SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EDITION
The Newsletter of St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia Issue 23 - December 2021
Print Post Approved 100019724
Hallelujah Hallelujah! CHRIST IS BORN
C O M E C E L E B R AT E W I T H U S AT
ST MARY'S CATHEDRAL
A CHRISTMAS FROM THE ARCHBISHOP Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB Archbishop of Perth
On Sunday 31 October this year which was, of course, the day before the Church’s solemn celebration of the Feast of all Saints, the children of the Cathedral parish were invited by the Dean, Father Sean Fernandez, to come for the 11 o’clock Mass dressed as their favourite saint. A relatively small group of children, assisted by their families, took up the invitation. What they lacked in numbers was certainly made up for by the level of their excitement. We had, among others, Our Lady herself, a Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), a Saint Clare of Assisi, a Saint Pedro Calungsod, and even some archangels who, though technically not saints, are nevertheless friends who support us by their prayers and presence in our lives. At the end of Mass, I thanked the children for reminding us that God was calling us all to be saints. In one sense this might sound a little presumptuous. How can we possibly hope to live our lives with the dedication of Mother Teresa or with the courage of Saint Clare? How can we match the radical commitment to poverty of Saint Francis of Assisi, or the love of God’s Will shown by Saint Mary of the Cross McKillop? Great holiness would seem to many of us, I suspect, to be an impossible goal, an unrealisable dream. And yet this is what God is calling us to. Jesus himself tells us this when, in Saint Matthew’s Gospel, he sums up his teaching in these words: ‘You must be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48). Saint Paul echoes this when he says in his Letter to the Romans, ‘If we live we live for the Lord, and if we die we die for the Lord. So alive or dead we belong to the Lord’ (Rom 14:8). Some few centuries later Saint Augustine will offer this prayer to God: ‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you’. This same understanding emerges constantly across the last 2000 years of the Church’s history, and it finds its most recent expression in these words of Pope Francis:
‘The Lord asks everything of us, and in return he offers us true life, the happiness for which we were created. He wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence’
(Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate, par 1). Pope Saint John Paul II also spoke of this and linked it to the long history of devotion to the saints in our tradition. There is, he said, ‘a lived theology of the Saints’. Not all of us have the opportunity or the inclination to devote many years of our life to the study of theology. Those who do can offer us the precious gift of a deeper understanding of our faith. But that gift can also be found in the stories of the lives of the great women and men whom the Church recognises as saints. Each one of them can say to us, as Saint Paul said to the community in Corinth, ‘Be imitators of me, as I am an imitator of Christ’ (1 Cor 11:1).
2 ◆ Our Cathedral
MESSAGE The Church, the People of God called together and united in Christ through baptism, exists so that we can be ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God’ (Peter 2:9). The Church, ‘through its teaching, life and worship’ (Dei Verbum 8) can help us all become the saints God has created us to be. This is at the heart of the mission of every parish in our archdiocese and therefore, and in a particular way, at the heart of the mission of the community which gathers here in Saint Mary’s Cathedral. As the mother church of the archdiocese the cathedral is the place where symbolically, and often quite literally, the People of God gather together around their bishop and the priests and deacons of the archdiocese, to encounter the Lord of compassion and mercy. We listen together to the Word of God. We acknowledge our sins and seek God’s forgiveness. We pray for ourselves, for each other, for our loved ones, and for the needs of the whole world. We enter into the mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection through our celebration of the Eucharist and find ourselves drawn into an intimate communion of love with him through our receiving of his body and blood in communion. And we find ourselves constantly invited and challenged to ‘go out in peace, glorifying the Lord by our lives’. Our beautiful cathedral, then, stands as a powerful symbol of all that God is calling us to be. We come in through the doors to find him and having found him we go out through those same doors to bring him to our world, which is in so much need of his presence. Every saint in the long history of the Church has understood this. God gives us the gift of faith and gives us the Church, both the people and the places, so that this faith might grow in us and become that precious gift which we then share with others.
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES
ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, PERTH
CHRISTMAS EVE Friday 24th December 2021
6:00pm Children’s and Families Nativity Mass 9:00pm Solemn Christmas Vigil Mass 10:30pm Lessons and Carols
C H R I S T M A S D AY Saturday 25th December 2021 12:00am Midnight Solemn Pontifical Mass 8:00am
Dawn Mass of the Birth of Jesus
9:30am
Christmas Day Mass
11:00am Solemn Pontifical Mass of Christmas Day 5:00pm Christmas Day Mass
The beauty of this cathedral, and the respect and reverence which we show within its walls, can and should be mirrored in the beauty and purity of our faith and in the respect and reverence which we show to every person we meet. For just as surely as we encounter God in this cathedral so to we encounter God in the eyes of every person we meet as we go about our daily lives. May your Christmas this year be filled with the blessings of the Lord.
+Archbishop Tim Costelloe Archbishop of Perth
IMPORTANT NOTICE For any possible COVID-19 restrictions or Christmas Mass Registration requirements, check our Cathedral website: www.stmaryscathedralperth.com.au Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 3
T H E C AT H E D R A L D I A R Y Forthcoming activities and events at St Mary’s Cathedral. 28 Nov 2021 to 6 Dec 2021 7:30pm Solemn Novena 1 Dec 2021 to 1 May 2022 Wednesdays 7:30pm Novena to our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
CONTENTS
1 Dec to 1 May 2022 Thursdays 1:00pm Cathedral lunchtime recital
Archbishop's Christmas Message
Pg 1
2021
A Warm Welcome from The Dean
Pg 3
3 Dec
WA Bishops Celebrate Mass at Cathedral
Pg 6
4 Dec 10:30am Knights of the Holy Sepulcher Investiture
Volunteers ‘Spirit of Generosity’
Pg 7
Confirmations & New Plenary Commissionings
Pg 8
Catholic Education Celebrates 200 Years of Service
Pg 10
Holy Cross College Staff Faith Day
Pg 12
Italian Community Mass
Pg 13
Mary’s Mount Primary School Celebrates 100 Years
Pg 14
12 Dec 11:00am Mass with Ribbon Awards ceremony - Cathedral Choristers
CEWA Schools Advisory Council Conference Mass
Pg 15
14 Dec 6:00pm University of Notre Dame Graduation Mass
Cathedral Pastoral Council Members Commissioning
Pg 16
15 to 23 Dec 2021 8:00pm Simbang Gabi
Archdiocesan Agencies Mass
Pg 17
Notre Dame University Australia Graduation Masses
Pg 18
2 Jan
3:00pm Divine Mercy Adoration
Catholic Performing Arts Mass
Pg 19
8 Jan
4:00pm Monthly Filipino Mass
Opening Mass of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia
Pg 20
16 Jan 2:00pm Croatian Mass
Orchestral Mass
Pg 23
27 Jan 4:30pm CEWA Mass for Beginning of the School Year
2021 NAIDOC Mass
Pg 24
Ordained Diaconate ‘A missionary disciple of Christ’
Pg 25
Confirmations
Pg 26
10 Mar 7:30pm RCIA Rite of Election
Marriage Day Mass
Pg 27
12 Mar 4:00pm Monthly Filipino Mass
Celebrating the Beatification of Francis Jordan
Pg 28
17 Mar 10:00am St Patrick’s Day Mass
Ave Maria Recital
Pg 30
Mercy Day Mass
Pg 31
WASO Concert Delights Audience
Pg 32
14 Apr 7:00pm Maundy Thursday
Mercedes College Graduation Mass
Pg 33
15 Apr 10:00am Stations of the Cross
Corpus Christi College Graduation Mass
Pg 34
15 Apr 2:30pm Seven Last Words Musical Presentation
Mater Dei College Graduation Mass
Pg 35
Archbishop’s Liturgical Service
Pg 36
Cultural Diversity Mass
Pg 38
4 ◆ Our Cathedral
5:30pm Knights of the Holy Sepulcher Vigil
5 Dec
3:00pm Divine Mercy Adoration
7 Dec
6:30pm Cathedral Book Launch
8 Dec
6:00pm Mass of Immaculate Conception (Patronal Feast)
10 Dec 5:00pm A Christmas Reflection 11 Dec
4:00pm Monthly Filipino Mass
24 & 25 Dec 2021 See Christmas Mass Schedule on p3 2022
6 Feb
3:00pm Divine Mercy Adoration
12 Feb 4:00pm Monthly Filipino Mass 6 Mar
3:00pm Divine Mercy Adoration
3 Apr
3:00pm Divine Mercy Adoration
9 Apr
4:00pm Monthly Filipino Mass
10 Apr 11:00am Palm Sunday Mass
15 Apr 3:00pm Celebration of the Passion of the Lord 16 Apr 7:00pm Easter Vigil 17 Apr 11:00am Easter Sunday 1 May
3:00pm Divine Mercy Adoration
A WARM WELCOME FROM THE DEAN Very Rev Sean Fernandez Dean and Administrator St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth
