The Record Newspaper 18 May 1995

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World food organisation official says hunger and malnutrition claiming thousands of lives daily because there is...

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OME (CNS) - Hunger and malnutrition continue both world wars combined. Most were young chil- economic and religious rights, prejudice and violence thrive, and most often poverty thrives 'along with R o claim the lives of tens of thousands of people dren," she said. daily because of a lack of justice and solidarity in the The World Food Program, often cooperating with them," she said. world, the director of the World Food Program told Caritas Internationalis.

Catherine Bertini, head of the United Nations' food aid agency, was the keynote speaker at the May 8-13 general assembly of the organization of national Catholic charities.

"How can we speak of the sanctity of life or a culture of life when during the short time we have been together today nearly a thousand young children died because they were poor and malnourished?" she asked the 400 people attending the assembly in Rome.

"We have a moral obligation to feed these children," she said. "We have not yet done enough."

People of any faith who try to offer a moral vision to the world have an obligation to make that vision a reality by dedicating money, personnel and creative energy to making a difference, Ms. Bertini said.

While May celebrations marked the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II and heads of state honored those who died in the conflict, people die everyday of hunger and no one mourns their passing, she said.

"In the last decade alone, more people have died because they were badly nourished than we lost in

local Catholic charities, delivers food to the poor in areas stricken by poverty, war and disaster.

The program delivered 3.3 million tons of food last year and fed 57 million people, Ms. Bertini said.

The U.N. official praised the Caritas organizations, which include Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA, for bringing hope and faith to the world's poor and hungry.

"In a world that seems with every passing day to be losing its conscience, all of you here are making a tremendous contribution in keeping compassion alive," she said.

But handouts, even on a massive scale, will never solve the problem, Ms. Berlin' said.

"It is the lack of social justice, the absence of solidarity, that fuel so many of the conflicts we see today - in Rwanda and Burundi, in Bosnia and in the newly independent states" of the former Soviet bloc, she said.

Even where political crises have not created a food emergency, a lack of justice and solidarity contribute to the hunger and malnutrition of the poor, she said.

"What undermines societies most is inequality.

Where women and men of all ethnic and racial groups do not share the same fundamental social,

Fewer resources available for emergency and development aid should not mean competition between relief agencies, but rather cooperation, Ms. Bertini said.

The World Food Program and Caritas agencies have a history of ad hoc cooperation, especially in responding to huge disasters such as those in Rwanda and Burundi, but a more comprehensive approach is needed, she said.

The program's first comprehensive operational agreement with a nongovernmental agency was signed in January with Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' overseas relief and development agency.

"This working agreement covers collaboration in emergency relief operations, establishing a partnership based on the comparative advantages of both our organizations," Ms. Bertini told the meeting. "WFP will largely be responsible for mobilizing resources, transport and delivery, while CRS will focus on local food distribution and monitoring."

She urged other national Caritas agencies to expand their cooperation with the U.N. agency, particularly in becoming "earlywarning devices" for potential food emergencies.

• See page 7

Pastoral Leiter on euthanasia E STATEMENT on euthanasia issued by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has now been incorporated into a Pastoral Letter to the people of Australia.

It reads: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Euthanasia is when a doctor, not an illness, kills the patient.

No doctor in Australia at the present time has the right to kill anyone. If we accept euthanasia we give a doctor a licence to kill.

There are big steps and there are little steps. The biggest step is a leap from saying "no one may kill" to saying "some may kill". The little step is from saying that "someone may kill this person" to saying that "someone may also kill that person."

Euthanasia would put at risk all those people whom others think would be better off dead.

The Dutch took the big step some years ago, and ever since then they haven't been

obligation to prolong life unnecessarily. able to stop taking many little steps.

"We do not live to ourselves, and we do Indeed, it is the patient, not the doctor, not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to who should decide whether painful, the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; expensive or complicated means should so then, whether we live or whether we be used to prolong the life of a dying person. die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14: 7-8) The patient is free not to receive such Human beings must not start playing treatments, and we would welcome public God. debate on this topic, so that patients might Australia must not take the big step. more aware of their options and their be A private member's bill to legalize euthanasia has been introduced into the rights.

It is also legitimate for a doctor to use parliament in the Northern Territory.

Similar legislation has been foreshadowed any and every approved drug to take away the pain and suffering of a dying person. in other Australian parliaments.

The debate over euthanasia is a highly Those who argue for euthanasia usually emotional one, for everyone is afraid of do not give modern medicine the credit for prolonged suffering, and it is heartbreak- what it has achieved in this field. ing to see others suffer.

The science of palliative care, as it is has made remarkable progress. We called, argument in of the is the force This favour of euthanasia, but we appeal to all commend and praise the work of all those people to think seriously about whether who devote themselves to the care of the euthanasia is really the answer to this terminally ill. problem.

Euthanasia goes beyond not prolonging No patient and no doctor is under any life. It is direct and intentional killing.

We argue that this involves playing God and it places a most dangerous power in the hands of human beings.

Most doctors are opposed to euthanasia.

Their profession is one of saving life, not extinguishing it, and legalising euthanasia would place intolerable pressures on them.

"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single seed, but if it dies it bears much fruit" (John 12:24).

The fear of suffering should not so dominate our thinking as to prevent us from seeing the true and positive reality of death.

Death is the supreme moment of life, when we enter most deeply into the mystery of the life that God has given us.

There is no virtue in suffering for its own sake, but the experience of death is a profoundly Christian experience when we go to meet God at the moment when God chooses to call us.

Down physically but up in pastoral vigour A TATICAN CITY (CNS) - Age 75 brings retirement for

V most bishops, but for Pope John Paul II it has brought out a new pastoral urgency.

The pope, who celebratee his 75th birthday May 18, has been slowed physically over the last few years and looks every bit his age. At a meeting with pilgrims in early May, he read his talk slumped in a chair with one eye squinted shut, his strands of white hair ruffled by a spring breeze.

The day before, he had joked with Italian youths that he might not make it to the year 2000. "Maybe. We'll see," he said.

But behind the self-deprecating humour and the stooped profile, Vatican observers have noticed a growing papal determination to settle some old issues and embark on major new projects.

"He's much less interested in the smaller administrative details. I don't think he's working any less, but he's concentrating on the things that are important to him," said one senior Vatican official.

Those include life-and-death issues such as abortion and euthanasia, an overall strengthening of the church's missionary outreach and an ambitious program of synods and ceremonies to mark the start of Christianity's third millennium.

Far from a slowdown, several Vatican curial departments are reporting an increase in workload as these and other projects take shape.

On a personal level, too, the pope at 75 seems more determined to speak his mind - and let the chips fall.

What some describe as a more "combative" papal style was evident in 1994, when the pontiff almost single-handedly whipped up opposition to a proposed U.N. document on population control.

Several times, warning that the document could codify a "right to abortion," he let his anger show.

The high-level delegation he sent to the U.N. conference in Cairo, Egypt, won important concessions - a process that has encouraged the pope and his aides as they prepare for another possible showdown over similar issues at a U.N. conference on women in September.

The pope's last two encyclicals, on moral truths and prolife issues, have also demonstrated a greater willingness to challenge attitudes and behaviour in contemporary society.

Significantly, his latest document was addressed to "all peo-

pie of good will"; the pope has deliberately sought to widen his audience over the last couple of years, and Vatican officials say he will continue to do so as the year 2000 approaches.

He is successfully exploring new media in an effort to get his messages across to the general public, with a best-selling book and rosary CD in the last year.

Part of the pope's new approach is his desire to close debate on certain controversial church issues. His 1994 letter expressing a definitive "no" to women priests was one example; another is his repeated insistence on priestly celibacy in the Latin-rite church.

The pope plans to devote more time and effort to ecumenism and interreligious relations over the next few years.

A major encyclical on Christian unity is in the works, and he has outlined a string of meetings with various faiths and religions to usher in the third millennium.

As a world traveller, his white tornado pace has been slowed by broken bones in recent years. But even if he has to limp or shuffle, the pope has shown he is determined to keep up his pastoral pilgrimages. He is marking his 75th year with six separate trips to Asia, Poland and the Czech Republic, Belgium, Slovakia, the United States and four African countries.

Reporters covering the Vatican have noticed that along with the pope's more focused sense of priorities, a more relaxed style occasionally surfaces. He is more apt to put aside prepared texts when meeting with groups. or just relax for minutes at a time and listen to the pilgrims singing at weekly audiences.

When he twirls his cane as a prop and jokes about his age, pilgrims now glimpse a pope who can laugh at himself - at least a little.

No one at the Vatican is seriously talking about retirement, although sources say the pope has not ruled it out as an option for the future. But in 1994, after his thigh bone operation, he told his doctor he had to get well because "there is no place for a retired pope."

Judging from his daily work schedule, which still begins at dawn and goes till night, and his plans for the future, the pope is taking his own advice to heart.

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A call for love, Beatifications part creativity of Easter rejoicing TATICAN CITY (CNS) - In his new apostolic V letter, Pope John Paul II called for love and creativity in resolving the issues that still divide Catholics and Orthodox.

"We have almost everything in common; and above all, we have in common the true longing for unity," the pope wrote in "Orientate Lumen" ("The Light from the East"), published May 2 at the Vatican.

The differences standing in the way of full Catholic-Orthodox unity are found in four key areas, said Msgr. Eleuterio F. Fortino, undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The issues are: The primacy and infallibility of the pope.

Church teachings about Mary.

Differing interpretations of the "filioque," the part added to the original Nicene Creed that says the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son." The acceptance of divorce by the Orthodox under certain circumstances.

Speaking at a Vatican press conference, Msgr.

Fortino said the official international CatholicOrthodox theological dialogue had not yet dealt directly with any of the four issues, although agreements have been reached on some underlying questions.

The Catholic Church and most mainline Christian churches agree they share the same faith in Jesus, and they recognize the validity of each others' baptism.

But agreements between Catholics and Orthodox go much further: There is a recognition of the validity of all the sacraments administered by the other church, including Eucharist and holy orders, as well as a recognition of the apostolic succession of their bishops.

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The Record, May 18 1995

TATICAN CITY (CNS) - Beatifying five founders of religious V orders on a bright, sunny spring day, Pope John Paul II said the ceremony was part of the church's Eastertime rejoicing.

"The church rejoices because God is the creator of all the earth, the creator of all nature, inanimate and animate," he said May 7. "The God who has created us has also made us new creatures in Christ."

The Italian priest and the four nuns - two Italians, a Venezuelan and a German - lived lives filled with praise for God and concern for his creation, especially the poor, sick and abandoned, the pope said during the Mass in St. Peter's Square.

Beatification is the last step before canonization. The five, who now will be called "blessed," were: Father Augustin Roscelli (1818-1902), founder of the Institute of the Immaculate Sisters in Genoa; German Sister Maria Helena Stollenwerk (1852-1900), co-founder of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit in the Netherlands; Venezuelan Sister Laura Alvarado Cardozo (1875-1967), founder of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of the Heart of Jesus; Italian Sisters Maria Domenica Brun Barbantini (1789-1868), founder of the Camillian Sisters; Sister Giuseppina Gabriella Bonino (1848-1906), founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family.

Stollenwerks from Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin joined the thousands of people in St. Peter's Square for the beatification of their distant cousin. The next day, they sat with a huge group of Germans and Dutch at a special papal audience for pilgrims traveling to Rome for the beatifications.

Sister Alvarado Cardozo was the first Venezuelan to be beatified.

Dozens of Venezuelan bishops and the country's president, Rafael Caldera, attended the ceremonies.

At the May 8 audience, Pope John Paul said the beatifications were "a hymn of praise to God for religious life."

He called the newly beatified "signs of the power of the love of God" which, especially in the Easter season, unleashes a response of praise in the hearts of all Christians.

"Every saint and blessed in the church is a witness of the Paschal mystery, of the unending effectiveness of the death and resurrection of Christ" he said.

France bans book by an Islamic S (CNS) - France's tough anti-immigration interior minister, Charles Pasqua, has banned a book on theology by a fundamentalist Islamic scholar.

He banned the circulation, distribution or sale of The Licit and the Illicit in Islam" by an Egyptian writer, Youssef Qaradhawi.

The decree said the book, published in 1992 and unnoticed until now, is liable to disturb public order because of its anti-Western tone and because it contains ideas that are contrary to France's fundamental republican values.

The book is a code of conduct for an Islamic way of life, covering personal, sexual, family, business and social relationships.

It justifies polygamy, which is illegal in France, and calls for the wearing of the veil by women and girls, which is banned in most French public schools.

Pasqua is known as a tough anti-immigration minister.

