Catholic Observer September 2016 issue by Catholic Diocese of Bathurst

Volume 51, No 3 SEPTEMBER 2016 $2.00

World Youth Day 2016

A Journey of Mercy

ast month, I made the pilgrimage to Kraków, City of Mercy, for World Youth Day (WYD) with 16 young people from our Diocese. We became part of a huge crowd of over 2.5 million people from every continent, celebrating our faith with Pope Francis. On the way to Poland, we went to Rome. After going underground to explore the excavations that reveal the tomb of St Peter, we entered the Basilica dedicated to him through the Holy Door opened for the Year of Mercy. We prayed and sang hymns as we walked, bringing with us the prayers, hopes and sorrows of the people of our local church. We then spent a week at a pre-WYD festival “Paradise in the City” organised by the Chemin Neuf Community in Łódz, central Poland. We were guests of the people of St Faustina’s Parish, where the saint had her first vision of Christ and began to follow his call. Our group was then welcomed into the homes of the faithful of Wadowice, the small town outside Krakow where St John Paul II was born and baptised. From there, the pilgrims made a solemn visit to the site of Auschwitz concentration camp, following in the footsteps of Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to spend some time with brother bishops from all over the world. In talking together about the very different circumstances of our dioceses, we had a practical experience of collegiality and the concern for all the churches which is part of a bishop’s ministry. We were with our friends from France when the shocking news of Fr Jacques Hamel’s murder in Rouen came through. And finally, participating in the massive events with the Holy Father in Kraków, amidst discomfort and occasional confusion, our pilgrims experienced the joy and hope of being Christians together with so many others, praying for our broken world and recommitting to helping heal it. + Michael McKenna Bishop of Bathurst Front cover: WYD Pilgrim Daniel Salamoni from Mudgee at the Vigil Mass. Photo by Dong Nguyen Page 2 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

World Youth Day 2016

An Extraordinary Journey of Mercy

lthough WYD 2016 has come to a close, it really is just the beginning of the journey of faith for the 16 young pilgrims who accompanied Bishop Michael and Fr Greg Bellamy to Krakow. As Pope Francis stated in his address at the final Mass to the more than two million in attendance, “In all the settings in which you find yourselves, God’s love invites you bring the Good News, making of your own lives a gift to him and to others”. Our WYD pilgrimage has been one of genuine grace. We have been shown the generosity of so many people and we have experienced the unlimited mercy of our loving Father. For Josh Myers from Bathurst, WYD allowed him to experience many highlights, “It was a physical and emotional journey of faith, from

developing new friendships within our own pilgrimage group, the sharing of conversations with people of other nationalities and doing our best to overcome the language barrier, representing our nation, to the singing in the streets”, he said. “There were a number of beautiful moments of faith that I experienced and witnessed during my time in Poland. There are two especially that come to mind: the first was the embrace and holding of hands of complete strangers in prayer and song during all of the Masses. The second was the candlelight Vigil on the Saturday night, before the final Mass. It was an amazing sight to look out over the field where we were camped for the final Mass and see thousands of candles lighting the night sky while we prayed with Pope Francis”.

Eliza Biddle from Mudgee also experienced a journey of spiritual growth throughout the pilgrimage. “Unlike a typical holiday trip to Europe, this was a pilgrimage and from the beginning, I knew this trip would be different. I was right. I was able to visit the beauty and opulence of Rome, taste the glorious food of Italy, experience the generosity of Polish people, witness the joy of charismatic French youth and wonder at the authentic wisdom of Pope Francis; all with the intention of growing in my own spiritual journey and connection to the Catholic faith. Throughout the trip, I felt inspired and amazed. I had moments of fear, of weariness, of anger but also of great joy, of sincere calm, of connection in faith and friendship and precious times of feeling unconditionally loved”, explained Eliza. Continued on page 34

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Blessing of “A Letter from Fr Julian”

n the evening of Monday 8th August 2016, the Solemnity of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, a beautiful statue of St Mary MacKillop was blessed by Bishop Michael McKenna in the grounds of the Cathedral of St Michael and St John. Part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst, the blessing coincided with celebrations of the Sisters of St Joseph, marking 150 years since Mary MacKillop donned a simple black dress and from then was known as Mary, Sister of St Joseph. More than 200 people gathered together to see members of the Province Leadership Team of the Sisters of St Joseph, Sister Therese McGarry rsj and Sister Mary-Ellen O’Donoghue rsj, unveil the statue of Australia’s first and only saint. Mass was then concelebrated by Bishop Michael and Father Paul Devitt in the Cathedral. The statue, entitled “A Letter from Fr. Julian”, was crafted by sculptor Linda Klarfeld, through the generosity of Leo and Tereza Bonic´ and their family, in memory of their son Tomi.

Bishop Michael blessing ‘A Letter from Fr. Julian’

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Social Justice Statement released

he Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference this month released their Social Justice Statement for 2016-2017. Titled ‘A Place at the Table: Social justice in an ageing society’, it celebrates the value, dignity and significant contributions of older people to the life of the community. The number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double by the middle of the century. This has been rightly described as ‘the great success story of human development’. Increasing numbers of older people have an excellent chance of enjoying are being asked to work beyond the good health and an active life for many traditional retirement age, the bishops call for the benefits of work to be years. shared equitably. We must be especially In solidarity with all generations, older aware of the needs of those who enter people have a rightful place in the heart retirement in poverty or are particularly of community life. In their statement, vulnerable to economic hardship, social the bishops confront the utilitarianism isolation or exploitation. in our society that values people only The bishops consider the circumstances for what they produce and contribute of those who are approaching the end of economically and that, at worst, can their lives and warn of the loneliness, regard older people as burdensome or ageism and abuse that older people can dispensable. experience. In particular, the bishops In a society in which older people warn about implications of the current

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Y e a r

Mercy in action

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“

For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Matthew 25:36 In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we are reminded that visiting prisoners is one of the Corporal Works of Mercy. And three people who bring this Work to life everyday are Fr Greg Walsh cm, Mr Mike Williams and Mrs Geraldine Bowes. As Prison Chaplains for the Diocese of Bathurst, they regularly make a substantial difference to the lives of more than 1,700 men and women who are imprisoned in our region. Geraldine is the chaplain at Lithgow Correction Facility; an all-male, maximum security prison with a population of more than 400, of which 25 per cent are Indigenous. Mike serves at Wellington Correction Facility; a minimum, medium and maximum security facility which houses both male and female prisoners. It has a current capacity of 675, which looks set to expand to over 1,000 in the next 12 months. Indigenous prisoners make up more than 60 per cent of the prison’s population. Fr Greg, a Vincentian, is the chaplain at Bathurst Correctional Complex; a minimum to medium facility for male offenders. The complex serves as a ‘reception prison’ for western NSW and in this situation, also caters for female prisoners. It currently houses 650 prisoners, 24 per cent of whom are Indigenous. To understand the role of the prison chaplain, it is important to understand the cycle the majority of offenders go through prior to a conviction that results in serving a sentence. The pathway to prison sees an experience of trauma, in various forms, as a common element for the majority of those convicted. The chaplains explained, “Children

Prison Chaplains Mike, Geraldine and Fr Greg who experience childhood abuse, neglect and dysfunction are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity and more likely to experience greater adolescent conduct problems and substance abuse. 98 per cent of women in prison have experienced childhood physical abuse and 89 per cent of women prisoners have experienced childhood sexual abuse”.

trauma. As detrimental as a prison term can be, it can provide safety from ongoing abuse, as well as a roof over the person’s head and is predictable; things most of us take for granted. Mike explained, “The role of a prison chaplain is being Christ’s hands, feet and eyes in prison. It’s not as difficult as you might think. It’s different. It’s a ministry of presence. Who we meet is the person, not their crime or background. We see and hear the person and provide them an opportunity for confidentiality, a listening heart and spiritual support. Sometimes we become the advocate for the inmate or liaise with their family, with the aim of empowering the person. The people we work with may share their life and story with us, this makes me feel very privileged. This is God at work in my life”.

