The Record Newspaper 15 February 1990

PERTH, WA: February 15, 1990

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Just a closer walk with thee "Just a closer walk with thee . . ." is perhaps what Storyville jazz band leader Dixie Kidd hummed as he helped Father Joe Russell from the St Mary's Cathedral sanctuary after the priest jazz aficionado had given his opening blessing to a rare gospel song evening last Friday night.

• More pictures and words on Page 7

e to peace

PRETORIA, South Africa (CNS): Southern Africa's bishops said that the release February 11 of South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was a key to racial peace in South Africa.

They also said they hoped Mandela's freedom. after 27 years in prison, will end a "particularly sad chapter" in the country's history.

The bishops have "long held that Mr Mandela's

** Killer: Howl felt whenI was doomed to die • Page 12 **

release is vital for a negotiated and peaceful political settlement", the African southern bishops' conference said in a statement released on February 12, the day after the 71-year-old leader walked into freedom.

Although confined to prison for more than a quarter-century, Mandela became the symbol of the black South African struggle against white-minority rule and

the racial system of apartheid.

"His release hopefully signals the end to a particularly sad chapter in South African history in which many lost their lives and countless others suffered detention, imprisonment and exile in their struggle for justice," the bishops said.

The bishops said they rejoiced that Mandela is free, "able once again to exercise his rights and undertake his responsi-

bilities within his family reunion" and said they assured him of their and society".

"Along with many oth- "prayers and support as ers, but in a special way he faces the many and nonetheless because of daunting challenges his leadership role, he expected of him as leader has suffered imprison- and statesman in the ment and vilification in months and years his struggle to work for a ahead".

Mandela, sentenced to South Africa in which each and every person life imprisonment for would be respected and treason in 1964, soon valued, regardless of his after his release challenged the South African skin," the bishops said.

The bishops wished government by backing Mandela and his family guerrilla war against the "a joyous and lasting apartheid system.

S African bishops on Mandela's release

"We have no option," he He also demanded said in a speech to 50.000 negotiations to end white supporters in Cape power and give a political Town. He urged the voice to the voteless black world to maintain puni- majority. tive economic sanctions Mandela headed for his against the white- single-storey house in minority led Pretoria Soweto, the black towngovernment. ship of more than two outside Mandela quoted from a million statement he made at the Johannesburg. end of the 1964 trial: Crowds in Soweto on "Our resort to the armed February 12 sang a new struggle in 1960 . . . was freedom song with the a purely defensive action chorus, "Mandela is against the violence of coming, Mandela is apartheid." coming".

Double billing It was a double billing at the Piccadilly Theatre's opening of the film Romero on Tuesday night when half of the audience became parish representatives receiving their Project Compassion materials from Archbishop Foley as he launched the Lenten appeal.

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Tough questions The murder of Archbishop Romero forced the poverty and persecution inflicted on so many, JUSTICE and world to ask questions about justice and poverty but the Philippines and now Bougainville could the release of Nelson Mandela is another be brought up as arguments for the need for event that focusses on these issues, Archbishop development and also to count the cost in AND human lives.

Foley said on Tuesday night.

Archbishop Foley was addressing the theatre The Film Romero, before which the POVERTY hearchbishop was speaking, was not the only way, audience in a launching of the 1990 Project said. Mandela had become the personal Compassion. symbol of protest about injustice in South Referring to what he saw in Cambodia last IN Africa.

December, Archbishop Foley said: "I'm proud Eastern Europe also had become the flavour that for 10 years Australian Catholic Relief and FOCUS of the month as tales unfolded of the injustices, other agencies have given Cambodia not only

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Aga _ A t the Romero film opening on Monday night Bishop Healy caught up with the Lynwood group, Brother Finbar, Tom and Pat Williams, listening to stories from Missionary of the Sacred Heart Father Joe Mandres of Papua New Guinea who is visiting Australian parishes to study Aboriginal issues.

Profile on Paulist p ries t Parents can't afford 30 cents producer a week for school fees Please help

E very year priests and nuns in Jesuit Asian Mission regions must appeal for funds to help subsidise over 26,000 school children whose parents are unable to pay $12.50 a year for school fees. Extreme poverty can best be solved by education. The people must be taught to help themselves. But we cannot do this without the financial assistance from better off people.

Getting enough food to eat is the number one priority for the majority of f amilies in our Asian Mission regions. Families who have some land grow two crops a year when the brief rainy season is good. These crops provide two meagre meals a day for 4-5 months.

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2 The Record, February 15, 1990

The Paulist priest who at the age of 60 has backed one of the toughest religious films to hit the movie screens has worked the whole span of production during a 30-year career.

In his well-known Paulist community at West Los Angeles, it started with an adult education program for unbelievers, attracting 1000 in the first three months, 1500 in the following month, and setting minds working on how to reach five million in Los Angeles.

Father Elwood (Bud) Kieser went into his first "Insight" series that produced 220 episodes between 1960 and 1983.

The first year was "terrible television, all talk, but we drew 300 letters a week and went to 30 stations".

In the next year they knew they had to change the format. It now became a documentary style, looking at theological issues such as the Cold War. By the third year the half-hour programs were drama stories with a particular point of view.

"At first I did not trust my audience and verbalised the gospel," Father Kieser explained,

"but we ended up by being able to integrate the Gospel and good story telling, a story totally credible that would touch them where they live and which would invite them into a Christian God-centred universe and ask them to look in."

Every actor in Hollywood vied to appear in the Insight series and to be able to brag how Fr Kieser had conned them out of their fee.

From 1978 to 1985 he produced family specials on the moral dilemmas of today's teenagers.

Because they were paid for by a commercial company they did not have a "heavy dose of God talk. They were Gospel value shows showing the values of society or of individuals relating to each other, on topics such as friendship, trust, sex, drugs, drinking, work, unemployment, abortion, peer pressure".

The involvement of commercial money, Father Kieser explained, meant that they were humanistic topics not explicitly, but implicitly Christian.

In 1984 The Fourth Wise Man became the first time a religious production company had made a prime time entertainment special.

Father Kieser distinguished between "high and low Gospel density" in his films. In the Insight series about one-third would be "God" shows, one third "justice" shows, and another third "love" shows on human relationship values.

Today he is involved in the Humanitas Prize which he describes as the "Nobel Prize" of American television and now at a point where many prefer a Humanitas award to an Emmy.

"Emmy is for art, Humanitas is for conscience."

Originally funded from a Protestant foundation, Humanitas is now working to build up its endowment from $1 million to $5 million so that awards, currently $70,000 across five categories, can be expanded to over $100,000 to productions that must entertain but also enrich human values.

the world is asking relief but real development assistance."

Archbishop Foley said we are blessed when the media force us to ask questions of ourselves and demand a conversion of ourselves.

Our task is not one of secular humanism, he said, but to see Christ in the poor and to find Him in ourselves.

In Lent the Church looks for a conversion that is part of Christian life and of Christ's dying and rising again.

The Church, through Australian Catholic

Relief stands with the church in poor countries, and does not stand over them or force things upon them. It brings benefits through commitment.

Pointing out that Project Compassion last year raised $3.5 million of the $5 million distributed

by Australian Catholic Relief, the archbishop said money was certainly an element of the work but not the only element.

He praised the efforts of parish representatives to become motivators of people who live in a relatively well to do country like Australia.

'I'm proud of the film Romero'

To lose $100,000 but to talk to 30 million people and be able to say "Not bad . . ." sums up the Paulist film-maker priest behind the story of the slain Archbishop Oscar Romero.

Father Bud Kieser learnt many hard lessons in 1987 when he pro-

duced We Are The Children, the conversion story of a woman doctor mixed up in the Ethiopian famine.

He says he did not make the same mistakes with the production of Romero and as a result says "I think we are on a winner".

Unlike his previous production crew and actors, this group learnt that it was a different kind of film. They attended four Masses celebrated on filming location.

"Everyone knew why we were making it," he says.

Even Australian director John Duigan, reportedly a lapsed Catholic, read at one of the Masses.

Father Kieser calls him a "deeper level believer, a spiritual guy".

Renowned lead actor Raul Julia read widely about Archbishop Oscar Romero and himself has a gone through conversion.

Father Kieser had produced a film that the television networks turned down because it had no love interest or because it was too depressing.

He has taken personal and financial risks to get the film on to the screen.

He made two trips into El Salvador, passing as a journalist and timing one visit along with that of Pope John Paul so he wouldn't be noticed but so that he and the director could see the area where the story happened.

He looked at mass graves, at the remains of torture victims and was harangued for 90 minutes by an army general

who "lied the whole time".

For the $3.5 million cost of the film more than $500,000 has come from Catholic backers, including $125,000 from his own Paulist order. Paulist Productions. that includes wealthy Los Angeles businessmen, put up a further $600,000.

Producing the film is only half the journey and he has been ready to withstand the unsubtle criticism within the United States because the film implicitly criticises US activity in Central America.

the priest said: "You walked out on the death but did not stay till the resurrection."

Another said he "found it painful, that the first quarter of the film didn't grab him but then it seized and never let go".

"I think Romero is the culmination of everydone we've thing before . . . the best and most important, the highest gospel density movie we've ever made.

"People are sitting in a theatre and having a conversion experience and for somebody who's trying to evangelise, that's not bad."

compelling, it takes us into a Third World situation.

"I'm just very proud of it."

Father Kieser said he promoted the film as great entertainment, a drama of significance, a drama of conscience.

"I don't emphasise the Catholic side, or the religious side. People think Catholic and they think propaganda, preaching etc.

"We don't even say it's highly political because people don't want messages. They want a trip and this is a very inspiring trip of somebody's growth. It gives hope to people so they too can grow like Romero grew."

Father Kieser said it was a film for high school age children.

"They're seeing all kind of violence anyway.

There has to be graphic violence in this film — 60,000 people have been killed there. If we are going to be true we have to show the violence."

He pointed out that the film is a very strong case against violence. It's verbalised but the emotional shows the horrendous side of violence.

"Real violence shows it being terrible. That's a real human being, we like him, now he's dead and he's been tortured.

Fr Elwood (Bud) Kieser.

It's horrendous. We Paradoxically, this may By "highest gospel den- weep. be the reason the film sity", Father Kieser "In Indiana Jones vioscores better outside the explained he meant the lence is just an easy way United States, he noted. "most powerful expeto solve problems and we US One-third of the rience of God's presence never really see a human reviews criticised the in the human" that we being we really care film. have ever made. about hurt.

"There's no real way of "It was more reality "In Romero we see some than they wanted to deal understanding Romero human being we really with. It asked them to and the transformation care about hurt badly. the underwent and change in ways they he "Also we make it clear were unwilling to do. courage with which he They needed to push the confronted his own that violence not only picture away from them death and the authori- dehumanises its objects so they resorted to trivial ties, and the light that but it dehumanises the who streams out of this man perpetrators technical criticisms." that God was work- become less human by but During a nine day launching visit to Austra- ing through him and in doing it." lia, Father Kieser said he him.

