The Swag Autumn 2009 PDF

Transcription

the swag
Quarterly magazine of the National Council of Priests of Australia – theswag.org.au – Vol. 17 No. 1 – Autumn 2009
• Bushfire Chaplain: “States, be prepared” p11
• Coping with Prostate Cancer p14
• Life & Ministry of a Priest today p16
NCP Contacts
Chairman
Ian McGinnity
PO Box 267,
Quakers Hill NSW 2763
Ph: (02) 9626 3326
Fax:(02) 9626 1613
chairman@ncp.catholic.org.au
Secretary
Eugene McKinnon
PO Box 25,
Terang VIC 3264
Ph: (03) 5592 1195
Fax:(03) 5592 2308
secretary@ncp.catholic.org.au
Treasurer
Brian Mathews
PO Box 144,
Port Lincoln SA 5606
Ph: (08) 8682 3725
Fax:(08) 8682 5261
treasurer@ncp.catholic.org.au
Committee
Stephen Byrnes
30 Corton Street,
The Gap QLD 4061
Ph: (07) 3355 2667
Fax:(07) 3855 3455
committee1@ncp.catholic.org.au
Committee
William Burt SVD
PO Box 1614,
Preston South VIC 3072
Ph: (03) 9480 3398
Fax:(03) 9416 8390
committee2@ncp.catholic.org.au
The Swag is published quarterly by the National Council
of Priests of Australia, and is posted to ordained clergy in
Australia, NZ & Oceania, as well as houses of Australian
Religious Orders (Men & Women).
Views expressed in The Swag are not necessarily those
of the NCP Executive. Material may not be reproduced
without permission.
Executive Officer
Admin Officer
Sally Heath
Christine Moore
PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216
Ph: (03) 5244 3680 Fax: (03) 5244 4762
national.office@ncp.catholic.org.au
Skype: ncpnationaloffice
Technology/Design
Andrew Ballard
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Email: ab@rebusiness.com.au
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The Swag 2 Autumn 2009
All submissions and advertising to:
NCP National Office
PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216
Ph: (03) 5244 3680
Fax: (03) 5244 4762
Email: editor@theswag.org.au
From the NCP Chairman
This new version of The Swag continues the NCP committee’s
promotion of this journal as a communications link between
priests in Australia and beyond.
Many thanks to Rob Egar & Bob
Wilkinson for their guest editorship of
this edition, and to the National Office
team for the journal’s new format. It
builds on the untiring work of John
Jegorow over the past 10 years. We are
still searching for a permanent editor,
probably a priest.
Australia presents a changing face of
priesthood. There is, for example, the
growing number of priests born overseas
who bring vital new cultures to enrich the
Australian church.
We welcome articles from these priests
and all others to keep The Swag a true
voice of the priests.
The committee met on 11 March 2009
with the Bishops Commission for Church
Ministry.
Subjects we considered included:
• the acculturation of priests
• care for ageing clergy
• decline of Eucharist in rural areas
• pastoral planning
• care for overworked priests
• the demise of the Encompass program
• formal recognition of Towards Healing
and Integrity in Ministry
• ongoing liturgy translation issues
• an update on our 2010 convention
• affirming our bishops
Planning is well underway for the 2010
Convention - featuring Fr Donald
Cozzens, author of The Changing Face
of the Priesthood, Freeing Celibacy, Faith
That Dares to Speak and many other
reflections and Rev Dr Richard Lennan,
an internationally-regarded ecclesiologist
from the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle,
currently lecturing at Boston College.
Australia has matured into a broad
theological, spiritual and ethnic spectrum
among its priests. At this convention we
are looking forward to a dialogue across
this spectrum that goes well beyond our
own membership.
The 2009 NCP Membership Form goes
out to all priests in Australia at the
beginning of April. Current members will
receive the Bulletin for this year.
Our annual meeting of the NCP
committee was held in Belmont, 16-19
February 2009. A report of this meeting
will be included in the first Members’
Bulletin for 2009.
I write in the middle of the season of Lent
with Easter fast approaching. May the
Paschal Mystery revitalise us in our joint
mission to build up the Body of Christ
and to bring Jesus’ message of hope to
a world concerned about the future particularly in this time of unemployment
and economic crisis.
Ian McGinnity
NCP Convention, Parramatta
12-16th July 2010
Presenters: Fr Donald Cozzens & Rev Dr Richard Lennan
Index
NCP Contacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
From the NCP Chairman. . . . . . . . . . .
Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
3
4
5
NEWS
World News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Australian News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
FEATURES
Benedict XVI announces
special year for priests . . . . . . . . . 10
Bushfire Chaplain advises:
“States, be prepared” . . . . . . . . . . 11
Pastoral Planners Conference. . . . . . . 12
TEAMS World Conference . . . . . . . . . 13
Coping with Prostate Cancer. . . . 14-15
Life & Ministry of a Priest today. . 16-18
PEOPLE
Profile: Adrian Sharp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Jubilarians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21
Profile: Greg Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Profile: Michael Kelly SJ. . . . . . . . . . . 23
Returned to the Father. . . . . . . . . 25-27
REGULARS
Travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Deacons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31
Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32-33
Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
THE LIGHTER SIDE
In a nuts-hell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The Crossword / Sudoku. . . . . . . . . . 37
Apologia Pro Vita Mea. . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Cover image: Under the Southern Cross
Victorian Bushfires in full force – 14 Feb 2009
at Wilson’s Promontory.
©Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images
EDITORIAL
A future not our own
The oft quoted words of Archbishop
Oscar Romero of El Salvador are even
more relevant today than they were in
1980, the year of Oscar’s martyrdom:
“We are workers, not master builders,
ministers not messiahs. We are
prophets of a future not our own.”
Encouraging statistics of an increase
in vocations on a worldwide scale do
not alter the gloomy prospects of the
Australian scene.
A variety of approaches among our
dioceses to the looming Eucharistic
famine bespeaks a national church that is
facing ‘a future not our own.’
The rediscovery of many ministries that
flow from our baptismal calling is indeed
a welcome lamp as we stumble through
the twilight of an era that is ending. Is it
towards a roseate dawn as proclaimed by
optimistic seers?
Nothing to hide
There are obstacles that prevent our
facing the future as a united people.
Russell Shaw, formerly a communications
adviser to the American bishops, has
written a book Nothing to Hide. Its theme
is advertised as “secrecy, communication
and communion in the Catholic Church”.
Shaw believes that the church’s penchant
for secrecy in its dealings is “the very
worst scandal of our times”. He quotes
examples from parishes, religious orders,
dioceses and the Vatican. This addiction
to unnecessary secrecy (many matters,
of course, must be treated confidentially)
does allow the media at times to delight
in revealing the church’s skeletons in the
cupboard.
While Australia has had no national
scandal comparable to the Boston
archdiocesan failure to deal with
paedophiles, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson’s
book, Confronting Power and Sex in the
Catholic Church discloses our Achilles’
heel. Does this concentration on secrecy
distract us from seizing opportunities to
publicise positively our strengths?
World Youth Day
The 2008 World Youth Day in Sydney
brought to the fore a new breed of
Catholics who are far removed from the
generations of the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
They are hungry to explore the neglected
treasures of the church’s spirituality.
Anyone who mingled with the crowds in
July last year will know this.
As a national church, have we sought to
harvest this crop? These apostolic young
Catholics may not constitute a majority of
our youth, but they do exist. The popularity
of the lectures of the American theologian
Christopher West on The Theology of the
Body at WYD demonstrates that there is
a new generation of Catholics open to
the challenge of the Gospel teaching on
marriage and celibacy. It is from their ranks
that the vocations to the priesthood and
religious life will come. At a time when
the image of the priesthood is relayed so
poorly in the popular press, is it too fanciful
to imagine a positive concerted campaign
led by the Bishops over several months?
The drive could include brochures in every
school and parish, advertisements on TV
and on-line material. The confident united
voice of the Bishops Conference in leading
a beleaguered church to cast wide its net
only needs the political will to institute
such a strategy. The talents and material
to implement a campaign of this kind are
there if the call to evangelise is seen to be
our first priority.
Job description
One Australian diocese has a committee
preparing a ‘job description’ (see p 16)
for those who may be called to minister
as priests. All dioceses could benefit from
this endeavour. The oceans of goodwill
that exist among our people are of little
value if there is no compass. We face a
future not of our own making, but we
must face it squarely guided by the Spirit,
who may be at times the Discomforter.
St Mary’s South Brisbane
The media is having a field day in
highlighting the unfortunate dispute
between the diocesan authorities and Fr
Peter Kennedy, of the Parish of St Mary’s,
South Brisbane.
As is always the case with church affairs
that smack of the sensational, there
is no lack of armchair critics. These
onlookers are the equivalent of the
meagrely informed football fans who
have readymade solutions for every
disagreement among the participants in
that sport. The parishioners’ commitment
to social justice is admirable.
The hope of all Catholics is that the
community’s enthusiasm can be
combined with an appreciation of what is
entailed by a true sense of belonging to
the universal church.
Guest Editors:
Robert Egar
Bob Wilkinson
Letters to the Editor
Thinking outside the square...
Through The Swag may I exhort Bishops or
diocesan administrators to think outside the
square of their own dioceses.
Those responsible for the information in
The Official Directory are asked to think of
priests in far-away (or even near) places
who are seeking where to send information
back to baptismal records or where to direct
a person seeking marriage and a baptism
certificate to go with the papers.
The ladies at NCP office have told me they
can only print what each diocese sends
them and allows them to print. In the
meantime, I have found some copies of the
early 90’s directory and these will, hopefully
help me in the future.
Bernie Thomas, Kooringal NSW.
Why watch Star Wars...?
In recent years, many parishes have been
amalgamated and the diocese has decided
to remove the name from The Directory –
but where are the baptismal records?
I refer to Martin R Maunsell’s letter in the
Summer issue of The Swag. Not only does
he agree with the five-page article of John
Wilkins reprinted in the Spring 2008 The
Swag, but he expresses interest in furthering
support of it. I think Martin is giving the
article a credence it does not deserve.
Can anyone tell me where I send for a
baptismal record for a person baptised in
Pearce (ACT?), or Kealba VIC or many other
churches that no longer have their details
in the Directory? Recently I had one from
Moss Vale NSW, I looked up Moss Vale in
The Directory – not there. Being from NSW,
I investigated further and found Moss Vale
is now called Southern Highlands! If I was
from WA or QLD, how would I find Moss
Vale or Bowral – they have even been taken
from the Index of Parishes.
In the July 2008 edition of The Australian
Catholic Record, Gerard Kelly of the Catholic
Institute of Sydney, favourably reviewed a
small book, Vatican II Did Anything Happen?
by John W. O’Malley. At the same time
O’Malley put out a large book (400 pp.) titled
“What Happened at Vatican II? O’Malley, a
Jesuit priest, scholar, historian and professor
of theology at Georgetown, has had his word
highly praised in the United States. Professor
Michael Novak recently sang its praises in the
Washington Post.
I had one in Adelaide recently where not
even the Diocesan Office knew where it was
or where the records were now held. I could
go on but I hope you get the point.
Collegiality (Lumen Gentium Ch. 3), was
one of the most hotly disputed doctrines
of the Council. The problem with Wilkins’
article is that it is based on a “widely
perceived view” that something of a cosmic
nature happened with the signing of Lemun
Gentium. The church would never be the
same again – it is not collegial.
Since the Council of the Church is the church
in action, it is what the pople who signs the
documents says it is. Like the berthing of
QEII it is the prerogative of the caption alone,
so too is the berthing of the documents of
the Council. This aloneness or primacy of the
Pope is not treated kindly by Wilkins.
Think of the parish secretary or parish
administrator if you are not prepared to
think of the priests who do it all themselves.
Please, can we have all churches listed,
even if it is: Kooringal…..see Wagga. The
information in The Directory is supposed
to help people. It is my experience (and
the experience of others with whom I have
spoken) that the lack of vital information is
frustrating us more and more.
Before the signing of Lumen Gentium in
November 1964, Pope Paul ordered a threepage explanatory document be placed into
the text so that there would be no doubt
as to what he meant. (Flannery pp.424-6).
In the homily immediately after signing he
said, “the most important thing to be said
about the decree (L.G.) is that through it
no change is made to traditional catholic
teaching”. (O’Malley p. 245).
In that same address Paul VI conferred the
title “Mother of the Church” on the Blessed
Virgin Mary and subsequently established
the Synod of Bishops: both were actions of
a most uncollegial nature.
Yet Wilkins accuses Pope John Paul II of
trampling on the doctrine and “redefining
collegiality” fourteen years later. O’Malley
says that collegiality “ended up an abstract
teaching without point of entry into the
social reality of the church” (p. 313).
The inspired vision of Pope John XXIII
launched the Council but vision, plus group
dynamic, can easily turn to euphoria, the
modern disease. Cardinal Suenens, Wilkins’
darling, is a good case in hand.
John Wilkins and others who love attacking
the papacy, the church and its teaching
should take to heart what he says.
Why watch Star Wars when you can read
about “the biggest meeting” (struggle) “in
the history of the world?” (O’Malley p.310).
Frank Hickey, Nagambie, Victoria
The views expressed in Letters to the
Editor are those of the author of each
letter and not necessarily the views of
The Swag Editor or the NCP Executive.
Please send all correspondence to:
PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216 or
Email: editor@theswag.org.au
World News
Pope defends welcome-back
to four Lefebvrist bishops
U.S. funding to go to embryo
use in stem-cell research
Romanticism for past a risk:
Cardinal Pell
Pope Benedict XVl has taken the rare
step of defending himself to the bishops
of the world. In a seven-page letter,
the Pope declared his sadness that his
steps to ‘reconciliation’ and ‘unity’ in
lifting the excommunication of four
Lefebvrist bishops had provoked such
vehement discussion. He insisted he was
unaware that one of the four, Bishop
Richard Williamson, had denied the Nazi
Holocaust of Jews, but he admitted the
Vatican needed to pay more attention
to background information in such
declarations. German and Swiss bishops
had spoken out against lifting the
excommunications naming the teaching
and pastoral action of the Society of St
Pius X as objectionable.
President Obama has allowed U.S.
federal funding for stem cell research
that may destroy or waste human
embryos. Previously, funding could go
only to stem-cell research that avoided
destroying embryos. Cardinal Regali,
chairman of the US Bishops’ Pro-Life
Committee described the President’s
order as “a victory of politics over science
and ethics”. The bishops have pointed
to recent research developments in
genetically reprogramming cells from
adult skin tissues allowing the flexibility
previously associated with destroying
embryos.
The Church today has improved in many
ways from pre-Vatican Council ways,
Cardinal George Pell told an Oxford
gathering. He named the increased role
of laity and prayer with other faiths as
two advances. He pointed out that his
parents had to be married in the sacristy
because his father was not a Catholic.
Vatican City’s 80th Birthday
A nine-year old girl, 15 weeks pregnant
with twins, following repeated rape by
her stepfather, had been ordered to have
an abortion by a Brazilian court.
In February of this year the Vatican
celebrated the 80th anniversary of the
signing of the Lateran Treaty.
In 1870 the Papal States were dissolved
as Italy became a unified nation.
Pope Pius IX ended his role as ruler
of Rome and became “the prisoner of
the Vatican”. The Roman question as
it became known, was settled when
Mussolini in 1929 initiated the treaty that
recognised St Peter’s Cathedral and the
surrounding buildings as an independent
territory. Pius XI was the Pope at that
time.
Since then the popes have been civil
governors of the Vatican City as well as
spiritual leaders of the world’s Catholics.
