The Record Newspaper 13 May 1988 by The Record

PERTH, WA: May 13, 1988

Registered by Australia Post Pubhcation No. WAR 0202

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Not only Perth's Redemptorist retreat house became an architectural landmark but also the flare given to its management by the new found vocation of its now famous manager Brother Dan Stafford, about to change care from bodies to souls. His departure story is on page 3.

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LA PAZ (Bolivia) C Po John Paul II trav lled o La Paz, the world's high st na ional c pital, to d nounce fund m ntalist

"Unfortunately, they can quickly dilute the coherence and unny of the evangelical message," he said

rn Bohvi

Bishops should "provide your faithf ul with an adequate cap city for discernment so that. w1 h an attuud of sincere ecumenism with our brothers in oth r Christian confessions and with respec for all, they n v rthel ss remain and act like fa1 hf ul childr n of the church rn which th y w re b pn ed." th po said

It wa on o t ar on th mro m king in the traditionally C tholic population of Latin America Many Latin Am ncan bishops hav told th Vatican that the growth of sects rs a major danger to he health of Latin American Catholicism. The po noted that ects are on the ns m Bolivia and urged the Catholic bishops "d fend themselv m the face of the active pro lyt1smg of ts". "Th s s ts. of a f undamentallst cut" are sowing confusion amon h p o I ," he said.

Bolivians n .. our doctrinal gu1 ance" so t y can "purify and consohd te m truth th rr srnc re nd profound religious b Ii f s." h told the bish s There are about 150 church sand sects legally r istered in Bolivia, yet few have sought to develop relations with the Catholic Church, the majority religion. Television stations regularly air Spanish-speaking evangelists who specialise in faith healing and who solicit listeners for money to sup ort their ministries. Many of these television ministries originate outside Bolivia.

CANBERRA: Over 25,CX)() people gathered in three different parts of Canberra and marched to State Circle completely encircling the new Parliament House on last Saturday in a National Gathering o pray God's blessing on the new national home. from MICHAEL SULU VAN

in C n err

The group that left from beside Lake Burley Griffin was led by Chris-

tian politicians and also by various church leaders, carrying a large wooden cross made from the remnants . of he blo -stained cattle railings at the site of the Myall Creek massacre in 1838.

ens oner open at Coo bellup II

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years and

ho in her ew home will be close to er married childr n.

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Russians 1n new deal for Christians •

MOSCOW: Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's historic announcement at the weekend of a new deal for Soviet Christians has been given a warm but cautious welcome by religious observers in the West. President Gorbachev met Patriarch Pimen of Moscow, head of the Russian Orthodo Church, and other religious leaders and promised a new law "on the freedom of conscience to reflect the interests of religious organisations", in exchange for the Church's support on economic and s cial reforms. Tass, he official Soviet news agency, confirm d that the meeting had en call d at the request of the Patriarch to discuss the celebration of he 1(X)()th anniv rsary of Russian Christianity in June. Father Michael Bourdeaux, general director of Keston College which monitors the Church behind the Iron Curtain, said that "much will hang upon the precise formulation of the new laws" but welcomed the move "without reservation". He added that "it was the most positive d claration in favour of religious liberty by a top Kremlin leader since the Revolution". The four million Catholics in the Ukraine will "certainly be affected by the new laws" said a spokesman for the Ukrainian Church in Britain. He regarded the move as "historic". Christopher Cviic, Religious Affairs Correspondent for the Economist felt that the real test of the laws would be when the Soviet authorities allowed "full and open practice of religion in society". from THE UNIVERSE

Brother Dan stepping down

Redemptorist Brother Dan Stafford after 13 years as of the manager R demptorist R treat Hou e is about to hand over the task to rvite Brother David

Cl . ton.

Br ther Dan heads or lb urn to train nd take up n w work in th field clini al /hil r pa t r I

thrnuch in

'Reduction' Jesuits are canonised Asuncion, Paraguay: To crown his visit to central South America Pope John Paul will canonise the 17th century esuit martyr whose 15 year career revolutionised missionary wor in South merica in the 17th century. Along with Father oque Gonza ez the pope canonised two of his esuit fonso odriguez companions Fathers and uan del Ca ti o, also ma ecau e of the sue es their effo ere ha · g on the Indian .

a hr akidemptr ri t

ODD

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ODD H point out that th u of voluntar , h Jp k p the fe s " ell b Im, th lev l ha ing to c.harg d in similar in titution in th . tat . All ag h Ip in the work: outh from th variou R d mptorist. group drop in aft r work to h Ip v "th th ser ing and kit .hen duti .

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(Est. 1888)

ord,

ay 13, 1988

Re'cord While communication technology ran hot to capture every second of the event, the openinq of the new Parliament House became a capsu e of history to be locked away. The 1901 and 1927 Commonwealth events are now well worn file clips for national flash-backs, so the 1988 capsule must become also a well worn reference point certainly until the present new structure finishes its planned 200 year survival. How much a film and sound capsule catches of the mood of the country is a much different consideration. As the Federation struggle falls into historical focus - and out of the public memory - so will 1988 be a much scrutinised, or forgotten, landmark in the estimation of historians two centuries hence. Pageantry of whatever colour is the lifeblood of any society and the human symbol, even sacrament, of its the people's hopes and longings. Just as the spiritual sacraments can become shallow signs of the inner reality so can the parliamentary pagea try become an empty symbol of the people for whom it exists. On he other hand, television provided a closer view of he proceedings than even those present could obtain, yet even that electronic miracle becomes its own barrier to public participation and owr ership of th event. It is very likely that proportionately few Australians atte ed this latest par1iam tary landmark compared with similar part occasio s. A correspondent from Canberra in this issue already notes t at more people took part in the ational Gatheri g e circli g the ew buildi g in prayer, tha attended the opening by the Queen.

