PERTH, WA: February 25, 1988
Geraldton's Bishop Hickey in his Lenten pastoral letter says it is time we thanked our parents for what they have done for us. "Rarely do they receive thanks," he says. See story page 3.
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VATICAN CITY { C): Pope John Paul ll's second social encyclical keeps t e Church neutral in East-West confrontations by strongly criticising both political power blocks. East and West receive an equal s are of stinging condemnations for eir and dornesti c foreign olicies. These policies, according o h
m a nuclear pop , have result arms race threatening world survival, hind red Third World economic growth by tra sfernng ideological conflicts to underd velop d nations, and produced societies t home which seek material gain while downplaying spiritual values. In
remaining neutral, Pop John Paul fo lows the papal p ttern estab ishe War II wh
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VATICAN C 1Y (NC}: Here is an ta-glance look a Pope John Paul ll's new encyclical "On Social Concerns". Dlssu d to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Pope Paul Vi's encyclical "On the Development of Peoples", which advocated greater development programs for poor nations. DSays hat in those 20 years there has en not progress but a widening gap between the world's rich and p r. DCalls the growing ap a threat to world p ac and says it is caus d by such fac or as use of he Third World as an East-West a legrou , t e growing foreign d b arm rather ment, and inad -
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qua e sharing of technol gical adv nces. D otes he Church's "critical a itude toward both liberal capitalism and Marxist collectivism" and says both ideologies need to be c anged and pdated. OCi es the ethical cons quences of world interdependence and calls for moving yond "a feeling of vague compassion or sh al ow distress" for p or nations o "a firm and per v rin determination o co mit n self to he common goo ''. DCriticises sta e- up co rol c mpaigns, often are pro nd re resen gainst hep
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It's time to thank our parents
GERALDTO : It's time to thank mothers and fathers for being parents, says Bishop Hickey in his Lenten pastoral letter to the people of Geraldton dio e e. "They rarely receive thanks. On the contrary they are too often taken for granted or worse held responsible for the much publicised proble s of youth. "It is as if our mo rn complex soci ty, with all its deman I and p blam l
First Maori appointed
New Zealand has its first Maori Bishop, in the person of Marist Father Max Mariu, 35. He will be an auxiliary bishop to Bishop Gaines of Hamilton. The appointment of a Maori bishop has been mooted for two years and Cardinal Williams of Wellington calls it "a sign of the maturity of the Church in New Zealand and a means of achieving greater unity".
First Catholic
Bishop Mariu is a direct descendant of Kaerehr, the first Catholic of his tribe converted in the 1840's. Today he is considered a member of one of the highest ranking New Zealand families, his uncle Sir Hepi Te Heu being a paramount chief. The new bishop has had extensive experi ence in parishes and in the aori St Paul's College. Most recently he as been working at Paki Paki.
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VATICAN CITY (NC): In a recent speech to diplomats at the Vatican, Pope John Paul II has shifted the emphasis of his stand on the global nuclear threat from his previous position that nuclear deterrence can be a morally acceptable political policy. He stepped in line with the public views of previous popes who stressed the dangers of deterrence to world peace, urged its quick replacement as a political strategy, and said nothing about the morality of deterrence. Pope John Paul is the only pope in the post-World War II Atomic Age to have stated publicly that a nuclear deterre ce policy can be mora . He did so in a 982 essage o the Unite ations.
