video games (a growing industry known as e-sports). It sounds extremely geeky, but that’s because it is! I’m a geek at heart and this hobby (albeit unconventional) really appeals to me. I also enjoy singing and playing guitar, performing whenever I can.
Favourite saint: St Francis of Assisi Words of wisdom: Those who perceive in themselves ... the artistic vocation as poet, writer, sculptor, painter, musician, and actor feel at the same time an obligation not to waste this talent but to develop it, in order to put it to service of their neighbour and humanity as a whole. Blessed Pope John Paul II First published in Kairos, the Catholic Journal of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Jeremy Yuen, 28, says it is a challenge being creative every day but it’s a challenge he relishes. PHOTO: FIONA BASILE
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VISTA
therecord.com.au
May 23, 2012
VISTA
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
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Mary, Star of Sea, brooks no bitterness Dear Father, I am interested to know the history behind the title of Our Lady “Star of the sea” and especially the hymn “Ave Maris Stella”. Would you happen to know who composed the hymn, when and under what circumstances, or any other information?
T
The Maker's mark is for life Beer and soup are a no go, Pope Gregory IX ruled in the 13th Century; water would suffice. People have thought all sorts of strange things about Baptism over millenia, but what does it really mean ? Mark Reidy finds out.
T
HERE'S no doubting that baptisms provide a great opportunity to dress up, gather together with friends and families and enjoy fine cuisine, but how many of us remain vigilant to the eternal spiritual significance of the occasion? The Catholic Church pulls no punches in Her assessment of the sacrament, describing it as “...the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1213). Far from being just a great photo opportunity, the Church believes that through Holy Baptism we are freed from sin, including original sin, and reborn as sons and daughters of God, as a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. Through this we are incorporated into the Church, which is the Body of Christ, and we and are made sharers in Her mission. It is the moment that an indelible spiritual sign is imprinted on the soul of the receiver, signifying that they now belong to Christ. It is the first and most crucial step in their spiritual journey. The word derives from the Greek, “baptizein”, meaning to “plunge” or “immerse”, referring to the water used in the ceremony which symbolises the persons' burial and resurrection in Christ. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6: 3- 4). “Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life”, wrote St Irenaeus in the second century and the Church
believes that Christians who remain faithful to the demands of Baptism will be able to depart this life “marked with the sign of faith” and consequently, with the hope of resurrection (CCC1274).
History of Baptism The sight of John the Baptist immersing people in the Jordan River was not a surprise to those living in the Middle East during the first century. The concept of purification and cleansing through water was already well established within the Jewish tradition. The story of Noah's Ark can be viewed as a global cleansing from sin and there are regular references throughout
In case of necessity, any person can baptise, even someone who is not baptised. the Torah to numerous rituals involving purification by water. Before giving the Law on Mt Sinai God commanded the people to wash their clothes (Exodus 19:10), Moses washed Aaron and his sons with water before they were ordained as priests (Lev 8:6) and God commanded Aaron to wash himself before and after he administered in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. Other references describing explicit instructions regarding water purification involved dead bodies (Num 19:19), after battle (Num 31: 23) menstruation (Lev 15: 19 – 30), ejaculation (Lev 15:10) and leprosy (Lev 15:1930). Generally the Judaic Law refers to washing rituals ranging from the
cleansing of hands with a cup to the full body submersion in a mikveh, a ritual bath or body of water, which is utilised in burial ceremonies and with those converting to Judaism. It was within this religious and cultural context that the John was immersing people in the Jordan River. From biblical accounts the practice did not cause any concern in itself, with Matthew even mentioning that Pharisees and Sadducees were lining up to be baptised (Matt 3:7). In fact John's title, “Baptist”, from the Greek “baptizo”, carries the same meaning as the Hebrew word, “taval”, “to wash by dipping or plunging in water”. However it was John who foretold of a new form of baptism. “I baptise you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I... he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matt 3:11). Jesus was baptised by John and the spirit descended on him like a dove (Jn 1: 32). In John 3 Jesus explains to Nicodemus “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” After his resurrection Jesus commissioned the eleven disciples, and provided a formula for the sacrament - “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19). It is the formula used today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Catholic Church Baptise infants? “Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power
Russian Orthodox pilgrims go into the Jordan River, near the West Bank town of Jericho, where St John is believed to have baptised Jesus. PHOTO: CNS
of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called.” (CCC 1250) The Church refers to Christ's call not to hinder children coming to him, (Mk 10:14) as well as the the explicit testimony offered in Acts 16:15, 16:33, 18;8 and 1Cor 1:16 in which St Paul describes how he baptised entire households. Third century Christian writer, Origen, declared, “The Church received from the Apostles the tradition of giving baptism also to infants.” St Augustine later said of infant Baptism, “This the Church has always had, always held; this she received from the faith of our ancestors; this she perseveringly guards even to the end”. What is Church's teaching on infants who die unbaptised? The idea of limbo has never been an official part of Catholic Church teaching. In 2007 a Vatican com-
mission stated that the idea of limbo - a place where unbaptised infants spend eternity without God - did not reflect the mercy and grace of God and therefore concluded that there were “serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptised infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision.” The Church calls believers to trust in the mercy of God in these situations. Why doesn’t the Catholic Church use full body submersion in Baptisms? There are some Christian denominations who proclaim that a baptism is only legitimate if it involves the full submersion of the body in water, however the Catholic Church believes that the pouring of water over the recipient is equally valid. Although many early writings seem to favour a full submersion, particularly until the twelfth century, the existence of Baptism through the pouring of water always existed.
Dressed up for the occasion, a girl awaits baptism in Manila, Philippines in 2007.
In the book of Acts, St Paul writes of baptising his jailer within the prison itself, suggesting that full submersion was not required. In the Didache, a Christian manual of the first century, the process is described, "... baptise in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living water [that is, in running water, as in a river]. If there is no living water, baptise in other water; and, if you are not able to use cold water, use warm. If you have neither, pour water three times upon the head in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." The testimony of the Didache is confirmed by other early Christian writings. In 215 Hippolytus of Rome declared in The Apostolic Tradition, "If water is scarce, whether as a constant condition or on occasion, then use whatever water is available.” In 251 Historian Eusebius quoted Pope Cornelius, "He received baptism in the bed where he lay,
by pouring". Can only those who are baptised be saved? This is not correct. The Catechism states, “Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfil his will, are saved even if they are not baptised” (1281). Who can baptise? The ordinary minister of baptism is first the bishop and second the priest. This authority can be delegated to a deacon who may confer the sacrament as an extraordinary minister. In case of necessity, any person can baptise, even someone not baptised, if they have the same intention as the Church does when she baptises and does so in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (CCC1256).
PHOTO: CNS/REUTERS
Can beer be used in the Baptism ceremony? Not according to 13th Century Pope Gregory IX. In response to a query from the Archbishop of Trondhjem in Norway where beer was being employed by some of the faithful, the Pope replied, “Since according to the Gospel teaching, a man must be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, those are not to be considered validly baptised who have been baptised with beer.”. Early theologians such as Justin Martyr and St Augustine referred to passages such Acts 10:47, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptised.” Anything normally considered to be water can be used. It can be cold, hot, salty, clear, turbid or coloured. Dew, sulphur or mineral water can also be used but oil, saliva, wine, tears, milk, sweat, soup, the juice of fruits as well as beer are inappropriate. When there is any doubt, it is best to find an alternative, except in cases of absolute necessity.
