AURORA - JUNE by Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle June 2021 | No.213

Inspired s by the art

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On the cover On the cover: Image by Callam Howard, featuring St Clare’s High School, Taree drama students.

Featured f Spirit with synod

f Finding her voice

f Singing in harmony for diversity

f Present in the moment

f There’s an art to building faith

f Marking time

f Visual vocabulary for scripture

f Performing resilience

f People hear when the heart sings

f Jesus wasn’t white

f The arts in liturgy

f Staged progression

f The best $12 I spend each month

Muse manifest As an overthinker, often stagnated in my thoughts, I appreciate the way in which art transcends me to a place where I ponder greater things. As Christians, we are encouraged to live out of ourselves, towards others and towards God. For many, including me, art helps to attain this. More than being aesthetically pleasing or acoustically soothing, arts can be spiritually nourishing and edifying.

Listening to the radio recently the presenters were discussing the role of the arts in our community. The catalyst for the conversation was around most media outlets including a sports report in each news update, but not one dedicated to artistic pursuits. While the presenters had opposing views on whether this should be amended, it sparked the idea for this edition of Aurora, which takes inspiration from the arts.

For centuries, the Christian faith has inspired much of the world’s best-loved and most widely recognisable works of art. Far from being superfluous, art is a blessing. For many, it is a tangible demonstration of our participation in God’s creative act.

While I occasionally dabble with a paintbrush, I have never mastered a musical instrument. As a child, I relished the opportunity to take to the stage, but these days I much prefer to express myself through words on a page.

f My word

4 4

f Alumni 19 f Care talk

f Community noticeboard

f Book talk

f Food talk

Finally, it seems a fitting edition to express my thanks to the creative team behind Aurora. I am incredibly grateful to Peter Stoop and Callam Howard, whose fantastic photography skills help bring our stories to life each month; and to David Stedman, who patiently turns pages of text into a colourful celebration that reflects the life of the Church in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

Lizzie Snedden is Editor for Aurora

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f First word

You will also encounter stories that celebrate the artistic gifts that God has imparted on many in our community. Those who employ creative pursuits to express themselves and connect with others either as part of their studies, as a vocation, or a community service.

Accordingly, in this edition, you will read passages from experts on the presence of Christian themes and symbolism in fine art, the power of music to be a language of the heart, the role of architecture in fostering full, conscious, and active participation in Eucharistic celebration, and the arts transcending our liturgical experience.

Regardless of my own artistic limitations, I get great enjoyment from being an observer of the arts and the feelings they evoke. Whether it be dance or music, fine art or drama, sculptures, or architecture, well-developed art can make us look outside ourselves.

Next deadline 10 July, 2021

Regulars f Frankly spoken

FIRST WORD

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A U R O R A 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

A winter’s tale People are right to worry about the state of religious education. It must be 30 years or more since I first heard the story of the young shop assistant. She was serving a customer seeking a cross to wear and asked her if she wanted “one with a little man on it?” It may well have been an urban myth, but its wide distribution represented an unease in the community that a rising generation was losing touch with the Christian roots of Western culture, to say nothing of the faith that had underpinned it. Even atheists can see that ignorance of Christianity deprives people of an understanding of much of the art and literature, philosophy and ethics that have so largely created the modern world. Today, watchers of Australian quiz shows will have some sense of how far that ignorance has gone in our society. Religious educators, then, have an uphill task even teaching about religion in a society increasingly convinced that it is an irrelevance. In a Catholic school or university, of course, the supposition is that the students’ experiences of prayer and worship, of the school’s values being based on the teachings and actions of Jesus Christ, and of teachers who are both great human influences and clearly great believers, will give a context in which religion is highly relevant and, therefore, worth knowing about. Sometimes this is true. But there is also much evidence that the absence of any interest in religion at home or in many classmates or, indeed, in some otherwise influential and popular teachers, often outweigh the best efforts of the school. Notice that I am only speaking of the challenge to religious education. The challenge to the school in its mission to help bring students to faith in God, encounter with Christ, and engagement in

the Christian community is a whole other matter too vast for this column. I am writing about this in an Aurora dedicated to the place of the arts in our lives because I now want to talk about what I think is an exciting development in religious education. It is associated with, but not confined to, a new HSC course, Studies in Catholic Thought. The important thing is the methodology, described as a “liberal arts course”. This means two things in practice. The first is that students do a lot of research for themselves, digging stuff up. But equally important is what they are digging for. They are directed to works of art, literature and philosophy, historic and modern, in a quest to understand what these things meant to their own time and what they might have to say to us. A simple and obvious example is looking at the way Jesus has been represented in art. Why were the early Christians so

keen on the image of the Good Shepherd, and when and why did that change into representing him in Byzantine art as the mighty and austere Pantocrator, the mighty ruler of the universe? When and why did the image of Christ on the Cross become the dominant image? Why were the Victorians so moved by essentially soppy images of “gentle Jesus, meek and mild”? Thinking about how the image of Christ bounced off the social needs or concerns of an age, weighing that up against the Gospels’ accounts of Jesus, questioning the “bits” of Jesus’ life that contemporary art finds comfortable to depict, are decent questions. They take senior students into deep waters, which is where senior students should be. Clever people in our Diocese are working on extending this “liberal arts” approach to learning about our Christian religion back down through the earlier years of schooling, with the necessary adaptions

to age and capacity. It is very promising. I say again, this is about the religious education program. It is not evangelisation or handing on the faith, which is the task of the whole school, not the RE department alone. Still, if better RE can dispel the impression that religion is boring and irrelevant, that would go some way to opening minds to faith itself. And, as others will say in this issue of Aurora, art and music and literature are about opening minds and challenging ignorance.

Bishop Bill Wright Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

Frankly Spoken Architects and painters, sculptors and musicians, filmmakers and writers, photographers and poets, artists of every discipline, are called to make beauty shine especially, where darkness or drabness dominate everyday life. They are custodians of beauty, heralds and witnesses of hope for humanity, as my predecessors have repeatedly stated. I invite you, therefore, to care for beauty, and beauty will in turn heal many wounds that mark the hearts and souls of men and women today. Pope Francis’ message for the 21st joint session Pontifical Academies, held in Rome in December 2016.

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The second session of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s historic synod was a resounding success that signals the appetite for the renewal of the Church at a local level. More than 300 people participated in session two, hosted across six hubs connected in real-time via Zoom. Commissioned synod members voted on Statements of Intent, which aligned with five papers: Identity and Community, Worship and Prayer, Formation and Education, Mission and Outreach, and Leadership and Structure. All Statements of Intent were endorsed and with only two minor amendments. Bishop Bill Wright is buoyed by the results of the session, which took place on 22 May. “The commissioned synod members endorsed a vision for the Church in which the focus is firmly on reaching out to people,” Bishop Bill says. Council for Mission representative and cochair of the synod, Helen Belcher, says the session embodied a hopeful atmosphere. “The synod process is a big undertaking, and you're never quite sure how the sessions will go, but the Spirit was with us,” she says. “In this Diocese, we have had considerable knocks to the image of the Church, and more fundamentally, to what we should be as followers of Jesus Christ. “We've needed to reengage with the people of God and think about how we could do things differently, and just as importantly, develop a framework that we can build on.”

I came to the synod as I think it's vital that young people have a say in the Church's future. So, I hope that some contributions that we as young people offered can influence how Church leaders make decisions in the future. SUMMER HARRISON CENTRAL HUB

I am excited about our community gathering together to talk about the pastoral direction of our Church. I love people's willingness to reach out; we're not just going to stay in our box. It was evident from the session that we want to go out to where people are and welcome them in. MARY-ANNE DELUCA MAYFIELD HUB

It was a diverse 240-member commission. Following consultation with their local communities, the members cast their vote on various important matters including women in leadership, homelessness, care for the environment, communication, cultural diversity, protection for the marginalised including refugees, interfaith dialogue, and youth engagement.

Spirit with synod

Lawrie Hallinan, also a Council for Mission representative and fellow co-chair of the synod, says ensuring a variety of voices are heard is fundamental to the success of the synod process. “It's everyone’s Church, and all need to have a voice, and we need to hear their voice,” he says. Bishop Bill agrees and says a broad scope of input is invaluable. “By engaging the whole Church, it allows us to harness their collective wisdom and draw on the gifts the Holy Spirit has given them.” This November, parishioners and clergy will reconvene for the third and final session of the diocesan synod, which will focus on translating the Statements of Intent into action. “Consultation will commence shortly, paving the way for us to turn the endorsed Statements of Intent into hard-edged things that will be done,” Bishop Bill says. “Once complete, the synod will enact the renewal of the Church at a local level and enable us to evolve in alignment with the world around us.”

The synod provides an important opportunity to come together with others to reflect on the life and mission of the Church. I am hopeful that it will serve as an instrument of the Spirit and deepen our faithfulness to Christ's call to who we are. KEVIN CORRIGAN BOORAGUL HUB

The synod has been a joyful learning experience that has shown we can include laypeople in the Church's fabric, learn from past mistakes, and implement good policies and strategies to ensure the Church is at its best for future generations. JOHN LEAO MAITLAND HUB

The synod provides a real opportunity to deliver a Church that is relevant in the contemporary world. Of course, there are myriad challenges the Church faces, but I felt today there was a real honesty and desire to take on board effective change. It was energising, positive and vision filled. GERARD MOWBRAY CENTRAL HUB

I enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the synod process, to meet other people and listen to their perspectives, have the Spirit guide us and influence change. I feel it's been inclusive and that the voting shows a strong appetite for change. GARY CHRISTENSEN TAREE HUB

Helen Belcher, Lawrie Hallinan, Bishop Bill Wright, and Teresa Brierley reflecting on the success of the second session of synod. Photo: Lizzie Snedden

A U R O R A 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

Miriam Allan was just six years old when she put on a cassock and joined the Anglican's Christ Church Cathedral choir in Newcastle.

