The Record Newspaper 04 May 1995

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...but that does not drown out the Christian condition L AVIV, Israel (CNS) - Cardinal Lustiger, archbishop of Paris and convert from Judaism as a youth, told reporters that he was surprised by Israeli Chief Rabbi Israel Lau's bitter criticism of his participation in a Tel Aviv University conference on the Holocaust.

Rabbi Lau, a Holocaust survivor, said that by converting to Catholicism, the cardinal had contributed to the destruction of the Jewish people, just as the Nazis had.

He said that if all Jews had done as Cardinal Lustiger had, there would be no one left to say the Kaddish - the prayer for the dead - for the 6 million Jews murdered by Hitler's regime.

"It is the first time I have heard such a thing," said the 69-year-old cardinal. "It's the first time that I've heard that being baptized is worse than what Hitler did."

Rabbi Lau had been invited to the university conference but withdrew when he learned the cardinal would be a participant.

Later, the former chief rabbi of Great Britain, Lord Immanuel Jakobovits, also declined to attend - bowing to Rabbi Lau's wishes.

"As far as I am concerned this is rather bizarre," Cardinal Lustiger. "If I had been in Paris on Holocaust Memorial Day I would have been in the Great Synagogue.

"Every year I participate in the ceremony because that history is my history," he said Cardinal Lustiger's visit caused a stir when the press reported that an invitation to the cardinal to attend the April 26 official Holocaust Memorial Day eve ceremony at Yad Vashem had been withdrawn.

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But university and Yad Vashem officials said he had not been invited in the first place because his concluding speech at the university conference was to be given at the same time.

The cardinal visited the memorial on April 27.

Cardinal Lustiger was born Aharon Lustiger to Jewish socialist parents who had immigrated to France from Poland.

In 1940, when he was 14, and two months after Nazi forces overran France, he converted to Catholicism.

The young Lustiger survived the war by hiding in a monastery in Orleans, France.

His mother perished in the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.

His father survived and lived out his last years with his son in the cardinal's Paris residence.

Cardinal Lustiger told the Tel Aviv University audience at the closing session that he still bears the name of his grandfather, Aharon, and the name which appears on his passport is Aharon Jean-Marie Lustiger.

Israel's Culture and Communication Minister Shulamit Aloni, who attended the closing session, said she regretted that the chief rabbi, who was elected to his post in a democratic state, could not come to hear different opinions.

Father Marcel Dubois, head of the Dominican Order's Isaiah House in Jerusalem and a professor at Hebrew University, said that "I understand Rabbi Lau's bitterness, but I am afraid that such an absolute reaction signifies a lack of security."

Father Dubois said he believes Rabbi Lau's reaction comes out of "fear of the consequence such an

example would have on the education of Jewish youth in Israel."

Cardinal Lustiger said he first hesitated about accepting the university's invitation because the Holocaust is still an open wound for him and he does not talk about it willingly.

But he said he decided to participate because he wanted to be in Israel on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps.

The names of all of the members of his family who died in the Holocaust are memorialized at Israel's Yad Vashem memorial, he said.

Cardinal Lustiger said he feels as Jewish as his mother and his other relatives. He said that as a Christian, his roots are in Judaism.

"One has to know where one is because the Jewish condition does not drown out the Christian condition," he said. "I know this is not the interpretation of all, but this is how I perceive it."

In Paris, Grand Rabbi of France Joseph Sitruk told the French newspaper Le Figaro that "I have always had strong and sincere relations with Msgr. Lustiger and nothing should place his clarity and cordiality in doubt.

"The sincerity of Jean-Marie Lustiger is not to be doubted, but there is in his spiritual journey an ambiguity," he said.

At the same time there is "a moral and intellectual courage which all of us recognize."

Rabbi SitTuk praised the role Cardinal Lustiger played in defusing tensions over a Catholic convent at Auschwitz.

The French newspaper Le Monde said it would have expected "more generosity, more understanding" from Rabbi Lau.

'Positive echo' by German bishops BONN, Germany (CNS) - A national debate 50 years after the end of World War II has prompted Germany's bishops to take a firm stand that the end of Nazi rule marked freedom from tyranny.

As the nation prepared to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Allied victory over Germany, the debate showed the country's still-sensitive feelings concerning its controversial past.

Most Germans view May 8, 1945, as the date of liberation from tyranny. But others conservative legislators, veterans' groups and people whose families were displaced after the war - have described it as the starting point of Stalinist terror in East Germany.

As the anniversary approached, the debate escalated.

A 10-page statement by the German bishops' conference sided with the majority view.

It recalled German war crimes, aggression and genocide amid the passivity of a population that allowed these actions to go on.

The church also failed to effectively intervene, said the bishops' statement.

"Historical truth and responsibility for the future demand a view free from attempts to relativize or play down the facts," the statement said.

Unconditional surrender to the Allies 50 years ago "brought liberation from a criminal regime whose dictatorship was also aimed against its own people," it added.

Germans still face disturbing questions about the Nazi era, it said. "Where was the protest against lawlessness and violence?

Why was there no uproar throughout the land when the synagogues burned one night?"

The statement was "an attempt to settle the spiritual disruption caused both by these conflicts and by the coming anniversary," said Rudolf Hammerschmidt, bishops' conference spokesman. "It was time to finally say something."

In doing so, the bishops answered a manifesto issued earlier in April by 276 conservative parliament members and leaders of right-wing groups. They argued that the Cold War came on the heels of World War II and brought the forced removal of 12 million ethnic Germans from Central Europe.

It is appropriate to dedicate the May 8 anniversary to their memory as well as to honoring the victims of the Nazi regime, said the manifesto.

The manifesto was sharply criticized in the mainstream media and attacked by most sectors of society as an attempt to recast history in order to relieve Germany of its burden of guilt.

The bishops' answer to the manifesto was to recall the unpleasant truth of its own role during World War II. "Many Germans, also from our ranks, let themselves be fooled by the false teachings of Nazism," the bishops' statement said.

"Many fostered crimes by their own behavior. Many became criminals themselves."

Conference spokesman Hammerschmidt said the statement has "fostered a positive echo" in the national media and generated numerous supportive telephone calls from Catholics across the country.

Catching the Catholic vote

Getting to know Asians...

Fr Silvan° Tomasi,CS, General Secretary Pontifical Commision for Migrations, flanked by Asian women in exotic attire, when he visited Perth.

CENTLY The to them.

W ustralian newsI like the story of the paper presented the swallows.

immigration debate as When the mistletoe a "political barbecue" first came into exison which we burn not tence, the swallow only the refugees' leader realized the flimsy boats, but prob- danger that threatened ably the people them- the birds. She assemselves. bled them together and In the following advised them to tear it words I do not want to off, if possible, from the engage in that political oaks on which it grew. arena with the follow- "If you cannot manage ing, but simply to draw this, she said, you had readers' attention to best throw yourselves t wo facts about on man's mercy and migrants and refugees beg him not to use coming to Australia: mistletoe glue to trap their human sufferings you!" and the need for us to But the other bird welcome and under- species ridiculed her stand them. as a vain babbler. So Apart from a handful she went as a suppliant of crooks, migrants and to humans. They welrefugees are honest, comed her for her prubrave and desperate dence and took her to people willing to put live with them. In this their skills and energy way, while other birds to the service of the are caught and eaten nation that harbours by men, the swallow is them. regarded as having Those who never taken sanctuary with had a chance to be in them and nests without the worn-out shoes of fear even in their migrants and refugees, houses. find it hard to underPerhaps, and this is stand that migration is my second point, along never a bliss. On the with our sincere welcontrary, much too come we need some often it is a misery bor- understanding of the dering on grief. cultural background of A person can never our new comers, espebe completely happy cially those coming outside the country of from our region, our their birth; normally, next-door neighbours, people never leave the Asian world. their homeland just for The Three Day Confun or because they vention "Asia Knocks" have nothing better to to be held at Notre do.

Dame Australia UniThere are traumas versity (Fremantle) and tears in this June 14-16 - wants to process of up rooted- address the cultural ness. We as Christians and religious richness cannot bypass this sor- of our Asian neighrowful aspect of migra- bours. tion. We can be their Appreciation does healers, people bring- not come from just ing hope and new life anywhere: it takes its

11,==cks m, CONVENTION

at Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle on June 14-16 Organised by: A rdiocesan Office of Multicultural & Pastoral Care and Catholic Migrant Centre 2

The Record, May 4, 1995

Recently I had occasion to reflect on the word "parish" which derives from the greek ancient "paroika" ("outside the beginnings in knowl- homestead") which edge.I believe the Con- had the significance of vention "Asia knocks" being in a foreign to be relevant to our country. future as a society and The early Christians' as a Church. realization of their Let me share with minority status made you this story. them particularly There was a man of receptive of the situaexemplary conduct, a tion of others who find staunch Catholic, themselves in a similar whose family too was a position,and thereby model and an inspira- created an practical tion to many. He was solidarity also with the also a representative of foreigners. that silent minority Besides,our baptism who thought that has important conse"Blacks and Asians quences for our selfwould be better off liv- perception as Chrising in their countries tians. rather than creating Through baptism we troubles in somebody accept the Church as else's countries!" such,and that means But, as happens to all that all other bonds are and the best of us, one relegated to second day he died.

He place. arrived at the gates of This holds particuheaven, sure of his larly true for all heavenly reward. The national and/or ethnic guardian angel at the ties which become gates welcomed him divested the of courteously, checked absolute nature they his name in the com- often tend to acquire. puter, and said: "Yes, That is why nationalist sir: you are in. How- movements receive litever, you must spend tle sympathy from the some time in purga- Church and Pope John tory!"

Paul has been very "How come?, said vocal about nationalour man. "I have ism that is causing so always been a model much war today. o f Christian life to The multi-ethnic everybody."

Church of our brothers "Maybe!: replied the and sisters in Christ is angel: but I can't help thus by its very nature you!" a visible sign against "I want to speak all attempts to over directly with Him!', value national alleburst out the man. giances and senti"Go ahead!: said the ments. angel,smiling. "May I In a time like ours of simply warn you that resurging nationalism, He is a She, and a this Christian reality negress!" seems to be of particuBy Father Dino Torresan,CS Vicar for Migration

lar importance, and should be stressed.

In this Year of Tolerance, the "Asia Knocks" Convention in its presentation of Asian cultures, religions and philosophies wants to highlight the need of avoiding ghetto mentalities, to stress the relevance to be opened to the good present in others and to build an hospitable society and Church where we all feel at home.

This hospitality can never be provided by state institutions but only by communities of human beings. And today, we are these human beings called by the Lord. It is up to us to say yes with our lives.

I went up to Kings Park for the dawn service on Anzac Day. After the early morning prayers were recited for all the many people who died for the country, and while the sun was yet rising,I was sitting on a lonely spot of Kings Park, thinking.

Suddenly a prayer came to my heart: "Lord, when I was young, I was asking you for strength to change the world.

Then, later on I asked you for strength to change those who were touching my life.

And now, that I am old and grey-headed, I ask you for only one thing: Change me, so that the world may be a better place to live in!"

50th anniversary of the death of a Carmelite

i cp 0ME (CNS) - In Jerusalem

nd on Mount Carmel, the Discalced Carmelites will mark the 50th anniversary of the death of one of their members who tried to save Jewish children from the Holocaust.

Events marking the anniversary of Father Jacques Bunel's death will open May 31 in Jerusalem with a screening of the film "Au Revoir Les Enfants," which tells the story of the three Jewish boys he hid from the Nazis in occupied France.

Father Bunel, who hid the boys in the school he helped found near Paris, was arrested with them in January 1944 and sent to a concentration camp in Germany.

He was among the sick and weakened survivors liberated by the Americans at Mauthausen in May

1945, but died less than a month later at a hospital in Austria.

Director-writer Louis Malle was a student at Father Bunel's school, and his award-winning 1988 film tells the story of his friendship with one of the boys.

On the 40th anniversary of Father Bunel's death, the State of Israel posthumously awarded him the Medal of the Righteous Among the Nations, a recognition of those who saved Jews from the Holocaust.

Another anniversary event will be June 2 Mass for peace and justice at the Carmelite's Stella Mans Basilica on Mount Carmel, near Haifa, Israel.

1 - 3ARIS (CNS) - The Catholic vote was being closely sought in the last days of France's presidential election while a prominent priest resigned as head of the Paris archdiocesan Pastoral Secretariat for Political Studies, citing pressure from candidate Chirac.

Father de la Morandais said he resigned under pressure from Jacques Chirac, the Gaullist candidate.

This was denied by Auxilary Bishop Vingt-Trois, a spokesman for Cardinal Lustiger of Paris, who established the secretariat three years ago to improve contacts between the church and politics, and through which the church has been able to play a quiet, behind-the-scenes role on questions of interest to Catholics, such as legislation on church-run schools and ethical problems posed by advances in medical and biological technology.

Father de la Morandais said Chirac's party wanted him removed because he had too openly supported political rival Prime Minister Edouard Balladur for the presidency who was eliminated in the first round.

Father de la Morandais had praised Balladur and tospin, the Socialist candidate in the presidential race. He said Balladur was the first prime minister he had known to assume full responsibility for all of his actions.

The priest had nothing to say in favour of Chirac. Bishop Vingt-Trois said Father de la Morandais was informed long before the first round of the election that he would be removed from his position as head of the Pastoral Secretariat for Political Affairs.

Father de la Morandais, who also works in a parish in Paris, acted as a kind o f chaplain to parliament and was known as "confessor to the parliamentarians." He provided information and advice to lawmakers on questions affecting the church, such as Catholic education and the new ethical issues concerning human reproduction.

