Aurora June 2018

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle June 2018 | No.180

Catholic women deacons – why not?

Meet the deans of the two Newcastle cathedrals Behind the scenes of a Commonwealth Games good news story

COVER STO RY

Missionary o f M e rc y re p o r t s f ro m Rome

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First Word On the cover Missionary of Mercy, Richard Shortall sj, meets Pope Francis in Rome.

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle June 2018 | No.180

Catholic women deacons – why not?

COVER STORY

Behind the scenes of a Commonwealth Games good news story

ministry will be coloured by his time in MaitlandNewcastle.

As a lover of books and reading, I want to share this story about US Sister and renowned theologian, Elizabeth Johnson csj. Elizabeth, who wrote the ground-breaking She Who Is, has chosen to retire, aged 76. The following is from the National Catholic Reporter.

Missionary of Mercy reports from Rome

Meet the deans of the two Newcastle cathedrals

Wanted: incisive presences!

Featured  “But a moment in time”

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 Paving a path to success

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 Local author tells tales tall but true!

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 Ten years feeding hearts, minds and souls 11  There are no age limits on counselling!

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 Hope comes with a better-than-written guarantee 14  Leaders without hats or badges or titles

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 ‘Sportswomanship’ is alive and well 17  What’s really going on underneath the surface?

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 Children and grief

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 What can we learn from each other?

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Regulars  First Word

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 My Word

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 Wisdom in the Square

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 CareTalk

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“Once feminist theologian Sr Elizabeth Johnson decided she would retire from teaching at Fordham University, she invited current and former doctoral students, graduate assistants and mentees to help themselves to books from her personal library, many of the volumes marked with annotations in her own handwriting, and at least one containing a personal letter from the author.”

Our cover this month captures the meeting of Missionary of Mercy, Richard Shortall sj, with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Extracts from Richard’s ‘Roman diary’ appear in this edition. Being the Missionary of Mercy has really been a gamechanger for Richard and I feel that his future

Aurora online

Next deadline 7 June 2018

Good news! You can still catch up with Aurora online, via www.MNnews.today.

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 Family Matters

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Subscribe E tracey.edstein@mn.catholic.org.au

 Frankly Spoken

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 Community Noticeboard

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 Last Word

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TRACEY EDSTEIN – Editor

Contact Aurora

 One by One

 Seasons of Mercy

Finally, I enjoyed very much my conversation with our local Deans, Rev Andrew Doohan and Rev Katherine Bowyer, the same week that Rev Sonia Roulston was ordained assistant bishop at Christ Church Cathedral. I am reminded of the words of Pope Francis in Evangelii gaudium: “…we need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church” (#103).

What a generous way for a theologian to pass on her love of learning and of the Church!

Aurora enquiries should be addressed to The Editor Tracey Edstein E tracey.edstein@mn.catholic.org.au PO Box 756 Newcastle 2300 P 4979 1288 | F 4979 1119

 Soul Food

Still on matters (ultimately) Roman, Andrea Dean, Director of the Office for the Participation of Women, asks you to consider the possibility of Catholic women being ordained deacons. Andrea writes, “…no change will happen overnight. Why not use this time for education, conversation and discernment about the topic?”

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My Word connection to a church still thought they should put down something. He pictured the scene where the bloke would ask his wife, ‘Your mother was Anglican, wasn’t she?’ Now they’re more likely to just enter a factual ‘No religion’. He was inclined to think that there’s social pressure now to say that you don’t believe, that it’s difficult and embarrassing at a barbecue to confess that you still belong to a church, still hold a faith.

How to fix the church?

Census results that show declining numbers of Christians always attract some comment.

There’s a section of the community that positively delights in rushing to explain why the church, or often ‘religion’ itself, has had its day in an enlightened, scientific and liberal age. There are others who reflect more soberly on what it might mean to live in a society that lacks the underlying structure of shared beliefs that we’ve been used to. And then there are others who observe that, despite the hullabaloo about decline, half the population still does identify with one Christian church or another. One academic commentator on Newcastle radio observed, wisely I think, that the census numbers probably reflect a change from the days when people with no real

Those who think about these things in a longer perspective see things a little differently. One might recall that at the end of the nineteenth century in Australia the rate of church attendance was about the same as it is now. In the great age of aspiration to respectability, the 1950s, when in popular memory all Catholics went to Mass, the true figure was much nearer half. In that longer perspective, the decline in the place of religion in Australian life is more like a return to normal. Henry Lawson or Norman Lindsay would feel quite at home in the sceptical disdain for churchiness that prevails today.

All these discussions, however, reflect a focus on the place of religious adherence in society, on the church as a social institution. The recent Royal Commission, too, steadfastly regarded the church as a social institution, as was its mandate. The Commission stopped short of the radical view that the church is a wholly malignant institution, responsible for all the wars of all time, the repression of women down all the ages and a barrier to scientific enquiry and human progress in general. It did, however, see the church as a badly broken institution, with a potentially dangerous culture, that the state had to fix by regulation. There is, of course, a good deal of truth in this. In the field of the Royal Commission’s inquiry, the church had performed appallingly badly, criminally, as an institution. Still, there are ironies in the idea of the state ‘fixing’ the church, when, from the kings and emperors of the middle ages to the dictators of the twentieth century, the great tradition of church reform has been the struggle to keep the civil powers from taking control of the church and using its structures to their own ends. Hopefully this time, there will be a productive interaction between church and state about

how best to order things for the common good.

When church people worry about the state of the church, it’s not usually its success as a social institution they have in mind. We worry about what might be called its soul. How is it as a community of faith? How deeply are its members in relationship with God, inspired by Christ, led by the Spirit? How well do they live the great command of love of God and neighbour? How ready are they for lives of love and service? Pope Francis is particularly good at poking fun at those who are fixated on religious stuff – liturgy, dogma, orthodoxy, programs, organisation – and think it’s very important to get it all right, but who don’t seem to really know a God who is good and loving, patient and forgiving. And what bothers the pope bothers people everywhere. Those devout people that the pope characterised as ‘sourpusses’ seem to pop up in most parishes, and they suck the joy out of Christian life. How do you change hearts? That’s always the reform believers want.

You won’t be surprised that I don’t have the answers.

I have, however, just come from an afternoon where a group of us sat around sharing stories about our most treasured ‘encounters with Christ’. Person after person spoke of moments when we were suddenly caught up in the presence of God, the warmth of love, the rapture of being forgiven, the peace of finding direction from the Other. Some of the memories went way back, others were recent, but all were fresh. You watched people reliving the moment, you relived your moments, and the experience of the love of God was a power again, right there in the conversation. We talk about ‘spreading the Good News’. I have just been reminded of how much good news we bear within us. The church should be where that is shared and celebrated. That’s a cultural change to be desired.

Bishop Bill Wright Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

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Feature

“But a moment in time”

By RICHARD SHORTALL sj

In April, diocesan Missionary of Mercy (MoM), Richard Shortall sj, participated in a gathering of MoMs in Rome. Richard was one of those chosen to share his story of being a ‘Missionary on Wheels’. Here are extracts from his diary of those special days.

Sunday 8 April

Monday 9 April

Tuesday 10 April

This morning the MoMs join Pope Francis for

A wet day dawns as I set off for the Great Hall (Aula) of the Pontifical Lateran University. I wish I could have sent the rain to Melbourne and Sevenhill!

After Morning Prayer, we listen to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, on “The Missionary of Mercy According to Pope Francis”.

I’m distracted as I keep wondering how I’m going to get the album of my travels in the motor home into Francis’ hands.

the outdoor Eucharist in St Peter's Square. We are ushered into our seats in the square, just to the right of the altar behind the concelebrating cardinals and bishops….definitely, a seat with a view!

Alas, I cannot tell you what Francis said in his twelve-minute homily, but what an experience to be so near to the sanctuary area.

At the end of the Eucharist Francis pays tribute to us and we are applauded. He greets a line of special guests before walking in our direction. As he moves along the line of cardinals and bishops, a group of 'unmerciful' MoMs surges forward to greet him. Not even the Papal Secret Service can hold them back! I am content to remain where I am and just soak up the atmosphere.

Throughout the morning I find myself remembering so many people with gratitude: family, friends, Jesuits and those whose lives I touched during my eighteen months of ministry as MaitlandNewcastle’s MoM.

After collecting my simultaneous translation headphones, I settle a few rows from the front with a good view. However, an immaculatelysuited young priest is soon calling me to the front row, where the other 'Witness' speakers are seated. I am reminded of the gospel text, "Come higher, friend"!

Soon it’s time to hear from the five chosen Missionaries of Mercy. The second speaker wows the audience as he speaks passionately about what it was like to be a MoM on wheels, communicating with his hands and filling the room with laughter — especially when he ends one sentence by saying, "and I am a very good knitter."

Alas, the projector system is not working and I am unable to show my photographs and maps.

Over lunch I’m amazed by continual expressions of appreciation for my 'witness'. A Polish bishop says, "Thank you so much for your words. I would like you to come to my diocese.” I believe I have done so many at home proud.

Finally I’m able to entrust the photo album to a Scottish monsignor, a member of Archbishop Fisichella’s staff. This seems to be the best I can manage, as there is no suggestion I might be allowed to hand it to Francis himself.

Francis arrives to the sound of sustained applause.

