Catholic Life - May 2013

Catholic LifeCatholic LifeFree

Publication of the Diocese of Sale ISSUE 172 May 2013

CatholicCareGippslandarrives

- Pages 8-9

Exploringthe Africandrum beat

- Page 6

Please respond to our May appealA donation to the Bishop’s Family Foundation will aid needy families in the Diocese of Sale by funding much needed counselling and other programs.

Send tax deductible donations to:Bishop’s Family Foundation, PO Box 1410, Warragul 3820

Phone 5622 6600 for more information

New focus on family lifeTHE family will be the key focus of a fi ve year pastoral plan for the Diocese of Sale which is outlined in the Pentecost pastoral letter of Bishop of Sale, Christopher Prowse.

The pastoral letter draws on the experiences and examples of the Holy Family.

Entitled A Permanent Nazareth: Family Life in the Mission of the Church, it is the third Pentecost pastoral letter released by Bishop Prowse.

He said the fi rst area of priority was the transmission of Catholic faith in these challenging times and the second was to support family life which was “fragile.”

These two priorities could be drawn together by the diocese having a clearer focus on families in the evangelising mission of the Church.

Bishop Prowse looks at the Holy Family and families in the missionary tradition of the Catholic Church.

“Sometimes when we examine the biblical/theological ideal ... and then look at the reality of so many families today, we can become discouraged.

“Family life in Australia has become a kind of patchwork of various human arrangements offering all sorts of hopes, joys and sufferings.

“Without denying that many families seem to be in a healthy and happy state, many are in great pain and suffering tremendously.”

He said that in setting a fi ve year pastoral plan, the vision was to ponder deeply on family life - its origins, its joys and sorrows.

God’s plan for family life was its interface with parish/school life and its evangelising role in society.

Bishop Prowse said the pastoral plan was titled Family Evangelisation and each year there would be distinct focus which he would enlarge on in Advent pastoral letters.

The fi rst focus would be Year of Family Prayer, followed in 2014-15 by a Year of Marriage and Family Life, 2015-16 by a Year of Nurturing Family-School Relations, 2016-17 by a Year of Nurturing Family-

Parish/school Relations and fi nally in 2017-18 by a Year of Nurturing Family/Parish/School in the World Today.

In November this year, the bishop will publish his pastoral letter in Catholic Life to set the scene for the following 12 months.

The letter will have parish and family resources attached to assist with practical applications of the Year of Family Prayer

and to help promote discussion and involvement.

Bishop Prowse said all parishes, schools, families and Church groups were being asked to give the yearly focus a major pastoral priority.

It might not necessarily mean that there would be a need to do more, but instead it might mean that there needed to be greater focus on family evangelisation as part of normal activities.

The full text of Bishop Prowse’s pastoral letter A Permanent Nazareth: Family Life in the Mission of the Church is a four-page lift-out in this issue of Catholic Life.

There is also a summary section and questions to help promote discussion within parishes, groups and families.

People are asked to consider keeping the pastoral letter aside for later reference.

Bishop’sPastoralLetter

- Pages 11-14

IT takes teamwork to keep the campfi re going, stop the fi re from smoking too much and then cooking a batch of delicious popcorn but Mub, Todd, Thomas and Tyler from St Michael’s Primary School, Traralgon, seem to be winning during their important teamwork camp on the Gippsland Lakes near Paynesville. See full story page 3.

Smoking allowed at this school camp

Page 2 - Catholic Life, May 2013

Dear Friends in Christ,

We are nearing the end of the Year of Grace (Pentecost). The Year of Faith will continue until the end of November (Solemnity of Christ the King).

Already in the Diocese of Sale we are seeing many fruits of the Holy Spirit offered in these two ‘Years’. There is a deepening awareness among us that all is from the Grace of Jesus. Our faith grows in this awareness. One of the Lord’s greatest gifts to us is the Grace of Faith.

I will now choose just two manifestations of our Faith in Jesus alive in our diocese at present.

THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

During this Easter Liturgical Season and beyond I will confer the Sacrament of Confi rmation in most of our parishes. There is a real opportunity in the preparation and celebration of this wonderful Sacrament for conversion and a return to our Catholic Faith.

It is easy to be cynical in assessing whether a real return

to our faith is actually happening when families participate in Confi rmation. However, we cannot deny that an invitation of Grace and Faith is offered to every child confi rmed and every family involved. It is a real fi eld for the New Evangelisation to take place. Let us all seize this opportunity.

Recently, Pope Francis conferred the Sacrament of Confi rmation in Rome on 44 boys and girls representing the Universal Church. Thousands who have already received this Sacrament of the Holy Spirit were also present.

During his homily, the Holy Father asked the Confi rmands to “remain united to God as branches to the vine”. He called them to “not lose our friendship with Him” and to “make ever more room for him in our lives”. This is such an important spiritual rule

for all of us throughout our entire lives… to make room for Jesus in our lives! This constitutes the real beginnings of a life faith!

The Holy Father also offered a lovely practical challenge to the children (and all of us). He said: “How beautiful it would be if each of you, every evening could say: Today at school, at home, at work, guided by God, I showed a sign of love towards one of my friends, my parents, an older person. How beautiful!”

PENTECOST PASTORAL LETTER – FAMILY EVANGELISATION (A PERMANENT NAZARETH)As promised last month, I

publish in this issue of Catholic Life my Pentecost Pastoral Letter. It will guide the pastoral activities in the Diocese of Sale in the years ahead. Let us pray together that it will assist in the growth of faith in the diocese, especially our

families.This letter, titled “A Permanent

Nazareth” will focus our pastoral plans in the diocese – especially parishes, schools and communities – on Family Evangelisation. It is the result of a considerable period of time of consultation and discussion throughout the diocese. May the Holy Spirit bless our efforts in the years ahead.

Please read the Pastoral Letter carefully. There is a summary page and guiding questions at the end. I encourage small groups throughout the diocese to gather over these coming months and consider the Pastoral Letter and determine how the challenges of the letter can be applied prayerfully and practically in local communities.

The fi rst “Year” of the Pastoral Plan – “Family Prayer” – will commence in Advent this year. Another Pastoral Letter and a resources package will be made available at that time.

God bless us always with the Grace of Faith.

+ Bishop Christopher ProwseCatholic Bishop of Sale

To God’s Peoplein the Catholic

Diocese of Sale

The Grace of Faith in the lives of our people

Catholic LifeDDIOCESE OF SALE

PO Box 1410, Warragul Vic. 3820

Phone: (03) 5622 [email protected]

www.sale.catholic.org.au

Editor: Colin Coomber

Published monthly except January.

Deadline for advertising copy and editorial contributions for next issue is

Monday, June 3Issues distributed free through

parishes and schools fromJune 12.

Published byCatholic Media Gippsland,

an agency of the Diocese of Sale.

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Students gatherSALE - Some 250 students and staff from 36 primary and secondary schools around the diocese, gathered to celebrate Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral on April 30.

This Mass, led by Bishop Christopher Prowse, celebrated Catholic Education Week in the Diocese of Sale.

The theme for 2013, ‘Faith in Action’, was demonstrated by having so many participants travel from all over the dio-cese to gather at the cathedral for Mass before sharing lunch together, courtesy of St Mary’s Primary School Parents and Friends Committee.

The Mass began with a wel-come and introduction to the cathedral given by Dean An-

drew Wise followed by a pro-cession of school banners from both primary and secondary schools.

The readings, general in-tercessions and procession of gifts were all ably carried out by students. The congregation was led in song by the choirfrom Lavalla Catholic College,Traralgon.

This gathering is an opportu-nity to refl ect on, celebrate andgive thanks for Catholic educa-tion in the Diocese of Sale.

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BISHOP Christopher Prowse chats with some visiting students and their teacher after the Mass.

Catholic Life, May 2013 - Page 3

It’snot all about

themoney!

The Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale is not subject to the provisions of the Corporation Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Deposits with the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale are guaranteed by CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for this purpose. We welcome your in-vestment with the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale rather than with a profi t orientated commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable, Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church. Neither the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Sale are prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority; contributions to the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale do not obtain the benefi t of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959; the Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Sale is designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the Catholic Diocese of Sale.

Can you help us fulfi l the mission the Church in this way?Have you got money invested elsewhere that you could

consider investing with the CDF?If you are able to help why not give the CDF

a call or email and see how easy it is. You will be rewarded with:

• A competitive rate of return on your investment;• The security of investing with the Catholic Church; and,• Most importantly you are making a contribution tofurthering the Catholic faith and education in our diocese.

So you see it’s notjust about the money

Phone 5622 6699 [email protected]

TRARALGON - St Michael’s Primary School Grade 6 students recently travelled by bus to Camp Coolamatong for four days of teamwork, fun and learning.

Camp Coolamatong is located on the Banksia Peninsula in the Gippsland Lakes, near Paynesville.

The goals for the camp were;• To spend quality time with

classmates and teachers in a setting that is natural and uncluttered.

• To promote unselfi shness and consideration for others through cooperation and team work.

• To experience new activities in an unfamiliar environment.

• To develop independence and self-reliance through spending time in situations different to everyday life.

A high emphasis was placed on TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More), which involved learning about respect, trust, working together and helping others.

When asked about camp, Grade 6 student Kieran replied, “Archery was my favorite activity because we were challenged to try and hit a balloon on the target which kept getting smaller.”

Liam said, “I liked the rock climbing and abseiling because we got to kiss the top rock and I’m a fan of climbing.”

There were many activities for the students to experience such as canoeing, rock climbing, abseiling, a night hike, low ropes, archery, milking and feeding the farm animals, a boat cruise on Lake Victoria, games at the beach, cycling and

bush craft. The bush craft involved

learning how make a safe fi re and then cooking damper, pancakes and popcorn.

Two of the highlights of the camp were the disco which

had a Villains and Superheroes theme and Red Faces where everyone was entertained by some very talented students.

The children have come back with new insights into what they are capable of and lots of

fun stories to tell. Not only have they gained

new skills whilst at camp to enhance their fi nal year at primary school but also their futures, thus ‘Learning for Life’.

Camp Coolamatong inspires great teamwork

MADDY and Liam using teamwork in the canoe on Lake Victoria.

LARA takes aim during the archery experience.

Six assistant priestsmove their parishesSIX assistant priests have moved parish in the latest round of clergy appointments an-nounced by Bishop Christopher Prowse.

Fr Joseph Abutu has moved from Leongatha to Cran-bourne, Fr Sabu Adimakayil from Leongatha to Narre War-ren, Fr Darek Jablonski from Cranbourne to Morwell, Fr Ja-

neesh Jose from Narre Warren to Bairnsdale, Fr Francis Otobo from Morwell to Leongatha, and Fr Aju Varghese from Bairnsdale to Leongatha.

The Leongatha-based priests work in the South Gippsland parishes of Leongatha, Korum-burra, Foster and Yarram.

The appointments took place on May 2.

Be Still updateBy Cassie Gawley

REGISTRATIONS are now open for the fi rst Be Still retreat to be held by the Sale Youth Ministry Offi ce in June this year.

The retreat is designed for Year 11 and 12 students who are currently undergoing their VCE studies, and aims to pro-vide an escape from the hectic and busy lifestyle that accom-panies VCE.

This retreat will provide stu-dents with some time out to nourish not only their physical but also their emotional wellbe-ing, with an opportunity recon-nect with their faith, make new friends, relax and have a lot of fun.

Registration packs and more

information can be found on the Diocese of Sale website, by following the links to diocesan events for young people, or by scanning the QR code below.

All forms and payment must be returned to Cassie Gawley by Friday May 31 via [email protected]


Catholics galoreAN interesting fi gure out of the latest information released by the Australian Government, based on the 2011 census.

Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, Narre Warren, is now offi cially the fi fth largest Cath-olic parish in Australia, based on population.

At census time there were 21,357 Catholics living in the parish. Only a few hundred Catholics ahead of it are Cam-den (Wollongong Diocese) 21,427 and Maroochydore (Brisbane) 21,693.

Top two parishes in Australia are Burleigh Heads (Brisbane) with 32,568 and Mill Park (Melbourne) 22,973.

Other Victorian parishes to rank in the top 20 are Craigie-burn, Werribee, Laverton and Gladstone Park.

British ruleINTERESTING debate in Brit-ish Parliament on the changes to the 1701 Act of Settlement which had barred Royals from marrying Catholics.

Head of the Catholic Bishops in England has advised that the Catholic party of a royal mar-riage would not necessarily be bound by Canon dictates to bring the child up Catholic.

He said that with mixed marriages, the Catholic party should strive to bring the child up in the faith but it was recog-nised that in such circumstanc-es this was not always possible and there would be no canoni-

cal censure.Changes mean that for the

fi rst time in 300 years, British royals will be able to marry Catholics but a Catholic still cannot ascend to the throne be-cause the sovereign is the head of the Church of England.