The ban comes in the midst of a bitter presidential campaign in which the immigration issue is important. It has been interpreted as a move by Pasqua to demonstrate firmness against radical Islam, thus taking support away from the National Front.

The Front's leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, wants the repatriation of 3 million immigrants and won a record 15 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential election.

The theology book was banned after the murder of an Arab immigrant by a gang of skinheads during a National Front rally in Paris May 1. The 29-year old Moroccan was attacked by up to 10 youths and hurled into the Seine River. The killers then disappeared into the rally crowd.

Bishops' medicare levy up call to but no rebate ban land mS ines for private cover YDNEY: At its plenary meeting in Sydney recently, the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference voted in favour of seeking a total ban on the production and distribution of anti-personnel landmines.

Cardinal Clancy, President of Conference, has written to the Minister for Foreign Affairs conveying this resolution and urging the Australian Government to give serious consideration to the adoption of such a pol-

icy.

On behalf of the Bishops, the Car-

dinal also commended the Australian Government for the work it has been doing internationally to assist the demining process in areas where the presence of these weapons continues to endanger the lives and welfare of innocent civilians.

The Bishops believe Australia is well placed to give a lead to other countries by adopting a total antilandmines policy.

Catholic agency backs the campaign

E CATHOLIC CHURCH'S overseas aid agency has joined an international campaign for a total ban on the production and use of landmines.

Australian Catholic Relief this week launched an Australia-wide lobbying effort, aimed at convincing the Australian Government that it should change its current policy and advocate a total landmines ban.

The new campaign comes just a week after the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference voted to endorse a policy supporting a complete ban on the production and distribution of landmines.

The ban is now supported by all of Australia's official Catholic agencies involved in justice and development issues. The Bishops' Committee for Justice, Development and Peace and the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council have already voted to support the ban.

Australian Catholic Relief national director Michael Whiteley said the support for a ban on landmines was an important part of the Catholic Church's pro-life philosophy.

"Most of the people who are killed or maimed by landmines are civilians - children, women and men not involved in war. Each month, around 1000 civilians die or are permanently disabled by landmines planted by soldiers," Mr Whiteley said.

"As Catholics who strongly support the right to life and oppose the culture of death, we are saying that it is not acceptable for governments to argue that landmines are part of a valid military strategy."

Mr Whiteley said the Australian Government's policy on the matter needed urgent review.

"Few Australians would support the current policy, which is not to support a full international ban," he said.

"It is estimated that there are between 85 million and 100 million unexploded landmines scattered over 65 countries. Most of these are laid in farming lands and around towns and villages - places where children play or where people going about their daily business."

Australian Catholic Reliefs largest international program is in Cambodia, a country where landmines continue to maim and kill.

669-1HE MEDICARE levy has increased but the JL government has done nothing to discourage increasing demands on the public sector," Executive Director of the Australian Catholic Health Care Association, Francis Sullivan, said in response to latest Budget.

"How long can the government continue this knee-jerk reaction to hospital funding? Every time the Medicare levy increases, more people drop out of private health insurance placing ever increasing demands on public resources. And so begins the never-ending cycle. Medicare levies increase in subsequent budgets to help cover burgeoning costs.

"This strategy does nothing to address unmanageable public waiting lists," he said.

"Who suffers most on waiting lists? Those who can't afford private health insurance - the frail and elderly, pensioners, the chronically and mentally ill," Mr Sullivan said.

"It's high time people were actively rewarded for doing the country and the government a favour by using private health services," he said.

Industry groups, and consumer bodies, especially those who focus on the elderly are continually concerned about the plight of the frail and chronically ill on public waiting lists.

"It's not enough to simply say that efficiency and productivity are going to deliver solutions here. The real victims of efficiency and productivity flounder on waiting lists around this country.

"Consumers should get a direct rebate every time they use private facilities. Private health insurance would once again become good sense and the demand for health services would be spread more equitably across the public and private health sector.

"Affordable health services would become more accessible and waiting lists might even become manageable.

The Australian Catholic Health Care Association is the largest provider of non government health care in Australia representing 57 public and private hospitals and over 200 aged care facilities.

Pray for these people C

ANBERRA: Australia's Catholic Bishops are calling for a national weekend of prayer for the people of Rwanda and Burundi on May 20 and 21.

Cardinal Edward Clancy, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has written to every Catholic parish in Australia, asking for special prayers that the violence which has brought so much suffering to the people of these two African nations may be replaced by a spirit of reconciliation and a just and lasting peace.

Following is the text of the Cardinal's letter:

"In Rwanda and Burundi, the unrest and killing continue. Last year, our nation responded with extraordinary generosity to the desperate plight of Rwanda's people. Our own agencies in Australia and throughout the world are continuing their efforts to meet the basic needs of people displaced by the unrest in Rwanda and Burundi. " While humanitarian agencies have done much to relieve short-term suffering in the region, the underlying problems of insecurity and fear remain.

"Given the emphasis we as Catholics place on the sanctity of human life, we

Ecumenical healing on Sunday R MORE than a year now a unique worship experience has been offered in Perth, a first in this State, and possibly Australia.

On the third Sunday of the month a healing service is held at St Andrews' Anglican Church in Subiaco.

The Service is offered for people living with HIV/AIDS and draws many who seek healing for a wide variety of reasons. The service is offered on the understanding that healing is more than seeking a cure, and that the need for healing and wholeness is shared by all people in a broken and wounded society.

The liturgy, which is deliberately inclusive in its language, is built on a Taize style with music, silence, and prayer for healing with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil.

The leadership of the service is shared by women and mien, clergy and lay people.

Many have found this service to be a place where they feel at home; free of judgement, included, nurtured and supported.

The Ecumenical Service is planned each month by a team composed of members of the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting Churches.

The next service will be on Sunday, May 21, commencing at 6pm.

For further information call 381.1130.

have a special responsibility to do all in our power to care for the victims of this violence and to work for peace. " We therefore ask the Australian Catholic community to make the weekend of May 20 and 21, 1995 a special time of prayer for our sisters and brothers in Rwanda, that there may be peace and reconciliation in the region."

In the past year, the Catholic community has contributed more than $3.4 million to the Australian Catholic Relief for humanitarian programs in Rwanda, Burundi, Zaire and Tanzania.

"I wanted to be sure Mum was happy with her funeral.

So I asked her."

Because many people care about the kind of funeral service they want, Bowra Sr O'Dea have designed a unique Pre-Paid Funeral Plan.

It allows you to plan every detail according to your parents' wishes.

And by pre-planning and paying, you are spared the financial and emotional burden of making the funeral arrangements at a time of crisis.

For a copy of our information booklet, "Funeral Planning. Because You Care", telephone Barry Standley on 384 2226. Or visit our Cottesloe

office at 571 Stirling Highway.

A TRADITION OF TRUST

The Record, May 18 1995

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Abortion: Overriding factor in right to life Who's too A TATICAN CITY (CNS) - The right to life

TATICAN CITY (CNS) - The automatic excommunication foreseen for V a woman who procures an abortion also extends to the circle of "accomplices" who helped determine her choice, said the Vatican's top expert on church law, Archbishop Julian Herranz.

At the same time, excommunication here is "medicinal," not punitive, and in some cases may not apply because of mitigating circumstances, he said.

Archbishop Herranz made the comments in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, as he reviewed legal aspects of Pope John Paul ll's encyclical "The Gospel of Life", which condemned abortion and other antilife practices.

Archbishop Herranz said the papal document makes clear that the grave sin of abortion is "true murder" because it involves the voluntary taking of innocent life. The encyclical also clarifies that procured abortion involves not just surgical or mechanical procedures but also the use of newly developed drugs that are meant to cause abortion.

The wording of the text leaves no doubt that even the deliberate suppression of a fertilized egg is abortion, he said.

The archbishop said the penalty of automatic excommunication is cited by the pope, but in the context of its overall pastoral aim: the conversion of the sinner.

In addition, he said, excommunication may not apply in many instances: to those under the age of 16, or to those acting out of ignorance of church law or out of grave fear. There are also many mitigating circumstances that diminishes culpability in the eyes of the church, he said.

He noted that automatic excommunication for abortion cannot be considered perpetual, but is removed with confession and absolution. Normally a bishop appoints priests who are specially qualified to absolve in these cases, but in many situations absolution may be granted by other priests or chaplains.

The excommunication also applies to the "necessary accomplices" those who may have physically participated in the abortion or instigated it.

These people are subject to excommunication if the abortion "would not have been committed without their efforts."

In any case, the moral responsibility for grave sin applies to a much wider circle of people than those who incur excommunication, Archbishop Herranz said. The pope's encyclical spoke of this circle as a "network of complicity" that is growing in modern society.

"In fact, the social and cultural monstrosity of the abortion mentality and its policies goes beyond the sphere of moral or legal responsibility of individual Christians," Archbishop Herranz said.

V must override the right to abortion in constitutional law, said Antonio Baldassarre, president of Italy's constitutional court.

"It is unchallengeable that the right to life begins at the moment of conception," he said.

"From the point of view of constitutional law, it is very difficult - I would say impossible - to recognize abortion as a right of freedom for the mother," he said.

The only case where the right to an abortion would be on the same level as the right to life of an unborn child is in situations when "the life of the mother is in serious danger," he said.

But even here the choice is difficult because "the lives have an equal value," he said.

The constitutional court is Italy's highest tribunal for judging the constitutionality of laws.

Italian newspapers predicted that Baldassare's remarks would reignite national debate over Italy's abortion law as candidates prepare for national elections later this year.

Italian interest in revising the law was generated after the publication of Pope John Paul II's encyclical, "The Gospel of Life", which firmly

reiterated the church's opposition to abortion under all circumstances. Political figures were divided between supporters of loosening the law and those who favored tightening it.

The Italian constitution defines life as beginning at the moment of conception. But a 1978 law stripped legal penalties for abortion under certain circumstances, while retaining it as a crime.

The law allows abortion virtually on demand to women at least 18 years of age during the first three months of pregnancy.

Government figures show that in recent years officially registered abortions have been declining. They totalled 150,893 in 1993 compared to 234,801 in 1982, the year with the highest number.

Baldassarre said that support for abortions is part of a relativist interpretation of constitutional law widespread in many democracies.

This interpretation wants to give everyone "the freedom to build his own world," he said.

But even in pluralistic democracies there is "a nucleus of fundamental values" known as "inalienable rights," which "cannot be part of political negotiations," he added.

Cardinal directed to take full charge C

OCHIN, INDIA (CNS) - Cardinal Antony Padiyara of Ernakulam has been directed to take full charge of the Syro-Malabar Church, following the death of Archbishop Abraham Kattumana, a special papal delegate to the church.

Archbishop Kattumana, 51, died in Rome hours after he presented the Syro-Malabar Church synod meeting report to the Vatican.

The Vatican has called an extraordinary meeting of the Syro- Malabar permanent synod in Rome next week.

The Syro-Malabar Church was raised to a major archiepiscopal see two years ago, making it a nearly autonomous church. The Catholic Church in India includes Latin, SyroMalabar and Syro-Malankara rites.

Although Cardinal Padiyara, now 74, was

then appointed the Syro-Malabar Church's major archbishop, powers of its synod were vested in the papal delegate appointed with him.

The papal delegate's death created a "canonical vacuum" in the church, which has 2.2 million members and traces its roots to St. Thomas the Apostle.

In offering condolences at Archbishop Kattumana's death, Cardinal Padiyara called the papal delegate's position "a crown of thorns," referring to factional disputes within the church over tradition and liturgy.

While one group champions restoration of ancient traditions and liturgy, another says such restoration lacks understanding of contemporary realities.

Soul of Chant is latest release

EW YORK (CNS) - More chant by her period and represents a time when the Madrid. He also heads the music departOne small complaint was that Angel N the Spanish monks who became a choir was at its best, they said. ment of the Spanish bishops' conference. issued the original "Chant," Father Saenz surprise pop hit last year has been released.

But the new offering has been produced by a different company amid suggestions of the monks' discontent with their treatment by the earlier producer.

Called "The Soul of Chant," the new release includes the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus from five Masses and Credos from three of them. It is released by Parisbased Milan Records in cooperation with lade, a French firm specializing in liturgical music.

Two earlier releases, "Chant" and a follow-up selection of chant for Christmas, and "The Soul of Chant" come from Spanish Benedictines at the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, located north of Madrid.

Father Laurentino Saenz de Buruaga and the new release's producer, Alejandro Masse explained that all of the monks' recordings were made between 1952 and 1980.

They said two companies, both now defunct, made recordings at the abbey, and their holdings were passed on to the two firms now issuing the records.

