The Record Newspaper 03 October 1996

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Archbishops criticise NT killing

By Peter Rosengren Archbishop Barry Hickey has criticised the first legalised killing of a patient under the Northern Territory's euthanasia laws, backing public comments by Perth Anglican archbishop Dr Peter Carnley.

Archbishop Hickey's comments came on ABC radio in Perth last week following an on-air debate between Archbishop Carnley and euthanasia supporter Ralph White on the issue.

Their debate took place following the announcement last week that 66-year-old Northern Territory resident. Robert Dent. who had been fighting a five year battle with terminal prostate cancer, had been killed by his doctor Archbishop Hickey said the Importance of the principles Involved in the killing of Mr Dent in the Northern Territory superseded those of States being allowed to make their own legislation. think that the principle Involved in that [case] is far more than other things like State or Territory rights," Archbishop Hickey said. "'there is a fundamental principle about respect for every human life involved here and I think that's being undermined by the present [Northern Territory) legislation," he added.

The Archbishop also welcomed

Archbishop Carnley's contribution to the debate on euthanasia. saying he supported him fully.

"I was pleased that we've got an example here of ecumenical solidarity. Sometimes the churches don't always see eye to eye and people get confused. but I'm very, very pleased that the two archbishops of this State see eye to eye on this matter. . . . and I support him completely." he said.

During the debate Archbishop Carnley had warned of the consequences for society if the value of the sanctity of human life was allowed to slip any further.

"I think when a community loosens its grip on the sense of the sanctity of life, really terrible things can happen (and) we see that elsewhere in the world," he said.

The news of Mr Dent's killing by Northern Territory doctor and euthanasia activist. Dr Phillip Nitschke. brought condemnation from Church leaders and antieuthanasia activists around the nation.

Cardinal Edward Clancy. the Catholic archbishop of Sydney and most senior member of the Australian Catholic Church attacked the killing as "an act of reckless disregard for the convictions of people around the world [which] will be widely condemned.

Territory Northern *The euthanasia legislation has met

with opposition and revulsion across the nation and is currently under challenge." he said.

"At least this deplorable act may serve to bring the stark reality of euthanasia fully home to the consciousness of all Australians, and further instances of this ugly evil may yet be prevented." he said.

Bishop Patrick Power. secretany to the Australian Catholic Bishops' Committee for Family and for Life described the news of the killing as "a day of shame for Australia."

"When even one human life is seen as disposable the consequences are enormous in terms of the value placed on every human life." Bishop Power said.

Sydney-based "Euthanasia No activist, Tony Bourke, said the killing in the Northern Territory. the first legalised killing of a patient in the world, only made it more urgent for Australians to lobby their Members of Parliament on the federal legislation currently before the Australian Parliament.

The most important thing people could do was to make direct contact with their Members of Parliament and the Senators for their State or through a personally handwritten letter, he said.

"We're at a crossroads now and over the course of the next six months euthanasia will either be legal or illegal depending on the work that we do now," he said.

Perth: October 3, 1996

St Michael takes to Highgate's streets

Organisers pin money to a statue of St Michael the Archangel before the Associazione San Michaele procession, which left Sacred Heart Church in Highgate and wound through the suburb's streets last Sunday. The Association continues a devotion popular in Vasto, located in the central Adriatic Abruzzi region of Italy.

Problem solvers win

New ethnic justice program at NDA The Edmund Rice Centre for In Australia. Among the speakers the annual ‘Vestern Australia Social Ministry of the University will be John Martires. a refugee Multicultural Week celebrations. of Notre Dame has announced its from East Timor, Rahhna Banner- lbgether in Education endeavnew community education pro- mann. a lawyer with the Immi- ours to increase awareness of the gramme - Together in Education. gration Review Tribunal and social justice issues present in The programme. which focuses International businesswoman. Australia by providing a series of on social justice concerns, will be Selvi Kandasaami. lectures and workshops that chalAll entertainment and work- lenge attitudes and behaviours. held at the Fremantle-based unishops are offered free of charge versity from 21-22 October.

The programme also hopes to Over the two days participants while low cost snacks will be proproven strategies for manpresent enterof Dame by mix Student Notre vided the exciting an will hear diversity. multicultural aging tainment in the form of a Latin Association. informafurther seeking Those also African sponThe programme is American band and dance, as well as talks on the sored by the Office of Multicul- tion should contact Cheryl Vermigrant and refugee experience tural Interests and coincides with non on (09) 239 5555.

Priest c elebrates SO years Page 5

The winning Maths/Engineering team in the Tournament of Minds competition hails from Holy Rosary School, Doubleview (from left): Mary-Anne Sidtmore, Christopher Bobridge, Josef Accordino, Adam Lindsay, Ben Song, Heidi Mason and Rachel Almeida.

Story - page 4.

PM opens Italian Centre Page 2

St Therese 100 years later Page II

Now is the time to practice what we preach Social Justice Sunday this year directed our attention to the International year for the Eradication of Poverty with the Australian Bishop's Statement: "A New Beginning".

Oddly enough, this United Nations Year about eradicating poverty has not had the high profile that other "years" have enjoyed.

It is hard to think why. Maybe there is a feeling deep down that the problem is just too hard, that poverty is simply not going to go away, no matter what we do.

Such pessimism is no excuse for avoiding the issue or leaving it in the too hard basket.

We must always strive for a better society, one in which every person is treated with dignity, and has sufficient of this world's goods to preserve that dignity.

The Social Justice Statement: "A New Beginning" takes a close look at global poverty and concludes that its causes are structural, not simply in the sense of

economic imbalance. Poverty is thrones, and raises the lowly. held in place by the way things He fills the starving with good are. things, Were it not so, it could be eradAnd sends the rich empty away. icated by fine-tuning existing eco(Luke 1:51-53). nomic and social arrangements.

So Jesus, quoting Isaiah, proThe Document rejects the from claimed his Kingdom: the top down" strategy, and makes "He has anointed me the point that poverty is preserved To bring good news to the poor". because of entrenched attitudes (Luke 3:18). and the rigidity of power levels in We should not make the missociety. take of thinking only in terms of The poor have no ability to human society. change their lot because they True freedom culminates in have no power, no say in how eternal life with God, as does the society should be.

Kingdom of Jesus which begins The Document goes on further here and finds its completion in to say that Scripture, especially heaven.

Jesus himself, speaks from the Nor should we make the misvantage point of the poor, not the take of thinking only in terms of powerful. eternal life, because that could The Beatitudes, it says, express excuse us from trying to change this upside-down view of the way the society in which we live, and society should be. So does Mary simply leave it to the goodwill or in the words of the "Magnificar. otherwise of the powerful.

"He puts forth his arm in A most significant point raised strength in the Document is that poor and And scatters the proud-hearted. excluded people need to be He casts the mighty from their involved in the reshaping of sod-

ety, or else change will not happen. Furthermore, the Church needs to be on their side.

It is a matter of some note that people changed and converted by the words, example and love of Jesus have shown a great love for poor people.

To mention St Francis of Assisi and St Francis Xavier of Padua is enough to make the point.

But wherever the most abandoned and rejected people are, followers of Jesus are usually to be found among them, and to some extent living like them.

This is great witness. The poor need friends. They need to be drawn into our Church communities and our prayer groups so that they may never feel abandoned.

Our Church is rich in groups and individuals that go out to people in poverty in many ways, in direct help, in providing professional support agencies and in quiet loving service.

They must be invited to share

Archbishop's

Perspective with us real solidarity. A deep reflection on the radical changes needed in society to eradicate poverty will energise all of us to see society from the point of view of poor people and will help us have faith that, in solidarity with the poor, real long-lasting changes can be made.

ishop seeks action on debt

By Peter Rosengren The chairman of Caritas Australia. the Australian Catholic Church's overseas development and aid agency. Archbishop George Pell of Melbourne, has written to Federal Treasurer Peter Costello asking him to support International Monetary Fund and World Bank proposals designed to help Third World countries resolve their crushing external debt problems.

"Iunderstand that the Australian Treasury will be represented at next week's annual meetings in Washington of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund." he wrote to the 'freasurer.

"On behalf of Caritas Australia and my Caritas Australia colleagues in Africa, I appeal to you and your Government to give strong support to the new IMP and World Bank proposals - and also to promote further debt rescheduling and debt forgiveness initiatives," he wrote.

Archbishop Pell announced he had written to Mr Costello during the launch of the Caritas agency under its new name in Sydney last week.

The letter, which asks Mr Costello and the Australian Government to push for a generous revision of current international debt arrangements at this week's meeting of the World Bank and the IMF, came after the Archbishop's

Tom Story, national director of Caritas Australia (left), Ann Faithead, diocesan director of Geraldton, Archbishop Pell, Cardinal Clancy and Margaret Collopy, diocesan director of Perth at the Caritas launch in Sydney.

return from Zambia to attend a the level of its annual gross meeting of international Caritas national product. agency representatives.

The Archbishop also highlightIn the letter Archbishop Pell told ed the downward spiral that ZamMr Costello that Australia's recent bia and many other Third World advocacy in the UN on the countries faced through an inabilnuclear weapons issue was exam- ity to meet debt payments. ple of the positive role it could "Zambia cannot even meet the play in promoting issues of inter- Interest payments on its current national humanitarian concern. debts, which means, of course, Describing Zambia's debt situa- that its indebtedness is increasing tion, typical of many third world year by year," he wrote. countries, Archbishop Pell said "The nation is experiencing the country now had a total appalling unemployment (nearly national debt of $7 billion, twice 80 per cent of the workforce is not

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14§6 'Page 2

PM opens Italian centre

OPTOMETRISTS

The Diocesan Director of the Catholic Mission Office located in turn of the century cottages in Victoria Square, Perth, requires a talented allrounder to provide administrative, clencal and secretarial support.

This fulltme j rronest position will utilise yourgenerd Lookkeepirs data entry and typing skills, using Word For Windows 6 and MY013. devdoped interpersonal and organisational skills are essential, kxjether with good oral and writlen communication skills. Your mature approach and ability b work as an integral port do small team is essential.

The successful applicant must have a strong commitment and understanding of the Catholic ethos and referees must include a Parish Priest For a confidential discussion regarding this position, please phone Di Tompsett on 322 3344 or alternatively fax er CV to 321 9869. lications close 5.00pm dnesday 9th October 1996.

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In formal employment), worsening child malnutrition and horrific levels of AIDS infection (about 13 per cent of all adults)." he wrote to the neasurer.

The Archbishop said he had taken the decision to write to Mr Costello because while the World Bank and the IMF had been proposing "some very positive steps" over the issue recently it appeared some of the proposals would be defeated by other western nations. He added he feared the recurrence of humanitarian

crises of the kind seen in Africa in recent years if nothing were done about the debt issue and said they would probably begin to happen more frequently.

The Archbishop also told the Treasurer that in view of the nearly-50 per cent cut, relative to the GNP. to Australia's overseas aid budget over the last 20 years Australians had an increased moral responsibility to respond to what he described as the "life-threatening" poverty faced by many of the world's people.

Speaking at the launch of the agency, Archbishop Pell told representatives from 22 of Australia's 28 dioceses the burden of international debt remained one of the most significant impediments to social and economic progress in Africa, Asia. the Pacific and Latin America.

"At a time when we and other western nations are enjoying the highest standard of living in the history of humanity, we cannot ignore the fact that the world's poorest nations are subsidising our lifestyles through their debt repayments and through lopsided trading arrangements," he said.

Several other speakers addressed the launch of the new Caritas Australia, including Cardinal Edward Clancy, Father Brian Gore and Janet Hunt from the Australian Council for Overseas Aid. adarn warning - page 14

Mead Medical Centre 11 Salix Way Forrestfield 6058

Prime Minister John Howard paid tribute to the contribution of Italian people to the Australian way of life when he officially opened the new premises of the Nato-Australian Welfare and Cultural Centre in North Perth this week. Mr Howard said Italians and other ethnic groups had not only enriched Australian life by their contributions in a diversify of fields but also maintained their own distinctive culture and identity. The opening was also attended by the Italian consul in Perth, Mr MPtco Carnellos, and blessed by Archbishop Barry Hickey.

Help poor at local level: Archbishop Archbishop Barry Hickey has called on Catholics to commit themselves to eradicating poverty at the personal level in their own neighbourhoods and suburbs, as well as committing themselves to action at the level of social reform.

The Archbishop's comments came as he launched the Australian Catholic Bishops' Statement on Poverty throughout the Perth archdiocese's parishes on Social justice Sunday, September 29, last weekend.

The thx:urnent, entitled A New Beginning, concludes that poverty is fundamentally a structural problem. requiring a wholesale review of the economic and social forces that create and perpetuate poverty in Australia and overseas.

"I would like every parish and every Catholic organisation to be aware of the extent and the causes of poverty, and to discuss this document in order to take effective action," Archbishop Hickey said.

He said it was not sufficient to call on governments to reform

economic structures which caused poverty. One must take personal responsibility for the alleviating of poverty in one's own neighbourhood," he added.

The Archbishop also urged Catholics to reach out directly to those who were affected by poverty.

"Individuals that have been badly affected by the experience of poverty and misfortune need friends, not just structural reform," he said.

"People who have experienced In their lives negative childhood experiences, broken family life, homelessness, mental illness, alcoholism and constant rejection, need love even more than economic reform." he said.

"For this reason people who follow Christ need to go out to them in compassion, stand with them In their struggles and include them in local Church and other communities."

"I urge all Christians to make a conscious option for the poor." he said.

Marriage review welcomed Marriage educators from around Australia have applauded the Inquiry to be conducted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on legal and Constitutional Affairs into aspects of the provision of Family services.

The Marriage Educator's Association of Australia was meeting at its annual conference in Canberra this week when they welcomed news of the inquiry.

Father Tony Kerin, speaking for the Catholic Society for Marriage Education, said the inquiry would demonstrate the cost effectiveness for the Attorney General's

Department of funding professional development for marriage educators through their professional associations.

The majority of marriage and relationship education is provided by agencies utilising partly paid or voluntary educators who until now have usually developed their professional skills at their own expense.

While Federal funding has grown recently it still meets a relatively small fraction of the overall cost of marriage education professional development. Father Kerin said.

Sixty years of dedicated service to the Oblates and fellow mankind to make their way in the world, while they tend the kitchen fires, and perform the perpetual drudgery that goes on unceasingly for those involved in the domestic scene.

However when these "emulators of Mary" follow her path with love and dedication, then that labour of love is the ultimate gift to her and Jesus; it was after all, what they did for 30 years of Jesus' life.

