Catholic Life feb15

Catholic Life Publication of the Diocese of Sale

Free

ISSUE 186

February 2015

Welcome Bishop Pat Ordination on February 26

Bishop-elect Pat O’Regan comes to us from Bathurst, NSW.

Trinity FAMILIES

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We ask you donate generously to our diocesan charity so we can help the people in our region. Phone: (03) 5622 6688 Visit us on Facebook and www.trinityfamilies.org.au

Page 2 - Catholic Life, February 2015

The third stage of transition YOU have heard the news; our new bishop has been announced. Pope Francis has appointed Fr Patrick O’Regan as next bishop of Sale. As I write these words preparations for his ordination and installation are well under way.

I’m sure you can read about the plans elsewhere in this edition of Catholic Life. We are looking forward to a wonderful occasion on February 26.

The Bishop-elect comes to us from the Diocese of Bathurst where he grew up and where he has served as priest.

While he has done further studies his priestly work has been in the pastoral setting of parishes of that diocese. I am glad that this man, with his pastoral background and academic achievement, is coming to us as bishop.

Since the announcement of this appointment in December we have been moving into what might be called the third stage of this time of transition.

We are now approaching the end of this in between time; our efforts are more clearly directed to his taking up the role

of Bishop of Sale.

I am preparing to hand over the role I have carried as administrator during this period of no bishop. I have enjoyed working closely with staff and volunteers who serve the diocese in many ways. I have been glad to take part in those special celebrations in parishes and schools which I could attend.

I have found myself encouraged and supported by the example and the words of many. I am sure Bishop O’Regan will benefit from the presence of so many good people of faith.

There are practical matters to attend to. His office needs to be made ready, so too his accommodation. A car is needed. The dates of meetings he will attend need to be entered in his diary.

These things are happening. Some of them are dates I had marked down; I am in the process of handing them over.

All the while there are internal matters too. The past 12 months and more provided an opportunity to reflect on our Diocese of Sale, its history, its

character, its situation. The diocese is changing.

The Irish priests who played such a large role in our diocese are now represented by one man, Fr Tom O’Connell who is retired, though still helping out in Trafalgar. Today we have priests from a number of countries serving our parishes; from Holland, England, Poland, India, Sri Lanka and Nigeria, as well as Australia.

Our parishioners are even more ethnically diverse. People of many nationalities make up our diocese now.

In addition we have a mix of parishes with large country towns, small rural communities, the industrial centres of the Latrobe Valley and the growing “suburban” parishes on the outer edge of Melbourne. These factors combine to make Sale quite distinctive while still typically Australian.

I remember an observation from Greek philosophy to the effect that a person cannot bathe in the same river twice. The observation was about change as a factor in all experience.

The diocese Bishop Pat O’Regan is coming to in 2015 is different from the diocese Bishop Christopher Prowse came to in 2009. We still live, celebrate and proclaim our faith of course but we are different and the setting of our society is different too. We have new difficulties to contend with and new opportunities to be heard.

I look forward to doing that in old ways and new ways with Bishop Patrick O’Regan. May God bless him and all of us.

Fr Peter Slater Diocesan Administrator

Morwell man’s 20 years of European pilgrimages

ARMANDO Petrucci points to a map of Italy - the starting point for his annual pilgrimage.

Catholic Life PO Box 1410, Warragul Vic. 3820 Phone: (03) 5622 6688

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A MORWELL man will again be leading a tour of Europe’s major pilgrimage sites in June.

For Armando Petrucci it has been an annual event for more than 20 years.

This year he is leading a 22 day bus tour, leaving Melbourne on June 1 and will take the group to Italy, Bosnia, Croatia, France, Spain and Portugal.

The European adventure starts in Rome and then goes to San Giovanni Rotondo, the city made famous by St Pio of Pietrelcina. Mr Petrucci grew up in a village a close to San Giovanni Rotondo and used to walk about 6km to attend Mass and have his confession heard

by Padre Pio. The group will also visit

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the popular pilgrimage sites of the grotto of St Michael the Archangel at Monte Sant’Angelo and St Matthew’s sanctuary at San Marco in Lamis.

The tour then heads north to Dubrovnik, Medjugorje and Zagabria before coming back to Venice and then crossing into France to visit Nice, Lourdes and Paris.

In Spain they visit the famous shrines at Burgos and Salamanca, and in Portugal they will go to Fatima.

The bus finally makes its way back to Rome.

Mr Petrucci, a master tailor, never intended to get into the tour business but many years ago he opened a travel agency in Morwell at the request of locals because there was no local agency.

Owning a travel agency is behind him now but he stills enjoys travelling and over the years had led tours for various firms. This year’s tour is being run by Galaxy Travel and he believes that the $7650 all inclusive price (twin share) represents good value for

European touring, staying in three and four star hotels and with 20 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 18 dinners included.

Mr Petrucci is well known as a tour leader and has a following for people from all around Australia.

He emigrated to Australia in 1955 and set up his first tailor shop in Brunswick St., Fitzroy at age 18. He then had shops in North Carlton, Bairnsdale, and Traralgon before settling in Morwell.

Anyone interested in joining in this year’s tour can contact him on 5133 9111.

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Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 3

Welcoming Bishop Pat O’Regan New bishop in 2 weeks THE ordination of Bishopelect Pat O’Regan as the ninth Catholic Bishop of Sale will take place on February 26 at 11am.

The ordination and his installation will take place at the more spacious Bishop Phelan Stadium at Catholic College Sale, rather than at St Mary’s Cathedral which has limited seating.

The stadium will be able to accommodate up to 1000 people surrounding the sanctuary, with another 450 places being available in the tiered seating if required.

About 30 bishops and archbishops from around Australia are expected to attend the ordination, supported by about 100 priests. Many people are expected to travel from the Bathurst Diocese where the bishop-elect was born and served as a priest.

Principal consecrator will be Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference president Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart, assisted by the eighth Bishop of Sale, now Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn Christopher Prowse, and Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna.

Bishop McKenna is also formerly a priest of Sale

Diocese.

The bishop’s chair will be moved from the cathedral to the stadium and placed on the raised sanctuary behind the altar.

A massed choir drawn from parishes throughout Gippsland is currently rehearsing for the event.

An innovation being used for the first time is an on-line booking service which will secure seats for the event and to fine-tune catering. Invited guests and dignitaries are being given details of the website to log into, while parishioners wishing to attend are asked to provide their names to parishes for bookings.

Otherwise they can log-in to www.trybooking.com/116512 to “purchase” a free ticket which they should print off and

bring.

Parking near the stadium is limited but a shuttle bus service will operate between the Canal Reserve parking area in Raymond St. South and the stadium.

Those travelling by car from the western end of the diocese are recommended to add 30 minute travel time to what they would normally expect because of speed restrictions and traffic congestion at several sections of roadworks between Traralgon and Sale.

Everyone is asked to be seated no later than 10.30am because shortly after that there will be a short welcome address and the lengthy procession of clergy.

The bishops and archbishops will process in at 11am to begin the ordination ceremony.

in Form One was a big one.

The bishop-elect entered the seminary at age 18 and it was there that his love of the liturgy developed.

He said he was fortunate to have grown up with a good experience of liturgy.

The era when he was at the seminary was one where there was still enough respect for the old pre-Vatican 2 liturgy and so contemporary church music of the 1970s could be blended for a deep Catholic experience.

He studied for the priesthood at St Columba College, Springwood, and St Patrick’s College, Manly, before being ordained a priest for Bathurst Diocese in 1983.

He served as assistant priest

BISHOP O’Regan’s coat of arms feature a boat which is an ancient image of the Church.

The yellow boat sails on a blue background and features the Chi-Rho symbol, which is one of the earliest Christograms made up of the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ.

The boat features on the original 1865 coat of arms for the Diocese of Bathurst and is also on the arms of Paris where the bishop studied for two years.

Two blue dolphins at the top of the shield come from the O’Regan arms and the shamrock represents his Irish heritage.

The green ecclesiastical hat with green cords and six green tassels on each side represents the office of bishop, as does the cross, His chosen motto is Ut Sit Deus Omnia in Omnibus which translates as “So that God may be All in All” taken from 1Corinthians 15:28.