One MoM has the temerity to stand in the aisle snapping away while Francis is speaking, until one of the Swiss Guards deals with him — unmercifully!

One phrase of Francis stays with me, “the prodigal son did not have to walk through Customs.”

Once he has finished speaking, Francis stands to greet individually all 600 of us. I have just enough time to say, Jesuiti Australia—to which Archbishop Fisichella adds, familia. It is but a moment in time, but one marked with a feeling of special joy.

We make our way down the main aisle of St Peter’s into the area between the papal altar and the Altare della Cathedra. Here we celebrate with Francis in a rather intimate liturgical space.

I find myself soaking up the emotion of feeling, as it were, recognised for all my efforts in the motor home during the Year of Mercy, through the simple gesture of shaking Francis’ hand and being held in his smiling, gentle gaze.

Wednesday 11 April We walk to the Lateran Cathedral for our final Eucharist together. When I notice the Scottish monsignor to whom I had given the MaitlandNewcastle photo book yesterday, I thank him for accepting the book on behalf of Francis. He is clearly not pleased to see me as he says, “The book was full of photos of YOU — of YOU!” What can I say in the face of such lack of mercy?

The memento of the MoM’s time in Maitland-Newcastle presented to Pope Francis.

Archbishop Fisichella is the principal celebrant.

I notice how at home Fisichella is in this role, with no sense of Roman stuffiness. Suddenly it is all over… I find myself recalling that apart from the personal encounter with Francis, one of the significant graces of these days has been the opportunity to chat so easily with priests who were total strangers to me!

Fr Richard Shortall is a member of the Society of Jesus.

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Education

Paving a path to success

By AMY THEODORE

A partnership between Mai-Wel LabourForce Solutions and Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is helping students with disabilities pave a career path.

For the past ten years, a successful initiative between Mai-Wel LabourForce Solutions (Mai-Wel) and the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) has been helping students with a disability who are about to leave high school find an employment path that is right for them.

The initiative was inspired by the then Principal of Holy Spirit Primary School, Kurri Kurri, Roger Whitney, who approached Mai-Wel about providing employment to a young person with a disability who was volunteering at the school.

Following the successful employment of the volunteer at the school, MaiWel approached the CSO to propose an ongoing partnership to help former Catholic school students with disabilities and/or those experiencing disadvantage by placing them in Catholic schools throughout the diocese to complete traineeships and gain qualifications.

One of the trailblazers of the initiative was Jarrod Lantry, a former student of St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar. Jarrod has an intellectual disability and was approaching the end of his education journey when he obtained a grounds maintenance traineeship at St Joseph’s through the initiative. Upon completing the traineeship, Jarrod was successful in securing permanent employment at the College as a member of the grounds staff, where he still works today.

Every traineeship is designed around the needs and capabilities of the student and consists of 15 hours a week over a two-year period, helping students who face challenging circumstances to reach their full potential. At the end of the traineeship, Mai-Well assists students in securing a place of employment to enable them to continue on their career pathway.

One of the biggest issues faced by young people trying to break into the workforce is a lack of experience in real 6

work environments to gain skills which they can transfer to a range of different occupations. This initiative helps those who face a few extra hurdles to gain that experience and achieve their employment and personal goals.

Not only do the trainees improve their vocational skills, they also gain increased confidence and a sense of self-worth, helping them see how they can be a part of, and make a difference in, their communities. The traineeship also gives them the opportunity to develop their social and workplace communication skills and learn how to increase their personal effectiveness.

Mai-Wel staff provide support to trainees both on and off site during this two-year period, to ensure that they develop the necessary skills and work ethic to succeed. Over the course of the training, support and assistance is gradually withdrawn as the trainee’s competence increases. Mai-Wel also supports the CSO in providing access to the Disabled Australian Apprenticeship Wage Scheme, helping to offset wage costs.

Not only does the initiative give students a helping hand, the schools involved also benefit from gaining a fully trained additional staff member.

“This initiative helps to provide selfesteem building opportunities for young people progressing through the Catholic education system,” said Industry Engagement and Strategic Partnerships Facilitator at Mai-Wel, Tracy Forbes.

“The CSO traineeship arrangements and partnership provide a great opportunity to give these young people that first step on a career path and we will continue to work with the CSO, host schools and trainees to ensure the continued success of this initiative.”

Other successful students from the initiative include Emma Chapple who completed training in administration and

Jarrod Lantry at work at St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar.

Photo courtesy of Amy Theodore.

found a permanent place of employment where she still works today.

Another major participating school in the initiative has been St Patrick’s Primary School, Lochinvar. A former student completed a traineeship in December and the school is looking to engage another student in the near future.

To date, the initiative has been able to assist 12 students in furthering their careers, with a majority of the completed traineeships based in grounds work or administration.

“It’s an outstanding initiative and it’s been a fabulous journey,” said Assistant Director for Secondary School Projects, Gerard Mowbray.

“It’s about creating a pathway for students who have some employment challenges. I think it creates quality outcomes for them and quality

outcomes for our schools; the schools benefit by having an experienced pair of hands they wouldn’t normally have had.”

Mai-Wel LabourForce Solutions is a specialist employment service based in Maitland, Cessnock and Dungog that assists people with a disability to find and keep a job.

Offering ‘end to end’ recruitment solutions, it provides training and support in a variety of areas relating to personal and professional development with a commitment to helping people reach their full potential. For more information, please P 4015 8400 or E mwlfs@maiwel.com.au.

Amy Theodore is a Communications Officer for the Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle.

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Wisdom in the Square

Catholic women deacons – why not?

By ANDREA DEAN I wonder if, like me, you were curious and hopeful when you heard the news that Pope Francis – responding to a question posed by members of the International Union of Superiors General (IUSG) in May 2016 – had established a commission to study the question of ordaining women deacons in the Roman Catholic Church.

Of course, not everyone is in favour of the concept or clear about what the ramifications or possibilities of ordaining women deacons in the Roman Catholic Church would be. And no change will happen overnight. Why not use this time for education, conversation and discernment about the topic?

Deacons can baptise, witness marriages, lead funeral and burial services outside Mass, distribute Holy Communion, preach the homily (the sermon given after the Gospel at Mass), and are obligated to pray the Divine Office (Breviary) each day.

There are two types of deacons in the Catholic Church. Permanent deacons are men ordained to an office in the Catholic Church who normally have no intention of becoming priests. They can be single or married. Permanent deacons, especially those who are married, have secular jobs to support their families and also help the local pastor by visiting the sick, teaching the faith, counselling couples and individuals and working on parish committees. Transitional deacons are seminarians, students in the last phase of training for the Catholic priesthood.

After being a deacon for a year, they are ordained a priest by the bishop.

In the Catholic Church, you have the Pope at the top of a hierarchy, then cardinals, bishops, priests, and deacons.

One of the earliest Christian texts, Acts of the Apostles (6: 1-6), tells us that seven men were called to do the diakonia (service) of the table leaving the apostles to do the diakonia of the Word.

The earliest reference to a female deacon occurs in Romans 16 when Paul describes Phoebe as diakonos, a title

he sometimes applied to himself (see 1 Cor 3:5, 2 Cor 3:6). The diakonos title for women deacons, as well as the term diakonissa (literally deaconess, though sometimes contentiously interpreted to mean the wife of a deacon) recurs in both literary and archaeological inscriptions until the 6th century.

The role of deacon came to include pastoral work, baptism, care of the poor, assistance at liturgies and in the 4th century, could include management of church property, the upkeep of churches and cemeteries and care of the sick and widows.

Literary references to women deacons in the West, while not abundant, are definitely present. In the mid-6th century the Frankish queen, Radegund, was ordained a deacon by Bishop Medard, a bishop of Noyons and Tournai. Other women deacons in the West known to us by tombstone inscriptions include Anna, a 6th century woman deacon from Rome; Theodora, a female deacon from Gaul buried in 539 and Ausonia, a 6th century woman deacon from Dalmatia. In 753 the Archbishop of Ravenna, Sergius, “consecrated his wife, Euphemia, a deacon”. And in 799, an account of Pope Leo III’s return to Rome reports that he was greeted by the entire population including “holy women, women deacons and the most notable matrons”. Abbesses in the western church were sometimes deacons as well.

There was a number of attempts to stop the practice of ordaining female deacons, first at the Council of Orange in 441 and again at the Council of Epaon in 517. However, it was not until the 12th century that evidence of women deacons fades. A 12th century Greek canonist wrote, “In times past, orders of deaconesses were recognised and they had access to the sanctuary, but the monthly affliction banished them...”

Also in the 12th century, the separate ministry of deacon was subsumed into the priesthood, becoming a preliminary step to ordination. Only at the second Vatican Council did the separate ministry of permanent deacons

re-emerge. Thus far the permanent diaconate is open only to men.

What would be the advantages of accepting women into the diaconate?

1. Ordaining women to the diaconate

may lead to expanded ministerial roles for women. Permanent deacons preach, baptise, witness marriages and perform other services for the people of God. 2. Restoring the tradition of women

deacons will allow women to preach a homily at Mass. Their perspectives as women and mothers living the Gospel in a secular world will give new life and meaning to Catholic women and men trying to relate the scriptures to their lived experience.

3. There are many women who are already theologically and pastorally qualified to be deacons. All of these

constitute a large new pool of ministers who could be immediately available to meet the growing needs of an expanding church.