It will be no exaggeration to say that most West Australians will by now have to be reminded that Archbishop Runcie of Canterbury is still on an eight day visit to this state. Admittedly, this could be called a narrow Perth metropolitan view, given that the archbishop spent two very full days in Bunbury and two equally full days in the Pilbara where both areas' media have different opportunities to acknowledge his presence. It would not have been too many decades ago when even the thought of a visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury would have sent the local Establishment into a frenzy of pecking and (Archbishop Fisher did come 40 years ago) sent the Catholics into a bout of chronic spiritual indigestion for the duration. Archbishop Runc·e is too sea ned a campaigner to be surprised that top personalities drop Ii e a brick if the fast ce of ay's news and view does ot pot any mi ea e in an event r e his. In almost his first words en · WA, two d y fore e nt ublic y to ir, the archbi hop did point out at if in En Ian he touched o any iss e of e day e was bou d to get p edia expo ure b t no if e happen o be ta i g about God or J u Christ.
n current conditions 'deterrence' based o balance, certainly not as an end in itself ut as a step toward a isarmaprogressive ment, may still judged morally acceptable," the p p said in that sp ch .
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logical issues has � focused ecumenical � dialogues more on the § structure and nature � of the church, said the
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duced an important document saying that many of the reasons for the mutual condemnations by Catholics and Lutherans in the 1600s are no
and practices," the cardinal said. Catholic-Lutheran dialogue ,, is especially important for Western Christianity because the con f lict between Martin L ut h er an d the authorities in Rome was at the heart of the 16th Century Reformation," he said. "A reconclllation between Lutherans and Catholics would be, at the same time, highly symbolic and siqnificant," he a d. Cathoticin Reform d dialogue "the them of ecclesiology h s become centr I," the cardinal said Eccl s1ology s he study of the nature of the church. Dialogue part cipents are rying to resolv "fundam ntal uestions" such as the understanding of ecclesiology within cfch church as it has d v loped after the Reformation, he said. Another mportant aspect is examining the meaning of the church wit. h out restricting this to . previous theological and historical viewpoints, he added.
id. "Many of th se condemnations rest on a misund rstandin of the position of the other party, while some cond mnation no longer apply to current doctrine
ocatholic-Pentecostal dialogue is important because "Pentecostal communities hav developed rapidly in different parts of the world," said Cardinal W1llebrands.
"Dialogue has grown th rough a mutual understanding of the theologres and classical Pen-1 tecostal and Roman Catholic spiritual practices," he added. This has resulted in a growing mutual understanding of the role of§ Mary and the saints in� spiritual life, the cardinal � said. � the� A though Catholic Church � does not belong o th § World Council of� Church s, multilateral � dialogue rs earned on ; through the WCC's Faith ; nd Order Commrs ron � which includ s v ral � Catholic theologians n � its m mber hip, h sad � In 1987, for the first § time, th Vatican rs ued � a formal response to a � Faith and Order Cornmis- � sion document, he said, � mentioning the 1982 � "Baptism, Eucharist n Ministry" stu y. The response was mad by the Christian unity secretariat in coo eration with the Vatican Congregation for the § Doctrine of the Faith and � after consultation with � bishops' conferences � round the world, a � the cardinal. E � WCC docum nt is The_ ,, an important contribution" to the unity pro- � cess, h said. �
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§ Johannes Willebrands § president of the Vati-
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Secretariat for § Promoting Christian � Unity. E The cardinal was § reviewing 25 years of � ecumenism during the � northern hemisphere E Week of Prayer for § Christian Unity. E Practical cooperation E with other Christian § churches on Justice and § p ace issues rs another � srgn of ecumenical pro§ gress, he said � _ The Catholic Church rs eng g d in dralogu with § 10 different Christian § churches and with th § World Council of Churches, he said. Catholics must enter � rnto dralogu with all � Christian churches "and § not just thos who em � n arer to us in faith and � structure," he added.