By this arrangement the Bishops of Rome
are able to exercise their ecclesiastical
authority whilst owing no allegiance to
any nation or state.
Excommunications follow
abortion in Brazil
The decision resulted in the automatic
excommunication of all those involved and has the backing of the president of
the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal Re.
This excommunication extended to
the girl’s mother and the doctors who
performed the operation. Cardinal Re
described it as a sad case, but said ‘the
real problem is that the twins conceived
were two innocent persons who had the
right to life and could not be eliminated’.
The leader of Brazil’s bishops expressed
solidarity with the girl and ‘with all
children who are victims of such a brutal
act’, but added that priority should be
given to the commandment, ‘Thou shall
not kill’.
The increased presence of laity on churchrelated boards and councils was witness
to the Vatican Council’s life. But Cardinal
Pell spoke of a tendency to water down
church teaching as a reason for falling
vocation numbers in the Western world.
“We’ve been tempted to make
Catholicism too attractive by going
quietly or softly on what you might
describe as the hard teachings: the call
to faith, the call to forgiveness, the call to
sexual fidelity”
“Cut-price Christianity doesn’t work and
it’s never going to be cost-free”
Cardinal Pell said radical liberalism did
not appeal to the young and had almost
destroyed the Church in Holland, as an
example.
Milwaukee archbishop moved
to New York
Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan, 59,
of Milwaukee has been transferred to
New York. The former Archbishop of New
York, Cardinal Edward Egan, submitted his
mandatory resignation at age 75, two years
ago.
English Latin Mass Society
split over Latin Mass
Vatican gives thumbs-up for
US seminaries
The chairman, the treasurer and the
chaplain of England’s Latin Mass Society
have resigned under pressure from its
ultra-traditionalists. A no-confidence
motion in the chairman and treasurer
came from a “controlling cabal of the
committee” who were unhappy that
Pope Benedict’s motu proprio on the
Latin Mass allowed both the ordinary
and extraordinary rite to co-exist, said the
resigning chairman, Mr Julian Chadwick.
The United States has 156 seminaries
and three years ago the Vatican examined
them over a seven months period. The
resultant diagnosis is that seminaries
run by diocesan priests are “in general,
healthy” but some run by religious orders
“continue to be inadequate”.
“The curry is never hot enough for some
of these people”, said Fr Anthony Conlon,
the resigning chaplain. Even after the Pope
liberalized use of the Latin Mass, some
members of the committee wanted to stay
a persecuted minority, he explained.
“I couldn’t reach 95% of Catholics if I
just said the old Mass”, Fr Conlon said
and called for the LMS to be moderate
and gradual.
Vocations jump in Africa,
Asia,down here, steady in
Americas
An advanced report in the London Tablet
from the 2009 Annuario Pontificio says
vocations to the priesthood are up in
Africa and Asia by a quarter, some
2800 over eight years. At the same time
Australasian priest numbers are down by
over five per cent and Europe’s by nearly
7 per cent.
Around the world the number of
Catholics is 1.147 billion (2007), close
to the world growth rate. Seminarians in
the world are stable at 116,000. Bishops
are up one per cent last year to 4,964
(increasing fastest in Oceania).
The report showed a greater sense of
stability than existed in the 1990s. It
attributed the stability to the rise of
rectors who are wise and faithful to the
Church. There was almost universal
approval of admission criteria to US
seminaries.Many seminaries needed a
stricter Rule of Life ,including a curfew
and some alcohol restrictions. Offcampus life should be monitored.
US seminarians were described as
“generous, intelligent, ful of zeal, pious
and faithful to prayer”. But many places
lacked traditional spiritual exercises in
common like the Rosary and Stations
of the Cross. The teaching of doctrine
was generally sound but there was a
widespread lack of a sense of the church
on women as priests and questions of
moral theology. Mariology, Latin and
patristics were lacking in many places.
Start-stop for Southern
African use of new Mass
translation
After 30 Southern African dioceses
adopted new English translations of the
Mass, Catholics in the region wrote a
hail of complaining letters to the press.
In an unusual development, the Vatican
Congregation for Divine Worship seemed
to call for a halt to using the texts, which
have Vatican approval.
The Vatican is waiting for the whole
Missal to be published, but the Southern
Aftican bishops may appeal to Rome to
continue using the new translation.
A quarter of Catholics take
Adam and Eve literally
According to a survey for the think tank
Theos. a quarter of Catholics hold the
account of creation in Genesis a literal
account of the world’s origin. Fewer
Anglicans and Orthodox share this
view, but a third of Baptists and almost
all Pentecostal churchgoers take the
Bible account literally. The Pontifical
Gregorian University in Rome is holding a
conference on Darwin and evolution.
Polish priests “in crisis and
want wives and families”
According to a Poznan University survey
of 823 Polish priests, 54 per cent want an
end to celibacy and almost one in eight
admitted to ‘living with women’. The
researcher, Jozef Baniak, said more than
half the priests interviewed reported a
“deep and protracted crisis in their priestly
identity”. Among reasons for leaving the
priesthood, the priests reported celibacy as
a bigger issue than faith or problems with
superiors.
Fr Pawl Bortkiewicz, dean of Poznan
University’s theology faculty, criticized the
survey for confusing the evidence. He said
he lived in a real community and “it’s not
true that every second priest wants a child”.
He said that missing a family of his own was
not the same as a priest wanting celibacy
abolished. Bishop Pieronek, of Sosnowiec,
said, “If you ask spouses whether they
would like a choice if their marriage doesn’t
work out, they’d say they would”.
Australian News
Eastern Rite Bishops protest
Cardinal welcomed at Manly Union Luncheon
Australian Eastern Rite Catholic Bishops
have sent a challenging message to the
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
The Eastern Rite Bishops complain that
students from their Churches receive in
Catholic Schools an education only in
Latin Rite spirituality.
They claim that there is a dichotomy
between the spirituality of their families
and that of the schools. “At school
they have a Latin Catholic spirituality
which tends to emphasise salvation as
mediated through the passion, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
At home they have a different spiritual
experience. In the Eastern Churches there
is an emphasis on the resurrection of
Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Trinity.
The Latin Catholic Church talks about
Grace, the Eastern Churches talk about
Theosis (becoming like God). Grace
tends to emphasise a finality, whereas,
Theosis puts an emphasis on a process of
becoming...
“Archbishop Philip Wilson, President
of the Australian Catholic Bishops
Conference, who, according to Bishop
Peter Stasiuk CSsR DD of the Ukrainian
Eparchy of Ss Peter and Paul, has
accepted there is a solid foundation to
the complaint and undertaken to have
the matter placed on the agenda of
the full meeting of the ACBC in May.
Archbishop Philip has also undertaken
to have the matter forwarded to
the National Catholic Education
Commission.”
The annual Manly Union Luncheon for the alumni of St Patrick’s College Manly was
held at the Good Shepherd Seminary at Homebush on March 18, 2009. Over 50
priests attended. The photo shows Cardinal Idris Cassidy with the newly appointed
Seminary Rector, Fr Tony Percy. Tony invited the priests present to visit the seminary
whenever they could as contact with those preparing for the priesthood is a
beneficial aspect of their formation.
50th anniversary of Mandurah
boating tragedy
Australian Bishops’ leader
meets Pope Benedict
On January 28 of this year, Mons John
O’Shea, priest at Rottnest Island, WA
was principal celebrant at a Mass in the
Mandurah Church in commemoration of
the tragic event of Jan 29 in 1959. On
that date Fr Joseph O’Hara and three
Presentation Sisters, Mothers Patricia
Lynch, Finbarr Tarrant and newly professed
Sr Joachim Delahunty drowned after a
boating accident in the estuary of the river
at Mandurah. John O’Shea and Joseph
O’Hara had been ordained together in All
Hallows College in Dublin in 1955.
Archbishop Philip Wilson, President of the
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
visited Rome in January and was given a
private audience with Pope Benedict XVI.
In the Adelaide Diocesan Southern Cross
newspaper of March, the Archbishop said
that the World Youth Day in 2008 had
impressed the Roman authorities who felt
that the faith-filled spiritual attitude of
the young was revealed by their response
to the Stations of the Cross and the
Exposition and Mass at Randwick.
Back to St Mel’s:
John O’Brien’s altar boy
New pilgrim centre in Rome –
Australia House
Vincentians leaving
Rockhampton
Retired 83 year old Fr Frank Bell of the
Wagga Wagga Diocese served as an altar
boy to Monsignor Patrick Hartigan, who
is best remembered under his nom de
plume of John O’Brien.
In the Catholic Weekly’s Insight of
January 4 this year Frank reminisced on
his ties with the Parish of St Mel’s in
Narrandera where Monsignor Hartigan
was Parish Priest. The spirit of rural
congregations in Australia in the 1920’s
is captured well in the poems of John
O’Brien in “Around the Boree Log”.
Young Frank imbibed John O’Brien’s
passion for the life of the bush and
struggles of the local farmers. “I loved
Narrandera. It was my home town” says
Fr Bell.
A group of Australian Dioceses, led by
the Archdiocese of Sydney and supported
by each of the Australian Archdioceses
is finalising the process of buying the
student house of the Marist Fathers in Via
Cernaia, Rome, to establish a new pilgrim
centre for visitors to Rome. The centre
will be known as the ‘Domus Australia’ or
‘Australia House’.
The end of the Vincentian Fathers’ presence
in the Rockhampton Diocese was marked
with a Mass, unveiling of a commemorative
plaque, morning tea and barbecue lunch on
Sunday 18 January 2009.
In 1942 Frank worked as a telegraphist
in Melbourne. He still has a telegraph
machine and can expertly tap out a
message in Morse code. It was during his
time as a YCW leader that the persistent
challenge of a chaplain who thought that
Frank should be a priest bore fruit.
Bishop Henschke of Wagga Wagga sent
Frank to Rome in 1946. He returned to
Australia after ordination. His fluency in
Italian was of great benefit to the Italian
migrants in Griffith. After some years as
a youth chaplain he volunteered for work
in Peru as a member of Boston Cardinal
Cushing’s Society of St James. High up
in the Andes Frank became fluent in the
local language Quechu. Health difficulties
brought about his return to Australia. “It
broke my heart” he said.
His final years in ministry were at St Mel’s
in Narrandera where he was responsible
for building the John O’Brien memorial
wall.
The centre will provide accommodation
for pilgrims as well as information about
the Church and attendances at Papal
events. A key aim in establishing the
pilgrim centre is to help tourists become
pilgrims and, to this end, daily Mass
in English will be available. An added
benefit of establishing the new centre
will be the opportunity to strengthen
the link between the Catholic Church in
Australia and Catholic Rome. The centre
will be open to all, but is expected to be
especially attractive and welcoming for
Australian Catholic visitors to Rome.
The project has the support of the
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and
the Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone,
have welcomed the proposal.
Geelong shopping centre gets
Catholic chapel
Fr Kevin Dillon, of the Geelong Deanery
in the Melbourne Archdiocese has
established a chapel and Catholic
resource centre in the heart of Geelong’s
shopping strip. This new facility, named
“Wing and a Prayer” has a sign
announcing it as a “chapel - catholic info
service - bookshop.” Kevin hopes that it
will become a regional pastoral centre.
Rockhampton’s Bishop Heenan in his
homily at Mass said, “I believe that the
Vincentian Fathers have been a great gift
of God to Wandal and to our diocese.
In our experience of great change in
society and therefore in our church, they
have assisted thousands of children
and parishioners to find Jesus, to seek
to know where he is to be found and
to respond by saying, ‘Speak Lord, your
servant is listening’.”
Three deacons ordained for
Armidale
Bishop Luc Matthys of Armidale ordained
three men as Deacons in St Mary and
St Joseph’s Cathedral on 11/12/2008.
Paul Anthony Aguilar, Stephen O’Shea
and Roel Llave will be ordained to the
priesthood for the diocese in 2009.
R U
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Everything in this
print edition
(plus lots more!)
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FEATURE
Benedict XVI announces special year for priests
Meeting with members of the Congregation
for Clergy this morning, the Holy Father
announced that the Church will celebrate
a special year for priests beginning on June
19, 2009. The year will commemorate the
150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean
Vianney, Cure of Ars.
Speaking to the Congregation for Clergy,
the Holy Father also mentioned the
ecclesial communal, hierarchical and
doctrinal dimensions that are “absolutely
indispensable for any authentic [priestly]
mission,” and which guarantee “spiritual
effectiveness.”
Pope Benedict received representatives from
the congregation’s full assembly, which is
currently focused on how the three offices
(tre munera) of the priest make him a
missionary within the Church.
He explained that the mission is ecclesial
“because no-one announces or brings
themselves, ... but brings Another, God
Himself, to the world. God is the only wealth
that, definitively, mankind wishes to find in
a priest.”
In his address, the Pontiff emphasized the
constant struggle for moral perfection that
dwells “in every truly priestly heart.” In
support of this tendency toward spiritual
perfection, the Holy Father announced that
he has “decided to call a special ‘Year for
Priests’ which will run from June 19, 2009
to June 19, 2010.”
He noted that the year also marks the
“150th anniversary of the death of the
saintly ‘Cure of Ars’, Jean Marie Vianney, a
true example of a pastor at the service of
Christ’s flock.”
The Pope will inaugurate the Year on June
19 by presiding at Vespers in St. Peter’s
Basilica, where the relics of the ‘Cure of Ars’
will be brought for the occasion by Bishop
Guy Bagnard of Belley-Ars, France.
During the course of the Year, Benedict XVI
will proclaim St. Jean Marie Vianney as the
patron saint of all the priests of the world.
A “Directory for Confessors and Spiritual
Directors” will also be published, as will
a collection of texts by the Holy Father on
essential aspects of the life and mission of
priests in our time.
The year will close June 19, 2010, with Pope
Benedict presiding at a “World Meeting of
Priests” in St. Peter’s Square.
“The mission is ‘communal’,” he continued,
“because it takes place in a unity and
communion which only at a secondary
level possess important aspects of social
visibility.”
He added that the “‘hierarchical’ and
‘doctrinal’ dimensions emphasize the
importance of ecclesiastical discipline (a
term related to that of ‘disciple’) and of
doctrinal (not just theological, initial and
permanent) formation.”
The Pope also stressed the importance of
priestly formation which must maintain
“communion with unbroken ecclesial
Tradition, without pausing or being tempted
by discontinuity. In this context,” he
continued, “it is important to encourage
priests, especially the young generations,
to a correct reading of the texts of Vatican
Council II, interpreted in the light of all the
Church’s doctrinal inheritance.”
In conclusion, the Holy Father warned of the
“dilution” of priestly ministry. He explained
that the without priests, “there would be
no Eucharist, no mission” or the Church.
“It is necessary then, to ensure that ‘new
structures’ or pastoral organizations are not
planned for a time in which it will be possible
to ‘do without’ ordained ministry, on the
basis of an erroneous interpretation of the
promotion of the laity, because this would
lay the foundations for a further dilution in
priestly ministry, and any supposed ‘solutions’
would, in fact, dramatically coincide with
the real causes of the problems currently
affecting the ministry.”
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FEATURE
Bushfire chaplain advises “States, be prepared“
The priest appointed overall recovery chaplain for the Victorian
bushfire tragedy says the Church in every state has much to learn
from the disaster in being ready for future emergencies.
In parishes affected by the disaster, Catholic
agencies like Catholic Education, Centrecare
and ‘Vinnies’ integrated their work through
this information hub. Greg says that
strengthening of parishes in affected areas
included helping priests and people support
everyone in their area.
Fr Greg Bourke, newly appointed Bushfire
Recovery Chaplain, told The Swag there were
lessons for the Catholic Church throughout
Australia from the bushfire tragedy.