4. The Church's canon law states that the laity may “co-operate with” but not “share” authority in the church, and that applies to many positions. Restoring women to the ordained diaconate would allow them to hold certain offices now restricted to clerics, such as chancellor and judge.

If you would like to take this opportunity further and become more educated about women deacons, check out the excellent resources and study guides available at www.futurechurch.org.

Andrea Dean is the Director of the Office for the Participation of Women, www.opw.catholic.org.au.

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News

Local author tells tales tall but true!

By TRACEY EDSTEIN When James Tobias (Toby) Ryan, 17, and his cousin, George Rope, found themselves in a drunken fight with police in Penrith in 1835, they decided that escape was the best course of action. Accordingly, they walked to Parramatta, thence to Sydney where they boarded the steamer, “William the Fourth”, and sailed north to Newcastle Harbour. The two men then proceeded to the port of Morpeth and walked to Singleton and then to Wollombi. For three years they continued travelling and working on properties until they heard that the police (themselves former convicts) were no longer a threat and deemed it safe to return – by the same means – to Penrith. The Great North Road had opened, and as chronicler Marcus Punch says, “Then they walked home, to Penrith, after being away for three years.”

family’s colonial ancestor and decided to bring it to life again some 20 years ago. “It’s hard going because the language people understood 200 years ago is not the language we use now. I think Toby had a native intelligence. He went to a local school but left in his early teens,” says Marcus.

If you listed the elements of classic Australian stories, they’re all here in Toby’s Gun: convicts, conflict with Indigenous people, bullock teams and bushrangers, hard labour on agricultural properties, exploration, gold-digging and political machinations. Ryan owned a famous racehorse and was licensee of a Sydney pub!

This is not a tall tale but rather a taste of a rollicking saga written in the nineteenth century by Toby Ryan and published under the title of Reminiscences of Australia (1788-1894) in 1895. Toby Ryan was the grandson of First Fleeters Elizabeth Pulley and Anthony Rope.

As Marcus recalls, “There’s a great story about Henry Parkes, who was premier seven times. On one occasion when he’d been voted out, he was sent back to England around 1890 to drum up immigration. He invites his friend Toby to his office where there are crates of wine he’s brought back from England – as well as six coffins. Toby naturally asks ‘What are the coffins for?’ and Parkes says, ‘They’re for my political enemies,’ and he named each one!”

Marcus Punch, who grew up in Maitland and has returned home after his own overseas adventures, is the great-great-great-great grandson of “Uncle” Toby Ryan’s half-brother, Thomas Hobby Jr. Marcus has edited Toby Ryan’s magnum opus and published it under the title Toby’s Gun to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Toby Ryan’s birth on 4 January 1818.

As a boy, Marcus was familiar with the copy of the original that had been passed down to his mother, June. While his field was electrical engineering, mainly in the mining industry, he had an abiding interest in the

Marcus Punch’s own life has not been uneventful.

After graduating from Marist Brothers, Maitland, and completing officer training in Canberra with the Australian Army, he served in Townsville and Melbourne before taking long service and backpacking in India and Africa. He then left the army and worked as a project manager for Raleigh International in Malaysia, in Newcastle working with mine hunters, in Bougainville managing reconstruction and then on the Snowy Mountains Scheme in Cooma.

Korea beckoned, followed by Singapore, and then two

Author Marcus Punch.

sons, James Harvey and Miles. These young men have gradually learned of their colourful heritage.

Now Marcus works for himself, but his writing days may not be over. There’s a mysterious character, ‘Jane’, in Toby’s story who remains elusive…watch this space!

Please visit www.quicksales.com.au or McDonalds Books, High St, Maitland.

Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.

Annulments QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Marriage annulments are often misunderstood, and very little is known about the process. Would you like to know more?

For further information, contact the Tribunal Office on 4979 1370.

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CareTalk

Keeping a strong relationship strong Q

CatholicCare’s Manager of Counselling and Clinical Services, registered psychologist Tanya Russell, addresses an issue each month.

The advice provided is general in nature and does not replace ongoing support and advice from your health professional.

To talk to someone about counselling support, P 4979 1172.

Call Lifeline 24/7 on P 131 114.

Do you have a question for Tanya?

Email your question to aurora@mn.catholic.org.au or write to Aurora-CareTalk PO Box 756 Newcastle 2300.

A

After a marriage breakdown and many years of being on my own, I am now in a new relationship.

I believe we have a solid foundation for a wonderful relationship as we communicate often and quite well, but I’m curious to know what other factors make a relationship strong. I don’t want to find myself single again, particularly as this new relationship feels so right.

You’ve identified a very important aspect of successful relationships and that is good communication. Good communication includes the willingness to discuss all aspects of life such as values, goals, dreams – but also topics that may have the potential for some conflict. This requires the individuals to allow themselves to be vulnerable and open to pain occasionally. I highly recommend watching a Ted Talk on this topic by vulnerability researcher Brené Brown called “The Power of Vulnerability”.

Allowing yourselves to be vulnerable can strengthen relationships.

any problems with them and make the problem the problem, not your partner as a person.

Although healthy communication is so important, it is equally important to demonstrate respect in a relationship.

We know that if respect is lost, it almost feels impossible to regain it. Trust and respect go hand in hand. Respect each other’s differences including differing perspectives, interests and pastimes.

Respect is about each person in the relationship ‘having a say’ about the relationship. Be mindful of complaining about your partner to others. If you have any concerns about your partner, the first person you need to talk to is your partner.

Of course, our close friends might offer support but consider how you discuss

World-renowned relationship expert Dr John Gottman has studied couples for many decades and is able to predict accurately which couples will end up together or separated; based on how they “fight”. It’s not conflict itself that leads to divorce and separation but four particular characteristics that he calls “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (www.gottman.com):

Grow with your partner and embrace change. Change isn’t always easy but as the years go by, change is inevitable.

Support each other through life’s challenges and provide encouragement when needed. Change is not always positive so be prepared to reflect on yourself and each other and keep the communication channels open and honest – no secrets. This leads to another aspect of good communication: knowing how to deal with conflict.

1. Criticism: Criticising your partner is different from offering a critique or voicing a complaint. The important thing is to learn the difference between expressing a complaint and criticising.

2. Contempt: When we communicate in this state, we are truly mean – we treat others with disrespect, mock them with sarcasm, ridicule, call them names and mimic or use body language such as eye-rolling or scoffing. Contempt is the single greatest predictor of divorce.

3. Defensiveness: Sometimes when we feel unjustly accused, we fish for excuses and play the innocent victim so that our partner will back off.

4. Stonewalling: Stonewalling occurs when the listener withdraws from the interaction, shuts down and simply stops responding to his/her partner. Rather than confronting the issues, people who stonewall can make evasive manoeuvres such as tuning out, turning away, being ‘busy’, or engaging in obsessive or distracting behaviours.

Visit John Gottman’s website for further advice on what to do instead of engaging with the above ‘four horsemen’. Hopefully you now have some food for thought as a starting point for enhancing your relationship. Further reading in this area as suggested will provide you with more ideas to keep your relationship strong.

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Two by Two Dean Katherine and Dean Andrew collaborate.

“Icons of God’s grace” It’s not a prerequisite that the respective Deans of the Newcastle cathedral churches – Christ Church Anglican Cathedral and Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral – are aficionados of the gospel according to Monty Python, but in the case of Dean Katherine Bowyer and Dean Andrew Doohan, it certainly helps!

The two priests’ stories are quite different.

Katherine is Newcastle-born and bred and grew up in rectories, as one of two daughters of Fr Wilf Redden. Her father, one time parish priest in Gosford, was a good friend of Emeritus Bishop Michael Malone. In fact, after her ordination, Bishop Michael asked for her priestly blessing. Katherine had grandparents who were lay preachers in the Methodist Church so ministry is in her genes.

Andrew grew up in Casino, in the Diocese of Lismore, and initially he pursued a career in banking and finance for some years. He is the eldest of seven children and was raised in a family for whom faith was integral. He had been a student for the priesthood for Lismore Diocese but did not complete formation. Years later, having made a connection with the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, he entered St Patrick’s Seminary at Manly and was ordained here in 2007.

It was a significant moment for Katherine when she told her father she believed she might have a call to priesthood. He had been opposed to the ordination of women, 10

until “a profound experience of the Holy Spirit” led him to a new understanding.

His advice was to “test the call, pray about it — and do something else first”.

The ‘something else’ was the study of history, leading to a thesis exploring groups of women in the Anglican Church between the 1960s and 1990s, a time of profound change.

Katherine married David, a teacher, and by the time she began studies for priesthood at St John’s College, Morpeth, their son Thomas and daughter Elizabeth had arrived. Both are now young adults.

She recalls that the seminary regime was based on a Benedictine model, incorporating prayer, study and manual work, including clearing lantana on the property. “It was challenging at times with small children in tow!”

Andrew, of course, doesn’t have the family responsibilities and commitments Katherine has, although being so far away from his parents and extended family has its own cost. There is also a level of responsibility for the priests with whom he shares the presbytery at Hamilton and as Vicar General (a role separate from that of Dean) he has a pastoral role amongst the clergy.

