The Record Newspaper 07 December 1995

Record PERTH, WA: December 7, 1995

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What's Inside . . .

Archbishop Hickey reflects on the significance of the Second Vatican Council on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its closing; Mgr Keating tells of being a student at the Council - Pages 8-9 Recipes to fire up Christmas cheer - Page 11 Explanation of women's ordination ruling - Page 6 Marian Movement gives hope to priests in today's turbulent Church - Page 2

Mazenod a model of Advent: Pone

By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) Pope John Paul said the Catholic Church's newest saint, Bishop Eugene de Mazenod, was an exemplary model of what the Advent season is about: preaching salvation to all people while preparing for Christ's second coming.

The Pope canonised the bishop, who was the French founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who serve in schools and parishes in Perth, during Mass last Sunday in Rome with Oblates, their supporters and friends from around the world.

Pilgrims present included Oblate and Fremantle parish priest. Father John Hannah. Mrs Olga Yaksich, the rector of Mazenod College. Lesmurdie, Fr Peter Daly, and Peter Leiba.

Another West Australian connection is that Kalgoorlie native.

Fr James FitzPatrick, is the promoter for cause of the sainthood of Eugene de Mazenod.

"Eugene de Mazenod felt, in a very profound way, the universality of the mission of the Church.

He knew that Christ wanted to unite himself to all of humankind," the Pope said in his homily.

"His canonisation today, the first Sunday of Advent, helps us to understand better the meaning of the season of the liturgical

St Eugene de MAMININII

year. which begins today." he said. During Advent. Christians prepare to recall Christ's birth and the beginnings of salvation open to all people while taking Individual and collective steps to prepare for his coming again in glory and judgment, the Pope said.

By founding the Oblates in the early 1800s. the Pope said. St Eugene showed how seriously he took the words of the Bible that ask how anyone can believe unless they have heard the Gospel.

Appointed bishop of Marseille, France, in 1837 St Eugene was a model of something clearly explained by the Second Vatican Council 100 years after his death: "The mission of every bishop, in union with the See of Peter, has a universal character," the Pope said.

"De Mazenod was aware that

the mandate of every bishop and of every local church is in itself missionary," he said.

"We thank God for the great transformations which occurred through the work of this bishop," Pope John Paul said. "His influence was not limited to the age in which he lived, but continues to work in our limes as well."

The Pope also met last Sunday with the bishops, Oblates and pilgrims who had come to Rome for the canonisation.

Among the French pilgrims were relatives of the saint. The canonisation of a family member, the Pope said, must make clearer than ever the truth that people are prepared for holiness and living the Christian life within their families.

Also during the audience. the Pope told today's Oblate priests and bmthers that their mission was as great as it was when St. Eugene founded his order.

"An immense field for the apostolate still lies open before you; this is both exhilarating and demanding," he said. -Evangelising the poor,- which is the motto of the congregation, "remains the primary missionary concern of the Church."

"The holiness of your lives makes you zealous missionaries for the evangelization of Christians and non-Christians," the Pope told them. "By your community life, by faithfulness to your founder, you will not cease to bear fruit, as the presence of many bishops from your congregation clearly attests."

Date for beatification of Edmund Rice set Edmund Rice, founder of the Irish Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers, will be beatified by Pope John Paul in St Peter's Square in Rome on October 6 next year.

Rice, who lived from 1762 to 1844, was a wealthy businessman living in County Waterford in Ireland.

After the death of his young wife, he searched for "something that was yet wanting for him," and was touched by the sight of poor teenagers on the streets of Waterford.

Aware of the work of the Presentation Sisters, founded by Irishwoman Nano Nagle for poor girls, he formed a group of men to look after poverty-stricken boys and modelled the community on the Presentation pattern of life.

The embryonic congregation based its approach on community living, prayer and service of others.

Edmund Rice's work flourished to the point where the Christian Brothers spread throughout the world and became one of the

Edmund Ignatius Rice

most successful and well-known Religious congregations of its kind.

Often linked with education, the Brothers came to Australia in 1868 and arrived in Perth in 1894.

Today their educational enterprises include one of Perth's premier boy's schools, Aquinas College in Attadale, and the agricultural College teaching teenage boys farm management skills at Tarclun near Geraldton.

Aranmore are winners

Diaconate 'no part-time job' VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Even if a permanent deacon holds a job outside the Church to support his family, he is not a part-time church worker, Pope John Paul II has said.

"The deacon is not a part-time employee or ecclesial functionary, but a minister of the Church," the pope said late last month during an audience with members of and consultants to the Congregation for Clergy At its plenary meeting last week, the congregation was drafting a set of guidelines for the selection, training, ministry

and life of permanent deacons.

There are 20,000 permanent deacons in the world, with a number in Australia.

Pope John Paul told the congregation the guidelines would offer "a providential practical orientation" for the life and ministry of deacons, addressing questions or problems which have arisen since the permanent diaconate was re-established in the Latin-rite Church by Pope Paul VI in 1967 Two of the areas highlighted by the Pope were: the identity of deacons as distinct both from

the laity and from priests and bishops, and; the family life and obligations of married deacons, including the ban on remarriage in case of the death of the wife of a deacon.

"The vocation of the permanent deacon is a great gift of God to the Church and constitutes an important source of enrichment for its mission," the Pope said.

The theological, liturgical and canonical identity of the permanent deacon arose from the sacrament of ordination and must be respected, he said.

Continued on Page 2

Aranmore Catholic College in Leederville claims to be one of the most multicultural campuses in the Catholic school system and this, and the work of 17 students has enabled them to win a state-wide competition by The West Australian newspaper to create an English-language newspaper. The editors of the Aranmore Times, Cassandra Janeczko (I) and Marie Botsis, pose with the winning certificates. The competition was judged on a variety of factors including the quality of the journalism, the spread of stories, editorial and advertising content as well as photography and layout qualities.

Marian movement comes to the aid of priests

By Peter Rosengren Consecration to Mary, love for and union with the Pope, bringing people back to Christ through devotion to His Mother, Mary.

In today's Church, beset by confusionand, in many quarters, dismissive of 'oldfashioned' practices such as Marian devotion, these are not automatically regarded as the essential or good things they once were.

But these are the three fundamental commitments of the Marian Movement of Priests, a worldwide movement which began in 1972 when its founder, an Italian priest, Don Steffan() Gobbi, claims Mary manifested herself to him when he visited the shrine of Fatima.

According to Fr Gobbi, Our Lady told him that the world, the Church and priests were in a state of crisis.

Fr Gobbi says Mary asked him to get everyone to make the act of consecration to herself and to return to union with the Pope.

From there, Fr Gobbi returned to Italy and began to hold meetings with other priests and from this small beginning a worldwide movement sprang with remarkable quickness.

Today, the movement has spread around the whole world and numbers approximately 100,000 priests, bishops and cardinals among those who have made the three commitments Mary asked for.

Millions of laity have also been inspired to Mary, which he gave to his spiritual direcanswer its call for a return to devotion to tor who advised him to publish them. the Mother of God. He did so, and millions of copies of the Its spread has been, paradoxically, unob- resulting book - Our Lady Speaks to Her trusive. There are no 'PR' machines lurk- Beloved Priests - have since been distribing in the background, no glossy uted in many languages in a succession of brochures or highly publicised prayer editions as Fr Gobbi continues to receive meetings and crusades. the locutions.

This spectacular but silent revolution in Fr Mcllraith said Fr Gobbi has always the Church is one of the things which submitted his book for the Church's tends to convince the onlooker that this is approval, which has twice intervened and an authentically Catholic phenomenon. halted publication to examine its contents Pope John Paul seems to think so too. but then subsequently approved it for Each year he celebrates Mass with Fr publication.

Gobbi on the anniversary of Fr Gobbi's Fr McIlraith said there were two main ordination. problems facing priests today.

Father Donal McIlraith, a Columban "There's two problems,I suppose. One is priest who has worked in Japan, America, the crisis of faith. (People say) 'its the Australia, and who is now vice-Rector of the Pacific Regional seminary in Fiji where twenty first century now and can we realhe teaches New Testament to 125 semi- ly believe all that stuff about the incarnanarians, attested to the simplicity and the tion and resurrection and angels and the reality of the movement's message when devil - it that really on for twenty first cenhe visited Perth recently to talk to priests tury people?'

"And of course the answer is 'yes' they and laity.

He said the movement was helping to can, completely - (so its a problem of) cristem the crisis of faith - the abandonment sis of faith."

"And the second one then is the secularof belief in the traditional teachings of the Church - and another crisis, the seculari- isation of priests. We've lost our taste for the things of God and we have a great taste sation of priestly identity.

He is what is termed the 'Responsible' for the things of the world." This manifestfor the Marian Movement in Oceania and ed itself in concern for good works and ,in his own words, is a convinced member social action at the expense of the essentials of the Christian faith. of the movement."

He said that in 1983 Fr Gobbi began "The central part of the revelation - we're receiving what are called 'interior locu- not passionate about it any more - we get tions.' internal communications from passionate about other things," he said.

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Fr McIlraith: hope for priests

Over 250 people gathered in the wheatbelt farming town of Moore last Friday night for Mass and to celebrate a rare milestone in the special life of someone they all obviously regarded as a friend.

The occasion was the 50th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood of Father Basil Noseda OSB, currently parish priest at Moora.

People came from near and far to help Fr Basil celebrate his remarkable career.

So many were present that Mass was conducted in the Town Hall rather than the church.

Among their numbers were plenty who had been baptised, instructed and married

Jean Wilcock (left) Fr Noseda's cousin, Fr Noseda with 8-month-old Sinead Mills whom Fr Noseda baptised on Sunday, Eva McLean, the cousin from Lindfield in Sydney who was the only person at the anniversary who was also present at his ordination 50 years ago, and Sue Mills, Sinead's mother.

by the young-looking septuagenarian, including two of his cousins from NSW - one of whom was present for his

ordination.

The casual onlooker could have been forgiven for disbelieving the occasion was a fiftieth

anniversary - perhaps a thirtieth, just maybe, but not a fiftieth.

But Church sources who would be in a position to know said that Fr Basil's longtime and enthusiastic Involvement in Engaged Encounter was one of the things that kept him looking and acting so young.

In addition to his parish duties Fr Basil has been involved for many years in the Engaged and Marriage Encounter movement.

Everyone adjourned to Moora's Civic Centre for a slap-up country feast which included a song written especially for the occasion.

It was good old-fashioned country hospitality at its best.

CEO accepts Port Kennedy's 'Firsts' take the cake TEE release The Catholic Education Office has accepted the decision of the Secondary Education Authority to release data relating to the performance of school students in the 1995 TEE under the obligation of the Freedom of Information Act. But CEO director, Therese Temby said there was a danger that the information could be misinterpreted unless accompanied by further explanation.

The SEA plans to release the school figures on January 3.

"The results of the top 25 per cent of students presents a very narrow view of the outcomes of education," Mrs Temby said.

She warned that presentation of the data in a limited way could lead the conummity to draw conclusions which did not reflect the full picture of Catholic educational endeavours.

"The distillation of a 'league table' based solely on TEE scores fails to Fr Richard Doyle of St Bernadette's parish, Port Kennedy, with the parish's first batch of Rrst acknowledge the other types of edu- Communicants recently, all ready to dive into the celebratory feast after Mass. Photo by Roy Croft cational programmes offered by schools and their efforts to provide students with a holistic education," Continued from Page 1 aimed at helping and serving them," the she said. "This data will represent "The sacrament of orders has, in fact, a pope said. However, all three are conthe TEE performance of Year 12 stu- nature and effects of its own in each grade: ferred through a sacramental ordination. dents in only one year . . . . a far episcopacy, priesthood and diaconate," he "By virtue of the sacrament received, an more long-term view needs to be said. Catholic teaching holds that only two indelible spiritual character is impressed, taken and factors which impact on grades include a "ministerial participation which marks the deacon in a permanent student; results need to be given in the priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and real way as a minister of Christ," the due consideration," Mrs Temby said. and the presbyterate. The diaconate is Pope said.

Diaconate not a part-time job: Pope

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C HIPPERS 2 The Record, December 7, 1995

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Kavita Ratna - here to talk about Indian child poverty and what can be done

By Colleen McGuiness-Howard Boycotting products produced by child labour isn't always the answer, according to Indian national Kavita Ratna recently out here to give presentations at the Child Labour Consultation held in Melbourne last week In fact, with a nervous Indian government prepared to buckle under outside pressure because it's a foreign exchange matter, industries affected by this may deploy the children in other areas or the whole sector "goes underground!" she revealed. Then, they are much more difficult to find and monitor.

Alternatively the children may be dumped and become jobless.

With a population of 900 million people, including 111 million working children in a country a quarter of Australia's size, there are many problems to be addressed to rectify the child labour market.

The children, Ms Ratna asserts, are frequently exploited and

oppressed "with no labour rules for them, because if they protest, they have to leave."

India is 90% rural. A downturn in rural areas combined with the effects of government decisions and the entry into the market of multinationals with superior technology and manpower, have combined to force rural families, and individual children, into the cities looking for work. Child labour ranks have swollen with whole families forced to work to contribute to family Income.