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joint statements � pinpointing agre ments � and disagreements on �- principal issues, he said. _� Cardinal Willebrands � outlined the situation in E several of the theological � dialogues:
or institutional church matters, but are open to the idea of a special leadership role for the papacy because of the importance of the bishop of Rome in church nistorv, Catholic-Orthodox dialogue hop s to tackle the issue by tying it to related themes on which there is widespread agreement, said Cardinal Wille rands. 'Thus, the discussion on the sacrament of ordination and apostolic succession will prep r us to undertake th question of the Petrme rmmstrv and pl ce of th bishop of Rome in the church," he said. A major CatholicOrthodox a vance came in a 1982 s ssion which produced "ace ptanc of the principl of unity of faith within a possible diversity of formulas and expressions," he add . ocatholic-Lutheran dialogue has pro-
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dialogue is zeroing in on th thorny issue of the rol of the pa cy, h � said. Orthodox do not cc pt � the pope as the final authority on farth issues
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rebuff to Aborigines in Bicentennial "When we look at mottoes like Living Together we have to admit really that Aborigines h ve not been very included in what the Bicentenary is all about," s id father Brennan. He compared Prince Charles' speech inclu ion "w th good British wit" of the Aboriginal predicament that n eded to be addressed, with Prime 1n1 ter Hawke's spe ch wh"ch "not o y d not m ntlon bo 0
Motto misleading gines but did not includ them in the defi ition of what it is to be Australian". 11 What we have as part of the national psyche on these sort of big party events is that Aborigines re not even to be seen as p rt of 1L v1ng Together'."
Calling for some ort of symbolic statement, father Brennan cited the call by the heads of 14 churches for such a bipartisan statement before the opening of Par-
need not be an international power treaty, but something like the Wages Accord, according the Aborigines a place in the history of Australia.
iament Hou e on ay 9. eaningful negotiations, he said,
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and equality are not about primitiv ideas. e said that d pit th moral claims of bori·n
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Stepping FOCUS ON THE stone to BIBLE renewal Today when adults express interest in becoming Catholic - or in taking up church membership in a more active way after an absence - they are invited to take part in a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. The RCIA is a "step-by· step process which celebrates their growth in faith, their conversion," culminating at the Easter Vigil with their reception of the sacraments baptism, confirmation , eucharist, John Butler, Catechumenate director, said. Although the RCIA can be adapted to local needs, the basic shape of the process involves specific stages and formal liturgi· cal rites to mark the growing commitment and deepening conversion of the candidates. The first stage of the RCIA, called the precatechumenate, is the period when individuals explore and inquire about the Catholic faith. "We answer. tlleir questions and help them to raise questions in an environment of trust and acceptance," Butler said.
NC News Service time of intense prayer and personal reflection as they prepare for the sacraments. The community, too, enters into deeper prayer for those who will be initiated at Easter. In a particularly powerful rite called "scrutinies", generally celebrated over the course of three Sundays during lent, the community Cont page 10
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Talk is cheap. As election another approaches, people ace swamped by oratory and promises.
By Father John Castelot
But promises ace not what really Impresses people. Actual performance Is what counts. What people say Is, "Show mel" This Is not really all that new. In biblical times, St Paul was well aware that his preaching alone drew few people to Christ. This was especially true in a culture where travelphilosophers ling jockeyed foe positions of advantage from
which to spout their profundities. So Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: "Our Gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also In power and In the Holy Spiclt and· with much conviction" (1 Thessalonlaos 1:S). Even more to the point, Paul wrote, "I ca.me to you In weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my
Mary and Bill didn't attend church much in the early days of their marriage. She was a Lutheran, he a Catholic. Neither wanted to give up a familiar and comfortable way of worshipping. When children came, Mary reluctantly agreed to have them hap· tised Roman Catholic. She felt that peace in the marriage was a goal worth sacrfficing for. "The last thing God wanted from us," she said, "was to be fighting over him." When their first two children were quite young, Bill suggested that they try attending the local parish's folk Mass held in the church basement. Mary liked it right away because of its and informality simplicity. As a Lutheran she said
The Record, February 25, 1988
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Equally lmporta,, in the practical orda,ws Paul's example. kl>w· that Ing p ple demanded to be shown, he tried his best to show the,, by his own attltudQand conduct what a direre nce Christ l't ,Id make in human Over and over la his
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letters, he urges his readers to Imitate him. Paul also shares with them his personal faith experiences, his experience of prayer and of Christ. Quite honestly he shares with them his own efforts to grow In Chclstllkeness (Phillpplaos 3:8-16). He follows his candid self-disclosure with the specific and typical recommendation: "Join with others in being Imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us."
