Broken Bay News February 2015

FOOD FOR LIFE Project Compassion 2015 Karen is a First Australian living in a remote community in central NSW. Like many she can’t always afford or access good food.

Your support can help Karen and her family choose food for life.

Families and Lent

40 ways to deepen your family’s faith

2015 School Open Days

BROKENBAYnews Dates and times for Open Days in Broken Bay

BROKEN BAY NEWS PUBLICATION OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY FEBRUARY 2015 ISSUE 174

HEART TO HEART

Words Among Friends

Bishop Peter A Comensoli

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riends, and dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, the grace and peace of Our good Lord to you all.

This is my first article – of what I hope will be many articles – in Broken Bay News. So, I thought I should begin by giving you a sense of how I aim to use these occasions to ‘speak’ with you, the good people of our Diocese.

Bishops have three key functions or ‘offices’ to fulfil in the service of God’s people: they are to sanctify, to teach, and to govern. These relate directly to the threefold office of Jesus Christ himself, who is our Priest, Prophet and King. The regular articles in BBN are a means to exercise my teaching responsibilities.

Consequently, I hope to make use of this opportunity to enter into a conversation with you on the many matters of faith and morals that shape our Christian life.

Of course, conversations presume a two-way street of communication: an encounter of both listening and speaking, of learning and teaching.

It will not be much of a conversation if I’m doing all the talking! So, I want to propose to you a way in which we might make these encounters something you help to shape: I want to hear from you about the questions and

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issues that you would like me to write about, as I exercise my teaching office for you. (You can do this by emailing: news@dbb.org.au) Now, there are more than 225,000 of us Catholics in Broken Bay Diocese, which is really terrific (and hopefully a number that will grow in quantity and quality).

However, if I get an email from everyone, that would mean I’d be writing articles for the next 18,750 years! So, how about having a conversation around the dinner table or amongst your friends before putting ‘pen to paper’? I will group the questions and issues you raise into themes and topics. And from time to time, I might offer a topic of my own, with which we can begin a conversation.

To get the ball rolling, I want our first conversation to be about my first word to you in this article: ‘friends’. Why begin our faith and teaching conversations with friendship? Because it is the word with which Jesus concluded his conversations with his disciples, and the word by which he gave meaning to his saving passion and death. Let’s go to St John’s gospel to learn the story…

In John’s account of the Last Supper, Jesus does not focus on the Institution of the Blessed Eucharist, but on the Mandatum: the act of washing his disciples’ feet and instructing them to do likewise. (Have a read of John 13, and following.) Jesus goes on to explain to his disciples why he did this, and he concludes by saying: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do

I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you … These things I command you, so that you will love one another. ( John 15:12-17) Why would Jesus make friendship the cornerstone of his divine gift of love? Firstly, friendship is a particular kind of love, different from, say, parental (sacrificial) love or sexual (desiring) love. Secondly, it is the only love that is freely chosen: we choose those whom we befriend, in a way that we are not ‘free’ to choose our parents or the one we fall in love with. Finally, friendship is the most distinctly human of the different kinds of love; it sets us apart from the animal kingdom.

These three characteristics of friendship make it the ‘highest’ of all the loves, and therefore the one that God would want to give to us most fully, we whom He made in his image. It is this kind of love – the love of friendship – that Jesus considered the best way to describe his relationship with his disciples; “I call you friends…” And it is this kind of love that Jesus thought best

Why begin our faith and teaching conversations with friendship? Because it is the word with which Jesus concluded his conversations with his disciples…

HEART TO HEART summed up his own unconditional love on the Cross: “No greater love…” And as we know from the other gospels, Jesus went on to say: “Do this, in remembrance of me.”

If friendship is the way in which God best loves us, then friendship is the way in which we best love God and each other. In this sense, we can define holiness as: ‘friendship with God’. As the Second Vatican Council taught: All the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more

human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society. (Lumen Gentium §40) Holiness – saintly friendship – is our original and deepest calling; it is our primary and truest mission. Therefore, the purpose and personal project in life for each one of us is the same: to grow in our friendship with God in Christ Jesus.

St Peter once wrote: In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. (1 Pet 3:15)

If friendship is the way in which God best loves us, then friendship is the way in which we best love God and each other.

The reason for our hope is always before us: we have been befriended by Christ Jesus. So, let me conclude where I began, by calling you my friends. This is what we are to become for each other. Jesus has offered us the greatest of all the loves; he is hoping that we will respond in kind.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20) Please pray for me, as I pray for you.

Bishop Peter A Comensoli Bishop of Broken Bay

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

2015 – Year of Consecrated Life “I want to say one word to you, and this word is “joy”. Wherever there are consecrated people, seminarians, men and women religious, young people, there is joy, there is always joy! It is the joy of freshness, the joy of following Jesus…” Pope Francis

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mphasising the importance of the religious vocation, Pope Francis proclaimed that 2015 will be dedicated to Consecrated Life.

The year also marks the 50th anniversary of Perfectae Caritatis, a decree on religious life, and Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the Church.

In his message to celebrate the commencement of the observance on the first day of Advent, 30 November 2014, Pope Francis underlined the aims of the Year of Consecrated Life, namely to look to the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to embrace the future with hope.

The Pope then expressed his expectations for the yearlong observance: that consecrated men and women would be witnesses of communion, of joy and the Gospel, and go evermore to the peripheries to proclaim the Good News.

“I am counting on you ‘to wake up the world’, since the distinctive sign of consecrated life is prophecy,” he wrote. “This is the priority that is needed right now.”

He urged religious communities to live “in synergy” with other vocations in the Church, and to “step more courageously from the confines of our respective institutes and to work together.”

Jesus Said To Them ‘Do You Know What I Have Done To You?’

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

2015 Friday, 6 March

The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement which brings Christians of many traditions together to observe a common day of prayer each year. This year the resources have been written from the WDP committee in the Bahamas.

For your nearest location, please visit www.worlddayofprayeraustralia.net

The Pope said he also expected consecrated men and women to examine their presence in Church life and to respond to the new demands being made on them, and to the cry of the poor.”

The Holy Father also urged the laity to live this Year for Consecrated Life as “a grace.”

“I invite every Christian community to experience this Year above all as a moment of thanksgiving to the Lord and grateful remembrance for all the gifts we continue to receive, thanks to the sanctity of founders and foundresses, and from the fidelity to their charism shown by so many consecrated men and women. I ask all of you to draw close to these men and women, to rejoice with them, to share their difficulties and to assist them, to whatever degree possible, in their ministries and works, for the latter are, in the end, those of the entire Church. Let them know the affection and the warmth which the entire Christian people feels for them.”

The celebration will culminate on the World Day of Consecrated Life, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus to the Temple, 2 February 2016.

DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY P O Box 340 Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Diocesan Office: Tel (02) 9847 0000 Fax (02) 9847 0201 Caroline Chisholm Centre Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Rd Pennant Hills NSW 2120 (Access off City View Rd) officeofthebishop@dbb.org.au

CURIA Bishop Peter A Comensoli Co-ordinator of the Curia, and Diocesan Financial Administrator: David Penny Co-ordinator Office for Clergy: Anne Walker Marriage Tribunal Rev John Hannon Tel: (02) 9847 0458 Catholic Development Fund Chris Field Tel: (02) 9847 0748

PARISH SUPPORT UNIT Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) Director: Carole Gan (02) 9847 0560

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE Director: Peter Hamill Tel (02) 9847 0000 PO Box 967 Pennant Hills NSW 1715

CATHOLICCARE Executive Director: Deirdre Cheers Tel: (02) 9481 2600 PO Box 966 Pennant Hills 1715 Children’s Services: Tel: (02) 9481 2660 Family Centres: Brookvale – Tel: (02) 8968 5100 Naremburn – Tel: (02) 8425 8700 Waitara – Tel: (02) 9488 2400 Warnervale – Tel: (02) 4356 2600 Foster and Residential Care: Tel: (02) 4340 0786 Mission, Hospital Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care (02) 9481 2658

SOUTHERN CROSS OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE Mr Gordon Crabb Tel: (02) 4372 1221

COMMUNICATIONS Broken Bay News: Editor: Annie Carrett Tel: (02) 9847 0724 / Fax: (02) 9847 0721 news@dbb.org.au P O Box 340 Pennant Hills, NSW, 1715 Design: Chris Murray 22,000 copies of the Broken Bay News are distributed monthly through 26 parishes and 43 schools in the Diocese of Broken Bay. The Broken Bay News is a member of the Australasian Catholic Press Association and the Australasian Religious Press Association. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply diocesan endorsement of products or services advertised.

www.dbb.org.au

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PROJECT COMPASSION 2015

Growing Food for Life When Eric and Margaret (Ma) enrolled in a Married Couples Course at the Tutu Rural Training Centre 25 years ago, they couldn’t anticipate how it would change the direction of their lives, and set them on a path of growth for life.

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ric and Ma radiate joy. Their smiles are infectious, their unbreakable bond is plain to see. There’s no mistaking it: this happy, healthy couple are in love – after over 30 years of marriage.

Their homeland of Fiji is spectacularly beautiful, but it is not trouble-free. Comprised of more than 300 islands, Fiji has many isolated rural communities, and throughout the country youth unemployment is high, nutritious foods are in short supply, and life expectancy is much lower than in Australia. Yet Eric (53) and Ma (51) are thriving.

Eric and Ma agree that the Married Couples Course they took at the Tutu Rural Training Centre (Tutu) changed the direction of their lives. The centre, which runs courses for people living on the remote northern islands of Fiji, empowered the couple to participate fully in

Eric and Ma, Fiji

making decisions about their future, so they could find personal fulfilment and grow a sustainable source of food for life.

Supported by Caritas Australia, Tutu has given Eric and Ma agricultural and personal training that’s enabled them to achieve things they could only have dreamt about.

Together, over 25 years, they’ve built a house, established a sustainable, productive farm, and proudly raised and tertiaryeducated six healthy children.

“Before that course, we used to have plans, but different plans, different ideas and we had different ways,” says Eric. “But once we’d followed this six month course in Tutu, we came to realise that we two are one. So we are always saying one plus one is one!’

The theme for Project Compassion this year is “Food for Life”.

Mariama, Niger

Food is essential for all life, yet many of the world’s poorest people do not have food security.

That means they live from dayto-day, uncertain of how to afford or how to access their next meal.

Without food, the rest of life is impossible to contemplate: how can you plan for the future or educate your children when you fear you will be hungry?

As Pope Francis says: “It is a well-known fact that current levels of production are sufficient, yet millions of people are still suffering and dying of starvation.

This is truly scandalous.”

Project Compassion 2015 explores how Caritas Australia is helping the world’s poorest people establish sustainable food, walking with them as they free themselves from the burden of food insecurity and develop new, improved income streams for a better future.

Photo credit: Drew Morrison

Please donate to Project Compassion 2015 and help people in isolated areas, like Eric and Ma, gain the skills they need to build healthy families and grow food for life. Visit www.caritas.org.au to find out more.

Karen, Australia

Help to empower the world’s poorest people.