To Father Kieser the "People don't miss that, film Romero symbolises had not heard a serious the need for the Catholic criticism of the film. To they get it. one man who said he "Also on the big screen Church to make good its when those images are very determination to side walked out Romero was in the cells, rich. It's captivating, with the poor.

At the Piccadilly Theatre launch of Project Compassion, parish representatives streamed from their seats to receive their information kits from A rchbishop Foley, assisted by archdidirector ocesan Miss Margaret Collopy (right).

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3

iiI

Riecord The Church may sing the glories of martyrdom in its liturgies and in its artistry but in real life those who lay down their life for the gospel cannot hope for much earthly sympathy.

When six Jesuits and two of their helpers were gunned down barely two months ago, the unwilling heroes that they were got at least world media attention even if there was scant voiced public outrage say from those Australians who have much to say about the death of a whale or their pet overseas political target.

The publicity did not bring the Jesuits back to life and the dithering so far of the Salvadoran government while it plucks up courage to nail the arrested army thugs who perpetrated the massacre ensures that a final verdict will be well and truly buried away from the glare of international publicity, the US resolve and the Salvadoran government claimed concern notwithstanding.

In the intervening two months two religious sisters met a similar fate in Nicaragua where claim and counterclaim make sure the real truth will never come out.

With a recent Vatican estimate that at least one Catholic missionary has been dying violently each month over the last year or so, Catholics can test their own span of compassion fatigue stands the test of time. A Sunday Mass pulpit quiz could sort out those who even remember the deaths of these eight martyr Catholics amongst the other trivia for which one gets handsomely rewarded at a pub evening.

The now totally confusing investigations into black deaths only compound the glazed stare of late 20th century media consumers who would be hard pressed to keep up even with the murders occurring weekly if not daily right here in West Australia.

The issue is further compounded by the lashings of violence oozing nightly out of the television screen to the point where the ravages of Lebanon or south-eastern Russia are viewed as probably only a replay of the fictional battles and cops and robbers deaths splattering the entertainment screens and which anyone in Perth under 40 must be now accepting as normal life.

As Holocaust memories prove, the human spirit grows new obscure layers over recognising the past. The occasional grisly recall of the death camps begs the question whether it is healthy to recall these events for so long.

What then of the Christian martyrs over 2000 years for whom the Church tells us to keep burning the candles of our heart and devotion to the Christ for whom they died? Do we carry the torch, for example, for a 60 year old fisherman hoisted for fun on a cross in a Roman stadium 1928 years ago?

Perth has been confronted this week with just such a media version of martyrdom, the death ten years ago of Archbishop Oscar Romero, captured on film by the American Paulist Fathers, so that the vaunted public reaction to the media can be tested.

Romero's was a ritual killing, exploiting Catholic shame that an archbishop would be gunned down as he elevated Christ at a convent Mass. The gunman is very probably still being paid to loll around San Salvador with his secret. The politician D'Aubisson who masterminded the killing still struts that country unchallenged.

The film Romero is not about martyrdom in the flickering light of candles and devotion but in the realism of the hell in which Latin Americans live today.

If some say we should watch the hell of Vietnam time and time again, then they should be made compulsorily to view the cage in which Salvadorans, hardly the population of Sydney, cower inside a country no bigger than the combined metropolitan areas of Australia.

There will be excuses for not seeing the film Romero but each excuse should be a lesson itself as to why people shrug off the troubles of others.

Filmmaker Father Bud Kieser knows why: because the reality of San Salvador, first with Romero, then with the Jesuits and the 60,000 others asks too many questions about why money rules and scourges the weak.

Father Kieser's backers may sail close to the wind to retrieve the $3.5 million the film cost. It's a risk they took for the sake of Romero's memory just as the Lenten Project Compassion takes a risk on behalf of the world's poor who wonder if any Christians care . . .

4 The Record, February 15, 1990

Cardinal O'Connor

+ Right, so wrong

IT CAN'T BE AN OVERRIDING CONCEPT' WASHINGTON (CNS): The right to privacy "cannot just dominate all other rights", Cardinal John J. O'Connor of New York said on the eve of the 17th annual March for Life.

that can't be. That's an impossibility in our country."

If privacy were the primary right, "you wouldn't have any traffic laws, any kind of society at all", he added.

"The right to privacy is The pro-life movement important but it cannot needs "to bring about a be the overriding right" much more reasonable in the country, Cardinal understanding and exerO'Connor said, "or we cise of the right to will have chaos in our privacy", he said. society."

During the Mass CardiPrivacy "has become nal O'Connor said people the dominant overriding who oppose Church concept" in the United involvement in the proStates, Cardinal O'Con- life movement are guilty nor told reporters. of "political exploitation".

"Privacy takes priority over everything. Well "WhenIhave spoken to

a legislator, to an elected official, to anyone in an executive branch anywhere in the United States, I have yet to be challenged if I spoke of the poor, if I spoke of racism, of the homeless, of the hungry, of drugs, of nuclear war," he said.

"But," he continued, "the moment I dare to suggest that legislation should be changed in regard to abortion then (they say) I am crossing the line between Church and state. Now that's political simple exploitation.

"We are citizens. We Catholics, Christians —

all here, we are citizens.

The bishops are citizens," he said.

"Will we be disenfranchised? Will the 55 million Catholics in the United States and the millions of other Christians not be permitted to attempt to influence public policy because we are Christians?" he asked. "That's not America. That's not my A merica."

In his remarks to the press, Cardinal O'Connor said leadership in the pro-life movement must come from lay people, not from bishops, because the pro-life

movement "is dominantly a lay movement".

The bishops were concerned about Catholic politicians who vote in favour of abortion, he said, but he distanced himself from those who call for ecclesiastical sanctions against such "The last thing that you should have to do is threaten or administer sanctions," Cardinal O'Connor said.

"The first thing is to appeal to decency, to common sense, in the case of Catholics, to our common faith, and hope that ultimately everyone will see it this way."

Shooting sparks new call TOKYO (CNS): Tokyo commentators are saying the shooting of a Japanese Catholic mayor bodes ill for all who criticise Japan's imperial system.

The 65-year-old mayor of Nagasaki, Hitoshi Motoshima, was shot through the lung by the Tokyo head of the rightwing group Seikijuku (Sane Thinkers' School)

outside Nagasaki City The more controversial Hall.

Dai josai, the great Motoshima has been thanksgiving ceremony the emperor's the target of death threats for since 1988 after publicly enthronement, will be saying that the late November 18.

Emperor Hirohito shared responsibility for The standing commitJapan's involvement in tee of the Japanese World War H. bishops' conference has The enthronement petitioned the Japanese ceremony for Emperor government, demanding Akihito, Hirohito's son, is that the principle of scheduled for November separation of religion and state be respected 10.

during the I i josai ceremony.

can — and wounded a US-born bishop and third nun.

The Nicaraguan government committee's findings included the statements of two youths who said they were abducted by a contra group and witnessed the killings while in custody, but later escaped.

The bishops have asked that money from the state budget not be used to finance the festival, which it claims is a religious Shinto ceremony.

Japanese Christian leaders have warned against pressures to revive state Shinto — the official version of tradi-

Culprits of that ambush WASHINGTON (CNS): Nicaraguan The government said an official investigation concluded that USbacked contra rebels were responsible for a January 1 ambush in northeastern Nicaragua that killed two nuns — one an Ameri-

The killings happened after the vehicle they were driving went over an explosive and then was fired upon on a road to Puerto Cabezas, some 3 20km northeast of

Jesuit bishop to head diocese

Managua.

AUS State Department spokesman said the US government has tried repeatedly to get permission from the Nicaraguan government to send an embassy official to the site of the attack, but the Nicaraguan government had not responded.

tional Japanese religion by which emperors were given a divine status.

They also have warned against the idea of a Japanese culture as separate and above all nations.

Bishop Aloysius Nobuo Soma of Nagoya. Japan, president of the Catholic Council for justice and Peace, sent Motoshima a telegram after the shooting.

nised the leader of the contra group, Aguinaga, because he came from the area.

The two said they witnessed the ambush on the nuns' vehicles and told their story to a local army unit after they They said they recog- escaped.

PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia: A Jesuit bishop secretly ordained 39 years ago has been named to head the diocese of Nitra in Slovakia, one of the country's two republics.

Bishop Korec, 66, was ordained a priest in 1950 and secretly ordained a bishop the following year. He was one of four Jesuits secretly made bishops in the early 1950s during a time of harsh repression against the Church.

Bishop Korec spent eight years in jail and was not allowed to

publicly exercise his ministry by the communist government.

After he was ordained a bishop. he was a factory worker and a librarian at the Institute for Worker Hygiene. In 1960 he was imprisoned and given a 12-year sentence.

He was condemned as a traitor for his fidelity to the Holy See, but was released in 1968 during the brief government of communist reform leader Alexander Dubcek.

Since being released, Bishop Korec has worked as an elevator repairman and night watchman.

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A rchbishop Winning preaches in St John's Church in Perth, Glasgow, where John Knox once incited anti-Catholic riots.

PERTH (Glasgow): Unity week in Scotland was marked by Archbishop Thomas Winning of Glasgow preaching an historic sermon in a Perth Church where, 400 years ago, a sermon

by John Knox led to anti-Catholic riots.

At the end of the service in St John's Kirk police had to lead the Archbishop through a crowd of over 100 jeering demonstrators. The service was interrupted three times as protestors were evicted from the packed church.

As the third demonstrator was led from the building shouting "blasphemy", the archbishop won a spontaneous round of applause by joking: "I hope my sermon flows as easy as that."

Another protestor who was barred from entering threw 30 "pieces of silver" — Sp pieces — through the door. These

were quickly picked up and put into the church collection box.

The archbishop described the service as a milestone for church unity in Scotland. It was part of a worldwide desire for a new religious, political and social order.

The minister of St John's, the Reverend David Ogston, said the archbishop visit had "broken a barricade".

Police said there were no arrests. Archbishop Thomas Winning called for "real dialogue" among Christians in Northern Ireland when he spoke at the ecumenical service in Belfast's Church of Ireland Cathedral St Anne's earlier in the week.

A placard-carrying group including the Reverend Ian Paisley staged an anti-ecumenical protest outside the cathedral.

The final break ...

Rebel black priest does it with his mouth

WASHINGTON: By his rebellious statements on a nationwide television show, black breakaway priest had excommunicated himself, a s pokeswoman for Washington archdiocese said.

On the Donahue talk show Father George Stallings said: "As of today the AfricanAmerican Catholic Congregation is going inde-

pendent. We are no longer under the pope or the aegis of the Roman Catholic Church."

"The public declaration on his part that he is no longer a part of the Roman Catholic Church is the reason for his e xcommunication, rather than the Church e xcommunicating him," said the spokeswoman.

"There does not need to be a letter or any kind of

proceedings formal because he has declared it himself."

On the program, Father Stallings said suspension and excommunication are "political tactics used by the powerful, the oppressors, to further enslave and oppress the oppressed."

"Those terms have no significance to me whatsoever," he added.

"Icannot be cut off from

Jesus Christ. That's the away because of its only thing I'm concerned founders' long-held disabout being cut off from." satisfaction with Roman Catholic ideology and He said the new church administration — non-will be independent" Polish pastors were just like the Polish assigned to Polish parCatholic ishes — coupled with a National Church, which split from desire for religious the Roman Catholic freedom.