The process of ordination FOLLOWING the Liturgy of the Word, the ordination of Bishop-elect O’Regan will begin with him being led by assisting priests to principal consecrator Archbishop Denis Hart.

The Apostolic Letter of Appointment will be read by Mgr John Kallarackal from the

Born and bred in the country BISHOP-elect O’Regan has spent all his life in Bathurst Diocese except for the time in the seminary and when he studied in Paris.

His family migrated from Ireland in 1841, just before the Potato Famine, and settled in the Bathurst district.

His parents ran a market garden at Perthville, 10km south of Bathurst and then owned the local general store and garage.

He was born at Bathurst and was educated at the Perthville Catholic primary school which was run by the Black Josephites and then St Stanislaus College run by the Vincentians at Bathurst. The step up from a school of 25 pupils to 110 boys

New coat of arms

at Lithgow, Cowra, Orange and Bathurst before undertaking higher studies in France in 1994-95.

Fr O’Regan returned to Orange as assistant priest for three years, before being appointed parish priest of Wellington where he served until 2001-02 when he again undertook higher studies in France, obtaining a Licentiate in Liturgical and Sacramental Theology from Institut Catholique in Paris.

He returned to the diocese in 2003 and served six years as parish priest of Blayney, before being appointed diocesan administrator following the retirement of Bishop Patrick Dougherty in November 2008.

When Bishop Michael McKenna was installed in April 2009, Fr O’Regan become diocesan chancellor and since 2010 has been dean of the cathedral. He was appointed vicar general in 2012.

He is a member of the National Liturgical Council and his interests are pastoral liturgy and the theology of the Eucharist.

The bishop-elect also likes reading, history, photography and has a life-long interest in computers and programming.

His interest in photography has led him to making his own photo books.

Apostolic Nunciature and then the Papal Bull will be shown by chancellor Fr Brian O’Connor to the Sale Diocese College of Consultors.

Archbishop Hart then formally questions the bishopelect, after which he prostrates himself before the altar while the Litany of Saints is sung.

Archbishop Hart then lays his hands on the head of the bishop-elect, followed by the co-consecrators. The Book of the Gospels is symbolically held above his head during the solemn Prayer of Ordination.

The Archbishop then concludes the ordination with the anointing of Bishop O’Regan’s head with the oil of chrism and hands him the Book of the Gospels.

The bishop’s ring will be brought forward by the Vechoorettu family from Cranbourne, the zucchetto and mitre by Sr Patricia Hickey sgs and Br Noel Hannabery sdb, and the crozier by Rita Elswyk

from Newborough.

Bishop O’Regan will then be formally led to the cathedra, or bishop’s chair, by Archbishop Hart and Archbishop Christopher Prowse.

He then receives a fraternal kiss of peace from all gathered bishops.

Bishop O’Regan then becomes the principal celebrant and leads the Mass.

Following communion Bishop O’Regan will be formally welcomed by representatives of the clergy, diocesan ministries, schools and ecumenical, and civil representatives. He will then give his first address as Bishop of Sale.

After the service which is expected to take two hours, everyone will be invited back to Sale Memorial Hall for lunch and refreshments. Most will choose to walk the two blocks but there will also be some shuttle buses.

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Page 4 - Catholic Life, February 2015

St Clare’s opens at Officer

Sinhala Mass

A RECOGNITION of the multi-cultural society we have within the Church, particularly at the western end of the diocese is the starting off Masses in Sinhala, the native language of most Sri Lankans.

Fr Hilarion Fernando who is administrator at Koo Wee Rup has started monthly Masses in the language at Narre Warren.

Parish priest Fr Brendan Hogan has given permission for the celebration of a Singhala Mass on fourth Sundays at 3.30pm.

We suspect these Masses will draw a large congregation from far and wide.

No relation

WITH our new bishop having the surname O’Regan there has been a query over whether he

is related to the late Fr Frank O’Regan who was a priest of this diocese.

The two are not related, certainly in the last three or four generations.

Fr O’Regan died in June 1985 and his silver chalice was donated by the O’Regan family to O’Mara House in Traralgon.

The chalice has been offered, if required, to be one of the chalices at the ordination of Bishop Pat O’Regan.

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OFFICER – The newest school in Sale Diocese opened at the start of the year with 92 students.

St Clare’s is the second Catholic primary school in Officer, but unlike St Brigid’s which in Berwick Parish, this is on the eastern edge of town and is part of Pakenham parish.

When the students and parents arrived on the first day they were greeted by parish priest Fr Bernie Mahony and principal Helen Staindl.

Every student was a given a holy medal of St Clare of Assisi which had been purchased in Assisi and blessed by Fr Mahony.

The entrance was decked with red carpet and balloons and afterwards a celebratory cake was enjoyed by students and staff.

St Clare’s is the 36th primary school in the diocese and the latest of a string of schools which have been opened in the past decade in the rapidly expanding west of the diocese.

Majestic Drive is now a Catholic educational precinct as the school is next to the Officer campus of St Francis Xavier College, and is also beside the new early learning centre.

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CUTTING the first day cake at St Clare’s are principal Helen Staindl, Max Zammit, Elise Velten and parish priest Fr Bernie Mahony.

This parish-based centre already has about 75 children enrolled in programs for 3 and 4-year-olds.

Miss Staindl said the benefits of having the three facilities together was already being recognised by parents who were keen to have their children start of the early learning centre, then progress to St Clare’s and finally St Francis Xavier.

She said that there were 72 families with students at St Clare’s but this was expected to grow rapidly.

Students were in four learning groups covering foundation to Year 5.

The plans for the second stage of construction at the school had already been submitted for funding approval.

She said the dream of building St Clare’s had been that of Fr Mahony and the principal of St Patrick’s, Pakenham, Mick O’Brien who had put many

hours into ensuring the parish’s second primary school could be developed.

Miss Staindl is well-known in Catholic education in this diocese having previously been principal at St Patrick’s, Stratford, and deputy principal at St Vincent’s, Morwell, St Therese’s, Cranbourne North and St Joseph’s, Orbost.

She returns to the diocese after being head of school at Kardinia International College at Geelong, and previously principal at St Joan of Arc in Brighton.

She is one of nine children raised at Maryknoll by the Staindls who were a pioneering family in the district She performs in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus and holds a Masters in Religious Education and Masters in Theology.

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Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 5

Project Compassion PROJECT Compassion, Caritas Australia’s annual fundraising and awareness-raising appeal, brings thousands of Australians together in solidarity with the world’s poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

Caritas Australia’s head of community engagement Helen Forde said Project Compassion, which runs through the six weeks of Lent, is an extraordinary, ongoing demonstration of the faith, love and generosity of caring supporters, all in the name of justice and peace.

“Without our supporters during Project Compassion we couldn’t do the vital work we do,” Ms Forde said.

The theme for Project Compassion 2015 is Food for Life.

Project Compassion 2015 explores how Caritas Australia is helping the world’s

poorest people establish sustainable food, walking with them as they establish sustainable food sources and develop income streams for life.

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

Caritas Australia, the Catholic agency for international aid and development, works in partnership with local communities in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific, the Middle East and with Australia’s First Peoples.

Every dollar raised and every person who participates in Project Compassion helps make a difference in the most vulnerable communities like the Tutu Rural Training Centre in Fiji.

Mariama’s story: Out of a life of extreme poverty IN Niger, West Africa, almost 3 million people are living in extreme poverty. More than 40 percent of the country’s people either can’t afford to buy food or can’t access it.

Without the food they need, many people are living on the brink of survival, and bringing up children can be heartbreaking.

Thankfully, Mariama is receiving the essential food and help she needs to save the life of her malnourished daughter, Fati.

For most of us, it’s almost impossible to imagine what it would be like to live from day-to-day without enough food to eat.

But for Mariama, a 29-year-old sole parent living in Niger, West Africa, this is the reality she and her family face most days.

“Our feeding rhythm depends on whether my mother gets to sell her vegetables,” she explains. “My mother sells on the side of the road because she cannot afford to pay market taxes.”

This tiny, inconsistent income means that Mariama and her family exist from day-today, often without money to buy food and water. “We normally store our food inside sacks,” tells Mariama. “But we currently have no food to store.”