Katherine was ordained in 2002 and became Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in 2017. She served in the parishes of Morpeth and Singleton, and then as rector in Rutherford and Cardiff. Regional

By TRACEY EDSTEIN

parishes have traditionally been more ecumenically-minded, given that those worshipping in different churches tend to know each other and come together easily.

Both Katherine and Andrew ministered in Singleton, although not concurrently, and each can recall times when they were present sacramentally to a congregation other than their own. “You just do it and it creates no fuss,” said Andrew.

Since 2008 there has been a Tri-Diocesan Covenant that links the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle and the Catholic Dioceses of Broken Bay and Maitland-Newcastle and this has provided further ecumenical opportunities. Traditionally civic occasions have been observed at Christ Church Cathedral – the opening of the Law Term, the Police Remembrance Service, Breast Cancer Awareness Evensong and so on.

Services such as these are now being shared between the two cathedrals, and as Andrew says, “We bookend the CBD.” Katherine adds, “Our working together and sharing a good relationship sends a powerful message to the city that this is what faith is about.”

When Andrew says, “It’s not your church and my church, it’s …” Katherine concludes, “God’s church!”

Both Deans acknowledge how much the local community has suffered because of sexual abuse by clergy and church personnel. Katherine recalls letting Bishop Michael know that she was praying for him

and his church as the truth was revealed. Since then, both diocesan communities have learned hard lessons and lived through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Asked what the churches have to offer the broader community today, Andrew recalls participating on ANZAC Day this year.

“When we led prayers, the people said ‘Amen’ with conviction, so being there publicly taps into something that’s nascent in the broader community. We still offer something more, that sense of hope…and we can still say ‘Amen’ to that.”

Katherine says, “In a world where hatred and oppression are so often the bywords, the cathedrals are icons of God’s grace and proclaim, in and through the faithful who gather, a different way of being hope for the world, light in the darkness. We call the world to account, we speak out against injustice, we take the side of the marginalised and oppressed and the community gives us that place.

“I think it would be lovely for us, one day, to be able to share fully, sacramentally.”

And then there’s a long and witty Monty Python-inspired dialogue which Katherine refers to as “an excursion into a shared delight”. Not compulsory, but such fun.

Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.

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CatholicCare

There are no age limits on counselling!

By GARY CHRISTENSEN

Over the past six months or so I have had immediate or distant contact with members of our community who fit into the ‘Seniors’ category, that is, those who are over 60 years old. My contact with these wonderful and wise older people has come because they have been touched by some form of adversity in their lives. A life event has meant that they are dealing with a stressful and unexpected issue, like the death of a loved one, a negative medical diagnosis or a family breakdown. I have been fortunate enough to be able to offer these people a little bit of support and a listening ear.

Each time I have done this, I have asked the same question, “Have you considered speaking with a counsellor?”

Disconcertingly, on each occasion the response has been something like an indignant, “I don’t need to see a counsellor, what are they going to do?” or “Why would I do that, what do they know?” or “I’ll be right mate, I’ll just get on with it.” In my role as the Director of CatholicCare Social Services these answers surprised me. My surprise led me to reflect on why these seniors shared a view that counselling wasn’t for them.

So I did some research and quickly realised that these ‘good old folk’ grew up in a very different time – a time when Newcastle was a thriving steel city with the billowing smoke of the BHP clouding the city, there was no such thing as air conditioning, not many people had a

phone or television set. The culture of the town was one of resilience and ‘getting on with it’ because life was difficult and that’s just what you did.

Be that as it may, our experiences do have an impact on each and every one of us, regardless of our age. That impact can be anything from feeling a little stressed, working through the feelings of grief and loss as a loved one moves into an aged care facility or adjusting to life on your own after the death of your much-loved spouse. Whatever the reason, a trained and experienced counsellor can help.

So, just because you might be old enough to remember when Dame Joan Sutherland made her debut with the Royal Opera Company in 1952; you can

remember hearing about the Korean war ending on the wireless in 1953 or you recall reading about Qantas launching its first international flight in 1958 in the newspaper, that doesn’t mean that you are too old to pick up the phone and book an appointment to speak with a counsellor who can help you work through any of the issues that life might have put in your way.

After all, what do you have to lose?

CatholicCare is here to help, call us on 4979 1120.

Gary Christenson is the Director of CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning

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Education

Ten years feeding hearts, minds and souls

By AMANDA SKEHAN This year the school community of St Mary’s Catholic College, Gateshead, will celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the operation of its Breakfast Club.

Launched in 2008, the Breakfast Club was created to ensure students were getting the most important meal of the day, enabling them to be more focused in their morning lessons.

After approaching the Red Cross to gain an understanding of how the Breakfast Club could operate, the concept was initiated by then Assistant Principal, Louise Roach; Year Coordinator, Patrick Beisler; Food Technology Assistant, Christine Shaw and supported by many generous students and staff, most notably Janice Lawrence and Debbie Hill.

Thanks to Christine’s tireless commitment to co-ordinating the program, along with continual support from Janice and Debbie, the Breakfast Club continues to operate smoothly and is able to feed 100 to 180 students each week.

“So many students and staff have shared in the running of the breakfast club,” said Christine Shaw.

Oscar Walsh serves toast at St Mary’s Breakfast Club.

Photo courtesy of Amy Theodore.

“It is the collective effort of so many people operating out of a spirit of generosity and service which we will be celebrating during

the 10 th anniversary on 29 May.” Brian O’Neill, from the local conference of St Vincent de Paul, has been instrumental in the Breakfast Club’s operation from the beginning, ensuring students have fruit to eat every morning. The college receives two boxes of fruit each week, which is available free of charge to all students.

The Breakfast Club also provides the opportunity for the school community to give real meaning to the college motto, ‘Ready to Serve’. Staff and students work side by side to provide a service to students in need.

Students delight in being given the responsibility of service. They continually rise to the occasion to help create a relaxed, caring and inclusive environment that ensures everyone feels welcome.

“Community means to care” (Jean Vanier) and this is demonstrated in a profoundly positive way through the operation of the Breakfast Club – it is a gift to be celebrated,” said Principal of St Mary’s, Larry Keating.

Amanda Skehan is Marketing and Digital Communications Officer, Catholic Schools Office.

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Family Matters

“I know, you’re not my friend, you’re my mum.”

By CATH GARRETT-JONES

I remember seeing a scene in a movie some time ago where one of the characters, a mother, said to a group of teenage girls as she was serving them mocktails, “I’m a cool mum.” She was telling them the drinks didn’t contain alcohol, but if they wanted to drink, she preferred they did it in the house.

Seriously? I wondered about the parents of this group of girls and what their views on this would be. What did this mother think a “cool mum” actually was?

It seemed to me this mother wanted to be friends with her daughter and with her daughter’s friends.

I have three daughters whose ages range from 15 to 24. I don’t need to be their friend – I’m their mother and that trumps being their friend.

we also feel a deep yearning to protect our children from some of the challenges life throws at them. We may feel a desire to step in when things are getting a little tough and smooth the path ahead for them.

Many years later, she will speak of this incident as one that provided her with the greatest learning experience when it comes to leadership. It wasn’t so bad, things settled and she understood the need to take a stand and actually lead.

I have been criticised in the past for being a little too tough and that is hard to hear. However, I have always tried to look beyond the immediate heightened emotional responses and look towards the value in the lessons to be learned.

That is part of the challenge of the hardest job around. My children will often remind me, “I know, you’re not my friend, you’re my mum.”

Sometimes we have to allow our children to experience these challenging times, support them and allow them the chance to realise they can succeed and grow as a result. To have joined her in her self-pity would inadvertently have created in her the impression I didn’t have confidence in her ability to deal with this and somehow she needed to be “rescued”. She didn’t – and I needed her to know that.

When we bring these children into the world, we all have an idea of the sort of people we hope they become.

We want them to be caring, to be compassionate, sensitive to the needs of others, to be persistent, accept disappointment and to understand the value of hard work and the joy it can bring.

I remember one time when one of my children, who was in a leadership role in her school, was called upon to address her peers and deliver some unpalatable news. She came home very upset at the reactions from her classmates. My immediate response was that I felt it was a little unfair she had been placed in this position; however, she wore the badge and with leadership comes responsibility – some of it challenging. I had two choices – join her in her anger at the position she had been placed in or remind her of the responsibility she had accepted and help her to lift herself up and get on with it.

It goes without saying that as parents,

I chose the latter.

I have been gifted the responsibility of nurturing, guiding, shaping and moulding their hearts and minds.

Saying “no” or not telling children what they want to hear can be tough.

Setting the ground rules and sticking to them, knowing it may bring them into conflict with friends or peers, is hard.

I remember telling my children it was OK to tell your friends that you had a nasty mother who wouldn’t let you go to the MA15+ movies when you were 13 because “their rules are not our rules”.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s hard when you think it would be so easy to just step in and take control or to give in and let them do as they please, go where they choose – but what opportunity have they missed? What learning experience have you taken

away from them and what sense of achievement have they not experienced if you do?

I have had my share of cranky kids who think I was “so unfair” but standing firm on my position also taught them a few things. Mum was strong and unwavering. I am not their friend. I am their mother.

I look back now as two of my children have reached adulthood and are making decisions for themselves. I am proud of the young women they have become. I am also so very proud of our youngest daughter who is following in her sisters’ footsteps and growing into a fiercely determined, headstrong young woman with a great set of values and compassion for others. As I write this, Mother’s Day is approaching. My own mother is the strongest woman I know. She and my father raised four fabulous women – each with incredible determination and compassion.

