Padua News Padua News is the official quarterly Newsletter of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church Cnr Exford & Wilson Roads, Melton South, VIC 3338 Tel: 03 9747 9692; Fax: 03 9747 0422; Email: [email protected]

This issue of Padua News is also published on the Parish Website http://stanthonysmeltonsouth.wordpress.com/padua-news/ Issue 47 March 1, 2018

From our ParishMessage Priest….. from Father Fabian

My grandma Connie is the My grandma has been living eldest of ten children; seven in for about thir- girls and three boys. My teen years and last year in November my grandma Father Fabian Smith grandma was eighteen when Parish Priest her dad, Alphonse, passed wanted to make a trip to away with cancer. My India to visit her three sis- grandma had just started ters. So I accompanied my teaching in the Railway 90 year old Grandma and Wishing each of you and school; it was a school run her 83 year old sister, Joyce, your families every blessing for the children whose par- to India to visit their three for the remainder of Lent ents were employed by the sisters, Antoinette, Lilian and all the joy of Easter. Railways (The British and Phyllis, back home in brought two good things to Madurai. When people May the risen Christ Father John-Paul Mount be with you always. Assistant Priest India - the Railways and asked why she had come Cricket!) only for ten days, my grand- ma replied, “They wouldn’t photo I saw them all sad, I After my great grandfather give more time off.” My suppose it was probably the grandma had a wonderful passed away, my great grand- last time they would get to mother, Rosemary, and the time catching up with her see each other. So to cheer other nine children moved in sisters and old friends. It them up I said to them, “You with grandma. Life was was a very good trip for my all look like you have one tough with all its struggles grandma but not without its foot in the grave.” And they Father Patrick Bradford challenges for me. Assistant Priest for a young widow with her all started laughing. After I ten children. Faith in God took the photo my grandma and daily family prayers saw A couple days before we said, “We don’t have one them through life. It was could leave we had all the foot in the grave we have one nothing short of God’s sisters together for lunch foot outside the grave.” providence. and after lunch I asked them to huddle up for a I thought to myself how pro- photo. While taking the found. At this age, my grandma, having gone Photo: Grandma Connie and her sisters through so much in life, has not lost her sense of humour, Padua News Committee her love for her family and Dolores Turcsan her faith in God. It is her Edwina La Rose faith in God that has enabled Lorraine Tellis Rebecca Comini her to live life in hope in the Ken Dumandan midst of all life’s trials and Imalsha Silva struggles. Grandma often Kim Barton says how her daily rosary, Godwin Barton family prayers and going to If you are interested in helping Mass every day as a child and with any of the tasks in the as a mother and grandmother production of the Padua News, has been her source of please contact any one of the committee members or email: strength through life. [email protected] Thank you. Continued on the next page Issue 47 Page 2 Padua News

Message from our Parish Priest (Continued from previous page) Prayer indeed is the secret of a Happy, ued presence of the risen Jesus in our Wishing each of you and your fami- Holy and Fruitful Life. Through a life midst help us to live in hope remem- lies every blessing for the remainder of prayer we receive countless graces bering that our God who created us of Lent and all the joy of Easter. May from heaven that enable us to live life also sustains us through all our trials the risen Christ be with you always. well in the midst of our struggles. May and struggles we face each day. So the graces we receive through this Ho- don’t live life with one foot in the Many Blessings, ly Season of Lent fill us with much grave but rather live life with one Father Fabian Smith hope and joy as we approach Easter, foot out of the grave. the Feast of all feasts. May the contin-