In the case of an individual child. he is devoid of familial or any other support, and is forced to survive as best he can, she said.

If the child is a girl, whether within a family or society generally, her lot is much worse because of the entrenched stereotypes.

"Girls are very much second class citizens," Ms Ratna claims, and it is expected within society and her family that she forgoes everything for the boy.

Regarding education, Ms Ratna said only 23% of children (mostly boys) attend primary school, but in any case she considers the syllabus to be largely irrelevant "because at the end of it he probably won't get a job anyway!"

Child labour is endemic not only in India, she stresses, but also surrounding countries such as Sri Lanka. Pakistan. Bangladesh and Nepal. She also believes it is creeping into developed countries such as America - inspired by greed and consumerism.

Despite the magnitude of the incidence of child labour, however, Ms Ratna believes that hope lies with the groups who are working to affect a change in government attitude and direction.

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

So I asked her."

Maranatha students graduate We will all be required to - but on those things St Paul Christ - that they are not to live account for our lives when we was telling us Our Lord spoke the 'way of the world' hut to die, Archbishop Barry Hickey of many times in His life: how live in a very special way whicli told graduates of the we lived the Gospel, how we is sharing in the very life of Archdiocesan Adult Faith loved one another, how we Christ Himself," he said.

Education program run by the have gone out to those in need, Archbishop Hickey has been Maranatha Institute on Monday how we have given clothes to a regular visitor at the Catholic night, and the account will be the naked, how we have given Education Centre over recent given on the basis of whether drink to the thirsty, given food weeks. On Monday night he we have been true to living our to the hungry, visited people in was back at the CEO Chapel to faith. prison, given shelter to the congratulate and encourage the Archbishop Hickey was homeless ... These are the graduates of the Maranatha speaking to the 34 people who things we will be examined Institute's courses. had graduated or completed on," Archbishop Hickey said.

Maranatha - which means courses with the Institute.

During his address Archbish- Come, Lord Jesus - provides a "We are reminded in the op Hickey emphasised the dif- range of Certificate and Gospel that at the Last Day we ferences between the spiritual Diploma Courses as well as will be summoned to give an and other aspects of life - the general interest lectures for any account of ourselves. That will matters which differentiate a adult in the Archdiocese who is not be on how many skills we Christian life from every other committed to a deeper explohave developed, and how much 'way of life'. ration and growth in the spiriknowledge we have acquired - it is to be a characteristic of a tual aspects of their life. It can as important as these things are Christian people - followers of be contacted on (09) 388 4311.

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A time for reflection

More than just a season of goodwill and giving, Christmas is a time to share. And a time to reflect upon our family around the world.

In particular, it's a time to think of people in Third World countries ... their own, or perhaps as refugees in someone else's ... living their lives with a minimum of shelter, comforts and possessions. Or with none.

Will you share your Christmas with those in other countries who are homeless, hungry or who suffer oppression and injustice?

Through our sharing, may we understand that the greatest gift of all is to love one another.

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The Record, December 7, 1995

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[TOMORROW TODAY

L For US youth violence Key to young is an ever-present reality to be genuine Alison Chalon continues her reflections on the question of Church community for young people It is no secret that the basic desire of all young people is to find a place where they belong. It is this assurance of acceptance that fosters in the individual a sense of identity and a belief in their own ability to succeed.

Most importantly, that feeling of belonging, of knowing that they are making a worthy contribution to a particular group or community, allows a young person to establish their vision and set about achieving their goals.

The knowledge that they exist in a secure environment where the people around them are going to support them, irrespective of their mistakes or weaknesses is what gives young people the confidence to step out and realise their own potential.

For a Christian young person, that need for acceptance, belonging and support. are second only to the desire to be encouraged in their faith.

There are countless stories told by young Catholic individuals in Perth, of the times when other youths and adults saw through

the nonchalant masks and shrugs of indifference. Somehow, these friends, parents, teachers or relatives managed to reach these young people in spite of their self-constructed barriers and were able to introduce them to the God they were longing to meet.

On many of those occasions, it was that persistent friendship and gentle encouragement that made all the difference to those young people. Experience has proved that personal relationship is the greatest testimony of the love of Christ.

When that friendship is offered amidst the security and friendly nurturing of a Christian community, the result is genuine, uninhibited spiritual growth.

The question that lies on the hearts and minds of those of us who desire to see young people's lives enriched by this community experience is :"How do we draw young people in: how do we provide an atmosphere where they will feel comfortable and confident enough to pray, to worship and to express their experiences and struggles in living the faith lifestyle?

The fundamental key in reaching young Christian people is to be genuine. A young person's

SEIZE THE DAYREGISTRATION FORM Please Return to REPLY PAID 16, Catholic Youth Convention, P.O.Box 141, North Perth, WA 6006.

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response to others is directly influenced by their perception of the way in which others live the lifestyle of faith.

In the first book of Timothy.

Paul encourages us to be examples to others in faith, in life, in love, in speech and in purity, regardless of our age. The fifth chapter of Ephesians encourages us to imitate God as his children and walk in love.

For a young person, that need for genuine guidance and support from others who are also trying to live a Christ-centred life is so important.

A parish-based youth group can provide much of that support and encouragement. Parish communities around Perth that are currently providing that supportbase for Catholic youth are seeing the fruits of that dynamic between the life and spirit of the parish, and the blossoming faith of its young people.

In the coming weeks, various suggestions and recommendations will be made on how we as a Church can effectively provide the kind of community that our young people are searching for, and in so doing, continue to build the foundations of the future of our Church.

WASHINGTON (CNS) -Thousands of Catholic high school students signed and mailed anti-violence pledge cards to the US bishops during their annual autumn meeting in Washington.

The young people signed their cards during the October 29 national observance of World Youth Day in the United States.

Leading up to the youth day anti-violence workshops, Masses and walks for peace were held around the country, culminating in thousands signing the pledges.

By the start of the bishops' November 13-16 meeting, close to 9,000 pledge cards had been sent. They continued to arrive daily at the bishops' headquarters in Washington.

Washington-area youth delivered a sampling of the pledge cards on November 13 to Baltimore Cardinal William Keeler.

The pledge cards are a "natural for youth involvement." said Paul Henderson, associate director for NCCB the Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth.

"Youth today experience violence everywhere they turn: home, school, malls, walking down the streets, at work." he said in a statement. The violence they experience makes them "talk about planning their funerals instead of their futures," he added.

The bishops' laity committee

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and its youth subcommittee see the effort as a multiyear one, added Henderson. 'The more we can help teens learn peaceful ways of conflict resolution and rejection of violence -- the better off society will be."

The mailing precedes the 1995 National Catholic Youth Conference where 10,0(X) youth were to gather in Minneapolis from November 16-19 to address violence in society.

During the conference, about 500 delegates to the National Youth Congress were to meet with more than 30 US bishops to develop a strategy for dealing with violence. The theme of the congress is "Be Peacemakers and Apostles of Hope."

Wendell Johnson. 16 years old. has witnessed violence throughout his young life in his hometown of Belleville, Illinois.

But the dangers of gang life became even more real to him when his best friend went from being a religious honour student to a drunken troublemaker who died one night, drunk, behind the wheel.

"It was peer pressure," said Johnson. who also spoke at the congress. "He was trying to find his own identity."

Such tragedies underscore the urgent need to address the problem of violence in America.

Johnson said.

'There's always hope," he said.

"I've never felt inferior to any problem. If people can cause a problem. they can solve it, too."

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The silence of Pope Pius XII Pius XII: The Pope, The. Jews and the Nazis, ABC, Monday December 11, 8.30pm Reviewed by Tony Evans

T

hroughout this fiftieth anniversary year of the liberation of the Nazi death camps in 1945, and the revelation of the full horror of the holocaust we have been searching for reasons why that most tragic of episodes in our century could have been allowed to happen in a supposedly Christian, civilised, world.

Now that we know the full extent of the horror of the gas chambers, we can only cry out in disbelief, "why did we allow it to happen?"'

The BBC documentary, to be shown on ABC television on Monday I1 th December at 8.30 p.m.. entitled Pius XII: The Pope, The Jews and the Nazis, (a series with the generic title. Reputations taking the place of Four Corners in recess) is not the first time Pius Xll's war-time policies have come under critical scrutiny.

Originally we had the controversial play. The Deputy, by German dramatist, Rolf Hochhuth, followed by books and newspaper articles either supporting Hochhuth's thesis, or denying his accusations.

A fairly recent, authoritative work on the subject, Fr John Morley's Vatican Diplomacy and the Jews during The Holocaust, relies on released Vatican documents and the television documentary makes selective use of these. But, as with most television documentaries because of the limitations of the medium and not necessarily because of prejudice - it tends to oversimplify the issues.

That Pope Pius XII appeared to ignore urgent pleas from Catholic leaders and informants in Germanoccupied countries to speak out in condemnation of the persecution of the Jews is a matter of historical fact. (That the Vatican was reliably informed about the extent of the genocide is also undeniable).

And yet. with the possible excep-

lion of his Christmas message of

1942 in which he referred to "all

those who, because of their nationality or their race, are being subjected to overwhelming trials and sometimes, through no fault of their own, are doomed to extermination", Pius XII maintained a public neutrality.

In our present age when Pope John Paul II is uncompromising in his condemnation of the injustice and immorality of world conflicts whether they be in Bosnia, Rwanda, or Ethiopia - Pius Xll's silence, on the surface anyway, seems incomprehensible.

The documentary includes the case for the defence- if a little sparingly. Historians now agree that the Pope feared that open condemnation of Nazi atrocities would have increased their wrath and led to reprisals against all Catholics indiscriminately.

And there is evidence of this, not only when the Dutch hierarchy issued a strongly-worded Pastoral Letter, but from individual testimony: "...The detained priests trembled every time news reached us of some protest by a religious authority", wrote one inmate of Dachau.

Pius Xll's less public solicitude and aid for the victims of Nazi cruelty of whatever nationality, religion or race is now better known.

He and his network of Vatican officials are credited with saving and harbouring many thousands of refugees. Pius XII feared that these activities would be jeopardised if he openly condemned the Nazi regime.

The BBC documentary includes compelling historical footage, some fascinating, some disturbing, and Catholics, after viewing the programme, may conclude that the case against Pius XII is pretty bleak.

But viewers should remember that this account of Pius and the Jews is not the complete story. The printed word, not the television screen, is the best medium, for a more comprehensive, fairer and less emotional enquiry into Pius XlIs war-time policies.

For you and those you help and love

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The Record, December 7, 1995

5

Teaching proclaims equal dignity of sexes

The following is an explanatory paper published by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith after it -tiled on the infallibility of Pope j'ohn Paul us recent declaration (in the ordination of women.

The Record publishes it in full to help readers understand the truth of the Pope's declaration. publication of the Reply of the Congregation for the he Doctrine of the Faith to a dubium regarding the reason for which the teaching contained in the Apostolic Letter Ordina tio Sacerdotalis is to be considered definitive tenenda seems the appropriate moment to offer certain reflections.

The ecclesiological significance of this Apostolic Letter was underscored even by its date of publication, for it was on that day, 22 May 1994, that the Church celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Its importance, however, could be discovered above all in the concluding words of the Letter "in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare Archbishop Hickey ordaining Nguyen van Huynh to the priesthood last that the Church has no authority month in St Mary's Cathedral whatsoever to confer priestly hold the two together, only thus ordination on women and that tion against them.

Some objected that it is not evi- will we be able to deepen our this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful" dent from Revelation that such comprehension of God's plan an exclusion was the will of regarding woman and regarding (n. 4).

The Pope's intervention was Christ for his Church and others the priesthood - and hence, necessary not simply to reiterate had questions concerning the regarding the mission of woman the validity of a discipline assent owed to the Letter. In the Church. observed in the Church from the Certainly, the understanding of If however, perhaps by allowing beginning, but to confirm a doctrine "preserved by the constant and universal 'fradition of the Church and firmly taught by the Magisterium in its more recent documents", which "pertains to the Church's divine constitution the reasons for which the Church oneself to be conditioned too does not have the power to con- much by the ways and spirit of itselr (n. 4).

In this way, the Holy Father fer priestly ordination on women the age, one should assert that a contradiction exists between Intended to make clear that the can be deepened further.

Such reasons, for example, have these two truths, the way of teaching that priestly ordination is to be reserved solely to men been set out already in the progress in the intelligence of the could not be considered "open to Declarati Inter insigniores (15 faith would be lost In the Letter debate" and neither could one October 1976), issued by the Ordinatio attribute to the decision of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Sacerdotalis the Pope focuses Church "a merely disciplinary the Faith and approved by Pope attention on the figure of the Paul VI, and in a number of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of force" (ibid).

The fruits of this Letter have documents of John Paul II (for God, and Mother of the Church.

The fact that she "received neibeen evident since its publica- example Christifideles laid, n. 51; tion. Many consciences which in Mulieris dignitatem, n. 26; as ther the mission proper to the good faith had been disturbed, well as in the Catechism of the Apostles nor the ministerial priesthood clearly shows that the more by doubt than by uncer- Catholic Church, n. 1577).

