The Record Newspaper 18 October 1990

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PERTH, WA: October 18, 1990

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Publication No. WAR 0202

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Lively sales According to Catholic Social Apostolate secretary Sue Bursey, the laity obviously want to know about the laity, judging by the 378 copies of This Is The Laity sold so far by the Catholic Social Apostolate and more to come after the first order of 600 is soon exhausted. Copies from CSA, 32 Claverton St, North Perth. Phone 328 6672.

moor

Second breakaway priest a 'bishop' now

Catholics in mental hospital shock

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Of sin, syntax sex and sects

One of the "sins" at the current Roman Synod jested Pope John Paul to the assembled gathering is that "nessuno dei "Speak up, vescovi parla in latino" ("none of the can't hear bishops speak Latin"). your The pope, you guessed it, was speaking Latin," in Italian. . . says Pope But pity the confused South American John Paul bishop from Peru who said in Spanish that (in Italian!) no-one in the synod hall had made negative comments about sex.

He was trying to reply to a translation of a journalist's question, in English, on why synod speakers were down on sects.

If the priesthood is confused, so must be some of the language difficulties.

Of the 10 formal opening speeches, five were in Latin, three in English and two in French. During the Latin, most of the

bishops had their simultaneous translation earphones firmly to their ears.

Of the 231 eight minute permitted speeches 51 have been in Latin, 59 in English and the rest in French, Spanish, Italian and German.

When the bishops broke up into the subcommittees, three English speaking groups scored a total of 69 members, three Spanish groups 57, and three French groups 57.

The lone Italian group had 28 and the only German group 14. Three bishops tried to form a Latin group but disbanded.

But there was one change in 1990: for the first time there was a group where Ukrainian, Polish or Russian could be spoken.

Where they are at now — see Pages 2, 6, 7, 10 and 11

Marriage temptation VATICAN CITY: With 200-odd speeches ringing in their ears a synod of bishops have to tackle a mid-term document defending celibacy, and suggesting things like better doctrinal training and pre-seminary spiritual training.

The 40-page statement gleaned from what has been said so far says the general decline in vocations is a "cause for concern" and presents a "temptation to turn to innovative solutions, such as the ordination of married men".

But celibacy "cannot be separated from the totality of the life of the priest". This needs to be

clearly communicated to priesthood candidates and reaffirmed as part of priestly spirituality throughout their careers, it said.

The document blamed contemporary Western society's "eroticism" and consumerism for making it hard to explain the value of celibacy. But it said that in places where the Church has been persecuted, priests have no problem understanding the need for a "total gift" of celibacy.

It says seminary officials can no longer presume that candidates know Christian doctrine well. "There are gaps, and these have to be made up" in the semi-

In a special year of nary itself, it said. p astoral initiation semiIt insisted that seminaries must teach the "teach- narians should be ings of the Church" and encouraged to adopt a not just the opinions of door-to-door apostolate, with the same zeal as that theologians. shown by evangelical Those charged with formation should be the sects.

The document was less "best" of local priests.

While a pre-seminary conclusive on priestly year devoted to spiritual identity and how a formation has been tried priest's mission and s uccessfully at local spirituality are best lived.

A "wide divergence" of levels, the bishops should now discuss how it might opinions had emerged on be implemented for the these points, it said.

Some believe this idenwhole Church.

The classic seminary tity and spirituality derive from prayer and experience has generally been upheld by bishops. specific spiritual practiIt said that "only in ces, while others think it generally exceptional comes from ministry circumstances" should itself, or sensitivity to the alternative forms be poor, or involvement in justice and peace issues. used.

It expressed a hope that the small groups shed additional light on the topic.

The document says that if the Church wants young men to become priests, it must make a clear definition of the priesthood. It referred favourably to a definition offered by Archbishop Pilarczyk of Cincinnati, as one solution that carefully distinguishes between the ministerial priesthood and the common priesthood shared by all baptised.

One essential element in the identity of a priest is his mission, the document said. "The grace of the sacrament of orders is not given for personal

enrichment, but for min- ently made no mention istry" and the building of a specific role for up of the Church, it said. women in formation The document touched programs, except to sugon several aspects of gest it as a topic for smallforming a priest's charac- group discussion. ter, both in seminaries It said psychological and after ordination. The methods and programs "affective" side of human can be helpful in the maturity is especially maturity formation of important, it said. priests, but only if they "Young priests, in real do not involve force or of the life, should be taught to coercion act in a correct way candidate. toward women, since The document said women are very valid obedience should be collaborators in pastoral stressed in seminaries, ministry. They should be especially since contemtrained in such a way porary society places a that they will avoid premium on personal either too much familiar- autonomy. ity or treating women This should be done not with shyness and diffi- only in theoretical teachdence," it said. ing; there have to be rules The document appar- in the seminary, it said.

Where they are at now — see Pages 6, 7, 10 and 11

Kenyan exile at CSIC round table The Church in Kenya has taken a strong stand on human rights, according to the distinguished K enyan novelist and playwright Ngugi wa Thioago.

Addressing the Catholic Social Justice Commission's October Round Table Discussion, Ngugi spoke of the Church as a "refuge for democracy and human rights sentiments" in a country where political freedoms have been systematically abolished and opposition movements ruthlessly suppressed.

He referred to the Kenyan Catholic Bishops' Pastoral Letter, which accuses the Government of President Mor of creating a society composed of two "tribes" — one very rich and the other very poor — and

Kenyan novelist and playwright Ngugi wa Thiongo.

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In a comprehensive speech, Ngugi, who was himself imprisoned without trial for a year and who now lives in exile in England, outlined the modern history of Kenya before and since independence.

He then gave a detailed account of its transformation into a one-party state, of the abolition of the secret ballot and the independence of the judiciary, the extension of powers of arrest and the requirement that any meeting of more than five people be licensed by the police.

A family holding a birthday party or mourning the dead therefore needs a permit.

This attempt to stifle In a grimly comic apposition has only sidelight, Ngugi told how partly succeeded. In a the Kenyan police were memorable image, Ngugi ordered to arrest "Matidescribed Kenya as hav- gari", the hero of his last ing "a culture of silence novel. and fear".

After scouring the This year however, a countryside for this man, "tremendous outspoken- they finally learnt that he ness" has emerged, was a fictional character. including statements by In response Matigari Church leaders and a (the novel) was banned. rally for democracy, An English translation which was forcibly stopped by the police and is however available in which eight people outside Kenya. Matigari has thus followed Ngugi were killed. into exile.

The stru:4: e for free"Round Table" discusdom in Kenya therefore sions are held monthly Ngugi urged continues. by the Catholic Social Western Governments Commission in Justice and peoples not to adopt double standards in the Cathedral Parish censuring human rights Centre at 450 Hay St violations in the non- Perth.

For further details Western world whilst ignoring those in coun- watch your parish notice tries within our sphere of board or ring the Cominfluence or investment. mission on 325 1212.

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blames the Government for the operations of death squads in Kenya.

362 1882, 362 1892 293 3342

SIDNEY: Ordination in New Zealand of Anglican "The dialogue between Catholic and Anglican Bishop Penelope Jamieson, Bishop of Dunedin, communions has been a very important focus had made Catholic/Anglican Church corporate for the whole ecumenical movement. ARCIC has union "a very remote prospect". Sydney Marist had a great influence in the whole convergence Father, Fr John Thornhill, an Australian delegate of the Christian churches." to the Anglican/Roman Catholic International Fr Thornhill said he believed the Anglican Commission (ARCIC), said.

Church had moved "hastily" in ordaining ''Pope John Paul in a letter to the Archbishop women bishops. of Canterbury said that the ordination of For the Catholic Church, there were two Anglican women bishops would create an insurmountable obstacle to reunion. The questions, he said — Should women be ordination of Anglican women priests is not ordained? How does the Church make a about that? — and the second question such an obstacle — we still could have union decision through the bishops. That becomes impossible was the more immediate.

"There has been tremendous cultural change if some of the bishops cannot be acknowledged regard to women's role in society. We must with said.

Thornhill by the Catholic Church," Fr implications that has for this question. what ask Bishop Jamieson was the first woman to be ordained a bishop in the Anglican Communion It is a new question, one we have never before which also had a woman auxiliary bishop in the been asked in this context. It is a question which needs time.

United States, he said.

"The decision would be made by the whole churches But the dialogue between the under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Church Thornhill Fr continue, would ARCIC through Anglican Church has not followed that The said. Its focus would be "the whole of the said.

Thornhill process," Fr ecumenical movement".

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The Catholic Doctors has A ssociation acquired a new per-

manent home, a new symbol and a new newsletter.

The first issue of the St Luke's News describes the facilities at the Li Goody Bioethics Centre where the CDA will hold its meetings and describes the workings of the similar Catholic association operating in Germany.

The new symbol for the local association, says the newsletter, creatively combines a number of elements that specifically define locate the and organisation.

"The cross, the symbol of Christianity and of Christian solidarity

Catholic doctors' new look with the suffering, dominates the design.

"The use of the stethoscope is a modern twist on the bronzed serpent familiar to us as the symbol of medicine since ancient times.

"The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove is represented as our source of inspiration.

"The kangaroo paws,

as the floral emblems of our state, locate us in Western Australia.

"Finally the circle enfolds us in the one c ommunity —Christian, caring and seeking the gift of God's inspiration.

"The bold format of the symbol lends itself to clear printing and could easily be fabri-

cated in medallion or sculpted form should this be required."

The association attracted 85 to its inaugural dinner dance early in September and Bishop Hickey celebrated Mass at St John's Belmont for the annual Mass and breakfast preceding the annual general meeting.

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"Nearly 40 per cent of people admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Western Australian during 1988-1989 indicated that they were Catholics." said Mrs Barbara Harris, at a recent meeting discussing the role of the Catholic Church in Mental Health Week.

These figures, when compared with the ratio of Catholics to the general population, seemed to be higher than would be expected.

The Catholic Concerns Committee on Psychiatric Issues, although unable, as yet, to pinpoint any direct relationship between religious affiliation and psychiatric illness indicated that it was extremely important that the Catholic Church recognised its responsibility to be active in supporting its Catholic members.

The theme of this Mental Health Week, from October 21-27 is awareness and members of the Catholic Concerns committee shared some of their insights either as people who have suffered mental illness themselves, or avarers.

Depression, a classifiable mosial.illness, is a phenomenon that everyone experiences.

Most people's espisodes are short lived.

However, people who find themselves classified as mentally ill under this diagnosis experience depression that is all embracing.