Father de la Morandais said the bishops would have preferred that he adopt a lower profile to avoid exacerbating divisions in the church caused by Bishop Gaillot's removal.

However, he said he had been incensed by some of Bishop Gaillot's supporters, whom he said had sent antiSemitic letters to Cardinal Lustiger, a Jew by birth, and racist letters to Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, African head of the Congregation for Bishops.

Balladur was the preferred candidate in a poll of Catholics a month before the election by the Paris-based Catholic newspaper,La Croix.

The French bishops have not told Catholics which way to vote, given France's strong attachment to separation between church and state, but the church has taken a close interest in the election process.

According to the La Croix poll, 76 percent of France's 57.8 million population professes Catholicism.

But the La Croix poll defined 13 percent of the population as practicing Catholics who attend church at least once a month. A further 18 percent of the entire population attends several times a year, while 45 percent said they are nonpracticing Catholics, according to the poll.

The results revealed the continuation of a historical tendency, said La Croix's editorial writer, Bruno Frappat. The more practicing a Catholic, the more likely he or she is to vote conservative, he said.

Rural world vs urban world It is a cliche of Australian history that early Australia rode on the While some of these are in large country towns such as Bunsheep's back; that the prosperity of all Australians depends on the bury, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie and Albany, many are in remote vitality and productivity of our rural industries. areas, including three in the Pilbara and 13 in the Kimberley Is the story any different today? The rural population - the base of Region. our rural and mining industries - is shrinking. Yet rural and mining But what about the future? For how much longer can the industries that are still providing the main share of our export dolCatholic educational system sustain remote schools,especially in lars. towns and regions that have already suffered the loss of farmers, Without these industries Australia's balance of trade figures would banks, small businesses and even the resident priest. be disastrously worse.

Will the Catholic Church, and the services offered by the An unrelenting trend in modern, industrialised societies has been Church (including education), become but an urban reality? Will urbanisation - the movement of population to the cities. The explaChrist's injunction to the Apostles "Go throughout the whole nation largely lies with technology: out on the farms, and in the world and preach the gospel to all mankind— now contain the mines and industries of rural areas, each year sees new technologies rider: "provided they have in the metropolitan area"? enabling e more work to be done by less people.

Rural Catholics face the inequity suffered in recent years by the For those dispossessed of that dignity, as well as employment, the rural community. Some are obliged to go to the city and others city becomes not just attractive but the only option that provides any must, or choose to remain. chance for employment. But the reality does not always match the The new city dwellers may not find the same welcoming compromise. munity they experienced in the country, but generally they will City opportunities for entertainment, sport and socialization are find Catholic schools and parishes ready to meet their needs, prooffset by the loneliness and culture shock from having been forced to vided the new city dweller takes the first step. leave friends and a close knit rural community.

But what about those who remain in rural areas? Recently Also there is bitterness that increasingly dense urban populations (1994) the National Council on Education, Employment, Training worldwide are becoming increasingly dependant on the shrinking and Youth Affairs published a National Strategy for Equity in minority left to till the fields, shepherd the flocks and tend the schooling. machines and powerhouses across the vast rural tracts of our planet.

There are ten agreed National goals for schooling Australia.

Rural Western Australia is the repository of a food supply and the Some are of special importance to the children of rural families. raw materials upon which a growing proportion of the world outside 1. To provide an excellent education for all young people, our State is dependant. being one which develops their talents and capacities to full The human side of a shrinking rural population is revealed in the potential, and is relevant to the social, cultural and economic clearance sales and auctions of farms and the closure of small busineeds of the nation. nesses in the country towns.

3. To promote equality of educational opportunities, and to In their wake services are lost. Banks close, school and hospital provide for groups with special learning requirements. staffs are reduced, and service industries cut back or lost totally.

8. To provide students with an understanding of and respect Ready maintenance of home services, telephone, power, plumbing, for our cultural heritage including the particular background of etc., taken for granted in the city, are often not available or only with Aboriginal and ethnic groups, and other cultures. travelling costs and delays as an added burden.

Living and working in a rural area,Ihave seen those clearing sales, Br McAppion with one of his Tardun stuShould it be recognized for example, that rural Australia is a noted the closed businesses and sometimes shared the impact on the dents. district and largely underprivileged culture and that it is essential remaining community as families pack up perhaps for the cultural and economic needs of all Austhree or four generations of accumulated memories, tralians to improve the educational opportunities and leave the district. for rural families?

The experience has given me a better realization Farmers and pastoralists are the storehouses of of the debt that the urban world owes to the rural practical knowledge passed down from mother and world. father to son and daughter. Working the land is as much a way of life as it is an industry.

The recent generous responses around Australia, especially around Christmas, to the fanners and Australian myth making depends more on the pastoralists of drought stricken areas indicate that legends of the bush than on those of the surf and many city dwellers want to help fellow Australians city. Mateship, self-reliance, possibly our notions of in need. fairplay and democracy were forged in the bush and

By Christian Brother Max McAppion, presently Principal of the Recent rains may have broken the drought, but the idealized and mythologized in the writings of Henry Christian Brothers' Agricultural School, Tardun. long term problems for the rural community remain.

Lawson and Banjo Patterson. The same themes were developed by Patrick White in Voss and The Tree of The population drift to the cities increases the burMan. dens on those who remain, and these burdens are financial and social.

Australia is undergoing a critical period of change and one of the minorities caught up in As in the past the Church shares these burdens. Priests are returning to pioneer times when a handful of clergy travelled further and further to cover small communities of change is the rural community.

Catholics.

The beatification of Mary MacKillop. celebrated with joy by countless Australians, has Some Catholic country schools have been closed, while the Church education system bat- been, to a large extent, a city affair. And yet Mary MacKillop's first school was in a remote and small country town. Can the Catholic Church - and that means all of us, not just tie institles to meet the desires of Catholic rural people for Catholic education.

The fewer vocations to priesthood and religious life mean ills more difficult to meet the tutional Church - sustain the dream and vision of Blessed Mary of The Cross and priests and religious like her? spiritual and educational aspirations of people in remote areas.

Or will it be too difficult, commercially non-viable to sustain an active Church presence The Catholic community has a vast commitment to schools in rural and remote areas.

There are over 50 Catholic schools outside the Perth metropolitan area - 36 Primary, 7 Sec- outside the metropolitan area?

The harvest may not be as great as in the past. but will there be any labourers at all? ondary, and 9 composite primary /secondary schools.

ustice...

The Catholic Church at the End of an Age

RALPH MARTIN

‘\110 The Catholic • Church at the )# End °fon a. t 4.47,say‘ Age

What is the Spirit Saying?

Ralph Martin Ten years after his best-selling book. A Crisis of Truth. Ralph Martin has again taken a look at the situation of the Catholic Church throughout the world from a quite different angle and has offered a persuasive analysis of the spiritual factors at the heart of both the Church's difficulties and the hoped for renewal. In what reviewers have called an "awesome" marshaling of vital information that most of us have no access to. but is vital for understanding "what the Spirit Is saying to the Church today".

This book doesn't just leave us with an impressive and startling look at the Church's actual situation. It shows us how we can respond to what we see in a way that can bring great blessings to all. This book is an amazingly rich source of documentation of what actually is happening in the Church around the world as well as an inspiring presentation of the great power of faith, hope and love to "conquer the world".

While focused on the situation of the Catholic Church. much of what the book deals with is relevant to Christians in other churches as well. A "must read" if we are to be ready for what awaits us at the end of one age and the beginning of another.

"Martin has gathered an awesome amount of evidence in support of his thesis, which I find both convincing and important. This book serves both to shatter our complacency and to rekindle our hope that in the midst of the current spiritual crisis God is indeed renewing his Church through the Gospel and preparing a new springtime."

- Fr. Avery Dulles, S.J. Professor of Theology. Fordham University.

"I have been deeply enlightened and often convicted of sin myself by reading Ralph Martin's book . I hope many Catholics, including church leaders will benefit as I have from reading these pages. No matter what one's stand on the issues facing the Church today. this book will be helpful to all."

- Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, 0.F.M. Cap. "Ralph Martin has given us a timely, challenging and provocative analysis of Catholic life. While the statistical and analytical evidence of the Catholic crisis is overwhelming, it is the penetrating power of the answer of solution that dominates the book and equips the reader with hope. An impressive and prophetic work. I heartily endorse it."

- Fr. Michael Scanlan. T.O.R. President. Franciscan University of Steubenville.

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The Record, May 4, 1995

3

It's chaos Body of Jesuit will move when c loser to saints rights go wrong TATICAN CITY (CNS) - The Vatican newspaper V said a U.S. lesbian couple's battle over custody of a child demonstrates the civil and moral "chaos" that can result from exaggerated homosexual rights.

The case also points up the need for states to .strictly regulate artificial insemination, so that homosexual couples do not have the legal opportunity to bring a baby into the world, said an article in L'Osservatore Romano by Father Gino Concetti, a moral theologian who frequently comments on social issues for the newspaper.

"A child has a right to be born in a human way to a stable couple, composed of a man and a woman united in marriage," the article said.

The child also has a right to be educated by his or her natural parents, it said.

"Outside of this line of principles there is only chaos, a moral and social disorder," it said.

The article referred to a case in which a lesbian couple decided to end their union. One of the women was the natural mother, by artificial insemination, of the child.

But the other woman has sued for child custody.

The Vatican newspaper article said it would be logical and sensible for the child, a 5-year-old girl, to remain with her natural mother at this point.

It said the whole episode showed that homosexual couples can only have the "illusion of forming a stable family"

TATICAN CITY (CNS) - The body of former V Jesuit head Pedro Arrupe will be moved to the resting place of some of the Jesuits' most famous saints.

The tomb of Father Arrupe, who led the order after the Second Vatican Council and died in 1991, will be in a small chapel near the tomb of Jesuit founder St. Ignatius of Loyola and near a memorial to missionary St. Francis Xavier, in the Gesu, the Jesuits' main church in Rome.

"It will make it easier for people to pray at his tomb, but it has nothing to do with a sainthood cause - it is still premature because the cause cannot be opened until between five and 10 years after death," said Jesuit Father Peter Gumpel, a former official at the Vatican Congregation for Sainthood Causes.

The plaque marking the new tomb lists Father Arrupe as head of the order from 1965 to 1983, although for the last two of those years the Jesuits were ruled by a papally-appointed delegate.

Since the government technically owns the church, permission had to be sought for the installation of the plaque and the preparation of a niche under the marble floor where the casket will rest.

The Jesuits had wanted to transfer the body from the Jesuit mausoleum in Rome's Campo Verano cemetery during their Jan. 5-March 23 general congregation meeting but health department approvals have yet to be finalised.

Current Jesuit superior general Father PeterHans Kolvenbach, who succeeded Father Arrupe, said the body was being moved as a response to "the great admiration for the person of Father Arrupe and all the work he accomplished."

But, Father Kolvenbach said, the transfer does not mark the beginning of an all-out Jesuit campaign for the beatification and canonization of the Basque Jesuit.

Still, in the hearts and minds of many Jesuits, Father Arrupe is already a saint.

It's no coincidence that his new burial place is the chapel commemorating Christ's passion Pope John Paul II and Jesuits throughout the world highlighted Father Arrupe's intimate knowledge of suffering as they paid their last respects to him in 1991.

Pope John Paul said Father Arrupe will be remembered for his "profound piety in missionary service, his vigorous witness of faith and of zeal for the church, his generous and patient acceptance of the divine will in every suffering."

Father Arrupe was superior of the Jesuit novitiate in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 when the United States dropped an atomic bomb about four miles away. He led a rescue party into the city and turned the novitiate into an emergency hospital.

But for most Jesuits, the proof of Father Arrupe's holiness in suffering came when the superior general watched Pope John Paul suspend the normal governing procedures of the order and appoint a delegate to head the society.

Father Arrupe had asked the pope to be allowed to become the first Jesuit in history to resign as superior general and preside over the election of his successor.

But Pope John Paul asked him to stay on.

Shortly after Father Arrupe suffered a stroke in 1981, the pope named his own delegate to run the order instead of Father Arrupe's vicar general.

"It hurt him beyond measure," said U.S. Jesuit Father Walter J. Burghardt at a memorial service for Father Arrupe. "I know this for a fact."

For many Jesuits it also is fitting that Father Arrupe is to be interred in the same chapel as two Jesuits who played important roles in the Society of Jesus when it was in turmoil.

Under the altar in the side chapel lie the remains of St. Joseph Mary Pignatelli. a Spanish Jesuit who lived in Italy after the Jesuits were expelled from Spain in 1767.

When the entire order was suppressed in 1773, Father Pignatelli assisted his fellow Jesuits in finding jobs and means of survival. When the Society of Jesus was allowed to operate again, he helped re-establish Jesuit communities throughout Italy.

To the left of the altar - directly across from Father Arrupe's plaque - is the burial place of Jesuit Father Johann Philipp Roothaan, known as "the general who rebuilt the society" between 1829 and 1853 following the suppression.

Touched by the simplicity of pope HMEDABAD, India (CNS) - A delegate "He stressed the need to stand by the poor "Pope John Paul heard us with a lot of inter- form of asceticism which resulted in his death A rom India's Jain religion said he was and the needy. He said religion transcends to est. We were surprisingly glad to find that the by starvation at age 72 around 468 B.C. touched by his meeting with l'ope John Paul II unite and uplift man," said Desai, a scholar and pope knew a lot about Jainism," he added. on a recent ecumenical visit to the Vatican.