To my Mum, thank you. You passed on to me the gift of mothering. Your grandchildren thank you for it.

Cath Garrett-Jones is the Professional Officer (Parent Liaison & Resources), Catholic Schools Office.

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Opinion

Hope comes with a better-than-written guarantee Adam and Eve were hopeless parents!

They left their kids nothing to look forward to but drudgery and death.

In other words, humanity destroys its own future and ultimately has nothing to hope for when left to its own devices.

Fortunately, that is not where we are left. Our original parent had plans for us from the beginning and planted hope in the human heart. Salvation history is the story of hope leading to fulfillment.

Abraham, our father in faith, is also the father of hope. His ultimate hope was for many descendants in their own homeland. Immortality consisted of living on in the memory of these descendants long after Abraham ceased to exist.

An heir was needed to fulfil this hope.

God provided in old age, but then tested the old man. Was Abraham’s hope now in the creature, the boy God gave, or did he genuinely hope in God? He couldn’t possibly have seen how a dead son could fulfil his hopes but, hoping against all hope, Abraham showed that the Creator, not the creature, was his hope.

Israel, the heirs of hope, equivocated.

True hope flourished when faithful to the covenant and God’s laws. False hopes too often emerged in reliance on idols, strong armies, and treaties – not on God’s providence.

The Israelites’ hope was that they would survive and flourish as a nation in their own land. But what of the individual?

Could s/he hope for more than brief existence, dying into nothing while the race moved on? Hope for personal immortality emerged as a prospect.

Not long before the coming of Jesus the seven sons in 2 Maccabees, martyred for their Jewish faith, were encouraged by their mother’s hope in resurrection.

So, too, Judas Maccabeus had sinofferings made for his fallen soldiers who had divided their hope between God and idols. Judas put hope in their rising.

Jesus encountered Pharisees professing resurrection, and resurrection-denying Sadducees – divided positions just like there are today. Earth-bound hopes seem to have been the real motivators of both groups, however.

It is clear where Jesus’ hope was anchored. He relied solely on his Father to the end. In Mark’s stark death scene there is no hint of consolation or ease.

There is only hope against hope. A fraction away from despair, hope alone is grasped. He who did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to become a tortured, dying man clung to hope in the Father’s love alone. His hope was fulfilled.

Even the downcast Emmaus travellers

told the stranger walking with them on Easter day how they ‘had hoped’ the executed man they had followed would have been the one to set Israel free.

The breaking open of the word and the breaking of the bread elevated their hopes exponentially. They raced back, joy-filled, to Jerusalem, on fire with good news.

Jesus does not offer hope-fulfilment in the form of descendants and possessions. These may or may not be our portion. What Jesus promises as a certainty is beyond the vagaries of earthly life. He promises a new heaven and earth, gifted by God to fulfil our faith and hope, not achieved by our efforts. Hope is God’s gift in this life, and the fulfilment of hope is his gift in the next. It is infinitely more to be desired than material, temporary things.

The very word ‘hope’, like ‘love’, can be used casually in speech but also with theological precision and weight.

Casually we can say, ‘I hope it rains’ or ‘I hope I win lotto’. This is hope as a wish. It may or may not come about.

‘Hope’ as God’s gift is certain. Living a life of hope leads to hope’s fulfilment beyond death, through resurrection, in the fullness of life. This is the ‘sure hope’ St Paul looked forward to so eagerly. This hope comes with a better-than-written guarantee: we have God’s Word.

By MICHAEL O'CONNOR

Our Christian tradition also provides a firm hope that even our wish-fulfilment prayers for this life are responded to by a loving God. Not that we always get exactly what we have in mind and specifically pray for. We may, if that is God’s wise reckoning. Mostly, it seems, God has something better in mind, or a better time frame than the one we would like.

Our Christian conviction should be – if we really trust in God all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving – that God will provide what is best in every instance, especially in the end where it really matters. There is an almighty difference between expecting the granting of our wish-list and being people of firm hope.

Hope knows God knows what is best – and always provides it.

As Christians we should radiate hope.

Unlike the dour-faced whom Pope Francis decries (who appear as if always coming from a funeral) we should be known for our joy. This joy emanates from the hope planted within – from God, the source, the goal, and the fulfilment of all hope. We hope in God’s love which will never disappoint.

Michael is a member of the Aurora Editorial Team.

Frankly Spoken Catholic communicators avoid rigidities that stifle or imprison.

They do not cage the Holy Spirit, but seek to let it fly, to let it breathe within the soul. They never allow reality to give way to appearances, beauty to vulgarity, social friendship to conflict.

They cultivate and strengthen every sprout of life and goodness.”

– May 1 to workers at newspaper of Italian Bishops Conference.

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News

Leaders without hats or badges or titles

By TRACEY EDSTEIN

Two teachers from diocesan schools – Sophie Cox of St Peter’s Campus, All Saints College, Maitland and Leah Wilson of St Catherine’s Catholic College, Singleton – have joined a cohort of young women from across Australia to participate in a promising new education and formation program called Leadership for Mission.

Leadership for Mission is an initiative of the Council for Australian Catholic Women with the support of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Catholic Mission, Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Catholic Church Insurance.

Both young women have been involved in World Youth Days and Australian Catholic Youth Festivals. Leah Wilson is teaching Year 6 at St Catherine’s and grew up in the Diocese of Lismore.

“I feel the diocese invested in me, financially and spiritually, and this is an opportunity to give back to the church, through parish and school, by developing skills in leadership.”

Sophie initially explored the program because it was an innovative approach to gaining a Graduate Certificate in Religious Education. The English Coordinator (Acting) at St Peter’s Campus says that already, “I can feel the impact on my classroom, my work as a subject co-ordinator and as a staff member.”

They found the first residential at Mount St Benedict, Pennant Hills, encouraging and eye-opening. “By the end of our first immersion experience at Cana Farm (Orchard Hills) we were all fast friends.”

Cana Farm provides the opportunity for people who have lived on the margins to learn from each other and to recreate themselves. It’s the setting for one of a number of immersions the students of the program undergo in order to broaden their horizons through ‘hands on’ service.

Leah recalls that one of the girls working there said simply, “Cana Farm loved me back to life.”

Andrea Dean, Director of the ACBC’s

Office for the Participation of Women, said the new program grew from the successful Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship (YCWIF) which was offered five times from 2006 to 2016.

“The YCWIF educated for leadership within and beyond the Catholic Church,” she said. “The graduates work within organisations such as Catholic health, Catholic education and in a variety of professions, including law, chaplaincy and social work.”

In February 2017, the Council for Australian Catholic Women discerned that a revision of the program was necessary in order to create a more fiscally sustainable model with a focus on leadership, rather than interfaith engagement.

“Leadership for Mission is an initiative that has been specifically developed by women for women who are inspired by the Gospel vision of justice, freedom and the dignity of the human person,” Andrea said.

“Amid renewed calls within the Catholic Church for the participation and diversity of women’s voices in decisionmaking, leadership and ministry, this graduate program seeks to embrace, enhance and theologically ground the leadership capabilities, skills and aspirations of women in the Church and the broader community.”

Leah Wilson and Sophie Cox.

experiences, their knowledge and their faith, change can grow.

“You can be the person in the parish who fosters and builds community just by your way of being. I’ve been reflecting on those who are leaders in the church without hats or badges or titles – the people leading schools, parishes, pastoral offices.”

It’s clear that mutual support in terms of the academic demands is a hallmark of the program. Online posts, video conferences and face-to-face learning are all utilised in forming the young women to ‘do theology’ – and ‘empower’ is a word that recurs in their conversation.

Leah adds, “I feel the women taking up this leadership opportunity are already leaders within their communities. I have so much more to learn, especially establishing myself in a new place and it’s great that there so many women already contributing. Simply living out your faith confidently empowers others to do the same.”

Sophie says, “It’s about feeling empowered to know, as a woman, that your experience of faith is valid and valuable and important to the church… that the things you’ve experienced matter in a bigger context. There are so many women living their faith wherever they are. If you can empower all these different pockets of women to trust their

Issues such as those arising from the Plenary Council taking place in Brisbane in 2020 and Pope Francis’ consideration of the possibility of admitting women to the permanent diaconate are in the minds of the cohort of young women. They are encouraged by the appointment of Dr Anne Therese Gallagher as the President of the

Council of the International Catholic Migration Commission. Dr Gallagher is an Australian-born lawyer, practitioner and scholar. An expert on migration, human rights and the administration of criminal justice, her experience spans more than 25 years and over 40 countries of Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

ACU Executive Dean of the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, Professor Dermot Nestor, said the Faculty has developed a purposefully designed curriculum.

“This program, and the learning design that anchors it, is thus a direct contribution to the pastoral practice of a Church for the third millennium,” Professor Nestor said.

Sophie reflects, “This feels like a grown up version of what I‘ve already done – Australian Catholic Youth Festivals and World Youth Days – and I feel empowered!”

Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.

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Seasons of Mercy

There’s a whole world in each child!

By JAMES McEVOY “I’m Leo the lion, and I’m king of the jungle, and my jaws are open wide.

