The Record Newspaper 03 January 1991

PERTH, WA: January 3, 1991

Number 2720

Registered by Australia Post Publication No. WAR 0202

POST ADDRESS: PO Box 50, Northbridge, 6000 W.A. LOCATION: 26 John St, Northbridge (east off Fitzgerald St).

TELEPHONE: (09) 328 1388

FAX (09) 328 7307

PRICE 600

, My 1991 wish No human authority has the right to interfere with a person's conscience

For the third year in a row Pope John Paul has made the freedom of conscience his target for the achievement of peace in the world.

Citing the "events of last year" and no doubt with a close eye on what is happening in the former communist countries of Eastern Europe and in Lslamic fundamentalist nations, Pope John Paul says: "No person may be treated as an object governed by forces outside their control".

"No human authority has the right to interfere with a person's conscience," he says in the traditional papal message of peace on January 1.

"Each individual's conscience must be respected by everyone else: people must not

attempt to impose their own 'truth' on others.

"A firm and lasting peace will be most effectively confronted on the level of respect for the human conscience."

However, says the pope, the systematic denial of God is diametrically opposed to freedom of conscience and the freedom of religion.

But the pope also warns that each individual has the obligation to form a conscience in the light of objective truth.

Claiming a right to act according to conscience but not the duty to conform to truth and the law of God "hardly contributes to any useful way to the cause of world peace".

Citing the family and the school as fundamental to the formation of conscience the

pope says freedom of conscience "is compromised if a thorough religious education is lacking".

The pope condemns intolerance and cites the Vatican H admission that Christians have at times been intolerant of other religions.

It is still happening, he says, in countries where religious norms become the law of state.

Intolerance results from fundamentalism which excludes others.

"However much one may remain convinced of the truth of one's own religion no person or group has the right to suppress the freedom of conscience of those who have other religious convictions or induce them to betray the consciences by granting or denying social privileges and rights."

Three faiths, one prayer Leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths in Perth have joined together in a prayer for peace in the new year.

The prayer, released on Dec 28 bears the signature of Roman Catholic Archbishop William Foley, who signed as Chairman of the Association of the Heads of Churches in Western Australia; Rabbi David Freilich, the Orthodox Rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation; Rabbi Charles D Wallach the Progressive Rabbi of Temple David in Perth; and for the Islamic Community Sheik Abbas Zuberali, Ibrahim Abdullah and Shaikh Abdul-jalil Ahmed.

The full text of the prayer follows: Z May all of us who share a belief in the one God celebrate the coming of a new year and a new decade by joining together in a spirit of fellowship to pray for Peace.

Let us rejoice in this opportunity to share with the wider community our desire for Peace as we recognise that Peace comes from doing the will of God as individuals and collectively as His people.

We believe that the fostering of peace in our troubled world is amongst those primary and basic requirements that form the bedrock of human welfare and advancement; that lead to love, goodwill and harmony amongst all the people of this fair planet Earth.

May the peace and mercy of the loving Creator be on all those who strive to spread the spirit of a "Peace on Earth and Goodwill amongst all.

From left: Rabbi David Freilick, Sheik Ibrahim NNW* Archbishop Foley aid Rahiii Charles Wellach.

josephites in new jobs Three newly appoiinted provincial councillors for the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition begin their six-year term this month.

Sisters Margaret Mary Gannon, Helen Giles and Kieran Kinsella first met in the Fremantle St Joseph's convent novitiate (now a shopping centre) forty years ago after completing their secondary education with the 'Grey Josephites'.

The order was invited to WA in 1855 by Bishop Serra. It was the second group of religious women to arrive in the then 26 year old colony.

Right Sisters Margaret Mary Gannon, Helen Giles (absorbed in The Record) and Kieran Kinsella.

Below: The newly apponted provincial of the Apparition Sisters, Sister Margaret Anne Beech (left) who replaces Sister Gemma Grant. (right).

Double trouble SYDNEY: Both of Sydney's archbishops, Catholic and Anglican, have given the thumbs casino down to proposals.

Cardinal E dward Clancy and Archbishop Donald Robinson have issued a joint statement in which they warn the NSW Government it will be making a "costly error" if it tries to fund hospitals and social services through casinos.

The two church leaders have also warned the government of the danger of organised crime taking advantage of the setting up of casinos.

They say: "In 198.8 it was the opinion of the Australian Federal Police that to introduce a casino in the ACT would result in an increase in criminal activity in terms of prostitution, moneydrugs, laundering and sporadic assaults.

"Ft was their advice that additional resources would be needed to enable the day-to-day policing of casino operations as well as the expected increase in criminal activity.

"In 1989 the Trends and Issues Paper of the Australian Institute of Criminology,

GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA, indicated that legal casino gambling t oo is particularly susceptible to crime a nd corruption, through disguised interests. Indeed, in spite of Australian casino controls being among the most stringent in the world, the paper pointed to government failure to follow licensing procedures, as in NSW in 1986. It also drew a ttention to associated concerns regarding corruption and crime in the casino industry. One cannot ignore the findings of such reports_

•

Nursing homes law 'nonsense' Nursing homes legislation recently passed by the Commonwealth government is "nonsense" and will discourage care for the elderly, says the Australian Medical Association.

"Recent legislation endeavouring to outline the rights of patients in nursing homes will do nothing to improve the lot of older people.

"It will have the opposite effect, by discouraging concerned organisations, both private and religious, from caring for the elderly," said Dr Bruce Shepherd, AMA national president.

"If we allow this nonsense to continue, the only

nursing homes in this country will be government owned and will reflect the usual lack of compassion shown by government institutions.

"I ask Mr Staples to cease this nonsense and spend some time thinking about how we are going to care for older people with the run-down resources we have in this country.

"It would be best to leave doctors and patients to solve their problems themselves," concluded Dr Shepherd.

"The Australian Medical Association supports the right of all patients in nursing homes to have their doctor of choice.

"It equally believes in the right of nursing • home proprietors to have their moral views respected," the National President of the AMA, Dr Bruce Shepherd, said today.

"We view with great concern the increasing intrusion of government into the lives of the people.

"Religious institutions have shown themselves over the centuries to be devoted to the welfare of older people. This attempt by the government to introduce unnecessary legislation to deal with a non-problem puts another nail in the coffin of community freedom."

Don't sign agreement call Catholic bishops around Australia have told Catholic nursing homes in their dioceses not to sign the agreement recently passed by the Commonwealth government.

Cardinal Clancy, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference says that he has been advised there is no

breach of the law if a nursing home does not sign the agreement.

He quoted Senator Tate in the Senate saying that the suspension of funding for a nursing home that did not sign the agreement would be a matter of absolute last resort which should be invoked only if the care of residents was

2 The Record, January 3, 1991

at real jeopardy or risk.

"From the outset the Australian Catholic Bishops and a number of nursing homes have sought to ensure that the Agreement did not require nursing home proprietors to establish contractual obligations which might conflict with their

moral responsibilities. The bishops had extensive consultation with government to that end." Cardinal Clancy said.

The latest issue is the right of homes not to admit doctors of the patients' choice who might favour euthanasia or excessive medication.

"Regrettably that

process of consultation failed," the cardinal said.

"The agreement now passed by the Senate does not permit religious bodies conducting nursing homes to require that medical practitioners agree to abide by a home's philosophy of care while practising in the home. The Au.s

Catholic tralian Bishops had decided that in this event they would advise Catholic nursing homes in their dioceses not to sign the agreement.

"Catholic nursing homes cannot in good conscience sign away their right to insist on adherence to the homes' moral principles. To do so would be to lose their reason

for existence, their witness to a Christlike love for residents and their staff. can assure the minister that the conscientious objection to signing which the bishops advise is precisely to uphold more stringent standards of respect for human life and dignity than are required by law," he added.

Two vicars share Perth tasks

The new appointment of two vicars for religious will provide the presence of both a woman and a man along with an emphasis on the pastoral as well a s the canonical aspects of the positions.

Announcing the appointments of Father Christopher Ross SOM and Sister Mary Berry OSM as vicars for religious, Archbishop Foley said it was a collaborative and co-operative arrangement between the two.

Both are appointed as vicars according to the general faculty granted to bishops to appoint vicars for various purposes. Because of certain canonical matters to be attended to, Father Ross will be known as the episcopal vicar for religious.

The Vatican document on the mutual relations between a bishop and religious advocates the appointment of vicars for religious.

All religious were

invited to submit names and comments to Archbishop Foley who had consulted with the WA Council of Religious Institutes WACRI on the best method of keeping in contact with the religious congregations.

The two vicars will meet Archbishop Foley quarterly and both will attend the two-monthly meetings of WACRI. Father Ross, who was appointed episcopal vicar for religious in 1984, said that the appointment of Sister Mary Berry would help in the vital area of pastoral care for religious that he had been unable to keep up with.

"The older sisters appreciate someone being there," Father Ross said. "We need to have a pastoral concern for the ageing sisters who are often scattered and isolated but who should never be forgotten."

Originally from Chicago where he joined the Servites in 1944 Father Ross has spent 26 of the

intervening years in Perth.

He was a general councillor of his order in Rome for six years and is due to finish this year the second term of his second appointment as vicar provincial of the Servites in Australia.

He has been almost continually a member of the council of priests, including vice chairman, both as an elected and ex officio member.

During his term as vicar for religious Father Ross played a part in the development of WACRI from the former Conference of Major Religious Superiors which did not include those orders whose major superiors did not reside in WA. With nominated representatives from every religious institute WACRI can serve both the major superiors when appropriate or can involve all religious through the six subcommittees that operate in fields such as pastoral care and education.

pALK TO 1SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS

Sr Berry

We have always been dedicated to the comfort of families in times of crisis.

So it is that we are able to offer a unique PRE PAID FUNERAL PLAN. You are able to plan everything to suit your own individual wishes.

Contact one of our offices for our informative booklet — "Funeral Planning Because You Care-.

BOWRA & O'DEA (Est 1888) 328 7299 68 Stirling St, Perth 349 0100 502 Wanneroo Rd, Balga Cannington 458 5017 Hwy, Albany 1307 Midland 250 1088 Eastern Hwy. 131 Gt 3&.1 2226 571 Stirling Hwv, Cottesloe

A TRADITION OF TRUST Fr Ross

Aims of Sr Mar

A new vicar for religious appointed by Archbishop Foley wants to be able to help religious sisters have a better understanding of religious life today.

With her 50th year as a Mercy Sister in the West Perth congregation just behind her. Sister Mary Berry hopes to do a lot of thinking and reading on the direction that religious life is taking.

She undertook a significant change in her own career and has helped many others to do likewise.

After 30 years teaching mostly in primary schools Sister Mary

attended the East Asia Pastoral Institute and then 14 years ago tabfished the Maranatha Institute through which up to 500 religious and laity have passed. 90 of them gaining the twoyear diploma.

She has seen religious coming out of the more traditional roles of teaching and nursing and has helped many find a role in another sphere.

The work brought her into contact with practically every other religious order and she intends to devote time to the smaller congregations.

"I've got a better under-

Planning for the future welfare of your family is always an important consideration. If the unexpected should happen could they cope with the stress of arranging your funeral?

Alleviate that emotional and financial responsibility by pre-arranging your own funeral.

standing of religious life ilarly helped many lay in the Church and it's people find their role and mission, and it is not she is not troubled at the narrowed down to the ideal of laity taking over Mercy charism," she said. many of the tasks forShe says her own vision merly done by religious.

Her Craigie community of religious life has broadened now that it is is not a little pleased at no longer necessary to be the honour of her as involved in the active appointment and tell her apostolate as in the days that one of the talents she when a shortage of brings from the Maranamoney meant there was tha experience is of being no-one else to do the job. a good listener.