But in any case it cannot be for- non-admission of women to tainty, found serenity once again thanks to the teaching of the gotten that the Church teaches, priestly ordination cannot mean as an absolutely fundamental that women are of lesser dignity, Holy Father.

However, some perplexity con- truth of Christian anthropology, nor can it be construed as distinued, not only among those the equal personal dignity of crimination against them" (n. 3). who, distant from the Catholic men and women, and the neces- Diversity of mission in no way faith, do not accept the existence sity of overcoming and doing compromises equality of personof a doctrinal authority within away with "every type of discrim- al dignity.

Furthermore, to understand that the Church - that is, a Magist- ination regarding fundamental erium sacramentally invested rights" (Gaudium of spes, n I 29). this teaching implies no injustice It is in the light of this truth that or discrimination against women, with the authority of Christ (cf. one can seek to understand bet- one has to consider the nature of Lumen gentium n. 21)-but also among some of the faithful to ter the teaching that women can- the ministerial priesthood itself, which is a service and not a posiwhom it continued to seem that not receive priestly ordination.

A correct theology can prescind tion of privilege or human power the exclusion of women from the priestly ministry represents a neither from one nor from the over others.

Whoever, man or woman, conform of injustice or discrimina- other of these doctrines, but must

T

ceives of the priesthood in terms of personal affirmation, as a goal or point of departure in a career of human success, is profoundly mistaken, for the true meaning of Christian priesthood, whether it be the common priesthood of the faithful or, in a most special way, the ministerial priesthood, can only be found in the sacrifice of one's own being in union with Christ, in service of the brethren.

Priestly ministry constitutes neither the universal ideal nor even less, the goal of Christian life.

In this connection, it is helpful to recall once again that the only higher gift which can and must be desired, is charity" (cf. 1 Cor 12-13; Inter insigniores, VI) With respect to its foundation in Sacred Scripture and in Tradition, John Paul II directs his attention to the fact that the Lord Jesus, as is witnessed by the new Testament, called only men and not women, to the ordained ministry, and that the Apostles did the same when they chose fellow workers who would succeed them in their ministry" (n. 2; cf.

Tm 3:1ff.; 2 Tm 1:6; Ti L 1:5).

There are sound arguments supporting the fact that Christ's way of acting was not determined by cultural motives (cf. n.

2), as there are also sufficient grounds to state that ltadition has interpreted the choice made by the Lord as binding for the Church of all times.

Here, however, we find ourselves before the essential interdependence of Holy Scripture and Tradition, an interdependence which makes of these two forms of the transmission of the

Priestly ministry constitutes neither the universal ideal nor, even less, the goal of Christian life.'

Gospel an unbreakable unity with the Magisterium, which is an integral part of Tradition and is entrusted with the authentic Interpretation of the Word of God, written and handed down (Del Verbum nn. 9 and 10).

In the specific case of priestly ordination, the successors of the Apostles have always observed the norm of conferring it only on men, and the Magisterium, assisted by the Holy Spirit, teaches us that this did not occur by change, habitual repetition, subjection to sociological conditioning, or even less because of some imaginary inferiority of women; but rather because the Church has always acknowledged as a perennial norm her Lord's way of acting in choosing the twelve men whom he made the foundation of his Church" (n. 2).

As is well known, there are reasons ex convenienda by which theology has sought and seeks to understand the reasonableness of the will of the Lord.

Such reasons, expounded for example in the Declaration Inter insigniores, have their undoubted value, and yet they are not conceived or employed as if they were strictly logical proofs derived from absolute principles At the same time, it is important to keep in mind, as these reaPURSLOWE sons help us to FUNERAL comprehend, HOMES that the human will of Christ Our family serving your family. since /906. not only is not arbitrary, but North Perth 444 4835, Midland 274 3866, Victoria Park 361 1185, Wannemo 409 9119, that it is intiNortham 1096) 22113; mately united Mareena Purslowe and Associates. Subtaeo, 388 1623 with the divine will of the eternal Son, on

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6

The Record, December 7, 1995

which the ontological and anthropological truth of the creation of the two sexes depends.

In response to this precise act of the Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, explicitly addressed to the entire Catholic Church, all members of the faithful are required to give their assent to the teaching stated therein.

To this end, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the approval of the Holy Father, has given an official Reply on the nature of this assent: it is a matter of full definitive assent, that is to say, irrevocable, to a doctrine taught infallibly by the Church.

In fact, as the Reply explains, the definitive nature of this as sent derives from the truth of the doctrine itself, since, founded on the written Word of God, and constantly held and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary universal Magisterium (cf. Lumen gentium, n. 25). Thus, the Reply specifies that this doctrine belongs to the deposit of the faith of the Church.

It should be emphasised that the definitive and infallible nature of this teaching of the Church did not arise with the publication of the Letter Ordinado Sacerdotalis.

In the Letter, as the Reply of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith also explains, the Roman Pontiff, having taken account of present circumstances, has confirmed the same teaching by a formal declaration, giving expression once again to quod semper. quod ubique et quod ab omnibus tenendum est utpote ad fidei depositum pertinens. In this case, an act of the ordinary papal Magisterium. in itself not infallible, witnesses to the infallibility of the teaching of a doctrine already possessed by the Church.

Finally, there have been some commentaries on the Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis which have suggested that the document constitutes an additional and inopportune obstacle on the already difficult path of ecumenism.

In this regard, it should not be forgotten that according to both the letter and the spirit of the Second Vatican Council (cf.

Unitatis redintegratio. n. 11), the authentic ecumenical task, to which the Catholic Church is unequivocally and permanently committed, requires complete sincerity and clarity in the presentation of one's own faith.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the doctrine reaffirmed by the Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis can not but further the pursuit of full communion with the Orthodox Churches which, in fidelity to Tradition, have maintained and continue to maintain the same teaching.

The singular originality of the Church and of the priestly ministry within the Church requires a precise clarity of criteria.

Concretely, one must never lose the sight of the fact that the Church does not rind the source of her faith and her constitutive structure in the principles of the social order of any historical period. While attentive to the world in which she lives and for whose salvation she labours, the Church is conscious of being the bearer of a higher fidelity to which she is bound. Ills a question of a radical faithfulness to the Word of God which she has received from Christ who established her to last until the end of the ages. This Word of God, in proclaiming the essential value and eternal destiny of every person, reveals the ultimate foundation of the dignity of every being, of every woman and of every man.

&tiers 10 1&

/or

Who can help listen world should The ageing clergy?

may have life and have it more abundantly" again give me hope.

Islam has sanctioned the veil. It would seem the Roman Catholic Church has sanctioned the "gag."

B. J Abbott Dumbleyung

he current controversy concerning ence to which the Church has recently T liturgical dance has generated a been subjected. cently I met with a friend who visits Thankfully though, those events have healthy discussion in the pages of The sick priest. My friend and I are R: Record. been under the ever watchful eye of Pope Editor's note: The Record publishes this upset because the sick priest is in a public letter because we are sure there other

rest home, he is receiving sparse bodily care and very little spiritual support.

Are there not modest rooms available at one of our Catholic institutions or hospitals for ailing priests and religious?

Could not funds from Advent, lenten or Mission appeals be directed towards this overlooked cause?

Is there anyone out there who can help?

Mrs A Devlin DianeIla

Undoubted frustration Infallibly: No Women. So was the news broken to the Catholic world in particular and to the world in general.

To make the decision of exclusion of women for ordination to the priesthood an article of faith has really tested the stance in the faith journey I started in 1963 as a Catholic from the Anglican tradition.

We were asked to answer a questionnaire in the Bunbury Diocese recently as part of a survey of women in the Church.

While this question of ordination of women was able to be debated argued, questioned, deliberated upon and challenged with open hearts and minds because it was within the ambit of Canon Law, I was happy to say it was not for me while the law did not permit it, but would be first in the queue to apply if it were allowed!

Of course, this is hypothetical, since I am now 70 years of age. I also stated I was happy to have been able to contribute to the life of the Church at the local level and also in other forms over the years.

To me this is a gross misjudgment by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith which the Pope approved, and therefore to my mind and heart it is a gross abuse of the power conferred on the Pope. when he exercises this call throughout Church history to speak ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals.

What a hollow plea from Bishop PiIla to ask the Holy Spirit to sanction what to my mind is a blasphemy. Accept it? No! Maybe all the women of the Church and in the Church should think about the effect it would have if they boycotted every little and big contribution of talent, time and money earned or saved by their generosity, for one liturgical year - to help the learned gentlemen to come to their senses

However, Father Tony Chiera (Letters, November 30) sees this as "point scoring" and intimates that controversial topics of this nature have caused "many of our contemporaries [to] consider the Church irrelevant". He then suggests that what is more important is "solidarity with the modern world".

But I am afraid that the modern world has long lost its way and has much to answer for.

The low regard for life (reflected in the government-funded abortions, and the nation-wide push for euthanasia), the erosion of the traditional family unit, and the rapid decline of common decency and moral values are all signs that the modern world has embarked on a road to selfdestruction.

Sadly, the Catholic Church is being pressured from within to change with the times.

These internal forces are aiming towards a secularisation of the Church.

The misguided "gender equality" battle for women's ordination and inclusive language are two examples of worldly influ-

John Paul II, and with the grace of God, the Church has not succumbed to such pressures.

The beliefs and practices of the modern world do not share much in common with those of the Catholic Church - "what can light and darkness have in common?"

(2 Corinthians 6:14).

St Paul warns us that "the temple of God cannot compromise with false gods" (2 Corinthians 6:16). In our world today, these "false gods" have assumed many forms: alcohol and drug abuse, pornography, promiscuity, etc. Elsewhere, St Paul exhorts us to "take no part in the futile works of darkness but, on the contrary, show them up for what they are" (Ephesians 5:11).

Obviously, St Paul did not see this as "point scoring", but rather - his rightful duty.

Solidarity - yes, by all means; but the modern world needs to listen to what the Catholic Church is saying if that unity is ever to be realised.

Joe Said Noranda

and really listen to "what the Spirit is saying to the Churches" in the year 1995.

It is indeed a sad day for the Church and for all people of faith. Some articles of faith one can swallow, but not this one.

This is the nub of the debate or response to an abuse of power, not the concept of ordination of women.

Cultural, economic and political oppression is rife on every continent and in every society. Surely, the Church has no need to join those ranks, but needs to be seen to be the "bringer of good tidings of great joy" for Advent is upon us yet again.

The very wordy apology by Kathleen Wood printed in The Record (November 30) has missed the reason for all the disquiet.

So much of what she says is not really addressing the subject.

On the front page the article by John Travis reports the Pope's concern. It also suggests that all, including theologians who would argue differently from the Magisterium "must respect the authority of the Magisterium."

If that be the case, why go the ultimate extreme of making the issue of ordination of women infallibly infallible!

The editorial of The Tablet seems to

concur in much more learned and careful terms what my thinking is on this matter and that gives me hope.

But in the same paper, p 1521, it was suggested by one of the advisers to the said Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in an Italian press statement that any Catholic who rejects this teaching automatically excommunicates himself or herself. The bishop need not do the deed.

Again, this attitude or assumed role within the Church does not reflect Gospel values. There is no redress for any person who dares to question, much less one who openly opposes it .

One may come to the conclusion: Why bother? Be once again an apathetic Aussie or a nice, quiet, spiritual lady whose personal "fiat" leaves her with a broken heart.

Catholic Women's League had as their motto for the national conference in October "Women of Hope".

The World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations conference to he held in Canberra in February has a similar theme.

Women came with hope to Beijing. The "suscipe" of each Sister when professed asks the Lord that we be not disappointed in our hope.

The words of the Lord, "I came that you

women who feel the same way about the Magisterium 's latest reaffirmation of the Church's teaching that women cannot be ordained. Nevertheless, The Record eagerly accepts the Pope's teaching in this matter and others as the truth that sets women and men free, and will do all in its power to help explain the reasonableness of this teaching as reason and faith always meet, even if our created, and therefore limited, minds cannot yet see how they meet.

Logic and combat

ike L Kelly (Record, L was pleased with the style of journalism of the present-day Record; it has

November 30), I

even caused me to buy the paper every week, something I considered a waste of money for years and, like L Kelly, I am disappointed at some of its contents but for the opposite reasons.

When an editor sees fit not to allow correspondence engendered by a full page article, we're not dealing with a medium of information but a medium of propaganda; if certain subject matter is not fit to be discussed than it is not fit to be published in the first place.

What L Kelly appears to fail to discern is the difference between a logical, analytical argument and a combative argument (which, in its own way, confirms the comment of Nobel-laureate Dr Peter Medawar that our system of public information presents people with facts beyond their analytical ability to comprehend.

Pluto's Republic, p. 249) All truth derives from open discussion; what the umpire/editor of a Catholic paper needs to do is to see to it that the arguments which base themselves on authentic catholic doctrine get as much scope as possible.

The flaws in the logic and the factual content will inevitably show up and everyone learns (at least those who want to) some wisdom in the process.

L Kelly appears to 'appreciate the right of all to freedom of speech' accept for 'religious Luddites and their 'pedantic points of view'; which makes me think that Kelly's 'God of Love' is really a God of sentimental pleasantries.