Roarrrrrr!” sings my three-and-a-halfyear-old great-nephew Patrick, roaring at me over and over again in his family room. Then he says, “You be Leo.” So I sing away, roaring to my heart’s content, with jaws (arms) opening wide toward him. At this, Patrick tumbles backwards laughing, and squeals, “Don’t eat the little boy on the floor.”

It’s not only his vivid imagination, the capacity to enter into a scene and play, that catches my attention. He often expresses surprising insight into what’s happening around him, and surprises with affection, with a clear distinction between pretence and reality, and with much more. Yet my focus here is not on Patrick. He could be ‘Everychild’; each one in a different context, with a different personality, gifts and challenges. The truth is there’s a whole world in each child!

Recent sociology of childhood has taught me to be far more attentive to the children in my life. Early twentiethcentury approaches to childhood, influenced by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980), saw child

The grace of childhood is not merely the pledge of the grace of adulthood.”

development as having a particular structure, with pre-determined stages, eventually resulting in the logical competence of adult rationality.

From this perspective, children were seen as natural, passive and, as yet, incomplete adults.

Among the many insights of post-1980s sociology of childhood, we have been encouraged to see children as active agents in the construction of their own social lives. Through language and gesture they find expression for the meaning of their situation. Children’s language articulates human meaning, facilitates the discovery of new meaning, and enables them to grow.

Adults, therefore, have much to learn, both about children and about our shared humanity through being attentive to children’s articulation of meaning.

In the early 1960s, twenty years before the shift in the sociology of childhood, German Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner insisted on the unique and unsurpassable value of childhood.

In his essay, “Ideas for a theology of childhood,” Rahner says that seeing childhood as simply a period of preparation for adulthood fails to do it justice; neither does it do justice to children’s relationships with God. Rahner insists that children’s relationships with God are just as significant as those of adults; children are as close as adults to God’s infinite love. He says, “Childhood itself has a direct relationship with God. It touches on the absolute divinity of God not only as maturity, adulthood and the

later phases of life touch upon this, but rather in a special way of its own.”

Making use of the image of human flourishing through different phases of a journey, Rahner says, “The strange and wonderful flowers of childhood are already fruits in themselves, and do not merely rely for their justification on the fruit that is to come afterwards. The grace of childhood is not merely the pledge of the grace of adulthood.”

A very similar perspective can be found in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ interaction with children. Most strikingly, in Mark’s gospel we read Jesus saying of children, “To such as these belongs the Kingdom” (Mk 10:13-16). The phrase “the Kingdom of God” sounds odd in our day because for us, kings and queens are usually associated with wealth, prestige and power but Jesus’ phrase has the opposite meaning.

Through the phrase “the Kingdom of God,” and indeed through his healings, meals and parables, Jesus shows that God’s unconditional and liberating love is at work, transforming people’s hearts, lives and relationships; indeed whole communities.

While children are only mentioned occasionally in the gospels, it is telling that Jesus associates children with the in-breaking of God’s Kingdom.

Following her extensive study of children in the bible, New Testament scholar Judith Gundry points out that through Jesus’ encounters with children, and his association of them with the Kingdom, he not merely includes children in the Kingdom, but

indicates that the Kingdom must be understood from their perspective. In Gundry’s words, “The Gospels teach the reign of God as a children’s world, where children are the measure… where the small are great and the great must become small. That is, the Gospel teaching calls the adult world radically into question.”

So, Karl Rahner and recent sociological reflection have led me to a renewed appreciation of the God-defined mystery of the lives of my great-nephews – Patrick, Finn and Owen. Their sense of surprise, their wonder, and even their search for meaning can mediate the grace of God to me. Recognising this demands a new openness on my part – a willingness to understand the world from the perspective of children, on their terms. Of course, it does not diminish my responsibility to protect and nurture children. But it does mean I must be open to discover the mystery of God’s presence in their lives. With them, I must find expression for God’s love.

James McEvoy is a priest of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, teaches in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at Australian Catholic University, and is theologianin-residence in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle 22-27 July.

He will be working with teachers, parents, parishioners, parish teams and educational leaders on the theology of childhood. To learn more P Brian Lacey 4979 1211 or E brian.lacey@mn.catholic.edu.au

Photograph courtesy of Bernadette Enright.

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News

‘Sportswomanship’ is alive and well

By TRACEY EDSTEIN

Even if you were not glued to the screen during this year’s Commonwealth Games, it’s unlikely you missed seeing the Australians who competed in the 10,000m women’s final. While no Australian won a medal, all three won hearts when they waited trackside to welcome Lesotho’s Lineo Chaka, the final athlete to finish the event.

One of the three, Celia Sullohern, has a strong Hunter connection. “I moved to Newcastle to study a Bachelor of Physiotherapy, which took me back to where my Dad grew up and where my extended O'Hearn family lives. During this time I met and started training with my current coach, Scott Westcott.”

Celia was raised in the Blue Mountains with her older brother, Brendan. “We were blessed to live on the edge of the national park and were outdoors all the time. I grew up playing anything and everything and followed my brother and Dad into the running world.”

While Celia’s rise in the athletics world had been consistent, her entry into the Commonwealth Games was not anticipated. “Qualifying for the Games was not a ‘dream come true’ because I hadn't even dreamt of it! I achieved a qualifying standard in the marathon but was out of the rankings. I raced my first track race in three years at the national 10,000m championship as a fun way to end the season and was shocked to win, followed by another complete surprise in the 5000m.”

Celia describes the Games as “surreal...and overwhelming in every way. The roar of the crowd, the emotion of stepping out for the Opening Ceremony in green and gold and the buzz of the village and Team Aus are memories that will last a lifetime. I have been particularly touched by the outpouring of support and congratulations from so many people!”

And that trackside moment? “It was purely instinct, rather than any planning or discussion, for the Aussie girls to wait for the last competitor to finish. This camaraderie and respect is something I believe is instilled in Australian running at all levels and I am really proud to have been able to share this on the world stage.”

While she now lives and works in private practice on the north coast, Celia maintains her connection to family and friends in the Hunter. She also maintains her commitment to good ‘sportswomanship’.

Celia Sullohern on the run at the Commonwealth Games.

Tracey Edstein is the Editor of Aurora Magazine.

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17

Education

What’s really going on underneath the surface?

By GABRIELLE SUTHERLAND

Dark Matter cast members rehearse.

Photo courtesy of Amanda Skehan.

In essence, we only know that which comprises five percent of our universe.

Brand New 2 & 3 Bedroom Villas

This is what inspired Artistic Director Anna Kerrigan’s script for the latest ASPIRE production, Dark Matter.

From 1-4 August, after months of dedication to rehearsals, a group of 130 talented students from across the diocese will come together at Civic Theatre for five performances.

In its seventh year, the audition-based ASPIRE program features students from Years 5 to 12 performing in an original story and script written and directed by Anna Kerrigan.

Calvary Muswellbrook Retirement Community’s brand new villas are ready to move into.

Featuring open plan living with a modern entertainers kitchen, some offer convenient study nook or extra room. The main bedroom includes walk-in-robe and ensuite, and additional bedrooms includes a built-in robe. Garages offer internal access.

The Village is located close to shops, transport, health services and offers Gym, BBQ / Community Area, Children’s Playground, Chapel Learn more about independent living and take a look inside our beautifully designed villas and other facilities.

Call to arrange a tour and find out about our special pricing offer.

To arrange a visit or for more information on services near you call 1800 222 000 or visit www.calvarycare.org.au.

Continuing the Mission of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary

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Anna’s inspiration for Dark Matter began last year when she started listening to science podcasts and became obsessed with the concept of dark matter.

“From the idea of only knowing what five percent of our universe is made up of, I drew the parallel to school, in that we only know what’s going on with someone about five percent of the time and if you actually look deeper there is a lot more affecting anyone than you realise.

“Dark Matter explores what’s really going on under the surface for the staff and students of St Albert’s Secondary College as they enter a lock down and nobody seems to really know why. It is a production that gives an honest representation of our

school communities and the types of characters you might meet within them,” Anna said.

When putting this concept together and after much discussion with students, collecting their thoughts and perspectives, Anna put pen to paper in the hope of inventing something magical.

Audience members of all ages are invited to come on a journey with the students and staff of St Albert’s lock down, sharing some funny and poignant moments in this year’s production.

Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this contemporary performance and to support the development of the creative and performing arts in Catholic schools.

There will be three matinée performances: f f Wednesday 1 August 11am f f Thursday 2 August 11am f f Friday 3 August 11am and two night performances: f f Friday 3 August 7pm f f Saturday 4 August 7pm.

Tickets are on sale now via Ticketek! Please visit https://aspire. mn.catholic.edu.au/.

Gabrielle Sutherland is a Communications Officer for the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

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News

Children and grief When children are grieving it is natural to want to support them.

What is grief?

ff have unrealistic thoughts about

Grief is the human response to change and loss in our lives, such as the death of someone we love, parental separation or other major change. It is a natural and normal response, which has a physical impact on our bodies as well as affecting our emotions and our thinking.

How do children express grief?

Like adults, children express grief in unique and personal ways. This can be influenced by a child’s age and understanding of the loss, but also by other factors such as character, situation or experience.