Church at the turn of the Father Stallings did not century. "Still Catholic, tell Washington archdibut independent," Father ocesan officials of his Stallings said. plans in advance because The Polish National he "didn't think they Catholic Church broke would care", he said.

Hume plea on refugees LONDON (CNS): Cardinal Hume has pleaded for a more sympathetic approach to refugees seeking asylum in Britain.

He made the plea as Britain was caught up in controversy over Vietnamese boat people who have been forcibly returned to Vietnam from camps in Hong Kong.

Cardinal Hume also referred to the thousands of Kurds who arrived in Britain last year, fleeing

what they said was persecution in Turkey.

He said he was "very disturbed" at revelations in a television documentary that some Kurds had been summarily returned to Turkey without the chance to apeal the decision. are The Kurds "abandoned people who need help", he said.

The cardinal added that his own thinking on refugees is based on St Matthew's Gospel in which Jesus says: "I was

a stranger and you welcomed me."

"The underlying recognition in the act of welcome is that the refugee is a person like ourselves . . . deserving of our respect and help," he said.

There are between 14 and 15 million refugees in the world. The majority come from the developing nations and seek asylum in other Third World countries.

"Less than two per cent come to Europe and only

a small fraction of these come to Britain," the cardinal said. "I cannot help but be struck by the fact that the poor of our world have to do so much more of the caring for refugees than we do.

those seeking asylum are often merely "economic migrants" with no fear of persecution in the country they are fleeing.

"We have to be aware of the dangers of trying to avoid our obligations to genuine asylum seekers by pretending they do not exist," he said.

"If we don't accept genuine asylum seekers, and provide for them when they come, we are failing a basic obligation The fundamental probof a civilised society," lem is to address specific Cardinal Hume said. international issues and The cardinal criticised conflicts that create what he said is the refugees in the first place, government's view that Cardinal Hume said.

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The Record, February 15, 1990

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Part bishops can play to help ease the confusion VATICAN CITY (CNS): Bishops should make sure people understand Church moral teaching as technology and science give them more control over their lives and surroundings.

Clarity on the part of the bishops can help ease "the profound confusion regarding fundamental principles of life and action affecting many people today", the pope

said in a message to a workshop for bishops at the Pope John XXIII Medical-Moral Research and Education Centre in Dallas.

The basic principles of the Church's teaching about human beings — that they are created in the image of God, are capable of knowing God and have been given dominion over other creatures — can help

people learn the truth about themselves, the pope said.

"A constitutive factor of the human person's dignity as a creature redeemed by Christ is the capacity to know and observe the objective moral order," he said.

Particularly when discussing "the responsible transmission of life", the pope said, the teachings of the Second Vatican

Council make clear that "the morality of one's actions does not depend solely on the sincerity of the intention or the evaluation of motives".

Vatican ll's Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World says, "It must be determined according to objective criteria drawn from the nature of the person and his acts."

The Church believes

that "lii the heart of each human person is a law inscribed by God", the pope said. "Thus the person's innate dignity is and safeguarded affirmed through loving obedience to God's law, the rule of all moral activity."

If the Church is to be a faithful witness of the Gospel to the world, then individual Christians must respect human

dignity and "direct their actions according to the moral law", he said.

The pope told the bishops he hoped their discussions would "serve to renew your sense of pastoral responsibility" in the face of confusion and conflicting values.

"As man develops an ever greater knowledge and control of the world around him, he is often

increasingly less able to understand himself and the purpose of his life," the pope said.

People look to the Church and its bishops for "wise and truthful guidance," the pope said.

The pope prayed that the bishops would be inspired to "explain the truths of faith and apply them with courage and compassion".

1O -poi t agenda for peace MANILA (CNS): The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has outlined a 10point agenda for peace and condemned "unjustified interference" in the country's affairs.

The bishops stopped short of taking a stand on foreign debt and US military bases in the country.

The statement — the first by the bishops' conference after the December coup attempt — said coups d'etat are immoral.

The bishops listed the following "essential

agenda" for the 1990s. ity. Monopolies and a questions of self• "Developing a satiswhich the government system of taxation that determination of various factory and effective has declared the Decade lies too heavily on those groups in our country educational system that of Peace: who have less are such within the context of should be critical and • "Transforming structures that need national sovereignty." liberating and could be values. . . into those that urgent change."

• A moral and political more responsive to our are truly oriented to God • Implementation of resolution of the complex country's needs as well as and to the common good: programs of agrarian questions concerning to the needs of the We need to be a people reform, ecological pro- national autonomy and various members of the and to have leaders who motion, and socio- interdependence among school community. are 'maka-Diyos' (God- economic development nations, including things • "Freeing once and for centred) and Inaka- geared toward getting rid such as "various foreign bayan' (nationalistic). of "gross imbalances and economic interests in our all our most disenfranchised sectors, the rural Values such as selfish- disparities". country, our external and urban poor, from ness and greed must give "Today, we still seem, economic debt, the US various forms of bonway to generosity and for instance, unable to military presence, and dage, through a sincere sharing. implement our laws inadequate transfer of • "Dismantling the against indiscriminate technological knowledge practice of the evangelistructures that favour the and illegal logging," the so necessary for our cal option for the poor. few and discriminate bishops said.

• "Effectively checking economic growth and against the great major• "Peacefully resolving self-reliance". graft and corruption in

Pope's plea to rebel forces in Sudan VATICAN CITY (CNS): lies into the region last Pope John Paul II October, claiming that appealed to govern- the fighting and rebel ment and rebel forces Sudanese Peoples Liberin southern Sudan to ation Army artillery fire allow the safe passage would endanger the lives of relief supplies into of international relief the region. agency personnel.

"I express the earnest Although the governwish that those who are ment said it was easing involved will, in a cour- the ban January 24, ageous and humanitar- shipments continued to ian spirit, permit the free be blocked. and safe passage of relief A Lutheran World supplies and that the Federation-sponsored truce will be re- shipment of about 15 established," the pope tonne of corn was turned said. back to Nairobi, Kenya, The government had t wice before it was stopped truck and plane allowed to land in Juba shipments of food and last week. other emergency suppAccording to mission-

ary orders and agencies working in the area, many civilians have been killed or injured by rebel artillery shelling, by land mines planted by both sides and by Sudanese soldiers attempting to prevent their escape from the city.

The rebels, who are predominantly Dinka, have been fighting for seven years to end the domination of the mainly Christian and traditionalist south by the staunchly Muslim, Arabised north.

The majority of the estimated 25 million Sudanese are Muslim.

Blame on both sides

KHARTOUM: The archbishop of Juba, Sudan, has accused rebel and government troops of causing widespread civilian suffering during the rebel siege of the southern Sudanese town.

Archbishop Paolino Lukudu said civilians 6

have been abused by both sides as they attempted to escape the battle zone and have been killed by indiscriminate shelling of nonmilitary targets by the insurgent Sudan People's liberation Army.

The people are in a

The Record, February 15, 1990

"crucible of suffering and despair", he said.

The archbishop said food supplies for the 300,000 people in the town are rapidly dwindling while relief groups are barred from flying in supplies.

am Sudan borders • --- Southern • provinces • Towns

C apital Rivers '-'-'Railways

private and public life.

• "Conscientiously observing the laws of our country and effectively delivering socioeconomic services to our people. Just taxes, for instance, have to be paid faithfully, and the government must spend them honestly and wisely for the good of the people.

• "Empowering people . . . so that decisionmaking and implementing processes may truly be participatory and oriented to the common good"

The bishops called people to solidarity, saying the work of peace is long, painful and "crucifying".

"We must not delude ourselves into thinking that periodic bursts of enthusiasm will conquer evil. "(The task of waging peace) will require a holy endurance and relentless effort.

"It is not the work of one leader or of one government, but it is the enterprise of a whole nation," they said.

World gets copies of papal plea VATICAN CITY (CNS): Pope John Paul II has sent copies of his recent appeal for Africa's drought-ridden Sahel to world leaders.

In the speech, the pope asked the developed world "not to spurn the starving people of this continent".

Some of the poorest countries in the world are in the Sahel region. The pope visited the area January 25February 1.

The pope "does not want to single out Africa to the detriment of other poles of misery in Latin America or Asia". Vatican official Cardinal Etchegaray said.

"But he well knows the bitter reality of the growing poverty that African populations must face," the cardinal said.

Upon returning to the Vatican, the pope decided to send copies of his speech to the heads of state of all countries having diplomatic relations with the Vatican. he added.

The pope said he did not want his appeal for help to be lost in the sands of the desert.

Bandsman Dixie Kidd admonishes the sinners in the congregation that they were not singing the choruses with enough gusto. Also in the picture are Alex De Vries (double bass) and Bob Benton (trombone).

St Vincent de Paul stalwarts Kevin Fitzgerald and Tom Fisher gave it all they had in the Storyville charity concert that donated thousands of dollars to the Society.

It's jazz for charity. .

Rare event draws 700 at cathedral St Mary's Cathedral came alive for about 90 minutes last Friday with the sweet sounds of Dixieland music.

The Storyville Jazz Band and the Storyville Ladies Choir gave a Gospel song performance for the benefit of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. And 700 people turned up.

With donations of $10 per person that session must have given the society's kitty a big boost.

The occasion was made possible by the efforts of Father Joe Russell, a jazz musician himself, and the permission of Archbishop Foley. It was indeed a rare event.

Father Russell, a keen follower, Storyville arranged for the musicmakers to give a performance aptly called Jazz at Vespers.

Opening the event Father Russell told those present that they would be honouring God in His house mainly through their emotions.

"These songs have a lot of religious emotion," he said "and New Orleans jazz is a particularly emotional experience and so it is very appropriate to be accompanying this type of singing.

"If you are religious, you will have a religious experience. If you are not religious, then enjoy the chance," Father Russell said as he gave the audience a blessing to get

The Storyville Choir had the chance to show off their repertory of Gospel Negro hymns in the jazz idiom. From left: Beth Forbes, Maureen Douglas, Marie Palmer, Elaine Collier, Glenys Paris and Lee Clark. them under way. He told them to take part in the spirit of the evening, sing their heads off and clap their hands. Father Russel put more than his heart into the occasion.

The promotion was via the St Vincent de Paul conferences but in every parish where there is not a group, Father Russell contacted the parish priest personally to give the event a boost.

The cathedral reverberated as band leader Dixie Kidd got his boys and girls swinging.

The audience clapped their hands, stomped their feet and sang along during the non-stop session of spiritual jazz music.

Most of those present were in their 50s or 60s with a sprinkling of those in their 40s as well as children, who obviously tagged along with their parents.

The sanctuary became and Down By the Riverthe stage for the musi- side. Those who were cians. On drums was Sid honest stood up for the Marsh, playing the banjo rousing chorus Stand Up was Graham Palmer-, on You Sinners.

