The Road to Emmaus - Sem 1, 2014

2014 – Sem 1 Issue

The Road to Emmaus, Sem 1 - 2014

A UWA Catholic Society Publication

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Inside this issue…

3 – Editorial 4 – From a Priest 5 – Church History: Spanish Inquisition 6 – Woolies v Coles 7 – How to Recite the Holy Rosary

FRONT COVER - ‘Charity’

8-9 - Don’t be afraid of truth

Charity by French Catholic William Adolphe Bouguereau depicts a woman caring for, and protecting, five young children. It was completed in 1878, and in 2000 sold at auction for $3.6 million US dollars.

10-11 – 3 (Secular) Reasons Not To Watch Porn 12-13 – Journey To The End Of The Earth 14-15 – Fighting for Freedom 16-17 – Restoration/Angel Guardian at Death 18 – Film Review: Life of Pi 19 – Rally for Life 2014 – June 10 20-21 – What has UCS been up to?

The Trudge/President’s Piece 22 – Second Last Page 23 – The Saints Talk

BACK COVER - ‘The Virgin With Angels’ By the same William Adolphe Bouguereau, this 1900 painting depicts the Blessed Virgin surrounded by angels. Our Lady, Queen of Angels, pray for us!

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And it came to pass, whilst he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them.

And their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of their sight.

And they said one to the other: Was not our heart burning within us, whilst he spoke in this way, and opened to us the scriptures?

And rising up, the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem: and they found the eleven gathered together, and those that were staying with them, Saying: The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

And they told what things were done in the way; and how they knew him in the breaking of the bread.

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Editorial – Modern Love When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie - that’s amore. When your car wraps around a pole resulting in you becoming near entirely incapacitated, and your newlywed stays by your side and looks after you for the next fifty years – now that’s some serious amore (and a really bad fit to the tune of the song). Cue Haddaway.

What is love? Editor don’t bore me… ok.

But seriously, these things are a real annoyance. I mean, you know what I’m getting at – selfless giving to another; but the nomenclature is a royal pain in the backside.

What word to use?

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) 1989.

And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.

That’s from the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA). Which I’ve been assured is the trustworthy one to use for a modern day raging Catholic. Who knows – this isn’t about Bible versions, it’s about charity/love/(selfless/unconditional) love and/or agape. I know I’m getting bogged down in semantics, but hey, semantics help frame the message/argument – just look at the gay marriage, cum marriage equality debate.

Love: a strong feeling of affection.

Charity: an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.

Agape: (of a person's mouth) wide open in surprise or wonder.

But seriously; (and this is straight from old mate Wikipedia) Agápe means love in a "spiritual" sense. In the term s'agapo which means "I love you" in Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of "true unconditional love" rather than the attraction suggested by "eros." This love is selfless; it gives and expects nothing in return. Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the "love chapter," 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial and spiritual love. Whether the love given is returned or not, the person continues to love (even without any self-benefit). Agápe is used by Christians to express the unconditional love of God. So I think agape is probably the best word we have. Maybe I’m an idealistic young fool, but love should = agape. Agape shouldn’t have to = the ‘fullest’ form of love, or unconditional love; that’s what love should be. Same with charity – a word which I also feel has been bastardized.

Anyway, not that there’s anything wrong with agape (except of course having to try find an accent button on your keyboard), but I quite like rolling off the whole, faith,

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hope and ----, line. So, (and seriously, if this is wrong, write a letter to the next editor so they can mop up my mess) – I’d like to present agape in a Latin infused phrase.

And now there remain fides, spes, and caritas, these three: but the greatest of these is caritas.

Caritas, you beauty! Agape = Caritas (which also = charity = love (but those words have been ravaged, alas!)). I mean, you don’t hear silly couples who simply enjoy each other for sex and emotional security expressing their caritas. “I caritas you!” I don’t think so. Ah, for the caritas of Latin.

Fides (Faith), Spes (Hope), and Caritas (Love/Charity/Agape)

To be loving; to have caritas – we must practice selflessness. I know, it’s a real royal pain, but that’s the kicker. No getting past it. We have to be selfless. And that’s not easy – particularly in a culture and economic system founded on the self, on the individual, on me, ME! A desire to save souls. A desire to be a stepping stone for others. A desire to be a sacrifice. Yes, that’s it. Christ is Love. Christ is Caritas. And what greater act of caritas than Good Friday? God, who could have had a million denaari and a three thousand year reign at the click of a finger – God, hanging on a cross, enduring the taunts and lashes of boastful, silly little wicked men. God, giving His life for us.

Caritas. A seemingly irrational thing. It means going against the animal instinct. You are hungry. There is a steak on the table. You take it out to the poor man on the street. The lion does not do that. The mouse does not do that. They eat the steak. Humans are unique in that they can choose to do the irrational – they can choose to do something for someone else at no benefit, or at a cost, to themselves.

In an age where personal pleasure and material fulfilment is the highest goal; in an age where our relationships are founded and valued on utility maximization – hell, an act of caritas is an act of revolution.

How do we change the culture? We change ourselves.

Here’s one small way – do something for someone and never tell anyone about it. Ha! Imagine that. You suddenly become uncontrollable. I mean, if you start behaving in a manner that isn’t always in your best interest – you start doing things for people with no desire for return or recognition – you are a dangerous and subversive person!

You are a threat to a society founded on the misery of individualism, pure rationalism and the pandering to the basest of animalistic desires. You are a revolutionary.

And if our revolutionary act is caritas, then we may as well have a revolutionary cry. “Christo et Ecclesiae!”

For Christ and for the Church!

Joe.

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In Lieu of our Chaplain, words from another Priest:

Defeating Satan with Humility Fr Ronan Murphy When Our Lady appeared to say St. Catherine Labore in 1830, Our Lady appeared standing on a serpent which was wrapped around a globe. The serpent standing for the real presence of Satan, and the globe - the world which is wrapped at present in the power of the evil one. My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, the reality of the devil is a doctrine of our Catholic faith. The devil is mentioned in Scriptures, 115 times in the name Satan 33 times. Although he exists, omnipotent evil does not exist. There is only one who is infinite, God who is infinitely good. And so the devil's power is not equal to God's power. The devil is a creature who was created good by God but became evil by rebelling against God. He felt true pride. Some theologians speculate that the moral testing of the Angels was that they saw the plan of redemption and that they would have to serve the God man and the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen, this human being who is lesser in nature than they. So Satan cried out in rebellion, “Non-Serviam�- I will not serve - and he led a third of the stars of heaven to join him in that rebellion.

And so the devil is not the opposite to God. God is an uncreated being who is all powerful; Satan on the other hand is a created being who is powerful yet limited. Satan, the leader or dictator of devils is the opposite not of God, but of Saint Michael the Archangel, for Satan too is an

Archangel. To counteract Satan, we should invoke the power of his opposite in prayer. Pope Leo the 13th compose the famous prayer to St. Michael in 1886 which each priest recited after each Low Mass up until the second Vatican Council. Unfortunately, this magnificent and potent invocation to St. Michael was thrown out with the Council and thus with the elimination of this prayer, it allowed an influx of evil in the world and the smoke of Satan was allowed to enter the church, the temple of God. St. John Marie Vianney, the cure of Ars, once spoke of the dialogue he had with the devil. The latter said, "I can do everything you do. I can also do your penances. I can imitate you in everything, but there is one thing however that I cannot do, I cannot imitate your humility". The Saint then answered, "that's where I defeat you". [Story of St. Joseph of Cupertino].

Humility my dear brothers and sisters is the best bulwark against the devil and it is that virtue that has gained from Mary ultimate victory over Satan and his dominions. "And she will crush your proud head", and at Fatima, "in the end my immaculate heart will triumph", and it is this virtue that will gain us ultimate victory over him sharing in her triumph. By virtue of your consecration to her immaculate heart, Our Lady will clothe you in that virtue. The proud wish to be served, but the humble serve. Let us serve the God man Jesus Christ in all things and His humble Mother Mary - our mother and Queen.

The Hail Mary in Latin Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

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Church History: The Spanish Inquisition Most people will be familiar with these powerful words – The Spanish Inquisition. For Catholics, they often strike embarrassment and fear, while for non-Catholics a scandal that can be used at any convenient time to advance anti-Catholic rhetoric. So what are the facts about these dark days in European history? Should we as Catholics be afraid every time someone confronts us with the Spanish Inquisition? The reality is that we, and the whole Church, have nothing to fear from the truth.