The Indigenous community is 18 times more likely to be end up in gaol than the rest of the population. Indigenous people (especially women) who are imprisoned, have often experienced a cycle of trauma dating back generations. Mike said one of saddest cases he’d experienced was that of a mother and daughter both in gaol, demonstrating the cycle of poverty and how being part of the most disadvantaged group in our society can result in repetitive The role of the chaplain is often one behaviour. of providing grief counselling and There is an influx of prisoners in support in dealing with past traumas, winter. While hating goal, many as the prisoner is grieving the loss repeat offenders, including women of freedom and, often, the ordeal and young people, would rather be of being imprisoned will trigger the there than experiencing ongoing traumas previously experienced. Fr

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M e r c y “Christ comes to save us

Greg said, “One of the biggest issues chaplains deal with is grief and loss. The person is dealing with being locked up and everything they value, such as their family and kids, is gone. They are dealing with feelings of guilt about making mistakes that have affected their families - possibly the result of just one bad choice in their lives”.

from the lie that says no one can change”, Pope Francis. The Diocese is also facilitating Father Steve Sinn, a Jesuit priest, to establish a residential community aimed at assisting people in need. Located in Bathurst and known as The Bridge, it will provide accommodation and assistance for people needing a space to find their own voice and a positive direction in life.

The chaplains regularly hold liturgical services at the facilities, but there are many other ways they are involved in the everyday lives of people in gaol. “The one-on-one time and programs provided are very much valued by the inmates. Fellowship groups and positive lifestyle and outreach programs are all important services provided. We also perform memorial services, as inmates often don’t get permission to attend funerals for loved ones” said Geraldine. “There is often great support amongst the inmates for each other at the memorial services” Mike said. “This interaction, between potentially complete strangers, is what I call ‘God Moments’; when people can show compassion and care for someone else who they may not know well. This is also evident in the Christian Spirituality fellowship groups. We sometimes have people, especially women, sharing spiritual experiences and understanding of God; ‘unchurched’ women with outstanding spiritual experiences, who are willing and comfortable to share. They want to connect with their spirituality, although they may not necessarily be interested in going to church”. Being a female chaplain in a maximum security, all male facility, Geraldine is accepted differently amongst the inmates, being seen as more a ‘mother figure’. She said, “It’s all about trust. We can’t let them down and we don’t make promises that we can’t keep. We listen to their stories and struggles, we laugh and cry with them and live by the Chaplain’s prayer: If I can’t do any good, don’t let me do any harm”. When asked about what individuals

can do to help, the chaplains all agreed with Fr Greg: “Prayer is really important. And we need people to be a little more realistic and compassionate in how they view people in gaol. People who show compassion to prisoners, without judgment, are very important to the lives of those in prison who sometimes have no one to visit them at all. There is a very positive flow-on effect from this personal experience. Anyone can visit, but this can sometimes be daunting. Contact any of the chaplains and we would be happy to take anyone with us for a visit”. Parishioners can also be involved in caring for prisoners via Kairos Prison Ministry Australia. This is an interdenominational Christian ministry, reaching out to those imprisoned, their families and those who work with them; to bring sustainable meaning and hope to a place of loneliness, isolation and despair. There are many ways to support the work of local Kairos groups, both directly and in support roles. For more information visit kairos.org.au or contact Fr Greg Walsh on gregory. walsh@justice.nsw.gov.au.

A community, rather than a program, it will bring people together as equals, sharing the table and their lives with one another. Whilst living in the community, each member will be encouraged and supported to pursue their own goals for education, work, developing living skills and accessing other support. The Bridge community will especially welcome those coming out of prison or rehabilitation facilities. It is intended that people will usually stay for six to twelve months, depending on their goals and needs. The community will rely financially on donations from people and all support will be gratefully received. To find out how you can help, contact Fr Steve via email: stevesinn@icloud.com. As communities of faith, we can ask ourselves: What comfort and support would a person leaving prison be likely to find in our parish church? What can I, and my parish, do to help a prison chaplain assist a released prisoner find a job or a home? And when we hear prisoners being discussed in our parliaments or in the media, let’s not forget to question whether the human dignity of prisoners is being respected. Kimbalee Clews

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 7

St. Vincent’s Auxiliary - Still serving our community Members of the St Vincent’s Ladies Auxiliary

t. Vincent’s Hospital opened on 13th November 1922 and the St Vincent’s Hospital Ladies Auxiliary was formed in 1926. The Auxiliary has continued without a break since its inception, supporting the Hospital in its many areas of need.

Bishop of Bathurst, with the largest number presented in 1976, when 63 young ladies made their debut at the 50th Anniversary Ball. Funds raised provided items such as furniture, drug cabinets, blood pressure equipment, the construction of a pergola and outdoor furniture.

Four years after St Vincent’s Private Hospital opened in 1995, the St Vincent’s Community Hospital closed. At this point, the Auxiliary made the decision to support the District Home Nursing Unit, as it was a service for the whole community. In doing so, the name was changed The St Vincent’s Ball was to St Vincent’s Community once the highlight of the social Auxiliary. calendar. Debutantes were presented to the Catholic Since that time, the Home Over the years, a lot of equipment has been provided by funds raised from varying activities, greatly supported by the community. These have included the St Vincent’s Ball, street stalls, catering, raffles, card and garden day, to name a few.

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Nursing Unit has been provided with equipment such as two way radios for vehicles, an electric bed for home patients, wheel carry bags for drugs and dressings, a patient lift and many other necessary items. An ulcer and wounds clinic was established at the Hospital, serviced by the Community Nursing staff, which requires specialised equipment. Auxiliary funds provided a specialised bedchair to the value of $9,500, as well as a camera for each car (eight in total) with a central printer, allowing staff to monitor the progress of recovery of home based patients. Many other items were purchased to help achieve accreditation standard for this much needed, high

quality service, provided to the general community. Ongoing support is vital to allow the nursing sisters to provide the best possible care for all who are in need. The Auxiliary now consists of a very small group of dedicated ladies, who work quietly to raise funds for the betterment of patients, staff and the community as a whole. The combined number of year of service of the ladies adds up to 230 years. We are very grateful for the generosity of the community, without which it would be impossible to adequately support the wonderful service the Community Nursing Unit provides. Gen Croaker

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Sisters of St Joseph celebrate 150 years

n 16th July 2016, some 200 Sisters of St Joseph from across Australia gathered in Bathurst to fittingly commemorate 150 years since the Order began. This date was significant as it was the day on which the first Sisters of St Joseph took up residence at The Vale, Perthville and established the first Josephite Foundation in NSW. These sisters were Teresa, Joseph and Hyacinth and a young woman, Ada Braham. It was from Perthville that further Foundations spread to Wanganui, New Zealand; Goulburn and Lochinvar, NSW and Westbury, Tasmania. During these years, Sisters of St Joseph also arrived in Sydney with Mary MacKillop to begin Foundations in the city and surrounding suburbs. From humble beginnings at Penola in 1866, the Sisters of St Joseph now serve in almost 200 parishes and communities throughout NSW As the sisters gathered, the atmosphere was filled with joy, thanksgiving and excitement. Mass was celebrated in the Perthville Convent Chapel by Fr Paul Devitt, Vicar General, who challenged the congregation to change the lenses of our vision and view our broken

and war-torn world with eyes of compassion and love. Sr Mary Ellen O’Donoghue, NSW Regional Leader, welcomed members of the Congregational and Lochinvar Leadership teams, as well as sisters from interstate. She reminded those present that the fabric of the NSW story had been woven with the dreams of Sr Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods, together with the valiant women who, over the years, had followed that dream. In her address, Sr Anne O’Connell spoke of graciousness, given and received, as a way of being; which in turn flows to our world, counteracting the harsh and legalistic stance resulting in war, violence and brokenness. This challenge echoed the sisters’ theme for this sesquicentenary year “to listen to the heartbeat of the world” and in turn, to radiate the heartbeat of a loving and compassionate God through ripples of graciousness. A celebratory meal at Panthers Bathurst followed Mass. There is little need for entertainment when Josephites gather and this was no exception! Cutting the cake for the occasion was the most recently professed Sister Xuan Trang Nguyen, Sr Ruth Long from Lochinvar

A celebratory dinner was enjoyed by the sisters

The entrance procession at Mass held at Perthville Convent Chapel

and Sr Regina Siegel who, at 102 years of age, is the oldest Sister in the NSW Region. As the day concluded, there was awareness amongst the group of the privilege of being

part of the living history of the Sisters of St Joseph in NSW in this sesquicentenary year. Sr Berenice Cornish rsj

Sisters Xuan Trang Nguyen, Ruth Long and Regina Siegal

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 9

Feast of the Assumption Combined Schools’ Mass

n Monday 15th August, the Feast of the Assumption, the four Bathurst Catholic primary schools joined together to celebrate this special feast day. More than 1,500 students from The Assumption, Cathedral, Holy Family and St Philomena’s schools, along with representatives from MacKillop College and St Stanislaus’ College, staff members and parishioners, joined as one family of God to celebrate Mass with Fr Paul Devitt and Fr Owen Gibbons at the St Stanislaus’ Performing Arts Centre. Songwriter and musician, Andrew Chinn, led the combined children’s choir, celebrating in song. Students from Cathedral School

performed the Acknowledgment to Country and student leaders represented their schools proudly, either carrying the School banner or leading the congregation in prayer.