Raising a child in these circumstances is extremely difficult. Mariama does the best she can for her 2½ year old daughter, Fati, however Fati is often sick.

Recently Fati became malnourished, so Mariama took her to the Nutrition Centre, supported by Caritas Australia and run by local partners CAFOD (UK Caritas) and CADEV Niger (Caritas Australia’s local partner in Niger). The Nutrition Centre cares for malnourished children like Fati, and provides them with medical care, nutritional supplements and food so they can recover and gain weight.

In Niger, more than half the children under five-years-old experience malnutrition, so the need for the Nutrition Centre is enormous. Around 509 malnourished children are admitted each week, 15 of them severely underweight. “Those who come to the Centre are mostly the poorest of the poor,” says Sr Francesca a staff member at the Nutrition Centre.

The eight week program of food and care that Fati is currently receiving has almost certainly saved her life. The nutritious food she’s given is essential to her recovery – helping her medicine to work well, building her strength and increasing her resilience to disease.

Now, Fati is gaining weight and a burden is lifting from Mariama’s heart. “My worries are beginning to disappear,” she says. “My daughter has begun playing and running

MARTIAMA with young Fati. around with other children. She is making great improvements.”

As Fati recovers physically, Mariama’s spirit and dignity are being restored through the counselling she receives at the Nutrition Centre. She attends daily classes that empower her to provide improved nutrition and hygiene that will help maintain Fati’s good health.

Mariama has also taken a sewing course, and will use her skills to earn an income, so that she and Fati can look forward to a more secure, hopeful future.

“My dreams for Fati are that she gets her health back, goes to school and becomes a nurse or teacher,” smiles Mariama.

“I would like to say a big thank you to Australian people for all their support to the Nutrition Centre,” she says. “Without your help, the Sisters would not be able to support us and poor children like Fati.”

Local launch next week THE launch of Project Compassion in Sale Diocese will take place next week on Shrove Tuesday.

This year St Peter’s College, Cranbourne, is playing host at its main campus at 11am.

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.

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

“The program at Tutu has truly enriched us and opened a new pathway for us where we have been able to prosper safely in life,” says Eric.

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, they’ve built a house, established a sustainable, productive farm, and proudly raised and tertiary-educated six healthy children.

At Tutu, Eric and Ma learned about planting, soil care, selling their produce and ways to crop sustainably in order to grow and maintain an on-going, diverse food and income source.

Today, the couple grow and sell a wide

ERIC and Ma with a home-cooked meal. range of foods including cabbage, lettuce, okra, tomatoes and cucumbers. Their farm’s produce helps the family to maintain a healthy diet.

They are regular visitors to Tutu, where they teach other couples the valuable lessons they learnt. So far over thousands of people have received training at Tutu.

“I think we were blessed to be part of the program in Tutu. Tutu opened a new door for us. Without Tutu we wouldn’t be where we are now,” says Eric.

“And it’s only possible thanks to you wonderful people of Australia, your love, your care, your concern for us Fijian people.”

Please donate to Project Compassion 2015 to help people in isolated areas of Fiji gain the skills they need to build healthy families and grow food for life. You can donate online at www.caritas.org.au/projectcompassion or phone 1800 024 413.

Eric and Ma, Fiji

Help to empower the world’s poorest people.

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

Page 6 - Catholic Life, February 2015

Opening new areas to God - responding within GIPPSLAND is a beautiful place – from the Lakes to the Alps, the mines, the snow fields, the farmlands, The Prom and The Swamp.

There are so many contrasts, all packed into such a small area. But it is easy to become so used to it that we miss its beauty and wonder, we pass by without a thought for the very things that make it beautiful and unique. We can miss the Creation story as it still unfolds before our very eyes.

St Paul reminds that ‘we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth right up to the pre-

sent’ (Romans 8:22).

Rivers and creeks change course, droughts and winds and floods re-sculpture landscapes, swamps are drained and farmed, the cities and towns encroach and the hills and farming land are changed forever. Each season leaves its mark somewhere on the landscape.

Creation around us is unfolding, it is not static, rigid, chiselled in stone, as it were.

Neither are we. We too are part of that Creation process – we don’t stay the same. The years, the seasons, life’s stages all make their mark.

Life is an unfolding journey

Reflections

by Jim Quillinan of discovery, of surprise, of revelation and transformation if we are open to it.

So is our faith life. It is a journey of discovery.

Our faith is not about seeking to be more certain, surer of everything, feeling safe and secure. Rather our life’s work,

our life journey according to St Ignatius, is about trying to find God in all things – an awareness that God can be found in every one, in every place and in everything.

Our faith calls us to experience, to nourish and appreciate the divine in the beauty of the

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world around us, in the events and people of our lives, and in ourselves.

Our faith journey is about discovering that we are loved, about discovering God’s invitation to relationship, to friendship and working to deepen and respond to it. It is about discovering that we are needed, no matter what stage of life or how we might feel, no matter what has happened to us.

Pope Benedict reminded us that ‘each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed. Each of us is loved.

Each of us is necessary’. Pope Francis said: “I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else - God is in this person’s life. You can - you must - try to seek God in every human life�.

Responding to God’s invitation is not straightforward or easy. No relationship ever is – it takes commitment, imagination, courage, openness and a willingness to change and grow.

It involves risk, not certainty.

Relationships ask us to step out into the deep, to trust, to have courage.

Pope Francis’ again: “If one has the answers to all the questions - that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.�

Leaving room for doubt leaves room for God. That takes humility, an acknowledgement of our own inadequacy, that we do not ‘know it all’, that we do need God, who is always full of surprises. Humility asks us to be open to others, to be willing to go on seeking and questioning, to be ready to be surprised by God, to be open to new ways.

Pope Francis again: “If the Christian is a restorationist, a legalist, if he wants everything clear and safe, then he will find nothing. Tradition and memory of the past must help us to have the courage to open up new areas to God. Those who today always look for disciplinarian solutions, those who long for an exaggerated doctrinal ‘security,’ those who stubbornly try to recover a past that no longer exists – they have a static and inward-directed view of things.

In this way, faith becomes an ideology among other ideologies. (p. 38).

Doubt is not disbelief or a rejection of God – it is rather an attitude that allows God to enter our lives, it allows God to transform our vision, to go deeper, to discover more.

The Vatican Council used the expression ‘the living tradition of the church.’ Such a tradition speaks to the heart, it responds to the times, it endeavours to speak to today, not to give every answer but it invites us to dialogue and thus to deepen our faith, to go within, to change both heart and mind, to open new areas for God.

Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 7

faith … learning … growth

From The Director… diverse range of people, Church in the diocese. the schools in the diocese. Staff group of CEOSale Happ y New Year and welcome to this first edition of "Around Catholic Schools" in its new guise as a regular addition to Catholic Life. In each edition of Catholic Life throughout this year, a range of Catholic schools, primary and secondary, will be featured. As the year progresses it is hoped that these highlights of what is happening in and around our wonderful Catholic schools will give readers an understanding of the

programs and projects that support the students and families in the Catholic schools of the diocese.

The year ahead promises to be an exciting one for Catholic education here in Gippsland. We are looking forward firstly to officially welcoming our new Bishop, Patrick O'Regan, who will be installed as Bishop on 26 February in what is promising to be a wonderful celebration for our Catholic communities at the Bishop Phelan stadium of Catholic College Sale. The involvement of many staff and students at this event is an opportunity for them to experience first hand a significant ritual in the life of the

ST PATRICK’S Welcome New Graduate ST PATRICK’S Primary way to make a difference School Stratford is pleased in the life of someone else. to welcome M i s s Education is the key to a Catherine Boyd to its brighter future as it teaching staff for 2015 cultivates critical thinking, where she will be teaching allows a child to be challenged each day and to Grade Prep/One. Catherine completed her reflect on their place in the Bachelor of Education world.

(Primary) at Australian Cath olic U niv ers it y, Melbourne Campus last year.

Catherine is well known to the Gippsland Region having lived with her parents Allan and Carmel Boyd in Stratford . She attended St Patrick’s Primary School in Stratford as a primary student and Catholic College Sale as a St Patrick’s welcomes new secondary student.