Matt Bruekers Lesmurdie

US television watchdogs turn guns on trashy talk shows

A Michigan State University study Senator Joseph Lieberman, and William Bennett, a Catholic who is a former US looked at two weeks' worth of programs this summer from each of a dozen daysecretary and drug czar. others Who Sleep With Their education introduced the "V-chip" bill time talkers. The study showed a heavy senator The Boyfriends!

Gay Daughter's Senate that became part of an reliance on sexual themes and on discloParenting: Is It Right for the Children? in the telecommunications Bill. Along sures from guests about sexuality and approved Coaches Crossing the Line! Are Men Born the television industry began criminal activity that other guests - princithat with to Cheat? The Fidelity Test: Is It putting more warnings about violence and pally their own family members - had not Entrapment? known before. content in shows.

This is just a sample of the fare on day- adult helped lead a crusade this year Bennett Bob Peters, president of Morality in time talk television, the next battleground Warner's ownership of a Media, said his organisation was lining up Time against for United States cultural watchdogs. Their "gangsta rap" record label. The media volunteers to monitor TV talk shows durmove follows on the heels of successful eventually sold it. ing the February sweeps period. skirmishes over prime-time TV violence giant Lieberman and Bennett set their Senator It has yet to be seen how audiences and rap music. on daytime talk TV during a mid- respond to the bully pulpits of academia lithe watchdogs' actions can match their sights autumn summit meeting on the subject. and politicos. However, when Oprah attitudes, then it's time for Ricki, Sally, And at a press conference in Washington Winfrey started stressing more positive Jenny, Montel, Donahue, Oprah, Maury, three weeks ago, Senator Lieberman con- messages on her shows last season, her Gordon, Rolanda, Gerald°, Springer and tinued his assault on the genre. ratings dropped noticeably, although she their imitators to beware.

"We call it 'the revolt of the revolted,- he was still far and away the top-rated talk Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Costello of Syracuse, chairman of the US bishops' said, "the parade of pathologies parading show host on the tube.

But if market forces are a bell-wether, Communications Committee, was succinct through the public square."

Because of daytime TV talkers' appeal to change could be coming to daytime talk in his view of the daytime TV talk show women, especially young and minority TV phenomenon.

Procter & Gamble, the Cincinnati-based "I'm shocked and scandalised by what I women, "these shows are more than noxsee of these talk shows. I wonder where ious and offensive. They have a harmful home products manufacturer and one of they get these people," Bishop Costello effect . . . . Kids will come to believe from TV's biggest advertisers, yanked its ads said, adding he has heard suggestions that these shows that the aberrations are nor- from four TV talk shows after their contracts expired in September. the people on stage with the hosts are mal, that nothing is out of bounds."

In a nation with high rates of teenage Elizabeth Moore, a spokeswoman for the actually actors making up their stories.

"It certainly is not contributing to the pregnancy, drug abuse, poverty and crime, company, said it sought earlier this year to moral fabric of our country in any way "TV talk shows are one of those entice- put the brakes on some TV talkers and that I can interpret," Bishop Costello said. ments" to anti-social behaviour, Senator reimpose its advertising guidelines after Two leaders who have been successful in Lieberman said. The underlying message, some shows were putting on "more and fighting violence and profanity in televi- he added, is that "sex is as devoid of con- more sensational, even outrageous" sion and other mediums are US Democrat sequences as the game of charades." episodes.

By Mark Pattison in Washington

M

After discussions with several of the shows, "it became clear that four talk shows were not going to change," Ms Moore said. "We stuck with the producers who said they were willing to work with us on the issue, and gave them an opportunity to respond. We felt like this was the most constructive approach."

One program - "a very popular show," Ms Moore said - pulled five of its episodes and tightened some standards.

Lieberman and Bennett, in a joint statement, hailed Procter & Gamble for its "corporate responsibility." They added their hope that other advertisers would "reconsider their support." That's beginning to happen.

Sears, Roebuck & Co cut ads on some daytime TV talk shows after -increasingly controversial" programs aired, fearing it would "alienate customers," according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The paper also reported that Unilever NV, another home products firm, pulled ads from two TV talk shows earlier this year.

TV station general managers surveyed

by Electronic Media, a broadcast industry journal, are telling the talk shows to take out the trash.

The consensus is that they air the shows because there's little else offered by syndicators for daytime rIV. "Broadcasters should be ashamed to schedule such trash," said Bob Gordon, president of WABU-TV in Boston.

The Record, December 7, 1995

7

Second Vatican Council - 30 years on Tomorrow, Friday December 8, is not only the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is also the thirtieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council, a council that has caused a revolution in the way many Catholics participate in Church life and the world. Archbishop Barry Hickey reflects on the meaning of the Council and its fruits and unintended consequences while Perth Vicar-General, Monsignor Michael Keating. who was a student in Rome at the same time, tells below of the excitement of being on the ground floor of one of history's most significant events.

True reforms of Council the basis of Church uni

Archbishop Hickey

s priest and Bishop I have lived through the roller-coaster ride of the Church A over the past thirty years since the end of

the Second Vatican Council. which extended from 1962 to 1965.

The most extraordinary feature of the past thirty years has been the esteem in which the Council documents are held by sections of the Church that disagree with one another.

It almost seems as if the Council is being used to endorse opposite positions.

How can this be?

What evaluation can one make of a Council called to unify the approach of the Church to the modern world, bequeathing Instead a legacy of disharmony.

Perhaps one reason was that the Council was more pastoral than dogmatic. Instead of listing and condemning theological errors.

as many previous Councils had done, it sought to recognise the goodness already in the world, and affirm the validity of contemporary movements that had brought benefits to the human race.

Perhaps too, the Vatican Council was itself caught up with the cultural revolutions sweeping the Western world, and to a lesser extent the Eastern world, at that time.

After all, the Council took place in the sixties, the decade that gave rise to the "baby boomers", Generation X, and the so-called liberation of politically, intellectually and sexually repressive structures. It was the decade that discovered the "pill".

that we experience now in the Church resulted more from the unintended effects of the Council rather than from anything the Council actually said.

Liturgy

In the liturgical reforms that were introduced after the Council, the new Rite in the vernacular called for the active participation of the people, with the aim of drawing them more closely into the worship of God through their union with Jesus Christ. It was never intended that the Rite would even be subjected to idiosyncratic variations or become a performance. Yet in some places Affirming the good this has happened.

The renewed focus on the symbols used in Could it be that in affirming the good to be the Liturgy was valid and necessary. We found in modern movements, such as the need to understand well the Catholic conconsciousness of being a co-dependent cept of sacramentality, whereby the symbol world, the rejection of racism and the war expresses the inner reality on poverty, the Church has also had to conIt was never intended that the essential tend with the negative side of some of these symbols of bread and wine would ever movements? become mere intellectual reminders of the Some of them had very negative side- Body and Blood of Jesus. They become affects. The very movement that led to free- what they symbolise. And yet for some, dom of choice and personal autonomy, also symbols remain merely symbols. led to the abuse of personal freedom.

Similarly the call to the laity to participate Family life, marriage and the lives of fully in the life of the Church was a call to unborn babies were some of the casualties. live the commitment of Baptism and The aims and teachings of the Second Confirmation in the community of the Vatican Council were noble and inspiring. Church, a call to participate in all aspects of At the time they created an atmosphere of Church life, liturgical, catechetical, adminisexcitement and enthusiasm. The tensions trative and pastoral. It was never intended

that Church activity would fully define the role of lay people. On the contrary, the Council said that the essential role of the lay person was to make a difference in the world "perfecting the temporal sphere of things through the spirit of the Gospel".

(Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity).

Their vocation was to be in the world, not just in the Church.

In this sense, Church participation is a source of energy for the real work to be done, to bring the world back to God. In calling for adult faith, the Council was asking people to accept personal responsibility for their Faith, and to make decisions based on mature reflection on the Gospel.

Personal choice It was never intended that personal choice could ever lead to the rejection of uncomfortable Church teachings, nor to the devaluing of the authoritative voice of the Church as merely the Pope's opinion".

Personal freedom and personal choice were meant to lead to a free and full acceptance of the Church's authority to teach and to an adult submission to the Church's moral authority.

One sees only too often the unintended effects of personal choice and conscientious decisions, particularly in the rejection of key teachings of the Church especially in sexually-related matters, contraception, abortion, fornication and homosexual activ-

ity. The openness to the world encouraged by the Second Vatican Council was beautifully proclaimed in the Decree Gaudium et Spes: "The joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ."(No. 1) Here we have a noble statement of Christ's love for the poor and a call to the followers of Christ to be active in the world in order to change it for the better.

Liberation movements This has led to a rather ambiguous relationship by some Church visionaries with liberation movements.

Many of these movements have taken their inspiration from the philosophical concept of evolution.

This idea has been applied to physical change, to social and cultural movements, to society itself, to political theories, and to psychological concepts about personal growth.

In this century it has also been applied to the mission of the Church and to the understanding of personal spirituality.

In so far as it offers promise of the elimination of poverty, liberation theories have been welcomed and applied.

The recent collapse of Marxism has now caused many to ask whether the element of inevitability essential to evolutionary movements is not an illusion after all, and that the elimination of poverty requires a broader vision than just radical change in social structures. Conversion of heart must be the basis of any true liberation, even of unjust structures.

Hard on the heels of social evolution comes another product of modern

thinking, deconstructionalism. Deconstructuralists radically critique all existing institutions, structures and intellectual positions till they give way.

This mode of thinking is currently being applied to the Church after Vatican II. It is claimed that we can interpret the fragmentation of Church unity over the past thirty years to the process of deconstruction.

Through this process, it is claimed, authoritarian Catholicism will inevitably give way to free and adult responses to Christ's teaching, clerical control will give way to community control, and patriarchal structures will collapse under the pressure of the feminist critique, leading to different models of power sharing.

The coherent pattern of meaning and values that was a feature of the Church of the fifties, is now being deconstructed into a cynical and disillusioned search for alternatives.

It is, of course, a valid exercise to critique structures to see if they fit the Gospel.

However, it is dangerous to imply a process of inevitability in the current changes in the Church in order to fit an intellectual theory.

What happened with the Marxists might also happen with the deconstructuralists, that is, a determination to hasten what they see as inevitable, the destruction of the institutional Church.

Hope for the future As the Church has survived many hostile influences of the past, it will also survive the best efforts of the new anarchists.

One has to turn from the negatives to the positives to see where hope lies.

Under the leadership of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, the true reforms of the Second Vatican Council are continuing to be consolidated.

I mention in particular the major statements of our present Holy Father which address all the areas where the Church is

The closing ceremony of the Second Vatican Council before St Peter's Basilica thirty years ago

currently under attack. They are all in line with the documents of the Second Vatican Council and are essential foundations for true reform and renewal.

The importance of the family.

The sanctity of marriage.

The integrity of human sexuality.

Sound Catholic education.

Social Justice in line with the Gospel.

The value of work Respect for God's creation.

The commitment to peace.

The objective order of morality.

The value of life at all stages.

The nobility and role of suffering.

The true nature of the liturgy.

The special dignity of the priesthood.

The role of the lay person in the world.

The dignity of the human person.

The urgent need for Christian unity.

The place of Maly in the Church.

Accepted and lived, these statements will consolidate the true vision of the Second Vatican Council.

Rejected. the Church will continue to experience bitter divisions and a greater haemorrhage, and the world will be the poorer.

When a young deacon could lead sheepish archbishops to their proper place

he Rome into which I arrived between and when Council ("Assignatores Lorcum"). from time to time telling jokes in the sessions of the Council after Session and the best and fairest, assured us right of way in the hecWe would daily collect their T In was abuzz with problems were mentioned in Several nationalities including Latin - he was for many other rea- the opening ceremony but fol- would say "Satis" meaning "Your tic Roman traffic. slips which they attendance excitement about the many things 1959

1959

1962

Rome, professors and students looked to the future Council for solutions. The Australian Bishops arrived on their 'ad limina' visit in 1960 and few seemed to know a great deal about the Council or expect much.

Some weeks before the 1962 First Session of the Council started, some students of Propaganda Fide College, all deacons to be ordained on December 22 were asked to be "Ushers" at the

one Australian, John Lennon, now sons as well a fine choice as lowed it, we were told, on closed a priest of the Cairns Diocese Secretary-General. circuit television. were chosen. He very conscienThe day of the Council opening At one stage an elderly Bishop tiously said he did not want to arrived and on the first day the was talking at length about St miss any lectures or study, so I Bishops did not need to have their Joseph (the Pope's baptismal was asked, and being less consci- identity cards. Reportedly many patron) and he was interrupted entious, jumped at the idea of more men that there are Bishops by the Presiding Cardinal with the being a small part of an historical of the Church arrived with copes words "Don't preach to preachevent. and mitres. ers".