An anti nuclear reliber1g1ousies obbyin

Restoring •

VATICAN CITY Pope John Paul told Lithuanian bishops that the new "winds of renewal" blowing through the Soviet Union should mclud the restoration of religious hbert . He told he group of five bishops that their church was still struggling against restrictions m a "decrd dly theistic

II it.

ODD

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I DOD

v 3,

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Incentive to integrate BELFAST: The British Government is offering Protestant and Catholic schools in Northern Ireland financial incentives to integrate their student bodies in an effort to reconcile the province's divided communities. Brian Mawhinney, Minister of Education for Northern Ireland, said the Government would pay 100 per cent of a

p eal on free om

VATICAN CITY (NC) - Pope John Paul II appealed for religious freedom in the officially atheistic country of Albania. Speaking to a group of 200 Albanian pilgrims at the Vatican the pope said he shared their hope that "the Church which for 2000 years has been rooted in Albanian soil may be ab e to enjoy freedom once more". The Albanians who met with the pope were all emigrants now living in other countries and the pope spoke to them in English. The pope paid tribute to Albania's Catholic community for its faithfulness to the Church "even in the most difficult and painful circumstances". The nation's strict communist government closed all of he country's churches and mosques in 1967 in an effort to make it the world's first fully atheistic state. Historically, about 10 percent of the country's 3 million people were Roman Catholic, and 70 percent were Moslem.

Bonus offer to Irish

The Government currently pays 85 per cent subsidies. Integrated schools would also get preference in Govenment grants to build new classrooms. A Catholic schools official. however, expressed s epticisrn that the plan would hep heal deep sectarian division. Mons Colm Mccaughan, director of the CatholicMaintained Schools Committee, said integration of Catholic and Protestant school children was seen "as a panacea for all ills". Tom King, the Cabinet off cial chiefly responsible for the province's affairs. said many of Northern Ireland's, Catholics and Protestants have no contact with each other until late in life.

ODD

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DOD

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Flying high with John Pau

Four centuries-old festival underscores facts of Christ's

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT TO URUGUAY (NC): The "crucial problem" in Poland is "the lack of true democracy" said Pope John Paul II, defending a series of strikes in May causing a political crisis in Poland. The pope challenged the communist government to dialogue with its oppon nts on ways to establish ad mocratic society. He also oppos d th use of fore to brea up the stikes. "Certainly strikes are a justified method to defend justice in the social and sociopolitical field , "he during a press cont ence aboard th flight o Uru

The Ascension was introduced as a separate feast in the Fourth Century. It underscores the facts that Christ's sacrifice had been accepted by the Father, that he had now been exalted in glory, and that he was making intercession for us until we all joined him together in glory. We need time to realise just where we are headed for. The goal is all men together in unity with Christ! The unification of all mankind! Is that rea ly possib e? We wou d say "No, it isn't" because our experi ence has only been with people tarnished by sin. Sin separated man from God; and men from one another. The Tower of Babel incident illustrated

in his love for mankind, God set in motion a process reversing what sin had effected - divisiveness among men, and Salvation History follows the process from its beginning with the call of the Patriarchs, right up to its final stage which we are now considering. that. Sin stands for divisiveness. God is all for unity. In his love for mankind, God set in motion a process reversing what sin had effected divisiveness among men, and Salvation History follows the process from its beginning with the call of the Patriarchs, right up to its final stage which we are now considering. Christ, exalted in glory, is committed to having all ma kind there with him. Enlightened by faith we now have to answer, "Yes, the unification of all manki d is possib e.

God wills it. Christ is dedicated to bringing it about." The Ascension gives us a little time to sort things out. From Palm Sunday, through Holy Week and up to the present so many bewildering things have happened to Christ.

DOD

Dispossessed of everything that marked him as an individual human person - his work, his religion, his nationality, his followers, his material possessions, his human rights, his family re ationships, even of his creatureGod re ationship with

the Father, Christ died in agony. He was buried. He rose from the tomb with a glorified divine life which he said he wanted us to have. Now in heaven he is interceding for us, now on earth he offers to share his divi e life with us. He awaits our response to His love. He waits for us to determine just what our attitude towards Him will be, just how much of ourselves we will volunteer to be dispossessed of, just how far we will go with him. Sin and spiritual lazin ss holds us back.

Exalted ln glory

We can stay on Calvary like those who have no hope, not admitting that death has been conquered. A dead person on a cross can save no one. If we stay on Calvary we are alone, without hope, because Jesus is no onger there.

because Jesus is no longer in the tomb. We can wake up, arise with Jesus, get rid of our sin and spiritual laziness and accept the new life that Jesus offers. It is for us to decide. This ew life, fu I of hope, is a tremendous gift of power and love.