Graduate Teacher Catherine Boyd!

Catherine has always dreamed of being a teacher as she believes education is not only a professional field, but a

Catholic EducaƟon

Having attended many such occasions myself over the years the solemnity as well as the joy of such celebrations never ceases to engender a sense of being present at something deeply significant. Leadership in the Church of today is a challenge and the prayers of all are going to be with Bishop-elect O'Regan as he prepares to formally take up this particular commitment to the people of the Sale diocese.

Throughout last year the Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Sale (CEOSale) at the instigation of our previous Bishop, Christopher Prowse, embarked on a review of Religious Education in

A committee, chaired by Mr Chris Randall, principal of Catholic College Sale and supported by principal and religious education leaders from primary and secondary schools, along with priest, parent and catechist representation and staff from both the Catholic Education Office of the Sale diocese and Melbourne archdiocese, completed this extensive review and have provided a comprehensive document to Fr Peter Slater, Diocesan Administrator and Bishop -elect O'Regan. The recommendations from this review will form a significant element of the work of the Catholic Identity and Religious Education

throughout this year.

CEOSale welcomes a number of new staff to its ranks this year across all staff groups. I would especially like to welcome Ms Debra Punton who has commenced as the Deputy Director Catholic Identity, Learning and Teaching and Mr Martin Keogh and Mr Dom Ryan, Managers of Learning and Teaching and Catholic Identity and Religious Education respectively.

I look forward to highlighting further the work of all our schools and the staff of CEOSale through this regular insert in Catholic Life as the year progresses.

BOUNCE! On Friday 12 December 2014, the students in Yrs 4, 5 and 6 at St Patrick’s Stratford had an end of year excursion at the Bounce complex in Glen Iris Melbourne. The students and staff members travelled by train to the venue and on arrival were welcomed by an enthusiastic staff member from Bounce.

After an information session the students spent 2 hours participating in activities such as: Free Zone, basketball, tight

St Patrick’s students enjoying their end of year excursion at Bounce.

rope and wall bouncing.

The students had a great time and were very appreciative of the fun activity organised by

their classroom teachers to celebrate the school year.

Building Works at St Patrick’s OVER the school holidays building works at St Patrick’s Primary School in Stratford commenced refurbishing an unused classroom into a specialist art room.

The room was completed ready for the commencement of the 2015.

The new art room has new cupboard storage, new sink area and new pin board display area.

Art teacher Liz Magnuson is looking forward to working in her new art room and proudly displaying the children’s art work.

faith … learning … growth

Page 8 - Catholic Life, February 2015

ST MARY’S Catholic Primary School in Newborough promotes ‘The Buddy Program’ as a social educational strategy within the school. During the school’s transition program senior students are paired up with the new Prep students.

The senior students read stories to the younger students; they also

Samantha and Harmony walking into school together.

take the younger students on a school tour to help the new students feel comfortable at school.

As part of the Buddy Program the senior students write a letter to the new Prep students introducing themselves to the family.

The letters are sent out in January. The parents of the Prep students often report back to the school, how excited their children were to receive a letter in the mail from their school buddy.

Building strong relationships has always been paramount within St Mary’s school and the Buddy Program focuses on students forming positive relationships with each other. One of the positive

outcomes of this program is that the Prep students feel comfortable approaching their buddy in the yard asking them to help or support them. The program also has many benefits for the senior students including the value of supporting a younger student rather than just doing everything for them.

Mrs Megan Tomasetti articulates the value of the program: “Our school Buddy Program is certainly about building strong social relationships and it is also most definitely about learning together. We know that students learn from one another and this program builds on this understanding. Scheduled class time is provided for

Special Morning Tea for the Helpers at St Kieran’s FAMILIES have a major influence on their children’s achievement in school and throughout life.

When schools, families and communities work in partnership children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer and like school more.

Helpers play a vital role within the school and without them it would be difficult for our school to function effectively. We are

promotes a positive educational community in Newborough where everyone learns together, and the Buddy Program is a practical and valuable example of this.

Learning Together at St Mary’s Newborough

lucky to have classroom helpers here daily for our maths and literacy classes.

Many extra-curricular activities need the helpers such as sporting programs, excursions, school productions and multicultural days to name a few.

Parents and community helpers need to know the difference they make and how their active engagement is vital to their

St Kieran’s Prep children singing‘ Pita-Pita-Pat’ to thank the volunteers for all their efforts in 2015.

child’s learning. St Kieran’s are very lucky to have a wonderful group of helpers both from the parents, Parish, school and wider community. The staff acknowledged the role of the helpers with a special morning tea.

The Prep children sang “Pita-Pita-Pat” a thank you song, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the visitors.

St Kieren’s Volunteers enjoying a well earned ‘Thankyou’ morning

the students to work together on different projects.

Last year the buddies participated in an excursion to a local dairy farm to learn about the process of milk production.

This was a successful and memorable learning experience for all.”

The Buddy Program is often celebrated within the school community. At the first school assembly the senior students individually introduce the Prep students to the community. Also at the opening school year liturgy, a Powerpoint presentation highlights the Samantha (Gr 6) and B u d d y P r o g r a m b y Buddies Harmony (Prep) displaying photos of the working together buddies working together at school.

St Mary’s Primary School

Focus on Reconciliation at St Kieran’s WE have concluded another year of world t u r m o i l . S a d ev en t s dominate headlines with our world struggling to find peace and resolution. It is maddening that so much of the chaos and tragedy gets linked to God. Here at St Kieran’s Moe we’ve decided on reconciliation instead of conflict. We wanted our school community to be active leaders in the promotion of goodwill and humanity.

Our action plan has seen us make contact with a Muslim school in

Melbourne - East Preston Islamic College (EPIC).

Children from Year 6/5 sent a personal letter to students of EPIC. An introductory letter to the school principal, Mr Ekrem Ozyurek OAM was also included. The envelope carrying its precious ‘cargo’ was handmade and decorated by all students. We were welcomed by EPIC with the open arms of friendship, and received, in return, beautiful individual letters from their students. Our endeavour is that this will continue into 2015 and beyond.

Students make contact with a Muslim school in Melbourne, East Preston Islamic College, by writing personal letter to students.

Christmas Card Design Competition Winners 2014 THE 2014 Christmas Card Design competition was an outstanding success once again with entries from 23 schools across the Diocese, over 2060 entries received.

The obvious artistic and creative talents of students made judging very difficult.

Judges selected the design entries from Denver James of St Michael’s Berwick

and Kayla Kennedy of Lavalla College Traralgon as the Equal Best Entries.

These students received a $100 art supplies voucher and a $250 voucher for their school to purchase art supplies.

The following students received Highly Commended awards with their entries being judged in the Top 10 -

Catholic EducaƟon

Abigail Balderstone St Michael’s Berwick, Rovelle de la Guuz St Thomas C r a n b o u r n e , Gabi Majstorovic Mary MacKillop N a r r e W a r r e n , M ya McDonnell Lumen Christi Churchill, Sayosh Perera St Catherine’s Berwick, Jayden Taula St Therese’s Cranbourne, Rosie Tuffnell

St Therese’s Cranbourne North, Charlie Tweedale St James’ Nar Goon.

Students also received awards for Best Entry from their School.

Congratulations to all these students and we look forward to viewing entries for the 2015 competition.

Equal Best Entry Kayla Kennedy (Year 7) Lavalla College Traralgon

Equal Best Entry Denver James (Year 6) St Michael’s Berwick

faith … learning … growth

Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 9

Religious Education Across Catholic College Sale STAFF from the Religious Education (RE) Department at Catholic College Sale offer all students from Year 7 to Year 12 the opportunity to participate in an engaging RE curriculum.

Social Justice always plays a huge part in the curriculum, especially in the Yr 8 R.E program and Yr 10 and 11 Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Australia (CSYMA) program.

Year 8 classes are involved in many community projects such as knitting for the homeless, making bracelets for East Timor and creating fantastic short movies on random acts of kindness.