“What’s interesting is that what has stuck with them is actually nothing to do with music but more about finding their voice in their own life. That's really moving to me.”

During these early years she was taught a formal system of education from the Royal School of Church Music – skills to sing in parts, to sight read, and ultimately to use her voice.

Miriam has made a living from music but she doesn’t ever recall one moment when she realised it would be her vocation.

Just as importantly she learnt about teamwork, welcoming others, the value of family and community connection, and she found an innate leadership quality. “There I was at six with my long hair in plaits, going to school, ballet, and singing,” she says. “It wasn’t a unique situation but what was different was that I was singing with all these boys in the choir. I was the first female chorister at the cathedral. I feel very blessed to have been a tiny trailblazer, placed in a time when the Anglican Church was changing in the early ’80s. “I remember we wore different-coloured ribbons on our cassocks to show what level of music we had reached. We called it ‘ribbon training’ but on reflection it really meant everyone was learning but at the same time training the next age group. It was so collaborative.” It is these foundations that put her in excellent stead when she was one of four people selected to sing at the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip’s funeral in April – a role she describes as an honour and privilege.

Finding her voice LIZ BAKER

Despite the pressure of such a situation, years of performing and many awards and accolades ensure Miriam no longer gets nervous when performing on an international stage. “I’m more likely to get nervous that I’ve forgotten to pack snacks for my three children to keep them occupied while I sing,” she says. “A lot of what I did as a child was learning to sing under pressure and often with little rehearsal, and those skills have stayed with me for life. I took what I learnt in church choirs as a young student and applied it over my whole life.” These are also the life skills Miriam now imparts as a teacher. Following her study at the Newcastle Conservatorium and postgraduate degrees, Miriam moved to the UK and teaches music. “I often tell my students, ‘I don't care if you actually use your singing, you’ll simply learn how to use your voice’.”

Miriam Allan, who started her singing career at Christ Church Cathedral, Newcstle and recently sang at Prince Philip's funeral. Photo Supplied

Since Miriam’s recent high profile performance, she has had past students reach out to comment on the impact her teaching has had on them.

“Music and church were certainly something my family just did. We were part of the community at the cathedral, everyone was welcome and had a role that was respected. Even my youngest brother was wearing a cassock at about age two as he toddled around at the back of the choir. I never thought about singing and music as something I did but I'm really proud of where it has taken me. “That’s the thing about music – it means different things to different people. For me the music and faith went hand in hand. “One of the things I love about singing is that you can never predict who you are singing for. You never know who is hearing music for the first or last time. For performers and audiences alike, there’s always an opportunity for profound experiences. “People find God in all sorts of places. For a lot of people it’s in the music – that reflection space. I think for church musicians, it’s about what we can provide to others and we know people do find space in music to reflect.” Miriam is quick to note that not everyone who sings in church choirs is religious. “Someone I sang with was a total nonbeliever. He said to me once, ‘it’s music that’s my religion’. He knew that what he was delivering was profound for others. That was a unique commentary that really stayed with me and I think it is just as important for those who don’t believe to be welcomed in a church choir. I was taught that from a young age, everyone is welcome.” The smell of incense and the sound of an organ can still take Miriam back to age six, singing with her family. “Sometimes I have moments and opportunities where I think, ‘I’m from Newcastle, who let me in here?’” she says. And yet Miriam is confident that it is the learnings in the churches in our city that allowed her to build a musical career that took her to the international stage.

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Newcastle children’s band, The Quokkas, recently released their first single Everybody’s Welcome. Photo: Peter Stoop

Singing in harmony for diversity ALEX FOSTER

On first listen, The Quokkas might sound like your typical children’s band. The songs are fun and catchy, the visuals are vibrant and colourful, and if you have children there is a 100 per cent chance the music will get them, and you, moving and grooving. Their message sets them apart, and it might not be what you expect. “Our music is written to do two things,” says Quokkas band member and Hit 106.9 Newcastle presenter Nick Gill. “The first is to be catchy in its own right so that kids will enjoy it, but secondly we also want it to be universal in the sense that anyone in the world can listen and maybe even learn something.” The lesson is simple, “everybody’s welcome”, which is also the name of the band’s first single, released in November last year. The Quokkas, comprising Gill, Komiti Levai, Matt McLaren, Steph Tuyl and Pam Hyde, formed in April 2020 to send a positive musical message to young children to combat the influx of

negative media since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. “COVID has been hard,” Levai says. “For a while, there was a lot of negativity on TV and we wanted to share the message through music that it’s OK and there is still so much good out there.” Gill says kids are like a blank canvas. “Prejudice and judgment are learnt, they’re not born that way,” he says. “If you can show them that there are so many different people in the world with different abilities, from diverse backgrounds, and have messages like ‘everyone is special in their own way,’ it’s something they can pick up and hopefully take with them through their entire lives.” The Quokkas’ message of inclusivity and diversity extends beyond just their music. They wanted representation of different cultures and abilities within their band as well. “Every member of The Quokkas is different and brings along their own strengths,” Gill says.

Looking to the future, the band want to continue to spread their message to as many young people as possible, but all members agree that fame is not the goal. “We’re not reaching for the stars in terms of fame,” Levai says. “I think acts get a bit lost if that’s their angle. If you believe in what you do, people will naturally fall in love with it.” As performance restrictions continue to ease, The Quokkas are keen to spread their positivity. “We’re looking at holding a ticketed event by the end of the year,” Gill says. “Like the Open Day we performed for St Nicholas Early Education in Branxton. We love any opportunity to get involved with the local community, particularly where the parents can get involved as well.”

Born without sight, Quokkas band member Matthew McLaren learnt to perceive the world through his ears. From an early age he began to enjoy an array of musical toys such as drums, so his parents thought he might benefit from practising piano. His piano teacher, Sister Dorothy Dolahenty of Muswellbrook, had never taught piano to a vision-impaired student, so she contacted the Royal Society for the Blind to get advice on how best to support McLaren. “I learnt piano through what’s known as the Suzuki method,” McLaren says, “which involved Sr Dorothy recording pieces of music that I would listen to and learn to play by ear.” His ears became his musical eyes. “I thank God for the gift he’s given me to be able to help other students,” Sr Dorothy says of her time teaching McLaren.

A U R O R A 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

A statue of Catherine McCauley greets those who visit the college named in her honour at Medowie. Inset 1: Sculptor Julie Squires with her representation of Catherine McCauley. Inset 2: Julie pictured with a sculpture she created in high school.

Present in the moment LIZZIE SNEDDEN

Not many people can walk around towns spotted across Australia and see their artwork permanently on display. However, such is the supreme talent of local artist Julie Squires, who has worked professionally for three decades, that she can claim such accomplishment. Whether you encounter one of Julie's sculptures in Alice Springs or along the Great Ocean Road, at Sydney's Taronga Zoo or in a Pokolbin vineyard, at the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst or closer to home along Newcastle's foreshore, they all inspire awe. Julie is a former student in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. She commenced her schooling at St Joseph's Primary School in Merewether in 1971 before completing her education at St Anne's High School in Adamstown. And while Julie's love for art was encouraged by the nuns at St Joseph's, who she says would often pull her out of class to draw posters for the local church, it was an interest she acquired before she reached Kindergarten.

of Saint Mary MacKillop and another of Mary with baby Jesus. "I think the iconographic images I grew up with had a lasting impression on my sense of aesthetic and contributed to my desire to be an artist,” she says. “So, when creating religious works, I feel very connected to them." She describes herself as a spiritual person. The property team behind the Diocese's newest school – Catherine McAuley Catholic College in Medowie – asked Julie to submit a proposal to create a sculpture. It was an offer she did not hesitate to accept. "It's been a great honour to create an interpretation of Catherine McAuley as she is such an inspiration," Julie says. The bronze statue, situated within a bed of yellow roses at the college's entrance, took more than six months to create and involved various stages and an assortment of materials.

"My love for art started as soon as I was old enough to hold a crayon, and I have been creating ever since," Julie says.

"Research is the first and most crucial step to the success of a sculpture, particularly when it is a life-like portrait," Julie says.

It's not surprising then that as a youngster, Julie dreamt of becoming an artist.

"I spent a lot of time researching with the help of the Heritage and Spirituality Department of the Mercy International Association in Dublin, as well as being guided to research books and films by Anne Ferguson from the Sisters of Mercy."