"Struggling to overcome even simple tasks as making a cup of tea can become as daunting as an assault of Mt Everest," said one sufferer.

"This experience affects every task, all day, every day, and there often seems to be no end to this situation."

Another common experience for many people, although many may be unaware of it, is "hearing voices".

It is quite common for people to overhear conversations between other people, for example.

However, it can be excruciatingly painful because the sufferer begins to interpret, first a little, then practically every word, as being part of a sinister plot against him/herself.

For those labelled "schizophrenic" the experience becomes even more unbearable as the voices, once originally heard OUTSIDE oneself, (which by now can be almost any sound, such as the wind in the trees) begin insidiously to invade the stillness of the suferer's own conscious mind so that at every waking moment the sufferer is tormented by internal and external sounds and voices.

Should the sufferer be experiencing severe depression at the same time these voices will tend to be extremernly negative and critical.

Indeed, these voices, being the product basically of the sufferer's own imagination, can be so compelling that the sufferer begins to feel obliged to carry out "secret" instructions and so he or she behaves and/or speaks in ways seen by other people to be "abnormal".

By this stas-e, attempts to "reason" with the sufferer will "be at best only partially successful because the sufferer is receiving messages continuously both internally and externally and

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For the most part, people suffering from the various common forms of mental illness arepart of a family or at least have friends close to them Your family's welfare is always an important consideration when and when he/she begins to experience this planning for the future. "breakdown" (or "break-away" from "reality") If the unexpected should happen could your family cope with the there are necessarily dynamics which occur emotional and financial responsibility of arranging your funeral? within the relationships.

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Unfortunately because of the stigma associated with mental illness, the absence of the sufferer from the church often goes unnoticed.

Family members or carers tend to keep their trauma within, unsure of what their friends may think or feel searching for strength and the presence of God in this trauma.

328 7299 PERTH: 68 Stirling Street Members of the Catholic Concerns Commit349 0100 BALGA: 502 Wanneroo Road tee on Psychiatric Issues have prepared prayer Highway 458 5017 Albany 1307 ANNINGTON: C leaflets that will be distributed to all Catholic Highway 250 1088 Eastern Gt 131 MIDLAND: parishes and schools in Western Australia.

384 2226 Highway Stirling 571 OTTESLOE: C by These prayer leaflets can be used (Continuous 24 hour service) congregations or individuals and it is hoped that of WA Funeral Directors Association Member the message and prayers will flow over beyond the Mental Health Week.

Mail to: Bowra & O'Dea, PO Box 8283, Stirling Street, Perth 6001 Fr Rodney Williams was pleased that "a first for W.A.'s celebration of Mental Health Week will be Archbishop Foley's celebration of a Name special Mass in St Mary's Cathedral, on Sunday, October 12 at 7pm to begin the week.

Address The Mass will follow a day of reflection "Growth through Broken-ness" at Victoria P1code Square Conference Centre.

Archbishop Foley will also visit Selby Lodge, Telephone Lemnos hospital on October 24, and celebrate Mass in Graylands hospital chapel at 12 noon.

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The Record, October 18, 1990 3

Record We could oe wrong!

Last week The Record wrote: The majority of Catholics, who do not read this paper, will not even know that a synod is taking place. Whether priests are talking these days to their parishioners about the issues surfacing in Rome will be as clear a barometer of the crisis in priesthood as will be a million words out of a far 59 off synod.

Out of devilish curiosity The Record has been randomly sampling last Sunday's Massgoers to see if the synod or its discussion were mentioned.

Out of some 30 replies, without exception the matter was not even mentioned . . .

Is Sunday Mass not the time or place to talk about priesthood?

Is priesthood a matter only for priests (and laity for the lay)?

Are priests interested in priesthood?

Are the bishops in Rome talking in circles only to themselves?

If we shut our eyes and say our prayers will the whole problem just get up and walk away?

The Catholic Weekly SYDNEY

PAPER TIGERS! The amalgamation of the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror, effectively a closure of the Mirror, will have much greater implications than many appear to believe.

Prime Minister Bob Hawke, in the past a willing recipient of fulsome support from both Murdoch papers, has said that the new composite paper will provide a better service to the public.

What does the public gain when a newspaper closes?

The hallmark of a free society is an unfettered press, sometimes a high price to pay given the occasional abuses of that freedom. A range of newspapers allows diversity of opinion, essential for informed community discussion.

The veritable loss of Sydney's two afternoon newspapers in two years is a worrying sign.

Many were concerned during the 80s when speculative entrepreneurs entered the mass media, the argument being that powerful figures would become even more influential. Ironically, it now appears the price Australia had to pay for a concentration of media ownership in fewer hands was that some outlets would cease to exist.

It is not only those whose main aim is profit that have had to make tough decisions.

The recent closure of the Melbourne Church paper The Advocate, whatever peripheral issues there may have been, is indicative of the precarious position of all newspapers in a faltering economy. After the closure of The Advocate, Cardinal Clancy commented in this newspaper that Catholic papers were in urgent need of greater support from all Catholics. The need is now greater than ever.

The present difficulties of the secular media serve to highlight the need to preserve alternative avenues of expression. As Christians, so often frustrated by a society increasingly indifferent to a proper moral and ethical appraisal of the direction in which it is heading, we must ensure that our own voice is heard even louder than before.

As Australia slides into recession there is a greater need than ever for a vigorous and courageous press.

Unpalatable truths will need to be spoken in the next few years. It is worrying that there will be less vehicles for those who wish to say what needs to be said.

Of greater concern is the possibility, not as remote as some would have you believe, that the reduction in the number of genuine competitors in the newspaper game will lead to real difficulties in expressing divergent or unpopular opinions.

This could include Christian approaches to the problems facing our community.

4 The Record, October 18, 1990

11

They're no more Godless now THANKS TO LAW ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

MILAN, Italy (CNS): The Soviet Union's new law on religious freedom puts an end to state atheism and opens a new era of collaboration between Church and state, the Soviet ambassador to the Holy See said.

The ambassador, Yuri Karlov, who attended an inter-religious prayer meeting said the legislation aims to insure a social and cultural role for churches, as well as guaranteeing their right to worship.

"Naturally there will not be in any sense a state religion, and this means that state atheism is also a closed chapter. We are building a secular state," he said.

The Soviet government, he said, has an interest that goes beyond protecting freedom of conscience.

"It also wants to consolidate society on the basis of fundamental moral norms, and here the state expects support from the churches," he said.

Some religious leaders have expressed disappointment that the legislation, which can still be amended, did not allow for the teaching of religion in state schools.

Karlov said the government had no "objections of principle" to religious education in schools, but that such a program would have to be carefully worked out, keeping in mind the multi-religious character of the Soviet populations.

As for the dispute between Catholics and Orthodox in the Ukraine, Karlov said the state viewed it strictly as a religious issue.

Call for debt relief strategy by bishops MANILA, Philippines (CNS): The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has called for a national debt relief strategy based on Church teachings on human development.

"An enormous debt was created at least in part by wrong calculations, wrong investments, wrong decisions of individuals and organisations, and most likely by their wrong moral values as well," the bishops said in a statement signed by Archbishop Leonardo

Legaspi of Philippines.

Caceres,

The bishops asked, "Is it moral for citizens, especially the poor, who did not participate in these decisions, to pay for their consequences through less jobs, less schools, less hospitals and less shelter?"

Through most of the

1990s, the Philippines

will pay an estimated average of $3.2 billion annually to foreign creditors, almost twice the allotment for social services in this year's budget.

Most of that sum will be interest accrued on the loans.

The bishops said the debt problem must be dealt with in the context of solidarity rather than through unilateral decisions.

"We need the understanding and partnership of men and women of good will from the creditor countries. Our destinies are as intimately bound as are the lives of survivors sharing a single lifeboat.

"Without a global solution based on solidarity,

the creditor countries' own welfare can, in the final analysis, also suffer," the bishops' statement said.

It cited the London Debt agreement of 1952 in which the greatest part of Germany's post-war debt was waived to allow the country to undertake rehabilitation.

The bishops claim the country's economic crisis is a symptom of a "moral disease" of creditor and debtor nations.

"Our external debt was generated not only by global mechanisms

seemingly beyond our control, but also by internal decisions and activities for which persons in our country are responsible," the statement said.

Graft and corruption in a country puts its negotiators at a disadvantage and must be checked to ensure moral leverage in debt negotiations, it added.

The bishops called on bishops' conferences in Europe and America to serve as advocates for the poor in developing countries.

Invasion condemned VATICAN CITY (CNS): The Vatican has joined other participants in the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in condemning Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

At a meeting of the foreign ministers of the 35 countries, Archbishop Angelo Sodano, of the Vatican Secretariat said because of the "religious

nature of the Holy See," the critical situations in its reaction to specific the world," he said. conflicts must "always "For this reason, in underline the primacy of addition to following the peace and the necessity of searching for peaceful Persian Gulf drama, the solutions for the resolu- Holy See cannot but tion of international insist on the urgency of disputes," the archbishop also finding a solution for the drama of Lebanon said. and of Palestine."

"The universal mission of the Holy See leads it to be concerned with all of

The Vatican also has a "humanitarian obligation" that leads it to insist

that governments and charitable organisations "take all adequate measures so that the civilian populations — above all the children, the sick and people extraneous to the conflict, such as refugees and workers — do not have to suffer because of actions adopted to resolve the crisis."

The foreign ministers' statement called on Iraq

"to withdraw immeand without conditions from Kuwait".

"We express our support for those countries which have particularly suffered because of the crisis created by Iraq, and we reaffirm our determination to work together to assure that the obligations of dealing with the aggression are equally shared by all," it said. diately

Eyes on expanding tourism VATICAN CITY (CNS): Tourism is an expanding industry requiring an evaluation that goes beyond the amount of money generated or the amount of pleasure it gives tourists, Pope John Paul II said.

In a telegram marking World Tourism Day, celebrated September 27, the pope asked for a "more profound analysis" of tourism and its "ecological, economic, sociological and moral repercussions, in particular on the populations

of poor countries", which host large numbers of tourists.

He asked tourists "to remember that the right of all to travel does not mean one can deprive the poor of their right to land, to work and to respect for their culture".

People employed in the tourist industry should see themselves as promoters of "fraternity among all nations and of contemplation of the marvels of creation and the masterpieces of human genius", he said.