The historical reality of the Inquisition, which has only begun to come to light in recent years, is undoubtedly tragic and remains an ugly part of European history, however the image that people carry of it is far removed from the reality. Most of the ‘facts’ that we all know about the Inquisition are merely reflections of the postReformation, Protestant propaganda which was widely disseminated to support the Protestant cause.

The Spanish Inquisition began very late in European history.

Its beginning in 1478, in response to growing anti-Semitic sentiment in society, was established at least 250 years after similar inquisitions in other regions of Europe. The primary purpose of the Spanish Inquisition was the identification and elimination of heresy. The target of the Inquisition was the Jewish who were converts to Christianity in the fourteenth century, named conversos, after religious riots forced them to convert or flee the country. By the time of the Inquisition these conversos occupied places of significant influence in society. The reason given by Frederick and Isabella, the reigning monarchs of Spain at the time, for the establishment of the Inquisition was to complete the unification of their country by unifying the faith of its citizens. In addition to the antiSemitic national sentiment that was being forged at that time, Spain was engaged in a successful war with the Muslims for the Iberian Peninsula, which created an imperative to root out false converts to the Christian faith.

As the Lutheran revolt began to spread across Europe after 1530, the Spanish Inquisition became the means to protect Spain against the infiltration of Protestant ideas. However the spread of Protestant ideas never took hold in Spain, so the notion in popular culture that the Spanish Inquisition grotesquely executed thousands upon thousands of Biblebelieving Protestants is simply untrue, as there were almost no Protestants in Spain.

Many other ideas were disseminated by the enemies of the Catholic Church at the time, mainly the Protestant movement, which were simply lies to advance the Protestant cause. The major ‘statistic’ that is quoted by

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those wishing to heap shame upon the Catholic Church and question its legitimacy is the hundreds of thousands, some even quoting millions, of people who perished at the hands of the Inquisitors. Accurate estimates are obviously difficult to come by, however recent evidence, supported by scholars and academics such as Henry Kamen, show that 40,000 people were tried in the 350 years of the Inquisition’s existence and, of those, 3,000 – 5,000 were executed, a tiny figure compared to prevailing beliefs.

There is a misconception in the public about the auto-da-fe, or public acts of penance, where it is said that huge mobs of wild-eyed people chanted and salivated as heretics were tortured and burned in the public square. The reality is that these acts of penance consisted of a liturgical celebration, the Mass, prayer, reading of sentences of the accused and a procession of the guilty. No burning or torture occurred and, if an execution was ordered, secular authorities gladly received their prisoner and performed the execution themselves at a separate time.

The torturing of accused heretics, especially using cruel and unusual machines created for the sole purpose of torture is a widely held misconception. Evidence showed that two percent of all accused persons were tortured once and only one percent were tortured a second time, always for less than 15 minutes. Torture was commonplace in all legal systems in Europe at that time and was simply an accepted fact of life and the law. An important distinction to make was that the Inquisition never employed torture as a punishment, but rather as a device to elicit information or a confession. A confession could not even be valid unless the accused confessed a second time while not under torture, and they were given three opportunities to admit to wrongs.

The Spanish Inquisition continued to exist until 1834, when it was formally abolished, however its worst work was performed in the first fifty years of its existence. There is no denial that the Inquisition was a dark time for Church and European history, however it is important that everyone is armed with the true facts about this controversial topic and is not afraid to stand up for the Church when all kinds of lies and slander are heaped upon it from the distant past.

So let us not get caught up in what appears to be the truth, or what the voices on all sides of society adamantly proclaim as reality. Let us rather arm ourselves with knowledge and facts and be not afraid to stand up for our Catholic Church, which is founded on a divine foundation and has the assurance that “the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18).

Alexander Woloszyn

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Woolies v Coles: A Showdown, a Price-War, and CST Liam Staltari Let’s face it, as much as some of us may wish it wasn’t true, everyone has to do their grocery shopping once in a while.

Tedious trips up and down the shopping aisle, pushing a trolley or clutching a basket, are an inevitability of everyday suburban life. And in this sense, what better to brighten up such a trek than dirt-cheap prices for necessities, which often get stripped from our pantries by our hungry family members all too quickly.

“But this is all economics!” I hear you say. “Where does faith come into the picture?”

Well, Catholic Social Teaching has much to say on the topic.

While the principle of Subsidiarity often pertains to government intervention, it retains its Christian potency when examining the price-slashing practices of these firms.

Placing an emphasis on local life, and the needs and concerns of everyday people, is absolutely vital. It’s not hard to see that, when depicted through the lens of Subsidiarity, it’s the family-run battlers who win out.

When coupled with CST’s calls for Solidarity and the Preferential Option for the Poor, the need to reign in such damaging practices is clear. But it must be noted that this doesn’t call for an attack on private enterprise, or the profit motive. All of these are necessary functions of the capitalist system, which has delivered high standard of living and astounding human progress.

Who doesn’t love $1-a-litre milk, or vegetables which seem to pop into your basket with the flick of a little change? It’s a hard thing to say no to. Yet while shoppers such as ourselves may well enjoy this for now, these cheap products – born out of the ongoing Woolworths and Coles ‘price war’ – herald storm clouds on the horizon.

Woolworths and Coles, as two household names, occupy a largely duopoly position within the Australian grocery landscape. While other competitors, such as local suppliers and the Independent Grocers Association (IGA) mount a valiant fight, the market share of these two titans is colossal. And sure enough, far removed from everyday life, these shopping chains prove all too willing to engage in a trade war which has seen prices slashed in everyday produce – all aimed at enticing customers and obliterating their rival.

Rather, it seeks to level the playing field, so as to empower everyday individuals in forging their businesses, and recognising that, while profits are vital and to be lauded, Christ stressed a slightly different tune. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) Wise words indeed – it may pay to cut prices in the shortterm, but it pays in eternity to heed the words of our Lord.

(Ed – It might be an idea to boycott the businesses/products below.)

It’s here that two not-so-pleasant implications must be considered. While large firms such as Woolies and Coles can often sustain short-term losses from selling products below the buying price, smaller operators cannot. Familyrun businesses, who balance providing well-priced goods with keeping food on the table for their own kids, don’t enjoy this luxury. And sure enough, as consumers such as you and I flock to the big chains and plunge into aisles of super-cheap produce, these businesses – major employers and cornerstones of our economy – are left out to dry.

As if that wasn’t enough, this same situation is playing out across our regions, with primary producers – such as dairy and wheat farmers – unwilling to flog off their quality, Aussie-grown produce for unsustainable prices. After all, they have bills to pay too. As such, an influx of cheaper, foreign imports continues to erode the profit margins of these producers, pushing them ever closer to the brink of bankruptcy.

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Don’t be afraid of truth.

incorrect knowledge, and false ideas of what the Church stands for.

It has become increasingly common to shy away from voicing an opinion or belief for fear of offending someone or being attacked. Though it is reasonable and certainly beneficial in most circumstances to avoid attack, when it comes to the fundamental mission of the Catholic Church – that is, to bring all people to the truth that they might be saved – it is no longer acceptable to risk the salvation of souls to avoid offence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “God wills the salvation of everyone through the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in the truth.

But the Church, to whom this truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their [those seeking answers] desire, so as to bring them the truth. Because she believes in God's universal plan of salvation, the Church must be missionary.”

CCC 851.

To give a real-life example; in 2011 the student newspaper, ‘Quasimodo’, published by the Fremantle Student Association at the University of Notre Dame Australia, sent out a call for students of different religious convictions – in this case a Mormon, an Atheist and a Catholic were chosen – to give their opinions on the issue of gay ‘marriage’. Then a student, J. Devitt of the UCS submitted an article which was initially approved by the Editor and then rejected because of concerns expressed by the head of Campus Ministry. An email from the Editor in Chief of Quasimodo outlined the Campus Minister’s views, stating that he was concerned about the ‘negative reputation it might give Quasimodo’ and that Mr. Devitt’s ‘point of view might make people within the gay community feel unwelcome and not appreciated’. He was of the opinion that the article shone ‘a negative light for the Catholic community.’ It is important to note that he did not reject it because it expressed unorthodox teaching. The article, [printed next page], is a concise defence of the sanctity of marriage, in accordance with the Catholic Church. Rather than attacking those of the gay community, it clearly reiterates the CCC’s declaration that “[those with homosexual tendencies] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”

Although we may be aware of this mission, uncertainty or ignorance can hold us back from proclaiming our beliefs.