Pope Francis’ Lenten message

Taking his cue from the words of offers. He is our Father Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: and he wants us to live life “Because of the increase of iniquity, well. the love of many will grow cold” (24:12), Pope Francis’ Lenten Almsgiving sets us free message was sent to help the Church from greed and helps us in preparation for Easter and to help to regard our neighbour as the Church experience this time of a brother or sister. What I grace anew, with joy and in truth. possess is never mine alone. When we give alms, charity seems to die in our own These words appear in Christ’s we share in God’s providential care hearts, that this is never the case in preaching about the end of time, spo- for each of His children. If through the heart of God! He constantly gives ken on the Mount of Olives, where me God helps someone today, will us a chance to begin loving anew. the Lord’s passion would begin. In He not tomorrow provide for my reply to a question of the disciples, own needs? For no one is more gen- The entire Church community is in- Jesus foretells a great tribulation and erous than God. vited to celebrate the sacrament of describes a situation in which the com- Reconciliation in the context of Eu- munity of believers might well find Fasting weakens our tendency to vio- charistic adoration. itself: amid great trials, false prophets lence; it disarms us and becomes an would lead people astray and the love important opportunity for growth. During the Easter Vigil, we will cele- that is the core of the Gospel would On the one hand, it allows us to ex- brate once more the moving rite of grow cold in the hearts of many. perience what the destitute and the the lighting of the Easter candle. starving have to endure. On the other Drawn from the “new fire”, this light Each of us is called to peer into our hand, it expresses our own spiritual will slowly overcome the darkness heart to see if we are falling prey to the hunger and thirst for life in God. and illuminate the liturgical assembly. lies of these false prophets. We must Fasting wakes us up. It makes us “May the light of Christ rising in glo- learn to look closely, beneath the sur- more attentive to God and our neigh- ry dispel the darkness of our hearts face, and to recognize what leaves a bour. It revives our desire to obey and minds”, and enable all of us to good and lasting mark on our hearts, God, who alone is capable of satisfy- relive the experience of the disciples because it comes from God and is tru- ing our hunger. on the way to Emmaus. By listening ly for our benefit. to God’s word and drawing nourish- The Pope then extends his invitation ment from the table of the Eucharist, The Pope says that the Church, our to all who are open to hearing God’s may our hearts be ever more ardent Mother and Teacher, along with the voice, to raise our plea to God, in in faith, hope and love. often bitter medicine of the truth, of- fasting, and in offering whatever we fers us in the Lenten season the sooth- can to our brothers and sisters in The Pope wishes his blessing to all ing remedy of prayer, almsgiving and need! with affection and the promise of his fasting. prayers for all of us and in turn re- The Pope urges members of the quests our prayers for him. By devoting more time to prayer, we Church to take up the Lenten journey enable our hearts to root out our se- with enthusiasm, sustained by alms- Extracted from:

cret lies and forms of self-deception, giving, fasting and prayer. And to http://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/ and then to find the consolation God know that if, at times, the flame of news/2018-02/pope-francis-lenten- message-2018.html Padua News Issue 47 Page 3

The Nashville Dominicans arrives “To pray, to study, to teach”

Photos (Top Left): In order from left to right: Sister Anastasia Reeves, Sister Cecilia Rose t the invitation of Archbishop Den- A Pham, Sister Maria Joy Zeitoune and Sister Mary Rachel Capets; is Hart, four Dominican Sisters of St. Top and Top Right: Sisters exploring on their first days in Melbourne; Cecilia recently moved to Melton and (Top Right-Bottom) Father Fabian gifting the Sisters with a Monstrance have begun teaching at Saint Catherine of Siena and Catholic Regional Col- in Sydney. Sister served on the Sister Mary Rachel Capets is currently lege, Melton. The sisters are living youth ministry team in Sydney and teaching Humanities and Religious temporarily in Melton West while working for World Youth Day Education at CRC, Melton. She is (Harkness) until the Convent in Bac- met the Sisters and discerned God’s originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- chus Marsh is completed. call to serve Him as a Saint Cecilia vania and serves the community as Dominican. Sister made her final the local Superior and Vocation Di- The Dominican Sisters’ community profession in July 2016. Sister Cecil- rector. Sister made her final profes- was founded in 1860 in Nashville, ia Rose is currently serving at Saint sion of vows in 2003. Tennessee. The Bishop of Nashville Catherine of Siena Primary School invited four Dominican Sisters to supporting students in numeracy as The Sisters’ life in the apostolate is Nashville to begin a school of fine arts well as assisting with Religious Edu- supported by a life of prayer; follow- for girls. The Sisters placed the school cation. ing the Dominican motto – to contem- and this new foundation under the plate and to give to others the fruit of your patronage of Saint Cecilia, patroness Sister Anastasia Reeves also met the contemplation. This life of prayer and of music and the arts. Today, the Community of Sisters while working each Sister’s relationship with Jesus, Community serves the Church in the for World Youth Day Sydney. Be- met personally and in community, is teaching apostolate throughout the fore, this Sister worked as an engi- both the cause of their joy and the United States, Ireland, Scotland, Neth- neer and youth minister. Sister’s reason for being sent. erlands, Canada, Italy, as well as Syd- family is from Kiama Downs just ney, Australia. south of Sydney. Sister Anastasia To find our more about the Domini- made her final vows in 2017 and will can Sisters of St. Cecilia please visit The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia be teaching Mathematics and Reli- their website: came to Australia in 2007 to work in gious Education at CRC, Melton. preparation for World Youth Day, www.nashvilledominican.org