"I always wanted to be an artist, but I wasn't sure if it was a viable career,” she says. “Even now, after 30 years of working as an artist, it is still a roller-coaster of a life choice, but I am always happy in my shed." The nature of the sculptures Julie has created varies. Still, the collection includes several religious sculptures, including one

There are no images of Catherine McAuley to use as a reference, which complicated matters. "There is a portrait of her, but it was

actually modelled by another Mercy Sister thought to look a bit like her," Julie says. "So, I used written descriptions of what she looked like as a starting point. I wanted her image to exude her character of determination and strength, as well as a sense of welcome. “The era of her clothing as a young woman was called Regency, which is the style of the Jane Austen novels. I had a Regency jacket made by a seamstress to ensure all the details were historically correct." In addition to the statue of Catherine McAuley, Julie also worked alongside Aboriginal artist Richard Campbell to create Stations of the Cross artworks for the onsite chapel. She describes this collaboration as a career highlight. "I love co-creating with Richard,” Julie says. “He had not worked in clay before, yet his calm and methodical strokes were mesmerising." Aboriginal art is not new to Julie, who has Warlpiri and Gumbaynggirr family. "My first experience of an Indigenous Catholic church was on Bathurst Island, one of the Tiwi Islands, when I was 12 years old,” she says. “It had a profound visual effect on me. Working with Aboriginal artists has taught me many things but mainly about the importance of being present in the moment, silent and listening, instead of always rushing." It's a lesson Julie concedes that despite her years in the trade and the significant works she has created for recipients such as the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, she must keep learning.

I wanted her image to exude her character of determination and strength, as well as a sense of welcome.

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Inset: The Chapel of the Sisters of Charity in Potts Point. Architect Hector Abrahams has overseen the restoration of the roof and external stonework and is now working on the inside. Photo: supplied. Sacred Heart Cathedral fits a consistent Italianate style of early 20th century Catholic churches in NSW.

There’s an art to building faith

A Modern Approach Aurora spoke to Ray Bowen, Head of Property at the Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle, to learn more about the process of building a church or chapel today.

DARRELL CROKER

The Catholic Church has always understood the potential of architecture, art, and music to draw people to God. They express God’s beauty. The material and cultural heritage of the Church is a monument to the faith of its creators and a reminder of eternity. The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s Sacred Heart Cathedral originally opened as the Hamilton parish church on Trinity Sunday, 15 June 1930. A souvenir of the event describes its architecture as “Romanesque”. Maitland-born architect Hector Abrahams specialises in heritage buildings. He is passionate about church architecture and confirms Sacred Heart’s Roman style. “Churches are for the long-term, and faith communities have different needs from decade to decade,” Abrahams says. “It is most important to recognise this. A good church has to be able to withstand the vicissitudes of church life, and to have an enduring aesthetic. All architects should reflect on the response they expect from future generations to their aesthetic work.” Sacred Heart fitted a consistent Italianate style of early 20th century Catholic churches in NSW. Although modest compared with the ornate Gothic revivalist style that preceded them, they were still architecturally accomplished. Greater Sydney experienced a high period of church architecture from the 1830s to the 1890s. The Church Act 1836 recognised and part-funded the main Christian denominations and Judaism. The first Catholic Bishop of Sydney, John Bede Polding (episcopacy 1834-77), used plans prepared in England by the leader

of the Gothic revival movement Augustus Pugin, one of the most influential architects of his time. Irish-born Francis Patrick Moran succeeded Polding as Archbishop of Sydney and expanded the Church on a vast scale and his reign (1884–1911) included the construction of many Gothic buildings. JF Hennessy (variously Sheerin & Hennessy, Hennessy & Hennessy, and Hennessy & Sons) was the architectural practice responsible for the design and construction of many of them. Although Cardinal Moran had influenced Sydney's Gothic revival, he had trained in Rome and eventually commissioned Hennessy & Sons to revive the Italian style. Moran’s change fitted with the wave of southern European migration to Australia. No wonder Sacred Heart displays a Hennessy style. Its architect and “project manager” Peter Gannon was not only a leading member of its planning committee but had spent the first years of his professional career with Hennessy & Sons in Sydney.

“source and summit of Christian life” and encouraged the “full, conscious and active participation” of all in the Eucharistic celebration. This had implications for liturgical space in existing churches and the design of new ones. Modernism preaches function over form but critics say church buildings adopting Modernist “functionalism” make few, if any, references to the iconic heritage or architectural traditions of the Catholic Church. Maitland-Newcastle Diocese Vicar General Andrew Doohan says the main consideration for designers of Catholic churches should be the celebration of the contemporary liturgy. “A church needs a home, and many of the Catholic celebrations and rituals require structures and space,” Fr Doohan says. “Other factors will come into play such as cost, parish requirements, climate, and available space. But the overriding concern is ‘how do we celebrate the liturgy?’ Liturgists have to be involved in church design.”

There’s not too many chapels or churches you get the opportunity to design these days, it’s a unique piece of architecture and a really interesting process for the Property team at the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. When we worked on the Chapel in our newest school, Catherine McAuley Catholic College in Medowie, it was a collaborative process. We worked with a local architect in unison with Bishop Bill and Fr Andrew Doohan who contributed to the liturgical detail. The process has given me the opportunity to learn more about the symbolism of the Catholic Church and Fr Andrew’s passion for architecture, has brought so much meaning to our work. The design of this Chapel had to be functional and, in this instance, we looked at the environmental features that we were able to incorporate. For example to ensure that the congregation remains comfortable during the extremes of each season, in-floor hydronic heating was installed for use in the winter months and the opportunity to purge the warm air out of the building by implementing high level louvres and large ceiling fans to work effectively. These simple measures mean that the space is not required to be air conditioned ensuring that the overall design objective is achieved. It’s been rewarding to work on a project that is meaningful and symbolic, as well as functional and environmentally friendly.

An obituary, “An Appreciation By A Friend”, published in The Newcastle and Maitland Catholic Sentinel in 1935 said Gannon: “ … had a very striking religious outlook, and his profession of Architecture, especially its ecclesiastical side, lent itself to his mental development. His whole soul was in his work, and I have heard him often say what a great privilege it was to build and design Churches for God’s service.”

In fact, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference provides guidelines for the design of new churches or renovations, through the National Liturgical Council. “Renovations have to honour the original structure,” Fr Doohan says. “You can’t destroy the architecture. But it’s a fine balancing act – conservation done sensibly in the same style.”

Abrahams says. “They are artworks of faith and set apart. Catholic cathedrals are hallowed and sacred. There is a need in the design and renovation to create space for human life that is richer than other spaces.

The biggest architectural influences from the mid-20th century are Modernism and the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II of the early 1960s). The liturgical reforms of Vatican II proclaimed the Mass as

It is something with which Abrahams is familiar, for example with the Chapel of the Sisters of Charity in Potts Point.

“Churches are places to celebrate, and ritual celebration is of great significance to the Catholic Church. Faith is expressed in celebration, and art and architecture fit in with this.”

“As places of faith, churches are special,”

Marking time KAREN STITT

A U R O R A 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

The Archibald portraits, embroidered silk vestments, glass rosary beads, and wooden cabinets filled with leatherbound editions that line the hallways of Cathedral House are as beautiful as they are important markers of time. These collections from yesteryear not only preserve the past; they also inform the future. Archives provide an entirely unbiased view of the social, cultural, and professional history of an institution. They are a collection of pure primary records of the events at the time they happened. Church collections carry great significance and Canon Law prescribes each diocese must keep an archive: “In each curia there is to be established in a safe place a diocesan archive where documents and writings concerning both the spiritual and the temporal affairs of the diocese are to be properly filed.” (Canon 486) The scope of Church activities is vast, ranging from education and childcare to social services, alongside the pastoral work conducted day to day. Archives is the diocesan repository that enables access to this valuable history, especially the when and how of decision making. Archives at Cathedral House and within parishes record significant events for individuals and the community. Sacramental registers record the milestones of a person’s religious life, and bulletins and newsletters record the weekly goings-on of the parish. Large-scale events such as an Episcopal Congress and World Youth Day are recorded through official documentation, programs, and souvenirs. In recording the past, archives display the evolving nature of the Church. Part of this is in the media the Church attracts. Tracking what the Church chooses to highlight and advertise in the pages of its publications from the Almanac of the Diocese of Maitland to The Newcastle and Maitland Catholic Sentinel and Aurora reflects the changes in attitudes of not only the Church but society at large. Objects within the archives can visually show the evolving nature of the Church, particularly relating to pre and post Vatican II. Architectural plans and photographs show changes in the design and decoration of churches. Vestments, in particular chasubles, show the liturgical renewal of Vatican II through removing the more decorative elements and replacing them with a simpler “noble beauty” (SC 124).

Karen Stitt and Juliet Hart form part of the Diocese’s Archives and Records team and each month they curate a small display of items from the archives and make them available for the public to view. Photo Peter Stoop

Online advancements have added to the way we record and share our archives, but they haven’t changed the fundamentals of how we archive. Electronic registers allow the inclusion of an image of the object and greater ability to track the movement of objects.