When you are uncertain, how can you stand up and advocate for something or someone? On the other hand, you can, without evidence, be blindly and absolutely certain of something because you have made no effort to research the matter or to inform yourself. These extremes are both undesirable, and both have solutions. If you are passionate about something, educate yourself. If you are not sure of something, find out the facts. Form your opinion, and be ready to defend your ideas.

One of the beautiful things about the Catholic Church is its astounding volume of knowledge and evidence. If you have a question, or are unsure of the reason behind the Church’s actions, all you need to do is look it up and you will find a detailed explanation with sound and logical reasoning. The Church does nothing aimlessly or without basis. Once you have understood, you can stand up and speak out with no fear, because you are not merely following blindly the way your parents brought you up or attending mass on Sunday because you’ve got used to doing it – you really and truly are certain that it is the right thing. There is nothing like this absolute certainty.

I believe that Catholic people, especially those in leadership positions, need to come together to renew this firm conviction. Starting with small, everyday decisions, we can reform the world’s idea of Catholics as single-minded, uninformed and biased. More importantly, we can get into the real necessity of saving souls, of revealing truth to those who are seeking and searching for it but can find no anchor.

There is no one in a better position to do this than leaders and teachers in the Catholic Church; in this light, failure to state directly the teachings of the Church for fear of creating negative ideas of yourself or your workplace can have vastly detrimental effects, leaving the people you are meant to be guiding and informing with vague and

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This is a prime example of the fear of offence that can prevent proclamation of the truth as discussed above, and, in my opinion, is just a small sample of the passive avoidance of conflict that is so prevalent among the faithful today. Leaders within the church can have incredibly widespread influence, and should be supporting the Church unquestioningly. Did the article give a negative light to the Catholic community? Or did it bring forward the real truth, present in the teachings of the Church, truth which needs to be made clearer to those in the community who are less aware of the facts of their faith? You decide.

‘Love your neighbour’ does not mean ‘avoid ruffling feathers in case someone may be disturbed.’ To truly love your neighbour is to wish them the ultimate good of eternal life, to do whatever you can do set them on this path – and this often requires disruption, as many are ignorant of the Church’s true teachings. As Catholics, we are called to know our Faith and to proclaim it, with the love of God and our fellow men first in our hearts. This is true kindness.

In this endeavour, do not forget the words of St. Peter: “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give reason for this hope of yours. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15. We are the body of Christ, the Church, and the Church is a beautiful truth.

Rachel Tuson

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Catholic Cameron – Gay Marriage (submitted April 4, 2011) I get called homophobic every now and then. Trust me, I’m not scared of homosexuals – but I am very afraid for the safety and sanctity of marriage, and particularly afraid of the threats that gay marriage pose. I’m Catholic, I think homosexual acts are utterly horrid, and gay marriage infuriates the hell out of me. I hope you’re not alienated, but the truth is, you probably are. Why? Well, your own views dictate that, and I’m here to share my views, and not stereotype the gay marriage advocate as an overly liberal, idealistic person swept up in the popular wave of youthful conformity – even if that is the case. I’m just here to outline my view on gay relationships and marriage.

In terms of the actual morality of gay acts, I look to my faith for the answer. In both the Old and New Testaments these acts are denounced. There is some small debate over this in liberal Christian circles, but I think it’s quite obvious what scripture is getting at. For example, in St Paul’s letter to the Romans (Romans 1:26-28), he writes “Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” If there is any dispute in scripture though, it is clarified in the most recent Catechism of the Catholic Church - the official text of the teachings of the Church. It labels “homosexual acts as intrinsically disordered” and that “under no circumstances can they be approved”. I tend to think that’s pretty clear cut – homosexual acts are not on. It’s important though that we also recognize, as said in the Catechism, that “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.” This does not however mean that homosexuals should be allowed to marry. It would not be compassionate to encourage, promote or legitimize a “moral evil” as described by Pope Benedict XVI. Therefore in essence, I believe homosexual marriage and even same-sex civil unions are wrong, as I believe that homosexual acts in themselves are entirely wrong.

The morality of the actual homosexual act aside though, I still reject the idea of gay marriage. The first reason for this is because it distorts marriage. Marriage creates the model for a stable family unit – that is, a mother, father and children. The stable family unit is indeed the cornerstone of any society. By redefining marriage to include same-sex couples, we are moving away from the ideal make-up of the family unit and encouraging its breakdown. The breakdown of the family unit is a widespread phenomenon of our times, and has led to numerous problems, including increased crime and mental illness. All must be done to protect and stabilise the family unit – this means protecting marriage as a unique relationship between a man and a woman.

As alluded too, marriage is undeniably linked to children.

Sure, not all married couples have children, and not all children have married parents – but in most cases marriage

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serves to unite a man and a woman in a permanent, procreating relationship. Same sex couples cannot procreate, and therefore it’s not in the interest of society or the state to extend to them inclusion in a form of relationship (marriage), that is so completely alien from same-sex couples. Though not able to procreate, homosexuals can still be parents. This may occur either through adopting, or in the case of one parent being the biological mother/father of a child. I am under the opinion that gay couples are not fully capable of being parents. I recall a quote I read from an article the other day “Gay people are not second class citizens, but a gay man is a second class mother”. Children are best raised in the stable family unit consisting of a mother and a father. Legalising gay marriage will simply normalise gay parenting, which is not in the interests of society, or the child.

Finally, I oppose gay marriage on the grounds on which it’s commonly argued for – that everyone is equal under the law, and therefore deserve the right to marry. “Why can’t a committed and loving gay couple marry?” I hear constantly.

If all you need for a marriage is commitment and love – then it’s not a matter of who can marry, but who can’t. If you support gay marriage, I ask you, do you support incest marriage? Can a committed and loving brother and sister marry? What about polygamy? Hell, what if a slightly deluded farmer has a deep committed love for his dairy cow? You call me extreme and ridiculous – but when do you call an end to how far we can extend marriage?

Hopefully before its been dragged along, corrupted and tainted so much that we can barely recognise the noble and integral institution it once was – hopefully before we legalise gay marriage.

I’m a Catholic and I think homosexual acts are wrong- those points aside I still oppose gay marriage. But if you include those two points into the scope of my view on the issue, I oppose it with a furious passion. In the coming year, and years ahead, gay marriage will enter the forefront of public debate and policy. It is not inevitable though that it become legalised – the only inevitably is that if it is legalised, it will lead to the further breakdown of the family unit.

I encourage all Catholics to follow their faith, and fulfil their obligation as Catholics, in rejecting and opposing gay marriage. Though it is for many a challenge, we must draw inspiration from John the Baptist and St. Thomas More, who both were beheaded in relation to the definition of marriage. May we look to theme for guidance and courage to do what is right.

Whilst religion and reason propel me to oppose same-sex marriage and unions, it is important for me to remind myself that all people are worthy of respect and love – and that our sexuality is just one facet of our being. I finish then with the words of Mahatma Ghandi.

“Hate the sin, lover the sinner”.

Joseph Devitt

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3 (Secular) Reasons Not To Watch Porn 1. Sex Trafficking The word pornography comes from pornos, prostitute, and grapho, to depict or write, meaning “depicting prostitutes.” We seem to be waking up to the possibility that the word’s etymology may very well be a description of reality. Pornography is fundamentally an experience of bought sex.

In the purchase of pornography, we pay for sexual arousal.

We do not simply pay money for a video— though it is precisely this idea that allows us to remove ourselves from the possibility that we are engaging in sex trafficking — we also pay for the incidence of sexual use that the video depicts. The money spent on pornography does not disappear, it goes to pornographers, thus supplying and encouraging those whose job it is to get men and women to have sex for money, that is, to prostitute themselves. In this regard, there is very little difference between the pornographer and the pimp. He arranges the experience of sexual gratification for a client by paying a woman the client doesn’t know to have sex.

In shortening the word “pornography” to “porn,” or “porno,” we are performing etymologically what arguably occurs in reality — moving from “depicting prostitutes” to an engagement with just “prostitutes.” In essence, pornography is associated with prostitution because pornography — insofar as it is the purchase of a person for sexual gratification — is already is a form of prostitution. In watching pornography, we cannot pretend that the consequences of our actions are limited to us and our browsing history, for we are supporting an industry, creating a demand for the exploitation of human beings, creating jobs for pornographers, and thereby creating incidences of sexual use. (And to be absolutely clear, there is no such thing as free porn. If you are not directly giving money to a pornographer, you are giving it to him through an advertiser.)