We were trained by Archbishop I was given the task of directing (later Cardinal) Felice, a gregari- all the Archbishops of the Church. Preachers' preacher ous Italian who would at the In a loud voice and in the best Council keep the Bishops amused Latin I could command I said The Pope was reportedly not "Archbishops, please follow me" pleased that an old friend was and I proceeded to lead several Interrupted especially speaking hundred Archbishops to the about his Patron and soon after St wrong room of the Vatican Palace. Joseph's name appeared in the There was great anticipation and Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass. the Bishops were very excited, When the Australian Bishops and they meekly followed until arrived at the Council, they we found our correct location. seemed to think that it would It was my idea to get Perth's soon be over and that they would Archbishop Prendiville in a spe- return to their dioceses with a few cial seat but in the end did not extra faculties; in any case, they succeed in this endeavour. He felt that their dioceses could not was quite happy in any case to function without them if the keep out of the limelight even Council was prolonged. They though he was then one of the were wrong on all counts. senior Archbishops of the world, The Council went to four ses"thirty sixth" in seniority sions, on consecutive years, I spied Archbishop McQuaid of though I feel the excitement of the Dublin among the Archbishops First Session in 1962 was never and, knowing that he was the quite captured again.

Primate of Ireland, approached The Australian Bishops who him and asked if he would come spoke were people such as to a more prominent position.

Bishop Goody of Bunbury (later He was quite happy where he Archbishop of Perth), Archbishop was he said; he quite happily Guildford Young of Hobart and chatted about his visit to Perth Bishop Thomas Muldoon of and his other Australian connec- Sydney. tions. He had an extraordinary Each speaker concluded with memory and remembered me the words "Dixi" - "I have said more than six month's later when what I wanted to say". If the he ordained the late Fr Pat Bishops went overtime, Sydney's O'Reilly in Dublin.

Cardinal Norman Gilroy, as one Monsignor Michael Keating, then a young deacon, seated in front of the ranks of bishops during a Council session Pope John XXIII did not attend of the Presidents of the First

the so-called "interim Pope" John XXIII had initiated.

A synod for the Diocese of Rome, a revised Code of Canon Law and, most importantly, the Second Vatican Council which was to convene for the first time in 1962 and finish in 1965, thirty year's ago this month.

My stay in Rome was from 1959 to 1966 and therefore covered this historical period. In the years

8

time is up", and if the bishop kept on talking he quietly ordered the microphone turned off. Can you imagine the effect of that in the Basilica of St Peter? The Bishop would return sheepishly to his seat At this or a subsequent session Bishop Goody spoke on ecumenism and Bishop Muldoon spoke about the Reformation and on "Separated Brethren".

I think it was Abbott (later Bishop) Butler of England who after that speech made some remark to the effect that he did not know if the news had reached Sydney hut there were faults on both sides at the time of the Reformation. Abbott Butler spoke beautiful Latin and seemed to be one of the true intellectuals of the English speaking world.

Bishop McKeon of Bunbury was a newly consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Perth at the Council and, as senior as was Archbishop Prendiville, his Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop Thomas of Geraldton were junior. They were seated in the very last seats at the back end of the Basilica.

Most of the Bishops lived far away from the Vatican during the Council and arrived in scores of buses every morning. It became a sight for tourists to gaze upon in wonder.

Bishop McKeon would often be on the back of my Lambretta motorcycle (practically all student priests "Vespas" had or "Lrnnbrettas" in the 1960's) and his ringed hand put out to signal a left or right hand turn complete with his clerical robes normally

The Record, December 7, 1995

During sessions of the Council, student priests were able to hear talks by some of the Church's top theologians of the time. I went to lectures by men such as John Courtenay Murray, Yves Congar, Karl Rahner and others.

It would amaze us how many of them would ask in Latin at the beginning how many in the audience spoke English, Italian, French German or Spanish; they would then lecture in the language of the majority and take questions in all the other languages. The brilliance of the top theologians of the Church left a vivid impression on all of us.

Brilliant theologians The daily sessions of the Council were hard to listen to for many of the Bishops, as all were in Latin (only one Eastern Rite Cardinal spoke in French as a reminder that the language of the Uniates was not Latin, but even he finished his speeches with the Latin "Dixi").

Cardinal Cushing of Boston in the United States volunteered to fund simultaneous translation but his offer was not taken up.

Some listened intently to all the speeches- one Bishop in my section, however, attended daily to his correspondence, lifting his head occasionally to listen to some well known Bishop or Cardinal.

Our tasks as "Assignatores Locorum" (ushers) gave us control of a section of the Bishops with a microphone to adjust if one of them was listed to speak.

marked with a special pencil, also used for voting. Even then, computers were operating in a special room off the main part of St Peter's Basilica, to count the attendance and record voting on documents.

Morning Mass in various Catholic rites started the sessions and at a certain time each morning two "coffee bars" on either side of the Basilica were opened and bishops (and ourselves) could slip out for a cup of coffee and a cake; alcohol was not provided of course, but mineral water and soft drinks were.

I would see Archbishop Prendiville always leaving for a drink; he was not well and indeed attended only the first session of the Council.

The bars called by the wags BarJona and, I think, Bar-Abbas were important places for informal chatting and planning, as was the section behind the tiered seats set up in the main part of the Basilica, I vividly remember the consternation caused as Bishop's Bishop's after Conference some rejected Conference "schemata" drawn up prior to the Council.

These were heady days indeed exciting ones for the priests, students and seminarians who could see the Church universal in operation.

The Holy Spirit's presence was almost tangible and I was struck on the whole with great admiration for the Church's leaders of the time.

They were conscientious and hard-working over those several

A young Deacon Keating, right, with Perth's Archbishop Goody at the Council Cardinal Gilroy took some of years; they were kind to the seminarians and young priests and us, including one Propaganda generous with their hospitality. priest from each State of In June 1963, the good and pop- Australia to meet Pope Paul VI ular Pope John XXIII died and on the day before his coronathe world wept. In later June, I tion. was in St Peter's Square when it It was June 29, 1963 Feast of was announced to the world Saints Peter and Paul and I will"We have a Pope. He is John ingly gave up my turn to be the Baptist "and, before his sur- chief celebrant of the sung name "Montini" was mentioned, Community Mass at the College, everybody knew it was the to be among that group. It was a future "Paul VI" and the crowd wonderful event. erupted in rapturous applause.

It was Pope Paul VI who guided A priest nearby started singing the Vatican Council to its concluDeum Laudamus . . . " and sion in December 1965, thirty we sang lustily in thanksgiving. years ago this month.

The Record, December 7, 1995

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* Olorg to Ood . . . Christmas 995 ***

Amid the sound and fury, Jesus calls to us

Ballarat Victoria, freelance writer Peter obvious ways of doing this.

Less obvious ways include limiting our Dwan offers some suggestions for Christmas spending on relatives and putting Christ back into our Christmas friends and giving the money saved to the preparations missions. One married couple asked their children and grandchildren not to buy any Christmas cards try, by pic- them Christmas presents and to bring the ture and verse, to convey the true money saved for them to send to the mismeaning of Christmas. sions.

Some years ago, one such card caught Then there is the vexed question as to my attention. It read: whether to send Christmas cards. This is May all that Christmas really means, something which each person will have to Its joy, its hope, its love, decide for himself or herself. Some peoBe yours as when on Holy Night. ple choose to do good by buying The star shone from above."

Christmas cards sold by such charities as If we want to experience the true joy of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Others, Christmas, we can refer to the first two let- including myself, prefer to write letters Instead of buying Christmas cards, and ters of the word 'joy.'

Is for putting Jesus first. In practice, send the money saved by not buying cards this entails recognising that Christmas is to the missions. I consider that writing a primarily a religious feast - the celebration letter and enclosing it in a Christmas card Is only for those with more money than of the Birth of Christ.

Of course, there is a secular side to sense!

0 is for putting Others next. We need Christmas; parties, family reunions, preto remember that the best way we can sents, but of themselves, these won't give us the true joy of Christmas, but rather help people is by our prayers. The best only shallow pleasure, which will leave Christmas present I ever received was from a gentleman who said to me a few our hearts dissatisfied.

St Augustine of Hippo was right when he weeks before Christmas: "A Happy and a wrote centuries ago: "Our hearts were Holy Christmas. My Christmas gift to you made for Thee, 0 Lord, and they will not will be a Rosary for your intentions on Christmas Day." Missionaries need our rest until they rest in Thee."

At Christmas, we need God's grace in prayers at Christmas, when many of them our souls to make us happy, we don't need are homesick.

We need to also offer practical help. excessive alcohol in our bloodstream to Wives and mothers who are busy with make us merry!

Given that Christmas is a religious cele- Christmas preparations appreciate it if bration, all Catholics worthy of the name other members of the family help without should be at Mass and Holy Communion waiting to be asked.

If a sacrifice will make it possible, we on Christmas Day, or at the Vigil Mass on should help our parish in its preparations Christmas Eve. Our determination to make whatever for Christmas. The Society of St Vincent de efforts are necessary to do so will bring Paul will appreciate our help in its efforts down blessings on ourselves and others, to give the needy a little extra at Christmas. as the following incident shows.

Let us remember that personal service is One Christmas Eve, a youth was walking along the main street of his town before more important than merely giving going to Midnight Mass. He met two money. Some invite a person who would friends, and when he told them that he otherwise be spending Christmas Day was going to Midnight Mass, they fried to alone to Christmas dinner.

When we have visitors over Christmas, dissuade him. Their efforts were unsuccessful, for not only did he attend let us offer them food and drink, but let Midnight Mass, they both accompanied the drinks be non-alcoholic, for alcohol is a factor in many of the road accidents him.

Our Christmas giving should bear in which mar Christmas for so many.

Christmas is a time of hope. People mind that Christmas is Christ's Birthday and that at least some of our giving should despair because they think that no one is be directed to spreading His Kingdom in concerned about them. Christmas gives the hearts of men and women. Giving the lie to that idea by showing that God Columban calendars and subscriptions to cares for us enough to send His Son to be Catholic publications as gifts are the more born of the Virgin Mary for our salvation,

M

CNS Unive,stN of Dayton

The material poverty of the Holy Family can be seen in this creche by Italian artist M Landi

In a stable in Bethlehem, on Christmas wrote to the centre telling them the news Day. Another cause for despair is the and saying the first Christmas after she was belief that people have that they can't received into the Church. when she attendchange, a bad situation, and that such ed Midnight Mass and received Holy problems as poverty, illiteracy and irreli- Communion was the most meaningful Christmas that she had ever had. gion are too big to be overcome.

Christmas is a time of love. At the first It is worth noting that one of the most successful apostles of our time. Mother Christmas, God showed His love for us by Teresa of Calcutta, once remarked that if giving us the gift of His Son. It is important she concentrated on solving problems that our giving at Christmas be a reflection Instead of helping people, she wouldn't of our love. know where to begin.

This love needs to show itself in thoughtLet us take our cue from her, and con- fulness. One practical way of being centrate on helping one person at a time. thoughtful is to make our Advent While the problem of illiteracy is far too Confession early. The days immediately big for any one person to solve alone, before Christmas are busy days for priests, there is nothing, except perhaps selfish- with long queues outside the confessionals. ness, to stop us from paying the fees of a Priests find long sessions in hot confessionstudent in a developing country, whose als very demanding. With many penitents parents couldn't afford to send him or her waiting, they are also unable to spend as to school. The Jesuits in India can edu- much time as they would like giving advice cate a student for $15-$20 a year, the to each penitent.

Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Indonesia Just as Our Lady played a central role in can educate a primary school student for the events of the first Christmas, we need $20 a year, and a secondary school stu- her help to enable us to spend Christmas dent for $30 a year, while the Salesians in as we should. St Louis Grignon de India can educate, feed and clothe a stu- Montfort said that we need Our Lady to dent for $180 a year. help us die to ourselves. If through her The problem of Australia's churchless intercession, we receive the grace to put millions is also one which can only be Jesus first, others next and ourselves last, solved by helping one person at a time. then Christmas 1995 will be a time when The Catholic Enquiry Centre has been the joy of Christmas will be ours in abuninstrumental in bringing over 14.000 con- dance. verts into the Church. It costs $59 to put Some useful addresses to engage in a person through the centre's correspon- Christmas charity: Australian Jesuit dence course. The Catholic Enquiry Mission Overseas Aid Fund, PO Box 193, Centre's postal address is PO Box 363. North Sydney, 2059, New South Wales.

Maroubra, 2035, New South Wales.

The Australian Salesian Mission Overseas If the centre receives the prayerful and Aid Fund. Salesian Missions Office, PO financial help it needs and deserves, then Box 80, Oakleigh ,3166, Victoria. Rev. Fr D It will be able to show many the true McCarthy OMI, 649 Burke Road, meaning of Christmas. A lady who took Camberwell .3124, Victoria for donations the Catholic Enquiry Centre's course and to help the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in later became a Catholic subsequently Indonesia.

Holy uselessness a prerequisite for utilising Advent grace

By Richard McCord Jr

S

CNS photo by Ales Forsylh

Silence: needed to give thanks, be inentlid 10

The Record, December 7, 1995

ilence. Holy uselessness is what Max Picard called it. When Picard, a Swiss physician, grew disillusioned with his profession early this century, he moved to a small mountain village where he could devote himself to philosophy and to the cultivation of silence.

"Silence makes things whole again," he wrote.

We are in the midst of one of the noisiest times of the year, preparing for Christmas.

Purchasing gifts, arranging and attending social events, visiting friends and family: All these activities - worthwhile as they are - consume time and energy. Is there any space or time left for silence?