Br Thornton has moved around a bit, not only in between the various Australian Oblate establishments, but also when he went for a holiday at the beginning of 1969 to South Africa. and ending up staying there for three years because his work was so valued in teaching religion.

Then it was off on the longed-for peek at the world, a return to South Africa during that fourth year, and back to Mazenod.

After that it was an 18 months intensive theology course at St Paul's Seminary. on to Iona.

Queensland for eight years, and then back to Mazenod, on to Adelaide, and finally to Archbishop William Foley Village in Hilton in

By Colleen McGuiness-Howard

-Yes Mother! I'm happy to do your work," replied Oblate Brother Frank Thornton, the first Australian Oblate.

And that conversation with Our Lady in Br Thornton's mind, heart and soul, was the final cementing of his primary work for the Lord.

Spending 30 years cooking, cleaning, and doing other domestic chores, had finally got to Br Thornton, who reasonably enough, had joined the CongreBrother ftaig Thornton gation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to work in he would join a religious order.

The back was fully healed and so the mission field. strong within a week that he was And the kitchen and toiling elseback playing sport and working where around the place was hardharder than ever on their selecly that. tion, to make up for time lost.

Then in those brief moments He forgot all about his promise when his mind bucked against to Our Lady but then a voice startthe idea of doing any more ed niggling him which said: "But "women's work!" he says Our you promised me!"

Lady spoke to him in his heart This troubled him for a fortnight and said: "But Frank! That was so he spoke to his mother about my work when I was at Nazareth. it who said instantly: "If you and Jesus and Joseph would help promised Our Lady, then you me, and I would help them (in must do it!" their carpenter's workshop).

This was what brought him "It was homely work. Wouldn't eventually to the novitiate of Loveyou like to join us?" ly Banks in Victoria and a career 1989.

Br Thornton replied "Yes!" with cooking for the Oblates and their Br Thornton now has time to alacrity. and life became more set- guests in great gastronomical pursue his sporting life when postled after that, and in fact, it was- style for the next 30 years. sible with tennis, swimming. plus n't very long after the chat with In fact, he was asked for hither setting up the Hilton Carmelites' Our Lady, that Br Thornton's and thither whenever anyone chapel for daily Mass and helpsuperior offered him a holiday needed a really good cook ing them and the staff at Foley Viloverseas.

But with more ,to offer than that. lage as much as possible.

Brother was born in Boulder Br Thornton also became very Longevity is definitely in the City in 1911 into a hard working. skilled in his great carpentry skills family with Br Frank almost 85. faith filled Australian family with taught by his father, and became with three surviving brothers, and six children; he was the fourth. well known for this attribute also. an older sister who's totally blind He was 12 years old when they And when you think...well much living at the Institute for the Blind, went to Manjimup and recalls of it may amount to only cooking, but still enjoying life. how after the evening meal, the cleaning, and general 'women's He deeply loves Our Lady. his family Rosary was the major work' plus lots of male work as Oblate vocation, and his brother event. well, you ask: "What value is Oblates.

Brother Thornton remained that?"

In this deep dedication and loywith his father to till the soil, milk Immense! is the answer. alty to those he's vowed to serve.

Because there are no high flyers he's proven a model example by the cows and raise vegetables for town sale. but then a sudden and high profile people who've giving 60 years of religious life. event changed his life course ever existed without somebody His life's toil was not about an behind the scenes. completely. executive's desk, and nor did he There's always been somebody seek to see his name in lights, but He hurt his back badly and for three months was in a pretty bad there to nurture them and pro- his toiling in the pastures and tillway with no relief to be found and vide the necessary from early in ing men's fields, have made him the urgency of the farm work call- the morning 'till late at night. an outstanding example of what So it's people like Br Thornton following Jesus and Mary means. ing.

Miserable and dejected. he told who are the backbone of society. ... "I'm yours. and at your service.

They prepare the way for others Here is my life. . . ."

Our Lady that if she fixed his back.

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The Record, October 3 1996 Page 3

TOMORROW TODAY

Re-energising youth

By Penny Ashcroft One of the ongoing programs being offered by the Catholic Youth Ministry Office is the training of Parish teams to enable them to present comprehensive youth ministry within their community.

Currently six teams of 9-15 people. half youth and half adults. from various parishes in the diocese are implementing this concept with a high degree of commitment and enthusiasm.

For a few years now there has been an increasing movement toward the necessity of a more comprehensive approach to youth ministry. only to be hampered by a lack of experience in creating the programs necessary to reach this goal.

With a combination of training. hard work, and the use of the resource package. YouthWorks, amazing progress has been made in 'went months that combines practical organisation and creative programming.

The result is the re-energising of youth ministry within these parishes.

One of the foundational concepts of youth ministry is that it should he holistic and comprehensive.

We have come to understand that youth ministry is more than a weekly youth group meeting. more than camps or retreats. more than an occasional sporting activity.

It is all these things and more.

It is the response of the whole faith community to its younger members as they search and struggle on their particular faith journey, their individual faith journey.

The response requires us to meet them where they are on that journey. to help them open doors that will lead to a closer encounter with God in their lives.

However, the hurdles we face are not small.

First of all, a large proportion of the work involved in youth min-

Bright minds sparkle Catholic schools and colleges did particularly well this year in the annual Tournament of Minds held at Edith Cowan University.

The Tournament is designed to encourage creativity and teamwork in problem-solving, thinking on their feet and being able to explain themselves.

This year, over 90 government and non-government schools in WA entered over 170 teams in the three subject areas: Maths/Engineering. Language/ Literature and Social Science.

Each multi-grade team of seven students is given six weeks to solve a given problem and devise a dramatic presentation to communicate their solution.

On 7 September the teams assembled at the Churchlands Campus of ECU to give their presentations and to wrestle with spontaneous problems presented by the judges.

The winning teams in the three subject categories will travel to Melbourne to compete in the national competition at the end of October.

Three of these winning Western Australian teams are from I., •

. h .

Catholic schools and colleges. As well as having a team chosen to travel to Melbourne. Holy Rosary School in Doubleview had two other teams that were runners up in two other categories.

The Western Australian winners this year were: Language/Literature Primary 1. Esperance PS Team 1 2. Falcon PS Team 1 3. Holy Rosary School Team 3 Secondary 1. Narrogin SHS Team 1 2. John Curtin SHS Team 2 3. All Saints' College Team 1 Maths/Engineering Primary 1. St Norbert College Team 1 2. Esperance SHS Team 1 3. Scotch College Team 1 Secondary 1. Holy Rosary School Team 2 2. Our Lady of Grace Team 1 3. Mt Helena PS Team 1 Social Sciences Primary I. Mater Del College Team 2 2. Churchlands SHS Team 1 3. Esperance SHS Team 2 Secondary 1. Esperance PS Team 2 2. Holy Rosary School Team I 3. Mt Lawley PS Team 2

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 4 • ••

•Jri

inistry

istry is done by volunteers.

The actual implementation of programs is carried out by members of the parish in most cases.

Most of the planning teams involved in this process have found themselves challenged as to how to provide creative programming. how to find volunteers to facilitate the programs, how to reach out to their youth and young adults more effectively, etc.

However, the fruits of their efforts are now becoming visible and each of the six parish teams are unique in the way they have overcome some of these challenges.

The Riverton Parish has opted for a seasonal model of programming and have just launched their Summer Program with the presentation of a terrific brochure offering all details of each program and a brief write up about each presenter.

Their team spent the winter months planning their summer program and will spend the summer planning for the winter programs.

Programs offered vary from Italian cooking lessons to relaxation techniques. car maintenance to ocean sailing and a public speaking course, to name but a few The programs also vary from a one-off two hour session to a course held over four weeks and cater from ages 14 to 25.

Willetton. a parish that has been actively involved in presenting this program for a few years now, offer a wide range of programs catering from faith development to sporting activities, which run throughout the year.

Currently they are planning a weekend retreat in December at Eagles' Nest for those aged 17 and over, have an on going monthly movie outing and offer a variety of sporting activities for a variety of ages.

Armadale. Bateman, ioondanna and Kwinana are also implementing the Comprehensive Youth Ministry Program and are

actively engaged in exploring the vision that this concept offers for their youth and young adults. All have offered various programs during the year.

The resource package. Youthworks, is an invaluable tool which can be used very effectively by a planning team.

It presents a new system for organising youth ministry.

The model used flows from ascertaining the particular individual needs of young people and the gifts and talents of the adult members of the parish.

It links eight components. Advocacy. Catechesis. Community Life.

Evangelisation. justice, Peace and Service. Leadership Development/Enablement Pastoral Care/Guidance and Prayer and Worship. with four different program settings, youth programming, family ministry. involvement in Church life and the civic comnumity.

Each program setting can be organised as a gathered (traditional formats likt youth groups), or non gathered prognims (small groups or indivi(luals).

Youthworks is designed to be flexible and easily adaptable to each individual parish whether you are starting from scratch or whether you are already an established and active youth ministry It can be complimented by another resource, Familyworks. which offers over 300 parish programs and family activities designed to promote family faith development.

Since youth ministry is now seen to be ministry to the whole parish, the use of both of these resources could prove to be invaluable and training can be arranged.

We are very excited about the progress that all six parishes have made since they became involved In the planning of comprehensive youth ministry for the younger members of their community.

A great step forward has been taken for youth ministry.

Schools compete in sport festival

Corpus Christi College students at the College Assembly held to present colours to outstanding students.

Last week over 5,000 students from Catholic and other non-government schools competed at Perry Lakes in the Annual Associated and Catholic Colleges Athlefics Carnival.

This competition originally began in 1937 as the Christian Brothers' Secondary Schools Sports Association between CBC Fremantle, Christian Brothers'

High School, Highgate. and St Patrick's School, Perth.

Today there are 44 schools represented and, as results showed. it is one of the most ecumenical activities happening in the nongovernment education sector.

Today the competition has to be spread over five days and the teams compete for a variety of shields in Divisions 'A to `E'. With

the exception of Division 'A. the winning team in each division moves up to the next highest division next year.

This year Corpus Christi College, for the first time, took out the 'A Division Aggregate Shield and added to the enviable reputation that the College is establishing across all areas of the curriculum.

Competition results - page 15

talents Norbertine Father celebrates Hidden on display half a century of priesthood

By Colleen McGuiness-Howard Ebullient Norbertine Father Peter O'Reilly is really having "the time of Reilly!" with his 50 year celebrations of priesthood.

He's been over to the Emerald Isle, his place of birth, and has returned to celebrate this weekend with Thanksgiving Masses (followed by a dinner in York on 'Iiresday. 8 October) so both continents are able to share his joy.

Father O'Reilly has been parish priest of York since 1991 and also services Beverley, Brookton and Pingefly.

York is special to the Norbertines because it was their first base of operations when their first men - Frs O'Reilly and John Reynolds came to Australia on May 16, 1959.

They'd only arrived in Fremantle on May 11. but not slow in seizing an opportunitv to initially incur debt but subsequently tu produce income for Norbertine endeavours, they purchased just out of York on 6 June. Kerry Downs farm and a smaller adjacent property.

Kerry Downs consisted of 1.0(10 hectares of prime wheat and sheep, and its purpose was to provide a firm foundation in Austnilia for the Norbertines to source income.

But as with many far sighted endeavours. there were tough times ahead for those who 'take the plunge'. and this was when "my Australian family took me under its wings!" he recalls.

Having taken a leap in faith "God was good to us." anti in 1964 a priory was established at Queens Park. and they then set about building a school, ultimately taking over Queens Park parish on Er O'Farrell's death.

Their vision came to fruition with the opening of St Norbert College in February 1965: "and that college today is flourishing and making a key contribution to the educational apostolate of the Church. with about 800 students."

Fr O'Reilly praises the "ordinary mem-

Fr Peter O'Reilly, Parish Priest of York

hers of the Church who bent their backs In meeting those challenges in the early days": and the stalwarts who were also there -when things were desperate and the bailiffs were close to the door!"

These 'salt of the earth' Australians "were always good for interest free loans that were often never called up," Fr O'Reilly recollects with admiration. thanking God for the assistance of all those "who gathered to the battle with a strong commitment to the Faith and a sense of that loyalty which enables us to rely on each other."

He remembers with affection such families as the Lillemans, Bianchinis. Vince and lAttile McMullen. Alex O'Connell. and recollects the hard work done in the bottom of deep trenches laid by Gerry Kelly and

Fatima Family Apostolate Fr. Robert J. Fox is: - founder of the Fatima Family Apostolate.

- leader of 36 youth pilgrimages to Fatima.

- weekly speaker on EWIN. - editor of the 'Immaculate Heart Messenger'.

- author of 30 books and numerous articles.

- endorsed by the Pontifical Council for the Family.

He will be speaking at two ventirs

Thursday, 17th October at:

1:30 pm Divine Mercy College: 20 Surrey Rd. Rivervale.

(Fr. Fox will offer HOLY MASS after his talk) and then at: 7:30pm James Nestor Hall, Catholic Education Centre. 50 Ruislip St, Leederville.

Enquiries: Mark Oxenharn, 337-1970.

Message from Our Lady, Queen of Peace, from Medjugorje, given to Marija on September 25, 1996 "Dear Children!

Today I invite you to offer your crosses and suffering for my intentions.

Little children,I am your mother and I wish to help you by seeking for you the grace from God. Little children, offer your sufferings as a gift to God so they become a most beautiful flower of joy.

That is why. little children, pray that you may understand that suffering can become joy and the cross the way of joy.

Thank you for having responded to my call." at is accepted that the final authority regarding apparitions of Our Lad), at Mediugorie rests with

Bob Malacari converting "what was really a swamp, into the model property we have today."

Originally from County Cavan, Ireland, Fr O'Reilly entered the Juniorate at KiLnacrott at the age of 14, did his senior priesthood studies with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Dublin and was ordained on 28 July, 1946.

After being appointed the first Prior of Kilnacrott when it became an Abbey in 1954, he subsequently came to Western Australia on the 'beckoning!' of his Juniorate classmate Fr Paddy O'Meara and the instigation of Abbot Colwell.

Fifty years down the track what does Fr O'Reilly think about the state of the Church and society?

Well he concedes that things have certainly changed, and although younger people and some young parents are not responding as readily,it doesn't mean that there aren't many good people."

He's always enjoyed his relationship with young people 'they are fairly independent but at the same time I find them responsive in many areas," and with groups such as Antioch -there's hope for the Church!"

