Catholic Life July 2010

Catholic Life

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Publication of the Diocese Diocese of of Sale Sale

What’s News

ISSUE 141100 ISSUE

Deacon’s November ordination - Page 3

July 2010 November Evangelist ‘back from the dead’ - Page 8

Appeal to aid SFX student - Page 5

Bishop rejects tokenism ‘Make real friends O’Regan chalice back in use with Aboriginals’ BISHOP Christopher Prowse has called for an end to superficial tokenism in relationships with indigenous Australians.

He singled out Sorry Days, message sticks and welcome to country acknowledgements as areas which he regarded as tokenism if nothing else was done for the rest of the year to foster a real deepening of friendship with indigenous peoples.

Speaking as a member of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference on Relations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders he said superficial gestures of friendship ought to give way to real changes of attitudes deep within Australian hearts.

His statement was made on the eve of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday on July 4.

“Tragically, our First Australians remain the most marginalised on the majority of socio-economic barometers in our lucky country. This is despite sincere efforts by many to rectify this appalling situation.

“Perhaps our efforts are too superficial – too tokenistic. If we simply lurch from one highly symbolic event to another without the work of reconciliation changing people’s hearts, then our attitudes will remain largely unchanged.”

He said it was wonderful to celebrate National Sorry Days, Bridge Walks, message sticks, and acknowledgement of Aboriginality prior to gatherings.

“However, if that is all there is then our First Australians will remain highly marginalised.”

Bishop Prowse, a strong supporter of indigenous Australians, said all Australians

ought to develop friendships with Aborigines.

“In true friendship, real dialogue happens and effective listening takes place. Hearts are changed and diseased attitudes are healed gradually. True peace then has a chance to grow.”

He said that for Christians, this was a work of the Holy Spirit. The peace of God (shalom) was a fruit our encounter with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Rather than being simply a superficial feeling, peace was a fruit of our frequent prayers that opened ourselves to God. “It is God’s graciousness towards His people. It is deep and scrutinises the heart. It rejects the winter of evil and sinful attitudes and social arrangements.

“Peace heals our hearts and promises a springtime of right relationships with God, others and the world. Peace, correctly understood, is the medicine we need to propel our reconciliation with our First Australians to new depths in the years ahead. It is a work that Catholics commit themselves to with great zeal.”

Bishop Prowse said that this year our Aboriginal friends offered the theme “Youth and communities to allow for peace and justice for all.”

He said “This is a great place to start again. But let us respond with a prayerful heart. Led by the Lord may it produce the fruit of healed social structures that will endure.”

• Download the statement at www.sale.catholic.org.au

MGR Bill Caffrey (right) and Mgr John Allman concelebrate Mass with the O’Regan chalice.

A CHALICE donated to the Church by the family of the late Fr Frank O’Regan is being put to good use by two retired priests at O’Mara House, Traralgon.

The chalice is now used for daily Masses by Mgr John Allman and Mgr Bill Caffrey who share adjoining units at the retirment facility run by St Vincent de Paul.

It was passed on several years ago by the late Mgr Bernie

O’Regan of Melbourne Archdiocese in memory of his brother who served here.

Fr O’Regan grew up in Box Hill and went to St Patrick’s College in Sale.

He went through the seminary in the same year as Mgr Caffrey and they were ordained together in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, by Bishop Richard Ryan in 1949.

Fr O’Regan served as curate at Morwell, Bainrsdale and

Orbost and was parish priest at Morwell East, Yallourn and Pakenham.

He served at Pakenham from 1969 until his death on June 25, 1985.

The simple silver chalice was made in Melbourne by wellknown firm J.W. Sleeth and Son. It and a silver patten are housed in a tight-fitting leather-clad storage box .

Dig deep to help us grow BISHOP’S FAMILY FOUNDATION

Each year the Bishop’s Family Foundation funds programs which assist families within Sale Diocese. To enable this good work to continue the foundation relies on your tax deductible charitable donations. Please give generously.

Send donations to Bishop’s Family Foundation, PO Box 508, Sale 3853

Page 2 - Catholic Life, July 2010

To God’s people in the Catholic Diocese of Sale Dear Friends Over these months I am administering the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Diocese of Sale.

It is wonderful to see for myself how the family, the parish and the school work all together to prepare our candidates (mostly Grade 6 children) to receive this “mark”, the SEAL of the Holy Spirit. Despite our feeble efforts, we rely totally on the Holy Spirit to make our children Christ’s witnesses in the world.

In ancient times, “soldiers were marked with their leader’s SEAL and slaves with their master’s” (CCC 1295). It was a permanent and non-repeatable “mark”.

“This SEAL of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the promise of divine protection..” (CCC 1296) I try to meet the children before the Confirmation Mass. Amongst other subjects, I may discuss the importance of the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. On their confirmation day, I pray in the liturgy as I extend my hands over them:

The Sacrament of Confirmation: The gift of the Holy Spirit All powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, By water and the Holy Spirit You freed your sons and daughters from sin And gave them new life.

Send your Holy Spirit upon them To be their Helper and Guide.

Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of right judgement and courage, The spirit of knowledge and reverence.

Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN Sometimes in discussion with the children I ask: “Of these many beautiful gifts of the Holy Spirit, is there any one particular gift that you are really looking forward to receive from Jesus?” Over the years I am most surprised to report that the majority of children have responded by saying: COURAGE (fortitude).

They inform me in their own way that when their faith is under threat they want to be strong and not give up on Jesus. I am always so touched by their profound answer. I pray that this gift of courage will be deeply planted within them for all their life. Our Catholic faith proclaims, of course, that Jesus will never give up on them. Jesus has SEALED us forever with the Precious Blood of the Calvary Cross.

It reminds me of the observation of St Thomas Aquinas: “Age of body does not determine age of soul” (CCC 1308). Over the years I have heard wonderful stories of some confirmation children “evangelising” their parents and lovingly challenging them to take their Catholic faith more seriously.

I recall once talking to some parents who informed me that their son’s commitment to his Confirmation promises ultimately made them re-evaluate their life’s priorities. It included their eventual return to the practice of their

ABC Radio rant backfires GIPPSLAND Catholics will have been dismayed to hear ABC Radio’s blatent “Catholic-bashing”attempts last week in response to the apology on clergy sexual abuses by Archbishop of Melbourne, Archbishop Denis Hart.

Even after being told Bishop Christopher Prowse was unavailable that morning, the ABC chose to go ahead with its programming asking questions such as “What about those abused in Gippsland?” and “Why doesn’t the Diocese of Sale also apologise to victims?”

This promoted various callers

and text messaages to the station, most decrying the lack of action and compassion by Sale Diocese.

In fact the ABC was way out of line by assuming Melbourne must have been a front-runner in such apologies.

Sale Diocese was not dragging its feet as the ABC claimed. It was one of the first in Australia to offer an unreserved apology to victims.

In July 2002, Bishop Coffey offered an apology, urged victims to speak out, to go to police if priests or religious had been guilty of illegal acts and added

Catholic Life PO Box 183, Sale Vic 3853 Phone: (03) 5144 6132 Fax: (03) 5144 3855 catholiclife@sale.catholic.org.au www.sale.catholic.org.au Published by Catholic Media Gippsland, Diocese of Sale, 8 Pearson St., Sale Printed by Latrobe Valley Express, Morwell.

Editor: Colin Coomber Member of Australasian Catholic Press Association & Australasian Religious Press Association Published monthly except January.

Deadline for advertising copy and contributions for the next issue is Monday, August 2.

Issues distributed free through primary schools and parishes from August 11.

that if compensation was paid he would not demand a secrecy clause in the settlement.

After Catholic Media Gippsland pointed out the ABC’s shoddy effort and lack of balanced reporting, we received an off-air apology and Bishop Prowse was able to go on the station the following morning to reiterate the previous apology to victims.

Read the 2002 apology under About Us, then Complaints of Abuse at the website www.sale.catholic.org.au

Catholic faith with weekly Mass.

There is the Holy Spirit at work!

Let us continue to pray for those who are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this year. Let us pray for their parents, families and grandparents. Let us pray for the family friends that will attend the special Masses throughout the Diocese. Let us pray for their parishes. May we all receive afresh the Holy Spirit.

May we have a continual Pentecost in our Diocese. + Bishop Christopher Prowse Catholic Bishop of Sale

Bishop McKenna returns to roots

Latrobe alley V uneral F Services Bishop Michael McKenna

BISHOP of Bathurst, Michael McKenna, is making an Episcopal visit to Sale parish this week.

He was priest of Sale Diocese before being ordained Bishop of Bathurst last year.

On Thursday, July 15, Bishop McKenna will visit St Patrick’s Primary School, Stratford, and St Patrick’s Campus of Catholic College Sale – the two schools where he received his early education.

There will be a special Mass in the cathedral at 7pm, followed by supper.

Episcopal Vicar Fr Peter Kooloos will represent Sale Diocese in the absence of Bishop Prowse who is overseas.

Bishop McKenna spent most of his time out of the diocese, performing various roles including secretary to the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference and Rector of Corpus Christi, Seminary.

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Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 3

Bishop gift-sharing Funding applications open in Africa and India BISHOP Christopher Prowse is currently overseas establishing closer links to dioceses and religious orders in Nigeria and India.

He left last week to follow up on recent contacts with some dioceses and religious leaders who have expressed interest in sending priests to the Diocese of Sale in the years ahead.

Our diocese is already being served by priests from both countries.

Bishop Prowse said the necessity of encouraging local vocations to the priesthood and religious life is a real pastoral priority in the diocese.

At the same time, the Diocese of Sale had been blessed richly in the decades past with wonderful priests from overseas who had given their lives in the service of the Lord in Gippsland.

“We pray this continues. But the lands from which these missionary priests will come from are not likely to be from Ireland or other European lands.”

He said they were more likely to be from Africa and India from where the more recent priest arrivals have come.

There was a responsibility for us not simply to recruit priestly vocations from overseas but for us to make a real contribution to the life of the lands from where these priests came.

“We may have a scarcity of priestly vocations, but we are still rich in all sorts of resources that may assist these lands.”

Bishop Prowse said it must be a real exchange of gifts - priests shared and resources shared – as part of belonging to the global Church.

He said he looked forward to creating lasting pastoral exchanges with some dioceses and religious orders in places like Nigeria and Kerela (India).

“We pastorally adopt each other. We advance the Kingdom of God by sharing what the Lord has given us in our global Church.

“Please pray for me as I venture into these distant lands.

May the Lord Jesus guide us.

May we pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life both locally and overseas. May Mary, the Mother of all priests, lead us to Jesus.”

Missal changes to be explained INTRODUCTION of the new Roman Missal is moving closer and to facilitate the changes to the liturgy of the Mass several sessions will be held in Sale Diocese in October.

Australian Catholic Bishops’ Commission for the Liturgy executive secretary Fr Peter Williams will lead the sessions which will be held in Warragul and Sale.

He will also run two day clergy in-service on the new missal at Cowes on October 6-7.

Pastoral associates, liturgy teams, musicians, principals, teachers, religious education coordinators and interested parishioners are urged to attend the

two public sessions.

Fr Williams will introduce the changes which have been made to the Roman Missal and its resource Become One Body One Spirit In Christ.

First session will be at the Sion Teachers’ Centre, Catholic Education Office, Warragul, on October 5 between 5pm and 9pm. Those attending are asked to bring food to share for a light dinner.

The second session will be in the gathering area of St Mary’s Cathedral Sale from 6pm to 9pm. For those interested there is rosary in the cathedral at 5.15, followed by the monthly Serra Mass for vocations at 5.30pm.

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THE Bishop’s Family Foundation has started to receive applications from organisations seeking a share of more than $100,000 this year.

The money will be distributed to charities operating within the area covered by the Diocese of Sale.

Applications close at the end of next month and successful applicants will be advised towards the end of the year.

The foundation has given away more than $600,000 since its inception 10 years ago, all of the money raised from proceeds of investing money donated to it.

Like most philanthropic trusts, the foundation only distributes money it earns from its investments, leaving its capital base to earn money year after year.

Money raised from its annual May appeal helps to offset the effects of inflation and grow the

funding base so more funds can be distributed.

All projects which assist the family are eligible for funding providing the project is to be run by an organisation with charitable tax deductibility status. No money is available to individuals.

Applications for funding should be accompanied by the relevant form which is available from a quick link on the website www.sale.catholic.org.au.

November priest ordination POLISH deacon Dariusz Jablonski will be ordained a priest for Sale Diocese in November.

The date for the ordination in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, has tentatively been set for the morning of Saturday, November 27, a same day as the State Election.

Deacon Jablonski, 30, has been working in the diocese for the past two years and is currently attached to Berwick parish.

As is the norm in Poland, he went straight from secondary school to the seminary.

He was ordained a deacon in 2004 and spent time in the United States and Rome before coming to our diocese in April 2008.

Deacon Dariusz Jablonski

Page 4 - Catholic Life, July 2010

What about ‘being in Christ?’

Darn electronics

WELL-KNOWN Sale parishioner sought our help when he found himself locked out of his car after a weekday Mass.

He explained that the remote locking mechanism on his car had stopped working and the key wouldn’t operate the door lock.

Before calling for assistance we decided to check the situation and he directed us over to his white car.

Sure enough, when the button on the remote was pushed, doors didn’t unlock but there was a beep from a white car parked two bays away.

He’d been trying to get into the wrong car, something all of us have no doubt done from time to time.l

Not a golfer

RUMOR has it that one of our priests played a round of golf recently where the divots from his practice swing on the first hole went further than the ball on his tee shot.

We have withheld his name, despite the urging of his golfing partner, because we appreciate the difficulty of co-ordinating things like grip, stance, back swing, and downward club speed.

Then you have to resist that instinctive flick of the wrist at the point of impact which has developed from years of cricket where the object is to keep the ball on the deck rather than lofting it like you are expected to do with a golf ball.

Keep updating

OUR updated Web page has caused a few people to check details on the diocesan personnel page and find that membership of the listed committees

has not been up to date.

When they have told us of changes we have made them but we cannot be expected to be mind readers.

Again, we ask all committees to check listings on the Web site and let us know of any changes we need to make.

With the new Web system, changes are simple to make and can be done on the spot.

It is the same with listing for meetings and other events in the diary section. Use the on-line form to advise so that the diary is always up to date.

We urge all parish and diocesan groups to check the diary before setting dates for events to avoid unfortunate clashes.

Wait a while

WE like this joke we spied in a parish bulletin.

An old man is lying on his deathbed with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren gathered around him, teary-eyed as he approaches the finale of a long and productive life.

Suddenly the old man opens his eyes and croacks “I must be dreaming of heaven! I smell freshly cooked strudel. Can you please go downstairs and get me a piece.”

One of the grandchildren races downstairs but returns empty-handed. “I’m sorry grandfather but grandma says it’s for the funeral.”