Kumarpal Desai described what he called "the transparency and simplicity of the pope" in speaking with the 21-member lain group.

The pope spent nearly 35 minutes with them and encouraged them to continue to dialogue.

The early March meeting with the pope received much publicity in India's Gujarat state where many Jam s live.

journalist in Gujarat's capital Ahmedabad.

The pope greeted "each of us and asked about our families," Desai said. The whole delegation found the pope "warm and spontaneous," he said.

Desai said the Catholic leader spoke about Indian spiritual and political leader Mahatma Gandhi's "unshakable faith in God," his concern for the downtrodden and his simplicity of life.

Jam s broke away from mainstream Hinduism in about 600 B.C. The faith preaches perfection of human nature through a life aimed at detachment from the material world. Jam s also seek to avoid injury to any living thing -animal or plant.

The religion's founder, Vardhamana - a contemporary of Buddha practiced an extreme

The pope assured the Jain delegation that the dialogue between the Catholic Church and Jainism will continue, Desai said.

"The pope was overjoyed to accept gifts from us," he said.

"In turn, he gave us expensive books on the church and dogmas."

The meeting was held under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

Not in the cathedral

Greater awareness

PRAGUE

KYO (CNS) - Tha Japanses Catholic Church is benefitting from a stronger bishops'conference and from growing awareness of social issues.

- During next month's visit to the Czech Republic and Poland, Pope John Paul II plans to recognize as saints a controversial 17th-century Catholic priest and a 13th-century noblewoman known for her charitable works, but won't be visiting the capital's cathedral.

There will be no papal event at at the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague whose ownership of the 14th- century cathedral is currently being fought over by Catholic and government officials.

Czech church officials initially had expressed hopes that a papal event would be held in the cathedral.

The pope is not planning to discuss the delicate church-state ownership issue during the trip, said a Vatican official knowledgeable about Czech affairs.

4 The Record, May 4, 1995

The pope will recognize the sainthood of Blessed Sarkander and of Blessed Zdislava of Lemberk during a May 21 Mass in the Czech city of Olomouc where Blessed Sarkander was tortured to death.

Blessed Zdislava was added after Czech Protestants complained about Blessed Sarkander, saying his sainthood would rekindle old hostilities among Christians. Protestant leaders also threatened to cut ecumenical contacts with the Catholic Church.

Blessed Zdislava was a noblewoman born in the Olomouc area around 1215. She helped found two Dominican convents and was known for her charitable works.

The pope's itinerary also lists a stop in Skoczow in southern Poland where Blessed Sarkander was born.

These benefits hay come in the wake of the Second Vatican Council said Japan's Jesuit provincial, Father Adolph() Nicolas. by UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand.

"The creation of the bishops' conference has brought about a change from a mosaic of different pastoral styles, devotions and traditions to a more coordinated pastoral leadership for the whole country," he said.

"In addition, there is evolving a greater awareness of and involvement in social questions through justice and peace efforts," he said.

However, Father Nicolas said that those who consider religion a "purely spiritual" activity have strongly resisted the evolution of a social ministry.

He said efforts at renewing liturgy have been ongoing, but a truly Japanese liturgy that would adequately express the beauty, culture and religiousness of the people has not yet emerged.

The best hope for the future, he said, is the ongoing National Incentives Convention for Evangelization process, which the Japanese church began in the 1980s.

"It seeks to give body to the ecclesiology of Vatican II, with the church as a living communion," he said. "There is stress on real community, integration of the Scriptures and life, and involvement, formation and empowerment of the laity.

•410

'14f;

High hopes for a soothing Poland stopover W

ARSAW, POLAND (CNS) - Hopes are high that Pope John Paul II's stopover next month, his sixth papal visit to his native Poland will soothe the country's troubled domestic climate, which is marked by church-state tensions under a government led by former communists.

Bishop Pieronek, secretary-general of the Polish bishops' conference, said "Poland is often perceived to be becoming slowly more pagan and to be losing interest in religion and the great moral authorities. In this sense, the visit will be a test of the social mood," said Bishop Pieronek.

The 10-hour visit will be the pope's sixth since being elected to head the Catholic Church in October 1978.

Since Jozef Oleksy became Poland's first ex-communist prime minister in February, some observers have predicted that solutions could be found to the disputes that have divided church, government and parliament for 18 months.

But Oleksy's conciliatory stance is vigorously opposed by many members of his Democratic Left Alliance, known as SLD after its Polish initials.

A compromise formula for church-state relations guarantees that the state "will not take sides" in religious issues and meeting Catholic demands that church and state should respect each other's "autonomy and independence."

But SLD activists have warned that they do not plan to give up the principle of a secular state. In March SLD deputies again succeeded in blocking ratification of Poland's 1993 concordat with the Vatican.

Since former communists were returned to power in a September 1993 election, the church has been involved in other disputes, involving abortion, media access, religious education and army chaplains.

Poland also has been without an ambassador at the Vatican for more than a year.

All this has taken place in a country where more than 96 percent of the 40 million inhabitants profess Catholicism.

Against this background, some Poles doubt whether the pope's words can have the same resonance as during his previous visits in 1979, 1983, 1987 and twice in 1991.

The first three visits came while Poland was under commu-

Subversion charges withdrawn ARSAW, POLAND (CNS) W Communist-era subversion charges filed against a popular

Catholic priest killed 11 years ago by secret police have been withdrawn by the Polish supreme court.

The priest, Father Jerzy Popieluszko, had been a strong public anti-communist, and his killing played a key role in mobilizing public opinion against Poland's rulers of the time.

Shortly before being killed in 1984, he was charged with slandering state o fficials and with storing illegal weapons, explosives and publications in his Warsaw apartment.

Although the charges were suspended under an August 1994 amnesty, they were never formally withdrawn.

The Supreme Court said that the priest was innocent of any crime, and that the incriminating materials had been planted in his home "with the knowledge and approval of Interior Ministry leaders."

Father Popieluszko's sermons criticizing communist human rights violations had a "Justified in truth" and had contained "fully legitimate criticisms," the court said.

More than 11 million people have visited Father Popieluszko's grave at Warsaw's St. Stanislaw Kostka Church in the past decade, including Pope John Paul II in 1987. A church commission is currently gathering data for his possible sainthood.

nist rule and were instrumental in toppling communist governments throughout Eastern Europe.

In a November survey, 36 percent of the respondents in Poland said they no longer recognize any moral authority.

Pope John Paul easily led the field in popularity over other public figures, but only 20 percent said they follow his teachings. This compares to 60 percent in 1991.

Yet the pope's personal popularity with his fellow Poles is still something to be reckoned with, and Bishop Pieronek expressed worry that some public figures could try to use the papal visit for political capital as presidential elections loom in the fall.

When the pope's book, "Crossing the Threshold of Hope." was released in Polish last October, its church publishers assigned it a print run of just 10,000 copies, anticipating a lack of interest.

Since then, the book has sold almost 1 million copies.

Meanwhile, Poland's state television network began on March 26 transmitting the pope's weekly Sunday Angelus ceremony live from the Vatican, a sign that the pope's spiritual leadership still finds a ready audience in his home country.

"We believe the visit will move domestic discussions in a good direction," said Bishop Pieronek.

"Because of the tight schedule, his talks with politicians here will be frank and spontaneous, encouraging more serious treatment of issues which are currently stuck in the Polish parliament," he added.

Meeting members of Poland's Catholic Youth Association April 15 at the Vatican, the pope said he kept in touch with events in his home country.

"Times have changed, and in some ways they have become more difficult," the pope said.

"Today, when many want to limit the presence of religion exclusively to the private realm, it becomes especially important to reawaken an awareness of the social dimension of faith, religious experience and apostolic commitment," he added.

Tensions there but no violence...

Ic

ERUSALEM (CNS) - Tensions church. between the Orthodox Christian A day before the ceremony, representaurches in Jerusalem simmered with a tives of the Christian communities in mass invasion of Egyptian pilgrims but Israel held an emergency meeting with violence did not break out.

Israeli government officials to voice their The Orthodox ceremony of the Holy fears that violence would erupt with the Fire celebrating the resurrection of Jesus large numbers who had come for the cerwas celebrated quietly this year, despite emony. fears that violence would break out with One potential flashpoint was the Coptic the unexpected influx of 15,000 Egyptian tradition of staying in the church the night Coptic Orthodox pilgrims. before the fire ceremony. The Christian The large number of Copts seemed to communities said they feared that would indicate a breakthrough in the ban on leave no room for Greek Orthodox worCoptic pilgrimages to Jerusalem imposed shipers, due to arrive the following mornin 1970 following a dispute with the ing, and that rioting could erupt.

Ethiopian Church over the possession of The solution was an agreement that two chapels and a stairway adjacent to limited the overnight stay to 200 Copts. the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Getting into the Church of the Holy the Ceremony of the Holy Fire was held Sepulchre for the ceremony was another April 19.

The Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic story.

Multitudes spilled out from the church and Syrian Churches celebrated Easter on April 23. The ceremony involves the courtyard and into the usually empty blessing of a new fire during the Easter streets of Jerusalem's Old City, making it almost impossible to reach the door of the Vigil.

Egyptian officials had ruled that none church.

At the door, representatives of the Copof its Coptic population would be allowed to make the pilgrimage until the Copts tic and Greek Orthodox Churches quesgained control over the disputed prop- tioned everyone seeking entry to determine their religion, and thus whether erty.

In 1994, about 500 Copts, mostly from they were in the proper line. the United States, attended the ceremony.

If a Greek Orthodox was unlucky According to the Coptic patriarchate in enough to be standing in the Coptic line, Jerusalem, the large pilgrimage this year for instance, he would be hastily told to was made against the wishes of the get into the proper queue.

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5

Ur-

Devotions to Mary: Be on your guard warning to priests OME (CNS) — Priests must guard

Rome, have included self-declared seers

the blood taken from the statue.

says an Italian bishop investigating the possibility of a miracle in the case of a Marian statue said to have shed tears of blood.

While a "special devotion" to Mary is legitimate, it is not at the same level as worship of Christ and the Trinity, said Bishop Girolamo Grillo of Civitavecchia-Tarquinia.

"Avoid in preaching false exaggerations and narrow-mindedness so as to guide with equilibrium popular devotions," he said in a letter to diocesan priests.

People must be encouraged to imitate Mary, who gave her life as "an offering to God," the letter said.

The bishop said the warning is necessary so that religious events connected to the statue under study become "constructive pastoral action in which emphasis is placed on the special presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and his church."

The letter was written as crowds of people continued visiting the backyard of the Fabio Gregori family in Civitavecchia to see the empty niche where a 17-inch plaster statue of Mary is said to have cried tears of blood several times in early February.

Visitors to the city, about 45 miles north of

over the niche site and people saying they witnessed miraculous cures at the site.

The bishop was initially highly skeptical after reports of crying began circulating. But he later said that he also saw the statue cry tears of blood on March 15 while he was holding it.

Bishop Grillo told Catholic News Service that the statue is still in his possession and he does not know yet when it will be placed on public display again.

The bishop formed a theological commission to study the possibility of a supernatural event after a series of scientific tests he ordered showed that the liquid falling from the statue's eyes was human male blood.

Parallel scientific tests, including X-rays and CAT scans, were ordered by local judicial authorities investigating possible fraud.

These showed that there were no cavities or special equipment inside that could have held and secreted liquid. These tests also showed that the liquid was human male blood.

Newspaper reports have said that judicial officials are considering taking blood tests of the male members of the Gregori family and Bishop Grillo to see if it matches with

Bishop Grillo said he has not been asked to give a blood sample and would have to think about complying if asked.

against exaggerated devotions to Mary, claiming to have seen apparitions of Mary

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Initially, the bishop had hoped to place the statue in a special niche in the parish church of the Gregori family on Good Friday, April 14. But judicial authorities ordered the temporary sealing of the statue in a closet in the bishop's residence pending analysis of the scientific tests done on the statue.

The Gregori family was given the statue by their parish priest, Father Pablo Martin, who brought it from Medjugorje, a site in Bosnia-Herzegovina where Marian apparitions allegedly have been occurring since

1981.

At least 13 Marian statues or other religious objects allegedly have cried in Italy since the beginning of 1995, but the Civitavecchia case is the only one being taken seriously by church and judicial officials.

Church and police officials have judged many of the other cases hoaxes. In some cases, arrests have been made.

Pope: Let's learn Priest expelled but to forgive

three others are allowed to stay

OME (CNS) - The Sudanese government in the South were they are a majority, in order to Rr evoked expulsion orders for three Catholic completely Islamize Sudan," Father Tresoldi missionaries, but expelled a 79-year-old Corn-

'VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul ll wants nations torn by internal conflict to renew efforts at dialogue and reconciliation.

The pope's remarks during a Sunday blessing followed reports of a massacre of thousands of civilian refugees in Rwanda the previous day. The pope has made many appeals for an end to ethnic rivalry in the central African nation.

"Let's learn to forgive! The spiral of hatred and violence that bloodies the path of so many individuals and nations can be interrupted only by the miracle of forgiveness," he said.

He said the message of Easter - the joy of the human victory over fear, violence and death - is aimed at the entire world, not just the church. And the world needs this message in a particular way today, he added.

He prayed so that "people and whole populations which are especially tried by hostility and fratricidal wars may overcome hatred and take concrete steps toward reconciliation and peace."

The Vatican newspaper called the latest Rwandan killings a "massacre of immense and terrifying proportions."

