Quarterly magazine of the National Council of Priests of Australia The Swag theswag.org.au | Vol. 28 No. 3 | Spring 2020 REGULARS NCP CONTACTS From the NCP Chairman...... 3 Editorial...... 4 News...... 33-38 Letters to the Editor...... 39-42 Book Reviews...... 43-47 Returned to God...... 48-50 FEATURES The birth of the National Council Chairman Secretary Treasurer of Priests Australia...... 5-7 Rev Patrick Sykes Rev Gregory Barker Rev Brian Mathews Eucharist: The Resurrection gift...... 7-9 103 Fernleigh Road 33 Lake Street 14 Cockburn Road Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Forster NSW 2428 Jamestown SA 5491 May the global church discover light P: (02) 6925 2111 P: (02) 6554 6304 P: (08) 8664 1056 from the Southern Cross...... 10-12 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Vale Noel Connolly SSC...... 12-13 A promising roadmap for ecclesial reform and conversion...... 13-15 Vale Denis Hitchens...... 15 Women – seen and not seen during a pandemic...... 16 Indigenous sovereignty and peaceful co-existence...... 17-18 Reflections on an Ordination Diamond Anniversary...... 19 Committee Committee Editor First Provincial Council of Melbourne, Rev Jamie Collins Rev Lenin Thenamirtham MGL Rev Peter Maher 17-24 November 1907...... 20-21 3 Memory Street 204 Grimshaw Street Unit 30, 63-69 Bonar Street Harristown QLD 4350 Greensborough VIC 3088 Arncliffe NSW 2205 A jubilee wish for the Church...... 22 P: (07) 4636 1737 P: (03) 9435 1543 P: 0439 460 779 Survivor France – a different kind [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] of pilgrimage...... 23-24 A sower went out to sow – the voice of God...... 24 Cover image by Johan Kijne and used with permission. Post pandemic church and the If only humans could be as open Plenary Council...... 25-27 integrating into our very selves, Spirit musings...... 27 polar opposites like this hibiscus - allowing difference naturally Reflections on Religious Education without prejudice and the need to from being a student to a teacher...... 28-29 protect our learned assumptions Australian Catholic Coalition demand about colour, race and privilege, reform in governance and a woman then might our world be more equitable and just and less divided. Co-chair for Plenary Council...... 30 Executive Officer Administrative Officer The ANZAC Spirit and church mission... 31-32 Ms Sally Heath Mrs Christine Moore [email protected] [email protected] Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples are respectfully advised that this publication may contain the words, names, images and/or descriptions of people who have passed away. ABOUT THE NCP

NCP NATIONAL OFFICE The National Council of Priests (NCP) is an Annual online subscription Australia-wide organisation of Catholic Clergy $42.00 (four editions). PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216 (Bishops, Priests & Deacons) and Associate Pro-rata subscription for the print edition 74 Fryers Rd, Belmont VIC 3216 Members (Lay, Religious & Seminarians) who $10.50 (inc GST) per edition. P: (03) 5244 3680 join together to support each other in their Please contact the NCP National Office ministry in the Church. Founded in 1970 in [email protected] for all subscriptions. the Spirit of Vatican II, the NCP is committed www.nationalcouncilofpriests.com.au to the fraternity and further education of clergy The views expressed inThe Swagare not www.theswag.org.au and to representing clergy in the public forum. necessarily those of the NCP executive, www.catholicdirectory.com.au The Swag is published quarterly (March, June, the editors or NCP staff. September & December) by the National Council Copyright © ALL SUBMISSIONS TO: of Priests of Australia as a service to Catholic National Council of Priests of Australia. clergy of Australia, and through them to the E: [email protected] This magazine is copyright. All rights reserved. Church and the wider community. ALL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: No part of this publication may be reproduced, Non-members and interested lay people stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any E: [email protected] are most welcome to subscribe. form or by any means electronic, mechanical, DESIGN Annual print subscription recording or otherwise, without the prior written Privaro Design www.privaro.com.au $42.00 per calendar year (four editions). permission of the publisher. FROM THE NCP CHAIRMAN Paddy Sykes of those topics. One comment which is only inquisitive about who is to come often agreed upon at those discussions is but, in their bones, they understand the that parishes do not really need a Bishop importance of the bishop – perhaps better at all. If you only