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WE know what we mean when we say “I am in London” or in Sale or in Warragul or in Melbourne.

We even have some idea about what we mean when say someone is “in heaven”. But what does it mean to be “in Christ?”

That expression is used 49 times in the Christian scriptures so that alone should give us a good indication of its importance. The expression is most used in the letter Paul wrote “to the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). We are baptised ‘in Christ’ so you are ‘complete in Christ’, St Paul tells us (Colossians 2:10) and again: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing of heaven in Christ, before the foundation of the world He chose us in Christ to be his people, to be without blemish in his sight, to be full of love ….” (Ephesians 1:3-6) So it appears that a person ‘in Christ’ lacks nothing, wants for nothing, needs nothing to be added to be complete. Is that what it means?

So many of the writers of the Hebrew scriptures had a very close and even ‘earthy’ relationship with God. They wrote stories to illustrate their closeness and intimacy with God – stories about wrestling with God, bargaining with God (and winning!), stories of talking and walking with God. Perhaps the greatest example is the story of Adam and Eve. The Creation story describes a beautiful place where Adam and Eve lived in harmony with each other, the world and, most important of all, with their Creator.

The story includes the intimate image of God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, as God usually did with those he loved so dearly. “God looked all that He had made and indeed, it was very good.”

(Genesis 1:31) Together they named all of creation. To make them completely happy, God gave them the responsibility of stewardship of all that he had created. We all need a challenge! This part of the story of Adam and Eve is a very vivid example of what being ‘in Christ’ looks like.

But something happened – this intimate and loving relationship was interrupted, disrupted.

In typical fashion, the Hebrew writer describes this in earthy terms. Adam and Eve underwent the “fall”. They stopped looking outwards and turned in on themselves and literally hid from their responsibilities. Because of that, they became subject to sickness and pain, even physical death.

They also underwent “spiritual death” - this easy, familiar and harmonious relationship with God was disrupted with disastrous consequences in how they related to each other – almost the first recorded event after the fall is a murder! Things just fell apart, as it were.

The imagery of being caste out of this idyllic place, out of this intimate relationship with their Creator who gave them stewardship over all creation is a vivid

Reflections

by Jim Quillinan

reminder of what life is like when we are not ‘in Christ’.

With the coming of Christ, all that is reversed, changed, restored. Paul declares that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!(2 Corinthians 5:17). So being ‘in Christ’ is a present reality, not just something to be hoped for in the future.

Being in Christ means that we, like Adam and Eve, are once again sons and daughters of God. Being in Christ does not take away our free will, rather it makes available the possibility of choosing how to live a life that will bring us peace, happiness and fulfillment.

Paul writes: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).

There’s an important message in that – being called to do good works which God has prepared for us in advance! Just like in the story of Adam and Eve we are called on to take responsibility – real happiness, meaning and fulfillment comes from being responsible for each other, for the world.

That’s what the story of the fall is all about. Sin destroyed that attitude, Christ restored it.

Being ‘in Christ’ is not really a place – it is being in a community of believers. Being baptised, or born again, makes us a member of the Body of Christ – in that way we are indeed blessed with every spiritual blessing, filled with the love of God. Being in Christ is about restoration, working to restore ourselves, our world, our relationships.

It calls for a change of mind and heart. Being in Christ, being holy or whole brings responsibility - it makes us a member of the Body of Christ, a movement as it were, working to bring about a better world, to make real the vision of God. Being in Christ is a call to work for justice, working to restore the harmony and peace which was pictured for us in the story of that first Garden – harmony with God, with God’s creation and with each other.

We find meaning and purpose in life when we have a purpose, when we know we are responsible for something, when we

know that we can make a difference.

Being in Christ is about becoming holy – restoring our lives and the world around us to wholeness – to be full of love, bringing an attitude to life that looks for the best in others, to look for the positives in our world, in our situation.

Restoring wholeness means working to make the world a better place, working to bring about God’s vision for justice, peace, fairness in our families, our parishes, our communities. In that way we will become complete or ‘whole’ in Christ.

Seminarian is now an acolyte

Siju Mukalekalayil SALE Diocese seminarian Siju Mukalekalayil has been installed as an acolyte by Bishop Christopher Prowse.

The ceremony took place at St Michael’s Church, Traralgon, on June 26, Siju is currently undertaking his pastoral placement in the Traralgon parish.

Becoming an acolyte is a step in the process to priesthood. It acknowledges the special role to be performed in assisting priests and deacons, and acting as a special minister to distribute communion during the Mass and to take it to the sick.

Mr Mukalekalayil, 28, had already completed seven years of seminary training in India prior to arriving in this diocese in December.

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Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 5

Appeal to assist girl injured while swimming AN appeal has been started to assist a Narre Warren girl who suffered spinal injuries in a swimming accident in January.

A few short weeks ago, Chante Masset celebrated her 12th birthday in the Children’s Ward of the Austin Hospital.

She damaged her spinal cord in the swimming accident and has spent the months since then in the spinal unit and Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre of the Austin Hospital.

Confined to a wheelchair, Chante is able to move some of her fingers to manoeuvre the controls on an electronic wheelchair. While her movement is severely limited, her spirit is amazing!

Teachers from St Francis Xavier College, Berwick, where Chante is a Year 7 student, maintain constant contact with the education staff at the Austin Hospital in order to keep Chante

Walk ancient Rome with the bishop PEOPLE from Sale Diocese who will be in Rome in October for the canonisation of Mary MacKillop are invited to join Bishop Christopher Prowse on a walking tour.

The bishop has invited pilgrims to meet him under the towering granite obelisk in the centre of St Peter’s Square at 3pm.

He will then lead a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of Rome, crossing the Angel Bridge to the ancient city to view the Piazza Navona fountains, the 1900 year old Panthenon building, Trevi Fountains, the Spanish Steps and various churches.

The walk will take several hours and will cover a few kilometres, so sturdy walking shoes and some degree of fitness will be required to complete the walk.

The obelisk is the dominant feature of St Peter’s Square and has stood at its centre since 1586.

Originally quarried in Aswan, Egypt, for the Pharoah Amenemhet II around 1990BC, it was brought Rome around the time of Christ and was erected in Caligula’s Circle (later called Nero’s Circle) which is to the side of St Peter’s Cathedral.

up to date with her lessons.

On rare but welcome occasions, Chante has visited the college to meet her friends, peers and teachers.

It is hoped that Chante may be discharged from hospital in the near future. While this will be a cause for celebration, it does present several enormous problems. The family home will need to be modified in order to enable Chante to move about with some ease.

Bathing and personal needs cannot be accommodated in a normal family home; the Masset family home will need costly structural and plumbing modification.

The college, together with Don Bosco Primary School and Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, have taken on the responsibility of securing for Chante a vehicle in which she can be transported.

Estimations suggest the car will cost approximately $34,000 and the necessary modifications, a further $36,000.

To donate to the Chante Masset Appeal simply contact St Francis Xavier College on 9707 3111, or deliver donations or send a cheque to either Berwick or Beaconsfield campuses of St Francis Xavier College, Don Bosco Primary School, Narre Warren, or Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Narre Warren.

WHEELCHAIR-bound Chante Masset in the St Francis Xavier College library during one of her visits to her school.

New-look website is now booming THE new-look Diocese of Sale website has received many favourable comments.

The changes which took effect just after the last Catholic Life bring about a modern website which should prove easier to navigate.

The old website was receiving about 100 visitors a day but the new one has almost three times that amount.

Most popular page visited is Along the Track which is a regular fortnightly contribution from Jim Quillinan who also writes Reflections for Catholic Life.

Along the Track is receiving 80-100 visitors a day since creation of its own section in the update. Previously it was only accessible from a link on the home page.

Mr Qullinan’s regular writing have a high following overseas where they are used by seminary

and theological college students as discussion topics. Its popularity is also helped by the fact that Google rates it highest in a search for the words “along the track”.

Of great interest with readers is the new way of accessing Catholic Life issues which can be leafed through on a linked site as if you had the newspaper in front of you. To read a particular item you click on it and it is enlarged.

Catholic Life is one of the first Australian religious publication to be linked to the ISSUU which is fast becoming the home of newspaper and magazines from around the world and has been voted by Times magazine as one of the best 50 internet sites.

For visitors wanting to download homilies, statements or other PDF documents from our web site, there is a downloads link at the foot of the front page.

This takes you to a section where like documents are grouped in categories. These documents can be read on the screen by clicking a view button rather than going through the download process with Acrobat Reader.

At the foot of each page is a list of the most popular pages which is being regularly reset to eliminate pages which have extremely high visitor numbers due to them being visited many times daily by robots, spiders and web-crawlers operated by internet search engines.

Visitors can access these popular pages by just clicking on the link instead of following the drop down menus across the top of the page.

Similarly there is a quick links section on each page, taking readers to recent documents or some of the most used pages

included CDF Online, Mass times, and parish contacts.

The site has provision for a member’s only section which will enable diocesan clergy with a password to access internal memos, minutes of meetings and other documents from the Bishop’s Office.

Catholic Media Gippsland is also working with the developers of its website to come up with a standard six page website for parishes who may wish to establish a web presence.

The pages will be able to be easily updated weekly with parish information, rosters and news and would be linked back to the diocesan site.

Parishes wanting more information are invited to contact Colin Coomber on 5144 6132 to discuss possibilities and likely costings.

Page 6 - Catholic Life, July 2010

Federal election on the horizon is significant AS I write this there are growing predictions that we will have a Federal election in the first half of August this year.

Whenever it is, it will have great significance for Catholic schools. In this election, it will not just be about the level of funding we receive. It will also be about our very identity as a Catholic Education system.

Funding

Of course, we must make every effort to retain at least the level of funding we currently have relative to Government schools and hopefully to improve that.

However, the reality seems to be that there are not huge dollars left in the Federal bucket.

The recent Economic Stimulus package (in which education received a very substantial share) combined with the (then) PM Rudd’s commitment to restructuring health, have left a very tight budget, with not a lot of room to be generous.

However, (now) PM Gillard’s promise, made when she was Minister for Education, is entirely inadequate. She promised, on April 15 this year, that “no school will lose a dollar of funding in the sense that their school budget per student will not reduce in dollar terms”.

If that frozen amount is what we receive, quite simply it will be insufficient. The costs of education rise every day. We are already well behind our government school colleagues in what we receive from the public purse.

We need assurance that our funding will keep pace, at least, with real costs – and we need

future certainty. It is an unsatisfactory and unhealthy situation for us to have to go cap in hand every time there is an election.

Thus we will be seeking from all parties a commitment that Catholic schools and systems from 2013 have, at the very least, access to the same funds indexed to government school costs, as currently available.

Further, we are asking that this index is transparent, so that we can be confident that when comparing our costs to that of government schools, we know what is included in the calculation.

We need to be sure that things like superannuation, insurances, capital costs, etc. are included in the calculations.

These costs, and others like them, can sometimes remain hidden in government accounting – but for us, it is critical that we can see what is included so that we can really compare apples with apples.

Our Identity

There is another equally important issue at stake in this election. It involves our very identity as Catholic schools.

Our new Prime Minister has made many significant and powerful references to treating all schools the same (other than in funding). She has indicated that, to her, whether a student is from a government, an independent or a Catholic school the government will intervene equally if they believe the job is not being done.

It is hard to believe that a change of Minister will see a change to this approach!

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with Talking Peter Catholic Ryan Education A further major indicator that this is the direction of the government’s thinking has been in the recent initiative known as the National Partnerships.

In this initiative, significant funds were given by the Australian Government, not to schools, not to the Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, not to the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria or to Catholic Education Offices - but to State Treasury.

The funds flowed to the state on the condition that state-wide programs be established and implemented by all three sectors in a coordinated way.

The success or otherwise of these programs is to be measured on a state-wide (not school or system) basis and reward payments will be made to the state.

More and more we are being “rolled into” the government’s seeing education as a single entity, thus reducing the identity and integrity of existing systems and structures. This is not acceptable to Catholic education but it seems to be a sign of things to come.

Yet for decades, Catholic systems throughout Australia have continually demonstrated that the funds we receive are utilised more effectively, more efficiently and more equitably than in other sectors.

With less money, Catholic schools do better across almost every measure. The recent negative publicity around the BER programs (the so-called, “School Halls Rip-off) simply does not apply to Catholic schools. That program has been implemented smoothly and effectively in our sector.

It is clear evidence that we do things well – that our current system works well It is clear evidence again that Catholic schools give governments more “bang for their buck!”

That independence has allowed us, at the same time, to retain our Catholic culture. It has given us room to develop in our own special way and that is not something to be surrendered.

Therefore, we are also asking the political parties to commit to the principle that Catholic Schools and systems will have a direct relationship with the Commonwealth Government, underpinned by legislation.

We are also asking that Catholic systems retain the capacity to distribute funds to schools according to need. We do it well - within our Catholic framework.

These two items may be difficult to “sell” to the Catholic school parent community as they are less visible, especially, perhaps, to those who value the Catholic heritage less than we might consider desirable. But they are critical. They go to who we actually are and who we will be as Catholic systems in the future.

There are two other matters on which we seek parties’ assurance.

They are somewhat simpler and clearer so they require less explanation but no less emphasis.

These are • that funding for students with disabilities must be increased towards parity with government school funding and • that capital funding should be increased for educationally disadvantaged communities and areas of population growth.

With respect to the first of these two, it should be noted that the number of children with a disability enrolled at Catholic schools is rising substantially. In fact, on a proportional basis, it matches the number enrolled in government schools. Increased funding is required to ensure that these students are able to be educated to an excellent standard with appropriate dignity and respect.

With respect to the second

issue, Catholic schools and systems are committed to serving students from educationally disadvantaged communities and from fast growing communities, and so seek increased capital funding to provide facilities and resources in this area. This applies particularly to the western end of our own diocese.

The Task Ahead Catholic Schools do have significant vocal opponents within the community. These groups are well funded and well organised and will certainly be taking a high profile in the coming election. They will be exerting real pressure on all participants.

That pressure must be countered by our own. If parties are hearing only one voice it will not be ours.

It is my hope that every candidate, in every seat within our diocese, will receive at least one visit from every school community in coming weeks.

I hope, too, that large numbers of our Catholic school communities – staff, parents and, yes, grandparents, will write to all candidates seeking support for Catholic schools within the next election. Every candidate needs to be asked, firstly, what the position of his or her party is on each of the issues mentioned above.

Then, in order to gain some idea of personal commitment, they need to be asked how they, themselves, will argue in the Party Room if they are elected.

And those responses should be published in school newsletters and parish bulletins.

Principals have been, and will continue to be provided with information and documentation.

This needs to be used.

The support of every member of our Catholic school communities is critical. The face of education funding will certainly change after this election. We want to ensure that it changes in ways that can preserve and strengthen the great tradition of Catholic education that we enjoy in Australia.