Sydney. Since then, several young Sister Maria Joy Zeitoune is in a spe- women have joined the community; For prayer requests or if you have cial year of preparation for her final questions please email the Sisters at: three of whom are serving here in the profession of vows this July. Sister Archdiocese of Melbourne. is originally from Sydney and joined [email protected] the community after studying at the Sister Cecilia Rose Pham came to the University of Notre Dame, Sydney. community after working as a Regis- Sister is supporting the literacy of tered Nurse at Prince Alfred Hospital students at Saint Catherine of Siena. Submitted by: Sr Mary Rachel Capets Issue 47 Page 4 Padua News

Of Valentine’s Day, Ash Wednesday and Lent…..

If you didn't attend this year's Valentine's Dinner Dance at St Anthony's, you missed out on a social event filled with lots of fun and plenty of good food at very reasonable prices.

Those who participated in some entertaining games won great prizes, and of course there was lively dancing to a fantastic selection of music from a young and upcoming DJ. It was an excellent night; not to be missed next year.

But let's not forget that Valentine's Day, having fallen on Ash Wednesday this year, marked the beginning of Lent. It is a timely reminder for all to gather our thoughts and consider what it means to each of us. Something that touched me was the following extract, which is taken from a message by the Director of the Archbishop's Office for Evangeli- sation, Melbourne. Submitted by: Dolores Turcsan

Lent – the heart of it all

The last time Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day collided was in 1945. Not sure if Valen- tine’s Day was recognised then, but it is certainly a celebration that has captured the imagina- tion of many in the contemporary world. Heart-shaped chocolates are in the shops, florists anticipate a busy day and, in the Catholic world, preparations are underway for days of fast and abstinence as we move into Lent. It’s tempting to dismiss St Valentine’s Day as a purely com- mercial venture but anything that prompts people to act a little more lovingly and kindly to- ward each other works to shave away some of the sharp edges of meanness from our world. Perhaps it can serve as a reminder that the quest to love and to be loved is, for all of us, at the heart of our hopes and dreams. Most of us, in our sometimes clumsy ways, do always hope and desire the very best for our families, friends and all who share our fragile planet.

Maybe this is a little bit of the role Lent can play in our lives – a retreat time that can soften some of our sharp edges, the edges we all have and that sometimes seem to take on a life of their own; the cross words, the thoughtless acts, the weary spirit. From the moment we hear the Ash Wednesday plaintive call from the Book of Joel: ‘No, no – it is the Lord who speaks – come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning’ (Joel 2:12), we are invited to plunge into a different world, a different way of being. A way of being where we can lay bare our hearts as we seek wisdom and truth. A time to return to the heart and the soul of it all.