This was the first time that all four schools have come together to celebrate Mass and we look forward to continuing this tradition in the future. Kimbalee Clews

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Cleo and Annie’s Purple Day raises awareness about domestic violence

wo young ladies from The Assumption Primary School, Bathurst have taken their leadership roles to the next level. Y6 students, Cleo Cheney and Annie Tolliday, recently attended several leadership conferences and wanted to put what they had learnt to use to make a difference in their community. On their own initiative, Cleo and Annie planned a special day to raise awareness about people who don’t feel safe in their own homes and who may be victims of domestic violence. To help people in this situation, the girls decided to create care packs, which contain essential items such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, soap, tissues, a comb etc. And so ‘Purple Day’ was held at the School on Friday 5th August. “Sometimes, due to no fault of their own, some people may have to leave their homes very quickly with nothing at all and are not able to return home for safety reasons. Some people leave with only the clothes that they are wearing” Cleo said. Annie said “We spoke to the local Salvation Army and Wattle Tree House and will make the care packs available at hostels run by these groups, where many people go when they need help. We asked our friends to help by bringing in items to make the care packs on Purple Day”. “We asked everyone at our school to wear casual clothes. The catch? They

Cleo and Annie with Y2 student Chloe Ball Photo: Jacinta Carroll had to wear something purple! And the fine for wearing casual clothes was either a gold coin donation or an item to include in the packs. We also had purple ribbon tattoos for sale for $1.00” said Cleo. “We had been to all the local supermarkets and found where we can get the best products at the best price, so we can create good quality packs for the lowest cost. We hoped to put together at least 25 packs from our day” said Annie. The girls were completely overwhelmed by the support of everyone who brought in boxes of everything they needed, as well as donated money. “We were able

to create 70 men’s packs and 72 women’s packs! We had some money left over, so we bought some items to donate to Veritas House as well”, said Cleo. Principal, Sue Guilfoyle, said “I think the genuine concern for others shown by our students is a lovely connection to our founder, St Mary MacKillop, who was well known for her motto ‘Never see a need without doing something about it.’ We are very proud of Cleo and Annie and will always support initiatives such as this”. Fiona Lewis

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150 Years of the Sisters of Mercy

n the late 1940s, when I studied at St Mary’s College in Bathurst, there was a certain rivalry between that school and St Joseph’s College, Perthville. The march through the town on St Patrick’s Day epitomised this competition. Both schools aimed to win the award for the best marching team. Year after year they vied for it. In the 1960s, a number of happenings occurred that served to make this competition irrelevant. The NSW Department of Education introduced the Wyndham Scheme, which gave a new emphasis to science and required longer years of secondary schooling for an increased enrolment of students. The Second Vatican Council’s call for adaptation and renewal challenged religious women to update their ways of living and return to the original ideas of their founding members. Change became the way of life of both the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of St Joseph. It also became obvious that the existing school buildings in many towns of the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst were inadequate for implementing the new syllabuses. Under the leadership of Bishop Thomas and his Education Director, Father Aeneas (Hugh) Delaney, secondary schools in some of the smaller towns were closed and planning began for building a new Diocesan Catholic Girls’ High School in Bathurst. A planning committee was convened comprising eight women from the two religious orders. Mother M.Basil Griffin rsm was appointed Principal of the new school and Sister Michael (Margaret) Press rsj, as Deputy. They were assisted on the committee by Sisters June Cleary rsj, Helen Dowler rsm, Bernardine (Bernie)

Evens rsm, Marjorie Hennessey rsm, M Colombiere (Mary) Schiemer rsj, and Marie Therese Slattery rsj. These women came together, and in the spirit of Vatican II: a spirit of openness and collaboration, overcame their traditional rivalries and set about working with architects to design the buildings and develop the curriculum and ethos of the new school, which opened in February 1967. This event is a focus of celebration for both groups of religious women this year, as the Sisters of Mercy celebrate 150 years in Bathurst and the Central West of NSW and the Sisters of St Joseph celebrate 150 years since the founding of their congregation in South Australia.

Building a New Identity Sr Bernie Evens, one of the sisters on the planning committee, remembers the excitement as the structure took shape and a new identity began to be forged. Science laboratories, a library, the auditorium and assembly hall allowed for students to experience the school community in different ways. Staff office spaces and dedicated music rooms were luxuries not available in other locations. Buses, driven by the Sisters, were used to take students to the school from the two boarding schools that remained operational for some years. Sr Bernie summed up the experience as “a miracle of grace” and her face lit up at the memory of the times. The photo of her from those years shows a young woman enthusiastic for the future. The photo of the first group of students to complete Year 12 (Form Six)

Sister Bernardine Evens rsm

will enable some local Bathurst women to identify themselves and share memories of those early days at ‘Dio’. This year, I was privileged to attend the Leadership Dinner held annually by the School, now MacKillop College under the leadership of Mrs Maureen Moore. Ex-students came from all parts of Australia and overseas and demonstrated the quality of education that is the legacy and heritage of this school and the contribution it makes to women in taking their rightful places in our society. The Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of St Joseph, as the founding Orders of the School - an unanticipated partnership before the 1960s - rejoice in the development that has occurred since the School’s beginning; and with the present staff look forward to the celebration of its first 50 years next year. Dr Paula Smith rsm

The inaugural Dio Year 12 class group from 1968 C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 13

VO C AT I O N S A W A R E N E SS Mike’s call to Candidacy

ednesday 10th August 2016 was the feast day of St Lawrence, the Deacon. It seems only fitting that this was also the day Mr Mike Williams was admitted as a Candidate for the Ordination to the Diaconate. Bishop Michael McKenna concelebrated Mass with Fathers Carl Mackander, Tony Hennessy, Greg Walsh cm and Steve Sinn sj, at St Patrick’s Church, Wellington, calling on Mike to take the next step in becoming a Permanent Deacon. This is the final and most public stage in journey of more than five years. Mike will continue his preparation in partnership with his wife, Peta. Apart from his marriage and commitment to becoming a Permanent Deacon, Mike’s other vocation is his role as Prison Chaplain at the Wellington Correctional Centre where he says “God is at work in my life”.

Mike and Peta Williams with Fr Carl, Bishop Michael and their daughter, Jennifer

When reflecting on the words of St Paul, in the readings of the day about generosity, Bishop Michael gave thanks for the generosity Mike and Peta had shown. “The commitment to undertake regular travel to participate in the program of formation and discernment was a great sign”, he said.