It Is by the Chclstlikeness of the Christian community that people find Christ, not by clever talk or persuasive argumentation, helpful though these may be foe some. When the chips ace down, people ace won over by the sincere and quietly joyful living of the Good News., Imitation starts a chain reaction and Paul alludes to this process: "You know what sort of people we were among you foe your sake. And you became Imitators of us and of the Lord . . . so that
KNOW YOOR FAITH
you became a model foe all the believers in Macedonia and Achala" (1 Thessalonlans l:S-7). This down-to-earth approach made perfect sense foe Paul was not preaching a system or a legal code. He was preaching a person and a way of life. One of the earliest names foe Chclstiartlty was 'The Way", as Is noted In Acts 19:23. But basically what people learned, what they were drawn to by word and example, was a person, Jesus himself.
Sponsoring his third candidate By Father Herbert WEBER
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Compiled by NC News Service
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This year Jeff is sponsoring his third candidate through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. He knows that Lent is a special time of for preparation catechumens those preparing to enter the church when the vigil Mass is celebrated on the eve of Easter. But Jeff's responsibility as a sponsor begins long before Ash Wednesday. Early last autumn Jeff was invited to be a sponsor for someone inquiring into the Catholic Church. When Jeff accepted the invitation, he realised that what Jay ahead was anything but predictable, The first candidate Jeff had sponsored two years earlier had chosen to discontinue halfway through the process. That wa hard for Jeff. But he had to trust the catechumen's decision. The following year Jeff again was a sponsor. This
time he and his candidate continued their journey of faith up to Easter and during the subsequent period of prayer and reflection.
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BY
NEIL PARENT she "felt comfortable there. There were no statues and there was no body on the cross. The homilies were good and the people were very friendly." When Mary and Bill's third child was horn, they both wanted to have the baby baptised during the folk Mass. The experience was a good one for Mary. "It was like getting married all over again," she recalled.
ODD Yet Mary felt excluded to some extent by not bemg able to receive the Eucharist. "I was reallv yearning to be a part of the whole thing," she said.
Discussion Points
Sponsors of undidalas fw tH Iii• tf CllrisUH lnru,tioot fw HUiis sometimes ,re remilHIH !NI tieir ,rim,ry 1,sk is lo h tf Sffl'lca It ulldid,tes, lo fw !Hsa "°"inf lo mor IIN Churc/1. ON s,o,,sor ui4 h fall lib • lr,re/linf comp,niN ,rilll IIN undiul• H • jwn,11 of f,illl, ,.;.uni out sir/Its,,..,, lho "'' NI oft • sHi•I f,illl front • "" ,,nt,10 ,..illl lli•stlf.
proclamation -re not with pees� Ive words of wisdo11, so that your faith girt rest not on hu, ian wisdom but on the power of God· (1 Corinthians 2d-5\
Lent a special time for catechumens
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It is also a time for sharing personal stories. "They come with an experience of God already happening in their life," Butler said. "We ask them to tell their stories, and we tell our stories as individuals and as a parish. We also share the big story: Scripture and tradition." When individuals arrive at a decision to become Catholic, they move into the next stage of the process, called the catechumenate. They are assi1ned a sponsor from the community and in a liturgical rite they are introduced to the com· munity and asked publicly what they seek. In this stage, the catecbumens or candidates usually attend Sunday Mass tocether. But they are "dismissed" after the Scripture readings and homily to continue to discuss "what they heard in the Scripture readings, what it means to them, and what it will cost to incorporate it into their lives." Durin1 this stage, which can take up to two years, the catechumens often are asked to participate in some kind of church ministry or service to the wider community. On the first Sunday of lent, candidates who are ready to receive Ille sacraments enter what is called "the elect". It is a
Words alone wo ''t do it
Lent is the season in the church when Christians are invited to take stock of themselves and how they are progressing in the life of faith. In many parishes the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process fosters this. • What is the RCIA? • The RCIA process benefits prospective Catholics and their sponsors, but does it do anything for the parish at large? Father Herbert Weber tells the stories of three RCIA sponsors. What did these people learn from their experience 7 Judging by the story told by Netl Parent. is the pathway through the RCIA to becoming a Catholic always smooth and unewntful?
