The Record Newspaper 15 June 1995

Record PERTH, WA: June 15, 1995

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Women focus of new study

By Peter Rosengren The Australian Catholic Bishops have agreed to a major study to research the role, current situation and views of women on their place in the Australian Catholic Church.

The in-principle decision by the bishops has cleared the way for the study, which will be launched mid-way through the progress of a separate study, currently being carried out by the bishops, of young people and the future.

Focusing on the participation of women in the Catholic Church in Australia, the project will be carried out under the auspices of the Bishops' Committee for Justice, Development and Peace.

The research, which it is hoped will provide a basis for the formulation and application of policy regarding women at all church levels, will commence in April 1996.

It is expected that the overall process of collecting data and receiving submissions will take approximately two years to accomplish.

Sandy Cornish, assistant to the executive secretary of the Bishops Committee for Justice Devel-

PRICE 600

A call to adoration ....

I " urge you to recover the wonderful tradition of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament," Archbishop Hickey has written on the eve of the Feast of Corpus Christi: the Body and Blood of Christ.

Speaking in his column, Archbishop's Perspective, (Page 2) he calls on all who remember the important part that Eucharistic Devotion played in the life of the Church, and to all young people who yearn for the sense of the sacred, to join him in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least one hour a week to draw closer to Jesus.

Cake to go for St Anthony's school

opment and Peace, Dr Michael Costigan, said that the study would examine what women do in today's Church, what they would like to do and the barrlers they experience.

"It will be exploring those kinds of situations and will provide the starting point for further dialogue and reflection regarding women in the Church," she said. "So it's really a firM step."

The committee will examine the possibility of engaging consultants, possibly from a university, to carry out the research from a scientifically selected sample of Australian Catholic women.

Aside from the collection of data the project will also seek to incorporate the perceptions of Australian women on their position in the Church, "so there'll be a lot of room for people to express themselves," said Ms Cornish.

Following the research it is planned that written submissions will be called for, followed by public hearings. It is hoped that the information obtained will provide a solid basis for theological reflection, pastoral planning and dialogue with women and women's groups on particular issues.

St Anthony's Wanneroo principal, Greg Stinton, with students with Anthony in their name: Anthony Vincent (in Mr Stinton's arms), and left, Craig Anthony Carly, David Anthony Delborrello, Anthony Crisafulli, and Wayne Anthony Padberg. Picture: Brian Coyne The community at St Anthony's School, Wanneroo, turned out in force last Tuesday, 13 lune, to celebrate the 800th Anniversary of Saint Anthony and the 60th Anniversary of their school.

The day began with a standing room only Mass for the stu-

dents and parents in the Parish Church.

The students were granted a free dress day and looked most colourful for the special activities planned for the day. The first of these activities was the cutting of a giant birthday cake with 60 candles, followed by a sausage sizzle before hopping into the cake.

St Anthony of Padua is well known for helping people in difficult situations, especially the sick, and for help in finding lost items. But he is also known for his love of the Scriptures and as a great preacher, writer and teacher to the point that he was named a Doctor of the Church for his intellectual skills.

Martyrdom possible in everyday life: former MP r

By Peter Rosengren

The role of ordinary men and women lies in denouncing evil courageously and without hesitation, and being prepared for their own martyrdom, whenever confronted with that choice.

This was the message from former Western Australian Health Minister, Keith Wilson, last Sunday night when he spoke on the role of the laity in civil society, at St Mary's Church parish centre in Leederville.

Mr Wilson was speaking at the Thomas More Centre which has been running a series of talks aimed at introducing people to the New Catechism.

Using the Catechism and a key "Materialism is quite counter you really have control in temChurch document on the role of to this teaching of the Church poral things. But if you listen to the laity, Christifideles Laid, Mr concerning the primacy of the Jesus he says what's the point of Wilson outlined the Church's human person and the way of it [if you] lose your own soul. teachings on what is expected life that the faithful are called to There are so many examples of follow. of the laity in the Church. around, it's really sad.

"There is no room in a materi- that Martyrdom did not just mean They've lost everything, includphysical death but also facing alist society for the idea that the ing their integrity most of all," the consequences in whatever human person transcends in ordinary situation a person value the whole of the material he said.

Mr Wilson outlined the teachmight find himself or herself, he world. In the words of Jesus: what does it profit a man to gain ings of the Second Vatican said. the whole world and lose his Council concerning the priestly, And martyrdom was a possi- soul? prophetic and kingly role of all bility for all people, whether "Those words were the words they occupied high office as that I often said to myself when the ordinary people who make politicians and public servants I was a practising politician, up the Church. or as ordinary workers and because the practice of power He said that he became a members of families. in politics is very seductive in Catholic to make a difference to The Church's teachings con- tempting people to think that the world. "If you're not making tained within the Catechism they are really in charge of the and Christifideles Laid also ran temporal order. And to gain a difference to the world, then powerfully against the prevail- power, in a political sense, is the you are not being one of the lay ing current of materialism in greatest end in political life, faithful," he added. society, he said. because once you have power Continued on page 2.

Keith Wilson

Eucharistic adoration a sure way to Jesus all of you who remember the important part that Eucharistic Devotion had in the life of the Church, and to all you young people who yearn for the sense of the sacred, I urge you to recover the wonderful tradition of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

I take the occasion of this Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ, to recall the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Eucharist. There has unfortunately been a degree of confusion in the Church about the Real Presence due to emphasis being given to other aspects of the Eucharistic Mystery.

There is no doubt that the central Eucharistic mystery is con- offer ourselves with and through tained in the great act of worship Him in the eucharistic liturgy. of God, the Mass, in which Jesus The confusion arises when it is continues to offer himself to the suggested that the Eucharistic Father as the great sacrifice of the Mystery is confined to Mass New Covenant, and in which we alone. It is part of Catholic teach-

Archbishop's

Perspective

ing that Jesus continues to be present in the sacred species after Mass.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that "the tabernacle was first intended for the reservation of the Eucharist in a worthy place so that it could be brought to the sick and those absent outside Mass. As faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist deepened, the Church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord under the Eucharistic species (1379)."

As I move around the parishes on official visitation I am pleased to see how many parishes organise hours of Adoration at different times. There are even two parishes where Adoration is observed around the clock, twenty-four hours a day.

I am also aware that only a minority of our people take part.

In these days of increasing sec-

ularisation when we are surrounded by values and practices that are anything but Christian, quiet time spent before the Blessed Sacrament can strengthen our faith in the abiding presence of Jesus with us, and can give us the opportunity to reflect calmly on our lives, to recommit ourselves more fully to the Way of Jesus.

Those who spend time before the Blessed Sacrament speak of the deep peace that comes from this special form of contact with Jesus.

Today, I wish to welcome formally the establishment in this Archdiocese of the Society for Eucharistic Adoration, which is growing rapidly in Australia.

It is a union of people who commit themselves to spending one hour per week before the Blessed Sacrament.I ask parishes to display information about the

society prominently, and to encourage parishioners to consider it closely.

I depend very much on our priests for a revival of Eucharistic Adoration through the personal witness they give, the opportunities they afford for public veneration and in the way they highlight the tabernacle to make it conducive to quiet prayer.

Those interested in belonging to the Society are asked to write to Mrs Jean Gardner, WA Convenor, Society of Eucharistic Adoration, c/o Catholic Church Office, Victoria Square, Perth WA 6000.

My own membership form has already gone in. Of course, one does not have to belong to any special group to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. I ask you to consider the place it has now in your own life.

Behind the lines with Australian Catholic Relief

By Brother Neil Wilson

I

Tn April 1994 the television radio news of the Rwandan massacres stunned all of us. Catholics responded to the Australian Catholic Relief Appeal to the tune of practically $4 million. I watched the TV carefully to see ACR in action.

Nothing!

Other relief agencies in the refugee camps - yes - plenty of that, but no ACR I had some acid questions to ask.

Two months later I met Phil Glendenning, Adult Education Officer with ACR, who spoke about Rwanda.

"Where were we, Phil, and what were we doing?"

He answered, "Media and relief agencies with the exception of UN and Red Cross were not permitted entry. TV covered the borders and outside refugee

ACR's field team in the Philippines in 1994.

Visit of Fr 5im Consedine Fr Jim Consedine is a Catholic parish priest from New Zealand. He is a well known justice campaigner who has long been a voice for the powerless and the poor in New Zealand. He has been a prison chaplain since 1979. He is the author of "Restorative Justice: Healing the Effects of Crime". The first print of this book has already sold out; a second print is under way.

Fr Jim has been in London promoting his book. During his visit to Western Australia he will be conducting the following workshops: Working Towards a Model of Restorative Justice #1

. . . . for people who have an active interest in the criminal justice system

Tuesday 27th June, 2pm-4pm St. Mary's Parish Centre, 40 Franklin St, Leederville

Working Towards a Model of Restorative Justice #2 . . . . for church and youth workers, religious educators and people interested in community based approaches to crime and its effects in our society.

Wednesday 28th June, 1.30pm-3.30pm Bunbury Catholic College Hall and Thursday 29th June. 10am-12 noon St. Mary's Parish Centre, 40 Franklin St. Leederville For more information and details about Fr Jim Consedine's book contact: Catholic Social Justice Commission, phone (09) 325 1212 Sr Bernadine, phone (09) 576 1124 Sr Cabrini (l3unbury), phone (097) 21 2141 'Restorative Justice" will be abailable for $18.95.

2

The Record, June 15 1995

camps. ACR was operating inside. We were getting the materials and money across the borders and the bishops were using their own organisations and local people to administer the relief. Other agencies gave us some of their supplies to distribute. It was very, very dangerous work. At the end, of the original 250 volunteers, 210 were missing

or dead."

I had no voice for further questions. Phil continued, "ACR does more than crisis relief. Much of its resources goes into the development of people in desperate regions around the world - you might like to be involved in the programme of Think Globally, Act Locally being conducted by ACR in Perth.

So, last year, I enrolled. Fourteen from all walks of life did the course. Words like human development, colonialism, sustainable lifestyles, trickle-down theory, etc., rose from the pages to haunt

us An optional section of the course was a three-week visit to a country where the ACR was involved in development programmes.

On January 3, 1995 a motley group of five - a secretary, a. librarian, a one-time taxi driver and two teachers - left Perth for the Philippines.

Most of our time was spent on the large southern island of Mindinao. Much good is being done in small Basic Christian Communities where people are helped to form cooperatives, women's groups, adopt alternative crops and billing methods, initiate small cash activities like rope making, sewing, flour and soap production. We met men who said, "Yes, I've been in prison for feeding the poor and agitating for justice". Many are the lay people, religious and priests who live on the rim of martyrdom for their efforts to empower the poor.

Cancer cut Vatican condemns Bill from Bernadin C

By John Davis

CHICAGO (CNS) - Prominent k--JUnited States Cardinal, Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, was resting well after cancer surgery last Monday, doctors at Loyola University Medical Center said.

Dr Gerard Aranha, Loyola's chief of surgical oncology, told reporters that during seven hours of surgery doctors had removed the cardinal's cancerous right kidney, removed a benign small growth on the liver, and removed a growth the size of a golf ball at the head of the pancreas.

He said it would take up to 48 hours to determine whether the pancreatic mass was malignant.

TATICAN CITY (CNS) - A V Vatican official said the recent legalisation of assisted suicide in an Australian territory was an "extremely dangerous" step that violated the sacredness of human life.

"When one asks for euthanasia it's as if one wants to kill oneself.

To help that person kill himself is an inhuman and cruel act," said Bishop Elio Sgreccia, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family.

Bishop Sgreccia, who made the remarks in an interview with Vatican Radio last Sunday, said that with or without the consent of the patient, euthanasia represents "a

violation of the right to life, of the intangible and sacred nature of life."

Last month, the Northern Territory Parliament passed the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill which legalised doctor-assisted suicide.

Under the law, terminally ill patients from anywhere in the country can obtain assisted suicide in the territory.

The Australian Catholic Bishops criticised the new law, calling it an ominous step backward.

Bishop Sgreccia said that in addition to its moral objections to assisted suicide, the Church was extremely concerned that euthanasia was already being used in some places to do away with malformed babies, the elderly and those with serious neurological disorders.

Martyrdom possible everyday CTntinued from Page 1 But the problem was that people didn't want to be seen to be different.

"Most of us don't want to be different to people around us. I think even in the Church, sadly, a lot of priests now don't want to be seen to be priests. They go around in civilian clothes, with a little cross on their tie or their collar. It seems to me that they just want to be 'good blokes,' like everybody else." he said.

"But that's not what the Catechism is saying about the lay faithful. The catechism is saying that to be one of the lay faithful of the Church is that wherever you are, you are making a difference so that the world around you is noticing that you are different, that you are out to make a difference .... you have to say is that really what the Church expects of us? Is that really what Christ expects of us? Does he really expect me to do that? And the

answer is yes."

Mr Wilson also pointed out that most people would question whether they could do extraordinary things in their every lives.

"But the catechism is telling us that in the midst of doing those ordinary things you should be making a difference to the lives of people around you, to your families and in the workplace and in the public life of the community around you," he said.

Wanneroo's devout lady The elderly lady savaged to death, a llegedly by four Rottweiler dogs, attended Mass daily for many years at St Anthony's parish, Wanneroo. This tribute to Mrs Chokolich was penned by Father Patrick Boyle OSM, parish priest of St Anthony's in the parish newsletter, The Message: "A pall of disbelief and incredulity descended upon St Anthony's on Thursday afternoon, when it was learned the body of an old lady who had been found at the swamps in Wangara was our own beloved and revered Mrs Chokolich.

She attended daily Mass, as was her custom, for the 35 years that I have known her. On Wednesday morning last she was there, as usual, at the Priory chapel.

'Twas indeed a saddened group of daily Mass goers who on Thursday morning observed her empty chair and learned that she had gone to God. "The one consoling element in this tragedy is that we now have someone we know, in heaven praying for us and St Anthony's. In our Catholic tradition it is customary for us to pray for those who have died. I feel confident we now have someone up there looking down at us and, hopefully, she'll put in a good word for us to break the impasse the plans for our new church have experienced in recent months.

Archdiocesan Calendar

"I first met her in 1960 when I was renowned as being difficult to understand because of my strange (Irish) accent. I must confess Mrs Chokolich's accent posed difficulties, at that time, for me. After 35 years I still had difficulties.

But I was sure of one thing, accents posed no problem to the Lord when spoken in prayer. Even if her accent posed a problem for me, the constancy and devoutness of her continued prayer was fully understood by the Lord, whom she served so faithfully and generously all her life.

"She now has a crown of glory awaiting her in heaven. Her fidelity to the Faith, daily Mass and Eucharist, was inspiring . . . Yet, somehow, in sun or rain, she managed to get from her old homestead on Wanneroo Road where she died, for the 7am Mass every morning.

"More often than not, she was the only person present in the small iron-roofed church that was bitterly cold on winter mornings. How she got there I'll never know. As I mentioned, cars were few and traffic almost non-existent, yet she got to Mass. Often, as I am sure, she must have walked. I know I did see her arrive there on the back of a tractor or a truck. She was truly a "devout and faithful servant." May she Rest in Peace."

June 16 "Asia Knocks" (Catholic Migrant Centre) Closing Mass, Notre Dame University Archbishop Hickey 16 Visitation to Catholic Engaged Encounter - Archbishop Hickey 16-18 Visitation and Confirmation Mt Lawley - Bishop Healy 18 Ukranian Catholic Church, Maylands, 9.30 Mass Archbishop Hickey St Anthony's Day C elebrations, Wanneroo Monsignor Keating Procession and Benediction f or Feast of the Blessed S acrament, Hamilton Hill Archbishop Hickey Confirmation, Ocean Reef - Fr Holohan 19 Civic Reception for Ambassador of Thailand - Mr Gerald Searle 20 Commissioning of Catechists, Subiaco - Bishop Healy 21 Refugee Week Keynote Address, St Vincent de Paul Society - Archbishop Hickey 23-25 Visitation and Confirmation, Queens Park - Archbishop Hickey 23-25 Visitation and Confirmation, Wilson - Bishop Healy 23 Confirmation, Leederville Monsignor Keating 23-25 Confirmation, Brent/Willetton Fr Holohan 25 Confirmation, Claremont - Fr Carroll 25 Confirmation. East Vic. Park Monsignor Keating

Young workers of old to mark 50 years A special re-union Mass to celebrate 50 years of the presence and work of the Young Christian Workers' movement (YCW) in Western Australia will bring a flood of memories back to past and present members and their partners on July 9, when the anniversary is marked in St Mary's Cathedral, Perth. The YCW, based on the writings of Belgian priest, Monsignor, later Cardinal, Joseph Cardign, was designed to bring Christianity and the Gospel out of the Church and into the workplace among

Roger Ryan

ordinary working men and women. It became one of the most successful lay movements in the modern Church.

According to Mr Roger Ryan, an early member of the WA branch of the movement and currently one of the committee organising the reunion Mass, one effect of the YCW was that members gained a deep formation in their faith which enabled them to spread it wherever they were.

Archbishop Prendiville, centre, with priests and young Social and sporting events workers at the opening of the Shenton Park YCW in 1947 made up much of the rest of the movement's activities, and there were plenty of memo- of the movement, said Mr rable incidents.