Mike is the fourth man from the Diocese to be called to Candidacy. He was joined by friends from the Diocese and the Parish of Wellington, along with his family, for this important milestone on the path to becoming a Permanent Deacon. Kimbalee Clews

Could God be calling you to be a priest for the Diocese of Bathurst? You’ll never know unless you begin to open your heart in prayer to the possibilities; and then to speak to someone whose faith and judgment you trust. God does not usually reveal his will in a sudden dramatic way, but in the quiet steps of prayer, sacrament, service, reflection and sharing with other Catholics. Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mk 10:28-30)

For further information contact Fr Carl Mackander: pp.wellington@cdob.org.au or Fr Reynold Jaboneta: pp.coonabarabran@cdob.org.au Page 14 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

WEEK 2016 †

Diep’s journey

was born into a devout Catholic family in Vietnam and my parents played a vital part in my faith development, a wonderful gift from God. My father works for the catechism office. He taught me to pray to the Holy Spirit and with the Virgin Mary. My mother is a kind-hearted and caring woman. I have two sisters and two brothers. As a little boy, I often used to say “I shall become an apostle and preach the Gospel”. In my childhood, I was surrounded by rice fields, churches and people. Going to Mass at 4.30am and saying the Rosary daily on the back of water buffalo after school were a part of my daily schedule. This is where I feel my priestly vocation arose from. After graduating, I went to Hanoi to study Management and Economics at university. I was also involved with religious activities, singing at Mass, helping “Les Enfant du Mekong”: an organisation to visit the poor children and in Vinh Catholic students group. In 2009, I experienced financial and political instabilities. Through this encounter, my priorities were altered and the idea of becoming a priest reappeared into my mind. I felt that God was calling me to do something greater. I went to a Cistercian monastery in the North of Vietnam to discern a priestly vocation. Bringing God to the broken and wounded is a mission of mine. I realised that Jesus grants deep peace and blissful hearts to those who have him as the centre of all

Diep at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, Homebush actions and thoughts. The love of God speak Aussie and play ‘footy’! became the strength of my life. I entered the Seminary of the Good In 2011, Bishop McKenna brought Shepherd in Homebush in February me to Australia and my life changed 2014 and am now in the third year of dramatically. Like a child, I started formation. This is one of the best times to adopt a new language, a different for me to grow in God’s grace, in selfculture, new food and a new way of understanding and in knowing God, living. To become a priest in Australia is who loves me with his unconditional very challenging, but life-giving for me. love. Being a seminarian of the Diocese Through my time in parishes like of Bathurst is a privilege. Orange, Coonabarabran, Wellington My priestly journey is going strong. and Dubbo, I found that both priests I hope one day, God willing, I will be and the people were welcoming, kind serving our good God through bringing hearted, and friendly. This made me many people to him. I do ask for your feel at home and I have adopted an prayers and support. Aussie culture; now I eat Aussie food, Diep Quang Nguyen

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C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 15

VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK Life, Change and Mercy

y mother used to say to me “If it hadn’t been for Sister Dympna, you wouldn’t be here”. Sister Dympna was the Sister of Mercy midwife at the Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy) Hospital, Newcastle where I was born a premi baby in the 1940s. So my association with mercy goes back a long way.

and renewal of religious life, my superiors asked me to undertake scripture, theology and spirituality studies and then entrusted me with the role of formation mistress for the novices and young professed sisters. These were not easy years as there was no blueprint for the

I was educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Orange at Sacred Heart Infants and Santa Maria. We loved the nuns. They were our friends as well as our teachers and we would spend hours after school and at the weekends talking to them on the back verandah of the Convent or helping out with school maintenance chores. Schools did not employ cleaners in the 1950s! Sometimes in the afternoon on our way home from school, we would stop outside the Convent to hear the nuns chanting, often in Latin, in the little Chapel. It was a peaceful, mesmerising sound and held a strange attraction for Sr Patricia Powell rsm me. On the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, new religious life. We were making the 24th September, the Chapel was full of path by walking. Many religious found daffodils and we were allowed to make a the changes too hard to negotiate and special visit there to honour Mary. returned to secular life. We missed our It is no wonder, with the nuns such friends and colleagues, but understood a natural part of our lives, many girls the integrity of their decisions. from Orange thought about a religious The changes we were making were not vocation. And by the time we were young arbitrary. We responded to the Vatican women, some of us acted on the thought Council’s call to hold special Chapters. and travelled to Bathurst to the Novitiate These are assemblies where all the to join the Sisters of Mercy. The Novitiate important decisions about religious life was a time of learning about religious life and ministry are made. At one such and testing our vocation. But it was also Chapter, I was elected to the National a time for making new friendships which Council of the Union of the Sisters of would last, in some instances, for 60 or Mercy of Australia. The primary task 70 years. for this Council was to assist the Sisters I was appointed to the apostolate of in their preparation to become part of teaching. After completing University the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of and Teacher’s College, I joined the staff Australia - an organisation that united all of the new Diocesan Girls’ High School 17 groups of Sisters of Mercy in Australia in Bathurst. But at Easter time, following as well as the Sisters in Papua New the death of my mother, I moved to Santa Guinea. But at a spiritual level, we were Maria College in Orange, where I could be also reflecting deeply on the charism of of some support to my younger siblings. I mercy, which we had inherited from the loved teaching and I had a delightful class foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, the of Y7 girls. But I also taught in the senior Venerable Catherine McAuley. school, which included the boys from The liberation theology emerging De La Salle. My own young brother was from third world countries helped us among the boys in my English class. appreciate that justice is an intrinsic However, my school teaching career was part of mercy. There can be no true short lived. After the Vatican Council, mercy unless the causes of injustice and which ushered in a period of adaptation oppression are addressed. Many sisters

moved out of institutional works of education and health care and made a preferential option for the poor. I went to Dubbo to work with the Aboriginal communities in western NSW. This was an extraordinary and rewarding era of my life - to experience something of the dispossession and dislocation of the Indigenous people in their own country, but also to appreciate their resilience, humour and connectedness to land. I spent three years in Canada on sabbatical, further upgrading my theological qualifications and discovering the universe! When I returned home, I was elected Congregational Leader of the Bathurst Mercies. The next 10 years in leadership were challenging but also very satisfying. As well as caring for the Bathurst Mercies, I worked with other religious leaders at national and international level and also with the Bishop and people of the Diocese of Bathurst, developing models of lay pastoral leadership in the Church. One of the Works of Mercy is to bury the dead. And we did a lot of that during these years too, as frail or sick Sisters of Mercy went to meet their maker. These were also years when the abuse of children in institutional care came to light and the long journey to address wrongs was begun. I continued work in the Diocese in adult faith formation after I completed my term as Congregational Leader. Then, in 2004, the Bathurst Mercies dedicated St Joseph’s Mount, Bathurst to environmental education and awareness-raising. This ministry is called Rahamim, a Hebrew name for Mercy. And that is where I now live out my religious vocation. For me, the charism of mercy has expanded beyond care for people, to comprehensive compassion for all the life forms and life support systems of the planet. St John Paul II called us to “ecological conversion”. Pope Francis, in his Encyclical Laudato Si’, outlines for us what this “conversion” might look like, as we seek to care more responsibly for our common home, and begin to understand our vital interconnectedness within the planet that sustains us.

Page 16 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

Sr Patricia Powell rsm

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 17

VO C AT I O N S A W A R E N E SS My call to be a Josephite Sister

y home is the Convent next to St Joseph’s School in Eugowra and during the working week, I love to listen to the joy of the children. The silence that school holidays bring is in great contrast. At the last closing School assembly, I dramatised how I would miss my friends. The impact was great and I was quite proud of my performance. Then I heard a very strong voice from a tiny little girl, saying, “You have Jesus. What more do you want?”. My little prophetess skipped into school not knowing the gem she had dropped in my lap. She said ‘want’ not ‘need’. Little did she know that her question was part of my spirituality now; and was a big part of my discernment 65 years ago when I struggled with ‘the call’. For me, at the age of 18, life was filled with friends, lots of fun where we enjoyed parties, sport and dancing. However, it was always at these times that I would hear an inner voice saying to me, “there is more in life than having a good time Helen”. Then the question: “If I choose ‘Jesus’ and religious life, what am I called to give up?”. Then came the simple but very important symbol, a bunch of flowers! Now we would call it my ‘debut’. I had a glorious night and was given beautiful flowers. About 2.30am, when I returned home, I decided to put the flowers into water. They must be kept as they were a real symbol of the future that stretched before me. As I unwrapped the ribbons and decorative

paper, I discovered that the flowers were in wire. They had no stems and no roots; like the life I was leading. The biblical challenge is “Seek first the Kingdom of God”. How close to the words of my little friend… “What more do you want?”. Once I had said a willing “yes” to my call to religious life, a great peace was given and that has never left me. The two personal mysteries for me are: the grace of my vocation and how God has turned all the negatives into positives! The charism of the Josephite family and mission is so simple: ‘Never see a need without doing something about it’. This opened up the world for me here in the Diocese of Bathurst, Australia, overseas, and especially working with our Aboriginal people, refugees

Sr Helen Sullivan rsj and asylum seekers.

“Gabriel, we have tried so hard to bring you this Good News, but so many white people died from malaria”. Gabriel replied in a very strong voice “You have your medicine now, so you must tell my people about Jesus!”. This story goes hand in hand with the strong voice of my little prophetess.