And with adults, although some appear to lack responsibility (in child raising), he notes the many good parents whose c.hildren don't wish to go to Church; "worried because they fail to attend Mass and the Sacraments."

While it is partly a matter of parental responsibility, he believes, there is societal pressure on the young not to go.

"I try to see the goodness in people" he says. "in Australia they are very generous, with many committed to the Church."

Fr O'Reilly admits his initial loneliness/homesickness at first. but he was comforted by his brother priests, members of the order, and the Australian people, and adds proudly: "I'm an Australian now!"

The past 50 years have been rewarding he says. "and through our work in Western Australia. we have been able to touch the lives of many people."

The Marillac Centre in Shenton Street, Northbridge, has just staged its first art exhibition entitled 'Hidden Talents' at St Mary's Cathedral last week with works of art being publicly showcased there for several days.

The Marillac Centre is a drop-in day centre for adults on low incomes, the homeless, mentally or physically disabled, or those with alcohol or other drug dependencies. and the art group run by Angela Devereux is a service for patrons to develop their potential skills and strengths.

Father Gerard Dickinson in opening the exhibition noted how appropriately timed it was in being staged in a week of honouring St Vincent de Paul, founder of the Daughters of Charity, because the Marillac Centre is one of their initiatives.

He said the exhibition was living proof that all have talent, irrespective of background, culture or race, and thanked the artists for sharing their -hidden talents".

Artist Peter Sokolov, with his creations, tells of the -great start" and positive support given by the Centre, which changed his life.

Sung Traditiona Latin Mass with Gregorian Chant will be offered by Fr John Rizzo of the Fraternity of St Peter

St Mary's Cathedral, Perth Tuesday 15th October 1996 at 7.30pm t Patrick's Cathedral in New York recently overflowed with a congregation of close to 4500 people when a Traditional Latin Mass was offered there. Cardinal John O'Connor and Cardinal Alfons Stickler were also present. The New York Times declared 'Latin is Back". Ask Fr Rizzo about it - many Fraternity priests and seminarians were in attendance.

The Priestly Fraternity of St Peter is a religious congregation erected by the Holy See in 1988. The priests of the Fraternity say the Old Roman Rite Mass and pledge particular fidelity to the Pope as the Successor of St Peter.

Fr Rizzo will speak after Mass in the Conference Room at the Convent of Mercy Mecedes College beneath the Assumption chapel (entrance through the Victoria Ave gate).

Inquiries: Dr Toni Whipple 457 5860 or Mrs C Mazza 3821451

the Holy See of Rome)

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 5

We too, will be known by our fruits Peter Etwan continues meditations on the readings for Sunday Mass.

This week, the readings for the 27th Sunday of Year A

T

oday's readings treat the theme of the Master's vineyard, an important theme, because Christian living means living as worthy tenants in the Master's vineyard.

The urgency of this is brought home to us with the reminder that unworthy tenants will be replaced by other tenants!

In the first reading (Isaiah 5:17), under the image of a vinegrower who had done everything he could to make his vineyard fertile and productive, the prophet describes God's care for and interest in his Chosen People.

They produced bloodshed Instead of justice, and a rebellious outcry instead of true obedience.

God's vineyard had failed him.

The image of a vineyard carefully laid out and cared for by its

A Layman's

Meditation owner expressed very vividly the Chosen People's relationships with God. It was a self-evident image in a wine growing country, and is repeated in today's gospel passage (Matthew 21:33-43).

The Chosen People of Isaiah's day knew very well of all that God had done for them.

But their response was, at best, cold reluctant service.

This passage was chosen to let us see how we, the New People of God, might apply it to ourselves.

If God did so much for his Chosen People in the Old Thstament, how incomparably greater is the love He has shown us.

Yet how often do we not only forget him, but positively offend him by our sinful attachment to this world's goods and pleasures.

The gospel passage makes it

clear that failure to produce fruits will mean that the vineyard will be handed over to other tenants.

The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen commented that when one nation receives the Faith another loses it.

For every South American nation converted to Catholicism in the sixteenth century, one European nation embraced Protestantism.

When we read of Our Lord's severe judgements on the Old Israel, we must not forget that such judgements are also directed against the New Israel, (the Church,) to the degree to which it ceases to "bear fruit" and betrays her mission.

We would do well to heed the advice given in today's second reading (Philippians 4:6-9), St Paul tells us: "There is no need to worry, but if there is anything you need, pray for it."

If we pray, we shall receive the graces which we need in order to be faithful to our mission.

St Paul says: "Keep doing all the things you have learnt from me

To Jesus through Mary. . .

T

and have been taught by me and have heard or seen that I do".

If we wish to "bear fruit," we would do well to heed St Paul's words and example.

While a whole article could be devoted to what we can learn from St Paul's words and example, one point must suffice here.

St Paul knew the importance of evangelising.

He wrote: "Woe to me ill don't preach the Gospel."

We should ask ourselves whether we show a similar zeal, or whether we are people who use our generosity to development work as an excuse for not giving anything to help evangelisation.

We need to remember that missionaries in underdeveloped countries combine the two very effectively.

We need to realise that concern for physical starvation must go hand in hand with concern for spiritual starvation.

When people try to share their Faith, their own faith becomes stronger.

a column of Marian devotion

his incident, told by a She then said 'It's so strange that could think of now was - 'Our Legion of Mary member, is you should come to me about this. Lady has given me not one but one of thousands which My mother died this year and she seven good reasons why I shouldLegionnaires experience in their was always onto me to come back n't give up her wonderful work on work and know to be the work of to the practice of my Faith and get earth.'

Our Blessed Mother the children christened, it's as if On the Sunday we visited the "It was a cold, wet and windy she is still getting Parish Priest and day in October when I set out to at now me had a discussion meet my partner for Legion work. through you. I about the bapI remember thinking, I wish I was thinking of tism of the childidn't have to go today, what a having them all dren. day to do canvas work, knocking done together He wished to on doors in this weather with the baby, do see the children All along the road it was the you think this attend Mass with same old story, many people were would be possitheir mother for not at home and those that were, ble?' some weeks and just were indifferent towards us We told her that there was the and not interested. we would cerquestion of instrThen, lo and behold, at this one tainly see the uction for the house at the end of the road, with Parish Priest older children. just three houses left to visit, a about this and The father, who young woman opened the door arrange for a was not a with many small children around meeting between Catholic, could her feet. them, but first not appreciate We asked if there were any things first, we the delay in havCatholics living there and she encouraged her ing the children replied 'Yes, I'm a Catholic but I to go to Confesbaptised and haven't been to Church for years.' sion and to start some domestic She had a four month old baby coming back to friction resulted.

In her arms andIasked if the baby Mass. She agreed to do this and Meanwhile, in the praesidium, had been baptised yet. sure enough the Parish Priest we made a special appeal to Our `Nor, she said, in fact none of heard her Confession at home as Lady to solve our problem. her six children were baptised. it was difficult for her to get to But matters seemed only to get We asked if she had considered Church on Saturday morning worse when the Parish Priest. having them baptised and with six little ones. who was seriously ill. collapsed stressed how important it is.

Iarranged to go with her to Mass and was taken to hospital.

We quoted the Gospel 'Unless a the following Sunday and to see The new temporary parish man is born again of water and the priest together about the chil- priest was approached without the Holy Spirit he cannot enter dren's baptisms. delay and a day for the baptisms into heaven.'

The day we found this family. was arranged.

She seemed interested enough Ruth and I went home elated We made all necessary arrangeto want to know more so with that thinking 'What a find! Six little ments in double quick time. we told her that we are not only souls for God and a lapsed Three of us Legionnaires were responsible for our children's Catholic's return as well.' godparents/sponsors. It was a physical welfare but also for their I felt ashamed of what I had lovely day with a party and celespiritual welfare too. been thinking beforehand. All I brations at home.

Our report at the praesidium that week went down well!

Sadly. six days later,I got a telephone call from the mother of the children telling me that tragedy had struck the family - her husband - the children's dad had been killed in a terrible accident.

On the morning before he died he had told his wife that he wanted to take instructions to become a Catholic.

All that week prior to his death he had been looking at the Sacred Heart pictures that we Legionaries had given to the family to commemorate the occasion the Sunday before.

The same priest who performed the baptisms of the children performed the funeral of their daddy the following week and after such a pious occasion, came such a sad one.

We attended the funeral and tried to comfort the family.

Afterwards speaking to the priest we were all in agreement that there was a Divine intervention in this case.

Our Lady, being our loving Mother, knew what was going to happen and she obtained for the father the grace of going to his Maker having had his children baptised and also brought him closer to God before his death.

The good priest who performed the children's baptisms has died suddenly himself this week aged 4Z May God reward him now in heaven.

Whenever I don't want to do home to home visitation, I think of this episode and how Our Lady knows best.

"We thought that planning our funerals would be an uncomfortable business. But the Purslowe family made it very easy:' PURSLOWE FUNERAL HOMES Our family serving your family. since 1906.

Ssaltry 1371

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 6

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on killing

With Paul Gray The death of Bob Dent last month was a watershed moment in human history. It was the world's first fully legal euthanasia killing.

Not surprisingly, huge media attention has been focussed on the event.

Obsessed with politics as many Australian journalists are, much of this coverage dwelt on the implications of Mr Dent's death for the vote due in parliament this month to decide the future of the Northern Territory's legislation.

This is a critical issue. However in the heat of public debate over which way the parliament should vote. it is possible to miss the true historic zrrificance of Mr Dent's death.

That significance is enormous, because by agreeing to Mr Dent's wish that he be killed. nrodern society has no‘% unequivocally signalled its official rejection of the Christian view of human life. 'lb euthanasia supporters, the issue is a simple one of individual rights. But so. it might be argued, is suicide.

At a moral level, there is no real difference between the two.

Both represent a sad end to a life that for a multitude of different reasons, the individual feels is no longer worth living.

By sanctioning euthanasia, society is now sending the strongest message to those contemplating suicide that there is no moral reason why they should stay their hand.

This is a change of enormous moment in the development of human self-understanding.

E.ssentially. it is a recognition that there is no religious meaning in human life.

Traditionally Christianity has taught that there is great meaning in every life - even the most wretched existence.

That meaning stems from the belief that we are children of God - a source greater than ourselves, whose will for us is far beyond our power to control.

Perhaps the clearest historical evidence of that belief is the rejection of self-killing so deeply enshrined in Christian influenced societies throughout the past 2000 years.

With the death of Bob Dent, an enlightened Christian influenced society has for the first time announced to the world that this religious view of life is no longer acceptable.

In its place, a new attitude to life has been set up.

Ills an attitude which states that individual rights are now the only supreme value this society accepts.

After the first euthanasia killing last month, a curious photograph appeared in the newspapers.

It showed the pm-euthanasia doctor. Philip Nitschke carrying a picture of the late Bob Dent at a memorial service.

In a strange way, it looked like a scene from some old-fashioned religious ceremony.

But what religion was being honoured here? Christianity:' Buddhism? Atheism?

The truth is, none of the above.

This was our society's new official faith - the cult of the self.

Just whose rights are we really talking about?

The Record

One of the most startling announcements of last week's news emerged from the meeting of Australia's eight State and Territory leaders in Melbourne when they announced their public opposition to the passage through the Federal Parliament of ries - as distinct from the States - has no the Euthanasia Bills Act. application to the question of States' The Act, moved as a Private Member's rights, one wonders what path of reasonBill by Federal MP Kevin Andrews, would ing the Premiers were following when effectively nullify the Northern Territory's they made this novel argument. existing legislation and prevent other TerPerhaps they were distracted by the ritories from doing the same. forthcoming Grand Final, perhaps it was What was startling about the Premiers' the Melbourne weather. common position was the argument they If each leader had told the waiting media embraced to justify their opposition. that they were opposed in principle to The Premiers and Territory leaders did Federal legislation overriding legislation not oppose the Andrews Bill on the in their own States, but would take immegrounds that they supported euthanasia. diate action to lock anti-euthanasia legisJudging from news reports, many of the lation into place in their home States and assembled leaders declared their opposi- Territories they would have been at least tion wholeheartedly to an act which they understood. regarded as abhorrent.

But this was not the line. Euthanasia, The ground the leaders chose to make they said, was a States' rights issue. But is their stand against the Andrews Bill on it? was that it was a States' rights issue - in What the leaders fail to have realised is other words, the principle that it should that no State has the right to pass legislabe up to the States and Territories to tion authorising it to unilaterally kill its choose whether they eventually enact pro own members; States, in other words, do not have unlimited rights. or anti euthanasia legislation.

Instead, the Chief Ministers and PrePutting aside the obvious point that a FP(leral Bill dealing only with the Territo- miers appear to have fallen victim to the

fallacy that a State can legislate for just about anything it wants.

Assuming for a moment the Premiers' position in this particular instance of euthanasia might be arguable, people would be entitled to ask just how far State rights do go.

How would each of the Premiers and Territory leaders answer, for instance, were they confronted with the question of slavery?

In the Deep South of the United States during the Civil War there was considerable support for slavery, and then-President Abraham Lincoln embraced the issue of freedom for the slaves to legitimise the Union's war against the Confederacy.

But on the Premiers' Melbourne logic we would have to assume that were Australia's Premiers and Chief Ministers suddenly gathered together and transported back in time to the Deep South, it would be very different indeed.

There, we would have to assume, while they would be the first to tell everyone that they were deeply opposed to the con-

97rouno IATeh Help by joining the fight

A

long with other members of my parish I have recently been attempting to garner support for the Kevin Andrews private members bill by providing those attending Mass with an opportunity to write a letter to some of the Senators who will ultimately decide whether euthanasia legislation gets a foothold in this country.

Despite spirited support from the clergy of the parishes we attended.I must say that I was disappointed by the response to the initiative.

Last Sunday I received around 6 letters from the estimated 300 in attendance at Mass.

Admittedly some Mass goers may have already written letters or may have had Intentions to do so.

However, is this issue not important enough to warrant many letters to many Senators?

Euthanasia is state-sanctioned murder pure and simple.

The best argument the proponents of euthanasia can offer in support of their cause is that a person has a so called "right to die." as if a decision to terminate one's life can be made in a vacuum, with no repercussions or consequences for the rest of society.

No such right exists because if it did. it would by definition necessarily impose a duty upon a doctor to administer the lethal dose.

However, no person, government, court or law on earth could justly compel a doctor to commit another to death by reason of the person's choice or consent.

Therefore, talk of a so-called "right to diC is a fallacy by which we all appear to have been neatly duped.

Wake up Australia! Our easy-going nature is becoming a serious liability. The N.T. euthanasia legislation will not be overturned by itself or by others.