First born children will have right of succession for the fi rst time, overruling the centuries old rule that a fi rst born fe-male was moved down the line of succession if a brother was subsequently born.

Papal photosPOPE Francis has been bend-ing established traditions since he was elected.

Normally by now the Vati-can bureaucrats would have ar-ranged a special photo sitting of the Pope and sent the results out to the world as the offi cial portraits.

They do not appear to have had him sit still long enough for a photo session.

All the photos available are “action” shots taken dur-ing various engagements and while some are fantastic pic-tures showing his captivating smile, others are less than fl at-tering. Time will tell.

Of all the decisions we make in ourOf all the decisions we make in ourlifetime, making a valid will is amonglifetime, making a valid will is among

the most important.the most important.

This fi nal testament speaks loud-ly of the values, causes and pos-sessions we hold most dear. We bequest personal treasures and mementos to special friends and loved ones and ask them to care

for them after our passing.

If you hold the Church dear, you may consider leaving a percent-age of your estate or a specifi c

amount to theDiocese of Sale.

The Diocese is grateful for the support of its benefactors, who

have enabled the Churchto grow in its service of

its people, and invite youto share in thisrich heritage.

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Over 2000 at the Peace Mass

SALE - In an ever changing and complex world, more than 2000 Catholic Primary and Secondary students came together to pray for peace in the world at the celebration of the Wellington Catholic School’s annual Peace Mass on April 24.

The 11th Peace Mass, held in Bishop Phelan stadium at Catholic College Sale, was celebrated this year by Fr Hilarion Fernando.

The Peace Mass was an inspiration of local Catholic teachers after the tragedy of the

Bali bombings and the World Trade Centre attacks in New York.

The concept is to bring the community together in a Christian way, to spread the Word of Peace and to acknowledge the fact that peace begins with the individual.

The hope is that after the students and staff come together to pray for peace in the school community, the idea will fi lter through to the greater community and beyond.

Students from Catholic Primary schools travelled from as far as Yarram, Heyfi eld, Maffra and Stratford to join their Sale counterparts and

come together to pray for peace in our lives and in the world.

Students are involved in every aspect of the mass and although hosted by Catholic College Sale, each school spent manyhours in preparation for this huge event.

A choir made up of studentsfrom every school featured at the Mass following a procession of representatives from each school carrying fl ags of theworld and their school banner.

During the Mass, Catholic College Sale principal Chris Randell asked each school individually “Why are youhere?” and they responded with great gusto, “For peace!”

ST Mary’s Yarram Grade 4 student Taylen Griffi ths and Grade 5 student Jack Fisher had an earlystart to the day for the Peace Mass in Sale.

THE Pontifi cal Requiem Mass for Bishop Joe O’Connell was celebrated at St Patrick’s Ca-thedral Melbourne last week.

Bishop O’Connell, an Aux-iliary Bishop Emeritus of Mel-bourne has died aged 81 at Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew, last month

He was consecrated an auxil-iary bishop in 1976 and retired in 2006.

Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference president Arch-bishop Denis Hart, said that Bishop O’Connell’s contribu-tion to Canon Law and a care for migrants would be among the things for which he would be remembered.

“His contribution to jurispru-dence and tribunal practice has long been esteemed...

“Bishops, priests and peo-ple will remember his wise, mature counsel, his common

sense and his love of migrants, and the pastoral care he gave to the people of the Archdiocese, where he was loved for his ready engagement with all.”

“The bishops will especially remember his close involve-ment with the committees for Canon Law and the Bishops’ Committee for Justice and Peace, his involvement with many projects relating to the functioning of Conference and many other activities. He bore signifi cant ill-health with great fortitude and patience, and is regarded as a great luminary by us all. With similar generos-ity he gave of his great abilities to assist in the revision of the Code of Canon Law.

“He recently confi ded in me his great desire simply to bring people closer to God and to serve them.”

Death of Bishop O’Connell


A 16 day pilgrimage with Fr Patrick Vaughan

Departing 29th October 2013

• Venice • Padua • Florence

• Siena • Cascia • Assisi

• Loreto • San Giovanni

Rotondo • Pietrelcina

• Pompeii • Montecassino

• Rome • Optional Rome extension (3)Also departing 29th Aug & 29th Sep 2013

A 14 day pilgrimage with Fr Ron Nissen SM

Departing 5th September 2013

• Cairo • Mt Sinai • Red

Sea • Petra • Dead Sea

• Bethlehem • Caesarea

• Nazareth • Sea of Galilee

• Mount of Beatitudes

• Taybeh Village • Jerusalem

Also departing 3rd Oct & 7th Nov 2013

A 20 day pilgrimage with Fr Albert Wasniowski OSPPE

Departing 23rd September 2013

• Athens • Corinth

• Meteora • Philippi

• Kavala • Patmos

• Ephesus • Pergamum

• Alexander Troas • Troy

• Gallipoli • Istanbul

• Cappadocia

• Optional Malta extension (3)

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NARRE WARREN NORTH - The Tran family of Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Narre Warren have generously donated a statue of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop to Mary MacKillop Primary School in Narre Warren North, where their son Denton is in Grade 2.

The statue will be a great ad-dition to the school’s planned ‘sacred space’, a quiet peace-ful area where students and staff will be able to refl ect and pray together.

Principal Richard Wans, along with the staff and stu-dents at Mary MacKillop Pri-mary School wish to thank the Tran family for their generous donation.

Mr Ewan invites all families and visitors to the school, to stop by and have a look at the statue which is currently in the school foyer outside the staff-room.

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Volunteering Berwick grandparents keep the faithBERWICK - Husband and wife volunteering team Maureen and Colin Goldsmith say conduct-ing weekly communion ser-vices for older people brings purpose to their lives.

The Beaconsfi eld Upper cou-ple will receive 10-year service awards from not-for-profi t aged and disability services organi-sation Villa Maria at its annual volunteer luncheon on Friday.

The event at the Malvern Val-

ley Public Golf Course during National Volunteer Week, cele-brates the amazing commitment and dedication shown each and every day by Villa Maria’s 300-plus volunteers.

This year, more than 20 vol-unteer service awards will be presented to those who have achieved service milestones ranging from fi ve to 30 years in various roles including aged care and disability services

visitors, swimming assistants, computer support, reading companions and drivers.

The Goldsmiths, who are grandparents to 23 and great-grandparents to 10, were asked by the priest at their church, St Michael’s Parish in Berwick, to take over chapel services at Villa Maria Berwick aged care residence in 2003. They have become regular and welcome fi xtures around the home ever since.

Their Wednesday ‘service with the word and commun-ion’ sessions have become quite popular, with around 20 residents attending the on-site chapel each week, and other residents who are more frail receiving visits from the Gold-smiths in their rooms.

Mr Goldsmith said “We think it’s absolutely important for people to have access to ser-vices that help keep them con-

nected to their faith.“What we fi nd particularly

rewarding is being with people who are close to passing away. I remember one lady who was very frail and non-communica-tive opening her eyes to look at me and give a smile when I held her hand and said a prayer.

“It is so nice that we can come along and give someone some-thing they appreciate at the end of their life. We call it ‘food for the journey’.”

Mrs Goldsmith said the cou-ple made their services non-de-nominational, so they were ac-cessible to people of all faiths. Their main aim was to have personal contact with the resi-dents and make a positive dif-ference to their lives.

“There are not many things you can do in life where you can help someone else and re-ally make a difference, and this is one of them.”

To fi nd out more about volun-teering with Villa Maria visit:www.villamaria.com.au/volun-teers or call 9855 7755.

Villa Maria is a values–based,not-for-profi t organisation pro-viding quality services and life enhancing opportunities for older people, children and adults with a disability, theirfamilies and carers.

Established in 1907 as the Catholic Braille Writers Asso-ciation, Villa Maria has grown to become one of Victoria’slargest not-for-profi t providersof disability, education and sen-ior services with more than 60 programs supporting 5000 peo-ple across the state and south-ern New South Wales.

Every day of the year, 1100staff and 300 volunteers re-spond to the unique needs of the people and families theysupport with openness, innova-tion, creativity and fl exibility.

Maureen and Colin Goldsmith


Reflectionsby Jim Quillinan

IN the fi lm, The Shawshank Redemption, Andy, the central character discovers a record, Canzonetta sull’aria from Mo-zart’s Marriage of Figaro.

He locks the door to the offi ce he’s in, and broadcasts the song over the PA for the entire prison to hear. It is an extraordinary scene where literally everyone in the prison stops to listen.

As one prisoner commented; “I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don’t want to know. Some things are best left unsaid. I’d like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can’t be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it”.

There is much about our faith that is so beautiful, so awe in-spiring that words fail.

Trying to fi nd words to ex-press and describe how we un-derstand our relationship with God, how we understand how God interacts with us in our daily life and how we ought to respond, what gives life to and holds us together as a faith community, what gives us hope and vision and meaning has oc-cupied people for century after century.

Over centuries the Church has endeavored to speak to the people of each age in ways and in words that they could under-stand, in ways and words relat-ed to their lives at that time.

The Catechism brings togeth-er these teachings and those of many of the greatest saints throughout the Church’s his-tory to help us understand and appreciate that our desire for God is written in our heart, be-cause each of us is created by God and for God, and God nev-er ceases to draw us to himself.

It is also reminds us that it is only in God will we fi nd the

truth and happiness we never stop searching for (Catechism #27).

So the Catechism needs to be approached with both the mind and the heart, understanding how at times words can strug-gle to express appropriately God’s seeking us out and our search for God.

The Catechism is not simply a reference book, a volume full of information, full of formulas which express particular as-pects of what we believe.

It is all of that but, in the words of the Catechism itself: ‘We do not believe in formu-las, but in those realities they express which faith allows us to touch. The believer’s act of faith does not terminate in the propositions but in the realities they express (CCC#170).’

The formulas help us to dis-cover the deeper reality behind them, the deeper reality which their words try to convey. To begin to discover such a reality, we need to read with a prayer in our hearts, with an attitude of humility and taking time to refl ect and let the Spirit do his work. It takes faith.

Why humility? Because there is much to surprise us in the Catechism, much to inspire us, much to challenge us, hu-mility because it is not a book to settle arguments or to show that one faith has it all over the others.

It is a book to lead us further into the mystery of our faith, further into our relationship with the invisible God, who

from the fullness of his love, addresses us as friends, and moves among us, in order to in-vite us into his own company. (# CCC142).

God invites us to friendship, supports us, consoles us, chal-lenges and encourages us and urges us to enter into a relation-ship with God that is profound-ly satisfying, that is everlasting.

God asks of us a response in the way we live our lives, in the way we care for one another, the way we care for creation itself.

While leading us deeper into the mystery and wonders of our own faith, we can come to dis-cover what we have in common with others who also search for truth and happiness in their own lives.

The Catechism asks us to use our minds and our hearts – faith is about both heart and mind, body and soul. Thus the Catechism helps us to express our faith, it helps us to hand it on, to celebrate it in commu-nity and to live it more deeply ((CCC#170).

Catechism for mind and heart

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Choir exploresthe African beatSALE - Catholic College Sale choir members were treated to a musical workshop with a difference when visiting musician Valanga Khoza wowed them with his vocal and percussion pizazz!

Khoza charmed the students with humor and wit, telling stories of his life growing up in South Africa and his travels across the world as a refugee.

The stories were embellished

by beautiful music from many traditional instruments such as the kalimba, marimba and shijoro (jaw harp) as well as irresistible rhythms from the guitar, percussion and his velvety voice.

Khoza has performed and warmed audiences of adults and children at selected world music events and in many schools across Australia.

As well as recording fi ve albums of original music, he is also the author of well known Gezani and the Tricky Baboon published by Allen and Unwin in 2001.

He conducted a singing workshop with the CCS choir which included South African songs and chants.

He explored traditional rhythms and harmonies through voice and movement.

The workshops were very inclusive and students joined in by playing an assortment of percussion instruments and learning a traditional song in four part harmony.

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PAVING GIPPSLAND &LATROBE VALLEY

VALANGA Khoza demonstrates his drumming techniques.

Facing the Truth linkto inquiryTHOSE interested in following the Victorian Government in-quiry into child abuse can read statements and view short vid-eo clips at the Facing the Truth website.

Links this website can also take you to the inquiry pages where you can view transcripts of cross-examinations of evi-dence presented to the inquiry.

So far submissions have been taken from many Catholic and non-Catholic church groups.

Information on the site ex-plains the difference between the Melbourne Response and Towards Healing which was adopted by other dioceses, in-cluding Sale.

Evidence is still being taken and the inquiry is expected to run for several months more.

Facing the TruthLog in to follow the Catholic

Church response and latest on the Victorian

Government inquiry into child abuse.

www.facingthetruth.org.au


“It’s no great trouble to do so, so why not?”