The Year 10 and 11 CSYMA classes participate in a variety of activities and campaigns including ‘Just Leadership’ day run by Caritas, Project

Compassion, social justice camp, the annual Homeless Sleep out held in the College quadrangle each August and the Melbourne Soup Van. Working on the St Vincent De Paul Soup Van in Melbourne provides a fabulous opportunity for students to engage with the St Vinnies volunteers and the homeless and witness life from a different perspective. The students, staff and College volunteers find the experience very enlightening. There will be more opportunities in 2015 for Year 11 and 12 students to participate in the Soup Van experience in Melbourne.

Students certainly gain many valuable life experiences through the College’s Religious Education program and

truly ‘walk the talk’ in many different ways.

We look forward to another great year with our students in 2015.

Students are involved in many diverse projects as part of the Religious Education Program at Catholic College Sale.

Reading Practice Makes Perfect at Don Bosco Narre Warren AT Don Bosco Primary School Narre Warren, the focus on reading in the Junior grades is having a very positive effect. The Take Home Reading Program commenced a number of years ago with each child from Grade Prep to Grade Two borrowing five books each week from the library to take home to practice reading. Books are linked to reading ability and interests and teachers monitor reading habits on a regular basis.

The thinking behind the program was that practice makes perfect. The connection between exposure to Literature, immersion in Literature and reading practice gives students the opportunity to

improve their reading fluency and increase their comprehension skills. The link to home was to encourage parents to be involved in listening to their child read. This has been a very positive aspect of the whole program.

Parents are offered school based workshops on how to assist their children at home with reading and other aspects of Literacy and Numeracy.

The Literacy Lead teacher and the Librarian set up a designated area in the library to house all the Take Home Reading books. The collection is color coded and not limited to reading levels. Each grade is allocated a specific time to borrow books and teachers

Catholic EducaƟon

regularly check reading logs to make sure children are practicing reading on a regular basis.

The past four years has seen over 600 new books purchased to support the program.

"The commitment of the teachers to the program in reinforcing good reading habits. In addition explicit skill based teaching has meant our students are achieving good results in reading”, expressed Literacy Lead teacher Margaret Di Giulio. “It’s also important to work in partnership with the parents so that they know how valuable it is to listen to their child read and to discuss texts with them.”

The value in having a

young child take a book home and practice reading with their family is an educational priority at Don Bosco. What started out as an idea has become an integral part of the Literacy Program at Don Bosco.

Students of all grades enjoy the reading program at Don Bosco Narre Warren.

faith … learning … growth

Page 10 - Catholic Life, February 2015

Sacred Heart Morwell Trial New Intervention Model IN August 2014, Sacred Heart School started implementing their intervention support in a very different way. Like many schools, Sacred Heart supported students with Reading Recovery and E.M.U. (Extending M a t h e m a t i c a l Understanding). These programs require a small number of students to be withdrawn from classrooms to work closely with a specialist teacher. While the results and the effectiveness of these programs are well documented, Sacred Heart was keen to investigate the possibility of increasing their effectiveness for a greater number of students.

To achieve this goal, the school made the decision to have a Reading Recovery teacher work for 15 hours a week alongside the Prep teacher in the classroom.

Having two teachers in the room allows more children to have their individual learning needs addressed in

the context of their learning environment, at the time that they need it.

Teachers Kasey Burrell and Jeanne Mendez have been excited by the progress that all students have made since the program started.

“The children are doing things that we never thought were possible. We have had to re-evaluate our expectations” teacher Kasey Burrell stated at a recent learning meeting.

While having multiple teachers in the grade has had a positive effect on student learning, the greater understanding of how children learn has seen profound ch an ge in Jeanne’s and Kasey’s practice. Working with Jo Osler and Tamina Taylor, Kasey and Jeanne have reexamined how they operate in the classroom and shifted their focus from what they need to teach to what the children need to learn.

Jeanne observed “Having two of us in the classroom

keeps us both on track and the discussions we have after each learning session have been so beneficial” Based on the early success of the program it was decided to extend this model of intervention program into the senior grades with a focus on mathematics.

Specialist teachers and junior students involved in various aspects of the New Intervention Model

Literacy Development Programs at St Agatha’s Cranbourne ON the last day for the 2014 school year, the teachers of St Agatha’s were dedicated to improving teaching and learning at their school. On December 18 2014, teachers took part in unpacking the Daily Five/CAFÉ framework for literacy instruction.

The Daily Five is the researched-based essential skills for literacy development that include the daily practices of: Read to self Read to a partner Listen to reading Word work Writing across grades Prep-6 as a daily routine. Through these five essential practices students work towards becoming independent literacy learners as they rehearse and develop the skills of CAFÉ (comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary). Each day s t u d e nt s m ov e systematically through the series of five tasks which

research shows develop literacy achievement.

The Principal Anne Hassall is leading the charge a ro un d t hi s fo c u sed framework of the Daily Five/CAFÉ as it is implemented across the school. “We want to develop best practices with our students that will encourage confident, independent learners who have well-developed literacy skills. We also want our students to make informed choices around the types of texts they read and the best ways to write and respond.

Close monitoring of students’ progress is an integral component of Daily Five instruction and this supports a priority here at St Agatha’s. That is to meet students at the point of need whether through intervention or extension and have evidence data that informs instruction.”

Each day teachers throughout the literacy block will meet students, as a whole group, one-on-one,

Catholic EducaƟon

or via focused small groups on multiple occasions.

Some teachers have been trialling this framework and they lead lively discussion as they shared their e x p e r i e n c e s , re comme ndati ons and thinking with the whole staff.

“When you have a group of Year 2 students who just don’t want to stop writing and are disappointed when the recess bell rings, you know your learners are motivated.”

“It is such a joy to see and hear Year 5’s enthusiasm for reading and writing”.

Building a greater range of texts available to students is a commitment of Principal Anne Hassall, as the school library and classrooms work to expand the range of books, ebooks, and audiobooks for students.

“We will definitely welcome the wider communities support with this project. It is about increasing the amount, range and level of texts available

to students,” said Anne.

Regular updates around the implementation will be posted on the St. Agatha’s Blog and newsletter.

First Grade teachers show us their professional reading for the holidays.

Education Support Officers are vital classroom support and were involved in the professional learning session.

Teachers sharing their experiences.

faith … learning … growth

Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 11

The best time to make positive changes is now WELCOME to the first column of 2015. For those who made New Year Resolutions, how many have been kept? I confess I’m old enough to realise that it doesn’t need to be the New Year to make changes to your life.

The best time to make positive changes is always “now”.

As far as investing and money management goes that is particularly true. The old proverb “look after your pennies and the pounds will look after themselves” is as true with dollars and cents and with all matters regarding money.

It doesn’t mean that you need to be miserly or parsimonious, but that if you look after what you have, and what it does for you, you will be better off than if you are excessively profligate.

In effect, it’s means that you should think before you spend.

So, what should we be starting off the New Year with?

There are a number of things you should think about that may help you with money over the year ahead and I’ll break them down as reflective of investment or just money management.

For money management there are some things you need, or would do better with.

Do you have a budget? This is essential if you wish to manage your money properly. It doesn’t have to be detailed to the nth degree but it does need to show you what you are committed to spend – weekly, monthly annually so that you can cope with the highs and lows of expenditure.

DOLLAR$ & SENSE with David Wells

Do you review your debt and/ or pay off your credit cards as they are due? Debts are expensive and unless they are productive will use up too much of your available income.

With a budget, is it possible for you to save up instead of borrow to cover your needs. Do you need the new I-pod now or can you wait until you can pay cash for it?

Try not to carry credit cards or too much cash. Both are temptations to spend money that may be better used elsewhere. Do you need to take advantage of the special sale price available today for something that you won’t need immediately. Many people and businesses have gone broke by “saving money”.

For investing, look at different requirements. Some principles of investment oversight can be summarised as follows.

Don’t hate the economy. It’s what we’ve got and however you feel, it could be worse.

There are always opportunities around so be the optimist. Look at the glass as at least half full – and if it’s raining there’s a chance your glass will fill itself!

Our Australian economy is

still growing, even if we’re not booming. Given time things will get better.

Don’t overreact to geopolitical headlines. That’s just what they are – headlines designed to sell newspapers or to get ratings and sell advertising. We all know bad news sells papers. Look around you – there are businesses and property that all that bad news isn’t affecting, and investing in which will give you a good return regardless.