3 October 2021 marked the beginning of one of the most significant events in the modern history of the Australian church. The first Assembly of the Plenary Council was launched that day in our Cathedral church by Archbishop Costelloe, the President of the Council. People present in the Cathedral and viewing it on the web saw our Cathedral resplendent with colour, light and music. I may be a little biased, but I can think of no better place to have begun the first Assembly of the Plenary Council. Our Archbishop, our Cathedral and Catholic Education Western Australia played a significant role in this event which, with the inspiration of the Spirit, will shape the Church in Australia for years to come. Amongst the significant events celebrated in the Cathedral this year was the 175th anniversary of the foundation of Mercedes College. The Cathedral has a close pastoral relationship with the College, and we were delighted to be part of their anniversary celebrations. Mercedes is the first Mercy school in Australia, and we extend our congratulations and gratitude to the Sisters of Mercy and the College. There are many people who play a leadership role in our parish. I want to acknowledge the newly commissioned parish councillors, Victor Hoa, the Cathedral Manager, and the other Cathedral priests - Fr Richard Rutkauskas, Fr CJ Millen and Fr Garner Vergara. So much has happened over the past year in your Cathedral: celebrations of thanksgiving, joy and of sorrow. Over the year, the life of the Cathedral is a rich tapestry. It can at times seem chaotic! However, the one who holds each thread in His compassionate hands never lets go, and grace is everywhere to be discerned. The Cathedral draws everyone in - young people celebrating the end of school or embarking on married life; older people celebrating golden jubilees of marriage; baptisms, funerals and everything in between; the powerful of the earth and the little of the earth. We seek to be a home to all because no one and nothing is outside God's love and embrace. Thank you for your support which makes this possible. Come join us for our Christmas celebrations or join in at a parish near you. Let your heart be warmed by the child in the manger - the gift of our eternal Father's love. I remain, your brother in Christ, Fr Sean Fernandez Dean, St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 5
The Bishops of Western Australia celebrated Sunday Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. Together with a number of Archdiocesan priests.
9 M AY 2 0 2 1
WA Bishops Celebrate Mass at Cathedral
The Bishops of Western Australia gathered in Perth in May for the annual Australian Catholic Bishops’ Plenary Assembly, which this year was conducted by teleconference due to travel restrictions. This afforded the rare opportunity for our Western Australian Bishops to join together to celebrate Sunday Mass at our magnificent Cathedral. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB as principal celebrant of the Mass was joined by concelebrants Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton, Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan, Geraldton Bishop Michael Morrissey, Broome Apostolic Administrator Monsignor Paul Boyers, Perth Vicar General Father Peter Whitely VG, Cathedral Dean Rev Dr Sean Fernandez, Rev Fr Greg Donovan and Lynwood/Langford Parish Priest Rev Fr Terry Raj. In Bishop Morrissey’s Homily, based on the Gospel of John 15:9-17, he said: “Last Sunday, we had Jesus saying that He was ‘the true Vine’, the Father was the vine dresser and that we are the branches called to produce good fruit. Part of that process is the pruning of the branches. As I think and remember that reading, it speaks about the importance of relationships and connections in our lives. We are all part of the vine. The foundation of that relationship for people of faith is their relationship with Jesus Christ and through Jesus to God the Father. This Sunday, Jesus tells us at what level and depth that relationship should be with Him, and each other. We are not servants to Jesus, he added, we are friends. The true friend is always present. This model of friendship is revealed through the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Himself. True and authentic relationships are not found in centring on our own needs which can lead to darkness and despair. It is always found in the other in our life and leads us into the light,” said Bishop Morrissey.
Geraldton Bishop Michael Morrissey delivers his Homily.
Noting that 9 May was Mother’s Day, Bishop Morrissey expressed the wonderful example we have in our mothers of true and effective relationships, especially between the mother and the child. “Like the Spirit, mothers always remain with us no matter where we go or where we live. Many of your mothers live overseas. Today, we especially keep in prayer, thought and action the people of India where many of your mothers live.
Prayers for India and Mother’s Day were acknowledged during the Mass.
Australia is connected to India by the Indian Ocean. Our prayer this morning is to open our hearts to India, to you present at this Mass who have families and friends in India which would cause deep distress for you at this time of uncertainty and doubt. Our common faith and relationships call us to reach out and to do something. St Mary of the Cross MacKillop said: ‘never see a need without doing something about it’. Jesus Christ, who is the true vine connecting us all in faith, calls to do just that … reach out in action to the one in need,” Bishop Morrissey concluded. 6 ◆ Our Cathedral
Cathedral priests distribute chocolates to parishioners as they left Mass to help celebrate Mother’s Day.
Volunteers enjoy morning tea following the Mass.
1 6 M AY 2 0 2 1
VO LUNTEER S ‘Spirit of Generosity’ In the lead-up to the Annual National Volunteer Week, which this year was themed “Recognise. Reconnect. Reimagine”, Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton acknowledged and thanked volunteers from across the Archdiocese of Perth as he celebrated the Mass of Ascension at St Mary’s Cathedral. Joining Bishop Don as concelebrant was Cathedral Dean, Rev Dr Sean Fernandez. Reflecting on the Gospel of John 17:11-19, Bishop Sproxton acknowledged and recognised the enormous contribution that volunteers make in the Archdiocese, highlighting the story of his own father when he fixed a broken Cross at the local parish. “One Holy Thursday evening, Fr Russell came to our home with an urgent request. Only an hour or so before the huge Crucifix that hung on the wall above the Altar had fallen and was badly damaged. An arm of the figure of Christ had been broken. Fr Russell was desperate; Good Friday was only hours away and the Cross features so prominently in the Liturgy. But he knew that my father and our neighbour across the road were carpenters and that they had volunteered before to help with maintenance at our school.” Bishop Sproxton continued by saying that today we celebrate and recognise the generosity of the many people in the Archdiocese who offer their gifts and talents to help the Church in her mission. “Some may feel that their action is not that significant or important, but this is not true. Every hour that is given by a volunteer helps build up the Church’s mission and ministry. We see the work of each person in the Church as the fruit of the Holy Spirit who is present in their life,” said Bishop Don. Catholic Social Services WA Director Steve McDermott said the Mass was the ideal setting to release the Volunteer Handbook, which lists Archdiocesan agencies that provide volunteering opportunities for anyone wishing to get involved in the good works of the Church.
Catholic Social Services WA (CSSWA) Director, Steve McDermott, introduces the agency’s recently released Volunteer Handbook.
Mr McDermott encouraged all parishes and agencies to pray for their volunteers at a local Mass and to provide them with a certificate in recognition of their valuable contribution to the wellbeing and ongoing support of parish outreach.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 7
Newly Commissioned Plenary Council Members with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB (centre). From left, Fr George Kolodziej SDS, Prof Francis Campbell, Eva Skira AO, Gemma Thomson, Sr Mary Ryan OP and Catherine Nguyen.
2 3 M AY 2 0 2 1
Holy Spirit Unites Catholic Community
CONFIRMATIONS & NEW PLENARY COMMISSIONINGS The 11.00am Pentecost Sunday Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral took on special significance with the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for more than 100 young people, and the Commissioning of additional Plenary Council Members for the Archdiocese of Perth. Celebrating the occasion in front of more than 900 people, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB was joined by concelebrants, Cathedral Dean Rev Dr Sean Fernandez, Redemptoris Mater Seminary Rector, Fr Michael Moore SM and Cathedral Assistant Priests, Fr CJ Millen, Fr Richard Rutkauskas and Fr Garner Vergara. “This morning, in a new and powerful way, these young people will be overshadowed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit who will renew and deepen in them the gift of faith, of hope, and of love which are at the heart of every Christian life,” said the Archbishop in his Homily.