Ryan, was the many mar"One YCW chaplain's riages formed which, with few enthusiasm got the better of exceptions, resulted in permahim [during a football match] nent commitments for life. when he mixed Irish rules F ollowing the re-union with Australian rules, only to Mass in St Mary's, tea and cofbe put over the boundary by fee in Mercedes College hall the umpire to cool off for a will enable old friends and. while," he said. colleagues to catch up with When there wasn't a foot- each other and reminisce ball match or dance being about the good times they disheld there were plenty of pic- covered through the YCW. nics and outings to places like Anyone seeking further Bindoon and Araluen. information should contact Mr One most rewarding result Ryan on (09) 446 2656.

THINK GLOBALLY — ACT LOCALLY: • Are You: ADVENTUROUS? • Wanting to: DEVELOP GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING? • Interested in: JUSTICE FOR ALL? • Keen to: TRAVEL TO LEARN. Australian Catholic relief, in conjunction with the Catholic Institute of Western Australia, is 1995 day course of readings, offering discussions and action followed by an optional field trip to an Asian country in 1995/6.

For Whom? All People interested in confronting the injustices inherent in our Global Society and Western Australian Educators.

Note: This course has been accredited with the Catholic Education Commission as a unit towards Accreditation B. Edith Cowan University students who complete the total programme may claim an exemption for a level 4 unit.

When?

• Beginning Term 3, 1995 (20 hours of course work).

• June 26th — Information evening.

If you would like further information concerning this Australian Catholic Relief Course, please contact Val Purvinskis at: The Catholic Institute of Western Australia Suite 1, 16 Main Street, Osborne Park 6017 PHONE: 443 5444 And an expression of interest form will be posted to you. Applications for expression of interest close on June 19th, 1995.

FAMILY LAW WILLIAM CARR LL.M Barrister & Solicitor Level 8 150 St George's Terrace PERTH WA 6000 Tel: (09) 481 8844 Accredited by the Law Society of Western Australia and the Law Institute of Victoria as a Family Law Specialist

50 years of priestly talent The Pope Fifty years of building and work as a parish priest have not slowed down Father Michael Ryan of Palmyra parish who has just celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his priesthood.

Fr Ryan was ordained in Ireland for the priesthood on June 10, 1945 and arrived in Perth in May the following year.

After arriving in Australia Fr Ryan worked in both country wheat belt and metropolitan parishes and established a considerable reputation as a builder, being the driving force behind the establishment of three churches, two

sends thanks

schools, two convents, four presbyteries and two parish Dope John Paul II has centres. expressed his thanks to the The celebration of his Jubilee was attended last Catholics of the Perth Archdioweek by over 300 friends, col- cese for the spiritual bouquet leagues and well-wishers and of Masses and prayers offered commenced with a concele- to him on his seventy-fifth brated Mass, followed by a sit- birthday.

Perth Vicar-General Mondown dinner in the grounds of Our Lady of Fatima's parish signor Michael Keating presented the bouquet to the Pope church in Palmyra. on his recent trip to Rome.

"Music was one of his great "His Holiness is indeed gratetalents, but I think he would ful for this devoted gesture and. say himself that the greatest he is also thankful for the good talent God gave him was the wishes of the school children," a priesthood," said Bishop spokesman for the Vatican SecRobert Healy who preached retariat of State said in a letter to the homily at Fr Ryan's Mass. Archbishop Hickey.

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Member AFDA

B

The Record, June 15 1995 3

TOMORROW TODAY

Holistic growth call 'Churches, community must interact'

maintain funding for serving them.

Perhaps the most alarming change of all is an increasing diversity of value sysHANGING times demand new tems and lifestyles; the impact of all ‘ ...."approaches. What worked in the forms of media and the images and mes1960's, 70's and 80's does not neces- sages they communicate.

Our challenge is immense, but we sarily guarantee success in the 1990's.

This is especially true in youth min- must make a start.

We need some essential characterisistry.

With every new generation we are tics in our youth ministry.

There is a need to promote internal confronted with the challenge of being growth and faith life while strengthenable to discern the changing needs of ing external community support. young people and their families.

We want family support and the The rapid social change in Australia of young people into all inclusion gives an urgency to the need to review aspects of church life. our approach to youth ministry.

We need to interact with other Consider our family life - there is churches, schools and community agenincreasing diversity of family structures, cies in a unified effort to promote posiincluding "blended" families and single tive youth development. parent families.

We need to think laterally. Flexibility We have experienced considerable and inclusion are vital if we are to economic changes: two incomes are respond to the needs of all youth. No often needed to sustain a family, unem- longer will one program structure satployment is rife, and redundancy pack- isfy the need of all. ages are the name of the game - all facPerhaps the most important aspect of tors contributing to financial stress. all is the need to put people first. Young Our community is changing - we want people and their families have changing quality schooling for our children, safer needs - we must prepare our programs communities, and all organisations for our people - not presume our people working with youth are struggling to are made for our programs.

By Penny Ashcroft

C

The needs of youth are different today

Perth joins youth consultation [By Colleen McGuiness-Howard : director of the Perth's 1 . Catholic youth ministry, Bruce Downes, is the Western Australian contact for the Australian Catholic Bishop's newly launched consultation with young people on their future.

The two-year process, initiated by the Bishops' Committee for Justice, Development and Peace and entitled Young People and the Future aims to gauge the hopes, aspirations, directions, dreams and fears of young people with regard to

society and the Church. The first stage, called Listening to the Experience of Young People, will feature local and national 'listening' sessions with the young.

Mr Downes said Perth would be running a number of central meetings to listen to the young.

People outside Perth would also be invited to make a contribution.

Every Australian diocese has been invited to take part and the aim is to listen to all young, regardless of whether they be Christian or non-Christian. Australian or non-Australian, and at every social level, whether they be street kids, school children,

from within or outside the Church.

A national phone-in and mail survey are contemplated along with a wide range of other methods to gain information.

At the completion of stage one at the end of 1995, two further stages in 1996 will follow under

the titles of Dialogue and Reflection, and Teaching and Acting.

By inviting the Church and community at large to participate, the Australian Catholic Bishops hope to identify major concerns of the young in the area of social justice, nationally and internationally, and work towards addressing these issues at various levels.

And in the US

By Nancy Frazier O'Brien

W

ASHINGTON (CNS) - Young adult Catholics want a better understanding of church teachings, a more welcoming parish environment and help with relationships and careers.

Those are the preliminary results of a series of "town meetings" between bishops and young adults, held in at least 36 United States dioceses since February. Information gathered at the town meetings will be used to draft a pastoral plan for young adults, to be voted on by the US bishops in November 1996.

For purposes of the new document, the bishops are defining young adults as those in their 20s and 30s.

"We live in a different world today, where young people are 4

The Record, June 15 1995

pulled in conflicting directions," said Auxiliary Bishop John Ricard at another of the five Baltimore sessions. "Some of those directions are contrary to their faith, so we feel that we need to be part of the counterculture that calls young adults back to the core Gospel values."

Several participants in Youngstown - along with others around the country - said the Church seemed to lose interest in its younger members once they were confirmed and graduated from high school.

In Phoenix, young people meeting with Bishop Thomas O'Brien expressed a need for support and education from the church and shared the cold and indifferent response they have sometimes received from parishes.

The support they need

Fremantle Dockers Parking Support the Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry by parking at the

Subiaco Parish Church 1 Salvado Road Subiaco (Very close to Subiaco Oval)

Lunch and Mass with Us Come to the Youth and Young Adult Office or Mass and lunch with the staff of the

Catholic Youth and Young Adult Ministry each Thursday at 12.15pm 30 Claverton Street North Perth Bring your own lunch

50 Years Re-union Celebrations for Y.C.W. and kindred youth movements (C.G.M. & N.C.G.M.) Past and present members are invited to attend a

Y.C.W. Thanksgiving Mass for blessings received by members to be celebrated in

St. Mary's Cathedral Sunday 9th July at 3pm followed by tea/coffee and biscuits at Mercedes Hall An opportunity to renew friendships and talk about the good times had in the youth movements

included spiritual support, guidance, a sense of belonging and sense of community, they said. In the area of education. the young adults said they yearn for classes that would help them integrate their morals into everyday life, as well as Bible studies and homilies that would be more useful to this age bracket.

In the Archdiocese of Kansas City, young adults said what they needed most from the church in order to lead a good life was consistent Catholic education based on orthodoxy.

About two dozen young adults meeting with officials of the Diocese of St Cloud, Minnesota, said the church needed to offer more spiritual direction and opportunities for young singles and married couples to connect with parishes.

Catholic Youth Formation Centre

EAGLE'S NEST

1406 O'Brien Road Gidgegannup Set in 17 hectares of natural bush adjoining Walyunga National Park and just 45 minutes from the city, Eagle's Nest can take groups of up to 55 in perfect surroundings for youth retreats, Christian living camps or other youth formation programs. Priority is given to Catholic parish youth groups, schools and other church youth organisations.

THE FOLLOWING DATES ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR 1995 (Dates in bold indicate a weekend) June 26-29 July 2-7, 22-23, 31-Aug 3 August 6-8, 14-17, 30-31 September 10-11, 15-17, 18-22, 25-29, 30-Oct 1 October 2 -6, 7-8, 9-13, 16-20, 23-26, 30-Nov 3 November 6-9, 12-17, 18-19, 20-24, 25-26, 27-Dec 1 December 11-15, 16-17, 18-22 For Bookings and Enquiries, phone Eagle's Nest direct on 574 7030

Refugee Week

Is Asia welcome in WA? A Vatican expert on migration issues 1 Iand a member of the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples specialising in Chinese evangelisation are the guest speakers at a Catholic Church conference on migration from Asia to WA, that began in Perth yesterday.

Father Silvano Tomasi, general secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Migration and Tourism at the Vatican will speak on the theme of Faith and Beliefs: a Christian Response; Father Pang, director of the Pontifical Office for the promotion of Overseas Chinese Apostolate, will discuss Asian religions and the Gospel.

The conference, the second organised jointly by the Archdiocesan Office of

Multicultural Pastoral Care and the Catholic Migration Centre, is entitled Asia Knocks and focuses on the issue of how the Church in Western Australia should respond in welcoming migrants from Asia.

The conference aims to highlight the realities of Asian migration to this state, the meaning of welcome, and to discover the practical implications for the Church.

Conference organisers also hope to be able to suggest practical strategies and recommendations to be implemented in WA parishes and the wider community in order to more effectively respond to the needs of migrants coming from Asia.

Father Dino Torresan, director of the Catholic Migrant Centre, said "The main

point of this conference is to look into the new migration and see what it says to us as Church and society," he said.

"We need to see how we can translate all of this into our own fixed structures, because it is only if we are moved as Church by the Holy Spirit that we can become capable of understanding these SPECIALLY FILTERED new migrants," he said.

Guaranteed as pure grapepa made in conforrrei Fr Torresan is keen for as many peowith ecckseshcal conditions for churchc* ple to become involved in the convenProduced by tion and its outcomes as possible.

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Tolerance must extend to a true Christian welcome

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behind us and found soldiers with guns at our backs. And then we were refugees, just like the Somalis."

Refugees are people like me or you who have been targeted for abuse because of who they are or what they believe.

In danger from their own government, they are forced to flee their country to escape attacks, imprisonment, torture or death.

During this Refugee Week 1995, I don't want to get involved in the politics of the refugee cases, whether they are crooks or genuine refugees, if they exploit the system or they deserve our help.

In this Year of Tolerance we must move beyond legal matters, and see in these 23 million displaced and uprooted people human beings stretching out their hands, asking for help and some human respect.

Subtle distinctions and fine shades of legal meaning can make the difference between

receiving asylum and being sent back to sink or swim. But real live human beings do not always fit neatly into such categories.

"What are you doing?", I said to the monkey taking a fish out of the water and placing it on a tree branch. "I am saving the little creature from drowning!" was the answer. And my grandfather said to me: Son, the sun that improves the eagle's sight, blinds the owl.

Perhaps we must learn to share the burden. Once outside their country, refugees live in camps, often in over-crowded conditions, often facing hunger and the threat of disease. But they consider it better to endure these than to face the oppressive conditions they know in their homelands.

All that most of them want is to live free of fear and torment.

They want the rights and privileges that all human beings deserve and to be able to bring up their families in peace.

One day I was complaining to the Lord because I did not have enough money to buy a new pair of shoes. Later on during the day I was called to the hospital. A young man had an accident and lost both legs. In coming home I thanked the Lord that I still had both feet to wear the old shoes.

Perhaps it is not easy to see and love others beyond our own interests. However, tolerance must become true welcome, with the consequences of such an action, if we want to be true and fair to the human family.

abortion. This is because the amendment before Parliament explicitly states that the fertility control practices of other governments are to be disregarded when making decisions on whether individuals should be admitted as refugees.

The Bill has been introduced into Parliament, following a December 1994 ruling by the Federal Court, which held that a Chinese married couple with one child who sought refugee status in Australia did in fact have a well-founded fear of persecution if they were returned home. An appeal of the ruling has yet to be handed down.

According to Senator Harradine, if passed, the Bill would have the effect of limiting the

interpretation of the definition of a refugee contained within the United Nations Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, to which Australia is a signatory.

Senator Harradine quoted the current president of the commission, Perth-based Sir Ronald Wilson, who said "Coerced sterilisation or abortion is a flagrant disregard of a fundamental human right: in my submission, it is wrong for the Government to ask the Parliament and the people of this country to condone the exclusion of asylum seekers • from refugee status based on a well- founded fear of that kind of persecution."

Fr Dino Torresan, episcopal vicar for migration, previews Refugee Week which begins on Sunday.

T t seems the same story 'repeated in different tunes.

"If we speak out, they kill us.

If we are suspected of speaking out, they disappear us. And if we keep our mouths shut, they think we are hiding something.

So they kill us for that toe", says Manlio Argueta from El Salvador.

"Why I left?," continues an Ethiopian woman: "they imprisoned my oldest daughter four years ago, they killed one of my sons. The other boys went into hiding, terrified. Are they killed? Only God knows!"

There are thousands of these stories. In 1995 there are more than 23 million refugees around the world and an additional 25 million other "displaced" people who have been forced from their homes and homelands by persecution, human rights abuse, the threat of starvation, disease and extreme poverty, often the result of war and national disaster.

The image that comes into many people's minds when they hear the word "refugee" is a hungry, dirty foreigner dressed in rags. Too often, refugees are lumped together with derelicts, alcoholics and criminals.

"We used to watch stories of the Somali refugees on TV", a Bosnian refugee was saying, "and think to ourselves: it is too far away! And we would turn the channel to another station.

"Then one day we looked

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Tasmanian Senator Brian Harradine has warned again as Refugee Week begins that refugees will no longer be able to cite persecution through forced sterilisation and abortion as a ground for seeking refugee status in Australia, if the Migration Legislation Amendment Bill currently being debated by Federal Parliament is passed.

If the Bill were passed, according to Senator Harradine, Chinese citizens seeking refugee status in Australia could be returned to China where they would face the possibility of coerced sterilisation and

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TERRIBLE AFFLICTION

men O ver half the world's population live in abject poverty. Some 900 million and women cannot read or write. Few people in developed societies could comprehend their suffering and their utter frustration. An even greater number of children do not go to school, either because there is no school nearby or because their parents are too poor to pay school fees. Children are stunted precisely when their lives should be blossoming and are prevented from e xercising their fundamental rights.

In the Australian Jesuit Mission region in India, where there is illiteracy there is more hunger, more disease and infant mortality, as well as humiliation and e xploitation.

Most of their suffering is caused by lack of education. When individuals, families and communities have access to education and to different levels of training they make progress on all fronts. Literacy allows people to develop their possibilities, to broaden their talents, to enrich their relationships. It makes possible a better formation of conscience and a better perception of moral and spiritual responsibilities.

School fees are $15 to $20 a year

Can you help educate some children? Almost 40,000 children in our schools have to be subsidised. Their parents cannot afford $15 to $20 a year for school f ees. Trying to feed their children two meals a day is their No. 1 priority.

Donations are tax deductible. Please make your cheque payable to "Australian Jesuit Mission Overseas Aid Fund" and post it with the coupon. Whatever you can give will help immensely.

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Illiteracy means a bitter struggle just to survive.

Donations are tax deductible

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The Record, June 15 1995

5

Aust landmine A support under Church fire

Winter appeal response "marvellous"

E AUSTRALIAN Catholic Bishops' delegate to an international conference on landmines has called on the Australian Government to reverse its support for "immoral weapons of war".

Missionary priest Fr Brian Gore, just back from the International Landmines Conference in Cambodia, said Australians should work much harder at changing the Federal Government's mind on efforts to ban the production and distribution of landmines.

"Landmines are insidious in the way they kill people indiscriminately - and yet our Government continues to argue that they are a valid part of an army's weaponry," Fr Gore said.

"Our Government is wrong.

Landmines continue to kill innocent civilians children and adults long after a conflict is over. These weapons are uncivilised and offend any humane interpretation of international law.

"We are told Australia is being pragmatic in not supporting a total ban, but this pragmatism is doing nothing for the dozens of people lulled or maimed every day, It is time Australia showed some moral leadership on this issue."