Migrant Sunday celebration will be at Pakenham PAKENHAM – A special Mass to celebrate Migrant Sunday will be held at Pakenham next month.

It is the first time in our diocese that Migrant Sunday has been celebrated as a diocesan event and organisers hope it will become an annual celebration.

Bishop Christopher Prowse will celebrate the Mass, with other clergy of the diocese concelebrating.

The Mass will be on Sunday, August 29 at 2pm in St Patrick’s, Pakenham.

Organising committee member Fr Jacob Thadathil said everyone except the Indigenous people had a migrant heritage and so the Mass was for everyone.

He said he expected many people to participate in their national costumes.

The readings, hymns and even various processions would be led

by various ethnic communities in different languages.

Invitations have been extended to all parishes, schools, and Catholic organisations to attend.

After Mass, there will be

time to mix with each other, sharing various national foods.

A committee has been at work preparing the event since February.

WITH CARE AND DIGNITY WE RESPECTFULLY SERVE THE DISTRICTS OF:

LEONGATHA/KORUMBURRA (03) 5662 2717 Paul and Margaret Beck

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Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 7

Need to tighten your belt to fit your income level HOW often do you say to your self “there’s too much month left at the end of the money!”?

Like space in a house, many of us find that the need for cash always expands to equal what’s available plus 20 percent. It matters not what your income is, we could always use some more.

Many people, especially the younger tech savvy generation M are finding that credit is not the same as cash and many are incurring huge debts and especially phone debts. The level of bankruptcy in the under 30’s is at a record high level.

Whatever your situation, budgeting your expenses to fit with your income is a good thing. It’s really just another form of planning and everything we do we’ll do better if we’re following a plan, or road map, or instruction manual.

Taking things step by step and doing things in the right order

makes good sense, and apart from other things also instil a sense of discipline, which is necessary if we are to achieve our short and long term goals.

Many of us readers will already follow a budget of greater or lesser complexity.

Some of us don’t and some of us don’t know what we do.

Developing a budget is quite a simple process. It is simply a process of determining our income and establishing our estimated expenditure against that income, so we know what we will be able to spend or not, as the case may be.

Whether you’re an age pensioner, a big business owner or a wage and salary earner, the process is the same.

Mostly we can determine our income fairly readily. As wage and salary earners or pensioners we can easily estimate what we’ll get over the next week, month

International Day

DOLLAR$ & SENSE with David Wells

and year. In business or as an investor we can also make reasonable estimates. That’s the first step, the easy one.

The hardest thing to do is to determine where your money will go. To do this you will need to assess where all your money is disappearing to – rent, contracts, phones, rates mortgages etc and all the money you spend on a weekly and monthly basis will need to be accounted for. A good idea is to take a note book and write down everything you spend for a month, in detail, down to the last cent. Even the casual chocolate bar needs to be counted.

This may seem extreme, but you’ll be surprised at how much can be trimmed from the “nonessentials”.

Then categorise all your expenses and list each category by priority. When all the expenses are totalled you’ll soon see whether you have a capacity to

save or whether you need to revisit your expenses.

If your expenses are less than your income then things aren’t too bad. But many of us find that we aren’t earning enough to cover our real expenses after all.

Hence the credit cards aren’t paid off each month and we pay huge interest bills, or we never seem to get any closer to our dreams.

If you take you details and count them across a full year you’ll get a good picture of your annual cash flow. From this you can really take some constructive steps to address any problems.

Ask yourself, “Is this expense really necessary?”

“Can I enhance my income without sacrificing too much?”

The answers will help you take control of your money. You’ll see whether you are overspending, but most importantly you’ll also see where.

If you know what the problem

is you have taken the first and biggest step in fixing it.

Maintaining the numbers on a regular basis will also help to keep you disciplined, and allow you to identify things early and take remedial steps or plan for future expenses in time.

Developing a budget is pointless if you don’t keep it up-todate, so take a few minutes every week and write things down and check your progress.

In time, if you keep to it, your monetary discipline will become a habit and you’ll find things are easier, or if not easier at least you’ll know why.

Restricting your spending to fit with your budget isn’t always an attractive task, but it is definitely necessary if you are to make any progress financially.

• This report is intended to provide general advice. In preparing this advice, David Wells and RBS Morgans did not take into account the investment objective, the financial situation and particular needs of any particular person. Before making an investment decision on the basis of this advice, you need to consider, with or without the assistance of an adviser, whether the advice is appropriate in light of your particular investment needs, objectives and financial circumstances.

From the Mountains to the Sea CDF is supporting our Parishes, Schools and Catholic Communities A GROUP of Grade 5/6 children in national dress. No prizes for guessing which one is Ned Kelly!

TRARALGON - To celebrate International Children’s Day, staff and students from St Michael’s Primary School were invited to dress in costumes from their homeland, celebrating their heritage.

A parade was held in the schoolyard and along with swagmen and Australian colors, many multicultural students dressed in their colorful national costumes, among which were

Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, African, Greek, Mexican, Slovenian and Polish.

Parents contributed by providing plates of different food for the children to taste.

Fun activities were stretched throughout the whole day – games, art, puzzles, music, dance, origami and the children had an “Aussie” sausage sizzle for lunch.

The Catholic Development Fund Serving the Diocese of Sale Telephone: (03)5144 4311 Email: cdf@sale.catholic.org.au The Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale is not subject to the provisions of the Corporation Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Deposits with the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale are guaranteed by CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for this purpose. We welcome your investment with the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale rather than with a profit orientated commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable, Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church. Neither the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Sale are prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority; contributions to the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale do not obtain the benefit of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959; the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale is designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the Catholic Diocese of Sale.

Page 8 - Catholic Life, July 2010

John MacKillop - First son for the family

By Sr Mary Fermio GREAT rejoicing would have been heard in the house of the MacKillop and MacDonald families in late February 1845.

The first son, named John, had been born to Alexander and Flora MacKillop, then living in the Heidelberg-Fairfield area.

After two daughters, the arrival of a son would have created much discussion as to his future – A landowner? A priest?

A lawyer?

Like all parents, their dreams would have been built and hoped for. Yet this son, the first in his family, would be the first of the seven children to survive their childhood years, to die and in another country.

Alick, the second son died at 11 months. No more is known of his life.

John was a good son who cared much for his mother and hated hurting her in any way. In 1858 he wrote a letter to Mary telling of his skill at making a carriage for Peter, then nearly 12 months, using a box Mary had sent.

In later life Peter became a builder and repaired the old stable in Penola for Mary’s first Josephite school.

It was John at 13 years who accompanied Mary, 15 years, on their long walk from Port Melbourne to Somerton, a distance of 12 miles (19km) to inform the relatives of their arrival from Sydney and the fact that Flora and the other children needed transport and somewhere to live.

Flora was in late pregnancy

Mary MacKillop & Family

Part 5 with the youngest child Peter.

Her husband had returned to Melbourne previously.

John affection for his father was revealed when he accompanied him to New Zealand in a quest for employment, probably on the goldfields being opened up at the time.

Alexander’s failure to do so brought on depression and John spent many hours with his father trying to rally him.

Alexander finally borrowed fare money from John to return to Australia. John stayed on working as a builder until his job ended and, unable to get permanent work and becoming more destitute, he returned to Portland where the family was living.

A horse accident kept him grounded and resulted in him going to Penola and using his

skills on the stable for his beloved sister Mary.

Living with and being depended on relatives was difficult for John who felt he could only be of use to the family by working elsewhere. “Anywhere in the world rather than in Portland.”

So he returned to New Zealand and his many letters revealed his happiness. His greatest worry was that his mother would lose faith in him.

In one letter to his mother he pointed out “I am my own master in New Zealand at least.”

His last letter was a reply to his parents’ birthday letters and he signed himself “Your affectionate son.”

Contact with Mary through letters was very important to John.

When Mary left home to begin her religious life, her letters became less frequent and he wondered whether this life of Mary’s was too hard.

Her photo was a great comfort to him.

It is believed that a young woman from Penola followed John when he returned to New Zealand and it was she who wrote to Maggie to tell of John’s premature death.

John had a fall from a horse.

Tetanus resulted and he died on December 7 at 22 years of age.

Mary received her news on January 6, 1868 and the next day wrote to her mother from Adelaide: “Let us not mourn for John. We may safely hope that he is not far from his loving Redeemer. His wishes were always good and his life innocent.

“You have not got him to com-

John MacKillop fort and take care of you on Earth, but from Heaven he and our little Alick will watch over you and all of us, I trust.”

John was buried in Christchurch cemetery and this site was probably visited by Mary during her travels in New Zealand as she seemed to have great respect for the graves of

loved ones.

The tombstone has been perfectly preserved over the past 140 years by a tree which literally enfolded it. The tree now has had its branches trimmed so the headstone is now clearly visible from the road.

• Photo courtesy Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre.

‘Back from the dead’ to evangelise the world A FILIPINO evangelist who claims to regularly talk with Jesus will speak at two venues in Sale Diocese in a few weeks.

Stanley Villavicencio is being sponsored by the Apostolate for Mary’s Messages and Divine Mercy Publications.

His visit has been approved by Bishop Christopher Prowse.

He will be at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Narre Warren, at 7.30pm on July 31 and at St Michael’s Church, Traralgon on August 3, at 7.30pm to spread the Divine Mercy devotions in the Sale Diocese.

The Villavincencio story is an interesting one.

In 1993, his mother-in-law discovered him moaning and shivering violently in his bed with blood spouting from his mouth.

A relative, who is a registered nurse, was called but failed to find a pulse. Already his heartbeat had come to a near halt and his eyes had turned white.

He was rushed to hospital where he was immediately placed in intensive care. His family was told by medical experts that he only had a one-in-a-million chance of survival.

His organs had failed and when doctors attempted a blood transfusion they found that the blood was so thick it was unable to circulate around his body.

His wife duly phoned home and arranged for his burial in the family plot. Four of his relatives, who are doctors, were asked for permission to turn off the life support machine, but they refused.

Although family members kept a bed side vigil praying at his side, all hope had been given up of a recovery.

During the three days of coma it had been established that he was clinically dead, but as he was to reveal later he was very much alive.

“I saw my whole life pass before me as if in a video screen, everything I ever did was there being replayed before me.

“During this time I saw a bright light. It was like a fog that was slowly evaporating. As the fog disappeared I saw someone dressed in white who I thought was Jesus.

“The figure stood by me and we relived my life from childhood to that day. As my life passed before me I could see all the good deeds I had done, but when I committed something really bad it was slowed down and enlarged as if to make the point.”

Villavincencio says that as part

Stanley Villavincencio of his deal to live, he gave a commitment to go through the world delivering a message from God. “I was also told that Jesus would visit me whenever there was a message through my dreams?”

At the end of the vision, he was given a gift of the recorded message of the Divine Mercy dictated to St Faustina in the mid 1930s.

He awoke from his coma so suddenly that the nurse on duty ran from the ward in shock.

When doctors arrived they were dumbfounded. The man they

had declared clinically dead was now conscious with no sign of brain damage or loss of blood.

In following days, he was subjected to a series of medical tests and was found to be in perfect health. Pronounced fit, he left the hospital and arrived home to find his family making funeral arrangements. When he walked in, they fled thinking he was a ghost.

Touched by the mysterious events, the doctor who treated Stanley declared it a miracle and left the medical profession to join a Jesuit order to train for the priesthood.

Villavincencio claims that Jesus visits him regularly and, like many others, says he receives locutions.

Villavincencio now travels the world sharing his amazing spiritual encounters with Jesus, The Divine Mercy.

Many healings have come during the veneration of the Divine Mercy image he takes with him everywhere he goes.

For more information about his Traralgon talk contact Pat Crozier on 0400 218 417.

Spirituality day to have focus on Mary MacKillop WARRAGUL – A spirituality day for parish pastioral associates, parish workers and the religious will be held in Warragul next month.

Sr Lynette Young rsj will lead the day which is at the Sion Teacher’s Centre at the Catholic Education Office from 10am to 3.30pm on August 17.

The proposed program breaks the day into four sessions, focussing on Mary MacKillop.

Theme is Celebrating the Spiritual Heart of Mary MacKillop. Morning tea and a light lunch will be provided.

For bookings contact diocesan pastoral co-ordinator Sophy Morley on 5126 1063 before August 10 or email smorley@sale.catholic.org.au.

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Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 9

Beware pitfalls for the lonely on the Internet

By Colin Coomber WE occasionally read of couples marrying after finding “true love” over the Internet and this has led to the blossoming of a number of e-dating sites.

While some legitimately try to match lonely singles, others are little more than a front for escort services.

Between the legitimate dating sites and sordid world of prostitution is a vast array of people trying to take advantage of the vulnerable people who are seeking happiness via the Internet.

Some of these opportunists are seeking to become rich at other people’s expense and some are looking to set up short-term sexual liaisons before disappearing.

A fairly common way that the vulnerable are scammed is for someone to establish a false identity (remember you never know that the person with whom you are corresponding really exists) and to start romancing someone of the opposite sex to their created identity.

The talk gets more intimate over time and then comes the promise of coming to meet the new friend. Of course, they can’t afford it right now, so could you send them $2000 for their airfares and accommodation.

You are thinking – “No-one would fall for such an obvious ploy!” Unfortunately police report hundreds do every week and many never report that they have been ripped off because of the embarrassment of admitting it, even just to police, that they have been foolishly looking for love on-line.

And even after being ripped off, some fall for it again, when their on-line friend gets back in contact with them and tells a story how they had to use the money to pay off a sister’s debt to gangsters who were threatening to disfigure her if she didn’t

pay up. He/she will come to Australia once the remaining $1500 the sister owes is paid and they can save up the money for airfares.

“No-one would make up such a far-fetched story, so it must be true,” you think. Here’s another $3500.

Of course, the scammer is probably playing a dozen or more gullible people at the same time, morphing into a male for the lonely females and a female for the lonely males.

Interestingly, a recent report in national media indicated that it is not just a young and foolhardy who are being duped. Successful business people in their late 30s and 40s are common victims.

After putting any thoughts of relationships on the backburner while they forged their successful careers, they reach a stage in life when the body’s alarm clock starts ringing loudly and they start looking for love.

Most in this category are too old for the pub-club scene favored by the younger upwardly mobiles.

They just don’t know where to

Pope announces pontifical council POPE Benedict XVI has announced plans for a new pontifical council to address the “progressive secularisation” of historically Christian regions.

This new Vatican dicastry will be the first created since the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care was created in 1985 by Pope John Paul II. The Pope referred to regions of the world where the Gospel has ancient roots, where it has led to "a true Christian tradition, but where in recent centuries ... the process of secularisation has produced a grave crisis in the sense of Christian faith and of belonging to the Church," The new council’s creation was predicted earlier this year by a Vatican writer who said it would be the most important part of the Pope pontificate.