The World Organisation for Tourism estimates that 400 million people are international tourists each year and that 74 million people rely on international tourism for their

•

Successful

Breakaway priest No 2 a bishop ...OF SELF-CREATED CATHOLIC RITE WASHINGTON (CNS):— Second oreakaway black priest Father Bruce E. Greening, a dismissed Salvatorian priest once aligned with the first breakaway Bishop Geroge Stallings, was ordained on Sept 28 as a bishop in his self-created Independent African-American Catholic Rite.

By doing so, he incurred automatic excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church.

Ordaining Bishop Greening was Archbishop Stafford James Sweeting, the Miami-based patriarch of the African Orthodox Church.

The African Orthodox Church broke from the Episcopal Church, as part of a "back to Africa" movement following World War I. Its first bishop, George Alexander McGuire, was ordained in 1921.

Bishop Greening said the difference between his church and Bishop Stallings' African-American Catholic Congregation would be that in the Independent AfricanAmerican Catholic Rite, "authority would lie with the people."

He added that "Bishop Stallings and myself are both after the same thing... but our methods are different."

He said Bishop Stallings' break from Roman Catholicism, publicly announced in February, was "a surprise to all of us.

Bishop Stallings, charged it was Bishop Greening "who wanted us to break from Rome in the beginning," and "the trouble began" because "I was the only one considered for bishop" in the African-American Catholic Congregation.

11

Ties must be backed by prayer charity CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS): Ecumenical relations must be backed up by prayer and charity if obstacles to Christian unity are to be overcome, Pope John Paul ll told the patriarch of Alexandria.

"The Catholic and Orthodox churches are encountering difficulties which are not only in the theological order," the pope said to Greek Orthodox Patriarch Parthenios III of Alexandria, the patriarch of all of Africa.

"As bishop of Rome, I recognize that I am entrusted with a service of specific, unique love for that cause which was the subject of Christ's prayer on the eve of his passion" the unity of Christian believers, the pope said.

"Side by side with the sacramental fraternity which unites us in a single episcopate and with the charitable feelings I have for you exists a kinship of heart which awakens an indefectible trust and hope within us," the pope said.

He praised the patriarch for his ecumenical activities and his involvement in the CatholicOrthodox dialogues, calling him a "tireless witness to the hope of unity."

"You know how I pursue the same aims in my ministry in Rome and during my pastoral trips all over the world, so that humanity may know the Lord, accept his Gospel and enjoy the peace of eternal salvation," the

pope said.

Zhelev said that his own "highly hypothetical"

theory was that any Bulgarian role "might have been directed from another country.

Until now, officials of the Soviet-allied Bulgarian government have denied any connection with Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish gunman who seriously wounded the pope in St Peter's

Square on May 13, 1981.

Zhelev said Bulgaria would seek help from other intelligence services in probing the papal assassination plot.

He said "there already have been contacts with the CIA" "It is in our interest to clear up this case," the Bulgarian leader said.

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VATICAN CITY, (CNS): Pope John Paul II thanked a group of French Benedictine monks for leaving e xcommunicated Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre to return to the Catholic Church and urged other followers of the archbishop to follow their example.

But the pope's call comes at a time when Vatican efforts to attract adherents of the schismatic movement are nearly at a standstill.

The number of priests and laity returning "is a trickle," said Father Timothy Cloutier, Vatican official involved in reintegrating the archbishop's followers into the church.

The pope invited members of the St Pius X Society, a priestly fraternity organised by Arch-

bishop Lefebvre, "to resubmit themselves to the guidance of the successor of Peter and to make contact with the 'Ecclesia dei' Commission instituted to facilitate the reinsertion into full ecclesial union" but less than 10 pnests of the St Pius X Society left the organisation this year, and few did so through the Vatican.

Most joined groups with a similar intellectual orientation but which are still part of the Catholic Church, he said.

Most lay people attending Vatican-approved Tridentine Masses are not ex-followers of the archbishop, but Catholics who prefer this to the postconciliar Mass, Fr Cloutier said.

"Either we or they have to give if the situation is to change," said Father Cloutier.

Independent probe on charges WASHINGTON (CNS): Bulgaria's president Zhelyu Zhelev said he will seek an independent investigation into charges that Bulgarian secret police played a role in the 1981 attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II.

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Two employees of BulZhelev said he knew garia's embassy in Rome Sergei Antonov, the airand the deputy manager line official, and had of the Bulgarian state "worked very closely" airline's Rome office with Antonov's wife. were charged with conAntonov is "a very spiracy in the crime, but decent man," Zhelev said, an Italian court ruled in but added it was "very 1986 that there was not likely that he did some enough evidence to con- services" for Bulgarian vict them. Agca was sent intelligence while in to prison.

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The Record, October 18, 1990 5

Syno • More on Pages 10, 11

Shocking drop Armenian Bishop Tekeyan, Iran, said the "shocking drop" of vocations in Europe and North America comes from a "lax morality", a lack of minor seminaries and increasingly smaller families there.

He spoke of the difficulties Catholics in Iran have of convincing people that the Christian faith is not at the root of "the selfish politics" of Western, Christian nations.

In the Islamic nation of Iran, government and faith are inseparable, and people assume it is that way everywhere, he said.

In defence Give wo of screening Synod auditor, Marist Father Timothy Costello of New Zealand, defended psychology and psychoanalysis as valuable tools in helping screen seminarians.

These disciplines can help determine a person's vocational commitment and his ability to grow in his vocation, he said.

"When you have too many seminarians who are affectively imma-

ture, this eventually has the undesirable effect of compromising the religious formation of those who do have the capacity for vocational growth," said Father Costello, a pastoral psychologist.

Proper research can correct the "blind spots" that leave 6080 per cent of candidates fragile and vulnerable regarding priestly commitments, he said.

There is a "vocational in inconsistency"

many people by which they want to profess religious ideals but are moved by "unconscious forces, which may be contrary to those ideals", he said.

This can cause "psychosomatic and psychosexual tensions" and lessen the ability to be faithful to a lifelong commitment, he added.

"Disastrous results" to religious formation by the "indiscriminate application of psycho-

logical ideas and methods" are a warning to undertake these programs "with careful, systematic scholarship", he said.

"Equally indiscriminate and unfaithful to the (Second Vatican) Council are those who reject the human sciences as an instrument for priestly formation simply on the grounds that they (sciences) have been poorly employed or misunderstood," he said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — An to be superior by the very fact of international organisation of being priests," it said. women religious said seminarians The religious organisation said need a dose of humility and the report reflects the thinking of respect for women in their its membership. training.

The report said that qualified lay It said including women on and religious women should have seminary faculties would be a step a role in educating future priests in the right direction. as professors, in spiritual direction Candidates for the priesthood or "accompaniment" and in must learn how to work with leading retreats. others, to respect women and to Contact with women "gives the avoid the notion that ordination opportunity to hear what women gives them a "special status' above have to say and to become aware other Catholics, the organisation of the approach to reality said in a report to the world Synod characteristic of women — more of Bishops. global, more nuanced on the The report, prepared by the affective level — and to perceive International Union of Superiors the complementarity of the sexes General, the Vatican-recognised in the realm of thought and in that organisation for heads of women's of everyday life," it said. orders, said "clericalism is the real Seminaries, it said, should not be problem". "the exclusive preserve of the "Priests often believe themselves clergy".

Dangers of middle age Bishop Alberto Giraldo Jaramillo of Colombia, who spoke on the special gifts and needs of middleage priests.

'The priest probably has made progress in prayer, in church work; he has experienced both the force of grace and of sin in his ministry and in the world," he said.

But middle age also brings "great dangers". "He tends to be a realist, already settled in on a style of ministry, begins to harden himself in practice, he's sceptical of any new doctrine, he may be becoming spiritually tepid."

While it is the peak of a priest's ministry,

it is also a time when many priests leave, he said.

He suggested taking a sabbatical, becoming involved in a support group with other priests, becoming a chaplain for an association or movement and making renewed use of a

spiritual director.

Bishop John Brewer of Lancaster, England, called for teaching ecumenism not only through study, but by experience.

Telsiai, Lithuania, said his church is slowly emerging from a "true martyrdom" after 50 years of

Without such experience in a seminary, he said, priests often are "unduly defensive in their relations with other Christians".

"The number of priests is low. Only half the parishes have a pastor," he said.

Bishop Vaicius of

Soviet domination.

Now, though, seminaries are being reo-

pened, churches are being built and Catholic schools are being reborn, he said.

Bishop Umana, military vicar for El Salvador, said the church is growing despite 10 years of -fratricidal war" and aggressive evangelising "by fundamentalist sects coming from

North America" equipped with "abundant economic resources and refined techniques of integration".

Yet the church has a "sustained growth in vocations" and "the vitality of an aware and committed laity", he said.

Round-up of African views AFRICAN VIEWS: Italian-born Bishop Umberto Gianni of Bouar, Central African Republic, said sending candidates to seminaries outside the diocese has been a bad experience for the Central African Republic.

The seminarians return "full of themselves, intent on getting a degree and 6

undisposed to sacrifice," he said.

the reality of our country," he said.

There has been a decision to form diocesan seminaries which alternate "study and manual labour" — particularly farming, he added.

Bishop Setele of Mozambique, said young people are beginning to express interest in the church and in entering a seminary after 15 years of MarxistLeninist control of all education.

"Manual labour must have its importance in fomenting a harmonious growth which is more in keeping with

The Record,•October 18.1990

gove mnent The taught a (vo

"scientific socialism" with the aim of teaching the young to live in "a world without mysteries". Religion was portrayed as a backward and "colonial influence", and priests and bishops were laughed at, he said.

Bishop Setele praised the role small Christian communities have played in keeping

the faith alive and fostering vocations.

Bishop Obiefuna told the synod that each of the seven major seminaries in Nigeria has between 450 and 500 students.

He attributed the large number of vocations to the religiosity that permeates Nigerian society, to large families and to the

high esteem in which priests are held, even when they make mistakes.

"Vocations fall where the ministry of priests means nothing to the people," he said, "when the priest is made to look like, behave and dress like a layman in the name of with being the people."

Bishop Mayadi, Chad,

called for the development of an African theology and for Vatican openness to African ways of expressing the faith because some priests may be called to minister in other cultures. With the decline of priests in Europe and North America, "tomorrow it will be Africa, Asia and Latin America who will evangelise the West."

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Fertile field Archbishop Juric of Split, Yugoslavia, praised altar boys as a fertile field for vocations.

"A recent statistic shows that 80 per cent of Split archdiocesan seminarians were altar boys in their parishes," he said.

