August 2007 - - the Archdiocese of Adelaide

Twist in the Tale
V O L U ME
1 1
AU G U ST
2 0 0 7
A Message from the Team
We are pleased that
Belinda has returned to
the
Team
after
maternity leave. It is
great to have her back
with us. Julie has made
the difficult decision to
leave her part time
position as Pastoral
Associate in the Hallett
Cove Parish, and will
now be working solely
in our Team which
makes life easier for
her. All of the team are
studying this year in an
effort to remain in touch
with latest theology and
developments.
We
have enjoyed our time
in parishes over the last
couple of months. We
have been involved in
workshops
with
Plympton, Salisbury
and Seaford/ Noarlunga
Parishes. We were also
invited to a Retreat
Day at Willunga by the
Glenelg Coordinating
Committee. This was
especially nourishing
with Fr Tom Gleeson
connecting
the
contemplative with the
world today. (see page
4)
The Workshop on
Sacraments of Initiation
that was jointly held
with the Office for
Family
Based
Catechesis and our
office
wa s
very
successful
and
hopefully this journey
will continue. Since the
Gathering in February,
we have continued with
our Review throughout
this year and would like
to gather with you to
spend some social time
as an end of year
celebration and to
share how we have
wo rked
with
our
discoveries. We will
have more news on this
later.
Jill, Margaret, Julie and
Belinda
“Partnerships and Context”
Partnerships and Context was the title of a
Workshop in which the Neighbourhood
Church Team was recently involved with
Patricia Brady from the Office for Family
Based Catechesis. ‘Partnerships and
Contexts’ also well describes the way we
have aimed to work this year, especially as
we have continued to conduct our Review.
We have aimed to connect with our Parish
Neighbourhood Church Workers, our
reference group and with other teams within
our Diocesan Pastoral Resource Team,
such as the Multicultural, Spirituality and
Formation Teams. So far we have
concentrated on three areas following our
Gathering in February. Prior to the end of
the year we also hope to connect with the
Diocesan Pastoral Council
snappier DVD that can be used more as a
marketing tool.
We have widened our distribution for Twist
with the last edition going out to all parishes
and Parish Pastoral Councils. The current
edition will be communicated through the
Website CESA (Catholic Education South
Australia) Online. http://
online.cesanet.adl.catholic.edu.au/
docushare/dsweb/HomePage
Following the Gathering held in February
we have continued to work on strategies to
move forward and have concentrated on
marketing and communication, youth and
connecting school–parish life. We have yet
to look more fully at leadership, which from a
Neighbourhood Church perspective we have
encouraged, and from a wider perspective is
a key area on which the whole Archdiocese
is focussing.
Youth
We have aimed to provide Neighbourhood
Pastoral Teams with information on World
Youth Day and have prepared a flyer with
ideas on how we can celebrate World Youth
Day in the neighbourhoods. This can be used
within teams . We encourage you to distribute
any information provided and to point out the
website
http://ww.adelaide.catholic.org.au/sites/
AdelaideYouthMinistry/
what-is-wyd. This can then
be given to your neighbours
on your visits so that
parents, grandparents
aunties and uncles may
pass it on to their younger
family members.
Marketing and Communication
Margaret has continued to develop the
website and you will now find our program
for the month on the site. We have had
several enquiries from
interstate for resources
because they are more
visible on the web.
Look out for future
developments on the
website. Last year we
produced a DVD that
highlights various ways
to integrate neighbourhood church with
parish life and Julie will be working with a
team to see how we can develop a shorter,
School Parish Partnerships
We have many hopes of building on some of
the existing initiatives within school–parish
partnerships. Paul De Tullio who is on our
reference group, has shared with us some of
his ideas on this and we hope to develop
these further. As mentioned earlier, we are
currently working with Patricia Brady and our
part of this partnership is to encourage
ongoing relationships within the Sacrament
Programs currently happening within schools
and parishes. Belinda Burford from our Team
is working on school parish partnership and
the neighbourhood connections as her major
work and will be developing resources to help
with this.
PAGE
2
TALES
OUR
WORLD
Peru, a place of contrasts……..
If a brother
If a brother
or sister is
or sister is
naked and
naked and
hungry and
hungry and
you say “Go
you say “Go
in peace; keep
in peace; keep
warm and eat
warm and eat
your fill,”
your fill,”
and you do
and you do
not supply
not supply
their bodily
their bodily
needs, what
needs, what
good is that?
good is that?
Faith apart
Faith apart
from works is
from works is
barren.
barren.
Soaring mountains, harsh desert, verdant jungle.
Incredible ancient stonework, with colonial churches
built on top. Garden suburbs only for the rich; steep,
rock strewn hillsides for the poor… Smiling, happy,
industrious people...
In May of this year, my husband Zyg and
In
May of
this year,
husband
Zyg and
I were
fortunate
to my
travel
in Peru.
We
Ispent
were4fortunate
days in Lima
to travel
trying
in to
Peru.
catchWe
up
spent
days in Lima
trying whom
to catch
up
with Sr4 Geraldine
Stringer,
many
with
Srwill
Geraldine
Stringer,
whom
of you
know from
Adelaide.