But surely — I imagine a complaint could go — this is only a problem if you take as an a priori the idea that porn is abusive and bad. Then yes, it is bad to watch pornography and thereby fund an industry that sells sexual acts for gratification. But what if you take the enlightened, modern view that the only morally limiting factor of a sexual act is that it be between “consenting adults”? Pornography, after all, is consensual.

Women and men perform sexual acts for pornographers out of their own free will, flaunting their lifestyle, calling themselves “pornstars.” Why then, is it any evil to fund an industry which people join by choice?

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2. The Illusion of Consent From the point of view of the person watching pornography, there is no way to establish that any of its members are consenting to the act reproduced. How could you possibly know? From the point of view of the person watching pornography, there is likewise no way to know that its members are all legal adults. Could you with certainty distinguish a 16-year-old girl, the trafficking of whom is an incidence of child pornography, condemned by the law and by society, with an 18-year-old, the trafficking of whom is supposedly harmless, consensual, and absolutely legal? Given that there is no way we can affirm that the already inadequate moral minimum of “consenting adults” is being adhered to, we should shake from ourselves any semblance of confidence in the “consensual” nature of pornography.

Catherine MacKinnon [an American feminist] notes that, “as with all prostitution, the women and children in pornography are, in the main, not there by choice but because of a lack of choices. They usually “consent” to the acts only in the degraded and demented sense of the word (common also to the law of rape) in which a person who despairs at stopping what is happening, sees no escape, has no real alternative, was often sexually abused before as a child, may be addicted to drugs, is homeless, hopeless, is often trying to avoid being beaten or killed, is almost always economically desperate, acquiesces in being sexually abused for payment, even if, in most instances, it is payment to someone else.”

This is not consent. Furthermore, even if there is some semblance of consent in regards to an initial entrance into the pornography, it is not informed consent. Truly informed consent would allow a woman to consent not only to a life of having pornography made of her, but to the content of that life. Two ex-porn-actors Shelley Lubben and Jenni Case bravely detailed the fact that should probably seem obvious — women are lied to about the content of their lives as porn actors. They are told that they will be given attention, safety, glamour and money. In reality, they are made to work in filthy conditions, they are constantly exposed to disease, they are pressured into sexual acts that they do not want to perform, and the vast majority of “pornstars” must resort to drugs and alcohol to numb both the physical and emotional pain of their “work.”

Even if you knew a participant was of a legal age and of a level of maturity in which the life of pornography could be freely chosen, you do not know whether she consented with full knowledge of the consequences, that is, whether she gave informed consent to her working conditions and the sexual acts she is exposed to. Also, given the massive use of drugs and alcohol, you have no way of knowing that a participant had the capacity to consent to a particular pornographic scene. I suppose one could argue that if a porn actor consents to taking drugs and getting high in order to better handle the pain of the pornographic shoot, she implies a consent to the pornographic shoot, but annihilating your ability to feel out of a fear of being fully present for a pornographic scene is not choosing in true, human freedom. And underlying all these objective uncertainties is the knowledge everyone watching pornography must have, that those women displayed in

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pornography are — in all likelihood — there out of desperation and poverty. To call a grasp at survival “consent” might satisfy the law, but it should not satisfy us.

If all these uncertainties are valid, this means that every time we sit down to watch pornography, we are willfully watching what has every possibility of being rape — a scenario of nonconsensual sex.

And to those who would argue you can “tell” the women involved in pornography are consenting, I would simply point out that the “actress” part of “porn actress” is no misnomer, and that my research into this matter has revealed that, after a while, the majority of female porn actresses are faking the pleasure they display.

3. Novelty The idea that we can avoid the darkness of pornography and its underbelly of coercion and dominance by only dabbing our toes in porn which looks nothing like rape — making sure we aren’t watching anyone near the minimum age and using only porn that doesn’t seem to support an industry that makes it impossible for women to give informed consent — is a stupid idea, for two reasons. First, this certainty cannot be attained. Secondly, the act of watching pornography lends itself to wanting to watch “dark” pornography.

Scientists have been happily documenting what’s known as the Coolidge Effect, in which our brain releases dopamine — a chemical that causes pleasure in the brain — in response to a novel sexual scenario.

Watching the same “safe” pornography will be arousing at first, but as it becomes habit, the brain will respond by producing less and less dopamine until that pornography no longer arouses. What’s needed to get the dopamine hit that the porn-viewer seeks is novelty — something new.

And as an article in Psychology Today points out, the internet provides us with seemingly endless opportunities for pornographic novelty:

…increased restlessness, irritability and dissatisfaction, desire for kinkier sex, finding your mate less attractive or compelling than the Internet, or a need [for] more extreme material. Experts call such effects “tolerance.” They can indicate an addiction process at work in the brain.

Because of the Coolidge Effect, watching “safe” porn lends itself to a need for more “extreme” material. More extreme material is usually more violent, more dominating, more painful for women, and more degrading. In short, it is far more likely to be an incident of rape. Men manufacture an artificial desire for porn that from the outset seeks arouse its viewers by injuring, humiliating, degrading and even endangering the life of women, not because they began by wanting to see women humiliated and hurt, but because they developed an addiction that urges them on to “extreme pornography.” A testimony from the website Your Brain on Porn shows what I’m talking about: The relationship I have with every woman in my life (even just friendly coworkers) has improved since getting off porn.

Porn corrupts and brainwashes what you think about women. It got to the point to where I would search for rape scenes because regular porn wasn’t enough anymore, and I would daydream about rape/torture all day long. Obviously I would never do something like that to another human being, it was just a fantasy. But I finally realized how disgusting that lifestyle is, and as much as I may have fooled myself into believing I enjoyed it, it won’t be something I’m returning to.

I look at women like human beings now, as opposed to sex toys, and they respond positively.

The support of pornography is a support of extreme pornography. To watch “light” porn is to open yourself up to the possibility of an addiction that will needle you into delighting over the humiliation and torture of women. To watch “light” porn is to give money to the pornographers who are in no way limited to making “light” porn.

I would argue that now is the time for the religious and the irreligious alike to stop watching pornography. By refusing to be a slave to pornographers and a market for the sale, humiliation, and degradation of women, we starve those who make their living by exploiting the weak. By repenting of our involvement in the pornography industry, and doing penance to amend the harm pornography has wrecked on our culture, we can be free.

Marc Barnes (from his blog, Bad Catholic) http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/

Today’s Internet porn…offers endless fireworks at the click of a mouse. You can hunt (another dopamine-releasing activity) for hours, and experience more novel sex partners every ten minutes than your hunter-gatherer ancestors experienced in a lifetime. Dopamine hit after dopamine hit can induce a drug-like altered state. (Cocaine, for example, owes its high to excess dopamine circulating in the brain.)

It’s powerful enough to override your brain’s normal sexual satiation mechanisms after orgasm.

This can lead to

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Journey to the End of the Earth Santana Royan I dare say that turning 22, being on the cusp of completing an additional fourth year to top off my degree and going to World Youth Day in Brazil has left me itching for an adventure. Travel, yes, but surely there is more to the adventure than mere tourism? As a young, enthusiastic (if I may say so) Catholic, I believe that the answer, lies in Christian pilgrimage.

The word is supposed to be derived from the Middle English word pilgrime, which in Old French is pelegrin, derived from the Latin peregrinum, and are defined as 'journeys made to some place with the purpose of venerating it, or in order to ask there for supernatural aid, or to discharge some religious obligation', according to the [1] Catholic Encyclopedia .

While pilgrimages had been, and remain, common among other more historical religions, the Christian perspective considered the visit of the bodies of Saints, and especially to the places where Christ himself had laid down the supreme example of a teaching sealed with blood, to be an [1] act of personal purification . Pilgrimage became a legal penance for certain larger sins acknowledged in the [1] Sacrament of Confession . While a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is considered the greatest, and mother of, Christian pilgrimage, the registers of the Inquisition at Carcassone notes four places as the centers of great pilgrimages to be imposed as penances for graver crimes, namely the tomb of the Apostles in Rome, the body of St. Thomas at Canterbury, the relics of the three kings in Cologne, and the [1] shrine of St. James at Compostella . While I had previously heard of the pilgrimage, or Camino, to Compostella before, it was the combination of a growing thirst for adventure, and a desperate requirement to procrastinate the completion of my honours literature review that sparked my curiosity about this particular pilgrimage.