IN 2002, after the death of some of the foundation board members of Catholic Homes, it was decided to record the history.

The Malian writer and ethnologist Amadou Hampâté Bâ said that: “we need more front porch storytelling ... because every time an old person dies, it’s like a library burned down.”

And indeed some of our libraries were ‘burning down’. Once we lose this treasure, it is lost.

We are a Catholic organisation under the auspices of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. At our Catholic core is the call to be open to all people, regardless of religion, culture or socio-economic background.

The Story ThenIn the early 1950’s, seeing

homeless people all around, Dame Pattie Menzies, the wife of Prime Minister Bob Menzies persuaded her husband to legislate to provide housing for the Aged. This became known as the Aged Persons Act 1954.

The funds that were allocated became available to build housing controlled by churches, religious organisations, local government, not-for--profi t organisations and benevolent societies.

The basis of the funding contribution was for every one pound contributed by the

organisation, the government would contribute two pounds.

Enter into this scenario four ordinary men. They were: Neville Stanley Finn, Victor Edward Burns, Amadic Stanley L’Huillier and Raymond Frederick Shepherdson.

Four normal human beings like you and I. Not saints. Not theologians. Not priests or religious. But four men who had a social conscience and a deep concern for the growing number of homeless they saw around them.

The Story NowCatholic Homes is now a

larger diversifi ed organisation

that is continuing its mission of providing appropriate affordable accommodation for fi nancially disadvantaged people in the community.

The funding for this work no longer comes from the Government but from the successful development of other projects where people are able to pay market value for their accommodation. And so the good work initiated by our foresighted forefathers 52 years ago continues to this day.

For further information about Catholic Homes or to become a volunteer please phone 8862 9000 or email [email protected].

Remarkable story of Catholic Homes

INSPECTTODAY

SELLING FAST

STAGE TWO

Now selling from $315,000

Death ofWollongongBishopEmeritusA FORMER Bishop of Wollon-gong, Bishop Emeritus William Murray, died at the Little Sis-ters of the Poor Nursing Home, Randwick on April 21.

Aged 93, he was bishop be-tween 1975 and 1996.

Bishop Murray had a doctor-ate from the Gregorian Univer-sity in Rome in International Law; and a doctorate in SocialScience from the University ofSydney. He was awarded an Or-der of Australia (AM) in 1988.

Bishop Peter Ingham of Wol-longong spoke of Bishop Wil-liam (Bill) as a dedicated priestand bishop who served the Wol-longong diocese for 22 years.

“Between 1975 and 1996 when he served was a time ofgreat change and developmentfor the Church. He made pro-visions for the vast expandingMacarthur area with the estab-lishment of new parishes, toprovide for the growing needs of the community.”

“He had a sharp sense of hu-mour, and cared for the peopleof the diocese.

“His fi nal years were diffi cult for him having suffered a strokewhich crippled his body and impaired his ability to speak”, said Bishop Ingham.


Gippsland

19 Connor Street, Warragul 3820P: 5622 1188



Opening doors - Exploring possibilities for REJUST after Easter this year I attended a Conference in Can-berra hosted by the Australian Catholic University.

It was their 8th National Symposium on Religious Education and Ministry. Like most Conferences it managed to pack into three days enough information through keynote addresses and workshops to fi ll a whole week of more spaced offerings.

One of the problems of course is that there are so many choices and often so little information to guide one’s choice of workshop that sometimes it is easy to get intrigued by a title and then fi nd the choice somewhat disappointing.

This conference was no exception but some of the sessions I engaged with gave food for thought.

In education circles there is a fairly consistent expectation that attendance at a conference brings with it the responsibility to share some of the outstanding and memorable presentations.

It’s always interesting to hear two versions of the same presentation and fi nd how different perceptions can be of the same speaker and topic.

We all bring our own preferences, listening styles, openness and blind spots to these encounters.

One of the very interesting things to do is to refl ect on why some speakers really engaged and others did not. Readiness to hear and to learn is present in us all, not just in children.

I would like to share some of the insights I gathered from just one of the speakers whose keynote address was a highlight of the program for many of those who attended.

Sr Judith Lawson (OAM), a Dominican educator and leader of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia, gave an address titled “Foundations of Hope – Leaning on God”.

Her paper invited refl ection on the challenges offered through the liberating Word of the Gospel to religious educators who can speak to young people of a vision of hope grounded in faith.

Sr Judith noted that optimism and hope are not the same thing; that we can be pessimistic and still have hope because optimism is the belief that things will get better, while hope is the belief we can affect the future.

To build communities of hope is the challenge for educators.

Sr Judith noted that Jesus modelled the following behaviours – Encounter, Table Fellowship, Foot Washing and Boundary Crossing and then challenged us with questions arising from these models, from

both a personal perspective and what they have to say about our schools–

Encounter – whom do I encounter and whom do I avoid? Why do I avoid some and not others and what role does silence play in the avoidance.

Table Fellowship – the concept of companionship and sharing of bread. Jesus was known for sharing with the wrong crowd! In our sense of hospitality who do we include or exclude. Are we capable of befriending strangers?

Foot Washing – whose feet are we prepared to wash and are we free enough to allow others to wash our feet? The concept of ministry and preparedness to be ministered to go hand in hand. Jesus allowed others to care for and minister to him and we need to be modelling this in our own lives.

Boundary Crossing – goingto different places (not justgeographically). The questionwe should be asking ourselvesis how often we are preparedto go beyond our comfort zoneand to live “outside the camp”.

We were challenged toquestion what our schoolshave to say about these issuesas enshrined in the enrolmentpolicies, outreach, socialjustice and religious educationprograms. By focussing onevangelisation, proclamation,witness, dialogue and liberationwe will build communities ofhope in our schools.

Talking Catholic Educationwith Maria Kirkwood

Ca

tholic Education

Catholic schools offer

MORWELL - Grade 3/4 at Sa-cred Heart Primary School ire-cently held a Rice Day to raise money for Project Compassion.

The day involved all children

in the school being invited to have a bowl of plain rice for lunch. The children were asked to bring a gold coin donation.

The children got to experi-

ence what it was like to haveonly plain rice for lunch.

Most of the children chose to be involved and the schoolraised about $140.

A Project Compassion rice day

RUACH, Ramon, Nicolas and Xavier enjoying their rice for lunch.


Dear Friends in Christ,It was in 2010 that the Catholic Diocese of Sale began

considering a pastoral plan for the diocese in the years ahead. This valuable time has enabled us to refl ect on the past 125 years of Catholic life in the diocese with gratitude to God whilst beginning to plan ahead for the future in the hope of the Holy Spirit who always leads and animates the Church.

Our refl ections together have been in response to the guiding principle of Blessed John Paul II that all such pastoral efforts are based on “knowing, loving and imitating” Jesus Christ but specifi c pastoral priorities are to arise from local communities (Novo Millennio Ineunte, John Paul II, 2001, 29).

I have published two Pastoral Letters to set parameters and encourage our refl ections (Finding Home in Jesus, 2010, and Everything for the Gospel, 2011)

After considerable opportunities for prayerful diocesan discussions, organised via the Diocesan Pastoral Council, two general areas of pastoral priority have arisen.

EVANGELISATION IN CHALLENGING TIMES

The fi rst area of priority pertains to the transmission of our Catholic faith in challenging times. Behind so many collated responses (published in Catholic Life, July 2011, December 2011) were pastoral suggestions based on stimulating a fresh outpouring of missionary zeal in the diocese. People are keenly aware of the obstacles to maturing our faith in society today.

Real concerns were expressed about the passing on of the faith to our families, youth, parishes and society (especially the poor and forgotten). Little encouragement seems to be given in today’s “busy” world to deep silent prayer and the importance of Catholic faith, especially the sacraments. Yet there was much hope and confi dence expressed in the Holy Spirit in developing new ways of evangelisation in our parishes. So many wonderful suggestions were offered.

FAMILY LIFEThe second area of priority focussed attention on family

life. The heartfelt refl ections of so many seemed to centre on the state of Catholic family life today. Suggestions to help struggling families, to encourage husbands and wives to deepen their marital and family life, to assist families in passing on the faith to their children, to make sure our parish and parish schools are really serving family life, and so on. There was a double belief offered about families today. On the one hand, families are the foundation of Catholic life and its gravitational centre. On the other hand, family life today is so fragile and needs our every support.

THE PASTORAL PRIORITY IN THE SALE DIOCESE– FAMILY EVANGELISATION

Is there a link between these two pastoral priorities that have emerged? Most certainly! Increasing missionary zeal cannot be a vague generality but must fi nd itself planted in human communities. There is no more fundamental or basic of all human communities than the family. Therefore, the emerging focus of the diocese becomes clearer: FAMILY LIFE IN THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.

We thank the Spirit of Jesus for bringing us to this moment of

discernment in our diocese. Providentially, recent Popes have been articulating a similar

pastoral priority for the universal Church. For example, Blessed John Paul II, a champion of marriage and family life in his long pontifi cate, expressed that:

The most fundamental and important thing in the mission of the Church is the spiritual renewal of the family ... We have to start from this point, from this mission. The Holy Church of God, you cannot accomplish your mission, you cannot fulfi l your mission in the world, if you do not pass through the family and through its mission”. (Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family, December 30th, 1988)

Benedict XVI, the Pope Emeritus, made a similar remark in his homily during the opening Mass of the Synod on “The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith”(7th October 2012) when he said:

... the Church has said and witnessed for a long time now, marriage is called to be not only an object but a subject of the new evangelisation”

As the Australian Year of Grace draws to a close and the universal Year of Faith continues for some months yet, I consider this focus on the promotion of family evangelisation a wonderful grace of the Holy Spirit to us all.

Australians are generally very practical people. Before our minds begin to centre too much on the organisational possibilities of this diocesan pastoral priority, some refl ections from our sources of Catholic inspiration – Scripture and Tradition – on family life in our mission may guide arising practicalities.

FAMILY IN THE GOSPELIt always is a surprise when we are reminded that Jesus spent

30 years with his family in Nazareth and only three years in his public ministry. How important family life must have been to Jesus as a young boy and man in Nazareth.

We glimpse from the scriptures, especially during the liturgical season of Advent / Christmas and from the biblical scenes prayed in the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, this early and private life of Jesus in the Holy Family.

We are blessed with Benedict XVI’s extraordinary capacity to distil our complex Catholic theological Tradition into a comprehensible teaching. He has done that in his beautiful book Jesus of Nazareth – the Infancy Narratives (2012). This book could well be used, along with the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2002), as a basic text book for our consideration of family evangelisation in the times ahead.

Let us examine briefl y, these early years of Jesus.

PENTECOST PASTORAL LETTER 2013

- Bishop Christopher Prowse, Catholic Bishop of Sale

A Permanent Nazareth:Family Life in the Mission of the Church

• The Holy Family with Palm Tree, Raphael. - Scottish National Gallery.


Perhaps people who have never been presented with an understanding of Christianity would be surprised to learn that the founder of Christianity was born in humble surroundings, wrapped in swaddling cloths, and placed in a receptacle used for feeding animals ( a manger). “Manger” and “cloths” already make us think of the fi nal hours of the life of Jesus: The Last Supper (the heavenly food of the Eucharist) and the Calvary Cross (the crucifi ed wrapped in linen cloths). The joy of the Saviour’s birth and the redemptive suffering of His Cross are always placed near each other in our ancient Christian tradition.

Surely, however, most would be touched by the humility of the birth of Jesus and notice the importance played by the angels and poor shepherd boys. They may be intrigued with the arrival of three wise men from the East who followed a guiding star to Bethlehem bearing gifts and acknowledged Jesus as the universal King. Perhaps others would identify with the crisis the Holy Family had in its early days and how they fl ed to Egypt as veritable refugees to escape persecution from King Herod. Then they would hear of the presentation of Jesus, the fi nding of Jesus in the temple and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee, not far from their home in Nazareth.

Throughout these “hidden” 30 years of the life of Jesus almost nothing is known of his family life. The “obscurity of

Nazareth” (John Paul II, Letter to Families, 1994, 2) is largely silent for us. Yet, even when we learn of the events listed above we could imagine that so much of the human experiences and interactions between father, mother and children that we experience, have also been experienced by the Holy Family – the life of Jesus lived under obedience (Luke 2:51)to Mary and Joseph.

Meditating on the Holy Family, Pope Paul VI (in an address on 5th January 1964) stated that the home of Nazareth became the fi rst school of the Gospel and teaches us three lessons.

The fi rst lesson to be learnt by all of us is the importance of developing a deep family spiritual life within the general noise of modern life. The silence of Nazareth can teach us this. This will be the particular focus of our diocesan plan in 2013-14.

The second lesson is that Nazareth teaches us that family life is a communion of love between its members and has an indispensable role in societal life. So much of Catholic doctrine and teaching on marriage and family starts from this foundation. This teaching will be the particular basis of our diocesan focus in 2014-15-16-17.