In face of current historical, social and especially, spiritual challenges, Pope Benedict remarked “It seems sometime we pastors of the Church (are) reliving the experience of the Apostles, when thousands of needy people followed Jesus and He asked ‘What can we do for all these people?’ They then experienced their powerlessness.”

However, Jesus showed them that nothing was impossible and fed the masses with some bread and fish.

“But it wasn’t - and it’s not - a hunger for material food. There is a deeper hunger that only God can satiate.”

The Pope said man still desired a genuine and full life, was in need of truth, of profound liberty and free love.

The new pontifical council will be tasked with promoting a renewed evangelisation in societies going through a “sort of eclipse of the sense of God.”

meet people, having severed a social life from their calendar years ago, so they resort to the most modern tool they have – the Internet.

If they happen to fall for a suave chat-room patter and end up getting ripped off, there is little chance of the offence being reported. To report such an offence is tantamount to announcing to the world that they can’t establish a relationship in a face-to-face world.

Sadly, it appears that many do not learn from their experiences, telling themselves that they have just had bad luck and the next person they meet will be genuine.

Of course, not all scammers are in it to make money. Some get their kicks from seeing how long they can lead someone astray.

They can build up a false relationship, giving false hope to the emotionally vulnerable.

It is a game where scammers play against fellow sacammers to see who can string people along the greatest length of time.

The personal messages sent by a lonely person seeking a genuine

fronted by a stranger trying to meet them on-line or having stumbled across sites featuring nudity.

More than a quarter indicated their parents had no idea what they were doing when connected to the Internet and when you consider the average child now spends 11.4 hours a week online, that is a lot of time to be exposed to potential threats.

One of the biggest problems being encountered is children taking photos of their friends either unclad or in various stages of undress and posting these on the Internet through Face Book or photosharing sites.

These photos are then lifted off by unscrupulous characters and used on other sites.

The good news for parents is that the survey showed that nearly 90 percent of children surveyed followed family rules for Internet use and that most wanted more parental involvement in their online lives.

Clearly it would be wise for families who have not yet established rules about the Internet and what children should do if contacted by a stranger or confronted with a revealing image, to do so quickly.

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relationship are spread around to others as proof that the scammer is “still in the game” with a victim on the hook.

The end result is the same - a lonely person who is devastated to have been tricked. A person whose self-confidence is pummelled to the depths as a result of seeking a meaningful relationship via the Internet.

Much has been written lately about the danger of predators lurking on chat rooms, Face Book and similar pages but thankfully the police have started to catch them by playing the same game – pretending to be someone else and starting up a conversation to lure predators into a trap.

The advice is aimed at parents of young children but it is sound advice for everyone. Never give out phone numbers, addresses, or send photographs to someone you have met on line. Never give them bank account details and do not send money.

Sadly we must distrust everyone.

And when it comes to children, many parents are blissfully ignorant of the statistics confirmed by an major international survey which showed that more than one in six children had been con-

NE

The merged fund will continue its dedication to the Australian Catholic community with strong investments and personal attentive service.

The new fund will continue to be a low-fee, not-for-profit industry super fund, that does not pay commissions, invests responsibly

and provides unbiased financial advice to its members.

For more information about the merger of Catholic Super and National Catholic Superannuation Fund go to www.merger.ncsf.csf.com.au.

If you would prefer to telephone us call 1300 550 273 or 1300 655 002.

9 ÕÀÊ viÊUÊ"ÕÀÊV Õ ÌÞ

Authorised by CSF Pty Limited ABN 30 006 169 286, Trustee of Catholic Super ABN 50 237 896 957. Information is about the Fund and is not intended as financial advice. It does not take into account specific needs, so members should consider their personal position, objectives and requirements before taking any action.

Page 10 - Catholic Life, July 2010

Nagle’s performance is like Greased Lightning!

BAIRNSDALE - This year’s musical production of Grease by Nagle College students surpassed all expectations.

The singing, dancing, acting, music, props and costumes were fantastic! All but one of the shows was sold out, with many more people wanting to see the show than could be accommodated. The last two shows even played encores!

Thanks to the production team of Dionne Rettino (producer), Juliette Aukema (director), Nigel Plunkett (musical director), and Maureen Plunkett (choral director) who led with such enthusiasm and the student actors and actresses who took up the challenge with maximum energy.

Thanks also to staff, past students and parents who committed many hours of personal time to prepare and manage staging, costumes, hair, props, set-up and bump out, lighting, sound, ticketing and publicity. A special

Bishop Coffey recovering in Ireland BISHOP-Emeritus Jeremiah Coffey has undergone further surgery in Ireland and is now recuperating.

It is hoped that he will be wellenough to travel in five or six weeks time and then he hopes to return to Australia.

The bishop became ill on a trip to Ireland to visit relatives.

mention to past students Danielle Katal and Kellee John who, at the last moment, sang the songs for a throat-sore cast member.

In the words of director, Juliette Aukema, “It was a triumph on every level. The energy levels and buzz at the Saturday evening performance was tremendous with an enthusiastic and lively audience. Our cast and crew deserved the response.

“I believe Grease was fabulous, on a scale beyond anything that we’ve achieved before, particularly on a technical level. On a craft, talent, dramatic and entertainment level, we have had nothing but excellence from our cast and crew”.

Audience comments included, “lovely to have live music and from a band of only nine who were mostly students. It worked well with the onstage action”.

“The students sang so confidently, even when lip-syncing was needed!” “Choreography and movement were spectacular, fun and relevant to the era”.

“Such wonderful male role models for teenagers and young men, and plenty of action for the girls”. “It was fun, sassy, cheesy, realistic, humorous, colourful and at important moments, heartfelt”.

“If bums on seats were anything to go by, you had six overwhelmingly supported performances!” “Even the ticket sales, advertising, ushering and support were seamless and understated”.

“Great to have a confident MC to kick things off and end the

NAGLE College cast members performing one of the many popular numbers from the stage musical Grease. event”, “Lighting was colourful and extravagant as is the Grease theme”.

Commenting at the cast party, student Lauren Cox said “it will be the highlight of our Year 12”.

Back at school Lizz Plunkett and many others said, “I don’t want it to end!” Musicians Chris Standfield and Edward Long think “it’s the best thing we have done at Nagle so far”.

Ex-principal finds gold FORMER Nagle College principal Fr Frank Freeman SDB celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination on July 1.

Fr Freeman was the first Salesian principal and served the school for 10 years from 1990 to 1999.

He now lives in retirement in Melbourne.

Fr Freeman was raised in West Gippsland and although he has spent most of his life outside the region has always been proud of his Gippsland heritage.

He edits the Salesian Bulletin magazine and is a long time member and former treasurer of the Australasian Catholic Press Association.

Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 11

Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

(Mark10:17)

Good Youth News with Jess Denehy & Kelly Lucas RECENTLY at a dinner party my brother told a story. His friends had questioned him about me with concern, wanting to know why I was advertising on Facebook that it is cool to be Catholic. They wanted to know if I was serious or just taking the mickey.

At first my brother didn’t believe his friends that I would be posting something like that on Facebook for my 432 friends to see, many of whom are his friends too. But after checking for himself he realised that ‘Cool 2B Catholic’ was definitely on my page.

He then worked out I was talking about a retreat Jess and I were running over the school holidays. He explained to his mates my job and why I was promoting ‘Church stuff’.

But it got me thinking, can you be ‘cool’, ‘Catholic’ and proud of it in today’s society without being ridiculed or picked on?

My big moment of evangelisation, or in other words, when I realised it was okay to be proud of my faith was during my pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Germany 2005.

I signed up for the pilgrimage thinking it would help me connect further with the Catholic Church and therefore help be to be a better religion teacher for the grade I was teaching at the time.

I had an amazing time during the three week experience, travelling with 300 other young people from Melbourne and Sale. I experienced rock concerts where people danced, moshed and screamed to Christian music. I experienced Mass in stunning basilicas, cathedrals, chapels and hallways with inspiring priests, funny seminarians and amazing musicals.

I ate gelato as I wandered the streets many saints had wandered before me including St Francis, St Anthony and St Claire. And I experienced millions of young people together in one place to share and live their Catholic faith proudly.

Covered in flags, color and emotion, chanting and singing their way through the streets of Cologne Germany, everyone was just happy to be there.

Throughout the whole experience though the biggest impact on me was the nine other girls I travelled with in my small group.

They were the true examples to me of Christ in our world.

They were compassionate, tolerant, normal and fun. They had

jobs, went to uni, partied on the weekends, dated the ‘wrong’ guy at times and ate too much chocolate many more times. And they had faith they were proud of.

They never hid their beliefs from friends or people they met, they didn’t agree with people in conversations just to be agreeable if it wasn’t what they believed 30 young people participated in Cool 2B Catholic camp at St Joseph’s, Iona, last week.

Activities included prayer, games, guest speakers and fabulous volunteer youth leaders.

Here some of the participants show off their art work. A full write-up and more photos is next month’s issue. and they saw many more positives about the Catholic Church then negativities.

These girls were a great example to me of how to live my life as a young Catholic. My leader Fleur and group member Rachael were the biggest influences on me.

Neither are afraid to tell me like it is when they think I need to hear it. Both pray with me and for me. Both make going to Mass part of normal weekend activities. Both use God to help them through their struggles and to celebrate the good times. Both

give me the courage to say “Yes, I’m Catholic and I’m proud of that”. Both are true friends.

My life has changed a lot since meeting these girls and realising how important my faith is to me.

I continued teaching for a few more years at Columba Catholic Primary School and volunteering to help organise WYD08 Sydney before taking on this job as a fulltime Youth Minister for the Diocese.

I met a wonderful guy at a WYD leaders retreat and we were married two months ago at my home parish of St Michael’s in Berwick. I now spend many weekends and evenings with young people exploring our faith and helping them to deepen their relationship with God. I also spend time now with school principals, RE teachers, priests and deacons helping them to also help young people deepen their relationship with God, many of whom I now call friends.

So, can you be cool, Catholic and proud? I think you can. If you truly believe in something, understand it and stand up for what you believe in people will respect you and maybe even look up to you for it. Give it a go!

BOOK your seat to WYD2011 now The next international World Youth Day will be held in Madrid, Spain from 16–21 August 2011. It will be held in the middle of the Spanish summer, attended by an estimated two million pilgrims and organised in a uniquely European manner!

Bishop Christopher Prowse of the Diocese of Sale would like to invite YOU to be part of this international gathering by joining the Diocesan pilgrimage to WYD 2011.

On our arrival in Madrid we will join the throngs of young people from around the world to celebrate our faith and welcome

the Pope. There will be opportunities for catechesis, Daily Mass, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We will witness the Way of the Cross through the streets of Madrid, and participate in the pilgrimage walk, the WYD Vigil with the Pope and the XXVI WYD Papal Mass.

Online registrations are now open! To book your seat for this once-in-a-lifetime experience go to www.wydtours.com, click on “WYD pilgrimages” and follow the links to the Diocese of Sale page. Or for more info check out our diocesan website at www.sale.catholic.org.au and follow the youth links.

A Confirmation workshop at Iona

Cool 2B Catholic BUDDING musicians Dom, Craig, Jesse and Michael at the CSYMA confirmation workshop.

By Michael Beards

THIRTY young people participated in Cool 2B Catholic camp at St Joseph’s, Iona, last week. Activities included prayer, games, guest speakers and fabulous volunteer youth leaders. Here some of the participants show off their art work. A full write-up and more photos is next month’s issue.

Youth leader training on go EVERYONE loves it when others are interested in him or her.

Not everyone is looking to be the centre of attention, but we all crave acceptance and relationships. We all want to be known.

Questions provide a great way to know others, so one of your jobs as a youth worker is to ask questions.

Ask. Wait. Listen. Watch. Ask again.

I want to challenge you to become an expert about your students.

The only way to become an expert is to ask good questions

Book for WYD2011

so you can know your material inside and out. Ask personal questions, questions that cause your students to think, open up, and share what really matters to them.

Ask questions that challenge them and help them see where God is working in their life.

Ask and listen. Don’t give students all the answers. Don’t talk forever about yourself. Students hear enough lectures and probably don’t need another one.

Listening shows you care and builds trust—which can lead to a relationship that impacts them

for an eternity.

Like They Say… “Learning to ask good questions opens relational doors, deepens the possibility for fellowship, and sets the stage for personal growth. Start asking!”—Steve Merritt, Group Magazine If you would like to subscribe to a weekly “Youth Leader Training on the Go” email please email Jess at jessd@sale.catholic.org.au.

THE students of St Francis Xavier’s Year 10 CSYMA class went to Iona to teach those in St Michael’s Parish, Berwick, about confirmation.

The students went through three rotations on the day – one art rotation, one drama rotation and one practice of what will happen on the day.

We started the day off by introducing the concept of Confirmation and explaining what Confirmation is to the students.

We played some songs for them during this, and then the day’s events were explained, and everyone went off to their rotation.

During the art rotation, the students did two things – one was to identify the seven gifts of the spirit. They would draw or write what that gift meant to them and put it into a bag to take home.

The second was to make a flame symbolising Confirmation and write their name, their sponsor’s name and their school/parish.

During the drama rotation, the students were asked to do a dramatic presentation that relates to Confirmation. They would be split into groups, and the presentation had to have

two endings – one good and one bad.

During the practice, the students worked with staff that came on the day and did a runthrough of what would happen on the day of their Confirmation.

The students were split into six groups based on when they would have their Confirmation, so they will most likely see their groups when they are Confirmed.

After the three rotations, we said our farewells and finished with the song “Evermore”. All in all, it was a great day and everyone enjoyed themselves.

The students of St Francis Xavier can only hope that the students of S. Michael’s parish also had a great time and learned many new things about Confirmation to prepare them for their confirming of their vows.

• Michael Beards is a youth ministry student at St Francis Xavier College, Beaconsfield.

REMEMBER if providing photos for use in Catholic Life they must be shot on the highest quality setting on your camera. Full names of those in the photo must also be provided.

Page 12 - Catholic Life, July 2010

The triumphant return to Sale of Bishop Corbett Part 2 THIS is a continuation of Bishop Corbett’s 1890 speech in Sale on his travels, the first part of which was reproduced in Catholic Life last month. In this concluding article, he describes returning to his own county of Limerick in Ireland. The full text of the first part can be read on www.sale.catholic.org.au.

THE Mayor of that city (Limerick), through which flows the magnificent Shannon, was one of that noble band of patriots who were now so zealously engaged battling in the British House of Commons for the interests of dear old Ireland.

Their gratitude was deep for the generosity of the Irish race in Australia in having sent to them, when they, the people of Ireland, were in dire distress, a noble sum on behalf of the evicted tenants.

He had been asked what he thought of the country. The reply he gave was very much like that generally given by the enemies of Ireland.

He never saw Ireland look so

Gippsland History with Patrick Morgan well. He thought he never saw it look so green – and they know how green it was - and never so luxuriant. To what was this to be attributed? To this alone – that coercion laws cannot stop the blades of grass from growing as they grow.