The audience got their string bass was Alex De Vries; on trombone was money's worth and for Bob Benton; on clarinet many it must have been was Dave Maxwell and an evening to remember. on the cornet was Dixie It was no surprise when Kidd, the bandleader. a man in his 40s The cathedral's centre remarked before the aisles were packed. Some performance: "I have heard the band latecomers had to sit at perform on several occathe flanks where vision was somewhat impeded sions. They are really by the pillars of the entertaining. That's why I am here again. I even church. wanted to bring my two and But they could hear sons along. But they had enjoy the good music and other arrangements." that was all that After the concert, mattered.

Father Russell heard People were relaxed — nothing but praise and a distinct change from many who came with the normal church situa- apprehension, without tions where the atmos- exception were pleaphere usually tends to be santly surprised at the stiff. reverence of the Two numbers that drew performance.

His verdict on the event: rounds and rounds of applause were Just a There'll be another next Closer Walk With Thee year.

Priest stuck on jazz In one hand he held a a success it was. wad of "tickets" for the Father Russell (now show. In the other, he had retired) said: "I grew up a walking stick. with jazz. As a school boy But Father Joe Russell Icut my teeth on jazz and kept on "selling" even I have always loved jazz. when it drizzled.

"They have a thing like He was determined to this in York — the Jazz make the Jazz at Vespers Festival in York. I've seen session at St Mary's a show like this on T'V, Cathedral a success. And too, so I thought why not

try one at the cathedral.

It seemed to be a good idea for fund-raising.

"I found it quite an experience in the past."

Father Russell used to play the drums but had to give it up when he had a stroke a few years ago.

He took up the trombone instead.

Band leader happy Every year, at the WA Jazz Festival in York, the Storyville Jazz Band and their Ladies' Choir give a program of Gospel songs, spirituals and jazz hymns, aptly named Morning Song.

The historic Church of St Patrick's parish has provided the setting. The popularity of the Morning Song has been dem-

onstrated by the size of His band has helped collection that has raise money for Aquinas followed.

College's swimming The proceeds have team, did a benefit always been donated to performance at Hale the Church, which has College and a second used the money to great fund-raising effort at advantage.

Aquinas.

Band leader Dixie Kidd Dixie said he was very said besides the jazz pleased with the turnout festival his band has also at St Mary's. "I was given several benefit worried at the start.Iwas performances in the past. very happy in the end."

The Record, February 15, 1990 7

Briefl)7. • • Surely, a little comfort isn't too much to ask of God? To hope that God will play a comforting role in one's life is only natural.

After all, anxiety seems inherent to the human condition.

Frustrations are frequent; exhausting work is the human person's lot.

Whose prayer wouldn't sometimes be a cry for relief!

The God of all things can certainly comfort people. Without a doubt, God's presence can be comforting.

The trouble is that comfort comes and goes in a person's life. Does this mean that God, too, comes and goes — mostly goes?

If a person's image of God is largely the image of a comforter, the risk is that God will be regarded as largely absent, one who apparently remains at a distance much of the time.

What we're talking about here is the image people have of God. To what extent do you think of God as a comforter?

What do you ask of God besides comfort?

It is hard to get a handle on the idea that God is present to people all the time — in the moments when they are inwardly torn over a difficult decision that must be made, at painful times of failure, at times of profound disappointment.

This is a God who

stretches people and strongly encourages them to keep growing even in the midst of complicated highly circumstances.

This is the God, the prophets would say, not only of gentle breezes, but of the whirlwind and the hurricane.

This is the God whose word is sometimes grasped only with the most attentive listening, since it must be heard above the clatter of events discomfiting which only too readily seem to suggest that there is no God or, at least, that God is "on leave", gone away somewhere.

Where is God found?

When can God be heard?

Those are good questions to ask.

Think about those questions. Talk them over at home.

And remember If one's image of God can be found lacking, so can one's idea of comfort. Ask where comfort is to be found and what real comfort "looks" like.

At times, God's comfort may well be found during life's more settled moments, when everything is peaceful. But is it possible also to take comfort in the gifts of the God found in the whirlwind?

When urgent problems and challenges appear in life, they are not a sign that God is absent. They signal that God is present in another way.

In focus The CNS Religious Education package suggests that people take time out to think about their relationship with God. Who is God? For many people, God is one who brings comfort.

But are there other ways the presence of God is manifested than in gifts of comfort and tranquillity? How is the presence of God supposed to feel?

Why does the Lord "leave us dragging along . . . feeling rotten?" asks Trappist Father Basil Pennington.

The feelings of restlessness and discomfort, while hardly tranquil, are a normal part of the spiritual journey, he suggests.

Father Pennington is a writer and lecturer on spirituality.

Father Herbert Weber says that during Advent the prophet speaks of the kind of comfort that is c onnected to hope and to

the assurance that God never forgets people.

Father Weber is pastor of St Thomas More University Parish in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Father John Castelot points out that the Bible is not concerned with simple tranquillity or freedom from trouble. Instead, in offering people "shalom", the Bible is talking about a deep and fulfilling peace, he says.

Father Castelot is a biblical scholar, author and lecturer.

In the split-second world of computers the virtue of patience can seem far removed and irrelevant to people, says religious educator Neil Parent. But patience retains its importance in the world of the soul, he says.

He offers some ways for Christians to observe Advent. Parent is on the staff of the US Catholic C onference education department.

DISCUSSION POINTS In spite of the general busyness of the weeks before Christmas, the Church's Advent season is a time to seek out a quiet moment to reflect on life's meaning or to discuss one's relationship with, God. Who is God for you?

Do you look upon God as one who comforts you?

How has God comforted you or others you know?

Do you think that God is absent when you don't feel comforted, when life is turbulent? Besides being one who comforts, what other roles does God play in your life?

The Record, Februdry 15, 199C

Three steps to patience At 6000 metres, the pilot switched off the seatbelt sign. I eased the seat back and reached for the newspaper I had stuffed into my carry-on bag earlier.

After scanning the headlines, I came across the health section, which contained an article on something called "computer syndrome".

Although I expected to learn how the computer is responsible for some exotic new disease, that wasn't the case.

Instead, the article described how our increasing use of computers may be affecting the ways we relate to people.

Computer syndrome results when we begin to transfer to human relationships the same kind of expectations that we have of our computers.

With computers, when we want a response, we simply push a button and the computer gives us information that is clear, straightforward and virtually instantaneous.

They are not always ready for us when we want them to be and, unlike computers, they do not always give us their undivided attention. Neither can we power them off as we secretly might want to.

Christ's birth 2000 years ago, but also of his coming to us today.

By Neil Parent

It is through patience, their hearts "because .he through exercising for- coming of the Lord ; at bearance in life's many hand". inconveniences (includJames likens the Chrising the messiness of tian's waiting for Qrist human relations), that to the farmer who 10 Acs we create the inner calm When compared with that allows us to rest with patiently forward to his crop throughout he the computer's effi- God. winter and early spring. ciency, such human When St Paul describes shortcomings can precipPatience helps us see To take leave of the itate the irritation, intol- what love is, the first what we otherwise :lay computer, we merely erance and impatience thing he says is that it is miss. It enables it to reach for the power that comprise computer patient (I Corinthians attain the inner quietand switch.

13:4). And it is love more peacefulness that we syndrome. than anything else that need to discern how The relationship is neat, If patience is becoming unambiguous and — increasingly irrelevant in puts us in touch with Christ is touching our God. best of all — we're in lives. the split-second world of control.

This is important, for The Epistle of James computers, it remains a Things do not go nearly necessity in matters of (5:7-10) exhorts readers Christmas is, after all, a as smoothly with people. the soul. to be patient, to steady celebration not only of

When we cultivate patience we become like those Jews who before Jesus' birth patiently awaited the Messiah's arrival.

It was their patience, their expectant waiting, that enabled them to see the Messiah in the humblest of forms — a newborn child.

Here are some suggestions for cultivating patience: 1. Make a list of the situations and individuals who seem to test your nerves. Every several days, review the list and

Oh! So that's w One day I was very angry with the Lord. It was the day I first realised that God in his eternal "now" already is enjoying the finished product. And here I am, feeling lower than a bear's tail, dragging along, just trying to make it.

Well, I was unhappy about this until the Lord reminded me of Matt Talbot.

That poor man lay 18 years dead drunk in the gutter before the Lord raised him up to be a saint. It hasn't been that bad for me — yet!

Why does the Lord let us go through all this misery? Why does he leave us dragging along, messing up and feeling rotten? Is it because he is displeased with us?

I was losing patience with the Lord and one evening complained to him rather bitterly.

The next morning when I was sitting in my office in the guesthouse a familiar visitor came in.

By no means!

After years of struggle Some years ago, as vocation father for my he had gotten into AlcoAnonymous. community, I was work- holics ing with a couple of fine Quite rightly, he was young men who really happy and enthusiastic. wanted to become I thought to myself: monks. But each had a Here we go. lam going to problem to work out get AA's twelve steps before entering the again. monastery.

But as he started off, it They were doing their hit me:I have to admit to best, but still were failing. myself, to God and to

another human person, that I am a hopeless case.

That's the starting point for us all.

I realised then what the Lord was doing in the lives of my two young men.

By Father John Castelot

Accordingly, our prayer today, like those of God's people of all times, beg for these favours. But there is a special emphasis in biblical prayers that may be missing from ours.

It arises from a conviction that God is characteristically a God of peace. His plan for humanity includes total shalom.

Often, then, biblical people prayed for the working out of God's plan, for his ultimate victory over evil of all kinds. Significantly, the song of the angels in Luke's story of Jesus birth was, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests" (Luke 2:14).

And the concluding prayer of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians (5:23-24) sums it up neatly "May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy (whole) and may you entirely, spirit, soul and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Whether it is drink or drugs or sex or anger or just ordinary meanness and selfishness and every day drag, the Lord has to let us keep on failing and floundering and feeling rotten until we come to know in our guts that we can't do it by ourselves.

Without God I am a hopeless case.

Meaning of shalom

Whenever two Israelis meet or part today, they say "shalom".

Shalom is translated as "peace", but it means something much deeper and more positive than simple tranquillity, security, freedom from trouble.

Shalom comes from a verb meaning "to be full, complete, perfect". When used as a greeting or a prayer it is a wish for fulfilment, perfection, a sum total of all possible blessings.

For biblical people, as for people of our times, these blessings included the comfort and security of good health. Sickness was connected popularly with sinfulness in biblical times and Psalm 38 is an anguished cry for both physical and spiritual health: "0 Lord, in your anger punish me not, in your wrath chastise me not . . . There is no health in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no wholeness in my bones because of my sin" (Psalm 38).

The connection between sin and sickness

may have been rather simplistic (good people suffer, too), but the psalmist saw a relationship between physical and emotional health.

When we pray for peace we pray for both, for there is no comfort, no "shalom", in being physically sound and yet uneasy because of some strange nagging guilt — and vice versa.

Today, as in the Bible, many couples know no peace because of childlessness — because they long for a child'.

A particularly heartwrenching prayer for a child was that of Hannah, whose plea was answered finally with the birth of Samuel.

On her annual pilgrimage to the shrine at

Shiloh with her husband Elkanah, "in her bitterness she prayed to the Lord, weeping copiously, and she made a vow, promising, '0 Lord of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid as male child, I will give him to the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:1011).