We all must make known our strong objections preferably by writing to members of the Senate where the Kevin Andrews bill will no doubt face its stiffest opposition.

Rory O'Hagan Attadale

Countering feminism

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he article "Radical Feminists are offering Catholic women Eve's Apple" by Rita Joseph (The Record, 12 September) alerted Catholic women to the strategies of some feminists as well as placing on record the teachings of Pope John Paul II on the contribution of women and the firm stand taken by the Holy See

cept of slavery - something which they found abhorrent - each of them would nevertheless be bound in conscience to support the right of cotton plantation owners under State legislation - if it existed or was enacted - to buy and sell human flesh on the basis of its colour.

The public are therefore entitled to ask if this is, in fact, the Premiers' logic?

The answer to that question would be interesting.

In the meantime, it is clear that the Commonwealth is in fact exercising its proper responsibility for the Territories, a responsibility which, were it to ignore it, would enable it to be rightly labelled culpable as the Government of this country.

As for the Premiers they should understand a clear truth: there was no right which ever existed for members of the Confederacy to keep or enact laws legitimising slavery; neither is there any right for members of the Federation to keep or enact laws legitimising euthanasia.

There never was and there never will be.

• The opinions expressed in this editorial, and any other Record editorial, are not necessarily those of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth.

Leffers fo /he Colifor

at International Conferences. Your readers field" or CTIS (The Record. 19 September). was in evidence. They appreciate our task The report suggests a major ecumenical is not always "kic.king with the breeze". should also be aware of the work of the They want to do all they can to help their Catholic Women's League of Australia in initiative involving Catholic, Anglican. affirming the teachings of the Holy Father Uniting and Lutheran Churches in presen- priests bringing others back or into tation of the basic message of Christianity, Catholic faith and practice.

In all the forums.

However the "scoreboard" shows only CWLA is very familiar with the tactics hopefully as laid out in the Nicene Creed.

Since the movement for ecumenism. about one in eight Presidia have an active. and semantics of the feminists - many CWLA members can claim to be battle- which is now some 30-40 years old, we interested Priest-spiritual director.

They don't expect much of a priest. They hardened veterans, having been engaged have heard of conferences of a "top down" in countless skirmishes going back type which suggests steady progress would love it if a priest were to be even at part of their meetings. decades (the tempo picking up since 1975. towards at least a more united approach.

The short talk plus a Blessing at the end But the Anglican Church has recently International Women's Year).

We also know that without the prayers ordained women to the priesthood, and and a bit of spiritual advice and collaboand support of our whole membership our recognise divorce and remarriage, surely ration is all they long for.

Fellow priests,I am only voicing what the impenetrable barriers to greater unity with efforts will be limited. people are feeling. Please help, they lay Union Catholicism. hosted the World proudly CWLA In the West Australian (26 September) it need good coaches. the Mick Malthouse of Catholic Women's Organisations Assembly (Canberra February 1996) and both at was reported that Victorian Synod mem- types! Could you please pull on your boots Board level (with one representative) and bers of the Uniting Church welcomed a occasionally and have a kick with them? at Assembly level (one voting delegate) lob- sexuality report which condones homo- Fr Brian Ahern bied against the two Resolutions men- sexual dewy, same sex marriage and sex Parish Priest. Dongara-Greenough tioned by Rita Joseph at each stage outside marriage (subject to review, and available (agenda compilation, unaccept- consideration by a General Assembly in July 1997). ability of topic and wording. voting).

It appears to me that the divisions withIt also welcomed and endorsed the other have been interested in the use of blasresolutions which reflected the wisdom of in Christendom are widening. rather than phemy by the media/entertainment the narrowing one would expect from a the Church's teachings. industries for several years so the If anyone wishes to add her voice to those successful ecumenical initiative. description 'minimal profanity' of the Referring again to your report, can you movie 'Independence Day' (The Record 5 of experienced women dedicated to supporting the stand of His Holiness with ref- imagine the confusion of a Springfield res- September) quickly caught my attention. erence to the role of women - a group of ident when confronted by a Celibate The consistent use of Christ's name in women very aware of the tactics of our Catholic priest. an Anglican woman study- these industries must now be in plague opposition - then please join the local ing for the priesthood and a Minister of the proportions; the term 'profanity' must sureUniting Church who may have views sim- ly give way to the more correct term 'blasBranch of CWLA. ilar to the Victorian Synod outlined above. phemy'.

Mary Campbell Brian O'Leary Given the reproduction of the entertainNational President, ment programmes etc through videos, and Catholic Women's League. Australia (Inc.) Dunsbomugh the singular concentration of Christ's name to the exclusion of non Christian blasphemy (I do not advocate such) then perhaps j ast weekend I drove 360 km to Perth these industries are in effect practicing a challenge all WA Catholic lay groups to from Dongara to the 75th Anniver- deliberate policy of discrimination against allocate resources, take out newspaper sary celebration of the founding of Christianity. advertisements and write open letters to our WA-based federal politicians, asking the legion of Mary in Dublin. Ireland.

For example after two years away from The weekend was superb. It was more Australia and having not seen many movies them to vote in favour of Kevin Andrew's Euthanasia Laws Bill, which will invalidate than a family get together of the eighty or In that time - andIlove movies -Ihave seen the Northern Territory's Rights of the Ter- so Praesidia (parish units) around WA but quite a few over the past few weeks. a looking forward, a retreat and renewal of minally Ill Act. Of at least 30 videos or movies at least 18 Public support might well engender energy and strategies. I was very happy to used the name of Jesus Christ in a disreaction in other concerned Christian have taken part. spectful manner.

As a result we have our first meeting groups, and will show support to ArchSurely a level of 60 per cent of bishop Hickey and the Catholic stand on tomorrow at 1Iam. Congratulations to Tony discriminating against videos/movies Pitchford and all his helpers. It was a this issue.

Christianity must be corrected by the force effort. team In fighting the legalising of euthanasia. tremendous The Mass with Bishop Healy in St Mary's of law. we should not leave all the work to such (Imight add that the Broadcasting Act has groups as the Thomas More Centre and Cathedral was most memorable. It was Saturday, 2.30pm and eight priests came to a specific clause against blasphemy but Right to Life (WA). the Chief Censor appears to feel free to Let every group take up the challenge concelebrate. ignore his responsibilities in this matter).

Admittedly the Eagles were thrashing the and stop Australia's slide into what our How can young people turn to ChristianHoly Father describes as the "culture of mighty Blues and weekends are busy times for priests, sometimes even impossible to ity when they hear Christ's name abused death". get away and we PP's have many other In such a public way?

McPherson J groups to work with also, but apart from And how can the Catholic Church evanLesmurdie the Mass I was saddened that there was gelise in Asia when the peoples of Asia only one other PP or Priest-spiritual direc- hear in videos the contemptuous use of tor to come to the gatherings.

Christ's name - and we do not even defend I found the talks and discussions "inspi- Him in our own society! read with interest a report on a meeting of the WA Conference of Churches rational stuff" in terms of evangelisation.

There was no criticism of priests, only Robert Potts and of an initiative in Queensland called the "Churches Together in Spring- understanding in fact prayerful support (Returned overseas 18 September)

Blasphemy on video

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Challenge laid down

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A call to fellow priests

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Springfield questioned

/

The Record October 3 1996pjpg..A

Life of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice

Why the Church will beatify Edmund Rice p

ope John Paul II is scheduled which the Pope proclaims this to to beatify Brother Edmund the whole Church.

Rice on October 6, 1996.

The next step is to examine a Many people wonder what this major cure attributed to the means and why the Catholic prayers offered through the interChurch beatifies and canonises cession of the proposed candidate men and women who lived in for beatification. past ages.

Once again a local tribunal One answer to both questions is examines the evidence provided simply this - people need to know by doctors and other witnesses it is possible for a person to over- and sends on the conclusion to come evil with good. the Vatican Commission.

The Catholic Church through its Further study is made by medCommission for the Causes of ical and theological experts and Saints, thoroughly examines the their opinions are sent to the lives of some of its members in Pope. order to determine if these indiIf he is satisfied with the reports viduals lived a life of extraordi- given to him, at a public session, nary virtue. he announces that the holy perIf this is the conclusion of the son may be beatified and a date specially appointed tribunal after is set for this ceremony (one addistudying the eye-witness evi- tional major cure is needed for dence about the person and after canonisation.) a thorough examination of his On October 6, 1996, Pope John writings, the Holy Father is Paul will declare the Founder of Informed of the results and a pub- the Presentation and Christian lic session is scheduled during Brothers "Blessed Edmund Rice."

The entrepreneur of heroic virtue

The Mount Sion bakery where bread was baked for the poor.

By Br Brian Grenier cfc Edmund Ignatius Rice will be beatified in Rome on October 6 this year.

He is remembered primarily as the founder of two religious congregations - the Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers.

However, we should not lose sight of the fact that he had already acquired a well-documented reputation for sanctity during the years he spent as an astute, successful businessman.

Edmund was only seventeen when he was apprenticed to his uncle, Michael Rice - a wealthy merchant in the thriving southern city-port of Waterford.

Fully conversant with the livestock and provision trade, Edmund eventually inherited and expanded his uncle's business.

Though testimonies to his piety and practical charity at this time abound, he was not unique among the Catholic merchants of Waterford in this regard.

As a class, they were generous In providing alms for the desperately poor who had flocked into the city in search of employment.

If Edmund stood out among his contemporaries, it was because of the deeply personal aspect of his solicitude.

Moved by the stark contrast between his own affluence and the sorry lot of the poor, he did more than give money to the

The beginnings of the Christian Brothers - Rice teaching poor boys

The Church feels that a man like every bit as challenging as the Blessed Edmund Rice has much modern era is for today's people. to say to the world as the 21st cenFor example, the plaintive cry of tury dawns. the poor to which Edmund He speaks in not so many words responded, is still loud and clear but by the way he lived in a time In modern times.

Brother and friend to poor One side to Edmund Rice is that of founder of what is now a worldwide congregation known in 30 countries.

But there is another side of Edmund Rice: his faith in people, his sensitivity to their needs and his willingness to spend time with them on a one-to-one basis.

He was brother and friend to countless individuals in every walk of life, in every class on the social scale and at various levels - spiritual, psychological, material and otherwise.

It was his being there for persons who needed a friend or brother that he might well be remembered.

Rice was this. Some examples of his practical. Christ-like kindness and generosity are seen in the following stories.

When two very young Connolly sisters were orphaned and the trust fund set up for them by their parents had failed. Edmund saw to it that the girls were supported and cared for by taking on the responsibility as their legal guardian.

A 16 year old Italian lad landed in Waterford in 1803, knowing no English and completely on his own.

Edmund befriended the youth. helped him learn English and set him up in a trade.

Many years later, this man.

Carlo Bianconi, by now a wealthy businessman, expressed his grat-

needy; he gave them his time, his hospitality, and finally his very life.

Of special concern to him were the 'wild and uncared-for boys who gathered around the timber stacks on the Quay'.

He brought them to his home in Barrack Street and provided them with food and clothing.

Edmund was one of the subscribers to the 1791 edition of the Douai Bible which he read assiduously.

That it guided his conscience as The first woman in Edmund a businessman is evident from the Rice's life was his mother, Marlist of scriptural texts he noted on garet, who ensured that the Rices' the fly-leaf. sufficiency in material things did They point to the evils of usury not make her children insensitive and the exploitation of the poor - to the needs of their poorer neighinjustices which were then ram- bours. pant in persecuted Ireland.

She encouraged her children to Edmund Rice's business acu- invite their less-well-off companmen, practical good sense and ions to the Rice home, where legal expertise stood him in good there was food for cavernous stead throughout his life. stomachs and instruction for their In all his dealings with people, Catholic hearts.

The second woman in his life both as a merchant and as a religious founder, he was a compas- was the one he married.

Extraordinarily, we are not sure sionate man of transparent of her name, her religion or the honesty He was the very antithesis of the circumstances of her brief life.

All we know for certain is that part-time Christian identified in section 43 of the Vatican 11 docu- Edmund loved her deeply.

In 1789 their child was born but ment on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et spes) the mother did not long survive where we read: 'One of the her child-bearing.

Either because of a fall from a gravest errors of our time is the dichotomy between the faith horse or because of a fever that which many profess and the prac- raged at the time, she died.

Her daughter Mary was said to tice of their daily lives'.

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 8

Humankind continues to look for exemplars, heroes and prophets to show the people that someone does hear this cry.

Edmund Rice was such a prophet.

This is one reason why the presents Church Catholic Edmund Rice to the modern world.

He was one human being who was called by the Lord, endowed with special gifts to be shared with people and sent to them as a sign of God's love for them.

Beatification is not meant to be a triumphal event for Edmund Rice but rather that his life and his vision are signs of hope and an example of what one person can do in the face of ideas and values that seem to dominate the world.

The good news of Edmund Rice's life is a welcome news item when so much of the modern media seems bent on announcing so much bad news.

itude to Edmund in his autobiog- lived what was called a scanraphy. dalous life.

Her conversion came about Carlo remembered Edmund as a friend who gave him a start in when she was touched by his business career.

Edmund's concern for her.

The same is true of an African He saw to it that she got the slave. Johnny Thomas, whose counselling she needed and supfreedom was gained by Edmund ported her in rehabilitating her paying a sum to a ship's captain life. who had called into Mr Rice's These incidents were typical of firm to buy goods.

Edmund's willingness to go out of Johnny prospered in Waterford his way to help people. under the guidance of Edmund Thus it was no surprise to the Rice and the Presentation Sisters. people of Waterford when at the Poll Carthy was looked down on age of 40 he donated all of his by her neighbours and many material wealth to bring about local people in the market place. systemic change in the structures She had a drinking problem and of his time.

Rice - a frequent visitor to the debtor's prison distributing food and money.

The women in the founder's life

be 'delicate' which may have angel of annunciation, in the meant physically or intellectually words: 'Nano Nagle has already handicapped. given her energies to helping the Edmund was devastated. In his Impoverished girls of Cork City correspondence years later, he Could not you undertake a simireferred to a recently-bereaved lar mission for the deprived youth wife and declared that she must of Waterford?' surely be sunk in 'the dregs of Those who have looked closely misery and misfortune'. at the beginnings of Edmund's The man spoke out of his own work maintain that the influence keenly-remembered pain. of Nano Nagle and her PresentaAfter the death, his step-sister, tion Sisters was decisive.