Ironically, it's this same time of year Advent - that values and cultivates silence above all. What are the themes of Advent?

Longing, listening, loving. They can be experienced only if there is silence.

Our entire spiritual tradition emphasises the extent to which God speaks and acts

out of silence: Yahweh utters a word over the silent chaos, and the world is created; The prophet Elijah goes up a mountain to hear God's voice and finds it, not in thunder, fire or wind, but in a nearly silent whisper.

God penetrates the silence of a waiting world with Jesus' birth on a night we now commemorate as a "silent night, holy night." Silence is indeed holy.

We value silence. We may even crave it.

But what are we to do?

It is possible, of course, to make some fairly radical changes. Resign from a committee or group. Get rid of the television or at least don't have it on all day as background chatter. Make a silent retreat or day of recollection regularly. Learn the method of centering prayer. More practically, though, we could look for opportunities in our day that, with a little adjustment, could be encounters with silence.

Do you arise early to make coffee and read the newspaper alone? Could you spend the first moments of this time in

silent prayer before diving into the headlines or sports scores? Do you travel to work alone in your car or by bus or train?

Is it possible to spend any of your commute without radio, newspaper or laptop computer?

During the workday, could you create a moment of silence by closing your office door, forwarding your telephone calls, taking a short walk during lunch or coffee break?

What about the hours during the day when children are napping at home? Is there any chance to sit alone in the silence for a brief time without talking on the phone or doing errands?

If we devoted even a small portion of our day routinely to the "holy uselessness" of silence, what might happen?

We might feel less stressed; our overall disposition could improve.

Silence is the experience of God "using" us to listen, to be merciful, to give thanks.

Silence. There's a lot to be said for it!

*kW

* Glory to God . . . (Ehristmas 995

"f, 4r- Tables groaning with Christmas joy

t •

•

e‘

Ab

"Dear Father we thank You for all the good things in life You have given us. We thank You for so much, when others have so little. But on this special day, we thank You for the the gift of Your Son, who by His birth, created Christmas."

BRANDIED ORANGES

membranes. Do this over a bowl so juices are not lost.

(From Rosemary Hancock of Squeeze remaining porBroomehill) tion of orange over bowl to 8 oranges extract remaining juice.

1 and a half cups sugar Place sugar and water into 1 cup water a heavy base saucepan.

1/4 cup brandy Stir over low heat until 1/4 cup Grand Manlier sugar dissolves. Bring mixUse a sharp serrated knife ture to the boil, and conand cut skin and white pith tinue to boil uncovered for from oranges. Cut oranges about 4 minutes. into segments between Allow to cool, then add ROYAL PLUM PUDDING 4 oz almonds 1.5 lbs seeded raisins 8 ozs mixed peel 8 oz sultanas 8 oz currants 8 oz plain flour

pinch salt 1 level teaspoon mixed spice 1 level teaspoon ground nutmeg 10 oz butter 8 oz soft breadcrumbs 8 oz sugar 6 eggs 6 tablespoons whisky, brandy, rum or sherry half a pint milk.

Grease two average size pudding basins and cut a double thickness of greased paper to fit the top.

Flour pudding cloths and have ready some string to tie It down. Blanch and chop almonds and cut fruit unto uniform size pieces.

Sift flour, salt and spices and rub in the butter. Add fruit, nuts, breadcrumbs and sugar.

Beat eggs and add brandy or other liquor and milk. Pour into dry ingredients, making into a soft mixture.

brandy and Grand Marnier, mix well. Pour over orange segments.

Serve chilled or room temperature.

This recipe can be prepared a few days in advance as flavour improves on keeping. Use Valencia variety of oranges as they are the easier to segment and contain little pith.

Place in prepared pudding COCKTAILS WITH ZAP! basin, cover with greased paper and tie with pudding Put into champagne glasses, cloth over the top.

1 sugar cube, soak in Place in saucepan of boiling Angostura bitters, add brandy water reaching halfway up to taste and top with really the sides of basin. Cover cold champagne. Cheers! tightly with a lid and boil steadily four hours.

As the water boils away replace with more boiling ORANGE BRANDY water. On the day the pud- GRAVY ding is to be served boil for a 1 cup of stock from baking further hour. dish 1 tab of butter or marg 2 tabs of flour APRICOT COCONUT 1 can of cherries or mushBALLS rooms 1 orange-grate rind and then 1 can of sweetened conjuice orange densed milk sprinkle of garlic salt 4 and a half cups of coconut half cup of brandy 3 and a half cups of dried 2 tabs of red currant jelly. apricots (chopped) 1 dessertspoon of glace ginger (chopped) Melt butter or marg. add flour, mix all together. cook for one minute. Add stock, grated rind and orange Roll into small balls and toss juice. Add all other ingrediin coconut. Keep refrigeratents. Stir over heat until thick. ed.

Serve with turkey for Christmas or poultry for special occasions.

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The Record, December 7, 1995

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. . . a column of Marian devotion

To Jesus through Maly Pope John Paul recently continued his meditations on the Virgin Mary during his regular general audience in the Vatican. The following are reflections from his reflections: e must recognise that, at W first sight, the Gospels offer scant information on the

person and life of Mary.

We would certainly like to have had fuller information about her, which would have enabled us to know the Mother of God better.

This expectation remains unsatisfied, even in the other New Testament writings where an explicit doctrinal development regarding Mary is lacking . . .

Very little is said about Mary's family. If we exclude the infancy narratives, in the Synoptic Gospels we find only two statements which shed some light on Mary: one concerning the attempt by his "brethren" or relatives to take Jesus back to Nazareth (cf Mark 3:21; Matthew 12:48); the other, in response to a

woman's exclamation about the blessedness of Jesus' Mother (Luke 11 :27).

Nevertheless, Luke, in the infancy Gospel, in the episodes of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of Jesus, the presentation of the Child in the temple and his finding among the teachers at the age of 12, not only provides us with some important facts, but presents a sort of "protoMariology" of fundamental interest.

His information is indirectly completed by Matthew in the account of the annunciation to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25), but only with regard to the virginal conception of Jesus.

Moreover, John's Gospel deepens our knowledge of the value for salvation history of the role played by the Mother of Jesus, when it records her presence at the beginning and end of his public life. Particularly significant Is Mary's presence at the Cross, when she received from her dying Son the charge to be moth-

er to the beloved disciple and, in relation to the joyful proclama- and the Christian experience itself. him, to all Christians (cf John 2:1- tion of the Son . . .

The faith of the simple is The Holy Spirit guides the 12, John 19:25-27).

Lastly, the Acts of the Apostles Church's effort, committing her admired and praised by Jesus, expressly numbers the Mother of to take on Mary's own attitudes. who recognised in it a marvellous expression of the Father's Jesus among the women of the In the account of Jesus' birth, enevolence (cf Matthew 11 :25; b mother how his noted Luke first community awaiting Pentekept all these things, "pondering Luke 10:21). Down the centuries cost (cf Acts 1:14).

However, in the absence of fur- them in her heart" (Luke 2:19), it continues to proclaim the marther New Testament evidence striving, that is, to "put together" vels of the history of salvation, and reliable historical sources, (symballousa), in a deeper vision, hidden from the wise.

This faith, in harmony with the we know nothing of Mary's life all the events of which she was Virgin's simplicity, has led to after the Pentecost event nor of the privileged witness.

Similarly, the people of God are progress in the recognition of her the date and circumstances of her death. We can only suppose also urged by the same Spirit to personal holiness and the tranthat she continued to live with understand deeply all that has scendent value of her motherthe Apostle John and that she been said about Mary, in order to hood.

The mystery of Mary commits was very closely involved in the progress in the knowledge of her development of the first mission, intimately linked to the every Christian, in communion with the Church, `to pondering in mystery of Christ.

Christian community.

As Mariology develops, the par- his heart' what the Gospel revelaThe sparse information on Mary's earthly life is compensat- ticular role of the Christian peo- tion affirms about the Mother of ed by its quality and theological ple emerges. They co-operate, by Christ. In the logic of the richness, which contemporary the affirmation and witness of Magnificat, after the example of exegesis has carefully brought to their faith, in the progress of Mary, each one will personally Marian doctrine, which normally experience God's love and will light.

Moreover, we must remember is not only the work of theolo- discover a sign of God's tenderthat the Evangelists' viewpoint is gians, even if their task is indis- ness for man in the marvels totally Christological and is con- pensable to deepening and dear- wrought by the Blessed Minify in cerned with the Mother only in ly explaining the datum of faith the woman "full of grace".

Lebanon synod asks for more rites' unity

By John Travis VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pleas for an end to fragmentation of Lebanese Church and civil life echoed loudest and longest in Vatican halls during a week of speeches at the special Synod of Bishops for Lebanon.

The November 26-December 14 synod included the unprecedented participation of Muslims as "fraternal delegates," along with Orthodox and Protestant representatives. Their presence was a sign of the Church's desire to help transform Lebanon from a nation of sectarian strife into a model for interreligious relations.

As expected, the talk from bishops and others emphasised such familiar themes as unity, dialogue and cooperation. But many of the speeches were specific in proposing changes - including changes in the way the Catholic Church's six different rites operate in Lebanese territory One of the most sweeping suggestions came from Latin-rite Archbishop Paul Bassim. After dt-

Eastern-rite bishops did not go that far, but some came close.

Archbishop Andre Melkite Haddad urged Pope John Paul II to use the synod to issue clear and binding laws that would ensure greater unity and collaboration among the various rites.

Other speakers suggested unifying various aspects of Church life: religious orders. Church-run schools and universities. catechetical material and the Bible.

Interritual seminaries were proposed to form priests who would feel at home in any Church.

The unity theme carried outward toward the Muslim community, too. The three Muslim delegates, addressing the Pope and the rest of the synod, said it was time for religious communities to put aside Pope John Paul II reads his homily self-interest in favour of nationduring the opening Mass CNS photo building.

"Lebanon makes no sense withing redundancy in Church build- out its Christians or its Muslims," ings and personnel and a competi- said Saoud Almoula, a Shi'ite tive attitude among Church organ- Muslim adviser to Lebanon's presisations, he proposed a "single, ident. That message of religious common, universal Catholic juris- freedom and tolerance was also diction" as a remedy to pastoral emphasised by Catholic and overlap.

Orthodox bishops.

Balancing bishops and patriarchs a tricky act

By John Travis JERUSALEM (CNS) - Ibrahim Kandalaft's job is to keep five Christian denominations cooperating in the semi-autonomous Palestinian territories.

Greek The 59-year-old Orthodox head of Christian for the Religious Affairs Palestinian National Authority said that "this is a job which not everybody can do. It is very sensitive, and the person needs to have patience and needs to know how to behave with this bishop and with that patriarch."

Kandalaft, who left a law practice to work for the authority, said one of his main tasks is ensuring that the status quo is followed in regards to rights among five Christian denominations. He also promotes good relations among the Christians and smooths out squabbles among the different churches.

Kandalaft, who got the religious affairs job about one year ago, said, "I wasn't really that excited whenI was offered the position."

In one recent case a Coptic bishop felt he had been snubbed when he was not included on a committee formed in Bethlehem.

Kandalaft worked as an intermediary, and the Coptic bishop was promised that when the next such committee met before Easter, he would be on the list.

Kandalaft also arranged a meeting between church leaders including the papal nuncio to Archbishop Andrea Israel, Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo - and Yasser Arafat, whose wife, Suha, was Christian before she

converted to Islam to marry Arafat.

The meeting, said Kandalaft, was successful in that Arafat was able to personally meet the leaders of the Christian community, and the encounter permitted them to "exchange views."

"I feel that I am serving.

Everyone in his life should give something, and what I am doing Is doing a service for the churches and the different denominations," said Kandalaft.

Kandalaft began his career as a high school teacher of English literature and worked in the Ministry of Education under the Jordanians.

Later he began practicing law, having received degrees from Damascus and Cairo universities.

Much of his work involved divorce cases, and through this he became a virtual expert in ecclesiastical laws of the various churches.

Jordanian rule.

During Kandalaft was consulted often as an expert on Christian affairs.

"My mother was very pious, and she used to take me to church with her when she went." he said. "I feel something when I go to church."

Among his concerns is the issue of emigration of Christians for economic reasons. "So far nothing has been done, but I look forward to encouraging Christians to be here," he said.

"Of course, they won't be convinced just by encouragement," he said. "It takes a lot of time, and these plans need a lot of financial support."

Justice commission places renegade Nigeria in sights

By Bremen Dachs CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) - After years of calling on other countries for help In the struggle against apartheid in its own backyard, the South African Catholic Justice and Peace Commission is aiming Its sights at human rights violations in another African nation, Nigeria.

"The Justice and Peace Commission knows what struggling for human rights is like and, as other African countries supported our freedom struggle, so we must support theirs," said Sister Shelagh Mary Waspe of the Johannesburg diocesan branch in a November 28 telephone interview on the commission's efforts to encourage democracy in the West African 12 The Record, December 7, 1995

state. The Nigerian military government's strong international action, including oil is a network of human rights organisations." Members of a delegation from the execution of prominent novelist and play- sanctions, against Nigeria. wright Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other He is supported by Nobel Peace laureate Nigerian Catholic bishops' conference minority rights activists on November 10 Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of which visited the Cape Town commission prompted worldwide outrage.