We are offered an invitation to actively re-orientate ourselves to God; because for Christians, God and the one who was so loved, Jesus, is the heart and the soul of life. We are offered this gracious time when we can reflect on what has formed us since we tread last year’s Lenten path. And we are offered beautifully ancient tools to assist us with entering into this time. The rich stories of our ancestors are available to us and the tradition of the Lenten practice of being prayerful, of living more simply and living more generously. This, perhaps, provides the environment that will enable us to listen to the whisperings of our hearts.

So let us take into our Lenten hearts a desire to understand more deeply and to enter more fully into the cycle of the paschal mystery as it plays itself out in our lives and in the world. Hearts that look for the meaning behind the truth. Hearts that allow themselves to be broken, invite God in and seek healing. Hearts that are not distracted by too much. Hearts that hear. Hearts that are ready to come back to God where our restless spirits can once again come home.

So let us join together in prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. (Psalm 51)

Extracted from the Director’s Message, Archbishop's Office for Evangelisation, Melbourne Padua News Issue 47 Page 5 On Fathers and Heroes

In December’s Padua News, I dis- My father, was, you might say, a local cussed the crib and the little ways in boy, born in our now sister parish of which our faith is handed on. I wrote St Bernard’s in . With about my mother’s journey to Catholic his four brothers and two sisters, he faith, and of my parents’ influence in attended its primary school during the passing it on. She used to say, ‘Show 1890’s, the time when Mary McKillop me something better, and I’ll gladly was said to visit. embrace it.” She never lost the joy and peace of heart it gave her, espe- Dad was my hero when he died in cially when afflicted with throat cancer 1956. I was fourteen. He was like the and innumerable operations. sun in the bright sky of my carefree and happy boyhood. He had been Lieutenant Leo. P. Little

Source of photo: http://www.memorial.act.gov.au unwell for some years from, unbe- “Dear Sir, known to me then, the effects of mustard gas poisoning he had suf- You have heard oft times just exactly what our chaplains are doing at the front, fered in France in 1917 during but I cannot refrain from mentioning the splendid and heroic work that is being World War 1. done by one in particular – to wit, Fr Howes. Out of some seven or eight thousand men, scattered all about his part of France, he has the onerous task of finding those I used to ask him what he did in the who profess the true faith. Having made a list of them, his one desire was to make war. “I took bread and jam to the himself acquainted with each and every one in particular, and this he has succeeded troops” was all he would offer! in doing. He has fished out the slacker, and all those whose pride forbad them, Thirty years later, in 1986, I went to whilst in the presence of their mates, to profess their religion. He has rekindled the the War Memorial in Canberra to flame in the hearts of those whose light of faith had dwindled to a spark. He has seek a better answer. Amongst the worked harder than any other soldier on active service, but his labour has not been 37th battalion files, I found it: a in vain. He now has a flock of holy and devout Catholics, who strongly recognize, carefully crafted, hand-written ac- through his influence, that the best weapon they possess over here is their faith. Fr count of the battle at Ypres in Howes is like an astute business man. He is here, he is there, he is in the trenches, which he fought. It was gripping he is in the hospitals – in fact he is everywhere. and graphic reading.

He is always present when our raiding parties set out across No Man’s But the biggest surprise was to Land on a scalp-hunt after Fritz, in case any should return seriously wounded. come as I turned to the last page. He is there to console and to administer to them in their last agonies. The other There, below a list of casualties, was night one of our raiding parties brought back a German lad, who had evidently the signature of its author,

been in the thick of a scrap, and was then at death’s door. Fr Howes questioned Leo. P. Little Lt, him in German, with the result that he found he was a Catholic. He commenced th Intelligence Officer 37 Battalion the lad with an Act of Contrition, and gave him the crucifix to kiss. This dying 1/11/17 scene was pleasurable, and bore unmistakable evidence of the fact that the lad was

happy, and prepared to meet his Maker. The hair on the back of my neck

stood on end. He had been Such is the work done by our padre. No mother need worry about the spiritual (virtually) speaking directly to me - welfare of her boy in this brigade. He is always busy hearing confessions, and con- his spirit truly alive for me, then and soling the boys with his beautiful miniature sermons. He is beloved by all, there. Protestant and Catholic…