"The hatred that disturbs the mind, the ferocity that cancels humanity in the heart, the cruel madness that makes one person forget another, all came together against thousands of defenseless children, woman and elderly," said a commentary in the newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.

Along with pity for the victims, the newspaper expressed gratitude for those who are continuing to try to help the hundreds of thousands of refugees.

6 The Record, May 4, 1995

said. boni priest.

The Sudanese government is dominated by The government originally refused to renew Arab Muslims from the country's North. An the visas of the three and told them they to leave ongoing civil war has pitted the government the country by April 26. against rebels from the South, which is popuThe pope also called the expulsion of Comboni lated mostly by black Christians and followers of Father Ottorino Sina "a serious violation of reli- traditional African religions. gious freedom."

Father Sina and other Comboni missionaries Father Sina had a visa valid until 1996. He had were expelled from the southern city of Juba been in Sudan since 1976 and before that shortly after they participated in a prayer march worked in the country from 1947-1969. to a government office building to protest govWhen he asked for permission to temporarily ernment statements that the local church had leave the country for medical care in Italy, he helped several young fugitives escape into was advised to go for good.

Uganda.

The government said his visa was valid only for When the government ordered the Combonis residence in the southern city of Juba, a city from to move to Khartoum, it said it was doing so for which he and other Combonis were expelled in the security of the priests because of fighting in 1992, it said. the area.

Father Sina was the last of the 16 Combonis Father Sina said he originally was to have been expelled from Juba still remaining in Sudan. The expelled from the country in late 1992 following others left one by one as their visas expired and the protest, but that the government held off in were not renewed. view of Pope John Paul's one-day visit to Sudan "The tactic of the Islamic fundamentalists in the in early 1993. government is clear," said Comboni Father Until the 1992 protest, Father Sina had enjoyed Efrem Tresoldi. "The aim is to expel all the for- a special indefinite visa status in view of his sereign missionaries or to not renew their visas. vice as director of Comboni College in Khar"Over the long term, the plan is the total uproot- toum, a high school that educated many of ing of the Christians from the country, especially Sudan's elite, Christian and Muslim.

Contraception does not prevent abortions lUATICAN CITY (CNS) - Facts show that V promoting contraception does not prevent abortions, the Vatican newspaper said.

One of the most common objections to church teaching on sexuality is that by opposing artificial contraception, the Catholic Church contributes to the growing number of abortions in the world, said the article by Vincentian Father Lino Ciccone.

"This serious accusation against the church" fails to stand up to the truth, said the priest.

"Indeed, the pro-abortion culture is espedaily strong precisely where the church's teaching on contraception is rejected," he wrote, quoting from Pope John Paul ll's new encyclical, "Evangelium Vitae" ("The Gospel of Life").

"All over the world the chief supporters of legalized abortion have been the people, movements and organizations long and notoriously committed to spreading contraception," said Father Ciccone, a consultant to the Pontifical Council for the Family.

In addition, he said, sociological studies on abortion in individual countries have shown that "the ease of turning to abortion is notably greater among women who have used contraceptives than for others, especially those who use (natural) methods of fertility regulation."

The truly logical progression is not from avoiding contraception to having an abortion, but from accepting the legitimacy of contraception to accepting the legalization of abortion, he said.

"In confronting fertility, the contraceptive culture promotes a hypocritically labeled 'responsibility,' while in reality it is

refusal," he said. "Its acceptance soon creates a contraceptive mentality, that is, a prejudicial and clear refusal of every child not wanted by the couple or by the woman.

"This refusal, once socially widespread, constitutes the best terrain for accepting as legitimate the idea of getting rid of every child which comes with an unplanned pregnancy," Father Ciccone said.

The move from contraception to abortion "has found another and subtle incentive" in the development of drugs which are sold as contraceptives, the priest said, but instead of preventing conception destroy an already fertilized egg.

Instead of being called abortifacients, the drugs are promoted with labels such as "postcoital contraceptive," "emergency contraceptive" or "morning-after pill." he said.

"Perhaps this linguistic phenomenon is itself a symptom of an uneasiness of conscience," he wrote, again quoting the pope's encyclical.

Using deceptive language and promoting a vision of sexuality that separates the unitive and procreative functions of conjugal love can never lead to respect for human life, Father Ciccone wrote.

"The Catholic Church's firm and constant moral condemnation of contraception" is a sign pointing humanity toward the truth about love, sexuality and life, he said. "More precisely, it is a 'wrong way' sign, because contraception is a road to follow only if one wants to strengthen, instead of resist, the culture of death of our time."

Rebuttal by bishops...

T ONDON (CNS) - Catholic bishops have rebuted a

J-asenior Church of England official whoquestioned Pope John Paul II's understanding of biology in his latest encyclical, "Evangelium Vitae."

The questioning seems to arise from a misreading of the text. said Nicholas Coote. assistant general secretary of the Catholic bishops' conference.

Anglican Archbishop John Habgood of York criticized the encyclical in a London newspaper, The Independent The archbishop is second in seniority in the Anglican hierarchy in England.

Archbishop Habgood was critical of the links made between abortion, contraception and euthanasia. He said that in the biological world there were few "sharp dividing lines."

He wrote that "even life itself is hard to define, and the precise transition point from nonliving material to living organism is to some extent arbitrary."

Coote defended the pope in a letter published in The Independent. He welcomed Archbishop Habgood's general support for the encyclical, but said the archbishop may have misread the text.

The pope had not overlooked the moral differences between abortion, contraception, euthanasia, embryo research and capital punishment, said Coote.

The Catholic official rejected the notion that the pope had failed to grasp the biological principle of gradualism.

"The pope relies on modern biological knowledge as providing a strong indication that from fertilization onward, there is an individual entity with a distinct genetic life program," said Coote.

Archbishop Habgood said that the pope's "eloquent defense of the Gospel of life" deserved praise.

No excuse Z

AGREB, Croatia (CNS) - Croatia's wartime conditions cannot justify violations of human rights. said Cardinal Kuharic of Zagreb.

The cardinal criticized summary executions and discrimination against people because of religion, ethnic origin or political affiliation.

The church in this imposed war has taught and continues to teach that defense, even when justified, is not permitted to change into revenge or hatred." the cardinal said.

"It is limited by respect for the human rights of every person. even the prisoner and his property." he added.

"Unfortunately, in defense, it occurs that human rights and ethical norms are violated," he said.

"Only legal authorities can sentence a person to death" and a court "must assess the guilt and prove that It was deserving of the death penalty," he said.

The cardinal expressed confidence in the good Intentions of government authorities and said he understood the difficulties of wartime conditions.

But newly independent Croatia cannot fall back into a totalitarian system, he said.

After decades of communist rule, he said, building democracy is difficult because many people still have a totalitarian mentality.

Protestant leader in protest again W

ARSAW, Poland (CNS) - A Czech Protestant leader has told the Vatican that plans to declare the sainthood of a priest executed by Protestants in 1620 will damage ecumenical relations.

"It can only aggravate the wounded soul of the Evangelical Church and Czech populace, which is still bleeding," said Bishop Pavel Smetana of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren and head of the Czech Council of Churches.

His protest came in an letter to Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, president of the Vatican Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The bishop faxed copies to news organizations.

The bishop proposed that the sainthood ceremony be postponed or held in a lowkey fashion in Rome rather than in the Czech Republic, as currently planned.

Pope John Paul II is scheduled to declare Blessed Jan Sarkander a saint during a May 20-22 visit to the Czech Republic and Poland.

The ceremony is scheduled for the Czech city of Olomouc, where the priest was killed.

"Czech Protestants will view the solemn canonization of Jan Sarkander as an irritable offense," said Bishop Smetana.

Bishop Smetana said that Blessed Sarkander was "in the service of a violent totalitarian system" because of his ties to Polish Catholic forces fighting Protestant troops during a religious war.

Although his "human qualities" are not at issue "some people today regard Jan Sarkander as a man of moral paradoxes," said the bishop.

"The fact is that the violence to which he was an accomplice deserves to be condemned, like every other brutality committed against mankind," he added.

Blessed Sarkander was born in 1576 in Skoczow in what is now southern Poland, another stop on the Polish-born pope's May itinerary. At the start of the 30 Years' War, the region's Lutheran lords accused Blessed Sarkander of acting as a guide for invading

Catholic Polish troops. Although supporters protested his innocence, he was killed after being tortured and set afire.

The incident took place at the time of a decisive Catholic victory over Protestant armies at the 1820 Battle of White Mountain, which resulted in the capture of Prague, now the Czech capital, and the violent reimposition of rule by the Catholic Hapsburg monarchy.

Current Czech and Polish Catholic leaders have welcomed the canonization as a chance for interchurch reconciliation. But Czech Protestants said the move will revive the memory of repressive acts by the Catholic Church.

Bishop Smetana said Catholics were mostly to blame for the fighting, and "history yields totally convincing evidence as to the identities of aggressor and defender."

Although there was no evidence linking Blessed Sarkander to violent aggression, the priest was known to have taken over formerly Protestant churches, the bishop said.

Blessed Sarkander also condoned the "barbaric torture" used to force Protestants to attend his Catholic services, making his canonization "incomprehensible" as an act of "reconciliation and healing of historical memory," the bishop said.

Such a man is presented "as an example of a good Christian," said Bishop Smetana.

"Isimply believe your sensitive heart cannot fail to understand the feelings of the Protestant Church," said the bishop.

Holding the ceremony in the Czech Republic risks stirring "feelings of humiliation" among non-Catholic Christians, he added.

Just over 40 percent of the Czech Republic's 10.4 million people declared themselves Catholics in a mid-1993 government census. About 5 percent claimed affiliation with the four largest non-Catholic Christian churches.

In a 1994 church survey, however, less than 12 percent of the Catholics and 4 percent of the remaining population said they attended church regularly.

The Record, May 4, 1995 7 e ' vfik". ,bity:AA

11 1 11 11 11 11 1 11

The important little-known Humour in the scripture people of the bible...

Or take Naaman the Syrian. Jesus referred to him right after the widow of Zarephath (Luke 4:27). At least this time we know his name.

We know he was a Syrian. We also know that Elisha the prophet was sent to him and that Naaman then was cleansed of leprosy.

We know too that both the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian were important.

When Jesus referred to them the whole synagogue r ose up in anger, drove him out of town and tried to push him off a cliff (Luke 4:2829).

To understand, we need to know their stories.

The story of the widow of Zarephath is part of a series of stoNaaman first went to the king of Israel, who could do nothing. Elisha heard of the visit and sent word that Naaman should come to him.

•=•••

By Father Eugene LaVerdiere, SSS

here are people in T the Bible whose s tory we've never

heard. Or if we have, it was so long ago that we don't remember it.

Take the widow of Zarephath.

Jesus referred to her in the synagogue of Nazareth at the start of his ministry (Luke 4:25-26).

We do not even know her name. We know she was a widow - "a widow in Zarephath." We also know that Zarephath w as in the land of Sidon. And we know that Elijah was sent to her in a time of famine. ries about Elijah, a major prophet often referred back to in the New Testament. The story is told in 1 Kings 17:716.

There was famine in Israel. For some time there had been no rain, and springs ran dry. That is when God told Elijah to move to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.

God chose a widow there to provide for him.

Elijah met the widow at the city's gate and requested a cup of water. She was on her way to get it when he called out after her to bring along a piece of bread.

The very poor widow answered that she had only a handful of flour and a little oil to make a small cake for herself and her child. Elijah answered that she should not be afraid. She could make the little cake for herself and her son.

First, however, she should prepare one for him. The little flour and oil she had would not run out until the famine was over.

She did as Elijah asked, and everything happened as he said. For a whole year, she and her son ate without running out of flour and oil.

Like Elijah, Jesus would provide nourishment in nearly desperate situations. Like Elijah, Jesus would give abundant nourishment to others on condition they shared the little they had with those who had nothing.

I .1 3 II

In many ways, the story is parallel to Jesus' multiplication of the loaves for a crowd of around 5,000 that came to hear him speak about the kingdom of God. Like Elijah, Jesus would provide nourishment to gentiles. By referring to Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, Jesus was urging those in the synagogue to do the same. Like Jesus, their mission was not to take care of themselves but to go out and nourish the whole world.

For them, that was too much. Jesus' message was revolutionary. He had to be destroyed.

The story of Naaman the Syrian is part of a series of stories about Elisha the prophet, who succeeded Elijah.

That story is told in 2 Kings.

In many ways the Naaman story parallels that of the widow of Zarephath.

Naaman was a successful commander of a foreign army of Arameans, whose territory corresponded roughly to Syria. He was also a leper.

There was a little Israelite girl in Naaman's household, a servant of Naaman's wife. At one time, she had been captured in an Aramean raid on Israelite territory. The little girl told her mistress that a prophet in Samada could cure her husband of the leprosy.

Talking point Ts there an account from Scripture that inspires you in difficult 'situations?

Selected responses from readers: "In Luke, the story of the Prndigal Son. I do substance abuse counselling and use that passage a lot. The way Luke describes the Father with his arms wide open waiting for the son is a great comfort when we get into trouble." - Steve Rast.

"Jesus' words to the disciples during the washing of the feet.

What comes through passages like this is a gentle, loving, caring God." - Ray Willem.

• "There is a quote from the first part of Psalm 37 - the antiphon that goes with it in the Tuesday Liturgy of the Hours - that I turn to a lot. The core of the message is absolute trust. It's hard, and that's whyIhave to keep reading it over and over again." - Father Mario Clam.