Cape Town, who warned the South in October "were unable to give us a Nigeria said the activists were executed African government before Saro-Wiwa's coherent picture" of the conference posibecause they committed murder, not execution that its policy of "quiet diploma- tion on the political situation, Pothier said. cy" and persuasion would fail in Nigeria's Sister Waspe said she and members of because of their political activity. other human rights organisations met Mike Pothier, coordinator of the Cape case.

But Pothier and Sister Waspe have also with exiled Nigerians in Johannesburg on Town justice and peace commission, said South Africa has a "moral role" to play in expressed frustration at their inability to November 28 to learn about conditions in the international campaign against get a clear picture of the kind of support their country.

"Opposition leaders are very scarce, Nigerian General San! Abacha's military the people of Nigeria want.

"Before we go jumping into sanctions we many have been killed or are in detendictatorship, "particularly in the person of (President Nelson) Mandela," who spent need to know what Nigerians think and tion," she said. "But there needs to be 27 years in prison for his opposition to want," Pothier said in a November 27 some kind of mobilisation in Nigeria, apartheid. Mandela has vowed that South Interview. "But there is no acknowledged which will go hand in hand with internaAfrica will continue its campaign for liberation movement there, although there tional action."

International News

Prayer is a good start for helping mentally ill

By Darci Smith DETROIT (CNS) - Even as government support for their programs gets cut, people who are struggling with mental illness should still be able to count on the Church for emotional and spiritual support, says Denise Joseph.

The Church must "get the message out to the mentally ill that they (can gain) selfesteem through Jesus," Ms. Joseph told The Michigan Catholic, newspaper of the Detroit Archdiocese.

"When you are affected by a severe mental illness, your world falls apart. Many of the mentally ill must start their lives again from scratch - they've lost friends, they've lost jobs, they've lost their health, just to name a few."

Support from the Church "helps the mentally ill and their families regain their lives," she explained.

Ms Joseph, 3Z has suffered from manic depression for more than 20 years. She believes that putting together one's life while dealing with mental illness is much like piecing together a puzzle, and she sees the Church and its people as "pieces of the puzzle."

"Mental illness is very cruel," she explained. "You lose your rationality during a sick time, and at least if you feel you can turn to the Church - through the committees, the nuns, the priests and the staff - it helps you re-acclimate yourself through the healing power of Jesus."

Ms Joseph is a member of two suburban Detroit parishes, St. Sylvester in Warren and St. Rene Goupil in Sterling Heights.

She said she would like to volunteer at both and now may have a lot more time to do that when the programs in which she was involved lose their funding.

But Ms Joseph will always have her daily Church visits, which provide her with what she calls her "private holy hour."

"I consider it ... a regeneration time," Ms Joseph said. "It gives me a chance to get away from my home - to think, to meditate, to pray, and to regain my emotional and mental strength."

With mental illness, "you lose your selfdignity, and the battle is not only within your mind, it also is how you deal with the outside world," she added.

Always a closet issue, mental illness necessitates support from the Christian community for the afflicted and their fam-

ilies, according to Dolores Howell.

Mrs Howell, a member of Guardian Angels Parish and chairwoman of the Religious Outreach Network for the Alliance for the Mentally ifi of Michigan, became personally involved with mental illness when her son was hospitalised for depression in the early 1970s.

"As parents, we could not see him for three weeks," she recalled, a separation she and her husband, Tom, found terrible.

Some relief came when their deacon at Guardian Angels was able to visit him.

Catholic churches, although helpful, have not entirely embraced the idea of reaching out to the mentally ill, according to Mrs Howell.

But they should, she said, given the state cutbacks, which result in hospital closings and mentally ill people moving back into the community, either to group homes or back with their parents.

"Now we have so many more people in the community who are coping with symptoms of mental illness," she said.

Parishes could help in many ways, Mrs Howell said. She suggested churches plan special observances during Mental Illness Awareness Week at the beginning of

New group aims at true renewal in the liturgy SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) - A new group has been created to promote "genuine liturgical renewal" using Second Vatican Council guidelines and achieve "the renewal that should have been," according to its founder.

Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio.

The group is called Adoremus: a Society for the Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy.

In a November 29 interview, Father Fessio, who heads Ignatius Press in San Francisco, said that people all over the country are uneasy and confused about liturgical changes.

"They are tired of new things happening all the time," he said.

In September, in a nationwide mailing to 80,000 Catholics to solicit members and donations, Father Fessio wrote that "the experience of the last 30 years has convinced us that the liturgical renewal intended by the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy has not been achieved."

To date, some 4,000 people have made an average donation of $25.

In his solicitation letter, Father Fessio also said the group does not support a return to the preVatican II Mass. "Going back to the pre-conciliar Mass is not what people want or the answer to the problem." he said.

"We fully and unreservedly accept the principles of liturgical reform enunciated at the Second Vatican Council in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy," he wrote.

He went on to say that genuine renewal would require "the interior appropriation of the Church's liturgical tradition on the part of every Catholic."

Along with that is needed "a complete rethinking and authentic renewal of the reform of the liturgy," using both the council document and an evaluation of post-conciliar experience with liturgical renewal, he wrote. "We are convinced there is a genuine hunger for traditional, reverent, liturgical worship." He said he would like to see a Mass that has diverse forms appropriate for different circumstances; songs and

October, place informative brochures and literature in their parish libraries; include articles on mental illness in bulletins; and promote workshops and forums on mental illness.

"We really encourage churches to invoke prayers for persons with mental illness," Mrs Howell said. "I always include them at Mass for persons, families and people who care for them. In the normal sphere when people pray for people with disabilities, they don't pray for the mentally ill."

The prayers serve a dual purpose, according to Mrs HowelL By speaking out, Mrs Howell often is approached by people with similar stories. "Because I made this public invocation, people know that I have some information that might be helpful to them," she said.

Although prayer isn't the entire answer, it is a good start. "You can't pray away mental illness, you need medicine," she said of the diseases that affect the brain.

As for her son, he is now stable with medication. He works in a group home and assists his mother in speaking engagements at churches. "He knows we can change people who are compassionate if we can reach them," Mrs. Howell said.

Presence at Catholic service a royal first

WNDON (CNS) - For the first Westminster said the Queen's time since ascending to the visit to the cathedral service was throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth historic. It emphasized that II attended a Catholic service at Catholics really belong to the Westminster Cathedral, London. country and are able to be loyal The November 30 vespers ser- to the Queen, he said. vice marked the centenary of the The London Daily Telegraph Catholic cathedral. commented in a November 30 The Queen, who is the supreme feature article anticipating the governor of the Church of visit that it was unlikely to herald England, pledged in her corona- a major shift to Catholicism in tion oath to maintain and uphold spite of recent high profile conthe "Protestant reformed reli- versions, such as the Duchess of hymns that everybody knows. gion." Her attendance at the Kent.

'The Queen's journey to the Including some of the simpler cathedral service prompted front of Westminster Cathedral Gregorian melodies; a better protests from some Protestants.

But the event seemed to have today may be a small step for a translation of the English parts of the Mass; and a greater sense of the support of mainstream non- woman. Some, doubtless, will see Catholic denominations. The ser- it as a giant leap for the Catholic the sacred.

But a different point of view vice was attended by Anglican Church. But it really represents was expressed by the chairman Archbishop George Carey of something very different - the of the US bishops' Committee on Canterbury and other leading shuffling together for warmth of churches and state amidst an icy, the Liturgy who said that liturgi- church figures.

Cardinal George Basil Hume of post-Christian culture," it said. cal revisions are never final and must be constantly adapted to the current culture.

"If our liturgy is to be intelligible, if it is to speak effectively to our age, it must speak in the language of our culture," he wrote in CALCUTTA. India (CNS) She said it was a prayer meetin the Lake Shore Visitor, Erie Mother Teresa of Calcutta denied ing of all "who were praying diocesan newspaper. she endorsed a demonstration together for equal rights for (all), "To recognise this cultural factor for public benefits for low-caste because we are all God's chilis to acknowledge that there can Christians by appearing at a dren created to love and to be be no final liturgical revision," prayer meeting connected to the loved."

Trautman added. protest.

Bishop Asked if she was "misled" into "Liturgical development and She also told reporters at a participating, she said she did renewal are an unending task, for press conference on the contro- not like that word and did not liturgical formulations them- versy that she would be more want to blame anyone. selves are culturally conditioned. careful in accepting invitations in She said she would be "more As our cultural forms change, our the future. careful in choosing my engageliturgical formulations need con"Please note that I have never ments from now on." tinuing review and, at times, participated in any sit-in demonSome Indian newspapers welreformulation." stration or demanded reservation comed her clarification and critifor dalit (low-caste) Christians," cised campaign leaders for showthe 85-year-old Nobel Peace lau- ing no "qualms about using reate said in a signed press (Mother Teresa) to further their release distributed on November ends."

24. Her statement and spoken For the past 45 years, Church which we have some sad exam- remarks were reported by UCA groups have said that low-caste ples in the West. The East should News, an Asian Church news Christians should get free educanot follow this erroneous path," agency based in Thailand. tion and government jobs, statuhe said.

Editorial writers and pro- tory benefits now given to their The cardinal said liturgical Hindu groups accused Mother Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist countexts can sometimes be changed, Teresa of supporting a "sectarian terparts. but it must be done with a great cause" and dabbling in political Also during the press conferdeal of love and respect. Anyway, issues by appearing at the Nov. ence, Mother Teresa was asked if he said, that is the least profound 18 prayer meeting in New Delhi. she accepted money from dictareform; real reform would be an Church groups that had tors. overall education to liturgy and launched a 13-day campaign to A British Broadcasting Corp. to prayer. press for equal rights for documentary in 1994 called her a In the past, Cardinal Ratzinger Christian converts from low- "demagogue and media-seeking has been sharply critical of caste groups expressed dismay at egotist" and accused her of reforms that he says have some- her statement. accepting money from corrupt times replaced the solemn repetiMother Teresa said she partici- world leaders. tion of traditional liturgies with pated in the meeting to pray for "I take money from anyone," superficial novelties. she said. equal rights for all.

Mother Teresa denies

'Avoid liturgical mistakes' says Ratzinger VATICAN CITY (CNS) - In planning for liturgical renewal, the Lebanese Church should avoid the "banalisation of the liturgy" that has sometimes occurred in the West, the Vatican's top doctrinal official said.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, made the remarks on December 1 at the special Synod of Bishops for Lebanon. Several bishops had earlier said the Lebanese Church needs fuller implementation of the liturgical reforms envisioned by the Second Vatican Council.

The synod's working document

said Lebanese Catholics are still awaiting renewal of prayers, texts and books. It said they want the texts "better adapted to the language of the people and their mentality."

Cardinal Ratzinger said that prompted him to ask "What is the mentality of the people?"

"Are we thinking here about a superficial mentality, created and standardised by the means of communication," or about the simple at heart, who see with the eyes of faith, he asked.

"Following the first train of thought, one quickly arrives at the banalisation of the liturgy of

The Record, December 7, 1995

13

International News

talks with relief Irish Human life In Brief

right first

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) Archbishop Renato Martino has called on the United Nations to respect all human rights but to give priority to "the inherent and fundamental right to life."

He noted that in the encyclical "Evangelium Vitae," Pope John Paul II said even the lives of criminals and unjust aggressors should not be taken "except in cases of absolute necessity," and that today such cases are very rare, If not practically nonexistent."

Cardinal sued ROME (CNS) - A retired Italian archbishop has sued Cardinal Camillo Ruini, papal vicar for Rome. in a case involving control of entities the bishop administered which were unable to repay huge loans advanced by the vicariate.

By Agostino Bono

ROME (CNS) - A British-Irish agreement to resume Northern Irish peace talks in February is a "welcome breaking of the logjam," said Cardinal Cahal Daly of Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The announcement is "a great relief to many who have been feeling depressed and frustrated" by the lack of progress in the 15 months since a cease-fire went into effect, the cardinal, who is primate of Ireland, said in a written statement.

The statement was issued on November 29 in Rome where the cardinal was attending Vatican meetings.

The cardinal asked all sides to abide by the recommendations of the international commission determine established to whether the Irish Republican Army and its Protestant guerrilla opponents should disarm before all-party talks start.

Child poverty OTTAWA (CNS) Canadian church leaders want the federal government to make good on a 1989 all-party resolution to eliminate child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.

In a joint letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien, the leaders of a dozen churches said child poverty has increased 55 percent since the resolution was passed.

Unity message VAUICAN CITY (CNS) - In a message to the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, Pope John Paul II said he hoped Christians would be closer to full unity by 20(X).

The Pope's remarks came in an annual message to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Mexico crisis MEXICO on' (CNS) - The archbishop of Mexico City has called on citizens to organise themselves into small cooperatives to provide jobs during Mexico's economic crisis.

Independent analysts say more than 2 million workingage Mexicans have either been laid off or are unable to find work

UN donation UNITED NATIONS (CNS) Archbishop Renato Martino, Vatican nuncio to the UN, announced on November 30 that the Vatican would again make its annual symbolic contribution of $20,000 in 1996 to the UN agency that aids Palestinian refugees.