"The Soul of Chant" comes from the ear4 The Record, May 18 1995

Masso, a professor of music at the University of Murcia, Spain, and archivist at the Silos Abbey, said Father Saenz was lead singer of the choir when it made the recordings.

The monks do not want to record now because their choir has been diminished as some members have gone on to establish other monasteries or left the religious life, Masso said.

Father Saenz, a Basque born in Alava in 1931, was sent to school at the Estibaliz monastery near Silos at age 10, and then to Silos at 12. He stayed on to become a permanent member of the community, making his profession in 1950 and being ordained in 1955.

The Silos monastery, which dates to the ninth century, was renewed in the 19th century by monks from a French monastery, Liguge; it was under the direction of the Abbey of Saint Pierre in Solesmes, which was the center of plainsong revival. Father Saenz said he studied chant at Solesmes.

Continuing the spread of the Solesmes movement, the monks of Silos established other monasteries; Father Saenz is now choirmaster at one of those, Santa Cruz in

Masso said that the recordings were originally made under contracts that provided only small payments to the monks, and sold few copies.

When the EMI company suddenly sold 6 million copies of its 1994 release worldwide under the Angel label, the monks were not given any more money, he said.

"What the company did was legally right but ethically wrong, and ugly," Masso said. Before producing "The Soul of Chant," Jade renegotiated the old contract to make it more equitable, he said.

An article in the issue of a trade sheet, The Hollywood Reporter, quoted the head of Angel Records, Steve Murphy, as contending that the monks were paid "substantial" royalties, and that his company had a "healthy and ongoing relationship" with the Silos abbot, Father Clemente Serna.

But according to Father Saenz, the monks will not engage in any further projects with Angel.

He said, however, that they entered into an agreement for some film footage they had of the area around the Silos monastery to be used by Angel in a chant video it was producing.

indicated, with a cover that showed figures resembling Franciscan friars, not Benedictine monks.

Father Saenz offered no theories on why such an austere form of medieval music, based on a single melody line without harmony or a beat, suddenly became so popular, especially with young people.

"It is likely that the youth are fed up with modern music that is excessively noisy, and want a minute of peace."

He said chant suffered after the Second Vatican Council's decision to support liturgy in the vernacular. Putting the liturgy in Spanish and other languages into chant "didn't work," he said.

Father Saenz said, however, that chant was making a comeback Members of a boys' choir he directs at Santa Cruz "don't understand it at first, but by the time they leave they are fascinated with it, and remain attached to it," he said.

The monks at his monastery chant the hours and the Mass every day, he said, noting that the monastery continues to get new members attracted in part by the tradition of singing their prayers.

Brother Andrew Co founder with mother Teresa of Missionary of Charity Brothers. "New Hope from the Old Faith" retreats at Gracewood, God's Farm 40kms south of BusseIton.

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Stop the trade of body parts, says Vatican man TATICAN CITY (CNS) — A Vatican official has V told a UN agency that trafficking in human organs as one of the latest and most dangerous forms of international crime.

The illicit trade in human organs used for transplant "should be stopped at its source, as it inevitably leads to exploitation in a most contemptible way of the poorest of the poor," said Msgr.

Zenari, a Vatican observer to selected U.N. agencies in Cairo at the Ninth U.N. Conference on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders.

The Vatican representative pointed to a growing number of crimes concerning trade in human beings, especially women and children. Experts estimate, for example, that there are 500,000 cases of child prostitution in Thailand and the Philippines.

Government intelligence agencies in India say that south Asian country is the world's biggest market for trade in human organs.

Despite laws to stop the trade, some health officials say the nation's poverty forces the poor to sell their organs to the rich.

Msgr. Zenari said organized crime appears ever more threatening to the global human family, through drug trafficking, the illegal arms trade and economic crimes such as insider trading.

These are forms of "modern terrorism," he said, which would not be possible without the support of organizations that enjoy almost unlimited resources,

sophisticated technology and powerful international connections.

"The results are devastating: Countless persons are reduced to misery and the prevailing social, economic and political conditions are badly disrupted," he said.

Among the newest types of offenses are "computer crime," the irresponsible use and disposal of toxic waste and radioactive material, and other offenses against the environment, he said. He called on the experts to help develop new strategies to combat them, particularly the environmental crimes.

He called on conference participants to balance respect for uman rights with new crime-fighting measures involving international cooperation.

"Surely the prevention of crime should be a greater priority than the subsequent punishment of the criminal. There is much to be done here," he said.

For that reason, the Vatican has insisted on efforts in education as a key to combatting crime worldwide, he said.

"The person who keeps the law does so normally not so much from fear of punishment, but rather because he or she approves of the values protected by the law. It is precisely this attitude which, to a large extent, has been lost today," he said.

Violence against priests, nuns in India increasing Priests have also been the targets of aT0 PORVORIM, (CNS) - Kariyal and molested several nuns. On Father Jan. 22, 1993, robbers attacked a Desti- violent attacks. In March uring the past five years, Ab Catholic nuns and priests in India tute Sisters' convent in Amloh and beat John Britto was murdered in southern India

have become the targets of violent attacks.

In at least 10 instances, nine priests and nuns have been murdered and at least another nine assaulted, two sexually.

Some observers reject the view that the attacks are part of a pattern. Others view the assaults as deliberate attempts to intimidate a community engaged in promoting rights and providing social service, education and health care, UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand, reported.

The latest death occurred May 1, when assailants slit the throat of 55year-old Maria Bambina Sister Augustina Kochumattam, the superior of a convent in Assam, in northeastern India.

Attacks on church personnel began to occur with relative frequency beginning on July 13, 1990, when unidentified men broke into St. Mary's School in Gajraula, in northern India. They raped two Our Lady of Grace nuns and took a large sum of money.

Four months later, on Nov. 15, 1990, Franciscans of Mary of Angels Sisters Sylvia D'Souza and Priya Joseph were murdered at a boys' orphanage at Jogeswari in Bombay. The killers are still at large.

On July 23, 1992, six unidentified men entered Mother Carmel School in .

.

.

1994,

India. He had received a threatening two nuns and their maid.

On April 2 of this year armed intrud- note telling him to stay away from lower ers assaulted five Franciscan nuns at St. caste Indians or face the consequences.

Mary of Angels Convent at Surya Nagar Claretian Father V. Susai Packin Ghaziabad near New Delhi, India's ianathan was shot dead at Rajibpur on capital.

April 18, 1993, and two priests and a "Why should miscreants target nuns, seminarian were murdered in Gumla who own very few valuables?" asked district, eastern India, in September Father Xavier Vadakkekara, who saved 1994. the nuns' lives.

Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Concessao "I don't know why these nuns, who of Delhi said that "the more we get are giving protection to the poor and involved in work relating to social jusneedy, are being attacked," Federal Min- tice, (the more) we have to expect oppoister of State for Personnel and Public sition and attacks like this."

Grievances Margaret Alva said after visIn 1992, the Indian bishops' conferiting the Surya Nagar convent. "It has ence put helping lower castes, women happened in so many places." and workers high on their agenda.

The Surya Nagar attack was preceded Observers say local language schools by the murder of a nun in central India for the poor and church activists workFeb. 25. Clarist Sister Rani Maria was ing among tribal members and low stabbed repeatedly in a private passencastes seem to be the main target. Misger bus traveling from Udainagar to her sionaries running English medium home in Indore. schools in cities attended by upper Her body, left in a pool of blood on the castes are rarely attacked. side of the road, bore more than 40 stab Church personnel have also supwounds. ported protests for just wages, land and "It is beyond one's comprehension basic human rights. filled single person in the bus why not a Police in some jurisdictions have with people came to her rescue," Bishop George Anathil of Indore wrote to the offered church officials gun licenses. But the church workers have declined, sayMadhya Pradesh governor afterwards. ing violence is contrary to the Christian He alleged the crime was "a preplanned and well executed murder with spirit.

However, some Catholic youth leadcooperation of some other passengers in ers urge more active defence. the bus."

A Glorious experience of deep intimacy through the touch of God on one humble pilgrim Priest.

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1995 OPEN DAY WEDNESDAY 24 MAY 9.00 AM - 3.00 PM Performances of Dance-1O.3Own Band-12.30pm & Choir-2.30pm Tours conducted at 9.00cun, 1lam & 1.30pm 15 Duncan Street Victoria Park Enquiries 362 2344 The Record, May 18 1995 5

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Poverty the 'powder keg' C

UAUTITLAN, Mexico (CNS)

majority of Latin Americans become Poverty in Latin America is a poorer, the bishop said. "powder keg" which could explode "We are atop a powder keg, with and engulf the region, said Venezue- Latin America's social problems so lan Bishop Roberto Luckert of Coro, very serious that it could blow up on spokesman for the Latin American us at any moment with unforeseen bishops' council. consequences," Bishop Luckert said.

He said that rampant capitalism He blamed a culture of corruption threatens the stability of Latin Amer- and violence in Latin America for ica as much as leftist insurgency did a much of the region's social problems. few years ago.

"At the core of our entire social and The Catholic hierarchy "cannot political system in Latin America is a close its eyes" when faced with a real- microcosm which exudes corruption ity where a few grow richer, while the and violence," he said.

"That violence is not always the vioBut capitalism has so far still not lence of killing, but is found in the developed a free-market response to reality of unavailable schooling for help poorer, nonindustrialized children, in the scarcity of social ser- nations achieve integral development vices and health care for the poor." for their people, he said.

He pointed out that since the fall of "A few years ago, the problem was the Berlin wall and the Eastern Eurocommunism," Bishop Luckert said. pean model of state socialism in 1989, communism or which is "But worse: the developed countries of the capitalist world no longer can avoid con- these neoliberal bandits who have no tributing to the development of the conscience, who see everything in world's developing countries with the terms of 'how much do you have, how excuse that they have to spend great much can you pay' ... who hold the sums to fight communism. almighty dollar as their God?"

Cardinal on feeling Pushy people of malaise in under fire the Catholic Church D S

AN DIEGO (CNS) - In the post-conciliar period, many priests feel their role has been diminished and their unique contributions undervalued, Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago told the National Federation of Priests' Councils convention.

The change and renewal after the Second Vatican Council has been healing and revitalizing for the church, he said, but "this feeling of malaise," he continued, "this crisis of confidence, is debilitating, not only to priests, but also to the °whole church."

He urged priests to reclaim their identity found in "the two essential dimensions of priestly life: the priest as bearer of the mystery of God and as doctor of the soul."

In the first role, "the priest is the one who in his ministry and very being leads God's people into an ever more intimate contact with Jesus, who incarnates God's passionate, unconditional love," Cardinal Bernardin said.

"One is most authentically a priest when he carries out this task" In bearing the mystery, the priest's primary function is "to hold up to the people of God the great images, stories and pictures of salvation that lie at the heart of Christian tradition." the cardinal said, adding that the priest who bears the mystery must also be a teacher and preacher.

"People in the pew want, above all, good preaching from their priests," he said. "This altogether reasonable demand reflects a hunger and thirst for mystagogy, a desire to be told of the mystery and drawn into it." Mystagogy is the interpretation of religious mysteries.

Cardinal Bernardin said if the priest is to be a mediator between heaven and earth, "he must be in habitual contact with the mystery, standing stubbornly in the presence of God.... The priest must be a mystic, a contemplative, a person of prayer.

"The priest is not primarily someone who

works, preaches, ministers, counsels. Rather, he is someone who, at the core of his being, has been set on fire by God and who invites others to catch the flame."

Cardinal Bernardin also explained the second role of priests as doctors of the soul, a description which he said allows them to carry out their first role as bearers of the mystery of God.

"Before someone can be conducted into the mystery of God," he said, "he or she must be healed of whatever spiritual ill, whatever roadblock, prevents the journey of self-surrender."

In this role, the priest imitates Jesus, whose healing encounters are well-documented in the Gospels.

"The priest is the doctor of the soul, the instrument through whom God heals broken hearts and minds," he said. "We heal the soul by bringing to bear the salvator, the healer ... the one who opens the soul to the divine power."

The "medicine" priests prescribe include Scripture, liturgy, sacraments, Christian architecture, painting, literature and doctrines.

These, he said, are the healing balms by which the sickness of the soul is cured.

The priest 'can hold out to the sufferer the possibility of participating in the God who wants nothing more than to embrace the human condition," Cardinal Bernardin said.

"The doctor of the soul can offer the body and blood, the life, of Jesus."

The cardinal reminded the priests that "we are not dispensable functionaries in the church.

We are bridges to the very mystery of God and healers of the soul.