"John's Gospel where Jesus promises 'I will not leave you orphaned.'... This passage reassures me that Iam not alone. Once one of my children broke his back in a terrible accident. I just walked around that hospital repeating that passage." - Kay Finan.

"It's that passage where Jesus says, 'Knock and it shall be opened to you.' I picture the Lord at the door and allI have to do is open the door and welcome the Lord into my situation." - Helen Will. "'Know that I am with you always' has helped me through many painful and traumatic experiences." - Sylvia Penca.

"Recalling the centurion's words, 'Lord,I am not worthy.... Only say the word and my servant will be healed,' renews and strengthens my hope in the Lord, for 'we walk by faith, not by sight."' - Sharon Jones.

8

The Record, May 4, 1995

But when Elisha asked Naaman to go wash in the Jordan seven times, he thought it ridiculous. He felt he did not have to go to Israel to wash in a river. Those in Syria were just as good.

By Father Paul J. Schmidt

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Paul healed a lame man in Lystra. The people then thought Paul and Barnabas were gods and a sacrificial procession with oxen and garlands appeared at the gates, explains Father Paul J. Schmidt.

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Elisha refused to take anything for the cure, and Naaman then asked to take a bit of earth with him so he might offer sacrifice to the Lord on Israelite soil. Elisha's servant, however, pursued Naaman and asked for payment. For that he was stricken with Naaman's former leprosy.

Again we see why those in the synagogue turned on Jesus. Like Elisha, Jesus was a healer who healed without asking anything in return. Like Elisha, he would heal even gentiles, who would then worship the Lord as Israel did.

For those who heard Jesus, this was too much.

Besides, was Jesus suggesting that they might be stricken with the very diseases from which the gentiles were cured?

Food for thought

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•

At his servants' urging, however, Naaman did what the prophet asked and was cured.

Jesus was dangerous. He had to be destroyed.

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I

We do not usually look into the Bible for humour. But many laughs can be mined from the sacred pages.

At least two stories about St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles can make us chuckle while they teach us their lessons. The first is a case of mistaken identity (Acts 14:8-18), the second a case of "let's you and him fight" (Acts 23:6-10).

When Paul and Barnabas travelled through Asia Minor on the first missionary journey, Paul healed a man in Lystra who had been lame from birth. The miracle backfired.

Instead of professing faith in the one true God, the people thought Paul and Barnabas were the gods - the gods Hermes and Zeus. All at once a sacrificial procession with oxen and garlands appeared at the gates.

"Friends, we are mortals like you." shouted Paul and Barnabas. But even after a hastily delivered sermon on the true God, the apostolic pair could hardly keep the crowd from offering sacrifice.

One can imagine the two telling this story after the fact, with laughter replacing their eatlier sense of horror.

The cut of personality in religion has done incalculable harm. Even with the horrifying example of Jim Jones leading 900 people to suicide in Guyana, we still want to crown religious superstars.

The miracles of word and sacrament given to us by the one God get overshadowed by the quality of the preacher and the presidential style of the celebrant. We mistake accidents for the substance, the messenger for the message.

It is important for preachers to preach well and ministers to celebrate the sacraments with dignity and devotion. But I believe it is a mistake to lose one's faith or stop going to church because the local odest is not Hermes or Zeus.

When Paul went to Jerusalem for the last time, he caused a dot in the temple. The Roman authority intervened to save him from a beating.

The next day there was a hearing.

When Paul saw that some of the Sadducees and Pharisees were among his accusers, he cried out: "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead."

Because Pharisees and Sadducees disagreed on the possibility of the resurrection of the dead, they began fighting among themselves, the Pharisees eventually declaring Paul innocent. The Roman authority had to intervene again to prevent Paul from being torn to pieces.

As with the incident in Lystra. one can imagine Paul telling this story later with a smile.

But how sad and foolish religious squabbling looks from a distance. At times the squabble becomes more important than the issue.

Those who opposed Paul and his religious innovations came to the hearing united. Their own factiousness distracted them from their goal and set them against each other.

Serious religious differences do occur in the church. Unfortunately, human pride and obtuseness often masquerade as zeal for one's position.

We read the pages of history with interest and regret. How will future generations read the story of our superstitions, our idols, our controversies. our animosities?

If there is indeed humour in stories like those we have read from the Bible, there is also the tragedy of missed opportunities and lost grace.

I I] I I3 1 Are there new folk to meet in scripture?

I3 I3 I3 I3 3 I' ]

Fascinating people keep popping up in the corners of Scripture!

You see, the Bible is always new.

There's always something or someone who was overlooked in earlier readings.

There's always the possibility that, given the changes that take place in one's life, a familiar biblical person or event now will come to life in a new way.

The stories of biblical characters make for a good read. But, as the new Catechism of the Catholic Church says, we don't go to the Bible for a "written and mute word." We want a word that's alive (No. 108).

We want to capture that life. The charism of some who witnessed to God's love for us "has been handed on, like 'the spirit' of Elijah to Elisha and John the Baptist, so that their followers may have a share in this spirit," says the catechism (No. 2684).

It quotes St. Basil, who said 'the Spirit is truly the dwelling of the saints, and the saints are for the Spirit a place where he dwells" (No. 2684).

What is remarkable about biblical characters? It is: * Who they are. * Who God is, as seen in them. * And what this means for us right now.

By Father John J. Castelot

The prophet Jeremiah dared to preach against the policies of those who were driving Israel to certain destruction at the hands of the ruthless Babylonians.

This determined faction persuaded the weak-willed king to silence Jeremiah, and the king's answer was ominous: "He is in your power.... And so they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah, which was in the quarters of the guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud" (Jeremiah 38:5-6).

The maddening prospect was slow starvation. There was one man, however,

whose courageous respect for human dignity raised him to heroic heights. He was "Ebed-melech, a Cushite, a courtier in the king's palace" (38:7).

He may have had some standing in royal circles, but his name indicates his low status: Ebed-melech means "slave of the king."

When he heard of Jeremiah's fate, he approached his royal master and informed him of what had happened: "He will surely die of famine on the spot, for there is no more food in the city" (38:9).

With the king's permission and with the help of a few stalwart men, he let down some ropes, instructed Jeremiah how to attach them and drew him up to safety.

This Ethiopian, in all likelihood a despised black foreigner, had the decency and

courage to risk the wrath of the power bloc and to rescue a fellow-human being.

This is a story of boldness in the interests of human dignity and life.

Another sensitive human being turns up in the Gospel of Luke. His situation was different from Ebed-melech's. He was a man with authority, an officer in the army of occupation (Luke 7:1-10).

People in this centurion's position are notoriously disdainful of the occupied populace. But he wasn't. He had a critically ill slave, and he actually begged the elders of the Jews to intercede with Jesus for this unfortunate wretch.

In the elders' plea to Jesus on his behalf they allege his concern for the people and his astonishing generosity in helping them When Jesus build a synagogue.

approached the centurion's house, the man insisted that Jesus not demean himself by entering a gentile dwelling.

This is a telling instance of the danger of stereotyping people. As a gentile, an officer in the hated army of oppression, the centurion was a man one ordinarily would write off as a despicable tyrant. The stereotype was stunningly reversed.

Another unsung hero was Baruch, Jeremiah's secretary.

When the prophet was sternly forbidden to preach in public, Baruch took his place. At great personal risk, he wrote down Jeremiah's message and publicly proclaimed it, an example of fearless dedication to the truth in the face of snarling hostility and dire threats.

The Record, May 4. 1995

9

Gospel of Life versus Culture of Death (abridged version)

You shaII ot he Pope notes that "as explicitly formulated, the T precept 'You shall not kill' is

strongly negative. It indicates the extreme which can never be exceeded. Implicitly, however, it encourages a positive attitude of absolute respect for life".

There is, however, "a true right to self-defence" which sometimes involves taking an aggressor's life.

The Pope continues: "This is the context which to place the problem of the death penalty.

On this matter there is a growing tendency, both in the Church and in civil society, to demand that it be applied in a limited way or even that it be abolished completely."

It is the duty of public authority to impose "an adequate punishment for the crime, as a condition for the offender to regain the exercise of his or ' her freedom".

For these purposes to be achieved, it is clear that "the nature and extent of the punishment must be carefully evaluated decided upon, and ought not to go to the extreme of executing the offender except in cases of absolute necessity: in other words, when it would not be possible otherwise to defend society.

"Today, however as a result of steady improvements in the organisation of the penal system, such cases are very rare, if not practically non-existent". such If such care must be taken to respect the live seven of criminals and unjust aggressors, the Pope declares, "the command 'You shall not kill' has absolute value when it refers to the innocent person".

He states: "Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his successors, and in communion with the bishops of the Catholic Church, I confirm that the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral."

The acceptance of abortion "is a telling sign of an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense". The Pope notes the "widespread use of ambiguous terminology, such as 'interruption of pregnancy', which tends to hide abortion's true nature and attenuate its seriousness in public opinion.

Perhaps this linguistic phenomenon is itself a symptom of an uneasiness of an uneasiness of conscience".

The Pope continues: "The unborn child totally entrusted to the protection and care of the woman carrying him or her in womb. And yet sometimes ills precisely the mother herself who makes the decision and asks for the child to be eliminated, and who then goes about having it done.

Others are often also to blame, in the first place the father of the child, "not only when he directly pressures the woman to have an abortion, but also when he indirectly encourages such a decision on her part by leaving her alone to face the problems of pregnancy".

10 The Record, May 4, 1995 t t aT?: ,P A riV. o.c, 9.-1 911

But as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has declared, the new life "would never be made human if it were not human already".

The congregation added that the discovery of the genetic code "offers clear confirmation. It has demonstrated that from the first instant there is established the programme of what this living being will be: a person, this individual person with his characteristic aspects already well determined. Right from fertilisation the adventure of the human life begins, and each of its capacities requires time - a rather lengthy time - to find its place and to be in a position to act".

In any case "the mere probability that a human person is involved would suffice to justify an absolutely clear prohibition of any intervention aimed at killing a human embryo".

This has always been the doctrine of the Church. "Even scientific and philosophical discussions about the precise moment of the infusion of the spiritual soul have never given rise to any hesitation about the moral condemnation of abortion."

The Pope affirms: "I declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes The Pope signs his new encyclical on March 30.

4 grave moral disorder, since it The wider family circle and friends may exert is the deliberate killing of an innocent human pressure on the woman to have an abortion, being." and "doctors and nurses are also responsible, when they place at the service of death skills The Pope then extends his evaluation of the morality of abortion to experimentation on which were acquired for promoting life". human embryos. "The use of human embryos But the nexus of responsibility extends wider or foetuses as an object of experimentation still: "Responsibility likewise falls on the legis- constitutes a crime against their dignity as lators who have promoted and approved abor- human beings who have a right to the same tion laws, and, to the extent that they have a say respect owed to a child once born, just as to in the matter, on the administrators of the every person." health-care centres where abortions are perThe same condemnation applies to "proceformed.

"A general and no less serious responsibility dures that exploit living human embryos and lies with those who have encouraged the foetuses - sometimes specifically 'produced' for spread of an attitude of sexual permissiveness this purpose by in vitro fertilisation - either to and a lack of esteem for motherhood, and with be used as 'biological material',or as providers those who should have ensured - but did not - of organs or tissue for transplants in the treateffective family and social policies in support of ment of certain diseases. The killing of innofamilies, especially larger families and those cent human creatures, even if carried out to with particular financial and educational help others, constitutes an absolutely unacceptable act". needs.

"Finally, one cannot overlook the network of The Pope turns to the subject of prenatal diagcomplicity which reaches out to include inter- nostic techniques and declares: "When they do national institutions, foundations and associa- not involve disproportionate risks for the child tions which systematically campaign for the and the mother, and are meant to make possilegalisation and spread of abortion in the ble early therapy or even to favour a serene and world. informed acceptance of the child not yet born, "In this sense abortion goes beyond the these techniques are morally licit. responsibility of individuals and beyond the "But since the possibilities of prenatal therapy harm done to them, and takes on a distinctly are today still limited, it not infrequently hapsocial dimension." pens that these techniques are used with a The Pope considers the objection that at first eugenic intention which accepts selective aborthe foetus "cannot yet be considered a personal tion in order to prevent the birth of children human life". affected by various types of anomalies."

Gospel of Life versus Culture of Death (abridged version)

Back to euthanasia - and temptation

he Pope then again considers euthana- they impose an excessive burden on the acceptance of the human condition in the Suicide "is always as morally objectionT sia, "at the other end of life's spec- patient and his family. face of death". able as murder. The Church's tradition trum".

"In such situations, when death is In today's culture, suffering can seem clearly imminent and inevitable one can "like an unbearable setback, something in conscience 'refuse forms of treatment from which one must be freed at all costs". that would only secure 'a precarious and There is then a temptation "to have burdensome prolongation of life, so long recourse to euthanasia, that is, to take con- as the normal care due to the sick person trol of death and bring it about before its in similar cases is not interrupted'. time, 'gently' ending one's own life or the "Certainly there is a moral obligation to life of others. care for oneself and to allow oneself to be In reality,what might seem logical and cared for, but this duty must take account humane, when looked at more closely is of concrete circumstances. seen to be senseless and inhumane".

