Being an Easter People of Hope
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THE MON T HLY MAGAZINE FOR T HE CA T HOLI C S OF T HE DUNE D IN DIO C ESE HE ABLE T AprilT 2009 T Issue No 142 Being an Easter people of hope Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ ONE of the highlights of the Synod in Rome last October was an ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel, hosted by Pope Benedict and Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew. One can easily be forgiven for being distracted in such surroundings as you look up at the ceiling to take in Michelangelo’s magnificent Last Judgment scene. The genius of the artist is often in his portrayal of the human predictament. The body language of many is particularly signifi- Winners … Bishop Colin Campbell presented the cant. One particular character, in his contorted position and facial Bishop’s Shield to Sarah McCrostie (left) and Anna expression, speaks of hopelessness and loss. I was reminded of this Paterson after St Peter’s College won the trophy� St when reading the news of the global recesion: there was a photo of Kevin’s College was runner-up� a man, a Wall Street investor, in a similar pose of hopelessness, cry- ing out in anguish, “But it had a triple A rating”. We hardly need reminding about the recession. News of it is con- St Peter’s takes the shield stantly being thrust at us. Besides a world in financial freefall and THE Bishop’s Shield has gone to Gore, St Peter’s College turmoil, interspersed with that are timely reminders of ecological having won the 66th annual Otago and Southland mismanagement and random terrorism. Amidst such prevalent Catholic secondary schools’ public speaking gloom, here we are celebrating Easter 2009. As many people won- competition. der about our future, we as an Easter people of hope have so much Last year’s winner, St Kevin’s College, was runner-up to share with our contemporaries of God’s unconditional love seen in the event, which took place at Kavanagh College and experienced in Christ’s Passover from death to life and his shar- from April 3 to 5. ing of this by his Holy Spirit. “Anyone in this competition is a winner by being An example of this great hope that we share as Catholics was re- here,” Kavanagh College principal Paul Ferris said at lated to me by Tran Tuan, our Vietnamese student who is on pasto- the opening ceremony, while Bishop Colin Campbell ral placement in the Green Island-Mosgiel pastoral area. It was the stressed the value of articulate young men and story of the Coadjutor Archbishop of Saigon, Francis Xavier Nguyen women, such as the competitors, in carrying the van Thuan, who was arrested and imprisoned in Vietnam in 1975. Gospel message to the world. Due to international pressure, he was finally released after 13 years Full report page 5 ➤ imprisonment by the communist government and allowed to go to Rome. In 2000, Pope John Paul II asked Archbishop van Thuan is he would preach the Jubilee Year Lenten retreat to the Roman curia. The Archbishop replied: “Holy Father, what could a wretched ex- In this issue… prisoner have to adequately offer to the Roman curia?” Pope John Paul tenderly answered: “Dearest brother, just simply share with us New St Peter’s College principal ������������������������������������2 the hope that has made you survive from the prison.” Priest’s life at risk ���������������������������������������������������������������3 The fruit of this wonderful retreat is now published in the little Year of the Priest announced �����������������������������������������4 book Five Loaves and Two Fish. St Patrick’s Day sports ������������������������������������������������������6 May all of you be filled with this wonderful gift of Easter hope and Christ Fest a successful weekend ����������������������������������8 may we as Christ’s Easter people share this hope with others. Presentation Sisters to mark jubilee ������������������������ 11 In the spirit + Colin Passion Play will be popular ���������������������������������������� 13 The Tablet April 2009 It’s a return to Gore for St Peter’s new principal THE Board of Trustees of St Peter’s College Gore, has announced the appointment of John Hogue as principal. “Mr Hogue will be familiar to a number of you, as from 1993 to1996 he was deputy principal, under the principalship of John Boyce,” board chairman Andy Hunter said. Since 1996, Mr Hogue has been principal of Roncalli College, in Timaru. he will take up his role at St Peter’s at the beginning of term John Hogue three. “St Peter’s College, because of its size, usually attracts ‘first time’ principals, so we are particularly fortunate to have secured the talents of Mr Hogue as the seventh principal of St Peter’s