"When we claim this identity unapologetically, we not only find ourselves, we also provide the church and our culture with the sustenance they require."

UBLIN, Ireland (CNS) .2-/Archbishop Desmond

the priesthood were plentiful." he said.

Connell of Dublin criticized "Today it would seem that Catholics who continue pushvocations are few. I do not ing for women's ordination in opposition to church teaching. believe that this is quite accurate," he added.

He said he was "particularly "I have no doubt that God is anxious about the hurt and frustration that movements of still calling young men to the this kind will inevitably cause priesthood but that there are by leading the faithful into a influences now at work that tend to stifle his voice," he blind alley." said.

In a pastoral letter for World Vocations Day May 7, the "The world has no underarchbishop also defended the standing of the celibate life celibacy obligation for Latin- because it does not see it as a rite priests. gift from God, which he faithThe archbishop's support fully sustains in the priest who came as public support in relies on his help," he said. heavily Catholic Ireland seems The archbishop's defence t o be growing for women comes after several sex scanpriests and optional celibacy. dals involving priests have Loyal acceptance of church shaken Catholics and underteaching leaves open the pos- mined support for church sibility of involving women in positions. every detail of the church's life A March public opinion surnot requiring ordination, said vey showed that a majority of Archbishop Connell.

He said he was determined Catholics favor women priests to further the involvement of and optional celibacy. women in diocesan structures.

Earlier this year, Mary Regarding celibacy, the McAleese, pro-vice chancellor archbishop criticized people o f Queen's University in who argue that it is an offence Belfast and a prominent Catholic laywoman, said that to marriage.

"How then can it be that the feminists would continue church is the foremost ' fighting for a female priestdefender of the sanctity of hood. marriage in a world that has Catholics form 95 percent of ceased to protect it," he asked. Ireland's 3.5 million popula"Until recently vocations to tion.

Message in Eastern-rite anniversaries TATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John V Paul H prayed that the anniversaries of the Ukrainian and Ruthenian Catholic churches would be a time of thanksgiving for the faith they kept under persecution and a time of new commitment to Christian unity.

Anniversary celebrations for the Ukrainians' 1595-96 Union of Brest-Litovsk and the Ruthenians' 1646 Union of Uzhorod should be marked by conversion, reconciliation and gratitude, the pope said in letters released May 4.

The Orthodox bishops and faithful who were re-united with Rome under the agreements acted in order "to visibly live the unity willed by Christ for members of his church," the pope said in his letter to Ukrainian Cardinal Myroslav Subachivsky of Lviv.

The agreements allowed "these churches 6 The Record, May 18 1995

not only to preserve the treasure of their own traditions, but also to enrich the universal church with their values," the letter said.

In his letter to Bishop Ivan Semedi of Mukacevo, whose offices are in Uzhorod, Ukraine, the pope said by reaffirming their own identities the Eastern-rite churches can be "a proof of the spaces which are open in the universal church for diverse traditions."

The churches, which have dioceses and a large number of faithful in North America, were outlawed in Ukraine in the mid1940s by communist authorities; bishops, priests and religious were imprisoned and killed.

But despite the threat of arrest, the churches continued to operate underground.

The communist persecution of the

churches "highlighted the heroism of many pastors and faithful," the pope said. Their sacrifice was a witness to the entire church and a source of renewed commitment to Christ.

Even before the communist suppression, the pope said, the Ukrainian and Ruthenian faithful experienced difficulties, misunderstandings and opposition both from their Orthodox counterparts as well as from Latin-rite Catholics.

The anniversary celebrations should be "a time of grace: a time of personal and communal conversion, a time of reconciliation within the Catholic Church and with other churches, a time of pardon and penance, a time of thanksgiving for the fidelity maintained despite the persecutions, a time of more intensely seeking fidelity to Christ," he said.

Pope John Paul asked the church leaders

-to spare no effort" in making the yearlong anniversary celebrations a special time of outreach to the Orthodox.

"The gift of unity reached must not be an occasion for rupture, and even less for new disagreement," he said.

In his letter to Cardinal Lubachivsky, the pope had a special word for Ukrainian Catholics living in other parts of Europe, North and South America and Australia.

Anniversary celebrations outside Ukraine. he said, "must shine like lights which show the vitality of your church so that it is better known, supported and developed for the good of all and so that, with you and for you, everyone can give thanks to the Lord for the gift of unity lived faithfully."

fight not Talk can tice Injus lead to war, says the pope written a letter commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, in which he encourages contemporary societies to reject the "culture of war" in favour of dialogue.

The pope spoke about the letter, which he said is addressed to all people of good will and which was recently released at a Sunday blessing on May 7. Fifty years ago on May 8, the German Army surrendered unconditionally to Allied forces, ending the conflict in Europe.

"The terrible historic page of the Second World War is for everyone a severe warning against the 'culture of war' and a call to seek every legitimate means to end the conflicts that still bloody many regions of the world," he said.

The key to building real peace, he said, is a commitment to over-

coming disagreements through dialogue and mutual understanding.

The pope, who as a young man experienced the German occupation of his native Poland, said his letter would emphasize that "a humane and just society cannot be built upon violence and the force of arms."

"Therefore it is necessary that humanity think back upon the terrible six years of the last world war and reflect on the dramatic consequences which followed," he said.

He said Pope Paul VI's words to the United Nations in 1967 "War never again!" - still need to be translated into concrete action and policies around the world.

"Peace is our mission," and the church believes that in order for peace to triumph there must be a change of heart linked to the Gospel message, he said.

TATICAN CITY (CNS) - Ethnic V and racial atrocities from the Balkans to central Africa show that people have failed to understand the lessons of World War II and the Holocaust, the Vatican newspaper said.

"It's happening again: Children are denied their future, women see their sons and daughters killed, and men are deprived even of the respect due their corpses," the newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said in a Page One commentary.

All this is happening as the international community marks the 50th anniversary of the end of World War H, and in particular the discovery of Nazi death camps, whose grisly images shocked the world.

"Fifty years ago, many people said, 'We didn't know.' But who can claim to be ignorant today?" the newspaper said. It said today's

atrocities are carried out "next door" and news of the horrors is broadcast daily.

"The images of yesterday and today are the same," it said.

The newspaper ran photographs o f a prison camp in former Yugoslavia and a blood-soaked refugee camp in Rwanda.

It said the century that invented the concentration camp, "ethnic cleansing" and systematic genocide was witnessing it again in Africa.

Asia and Europe.

A driving force, then and now, is the "pathology of nationalism, that transforms ethnic identity into a grimacing mask," it said.

The commentary was published after a resurgence of fighting throughout the former Yugoslavian republics and after an outbreak of ethnic bloodletting that left some 2,000 refugees dead in Rwanda.

1TATICAN CITY (CNS) V Pope John Paul II said he has

TATICAN CITY (CNS) - Combat veterans of World War II know firsthand that injustice and the gross violation of human rights often lead to war, Pope John Paul II said.

But, he told a group of veterans, "war never resolves tensions between nations nor can it guarantee that adequate steps will be taken to establish justice."

The nonviolent and often painstaking establishment of justice, respect and solidarity among peoples is the only way to build lasting peace, he said during a meeting with veterans from Europe and the United States marking the 50th anniversary of the war's end.

Pope John Paul said the fact that the meeting drew former combatants from both sides of the battle can be "a sign of hope for all those who today are victims of war and ardently desire peace."

"It is significant that many of you, marked with spiritual and physical suffering by the wartime events, find yourselves to be friends today, bound by painful experiences and committed to promoting the values of peace through your testimony," he said.

"In our own time, despite the terrible experience of the past, we watch dismayed at the outbreak of new and recurring bloody conflicts," the pope said.

"The memory of past wars does not seem able to make humanity more reasonable," he said.

Those who fought in World War II "can be the first to affirm that wars occur when inalienable human rights are threatened and violated," he said.

Gerardo Agostini, president of the Association of Former Combatants, told the pope the veterans from 24 countries who fought in Europe, "represent those who for 68 months

confronted each other with weapons in hand on opposite fronts."

"Yesterday we were young, vigorous and divided by faith and ideology," he said.

"Today, made weaker in body and wiser in spirit by the years, we come together with a common intent: to promote coexistence among peoples, the building of institutions of freedom and the liberation of all peoples from the plagues of hunger, famine and poverty," he told the pope.

The veterans, he said, are committed to persuading their governments to undertake "a controlled, balanced and progressive disarmament."

The Second Vatican Council taught that "peace is not simply an absence of war, an unstable balance between opposing forces or a despotic domination," the pope told the group, rather is it the fruit of justice.

While Christians believe peace is a gift from God, they also must acknowledge that it cannot be received without a commitment on the part of all men and women to a society which is ever more just, he said.

"Only violence arises from violence," the pope said. Earlier the same day, Pope John Paul met with staff members and students of France's Institute of Higher Studies of National Defence.

Those who study war and defence policy can make a special contribution to the world by seeking to eliminate armed conflicts, the pope said.

Defence experts should be prepared "to help nations escape the dizzying cycle of the arms race and to build peace and security, which are the conditions for development, prosperity and well-being," he said.

Failure to learn

Urging a better future Creac"of:cril gropnathy, In commemorations leading up to May

'ZAGREB, CROATIA (CNS) - Cmatia's bishops

nic Germans and soldiers who were Christian churches. imprisoned in the Soviet Union.

At the concentration camp at Dachau, The German Catholic bishops' confer- ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary ence issued a 10-page response. of the freeing of prisoners by Allied troops "Historical truth and responsibility for included four separate religious services. the future demand a view free from As early as 1933, Adolf Hitler had sent attempts to relativize or play down the people he considered potential enemies facts," the statement said. to Dachau. Among them were at least Germany's surrender "brought libera- 7,000 religious figures who had protested tion from a criminal regime whose dicta- the loss of civil liberties under the Nazi torship was also aimed against its own regime. people," it added.

The Catholic bishops' April 25 stateA week later, the bishops joined the noted that the church failed to effecment Council of Protestant Churches in a statetively intervene as Nazism was on the rise. ment underscoring that point.

"Many Germans, also from our ranks, "We owe it to the victims of the war and totalitarianism, as well as to future gener- let themselves be fooled by the false ations, to devote our strength to the pro- teachings of Nazism," the bishops' said. tection of human life," the one-page press "Many fostered crimes by their own behaviour. Many became criminals themrelease read. selves."

Second the of end the "Looking back on World War reminds us of the opportuniGermans still face disturbing questions ties and responsibilities, of which all peo- about the Nazi era, it said. ple should be conscious, if they really "Where was the protest against lawlesswant to prevent new global catastrophes," ness and violence? Why was there no it said. uproar throughout the land when the synThe two church organizations together agogues burned one night?" it said. represent the religions of 70 percent of The statement was "an attempt to settle Germany's population.

For May 8, Protestant and Catholic lead- the spiritual disruption" caused by the ers scheduled an ecumenical service in anniversary controversies, said Rudolf Hammerschmidt, bishops' conference Berlin. On the same day, religious and political leaders planned to gather for the spokesman. "It was time to finally say dedication of a museum of Jewish history. something."

warring ethnic groups.

In a letter on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II that also refers to the region's current conflicts, the Croatian bishops' conference said: "Let us hasten the hour when we, in freedom and in responsibility to God and to mankind, will proclaim publicly a uniform Christian attitude toward victims and toward the guilty."

The letter, dated May 1, commemorates the Croatian victims of the postwar communist government of Yugoslavia. It said that the end of the war brought a Marxist totalitarian system which "signified a new beginning of persecution, imprisonment and the killing of innocent people."

"Many suffered, were imprisoned or killed merely because they were Catholics, including Catholic priests, monks, nuns and Catholic bishops," it said.

The postwar victims represented a "continuation of the sufferings that, especially in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, characterized these lands from April 1941 to May 1945 when the Second World War raged there," the letter said.

It said in an apparent reference to Serbs that "during the past 50 years, public honours have only been awarded to the victims of one side."

"It was not permitted to mention the other victims," it said.

"It was even dangerous to know that they existed.

"Today we publicly pray for out fellow Croats, the sons and daughters of the Catholic Church," the letter said. "Our thoughts take us to known and unknown mass graves, scattered throughout the homeland."

But the state's official promotion of a history with only one group of victims "inflamed thoughts of vengeance" that erupted in the current warfare in the former republics of Yugoslavia.

In an and German leaders acknowledged the Jew- Zhave called for repentance, reconciliation effort to preserve the memory of the the suffering of Holocaust victims as B among the Balkans' suffering mutual of recognition by suffered and losses the victims ish ethHolocaust and help prevent a new confla- equivalent to the plight of displaced ONN, GERMANY (CNS) -

gration, Germany's Christian leaders have been speaking up in the national debate over how the end of World War II half a century ago should be described in the country that lost the war.