We can stay in the tomb frustrated amid the festering ferment of decay, iso ated and hemmed in by our pride and spiritual sicknesses, not admitting hat sin has been vanquished. We stay there alone, without hope,

Draw near to the discip s on Ascension Day. There was no talk like, "O it was great when Jesus was aliv ". "O you should have be n here b fore Jesus died", "Je s did ... Jesus said ... Jesus was ... " There was no tal rke

ses

ODD

correspond

mi.

ODD DOD

union movement, which was d dared illegal veral y ars a o use of its pu h for economic and d mo-

Poland are" said the pope.

13,

s a c r i f i c e f o r u s 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 from Father KEVIN FLINN, SSC in Japan

that because they had all experienced just how much more exciting, personal and stimulating the living presence of the Risen Jesus within each one of them was. Previously contact with Christ's bodily substance, by which he is ess than the Father, had stayed the leap of their minds to reach out ·n faith to Christ equal with the Father. But now they belie ed that the Son becam man without vi g the Father, a d that he had now returned to the Fat r · hout leavinq th m. For the discip it was

no longer a question of "he was . . . he said . . . he did . . . " for that was all in the past tense. For them it was the NOWglorious experience of a new intimacy with Jesus that overwhelmed them. This unique union with Jesus enflamed their hearts with a new appreciation of, and exciting ove for ABBA, the Father, God Almighty. ary agdalene on Easter morn said: " ve seen the Lord". The Emmaus disciples declared, "We have seen the Lord". But the disciples on

Ascension Day could only say "We have experienced the Lord living within us". No wonder they went back rejoicing after Jesus had ascended into heaven. Until the promised day of the public manifestation of the Holy Spirit's presence on earth, they stayed with Mary experiencing to the full the deep meaning of the Magnificat prayer. They did not know just where their expe-

rience would lead them. On Pentecost Day all received the one Spirit. The power of the Spirit of Jesus changed the disciples into apostles who were to go forth and proclaim the unification of the human race in Jesus.

ODD

It is a great mystery for us. Faith tells us that Jesus wants to offer every man. woman and child as part of

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FOCUS ON THE

BIBLE

Only two prophets preached in the northern kingdom of Israel before it fell to the Assyrians in 722 BC They were as different as two people could be, • Amos was a southerner. The northerners instinctively resented him.

• Hosea was himself a northerner. While Hosea could not condone the evils rampant in the kingdom, these were his own people and he felt a deep sympathy for them.

called my son"(Hosea 11,1).

By Father John CASTEL OT

But those days are gone forever. God threatens to return the

people to Egypt, the land of their slavery.

The differences in these two prophets are reflected in the titles given them: Amos, prophet of divine justice; Hosea, prophet of divine love. Hosea portrays God wrestling with conflicting emotions. The people have exasperated God. Yet he loves them.

They must suffer the consequences of their shocking infidelity. Yet God agonises over this. First God remintsces about the good old days when the Israelites sojourned in the desert en route from Egypt to the Promised Land, ''When Israel was a child, I loved him, out of Egypt I

Then

in the next breath God says, "My heart is overwhelmed,

my pity is stirred. I will not give vent to nty blazing anger".

ODO

Why not? For Hosea the answer is in this punch line: "For I am God and not man" (11,9). In that dramatic

scene we have a moving expression of two fundamental truths, God is intimately

involved in the lives of

people. At the same time, he simply cannot be locked into

<an be immanent, -.,timately immersed I the affairs of his taiverse.

(100

the Ible, this necessary is •• God and not man". t4!osion comes into God is at once trans- ,1ew. The earliest cendent and imman- l>f)' of creation, in ent. There is an f,:nesis 2-3, stresses obvious tension f,)d's immanence, his between these two p·rsonal involvement realities, but not a wlth bis creatures. contradiction. Pre- �)(! is pictured as cisely because God is �anting a garden for em, walking with transcendent - totally other, unlimited by n em, talking to them, the laws of created· dothing them. l'he account of creatime and space - he

human categories. He

I hroughout

mcident, Foley realised

that

something

had

learned

unexpected.

Contcmplanng the mag·

1---------------1

nuudc of power demonstrated m that accident

led him to consider what 11 means to say that God rs powerful Foley came to appreciate in a fresh way that God's power is

far greater than anv power known on earth. For Fote}, conternplat-

mg the ways God sur-

passes human beings 1\ a

way of begmrung to grasp the

God.

transcendence

Foley, a retreat leader,

told that tory durmg an

mtervicw m which he

discussed God'v trans·

ccndencc and immanence. He believes that people can learn vorncthing about these J peers of God by reflecting on their personal experience.

Both Foley and thcologian John Haught, a

professor at Georgetown University rn \(ta,h1ngton, see transcendence and immanence a., two sides of the same coin.

DISCUSSION POINTS

1------------�

When human beings attempt to describe God in human terms, it leads to the use of some words that today have a fairly strange sound, like "transcendence" and "immanence" words not heard every day on the subway or at the dinner table. In his article on transcendence and immanence, Father Donald Talafous quotes Cardinal Leon Suenens who once said, "I could not believe in a God that I could understand."

• What do you think Cardinal Suenens meant by that statement? • Do you think Cardinal Suenens was necessarily denigrating human efforts to understand God? Why not? • If it 1s not possible to understand God fully or to adequately descnbe God in human words, why is it still worthwhile to attempt to understand God and to make the effort to express God's reality in human words? What are some reasons why it is valuable for people to talk about God - to share their __, understanding and their experience of God?