HE title “Star of the sea” as applied to Our Lady is very ancient. It seems that it appeared first in St Jerome’s Book of Hebrew Names, written probably around 390 AD to explain the etymology of Hebrew names. In that work St Jerome rejects the name smyrna maris, bitterness of the sea, which is related to Our Lady’s Hebrew name Miriam, which can mean bitterness. Jerome rather proposes the title Stella Maris, “Star of the sea”, for Mary. In support he quotes a certain Syrus, probably his contemporary St Ephraem Syrus, who had insisted on Mary’s status as domina, or lady. The Latin hymn “Ave Maris Stella” is also very ancient. While its authorship is uncertain, it dates back to at least the ninth century since the text of the hymn is preserved in the so-called Codex Sangallensis, a ninth-century manuscript kept in the Monastery of St Gallen in Switzerland. Over the years the hymn has been attributed to different people. Among those suggested but clearly to be rejected are St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) and Hermanus Contractus, of the eleventh century. In the 9th century Paschasius Radbertus wrote of Mary, Star of the Sea, as a guide to be followed on the way to Christ “lest we capsise amid the storm-tossed waves of the sea.” He may be the author of the hymn. Also suggested as possible are Venantius Fortunatus, who died in 609, and Paul the Deacon, who died in 787. The hymn is found in ancient manuscripts of the Divine Office for Vespers on feasts of Our Lady. Today it is still used in the Divine Office and in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. The hymn is set out in stanzas of four verses, which have a rhyming pattern in the original Latin. Some of the stanzas are particularly beautiful. For example, the first two say: “Hail, Star of the sea! Blessed Mother of God, yet ever a virgin! O happy gate of heaven! Thou that didst receive the Ave from Gabriel’s lips, confirm us in peace, and so let Eva be changed into an Ave of blessing for us.” Two later stanzas say: “Show thyself a mother, and offer our prayers to him, who would be born of thee, when born for us. O incomparable Virgin, and meekest of the meek, obtain for us the forgiveness of our sins,
Q&A FR JOHN FLADER
and make us meek and chaste.” The next verse points to the meaning of the title “Star of the sea”: “Obtain for us purity of life, and a safe pilgrimage; that we may be united with thee in the blissful vision of Jesus.” As “Star of the sea”, Mary is the heavenly light that guides us on our pilgrimage, our journey through the storms and swells of life to the safe harbour of heaven. The popular Marian hymn “Hail, Queen of heaven” is based loosely on “Ave, maris stella” and echoes this theme: “Hail, Queen of heaven, the ocean star, guide of the wanderer here below; thrown on life’s surge, we claim thy care,
If you are tossed by the waves of pride, of detraction, of ambition or envy, look at the star and call upon Mary save us from peril and from woe. Mother of Christ, star of the sea, pray for the wanderer, pray for me.” St Bernard too takes up the theme and offers the comforting advice: “You, whoever you are, who find yourself in the rushing torrent of this world ... do not take your eyes off the brightness of this star if you do not want to be overwhelmed by the squalls. If the winds of temptation rise, if you are in the midst of the reefs and shoals of tribulation, fix your gaze on the star, call upon Mary. If you are tossed by the waves of pride, of detraction, of ambition or envy, look at the star, call upon Mary... “If you follow her, you will not go astray; if you call upon her, you will not despair; if you think of her, you will not be lost. If she takes you by the hand, you will not fall; if she protects you, you will have nothing to fear; if she guides you, you will not give up; if she shelters you, you will reach safe harbour. Then you will experience in your own life the truth of those words: ‘and the name of the virgin was Mary’ (Lk 1:27; Homiliae super “missus est” 2, 17).
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VISTA
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
Love bridged the Gulf of
Faith
As Muslims in Saudi Arabia prepared for weekend prayer, Juanita Shepherd and her sister were receiving the faith of their parents down at the Red Sea.
By Juanita Shepherd
I
pressed my face against the cabin window for one last glimpse at the place that had been my home for more than ten years. As we left the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I was acutely aware of how much of myself I was leaving behind; everything I had known, everything that was familiar. Only later would I understand that what I thought of as everyday life was a great challenge to my parents in trying to raise their two daughters Catholic in a strict Islamic and theocractic land. There were no Christian churches in Saudi Arabia. The sound of church bells was as alien to me as the Azan, the Islamic call to prayer which I heard five times a day, was comforting. That sound was as comforting as the black abhaya I had worn since I was fourteen – a black gown masking all of me from the neck down. The weekends began on Thursday. The souks (open markets) would be bustling with people, families always sticking together and only going into restaurants where they were assured their privacy. Boys played football in the streets despite the searing heat and there and some made outings to the massive traffic roundabouts that doubled as picnic areas. Friday was their Holy Day, the streets were silent in the afternoons partly because the heat was unbearable but mainly because it was their long service of prayer at the mosque. While the Muslims knelt down on their mats facing east, my family and I would drive down to the Red Sea and sit by the rocks. The waves were never calm, they would always crash against the rocks and the salty sea spray that would splash on my face would delight me. It was by these rocks that I learned about Christ. A priest didn’t teach me, and I never attended Sunday School, I didn’t even know what catechism classes were, instead I would listen to my dad who would read
Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio receive Saudi Arabia’s censorship treatment.
from the Sunday Missal, which he secretly managed to bring into the country, (mum wasn’t so lucky, she had her rosary thrown out) and we would discuss the First and Second
doctrine I never once forgot that I was Catholic. The first time I understood the true meaning of Good Friday was the day I experienced my first sand-
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
on the rocks the sand whipped our faces and we had to hurry back to the safety of our car. I sat huddled with my sister in the back seat listening to mum
Like girls in the West, I had a crush on Titanic star, Leonardi Dicaprio. But my poster had big black marks where censors had done their worst. Readings followed by the meaning of the week’s Gospel. Even though I grew up with the desert as my playground surrounded by Islamic
storm. It looked like the end of the world, the sky had darkened and the wind was ferocious; when we got out to pray by our usual place
and dad as they spoke about Good Friday. The intermingled sound of my Dad’s slow, solemn voice with the howling of the sandstorm out-
side sticks out clearly in my mind; I listened to him explain why Jesus had to die on the cross. Culturally, Saudi Arabia exercises heavy censorship, many books, posters and cd covers have black permanent marker through them on any image that is deemed ‘non-Islamic’. Like hordes of girls in the West I developed a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio in the 90s after watching Titanic, but my poster had dark permanent marker all over it because he is holding Kate Winslet. Small miracles happened in spite of the restrictions.. It was a random July day and we were buying groceries when we spotted five plastic Christmas trees on display at the back of the shop. It was such a funny sight, if the Arabs knew the trees were used to celebrate the birth of Christ they wouldn’t have been on display. We didn’t even have to think about it, mum and dad bought the plastic Christmas tree and 15 years later we still have it, the tree is now falling to pieces, what’s left of it is secured in the same card board box it came in. If you look hard enough in the back of the shops something unexpected crops up, it happened to my mum. We were told to leave the main shopping area by the mutawa, an elderly man who is a member of the religious police, because mum hadn’t covered her hair. Dad was told firmly by the mutawa ‘tell your wife to cover her hair and please leave’ so we had no choice, we walked away from the main area and got ourselves lost in a bazar. The bazars are like something out of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves, shop windows glistened with gold and silver, thick Persian rugs of all shapes sizes and colours stared back at us, the smell of mint tea and tobacco smoke filled the air mingled with the smell of fired chicken, scented rice and incense, everything was open and many shops unattended, no on would dare steal due to the harsh consequences, ranging from the loss of the right hand if you steal to beheading if caught
VISTA
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
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Flightless, we humans were meant to soar God made sex to be so much more than selfstyled sophisticates imagine.
T
Clockwise from top: Signs of strict gender segregation are everywhere in Saudi Arabia, for both public and private facilities; Juanita Shepherd, 21, in Perth, 2012; the traditional town of Taif; a souk, or open market in Jeddah, the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia. PHOTOS: COURTESY SHEPHERD FAMILY
with drugs, women were stoned for adultery. We walked into a shop selling jewelry, and this was where mum found a gold pendent with Mother Mary’s image on it. She still wears it every day. The pendent probably came in from Egypt and the shopkeeper must’ve been unaware of its religious significance, but to us we knew that while we wandered the desert Jesus never left us. Life in Saudi Arabia was an experience that I will never forget. There were no cinemas so I didn’t have any new releases to look forward to; instead we bought videos to enjoy after a long day in the desert. The first movie I ever bought with my pocket money was a childhood favorite Jumaji, towards the end of the movie the scene just skips to the next scene because Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt share a kiss. I was used to women being covered in black from head to toe and forbidden to drive, perhaps that’s why I am still on my ‘L’ plates as I have never seen the urgent need to drive and I still find it strange that I can go swimming at the beach. Saudi Arabia to me was an exciting colorful country, we lived in in the commercial capital Jeddah, we explored the rugged mountains even though it was crawling with wild wolves, we fed the baboons
bananas on the way to the hilly town called Taif, the only place where it was cold enough for a jumper. At school we didn’t put on the nativity or sing Christmas carols, neither did we celebrate Easter, instead I took part in ‘UN Day’ where we celebrated the diversity and international culture of our school. Living with the Arab people, I grew to admire and respect their traditions. Saudi Arabia is a beau-
We were approached by religious police: “Tell your wife to cover her hair and please leave.” tiful mix of wild Bedouin traditions and a fast paced wealthy modern society fuelled by oil; a mix that many of us find hard to grasp. I grew up in the heart of Islam. The Islamic holy cities Mecca and Medina are three hours away from Jeddah. The pilgrims flock to the Mecca in their thousands for the Hajj, or pilgrimage – a religious duty which all Muslims must complete at least once during their life-
time. They are all dressed in white robes carrying empty water bottles which they fill with ‘zum-zum’ water, considered to be miraculous. It is said to come from the spring God brought forth for Ishmael, the first son of Abraham, born of Hagar – his wife Sarah’s handmaid. David and eventually Jesus would come from the line of Isaac, born of Sarah. This took me some time to learn. Even though I knew about the teachings of the Quran, I only saw a Bible when we went on holiday to India. One day I hope to go back to Saudi Arabia. I can never go back on a holiday visa, only on a work visa because I am not a Muslim. For now, I am content with the happy childhood memories; falling off a camel; cheering the Arabian football team during the World Cup; and playing in the rain when the city flooded. (It only rains twice a year in Jeddah. Consequently, the city has no drainage system). Saudi Arabia taught me not to fear the unknown and to respect other cultures, despite it having little time for my own, particularly my faith. It also made me realise that wherever I am, Christ is always with me.