Archbishop Juric added that the archdiocese wants to reestablish a minor seminary as the preferred way of preparing students for the major seminary.

Communist authorities had prohibited seminaries for students under 15 years old, but the prohibition was abolished "under the new climate of liberty", he said.

loving of ay W bigger say Candidates should know that "in a large number or areas in the life of the church, decisions are rather masculine and clerical," it said.

"They also should realise that a certain masculine pride is fostered by the present role-image of the priest," the report said, suggesting that images of men and women in the church should be re-examined.

Seminarians should be given a course on the various types of religious orders so they can work with and minister among them, the report said.

The document also called for "human formation" aimed at ensuring that priests have "a secure personality, an affective maturity, the integration of sexuality and the preparation for a life of celibacy for the sake of the kingdom".

The report emphasised the need for seminaries to be models of a simple lifestyle to foster "a life more in contact with reality and less 'bourgeois".

It suggested that seminarians spend some time working in "deprived areas" so they understand the problems of the poor and learn how to put into practice the church's preferential option for the poor.

In admitting students to the seminary and evaluating them before ordination, the church should "be careful about people who are afraid of change and cling to medieval points of view,' the report said.

They also said, "it seems important to combat any traditionalist or fundamentalist tendencies in candidates for the priesthood".

Seminary programs

"Defining celibacy only as giving up sex is just as unrealistic as marriage seeing (only) as giving up all other women," he said.

The celibate West* is so different from modern cultural values that most people, including some priests and seminarians, think of it as severe selfdenial, said Bishop Flynn.

Both require "a commitment of love so deep as to cause one to want to give up all else".

must help students understand that celibacy is "a way of loving," said papally appointed delegate US Bishop Flynn.

"There are many, within the church and without, who see celibacy as a harsh form of

In carrying out its mission, the church has a right and obligation to establish conditions for ordination, he said. These include celibacy.

self-denial imposed by the church on those who want to serve as priests," Bishop Flynn said.

"One who does not fulfill those conditions does not have this vocation," Bishop Flynn said.

Just as a candidate must feel and discern a call to the priesthood, he must feel and discern a call to celibacy, he said.

responsibility, aversion to sex, an incapacity to love deeply, (or) the mere lack of opportunity," Bishop Flynn said.

The "hallmark" of such a call, the bishop said, "is the dedication that commits one so deeply to a mission that no room will be left for a further commitment to marriage and family".

A seminarian's spiritual director must help the student to discern why he feels called to celibacy to mare that it is a positive commitment to the church and not a means of running away from something else," he said.

Celibacy "is authentic only when it is a positive commitment to a goal, not merely the desire to set something aside as a penance".

Nor is it a way to escape personal difficulties such as "fear of

Married priests have Snippets 'great merit' Syrian Patriarch Ignace Antoine Hayek ll said dioceses lacking priests should follow the example of the Eastern rites and ordain married men.

"These married priests in the Eastern-rite churches have had, and have today, great merit," he said.

Because of the lack of vocations many dioceses should "on an e xceptional basis and for grave reasons ordain married men as priests, in the same way as married men are already ordained as permanent deacons", he said.

His words contrasted with those of many other delegates who in earlier addresses supported celibacy as an indispensable part of a priest's identity.

The patriarch, who

lives in Beirut, Lebanon, also said Eastern churches could disappear in the Middle East because of a massive emigration of Christians.

"If this state of affairs continues the Eastern churches will soon lose their faithful, if the churches themselves do not disappear in the course of the coming decades," he said.

The emigration is mostly to Europe, Australia and the Americas, "uprooting the emigrants from their spiritual, historical and confessional roots", he said.

Cardinal Haas Groer of Vienna, Austria, called celibacy a "precious way" to follow Christ "This is a sign of the supreme sacrifice,

participation in the humiliation of Christ and sharing in his total poverty," he said.

Bishop Armand Toasy of Miarinarivo, Madagascar, said celibacy poses an image problem for priests in his country because the culture values male fertility shown through large families.

Coptic Patriarch Stephanos II Ghattas, who lives in Cairo, Egypt, said visits to Eastern Catholics living in the West showed him a lack of understanding on the part of Latinrite Catholics.

"The clergy of the Latin rite is often ignorant of the Eastern rite, looking on them as if they were Orthodox or antiques which are lovely and revered, but which belong in a museum," he said.

Eastern-rite seminarians are obliged to learn Latin-rite traditions, history, liturgy and laws, while Latinrite seminarians are not obliged to learn abed Eastern Catholicism, he said. i t would seem evident that one should teach in Latin-rite seminaries everything that concerns Eastern churches," he said.

Bishop Devlin called for the formation of "the complete priest", who is "foremost a gentleman, a man for all seasons".

"I find that a lot of be softness and unmanliness of today's world is brushing off on our students," he said.

"What shocks me most is that seminarians of today seem to have no interest in sports.."

Cardinal Meisner of Cologne, said that the "prophetic dimension" of the priesthood is being lost as "the priest appears to be too immersed in the middle class".

The church should take advantage of the desire of many youths to be non-conformists and show them that the priesthood is a nonconformist way of life, he said.

Coadjutor Bishop Iniguez, Mexico, asked for strengthening the role of seminary spiritual directors.

The image of the priest before the Second Vatican Council was of someone solid spiritually but removed from the world, while the post-Vatican II view is of someone incorporated in the world but not solid spiritually, he said.

Irish Father Damian Byrne, head of the Franciscans and a synod delegate, said that priests must be at "the centre of circles of ministries" giving vitality to lay workers.

This requires new structures for formation and ministry, he said.

To be prophetic, a priest must know the "dynamics of economics, politics, culture and human dignity with an eye to making moral judgements in given circumstances," Father Byrne said.

Bishop Arce of Costa Rica, said the nation's interdiocesan seminary has fostered pastoral "friendship and unity" at a national level.

"Seminarians from the dioceses richer in vocations can opt, in agreement with their bishop, for needier dioceses," he said.

No one should make this commitment to a permanent celibate life simply as an act of willful self-denial or as a mere condition of the ordination," bishop said.

Seminaries mast provide ample oppportuaity for deep and freak discussion of the value of celibacy as well as its challenges, Bishop Flynn said.

Candidates should realise that celibacy "bears witness to the reality of Christian love and its distinctness from sexual expression, just as Christian marriage is a sign of the sacredness of sexualtiy as an expression of love," he said.

Much attention is given to instances where a priest violates the promise of celibacy, he said, and some suggest that the way to avoid those cases is to drop the celibacy requirement "But that is no solution any more than abolishing marriage is a solution to infidelity or divorce," the bishop said.

"The real problem is an inability to make a full and permanent commitment, a failure to grasp the reality of God's love and a lack of solid formation so necessary to live celibacy."

The Record, October 18, 1990

7

In quick pursuit of Pau

By Father Eugene LaVerdiere Jesus was seated in the synagogue at Nazareth where he had grown up. He had just read a passage from Isaiah and applied it to his own life and ministry: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor" (Luke 4:18). All eyes in the little synagogue were fixed on him. "Today," he said, this passage "is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21).

Then Jesus challenged the synagogue to bring the same glad tidings to

people everywhere. His mission and that of the church was not just for the Jewish people. It was a mission for all human beings.

It is the story of that mission that Luke tells in the Acts of the Apostles, the second volume of the work many now refer to as Luke-Acts.

The gospel took the story of Jesus up to the resurrection and ascension. The Acts is like a sequel.

The Acts pursues the story of Jesus' followers from the ascension to St Paul's arrival at Rome.

From there the Gospel would be preached "to the ends of the earth."

In the beginning of Acts,

we find the first Christian community at Jerusalem. Mary, Jesus' mother, was with them when they gathered for prayer.

On Pentecost, the little community was filled with the Spirit that had been upon Jesus throughout his ministry.

From the beginning, the life of that first Jerusalem community became an ideal for Christian communities everywhere (Acts 1-5).

After that, the story shows how the Christian message spread from Jerusalem to Antioch, capital of the Roman vovince of Syria. Antioch would become a great Christian centre.

In Antioch gentiles joined the Christian community in large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians there (Acts 6-12).

Antioch became the first great missionary centre. Its missionaries are legendary: Barnabas, Paul, Mark, Silvanus and Timothy. The story of early missionary journeys from Antioch to places like Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi and Thessalonica is told in Acts 13:1-19:22.

The last part of the Acts recounts St Paul's epic journey to Rome. Everyone, Christians, Jews and Romans, tried to prevent Paul from pursuing that journey.

Even the natural elements, the wind and the waves of a great storm at sea tried to prevent him.

But there was no deterring Paul and the Gospel from arriving at Rome (Acts 19:23-28:31).

The story of Acts is filled with journeys, great and small.

The trip today by air from Philippi in northern Greece to Jerusalem is easily managed in a day, with more time spent getting to and from the airport than in actual flying.

Not so for St Paul. He left Philippi at Passover time after the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

He even bypassed Ephesus in hopes of

reaching Jerusalem left Rome (see Acts 18:1within 50 days. He 4). Paul had just suffered wanted to be there for some severe Pentecost if possible disappointments.

(Acts 20:6, 16).

His preaching had been Consider what it must followed by riots in have been like on a small Thessalonica, and he had ship during a major been forced to flee. storm like that described Pursued to Beroea, he in Acts 27. had been forced to flee The sailors wanted to that city as well. abandon ship without At Athens, he met with informing the condescension and indifpassengers! ference. The home of All this gives us an Priscilla and Aquila, appreciation for the whom he had not met welcome and hospitality previously, must have Paul received from been a welcome respite.

Christians along his Paul lived with Priscilla journeys. and Aquila for several There was the time Paul weeks before moving to stayed at the home of the home of Titus Justus, Priscilla and Aquila in whose house was more Corinth, a Christian strategically located for couple who earlier had Paul's missionary work.

Pal's hosts at Corinth we of at least modest Ink is, but it was not that was everywhere. Some %%Tv. quite poor.

Ot occasion, Paul sta!A with a little coanunity of poor Chttians at Troas, a per not far from the ruis. of ancient Troy.

Pali met with the cornin a crowded mats row on an upper story tl.1 middle of the city dow i by the docks.

Th. listened to him.

The- also exchanged new about other Christianommunities.

Alive all they broke bred. They shared in whi we now call the Eucarist.

Evry moment became

a celebration of life, even when a young man's life was threatened by a fall from the window of that fourth-floor room where the Christians assembled.

Those were exciting days. Those who took part passed on their stories. Later Luke put them together in a continuous narrative.