The many official statements and commemorations have been intended to cool the controversy, which became more intense with the approach of the 50th anniversary of V-E Day, the day marking victory in Europe.

On May 8, 1945, Germany signed a final document of surrender.

One chapter of European history came to a close that day, while another one opened as communism divided the continent.

Among communism's conquests was the eastern half of Germany.

Meanwhile, ethnic Germans by the hundreds of thousands were expelled from Central Europe.

In the weeks leading to the anniversary, Germans were divided over whether May 8 should be marked as a day of liberation from tyranny or a day of defeat. Public opinion polls showed an increasing number of people favoring the former observance.

But a handful of legislators, veterans groups and members of families displaced after the war took the opposite view.

That group issued a statement titled,

"Against Forgetting," which summarized

8,

The Record, May 18 1995

7

How families feel about the world out there...

ETI1NG his driver's licence a few months ago was an important milestone in my son's life, and I was pleased to see him achieve it. But now I'm thinking about how the world has become decidedly more dangerous for him and how little I can do to shield him from harm.

Parents of children at any age struggle with forces outside their control. We parents always are concerned about how the world beyond our family circle affects what we're trying to build within it.

Nowadays, however, there seems to be a heightened sense of alarm about what."the culture" is doing to families. Pope John Paul II took note of this situation in his encyclical letter, "The Gospel of Life." He said: "Although it is true that the future of humanity passes by way of the family, it must be admitted that modern social, economic and cultural conditions make the family's task of serving life more difficult and demanding" (No. 94).

There are parents who feel frustrated and angry because the values and behaviour they're trying to instill at home aren't being reinforced in schools, churches, the political arena and especially in the mass media.

Thus, some parents fall headlong into fear.

Others slip into isolation, withdrawing into their homes, or into other privatized worlds, avoiding contact with people and situations they don't know.

Unfortunately, isolation breeds more fear and anger. I believe these reactions, though understandable, are a trap to avoid. But how?

I've been talking to parents recently about combating the negative elements in our culture and remaining faithful to Christ's teachings and the vision of the Christian family as a church of the home. All their ideas converged upon one conclusion: If you're trying to make your family a place of prayer, learning and celebration, of welcome, service, forgiveness, communication and love in short, a "domestic church" -

"Throughout 18 years (my daughter has) been my companion serving the elderly poor, celebrating the Eucharist, marching for the unborn and aiding me in sacramental preparation with children. She has a strong compassion for the poor and suffering.... I held my breath at 8 The Record, May 18 1995

By David Gibson

you simply cannot do it alone. It is absolutely necessary to join with other families who share your Christian values and with whom you can give and receive support.

Sue, a mother of three, told me: "I struggle daily with the materialistic message being sent not only to children, but also to adults.

We seem to want it all. We're not doing our kids any favours by living that way, but the message is so hard to ignore."

She described how she meets weekly with other women in her parish for prayer and Bible study. This relationship also has brought their families closer. They are connecting at many levels of daily living. And Sue now is finding "help with parenting, help with my marriage and help with life in general."

Opportunities to develop such relationships are available, for example, in the Christian Family Movement, the Apostolate for Family Consecration, a great variety of small prayer and faith-sharing groups, family clusters associated with religious education, RENEW groups, etc.

Are these available in or through your parish? Ask your pastor or diocesan family life office to help you find or create a small community of families.

In such a community you can pray with and for each other; help each other make good choices about guiding children to get started.

Christian maturity; and strengthen and sus- ilies at holiday time, participate in Opera- lions efforts. similar and Bowl Rice tion children need the stability that And tain each other, especially when outside culture's powerful messages become entirely Because their friends are also doing these comes from family traditions and expecthings, JoAnn's daughters don't feel sin- tations if they are to maintain a foothold too seductive. out. gled in a world of rapidly changing norms.

"Things take over life," is how JoAnn envithe control completely can't Jim, along with Maureen, a mother of "You described the challenge of helping her two father a Jim, said kids," your suggested helping children become for five, ronment famineedy on more bit a daughters focus lies in the community and a bit less on Bar- of four. "But don't underestimate the "critical participants" in the culture, parbie Doll ouffits. With this in mind, she and influence you do have, especially with ticulady the culture created and maintained by television. They both agreed her husband decided to meet regularly with the younger ones."

It's in a network of Christian families that you can tum off the set, but you probother parents in their parish to find ways for their families to do works of charity and jus- that he and his wife are learning about ably can't banish it from your home or family prayer and experimenting with from your children's world entirely. tice.

So why not put some energy into eduThey collect food and clothing, adopt fam- simple rituals at home. This is how tradi-

"We parents always are concerned about how the world beyond our family circle affects what we're trying to build within it."

Talking point S week's discussion point: What Christian value did your children absorb at home - even though you doubted they had accepted it at the time?

Selected responses from readers: "To teach my children the value of Christian service I would take them along on volunteer activities.... I wasn't always sure it was having the desired effect. Now my oldest has chosen to do volunteer service instead of going on vacation." - Mary Ann Salem!.

Here is some food for thought

times through the junior high and high school years, hoping and praying the seeds that were planted would not be choked out." Diana Tschache.

"Just recently a kid was kicked out of school for doing something pretty bad. I ... asked my son why he didn't tell me about it. He replied that he didn't want to spread gossip about someone. I was surprised and pleased that he had learned the value of discretion, respect for another person's good name." - Gary Zilaff.

"My son still hugs me. Even in public. As he gets older, he becomes more and more considerate of the feelings of the other members of the family - even though he's still very much his own person." - Kris Person.

cating children about what they're seeing and hearing? Watch television with them; talk with them about how people and situations are portrayed; help them to evaluate whether these messages fall in line with what Jesus teaches.

In the end, our culture is what all of us make it. "To build community in the midst of an unwelcoming culture is the ultimate political act," Jim thinks.

I believe it is also the distinctively Catholic thing to do.

By H. Richard McCord Jr.

I think it's important for parents to give each other hope.

Parents in the mid1990s have good reason to wish they had received special training for their role. Parents may want to make their home "the first school of Christian life" described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church - a place where children learn life's most important values (No. 1657). But parents often wonder whether they will succeed at this.

Parents may well be told by a teenager that his friends' quite different values are what seem most interesting at the moment This can leave parents doubting their ability ever to get through to their children.

ThaVs why it's important for parents to share stories with each other about how this values process "turned out" in specific instances - for parents to be open enough to help each other see that hanging in there matters.

Don't be too ready to believe that children are rejecting your values forever. And remember what the U.S. bishops said in a 1993 statement "A family is holy not because it is perfect, but because God's grace is at work in it, helping it to set out anew every day."

Applying Paul's principles in a home... to regimentation. But one can go to the other extreme and be so nonchalant as to make things hapslipshod.

LL THE first churches were hazard and at home need a people Don't / 1"domestic churches," made up is serious but that medium happy of extended families, households may prove thinking Paul's relaxed? of faith. They gathered in private homes. Closely knit, they knew helpful to families today wondering where to start in building up and loved each other.

But closeness can bring friction, their own home as a centre of too. St. Paul lamented to his com- faith.

Paul's idea of church was of a munity at Corinth: vibrant organism. He was vital, "It has been reported ... that with people; he concemed there are rivalries among you.... I fed you milk, .not solid food, stressed healthy interpersonal because you wer unable to take relationships.

Faced with threats to the comit. Indeed, you are still not able, even now" (1 Corinthians 1: 11; munity's life, he reminded people of a basic principle: "The whole 3:2-3). is fulfilled in one statement, law In addition to internal squab'You shall love your namely, the at pulled bles, cultural forces early domestic churches. In Gala- neighbor as yourself."' He warned. tia the Christians were in danger "If you go on biting and devouring of succumbing to these forces, one another, beware that you are which broke Paul's heart. He felt not consumed by one another' (Galatians 5:14-15). so powerless!

Forming this kind of church was "There are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert a challenge, and Paul sometimes the Gospel of Christ.... I am afraid felt defeated, helpless. But he on your account that perhaps I never gave up. That's a key point.

For Paul realized that the formahave laboured for you in vain.... I am perplexed because of you" tion of hearts and souls was ultimately God's work_ Paul worked (Galatians 1:6; 4:11,20).

Perhaps making today's home a with the assurance of the Lord's domestic church - a place of love, word: "My grace is sufficient for celebration, prayer and justice that you, for power is made perfect in in a sense is a reflection of the weakness." Thus Paul could say, parish - often seems a daunting "When I am weak, then I am task because people start with the strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9,10). wrong idea of "church." Maybe the Like Jesus, who formed the first word suggests to some people a community, Paul worked against neatly structured organization daunting odds, but never gave up with a regular schedule for prayer. hope. The rest, as they say, is hisYoung people have an aversion tory - a glorious success story.

By Father John J. Castelot

Becoming architect of the domestic church wisffully. It was easier when children were more naturally inclined toward home.

Our children walk in an ever-widening circle out from us. As they take on new relaAGE 10, Annemarie asked her and responsibilities, they become tionships ather to explain what the domestic more to cultural influences. For vulnerable church is. He answered by making a small house with his hands, outlining a heart and parents hoping to nurture a child's relationpointing back and forth between the two of ship with Jesus, parenting is doubly hard.

The spiritual disciplines of humility, them. chastity, charity, compassion and faith - eleDeaf since birth, her father communi- vated in the home and in the church - are cated this essential idea in the poetry of often not embraced by contemporary culsign language. ture.

Now the parent of two teenagers, Life with teenagers parallels that of todAnnemarie wonders if the architecture of dlers; both ages are marked by exhilaration the domestic church is under siege. and frustration. In practising independence, Suggestive images in music and film, teen agers commonly attempt to define flashy expensive fads, mall-driven socializ- themselves by opposing their parents. ing and the ever-present lure of drugs and Hungry for freedom but wary of isolation, alcohol make parents worry. young men and women turn to peers for valHearth and home are relatively easy to idation. Clothes, speech and leisure reflect maintain with little ones, although Power this concern with identity. Many choices Ranger mania and Barney excesses occur teenagers make are harmless, some posieven among preschoolers. tively irritating. Other risks are not so Annemarie listens to friends with young benign. Spiritual, moral and even physical children and remembers those problems dangers prompt parents toward control and

By Marybeth Shea

AT

protection.

Experienced parents suggest a fair, firm and friendly stance toward teens, and continued cultivation of a home environment characterized by strong values.

Remember that you are not alone in your vocation as a parent. Bdng your concerns directly to God; find peace in this holy partnership.

Welcome your children and their friends into your home. Meals, homework, community projects, hanging out: All are opportunities to cement a bond between family and a child's peer group.

Keep abreast of culture with your children. Cultivate a critical ability within your family to assess books, movies, fads and music in light of faith.

Embrace the families of your children's friends. Carpooling is only a beginning.

Child development expert Urie Bonfrenbrenner likens a network of parents to the village structure of the last century. Children derive support from a backdrop of parents who are present, even in their absence, through strong community ties.

Teenagers are passionate. Encourage your child to develop life-long interests sports, music, gardening, photography. The notion of apprenticeship, where a child's working relationship with an experienced adult becomes part of his or her formation is instructive for our times. Tim and Sarah's daughter chose an adult family friend as her confirmation sponsor after several years of riding horses with her on weekends.

The direct communication of parents and younger children may be more difficult with teenagers. Maintain dialogue, even in indirect ways.

Ruth, mother of two post-college children, said that playing cards helped their family retain a sense of conversation by providing a neutral opportunity to talk.

Remember Annemarie's father and his ability to communicate. Showing children your love through action and gesture creates the domestic church in your home.

The Record, May 18 1995

9

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Catholic education in a fast changing world an overview for parents Tt

HE world is a fast changing place. And Secondly, students have to be trained and Solar Battery 1953 1955 2 YEARS he rate of change is increasing. Take the practised in the higher skill of discernment.

The narrowing gap between following examples from the accomTransistor 1948 1951 3 YEARS Discernment is the human ability to be able panying graph: the photographic process was to see the range of knowledge and scientific discoveries Nuclear reactor 1932 1942 10 YEARS discovered in 1727. It took 112 years until it possibilities that are available in any given 12 YEARS Television 1922 1934 and their application... found practical application in the camera. It situation, and in one's life, and to be able to Radar 1925 1940 15 YEARS took 35 years for the theory of radio judge correctly which options or possible transmission to move from laboratory to are the correct ones for oneself or solutions 18 YEARS X-Ray tubes 1895 1913 living room. That was at the beginning of the for the given situation at the time. Thirdly, 31 YEARS Vacuum tube 1884 1915 twentieth century. and this tends to apply towards the end of 1902 35 YEARS Radio 1867 By the middle of the twentieth century it secondary schooling, students are provided was taking only three years for major scientific with gradually more specialised knowledge Telephone 1822 56 YEARS 1876 breakthroughs, such as the transistor or solar and skills that will prepare them for the 1886 Electric motor 18 65 YEARS battery, to move from discovery to practical particular post-school environment they have Photography 1727 112 YEARS applicatic9. chosen to enter.