An international ban on landmines - similar to the bans covering chemical and biological weapons - has the support of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and many Church leaders, including Pope John Paul II and the Catholic Bishops of Australia. To date, however, only nine Governments around the world have expressed any support for an international ban.

Fr Gore said the Australian Government deserved commendation for its support for demining in Cambodia - but demining without any thought of how to stop more landmines being laid was pointless.

"In Cambodia, I visited an 18hectare site which alone will take nine months to clear of landmines.

It is very painstaking and danger-

ous work," Fr Gore said. "But as an area is being cleared, more landmines are being put down elsewhere. Both the Government troops and the Khmer Rouge are still using landmines."

"In fact, people are now talking about a iandmine culture' developing in Cambodia. Criminals are using them now and they are even being used in disputes over land.

L;HOUGH early in the police section has been espe- relief to combat the cold according to the Society. o-month long process, cially marvellous," he said.

Mr O'Sullivan said that the "I was confident because I'm the response to the fourth would need at least Society but prayer believer in great a annual Winter Appeal of the blankets, 4,000 sheets, 6,000 certainly has result the Society of St Vincent de Paul has so far proved extremely exceeded my early expecta- 4,000 mattresses and 4,000 beds to distribute this winter. encouraging, according to Mr tions," he said.

Each month the Society has Society This year the Maurice O'Sullivan, chairperspends nearly $50,000 for food Police the forces with joined son of the Society's appeal.

Department of Western Aus- and food parcels for distribuAt this stage the Society has tralia to create a statewide net- tion to the needy. received over $5,000 and in work of collection points where Donations of blankets, bedexcess of 100 blankets donated people can donate goods. ding, clothing or cash can be

by West Australians, he said.

Mr O'Sullivan said the Soci- made at any St Vincent de Paul And as the call for donations ety was currently helping over centre or by phoning 325 3472. also gathered strength in 2,400 families in WA each Collections can be arranged. parishes and wherever the month, and this was expected Donations of blankets and Society has a presence, Mr t o rise during the winter bed linen may also be made at O'Loughlin said that he months. any Police and Citizen's Youth expected an inreased response.

More than 100,000 people in Club, Police Community "So far, it's been going very WA will suffer this winter Resource Centre or local Police well. The response to the unless they get emergency Station.

education Riot of running colour Physical awards for 1995

Australian Council for TI 1-11Llth, Physical Education and Recreation is inviting

"So much energy in Cambodia is being put into landmines - paying for them, laying them, digging them up, burying the dead and trying to patch up those who are maimed. I visited a factory which is turning out wheelchairs as fast as it can - but it can't keep up with the demand.

schools throughout Western Australia to enter the 1995 School Physical Education Awards.

These awards will recognise schools and staff who demonstrate exemplary programs in various areas of physical education. The award winning schools will be acknowledged and will receive a commemorative certificate and equipment from selected sponsors.

The awards are open to all primary and secondary schools, government and non-government, throughout the State.

Entry forms have been sent to schools but further information and additional forms are available from the ACHPER (WA) office on (09) 383 7708.

"Landmines are the single biggest obstacle to development in Cambodia - and the problem is even worse in some other countries.

One delegate from Afghanistan said the owners of the companies profiting from landmines are criminals - and I can understand why he says that."

Fr Gore, the Regional Director of the Society of St Columban in Australia and New Zealand, was chosen to attend the conference in Cambodia after the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference voted last month to support a total ban on landmines.

A missionary priest in the Philippines for 20 years, Fr Gore gained international attention when he was arrested with two other priests and six church workers on the island of Negros in 1982.

Charged with multiple murder, incitement to rebellion and illegal possession of ammunition and explosives, Fr Gore was held under house arrest and in prison for 14 months. Anmesty International declared him a political prisoner of the Marcos regime.

The Australian and Irish Governments, Church and lawyers' groups and many others campaigned for his release.

The charges were eventually dropped.

Flynn flies to Rwanda

Part of the large field of 131 competitors in the boys under 16 SSIONARIES of the The Girls' Aggregate was 1,400 students Heart priest-docSacred from Associated and won by Santa Maria College, Flynn, has responded tor, Peter points, folon 277 Attadale, Catholic Colleges competed desperate needs of the to the Heart Colby Sacred lowed in the Annual Cross Country offering to Rwandan people by around Perry Lakes on 2 June lege, Sorrento, on 286 and All work there.

Bullcreek, on College, Saints 1995.

Fr Flynn was ordained in 1955 On a magnificent autumn 378.

The Boys' Aggregate was and has spent almost all of the day, Alderbury Reserve at Perry Lakes was transformed won by Newman College, last forty years working as a misinto a riot of colour as students Churchlands, on 242 points, sionary in Papua New Guinea, in followed by Corpus Christi Port Moresby, the Highlands and assembled in their track suits.

Bateman, on 288 and in Milne Bay Province.

College, The cross country course was 3Icm long for girls and 4Icm All Saints College, Bullcreek, He comes from a well-known for boys. Students competed in on 348.

Sydney medical family. Several Under 14, Under 15, Under 16, The Overall Aggregate Win- of his uncles were specialists.

Under 17 and Open categories. ner was All Saints College, These included Frank Flynn, a The winners were well Bullcreek, on 726. They were pioneering eye surgeon who spread over country and city followed by Sacred Heart Col- later became a Missionaries of colleges and between Associ- lege, Sorrento on 740 and the Sacred Heart priest. Fr Peter ated Colleges and Catholic Col- Chisholm Catholic College, Flynn did his medical training after his ordination.

Bedford, on 783. leges.

He said that he wanted to help in any way he can in Rwanda, in a pastoral ministry as a priest and in a medical way as a doctor.

Fr Flynn will be based in the THE Western Aus- tion in theology, and thus ralian Catholic Women's "come to know the beauty of diocese of fikongoro in southern Rwanda. He can be contacted League morning tea organ- God." through the Missionaries of the university, he added, The ised by State President Anne Sacred Heart in Sydney or Power, Notre Dame Univer- which was dedicated to Our through Australian Catholic and best Lady, "the first sity librarian Sister Caroline Relief.

McSwinney was given copies Catholic woman who ever lived," had been given an of the New Catechism by mpressive sculptural gift of a i Archdiocesan President statue of Our Lady and Jesus, Bernadette KowaId, and Bun- from the original University of bury Diocesan President Dar- Notre Dame in the American LECTIONS for the new riel de Pledge. state of Indiana. .:"Provincial and his CouncilBunbury and Perth branch The CWL also announced lors of the Australian Carmelite presidents, CWL National there will be a week-long (0.Carm) province took place Chaplain Father Tim Foster national conference at Aquinas and representatives from vari- C ollege on October 8 to 13 at the provincial chapter last ous women's organisations with guest speakers including April and saw Fr Shane O'Conheard Monsignor Michael Bishop Quinn of Bunbury, nor of Middle Park, Victoria, Keating tell the assembly that Father Brian Gore, Carole Car- elected as provincial and Fr having a Catholic University, roll, Attorney General Cheryl Paul Cahill (Donvale, Vic), Fr gave an "ambience of excel- Edwardes, NDU Vice Chancel- Marius Dawson (Hilton, WA), lence" and as all first year stu- lor Helen Lombard, and Dr Fr Wayne Stanhope (Wentdents must study theology, it Sheila Cassidy, who will also worthville, NSW), and Fr Denis gave lay people their first give a public lecture at Andrew(Port Melbourne, Vic) elected as councillors. opportunity to receive a forma- Aquinas on October 10.

Mi

Catholic Women's League gift for NDU library AT

Carmelites vote

E

Sister Caroline Sweeney receiving a copy of the new Catechism 6

The Record, June 15 1995

cXee'kze4- /0- /.4 Aged not abandoned

thank Mrs Joan Sunderland for her I 1 most heartening and sincere letter concerning the complete cure of her father

t" e-ze

The spread of "dubious devotions" note with alarm the proliferation

l I of devotions emanating from private revelations of one kind or another.

Just when I thought that devotion to the Sacred Heart was properly focussed on the humanity of Jesus, the heart now appears with brighter rays and more extravagant promises.

I also notice an unhealthy "one upmanship" in these devotions. Previously one was promised salvation for Mass on the Nine First Fridays, but Our Lady went one better with much the same guarantee for only Five First Saturdays. Our Lord seems to have trumped that offer with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. "Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death When they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the Just Judge, but as the Merciful Saviour."

Where will it all end? Like Optus and Telecom? Will we be offered a BMW as

from galloping cancer as a direct result of the Masses and prayers that had been offered in his behalf after the doctors had pronounced him to be incurable 9 years ago, at the age of 80.

Surely this incident proves beyond doubt the truth of the old saying that "where there's life there's hope" and that euthanasia is nothing less than a soul-destroying diabolic means in the hands of callous, unprincipled doctors, who would readily resort to killing an incurable patient as a means of permanently relieving him or her of their suffering. And all this in direct violation of the solemn Hippocratic Oath by which they have sworn to uphold and preserve human life and not do away with it.

Old people, no matter how frail-aged they be, are a positive blessing from God, and age will not weary them, nor the years dim, so long as they know that they are loved, wanted and cared for as the attached anonymous verse so aptly describes, That 'political' solutions lead to disilluBlessed are you when you understand sion is plainly evident from recent polls that my hands tremble and media comment. It seems the people and that my feet have become slow. of Australia no longer have much faith or Blessed are you when you remember trust in politicians. that my ears no longer hear well As I see it, we have to accept that the and thatIdon't understand so well. work that needs to be done in the country Blessed are you when you know requires fewer hands to do it. Once we that my eyes don't see too well, can accept that, the issues that need when you didn't get angry debate are those concerning equity and whenIdropped the finest cup justice. or because for the nth time Iwas telling the same story.

Those of us in the city have to recognise Blessed are you when you smile our dependence on those fewer people left at me and ask me about my younger days. in the country to till the fields, tend the Blessed are you when you treat me gently flocks and work the mines. What are the when you understand my silent tears compensations and conveniences that the and when you let me feel thatIam loved. urban population owes the rural populaBlessed are you when you stay a bit tion? What are the mechanisms for translonger when everything gets dark fer? Is the free market the answer? Are the and when you hold my hand for a problems that farmers and graziers moment when Ihave to enter the night presently have - compared to miners alone, because they became too dependent on the night of death. structured rather than free markets in the Oh yes, blessed are you, past? Do farmers and graziers need to be and when I'll be in Heaven, discussing whether they themselves have I'll light the stars for you. become locked into inflexible structures?

Author unknown The Church also has serious questions to consider as highlighted in John Hawkins William Thomas letter on the same subject. The declining Leederville rural Catholic population is not going to be heard unless they make their voices heard.

The Church has substantial capital assets y would like to take issue with Mr in the country. It has to ask itself questions Peter Bertola in his comments on Br that ultimately come from Jesus: are we 1 using our talents in the way that God McAppion's article.

While it is true that almost all matters in would want us to be using our assets? If life have a 'political' dimension, Mr Bertola you cannot move or sell the assets can we is naive in the extreme to suggest that tech- come up with innovative solutions to make nology has not been the greater factor in them productive in new ways?

To put Mr Hawkins important question rural population decline. It helps if one can define the cause of the problem before another way: does the Parable of the Talproposing a solution. ents guide us along a commercial path of

City to country

well as salvation? Salvation has certainly come down in price since Jesus' time, and real bargains abound.

And when I thought that scapulars were a thing of the past, they reappear.

I recall that in my childhood it was possible to buy a scapular with layers of black, brown, red, blue, white and green which carried such indulgences that if Ihad died in that innocence, God would have owed me.

I believed that some years ago the Shroud of Turin was declared a demonstrable fake emanating from the late Middle Ages. That seems to have only acted as a stimulant to promote the image.

I lament the fact that while these dubious devotions are spreading like the Texan Flu virus, and have no problem gaining ecclesiastical approval, we wait for decades for any significant additions to our liturgical repertoire?

Does anyone know why?

Fr Noel Fitzsimons

Pastor Apoplexus, Mandurah evaluation of these questions, or what are the other factors we need to take into account?

This matter of rural -vs- urban equity and justice is one aspect of a wider discussion we all need to be having about technology. This debate is far more important to our future than the debate about who should be our Head of State. The debate about technology and its implications is the one that will demonstrate if we are really a nation of grown-ups.

Julian Scott South Perth

Knights lament E National Executive of the Knights of the Southern Cross lament the passing of the Northern Territory Legislation on Euthanasia and would like to point out a number of disturbing aspects of the legislation.

1. The Legislation is easily misunderstood by the community, particularly the young, as it is not just about the turning off of a life support system on people who have no hope of quality of life or any medical possibility of revival. It is more about the disposability of life at the end of the life cycle.

2. How often do we hear about important pieces of legislation being rushed through in the wee hours of the morning?

The Euthanasia bill is a prime example.

Surely to pass a Bill which is of fundamental social, ethical, moral and religious significance in such a manner is irresponsible. How often have we seen people over-tired, exhausted, wanting to get home, stumbling out of the legislature,

having the appearance of being battered into submission.

3. It is disturbing that the Private Members Bill allows one person to influence a whole Parliament on a single issue as fundamental and volatile as Euthanasia.

The Prime Minister and Premiers have to take responsibility in the final analysis for the way Parliament operates. We would not accept it in other circumstances, why do we from parliamentarians? In many organisations where proposals seek to change provisions governing them, special resolutions are required as opposed to ordinary resolutions. That can mean that no less than 75% of people eligible to vote must vote - not just be present and voting. Cooling-off periods also apply under some circumstances.

Specified majorities are required to amend Constitutions, Why is this principle not applied to legislation, which goes to the very fabric of our society?

Rob Power

National President, Knights of the Southern Cross

Death culture

E litany of death: Men and women world-wide are being encouraged to accept homosexual relationships as true alternative life styles.

Those that prefer to be normal are told to worship the god of sterile promiscuity: "Thou shall not have children," even if it means killing them before birth. Married couples who choose to have children are often forced to have small families for the sake of false environmentalism: "One's OK, two, we'll see; but remember, in this world there's too many".

Babies born into the families are then quickly taken away into institutionalised childcare. So out go the children and families. What can this world be without them? Yet, hardly anyone seems to care.

Obsession with physical perfection leads women insane as they try to copy their skinny role models to the point of starving themselves to death.

Pregnant mothers scan their babies for genetic defects, diseases and malformations to get rid of then before birth because they won't be perfect or just not of the right sex.

And for the sick and disabled, those in pain and despair, no treatment please, euthanasia instead.

In the mean time for the youth, who by nature should be inquisitive, full of idealism and strength, the world without God does not make any sense and so opt for suicide which for them is illegal and run the risk of condemning themselves twice... before God and before Man. How can this "Culture of Death" endure? What can it deliver but the very stench of death? But the Good Lord says,I am just passing by... I have not been created for death but for eternal life.

Adrian Bertino-Clarke Guildford

Access to the superhighway 'a matter of justice'

By Carol Zimmermann

W

ASHINGTON (CNS) - As the

information superhighway gets

even more crowded, churches not only want to take part, but they also want to ensure that the escalating technology is accessible to everyone.

These were just some of the issues discussed during a conference on "Global Information Infrastructure, The Justice Agenda, The Churches," held at The Catholic University of America in Washington last week.

The 65 participants gathered in Washington were primarily from the United States, but on-line participants hailed from Hong Kong, South Africa, South America and Croatia.

During the conference, participants saw demonstrations on how to set up bulletin boards for missionaries, talking and evangelising on the Internet and computerising church offices.

"Churches are called to play a distinctive role," in using modern communica-

tion technology, said Dafne Sabanes Plou during the conference's opening address.

She spoke via videotape.

Following her talk, Ms Plou, chairwoman of the Latin American and Caribbean region of the World Association of Christian Communication, took part in a question-and-answer session with conference participants from her home in Argentina.

-Churches have already begun to use electronic networks to do their work and also to produce and send their information on-line," said Ms Plou, who is also the chair of the Latin American Ecumenical News Agency.

But she added that such work "may seem small experiences in a vast world of technology."

Ms Plou also acknowledged the hidden danger of technological advances, questioning whether electronic networking was "only a 'status' (symbol) in the hand of a very privileged elite."

"How can this knowledge be shared with others that can hardly get to a computer now and then?" she asked.

"Human beings must be the subject and never become the object of technology....

Churches have to preserve the right to examine everything and to use their prophetic role when needed... to work in favour of a public debate on these issues," she said.

Sheila George, director of public information for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, also raised the same question.

In her comments, faxed to participants after she was unable to connect with them via the Internet, she said, "Questions of universal access and culturally relevant content need to be addressed."

She said the Canadian bishops' conference grappled with these questions when it submitted recommendations to public hearings on the information highway held by the Canadian Government in March.

For example, the bishops stressed the need for communication technology to be both affordable and accessible even in remote areas.

According to Ms George, perhaps the Church's greatest role in the growing tech-

nology boom was to "get involved, stimulate public discussion, challenge government policy-makers and work to ensure that... justice will prevail in the areas of universal access and content."

Her viewpoint was shared by other conference participants, including Mike Maus, director of the department of communications for the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Mr Maus told Catholic News Service "technology is a gift from God" and that the churches are beginning to ask how they can effectively use it.

"It's here," he said, referring to modern communication technology. "At some point, we'll realise that it's more than young people with math skills" who are taking part in it.