Your donation will support programs around the world that provide vulnerable people with the skills and opportunities they need to establish sustainable food sources for life. www.caritas.org.au 1800 024 413

Sarita, Nepal

Cristian, Peru

Vinsen, Indonesia

CA1861-AD-brokenbay news D1.indd 1

18/12/14 11:15 AM

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PARISH SUPPORT

Families and Lent

By Janette Davidson, Parish Support Unit

Lent is the season of the Church year leading up to Easter. Lent is preceded by Shrove (Pancake) Tuesday (17 February this year), begins on Ash Wednesday (18 February) and ends on Maundy (Holy) Thursday (2 April).

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he purpose of Lent is to prepare for the death of Christ on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday through 40 days of prayer, fasting, repentance, almsgiving and selfdenial. The 40 days mirror Christ’s fasting in the desert before he began his public ministry.

During Lent, Christians ‘do penance’ – that is, they make personal sacrifices. Doing penance helps us ‘make right’ our lives and relationships where we need to, so we become better persons and better reflections of God’s love.

The family home is the ‘domestic Church’ and families need to grow in their awareness of what this means. Lenten practices and devotions celebrated in the home can lead all family members to understand that they truly are the ‘little Church of the home’.

Here are 40 suggestions (which you may adapt to your own life

and situation) for putting Lent into practice at home and deepen your family’s faith one day at a time: Day 1: Start your day with 10 minutes in God’s presence through e.g. prayer, reflection or meditation.

(Family prayer suggestions are downloadable from the Diocesan website www.dbb.org.au/family ) Day 2: Tell family members you will be specially praying for them today.

Day 3: Fast from TV, computer and other technical devices you would usually use as part of your leisure time.

Day 4: Decide as a family what good works you want to support during Lent e.g.

Catholic Mission, Project Compassion, St Vincent de Paul.

Day 5: Today after Mass, discuss the homily as a family. What lessons did you take from it that you are going to put into practice in the coming week?

Lenten Scripture to Reflect On Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. (Joel 2:12-13)

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Day 6: Give up a treat. Just for today, give up one of your favourite foods.

Day 7: Read a book about your faith during Lent starting today. Discuss what you learn with your children.

Day 8: Give your support to someone in need at home, at work, at school. Realise that siding with the vulnerable is a core belief of our faith.

Day 9: Take a walk with one of your family members oneon-one. Or work on a fun project together. Spend time connecting and sharing joy.

Day 10: Participate in The Stations of the Cross for Families an enduring devotion which provides an opportunity for families to reflect on how each of the ‘The Stations’ can be applied to our daily lives.

(Downloadable from Diocesan website at www.dbb.org.au/family ) Day 11: Practice hospitality by welcoming a friend, relative, co-worker, or neighbour to your table for a simple meal today or a chat over tea or coffee.

Day 12: Pick out one snippet of scripture or part of the Mass and think about it through the week.

Invite your children to do the same.

Day 13: Find a way to compliment/express gratitude for every one of your family members during the day today.

Day 14: Don’t answer the phone/ messages during meals today.

Practice the spiritual discipline of “Be where you are, and do what you’re doing” throughout the meal.

Day 15: Talk to your children and point out how so many of the commercial messages they hear are full of empty promises that will not satisfy. Be aware of how you are susceptible to those empty promises, too.

Day 16: Read or discuss an uplifting story with your family. Quiet the house down and enjoy this age-old act of connection and value sharing.

Day 17: Practice a virtue such as patience, tolerance,

compassion, forgiveness today, all day. Invite your children to choose one virtue to practice today, too. Remember, we hope for progress, not perfection.

Day 18: Tell your child a favourite story about when he or she was younger.

Day 19: Take home a copy of your parish bulletin and read all the articles. Discuss with your children what lessons you have learned and how you see signs of God’s life and love in the activities of your parish.

Day 20: Don’t rush into your meals today at home. Start each meal with prayer, thanking God for all the gifts you receive.

Day 21: Make time to play a board game or card game popular with your family. Afterwards, thank God for the gift of family.

Day 22: Our world for many is full of pain and turmoil pray as a family that others will experience the peace and contentment that your family enjoy.

Day 23: Read the Gospel readings for next Sunday. Think about them and discuss them as a family.

Day 24: Don’t be a party to gossip today at school, at work, in the neighbourhood, at home. Don’t participate in malicious talk about others.

Day 25: Invite someone active in your parish to dinner and talk about their activities.

Consider how your family can offer time and talent for the good of the community.

Day 26: Worship together as a family and have a favourite meal afterward at home, on a picnic or at a restaurant. Avoid distractions that separate you from each other, and spend the Sabbath day together.

Day 27: Email or write a letter to a family member you’ve been out of touch with, letting them know they are in your thoughts and prayers.

Day 28: Read to your children from a “Lives of the Saints” book.

Share the story of an ordinary person’s extraordinary holiness.

Day 29: Be aware of your call

PARISH SUPPORT to be a Christian during the day at work, home, or school.

Look for ways to exercise your faith right where you are and give witness to Christ.

Day 30: At some point today, put down what you’re doing and purposely spend quality time with your children.

Day 31: Review your child’s religious education books or homework and discuss it together.

Share how these lessons tie into your own lives as persons of faith.

Day 32: Look through a family album together and tell stories of your children’s grandparents and other family members.

Share what their faith has meant to them and reflect on the goodness of their lives.

Day 33: Perform a particular act of generosity in the neighbourhood, at work, at the parish or school.

Day 34: The media encourages consumerism. For every shopping

trip, make a point to balance your life by spending time connecting with other people.

Day 35: Do a family member’s home task today without looking for credit. Offer this as a gift of time and a sign of care and connection.

Day 36: Make a conscious effort to fast from bad habits and practice good habits.

Day 37: Don’t rush away from the table after your family meal. Have everyone tell one thing they’re grateful for during the day, or one person they helped or were helped by.

Day 38: Forgive anyone in your family that you need to forgive. Ask forgiveness of those you have hurt. Attend a parish Reconciliation service.

Day 39: Watch a DVD that reflects Christian Family values.

Watch it together as a family.

Day 40: Have your children ask an older relative about their

Lenten Scripture to Reflect On ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ (Mark 1:15)

faith and what it has meant to them through the years.

Lent is a time for healing and spiritual growth in your family.

It is a time to devote our hearts and minds to becoming better Christians. It is a time to take on

an attitude of simplicity in our everyday lives, a time to move closer to God with our family.

May yours be a truly blessed Lenten season!

(40 suggestions adapted from a list developed by Tom McGrath)

The RCIA : Period of Purification and Enlightenment

By Carole Gan, Director, Parish Support Unit

The Liturgy is rich with ritual, and especially so with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) during Lent. s catechumens (those ministry publically for the first for the Elect to be given a spirit and Enlightenment are the preparing to receive the time as they come forward with of repentance, and the sense Presentations of the Creed Sacraments of Initiation, i.e. the catechumen to give testimony of sin and true freedom of the and the Lord’s Prayer. Both of Baptism, Confirmation, First of the catechumen’s readiness children of God. The Elect these express the heart of the Eucharist) move closer towards to receive the Sacraments. pray in silence, reflecting on Church’s faith and prayer, and reception, the celebrations Catechumens are elected and what is weak or sinful within catechumens are presented with along their journey provide a admitted to take part in the themselves. The community them as enlightenment on their wealth of catechesis not only next major celebration, i.e. their then intercedes for the Elect journey towards Baptism. for them, but also for the entire reception of the Sacraments with the Prayer of the Faithful.

This period concludes with worshipping community. of Initiation. Their names are This is followed by the rite of the Preparation Rites on Holy Asking to receive the inscribed in the Book of the Elect Exorcism with which the elect Saturday which includes the Sacraments is not something which is presented to the Bishop are freed from the effects of sin recitation of the Creed, the that one takes lightly. Receiving and they become the Elect. and the influence of the devil, ephpheta rite (opening of the ears the Sacraments is committing The time following their receiving new strength in the and mouth) and the choosing to live a life of faith and to election is one of interior midst of their spiritual journey. of one’s Baptismal name. respond to the call of God reflection and intense spiritual Other rituals that belong Rite of Christian Initiation every moment of everyday. preparation for the Elect. to the Period of Purification of Adults (# 125 – 197) Having completed several The Scrutinies, celebrated on months of formation during the the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays in Period of the Catechumenate, Lent have a spiritual purpose. catechumens, along with their The readings from Year A are priests, godparents and catechists used, allowing the Elect (and the discern their readiness. rest of us) to reflect on Christ The Period of Purification and the Redeemer, who is living Enlightenment for those receiving water (Samaritan Woman), the Sacraments of Initiation at light of the world (man born Easter starts with the liturgical blind) and the resurrection Rite of Election on the First and life (raising of Lazarus).

Sunday of Lent which normally The Elect are called forward, takes place at the Cathedral becoming the focus of the with the Bishop presiding.

Church’s prayer and attention.

Godparents exercise their The community prays in silence

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YOUTH MINISTRY

“Be joyful and worship together” Praise and Worship Night

After a truly extraordinary celebration on Friday 12 December, to welcome our new Bishop, the Youth of Broken Bay headed to Sacred Heart Parish, Pymble for our final Praise and Worship Night of the year.

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WORLD YOUTH DAY BOARDING PASS

#savethedate <<<<< #dbbwyd

ver 100 youth came together to welcome Bishop Peter with wonderful food, games and music. After catching up over dinner we headed outside for a lively games session with the games master, Michael Tobin. We then moved into our small groups for a time of discussion around the topic of ‘Prepare the Way’. Each group shared what it meant to prepare for a party and how we can each prepare for the coming Christmas season.

Arriving into the church and putting our candle near the altar we offered prayers of thanksgiving for all that 2014 has been and

WORLD YOUTH DAY

These are easy enough for us all to practice, especially in the coming year. We were able to discern and pray that our own hearts would be opened during Adoration alongside Bishop Peter and the Youth community.

As we headed back to our families and communities after the festivities, we carried the essential Christmas spirit of joy and love.

A big, heartfelt thankyou to the generous Parish of Pymble for being our hosts!

The next Praise and Worship night (open to all Youth and Young Adults Yr. 7 +) will be Friday 6 March. RSVP to youth@dbb.org.au

KRAKÓW 2016

WYD KR AKÓW 2016 Dear Young People, You’re invited to join me on the Diocese of Broken Bay journey to World Youth Day in Kraków, Poland in 2016. Join us as we travel on several pilgrimage options including the Footsteps of St Paul, The Holy Land and to various mission projects.

Start saving now and be sure to register your interest at wyd@dbb.org.au Yours in Christ Jesus,

Bishop Peter A Comensoli 8

opened our heart to this blessed season of Christmas. The music was vibrant, energising and truly spectacular. It led each of us closer to God, in prayer and worship and into this season of preparation.

Bishop Peter then shared some simple yet powerful strategies that we can use to prepare the way of our hearts – 1. Pray: don’t make it complicated it’s as simple as opening your heart to God. 2. Be with one another as Christians: be joyful and worship together 3. Get out of here: take our prayer, fellowship and heart to the world.

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Youth of Broken Bay Sydney, Australia Kraków, Poland 1/500 WYD16

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@dbbwyd

YOUTH MINISTRY

2015 will be a Big Year!