Lastly, there is the lesson of work. The home of the “Carpenter’s Son” teaches us the nobility of work and how it is not an end itself but is to serve true human freedom. This will be our focus in 2017-18.

There is always a special place in the heart of Catholics for Mary, the mother of Jesus. She is the fi rst amongst the faithful. Her YES (Fiat) at the Annunciation was a permanent YES throughout her entire life to what the Lord wanted of her. She “treasured and pondered”(Luke 2:51) her son Jesus throughout

his life and told us to “do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). At his death on the Calvary Cross, she embraced him with heroic affection as she would have done countless times when he was an infant. She becomes a symbol of the entire Church.

Let us not forget St Joseph, the biblical model of the “just” man. His loving humility and faithfulness to whatever God wanted has been remembered throughout the ages. Indeed, both our Australian saint, St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and Fr Julian Tennison Woods, co-founder of the Josephite Sisters, gave St Joseph a special place in their Order. They observed that apart from the biological link, St Joseph was the father of Jesus in every way and his intercession is needed to guide the education of children today.

FAMILY IN OUR CATHOLIC MISSIONARY TRADITION

It is hard to imagine evangelisation in the Catholic Tradition at any level without direct reference to the evangelising action of the family. Fifty years ago, the Second Vatican Council gave the family a beautiful title – “domestic Church” (Lumen Gentium n.11). This means that the family is a kind of Church in miniature. The Church is the family of God. The vision is that, imitating the Holy Family as a community of love, the family is the place where “the Gospel is transmitted and from which the Gospel radiates” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, Paul VI, n. 71). It is the place where evangelisers are formed and from which they go out to evangelise the world. In short, families become a kind of permanent Nazareth.

Blessed John Paul II declared that evangelisation in the future depended in great measure on the family (Familiaris Consortio, 1981, 65). The role of the married couple forming a union of love and life refl ects the nuptial union between the Risen Lord Jesus and his Church. The family forms the basic building block of society. It “has the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love” (Familiaris Consortio, 17).The desire for a healthy society depends on the health of family life. In other words, the more the family is encouraged and strengthened the more our shared life in society is protected from every danger and threat.

Even before, however, a family looks to its future mission, it must contemplate in profound awe and wonder on its origins. Contemplation precedes and animates all pastoral action to support families. Recall again the long years that Jesus spent in the silence of his family at Nazareth. We imitate the FIRST family, “the prototype and example for all Christian families” (Familiaris Consortio,86).

Our silence in the Nazareth family will ultimately draw us to contemplate the origin of all love and faithfulness. It will draw us to contemplate the Most Holy Trinity. The incredible mystery of the love sharing (unitive) and life giving (procreative) love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will offer us the true source of family love and all human love and all energy for evangelisation. We cannot fully embrace this mystery of the Trinity’s gift-love. It must fully embrace us. We know, however, that the Trinity is not simply a remote idea or theological abstraction. As Benedict XVI often reminded us, we worship “the God who has a human face”(Spe Salvi [2007], 31). Namely, this encounter of our Triune God is by way of Jesus, “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus living in the soul of the family is the source of the family’s life and mission. The Permanent Nazareth for all families begins here.

Given this brief summary of Catholic Tradition and its link with the missionary nature of the family, the arising challenge presents itself. All must be done to encourage families to take up their missionary role. It is largely the task of the laity, but involves the entire Church. How can we strengthen marriage and family life in the Diocese of Sale?

• Presentation in the Temple, Giovanni Bellini. - On display in Panacoteca Querini Stampelia, Venice.

A Permanent Nazareth:

Family Life in the Mission of the ChurchCatholic Life, May 2013 - Page 13

MAKING A PERMANENT NAZARETH IN SALE DIOCESE

Sometimes when we examine the biblical/theological ideal as summarised above and then look at the reality of so many families today we can become discouraged. Family life today comes in so many different forms. Family life in Australia has become a kind of patchwork of various human arrangements offering all sorts of hopes, joys and sufferings. Without denying that many families seem to be in a healthy and happy state, many are in great pain and suffering tremendously.

This is not helped by cultural and political attitudes and structures that seem to undermine the centrality of family life. In his Apostolic Exhortation on the Church in Oceania, John Paul II observed that:

The Christian concept of marriage and the family is being opposed by a new secular, pragmatic and individualistic outlook which has gained standing in the area of legislation and which has a certain “approval” in the realm of public opinion. (Ecclesia in Oceania, 2001, 45)

Given all that could be said about the lights and shadows of family life today, the Catholic Diocese of Sale is to embark upon a diocesan pastoral plan with family life in the mission of the Church as it vision over the next fi ve years. This vision is to ponder deeply on family life – its origins, its joys and sorrows, God’s plan for family life, its interface with parish/school life, and its evangelising role in society. As your bishop, I want to encourage you in family life at a time of historical challenge to its very existence. Let us focus on family evangelisation and work towards making our families into a kind of permanent Nazareth.

To do this I am proposing a year by year focus on a particular aspect of family life over the next fi ve years. The yearly focus will begin at the start each Advent Liturgical season. It may seem an odd time to begin a pastoral focus. After all, Australians ready themselves for their holiday season at this time and prepare for Christmas. But that is precisely the point. The liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas bring us into direct contact with the birth of Jesus and the Holy Family – their joys and struggles. The Australian holiday season generally is a time for family reunions and spending quality time with family after a busy year. Surely this is an unusual but appropriate time to encourage refl ections on family life to begin.

The entire pastoral plan is titled: FAMILY EVANGELISATION.

The following year by year focus is as follows:2013/14 – Year of Family Prayer2014/15 – Year of Marriage and Family Life2015/16 – Year of nurturing Family – School relationships2016/17 – Year of nurturing Family – Parish / School

relationships2017/18 – Year of nurturing Family / Parish / School in the

world of todayBefore the Advent season each year I will publish a Pastoral

Letter to launch the topic for the forthcoming year. It will set the scene for the next 12 months. There will be parish and family resources attached to assist with practical applications to the focus year. Accordingly, I will publish a Pastoral Letter before Advent this year (December 1, 2013) on the topic of FAMILY PRAYER.

I request parishes/schools, families and all communities in the diocese to give the yearly focus a major pastoral priority. It may not be so much of “doing” more but “focusing” more on FAMILY EVANGELISATION in our normal parish activities.

It is surely providential that in these months preceding the initiation of our pastoral plan we are celebrating the conclusion of the YEAR OF GRACE and the continuation till the Solemnity of Christ the King (November 24, 2013) of the YEAR OF FAITH. Indeed, I believe that a pastoral plan on FAMILY EVANGELISATION is a particular fruit of our prayerful focus on GRACE AND FAITH over these past times.

Let us entrust our pastoral efforts towards FAMILY EVANGELISATION in the Diocese of Sale to the Most Holy Family and to Our Lady Help of Christians, the patroness of the diocese.

Heavenly Father,We praise and thank you for sending your Son, Jesus,

Our Saviour and Redeemer, into our world.In the humble family of Nazareth, Jesus “increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour”

(Luke 2:52)Give our families, too, Heavenly Father, this experience

of the Nazareth family in deeper measure. With Mary and Joseph, in grace and faith, may we become in the Diocese of Sale a kind of Permanent

Nazareth. May Nazareth become a real school for FAMILY

EVANGELISATION for all of us.We make this prayer through Jesus, the Son of God, “the carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55) from Nazareth,In the power of the Holy Spirit, the soul of all

evangelisation.AMEN.

Most Holy Family, Pray for us.Mary, Help of Christians, and Star of the New

Evangelisation, Pray for us.

• The Holy Family, Giorgionne Barbarelli.On display in National Gallery of Art, Washington DC

A Permanent Nazareth:Family Life in the Mission of the Church


THE PASTORAL PRIORITY IN THE SALE DIOCESE – FAMILY EVANGELISATION

1. Why is it true to say that “Increasing missionary zeal cannot be a vague generality but must fi nd itself planted in human communities”?

2. Share a personal experience of a family situation that led to

• a deepening of your faith • a determination to express your faith in outreach to

others3. As “The most fundamental and important thing in

the mission of the Church is the spiritual renewal of the family”, give examples of ways in which the family can be spiritually renewed.

FAMILY IN THE GOSPELMeditating on the Holy Family, Pope Paul VI (in an

address on January 5, 1964) stated that the home of Nazareth became the fi rst school of the Gospel and teaches us three lessons.

The fi rst lesson to be learnt by all of us is the importance of developing a deep family spiritual life within the general noise of modern life.

1. What steps can be taken by families to lessen the impact of the noise of modern life?

The second lesson is that Nazareth teaches us that family life is a communion of love between its members and has an indispensable role in societal life.

2. Why is it true to say that family life has an indispensable role in societal life?

Lastly, there is the lesson of work. The home of the “Carpenter’s Son” teaches us the nobility of work and how it is not an end itself but is to serve true human freedom

3. How can the example of the Holy Family of Nazareth affect your family and its life together?

FAMILY IN OUR CATHOLIC MISSIONARY TRADITION

1. The term domestic Church” (Lumen Gentium n.11)…. means that the family is a kind of Church in miniature; what implication does this have for Catholic families?

2. Explore the ways in which the family is the place where “the Gospel is transmitted and from which the Gospel radiates” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, Paul VI, n. 71).

3. Why is it true to say that the more the family is encouraged and strengthened the more our shared life in society is protected from every danger and threat? Give some examples.

4. Why is it important that contemplation precedes and animates all pastoral action to support families?

MAKING A PERMANENT NAZARETH IN SALE DIOCESE

Without denying that many families seem to be in a healthy and happy state, many are in great pain and suffering tremendously.

This is not helped by cultural and political attitudes and structures that seem to undermine the centrality of family life

1. What are some factors that you believe are undermining the centrality of family life today?

The Catholic Diocese of Sale is to embark upon a diocesan pastoral plan with family life in the mission of the Church as it vision over the next fi ve years. This vision is to ponder deeply on family life – its origins, its joys and sorrows, God’s plan for family life, its interface with parish/school life, and its evangelising role in society

2. What excites you about this plan?3. What challenges do you see?

SUMMARY AND QUESTIONS

• Holy Family with St Anne and the Infant St John the Baptist, Agnolo Bronzinoi- On display The Louvre, Paris


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Shepherds and fi shermen dayWARRAGUL - Many people from across the diocese, gath-ered at Sion House on April 20 to grow as sharers of the love of Jesus.

Bishop Christopher Prowse focused on the call of Jesus, to go into the whole world and in-vite people into the Kingdom of God.

John Duiker and Jason Hum-mel used their gifts to lead the people in singing praise and worship, prayer and time of si-lence, to prepare for the teach-ing and sharing of times of Grace.

Bishop Prowse taught on the need to shepherd with love and grace and to fi sh with courage and perseverance.

Like St Peter in loving Jesus, we love the sheep in our care, family, church and community. Taking care of physical needs of hunger and shelter should run hand in hand with attending to the great spiritual hunger, to know Jesus loves each one of us.

As fi sher people we are called to go into waters where we feel greatly out of our depth or fi sh-ing in areas where we do not usually go. We need to trust Jesus, in faith to show where to fi sh, ‘put out the nets on the other side’.

Bishop Prowse urged all to ask the Holy Spirit, to lead and guide us in seeking out the lost and needy and then to pro-tect and care for them as Jesus teaches

Bishop Christopher then spoke of looking for moments of Grace in our lives and then told of a recent amazing move of Grace in his life, when he was asked to meet the request of a family. He then asked six people to share moments of Grace. We all grew in faith with each testimony of the love of

Jesus acting to bring life.Bishop Prowse celebrated

Mass in the beautifully refur-bished Sion House chapel. More teaching and encour-agement in the homily, with a blessing and exhortation to dis-cipleship.

BISHOP Prowse chats with teaching day attendee Joan Turner, Traralgon.

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Healing retreat at NWNARRE WARREN - The heal-ing retreat by Indian preacher Br Johnson Sequeira will be held in Our Lady Help Of Christians Church, Narre War-ren this Friday May 17 from 7pm to 9.30pm.

He was also led a session in the parish earlier in the week as part of his 10 day visit.

Br Sequeira has been preach-ing and teaching the Word of God for over 14 years with many signs and wonders of

God’s healing touch in all areas of people’s lives.

He also holds free retreats and a free rehabilitation programme for drug and alcohol addicts at his retreat centre in Goa, India.

People are encouraged to ex-perience how the Word of God can transform their lives and bless their situations.

Full itinerary is in the church or contact : 0410 794 707, 0430 500 201, or 0433 284 942.

Away for a weekend and need to check local

Mass times?Use the QR scanning app on your smart phone and it will take you directly to the Diocese of Sale website

MANY people in Gippsland are “doing it tough” these days, and with the economy the way it is there’s not much chance of immediate improvement.