In the first place, our church needed to be
a part of whatever peak religious body
the State looks to in declared emergency
disasters, in Victoria, the Council of
Churches.
Access and acceptance of church presence
in declared disaster areas required named
chaplains, clergy or lay, with their own
jackets and badges allocated through the
peak church body. Chaplains identified for
declared disaster areas were expected to
have taken part in an authorised training day.
In Victoria, the first phase in the declared
disaster emergency assistance was the relief
centre tent set up with three desks: Red
Cross, Salvation Army for emergency food
relief and Department of Human Services.
This last desk handled requests for
chaplains for those in shock. The chaplains
were air-lifted in with other specialists.
Phase Two of the official recovery was
an information hub for the Department
of Human Services to receive people
presenting special needs.
“In a way, an ecclesiology is at stake here.
Our church exists to take its part in the
broader society and that includes readiness
for emergencies,” Greg said.
Information on the Catholic Emergency
Response can be seen at the Melbourne
Catholic Communication web-site.
Melbourne Archbishop, Denis Hart,
appointed Greg (parish priest of Hoppers
Crossing) to the position of Bushfire
Recovery Chaplain. Greg is now the ‘go to’ person for state
and civil authorities for pastoral care to
emergency and recovery service personnel
working in the fire affected areas. He
will also liaise with key church agencies
including the Catholic Education Office,
Centacare Family Services and the Society
of St Vincent de Paul.
Parishes throughout the Archdiocese where
bushfire victims might be billetted or
staying with family and friends also come
under his care. In the initial recovery phase
his work included arranging help requested
by parishes in the affected areas in pastoral
care and funeral services. He is the contact
person for priests offering to help in fireaffected areas.
Archbishop Hart said that the Church’s
presence during the initial crisis and
recovery stages needed to grow beyond the
emergency period, with parish communities,
their priests, pastoral associates and
religious committed for the long haul.
Greg’s appointment was for an initial period
of eight weeks with possible extension.
The parish priests and pastoral teams in the
areas of greatest needs indicated that they
were managing after the first shock. But as
the affected areas opened up and people
sought to resettle into some sort of normal
life, many material, emotional and pastoral
needs emerged.
Canon Graeme Winterton, the state
co-ordinator for the joint Department
of Human Services/Victorian Council of
Churches emergencies ministry, has advised
that beyond the immediate crisis which
is being well managed, there is likely to
be a great demand for pastoral support
and chaplaincy in the coming weeks and
months.
Recovery centres are being established
where the services of pastoral care and
chaplaincy services are in great demand.
As the immediate crisis passes there is need
for counselling, and support for many of
those affected by the fires.
Centacare has offered the Department of
Human Services, professional social workers
and psychologists to help to meet some of
these demands in the recovery centres.
The Archdiocese of Melbourne is presently
making plans to be able to send additional
priests and pastoral teams into the
devastated areas when required.
For more info, visit:
cam.org.au/victorian-bushfire-disaster
FEATURE
Pastoral Planners Network Conference
Wellington NZ, provided a magnificent setting for the Pastoral
Planners of Australia and New Zealand to gather from
16-20 February, the first time they have gathered outside Australia.
Many Victorians who had just suffered the
horror of the bushfires, danced with joy in
the rain.
to facilitate that communion with God. The
purpose of collaborative ministry is the
mission of the Church. Loughlan Sofield gave a keynote address
and two workshops on Collaborative
Ministry. Loughlan is well known in
Australia for his seminars around this
topic. A very informed speaker with a
delightful sense of humour, he quoted
John Paul II: “The collaboration of the
laity is essential, not just because of the
clergy lack – a new and unprecedented
opportunity given to us.” This
collaboration is for mission, to feed and
nurture, to be leaven in society.
Wellington, with Archbishop John
Dew, was the host diocese, and the
welcome was overwhelming. John Dew
is an inspirational man, and created an
atmosphere of friendship, warmth and a
freedom that facilitated a great openness
and sharing. The Archdiocese modelled the
theme of collaborative ministry throughout
the conference.
Opening out the theme: “Ecclesia in
Oceania (Te Hahi I te Moana nui a Kiwa)
our signs, our times” were the keynote
speakers: Br Loughlan Sofield speaking
on collaborative ministry, and Dr. Neil
Darragh, a Kiwi priest at the University
of Auckland speaking on the Church
under the Southern Cross, along with the
catholic Governor General, His Excellency
Anand Satyanand, giving the address at
breakfast on Tuesday.
The Monday, devoted to the professional
development of participants, began
with Archbishop Dew speaking on
the Spirituality of Collaboration. John
emphasised that it is not easy to labour
together with the diversity of spiritualities,
philosophies, world views, personalities
and temperaments that make tensions
and strains inevitably arise, yet a ministry
of Trinitarian communion is a ministry of
tension and we require a spirituality which
helps us hold and live with that tension. In acknowledging the role of the Trinity as the
basis of communion and hence collaboration,
John spoke of our responsibility, as baptised,
concerning non-clerical leadership in
parishes. This same canon is very strongly
interpreted in the USA where they seek
extremely clear boundaries between job
descriptions. In Australia, as in New
Zealand, we seem to have a more relaxed
attitude while keeping the spirit of the law.
Personally, I find it interesting to look back
now at what the archbishop had to say
in the light of Benedict’s acceptance back
into the Church of the Society of Pius X,
the tensions that were raised by his action,
and the way they have been handled.
Michael Brady, of the ACBC Pastoral
Planning Office, continued to develop
how this spirituality was lived out in
pastoral planning and in ministry through
our relationships. These relationships
are founded in our relationship with God
that we may have life and have it to its
fullness. Loughlan Sofield led us through
how burnout can thwart this relationship
and make it lifeless.
As with all conferences, it is in the “outof-session times” that most interaction
takes place. Workshops covered a wide range of
topics, but all related to the theme. Two
workshops looked at A Model of Lay
Leadership in the Wellington Archdiocese,
and how they manage Canon 517.2
The conference began on Tuesday night
with a “powhiri”, the Maori welcome. The Maori influence was powerful and
impressive, not just an add-on in a token
gesture. I found it to be a distinct contrast
to our efforts here within Australia
towards our own Aboriginal people. The Conference Mass in the Cathedral
rocked the heavens with its singing, and
processions of the bible and gifts. It became
the model for all our endeavours over the
week, and opened our hearts in prayer and
song to thank God for the few days we
could come together in mind and heart.
I found the conference to be stimulating
and a renewal, with some times being
like a retreat – and in good company. The hope-filled atmosphere among the
participants gives promise to the Church
of the future, and working with the
Pastoral Planners points to a way we can
have confidence in the future.
Martin Dixon
FEATURE
TEAMS World Conference
Rome was the city, and ‘Il Carmelo’
(a retreat house for 300+) was the
centre. The reason for the gathering: the
International College of Equipes de Notre
Dame, known in Australia as TEAMS – a
Movement for Married Couples.
The College brings together the executive
– delegates from the four zones, with
the cabinet, my terms, made up of the
responsible teams from the four zones.
All in all, some 65 delegates, 30 married
couples and eight spiritual counsellors. I
have found myself to be the Counsellor
to the Oceania Region! The College
lasted 20-23 January - and immediately
some 250 further delegates arrived from
the said regions to hold, in my terms, a
meeting of the House of Representatives.
TEAMS began in France, and has
extended its call to North & South
America (Brazil has some 4300+ teams),
Southern Europe particularly France,
Spain, Portugal and Italy. There are teams
in Syria and Lebanon – as well as many
parts of French Africa. The British influence
is felt at HQ – a small impact in South
Africa – but Trinidad boasts a healthy
local sector. Australia is the largest and
most active sector in Asia-New Zealand.
Philippines and India, all in our area of
responsibility, are developing their own
structures.
Some 200,000 people are actively
engaged in this movement. Five languages
are recognised – and you can imagine the
pecking order. It was interesting to be in
a discussion group – the English speakers
of whatever accent were in the minority,
when Portugal Portuguese speakers
could not understand American based
Portuguese speakers – indeed some San
Parlo Brazilians had difficulties in both
directions. Lots of papers were presented
– and sadly, I think, most were ignored
on the spot. The pedagogy was hopeless
for adults. Some papers were interesting,
post factum, but we had other things to
talk about in the workshops – so all the
presenters escaped scott free!
Notable guests included Cardinal Bertone,
Fr Federico Lombardi SJ and Archbishop
Michael Fitzgerald – who presented an
excellent paper on living as Christians in a
Muslim World.
Kids international
I found the great attraction in being able
to share experiences – and discovered,
once the guard was dropped – that all
nations represented had basically the
same problems. Teaching their kids, asking
their kids to live lives like their parents,
and discovering that ‘kids’ did what
‘kids’ wanted to do, on their terms in all
cultures. We never really got to talk about
the whys and wherefores of this ‘new
situation’ in our world. Maybe next time.
So living together before marriage is not
just an English disease.
The nearly 400 strong took off to the
mandatory audience on Wednesday 28
January with Benedict XVI. That was a
fateful day. Firstly, the Pope had a cough
– and we saw him drink water on several
occasions. Secondly, it was the day he
began to harden his words towards
the disgraced Pius X Society Bishop
Williamson. Thirdly, it was the day the
Italian Circus Troupe presented a lion cub
to the Pope – at that stage the audience
hall was invaded by press photographers!
It reminded me of Boxing Day at the MCG.
It also became a definitive moment of
proof that things change. The Romans used
to delight in presenting Popes to the lions!
By Church standards the ‘Equipes de
Notre Dame’ is young – 60 years ago
Peré Caffarel and four couples began to
reflect upon marriage, spiritually – or as
the Europeans so fondly call – conjugal
spirituality! His methodology of small
groups, reflecting on life (marriage) in the
light of the Gospel, reminded me of the
great Cardinal Cardijn. I was surprised to
discover that many many Europeans had
not heard of Cardijn – though the wife
of the new Secretary General Christiane
Annegain had worked with Cardijn.
There were many good stories to talk
about, and lots of inspiring efforts
made by people to enrich and enhance
marriage. I suggested that the next
gathering be in Singapore or Hong Kong.
Many found that notion a bit challenging.
There are no Team members there. I
wondered what Francis Xavier thought.
I have enjoyed being Chaplain to TEAMS
for the past 20 or so years – and I
commend the movement to the priests.
Frank Marriott
FEATURE
Coping with prostate cancer
Ray Mulvogue is the Community Leader of the Marist Brothers
Retirement Community at Ashgrove in Brisbane. Since 1995 he
has also lectured as a gerontology educator in Australia, New
Zealand and the United States.
On 8th December 2008 I was diagnosed
with prostate cancer. Ironically I have
been working in the area of Gerontology
for the last fifteen years and so was
aware of the issues facing ageing males.
The texts are clear on the main risk factor
for prostate cancer namely age. More
than 70% of all new cancers are in men
over the age of 65 – I was 69. In Australia
1 in 11 men will develop prostate cancer
before the age of 75 while it plateaus
at about age 85 years. Autopsy studies
have shown that at the time of death,
approximately 70% of men have cancer
in their prostate gland, but these are not
clinically relevant. It has been estimated
that 15%-30% of males over the age of
50 and as many as 80% of males over
the age of 80 harbours microscopic,
undiagnosed prostate cancer.
The texts also state that having a family
history of prostate cancer is a risk factor.
Several studies have found men with
an affected brother have a higher risk
compared to men with an affected father.
In my case the truth of this finding was
seen in the fact that my brother (age 66)
was diagnosed with prostate cancer one
month prior to my diagnosis. Researchers
have shown the cumulative risk for men
with at least two cases of prostate cancer
in their family (father and at least one
son) was 5.26% at 60 years, 15.36% at
70 years and 30.68% at 80 years. The
latest guidelines recommend that men
with two or more relatives diagnosed
before the age of 60 begin screening
between the ages of 40 and 45, and
have repeat screenings every 2-3 years
until age 70.
Looking back on why I had not been
more vigilant in having a yearly PSA
reading, the main reason I believe, was
the fact that in 2000 I had had a cardiac
arrest and since then had been preoccupied with my heart. The thought of
prostate cancer never entered my mind. It
was only in October last year when I had
a blood test and got the result – a PSA
reading of 21 which by December had
reached 28 –I knew I was in trouble.
Thus began the journey living with cancer.
Firstly was the waiting time to get an
appointment with an urologist and the
one recommended by my GP had no
vacancies for seven weeks. As this period
passed so began a series of CAT scans,
bone scans, and finally a biopsy of the
prostate gland. The result was aggressive
cancer (9 on the Gleason score) and that
it was a T3 meaning it had spread to
tissue near the prostate. The treatment
recommended was six months of
hormone therapy to be followed by seven
weeks of radiation five days a week.
Prostate cancer cells rely on androgen,
male hormones that include testosterone,
to survive and grow. The aim of hormone
therapy (also called testosterone
deprivation therapy or androgen
deprivation therapy) is to eliminate
testosterone production and the
treatment is very effective. The injection
I received was the drug Zoladex which
lasts for three months and costs $1,108
- fortunately I am a pensioner and so the
standard charge of $5.30.
So began a period of experiencing side
effects associated with this medication.
In my case these have included the loss
of libido, erectile dysfunction, minor joint
aches and pains, breast enlargement and
weight gain.
Another significant side effect has been
the experience of hot flushes which is
caused by the decreased feedback of
testosterone to the hypothalamus in
the brain. Hot flushes are very much an
individual perception which is a dynamic
process of physiological factors (warmth,
sweating) and psychological factors
(anxiety, concentration, agitation).
The experience of cancer is very much
a different experience to a heart attack.
The latter brings one face to face with
mortality in a dramatic fashion and is
soon remedied with by-pass surgery,
stents or medication/lifestyle therapy.
Cancer is more like a long journey or
pilgrimage. The results are not immediate
and so one has to learn to live with the
awareness that one is living with cancer.
For a religious order priest, and I would
presume also a diocesan priest, it is very
much a journey you make alone - for
there is no partner in your life to share
intimately the experience of cancer. You
are aware of the prayerful support of your
community and friends but the journey is
very much a personal one. You draw on
your faith, the witness of others you have
seen make the journey, a confident prayer
life, personal strengths such as resilience
and trust, the expertise of one’s doctors,
and ultimately a belief that “whatever
will be, will be – Que Sera, Sera”.
Confronting a life threatening illness is
a challenge to put into practice much of
what one has learnt, taught or preached
during one’s life of ministry.
The choice is left to us how we respond
and gerontological texts speak of the
empowerment this choice gives us as
we take responsibility for our coping
with the illness and facing what lies
ahead. The pilgrimage involves the soul
listening to one’s body and learning to
be comfortable or at least coping with
the ongoing prognosis, the side effects of
therapy, living with a chronic illness for
which there is no complete cure.
Body and soul
An amazing world of experiences involves
you in the interplay between your body
and your soul. Dreams take on new
meanings; in your prayer life you become
more intimate with the Lord, Mary, the
Saints and deceased relatives and friends,
especially parents; you recall journeys and
experiences that have had a big impact
on your life perspective. It may be an
extraordinary lecturer you had like Simon
Tugwell OP who introduced you to Julian
of Norwich and All Will Be Well; perhaps
it was the reading of Cardinal Bernardin’s
The Gift of Peace; or was it the serenity
you felt at Mary MacKillop’s grave?
Perhaps the biggest challenge on
the pilgrimage of cancer is to see the
whole world around you as inherently
sacramental. The places you live in,
visit or travel become sacred places to
meet the care of Jesus and Mary – the
doctor’s surgery, the trip to the hospital,
the privacy of your own bedroom, the
communal experiences you share with
your community, walking into a TAB!