HERE’S an Indian parable that tells of a man who discovers an eagle’s egg abandoned in the forest. He takes it home and places it under a hen, where it hatches and grows up believing it is a chicken. One day when it has matured it is scratching around in the dirt when it notices a majestic eagle soaring above. It watches in awe, wondering what it must be like to be such a magnificent bird. Its fascination is interrupted by one of its flightless ‘peers’, “Don’t even let yourself imagine”, it says, “You’re never going to fly like that.” The grounded eagle, unaware of its true identity, bows its head in resignation and goes on scratching the earth. It is the story of our human sexuality. We have been granted a gift from God that not only allows us to carry His life-giving power within us, but we can joyously express it to one another in an intimate union of spiritual and physical self-giving. Tragically though, we have separated the bodily function from the spiritual intention and have confined this beautiful gift to its chicken coup equivalent. Many Catholics pin the blame for the distortion of our true sexual identity on the “revolution” of the 1960’s, which, under the guise of freedom, equated sexuality with self-gratification. The distortion, however, began before this and the Church perhaps inadvertently contributed to it. Before the 1960’s, Catholic teaching on sexuality, or at least that which reached the pews and the schools, could itself be accused of failing to recognise the fullness and beauty of God’s gift of sexuality. The message that filtered through to the faithful was one of repression, prohibition and fear. The Church, it seemed, did not fully understand the wonderment and majesty of sexuality as an expression of God’s life-giving love and consequently presented it in a package more in keeping with the chicken coup than eagle flight. The explosion of sexual “freedom” in the sixties should have come as no surprise. God placed within us His power to create life – an element that the pre-sixties Church acknowledged. However He also allowed us to express it to one another in a way that is also life-giving to our spouse, in the ultimate expression of love - which involves commitment and selfsacrifice. This was the dimension the Church at the time did not adequately express. Tragically, as people searched for a way to express their biological instincts, all they managed to do was shift their sexual understanding from one chicken coup to
I Say, I Say MARK REIDY
another. By removing God from the equation, people were guided only by their personal urges and desires and ultimately this led to a society driven by self-gratification, rather than self-giving. And when this attitude developed in conjunction with the introduction of contraception, it inevitably led to the skyrocketing of pornography, sexual assaults, pre-marital sex, affairs, broken marriages, sexual disease, the increased sexualisation of music and media and an ever expanding diversity of sexual identity. At the time the Church was contending with Her own upheaval in the form of Vatican II and struggled to respond to the swing of the sexual pendulum. The teachings filtering down to the Catholic pews and schoolyards during the sexual tsunami of the seventies still did not reflect the beauty and intimacy that God had intended. Contraception, pornog-
The teachings that filtered down to pews and classrooms during the sexual tsunami of the seventies left a lot to be desired. raphy and masturbation were said to be “evil”, but it wasn’t adequately explained why; that they triggered the belief that sexuality equates to self-gratification and that this would be carried into all future relating, in both attitude and action, was not clearly conveyed. The Christian understanding that love is self-sacrificial and therefore entailed the giving of oneself, rather than receiving, was not effectively transplanted into the arena of sexuality. It was only when Pope John Paul II gave a series of talks that became known as the “Theology of the Body”, that the faithful where provided with the opportunity to discover the joy and true freedom of sexuality as God intended. The Pope was able to outline, in far more elegant words than my own, the reasons why we become imprisoned within “chicken coups” when we divorce our sexual nature from its spiritual context. But more importantly he has provided us with the opportunity to embrace the fulness of God’s awesome and wonderful gift, so that we can now soar far above the world’s understanding of sexuality – with the wings of an eagle.
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VISTA
therecord.com.au
May 23, 2012
God’s grace ushered in They are no longer carrying the Pope around on his throne but what they are doing, is perhaps, much more important.
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Services
V
ATICAN ushers attend every weekly general audience, helping visitors with special needs and picking out the cutest babies in the crowd for the photo op of a lifetime. And they welcome dignitaries and heads of state visiting the pope with all the pomp and circumstance suited for their stature as “gentlemen in waiting.” These laymen, called “sediari” or chair-bearers, did just that for centuries: carried the pope on an elevated chair high above the crowds so everyone could catch a glimpse of the pontiff. But Blessed John Paul II discontinued the practice when he was elected in 1978, preferring to walk and be close to the people. The “sediari” stayed on, but their role no longer included carrying the pope on their shoulders - until Blessed John Paul’s death more than 26 years later. When he died, Blessed John Paul’s body had to be carried by 12 papal gentlemen on a red velvet stretcher in a solemn procession from the Apostolic Palace to St. Peter’s Basilica. Because so many of the papal ushers were young, only a few older veterans knew how to carry a pope either on the portable chair or the stretcher. All ushers’ eyes and ears were on Massimo Sansolini, who served four popes after he became a “sediario” in 1964. He spelled out the correct procedure for smoothly and decorously lifting and carrying the papal plat-
form so that it would stay as horizontal and secure as possible while the men navigated corridors and numerous marble staircases. Two of his essential rules: “Carry it with just the shoulder, without help from the hand” and always begin walking with the left foot. The rules were in his recently published Italian memoir, a followup to a volume he published in 1999 in which he told of his life as a papal gentleman, revealing the not-oftenseen world of the Apostolic Palace, at the service of the pope. Sansolini told reporters at the second book’s launch April 23 that because there were always 12 “sediari” helping the pope - the vicar of Christ - he always felt like one of the apostles - a servant of the servant of God. In his book, he described how
Despite doing the physical work himself, it’s the visitors who are heroic, he said. hard the men tried to remain calm and composed, fighting back the tears, as they transferred the pope’s body before the crowds April 4, then carried the cypress casket from St. Peter’s Basilica outside to the square during the April 8 funeral. “No layperson had ever been as close to the sacred person of the pontiff as we had for 26 years straight,” he wrote. While those events briefly put Sansolini and his confreres in the world spotlight, their weekly routine is much less visible.