The Shrine of St. James or St. Iago, is located in the town of Compostella, which is believed to be derived from the Latin Campos Stella, or field of stars. The St. James in question is James the Greater, the brother of John, son of Zebedee and [2] Salome, and one of the 12 Apostles of Christ . Martyred by Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 44, tradition states that he preached in Spain, returned to Judea and was put to death, while his body miraculously was transported to Iria Flavia in nothwest Spain, and then later to Compostella, where a shrine and cathedral in his name were put up. As a result, this town became one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in the world, especially in the Middle ages, with as many as half a million pilgrims taking the way annually th th during the pilgrimage's peak in the 11 and 12 [1] centuries . Pilgrims would travel the route, make their required penance, and retrieve souvenir scallop shells from [3] the coast . These shells became synonymous with the pilgrimage, and with St. James, and the display of such a shell identified a pilgrim, who would be entitled to free meals and lodging in a Church, as well as protection along the journey.

The Road to Emmaus, Sem 1 - 2014

While the pilgrimage has experienced declines in popularity, it has never been abandoned, and the annual [3] number of pilgrims has been rising each year since 1985 .

There are an especially large number of pilgrims in Jubilee th years, when the Feast of St. James, the 25 of July, is celebrated on a Sunday, with the next Jubilee year in 2021.

While there are a large number of different paths to take, starting from various parts of Europe, they all converge on the same point, Compostella, in a similar way as the grooves of the scallop shell converge on a focal point.

Historically, most pilgrims travelled from France, with Paris, VĂŠzelay, Le Puy, and Arles and Saint Gilles identified by the Codex Callistus as key starting points. While these are still important starting points today, most choose to take the French Way pilgrimage starting from the town of SaintJean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees, the mountains that separate France from Spain, and take an 811km journey to Santiago de Compostella.

Pilgrims are given a scallop shell and a Credential, or pilgrim's passport, which permits low-cost over-night accomodation and meals in refugios allow the way. The credential also serves as proof of the completion of the pilgimage through the required historical route, through stamps collected along the way, and a Compostella, or certificate of completion, is granted if a pilgrim's credential shows a minimum of 100km walked, or 200km cycled when arriving at Compostella. The pilgrimage, however, is considered complete only after attending a noon Pilgrim's mass at the Cathedral of St. James, which includes the swinging of the famous Botafumeiro, the massive incense thurible kept in this holy site.

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However, some pilgrims choose to start at one of the more historical sites, namely Paris, the more historical Paris route, starting say from Notre Dame Cathedral, is an arduous 1450km. Curiously, the Camino has pre-Christian origins, with the path following an ancient Roman trade route to Finisterrae, which was believed to be the westernmost point in Europe, and thus 'the End of the World'.

Adding on a final leg to Finisterrae is an additional 79km, making it 1529km (or 977 miles) of solid walking.

Let's put this in perspective. At a modest pace, an average healthy young adult could walk about 5km an hour. If you walk for 8 hours in a day, you would cover 40km, or about the distance of a return trip from my house in Kingsley to the Perth CBD. It'll take just under 40 days to walk from Notre Dame Cathedral to Finisterrae. Realistically, it'll take a little longer, allowing for stopping-time at important towns and religious sites. Guess what, that's exactly what I'd like to do in mid spring (~late April) or early autumn (~late August) next year.

The path from Paris should take me through Orleans, Tours, and Bordeaux before reaching Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and crossing the Pyrenees, then through Burgos and Le贸n in Spain, to reach Santiago de Compostella, and finally to Finisterrae. I'm also considering taking a side track to visit Lourdes before reaching Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and starting the Camino proper, as well as visits to Madrid, Barcelona and Montserrat upon completion of the journey.

Yes, I know, I'm a lunatic. I'm kind of hoping you are too, because I can't do this alone. I'm looking for a small group of 3-5 like minded young Catholics interested in such a mad undertaking. We will have to train, and I'm thinking Bibulman track, and maybe the Camino Salvador from Subiaco to New Norcia, but that's still ahead. The expression of interest is key now.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step -Lao Tzu. Any takers for the next 977?

1. Jarrett, B. (1911). Pilgrimages. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

2. Camerlynck, A. (1910). St. James the Greater. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

3. Slavin, S. (2003). Walking as Spiritual Practice

Remember, Christian soul, that thou hast this day, and every day of thy life: God to glorify, Jesus to imitate, The Blessed Virgin and the Saints to venerate, The Angels to invoke, A soul to save, A body to mortify, Sins to expiate, Virtues to acquire, Hell to avoid, Heaven to gain, Eternity to prepare for, Time to profit by, Neighbours to edify, The world to despise, Devils to combat, Passions to subdue, Death perhaps to suffer, And Judgment to undergo.

The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy To feed the hungry To give drink to the thirsty To clothe the naked To shelter the homeless To visit the sick To visit the imprisoned To bury the dead

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Fighting for Freedom Ana Gutierrez

If anyone read my last name before starting the article you probably assumed I’m not Australian (and you’re right!). I was born in Venezuela, a country located in the north of South America. I moved to Australia last year to start my studies in this country.

Growing up back in Venezuela my older relatives constantly said things like “When I was young this country was different” and I know what they meant was it was better.

In my opinion God has blessed my country in many different ways. One example would be the beauty and diversity of its landscapes.

Venezuela’s Caribbean coastline is the longest in America, therefore I dare to say our beaches are good enough to compete with any other popular/tropical destinations.

The Andes (longest mountain range in the world) reach the northern part of Venezuela where the world’s longest and highest cable car offers travellers a direct route from the centre of the city to the top of the country’s snow-capped peaks.

Venezuelan Amazon is home to the tallest waterfall on earth, the Angel Falls. The beauty of this region has inspired movies like Disney Pixar’s UP in 2009.

God has also blessed the country with an incredible amount of resources.

Venezuela is the world's fifth largest oil exporting country and has the world's largest proven oil reserves. Other significant resources include iron ore, nickel, coal, and bauxite.

With that in mind it is reasonable to think the country should be an economic powerhouse but that is far from reality. Whenever I read articles about Venezuela I come up with headlines such as “The world’s most miserable country”, “The tropical paradise that no one is visiting” or “Venezuela: the most dangerous place on earth”.

So how is this possible?

Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s controversial and charismatic leader, took office in 1999 when he slowly started introducing the country’s “socialist revolution”. He died from cancer in 2013 and this was immediately followed by the election of the government candidate Nicolas Maduro as the new president. Many people claim the elections were illegitimate.

Venezuela's murder rate skyrocketed after Chavez started his first term growing from 4,450 murders in 1998 to 24,000 in 2013. Murders have reached a record of 58 per day during the first four months of 2014.

In recent years corruption has worsened. Venezuela is currently 165th out of 176 countries in the corruption perception index published by Transparency International.

After 15 years of socialist government the country with largest oil reserves is importing gasoline.

Although this sounds terrifying what had been worrying me the most throughout the years was the people’s attitude.

Every time the government announced something was going to change (and this changes were never good…) people seemed to get used to a completely new “lifestyle”.

For example, I remember being in high school and having to do all my homework in the dark because we had constant blackouts. The government even created a “Blackout timetable” so that we would all be aware of the time they were going to happen.

Some people used the timetables to “prepare themselves”.

Some had dinner before them, others finished their assignments and others left their homes to stay somewhere else where blackouts were not scheduled at the same time.

This doesn’t happen anymore (we still have some random blackouts every now and then though) but that doesn’t mean the government has stopped implementing outrageous policies.

As I said before, it felt like we were getting used to everything without any resistance. We were giving away our beautiful country to people who only cared about power and money.

It seemed like we were pretty “adaptable” until February when the country finally woke up. I think we took too long but its better late than never!

Venezuelans began protesting in the states of Tachira and Merida when students demanded increased security after a female student alleged she had been the victim of an attempted rape.

I was only five years old when the socialist movement started so I can’t compare their governments to the previous ones. Nevertheless based on my experience and the facts known internationally I can tell you the country has been slowly falling apart for 15 years.

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The students also complained about record inflation (Inflation in December 2013 stood at 56.2%) and shortages of basic items like toilet paper, rice, coffee, and corn flour, used to make arepas, Venezuela's national dish.

blame them, I have mixed feelings. One part of me is thankful for the opportunity God has given me to come to this country where I’m so far from all those problems and where I can study normally.

The protests in Tachira turned violent, triggering the arrest of several students, which led to demonstrations in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital city, calling for their release.