But there was a sad side to the picture – where was the agriculture? Where was the cultivation?

Where were the cattle to eat the grass? They were not to be found.

In districts he knew well, farmers who once lived there in prosperity had gone to Australia, and many more were scattered over the United States simply because they could not pay exorbitant rents to the landlords.

Another allusion in the address was the telegram sent to the sole statesman, he might say,

of England. On the day previous to the 80th birthday of Mr Gladstone, Bishop Corbett and the Bishop of Maitland were both animated with the same idea of joining in sending a telegram to him, and they accordingly sent it. This was the message: “On behalf of the Irish of Australia, may you live long to witness the happiness of Ireland, a nation once again”.

That message was received, no doubt, in the very same spirit in which it was sent. He had no doubt, furthermore, they simply expressed the feeling of the Irish people in Gippsland and Maitland, but many of English blood, too.

There were many in England who never saw Ireland, and knew little or nothing of the

The Wind in the Willows SEEKING JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT by Dr Renu Rita Silvano, published by Our Sunday Visitor, distributed by Rainbow Books, paperback, 254 pages, rrp $27.95.

IF, as John’s Gospel prologue proclaims, Jesus existed from the very beginning of time, he should also be found in the Old Testament.

The author leads readers through the Old Testament to discover the clues that foretold the life and death of Jesus.

Catholics should not be surprised to find the links because our regular Sunday readings often link the old with a related Gospel story.

One of the better known is the link from Isaiah which states “Behold a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”.

This is always linked to the Jesus birth narratives.

As well as the obvious links, there are also many more obscures ones mentioned in this book.

It is a good read and also prompts discussion as to whether the Gospel writers were out to depict Jesus as fulfilling as many Old Testament passages as much as possible, or whether the prophets and authors of the Psalms were truly gifted with insight in what was to come.

In drawing out the links between the two testaments, the author answers the often-asked question “How relevant is the Jewish Testament to Christians?”

He highlights the relevance of the Old Testaments as a source of inspiration as we discover the clues that foretold the life and death of Jesus.

THE GOSPEL IN THE WILLOWS, by Leslie J. Francis, published by Darton, Longman and Todd, distributed by Rainbow Books, paperback, 192 pages, rrp $16.95.

KENNETH Grahame’s classic

Talking about Books story The Wind in the Willows has been an inspiration for young readers for more than a century.

What this author has done is to take the wisdom embedded in the original and then weave it into a profoundly Christian pattern which glows with spirituality.

Professor Francis is an Anglican priest, psychologist, and Professor of Religions and Education at the University of Warwick.

He has turned the adventures of Ratty, Mole and Toad into a Gospel, narrated by Grahame.

Forty themes are developed, each small pieces of wisdom to reflect on and study.

In the first episode is a scene in which Mole has been working hard all morning house cleaning when he was called to the surface.

In parallel with this is the story from Mark’s Gospel where fishermen Simon and Andrew are working by the Sea of Galillee when they receive the call from Jesus to follow him.

What follows is a meditation on being called from your busyness in one task to do something else. A short prayer closes the reflection.

The temptation when reading one of these short meditations is to go onto the next but it is recommended that you resist this.

To get full benefit from the exercise you need time to reflect on what you may have learnt, query whether there is a message in the reading for you and to let the words sink in.

This would be ideal as a short intoduction to a regular group discussion or just simply used as a personal reflection.

THE CATHOLIC SOURCE BOOK, published by Harcourt Religious Publishers, distributed

by Rainbow Books, paperback, 508 pages, rrrp $46.95.

THIS is a newly revised fourth edition of the Catholic Source Book which is a comprehensive collection of information to help people learn more about their faith, renew, teach and live a Christian life.

There is a little bit about everything about Catholicism in this work, covering prayers, tradtions, scripture, the Church, liturgy, Catholic devotions, veneration of saints, Catholic sysmbols and the origins of words and phrases.

For instance did you know why above the door of many confessionals there is a carving of a rose? It comes from the term sub rosa, literally under the rose, which means that anything said under the rose is in the strictest confidence. That dates back to the myth of Cupid bringing a rose to the God of Silence so he would not reveal the amorous actities of Venus.

You can also learn about the 33 Doctors of the Church, authors of eminent holiness who the Church regards as having enhanced its cause. Only three are women.

The ability to see far-off places and events is called bilocal sight.

St Clare, founder of the Poor Clares is credited with having such a gift and so, even though television was not invented until 700 years after her death, in 1953 she was named patron saint of television.

With such tidbits of trivia interwoven with the information about our faith, this book makes for great reading and reference.

Bishop James Corbett Irish race, but who were now her most indefatigable and influential champions.

There were many in the country who, if they studied the Irish question, would be fired with enthusiasm at the efforts made to redress the wrongs that have for many years affected the dearest interests of their country.

One of the first places Bishop Corbett was bound to go was the Eternal City, to pay his respects to the Holy Father, to get his blessing for the work imposed upon him, and also to get his blessing for them.

When he went to the Holy Father he received him most kindly, as he did everyone who went into his presence. Among other things, the Holy Father asked him what was the nationality of the people under his care.

His Lordship took care not to blow [skite] in his presence, and simply said “Holy Father, I believe I am perfectly correct in saying that under my jurisdiction there are scarcely 50 who have not Irish blood coursing in their veins, and these 50 are no less faithful to the Church.”

The Holy Father asked him if the people were good, and His Lordship replied to the effect that it was only necessary to say that they came from Ireland - the Irish people have always been good.

The Holy Father asked if the people were generous, and the Bishop replied “Yes,” and that they gave according to their means.

His Lordship said that one of his chief objects was to select a community of religious sisters, and he asked the Holy Father’s

blessing for them.

It was no easy matter to get a community of nuns. He went to several convents in the United States. Every city he went to in a line of 4000 miles from San Francisco, up even to Baltimore, he asked for volunteers for Gippsland. How many did he get? He got none.

He found his way to France, that country which ever sympathises so strongly with Ireland, and continuing his importunities, he eventually succeeded in that country in obtaining them.

He had no doubt, in the words of the address that had been presented to him, that they would appreciate this community of nuns.

Furthermore six priests had come out. One had already come here, and five others had accompanied his Lordship. They were prepared to tear themselves away from home and country and go after the scattered children of Ireland.

On arriving in Melbourne the nuns became the guest of the Sisters of the Presentation Order, St Kilda.

The house outside (the Sale cathedral) was the Church’s; it was not his, and he had told the Mother General of the congregation of the nuns, who were there before them that day, that the house was for them.

It was a small house, and he did not promise them a palace.

He and the clergy would be inconvenienced for a time, but that would soon pass away.

The great thing that his Lordship and the clergy had at heart was that the children should be educated, and they wanted their educators provided with a home.

He asked them would they not give everything for the sake of the child. The Christian Mother was always prepared to make every sacrifice for the education of the child.

The nuns took charge of the girls’ school on Monday morning. Boys up to eight years may also attend, and are attending, the convent primary school.

A High School has been established. The nuns are holders of diplomas from the Paris and London Academies, and the schools conducted by their order both in France and in England have always been looked upon as among the first educational institutions in either country.

(The nuns Bishop Corbett refers to are the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion, who started Our Lady of Sion College in Sale.)

Central Catholic Bookshop 322 Lonsdale St., Melbourne (Next door to St Francis’ Church)

Visit our website at www.catholicbookshop.com.au Browse through our range of books and sacramental and religious gifts or search for specific items by author, title or keyword Open seven days Phone and mail orders welcome. Credit cards accepted

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Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 13

For the Young and Young at Heart Our July colouring contest Time for a Laugh A lone tourist who is passing through the suburbs on the way to town by car, unfortunately experiences mechanical problems with the automobile. The car stalls and the tourist parks the car by the side of the road and waits for help.

Not much later, a farmer happens to pass by with a truck full of farm animals.

The farmer offers the tourist a lift to town and proceeds to explain that he is bringing his farm animals to the town market, where they will be auctioned off to the highest bidders.

Well, it so happens that on the way to the town, the farmer being so engrossed in his story, unintentionally wanders into the other side of road where he collides with another vehicle.

The truck tips over, the tourist winds up thrown into a ditch and suffers broken ribs and a broken arm and leg and is obviously in extreme pain. The farm animals are all injured badly but the farmer, only suffers cuts and scrapes.

The farmer gets out of the truck, sadly looks at all the injured stock, then gets out his gun to put the injured animals out of their misery.

Meanwhile, the injured tourist witnesses all of this shooting in great horror.

The farmer, gun in hand, then moves over to the side of the ditch and looks at the tourist. “Are you okay down there?” asked the farmer.

“Never felt better in my entire life” the tourist yelled back.

“WHAT a waste of time” exclaimed the little girl as she came back from her first day at school.

“I am wasting my time. I can’t read, I can’t write and they won’t let me talk.”

WHAT do you get if you cross a cricken with an octopus?

A roast dinner where everyone gets a drumstick.

TO those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students ... here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend To His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was “ DON’T !”

“Don’t what?” Adam replied.

“Don’t eat the forbidden fruit,” God said.

“Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit!”

“No Way!” “For sure! God said so!”

“Do NOT eat the fruit!” said God again.

“Why?” “Because I am your Father and I said so!” God replied, wondering why He hadn’t stopped creation after making the elephants A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was amazed!

“Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit?” God asked.

“Uh huh,” Adam replied.

“Then why did you?”said the Father.

“I don’t know,” said Eve. “She started it!” Adam said.

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“DID NOT!” Having had it with the two of them, God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own.

Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

Q. Why did the man with one hand cross the road?

A. To get to the second hand shop.

“MISTER, why doesn't this cow have any horns?" asked the young lady from a nearby city.

The farmer cocked his head for a moment, then began in a patient tone, “Well, ma'am, cattle can do a powerful lot of damage with horns.

“Sometimes we keep 'em trimmed down with a hacksaw. Other times we can fix up the young 'uns by puttin' a couple drops of acid where their horns would grow in, and that stops 'em cold.

“Still, there are some breeds of cattle that never grow horns. But the reason this cow don't have no horns, ma'am, is 'cause it's a horse."

“WHAT time does the library open?" the man on the phone asked.

“9am” came the reply. “And what's the idea of calling me at home in the middle of the night to ask a question like that?”

“Not until 9am?” the man asked in a disappointed voice.

“No, not till 9am!” the librarian said. “Why do you want to get in before 9am?”

“Who said I wanted to get in?” the man sighed sadly. “I want to get out.”

Q. What did the judge say to the dentist?

A. Do you swear to pull the tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth.

Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Send entries to: Colouring Contest, c/- Catholic Life, PO Box 183, Sale. 3853

And this month’s winner is...

Here’s a happy student DISPLAYING the book prize he won last month is Ethan O’Loan, 8, who attends Mary MacKillop Primary School in Narre Warren North.

He could not have been happier when we called to deliver the prize.

Judging entries is very hard, especially when there are so many good young artists out at our primary schools.

Meanwhile, everyone should try their skill in colouring this month’s picture and you could also be a winner.

✰✰ Ryan Dyke, Trafalgar ✰✰ RYAN is seven years old and goes to St Joseph’s Primary School in Trafalgar.

It is quite some time since we had a winner from Trafalgar, so we look forward to visiting the school.

His prize will be delivered shortly.

Page 14 - Catholic Life, July 2010

Marists say farewell after long Traralgon association

Lakes Entrance stalwart dies

TRARALGON – The Marist Brothers have left Traralgon after an association of almost 50 years.

The brothers arrived in Traralgon in 1962 , taking control of St Paul’s College from the Marist Fathers who had staffed it since its inception in 1956.

First Marist Brother principal was Br Placidus who was honoured by Queen Elizabeth in 1968 by being made a Member of the British Empire under the old imperial system on honors.

St Paul’s was constructed to meet the urgent need for a Catholic boys’ secondary school between Sale and Warragul.

WELL-KNOWN Lakes Entrance parishioner Jack Allen died suddenly on June 28.

His funeral Mass was celebrated by his son Fr John Allen, Narre Warren, his nephew Fr Greg Bourke, Hoppers Crossing, Bishop Christopher Prowse and many priests of Sale Diocese.

It was held at St Brendan’s Church, Lakes Entrance on July 2 and was attended by a large crowd mourners, many coming from all over the state.

Mr Allen was born in Lakes Entrance and lived in the town all his life, apart from a time during World War 2 when he served in the RAAF. He married Theresa Bourke, a Middle Park girl, and together

Eventually, Kildare College, a Traralgon girls’ school run by the Brigidine Sisters, merged with St Paul’s to form a modern two campus co-educational secondary college known as Catholic Regional College which was run by the Marists..

Further changes occurred when Presentation College, Moe, closed down and its junior campus at Newborough joined with the CRC Traralgon campuses to form Lavalla College.

Current provincial of the Marists Br Julian Casey was the last Marist to be principal of the college.

The Marist Brothers were

farewelled at Mass at St Michael’s Church at the end of last month.

Br Bill Dillon has moved to a Melbourne community, Br Mark Needham will move to the Sale community but continue on at the staff of Lavalla, and Br Kevin Hoare has returned to Marist Missions and will be working at Santa Teresa Aboriginal community in Central Australia.

Br Anthony O’Brien who was a popular member of the Marist community at Traralgon is recovering from a long period of illness and will also transfer to another Marist community.

College has young tradies in training SALE Building and Construction at Catholic College Sale has proved to be a very successful and popular subject as it not only provides students with life skills, but it gives them a taste of the trade industry.

The course provides a great opportunity for students to take the next step towards a career as they learn specific skills related to the trade industry - the type of skills that trade employers are looking for.

The Building and Construction course offered by the college is an officially recognised pre-apprenticeship training course as taught at TAFE, however undertaking pre-apprenticeship training whilst remaining in the school environment has many benefits, such as continuing pastoral care, academic and sporting opportunities and retain existing friendship and support groups.

Students learn the intricacies of the building industry including occupational health and safety and first aid which entitles them to receive an industry induction card, allowing access to worksites.

Although based on practical skills, students are taught much more than hand skills alone.

They learn important work ethics such as punctuality, reliability, time management and a general business understanding of the Building Industry, making this course very appealing to prospective employers.

The students work in teams of three and complete one project per term.

Building and Construction teacher Roger Bradley said the school was always looking for projects in the community for the students to complete.

“The students enjoy completing work outside of the school environment. It gives them more responsibility and the opportu-

DIRECTOR of Gumnuts Early Learning Centre, Brendan Ronan (left) with Year 11 students Luke Missen and Gary White, and teacher Ron Toogood. nity to work independently”. learned throughout their course are not committed to a particuGumnuts Early Learning and they always deliver a quality lar trade, they can and indeed Centre’s director, Brendan product.” are encouraged, to gain experiRonan is a great supporter of the Students who undertake pre- ence in a number of different project. “We appreciate the apprenticeship training at school industries including carpentry, chance to get more involved with the community and give opportunities to local students” he said.