The experience i-lped Mary realise jUS how muc:h she Ion I to parncrpate lull) n a believing comll nity. Then one Sunda vhile reading the pa� bulletin she noticed t the parish was scrvillfllany dilTerent needs. "I saw that thel was something for }"1, for singles, for adults r the elderly and so 11' she said. ·.. I realised hat I wanted to be full member of tha!COmmunitv and I ,l'ided there and then toPlore becoming a Cath ·" Although that 6 ision led Marv to join ' the parish RCIA prolS, all her reservations ibout Catholicism hi not vanished. "Mv h4 said 'yes; but I kn�" It my religious traditiof10uld make it difficult� ne to arcept everythi1fbout Catholicism," shf id. "I was going to ha, •_!ake it one step at a t ·
about matters that did not prevent her from being received into the Catholic church. Mary's reception into the church was a milestone. She speaks of it as a great celebration. a moment of wonderful rejoicing.
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But, if Mary's entry into Catholicism removed the religious barrier that existed between her and her husband and children, it erected another
one between her and her mother Mary's mother never \\118 in favour of her marrying a Catholic, so when Mary became a Catholic her mother was outraged. Mary speaks sadly of how her mother almost ostracised her from the family. The relationship has improved since then, but it has not healed completely. Despite her mother's feelings about her leaving Lutheranism, Mary sees things differently.
"I'm a Roman Catholic who has brought the best of my Lutheran tradition with me." Stressing her Christian
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identity, she says, "I want to follow Jesus." Mary feels that without going through the RCIA process, her faith life
would have gone no further. The RCIA gave her both the opportunity and the means to evaluate her faith.
"I saw that there was something for youth, for singles, for adults, for the elderly and so on," she said. "I realised that I wanted to be a full member of that community and I decided there and then to explore becoming a Catholic."
Jeff smiled when I asked about the experience. He said he felt like a travelling companion with the candidate. Often, a he and his candidate met to talk about this journey of faith, Jeff pointed out sights along the way. But more than once he saw faith from a new vantage
point himself. An exciting aspect of the RCIA process is that all candidates are given sponsors by the church. RCIA sponsors are paired with candidates when they enter the catechumenate. At our pansh we ask that the spon or make a weekly contact with the catechurnen. sually this happens at the Sunday evening meeting.
Sponsors are not "super Catholics" Some people 1 have invited to participate have expressed fear
that they do not 'have all the answers to quesnons candidates might ask about faith. Often I respond that answering questions might be less important than being able to listen
to expressions of fear and concern, or helping candidates ·put into words what they are searching for in their relationship with God.
ODO
When Millie became a sponsor she was doubtful that she would do a good job. She felt ill-prepared theologically and spiritually. But Millie loved her faith and as a mother of grown children she had many valuable experiences to share.
The candidate Millie sponsored was a universiry student. The young woman's family was not supportive of the step she was taking and indicated they would not attend the Easter service. Millie soon discovered that in addition to sharmg her experiences of fauh with the candidate, she also was becommg a stable support in the student's life. Millie's discomfort with her own lack of expertise was greatly overshadowed by her ability to show understanding and compassion. Often sponsors indicate that the RCIA process allows them a chance to share fanh at a personal level. Angie, a sponsor for her roommate Debbie, said that they often talk well into the night after the weekly sessions. Angie tries to express how she attempts to live faith, but she freely admits that she also is gaining new insights through Debbie' search. If the opportunity to serve as a sponsor is a rare privilege, It also is a major responsibility. In our pansh the spon ors go through a trammg period that includes as much praying as information on how to be a ponsor. Mostly we remind our sponsors that their pnrnary task is to be of service to candidates, to help open doors for those hoping to enter the church.