My father lived his faith in a quiet ….Fr Howes is fearless of danger when the spiritual needs of any of his boys way to the end. It was well and tru- are at stake. He knows not selfishness. It is always “My Boys”, and it is their ly alive when he was 25, as a letter I comfort he works for. The honors for his gallantry will be recognized in heaven. recently found amongst family pa-

pers that he wrote to the Melbourne Sincerely yours, Advocate from the Front some Leo P Little Lieut. months before the above battle. Continued on next page Issue 47 Page 6 Padua News

On Fathers and Heroes (Continued from previous page) My father’s war injuries from mustard Hospital where he died some days We need not be dismayed, but seek gas eventually took their toll when he later. divine help to understand these new collapsed one night in November 1956 threats to our community and our on our bathroom floor. I heard my I now ask, as a father and grandfa- families and for courage to address mother calling a doctor and went ther sixty years later, about the bat- them. And, as a start, perhaps we alone to where I found him lying like a tles we are facing today, not of sword can find a way to talk more openly wounded soldier. I bent down to his and artillery, but of disorder and vio- with each other, here at St Antho- face and he spoke: “Johnny, pray for lence resulting from wrong ideas, ny’s, about these new threats to our me”. These were our last moments inhuman ideologies and insidious culture and to our faith. together. An ambulance came not chemicals invading our culture. long after and took him to the Mercy Submitted by: John Little ‘A perfect little gem’ at

In the previous issue of Padua News, The building site was given free by we featured a letter from a Korobeit the executors of the late Sir William parishioner, Patrick Shanahan on a Clarke, although a receipt found Mass celebrated by Fr Fabian last No- showed that Fr T.F. Sullivan paid vember at Our Lady Help of Chris- four pounds and ten shillings for the tians Church in Korobeit. one acre of land. The money was later donated back to the parish. The Here, Patrick has shared with Padua contract price for the building was News a brief history of the church, £1475 but we believe that this which is part of the Bacchus Marsh reached £1800 when extras were parish. considered. Built to seat comfortably over 200 people, the Gothic-design Early History church took only three months to build. The early settlers of Mt Blackwood and much of Korobeit were predomi- The Opening of the Church of nantly Catholic, so in May 1861, St Our Lady Help of Christians Michael’s Catholic Church, a wooden building with a shingle roof, was erect- More than 600 people attending the ed on the corner of Muirs Lane and opening ceremony. They came from CORRECTION Morrisons Lane. Blackwood, Ballan, , Mass time: 6.30pm every Saturday Greendale, Bacchus Marsh, Melton, A Catholic school was built about the Gisborne, and Melbourne. In the previous issue of the Padua News, same time just behind the chapel. Pri- we mentioned that Mass is celebrated at or to the erection of the chapel, Mass The scene was all life, horses to the Our Lady Help of Christians Church in was offered in the old Purcell home- number of some 200 were tethered Korobeit every Saturday at 6.00pm. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. stead at the foot of Mt Blackwood. to the fences and as for vehicles, one Thank you. The priest rode on horseback from could have his choice from a pony Bacchus Marsh to Mt Blackwood, cel- cart to the four-in-hand drag. chus Marsh. Archbishop Carr laid a ebrated Mass, and then rode on to The church building, as one lady re- memorial stone in the outer wall of Blackwood to complete his duties; he marked ‘is a perfect little gem’, one the church, entered the church recit- was always accompanied by another that the parishioners might be well ing the litany of the Saints and bless- person on horseback to keep away the proud of. ing the building. wild cattle which were numerous in the bush in those days. The crowd was royally entertained by In the afternoon, the Archbishop the clergy and laity at dinner in a confirmed 26 children at Korobeit. The old wooden chapel was in service large marquee in the Korobeit State The Mass was fully choral being car- until 1903, when the present beautiful School grounds opposite. ried out by the Melton choir and visi- brick structure of Our Lady Help of tors from Melbourne. Christians Church was built on the The church was blessed by Archbish- corner of the Myrniong-Korobeit- op Thomas Carr, who earlier that day Summarised from: Greendale Road. celebrated Mass at St Bernard’s, Bac- Article submitted by Patrick Shanahan Padua News Issue 47 Page 7