Gumnuts has recently purchased a cubby house built by the college students which the children love and they have a number of ongoing projects including an interactive overA CDF Pre-Paid Funeral plan allows you to arrange and pay for your funeral in sized abacus fence and toddlersized picnic tables to be completadvance at today's prices with the funeral director of your choice. Neither you nor ed later in the year. those you leave behind will have to worry about it again.

“It is beneficial to the students to work in a real life scenario” CDF Pre-Paid Funerals are the only Fund established specifically said Mr Bradley “to build a for South Eastern Victoria. cubby house for sale encourages the students to draw on the quality principals that they have Monies paid are invested locally through the government approved Trust Fund.

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they raised 10 children – Margaret (Ross), Elsie (Johnstone), Kathleen (Morrison), Joan (Appleby), John, Maureen (Santamaria), Arthur, Mary (Keeley), Eileen (Paparo) and Robert. The couple also had 35 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren.

Mrs Allen predeceased her husband in 2005.

Mr Allen was very active in the local community and was a life member of the football club, a cemetery trust member and an expert on the history of the local fishing industry, Many of his talks, reflections and reminisces could be heard on local ABC radio.

He was always very involved in St Brendan’s parish and diocesan events. He was a collector, reader, Eucharistic minister and leader of the parish charismatic prayer group up until the day he died.

Mr Allen was the fourth generation to be born in Lakes Entrance, a direct descendent of William Carstairs, the first European commercial fisherman on the Gippsland Lakes.

Mr Allen was also a commercial fisherman, operated holiday flats and sold fishing bait and tackle. It was through his business involvement that he became known to many people from all over Victoria.

Although possessing a quiet nature, he loved meeting people and listening to their stories – it was one of his gifts.

He also had a great love of the Gippsland Lakes and his parish community. His only brother Buddy predeceased him last year.

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Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 15

The Word of God and the words of God WARRAGUL Bishop Christopher Prowse was welcomed by 90 people involved in charismatic renewal and parishes, from across the diocese, at Sion Teachers’ Centre, Warragul on June 26.

Bishop Prowse presented a day of teaching and prayer.

Narre Warren prayer group provided their rich talent and anointed gift to lead all the people in singing in praise and worship to our living Lord.

Bishop Prowse spoke of the two lungs of our Catholic life.

Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

As each is equally necessary, to our spiritual life as Catholics. In reflecting on the power of scripture he spoke of the Jewish tradition of describing the written word as “black fire” and the space between as “white fire”.

One for, proclaiming and one for reflecting.

A deep quiet and reverence descended on the people as the Bishop, using Lectio Divina,

taught on scripture from the Old and New Testament.

He encouraged quiet reflection and generous sharing of scripture verse speaking to the people.

With readings from St Augustine, St Anselm and St Therese of Lisieux, drawing on the powerful teaching coming to us in the tradition of the Church.

Bishop Prowse, again gave the opportunity to hear the teaching, reflect and share the words that encouraged.

The rich spiritual feast was followed a shared lunch of generous variety.

The day was fittingly completed with a Mass in St Joseph’s church, celebrated by Bishop Prowse with Deacon Mark Kelly assisting. Bishop Christopher in his homily taught on the mission of each baptised to share the gospel and help others to find home in Jesus.

There have been many thankful comments on the teaching day, typified by this response.

Diocese giving is up $8000 for Project Compassion IN an astonishing show of generosity, the Diocese of Sale has surpassed last year’s total for Project Compassion by over $8000.

The total contribution towards the projects all over the world which dignify and empower the very poorest of the poor is $127,496.28.

Diocesan missions officer Susan Grout said thanked the people of the diocese sincerely on behalf of Caritas Australia, which runs the annual appeal.

She said the wonderful effort was even more remarkable when it was realised that an appeal held just before Lent for the devastated island of Haiti raised $51,539.76, and the Communities in Crisis Appeal in late 2009 raised another $43,417.45.

“This is a truly magnificent achievement, which demonstrates yet again the sincere compassion of the people of Gippsland for their brothers and sisters around the world.

“Every parish and school in the diocese has contributed some to the tune of nearly $10 per head – so we can all celebrate our response to the cry of the poor.”

The Millennium Development Goals were the focus for Lent this year; they promote the idea of a “Blueprint for a Better World”. An exhibition on the work of Caritas Australia with the Millennium Development Goals through many projects will revisit Melbourne in September. Watch for the advertisements, and go along. It is a very edifying and worthwhile experience.

The funds raised through Project Compassion in 2010 will be used to increase and expand Caritas Australia’s programs on critical development issues, like: • $1500 could provide five wells that enable communities in Cambodia to access safe water;

• $1000 could help provide a generator and refrigerator to store medicine in remote Papua New Guinea; • $400 could provide a grant for a family to start a small business in East Timor; • $200 could provide a small business loan to help a Cambodian family become selfsufficient; • $100 could provide training and materials for a family in Malawi to build a pit latrine; • $50 could enable two people living with HIV/AIDS to access their daily medicines in El Salvador; • $25 could supply literacy or numeracy materials for young Indigenous Australian students in Western Australia; • $15 could supply blankets for a maternity ward in Papua New Guinea; • $7 could provide one chicken to enable a Cambodian family to begin chicken-raising; • $2 could provide tree seedlings to help reforest eroded land in Malawi.

Caritas Australia works within the structure of Catholic Social Teaching, under the mandate of the Bishops of Australia.

As Pope Paul VI stated: “It is not just a question of eliminating hunger and reducing poverty... [it also] involves building a human community where people can live truly human lives, free from discrimination...”

Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, 1967 #47 Mrs Grout added “Many, many thanks once again to the compassionate and generous people of our diocese. So many of Jesus’ ‘little ones’ will benefit from this wonderful effort.”

For more information on the work of Caritas Australia, visit the website: www.caritas.org.au or contact Susan Grout at susangrout@optusnet.com.au.

To donate by phone, 1800 024 413.

“It was a truly nurturing and enriching day for me. On such a cold day I could have stayed in bed and rested or gone shopping at the nearest ‘shopping shrine’, but I went and received a fresh

infilling of the Holy Spirit.

“I received the gift of tears through the day, refreshing, cleansing and healing the dryness of spirit that had dragged me down for months.

“I received a new fervour to serve again and with new work in the church about to begin, to invite others to find home in Jesus”.

Q & A out in the swamp

BISHOP Prowse surrounded by young ‘swamp’ candidates. answer correctly, getting in trouBy Kelly Lucas ble when they tried to prompt.

One little girl proudly told the As the Confirmation season comes to a close the Bishop Bishop she had chosen Mary made a visit out to the young MacKillop as her saints name. candidates of the ‘swamp’ area, When asked why the girl went on St James Nar Nar Goon, to tell Bishop Christopher that Columba Bunyip and St John’s she really liked how Mary MacKillop stood up for what Koo Wee Rup. The Bishop got up close and she believed in. She also talked personal with the students, dis- with pride how Mary MacKillop cussing the importance of the had stood up to the Bishop of Sacrament, quizzing them on her day. With half a smile across their saints and sponsors and the his face Bishop Christopher said other elements of the day. he thought she was missing some Teachers sat nervously on the of the more “important” things outer, praying students would in Mary MacKillop’s story.

After demonstrating what will happen at Confirmation the Bishop invited students to ask him any questions they liked.

Students wanted to know about the Bishop’s own confirmation, why he became a priest and if he ever wants to be Pope. The Bishop showed his sense of humour with the answers, but you will have to ask him yourself if you want to know too.

After the question and answer time was over teachers finally let out their breaths and everyone enjoyed a sausage in bread together.

Letter from the Bishop:

Closure of Year for Priests 19th July 2010 Dear friends in Christ, Over these days our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has closed the YEAR FOR PRIESTS. We thank Jesus, the High Priest, for giving us this year when our global Church has been able to reflect more profoundly on the great gift of the priesthood.

Benedict XVI has offered us a refreshing catechesis on the priesthood during this past year. He has done this in the various letters, homilies and addresses on the priesthood. In offering all priests St John Mary Vianney as patron, he has highlighted for us all the “genius” of the priesthood: the faithfulness of Christ expressed in the faithfulness of priests.

In the Diocese of Sale, I have had the privilege of leading all our priests and deacons in the Retreat for the YEAR FOR PRIESTS. It was an unforgettable experience. So also was the special Mass of the Oils during Holy Week and the celebrations that followed.

On the local level, I have heard news of many parish and school events in the last year to honour and pray for our priests in the Diocese of Sale and throughout Australia and the world. Prayers for priests and vocations to the priesthood have occurred with great intensity in the diocese.

Opportunities to hear priests testify to the origins of their vocations have taken place. Special Masses celebrating the priesthood and gatherings afterwards have been celebrated in many parishes and regional areas in the diocese.

For all these initiatives we thank the Lord and thank those who assumed leadership in support of the priesthood. All this took place at a time when it is not easy to be a priest for all sorts of reasons. I thank you for your love of the Catholic Church and the priesthood.

I suppose the ultimate fruit of the YEAR FOR PRIESTS would be the increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Let us support in prayer and any other way those among us who feel the Lord is calling them in a religious vocation, especially within our diocese.

May Jesus, the High Priest, and our Blessed Mother, Mary, the Mother of all priests, bless our humble attempts to thank God for the gift of the Priesthood. + Bishop Christopher Prowse Catholic Bishop of Sale.

19th June 2010

Page 16 - Catholic Life, July 2010

Teacher’s debut solo album SALE - Launching his first solo album, Peter Collins touches the heart and soul of people of all ages and backgrounds. Peter, a truly authentic local artist, tells his stories through music and in the spirit of an old fashioned yarn and he is as real as they come.

When you first meet Collins, you see a kind, unassuming man, but he is a man with a moving story – or to be more precise, many moving stories.

His musical influences come through his music and lyrics, with notes of great artists such as Bob Dylan, Cat Stephens and Paul Kelly, but there is no arguing that Peter Collin’s music is his own.

Collins has been a teacher at Catholic College Sale for almost 30 years and has motivated many young men and women along the way. He has dabbled in music for most of his life but it is only in recent years that he has indulged his talent.

He has poured his heart and soul into his debut solo album “Don’t Look Back” and look back he has not.

Collins sings, plays guitar and harmonica and when you listen, you get a real sense of the man.

He sings about the human story, about life’s journey through joy, pain, endurance, passion, togetherness, patriotism.

He is an eternal optimist and his lyrics are inspired by his love of life, a life which has left an indelible mark on his heart, body, mind, and soul and sets the tone for this album.

‘Don’t Look Back’ is an album full of symbolism, evident not only through the lyrics and music, but through the CD cover and design. The photos associated with the printed lyrics in the included songbook all have personal significance to him and relevance to his songs The album was launched in Sale last month.

Eucharistic presence of the Lord Jesus on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Although it was a very wet Sunday they were blessed with sunshine for the entire proces-

sion through the streets of Cranbourne.

The canopy bearers and escorts functions were carried out by the Samoan Divine Mercy Prayer Group and Choir.

Hospitals details lacking HOSPITAL and aged care service planning is in uncertainty across Australia as the Federal Government continues to make health reform announcements without detailing how they work with the yet to be established Local Hospital Networks.

Catholic Health Australia chief executive officer Martin Laverty said the newly released Framework for Development of Primary Healthcare Organisations left health and aged care organisations in the dark as to how primary health care organisations would improve integration with general practice.

The Framework calls for primary health care organisations, to be known as Medicare Locals, to work with health professionals to “cooperate and collaborate.”

Mr Laverty said the Federal

What’s on & when July

Rain holds off for procession

CRANBOURNE - About 350 parishioners participated in the Eucharistic procession conducted by St Agatha’s Parish every two years as a joyful sign of witness and faith in the

Quick calendar

Government should establish a health reform implementation commission to pin down the detail of reform and enable health and aged care providers to plan for the future.

“We remain supportive of the health reform proposals, but we are yet to see detail as to how the new system will actually work towards improvement in patient care. The uncertainty is now causing planning confusion within health and aged care services.

“The Framework for Medicare Locals, by its own admission, was drafted without consultation with health care providers. If hospital providers and aged care services are not consulted, you have to wonder just how integration between primary, acute, and aged care will be achieved.”

He said the challenge for the

government was that most primary care in Australia was delivered through private practice and those employed in non government organisations.

“Getting ‘cooperation and collaboration’ from this diverse group with remarkably different interests and motivations is hard. It can’t be done with a big stick, but can be done with incentives.”

The CHA Survey of Access to General Practice Services in Residential Aged Care released last month found 57 per cent of aged care home respondents had on occasion transferred residents to hospital emergency departments because of a doctor shortage.

Eighteen per cent reported having to do so ‘fairly frequently’ or ‘regularly’.

9-20 – Bishop Prowse’s pastoral visit to Nigeria 15 – First anniversary of installation of Bishop Prowse as 8th Bishop of Sale 15 – Episcopal visit by Bishop of Bathurst, Bishop Michael McKenna to Stratford and Sale 21-31 – Bishop Prowse’s pastoral visit to India 22 – Memorial of St Mary Magdalene 23 – Official opening of new library at Sacred Heart Primary School, Morwell, 1.30am 23 – Traralgon confirmations, 6pm and 8pm 24 – Newborough confirmations, 2pm 24 – Moe confirmations, 6pm 30 – Visit by Filipino evangelist Stanley Villavicencio, Our Lady Help of Christians Church, Narre Warren, 7.30pm

August 2

- Deadline of August Catholic Life 3 – Official opening new buildings at St Mary’s Primary, Yarram, noon 3 - Visit by Filipino evangelist Stanley Villavicencio, St Michael’s Church, Traralgon, 7.30pm 6 – The Transfiguration 8 – Special collections for Mary MacKillop canonisation 8 – Feast day of Bl Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) 10 – East region meeting, Bairnsdale, 10.30am 11 - Catholic Life published 11 - South region meeting, St Laurence’s parish centre, Leongatha, 11.15am 11 – Catholic Development Fund board meeting, Sale 15 – Mass to celebrate 30th anniversary of Narre Warren parish, 11am 15 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 17 – Central region meeting, St John’s parish centre, Trafalgar, 7.30pm 17 – Spirituality day on Mary MacKillop, Teachers’ Centre, Catholic Education Office, Warragul, 10am to 3.30pm.