Three people were shot during the first day of protests and many were detained.

There have been many demonstrations since then, varying in size from small gatherings to large rallies. Political violence and state repression have been increasing and the students have been the main target.

I’ve been told by my best friend that going to university nowadays is like getting yourself into a war zone. She said she has heard shots really close to the building where she studies and that the police have broken into the place to shoot tear gas.

I can’t help but thinking those who are fighting will be tomorrow’s heroes. We usually read stories about the people who conquered independence in different parts of the world but it’s hard to imagine how they actually felt and what they had to give up.

With everything that’s happening now I can now see how true leaders are made and how strong you have to be to decide to risk your life to save your country, even when sometimes you are not even 25.

Media censorship has been growing in Venezuela. All the information people inside the country have about this comes from social media. I feel like the only way I can help being so far away is by spreading the word and asking for your prayers.

Human Rights Watch reported that those who were detained by government authorities were subjected to "severe physical abuse" with some abuses including being beaten "with fists, helmets, and firearms; electric shocks or burns; being forced to squat or kneel, without moving, for hours at a time; being handcuffed to other detainees, sometimes in pairs and others in human chains of dozens of people, for hours at a time; and extended periods of extreme cold or heat." It was also reported that "many victims and family members we spoke with said they believed they might face reprisals if they reported abuses by police, guardsmen, or armed pro-government gangs".

That’s why I want to thank you for taking your time to read this. I’m sure God will hear us.

Most of the people who have been killed, detained or tortured were students like any of us. So far 36 deaths have been confirmed.

I have many friends back home. Some of them are protesting and some of them are too scared to do it. I can’t

The Road to Emmaus, Sem 1 - 2014

Venezuelan Beauty Queen Genesis Ramirez shot during one of the protests

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Restoration

By Fr. Ronan Murphy Laszlo Toth, a Hungarian born Australian geologist, became infamous worldwide back in May of 1972, when he attacked and severely damaged Michelangelo’s masterpiece - the Pieta. This Devil-driven madman took a sledge hammer and shouting out, “I am Jesus Christ risen from the dead”, attacked the statue, with fifteen blows thus removing Mary’s arm at the elbow, knocking off a chunk of her nose, and chipping one of her eyelids. Today’s daily headlines are an indication that the Prince of Darkness is behind the relentless attack upon another Holy masterpiece but this one created by God, the natural family.

a society in which homosexualists impose their agenda with which no one is allowed to disagree or have any appeal to the contrary without being subjected to severe consequences of ridicule, slander, libel, fines, public demonstrations, distortions, denial of free speech rights, loss of employment, and having the word “hate” attached to you in some form.”]

At first the restoration of the Pieta seemed impossible; the Blessed Mother’s left arm was severed and broken into three pieces along with shattered fingers. Her nose and eyelid was among the hundred pieces of marble lying on the ground. Yet, undaunted, a team of artisans began the work of restoration immediately and today rather miraculously, there are no signs of damage.

In the same spirit, work must begin on restoring the family to its original purpose and beauty defined by Catholic teaching and the example of saintly families throughout her history such as St. Therese’s family.

From the beginning of time, God commissioned the indissoluble bond of man and wife to go forth and fill the world with offspring. But in contrast today, through the influence of Satan the very opposite is taking place.

Families are falling apart through divorce. Unnatural unions are being forced on society through the courts and children are an endangered species due to sterilization, contraception, abortion and now legalized Sodomy, which Pope Francis called, “ a machination of the Father of lies.”

The gay lobby under the tutelage of Satan has been gaining more and more momentum and the tyranny of the gay activist movement seems to be unfortunately winning round after round. Many nations have now enshrined this anti-biblical, anti-Christian law of Legalizing Sodomy as marriage. And today there are gathering more and more forces of intolerance and hatred towards traditional believers. For example, just recently, the CEO of Mozilla Firefox who exercised his first amendment right supporting his belief in Traditional Marriage and the natural family was just fired from his job. [Homofascism – “a way of organizing

The Road to Emmaus, Sem 1 - 2014

This is where the restoration must begin: All the pieces in the marriage or the family whether broken or whole must be put together in one cohesive and integral unit. Each individual member has a God-given place, and the invisible glue that keeps them together is prayer said in common; especially the Rosary. The family that prays together stays together. If it is important for the social life of a family to come together for common meals not just occasionally but daily; then it is of equal importance for the spiritual life of a family to come together for the daily family rosary.

Evidence demonstrates that without it a family is not likely to withstand the all-pervasive onslaughts of the devil. In the book of Tobit chapter 8 we’re told, When the door was shut and they were alone, Tobias got up from the bed and said, “Wife get up, let us pray that the Lord may have mercy upon us”. Prayer was his answer so as to protect his marriage from the evil one.

Remember the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy who confessed to over thirty murders. Well back in 1978, he killed two young women in a college sorority house before searching for other victims. He entered the room of his next victim who found him standing over her with a baseball bat.

When she opened her hands, Bundy looked at the Rosary beads in them and some unexplainable force made him stop, drop his weapon and flee. This particular girl had promised her grandmother that she would pray the rosary every night in college for protection and Bundy confessed that he had every intention of murdering her but he stated that some mysterious power had prevented him.

Yes brothers and sisters, the Rosary protects the family unit and makes the demons impotent in their attacks against it.

It cleanses the home of sin and adorns it with grace, uniting the family members in peace and harmony . One morning, St. Joseph Cafosso whilst walking the streets of Turin met a

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poor old hunchbacked woman who recited the Rosary as she walked. “Why in such a hurry, good lady?” asked the saint. “O father, I pass to clean the streets “ “To clean the streets what do you mean?” Well last night there was the carnival and the people committed many sins and now I am saying rosaries to cleanse this place of sin”.

Every time the family prays the Rosary together, they contemplate the face of Jesus Christ, the Truth in union with Mary, contemplating the Truth about Marriage and the Family and obtaining by means of the Rosary the grace to live it and avoid the errors, the grave evils that threaten it for their sanctification and salvation.

The Angel Guardian at Death (from Saint Michael and The Angels - ISBN: 9780895551962 Publisher: Saint Benedict Press, LLC) God having entrusted the care of our souls to our Guardian Angels, these Heavenly friends are animated with the sincere desire of procuring us a happy death. There is no means they do not employ to encourage us and to prepare us for it; especially do they urge us to lead good lives. When they see that the moment of death is approaching, they redouble their care and attention. They awaken the vigilance of those who surround us. Our Lord allowed St. Philip Neri several times to see Angels suggesting to those who were around the sick the words they should address to them. In fine they spare nothing that we may depart this life only after having "washed our robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

"We read in the lives of many Saints that their holy Guardian Angels were visibly present at their last hour, comforting them in their final struggle, strengthening them against the redoubled attacks of Hell, announcing to them the hour of their death and giving them the assurance that they would be heirs of the kingdom of Heaven.

Not a few of the Saints at their death were seen being carried by exultant Angels into Paradise. Frequently, too, the holy Guardian Angels have procured for their protégés the grace of a happy death by calling a priest to administer the last Sacraments.

They also inspire the sick with good sentiments and their ministrations continue even after death. "One of the most beautiful and consoling features of the Church's teaching concerning the Guardian Angels is the fact that the mission of the holy Angels does not terminate with the earthly life of their charges, but only upon the entrance into Paradise of those souls committed to their care." "Assist him, ye

The Road to Emmaus, Sem 1 - 2014

By means of the family Rosary, we can restore the family to its original purpose and beauty, thus restoring the Church, the family of God, which is made up of many Christian families to its original purpose and beauty and thus restore society as a whole through healthy natural families to its original purpose and beauty. The evil one may seem to be winning round after round but the sucker punch that will eventually defeat him is that of the Holy Rosary.

Fr. Ronan Murphy is an Irish priest, based in the diocese of Camden, New Jersey. He spent a year sabbatical in Australia, and the Editor was very impressed by him and asked him if he could contribute to our coming issue of RtE. We’re very thankful he did.