It is at the time of sickness people know
how to make you sacred by the rituals
you have always shared, the words
spoken, the prayers said with you, the
symbols they bring you, the songs they
play, and the way they hold your hand.
For me this is the early stage of living
with prostate cancer.
Three more months of hormone therapy
to be followed by radiation therapy and
already the experts are telling me to be
ready for the experience of fatigue.
Hopefully I will maintain a sense of
humour and faith as shown by Cardinal
Basil Hume when asked if he wanted
mass celebrated in his hospital room.
His response was “God will find another
way to show me his love”.
Ray Mulvogue
For more information, visit:
http://www.prostate.org.au
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FEATURE
Life & Ministry of a priest today
On the 17 March 2009, the very day I sat down to write this
contribution to the Autumn edition of The Swag, I read that Pope
Benedict had addressed the Congregation for Clergy in Rome a
day earlier. He had announced a special year focussing on the
mission of Priests, to begin on 19 June this year.
The special year will conclude with a
world-wide meeting of priests in St
Peter’s Square on 19 June 2010.
Without a doubt there will be many
statements about priesthood, official and
unofficial, over the next twelve months.
We can expect the subject to be explored
from every conceivable angle. That will
be good!
It so happens that late last year (2008)
the members of the Personnel Board
in my home Diocese of Toowoomba
embarked upon a process to develop a
comprehensive position description for
priests in our diocese at this time.
•We felt that sweeping general
statements such as ‘The priest is to be
ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE’ – could be
seen as too general, too demanding, too
unreal, perhaps too vague...and yet some
people undoubtedly expect that massive
task to be undertaken and fulfilled.
•We saw the need and some real value
in attempting to describe in detail
what is expected of a priest (and what
isn’t expected) at this time in history
and within the real situation of our
diocese. This will be of benefit, we feel,
to priests currently involved in ministry,
to all those generous and committed
lay people and religious in our
communities, and to those pondering/
discerning a possible vocation to
priesthood.
•We also believe that involving all
the priests, pastoral leaders, parish
leadership teams and parish pastoral
councils in this serious exercise – and
through them as many other people as
possible – will be invaluable. It will ‘get
us all thinking’, raise consciousness
about ministry, and build team spirit.
So, late in 2008 we asked all the above
listed members of our diocese to give
serious thought and to make written
responses to this question:
“WHO and WHAT is a priest
called TO BE and TO DO
in our Toowoomba Diocese
at this time in history?”
The initial responses have produced 78
pages of comments and reflections as
well as many stimulating conversations.
These have been collated and considered
within the context of the very important
wealth of writing about priesthood, in
Council and Papal documents and in so
many other publications.
A Green Paper has been produced and is
being sent from our personnel board to
all the priests, pastoral leaders, pastoral
leadership teams and parish pastoral
councils in the diocese. They are being
asked to reflect, discuss widely, comment
and critique the Green Paper over the
next three months.
This Green Paper is very much a first
attempt to represent the initial feedback
faithfully. It also endeavours to provoke
more thought and discussion. Come July
there will be lots more material to be
read, collated and written up for further
consideration.
Space does not permit the inclusion of
the entire Green Paper in this article.
However seven key headings have
emerged and some of the points raised
under those headings may be of interest.
It may even be that other dioceses
consider undertaking a similar exercise to
ours. That, I suggest, would extend the
value and scope of what we are doing.
1. A priest is called into a
deep personal relationship
with Jesus
•This call is really about a personal
immersion into Jesus: the phase that
echoes down the centuries is ‘alter
Christus’ – another Christ.
•In Christ we are to experience the
‘Great Love Story’ – constantly reflect
on it, own it, live in it.
•As David Ranson has recently written,
this call is about entering into paradox.
“In the crucified Jesus we recognise
fully the scandal of that divine paradox:
that the divinity is disclosed most fully
and powerfully in that place which is at
first perceived as God-forsaken.” (The
Paschal Paradox – David Ranson 2009.)
•So we are called right now to
experience loneliness, damaged
confidence, dwindling numbers, the
shadow of the abuse scandals...the
Cross and self-surrender.
•There is the need to be STILL and in
touch with the MYSTERY, open always
to God’s Spirit of joy and hope.
•In Christ we seek the COURAGE to
CHALLENGE SYSTEMS in society and
within church.
2. C
alled to be celebrant of
Eucharist and to ministry of
Reconciliation
•To CELEBRATE Eucharist from the heart,
and be more than a speaker of words.
•To celebrate Eucharist INCLUSIVELY, from
WITHIN the Body of Christ which is the
Church.
•To CONNECT Eucharist and daily life
more obviously.
•To be an instrument of reconciliation and
healing, not only in the celebration of
these Sacraments but in day to day life.
Much more than ‘hearing confessions’!
4. The priest is called to be a
COACH
5. Called to be INVOLVED IN
THE WORLD
•While the word ‘coach’ isn’t used in
the documents of the Second Vatican
Council, it is surely implied in the
emphasis given by the Council, of the
responsibility and ministry to which
every baptised Christian is called.
Ministry, mission, being Church...this is
a ‘team game’. The priest is a ‘playing
coach’ – certainly not the one who
‘plays in every position on the field’.
•The diocesan priest is sometimes
referred to as a secular priest – the
priest who is called to live in the world
and to be aware of, and involved in, the
‘nitty-gritty’ of the world.
•God, in Jesus, embraces the created
world in a new way, becomes enfleshed, incarnate: so too the priest.
•Like Jesus, the priest is called to be
passionate and on fire with love and
concern for all those who are ‘left out’
in society, and indeed by the Church
institutions.
•One of the realities of today’s world
is the multiplicity of ways in which
the world sees God and the range
of expressions of Christian faith and
life. So the priest is called into an
ecumenical and inter-faith ministry.
3. C
alled to be a COMMUNITY
MEMBER and a SERVANTLEADER
6. Those called into priesthood
have DIFFERENT GIFTS
•This entails whole-hearted membership
•No one priest is ‘all things to all people’.
of the community first of all (which is
Each has some particular gifts and does
always going to be in creative tension
not have others. There needs to be much
•The coach is called to respect, recognise,
with the priest as ‘a man apart’).
more clarity about, and recognition of,
•We are to live among, and collaborate
the particular gifts of each priest. Ideally
affirm the gifts and insights of the
with, people who are called themselves
each is then appointed to ministry in
members of the community, and to
to be not just helpers, but true and
accordance with his gifts.
empower, nurture and encourage them.
powerful leaders.
•Many would argue that much greater
•With different gifts come different
•This is a call to LISTEN, to BE
use of the arts and technology is
expectations and different tasks.
AVAILABLE, to nurture COMMUNION
required in this day and age.
•Hand in hand with this comes the
– COMMON-UNION.
•It is the COMMUNITY ON MISSION
honest acknowledgement of limitations
•Our challenge is to EVANGELISE
that is essential: Church is not primarily,
and mistakes.
– SHARE the Gospel and not just
certainly not solely, about the leader.
Continues overleaf >
SACRAMENTALISE.
•The priest is to be CONNECTOR, the
CONNECTING LINK between the
community and their bishop, the worldwide Church and 2000 years of tradition.
FEATURE
Life & Ministry (continued)
•We must develop urgently a NEW
7. The initial responses to
system of organising an evangelising
the leading questions
Church.
produced a fairly long list of
questions, challenges, hopes
This article will provide some sense of
and recommendations.
Some of these are:
•How do we re-generate enthusiasm
among tired, ageing priests?
•Mixed messages come from Rome!
•Why is weekly Eucharist so ‘locked in’
to weekends?
•Is the practice of appointing most
priests to a single parish ‘to do
everything’ fair to anybody?
•The very considerable positive
experiences of Church in catholic
schools are not always replicated in
parish liturgies and life.
•Would things be better if ‘priests
dressed, spoke and acted like priests
use to’?
•What about priests having the option
to be married?
•What about the ordination of women
as priests?
the exercise we have embarked on in
Toowoomba Diocese. Maybe there is
a place for similar exercises in other
dioceses!
Certainly all comments provoked by this
article will be welcomed as we are all
endeavouring to embrace as priests the
Mystery at the heart of our faith.
“Our future, along with that of all the
baptised people, is to know what must
die in order to know what might live...
In the words of Johannes B Metz:
‘The art of dying is part of the
charismatic art of living’. ”
Hal Ranger
To contact Hal: PO Box 7062,
Toowoomba Mail Centre, QLD 4352
Ph: (07) 4637 1500 M: 0412 825 164
Email: rangerh@stpats.org.au
CRA National Assembly 2009
“Australian Religious in a Multi-Faith Society:
Reality, Gift and Challenge”
23-26th June, Sydney
Further details: director@catholicreligiousaustralia.com.au
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PROFILE
Adrian Sharp
were a wonderful time of learning about
and deepening my faith. I enjoyed the
community life of the seminary.
When & where were you born?
1975 – Brisbane, QLD
Memories of your childhood/family/
upbringing/schooling?
Born and bred in Brisbane, attended
Catholic schools right through. My
parents were fairly involved in school and
parish life (and therefore so was I): fetes,
working bees, bingo. As I went through
high school I became more involved in
parish things, particularly music (regularly
playing the organ at several Masses a
weekend), choir, liturgy committee. Got
to know priests through all this.
When/why did you decide to enter
the Seminary?
Seeing the priests I knew as I grew up
I felt that I had a contribution to make
too. I had had very little connection
to any religious order and so diocesan
priesthood was the logical choice. I had
felt a nudge towards priesthood even
since primary school; I remember telling
Mum at some point in primary school
that I was “either going to be a teacher
or a priest”. This idea never left, and was
confirmed as I got older. I went to the
seminary straight after Year 12.
Memories of Seminary life?
I have great memories of the years at
Banyo. With all due respect to many
of the wonderful men and women who
had taught me during school days, I
was a product of Catholic Education of
the 80s and early 90s, and so had a lot
to learn when it came to my Catholic
faith. The seminary years, therefore,
When and where were you
ordained?
I was ordained on September 14, 2000 –
the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, in
the Year of Great Jubilee.
What areas of ministry have you
worked in since Ordination?
I have been involved in parish ministry, in
all its dimensions, as an Associate Pastor
in Booval, Burleigh Heads, the Cathedral,
Noosa District, Acacia Ridge/Sunnybank,
and now as Parish Priest of Coomera.
What have been the highlights of
your ministry to date?
I love accompanying pilgrimage groups
overseas. They are wonderful occasions
of faith-building and discovery. Back
home, I enjoy the variety of parish
ministry. It’s hard to pick highlights, but I
do enjoy ministry in the school setting.
What challenges have you faced in
your ministry and how have these
been overcome (if at all)?
The church is made up of other sinners
like me, sometimes we’re at our ‘best’,
and at other times we’re not. It’s
a constant challenge to try to work
together to advance the reign of God,
and to overcome the pettiness and selfcentredness that so easily creep in.
What is the best advice you would
pass on to future Seminarians?
Pray, pray, and pray some more. Develop
solid prayer habits – know the Lord – and
stay with him.
What are your personal hopes for
the future?
To keep trying to listen to the Spirit, and
to try to be the best priest that I can be.
What are your personal hopes
for the future of the Church in
Australia?
To help Catholics to deepen their faith;
to have parishes that really help people
connect with God.
Who has been the most influential
person in your life?
It sounds a bit like a cliché, but if I ever
need an attitude-correction, the late Pope
John Paul the Great will come to mind.
On many occasions, when tempted to
grumble (really about nothing) I think
of him who persevered in his ministry
with such fidelity to the very end. When
tempted to complain about a pain here
or there, or tiredness, I just think of JPII
and get moving. (I’ll always remember
during his visit to Sydney in 1995, and
being in the group outside the Cathedral
presbytery singing songs, and how he
came out on to the balcony and joined
in the music we were making). My own
childhood PP (Tom Hegerty) died at the
altar (literally) and finished that Mass
in eternity. His faith, all through his life
to the very end, has also had a large
influence on me. I played the organ for
many funerals at which he presided, and
you couldn’t help but be influenced by his
strong and reassuring faith.
A bit of fun – what would you like
to the inscription on your headstone
to read?
I don’t really care what’s on the
headstone, but I hope and pray the
headstone will be in the priests’ section
at Nudgee Cemetery – the cemetery we
could see from the back steps of Banyo
Seminary.
Jubilarians – ordination anniversaries
74 Years – 1935
John O’Connor, Arm, 21 Dec
71 Years – 1938
Edward Jordan MSC, 30 Nov
Dante Orsi CS, 16 Oct
Richard Rafter, Melb, 24 July
70 Years – 1939
Vincent Creed, Melb, 23 July
Thomas Cruice CSsR, 5 March
Christopher Goulding OFM, 23 Dec
James Harcombe SM, 30 Nov
G Paul Ryan, Melb, 23 July
60 Years – Diamond – 1949
Harold Baker MSC, 24 July
John Batchelor SJ, 5 Jan
Raymond Benjamin, Towns, 25 July
John Bettridge SM, 13 Feb
Thomas Brophy, Melb, 24 July
William Caffrey, Sale, 24 July
Idris Edward Cassidy, Syd, 23 July
Edward Bede Clancy, Syd, 23 July
Kevin Hickey CSsR, 4 Sep
Hubert Hunter SSC, 24 July
John Leary MSC, 24 July
Francis Lyons, Melb, 24 July
Henry McFall OMI, 29 June
Joseph Molon CS, 1 Jan
Russel Morison CSsR, 4 Sep
Patrick O’Connell, Wagga, 5 June
Andrew Phan, Syd, 27 Dec
Bernard Ryan SM, 11 Dec
Brendan Shiel, Syd, 5 June
James Wallace CSsR, 4 Sep
Len Wholohan, Syd, 23 July
Berard Winnett OFM, 25 July
50 Years – Golden – 1959
William Aliprandi, BrokB, 18 July
Romuald Barry CM, 18 July
Walter Black MSC, 26 July
Arthur Braithwaite MSC, 26 July
Joseph Browne, Melb, 13 July
Kevin Cantwell SVD, 29 April
Paul Coleman SJ, 7 Jan
Francis Crilley MSC, 18 July
Timothy Crowley, Parr, 18 July
Kevin Davine OMI, 29 July
Dominic DeGiorgio, Melb, 14 March
Sam Dimattina, Melb, 26 July
John Doggett MSC, 18 July
William Donegan, Melb, 1 July
Patrick Dowd, Bris, 29 June
Vince Doyle, Lis, 19 July
Stephen Dubovsky SDB, 5 July
Fabian Duggan, Syd, 20 Dec
Neville Dunne MSC, 25 July
Finian Egan, BrokB, 14 June
John Egan, Bris, 29 June
Andrew Fennessy OCSO, 1 May
Franciszek Feruga SChr, 23 May
Alan Finn CM, 18 July
Gerard Fitzgerald, Melb, 14 June
James FitzPatrick OMI, 20 Sep
Dominador Flores SVD, 18 Oct
Paul Foley, Syd, 18 July
Thomas Fulcher SM, 18 July
Gerard Glynn CP, 18 July
John Hannah OMI, 20 Sep
Allan Hartcher OFM, 18 July
Leo Hill MSC, 26 July
Vincent Hobbs, Bris, 29 June
Philip Hosking SJ, 7 Jan
Brian Jackson CM, 18 July
Kevin Johnson, Bunb, 14 June
James Kane, Bath, 14 June
Jozef Kolodziej SChr, Syd, 23 May
Denis Long, Bris, 29 June
Roderick Long SSC, 21 Dec
Anthony Mannix CM, 18 July
Carlo Marchetti OSM, 31 Oct
John McCarthy, Melb, 28 Dec
Patrick McHugh, Bris, 29 June
Robert Mitchell MSC, 25 July
Peter Monopoli MA, Adel, 18 July
Robert Mutlow OP, 19 Dec
Anthony O’Brien MSC, 25 July
Kevin O’Grady, Syd, 18 July
Francis O’Loughlin, Melb, 26 July
Zbigniew Pajdak SChr, 23 May
Leo Pascoe, Melb, 26 July
Hal Ranger, Toow, 29 June
William Ross, Towns, 20 July
Brian Rosser MSC, 26 July
Bernard Scott CM, 18 July
Stanislaus Sniezek, Canb-G, 29 June
Jerome Watt OCarm, 26 July
Gerard Wilkinson CM, 18 July
Dates supplied by dioceses and
religious orders. Direct changes or
additions to the NCP National Office.