So intense was her prayer that the priest Eli thought she was drunk.

When she explained her situation, he reassured her, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him" (1 Samuel

1:17).

Eli reacted to her pain

with a prayer for her peace and fulfilment.

God in his great Ise has given us everythin& even his own son. But tl !re is one thing that God cannot give us a ndr ill be God. And that i his glory.

Once we ascribe anything to oursehei as coming ultimately from ourselves, we have nade ourselves God. Azi God is no longer God It us.

We are so pmnet ) put our little signature it the bottom of the pair ig, to claim as our owl anything we do, that Girl has to leave us strolgling with some weakiiss or

ask God's help in meeting those challenges.

Keep in mind that a key to fostering patience is a willingness to let go of e xpectations of how things should turn out.

Try working more creatively with what life presents rather than becoming irritated over what you think should be.

2. As a family, find time to discuss the importance of patience. For example, the grace at meals can include references to patience, to calming our anxieties and expectations enough to see Christ in the many ways he may be coming to us — in the homeless,

in those in pain, in those e xperiencing loss, in relatives, in schoolmates.

3. One family I know places a bowl on the table containing the names of family members on slips of folded paper.

At evening meal time, everyone is asked to select the name of another family member and to pray for that person the next day. The names are secret.

Why not use a similar technique to pray for the person selected and also to make a special effort to be patient with that individual?

In so doing, we may discover happily that Christ has come.

By Father Basil Pennington, OCSO

human misery so that we can come to realise that we can't do it alone.

Once we get a good solid hold on that, then God can do wondrous things in our lives and we will know who is in charge.

The twelve steps hit the nail right on the head.

The few times I have had the privilege of attending an AA meeting Ihave introduced myself: I'm Basil. I'm not an alcoholic, though I almost wish I was because you have this wonderful program. lam

waiting 'til you start Jesus replied, "There is "Everyday Blues Ano- only one set of footprints nymous" so we can all be at those times because part of it. that was when I was carrying you."

Remember the story of the footsteps in the sand? When life seems a messy drag, it isn't A man looked back over because the Lord has his path and saw that given up on us. It is most of the time there because in his love he is was another set of foot- trying to teach us a steps alongside his. The fundamental lesson: We Lord was at his side. But can't do it by ourselves. at the times he had the most difficulty there was And he is proving it at those times by carrying only one set. us through the mess So he complained to the until we learn our lesson.

Lord, "Where were you Then he who is mighty when I most needed can do great things for, you?" and with, and in us.

restless season

In the tradition of the sounding of the ram's horn in the Old Testament, a disconcerting melody flowed through our church to announce the first Sunday of Advent.

A faculty member from the music college, a true master with the tenor saxophone, sat in a far corner of the church and played a brief contemporary work to call the congregation to prayer.

The melody was beautiful but haunting; the sound was calming but filled with restlessness.

As Advent unfolded, the sentiments of restlessness and comfort were mixed, just as the musician's melody interwove those emotions.

The prophet cries out, "Comfort, comfort my people." But there also is

athways of the KNOW YOUR FAITH

,

a feeling that something is missing.

Perhaps we need to ask what is meant by "comfort"? What does the prophet propose to the people?

A pastor sensed that his parishioners no longer were challenged by what he saw as the Gospel mandate to justice and peace.

As he expressed his concern, a person finally said: "We've got good liturgy and a hardworking staff. We feel so good when we go to church that we probably don't remember we need more."

The parishioner was a reminder to the pastor that we can allow the Church to become a breeding ground for complacency.

By Father Herbert Weber

In that sense, comfort means something stagnant and life-draining.

But the prophet would not promise that type of comfort. He spoke of hope and an assurance that God had not forgotten the people even though their world was less than perfect.

A woman, in constant pain because of severe arthritis, used to show me the many brochures she collected that offered healing or respite from suffering.

She knew that some were too good to be true, but she so longed for relief that she nonetheless sent for the remedies.

One day, however, she told me that the real

comfort came not in the supposed remedies but in the knowledge that someone was addressing her need. In short, she could be hopeful as long as she knew someone else shared her concerns.

Perhaps that arthritisstricken woman has a handle on the form of comfort that God offers — simply the assurance that someone else is addressing our needs.

Comfort, then, comes not so much in what we have, but in who stands beside us in our searching.

A church, a parish, willing to stand with people during their times of struggle and pain can be a comforting church.

If they don't have to have all the answers, they do have the "corn-passion",

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the willingness to "suffer with".

Perhaps that explains the success of many parish programs directed toward those who suffer in some way.

But biblical comfort also offers a restlessness. a yearning.

A friend who runs weekend retreats had just completed a Friday night through Saturday session for young adults at a beautiful lakesidecamp.

They found themselves begging to stay longer.

But plans already had been made to return so the participants reluctantly went home.

Later the retreat director told me she somehow sensed it was good for them to depart desiring more.

That desire for fullness or completion, is not the opposite of comfort.

Coupled with an assurance of God's presence in walking life's journey, it offers the gift of hope, an eager expectation for more.

In that spirit of hope, restlessness and serenity can meet.

The Record, February 15, 1990 9

Kenya is becoming For those ot us who empathically share in the labour groans of Africa's black birth emergence and the struggles of her people against the devastatingly sinister potency of AIDS, it is interesting to read what is happening with the progress of Christianity in a country which is largely animistic.

A vast land of many different cultural leanings and diverse tongues Africa remains unknown to the vast bulk of us who live totally opposite lifestyles with our ease, affluence and governmental freedoms.

Staying at the Highgate presbytery for the past few months, Father Blasco Fonseca from

Kenya, diocese of Machakos, parish of Masinga, has had a chance to look at our Catholic scene and way of life.

He returns at the end of this month.

Working with the Akamba tribe of native Africans, his parish is about 150km out of Nairobi. The Akambas are one of the four main African tribes, each having huge numbers.

Education is rapidly changing the whole of Kenya, said Father Blasco, the introduction of which has created a thirst for more.

Parents will do and sell anything to get their children into secondary education, he said, and a third of the government budget goes towards this.

Since Independence in 1963, "schools in the rural areas have grown ten times".

In a sense Kenya's people are becoming westernised more because of the rather cosmopolitan Nairobi, whose influence extends into the rural villages to varying degrees.

Thus most wear westernised dress except for instance the Masais who

retain their traditional amount of priests and garb. religious "and places are With one of the highest crying out for a mission growth rates in the (church) but they can't world, Kenya has a great be serviced". population problem; this In one instance a also reflects Kenya's presbytery and church improved health remained untenanted. services.

Local clergy and sisters English, taught in the are being trained to take schools, is used in politics over the previous expatand business and is now riate role, but missionaries are still needed in the widely spoken.

Father Blasco speaks education and health the language of the fields.

Thus the work of the laity is brought into sharp focus. With his vast pastoral field, Father Blasco is unable to be at all churches for Mass and general administration of the sacraments, so the majority conduct their own services and do everything they can to cater for the Sunday Akamba tribe in which congregation's needs. he conducts his services.

They plan a liturgy and Within his parish span a leader will try to of 20 kilometres, are 22 interpret the gospel churches which Father readings, "which is very Blasco looks after, rang- interesting because here ing on either side of the in Perth this is consiMasinga, the central dered a priest's role". rural market and trading An expression of the centre. key role of the laity is Within each of the 25 through the Nzama villages is a primary (meaning secrecy as in school, but there are only discretion), the Church three secondary schools. council, which is often The Church growth looked on by the people, rate is too fast for the with respect for their

Church growth rate too fast

Vatican sleuths

VATICAN CITY (CNS): The Vatican has convened a group of scholars to do some detective work on a book originally published by Pope Gregory XIII in 1584 and updated most recently in 1960.

Publication of the revised version of the Roman Martyrology, a book-length calendar of saints' and martyrs' feast days, is expected in 1992.

After 12 years work by 19 historians, liturgists and experts on Saints lives.

Starting with January in the martyrology the sleuths are now up to September's feast and the feast lists have been circulated for further clues as to Saint's details.

While record keeping has improved since Pope Gregory published the Roman Martyrology, the only existing traces of some of the individuals are in his sources, a series of martyrologies spanning the previous 1200 years.

The 16th-century pope continued using the term martyrology, even though by then it included people who were not killed for their faith.

The fourth-century reign of Constantine saw a decline in the persecution of Christians in the West and the beginning of a tradition of honouring people who had lived exemplary lives.

10

bi

The tradition did not involve a formal, Vaticanbased canonization process until Pope Gregory's successor, Pope Sixtus V, set up a congregation for sainthood causes in 1588.

The printing press had been around just more than 100 years when Pope Gregory decided he wanted a universal martyrology.

His idea was not only to list luminaries, like St Peter, who were remembered by all Christians, but to include saints whose feasts were celebrated only in the diocese or nation where they lived.

The early martyrologies were the handiwork of scribes, and included in the lovely script are spelling errors, transposed numbers in the dates and other mistakes.

Later scribes corrected some errors and added a few of their own.

In addition to uncovering simple goofs, the revision committee is trying to correct factual errors and remove "useless or trite" information supplied by wellmeaning authors.

It was common, for example, for an ancient record-keeper to say something like, "Beloved Freda died Easter Monday in the year of our Lord 456." Then, the scholars figure out on what date Easter fell in 456.

The Record, February 15, 1990

In the 1960 edition of the Latin-language Roman Martyrology, the calendar takes up 327 pages.

And the number of saints and martyrs named in the book is more than 3500 but no one involved with the martyrology's revision was willing to make a "guesstimate" of the total.

Part of the hesitation stems from several listings which include a couple of names followed by "and companions".

Counting all the names will become more difficult when those canonised during Pope John Paul H's pontificate are added. They numbered 270 as 1989 ended.

Pope John Paul's additions include 103 Korean martyrs canonised in one 1984 ceremony and 117 Vietnamese martyrs canonised in June 1988. The 220 individuals will not be listed separately.

While the Roman Martyrology will include all those who can be honoured with a public liturgy, the church does not believe it is an exhaustive list of Christian saints and martyrs.

Even after the detectivescholars have completed their work, a day will be reserved for the commemoration of anyone left out, Nov 1, the feast of All Saints.

RE Catholics United for the Faith (CUF) president, Mr James Likoudis, over from their New York headquarters, last week gave lectures in Northam and Perth on Feminism in the Church and Transmission of Catholic Values in Education.

Mr Likoudis has a 20 year teaching background in the public and private sectors and is a nationally known author and lecturer on Catechetics, sex education, and historical theology plus issues affecting Catholic laity and family life.

He has written many articles, is an author of several books and is a radio and TV panelist on the subject of moral and social issues confronting families.

The CUF was founded in 1968 to defend Vatican teaching in the explosion of the controversy over humanae vitae, said Mr Likoudis, and since then they have been very active in giving expression to the needs of the laity in regard to such matters as doctrine, catechesis, sexual

making decision position.

According to Father Blasco it is a competent and select body which decides on important issues regarding the people, and can also inform Father, who may not be familiar with the background of a local problem, of the circumstances so he can make a decision.