Saints of God," the Church prays as the soul is separated from the body, "come forth to meet him, ye Angels of the lord, receive his soul and present it in the sight of the Most High." Surely the Guardian Angel must then play an important role. Accompanied therefore, by still other Angelic spirits, the Angel Guardian bears up to God the soul of the just at its departure from this life, while he sings: Meanwhile, however, during its shorter or longer sojourn in Purgatory, the Guardian Angel will often visit the soul to bring it relief and comfort. In the writings of the Holy Fathers, it is revealed that the Angels descend to the altars of earth, and drawing the Precious Blood of Jesus from the golden chalices during the thousands of holy Masses daily celebrated, they shower it like a beneficent dew upon the flames of Purgatory. "What untold happiness," exclaims Father Walz, "this daily offering of the Precious Blood through the Angels is capable of producing in Purgatory. The suffering souls whom we have made blessed spirits in this manner, truly become 'priests' in Heaven, and 'reign on earth' according to the words of the Apocalypse, by ministering to our needs through their intercession at the Throne of God." When at last the soul is freed from every stain and debt of sin, at "Mary's bidding, the Queen of Angels and of Saints, the Guardian Angel will fly with it to the celestial Jerusalem, escorted as the Church so beautifully sings, by the jubilant company of the Martyrs and the choirs of Angels, all exulting with him, for the crown is won," the Precious Blood has finally triumphed. Happy and blessed shall we be, if by our devotion to and love of our Heavenly companion, we deserve to be particularly assisted by him at our last hour. May he offer for us then to the God of mercy, the Divine Blood, our ransom and our passport to Heaven's eternal joys.

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Film Review – Life of Pi

By Moses Goodrick There are numerous moments throughout Ang Lee’s ‘Life of Pi’ which strike us with sheer awe and wonder, as we become engrossed in each moment’s magnificence.

Cast Suraj Sharma as Pi Tabu as Gita Gerard Depardieu as Cook Rafe Spall as Writer Directed by Ang Lee Written by David Magee Based on the novel by Yann Martel 127 minutes

But first of all, we must ask - what is ‘Life of Pi’ about? Well, it is about just that: life - in all its sorrows and joys; hardships and triumphs. It tells of the tale of Piscine Molotor Patel, or simply ‘Pi’, and the adventure he embarks on.

The movie’s opening scenes shows us Pi’s childhood in French Pondicherry, India; his growth into adolescence (along with the romantic experiences he has with the girl of his youth). But for most of the film, we see Pi and his 227 days experience of being stranded alone on a boat with a Bengal tiger in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

At the very heart of the film, however, is Pi’s continual search for a deeper meaning to his life (if there is any, at all, to be found). Throughout his childhood, we see Pi’s initial encounters with numerous faiths. We see his upbringing in Hinduism – his fascination and admiration for Haruman, the monkey god, who in the Hindu epics lifted a mountain in order to save his friends; Ganesha, the elephant god, who risked his life in order to defend the honour of his mother; and Krishna, in whose mouth contains the entire universe.

When other boys were reading comic books about superheroes, Pi was reading comic books of Krishna.

Pi also shares his encounters with Christianity and Islam.

When Pi, as a young boy, goes off to visit relatives who live in the vast mountains of Munnar, his brother – out of boredom - dares him to run into one of the church’s they see and drink the holy water (!). However, when he gets into the church and sees a stained glass windows portraying the passion narrative of Christ, Pi becomes filled with various questions - his first being, ‘Why would a God do that? Why would he send his own son to suffer for the sins of ordinary people?’ Despite the priest there giving him an answer, Pi professes to the audience how it still made no sense to him. And yet, he is continually intrigued by this ‘Son of God’ and continues to ask questions, eventually being baptised.

teach us more about what is out there, but not what is in here.’

And all this takes place in the first half hour. We have yet to talk about the actual journey he encounters in the Pacific Ocean! I don’t want to spoil too much (I think I probably already have), but I just want to say a few things. For instance, Pi shares the boat with a maneating, ferocious tiger named ‘Richard Parker’ who will tear Pi to shreds whenever it can get the chance. And yet, we are shown a scenario in which Pi is given the perfect opportunity to rid himself of the tiger and eliminate a lifethreatening danger. And yet, Pi decides to do the exact opposite and saves the tiger. Why? I won’t reveal. But his reason is rather provoking.

But it is the shots and visuals of ‘Life of Pi’ that really show how much of a landmark of a film this is. One of such many brilliant shots is that of Pi in his boat at night, being surrounded by an ocean illuminated with the glowing lights of the life-forms that inhabit it. And another shot taken from a distance, also at night, shows us an ocean which perfectly reflects the starry black sky above it, giving us the impression that the boat is completely surrounded by night sky – floating, as it were, in the heavens. I get the feeling that what I’ve just described perhaps make little sense when read as words on paper. You have to see it for yourself to understand what I mean.

Talking more about visuals, Ang Lee throughout the film likes to use a broad palette of colours. In the opening credits we see the bright colours of all the exotic animals that live in Pi’s zoo (did I mention Pi’s family owns a zoo?).

And we are shown the dark and grim colours that fill in the atmosphere when despair starts to grip its claws into Pi. In essence, the movie is about the impermanence of life’s various stages and phases – how parts of our lives come and go all too quickly. And yet, despite the ephemerality of such stages, its impact on us is enormous. Man, and I still haven’t seen this movie in 3D.

Yet, Pi’s search for the profundities of life does not go unchallenged. Pi’s father, who sees ‘religion as darkness’, argues to Pi at the dinner table how science has helped humans learn more about the universe in less than a hundred years, than religion has in ten thousand. And yet, his mother’s response continues to strike Pi at the very core – she places her hand on her heart and says, ‘science can

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When the going gets tough, the tough get trudging!

During the mid-semester break, a group of UCS members and honorary members participated in an overnight hike to Jarrahdale State Forest in search of an enlightenment best attained upon the small plateau of Mount Vincent following a brutally painful and astoundingly rapid ascent without the luxury of long pants to protect the shins from razor-sharp shrubbery. The Trudge, led on occasion by the one-andonly Franky, but undoubtedly organised by the UCS’s very own J.S. Devitt, at times was fairly strenuous and emotionally exhausting but undeniably amusing and worthwhile. I urge anyone affiliated in anyway with the UCS to attend the upcoming midyear camp that will likely be less arduous and probably just as much fun.

Joseph Devitt, Santana Royan, Lewis Teixeira, Rachel Tuson, Alex ‘Franky’ Francois, Giuseppe Di Giovanni and myself commenced our journey with a two-vehicle-convoy down the Kwinana Freeway to a scenic truck stop off the Albany Highway - where the cars remained for the duration of the trip. The harsh reality of the situation dawned on me the moment I wrenched my hiking bag from the car and lifted it onto my back; the straps gradually grinding welts into my shoulder blades and the weight slowly but surely crippling my spinal chord and destroying my posture for life. Feeling relatively optimistic but also a little apprehensive, we locked the cars and set off into the shrub lands; compass in hand, yet completely disoriented.

As per usual, the first few hours of walking are considerably jovial and relatively productive. Humour and banter are plentiful and morale is generally very high. Snacks and meals are of the finest and freshest quality (canned/packaged rubbish is generally consumed on the final day) and breaks are short and efficient. Our initial snack-break was textbook (short and sweet) and provided us with ample nourishment to climb our first slope of the day. The climb was not particularly laborious or mentally challenging (see Mount Vincent ascent/descent – Franky, 1 why didn’t you bring a pair of long pants? ) however it was

Franky claims Joe advised him NOT to bring a pair of long pants as they wouldn’t necessarily be useful – Joe however denies this.

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a little disorientating. After a moment of deliberation, we were able to agree that we were in fact looking at a beautiful panorama of Jarrahdale State Forest with Mount 2 Cuthbert , Mount Vincent and Mount Cooke in the foreground. We then descended once again into the Valley of Randall and climbed the mountain with arguably the most impressive view of the Darling Scarp; Mount Cuthbert.

This second ascent was slightly more strenuous, but again, not very emotionally damaging. The view from the summit of Mount Cuthbert is spectacular, one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. In my opinion, morale at this point was at an all time high as people found the climb fairly rewarding and enjoyed resting whilst admiring the view. We spent approximately 45 minutes eating lunch and looking down from the great mountain before hurrying on. We had a limited amount of daylight remaining and we still had to descend Mount Cuthbert, climb and descend Mount Vincent and trudge an unknown amount of kilometres along the Bibbulmun Track to the group campsite where we would spend the night.