The information captured for each item is crucial to establishing provenance and adds to the historical and cultural value. Advancements in online environments have also notably improved accessibility to archives. Many institutions may have archives they would like to share with the public, but due to space limitations are unable to offer access through a permanent or temporary exhibit. The use of digital galleries allows archives to be curated and widely shared in a dynamic way. The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle does not have this feature but it is something the Archives and Research team are aiming for. The Diocese’s records go back to the mid-1800s with our earliest correspondence from Bishop Murray. Some of my favourite items are the collection of rosary beads we hold. The variety in material, style, and cases they come in makes them a beautiful mini collection. I marvel also at the embroidery and lacework on the vestments we have in the archives. They are wonderful examples of the workmanship found in this artform of yesteryear. Also of note are oil paintings of bishops Murray, Dwyer, Gleeson and Toohey, which hang in Cathedral House. Last year we received a request from the Art Gallery of NSW for information on any portraits in our collection that may have been contenders in the Archibald Prize. In researching this request, we found that the portrait of Bishop Gleeson was a finalist in the 1949 Archibald Prize. Each month my colleagues and I curate a small display of items from the archives and make them available for the public to view at our diocesan offices in Hunter Street. As we carefully select each item I often wonder if the Archives and Research team still exists in 100 years from now, what would they select to showcase for this period? Of course, as a society sometimes we don’t realise the value of an object or event until we’re deep in the moment. It’s my absolute honour to ensure milestones and cultural objects, ranging from seemingly insignificant (now) to the extraordinary, are preserved for future generations. You never know, one of our students featured in Aurora could go on to be the next pope. How wonderful it would be to reflect on the documentation of their experience in our Diocese and ponder how it shaped their journey to the Vatican. Karen Stitt is Team Leader, Archives and Research in the Diocese of MaitlandNewcastle.

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Visual vocabulary for scripture DIANE APOSTOLOS-CAPPADONA, Ph.D

Christian art styles and forms of representation continue to change, just as they have throughout its history. The themes and symbolism still intrigue and fascinate, even though teaching people to “read” Christian art is a rarity today. The pictorial tradition that was once the common visual vocabulary of Christian art is accessed through the human, animal, and natural symbols artists use to illuminate the pedagogical and spiritual meanings of scriptural narratives. Often these were overlaid with devotional texts, legends, local customs, and popular piety. Christian art was categorised as didactic when it taught the faith; liturgical when used for ritual worship; devotional when it inspired prayer or contemplation; decorative through the aesthetic beauty of colour and light; and symbolic for its visual vocabulary. A work of Christian art might combine any or all these categories in one frame. One of the most popular motifs is that of the Madonna and Child. A brief overview of four distinctive representations of this theme offers an introduction to the process of interpreting Christian signs and symbols. Created in the 13th century, the Enthroned Madonna and Child reflects the aesthetic and spiritual values of Eastern Orthodox icons. This category of Byzantine references the iconography of the Hodegetria, or “Virgin who points the way”, as she gestures to the child who rests in her lap. This depiction with a gold background, elongated figures, imperial archangels, elaborately carved throne, and red shoes, emphasises the spiritual realm, especially the Heavenly Paradise. The work further references the miraculous promise of this singular Mother and Son as her saddened facial expression looks away from his cruciform nimbus. This special halo singular to Christ incorporates three red lines encased within the golden circle positioned behind his head. The fourth

red line that joins them forms a cross, signifying that the suffering of the cross is behind him. Less than a hundred years later, the Florentine painter Giotto (c.1265-1337) transmuted those stylised figures into recognisable human attributes in his Madonna and Child. By visualising the emotions and sensibilities between a mother and child, Giotto moves beyond the strictures of the Byzantine icon tradition to initiate the humanism of the Renaissance. Giotto’s Madonna and Child no longer alludes to the pomp of the Byzantine court but to the humanised relationship between a mother and child touchingly expressed through the gestures of their fingers. Mary or even the child might have held a white rose as an object symbolic of purity, as a thornless rose signalling the promised return to Paradise, or as a reference to the Rose of Sharon in the Song of Solomon 2:1. However, Giotto has reconfigured their manual gestures to reflect the ambiguity of who is giving and who is receiving this offering. The artist advances the affective nature of this maternal relationship as the child does not hold a symbolic object or present an authoritative gesture with his left hand. Rather, his are the jovial motions of a baby playfully clutching his mother’s fingers. Renaissance master Raphael (14831520) accentuates Christ’s sacrifice in a more naturalistic if not discrete manner within the circular frame of The Alba Madonna. More simply garbed and now seated on the ground, Mary is fashioned as a “Madonna of Humility”. A youthful John the Baptist kneels before his naked cousin who accepts the offered cross with his right hand as he sits in his mother’s lap. Mary’s left hand serves as a marker to the narrative in her book and botanical symbols for humility, love, and sacrifice are carefully placed before all three figures. It is through the co-ordinated expression of their eyes

that Raphael reveals the emotion of their shared foreknowledge. More than a century later, the Flemish artist Hans Memling (active 1465-1494) painted his Madonna and Child with Angels with a late-medieval complex symbolism. The presence of the two angels and the background carvings of grape vines and the figures of David and the prophet Isaiah highlight the theological and liturgical significance of this child’s mission. With the backdrop of a cloth of honour and a canopy, Mary sits regally on a throne as her son reaches for the apple, symbol of Original Sin, being offered by a dalmatic-clad kneeling angel, as his left hand actively pushes the pages of his mother’s book. Symbolically, Mary is simultaneously Mater Ecclesia and altar as her son is the sacrifice for a solemn High Mass. Although without scriptural foundation, her book is interpreted as a symbol of her foreknowledge of her son’s sacrificial death. Memling emphasises their acceptance of their roles in salvation history. Traditional Christian art is invested with visual authority to bring the Holy to presence, to heal, to transform, to elicit spiritual conversion, to be the site of the Sacred, and to give voice to the Christian imagination. Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, Ph.D. is a Professor Emerita of Religious Art and Cultural History and Haub Director of the Catholic Studies Program at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Enthroned Madonna and Child

Madonna and Child

The Alba Madonna

Images: The images contained in this article have been published with consent from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Madonna and Child with Angels

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Anna Kerrigan, Jessica Lopez, and Lisa Little discuss an ASPIRE script as students practise in the background. Photo: Peter Stoop

Performing resilience DARRELL CROKER

Saint Mary MacKillop said “never see a need without doing something about it”. Twelve years ago, longstanding Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Creative Arts Coordinator Lisa Little saw a need. It was for a designated program that extended opportunities for gifted students in creative and performing arts beyond the school environment. Mrs Little did something about it – she wrote a lengthy proposal. Then-director of schools in the Diocese, Ray Collins, embraced the program, but to do it well would cost money, and at that stage it couldn’t be funded.

Fortunately, Mrs Little was appointed to the Catholic Schools Office as a Senior Education Officer – School Improvement.

colleagues, named it ASPIRE, and appointed a stellar group of staff. The rest is history.”

“The conversation from two years previous was then revisited,” she says. “Assistant Director Craig Wattam also came from a creative arts background and with the two of us on board it was a happy marriage. It is rare to have system leaders from the creative arts. It was serendipity really.

ASPIRE “launched” 11 years ago at San Clemente, Mayfield. “The launch set the tone and our expectations of excellence and reach across the Diocese,” Mrs Little says.

“Intuitively, Craig and I knew how to build it. We formed a committee of like-minded teachers and system

The first year was just a production and was staged in The Factory at St Pius X High School. It was an encouraging start involving

about 80 kids. “We knew we had to think bigger as the calibre of students and the expertise of staff was self-evident,” Mrs Little says. “The following year we started at the Civic Theatre.” ASPIRE as we now know it celebrates its 10th anniversary on 20 August. The audition-based drama, dance, music and creative and performing arts program

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provides a benchmark quality program for students from Years 5 to 11. The program’s biggest triumph was the appointment of Anna Kerrigan as Artistic Director. She has provided the vision and direction that has expanded the program and enabled it to achieve the standards it set itself. “We have always been unapologetic about excellence,” Mrs Little says. “That is why the annual production is audition-based and has enabled the expansion into other areas.” There are now four arms to ASPIRE: an annual audition-based production; tailored in-school workshops and performance support for staff and students together with staff professional development; a secondtier non-audition-based program in theatre for seniors and juniors; and programs that develop students as songwriters and scriptwriters. ASPIRE encourages creativity and excellence in performance in the Diocese’s students and provides teachers with the skills to harness their students’ creativity. The innovative program is constantly evolving. “The Civic production is amazing, and the

songwriting and scriptwriters’ programs are incredible,” Mrs Little says. “To hear students from Year 5 saying ‘I wrote that’ and being accompanied by senior students on guitars and drums … it’s magic. Every week I see the process unfold and I’m still blown away by how much we grow each year.” Ms Kerrigan is an inspiration in the schools. She can workshop something with small kids in the morning, script it, and they’ll perform it in the afternoon. The teachers watch and this builds their confidence as much as the students. ASPIRE is recognised as a program for excellence in the creative and performing arts and a champion of the breadth of gifted education, but it’s also unique. Most organisations “buy in” a script; however, Ms Kerrigan writes a new, original script every year with input from ASPIRE students.

find their tribe. They find that space to be ‘that’ person.” There is kudos involved for schools with students who make the ASPIRE cut. It requires tenacity and meeting exacting standards. There is a resilience to putting together an original piece of creative work, and lessons around collaboration. Hard work is its own reward. To complement Ms Kerrigan’s efforts, ASPIRE has this year appointed a musical director, Jessica Lopez. She will grow the music component and build the capacity of teachers and students. The aim is for a diocesan-wide concert band and an expansion of the music component of ASPIRE.