Archbishop Costelloe imparts a Blessing on the young people receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.
8 ◆ Our Cathedral
“And then, just before the final blessing at Mass, we will commission some more members of the Fifth Plenary Council of the Church in Australia. They will join those already commissioned as representatives of the Archdiocese of Perth here in Western Australia, or as representatives of major agencies and missions of the Church, as over 300 Catholics gather in October to try and discover, by listening to each other, just what it is that God is asking of us as the Church in Australia at this time,” he said. Connecting the two special moments together, Archbishop Costelloe explained that when speaking of the Sacrament of Confirmation, we speak of it as one of the Sacraments of full initiation into the life of God’s Church. Archbishop Costelloe said “One of the great saints of the early Church, Saint Augustine, expressed it this way. In baptism the Holy Spirit comes to us as the giver of life. Through the Holy Spirit’s power, we are united to Christ as the one who brings us life and sets us free from sin. In Confirmation, the Holy Spirit is at work in us to strengthen and deepen our faith so that we can share the gift of life we have been given with others, especially through our witnessing to the gospel by the way we live. My hope and prayer this morning, then, is that those who are confirmed today will be inspired by the courage and generosity of those we commission for the Plenary Council. That those who are commissioned will be reminded by these brave young people of the wonderful gifts of the Lord which they first received through the Sacraments, and which have helped them to walk faithfully in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd throughout their lives.”
Archbishop Costelloe confirms one of the young people during the Pentecost Sunday Mass.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 9
The National Mass for the Bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia fell on the Solemnity of Our Lady Help of Christians.
2 4 M AY 2 0 2 1
CATHOLIC EDUCATION CELEBRAT ES
200 YEAR S OF SERVICE
Catholic Education Western Australia’s (CEWA) held its national Mass for the Bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia at St Mary’s Cathedral on the Solemnity of National Patroness, Our Lady Help of Christians. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB celebrated the Eucharist alongside Vicar General Father Peter Whitely VG, Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation Fr Vincent Glynn, Emeritus Bishop of Geraldton Justin Bianchini, and many Archdiocesan priests, with Fr Peter Bianchini acting as Master of Ceremonies. A video message from the Prime Minister, The Hon Scott Morrison MP, played before the commencement of the Mass, in which he recognised the contribution of Catholic education on Australian history, congratulating the accomplishment of two centuries of influencing millions of lives.
A congratulatory video message from The Hon Prime Minister Scott Morrison MP preceded the Mass.
“On this anniversary, we remember all who have been part of this heritage, including Fr [John] Therry and Australia’s first Saint, Mary of the Cross. We recall on this anniversary, the good days and the bad, the successes and disappointments; joys and sufferings; as well as the faith and community that has enabled Catholic Education to make this significant contribution to our national life,” said the Prime Minister.
In her welcoming address, CEWA Executive Director, Dr Debra Sayce, said many of the qualities and characteristics most admirable in the Catholic education system were inherent in the values of its faith tradition. “From the early beginnings, the relationship between families and schools has been a hallmark of Catholic education; that actively encouraging and supportive shared responsibility still serves students well. It is our commitment to excellence, our education, and our commitment to being communities of faith that have led to Catholic educators’ lasting impact in Australia, as they contribute to society in such countless ways through Christian service. Our journey together and our collective hope is that every student in every school will continue to discover their God-given potential and be filled with God’s love,” Dr Sayce concluded. In his Homily for the milestone occasion, Archbishop Costelloe highlighted how the importance of thanksgiving strongly resonated with him.
10 ◆ Our Cathedral
“Today is a day to acknowledge with profound gratitude all that has been done and been sacrificed over the past 200 years to provide education to countless thousands of young people. When families choose Catholic education for their children, they do so because they want the best education for their children that they can give them. Everything that goes into making a school an excellent school, a school of choice, must be a part of our Catholic schools. But equally, a Catholic school won’t be a good Catholic school, unless it is Catholic. The founding impulse of Catholic education 200 years ago was the desire to ensure children should not be deprived of their life’s foundational principle: that they were created, loved, called, and cherished by God. This must still be the grounding impulse of our commitment to Catholic education today and into the future, notwithstanding all the changes that have taken place in the past 200 years, both in the Church and in the society of which we are a part,” Archbishop Costelloe concluded. CEWA Deputy Executive Director Wayne Bull delivered the Vote of Thanks before the Archbishop’s final blessing. “On behalf of the 163 Catholic schools across WA, I extend my gratitude to all parishes across the Archdiocese who support our Catholic schools and colleges. This partnership is pivotal to the spiritual wellbeing of our Catholic school communities and provides an important foundation for Christ-centred learning. He acknowledged members of the Catholic Education Commission, distinguished guests, principals, school leaders, sponsors, representatives, and staff for joining CEWA in commemorating “a rich and vibrant” 200-year history of Catholic education in Australia. “Most importantly, our students… your presence here today reminds us that the reason for our existence in Catholic education over the past 200 years is to ensure that we always remain Christ-centred and focussed on serving you,” said Mr Bull.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 11
Odhran O’Brien, Archdiocesan Archivist, presenting “The Mercy Story” to Holy Cross College Staff during their Formation Day.
4 JUNE 2021
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE STAFF FAITH DAY
Staff from Holy Cross College in Ellenbrook were warmly welcomed to St Mary’s Cathedral for their Annual Faith Formation Day. This year’s Formation had a specific focus on Ursula Frayne. Staff traced Ursula Frayne’s arrival to Fremantle and journey up the Swan River to Perth, before engaging in a variety of workshops with various presenters who provided insight into the life, mission and legacy of Ursula Frayne. Participants were joined by Sr Breda O’Reilly RSM, Sr Kaye Bolwell RSM and Sr Margaret Tallon RSM, who facilitated workshops on Prayer and Hospitality, The Legacy of Ursula Frayne and the work of Mercy Missions respectively. The Faith Formation Day utilised the Victoria Square precinct, including the Cathedral parish centre, the ProCathedral, Mercedes College, the Mercy Convent and Chapel. Mr Ben Bull, Assistant Deputy Principal (Faith), Holy Cross College said, “Each year Holy Cross College focuses on one of its patrons as a way for the College community to contemplate more deeply ways to emulate Christ. The staff of Holy Cross College have been fortunate this year to focus on the story of Mother Ursula Frayne, in this the 175th anniversary of her arrival in Perth. The College wishes to especially thank the Sisters of Mercy, Odhran O’Brien, Mercedes College and St Mary’s Cathedral for their assistance in providing an informative and enjoyable experience for staff to engage with Ursula Frayne’s story, her lasting legacy and the Charism of Mercy which continues to inspire staff and students at Holy Cross College.”
College staff gather in the Cathedral Parish Centre for the presentations. 12 ◆ Our Cathedral
From left to right: Mr Vittorio Petriconi, President of COMITES, Dott. Nicolò Costantini, Consul of Italy in Western Australia, Cav. Enzo Sirna AM, President of the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre Inc and Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey.