, 8

The Record, May 13, 1988

"Immanence i-; the other side of transcendence," Haught said. God's immanence means that God "remains in us, abides rn us and the world". To transcend means

"to go beyond", Haught said. Thmkmg of God's

transcendence helps peo-

ODO pie sec that God "is divtinct and goes beyond uv, but is not separate

For the young girl this claw was an experience in "cormng out of the dark mto the light" Such experiences demonstrate that "people are led bv God to do holv things for others" Foley said. They help people understand what u means to say that God is present m ttuattenv m their live . To get people to think about God's transcend· ence, Foley recommends an exercise based on the spintualuy of St lgnanus of Lovola. In the exercise. Foley ask< people to thmk about, and trv to rc-hve, an occasion °when they were earned awav tn prai e

or sorncthmg.

As they de cnbe such mcrdents, people ma) say thev felt a sense of reverence, of awe, he

explained. Often people descnbe these ac; "wow experrences" in whtcb "I

forgot

myvelf

moment".

for a

DOD For Foley, such an

experience came the fir t

time he walked mto St Peter's Basilica m Rome He said he had "a sense of personal mvrgnif .. cance" as well as of the

grandeur of this historic church and the umrnagi-

nable greatness "of the Other".

a"k\ people to consider

how and where "God 1' at work" m their activines.

He recalled a story told by a teacher about a

ODO Over a period of six months, under the gentle

urgmg of the teacher and studerus, the girl was led

beyond her reserve and into greater opennew to

the rest of the class. Bemg treated with respect and tenderness freed the girl to become more accept-

ing of her elf

To those listening to the teacher's story, rt was clear that "God was at

work here" Foley said.

DOD "Where can I go from your spirit? ... If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall guide me and your right hand hold me fast" (Psalm 139,7-10).

The term not often spoken! By Father Donald TALAFOUS, OSB

When the flying Finn of the Winter Matti Olympics, soars Nykanen, nearly 380 feet in the air while ski jumping, someone might be tempted to call his flight transcendent. Ordinarily however, we're not likely to hear the word "transcendent" very often on the evening news or at the kitchen table. Nor are we likely to hear it in a sermon at Church, though in many ways the word most properly belongs to religion. Most preachers would find more common words to use than

Let's go back for a moment to those exciting Winter Olympics and to

eac

relics on storytelling. He

members.

transcendence. Here all God does is "speak" and things come into existence. He comes through as the totally other and all powerful. The two accounts taken together graphically express otherwise abstract truths, transcendence and immanence; God's vast greatness and close involvement. The psalmist was keenly aware that God

- a word ordinarily not mentioned

"transcendence".

groups to uncover God's immanence, Foley said he

withd r aw n,

divine

:omp led by NC News Serv ce

A kcd how he wcu Id help mdividuals or

poorly dressed girl with a punk hairstyle. This student always huddled m a corner by herself, aloof from group

the

KNOW YOUR FAITH

from us."

young,

T ranscen d ,

pirit

erience 1 By Katharine BIRD

tion

is an Other - beyond , this world's understanding. Still, he cried out, God is close at hand and cares about human life,

athways of the

•

Two years ago, while driving on a Peter freeway, Foley's Volkswagen was hit by a truck. The in impact, which his car was lifted and up 1--------------1 hurt led forward, pushed his car into the station wagon ahead. was Foley knocked unconscious, the car was totalled and for a couple of weeks he walked around "in a zombie state". But reflccung on that

tion told in Genesis 1,1-2, actually not as old, reflects a more developed apprecia-

Matti Nykanen. Something as extraordinary as

lhal kind of soaring through the air can be called transcendent in a limited sense. Or we ran say lo our host or hostess

wonder.

But what critics say cannot fully capture what you feet when you hear the music. The sense of rts perfection, its completeness and its beauty cannot adequately be told ,n human words.

To experience this music ts to expenence a transcendent moment It rs to expenence a reahty that is able to make the human spmt soar. The transcendence of the muse ,s somethmg like the transcendence of God

transcended

all

expectations.

In either case, we're saying that what we saw or ale was way beyond just good. II was more than we could decently have expected. More strictly speaking in theology and religion, by "transcendence" we mean the quality of being totally beyond our universe, our minds, beyond what we can experience or comprehend. Usually it refers lo God or lo mallers associated with the life and activity of God.

DOD In the Hebrew Scriptures. when Moses asks what name to use when referring to God, God responds: "I will be who I will be," Al least that is one translation of the original text. In other words, God savs lo Moses: I cannot really tell you in your language exactly \\ hal I am like; I can tell vou that I am what I am and this is something basically beyond you or any human being.

periodic

By Father Robert Kl NAST the d.vme immanence

What this means m hteral terms rs that God 'remains m" or "remains

with" the world There are many ways to remain tn the world. Through the ages b�ievers have thought of most of them. Beilevers have imagined God as an artist who creates the world and keeps touching 11 up 10 preserve us beauty; as a Judge who watches what goes on and determines who is right and who rs wrong. as a

visuor

who

shows up unannounced to rally the fainthearted and rebuke the arrogant, and as a providentral planner who takes care of the chosen ones and steers history ,n the right direction

ODO But perhaps the most profound and most reveahng image was offered by St John when he said, "'The Word became flesh and dwell among us" (John 1 14) To become flesh means that God's Word becomes one wnh our existence. It suggests that God's Word relates

Something like fhis is one of the ways l>eople talk about God- They attempt to say,.l\lt God rs "something I�• ', The ,nexpr1Ss1ble wonder of God 1 :an not adequately be P' t into words wtiet11" it is wonder at God'' creative power ()( HI the reaches of divP love. So people make attempts at co<1f lrlSOn. Thus the st,ell! 1h of God's commrtn# 11 gets compared to tt,elHthfulness of the mo' long. suffering husbf'ld or wife, God's c,:e for

people gets compared to the care of parents for a newborn infant.