For the past 16 years, Sansolini has been in charge of helping disabled pilgrims get seating as close to the pope as possible during Wednesday general audiences and other special occasions. There are special sections in the square or the Paul VI audience hall for church dignitaries, important guests, newlyweds and people with special needs. All the ushers also have their eyes open for parents with tiny infants and help them get as close as they can to the barricade in the general seating section to pass the baby to the pope in the popemobile. Sansolini said no pope has ever complained about the tradition of individually greeting and blessing the disabled after the general audience, no matter how scarred or infirm they may be: “The pope’s love knows no limits.” A typical Wednesday starts very early as Sansolini arranges the seating for the disabled section, leaving room for the wheelchairs between the plastic chairs for the caregivers. Guests are asked to arrive a couple of hours early before the start of the audience so they can clear security and find their section. Sansolini said he helps pass the time with all of them, chatting about their lives in whatever language they have in common. Sometimes, he said, just a caress or smile is all that it takes to forge a strong bond. He said he has been humbled by the heroism of the mothers, fathers and caregivers of the gravely ill and physically or mentally challenged adults and children he sees every week. “There are women like Mother Teresa all over, on every continent,”
Above, top, longtime Vatican usher Massimo Sansolini assists visitors at the papal audience on April 25. Above, a former duty of Vatican ushers. - CNS
caring for the unwanted or abandoned. He said he is always touched by people he meets, from those afflicted with terminal cancer to Iraqi children bearing battle scars, “their tiny bodies, already martyred” in the bloom of their life. Once he saw a mother come to the audience hall laden with bags and cases, which she scattered on the floor around her. He was going to gently say something about the disarray, but let it go. He was glad he did, he wrote,
because later she pulled out a series of bottles and a syringe and proceeded to feed her child through a stomach tube. “Every time I am present at an audience I come out with greater faith” from witnessing the unconditional love, joy and hope in people, he said. “The love of a parent overcomes everything! The human being reaches a fullness of dignity that knows no limits” when it overcomes all challenges and suffering with love and grace, he wrote.
therecord.com.au
FUN FAITH
May 23, 2012
VISTA
WITH
SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012 • JOHN 20: 19-23 • PENTECOST SUNDAY
BETH SCHILLING, AGED 8
WORD SEARCH
‘As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’
DISCIPLES RETAINED REJOICED FORGIVEN BREATHED RECEIVE SPIRIT SHOWED LOCKED FATHER STOOD PEACE JESUS HANDS DOORS SEND
Across 2. And he said to them again,’ As the ____ sent me, so am I sending you.’ 5. Receive the ____ Spirit. 6. If you ____ anyone’s sins, they are forgiven 7. He showed them his hands and his ____. 8. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘____ be with you,’
COLOUR IN COMPETITION
CROSSWORD WORD LIST
HOLY SIDE FATHER
FILLED
BREATHED SINS
Down 1. After saying this he ____ on them 3. In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were ____ in the room where
FORGIVE
PEACE
CLOSED
the disciples were. 4. The disciples were ____ with joy at seeing the Lord, 7. If you retain anyone’s ____, they are retained.
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OPINION
EDITORIAL
Parliament ought to reacquaint itself with the Truth Recent talk in and around Federal Parliament about creating a code of ethics for members ought to be a matter of grave concern for the people of this nation. In the first place, it means that a significant number of MPs have forgotten, or are unaware of, the very high standard of ethics already required of them. It is contained in their oath of office. It is also contained in the seemingly quaint but actually valuable principle known as Parliamentary Privilege which ensures that MPs are free from prosecution for anything they say in parliament. This might seem like a convenient privilege for the dishonest, but is in fact a recognition of the MPs’ responsibility to speak the truth fearlessly without being intimidated or silenced by legal proceedings or threats of them. Being a human institution, parliamentary privilege is not perfect, but it is about as close as we can go if we want to maintain an elected democracy in which members take their oath of office seriously. Parliament itself can examine a member’s conduct in a particular matter through a privileges committee set up for the purpose, but neither a court nor a royal commission can do so. Federal MPs still interested in writing a new code of ethics would do themselves a favour by reading the chapters about the Ten Commandments in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This is not because they should obey the Church, but because the Commandments are essentially the moral foundation of civilisation and have stood the test of time in many societies over thousands of years. No rational person should ignore them when considering a parliamentary code of ethics. If they fear that puts them in danger of learning what God has revealed, they could confine themselves to the Eighth Commandment: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.” Under the section headed “Offences against truth,” the Catechism tells us: “Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty: - of rash judgement who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbour; - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who do not know them; - of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgements conPO Box 3075 cerning them. (CCC 2477) Adelaide Terrace “To avoid rash judgePERTH WA 6832 ment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar office@therecord.com.au as possible his neighbour’s Tel: (08) 9220 5900 thoughts words and deeds Fax: (08) 9325 4580 in a favourable way: “Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favourable interpretation to another’s statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love…. (St Ignatius Loyola) (2478).” For those who might think this is a hard standard, we can attest to the truth of this incident involving the former Premier, Sir Charles Court: Confronted by a letter drafted for him in reply to a letter in the morning paper, he declared that the first sentence was wrong and said, “I’m the Premier, I can’t be wrong; if I say that is what that man said, the public are entitled to expect that what I say is true.” As it turned out, the statement was true and Sir Charles signed the letter, but in the process he had given his staff an unforgettable illustration of the standards of accuracy and truth he expected of them. Parliament may no longer understand it, but the advice of St Ignatius is also the real reason why it is ‘unparliamentary’ to use the word ‘lie’ in any of its forms against another member. One may demonstrate the error, but it is unfitting to assume that the error is a lie. The Catechism goes on to explain, “detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honour of one’s neighbour. Honour is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honour of his name and reputation and to respect.” It goes on to explain the full meaning and impact of lies, including this: “Since it violates the virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It affects the ability to know, which is a condition of every judgement and decision. It contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils ... it undermines trust among men and tears apart the fabric of social relationships.” There is more, but this should be a good start for would-be code writers, although we suspect they don’t need a new code, but an understanding of and commitment to the one they’ve got.
Before they look at a new code of ethics, how about looking at the obligations they already have?
THE RECORD
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
Time is ripe for a gracefilled journey together The Editor There was a certain amount of head scratching when Record staff first heard about the Year of Grace. What does it mean? What is it for? Most importantly, how do we explain it to others? Then we remembered the words of Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB on the night of his installation as the Archbishop of Perth: “At the risk of puzzling and even affronting people tonight I want to put (this) challenge; to myself first of all, and then to all of us here,” the archbishop said. “The greatest challenge facing the Church today is to return Christ to the Church and to return the Church to Christ. The greatest challenge facing each one of us today is to return Christ to our lives and return our lives to Christ.” For Catholics of short and long standing, there could be no more, deceptively simple a challenge; for the heady among us who know the faith but do not live it; for those who enjoy a sense of the spiritual but have yet to plunge God’s depths. The universality of the challenge was made explicit by the archbishop in the same homily. It was a challenge, he said, for parents, children, religious, priests, parish councils,
This Pentecost Sunday, the Church in Australia will embrace the Year of Grace. See pages 8-9 for an explanation of the logo above. PHOTO: THE FAITH CENTRE
schools, colleges, universities, seminaries and diocesan agencies. “This is not a challenge to be something other than we are. It is a challenge to be more fully, more deeply and more openly what we already are,” the archbishop said. Elsewhere, he has pointed to the story of Martha and Mary. Whereas Martha became detached from Christ and from herself in her busyness, Mary sat at the feet of the Master, knowing only one
thing was necessary “to listen to the voice of the Lord”. Just as God became incarnate to show us what love is really like, so to, the Year of Grace will probably make more sense to us, and will mean more to us, with flesh on. Who can predict the ways in which that grace will take shape in you; in your marriage; your family; your parish; your school etc? Tell it to the world; let us know at parishes@therecord.com.au
A holy time, given by God, to start afresh from Christ, contemplating his face, and listening to his word, that he may heal our wounds, overcome all our divisions and make us rich in hope, so that we may show forth his face and speak his word to the
OPINION
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
17
Happy to take the plunge after finding own way Her parents sent her to a Catholic school. Her children are Catholic. This Easter, Amanda Kirkup joined them in Faith. Amanda Kirkup
I
BECAME Catholic because of my son Xander (6) and my daughter Roisin (2). Both are Catholic and I wasn’t so I just wanted to be able to take them to Church and to share with them the things they were learning at school. Originally my sister, brothers and I weren’t baptised as my mother was Scottish Presbyterian and my father was a Sikh and both thought their religions were so different it would be better if we made our own choice later. Growing up I was a boarder at a Catholic High School where I was taught by the nuns and I attended Church whilst I was there. My parents sent me to that particular school because they knew of an older girl who would also be going to it and thought she could be a support for me. They also wanted me to have the same core values as Catholics. Then, through my friends, I attended baptisms and weddings so I just identified with the Catholic faith more. I always held Catholic beliefs but never expressed it in a formal way until Easter this year, 2012. My sponsor was my best friend whom I have known since high school and she is the Godmother of my son. My husband was also very supportive as he would look after the children whilst we attended the RCIA meetings. At the time I didn’t realise the process was going to be so
Why I became
Catholic
DEBBIE WARRIER
involved, intense and weekly for six months. It was kind of overwhelming as the people in my parish got more and more excited for me the closer it got to us being welcomed into the Church. Although at times daunting I began to feel affected in a good way too. Prior to my conversion my husband and I were married in a civil ceremony. Once I converted, my parish priest at Lockridge Fr Francis Ly thought we should get married in a Catholic Church so a couple of weeks later we had our wedding. So basically I married the same guy twice. All the girls thought this was romantic and all the guys were like, “You’ve known him for a long time and you still want him back?” Our children of course were there and
Amanda Kirkup had lived most of her life holding Catholic beliefs and values but only took the sacramental plunge this Easter. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
our Church wedding seemed more meaningful, solemn and appropriate after Easter as it was the beginning of our new life together. Since becoming Catholic I have
I think the Church has become more liberal and willing for individuals to find their own way. after the wedding, we had a dinner with all the guests. It was a bigger ceremony than we might have otherwise had as another couple in the RCIA group also got married again at the same time. Although we took our first vows seriously, somehow
become more aware of how I treat people both at home and at work as a nurse in Mercy Hospital. I am also aware of how I would like to be treated. I have a bit more empathy and try and understand why people act the way they do rather than
react off the cuff. As a mother I try to be a bit more patient with my children. Like when my son broke his glasses that were very expensive. They were $400 and not supposed to break but he managed to break them. I reminded myself that he is only six and that he is a boy. I texted my husband to tell him what happened so he wouldn’t get mad when he came home. I knew there was no point getting mad with Xander because he wouldn’t understand about the $400 and spoke to my son calmly. I am sure as a parent there’s an example like that everyday. I think the Church has become more liberal and willing for indi-
viduals to find their own way in the faith. The RCIA coordinators told us it is the people that make the parish, not the priest. When I was growing up it seemed the other way around. That was quite refreshing. Now I see the Church as wanting you to enjoy your faith, not to be good because you are fearful of the outcomes. I think becoming Catholic as an adult makes you think about it a bit more. A lot of the sponsors said they learnt a lot about their faith through the RCIA process even though they were brought up Catholics. Having my best friend as my sponsor brought us closer together. The RCIA coordinators were excellent and there was no such thing as a stupid question. The sacrament that I find toughest to understand was Reconciliation because I have some issues with my mum that I find difficult to forgive. To me that was what stirred up the most emotions. The fact that I could talk about that with the group showed the level of comfort that I felt with them and I knew that what was said in the group would not leave the group. It was quite healing and gave me a different perspective. I haven’t gone to Reconciliation yet as I am still working up the courage. I think I will bring my friend with me for support. I see receiving the Eucharist as an honour. I know there is always Someone who I can talk to that will listen and hopefully answer.