ever see the Bishop at than the priests! For me, the experience Confirmation (and the priest can be of waiting so long for a new bishop was delegated to celebrate that sacrament) and frustrating and disappointing. After three neither priest nor Bishop seek to nurture years and 10 months waiting for a new any sort of mutual relationship, whilst bishop, we seem to have an appointment living in your parish cacoon, the demands that has been well received by the people of parish life can isolate you from the and priests. But did we have to wait for bigger picture of the diocese as you focus so long? Bishop Mark was a Bishop when on your local parish issues. his predecessor Bishop Hanna retired. The Diocese of Wagga Wagga had the A cursory glance at the NCP publication experience of a neighbouring archbishop The Official Directory of the Catholic Church taking on the role of Apostolic Administrator. in Australia, tells you all the personal He was already the Archbishop of a very details of the hierarchy of the church. big diocese. He was often heard to apologise Each prelate’s date of birth is recorded. ince the previous edition of The Swag, to the presbyterate about his inability to be the Diocese of Wagga Wagga has at This date would also be known in Rome. with us more often. In the circumstances, Why can’t the Vatican processes anticipate last been blessed with the appointment this was perfectly understandable. He ofS a Bishop. Bishop Mark Edwards OMI the retirement of a Bishop and have the generously made himself available when selection process of a new bishop complete was installed as the sixth bishop of Wagga necessary. Wagga on the feast of St Mary Magdalene before the incumbent retires so that people at St Michael’s Cathedral, Wagga Wagga, In the time of the Sede Vacante, important do not have to wait nearly four years for a on Wednesday 22 July. events in the life of the church and new bishop? What equivalent commercial the diocese have occurred. The Royal organisation would wait for so long to find As a priest of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga, Commission into Institutional Responses a new CEO or GM? Wagga Wagga is not I have a particular interest in the appointment to Child Sexual Abuse handed down its the first diocese to experience this delay – of Bishop Mark. The news of his appointment final report. The Plenary 2020 Council Port Pirie is waiting at the moment for and his initial visits to various parishes has deliberations have been progressing. a new bishop as the current bishop is well been warmly welcomed by the people of On the local scene, decisions needed to be over 75 years. The Catholic church is not God and the priests of the Diocese. This made on candidates for ordination, priestly a corporation, but we could learn things welcome was plain to see in the ceremony appointments were limited or curtailed and from the world of commerce and industry. in the Cathedral for his Liturgical Reception. important decisions in the Catholic School The whole experience has changed my view There is an air of excitement around the system were required to be made. As time about the necessity of bishops. I have come Diocese as we move out of the desert of progressed, it became clear to people like to appreciate their role more clearly. Sede Vacante where we have been wandering me, that the Diocese was in desperate need COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc for the last three years and 10 months. of a Bishop to provide leadership and in Australia and around the world. Whatever the Vatican might think, guidance to the Diocese. As many of you Let us always be aware of the communities competent Apostolic Administrators would be aware, the vacuum caused by a and medical teams who are most closely and their equally competent Delegate(s) lack of leadership in any organisation is associated with the frontline fight against can never fill the leadership vacuum always filled by something or someone! this invisible enemy. created by an empty See. I would now be a rich man if I had a dollar Let us continue to support one another When priests get together socially, there for every time I was asked by concerned and remember one another in prayer. are several topics that are often discussed. parishioners, “Have we got a new bishop The current Bishop, or who might replace yet?” or “Who do you think will be our Shalom, him when the time comes, is usually one next bishop?” The sensus fidelium is not Paddy. 2

The Swag Summer Edition Closing date for letters and articles is Monday 26 October 2020. Please email submissions for consideration to: [email protected] Normal Articles: 700 words | Major Features: 1,400 words.