The ascent of Mount Vincent was irrefutably the most painful segment of the hike. The psychological explanation for this is; from the base of Mount Vincent, the sun had set bellow the summit thereby over emphasising the fact that night was approaching. Joe suggested we trudge straight up as fast as possible, from the path at the base of the mountain to the plateau towards the summit. There was a noticeable sense of urgency and everyone was moving probably as fast as they could. The shrubbery on the side of the mountain tore the flesh from exposed shins, and we sported a number of bloody scratches upon reaching the top. We stood overwhelmed and traumatised in a tiny clearing surrounded on every side by thick, sharp and tall shrubbery. Morale at this point had fallen to its lowest

Joe continuously referred to “Cuthbert” as “Cufberg” despite my numerous attempts at correcting him. [Ed – Joe also denies this] 2

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point since having started the hike. We felt sort of trapped in the clearing and most of us weren’t too keen to bushbash downwards again because of aforementioned wounds on legs. Fortunately, we managed to scale down the other side but not without enduring another 30 minutes of shinscathing metal-shrubbery.

By the time we had descended Mount Vincent and found the Bibbulmun Track, it was twilight. I think at this point, everyone realised that we would most likely be walking in darkness for a while before finding the shelter. This did not really concern people too much because we were mainly glad to be walking on the path, not having our legs continuously stabbed by the treacherous nettle bush. We half ascended a mountain we thought was Mt Cooke, and then, assuming the shelter would be at the base, decided to leave our bags and climb to the top so we wouldn’t have to do it the next day. Admittedly, the climb was a little shambolic, as we were still 2 hours away from the actual Mt Cooke and had instead climbed some other unnamed mountain. This really did concern people a small amount, but we kept on trudging along and we reached our destination at 9:45pm, before backtracking the most harrowing and exhausting 500m of the trip to the unoccupied group camping spot.

The trip was honestly an excellent experience and an adventure that I’ll never forget. I enjoyed mentally and physically challenging myself in the company of admirable people and will definitely participate in the next hike, that is, assuming I’m able to overcome my posttraumatic razor3 shrubbery induced reluctance .

On a more serious note, I’d like to finish with an excellent quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” It can be very difficult to consistently do and stand up for what is right. We pray that in the face of adversity, we are able to summon the same strength and resilience utilised to overcome the difficulties of our hiking trip, to propel us forwards and continue ensuring we do what’s right.

Emanuele Graziani

Please reflect on the article with a discerning heart because exaggeration was used extensively in a feeble attempt to create comical value.

President’s Piece I tell ya, nothing like being President and Editor. Preditor, as I think I may be fondly called from time to time, by girls I stalk on the Oak Lawn. I wonder how they even know my respective titles?

Anyway, I’ve limited myself to a half-column so I don’t get tempted to drivel on too much/Eman took his event wrap-up a bit too seriously and smashed out a heap of words which cut into, and I spose are still cutting into, my airtime.

The Society is doing well. There was some uncertainty in regards to our Chaplaincy situation, but it looks like Fr. Armando will be with us for some time to come yet – which we are very thankful for as he is an absolute trooper. Tuesday mass (the heart of UCS) beats at about 10-15 people each week, which is up on last semester. There are a number of new freshers that are getting involved (although a number of these are post-grad/exchange students (but nevertheless fresh at UWA)). Continued and renewed involvement from previous freshmen and women has been, well, refreshing. Mmm… Money’s (Teddy’s) going steady (in the summer of ’75). I need to take this more seriously. Give me direction, Editor! Alright, no more T. Rex or Billy Joel. Where were we? Finances. All g.

Everything is all g (all g = all good). I mean, bears and bulls and titillations – but in the end, I think the line is trending upwards for the UCS. UCS must facilitate friendship. The key is that there is a common goal, a binding good – our Catholic faith, growing in holiness, and helping souls get home to Heaven.

I’ll be leaving at the end of this Semester. The UCS will continue to grow after I have left. It must continue to grow. The campus needs a witness to the Truth. We are called to be a light to our fellow students. There is so much desperation and sadness; it was just at the start of this year that suicide overtook road accidents as the leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. We cannot look at this slaughterhouse of the dignity and honest desires for truth, beauty and goodness of our fellow students and do nothing about it. We have to continue to meet together, to grow in our Catholic faith together - to be disciples on the Road to Emmaus, who, on recognising Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, together get up immediately and run to tell the world about the Risen Lord and His promise of eternal life.

Thank you to Santana, Alex and all the exco and other committee members, but most importantly to Eman and Rach, my shadow lieutenants and sweet and noble friends.

We are children of the revolution. But we’re catching on, and we’re not happy with the new order of things. Become friends, grow strong, and repair what is broken. Worse comes to worst; we’ll get along. Suffering is unavoidable. But desperation and sadness are not. Not with Christ, who hides and shelters us.

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Christ. So shall I never, never part from Thee!

J.S.Devitt

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Mass is at 12pm on Tuesday and Thursday in the Chapel. Rosary is 12:30pm on Wednesdays. Please feel 0 free to come along and join us if you’re around (See map on right).

Letters to the Editor The Road to Emmaus (RtE) encourages letters to the Editor. One day it hopes that it might get so many that it will have to discourage letters to the Editor. To date the Editor has only received one letter, and that was from the next Editor. Please write a letter to the Editor asking for further clarification and/or expounding on this otherwise amusing exchange of letters between editors. ucs-committee@guild.uwa.edu.au

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(UWA Catholic Society)

“I thought RtE is generally printed and distributed in Week 10 of the semester, Editor?” they said.

“Go see the world” they said. “We’ll have everything ready to submit by Week 10” they said.

Ah well, we got there in the end. Nothing like the smell of Week 13 in the morning. I may feign bitterness, but being Editor of this bad boy has given me an outlet that hot baths on Sunday just couldn’t match. It’s been a real pleasure and privilege – it’s not every day that you get to beg for submissions. When they do come though, I’m sure you’ll agree – v.excellent in quality. Thank you to all contributors; especially for the letters to the Editor.

Unfortunately RtE is not bringing in the profits that we envisaged (I blame our one American reader who waits for the free online soft copy (I’m onto you)), so the President’s decided to move me on to bigger and better things.

I commend to you the next RtE Editor, Rachel Tuson. She is a gun. RtE will prosper! I finish then with the mandate of RtE: To be a platform for the UCS and friends to express themselves. To be a witness to truth, beauty and goodness.

To be a promoter of Catholic identity, teaching and practice. And of course, to have a heap of fun. Pax and Thanks!

Your Editor, Joseph Devitt (Please note, the views expressed in articles are those of individuals, and not of the UCS as a whole)

“From quiet homes and first beginning, Out to the undiscovered ends, There's nothing worth the wear of winning, But laughter and the love of friends.”

Hilaire Belloc

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Pope Saint Pius X (2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914), born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was Pope from 4 August 1903 to his death in 1914. He was canonized in 1954. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox theology. His most important reform was to publish the first Code of Canon Law, which collected the laws of the Church into one volume for the first time. He was also considered a pastoral pope, in the sense of encouraging personal holiness, piety and a daily lifestyle reflecting deep Christian values.

“In our time more than ever before, the chief strength of the wicked, lies in the cowardice and weakness of good men. All the strength of Satan's reign is due to the easy-going weakness of Catholics. Oh! If I might ask the Divine Redeemer, as the prophet Zachary did in spirit: What are those wounds in the midst of Thy hands? the answer would not be doubtful: With these was I wounded in the house of them that loved Me. I was wounded by My friends, who did nothing to defend Me, and who, on every occasion, made themselves the accomplices of My adversaries.

And this reproach can be leveled at the weak and timid Catholics of all countries.” - Discourse at the Beatification of St. Joan of Arc, Dec. 13, 1908 “Let the storm rage and the sky darken - not for that shall we be dismayed. If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognize in her, the Virgin Most Powerful, who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent.”

Saint Joan of Arc (1412 – 30 May 1431), nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" is considered a heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born to a peasant family at Domrémy in north-east France. Joan said she received visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination late in the Hundred Years' War. The uncrowned King Charles VII sent Joan to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission. She gained prominence after the siege was lifted in only nine days. Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII's coronation at Reims. On 23 May 1430, she was captured at Compiègne by the English-allied Burgundian faction, was later handed over to the English, and then put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais, Pierre Cauchon on a variety of charges, was convicted on 30 May 1431 and burned at the stake when she was about 19 years old. Twenty-five years after her execution, an inquisitorial court authorized by Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a martyr. Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920.

“Children say that people are hung sometimes for speaking the truth.”

“I do not fear the soldiers, for my road is made open to me; and if the soldiers come, I have God, my Lord, who will know how to clear the route that leads to messire the Dauphin. It was for this that I was born!”

“About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they're just one thing, and we shouldn't complicate the matter."

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