6 JUNE 2021
I TA LIAN C O M M UN I TY M A SS President of the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre, Cav. Enzo Sirna AM, kindly shared his thoughts regarding this year’s Mass. “Each year, the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre organises an Italian Mass for the community as part of the Italian Week celebrations recognising the founding of the Italian Republic on 2 June 1946. This year was particularly significant because the Italian community not only celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Italian Republic, but it also celebrated the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre, a respected peak organisation in the Italian community. During the Mass, the Consul of Italy in Western Australia, Dott. Nicolò Costantini gave a brief overview of the founding of the Italian Republic and the President of the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre, Cav. Enzo Sirna AM, provided an overview of the key role played by the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre in the community which provides services across many areas including the aged, welfare, cultural and education sectors. In the early 1970s, it founded the first Aged home for Italians in Western Australia and a bilingual Child Care Centre. Currently there are over 10,000 students in its primary Italian language courses offered in many Catholic Primary Schools, including regional and remote areas of Western Australia. Coordinated by Ms Tina D’ Orsogna, the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre provided a generous donation for the Baptismal Font at the Cathedral as part of its contribution to the conservation and redevelopment of the Cathedral. Tina’s father, Tommaso D’Orsogna, was a founding member of the Italo-Australian Welfare & Cultural Centre in 1956. He became its first Treasurer, and it is lovely to note that his daughter Tina is also on the Board and currently its Treasurer. An open invitation is provided to all Italian organisations to participate in the Mass and as noted, many chose to attend to represent their individual associations with their banners proudly displayed. This included many religious associations and the “Associazione Dei Carabinieri”, with representative Italian Carabinieri in their formal, traditional ceremonial outfits. The well-loved and respected Emeritus Archbishop Barry James Hickey was invited to celebrate this special Mass. He is fond of the Italian community and in turn, the community is fond of his continuous pastoral, affection and love of the Italian culture, its people and its traditions,” said Mr Sirna.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 13
Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton celebrating the Mass for the 100th anniversary Mary’s Mount Primary School.
17 JUNE 2021
Mary’s Mount Primary School
CE L E BRATES 1 00 YEARS Turning 100-years-old on 2 February (with some of the celebrations delayed due to the COVID lockdown), the Mary’s Mount Primary School (MMPS) community waited patiently for the right time when it was safe to gather their entire staff and student groups at Saint Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate a Mass, to pay tribute to their rich history, traditions, achievements, and Catholic Education, which evidently, continues to flourish. The Mass took place on yet another significant day, the feast of the school’s patron, St Emilie on Thursday, 17 June, and was celebrated by Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, alongside concelebrants Father Antony Suresh, Fr Greg Donovan and Fr William Ousley OMI.
The 100th year anniversary celebrations for Mary’s Mount Primary School which fell on 2 February 2021 was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, the school community were able to gather safely and celebrate Mass on the Feast of the school’s Patron, St Emilie.
Mary’s Mount Primary School Principal Emma Bell, who commenced her role in January 2021, tributed the school’s founder St Emilie de Vialar, and reflected on her journey with gratitude. “I feel blessed to have joined the MMPS community in such a significant year for the school,” Principal Bell said. “In the short time I have been here, I have met families with whose own histories are woven into the fabric of the school. I have loved hearing the stories of generations of family members connected with MMPS. The students, families and staff have certainly made this a welcoming and vibrant school environment. 2021 is a year when students are encouraged to create their own history and memories of MMPS, while taking inspiration from the sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition and their faithfulness to the charism of their founder St Emilie de Vialar,” she added. Ms Bell who encouraged many events, initiatives, and activities throughout the year to honour the many achievements of the school said that she was grateful to be able to witness a “strong sense of community that was apparent and with a heart full of love, joy and pride of all involved. A gala dinner involving 300 parents, past staff and students held on 22 May, provided the perfect opportunity for past staff and students to reconnect and friendships to be rekindled.” Besides the formal gala dinner, the school hosted a welcome Mass at the start of the year and a birthday cake cutting ceremony. Some newer events include historical school tours, the construction of a Sacred Space to commemorate the century of the school to honour tradition, to an opportunity for students and staff, past and present, to ‘own a piece of the school they love’ – by obtaining their very own personalised anniversary bricks.
Principal Emma Bell (left) and Sister Jacqueline Jones cut the 100th anniversary cake. 14 ◆ Our Cathedral
18 JUNE 2021
CEWA SCHO O LS ADVISO RY CO UN CI L CO N FEREN CE MASS A special Mass was held at for delegates attending CEWA’s Catholic Schools Advisory Council Chair Conference in Perth.
MMPS was originally opened in 1921 as a boy’s college by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition. Mother Emily was the first Superior with Sisters Patrick and Carmel to help her. Today it is difficult to picture Mary’s Mount humble beginnings of three Sisters, five boarders and twelve (12) day pupils. In 1946, the Sisters and boys built a grotto to honour Our Lady and often held Masses there. In the early 1950s a new brick school was completed and was blessed by then Bishop Goody.
The Mass was celebrated by the Very Rev Vincent Glynn, Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation. Approximately 150 delegates and guests were a part of the conference including the Honourable Sue Ellery MLC, Minister for Education and Training, Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia Members, CEWA Executive and senior leaders, and Ms Siobhan Allen, Executive Director of Catholic School Parents WA. The Catholic Schools Advisory Council Chair Conference is held biannually and brings together Advisory Council Chairs from Catholic schools across the state. The conference was convened to advise Chairs of the strategic direction of Catholic education, to discuss the governance, policy and regulatory environment for Catholic schools and to provide opportunities for dialogue about the context of individual school environments. Sessions throughout the day looked at Catholic Identity, Community and Stewardship, all pillars of CEWA’s Quality Catholic Education guiding document. Following the establishment of CEWA Limited, the role of school boards has been extensively reviewed and a key focus of the conference was to discuss the role of parents in Catholic schools.
1969 was the final year MMPS catered for boarders and the school became co-educational. Ten years later, student numbers were at 460, with two classes in each year from Years one to seven, and a new chapel was built. In 1987, the original two-storey building from 1926 was demolished and a new school building with six classrooms, a toilet block, staff administration areas and a library was built. In its’ 75th year, in 1996, a plaque for the ‘big bell Joseph’ was installed. This is the bell each graduating student rings on their last day at the school. Other developments included a Nature Playground (2017), a government funded school hall dubbed St Joseph’s (2010), and the Giovinazzo Learning Centre (2018). Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 15
20 JUNE 2021
CATHEDRAL PASTORAL COUNCIL MEMBERS COMMISSIONING Building on the sense of community, which is so important to the Cathedral Parish, Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral, Fr Sean Fernandez, was delighted to officially commission and welcome Members of the newly formed Cathedral Parish Council.
Please welcome “YOUR” new representatives:
The Pastoral Council shares responsibility for the ongoing life and development of the faith community, working together with the Dean, Assistant Priests and parishioners to provide support for the Cathedral.
Jet Bautista
Secretary
Members
Michael Carren, Damien Bowen, Ann Brown, Tony Meyrick, Chanda Chisela and Joan Lim.