Mrs Little believes the reach of ASPIRE encapsulates the depth of Catholic education – celebrating the innate gifts of every student and respecting and acknowledging the dignity of the human person. “What Anna writes every year is amazing,” Mrs Little says. “ASPIRE is an entity built on what we are about in this Diocese: a complete education and opportunities for all our students, and particularly the spiritual development of kids in the truest sense.”

Productions are based on contemporary issues centred around young people, family and identity, always engendering a Catholic spirit that celebrates our humanity and innate gifts. “The essence of what we do is extending the kids,” Mrs Little says. “These gifted performing arts kids often hide their light under a bushel. ASPIRE enables them to

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To acknowledge ASPIRE’s 10 years, the Diocese is inviting staff, students, families and alumni to a night of celebration. It will include entertainment, displays, memorabilia, finger food and drinks. Please join us. We will also launch ASPIRE 10 The Book! which will be available to purchase on the night. ADULTS: $35 | STUDENTS: $25 | FAMILY: $100 BOOK AND TICKET PACKAGE: $80 Tickets through Ticketebo www.ticketebo.com.au

A U R O R A 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

ACTiv8 Chisolm Youth Ministry invited Fr Rob Galea to the Hunter, where he had the opportunity to share his music and love of God with students from All Saints College, Maitland. Photo: Lizzie Snedden

People hear when the heart sings SARAH JAMES

At first look, you might not think there is much in common between Maltese-born Father Rob Galea and the 1,200 students at All Saints’ College, Maitland. Affectionately known as “the pop star priest”, Fr Galea has released six albums, written an autobiography, and performed in front of millions of fans all over the globe, including two popes. A Hollywood film about his life is in pre-production. Yet as he shared his story and music to a sold-out concert, the connection between himself and the young people of our community was undeniable. Fr Galea puts this down to two simple things: the power of faith, and music. “I think music is the language of the heart, so prayer is ultimately a heart-to-heart with God,” he says. “Sometimes words fall short of our expression towards God, and even within ourselves, so I think music is something powerful that allows us to connect with something beyond ourselves.” Fr Galea has made it his mission to share his gifts with the world and is determined to use his voice to give hope to the next generation. “I’m grateful that I have the chance to influence people where they’re at an age where they’re impressionable,” he says of his unique ability to reach people.

“Our young people are just bombarded with the sense that they need to perform, that they need to be something on social media. So just to be in a place where you can remind them they are loved unconditionally, is a very privileged place.” Part of what makes Fr Galea so relatable is that he makes it no secret his life was not always so charmed. While most teenagers are learning Shakespeare and grappling with algebra, at just 17 years old a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol, parties, and crime had left Fr Galea staring down the barrel. During his darkest hours, where anxiety and depression had him on the brink of suicide, music and a local Catholic youth group were his saving grace. Witnessing the joy of people who loved and believed in Christ reignited his own faith. “I only started playing guitar when I was 17 years old,” Fr Galea says. “My mother introduced me to it. She used to play music in her little prayer group, and she taught me to play a few chords. I still sing with her now.” In stark contrast to his teenage years, by age 21 Fr Galea had entered the seminary, and he is now serving as an ordained priest in the Sandhurst diocese, Victoria. He also founded his own not-for-profit Catholic organisation, FRG Ministry, which aims to bring the love of Jesus and his message of hope to people of all ages across the world. “I don’t consider myself an intellectual, or trying to convince people about the faith,”

he says. “It’s about allowing myself to be vulnerable, and allowing them to see my heart, which is in love with God and in love with people. “People see authenticity, people see the heart being expressed, as opposed to someone trying to convince them to believe in something so difficult. When you speak from the heart, there is an automatic connection, because we are heart people who are desperate to connect.” It was this vulnerability and authenticity that prompted ACTiv8 Youth Coordinator, Rebecca Piefke, to reach out to Fr Galea and ask him to run workshops for students attending All Saints’ College. “He managed to turn his mess into a message,” Ms Piefke says. “It’s rare that we hear so openly and honestly from someone about their struggles with life and their faith.” Speaking to students ranging from Year 7 to Year 12, Fr Galea shared his own mental health battles and reminded them that no matter how difficult things may seem, there’s always a way out. “Students were crying as they were so touched by his message,” Ms Piefke says. “It was less of a concert and more of a spiritual retreat.” ACTiv8 Chisolm Youth Ministry shares Fr Galea’s belief in the power of music, with a youth ministry band playing modern music every Sunday.

“As we all know, getting young people passionate about their faith can be quite challenging,” Ms Piefke says. “Music is a wonderful communication tool and helps keep the kids’ attention.” Fr Galea is a firm believer that faith is caught, not taught. It’s safe to say that after his visit to All Saints’ College, the students are definitely feeling inspired. “There’s a beautiful sense that God is allowing me to be used to help others,” he says. “Seeing these kids connect in the moment is something I also appreciate. It’s a moment of great gratitude.”

I think music is the language of the heart, so prayer is ultimately a heart-to-heart with God,

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Jesus wasn’t white ROBYN J. WHITAKER

I grew up in a Christian home where a picture of Jesus hung on my bedroom wall. I still have it. It is schmaltzy and rather tacky in that 1970s kind of way, but as a little girl I loved it. In this picture, Jesus looks kind and gentle; he gazes down at me lovingly. He is also light-haired, blue eyed, and very white. There is a problem here. Jesus was not white. You’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise if you’ve ever entered a Western church or visited an art gallery. But while there is no physical description of him in the Bible, there is also no doubt that the historical Jesus, the man the Roman state executed in the first century CE, was a brown-skinned, Middle-Eastern Jew. This is not controversial from a scholarly point of view, but somehow it is a forgotten detail for many of the millions of Christians in today’s word. In Australia, Christians who attend church will mostly encounter Jesus depicted as a white man who looks like Anglo-Australians. This image is easily identifiable for other Anglo-Australians. This is the case in mainstream media too. Think for a moment of the rather dashing Jim Caviezel who played Jesus in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. He is an American actor. Or call to mind some of the most famous artworks of Jesus’ crucifixion – Rubens, Grunewald, Giotto – and again we see the European bias in depicting a white-skinned Jesus. Does any of this matter, you might ask. Yes, it really does. As a society we are well

aware of the power of representation and the importance of diverse role models. After winning an Oscar in 2014 for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 12 Years a Slave, Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o shot to fame. In interviews since then, Nyong’o has repeatedly articulated her feelings of inferiority as a young woman because all the images of beauty she saw around her were of lighter-skinned women. It was only when she saw the fashion world embracing Sudanese model Alek Wek that she realised black could be beautiful too. If we can recognise the importance of ethnically and physically diverse role models in our media, why can’t we do the same for faith? Why do we continue to allow images of a whitened Jesus to dominate? Of course, many churches and cultures do depict Jesus as a brown or black man. Orthodox Christians usually have a very different iconography to that of European art, and if you enter a church in Africa, you’ll most likely see an African Jesus on display. But these are rarely the images we see in Australian Protestant and Catholic churches, and it is our loss. It allows the mainstream Christian community to separate their devotion to Jesus from compassionate regard for those who look different. It creates a cognitive disconnect where one can feel deep affection for Jesus but little empathy for a Middle-Eastern person. Historically, the whitewashing of Jesus contributed to Christians being some of the worst

perpetrators of anti-Semitism and it continues to manifest in the “othering” of non-Anglo Saxon Australians. As we consider a world where the Covid pandemic is ravaging countries such as India and Brazil, I can’t help but wonder what our response might be if we just remembered that Jesus was brown skinned too? How might our attitude towards refugees change if we recalled that the body that hung on the cross was a brown body: one that an oppressive regime, tortured, broke, and publicly executed. Perhaps we might recognise that the unjust imprisonment, abuse, and execution of the historical Jesus has more in common with the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, or refugees fleeing terrorism, than it does with those who hold power in the Church and usually represent Christ. What might change if we were mindful that the person Christians celebrate as God in the flesh and Saviour of the world was never a white man, but a brown-skinned, Middle-Eastern Jew? Robyn J. Whitaker is a Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity. Parkville, Victoria. This was originally published on The Conversation on 29 March 2018, and updated in May this year. theconversation.com/jesus-wasnt-whitehe-was-a-brown-skinned-middle-easternjew-heres-why-that-matters-91230

If we can recognise the importance of ethnically and physically diverse role models in our media, why can’t we do the same for faith?

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The arts are essential to Catholic liturgy

The arts in liturgy FIONA DUQUE

Faith grows when it is well expressed in celebration. Good celebrations foster and nourish faith. Poor celebrations may weaken and destroy it. (Music in Catholic Worship a. 6. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1972) The arts can take liturgy to that place of being “good”, especially when they correspond to the purpose of the liturgy and glorify the awe, reverence, wonder, and mystery of God. They allow the invisible God to become visible. But what exactly is liturgy? The word liturgy comes from the Greek word leitourgia. It originated in the early communities of the Church and referred to litos ergos, which means “public service” or the work of the people. The people here being the baptised people of God. When we come together as the people of God to celebrate liturgy, we are coming to encounter the divine mystery of God. This liturgical encounter expresses our Christian identity and shapes us in faith. There is a saying in the Church, lex orandi, lex credendi, which reflects this importance. It means our prayer shapes our belief. How do we encounter God in the liturgy and how are we drawn into the mystery of God? The answer is we encounter God in and through all the elements of the liturgy: in beautiful music, in colour and art, in movement and stillness, in prayers and stories read from the scriptures, in the beauty of the design of the space in which we gather, in stained-glass windows and muted light, in candles and incense. The arts are essential to Catholic liturgy. They form part of the “work of human hands” through which we encounter God and give ourselves to God as “a living sacrifice of praise”.