When things do get hard, due to unemployment, or illness or for whatever reason, then it’s important that debt levels are either reduced or managed.

Unfortunately many people in this situation shut their eyes, cover their ears and hope eve-rything goes away, or miracu-lously fi xes itself. That doesn’t happen in real life.

There is no stigma in being unable to pay your debts – it happens to lots of people. And these days, we don’t have a debtor’s prison.

Sometimes it’s only a tempo-rary setback and things recover in due course, or sometimes it’s more severe, and prospects are limited. In either case it’s criti-cal that you take action as soon as possible.

As soon as you’re unable to meet any one payment for any debt – mortgage, car, credit card or any other repayment due, it’s important to assess your fi nan-cial position.

How much do you owe? To how many fi rms or people? What assets do you have? What income or other assistance can you get? On what and where is your money being spent?

The answers to these will de-termine your fi nancial outlook. Then look for help. There are fi nancial counsellors available to help in this.

Your fi rst port of call is obvi-

ously the lender. The biggest problem is not in

not being able to make a pay-ment, it’s not letting the lender know. In most cases lenders will do all they can to assist you to fi nd a solution, so call them.

In fact, any credit covered un-der consumer credit law or the code of banking, the lender is required to consider requests for fl exible payment arrange-ments.

Credit card issuers and mort-gage lenders usually have a “Hardship Department” whose role is to minimise their prob-lems by minimising yours. They deal with people in your position all the time and are quite sympathetic to people in genuine diffi culty.

In some cases by working through a fi nancial counsellor you can have interest charges frozen so that your debt doesn’t get any worse. Even without a counsellor, most credit card companies will give a short term repayment holiday with no interest accruing.

Mortgagors can do likewise, but this may increase the term of the mortgage.

If you don’t contact your lender in time and they have commenced legal action against

you, you must seek legal advice immediately.

Ultimately any solution is in your hands, and it may not be palatable. Borrowing more money to pay existing debts if you can’t meet current pay-ments is a downward spiral.

A thousand dollar credit card bill with only minimum repay-ments and no further purchases will take about 11 years to re-pay.

When you have assessed your fi nancial position, and devel-oped a realistic budget that you can keep to, then you must consider whether to offer a re-payment plan to all creditors (or just some...) and what to do to reduce the debt.

Never offer a repayment plan that you will have diffi culty in keeping to. You only get one chance here so make sure you can keep to it.

These compromises are only temporary. There are two ways out of this spiral.

The fi rst is to increase your income, which unfortunately is not always possible, the second is to reduce your debt, which again, can be diffi cult.

Sometimes the only viable solution is to sell the home and pay down your debts, to at least a manageable amount. The ex-treme solution is bankruptcy but this will affect you for the rest of your life.

There is an excellent website, sponsored by Consumer Af-fairs Victoria, www.moneyhelp.com.au which provides a rich resource for people in fi nancial diffi culties, and I recommend any one suffering fi nancial stress to use it. It will help.

• This report is intended to provide general advice. In preparing this advice, David Wells and Baillieu Holst Ltd did not take into account the investment objective, the fi nancial situation and particular needs of any particular person. Before making an investment decision on the basis of this advice, you need to consider, with or without the assistance of an adviser, whether the advice is appropriate in light of your particu-lar investment needs, objectives and fi nancial circumstances.


DOLLAR$&

SENSEwith David Wells

When The Sky Falls - Practical ways to ease the debt burden

Quick calendarWhat’s on & whenMay Bishop’s Family Foundation

appeal month15 – Release of Bishop

Prowse’s pastoral letter on new fi ve year pastoral program for diocese17 – Healing retreat Our Lady

Help of Christians Church, Narre Warren, 7pm18 – Heyfi eld confi rmations19 – Pentecost19 – Sale confi rmations19- Mystagogia Mass, St

Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 11am22 – West region meeting,

Nar Nar Goon, 10.30am24 – Our Lady Help of Chris-

tians solemnity24-26 – Berwick confi rma-

tions26 – Trinity Sunday28 - Sod turning for new St

Thomas the Apostle School, Cranbourne East, 10am31 – Visitation of the BVM

Feast Day31 – Deadline for registra-

tions to Be Still retreat

June1 – First Saturday devotions

– St Laurence O’Toole parish, Leongatha, 10am to noon.2 – Corpus Christi Sunday3 – Deadline for June Catho-

lic Life4 – Catholic Women’s League

diocesan conference, Sale6 – 10th anniversary or ordi-

nation as a permanent deacon of Deacon Peter Stringfellow7 – Sacred Heart of Jesus so-

lemnity8 – Immaculate Heart of Mary

memorial8-9 – St Vincent de Paul So-

ciety annual collection for the poor10 – Queen’s Birthday Holi-

day12 – Catholic Life publication20 – World Refugee Day20 – Valley region meeting, St

Kieran’s, Moe21-22 – Sale Diocese Year 11-

12 Be Still youth retreat, Tra-falgar East24 – Birth of John the Baptist

solemnity26 - South region meeting,

Leongatha, 11.15am28 – Second term ends29 – Sts Peter and Paul solem-

nity

JulyPeter’s Pence collection

month3 – St Thomas Feast Day6 – First Saturday devotions,

St Kevin’s Catholic Church, Meeniyan, 1am to noon.8 – Deadline for July Catholic

Life9 – Ramadan begins15 – Third term begins17 – Catholic Life publication22 – St Mary Magdalene me-

morial23-28 – World Youth Day,

Rio de Janeiro25 – St James Feast Day27 – Golden Jubilee of or-

dination of Fr John O’Kelly, Bairnsdale

AugustSocial Welfare – Catholic-

Care Collection month

5 – Deadline for August Cath-olic Life6 – Transfi guration of the

Lord solemnity8 – St Mary of the Cross

MacKillop Feast Day9 - International Day of Indig-

enous Peoples (UN)12 – International Youth Day

(UN)13 - East region meeting,

Bairnsdale, 10.30am14 – Catholic Life publication15 – Assumption solemnity

(Holy Day)15 – Valley region meeting,

Traralgon, noon Mass, fol-lowed by meeting 17 - Diocesan pastoral council

meeting, St Michael’s Parish Centre, Traralgon20 – Central region meeting,

Warragul, 7.30pm21 – West region meeting,

Nar Nar Goon, 10.30am22 – Queenship of Mary me-

morial

September1 – Father’s Day1 – Priests’ Welfare Founda-

tion annual Father’s Day Col-lection2 – Jewish New Year2 – Deadline for September

Catholic Life4-6 – Australasian Catholic

Press Association conference, Melbourne6-8 – Australasian Religious

Press Association conference, Melbourne10 – 20th anniversary of ordi-

nation of Fr Bernard Buckley, Lakes Entrance11 – Catholic Life publication14 – Federal election14 – Exaltation of the Holy

Cross Feast Day16 – Silver jubilee of ordina-

tion of Fr Mark Godridge, Bu-nyip20 – Third term ends21 – International Day of

Peace (UN)21 – St Matthew Feast Day23-25 – Secondary students

youth camp27 – St Vincent de Paul me-

morial30 – Deadline for October

Catholic Life

October1 – International Day of Older

Persons (UN)1 – St Therese of the Child Je-

sus memorial4 – St Francis of Assisi me-

morial6 – Daylight Saving begins

(turn clocks forward one hour)7 – Fourth term begins7 – Our Lady of the Rosary

memorial10 – World Mental Health

Day10 – Catholic Life publication15 – St Theresa of Avila me-

morial17 – Valley region meeting, St

Mary’s, Newborough, noon18 – St Luke Feast Day29 – Mission Sunday (special

collection)23 – South region meeting,

Leongatha, 11.15am28 – Sts Simon and Jude Feast

Day

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DURING the last two weeks of April, lay missionaries, Philip and Margaret Maloney visited Sale diocese, prior to returning for their annual six months of ministry in Ireland.

They visited Lakes Entrance. Traralgon, Cowes and Frankston prayer groups, with a day of ministry in Leongatha, encouraging the formation of a prayer group.

In Newborough Parish they spoke after all Masses with a time of teaching after Sunday Mass and gave the opportunity for prayer, for any issues in the lives of people attending.

For the last weekend of April, they led a retreat at St Mary MacKillop School, Narre Warren North.

Our Lady Help of Christians prayer community organised all arrangements for an amazing weekend.

Beautiful music and singing

gave the foundation for scripture and teaching on our loneliness when we are separated from Jesus and the areas in life which keep us away from him and need prayer and healing.

Teaching on the grace of sacraments to bring life and change in our walk with God and each other.

They taught on our separation from God and each other when we place other things before God.

The Maloneys led individual prayer for people seeking the grace to take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation to break the hold of things in our life that cling and restrict our love of God and family.

They urged people to seek God in overcoming loneliness and fears and when relationships are diffi cult. Remember “Life is fragile….handle with prayer.”


Talking aboutBooks

The Pope in his own words

Central CatholicBookshop

322 Lonsdale St., Melbourne(Next door to St Francis Church)

Visit our Website at www.catholicbookshop.com.au

Browse through our range of books and sacra-mental and religious gifts, or search for specifi c

items by author, title or keyword.Open seven days

Phone and mail orders welcome. Credit cards accepted.

Phone (03) 9639 [email protected]

POPE FRANCIS - In His Own Words, by Julie Schwi-ertert Collazo and Lisa Ro-gak, published by William Collins, distributed by Harp-er Collins Publishers, hard-back, 180 pages, rrp $15.99.

THE authors of this book have been quick off the mark, sifting through a decade of statements by Pope Francis to come up with a handy pocket-sized book of quotations.

There appears to be only a handful of quotes since Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pontiff and they are really just quips such as “I’ll go with the guys on the bus” which he said when refusing the papal limousine after becoming Pope.

“I don’t want to keep the people waiting” and his fi rst words from the balcony “Brothers and sisters, good evening” seem a little trite and seem to have been included to make this work seem up to date.

However, there are many good quotes from earlier years which give much insight into the thinking of this man.

His humbleness and what seems to be his desire not to be fussed over is well summed up in a February 2013 quote from Vatican Insider where he says “The cardinalate is a service; it is not an award to be bragged about.”

No doubt he would probably offer similar sentiments about the papacy.

His thoughts about dozens of issues are well set out in the book, usually just a sentence or two, and these help to show the thinking of this great leader.

SUNDAY SOUNDINGS - Sermons from a Jesuit’s min-istry, by Fr Adrian Lyons SJ, published by Mosaic Press, distributed by Mosaic Re-sources, paperback, 224 pag-

es, rrp $29.95.

SERMONS are a dime a doz-en on the internet and anyone wanting to read up on a particu-lar theme or Gospel reading just has to go to a web browser.

However, there is something to be said for having the sermons in the one place at the one time and that’s where this new book comes in.

Fr Lyons is a well-known Jesuit preacher with wide experience around Australia. He has ministered as a university chaplain, an adult faith educator, has worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service, directed an international tertiary program to prepare Jesuits for fi nal vows, and has also served as a country priest.

His life experiences help him to illuminate points in his homilies which create a freshness not found in many of the Internet homilies.

In fact it was after consulting the commentaries of various scholars and homilies on the Internet and fi nding that they seldom made the point that he wanted to make, that he decided to publish his own book.

It is set out into fi ve sections, one for each of the liturgical years, one for special occasions and then the fi nal section specifi cally targeted to children.

A YEAR WITH LUKE, commentary by Fr Francis J. Moloney SDB, published and distributed by St Paul’s Publications, paperback, 106 pages, rrp $14.95.

AS we travel through the year’s

Gospel readings it is alwayshandy to have a quick referencebook to explain what the vari-ous passages mean in the con-text of the Bible message.

Some priests are able toexplain the readings wellin homilies but others leaveyou wanting to seek moreinformation.

In this book Fr Moloney, whois a distinguished AustralianBiblical scholar, provides aneasily understood commentary.

While the author is widelypublished and the FoundationProfessor of Theology atAustralian Catholic University,this book is no theological slog- it is written for the everydayCatholic.

In his introduction he explainsthat often people think of theSunday Gospels as being self-contained units, however, theyshould always be consideredwithin the context of the wholeGospel, in this case the Year Creadings from Luke.

The author also points outthe unique differences betweenLuke’s telling of Christ’s storyand those of his fellow Gospelwriters.

Only Luke portrays theimage of Mary, the Mother ofJesus in the fashion that manyChristians have come to loveand accept. Only Luke tells ofthe annunciation, the visitation,Jesus’ birth, the presentationand fi nding of the child Jesus inthe temple.

Without his writings, manyof the common images ofJesus and his life would bedifferent and so that if whythis commentary is a welcomeissue.

Lay missionaries ona return visit

PHILIP (right) and Margaret Maloney (left) with Toni and Lou Biancon, from Traralgon.