Religious today, she They are even into a bit says, have a role living of teasing that they will actively in the world but be the first to line up for listening contempla- an appointment . . . tively in order to find the They need not worry if direction religious life the queue is too long should be taking. initially. Sister Mary has Her work in the Mara- the appointment for the natha Institute has sim- next five years.

Smart people keep their names in front of the best people when they

ADVERTISE! This space would cost $30 4

SPE( I ALLY Fl LT1,1011)

Abortion enquiry 'urgent' An enquiry was urgently needed into the reason for shortie. in SA, says the Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide.

The enquiry should particularly ask why psychiatric disorder was the reason most SA women had an abortion, Archbishop Leonard Faulkner said.

Speaking on the annual Mass of Atonement in St Fancis Xavier's Cathed-

ral, the Archbishop said the 20th annual report on abortions notified in SA gave the reason for abortion in 97 per cent of cases, representing 4202 abortions, as "specified psychiatric disorders".

"This statistic raises serious questions about the . counselling of women seeking an abortion," he said.

"Were the women treated effectively for

their psychiatric disorder and were opportunities for quality counselling offered to those who experienced an unwanted pregnancy?"

The Archbishop said the committee presenting the annual report on abortion in SA had recommended a confidential enquiry be conducted on contraceptive methods.

"May Isuggest that this also be an enquiry into

the reason for abortion." . — of the unborn baby? Is he said. there adequate follow-up Noting there were 1001 counselling?" he said. women, over 20 per cent The Mass of Atonement of all abortions, who had is held annually to pray a second, or third or for those who have been fourth abortioin in 1989, involved in abortions — the Archbishop said the doctors, nurses, counselincidence of women lors, mothers and fathers having repeated abor- of the babies aborted — tions also raised the and to pray for a deep question of adequate respect for all human life, counselling. especially for unborn Archbishop "Are alternatives babies, explained adequately to Faulkner said. the mother — and father • See Page 7.

684 ALBANY HIGHWAY, EAST VICTORIA PARK TELEPHONE 361 3164

ELLIOTT &ELLIOTT Optometrists CONTACT LENS CONSULTANTS Perth Piccadilly Arcade Fremantle 30 Market St

321 8151 335 2602

The Record, January 3, 1991

3

Guest editorial The Catholic Weekly

Peace: Respecting consciences WITH the January 15 deadline in the Gulf Crisis looming ominously, the world is starting to realise how fragile and yet how precious peace can be.

All human beings crave peace: even those who go to war with all of its false glamour, panache and incredible suffering in the long run hope to achieve peace, although it is usually one featuring their own dominance.

As world leaders play their chess game over the oil-rich Gulf and President Saddam Hussein shows no sign of withdrawal from Kuwait, which he so brutally annexed, it is easy for an individual to make the error of believing that the world's "little people" do not count.

In his message for the world day of Peace, Pope John Paul II points out that the truth is the exact opposite.

Respect for the conscience of every person, says the Holy Father, is a necessary basis for peace in the world.

"No human authority has the right to interfere with a person's conscience." says the Pope.

He goes on to say the right to profess the truth must always be upheld: we should not show contempt for those who may think differently.

Truth imposes itself solely by the force of its own truth.

What about the "little ones" of this word? His Holiness points to the frequently overlooked reality that the family and the school are both very important to conscience formation.

The formation of conscience is compromised if a thorough religious eduction is lacking.

"How can a young person," demands John Paul II "understand the demands of human dignity if no reference is made to the source of that dignity, namely God the Creator" The Holy Father sees a serious threat to peace from intolerance, which denies freedom of conscience to others.

"The excesses to which intolerance can lead has been one of history's most painful lessons." says the Pope.

The Pope's message ought to shake the consciences of white Australians with regard to the Aborigines when he points out that intolerance can creep into every aspect of social life. It becomes evident when individuals or minorities who seek to follow their conscience in regard to legitimate expressions of their own way of life are oppressed or relegated to the margins of society.

"In public life," writes the Pope, "intolerance leaves no room for a plurality of political or social options, and thus imposes a monolithic vision of civil and cultural life."

Saddam Hussein, whose oppression of the minority group, the Kurds, has outraged world opinion, would be well to heed those words.

It falls far short of the truth, however to suggest that there is any sort of Islamic monopoly on intolerance.

The Christian religions have been seized in recent years by a fierce fundamentalism which equates militarism and financial might with the Divine Will. Pope John Paul II warns us to temper our faith with mercy.

"However much one may remain convinced of the truth of one's own religion, no person or group has the right to attempt to repress the freedom of conscience of those who have other religious convictions, or to induce them to betray their consciences by the offer or denial of certain social privileges and rights should they change their religion."

We ought to be thankful that as we approach the sinister date of January 15 we have in the Chair of St Peter a man who is unafraid to speak in favour of tolerance and to defend the little ones" of the world in their right to freedom of conscience.

4 The Record, January 3, 1991

1

EJ

Praise for pope's strong message COMMUNIST PAPER HAILS STAND ON GULF CRISIS AND THAT CALL FOR PEACE ROME (CNS): Italy's communist newspaper praised Pope John Paul ll's Christmas message for its strong words about the Gulf crisis and the need for peace in the Middle East.

L'Unita, the Rome-based daily published by the Italian Communist Party, headlined its front-page editorial, "lithe West listens to Wojtyla". Karol Wojtyla is the pope's given name.

The editorial praised the pope's Christmas Day message "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and the world) also for its indictment of "what remains today the greatest human injustice, the difference of conditions between the world's North and South".

"John Paul II rightly defined the war which is being prepared in the Saudi desert and in the territory of Iraq as 'an adventure with no return', and he underlined the necessity of continuing to explore 'the paths of understanding and peace'," the newspaper said.

"He has not assumed in this way a distant or neutral position, nor has he confused the aggressor, who remains Saddam Hussein, with the attacked (Kuwait)," it said.

By mentioning the situation in the Holy Land immediately after speaking of the Gulf crisis, the pope emphasised that averting war in one Middle East location won't prevent it in other areas of the region, the editorial said.

"The knots of the intricate Middle East question" must be undone to avoid recurring bloodshed such as the Palestinian uprising and massacres in the refugee camps in Lebanon and in Israeli-occupied territory, it said.

"The Catholic pope has said with strength" and "without circumlocution" that violence and war are not the way to peace and justice in the Middle East, the paper said.

"It is necessary that Saddam Hussein leave Kuwait" and that Palestinians and Israelis each have their own independent states, it said.

The pope went further in his message to remind the developed countries of Europe and North America of "the absence of liberty, of the dictatorships and of the fratricidal wars which stain Africa, Asia and Latin America with blood and which make peace more precarious in these last days of 1990."

Dozens of countries are experiencing food shortages and famine, but the countries of the North have not increased aid, the paper said.

The developed countries' slow response, as the pope reminded people, "does not work for peace but for war".

L'Unita said the West needs to make "an examination of conscience" and begin to seriously address the problems of hunger and underdevelopment in order to increase prospects for peace in the world.

Dead Sea Scrolls editor fired •

NEW YORK, (CNS): The editor of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the ancient documents which shed light on the evolution of Judaism and the origin of Christianity, has been fired after making anti-Semitic remarks.

John Strugnell, the editor of the scrolls and a professor at the Harvard Divinity School, was quoted as saying about Judaism: "It's a horrible religion. It's a Christian heresy, and we deal with our heretics in different ways. You are a pheno-

menon that we haven't managed to convert — and we should have managed."

aism. he replied. "the fact that it has survived when it should have disappeared".

Strugnell. a Catholic, Those involved in rewas quoted as describing moving him from the Judaism as "originally editorship said their racist" and "not a higher decision was based on religion". He also said the his longstanding poor state of Israel was health and recent "founded on a lie, or at hospitalisation.

• least on a premise that Several colleagues. cannot be sustained". however, said the antiThe interview was pub- Semitic remarks were lished in a Tel Aviv "the straw that broke the newspaper. One journal- camel's back". ist said that when StrugThe first of the Dead Sea nell was asked what Scrolls were discovered annoyed him about Jud- in 1947 in a cave in what

Call for unity

P RAGUE: Catholic bishops in a part of Czechoslovakia have called for national unity at a time of growing separatist feelings among Czechs and Slovaks.

Their statement called for "reciprocal tolerance and comprehension" during "this important hour of our history."

Avoid "intolerance

and national s elfishness," they said.

The statement was issued by the Czech Catholic bishops and the Ecumenical Council of Churches, r epresenting other Christian churches.

Czechoslovakia has a Catholic bishops' conference subdivided into Czech and Slovak suctions, correspond-

ing to the two major republics which form the country. ft is not known if the Slovak bishops were asked to sign or if there was a reason why they did not sign.

S eparatist sentiments are stronger in Slovakia, where the population feels politically dominated by the Czechs, who make up t wo-thirds of the population.

is 'now the Israelioccupied West Bank. The scrolls contain religions writings, laws and literature from about 200 B.C. and 50 A.D. Among the documents are the oldest known copies of the Old Testament.

'These texts, for most of the scholarly world, have helped to create greater interreligious understanding," said Lawrence H. Schiffman, professor of Hebrew and Judaic studies at New York University.

"And here comes the

custodian of these materials and drenches the scrolls in the blood of the victims of anti-Semitism.

How can we have confidence in the fairness and scholarship of a man who comes to the material with such deeply ingrained prejudices, prejudices which are repugnant to most of his colleagues, both Christians and Jews?"

The firing must be approved by the Israeli Antiquities Authority, which reportedly was in "general sympathy" with the decision.

Plea over intrusion A SSISI: An urgent appeal has come from the Franciscans at Assisi to preserve the ideals and holiness of one of the world's most venerated Christian shrines.

The Order of Friars Minor claims the "intrusions of pacifists, latterday ascetics, and other pseudo-religious groups gravely debasing Assisi, have become intolerable".

"We have had enough." says Fr Gianmaria Polidoro, custodian of the Convent of St Mary of the Angels, at the heart of the Franciscan community which includes Porriuncola, the Church restored by the saint himself.

"There are those who blemish and sell out Assisi. People too often forget that Assisi is Christian and wishes to pursue its mission without disturbance."

A IA ILLL11111

Early Xmas Mass for 270 ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNS): Archbishop Francis T Hurley of Anchorage celebrated an early Christmas Mass on December 21 for about 270 people in Magadan, the city in the Soviet Far East where he is buildi,,g a US Soviet ecumenical centre for religion and culture.

What was believed to be the first public Catholic Mass in Magadan was celebrated in a workers' union hall. The Soviet port city of 160,000 on the Sea of Okhotsk was founded in 1932 by Josef Stalin as a forced-labour camp.

On earlier visits to Magadan the archbishop had celebrated two private Masses for a handful of people, but the Christmas Mass was the first that was advertised and open to the general public.

The archbishop met more than 50 Catholics in Magadan who were willing to sign up to form an association, as required by Soviet law, in order to form a legally recognised religious congregation.

The government has leased him two-and-ahalf acres for $50 a month to build the ecumenical centre, which will have a chapel.

Archbishop Hurley said the planned building will be "kind of like a retreat centre".

Construction should start "within two years", he said.

He said that after the Mass a Soviet worshipper came up to him and asked him to come back often because "they killed our faith and this will help bring it back".

"I assured him that the number of people at Mass was a sign that they did not kill the faith," the archbishop said.

Holy days in, Marxist days out LVOV: The town council of Ternopil in Western Ukraine has legalised six new official holidays, Christmas, Faster, the Assumption, The Patronage of the Virgin Mary (October 1) and also Ukrainian Independence Day (January 22) and Western Ukrainian Statehood Day (November 21).

To make room for the new holidays it has eliminated the socialist holidays of International Women's Day (March 8), May Day (May 1-2), Soviet Constitution Day (October 7) and October Revolution (November 7-8).

Cuba shows tolerance

HAVANA, (CNS): A Cuban state radio station broadcast a Protestant Christmas service on December 25 in a further sign of an apparently increasing tolerance by the island-state's communist government toward organised religion.