Liturgy, of its nature, is participatory because “encounter” invites our “full, conscious and active” attention. The arts facilitate our participation in the liturgy. Let’s consider a few examples. Colours: At their simplest, liturgical colours can provide a foundation for setting the liturgical scene. For example, there is something awe inspiring entering a church on Pentecost Sunday where the colour red is adorning the walls, ambo, tabernacle, and other areas. In an instant, you are reflecting on that moment when the Holy Spirit passionately set the early Church community “on fire”. Or, on Easter Sunday, where the colour white is reminding us of the joy of the resurrected Christ. There are other liturgical seasons that celebrate Christ’s life and at each stage the colours change. Advent – where we prepare for Christ’s birth but also when he comes again is violet, symbolising waiting. Christmastime – Christ’s birth up to the celebration of Christ’s baptism is represented with white symbolising purity and faith. Lent – beginning on Ash Wednesday and finishing on Holy Thursday is also violet, symbolising penance and mourning.

actively participate. As Sacrosanctum Concilium 112 reflects: "The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy." We see the importance of the connection of music with the liturgy from the early traditions, the lex orandi of the Church. This connection with music appears in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) with the Psalms. Even St Paul encourages the early communities to “be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts”. (Ep5:18b-19) Various parts of the Mass are traditionally sung. For example, when the great Amen is sung at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, it becomes one of those moments to fully acknowledge the divine mystery of God. Music can also connect with the theme of the liturgy and cultural diversities within the community.

At most of the other times, we clothe the church in green. This is known as Ordinary Time, symbolising hope, perseverance, and listening.

The arts is central to liturgy because it is central to human life. Art, in all its forms, connects with our senses. It draws us in. I am sure you all have “that” song that takes you to a special moment, or a photo that reminds you of an important time, or an artwork that makes you ponder. Liturgy can and should evoke those feelings. It is about active participation that enables you to go forth feeling nourished.

Music: Music, accompanied with singing, also draws us into liturgical life, and enlivens the people of God to

Fiona Duque is a Leader of Learning at St Bede’s Catholic College in Chisholm and a member of the Diocesan Liturgy Council.

Eastertide – including the Triduum up to, but not including, Pentecost is also white.

The arts is central to liturgy because it is central to human life. Art, in all its forms, connects with our senses. It draws us in.

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Callam Howard is passionate about assisting students get the most out of their Drama experience. Photo: Callam Howard

Staged progression LIZZIE SNEDDEN

A school administration mishap in 2001 has been the making of one of the state's leading drama teachers. Callam Howard, then a painfully shy 13-year-old boy attending St Catherine's College in Singleton, was incorrectly assigned to drama class. When he fronted up, his palms were sweaty and his heart raced. "I had zero confidence," Callam says of the experience. "However, my teacher Mrs Hall was amazing. She brought me out of my shell and nurtured my unrealised love for drama." Over the ensuing years, Callam's theatrical skills became increasingly apparent, and his confidence grew in all facets of life. Two decades on, he is a drama teacher at St Clare's High School in Taree. In Years 9-11, Callam took part in DioTheatre Sports, a decision that informed the direction of his adult life. Dio-Theatre Sports is a competition in which school teams participate in various short, improvisation-based theatrical tasks. "The competition can be quite daunting, and younger students often look up to the more experienced participants for guidance," Callam says. "I loved Dio-Theatre Sports, not just for the adrenaline and performance opportunities, but because as I moved up I had the opportunity to mentor younger students." It was then that Callam finally felt he could answer with confidence the age-old question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?"

With his sights set on becoming a drama teacher, Callam fully invested himself in his HSC performances and his commitment resulted in a short-listing for OnSTAGE. Held annually at the Seymour Centre in Newtown, OnSTAGE showcases the performances of the state's top-ranking HSC drama students. Eight individuals and 10 groups perform each year. Unfortunately for Callam, a car accident prevented him from realising this dream. But now, as an HSC drama teacher, he has experienced the next best thing. Over the past four years, several students from St Clare's High School have unleashed their theatrical talents to standing applause at the iconic event. "St Clare's has had three students deliver their individual monologues, and one group," Callam says. It is a result unparalleled by any other regional or rural schools in the state and outshines many metropolitan schools with far greater cohorts. So, what is the key to a winning performance? Callam says playing to a student’s strengths is vital. "If a student can do something unique such as juggling, beatboxing, handstands, shadow puppetry or dancing, it's important that they play on it and build a character around it," he says. "This approach showcases the student’s talent and has the added benefit of separating their performance from a standard ‘walk and talk' monologue.” Those individual strengths are also usually a student's passion, and that passion is also important.

"Going beyond the lines is what differentiates good performers from excellent performers. It's so important that a student’s lines are so ingrained that they're automatic, enabling them to focus their efforts on acting out those words with conviction." However, the passion he says should not be restricted to the individual student. "Relationships are fundamental. You're a drama family. The acting world can be a bit egocentric. It's important students find themselves in an environment where it's about succeeding together. A lot of that comes from the teacher creating an inspiring atmosphere, but it is also underpinned by students making a concerted effort to create bonds." Those relationships, Callam says, can be tested. Drama is the only HSC subject where students' marks are contingent on their peers. "The group performance teaches students about so much more than what's prescribed in the syllabus," Callam says. "As part of developing their presentation students have to collaborate, share creative perspectives, listen and often, there's a bit of conflict resolution involved too." Callam is an advocate for all students interested in the arts to consider drama as a viable HSC subject. "Drama teaches you so many skills that can be useful in other aspects of life," he says. "I often have former students getting in touch to tell me how their experience of working in a group helped them resolve

work issues. Or how their presentation skills, finetuned on stage, helped them confidently present in a lecture hall. "It also helps students to hone their ability to express their thoughts creatively and engagingly. You can talk to someone all day and it might not land. But having the talent to tell a story that resonates is a gift.” For this reason, Callam hopes that society's tendency to downplay the importance of drama comes to a halt. "I think there's a lot of pressure for students to give up on creative pursuits once they finish school or not pursue it as a HSC subject… but we must be governed by our passion, no matter what it is, because that's when you get the best results in life. If acting is what you are into, it will make studying a career in science very difficult!" And, with many of Callam's former students now drama teachers and performers themselves, it seems this message has resonated. "I'm so grateful I was placed in Mrs Hall's class all those years ago. Her passion has had a profound impact on my life, and it's a great privilege that I'm now able to consult with her as a colleague, as she still works at St Catherine's," Callam says. "I'm also equally thankful that I now have the opportunity to collaborate with former students in their role as drama teachers. Passion has a domino effect, and it's a wonderful thing to be part of."

A U R O R A 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

The best $12 I spend each month DAVID McGOVERN

Pope Francis created 2019 as an Extraordinary Year of Mission. In the organisation for which I work, Catholic Mission, there was much discussion about how we would mark this year and make it significant. As the name implies, it was not meant to be any “ordinary” year. Being a DJ and having served as a volunteer community correspondent on ABC Radio in Brisbane for several years, I knew the value of having themed music playlists. I had spent time leading up to weddings discussing the songs couples wanted for their bridal waltz, and beyond, at their reception. I had worked with breakfast presenters to choose songs to top or tail audio pieces I had submitted to go to air. I was familiar with the power of a playlist. One idea I came up with to mark the Extraordinary Month of Mission in October 2019 was to seek input from my colleagues about the music, songs, artists or composers that inspired them to “be missionary”, that enriched their faith and deepened their relationship with God. I was delighted with the variety of responses and with the ensuing playlist that I was able to create on Spotify. More on that later. Being able to create such playlists is one of more than 230 reasons why I ensure the second lot of money that comes out of my budget each month is for Spotify. If you are wondering, the first lot is my tithing

and yes, I pay my rent and other bills, only after I have allowed for a “premium” music subscription. That figure of 230-plus is the number of playlists I have created on the Spotify platform. There are playlists that mark weekends away with family or friends; there are playlists to accompany my exercise and training; there are road trip playlists, worship playlists and playlists of music to listen to when I am in the office or at my desk. I have liked more than 2,696 songs and all of them would be pieces of music that have touched my heart or deepened my faith in some way. Among those “liked” songs are tracks by artists I have always loved and rediscovered in the digital realm such as Rob Thomas, as well as unexpected delights, for example, anything by a band called Needtobreathe. Some of the songs have spoken to a mood or an experience while some have articulated a thought process or helped me reach a decision. Back to that playlist to mark the Extraordinary Month of Mission.There was prominent input from my predecessor, Mark Toohey. His suggestions included many pieces from the soundtrack of the World War II movie Thin Red Line. I am listening to a piece called God Yu Tekkem Laef Blong Mi as I type. There were treasures that may not have been immediately obvious as “songs of faith” or to inspire a missionary zeal, but they were submitted in that spirit. Songs

such as 40 by U2 (based on Psalm 40), You’ve Got the Look by Florence and the Machine, and a lovely interpretation by Canadian songstress Sarah McLachlan of The Prayer of St Francis. Some of the tracks were not so much out of left field. There were the now-staples of many praise and worship bands, both in Catholic Churches and beyond – Here I am To Worship (Tim Hughes), 10,000 Reasons (Matt Redman) and Amazing Grace (Chris Tomlin). Hillsong Worship had several songs nominated while there was also a reminder that many great singers, like Johnny Cash, also had a deep and abiding faith. It is his version of the classic hymn Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord) that is included. Currently, having recently relocated from Brisbane to Barrington and having to downsize, I have taken to transferring many of my records over to digital format. I do this by either finding the same LP on Spotify and “liking” it – effectively adding it to my online library – or “recreating” the playlist of the record by sourcing individual songs. Many of my mix tapes, created when audio cassettes were “a thing”, have now been resurrected as digital playlists. The CDs I have been willing to part with are now preserved as part of my account while artists like U2, Bruce Springsteen, Matchbox 20, The Killers, just to name a few, are “followed” and enjoyed even more. This is perhaps why I make such a point of putting aside $12 each month for a music subscription. Like a donation to Catholic