"It needs to be determined whether the Euthanasia "must be distinguished from the decision to forego so-called 'aggressive means of treatment available are objecmedical treatment', in other words, med- tively proportionate to the prospects for ical procedures which no longer corre- improvement. spond to the real situation of the patient, "To forego extraordinary or disproporeither because they are by now dispropor- tionate means is not the equivalent of suitionate to any expected results or because cide or euthanasia; it rather expresses

The Pope also considers the use of various types of painkillers and sedatives "for relieving the patient's pain when this involves the risk of shortening life". These means are licit when "there is simply a desire to ease pain effectively by using the analgesics which medicine provides".

In such a case, "death is not willed or sought, even though for reasonable motives one runs the risk of it".

These distinctions having been made, the Pope declares: "In harmony with the magisterium of my predecessors and communion with the bishops of the Catholic Church, I confirm that euthanasia is a grave violation of the law of God, since it is the deliberate and morally unacceptable killing of a human person."

has always rejected it as a gravely evil choice".

So "to concur with the intention of another person to commit suicide and to help in carrying it out through so-called 'assisted suicide' means to cooperate in, and at times to be the actual perpetrator o f, an injustice which can never be excused, even if it is requested".

Euthanasia is still more serious when committed on someone who has not requested or consented,to it. It then "takes the form of a murder". God alone has the power over life and death. When man usurps it, "the life of the person who is weak is put into the hands of the one who is strong; in society the sense of justice is lost, and mutual trust, the basis of every authentic interpersonal relationship, is undermined at its root".

Ties between civil law and moral law

e Pope then turns to the relationship other the law itself is regarded as laying mental rights which innately belong to the directors of hospitals, clinics and convales"b etween the civil law and the moral law. down moral criteria which are incumbent person, rights which every positive law cent facilities".

He notes first certain trends in today's cul- on all citizens. ture.

Thus people speak as though abortion and euthanasia were human rights which the State shouldl acknowledge. Or again the life of an unborn child or seriously disabled person is presented as only a relative good, to be balanced against other goods.

Or it is claimed that the civil law should not endorse moral standards higher than those held by the majority, whose opinion and will should be expressed in the law.

Others again maintain that in a pluralistic society there should be complete freedom as to abortion and euthanasia.

The result is "what appear to be two diametrically opposed tendencies".

On the one hand individuals claim complete freedom of moral choice. On the

Ethical relativism underlies all these views. The almost universal consensus today about the value of democracy is "a positive 'sign of the times'".

But "democracy is a 'system', and as such is a means and not an end.

Its moral value is not automatic, but depends on conformity to the moral law, to which it, like every other form of human behaviour, must be subject". Otherwise it "would be reduced to a mere mechanism for regulating different and opposing interests on a purely empirical basis".

Consequently it is necessary "to recover the basic elements of a vision of the relationship between civil law and moral law".

Civil law "must ensure that all members of society enjoy respect for certain funda-

"Special" for women

must recognise and guarantee. First and fundamental among these is the inviolable right to life of every innocent human being".

The Pope quotes St Thomas Aquinas: "When a law is contrary to reason, it is called an unjust law; but in this case it ceases to become law and becomes instead an act of violence." He declares: "A civil law authorising abortion or euthanasia ceases by that very fact to be a true, morally binding civil law."

There is a "grave and clear obligation" to oppose such laws by conscientious objection. It is never licit to obey them, or promote them, or vote for them.

Later the Pope specifies that "the opportunity to refuse to take part in the phases of consultation, preparation and execution of these acts against life should be guaranteed to physicians, health-care personnel, and

Conclusion

omen have a "unique and deci- encourages to come to confession In the final pages of the encyclical the Pope W sive" role in this transforma- and receive forgiveness. "The expounds a Marian meditation. tion of culture. Only they can "pro-

mote a 'new feminism' which rejects the temptation of imitating models of 'male domination', in order to acknowledge and affirm the true genius of women in every aspect of the life of society, and overcome all discrimination, violence and exploitation".

The Pope recalls his words in his letter on the dignity of women: "Motherhood involves a special communion with the mystery of life, as it develops in the woman's womb."

He says a special word to women who have had an abortion, whom he

wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong.

"But do not give in to discouragement. Do not lose hope ... You will come to understand that nothing is definitively lost and you will also be able. to ask forgiveness from your child, who is now living in the Lord."

He reasserts finally: "The Gospel of life is not for believers alone ... The value at stake is one which every human being can grasp by the light of reason; thus it necessarily concerns everyone."

"The one who accepted 'Life' in the name of all and for the sake of all was Mary, the Virgin Mother; she is thus most closely and personally associated with the Gospel of life."

In the book of Revelation a woman clothed with the sun appears. She is with child. A dragon stands by the woman ready to devour the child. "The child is a figure of Christ; it is also in a way a 'figure' of every person,every child, especially every helpless baby whose life is threatened", because through the Incarnation "the Son of God has united himself in some fashion with every person". So a rejection of human life, whatever form it takes, "is really a rejection of Christ".

It is however permissible to support proposals for "the passage of a more restrictive law, aimed at limiting the number of authorised abortions, in place of a more permissive law already passed or ready to be voted on".

Such cases are not in frequent, for it is a fact that while in some parts of the world there continue to be campaigns to introduce laws favouring abortion, often supported by powerful international organisations, in other nations - particularly those which have already experienced the bitter fruits of such permissive legislation - there are growing signs of a rethinking in this matter".

In these cases support "does not represent an illicit cooperation with an unjust law, but rather a legitimate and proper attempt to limit its evil aspects."

WANTED: G.P. ASSISTANT Dr. Duncan Jefferson is seeking a part time assistant to join his Wembley practice.

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Publication must be required.

Write 31 Perpetual Succour, Our promised. This novena Hunter Way, Padbury, Lady of Lourdes, Our MY HEARTFELT has never been known 6025.

Lady of Health THANKS to St Jude, St to fail. I have had my UNIT to share, share Vailankanni. For prayers A nthony for prayers request granted, publie xpenses,rent nego- answered and favours answered and favours cation promised. Thank received. LV. tiable ph 355 3576. received. LV. you St Jude. LV.

Forthcoming

Engagements Weddings Jubilees are celebrated better with a Record advertisement.

BAPTISM ADVERTS

Announce a BAPTISM FREE in The

Record Classifieds.

Post or deliver (no phone advts) the candidate's name, parents' name, date of ceremony and the church.

12

The Record, May 4, 1995

from CM Gonzales Sir, We note in your article "Encyclical should help to infuse moral p rinciples" (Record April 20th), that the S ecretary of the S panish Bishop's C onference, Jose Sanchez, in supporting the Holy Father's views, is quoted as saying: "One should not vote for or support any law or party that includes abortion". It is obvious therefore, that Catholics have a moral duty to m ake every effort to inform themselves as to the policies of the various political parties on this issue and vote in c onformity with C atholic moral teaching.

TOMORROW TODAY

Ministry plan to stimulate ideas for youth Catholic Youth and TheYoung Adult Ministry announced the release of the YouthWorks planning, training and program library for parishes at their offices in North Perth this week.

CONVENTION '96 COMPETITION January 14-20. 1996 \ Vin a free registration to the 1996 Catholic Youth Convention.

Just name the convention and send us your logo design for the T Shirt by May 31 .

The YouthWorks resource is a

1400 page manual based

around the Mission and Mnistry of the Church with youth which is the basis for the Comprehensive Youth Mnistry approach being used by the Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

Logo can be a maximum of six colours on a single coloured T Shirt.

"One of the many challenges parishes face is how to establish Included in the package are and in particular sustain on handouts and worksheets for going, meaningful youth minyoung people and youth workistry in the local setting," said Bruce Downes ers on computer disk formatted Bruce Downes Director of the Catholic Youth and Adult Mnistry, announc- for use in your word processing program DOS, Windows and Apple. ing the release this week.

"The YouthWorks resource is a wonderful Mr Downes in announcing the release of tool that each parish can own which will the Youth Works Package said that it was guide and stimulate ideas for interesting timed to coincide with the Parish Based youth activities and help keep these activi- Youth Ministry Training program which is about to commence in the Archdiocese. ties on going."

The Parish Based Youth Ministry Program These activities are backed by the neces- will include training in how to use the sary simple to understand theory for those resource in the Parish setting. running the program.

For more information regarding YouthTo get you started YouthWorks will exam- Works or the Parish Based Youth Minine, How to plan a Youth Mnistry, how to istry Training Program contact the Catholic develop Youth Leaders. Youth Leadership Youth and Young Adult Ministry on 328 Training and discuss Organising Tools.

962 2.

You can share the prize with a group of friends or just enter by yourself. . 'our entries to: Send N

CONVENTION NAME COMPETITION PO Box 141 North Perth WA 6006 For more information call 328 9622

Work action: Time for reflection

he fundamental truth which is the recognition of the dignity that young Claire has enjoyed working as a T replacement teller but misses being a basis of the YCW is that no one can workers have as cocreators with God. permanent teller, where she got to know replace

the young workers themselves in the task of bringing an end to the contradiction between the truth of faith and the truth of experience - Cardinal Joseph Cardijn.

"Worker Action" are the stories of everyday situations where the contradiction between the young workers faith and their reality has been solved by the action the young worker has taken. It is

Claire (22) has recently moved from the Eastern States to Perth. The bank that she worked for in Brisbane has employed her in Perth but as part of a temporary pool of tellers who replace branch workers on sick or holiday leave.

The bank has a policy that the tellers after three months in the pool without being placed in a permanent branch may opt to take a redundancy package.

the customers and got to follow through with the transactions she became involved with.

Claire is looking around for another job and is considering going back to study as she is not prepared to stay on as a replacement teller.

Reflection: Uncertainly about job prospects leaves workers insecure about their future.

Camp Be Quick Come to a weekend at Eagles Nest with all the crew from the Catholic Muth Ministly.

May 26-28, 1995 For more information call us on 328 9622.

Places are filling fast.

Catholic Youth Formation Ccntrc

EAGLES NEST 1406 O'Brien Road Gidgegannup

Set in 17 hectares of natural bush adjoining Walyunga National Park and just 45 minutes from the city, Eagle's Nest can take groups of up to 55 in perfect surroundings for youth retreats, Christian living camps or other youth formation programs. Priority is given to Catholic parish youth groups, schools and other church youth organisations.

THE FOLLOWING DATES ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR 1995 (Dates in bold indicate a weekend) May June July Aug September

October November December

1-2, 8-12, 15-16, 19-21, 22-25, 29-June 1 5-6, 7-8, 9-11, 16-18, 26-29 2-7, 22-23, 31-Aug 3 6-8, 14-17, 30-31 10-11, 16-17, 18-22, 25-29, 30-Oct 1 2-6, 7-8, 9-13, 16-20, 23-26,27-29, 30-Nov 3 3-5, 6-9, 12-17, 18-19, 20-24, 25-26, 27-Dec 1 11-15, 16-17, 18-22

For bookings and Enquiries, phone Eagle's Nest direct on 574 7030

Please join with the Perth YCW movement to farewell Fr. Geoff Aldous as he retires from the YCW Chaplaincy.

Sunday 21st May 9.30am Mass St. Dominic's, Innaloo followed by

Morning Tea 63 Osbourne Street, Joondanna Please bring anyfriends that have been part of theJocist movement and something to sharefor morning tea.

The Record, May 4, 1995

13

,

-,771

R•sirsterad by Austral. Post.

Publicatoon No VAR0815

Jesuits seek funds for people suffering great hardships

Australian missionaries in India work in areas of extreme poverty, living with the people, sharing their problems. They experience the misery, the suffering and the frustration of deprived people unable to help themselves. They are extremely poor for a variety of reasons beyond their control. They are trying to survive without the most basic needs.

THEIR HARDSHIP is a mud dwelling lacking water, electricity, sewerage and basic needs for family health.

THEIR HARDSHIP is a prolonged hunger — 2 meagre meals a day for five months; one meal a day for seven months.

THEIR HARDSHIP is carrying heavy loads of water several times a day over long distances in all weathers for family use.

THEIR HARDSHIP is sickness caused by poor diet, ignorance of basic hygiene and how to avoid sickness.

THEIR HARDSHIP is not knowing what to do about sickness.

Many lack the strength to walk 5, 10, 20 kilometres to a clinic or hospital.

THEIR HARDSHIP is lack of education and job training and not being able to communicate.

THEIR HARDSHIP is lack of employment and trying to survive on little money.

P HOTO ABOVE. Women spend hours grinding maize or rice for a meal.

TOP PHOTO. Preparing food without the use of fingers is a daily problem for this woman who lives in a leper colony.

The people are simple, friendly and cheerful despite all their difficulties. Their hidden side is one of deep suffering and hardship. Most have known little else in their lives. Treasured possessions are their children. Feeding them nourishing food and k eeping them alive is a big problem. Some families are so poor that they have to spend much of each day scouring the country for wild roots, nuts, berries and anything edible.

HOSPITAL'S TB WARD.

A MOBILE CLINIC.

A FAMILY IN LEPER COLONY.

Are we caring enou h for uneducated sick and neglet :ed people?

Fr. Tom O'Donovan SJ, Mission Director for Australia & New Zealand

Our Mission is situated in a vast backward region with over 10,500 villages with minimal or non-existent facilities. Trying to bring aid to isolated villages is a daunting problem. Many areas have no roads. Travelling on rough tracks is slow and tough on personnel and vehicles, particularly in the heat. Many priests and nuns walk long distances — there is no other way.

Small groups of nuns, some working alone, make long and arduous trips v isiting as many villages as they can. The sisters care for the sick, inoculate children, instruct mothers on child care, hygiene, sanitation and preparation of nourishing meals, and give much needed advice on how to avoid illness and what to do when sickness occurs.