ODO

Similarly, it is beheved that all that our wor1d knows to be good, beautiful and true is reflected m God. But to say that God ,s goodness or truth does not mean that human words have captured all that goodness and truth are ,n God's case. As people search for ways to speak about God, they frequently find

it easier to determine what God is not than to say what God is. Thus God is not destructive and does not exploit human beings out of selfishness or greed. God does not lack concern for the created world and is not hateful or exclUSNe.

Human words point toward the mystery of God and can attract people toward God All the books of the Bible, after all, are written ,n human language. These human words

One ancient writer says

that if a person would claim she had seen God and then proceed to tell us what God was like, we could be sure that she had nol seen God. God, in other words. is beyond our words and images. In our century. Cardinal Leon Suenens of Belgium put ii this way: "I could not believe in a God that I could understand." All these are making the point that God is transcendent. While all this is true, it also remains true that \\.'C can onlv tall. and think of God i� human terms. \\'hen we call God "father", "shepherd". "rock", "friend", "fortress", "light" and "salva-

us. When we sa ,· God is almighty. we mean that God is much stronger than Dolph Lundgren in Masters of the Universe. When we sav God is always lo be trusted, we mean more even than the best parent or friend. It isn't just that we humans have had a tendency to speak of God

Tellling the simple st ry without pain She was an a:lerfy woman who 1:ould neither read no< Nrite and had raised a cozen children, only IY'O of them her own She told the story a' her life simply, wdl no special emphasi; on the pain and disuimination which had filled it. Finally I asked her '"Maev1s. did you ever feel hke giving up like 1t JUSt wasn't wofTI the effon anymorer' She laughed "'My oh my. no Why woitl I do that7 The Lord's been through all this Wllh me. and he"s staying pir,:· Theologians rel! r lo God's '"staying pu.'' as

A theologian of this century named Paul Tillich liked lo say, by way of making I his point rather shockingly. that "God does nol exist". He mean I that if "exist" is a word used for cockroaches, cats, cantaloupe and computers, then it does not really fit God who is beyond all of these. In a sense God does not exist; what he does is more fhant that.

tion", we are using terms that mean something lo

in terms taken from our

to our world on the most intimate of terms. When Jesus spoke of God. he used 1nt1mate Jesus language addressed his Father and urged his d1sc1ples to do the same "When you pray, say, 'Our Father··· Jesus proclaimed that "the Father and I are

life and experience God was presented to us in just such terms. God

became man. we say in

Christian belief. God took on completely a human life in Jesus Christ from the possibilily of a diaper rash (as a Lutheran theologian says) to a gruesome death on a cross at the hands of other humans.

one··

But Jesus said more His flesh was not the only medium in which the Word became incarnate As St John makes clear. the Word which became flesh ,n Jesus was the same Word which was w11h God ··1n the begmand through n,ng whom all things came 1n10 being" Cont page 10

ODO

The sense of perfection

Is there a p,ece of music, or part of one, that thrills you 7 When you hear it, your total attentlon 1s caught. It 1s as though your spirit expands as the mus,c unfolds The music soothes you and at the same time it hfts you up. The critics may praise the performance of such mus,c for its technical achievement and for the perfection of its artJSIJC interpretation. The crrtlCS can descnbe th,s mus,c and attempt to put into words its

that the pasta we just ate

are necessary. They are part of the process through which people achieve understanding and exptess what they understand. They are a means of sharing the experience an individual or communrty has of God

Human beings possess a power of understanding which they are v,rtually dnven to put to use - even ,n an effort to understand God, who never can be grasped or expressed fully in human terms.

Theologians use the word "transcendence" to describe God who is beyond what we can experience or comprehend. Benedictine Father Donald Talafous suggests that one way we might understand something of the notion of transcendence is to recall the extraordinary sight of slli jumper Matti Nyllanen soaring 380 feet in the air at the Winter Olympics. (NC Photo from Reuter-UPI, April 18, 1988.)

Jesus, St Paul says, is the image - the living picture - of God. Through Jesus we know what God is like. We know, among other things, that God has agreed to be spoken of in personal terms as a she or he rather than an it. We know that Father is an appropriate term for God, who is interested in each one of us and can he compared to a mother. Maybe what Jesus tells us about the Father is part of God's transcendence: God.so much beyond the confines of our thinking. is able lo be clo,c lo us while remaining beyond our full comprehmsion. Jesus doesn·1 deny how much beyond us God is. Bui Jesus spends murh more time stre,,.sing the probably more ne, c,sary truth that God is near loves us and can always be relied upon

The Record, May 13, 1988

----Millionaire Melbourne oil baron gives

From page 3

Our Lady has been appearing to six chosen seers, in Medjugorje, Communist Yugoslavia, daily since June 24, 1981. Each seer is to be given 10 secrets. Two children have already received them and Our Lady continues to appear daily to the remaining four seers. Her messages for the world are to turn away from sin and back to God with prayer and fasting, in order to avert dire catastrophic predictions.