Thanks to the Acts, therefore, we can all join the Jerusalem community, accompany some of its members to Antioch and follow Paul on his great journeys And we can breathe a sigh of relief that Eutychus, the young man who fell out the window at Troas, was declared alive and well.

But for us today, with telephones everywhere, it is hard to grasp how much a letter could mean then.

The early Christian communities were misunder-

stood, often persecuted. they struggled with what it meant to be followers of Jesus.

They lacked frequent their with c ontact

founders.

Opportunities to share the insights of other Christian communities were rare.

These communities

could feel isolated.

They could feel out of touch to a degree that we who benefit from TV images communicated instantly from around the

sittlion with such genie concern.

St Paul had no fax MSGlel to rely on for rout, e correspondence and is missives clearly

were not granted.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How do you feel as you open a letter that just arrived in your mailbox?

Apprehensive? Wary?

Elated?

It would be nice to know

just how the people of a New Testament community felt upon receiving a rare letter — an epistle — from St Paul or another church founding father.

globe can barely imagine.

So they must have thrived on the communications they received from a St Paul, who addressed them and their

taken

for

The Acts

In New Testament times, these letters were no small thing.

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Letters that have special character Almost all the New Testament books are "epistles," a fancy name for letters.

Why not just call them letters? The main reason is that they were not chatty little notes from one person to another.

With the exception of Philemon, they were addressed to specific communities in unique cultural settings and were intended to be read to the people when they

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The Record, October 18, 1990

Usually, too, they treated matters of serious concern for the groups to which they were written.

Calling them epistles rather than simply letters indicated their special character.

Still, it helps to remember that they were basically letters and not

formal theological treaties.

For us to understand them now it is important to know who they were addressed to, what the situation of the recipients was and what prompted the authors to write in the first place.

Not every statement of every letter will apply to us who live in very different circumstances, cultural and otherwise.

For purposes of conven-

ierfe, scholars classify the !pistles in groups.

11!re are, first of all, the Pat me Epistles.

Bt. not all the letters car: nonly attributed to Pat were written by him And so we speak of the Deutero-Pauline Epi les. ni se were written in his tame years after his dea h to meet new sits lions. There are sem of them: Second Thisalonians, Cob s-

sians, Ephesians, First and Second Timothy, Titus and Hebrews.

Not all seven unques• tionably were written by someone other than Paul, but there are serious reasons to believe so in every instance.

It is quite generally agreed, for instance, that Paul did not write Ephesians or Hebrews, and there is a growing consensus that First and Second Timothy and

Titus address a situation that arose decades after his death.

These last three are called the Pastoral Epistles.

They deal with pastoral concerns like the organisation of the Christian communities, the criteria for selecting various leaders, the emergence of new and potentially dangerous ideologies.

Even if the seven Deutero-Pauline letters

By Father John CASTELOT were not written by Paul personally, they are classified as 'Pauline' for compelling reasons: They were written in his name by representatives of communities whose origins went back to him. They develop some basic insights of Paul and adapt them in a very creative way to new and often challenging situations.

The so-called Catholic Epistles form another

group. At least some of them were addressed not to individual communities but to whole regions.

(The word "catholic" means universal; general; whole.)

Examples would be those attributed to apostolic figures like Peter, James, Jude and John.

Even the book of Revelation is fundamentally a letter. It was written to communities in western Asia Minor (modern

Turkey) to persuade them not to compromise with the value system of pagan Rome.

Letters are valuable means of communication supplying for the absence of reliable leaders unable to handle a situation in person.

In a way, it is lucky for us that those leaders couldn't be on the spot.

Otherwise, they would not have written, and we wouldn't have, these

Opening doors to the closed rooms of Scripture

Our imaginations were set free that day by the master Scripture scholar, Father Barnabas Ahern. So we were able to put flesh on the characters who had been strange names in a book seldom opened.

We saw Hosea vividly: the wispy, white-haired old man running

through a town in Israel. pounding on doors, seeking his young unfaithful wife. Our hearts ached for this prophet.

Another person would have given up on loving someone whose transgressions chafed her promises. Not Hosea.

Nor God, who like Francis Thompson's

"Hound of Heaven" mks us out.

That day long as a capacity crowd listead to Father Ahern and th him moved beyond he abstract to the realitof the message Hosea as been telling all geniations since the eigth century before the bkh of Jesus: God will Not

abandon us or send us away.

Leaders of workshops, courses and lectures have found that adults seeking knowledge of the Bible prefer to progress at their own speed. Some move tentatively, as if peering into rooms that have been closed, like those in an old house

with shrouded furniture and the musty smell of life long ago.

Others feel right at home embracing the new as well as the familiar, as if at a family reunion.

They listen to stories of God's people in the past and say, "I understand that. It is a little like my

own experience."

One way of drawing people out in the early sessions of a scripture group or class is to ask for "your favourite Scripture story". Romero, the manager of a fast-food franchise, said he identified with the parable of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18).

Those letters, including his letter to the Romans, are an important part of the Bible.

Phoebe's trip from Greece to Rome was long and difficult, even though the distance she travelled would not be considered that great today,

I s

I n biblicalltimdan Those es, people did travel. But travelling took a great deal of time. gerous times for Christians, too.

So Paul wanted to be sure that when Phoebe arrived in Rome, the Christians there would receive her and welcome her as a fellow Christian.

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They He caned wouldn't he know, .0 after all. So Paul introduced her in his letter as someone they can trust.

sister", that is, our fellow Christian.

And Paul asked the Romans to help Phoebe "in whatever she may need from you".

p

Phoebe was a member of the Christian community at Corinth, an important Greek city.

She is also important to Paul in his ministry.

Paul calls her a "minister of the church at Cenchreae". Cenchreae was the eastern seaport of Corinth.

Phoebe was the kind of person you would call a leader. And she seems to have been a person who served others such as the poor or women who were widows.

Phoebe would have been a missionary too, a co-worker with Paul.

precious records of life in the Christian communities of the first century.

The epistles afford us interesting and most instructive insights into the development of Christian doctrine and practice.

And they make us feel close to our ancestors in faith who had to struggle as we do to live the Gospel ideal in circumstances that often were difficult.

By Jane WolfOrd Hughes

"I am trying to be like the Good Shepherd with my employees. I often work side by side with them.I get to know them easier that way. And they know me.

"Together we see that working conditions are as good as possible. I watch that salaries are

fair and give small bonuses for fine work.

Customers come back, attracted by our friendliness, and most employees have been with me for years."

In an inner-city parish a group of the elderly meet Monday mornings to share the Scriptures.

Mattie Washington, who

Kids! Here's a story of a woman called Phoebe

We don't know much about Phoebe, but we will never forget her name as long as the Bible exists.

St Paul mentions her in his famous letter to the Christian people at Rome (Romans 16:12).

In fad, it seems that Paul asked Phoebe to take his very important letter along with her to Rome.

We still remember Paul today because of the letters he wrote to the Father John Castelot says that epistles are letters with special character which afford us interesting very early Christian and instructive insights into the development of Christian doctrine and practice. (CS photo by COM communities in a Plaisted, September 24, 1990.) number of places.

8

gathered for the liturgy.

There was something formal and public about epistles.

IL

spent her life cleaning up other people's homes said: "I like that poor widow person that Jesus praised in Mark's Gospel (12:3844).! don't have much at all, but I always manage to squeeze out a little for others who are poorer than I am. I give on Sunday too."

However we come to the Scriptures, we will never be able to exhaust their message. Many people say that no matter how many times they reflect on a passage, God speaks to them of something new.

As we evolve, so will the message. It is our story.

By Janaan Manternach

Paul tells the Roman Christians that Phoebe is a "benefactor" or "patroness". She not only helped the Christians at Cenchreae, but Paul says she had helped him as well.

Phoebe provided.

Among other things, she may have helped by giving money to the church or by providing a house to be used as a meeting place for the Christians.

Phoebe may have been influential with government and business leaders of Corinth as well.

Perhaps she used her influence to protect and help the local Christians.

Paul does not tell exactly what kind of help

There were no church buildings back then.

Obviously Paul and others in Corinth respected Phoebe. So

athways of the

pint

KNOW YOUR FAITH

Complied by NC News Seroce

Paul wanted to be sure that when she arrived in Rome, the people would make her comfortable.

He wants them to welcome her and treat her with respect and love. He wants them to accept her and his important letter.

ijc -Po

The Record, October 18, 1990

9

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Vocation crisis is 'much deeper' WASHINGTON (CNS): Vocation ministers are not recruitment officers, said the National Religious Vocation Conference's Board of Directors in a 11,000 word major statement on the philosophy of their organisation.

It said the role of a vocation director is to help a baptised person come to recognise whatever vocation — lay, married, single, religious or priestly — he or she is called to by God. Other approaches, the board said, "rest on a theology of vocation which is not consistent with that set forth by the Second Vatican Council."

"We believe that one of the most important tasks of vocation ministry is to educate the members of

the church about all of tions, such as "issues of the vocations in our the changing identities of church in a way which priests, religious and places each of these in laity issues of power, the context of our com- authority and leadership mon call to holiness and in our church; issues of which respects and high- what it means to be lights the unique gifts church in an increaswhich each vocation ingly technological and brings to the commun- complicated society" are ity," the statement said. behind the loss of candiThe National Religious dates for priesthood and Vocation Conference is a religious life, the stateprofessional organisation ment said. of about 1,200 vocation It said there was once a ministers from dioceses virtual identification of and religious orders of "public ministry" and "a priests, brothers and celibate lifestyle", but sisters. now many lay people are Referring to "the small actively engaged in the number of candidates mission and ministry of entering religious life the church. and priesthood" today, This has caused priests the board said the so- and religious "to rethink called vocations crisis "is their identity in terms not merely a crisis of other than ministry numbers". exclusively or even prim"Much deeper" ques- arily," it said.

Among hindrances to lion of absolute norms" lay ministry, new forms particular vocations in priestly or religious and other factors which of collaboration and the the church should not be vocations today, the make it difficult for growing realisation "that extended. Precisely the statement listed: people "nurture and all vocations are equally opposite!" the board said.