Stay in touch with all that is happening

Join us for our biggest and most expansive year yet! To stay up-to-date on Youth and Young Adult activities from around the Diocese subscribe to our mailing list via youth@dbb.org.au and follow us on Facebook: Youth of Broken Bay All the dates and details are available on our website www.dbb.org.au/youth Youth Activities

BBYAC Young Adult Ministry (18+)

è BBYM è Girls and Boys Retreats è Praise and Worship Nights è Vinnies Sleepout è SPARK Camp è BYTE Yr 12 Event è ACYF, Adelaide (December)

è Wholehearted Suppers (Young Women 18-35) è BBYAC Faith Nights, Killara è Immersion to Zambia, Africa (July) è Youth Ministry Formation Sessions è BBYAC Social Dinner (November)

Wholehearted Suppers

By Danielle Mifsud

The Wholehearted Suppers has launched from a dream to create a faith based community for inspiring and supporting Young Women.

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he concept is based on a hosted monthly dinner in a beautiful location that allows everyone to bring something to share. An opportunity to be a part of a vibrant community and to share stories, faith, joy and dreams.

On Tuesday 6 January the first Wholehearted Suppers was held on the Central Coast. Under the pale pink sky we shared our stories and dreams for 2015 while enjoying a delicious meal.

As the sun set and the full moon began to rise, we cleared the table to settle in with our cups of tea and open hearted journaling.

As we stopped to ponder and share some deeper questions we began to feel the Spirit moving through each area of our lives – from our careers, relationships,

families to travel dreams, studies and wellbeing. The verse of the evening was from Isaiah 43:13 ‘Behold, I will do something new’ – a clear message that with God all things are possible, especially in the year ahead. Many thanks to the beautiful women who helped make the first of many suppers extra special!

For all the photos follow us on Instagram @wholeheartedsuppers

Save the date: Saturday 6 February 2015 – email danielle. mifsud@dbb.org.au for your invitation and all the details.

An inspiring community of Young Women 18 – 35, from around the Diocese of Broken Bay, who share good food, openhearted faith and joy. A 2015 initiative of the Youth Ministry Team.

Young Adult Immersion July 2015 Chipata Diocese, ZAMBIA A Young Adult Immersion (18 – 35 yrs) to Chipata Diocese will be occurring 13-26 July 2015. The Diocese if looking for willing young Ambassadors who wish to experience the Church in Africa, and who can commit to ongoing support, relationship building, and hospitality. The Broken Bay sponsored rate will be $2,450, including 12 days immersed in Zambia, international flights, most meals, donations, and an African safari.

For further information and to receive an application pack, please contact Cathy Martorana on 0427 960 918 or cathy.martorana@dbb.org.au APPLICATIONS CLOSE 20 FEBRUARY 2015

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Celebrating our disabilities international day of people with disability, December 3, and our diocesan annual mass held this year at st agatha’s were just two of the year-end celebrations for catholiccare disability program participants and staff.

A Ray of Sunshine Staff and participants of our programs on the Peninsula held a Christmas Party at St. Pius X College Treacy Centre, with Principal John Couani coming to the rescue at short notice with the offer to host in the gym when the weather looked grim for the picnic planned.

New head of disability services for CatholicCare Peter Dixon, played Santa, while program participants put on a wonderful carols performance, faces were painted and party food eaten. A big thanks again to BeCozWeCare, Ken Snell and the team at Ray White Allambie Heights, and the parishes and schools of St Joseph’s Narrabeen, St Rose’s Collaroy Plateau and Mater Maria Warriewood, for their continued generous support in providing presents for all program participants. Very much appreciated!

A very arty christmas

Another class graduates…

Artists with disabilities attending CatholicCare’s Boonah Creative Arts Centre staged a wonderful art exhibition pre-Christmas. Formally opened by Matt Kean, State Member for Hornsby, artists mixed with admiring purchasers, with hand made ‘nativity stars’ among the artworks selling out within minutes of the exhibition opening.

CatholicCare’s Transition To Work program for school leavers with disabilities also held a year-end graduation/Christmas party for those finishing stage two of the two year workforce readiness program. Some former graduates of the program also attended the gathering to share in their colleagues’ achievements and to offer welcome and support for 2015’s new starters, adding to the celebrations.

OUT OF HOME CARE: Foster Care Therapeutic Group Care FOSTER AND THERAPEUTIC GROUP CARE: Kariong Pennant Hills EARLY LEARNING AND CARE: Forestville Lake Munmorah Terrigal Waitara DISABILITY: Northern Sydney Central Coast

justice love

Serving in and

artworks by boonah ARTISTS: FRED SMITH, ALISON CUMMINS

Six long serving CatholicCare disability team members honoured -

Christmas at the Lakes Children with special needs were hosted to a Christmas party at Lakes Grammar School. There was food, rides, crafts, a DJ and of course Santa.

CatholicCare’s craft stall was very popular with children flocking to create their own craft masterpieces with glitter glue, glowing stickers and dazzling blue baubles. Activities were designed to enable all ages to participate and to foster independent effort and a sense of achievement, while also allowing families to enquire into respite services in a relaxed environment.

Lesley McPhie, Mary Ash, Lee Stenhouse, Lynn Murphy, Ingrid Mailler and Janelle Phillpot (as well as Marriage Counsellor Claire Williams and former Family Centre Manager Frances Rix) received their 10 year service awards in the presence of CatholicCare’s Advisory Council at a special dinner pre-Christmas. In commending all those honoured Executive Director Deirdre Cheers said, “It is the stability and dedicated care of our people who have given CatholicCare’s disability programs and other services our enviable reputation in our community”.

Woods Cottage…

In another milestone CatholicCare took responsibility for the ongoing operation of Woods Cottage, a four bedroom residence providing group accommodation for adults with disabilities, faithfully managed for more than 30 years by the parishes of Lindfield and Killara. CatholicCare Executive Director Deirdre Cheers: “We want to acknowledge the parish’s foresight and commitment. Such facilities are in short supply and the parish’s investment in this valuable work – which enables residents to learn social and personal skills while living as independently as possible – is to be applauded. We look forward to working closely with Lindfield-Killara parish on this joint venture.

OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE: Carlingford Collaroy Plateau Davidson East Gosford Forestville Freshwater Lake Munmorah Manly Mona Vale Pymble Waitara West Pymble FAMILY CENTRES: Brookvale Central Coast Lake Munmorah Naremburn Waitara HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY: Gosford Hornsby Manly Mona Vale Royal North Shore Wahroonga (SAN) Wyong

PARISH SUPPORT

A Special Place

Centre for youth with disabilities in Rwanda

By Margaret Salem Social Justice Group, Corpus Christi, St Ives

The remote village of Muganza in Rwanda is an unlikely place for St Ives parishioners to be welcomed with open arms, but the Franciscan Sisters there have built a special Community Centre, where the generosity of their Australian friends will not be forgotten.

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fter fundraising for several years, the Corpus Christi St Ives Social Justice group helped the Rwandan Sisters to build a multi-purpose Centre focusing on the needs of children and youth with disabilities.

The Centre, officially opened in 2014, offers life-skills and

vocational training for youth with disabilities in this impoverished region. Courses in sewing, handicrafts, cooking, growing vegetables and raising farm animals are well underway. The Centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manager, Sr Josephine, reports that participants are learning to manage a little shop that they

SaM

Memorial and Funeral Services Religious and secular music: organist, experienced psalmists, regular Church and performance musicians.

Music and program preparation Audio Visual creations

Contact Sonya on 0439 136 877 or Dennis on 0419 209 272 E: sam@clubmusika.com.au www.clubmusika.com.au

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have rented in the village, to sell their produce. Another Sister, Sr Josepha, a recently graduated physiotherapist, now operates a treatment and rehabilitation clinic in the new building for the

overwhelming number of local children and adults with disability.

Skilled volunteers from Australia and the UK, including teachers and physiotherapists have already stayed in the purpose built accommodation. Families from even more remote villages can stay at the Centre whilst their children seek medical treatment. The Sisters are partnered in Australia with Margaret Salem (from Corpus Christi), and Global Development Group, the DFAT-approved NGO responsible for the project ( J688N) according to Australian Government requirements.

The local community and Sisters are incredibly proud of the new Centre and always keep the St Ives Parish in their prayers.

FAMILY SYNOD

Synod to Draw out Better Ways to Support Families and Married LIfe

By Janette Davidson

Just before Christmas Bishop Peter received the preparatory document (Lineamenta) for the 2015 Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops to take place in Rome from 4-25 October 2015.

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he Lineamenta and other Family Synod documents can be viewed on the Diocesan website www.dbb.org.au/family The Lineamenta consists of the final report (Relatio Synodi) of the Extraordinary Assembly of Bishops held in October 2014 together with a series of questions drawn from it.

Pope Francis and the Synod of Bishops are once again seeking responses to these questions as part of preparation for the 2015 Synod.

An online survey (with the wording of the Lineamenta questions rephrased/streamlined to make their meaning clearer) went online on the Broken Bay Diocesan website on 24 December 2014 www.dbb.og.au and is open until midnight on Tuesday 10 February 2015.

This stage of the process aims to extend the work of the previous Synod with the questions framed to draw out ways in which the Church can better listen, look to Christ and then act to support marriage and family life. The theme of the 2015 Synod is ‘The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and contemporary world’ and the Lineamenta refers to the purpose of the 2015 Synod as the formulation of pastoral care ‘guided by the pastoral approach initiated at the Extraordinary Synod which is grounded in Vatican II and the magisterium of Pope Francis’.

Bishop Peter invites as many of the Broken Bay Catholic community as possible to undertake the survey as everyone’s views are important

and of value. The timeframe for this exercise is relatively short as the Diocese must forward its response (summarising community views) to the Australian Bishops Conference (ACBC) by 16 February.

The ACBC is then required to forward the views of the Australian Catholic community to Rome by 15 April 2015.

Summaries of the worldwide discernment process will then be included within the 2015 Family Synod working paper (Instrumentum Laboris) expected to issue in late May 2015. There

will then be an opportunity for some further discernment prior to commencement of the Synod in October. The Australian Bishop participants at the Synod will be Bishop Eugene Hurley and Archbishop Mark Coleridge, with the substitute being Archbishop Philip Wilson.

Following completion of the 2015 Synod, its report will be forwarded to Pope Francis to assist him in finalising guidelines for the pastoral care of the family which will then be contained in an Apostolic Exhortation expected to be published in 2016.

ies l i m a f d n a H t i a f How do we nurture and support tHe domestic cHurcH?

(one day in each region same program for each day) NortherN – tuesday 24 March 2015 PeNiNsula – WedNesday 25 March ceNtral coast – thursday 26 March The three days will feature input from dr aoife mcgrath along with a variety of workshop streams highlighting specific ministry areas.