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Fr Sean Fernandez Cathedral Dean Fr CJ Millen
Cathedral Priest
Jessica Patterson Chair
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Archdiocesan Agencies Mass The annual Archdiocesan Agencies Mass provides an opportunity for representatives from this Archdiocese’s twentysex (26) social service agencies to join together to reflect on their roles in the community and pray for God’s continuous guidance in the important work they do. Auxiliary Bishop and Chair of LifeLink, Don Sproxton, celebrated this special Mass, concelebrated by Vicar for Clergy Father Brian McKenna, Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Chaplain Fr Sebastian Fernando and Monsignor Michael Keating. WA Catholic Migrants and Refugees Office Director Deacon Greg Lowe assisted with the celebration. In his homily, Bishop Don said “We know that the works and service to our society by the agencies are ways in which we are drawn into the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ in the Archdiocese. When we join in the work of an agency, it is possible to sense the call to partnership and an intimate relationship with Christ. This call is nurtured by our continual reflection on the events and interactions we have with the people and situations Christ leads us to serve,” he said. Expressing the value that each Archdiocesan agency brings to the communities they serve, Bishop Don reflected on his personal experience, serving as former chaplain at the Royal Perth Hospital, adding that it is through prayerful reflection and discernment that priests and lay faithful discover more about themselves, and grow in being able to be there with those facing pain, suffering or death. “Putting ourselves into situations that are uncomfortable, or better, allowing ourselves to be led into these encounters by Christ, is how the partnership is formed. Then we can become sacraments of care and accompaniment, and bringers of Christ to those in need. There is a mystical dimension to our ministry in our agencies. We go with God into the lives of the people,” said Bishop Sproxton.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 17
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NOTRE DAME UNIVERSIT Y AUSTR ALIA
GRADUATION MASSES In July this year, two Masses were held at St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate the achievements and graduation of UNDA Fremantle Campus students. The 2pm Mass included the Faculties of Education, Philosophy & Theology, and Faculties of Arts, Sciences, Law & Business. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB celebrated the Mass, joined by concelebrants - St Charles’ Seminary Rector Fr Phillip Fleay, Redemptoris Mater Seminary Rector Fr Michael Moore SM, Vice Rector Fr Luis Tijerino, Spiritual Director Fr Noe Navarrete and UNDA Chaplain Fr Joseph Laundy. The 6pm Mass and Ceremony for the Faculties of Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery and Health Sciences, was also celebrated by the Archbishop. The history of the graduation ceremony can be traced back to the first universities, which were developed by the Church from the 11th Century onwards. Graduands had to meet academic requirements and be of good character. Upon approval, they were admitted to the ‘grade’ or ‘degree’ of Bachelor, Master or Doctor. The Chancellor’s authority to confer degrees originally came from the Church. The Bishop of a Diocese was the sole authority to license a teacher. Over time, this authority was delegated to his Chief Secretary or Chancellor. When teachers began to request a licence to teach in more than one diocese, Papal approval was required. The Chancellor’s authority then came directly from the Pope. In his Homily for the Graduation Masses, Archbishop Costelloe outlined how Jesus Christ is “a sure guide for the living of our lives to the full.” “For people who are celebrating the successful completion of their studies and are about to step, in one way or another, into a new chapter in the story of their lives, as you are all about to do, it is a precious gift to know the mind and heart of Jesus. The challenge, of course, which is also the adventure which beckons to you, is to grapple with the reality that what the words and deeds of Jesus, the mind and heart of Jesus, put before us is in so many respects the very opposite of what our instincts, shaped by the world around us, might be leading us to embrace. Living as God intends us to, according to how Jesus detailed in the Sermon on the Mount brings happiness and blessings to those who adhere. To all of you who are graduating, and indeed to the rest of us as well, Jesus offers a recipe for a life fully lived. Jesus does not promise material wealth or a stellar career or a life free from challenge and difficulty. He promises instead a life of deep peace and profound inner harmony which will make us precious gifts to those we love, and valued companions on the road to those with whom we share our lives,” Archbishop Costelloe continued. “We really will be, then, the salt of the earth and the light of the world,” said Archbishop Costelloe. Graduate’s Farewell Addresses were delivered at each ceremony by Errol Xavier Lobo, Simon Michael Joachim, Brian Wai-Henk Cheung, Kathleen Anne Irwin, Ashleigh Kate Parker, Reid Anthony Bevan, Renata Louise Sivacolundhu, and Sascha Anne Elizabeth Oliver.
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Catholic Performing Arts Mass This year’s 32nd Performing Arts Festival (PAF) official opening was celebrated with a special Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. The ‘Praise and Worship Celebration’ was presided by the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn, Episcopal Vicar for Education and Faith Formation. The festival also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia (CECWA) and joined with the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) and schools around the country to commemorate 200 years of Catholic education in Australia. Catholic Arts received 2,423 entries, with 16,990 students participating in the festival in 2021. This year, 99 schools participated including 11 regional schools, competing in 32 different categories which were adjudicated from six disciplines - Drama & Speech, Dance, Instrumental Ensemble, Instrumental Solo/Duet, and Choral and Christian. The festival concluded with a concert held on Monday, 13 September at the RAC Arena. The Catholic Arts Committee was honoured to introduce “The Spirit of the Arts” celebrating the collective of 163 Western Australian Schools in a showcase of lunchtime concerts at Yagan Square, Forrest Place and Carnevale. Catholic Arts Chair, Darryl Winsor, said, “This year, we brought back Electronic Recordings due to the great response received in 2020 and the difficult situation of COVID. This allowed more schools and students an opportunity to be involved and participate in the Arts. Another first this year was the Angelico Art Exhibition for Primary and Secondary Students which was combined into one Exhibition held at the Forrest Centre in August. To all students involved in the festival, we hope they enjoyed a memorable festival.”
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 19
3 OC TOBER 2021
“Return the Church to Christ and return Christ to the Churc
Plenary Council Member, Gemma Thomson, carries the Cross out of Church at the conclusion of the Opening Mass. 20 ◆ Our Cathedral
Plenary Councils Members: (left to right) Sr Lucy Van Kessell PBVM, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Fr Brian McKenna, Fr Vincent Glynn EV, Sr Chitra Justin, Marco Ceccarelli, Damian Walsh, Fr Phillip Fleay, Sr Mary Ryan OP, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, Jonathan Antony (Melbourne), Gemma Thomson, Eva Skira, Angela Mcarthy, Prof Francis Campbell, Catherine Nguyen, Fr Michael Moore SM, Fr George Kolodziej SDS and Fr Peter Whitely VG
ch.” OPENING MASS OF THE FIFTH PLENARY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB emphasised that “perhaps the most important thing that God is asking of us at this time is to return the Church to Christ and return Christ to the Church” he said at the Opening Mass of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia. As President of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia, Archbishop Costelloe warmly welcomed everyone attending this special Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth, which was livestreamed via the Plenary Council website and social media to thousands of members of ‘our Catholic family’ across Australia, and the world. All Perth Archdiocese Plenary Council Members, their families and friends were present for the Mass which marked the start of a focused nine-month period of discernment for the Catholic Church in Australia. It came after three-and-a-half years of preparation, including a significant period of national consultation. That consultation focused on the question:
“What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?” The Plenary Council, the first such event in Australia since 1937, saw more than 278 Members across Australia meet online and in person over the six days commencing on Monday October 4. The Archdiocese of Perth has a total of 18 Members, which includes several members of the clergy, lay people, Heads of Religious Orders and organisations. In his Homily, Archbishop Costelloe highlighted that what has always been true in theory and in principle, urgently needs to become true in the day-to-day experience of everyone who encounters us. “We must become, even more than we are already, a community of true disciples,” Archbishop Costelloe said. “We must become a living icon of Christ who humbled himself, taking the form of a servant. We must learn from the One who is meek and humble of heart. We are being sent by Him as He was sent by his Father. If we remain in Him, as branches remain part of the vine, we will bear much fruit.” The nature and mission of the Lord’s Church is at the centre for the teaching of Lumen Gentium, Archbishop Costelloe explained. Lumen Gentium was promulgated during the Second Vatican Council in 1964. “We are, the Council tells us, the People of God on pilgrimage towards our heavenly homeland, called to walk together in faith, with courage and hope. Our response to this call will determine the extent to which we become in practice what Lumen Gentium tells us we are in principle: “a kind of sacrament, that is a sign and instrument, of communion with God and unity amongst all people” (LG 1). This is, said Archbishop Costelloe, the challenge which lies ahead of us, for surely God is asking us in Australia at this time to rediscover and live more faithfully our vocation to be a Pilgrim People, brothers and sisters in a community of disciples. “We are on the way – but we are not there yet.” The Mass to close the first general assembly was celebrated at 10am AEST on Sunday, October 10, and livestreamed from St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane. The second Assembly is scheduled to take place in Sydney from July 4 to 9, 2022.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB welcomes the congregation, including Members and guests, to the Opening Mass of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 21
The Aboriginal Cross stands in front of the lectern for the Book of the Gospels
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ORCHESTRAL MASS The Orchestral Mass, an annual project which commenced in 2015, brings together young musicians from across Perth and regional WA and provides them an opportunity to work together, make new friends and celebrate Mass - offering their time, gifts and talents to God. St Mary’s Cathedral’s Director of Music, Jacinta Jakovcevic, said: “It’s always such a thrill to bring lots of people together like this – it’s a very exciting atmosphere in the Cathedral on the day as the students, their proud parents and staff from the various schools all come together for this wonderfully spiritually uplifting experience. This year we had the largest ever number of schools represented - 22 schools which came from across the Catholic, Anglican, Uniting and public sectors. We also had the largest ever number of participants, around 120 and the orchestra itself numbered 68 players. It was also pleasing to welcome back students who had participated in previous Orchestral Masses. Principal Double Bass player, Kirsty Malcolm, has played in every Orchestral Mass since it started as a Year 12 student from Carine Senior High School.” A special inclusion in this year’s Mass was Guest Conductor, Chadwick Beins, Director of Music at St Norbert’s College. Jacinta said “Chad was the very first Cathedral Organ Scholar (2009-2012) as well as a Cathedral Chorister. It is so wonderful to see the fruits of our efforts in the training of young musicians here at the Cathedral Music Programme, and witness the development and achievements of our former musicians as they make great contributions to the Archdiocese and the wider community.”