In the early missionary

Women groups are helpful days as of today, locals are usually used to deal with locals, in purchasing or selling areas.

Apart from regular Sunday meetings, the Nzama also meet after receipt of circulars from their priest or bishop.

They meet in zones so three, four or five churches would join together where they may have common problems, "but the whole idea is to reinforce themselves so

•

they can handle their own problems", Father explained.

Where community effort is required to develop a project, the Nzama correlate activities such as'organising an ox and cart, and buying sand from another tribesman.

Although Christianity has come to Africa, the whole idea of witchcraft and superstition remains strong. And women are still considered second class citizens.

But as far as Father Blasco is concerned, women's groups are very important "because they have helped in the past and we need them now, and in the future".

They are the mainstay of the future, he said and think in terms of their own socio-economic development.

Within the Machakos diocese, is a development office which trains the laity for leadership skills and women are highly sought after for this purpose.

There are very few men in the Church, states Father Blasco, and it is very hard to convert elderly men, and women

too, who are steeped in their old traditions.

Youth is another of Kenya's big problems, comprising 75 per cent of population. And with no social security, one needs to work in order to eat, as against Australia's easy social security which allows many to "have a choice and please themselves about working".

Consequently there are city influxes and youth

Youth with no jobs setback roaming the countryside looking for work.

"Youth unemployment is a big problem with youth seeking work but with few opportunities," said Father Blasco. "So although willing, there is no work. They are in the city away from parental control and have to eat, so there is lawlessness and delinquency and little moral control."

This is a problem for the girls too who are in the

tatters,

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

education of children, and any aspect of education affecting the moral development of the young.

There are 130 Chapters in various countries, especially in the United States, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka and Africa.

Mr Likoudis said the CUF is concerned with the spirituality of the lay man, social justice themes, and any question affecting the spiritual lives of the laity.

Their apostolate heavily emphasises c.atechetics, he said, and every attempt is made to reach the parents with the "wonderful new series of catechetical texts published by Ignatius Press in San Francisco, the Faith and Life series, grades 1 to 8, and it is gratifying that the text is being increasingly used in Australia; obviously parents feel the need for what the pope has called an 'organic and systematic catechesis in the faith'.

"One of the prob-

lems is that religious education has been in tatters." Stating he lectured frequently on these themes, Mr Likoudis went on to say he'd been speaking in Australia on topics such as: Is moral education possible in our schools (state)? — because there is a new emphasis on 'values education' and there is obviously a need for the introduction of values in the state school system, he said.

As in the US, 'values' has been reinterpreted, just as 'morality' has been redefined to mean 'if it feels good, do it!' Mr Likoudis said, and then stated he'd also been speaking here on radical feminism in the Church and American society, pointing out that certainly in the US, radical feminist 'theologians' are part of the ideology of contraception, abortion, and homosexuality.

The spread of radical feminist ideas in the

Church has led to great conflict as to what is the proper role of women and the proper role of men, said Mr Likoudis, "and indeed we have clear experience of the disturbance of relationships between male and female, man and wife, parents and children, with a further disintegrating impact on the family as a result of women seeking power — Holy Orders — rather than the holiness to which all in the Church are called."

It is the influence of this radical feminist ideology that is responsible for the push for altar girls, female lectors, female acolytes, multiplication of female extraordinary ministers beyond need, and ordination of priestesses, said Mr Likoudis, who then elaborated that Cardinal Ratzinger in his report had noted the influence of radical feminist ideas in the Church and called upon the bishops to check that.

"While in Australia I have met with many parent groups who are very concerned

westernised

•

city with no marriage dowry available and a way from family restrictions.

Many girls get pregnant soon after they leave school, he said, which creates a huge problem for the Church.

To assist in youth training, the Church has set up the youth village polytechnics movement, because the government had no answer.

on to say that even nonCatholics get involved with the Catholics, in building churches, health clinics and their cathedral.

One fifth of the 25,000 population of Father Blasco's area is Catholic, with infant and adult baptisms around 500 yearly, emphasising the role of the catechumenate in schools.

Kenya's Harambee selfhelp movement allows the locals to help themselves in developmental projects and fund-raising days are called to ensure everyone donates funds to be added to international funds.

Good news on sisters

And each one has to give his labour to the There's good news on vocations, with full semicommon project. naries and the sisterhood On those days, "the big ranks growing. men" such as the chiefs and lower government Having witnessed our men come with their Christmas celebrations, funds with visitors or Father Blasco found guests bringing their them somewhat differcontribution also. ent to the rural areas (although Nairobi may Then everyone is told be different). they have to contribute.

"Although it is a struggle With fewer means to for many of them, it is celebrate in store purexpected for the common chases, the people do not cause and they have to do send cards, or put up it," said Father who went cribs, tinsel, and decorate

trees. Neither do they another clan member have candles, or and ask for food in return exchange gifts. for a work service. And "But yet Christmas can what food they have, be a happy event for the they share.

Nearing the end of his local church because the adults' joy comes from holiday here, Father watching their children Blasco is impressed. on Christmas day when "I've been in many the children in Sunday dioceses, and find this a school are given some great one. boiled sweets by the "I see the pastoral school teachers and planning that is going on maybe as a reward for good endeavours in class they are given a small plate, or a knife, or spoon, which is something the average person would not have in their home."

Or perhaps the child may have been given a pair of shoes, or new pair of pants — a rare treat from the contrast of their usual scanty rural village and the Archbishop clothes. communicating so well The role of the extended at different levels with family is very important the youth, lay people, in Kenya in the absence priests and aborigines." of social security, whereby the members care for Saying he is "fascieach other and show the solidarity of the clan nated" by the acolytes the eucharistic minattending funerals and and isters which reflects his other significant own thinking, and the occasions. positive good of Engaged During famines, the and Married Encounter clan role is of vital movements, Father importance so each can Blasco returns to the stay alive. If one is African continent, very starving, he can go to much impressed.

he says with the education of their children in both state and Catholic schools. "What struck me is that the word educator in Australia seems to be confined to the teacher in the school, often times forgetting that parents are also educators of children."

The Church, he emphasised, certainly makes it very clear that parents must take an active role in supervising the total education of their child and where religious education is concerned, parents must be a catechist to their children.

"It would be desirable if more attention were paid to parental concerns on matters of doctrine and catechesis by the Catholic education officers."

Mr Likoudis said he found it really disturbing that a spirit of disobedience towards liturgical law seems to be evident in too many parishes; "but that is not surprising as all these problems are found also in the US and Canada".

The CUF, he said, has received very strong support from high Vatican officials.

Pastoral planning catches his eye

Fr Fonseca . . . returning to Kenya soon.

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Iwas sentenced to die ...

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Please an aged gentleman Mt favours with which God phone Steve 481 0753.

Hawthorn area to provide blessed you during life meals, assist with and of your glory after G.M. WATER SERVICE for daily showering etc, death fills me with joy, and evening all your reticulation home, free board I unite with you in good needs, maintenance and some cash in return. installation. Phone Gary and not important. Posi- offering to Him my Age humble tribute of thanks446 2142. tion could suit person giving and of praise. I with part-time occupa- implore you to secure for PUBLIC NOTICE tion such as mature age me, through your powerstudent from country etc. ful intercession, the inesFURNITURE CARRIED. Reply in writing to timable blessing of living One item to housefulls. "Harr( this office for and dying in the state of grace. I also beseech you Small, medium, large vans further details to obtain the favour I ask available with one or two in the novena. (Here men from $24 per hour, THANKS recommend your intenall areas. Cartons and cheap storage available. Novena to the Holy Spirit tions.) But if what I ask is Mike Murphy 330 7979, — Holy Spirit, you who not for the glory of God 444 0077, solve all problems, light all and the good of my soul.

317 1101, 272 3210, roads to that I can attain obtain for me what is most 447 8878, 384 8838. my goal. You gave me the conducive to both.

378 3303, callers: divine gift to forgive and Amen. Our Father . . .

Country 008 198 120. forget all evil against me Hail Mary . . . Glory be. and that in all instances of M M.N my life you are with me. Holy Spirit, you who solve THANKS I want in this short prayer all problems, light all Holy Spirit thou who to thank you for all things roads so that I can attain makes me see everything as I confirm once again my goal. You gave me the and show me the way to that I never want to be divine gift to forgive and reach my ideal. You who separated from you ever, forget all evil against me gives me the divine gift to in spite of all material and that in all instances of forgive and forget the illusions. I wish to be with my life you are with me. wrong that is done to me you in eternal glory. I want in this short prayer and who are in all Thankyou for your mercy to thank you for ail things instances of my life with towards me and mine. as I confirm once again me. I, in this short This prayer must be said that I never want to be dialogue want to thank for three days after which separated from you ever, you for everything and the favour will be granted. in spite of all material confirm once more that I This prayer must be illusions. I wish to be with never want to be separ- published immediately. you in eternal glory. ated from you no matter M.G. Thankyou for your mercy how great the material Thanks to the Sacred towards me and mine. es may be. I want to Heart and St Clare for This prayer must be said th you and my loved request granted. Say nine for three days after which in your perpetual Hail Marys for nine days the favour will be granted. glory. Amen. Person must with lighted candle. Pub- This prayer must be pray this for 3 consecutive licise this devotion. L.D. & published immediately. days without stating one's LM. Grateful thanks to the wish. After 3rd day your Holy Spirit you who solve Holy Spirit. C. Harris wish will be granted no all problems, light all matter how difficult it may roads so that I can attain Novena to Infant Jesus of be. Promise to publish this my goal. You gave me the Prague, His Blessed soon as your favour has divine gift to forgive and Mother, St Joseph, St been granted. U.B. forget all evil against me Anthony, St Gerard who May the Sacred Heart of and that in all instances in healed my illness cancer Jesus be adored, glorified, my life you are with me. and I promised to be loved and preserved I want in this short prayer known, to honour Infant throughout the world to thank you for all things Jesus of Prague and now and forever. Sacred as I confirm once again venerate Him. He is the Heart of Jesus, pray for us, that I never want to be prince of the Catholic St Jude, worker of Mira- separated from you ever Church and in homes the cles, pray for us. St Jude, in spite of all material more you honour Him helper of the hopeless, illusions. I wish to be with the more He will bless pray for us. Say this prayer you in eternal glory. you. H.D. nine times a day. By the Thankyou for your mercy Sacred Heart and Infant eighth day your prayers towards me. S.M.B. Jesus of Prague, Holy will be answered. Say it for Most Sacred Heart of Spirit, Mother Mary, Saint nine days, it has never Jesus may your name be Joseph. Thanks for favour been known to fail. praised and glorified granted. Prayer will be Publication must be throughout the world continued more fervently promised. Thank you St now and forever. Grateful for impossible request. thanks. W.D B Jude. L• McCartney.

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[-1;]

NAME & ADDRESS SUPPLIED Sir, In response to the Catholic Weekly editorial, 'Savage Sentence', (The Record, February 8), I would like to share my own experience of being sentenced to death in the hope that your readersmay gain further insight from it.