Keynote: dr aoife McGrath ‘Art of Accompaniment’ Walking with Families and Young People on their Faith Journey. the keynote address (on all three days) will take a closer look at what Pope Francis has called “the art of accompaniment” (evangelii Gaudium 169-173). dr aoiFe McGrath is an adjunct professor in Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical University, Maynooth and has worked as a lay pastoral worker in the dioceses of Waterford and lismore in ireland. she has been involved in a variety of parish ministries and has described her role as “contributing to the life and work of the parish, which involves initiating, training, supporting, and resourcing various teams in Liturgical, Pastoral, and Formation ministries.”

for furTher deTails www.dbb.org.au/family or contact Janette davidson on 0409 074 908 or at janette.davidson@dbb.org.au BBN

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EDUCATION

2015 School Open Days Diocese of Broken Bay Systemic Schools SCHOOL NAME NORTH SHORE, PRIMARY St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School St Gerard’s Catholic Primary School Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Primary School Holy Family Catholic Primary School St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School St Agatha’s Catholic Primary School Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Prouille Catholic Primary School Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary School St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School NORTH SHORE, SECONDARY Mercy Catholic College St Leo’s Catholic College PENINSULA, PRIMARY Maria Regina Catholic Primary School St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School St Rose Catholic Primary School St Martin’s Catholic Primary School St Kevin’s Catholic Primary School Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Primary School St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School St Mary’s Catholic Primary School St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School St John’s Catholic Primary School PENINSULA, SECONDARY St Paul’s Catholic College Mater Maria Catholic College CENTRAL COAST, PRIMARY St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School Holy Cross Catholic Primary School St Brendan’s Catholic Primary School Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School St Mary’s Catholic Primary School St John Fisher Catholic Primary School MacKillop Catholic College (K-12) St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School CENTRAL COAST, SECONDARY St Joseph’s Catholic College St Brigid’s Catholic College St Peter’s Catholic College MacKillop Catholic College (K-12)

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SUBURB

PHONE NUMBER

OPEN DAY DATE

OPEN DAY TIMES

Asquith Berowra Heights Carlingford Chatswood Epping Lindfield Northbridge Pennant Hills Pymble St Ives Wahroonga Waitara West Pymble Willoughby

9477 3800 9456 2104 9871 1633 9419 2645 9868 3322 9416 7200 9958 7136 9484 7200 9440 8056 9988 3135 9489 3233 9489 7000 9498 6055 9958 7308

12 March 10 March 10 March 12 March 12 March 11 March 11 March 12 March 12 March 13 March 19 March 10 March 5 March 10 March

9:30am – 11:00am 9:30am 9:30am – 11:00am 9:00am – 11:00am 9:00am – 10:30am 9:30am – 12:30pm 8:45am – 10:00am 9:30am – 11:00am 9:30am – 10:30am 9:00am – 11:00am 9:00am – 10:45am 9:15am – 11:00am 8:15am – 11:00am 9:30am – 1:00pm

Chatswood Wahroonga

9419 2890 9487 3555

8 March 6 March

11:00am – 2:00pm Contact College

Avalon

9918 2608

Balgowlah Collaroy Plateau Davidson Dee Why Forestville Freshwater Manly Manly Vale Mona Vale Narrabeen Narraweena

9948 3069 9982 1467 9452 2022 9971 1644 9972 7311 9939 6699 9977 2225 9949 3523 9999 3264 9913 3766 9971 9297

24 February 11 March 18 March 11 March 11 & 18 March 10 March 12 March 12 March 9 – 13 March 23 April 13 March 11 March 10 March

7:00am – 8:30am 9:00am – 10:30am 9:30am – 11:00am 9:30am – 11:00am 9:30am – 11:30am 9:30am – 11:00am 9:30am – 11:00am 9:30am – 10:30am Contact School 5:30pm – 7:30pm 9:00am – 11:00am 9:00am – 11:00am 9:30am – 10:45pm

Manly Warriewood

9977 5111 9997 7044

5 March 15 March

4:00pm – 7:00pm 11:00am – 2:00pm

East Gosford Kincumber Lake Munmorah Terrigal The Entrance Toukley Tumbi Umbi Warnervale Woy Woy Wyoming Wyong

4325 1159 4369 6638 4358 1501 4365 6229 4332 5594 4396 5100 4388 5800 4392 9399 4341 0884 4324 6641 4353 2922

30 April 10 March 11 March 30 March 1 April 30 March 4 May 8 March 13 March 11 March 22 April

7:30pm 9:30am – 11:00am 9:00am – 10:30am 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 10:00am – 11:00am 11:00am – 2:00pm 9:30am – 11:00am 9:00am – 10:00am 6pm

Gosford East

4324 4022

Lake Munmorah

4358 4278

Tuggerah Warnervale

4351 2344 4392 9399

16 March 20 February 24 February 16 March 8 March

4.30pm – 7.30pm 7:00am – 8am 1:30pm – 7:00pm 4:00pm – 6:00pm 11:00am – 2:00pm

EDUCATION

All Welcome The House of Welcome is a charity that supports asylum seekers from all over the world who are living in the community whilst awaiting the outcome of their protection visa applications.

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s a social justice opportunity for Mercy Outreach Day, Year 10 students from Mercy Catholic College, Chatswood, travelled to Carramar on the outskirts of Sydney to lend a hand for the day.

Whilst assisting prepare ingredients and cook up Egyptian, Iranian and Pakistani dishes the girls not only learnt about and tasted different foods but also gained an insight as to the challenges that cause people to flee their homeland as refugees.

Mercy student Momoko Metham reflected on the day “I made friends with Samira, an Iranian woman who had fled Iran and came to Australia in the hope of providing her two girls with more opportunities and a solid education.” Samira herself is studying to be a chef whilst working at the House of Welcome.

Helen Thomas, Youth Ministry Co-ordinator commented “What a fantastic way for our students to

learn about the plight of refugees whilst also helping prepare, cook and then share in a meal.”

Rosary Day at the Entrance Students at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School, The Entrance, enjoyed a full day of activities for their Feast Day.

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elebrations for the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary kicked off with a Balloon Rosary which was set up outside the School Chapel to create a focal point for their celebrations. Each balloon represented a Rosary bead and the students arranged by colour to denote each continent where the Church continues its mission of evangelisation: green for the forests and grasslands of Africa, blue for the ocean surrounding the Pacific Islands, red for the colours found in America, yellow for the morning light of the East (Asia), and white for Europe – the home of the Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church.

Next was the procession of the statue of Mary to the Chapel for a whole of school liturgy, followed by the making Rosary key chains was a fun challenge and a picnic on the oval with parents and teachers.

Treated to a juggling performance at lunchtime the day was then capped off by a dramatisation of the apparition of Our Lady at Fatima and further fun and games.

The children all wore blue and yellow or gold mufti, the school colours, and were each given a bag with a prayer card and Rosary beads.

Reflecting on the day the children said “I loved everything about the Rosary Day but my

favourite thing was making the Rosary beads.” and “I keep my new Rosary beads next to my bed so I can use them at night.”

Green Thumbs

Classes at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic School have begun planting many different sorts of vegetables and flowers in their new garden patch.

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arent volunteers, Bruce and Angel oversee and coordinate the garden with the assistance of the teachers. Each week, five to six children from a different class garden with Bruce and Angel.

They have planted many varieties of flowers such as sunflowers and marigolds. The veggies planted include lettuce, parsley, rocket, rhubarb and spring onions. There is also rosemary, a

passionfruit vine and a lemon tree.

The children have really enjoyed getting their hands dirty, watering, weeding, planting, trimming and learning about gardening.

Students commented “with all our rain we can see many plants sprouting and there is a lot of new growth on the seedlings.

As the rain continues we look forward to seeing more growth and then on to harvesting.”

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EDUCATION

Terrigal Engaging Parents – Fathers Feed and Read Morning It’s not new for the community of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School, Terrigal to welcome parent involvement in the school.

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hether it is through classroom helpers, social functions or the famous “Fair by the Sea” parents have always been welcomed with open arms. This year there has been an added spin in engaging the parents with the learning agenda.

Principal Robert Peers explains – “At the recent Father’s morning, we had a huge turnout of dads for our annual sausage sizzle breakfast which is always a great start to the day, but this year while they were here, we got them involved in their children’s reading and writing as well.”

“There is some extensive research that links positive achievement in reading and writing with fatherly interest, role modelling and encouragement, so after our breakfast – and beautiful whole school Liturgy, we let the dads and father figures loose in the classroom. We did the same involving our mums in Maths

– something research indicates more mums lack confidence in.”

Whilst it’s true that one morning won’t cut it if there is to be a long term benefit in children’s learning,

the boys and girls of Star of the Sea Terrigal were delighted to see their dads and father figures there – and the dads themselves seemed to learn a great deal too.

Sprinting Across the Line St Mary’s Catholic School, Manly and Corpus Christi Catholic School, St Ives are running high on school spirit with their relay teams having successfully competed at the NSW All Schools Athletics Championships.

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t was a long road for both teams, having initially won locally before progressing to Broken Bay, then Polding and finally to the state championships at Homebush.

The St Mary’s junior girls team was made up of Jazmine Hartman, Lily McLean, Mia Tehmane and Lara Williams and the Corpus Christi junior boys team included Lachlan Bannigan, Kieran Fabjancic, Dylan Bouwer and Joel Austin.

With approximately 40 statewide relay teams competing for a place in the finals these talented athletes were up against some tough competition and it was quite an achievement for both teams to secure a spot.

The boys from Corpus Christi finished an incredible 8th place and the girls from St Mary’s one place higher in 7th.

Their success was attributed to true dedication and team spirit, with teaching

Young Scientist Award 2014 Congratulations to Karina Brown in Year 10 from Mercy Catholic College, Chatswood who received a major award in the Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales Young Scientist Awards Presentation. arina was awarded First achieved. I learnt a lot from the Place for her work entitled project, especially in terms of “To compare the size of DNA problem solving. In my project, molecules in different plants” I had to devise a way to extract

by The Australian Society for the DNA, separate it from the Biochemical and Molecular solution, and then build my own Biology. The award celebrates an gel electrophoresis chamber out exemplary scientific investigation of household items. It was great that demonstrated a good to be able to apply my research understanding of processes and what I have learnt in class in in molecular biology. to real life results. It sparked an On her win Karina commented interest and I plan to pursue a “I am really proud of what I have career in science in the future.”

K

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staff and families extremely proud of their results which now ranks them within the top 10 in the state for all schools – a fantastic result.

One of the Corpus Christi parents commented “ They have been very humble and showed wonderful sportsmanship with other competitors.” School Sport Coordinator, Laura Bahei also remarked on how proud the school is of these athletes and their achievement.

Look out Rio 2016 – there are some high achievers on the run!

EDUCATION

Schoolies week with a difference A group of students from St Paul’s Catholic College in Manly experienced schoolies week with a difference, choosing to build houses in a Cambodian village.

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he 23 students from years 10, 11 and 12 raised $1500 each to pay for materials for each house and then went to the Cambodian province of Duong to build them. The students undertook a variety of fund-raising activities to raise the funds in the 18 months leading up to the trip, including selling chocolates at school, baking and running barbeques.

The school, like all schools in the Broken Bay Diocese, is committed to social justice initiatives that involve students, teachers and parents, to make their world a better place.

Youth Ministry Co-ordinator Ms Joanne Kalayzich, one of four teachers who accompanied

the St Paul’s students, said the Cambodia trip, hosted by aid organisation the Tabitha Foundation, was conceived as an alternative to schoolies week.

“We wanted to build a culture where we were really honouring the 13 years of quality education the boys have received,” she said.

The students spent two days putting walls and roofs on nine houses, which year 12 student William Sim said was the highlight of the 11-day trip. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and experience a different part of the world.”