The half-hour service, complete with carols and readings from the Scriptures, took place at the Marianao Baptist Church in Havana.

It was only the second time in three decades that such a religious event had been carried by an official radio station.

Cuba's communist authorities stopped recognising Christmas as an official holiday in 1969 and all public reference to the religious feast day was dropped.

But the government's attitude toward Christian churches and other religions in Cuba has eased significantly since then, although relations with the Catholic hierarchy remain cool.

In brief sermons, Protestant pastors on the Christmas discussed the meaning of Christmas and wished a merry Christmas to all Cuban Christians.

JI '11IIAM ^

Fact and scandal on UK homeless LONDON: The continuing rise in homelessness in Britain is the intolerable, Catholic bishops of England and Wales say.

Government policies "have failed completely to ensure an adequate supply of houses where they are most needed and at rents or prices which those on low incomes can afford", they declare in a report entitled Homelessness: A Fact and a Scandal released by the bishops' conference this week.

The rise in homelessness places a "clear moral claim" on the conscience of the nation, the report states.

It calls not only for changes in policy by central and local government, but for Catholic parishes to set up more projects to help the homeless.

A list of practical suggestions for such projects is to be published. Cardinal Hume arranged for Wesminister Cathedral hall to be opened at night, as a shelter for homeless people, throughout the winter.

There seemed now to be increasing public concern about homelessness, Archbishop Derek Worlock of Liverpool said at a press conference in London.

He recognised that action taken on behalf of the homeless would often be viewed as "political", but described it as "part of Christian faith".

Parishes should not only provide temporary shelter, but should also investigate how housing co-operatives and associations could provide permanent accommodation.

The main reason for the rise in homelessness in recent years, the bishops' report observes, is a shortage of low-cost rented accommodation, brought about by government policies including the sale of council houses and the reduction in building new ones.

The report explains that the private sector and housing associations have not succeeded in filling the gap with lowcost homes.

Many people become homeless because of family break-up and, conversely, families can be broken up because of stress over housing, the report notes. Whatever the causes of a relationship deteriorating. "there can be no justification for any policy which penalises and punishes all the members of broken family, children as well as parents".

The Catholic snub

BUCHAREST: The Catholic Church in Osmania largely boycotted a major national celebration in protest over what it said was the government's failure to return church property.

Romanian President Ion Iliescu spurned an ultimatum to return five cathedrals and 72 churches.

The buildings were among 2,000 seized during the forced union of the Eastern-rite Catholic

Church with the Roman-

under the communist government, the organisation said. Then-Father

a fraction of the buildings taken because a shortage of priests would make it impassible to staff the entire inventory.

resisting the merger.

The church buildings sought are owned by the state, but have been used by the Orthodox Church since the forced unification.

Archbishop Todea said the church sought the immediate return of only

said he opposes an Orthodox plan to allocate the buildings according to the number of Catholics and Orthodox, because of the virtual Orthodox monopoly on religion in Romania until the fall of the communist administration in late December 1989.

ian Orthodox in 1948

Todea was jailed, with many other priests, for

Archbishop Todea has

Head of Opus Dei named bishop VATICAN CITY (CNS):

The head of Opus Dei, a worldwide organisation of lay Catholics and priests, has been named a bishop

by Pope John Paul N. The pope named Monsignor Alvaro del Portillo titular bishop of Vita. The prelate has headed Opus Dei since 1975.

An Opus Dei spokesman in Rome said the appointment would not alter the juridical struc-

Successful

^

ture of the organisation, nor affect relations between Opus members and local bishops.

Opus Dei has always worked "in perfect union with the ordinary of the diocese", said the spokesman, Giuseppe Corigliano.

This appointment should help strengthen those ties, he said.

Opus Dei — Latin for

"God's Work" — has

centres in some 300

dioceses around the world. Its approximately 75,000 lay members are guided by some 1350 member-priests. It was made a personal prelature in 1982.

The organisation was founded in 1928 by Spanish Monsignor Jose Maria Escrivca de Balaguer. Its aim is to spread throughout society an awareness of the universal call to holiness.

Buying...

Selling...

Promoting... requires regular

ADVERTISING! This space costs $42

The Daughters of Charity

NEED YOUR HELP for their work for the development of the underprivileged

URGENTLY NEEDED Clothing, clean, wearable — household goods — nick-nacks — ornaments, jewellery etc.

Deliver to 534 William Street, Highgate For truck to call — Phone 328 4403

Willis&Elliott

Optometrists ana Contact Lens Practitioners BRUCE WILLIS B. OPTOM

175 Scarborough Beach Road Mount Hawthorn

Ti• 444 3543/444 5288 Hours Extended to 830.Thursday Evening

Arrange your funeral now and give you and your family peace of mind.

Horizons, the Donald J. Chipper & Son Pre-Arrangement Funeral Plan.

Horizons is the sensitive and realistic approach to planning your funeral.

It means your loved ones won't have the burden of having to face such distressing decisions at a very difficult and emotional time. And you'll be assured that the funeral is carried out according to your wishes.

Horizons allows you to pay for your funeral in advance. This once-only, inflation-proof payment protects your pension and guarantees you'll receive all the dignity and honour of a Donald J. Chipper & Son funeral.

Call Kim Chipper now to discuss details of this special Funeral Plan.

Telephone 381 5888 (24 hours a day)

1p

Donald J.Chipper & Son. Funeral Directors

COMPASSION, KINDNESS 6i. CARE-

SUB1ACO: 385 Rokeby Rd. Tel. 381 5888 BOORAGOON: 506 Maffnion St. Tel. 330 6344 ROCKINGHAM: 6 Rohnsort PI. Tel. 528 1244 MANDURAH: Arnold Sr. Tel. 535 4166

The Record, January 3, 1991 5

MIN

School an agent of • change We all want to improve the society we live in.

Some of us would like to see quite radical change: I know I should.

Almost automatically we think of schools as readily available and effective agents of change.

People even drag out the hoary old libel on the Jesuits: 'Give me a child till it's seven and I don't care who gets it afterwards'.

We have seen the agent of change slogan bring students to the barricades in protest against injustices of all kinds.

Even children at school, the argument goes, should literally be doing battle - to bring down structures that are standing in the way — schools and universities among them.

Children's Crusades of this kind do great harm.

They are almost totally destructive, not least to those who engage in them. To commit children to political action is to indoctrinate them. We should no more use children to fight our political battles than we

should use them to mine our coal or our uranium.

By Fr John W. Doyle Enthusiastic active engagement in public compassion can hinder and of ineffectual action; causes — however just growth into personal and to exercise students these may be — Ls as autonomy. All too easy to in appropriate social harmful to schooling as fan it into destructive activities. was the child labour of a conflagration and mob Intermediate between hundred years ago and violence. the family and the wider more.

Great harm Dames from world, the school in itself Besides, successful exposing young people to a society whose members action needs more than a strong emotional should be active within good cause and popular pressure. it. approval. It needs the Working together to In other words, the professional competence emphasis at school and improve their own comonly arduous training university is on under- munity, they learn by can ensure. standing and evaluation experience to appreciate It is at school and rather than on feelings; both the freedoms and university that one on performance rather the constraints communacquires the knowledge than intention; on teach- ity living implies. and skills that give this ing and learning rather They thus gradually competence, which than on preaching and acquire a quite mature includes the ability to discipleship. understanding of how understand the goodness It is in this way that the fragile social structures of the cause and the school is the effective are, and of how careful consequences of action. agent of change we wish we have to be not to Most important, it is at it to be. destroy what we are school that one quietly The proper political trying to improve. builds up the articulate activity of the school is to The school will also and coherent value sys- establish moral princi- take its students out tem that is to direct the ples related to civic among the poor and whole of one's life... concern; to foster local needy — not that all Quietly — that is, with- loyalties; to furnish needs are associated with out undue emotional instances (chiefly indigence. involvement, as the very through literature, hisThis experience shows title 'school' suggests. tory and the integrity of that many of the things We should encourage its teachers) of men and that hurt people most the natural compassion women who have can be dealt with quite and enthusiasm of youth. improved our human easily — like having noWe must recognise, condition, as well as of one to talk to or to do odd though, that enthusiastic evil or misguided people jobs about the house.

In this way, too, students get to know what community resources are available and how these need to be supplemented by private or government aid.

More important, they gradually acquire a caring mind that is sensitive to opportunities for helping people without humiliating them or being bossy.

Young people who work like this for an hour or two a week soon come to realise that many situations call for more than good will and the simple skills everybody has. They demand professional competence of a high order. Good intentions are no substitute for ability to act effectively.

There are clearly many ways in which social activity of this kind is appropriate for school and university students.

• It asks of them no more than they can perform.

• It is a realistic outlet for their compassion.

• It gives a taste of the satisfaction there is in working with other people and making them happy-

• It integrates them into the community and establishes the care that readily blossoms into patriotism and political service.

• It brings home the nobility of even unskilled work. (The land is green and pleasant only when somebody has picked up the bottles and been:ans).

• It encourages concentration on the study necessary to achieve the professional competence on which effective change depends.

• Some it will inspire to make politics their career of service.

• All it will help to choose a rewarding occupation, and to be less unhappy if their first choice is not immediately available.

These, then, are some of the ways in which I see schools helping to build the new society of our dreams.

So long as schools and universities perform well their own proper task, they are very effective agents of change.

Pr Doyle is Dean of Studies at St John Fisher College within the University of

A parable of two seasons...

lbs Christmas become a papa feast for the papas? Why sot? And whM about the Jews?

They ham something to celebrate also at Christmas.

Why shouldn't Christians, Jews and pagans find something to celebrate in common at this time of the year?

And if that suggestion doesn't suit some people then there's always the possibility of celebrating Christmas in October.

The early Christians were poor, but practical.

They loved their bard deeply, with great respect for his teachings — to remember him in love by joining Him and

fellow Christians at a reenactment of the Last Supper whenever possible, to remember him in humility in a spiritual washing of the feet of fellow Christians, so as to be each others servants; and to always obey the spirit but not necessarily the letter of the law.

To the Christians, all days are Holy-Days, but times spent together in worship, joy and praise are special.

When the Jews rejected them in their places of worship and Jewish law made Christian fellowship difficult on the seventh day, they made the Lord's day the first day.

6 The Record, January 3, 1991

It was appropriate — the day our Lord rose to a new life, the start of a new week. This was the spirit and not the letter of the law of the Ten Commandments, and they still respected the Jewish law on Saturday.

For centuries the Christians lived under pagan civil law, and Jesus had told them to obey the law.

In particular they had to observe the great pagan festivals which applied even to slaves — Saturnalia and the festival of Eostre. The Christians did not revolt, they showed their common sense (and sense of humour!) and "chris-

By Robert Davis tened" them.

Saturnalia was the festival of the birth of the god of the sun — it was the northern shortest day, now several days earlier.

Our people went along with the pagans, and worshipped the birth of the Son of God instead.

It was also at the same time as the Jewish festival of the Dedication of the Temple, celebrated

by Jesus in the Gospel of John (10:22,23).

If the Christians had had a choice, Christmas would have been on October the first because

it was nine months after the Annunciation — January the first of year one being the first day of Anno Domini — • the Christian eve; at least in theory! .

This is why until quite recently the official New Years Day in England was March the 25, Lady Day, and the years numbered accordingly (and confusingly!).

The festival of Easter is more remarkable, in that our practical Christians did not even change the ancient name.

This holiday was calculated by the phases of that other great "heavenly body", the moon, and was for the worship

of the goddess of the dawn, Eostre. This tied it to Passover, the Jewish festival, and the Resurrection of Jesus The Christians worshipped the dawn of the Kingdom of God and the Risen Christ.

Parables are supposed to have a moral — perhaps it is this You do not have to be disagreeable to those you do not agree with!