by COLLEEN McGUINESS-HOWARD

Tycoon ece·ved • • s 0 ga

ODD

•lhourn

ODD

on!

mi Ii< nai

. [ .on I l

tir n nt, nd n ncl' him

"I decided to use my wealth and put my busine s and writing pread the aspirations aside, to message of Our Lady, full time ." Selling his sh res tog t initial c pital, he Lord ble s d him - he sold at the peak b for the crash!

b a ce

DOD From page 9 Thus, th Word of God b came flesh m the lights of the sky, th wat rs of the d p, the plant of th earth nd the animals and birds of the kingdom This is why p opl of all ages and cultures have sensed God's presence in nature, especially when nature is most active; when the sun

From page 4

ODD

ay 3. 1

moon ap ars, when flow rs bloom, tid s shift and s sons ch n , when p opl me t and grow n friendship. The Word which ecom fl h is ctiv , calling forth n w life a d goi b yond what is !ready known and shared. God m y stay put in th world, but God doe n't nd still in it. J sus call d this vibrant

of immanence of God God's reign. It is like a field being planted, a net dropped into the sea, a little yeast neaded into dou h, a vineyard ready for harv st. L1k wise the reign (imman nc ) of God is Ii e a child playing fre ly, a poor w ow sharing her

• pir

truths. They w re keys op ning doors to an e p rience of God which anyone could share. But to do o, p opl h to let Je u · word b com fl sh in them. They had to m e th

DOD

up wealth to follow Our Lady-------contained in the econd commandment. both of whi h encap ulate the whole g pel message. Some misunderstanding has oc urred concerning official pilgrimage , said Le Grand, uch as tho e organised by a bishop or Religious Order official. The e mu t not oc ur until the church has reached a decision on the au then ti ity of the apparition , he said. Private pilgrimage whi h includ pri ts, bishop or the Yug lav Bishops' anyone, are en ourag d b Conferen e - Croatian lingui ti de · ion, which has been instru ted by the Holy See to carry out the inv ligation . Thes are well under way, id Le rand. "Mernb rs of the mag erium look forward to a deci ion which I will have no difficulty in a eptin , whatever it may be.

DOD

From page 6

tholi

h ve gain d from

Ric

rd Carter of R ckingham

erso ally made the cross, carried by all the WA ilgrims, " ich he planted at He as si ee join d the RCIA program at Rocking am.

Flying high with John I

edjugorje.

n to return to God in this tim

id. i bre d and , ·at r asting on W dn day

"One asks due respect be given to the tradition of this nation." he added. The pope said he had conf de nee in Gerbachev's intentions in trying to reform Sovietbloc societies. But "it seems that the reforms are more words than deeds,·· he said. "Some reforms are also being realised. But to accomplish reforms, especially a democratising process, is difficult in a system of party dictatorship," he said. The pope said he had "no reason to lack confidence" · n Gorbachev as a person. Mikhail Gorbachev might be sincere in trying to reform Soviet society, but the chances that this will lead to more democracy in the Soviet bloc are slim, the pope said.

ODO lin..,

id Le

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F·r t S black prela e From page 5

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y 13 1

RECORD CLA IFIED ADVERTI EMENT ord . Po t r dell, r. noon Wedne aa,.

MURRAY, Luke Jeffery, son of Jeff and H I n, was baptised on April 17 by Fath r Kevin Condon at Our Lady of the Ro ry, Woodl nd in th presence of hi godparents Anne McPh rson and David Atkinson and family and fr nd .

�mnmr n 1� Marxist Prayer doubts revelation

from Trevor BOARDMAN, Fremantle

Sir. Your straightforward report (The Record, April 21) on the religion-related edicts of Kerala's Communist provincial government in India was. between the lines, one of the best exposes of typical Marxistatheist arrogance. intimidation and rank double-spe there could ever be. The relevant government magnaminously promises to even "ensure" reltgrous freedom - as ong as "all accept" the Sp CIOUS "Marx· ist definitlon of religion", ie that ,t rs a "personal" matter! (Communal religious worship rs somewhat "pub ic") In the meantim • of cour . the relevant government "will not let religious le d rs encroach on the functions of th education d partm nt. ."

from Luba MATKOWSKY Moonee Ponds Sir, On a recent trip home to Melbourne from Perth I read The Record for the first time and I want to affirm you for producing a very informative and enjoyable paper. For me in particular, reading about my homeland, the Ukraine, (The Record, April 28) was a true blessing. I also read the previous issue and again felt blessed especially after reading the Thank You advertisements. The loving response from people thanking God for prayers answered was beautiful. In the prayer of thanks to the Holy Spirit I felt a stirring within as I read that the prayer must be said for three days after which the favour will be granted. Whilst I understand the benefit of a triduum I would point out that the Spirit blows where He wills and when He wills, and If el that some people - in particular those with little understanding of the Catholic faith would see this prayer as a form of magic. There rs danger · n assuming that unless prayed to for three days the Holy Spirit will lirniteo in His outpouring of His gifts and blessings.