Ms Kalayzich said the boys learnt vital life lessons during the trip.

“The boys gave physical and monetary items, which I’m sure Cambodia appreciated, but what Cambodia gave back to our students, money can’t buy,” she said.

Ms Kalayzich said the boys learned patience away from their usual world of instant gratification, along with compassion.

“I realised just how much we take life for granted living in Sydney, how much they don’t have and we do have,” William Sim said.

Through the lens of a child

The Peninsula Photographic competition entitled ‘Catholic Worldview Through the lens of a child’ was held again this year.

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n 2014 the students could enter online for the categories People, Places, Animals and Nature.

The Winners Presentation was held at Maria Regina Catholic School, Avalon where all the children’s entries were displayed. Garrick Dostine from The School Photographer once again sponsored the competition generously donating prizes and framed photos of the top three entries in each category along with encouragement awards.

Garrick commented, “As we have come to expect the standard

was very high with a broad variety of subject matter in each category.

Some schools have incorporated photography workshops into their curriculum and it is great to see such enthusiastic support for this annual competition.”

Cathy Penning, Visual Arts Teacher at Maria Regina explained “our school was lucky enough to apply for a workshop sponsored by the Moran Arts Foundation and be selected this year. We had a professional photographer work with 30 of our students. Each child used their

own camera and printed off their best photos to take home at the end of the day some of which won a place in this year’s competition.

It was also interesting to note that the winner of the Animal category was taken on an iphone when a colourful caterpillar caught the photographer’s eye.”

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PARISH SUPPORT

Pictured from L to R: Sr Louise McKeogh (Social Justice Coordinator, Diocese of Parramatta); Fr Vince Casey (Diocese of Broken Bay); Fr Peter Smith (Justice and Peace Promoter, Archdiocese of Sydney); Qwayne Ybe Guevara (Research and Project Officer, Archdiocese of Sydney); Belinda Carson-Bourke (Caritas Diocesan Director, Archdiocese of Sydney) and Jennifer Skelly (Project’s Officer: Social Justice, Diocese of Broken Bay).

Putting Rungs in the Ladder: Tri-Diocesan event The most effective way to welcome asylum seekers and refugees is to offer time, respect and friendship.

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his was the core message at “Putting Rungs in the Ladder – Advent Twilight Reflection Evening held on the 10 December at the Caroline Chisholm Centre, Pennant Hills. The joint initiative of the justice and peace arms of the Broken Bay and Parramatta dioceses and the Archdiocese of Sydney gathered people from across Sydney to reflect, discuss and pray for those desperately seeking refuge in Sydney.

People were invited to reflect on the plight of asylum seekers especially those who sought

security and safety from their conflict-ridden countries. Cathy Butler of St Ives Parish, Annmarie from the Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group and Jo Hill of the House of Welcome told stories of hope and love through community activities and sports including inspirational reflections from a group who started a cricket team of Tamil asylum seekers.

The organisers facilitated small group discussions to encourage action for people to bring back to their parish communities. Their plans were offered in a solemn

reflection following the discussions, as volunteers read the prayers of the faithful calling for unity and mercy.

The event coincided with the passing of the new legislation giving government unprecedented and unchallengeable power to deal with asylum seekers, including the power to send boats entering Australian waters back into sea. Australia no longer has to adhere to the UN Refugee Convention. In a media release by the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, Director, Fr Maurizio Pettenà has called the new laws “unethical” and

stated that the reintroduction of the Temporary Visa will not provide a pathway to permanency nor allow family reunification, meaning asylum seekers’ lives will remain in a state of insecurity and anxiety.

Despite the announcement of the new laws, ‘Putting Rungs in the Ladder’ was an opportunity to be reminded of God’s mercy and compassion.

To keep up to date with Social Justice activities and news, visit www.dbb,org.au/socialjustice or email jennifer.skelly@dbb.org.au to register for monthly emails.

Valentine’s Day… a message of love

By Jennifer Skelly, Parish Support Unit, Social Justice Projects Officer

“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”

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ate last year, I had the opportunity to listen to the only Ethiopian paediatric heart surgeon, training at the Wolfson Medical Centre (WMC) in Israel. I was struck not only by the high incidence of congenital heart problems in Ethiopia but the immensity of the population of children (over 40 million) who until now have no cardiac care.

Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) is an international, non-governmental, non-political, non-profit organisation founded in 1996 in Holon, Israel with a goal to develop paediatric cardiac care for children worldwide regardless of any child’s religion, gender, nationality or circumstances.

Further afield, SACH commits itself to creating medical centres in developing countries and in

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empowering medical people like Dr Yayehyirad Mekonnen Ejigu, to become independent educators and trainers upon their return to their country of origin.

What resonated from listening to Simon Fisher (Executive Director for SACH) and Dr Yayehyirad was threefold. Firstly, the courage with which this young surgeon had for returning to Ethiopia to face what seems an insurmountable issue with reference to the apt aphorism “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime”.

Secondly, the life-saving joy and hope WMC and the SACH organisation offer in caring for all children particularly Palestinian children, in turn building a better Middle East

and thirdly the opportunity SACH offers to young people of today to become young leaders with a new perspective, a hands-on opportunity serving and empowering little ones with no resources to have hope in a healthy world.

Valentine’s Day will never quite be the same with this fresh approach young generations worldwide are offering to Save A Child’s Heart, Building Bridges by mending hearts… https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=uU24wbMZHb4

ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Quietly Behind the Scenes ‘Babs’ McKinnon (6.2.1915 – 6.8.2014)

By Jo Marlin, Toukley Parish

About 20 years ago I was asked to help at the Piety Stall of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Toukley

by Doreen McKinnon – known as Babs, or Bubs.

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met some incredible and honourable women of strength through that Piety Stall. Some of these women had past stories of extreme hardship, and all had found comfort in their Catholic Faith and were inspirational to anyone who crossed their paths. Babs was one of those women.

Back in the late 80’s Mater Dei College Tuggerah, now known as St Peters Catholic College, had an annual ball. Babs had been involved with the Ball Committee for the past 20 years and was a Matron of Honour at the second year. She was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the St Vincent de Paul society in recognition of 20 years’ service to the Society and the disadvantaged. Babs was a surprised guest that night in the 80s, when a member of the Ball Committee Nikki Gosper introduced her unexpectedly for her active membership in the Toukley Parish.

It was a wonder that she was surprised though as her ‘active‘membership was exhausting: St Vincent De Paul; Founding member of the Legion of Mary; The Parish Census Committee; President of the Catholic Ladies Committee for 26 years; raising money for the Parish Schools and St Vincent De Paul; a Catechist for Budgewoi and Lake Munmorah State Schools; Organiser of The Annual School Fete; organiser and volunteer for many other School celebrations such as Jubilees, welcomes and farewells. Babs also worked at St Marys Canteen and other committee fundraisers, 10 years plus catering for school and parish events.

My fondest memory was when Babs got the Catholic Ladies to help her daughter Debbie and I run a fundraiser at Toukley Golf Club for the preschool. The women loved helping out, it gave them a purpose and a sense of achievement, as well as a social outing and they were really hard workers. I had a lesson in how to butter a scone from corner to corner!

Babs ran the Piety Stall for 40 years handing it over, only 4 years ago. If there was a catering function – it would be very unusual not to see Lenten Scripture to Reflect On For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)

Babs there. At Church we had Easter raffles, Christmas Hampers, a fruit cake raffle for every occasion with the money raised going back into charities and community events. Babs involvement was always in a “behind the scenes way” she didn’t like a fuss to be made, always saying, “It’s thanks to someone else that the event went off without a hitch.” She also saw her commitments through, be it grand or on a small scale. Babs used to say look, “I just do it, because I enjoy it, no thanks is necessary. “ Bab’s funeral was celebrated by Fr Peter D’Souza at the church where it all started for her and her family. She loved Fathers Fitzgerald and Abbot, who were both at the service. I thought I knew a lot about Babs McKinnon until her son Paul read her Eulogy.

“My mother’s life story is worthy of a book….She would have been disappointed being out for 99. She was a cricket fanatic and would have had her eye on the century.

“Mum had a relatively short working career.

Her last job was working at Morisset Hospital where she met our dad. She spent a long time maintaining a home in an isolated place without town water, sewerage or electricity. Growing up, I’ve seen her gut and clean fish, fowls, ducks and rabbits and butcher large bits of lamb, pork and beef. She could milk cows, chop wood, fell trees, set a rabbit trap and handle a rifle. She was a formidable opponent in card games like Euchre, 500, Bridge, Poker and Cribbage and a champion in sewing, knitting and first-aid with URA, her ‘cure all’ wonder ointment.

“Eventually, she was directly responsible for raising five of her own children, providing guidance for her grandchildren and indirectly responsible for raising a legion of itinerant young surfers and fisherman. The last aspect often involved the provision of accommodation and catering. Mum was as kind in friendship as she was fierce in battle. She had plenty of tough patches throughout her life, amongst which were the loss of two infant children, Patricia and Mark and my teenage brother, Don, and later, in mid-life, multiple heart attacks. Then, after that, she survived bowel cancer and diabetes, a severe respiratory infection and other ailments requiring hospitalisation from time to time.

Her husband and our dad, Don, died 17 years ago. It was a miracle that she lived so long.

“After we all moved to Norah Head from Morisset in the fifties, and she became part of the local Catholic community, she was labelled

‘Babs’ after Babs McKinnon, a popular stage and television star around at the time. We are so proud of mum’s Catholic accomplishments.

Our family recognised that Bub had a direct line to God. We exploited this critical link by making requests for special novenas for emergency needs. We sometimes included friends needing assistance. The consequence of this was her commitment to a massive array of perpetual novenas as, once she had some success, she wasn’t game to drop anyone off the list, fearing a reversal of form or status.

“Mum was proud of us all, never short of love, admiration and matriarchal wisdom.

She could counsel any devastating dilemma with the pacifying reassurance, “Never mind dear”. It would be easy to indulge in a deeper retrospection of Bub’s former glories over 99 years. However, all we need to do now is to touch upon her extreme joy of life – a peaceful passing. In every respect, she was an accomplished and adorable woman. Rest in peace, Bub.” Lenten Scripture to Reflect On Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!’ (Mark 9:7) BBN

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

A powerful demonstration of parish, community love and inclusiveness…

Annual Diocesan Mass for People with Special Needs and their Families

By Janette Davidson, Parish Support Unit

“What a joy to experience the outpouring of love and acceptance of our differences.” (Participant)

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he Annual Diocesan Mass was concelebrated on 30 November 2014 at St Agatha’s Parish Pennant Hills by Fr Vince Casey (Diocesan Administrator at the time) and Fr Paul Durkin (Parish Priest). The Mass was very well attended by people with special needs, families and carers and a large number of parishioners.

Seeing what a person can do instead of what they can’t do is a key to inclusive ministry and the Mass provided such an opportunity with various liturgical ministry roles being shared with people with special needs, and all participating in the celebration.

The following insights were shared by those who participated or attended: “It was a lovely Mass with uplifting music and a happy message for all. Gorgeous to see so many people supporting our special community members and the lunch was amazing!!”

“The Mass was such a powerful demonstration of parish and community love

and inclusiveness and, I am sure, was greatly appreciated by all the families present.”