Some (not an exhaustive list) of the reactions children may experience: Children may ...

their loss ff try to recreate ‘what was’ before

their loss ff blame themselves ff have frightening thoughts or worry

about the future ff regress to younger behaviours ff ‘lash out’ at family, friends or

teachers or ‘act out’ in anger ff be overly clingy or unco-operative ff try to be overly helpful

and cheerful. ff be tired, distracted and unable

to concentrate ff have stomach aches and

headaches.

f f feel anxious, fearful, fretful and sad f f feel angry, frustrated or disillusioned f f try to mask their feelings to ‘save’ or ‘help’ adults around them

How to support a grieving child If we think of grief as a journey, our role as adults is to walk alongside children. We cannot take away the loss a child has experienced and we cannot grieve on behalf of the child. However, we can help him/her to understand and navigate the journey and we can hold their hands, encourage and support them when the going gets tough.

What support do children need? f f A strong, loving relationship with a

parent or primary caregiver whom they can rely upon and trust f f Clear, factual, age-appropriate

information about the loss they have experienced f f Warm, open communication to

talk through and make sense of what has happened, repeatedly and without judgement f f Space to express a wide range of

emotions (such as sadness, anger, fear, guilt and humour) f f Help to make sense of their

emotions and reactions f f Security from their usual

boundaries and routines f f ‘Time out’ from their grief, to be

allowed to laugh and be playful f f Opportunities to be involved in

decisions linked to their loss.

How to help as a relative, family friend, teacher or other professional f f Let children know their loss

is recognised. f f Identify yourself as a safe person

who is open and willing to listen (although don’t force children to talk). f f Help children to identify

overwhelming feelings and let them know it is OK to feel sad, angry etc. f f Help them to manage their

feelings in different contexts (such as school). f f Check in with children regularly

to keep communication open over time.

A Change for Seasons for Growth Good Grief and the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle have proudly enjoyed a strong and enduring partnership spanning 20 years delivering the Seasons for Growth change and loss programs.

Support for Companions The National Program Co-ordinators are available to support Companions and others interested in training.

Support for professional learning If your school or organisation is interested in staff training workshops or professional learning please contact Good Grief Office Karen Muir 0428 620 264 Louise Hall 02 8912 2700 info@goodgrief.org.au

Training Opportunity Training: Seasons for Growth Children and Young People’s Program Date:

19 & 20 June 2018

Where: CatholicCare,

Pulteney St, Taree Trainer: Loretta Heffernan Date:

7 & 8 November, 2018

Where: Diocese of

Maitland‑Newcastle,

Hunter St, Newcastle West Trainer: Jennie Nolan

Register: www.goodgrief.org.au We are very grateful to the diocesan and school leadership teams, and Benita, Jenny, Zoe, Jennie and Loretta for their support of the program over many years.

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19

Opinion

What can we learn from each other?

THE ECUMENICAL AND INTERFAITH COUNCIL IN ACTION Picture a meal table in a large hall.

At the table sharing breakfast are two Catholic lay men from Australia, six pastors – two men and four women – from the Lutheran Church in Sweden and a female Uniting Church minister from Australia. Nearby an Australian Coptic priest is in deep conversation with a female pastor from the Lutheran Church in Norway. There is an English Catholic bishop from London, Anglican bishops from Australia, a male Salvation Army Officer from Australia, a female Episcopal priest from New York and a female Lutheran pastor from Iceland.

These were among 140 people from 14 countries, including two from the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, who gathered at the Australian National University, Canberra, in November 2017 for an International Conference on Receptive Ecumenism. The theme of this conference was ‘What can we learn from each other?’, a buzz phrase in ecumenical circles.

That we can learn from each other is significant at the local level as well as the international level.

This is the theme which excites the Ecumenical and Interfaith Council of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland‑Newcastle.

Soul Food

The Council, with Bishop Bill Wright’s encouragement, initiates dialogues and forums with many people of different religious backgrounds. As an Interchurch couple, my husband,

20

Warren, and I were invited to join the Council, and since 2017, I have had the privilege of chairing it, assisted by a group of equally enthusiastic members.

To be a member of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Council in this diocese is a joy.

We share the love of Jesus and want to provide spaces for others to share what they can learn from each other. Our vision is to live the joy of the Gospel, to “Love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another and share it with the world.” (John 13:34) At our monthly meetings, we always set aside time for formation through reading, meeting with those of different traditions and prayer. Over the past six months we have sponsored various ecumenical activities.

Captain Stephen Oliver invited us to the Hamilton Salvation Army Corps where he shared his faith and invited questions.

Father Andrew Eaton from Wallsend Anglican Church invited us to learn about Anglicanism.

At Jesmond Park Uniting Church, we hosted a forum on lay ministry where Anglican, Catholic, Salvation Army and Uniting Church representatives spoke and answered questions.

We always provide hospitality, to give time for conversations to flow.

We meet with the Bishops and Councils of the Dioceses of Broken Bay and

By CHRISTINE SHEPPARD OAM

Newcastle regularly to decide how the Tri-Diocesan Covenant, established in 2008, can continue to be expressed.

The Council encourages World Day of Prayer in parishes. Sadly, we have been unable to encourage churches to continue to celebrate Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In 2019, we will continue to encourage Catholic parishes to gather and study ‘The Gift of Each Other’ – Learning from Other Christians (NSW Ecumenical Council).

In 2001, Warren and I completed a Summer School at Tantur in the Holy Land. The faculty was mainly Lutheran and Catholic, with visiting Jewish and Muslim scholars.

When we returned to Newcastle, we met few people of other faiths.

A turning point for me occurred when we first joined the Council. We were invited to an end of Ramadan meal at Marylands. I was bowled over by the hospitality of the Muslim community.

A heavily pregnant woman insisted on serving me before herself, even though she would have been fasting that day.

Again, I was challenged to consider, ‘What can we learn from each other?’

Each year, the Council hosts a Sisters in Faith Peace meal, where women of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith gather for a meal. This year we have hosted a Brothers in Faith Peace Meal, where men have gathered for a

barbecue at a farm near Singleton.

In 2017, we shared with the Newcastle Jewish community. A member of the community spoke to a gathering and then invited us to worship in the Newcastle Synagogue. Many accepted the invitation.

Similarly, we shared with the Muslim community at the Mayfield Mosque, with one of their leaders speaking to us, and he invited us to worship with them, which many did.

Each member of the Council brings different interests. Consequently, in May we accepted our first invitation to morning tea with the Buddhist community at Morisset and there are plans to meet with the local Hindu and Sikh communities.

For some Christians, Council-sponsored ecumenical or interfaith activities are challenging. For some, there is still the pain of difficult memories linked to families, school or work.

The Council recognises this and offers opportunities for meetings and education over hospitality as a way of lessening division.

The question is always, ‘What can we learn from each other?’

For further information on Council activities, see mn.catholic.org.au Christine Sheppard is the Chairperson, Ecumenical and Interfaith Council, Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

The young woman is right. Some things we can have only briefly.

So why, then, do we behave as if everything we have connected with, everything we have blessed with our loving, should be ours for keeps? It is enough to have tiptoed to that space which is beyond the skin, beyond our nerve endings, and to have glimpsed that which beforehand we could not even imagine.” − Rachel Joyce A Snow Garden - A Faraway Smell of Lemon

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Community Noticeboard Mums’ Cottage Activity Trivia Night Fundraiser To be held on Friday 8 June from 7.30pm at Club Macquarie, 458 Lake Road, Argenton.

Mums’ Cottage greatly needs a new oven, fridge and freezer to aid in supporting and caring for families in the community. It will allow us to accept more donations of food items, and hold more cooking classes. Teams will be 6-8 people, cost $10pp, paid before the night if possible.

To register your team P 4953 4105.

“Before We Say I Do” 2018 Marriage Education is a vital part of planning for a life partnership. CatholicCare offers a selection of courses for married and soon-to-be married couples to assist them in preparing for, and maintaining, their commitment to one another.

Couples are advised to attend a course around four months prior to the wedding. Book early as some courses are very popular. “Before We Say I Do” is a group program held over two days or four evenings. P Robyn, 4979 1370.

Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do, 3 and 4 August, Toohey Room, Newcastle. Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am‑5pm.

Marriage Education Course − (FOCCUS) at the Toohey Room, Newcastle, 3 and 10 September. 5.15‑7.30pm.

Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do at Singleton CatholicCare, 19 and 20 October. Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am‑5pm.

Marriage Education Course – (FOCCUS) at the Toohey Room, Newcastle, 29 October and 5 November. 5.15‑7.30pm.

Marriage Education Course – Before We Say I Do, 23 and 24 November at the Toohey Room, Newcastle. Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm.

St Joseph's High School Reunion Over 200 ex-students of St Joseph’s High School, Merewether, along with 12 Sisters and a number of lay teachers, will be attending a school reunion (1932 – 1984) on Saturday 9 June commencing at 10am at the school (cnr of Kenrick and Union Streets, The Junction) followed at 1pm by a reunion lunch at South Newcastle Leagues Club, Llewellyn Street, Merewether. There will be VIP speakers including Sr Ellen Royan (Sr Leo) and ex-student Gabi Hollows and memorabilia will be on display.

The day will be captured by Emily Goldman from EMG Photography. For information on purchasing a ticket please visit the Facebook event page, search for St Joseph’s High School reunion or P 0411 252 094.