Educational guidelines

from N 11 SMITH. Lesmurdi Sir, I would Ii e to ma comment in relation to som r c nt corr pond nee by Mrs Dons Martyr (Th R cordApnl28)and rsJ anHass II (Th R cord ay 5) concerning Catholic reh ous educat' n. I was concern to note that no comm nt was off r d in r gard to ongoing dult religious ucation. It is a v ry simplistic co clusion o off r that the content of R v lation concerning the mysteri s of God and His Eucharist can be ad uately ddressed in the classroom environment in th immature minds of children and adole cents I would Ii e to point out: a) that h rellgrou educators .m our chools re following gui Im s of

religious education developed by a diocesan-appointed commission, b) that these guidelines are strictly based on the official teaching of the Church as contained in scripture and tradition and as expounded most recently in the Vatican II and subsequent papal documents; c) that these guidelines take into account the religiously immature minds of those being taught; d) that these guidelines have been promulgated by both the present and the previous archbishops as the sole source for the development of school based programs; and further, e) the real dedication to the teaching of these programs by the teachers, mainly lay, employed in our schools. To enter into the mystery of the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour is an ongoing and lifetime growth experience demanding an education process which really can only begin with adult maturity. A child's formation should be largely experiential. and more through family and parish involv ment than solely through doctrinaire instruction m the classroom.

T is calls for an inv stm nt of resources which should, within rea on, ma ch that expen ed on child ood education o r th years. For far too long 1t has be n presumed that a Catholic school religious education is adequate th cloqlcat equiprn nt for any lay rson for life. Th main rssu h re rs not on 's p rticular favoured theology of th Eucharist, nor one's p rsonal cone pt of th pn ly vocation and not one's individual re ptron of child pedagogy, but how, as adult Christians, w are going to be a I to d v I a growing und rstandinq of thos commit our things to which religious faith. It was ind ed gratifying to re d (Th R cord May 5) of Archbish Fol y's mitiative in going to th p opl and inaugurating the mission .. ew P le, N w ur ". It is to ho that th peo le within th ir parish s will enter wholeh artedly into this year of mission.

Mary's role in priesthood from Patricia STRONG, Glendalough Sir, Paul Sh r dan (Th R cord, Apnl 28) with reference to th Bl s Virgin Mary, writes "There is no worn n in the entire history of mankind who is more to b a qualified priest ... " Mr Sh ridan w nt on to infer that this was not God's will for her. Was it not? Thin again. On the day of the Annunciation in an e plosion of lov Father

e a ea repre entati e n ar from Francis HRUBOS Glen Forrest

Sir, In o mber rt will ars since Pope Prus XII. to th di ulusionrn nt of Protestants, defined as dogm the bodily assumpnon of Mary. According to th Swiss psychologist Carl Jun It w s th m t rm rtant v nt since th

God annointed ary. H r Spirit-fill d worn becam th first chalic to hold th body and b ood of J sus Christ 33 years fore th Last Supper! She was al o the very first m mb r of th Mystical B v. and byth th logy of th Comm union of Saints all w m n are honour by h r glorious Fiat. This consummate act by God 2 y ars a o was the inning of our Royal Priesthood, and at no time in my fife as a woman have I felt inferior to male ecclesiastics; so why th furore?

ri n pll rima

can better pie d our case before th Holy Trinity than ary?

i iting

YOUTH FORUM •

's unteers r rn SSIO

II II II

Herpetologist Aiden

ODD

itchell.

Appl cations are invited or the posmo of care a ers for Eagle's est. Gid nnu I at for a retired acuv couple with own mea s o support. Essentially the position off rs ren ree accomm ion (including gas. electr city, tel p on in a I contained furnished cott Duties wilt inclu !coming group • rnarnt 1n1ng nd cleaning f acihties Applications close May 30. P ease send to CHAIRMAN. EAGLE'S

EST

PO BOX 141. NORTH PERTH. 6006 TEL: (09) 330 1373 - (09) 328 9878

imple.

z t.

fo C re in

all

n·ty

W I ome to the n xt weekend th

upport

AY27-29

Proposed grimage Oubrovni

y 13, 1 88

---------------------�------------� OOKS BOOKS BOOK Record Kids Club

ight for life

warm h ·r t ·nti 111

hildren 's Story Hour

Ore te Brown on knew what it was to b p r. Hi fath rdi din 1805 when Ore te was two. Hi mother truggled to support h r · hildr n al n rm nt on their arm. But aft r f ur } ar h had to nd re t away t liv in f ter h m . Hi f t r parent car d f r him until he wa when h moved ha ·k � 'th hi m th rand his brc thr and i ters. e nd

One man's search for p ace and joy for al

71. • I'< · 111 Vint tr Jo II H ra nf'ield, PubU h •,I

l' Fonrana I. ton .

; ? JuniorQuiz ? , In which of these areas would you find tigers living wild: a) Africa? b} Asia? c) South America? 2. Sand, porbeagle, mako, blue and basking are names given to different species of cer ain fi h. Which is it? 3. A mammal is a creature which is reard on its mother's milk. What is: a) The world's largest mammal? b) the only flying mammal? 4. What are he two different parents of a mule? 5. A group of cattle is called a herd. Fill in the special names for groups of these crea u res: a) A of sheep b) A of lions c) A of porpoises 6. What is the easiest way of telling an African elephant from an Indian elephant? 7. The name of one other animal can be used to complete the names of dog, these three crea ures: frog, ...... finch. What i it? 8. How many h mps has a dromedary or Arabian cam I? 9. What is the name given to n eagle' ne t? 10. If an animal (or fish or bird) is herbivorous, what oes the iet con is of? 1.

anted

y 13. 1988

• ..... .... art music look at books .,A

Me rognomes play it cool!