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Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton Blesses the Congregation.
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Director, Donella Brown, stands beside two didgeridoo players during the smoking ceremony.
1 AUGUST 2021
2021 NA I DO C MAS S :
Bishop’s call to ‘Heal Country’ by walking towards God The theme of the 2021 National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week ‘Heal Country’, serves as inspiration to Catholic community about “how we can be healed spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially and culturally by regaining the art of walking with all other creatures towards God”. The Mass, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton and concelebrated by Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Chaplain Father Sebastian Fernando and Father Carmine-John Millen, began with a smoking ceremony and a Welcome to Country. In his Homily, Bishop Don spoke about the things human beings strive for to achieve a balanced lifestyle. “Good nourishment, good exercise and sleep, good relationships at home and work are all we need for a sense of satisfaction and positiveness in our daily living. Simply taking a walk in the early morning or after work has a remarkable effect on the body and mind. Getting some fresh air and walking in bush and the natural environment seems to rejuvenate the soul. There is a sort of healing that takes place and the resting of the mind and emotions. The people who first came to our great south land have found that the land was like a mother: it gave food and pointed to how humans should live with each other and other creatures and the land itself. The land had stories to tell in its features, the hills, the water sources and the animals and birds. These stories were discovered by those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as they studied the land and its creatures. The stories enabled the people to connect with the forces that created nature and gave the people a way of finding the meaning of things and their place within the universe,” he said. Bishop Sproxton connected the theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week ‘Heal Country’ to the healer and purpose of all, Jesus Christ. “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have received the knowledge about Jesus, as have all the people in every land on earth. They are joined with every other Christian and are our brothers and sisters because of their Baptism and initiation into the faith communities. We are all called to listen to the voice of the Spirit, especially in this privileged moment when we come together to celebrate the Eucharist. Our journey through life with Jesus Christ will be the most natural one we take. It will be like the refreshing and healing walk we take in nature itself. It will bring healing as we face the fear of looking into ourselves. It will be there that we will realise that will find God, loving us as we are and offering us the companionship to move beyond our self-interest to reconnection with life and the others with whom we walk in life,” he said.
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Chaplain, Father Sebastian Fernando, administers the Bread of Christ to the congregation. 24 ◆ Our Cathedral
The ‘Welcome to Country’ was announced before the NAIDOC Mass.
Transitional Deacon Grzegorz Rapcewicz is congratulated by Bishop Sproxton and the congregation during his Ordination to the Diaconate.
12 AUGUST 2021
ORDAIN E D D IACO NATE ‘A missionary disciple of Christ’ Redemptoris Mater Seminary’s, Grzegorz Rapcewicz, with family and friends watching online from afar, was joyously Ordained to the Diaconate at St Mary’s Cathedral.
Responsible for the Neocatechumenal Way in Australia, Toto Piccolo, welcomes guests to the Ordination.
Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton celebrated the Mass joined by concelebrants: - the Very Rev Fr Peter Whitely VG, Seminary Rector Fr Michael Moore SM, Neocatechumenal Way Responsible Fr Tony Trafford and more than 30 priests of the Archdiocese. It took Deacon Rapcewicz a few days to process the occasion of receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders while celebrating his 32nd birthday two days later.“During the celebration, I was a little bit nervous, but I was happy. The first step of diaconate ordination wasn’t only for me, but for the whole church in this Archdiocese. Everything is for the Church; this is what it is about: the service of God and of people,” he said. His loved ones tuned in to view the live-streamed service, broadcast courtesy of the Archdiocesan Communications Office. “They were happy to see the ordination – even though they couldn’t be here, they prayed for me and said they were with me in spirit. It was assuring to see people come to support me from my Neocatechumenal Way communities and the parish of Osborne Park,” he added. In his Homily, Bishop Sproxton said the ordination of a new transitional deacon was “truly a reason for rejoicing.” “The Archdiocese receives the gift of yet another person who has heard the call of God and generously responded and was then chosen to begin a journey to test this call and be formed for service in the Church. For Grzegorz, the journey continues through the passage of this ordination to his mission. His mission is to serve the People of God in this Church of Perth. Maybe he will later be sent to other churches as a gift from Perth to serve with a love for those people. How will he serve?” Bishop Sproxton said he would serve by being a sign to others that the power of the Spirit can help us to conform to Christ, adding that his personal witness to the presence of the Spirit in his life was needed for the people of our day to hear. “May the Spirit who has led Grzegorz to this ministry of service continue to grow in faith and be a missionary disciple of Christ. And may he be able to become for us all a model of Christian living that we will want to imitate,” offered Bishop Sproxton. Deacon Rapcewicz will continue to serve his ministry at the Osborne Park Parish for a period before becoming a diocesan priest. Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 25
22 AUGUST 2021
Confirmations We thought we’d share some of the joyous photos of the young people who celebrated their Confirmations at St Mary’s Cathedral.
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Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton celebrates the Mass, with concelebrant Father Vincent Glynn, Vicar for Education and Adult Faith Formation.
Couples celebrating milestone anniversaries received a certificate.
28 AUGUST 2021
With Love and Faith MARRIAGE DAY MASS
Coinciding with the Church’s year of Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) Family, and Natural Family Planning week, the Archdiocese of Perth celebrated the gift of the Sacrament of Marriage with a Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton celebrated the Mass, with concelebrant Father Vincent Glynn, Vicar for Education and Adult Faith Formation. More than 500 people attended including married couples celebrating milestone anniversaries. The Marriage Mass was first inaugurated in the Archdiocese by the Knights of the Southern Cross and the Australian Family Association. At the start of Mass, Archdiocesan Centre for Life, Marriage and Family Director, Derek Boylen and his wife Karen, married for 23 years, thanked those present for their love for the church, for one another, for their families and loved ones. In his Homily, Bishop Don spoke of the importance of relying on God’s Holy Spirit in a married couple’s life. “The couples here today are celebrating the years of marriage they have lived. Their marriages have invited the Holy Spirit into their midst. The Spirit of God has continually built their capacity to love like Christ, strengthened their love for each other; and assisted them in loving without giving up.” Bishop Don concluded his message by encouraging all married couples present to ‘celebrate the presence of God within them and give thanks that they provide such remarkable witness to the world.’ He said “The couples with us today reassure us that love can conquer all things. They are a true sign of the great goodness of God and that their trust in the grace of love accompanies them each day.”
Archdiocesan Centre for Life, Marriage and Family Director, Derek Boylen and his wife Karen, married for 23 years, thanked those present for their love for the Church, for one another, for their families and loved ones. Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 27
Salvatorian Fathers Regional Superior Rev George Kolodziej SDS raises a first-class relic of Blessed Francis Jordan during the thanksgiving Mass.
8 SEPTEMBER 2021
Celebrating the Beatification of
FRANCIS JORDAN
The Salvatorian spirit filled the Cathedral, as the Order gathered to rejoice, celebrate and renew their gratitude to God for the gift of their Founder, Blessed Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan. This Thanksgiving Mass also coincided with the birth of the Virgin Mary. This year marked 140 years since the foundation of the Salvatorians and 60 years since the Salvatorian Fathers started their pastoral work in Australia. The official Beatification Ceremony took place on 15 May 2021, at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, presided by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness, Pope Francis. However, the event was missed by the Salvatorians in Australia, due to travel restrictions relating to COVID-19. Joining Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in celebrating the Mass were Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Geraldton Bishop Michael Morrissey, Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan, Perth Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey and Geraldton Emeritus Bishop Justin Bianchini. Salvatorian Fathers Regional Superior Rev George Kolodziej SDS, Greenmount Parish Priest Fr Leonard Macionczyk SDS, Balcatta Assistant Parish Priest Fr Adam Babinski SDS were joined by a host of Salvatorian Fathers and Archdiocesan Religious, Seminarians and Archdiocesan staff. At the start of Mass, several symbolic items relating to the life of Blessed Francis Jordan were offered by lay members of the faith. A first-class Blessed Francis Jordan relic was laid on the altar, providing the congregation with an opportunity to draw closer to Blessed Jordan, and consider the example of the Holiness he shared. Other items included a Bible, representing the Good News that Blessed Francis Jordan proclaimed and a globe symbolising his desire to share the message of the Good News to people everywhere, as Salvatorian missionaries have been sent all over the world.