In 1995, as we stand on the threshold of the third millennium, the changes are not so "Leaders in Service" much to do with things as with concepts and ideas. The most far-reaching changes that occur today the shop-floor, labour-intensive positions that our are in software; new ways of processing information; parent's and grandparent's generations used to "find In the Catholic school, these important elements and breakthroughs in our understanding of genetics, their feet" in the world of work. Banks and large are held together under a unifying philosophy derived biology and how information is transferred and insurance companies today simply do not need the from the teachings of Jesus. Fr Vincent J. Duminuco SJ, processed within our bodies and minds. large numbers of young people that they used to who is Executive Secretary of the International Center The implications of the foregoing for education are employ each year and train in junior clerical positions. for Jesuit Education inRome, described this well in his enormous. Our children spend approximately 12 years These are not matters that we can blame on public address in Perth last year: "The ultimate aim of at school. Within that time they have to work their politicians, governments,businesses, women entering Catholic education is the full growth of the person way to an understanding of more knowledge than the workforce, or any of the myriad other groups that which leads to action - action, especially, that is their parents ever had to cope with. are singled out for blame. suffused with the spirit and presence of Jesus Christ, First, as Catholics, we have to acknowledge that all the Son of God, the Man-for-Others. This goal of these changes and advances occurring in the world action, based on sound understanding and enlivened A message of hope are not of our making alone. They are a gift from God, by contemplation, urges students to self-discipline passed to us through the hands of men and women. and initiative, to integrity and accuracy. At the same All change has benefits. All change also has costs. time,it judges slip-shod or superficial ways of thinking The challenge teachers face in the future could fill Second then, we need to acknowledge that we are unworthy of the individual. It seeks to bring students us with trepidation. For example: it was widely collectively responsible for managing the gifts that to an understanding that such thinking is dangerous reported in the early 1970s that more knowledge had have been given to us. to the world he or she is called to serve." Cardinal Pio been uncovered in the 70 years to that point in the Laghi,Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Catholic twentieth century than had been uncovered in all the Education, during his visit to Perth in 1993 said our centuries preceding 1900. Today, it is variously We create our future schools "educate students to be 'leaders in service' ... estimated that the total quantum of human knowledge to teach them to assume responsibility so that they is doubling within the space, not of decades, but of may be a positive influence on those with whom they years.

It is not politicians and governments who create come in contact in their adult lives".

One could easily grow disconsolate of the future our future. We create our future. We can do so in a for our children. However, there is a message of hope. responsible, affirming and ennobling way provided Schools and education systems around the world are we have an understanding that the creative act of having to change and adapt to meet the demands of building a future has to occur in partnership with this explosion in human knowledge. As parents, you God. have a crucial role to play in your children's future.

This process of managing change and creating our Fortunately, those of us working in the Catholic future begins in our education system. It begins in the education system can draw on old wisdom's from pre-primary classroom. some of the earliest Christian educators, starting with Mrs Therese Temby,Director of Catholic Education Jesus, and later innovators - such as St Ignatius Loyola in Western Australia, suggests that we look at the (founder of the Jesuits). schooling process firstly from a wide perspective: Even in the time of Ignatius Loyola, let alone in our "When a child enters school at pre-primary they are own grandparent's day, it was an unrealistic still almost completely reliant on their parents. By the expectation that every student in every school could, time they complete their formal schooling in Year 12, in 12 years, be taught all the human knowledge that they expect to be almost completely self-reliant in existed in the world at that point. The challenge today their personal affairs. Our hope is that along with selfis only greater in magnitude. reliance, self-confidence and a sense of self-discipline Post the Second World War, modern civilisation they will also have developed a warm, mature and has been preoccupied with concepts such as economic supportive relationship with the people around them, growth, technological advancement and increasing starting with the other members of their families." prosperity. Our preoccupation has had an upside and "This, of course, is only our broad objective. It a downside. The upside is plain for all of us to see applies to the vast majority of students who enter our Mrs Therese Temby, Director of Catholic Education and enjoy - particularly in a prosperous country such schools. We also have to be aware that there are people as Australia. The upside is seen in the gadgets, Mrs Temby concludes: "Parents should underwho access our schools who, through reasons of technology and higher standard of lifestyle found in stand what the Catholic school is trying to achieve physical,mental or emotional disadvantage,may never our homes. for their child. The vital role parents play in the be blessed with complete self-reliance in their lives. educational partnership is to provide continual The downside, until recently, has been disguised.

Our objective though remains the same: we seek to encouragement to their children and at the same As we begin to leave the twentieth century behind it encourage the maximum possible self-reliance.It is an time to gradually guide their children towards selfall people is less easy to disguise the downside. The brutal 'human-ness' that of our intrinsic part reality today is that the gap between the rich and the disciplined and self-reliant maturity. We do live in a derive deep satisfaction from 'doing things for fast-changing world. The Catholic school seeks to poor, which for most of this century has been steadily themselves'. We all make our place in the world from narrowing, is again widening. help you provide the integration of faith and life the sense of esteem we derive from both our sense of skills, self-reliance, maturity and discernment that It is also seen in another brutal reality: our children pride in what we do and the worth and pleasure this are staying at school longer. They are partly staying your children will need in the changed circumstances provides to those around us." longer because of the explosion in knowledge - there The journey through school today can be of our future. Above all, the Catholic school seeks to is simply so much to learn. We fool only ourselves considered as having three importanf elements. Firstly provide an ultimate understanding that our future, though if we do not also acknowledge that there are students have to be provided with the essential and our present circumstances, are very much simply not the jobs out there that there once were. communication,computation and "faith and life" skills determined by a mature, personal relationship with Computers and technology have replaced many of to take their place on an equal footing with their peers.

God and with our neighbours."

Compiled by Publications Section. Catholic Education Office

10 The Record, May 18 1995

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Practical pointers for parents...

Primary Years

T

HE following are a number of practical matters that parents might bear in mind to make their children's school years productive and enjoyable.

• Mentally prepare your children The single most vital role that parents play is in fostering in their children an enthusiasm for learning.

Parents, even more than teachers, play a crucial role in encouraging a child to love learning. It is the positive emotional responses that a student gets from his parents, peers and siblings that may often be an almost exclusive motivating factor in a child wanting to learn. "Postive emotional support" does not mean that parents should never discipline their children, it does mean that discipline should always be undertaken in an affirming and loving manner.

• Establish good communications with the school and your children's teachers Good communication is essential if children are to gain the most from their time at school. Parents should attempt to meet a child's teacher as early as possible to establish good lines of communication.

The following measures can enhance this communication: + Meet and get to know your child's teacher.

Communication is a "two-way street" - good teachers recognise they need feedback from you. * Read your school's newsletter and "listen" to what your school is saying when it communicates to you. Today, our schools go to a lot of trouble to communicate to parents. + Some schools operate a diary system for middle and upper primary school students. This is another way of communicating with the classroom teacher. + Parent-Teacher meetings provide an invaluable opportunity for parents and teachers to meet and for information to be exchanged.

M Provide the right equipment Parents are expected to ensure their children have the right equipment or 'tools of trade' and uniforms.

This is more important than adults often realise.

Children do not think in the same way as adults and a child who feels "left out" or "different" to his or her peers because of a lack of an item they need can sometimes be quite traumatised. Our schools constantly try to take into account the expenses that parents have to incur in educating their children. It may be a "false economy" for parents to make their own arrangements regarding uniforms and equipment when there is an emotional price paid by their child because the child feels "I am 'different' to all the other kids". In extreme cases, a simple lack of some small personal item can even lead to behaviour problems in children. So this is not a matter to be taken lightly.

by Mr Tony Giglia, Head of Primary Education Section, Catholic Education Office

I Support the school's homework policy I Homework is a topic which often creates a lb, degree of anxiety with parents and children.

Each school has a written homework policy.

Parents would do well to become familiar with such a policy as it will usually detail what is required of students regarding their homework.

Ideally, homework should not be a stressful situation and parents should ensure that students develop a routine for doing this at home. This will vary with the different committments in each family. All students, however, need a snack and some time to unwind after school before launching into their homework.

Homework should never be used as a punishment.

IN Become involved in your children's school When parents are able to become directly involved in the life of the school that their children attend they make a powerful statement to those children.

There is a great deal of scope for parents to become involved in their children's education in Catholic schools. Catholic schools would not be able to offer the services that they do if it wasn't for the tremendous

input and assistance givenby respective parent bodies.

Parents are encouraged and invited tobecome involved in activities ranging from daily activities such as listening to reading,helping with computer programs and tuckshop. Assistance is required on a daily basis in pre-primary classes and the school library, as well as many other areas.

Help is always needed to arrange and conduct all important fundraising activities. These activities are vital to the school's ability to provide extra equipment for the children. It is also a good way for parents to meet other parents and establish new friendships.

Not all assistance required of parents occurs during the day. P&F meetings are conducted during the evenings to make it possible for all parents to attend.

Today most schools have a School Board. Have you considered serving your community as a member of the School Board or on the Committee of the P&F?

Secondary Years

by Mr Barry Alfirevich.

Head of Secondary Education Section.

Catholic Education Office

T

HE transition to high school means two important changes need to take place in the outlook of the student.

The first is that the student is increasingly going to be treated as a mature individual and encouraged to make his and her own decisions. In other words, in secondary school a student will be encouraged to exercise more self-discipline in their life and study habits. The second is that in high school, learning increasingly becomes focussed towards preparing the individual student for the post-school environment. For some students this will be tertiary studies, for others it will be the work force.

Catholic schools seek to offer a secondary education curriculum within a broad general educational context where the student is made aware that life is much more than simply "having a job". As students move through high school, there is a need to encourage them to become well-rounded adult learners with a firm basis on appropriate personal and spiritual values.

Secondary students face a number of clear differences from what they experienced in primary school: •:• There is a more focussed curriculum in each of the subject disciplines, + The school structure is different particularly as regards having a segmented timetable and students are expected to be in the right classroom at the right time. + Increasingly through secondary school, students are encouraged to become "independent" learners. There is a different relationship between the student and the teacher. Students are also exposed to a much larger number of teachers in secondary schools than they would have experienced in Years Pp-7. + Another difference that needs to be taken into account by both parents and teachers in secondary school is that individual faith development - the maturing of faith in students - tends to vary considerably from student to student.

With the increasing technological sophistication of life, Catholic secondary schools are increasingly looking to the importance not only of providing students with base competencies, but are also seeking to provide them with the life tools so that they know how to continue to access information and to practice discernment.

The so-called 'information revolution' means that with each passing year the human mind has to take onboard and process ever-increasing volumes of information. Much of this new information is valuable, even tantalising to the human mind. Much of it is also superfluous to the needs of particular individuals. Discernment helps us sort out and retain the important information we require to make our lives meaningful and productive.

It is a human attribute we actively seek to instill in our students. :

Preparing for post-school options

I

Students engaged in the firefighting course as part of the BP Australian Vocational Training System pilot program in 1994.

N Years 11 and 12, Catholic schools recognise their important role in assisting students make the large decisions of what options they will take at the end of school. Parents are the key advisers to their children when they come to this point of making the decisions that lay the blueprint for their lives.

The Catholic education sector continually tracks the post-school destinations of its Year 12 students.

This provides us with a means of adjusting our educational programs to cater for the changes taking place in the wider world. In 1994,41% of our students went on to TAFE studies, 31% to University studies and between 15% and 18% gained employment.

In terms of university and TAFE entrance, Catholic schools strive to provide a diverse range of subjects.In 1994, an average of 16 TEE and 14 non-TEE subjects were offered in individual Catholic schools. The need to prepare students for further training and the world of work is also well recognised. Catholic schools are involved in a variety of industry/education /training

ra

by Mr John Nelson.

Post-compulsory Education Consultant.

Catholic Education Office

link programs. Most schools have work experience programs. This year a further 12 are involved in structured work placements through the Innovative Skills Training and Education Program (INSTEP), five are involved in specific training programs in the areas of catering and hospitality, customer service and clerical and administrative services and numerous others offer courses that gain direct credit transfer for TAFE entry. The links with BP Australia in the Australian Vocational Training System program is an example of the value that the Catholic sector sees in school-industry links. In 1994, this pilot was highly successful and has been extended in 1995.