Take an interest in your portfolio. Your shares or your property (your home is an investment, too). Are your investments doing what you want? Are there better opportunities available? Is it really worth switching?

Don’t forget why you’re investing in the first place.

Usually this is to achieve a long term gain or a current income. One day in a 30 year plan isn’t significant, so look at underlying trends.

Our Global Financial Crisis in 2009 only brought the share market growth back to its 30 year growth trend. If you’re looking for income, and don’t need capital immediately, then

you may be able to ride the volatility, or even better, use it as an opportunity.

Get advice from people who know and understand your preferred investment area. You would be surprised at how a little professional advice, for a reasonable fee, can help you avoid expensive mistakes and even make you money that you didn’t think was possible.

Whatever your financial situation, you can make it better

by taking a positive interest in your money. Think twice before you spend and think while you invest. Savings is one thing but investment is your future.

There’s an old truism in my industry: “You don’t have to be wealthy to invest, but you do need to invest to be wealthy”

If you like reading ‘Dollars & Sense’, why not speak to the author?

David Wells, MSAA, is a sharebroker and financial planner at Baillieu Holst Ltd. Since 1889 the firm has built its business on offering professional, appropriate and responsible sharemarket advice, helping its clients build and maintain their wealth. David is proud to continue with that tradition, working for clients and to the benefit of clients. He’s only too happy to visit you anywhere in Gippsland. If you or any one in your family, need advice or information on : • Shares, • Self Managed Super and Pension Funds • Discretionary Portfolio Management • Portfolio Administration • Life and Income Insurance and more –

Please contact:

David Wells 1800 339521 or 0414 234 770 dwells@baillieuholst.com.au

Baillieu Holst Ltd

360 Collins St, Melbourne, Vic 3000 AFSL 245421

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Page 12 - Catholic Life, February 2015

Death of former CEO director Terry Synan TERRY Synan, the inaugural administrative director of Catholic Education in Gippsland has died from an aggressive melanoma, at Warragul, Victoria, aged 78.

Raised at Fish Creek where his Synan grandfather, as an original selector, had cleared forested land in the 1880s, Terry’s world changed with the early death of his father, leaving children who were too young to maintain the family farm.

So began Terry’s pursuit of higher education. After completing secondary schooling at St Patrick’s College, Sale, first as a boarder and then as a day student, he became the first of his family to enter Melbourne University, where he graduated Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Education. In 1974, and by then married with six children, he obtained a Master’s degree in Education.

Initially bonded to the Education Department of Victoria, Terry taught in Victorian secondary schools, beginning in Wangaratta followed by postings to Morwell, Moe and Yallourn.

In 1973 Bishop Arthur Fox, fifth bishop of Sale, appointed him to the newly created position of administrative director of Catholic Education in Gippsland.

This was a big gamble for

Terry. He was foregoing the security of a ‘job for life’ with the department for an uncertain professional future. Yet he had discerned how a proposed infusion of Commonwealth funds based on the report of Professor Peter Karmel might make Catholic schools financially secure at a time when religious teaching orders could no longer cope.

As a disciple of Karmel, Terry embraced needs-based education funding for his far-flung region stretching from Hallam in the west and Wonthaggi to the south, to Mallacoota and beyond in the east.

Through his educational leadership and that of the Catholic Education Office he developed at Warragul, schools would enjoy fiscal security, coeducation became universal, and new schools were built, notably in the growth corridor east of Melbourne.

One such school was the multi-campus St Francis Xavier College. This mega secondary college is, perhaps, Terry’s grandest legacy. His foundational role there is remembered in Synan House, and in his title of ‘Living Treasure’ of the college conferred shortly before his death.

In addition to his direction of Catholic schools in Gippsland,

Terry served with distinction on the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria in allocating Commonwealth money across Victoria. He also chaired the Catholic Schools Association, 1992-1996, an employers’ industrial group.

Terry retired as director in 1996. In recognition of his services to Catholic education he was honored in 1995 by a Papal Knighthood.

Other honours followed: a Terry Synan Annual Lecture beginning in 1997: and an Honorary Doctorate of the Australian Catholic University in 2009.

In retirement Terry devoted himself to family, the appreciation of classical music, historical research,

Churchill celebrates 50 years CHURCHILL - The town of Churchill will celebrate 50 years since the official proclamation of the town on Sunday March 15 this year and plans are under way for community functions.

Among the celebrations to take place on the day is a ecumenical church service involving the Co-operating Churches, Lumen Christi Parish and Churchill Christian Fellowship to be held in the Churchill Town Hall commencing at 10am.

Following the service there

will an official unveiling of a commemorative plaque marking the 50th anniversary.

A community barbecue and family fun day will follow the formalities which will take place in the new town square.

Construction of houses in Churchill, formerly known as Hazelwood, began in 1965 and the Lumen Christi Parish comprising Churchill, Yinnar and Boolarra, was established in 1977 with former Bishop Jeremiah Coffey, the first parish priest.

The churches played a significant role in developing the social fabric of Churchill, particularly in the early days when many basic community services were lacking.

All former Churchill residents and Lumen Christi parishioners are cordially invited to attend the Churchill 50th Anniversary Combined Churches Service celebrating 50 years of service to God and the community.

For further information contact Marion Answerth on 5122 1261.

Consultation on sex abuse THE Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has released a consultation paper on options in relation to redress for victims and possible reforms to civil litigation.

The paper identifies possible options including schemes run by individual institutions using a common approach, a national scheme or separate state schemes.

Truth Justice and Healing Council chief executive Francis Sullivan said the paper identifies the concept of a national redress scheme with the participation of all Australian governments and institutions responsible for child sexual abuse.

The scheme would be independently managed and funded by governments and relevant institutions.

“This concept is consistent with a scheme proposed by the TJHC in its submission

on redress to the Royal Commission in August 2014.

“It will be crucial that all governments in Australia make it clear now they are willing to participate in such a scheme.

“The Commission has now fired the starting gun on developing a new way of providing fair and consistent redress for the survivors of child sexual abuse.

“A generous national redress scheme, funded by the institutions responsible for the abuse but led by the Australian Government is now broadly supported as the best option.

In the paper the Royal Commission also identified possible reforms to civil litigation systems including: • whether limitation periods for actions relating to child sexual abuse should be removed • whether the states and territories should legislate to ensure that there is always a

proper defendant to sue • whether there should be change to the law to impose a duty on any institution in which child sexual abuse occurs • whether governments and non-government institutions should adopt model litigant approaches for how they will handle civil litigation in relation to child sexual abuse claims.

Mr Sullivan said the release of the paper was a major milestone for the Royal Commission and goes to the heart of its work.

“Now the Royal Commission is firmly focused on the future – how should survivors be treated, both financially and with practical support by the institutions in which they were abused and how, if a survivor wishes to sue, the legal system should deal with these cases.

Written submissions close on March 2 at redress@ childabuseroyalcommission. gov.au

including articles for the diocesan newspaper Catholic Life, to Warragul Probus, and to The University of the Third Age, Baw Baw. He was in demand as a guest speaker, much preferring the overhead projector to a digital PowerPoint presentation. His book, A Journey In Faith: A History of Catholic Education in Gippsland 1850-1981 remains the definitive account of that subject.

A special historical inquiry for Terry was World War 2 and particularly the military presence at Wilson’s Promontory. As a small child and from the safety of his parents’ front gate at Yanakie Rd., Fish Creek, he was fascinated by the long convoys of military vehicles making for Tidal River. He knew first hand the horror of war when on Christmas Day 1943, news of the death of his cousin, Corporal Mick Synan, eventually reached Fish Creek, shot by a Japanese sniper in New Guinea.

Terry was always a reader and thinker, but equally a doer.

In his secondary teaching years he had served on the Central Committee of the Victorian Secondary Teachers’ Association and participated in that union’s sometimes

militant campaigns to improve pay, conditions and status of secondary teachers.

When at Yallourn High School, he had battled to save the town from the incursion of coal miners. As a Victorian motorist he had lobbied, and this time successfully, for the introduction of roadworthy certificates.

His concern for the marginalised led him to join Morwell and later, Moe Apex Clubs.