FR John Readman, a retired priest of Sale Diocese has asked Catholic Life to advise that heis now a resident at Shanagold-en Village, Pakenham.

He is living at Unit 11 O’Reagan St. which is part of the Shanagolden complex at153 Webster Way at Pakenham.

He can be contacted by phone on 5945 3831 or 0417 302 493.

Retired priest nowat Shanagolden

CRANBOURNE - St Peter’s College students James and Georgia Thornton contested two karate championships in the one weekend last month and each won two medals.

The Year 7 twins went to Sydney for the Australian School and University Karate Championships in Liverpool and the following two days competed in the Australian Open Karate Championships.

Although this is the fi rst year for both of the Sandhurst students at St Peter’s College, they are well known for their sporting endeavors at St Agatha’s Primary School which they attended before moving to secondary education.

Both James and Georgia competed in the Kumite (fi ghting) competition in the individual male and female children’s divisions respectively.

On the following two days they went on to compete in the Australian Open Karate Championships.

James won a bronze medal whilst representing the college in the individual male children’s competition and then followed that up at the Australian Open Championships with another bronze.

Georgia won a silver medal in the individual female children’s competition and then

followed that up at the open championships with another silver.

Darryl Thornton, their father and coach, (a seven year veteran of the sport and a holder of a black belt) said that the wins in the Australian Open Championships were “a fantastic result from a very large division”.

Both James and Georgia get their competition results in the Kumite section but train both in Kumite and Kata (forms or pre-arranged movements) principles.

This year competitors came from a large number of countries including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Great Britain, and Russia.

Both James and Georgia

now have their sights fi rmly set on putting in the training with the Victorian state squad with the hope of competing in the national championships, representing Victoria in Tasmania in August this year, and after that they both share the dream of competing at the 2020 Olympic Games.

St Peter’s College principal Tim Hogan said “All of us here at the college are very proud to have two such dedicated and talented athletes to represent us in the recently held Australian Schools and University Karate Championships.”

Karate medals toSt Peter’s twins

MARIE Fels has previously published an important study of the native police in Victoria called Good Men and True, on the Aboriginal Protectorate in the Port Phillip district.

That book revealed much of the history of the Gippsland Aboriginal tribes in the fi rst decades after Europeans arrived. Now she has published I Succeeded Once: The Aboriginal Protectorate on the Mornington Peninsula 1839-1840.

The Mornington Peninsula was settled by Europeans as they moved out from Melbourne, and is important for Gippsland history as this was the fi rst exploration east of Melbourne towards Western Port, Phillip Island, and the area now known as West Gippsland.

William Thomas was the Assistant Protector of Aborigines appointed by the government to be based on the Mornington Peninsula, but he was in fact in charge of all the Aboriginals of eastern Victoria, including Gippsland.

The Aboriginal tribe which inhabited the Mornington Peninsula and Western Port regions were called the Bunurong, part of the Kulin people of central Victoria,.

They were a different group from the tribes of Gippsland, the Kurnai, separated by the mountains we now call the Western Strzeleckis. Fels’ book is based mainly on Thomas’ extensive written observations, supplemented by accounts of other observers.

Thomas was an admirable fi gure who had the interests of his charges at heart, recorded their language and customs, and set up a reserve to protect them. He made an effort to understand the Aboriginals, and to see things from the perspective of their customs and habits. He argued their case to white society, and prevented intra-tribal strife, which stemmed from violence and drink, as far

as possible. Thomas was a sincere

Christian, who earlier in his life had wanted to become a missionary. He quickly mastered the Bunurong language, and translated a psalm, the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and the fi rst chapter of Genesis into their language.

He regularly conducted Divine Service for the Aboriginals at his headquarters, at which they frequently sang hymns.

There was less trouble on the Mornington Peninsula both within black society and in their relations with whites than in other areas. One obvious reason was Thomas’s wise guidance.

French explorers in the early 19th Century had noted that the Bunurong were ‘aimiable’ in disposition. The Gippsland Aboriginals were known to be more warlike and aggressive.

Moreover the Gippslanders were more plentiful in numbers compared with the Bunurong, who lived in the restricted area of the Mornington Peninsula which limited their numbers.

So the Bunurong were likely to come off second best whenever the historic enmity between them and the Kurnai fl ared up.

The main camping ground of the Bunurong was the amphitheatre of land between Mt Martha and Arthur’s Seat, which had good grass, and was ideal for fi shing and catching game.

Thomas naturally set up his protectorate station in this area, at a pace called Tubberubbabel, near where the Old Moorooduc Road joins the Nepean

highway. About 100 Bunurong Aboriginals gathered there on and off. There were about 20 bark huts for them and other buildings.

Thomas supplied the Aborigines with food (sugar, meat, fl our, soap, tea, salt, rice), blankets and clothing, and in return received from them objects they made like kangaroo and possum skins, basins, baskets and mats. This was in line with the protectorate policy of labor in exchange for food, though Thomas applied the policy leniently.

The Bunurong had one of their principal encampments nearby, about a mile from the protector’s camp. It was on Edward Hobson’s Mt Martha run at a place known as Kangerong. This was near today’s Nepean Highway fl yover as you approach Dromana.

About 30 Aboriginals lived there, but the numbers were often supplemented from nearby Tubberubbabel. Edward Hobson was the fi rst squatter on the Mornington Peninsula, and a relative of the Hobson who founded the Traralgon run.

Another Aboriginal encampment on Hobson’s run, called Buckkemitterwarren, was nearer to the beach at Dromana.

Some Bunurong wanted a settlement at Kulluk (today’s Coolart) near Sandy Point and Merricks (named after the local squatter Henry Meyrick) on the Western Port side of the Mornington Peninsula.

They liked its good grass and game. Thomas also wanted this area as a reserve, as it was

further away from whites and their diseases, but this did not eventuate.

Port Philip Bay had been almost a dry plain during the Ice Age of 10,000 years ago, with the Yarra and Werribee Rivers joining up and debouching through the heads. Local legends retained a memory of their ancestors walking across the plain.

Bunurong women had been stolen by Van Diemen’s Land sailors before Europeans arrived in the Port Phillip district in the mid 1830s.

A number of massacres by invading Gippsland blacks were remembered by the Bununrong. At Brighton about 80 Bunurong were killed; there were also separate slayings near Arthur’s Seat and at Western Port.

In 1840 Bunurong Aboriginals conducted a retaliation raid against the Gippsland blacks in the area between the Tarwin River and Wilson’s Promontory, in which about 10 of the enemy were killed. The cycle of violence and revenge continued when the Gippsland blacks raided near Jamieson’s station, but took only goods in this instance.

The reasons for these disputes may have been over food sources like native cabbage, or over women, or over contested land between the two tribes,

Thomas recorded for the fi rst time that the Bunurong Aboriginals played a game like

football they called Marngrook (now the name of an ABC-TVshow). It may have infl uenced the development of Australiarules football, as they kickedthe ball high and caught it.

In 1841 Thomas drew a mapof his area, the fi rst in existence.Included are Melbourne suburbs like Turruk (Toorak),Numewaren (Nunawading) andMooloy Yallok (Mordialloc-yallock is an Aboriginal word for a river or creek). On the peninsula the squatters Bagster (Baxter) and Merrik (Meyrick - Merricks) are located.

Place names include Konigo (Kananook Creek near Frankston), Kulluk (Coolart)and Torridor (Tooradin). Thenative names for Port PhillipBay and French and Phillip Islands are included.

Moving towards Gippslandwe fi nd the names Bore Bore (the Baw Baw mountains) andBullin Bullin (the Aboriginal word for the lyrebird, now speltBuln Buln).

Marie Fels’ book, based on Thomas’s notes which are now in various archives and libraries,is a fascinating glimpse into the early days of the Port Phillip settlement.

• Marie Fels, I Succeeded

Once, The Aboriginal Protectorate on the Mornington Peninsula 1839-1840, Australian NationalUniversity Press, Canberra,2011, $29.95, postage $12.


The early days in the Mornington Peninsula

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Historywith Patrick Morgan

AN historic sketch from the book showing an Aboriginal woman with a baby being carried on her back.

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Principals meet at Heyfi eld

May 14 – Staff morning tea at Marist Sion College, War-ragul, then meet Year 12 Re-ligion and Society students discus course content and relationship to faith.

May 18 – Heyfi eld confi r-mations, 6pm.

May 19 – Sale confi rma-tions, 9.30am

May 19 – Mystagogia Mass, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 11.30am.

May 24 – Berwick confi r-mations, 7.30pm

May 25 – Berwick confi r-mations, 11am, 2pm, 7.30pm

May 26 – Berwick confi r-mations, 2pm.

May 31 – Lunch with per-manent deacons and their wives.

May 31 – Lead prayer and adoration at 90th anniversa-ry of Corpus Christi College seminary.

June 1 – Pakenham confi r-mations, 2pm, 6pm.

June 2 – Warragul confi r-mations, 10.30am.

June 2 – Drouin confi rma-tions, 2pm.

June 6 – Annual Serra Club Mass and handover, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sale, 5pm.

June 9 – Feast of St Antho-ny of Padua procession and Mass, St Mary’s, Bairnsdale, 11am.

June 12 – Council of Priests and Consultors meet-ings, Warragul.

June 12 – Diocesan Fi-nance Council meeting, 4.30pm

June 13 – Visit to Narre Warren confi rmation candi-dates at Don Bosco Primary.

June 14 – Leongatha con-fi rmations, 7pm.

June 15 – Wonthaggi con-

fi rmations, 2pm, 6.30pm.June 16 – Cowes confi rma-

tions, 9am.June 21 – Narre Warren

confi rmations, 7.30pm.June 22 – Narre Warren

confi rmations, 10am, 2pm.June 22 – Cranbourne con-

fi rmations, 4pm.June 23 – Cranbourne con-

fi rmations, noon.June 23 – Narre Warren

confi rmations, 3pm.June 29 – Blessing of

Catholic Education Offi ce participants in World Youth Day, Warragul, 4.30pm.

Bishop Prowse’s Diary

ALL members of the Principals of Sale Education Committee gathered at St Michael’s Hey-fi eld for their once a term meet-ing.

Wellington Shire Social Plan-ning and Policy Coordinator Karen McLennan was invited by Nicholas Hall to speak to the

POSEC group on the current and future population trends in the Sale region.

Pictured are (rear, from left) Catholic College Sale principal Chris Randle, Nicholas Hall, St Patrick’s Stratford, Jason Slat-tery St Thomas Sale, Anthony Sheedy, St Mary’s Yarram, Dar-

ren Stanbury St Mary’s Maffra, (front) Liz Whitehill Catholic College Sale, Wellington Shire Council coordinator of social planning and policy Karen McLennan, Cathy Mesaric, St. Mary’s Sale, and Catholic Edu-cation Offi ce primary education consultant Marianne O’Rourke.

Academic galleywalk at St Mary’s

NEWBOROUGH - Recently the Grade 3 and 4 students at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School celebrated their suc-cesses in an Academic Gallery Walk.

The students had completed a unit of work on the sacrament of Reconciliation and they were particularly proud of their ef-forts and wanted to display their work for everyone to see.

Work on display included in-formation posters, Powerpoint presentations, poems, songs, stories and personal prayers. Some of the students made special spectacles to view their work through.

They enjoyed an afternoon of culture as they listened to clas-sical background music while

they tasted some fi ne healthyand savoury snacks, and cri-tiqued each other’s work.

Everyone in the school com-munity were welcome to view the students’ work and manyparents marvelled at their child’s efforts.

The Gallery Walk com-menced the school’s celebra-tions of Catholic Education Week.

Grade 4 teacher Ryan Pot-ter and Grade 3 teacher TrishMulqueen agreed that celebrat-ing success in academic work served to further inspire our student’s to do their best work.

“The students were proud of their work and wanted everyoneto see it.”

BRYLIE, Michelle and Ayden also enjoyed the snacks.

Peter’s Crew ready for State Youth GamesOUR diocesan “Peter’s Crew” team will be competing in the State Youth Games on the Queen’s Birthday Weekend tak-ing the fi eld in mixed netball, AFL, dodge ball and indoor soccer.

Individuals from Peter’s Crew

are also hoping to compete in cross country, UNO, beep tests, scrabble, swimming and Wii. It also looks as though Bishop Prowse will be joining us for dinner and Mass Saturday night (it’s not yet confi rmed if he will be captaining the dodge ball team). If you want to be part of this amazing weekend please get in touch with Jess Denehy ([email protected]) asap.

Oh – and we are also in need of volunteers so sing out if you can support Peter’s Crew at SYG.

BISHOP of Sale, Christopher Prowse has been elected to the permanent committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

This will involve him making regular trips to Sydney between the ACBC’s two plenary ses-sions each year.