Even if the average computer costs only $700, that amount is difficult for someone to afford in Mozambique, where the per capita income is $82 a year, he said.

-It would take nine years to earn, assuming you didn't eat, and even then, it can't be connected because the telephone system doesn't work," he said.

The Record, June 15 1995

7

Book Reviews

Poetic logic muddles ecological waters God's Earth, Paul Collins, published by Dove, pp. 280.

Reviewed by Fr Michael McShane SJ

M

God's Earth

ARTIN BUBER has said someReligion as if matter really mattered where that the one who loves brings God and the world together.

Father Paul Collins is an historian, Paul Collins known to viewers and audiences of ABC the nnvt inapvttanz religious programmes. His latest book t1411474,yfireinp shows his passionate desire to link ecolbrannulkitzdhvtzv " ogy and the sacred. Rather nicely he Sedn NicDonar,, ' often uses his own experience and Australian examples to illustrate his ideas.

Because I see things differently, I will quote liberally from the book, allowing its own words to speak Paul Collins is concerned that human beings are poisoning the planet. He stresses that "the reason why we will be hated by our children's children and those who come after them is simple: never before have human beings exploited, damaged and degraded the earth to the extent we have". The biggest problem for God's earth is that there are too many people. Yet it is not too late "to population he gives it four characteristics. save something of the natural world for In the first place it should give priority to the future". "the good of the planet". Secondly, it The perspective that dominates the should extend the natural law tradition to book is called deep ecology. It is based somehow include a right to life for all livon a thoroughgoing sense of the intercon- ing creatures. Next it should recover the nection of all of life and nature. It con- biblical notion of cosmic justice. Finally, trasts with anthropocentrism which it should be a help in negotiating an focuses too exclusively on the uniqueness exchange by which first world countries of the human person and human needs. limit consumption and third world coun(According to Thomas Berry, human tries agree to population limits. beings have been exploitatively anthroIn a survey of Christian history, Paul pocentric since the Neolithic age). The Collins finds ecological strengths as well ecological crisis is so profound that there as weaknesses which have contributed to is need for an environmental awakening the present impasse. There are vestiges and commitment. A half-hearted environ- of dualism from Greek thought Consementalism will not be good enough. quently there is a legacy of negative views Many of the reasons why the popula- on the material world, the body, sexuality tion issue is now critical and why it has and nature. not been faced up to are brought up in the Even present day theologians are book With the development of modern largely ignorant of the issues raised by technology we have had the myth of modern science. For instance they seem progress. Also, from the philosophy of unaware of the implications of the Gala Descartes we have accepted a view of hypothesis or theory that the whole nature which tends to be mechanistic. A planet is a living system. They are unprerecurring adjective used in the book to pared for the sea change that is being describe this generation is 'autistic'. demanded of their discipline by the preAccording to Paul Collins there has not sent context. been much help from official Church There is one chapter in the book that teaching on the question of population. many people will find useful as a refer"The papal emphasis seems fixated on ence. In it there are thumb-nail sketches moral acts linked to sexuality", he writes. of important Christian ecological He considered the Vatican delegation to thinkers. Those dealt with are: Bergson, the Cairo Conference in 1994 on Popula- Teilhard de Chardin, Whitehead, tion and Development to have been "fun- Hartshorne, Cobb, Birch, McFague, Moltdamentalist, simplistic, sectarian and mann, Berry, Fox and McDonagh. Of myopic". these it is Thomas Berry, the Passionist At the beginning of the book Paul priest who calls himself a geologian, who Collins declared that "it is my view that has the most pervasive influence in this the underlying theological substratum of book Elsewhere, more than passing refCatholic Christianity is probably one of erence is given to other significant figures, the best placed religious systems in the including Davies, Heidegger, Rahner, contemporary world from within which Sheldrake, Steiner and Tracy. to develop a coherent environmental thePaul Collins distances himself both ology and ethic". from fundamentalism ("a symptom of When he outlines a Christian ethic of deep spiritual alienation and sickness")

and from the new age movement ("narcis- the self-engrossed and sad faces of the sistic"). He also calls the yuppie "an followers of particular revelations and archetypal post-modernist". saviours. There is only one non-negoIt is in the sense of ultimate mystery, in tiable, and that is that we only have one the experience of the transcendent (i.e, World - this one".

God), that he sees hope for transformation Does this mean that we are to be enviof the world. He does not want to deny ronmentalists and/or nature mystics in that human creativity in culture and the first place and Christians only secChurch life can be the occasion of such a ond? It is certainly a different view from sense of presence. It can occur in every- the Pauline "we bring every thought into day life. However, "it is in the natural captivity and obedience to Christ". It is world which is the primal revelation of also different from the patristic injunction God and the place where the transcen- to bring the treasures of Egypt (in this dent is most sacramentally present". case ecology) into the storehouse of In describing his experiences Paul Christ.

Collins conveys an awe, a delicacy and a Paul Collins speaks of his sympathy for joy in creation. Then, after somewhat Matthew Fox's position: briefly dealing with the importance of "He did not win too many friends in Jesus, the book concludes with a call to high ecclesiastical places in August 1988 integrate deep ecology with the deep ecuwith his essay: Is the Catholic Church menism of Hans Kung.

Today a Dysfunctional Family? A Pastoral To be frank I must admit that I have Letter to Cardinal Ratzinger and the problems with the introduction and with Whole Church. Cardinal Josef Ratzinger every chapter of the book The following Is the Prefect of the Congregation of the reflections are by no means comprehen- Doctrine of the Faith. In the Pastoral Letsive. They are in the style of a devil's ter, Fox describes the Catholic Church as advocate. a maladjusted, addictive family led by an According to Thomas Berry "the great- authoritarian, sadomasochistic, sick, and est failure of Christianity in the total deeply psychologically disturbed hierarcourse of its history is its inability to deal chy. The Vatican. he argues, is a dysfuncwith the devastation of the planet". He tional, fascist, and self-deluded organizasays that Christians are sensitive to sui- tion that projects all its problems cide, homicide and genocide, "but we outward onto others with whom it never commit biocide (the killing of the life sys- deals directly. And what are the results? tems of the planet) and geocide (the "The church's failure to share the great killing of the planet itself) and we have no wisdom of our western mystical tradition morality to deal with it. Religion is absorbed with the pathos of the human". constitutes a grave sin of omission which This is exaggerated language. In terms of results in patriarchal cynicism and the the eco-justice label, it tends more to "eco" loss of hope. It feeds a kind of collective hysteria that arouses the christofascists of than to "justice", so to speak our day, those who, in the name of Christ It is said that Thomas Berry is drawn by or Jesus, terrorize us. poetic rather than by metaphysical think"Fox's confrontational tactics horrified ing. Perhaps the same might be said of Paul Collins. The subtitle of his book is many cautious (and fearful) theologians "Religion as if matter really mattered". He and Catholics, but personally I could not does not want to be seen a materialist or agree more with his diagnosis!"

It is true that none of us in the Church, indeed as materialistic. Neither does he want to be seen as dualistic. He avoids including our leaders, is above criticism. the word spirit, although he uses the word There will always be the frustration of the spirituality. He does say that "in the Bible human element in the Church. But it is Christ's Church: "Christ loved the Church God alone is 'Spirit'.

Yet if a word lacks contrast it also lacks and sacrificed himself for her". It is not meaning. Paul Collins does contrast deep only what Paul Collins says here and in ecology and anthropocentrism. Curi- other passages but also the way he says it ously, however, he restores a very that are problematical. anthopocentric perspective by making It is always difficult to work out which human beings the self consciousness of are the prophetic voices that need our the planet and the only ones capable of sustained attention. (Thomas Berry responsibility. "makes it clear that it is shamans that we Some people have also remarked that need today, not prophets") Thomas Berry is often closer to shamanic This book will be welcomed by many and native American religion than Chris- as forceful introduction to the ecological tianity. A parallel observation might be debate in a spiritual context. It has been made about this book. For example, Paul very difficult to make committed and Collins says, "At the heart of all religion is intelligent environmentalism shape pubthe restless search for God that tran- lic policy in Australia. However, in my scends all of the revelations of the reli- view, this book really muddies the waters. gious books - Bible, Qu'ran, Bhagavad- I will not be recommending it to friends Gita - for the God who is more often who are looking for a Catholic approach found in music, in art, in the wilderness, to the population and ecological issues and above all in the natural world than in we must address.

Gianna survives abortion to forgive and spread the Gospel Gianna: Aborted and lived to tell about it, Jessica Shaver, Focus on the Family Publishing, Colorado Springs Reviewed by Theo G Fox. IS is a delightful, yet sobering book about hardship and sadness, but also about joy, courage and God's grace in overcoming sadness and suffering.

It is the story of Gianna Jessen, whose 17-year-old mother, Tina, in April 1977, isolated, frightened and alone took a long, lonely bus ride into Los Angeles to have an abortion when she was seven months pregnant.

Tina described the abortuary 8

The Record, June 15 1995

baby girl survived the doctors predicted that Gianna attempted abortion. The "mira- would never be able to sit or cle" was indelibly etched in stand, let alone walk Tina's memory: "When her She was taken from Tina by head came out and she was cry- welfare authorities after four ing,I felt like it was meant to be. months and given into the foster The first moment I felt her in care of a kindly woman, Penny my hands and saw her face and Smith. heard her cry,I knew what I did At age four she was formally was wrong. How could I ever adopted by Penny's daughter, do that?"

Diana, a born again Christian.

Babies aborted by the injecWith a lot of loving, constant tion of a saline solution into the care and courage Gianna was amniotic sac usually die an ago- able to walk and attend school, nising death and have their skin albeit at times wearing braces burnt off. Whether it was the and using sticks. Some of her Ingestion of the saline solution studies were difficult, but this (which seems unlikely) or sim- was compensated for by a natGianna Jessen ply the prematurity of the birth ural talent for music and a fine as "a slaughterhouse". After and lack of oxygen, Gianna singing voice. hours of waiting following the did suffer cerebral palsy.

At the age of twelve Gianna saline injection, the miniscule The paralysis was so bad that was told that she had survived

an attempted abortion. The revelation did not harden or hurt her. On the contrary there was a spontaneous, Christian forgiveness of her natural mother and a conviction that she was saved from death for a purpose.

As a teenager, she became one of the most courageous and effective anti-abortion campaigners in the United States, especially among her peers.

This book is recommended reading for those engaged in the pro-life movement. It would be of particular interest and helpful to parents of children suffering handicaps and an inspiration to the children who suffer the handicaps.

Features The rapid increase in the last 20 years of working mothers with young children has not stopped debate on the issue of mothers in the workforce. Kath and Claire Foley of Fremantle here take issue with Record journalist Colleen McGuiness-Howard on this sensitive topic, and Colleen replies.

A woman's crowning glory C

OLLEEN McGuinessHoward's article in The Record "Motherhood's Holy Crown" last May 11 did not give a true view of what the Christian's view of a "mother" should be. In reality the view given by Colleen was fairly insulting to many Catholic mothers and bears reviewing.

The crux of the article's argument seemed to be that a "good" mother is one that gives 100 per cent of her time to her children first, then to her husband and probably everybody else before herself. This, expressed as a personal view, displays an attitude better off left in the 1950's, but to be purported as what God desires of you is more disturbing, as it is wrong.

It Is true that all Christian people are called to a life of service to others: this is what community is about. However, God has also called us to love ourselves, have self-esteem and develop our talents (presumably this Includes women). God did not ordain that women, once becoming mothers, should forgo self-development in any other role than as someone else's carer.

The Christian view of selflove, as taught at Catholic schools, is based on some very simple premises: "God loves You": "You are loved by God unconditionally the way you are"; "You have many talents that God has given you and you should use these talents to the best of your ability".

If il ls not clear, then, that women's roles are much, much more than wife and mother, perhaps the words of Pope Paul VI, quoted by Richard Leonard SJ in his book "Beloved Daughters", would shed some light: "(Pope) Paul re-affirms women's equality with men in the sight of God, but goes further and argues that this equality gives them an equal right to participation in all facets of social, cultural, economic and political life."

Colleen chose, presumably as her case example of what being "the best mother in the world" entails, the working mother.

Selflessness, a higher call

"That we be selfless when it daughters about what God comes to our own self-indul- thinks of her - that she is only gence on whatever level.., if it ever second or third best to means we forego our career out- everyone else in this world? It side the home... then we should could be said that the attitude of do that". totally giving to your family and It is unbelievable, yet sadly husband, putting yourself last I N RESPONSE to Kath and predictable, that the working always is the main reason why Claire, I agree that the mother is used as the epitomy of middle-aged married women Church says that there selfishness. It has been a long have the highest rate of depresshould be no bar to women time since mothers have been sion in the Western world. i n employment, study and labelled selfish for working outThis is not an argument about careers. side the home, but perhaps the "Should a mother work or not inherent double standard in this work outside of the home?"

But I believe the Church attitude needs revision. When a What is important to underhas in mind those women man goes to work and brings stand is that all women have the who are forced into such home his pay packet and hands right to fulfill themselves as a work because of school fees It over to the family budget there child of God, that each and To work or not to work? because they are single or would not be one person who every person has the right to say through various cirmothers would call him "self-indulgent" their needs, their fulfillment and or "selfish". However a woman their identity is as important as the role of a mother is not a wor- cumstances, or single women called upon or choosing to do every other person in commu- thy one - far from it. The role is who have to earn a living, truly a God-ordained role: it is and not, in the first case, marthe same, for her family or self- nity and in their own family. fulfillment, is labelled in this It is not objectionable that one of giving from the beginning ried women with children. article with those very words.

Mary the Mother of God is a of a first pregnancy through I believe the Church offers After unleashing this insulting truly great role model for all every year of your child's life - to women who are married the line please don't draw but barrage on working (most) Christians, but it is objectionand have children a higher mothers, Ms McGuiness- able to use Mary to promote past this and say a woman who call to give their children Howard feels the need for qual- outdated and unchristian atti- chooses to be a mother must everything of themselves and ification and concedes that tudes. Take Mary as our role never again think to put her make these dependent, presome mothers "genuinely" have model in that she always said needs before others. And please cious gifts of God's their first to work. yes to what God wanted her to don't purport this to be a priority.

In reality, there are very few do, in that she chose the voca- Catholic, Christian or God families that can afford to live tion in life that God wanted for ordained view, as it clearly is If a husband earns an adeon one wage. Let's be honest, it her, in that she is the ultimate not. quate amount to support a One last point. Throughout wife and children and have is not that some have to work prayerful person. women have worked them properly educated, an history, self-indulBut to extend this to the very and the others are gent. The vast majority of human side of Mary, however, is outside the home, especially enviable chance is given to women are working, one way or dangerous. Mary married at a poor women. The post-Second these women to remain at another, for the survival of their very young age, 16 at the latest, World War period of the 50's home and respond to the family unit. When a woman according to Jewish custom. and 60's is probably the only intellectual, and emotional hands over her full weekly She married a man much older time that women did not really challenge of being the first wage, so that school fees can be than herself, covered her hair in have to work outside of the and best educators of their paid, children can have Catholic public and was separated from home. Even today, if you look at children, a challenge which education, sporting fees are men when worshipping God in the work that women in Third taxes the most brilliant of paid, doesn't the woman have the temple, all according to Jew- World countries face on a daily intellects and saintly of souls the right to feel that she is help- ish custom. Mary also lived a basis to keep their families fed, and brings great responsibiliing her family? celibate life. Surely these are you would get some under- ties and enormous rewards The main problem, according not the "mother's role" that any standing of how women across for the children, the family time and place have worked to the article, is not those who mother is trying to attain. unit, and society at large. have to work to survive. There is Would it not be better that outside the home. Far from affairs natural state of the being another evil faction, a "lobby', mothers, along with every other The fact is, there is no later implicated in everything Christian, took Jesus as the ulti- that your article proposed, greater satisfaction for a from juvenile crime to "society's mate role model? In fact, this mothers imprisoned in the mother than to have raised abysmal degrading slide" - was precisely what Jesus was home is a twentieth century her own children, with all the mothers who want to fulfill sent to us by his Father to do. Western phenomena. sacrifices that involves. themselves!

Jesus is the first to whom we Women crying out for indeIfrankly see no problem, as How can a mother teach her should look for guidance in how pendence and the "right" to fuldaughter that to fulfill her self is to act towards people, how to fill themselves are not new, and a mother, in 'putting myself wrong once she has children, love God and love others. Mary, it certainly is not going against last', because my children and that God wants nothing as we have been taught, wishes God's will, or that of the Catholic always put me first! - perhaps more of her than to live her life to be our guide to seeking her Church. Don't lay any more exemplifying the truism in guilt at the feet of Catholic the Gospel where Jesus said through others. What kind of Son Jesus. that the last will be first.

It is not our submission that women. message is this giving our

The miracle of life, and death of a mother

By Ed Langlois VUGENE, I OREGON, (CNS) - In January, Piper Shanks lost her best friend and in the process instantly became the mother of infant twins.

Barbara Barton, whom Mrs Shanks had known since junior high school, died of complications from leukaemia on January 22. Both had worked at Sacred Heart General Hospital in Eugene.

Mrs Barton's death came sooner than it might have because she had delayed aggressive cancer treatment to save the lives of the twins she was then carrying.