I am not an Aboriginal, and my case is different to that of James Savage/Moore. However, I did kill another human being (my de facto husband), and I was sentenced to death as a result.

Although my sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, receiving the death sentence was a type of death in itself.

What I felt was total rejection — not of my act, but of my whole self. I felt that society, and all of humanity, had chopped me off from the tree of life and thrown me out with the rubbish to rot. I was allowed to live, but I became spiritually dead.

I became bitter, angry, and withdrawn; I began to think that it was a sin for me to breathe, and that my execution would have been preferable.

I cursed God with all the energy I could muster, then sank to the lowest depth of despair.

'So what?' some might say. 'An eye for an eye .

Well, there are people in the world who are not so judgemental and unforgiving, people who allow the spirit of God to work through them to heal the injured soul, to raise the spiritually dead back to life.

People such as this (including some agnostics) reached out and helped me to help myself, and now I am strong enough to give support to other people when they are in need. Although still in prison, I am a social being once more.

The change of direction in my life can happen in anyone else's life — as long as there is a positive input from society. If society wants to be negative and vengeful, it will reap what it sows; but if society wants to reduce the violence that springs from within it, it must present an example of non-violence to its 'children' — and a major step in this direction is to abolish legalised violence.

Thou Shalt Not Kill

from L BARNS, Waikiki Sir, the Catholic Weekly, Guest Editorial (The Record, February 8), was concerned for James Savage and only once was the victim's name mentioned, Barbara Ann Barber.

The Florida judge was right in bringing down his judgement. All Australians whether white or

black are made aware before travelling to overseas countries that whilst you are in a particular country you are subject to the laws of that country. You only have to recall the fate of the two Australians that were found guilty of the drugs in Malaysia (no excuse).

It is clear what God had

in mind when the commandment stated thou shalt not kill: exactly that

A person convicted of wilful murder -beyond doubt- should be prepared to face execution.

Critics will state that executing murderers will not stop murders being committed, I agree, but if a guilty person is exe-

Road to decline from P BERTOL4 Gairdner

Sir, It was a suprise to read see a Bishop 'laying down', the law! (The Record, February 8) Better late than never I suppose Over the years, I often wondered, where our

Catholic elite were hiding, under which bushel?

With all of our governments clearly showing signs of some corruption, what have our lawyers been doing?

With Australia being virtually raped, hardly a whimper! Comes from anyone!

We may think that it is only the erstwhile communist countries that are rotten.

Australia is well and truly on the same road, a steep decline, which our Catholic intelligentsia have not tried to stop, let alone hinder.

The exceptions can be counted on fingers

Report at fault ... from Paul DONNELLY, Claremont The Catholic Weekly report (The Record February 8) is at fault, I think, in ascribing the Red Letter Day Mass of The Holy Spirit to being "Red" because the colour of the legal luminaries at the Mass.

The vestments of the priest and, in my day,

deacon and subdeacon for such a Mass of The Holy Spirit would have been red.

The Red Letter characterisation comes from the missal's red initial letters of the Introit; the first and opening psalm of the day.

Properly speaking these Masses of the Holy Spirit are said at the beginning

of the three law and university terms of the year: Hilary, Trinity and Michaelma.

The Feast of St Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers is round January 13th this year. He lived in the early part of the fourth century and was a notable theologian, opposing arianism and writing on The Trinity.

ow on action •

from A.M. WARE, Forrestfield Sir, Senator Fred Chaney (The Record, February 8) states that 'fairness to two income parents does not constitute unfairness to those who are able to manage on one income'.

Does he mean by this that all single income families are able to manage?

If he does he is wrong.

In our case with three school age children we have made a decision to give them the undoubted benefits of full time attention, and, financially we

are barely surviving and I certainly don't believe our situation is an isolated one.

When Christmas and birthdays come around I thank God that the full time attention and Christian upbringing enable the children to understand that they cannot have what they may like.

We often hear both major political parties extolling the virtues of the family unit. Unfortunately however they both appear to be high on rhetoric and low on action.

cuted for murder that person will not murder again.

The editorial stated that execution by the state is clean and clinical .

Nothing is further from the truth but we should not concern ourselves with these details as any murderer deserves his fate, his victim had little choice with loss of life.

A call for ideas from Dermot DORGAN, St Peters, NSW Sir, Over the past month or so, I have come across a couple of examples of people who are doing something different at Christmas in an attempt to give it back its meaning — in one case by devising a special worship service and in the other by an inexpensive gift -giving idea.

I'm encouraged by this to think that there are probably quite a few other examples — some very simple, some more elaborate — of appropriate celebration.

I'd be grateful if people would write and let me know of things they have done to resist the further encroachment of consumerism and to bring out the real meaning of Christmas for their families or communities.

My address is: 16 St Peters St, St Peters NSW 2044.

In return I undertake to collect these ideas and activities into some suitable written form and make it available as widely and as cheaply as possible. With any luck, it should be ready in time to use for next Christmas — and that's only 231 shopping days away!

Your thoughts, words and deeds

One idea of spirituality which may help in understanding the spirituality of Joseph Cardijn is this: spirituality is the living out of one's faith in all areas of one's life.

All of the thoughts, words, actions and sensations which connect faith with life can contribute to a person's spirituality.

This means that very normal things, such as going to work or campus each day, relating to your friends and family, are as much a part of your spirituality as times of prayer or taking a major

action to make the world a better place — to bring the Kingdom of God to earth.

The most obvious yet difficult thing to understand about this idea of spirituality is that each minute of every day becomes significant.

be true disciples of Christ.

It is in this understanding of spirituality that Cardijn contributed greatly to the present-day theology of the lay person.

He achieved this through years of dediVery normal events take cated, honest contact on new importance, new with some of the most humble and unassuming dimensions. components of the The opportunities of Church, the young bringing the Good News workers. are so much closer at At the age of fourteen, hand that we do not have Joseph Cardijn, instead to go anywhere or do of becoming apprenticed anything out of our own in a factory, entered ordinary environment to junior seminary.

While on holidays from seminary in those early years a disturbing, yet very normal, revelation was made to him — his school mates, now factory workers, had become hardened and cynical at just fifteen or sixteen years of age.

They were also very aloof towards Joseph since to them the young seminarian represented the Church which was almost entirely middle class.

The Church was seen by them as part of an oppressive structure which alienated and

and in Hand

• The second part in our series on Joseph Cardijn and lay spirituality, by Linda Baker. crushed the lives of the working class.

This change in his school mates was disturbing because it showed how their work situations lacked the dignity and hope which belonged to all of God's children.

Yet it was a very normal revelation, because it came without any choirs of angels singing in the background, and it was something which happened to millions of young Europeans every day.

Cardijn realised that the young workers of today are the working class of tomorrow.

For him the greatest horror was that this world of the young workers was a godless and hopeless world, and the Church had not yet effectively addressed itself to the problem.

So it was that, even prior to ordination as a priest, Joseph Cardijn decided to dedicate his life to the working class via young workers.

Among several new faces to be seen this the year around Catholic Youth Offices in Claverton Street, North Perth, is Margaret Pavlinovich, who took up the post as secretary to Youth Chaplain Father Joseph Parkinson on January 16.

With one of her four children, Clare, having worked full-time for Catholic Parish Youth in the past, Margaret can claim inside knowledge of the Catholic youth scene!

"I like young people, and I enjoy their company," said Margaret this week.

"I think young people have a lot to give, if only they could see their own New secretary to the youth chaplain, marvellous gifts and Pavlinovich of Lesmurdie. talents."

Lesmurdie parishion- enrichment, and are Previously with the ers, Margaret and hus- currently the mainteArchdiocesan Marriage band Morris have nance couple for the Preparation office, Mar- worked in the Engaged centre. garet comes into the Encounter Community "Marriage preparation youth office in place of for seven years, helping the youth apostolate and long-serving secretary young couples prepare go hand in hand," really Marj Downie. for a lifetime of marriage. said Margaret. "Both are While Marj continues to concerned with helping work one day a week, They were instrumen- people. individually or as Margaret takes on the tal in establishing the St couples. to build a solid bulk of secretarial duties Charles Centre for mar- future based on faith and Tuesday to Friday. riage preparation and trust".

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DAVID MEECE & BAND — IN CONCERT

Tuesday, February 20 at 7.45pm THE RHEMA AUDITORIUM 1 Thorogood Street, Victoria Park Tickets $23 single Available from: SCRIPTURE UNION BOOKSHOP Perth 325 6333 or Victoria Park 470 1020 PARK MUSIC

An "Antioch wedding" on an Antioch weekend! Pictured outside the Rockiegtiam Parish Centre after their wedding on January 20 are Steven Brice and Leanne Rodger, both former members of Rockingham Antioch. Their wedding coincided with another successful Antioch weekend for the Rockingham community.

Come to the country for a

VALENTINE'S BALL

Saturday, February 17

Soccerdrorne, Parade Road Bunbury TOP BAND plus LOCAL Di Supper included Dress: semi formal Low cost! just $10!

Billets and Tickets can be arranged through:

ALLAN HAINES (097) 21 3787 or JUUEN BRADFORD (097) 21 7717 (Youth Office) The Record, February 15, 1990

13

mmr—

Calunga's earthy rhythm

01,

Calunga Aboriginal Catholic school was entertained by Sydney balladeer Jimmy Little along with WA's multi-talented Richard Walley who involved the 110 children (pre-school to grade 10) with his didgeridoo, emulating sounds of the kangaroo, magpie, kookaburra and dingo.

1. Shirley Harris (who paints under the name Bammagwim 'lightning') with her school purchased painting 'Loss of Identity'. Ms Harris said the painting simply means too many outside influences are destroying the Aboriginal culture. Although the meaning may be lost to little Reg Martin and Renella Murray they loved the painting!

2. Cute 2 yo Reece Miller gladly takes the tapping sticks to help with the musical action!

3. Jamey Blurton showing her version of a native bird dance.

4. Richard Walley with his didgeridoo with Harvey Bropho dancing in the background.

5. These little fellows are preparing to do a traditional Aboriginal foot stamping dance urged on by fellow students.

6. New Calunga principal, Sister Bernadette Doyle RSJ, sharing a joke with vice-principal Tracey Kickett, Stella Jedda and Paul Kickett.

Asp

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The Record, February 15, 1990

1N:

Autumn joy and talent

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

Special mum with lots of talent

50 married years!

"Would I do it all again? With my wife Mary I certainly would!" says Jim Andrews of Darlington emphatically. Jim and Mary (Mundaring parishioner, originally from Co Limerick, Ireland), met and married in England 50 years ago which called for a special celebration put on by their three children at the Mahogany Inn, Mahogany Creek. Included among the 52 guests were their daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchild who flew from England to celebrate, along with other friends and a niece from Ireland. Mary and Jim have a married daughter in Geralctton and married son in Perth.

Pastoral Vision.

Pastoral Letters for a Pastoral Church today try Rey William F. Maestri.

Published by Paul Publications. $12.95.