• "Fear, discourage- sustain a sense of the valid ways of responding The distinction ment, grief, hurt and baptismal call to holi- to the baptismal call to between 'vocation minness" or to consider "any holiness." anger" among those in istry" and "recruitment" the church who "do not particular vocation in the "All are members of the lies in "the motivation perceive these changes as church." body of Christ, recipients behind such an invitabeing either a positive • A lack of financial Spirit's gifts, tion," it said. the of challenge . . . or an resources and personnel differing. though which, opportunity for deeper for vocation ministry, com- It described vocation the given for are unity among the which, when coupled ministry as extending an members of the church." with an urgent need for mon good," it said. invitation to someone • Morale problems priests and religious, "Some people mistak- "because one sees in the among priests and reli- "can obscure the broad- enly believe that the individual certain gifts gious because of the based and inclusive promotion and nurtu- and qualities, or a spedecline in their numbers. vision of vocation set rance of all vocations cific charism, which that certain par• The perception by forth by Vatican II and means vocations will be dispose him or her to a ticular particular vocation." many US Catholics that replace it with a narrow diminished," it said. It "the exclusion of women and constricted vision." "alienating If the invitation is from full participation in The statement said that called this an "primarily rooted in a the life of the church, despite those negative and divisive" view. desire to enlist new including ordination," is factors, there are "very "In stating the impor- members into a diocese, "unjust and oppressive." positive developments" tance of promoting all congregation or other • The prevalence in US in church life which are vocations, we are not structure," that is "simply culture of "individualism grounds for hope, such as saying that personal recruitment," the board and subjectivism, a rejec- the rapid expansion of invitations to consider said.

Synod snippets Cardinal Simonis of Utrecht, Netherlands, said seminarians need to learn to recognise the working of the Holy Spirit in everyday life.

The best way to achieve that, he said, was through personal contact with the poor, the sick and the disabled.

"Priestly formation is formation to priestly virginity as a real charism to be free for

God and everyone," he added.

"We will have to present the virginity of priests as a sign of the countercultural, which is typical within the church of Christ," he said.

The spirituality of priests, the cardinal said, "fosters solidarity with all those who have to cope with loneliness, inside and outside marriage.".

10 The Record, October 18, 1990

Bishop Onaiyekan of Nigeria, called for the development of programs to help priests be "ardent lovers and effective ministers of the word of God in sacred Scripture". Too often, he said, a seminarian's familiarity with the Bible is "heavily academic and scientific". Lay people have a "great thirst" for the Bible and turn to sects when they find their

priests unable or unwilling to share a love of Scripture.

Archbishop Sainz of La Paz, Bolivia called for special attention to the formation needs of seminarians who come from indigenous cultures.

Five hundred years after the Catholic faith was introduced to the Americas, Archbishop Sainz said, "we have not achieved a corn-

plete birth and development of the Church within the native culture".

"We cannot keep forming priests by turning our backs on the culture of the people of the country," he said. "The danger exists of creating a dichotomy between the faith and the life of the indigenous PeoPle." Latin:rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah of

Jerusalem said priests must be trained to seek justice. "There are currently in the world more than one political conflict and more than one situation of social and political injustice where the Church and society suffer," he said. The patriarch also warned that inculturation should not develop a priest who is "isolated in his culture".

"This makes him also incapable of communicating with other priests of other cultures," he added.

Bishop Gaidon of France, supported "the importance of celibacy in the Latin-rite church".

"Bishops and their assistants are not dispensed from helping priests live celibacy in a balanced way," he said.

learn Priests It's time to stop abuses to listen ROME (CNS): Filipino Cardinal Jaime Sin said it was time to stop what he termed the abuses by Italian religious orders that recruit nuns in the Philippines and transfer them out of the country.

In Rome for the Synod, Cardinal Sin, archbishop of Manila, told a newspaper the Italian orders were using the vocations boom in the Philippines to keep their dying congregations alive.

Cardinal Sin said the problem has developed in the last few years, after he publicly invited foreign orders to come to the Philippines, where vocations were "growing like bananas".

The orders did come, mostly from Italy, but "the phenomenon has taken an unacceptable turn", he said.

There are now an estimated 200 female religious orders in Manila, most of them Italian.

More than one-third of them arrived in the 1980s. They send an estimated 250 novices to Italy every year.

"They come here, open a vocational centre, and as soon as Filipino girls respond to the call they are immediately transferred to Italian novitiates — which otherwise would risk closing. We need to put an end to these abuses,"he said.

The cardinal said he found t difficult to believe that all these vocations were authentic.

"It's more reasonable to suppose that Filipino girls want to see Italy and Europe. I call them — in jest — 'tourist' vocations," he said.

Last spring, Cardinal Sin wrote a pastoral letter urging the Italian orders to follow these guidelines in his archdiocese: • Co-operate with local priests and help local parishes.

• Screen vocations more carefully.

• Make sure novices remain for at least five years in the Philippines.

• Refrain trom local recruiting during their first five years of activity in the Philippines.

Cardinal Sin said he understood that many Italian and European orders were running out of vocations, but said he feared that "this way of encouraging vocations can be devastating for the Church".

Besides the recruiting by authentic religious orders, Cardinal Sin also said he was also concerned about trafficking in Filipino housekeepers that sometimes occurs under the guise of religion.

He said some agencies using religious names and phrases entice girls to come to hilly.

The girls believe they are joining some kind of religious organisation, but when they arrive they are simply exploited as domestic help.

In some cases, he said, they are forced into prostitution.

Indonesian views...

Bishop Ratu of Atambua, Indonesia, explained that he was an authentic Latinrite bishop although he dressed in a gray suit and wore a purple hat common to his culture.

He stressed the importance of seminaries being examples of a life of poverty, noting that in his country the standard of living in a seminary is much higher than what the students had at home.

"I ask myself whether my lifestyle as a bishop — the way

I dress, the way people address me as 'excellency', the way I live — gives a true picture of the Church of the poor," he said.

Bishop Ratu asked synod participants to be careful not to suggest sweeping universal requirements for formation.

"Cultural differences have to be taken into seriously account," he said.

"Imposing a foreign system or method in priestly formation which is bound to a certain culture means putting Christ into

the prison of that culture, and that is indeed a crime."

Bishop Coomans of Samarinda, Indonesia, said the "grave shortage of priests" makes it necessary to develop a better understanding of the practical and theological relationship between the ministerial priesthood and the common priesthood of the faithful.

"Collaboration between ordained and non-ordained ministers should take place during the years of initial formation," he said.

Synod snippets Italian Cardinal Antonio Innocenti, head of the clergy congregation, proposed a handbook to give priests guidelines about ongoing formation.

It should be a "Magna Carta for the year 2000," he said.

The cardinal also proposed at least one training centre per continent for spiritual directors and other people involved in priestly formation programs.

Programs must "give more room to spiritual formation," he said.

Bishop Ovalle of Guatemala, said there is "a surge of indigenous vocations, for the first time in our history."

This requires "the creation of a place for formation where the true indigenous culture is appreciated and critically strengthened and which supports the flourishing of an Indian hierarchy," he said.

Evangelisation in Guatemala has to go to the roots of Indian cultures because 65 per cent of the nine million inhabitants are Indian, he said.

Bishop Lafootant of Haiti, said that despite persecution by dictatorial governments since the 1960s, vocations have increased "bet the socio-political context remains difficult?

"Candidates arrive traumatised by their situations of misery, exploitation and injustice," he said.

This makes it necessary to guard against "a tendency to horizontalise pastoral work to make it a purely social or political action," he said.

Sydney Marist Brother Robert Pereira and Fr Justin Bianchini confer on what 25 West Australian priests learned after five days of effectiveness training.

Judging by some pri- whom he has been ests' reactions people conducting his program are likely to be noticing for the past four years. changes in the way At Guildford he found some priests listen to himself dealing with their problems. priests' typical difficul"The results remain to ties in coping with be seen, but the seeds frustration and anger that builds up from the have been sown. . ."

"A change from passive little things that happen in a parish. to active listening . . ."

"If a person phones or "New insights into my calls at a presbytery," said professional therapy . . ."

Brother Robert, "it's "A new approach, but likely to be because they to have a problem. What not dramatic, meetings . ." you've got is one man ` Acting more positively being swamped by the and less judge- problems of a multitude." mentally. . ."

Arising out of a course These were typical he started to help parents reactions of 20 Perth and better communicate with eight Bunbury priests at the children, Brother the end of a five-day Robert offers four clear effectiveness training steps to the frustrated weekend program at St clergyman: Charles' Seminary.

• listening with the Under the professional same skills taught to direction of Marist professional counsellors; Brother Robert Pereira of • being assertive, withSydney the priests were out being co-ercive; shown how to listen actively to the person • using both the above who wants instant to handle conflict answers, how to get to resolution; the bottom of people's • adopting a six step troubles and how to process of problem solving. work with groups.

With more than 13 The case studies put to years' experience in the priests were the effectiveness training many problems Brother which he describes as a Robert has had to face "sideline" to his high personally from his adoschool science teaching, lescent charges.

Brother Pereira has When he started effecbecome familiar with the tiveness training he saw problems of priests the need to help parents around Australia with and the obvious step was

to work over the same to the bottom of the skills with clergy. problem.

Any deficiency in lis- "Priests have been very tening or other skills is quick to give advice, and not new, Brother Robert admit it! Often we don't says. even listen to a person to "It was always there but find out what the real has often been neglected problem is." The first to in clergy training, but benefit, he says, are the today people intuitively seminary students know there's something whom he interviews lacking in priests. once a rkonth.

Nothing has really One country priest says addressed that need in that counselling and priests. Effectiveness confrontation may now training has been around be even pleasant expefor only 25 years and riences and not to be with clergy for only the avoided. past five or six years."

"People taking the initiThe change in five days ative to speak to me have at Guildford was not just already hired me. I don't in the skills learnt, said have to sell my product," Brother Robert. he said.

"A lot of learning went One priest said he on that did not surface. turned up to "have a Priests, especially from break from work" but he remote areas, found out reckons now that he can that they were not the tell others what he needs with and let others tell him the ones only problems." same.

The Guildford program Another priest who resulted from invitations "considered myself a sent to priests a year ago. good listener" realised Ministry To Priests that he used listen, even director Fr Justin Bian- with compassion, instead chilli who helped orga- of being an "active" nise the program has no listener. doubts about what was Another has learned learnt. that there are a lot of "Things are more com- stages between assertiveplex than we realise and ness on the one hand and there are no quick casualness on the other solutions to people's and that modern psyproblems. We have chology can have a learned how to listen and profound gospel and listen until we get really spiritual base.

Thd .Recordf .0ctcZer19; 1990

71

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12 The Record, October 18, 1990 1111m__

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THANKS My grateful thanks to the Little Infant of Prague for curing me of my illness Please continue to do so.