Sister Donna Marie from United States, Sister Stefania from Poland, Sister Regina from Tamil Nadu, Sister Sangeetha from Kerala.

Some of the religious orders involved in health care include: Carmel and Samaritan Sisters, Missionaries of Charity, Sisters of Christ Jesus, Medical Missionaries, Medical Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, Clarist and Holy Cross Sisters, and the Daughters of St. Anna. Our Mission is blessed with hundreds of Indian nuns who have come from many parts of India.

Their efforts have a profound effect on families and communities, giving them hope for the future and showing them how to work for it. But, with all their dedication the sisters can only cope with a tiny part of this vast problem. Many villages have never been visited by a doctoi or nurse. People there cannot phone for medical assistance. They cannot cope with malaria, dysentery, cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, diptheria, scabies, tetanus, polio, leprosy, trachoma, night blindness, etc.

So the sick and the chronically ill have to travel long distances, usually without transport, to seek medical help. Many do not go because they are afraid, or think they can't pay. Some leave it too late for medical treatment to save them. Many die without ever seeing a doctor or a nurse, of knowing relief from a pain killing drug. A recent letter from Katerbeda village expressed great concern that every year 10-12 people die due to the lack of medical facilities. People die for lack of a few chloroquine tablets for malaria, a little sulphaguanadine f or dysentery or cholera (which kills in six hours), a T.B. injection — there's a long list.

Children are born in village dwellings without the assistance of a doctor or nurse. Tetanus at child birth causes a very high death rate amongst mothers and babies. Many children die before the age of five.

Caring for the sick is one of our greatest concerns. The root of all their problems is ignorance. Ignorance of basic hygiene, proper health care, balanced diet, more effective farming.

Leprosy is one of the poor's most feared afflications.

The stigma of leprosy still remains. It is a heart breaking disease. Leprosy people live in a world where the true meaning of total poverty is manifested: a physical debility and a complete lack of possessions that spell unutterable dependence on others. Theirs is the despair of the outcast.

Leprosy starts with an anaesthetized patch on the body. It tends to be a light patch on dark skin. The body becomes insensitive to heat, cold and pain particularly with loss of sensation in hands and feet.

These extremities quickly become damaged when there is no feeling in them. Insensitive hands pick a boiling pot off the fire and become burned and blistered.

Insensitive feet walk over sharp and cutting objects and become ulcerated because the leprosy sufferer doesn't f eel a thing. The real pain of leprosy is the lack of it.

Left untreated these injuries become ulcerated and gangrenous, eating away at tissue and infecting already weakened bone. In many cases, the secondary infection is so bad that surgeons are forced to amputate parts; in some cases, hands and feet simply rot away from gangrene. Above all, leprosy means the loss of all dignity for the sufferer. No wonder the leprosy sufferer is so often an outcast — helpless, useless and destitute.

In our mission region an estimated 140,000 men, women and children are afflicted with leprosy. Only a small percentage receive regular treatment. Some live in leper colonies, others live in pitiful structures of mud, broken brick, straw and tin. Some wander about in search of a livelihood. Many suffer from starvation which leads to all types of illness with problems of healing. How they manage to survive is beyond understanding.

Somehow the coal mines at Jarangdih and the nearby industrial complexes seem to attract the lepers in the hope of a better living. Jarangdih is a typical coal mining area with rough, muddy roads, tons of coal dust everywhere, scarred hillsides and huge piles of overburden and coal waste.

SISTER CHECKS FOR SIGNS O F LEPROSY

In the midst of these hot, dry and depressing conditions, eight Samaritan Sisters special ise in the detection and treatment of leprosy. Their main work is to cure leprosy. This dreadful disease is a major health problem in this area.

The sisters have a small 25 bed hospital with physiotherapy, laboratory and shoe departments. The hospital staff includes 2 nurses, 1 laboratory technician, 2 paramedics, 2 physiotherapists, 1 medical assistant, plus a cook, driver, cleaners and nightguard.

They also have a visiting doctor and use of an ambulance.

At present the sisters are providing free multitherapy treatment for some 2,000 patients attending the hospital and at village clinics and also at 2 leper colonies. The sisters visit many villages where they check for symptoms of sickness and the telltale signs of leprosy that must be looked at more closely. Every year students at 30 schools are examined for leprosy.

To date their registration of leprosy patients is now over 7,100. 2,500 have been cured. Of all people examined about 18% have leprosy. And the number goes on increasing. Current expenditure was not supplied but, prior to 1987, annual costs were as follows: 1 doctor, 1 nurse, 1 lab. technician, 1 medical aid $3,750 Salaries for 4 sisters @ $44 per month 2,112 Special drugs and medicines 5,750 Shoe and physio departments 3,750 Vehicle maintenance and driver's salary _2350

$117,712 The average cost for each leprosy patient was $7.08 p.a.

The survival and welfare of families relies to a great e xtent on expanding the work of hundreds of dedicated priests and nuns. They have forsaken their families and friends to care for these people. They need funds now, not only for medical needs and health care education, but to train personnel for this much needed humanitarian work.

Parents worry about their children. What does the future hold for them without education?

Help us relieve severe suffering 11'1 health care& expand education It is amongst the poorest and the most uneducated that the needs are greatest. The poorer the family the greater the risks of low birth weight and malnutrition, of diarrhoeal diseases and respiratory infections, of poor growth and early death. Village people are powerless to improve their lives. They must be educated.

Where schools have been established village people can attain a 70% literacy rate, as against 2-3% in neglected areas. With education, family care and medical aid people learn to grapple with poverty and solve some of their problems. Sickness is reduced, lives are saved, water resources increased, food production improved and family incomes benefit.

Our priests, sisters, health workers, social workers and community development supervisors thank you most sincerely for your past support. Much has been done due to your wonderful generosity. Please continue to maintain the heroic efforts of our missionaries in the struggle to create a just society for deserving people. Whatever you give will be gratefully acknowledged. May God bless you and be assured of a special place in the masses and prayers of our missionaries and from the poor you assist.

Please challenge yourself to do more for the poor • •

Please make cheques payable to: "Australian Jesuit Mission Overseas Aid Fund" and post to: National Director, Father Tom O'Donovan, SJ., Australian Jesuit Mission in India, P.O. Box 193, North Sydney, 2059.

• ▪•

I enclose $ for health care and education and also to help fund the training of personnel in your Indian Mission. Tick L: for tax deduction receipt.

▪7. Mr/Mrs/Miss

(Please print clearly)

NF I 95 B C P

Address •

Postcode

Father Edward Mudavassery, S.J., Provincial of Hazaribag Jesuits.

The missionaries provide the spiritual, economic and social needs of the people, and help to free them from unjust structures. As people from neglected areas see what the missionaries do for the people, they appeal most earnestly for priests and nuns to come and care for them. Consequently there is an increasing demand to open new parishes with schools and medical centres to alleviate people in dire straits.

Donations are tax deductible Please remember our mission in your Will.

Australian Jesuit Mission in India • • • cares for the poorest of the poor

With God in Silence (By Nana Howard) 'COME TO ME' - TEN DAYS ALONE WITH GOD Life, for all of us, can get very busy. Our hearts and minds become filled with a million different v oices and sounds, until, if they continue for long enough without respite, we can s tart to lose touch with who and what we are.

A constant stream of buzzing distractions c an keep us always occupied on the surface of our souls, until we forget who we are deep down inside. can become We s trangers to our innermost selves.

All of us need spaces in the turmoil; interludes of stillness and silence, if we are to find peace, and retain our awareness of who w e really are, and what God has made us to be.

Saint Seraphim said, interior "acquire peace, and a multitude of men will find their salvation near you.,, It was in search of these things that I set off on a ten day silent retreat at Gra,cewood, or God's Farm — a r etreat place set on 200 acres of glorious bush with ocean views, south of Busselton.

It is run by a remarkable woman named Betty Peaker.

God's Farm is studded with caravans, where p eople who do not w ant to stay in the main house, the Lodge (a charming little A -frame), or the Poustinia ( a hermitage), can spend time nestled in the bush along with God. The caravan I was in is referred to as Our Lady of Guadalupe's caravan, because once

she came to visit there, in the form of a large and beautiful picture which is now in the chapel.

I especially asked for this caravan, because some wonderful things have happened here — but that is a subject for another story!

This story now is about what can happen if you take time out to spend ten days in silence with God DAY 1 Well, this is it! The first day of my silent retreat.

Most of the afternoon w as spent just settling in. An interesting piece of news is that the septic system system has decided to go on retreat for a few days also, so Betty, myself, and an angelic young girl named Claire who is here on silent retreat also, will be taking most of our baths from a bucket.

I expect we will be very close to nature by the end of this!

T onight and every night, we had a Holy Hour of adoration in The t he Chapel.

Chapel at Gracewood is so beautiful that it is difficult to believe something so charming could exist, tucked away here in the middle of the bush. I look at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and with the eyes of my soul see him looking back at me — his eyes full of love.

"Jesus, I cannot believe your goodness to me... that you have called me here yourself, to be alone with you for ten days."

I feel I have been called into the courts

of the King of Kings, I opened a window because that is what and a door, and sat happens each time we there wrapped in my come into His pres- blanket...just Jesus ence. and me. I didn't last I wonder what He has v ery long, but fell planned. I feel com- asleep sitting on the pletely unworthy. carpet at His feet. I I cannot stay awake know he didn't mind. for too long, as I am He has watched me quite tired, and keep sleep every night of falling asleep. my life until now I walk back in the even as I slept in my darkness to my cara- mother's womb ... van. looking on me with My torch keeps going eyes filled with love. out, but I can see the DAY 3 white sand of the path I am learning what a shining before me in v ersatile substance the moonlight, and I toilet paper is. For find the way. those attempting to DAY 2 live with just the bare T oday was mainly necessities it can be spent resting .. just used as a handkerslowing down. I felt chief, serviette, dishalmost ashamed to cloth, teatowel, mop, spend much of it in duster and mothb ed, but read and killer all rolled into Remarkable, prayed and thought a one. really! lot.

Different memories Today we had the Stahave started to come tions of the Cross. back to me. It is as if Here, they are all the waters of my soul erected as real crosses have been stilled, and scattered at different I can see more clearly points around the farm, and ending into their depths, to e vents and scenes near the chapel. which have long since Betty led the meditations, while Claire and been buried by time.

I remember a long I carried a cross made walk Itook in solitude from saplings from station to station. once down a path that led winding through To actually carry the a forest. I felt then cross, and kneel there the same sense of in the leaves as we being swallowed up meditated on each staby nature and silence tion, added a whole that I have experi- new dimension to them all from me. enced here.

I remember school They seemed to come days too, and how I alive. Especially beauwore my hair parted tiful is the 15th stas traight down the tion - the empty tomb, which is marked by a middle, in plaited pigtails. Did I really do real little tomb fashioned from rocks that?

I spent two hours in which a visiting priest the chapel in the carried there himself. evening.

At the end of the stationsIjust knelt there All the lights were off except the tabernacle in the leaves looking light, which bathed into the tomb. Ididn't want to leave. everything in a soft Tonight I went to visit red glow.

Claire - a retreatant, kneeling before the Open Tomb.

14

The Record, May 4, 1995

Walking and talking with God in silence - so refreshes the spirit Jesus in the chapel. I sang Him many songs with my guitar.

When I left, it was dark, soI walked back through the bush with my torch (which w as working this time).

It is strange, but there seems to be no fear in this place. Perhaps b ecause it really is God's Farm — His place, where people can come to Him as He dwells in the chapel, or walks amidst the trees.

His peace is very present here.

DAY 4 Today I am learning more about God's providence.

"My God, how good you are to me!"

In my usual way, I had underestimated what I would need in food during my stay here, and was left without fruit or vegetables with six days still to go.

I went to drop off something at Betty's, and lo and behold, I left with a bag of grapes and pineapple - despite all my protestations, and the determination I had had not let her knowI needed anything.

It comes as no surprise in a way, though. I am ceasing to be surprised by God's goodness, and intimate care for each

detail of our lives. He Him like that too. The has already surpassed second verse is espebeautiful. my greatest expecta- cially tions many times "Wherever you die, I shall die. And there over!

AllI can do nowadays shall I be buried is humbly stand beside you. We will be before Him like a begtogether forever And our love will be gar, whose empty hands have been filled the gift of our lives," by a King, and thank "Together -forever"...

Him with all my isn't it true! You see!

You can sing it to God heart.

"My God, teach me to too. lift up my soul in DAY 5 Y esterday I was praise of you for as allowed to write letlong asIlive!" ters.

This evening after Holy HourIwent for a It was the only day of walk. Ipicked a sprig the whole retreat set of yellow eucalyptus aside for letter writflowers that smelt like ing, because Betty honey, and frightened said a silent retreat some rabbits. The sun time should be just was setting, so I sat between ourselves and on the track to pray God. the second and third I was so enthusiastic about this freedom, glorious mysteries of though, that I stayed the Rosary.

By the third mystery, up all night writing.

When I appeared which is the descent of the Holy Spirit, the before Betty today sky was swept with with 15 letters to post living orange, pinks I was gently chided. I know I have been and yellows. wallabies naughty.

Several came out of the bush, By the afternoon I was quite fatigued, and ventured to sit quite close to me having gone without before hopping away. sleep, and started worrying about all They looked like little miniature kangaroos. sorts of little things How perfectly God which had become big fashions everything in my mind. Then I heard in the Holy He makes!

I sang Him the words Hour the reading of the song, "Wher- about being like little ever you go, I shall children, which put into go." I know it is a e verything w edding song, but proper perspective God wants us to love again.