What price foreign aid? here and afar The motivations might be genuine but government-delivered foreign aid can be bad news, argues Guy Crouchback.
I
T IS taken as self-evidently true that Foreign Aid is a Good Thing, and both major political parties have promised to increase it. In fact, a number of leading economists, following the work of Lord Peter Bauer, Professor of Developmental Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and including a growing number of Third World economists, have come to the conclusion that it is a very bad thing indeed, and government-to-government aid is the worst. They give a number of reasons why foreign aid is counter-productive. These include the following: Government aid is raised by taxation and paid to foreign government bodies. This means it is a transfer of money from the poor in rich countries to the rich in poor countries. Many of these countries are notoriously corrupt and the political class embezzle most or all of the aid. Most of these countries have very bad human-rights records. In the worst dictatorships and tyrannies, such as Zimbabwe, it is used to pay for secret police and other instruments of oppression. Even when supervised by international bodies such as the United Nations, foreign aid has a way of disappearing. It is several years since Haiti, one of the poorest countries of earth, was flattened by an Earthquake. Aid was poured into it, but rebuilding has still hardly begun. The same is true of many countries affected by the great South East Asian Tsunami, except where aid has been closely monitored by real democracies such as Australia and the US. Even when the democracies are involved, aid is sometimes given for useless projects, such as the Britishfinanced ferris wheel for Burkhaclad women in Pakistan. As more
Clear view GUY CROUCHBACK
and more officials come to see “Aid” not as a vocation but a career opportunity, more and more money is spent on useless, sometimes zany, make-work projects whose one point is to justify the salaries of the officials in question. Foreign aid means the local rulers and political class do not need to develop their own countries’ economies and tax-bases. They are able to live in luxury on aid while their people starve. Worse, aid also acts as a disincentive to local development in other ways. It seems a worthy thing to shower cheap food on a poor
“Aid is a disincentive to local development ... It seems a worthy thing (but) it destroys local markets”. country, but it also destroys the markets for local farmers, who can no longer get a viable income from their crops. Often they walk off the land to lead useless and miserable lives in city shanty-towns. The same goers for small and sometimes even large manufacturing businesses, which are ruined when the people are suddenly given free goods from an outside source. Some years ago the farmer-MP Bert Kelly, the first Australian Nuffield Scholar, visited Nepal, a barren, mountainous country with undeveloped roads and very little agricultural land. He reported that the road-mak-
ing equipment Australia was sending the Nepalese Government was much worse than merely useless. It was too big to get onto some of Nepal’s winding mountain roads at all. Others it tore up. Further, it destroyed the tiny plots of land the subsistence-agriculture peasants depended on. They were lying down in front of the Earth-movers in an attempt to keep them off the land, all of which was needed to grow crops to keep them alive. Further, aid agencies have a vested interest in not ending poverty. How many officials will work conscientiously to do themselves out of a job? Some, certainly, but by no means all. Economics is an uncomfortable science because, to be of any use, it has to take into account the real facts of human behaviour. This in not entirely negative. Foreign aid should be carried out by private groups, including churches, who have real first-hand knowledge of what may be needed. Britain, instead of increasing its government foreign aid budget while scrapping its aircraft-carriers, would have done better to keep its carriers for disaster-relief, when they could fly in help with helicopters, and their operating-theatres would be useful. An old US carrier, which would also have been useful in such a role, was recently sunk to make a dive-reef. They would cost far less to maintain in this role than they would as front-line warships, obsolescence would not be a factor, and they could remain on standby when not required. This would be a practical and workable form of foreign aid when it was really needed, and not merely a means of quieting the conscience of Western bureaucrats indulging in the virtuous feeling of spending someone else’s money, and lining the pockets of those same bureaucrats plus dictators and their secret police forces.
A woman obtains water from a communal well at the Hassa Hissa camp for internally displaced people in Zalingei, Sudan in 2007. PHOTO: CNS
18
PANORAMA
therecord.com.au
May 23, 2012
SATURDAY, MAY 26
Mary. Enq: Des 6278 1540.
5252 941.
Africa Day Inauguration Celebration 9.30am at North Perth Monastery, 190 Vincent St, North Perth. Mass followed by entertainment. Bring a plate to share. Drums are already being warmed, all welcome for music and dance. Enq: Bibiana 0458 945 444 or Rose 0409 688 547 or Patience 0411 667 353.
SATURDAY, JUNE 16; SUNDAY, JUNE 17
EVERY TUESDAY
Books Books Books 10am-4pm at Myaree Parish, Evershed St, Myaree. Pater Noster School/ parish hall.
Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal 6pm at Pater Noster Church, Marmion and Evershed Sts, Myaree. Mass at 5.30pm followed by benediction. Enq: John 040 8952 194.
The Eve of Pentecost – Midnight Vigil 8pm-12am at Holy Family Parish, Lot 375, Alcock St, Maddington. Includes prayers to revive the grace of the Holy Spirit and concludes with Holy Mass. Enq: Admin 9493 1703.
THURSDAY, 21 JUNE Auslan Café - Australian Sign Language 10:30am-12pm at Emmanuel Centre, 25 Windsor St, Perth. Learn Sign Language and share a cuppa. Following dates: Thursday 26, July; Thursday, 16 August; Thursday, 20 September. Enq: Emma 9328 8113 or emmanuelcentre@westnet.com.au
NEXT WEEK
REGULAR EVENTS
SUNDAY, MAY 27
EVERY SUNDAY
Taizé Prayer Evening 7-8pm at St Lawrence Parish, Balcatta. Spend an hour listening to simple music (canons), short readings from the scriptures and intercession prayer. Reflect on the mercy of God in silence. Enq: Fr Irek Czech SDS or parish office Tues - Thur, 9am2.30pm 9344 7066.
Gate of Heaven Catholic Radio Join the Franciscans of the Immaculate from 7.309pm on Radio Fremantle 107.9FM for Catholic radio broadcast of EWTN and our own live shows. Enq: radio@ausmaria.com.