Joan Murphy, became surrogate For instance, there is the testimother for his child. mony of the priest who was conJoan was also Edmund's confi- fessor to the Brothers for dante and guide as he struggled seventeen years and who had 'the with the thought of a religious privilege of preparing the great vocation. and holy man for death'.

One of his brothers was an A month after Edmund died, this Augustinian priest in Rome; priest declared: 'It was the noble Edmund wondered should he go example (of the Ladies of the Preand join him there? sentation Order) that stimulated It was possibly the same Joan Edmund Rice to share in their Murphy who spoke as Edmund's meritorious labours.'

Pictures on these pages from A Man for Ow Mite a shed Me of Edmond Rice by Donal S. Wm OC

Life of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice This Sunday in St Peter's Square, Pope John Paul H will declare the founder of the Irish Christian Brothers, Edmund Ignatius Rice, Blessed before thousands of Christian Brothers and their supporters, an event that will spark off a surge of pride among many of the millions of men and boys in Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, Canada, the United States and many other countries who have benefited from the education and care of the order the Waterford businessman founded in 1802. Christian Brother Brian Greiner here reminds us of the different facets of Blessed Edmund's life which, in great part, helped the children of the oppressed Irish and their diaspora in the English-speaking world gain control of their lives and contribute to the building up of Christian and secular society.

A founder's vision which still reaches down the centuries FI

(Imund Rice (1762 - 1844) was an Irish layman who F founded the Christian Brothers in the city of Waterford in which he had been a successful merchant.

As a young adult Edmund was apprenticed to his uncle who owned a thriving business in Waterford which supplied provisions to ships leaving for America, Africa and mainland Europe.

It wasn't long before Edmund was recognised for his ability to work well with people and for his creative business methods.

He was a man of great integrity. highly respected as such by fellow business men and customers.

He also was known around Waterford as a devout Catholic and a friend of the poor.

After a full day's work for his uncle, Edmund put in long hours aiding orphans, elderly and homeless people.

He was an active member of quite a few organisations which raised funds for charitable institutions.

He often served as an advocate to obtain rights and benefits for persons too poor to hire a lawyer.

Edmund Rice assisted anyone in need.

In spite of government pressure on Catholics in 18th century Ireland. Edmund made no secret of his Catholic faith.

He attended Mass daily in Waterford churches, and joined other men in prayer or action

groups to promote the Catholic cause.

He was an advisor and friend to several of the local priests and the bishop.

He was always ready to use his commercial skills to assist them in business or legal matters.

Edmund Rice married Mary Elliot when he was 25.

Two years later his young wife died giving birth to their daughter who never developed normally.

Although he inherited his uncle's provisioning business a few years later and knew grief as a widower he felt far from sorry for himself but turned to prayer, reflection and renewed involvement in charitable work for disadvantaged people.

His wife's death was a watershed event in his life, as for the next thirteen years he asked God for the meaning of this suffering.

It forced him to consider the options open to him and what the Lord might be asking of him.

He finally made up his mind to sell his successful business and to devote the rest of his life to teaching the poor gratuitously.

In 1802 as a layman he founded a community of teaching brothers that would eventually become two separate Congregations in the Church - the Presentation Brothers and the Christian Brothers who today - nearly 200 years later - are active in some 30 countries around the world.

This man who, on October 6 will be beatified by Pope John Paul II was born in Callan, a small town In County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1762 and died at Waterford in 1844.

Although he had become a prominent merchant in Waterford at the age of 40. he sold his successful business and devoted the rest of his life to teaching the poor gratuitously.

His first attempt to establish a school was a venture in a rented building, a stable. on New Street in Waterford where he conducted a free school for the poorest boys in that city.

He hired two teachers to assist him but after a few weeks they quit because the work was to difficult as these lads had never been to school before this.

Edmund continued all alone, with 150 boys to instruct.

At the end of the year two young men from Callan volunteered their services and they moved into the loft above the stable to live with Edmund Rice.

This was the inauspicious beginning of the Christian Brothers.

With the permission of the local bishop. the three of them asked the approval of the Church and to consecrate themselves as religious brothers.

It would not be until 1809 that they were allowed to take religious vows and by this time there were 9 brothers and they had moved to their newly constructed

Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice

school called "Mount Sion." There called to give religious instrucwere many schools in Waterford tions as well as the basics of eduat this time but none for boys that cation to the underprivileged were unable to pay for their edu- boys of Waterford and other cation. towns where he and his brothers Mount Sion therefore admitted established schools.

Political conditions in Ireland at only the poorest and Edmund Rice endowed and supported this this time militated against schools institution from his own personal such as Mount Sion. wealth.

Thus in giving up his prosperHe had a bake-house and tailor ous business and his comfortable shop on the school grounds in home. Edmund Rice was embarkorder to feed and clothe the boys. ing on a career that would result Other individuals had opened In giving hope and new life to a pay schools for the poor in early nation by assisting the underclass 19th century Ireland. but to rise up out of their miseries.

He founded two brotherhoods Edmund. a layman, was the first to found a Congregation of teach- to continue this work in schools ing brothers whose sole work was and institutions which are still to educate those who lived in actively involved in Edmund slums and other deprived areas. Rice's vision of overcoming evil Edmund and his brothers felt with good in 30 countries.

Courage - the extraordinary trait common to saints and founders

By Br Brian Grenier cfc

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Westesert - the farm where Edmund Rice was WIN on 1 June, 1762.

Waterford, circa 1800, where Edmund was apprenticed to his uncle.

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There is a character trait of saints in general, and of founders of religious congregations in particular, which can easily be underor overlooked estimated altogether - their extraordinary courage.

The fact that they constantly place their trust in God does not mean that they are spared the apprehension, stress and even suffering which so often accompany new initiatives in the service of others.

Indeed, the courage which conspicuously holy people like Edmund Ignatius Rice exhibit is not 'the absence of fear and anxiety but the capacity to move ahead though one is afraid' (Rollo May).

In worldly terms Edmund had little to gain and much to lose when he took his first steps towards the foundation of a religious brotherhood dedicated to the education and religious formation of poor boys.

He was at that time a successful,

influential and highly respected impugning of his good name. businessman in his adopted city Until the very end of his days as of Waterford - a man of means an octogenarian, he persevered who moved easily among the unswervingly in the 'rough profession' of a Christian life consesocial elite.

His decision to devote his for- crated by vows. He was, in the tune and the remaining years of poet Browning's words: his life to conducting schools for "One who never turned his back the most neglected children of his but marched breast forward, day was not lightly taken.

Never doubted clouds would It came at the end of a decade break. of prayerful discernment and Never dreamed, though right necessitated a radical transforma- were worsted, wrong would trition of his comfortable life-style. umph."

Success was by no means Of course, Edmund Rice's assured. courage is not to be identified simSome of his friends and ply with dogged determination to acquaintances were supportive of succeed in a great personal his efforts; others thought that he undertaking in the face of trials. was squandering his talents on a Nor was it some occasional task which was hopeless and, 'rash, fierce, blaze of riot' which therefore, doomed to failure. was spectacular but ephemeral.

The difficulties and disappointIt was an enduring orientation ments that attended the early supported by faith, nurtured by years of Br Rice's venture have hope and expressed in love been recorded in detail by his towards the realisation of God's will in his regard. biographers.

Perhaps, in theological terms. it He felt deeply the departure of some of his early confreres, the would be called the virtue of foropposition of certain unscrupu- titude practiced to a heroic lous clerics and, at times, the degree.

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 9

1

Book reviews

Maverick approach to evil The Lucifer Principle, A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History, by Howard Bloom, Allen & Unwin,

110 ct,t1.)tiNilt/11.4 61.u1. tvtli startle am' ilittitelt,*!:

I .ittit,.1 4.. .sttivt,tt

1996, rrp $19.95.

Reviewed by George Russo

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his is a tract for our times written by a distinguished scientist with a penchant for popularising, and the requisite gift of clear and appealing exposition.

Nevertheless, this is an odd book; neither history nor science, as these disciplines are generally accepted.

I toward Bloom (not to be mistaken for the celebrated literary Professor, Harold Bloom) is many things: scientist, historian, politician, and mass-culturist. lie has membership of many Academies, he has appeared on talk shows, and ventured into private enterprise. He has done it all; but still I find something sinister.

Is it the way his mind works? Most historians, for instance, concentrate on politics, religion, social and economic interests.

Bloom has set himself the more difficult and risky task of exposing what was philosophically called the problem of evil.

Difficult. because not all periods of history have been so wicked and open about the existence of evil in their midst.

THELIJCIFER PRINCIPLE A SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION INTO THE FORTS 01' IIISTORY

For a book that seeks to step outside of the normal rules of philosophical analysis, it uses some odd conventions to make its points.

Take the Contents: Who is Lucifer? The

Clint Eastwood Conundrum; Bloodstains and sometimes earth shattering deeds'. in Paradise; and so on.

And there are his erratic 'concepts' of These chapter heads show Bloom's explanation: 'the meme, a self-replicating eccentric cast of mind. Take a relevant, cluster of ideas,' and 'there lurks a force random example: that rules us'.

"More traditional Christians found anothYet, the past is real people, and he sucer way of dealing with the problem of evil. ceeds brilliantly in putting them into conThey created the myth of Lucifer ... a mag- text; the evil of Mao in procuring the nificent angel, a courier of God, a prime 'Cultural Revolution' but corrupting noble in the kingly halls of heaven. He was China's youth. trusted, powerful, charming, awesome in Nor does Bloom stick to one nationality his self-possession, but he had a flaw; he in his characters and examples, his sources wanted to usurp the seat of heavenly power range far and wide with the eclecticism of and seize the throne of God himself. When examples only equalled by his willingness the plot was uncovered, Lucifer was hurled to chance the various cultures of the world. from heaven, exiled from the earth, and As an historian reveals fact and is not tossed into the dreary realms of hell. The obliged to draw morals; so does Bloom, ancient gods who had been his co-con- when it suits him. spirators were cast into the lightless subBut generalising is his type of history. terranean caverns with him."

Penetrating all the cultures of the world, It could be an American blockbuster, with and familiarising himself with animal crechapter headings to go with it But there is ation, entitles him to identify some comno place for grace in this scheme of things. mon themes in his analysis of what he calls Something else that puts a skew on the the Lucifer Principle - or what we call the book is Bloom's eccentric theories ('the problem of evil. social body', and we 'unwitting cells). No University faculties settle into stagnant freewill! traditions unless mavericks like Bloom It is 'about how we, without the slightest come along to stir the pot. sense of what the long term results of our As Ed Campion said on the blurb; 'This most minescule actions might be, con- Is an astonishing book that will startle and tribute to the social organism's ponderous challenge.' And I agree.

Book of beliefs little more than futile This IBelieve, edited by John Marsden, Random House. rrp $24.95.

Reviewed first by George and then Annette Russo,

T

his book sets out to outline the beliefs of 'eminent' Australians in clear and intelligible form.

Yet, mostly, it is a curious and enigmatic mixture of opinions and experiences that are supposed to be 'beliefs'. On the whole, they are futile.

There are a few cheerful tales (amid the mournful); some more enigmatic than others, and some downright absurd. Their

authors appear in alphabetical order, with a brief resume of their lives, followed by their 'beliefs'.

The West Australian featured three of them in its Big-Weekend, and, for me, these were the greatest excitement in the book; especially, the inimitable Elizabeth Jolly, and Veronica Brady for citing Chesterton's wise saying about Christian belief, not being 'tried and found wanting, but found difficult and not tried.'

Alas, after these and a select few, the others aren't worth reading. The central question, belief, is often not answered; or merely answered in a way to exceed the limits of credulity or common sense.

The very first essay believes in good food (who doesn't?), and adds an enigmatic sentence about totalitarian religions, whatever they are.

Most people believe in God (or so I thought until I read this book), a body of doctrines that have some substance, some tradition, that has stood the test of time, and will preserve them in the future.

Otherwise where is the criterion for belief? Delusional beliefs spring up all the time. But what of the claims of truth?

Of course, there are many valid insights

In the stories told. Many are true and illuminating as far as they go; but they don't go far enough.

The most eminent came from Cardinal Clancy, who balanced 'authentic belief' with 'credible moral values'.

For faith we need a fixed point of certainty and this came, ultimately. from Jesus Christ. the Son of the eternal God. Jesus Christ worked with a religious tradition that came down the centuries from the ancient Jews, and His message has stood the test of time.

His miracles confirmed it. The Fathers of the Church, Saints and Scholars, down the centuries, have also given testimony to the 'fruth of His doctrine. Within that tradition there is the great Apologia of what Cardinal Newman believed.

The material from which the Church retains its tradition has been thoroughly tested over time. One of the values of an historical belief is that it protects you from the false prophets and charlatans like some of those in this book This I believe!

And, feeling that I may have been ungenerous to the contributors I asked my wife to give her view of the book. Here is what she wrote.

Authors have lost sight of why we are here and where we are going

T

he title excited me. Belief! I quickly plunged into reading a few wellknow names; eager to learn, with enthusiasm, but only to become more disappointed with every belief-storyIread.

This book was produced to reveal how over one hundred well-known Australians explored their truths.

I thought the idea was good but the answers poor andIwas astonished to learn that generally most did not believe in God. Without naming any authors in particular, I wish to outline some of their beliefs, so you can also make your own evaluation.

The only one that made any sense was Cardinal Clancy.

I felt he was in touch with the problems of today such as wars, drugs, family-breakdowns, poverty promiscuity, abortion and euthanasia.

You may ask, what is moral conduct?

Clancy says that, "Individuals (having rejected God) are today making themselves the sole arbiters of what is morally right and wrong in their lives and rejecting all authority, including God's".

Hence, they are 'losing the sense of right and wrong'.

I felt that some of the authors had lost sight of the true meaning of why we are here and where we are going.

Here are a few of the statements made by some of the authors.

1. "I believe in what Ican see, create and experience".

2. "I believe that sex is a great way to make love because that is real, which makes it an act of truth instead of an act of faith".

3. "I believe that what is important is not that the big picture be revealed, but the journey, Ills not the goal, which matters.

However, without a goal, there can be no journey".

4. 1believe that perhaps belief is a simple matter of taste".

5. "I believe that we all strive for goodness, and if you want to substitute goodness for God, that's alright by me".

6. 'I believe as this material body is not our actual self, neither is the material world #our actual home. We, the soul, are, by • Mir

The Becord,OctolparJa.1990. Page10

nature, eternal, full or knowledge and bliss.

On the other hand, this world in which we now live is temporary, full of ignorance and misery".

Some just believe in what they are doing.