In 1974, I was teaching in the schools at Suain, Aitape Diocese in Papua New Guinea. Friday was an important day, as I would ride my Honda 90 and pick up my special people individually. This included some who were blind, others suffering from leprosy and some who were crippled. Off to the beach What has carried me we would go, to prepare the through my very blessed following Sunday’s Gospel. life is the faith community of the people? Together we One day Gabriel, who was have Jesus and what else blind, said to me “Helen, do we want or need? The when was Jesus born? Was mission is the same for all it before the war or after of us and that is to respond it?”. I answered, “Gabriel, it in love to the needs of those was a long, long time ago”. around us. Gabriel said, “Why have you for this we had to wait all this time Thank opportunity to share with to be told that God became man in Jesus? You white you the grace of being a skins have kept this secret Josephite Sister. God bless from us”. I tried to defend you and those you love. myself and all involved. Helen Sullivan rsj

Page 18 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

WEEK 2016 †

Living the Josephite Vocation Today

ver recent years, the Sisters of St Joseph have ‘widened their tents’, to be more inclusive in these contemporary times. There are four distinctive formal ways of living our Christian commitment in a Josephite

way with a ‘Josephite Heart’. The traditional option is Membership in the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph. This is open to single women who profess vows to God and live them with other Jospehites in a

joyful, loving commitment to God’s mission of justice and healing in our contemporary world. A way of formally deepening one’s Christian vocation is by living private vows and a rule of life in the Josephite spirit. This option

is open to unmarried women and men and, while there is a close, mutual relationship with the Josephite Sisters around the sharing of life, prayer, spirituality and mission, the person remains financially self-supporting and lives independently from the Congregation. This person reverences their work as ‘ministry’ and has a consciousness of a world that needs healing, justice and compassion. Making a Covenant with God in the spirit of the Josephite Charism is an option that is open to women and men (single or married). It calls them to deepen their baptismal call to discipleship through a Covenant with God in affiliation with the Sisters of St Joseph, while remaining self-supporting and living independently of the Josephite Sisters.

e p o H d n a g n i l a e H f omen o

Nurturing relationships of compassion, justice, mutuality and healing.

Listening to theHeartbeat of the World

Contact Katrina.brill@sosj.org.au www.sosj.org.au

The Josephite Associates are a group affiliated with the Sisters of St Joseph. The common thread that links the group of Associates and Sisters of St Joseph is the centrality of the charism and the commitment to friendship, prayer and service. The relationship is a spiritual and informal one expressed through mutual support and shared hospitality. These are the four distinctive ways through which people may deepen their Christian vocation through a formal commitment, reflecting the Josephite Charism and inspired by our founders, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods. Sr Katrina Brill rsj

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 19

The Richness of Aboriginal Story

t has been a joy to be part of the working group convened by Darlene Murdoch, Indigenous Education Officer at the Catholic Education Office, to work on the development of our Diocesan Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategic Direction. Strategies have now been devised for each of the priority areas in line with the national plan: Ø Leadership, Quality Teaching and Workforce Development Ø Culture and Identity Ø Partnerships Ø Attendance Ø Transition Points Ø Literacy and Numeracy.

histories and culture are embedded across all key learning areas within our schools by extending professional learning for teachers is a key element of the plan. Another key strategy within the plan is the development of a diocesan framework that identifies critical educational transition points for aboriginal students and identifying support at each of these points.

Deliberation in regard to the strategies for each of these areas included reflection in relation to developing further practices to support enhanced participation of Aboriginal communities in the Catholic life of school and parish communities. This, of course, echoes one of the key The final step in the planning process assembly themes of our Diocese. was the development of the vision A focus on ensuring that Aboriginal statement for the plan. Pope Francis’

call for us to promote a culture of encounter provided the necessary inspiration: Animated by a spirituality of encounter with strong cultural competence, our schools will support students and communities to be emboldened with the knowledge, strength and wisdom inherent in the richness of Aboriginal story. A wonderful vision for us to aspire to. Jenny Allen Executive Director

St Matthews Catholic School

Providing a comprehensive and quality education in the Catholic tradition for young people from Kindergarten to Year 12.

4 Lewis St Mudgee Phone: 6372 1742 New website: www.stmattsmudgee.catholic.edu.au Page 20 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

Students Shine in Dubbo

bout 120 CSYMA students from James Sheahan, Orange and St John’s College, Dubbo, connected together in a faith and ministry experience at Lazy River Dubbo on Friday 5th August.

Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Australia (CSYMA) is designed to inspire and equip our Catholic Schools

Students from James Sheahan and St John’s College to be centres of the new evangelisation. This program allows an integrated approach to the faith formation of students within a school environment and is currently being trailed at James Sheahan and St John’s College.

“Follow me and I will make you fish for people”.

Pat Keady from IgniteYouth facilitated the day that helped form these young people in their faith, equip them for ministry and connect together so The theme of the day was they can truly experience belonging ‘Called to Follow’, based on to the Church. the scriptural reference in Mark, Dr Angleo Belmonte where Jesus called his disciples to

All ‘A-Buzz” at the Diocesan Spelling Bee!

he fourth annual Diocesan Spelling Bee was hosted by St Mary’s Catholic School, Wellington over May 25th-26th. Each year, our spellers seem to reach a higher level than the year before and 2016 was no exception. School spelling champions from across the Diocese from Y3-10, participated over the three days. Congratulations to all participants and, of course, to our gold and silver medalists in each stage. The winner in Stage 2, Xavier Newton is in Y3 and was up against some tough opponents in Y4. Likewise, Alan Parayil from Catherine McAuley Primary School, Orange was the very worthy Stage 3 champion. He is in Y5 and this was his third Spelling Bee. He was up against many fantastic Y6 contestants.

Our Stage 2 Spelling Champs McAuley, Orange and Charlotte Kelly, St Edward’s, Canowindra; Stage 2: Xavier Newton, St Laurence’s, Dubbo and Tadhg Curran, St Mary’s, Orange.

Stage 5: Charlotte Strahorn, St John’s College, Dubbo and Shaani Stashynsky, St Matthew’s, Mudgee; Stage 4: Jorja Whale, St Matthew’s, Mudgee and Caleb Fardell, La Salle Academy, Lithgow; The gold and silver medallists were: Stage 3: Alan Parayil, Catherine

Janine Kearney

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 21

Our Adaptive School Communities

f you have recently visited any of our schools, you may noticed that the classrooms are looking somewhat different. In response to our new curriculum and the challenges to ensure authentic learning success for all students, our schools are taking on creative approaches to classroom organisation to energise and empower our learners. A perfect example of this can be found in the primary classrooms at St Edward’s, Canowindra. Gone are traditional desks, walls and storage areas. Replacing these are flexible and stimulating classrooms that encourage and motivate students to learn collaboratively. And the teachers LOVE it! Janine Kearney

St Edward’s smiling students

Learned Behaviour

he staff of St Michael’s Dunedoo along with a few Catholic Education Office personnel, were very well behaved at their recent Behaviour Training Day. Julie Hollitt, our lead psychologist, has been upskilling teachers across our diocese so that they can support the increasing number of students suffering from anxiety. Anxiety often manifests itself in many different and sometimes challenging behaviours. The pastoral care that is such a feature of our schools is enriched when our teachers are able to respond to the emotional needs of all students and families. Janine Kearney

Julie Hollitt with her well-behaved audience at St Michael’s

Page 22 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

Our ‘Brave New World’ of Learning

elcome to the world of robotics - the branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science that deals with design, construction, and computer systems for their control, sensory feedback and information processing. Our primary students are fully engaged in this learning area across the diocese. Students are developing some amazing skills that will prepare them for a future beyond our imagination. Janine Kearney

Crocodile Dundee meets the Jetsons at St Edward’s

St Lawrence’s Primary School Coonabarabran

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C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 23