Catholic schools see the counselling process for students and parents as critical in making appropriate post-school choices. Our schools provide counsellors to assist students and parents in finding what options are available. Our schools stress personal and spiritual values in the quest to build an ethical base that will sustain each individual throughout life.

Compiled by Publications Section. Catholic Education Office

The Record, May 18 1995

11

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THANKS 0 HOLY Spirit you who

solve all our problems, light all roads so that I can attain my goal. You gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me. I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you in spite of material things.lthank you for your mercy towards me and mine amen. Say this prayer for three consecutive days (Ask and you will receive).

TOMORROW TODAY

What's happening in Midland? CONVENTION

'96 COMPETITION January 14-20, 1996

Midland Recruiting Weekend held April 28-30 at La Salle College which included an outreach to a seed group from the Lockeridge Parish.

Win 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 .

Lockeridge Parish participants on the Midland weekend experiencing the joy of celebrating their relationship with each other and their God. Lockeridge anticipate their first recruiting weekend July 4-9. Those interested please contact the Parent support Keith and Lydia Highfield 377 4553.

A dult, Support from Midland who have served faithfully for five years had mixed feelings about their last Antioch weekend.

L-R: Manuel and Sue Cajella, Maria laverniti, Liz and Jim Schelfhout.

Front Row: Midland Leaders; Sarah Jane Cus worth and Angelo Papiccio.

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

You can share the prize with a group of friends or just enter by yourself.

Send your entries. to:

CONVENTION NAME COMPETITION PO Box 1 4 I North Perth WA 6006 For more information call 328 9622

PERTH YCW INTERNATIONAL DINNER Date: Saturday 27th May Time: 8pm Venue: Subiaco Parish Hall 1 Salvado Road Wembley TICKETS $25 waged and $20 unwaged Available Perth YCW Office, 325 7209

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 the jocist movement and something to sharefor morning tea.

Midland Antiochers with their inimitable warmth and enthusiasm welcome their new Adult Support Angelo and Charmaine Fanetti.

The Record, May 18 1995

13

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

Our Lady

Australia's

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HE early Spanish the gitt of the Bishop Healy and the priests of the explorers referred to Catholic faith their newly found Terra through the Archdiocese warmly welcome everyone Australis as The Great teaching to join with them in a Mass for our South Land of the Holy a nd nation celebrating the important Spirit.

Finally, with Australian feast day of British/Irish settlement, it was • named Australia - and then in 1852, with Rome's with a special prayer of re-dedication f orma l approval, a at new name was PERTH CATHEDRAL, ST MARY'S s tamped indelibly for all on 05 time on this Wednesday, May 24 at 7.30pm magnificent land will also be a Solemn Holy Hour that day There that of Our Lady, Help of Christians, from 11am to noon at the Cathedral.

••• Patroness of Australia.

History tells she'd been invoked by Christians before when they 4.1 41joined with Pope Pius V in praying the rosary for Although the defeat of the Saracens • Lawrence's we Australians

by Don Juan of Austria's • •• $250,000 use of elect our political Crusaders in his battle taxpayers' money for representatives - the with the Turks at Lep/I the pornographic Cleo democracy ends there anto in 1572. magazine insertion for us at least!

Once more she was examoffenIf they decide to elimiinforming young people beseeched to aid John ple of its own people. sive to say While Australians of the 'joys of anal sex' nate Good Friday Sobieski's Polish Army "Happy Christmaspitted against two million across the board today and how to achieve even would you be prepared to because that upsets Ottoman Turks in agree they live in God's more thrills (while at yet batter Parliament House the non-believers.

Own Country, we another media interview to prevent them - and Vienna in 1683.

One says "Happy Then again Christians Catholics deeply appreci- telling us how we must show for once that Holidays!"

Catholics are a force to prayed to Mary during ate we were also given all fight the AIDS probMeanwhile here in be reckoned with?

Pius VIPs Napoleonic our priceless Christianity. lem!).

Australia, the Health Christianity is very But quickly glance Yet again the shocking enforced exile from 1909 Department and many to Napoleon's Waterloo back across the years and caricature of Christ on much on the downhill medicos, don't want to defeat and abdication on ask yourself what has the cover of Edith slide in Australia and talk about Female GeniMay 24, 1914, which saw happened to our Chris- Cowan's student maga- unless Catholics/Chris- tal Mutiliation (FGM), zine last year and tians gird themselves for surely an anti-Australian the pontiff's triumphant tianity today?

While the Muslims recently, the most dis- the spiritual battle that is and anti-Christian act, return to Rome.

None of these defen- forcefully defend their gusting, filthiest, blas- escalating here in our for- because it might upset sive successes was faith, and their Islamic phemous words from the merly Christian Australia, the Muslims! achieved through sheer Fundamentalists rapidly pen of one Brian Spittles we shall find ourselves an Despite the fact that military power, because 'anihilate the opposition' whose verse in the New insignificant minority.

FGM does go on in AusWith flourishing cults, in fact the odds were very Catholics under the code Age Newspaper, Nova, is tralia, isn't there a deafmuch against the Chris- of 'be kind to everyone meant to tear down the sects, Eastern temples, ening silence from those chastity and sanctity of andCatholic institutions in authority in governand forgive all' tians. (admittedly a teaching our beloved Mother being bought out by ment and within the They won because they Muslims to cope with a stormed Our Lady Help of Jesus), have passively Mary and her Son. medical profession who Incidentally, the 98% rise in Islam in Aus- should o f Christians to help allowed Catholicism to stop this them in their defence of become available to every Thomas More Centre tralia, plus an immigra- absolutely barbaric and Christianity - to save filthy tongue and lam- referred Nova's sicken- tion mix which now com- reprehensible Islamic themselves and we, their pooning whenever anti- ing issue to the Censor- prises 29% from Europe, practice of mutilating ship Office, requesting it almost 50% from Asia young helpless girls? descendants, from being Catholics feel the urge.

Although I am cer- be reviewed for classifica- and the balance from swallowed up and being If we Australians did it absorbed into a -non- tainly not advocating that tion. However our State largely non-traditional to animals, we'd be up cannot we sources, we adopt Fundamentalist Advisory Committee on Christian world. before the courts, but if Now to Australia today methods, we should at Publications considered e xpect a swelling of others continue with - are WE in any less need least be FAR more force- the 'poem' represented Christian ranks. their shocking female Today there is a new of the Queen of Aus- ful in objecting, lobby- "valid poetic satire on mutilation -abhorrent to tralia? Our own Our ing, becoming a power to religion" and that it 'daring' on the scene. A the Australian mind and classic true story I heard be reckoned with - should be unrestricted.

Lady Help of Christians? way of life - that's apparThat's because it's only from a priest, was that ently okay!

Some, in the seeming instead of dispensed with tranquillity of the Aus- and disposed of which is our Catholic religion and during a ssmoko' at a Somehow Australia has tralian scene, and the currently the level of therefore it doesn't mat- Catholic school, the prin- lost its Christian vision. cipal told the priest he perennial good days both recognition handed out ter.

Its inspiration. And Yes! If however Catholics didn't believe in Catholic the Holy Spirit whose weatherwise and materi- to Catholics at government, media, and man- shook themselves out of education! and he him- name Australia was origially, would scoff. in-the-street level. the inertia that most of us self was a practicing Bud- nally baptised with.

But think again...

Deterioriation of live in, this torpid lan- dhist!

We were settled as a He is needed as never When the horrified solidly Christian country respect for Catholics is guor which so falsely before to inspire we 'milk by our Irish and British such that now you can assures us - "Someone priest reported it to the sops' and pale reflections pioneers who brought see blasphemous mes- else will deal with it. I local bishop, the retort of our ancestors to get up Christianity to our sages and images printed really don't have the was he "didn't want to and fight for what we on clothing, while the time" - then our faith get involved!" shores. have left.

In another instance in From the Catholic sewer-trap minds of the would be respected as Our Australian culture men two point of view, great num- 'Sisters of Perpetual much as the minority Perth, is intrinsically Christian, parade religions we now have in approached a priest and bers of mostly Irish Indulgence' and although others are asked him to remove the priests and religious left around Melbourne and Australia! welcome to our shores, church Cross from his at Mardi Gras trying to Trading on Easter their homes, unselfishly they must abide by our and heroically, knowing denigrate and make a Sunday has now been because it offended standards of decency and them! they'd never return, to laughing stock of our introduced, so don't then we can mutually In America, Good Fribring the most precious pope and sisters by hand- delude yourselves that respect each other.

Good Friday will be kept day and Easter Monday gift Ireland had to offer - ing out condoms.

Seemingly in Australia are not observed and it is Note Carmen sacred because it won't.

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OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS PATRONESS OF AUSTRALIA

14

The Record, May 18 1995

today, t h e majority S imply d on' t matter.

We may be the pioneers, the workers, and the current taxpayers who built a country on freedom and justice - but somehow I get the distinct impression we are losing that in favour of minorities whose feelings are catered to very well indeed and whose voices are very loud and strong.

Australian Catholics and Christians - WAKE UP! because the tide of time is running out for your feeble voices to be heard and listened to.

Several London Shires/Towns, are now controlled by Muslims and this political push is absolutely inevitable in Australia.

There is a despondancy abroad by those who care, that unfortunately A us t ra l i an Catholics/Christians seem to be more identified as dumb, mute animals, rather than inspired by the Holy Spirit to FIGHT to retain our precious Christianity. We must use political FORCE to get rid of so called Censorship committees allowing the denigration of our beloved Mother and Jesus to be thrown around the dirty market place, and PUSH OUT from politics ministers who use our money to promote pornography.

We have the best intercessory tool mankind was given through our Mother.

Not only that, she is

the Queen of Australia.

Are we going to sit back and allow satan to make further inroads into our religion, politics, and whole world out there?

We must fight strongly and invinciblyto safeguard our Catholicism/Christianity and express •:0 our disgust at p oliticians, and bodies • who show such contempt for our religion, our pope.

Jesus and Mary, or we Catholics will deserve to become third rate citizens which is how we are being treated currently.

PLAN OF ACTION PRAY for the conversion of the attackers, FAST in reparation for the blows to our Christianity and those who are sacred, ADORATION of the Blessed Sacrament, daily ROSARY if possible and the SACRAMENTS, and then - PEN your disgust and objections to publishers, and advertisers, RING your local members, BOYCOTT stores and establishments and preferably let them know why! and then when it financially and politically wounds them, if they're smart they'll get the message!

Above all, remember there are two important beings who are more powerful than any puny, satanic motivated or duped person on earth and that is the HOLY SPIRIT and our indispensable and beloved patroness, OUR LADY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS...but we must be their hands, feet and voices. daily Beg them through PRAYER and ACTION, to reclaim Australia - their land and be committed to pray for this glorious country to keep it truly Christian and free.

A free, safe and holy place for our children to worship and practice our Christianity in; a landbaptised in the Holy Spirit and over which Our Lady, Help of Christians was given sovereign rights through consecration.

Australian Catholics and Christians! - don't allow this destruction of our Christianity and Australia. FIGHT to keep it!

'Dear God, please keep Australia truly Christian andfree. Mary, Help of Christians, and the Holy Spirit, please pray for us andfor Australia.

Amen.'

by C. fic641.

Help of Christians ro

WAS 1571. Venetian (Christian) traders wanted

protect their trade routes against the Turks (Muslim) who were expanding in that part of the world and had called upon Cyprus to surrender. It was a trade war. The Pope supplied part of the Christian fleet. He encouraged the Christians to pray to Our Lady, Help of Christians. The Christians won the battle. Later, the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians was established in the church at large.

by Colleen McGuiness-Howard

Why do we have a Patroness of Australia? How come this Jewish woman from the Middle East (West Asia) is our patroness? Simply, we need heroes, heroines, symbolic figures! If we don't have them we create idols. If we don't have a person we can look up to in order to see the feminine qualities of God, we distort femininity and use it. We see some of this in advertisements. Sex appeal is used to sell many items.

Later again, on the other side of the world, Australia's first two priests decided to build a church and dedicated it to Our Lady, Help of Christians. Now, Our Lady, under the title of Our Lady, Help of Christians, is the patroness of Australia.

We are in need of symbols which help us to see that life, our life, has meaning. If we come up against a brick wall, we can go no further. Then we may see a way through, a new way. Then life makes sense. We have had an experience that can keep us going. A symbol is like that.