40 Years – 1969
David Austin OSA, 6 Sep
Geoff Beyer, Perth, 19 Oct
Jaro Bucholz, Bath, 7 June
Peter Casey, Bris, 29 June
Paul Cashen MSC, 31 May
Nicholas Castelyns SDB, 27 Dec
Thomas Cleary SSC, 6 April
Brian Connolly, Toow, 27 June
Noel Connolly SSC, 8 July
Peter Conroy, Melb, 1 June
Leo Coote, Bris, 30 June
Robert Crawford, BrokB, 6 Sep
Victor Dalton, Towns, 28 June
Ian Dempsey, Adel, 6 Sep
Kevin Dillon, Melb, 1 June
Joachim Dirks SSS, 1 Aug
Martin Dixon, Melb, 31 May
Bernard Dowdell, Woll, 6 Sep
Joseph Duffy, Bris, 28 June
Desmond FitzGerald CSsR, 16 March
Laurence Foote OP, 29 Nov
Anthony Fregolent CS, 1 Jan
Bernard Gallagher, Bris, 1 July
Hugh Galloway, Bunb, 13 Sep
Richard Gamanski SVD, 22 June
Peter Gannon, Canb-G, 24 Aug
Douglas George, Wagga, 9 Aug
Frank Gibson, Hobart, 20 Oct
Francis Hart, Sand, 31 May
John Hayres, Hobart, 28 Aug
Peter Henry, Parr, 23 Aug
Michael Jackson SDB, 25 Oct
John Keeble, Wilc-F, 23 Sep
Terence Kennedy CSsR, 16 March
Justin King SJ, 13 Dec
Philip Linder, Syd, 23 Aug
John Lisle, Perth, 1 Jan
Michael Madigan SVD, 1 June
Adrian McInerney, Ball, 7 Aug
Paul Mercovich, Ball, 31 May
Gabriel Micallef OFM, 22 March
Edward Miller, Perth, 7 Sep
William Morris, Toow, 28 June
Michael Mulcahy, Melb, 31 May
Gerard Neagle CSsR, 16 March
Gerald O’Connor, Cairns, 31 May
Francis O’Loughlin, Melb, 2 Aug
Peter O’Rourke, Melb, 31 May
Laurence Pearson, Melb, 31 May
Michael Putney, Towns, 28 June
Luke Rawlings OP, 25 Feb
James Reilly, Lis, 4 May
Anthony Reynolds, Parr, 23 Aug
Peter Ryan CSsR, 16 March
Graham Schmitzer, Woll, 23 Aug
Jeffrey Scully, Toow, 12 Aug
Francis Smith CSsR, 16 March
John Soulsby SM, 26 April
Anthony Spierings, Melb, 31 May
Barry Tunks, Mait-N, 29 Aug
Paul Walsh CSSp, 6 July
Rodney Williams, Perth, 1 Oct
30 Years – 1979
James Acreman SDB, 26 May
Isidore Anantharaj, Syd, 20 April
Peter Blayney, Parr, 1 Sep
Rupert Bowd, Ball, 17 Aug
Paul Boyers, Broome, 1 Sep
Michael Brundell OCarm, 3 Feb
Andrew Bullen SJ, 8 Dec
Thomas Carroll, Syd, 1 Sep
Raymond Chapman SM, 24 March
John Corcoran, Sand, 18 Aug
Dennis Crameri, Sand, 18 Aug
Peter Daly OMI, 7 Dec
Francis de Dood SDB, 26 May
Thomas Devereux OMI, 28 June
Peter Dillon, Bris, 29 June
John Dowling, Melb, 10 Nov
Kevin Ehlefeldt MSC, 18 Aug
Nicholas Falzun OP, 15 Dec
Robert Fuller, Syd, 1 Sep
Francesco Furfaro, Syd, 1 Sep
William Grogan, Sand, 22 June
Gerard Hefferan, Bris, 28 June
Bart Huynh San, Melb, 18 Aug
Peter Jones, Lis, 10 Aug
John Kilinko, Bris, 2 July
Michael Knight SVD, 27 Oct
Peter L’Estrange SJ, 8 Dec
Alex Lim, Sand, 1 June
Georges Maurel, Perth, 29 June
Paul McCormack MSC, 30 Nov
Brian McDermott, Melb, 11 May
John McGinty OMI, 18 Aug
Michael McShane SJ, 1 Dec
Desmond Moloney, Melb, 18 Aug
Peter Monaghan SDB, 26 May
Denis O’Bryan, Sale, 18 Aug
Paul O’Donoghue, Woll, 27 Oct
John Pothiyittel, Ball, 16 April
Gordon Quinn, Mait-N, 30 Nov
Greg Reynolds, Melb, 18 Aug
Mark Reynolds, Melb, 18 Aug
Gavin Small, Adel, 25 Jan
Bernard Smith MSC, 20 July
Joseph Tien, Melb, 18 Aug
25 Years – Silver – 1984
Anthony Banks OSA, 9 Aug
Baltazar Belocura OSA, 26 March
Janusz Bieniek CSMA, 5 April
Colin Blayney, BrokB, 11 Aug
Marian Brzozowski SDS, 31 May
David Cappo, Adel, 3 March
Gilbert Carlo SVD, 1 Jan
Abraham Cheripuram, 26 Dec
Michael Court SDB, 30 June
Sean Cullen, Woll, 4 Aug
Mark Freeman, Hobart, 24 Aug
Francis Fuchs, Canb-G, 27 May
Paul Fyfe SJ, 4 Aug
Peter Gardiner CP, 20 May
Krzysztof Gebski, Mil, 31 May
Anthony Girolami, Melb, 18 Aug
John Greig, Syd, 11 Aug
Donald Gunn, Wilc-F, 13 Dec
Christopher Hanlon, Bris, 14 Dec
Ted Hanlon, Toow, 8 Dec
Desmond Holm MSC, 5 May
William Holmes, Bunb, 22 Jan
Kevin Horsell, Adel, 18 Aug
Gerard Johnson, Melb, 18 Aug
Michael Kelly SJ, 1 Jan
Thomas Kurunthanam, Syd, 26 Dec
Joven Lustre, 26 April
Francis Ly, Perth, 1 Dec
Philip Marshall, Adel, 18 Aug
Bernard McGrath, Sand, 17 Aug
Anthony Mifsud, Syd, 31 May
Phillip Miscamble OFM, 24 Sep
Michael Nugent, Lis, 17 Feb
Janusz Pawlicha OSPPE, 23 June
Wieslaw Pawlowski SChr, 23 June
Maurizio Pettena CS, 1 Jan
Jude Pirotta MSSP, 31 March
John Quinn, Melb, 18 Aug
Michael Raj OSM, 31 May
Paul Rankin OP, 18 Aug
Michael Rego SM, 8 Dec
Oliver Ryan, Perth, 3 June
John Shanahan, Adel, 8 Dec
Michael Smith SJ, 15 Dec
John Speekman, Syd, 17 Aug
Peter Steane MSC, 3 Nov
Seong Youn, Syd, 5 May
20 Years – 1989
Michael Brady, Lis, 7 April
Peter Brannelly, Bris, 10 Feb
Peter Doai, Canb-G, 1 Dec
Bernard Graham SDB, 8 July
Stephen Hanly, Rock, 21 Nov
Ron Herde, Adel, 21 Dec
Robert Hollow SM, 30 Sep
Vic Ignacio MS, 24 May
Brian Limbourn, Perth, 29 Sep
Gerard McMorrow, Bris, 10 June
Peter Meneely, Bris, 10 Feb
Christopher Middleton SJ, 2 Dec
David Pascoe, Bris, 20 Oct
Peter Rankin SDB, 9 Dec
Peter Struk, Ukr, 20 Aug
John Stuart-James, PortP, 3 March
Michael Taylor, Towns, 22 Sep
Michael Williams, Woll, 17 Nov
Zygmunt Wloczek SDS, 13 May
Ian Wren, Bris, 22 July
10 Years – 1999
Henry Adler SVD, 1 Jan
Mario Azrak OMI, 3 July
Wayne Bendotti, Bunb, 20 Dec
Laurie Bent, Canb-G, 5 March
Artur Botur SChr, 25 May
Roberto Castillo, Syd, 3 July
James Collins, Toow, 15 Oct
Stephen Hamilton, BrokB, 26 Nov
Ihor Holovko, Ukr, 10 Oct
Terry Horne, Mait-N, 18 Sep
Jim McKeon, BrokB, 13 Aug
William Meng OMI, 19 Sep
Terrence Millard, Syd, 25 March
Edward Moloney, Ball, 24 April
Gregory Neville, Toow, 11 June
Chien Nguyen, Perth, 17 Dec
Michael O’Brien, Toow, 29 Jan
Anthony Phillips MGL, 10 Dec
Gaetano Riolo SDB, 10 Dec
Emmanuel Sakr, Maron, 26 June
Sebastian Savarimuthu, Syd, 12 April
Anthoni Samy Selvaraj OFM, 9 Oct
Joseph Tran, Perth, 17 Dec
Iosefo Vaitele SDB, 26 June
Simon Wayte MGL, 10 Dec
PROFILE
Greg Kennedy
Assistant Priest in Cowra, Mudgee,
Dubbo, PP in Orange/Eugowra and
Lithgow/Portland. Now also Diocesan
Youth Chaplain.
When and where were you born?
August 1959, in Bathurst, NSW Memories of your childhood/family/
Lots of cousins, staying at Nana’s for
weekends, swimming under the bridge,
learning to slice and wrap bread in my
uncle’s bakery, bread carting with Dad on
holidays, Christmas with lots of cousins!,
loving school, seeing nuns change habits
into short veils!, not being very ‘sporty’ at
a sports mad high school (Stannies).
the Seminary?
Had thought about it during school but
didn’t come to decision to go to seminary
till first year at ANU. Not sure why - just
‘knew’ that being a priest was for me.
Left seminary after three years and had to decide again during next year to return this time with greater clarity.
Seminary was ridiculously strict at first
- like boarding school. Great bunch of
guys - first couple of years people leaving
every week! Fun times, new knowledge,
searching for identity - spritually and
mentally. Great lecturers, pathetic
lecturers!
When and where were you
ordained?
Bathurst Cathedral, 21st November, 1986
with Paul Devitt
Too many to name. In ten years in Orange
I found a new ‘home’. In recent years our
Diocesan Youth Festival is a highlight.
Challenges are constant and myriad dealing with personnel, coping with ever
growing demands, seeing beyond the
borders of parish / my life; I think the
greatest help has been prayer and the
priests’ support group I’ve been in for
over twenty years.
pass on to future seminarians?
Meet with your brothers and share
honestly. Love the people you’re with.
the future?
To become a better pastor, to become
more humble.
Australia?
That the church will be vibrant, will not
be closed minded, that all Bishops will
show leadership and act collegially and
with compassion.
My mum - unbelievable compassion and
endurance against all odds, quiet faith.
Last book read or movie seen?
Timothy Radcliffe’s What is the point of
being a Christian? - superb!
Doubt - want to see it again.
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PROFILE
Michael Kelly SJ
pass on to future seminarians?
See where you can serve, equip yourself
for it, take risks and take responsibility for
your journey in faith and service.
When & where were you born?
1953, Sydney.
Memories of your childhood/family/
Grew up in a large extended family with
parents divorced in my early teens.
the Seminary?
Late teens.
Hated the Novitiate, found university rich
and challenging, enjoyed philosophy and
theology, energised by three years work
as a journalist.
When and where were you ordained?
1984, Sydney.
Media, pastoral work, education and
administration.
The teams I’ve worked with and the risks
I’ve been encouraged to take.
Inexperience (my own), fear (in me and of
me), lack of resources, misunderstanding
(from others), faith (or the lack of it
in me and others). Overcome through
grace, perseverance, good friends and
Providence.
the future?
To create communications products in
Asia that add plausibility to
affirming a faith in God who’s to be
found at work in the real world we
share with many people from ourselves.
Australia?
That we get real, accept that lots of
Catholics have mature faith in Christ
and have moved on from meekly
accepting a command and control life in
the Church and need to be invited and
encouraged to follow the Lord in our
communion.
A couple of Jesuit priests, a university
professor, my mother and father.
What was the last book you read or
movie you saw?
Journey Without Arrival: A Life of Vincent
Buckley;
Australia with Nicole and Hugh.
Your favourite travel destination?
Home.
What hobbies/pastimes are
important to you?
Building friendships, horse racing, books,
movies, yarning.
A bit of fun - what would you like to the
inscription on your headstone to read?
Ad Majora Natus.
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Returned to the Father
After retirement at the age of 75 he lived
at Nazareth House in Geraldton and said
daily Mass for the community.
Greg always remained connected with
his Order and wore the Carmelite habit.
He continued to take great interest in the
affairs of the Province.
Gregory Moore OCarm
28th July 1915 – 7th Dec 2008
Greg was born in Middle Park on 28 July
1915 and received the initial sacraments
in the Church of Our Lady of Mount
Carmel. He joined the Carmelites when
he was 21 in 1936 but the further his
studies progressed the more he seemed
to deteriorate in health. His ordination
had to be postponed and the doctors
were not optimistic about his life
expectancy. They did not realise how
determined their man was.
Greg was ordained by Archbishop Mannix
in 1945 and remained at the Monastery
at Donvale teaching and studying. He
developed a love for Latin and English
classics which he retained all his life.
Greg was elected Prior Provincial in
1955 and during his term the Order
accepted responsibility for the parishes
of Wentworthville in Sydney and
Hilton in Perth and opened Whitefriars
Secondary College at Donvale. His
next appointments were pastor of the
parishes of Coorparoo in Brisbane and
Hilton in Perth and Prior of the Carmelite
communities attached to them. He
ministered at Northhampton, Tom Price
and Paraburdoo for the next 21 years.
Greg lunched each day at the miners’
canteen.
He died on 7 December 2008. His
Carmelite confreres and priests of the
diocese celebrated the Funeral Mass
led by Bishop Justin Bianchini. Greg
was buried at the Carmelite cemetery in
Donvale, Victoria.
John Edward Grannall MBE
30th Mar 1931 – 29th Dec 2008
Mons. ‘Grassy’ Grannall of the Diocese
of Bathurst was born on 30th March
1931 and was ordained in his hometown
Canowindra on 1st August 1955.
As a priest John served in the parishes
of Orange, Lithgow, Dubbo, Cowra,
Bathurst, Dunedoo/Coolah and Portland.
He was parish priest of the last named at
the time of his death.
At St Patrick’s College Manly, where John
did his theological studies in the 1950s,
fellow students recognised him as a man
of perpetual good humour. This charisma
endeared him to all whose lives were
touched by Fr John.