M.G.C. 0 Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ. faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my presentt and urgent petition. nres reetUrn I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St Jude pray for us and all who invoke your aid. Amen. Say three Hail Marys and Glorias.

Publication must be promised. This Novena has never been known to fail. I have had my request granted, Publication promised. Thank you St Jude C M 0 Holy St Jude, apostle and martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need. To you I have cause from the depth of my heart and humbly beg you to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me now in my present and urgent need and grant my earnest petition. In return I promise to make your name be known and cause you to be invoked.

Say three Our Fathers, three Hail Marys and three Glorias.

St Jude pray for all who honour and invoke your aid.

Amen M.T.C.

to the Editor

Closing blind eye ... from Trevor BOARDMA/V,

North Perth.

Sir, The four correspondents (The Record 27 Sept) who objected to an earlier article avoided the issue of white-Australian racial prejudice — deeply ingrained in many, generation to generation — as though no such thing existed in WA! I have lived most of my life in WA, and I have regularly fellow heard AngloSaxons/Celts use such expressions as "boongs", "dings' , "woos", "wogs", "coons", "slope-heads" arid "slant -eyes" in reference to human beings of different races. When was the last time your correspondents Ann Pattison, John Jones, Tony Nelson or Ian Ferguson were abused in such terms (unless any is Aboriginal or Anglo-Asian)?

Very few who are thus abused openly or covertly, ever exactly whinge about it — they know when they're in the minority! They usually just quietly continue to contribute their often considerable talents to Australian society, assuming a "fair -go, mate" of course: and when any does break the-surface, he/she must quickly duck back under again to avoid the sniper fire.

However, many are reluctant to obey Ann Pattison's dictate to "Australianise" to morally and socially indecorous/deleterious an extent, lest they be deported in this life and/or suffer a much worse fate in the next.

Instead of conceitedly crowing that "we have given them" what the very vast majority have "worked like migrants" (!) for, as well as

prejudicially accusing recent immigrants of being selfish leeches and lazy graspers (to that effect, Messrs Jones and Ferguson in particular) we should rather thank Almighty God for His providence, and practise, needless to say, His divine Son's most holy gospel: "You saw Me a stranger and made Me welcome." Some do base their lives on Jesus' Gospel, yes: but many don't! If I may be pardoned the heresy, not even Perth is Paradise (ask Jack Van Tongeren).

Christians must spread the Good News that all races are children of the One Father and brethren of the One Divine Redeemer, and thus build social bridges of mutual charity, support and understanding (then there will be peace): many contemporary Australians would find the exercise

more than just culturally enriching.

(PS. This correspondent, without Catholic Asian migrants, would probably still be an empty Marxist wanting to "overthrow" whatever IS genuinely good about Australia.)

Why no

protest?

from Johanna BOWEN Sir, Not one voice has been raised in protest at the insular sentiments expressed by your four correspondents on the subject of refugees (The Record, September 27).

Is it because other -Australians- feel as I do — disgusted, ashamed, angry and speechless?

Different view of youth from Brendan McKEAGUE, Wembley Sir, I sense that Robert Hick's views (The Record, October 4) could lead to a rather gloomy outlook for our future. I am not so pessimistic.

I am a Catholic parent and I agree with Robert that we adults can provide the most significant worldly influence on the development of faith in our children. I must reflect continuously on how my interpretation of Christianity and my accompanying lifes-

the prophet Elijah (1 kings 19.4-5) in days gone by Elijah decided it was all too much for him and he lay down under a tree to fall asleep and wish that it would all go away

tyle gives authentic witness to my faith.

I am reminded of the story about the two barefooted monks walking along a rough, stony road. One monk, feeling the pain on his bare feet, begins to complain bitterly about the state of the road and about how something should be done about it. The other monk stops and makes himself a pair of sandals!

There is choice for me as a Christian parent today just as there was a choice for the two monks and indeed for

Like that other rather frightened Old Testament figure, Jeremiah, I need to overcome my fears about the state of 'the world and search for God's presence in all people, not just in 'the law' I see a very different view of young people today.

Maybe its from where I look or maybe its how I choose to see I am very optimistic about what is and about what is to come I agree with the sentiments expressed by Brother Roger, the founder of the monastery at Taize (which attracts thousands of young visitors each year): "the innumerable intuitions of the young people are like points of light in the night. No, I am not anxious about the future A springtime of the Church is at hand. Soon, it will be a fire warming us in its glow".

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TOMORROW TODAY with Father Joe Parkinson

DianeHa's Antioch weekend on October 5-7 had its quiet moments for sharing groups.

Dianella Antioch

Letting that light shine — Dianella Antioch celebrate the end of their weekend.

Catholic Rural Youth Outreach

• • • Student • • • Accommodation Catholic first year university students from rural areas are invited to register interest in a shared accommodation project adjacent to Curtin University.

Enquiries and registration of interest may be directed to: Maria Devlin leaves her mark on Chris Lambert'

Andrew Scanlan, Yvette Hemmingheim and Rick Salas take a break from the hectic pace of the Antioch weekend.

Century up for EE Nearly three thousand people have been launched into married life in the last ten years with the help of Engaged Catholic Encounter, which held its one hundredth marriage preparation weekend on September 2830.

Learning to share openly is the secret of a good marriage, as 14 couples discovered on Engaged Encounter's 100th weekend, September 28-30.

YOUTH OFFICE DIRECTORY !

1 17-1 77:11!

it NTIOCT!

Fourteen couples took part in the program, which was led by Abe and The,a Ziegelaar of Kwinana, Margaret and John Bochat of Rockingham and youth chaFather Joe plain Parkinson.

Like every other EE weekend, however, this milestone was made

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possible only through the generous and dedicated help of dozens of other married couples and priests who form the Engaged Encounter Community.

Up to fifty people are needed in various ways to stage each weekend, all of whom are dedicated to the establishment of good, sound marriages in the Church and beyond.

While governments are only just beginning to appreciate the need for sound preparation for marriage, to save some of the millions of dollars spent annually on divorce proceedings, it is a tribute to the Catholic community that so many selfless volunteers have already done so much to build a sound future for so many couples and families.

C.R.Y.O.

PO Box 194 North Perth 6006 or by phoning: 328 9878 (office hours) 349 8554 (after hours)

UNEMPLOYED? We have the group for you!

We are a new group of unemployed young people helping each other cope with unemployment, learn budgetting & finance, and finding out what services are available for the unemployed.

For details call JOE HEFFERNAN on 328 9667 (w) or 313 1462(a/h)

MEETING HELD REGULARLY at the Catholic Youth Office 30 Claverton Street, North Perth

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PERTH SUPERDROME, CLAREMONT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 730PM Tickets: $4 single, $15 family.

Available from the Youth Office or call 328 9878 to book.

An ecumenical youth rally sponsored by Anglican, Uniting, Baptist, Catholic Churches, Churches of Christ, Salvation Army and other Christian youth organisations.

The Record, October 18, 1990 13 ( 71

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1: .

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Burning FLAME Flame Weekend ran telling them she'd Father Joe Parkinson told from last Saturday to entered her order at the how he sees his role as Sunday, culminating in a age of 30, having expe- being life giving through Mass which parents and rienced life but finding the priesthood, and 17 friends attended. something missing. "So year old Chris Lawrence The weekend saw a God calls you at any age," spoke on abortion and number of skits, speakers, she said. the sacredness of life. sharing groups and music Brother Robert, OFM He explained abortion making and backing by gave them a sense of methods, some of the gifted Antiochians who hope, letting them know arguments used by aboralso compose their own. there are people in the tionists, the refuting of The theme for the Catholic system who those arguments, and weekend was Life Giving, really care what is going detailed facts and figures from the point of view of on from the young on murdered babies, a married couple, the person's point of view and stating how human life priest, the religious sister how they are being begins at conception. and brother and the formed for their future.

Mike and Kath Fenton single adult in the Church Shirley and Maurice spoke on the formation of as well as young people at Whitfield with their child- the human person this stage of their life and ren Louise, Matthew and throughout life and Trish what it means to them.

Allison, spoke on the and Jeff Beale spoke on Sister Emily, SJA from the family as life-givers. fertility and natural family Catholic youth office who Maurice Whitfield, who planning. was a major contributor to came out as a small So Flame ended in a the weekend's organisa- orphan and was raised in blaze of glory, hugs and tion, said they discussed Clontarf and Castledare, loving for many young the dignity that life giving said you didn't need to be and wonderful people brings to the human born "with a silver spoon who'd made fresh conperson, whether in the in your mouth" to be a tacts, renewed old, reafsense of giving birth or in success in life and life was firmed everyone they the sense of life giving rather "what you made of came in contact with and through sustaining the it,,. who will undoubtedly person after birth. take with them the The choice is ours to As Christians, she said, Antioch flame to warm make, he said, no matter we should not be born they those meet along the what odds one has had to only once, but renew fight against, and one way. Whether in the work each life other's shouldn't allow bitterness place, social scene or their constantly. and resentment to creep home.

During Sister Emily's talk, in and destroy our poten- These annual get togethshe gave them a rule of ers are also valuable for tial as life givers. thumb when facing a them to feel, and others to situation they may go into Mr Whitfield said his see that there is a and said the Church asks mother was 17 years old powerful lot of good in three conditions for mak- and single when she gave these leaders of ing love within a perman- birth to him, after which tomorrow. ent and exclusive relation- he was put in an orphanship: That the couple be age and sent to Australia And thank God for open to unity, pleasure when he was eight. "She them. We surely need and new life. This, she could have had me them. Their wisdom, said, can be applied to aborted and taken the courage, leadership — easy way out. But she and yes, guidance . . . anything in their life.

by Colleen Sister Deborah, SJA didn't," he said, "and I'm McGuiness-Howard surprised listeners by grateful to her for that"

Our future leaders

Crothers, .lody Gardenus, Fenton Rebecca Cynthia and (lett) team, Admondson Flame theWhiteford, Sally Part of herese T

Trish and Jeff Beale with Kath and Mike Fenton.

Left: Chris Lawrence, Nik Hoar and Cath Kok.

Left: Sister Emily, Brother Robert and Sister Deborah.

14

The Record, October 18, 1990

Each year there is an explosion of youth in Perth caused through the coming together of Antioch groups throughout WA. This year 170 young people got together at Santa Maria Attadale coming from as far away as Bunbury to take part in Flame.

The word Flame is made up of F — friendship; L — life giving; A — action; M — my Lord and my God and E — Eucharist.