Seasons for Growth Companioning Training, Children & Young People’s Training Taree 19-20 June and Newcastle 7-8 November. This training is essential for those wishing to facilitate the Seasons for Growth program with children/young people or adults. Please P Jenny 4947 1355 to learn more about becoming a Companion.

Enrolments for training are completed at www. goodgrief.org.au.

Diaconate Invitation The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle invites everyone to the Ordination to the Diaconate of Anthony Vesorio Coloma by Bishop Bill Wright on 24 June during 9.30am Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, 841 Hunter Street Newcastle West.

Attention, women in the Church!

Sr Lauretta Baker rsj will lead a day of reflection, encouragement and challenge for women of faith to #PressforProgress. The day will be at MacKillop Place, St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar, Saturday 30 June, 9.30am-3.30pm. The event is a joint initiative of the Council for Australian Catholic Women diocesan contact group and the Catholic Women’s League. To learn more or to rsvp, E ellenhazelton25@gmail.com or P Ellen Hazelton 0407 513 813.

Interfaith Dialogue The Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Council invites you to the Annual Interfaith Dialogue, an opportunity to join with our Muslim and Christian communities. Panel members from both communities will explore what Mary, the mother of Jesus, means to their faith. A Q&A session will follow the dialogue on Thursday 19 July, 6.30-9pm at All Saints College – St Mary’s Campus, 16 Grant St, Maitland. A light supper will be served. Please RSVP to Brooke or Jenny.

P 4979 1111 or E Events@mn.catholic.org.au.

Council for Australian Catholic Women The diocesan contact group for the Council will meet on the following Saturdays, 9am for 9.30am and all are welcome. Dates are 25 August, 27 October, 24 November (Christmas gathering; time may change slightly).

The group meets at St Benedict’s Centre, The Chapel (entrance through driveway), 25 Farquhar Street, The Junction. Further information P Ellen Hazelton 0407 513 813.

St Vincent Pallotti Scholarship The St Vincent Pallotti Scholarship Trust offers scholarships to enable lay people to further their understanding and skills in leadership/ministry or a specialised activity such as promoting faith enhancement, social justice and pastoral care.

Applications close 23 July. Please visit www.

pallottine.org.au/scholarships/st-vincent-pallottischolarship-for-lay-ministry.html Three Returning Theologians Mid 2018 will see national and international theologians return to the diocese for a variety of speaking engagements: 23-26 July Rev Dr James McEvoy to speak on Seeing our children through God’s eyes at various events in the city, Lower and Upper Hunter, including a dinner seminar.

7 August The return from Boston of our own Rev Dr Richard Lennan for The future of faith: challenges & possibilities. One twilight event only. 5.30-9pm at Newcastle.

11-15 August Dr Richard Gaillardetz will again engage with us on issues of church leadership in a variety of seminars and open lectures across the diocese.

For information, including dates, times and venues, contact the diocesan Adult Faith Formation Office. E Jenny.Harris@mn.catholic. org.au or P 4979 1334.

Claiming the Date 14th National BBI-ACBC eConference

For your diary June  1-3 Bishop Bill visits Blackbutt South Parish.  3 Feast of Corpus Christi

(The Body and Blood of Christ)  5

World Environment Day

 6 Confirmation is conferred at MacKillop Parish.  7

Interfaith Forum (see below)

 8

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 12 World Day Against Child Labour  13 Confirmation is conferred at Blackbutt

North Parish.  15 Confirmation is conferred at Wallsend-

Shortland Parish.

Eid-Al-Fitr Muslim Breaking of the Fast

This will be held on Wednesday 8 August from 10am to 2.05pm. Topic is Synodality in Practice: Listening to the Spirit and Leading Change. Speakers and panellists include Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Mrs Lana Turvey-Collins, Professor Massimo Faggioli, Professor Richard Lennan and Dr Gemma Cruz.

Further information P 9847 0030 or E econference@bbi.catholic.edu.au.

 17 National Refugee Week commences.

Youth Mass On the last Sunday of each month, the 5.30pm Mass at St Patrick’s Church, Macquarie St, Wallsend, has a youthful flavour. Everyone is welcome.

 25 Day of the Seafarer

Volunteering with Palms Australia Palms is seeking qualified and experienced Australians to assist in various missionary and development activities. There are opportunities in a wide range of areas, from teaching in Timor Leste (pre-school, primary and secondary) to assisting with the development of a brass band in Kiribati; from plumbing/building in Papua New Guinea to English/Science teaching/mentoring in Samoa. Whatever your skills and experience, there is a place for you! To learn more P 9560 5333 or E palms@palms.org.au.

 20 Confirmation is conferred at Toronto Parish.  21 Confirmation is conferred at Sugarloaf Parish.

Nativity of John the Baptist

Ordination to the Diaconate of Anthony Coloma (see opposite)

 27 Feast of patroness of diocese,

Our Lady of Perpetual Help  28 Confirmation is conferred at Taree/

Wingham Parishes.  29 Feast of Sts Peter and Paul, apostles

Bishop Bill visits Forster Tuncurry Parish (29 June – 1 July).

Confirmation is conferred at Forster Tuncurry Parish.

For more events please visit mn.catholic.org.au/calendar and mn.catholic.org.au/community.

Interfaith Forum:

The forums this year will explore more about our faith in action, by discovering our differences, as well as looking at what we can learn from each other about Finding Spirituality, God’s Messages and our Discernment Process.

7 June KILABEN BAY

13 September MAYFIELD

22 November NEWCASTLE WEST

You are welcome to attend one or all of the forums. For catering purposes please register with Brooke Robinson E brooke.robinson@mn.catholic.org.au or P 4979 1111.

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Last Word

Aurora on tour

Review

Aurora (and Bishop Brian!) reached Thorung-La Pass (5416 metres) in Nepal – the highest and widest of the 'tourist' passes in the world.

By BRYAN DUNN

Leigh Sales of the 7.30 Report on 4 May interviewed Justin Langer, the new Australian cricket coach, on the scandal of ball tampering.

She proposed that cricket culture needed reform. Langer agreed. Otherwise, the game could lose the trust and interest of Australians.

Fr Ryan raises analogous concerns for the Catholic Church and calls for a root and branch cultural reform. He is a highly respected and credentialled priest of the Sandhurst Diocese (Victoria). He calls on his own experience and national and international research to support his contentions.

He argues that the priesthood is imprisoned in an institutional system that is itself stuck at a stage of immaturity. Young candidates for priesthood have been formed in the Church’s own image. Research indicates that many priests display a low level of psychological maturity, are driven by adherence to law, uncertain about developing mature relationships and ill-equipped to undertake the work of Love for which they were ordained.

He gives a full chapter to the subject of sexuality in the Church which has led to its inadequate expression and understanding.

Importantly, as well, Fr Ryan links his concerns to underdeveloped spirituality. His familiarity with its models and methods is evident.

The book lends itself to slow and reflective reading by clergy and all Catholics who valued the church of our fathers but now are numbed and disillusioned by the current malaise.

In renewing the Church, Fr Ryan fears that reform will consist of pouring new wine into old wine-skins. The Gospels point out that

Chef Bartholomew Connors, Cathedral Café

Preparation

f f 12 uncooked green king prawns f f 1/3 cup frozen peas f f 4 slices pancetta f f 250g packet angel hair pasta f f 1 clove garlic, crushed f f 1 bullet chilli, chopped f f Reggiano cheese, grated f f 1/4 bunch parsley, chopped f f Olive oil

Peel, devein and butterfly the prawns. Allow peas to thaw.

Slice the pancetta into thin strips.

In a small bowl mix a dash of oil with crushed garlic and chopped chilli.

Have waiting a pot of boiling salted water.

Place a frypan onto medium heat.

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We can expect that cricket will reform its culture. For the church, the risk of failure is far greater, dealing as it does with issues of the meaning of our lives in this wonderful universe.

John E Ryan A priesthood Imprisoned: A Crisis for the Church Coventry 2017.

Bryan Dunn is a member of the St Joseph’s Merewether community.

He was formerly the diocesan Director of Centacare - Catholic Social Services.

Prawn Pasta

Ingredients

This is a great week-night meal that is delicious and quick; it only takes about 4 minutes in total to cook so make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go.

Try not to overcook this style of pasta as it can turn into a clump; you can substitute spaghetti if you like. Serves 2.

such an approach will fail. Reform must be a root and branch phenomenon. It’s not enough to fix a few ‘bad apples’.

Thorough cultural reform is required.

Chef Bart’s culinary gifts can be enjoyed at Cathedral Café, 843 Hunter St Newcastle West, 9am–1.30pm, Monday to Friday.

P 4961 0546.

Method Cook pasta according to packet directions (usually 3 minutes).

Place prawns and a dash of oil in the frypan and cook for 1 minute. Turn them over and add pancetta; cook for a further minute. Add peas and toss. Add garlic-chilli mix to taste and toss to coat.

Drain pasta, retaining a little of the pasta water, and immediately add to the prawns. Toss through.

Add a handful of cheese and the parsley, toss again, then serve.Sprinkle with extra cheese or parsley as you please.

Season to taste and enjoy!

To store, allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days or divide into portions, place in containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. | C AT H O L I C D I O C E S E O F M A I T L A N D - N E W C A S T L E | W W W. M N N E W S . T O D AY / A U R O R A - M A G A Z I N E

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