Only clays before she died, Mrs Barton said she wanted Mrs Shanks, a 37-year-old mother of

three boys, to care for the twins, who were born last July 13.

McKenzie, a girl, and Hunter, a boy, are both healthy.

Mrs Barton's decision to forego aggressive cancer therapy was, Mrs Shanks said, "a decision she made from the heart. When you're faced with deciding between your life or this tiny thing inside you, it seems insignificant until it's further along. She was scared and she wasn't real optimistic about her chances."

Doctors told Mrs. Barton her only chance of survival would be immediate and intensive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant - procedures that would end the much-desired pregnancy.

They also told her that if she decided to carry the pregnancy to term, her chance of survival

would be nil and her death would probably come quickly.

Mrs Barton, raised a Lutheran, begged for advice but no one would tell her what to do. Sometimes she would get angry at her husband, Jeff, who was raised in a non-denominational Christian tradition, wishing he would make the decision.

When the ultrasound pictures o f her womb revealed twins, "Jeff and some of us noticed this new look in her eyes. There was no question," said Mrs Shanks.

While blood transfusions and milder chemotherapy helped, Mrs Barton revelled in having a task at hand other than dealing with her terminal illness.

"It gave her something besides the leukaemia," Mrs Shanks said. "She just flourished and glowed and looked like a million bucks. You wouldn't have

known she had a life-threatening illness.

She was meant for that pregnancy."

Two weeks after giving birth to McKenzie and Hunter, Mrs Barton slipped into a fever, a sign that her leukemia had worsened.

She was rushed to Stanford University Medical Center in California to prepare for a bone marrow transplant.

After the transplant, she developed an infection, which brought bleeding and intense abdominal pain.

"I learned to handle a lot of things over this," Jeff Barton said.

"Some things that used to bring you down don't seem to matter so much anymore. You learn what's important."

Kit Fisher, a family friend and oncology nurse, said Mrs Bar-

ton's choice spoke volumes about sticking fast to one's calling and one's bliss.

"On the hard days, I think of Barb's death in the same way that I think of the death of a child," she said. "She had this pure goal and a focus - and that was bringing her children into the world. She knew the sacrifice and she did it all the way."

The disease may have killed Mrs Barton even if intense treatment had started while the twins were in utero. But Ms. Fisher believes the decision and the birth have the quality of a miracle.

"Barb has given each of us a lot of different good things.

There is her strength and her determination and her selflessness that enable us to be a little bit better people."

The Record, June 15 1995 9

Features

Pray and act on behalf of defenceless Andrew gave retreats recently at Gracewood, Cowaramup, and at Queen of the Apostles, Riverton.

UTVVARD appearances Brother Andrew's main thrust can deceive - and Brother is to emphasise the need for Andrew's is a classic example prayer "to fill ourselves with the spirit of Christ in order to face of that.

Ordinary, humble of appear- the difficulty of our times and ance and attire, quiet of confusion."

Commenting on two recent demeanour, unassuming - all of news items, Brother Andrew this is what you see.

But when this former Jesuit said they showed the two priest, co-founder of the Mis- biggest problems today as being sionary Brothers of Charity with the drugs and weapons trades Mother Teresa of Calcutta and "and it doesn't take much imaginow world pilgrim attached to nation to think of the number of that diocese speaks, you see how victims - and the enormous rich in empathy, compassion, power in these areas."

Querying the solutions offered wisdom and God's spirit Brother as to the way out of the chaos, Andrew really is.

Based in Melbourne, he Brother Andruw points to the responds to the call of global "failed" efforts of governments, invitations with his entire pos- policing, and the United Nations. sessions in his suitcase, giving And, he says, this takes us back retreats and offering spiritual to the specific strength, as discihalm for the wounded and God- ples of Jesus, that we find in Christ and His light, and the hungry.

Recently back from Finland, hope that this brings.

More and more, enthuses Sweden and Norway, Brother Andrew described his impres- Brother Andrew, he sees God sion as "overwhelming" when raising up movements of little he experienced the "depression prayer groups all over Australia.

"Little, and ordinary people, and darkness of the people."

In countries well known for without power, all coming their technological proficiency, together in prayer.

"And it seems to me there is a and boasting "extra-ordinary welfare systems" he noted that tremendous holding point in the in the small Norwegian city of Church and in Australia."

Bergen they had four psychiatric He has seen places of prayer, hospitals that couldn't cope with and retreat centres being started the demand. up by lay people, in very new This emphasised clearly their ways, "often coming out of crying hunger and need for the painful experiences in health, light and joy of Christ, remarked marriages and hurts; and espeBrother Andrew, "because all cially women starting a signifithe rest is clearly failing - the cant number of houses of realisation of which adds to the prayer, often in the country." depression of the countless peoThese people are not high ple." profile, but rather a gathering of He noted too, that the hurt, concerned, and caring peoCatholics, who attended his ple who are looking for a prayer retreats, were outnumbered by centre solidly based in Catholic the Lutherans and Protestants - spirituality and the Eucharist, "clearly wanting a deeper con- and he sees this as "a movement templation and prayer life of the Spirit." which they recognise the Recently in France, a French Catholic tradition has." priest commented that there Over here in WA, Brother were about 360 male and female

By Colleen McGuiness-Howard

O

hermits living alone there in prayer, said Brother Andrew, "and he raised the point that always in times of crises and danger in the Church, a contemplative life has been very pronounced."

Brother Andrew went on to quote history as "clearly showing" that renewal movements at key times have always come out of prayer and gospel simplicity.

He cited St Benedict during the collapse of the Roman Empire; St Francis of Assisi in mediaval chaos; St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross during their times of great division, and "in more recent times we have Charles de Foucauld (in the North African desert), who moved among the poor with little Eucharistic communities witnessing to the light and warmth of God's love in Christ."

Other movements with contemplation and the Eucharist as their base "out of which every action comes," he said, are those of Mother Teresa, and the carer for the intellectually disabled, Jean Vamier.

Yet considering the brokeness and suffering of people in our times - and the impotence of governments, the United Nations, the World Bank, and "the professional experts" to bring relief to these areas, it forces us to ask: "What is left?".

It all points to the crying need Br Andrew: shocked by the depression of Scandanavian society. for a transcendant supernatural of well-meaning people, but as helpless and innocent have? power, which is what Christ always happens in human affairs, "What can we do in this area of brings, concludes Brother the ruthless and heartless will get immense danger and vulnerabilAndrew. control." ity?" he asks "And for his disciples there is At the ground level, families are a challenging call to draw on offered the opportunity of hastenIn merely natural terms, it their own specific strength, ing the departure of the older seems hopeless for us to prevent which is the supernatural; and member in whose name the estate this happening, "but we have a we need the courage to recog- is, he believes.

God who does hear the cry of the nise this and move ahead, relyAnd it paves the way for genopoor and there is a role for His ing on God's power." cide, ethnic cleansing, getting rid On the topic of euthanasia, of the inconvenient - whether they people to call out to Him in prayer Brother Andrew said that, bear- be handicapped, elderly, or "just on behalf of the defenceless," he ing in mind the passage of the in the way of somebody," Brother said, "while we do whatever we Northern Territory Bill, "it's easy Andrew said. can in a practical way to defend to realise that an opening like When this kind of killing is justi- and protect the innocent and ourthis will end up not in the hands fied by law - what defence do the selves."

The conspiracy of silence over the Devil

By Adrian Bertino-Clarke

R

ECENTLY I have fol-

owed with interest the developments in the Victorian court trial of four men over the death of one of the men's wife who, they claim, was possessed by a demon.

The four men were allegedly trying to exorcise her. The woman, however, suffered a heart attack in the process and died. The men pleaded "not guilty" to all charges.

What is even more interesting is the statement that a defence witness gave during the proceedings. A Catholic priest, Father John Shanley, from Lakes Entrance in Victoria, stated under oath that he has been conducting up to ten exorcisms a week since 1978, and that he had been the subject of several violent demonic actions whilst trying to exorcise the victims of demonic possessions.

Because of Hollywood, most people have some idea as to what demonic possessions and exorcisms are all about but, for 10

The Record, June 15 1995

this very reason, most people would not regard these events as anything more than fiction.

But why is it that such horrific supernatural occurrences, allegedly so common, are not being reported or even - at the very least - discussed within Catholic circles?

It is self evident that there is a constant struggle between the forces of good and evil. This is confirmed not only by observing the world in which we live in, but most importantly through our very own personal experience, the never-ending battle within our hearts, minds and souls.

To deny the existence of evil is naive to say the least. We have been taught through Scripture and catechesis that a multitude of angels lead by Satan defied God and were cast into hell. We know that Jesus himself calls Satan the Prince of this world, and that even after our Lord's Triumph, Satan and his allies retain relative control of the pagan world.

God in his infinite wisdom allows evil to exercise its powers although He limits it so as not to render us helpless to the

Devil's power. In fact, Jesus has promised that none of his followers will be snatched from his flock and, again, that the very gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church.

The Catholic Church teaches the faithful that the Devil acts in three ways: by temptation, obsession, and possession.

Temptation we all know too well and have certainly experienced. Not even Christ was spared from this type of demonic action. Temptations vary in severity - their aim is to cause us to sin, or to stall us in our spiritual growth, or to prevent us from doing God's will.

Obsessions are more rare.

These are physical manifestations of the Devil in our physical environment which we experience through the senses.

They are designed to perturb us, distract us, prevent us from doing God's will and ultimately cause us to sin by loosing hope, faith and love for God. Possessions occur when a demon or demons take control or possess the body of the victim; but their soul remains untouched. Possessions do not just occur 'to "evil" people, we

have records of Saints who have been possessed by demons. That is why we should always pray to be delivered from the power of the Devil and constantly ask for help and protection.

Despite the obviously common occurrence of evil activity, why don't we hear talk about it any more? When was the last time you heard somebody say that the Devil has a very strong grip over world powers, the media, politics, over those who cannot break vices such as drug addiction, sexual deviations and/or promiscuity, and compulsive materialism?

One reason is that the world media is influenced and possibly controlled to a very large extent by the Devil himself. It is in his best interest, at least for the time being, to remain hidden, not to be identified in any of the multiple current warfronts. The Devil's victims either don't know, don't want to know or decline to believe who the author of all these terrible happenings really is.

But he cannot remain hidden indefinitely: sooner or later he will want to be publicly wor-

shipped in his own person.

Whenever he so chooses will be the end for him, as Christ will crush him under His heels for ever.

We must denounce and renounce evil and all its glamour. We mustn't rely on our own strength to resist it but run like little children to the arms of our Heavenly Father and the protection of our Heavenly Mother. We must "stay awake and watch" as Jesus taught us, pray constantly, be humble, mortify ourselves, frequent the sacraments and follow all his teachings.

We must call a spade a spade. In other words, if we denounce the Devil as the conspirator and author of all corruption and evils, we will be helping our brothers and sisters, and we will force the Devil to come out of hiding.

And he knows he is running out of time before Christ comes in his Glory to reign for ever and to claim what is his. Hence, the unprecedented attack and expansion of evil activity in today's world is a sign of his desperation.

International Features

Forgetting Brazil's Bishops fight the Third debt: for Amazon Indian rights isWorld it justice B

0A VISTA, BRAZIL (CNS) - Bishops and missionaries in Brazil's Amazon region are in the middle of a conflict between indigenous people and developers over claims to the land and wealth of the region.

In fact, local government officials have charged Bishop Aldo Mongiano of Roraima and several missionaries with inciting the Indians to violence in pursuit of their claims.

The underlying conflict is over ownership of the land and its potential store of natural resources, including perhaps billions of dollars worth of gold, diamonds, cassiterite and phosphate.

A leading newspaper has accused Bishop Mongiano of trying to "internationalise the Amazon region."

Some government officials have claimed that the Church's defence of the indigenous peoples' right to the land is, in fact, a ploy to prevent mining by Brazilian prospectors.

They charge the church, with its foreign missionaries, is acting on behalf of outside economic powers to save the underground wealth for future exploitation by developed countries.

Monsignor Vitelio Pasa, vicar-general of the Diocese of Roraima, says the state government is trying "to convince the population that the problem is related to a conflict between Roraima state and the Church, while the real problem is lack of respect on the part of the state government toward indigenous organisations and the federal constitution, which protects Indian rights."

"The government of Roraima accuses the missionaries of putting into the Indians' minds the idea that they have a right to the land," says Bishop Mongiano. "This is true, because we tell the Indians that 'the Brazilian constitution gives you the land you live on and recognises your human rights.'

"The government also accuses the missionaries of putting criminal activity into the minds of the Indians," he said. "This is absolutely false. We have always taught them to abide by the law, part of which guarantees them the land they need to survive."

The process of demarcating Brazil's Indian lands included wide consultation and a natural resource survey, which showed there was some gold and diamonds

in the area "but not as much as some people claim," the bishop said.

For many years, he said, the Church and human rights groups harshly criticized FUNAI, Brazil's Indian agency, for giving too much weight to the claims of settlers and prospectors and not enou0 to the Indians' traditional claims to the land and to the amount of land they needed to survive. Now that FUNAI has taken the Indian rights and needs seriously, "many sectors of Brazilian society are criticizing them," said Bishop Mongiano.

"FUNAI did beautiful work in the last few years" on the demarcation of Indian lands in Roraima, he said.

For instance, he said, the agency "has recognized the area occupied by the Macuxi people," but the plan has been on hold since May 1993, awaiting the official declaration of Brazil's Minister of Justice that it should be put into effect "He hasn't decided anything," the bishop said. "He is stalling. Some settlers and prospectors feel the process was prejudicial" in favour of the Indians. "We, the Church, have started a campaign to have the rights of the Indians respected."

Just about every indigenous group in the Amazon can tell stories of coming out on the short end in dealings with miners or loggers or members of the Brazilian military.

For instance, plans by the Roraima state government to build a hydroelectric dam in the Cotingo River have led to a series of conflicts with the Caraparu, one of the groups whose lands would be flooded.

Elecrobras, Brazil's state holding company for electricity, and the National Water and Electric Energy Department did not approve a concession for building the dam because they considered the environmental impact study presented by the state government to be incomplete.

However, in late December, the state sent topographers to visit an area where the Carapani already had a hut. After the visit, other Indians helped the Caraparu to begin building a village.

In January, the new state governor sent state policemen to the area who injured several Indians, destroyed their property and scattered their cattle into the forest. When the Indians tried to rebuild the destroyed property, police again went back to the

or charity?

By John Thavis

A farmer in Brazil's impoverished north-east scans the heavens for rain during a drought.

But drought or floods are not Brazilian peasant farmers only worry. State governments, the army and police, and rapacious businesses are always close by. region and injured a dozen more Indians.

Federal police and a team from FUNAI tried to mediate the situation. An Indian mission went to Brasilia to speak with members of the Justice Department.

After the military police actions in January, some of the Indians announced they would destroy several bridges in the area if the state government continued to ignore their rights and if the military police were not moved from the area.

Friction as Churches seek rapprochement

By Frank Brown

M

OSCOW (CNS) - DurRoman most ing Catholic ordinations, the new priest vows to obey his bishop or superior. But Father Philip Andrews went a step further.

During his ordination at Moscow's Church of St Louis, the 27 -year-old Irishman promised to have respect and reverence for the Russian Orthodox bishop in whose diocese he serves.

For Father Andrews, working to find common ground and between understanding Catholics and Orthodox is an integral part of his task in Russia.

The significance of his gesture and commitment to greater dialogue with the Russian Orthodox is heightened by the fact that he is the first priest to be ordained to serve in Russia in at least 60 years. Two other priests have been ordained in St. Petersburg and Moscow in the last several years, but neither was assigned to work in Russia.

And, while about 100 other Catholic priests are currently

working in Russia, they are ultimately under the jurisdiction of their religious orders or home dioceses.

"It is the beginning of the process of normalisation of the Catholic Church in Russia," said Father Ivan Jurkovich, counselor to the papal nuncio to Moscow.

Another big step will come when the recently formed Catholic seminary in Moscow begins producing priests in Russia.

"The seminary is just finishing its second year," said Fr Jurkovich, noting that the school has some 45 students. "So it will be four years before we have a priest prepared and ready here."

According to the nuncio's statistics, there are between 350,000 and 400,000 people of Roman Catholic background in Russia. Fr Jurkovich stressed, however, that such figures are tentative.

Guidelines issued by the Vatican in 1992 emphasized that the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Russia are not in competition and rejected all forms or appearances of proselytism, "meaning the exercise of any sort of pressure on people's consciences" to

convince them to change church affiliation.

In practice, the Vatican guidelines are not always followed by Catholic clergy in Russia, several priests said. This is a continuing source of friction between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Asked if the two churches have been getting along better in recent years, a prominent conservative Orthodox priest and seminary lecturer in Moscow responded, "I think relations are worse now than in the past.

"The Catholic Church needs to reconsider its politics," said the priest, who asked not to be identified. "It now looks at Russia as a large territory for missionary activity."

By all accounts, CatholicOrthodox relations reached a low point in April 1991, when Pope John Paul II named two bishops to become the apostolic administrators for European and Siberian Russia.

The Orthodox "were very displeased, to say the least," said a Moscow-based Catholic cleric with extensive contacts in the Orthodox Church. "They thought that Catholics were

going to start an expansion into Russia."