College,” Mr Hunter said. “On behalf of the board of trustees, I would like to acknowledge the work of Lindy Cavanagh-Monaghan and Bronwyn Smith in the efficient management of the school during the interval between principals and I seek that the support they have received from the school community continues through to term three,” Mr Hunter said. “I would also like to acknowledge the staff of St Peter’s, who have this innate ability and spirit to do what needs to be done and more, when we as a school are faced with management changes. To the board of trustees, the challenge of appointing a principal is a very important task, and I acknowledge not only the time invested in this process, but the expertise and professional input that [all board members] contributed so willingly. “I am sure that you will all join me in welcoming John and Brenda Hogue to our school community,” Mr Hunter said. Verdon getting ready to fiddle THE cast of Verdon College’s school production could be excused for going around singing, “Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum,” as they prepare to stage the popular musical Fiddler on the Roof. The show runs for a week next month at the Centrestage Theatre, Civic Theatre, Invercargill. Performance dates and times are: Wednesday, May 13, at 7.30pm; Thursday, 14 May 14 at 7.30pm; Friday, May 15 at 5pm; Saturday, May 16 at 4pm; and a Sunday matinee on May 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be available from the Verdon College office. The deadline for the May issue Please phone us on 0800-500-730 is Wednesday, April 29� All con- for your Free Consultation tributions should be sent to the The Lab – helping you eat, sleep, play and smile editor, Gillian Vine, 26 Franklin St, Dunedin: Radio Otago House, 248 Cumberland Street. Phone 03 477 1422 Invercargill: Cnr Herbert & Windsor Streets. Phone 03 217 1121 Dalmore, Dunedin 9010; phone 021-705-708; Email [email protected] fax 03-474-5758; email tablet@cdd�org�nz� 2 April 2009 The Tablet Presentations in four centres Priest risks his life to introduce Gospel help West Papuans of St Mark By GILLIAN VINE but also because the Dutch had been “THE risk is there in speaking out,” Fr preparing the area for independence. Neles Tebay says. “The Dutch gave the territory to AN Introduction to the Gospel of Mark As a supporter of independence, he is the United Nations, which gave it to will be presented next month by Kath on a black list and everywhere he goes Indonesia. Rushton RSM . in his homeland, West Papua, he is under “The United States said to Indonesia, This session on the Gospel for the year constant surveillance by the Indonesia ‘We will support you [at the UN]. You will be of value to all. authorities, who rule the western half take the land and we will take the gold,” Dr Rushton is a Sister of Mercy who of the island of Fr Tebay said. studied at the Catholic University of New Guinea. Fr A referendum, “conducted in an Leuven (Belgium) and the School of Tebay admits undemocratic way”, did not reflect Theology, Griffith University (Brisbane), he is at risk of the people’s wishes and should be where she completed her doctorate. imprisonment, reviewed, Fr Tebay said. She now teaches scripture and torture and even Indonesia’s policy of transmigration theology in Catholic and ecumenical death. had brought in many people from institutions, and is a member of the Speaking in other parts of the archipelago, mainly Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Dunedin on April Java, so West Papua’s population of 3.7 Christian Spiritual Directors. 3, Fr Tebay traced million was now 48 per cent migrants, She has a particular interest in linking the history of two-thirds of whom were Muslim. between scripture and spirituality in Fr Neles Tebay West Papua “In less than four years, we West life-giving ways. from the days Papuans will be in the minority,” Fr The programme for Dunedin diocese when it was a Dutch colony, through its Tebay said. is: Thursday, May 14, 7pm-9.30 pm, annexation by Indonesia in the 1960s to The US-based mining giant Holy Cross Centre, Mosgiel; Friday, May the present struggle of the indigenous Freeport McMoRan had destroyed 15, 5.30pm-8pm, Dean O’Reilly Lounge, people to gain independence. the environment as it mined gold Oamaru; Saturday, May 16, 2pm-4.30 “Under Dutch rule, there was no and copper in West Papua, the site of pm, St Gerard’s School, Alexandra; killing, no torture … the culture was the world’s largest gold and copper Sunday, 17 May 17, 2pm-4.30 pm, St respected,” Fr Tebay said. reserves. The company paid thousands Patrick’s Parish Centre, Invercargill. That had changed when Indonesia of Indonesian troops to protect its huge The cost is $5 for each session.