Social Justice in action at Lithgow

ver the cold months of winter, the students and staff at La Salle Academy, Lithgow have been working hard to help the homeless keep warm, participating in two projects aimed at taking care of those less fortunate than themselves. The Social Justice group ran a knitting group in Term 1, producing blankets and beanies. They asked for knitting volunteers, along with donations of wool and needles and the response was overwhelming. Whilst knitting a complete blanket was far too large a task for the students, who had only just learnt to knit, the group decided to knit smaller squares and join them to make the bigger blankets. The staff were also amazing, with one making over 50 squares and 12 beanies and another teacher taking home all the squares to join together to form the blanket. Not an easy feat. The blanket and beanies were donated to a wonderful project called the Soul Kitchen in Katoomba, run by Rosa Del Ponte, who was very grateful for the support. Soul Kitchen runs a food rescue program in the Blue Mountains and serves lunch on Sundays for those who are struggling or without a home. It depends on volunteers, so one staff member and some students went along to offer practical support. Mrs Johanne Zyp, a regular supporter of the Social Justice team, is hoping to make volunteering at the Soul Kitchen a regular occurrence for the students of La Salle Academy. “I believe it’s one of the important lessons we can teach the students, to give to those less fortunate, even if we they don’t have money to give, we can always donate time”. Another initiative La Salle students held

Mrs Johanne Zyp, Aiden Richardson, Ashley Luka and Bianca Mosley

Leah Edwards, Haley Bennett, Jade Case and Edwina Griffiths was the Vinnies Community Sleepout, which started with a mufti day for all students. In a unique twist, several staff members wore La Salle uniforms for the day! The Sleepout was held at La Salle’s Bishop Dougherty Hall and was a huge success. Around 60 La Salle and St Patrick’s students, staff, family, friends and parishioners participated in the night. The night began with Sr Anne welcoming everybody and leading them in a beautiful prayer. The night’s events included games, karaoke, dancing, movies and even a Pokewalk for the senior students to search for the elusive Pokemon! A big thank you to so many, including

the Ma family from Blue Sky restaurant for donating enough fried rice to feed everyone, and to Joanne Brown for cooking dinner. Also, a big thank you to Kerrie from Lithgow Karaoke/Jukebox Hire for generously donating the use of the Karaoke machine; Jeannine Brown, Jeff Larsen and all those who helped coordinate and supervise a wonderful night for a great cause. We were happy to present a cheque to the representative of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Lithgow for $1,061, as a result of the Sleepout and Mufti Day. If you wish to donate money for this very worthy cause, you can still do so by going to: http://goo.gl/KFLfZY Margaret Doohan

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Page 24 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

A visit from Spiderwoman St Raph’s embraces technology

Dr Amber Beavis with St Raphael’s School Captain, Anna McNamara

ike many little girls growing up in the bush, Dr Amber Beavis, while still a student at St Raphael’s School, Cowra, was fascinated by the creepycrawlies in the paddock. Remembered by her teachers as a talented student with wide-ranging interests, she has followed her delight in learning - gaining a PhD on the funnel-web spider, completed post-doctoral study at the University of California and has done further research in Samoa and Tokelau. As an arachnologist (aka spider scientist or popularly, Spiderwoman!), Amber worked from 2012-2015 at the Western Australian Museum identifying arachnid species. During this time, she discovered her talent for science communication and the use of storytelling techniques to translate complex data into compelling narratives, through radio broadcasting. In 2015, she was named as one of ABC Radio National - UNSW Top 5 Under 40 Scientists, leading to work on Life Matters, Offtrack, and the Science Show. Recently, Amber decided to hang up her lab coat and to exchange her life behind a microscope for a career in science communication in Canberra, joining the office of Australia’s Chief Scientist as a Senior Researcher. Overall, she is passionate about using storytelling to engage diverse audiences in life-long scientific learning. As a special favour to her old school, Amber spoke with students last month, about her love of science and how growing up and being educated in a country environment has helped equip her in following her chosen path. This is another of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) events being promoted by St Raphael’s for our students, as we educate young people for the exciting opportunities presented by the 21st century. Susan Whiteley

t the end of term two, all stage 4 and 5 students, along with 14 teachers from St. Raphael’s Catholic School in Cowra, spent a day in Canberra immersed in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) experiences. What a great day! In a jam packed program, visits were made to Questacon, the Royal Australian Mint and the Ian Potter Technology Learning Centre. In small groups, students actively experienced a multitude of creative, analytical and problem-solving challenges, as well as investigating the scientific processes involved in the making of money. Workshops at the Technology Learning Centre focused on taking recycled materials and using state of the art equipment to build structures which could solve everyday problems. Students negotiated, consulted, experimented and designed a variety of structures. The range of designs was truly amazing and indicative of the active minds and enthusiasm of St Raphael’s students to embrace STEM and the challenges of learning.

Young scientists at work

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 25

All Hallows School, Gulgong First Holy Communion

ur First Holy Communion Mass, held at St John the Baptist Church, Gulgong on 14th August, was a beautiful celebration for the Parish and especially the four girls receiving the Body of Christ for the first time. Supported by their families and extended school and parish family, Madison F, Kali, Madison W and Eve received their First Holy Communion and enjoyed celebrating afterwards with an impressive morning tea. Many thanks to Fr Antony Vattakkunnel, for celebrating the Mass. Thanks also goes to Mr Rogers and Mrs Campbell who prepared the class, Mrs Holland for her organising and the Sisters of St Joseph for their support and for making the church beautiful.

The First Communicants with Fr Antony

Celebrating Grandparents

randparent’s Morning Tea Beau and his Nana at at All Hallows was a lovely Grandparents Day celebration of those special people who are so important to us. Our Liturgy allowed us time to reflect and be thankful for our grandparents who were with us, think of those who were unable to travel and remember those grandparents who are no longer with us, but are within our hearts. Our delicious morning tea, provided by Y2 families, was enjoyed in the beautiful sunshine. Our Scholastic Book Fair, also held on this day, was a roaring success and a special thank you goes to Mrs Stubbs and Mrs Campbell for making it at the fair and the children have been they have been reading about. possible. Many books were purchased sharing all of the interesting things Anita Burke

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Page 26 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

Soup for the Soul

nce again this year, as part of our Confirmation unit, Y6 students at Cathedral Primary School, Bathurst organised a soup drive, in the spirit of St Vincent, to help feed the homeless and unfortunate in our community. All students at Cathedral Primary School participated and donations were collected and boxed up by students on a daily basis. At the conclusion of our soup drive we had collected over 300 cans and packets of soup, which equaled 178 litres. This is enough to feed 712 people a warm meal during our cold Bathurst winter. There are a lot of people out there who don’t have a warm place to sleep or dinner that we had collected. We hope that our contribution has helped to improve the lives and spirit of those less fortunate in our community. to eat. This is our way of helping them. Year 6 Students On Friday 1st July, Gerry from Vinnies came to collect all the soup Cathedral Primary School

Sacraments in Portland

ongratulations to Kealey, Emmet and Thomas who were Confirmed by Bishop Michael at a Parish Mass at St Joseph’s in Portland recently. The Mass was beautiful with our three students joined by Lorena Brown from St Patrick’s, Lithgow, celebrating this Sacrament and becoming fully fledged members of the Catholic Church. Bishop Michael spoke to the families about three important aspects of this faith journey including praying together as a family, owning a bible and reading it as a family, as well as joining our Parish family on Sundays for worship. There was the opportunity to talk Bishop Michael afterwards, as our P&F Association catered a delicious bacon and egg breakfast. Thanks to Nikki Cutting, Kerena Lampton, Simone Taylor and Nikki Field for their wonderful hospitality skills and thank you to Mal Kearns and Hayden Taylor, our chefs. Seven young people from St Joseph’s also received their first Eucharist recently, during a Mass full of joy and hope, celebrated by Parish Priest, Father Mark McGuigan. Afterwards, the first communicants were joined by family and friends while they cut a lovely cake and enjoyed each other’s company.

Bishop Michael with Thomas, Lorena, Kealey and Emmet

Cutting the cake

St Joseph’s students celebrating their First Eucharist

Sue Kearns C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 27

Andrew Chinn visits Bathurst

he Assumption School’s favourite liturgical singer/ songwriter, Andrew Chinn, visited us on Tuesday 16th August to continue celebrations of our School feast day, the Feast of the Assumption. We were again wowed with our favourite songs, fun actions and lots of laughs, all while we celebrated our faith and God’s love for us. Sue Guilfoyle

Audience participation is a highlight in Andrew’s concerts

Carole Al Farah

The faces say it all!