The symptoms are classic. They include 'their cat', 'food', 'life and learning', and such absurdities as 'changing your mind as often as you like', 'having a good lie down'.

Even, 'Art', and of course 'Freedom of speech.

One describes himself as a born-again Christian and went on to say, "I believe in dreams and in Carl Jung's dream as a child of a great penis that was a symbol of God".

And using the phrase "to have and to hold", the words used in the marriage service, he feels that "deep trust comes when the woman he loves holds his penis". What rubbish!

And the author asks us to take this sort of thing seriously. You would have to be joking. What do you think?

After reading these types of replies,Ihave to agree with Cardinal Clancy "Is it any wonder that the world is in a state of everincreasing moral chaos and things are going to go from bad to worse until such time as the world re-discovers God, accepts his authority, and disciplines in compliance with his code of good and evil",

.....

gr.

Simplicity a virtue and a drawback Christ my Brother, by Emmet P Costello SJ, St Paul's 1996, rrp $6.95, 125 pp Reviewed by Steve Johnson

E

mmet Costello was born in Fiji

and entered the Jesuit Order in 1942. Following the Order's philosophy, he has written a small book, in a simple, Ignation style.

By this, he hopes to attract and keep our attention.

The idea of a personal encounter with Christ, his brother, is central to the book and Emmet's spiritual journey.

He states the early Church was "obsessed not by a theological system, but by the person of Christ". This personal attachment was replaced by fear, guilt and unworthiness, making Jesus pious, concentrating only on his divinity, ignoring his true humanity Through his discussions on Jesus' public life, trials and temptations, the author aims to show how Jesus identified himself with all of us.

The crucifixion, to Emmet. was the "greatest act of love, dying in extreme agony for all of us". In the resurrection, we should be "consoled, knowing the risen Lord is our brother and friend, Involved and concerned about every facet of our personal life ... because he has chosen to remain human for eternity".

I found this book easy to read and it conveyed the theme simply and succinctly.

But the simple style was also a drawback Emmet often had a too simplistic answer to areas of life that can't just be explained away.

For example, his discussion on suffering "deepening character and when borne with faith, proving our readiness to accept God's will and the depth of our love", is too much of a throw away line for those who are suffering.

This book is a great tool for upper primary, lower secondary school spirituality.

Its simple language and ideas would be excellent for this age group.

For myself in an older age group, I found it too simplistic and it did not draw out the ideas enough. I found it interesting reading, but did nothing to enhance my spiritual journey.

Features

Born to love humanity Saint Therese of Lisieux S

eptember 30 was the centenary of the death of one of the most remarkable women in the Church of the modern era, Therese Martin, better known as St Therese of Lisieux.

Known in religious life as Theresa of the Child Jesus, she is an endearing and captivating saint.

Her autobiography is a spiritual masterpiece that has been the source of spiritual peace for many who have come to understand her "little way", while her spiritual simplicity Is described by the word "love".

Born at Alencon, France, in 1873 Therese was the youngest of five girls, all of whom became nuns.

She entered the Carmel of Lisieux in 1888 and died when she was only twenty-four.

Her "little way" of simplicity and perfection in doing small things and daily duties has made her the model for multitudes of ordinary people.

She is the Patroness of the Missions as, acquainted from an early age with the work of the missions, she made them the

object of her prayers and sacrifices.

"After my death," she wrote, "I will return here below to help priests and missionaries."

Her life in the Carmelite Convent in Lisieux, France was marked by humility, simplicity and trust in God. The story of how she entered at the young age of 15 is well known.

She was a marvellous, saintly person who was an example to all in her convent, and offered her life "to save souls and to pray for priests."

Among the many famous stories of the power of Therese's prayers was the occasion in 1887 when she read of a condemned prisoner, Pnmzini, waiting for execution in a prison cell.

The reports of Pninzini's crimes, a triple murderer, had filled newspaper reports for weeks and Therese had read about him in La Croix Although the press used terms such as "filthy monster" and "beast" to describe him. Therese, then aged 14, decided to adopt him as her 'first-born'.

Newspaper reports described him as a

The young woman who was to become one of the greatest saints of the modern era.

hardened character who rejected efforts to persuade him to be reconciled with God before the time of his execution.

Making up her mind to save his soul, Therese prayed for his intentions 'making use of every imaginable spiritual device'.

She was convinced God would forgive Pranzini his crimes and wrote "I'd believe that even if he didn't go to confession or show any sign of contrition, so confident am I of Our Lord's boundless mercy. All the same,I did tell Jesus I was asking for some indication of repentance. . . . just for my own consolation."

On the day of his execution, August 31, 1887. Pranzini still pleaded his innocence right to the foot of the guillotine and even refused the chaplain's assistance.

But at the very last instant the man about to die kissed the crucifix the priest held out to him three times.

It is not hard to see why events such as this have won her a reputation for passion for conversion and were to contribute to her being declared Patroness of the Missions.

Her own words tell her story better than anyone else's can: "Love appeared to me to be the hinge of my vocation...I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this txxly the necessary and more noble member was not lacking: I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love.

"I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more.

"I saw and realised that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.

"Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul,I proclaimed: 0 Jesus. my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is love. Certainly I have found my proper place in the Church. and you gave me that very place. my God. Therese's life in the Carmel at Lisieux lasted about nine years. Much of the time she was weak and ill, ending when she died of tuberculosis at the age of 24.

Less than 30 years later she was canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1925, and declared Patroness of the Missions.

The life of this remarkable young woman is, perhaps, best summed up in her own words.

Shortly before her death she wrote: "I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth."

Undoubtedly, that is exactly what she has been doing for the last 100 years.

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r-International News

Trucker's chapel for weary kings of the road

By Dana Drezek SOUTHINGTON, Connecticut (CNS) - Many truckers are happy to see Glenn Hilt's 18-wheel tractor trailer at a Connecticut truck stop.

The rig has a lighted cross over the cab and the words "Mobile Chapel" on the trailer.

Inside are two dozen chairs and a pulpit, where ex-trucker Hilt welcomes and counsels truckers and leads them in Sunday worship services and Bible study groups.

"Whenever I'm around, I stop in just to speak my piece and say a prayer," said Rob Ferenez, a Catholic trucker from Pennsylvania who is on the road in his own rig five days a week.

"It's a real lonely life for us, to be

out here on the road," Ferenez told The Catholic Transcript, newspaper of the Hartford Archdiocese.

"You're faced with all kinds of problems, but you have nobody to talk to. This is like a confessional; you can come in and just talk, one-on-one, with the chaplain."

His rig is one of 18 chapels throughout the United States and Canada, with another in Moscow, Russia.

The chapels are run by a nondenominational Christian organisation called nansport for Christ International.

The group introduced "mobile chapels" in 1951, and they had become so popular by 1985 that the organisation made them permanent fixtures at truck stops.

Abortion veto vote fails to get numbers

By Nancy Frazier O'Brien WASHINGFUN (CNS) - The effort to end partial-birth abortions is not dead, Church and prolife leaders agreed after the US Senate failed to override President Clinton's veto of the PartialBirth Abortion Ban Act. As Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia and other religious leaders prayed in the Senate gallery on September 26, the Senate voted 57-41 to override the veto - nine votes short of the twothirds majority needed.

"Contrary to what pro-abortion forces may believe, we are not discouraged or disheartened by what happened today," said Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, in a September 26 statement.

"It is not a black day for the prolife movement," he added.

"Indeed it is a day of victory For we have never been as galvanised, as unified, and as energised as we are at this moment."

A week before the Senate vote, the House of Representatives had voted to override the veto, 285137.

The legislation vetoed by Clinton in April would have banned a procedure used in late-term abortions in which the unborn child is partially delivered before surgical scissors are stabbed into the base of the infant's head.

The child's brain is then removed by suction, allowing for easier delivery of the rest of the body.

"No nation, no civilisation that abandons its moral foundations by legally destroying its own children through such a barbaric procedure can possibly survive," said Cardinal Bevilacqua after the Senate vote.

The cardinal. and ,other •

•

;

._

Catholics joined Protestant and Jewish leaders in a prayer breakfast on Capitol Hill before the Senate vote.

He and seven other US cardinals had been part of an unprecedented campaign to override the Clinton veto.

The effort included an interfaith prayer rally on September 12 on the steps of the US Capitol and a postcard campaign to Congress urging the veto override.

Four senators did change their position on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act since the Senate first approved the legislation last December on a 54-44 margin.

When it became clear that there were not enough votes to override the veto. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi changed his "yes" vote to "no" so that he would be able, under Senate rules, to bring the issue to a vote again before adjournment.

Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, pledged that the bishops would "intensify our educational efforts until there is no one left in this nation who does not know what a partial-birth abortion is and why it ought never to be allowed In any humane society."

Cardinal fames Hickey of Washington noted in a statement that the three House members and Iwo senators who represent parts of Maryland in his archdiocese voted against the veto override.

"They ignored clear evidence from the medical community that this brutal procedure has no medical purpose whatsoever. They also ignored the will of hundreds of thousands of their constituents," Cardinal Hickey said.

"Thoughtful citizens should keep this in mind as they ponder preic.choices on election day." a

.t4

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 12

Both chapels and chaplains are supported by donations from Individuals, churches and a few trucking companies.

Hilt, who quit his trucking job to ministering to truckers, finds it fulfilling.

He said the need is enormous, as truckers must cope with family problems away from home, and with hazardous road and weather conditions and the constant pressure of meeting deadlines.

"It's rare to find a trucker married for more than five years," Hilt said, adding that the lifestyle is "a real hardship for the families."

"There is a great deal of loneliness among the truckers," he added.

"It leads them to a lot of sinful vices, like drinking, drugs and prostitutes."

A view of the outside of Glenn Hilt's Mobile Chapel" shows the cross above the 18-wheel tractor-trailer's cab.

Pope thanks French Catholics for faith witness during visit

By Lynne Weil VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul II was still savouring the recollection of his most recent trip to France when he gave his weekly audience talk on September 25.

"I am deeply grateful to the Catholics of France who, by their presence, fervent prayer and countless gestures of solidarity. bore unmistakable witness to their faith and to their communion with the successor of Peter." the Pope said in his prepared remarks.

"In particular. I would like to thank the young people who, in great numbers, participated in this pilgrimage." he added.

"Together with their enthusiasm.

I could perceive their profound spiritual search and their mature adhesion to certain and perennial values. This is a reason for great

hope." Roughly half a million peo- anniversary of the conversion to ple in total gathered for the Catholicism of Clovis. the Frankthree outdoor Masses the Pope ish king credited with laying the held during his French trip from foundation for modern-day September 19-22.

France. the Pope urged current Thousands more were present French Catholics to strive to live for evening prayers and spe- up to the promises of their bapcial meetings for the young, for tisms. the marginalised and for families.

"At the culminating point in "At Sainte-Anne-d'Auray. conse- Reims," he recalled. "everyone cration to Christ was considered was invited to meditate on the In light of everyday life and the meaning of his own baptism, on obligation to evangelise." the his spiritual life, and his responpope said. sibilities in the Church and the "Such consecration was heard world. as a call to render testimony to "Let us be thankful for the fruits the faith in every sphere of soci- of baptism during many centuries ety, especially in the family. The in France." he continued. "for the meeting with thousands of fami- saints who have shown the way lies was a real 'high point' of my In French history." trip."

The Vatican reported that The Pope pointed out that one among the estimated crowd of of the main themes of the visit was 6,000 at the audience. about 500 the meaning of baptism. In addi- came from French-speaking tion to marking the 1,500th countries.

Sources hint at Pope-Castro meet

By John Mavis

vivric \ \I CITY (CNS) - A leading Vatican official planned to visit Cuba in late October to discuss a possible meeting between Pope John Paul II and Fidel Castro.

The Vatican press office confirmed that Archbishop JeanLouis Tauran, an assistant secretary of state, would travel to the island nation on October 25 for several days of talks with Church and state officials.

Informed Vatican sources said on September 25 that it was increasingly likely the Pope and Castro will meet in mid-November, when the Cuban leader is expected to attend a world food summit in Rome.

It would be their first encounter.

The sources said Castro has not yet made an official request for a papal audience and is not expected to do so until shortly before the UN-sponsored food summit begins.

The Pope will no doubt receive him, the Vatican sources said.

But the Vatican does not want Castro to use the meeting for onesided political propaganda, and so it is pressing for government concessions on religious freedom, even as the groundwork is laid for the meeting.

The range of such concessions are likely to be on Archbishop Tauran's agenda in his Cuban talks, they said.

The Church in Cuba wants greater operating room for its missionary, social, education and mass media activities.

The sources also said the PopeCastro meeting could open the door for a possible papal trip to Cuba. which has been discussed for several years.

But they said that depends on how far Castro's government is willing to relax religious restrictions.

Papal trip planners emphasised that not even tentative plans are currently being made for a trip to Cuba.

The Pope's next foreign trip is scheduled for late April, and he is not scheduled to be in the neighbourhood of Cuba until he goes to Brazil next October for a world family celebration.

The Brazil trip would be the most likely time for a papal visit to Cuba, home to about 4.5 million Catholics, the sources said.

South African Bishops fight abortion CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CNS) - South African bishops are lobbying the government to allow members of Parliament to vote according to individual conscience on the Termination of Pregnancy Bill.

The bill would allow abortion on demand up to 14 weeks of pregnancy and under "broadly specified circumstances" up to 24 weeks.

The bill needs a simple majori-

ty in Parliament's two houses to become law.

A six-member bishops' conference delegation, led by its vice president, Archbishop Wilfrid Napier of Durban, met with African National Congress leaders, including Deputy President Thabo Mbeki and Health Minister Nkosazana Zuma, in Johannesburg on September 16.

The bishops asked ANC leaders to allow its members of Parlia-

ment - which include a priest and a nun - to vote according to their consciences on the bill, in a free vote.

The bishops are also preparing to fight the legislation in the Constitutional Court if the bill is passed.

But the ANC's national executive committee recently decided that its members must vote in line with the party's policy of abortion on demand.

International News

US Churches unite over confession tape lawsuit WASHINGTON (CNS) - The US Catholic Conference, seven other Churches in the US and a Christian legal association have filed a joint friend-of-the-court brief urging the destruction of a secretly taped recording of an Oregon prisoner's sacramental confession and the transcript of it.

The USCC was joined in the brief by the National Council of Churches of Christ. the Christian Legal Society, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.SA), the American Jewish Congress. the Commission of Social Action of Reform Judaism, the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The brief has been filed in an appeal of a lower court ruling brought to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals by Archbish-

op Francis George of Portland, Oregon, and Father Timothy Mocicaitis, who heard the confession, in another attempt to have the recording and its transcript destroyed.