the swag 3 EDITORIAL Plenary Council challenges and opportunities he success as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead on the others? Will the many thousands of of the for those who think the discernment and hours of volunteer work by many thousands TPlenary consultation process is commonly understood of lay members be ignored by the ordained Council is seen by all involved. It is shaping up as a power at the Council under the Porteous principle very differently battle despite the language used generally. that the laity need guidance from the by various groups bishops to take their rightful place in the taking very We can get an insight into the Bishop Porteous’ thinking from his Catholic world (rather than within the ecclesial different positions environment)? Let’s hope not. on ecclesiology, Weekly article, Plenary 2020: the creeping sacramental clericalisation of the laity (April 1, 2020) The opportunities are expressed in the theology and where he says: many thousands of Catholics still engaged Christian anthropology. Broadly the two It is important to note that when a lay in the process believing their voices are contested positions are the belief that person takes on an ecclesial role, it is in valuable and should be heard. The Vatican II and the synodal church Pope union with and under the direction of the opportunities are evident in those many Francis is promoting is predicated on the ordained ministry. An ecclesial role for the women and men who claim their baptismal equal value of each of the baptised in every lay person does not exist in its own right. status as spirit-filled just as at the first aspect of church life including the area of Pentecost when the Spirit descended on governance. The other view depends on He goes on: What has in fact occurred the whole community and the wisdom the hierarchical nature of the church and within the Church especially over the and gifts of all were put into service each a Pope John Paul II view of the unique past 50 years has been referred to as the according to their calling, not their sex, role of the ordained to guide and govern. ‘clericalisation of the laity’. This attitude race, culture, language, gender identity continues to drive current attitudes among or sexual orientation. These are not easily reconciled and indeed some that lay people should assume more may be the death of the plenary council. roles of ministry and governance within Can the Australian church seize these The fault lines are already surfacing in the Church. Focus on this goal blurs the opportunities to re-found itself before the writing groups. It may be an extreme fundamental role of the lay person in the it’s too late? Time will tell. example, but it is interesting to note that mission of the Church. In this edition of The Swag there are in the list of those assigned to the group some interesting articles to continue your writing the paper on Missionary and And then: The Council [Vatican II] considers that the primary role of the lay thinking and reflection on gospel centred Evangelising, Archbishop Porteous appears, prayer and action. Sr Patty Fawkner SGS but his name is not amongst the contributors person is to be found in the world, rather than within the ecclesial environment. explores the role of women in the church; on the final paper. We are left to wonder why. Ed Campion reflects on the Hunters Hill Is it that the group failed to listen to the Bishop Porteous believes the layperson’s meeting 50 years ago from which emerged ‘guidance’ of the bishop on opening up role is in the world and not in church the National Council of Priests; Richard R church governance to lay people, governance at all. This is in striking Gaillardetz analyses the Australian Church ecumenical and multifaith co-operation, contrast with the great majority of the governance report, The Light from the recommendation that women participate most important identified themes of Southern Cross: Promoting Co-Responsible the 220,000 people involved in the at all levels of church ministry including Governance in the Catholic Church in submissions which was analysed by Peter deaconate or the use of the term ‘LGBT’? Australia and Peter Griffin unpacks Wilkinson in The Swag (Winter 2020). Indigenous Sovereignty. There is much We don’t know what caused the bishop to Will the Plenary Council be reduced to a more. Enjoy the journey through articles dissent from the document but it does sit fight for ideas and the losers walking out about faith, love and justice. 2

Our Story, Our Today, Our Future, Our Convention 2021 marks 50 years since the first NCP Convention was held in Hunters Hill, NSW. It will be a time to acknowledge the past, reflect on the present situation of the Church in Australia and imagine what could be in the future. Come and be part of this historic gathering, 13-17 September 2021 at The Pullman Albert Park, Melbourne.