Viva! Pit Señor, Santo Niño!

explorer Ferdi- Sinulog is the ritual prayer-dance honor- nand Magellan ing Señor Santo Niño or the Child Je- (1521) in uni- sus. fying the City

of Cebu to follow the light The word Sinulog comes from the Cebu- of Christ by ano adverb sulog which roughly means presenting the "like water current movement;" it de- most blessed scribes the forward-backward movement and most sa- of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists cred image of of two steps forward and one step back- The famous Sinulog -Santo Niño our Saviour as an infant. Further- ward, done to the sound of drums. festival is celebrated annually, every more, his wife, the Queen Juana was third Sunday of January, throughout also presented with this Holy image Today the Sinulog commemorates the the Philippines. The festival is filled and she began to dance with joy, Filipino people's acceptance of Christian- with interpretive dance to the beat of hence becoming the first Sinulog. ity (specifically, Roman Catholicism), drums, to worship the patron Saint Therefore, this tradition acts as a and their rejection of their former animist Santo Nino (Child of Jesus) of Cebu. beliefs. The first of these conversions hap- The festival signifies the Portuguese constant reminder to the Catholic doctrines that have become a founda- pened in 1521 on the island of Cebu, tion for God’s word to be spread when Rajah Humabon and his queen throughout the world and for the Amihan (Humamay) were baptized people of Cebu to also remember the along with their subjects, becoming Car- divine and holy sacred nature of Saint los and Juana of Cebu. Santo Nino. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/ Submitted by: Ken Dumandan

Christmas Celebration in our home houses in the shops. There are also This Christmas my sister prepared decorations such as Christmas trees, the food while I organized the Christmas ornaments and Christmas Christmas table. My sister made lights outdoors and indoors. We of- lamb, pasta salad and chocolate ten hear Christmas carols on the ra- coated brownies for dessert. We ate dio and at shopping centres which lift happily as a family. When it was din- up people’s Christmas spirits. ner time my parents prepared the food and this time my sister and I The time finally came for midnight both organized the table. It remind- Mass and we are all excited. When ed me of Christmas when we where the Mass was over we wished every- in Sri Lanka. one Merry Christmas with hugs and kisses. Every year my family celebrates Christmas like this because Christ- The midnight Mass was a great suc- mas Day is our family day and it is cess. My family and I went home very special to us. Christmas is the most wonderful happily. When we got home my sister time of the year, because we get to and I walked straight to our Christ- Submitted by: Nerrie Silva spend time with our family and mas tree. There were a whole stack friends. Christmas is a very special of presents with our names on them. time for me. It is the season where I quickly opened mine and I couldn’t people come together to celebrate the believe my eyes when I realised that I birth of Jesus. We see different types had been given the most awesome of Christmas candy: like Christmas present I wanted. cookies, candy canes and gingerbread Issue 47 Page 8 Padua News

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St Anthony’s Bingo St Anthony’s School Hall CNR Wilson and Exford Road Melton South (Melways Reference: 342-J-4) Tuesday Night Eyes down - 7.00pm

Come along and have some fun and support your Parish!

Editorial Policy

The Padua News is approved by Fr Fabian Smith prior to print- ing. The editors and Fr Fabian reserve the right to edit all articles submitted. Articles may be reproduced with permission from the writer and editor.

Submissions for next newsletter All Parishioners are welcome to give their suggestions. If you have any article of interest for the next newsletter, please submit them to the Parish Office or email to: [email protected] by April 30, 2018 Please support our sponsors!