High-level delegations from the Vatican and the Moscow Patriarchate met in Geneva in 1992 and 1994 and in Moscow this year to discuss their churches' differences, and are expected to meet again in the northern autumn.

The vast majority of Roman Catholics in Russia are of Polish, German or Lithuanian descent.

Their families were either forcibly moved to Russia from their homelands or invited under the czars to establish communities in Russia. Most have been in Russia for generations and have almost completely assimilated, with the exception of observing a few special holiday traditions. After several generations, and especially because of repression by the communists, very few speak the language of their ancestors.

Therefore, the Catholic Church in Russia feels a need to celebrate the Mass and conduct religious education in Russian.

Some Orthodox fear this is a sign the Catholic Church wants to attract and minister to the Russian people.

TATICAN CITY (CNS) V developing countries were given one wave of a magic wand, they would probably use it to erase the nearly S2 trillion foreign debt that burdens their collective economies.

The idea may seem far-fetched.

Yet Pope John Paul II suggested that debt cancellation be seriously considered as a way to usher in an era of economic fairness at the start of the third millennium.

Many people viewed the Pope's proposal, floated in a recent document, as an unrealistic gift for the poor. But Vatican officials challenge the assumption that debt forgiveness would simply be a gesture of charity toward poorer nations.

"We have to ask ourselves whether debt cancellation would be an act of mercy or an act of right," Monsigor Diarmuid Martin, under-secretary of the Pontifical Justice and Peace Council, told a group of economic and legal experts meeting in Rome in late last month.

According to figures provided at the Rome conference, during the period 1980-1990 Latin American countries paid $418 billion in interest on original loans of S80 billion. Because of factors such as currency exchange fluctuations, the interest rate has jumped from an original 6 percent to more than 30 percent in many cases.

This led some conference participants to denounce the current debt structure as a form of macro-usury" - but talk of outright debt forgiveness makes financial leaders uneasy.

"No one, even invoking his poverty, can claim a 'right' to cancellation of a debt," Giovanni Conso, former president of Italy's Constitutional Court and an expert on usury laws, said in response to Monsignor Martin.

He cited Christ's parable of the 10 gold coins in support of the practice of using money to make money, and warned that acrossthe-board debt cancellation could undermine confidence in international lending organisations.

Monsignor Martin agreed but questioned why some limited debt reduction moves that were termed "impossible" recently are now being accepted by lenders.

In the foreign debt debate, church officials emphasise that the current repayment situation is abnormal. It began in the economic crisis of the mid-1970s, and should now be corrected to restore normal patterns of international credit.

As things stand many Third World countries are still being forced to cut deeply into social services and domestic spending.

It is this human cost that concerns church leaders the most.

At a major United Nations meeting on social justice in Denmark last March, the Vatican joined Third World countries in pressing for debt forgiveness and Denmark forgave about $200 million owed by six countries.

The Record, June 15 1995

11

International News

US Catholic hospitals buy-out fear M

INNEAPOLIS (CNS) - Saying that "one can't serve God and money," the top official of the Catholic Health Association in the United States has warned US Catholic hospital officials against selling out to investorowned chains.

"Make no mistake, regardless of how the transaction is described, the investor-owned chains ultimately, and always, intend a buyout," John E. Curley Jr., Cl-IA president and chief executive officer, said at the organisation's annual convention in Minneapolis last week.

"As stewards of Christ's healing ministry, you and I understand that we are not free to compromise the future vitality and validity of this church ministry," he added.

Nearly 1,200 leaders of Catholic health facilities and systems attended the four-day convention, which had as its theme, "Refounding the Ministry: Leadership in an Era of Profound Change."

After Mr Curley's talk, Cl-IA members voted in an afternoon business meeting to revise their by-laws to restrict membership to not-forprofit organisations. The vote reversed a 1993 by-laws change, which removed a requirement that CHA members be tax-exempt.

Mr Curley said giant for-profit systems "are threatening the future of the Catholic health care ministry" and "are preying upon Catholic sponsors and systems seeking to purchase Catholic hospitals."

But, he added, "the investorowned model is not compatible

with the Church's mission in health care."

"Our church ministry is driven by the desire to care for people and to serve communities with a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable," Mr Curley said. "Investorowned chains are driven by their need to produce quarterly dividends and a return on equity."

He praised the "marked increase in collaborative ventures" among Catholic health care institutions and with other culturally compatible not-for-profits."

"More and more, Catholic and other not-for-profit hospitals are looking first to their own rich array of financial and management resources to forge strong partnerships that can serve effectively and compete successfully in local markets," Mr Curley said.

In another talk on June 5, theologian Father J. Bryan Hehir told the Catholic health care leaders that they can influence, shape, direct, heal, elevate or enrich a complex industrial democracy through institutions that "lay hands on life at the critical points where life can be injured or fostered."

He suggested that Catholic social service agencies, educational institutions and parishes - as well as health care ministries - must find a way to work together if they are to maintain their role as protectors of society's poor and defenseless.

"Our identity is tied to and tested by how our ministry contributes to human dignity and human rights," he said.

Mercy film wins leading award IMA, PA. (CNS) - The ilm "Time for Mercy," which looks at examples of divine mercy at work in the world, has been awarded first place in the Gold Camera Awards' religion, ethics and humanities category.

The award was presented earlier this month at the US International Film and Video Festival's awards banquet in Chicago to Drew Mariani, 30, owner of Lima-based Marian Communications. Mr Mariani wrote, produced and directed

the film, which was one of 1,500 entries from 27 countries. It was one of 24 entries in its category.

"Time for Mercy," narrated by actor Joseph Campanella, traces humanity's worldly and spiritual trials from the time of Noah to such present-day issues as hunger, war, abortion and pollution.

The theme of the film is mercy and has as a central motif the story of Blessed Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun who had mystical visions of Jesus, seeing beams of red on one side and white on the other

N

ASHVILLE, TENN. (CNS) - Kathy Troccoli is one of those rarities: a contemporary Christian singer who is a Catholic.

"There's such a bias, still a judgment against the word 'Catholic,- she said. "There are very few people in the (Christian music) industry that are Catholic. I feel like I'm educating people a little bit."

If success can be a teacher, then perhaps her 1992 No 1 pop hit, "Everything Changes," offers a lesson for others.

Ms Troccoli's faith journey has gone beyond the Church of her youth and back again.

She was raised in an Italian Catholic family, but for most of her adult life she has worshiped at non-denominational community Christian churches.

But her unexpected involvement with Life Teen, a youth ministry for teenagers based in Mesa, Arizona, marked a new turning point.

"I never really thought I had an appeal to teenagers," Ms Troccoli said, but then she got an invitation to sing at a Life Teen Mass in Mesa.

"I said to my manager, 'Cindy, you've got to be kidding! Teens in a Catholic church? Hello?"

"I went reluctantly thinking surely there's not going to be many people there," she said.

What she saw was a church

By Mark Pattison ASHINGTON (CNS) W Ethnic identifications more often than religion are at

-

the root of nationalist controversies, civil wars and human rights issues, according to Islamic scholar Mustafa Malik David Little, a senior scholar at the United States Institute of Peace, agreed with Mr Malik it is true the role of religion can be overstated and misunderstood," he said.

"Ethnicity and nationalism are highly complicated and variable phenomena that resist simple diagnoses of any kind."

Both spoke during the opening session of a three-day interfaith conference, "Scriptural Faiths, Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflict," held last week at The Catholic University of America and Oblate College in Washington.

Mr Little said it was not only religion that could be the source of ethnic conflict, but any form of belief, as evidenced by atheistic communist China's persecution of Tibetan Buddhists.

He thought it best if religion were left in a private sphere. "By private, I do not mean it to be purely personal," he added.

"You can speak out on public matters from a religious perspective, (but) you are prohibited from passing laws that discriminate against other members of a

society based on religion or belief."

Jewish historian Sidney Schwartz, director of the Washington Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, noted how Jewish identity was caught up in the notion of "chosen-ness."

Such a notion was "basically a thin scriptural read," Mr Schwartz said, emerging from only two Old Testament passages - one of them forewarning punishment for the Jews for wrong-doing.

That view must be balanced by such historical events as the Holocaust, "where we lost a third of our people," Mr Schwartz said.

"It became, in many ways, a certification that the Jews had been singled out.... It intensified the notion of providential mission.

The gentiles knew this; that's why they victimised us."

Ukrainian Orthodox Father Alexander F.C. Webster of St Sophia Orthodox Theological Seminary in New Jersey spoke of last year's Bosporus Declaration

by Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders. It said, "We reject any attempt to corrupt the basic tenet of faith by means of false interpretations and false nationalism."

"The key word in the Bosporus Declaration for our purposes is 'false,- Father Webster said. "Not all forms of nationalism or eth-

"packed with teens and their families, probably 1,300 people.

They were at the altar swaying and swinging.

"Father Dale (Fushek, Life Teen leader) talked to these teens at their own level, and I was on the second tier, weeping... at my own self-righteousness, at the beauty of it all.

"I asked God's forgiveness for how I'd treated my family, and my mother. All I heard God say was 'Kathy, please don't judge how I come to people," she said.

She said she believes more Catholic listeners will discover contemporary Christian music when it "becomes a part of their hunger and thirst" for God. "Cathlics need to be turned back to the word of God within

the Mass and turn to a personal relationship with Jesus. They're ready for that. It needs to be presented."

As Ms Troccoli's faith journey continues, she finds her desire for the Mass and the Eucharist drawing her back "There's a beauty about the Mass that I can't get away from," she said. "When God is in the Mass, it's undeniable."

Ms Troccoli is hopeful about her part in the growth of Life Teen and her renewed interest in the Catholic Church. Her inspiration, as ever, is in her faith. "If we don't center at Christ," she said firmly, "we have nothing."

Controversy over saints to meet Pope in Slovakia jATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John V Paull will visit Slovakia later this month on his first trip there since Slovakia became independent in 1993.

The Pope plans to meet with religious and civil leaders, preside over a controversial canonization and leave himself time for a walk in the Tatra mountains.

The schedule includes a Mass in the city of 12 The Record, June 15 1995

Blessed Faustina recorded her visions and said that many of the messages she received were warnings from God that people should turn away from sin and follow Christ's teachings.

According to Mariani, the message of his film is that people "need to be open to God's mercy and share it with others."

Religion not the chief culprit

Beauty of the Mass brings singer back

By Lynn S. Williams

emanating from his chest. The rays signified the blood and water Jesus' body shed when a centurion speared his side on the cross.

Kosice on July 2, where the Pope will declare three Catholics saints who were killed in a 17th-century religious war with Protestants. Slovakian Protestant leaders, warning of ecumenical repercussions, have asked the Pope to also acknowledge Protestant martyrs who "innocently suffered for Christ" during the period.

A similar controversy erupted during the

Pope's May visit to the neighbouring Czech Republic, where his canonization of a 17thcentury Catholic martyr caused Protestant leaders to boycott a meeting with him. The Pope is also scheduled to hold a prayer meeting with Eastern-rite Catholics and other townspeople in Presov, where the church has had property disputes with the local Orthodox church.

nicity undermine scriptural faith."

Father Webster argued that "positive political action on behalf of a religio-ethnic majority - say, for example, Jews in Israel, Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Roman Catholics in Poland, Lutherans in Sweden, or Orthodox Christians in Romania - may be morally licit, while any negative political action - such as restrictions on free speech or access to buildings - directed against a religioethnic minority is intrinsically evil."

Mr Malik, a member of the American Muslim Council, predicted the decline of Islamic revivalism.

"Even the best known of today's Islamist movements, Algeria's Islamic Salvation Front, Lebanon's Hizbollah or Hamas in the Israeli-occupied territories, essentially are ethnic movements using Islamic symbols for nationalist or political causes," he said.

These movements attract young Muslims disenchanted with the status quo of Western society and their own, Mr Malik said. But after the movement peaks "these bright idealist youth will realise that secular political models are the most conducive for the dissemination of Islam's uplifting values and ideals."

Irish priest murdered in South Africa C

APE TOWN, South Africa

-s(CNS) - A Cape Town priest

was found murdered in his ransacked home by parishioners who went looking for him when he failed to show up for Mass on June 4.

They found the body of Father Eamonn O'Neill, 57, pastor of St Anthony Church in the Cape Town suburb of Kraaifontein, bound and gagged in his living room.

Police believe the motive for the murder was robbery.

Warrant Officer Geoffrey Todd of the South African police said a revolver owned by Father O'Neill, more than 3,000 rand (US$780), an expensive watch and a radio-tape player had been stolen from the murdered priest's home.

No arrests have been made, although police were following up leads, Warrant Officer Todd said.

Father O'Neill studied at All Hallows University College in Dublin, Ireland, where he was born. He was ordained in 1966 and moved to Cape Town that year.

International News

Cardinal lifts abortion protest

B

OSTON (CNS) - Boston Cardinal Bernard Law has lifted a 5- month-old moratorium on protests at abortion clinics for individuals but has asked parishes and archdiocesan agencies to continue refraining from such action.

The cardinal requested the moratorium following last year's December 30 attacks on two Boston-area abortion clinics in which two workers were killed and five others wounded.

"With gratitude to those who have observed this moratorium, I wish to lift that burden from their consciences," the cardinal wrote in his June 2 column in The Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston.

He said he supported the right of individual protest.

"If a man or woman wishes to engage in peaceful, non-violent activity in support of the right to life," he wrote, "I no longer ask that that activity be foregone."

But, in reaffirming the Church's commitment to the pro-life cause, he said there were different ways to commit oneself. "It does not serve the pro-life cause well to demand that authentic participation in the pro-life movement involve participation in direct action before abortion clinics."

"Because there can be legitimate differences concerning tactics to be employed in the peace-

US Supreme Court allows local picket

W

ASHINGTON (CNS) The United States Supreme Court last week let stand an order that overturned a ban on residential picketing outside an abortionist's home in Ohio.

The case involved abortion protesters who walked a picket line in front of an Upper Arlington, Ohio, doctor's home. The town's laws allow picketing on public side-walks as long it is not aimed at a specific residence.

Because Dr Raymond Robinson's home was in a cul-de-sac, picketers walking a circuit along the sidewalk always had someone from the group directly in front of his house.

City police ordered the picketers to leave the cul-de-sac, and a US District judge upheld the ordinance.

The 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the district judge's ruling that the picketers would have to stay away from the cul-de-sac. The appeals court said it was not within the district court's authority to narrow the city ordinance so that it applied only to the doctor and his two neighbours on the culde-sac.

The appeals court relied on a 1988 Supreme Court ruling that allowed communities to ban picketing aimed at a specific individual, but forbade local governments from banning all

picketing in residential neighbourhoods.

ful and non-violent pursuit of the right to life," he continued, "I think it best that parishes and agencies of the archdiocese not be involved in such activities."

Although excluding parishes from direct action at abortion clinics, the cardinal asked "every parish to review its own commitment to the pro-life cause." He recommended parish prayer and support for pro-life efforts, as well as "clear teaching in homilies and in religious education

programs concerning the sanctity o f human life from the first moment of conception to the last moment of natural death."

He also said the church's concern for legislation and providing social services "should be encouraged and supported" in parishes.

Cardinal Law said he asked for the moratorium immediately after the December shootings to avoid further intensifying "an atmosphere of tension and hostil-

ity" and to create a climate for dialogue to encourage "the support of alternatives to abortion."

"That climate has been achieved," he said in the column.

He noted an on-going and substantive dialogue between himself and Massachusetts Governor, William Weld, but said "the call for a wider dialogue, which has been and is welcomed by the pro-life leadership, has not been matched by those committed to the active support of the 'right' to

'Disastrous' to see fathers only as breadwinners ANt

The Supreme Court turned down the city's appeal without comment.

A week earlier, the court let stand an opposite ruling, in which a New Jersey state court order prohibited picketing by abortion protesters near the home of another doctor who performs abortions.

That order was issued by the New Jersey Supreme Court after the federal high court ruled in 1994 in a Florida case that judges can bar even peaceful demonstrators from abortion clinics.

Deathbed ordination for former Anglican L

ONDON (CNS) - Father John Oldland had been an Anglican priest for more than 60 years before his reception into the Catholic Church.

He died as a Catholic priest just hours after his ordination late last month at the age of 88.

Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue, the bishop responsible for West London, ordained Fr Oldland in his hospital bed on May

just as much as they need their good father simply on the basis of mother," Bishop McCarthy wrote. whether he provided financially "Their children need both mother for his wife and children, Bishop and father for good, sound, McCarthy said. healthy families."

"But the man who is providing He said Father's Day "is almost financially may be gone 99 perbecoming a farce in this country" cent of the time, may give his chilbecause of the many children dren no time at all, may care very who do not live with their natural little about his wife," he said. -His fathers -40 percent of all children behaviour is just as destructive 25. and more than half of those born for the future of his children as a The convert had suffered a Bishop John McCarthy of in the 1990s. attack two hours before hills. heart who is not paying his person Austin wrote about fatherhood in "This is a problem of monuhis ordination was due to take "So to equate the role of man his column for the June issue of place on Ascension Thursday.