The cater hu ·nate was a spiritualh irich. mg experience fo •fary. She loved the }ong, the singing, the i11f the Bible. •1 felt part ilarhyl dose to Goo di18 t e process," she red'· In the end. all of were Mary's quesn·o1 guid resolved. Butt ss t 1· we':..: As a flo'ffer roes through stares from bud to blossom, so does an adult interested in becoming Catholic 'ffho partakes in a process called the Rite of Christian Initiation for ing her in the adults. RC/A is a step-by-step process 'ffhich celebrates a person's gro'fftlt in faith and conrersio , culminatinr at the Easter Vici/ with reception of tbe sacraments - baptism, that her quc,td confirmation, Eucharist. The Record, February 25, 1988 9
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VATICAt CITY ( C): Pope John Paul Commission wa formed§ and given power to buy� VI, in his landmark some wool. E 1967 social encyclical Then followed the Aus- E tralian W l Corpora- � "Populorum Progreslion, whi h had more E sio", coined a phrase "Development · the "teth"andha hen� succ s . great new name for p ace." bout the time Peter H came to symbolise and Christina arrived at the Church's con .ern Kulin the four churches at Kulin, Karlgarin, Kon- for narrowing the gap dinin and Hyden were between rich and poor tarting to a t as a group � nations b cause such a situation i not only unjust, but also a major threat to world ODO peace. The phrase al o crystallised the Church's growing Dudinin is n win effect sympathy for the part of th group, but its und rd v loped \ •orl a d it
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JOHOR BARU (Malaysia): For extensions to the cathedral here a fund raising appeal has been launched not by locals but by expatriate Filipinos. The 1982 building is inadequate and has to be extended. Filipino men come to work as technicians. engineers and architects on nearby Pasir Gudang port while Filipino women come as housemaids. The women work long hours for low pay and they were neglected until a cathedral priest and lay people helped make their presence felt.
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One such person is Kulin farmer, Peter John Lee - an acolyte, former pre ident and - now secretary of the parish council that serves the Catholic communitie of Kulin, Karlgarin, Kondinin, Hyden and Dudinin. If you want omething done, ask a busy man to do it. This is an old truism that take hape in th uh tantial form of Peter
It called for much time away from home and e ten ive trav lling throu h the a o ulin, Lake Varley, Holt Rock in arin . La e Gra e, Ye lerin , ullar-
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From page 6 The Vatican response, published in November, praised the thrust of the document but cited specific problems such as lack of discussion of original sin and ambiguity regarding Christ's presence in the Eucharist. Multilateral dialogue is "more difficult than bilateral dialogue" but the wee document "is proof that it can function," said Cardinal Willebrands.
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RECORD CLASSIFIED ��1rtm[IB� ADVERTISEMENTS
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DEATH Painting quality work at the right pri e. John Fr akI y. Phone 361 4349. 8ectrical Contr ctor J.V. O'Esterre, 5 Vivi n St, Riverval . 30 yrs experi n e, expert. efficient, reliable. Ring 362 4646, after hours 385 9660. ELECTRICAL: For II types of electrical work phon 335 Tl77. STEELWORK: All types of teel gate and balu trad mi w ldin and ar welding. Phon 35 Tl77 ..
GERRANS, Benjamin John, first on of John and Terri (Oliver) will b bapti ed in th chur h of Our Lady of th Rosary, Doubt vi w, on unday, February 28 at 11.15am. Godparents Wayn and Julie Dohman. BARTER, Ro mari Jane,
the third d ughter of Mi hael and Ann Marie (Paxton) of Con don St, Clarem nt, will be bspti ed in tar of th hurch, Cott I und , Fi bns: 11am.