Other members of the com-mittee are Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, Bishop Peter Ingham of Wollongong, and Bishop Eugene Hurley of Darwin.

Bishop Prowseappointed topermanent committee

Loch’s lights of Christ

LOCH - Parishioners from St Vincent’s Catholic Church Loch erected three crosses in the paddock behind their church on Ash Wednesday

Measuring over four meters with a span of three meters, the crosses were highlighted at night with solar lights, giving time vision gave the surreal impression that the crosses were suspended from Heaven.

In full view of thousands of vehicles travelling along South Gippsland Highway, the crosses were aimed at re-minding travellers of the true Easter message; the prepa-ration for the death of Jesus followed by His resurrection.

In memory of Jesus’ death a purple stole was draped around the central cross early on Good Friday, and then St Vincent’s parishioners joined Pastor Gavin Sharp and his parishioners at the Loch

Uniting Church to partici-pate in a service to commem-orate the passion and eventsleading to the crucifi xion ofJesus.

Because of the inclem-ent weather the ecumenicalWay of the Cross planned tobe conducted throughout thestreets of Loch to the Catho-lic Church was held insidethe Uniting Church.

Forty Christian peoplefrom a variety of denomina-tions were wholly involvedin this experience.

With placards showing Je-sus at the Last Supper, thebetrayal, sentencing, thenthe mocking and beating be-fore being put on the cross,each person received greatermeaning to the events ofGood Friday.

There was full agreementthat his ecumenical servicewill shared again next year.


Nagle College remembers the ANZAC sacrifi ceBAIRNSDALE - The ANZAC Service conducted at Nagle col-lege every year has been an im-portant occasion in the school calendar for over 25 years.

The college community gathers to remember those who have served our country during confl ict and crisis; from that fi rst landing at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 until the present day.

Students and staff of the college took part in the 2013 ANZAC Service, held in Presentation Hall and concluded with a wreath laying ceremony conducted at the college’s ANZAC Memorial.

Guest of honor this year was Glen Curtis who delivered the keynote address about his experiences in the Australian Armed Forces and what ANZAC Day means to him.

The service was led by a group of Year 10 and 11 students who are currently studying Australian War History.

This year’s service profi led several men and women who served Australia during war time and it included: Sr Alice Ross King (WW1), Sgt Stanley Robert McDougall (Victoria Cross recipient WW1), Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop (POW WW2) and Sr Aileen Lucas (WW1).

These moving readings, combined with dramatic visual presentations, were highly emotive and very informative. Other readings included the words engraved at ANZAC Cove by the Commander of the Turkish 19th Division during the Gallipoli Campaign – Kemal Ataturk; verses from the poem “For the Fallen” by Laurence Binyon; and ‘The Ode’ which was read following the playing of the Last Post/Rouse by a Nagle College student silhouetted centre stage.

The ANZAC Service came to a sombre and respectful conclusion with the departure of the wreath laying party to the sad refrain of ‘The Green Fields of France’.

All college captains laid an

individual fl ower at the ANZAC Memorial on the grounds of the college.

Wreaths were laid by the college captains Paige Philip and Ben Calnin on behalf of the college, Mr Curtis as the guest of honor, Geoff Hopkins from the Bairnsdale RSL, Flight Sgt Wales and Corporal McLaren from RAAF Base, East Sale, College Council chairperson Chris Waites, Catholic Education Offi ce representative Rosemary Copeland and student representatives from each of the seven Nagle College houses.

Following the formal ceremony the annual ANZAC Gift relay was run on the college oval. This was a keenly contested event and this year all house teams ran extremely well in the very competitive boys and girls events. MacKillop House was the champion in the boys’ event with the Xavier girls taking the trophy in their event for the third year in a row.

GUEST of Honor Glen Curtis is pictured here with the students who conducted the 2013 ANZACService at Nagle College (left to right) Abbey Thorpe, Taylor Morrell, Lauren Stephenson, LauraKnaggs, Jessica Dickson, Toni Bridgeman, Jayden Junker and Gareth Williams.

Blessing of St Kieran’s grotto gardenMOE - Parishioners and fam-ily members were graced with a beautiful autumn morning for the blessing and opening of the St Kieran’s Resurrection Gar-den on April 21.

Parish priest Fr Bernie O’Brien OMI celebrated the oc-casion and explained that it had been a project four years in the making.

“I had seen the idea at a par-ish in Sorrento and thought it would be a great thing for St Kieran’s.”

The Resurrection Garden and grotto encases a statue of Our Lady and was established as a place to honor the deceased members of our family and par-ish whom we wish to remember in our thoughts and prayers.

The grotto and garden pro-vides a tranquil place of prayer, refl ection and peace within the grounds of the church.

Parishioners and family mem-bers are able to order memorial plaques for their deceased loved

ones and these are placed on the memorial wall and blessed at special ceremonies throughout the year.

Plaques were blessed in

memory of former parish priest Fr John Dunlea OMI, and Br Jason Duck, former parish as-sistant of St Kieran’s together with several other plaques.

The fruition of the project would not have been possiblewithout the generosity and ef-forts of our parishioners and members of the community.

PARISH priest Fr Bernie O’Brien blesses the gardens and grotto at the rear of St Kieran’s Church.

MAY is the month which has long been dedicated to Our Blessed Lady on her many ti-tles.

It is the month where Catho-lics in every part of the world offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration.

In this month the benefi ts of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abun-dance (Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May, no. 1).

This custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at the end of the 13th Century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianise the secular feasts which took place at that time, especially the many pagan rites associated with the coming of summer.

By then the sowing of crops had been completed and to cel-ebrate huge May Day (May 1) bonfi res were lit over much of Europe and there were many feasts and dancing around may-

poles to pray for a bountifulharvest.

In ancient Greece there were May celebrations to Artemis, the Goddess of Fecundity (Fer-tility) and similar festivities took place throughout Europe.

Under Christianity the old pa-gan feasts were supplanted with devotions to Our Lady.

The May devotions to Marywere especially fostered by the Jesuits during the 1700s and gradually took on special importance throughout the Church.

The practice was granted apartial indulgence by Pius VII in 1815 and a plenary indul-gence by Pius IX in 1859.

With the complete revision of indulgences in 1966 and the decreased emphasis on specifi c indulgences, it no longer carries an indulgence.

May dedicated to Our LadyCall for involvementBISHOP Christopher Prowse has asked Catholics within the Diocese of Sale to become more involved in Year of Faith celebrations over the next few weeks.

Parishes have been asked to consider various ways to celebrate.

The fi rst opportunity was for the Vigil of Pentecost this Saturday, May 18.

He said that the Holy Father would be praying for the sending down of the Holy Spirit in these troubled times.

It was also an occasion where through the diocese many celebrations of the sacrament of confi rmation would take place.

Bishop Prowse said that on Corpus Christ Sunday at 5pm (Rome time) the Holy Father would lead prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

The whole world was invited to join him for one hour and so

this was an ideal time for parish communities to join in this prayer of adoration.

On June 15-16 in Rome there would be several events to witness the sacred value of all life.

Emphasis would be placed on the aged, sick, dying, the unborn, those with mental illness, the suffering and those who care for those who suffer and are sick.

He said that in Australia where abortion was so easily accessible, prayers and practical ways in which this scourge of our humanity can be diminished would be appropriate.

Parishes could gather for special healing Masses that included anointing of the sick.

At most events for the Year of Faith there was an emphasis on a slow, prayerful recitation of the Creed.


world news ... world news ...

Foreign aid is well spentCARITAS Australia, the inter-national aid and development organisation of the Catholic Church, has backed a letter from Australia’s business lead-ers, calling for the Prime Min-ister and Opposition leader to strengthen their commitment to international aid.

On the eve of the Prime Min-ister’s planned visit to Papua New Guinea Caritas CEO Jack de Groot said foreign aid saves lives and makes a huge differ-ence, particularly in the Pacifi c region.

PNG is one of the largest re-cipients of Australian foreign aid money, receiving over $490 million in the 2012/13 budget.

“Countries in the Pacifi c are our nearest neighbours and we share a history and partner-ships. Supporting countries such as PNG with foreign aid is not only the right thing to do, it’s in our best interests as a na-tion,” Mr de Groot said.

“PNG is an emerging econ-omy and an important player within the Pacifi c region, but many challenges remain such as poverty and unemployment, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, high child and maternal mortal-ity rates, law and order issues and low rates of children ac-

cessing education.”Caritas Australia runs pro-

grams in education, health, vocational training and HIV/AIDS in PNG, as well as doz-ens of programs across the Pa-cifi c. Caritas Australia works in partnership with local commu-nities in 35 countries through-out Africa, Asia, Latin Amer-ica, Indigenous Australia and the Pacifi c.

“In PNG this money is saving lives and creating opportunities for many of the poorest of the poor,” Mr de Groot said.

“The vast majority of peo-ple in PNG live in remote and rural areas and in these places the Catholic Church can pro-vide more than two thirds of all health services.

“PNG also has the highest incidence of HIV in the Pacifi c region. It’s estimated to affect just under 1 percent of the pop-ulation, that’s approximately 54,000 people.

“Our programs in PNG, sup-ported through foreign aid, refl ect a proactive approach to tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS by addressing the issue of sexually transmitted infec-tions (STIs) and these programs are saving lives and contribut-ing to a better standard of living

for many.”Mr de Groot urged political

leaders not to turn their backs on the poorest of the poor by cutting aid in the upcoming budget. He welcomed the re-cent OECD report which gave Australia’s fi ve billion dollar aid program the tick of approv-al.

“Our aid money is money well spent. We want to make sure the government and op-position stick to their commit-ments to foreign aid, so that we can continue to support and em-power the world’s poorest to be the architects of their own de-velopment,” Mr de Groot said.

A snapshot of newAmerican priestsWASHINGTON DC (Zenit) - The US bishops’ conference has released results of its annu-al national survey of men being ordained priests for US dioces-es and religious communities.

About 74 percent of an esti-mated 500 men to be ordained priests in the United States this year responded to the survey.

On average, most of the ordi-nation class were baptised as in-fants, but nine percent became Catholic later in life. Eight in 10 report that both parents are Catholic, and more than a third

have a relative who is a priest or religious.

On average, respondents re-port that they were nearly 17 years old when they fi rst con-sidered a vocation to the priest-hood. Two in three (67%) say they were encouraged to con-sider a vocation to the priest-hood by a parish priest. Others who encouraged them include friends (46%), parishioners (38%) and mothers (34%).

Three in 10 respondents (31%) were born outside the United States, with the largest numbers coming from Mexico, Vietnam, Colombia, Poland, the Philippines and Nigeria. On average, respondents who were born in another country have lived in the United States for 14 years. Between 20% and 30% of respondents for the diocesan priesthood for each of the last 10 years were born outside the United States.

Many ordinands specifi ed some type of full-time work experience prior to entering the seminary, most often in educa-tion, accounting, fi nance or in-surance.

BRUSSELS (ACN) - “Growing corruption and religious vio-lence jeopardise the West Afri-can country of Nigeria”.

This stark warning by Cardi-nal John Onaiyekan, Archbish-op of Abuja, was given during his recent presentation to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels.

Cardinal Onaiyekan was ac-companied by Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto. Coor-dinated by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, the two church leaders presented the most urgent challenges fac-ing Nigeria to the European Union decision makers, to try and help them understand the realities on the ground in one of the three priority countries of the EU in sub-Saharan Africa. The two others are South Africa and Kenya.

Cardinal Onaiyekan and Bishop Kukah addressed two fundamental concerns, what they referred to as “the twin monsters of corruption and insecurity”. According to the Church leaders, with a GDP of 244 billion USD as well as a recipient of generous interna-tional aid Nigeria is not a poor country, but the corruption and mismanagement is such that precious little reaches the popu-

lation. Where the government ser-

vices fail, the Catholic Church steps in to provide relief servic-es operating numerous schools, hospitals, legal aid centres and other basic services in Nigeria’s most impoverished regions.

“The Catholic Church is con-cerned about the well-being of all Nigerians, not only those baptised in our churches. We are 170 million Nigerians, roughly half are Christians from different denominations and half are Muslims, also of different groups. Catholics are still the largest single-faith group in the country so we have considerable infl uence and re-sponsibility”, stated Cardinal Onaiyekan.

Bishop Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese (in north-western Ni-geria) where the Catholics are a very small minority, said that the socio-economic indicators of health, education and in-come of Northern Nigeria were among the worst in the entire Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The region has a Muslim majority in power. The way they spend federal funding fol-lows their own priorities and the concept of education and public health is not the same as that of UNESCO”

Nigerian bishopshighlight problems

Bishop warns against weakerChristian presence in PalestineBy Oliver Maksan

JERUSALEM - Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of the Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem has warned against a weaken-ing of the Christian presence in Palestine as a result of the con-struction of the Israeli security barrier.