��J1.��J1.�� )1.� '�,....:..,,_,,,. __,,.,_

Famed reys et for Perth concer

M Guine

Bv Colleen -Howard

th • Roman Catholic church re pr · nt xl, , dol cence i about ch.m re. It i a time of ph · I al and em ti nal d .vel mcnt and of incr ·a mg ind -, pendcnce: it i about making choice and dealing ith them. In thi

contention , ith it the: home, u h .1 th • untidy room ta} ing out I.It • an I < pen defiance. Thi an indi p ·n ab lxx · tor b ith ad I ·

during th turbulent tc rnage e r and help them to pl ·c th • problem th • •

TENNIS

PAE\l:.SH

by TOM BRANCH Round W CLT

SOCIAL WORKERS

THE

SCENE -

�

------ -- -- -·-· -- -- . --

MARIAN CALENDAR MORLEY: A Pilgrimage Walk will be held in Mortey parish on Sunday, May 22, starting at 2.45pm from St Jude's, Holdhurst Way, to Fietd St. Crimea St, a ong Halvorson Rd to the church of the Infant Jesus to arrive before 3.45pm. A half hour of prayer and song will be spent in the church in honour of Our Lady Help of Christians whose feast day occurs later in the week. A social gathering will conclude the afternoon.

Send items for Marian Year Calendar in writing to: 38 Great Northern Highway, Midland, WA. MARIAN MOVEMENT The monthly meeting of the Mar·an Movement will be held at the Litt Sisters of Carm , 2 Frazi r Street, Swanbourn on li sday, May 17 at 10.30am.

!BENEDICTINE OBLATES annual retreat for Be icti

·11 be held at w Norcia from Friday ev ning, May 20 o Sunday afternoon, May 22. Enquir. s to Mrs Joan Simp 444 9305.

28 29

Charismatic Conference, Winthrop Hall. Bishop Healy. Confirmation, Doubleview, Bishop Healy. Father Chuck Gallagher seminar. Cathof c Education Centre, Archbishop Foley and Bishop Healy. Attend Special Eucharist at St George's Cathedral to celebrate the centenary of Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral. Archbishop Fo ey. Installation of Father O'Loughlin of Embleton. Archbishop Foley. Silver Jubilee Mass, Bentley parish, Archbishop Fo y. "Empow rment W kend" Mass, Archbishop Fo y. Catholic Heatlh Care S minar. Bishop H ly. Inquiry Day at St Chart s'. Guildford, Bi hop H ly.

INDIA ' ZEN MASTER Father Do glas Conl n, who in 1985, brought Fath r Bed Griffiths and Swami Amalda to P rth, is this y ar bringin J suit Zen Master, Father Arna Samy SJ, for a Meditation Wor1<shop d R tr at.

Persons with an appropriate behavioural science qualification 3 VACA CIES Applications are called for Social Workers wishing to work in Catherine McAuley Residential and Family Support Services. Catherine McAuley Centre is first and foremost a Christian Community owned by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy in which staff work together for a common good and share a common goal, viz the preservation of family life. WE BELIEVE: - that every person is unique and valuable. - that if you have helped a child to become more human, less racist, more hopeful, more ble to believe in the ultimate value of life, then we have prepared him/her for UFE.

Emphasis is placed upon the healthier aspects of each person's behaviour rather than sp cific abnormalities.

OUALIFICAT ONS A D EXPERIE CE

A degree in Social ark or equiv I nt and eligibility for membership of the ustralian ssociation of Social Wor ers essential.

SALARY RA GE S22,223 - level 2/4 Year 1 to S31,020 - Level 2/4 Year 6. JOB SU MARY

As part of the Centre's child care and family support team provides a social assessment case or and advocacy service to children and f amili s. ccepts r spons1bility or the co-ordination of case ana m nt and oth r tas s assigned by the Senior Soci I or er.

RITIE APPLICAT O S

Curriculum Vitae and 2 Prof ssion I eferences to: The Administrator, Catherine c ul Cent,e Station Str embley 6014. CLOSI G DATE: Friday,

For further inform tion 328 6600. A nd retre t, a 17-19. d Ju

H PE

77 St George's Terrace, Perth

325 2009

on day-Friday 12.10,

1.1 Opm (Friday extra 5.10pm). Saturday 11.30am.

Conf on : onday-Friday 11.30 m1.30pm· 4.30-5.30pm. aturday 10.30 m11.30pm. pr y r:

Archdiocesan Calendar

· · n of the Bies ed Sacrament all

day long.

The chap I is CLOSED from noon Saturdays, all through Sundays and on public holidays.

16 1 6 20 17

y 3,

ring

DOCTORS' RETREAT A doctors' retreat "Coura e, It Is I" will b h Id o Sunday, May 22 at T Up r Room, 16 York Str t, South P rth, 10 m to 5.30 m, $5 pay I on entry. Mass duri g the retreat, byo lunch, uses welco e. lnquir. s: Roly Bott (horn ) 450 1294 (surgery) 362 3677, Moira Somers (home) 444 2657 (surg ry) 444 8296.

onday-Saturday 8.10-

ay 27 1988 at 4.30pm.

1988 J