Catholic Women’s League WA – 75th Anniversary Celebratory Mass 11am at St Mary’s Cathedral, Victoria Sq, Perth. Celebrant: Archbishop Emeritus Hickey honouring 75 years of Catholic Women’s League in WA. State President Karyn Kammann cordially invites all members, retired members and friends to join in celebrating this momentous occasion. Enq: Sheila 9531 2205 or sheflo@people.net.au. TUESDAY, MAY 29
Pilgrim Mass - Shrine of the Virgin of the Revelation 2pm at Shrine, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook. Commencing with Rosary followed by benediction. Reconciliation is available before every celebration. Anointing of the sick administered during Mass every second Sunday of the month. Pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin of the Revelation last Sunday of the month. Side entrance to church and shrine open daily between 9am-5pm. Enq Sacri 9447 3292. EVERY FIRST SUNDAY
Day of Reflection (MMP) 10.30am-2pm at Holy Spirit Parish, 2 Keaney Pl, City Beach. Begins with Rosary, followed by Mass and talks. Celebrant abd speaker: Fr Sharbel (Franciscans of the Immaculate). Bring lunch – tea/coffee supplied. Enq: Margaret 9341 8082.
St Mary’s Cathedral Youth Group – Fellowship with Pizza 5pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, 17 Victoria Sq, Perth. Begins with youth Mass followed by fellowship downstairs in parish centre. Bring a plate to share. Enq: Bradley on youthfromsmc@gmail.com.
The Most Holy Trinity - Seminar 7-8pm at St Benedict’s School Hall Alness St, Applecross. “How can we deepen our relationship with Father, Son & Holy Spirit?” by Norma Woodcock. View a weekly short video broadcast at www.thefaith.org.au. Cost: collection. AccreditedCEO- Faith Formation for ongoing renewal--$10 reg. Enq: Norma 94871772 or www.normawoodcock.com
Singles Prayer and Social Group 7pm at All Saints Chapel, Allendale Sq, 77 St George’s Terrace, Perth. Begins with a Holy Hour (Eucharistic adoration, the Rosary and a teaching) followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Meet new people, pray and socialise with other single men and women. Enq: Veronica 0403 841 202.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2 Day with Mary 9am-5pm at St Gerard Majella’s Parish, cnr Ravenswood Dr and Majella Rd, Mirrabooka. Day of prayer and instruction based on the Fatima message. 9am Video; 10.10am Holy Mass; Reconciliation, procession of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration, sermons on Eucharist and Our Lady, Rosaries and Stations of the Cross. BYO lunch. Enq: Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate 9250 8286. Big Meditation Day - the Christian Meditation Community (WA) 10am-3.30pm at Redemptorist Monastery Retreat Centre, Vincent St, North Perth. “Meditation and prayer in our lives” by Fr Michael Leek. Christian meditation will be introduced. Cost: donation. BYO lunch. Morning tea provided. Enq: CMC (WA) – 0429 117 242. Inner Healing One Day Retreat 9.30am-5pm at Holy Family Parish, Lot 375, Alcock St, Maddington. Includes talks on Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation, prayers for inner and physical healing. Cost: free – but registration is required. BYO lunch. Registration and Enq: Aristen 0407 472 677.
Divine Mercy 1.30pm at St Francis Xavier Parish, 25 Windsor St, East Perth. Homily: The Body and Blood of Jesus - Main Celebrant: Fr Johnson Malayil. With Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Reconciliation, Holy Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Divine Mercy prayers, followed by Benediction and veneration of first class relic of St Faustina Kowalska. Refreshments afterwards. Next Divine Mercy: Sunday, June 3. Enq: John 9457 7771. EVERY SECOND SUNDAY Healing Hour 7-8pm at St Lawrence Parish, Balcatta. Join us for songs of praise and worship, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and prayers for the sick. Enq: Fr Irek Czech SDS or parish office Tues - Thur, 9am2.30pm 9344 7066. EVERY THIRD SUNDAY Oblates of St Benedict – Meeting 2pm at St Joseph’s Convent, York St, South Perth. For all interested in studying the Rule of St Benedict and its relevance to the everyday life of today for laypeople: Vespers and afternoon tea afterwards. Enq: Secretary 9457 5758. EVERY FOURTH SUNDAY
Novena to God the Father 7.30pm at St Joachim’s parish hall, Victoria Park. Novena followed by reflection and discussions on forthcoming Sunday gospel. Enq: Jan 9284 1662. EVERY FIRST TUESDAY Short MMP Cenacle for Priests 2pm at Edel Quinn Centre, 36 Windsor St, East Perth. Enq: Fr Watt 9376 1734. EVERY WEDNESDAY Holy Spirit of Freedom Community 7.30pm at The Church of Christ, 111 Stirling St, Perth. We are delighted to welcome everyone to attend our Holy Spirit of Freedom praise meeting. Enq: 042 3907 869 or hsofperth@gmail.com. Bible Study at Cathedral 6.15pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, 17 Victoria Sq, Perth. Deepen your faith through reading and reflecting on holy Scripture by Fr Jean-Noel. Meeting room beneath Cathedral. Enq: Marie 9223 1372. Holy Hour - Catholic Youth Ministry CYM is back in 2012. Mass at 5.30pm and Holy Hour (adoration) at 6.30pm at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, 40A Mary St, Highgate. Enq: www.cym.com or 9422 7912. Adonai ladies prayer group 10am in the upper room of St Joseph’s Parish, 3 Salvado Rd, Subiaco. Come and join us for charismatic prayer and praise. Enq. Win 9387 2802 or Noreen 9298 9938. EVERY FIRST WEDNESDAY Holy Hour Prayer for Priests 7.30-8.30pm at Holy Spirit Parish, 2 Keaney Pl, City Beach. All welcome. Enq: Linda 9341 3079. Novena to St Mary of the Cross MacKillop 7-7.45pm at Blessed Mary MacKillop Parish, cnr Cassowary Dr and Pelican Pde, Ballajura. Begins with Mass, novena prayers and benediction. Followed by healing prayers and anointing of the sick. Enq: Madi 9249 9093 or Gerry 0417 187 240. EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY Chaplets of Divine Mercy 7.30pm at St Thomas More Parish, Dean Rd, Bateman. A beautiful, prayerful, sung devotion. Includes exposition followed by benediction. Enq: George 9310 9493 or 9325 2010 (w). EVERY THURSDAY Divine Mercy 11am at Ss John and Paul Church, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton. Pray the rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy and for the consecrated life, especially here in John Paul Parish. Concludes with veneration of the first class relic of St Faustina. Please do come and join us in prayer. Enq: John 9457 7771. St Mary’s Cathedral Praise Meeting 7.45pm every Thursday at the Legion of Mary’s Edel Quinn Centre, 36 Windsor St, East Perth. Includes praise, song and healing ministry. Enq: Kay 9382 3668 or fmi@flameministries.org. Group Fifty - Charismatic Renewal Group 7.30pm at the Redemptorist Monastery, 150 Vincent St, North Perth. Includes prayer, praise and Mass. Enq: Elaine 9440 3661. EVERY FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life 2-3pm at Infant Jesus Parish, Wellington St, Morley. The hour includes exposition of the blessed Eucharist, silent prayer, scripture and prayers of intercession. Come and pray that those discerning vocations can hear clearly God’s call.
Prayer in Style of Taizé 7.30-8.30pm at Our Lady of Grace Parish, 3 Kitchener St, North Beach. Includes prayer, song and silence in candlelight – symbol of Christ the light of the world. Taizé info: www.taize.fr. Enq: secretary 9448 4888 or 9448 4457.
EVERY SECOND AND FOURTH MONDAY
EVERY FIRST FRIDAY
Prayer in Taize style 7:30-8:30pm at Our Lady of Grace Parish, 3 Kitchener St, North Beach. Prayer, song and silence in candle light – the symbol of the light of Christ. Enq: Beth 9448 4888 or Joan 9448 4457
A Ministry to the Un-Churched 12.30-1.30pm at St John’s Pro-Cathedral, Victoria Ave, Perth (opposite church offices). With charismatic praise, and prayer teams available. Help us ‘reach out to the pagans’ or soak in the praise. Enq: Dan 9398 4973.