These two great festivals are shared by Christian. Jew and pagan alike, even if our modern pagans forget what they are celebrating. People who go about telling us that Christmas is a pagan festival, and that it

should have been held in October are partly right; but it is pagan only for pagans. To the Jews, it is Jewish. People are welcome to celebrate the birth of Christ in October, according to the letter of the law, as we respect the rights of the many Christians who celebrate Christmas in January and those who continue the Lord's day on Saturday.

But celebrating together is fun, and so it should be.

There is no need to pull on long faces like the Pharisees and the Seducees, we are here to enjoy our life with God and those we share our life with; Christians, pagans, Jews, the lot!

The pain of abortion

causes women to avoid learning the facts about abortion. As a result, Sue Clifford is a many women experience mother of two who lives feelings of pain, guilt and with her family in regret after the abortion which they cannot Western Australia. tion. We haven't lost that understand. child. We have destroyed Sue is a member of Sue speaks of :post- that child."

WHBA (Women Hurt By Abortion), previously abortion syndrome', a Women may deny the WEBA (Women Explo- condition of stress which abortion — or force it many women experience ited By Abortion). from memory — by after an abortion. throwing themselves Recently, at an anti"This stress results into work, drugs or abortion rally in the Supreme Court Gardens, when she feels the need alcohol, even by moving and a breakfast preceed- to grieve but doesn't halfway around the ing the event, Sue spoke recognise this grief or world. allow it to occur," Sue on abortion's effects.

Relationships with past said. and/or future children Having had an abortion "Although allowed, , may be badly effected. herself 12 years ago, Sue cincially is able to speak from abortion is still "Children so desperunacceptable so nobody experience about the ately need us — not jut gives us permission to pain undergone by many want us, they need all of, women after abortions. . grieve openly. . . . We us — but when your must suffer in secret." heart is filled with pain Working one day a Sue explained that and guilt and regret, it is week at Pregnancy Problem House in Belmont, although abortion is a unable to love fully. it's Perth, 'Sue comes in death experience, it unable to give." contact with many cannot be worked Sue approached the end women who are dis- through in the same way of her presentation with other death tressed over their as a revelation she wanted experiences. pregnancies. to share with those "There is no funeral present — a Christian "I see their struggle as they sit in the counsel- where friends and loved perspective on the act ling room," she said. ones can acknowledge and its consequences: our loss and share our "They are so torn."

"Abortion is a deceiving grief. We have no support Sue referred to many system because usually thing. It was born out of women who choose few people are told about the heart of a deceiver — Satan. abortions as being 'vic- the abortion. tims of choice". The "It breeds deceit and it anxiety which drives • "Mourning the loss of covers deceit. It is powerthem, to undergo abor- an aborted baby is ful and it destroys wondtions is not so much difficult because the erfully. Not only the related to the pregnancy baby only exists in our bodies of unborn babies, in itself, but its possible minds and that is usually but the souls of the men a bloody memory," she and women involved in consequences. said, alluding to the "When she says to us in experience many women it. that counselling room 'I have of seeing the "Death by abortion is don't want my baby', remains of their babies gruesome. It is violent. It what she's saying to me is after the abortion. is bloody. It is hideous. 'it's not the child I don't . "It dismembers its vicSue spoke of the denial tims while they are still want. I don't want this pregnancy,— Sue many women seek alive. Sick and twisted is refuge in. explained. the mind of Satan."

"The basis of a woman's Prospects such as added Sue ended by sharing financial burden, infrin- denial is the fact that with her audience the gements on freedom, fear abortion took the life of belief we hold as Chrisof what others will say, or her child and she tians that our God is the concern over career are, allowed it to happen." God of light. all factors which may she said.

In Jesus there was, and make abortion seem She pointed out that • is hope. Not only for the desirable. mothers and fathers "are many millions of unborn Sue sees fear as being a the parents of dead or babies destroyed by this common thread in wom- alive babies. terrible act, but also for en's decisions to abort "There is something those who have pertheir babies different about losing a formed, or undergone it.

This same fear, she says, baby through that abor- In Sue's own words, "It

By Nana Howard

Manning's gulf message As most West Australians celebrated Christmas this year the impeleding war in the Middle East seemed far away and somehow unreal.

The parishioners in Manning however, were brought to awareness by a letter received in their Parish and published in their weekly bulletin.

The letter was from Elsa and Louis, two doctors practising in Saudi Arabia, who wrote to their friend Father Michael Gatt sending greetings to him and the Parish of Manning.

Elsa and louts are also parents of nine children, one of whom David, is a doctor with the British medical team in Jujkail, which is in Eastern Saudi, a prime oil target, well within range of Scud missiles about 320km from the Kuwait border.

David has been given They asked the people four days leave so he will in Manning to pray for be home in Jeddah for peace in the way that Christmas. It will be a Our Lady has asked by bittersweet homecoming • way of penance, sacrifice as they dread his return and conversion. to the dangerous target The parish of Manning area. felt very privileged to share this letter with They described the Father Michael and felt it tension in their lives as should be shared by all of they prepare for Christ- ,us in Parishes in the mas this year with the Diocese so that our . the prayers could be joined January 15th dreaded deadline for the with people like Elsa and.

Gulf, the threat of war Louis who actually live hangs heavily on us all with the threat of war. with no chink of light yet They finish their letter to give any hope'. . . . pray for ours and David's life and the lives Elsa and Louis asked for millions of of many prayers for peace from the people of Manning. others that they be not just for them but the trustingly and confiwhole world. Not a peace dently left in God's hand. that would enable us to His will be done — He is get on with our lives merciful, but He is just.

"God be with you without interruption and fear of death. but God's always. Greetings from peace, a peace where Louis and Elsa." people turn back to Maureen Chamberlain Christ.

matters not to God who we are. Rich or poor, whole or unwhole, married or unmarried."

While the grief or guilt association with an abortion will not go away by themselves, there is infinite hope for those who turn to Jesus and offer him their torn hearts and lives.

"Oh my Jesus, how beautiful you are."

• What will Christmas mean to Nanda?

Nanda and her family had been doing well. Many years of backbreaking toil had seen their small farm slowly become productive. They had food on their table and produce to trade. The prospect of a good education for her children was no longer a dream.

Then came the fighting.

Like so much conflict in the world today, it came suddenly, with no warning, no reason, no sense.

And like so many caught in the path of conflict, Nanda and her family were forced to turn their backs on everything they held precious and flee for their very lives.

Christmas will find Nanda where she and her family are today: in a refugee camp. Where time stands still and one day is no different from the last. Where she and her family can only wait and pray that when the waiting ends they will have the will and the strength to return and start again.

Will you share your Christmas with the world's refugees?

IM UM NM ME ME WM ME SIM MS WM NM Australian Catholic Relief t 19 MacKenzie Street North Sydney 2060

ElI'd like to help and enclose a donation $ 0 Please debit my Bankcard El Please debit my Visa 0 Please debit my MasterCard 1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

with the amount of $ Expiry date of card Signed_

Mr/Mrs/Miss

OILOCKlettersp,ease

Postcode _ Donations over $2 are tax deductible MT517T l u um um um ism um mm um am mui UM

The Record, January 3, 1991 7

The fourth bifiSe Marl •

By Janaan Manternach

Long, long ago, the legend goes, four wise men of the East saw a bright new star one night. For them, every star was like a word speaking of life's deep mysteries.

The four studied their scrolls. They read of a special new star that spoke of a newborn king in a far-off land. This king would be greater than any king.

So the four packed their camels for a long journey across the desert sands. Each packed a precious gift for the newborn king. Caspar took gold. Melchior carried frankincense. Balthasar had a package of myrrh. Artaban bore a sparkling jewel.

They set out with the new star as their guide.

Deep in the desert they came upon a sick traveller, Artaban stopped to care for him. The others pressed on.

A Christmas visitor

By Janaan Manternach Long ago in a faraway land to the East, a poor woman lived all alone. Her husband had died.

Her children had grown up and moved away.

She spent her days cleaning her small house, going to the village well to get water, chatting with her neighbours.

One night, three loud knocks on her door shattered her sleep. She jumped from her bed, shaking with fear.

She lit a candle, rushed to the door and slowly opened it.

What she saw made her knees tremble.

Three strong but gentle men dressed in royal robes and wearing kingly crowns stood at her door.

"Come in, come in, my lords," she said, bowing low before them. "You must be weary and hungry.

My house is yours."

The three wise kings thanked the kind woman and entered.

"We are following a star," they said. "It will lead us to a baby, a new king, who will wipe away everyone's tears, heal people's hurts and bring peace to every heart."

"I'd love to see this great new king," the woman told them. 'Td love to hold this baby in my arms."

'Then come with us," the three kings said in one voice.

The poor woman could hardly believe her ears. Her heart pounded with excitement. Then the light in her eyes grew dim. "fel love to go," she

said sadly. "But I must clean my house and cook my meals. I have so much to do."

The three kings felt sad as they said goodbye. She stood long by the door, gazing after them until the swirling desert sand swept them up.

She began to cook and clean, but her heart felt hollow.

Tears washed her cheeks.

"What a fool I am," she said sadly, softly, over and over again.

"I, too, must find the newborn king."

She hastily packed her small bag. In it, she hid a small gift for the baby king.

She set off on foot, following the footsteps of the wise men's camels. But she soon lost the trail.

On and on she trudged. Days turned into weeks, weeks became months and months melted into years. She stopped at every village, visited every house, searching for the child.

After many years, she learned his name, Jesus, the Christ child.

Many years later she learned that the three wise kings had found him. The good news spurred her on.

Her search goes on to this day. At Christmas, she visits every home where she finds children. Her bag is filled now with gifts of all kinds for the child of her heart.

Not finding him, she leaves a gift in his name for every good child she does find.

In Russia they call her Babouschka. In Italy she is Lady Bafana. Along her way she finds the Christ child in every child she sees.

El The Record, January 3, 1991

as he rushed through the narrow Jerusalem streets toward Calvary, the place of crucifixions.

But as he crossed a street, he saw a frightened woman bound in heavy chains. Fierce-looking men pulled and pushed her, on their way to sell her as a slave.

She looked up at the wise man. She cried out to him. Artaban begged the men to set her free.

They demanded money in return.

The wise man reached deep into his pocket.

He drew out the precious stone, his gift for the king he longed to honour. He gave the jewel to the woman's captors. They removed the heavy chains and set her free.

Artaban now ran to Calvary. But again he was too late. Jesus, the king of his heart, was dead.

Artaban fell to the ground and cried.

Few people remember Artaban, the fourth wise man. Some say it is sad he never met Christ the king after searching 30 years. Others, knowing better, say he met Christ twice.

Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar folloyked the star to Bethlehem. There they found the newborn king, Jesus, in the arms of his mother, Mary.

Joseph welcome the three wise men into their temporary home, a stable.

The three wise men placed their gifts at the new king's manger bed. Soon after, warned of danger from evil King Herod, the three wise men set out for home.

That night, Mary and Joseph escaped flrough the dark, taking Jesus to safety in Egypt.

The next day Artaban finally reached Bethlehem. But the new born king was no longer there. Artaban was sad. He was determ ned to find the king, but the guiding star was goae.

For 30 years, Artaban searched the world for the infant king. Finally one day he heard that the king he sought was in Jerusalem. Artaban rushed to the great city, only to learn that his king was condemned to die on a cross.

Artaban made sure he had the precious jewel

the number the universality of the would be limited to Epiphany event. three, probably because The kings were picof the number of gifts. tured as representing all Every Christmas and major races known of the the century sixth the By e very Epiphany we the time: the African, at be would magi three magi the remember Asian and the European a doring the infant given names. races. varied names These Christ.

In the beginning it but At some point during according to region. seems that Melchior was the holidays we will, no in the West they were pictured as the black doubt, listen to Gian named Caspar. Melchior African, Balthasar as the There was Balthasar. and Carlo Menotti's opera Asian and Caspar as the however, inconsistency, "Amahl and the Night European.