In the years 1965 – 76 John ministered
as a Chaplain in the Royal Australian Air
Force. The MBE was awarded in 1971 in
honour of his work in Vietnam where he
organised an orphanage for 240 children.
In his younger days, his fame as a Rugby
League player for the Catholic Young
Men’s Society, earned him commendation
from comedians and football
commentators, Roy and HG.
At John’s Funeral Mass, Fr Pat O’Regan
said,”By whatever name we may call him
we recognised that throughout his life
he was a Christian man who said one
word so often – the word ‘yes’. Little
wonder that his last days were lived in a
perpetual spirit of Advent, waiting with
the God who said ‘yes’ to humanity in
Jesus Christ and with Mary who echoed
that ‘yes’. To remember just what he
did, we can miss the point of this good
priest’s life...We would take hours, and
rightly and justly so, listing all the things
that John has done. Wherever this
man went, stories abounded. And yet,
today we do not contend ourselves with
recalling what he did...but why he did it!
His life has been a ‘yes’ to God, ‘yes’ to
people, ‘yes’ to whatever life and faith
– and he has seen more than anyone
decently ought – could throw at him.
John Grannall was a man who sought to
be an instrument of the fullness of God,
this compassion of God made visible
with and for others. As a bit of a larrikin
we loved him, as a holy man we were
strengthened by him, as one who was not
perfect we were encouraged by his own
search for the fullness of God.”
Returned to the Father
John McCulloch
7th July 1939 – 10th Jan 2009
John was ordained a priest in 1963 at St
Mary’s Cathedral Sydney. After ordination
he served in various parishes in the
Archdiocese of Sydney before becoming
Parish Priest of Katoomba.
When Broken Bay Diocese was
established, John mainly did Supply
Ministry before he retiring.
He worked for many years establishing
the Family Camping Movement, which
enabled families to have low cost seaside
holidays on the Central Coast.
Clement Bernard Kilby AM
5th Feb 1930 – 6th Feb 2009
Fr Clem Kilby was born in Launceston on
5th February 1930. He was the fourth
son of the late Harry and Katherine
Kilby. Two of his brothers, Don and
Harry predeceased him with Don being
lost on the HMAS Perth in waters off
Indonesia during World War II and
Harry, who lived in Newcastle, dying last
year. His remaining brother, Kevin, lives
in Queensland. While still very young,
Clem’s father died and some years later
his mother married again – with another
brother, Ron Peters, born to this union.
His immediate family and his family
connections were always very important
to Clem and he was a much loved and
valued brother and uncle. Significantly,
the members of his family have been
closely involved in the preparations
for and the celebration of his funeral
liturgies.
Clem’s early education was with the
Presentation Sisters at St Mary’s School
in Launceston, followed by years at St
Patrick’s College under the guidance of
the Christian Brothers. He always valued
the involvement of these two Catholic
religious orders in his life and his grateful
affection for their contribution to his
formation continued throughout his life.
In 1947 Clem entered Corpus Christi
College at Werribee, Victoria, having been
accepted as a student for the priesthood
by the late Archbishop of Hobart, Most
Rev Ernest Tweedy. After nearly eight
years of formation and study he was
ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop
Tweedy on 25th July 1954.
The day before, his seminary classmate,
Fr Gerry Sheedy, had been ordained in
Burnie and the two were to remain life
long friends as priests of the Archdiocese
of Hobart.
Fr Clem arrived back to work in the
Archdiocese in December 1954. After
a month’s temporary appointment at
Beaconsfield, he was appointed as an
Assistant Priest at St Mary’s Cathedral,
Hobart. In December 1957 he began
nearly three years as assistant in the New
Norfolk Parish. It was from there that
Archbishop Guilford Young summoned
him, instructing him to establish a
Catholic Family Welfare Bureau for the
Archdiocese of Hobart.
In January 1960 Archbishop Young
appointed Fr Kilby as Director of this new
family and welfare service. Thus began his
life’s work and involvement with social
welfare.
It was a grand and visionary idea that the
Archbishop put before this young curate
from the Derwent Valley and Clem gave
himself to the task with great generosity.
Those who were involved in the early
days would recall how limited were the
resources. A seemingly impossible task
was undertaken and, almost miraculously,
the Centacare Tasmania of today is the
ongoing fruit of Fr Clem’s labours and
those of many generous and unsung
collaborators over the past fifty years.
At the same time he began an Arts
degree at the University of Tasmania,
graduating in March 1967. Later that
same year he embarked on two years of
post-graduate study in Chicago, USA.
Returning to Tasmania in September
1969, he once again took up the role of
Director of the Catholic Family Welfare
Bureau. From then until he resigned as
Director of Centacare in December 2000,
Fr Clem put all his energies into the
expansion of the Archdiocese’s Welfare
Agency and the various services it has
provided to the wider community.
In 1986, Archbishop Young appointed
him as Episcopal Vicar for Welfare.
Archbishop D’Arcy (a young priest who
had been present at Fr Clem’s ordination)
renewed this appointment in 1989. Fr
Clem’s contribution to the community as
a whole was recognised in 1996 with his
being awarded a Member of the Order of
Australia.
Fr Clem’s involvement with Catholic
Welfare stretched beyond the boundaries
of the Archdiocese of Hobart. He
made a significant contribution to the
development of the Australia wide
network now known as Catholic Welfare
Australia. He was a pioneer in his field.
Welfare has been his life’s work and
countless thousands, near and far, have
been the beneficiaries.
Perhaps a crowning moment for Fr Clem
came with the pastoral visit to Tasmania
of Pope John Paul II on 27th November
1986. Fr Clem welcomed the Pope to the
Willson Training Centre at Mt St Canice,
Sandy Bay. In giving a major speech on
Unemployment the Pope commended
the work of Centacare which for over a
quarter of a century has been providing
services for family and social needs,
particularly, in recent years, in relation
to the problem of unemployment. This
work continues today and it continues to
expand in the variety of services provided
to those who are in need.
For most of his 54 years as a priest, Fr
Clem Kilby devoted his life and energy to
carrying out the daunting task Archbishop
Young appointed him to undertake in
the late 1950’s. The past few years
have seen Fr Clem supplying in parishes,
playing his much loved golf and enjoying
the company of family and friends. A
powerful preacher and tireless raconteur,
Fr Clem will be remembered for what has
contributed to the lives of many people.
Centacare is built on the unstinting efforts
of this priest and undoubtedly this will be
his lasting legacy.
Anthony (Francis) Kelliher OCD
20th Mar 1916 – 27th Feb 2009
Carmelite priest, Anthony Kelliher died
at Ozanam Villa in Redcliffe at the age
of 92. A funeral Mass for Fr Kelliher was
celebrated at the Mt Carmel Retreat
Centre at Varroville in NSW on March
5 and he was buried at the Carmelite
cemetery in Sydney. A memorial Mass for
Fr Kelliher was celebrated at the Carmelite
Monastery, Ormiston, on March 20 (which
would have been his 93rd birthday).
Fr Kelliher was born Francis Kelliher in
Castlegregory, County Kerry, in the west
of Ireland on March 20, 1916.
After his secondary schooling he joined
the Discalced Carmelites in Loughrea,
County Galway, at the age of 20. A year
later he made his religious profession
on October 8, 1937. He was ordained a
priest on July 11, 1943.
His first ministry was at the Carmelite
Preparatory College, Castlemartyr, County
Cork. After only a year, however, he was
diagnosed with tuberculosis, and went
to a sanitorium for some time to heal. He
later became the editor of Carmel, the
popular Irish spirituality magazine for the
time. He then ministered in the Carmelite
parish of Gerrards Cross outside London.
However his longest and most significant
ministries were in Australia. St Teresa’s
Carmelite Priory, at Gregory Terrace in
Brisbane, became his home and place of
ministry.
In 1960 he became the Superior of the
Brisbane house and the Superior of the
Friars and Nuns in Australia. He built a
new retreat centre at Gregory Terrace
which was opened in 1967. In 1969
he was moved to Varroville - where
as a novice, I first met him. I recall a
memorable address he gave to the
community on a chapter of our interim
constitutions. He quoted a commentary
on Dei Verbum of Vatican II by a young
German theologian who, he said, had
a funny name but who he considered
sound and whom he predicted great
things – Josef Ratzinger, now Pope
Benedict XVI.
In 1972 Anthony returned to Gregory
Terrace and the ministry and people
he loved. He remained a member of
the community until it was closed on
February 17, 1996. He had suffered a
number of health problems before this
and convalesced with the devoted care of
Shirle Dancer.
Anthony, retired and in frail health,
remained in Brisbane as the last of the
Carmelite Friars until his peaceful death
in Ozanam Villa Nursing Home, Redcliffe.
He had a true inner life, he was constant
in prayer. His devotional life was
traditional and he was always steadfastly
loyal to the Church and the Archbishops
of Brisbane. He loved Brisbane and its
people. He was dearly loved and admired
by many of the people he had helped
over more than 50 years. His presence in
the nursing home during his last years
was deeply appreciated by the other
residents and he will be greatly missed.
Eulogy by Greg Burke OCD
TRAVEL
Bullet points for the Bullet Train
•Churches, Temples, Shrines, Torrii,
Castles, Tea Houses, Bath Houses, and
the world’s first nuclear war sites are
among the man-made features on the
‘to do’ list for Japan.
•Cherry blossoms, gardens and Mount
Fuji provide a marvellous natural
backdrop to one’s travels around the
land of the Rising Sun.
•Discover what it is like for non-English
speakers in our liturgy by attending
Mass in Japanese.
•Ride the Shinkansen (Bullet) train.
•Take a cable car and have a picnic on
the hill overlooking Nagasaki Harbour.
•Pray on the hillside site of martyrdom.
•Take a tram to the Atomic Bomb site
and ponder that awful atrocity of
August 6 (Hiroshima) and August 9
(Nagasaki) in 1945.
•Pray in the rebuilt church destroyed on
August 9 1945.
•Wander through a Japanese garden.
•Take a ferry to visit a Shinto shrine and
temple where deer roam freely.
•Japan is worth a visit or two. The first
to find one’s feet and expel the myths
that have prevented a visit. The second,
to do what you missed the first time.
•Nagasaki and Hiroshima, perhaps the
most poignant places on earth are a
big draw-card. Everyone who goes
there is very moved. Nagasaki has a
strong Catholic presence.
•Many are discouraged from visiting
Japan because of perceived high prices
and the difficulty of the language.
However, for the budget-conscious it
is possible to eat and sleep without
busting the purse strings. Many speak
English - especially the young. Some
signs are in Latin script.
•Purchasing a Bullet Train Pass, before
leaving home is a must. Train travel is
the single most expensive item - but
well worth the scenic journey. It is good
value in comparison to buying one off
Jegs at the Itsukushima Torii
Literally meaning “where the birds reside”, torii are gateways at the entrance of
Shinto shrines, or “jinja”. They are typically made of wood, stone or sometimes iron.
Most wooden torii are painted in vermillion. Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, where some buildings and possessions are national treasures.
fares. It’s a moot point as to whether a
first class pass is much advantage over
the cheaper second class pass, other
than the size of the seating. The guide
books tell you that if the Japanese are
not on school holidays themselves the
cheaper option is OK.
•Fast-food delicatessens on every
city corner are open 24hrs providing
affordable meals.
•Fly into Nagasaki, train north to Narita
Village (Tokyo), make at least two sleep
over stops on the way and depart from
the nearby airport.
John Jegorow
The Bullet Train
The Shinkansen literally means “New
Trunk Line”, referring to the tracks, but
the name is widely used inside and
outside Japan to refer to the trains as
well as the system as a whole.
The 2,459 km long network has links
most major cities on the islands of
Honshu- and Kyu-shu- at speeds up to
300 km/h. Test runs have reached 443
km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in
1996, and up to a world-record 581 km/h
(361 mph) for maglev trainsets in 2003.
DEACONS
Why did you become a deacon?
From the Chairman of the
National Committee of Deacons
At funerals, I often make the observation
that we gather to celebrate the life of
a dear relative or friend in much the
same way that we gather on New Year’s
Eve. As midnight approaches, perhaps
with a drink in hand, we reminisce
about the year that is drawing to a
close - we review achievements and our
disappointments.
Like the mourners at the funeral, we have
to be realistic of where we are at this
particular time. Hopefully the grieving
friends and relatives – with our help –
will realise that for their loved one, this
is only the end of an earthly life, that
there is a life in eternity with their God.
New Year’s Eve is also a time for looking
ahead - to the year to come, to learn from
the year that has just passed, and to be
enthusiastic about the goals we may set
for ourselves in the year to come.
By this time, the holiday season for most
of us will be only a memory and we will
be engrossed in our diaconate ministry to
the people whom we serve. When I was
young and living on the South Coast of
Queensland, (before it became the Gold
Coast), one of the local milk companies
used the slogan – “Our milk comes from
contented cows”. It wasn’t long before
another company, just south of the
border replied with a new slogan that
declared, “Our cows are never contented,
they always try harder”.
There are times when we don’t feel like
taking on new or extra responsibilities
in our ministry. There are times when
we need to remind ourselves that being
ordained to the diaconate was not OUR
decision, but that of the Holy Spirit
working within us. It was not long after
for their efforts in getting together the
my ordination when this really hit home
Deacons Vocations display for World
to me. A teacher in our Primary School
Youth Day 08. Elliott, may you and
asked me to come to talk to her Year
Regina find more time to be together!
Three pupils about my ministry. After
In mid-February, the NCD came together
talking for a while, I was showing them
in Belmont for our annual Face to Face
a couple of my vestments
meeting which included
“
P
riests
have
and stoles, when I was
a time spent with the
interrupted by a young boy
better quarters, National Council of Priests
with his hand up. “Why did
Executive. High on our list of
deacons have
you become a Deacon?”
better halves!” priorities was continuing the
he asked. And the only
organisation of our National
truthful answer I could give him was,
Conference in August. It will be not only
“because God wanted me to”. With all
a time for some ongoing formation, but
the formation and organisation for my
also a chance to spend time together and
ordination, it was a direct question that
sharing each other’s experiences. More
I had not been asked. I’m sure that at
details will emerge and we will keep you
some time, all of us have faced the same informed. Hope that you will be able to
question in some particular way. I’m also come to Sydney for this event.
sure that we would all reply in words
similar to mine.
I would like to thank Anthony Gooley
and all who contributed articles for the
2008 issues, for the work that has gone
Family and Church
into our AusDeacon News. Its success
will continue in 2009 as more diaconate
These are the moments to remember
news is sent for publication. Fresh ideas
during the year when our spirits may
and discussion from deacons and wives is
tend to flag somewhat as we try to
always welcome.
manage our commitments to our family
and our church. A priest, during a recent
discussion on priesthood and diaconate,
said that priesthood was a lot simpler in
that they were only answerable to one
vocation. But then we have wonderful
supportive wives and family. As someone
once said, “Priests have better quarters –
deacons have better halves!”
The NCD welcomes our new members
Roger O’Donnell from Canberra,
representing the NSW/ACT region
and also Jim Curtain from Beaumaris
representing Victoria/Tasmania. We
also thank our outgoing member, Elliott
Casalengno from Sydney. Elliott has been
a very active member of the Committee
over several years and I would like to
thank him, and his other Sydney deacons
May your 2009 be filled with happiness,
good health and love! Take care!
Peter Olsen
HEALTH
Bon voyage lads – it’s the trip of your lifetime
Considering this magazine is called The Swag I thought we
might go for a travelling theme. Not travels that take you to
the Caribbean or Kathmandu, this is more about how you are
‘travelling’ in the ups and downs of your life’s journey. It’s about
the ultimate adventure!