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Students from the Francis Jordan Catholic School presented flowers on the Altar.
A Cross was also brought forward to the Altar, recounting the words of Blessed Francis Jordan who once said, “Become lovers of the cross. You know that our dear Saviour saved the world through His cross. Why would we then choose another way?” In his Homily, Archbishop Costelloe dedicated some time to recounting the life of Mother Mary, and the deep faith she had in God. “This woman whose birthday we honour today has been celebrated throughout history because of her extraordinary faith, her extraordinary humility, and her extraordinary courage and fidelity. And, as the words of the Angel’s prayer make clear, the outcome of Mary’s great faith and fidelity was world-shattering: The Word became flesh and lived among us” Archbishop Costelloe said. This evening, we also celebrate the birthday into eternity of Blessed Francis Jordan, the founder of the Society of the Divine Saviour, better known to us here in Australia as the Salvatorians. Francis Jordan died on 8 September 1918, 103 years ago today. We gather tonight, not long after the solemn beatification of Father Jordan earlier this year, to rejoice and celebrate with the Salvatorian family as they renew their gratitude to God for the gift of their founder and the gift of the Gospel path which he has laid out for them under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The beatification of Father Jordan is, of course, a solemn judgement by the Church that this Gospel path should be offered more widely to the universal Church and that it can be offered with great confidence as a true gift of the Holy Spirit to the whole Church. We all have much to learn from him and from his religious family” said Archbishop Costelloe. Offering words of gratitude to the Order and their good works in the Church, Archbishop Costelloe said his hope for those present is that their encounters with Salvatorians, will “remind us that this is the call of every Christian and may we all be inspired by their fidelity to their vocation to reflect deeply on the ways in which each of us in our particular circumstances are also called by God to a life of humility and of self-sacrificing love, ready to give our lives away each day for the good of others.”
The choirs from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Nollamara, and the four symbols representing the life of Blessed Francis Jordan.
Fr Kolodziej addressed those present, thanking all present for their support and attendance at the Mass. “Although none of us were able to attend the beatification in May, so tonight we have been blessed to pray and give thanks to God for our Founder, for his vision to the mission of the Church, and for the Salvatorians.”
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 29
19 SEPTEMBER 2021
AVE MARIA RECITAL More than 100 guests spent a pleasant Sunday afternoon listening to an array of classical sacred music, led by St Mary’s Cathedral Director of Music, Jacinta Jakovcevic, as the Cathedral Choir put on a display of musical devotion to commemorate the birthday of its’ Patroness and Mother of the Church. Jacinta said “Our annual Ave Maria Recital, which is now in its twelfth year, provided an opportunity for 13 musicians take part (including nine of our organists) – representing the numerous streams which make up the Cathedral Music Programme. It was wonderful to have members of our Young Organists Programme take part for the very first time – this programme is quite new and involves young musicians as part time organ scholars. They train and learn about the role of the pipe organ in Catholic Liturgy. The ensemble comprised of John Beaverstock, Alessio Loiacono, Pia Schelfhout, Xavier Jarvis, Elizabeth O’Callaghan, Ethan Ricafranca, Dominique Douglas-Smith, Alix Hamilton, Susannah Williams, Erin Bussanich, Sian Bussanich, Jacinta Jakovcevic, and (under 18) organist Joshua Crestwell,” she said.
Ms Jakovcevic encouraged more people to join in future events, as bringing the community together for this event serves as a great encouragement for our young musicians who choose to be here and train, dedicating their time and efforts to the Church. “I do hope more people attend this recital in years to come. It is an important event to highlight or Patroness, Our Lady, and to highlight to people the fact that through her and her Immaculate Conception and birth into this world, God’s promise of the Saviour, Jesus Christ came true,” she said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For music lovers, the pieces presented at this year’s recital included: • Toccata in G minor by Johann Pachelbel (1653 to 1706), • Scherzetto by Louis Vierne (1870 to 1936), • Choral Song by Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810 to 1876), • Prelude and Fugue in G minor by Diderik Buxetehude (1637 to 1707), • Laudamus Te (from ‘Gloria RV 589) by Antonio Vivaldi (1678 to 1741), • Allegro (from ‘Concerto in F major’) Georg Frederic Handel (1685 to 1759), • Ave Maria Stella by Louis Couperin (1626 to 1661), • Menuet (from ‘Suite Gothique’) by Leon Boellmann (1862 to 1897) and more. • The recital ended with Franz Shubert’s (1771 to 1828) rendition of Ave Maria followed by Hail Queen of Heaven. 30 ◆ Our Cathedral
24 SEPTEMBER 2021
MERCY DAY MASS We asked Julie Cameron, Marketing and Community Relations Manager, Mercedes College, to share her thoughts and reflections on this year’s Mercy Day celebrations at the College. “The College community began the day with a beautiful Mass at the Cathedral celebrating Our Lady of Mercy Feast Day. It was wonderful to have so many Sisters of Mercy attend this celebration. Following the Mass and after recess, the students took part in various activities set-up by each year group. Lots of fun was had and the sun was kind enough to shine. Activities included a variety of inflatables set-up on the oval, a chocolate wheel, dipping dots van and ‘guess the teacher baby photo’ competition. The day ended with the highly anticipated Mercy Day Concert in the Coady Sports Hall. Mr Cook was MC for the concert and did a wonderful job. One of the highlights was the Head of Year production of “Annie”, a variety of talented musicians and singers, and a creative choreographed piece presented by our Year 12s. The Year 12s also did their annual skit based on “Gossip Girl”. The Prefects did a great job making the skit full of humour and wit. All acts displayed the amazing talents of our Mercedes students and contributed enormously to the success of the day. Mercy Day 2021 was a fun and relaxed event, and thoroughly enjoyed by all,” said Julie.
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17 OC TOBER 2021
WASO CONCERT DELIGHTS AUDIENCE The Western Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO), joined by music students from UWA, delighted the more than 500 audience members who were eagerly looking forward to this annual concert at St Mary’s Cathedral. The Cathedral’s Director of Music, Jacinta Jakovcevic said, “It was a delight to host the WASO Chorus once again. This particular programme featured the ‘Mass in D’ written by Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, in 1887, for chorus and orchestra. The orchestral accompaniment was played on our Grand Organ, which WASO asked me to play. The Cathedral’s Grand Organ, built by JE Dodd in 1910, is of a ‘symphonic’ style; meaning that generally speaking, it emulates the rich, sonorous orchestral textures of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It provided a wonderful tonal combination as well as being a thrill, and a bit of challenge, to simulate Dvorak’s orchestral sonorities on our instrument. The WASO Chorus sang Handel’s perennial favourite ‘Zadok the Priest’ accompanied on pipe organ, and Bruckner’s ‘Locus Iste’, an unaccompanied motet whose text emanates from the liturgies of the Dedication of a Church/Cathedral. It was sung at the Cathedral’s reopening in 2009 by the Cathedral Choir,” said Jacinta. Andrew Foote conducts the WASO Chorus.
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18 OC TOBER 2021
Mercedes College Graduation Mass In October, St Mary’s Cathedral hosted a joy filled Graduation Mass for Mercedes College Year 12 students. The Mass was celebrated by Dean of the Cathedral, Rev Dr Sean Fernandez. Mrs Kerri Fraser, Principal of Mercedes College said: “It is always a time of reflection on the journey and looking forward to new experiences as we launch our students into the next phase of their lives. We would like to acknowledge the parents, guardians, grandparents and extended family who have assisted our girls on this journey and have worked with them through the quiet moments of desperation, and the loud moments of celebration. The Graduation Dinner at the Perth Convention and Entertainment Centre which followed the Mass was a beautiful time of connection and community. Earlier in the day the Year 12 cohort was farewelled with a guard of honour made up of the entire school group which cheered them as they left the school for the last time. It was a time of great excitement, and we look forward to formally farewelling the girls at our Presentation Evening on Friday (22 October). On Wednesday 13 October, we celebrated the work of our 2021 Prefects with a Thanksgiving Dinner held in the Hall. After a beautiful liturgy in our Chapel, the girls and their parents, along with teachers who have been on the journey, took a walk around the College and recollected some of the great moments of their time here at the school. There was a great deal of laughter as the girls shared with their parents what they enjoyed most about being at the College, and some of the little events that occurred that will no doubt be remembered in years to come,” said Mrs Fraser.