Pardon (Bern rd Ceci : A man of qu · t dignity and great courage; thoughtfu_ wise and di voted to h
farni • Beloved husband of Anne. Loved and honoured by h · ch· ren
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, Christine and john. o'er m , and amrocks round it twine. 'T'wi t the land that bore m , that the d ar old Faith w min ." "A celtic cross r ·
Church s' Commission on Education lbany District Council
Senior High School Albany A
12
Record, F
ruary 25, 1988
Priests' roles? from II. G WALL Ardross
Sir, In an NC News Service feature (The Record February 4, page 11 ) on the "Primary goal of priests", the "goal" was successively described, first to the seminarian then the ordained priest and lastly to him as a lecturer in a Seminary as that of: 1. "Saying Mass". 2. "Celebrating the liturgy". 3. "Presiding over the assembly". Each of these definitions explaining a priest's goal, role, raison d'etre, is woefully inadequate. To begin with, the "presiding" definition could describe in modern, trendy terms, any "chair person" of any meeting, from a golf club to communist meeting. It has no reference at all to the supernatural character of a priest's vocation. As to the second definition, the dictionary explains "celebrate" as "to perform publicly and duly", or "to officiate at Eucharist" but with no hint as to the sublime and infinite worth of that action. "Liturgy" rs explained in three ways: 1. "Communion office of Eastern Church". 2. "A s t of formularies for form of public worship". Is tha all the ass, the Liturgy, rs? - say, n s t words? A third m arunq. a Gr ant1one. d scribes "liturqv" as "a quat or du y, performed public offic gratuitously by a rich Athenian"! Are not all these d finitions not only w fully na uat , but mist din ? A pn st's role, and oal, primarily - of t first priority and ma rntu , rs the on given to him, personally by his Divine Red mer Just before He completed His hfe's work nd ultimate gift (sacrifice) to the human rac , hen He commissioned His first priests, the Apostl s, to "Do this in memory of Me." That commission came after Jesus changed the substance of bread into His sacred Body - "which will be offered up", and win into His pr ciou Blood - "which will be shed". By the use of this future ten v rb by our Lord, Jesus show Mass ls not only th La t Su r represented, but that H1 sacrifice (gift) is to completed on Calvary. In Mass we rev rs Our Lord's actions. Firstly, with ourselv s, our work, our joys, our troubl s, w off r our Heav nly Fath r the atrociously omsmq d ah of His Belov d Son who rs ta in the punishrn nt for our sins. In th actual words of th Mas , we as our Father to "s th vicnrn (now pres nt, and dying) who e d ath has r concrl du to yours If." Fath r Dani I Lord, SJ, has aid that th d ath of our Saviour on t Cro s. in Mass, rs ymboll ed y the "mystic mt " of the s parat acts (words) of cons er non - th s pa rating of the Body from th Blood That rs w y the words of th hymn.
F th r Philip F RR LLV ho died in retirem nt at h St J f God Viii
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"O Jesus crucified, for me you suffer, for my sins you die, on the cross, Thank you dear Jesus" would be more realistic as an acclamation than the statements of facts. "Christ has died; Christ has risen, Christ will come again", which do not personally, in sorrow and gratitude, speak to our dying Redeemer. Do all Catholics know that the symbol of Our Lord's Resurrection is siqnitied rn Mass by the priest's insertion of a particle of the consecrated host. our Lord's Sacred Body, into the chalice of His Precious Blood, re-uniting Body and Blood, restoring lrfe, comparable to our blood transfusions? Our Lord's first action as regarding Mass, the last sup er, the gift (sacrifice) of Himself to His apostles, to be continued by them. becomes m Mass, the last action of the priest, God's transcendent gift of Himself. to us, rn Holy Communion. How many of us think of the Mass as a gift, a sacrifice? The word "sacrifice" means "qift", sacred-made, because n rs the g1vmg of the gift which makes It sacred. Mass rs a two way gift, the giving by the priest, of our dymg Lord to His heavenly Father, and the giving to us of our resurrected Saviour. It rs not only the cost, but the love which accompanies the gift which ass sses its value. How much love do I put into ass? Th mod rn terminology for M ss is Eucharist Th word ha two parts - th Gr II", pref, - " u" - m nmg "good, nd "ch ris" m nmg, "gift" or "gr c " often h r th word Today w
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Poverty • views from Marcus BOEHM, Perth Str, In an age ot Liberation Theology and food technology, it is interesting to note Paul Donnelly's contribution (The Record, February 11) to living on the poverty line.