Jesus and our Mother At night I went walking under the stars to pray my Rosary. It is good sometimes just to be a child before God, and babble to Him about all sorts of things as you walk.

On my way back across the paddock, a kangaroo made a most uncharitable sort of noise at me from the bushes. (Did you know they make other noises than just the cute little Skippy ones? They do, and can sound quite aggressive!)

I told him off, and continued my walk, praying that he would not tear out my stomach as I went past. Iremember Dad telling me once that they can!

Tomorrow evening we are going to Mass.

Ican hardly wait to receive Jesus into my heart again, in the Eucharist, and go to confession.

DAY 6 Tonight we went to Mass. It was such a treat to have a proper shower again, and get dressed in good clothes for Jesus.

A little baby named Grace was baptised tonight. What a beautiful name! After Mass I went to confession. Next to Mass, I think confession must be the most beautiful thing that can happen to a soul.

Jesus' precious blood leaves it as white as that of a baby which has just been baptised, like little Grace — completely washed and renewed.

Confession for me is a chance to start again; to have my slate "wiped clean" by God. On the way home, Betty bought us "River Rooster" (the Margaret River equivalent of Red Rooster) for dinner. It was such a treat!

It is amazing how much the little things mean when you have gone without them for a while.

Sitting in the back seat of the car on the way home, munching on hot chips,I felt like a child again.Everything in the

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

world was beautiful. huge cross in the middle of a field, blood. inscribed with the words, "Come to me".

DAY 7 No. I did not find the ocean. I did not I sat on the bench, watching the dusk Today God started to "get heavy". need to. I found God instead in all his He whispered some things to my heart turn to night .. my thoughts slowing beauty; present in these galleries of His art fashioned from all eternity to delight that almost sent me into a tantrum of down as Ilet the mysteries of the Rosary me. rebellion, and I found myself pounding slip through my mind. on the door of the tabernacle in my heart, They can be like water, those mysteries. DAY 10 not quite believing what I thought He Our fingers pass over the beads as the Today is the end of my silent retreat.

Hail Marys run through our mind like a Most of it will be spent clearing out the was asking me. gentle stream, carrying our thoughts was I was surprised at how upsetI was. I caravan, and packing my car. I feel a and distractions to God, until at last the still upset today. sadness to be leaving, but also a joy to be mind is left still; resting in the peace that returning to the world. This time away That is okay. to me is like Our Lady's calling card. with God has strengthened and reviewed God is starting to reveal why He brought At night, the cross stood in relief against my spirit, so that I feel much closer to me here. He has begun asking, "How the backdrop of a sky studded with stars, God, and more able, not only to deal with much of your life is mine, Nana?" e veryday life again, but to shine He has shown me areas where I had andIpondered the words 'Come to me'. throughout it as a stronger light for started to plan, and arrange things, "In how many ways am I afraid of comHim. ing to your, Lord. without consulting Him - just presuming He would agree and come along for the "So many parts of my life and my future To anyone out there who has ever considI have not entrusted to you for fear you ered taking time out to spend with the ride rather than be in the drivers' seat. will give me answers, or outcomes I do Lord on a silent retreat, let me say only I slept very badly last night. I kept waktwo words, "Do It". ing up and trying to reason with God, not like. explaining to Him why my plans were "Help me to trust you more with my life." Jesus calls each one of us, amidst the hectic paces of our lives to "come to me". really the best.

DAY 9 He listened very patiently and compas- Today I went to the beach. Or at least,I He is calling us to greater peace, greater sionately, but didn't say anything. In the thought I was going to the beach...1 joys, greater challenges. How we morning, Betty came unexpectedly to couldn't actually find the beach (despite respond is our individual choice, but I will never forget the ten days I spent visit me in my caravan. Through her, looking for 3 hours); but I found other with God at Gracewood.

God spoke once more very clearly, reiter- things instead. ating what He had said the day before. It I found coal black stones clustered by NANA HOWARD was as though He had shown her my together to lay a meandering path for a NB: Brother Andrew (Priest), co-founder with heart. river to tread when the rain comes and Mother Teresa of the Missionary of Charity I know I have been playing around with rivulets rush with joy down hills to run Brothers, is coming to Gracewood (his only God for too long. together on the cobbled pathway to the visit to WA this year) on May 26, speaking on New Hope from the Old Faith at God's Farm.

He is a loving God, but He is demanding sea.

The four retreats are as follows: May 26, 7pm in His love; jealous in His love.

I found hidden passageways beneath low to May 28, 2pm; May 29, mid-day to June 21, He is asking again if I will love Him bushes that had sprinkled their leaves to 2pm; June 2. 7pm to June 5, 2pm; and June 9, and above all things ... if I will lay my life rustic red, ochres, a carpet, of form completely at His feet, keeping no part sunburnt yellow - a pallette on which I 7pm to June 11, 2pm.

Suggested donation for retreats first and back, with the words, "thy will be done." walked.

DAY Ei Found trees bleeding sap in slow red fourth are S75. For the second and third retreats, S110.

Tonight I went walking again. I started tears which congealed on the bark and at sunset, making my way along the dropped in heavy droplets to the ground For further details contact Betty Peaker, SFO track that leads through the paddocks, where they told the leaves and soft earth Box 24, PO Cowaramup. 6284. up to the bench that rests in front of a of their sorrow; baptising them with Phone and fax: 097 556 212.

Our Queen

N1essage from Our Lad'.

Queen of peace given to Marija Pavlovic Lunetti on March 25. 1995.

"Dear Children.

Today Iinvite you to live the peace in your hearts and families. There is no peace. little children, where there is no prayer: and there is no love, where there is no faith.

Therefore little children.I invite you all to decide again today for conversion. Iam close to you andIinvite you all little children into my embrace to help you. but you do not want and in this way, saran is tempting you. and in the smallest thing your faith disappears.

This is why little children, pray and through prayer, you will have blessing and peace.

Thank you for having responded to my call" Message from Our Lady.

Queen of Peace given to Marija Pavlovic Lunetti on April 25. 1995.

"Dear Children, Today Icall you to love.

Little children without love you can neither live with God nor with brother.

ThereforeIcall all of you to open your hearts to the love of God that is so great and open to each one of you.

God, out of love for man. has sent me among you to show you the path of salvation, the path of love.

I f you do not first love God. then you will neither be able to love your neighbour nor the one you hate.

Therefore. little children, pray and through prayer you will discover love.

Thank you for having responded to my call"

A huge turnout Divine Mercy devotees filled St Mary's cathedral recently with devotions, Mass and Benediction, marking the end of the Divine Mercy novena which commences on Good Friday.

Dean Tom McDonald celebrated Mass with a homily emphasising Jesus' infinite mercy and urging people, as does the novena, to seek His mercy which brings peace to all men.

The Divine Mercy novena was given to Polish Sister Faustina

by Jesus as a way to involve the world in bringing as many souls back to God as possible.

It attracts special graces and many souls can be saved by the intercession of those who pray the novena, followed by Confession within seven days, Mass and Holy Communion.

The Record, May 4, 1995

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St. Vincent de Paul Society

DIVINE MERCY BULLSBROOK PILGRIMAGE Feast of Our Lady of Fatima at This Monday, 8th the Bullsbrook Church 'Virgin May, Monsignor Mary Mother of the Church' 36 Henry Posluszny Chittering Road, Bullsbrook on f rom England Saturday, May 13. Rosary will be speaking 1 0.30am, Mass 11am. The in St Patrick's A ssociation will not provide Church, York on NEWMAN SOCIETY WILLETTON TALKS for this pilgrimage. Public Divine Mercy as buses Is There A Right to Die? At a 'The Catechism for You and to transport M3 timetable. Bus 311 r evealed lecture and panel discussion, at Me'.

Notre Dame University, Mount Friday May 12 Into the Future stops in front of church. For fur- Blessed Sister by St. Fremantle, on Wednesday, with the New Catechism: ther enquiries please ring 444 Faustina Jesus Christ 2285.

May 10, at 8pm. Dr. Ian Speaker. Archbishop Hickey. with the theme: Thompson, Professor of Ethics, Friday May 19 What's right?

What is the main at Notre Dame, and Dr. Glare What's wrong? How do I tell the REUNION will be joined by Drs. Edward difference? Speaker: Fr Walter Beginning Experience 10th message given Callen and Brian Shaw who are Black MSC Anniversary reunion Mass and to Sr Faustina by involved in palliative care in Friday May 26: Sacraments afternoon tea on Sunday May Jesus Christ for N.S.W. and You Speaker: Fr Vincent 21 and anniversary dinner on the world toSaturday May 27. For further day? The day On University Sunday May 21, Glynn. member's mass in St Thomas Thursday June 8: Spirituality information phone Jenny on 221 starts 10am with R osary/Mass More College chapel, at 5.45 pm and the Whole Person Speaker 1549 or 447 3795. and talks, conand ecumenical service in Sr Anne Noonan RNDM. cluding 2.15pm Winthrop Hall at 7.30pm.

At John Paul Centre. Pinetree MORLEY ANNIVERSARY Divine E uthanasia discussion on Gully Road Willetton. 7.30pm- For their 25th anniversary cele- w ith Tuesday, July 4, at 7.30pm in 9.30pm approx. Phone 310- bration Morley Majellans would Mercy Chaplet.

B.Y.O.L Tea/cofthe Senior Common Room at St 4072. like to see old friends at Mass fee supplied.

Thomas More College. by on Monday May 22 at 7.30pm in Sponsored by Father Walter Black on general Infant Jesus church Morley, folTAIZE PRAYER the Divine Mercy principles and Dr. Frank lowed by supper (please bring a Apostolate.

Prendergast on practical appli- Taize Hour of Prayer: Easter plate) in the parish centre.

1995.

Friday May 26, 7.30pm, St cation in medicine. Open to all MAJELLAN Mary's Cathedral, Victoria Further information from RETREAT interested. Contact 446 7340.

B ernadette Nicoletto 276 2487 Square.

Vacancies still or Morag McPherson 275 1130. e xist for the BEGINNING EXPERIENCE Maje llan retreat SCHOENSTATT A 6 week support group proFAIR EUCHARIST REPARATION at Safety Bay, gramme called 'coping' for sep- The Schoenstatt Movement The next Holy Hour for the Friday evening arated, divorced and widowed annual fair on Sunday May 7, World Apostolate of Fatima will May 19 to people on Wednesday May 24 11am-3pm, in the grounds of be held on Sunday, May 14th, at Sunday afterat Como Parish Hall at 7.30pm. the Shrine and Kindergarten, 9 3pm in the Star of the Sea noon May 21.

Cost $30. To register phone Talus Drive, Armadale. Gifts for p arish church, Stirling Hwy, Phone Pauline Jenny on 221 1549 or 447 Mothers' Day, food stalls, and all Cottesloe. Mons. P. McGann will K irwan 446 3795. the usual fairground activities. officiate.

6135.

T-H pARIs.H SCENE.

15 Bronte Street, East Perth, 6004 A Compact History of the Popes $4.95 Sunday Missal. Soft Cover. $18.95 A Child's Bible $12.95 Popes new encyclical Evangelium Vitae $9.95 Also gifts for Baptisms, Holy Communion and Confirmation.

Open: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm.

C HARISMATIC

M ASS & HEALING SERVICE 7pm Sunday May 14th The evening will consist of: Praise & Worship, Holy Mass & Healing.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Perth Flame Ministries International (A Preaching/Teaching Organisation in the Catholic Church Serving the Body of Christ) Telephone: (09) 382 3668

MORLEY ANNIVERSARY For their 25th anniversary celebration Morley Majellans would like to see old friends at Mass on Monday May 22 at 7.30pm in Infant Jesus c hurch Morley, followed by supper (please bring a plate) in the parish centre.

Further information from B ernadette Nicoletto 276 2487 or Morag McPherson 275 1130.

41.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE? TALKING TO PEOPLE? LISTENING TO PEOPLE? KinWay Offers the "INTRODUCTION TO COUNSELLING COURSE." It covers:Theory and Practice of Counselling Human Development Personal Growth Empathy and Listening Skills Christian perspectives DATE: 23May 1995 - 8 August 1995 6.00pm - 9.30pm TUESDAY. COST: $350 ($50 non refundable deposit).

ENQUIRIES: JEANNIE on 321 5801.

411

Archdiocesan Calendar May 5

•KinWay

Anglican Marriage and Family Counselling

(ctuinBaikam) YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT

PRINCIPALS MICHAEL QUIN & KAREENA BALLARD

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PROPERTY SALES - RENTALS - STRATA MANAGERS

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474 1533 WE CARE! Breast feeding andfertility ...

Happy wives and happy husbands. Talk about it with

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING 221 3866 Country clients welcome. Phone or write.

Phone (008) 11 4010 ( local charge)

Natural Family Planning Centre 29 Victoria Square Member of the Australian Council of Natural Family Planning Inc.

16

The Record, May 4, 1995

10

11

Vocations Mass, St Mary' C athedral A rchbishop Hickey Silver Jubilee Fr A Favero OMI, Fremantle Bishop Healy VE Day Service - Fr V Conroy P riesthood Enquiry Day, St C har l es Seminary Cathol i c A gricultural C ol lege, Bindoon, Mass and official opening A rchbishop Hickey Launch LifeLink at Morley A rchbishop Hickey Palliative Care Conference - Fr Sean Bredin OSCam Marantha Institute, visitation A rchbishop Hickey C entrec are Skills Centre, AGM A rchbishop Hickey

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