These desigwas which gift regarding Visitors", the dramatic nations tended to shift, musical presentation of associated with which however. the visit of the magi to the person. carried usually Caspar Often Balthasar was Christ child. ictured as black. And in carMelchior gold. p the When the magi are history of art, the Balthasar and the myrrh ried portrayed, they are clad king has been black incense. in rich and costly garStill, the latter two gifts named either Balthasar ments, carrying gifts of or Melchior. usually gold. incense and myrrh. often were reversed. the gift of a gumlike substance The more important carrying myrrh. once used in preparing development, however, In the course of the bodies for burial. was the evolution of the enturies, many places c In many portrayals, magi, as wise men, to the the bodies of the —and very kings of claimed rank Menotti's including opera. one of the magi exotic kings at that. That three kings. had taken place by the will be black.

In the 12th century, the century. ninth Holy Roman Emperor The magi make their The liturgy of Epi- Frederick Barbarossa appearance in the infancy narrative in the phany, with the use of moved what he thought Psalm 72:10-11, helped were the relics from Gospel of Matthew.

They are strangers change the focus from Milan to Cologne.

Here the purported arriving from the East. wisdom to royalty -The kings of Tarshish relics continue to be perhaps Persia or Arabia, to adore the infant and the Isles shall offer enshrined in a magnifiChrist. They are astrolog- gifts; the kings of Arabia cent reliquary behind ers and astronomers, and Seba shall bring the high altar. students of the stars and tribute. All kings shall It is of little importance the meaning of their pay him homage, all that the historical facts nations shall serve him." regarding the magi are movements. was not number Their It is about this time also too meagre. It is the given. that the symbolism of the symbolism that art and In later times this event three visitors was shifted music have created that would be explained and from the adoration of the shows the real imporwisdom community to tance of the three kings. elaborated.

By Father Cyprian Davis, OSB

Which of the magi was black.

It is significant that in medieval Europe where most had never seen a black man, the most popular black person known was a rich, exotic, fabulous king who was one of three wise men bearing gifts to the Lord at his birth, writes Benedictine Father Cyprian Davis.

First,

IMMO,

Legend has it that long ago a woman who turned down an invitation to join the wise men in search of the child Jesus quickly realised her mistake and searches on her own to this day for the Christ child and finds him in every child she sees, says Janaan Manternach.

hildren's Story Hour

n full ness of time

By Father John Castelot

In boiling an egg, you keep one eye on the little hour glass. When the bottom half is full of sand, you know it is time to get cracking.

The "fullness of time" has come.

This idea is behind St

Paul's statement in Galatians 4:4: "Rut when the fullness of tine had come, God sent Ins son born of a woman.'

By sending his son on his saving missien. God brought to a decisive turning point the plan he had for huminity's happiness.

"God chose us Ti him before the world began,

to be holy and blameless in his sight, to be full of love; he likewise predestined us through Christ Jesus to be his adopted children" (Ephesians 1:4-6).

God had created humans in his image.

To be in God's image is to be given a share in God's creative love. It means that to be authentically human, to

fulfill God's intention in creating us, we must love — selflessly, creatively.

human beings, they would need to be shown the way.

Not to love is to become

To this end, God "sent forth his son", who was perfectly in God's image.

"He is the image of the invisible god, the firstborn of all creatures"

subhuman. As Paul put it in his famous hymn to love: If I "have not love,! am nothing".

Sadly, men and women chose self-love over creative love. This choice destroyed them. To regain their dignity as

(Col. 1:15).

People could see in Jesus what it was like to be really, gloriously

human. For they had as a model not some mythical, unreal ideal. but a flesh-and-blood man.

Jesus shared all their their weaknesses, their ordinariness, uncertainty and fear and pain. He could and did rise above these obstacles. And he did this in a strangely paradoxical way, by

denying himself, by setting on its ear all that society prescribes as the secret of happiness. from nobody A nowhere, born and raised in humble circumstances, Jesus changed the course of human history, pointing humanity toward its original dignity. Jesus did this by loving creatively

and selflessly.

Even Jesus' loveinspired death was creative it empowered those who became one with him in faith and love to share in his glory.

And he did this as one of us. That is the whole point of the incarnation — of Christmas when the word became flesh. is a Christmas

celebration of humanity Christmas is a ringinf proclamation that human life is precious destined for glory.

Christmas says once more that the secret col human fulfillment and happiness is love, human love — the love and fleshand-blood men and women created to share the creative love of theii maker.

The Record, January 3, 1991

9

Perth plays big role in international fraternity.

Above: Mr Frank Carr (left) in an audience with the pope. In the centre is Mr Kevin Horgan.

Left: The community leaders at Mass in the pope's private chapel.

411.44,. *:# *

Perth's Bethel Covenant Community has played a leading role in the formation of the International Catholic Fraternity.

Two of the community's leaders, Mr Kevin Horgan and Mr Frank Carr, were among leaders of 13 covenant communities from throughout the world who met with Pope John Paul II last month as part of the inauguration of the Catholic Fraternity of Covenant Communities and Fellowships.

Mr Horgan has been elected as treasurer of the fraternity while another Australian, Mr Brian Smith of the Emmanuel Covenant Community in Brisbane has been elected founding president.

Papal recognition of the fraternity as a private association was "the most significant event in the history of the charismatic renewal", said Mr Smith.

"It is the first time the renewal has had formal canonical recognition by the Vatican," he said.

The fraternity has been deemed an international private association of members of the faithful having juridicial personality in accordance with Canon 322 of the Code of Canon Law. In the decree promulgated by Cardinal Pironio, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, on November 30, it was stated that the Catholic Fraternity had been "motivated by the desire both to assure greater dialogue and collaboration among themselves and to deepen their communion with the Successor of Peter as an essential element of their Catholic identity".

Archbishop Foley has appointed Fr Chris Ross OSM as ecclesiastical adviser for the Bethel Community which is currently finalising its statutes for the Catholic Fellowship within the Archdiocese of Perth.

Archbishop Foley said the International Catholic Fraternity was "an important thing to happen".

"It is also important for people to know the facts of what has happened," he said.

Mr Horgan said the Australian covenant communities had been to the forefront in the 10 The Record, January 3, 1991

-„ &.•

development of the fraternity reflecting a "great desire for closer links with the Catholic Church".

"To this end, communities have related closely with respective archbishops throughout Australia and have received support, guidance and encouragement," Mr Horgan said.

After meeting with Archbishop Foley recently, Mr Horgan, who is the overall leader of the Bethel Covenant Community, said the papal decree would encourage the members of the community to commit themselves to giving renewed vigour to the Catholic expression of the renewal in the Spirit.

It was also hoped this recognition would intensify the involvement of the fraternity in the life and mission of the Church and enable it to respond more fully to the appeal by the Holy Father for "a new evangelisation of the world as we approach the year 2000".

The Bethel Community, founded 12 years ago in Perth, consists of about 360 people, 98 per cent of whom are Catholic.

• • As a Public Benevolent Institution it aims to help people from any background regardless of their affiliation or circumstances.

Its goal is to build up people by supporting Christian values that enable a just multicultural society to flourish, while protecting the rights of each individual.

By running conferences and seminars it helps to expose people to solid Christian teachings.

Since its inception, Bethel has been closely associated with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and holds two weekly outreach prayer meetings for the renewal.

Bethel was one of three foundation members of the International Brotherhood of Communities (IBOC) formed seven years ago to provide a "meeting tent" for Catholic and ecumenical charismatic covenant leaders throughout the world, to grow as brothers, and to receive encouragement from each other.

The fraternity had its genesis in IBOC as the

Catholic members pursued a deep desire to be formally associated with the Church in seeking guidance and covering for their communities.

During the Rome meeting, the Pontifical Council for the Laity appointed Bishop Albert de Monleon O.P. from France as spiritual adviser to the fraternity.

Bishop de Monleon is a member'of the Emmanuel Community in Paris. He was a driving force behind the current 120 young men from that community entering studies for the priesthood.'

Communities that wish to be members of the fraternity would initially inquire through a representative of their region submitting their statutes.

This would then be further submitted to the full executive for consideration.

Emmanuel Covenant Community, Brisbane, Australia.

Hephzibah Covenant Community, Canberra, Australia.

Hephzibah Covenant Community, Melbourne, Australia.

The Christian Community of God's Delight, Dallas, Texas, USA. Bread of Life Covenant Community Saskatoon, Canada.

Bread of Life Fellowship, Sydney, Australia.

City of the Lord Covenant Community Arizona and California, USA. Bethel Covenant Community, Perth, Australia.

Emmanuel Community, Paris, France.

Glory to God Covenant Community, Topeka, Kansas, USA. Light of Jesus Christ Covenant Community, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Servants of Jesus Fellowship, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Servants of Yahweh Covenant Community, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Big battle• against contamination Ms Segal If the average Perth dence of birth defects substances which have unborn children who inhabitant knew to where mothers. have proven to be toxic (to the can be affected by toxins what extent their habi- been in contact or resi- termites and we believe in the womb through the tat is being poisoned by dent within premises us), a pest control market mother's ingestion of toxic applications, they where white ant deter- has been established poisonous chemicals. would be horrified. rant toxins have been wherein according to Some concerned mothThe general lay ignor- applied either just before spokeswoman Ms Naomi ers have presented to ance in the field has conception, during preg- Segal of Householders authorities, political and meant that authorities nancy or during lacta- for Safe Pesticide Use, health, a brief sample list who purchase and dis- tion, you really would personnel are largely of mothers who have tribute these toxic chem- think someone had poorly trained and with suffered the trauma of icals under the heading enough conscience in the very limited training miscarriage, stillbirth, upon neo-natal death or birth — eradication of pests, public arena where pur- requirements are therefore able to do chases of such dangerous them. abnormality. pretty much their own chemicals are purchased, There are around 700 All were exposed to thing without many to eliminate them from operators working for organochlorine contamiour market. checks being applied. about 300 firms; these nation either during There is also the distinct And those that are are the legal ones, she their pregnancy or conapplied — how stringent reluctance on the part of said, but there are also a ceived shortly after expothe controls, unbiased, pest control companies number of illegal opera- sure to sprayed and intelligently selected and government 'health tors. And there are only chemicals. guardians' to allow that are they? a handful of health Their list is small, the It is disturbing to realise these poisons have been surveyors regulating and mothers claim, as against that we people in Perth influential or a direct controlling the industry the real figure. " the alone, it has been stated, cause in affecting per- in health One mother who had have been subjected to manent defects in babies. department. her breast milk examten times more use of It is much easier, for When you look at the ined by the Health heptachlor than any- whatever their reasons numbers of treatments Department was told if where else we've heard are, to just pretend a given out — 300 in one she was a cow she'd be problem health hazard of. week by one company — put out to pasture, her You can discount the doesn't exist, and contheir task is too great to chemical residue in the third world countries for tinue buying and using at cover adequately. milk was so high. comparisons, because public expense.

To educate people as to She concluded that Even the innocent egg the dangers of what is obviously with their largely illitermore priority ate populations they are has become a health being done to their home is given to cows than neither educated nor hazard with its high and environment, wher- humans because it's still informed enough to be amounts of toxic chemi- eby organo- okay for her to breastfeed the able to monitor their cals, merely because the chlorinated pesticide her offspring. Mothers fowls are scratching application could remain are faced toxic applications. with the around on previously in the soil for longer than dilemma of Hence the fact that they brfAstfeedcontaminated soil.

20 years! Ms Segal and ing, knowing their milk are overusing these danIn a young country such her group lobby author- is contaminated, or riskgerous chemicals. as Australia, it hasn't ities and try to educate ing animal milk — For our situation in taken us long to saturate people at large, as much which is also affected.

Perth there is no excuse. with poison our young, as possible.