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21 OC TOBER 2021
Corpus Christi College Graduation Mass Joined by family, friends and the school community, the Corpus Christi College Graduating Class of 2021 gathered at St Mary’s Cathedral for the celebration of the Eucharist and College Graduation Ceremony. The evening Mass was celebrated by Fr Jean-Noel Marie, with graduands receiving a blessing and their graduation certificates following the Mass. Directing those present to the words of St Paul to the Colossians (3:12-14), Principal Frank Italiano congratulated the graduands, and encouraged them to take the scripture passage to heart on their new journey into the future. “As a Catholic College, that is what our culture is about. Always remember, each of you is special in God’s eyes and we ask that you keep the spirit of Corpus Christi College in your hearts as you journey through life. It has been an absolute privilege to have shared this journey with you. Sequere Dominum - Follow the Lord” said Mr Italiano.
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22 OC TOBER 2021
Mater Dei College Graduation Mass We are pleased to share these wonderful images from the Mater Dei College Graduation Mass which was also celebrated in October.
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2 N OVE M BE R 2 0 21
Archbishop’s Liturgical Service
for Parish Priests & Appeal Representatives in advance of he Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal for LifeLink T Archbishop Costelloe SDB, joined by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton (Chairman, LifeLink), Rev Fr Peter Whitely (Vicar General) and Rev Dr Sean Fernandez (Dean, St Mary’s Cathedral) warmly welcomed more than 140 parish priests, parish representatives and invited guests to a special Liturgical Service at St Mary’s Cathedral. Archbishop Timothy said: “I am so grateful to the parish priests and parish appeal representatives who made time to join Bishop Sproxton and me for this event, particularly given it was All Souls and Melbourne Cup Day. This annual Service is an opportunity for Bishop Don and I to thank everyone for the wonderful support they provide in helping to make this appeal possible each year, and most importantly, for us to join together to reflect on and pray for people struggling in our community who rely on our Church agencies for help.” In his speech for the occasion, Archbishop Costelloe emphasised that we need disciples who are faithful and faith-filled. “This has always been what God is asking of us as members of His Church. The challenge comes in delving more deeply into the question of what being faithful actually looks like and what being faith-filled actually looks like. To be a faithful Christian it is essential that we are as committed to the way of Jesus as we are to the truth proclaimed by Jesus. And the way of Jesus is found primarily in an ever-deepening understanding of the way Jesus acts when he encounters people in the many and varied concrete realities of their own situations.”
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Archbishop Costelloe emphasised that the Christmas LifeLink Appeal is an invitation to two things. “Firstly, and most importantly, it is an invitation to each of us to recognise that it is our encounters with those in need, our presence to them, will be life changing for them, irrespective of how much or how little financial assistance we can offer them. This is true of everybody who seeks to walk in the way of Jesus. But each person’s capacity and opportunity to engage directly with those in need depends on that person’s own unique situation. The support of our LifeLink agencies is a second and very significant way in which we can support those who, in a very real sense on our behalf, do encounter in very real and concrete ways, those in our society who are lost, or lonely, or despairing. It is those who work in our LifeLink agencies who, on our behalf, look into the eyes of those in need with the compassion, the understanding and the acceptance of Jesus, who does not seek to condemn or to blame, but only to encourage, to support, to lift up and to accompany on the journey to a more hope-filled future. We must live by the truth of Jesus, and as we do so we must also walk in the way of Jesus. Holding these two things together we will become what we are supposed to be: signs and bearers of the new life which is the Lord’s gift to everyone. ‘I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life,’ said Jesus. It is through us that he seeks to be this in the Church and in our society still today,” he said. LifeLink Manager, Brett Mendez, said without the enthusiastic and generous support of parish priests and parishioners, this appeal would simply not be possible. “More than 60 per cent of the funding which the Archdiocese provides for our social outreach agencies each year is provided through the gifts made to the Christmas Appeal. It is fitting that we celebrate Pope Francis “World Day of the Poor” on our appeal launch weekend. As Pope Francis included in his message to us this year “The World Day of the Poor should help local churches evangelise by meeting the poor personally wherever they may be. We cannot wait for the poor to knock on our door; we need urgently to reach them in their homes, in hospitals and nursing homes, on the streets and in the dark corners where they sometimes hide, in shelters and reception centres’. It is important to understand how they feel, what they are experiencing and what their hearts desire,” he said.
The Archbishop’s Christmas Appeal was launched throughout the Archdiocese on the weekend of 13/14 November 2021. The Archbishop’s video message can be found on the LifeLink website – www.lifelink.com.au – where you may also donate securely online. Gifts over $2 are tax deductible.
Issue 23 - December 2021 ◆ 37
24 OC TOBER 2021
Cultural Diversity Mass St Mary’s Cathedral warmly welcomed members of migrant communities in the Perth Archdiocese to this year’s Cultural Diversity Mass which honours the presence of migrants and refugees who collectively represent multicultural Australia. Organised by the West Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (WACMRO), the Mass was celebrated by St Mary’s Cathedral Dean, Rev Dr Sean Fernandez, and concelebrated by WACMRO Director Deacon, Greg Lowe. The Indonesian choir delivered several hymns in Bahasa, and the multilingual presentation of the prayers of the faithful, in the Laos, Shona, Tagalog, Burmese, Tamil, Chin and Indonesian dialects – displayed the diversity of cultures, bound by the commonality of Catholic tradition and faith. In his Homily, Deacon Lowe reflected on the faith possessed by Bartimeaus, who in the Gospel reading of the day, acknowledged Jesus as a ‘Messiah’ and pleaded to Jesus to heal him. Deacon Lowe then invited the congregation to reflect on the love of God, and to take a moment to surrender to God, any prayers they or their loved ones may have, placing their trust in Him. “In the beauty of our cultural diversity that we celebrate in this Mass today, is that our many cultures and languages serve to increase our faith as we learn that every culture is an aid to faith, because it doesn’t matter where we are from or what languages we speak, God hears all of us because he will not refuse a contrite heart,” he said. The Cultural Diversity Mass was celebrated by Rev Dr Sean Fernandez, and concelebrated by WACMRO Director Deacon, Greg Lowe.
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With the Church celebrating World Mission that Sunday, Deacon Lowe gave thanks for the gift of the Church to society “that connects to anyone in need in any language, and doing so, in culturally safe ways, so that they do not fall into despair.”
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Address: Griver House, 249 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000 | Telephone: (08) 6104 3638 | Email: admin@stmarysappeal.com.au National Trust of Australia (WA) | ABN: 83 697 381 616
Date
Welcome to St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth Weekday Mass Times Monday to Friday
8.00am 12.10pm
Weekend Masses Saturday Sunday
8.00am 6.00pm (Vigil) 8.00am 9.30am 11.00am 5.00pm (Youth Mass)
Reconciliation Monday to Friday Saturday
11.00am to 12.00pm 5.00pm to 6.00pm
Cathedral Office 25 Victoria Avenue, Perth WA 6000 Telephone: (08) 9223 1350 Email: cathedral@perthcatholic.org.au
MASS CENTRES St Catherine Laboure Bedford Avenue, Subiaco Sunday
8.30am
St Francis Xavier Windsor Street, Perth Sunday
9.30am
All Saints Chapel Allendale Square, Perth Monday to Friday
12.10pm
Cathedral Appeal Office Griver House, 249 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000 Telephone: (08) 6104 3638 Facsimile: (08) 6162 0345 Email: admin@stmarysappeal.com.au
Parish Website: www.stmaryscathedralperth.com.au Appeal Website: www.stmarysappeal.com.au | Archdiocesan Website: www.perthcatholic.org.au