Mission, it multiplies. It may not satisfy the purists, who feel digital music lacks warmth and intimacy, but, for me, creating playlists offers a glimpse into the divine: through my. Is this not what God must have felt when He composed the soundtrack of Creation and placed the orchestra of Mother Nature on the stage? In my humble moments of solitude, when I am searching for songs or artists, or when I google the lyrics to a particular track, I picture God, a Bluetooth speaker by his desk, as He pours His love and grace upon humanity. He is listening to a band called The Angels (the cherubic kind, not the one with Doc Neeson at the helm) and they are singing up a storm in Heaven. My late wife Celena is up there, requesting He also play some Bon Jovi. My late son Brodie is dancing to the beautiful ballad Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol, before asking our Creator, the Divine DJ, to play some of his favourite Wiggles tracks. Music, it is often said, soothes the savage beast. In my case, that beast is a grief borne of having to say goodbye to my wife, my daughter and my son. Music is one way I make sense of their loss and keep their spirit alive. At a cost of $12 each month, that is a small price to pay. David McGovern is the Director of Catholic Mission – Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle

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For those who came in late … BRITTANY GONZALEZ

Dietmar Lederwasch is a humble man, passionate about art and forming meaningful connections with others. Many refer to him as an artist, but it’s a term from which he shies. He has curated exhibitions that have been featured in galleries across the state, including the Newcastle Art Gallery. His love for art began before he even reached school, and has stayed with him throughout life, most notably through his exhaustive collections of comics and comicinspired portraits. Collecting art brings Dietmar immense joy, but it is the opportunity to share it with others that ignites pure happiness in the father of three, and grandfather of four. His personable approach has enabled him to forge friendships with people from all walks of life – worldrenowned artists to local enthusiasts – and created interest in his niche collections. What Catholic school(s) did you attend? Sacred Heart, Hamilton for my primary schooling followed by Marist Brothers, Hamilton, for my secondary schooling, graduating in 1971. Why did your parents choose a Catholic education? My family immigrated to Australia from Austria when I was just two years old and it was a tradition that carried on from their schooling years back home. My wife Julia and I continued that tradition, enrolling our now three adult children in local Catholic schools for their formal education. What is your fondest memory from your schooling years? Scrounging around second-hand bookshops, almost daily, for comics that I “needed”. Uncle Scrooge, The Phantom, Prince Valiant, Ginger Meggs, Classics Illustrated, The Scorpion, and adaptations of Disney movies. Then the world changed, superheroes had arrived, so I started collecting Spider-Man, Tales to Astonish, The Avengers, X-Men, Batman. In some ways I was not a completist, I only collected for the art, not the story, certain artists such as Berni Wrightson, Steve Ditko, Russ Manning, Carl Barks, Hal Foster, Monty Wedd, Moira Bertram, Hal English … the art was everything. Even as a youngster I saw art as a lifelong commitment, beautifully supported by John Lennon’s belief that “all you need is love”. Many years later I heard Martin Sharp’s words ring true, “there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people”. You own an iconic comic and pop culture shop in Newcastle, Hunters 4 Collectors. What inspired you to share your love of comics with others?

Dietmar Lederwasch seated in front of Euan Macleod’s portrait, Father of the Phantom. Photo: Peter Stoop

I originally opened a comic shop in The Junction in 1986 under the banner Graphic Novel. However, almost two decades later a partnership was formed with other collectors, and so the name

ALUMNI

changed to “Hunters 4 Collectors” and was relocated to Hunter Street, Newcastle. This shop is still open, albeit only on Fridays and Saturdays, and enables me to talk pop culture with fellow enthusiasts and, to reminisce about such events as the worldwide release for George Harrison’s Songs by George Harrison and Michael Cooper’s book of 1960s photographs, Blinds and Shutters. We also had the world licence to publish limited edition art prints of the Phantom comic character. This project opened my life to meeting and working with many wonderful artists. How did your love for comic books and characters come about? Our family’s first home was at Greta migrant camp. At the age of four or five I saw my first comic book, The Phantom. I was mesmerised. Comics introduced me to a love of art. Within no time I was a serious collector of cereal cards and toys, and comics. Besides Disney comics publishing film previews (Australian reprints) there were comics by publishers Dell and Gold Key. They produced a vast number of movie/TV adaptations – Bonanza,Yellow Submarine, Magnus Robot Fighter, Tarzan and The Twilight Zone to name a few. You and your children have posed for a variety of famous artists. What is it like to see yourself, and the ones you love, depicted on canvas? I commissioned Euan Macleod to do a portrait, Father of the Phantom, just after he won the Archibald in 1999. He accepted the challenge and in 2014, after having finished the painting, he asked if he could change the painting by depicting me as one of the two characters. I loved the idea; I became the first Phantom. Since then, Euan has painted another two portraits of me, both of which shocked me. I did not realise how old I appeared. Our son Louis posed for Paul Newton: the depiction of the “Phantom to be” as an eight-year-old reading the Phantom chronicles, sitting at a desk with images of past Phantom generations adorning the background, evoking the golden era of Norman Rockwell. Our second eldest, Gabrielle, was painted by Rosemary Valadon. There is a serenity, a strength and beauty within the painting that captures her soul perfectly. Aleta, the artist in our family was painted by Drew Struzan. Drew is arguably the greatest movie poster artist of all time, creating art for posters for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, and Blade Runner. It is truly special seeing our children as works of art and getting reactions from guests when they first view the works. The portraits will certainly outlive us and continue to be enjoyed by many for generations.

CARE TALK

A U R O R A 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

Care talk Heal thyself with right-brain yarns KATRINA SWEENY

The Rosewood Centre’s registered psychologists address a new 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, call: The Rosewood Centre P 1800 613 155 or Lifeline 24/7 on P 131 114.

Do you have a question for us? Email your question to aurora@mn.catholic.org.au or write to Aurora-CareTalk PO Box 756 Newcastle 2300.

Expressive art therapy integrates all of the arts in a safe, non-judgmental setting to facilitate personal growth and healing. To use the arts expressively means going into our inner realms to discover feelings and to express them through visual art, movement, sound, writing or drama. This process fosters release, self-understanding, insight and awakens creativity and transpersonal states of consciousness. (Natalie Rogers, PhD, REAT) Does certain music give you a delicious feeling of goosebumps? Have you thrilled yourself with dancing as if no one were watching? Has a painting moved you to tears? Did you catch yourself breathless watching a theatre show? Have you ever lost yourself in colouring, crafting, or doodling? Or is it unbelievably satisfying to have your hands deep in soil, clay or even bread dough? Whatever your experience, you are tapping into the powerful and transformative forces behind the creative and expressive arts. Interest in the psychological meaning and effect of these activities has been present from the earliest studies of the unconscious mind right through to modern hospital-based programs that use the arts to heal mind and body.

When we are young, before we have language, our world is one of colour, shapes, sound, sensations, and the non-verbal signals from our caregivers. These are our lifelines; a way to grow our understanding, have our needs met, to feel safe and, ultimately, connected. Neuroscience has shown us these signals are created and processed first in the right hemisphere of our developing brains. They are hyperlinked into our physical nervous system, raw emotions, memory, and attachments. It is the place of images, metaphor, whole-body sense, and stress reduction. Our left hemisphere comes online later with its love of language, logic, lists and facts familiar to parents of two-tothree-year-olds with their constant, “Why? Why? Why?”. Of course, our brain integrates these features as we grow. However, mental health challenges and trauma experiences can make it difficult to understand, name or explain what we think or feel. Or maybe we don’t speak the dominant language, have a disability, are frail, aged or affected by physical ailments. At these times, traditional “talking therapy” with its focus on ideas and language may not reach our pain.

Instead, a psychologist may use creative and expressive art-based techniques to access our brain’s right hemisphere applying materials and interventions matching our needs and goals. It might range from mixed media on a mask exploring our internal and external “faces”, to joining a drumming circle; using clay to make a sculpture of a greatest fear or fashioning an abstract quilt to process grief after a loss. The act of expressing our own perceptions, imagination, and feelings is just as therapeutic as the finished work. And through these processes we can improve self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, and reduce and resolve conflicts and distress. The field blending creative and expressive arts with psychology has become highly specialised. There are now specific tertiary-level courses in Australia to train art, music, drama, and dance therapists – an encouraging sign we are learning to support and access the many facets of our human experience to aid in our healing. How have you “talked” to your right brain today?