Shemany
was
of
you in
willBolivia,
know from
away
but Adelaide.
we went She
withwas
Sr
away
in Maguire
Bolivia, tobut
wentGeraldine
with Sr
Frances
seewe
where
lives andMaguire
Frances
meet some
to seeofwhere
the people
Geraldine
she
lives
meet
some
the people
worksand
with,
visit
the ofmission
and she
the
works
with, visit
the poor
mission
and who
the
neighbourhood
where
people
can’t make a living
neighbourhood
where inpoor
the people
countrywho
or
can’t
makecome
a living
in the
or
mountains
to buy
the country
only land
mountains
come on
to steep
buy the
only
they can afford,
rocky
hillsland
on
they
can afford,
on steep
the outskirts
of Lima.
rocky hills on
the outskirts of Lima.
We briefly experienced the jungle and
We
experienced
the jungle
met briefly
beautiful
local people
who and
are
met
beautiful local
passionate
aboutpeople
protecting their
who
are passionate
about
precious
environment,
then acclimatised
protecting
their precious
to the altitude
in Cuzco before
e
n v i r o n mour
e n tphysical
,
t h elimits
n
challenging
by trekking
acclimatised
the Inca Trail to the altitude
in
Cuzco
before
challenging our physical
limits by trekking the Inca
Trail
James 2:14-18
James 2:14-18
The joy and
hope, the
grief and
anxiety
of the people
of this age,
especially
those who
are poor or
afflicted:
This is the
joy
and hope,
the grief and
anxiety
of the
followers
of Christ.
OF
Crayon pictu re whic h h angs on t he w all in Sr G er aldine’s office - ‘Bey ond the W all’ - by an artis t who is a priso ner.
Sr F ranc es M agui re & st aff o f th e ‘M ary de la C ruz MacKillop’ missio n in Lima.
Furt her info rma tion on t he wo rk o f the Ma ry d e la C ruz MacKillop missio n of the Aus trali an Siste rs of St Jose ph in Lim a is av ailable fro m t he Aust ralia n Peru vian Ass ociatio n an d se e also the websit e fo r th eir Ethic a Access ories w om en’s c raft proj ects a t htt p://www. ethica .com .au
Crayon picture which hangs on the wall in
Sr Geraldine’s office - ‘Beyond the Wall’ - by
an artist who is a prisoner.
Sr Frances Maguire & staff of the
‘Mary de la Cruz MacKillop’ mission in
Lima.
Further information on the work of the
Mary de la Cruz MacKillop mission of the
Australian Sisters of St Joseph in Lima is
available from the Australian Peruvian
Association and see also the website for
their Ethica Accessories women’s craft
projects at http://www.ethica.com.au

Women, typically dressed and loaded in Copacabana, Peru.
Cheery porters on the Inca Trail
One of the many highlights for
us was travelling by launch for
two and a half hours on Lake
Titicaca (4,000 metres above
sea level - a lake the size of
Kangaroo Island) to the island
of Taquile, where we stayed in
the home of the family of the
gentleman on the right. His hat and cumerband (into
which his fiancee has woven
the black lines from her own
hair) show that he is engaged.
When they marry, the council
of elders will allocate them a
block of land and the
community will build them a
house.
TWIST
IN
THE
TALE
There is no crime and There
no police
is no
presence
crime on
andTaquile;
no police
the
community are inter-dependent.
presence Each
on Taquile;
has theirtheown
community
skills to
contribute; 4traditionally, the
aremen
inter-dependent.
do the knitting and
Eachthe
has
women
their
do the weaving. Whole families
own skills
work
to contribute;
the gardentraditionally,
terraces, using
the
only hand tools. The men
stapledodiet
the knitting
consistsand
mostly
the women
of bread,
do
vegetables and kinwa (athe
grain),
weaving.
with fish
Whole
a couple
familiesof work
timesthe
a
week and guinea pig or other
garden
meat
terraces,
rarely. using only hand tools.
The staple diet consists mostly of
The home-stay project brings
bread, much
vegetables
needed
and extra
kinwaincome
(a grain),
to
Taquile for things such aswith
fuelfish
for their
a couple
boats.
of times
And the
a week
beautiful,
and
hospitable people in turnguinea
enriched
pig or
usother
by the
meat
example
rarely. of their
simple, non consumerist lifestyle, their communal philosophy and
their warm friendliness. The home-stay project brings much
needed extra income to Julie
Taquile
Staszyc
for
things such as fuel for their boats. And
the beautiful, hospitable people in turn
enriched us by the example of their simple, non consumerist
lifestyle, their communal philosophy and their warm friendliness.
Julie Staszyc
PAGE
GOD’S
3
An Irish Blessing
Sacraments of Initiation
May the blessing of light
be upon you.
Light on the outside,
light on the inside.
Context and Partnerships
With God's sunlight
Shining on you,
may your heart glow with
warmth like a turf fire
that welcomes friends and
strangers alike.