SATURDAY, JUNE 9
EVERY LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH
Divine Mercy Healing Mass 2.30pm at St Francis Xavier’s Parish, Windsor St, East Perth. Main celebrant: Fr Marcellinus. Reconciliation in English and Italian. Followed by Divine Mercy prayers and veneration of first class relic of St Faustina Kowalska. Refreshment afterwards. Enq: John 9457 7771.
Filipino Mass 3pm at Notre Dame Church, cnr Daley and Wright Sts, Cloverdale. Please bring a plate to share for socialisation after Mass. Enq: Fr Nelson Po 0410 843 412, Elsa 0404 03 8483.
Healing Mass 7pm at St Peter’s Parish, Inglewood. Praise and worship, exposition and Eucharistic adoration, benediction and anointing of the sick followed by holy Mass and fellowship. Celebrants Fr Dat and invited priests. 6.45pm Reconciliation. Enq: Mary Ann 0409 672 304, Prescilla 0433 457 352 and Catherine 043 3923 083.
UPCOMING SUNDAY, JUNE 3, AND SUNDAY, JUNE 17 Latin Mass - Kelmscott 2pm at Good Shepherd Parish, Streich Ave, Kelmscott. Enq: John 9390 6646. THURSDAY, 7 JUNE
EVERY MONDAY
RSCM Choristers Camp At WA College of Agriculture, Narrogin. Stay tune for more info Enq: 9332 4994 or tburbid@bigpond. net.au
Evening Adoration and Mass 7pm at St Thomas Parish, Claremont, cnr Melville St and College Rd. Eucharistic adoration, reconciliation, evening prayer and benediction, followed by Mass and night prayer at 8pm. Enq: Kim on 9384 0598 or email to claremont@perthcatholic.org.au.
SATURDAY, JUNE 16
LAST MONDAY OF THE MONTH
10th Anniversary of St Padre Pio’s Cannonisation 5pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, Victoria Sq, Perth. Begins with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Divine Mercy, Adoration and Benediction. Confessions available. 6pm Mass. We are also celebrating the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of
Be Still in His Presence – Ecumenical Christian Program 7.30-8.45pm at St Swithun Anglican Church, 195 Lesmurdie St, Lesmurdie (hall behind church). Begins with songs of praise and worship, silent time, lectio divina, small group sharing and a cuppa at the end. Enq: Lynne 9293 3848 or 043
TUESDAY 10 TO SUNDAY 15 JULY
Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life 7pm at Little Sisters of the Poor Chapel, 2 Rawlins St, Glendalough. Mass followed by adoration with Fr Doug Harris. All welcome. Refreshments provided. Healing and Anointing Mass 8.45am Pater Noster Church, Evershed St, Myaree. Begins with Reconciliation followed by 9am Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, anointing of the sick and prayers to St Peregrine. Enq: Joy 9337 7189. Catholic Faith Renewal Evening 7.30pm at Ss John and Paul Parish, Pinetree Gully Rd, Willetton – Songs of Praise and Prayer, sharing by a priest followed by thanksgiving Mass and light refreshments after Mass. Enq: Kathy 9295 0913 or Ann 0412 166 164 or catholicfaithrenewal@gmail.com. Communion of Reparation All Night Vigils 7pm-1.30am at Corpus Christi Church, Lochee
St, Mosman Park or St Gerard Majella Church, cnr Ravenswood Dr/Majella Rd, Westminster (Mirrabooka). The Vigils consist of two Masses, Adoration, benediction, prayers and Confession in reparation for the outrages committed against the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Enq: Vicky 0400 282 357 or Fr Giosue 9349 2315or John/Joy 9344 2609. EVERY SECOND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH Discover the Spirituality of St Francis of Assisi 12pm at St Brigid’s Catholic Parish Centre. The Secular Franciscans of Midland Fraternity meet for lunch followed by 1-3pm meeting. Enq: Antoinette 9297 2314. EVERY FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Healing Mass 12.35pm at St Thomas Parish, cnr Melville St and College Rd, Claremont. Spiritual leader Fr Waddell. Enq: Kim 9384 0598, claremont@perthcatholic.org. au. EVERY LAST SATURDAY Novena Devotions – Our Lady Vailankanni of Good Health 5pm at Holy Trinity Parish, 8 Burnett St, Embleton. Followed by Mass at 6pm. Enq: George 9272 1379. EVERY FOURTH SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Voice of the Voiceless Healing Mass 12pm at St Brigid’s Parish, 211 Aberdeen St, Northbridge. Bring a plate to share after Mass. Enq: Frank 9296 7591 or 0408 183 325.
GENERAL Free Divine Mercy Image for Parishes High quality oil painting and glossy print – Divine Mercy Promotions. Images are of very high quality. For any parish willing to accept and place inside the church. Oil paintings - 160 x 90cm and glossy print - 100 x 60cm. Enq: Irene 9417 3267 (w). Sacred Heart Pioneers Is there anyone out there who would like to know more about the Sacred Heart pioneers? If so, please contact Spiritual Director Fr Doug Harris 9444 6131 or John 9457 7771. St Philomena’s Chapel 3/24 Juna Drive, Malaga. Mass of the day: Monday 6.45am. Vigil Masses: Mon-Fri 4.45pm. Enq: Fr David 9376 1734. Mary MacKillop Merchandise Available for sale from the Mary MacKillop Centre. Enq: Sr Maree 041 4683 926 or 08 9334 0933. Financially Disadvantaged People Requiring Low Care Aged Care Placement The Little Sisters of the Poor community - set in beautiful gardens in the suburb of Glendalough. “Making the elderly happy, that is everything!” St Jeanne Jugan (foundress). Registration and enq: Sr Marie 9443 3155. Resource Centre for Personal Development The Holistic Health Seminar “The Instinct to Heal’’, every Tuesday 3-4.30pm; and RCPD2 “Internalise Principles of Successful Relationships and Use Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills” every Tuesday 4.30-6.30pm, 197 High St, Fremantle - Tuesdays 3-4.30pm. Enq: Eva 0409 405 585. Bookings are essential. Courses held at The Faith Centre in 2012 450 Hay St, Perth 1. RCPD2 - Internalise Principles of Successful Relationships and Use Emotional Intelligence and Communication Skills This course provides knowledge of principles that, if applied, will improve all relationships. Skills of self-analysis are taught as well as communication skills. Mondays: 5-7pm, until 10 Dec. For enquiries or bookings ph Paul 0402 222 578. 2. RCPD4 – Increase Personal and Spiritual Awareness and Improve Relationships This course promotes self-awareness and spiritual growth. Emotional development is explained in order to improve understanding between persons. Study of Psychology and Theology. Mondays: 10am–12.30pm, until 10 Dec. For enquiries or bookings ph Eva 0409 405 585.
3. Higher Certificate in Biblical Studies The Higher Certificate of Biblical Studies is a distance education program that can be followed in your own home at your own pace with periodic face-to-face contact workshops. Tutorial assistance is available as required. It is equivalent to a one-year tertiary course, although it is recommended that you aim to complete it in two years. For enquiries and enrolment, ph The Faith Centre on 6140 2420. Is your son or daughter unsure of what to do this year? Suggest a Certificate IV course to discern God’s purpose for their life. They will also learn more about the Catholic faith and develop skills in communication and leadership. Acts 2 College of Mission & Evangelisation (National Code 51452). Enq: Jane 9202 6859. AA Alcoholics Anonymous Is alcohol costing you more than just money? Enq: AA 3253 5666. Saints and Sacred Relics Apostolate Invite SSRA, Perth invites interested parties, parish priests, leaders of religious communities, lay associations, to organise relic visitations to their own parishes, communities, etc. We have available authenticated relics, mostly first-class, of Catholic saints and blesseds including Sts Mary Mackillop, Padre Pio, Anthony of Padua, Therese of Lisieux, Maximilian Kolbe and Simon Stock and Blessed Pope John Paul II. Free of charge and all welcome. Enq: Giovanny 0478 201 092 or ssra-perth@ catholic.org. Enrolments, Year 7, 2014 La Salle College is now accepting enrolments for Year 7, 2014. For a prospectus and enrolment form please contact college reception on 9274 6266 or email lasalle@lasalle.wa.edu.au. Pellegrini Books Wanted An order of Sisters in Italy is looking for the following: The Living Pyx of Jesus, Fervourings From Galilee’s Hills, Fervourings From the LoveBroken Heart of Christ, Fervourings From the Lips of the Mast, Listening to the Indwelling Presence, Sheltering the Divine Outcast, Daily Inspection and Cleansing of the Living Temple of God, and Staunch Friends of Jesus, the Lover of Youth. If you are able to help, please contact Justine on 0419 964 624 or justine@waterempire.com. Secondhand Electric Organ Good working condition. Angela Vigolo would like to give it away to a good home; maybe a parish would like it? Enq: Angela 9276 9317. Pentecost Sunday – Portuguese Community 11.30am at Holy Cross Parish, 1 Dianne Street, Hamilton Hill. Celebrate the Holy Spirit in the Portuguese tradition. Begins with Mass followed by Benediction. Enq: Zita 9418 4053. Spiritus – an organ and choral recital 7.15pm at St Mary’s Cathedral, Victoria Sq, Perth. Featuring music of Messiaen, Alain, VaughWilliams and Victoria. Enq: Jacinta 9223 1351
MAY ONLY EVENTS EVERY THURSDAY Mary, Mother of Sorrows Prayer Group 1-2.30pm at St Benedict’s Parish, cnr Ardross St and Canning Hwy, Ardross. “Spirituality in times of violence” course presented by Stephanie Woods, followed by refreshments. Cost: donation. Enq: Judy 9364 9249 or Marie 9332 8179. WEDNESDAY, 16; THURSDAY, 17; SATURDAY, 19 ‘Taking Good Care of Our Hearts’ Seminars Times: Wed 16: 7.30-9pm; Thurs 17: 7.30-9pm; Sat 19: 9am-12pm ‘Taking good care of our Hearts’ presented by visiting Jesuit priest, author and editor of Madonna magazine: Fr Chris Gleeson. Mary MacKillop Room (Multi-Purpose) John XXIII College. Cost: $10 per talk. Enq and registration: Murray 9383 0444 or graham.murray@johnxxiii. edu.au.