Bishop Shomali, who is re-sponsible for the Palestinian regions of the patriarchate, was speaking to the Catholic char-ity Aid to the Church in Need following a ruling by an Israeli court which rejected the appeals against the construction of the Israeli security wall through the Cremisan Valley, near Beit Jala, Bethlehem.

Following extensive legal pro-ceedings that have lasted seven years, the court deemed that for reasons of security it was just and proportionate to confi scate the lands of 58 Christian fami-lies in order to build the wall.

Bishop Shomali comment-ed: “It is true that in the case of Cremisan only 58 families are affected and not the whole Christian community of Pal-estine. But the more incidents we have of this kind the more it challenges the community as a whole.”

Besides, he pointed out, the Christian community will be further weakened by the cut-

ting off of the monastery of the Salesian Fathers from the rest of Beit Jala.

“The Christian community has always found in this mon-astery a spiritual and inspir-ing high place”, he said. If the wall goes ahead, the monastery of the Salesian Fathers, which lies in the Cremisan Valley, will also be cut off, on the Is-raeli side, from the convent of the Salesian Sisters and its school on the Palestinian side. Until now the Salesian Fathers have always provided a pastoral ministry to the sisters and their school.

Bishop Shomali was by no means convinced by the rea-sons for the verdict of the court in Tel Aviv.

“The Israeli system of justice is excellent when it comes tomatters other than security. Inthe case of security-related is-sues, these prevail over all other aspects. In our case the court claimed that the construction of the wall is necessary to protect the settlement of Gilo. We disa-gree.”

In reaching its verdict the court had also relied on assur-ances of the Israeli military that the families affected would haveaccess to their land through an agricultural gate. The bishop does not regard this as realistic

The Jerusalem-based Catho-lic human rights organisation, the Society of Saint Yves toldACN last Thursday that it wasnot clear when the case in the High Court would begin or howlong it would last. But since the High Court is the fi nal court of appeal, it must handle the case.

The Society of Saint Yves,an organisation under the aus-pices of the Latin patriarchate, had represented the Salesian Sisters in the lower courts. It isnow planning to submit an ap-peal as soon as possible to the High Court.

The only aspect that is not yet clear is whether this will be done in collaboration with the families or on its own, a rep-resentative of the society told ACN.

Bishop William Shomali © Aid to the Church in Need

Copts hopeful of good resultsROME (Zenit) - The newly appointed head of the Cop-tic Catholic Eparchy in Egypt hopes that last week’s meet-ing between Pope Francis and Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Ta-wadros II “could have impor-tant and positive results.”

Coptic Catholic Bishop Botros Fahim Awad Hanna ex-pressed his hope that a theolog-ical dialogue to begin the path towards full communion would resume

The last meeting that oc-

curred between a Coptic Pa-triarch and a Pope took place nearly 40 years ago.

Following that, an agreement between the two churches in 1988 put an end to centuries of misunderstanding and mistrust.

“I hope that with the visit of the new Coptic Orthodox Pa-triarch to the new Bishop of Rome, recent approaches on the spiritual and pastoral can be deepened at a theological and doctrinal level.”


For the Young and Young at Heart

Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ONE Sunday morning, a little girl and her mother go to church. Halfway through, the little girl tells her mother she’s going to be sick.

Her mother tells her to go in the bushes behind the church. The girl leaves and comes back after about fi ve minutes. Her mother asks her if she threw up. “Yes,” the girl says. “But I

didn’t have to go all the way around the back. There was a box near the front door that said For the Sick.’’

A YOUNG university student stayed up all night studying for his zoology exam and next day when he entered the classroom be saw 10 paper bags covering different species of birds.

For the test the students were asked to identify the birds just by looking at their legs, giving their common name, scientifi c name and habitat.

The student got madder and madder. He had studied all night and knew everything about birds beaks, wings, their feathers and various habitats but he knew little about legs.

Finally, he threw the test paper at the professor, calling him an idiot for setting such an exam.

The professor was stunned. Never had he been spoken to in such a way.“What’s your name young

man,” he called.The student paused in

the doorway, rolled up his trousers and said “You tell me!”

A YOUNG woman fronted the magistrate’s court for driving her car through a red light.

She explained to the magistrate that she was a schoolteacher who had a fl at tyre and after changing it, had been running late for school.“A school teacher, eh?”

said the magistrate.“I shall realise my lifelong

ambition. I have waited years to have a school teacher before this court.“Sit at that table over there

and write ‘I must not drive through red lights’ 500 times.”

AN air hostess came up to an elderly man during a fl ight to Sydney and said “I am sorry sir, but we appear to have left your wife behind in Melbourne.”“Thank God for that,” said

the gent. “I thought I had gone deaf.”

ADAM and Eve were naming the various animals for God when along came a rhinoceros.“Wow, what a funny

creature,” said Adam. “What will we call this one?”

Eve looked closely and said “I think I will call this one a rhinoceros.”

Adam was fl abbergasted. “What a stupid name for one of God’s creatures!”“I know” said Eve ‘ but it

looks more like a rhinoceros than any other animal we have seen today.”

TWO men were travelling on a train for the fi rst time and had taken a snack with them.

An hour into the trip, one started eating a banana when the train went in to a tunnel.“Don’t eat the bananas,” he

cried out. “Mine has made me go blind!”

A BLOKE is running late to pick up some horses from a mate when he is pulled over for speeding.“What’s your reason

for speeding?” asks the policeman.‘Well you see,” said the

driver “I’ve got a couple of horses in the fl oat and I have to get them to Flemington in time for the fourth race.”

The policeman goes around the back of the fl oat and sees it’s empty.“There are no horses in

there,” he exclaims to the driver.“Oh no!” said the driver.

Don’t tell me they have given me the scratchings again.”

A MAN hears digging next door and sticks his head over the fence.“What are you doing

Bluey?” he asks.The neighbor looks up and

replies “I’m burying my pet budgerigar.”“That’s a big hole for a

little bird.”“Not really,” says Bluey.

“He’s inside your cat.”

A MOTHER asks her son how he went in the geography test.“I got 100 percent,” says

Johnny.“That’s fantastic. I knew

you could do it.”“It helps to sit next to the

brightest kid in the class.”

Time for a LaughColour the Holy Family

Send entries to Catholic Life Colouring Contest. c/- PO Box 1410, Warragul 3820.

Last month’s winnerThis month’s prize winnerWINNER of the diffi cult colouring contest last month featuring the famous Cezanne Mardi Gras painting is Sydney Simpson, 10, from Lumen Christi Primary School in Churchill.

There were a lot of good entries to choose from, mainly done by the older students.

Let’s hope they continue to be great artists.

MERELLE Mikhiel, 7, from Trinity Catholic Primary School, Narre Warren, shows off her prizes


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Ex-business manager resignsFORMER business manager of the Diocese of Sale Jeff Davis has resigned.

He has been on extended leave with a serious illness since late last year.

Mr Davis worked for the dio-cese for 14 years, originally as accounts assistant to then busi-ness manager Brian Donnelly, and later as business manager.

He relinquished that role shortly after the diocesan head-quarters moved to Warragul last July.

Bishop Christopher Prowse has thanked Mr Davis for hisleadership in the diocese and for being a great advisor to bothBishop Jeremiah Coffey andhimself.

CHAIRMAN of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Bishop Christopher Saunders, has expressed deep concern over the proposed detention of children and families in remote immigration facilities.

“There is something particu-larly uncaring about locking away children and families in a starkly isolated facility such as Curtin in the Kimberley”, Bish-op Saunders said.

“I have seen fi rst-hand the conditions of this place and the physical and mental trauma experienced by older detain-ees who had already suffered greatly.

“The Minister says that fami-lies and children will be de-tained for migration checks for the shortest possible time. But the government gave similar undertakings in 2008, and re-cent fi gures reveal that the aver-age time adults and children are spending in detention is almost fi ve months.

“Women and children are par-ticularly vulnerable and to de-tain them in places like Curtincalls into question Australia’s commitments under interna-tional law – particularly thoseof the Convention on the Rightsof the Child”, Bishop Saunders said.

“The benefi ts of releasingfamilies into the communitywill be offset by preventingthem from taking up the right to work in order to support them-selves. The limited governmentpayments available to them willensure they struggle to surviveas they are placed well below the poverty line.

“I am worried that we couldbe creating an underclass of severely marginalised peoplewho could be subject to exploi-tation”, Bishop Saunders said.

“Isolated facilities are the wrong place to keep trauma-tised children and parents. We have an obligation in justiceto see to it that they have themeans to feed, clothe and house themselves while they are in thecommunity and their claims are being processed. The basic re-quirement of justice must be to ensure those who have fl ed thedesperation and disaster of their homelands do not now face des-titution in Australia.”

Concern for kidsbehind razor wire

Date is set forSion gatheringTHE annual gathering of for-mer students of Our Lady of Sion College, Sale, will this year take place on November10.

All former Old Sionians are urged to make contact with the organising committee so they can be updated on planned events.

Contact either CeCe Kingwill 5144 6340 or Mauren McLeod on 5144 3550.

Bishop Chris Saunders


Catholic Life Sale

Aid to the Church in Need …. a Catholic charity dependent on the Holy See, providing pastoral relief to needy and oppressed Churches

The Year of the Faith rosary designed by the Vatican rosary makers will be sent out to all those who assist this cause and tick this box.

Seminarians studying in Nigeria

Pride, spirit and a lot of sports enthusiasmTRARALGON - Term one at St Michael’s Primary School was a short but busy term.

The school held their annual athletics and swimming sports carnivals. House captains and vice captains led their teams with pride, spirit and lots of en-thusiasm.

Both days were very success-ful with some children going on to compete in district, division-

al and regional competitions. The swimming carnival was

held in perfect weather condi-tions at Traralgon’s outdoor pool. Grades 3-6 students took part in a range of swimming and novelty events and enjoyed some free swim time during the day.

Grade 5/6 Champions and Molly Dunlop Trophy Recipi-ents on the day were Georgia

Hughes and Jye DaRos and the grade 3/4 Champions were Alyssa Furlan and Tom Hamil-ton.

School principal Cathy Blackford said, “The success of the swimming carnival can be partly attributed to the intensive swimming program that all the students undertake each year. It has given the children a lot more confi dence and skill in the water.”

Hot weather saw the athlet-ics carnival held over two days. Firstly at the recreation reserve in Davidson St. and then back at the school.

Most of the track and fi eld events and some of the novelty events were completed at the recreation reserve and then the remainder of the carnival was completed back at school due to the heat.

Athletics champion and win-ner of the Aerobic Trophy was “Green House.”

Mrs Blackford also said, “A big thank you to teacher, Sarah Morrow and all our staff for all their work prior to both days and for the smooth running of the actual carnivals.

“Special thanks must also go to all the parents, families and friends who helped in many different ways to make the days such a success and for encour-aging and supporting our stu-dents.”

EWAN competing in the long jump.

ETSE leading the preps girls in their 100m sprint.

Catholic YouthFestival updateBy Cassie Gawley

THERE have been some exciting updates on the planning of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival with everything in place and fi rst registrations rolling in.

A national briefi ng day on the Australian Catholic Youth Festival was held in Melbourne at the end of April.

More than 70 national organisers, diocesan representatives from all over the country, youth group leaders and people interested in co-ordinating a group to attend the festival, were present to see what’s happening with the festival planning and the new updates, including the new website.

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is being held at two venues; Australian Catholic University which will host all the expo, encounter and listening activities being provided each day over the three days, and at Festival Hall, where all plenary and celebration sessions will be held in the evening.

The fi rst of its kind, the festival is expecting to attract over 3000 young people and be the largest national youth gathering since World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008.

The festival will feature some fantastic speakers, entertainers and church leaders, as well as provide an opportunity for young people to talk with clergy about what is important to them within the church today.

The festival website was re-launched on April 30 and is designed to be an information hub for co-ordinators and participants, with new

information and details being updated on a regular basis.

Group registrations for theevent are open and can bemade by following the links on the website. Any person underthe age of 18 cannot register asan individual but must registeras part of a group, accompaniedby a group co-ordinator andsubsequent adult leaders in order to be supervised suffi ciently. Individual andexhibitor registrations will openover the coming weeks.

If anyone is interested infacilitating a group to attendthe festival, the next step is tosign up to the newsletter whichwill keep you updated on allthe latest news and registration information.

It is also a good idea to getsome young people to commit to attending the festival in orderto get your group together and guarantee registration occursbefore the closing date.

Early bird registration (beforeSeptember 20) for participants from the Diocese of Sale will be $195 per person, with optional meal tickets being offered foran additional $75.

Registrations close six weeksprior to the festival, on October25 unless the capacity of 3500 is reached earlier. Places arelimited so get in quick to avoidmissing out.

For more information,visit the Australian Catholic Youth Festival’s website www.youthfestival.catholic.org.au

Documents

Catholic Life - May 2013