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Page 28 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

St Joseph’s Primary School, Blayney Jump into Joeys

ump into Joeys, the Kinder Readiness Program at St Joseph’s, commenced in early August with a Teddy Bear’s Picnic. The pre-schoolers, who will commence Kindergarten in 2017, bounced into St Joseph’s with their fruit and teddy bears and were greeted by our 2016 Kinder students for a morning of activities, including craft, music, stories and a bear hunt. They were assisted by Y5 students who will be part of the Kinder Buddy Support Program next year. The program is a great learning experience for students, as they are introduced to some of the school routines such as group work, following instructions and getting used to the school environment. It’s also a great way for the pre-schoolers to familiarise themselves with staff and students, so they transition easily into Kindergarten in 2017.

2017 Kinder kids getting ready for ‘big school’

Grandparents’ Day 2016

t Joseph’s Grandparents’ Day was held recently. Approximately 200 seniors from the Blayney Shire attended the morning tea and lunch at the Community Centre. Students from St Joseph’s performed a variety of musical pieces including our School song, sung by the choir. A number of individual, band and dance performances were also prepared.

Macauley Kennedy with his Mum, Belinda and Nan, Colleen

Grandparents’ Day is an important community event and it is only made possible through the good will and generosity of parents, students and staff of St Joseph’s. Lunch was served by a group of hard working St Joseph’s volunteers and Y10 students from Blayney High School. Thank you to Maxine Meek from Blayney High for supporting us in this initiative and also to our P & F for co-ordinating the morning tea and lunch. We are grateful to the parents who made soup or worked in the kitchen. Congratulations to the whole school for this initiative. Robyn Wallace

Bob Costello with his granddaughter, Lilly Simons

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 29

St Joseph’s, Manildra Fundraising Ball

n July, St Joseph’s Primary School P & F Association, held a fundraising ball at the Manildra Memorial Hall. The night was a great success with over 160 guests attending from Manildra, Cudal, Orange, Molong, and as far as Canberra and Sydney. Guests were treated to a wonderful night’s entertainment including the presentation of the ‘debutantes’ (four young local men willing to dress in ball gowns for the night), music by Gabemusic from Orange and were well-fed by local caterers, Smokin’ Bros. The night raised over $4,000 for St Joseph’s School and will be utilised for much needed maths and playground resources.

Science Week

Guests ‘swap roles’ all in the name of fun

ast month, 60 students from St Joseph’s Primary, Manildra and St Joseph’s Primary, Eugowra gathered together in Manildra to celebrate ‘Science Week - Robotics into the Future’. The day included an introduction to robots, looking at the latest educational robots including Bee Bots, Edisons and EV3s; how they function with sensors and motors; basic to advanced coding and appropriate activities and challenges for teachers and students to focus on. Some educators have the impression that robotics is time wasting and that students are just ‘playing’ with Lego and toys. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As robots are beginning to play a vital role in many of our industries today, i.e. mining, mass production, communication, emergency and rescue and information technology; schools need to provide an up-to-date curriculum that will carry our children into the future. Joshua Dunn

Phoebe Hoolahan and Toby Gibson intrigued by the robots

Page 30 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

St Stanislaus’ College St Catherine’s Aged Care Facility Visits

ommencing Term 2, students from the St Vincent de Paul Boarders’ Conference began visiting St Catherine’s Aged Care Facility weekly, to meet with residents and share stories and recreation time. Each Friday after school, students engage with residents by joining them in their recreation room to play snooker, cards or simply to chat. Br Brendan Tanner cm is a resident of St Catherine’s and the students delight in their visits with him each week. They recently shared stories with Br Brendan about their trip to the Vincentian community in Natovi, Fiji. Br Brendan worked with this community many years ago and our students told him about the work that was completed on their visit. The boys find great joy in this community outreach and we are grateful to St Catherine’s for allowing our students to visit and build connections with the residents.

Stannies’ students Oliver, Jack and Tom enjoy a chat with Br Brendan

Old Boys’ Gallery Induction

eter Dingwall was inducted into the Old Boys Gallery on 12th August 2016 during a College Assembly. Peter and his guests were hosted for lunch by students from Y11 Legal Studies, as well as students from the Stannies Equestrian Team. Peter attended Stannies from 1963 to 1969. He obtained his Bachelor of Law (Hons.) in 1974 from the Australian National University and was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1975 and has devoted his professional life to the law. Peter has just recently retired as Magistrate of the ACT Magistrates Court, where he has served since 1990. Peter has also served as President of the ACT Show Jumping Club and as a member of the Board of Equestrian NSW, becoming President in 2015. He also served on the ACT Rugby Union Judiciary from 1995 to 2001. Congratulations Peter! Dr Anne Wenham

Peter Dingwall with Dr Anne Wenham

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Brigidine College visits Coonamble

n Tuesday 1st August, 15 Y10 pupils from Brigidine College, St Ives visited St Brigid’s School in Coonamble. The girls joined the classrooms and played with the students. They provided great competition to the Y5-6 netball team during a hotly contested match. They also went on a tour of the church and chapel and caught up on our shared Brigidine heritage. The students from St Ives donated sporting equipment and books for the School and refurbished laptops for our classrooms. They are truly like a ‘sister school’ and Brigidine College students with St Brigid’s students we are always delighted to meet these great role models who emanate ‘strength The next stop for the students was We look forward to their visit next year. Goodooga, to also assist the school there. Patricia Crawley and gentleness’.

NAIDOC Day in Coonamble

he St Brigid’s School community held their annual NAIDOC celebrations in July. Staff, students and many visitors wore red, black and yellow clothing, with the theme this year being ‘The living narrative of our nation’. The day began with an Acknowledgement of Country and raising of the Aboriginal flag before the School Mass, which was also attended by relatives and friends. After lunch, the students were divided into their six peer support groups and moved around the variety of activities. These included dancing, playing Aboriginal games, listening to dreaming stories, playing a memory card game that contained pictures and Aboriginal icons and learning about the various uses of coolamons. Each

The flag raising ceremony child then made their own coolamon assist on the day. Once again, our from clay. NAIDOC Day observance was an outstanding success. We are very grateful to the organisations that provided staff to Patricia Crawley

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BLAST16 Team Formation

n July 28 young members of the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst gathered at Shalom house of Prayer, Carcoar for a time for formation and preparation for the annual diocesan youth festival, BLAST. This session gave participants a chance to deepen their relationship with Christ and also allowed the potential BLAST leaders an opportunity to give input and provide feedback on the format of BLAST16. During this time, there were sessions facilitated by Huw Warmenhoven from Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Australia (CSYMA), as well as members of our diocesan family, with emphasis placed on the individual’s need to accept a relationship with Christ and to be the person each is called to be. Huw and Jarryd Atkinson (James Sheahan Catholic High School and National Team member of CSYMA) helped facilitate sessions on identifying individuals’ gifts and talents, helping others share in small groups and looked at the importance of discipleship and following the call of Jesus.

BLAST formation team with Bishop Michael and Fr Tim One quote from Huw that stood out for many was “The end is just beginning”, which gave the team members a chance to reflect on the journey they were on and opportunities open to them. Bishop Michael celebrated Mass with the group and tasked the team members to work towards BLAST16 and a deeper relationship with God. This time of formation was important for all members of the BLAST team, but it would not have been possible

without the support and knowledge of past BLAST leaders Baden, Skye, Jarrod and Karl, who greatly assisted over the three days and allowed the new team members to enter into this time of spiritual formation effectively. Thanks to Huw from CSYMA, who generously gave his time to assist our Diocese to continue on the journey it is called to experience. Josh Clayton

Opening Hours The Catholic Development Fund office is open for counter service from 10.00am to 4.30pm – Monday to Friday. On-Line Access You can also access the CDF On-Line via the Diocesan website bathurst.catholic.org.au or phone Freecall 1800 451 760 - for information Disclosure: The Catholic Development Fund Diocese of Bathurst (CDF) is not subject to the provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Deposits with CDF are guaranteed by CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for this purpose. We welcome your investment with the CDF rather than with a profit oriented commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable, Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church. CDF, nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Bathurst are prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority; contributions to CDF do not obtain the benefit of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959; CDF is designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of CDF.