The Catholic Spirit, the Austin mental proportions and it under- with 'breadwinner' and 'financial lies so many of the other social A close Anglican friend of 30 diocesan newspaper. Father's provider' is not right," he added. years, Fr Christopher Bedford, Day in the US is June 18 this year. ills that beset our country today," "To limit the role of the father to he said. said: "He wanted to die a priest that has been a real disaster." and not a deacon. In the days For too long, society had "We need to convey to the Bishop McCarthy said the after his reception and ordinayoung men of this country that emphasised "the importance of tion as deacon in the Catholic their children, or future children, the man's ability to generate Church bore some responsibility Church, he was, quite literally, need them in the formative years money," judging a man to be a for the problem "by so frequently given a new lease on life. developing programs that sepa"His decision, prompted by rate men and women."

Mary's prayers for unity, to "The woman is in the choir and seek reconciliation with the the man is down there on the Catholic Church was, in the third row by himself watching the kids," he said. "He teaches Sunday school and she is in the Ladies' Club."

He urged the development of EW DELHI, INDIA church programs "that keep men (CNS) - The Catholic and women together, have them Bishops' Conference of India working as a couple or as a fam- has cautioned the Indian Government against sending ily".

Bishop McCarthy said some women to Singapore as domes"heroic parents" - including his tic workers because of possible exploitation. own mother, who raised four chilHowever, Nazareth Sister dren after her husband's death succeeded in "singlehandedly Shalini D'Souza, organiser of the raising their children to be Delhi Domestic Working healthy, well-balanced, well-edu- Women's Forum, cautioned against "a blanket ban on recruitcated citizens." ment of maids for service in SinBut many were not able to gapore," noting that such a ban manage, he said, and the result could deny domestic workers an could be a child who "grows up opportunity to earn more money feeling unloved and with a abroad than they could working A father working at home with his children - dads need to be more tremendous tendency toward in India. than breadwinners. anger and frequently violence."

The bishops' letter came as TIN, TEXAS (CNS) er years of sending the . "wrong message" about fatherhood, society needs to stress the importance of fathers in nurturing their children as well as providing for them financially, according to a Texas bishop in a message for America's Father's Day.

choose an abortion."

He said he hoped "such a dialogue might develop."

According to a United Press International report, Ellen Convisser, of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Organization for Women, said the lifting of the moratorium "poses a serious threat to safety."

Even though it did not invite violence, she said lifting the moratorium provided "a climate where we know violence has occurred."

Bill Cotter, local president of Operation Rescue, said the current number of anti-abortion demonstrators outside clinics was nearly 90 percent of what it was before the shootings.

Operation Rescue was "delighted" by the cardinal's action, said spokesman Philip Lawler, adding that it would "bring more people out, no question."

Following Cardinal Law's lead, the heads of Catholic dioceses in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine also urged a moratorium on peaceful protests and prayer vigils outside abortion clinics in their states.

On Febuary 16, Bishop Louis Gelineau of Providence, Rhode Island, lifted a six-week moratorium on sidewalk counseling at abortion clinics there.

end, the natural outcome of a Christian life lived according to Catholic faith and practice," Fr Bedford said.

"When he concluded that the Church of England had abandoned that faith, he knew where to turn," he said.

Fr Oldland was said to have had a great devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham, the patron of England's national Marian shrine.

His last prayer before he died was the Hail Mary.

He was wheelchair-hound during the last years of his life but still attended Mass every Sunday and on holy days.

Born in 1906, he became an Anglican priest in 1934, working in parishes all over England until his retirement in 1976. He was received into the Catholic Church on May 11.

Bishop O'Donoghue was the principal celebrant at Fr Oldland's funeral on June 2.

Indian caution on maids N

news media in India reported that Singapore needs more than 75,000 housemaids following the partial withdrawal of Filipina maids.

Hundreds of Filipinas working as domestic workers in Singapore left after a Filipina maid convicted of murder was executed in March.

In a letter to the Indian Governent, Father John Vallamattam, spokesman for the Indian bishops, warned that Filipinas' religious background made it "difficult (for them) to tolerate the Singaporeans' approach." Indians faced similar dangers, besides financial exploitation.

The Record, June 15 1995

13

International News

Christians hammer Disney wood generally for producing "night- erpool, England, whose struggles over Protesters, reported variously at 50 mares of depravity" in a widely publi- his vocation and sexuality are triggered and 100, picketed Disneyland's main cized speech on May 31. by the confession of a 13-year-old who entrance on May 27. They called for the ASHINGTON (CNS) - Coast-toboycott of "Priest" and criticized the DisIn New Orleans, Matt Hill, former is being molested by her father. coast protests over the controver- director of the archdiocesan CYO/Youth ney company for "hypocrisy about famLeague opposition Miramax forced to sial film "Priest" continue to target The Ministry Office, said he has taken 13,000 values." ily Walt Disney Company, parent of Mira- youths to Disney World in Florida over a change the opening date from April 14, time to expose Disney's homosex"It's Good Friday, to April 19. max Films which distributed the movie. 23-year period. ual and anti-Christian agenda in their From Disney World to Disneyland, Since then, But no more, he told The Clarion Her- O'Connor has New York Cardinal John movies and in their theme parks," said protesters are picketing, boycotting and denounced the movie as Priscilla Weber, an organizer of the selling Disney stock more than two ald, New Orleans archdiocesan newspa- viciously anti-Catholic, and the Ameri- protest from the Center for American per. This year the CYO is boycotting can Life League months after the movie's release. mounted a $250,000 xValues in Corona del Mar. Protesters, In its first two months, according to Mickey and the Magic Kingdom, and television advertising campaign against who referred to themselves as "pickeDaily Variety's "Film Box Office Report," instead will visit Shamu at Sea World, it. teers," said they planned to picket again "Priest" showed cumulative box office another Florida attraction.

Disneyland. outside The American Life League also asked "As a Christian organization, we receipts of SUS3.5 million. For purposes action, Jesuit Father Joseph In other people to cancel Channel Disney cable o f comparison, after one month in should stand up for Christian princi- subscriptions and boycott Disney prod- Fessio, editor of Ignatius Press, placed a release, the movie "While You Were ples," he said. "We shouldn't patronize ucts and theme parks.

24-inch ad, in the form of an open letter anything that goes against our princiSleeping" had grossed $50.1 million. to Disney's CEO, in Daily Variety on Paul McCarthy, a Massachusetts May 5.

Most recently, Elizabeth Dole, presi- ples."

William A. Donohue, president of the league member who owns 22 shares of dent of the American Red Cross and In the letter - titled "Shame on Diswife of presidential Republican candi- Catholic League for Religious and Civil Disney stock, said he submitted a reso- ney!" - Fr Fessio said that unless "Priest" date, Senator Robert Dole, promised to Rights in New York, sparked the lution on May 2 to be presented at the was withdrawn immediately, he would protests in March. He criticized Mira- company's November meeting. He is "use all our publications to promote a sell more than $15,000 in Disney stock. max and Disney for the film's scheduled asking shareholders to establish a reli- permanent boycott of all Disney films, According to an Associated Press report, Mrs Dole made the promise June nation-wide distribution on Good Friday gious advisory committee. products and services."

2, in response to inquiries about invest- and for "invidious stereotyping" of According to the resolution, the comHe also said that Ignatius Press, the ments she and her husband had made priests by presenting five as characters mittee would "consult with religious largest Catholic distributor of videos in in the Disney company. Senator Dole who, in one way or another, were living leaders of various faiths and develop the United States, would stop reselling specifically criticized "Priest" in April "twisted" lives. guidelines to assist film production and and promoting Disney products, a move during his presidential campaign Produced by the BBC, "Priest" focuses distribution operations on ways to avoid he calculated would cost Disney $4 milannouncement tour and blasted Holly- on a homosexual Catholic priest in Liv- religiously bigoted material." lion over the next 10 years.

By Nancy Hartnagel

W

Cardinal reminds Reach out to gypsies, says Pope Anglicans of rule

By Cindy Wooden

_

TATICAN CITY (CNS) (INDON (CNS)- England's He said: "We realize that for V The Catholic Church ardinal Basil Hume has re- many cohabitation is a step along must reach out to gypsies, stated Catholic Church teaching the way for the commitment to mar- offering them material supthat sexual relations outside mar- riage. It is important that the church port, defending their rights riage are wrong following an recognizes this and encourages and bringing them to a Anglican Church committee's sug- deep bonds of love and trust and is deeper involvement in church gestion that living together out- welcoming, rather than being judg- life, Pope John Paul II said last side of marriage should not be mental of people's search for faith- week. fulness and a loving commitment to described as living in sin. each other."

In the Church, "no ethnic or "Just because everybody is doing Church buildings and worship linguistic group should feel forit (cohabiting) doesn't make it right.

But of course we must always exer- should also be more "family eign; all must be welcomed and fully appreciated," the Pope cise compassion to people in all sit- friendly" and accessible, it said.

The report was strongly criticized told participants in an internauations," Cardinal Hume said.

by Anglican Father Francis Bown, A working group of the Church of chairman of Ecclesia, which tional meeting on the pastoral England's Board for Social Respon- describes itself as "a society for care of gypsies. sibility published a report on June 6 Anglican Catholics." He called the In reaching out to the gypsies, titled "Something to Celebrate - report contrary to traditional Christhe said on June 8, the Church Valuing Families in Church and ian moral theology. must make "the love of Jesus" Society."

Father Bown has been an outspoThe working group strongly ken critic of the Anglican bishops real in their daily lives, which affirmed that marriage was central since the Church of England began often were marked by poverty, illiteracy, inadequate health to the Christian tradition of family to ordain women priests. care and discrimination. life. But it acknowledged family life The membership of Ecclesia is had changed in recent years and estimated to be in the hundreds.

"The evangelization of the that many couples now live Father Bown said the report gypsy people must not lose together without marrying. incites young people to lead sight of their history, frequently The report was sharply criticized immoral lives and that it would fur- marked by tragic suffering and by the head of a traditionalist Angli- ther undermine the institution of serious hostility," he said. can movement. marriage.

Bishop Alan Morgan, who "Understanding contemporary The meeting brought chaired the group, predicted that by society is one thing; promoting tacit together 130 bishops, priests, the year 2000, four out of five cou- approval for society's departure religious and lay workers, ples would live together before from Christian standards is quite including gypsies, from 17 marriage. another," he said.

European countries and Brazil.

L

lining the values which distinguish gypsy culture such as respect for elders and for the family, love of freedom, a just pride in their traditions and generous support for peace."

The Catholic Church was

called to support gypsies in their fight against racism, lack of acceptance, inadequate educational facilities, lack of housing and serious restrictions on where their caravans can stop, he said.

Pope John Paul The Council of Europe estimates there are between 7 million and 9 million gypsies in Europe; another 2 million live in North and South America.

The majority are either Roman Catholic or Orthodox.

At the same time, the Pope said, pastoral workers must help gypsies understand that whether they have settled in a community or continue their traditional nomadic lifestyle, they must respect the laws of the places where they live.

The gypsies, like all other people, are called to holiness, he said. "The witness of The meeting, sponsored by Ceferino Jimenez Malla, a the Pontifical Council for Gypsy and Christian, heroic to Migrants and Travellers, the point of shedding his blood, focused on the rapid changes in is a shining example of this." gypsy lifestyle, the discriminaJimenez Malla, who was a tion they experience, including in the Church, and the increas- horse trader and catechist in ing success of religious sects his gypsy community in Spain, was executed during the Spanamong gypsy communities. ish Civil War for defending a The Pope praised the pas- priest. In 1992 Pope John Paul toral workers for their contribu- beatified 122 priests, religious tions "to building a more just and seminarians martyred durand harmonious society, under- ing the war.

Stop trashing the Judeo-Christian heritage, priest pleads OS ANGELES (CNS) - film and said the problem was you want to explain this weird priests in the film who are Mr Medved, who reviews L With the controversy over not anti-religious bigotry but the obsession with assaulting reli- heroic." movies for PBS, the New York the film "Priest" still fresh in "general mindlessness" of the gion, you can't explain it with Post and Catholic Parent their minds, speakers at the United States Catholic Press Association convention have disagreed on whether Hollywood is anti-religious.

"The problem here is genuine, sincere, honest bigotry (against religion)," said film reviewer Michael Medved, pointing to "Priest" and other movies that he said have shown contempt for religious belief.

But Henry Herx, director of the US Catholic Conference Office for Film and Broadcasting, cited positive portrayals of religion in 14

The Record, June 15 1995

entertainment media.

Mr Herx and Mr Medved were part of a panel discussion on "Hollywood Vs Religion" in Los Angeles earlier this month during the annual Catholic press convention. The discussion on Hollywood's doorstep was held in part to mark the 100th anniversary of motion pictures.

Mr Medved said the most striking thing about "Priest" was not how unbalanced it was but how unsuccessful it turned out to be at the box office despite the controversy. "The fact is that, however

ordinary greed," he said.

Mr Herx, taking what he called the role of devil's advocate, called Mr Medved's arguments persuasive but somewhat selective since he left out movies like "Romero" and "The Mission."

"The Mission," Mr Herx said, was "quite striking in its portrayal of the missionary apostolate."

Mr Medved though disagreed, saying "The Mission" depicted the institutional church as "corrupt and ultimately murderous despite the fact that you have two

He also claimed that "Romero" for most movie-goers came across not as a religious movie but as a "ringing endorsement of the left-wing politics of the mid80s and a condemnation of US policy supporting the Government of El Salvador."

A third panelist, Father John Catoir, a former Catholic Press Association president and current head of The Christophers media ministry, added that "Romero" was not a product of Hollywood but of the "genius" of its producer, Paulist Father Ellwood Kieser.

magazine, said "Priest" might not have been so controversial if Hollywood produced more positive portrayals of priests alongside it.

"Priest' wouldn't be such an offensive movie to so many people, for instance, if it were balanced by an occasional film showing some of the wonderful things Catholic clergy do," he said.

Mr Medved also called for more involvement by religious people in Hollywood, saying too many see Hollywood as dirty and stay away.

BUILDING TRADES

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UPHOLSTERY: lounge suite repairs, recover dining and kitchen suites, etc. Phone L & K Upholstery 457 6996.

HANDYMAN, painting, gardening, pruning, tree lopping, rubbish re-moved, c lean windows, houses, will do contract work. 377 2314, Martin. Credit cards welcomed.

GARDEN handyman. Tidyups a speciality. Own e quipment and trailer.

Soakwells and reticulation.

Free quotes NOR. Ring Chris 447 9522.

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14/ VA-NAGH'S POOL SERVICE, ph 349 0223. Since 1974.

PERROTT PAINTING Pty Ltd for all your residential, c ommercial painting requirements. Phone Tom Perron 444 1200.

WINDOW CLEANING and fly screen repairs. For a fast efficient and friendly service please call Marcel 444 6797 or 041 263 6797.

MASTER plumber and gas fitter, tic No. 140, bathroom renovations, sewer conversions, all maintenance work, new houses. Good r ates, all hours. Contact John on 457 7771.

PUBLIC NOTICE FIRST Holy Communion and Baptism outfits, for boys and girls. We have the largest and best range in Perth. We are a one stop shop. We have everything you need. We are the specialists in raw silk garments.

The Rosa Linen, 267 William Street, Northbridge Tel & Fax (09) 227 5634 FURNITURE' CARRIED, housefuls, units, flats, o ffices, including single items, small medium and large vans available with 1 or 2 men, all metro areas and near country. Mike Murphy 008 016 310 (free call all areas); or 24 hour 480 5006.

MASSEUSE: Bethany Clinic, professional masseuse, dealing with skeletal and muscular pain, sporting injuries, stress, relaxation and deep tissue massage, acupressure.

Monday to Friday 9.30am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 5pm. Ring Orial 479 7120.

S5 discount pensioners.

This service is definitely non-sexual.

P AINTING & Decorating, reg. no. 3622. For all your W&R Cleaning Services. painting needs, all work Hassle free cleaning guarp rofessionally done and anteed. Office specialists, guaranteed, references vacated premises, bond available. Call Carlo 444 cleaning executive apart6797. ments. Free appraisals.

WINDOW CLEANING, pro- W&R Cleaning Services, fessional job done, prompt 272 Hardey Rd, Belmont. and reliable service, fly Phone 479 4393 all hours. screens cleaned free, FOR a professional photoe stablished 10 years, graphic service on your phone 368 2444 or mobile wedding day, please call 015 994 034.

Ian Leatherland. We offer low deposit, medium forBUILDING estimator/ mat equipment, creative quantifier/handyman, all work_ You keep the negatrades. Phone 483 6042. tives. Phone 362 5360.

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Enquiries/ Appointments 335 7075

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CATCHER

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PERSON to share three bedroom home in Riverton with 26 yr old male.

Located close to shops and public transport, S65 per week.

Phone 457 4675 after 6.30 pm.

Close noon Wednesday.

Phone 227 7778 (24 hours)

HELP WANTED

TO LET

IN MEMORIAM

HELP needed by Daughters of Charity.

V olunteers to assist in Opportunity Shops. Also urgently need good quality household goods, utensils, nick-flacks, etc. Contact Sr. Clare 227 6616.

NEAT 5y0 furnished 4brm, 2bth/wc, c/port, 15 min w alk Rockingham City.

Established homely neighbourhood S100pw. No pets, bond S400 negotiable, parish-priest reference required. Write 31 Hunter Way, Padbury 6025.