And wherever you go We are well educated, relatively virgin earth.

She believes some pesti- on this planet, it's the intelligent enough to All this in this last cides should be removed same story. Ms Segal know they are harmful, century. Heaven help the from the list as being stated that even in the yet continue to purchase next generation. What =acceptably dangerous pristine habitat of the dumped chemicals from clean earth, or air for that and described how one Artic Circle organochloother first world coun- matter, can they possibly study showed that orgarifles have been found in tries which have banned expect? nochlorine pesticide lev- living organisms. their use for home WA has some damaging els increased in breast Man with his poison consumption. species of termites and milk for as long as five has contaminated anyHow can it therefore be this has created a market years after a single thing and everything. unsafe for them but safe which has been over treatment to the mother's This magnificent unifor us? Economics being exploited in terms of home. verse took millions of what they are, for their chemical application.

Her organisation works years to develop and part they are delighted Struck with the fear to convince public health evolve and remain priswith a market for their that our houses will be institutions into recog- tine perfect, yet man in unacceptable products. eaten away by white nising, albeit reluctantly, his basic greed and With cancer and aller- ants, combined with a that something has to be ignorance, has done gies rising, not to men- council which insists on done to safeguard people everything he could to tion the appalling evi- mandatory application of and especially innocent destroy whatever he can,

usually motivated by money, within one or two generations.

Easy wasn't it? But now no-one can escape from it because we are all affected. It's within our earth, atmosphere (thanks to the French detonations), our water and food chains.

Wildlife is dying along with vegetation, slaughtered by the merciless 'progress' man has made with his indiscriminate and often irrational poison applications.

What could be crazier than seeing council workers spraying underneath stop lights at crossings, blue metal along railway lines and even, heaven forbid but it still happens, sand pits in kindergartens!! How unintelligent. How brutal. How deadly.

One has to conclude that behind it all is a purchasing officer somewhere, who is friendly with a chemical salesman, backed by a country who wants to dump its deadly wares.

Combine greed with graft and we get the produce — and so do the next generations.

Wouldn't you think someone would care enough and have enough conscience to put an immediate stop to the cycle of greed, graft, ignorance and destruction by contamination.

But whatever measures they state they are taking, they are insufficient and too tardy.

After all — how can a first world country, as Australia is, justify the continuing purchase of these dumped chemicals? There is simply no justifiable excuse.

For the mothers listed and their babies, it's already too late. Their

cancers will continue to children were either rise. stillborn or with defects they'll carry through life, Those responsible for or in many cases, their spraying also have to lives terminated by the look themselves honestly defects. in the face and say — would I do this to my Some were born with family? Do I really know no skull at the back of the head, spina bifida, born how potent these chemwithout a diaphragm, icals are? Am I prepared to poison even more, this miscarriages, heart problems, extra diFits, multi- very earth we depend on ple handic.aps, hole in the for our sustenance? heart, cerebral palsy, Above all, do we really many cases of failure to want it on our conthrive even after months science to know that we in a neonatal ward, rectal may have been responsiabnormalities, mental ble in ruining the potenretardation, no external tial life of an unborn outlets, spine deformi- child? Because that ties, no thyroid gland. no indeed would be a heavy anus, numerous cases of burden to carry. bowel abnormalities, no We in my generation bile system, blind, limb were blessed, because deformity, eyes not man hadn't got his hands formed, kidneys fused to on the vast chemical piles each other, twisted pushed now by the bodies, bowels in stom- multi-national greedy ach — and so it goes on. giants, and as a result we In all these cases, the have a much greater mothers have been chance of longevity than exposed to and ingested children born today who toxic chemicals used in eat, drink, sleep and spraying. breathe contaminants The object of this article even before they're born. is not to accuse any In the absence of specific person or com- dynamic action to stop pany, it is merely to raise the ruthless poisoning of public and business our universe, then people awaren s as to what is must make themselves really happening out more informed, ask more there and everyone who questions of those who lives on this planet has a spray and refuse coverresponsibility to other up answers such as it is human beings to minim- a safe limit' when no ise the dangers they poison is ever contained cause to their fellow within a 'safe' limit. How man. can a poison be 'safe'?

In particular each has And until we refuse to an extremely important accept such ridiculous responsibility to ensure answers given out to the our children are not gullible, we'll only perpoisoned even while in mit through passivity, the womb. And mothers such continuing destruchave a right to feed their tion of ourselves and our babies breast milk that environment. isn't poisoned.

If they won't act, then If we continue with the we must, even for the indiscriminate casual sake of our children and and deliberate use of all subsequent generapoisons as we have been tions of men who don't and are, then we can deserve to inherit the continue to expect mess we've made of this genetic mutations and once beautiful and dean abnormalities and our environment.

The Record, January 3, 1991

11

L3

to the Editor

How to solve the Gulf crisis from Bryan CASEY, Bicton Sir, I am dismayed by the lead article of Sydney and Brisbane archbishop's statements 'War V Peace" and by the Church leaders low key voice on the Gulf crises.

(The Record, December 27).

Unless something is done in the next few days the world may see a conflict which could leave hundreds of thousands dead, huge areas of God's good earth destroyed by poison or destruction and many lives shattered. The consequences of the conflict would be

unpredictable; possibly precipitating the collapse of the moderates in Russia, with a return to the old Cold War position, the polarisation of the Islamic countries against the West by overthrow of sympathetic Islamic governments, attack on Israel and world economic collapse. •

the shots but it is the ordinary people who will be the casualties of this war as with all wars. I believe the Church should be doing much more to protect the ordinary people most of whom do not want a war.

sage; "Peace on Earth and goodwill to all". Christ spoke the same message but told us in specifics how to achieve peace. "If you are hit on the cheek turn the other cheek." "How many times should you forgive? Not seven times but 70 times seven times" Matt. 18.21.

"Love your enemies, pray for your persecutors." Matt 5.

43. And from the Mosaic Law -Thou shalt not kill".

From these four words we base our objection to abortion, to euthanasia and to other forms of murder. Yet throughout history they have not been used as an objection to war. How

different the world may have been if they were I am not a total pacifist because sometimes great evil has to be stopped by force, eg Hitler. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq is quite clearly an act of unprovoked aggression which should not be tolerated by the rest of the world. But there are other ways of punishing Iraq than by war with its enormous consequences.

it has mostly unfriendly governments around it blocking off land supply routes, it has only one major export, oil, it has a small manufacturing base, and it has a limited agricultural base from which to feed its people.

Perhaps the Church, with its great moral authority, should be encouraging those world leaders who have the lives of thousands in their hands to look at an alternative course other than a build up for war.

viously major supliers of goods and services should be supported economically. Iraq should then be told that it will not be attacked but that a total blockade of the country will continue until it withdraws from Kuwait The world could then forget about the whole issue until there is a positive response from Iraq.

And yet we have Cardinal Clancy of Sydney saying -The whole dispute seems to be in the hands of a few powerful men, and the rest of us feel so helpless"

The Church has 600 million faithful throughout the world and is a great moral leader. It should be shouting from even/ forum possible that the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent people is simply not right.

It may be true that a few powerful people are calling

At Christmas the Church delivers a powerful mes-

Of Mary visions, prayer, claims

What's the hurry Max?

Very important question

from Fr Barry WHITELY, Munster

from J. V. FEENEY, Willagee

Sir, the Church hierarchy is constantly urging people to pray, as I am sure Mary does; so the hierarchy finds no problem in people praying.

However, if, as Maxwell Hammer suggests, (The Record, December 27) people are left to decide for themselves whether or not Marian apparitions are true, there is a real danger that some people 'claiming' to be visionaries will, in the name of Mary, begin to direct peoples' lives according to their own perception of Church teaching and their own preferred practices.

The Pope and Bishops are the appointed teachers and guardians of the faith, which remains true even if apparitions are approved by the Church authorities.

Sir, What's the hurry, Maxwell Hammer (The Record, December 27)?

Following an excited crowd sometimes leads to a bitter disappointment. As an example: Those who worshipped at the Shroud of Turin despite the Church's official stance.

I find that following Our Lady's requests at Lourdes and Fatima (properly validated by the Church hierarchy you denigrate) assists my prayer life.

I am content to wait upon a considered and careful assessment by people who are in a position to make an informed judgement.

The Church has lasted for 2000 years by painstakingly following the magisterium conferred upon her by Christ.

from Brian PEACHEY, Woodlands Sir, Why has the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Office invited Evelyn and James Whitehead to conduct two workshops in early February?

This is a very important question It is planned for the Whiteheads to conduct two workshops titled 'Working together — Collaboration in Ministry" Parishioners are urged to attend one of the workshops for a fee of $60 and if they cannot afford such a large amount, parishes are asked to supplement it I am gravely concerned that the archdiocese has invited the Whiteheads from Chicago to conduct such a series of expensive workshops and that the parishes are asked to support them

from Brother RR °DONOGHUE Kununurra WA Sir, just before Christmas, I visited a leading seller of Catholic books in Perth and inquired about

Minimum $5 for first 28 words. Post or deliver.

No phone ads. Closes noon Wednesday.

BUILDING TRADES

PAXTON, Albert Philip: Born December 16, 1924, died December 29, 1970.

In your prayers please remember the soul of Bert, beloved husband of Mary, and loving father of John, Anne Marie Barter, Tony, and Cathy Ever fondy remembered these 20 years.

Painting, quaky work at the right price. John Freakley. Phone 361 4349.

Women's Catholic League. McGERR. A Mass for the happy repose of the soul of our late member, Mrs Grace McGerr, will be said at the Holy Rosary Church, Nedbrids, on Thursday, January 10 at 9am.

12

MASONRY REPAIRS and restoration: Chemical tightening of soft mortar, re-pointing fretted brickwork, damp-proofing with silicone injection, tuckpointing. Country enquiries welcomed.

Please phone Steve 481 0753.

Building repairs and maintenance. All facets of building trades, eg carpentry, plumbing, roof c arpentry, studwork, stumps, pergolas, carports, additions, concrete, etc. References available, please phone Bob on 410 1436.

The Record, January 3, 1991

I have read their books, "Community in Faith" and "Christian Life Patterns" and the 'Wanderer" of August 2 1990 The -Wanderer" reports on a "Young Adult Conference", held in Pasadena and conducted by the Los Archdiocesan A ngeles Office of Youth Ministry At a workshop, -Catholic and Gay" a paper written by the Whiteheads titled "Spirituality Today — The Shape of Compassion Reflections on Catholics and Homosexuality- was distributed The 'Wanderer - says that: "Their 11 page article was a systematic refutation of the Church's teachings on homosexuality, especially

the Vatican's 1986 document on the Pastoral care of Homosexual Persons" It went on to say "the article ridicules and rejects the Vatican Documents upholding the natural law" The -Wanderer" article is long and quotes much from the Whitehead's paper which is, without doubt, in dissent with the Church's t eaching in "Personae humanae" (1976). This document states that -homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and may never be approved in any way whatever" (S.8) The Whiteheads' paper concluded by affirming that "sexual pleasure is a gift of c reation, not a clever temptation of the devil a conviction grows among many mature believers that homosexual arousal is not unnatural or unholy, that it is part of the gift of creation,

The huge force in the Gulf should be reduced to a size sufficient to deter further Iraqi aggressiorr The naval blockade should continue and countries around Iraq wtiich were pre-

a sign of Gods delight in our bodies" Ralph Mclnerny of Notre Dame University wrote recently "that anyone who wants dissident views on sex and morality and marriage would be pleased with the Whiteheads".

If so called Catholic scholars are prepared to be clearly and publicly in dissent with the magistenum of the Church on any issue, recent history has shown that they will usually be in dissent on a wider range of other issues.

My reading of the Whitehead's "Community of Faith", particularly their chapter on pluralism, once shorn of the sett adulating, pseudo scientific gobbledegook, shows this to be so.