Travelling well
What’s in your suitcase?
Wellness is not just about avoiding
sickness. It is about functioning at
your best, and maintaining a sense of
balance in your life, even when inevitable
challenges come your way. It is about
recognising that you are a whole person:
physical, spiritual, emotional, intellectual
and relational. So keeping on track and
being able to go the distance in regard to
your health and wellbeing is part of being
engaged in all aspects of the journey.
What are the raw materials you have
packed for the trip, the personal things
that will impact on your health and
wellbeing?
Travelling purposefully
Taking care of your self is a decision.
Self care is about checking you are best
equipped for the task at hand. Self care
is not about navel gazing and hoping
for the best, it is about taking positive
proactive steps toward better health.
In his book Going the Distance for a
Lifetime of Ministry Peter Brain writes:
‘Clearly, to know the importance of self
care, and even to have strategies in place,
is vital, but these need to be planned,
practised, pursued and persevered in’.
Self care enables
you to be equipped
to take on the
challenges of
leadership, to make
decisions with a
clear mind and to
cope with change
when it comes.
> Your Genetic makeup
This can definitely influence your
future health. Is there a family history
of certain types of cancers or a
predisposition to depression?
> You are blokes
You naturally will have a higher risk of
some diseases such as heart disease.
Men are more likely to ignore messages
about their health... but keep reading
anyway.
> Your lifestyle
The foods you eat and the amount
of physical activity you do. A western
diet which includes plenty of high fat
processed foods, added to a sedentary
lifestyle and mixed with high stress will
definitely cut your trip short.
> Your BMI
Your weight in relation to your height
(BMI) and where you carry your weight.
It is better if you are shaped more like a
pear than an apple.
> How you approach a challenge
Your resilience, ability to adapt and
personality type will all influence how
your life’s journey may go.
> Social connections
Family and friends can be a great
source of strength or an incredible
drain on your energy levels. Good
quality relationships are worth their
weight in gold.
The journey
As a priest you are on a journey that is
different to many. You didn’t pick the
corporate ladder with the big mortgage
and a wife with 2.3 children. So what
are some of the unique challenges and
rewards that come with choosing the
alternate route and avoiding the tourist
bus?
•You have a role that has a high level of
privilege and responsibility, in this life
and for eternity.
•You are a leader and a role model who
tends to be judged harshly if you fall
short of others expectations.
•You are single and celibate so finding
intimacy in relationships can be
challenging.
•You are a public figure and so whilst
many people may feel they know you,
and some may even feel like they ‘own’
you, at times you may feel quite isolated.
•You have less distinction than most
people when it comes to your living
space, office environment and work
responsibilities.
•Not many people use the term
‘vocation’ or ‘call’ these days so
sometimes its easier not to try to
explain ‘what you do’.
•Many of you cover great distances as
part of your ministry and many of you
have moved great distances, sometimes
away from family and friends, for your
ministry.
•You are often
at your busiest
when others are in
holiday mode.
Are we there yet?
It was my first year of high school, the
year when you want to fit in and be the
same as everyone else. The teacher had
given us the assignment. ”Write about
going on a trip. It can
“Self care is not about navel be to anywhere you
gazing and hoping for the want to go’. So here
we were in class and
best, it is about taking
the teacher chose one
positive proactive steps
after another to share
toward better health.”
their story.
•The old saying ‘less
is more’ doesn’t
really fit when it
comes to the decline in priest numbers.
‘Less do more’ and ‘more get older’ is a
better fit.
•You have a unique opportunity to share
in the journey of others, particularly in
those life markers that are sometimes
expressed with joy and celebration and
at other times with loss and grieving.
We heard about people going to the
Gold Coast, a trip to the country, a visit
to grandparents and some even dreamed
of a journey to faraway places... such as
New Zealand. I sank down in my seat but
it was too late and I heard the teacher
say, “Cheryle can you read about where
you want to go?”
“The rocket ship took off; we were
heading into the unknown”.
We may not be there yet, but while you’re
on your journey, choose to travel well, be
prepared, look after your companions and
remember to listen to your tour guide.
It’s the trip of your lifetime!
Cheryle Davies
Clergy Healthcare Coordinator
Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane /
Mt Olivet Hospital
http://nationalcouncilofpriests.com.au
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Books
A New Era of Pastoral
Leadership: Consolidation and
Challenge
Martin Dixon, Voices series, RRP $24.95,
paperback, 50 pages
In October 2003,
on the initiative
and at the
invitation of the
National Council
of Priests of
Australia (NCP),
representatives of
the Commission for
Australian Catholic
Women, the Bishops’ Committee for Laity,
and Australian Catholic Leaders of Religious
Institutes, met with Fr Martin Dixon
(representing the NCP) in Canberra to begin
a conversation on ways of being church in
Australia at this point in our history.
This was the first time representatives of
these four bodies had come together with
a common purpose. A key inspiration was
John Paul II’s Novo Millennio Ineunte (n.46):
“The Church of the third millennium will
need to encourage all the baptised and
confirmed to be aware of their active
responsibility in the church’s life. Together
with the ordained ministry, other ministries,
whether formally instituted or simply
recognised, can flourish for the good of the
whole community.”
Out of this gathering grew the Imagining
Pastoral Leadership (IPL) Project, of which
Martin Dixon is the coordinator and which
is the basis of his brief volume. Dixon is also
parish priest of St Simon’s, Rowville, Victoria.
Based in a theology of both God and
Church as communion, and examining
current realities such the decline in priest
numbers and increased education of laity,
Dixon offers much food for thought and
reflection. He also has practical proposals.
The volume is refreshing due to the author’s
honesty. He pulls no punches:
“The Melbourne Archdiocese under
Archbishop Little began such a process
in 1992… and in March 1994 launched
Tomorrow’s Church where over 2000
people enthusiastically received it at the
Dallas Brooks Hall. The process involved
extensive consultation with the people
throughout the archdiocese and received
a very warm response. Archbishop Little’s
successor thought better and produced,
without consultation, another plan. That was
thrown out by his successor whose Strategic
Working Plan has fizzled into thin air. Now
amalgamations are made whenever a priest
dies, retires or moves without any thought
of preparation or planning.”
This is not point scoring, but a cautionary
tale of how addressing the current
leadership crisis in the Church can meet
many obstacles (and be extremely frustrating
to those who have invested in a planned
process of change). He contrasts the above
account with more positive outcomes in
dioceses such as Toowoomba and Adelaide.
I think this is a rare instance where one can
truly say this is a book that every priest and
bishop in Australia, and any lay Catholic
with an interest in pastoral leadership,
should read.
The book is part of Voices, a quarterly series
of essays on religion in Australia published
by John Garratt Publishing under the
editorship of Garry Eastman, and launched
in 2008. The other initial releases are Max
Charlesworth’s A Democratic Church, Eric
Hodgen’s New Evangelisation in the 21st
Century, and Muriel Porter’s Women in
Purple: Women Bishops in the Australian
Church. Authors of Voices essays in 2009
are expected to be Michael Costigan, Frank
Purcell, Anne Boyd, and Denham Grierson.
God’s Enduring Presence:
Strength for the Spiritual
Journey
Joyce Rupp, RRP $22.95, paperback, 135
pages
Living Faith is a
quarterly Catholic
devotional
publication that
provides a brief
meditation on one
of the liturgical
scripture readings
for each day of
the year. It has a
wide range of contributors: lay, religious,
clerical, female and male.
Among the best known of the writers is Joyce
Rupp, a Servite (Servants of Mary) sister and
spiritual guide who has been a retreat leader
and speaker in various parts of the world,
including Australia and New Zealand.
Her previous books include Open the Door:
A Journey to the True Self, The Cup of Our
Life: A Guide for Spiritual Growth, and May
I Have This Dance?
Sr Rupp’s new book, God’s Enduring
Presence, collects around 120 of her
meditations contributed to Living Faith over
the last seven years. An earlier collection of
her Living Faith writings was published in
2001 as Inviting God In. Sometimes such
collections don’t work well when the texts
are taken out of the context of the original
publication, but that is not the case here.
Joyce Rupp writes with great clarity and
with a spiritual authority grounded in a firm
conviction in God’s presence, as reflected in
the volume’s title.
This aspect of the book is discussed by the
author in her introduction:
“As I have aged, much has changed in both
my external and internal world. One thing
that has not been altered is my consistent
experience of the enduring quality of God’s
presence. Through the joys and sorrows of
my years, this abiding love remains strong
and lasting.”
My initial reaction to this focus on
experiencing God’s presence was, Had she
not experienced the so-called “dark night
of the soul”?, Is she always as chipper as a
television evangelist?
But reading the meditations itself, a
more nuanced understanding of “God’s
enduring presence” emerges from Sr Rupp’s
reflections on her own experiences and
those of the people she encounters (she is
also a hospice volunteer).
A good example is her reflection on
Phil 2:7 (“He emptied himself…”), entitled
“Everything Has Been Taken from Me”.
And it is not uncommon for Rupp to
challenge us with the demands of the
gospel, such as in her reflections “Face
Guilt, Don’t Cover It Up” and “Make
Amends, Not Excuses”:
“How blind we can be to the harm we do by
our behaviour and treatment of others. When
we hear ourselves making a lot of excuses
for what we’ve done, it’s probably time to
turn to Psalm 51 and admit our offenses: ‘I
was wrong, I judged you poorly. I failed to be
responsible and thoughtful. I betrayed you by
my silence… Please forgive me’.”
The meditations are grouped in seasonal
sections: Advent, Lent, Easter to Pentecost,
Festivals, and Ordinary Time, and include
the brief biblical text that inspired the
meditation, but apart from the Festivals
the specific liturgical day is not indicated. I
would imagine that there is much material
here that could be the starting point for a
homily. An index of the biblical texts would
have been of benefit in that regard.
Given the general nature and accessibility
of the meditations, the book would also be
excellent for gift giving.
Seeking Life: The Baptismal
Invitation of the Rule of St
Benedict
Esther de Waal, RRP $24.95, paperback,
160 pages
The Rule of Saint
Benedict is a
classic of Christian
spirituality, and
has been the
major influence
in Western
monasticism
throughout the
1500 years since it
was written.
In recent decades, Esther de Waal’s Seeking
God: The Way of St Benedict has had great
influence in presenting the relevance of
Benedict’s teaching in the Rule to the
layperson in everyday, contemporary life.
Now, some 25 years later, de Waal has
produced a new, substantial study based
again on the Rule of St Benedict, this time
focussing on the Rule’s Prologue as a
source for understanding baptism and what
it means to live our baptismal vows.
De Waal is a skilled historian and an
eloquent writer, and in Seeking God her
thorough research and contemplation of
her reading are evident. Woven into the
book is a treasury of apposite quotations
from other writers, ancient and modern.
The book begins with some preliminary
chapters on aspects of baptism, including
the Easter liturgies, the need to recover
historical roots, and the importance of
“symbolic identity”.
The text of the Prologue itself is followed
by some initial reflection on it and the
tradition of lectio divina. In the spirit of that
meditative and contemplative approach to
reading (which is very much in the spirit
of St Benedict), de Waal offers a series of
meditations on key themes in the Prologue
in relation to baptism and indeed to central
aspects of Christian discipleship.
“I love the image of the Rule as taking
us by the hand and leading us to Christ,
for that brings the assumption of active
co-operation, the willingness on my part to
be actively engaged. At baptism I put my
hand to the plough, and I must not turn
back. This means perseverance, hanging on;
it is linked to patience, to patientia, and so
the passion and the paschal mystery that
underlies everything in the Prologue as, God
willing, it will underlie all that my Christian
vocation is asking of me.”
The final, 30-page section of the volume is
an anthology of well-chosen ancient texts
taken from instructions to catechumens
and baptismal homilies. The three main
sources are St Cyril of Jerusalem, St John
Chrysostom, and Theodore of Mopsuestia.
There is a rich feast here for personal
reflection, but also a resource for baptismal
preparation and liturgy.
The book can be read at any time of the
year, but has a special relevance for Lent
and preparation for the Easter Vigil.
Kevin Mark
Kevin Mark is a former publisher for Collins Dove/
HarperCollinsReligious and now manages the
Australasian content in the Global Books in Print
database. He is a parishioner of St Bernard’s,
Belmont, Victoria, and is married with two
daughters (who both enjoy reading).
Available from John Garratt Publishing
SPORT
The other MCG
On Monday, March 2nd 2009 a great day
of weather, social interaction and golf
was enjoyed by all at the Werribee Park
Golf Club in Victoria. This annual event
of the Melbourne Archdiocese is now
celebrating its 50th year. Great speeches
were made to honour past champions
such as Bryan McCormack (1971 winner);
J. Nippard (1967,68,70, and 74) and a
former friend to many of the clergy, Paul
Dalton (1977,79, 81-5, 1996). As many
remember Paul died only days before
his intended 60th birthday celebrations,
bearing witness to Jesus’ words “you will
not know the day nor the hour”!!
The MCG or Melbourne Clergy Golf
tournament started in 1959 at Long
Island Country Club in the Frankston
area; endured a year at Spring Valley Golf
Club, and enjoyed the beautiful links of
the Royal Melbourne Golf Club on even
one occasion. However, the last 30 years
have seen it appropriately played right
next to the former diocesan seminary for
Victoria and Tasmania from 1923-1972,
Corpus Christi College. A more recent
tournament, the ‘Corpus Christi Golf
Tournament’ has been combined in latter
years with the Melbourne Clergy Golf
Tournament.
The overall winner of the Annual
Melbourne Archdiocese Golf Tournament
for 2009 was not only our current
President, Peter Matheson, with 87 off
the stick, but also our winner between
the years of 2003-2005. Maybe lucky for
Peter was the absence of Brian O’Sullivan
CM, another very good golfer who has
won the last 3 years, but is now up in
Sydney. We expect him to take the Sydney
Archdiocesan Tournament by the horns
- bookmakers get your money on him!
Incidentally our 2009 winner is the only
known golfer to score an albatross (a 2
on a par 5) at our Werribee Tournament
a few years back – in other words a big
bird or birdie!
This year there were 33 golfers in the
field for the ‘big 50’ celebrations as
opposed to 26 the previous year.
Thanks to all who made the special
effort for our celebrations. Again we
entertained priests from all the Victorian
dioceses: Sale, Sandhurst and Ballarat.
Together with a number of Religious
there were 48 at the dinner on the night
itself for speeches, meal and trophy
presentations.
As far as the recent winners on the day
go: an old fox and a young fox drove
together from Northern Victoria and
took away the silverware. John Ware
with one piece of ‘silverware’: the
‘Paul Dalton Trophy and our youngest
competitor Jake Mudge acquired the
‘Corpus Christi Trophy’ – well done Jake.
One of our recently retired priests, Paddy
Duggan, with 36 points won the B Grade
Stableford plus the ‘Brian James Trophy’.
Earlier he had given an eloquent address
about his former great golfing friend, Paul
Dalton. May he rest in peace.
The Administrator of the Sale Diocese
showed signs of Samson strength when
he took out the longest drive for the first
time and the Williamstown PP gave all he
could on the day to win the prestigious
Bradman Award with 140 shot - another
worthy champion.
Any chumps or champs are welcome to
join us at our Annual Melbourne Clergy
Golf Tournament. It is the first Monday in
March every year. Just ring me on 0400
524 363 and free accommodation will be
provided with someone near the Airport
going to the Tournament – the premier
Tournament of Victoria besides the
Ballarat Priests, the Sale and Sandhurst
Priests Golf Tournaments!