Compassion for the afflicted drew him to the Ryder-Cheshire Homes Foundation. He became president of its West Gippsland Support Group. The time he spent hosting the visit of Leonard Cheshire, VC, to Gippsland further inspired him. It was appropriate that Terry accessed the Ryder-Cheshire Home in Ivanhoe, Melbourne, when undergoing treatment at Peter McCallum Hospital in 2014.

Terry Synan, outstanding advocate and administrator of Catholic Education, is survived by six children and 17 grandchildren. His wife, companion and supporter of 53 years, Gerardine, pre-deceased him in July 2014.

• Written by his brother, Peter Synan, with the help of Ann Synan and Terry’s children.

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Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 13

Maffra Mass for the unborn MAFFRA - On the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn, Mass was offered at Maffra by Fr Ken Clark, a priest member of the Catholic Diocese of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross Fr Clark was approached by 40 Days for Life, and subsequently, Action for Life, and the Maffra Cenacle to celebrate the Mass and to solemnly bless images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Our Lord.

Attendees prayed for people who have been killed through abortion, those who have had abortions, those who have been impacted by them, and for the conversion of those who assist in, and promote abortions, for the closure of all abortion clinics especially the one in Melbourne, and with God’s aid, to replace that place by a chapel dedicated and named after OLoG.

What’s on & when FEBRUARY

FR Ken Clark incenses pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe during the Mass.

At the end of the Mass everyone joined in and prayed two prayers, the first to Our Lady of Guadalupe written by St Pope John Paul II, and the second was to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Unborn.

Fr Clark also dedicated the next 40 Days for Life to Our

Lady of Guadalupe which will commence with Ash Wednesday on February 18 and ends with Palm Sunday on March 28.

He also asked for Our Lady’s blessing on the Action for Life campaign, and the Cenacle.

It was a magnificent and very moving solemn occasion.

Special Mass for those who have suffered a family loss HAVE you suffered the loss of a child by miscarriage, abortion, still born, illness, suicide, crime or accident?

If so, you and others are warmly invited to Mass for Families to be held on the

Quick calendar

the parishes and communities of the Heart Region which encompasses Sale Cathedral and Maffra/Heyfield parishes and the Gippsland Ordinariate Group by promoting a culture of life and love in presenting the truth, beauty and goodness

of life, marriage and family, as outlined by the Catholic Magisterium.

Enquiries should be directed to Elaine 5144 2762, Marianne 5147 1019 or email actionforlife1@gmail.com.

11 – Our Lady of Lourdes 11 – West region meeting, St Agatha’s, Cranbourne, 10.30am 14 – World Cup cricket begins 17 – Shrove Tuesday 17 – Diocesan launch of Project Compassion, St Peter’s College, Cranbourne, 11am 17 – East region meeting, Omeo, 10.30am 18 – Ash Wednesday 19 – Valley region meeting, St Michael’s, Traralgon, noon 22 – Rite of Election, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 3pm 25 – South region meeting, Leongatha 26 – Ordination and installation of ninth Bishop of Sale Pat O’Regan, Bishop Phelan Stadium, Sale. Those attending requested to be seated no later than 10.30am.

MARCH 9 – Labor Day holiday 15 – Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix 17 – St Patrick 19 – St Joseph 25 – Annunciation 25 - Mass for families who have suffered a loss, St Mary's Cathedral, 7pm 27 – Term one ends 29 – Palm Sunday 29 – World Cup cricket final 30 – Annual Sale Serra Club Golf Day, Sale, 12.15 start 31 – Chrism Mass, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 11am

APRIL Maffra Sale Heyfield

5147 1954 5144 1954 5148 3354

www.semmensfunerals.com.au 24 Hour Service

Feast of the Annunciation, Wednesday March 25 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pearson St., Sale at 7pm, with Rosary preceding at 6.30pm. A light supper will follow.

This invitation extends not only to parents, but also siblings, grandparents, all extended family and friends.

Everyone is welcome.

The Mass for Families will be offered for those effected by the loss of a child and to remember, offer thanks and celebrate the life of all God’s children gifted to us, whom we know by Holy Scripture are all lovingly created and consecrated by God “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you” (Jeremiah 1:5) and proclaimed by the Church “Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end”.

CCC 2258.

This Mass is an initiative

by Action For Life, a pro-life, pro-family group which serves

Our Family Caring For Your Family Since 1979 Member Of The Australian Funeral Directors Association

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2 – AFL season begins 3 – Good Friday 4 – Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil 5 – Daylight saving ends (turn clocks back one hour) 5 – Easter Sunday 6 – Easter Monday Holiday 7 - Deadline for April Catholic Life 12 – Divine Mercy Sunday 13 – Second term begins 15 - Catholic Life published 16 – Valley region meeting, Morwell parish centre, Wilson St., noon 21 – Central region meeting, Trafalgar, 7.30pm (preceded by dinner at Criterion Hotel at 6pm) 22 – West region meeting, St Agatha’s, Cranbourne, 10.30am 25 – Anzac Day (Centenary)

28 – Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting, St Michael’s Parish Centre, Traralgon, 9.30am 29 – St Catherine of Siena

MAY Annual collection for Trinity Families 8 – Diocese of Sale Learning Expo, St Thomas’s Primary School, Sale.10 – Mother’s Day 12 – East region meeting, Lakes Entrance 10.30am 14 – St Matthew 17 – Ascension 24 – Pentecost Sunday 25 – Our Lady Help of Christians

JUNE 7 – Body and Blood of Christ 8 – Queen’s Birthday Holiday 9 - Deadline for June Catholic Life 12 – Most Sacred Heart of Jesus 13 – Immaculate Heart of Mary 17 - Catholic Life published 18 – Valley region meeting, St Kieran’s, Moe, church meeting room, noon 24 – Nativity of John the Baptist 26 – Second term ends 29 – Sts Peter and Paul

JULY 3 – St Thomas the Apostle 8 – West region meeting, St Agatha’s, Cranbourne, 10.30am 11 – St Benedict 13 – Third term begins 22 – St Mary Magdalene 23 – St Brigid 25 – St James the Apostle

AUGUST 3 - Deadline for Catholic Life 6 – Transfiguration 8 – Mary of the Cross MacKillop 10 – St Lawrence 11 – St Clare 11 – East region meeting, Bairnsdale, 10.30am 12 - Catholic Life published 15 – Assumption of BVM 18 – Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting, Sion House video conferencing room, Warragul, 9.30am 20 – Valley region meeting, Lumen Christi Hall, Churchill, noon 22 – Queenship of Mary 28 - St Augustine

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Page 14 - Catholic Life, February 2015

For the Young and Young at Heart Easy crossword for you

Let’s play 10 questions 1. In war what does a white flag signify?

2. What does piebald mean?

3. What is a one-wheeled cycle called?

4. Who sailed longboats?

5. What was James Bond’s codename?

6. Who was the fairy who accompanied Peter Pan?

7. Name the sons of Adam and Eve. 8. Does a stalagmite grow up or down?

9. How many legs are there on a red-backed spider?

10. Who was the first Christian martyr?

Answers at foot of page

Time for a laugh A MAN dies and fronts up at the Pearly Gates where St Peter gives him a form to fill out while he waits in the queue.

When he finally gets to the head of the line, St Peter looks at the form and says “You have indicated that you were an organ doner. We have no record of that here.”

The man replies “It wasn’t actually an organ, but I did give an old piano to St Vinnies once!”

A WATER pipe bursts at the doctor’s house and so he calls a plumber.

The plumber promptly arrives with a bag of tools from his ute and gets to work.

A short time later he is finished and he hands the doctor a bill for $600.

“That’s ridiculous. I don’t even make that much an hour as a doctor,”exclaimed the medico.

“Neither did I when I was a doctor,”said the plumber.

“HAVEN’T I seen your face before?”asks the judge.

The defendant replies “Yes sir.

I gave your son violin lessons last year.

“Ah, yes,” recalls the judge.

“20 years jail!”

A BUSINESSMAN walks into a bar and orders a drink. When he finishes, he takes a peek at a photo in his top pocket and orders another.

This goes on half a dozen times and finally, it gets the better of the barman who asks “What’s on that photo you keep looking at?”

The man replies “It is a photo of my wife. When she starts looking good, I know it’s time to go home.”