At the Sacrament Workshop participants identified What is Desirable in a
Sacrament Program. This is a selection of their responses
•
Neighbourhood church involvement
•
Invitation to ministry and Mission and Getting Involved
•
Exploring Hospitality and table Fellowship at Eucharist
•
Prayer Partners
•
Ways of involving State School children
•
Importance of a welcoming community being involved in the process
May the light of the Lord
shine
from your eyes
like a candle in the
window
welcoming the weary
traveller.
May the blessing of God's
soft rain be on you,
falling gently on your head
refreshing your soul
with the sweetness of
little flowers newly
blooming.
May the strength of the
winds
of heaven bless you,
carrying the rain to wash
your spirit clean,
sparkling after in the
sunlight.
May the blessing of God's
earth be on you.
And as you walk the roads,
may you always have a
kind word for those you
meet.
STORY
Six parishes presented to those gathered aspects of their Sacrament Programmes-.
Here are some brief excerpts.
Celebrating Sacraments
The Southern Cluster Approach
Strengths and Challenges
Beginning with people’s desire, needs, dreamings
Small Groups
A Companion
Relationship
Ongoing Relationship
Part of a whole Sacrament life
Range of needs– older children
Parishioner commitment
taken from presentation by Sharon Doyle)
Flinders Park / Hindmarsh
Community Parish
Parish Sacramental Program
Parent Responses
“The sacramental program has been a re-entry into the
Parish”
“Look forward to the home group gatherings”
“Helped my family put life experiences into the context
of the sacraments”
“It was a bonding time with my children”
May you understand
the strength and power
of God in a thunderstorm
in winter
and the quiet beauty of
creation
in the calm of a summer
sunset.
And may you come to
realize,
that, insignificant as you
may seem
in this great universe,
you are an important part
of God's plan.
May God watch over you
and keep you safe from
harm.
Written by Phil Coulter
© Roma Downey (‘Healing Angel’)
(taken from presentation by Carmen Balales)
Salisbury parish
Knowledge is important
Understanding is important
But
Fostering a sense of belonging is
Vital
And to do this we need to involve the
whole community
(taken from presentation by Fran Renshaw)
TWIST
IN
THE
TALE
TALES
OF
HOPE
Signs of Hope
Fleurieu Formation
Elizabeth
and
Salisbury put it all
together
at their
recent
gathering
entitled ‘What Else Is
There To Discover?’
They got to the heart of
the matter after much
discussion around what
are
the
important
a s p e c t s
o f
Neighbourhood
Church?
Willunga/Aldinga/Normanville and Noarlunga/
Seaford parishes’ Neighbourhood Church teams
had a formation day at beautiful Willunga on
Tuesday 14th August. After a shared lunch, we
shared ‘Our Story’. Snippets from their good
news include:
“ One thing I like about visiting is the change that
happens when I visit people I see at church.
Before I visit, they might just wave; after I visit,
it’s lovely, they smile and chat.”
“At Normanville we have 5CY - a multidenominational group who have purchased 3 cars
and have lots of people on roster to deliver
community care so everyone in our community is
connected and cared for. When our new parish
centre opened, anonymous donors, some from
other denominations, gave furniture, crockery,
cutlery etc., for the centre. We are preparing for
our sesquicentenary on January 26th 2008.”
We brainstormed elements of Neighbourhood
Church: Comfort - they know someone cares
Community - they know they can phone us
Communication - they ‘open up’ when they know us
Nourishment from the Gospel,
Invitation, Outreach, Mission, Persistence,
Conversation, Sense of Humour,
Face to Face, Gift from God.
Their innovative jigsaw
created lots of interest
and fun as they shared
their stories in groups.
Glenelg BEC Retreat Day
A day with Fr Tom Gleeson and the
Glenelg Neighbourhood Pastoral Teams
at the Spirituality Centre at Willunga was
just what Julie and I needed to centre us
and to refresh us in the knowledge of the
essential nature of this neighbourhood
work. As Fr Tom said in quoting Karl
Rahner “If Christians don’t reclaim mystical roots, we will be
more part of the problem of society.” He also encouraged
the Teams saying “our presence is the greatest gift, if you
are present you are the Word” and he continued to say how
well Glenelg is the Word to the people they visit. Freda
Dingwell said that in talking to people, they have noted that
much has stayed with them from this day. She also said
that Mary McKillop’s story was
so present in the old school
house where we gathered
(and Mary taught), melding
with the story of Glenelg. The
Mass in the beautiful Church
was also a wonderful way to
conclude the day.
Plympton Winter Warming
Maryke Spurling-Janes prepared a great formation day for Plympton’s Neighbourhood Teams on Sunday 22nd
July, commencing with hot soup and ‘Getting-to-know-you Bingo’.
At the end of a productive and formative day, everyone was introduced to ‘Treasures of Plympton
Parish’ when they each received a gift of a mirror!
Unfortunately our camera malfunctioned and we don’t have any photos to share.
Parish Neighbourhood Church Office,
39 Wakefield Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Tel: (08) 8210 8139 Fax: (08) 8223 3880
Email: becs@adelaide.catholic.org.au
Website: http://www.adelaide.catholic.org.au/
Follow the link: More agencies and services then BECs (Parish Neighbourhood Church)
Parish Neighbourhood
Church