“Congratulations on organising the beautiful, meaningful and memorable Mass for People with Special Needs and their families” “Having the opportunity to contribute to Mass made me feel very good about myself.”

“To see Carmel with her infectious smile was a joy to behold.”

“I think the lady I spoke to a few days ago, summed the day up totally. She is a parishioner who said as she sat at Mass she realised how many people are disabled and how many families are affected, and that is the tip of the iceberg. She was quite overwhelmed by responses to Fr Vince, and just blown away by music and people involved in various roles. Her resolution is to really get involved in ways to assist. Her other comment was that everyone was so friendly and obviously enjoying meeting friends at lunch, which she was so pleased to see was a spread befitting

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these special people, and, she is never going to complain about anything again!”

“The musicians also thanked us for inviting them to participate and share in this magnificent occasion.”

“Continued blessings for this work.”

The Diocesan Disability Services Committee (with representatives from CatholicCare, Catholic Schools Office, Diocesan Parent Council, Parish Support Unit and the Office of the Bishop) worked in collaboration with Fr Paul and members of the Pennant Hills Parish to plan the Mass and the delicious lunch (prepared by Wild Cactus, Pennant Hills, and parishioners) served in the parish hall after the Mass. Thank you to the many volunteers from the parish who assisted with setting up, serving and clearing up at the end of the day.

Fr Paul Durkin summed up the experience “Well done! It was very worthwhile for our parish to be part of such a wonderful Diocesan event.”

PO Box 132, St Ives, NSW 2075 sdhnl@bigpond.com Phone 9440 2048 Mobile 0435483153

ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Maths teacher and mother-of-three is a multi-tasking Masters student

Christine Harmer is the Numeracy Coordinator at Mackillop College (Formerly St Paul’s High School) in Port Macquarie and a Master of Theology student with The Broken Bay Institute and The University of Newcastle.

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he mother-of-three was recently awarded the 2015 Mary Ward Grant, which was established to promote the dignity and role of women in church and society and supports specialist or post-graduate study in theology, spirituality and pastoral ministry.

“It’s so expensive to do any sort of study at a university level now,” Christine said “especially since I’m only just returning to full time work this year, so the grant is really helping to lessen the financial burden on my family.”

Christine has enjoyed returning to study, knowing it would help her career prospects and studies one subject each semester online from her home in Port Macquarie.

“It’s important for my children and my students to see the value I that I place on education, particularly as a teacher. I embrace the challenge of studying whilst balancing a career and family, and hope to be a role model for young women – most especially my daughter.”

Before starting a family, Christine completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of Sydney with a major in Mathematics and minor in History. “That was one of the other reasons I chose Theology, because I’d studied the

reformation period in modern European history and was comfortable writing essays.”

As her study is supported by her Catholic Schools Office, Christine is also given two days release during the semester. “I was surprised how little of my time study took away from the kids as I’ve become more effective with my time. If the kids are on play dates in the holidays, that’s when I make myself study.”

Christine still manages to find the time to go walking every morning and enjoys cooking, playing netball and going out for dinner with friends in her spare time. “I thought I would have to study a lot on weekends but I found I could just do the readings at night and do my writing on days when I don’t have the kids.

So far it’s been good. I’ve even toyed with the idea of doing an extra unit over the holidays!”

Christine is currently doing the compulsory subjects for the Master of Theology and then hopes to specialise in Liturgy.

“I enjoy the creativity of liturgy and I think it will be helpful to further my career in a coordinator role. It’s also important that the students enjoy liturgy and take something away from it.”

Christine Harmer pictured with her children.

Christine and husband, Darren.

A user-friendly Lent: Pray the Scriptures on the Go Ash Wednesday (19 February) marks the beginning of Lent, a special time for sharpening our spiritual focus.

P

ope Francis invites us to listen, to enter into the experiences of others.

Throughout Lent you are invited to listen to the hearts of others as they make God’s love real for us through the telling of

their own personal stories. Treat yourself each week to a new gift of forgiveness and love. Ponder where you are in need of God’s love, or where God’s love is calling you.

During this Lent, be open to God’s love and forgiveness, and be inspired to become a sacrament of that love for others. Be assured that the sign of forgiving love is freedom. During this season, enjoy a deeper understanding that, in fact, you are the apple of God’s eye.

To enrich your personal journey, the Diocese of Broken Bay is again offering a lectio divina (prayerful meditation) of the

Sunday scriptures, via an App for use on your mobile devices.

This technology allows you to take scripture with you, to either reflect upon in quiet times, or to use when gathered with others. All the weekly readings and reflections are included.

If you downloaded the App last year, just make sure it has been updated on your device.

If you didn’t download it in 2014, no problem, you can get

on board this year! Just search for lectio divina in the App Store for Apple devices, or in Google Play for Android devices. Look for the purple LD Lent image.

If you do not own a tablet, smart phone or other mobile device, the lectio divina for Lent booklet will be available on the Diocese of Broken Bay website to download as a pdf as one booklet, or as separate weekly readings. Visit www.dbb.org.au BBN

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FAMILIES

“Protect Your Families” On Friday 16 January, Pope Francis urged families to serve as “sanctuaries of respect for life” by proclaiming the sacredness of life from birth to death.

At a gathering of over 20,000 participants in the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Manila, His Holiness exhorted families to take time to rest and to pray together, and to be examples of holiness. The world “needs good and strong families” to overcome threats of poverty, materialism, destructive lifestyles, and those caused by separation due to migration; “the Philippines needs holy and loving families to protect the beauty and truth of the family in God’s plan.”

The full address is as follows, including Pope Francis’ deviations from the prepared text that highlight how close the Family is to his heart.

“D

ear Families, Dear Friends in Christ, ….The Scriptures seldom speak of Saint Joseph, but when they do, we often find him resting, as an angel reveals God’s will to him in his dreams. In the Gospel passage we have just heard, we find Joseph resting not once, but twice. This evening I would like to rest in the Lord with all of you, and to reflect with you on the gift of the family.

It is important to dream in the family. All mothers and fathers dream of their sons and daughters in the womb for 9 months. They

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dream of how they will be. It isn’t possible to have a family without such dreams. When you lose this capacity to dream you lose the capacity to love, the capacity to love is lost. I recommend that at night when you examine your consciences, ask yourself if you dreamed of the future of your sons and daughters. Did you dream of your husband or wife? Did you dream today of your parents, your grandparents who carried forward the family to me? It is so important to dream and especially to dream in the family. Please

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don’t lose the ability to dream in this way. How many solutions are found to family problems if we take time to reflect, if we think of a husband or wife, and we dream about the good qualities they have. Don’t ever lose the memory of when you were boyfriend or girlfriend. That is very important.

Joseph’s rest revealed God’s will to him. In this moment of rest in the Lord, as we pause from our many daily obligations and activities, God is also speaking to us. He speaks to us in the reading we have just heard, in our prayer and witness, and in the quiet of our hearts. Let us reflect on what the Lord is saying to us, especially in this evening’s Gospel. There are three aspects of this passage which I would ask you to consider: resting in the Lord, rising with Jesus and Mary, and being a prophetic voice.

Resting in the Lord. Rest is so necessary for the health of our minds and bodies, and often so difficult to achieve due to the many demands placed on us. But rest is also essential for our spiritual health, so that we can hear God’s voice and understand what he asks of us. Joseph was chosen by God to be the foster father of Jesus and the husband of Mary.

As Christians, you too are called,

like Joseph, to make a home for Jesus. You make a home for him in your hearts, your families, your parishes and your communities.

To hear and accept God’s call, to make a home for Jesus, you must be able to rest in the Lord.

You must make time each day for prayer. But you may say to me: Holy Father, I want to pray, but there is so much work to do! I must care for my children; I have chores in the home; I am too tired even to sleep well. This may be true, but if we do not pray, we will not know the most important thing of all: God’s will for us. And for all our activity, our busy-ness, without prayer we will accomplish very little.

Resting in prayer is especially important for families. It is in the family that we first learn how to pray. And don’t forget when the family prays together, it remains together. This is important. There we come to know God, to grow into men and women of faith, to see ourselves as members of God’s greater family, the Church. In the family we learn how to love, to forgive, to be generous and open, not closed and selfish. We learn to move beyond our own needs, to encounter others and share our lives with them. That is why it is so important to pray as a family! That

FAMILIES

is why families are so important in God’s plan for the Church!

I would like to tell you something very personal. I like St Joseph very much. He is a strong man of silence. On my desk I have a statue of St Joseph sleeping. While sleeping he looks after the Church. Yes, he can do it! We know that. When I have a problem or a difficulty, I write on a piece of paper and I put it under his statue so he can dream about it. This means please pray to St Joseph for this problem.

Next, rising with Jesus and Mary. Those precious moments of repose, of resting with the Lord in prayer, are moments we might wish to prolong. But like Saint Joseph, once we have heard God’s voice, we must rise from our slumber; we must get up and act (cf. Rom 13:11). Faith does not remove us from the world, but draws us more deeply into it.

Each of us, in fact, has a special role in preparing for the coming of God’s kingdom in our world.

Just as the gift of the Holy Family was entrusted to Saint Joseph, so the gift of the family and its place in God’s plan is entrusted to us so we can carry it forward. To each one of you, and us, because I too am the son of a family.

The angel of the Lord revealed to Joseph the dangers which threatened Jesus and Mary, forcing them to flee to Egypt and then to settle in Nazareth.

So too, in our time, God calls upon us to recognise the dangers threatening our own families and to protect them from harm.

We must be attentive to the new ideological colonisation.

Beware of the new ideological colonisation that tries to destroy the family. It’s not born of the dream that we have from God and prayer – it comes from outside and that’s why I call it a colonisation.

Let us not lose the freedom to take

forward the mission God has given us, the mission of the family. And just as our peoples were able to say in the past “No” to the period of colonisation, as families we have to be very wise and strong to say “No” to any attempted ideological colonisation that could destroy the family. And to ask the intercession of St Joseph to know when to say “Yes” and when to say “No”....

The pressures on family life today are many. Here in the Philippines, countless families are still suffering from the effects of natural disasters. The economic situation has caused families to be separated by migration and the search for employment, and financial problems strain many households. While all too many people live in dire poverty, others are caught up in materialism and lifestyles which are destructive of family life and the most basic demands of Christian morality.

The family is also threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage, by relativism, by the culture of the ephemeral, by a lack of openness to life.

I think of Blessed Paul VI in the moment of that challenge of population growth, he had the strength to defend openness to life.

He knew the difficulties families experience and that’s why in his encyclical (Humanae Vitae) he expressed compassion for specific cases and he taught professors to be particularly compassionate for particular cases. And he went further, he looked at the people on the earth and he saw that lack (of children) and the problem it could cause families in the future. Paul VI was courageous, a good pastor and he warned his sheep about the wolves that were approaching. And from the heavens he blesses us today.

Our world needs good and strong families to overcome these

threats! The Philippines needs holy and loving families to protect the beauty and truth of the family in God’s plan and to be a support and example for other families.