Laotian captive from Bishop STACCIOU, OM/, Siena
Sir, Your recent interview with me (The Record, February 18) states: "Today the bishop of Vientiane rs free but the bishop of Takhe rs under house arrest." In fact the bishop of Takhe rs free as the bishop of Vientiane. but the bisho of Pa se rs under hous arrest
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though from Cath nne HODGSO , Kulin Sir, It was r rm s of me to d sh off a I tt r (Th R cord, F bruary 18) without thmkrn th ISSU s through. On reflection, th loss of Catholics in this district over the years has b n due to mixed mamag s. Pe pie have en too kind to e plain this to as I am half of sue a marriag . On the uesuon of sharing with the poor I have been narrow minded and self righteous and out of touch. It has be n said (in Jest) that 1t is the church's JO "to comfort the aff hct and afflict th comfortable". I s the forgiv n ss of those who have b n offend d by my previous lett r.
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Lady of passionate conviction
Simone Weil was born a sickly child in Paris in 1909. Her father, a succe ful doctor, and her mother did all they could for her. But
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• ..... -A look at books ..... music art Childhood at Brindabella. Tbe charming recreation of the author's first ten years, by Miles Franklin. Pub. by Eden. Dist. through Angus & Robertson. $6.95. This delightful autobiography i. the tory of ii Franklin' first ten years, pent partly on her parents' station in th • mountain valle ' of Brind bella, not far from the present Canb ·rra. It i the world of high and graceful living he p< rtrayed in h ·r no\el h·re rec ptured with un alterin , warmth and
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THE���� PAR:t·SH. SC;·ENE MINISTRY SEMINAR
To learn from each other about how Christ's ministry is carried out in the world, the ecumenical affairs committees of four churches are organising a two day seminar on this topic from 7pm Friday, April 22 to 5pm Sunday, April 24 at the Redemptorist Retreat House. Registration forms will be availab e early in March, through parishes or Dr John Neal (Conference of Churches) on 221 1732. There will be a registration fee of $10 plus $45 for residents and $25 for non-residents.
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MARIAN CA.LENDAR�1 BEACONSFIELD: At Christ the K·ng, every first Friday and Saturday of the month Father Fernandes delivers the Marian v; r Rosary and
celebrates Mass ·n Portuguese.
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further information phone 335 1636. NORTH PERTH: At the Redemptorist Church, the novena to Our lady of Perpet I Help · conducted every Saturday at 4.30pm f owed by Mass at 5pm. P CKERING BROOK:
WORLD PRAYER
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Belmont and East Victoria Park parishes got away to a f"ting Project Compassion start thanks to materials collected by Above: Vince Medley and Arthur Douglas and Len, Geraldine and Karen Winton. Below: Portia Curtin nd Robin Piccoli of Hilton and Damien Moloney of North Be ch with Peter nd Brett.
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On March 4 at 10.30am a World Day of Prayer service wi be he d this year in St Denis Church, Roberts St, Joondanna, with other de omi ations of Yoki e area, d open to all m n and women, held yearly in churches world wide. A buffet lunch fo lows in the sc ool hall. For anyone a to tt d during the day St Paul' A g ican church ( ext to th H. h School) will ho d a t 8pm.
Greyhounds - with The Record Tipster
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