Panorama Deadline Friday, 5pm
CLASSIFIEDS
therecord.com.au May 23, 2012
19
CLASSIFIEDS Deadline: 11am Monday RELIGIOUS PRODUCTS
FOR RENT
TRADE SERVICES
CATHOLICS CORNER Retailer of Catholic products specialising in gifts, cards and apparel for Baptism, Communion and Confirmation. Ph 9456 1777. Shop 12, 64-66 Bannister Rd, Canning Vale. Open Mon-Sat.
ROOM FOR RENT IN A CATHOLIC SINGLE WOMEN’S HOUSEHOLD This Mt Hawthorn house is walking distance to Glendalough train station and St Bernadette’s, Glendalough. Close to the beach and cafes. We are looking for someone who is a Christian and youngish (2035). Contact: Bridget: 0408 496 610 or Caroline: 0421 818 887.
BRENDAN HANDYMAN SERVICES Home, building maintenance, repairs and renovations. NOR. Ph 0427 539 588.
RICH HARVEST YOUR CHRISTIAN SHOP Looking for Bibles, CDs, books, cards, gifts, statues, Baptism/Communion apparel, religious vestments, etc? Visit us at 39 Hulme Ct (off McCoy St), Myaree. Ph 9329 9889 (after 10.30am Mon to Sat). We are here to serve. KINLAR VESTMENTS www.kinlarvestments.com.au Quality handmade and decorated vestments: albs, stoles, chasubles, altar linen, banners, etc. 12 Favenc Way, Padbury. By appointment only. Ph Vickii on 9402 1318, 0409 114 093 or kinlar.vestments@ gmail.com.
BOOK BINDING
LEARN HOW TO MAKE ROSARY BEADS for the missions and special Rosaries for family and friends. Phone (02) 6822 1474 or visit our website: OurLadysRosaryMakers.org.au
RENT SCARBOUROUGH. FURN 1 BED OVER 55’s villa – walk to Church. $350/week. Barbara 9341 5346Pilgrimages
ALL AREAS. Competitive rates. Mike Murphy Ph 0416 226 434.
SETTLEMENTS
TAX SERVICE
ARE YOU BUYING OR SELLING real estate or a business? Why not ask Excel Settlements for a quote for your settlement. We offer reasonable fees, excellent service and no hidden costs. Ring Excel on 9481 4499 for a quote. Check our web site on www.excelsettlements.com.au.
QUALITY TAX RETURNS PREPARED by registered tax agent with over 35 years’ experience. Call Tony Marchei on 0412 055 184 for appointment. AXXO Accounting & Management, Unit 20/222 Walter Rd, Morley.
HAIRDRESSER RURI STUDIO FOR HAIR – Newly opened - international award winning salon. Shop 2, 401 Oxford St, Leederville. 9444 3113.
FURNITURE REMOVAL
BRICK RE-POINTING Ph Nigel 9242 2952. PICASSO PAINTING Top service. Ph 0419 915 836, 9345 0557 or fax 9345 0505.
MISSION ACTIVITIES
IN THIS YEAR OF GRACE & FAITH a special Pilgrimage organised to Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. For 24 days (Sep 6-29) to explore holy places in Europe for just AU$5,990. The highlights of the tour: Rome, San Giovanni Rotondo, Lanciano, Loreto, Assisi, Padua, Venice, Milan, Turin, Gerard Majella, La Salette, Nevers, Cure of Ars, Lourdes, Garrabandel, Avila-Fatima, Lisbon, and many more historical and holy places. Enq: Dax Gatchalian 0420 643 949; Noelene 0426 826 643 or Noelene16@hotmail.com; Fr Emmanuel 0417 999 553 or emmanmaria@yahoo.com or Fr Sam 0426 506 510.
NEW BOOK BINDING, general book repairs; rebinding; new ribbons; old leather bindings restored. Tydewi Bindery 0422 968 572.
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Your handyperson. No job too small. SOR. Jim 0413 309 821.
PERROTT PAINTING Pty Ltd For all your residential, commercial painting requirements. Ph Tom Perrott 9444 1200. LAWNMOWING AND WEED SPRAYING Garden clean ups and rubbish removal. Get rid of bindii, jojo and other unsightly weeds. Based in Tuart Hill. Enq: 9443 9243 or 0402 326 637.
CONGRATULATIONS DAVID GALLO MARTINEZ AND YARELIS SANZ ALVARES for the birth of your beautiful baby boy: Miguel Eduardo Gallo Sanz. Born on 19th April, weighing 4.8kg, 55 cm long. May God bless him abundantly and may Our Lady lead him in the path of sanctity. We love you Miguelito! From Tia Catherine and Zio Gaetan
VICTOR AND ELENA GALLO: Congratulations on becoming grandparents. What a beautiful blessing! SANTIAGO GALLO DIAZ: Congratulations on your first great-grandson – a little Gallo to carry your name. We love you Papi.
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C R O S S W O R D ACROSS 2 Most important teaching 7 Religious ceremony 8 Judas’ act 9 ___ rosa (secret appointment) 10 Book of the Old Testament 12 He established Notre Dame, Fr. Edward ___, CSC 13 Joseph was sold into slavery here 14 A biblical judge 15 ___ Meal 16 ___ occasion of sin 18 Commandment that directs us to keep holy the Lord’s Day 20 Biblical division 22 Letters some people sport on jewelry 23 It was thought to be the abode of unbaptized but innocent 24 Papal dispensation permitting a deviation from church law 26 Number of beatitudes 28 Jesus’ description of the Pharisees (Mt 23:27) 29 St. Anthony of Padua is called as the “____ of the heretics” 31 First patriarch, to his friends? 32 Saint who wrote a rule 33 The Archdioceses of Tokyo and Mandalay are here 34 Catholic Academy Awardwinning actress Hayward DOWN 1 “…my brother, co-worker, and comrade in ___.” (Phil 2:25) 2 Ten Hail Marys 3 The Israelites settled here in Egypt
W O R D S L E U T H
4 5 6 11
Where you might find a monk One of the seven Holy one, in Paris Notre Dame nickname, “The Fighting ___” 12 ___ of David 16 ___ Testament 17 “Can any of you by worrying ___ a single moment to your life?” (Mt 6:27) 19 “We ___, we celebrate, we believe” 21 “___ Regina” 22 Luke has these with his Beatitudes 23 Epistle 24 Most likely, Paul’s first epistle (abbr.) 25 Partner of Cosmas 27 Jesus separated these from the sheep in Matthew 25 30 ___ presence in the Eucharist
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
Page 20
TheTRecord he Record LastBookshop W in ord 1911 The
15 February 2012, The Record
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