18 – Council of Priests and Consultors meetings, Sale, noon 19 – Valley region meeting, Moe, noon 20 – Memorial of St Bernard 21 – Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting, Traralgon, 9.30am 22 – Yarram confirmations, 11am 22 – Foster confirmations, 2pm 25 - West region meeting, St Agatha’s parish centre, Cranbourne, 10.30am 28 – Memorial of St Augustine of Hippo 29 – Migrant Sunday diocesan Mass and celebrations, St Patrick’s Church, Pakenham, 2pm 31 – Closing date for funding requests to Bishops’ Family Foundation

September 1-3 – Australasian Catholic Press Association confer-

ence, Hobart 3-5 – Australasian Religious Press Association conference, Hobart 3 – Memorial of St Gregory the Great 5 – Father’s Day 5 – Annual appeal for Priests’ Welfare Foundation 6 - Deadline of September Catholic Life 6-10 –International Priests’ Retreat for Asia-Oceania, Singapore. Bishop Prowse a keynote speaker 14 – Official opening of new buildings at St John’s Primary, Koo Wee Rup, 1.30pm 15 - Catholic Life published 15 – Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows 16 – National E-Conference – ‘Jesus the Christ’ 18 – School holidays begin 21-24 – Sale Diocese clergy inservice, Corpus Christi, Carlton 21 – Feast of St Matthew, apostle 23 – Memorial of St Pio of Pietrelcino 26 – Launch of Social Justice Sunday Statement 27 – Memorial of St Vincent de Paul

October 1 – Memorial of St Therese of Lisieux 3 – Daylight saving begins (clocks forward) 4 - Deadline of October Catholic Life 4 – Term 4 begins 4 – Memorial of St Francis of Assisi 5 – Talk on One Body, One Spirit in Christ by Fr Peter Williams, CEO, Warragul, 5pm 6-7 – Clergy Liturgy conference, Cowes 7 – Serra Mass for vocations, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 5.30pm 7 - Talk on One Body, One Spirit in Christ by Fr Peter Williams, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 6pm 7 – Our Lady of the Rosary 10 – Mass of St Francis and procession, Sacred Heart Church, Morwell, 2.30pm 12-24 – Bishop Prowse overseas attending canonisation of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop, Rome 13 - Catholic Life published 13 – CDF Board meeting, Sale 15 – Memorial of St Teresa 17 – Canonisation of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Rome 18 – Feast of St Luke, evangelist 21 – Valley region meeting, Newborough, noon 27 – Meetings of Council of Priests and Consultors, Sale, noon 28 – Healing Mass, Korumburra

November 1 – All Saints Day 1 - Deadline of November Catholic Life 2 – Melbourne Cup (public holiday) 2 – All Souls Day 5-7 – Official visit of Bishop Prowse to Koo Wee Rup parish 9 – East region meeting,

Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 17

world news ... world news ...

Pope’s encouragement for more priest vocations POPE Benedict XVI has spoken of the need to encourage young people to hear God’s call to become priests, in response to a question from a young Melbourne priest.

Fr Anthony Denton attended a prayer vigil in Rome to conclude the Year for Priests, Speaking on behalf of the Oceania clergy, he asked the Pope what could be done to encourage more vocations.

In response the Pope said the following which is reprinted from the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano: Thank you. You have touched upon a great and painful problem of our time: the lack of vocations, because of which local Churches are in danger of perishing, for lack of the Word of life, missing the presence of the Eucharist and other Sacrament. What’s to be done?

The temptation is to take things into our own hands is great, the temptation to transform priesthood – the Sacrament of Christ to be chosen by Him –

into a normal profession, a “job” with specific working hours, and for the rest one belongs only to onseself.

If we do so, we make it like any other vocation; we make it accessible and easy. But this is a temptation which does not solve the problem.

It reminds me of the story of Saul, the King of Israel, who before the battle against the Philistines waits for Samuel for the necessary sacrifice to God. When Samuel does not arrive as expected, Saul himself makes the sacrifice, although not a priest (cf 1 Samuel 13). He thought to resolve the problem, which of course he does not, because if one tries to take in hand what he cannot do, he makes himself God, or nearly so, then one cannot expect that things really go in the way of God. If we too only perform a profession like any other, giving up the sacred, the novelty, the diversity of the sacrament which only God can give, that can only

Pope Benedict XVI come from His calling and not from our “doing”, we would not solve anything.

The more we should – as the Lord invites us – pray to God, knock on His door, at the heart of God, to give us vocations, to pray with great insistence, with great determination, even with great conviction. For God does not close Himself to a persistent,

A new church for new town

By John Pontifex CATHOLICS in Egypt are seizing a rare opportunity to build a church in a country where permission normally takes up to 30 years and requires the signature of the president himself.

Outlining the plans, Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina of Guizeh explained that the church in question was being fast-tracked because it will be the first such structure to be built in a new town close to the 6th October City, a fast-growing metropolis, south of the capital, Cairo.

In an interview with the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Mina stressed that the plans were still in their infancy but added that the scheme looks set to move ahead quickly because the Egyptian authorities make exceptions for church structures proposed for new urban areas.

He said the government had allocated a 300-square-metre plot of land on which to build both the church and a school.

Emphasising a huge influx of people to the area around 6th October City – especially the young – Bishop Mina said: “Our people are very strong in their faith and they keep saying they want a church.”

The bishop added: “It will be very easy for this church to be built. It is because the government follows the line that in every new urban area there should be a church.”

Bishop Mina is turning to ACN for help with the project.

The scheme is estimated at $438,000 and in due course the bishop will present ACN with a formal request help with the scheme which will be cofinanced by a number of different agencies.

The bishop said he will have more details on costs after receiving a structural engineer’s report, expected soon.

The project’s swift progress is

in marked contrast to the normal procedure in Egypt where church building is problematic.

Obtaining approval can take decades and requires the personal authorisation of the president.

Bishop Mina is also turning to Aid to the Church in Need for help with plans for two pastoral centres, one for a parish in Guizeh city itself and another in a nearby village.

high number for such a small diocese which numbers less than 6,000 Catholics and was only created in 2003.

Ever since the diocese was established, the charity has given key support for Guizeh, whose name is well known because the Pyramids are located there.

Bishop Mina’s diocese is part of the Coptic Catholic Church, which numbers 250,000 in a country where the majority Christian denomination – the Coptic Orthodox Church – has between eight and 10 million faithful.

Across the country, ACN has given ongoing support for projects including training for priests, monks and religious Sisters, as well as Christian education and formation including ACN’s Child’s Bible.

permanent, confident prayer, even when He makes us wait, like Saul, beyond the time we expected.

This seems to me the first point: to encourage the faithful to have humility, this confidence, this courage to pray insistently for vocations, to knock at the heart of God to give us priests.

In addition to this I would like to make some three points. The first: each of us should strive to live his priesthood in such a way as to be convincing. In such a manner that young people might say this is a true calling, one can live in this way, in this way one can do essential things for the world.

I think that none of us would have become a priest if we had not met convincing priests who were on fire with the love of Christ. So this is the first point: Let us strive to be convincing priests.

The second point is that we must invite, as I said before, people to join in prayer, to have this humility, this trust to speak to

God forcefully, decisively.

The third point: have the courage to talk with young people about whether God is calling them, because often a human word is required to open one to hear the divine call. Talk with young people and especially help them find a vital context in which they can live.

Today’s world is such that the maturation of a priestly vocation seems to be ruled out. Young people need environments in which to live their faith, in which to experience the beauty of faith, in which to feel that this is the way of life, “the” way of life.

And help them find movements, or the parish – the community of parish – of elsewhere, where they really are surrounded by faith, by God’s love, and can therefore become open so that the call of God may arrive and help them.

Moreover, we thank the Lord for all the seminarians of our time, for the young priests, and we pray. The Lord will help us!

Thank you all!

Commission closes BRUSSELS - After a raid that was denounced by Benedict XVI and resulted in the confiscation of confidential files, a commission to investigate sexual abuse by the clergy is shutting down.

Some 500 confidential files in Leuven, Belgium, were taken three weeks ago by law enforcement officials from the office of Peter Adriaensses, president of the commission for the treatment of sexual abuses.

The commission was created by the bishops in 2000. It was formed by independent professionals to respond to allegations of sexual abuse in the Church.

According to a communiqué from the commission, it is now impossible to work, since all the files have been taken.

Moreover, the statement

lamented, “there is no longer a base for operating, that is, the indispensable trust between [officials of] justice and the commission, needed to ensure the trust between the victims and the commission.”

The commission members affirmed that “there has always been an effort to ensure all the rights of the victims, specifically through the convention with justice [officials] published on the Web page.”

Without this agreement, they stated, “475 citizens would have never had the confidence to give us their information.”

Commission members announced that they will give their resignations to Bishop Guy Harpigny of Tournai on July 1.

Partnership on London visit Bishop Mina The charity has also supported the diocese with kindergartens, small schools, social and pastoral centres and medical dispensaries.

The bishop thanked ACN for its ongoing help in his diocese, which includes sponsorship of annual summer camps for youngsters receiving Christian education during the school holidays.

Bishop Mina went on: “I assure the prayers of my people for the benefactors and other friends of Aid to the Church in Need.

“ACN’s warm spirit of generosity I will take back with me to Egypt to share with my people.”

The diocese has five major seminarians, a comparatively

LONDON - Almost two months before Benedict XVI’s upcoming visit to the United Kingdom, the Church leaders and State authorities are closely collaborating to make the event a success.

Lord Patten of Barnes, who is in charge of the government preparations for the Pope’s State visit, explained this to journalists in a press conference he gave with Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster.

The baron, Prime Minister David Cameron’s personal representative for the preparations of the September 16-19 Papal visit, said that the government is “strongly supportive” of the event.

He underlined areas in which the Church and State are collaborating, in particular highlighting “international development” as “one of the priorities of this government.”

In this area, Lord Patten noted that the government partners

with the Catholic Church worldwide to address “poverty issues, education and health.”

He continued, “The government sees itself as a partner of all faith groups — including the Catholic Church — in building solid, more resilient communities, dealing with issues of solidarity and social justice.”

The baron expressed enthusiasm over the September 19 beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, which will be presided over by the Pope.

“It’s splendid that we can welcome the Pope to celebrate the life of one of the great Englishmen of the 19th Century,” he said.

“Certainly anyone involved with higher education in this country will recognise the extraordinary philosophical role he played in setting out the case for pluralism in education and the role of university.”

For his part, Archbishop Nichols, president of the

Bishops’ conference of England and Wales, reported that he recently met with Benedict XVI in Rome, and the Pope was looking forward to these few days.

“He is enthusiastic but also very aware of the magnitude of this visit,” the prelate affirmed.

“He, so elegantly representing a long tradition of Catholic faith, is coming to engage in a modern world leading city.”

The archbishop underlined the historic nature of this visit, stating that “it will be seen in some of the iconic moments and images: the Pope standing side by side with Queen Elizabeth, the Pope entering Lambeth Palace, the Pope speaking in Westminster Hall — where St Thomas More was condemned to death — the Pope going to Westminster Abbey and praying with the Archbishop of Canterbury at the tomb of St Edward the Confessor, monarch of this land.”

Page 18 - Catholic Life, July 2010

Going to school in days of ‘Young Gippsland’

By Terry Synan ALL of us remember our youthful days of schooling. We possess vivid recollections of school buildings, teachers, students who were with us, the “big days” plus the text books and various pieces of learned information and scattered facts.

The older ones among us thought in terms of visiting Britain as returning “home”.

Many still retain cherished grade readers liberally laced with beautiful etchings and poignant drawings of human striving and Empire. The Sun, we learnt, never set on it.

What has Young Gippsland to report about the education it received, the schools it attended and the pedagogic menu it educationally masticated in earlier days? Did it find the experience life enhancing or soul destroying? Let us take a peek into Gippsland’s literature to see what it reveals.

Young Gippsland refers to the children of Gippsland’s pioneers, the emigrants who originated from Old Europe. Young Gippslanders were the colonials – both a new generation and a new nationality.

In pioneer times young Gippslanders were growing up in greater freedom and harsher conditions than did their emigrant parents. They were less culturally tethered, more vulgar and less articulate.

Accordingly, these parents looked to the schools to preserve and inculcate those European cultural links they believed their offspring were in danger of neglecting or rejecting.

Early Gippsland author, Mary Fullerton, a close friend of Miles Franklin, was born and schooled at Glenmaggie and devotes the second chapter of Bark House Days to “The Old Schoolhouse” – State School Glenmaggie, No. 1596 She enrolled in it when just built, on the day it opened in June, 1875. The first thing to impress her was the new galvanised iron roof, something she had never seen before. “We had known only bark as a covering for rafters,” she declares.

She writes: “…when we came over the hilltop that gave us a sudden vision of the new building, our eyes were positively dazzled by the beauty and brightness of the roof flashing in the sun. It was symbolic of the irradiation of learning on ignorance; of knowledge on innocence…”

Her teacher was Miss Clara Weekes the sister-in-law of Henry Tisdall of Walhalla fame.

She began her teaching career in 1870 as a pupil teacher under Henry then head teacher at the famous and successful Walhalla State School, No. 957.

She was 23 years old and reportedly respected rather than loved by her pupils, but a very capable young teacher and principal nonetheless.

“We in the gallery had no slates and pencils,” reports Mary. “There was a blackboard on an easel in front of which I found out later was to be a kind of collective slate for the gallery; the teacher wrote on it, and we learned from it.”

Later, down the gallery steps cluttered and rolled Mary’s “favorite alley” (a marble) which she had brought to impress Daisy Speary. Sadly, it was confiscated, confined to Miss Weekes’ teacher’s desk.

As she passed each test Mary was sent “to a row higher up,” while a Speary boy, who, to Mary’s consternation, was sent lower down to learn his ABC. In short time she absorbed valuable insights into social status and the virtue of learning.

Walhalla State School No. 957 was one of the most successful schools in early Gippsland. It owed that pre-eminence to a husband and wife teaching team, Henry and Lucy Tisdall, along with their family and relations.

Their youngest daughter, Constance was both born and schooled at Walhalla. She recorded her student experience there.

“I remember the uncomfortable gallery “seats,” the slates we wrote on with pencils that squeaked; the damp, if often grimy rag with which I cleaned my slate, and the primitive method of others who spat on them and then wiped them with a handkerchief, or coat sleeve!”

(Forerunners: The Saga of a Family of Teachers, 1961).

She also remembers the day “I got the cane.” Her “own usually indulgent father” had “rashly threatened to cane anyone who had a blot” whilst writing with ink in copy books. Constance offended.

He felt unable to “withdraw the edict when the culprit was his own little daughter.” In retrospect she felt sorry for him, and remembers no hurt hand but very hurt feelings.

Constance recalls recollections of her father’s vivid geography lessons. “My father was drawing on the board the outline of a large map. The class was watching with breathless interest, and as capes and inlets slowly took shape, their names would be instantly shouted by some or all of the pupils.”

In educational literature this style of geography teaching, known as “Capes and Bays Geography” predominated 19th Century classrooms. Pupils came to know a great deal of “trivia” facts but gained little understanding of how the physical landscape interacted with human endeavour.

As an educator Henry Tisdall was both innovative and creative.