Every threat to the family is a threat to society itself. The future of humanity, as Saint John Paul II often said, passes through the family (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 85). So protect your families! See in them your country’s greatest treasure and nourish them always by prayer and the grace of the sacraments. Families will always have their trials, but may you never add to them! Instead, be living examples of love, forgiveness and care. Be sanctuaries of respect for life, proclaiming the sacredness of every human life from conception to natural death. What a gift this would be to society, if every Christian family lived fully its noble vocation! So rise with Jesus and Mary, and set out on the path the Lord traces for each of you.

Finally, the Gospel we have heard reminds us of our Christian duty to be prophetic voices in the midst of our communities. Joseph listened to the angel of the Lord and responded to God’s call to care for Jesus and Mary. In this way he played his part in God’s plan, and became a blessing not only for the Holy Family, but a blessing for all of humanity. With Mary, Joseph served as a model for the boy Jesus as he grew in wisdom, age and grace (cf. Lk 2:52). When families bring children into the world, train them in faith and sound values, and teach them to contribute to society, they become a blessing in our world.

God’s love becomes present and active by the way we love and by the good works that we do. We extend Christ’s kingdom in this

world. And in doing this, we prove faithful to the prophetic mission which we have received in baptism.

During this year which your bishops have set aside as the Year of the Poor (The Philippines), I would ask you, as families, to be especially mindful of our call to be missionary disciples of Jesus. This means being ready to go beyond your homes and to care for our brothers and sisters who are most in need. I ask you especially to show concern for those who do not have a family of their own, in particular those who are elderly and children without parents. Never let them feel isolated, alone and abandoned, but help them to know that God has not forgotten them.

I was very moved after the Mass today when I visited that shelter for children with no parents. How many people in the Church work so that that house is a home, family? This is what it means to take forward, prophetically, the meaning of family. You may be poor yourselves in material ways, but you have an abundance of gifts to offer when you offer Christ and the community of his Church. Do not hide your faith, do not hide Jesus, but carry him into the world and offer the witness of your family life!

Dear friends in Christ, know that I pray for you always! I pray that the Lord may continue to deepen your love for him, and that this love may manifest itself in your love for one another and for the Church. Pray often and take the fruits of your prayer into the world, that all may know Jesus Christ and his merciful love. Please pray also for me, for I truly need your prayers and will depend on them always!”

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Loved Pastor’s Legacy will bring Hope to Families

By Paul O’Neill, KCCP Pastoral Council Ku-ring-gai Chase Catholic Parish community both past and present, along with friends of the late Fr Patrick McMaugh came together on 22 November last year for a fundraising evening.

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r Pat’s paintings, collectables and ‘brica-brac’ were auctioned or sold with over $12,000 being raised for the Trust, provided in Fr Pat’s will, to be used for the education of children from needy families in the Parish.

Fr Pat was born in May 1928 and ordained on 19 July 1952. After appointments in various parishes in the Archdiocese of Sydney he was appointed as Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Asquith in February 1972 where he remained as Parish Priest until his retirement in January 1998.

He died in October 2012 after a long illness.

Fr Pat built a shack at Colo Heights, which he later extended to a comfortable residence in the bush. He was a bush walker in his younger years and had affection for the Australian bush among other interests such as his Irish heritage.

He was a great supporter of both St Patrick’s Parish School as well as St Leo’s College where he was chaplain for many years, and acquired a number of paintings

over the years, including many from the St Leo’s Art Show which he supported.

A fabulous night was had by all with everyone digging deep for the Trust. The Auctioneer Chris Hopkins had the crowd entertained with his ‘Googled’ art world expertise while raising the best price for each painting in a fun and generous atmosphere.

In his retirement Fr Pat had become skilled at icon painting, so it was wonderful to see the Principal of St Leo’s, Tony Gleeson bidding strongly for Fr Pat’s icon “Christ Pantocreator Universal Ruler”. Opposition bids became joint bids with the audience ensuring the icon was successfully secured by the College.

The College plans to display the icon with a plaque recognising Fr Pat’s work with them.

The evening demonstrated the great KCCP community spirit for its longest serving parish priest who was loved by all and was also a great bloke!

Moved by the desperate plight of Christians throughout the Middle East, the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) calls on your support to help the region’s beleaguered Christian population.

fear as increasing poverty and growing extremism threaten the survival of these ancient communities.

ACN is helping to keep faith and hope alive throughout the region by providing urgent aid to priests, religious and lay people, offering subsistence help to refugees and building and repairing Churches and convents.

Please help us strengthen and rebuild the Church in the land of Christ’s birth.

A mass exodus of Christians from the Middle East is now taking place. For some, like the Christians of Iraq and Syria, it is a question of their very survival as they flee the bloody persecution of the militants of the Islamic State (formerly ISIS).

A beautiful, olive wood crucifix, handcrafted in For others, in parts of the Holy Land that Our Bethlehem, will be sent to all those who give a Lord Jesus Christ knew so well, the proportion of donation of $20.00 or more to help this campaign.

Christians has plummeted from 20% to as little as Please tick the box below if you would like to 1.4% in the last forty years. The faithful now live in receive the little olive wood crucifix*.

Send to: Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 7246 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Tel No: (02) 9679-1929 Email: info@aidtochurch.org Web: www.aidtochurch.org I enclose a cheque/money order payable to Aid to the Church in Need OR please debit my Visa or Mastercard:

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Bringing Joy to Those in Need

By Mary Dolan, Family Ministry, Woy Woy Peninsula Parish

For approximately the last 10 years the Parish of St John the Baptist Woy Woy has what we call the “Parish Christmas Hamper Ministry”.

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he Co-ordinator, Susie Casey collects names of people from all over the Peninsula. People who are on their own, caring for grandchildren, people from the Meals on Wheels organisation, a lot from nursing homes, and families from the school.

These people are lonely, often have no relatives, or are having a very hard time financially.

Christmas is not always a happy time for a lot of people.

Not everybody has family, friends who care for them and to share the Joy of Christmas with.

We have small green Christmas tree cut-outs with a code written on them giving information about the person or, if in the case of a family, mother, father and

children’s ages. The Parishioners choose a tree. We realise that not everybody can afford to buy a hamper, so they bring in whatever they can afford like groceries or gifts, which we then make up into a hamper. When we first started we had around 30 hampers and it has steadily grown. This past year there were a staggering 190 hampers. We helped over 262 people of whom there were 72 children and 190 adults.

On the first weekend of December we ask parishioners to bring in their hamper. Over the following weekend, a group of wonderful volunteers along with our Bus driver Bobbie, deliver all over the Peninsula.

The volunteers work tirelessly.

The thanks we get is humbling, and we know that a lot of people had a very Happy Christmas instead of a very sad one.

The Parishioners of St John the Baptist are incredibly caring,

generous and friendly. We would also like to thank our Parish Priest Father John Hill our Assistant Priest Father Stephen Wayoyi for all their help, encouragement whilst doing this Ministry.

A Christmas Tradition in Broken Bay Continues

By John Donnelly, St Vincent de Paul, Broken Bay Central Council

The hamper tradition in Broken Bay Conferences is thriving.

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he hard work undertaken by all the members, volunteers and staff – as well as our very generous benefactors, enables us to have the privilege to assist many to have a happier Christmas. Thank you to one and all for the work that you do.

This year a large donation of Christmas presents, placed under the foyer Christmas tree, was donated by staff at the Bishop’s Office in Pennant Hills. These gifts were delivered to the Regional Offices at Hornsby and at Chatswood to increase their ability to fill many hampers this Christmas.

St Martin de Porres (SMdP) Church, Davidson was just another example of an excellent and generous collection of hampers gathered from students, staff and families from the parish school. These hampers were transported by Davidson Conference to their partner Coolah Conference in the Bathurst Central Council for distribution. This is the 9th

consecutive year the students, staff and Davidson Conference have assisted Coolah in this way.

During last year’s hamper deliveries one Broken Bay Conference reported a comment from the father of a family who was assisting with the unloading of a hamper. One of the children came out and ran off, returning with one of his siblings and excitedly announced, “Dad, we will get presents this Christmas”.

These are just a few examples of a wonderful tradition of service in Christ’s Name. Thank you to all who make this special Christmas hamper giving such a success.

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Summer Film Festival

By David Patterson, Parish Support Unit

During the month of March the Parish Support Unit is having a “Summer Film Festival” at the Caroline Chisholm Centre, Pennant Hills.

O

ver 5 weeks, 5 films which illuminate, challenge, entertain and console will be screened for an open audience.

Movies can capture a compressed slice of life and offer up ready themes that open up new worlds of understanding and reflection.

Jesus was adept at story-telling, taking the ordinary events of daily life and drawing out lessons to help us grow in love and relationship with one another and with God. With an economy of words, his parables were able to convey great depth of meaning through a rich use of visual imagery. In film, the prosaic has the capacity to become ‘symbolic poetry’ permitting a reading on a variety of levels.

Of course, not all movies are consonant with Christian values; not all champion the human spirit and offer us reasons for faith, hope and love; not all film is worthy of us. But even where antithetical values seem to get the upper-hand, we can read the story against the background of the Gospel message and be edified by our life in Christ.

Our first film on 3 March is “Bella.” It is a powerful and moving film about an unexpected personal circumstance and the life-

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affirming kindness shown by a work colleague which changes three lives. It is followed

by Oscar winner “The Mission” set in the 1700s in Paraguay, and “Romero” set in the 1970s and 80s in El Salvador. Our showing of “Romero” will coincide with the 35th anniversary of Archbishop Oscar Romero’s death at the hands of government troops while saying Mass. If you have ever thought the Eucharist is a mere symbol, please watch Raul Julia’s portrayal of Archbishop Romero on his knees collecting the Blessed Sacrament from the cathedral guarded by armed government troops… it’s a moving scene affirming belief in the Real Presence of Christ. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is our fourth film. A perennial favourite set in the 1930s Deep South, it captures the best and worst of humanity.

It has lost nothing of its power in the 53 years since its first release. Our final film on 1 April is “Babette’s Feast,” a sumptuous English subtitled Danish film which may be read as a parable of Eucharistic hospitality.

Please join us for one or more of these films.

Participation in small group discussion after the film is optional. We’d love to have your

company. For more information, please see the fold out Faith Formation Calendar at the end of this edition of the Broken Bay News.

Movie 1: “Bel la” Tuesday 3 M arch froM 10:00 – 12:30 pM Movie 2: “Th e Mission” Wednesday 11 March froM 6:00 – 9 :00 pM Movie 3: “ro Mero” Thursday 1 9 March froM 10:00 – 12:30 pM Movie 4: “To Kill a MocKingBir d” Thursday 2 6 March froM 10:00 – 1:00 pM Movie 5: “BaB eTTe’s feasT ” Wednesday 1 april froM 6:00 – 9 :00 pM

To register, email registrations@dbb.org.au or call colleen/leanne on 9847 0448 or 4332 9825

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Summer Movie Festival

CCDL1-05MI CCDL1-06MI CCDL1-07MI

The Development of the Child and Adolescent I Classroom Management: Positive Discipline Introduction to the Bible

Level 1

Teaching Strategies: Prayer in the Classroom Teaching Strategies: Listening and Questioning Teaching Strategies: Using Music in the Classroom Miracles and Parables Teaching Strategies: Drama in the Classroom Teaching Strategies: Using Stories and Visual Resources Teaching Strategies: Using Interactive Whiteboard Resources

ourselves. There will be time for questions, so come and join us for the morning. All are welcome.