We always get magnificent service and
a great meal at the Werribee Park Golf
Club. The committee, Peter Matheson
(President), Grant O’Neill (Treasurer) and
I are thankful for the regular financial
support of Catholic Church Insurances,
the Catholic Development Fund and Tobin
Brothers Funeral Services. The latter have
seen many of our old golfers retire to a
better green over the years.
Greg Trythall
Secretary of the MCG!
(Melbourne Clergy Golf)
TECHNOLOGY
Skype 101 - a primer
Have you heard of Skype but were afraid
to ask about it…? Don’t panic - it’s been
a mainstay of voice communications
for computer-folks for a long while, but
there’s still lots of you (us!) out there who
need to be introduced to the concept…
one step at a time.
Once you have added a friend from your
end, THEY will be asked by Skype to verify
that YOU are allowed to contact them.
(It’s a safety net so that you can’t spam
the entire world, and no-one can spam
you) Once they approve you, you’ll both
see each other in your contact lists.
What is Skype?
Skype is free software that lets you talk
to other people via your computer - using
a microphone and headphones instead of
a regular telephone.
The Skype contact list will show you the
statuses of your buddies: active, away or
busy.
Active is when they’re using their
computer.
Away is when there’s been no activity
after a preset time - usually 10mins or so
- as if their screensaver was one or they’d
gone for a coffee.
Busy is that they’re there, but not taking
calls. There are other options, too - feel
free to explore them and set your own
custom ‘out to lunch’ message.
Step One - install it
Grab the latest version from the web site:
skype.com - it’ll only offer you the version
you need (that is: Mac or PC) so you’ll be
good to go in a few minutes.
Install the program, and it’ll put an icon
either on your Desktop, in your Taskbar,
or on your Dock - either way, open up the
Skype.
Step Two - register yourself
The first thing it’ll do is either ask you for
your Skype username and password, or
for you to sign up as a new user.
If you haven’t already, sign up: your
username is your public ‘tag’ that people
see you by - so make it a decent one one that you’ll be happy promoting.
Step Three - add contacts
Now begin adding your contacts to the
contacts list: There’s a PLUS sign at the
bottom, where you can ‘find’ people by
their location, by their email, or by their
Skype username.
The ‘by username’ option is the most
direct - although you might have to use
your normal channels of communication
to get your contacts’ Skype usernames.
Step Four - the contact list
Step Five - getting in touch
Now - how to use it: there’s essentially
two ways: text, or voice/video.
Text is easy: click on a contact and
choose to chat to them by text. It’s a
good way to keep a conversation going
that doesn’t require your full attention.
It’s also a good way to see if colleagues
can assist you with queries, without
having to call or stop them from working.
In that way, text chatting is convenient
and subtle - as opposed to the ‘dropeverything-and-answer-the-phone’ nature
of the telephone.
Voice calls are exactly the same as a
phone call: click the contact and choose
voice (or voice and video!).
If the person you are calling is on Skype,
the call is free. Free free. The video option
isn’t too bad (getting better!), but if it
affects the audio quality then go back to
simply voice only.
How to avoid the echochamber
My final piece of advice is to grab a pair
of headphones: in-ear (iPod) headphones
will do nicely, or upgrade to a pilot’s
earphones/microphone combo for more
comfort.
When you’re talking on Skype without
headphones, the speakers and the
microphone are very close together, so
the person at the OTHER END will hear
themselves speak in an echo chamber...
hence, it’s more convenient, and far more
polite, to plug in a set of headphones
when chatting by voice.
For the record, the NCP National Office
is on Skype all day, every day: their Skype
name is ncpnationaloffice
Andrew Ballard
NCP’s Technology/Design Consultant
More free advice at: rebusiness.com.au
Magnetic Gold
Plated Crosses
25mm x 17mm
No more pins or clips
$12 pair (inc GST & Postage)
Order from:
Vince Redden
33 Tranmere St
Drumoyne NSW 2047
Ph (02) 9181 1795
THE LIGHTER SIDE
In a nuts-hell
Last year in a diocese somewhere
in Australia... Bishop to a parish
congregation: “I am pleased to be here
on my canonical visit.” Teenager to
Mum: “Did he say conjugal visit?”
The Hon. Tim Fischer, Australian
Ambassador to the Holy See, is also
a railway enthusiast. He has written
books on the subject. The Vatican
railway system does not offer great
opportunities to a train-spotter as it
consists of a single line that extends
less than a kilometre from the Italian
state mainline.
However the papal railway does have
an interesting history. Pope Gregory
XVI (1831-1846) condemned railways
as an unwanted intrusion into the
natural ordering of society. If God had
wanted us to travel rapidly we would
have been given wings! Gregory’s
successor, Pius IX (1846-1878) allowed
railways to be built in the Papal States.
The Popes ruled central Italy in those
days. One of the Pope’s carriages in
which he toured his domains has been
preserved. No Pope travelled by train
again until John XXIII (1958-1963)
visited Loreto as a pilgrim.
Was Shakespeare fascinated by the
number 46? The recently discovered
portrait of the bard, the only one
painted during his lifetime, was
commissioned, we are told, when he
was 46 years of age.
Shakespeare is believed to have been
one of the authors of the King James
Bible. In the 46th Psalm the 46th word
from the beginning is ‘shake’, and the
46th word, when counted from the end
is ‘spear’.
Our theologically minded PM quoted
Luther without acknowledgement
at the service held in Melbourne in
memory of those who perished in the
recent bushfires.
In praising the courage of the
firefighters, Mr Rudd said it was a
though they faced the dangers saying,
‘Here I stand, I can do no other’. Thus
spoke Luther at the Diet of Worms in
1521.
Tentative tenuous (he had difficulty
holding his notes) tenor, at the parish
soirée: ‘For Bonnie Annie Laurie I would
lay me doon and die.’ Voice from the
back of the hall – ‘Would someone
please fetch Miss Laurie.’
Celebrants know full well that marriage
service booklets must be proof read
very carefully - spell check does not
necessarily expose infelicitous textual
inaccuracies:
“Lord may they remain untied in heart
and mind and know that you always
call them too long for your presence”
Despite the Australian Church’s
multicultural flavour in 2009, St
Patrick’s Day is still celebrated
exuberantly each year in recognition of
our Irish roots.
Even in a pluralist society the media,
especially talk-back radio, gives
due recognition to St Patrick’s Day
celebrations.
There’s many a saint, so they tell,
who would evil and demons expel,
but blessed St Patrick,
accomplished a hat trick,
and drove out the serpents as well.
“Good and Faithful Servants” is a
book edited by Monsignor Frank Cresp.
Its purpose is to recall the spirit of
the deceased priests of the Port Pirie
(formerly Port Augusta) Diocese.
Over 127 names are listed. Readers will
appreciate the crisp Cresp style.
We read that Fr John Lonergan of
Ballarat was named Bishop of Port
Augusta in January 1938. He died
in July of that year before Episcopal
Ordination. The editor’s laconic
comment is “probably died of fright”.
– Fr Ron Line
n
)
r
ts
THE LIGHTER SIDE
Crossword
1
2
6
7
3
4
5
8
Down
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
© Crosswords for Fun 2009
Across
1A group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean
belonging to Portugal. (6)
3 Which historical figure is portrayed by Clive
Owen in the movie Elizabeth : the Golden Age
(2007)? (7)
6 What was Sydney’s Glebe Island Bridge
renamed in 1998? (5,6)
10Which country traces its history back to the
Land of a Million Elephants, which existed
from the 14th to the 18th centuries? (4)
11Which London monument that Commemorates
the Great Fire of London? (3,8)
14Which tree has the species name Ilex
aquifolium? (5)
15Which river in southwestern Asia, flows into
the Persian Gulf, and was important in the
development of several great civilizations in
ancient Mesopotamia? (9)
17Which Melbourne theatre opened on 18
December 1886? (8,7)
20Which gas was discovered by Joseph Priestly
in 1774? (6)
23 “Time is the ___ of your life.” Carl Sandburg (4)
24 How many years are there in a decade? (3)
25 To put another’s mind at rest is to what their
fears? (5)
26 “Music hath charms to soothe a savage
breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted
___.” William Congreve (3)
©2009 www.crosswordsforfun.com.au
28Henry Handel Richardson wrote the novel
Ultima ________ (1929). (5)
29A musical composition in several movements
with no fixed form. (8)
1 A slender bristlelike appendage found on the
bracts of grasses. (3)
2A mythical bird of prey of enormous size and
strength. (3)
4Which chemical element was discovered by
William Ramsay in 1892? (5)
5Which Australian warship sank the Italian
cruiser, the Bartolomeo Colleoni, off the coast
of Crete in July 1940? (1,1,1,1,6)
6Completed in 1518, in which city is the
Cathedral of our Lady situated? (7)
7A term used to describe a cove or inlet in the
sea or on a lake. (3)
8Which Queensland city was proclaimed on 20
November 1913? (9)
9 The musical term for slowing down. (11)
12“A decent boldness ever _____ with friends.”
Homer (5)
13The number of times Jesus was denied by
Peter. (5)
16“The worst _________ would be a closed
heart.” Pope John Paul II (6)
18The common unit of land measure in the
metric system, equivalent to 10,000 square
metres. (7)
19“A _____ arises, as I conceive, out of the
needs of mankind; no one is self-sufficing, but
all of us have many wants.” Plato (5)
21Which American university was founded in
1701? (4)
22Agatha Christie wrote the mystery novel Why
Didn’t They Ask who? (5)
27A tennis serve which the server’s opponent is
unable to return; thus forfeiting the point. (3)
5 Which Australian warship sank the Italian cruiser, the
Stumped? Answers are on theswag.org.au web site
Bartolomeo Colleoni, off the coast of Crete in
July 1940? (1,1,1,1,6)
4 6 3
6 A city in Belgium. (7)
6
8
7 A term used to describe a cove or inlet in the sea or on a
5
lake. (3)
Sudoku
8 Which Queensland cityEach
was
proclaimed
on 20 November
6 4
Sudoku
has a
unique
solution
that
1913? (9)
can be reached logically
7
12
13
16
7
9
2
8
Enter digits from 1 to 9
9
3 7
“A decent boldness ever
with friends.” Homer (5)
into_____
the blank spaces.
8
Every rowwas
must contain
The number of times Jesus
denied by 7
Peter. (5)9
one of each digit.
“The worst _________ would be a closed heart.” Pope 7
5
So must every column,
John Paul II (6)
and every 3x3 square.
8 3 9
without guessing.
9 The musical term for slowing
down. (11)
5
1
18 The common unit of land measure in the metric system,
The Swag 37 (7)
Autumn 2009
equivalent to 10,000 square metres.
THE LIGHTER SIDE
Apologia Pro Vita Mea
“How do you spend these days of retirement, Harry?” so goes
the oft repeated question.
I retired from active parish ministry three
years ago at the tender age of 72. I really
had run my batteries down and needed
a break. Archbishop John Bathersby
was very decent about it. Mondays
to Saturdays are my time. Weekends I
“supply” wherever, within reason. My
weekdays are filled with all manners of
things and I was coping with the load
fairly well until dear Sally asked me to
write an article for Swag. I rush to
explain that my so-called journalistic
talent arose from crazy articles that I
have been writing every two weeks for
our Brisbane Clergy newsletter. Just to
brighten the thing up a bit. So may you
feel brightened!!
Long before retirement my leisure
interest was boating. My boat is about
forty years of age, marine ply with a
recent model of 50HP Mariner on its
transom. It’s a lot of fun. Fish? Not plenty.
Crabs? I had my pots stolen some years
back at Maryborough parish. Fun? Plenty.
Safety? It has it all…marine radio, epirb,
lifejackets, V sheet, mirror, common
sense, and luck. I have touched a few
sandbanks but have not yet lost a crew.
My favourite sea place is seven kms off
the coast at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine
Coast. I have never known sea sickness
which must mean that between the ears
is OK. The boat is just under 16’ and was
built by my boatbuilding cousin, Roy Bliss.
Roy and I are great mates and have been
since I first met him when I was twelve
years of age. I took the boat back to him
a few years back after it developed some
worrying leaks. Says cuz Roy: “You’ve
been bloody well taking this boat out
in the ocean again, haven’t you? I’ve
told you it wasn’t designed for ocean
swells. But I’m wasting my time with you
mate!” He repaired it. Way back in 1955
I told him of my intention to enter Banyo
Seminary to become a priest. Roy was
a fully fledged Mason. “Harry” says he
“don’t let those b…’s get their hands on
you.” It could have been
the end of a beautiful
friendship but he got
over it, visited me at
Banyo on visiting days and
attended my
first Mass. Since
that time Roy
has met many
priests. A Belgian
theologian named Fr
Piet Franzen visited
Brisbane at the request
of Father (now Bishop)
Putney. That was sometime
about 1974. I was asked
to take this special guest
for a run in my boat on the
Brisbane River. The river was
rough and nasty so instead
I took Peter over to Roy’s boatyard for a
yarn and a beer. They took to each other
like long lost pals. Roy still brags about
that day.
Taking that boat for a run really
brightens my day and gives great joy
to whomsoever makes bold to come
with me. My boating log shows that
since I first purchased the craft in 1982,
there have been all manners of satisfied
customers. There have been bishops,
priests, seminarians, rellies, brothers,
sisters, bird watchers, friends, kids, and
parish secretaries. Sitting at anchor off
Mooloolaba with Bishop John Gerry the
fish were obliging. Of a sudden I spotted
a trawler headed for us. It helps to know
that some of these sea going cowboys
turn on their automatic pilot and go
downstairs for a sleep. Such was the case
this day. Retreat for us was out of the
question unless I cut the anchor rope.
That we are both alive today is testimony
to the fact that I cut the rope! And this is
where I cut off from your attention and
look forward to meeting up with you in
print in the next issue of The Swag.
Harry Bliss
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econciliation aims to support you
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his beautifully illustrated new edition takes
parents step-by-step through the baptism
celebration. In simple easy-to-understand language,
it also answers frequently asked questions. Includes a
commemorative page to mark the day.
Being a Godparent
9782895076650 Novalis $6.95 Sophia $5.56
T
his unique resource introduces new
godparents to their role in the life of the new
Christian and walks them through their part in the
baptism celebration.
CERTIFICATES BY LYNNE MUIR
Baptism A) 8483 B) 1695
First Communion C) 8513 D) 1718
Reconciliation E 8506 F) 1701
Confirmation G) 8490 H) 1725
A)
E)
C)
B)
D)
G)
F)
H)
Sacramental Wooden Crosses
Sylized Inlay
30021SNB
2009346SwagAd2.indd 1
Wheat and Grapes
3007CNB
Seven Flames
30013CNB
Pewter Cross
with cord
CRM12808
$16.95 Sophia $13.56
To Order: Fax: 03 8545 2922
Email: sales@johngarratt.com.au
Phone: 1300 650 878
Web: www.johngarratt.com.au
19/3/09 4:40:20 PM
O
Of all life’s celebrations
the funeral liturgy can touch
us the most deeply.
We prefer to place our trust and reliance
on those who have the skill and experience to
plan a funeral that has meaning and dignity.
At least that’s what Sydney families look for when they choose
WN Bull Funerals.
As the funeral liturgy expresses faith, it also
contextualises the life of the deceased with traditional
and contemporary elements.
www.wnbull.com.au
T: (02) 9519 5344
F: (02) 9519 4310
24 HOUR HELP LINE
lgadv_SWAG_142
AUSTRALIAN FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBER

The Swag Autumn 2009 PDF

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