The book which is subtitled "Models and strategies for Developing Christian Communities- does not mention sacrifice or sacrament

I pray and hope that the peace Christ offered the world prevails

It is reasonable to assume from their writings that the workshops on ministry, in a t orrent of high sound pervasive psychologising, will diminish the importance of Holy Order, cleverly confuse many good Catholics on their role in the Church and contribute to the argument for women priests

I object, in the strongest terms, to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Office inviting anyone to conduct a workshop, who is clearly in dissent with the magistenum of the Church and in this case to such an inordinately high charge being made Is it because the Whiteheads demand a fee of several thousand dollars to spread their opposition to the Church's teaching?

It is important that my opening question be answered and that parishes not promote or encourage these workshops

Sellout or a lack of interest?

RECORD CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS IN MEMORIAM

The Whiteheads are openly in dissent with the magistenum of the Church on a variety of issues, especially on matters concerning sexual morality.

Iraq is a near perfect country to strangle by blockade; it has only a narrow access to the sea even with the Kuwait ports,

Once the military enemy has been withdrawn I wonder how long Iraq will be bothered keeping Kuwait when the economic costs are so high And how long will Hussein last in such a scenario. Possibly years but isn't that better and the horrible experience that awaits us rf the war option is invoked

Bricklayer requires large or small jobs, free quotes.

Ring 447 6128 or 405 3426.

Tiling, slate and bathroom renovations. Large and small jobs undertaken.

Experienced first class tradesman. Phone Peter 459 7061 or 459 0115.

RECORD classifieds close noon Wednesdays. Post or deliver.

No phone. $5 for 28 words.

books on Aboriginal people. I was shown a section and told to look there. I found three titles!

Was the demand for such literature so great that there was a sell-out or does this poverty of

supply reflect the retailers experience of a lack of i nterest among Catholic people in the lives and spirituality of Aboriginal people?

If we, as Church, wish to align ourselves with

PERSONAL.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Lady 63 seeks gentleman partner to learn dancing ballroom or/and square danci . Also interested in bush walking, 9MMmin concerts, good music, sharing friends interests. Reply Lady 63 this office Attractive lady (60s) would like smart gentleman partner 5'8" plus for dancing and or bridge.

Phone 457 9449.

FURNITURE CARRIED. One item to housefulk Small, medium, large vans available with one or two men from $24 per hour, all areas. Cartons and cheap storage available.

Mike Murphy 330 N79, 317 1101, 444 0077, 447 8878, 272 3210, 378 3303, 384 8838.

Country callers: 006 198 120.

Raffle Ballajura Catholic Community raffle results.

1st prize ticket 0177; 2nd prize Marynczyn ticket 3893; 3rd prize Andrew Marra ticket 2674.

HOUSE TO LET For rent older style home owned by elderly Catholic couple, now in nursing home. Most convenient position adjoining Ardross shopping area, A pplecross.

Apply 364 6642.

ACCOMMODATION WANTED Accommodation wanted for a friendly Christian lady (mid 40s) urgently.

Please phone 349 0698 as soon as possible.

NOTICE C ARETAKER/HANDYMAN. Do you need a

reliable, honest, conscientious worker, experienced in all aspects and requirements of caretaking and general maintenance of buildings, gardens and grounds?

Then please phone JOHN for further information on 349 8789. Resume CV and references freely available on request. Country enquiries welcome.

the cause of Aboriginal people, we ought, first, come to an understanding of them and their culture.

One simple and available help to do this is to read some of the many

i nformative and authoritative books produced in recent years.

I hope that more Catholic people will find the time and the interest to do so.

&less and injury insurance — AMP. For a small ACCOMMODATION weekly outlay an Income A VAILABLE Protection Plan covers you 24 hrs every day, Diane& one bedroom including holidays and unfurnished c./yard unit. weekends. Can you quiet block close to plaza afford not to have this and transport. $80 per cover with holidays week $200 bond. Phone approaching? For peace 275 2579 (wk 222 2733 of mind, phone Brian Therese) Jarvey 362 3866 for a free brochure and personalised quotation cry•ur THANKS needs. A/H 350 6179 For an obligation free Novena to the Holy Spirit. service to help you plan Holy Spirit you who solve all for: problems, light all roads so that I can attain my goal, you • Family protection gave me the divine gift to • Income protection forgive and forget all evil • Retirement against me, and in all • Tax free savings instances of my rife you are • Children's education with me. I want in this short • Mortgage cancellation prayer to thank you for all Please phone VINCE things asI confirm once again Fassom 321 5833, 459 4261 that I never want to be separated from you ever, in A/H Eirene Home Retreat offers sanctuary and space for any Christians who would like to withdraw from the business of their lives and spend time with God, in quiet caring, simple, rural surrounding.. Contact Sheelagh A kerman, telephone (097) 58 4581. PO Box 166, Augusta 6290.

spite of all material illusions.

I wish to be with you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine. This prayer must be said for three days after which the favour will be granted. The prayer must be published immediately.

Coral

Sincere thanks to the Infant Jesus of Prague, Our Lady and St Jude for answering my prayer. R.M.

[Rally, mass invites TOMORROW TODAY with Father Joe Parkinson

Two events open to the public Two major public events, both open to the general public, will bring the 1991 Catholic Youth Conference "Crossroads to Tomorrow" to a climax on January 15 and 16.

Registrations for the whole conference will be accepted up to 5pm on Monday January 7, with the delayed payment plan in operation, but the Public Youth Rally on January 15 and the Closing Mass of the

conference on January

16 are open to all free of

charge.

The delayed payment plan will enable young people to attend the conference for just $50 deposit, with an undertaking to pay the other $100 of the registration fee by June 30.

Contact the Conference Office on 328 9622 or 328 9878 for details of the plan.

Both public events will

be held in the Silver Jubilee Pavilion at the Claremont Showgrounds, and both begin at 7.00 pm.

and great music backing the main speaker for the evening, Mr Bruce Downes.

The pavilion is located just of Graylancis Road on the western side of the showgrouncls, and ample parking is available inside the showgrounds themselves.

January 16, to be concele-

The Rally will be a celebration of the vitality of young Catholics today, with numerous dramas

Key speaker at the Public Rally on .? January 15 j is Bruce Downes, Director of Evangelisation and Development in Catholic Ibuth Ministry, Perth.

I

The Closing Mass on

brated by Archbishop Foley with many local and visiting priests, will bring the whole conference to a rousing end.

Parents, friends and parishioners in general are welcome to join in these two exciting celebrations.

Victoria Park Antioch, who held their first weekend recently.

Part of the Team who will be in action *wag the Public Rally.

1991 Youth Conference BEGINS NEXT WEEK

"Crossroads to Tomorrow" Andrew McLean, until recently parish youth worker in Victoria Par* and now off to England and Jo Merrey, retiring youth worker in Willetton parish.

Geoff Lawrence led the music during Victoria Park's recent Antioch weekend.

YOU ARE INVITED!!

1991 Catholic Youth Conference invites you to join in two major public youth events:

Public Youth Rally

Youth Mass

Tuesday January 15 Silver Jubilee Pavilion Claremont Showgrounds 7.00pm

Wednesday January 16 Silver Jubilee Pavilion Claremont Showgrounds 7.00pm

All youth, families, friends & parishioners welcome!!

• IMPORTANT NOTE • In addition to the existing telephone number (328 9878), the Catholic Youth Office now has three additional lines. The new number is:

328 9622

T

YOUNG FRANCISCAN WEEKEND1

YOU are invited to a weekend at

NANGA BUSH CAMP (near Dwellingup) FEBRUARY 8-10, 1991 Come and share in a Franciscan experience with other young searchers 18 years old and over.

Get closer to God and St Francis of Assisi.

I nterested?

L

Contact Fr Andrew 349 2837 Pat Meek 349 1474 or Fr Finian 274 1159 The Record, January 3, 1991

13

World of book ) 1 4E, on War life Escaping toxic intirof vvelepur poisoning

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

our environment and reduce the level of toxicity in our systems.

1111111•111r

•

)\1` '0/w/wird- 71eto

frilly

Trixie Whitmore, a sufferer from ME/CFS, found that she recovered from the illness when she dramatically reduced her exposure to toxic chemicals, in association with the use of other therapies. In this book she explains how she healed herself, and her environment.

Trixie has not only helped to control her own illness but she has aLso shown the way for us all to improve our own health.

\ \I )

A 1 KIN(

I

brs r • re,:

1 10 Al \II

A t 11 i \14

InnitOttith1111 Plerldit tN.rk

• Toxic Chemical Free Living and Recovering from ME/CFS by Dixie Whitmore. (Salty Milner Publishing $/6.99 from ABC Bookshop).

Toxic Chemical-Free Living.

Alarming levels of toxic chemicals exist in the blood of many Australian urban dxsellers. These chemicals include cancer -causing agents now banned in the United States of America.

But it is possible to clean up

New hazards

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Yuppie Flue chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Post Viral Syndrome About the author: 11-ixie Whitmore, a mother and grandmother. who lives in Sydney, contracted ME/CFS In 1983 and suffered helplessly as the mainstream medical profession didn't know what was wrong with her. After findiing help, at last she began the slow road to recovery which she shares with us in this book.

The Recurring Silent Spring by H. Patricia Hynes. (Pub by Pergamon Press, about $23.95. Available from The Down to Earth bookshop, Perth.)

No other book makes the connections which this one makes between Rachel Carson's work, her influence on women working in science and the feminist critique of science.

The Recurring Silent Spring moves from the "old" chemical pollution of the environment with pesticides to the "new" hazards of the biotechnologies in agriculture and the new reproductive technologies, showing industry's, government's, and science's chilling pattern of risk cover-up and pseudo-regulation of these technologies.

For the lady of the house Readers Digest

Complete Guide to Sew'

14 The Record, January 3, 1991

Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing, (distributed through Collins bb $45).

A superb book, totally comprehensive with: • Every sewing problem solved.

• Illustrated guide to selecting arid cutting fabric& ' How to alter patterns for a perfect- fit.

• Every hand and machine stitch clearly explained and illustrated. * Special sections on tailoring sewing for men and children; sewing for the home.

• Step-by-step guide to each construction technique and its variations.

Water too?

Tbe Shocking Truth About Water by Patricia Bragg, PbD and Paul C Bragg, MD, PbD (Health Science, Box 7 Santa Barbara, California 93102 USA ). About $11.95, available from the Down to Earth bookshop. Perth.

fish, wildlife and food supplies. • Toxic waste dumps pollute water tables everywhere. • PCB's, chemicals, pesticides and industrial emission art contaminating oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. • Five billion people drain earth's fresh W2ler resources. • Nitrates World's water worries , induce suffocation and light escalate! This book allows starvation of aquatic species. you to examine the facts and • Antiquated water systems 'mow what is best for your leach lead into water supphealth. lies. • Millions suffer from Warning: Water Can Kill! disease, due to • polluted •• Acid rain threatens water, Water.

The .Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, ( Pub by Hands', Hamilton about $17.95, available from the Down to Earth bookshop Perth.)

Reading Rachel Carson's books, one has the feeling that she is for ever emharked on a voyage of discovery. As a professional writer she uses words to reveal the poetry — which is to say the essential truth and meaning — at the core of any scientific fact. As a trained scientist she has never lost the poet's sense of wonder.

In all her work Rachel Carson's basic interest has been the relation of life to its environment . Since 1958 she has collected data from scientists all over the world about the dangerous effects of deadly poisons especially in the form of synthetic insecticides, on the living community.

• The result is Silent Spring — a courageous revrlation of the forces that rnixiern man has brought into being in his ruthless war on life, an eloquent protest on behalf of the unity of all nature, a protest on behalf of life

STEAMING c ookbook \KY V'\t.-\UXN

Callanetics — 10 Years Younger in 10 Hours by Callan Pinckney (Angus Robertson $24.95).