10 Questions answers 1. Truce or Surrender, 2. Black and white, 3. Unicycle, 4. Vikings, 5. 007, 6. Tinker Bell, 7. Cain and Abel, 8. Up, 9. Eight, 10. St Stephen.

Adults and Secondary students: 9-10 Good, 6-8 Average, 1-5 More lessons needed.

Primary students: 7-10 Brilliant, 4-6 Good, 1-3 Keep trying.

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Catholic Life, February 2015 - Page 15

Archeological find off pilgrim path

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bingo

prayer

Sacred Heart School

HOLY Spirit. You who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach my ideals, you who give me a divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me; in this short dialogue I want to thank you for everything and affirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desire may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in Your Perpetual Glory. (Mention your request) Thank you, Holy Spirit for your love towards me and my loved ones. Amen.

This prayer should be said for 3 consecutive days. After the 3rd day the request will be granted, no matter how difficult it may be. While making the request one must either promise to publish on granting of the favor or promise to circulate copies of it to as many people as possible. This is to spread the wonder of the Holy Spirit.

BINGO Every Friday

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Further details phone 5134 8484 or 5133 7221 (AH)

public notices

VOCATIONS Priests & Deacons Are you considering a vocation as a priest or deacon for the Diocese of Sale?

If so please contact

Fr Peter Bickley 5152 3106 vocations@sale.catholic.org.au

READERS please note that published prayers reflect the beliefs of those who place the advertisements. We ask readers to judge for themselves, especially in regards to suggested fulfilment of requests made in these prayers.

YORK Optical reflector telescope with equatorial mount, two strength lenses and additional Barlow lens, wooden carrier box. Strong enough to see rings on Saturn. $200. Phone 5144 4251.

THE discovery of the site where Jesus is believed to have been sentenced to death pilgrimage confirms that pilgrims are off course in Jerusalem.

Archaeologists might have uncovered the site of the trial of Jesus.

While excavating the floors underneath an abandoned building next to the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem, archaeologists came across the foundation walls and sewage system that lay beneath Herod the Great’s Jerusalem palace.

According to scholars, this is most likely the place Jesus was sentenced to die.

According to the Gospels, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate in a praetorium, a Latin term for the general’s tent in a military encampment.

wanted known

Your will be done Trinity Families asks you to consider assisting our work in funding charitable projects across the diocese.

Remembering Trinity Families in your will by making a bequest is an effective way of ensuring that you do something to help those struggling families in our midst.

If you need more information on bequests contact: PO Box 1410, Warragul 3820 Ph: 56 22 6688 ABN 51 486 581 500

Catholic Life

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Investing, fracking on bishops' menu ETHICAL investment, mining, fracking and alternative energy will all be considered as part of a wider pastoral discussion to take place at the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference plenary meeting in Sydney in May. The ACBC decided to have the discussions after noting that Pope Francis was expected to deliver his encyclical on ecology in April.

Technical issues create a headache

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Modern historians locate this praetorium in Herod’s Palace and now, for the first time, the palace is accessible to public view.

This important Christian site is different to the one in another part of Jerusalem which has been visited by pilgrims for centuries.

The pilgrimage site is on the Via Dolorosa or Way of Sorrows, the road Jesus is believed to have travelled as he carried his cross from his trial to his crucifixion, is currently at the top of must-see lists of religious attractions for visitors to the city.

Each year, more than one million Christian pilgrims visit Jerusalem hoping to retrace the steps of the Saviour.

Closing date for next issue is April 7

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WE ran into a few technical problems while producing this issue of Catholic Life and so there are a few articles which we have been unable to include.

Some we will hold over but the two-monthly frequency of publication unfortunately means that several of the items will be too old to publish by next issue.

We hope you liked the new schools section and the updated For the Young and Young at Heart section.

Schools are reminded that they can still contribute items for the general part of the paper, even though they are not on the roster for the schools lift-out.

Remember photographs should be separate attachments in JPG format, not part of a Word file and the names of people should be clearly identified.

Minumum usable size of a JPG file is 250kb with our preference being 1Mb or larger.

When emailing please ensure photo attachments are sent original size and not reduced to screen quality which is unsuitable for our purposes.

Page 16 - Catholic Life, February 2015

Local is made vicar for Ordinariate

Sale regains the Oblate Plate Bishops

told to cooperate with abuse commission

FR Ken Clark, Maffra, who is a member of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross has been appointed episcopal vicar for the Ordinariate clergy.

His appointment was announced last month by head of the Ordinariate Mgr Harry Entwistle.

The ordinariate was established three years ago when part of the Anglican Church came into communion with the Catholic Church.

Keep this day free for golfing at Sale CLERGY, Serra Club members and supporters are asked to put March 30 in their diaries for the annual Sale Serra Club Golf Day. Golf will start at 12.15pm and will be followed by the annual dinner at Sale Golf Club that evening.

The day is provided free of charge for all religious but for others golf and a light lunch is $10 and the two course dinner FR Harry Dyer OMI (right) presents the winner's plate to Fr Brendan Hogan. Looking on are other placegetters (from left) Fr Peter Slater, Fr Michael McMahon OMI, and Fr Denis O'Bryan. is $30.

More information from Reg TRAFALGAR - The 39th an- Course last month. ishes in partnership which inCarmody 5144 3349 or Alan nual Oblate/Sale Clergy Golf This was also the inaugural cludes St Kieran’s, Moe and St Wyatt 5143 0454. day was held at Trafalgar Golf event of the new Oblate par- Mary’s, Newborough.

The golf event is played for the Fr Felix Gavin OMI Plate.

Parish priest Fr Harry Dyer OMI presented the 2015 plate to the winner Fr Brendan Hogan, Narre Warren.

Runner up was Fr Michael McMahon OMI, and third place was shared by Fr Denis O’Bryan, Cranbourne, and diocesan administrator Fr Peter Slater, Berwick.

The presentations were made at a dinner held in St Kieran’s hall, Moe where the golfers were joined by fellow members of the Oblates and the Sale clergy.

POPE Francis has ordered Catholic bishops around the world to co-operate as a matter of priority with a commission he set up to protect children from sexual abuse by clerics, even if it unearths new scandals.

The Pope, who met victims of abuse last year, sent the letter to the bishops and heads of religious institutions a day before the commission was due to hold its first full meeting.

“Everything possible must be done to rid the Church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for those who were abused,” the Pope says in the letter.

“Families need to know that the Church is making every effort to protect their children ... priority must not be given to any other kind of concern, whatever its nature, such as the desire to avoid scandal, since there is absolutely no place in ministry for those who abuse minors.”

One of the members of the commission, Marie Collins of Ireland, herself a victim of sexual abuse, said commission members had asked the Pope for a letter to thwart any resistance from bishops, which she said some members expected.

“Bishops’ conferences have various views on abuse, as we know. In my own country, Ireland, there was a great deal of resistance to change, to putting in all the correct, necessary prevention measures and treating survivors in the right way,” she said.

Cath Life Sale

Two new auxiliary bishops ordained MELBOURNE - Two new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Melbourne were ordained just before Christmas.

They are Bishop Mark Edwards OMI and Bishop Terry Curtin.

The ordinations took place in a packed St Patrick's Cathedral on December 17 with Archbishop Denis Hart being principal consecrator, assisted by co-consecrators former Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Paul Gallagher and Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge.

Bishop Edwards, 59, has been appointed to serve the eastern region of the archdiocese, which borders Sale Diocese.

He was born in Indonesia and was educated at Mazenod College, Mulgrave, before entering the seminary of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

He was ordained to the

priesthood in 1986 and has since worked as a teacher, novice master and lecturer in Melbourne.

He spent 10 years as a counsellor for the Australian province of the Oblates and before being appointed bishop was rector of Iona College, Brisbane.

Bishop Curtin, 69, has been appointed the auxiliary bishop for the northern region.

He was born in Sydney and was educated at St Kevin's College, Toorak, before entering the seminary.

He was ordained in 1971 and was made a monsignor in 2002.

He worked at Australia Catholic University for almost 30 years and for the past 12 years was at Catholic Theological College.

Bishop Curtin has a Doctorate of Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.