It is great to have Mary as our patron and Mary, Help of Christians is a good symbol. She is not the destroyer of Muslims', but she is like a strong warrior queen. Look at the Magnificat (Luke 1, 46-55). This is the song of a warrior woman. She is for little people.

She is for the rights of minorities, 'nobodies'. She is for God. She is for us. Could we make this feast speak to Australians in general? The recent beatification of Mary MacKillop, who was for all", captured the imagination of much of Australia.

Mary is such a symbol. When we see a flood of media messages that form us to idolise the female body and forget about the person of the women involved, we need a symbol. She is a woman, a wife, a mother, a person, for us today. She struggled to accept what her Son was about. She didn't really understand 'till after the Resurrection. Then she was at the heart of the little Christian Church of Jerusalem. She was the one who knew Jesus better than any human being on earth. The early Church grew and she was at the heart

W F leet came to A ustralia in 1788, HEN the First

there were Catholics They on board. brought with them their love and devotion to Mary, God's own Mother. They needed her Divine Son. So it is no surprise t hat when arrangements were eventually made in 1821 to build t he first Catholic Church on Australian soil, Australia's first two priests and their people decided that their church should be dedicated to Our Lady under the title of St Macy Immaculate, HELP OF CHRISTIANS. This title was engraved on the foundation stone of the first little chapel which only later was to become the magnificent St Mary's Cathedral we see in Sydney today.

By 1844 there were only three Bishops in A ustralia. At their very first Synod In that year, they requested the Pope to decl4re, as A ustralia's special Patron, not just one of t he ordinary Saints, great and all as they might be, such as St Patrick for Ireland, or St Andrew for Scot-

land, but rather the very Mother of God herself under the title of Mary Help of Christians.

of it. She, a human being who struggled with situations, is our model.

What do we stand for today in Australia? We are the envy of many nations. This is not just because of the freedom we have and our high standard of living. We have great values which are part of the fabric of society - honesty, loyalty, a "down-to-earth" simplicity, a "fair go for all", humble origins, a pioneering spirit, family values. These values may be under attack in some quarters but they are much treasured by us.

In our struggle to appreciate, to live and to preserve these values we need encouragement, we need a symbol. Mary is such a symbol. She can call us back to these values which are deeply Christian.

In our world today, Christians have a real advantage. We have the faith. We have, however weak and struggling, a Christian community surrounding us.

We have 'good news' for those who are not Christians.

'Mary, Help of Christians' help us to be real Christians! Help us to 'be' good news to all our fellow Australians.

by Father John Martin CSsR.

Queen of Australia

Eventually in 1852, Pope Pius IX declared our Lady, Help of C hristians, as the Patroness of Australia.

There are patrons for the Arts, patrons for sporting bodies and athletes, people who are willing and able to support and advance the various human areas of achievement. Let us never forget that there are also patrons for our spiritual life. Who better to have an influence for good over our deep, inner selves, and over the Providential destiny of our w hole Nation, than our own Australian national patroness, Mary Help of Christians.

ANNUAL

celebration in St Mary's Cathedral of the feast of Our Lady Help of is Christians increasingly becoming a highlight of the liturgical calendar in the Perth Archdiocese. growing The crowds each year show that many are joining the call for Mary, under the title of Our Lady Help of Christians and thus Patroness of Australia, to be a national focus of thanksgiving and unity.

While it is an opportunity for to Australians thank God for their great country, the feast highlights Mary as a sign and source of unity in Christ for all Australians.

For all the love and c are Mary shows towards our land and its multicultural people, let us praise, thank and love her on Tuesday, May 24, our own special Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians.

A rchbishop Hickey believes the annual re-dedication of Australia to Mary at this celebration is very important for the Church in this

by Rev. Father R.McInnes CSsR.

Media coverages that

country and he as encourages many priests, religious and lay people as possible to attend.

"We experience in Australia the and t ensions diversity that are a our of r esult Catholic people striving to live in a modern western country with all its problems of secularism, affluence and social dislocation," Archbishop Hickey said.

'It is vital that we hold fast to our values and the integrity of our faith and carry the good news of Jesus Christ into the world.

"We will not be able to do this successfully unless we are sure who we are as the people of God and are united in Christ.

"Our Lady Help of Christians will hold us together in Christ."

by Father tan Esmond, Rockingham Parish.

norm and not the Truths of

2,000 years of Catholic In telescoping the 20th judgement, one is labelled Christ and being it seems that the century, nothing seems to be discriminatory and must suf- vice, so that His Kingdom will openly blaspheme the Sacred Christ and His Church? ry, o t s i N-l I "I did not come for this have become so commonChurch suffers spiritual more relevant than the mes- fer the pressures of the Soci- come and will reign. at His ser-

anaemia from time to time and it is precisely during these times that the hidden faithful resort to the aid of Mary Help of Christians; and against a backdrop of human impossibilities and abounding sin, Grace superabounds and the Light of Christ is again restored to give meaning to life in a meaningless world.

It's the same old problem: Unaided human nature is more attracted to the world than to spiritual things - as a result civilisations have fallen into moral decay, and the rest is history.

sage of Fatima, in diagnosing the problem and more importantly, offering the SOLUTION! Our Lady told us that Russia would spread her errors and be used as a scourge to the world. Did we listen?

What were the errors? - the denial of God and therefore the removal of His commandments, the replacement of man as God, leaving no yardstick to shape a conscience, allowing for man's pro-choice - he/she chooses what he/she thinks is right., regardless of any values and if one dares to makes a moral

ety for daring to stand up and proclaim the Truths of the Gospel.

Our Lady in Fatima predicted, as the first journalist to the world, the pattern for this centre and its consequences in refusing to accept Her messages. But then offered eternal hope by stating that "In the end My Immaculate Heart will Triumph". Good over evil! every Nevertheless, Catholic ought to read, meditate and seek to respond in order to help bring the recipe for peace - peace that comes from converting the heart to

Mary comes as a prophetess, Mother and Help of Christians, continually urging Her children to return to the gospel, "Do as He tells you".

The choice is clearly ours.

However we all are finding excuses for not being able to stand up and be counted.

How many time do we conveniently look the other way and do NOT replace Truth over Error?

Our political laws are blatantly offending the Ten Commandments; the silence is deafening! Where are our prayerful and militant Soldiers for Christ?

place that their saturation has kingdom, but My Fathers caused a type of - Compas- Kingdom". Are we losing our sion fatigue and Spiritual way and seeking our own lethargy. What will it take to kingdoms? Never before, has lift our hearts and minds out the presence of Mary been so of this inertia and compla- real in this world - begging humanity to return to the cency?

Our Catholic faith seems source of the Gospel Who is anchored on a spiritual tri- listening? pod - Eucharist - Mary - and Our Lady Help of Christhe Pope. whatever we com- tians, Protectoress of Ausmonly share with our sepa- tralia, break the chains of rated faiths, it is always these "indifference" that surround three points that seem to our hearts and Country and cause the greatest contro- teach us to be bearers of the versy. Is it because the foun- Truth and Light of the dations of our Faith need to Gospel

by Yolanda NardIzzl be brought down so that "compromise" becomes the of the Madan Movement 'The Record, May 181995 15

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The Record, May 18 1995

THE PARISH_ S CENE

.

31E

:

OPEN DAY Ursula Frayne Catholic college is holding an open Day at the high school campus on Shepperton Road on Wednesday, May 24. There will be organised tours at 9am, 11am and 1:30pm; also performances of dance (10:30am), band (12:30pm) and choir (2:30pm). Visitors are most welcome.

CONVERSION STORY Carver Alan Ames will speak about his experiences that led him back into the Catholic Church.

Talks are at Girrawheen "Our Lady of Mercy" parish hall, 5 Patrick Court, at 2:30pm Sunday June 28, and at the Convent of Mercy, Cathedral Square, Perth on Sunday June 11 at 2:30pm which commences with Benediction. Please bring a plate to share. Enquiries Russel 274 6018, Richard 381 2588.

LECTURE The Chesterton Memorial Lecture sponsored jointly by the G.K. Chesterton Society of WA a nd Notre Dame University.

Monday May 29 at 7:30pm at Notre Dame University, 19 Mouat Street, Fremantle. Guest speaker Karl G. Schmude of the University of New England, A rmidale. Society members free. General public welcome, admission $5.

RETREATS Brother Andrew (Priest of Calcutta) will be speaking about "New Hope from the Old Faith" in the only series of retreats he is able to give in WA this year.

The retreats are at Gracewood, God's Farm 40kms south of Busselton. No. 1 - 26 May 7pm to 28 May 2pm. No. 2 - 29 May Mid-day to 1 June 2pm. No. 3 2 June 7pm to 5 June 2pm. No. 4 - 9 June 7pm to 11 June 2pm.

Suggested donations for R etreats Nos. 1 & 4 $75, for r etreats Nos. 2 & 3, $110.

Further details contact Betty Peaker, S.F.O. Box 24, P.O. Cowaramup, WA, 6284. Phone & Fax 097 556 212.

ST BENEDICT The Benedictine Oblates of Perth meet on Sunday, May 21st at 2.30pm at lona College, Mosman Park. Dom Francis Byrne OSB will talk on the Rule of St Benedict in every day life.

Inquiries about this gathering and future meetings contact Tony Smurthwaite 337 8212 (AH) BUSINESS PERSONS MASS Will be celebrated at All Saints Chapel. Allendale Square, Perth on Friday, May 26 at 7am followed by a breakfast meeting at The Venice Cafe, Trinity Arcade, Perth. Cost of Breakfast $8. Fr Michael Moore from the Morety Special Seminary will be the guest speaker. Enquries phone 384 0809 BULLSBROOK PILGRIMAGE Rosary, Homily and Benediction will be held Sunday, May 28 at 2pm at the Church "Virgin Mary Mother of the Church" 36 Chittering Road, Bullsbrook. For bus reservations please ring 444 7565, 458 6302 for bus to and from Bullsbrook via Marangaroo, Tuart Hill, Perth, Highgate and Midland. 339 4015 for Fremantle Bus. The 8th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Church will be held on June 5. Annointing of the sick, during Mass. Monday 11am will take place Sacri Assoc Inc. P.O. Box 311 Tuart Hill WA 6060

7

7

ANNIVERSARY Srs. St Joseph invite relatives and friends to celebrate with them the 4th anniversary of Sr. Irene McCormack's entrance to eternal life on May 21st at 4.30pm in South Perth Convent Chapel.

TAIZE PRAYER Taize Hour of Prayer: Easter 1995. Friday May 26, 7.30pm, St Mary's Cathedral, Victoria Square.

Archdiocesan Calendar May 18/5 4/6 Ukraine, Delegation of A ustralian Bishops Archbishop Hickey 19 Blessing and opening of school buildings, Palmyra Bishop Healy 21 Mass and blessing of school e xtensions, Rivervale Bishop Healy Ecumenical Service UWA - Fr Kevin Long Fr Alphonse Savickas Silver Jubilee celebrations - Bishop Healy 22 Law Week, Church Service Fr Greg Carroll 24 Mass for Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, St Mary's Cathedral - Bishop Healy 28 Mass and Procession, Our L ady Help of Christians Bishop Healy 30 Croatian Statehood Day - Fr Cabraja June 1 - 2 Diocese of Broome, Education Festival - Bishop Healy

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PENTECO

ONFERENCE

HEALING IN ANSWER TO PRAYER Fr. be Grech.

Joe Grech was born and raised in Malta where he studied for the Priesthood, being finally ordained for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. He has served in various parishes in Victoria and spent Iwo years in Rome, where he did his Licentiate on 'Healing in Answer to Prayer". He became Chaplain to the CCR in Melbourne. He is an exciting speaker and minister in the gifts of the Spirit.

PRESENTED BY THE STATE SERVICE COMMITTEE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL

WITH THE ECCLESIASTICAL APPROVAL OF HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP BARRY I. HICKEY In addition to this conference. Fr. Grech will conduct an outreach in Italian. A single day 3 session "Encounter with Jesus" will be held on Friday 2nd June.

Enquiries Dennise 246 2769. Frank 381 2518

PENTECOST 95

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM $20 I wish to register for the full conference I wish to register for the following sessions Address $5 Session 1 Saturday am $5 Session 2 Saturday am $5 Session 3 Saturday pm Phone $5 Session 4 Saturday pm Please return this form Session 5 Sunday pm $5 together with your cheque Total Paid $

Name

made out to:

"S.S.C. Pentecost Conference 95" To S.S.C. Pentecost Conference 95 Cl- P.O. Box 1066 West Leederville 6007

Please

REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED

BY FRIDAY 26TH MAY

LI