He said the gift was symbolic of the Vatican's support for the United Nation's work

Guadalupe 1V SAN ANTONIO (CNS) - The Univision television cable network is scheduled to air its annual tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 11.

The broadcast was begun by performers who thought it appropriate that singers pay homage to the patroness of the Americas because her appearance at Tepeyac was heralded by songbirds.

14

The Record, December 7, 1995

The disarmament issue has on the eve of Clinton's visit to been the main obstacle to start- Britain, Northern Ireland and ing those talks. The IRA has said Ireland. that talks should start first, with Clinton's visit "can mark a disarmament being an agenda watershed and a new beginning," item. The Irish Republic has sup- said Cardinal Daly. "The support ported that position. of the United States administraBritain and its Northern Irish tion for the peace process is of supporters have said that disar- immense importance for all of us mament should be a condition at this time." for allowing Sinn Fein, the IRAs The cardinal reiterated calls for political wing, to enter peace all guerrilla groups to pledge to negotiations. use only peaceful and democratBritain and Ireland signed a ic methods to achieve their politNovember 28 agreement estab- ical goals. lishing a "twin track" approach Once these pledges are made by which the international com- there should "be an end to all mission would study the disar- laying down of preconditions for mament issue while the two gov- entering into inclusive all-party ernments would continue talks talks," he said. with all sides involved in the "Further procrastination and Northern Ireland conflict so that delay would only put everything full talks could start by the end of that has been achieved at risk," February. he said.

The twin-track approach was "It is incomprehensible to a strongly supported by US watching world that 15 months President Bill Clinton. The after the guns went silent, talks British-Irish accord was reached have not yet begun," he said.

Peace Earth President Clinton lights a Christmas tree in Be/last' (CNS photo - Reuters)

Spiritual desert awaits the flood Aristide to marry of Christian water: Pope VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The future of Christianity will depend to a large degree on how well the Catholic Church and other Christian communities respond to the secularisation of culture, Pope John Paul II said.

In some societies the disregard of religious values from public life has led to "a true spiritual desertification of existence." the Pope said in a December 2 speech to an international meeting on secularism and the future of faith.

"More than soil ready for sowing, our societies are becoming full of arid spaces awaiting the flood of regenerating water," which can come only from a renewal of faith and new ways of explaining it, he said.

The Catholic Church must learn to propose "the great message of the Gospel in a way which is able to reach the very heart of modern culture in all of Its various manifestations," the Pope said.

Pope John Paul told the theolo- are lacking guidance and an gians, historians, sociologists and explanation of faith that makes artists at the conference that he is sense to them. convinced - and statistical surThe surveys also show that peoveys prove - that individuals ple who believe in God need to have not given up the search for be reminded that their belief God. should have practical conse"Surveys in various countries quences, he said. seem to have contradictory "The beliefs remain, but they no results: Alongside a persistent longer are perceived as values affirmation of faith in God, a wor- capable of having an influence rying absence of religious prac- on personal and social life," he tice, united with indifference and said. an ignorance of the truths of faith Pope John Paul spoke of "an are registered," he said. urgency for a renewed dialogue The persistence of faith in God between faith and culture" that shows that the process of secu- could help Christians and those larisation, which once was seen involved in the media, the arts as a sign of a culture's progress and politics "free the hidden and modernity, is in reality a truths" of ongoing belief. "mutilation" of one of the deepest "In this way, a new generation parts of human identity, the reli- of believers will be born from the gious dimension, he said. apparent Godless desert, spreadThe Pope told the meeting par- ing in so many countries that risk ticipants to he especially con- secularisation, because a longing cerned about young people who, for the Absolute is rooted in the almost everywhere in the world, depths of the human being creathave less scepticism of religion ed in the image and likeness of than their parents do, but often God," he said.

Arafat's Bethlehem Christmas visit JERUSALEM (CNS) preparations by the Palestinians.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Freij said Arafat will arrive in Yasser Arafat will participate in Bethlehem the morning of this year's Christmas celebra- Christmas Eve and will remain in tions in Bethlehem, his first visit the city until afternoon on to the town, Mayor Elias Freij Christmas Day. He plans to said. address a crowd of visitors "Over the years non-Palestinian expected to number in the tens of authorities were the ones organ- thousands from City Hall, which ising the Christmas celebra- faces the Church of Nativity. tions," said Freij, a Greek The Palestinian police will be Orthodox who invited the responsible for maintaining secuPalestinian leader. rity but the various Christian "The most important thing now denominations will still be in Is that this is the first time ever charge of the religious celebrawe Palestinians and Mr Arafat tions, as has been the custom will be organising the Christmas over the years. celebration under the Palestinian Freij has said that he will not Authority," which has jurisdic- invite Israeli leaders to the celetion over the historic village. "We bration this year. are happy that Chairman Arafat Not all Christians are excited by will participate with us in this the prospect of a Christmas most important ceremony." under Palestinian rule.

Freij said he expects Israel to A spokesman for the begin withdrawing its troops International Christian Embassy, from Bethlehem on December 10 an unofficial embassy formed by and to complete the redeploy- Christians from around the ment on December 21. However, world - including some Catholics there is a possibility that the - expressed concern about the process will advanced a week in invitation and the future under order to facilitate Christmas Palestinian jurisdiction.

The organisation has been a strong pro-Israeli force since it was established in 1980 in response to the removal of the embassies of 13 countries from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv under pressure by the Arab world.

"We stand here in concern for the future of Israel and also in solidarity with our Christian brothers in Lebanon who saw their churches destroyed by Arafat's men," said embassy spokesman Jan Willem van der Hoeven during a demonstration the embassy held in Bethlehem in October.

"Thousands of Christians in southern Lebanon who have been raped and killed know that Bethlehem has no future except under the people of Israel," he said.

Meanwhile, Bethlehem residents are waiting to see how the change will affect them.

"We don't know if we'll be able to open our stores all night on Christmas eve as we have in the past because of security reasons with Arafat coming," one said.

PORT-AU-PRINCE. Haiti (CNS) president. Father jeanBertrand Aristide. has confirmed to journalists that he is engaged to marry.

Although he declined to identify his fiancee, media reports identified her as Mildred Trouillot. 33, a Haitian-American lawyer who has been working for Father Aristide. Miss Troutllot is a member of one of Haiti's wealthiest and powerful families.

"As far as the date is concerned.

I don't have one yet. When I know, I will tell you." a smiling Father Aristide told reporters.

Although rumours had circulated for weeks that Father Aristide had become close to a woman associate who worked long hours with him at his office, many were surprised to learn of the wedding plan.

"The president was attracted to her, but needed some coaching from other men in the office on how to make a move." one foreign official said. "I think it's just great that he has someone in his life."

Father Aristide was dismissed from the Salesians in 1988 because of his involvement in politics. Since then, he has been prohibited from exercising his priestly ministry.

In 1994 he applied for dispensation from his vows. Such requests are handled either by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith or by the Congregation for Worship and Sacraments.

The process can take years and involves a thorough investigation of the individual's understanding of priesthood and its obligations at the time of ordination, personal ability to make a lifelong commitment to celibacy as well as the current situation of the applicant.

Vatican officials could not be reached for comment on Father Aristide's situation on December 4.

Friends of Father Aristide and Miss Trouillot said that from when they met in Washington in 1993, the pair had a special friendship. Miss Trouillot wrote some of Father Aristide's speeches in English and became a kind of cultural translator, acting as an intermediary between him and US officials.

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Only son of Walter and Grace deceased. Loved husband of Val, father of Sandra. Amanda, Andrew, George. Brother of Corrie - Doug Baird, Helen - Ken Bell, Pauline - Douglas Bolton. Bernice - Doug Uncle and Hamilton. cousin of Mary. Rest in Peace.

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THANKS NOVENA to St Clare. Ask for three favours, say nine Hail Mary's for nine days with a lighted candle. Pray whether you believe or not May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored, glorified and loved today and everyday for ever and ever. A.S. THANK you to the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, You who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideal. You who gave me the divine gift to f orgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and Who are in all instances in my life with me. In this short dialogue I want to thank You for everything and confirm once that I never wanted to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in Your perpetual: glory, Amen. Thanks also to St Jude. K.C.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church Mysteries

of

Jesus'

infancy and hidden life 522 The coming of God's Son to earth is an event of such immensity that God willed to prepare for it over centuries.

He makes everything converge on Christ: all the rituals and sacrifices, figures and symbols of the "First Covenant." He announces him through the mouths of the prophets who succeeded one another in Israel.

Moreover, he awakens in the hearts of the pagans a dim expectation of this coming.

523 St John the Baptist is the

Lord's immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way.

"Prophet of the Most High," John surpasses all the prophets, of whom he is the last.

He inaugurates the Gospel, already from his mother's womb welcomes the coming of Christ, and rejoices in being "the friend of the bridegroom," whom he points out as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

Going before Jesus "in the spirit and power of Elijah," John bears witness to Christ in his preaching, by his Baptism of conversion, and through his martyrdom.

524 When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming.

By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: "He must increase but I must decrease."

The Christmas mystery 525 Jesus was born in a humble

stable, into a poor family. Simple shepherds were the first witness-

es to this event. In this poverty heaven's glory was made manifest.

The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night: The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible The angels and shepherds praise him And the magi advance with the star, For you are born for us Little Child, God eternal!

526 To become a child in relation to God is the condition for

entering the kingdom. For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become "children of God" we must be "born from above" or "born of God." Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us.

Christmas is the mystery of this "marvellous exchange": 0 marvellous exchange!

Man's Creator has become man, born of the Virgin.

We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity.

The Record, December 7, 1995

15

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THE PA SCE CAROLS NIGHT at the Bethel Centre Friday 15th, 236 Railway Parade, West Leederville starting at 7 pm. Entry via Cambridge St. All welcome.

DIVINE MERCY CENTRE (Cnr Morrison Rd/Great Northern H'way, Midland), is open every Saturday and Sunday (except the first Holy Hour Sunday) for between 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.

Program includes: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Rosary, Divine Mercy prayers, Benediction (Latin), Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Please come and join us in prayer. Tea and coffee after.

Play room for children available. Enquiries: 448-0002.

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Mystery bag of selected good titles: Includes at least five books with a minimum retail value of $6.00 each and up to $16.00, many guaranteed titles suitable for gifts or Christmas reading. value of between $50.00 and $60.00, for December only $25.00

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THANKS Mr V Carbone would like to thank all the faithful who participated in the Annual Rosary Procession in honour of the Immaculate Conception, particularly all the Associations and Fr Moore.

APOSTLES OF CHRIST CHARISMATIC FELLOWSHIP NIGHT on Wednesday, 13 December at 7 pm. Sts John and Paul Catholic Church Willetton.

Refreshments and fellowship after. All welcome. Enquiries 332-7829.

VOLUNTEER COLLECTORS called for by the Perth City Mission which will be conducting its annual Christmas Street Appeal on Friday 22 December from 7 am to 7 pm.

If you can spare two hours of your time to help out in Perth or Joondalup, please phone Fiona or Julie on 481-1900.

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FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION The Feast of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated on Friday December 8 at the church of Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook.

Rosary commences at 10.30 am followed by Mass at 11 am.

Everyone welcome. There will be no special buses but public transport is available.

Enquiries to the secretary of the SACRI Assoc. 447-3292.

HEALING MASS A Healing Mass in honour of St Peregrine, patron of cancer sufferers and helper of all in need will be held at the Church of Sts John and Paui, Pinetree Gully Rd (off South St) Willetton on Friday, December 15 at 7 pm. There will be Veneration of the Relic and Anointing of the Sick.

Enq: 332-8292 25TH ANNIVERSARY RIVERTON The Queen of Apostles Church Riverton celebrates the 25th anniversary of its opening on Sunday 17 December.

The ceremony of the dedication of the memorial church will be conducted by Bishop Healy at 9 am Mass. Fr John Flynn, Parish Priest from 1967 - 1976 and the 'priest builder' of the church. will be the guest at the ceremony.

Fr Dean Bradbury SAC and Fr John Luemmen SAC on behalf of the Parish Council extend a cordial invitation to all parishioners, including past parishioners who have moved to other parishes, to the celebration. If attending please ring the presbytery on 457-2424.

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16 The Record, December 7, 1995

DECEMBER 7 Parents & Friends Federation Mass, Wembley Archbishop Hickey Solemn Novena Mass, St Mary's Cathedral 8 Archbishop Hickey St Charles' Seminary, end of year Mass and dinner - Bishop Healy 10 Mass to celebrate 60th Jubilee of East Victoria Park Parish - Bishop Healy St Nicola Association Mass, West Perth Archbishop Hickey St Nicola Association Procession, West Perth Monsignor Keating 12 Heads of Churches Meeting Archbishop Hickey 14 Council of Priests Meeting Launch of book "Asia Knocks" (Commemoration of 50 years migrations since World War II), Parish Cathedral Centre Archbishop Hickey 17 Dedication of Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Riverton (25th Anniversary) - Bishop Healy Celebration Mass for Feast of St Lucy, St Jerome's - Archbishop Hickey

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