Date: Tuesday 17 February 2015 Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Venue: The Railway Room, Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road) RSVP: By Friday 13 February 2015 CCDL1-08-14 CCDL1-09-14 CCDL1-10-14 CCDL1-11-14 CCDL1-12-14 CCDL1-13-14 CCDL1-14-14

NSH Region – Course Type: CCDMI

Location: Our Lady of the Rosary Lecture Room, The Entrance Date: Friday 17 April Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Register by: 10 April

CC Region – Course Type: Classroom Management & Authorised Curriculum

Location: TBA Date: Thursday 16 April Time: 9:30am – 12:30 pm Register by: 9 April

NSH Region – Course Type: Classroom Management & Authorised Curriculum

Location: TBA Date: Wednesday 15 April Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Register by: 8 April

MWP Region – Course Type: Classroom Management & Authorised Curriculum

Location: MacKillop House, East Gosford Date: Mondays March 2, 9, 16, 23 (Mar 2 Only 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm) Time: 9:30 am – 2:30 pm Register by: 23 February

CC Region – Course Type: Level 1

Location: MacKillop House, East Gosford Date: Mondays 9, 16, 23 February, 2 March (2 March Only 9:30 am – 12:00 pm) Time: 9:30 am – 2:30 pm Register by: 2 February

CC Region – Course Type: CCDMI

Location: Forestville Date: Tuesdays April 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26 June 6 Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Register by: 14 April

MWP Region – Course Type: Level 1

Location: Forestville Date: Tuesdays Feb 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Register by: 10 February

MWP Region – Course Type: CCDMI

Location: Carlingford Meeting Room Date: Wednesdays Feb 25, March 3, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 22 Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm Register by: 18 February

NSH Region – Course Type: CCDMI (Evening)

Location: Pennant Hills Date: Fridays March 6, 13, 20, April 24 (Mar 6 Only 12:30 pm – 12:00 pm) Time: 9:30 am – 2:30 pm Register by: 27 February

NSH Region – Course Type: Level 1

Location: Pennant Hills Date: Fridays Feb 13, 20, 27, March 6 (Mar 6 Only 9:30 am – 12:00 pm) Time: 9:30 am – 2:30pm Register by: 6 February

Please join us for the “Summer Movie Festival” at the Caroline Chisholm Centre, Pennant Hills. Over five weeks, we’ll be screening five films that entertain, challenge, and console, providing a rich repository of images and themes that celebrate the human spirit and put us in touch with the divine. The movies will be followed by an opportunity to engage in small group discussion.

Movie 1: “Bella” (2006) Date/Time: Tuesday 3 March 2015, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm

Movie 2: “The Mission” (1986) Date/Time: Wednesday 11 March 2015, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Light supper provided.

Movie 3: “Romero” (1989) Date/Time: Thursday 19 March 2015, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm Movie 4: “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) Date/Time: Thursday 26 March 2015, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Movie 5: “Babette’s Feast” (1987) NB: English Subtitled Date/Time: Wednesday 1 April 2015, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Light supper provided.

Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road) RSVP: By the Friday before each screening

The Gospel of Mark

Bishop David Walker will present a 4-week program on the Gospel of Mark at The Lakes Parish. With the current liturgical year (Year B) focusing on readings from Mark, this provides the perfect opportunity during Lent to become more familiar with this Gospel. This is the shortest and most fast-paced of all the Gospels, with the most mysterious ending. Join us to discover the texts in a new way and gain a deeper appreciation of the person of Jesus and his words and actions. All are very welcome.

Date: Over four Tuesday nights, 3, 10, 17 & 24 March 2015 Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Venue: The Lakes Parish Hall, Lagoon Street, Narrabeen RSVP: By Friday 27 February 2015

Understanding the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed

How do you understand the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, our profession of faith? Recited on all Sundays and solemnities, the Creed (with the Apostles’ Creed) acts as a measure of correct belief, having been developed as a response to conflict concerning doctrine. What were the controversies, and how were they resolved? This seminar will unpack these questions and the meaning of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Please come along for a deeper appreciation of what it means to state, “I believe…” Facilitated by David Patterson, Adult Faith Formation Coordinator, Parish Support Unit. Light supper provided.

Date: Tuesday 24 March 2015 Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road) RSVP: By Friday 20 March 2015

Understanding the Old Testament: A 12 week Programme

How much do you know of the Old Testament, an integral part of our Christian Scriptures? Have you ever been intrigued

by Old Testament stories, or wanted to know more of the background and the meaning of the texts? This non-accredited, non-award, semi-formal study combines video lectures from Yale University (Open Yale Courses), and insightful readings from Fr Lawrence Boadt’s book, “Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction.” Sessions are facilitated by David Patterson, Pina Bernard & Joan Pavitt of the Biblical Apostolate, Diocese of Broken Bay. There are no tests or assignments – just good conversation amongst friends. All materials supplied. All welcome. Two location options.

To register for any of these programs, please telephone 9847 0448 or 4332 9825 or email registrations@dbb.org.au

Parish Support Unit Education and Formation Opportunities February – April 2015

CCDL1-01MI CCDL1-02MI CCDL1-03MI CCDL1-04MI

The Mission and Ministry of the Catechist SRE Teacher in the Parish and the School Child Protection Lesson Planning: Teaching the Authorised Curriculum

CCD Ministry Induction

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD)

Join young people from across the Diocese coming together to celebrate the faith through music, dance, drama, testimony and preaching. A free BBQ dinner will be provided from 6:00 pm before our night begins.

Date: Friday 6 March 2015 Time: 6:00 pm for BBQ, 7:00 pm start Venue: St Agatha’s Catholic Parish, 20 Boundary Rd Pennant Hills For more details: youthministry@dbb.org.au

Praise and Worship Night

Calling school students from years 10-12 involved in school based youth ministry to join us for a day of formation, training and workshops. More details to come.

Date: Friday 6 March 2015 Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road) For more details: youthministry@dbb.org.au

BBYM – School Based Ministry Formation

Broken Bay Youth Office invites you to BBYAC Faith Nights 2015. Join Young Adults from around the Diocese to share a meal and be inspired in our lives and faith.

Date: Tuesday 17 February 2015 Time: 6:00 pm to purchase your meal and drink, 7:00 pm Guest Speaker Venue: The Greengate Hotel, 655 Pacific Highway Killara For more details: danielle.mifsud@dbb.org.au

BBYAC Faith Nights

A new initiative of the Youth Ministry Team in 2015, Wholehearted Suppers are an opportunity for young women aged 18-35 to come together as an inspiring community to share stories, faith, joy, dreams and a meal.

Date: Saturday 6 February 2015 For more details: danielle.mifsud@dbb.org.au

Wholehearted Suppers

This 2015 education series is an opportunity for Christians to learn from Jewish speakers, texts and experiences. Over the course of the year we will reflect on the Hebrew Scriptures under the guidance of Orthodox rabbi and gifted teacher, Rabbi Gad Krebs. We will also engage with other speakers and places of interest to the Jewish-Christian relationship. Join us in this fascinating journey of biblical and spiritual enrichment. Dates and details will be advertised in due course on the websites www.dbb.org.au/ ecumenism-interfaith and www.lightoftorah.net or contact Teresa Pirola at teresa.pirola@dbb.org.au or 0415 932 638

Christians Learning from Judaism – An initiative of Light of Torah and Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay

Date: C ommencing Thursday 16 April 2015 (concluding Thursday 2 July) Time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road) RSVP: By Friday 10 April 2015

Date: C ommencing Tuesday 14 April 2015 (concluding Tuesday 30 June) Time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm Venue: L ecture Room, Our Lady of the Rosary, 239-243 The Entrance Road, The Entrance RSVP: B y Friday 10 April 2015

The Parish Support Unit is proud to offer the following programs from February through to the end of April 2015. Courses are available to all and are free of charge (unless otherwise stated). Registration is essential. We will notify you if programs have to be cancelled due to lack of numbers or unforseen circumstances. To register for any of these programs, please telephone 9847 0448 or 4332 9825 or email registrations@dbb.org.au

Faith and Families: How do we Nurture and Support the Domestic Church?

The three days (one day in each region, same program for each day) will feature input from Dr Aoife McGrath presenting a variety of workshop streams highlighting specific ministry areas. Dr McGrath will speak on ‘Art of Accompaniment’ Walking with Families and Young People on their Faith Journey. In so doing, she will take a closer look at what Pope Francis has called “the art of accompaniment” (Evangelii Gaudium 169-173).

Dr Aoife McGrath is an adjunct professor in Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical University, Maynooth and has worked as a lay pastoral worker in the dioceses of Waterford and Lismore in Ireland. She has been involved in a variety of parish ministries and has described her role as “contributing to the life and work of the parish, which involves initiating, training, supporting, and resourcing various teams in Liturgical, Pastoral, and Formation ministries.”

Date: Tuesday 24 March 2015 Time: 9:00 am (registration from 8:45 am) – 3:30 pm Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road)

Date: Wednesday 25 March 2015 Time: 9:00 am (registration from 8:45 am) – 3:30 pm Venue: Parish Centre (St Kieran’s Manly Vale), North Harbour Parish, 2 King Street, Manly Vale Date: Thursday 26 March 2015 Time: 9:00 am (registration from 8:45 am) – 3:30 pm Venue: Parish Hall, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, 239 – 243 The Entrance Road, The Entrance For more information contact Janette Davidson on 0409 074 908 or at janette.davidson@dbb.org.au

Parish Leadership: Tools for Evangelisation

Dr Aoife McGrath will provide a presentation for clergy, all parish leadership teams, ministry coordinators, anyone interested in rebuilding their local Catholic neighbourhood. She will confront the major challenges facing our Church in 2015 and encourage the faithful to use the current climate as an opportunity for co-responsibility in pastoral mission. The presentation will conclude with small group workshops providing practical evangelisation tools for parishes wanting to reach out to Catholics not presently active in the life of the community.

Date: Tuesday 24 March 2015 Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road) RSVP: By Friday 20 March 2015

Date: Thursday 26 March Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm Venue: Parish Centre, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, 239 – 243 The Entrance Road, The Entrance RSVP: By Friday 20 March 2015

Small-Group Facilitator Training

Many small groups come together in Lent to read and reflect on the Scriptures. All facilitators are invited to a training workshop to build on existing skills in facilitating a group, and to become more confident and effective in this role. Learn about: The role of a group facilitator; group setting and hospitality; effective communication skills; how to encourage meaningful discussion and application to real life. Presented by Pina Bernard and David Patterson of the Parish Support Unit.

Date: Wednesday 4 February 2015 Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Venue: Caroline Chisholm Centre, 423 Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills (Vehicular access via City View Road)

Or, Date: Thursday 5 February 2015 Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Venue: Lecture Room, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, 239 – 243 The Entrance Rd, The Entrance RSVP: By Monday 2 February 2015

A Presentation by Alzheimer’s Australia

An educator from Alzheimer’s Australia will give us a presentation on the psychological and social aspects of moving into care: the impact on the family, choosing a good residential facility and sharing care. This is very topical at the moment considering many of us have ageing parents or we may even be planning ahead for

Catholic Schools Week 8-14 MARCH 2015

catholicschools.nsw.edu.au

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