With Callanetics you can trim your figure so that your clothes will be two sizes smaller than your present size without shedding a pound . . . you can correct all your figure problems so that you look years younger . . and you can do this in merely hours of exercise. The totally unretouched photographs in this book (including the cover photo of the author) show the miraculous effects of this incredible exercise program.'

What makes Callanetics different and so effective?

The secret of Callanetics goes straight to the foundations of a good figure: it is a series of unique exercises carefully designed to activate

the body's deepest muscles, the big, powerful ones that work on all the surrounding muscles. Quite unlike any other program, Callanetics consists of small, precise movements consistently applied. There isn't any hard ierking. or sudden impact that can cause harm to the body as sometimes happens in other forms of exercise.

Callanetics is so safe it can be used effectively at any age. Profusely illustrated, simple and easy to follow, this book will help you melt fat off buttocks and hips, flatten the tummy, stretch the neck, firm the chin, lift and tighten the rear and bust, slim inner thighs and legs. The visible results of one hour of Callanetics are equal to seven hours of more conventional exercise. With Callentics your perfect figure is only hours away

Steaming Cookbook by Hilary Walden, (Collins $19.95).

Steaming is one of the healthiest methods of cooking. It is simple, pure — uses no oils — and does not destroy the natural flavours, textures and nutrients of foods. Some of its many other advantages are that it is economical since it needs only one ring of flame, it offers endless opportunities for experimenting with flavours by using different types of steaming liquids and the food remains moist hut does not become soggy.

Hilary Walden firmly dispels the old-fashioned image of steaming with its associations of stodgy colourless puddings and bland, sickroom dishes, and shows how

it Can be tasty, exciting and inspirational. The recipes cover the enormous variety of foods that can be steamed effectively — from fish, poultry, game and meat to vegetables and puddings — all of which can be cooked equally well whether on a rack in a shallow pan, in a colander or steaming basket placed over a saucepan or in an electric steamer.

As well as giving many strikingly original and delicious recipes, Hilary Walden gives much excellent advice and provides steaming times for plainly cooked foods This superb recipe book will both give readers the confidence to modify other dishes for steaming and will open up a completely new range of possibilities.

Song, art and literature Joy of Christ's birth

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

Way back CONCISETIMES ATLAS OF in time World HISTORY The Times Concise Atlas of World History, third edition, (Times books, bb $69.99).

The study of world history — those great movements and conflicts which form man's collective memory — is essential for an appreciation of the world today.

Illustrated with over 300 dynamic and colourful maps this superlative atlas makes a fascinating companion for anyone aspiring to understand the past and an ideal reference for all who study or enjoy history

Nana Howard, Inez Rosario, Elizabeth Talbot and Jenny Ramos sing with other carollers at the St Brigid's Midland Christmas midnight Mass to a packed congregation.

Mazzotti's mosaics K alamunda artist Dan Mazzotti who recently retired after 22 years as Aquinas art teacher, must wonder how he found time to go to work!

He's been spending 14 hours a day on his

new exciting commission to create two large mosaics of Saints Peter and Paul for the Russian Orthodox church in Meltham.

Mazzotti is very comfortable with this

art form as he was raised in Ravenna, Italy, home to some f amous Byzantine mosaics, where he learned the art.

To date his mosaics are featured at Aquinas' junior school, 14

Stations of the Cross in St Peter's Bedford and others are in private collections.

Mazzotti has also worked on other icons and is preparing for a general private showing of his art in 1991.

Herbs For All Seasons by Rosemary He ( Penguin $12.99).

Rosemary Hemphill's Herbs For All Seasons is a writable harvest of fascinating information about herbs. flowers,

Tb e Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Home Imprtxleposents, ($55).

Part 1: Ideas for the home A room-by-room guide to style and planning hundreds of photographs illustrate ideas for every room in the home, the outside of the house and the' garden: kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, children's rooms, halls and stairs, working areas, attics and ceiling space. outside the house.

tion and drying of herbs is also included.

The writings of physicians and herbalists from past centuries to the present day have often concentrated on the healing power of herbs.

In Herbs For All Seasons, Rosemary Hemphill describes how these humble plants possess a special alchemy that transforms various elements into potent forces which can pervade and heal the body. For instance, sage helps heal mouth and throat ailment' and chicory taken in moder ate amounts is a tonit helping the functions of th, liver and gall bladder As well as fusing healing qualities, herbs and spices enliven food and aid the digestion. N%boiesorne amrnas and natural flavours amuse the sen.se of smell and taste, promoting the health flow of digestive juices and enabling the body to gain the greatest possible nutriment berries, spices and fruit. from food Delicious easy to Arranged according to their prepare recipes such as season. recipei, remedies. chilled C.TeSS SOUp or apple gift ideas and beauty aids for arid elderbemf tart will particular herbs are discussed in loving detail.. delight the diet concious natural food enthusiast and information Invaluable gourmet about preparation. cultiva-

How to fix anything!

Part 2: Buying and planning What you need to know when contemplating the purchase of a home, from the fabric of the building to the basic space requirements for common furniture and fittings.

Dan Illazzotti working on his mosaic icon of St Peter which has been commissioned for the Russian Orthodox Church along with one of St Pail.

Part 3: Techniques tools and materials What to buy ,and how to use it and compreheristve step-by-step instructions for all the cio-ityourself techniques from painting and tiling to bricklaying and sewing for the home

The Record, January 3, 1991

15

NO MESS, NO FUSS TREE SERVICES ALL FACETS OF TREE CARE

• 404f°'

• STUMP GRINDING • TRANSPLANTING • TREE SURGERY • PRUNING • ARBORICULTURAL CONSULTANCY

More religion in Scottish schools

THE! PARIS SC-ENE

EDINBURGH: Steps to religious tradition 01 strengthen religious edu- Scotland, while also cation and observance in taking in account the Scottish schools have teaching and practices of been proposed by the other principal religions; Scottish Education Minis- and that religious obserter, Mr Michael Forsyth. vance should be frequent and regular, not less Criticism has followed from the Educational often than once a week in Institute of Scotland, primary schools and at Scotland's largest teach- least once a month in secondary schools. ing union.

The involvement of In a circular to Scottish local authorities, Mr parents was desirable.

Forsyth recommended Education authorities that religious education should review their stafshould be based on fing needs with a view to Christianity, as the main meeting these provisions.

457 8765 JEFF ASHE

18 KIELMAN ROAD WILLE I TON.WA 6155

PROPRIETOR

FOR ALL

RELIGIOUS ART WORKS consult

DAN MAllOTTI 293 2268

• Paintings • Mosaics • Sculptures for churches and homes

Do you know enough?

BROTHER ANDREW

To get right visas, inoculations, avoid seat cancellation, make a successful insurance claim. International travel c an be hassle free if you book with

Co-founder with Mother Teresa of Missionary of Charity Brothers will give seven retreats on "Christ's answers to today's problems" at "Gracewood", including daily Mass and private interviews on request.

Maria O'CONNOR 364 8170 A ALBORG TRAVEL

RETREAT DATES, 1991 January Jan 23, 11am to Jan 25, 4pm Jan 25, 7pm to Jan 28, 1pm Jan 29, 11am to Feb 1, 3pm Feb 1, 8pm to Feb 3, 4pm Feb 5, 11am to Feb 8, 3pm Feb 8, 8pm to Feb 10, 4pm Feb 12, 10am to Feb 15, 1pm

Suggested donation $65 $75 $100 (silent) $65 (young people) $100 $65 $100

Please bring own linen We can meet travellers by bus.

ONE DAY in Perth at Newman Siena College Hall on Saturday. February 16, 10am to 4pm. Please bring your own lunch, morning tea and a lunch cuppa provided. No need to reserve your seat.

Brother Andrew requests that it is free and open to all.

For more details and bookings:

Mrs Betty Peaker, Gracewood (40km south of Busselton) PO Box 24 Cowaramup WA 6284 Phone (097) 55 6212 or (097) 55 5444

Lic No 9TA 00524

Wily est Id* a Mithmate iiyew itimerary7

PILGRIMAGES Mark Heather andNathalie Jackson pictured after their recent wedding at Holy Name Church Carlisle.

Archdiocesan Calendar 20 1991 Jan 6 7

Fishermen's M . Lancelin, Bishop Healy.

Golden Jubilee, Presentation Sisters' "Iona", Bishop Healy.

25

Open Youth Confer nece, Aquinas College, Bishop Healy.

Youth Conference Mom Aquinas, Bishop Healy.

Closing Mass Youth conference, Archbishop Foley.

Silver Jubilee and Province commissioning, Convent of Merry Vic Square, Bishop Healry.

Meet seminarians, St Charles', Guildford, Archbishop Foley and Bishop Healy.

1991 INSTITUTES

Star* and ending in London every week from Alird until Maier.

LOURDES ROME FATIMA

For details write to:

ST PETER'S PILGRIMS 87A Rushey Green Catlord, London SE6, 4BC England Fax: 001144 1 697 2466

As desired by the Pope in his Ecclesia Del and the approval of our Archbishop

TRIDENTINE MASSES

(Old Latin Mass) are celebrated on Sundays at Corpus Christi Church, Evershed Street, Myaree at 11am.

It would be a gracious token of gratitude to the pope and the archbishop, if Catholics with love for the traditional Mass would attend them.

Appropriate Missals available at low price.

THANKING YOU

IN

Effective Group Leadership Work Team Leadership — Educational Leadership Social Action Leadership — Spiritual leadership FIRST VISIT Sydney: February 14-March 2 PERTH: March 3-9 Brisbane: March 17-23 SECOND VISIT Melbourne: September 8-14 Townsville: September 22-28 Sydney: September 20-October 5 Sunday openings: 5prn Saturday closings: /230pm

Staff: Joseph Connolly, Ph D; Eileen Connolly, Ph D. Write for detaik:

LEADERSHIP INSITTUTE Br Alexis Turton 4 Bambara Crescent BEECROFT NSW 2119 Phone (02) 869 7179

We're countrywide too . . !

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

is as close as your phone

ALPHA WILFT

Right to left the Mayor and Mayoress of Northam, Mr Vern Ottaway, the Avon Valley Catenian President Peter Tuinder and wife Thea, and the President of the St Andrew's Society, Mr Laurie McKenzie New ground was broken recently when the Avon Valley Catenian Circle joined up with the St Andrew's Society of Northam for a celebratory dinner at Wooroloo.

Members and their wives of both organisations enjoyed an evening of Scottish dancing and music, and of course 'the haggis', the first occasion on which a group of Catholics and Presbyterians have got together socially.

The guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Northam, Mr and Mrs Vem Ottaway, the President of the Provincial Council of the Catenians, Mr Kevin Brady KHS, and Mrs Brady, and the President of the St Andrew's Society, Mr Laurie McKenzie andMrs McKenzie.

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 Attstrahan 'Council of Natural Family Planning Inc.

16

The Record, January 3, 1991

Vocation Co-ordinator Fr Torn McNulty 0 Pram St Norbcrt's Priory QUEUM PARK WA 6107

Shared Life Shared Prayer Shared Ministry

STAINED GLASS

Craftsmen and Designers

14 Ferrar St Mt Lawley. Western Australia, 6050 lel: (09) 330 7303, (09) 272 8576. Fax: 370 3780

KEN WILDY AMGP. CF. ART DIRECTOR

BUILDING CONVERSION • CATHOLIC CARE OFFICES • David Street, Kensington Registrations are called from builders interested in tendering on the conversion of existing hall into Administration Centre and Offices for: Catholic Care for Intellectually Handicapped Persons.

Builders are asked to provide at least one architectural reference on similar large alteration projects.

Sketch plans of the works are available in the office of the Architects.

Registration of Interest will close on Monday, January 14, 1991 in the office of the Architects Michael Broderick & Partners 20 Prowse Street West Perth Telephone: 322 6585 Fax: 324 1974