Into the upper school he introduced a range of particular subjects that resembled the offerings of a modern secondary school – scientific studies, languages (French, Latin and German), Euclid, algebra, bookkeeping, drawing and music. As these were areas of study beyond the “free” elementary education the state freely provided, fees were charged per additional subject undertaken.

Constance Tisdall became a leading educator in her own right. She was co-headmistress of “Rosbercon” in Brighton.

Later she was headmistress of St Anne’s Church of England Girls’ School, Sale, during the difficult depression and war years from 1933 to 1943 when she handed over to Miss Lorna Sparrow. She was awarded an OBE for her remarkable service to education in Australia.

The student voice of Young Gippsland was well recorded in an early series of magazines know as The Gap, eminating out of East Gippsland during the 1920’s.

Teachers in the Bairnsdale Inspectorate serving the numerous elementary rural schools there, claim credit for this unique educational record.

Student contributions to the inaugural 1920 edition included both prose and poetry. Here is a fine sample called “Snowballing” from student Leslie Spencer, Grade 7, Omeo State School: “Snowballing is a grand old game; we Omeo boys all think the same; for we think it jolly fun, to make the big, kind teacher run. We think it a splendid joke; to see him very nearly choke; and when the snow lies on the ground; we make the snowballs large and round. It makes my little ears grow cold; when I am hit by a schoolboy bold; but he begins to feel it, too; when he is caught on the cheek so blue.”

Inter-school sports contests were of constant interest and student pleasure. “During the winter and spring months of 1920,” we read, “basketball or football teams from Boisdale, Briagolong, Stratford, Maffra and Wadelock schools engaged in several friendly contests, arousing thereby considerable interest among the members of the various school communities and friends generally.”

“The Briagolong girls stood out most prominently in the basketball contests, while the Stratford boys showed the greatest skill in the football field.”

In the 1922 edition we find a letter from Dinah Richardson, Grade 4, Marlo State School to Muriel in Fairfield, Melbourne.

She writes: “It is quite different from Fairfield school here.

Instead of a lot of children like your school, there are only nine children in the school – five boys and four girls. It is a pretty little room with pictures hanging on the wall and a library shelf with nice books on it.”

“We have a lady teacher. As it is a half-time school, we have only three days one week and two days the next, so we have plenty of time to play in the paddocks. The school is near the Snowy River, and we can see the Southern Ocean and the beach from it.”

By 1922 students in East Gippsland’s registered schools gained a voice in The Gap. From Patricia O’Keefe came a charming account of a picnic at Fairy Dell enjoyed by the senior girls from Convent Notre Dame De Sion, Bairnsdale.

The excitement of the outing is immediately captured. “In the glorious morning air, everything looked beautiful. Before turning into the paddock which leads to the dell, we asked permission of a lady living in a quaint, picturesque cottage, covered with roses.”

These are the words with which she describes Fairy Dell: “It surpassed our wildest dreams of rural beauty. Huge tree ferns hid the light of the sun, while the dim, calm, cool stillness was only broken by the voices of the bellbirds and our shouts of delight.”

There they enthusiastically devoured their picnic lunches.

In The Gap students tell of the “Big Days” they enjoyed each year. Student Jean Wickham, aged 13 years at Upper Maffra West State School writes that on 24th may, 1924 her school celebrated Empire Day. “In our school this year, a picture entitled “The Record of the Great War” was unveiled by Mr Clyne.

A crowd attended our celebrations. The school children gave a concert, including a cantata, in which the following were represented: - Britannia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Canada and India.”

AN example of a gallery class Bairnsdale in about 1900.

The students undertaking the representations each wore a costume to suit.

In The Watcher on the CastIron Balcony, author Hal Porter treats us to a Gippsland version of James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Porter is the watcher of his happy-golucky busy mother; his imperfect, cynical father with his “unfurnished” inner life; and his Bairnsdale school days and young life.

A study of innocence, the one person who is not innocent, (but for experience) is the author himself. He sits back in class “hands clasped behind my back, and listen, and remember” as his “accredited adult” teaches from the platform.

And so he learns “that seven eights are 56, that Berlin is on the Spree, that Henry the Eighth had six wives, and that William Wordsworth was an English poet…”

He learns both what is taught and what a school culture infers: “my passion for abundance and mental industry tempts me to greed and I learn all the verses of ‘Harry Dale the Drover’ instead of the one verse asked for as a night’s homework.” Next day at school he discovers “this showiness is a dirty indiscretion, a traitor’s ploy, and socially offensive.”

On his first day at high school he uses his gift with words, his capacity to indulge in hypocrisy and clownish behavior to shield himself from the harsher excesses of a student water initiation.

He remained “a special sort of word-crazy clown” for the balance of his schooling, “always ready to entertain the mob... (with) whom I am contemptuous of and in love with.”

A student of a totally different hue and earlier era, was young Keith Hancock whose father was the Anglican priest in Bairnsdale from 1900 to 1908.

He found himself “in a gang of Protestant heroes who used to exchange taunts with a Roman Catholic gang. We would chant: ‘Catholic Dogs; Jump like Frogs; Eat no meat on Fri – ee – days.

And they would sing: ‘Proddy Dog, Proddy Dog; sitting on a well; Up comes the Devil; And pulls him down to hell.’”

(Country and Calling, 1954) This would be followed by a cow-dung throwing battle in which the real skill was to select a cow-pat that was not too new (it would soil the thrower,) not too old and dry (as to be ineffec-

at St Mary’s Primary School, tive when hitting a target) but firm on the outside and soft in the middle.

An Oxford graduate, Sir Keith Hancock became Australia’s most distinguished historian in the mid 1900s.

Small rural schools abounded throughout Gippsland, inevitably so because of the introduction of the Selection Acts of the 1860s. A resulting problem was how best to educate the children in remote locations.

Rural schools were society’s response.

They were a remarkable pioneer school achievement, though their success depended entirely on the personal and professional qualities of the teacher appointed.

The teacher would make or break the student’s learning experience, while the school, its location and locality would make or break that teacher.

Take for example, Ryton Junction in the Strzelecki Ranges where “early teachers often had a trying time with their pupils whose ages ranged from six to fourteen years, the oldest often being nearly as big as the teacher.” Teachers were billeted around the local families and rode a horse to school.

Mr Flanagan, one such teacher, tied his horse to the tap of the water tank at his farm boarding house. “When the horse pulled back, the tap was pulled out, with the loss of all the water.”

It was summertime. No water for months. The dressing down he received from the housewife stayed in the memory of the whole district.

The teacher at Bundalaguah State School had great difficulty controlling the older boys as “he couldn’t hit them hard enough.”

A student came to his rescue supplying a bigger strap cut from his father’s dray harness.

A Bundalaguah student also recalls how the teacher “often sent us out in the school ground to learn those monotonous tables and we climbed the trees singing tables like a lot of parrots.”

This was young Gippsland, schooled in a new land during the 1800s and much of the 1900s in smallish academies that were not always educationally brilliant, but, striving to be professional purveyors of elementary education and British culture in a raw new national setting.

Catholic Life, July 2010 - Page 19

Classifieds bereavement thank you

public notices

wanted known

for sale

PETER FRANCIS DUGGAN

Let’s leave something for those in need

FRUIT TREE PRUNING - For quick reliable service, contact Steve Kurec on 5148 2418 home or 0417 084 352 mobile.

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Some weeks have passed since we lost Peter to the devastating affects of an aggressive brain tumour. Despite feeling unprepared for the rapidly unfolding tragedy my family and I felt strongly supported from many people. Firstly, I would like to thank our wonderful children and their partners: Rose and Nick, Bernadette and Drew, Louise and Jason and Danny and Sonia. Whilst dealing with their own sadness they constantly made time for us and each other. Peter was always enormously proud of his children and his treasured grandchildren and this was never more evident than during his final days. There are many people to thank for their love, friendship and prayers. I would like to thank Fathers Bernard Buckley and John O’Kelly who were a constant support. I thank Doctor James Bvirakare and all medical staff, local and Melbourne. To the wonderful palliative care staff I offer my heartfelt thanks for a quality service.

Thanks to Col, Palma and Brad Semmens for their compassion and professionalism. To the St Patrick’s Primary School Parents and Friends thankyou for the excellent catering and to the Stratford Recreation Reserve Committee, Football and Cricket Clubs for the use of their amenities.

I reserve a very special thankyou for Peter’s family: Mary Anne, Jim and Helen and for my family, Margie and Chris, John and Janny, Ree, Danny and Mel, Marie, Jim and Linda for their ongoing love and support; also to Dunsy, Peter’s devoted and loyal friend of many years.

To all of you who visited, phoned, sent messages and prayed for my family I thank you most sincerely. I know Peter deeply appreciated your good will and it has helped us to cope with each day knowing we were in the thoughts and prayers of so many. On behalf of myself and my family please accept this as our personal thanks.

- Jeanette Duggan

Bishop’s Family Foundation If you are making or updating your will, you may consider leaving a bequest to the Bishop’s Family Foundation.

The Bishop’s Family Foundation has produced some easy-to-read booklets explaining bequests which may be an advantage to read before seeing your solicitor to prepare or update your will.

Copies may be obtained by phoning Pat on 5144 4991 Do it today and sleep easy knowing you have done your part.

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VOCATIONS PRIESTS AND DEACONS Are you considering a vocation as a priest or deacon for the Diocese of Sale?

If so please contact Diocesan Vocations Director Deacon Tony Aspinall 0414 468 692 vocations@sale.catholic.org.au

to help you discern God’s call

prayers

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Set on automatic it is a highly effective point and shoot camera but for the enthusiast wanting a bit more, it has loads of features. It is capable of shooting in RAW, TIF and JPG. It can shoot up to 2.5 frames a second in continuous mode, or 30 fps in ultra high speed mode. Set on the standard fine setting the images are about 3Mb each which makes them suitable for large enlargements.

Price $200. To purchase or to find out more about this camera which is surplus to the requirements of Catholic Life phone 5144 6132 in office hours..

PRAYER to the Virgin Mary (never known to fail). O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruit of vine splendorous of heaven, Blessed Moth of the Son of God, immaculate virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity.

Make request. There are none that can withstand your power.

O show me here you are my Mother. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3 times).

Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3 times). Thank you for your mercy towards me and mine.

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Page 20 - Catholic Life, July 2010

Sale footballers proved to be best in the state AFTER winning the Gippsland zone finals of the Catholic All Schools Football earlier in the term, the Catholic College Sale Year 7 and 8 boys football team travelled to Sunbury last month to compete in the state finals.

Teams from Warnambool, Werribee, Bendigo, Colac and Benalla, all winners of their prospective zones, competed on the day.

CCS’ first match was against Catholic College Bendigo,.

Kicking with a slight breeze the Sale boys got on top early and kicked four goals in the first half whilst keeping Bendigo scoreless thanks to some strong defensive work from the backline led by Jayden Allison, Jacob Richardson and Brenton Kuch.

CCS went on to win the game CCS 5-4-34 to CCB 2-0-12.

Best players - Brendan Little, Jayden Allison, Tom Jolly, Sam Allan. Goals - Sam Allen 2, Tom Jolly, Taylor Tatterson, Tom Love.

The second round match was against Trinity College Colac.

CCS was well led by Tom Love, Brendan Little and Dougie Mack who dominated possession out of the centre and around the ground.

Some slick movement of the ball by hand and foot set up many forward opportunities. Up forward Tom Jolly was very dangerous kicking three goals.

The final score was CCS 6-844 def Trinity 0-1-1.

Best - Tom Love, Brendan Little, Dougie Mack, Tom Jolly, Brenton Kuch. Goals- Tom Jolly 3, Tom Love, Daniel Kosky, Sam Allen.

Winning the two games meant automatic qualification for the semi finals. Here the CCS team came up against MacKillop College Werribee.

Another strong first half put the CCS team ahead by five goals at half time. MacKillop kicked two goals in the second half but the CCS boys responded strongly with Sam Allen, Taylor Tatterson and Daniel Kosky taking some strong marks up forward.

The final score was CCS 8-553 to Mackillop 2-2-14.

Best - Tom Love, Brendan Little, Sam Allen and Dougie Mack.

Goals - Sam Allen 2, Josh Rawlings, Jesse Ross, Nash Holmes, Tom Love, Brandon Henness, Lachlan Ronchi.

Winning these three matches qualified the CCS team to play in the final against Emmanuel College Warnambool. This match was a repeat of last year’s final.

Emmanuel had also been convincing winners in their preliminary matches so the CCS boys knew they were in for a tough contest.

CCS came out very determined and through some hard running by Tom Love, Dougie Mack, Nash Holmes and

Brendan Little, kicked three goals in the first half whilst keeping the Warnambool team goal less.

All around the ground the CCS boys were first to the ball and looked for teammates when they had the ball in their possession.

The second half saw Emmanuel College rebound the ball strongly into their forward line. However, once again thanks

to some determined defence from Jayden Allison, Brenton Kuch, Jacob Richardson, Dylan Rowley, and Daniel Missen, CCS managed to keep Emmanuel’s scoring to two goals.

A couple of late goals by Lachlan Ronchi and Taylor Tatterson saw Catholic College Sale come out winners and state champions with a score of CCS 5-0-30 to Emmanuel 2-2-14.

Best - Brendan Little, Tom Love, Dougie Mack, Jayden Allison and Nash Holmes.

Goals - Lachan Ronchi 2, Tom Jolly, Daniel Kosky, Taylor Tatterson.

Special thanks to coach Paul Lee, trainer and assistant coach Michael Dowse, team manager David Allison and to the parents who traveled to support the team.

The Catholic College Sale boys are to be congratulated for the way they played the game and for playing their part in continuing the proud tradition of football at the college.

St Peter’s shows way in liturgy

“ … Churches in the Middle East are threatened in their very existence… May God grant ACN strength to help wherever the need is greatest.”

Pope Benedict XVI

Donation Form: SOS! – Christianity in the Middle East Cath Life

ST Peter’s students prepare for the liturgy.

O

Aid to the Church in Need …. a Catholic charity dependent on the Holy See, providing pastoral relief to needy and oppressed Churches

By Kelly Lucas LATE last term CSYMA youth ministry students at St Peters College in Cranbourne lead the class in liturgy.

Students in Year 11 at the college have been enjoying twists and tales from Deacon Tony Aspinall as they adventure through the CSYMA curriculum with Deacon Tony Aspinall at the helm.

As exam preparation started and teachers were gearing up classes for assessment, the youth ministry class took a different approach.

Using the beautiful college chapel, students in small groups lead the rest of the class in prayer, scripture, personal sharing, songs and even their thoughts and explanations of the Gospel reading.

It was a very reflective and prayerful time for the class during a stressful time of year. It was also the students’ major assessment for the term and a beautiful way to be assessed rather that an exam.

The next step for the class is to run a liturgy or retreat experience outside of their classroom for others.