But actually the word also represents what it says — a flame of love, burning desire to right thr vorld's wrongs, to be like an olympic torch passing on the Good News from one part of the world to another and to be like a beacon of light to those in the darkness' of a world where God is unknown.

That being so, one couldn't find any better olympic runners than these young people who really re-establish one's jaded view of society.

Jaded because of man's destruction and corruption. A vast volume of adults who lost their way and became contaminated and who've long since forgotten what the young have to offer.

And that is so much.

Their spontaneity, the acceptance of youth, clean untarnished image, their glorious ideals which many of us let go of years ago, the vitality and generosity they have, their ready forgiveness, willingness to love — rather than reject, their warmth instead of coldness and above all their clear sighted vision of what we should be in God's eyes, not what we have really become along the way.

Sadly enough for us.

When one looks at these Catholic youth groups, a glimmer of hope is seen. You say to yourself — well perhaps the human race will survive after all!

And maybe these decent kids will make

changes for the better in an often grotty world we've made of it.

There's a golden ray of hope with decent kids, that they'll clean up the mess we made of the world and do a better job than we did.

Perhaps they'll never let corruption, bitterness and self-interest touch them. Maybe setfishness will never touch their lives as it's touched and ruined the lives of so many and those around them.

Perhaps they'll break through society's barrier and turn the tide of a decadent morality we've allowed towards a cleaner more moral one; where Jesus and Mary become the focus of our life not stabbing the other fellow in the back and grabbing what you can from whoever . .

Congratulations kids!

You're great!

by Colleen INcGuiness-Howard

of Christian love 1. Bernie and Bernadette Lawrence, Antioch South Perth parents.

2..iulie Lush and Geoff Lawrence — Flame Weekend leaders.

3. Stephen McGuckin, Lisa Nolan and Adam Howard.

4. Shirley and Maurice Whitfield with children Louise (left) Antioch leader South Perth, Matthew and Allison.

Vial

a) DIRECTED BY

DESIGNED BY

LIZA BRADBURY COSTUMES

LEIANNE CLARKE CHOREOGRAPHY

JENNI & LISA BOWDEN

• REGAL THEATRE• COMMENCING FRIDAY NOVEMBER 30 AT 8.15PM

ADULTS - $10 CONCESSION $6

BOOKINGS: REGAL THEATRE TELEPHONE 381 6716, 381 1557 OR 381 5357 AND ALL BOCS OUTLETS The Record, October 18, 1990

15

•

by TOM BRANCH

THE PARISH SCENE

1111111. 1111.OM VIMIR ••• I MM.M.-

Alderman d. Alison Thomas, 6/3 6/3.

Ladies Doubles: Kerry Messer & Lynda Farrell d.

Geraldine Alderman & Kathy Williams, 6/1 6/1.

Congratulations to all winners and also to Michael Messer for his organisation skills during the tournament.

CHAMPIONSHIPS The finals were eventually completed following inclement weather throughout the tournament.

The winners: Boys Singles: G Cranwell, undefeated in the round robin.

Mens Singles: Paul Horsten d. John Hughan, 6/2 6/3.

Mens Doubles: Tom Lutteral & Paul Horsten d. Peter Messer & Mike Lawson, 6/2 6/2.

Mens Handicap Singles: B Quain d. It Veza, 9/4.

Mens Handicap Doubles: Peter Perich & Bryan Kukura d. John Ward & Frank Hackett, 9/4.

Mixed Doubles: Mike Lawson & Lynda Farrell d. John & Louise Walker, 6/1 6/0.

Mixed Handicap Doubles: Frank Hackett & Elizabeth Chamberlain d. Peter & Margaret Perich, 9/7.

Ladies Singles: Geraldine

Medal Tournament

The Association will hold a medal tournament at the Trinity Courts, Manning Road, Manning on Sunday October 21 commencing at 1.30pm.

Ladies are requested to provide a plate for afternoon tea.

During afternoon tea a presentation will be made to the recent successful Pennant teams plus the tournament championships.

It is hoped that as many players as possible can attend to ensure a successful wind up for the Pennants and Championships.

CHILD CARE WORKERS Mofflyn is an agency of the Uniting Church which provides residential child care for children and adolescents.

We are looking for residential child care workers to staff a new unit.

For further information phone 362 6266 and speak to the residential services co-ordinator.

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COTTESLOE CHANGES The Cottesloe 8am Sunday Mass has been discontinued. Other Mass times remain the same. 29 special ministers of the Eucharist were recently commissioned to serve the parish of Cottesloe-Swanbourne.

REUNION A reunion afternoon tea for all the Sisters of Mercy and girls who lived and worked at St Joseph's Orphanage and St Vincent's Foundling Home, Wembley in past years, will be held on Saturday November 10 2-4 pm at Catherine McAuley Centre 18 Barrett Street, Wembley. RSVP: 381 9222 Ext.426.

AUSTRALIAN CHURCH WOMEN The Australian Church Women's "Community Day" will be held on October 26 in St Mary's Cathedral at 10.30 am.

Speaking on the theme "Caretakers of Creation" will be Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Lilburne.

"Fellowship of the Least Coin" offerings will be collected as part of the service and a light luncheon will follow in the Parish Centre — $3 donation. Open to the pubic.

CATHOLIC HEALTHY CARE WEEK *Mass: St Mary's Cathedral 2 pm October 28. *Symposium: "Health in the good life, living life to the full."

Sheraton Convention Centre, Saturday November 3. Cost: $25 (includes morning & afternoon tea and lunch).

"Charity Ball" Government House Ballroom November 3, from 8 pm to 1 am. Cost: $90 doubles.

For information or tickets contact: C. Morris on 277 0000 or R. McDermott on 277 0033.

NEWMAN SOCIETY On Monday Oct 22nd, at 7.30pm in the Senior Common Room, St Thomas More College, Bishop Hickey of Geraldton lectures on: "Newman's Conversion and Conversions Today". Contact number: 446 1628. Open to the public.

MENTAL HEALTH The theme of Mental Health Week, from October 21-27 is "Awareness" and the Catholic Concerns Committee on Psychiatric Issues has prepared leaflets for Catholic parishes and schools. Archbishop Foley will celebrate Mass in St Mary's Cathedral, on Sunday October 21 at 7pm to begin the week. Anyone who has ever felt depressed or who knows someone who has or has had a psychiatric illness is welcome. The Mass will follow a day of reflection "Growth through Broken-ness" at Victoria Square Conference Centre.

COUNTRY REFLECTION "Mary One of Us" is the theme for the day of reflection to be held at St Joseph's church, Kuhn, Monday October 29 commencing 9.30am and concluding with mass at 2pm.

BYO ok and share prayer and friendship with fellow Catholics.

Organised by combined country number contact parishes, (098) 80 1213 or (096) 22 3109.

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mmia am

MN= •im

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CHURCH WEEKEND Vacancies exist on the Church Weekend to be presented by the Pastoral and Matrimonial Renewal Centre at the L.J. Goody Bio-ethics Centre, Jugan Street, Glendalough, October 26-28.

The Church Weekend includes Friday evening, all day Saturday and concludes with Mass during Sunday afternoon. It covers a broad spectrum of what it means to be church in today's world.

For further information and registration phone either Alan and Anne Jennings 271 1653 or Peter and Veronica Dymon 574 2688.

ROSARY RESPONSE Kelmscott Legion of Mary's continuous rosary received over 350 replies from individuals, families and parish groups, representing 60 parishes from as far away as the Philippines, Ireland, Victoria, N.S.W and S.A. One young lady from Benella Victoria, had been given The Record by a relative. On Sunday October 7 three scrolls containing the names of the participants, were taken up with the Mass offering.

BULLSBROOK Rosary, homily and Benediction will be held on Sunday, October 28 at the Bullsbrook Church, "Virgin Mary Mother of the Church" at 2pm.

For further information and bus r eservations please ring 444 2285 for Perth, Highgate, Dianella, Marangaroo 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, WA 6060. Telephone 571 1699.

QUEENS PARK DANCE A fundraising dance in aid of the new parish church of Saint Joseph, which is currently being built, takes place at the Queens Park Recreation Centre, Centre Street, Queens Park on October 20, 7.45pm-lam. $6 514 years, $12 adults. Tickets from Wayne 458 1940, Audrey 451 4690.

Arc diocesan Calendar OCTOBER 21 St Mary's Cathedral, Mass for Mental Health Week, Archbishop Foley.

Visitation and confirmation, Greenmount, Bishop Healy.

Opening of Mental Health Week, 23 Archbishop Foley.

Western Region Festival of Performing Arts, Archbishop Foley.

24 Mental Health Week activities, Archbishop Foley.

Visitation and confirmation, East Cannington, Bishop Healy.

25 Visitation, Bayswater, Bishop Healy.

27 Open and bless South Lakes school, Archbishop Foley.

Confirmation, Beaconsfield, Monsignor McCrann.

28 Bless and open Education Support Unit Santa Maria, Archbishop Foley.

St Mary's Cathedral Mass for Health Care Week, Archbishop Foley.

We're countrywide too . . !

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

is as close as your phone

The Norbertine Tradition and Experience

(008) 11 4010 (free call) (Metro callers please use 221 3866) *Natural Family Planning Centre 27 Victoria Square Member of the Australiantouncil of Natural Family Planning Inc.

16 The Record, October 18, 1990

Vocation Co-ordinator: Fr Tom McNulty 0 Pracm St Norbert's Priory QUEERS PARK WA 6107

Material submitted to The Record should preferably be typewritten or clearly and legibly handwritten, at least triple spaced with wide margins, in upper and lower case, and in style for the section for which it is intended.

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CATHOLIC EDUCATION COMMISSION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Applicatios are filed hi Me 'ribs@ it

FOUNDATION PRINCIPAL MANDURAH

CATHOLIC SECONDARY COLLEGE

Mandurah Catholic Secondary College will open in 1992 with an initial enrolment of three Year 8 classes. It will expand to four streams by 1994 and will develop to a full Year 8-12 College. It will be built in stages commencing in mid-1991.

The successful applicant will take up the position in Term 2. 1991.

Applicants must be practising Catholics, committed to the objectives and ethos of Catholic education and have requisite administrative skills and academic and professional qualifications.

Salary and conditions are similar to those offered by the Ministry of Education.

Further information and official application forms can be obtained from: Mr Eric Chidlow Catholic Education Office PO Box 198, leederville WA 6007 Telephone: (09) 388 4388

Official application forms should be addressed to The Director. Catholic Education Office of WA (address above) and lodged by Monday, November 12.