Problem-solving through technological control over our environment has not produced the happiness expected by those who longed for a day when God

would become a useless illusion. For every problem solved, a new one has risen to challenge us afresh. We remain an enigma even to ourselves. Wonder and mystery continue to surround us and we are still looking for answers. Jesus alone provides satisfactory insights into the meaning and truth of our lives. His pastoral approach — as exemplified by the life of St Paul and expounded on in his pastoral letters — is the model for the Church today. In this latest of his books, Father Maestri discusses at length the question of leadership in the Church, the role of tradition and teaching, the moral life, vocation and ministry (a crisis of confidence and enthusiasm), and the pastoral mission of the Church to the world (with insights taken from liberation theology). A thoughtful. pmvocative and timely study

Mrs Annie Richards of Fremantle parish is a lovely lady with heaps of courage and loads of talent.

Fighting a battle with cancer and the debilitating effects of chemotherapy, hasn't diminished this lady's faith in God and fighting spirit "to beat it"!

As for the talent, there is ample evidence of that in her home and with her three daughters and friends.

Into serious art since 1978, Mrs Richards completed a lot of top quality work before receiving her Diploma of Art last May. As an artist she does oil paintings, water colours, chalk, crayon and ink prints, and uses her artistry to paint tiles for coffee tables, to frame, and has then moved on to do an incredible array of marvellous work.

Her delicate artistry paints flowers, scenes and designs on everything from vases, glass water sets, dinner and coffee sets to doing the most beautiful work in gold on cups and saucers.

Most of her work she has given away to her daughters and friends where they enjoy pride of place.

Very modest about her talent, 80 year old Mrs Richards plans to return to TAFE during the second semester — once she gets the chemotherapy out of the way"!

This inspiring lady has a true Australian character of fighting against the odds — always looking to a future with adversity beaten and disposed of and then mentally rolling up one's sleeves to "get on with the job of living"!

The Record, February 15, 1990 15

by TOM BRANCH The annual association Mass will be the WACLTA's first function for 1990 and will be celebrated by the WACLTA Chaplain Father Richard Doyle on Friday, February 23, at his parish church of St John and St Paul in Pinetree Gully Road, Willetton. To allow more members to attend, Mass will commence at the later time of 7pm.

Following Mass a number of courts have been hired at the Whetton sports club for an evening of social tennis.

The evening will conclude with a supper and light refreshments at the John Paul parish hall, adjacent to the church.

Ladies are requested to provide a plate. Tea and coffee will be available.

The Association is using

this function as an opportunity for the clergy to participate.

Doyle Father has extended a warm invitation to many of his tennis friends. It would certainly enhance the growth of Catholic tennis in the diocese if the local priests accepted his invitation. The association, executive and members are looking forward to matching their skills against the clergy. More importantly, however, the executive would appreciate greater support and involvement by the clergy in promoting the association throughout the diocese. They see this function as an excellent opportunity for the clergy to become more aware of the benefits that the WACLTA can provide their parish.

CANON LASER BEAM PRINTERS

The Canon L1313-8111 allows you to turn your word processor into a desktop publisher for only the cost of a printer. Canon's new 113P-8111 delivers you nine standard and 31 optional scalable fonts that range between 4 to 254 points depending on your software. These fonts can be produced in 64 ornamentations including shadows, hatchings, outlines and more.

With vector graphics and a standard 1.5 megabyte memory on board, the 113P-8111 gives a very sophisticated graphics reproduction. All this, plus a lot more for a recommended retail price of only $4495 The Canon 1.15P-8111 is one of the most reliable and cost effective printers on the market today.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (iidro is also availabk)

LUXOR COMPUTER SERVICES Chris Spurr

Tel. 480 9499

BATHROOMS... BEAUTIFUL Remodel that old bathroom A dd PRESTIGE and VALUE to your home

BOUCHER JONES PLUMBERS

158 Edward St Perth 6000 328 6955 328 6558

Grief Management Educational 6ervicas Gerry Smith

Workshops, Seminars, Bereavement Counselling

THE PARIS S CENE WANNER00 CHOICES Wanneroo parish has come up with 31 choices for people to take part in parish life during 1990. Six of the choices are in liturgical ministries, eight in parish organisations, eight in prayer, growth and development, while nine miscellaneous range from parking attendant to driving needy parishioners shopping or to Mass and handyman help for the elderly. State school religion classes are to be conducted in four locations in the parish and a six week scripture class with Sister Elizabeth Devine kicks off the year's calendar on February 27.

THE ENNEAGRAM A follow up program for people who have either done part I or who have an introductory knowledge of the enneagram concentrates on the different styles of prayer and spirituality of the major enneagram spaces. It looks at "wings" and "arrows" and also explores the origins of the enneagram in early childhood and its development through adolescence. Finally it examines "subsets". It takes place Thursdays 7.30-9pm March 1-April 5. Phone 227 6883.

BULLS BROOK PILGRIMAGE Rosary and benediction will be held on Sunday, February 25 at the Bullsbrook Church "Virgin Mary Mother of the Church" at 2pm. For further information and bus reservations please ring 444 2285 for Perth, Highgate and Midland bus and 339 4015 for Fremantle bus. The church is open every day and is available for pilgrimages (by appointment). Sacri Association, PO Box 311, Tuart Hill 6060. Telephone 571 1699.

HELP WANTED Volunteers are required on a daily basis to act as companion to a lady who is physically disabled, and with a six month old baby. She will live in the Emmanuel Christian Community in East Perth. Sufficient volunteers are needed on a half or full day basis seven days a week to be on hand to help lift the baby and assist in tasks that the mother is unable to do. To help in any way at any time please contact Br Peter on 328 8113 or 328 9571.

MARIAN MOVEMENT The monthly meeting of the Marian Movement will be held at the Little Sisters of Carmel, 2 Frazer Street, Swanbourne on Tuesday, February 20 at 10.30am.

TRINITY TREASURE The Trinity Pipes and Drums Band are holding a Swapfair at the Trinity College playing fields, Manning Road (cnr Elderfield), Manning on Sunday, February 25, 1990, 9am to 1pm to raise funds for the band to travel to Brisbane in April 1990 to take part in the Australian Band Championships.

Tel: (09) 445 3049 Fax: (09) 244 1589 387 Huntriss Rd, Woodlands, 6018

Put fertility on your wedding list . . !Come and have a chat to us. It's free.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING 221 3866 Country clients welcome. Phone or write. *Natural Family Planning Centre 27 Victoria Square Member of the Australian Council of Natural Family Planning Inc

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The Record, February 15, 1990

Lent 1990 for the Diocese of Bunbury Enquiries: Phone (097) 21 1291

IICMILLMIIIIIN IMO I me • •• •• war

Archdiocesan Calendar FEBRUARY 19 Mass for Ecumenical Committee, St Thomas More Chapel, Archbishop Foley.

20 Archdiocesan Development Fund meeting, Archbishop Foley.

21 Catholic Library Board Inaugural meeting, Archbishop Foley.

Opening school year Newman/ Siena and Siena schools, Archbishop Foley.

24 Annual General Meeting Conference of Churches of WA, Archbishop Foley.

25 Catholic Teachers Mass, St Mary's Cathedral, Archbishop Foley.

27 Mass and buffet Archdiocesan organisations, Archbishop Foley.

MARCH 2 World Day of Prayer Service, St George's Cathedral, Fr Dan Foley.

PROPOSED DATES C ONFIRMATION/VISITATION (V) MAY 16 16 19-20

V

V

20 V 27 27 V 27 29-30 JUNE V 3 6 V 8 10 13 17-20 17 17 19 V 22-24 24 27 30 JULY 1 4 5 8 V 29 29 AUGUST 5 V 5 V 10 12 12 14 19 (2) V 25-26

Applecross Bentley Bencubbin Goomalling Cloverdale Rivenrale Maylands Doubleview Newman Junior Merredin Northam York Manning Trinity College Greenwood Ocean Reef Riverton Innaloo Brentwood Wilk3tton South Perth Lockridge Kalgoorlie Moora Palmyra Willagee Guildford (no conf) Mosman Park Queens Park Armadale Attadale North Beach Fremantle Belmont /Redcliffe Bassendean Leederville Balcatta

SEPTEMBER 2 Lynwood 8-9 V Midland 9 Bateman 12-13 Lesmurdie 19 Como /Kensington 19-20 Whitfords/ Mullaloo 20 Osborne Park 22-23 Morley 23 Claremont 23 V Rockingham 23 Bedford/Inglewood 23 Spearwood 26 John XXIII College 26 V Wanneroo 28-30 Mundaring OCTOBER 21 Gosnells 21 V Greenmount 24 East Cannington 25 Nedlands 27 Beaconsfield 28 City Beach 28 Kingsley 31 V Bayswater NOVEMBER 3-4 V Hilton 4 V Girrawheen 4 Mirrabooka 4 West Perth 7 Kelmscott 7 Kalamunda 9 Karrinyup 11 V Highgate 11am 14 Kwinana 18 Victoria Park 21 V Joondanna 21-22 Con Kenwick/Thornlie 24 Dianella 25 V East Victoria Park 25 Maida Vale 30 f3allajura Bruce Rock, Kellerberrin, Kondinin/Kulin and Southern Cross — to be arranged.

Further queries are to be addressed to the

Archbishop's Secretary.

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UNLOCKING DREAMS This course will enable you not only to tap into the messages our dreams and images offer but also to learn the practical skills to work effectively with one's own images and dreams and takes place 7.30-9pm May 3-24. For further information phone Fullness of Life Centre ph 227 6883.

Please write to: Fr Stephen Foster, OSCam Carnahan Community 1 Salvado Road ,S4.ebieco 6014 Perth ;LE

The Sick and Dying We follow Christ by taking care of them.

Brothers and priests of the Order of St Camillus

CAMILLIANS LOURDES-FATIMA Only speak to the people who know

PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL SERVICES 324 1234 LIC 9TA00487

SWAPFAIR _ TRINITY MANNING

Playing fields 9am-1pm

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25

WEDDING BOOKLETS Typed, printed & prepared (laser printer) for your wedding ceremony.

LUXOR SERVICES

Contact Chris or Mary 451 4304

CATHOLIC CARE

for intellectually handicapped persons require the following staff to offer a new respite care service to children with disabilities, south of the river.

2 REGISTERED NURSES Permanent night duties.

3 SOCIAL TRAINERS

Must have Certificate in Training the Intellectually Handicapped.

Morning and afternoon shifts.

4 RESIDENTIAL AIDES

Full-time, morning and afternoon shifts. Applicants should have experience working in a caring role.

2 RESIDENTIAL AIDES

Permanent part-time, approximately 20 hours per fortnight.

2 RESIDENTIAL AIDES

Permanent sleep shift. is load

2 DOMESTICS/HOME HELP

Required to provide cooking, laundry and household duties.

Weekend work involved.

TYPIST/CLERK

Mature person required for office duties. 8.30am-4.30pm. Monday to Friday. This position only is based at head office.

This is a new service offering respite care for 6 children with disabilities, in a normal home setting.

APPLICANTS should be committed Christians who are willing to ensure that the Catholic ethos is reflected in the running of the house.

Please submit written applications to: The Executive Officer, Catholic Care, PO Box 152 Wembley 6014 Ph 387 7556 Applications close Friday. February 23.