Congratulations St Nicholas Early Education Raymond Terrace on being awarded an ‘Exceeding’ rating by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

stnicholasmn.org.au

W W W. M N N E W S . T O D AY / A U R O R A

NEW WEBSITE SHOWCASES SACRED, LITURGICAL ART A website launched last month aims to deepen people’s appreciation of sacred art by featuring Australian artists and liturgical art in its various forms. The new website, art.catholic.org.au, is a work of the National Liturgical Architecture and Art Council (NLAAC). All the content is written by Australians and each article has a clear Australian link, featuring artists, architects and works in Australia and examines items as diverse as stained-glass windows and liturgical vessels, as well as sculptures and churches. Fr Tom Elich, the chair of the NLAAC, said the current set of articles will be added to regularly, to produce an extensive database and reference point for Catholic art. “We have taken a broad view of Catholic art because the Church has not adopted any particular style or form of art as its own,” Fr Elich said. “Whatever is good and true contributes a noble beauty to acts of worship. It leads to a new appreciation of the infinite beauty of the Creator God.”

21 COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

2021 NEWCASTLE ANNUAL LORD MAYOR’S PRAYER BREAKFAST 4 June 2021 The Annual Lord Mayor's Prayer Breakfast has been hosted since 2009. The purpose is to acknowledge God, the power of unity and prayer, and to invite the blessing of God over Newcastle and its people. The commitment of so many to gather together reflects the willing ability of civic, church, business, and community leadership to journey together in a God-honouring way. Ticket price includes a hot breakfast, tea coffee and juice. Breakfast ticket: $55

“Engagement with sacred art is almost as old as the Catholic Church, and has been a great tool for faith education through the centuries,” Fr Elich said. “This site seeks to continue that long tradition, using our current means of communication.” REGISTER: Email f_deluca3@hotmail.com

KEY DATES

Hospital beds are overwhelmed across the country, with oxygen supplies at critically low levels. The steep increase in cases is related to what is believed to be a new “double mutant” variant of the coronavirus, which transmits faster. India’s healthcare system is now under enormous strain as the number of new cases continues to rise rapidly each day. Your support is urgently needed today to help vulnerable communities in India get through this COVID-19 crisis. For more information: www.caritas.org.au/ donate/emergency-appeals/india-covid-19/

WHEN: 6.45am-8.45am 4 June 2021 WHERE: NEX, 309 King St, Newcastle West For more information: https://ti.to/ kingdomworks/2021-annual-lord-mayor-sprayer-breakfast/en

NEWCASTLE UNITY IN DIVERSITY WORLD FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL 19 June To mark the beginning of Refugee Week, the Newcastle Unity in Diversity Festival will be held at the Newcastle Foreshore 11am – 3pm on Saturday 19 June. This is a family-friendly festival with a wonderful array of multicultural foods, music and dancing. You can learn to drum, try some delicious food, and listen to many cultures playing music and dancing.

5 June: World Environment Day 10 June: Ascension of Jesus

For more information: www.facebook.com/ events/520718478555143

14 June: Queen’s Birthday 20 June: World Refugee Day

Public memorial consultation project

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR Many people have had their lives transformed through a Life in The Spirit Seminar. Come along and experience all of this plus a renewal of your faith. All are welcome. Upon registration, you will receive the participant booklet and information. WHEN: Thursday 3 June 2021, 7.30pm-9pm, and runs each Thursday for six weeks VENUE: St Patrick's Catholic Church, Wallsend COST: Free REGISTER: Email f_deluca3@hotmail.com

For more events, please visit mn.catholic.org.au

Join the discussion

Project delivered by Mara Consulting.

Take the survey

India is currently enduring a COVID-19 catastrophe, with a staggering jump in the number of deaths and new cases.

“You will receive Power and Be Transformed.” Acts 1:8; Romans 12:2

The NLAAC hopes the website will be of benefit to a wide range of people, including parishes renewing liturgical spaces, for architects and artists, for students and researchers, and lovers of art.

Do you support a memorial?

CARITAS AUSTRALIA INDIA COVID-19 APPEAL

Do you support a memorial? What could it look like?

We would like to know your views about a public memorial to acknowledge those impacted by institutional child sexual abuse in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. This includes victims and survivors, both living and deceased, and their families, friends, and support networks. The project also wants to hear from other interested parties, including members of the faith communities in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and those working for the Diocese.

How to get involved?

02 496 54317

projects@maraconsulting.com.au

Consultation is open between 21 April and 30 June 2021.

bit.ly/MemorialConsultation

Book talk Psalms Illuminated BY FIONA PFENNIGWERTH

REVIEWED BY DR ROD PATTENDEN This is a truly beautiful book. It explores the deeply felt human spirituality of the Psalms of the Bible through a wealth of richly coloured watercolour paintings of the Australian landscape. It is not a book to read, but something that you fold open to apprehend, like a visual feast, which responds to this ancient collection of poems and songs that have sustained the Jewish and Christian communities through the ages. This magnificent publication is the achievement of local artist Fiona Pfennigwerth, who has spent the past six years travelling, reading, listening, and painting to complete this unique manuscript of visual meditations. In choosing to work in watercolours she has found a medium that is technically exacting but gives results that are fresh, vibrant and seem to shine off the page. There are more than 250 finely detailed watercolours that record this journey of spiritual delight in the Australian landscape. These travels include the Kimberley, central Australia, the Grampians, Tasmania and then finally the more familiar horizons of the Hunter Valley.

Food talk Mini Cheesecake with raspberry sauce

or a moment of visual insight that helps us read the text more deeply. The artist seems to slow down time by giving us a record of her looking and watching the texture of the hills, the animals, birds, feathers, rocks, streams, the rustle of the leaves, and shift in the clouds across a distant blue horizon. Pfennigwerth is a contemplative who prays with her eyes wide open. She is a person of deep spirituality and passion who is in love with the way art can evoke God’s praise, strengthen our faith, and deepen our understanding. This book is a sumptuous record of her attempt to locate the spirituality of the Psalms in the place and time that we actually inhabit, rather than in the distant past. It proves to be a gift that enlivens the imagination of faith and invites us to see God alive in a creation that we recognise, and in turn care for. “O taste and SEE that the Lord is good; blessed is the one, who takes refuge in God.” Psalm 34:8. Rev Dr Rod Pattenden is an artist, art historian and minister of the Adamstown Uniting Church.

Each illustration provides a snatch of time,

An exhibition of selected watercolours from The Book of Psalms Illuminated is on display at Adamstown Uniting Church, 228 Brunker Rd, 9am to 2pm weekdays until 17 June.

Base

To make the base

16 Granita biscuits (more if you would like a thicker crust)

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Add biscuits to food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon then pulse until mixed in completely.

50g butter, melted ¼ cup sugar ½ tsp cinnamon

Pour in melted butter while pulsing processor. Remove blades and use a spatula to mix butter in completely.

Use a tablespoon to transfer the mixture to your cupcake tin. Press into a flat layer using your finger.

Bake for about 6 minutes, or until fragrant and a slightly darker golden colour. Remove from oven, set aside.

Filling 200g cream cheese, room temperature pinch salt ½ cup sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 egg large, room temperature 1 egg yolk ¼ cup sour cream

To make the filling

Compote

Add cream cheese to bowl. Using an electric beater, beat cheese on medium speed to cream.

Add the sugar and the salt to the bowl and mix on medium until creamy. Scrape bowl down and mix until completely combined.

Add sour cream and vanilla extract, mix well then add the egg and yolk one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down and mix until completely smooth.

50g strawberries 50g raspberries 50g blueberries

LIZZIE SNEDDEN

A U R O R A 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

50g blackberries 1 tsp lemon juice 1

/3 cup sugar

10.

Use a spoon to transfer the cheesecake mixture to your cupcake tin. Fill about ¾ to the top. Bake at 180°C for 18-20 minutes.

Turn oven off but leave door closed and allow cake to rest for an additional 20 minutes in the oven. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. To make the compote 11. Combine all the berries in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Spoon about 2/3 of the mixed berries into a medium saucepan; transfer the remaining berries to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. 12. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the berries in the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook until the fruit is syrupy – about 5 minutes. 13. Transfer the hot berry mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the sauce into the strainer and use the back of a soup ladle and circular motions to force the sauce through the strainer and into the bowl. Discard the seeds that remain in the strainer. Refrigerate the berry sauce until cold or ready to serve. 14. Before serving, add the reserved berries to the sauce and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. 15. Make sure cheesecakes are completely cooled before you top with compote. Serve.

Students from San Clemente High School, Mayfield created these delightful mini cheesecakes as part of a Food Technology class. The cheesecakes were just one item in a series of sweets students made as part of a high tea spread.

Make these school holidays a time your children will never forget St Nicholas OOSH Vacation Care • • • • •

From Taree and Forster, to Morisset, out to Denman and many places in-between Excursions include Hunter Valley Gardens Snow Time and the Australian Reptile Park Incursions include an OOSH Olympics, Talent shows, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party plus so much more! Early starts and late finishes available All eligible families are entitled to receive the Child Care Subsidy*

Programs available now at stnicholasoosh.org.au | Operating between 28 June – 9 July *Enrolments with St Nicholas OOSH must be confirmed with Centrelink

stnicholasoosh.org.au