Their appeal, filed on August 23, followed a ruling on August 12 by a US district court judge that the tape's role in a murder case outweighed the Catholic Church's religious liberty interest in having it destroyed.

The friend-of-the-court brief, filed on September 23 and released on September 27. said it was "difficult to imagine any more blatant and bald-faced an affront to the basic tenets of a religion, short of intentionally committing acts of sacrilege as a matter of state policy."

Preservation of the tape and its transcript, the brief said, compounds the wrong, and maintenance of the tape and any subse-

quent uses of it perpetuate the violation, according to the brief.

The controversial recording was made secretly in jail by the Lane County sheriff's department in April in Eugene, Oregon, when Conan Wayne Hale, then a suspect in a murder case, confessed his sins to Father Mockaitis.

Hale was later charged in the triple murder. Since then at least six persons have heard the tape despite repeated protests

by Church officials.

Law enforcement officials also transcribed the exchange between priest and penitent.

They later acknowledged they did so specifically because they knew of the confidential nature of the sacrament.

When the tape's presence became known, an outcry ensued. Since June offi-

Church leaders appeal for calm in Jerusalem

By Judith Sudilovsky JERUSALEM (CNS) - Latin-rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah and other Christian religious leaders condemned the new outbreak of violence between Israelis and Palestinians and called for calm on both sides, urging them to continue to move forward toward peace, in spite of the grave situation.

"We express our condolences to all who have lost their loved ones," said the patriarch in a statement issued with other Christian religious leaders.

"We express our solidarity and share all the sufferings of the people in the Palestinian territories. We urge the authorities.

Israeli and Palestinian, to take the steps necessary to alleviate these sufferings. . . . and to reactivate the peace process with new determination."

"Violence from any side cannot lead to any solution. On the contrary, it is only in the reactivation of the peace process that solutions can be found." said the statement.

Some 25 Palestinians and 11 Israelis were killed and hundreds of Palestinians and 55 Israelis injured in two days of violence. which began on September 25 after Israel opened a new exit to a set of archeological tourist tunnels underneath the Dome of the Rock and El-Aqsa Mosque, on the site of the Biblical Jewish Temple.

Palestinians claim the tunnels

are underneath property belonging to the Muslim Waqf religious authority and the opening of the new exit is counter to the spirit of peace negotiations, which forbids changing the status quo of Jerusalem.

Israel maintains the tunnels are several hundred yards away from the mosque and have been in use already for seven years.

They say the new opening had been agreed to by the Waqf and was planned by the previous government.

In their statement, the Christian leaders urged Israeli authorities to take into consideration Muslim sensitivity regarding the use of the tunnel in light of the current situation.

"We share with our Muslim brothers their religious fears," the leaders said.

"We express our solidarity and share all the sufferings of the people in the Palestinian territories."

Patriarch Sabbah and the other Christian leaders visited hospitalised Palestinians on September 26 and later met Muslim religious leaders to discuss the situation.

They also met Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert. who called on them to speak out against the violence, said Israel radio.

"The tunnel is illegal because it was made by one side on land which does not belong to them." said Father Adib Zoomot. chancellor of the Latin-rite Patriarchate.

"It is illegal to take any steps to

change the status quo of Jerusalem. Everybody is very anxious and sorry about what is happening. They had put lots of hopes on the peace process. We will try to call for calm and peace and dialogue."

In a statement released in Washington. Bishop Daniel Reilly, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policc called for "an immediate cessation of and violence provocative behaviour by all concerned."

"Such violence has no legitimate place in a land that is sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam." said Bishop Reilly. who urged resumption of the peace process.

In Geneva. the World Council of Churches said it viewed the new violence with alarm and called on Israel to remove all its armed forces from the Palestinian Autonomous Territory. It said the Israeli presence was in violation of the Oslo Accords.

"The Palestinian National Authority has responsibility under the accords for maintaining law and order in the region over which it governs and must he free to do so with a minimum of force and respect for its people." said a WCC statement issued on September 27.

The statement said the latest violence is "unacceptable and poses grave dangers to the region as a whole."

The WCC said it did not believe the violence signaled the end of the Middle East peace process.

Monasteries 'ecumenically important' VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The Church's long tradition of monastic life still offers valid gifts to modern society, which badly needs places of prayer and spiritual renewal. Pope John Paul H said.

At the same time, monasteries have an important role to play in the ecumenical movement, as a link to the prayer traditions of other Christian and non-Christian religions, he said.

The Pope made the comments in a letter to Benedictine abbots meeting outside Rome in late September.

"What does the Church expect from Benedictine monasteries?

They should present themselves as privileged places of the Christian life, places where authentic Gospel values prevail." the pope said.

A monastery can also deeply Influence civil society. the Pope

said. As an antidote to the disorientation and spiritual confusion often found in social life, the monastic community offers stability, an orderly unfolding of daily tasks and an interior peace produced by prayer, he said.

Pope John Paul said the ecumenical importance of monasteries lies in the long monastic tradition shared with Orthodox Christians, Protestants and some non-Christian religions.

cials of the Portland Archdiocese have sought to have the tape and transcript destroyed.

But "on at least three different occasions during this course of events, important religious interests were met with arrogance, derision, or indifference," the brief said.

"A decision was made to intercept a penitential confession; a judge decided that religious claims had no place, ever, in his court: and the state defendants, while admitting the wrongfulness of their actions, nonetheless seek the benefit of their error by refusing to seek destruction of the tape."

Such conduct in the last instance, the brief said. "shakes the confidence of all citizens about when and how their government may intrude on their (own) private religious exercises."

Mother Teresa returns to Missionaries house

Mother Teresa leaves a Calcutta hospitaI on a stretcher on September 25 after being hospitalised following a fall from a chair.

CALCUTTA. India (CNS) Mother Teresa was released on September 25 from Woodlands Nursing Home. where she had been hospitalised for 10 days after injuring her head when she fell from a chair.

She arrived at the Missionaries of Charity motherhouse in Calcutta lying on a stretcher because of persistent back pain that was not due to the effects of her fall, a doctor said.

Her doctors ordered two weeks of complete bed rest for the Nobel laureate, who was

hospitalised from August 18 to September 6.

Doctors discovered a black spot during an initial brain scan after Mother Teresa was admitted to the hospital on September 16. They said the spot could be a haemorrhage or be from an earlier injury.

"We've found nothing abnormal in a brain scan." said Mother Teresa's personal physician.

Dr. AK Bardhan. "Her reflexes are normal now but her irregular heartbeat continues to be a cause of worry"

Pope urges bishops to talk with Muslims CASTEL GANDOLFO. Italy (CNS) - Pope John Paul II urged bishops from the Philippines to keep up dialogue with the country's Muslim population. despite recent tensions and episodes of violence.

In a talk on September 27, the Pope said good relations between religions depend on open communication and a commitment to the common good.

"Everywhere the Church prays and works for social peace founded primarily on people's fundamental rights, beginning with the cardinal right to freedom of religion and conscience," he said.

The Pope told the prelates he was aware that some dioceses had experienced instability and violence caused by religious tensions.

He recalled his appeal for harmony in a talk to Muslim leaders in the Philippines in 1981 and said he was pleased that since then the dialogue has continued, in spite of difficulties.

Several of the bishops were from Mindanao. a predominantly Catholic region of the Philippines where several bomb attacks on Catholic churches occurred last spring following threats by Muslim extremists.

In early September, Muslims rebels in the region signed a peace agreement with the government. ending 28 years of separatist struggle.

In remarks to the Pope. Archbishop Carmelo Morelos of Zamboanga said the accord has provoked mixed feelings.

"We see this as a step toward lasting peace. But the agreement has also evoked bitter reactions of anger. resentment and opposition from the largely Christian population in the areas covered," the archbishop said.

In his speech. the pontiff also addressed the bishop's essential role in promoting unity and harmony within the local Church and the need to correct any tendencies toward division.

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 13

International News

Debt critical: Oxfam TV program In Brief

for Pope

WASHINGTON (CNS) Pope John Paul ll's 50th anniversary as a priest will be celebrated in "John Paul II: A Light for the Nations," an hour-long documentary produced by the Catholic Communication Campaign for the ABC-TV network in the United States.

The documentary includes Interviews of a boyhood friend of the pope, the US ambassador to the Vatican and others who give insights into the Pope as priest, world citizen and statesman.

The profile also looks at his Influence on communism and Its eventual downfall in Eastern Europe.

Bishop's letter

ST PETERSBURG, Florida.

(CNS) - Bishop Robert Lynch of St Petersburg, Florida, has condemned the deportation of 23 alleged illegal Mexican Immigrants from his dim (-,e saying they were subjected to "Inhumane treatment."

"Within 24 hours of their arrest, they were returned to Mexico with only the clothes on their backs and released into a remote area without food, water or the financial means to return to their towns,' he said in a letter written to the Catholics of his diocese.'

In one case, a mother was separated from her 11-monthold child and not allowed to contact her family or check on the infant. In another, a young woman who was the sole health provider to her husband who suffers from rheumatic heart disease was jailed and not allowed to contact him. the Bishop said.

Abortion drug CTITAWA (CNS) - The Ntontreal drug company that holds the Canadian rights to the new abortion-inducing drug, RU486, is unlikely to file for Canadian government approval.

Canada's national daily newspaper, The Globe and Mail, reported on September 20 that Hoechst-Roussel Canada Incorporated is concerned about possible anti-abortion demonstrations and will only file if the company receives a request from Health Canada. the federal department of health.

The federal government has not announced if it will test the drug in Canada.

US chaplains sue A priest, a rabbi and the Muslim Military Association have sued the US military over a June order barring chaplains from discussing legislation in sermons or during counselling.

The suit, filed on September 10 in the US District Court in Washington charges the secretaries of the Department of Defence, the Navy the Air Force and the Army with violations of the constitutional rights to free speech and free exercise of religion and a violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

By Jerry Fitteau

WASHINGTON (CNS) - Oxfam International has warned that key debt decisions by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund will determine whether millions of African children live or die in the next few years.

At a press conference in Washington on September 26, the week before the annual board meetings of the World Bank and IMF Oxfam released a case study showing Uganda could make huge advances in basic health and education services in just three years if $80 million of its debt burden per year were lifted.

Over the past year the IMF and the World Bank have been working on a debt relief initiative that would target about 20 to 30 of the world's most heavily indebted poor countries - mainly in Africa.

Religious groups and develop-

ment advocates have been work- materials which would benefit 2 and debt... We're talking in a very ing to get the two lending institu- million children. fundamental way about what tions to give those countries • "Latrines for 1 million people happens to people's lives," he a greater chance to get out of debt who currently do not have access said. and to set rules which to one.

"About 60 percent of Ugandans would improve the social condi• "Basic health care for 2 million live at or below the poverty line. tions of the people in those coun- people.

About one child out of five doestries.

• "Vaccination for 1 million chil- n't live to his fifth birthday, and for In Uganda's case, annual exter- dren." the most part they die of easily nal debt repayments currently or treatable illnesses. preventable Oxfam International is a parttotal $184 million, or $9 per citi- nership of nine autonomous non- . . .," Watkins continued. zen - 10 times what it spends on profit Oxfam agencies which "Eight hundred thousand chilprimary health care and seven together raise some $350 million dren of primary school age are times what it spends on prima- a year for development and relief not enrolled in school and ry school education. in developing countries around 200,000 a year drop out, most of If that annual burden were the world. them before they learn to read or reduced by $80 million through Kevin Watkins, Oxfam Interna- write. No country, let alone a poor a World Bank-IMF debt initiative, tional representative and author one like Uganda, can afford this the study said, "it would be pos- of the case study, said institutions tremendous wastage of talent." sible in a one-year period to dealing with debt tend to "get In an encyclical on the approach finance a poverty reduction bogged down" in technical analy- of the third millennium. Pope plan which simultaneously pro- ses of the debt issue. "but debt John Paul II asked multilateral vided: is essentially a human issue. It's lending institutions to consider • "Access to clean water for 1 about the quality of people's marking the 2.000th jubilee of Christ's birth by reducing or canmillion people. lives."

• "50,000 primary school teach"We need to understand the celling the debt of the world's ers with a full set of teaching relationship between poverty poorest nations.

Patient with a lion's heart

Pope calls for easing of Burundi sanctions

By John Thavis

Despite being paralysed for 29 years, Bill White helps raise money for St Bridget's Church in Rochester, New York from his hospital bed at Strong Memorial Hospital. The parish has raised $35,000 by selling Irish hats, T-shirts and sweatshirts.

Catholic health online

sr LOUIS (CNS) - The Catholic Health Association of the United States has opened an interactive information service on the World Wide Web. The service can be accessed at http://www.chausa.org and is known as CHAOnline.

Through CHAOnline, computer users can access a directory of Catholic health care in the United States, a "newsstand" offering current issues of CHA publications, a list of career

opportunities at US Catholic health organisations. and an online catalogue of books, videos and software.

Also available are links to useful Internet sites of government and health agencies and Catholic organisations.

"CHNs Web site provides the global Web-browsing public the ability to have greater access to information on the association and the Catholic health ministry," a CHA representative said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope John Paul ll condemned repeated ethnic violence in Burundi but asked for an easing of economic sanctions against the tiny African nation.

The sanctions, established by neighbouring African countries In July, end up hurting civilians the most. the Pope said at the end of a general audience on September 25.

The Pope recalled that among the latest victims in Burundi were Archbishop Joachim Ruhuna of Gitega and two nuns. who were slain in an ambush on September 9.

The archbishop, who had criticised violence among the Hutu and 'Tilts' ethnic groups, "paid with blood for his untiring commitment to reconciliation and understanding," the Pope said.

He said he wanted to encourage all those who continue to work for peace in the country, where an estimated 150,000 people have been killed during the last three years.

But he said the economic sanctions were not helping.

"I share the suffering of all the citizens, which are now further

aggravated by the sanctions imposed,- he said.

"While I ask for prayers for peace, I hope there can be an easing of these sanctions, which weigh most upon the civilian population," he said.

The sanctions have been controversial, and opinions have been mixed over whether they are aiding or hurting the cause of peace.

In what amounts to a virtual blockade on Burundi, several nations - including Kenya. Tanzania and Uganda - have cut air, rail, road and boat links to the country.

Humanitarian aid was initially blocked in July and August. but some food aid for refugees was later said to have arrived.