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 33

150th anniversary celebrations conclude

ishop Michael McKenna will trace the footsteps of the first Bishop of Bathurst, Bishop Matthew Quinn, on Sunday 30th October 2016, as part of the weekend of events to conclude the Diocese of Bathurst’s sesquicentenary celebrations. On 30th October 1866, Bishop Quinn and seven Sisters of Mercy reached the outskirts of Bathurst in a coach led by six horses. He and his party were met at Kelso and taken by procession to the Cathedral, on foot via the Cox River Road.

arrival in Bathurst coincides with the Diocesan Assembly which will also be held over this weekend. Each parish will be represented by two people and this group of 34 will form the new Diocesan Pastoral Council. The Council will continue to work on the six objectives developed at the 2013 Diocesan Assembly.

The Assembly will begin with Mass on Saturday 29th October at 9.00am in the Cathedral of St Michael and St John, followed by a full programme of prayer, discernment and reflection. It will be The re-enactment of Bishop Quinn’s facilitated by Mr Daniel Ang, Director

of the Office for Evangelisation for the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay. The program will also include celebrating with the Sisters of Mercy, who will be hosting a garden party at Rahamim to mark their 150th anniversary. Bishop Michael invites everyone to join him on the walk to Mass on the Sunday morning, which will begin with a BBQ breakfast at MacKillop College from 8.00am. The walk will commence at 8.50am and 10.00am Mass will be followed by brunch in Machattie Park. Kimbalee Clews

An Extraordinary Journey of Mercy From page 3 In the lead up to WYD, when we spent time in Łódz, our group was lucky to be hosted in the Parish of St Faustina, where the generosity of the parish and the individual families was unlimited. All of the host families changed their lives to ensure we were comfortable, fed and very well looked after. Eliza described the experience saying, “I witnessed the most amazing kindness, compassion, generosity and bravery in action. Not only had our hosts opened their doors to us as strangers, but also continually tried to feed us, give us gifts, washed for us and even organised transport. I was humbled that these people, who

have limited means, experienced debilitating governments - both the effects of WWII and communist regime, would be willing to connect and care for us”. WYD 2016 was an amazing experience for all the pilgrims and one that has expanded the world view of everyone who attended. It exposed the pilgrims to challenges, allowed them to connect and build relationships with others, gain a better understanding of themselves and, most importantly, has enabled a deeper connection to God. Joshua Clayton Pilgrim Co-ordinator

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Page 34 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

menALIVE in Orange!

ver the weekend of 18th-19th June, 28 men participated in a menALIVE weekend in Orange. The experience offered an opportunity for men to deepen their understanding of God’s call and challenge within their lives. The weekend involved talks, small group and reflection activities, as well as an opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance with local priests Fr Brien Murphy and Fr Garry McKeown. Having forged strong friendships and a sense of community over the two days, the highlight of weekend was the Mass celebrated on Sunday. Dr Angelo Belmonte

The group from menALIVE Orange with Fr Garry and Fr Brien

Youth Mass a hit in Gilgandra

n Sunday 24th July 2016, the people of Gilgandra gathered at St Joseph’s to celebrate a special Youth Mass. We were joined by Diocesan seminarian, Thao Van Nguyen, as well as pre-seminarians, Duong Van Ha, Cong Van Hoang and Lam Song Tran, who were here visiting at the time. The young men were very enthusiastic to involve as many young people as possible, as well as the not-so-young members of the parish, in celebrating Mass. The response was great and the Mass was followed by a BBQ, with many staying to chat afterwards. We plan to have regular youth-led parish Masses, with the hope that hearts will be set on fire with the love and compassion of Jesus! Sr Robyn McNamara rsj

Duong and Cong lead the Youth Mass in song

Please give generously to the Cathedral Restoration Appeal. Donations can be made: In Person ~ Catholic Chancery Office Bathurst, or your local Parish Office By Phone ~ 1800 451 760 By email ~ cathedralrestoration@bathurst.catholic.org.au Online ~ cathedralappealbathurst.org.au where you will find more information. Or via the app ~ Cathedral Restoration Appeal Donations over $2 are tax deductible

C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 35

• B L O

A S T •

n the weekend of 20th-21st August, more than 70 young people from across the Diocese gathered to have fun and encounter Christ at Ridgecrest Convention Centre, Lake Burrendong.

BLAST is an annual gathering, designed to allow the young people of our Diocese to come together, share their faith and learn more about the way that God, and our parish communities, can be part of their journey to discover and awaken their faith. This year, BLAST included sessions that covered breaking open who Jesus is, the role of each of us in assisting those with less than ourselves, prayer and workshops around what it was really like to attend World Youth Day. It was a weekend full of music, dancing, fun and friendship, with healthy competition in the team challenge, which is always entertaining.

BLAST participants from Mudgee with WYD Pilgrim, Jacinta Thatcher

Bishop Michael McKenna joined BLAST on Saturday and celebrated Mass that evening. Fr Greg Kennedy and Fr Tim Cahill spent time at BLAST on Saturday morning while Fr Carl Mackander and Fr Steve Sinn sj also joined with the group on Saturday evening for Reconciliation. It was wonderful to have our five seminarians and three pre seminarians with us, engaging with the youth of the Diocese. BLAST is a chance for time with God. It aims to help awaken the desire to be part of our parishes and to engage with a life where God is present. At the end of the weekend, each participant was encouraged to return to their parish and see what they can do to make a difference in their own lives, as well as that of others.

Reflection and prayer ar BLAST 2016

The BLAST leaders were thrilled with the turnout and the participants were grateful for all the hard work that occurred to make BLAST 2016 a success. The hope and prayer is that this weekend will lead to an explosion of possibilities in the lives of these young people and they will desire to explore their faith more and more. Josh Clayton Ministries Co-ordinator

BLAST Leaders

Page 36 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

explodes with possibilities!

Our seminarians and pre-seminarians with Bishop Michael

WYD Pilgrim, Matt Gibson testing the jumping pillow

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VISIONARY

PAR TNERS

Cathedral Gift Shop’s generous gift

he Cathedral Gift Shop has been part of the Cathedral Parish for close to 50 years. Located inside the Cathedral of St Michael and St John, it is staffed by volunteers and managed by Judy and Dominic Chircop. Apart from providing beautiful gifts and resources for parishioners of the Cathedral and other parishes, the Gift Shop has also made a significant contribution to the Cathedral Restoration Appeal in recent years, donating $14,500 since 2010. Proceeds from sales have made the donations possible, and this has only been achieved by the efforts of the volunteers who run the shop. “Our small group of 15 volunteers ensure the Shop is open every Thursday and Friday, as well as after weekend Masses”, said Judy. “The fact that everyone who works in the shop volunteers, means that all proceeds are able to be donated to worthy causes. Given we are part of the Cathedral itself, we see the Restoration Appeal as a very worthy cause”. The Cathedral Gift Shop also supports the Cathedral Parish, the Clergy

Some of the Cathedral Gift Shop volunteers: Sue Martin, Carol Short, Judy and Dominic Chircop and Eileen Horan Retirement Fund, the Education of Priests Fund and provides books and other resources to the Western NSW Mission. Chairman of the Cathedral Restoration Appeal, Phil Burgett, said “The Cathedral Gift Shop is an important aspect of the Cathedral itself and the

great work done by those who ensure its successful operation and generous donations is very much appreciated by the Appeal’s committee. Without their efforts, not only would the Appeal be at a disadvantage, but so would many other causes within the Diocese”. Kimbalee Clews

High Tea at St Vincent’s Parish, Portland

oan Applin and Chris Mahony, wives of Deacons, Charles Applin and Terry Mahony, have come up with an initiative to hold a social gathering in each parish within the Diocese of Bathurst to raise awareness of the Cathedral Restoration Project. The first event was a ‘High Tea’ held in June at the St. Vincent’s Hall in Portland. More than 60 people enjoyed the food which was elegantly served and everyone had a wonderful time catching up with friends. Sr Catherine Grant rsj with Trish Smith from Lithgow Margaret Gibson, Chair of the that has been made to date. The crowd The event raised just over $1,200 for the Fundraising Committee for the restoration of the Cathedral, spoke about were also entertained and enthralled by Cathedral Restoration Appeal. Kimbalee Clews the restoration project and the progress poetry from local poet, Robin Hardy. Page 38 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t

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C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t • September 2016 • Page 39

a place at the table SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AN AGEING SOCIETY

Social Justice Statement 2016–17 Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

Page 40 • September 2016 • C a t h o l i c O B S E RV E R , T h e D i o c e s e o f B a t h u r s t