OUR sympathies and p rayers to the Rodgers family for the loss of their mother Nellie who passed away on 8 June at Sir Charles Gairdner hospital.

For she is in heaven now with Our Lord. Love from Desmond and Mary, W endy, Genny, Paul and Benjamin, Steve and K atrina. Requiescat in Pace.

A VONDOWN INN, 44 Stirling Terrace, Toodyay 6 566. Ideal for school c amps, retreat for church groups, dormitory style accommodation for 60 plus, also guest-house accommodation for families and travellers, fully THANKS catered, set in 6 acres on the Avon River in historic Toodyay. Phone Sally 574 UNFAILING Prayer to St 2995.

Anthony WINTER SUNSHINE, sum- "Blessed be God in His mer breezes. Comfortable, Angels and in His Saints." self-contained accommo- Holy St Anthony, gentlest of dation by the sea, within saints, your love for God walking distance of shops and charity for his creaand entertainment, S140 tures, made you worthy, for two; S210 for four; for when on earth to possess powers. seven days. (09) 459 8554. miraculous Miracles waited on your IT'S ON AGAIN! Summer work, which you were ever deals. Do you feel the Perth ready to speak for those in or heat in summer. Why don't trouble anxiety. y ou come down to Encouraged by this though Pemberton where it is cool- the answer to my prayer er? We have the special may require a miracle even spot for you to relax and so you are the saint of mirmaybe help feed our farm acles. 0 gentle and loving animals. In Feb and March St Anthony, whose heart stay 5 nights and receive 2 w as ever full of human extra nights free of charge. sympathy, whisper my petiPh freecall 1800 622 290 tion into the ears of the f or more details. Sweet Infant Jesus, who Pemberton Farm Chalets. loved to be folded in your arms and the gratitude of my heart wi l l every me yours. MDG. THANKS

THANKS PRAYER to St Jude. Oh Holy St Jude Apostle and Martyr great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all was invoke your special patron in time of need. To you I have cause from the depths of my heart and humbly beg you to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me now in my present urgent need and grant my earnest petition, in return I promise to make you name known and cause you to be invoked. TL HOLY Spirit you who make one see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideal, you who gives me the divine gift to forgive and f orget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. In this short prayer, I w ant to thank you for everything, and confirm once more, that I never want to be separated from you, no matter how great the material desire may be.

I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen. Thank you Holy Spirit for favours received. EA

POWERFUL Novena of PRAYER to the most Childlike Confidence Blessed Virgin never (This Novena is to be said known to fail, 0 most beau- at the same time every tiful Flower of Mt hour for Nine consecutive Carmel,fruitful vine and hours - just one day). splendour of heaven, 0 Jesus, Who has said, ask Blessed Mother of the Son and you shall receive, seek of God, Immaculate Virgin, and you shall find, knock assist me in my necessities. and it shall be opened to 0 Star of the Sea, help and you, through the intercesshow me herein you are sion of Mary, Thy Most Holy my mother. 0 holy mary, Mother, I knock, I seek, I Mother of God, Queen of ask that my prayer be S INCERE and faithful heaven and earth, I humbly granted. (Make your PRAYER to St Jude. Oh Holy St Jude Apostle and Philipina woman, marriage beseech you from the bot- request). minded, 28 years old seek tom of my heart to suc- 0 Jesus, Who hast said, all Martyr great in virtue and a genuine guy for pen- cour me in my necessities. that you ask of the Father rich in miracles, near kinsfaithful friend, please write to Miss There are none that can in My Name, He will grant man of Jesus Christ, Maria Soza Pagay, Address withstand your power. 0 you through the interces- intercessor of all was Orchids Village Cogon show me here that you are sion of Mary, Thy Most Holy invoke your special patron Ormoc City Leyte 6541 my mother. 0 Mary con- Mother, I humbly and in time of need. To you I PHILLIPINES. ceived without sin, pray for urgently ask Thy Father in have cause from the us who have recourse to Thy Name that my prayer depths of my heart and WANTED! 50 people who three(three times). Holy be granted. (Make you humbly beg you to whom God has given such great need to lose weight. We Mary I place this cause in request). will help you achieve your your hands(three times). 0 Jesus, Who hast said, power to come to my goals with a calorie-con- Thank you for your mercy "Heaven and earth shall assistance. Help me now trolled programme. Country towards me and mine pass away but My work in my present urgent need orders welcome, Amen. This prayer must be shall not pass", through the and grant my earnest petiBankcard/ Visacard/ said for three days and i ntercession of Mary, Thy tion, in return I promise to Mastercard, Call 242 5351 after that the request will Most Holy Mother, I feel make you name known or 493 1154. be granted and the prayer c onfident that my prayer and cause you to be must be published. Thank will be granted. (Make your invoked. you Blessed Virgin for request).

THANKS " answering my prayer. MA PRAYER to St Jude. Oh HOLY Spirit, you who Holy St Jude Apostle and solve all problems, light ST MARTHA I resort to thy Martyr great in virtue and all roads so that I can OH St Joseph whose pro- protections and as a proof rich in miracles, near kinstection is so great, so of my affection and faith I man of Jesus Christ, faithful attain my goal. You gave strong, so prompt before offer the light which I shall intercessor of all who me the divine gift to forthe throne of God. I place burn every Tuesday. invoke you special patron give and forget all evil in you all my interests and Comfort me in all my diffi- in time of need. To you I against me and that in desire. Oh St Joseph do culties through the great have cause from the all instances of my life assist me by you powerful favour that thou dids't enjoy depths of my heart and you are with me. I want intercession and obtain for when the Saviour lodged at humbly beg you to whom this short prayer to me from your divine son all thy house. Intercede for God has given such great thank you for all things spiritual blessings through my family that we may be power to come to my as I confirm once again Jesus Christ, Oh Lord; so p rovided for in all our assistance. here me now that having engaged here necessities. I beseech thee in my present and urgent that I never want to be below your heavenly power to have pity in regard to the need and grant my earnest separated from you I may offer my thanksgiving favour I ask of thee (men- petition, in return I promise ever, in spite of all mateand homage to the most tion your request). I ask to make your name known rial illusions. I wish to be loving of fathers. Oh St thee Satin Martha to over- and cause you to be with you in eternal glory.

Joseph, I never weary con- come these difficulties as invoked. 3 Our Father, 3 Thank you for your templating you and Jesus thou didn't the dragon at hail Marys, 3 Gloria's. DG. mercy towards me. asleep in you arms. I dare thy feet. (one Our Father, Grateful not approach while he Hail Mary and Gloria). (Light MAY the Sacred Heart of thanks reposes near your heart. a candle while saying this Jesus be adored, glorified, Press him in my name and prayer on a Tuesday.) For loved and preserved THANKS to Saint Jude for kiss his fine head for me, favours granted publication throughout the world now prayer answered in urgent and ask him to return the must be promised. It has and forever. Sacred Heart need, all can rely on St. kiss when I draw my dying never been known to fail. of Jesus, pray for us. St Jude for help. Please keep breath. St Joseph, patron Thank you St Martha. Jude, helper of the help- us in your prayers. CV. of departing souls, pray for Teresa. As promised my less, pray for us. Say this for us. Amen. grateful thanks to Holy St prayer nine times a day GRATEFUL thanks to the never This has days. nine Jude for favours received. "mercy of Jesus" 'the King MY grateful thanks to the Teresa known to fail. Publication of Mercy" for my cure.

Most Sacred Heart, Our must be promised. That Thanks also to St Jude for Lady, St Jude and Holy you St Jude for favours prayers answered.

Spirit for many favours THANK YOU Our Lady of granted. MH K nock, Lourdes and Mt received.

MY grateful thanks to Dear Mary, please keep the Carmel for favours granted THANKYOU to the Most the Most Sacred Heart, family under your protec- - a new grand-daughter. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Our Lady, St Jude and tion.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I blessed Lady, and Sts Jude Your ever grateful child. place my trust in Thee. and Anthony and the Holy Holy Spirit for many Spirit for prayers answered.

MPS. EPS. favours received.

CATHOLJC single persons in 25/35 age group interested in forming a group to share rent a house.

P ropose organising a C atholic spirited home.

Please record message for Lloyd 019 685 668.

THANKS

ORATION to the Saint of the Impossible.

0 excellent St Rita, worker of miracles, from the Sanctuary in Cascia, where in all thy beauty thou sleepest in peace, where thy r elics exhale breaths of paradise turn thy merciful eyes on me who suffer and weep!...

THANKS Thous seest my poor bleeding heart surrounded HOLY spirit, thou who by thorns... Thou seest, 0 makes me see everything dear Saint, that my eyes and shows me the way to have no more tears to reach the ideal. You ho shed, so much have I wept! give me the divine gift to Weary and discouraged as f orgive and forget the I am, I feel the very prayers wrong that is done to me dying on my lips.... Must I and who are in all thus despair in the crisis of instances in my life are with my life? Then honour thy me. I want in this short name, procuring for me prayer to thank you for from God the favour that I everything and conform I ask - Here ask the favor never want to be separated you wish to obtain. from you no matter how Everyone praises thy glogreat the material desires ries, everyone tells of the may be. I want to be with most amazing miracles you and my loved one in performed through thee, your perpetual glory. Amen. must I alone be disappointed because thous hast not Thank you Holy Spirit TL heard me?) Ah no! Pray MAY the Sacred Heart of then, pray for me to thy Jesus be adored, glorified sweet Lord Jesus that He throughout the world, now be moved to pity by my and forever. Sacred Heart troubles and that, through of Jesus, pray for us. St thee, 0 good St Rita, I may Jude, worker of miracles, obtain what my heart so pray for us. St Jude, helper fervently desires. three Our of the hopeless, pray for us. Father, Hail Mary and Glory.

Say this prayer nine times a Those wishing to offer a day. By the eight day you novena should repeat this prayers will be answered. prayer for 9 days running.

Say it for nine days. It has never been known to fail. MANY thanks Sacred Publ ication must be heart Our lady, St Jude, St promised. Thank you St A nthony, Little Flower, for Jude and Our Lady. FM. p rayers answered. Do HOLY Spirit you who solve p lease continue to take all problems, light all roads care of us. RL so that I can attain my goal.

You gave me the divine gift G RATEFUL Thanks to to forgive and forget all evil S acred Heart, blessed against me and that in all Virgin Mary, St Jude and St for favours instances of my life you are Joseph with me. I want in this short received. R.T. prayer to thank you for all things as I confirm once again that I never want to THANKYOU to the Most be separated from you Sacred Heart of Jesus, ever in spite of all material Our blessed Lady, and illusions. I wish to be with Sts Jude and Anthony you in eternal glory. Thank and the Holy Spirit for you for your mercy towards prayers answered me and mine. Amen. Ivy.

All day Ns all night!

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22 77 77 8 Place your advertisements NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! Save time! Save money!

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The Record, June 15 1995

15

ACCESS &REALTY. #

Do you have special housing needs?

Does your home have special modifications?

Are you thinking of buying or selling?

Do you need professional Advice?

Are you having difficulties with finance?

We care - try the difference?

Phone Kate, Mark, David or Shirley 474 1414 all hours

CARDS GALORE Garden City Shopping Centre

and

Carousel Shopping Centre

Have a large range of RELIGIOUS GIFTS

Please call in and see us.

Phone 364 8828, 458 4048

Something to SAY? Something to SELL?

ADVERTISE!

This space would cost $18

(ctuhiBamani) YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT

PRINCIPALS MICHAEL QUIN & KAREENA BALLARD PROPERTY SALES - RENTALS - STRATA MANAGERS

SOUTH OF THE RIVER

474 1533 WE CARE! TRINITY COLLEGE

OPEN DAY Sunday 2 July 1995

THE PARISH SCENE

1.;12,LA .. .

1=I21 . MUM": • .IMIMIENZ•M•••-fflUM

APOSTLES OF CHRIST CHARISMATIC FELLOWSHIP NIGHT

On Wednesday 21st June, 1995 at 7pm, Sts John and Paul, Catholic Church, Willetton.

R efreshments and Fellowship after. All Welcome.

HEAUNG RETREAT A Healing Life's Journey Retreat

will be held at Presentation Prayer House, 6 Reserve Street, C laremont, to deal with lost hopes and dreams as well as hurtful experience. The retreat is a prayer experience, silent with daily input and daily individual accompaniment. June 22, 8pm to June 30, 9am. Enquiries Sr. Paula Quinn. Telephone 384 2979.

MEN'S EVENINGS

Five Tuesdays, commencing 20th June, 7.15pm, led by Marius Dawson 0. Carm., Exploring Masculine Spirituality for today through the symbols of Old Testament Men. Enquiries: Upper Room, 451 2712.

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS,

6.50pm Holy Rosary, Litanies of the Sacred Heart and the Blessed Virgin.

7.30prn Holy Mass and C onsecration to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart f ollowed by Benediction.

Principal Celebrant: His Grace, Archbishop Barry. J. Hickey.

Friday 23rd June, 1995 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Victoria Square, Perth. (Novena to Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart - 15th to 23rd June - after weekday 12.10pm Mass, after Saturday 6.30pm Mass and after Sunday 7.30am Mass. Novena Prayer will be the recitation of the Holy Rosary.)

GERMAN MASS

Every first Sunday of the month is a German speaking Mass 11am in Francis Xaverius Church Windsor Street, East Perth, directly opp. the the Railway Station.

DIVINE MERCY CENTRE

Are you interested in an education for boys which offers: RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COMMITTED TEACHERS STRONG DISCIPLINE ACADEMIC ACHEIVEMENT MUSIC EXCELLENCE PSA SPORT STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY Then come along to the Trinity College Open Day To be held at the College on Sunday 2 July commencing at 10am Please phone the Principal's Secretary on 325 3655 for a Programme. Places for Year 4 1996 are still available.

Hello Albany . . . We're as close as your phone

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING

(008) 11 4010 (local call charge) (Metro callers please use 221 3866) Natural Family Planning Centre 29 Victoria square Member of the Australian Covell of Natural Family Planning Inc.

16

The Record, June 15 1995

(Cnr Morrison Rd & Great Northern Hwy Midland) is open every Saturday and Sunday between 2pm and 4pm.

Programme for Holy Hour 2.303.30pm: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Three O'Clock prayers, Divine Mercy praises, Consecration to Jesus and Mary, Benediction (Latin on Saturday's).

Enquiries: John 457 7771, Adam 448 0002.

ST MARY'S WEST END.

105 years of continuous service to the children of Townsville will end this year when St Mary's School, West End, closes its doors for the last time.

To mark this sad event, the school has planned a reunion of everyone associated with St. Mary's over the years.

Scheduled for the weekend of 14-15 October, 1995, the celebrations will include a dinner dance, celebration mass, luncheon, carnival and open day.

Please contact the school on (077) 773 420 for more details.

MARIAN MOVEMENT

The Monthly Cenacle of the Marian Movement will be held at St Paul's Church Swanbourne on Tues. 20th June at 10.30am.

FR ERNEST ROGERS WISHES TO THANK

the priests, nuns and sisters, relatives and friends who were present at his 50th anniversary Mass in March, and the many w ell-wishers here and in the eastern states who sent him c ongratulatory wishes.

BULLSBROOK PILGRIMAGE

Meditated Rosary, Homily and Benediction will be held Sunday June 25 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 a nd from Bullsbrook, via Marangaroo, Tuart Hill, Perth, Highgate and Midland. 339 4015 for Fremantle bus.

Sacri Assoc. Inc. P.O. BOX 311 TUART HILL WA 6060.

ALL NIGHT VIGIL Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Friday June 23 at the Church "Virgin Mary Mother of the Church" 36 Chittering Rd. Bullsbrook. Holy Mass 8pm followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, concluding with Holy Mass Saturday morning June 24 at 6am.

The purpose of this Vigil will be to pray for peace in the world and for those who approve of euthanasia and abortion.

For enquiries please ring 444 2285, 447 3292.

Sacri Assoc. Inc. P.O. Box 311 Tuart Hill WA 6060.

CONVENTION '96 COMPETITION January 14-20, 1996 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 .

Logo can be a maximum of 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 141 North Perth WA 6006 For more information call 328 9622

Elaine 1995 THEME: "REACH OUT" WHERE:

JOHN XXIII COLLEGE JOHN XXIII AVENUE CLAREMEONT

WHEN:

SATURDAY JULY 15TH 2PM SUNDAY JULY 16TH CLOSING MASS 4PM, ALL WELCOME CELEBRANT: ARCHBISHOP HICKEY

COST:

$25.00 each

BRING:

biscuits/cake, sleeping bag, pillow, toiletries

POST:

REGISTRATION FORM BELOW BY 7TH JULY TO ANTIOCH, P.O. BOX 194, NORTH PERTH 6006

REGISTRATION FORM PHONE:

NAME: P AYMENT ATTACHED:

$25.00

(YES)

(NO)

GROUP: If under 18 years of age, your parent or guardian MUST SIGN the statement below. to attend the Flame I hereby give my consent for Weekend. I advise where applicable of my child's disabilities (in space below), such as epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, others.

I acknowledge that the organisers, while exercising all reasonable care, will not be liable for any injury or damages whether arising out of contract tort or otherwise. In case of accident or illness please endeavour to contact the following persons on phone numbers given below: Father

Mother

Emergency No

Family Doctor

Signed DISABILITIES ADVISED:

Date