The measures were aimed at pressuring Burundi's leaders to negotiate and return to constitutional rule.

But the Burundian government and some Western aid officials have warned that the embargo may backfire by further destabilising the country.

Leading US bishops cautioned against the sanctions in August. warning such a blockade could hurt hundreds of thousands of Innocent people if they were enforced.

Rumours of Vatican spy set the pundits guessing WARSAW, Poland (CNS) - Three which then informed the Stasi," rated her story. "What Mrs. Heller former Polish government offi- East Germany's secret police, said has written is a lie, representing cials have denied German press Krzysztof Kozlowski, Poland's first what she would like to have claims that a "Vatican priest-spy" post-communist interior minister. heard, rather than what she did leaked top-secret information to "But it is unthinkable that this hear," Kozlowski added. communist officials during the Polish agent could have smuggled "I have never confirmed anypontificate of Pope Paul VI. out protocols from the Pope's thing, either directly or indirectThe German report said the secret talks with Western politi- ly," he said. information was given to com- cians. The positions held by Poles Another former official, Antoni munist officials in Warsaw, then in the Vatican were too low to Macierewicz, who headed the passed to Soviet and East Ger- allow access to such documents." Interior Ministry briefly in 1992, man intelligence.

In an interview with Poland's said he had been alerted to A Polish newspaper said it, too, mass-circulation Gazeta Wybor- the possibility that a Polish intelhad obtained documents from the cza daily, Kozlowski said it was ligence agent was active in former East German secret police, "extremely unlikely" that the the Vatican's "highest ranks," but confirming that "exact informa- KGB would have informed the believed it was precipitous tion" was obtained from a Vatican Stasi of its agent's identity, since to claim the agent was a priest. source about important Church "such practices were unknown."

Poland's communist interior events.

The former interior minister, a minister in the 1980s, General "It is possible to imagine that staff member of the Krakow- Czeslaw Kiszczak. told Gazeta some Catholic priest did indeed based Catholic Tygodnik Wyborcza he had "never heard of act as a Polish SB secret police Powszechny weekly, also denied any Polish spy in the Vatican." agent, and that the SB passed claims by German journalist In her article in the September information to the Soviet KGB, Edith Heller that he had corrobo- 21 issue of the Berlin-based

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 14

Per Tagesspiegel, Heller said the "Vatican spy" had filed information back to Warsaw regularly "for many years" and was believed to have been a priest with access to top secret Vatican documents.

At the Vatican, spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Holy See had done some checking on the report.

He said serious discrepancies were found between the alleged secret report on the 1970 papal audience with Brandt and Vatican archive notes on the same meeting.

Some topics mentioned in the alleged spy report were never discussed by the two leaders, while other important subjects were talked about but went unmentioned in the report, he said.

Official Engagements OCTOBER

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TO JESUS CHRIST our Lord, Mother Mary. St Jude and my brother Peter in Heaven, thank you for prayers answered. Trish,

Fr O'Reilly's Golden Jubilee of Priestly Ordination. Queens Park Archbishop Hickey 6 Paulian Association Annual Mass Archbishop Hickey 7 Day of Prayer for Priests, City Beach - Archbishop Hickey 9 Presentation of Vatican Document "Preparation for Sacrament of Marriage-, Trinity College Archbishop Hickey 10 Council of Priests meeting 13 Catenian's Mass. St Mary's Cathedral - Archbishop Hickey 4

Archdiocesan Panorama •

NORSEMAN REUNION Sunday 3 November at the Adventure Playground, May Drive, Kings Park. from 10am to 4pm. Bring photos and memorabilia. BYO. For details phone Tommy Fuller 276 6572.

CAMP KALBARRI PCYC. All school groups. Church groups. Cheap accommodation. Children $20. adults $22 per day. Please ring Ann and Malcolm Butcher (099) 371 630.

PASSION PLAY FOR 1997 A Play on the Passion of Our Lord will be staged for 4 nights during Holy Week 1997, a t theYidarra School Oval in Bateman.We are in the process of casting. If you can sing. act or play any musical instrument and like to be involved, contact Roy on 310 4956.

WINTER SUNSHINE. S UMMER BREEZES K ALBARRI Chalets by the Sea Phone (09) 572 3297

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ACC competition results 'A' Division

Corpus Christi College (1178 points). All Saints College (1093), Chisholm Catholic College (1080).

Sacred Heart College (1074). Santa Maria College/CBC Fremantle (981), Prendiville Catholic College (889), Newman College (874). Mercedes College (636).

'B' Division

John XXIII College (1174), St Mark's Anglican Community School (1118), St Brigid's/ Mazenod Colleges (1041), Lumen Christi Catholic College (1009), Seton Catholic College (1007), St Stephen's School (968), Bunbury Catholic College (829), Iona Presentation College (633).

'C' Division

St Norbert College (1008). Kolbe Catholic College (1005), La Salle College (1002), Lake Joondalup Baptist College (994), Mercy College (988).

Aranmore Catholic College (948). Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School (945), Frederick Irwin Anglican Community School (831).

'D' Division

Mater Del College (1006). John Wollaston Anglican Community School (881), John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School (762), Ursula Frayne Catholic College (725), John Paul College (687). St Joseph's College Albany (632). Helena College (586), Nagle Catholic College (548). `E' Division

MacKillop Catholic College Busselton (1048).

Winthrop Baptist College (967). St Mary's College Broome (706). Carmel School (706). St Joseph's School Northam (550). CBC Tardun (479), Catholic Agricultural College (216).

Topic for study will be decided at the next meeting on Tuesday 8 October, 10.30am.

Venue: Our Lady of Missions Convent, 40 Mary St. Highgate (enter via Harold St entrance). Open to all interested. Enquiries: 446 7340.

EUCHARISTIC REPARATION The next Holy Hour for the World Apostolate of Fatima will be held on Sunday 13 October a t 3.00pm in the Immaculate Conception Church, Canning Hwy, East Fremantle. Rev Fr B Jones will officiate.

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 SS John and Paul. Pinetree Gully Road (off South St), Willetton on Friday 18 October at 7.00pm.

With Veneration of Relic & Anointing of Sick.

Enquiries: 332 8292.

M ARRIAGE ENCOUNTER 20th Anniversary Dinner Dance, Saturday 12 October 1996. Loftus Recreation Centre, Leederville. Live Band. Dinner, S20 per person. Enquiries and tickets: phone Faye 381 1588 (wk) or 275 1000 (afh).

DAY OF PRAYER FOR PRIESTS A Day of Prayer for Priests is to be held at Holy Spirit Church. Keaney Pl.. City Beach. on Monday 7 October (Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary) commencing 10.00am with Exposition and Rosary, Holy Mass 11.00am. Archbishop Hickey to give talk at 1.30pm. day concluding with Benediction 2.45pm.

You are invited to join in this expression of Faith for our Priests, through prayer & adoration - linking our prayers to the powerful prayer of Our Lady of the Rosary. BYO Lunch.

Tea & Coffee supplied. Enquiries: Margaret 446 1935 or Carolyn 245 1029.

PUBLIC LECTURE 'The Contemporary Face of Religious Life". guest speaker Fr John Jago SM. former Superior General, Marist Fathers.Venue: Mercedes Conference Centre, Victoria Ave, parkvia Victoria ing in grounds. enter Ave/Goderick St. Thursday 17 October 1996.

7.30pm - 9.00pm. Cost S5.

HOLY HOUR A Holy Hour in honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in reparation for sinners will be held on Sunday 13 Oct. 3pm at St Andrews Melkite Catholic Church. 61 Glendower St. North Perth. Rev. Fr. Michael Rowe will officiate. All welcome. Enquiries: Devotees of Our Lady of Mt Carmel de Garabandal 364 4658.

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The Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Dongara, overlooking the Indian Ocean.

lrea Valentine (left), Fr Brian Ahearn, Ellen Carr and Sal Darling after the inaugural Legion of Mary meeting.

Dongara - where Our Lady watches over her children T

he number of people in Dongara at However the side doors on the right were mended myself to the prayers of the conany one time could vary from 2,500 made to slide open and chairs may be gregation." The following day he set out to 3,500 due to tourists, holiday mak- placed for the overflow crowds, during the from New Norcia to visit the Champion ers and itinerants.

Easter and summer holidays.

Bay district" (Geraldton). The entry for It is a growing town, the administration The Bell in the tower is rung twice daily February 1 and 2 read: "At the Irwin good centre of the Irwin Shire, and has a friend- at Angelus time, 12 noon and 6 pm. land and country On Sunday, Feb 1. I celly co-operative spirit that is easy to pick up.

The large statue of Our Lady outside, sym- ebrated Mass at Mt Burgess.

Down along the southern section of Port bol of her motherly love and protection The first church in Dongara was built by Denison there are refreshing views of the looks out towards the Indian Ocean inter- Fr LeCaille, a Belgian missionary, in 1871. sparkling waters, crayfisher people with ceding for all her children, particularly It was a little straw roofed chapel to which their boats and gear in the Marina, with those who harvest the sea. was attached a tiny room with a brick chimfacilities for boating, picnics, and swimThere is a very active Ladies Guild that ney. ming and play areas for children. has fund raised and worked hard over the The Dominican Sisters exerted a tremenThe older children have great fun with years. dous influence from 1901 onwards. Holy their sail boats and surfing. Dongara has The ladies have instructed the children Family Church (a subsequent Church) long been a relaxing place for the hard with the help of Fr Dowglass and Motor adjacent to the Convent and College (now working farmers of the district and a place Mission Sisters since the Dominican Ladies Priory Lodge) was blessed and opened by for retirement with many facilities.

College closed in 1971.

Geraldton's first Bishop. Bernard Kelly in In the middle, looking over it all stands Rachel Hall was built and blessed late 1906. the Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, last year mainly for the children's Religious It no longer stands. At the present Church blessed on July 17th, 1977 by the late Bish- instruction. Since the arrival of resident site we have a sizeable block of land for op Thomas. priest Fr Brian in mid February this year a future expansion perhaps for a Catholic To the left is the presbytery with holiday Parish Council and Legion of Mary Prae- School as the town continues to grow.

The two oldest ladies in the parish, Catherine units for three. sidium has been established.

The Dongara parish is joined with the Butterfield, 87, (left) and Mary Kelly, 85, share The Church is not large, about 100 peoPeople still speak with gratitude and affec- Greenough-Walkaway district. the same birthday and are daily communicants. ple are seated comfortably. tion of the priests who have served the people over the years.

Father Keith Spain's efforts and Bushies Schools are legendary He was esteemed Parish: Our Lady Star of the Sea, by his fellow priests as the "Saint of the Dongara.

Diocese".

Parish Priest: Father Brian Ahearn Fr Michael Moffatt certainly left his mark Secretary: Mrs fan Chitty as did many others who for brief periods Address: 164 Point Leander Drive, have helped out.

Dongara WA 6525 The history of the area is very interesting Telephone/Fax: (099) 271 451 and early editions of The Sower, our DioceMasses: Saturday (Vigil) 6.30pm at St san bimonthly periodical, record some fasPeter's Church in the historic Greecinating stories. nough Hamlet - 40 km to the north of For example The Sower of May 1977 Dongara. Sunday 9.30arn. records "Dongara was one of the earliest Reconciliation: Saturday 3- 4pm, 10 settled areas in the district and it was not minutes before all Masses. Appointfar from there that Mass was first celebratments welcomed at any other limes. ed in the Diocese. That was by a BenedicEucharistic Adoration: 1st Sunday tine priest from New Norcia, Dom Garrido of each month 10.30am to 4pm in 1857. He was making a trip on horseBible Study, Sunday Reflections: back to Northampton with the instructions: Tuesdays 7pm "To say Mass wherever possible and to Religious Instruction/Sacramenadminister the Sacraments where tal preparation for children: after required." He kept a diary of that trip and school on Tuesdays. on January 25, the day before he left, he rape m interior ut me Church, wmun can accomooate larger congregations at taster anti unnamas. wrote "I sang Mass, preached and recom-

At a Glance

PRAYING AND THINKING WITH THE POPE A series of 9 Seminars on the teaching of Pope John Paul II to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his ordination. Speakers include Archbishop Hickey. Every Sunday 13 October -8 December at St Mary's Parish Centre, 40 Franklin St, Leederville.

Commencing at 7:30 pm with Rosary.

Enquiries and programs: Thomas More Centre 321 2822.

SUSAN DAILY ART WORKSHOP A workshop to introduce you to the art of Susan Daily, IBVM. renowned graphic artist, who is working towards developing genuine Australian religious art.

Susan is an experienced teacher and artist, currently Artist-in-Residence at Aquinas Academy, Sydney. Limit of 20

The Record, October 3 1996 Page 16

stoles. Cost $10. Presented by Fr Wayne Davis & Mrs Meipie Capone. To register contact Kylie, Archdiocesan Liturgy Office on (09) 221 1548.

TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS A traditional sung Latin Mass will be celebrated on the Feast of the Holy Rosary at St Johns Pro Cathedral Victoria Ave, Perth on Monday 7 October at 7.30pm.

Mass is celebrated here every Sunday at 11.15am and at Corpus Christi Parish Church, Evershed St, Myaree at 11.00am.

All welcome. Enquiries: 457 5860.

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY To celebrate the feast of the Holy Rosary on Oct 7 there will be holy Mass at 11 am at the Shrine of the Virgin of the Revelation, 36 Chittering Rd, Bullsbrook. Scriptural Rosary will be recited at 10.30 am before Mass. All welcome. Public transport available. Enquiries: Sacri Association 447 3292 or PO Box 311 Tuart Hill WA 6060.

WANT TO BREAK FREE? Come on a 'Break Free' Weekend for young adults (aged 18 to 35) to rediscover or deepen your Catholic faith. Run

by Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community at Bickley. October 11-13, Friday 7.30pm to Sunday 1.30pm.

Cost $35 negotiable. Enquiries: Erica / Annabelle 341 3157, Kevin 041 846 6674 or Matthew 299 7320.

Archdiocesan Panorama participants, 1 per parish. Sunday 13 October, St Jerome's Parish hall, 24 Troode St, Munster, 9.30 am to 4.30 pm.

Cost $10. To register contact Kylie, Archdiocesan Liturgy Office on (09) 221 1548.

VESTMENT WORKSHOP A workshop in liturgical vestment design and crafting will be held at Leederville Parish Centre, 40 Franklin St, Leederville on Saturday 19 October, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. Please BYO lunch, pencil and scissors.The workshop will cover areas such as design, liturgical signs and symbols, crafting, material used for chasubles and