4 spring 2020 FEATURES The birth of the National Council of Priests of Australia ED CAMPION when continental Europe was rocked by successive revolutions. Ed Campion attended the Hunters Hill Convention of priests from across Australia in Father Purcell said that the Bible nowhere 1970 which spawned the idea of a national association of Catholic priests that would suggests that the ministry of service, become the National Council of Priests (NCP) the following year. As NCP celebrates given to the Apostles and their successors, 50 years, Ed offers his reflections on the event first published in Report No 46, 22 May, necessarily involves a monarchical or 1970. Reprinted with permission. quasi-monarchical absolutism. He cited (Propaganda Fide College), Father Garvey the practical need to use and adapt some of should prove invaluable in convincing the democratic processes and methods of older men of the association. The four procedure of 20th-century society. Vatican other members of the national committee II’s ideas of episcopal collegiality and the are known in their regions as renewalists: logical extension to co-responsibility at all Fathers Laurie Hoare (Hobart), Pat O’Sullivan levels seemed to Father Purcell to argue for S.J. (Melbourne), Terry Williams (Maitland), a system of conciliation and arbitration as John Butcher (Sydney). already operative in the American Church province of Michigan. As Ursula O’Connor of The Sydney Morning Herald reported, there was unresolved In many minds was the recent summary dismissal of Father Patrick Crudden from here were some wry comments on tension in the convention between the centralists and the federalists. Most observers the post of Director of Catholic Education last week’s National Convention in Melbourne. Following the Crudden case thought the mind of the convention of Priests at St. Joseph’s College, Priest Forum, whose editors had organised Hunter’sT Hill in Sydney. Widely quoted favoured some form of federalist structure the Coogee meeting of priests last year that for the new association. Also unresolved as Father John McKinnon’s (Ballarat) mot: led to the national convention, made an was the scope of action of the new “We came with the answers and we’re arbitration system, sometimes called due voluntary body. Was it to be, as priests departing without then.” Another version process or the right to a fair trial, one of its from the Newcastle coalfields advocated, of this came from Sydney Blessed Sacrament major expectations from the Hunter’s Hill Father Tony McSweeney: “We came with a trade union style body with plenty of meeting. In the pre-convention issue of answers and were departing with questions,” sharp teeth? Reflecting the upward social Priest Forum the editors ran a background At the final plenary session on Thursday mobility of the Australian clergy, most article on due process and commented on night Priest Forum editor Father Val Noone priests rejected this line of thinking and the Crudden case: “What is clear is that no gave a depressive summation to the spoke rather of a gentler professional due process was observed, that any priest convention: “This convention may well be association. But whether a trade union or a can be dismissed from any job if the remembered as the convention which set professional association, the as yet unborn Bishop wants it. Behind the facade of up the national association. It is just possible body has plenty of problems waiting for it. Episcopal Vicars, Education Boards that it will be remembered as the convention The first of these is the call for a system of and Senates still remains an impersonal which dodged major issues: it dodged the conciliation and arbitration in the Australian and unjust system, Young Catholic men War; it dodged the future of the ministry; Church. Following a paper by Sydney curate thinking of becoming priests will not miss it dodged the question of celibacy.” Father Terence Purcell, the Commission this lesson. Since very few young people In fact, the convention made several important for the Future of the Ministry unanimously these days want to join an institution advances. It took the first laboured steps recommended that the convention endorse which may treat them the way it treated towards setting up a national association of a request to the Australian bishops and Pat Crudden it is no wonder that vocations priests. There is now no doubt in anyone’s the major religious superiors to set up an are dropping. For the forth coming mind that an association will get going this arbitration system. Such a system, they national meeting of priests the lesson is year, next year, sometime. The national said, should be available to individuals and obvious. We have an urgent task of setting committee elected by the convention to groups within the Church for the protection up some form of the process and right of act as midwife to the association has a of their rights. They recognised that this was appeal in the Australian church to protect range of useful talent, Head of the poll an important part of the English common priests from arbitrary dismissal.” was Father Julian Miller of Sydney, the law tradition but not of the Roman imperial The Commission for the Future of the urbane, Oxford-educated historian, who system on which Church canon law is based. Ministry initiated another important won convention-wide appreciation for his English law, they said, “requires substantively resolution of the convention. This skilful chairing of plenary session. Next that no fundamental right or freedom shall concerned greater freedom in the ministry. was the Melbourne Senate’s organisation be denied without adequate justification; On the commission a resolution that man, Father John Lanigan, whose expertise and procedurally that every individual be official approval should be given to on the technicalities of new structures, accorded certain specific protections in experimentation in particular cases was sharpened by a five-weeks study tour of administrative and judicial procedures.” approved by 50 votes to one. A more the U.S.A. last year, will be much needed. In his paper Father Purcell said that history specific resolution, that a priest should be A surprise third in the poll was 60-years- indicates that the English system of trusted to take steps that he sees necessary old Townsville ex-Serviceman Father John government and its body of legal principles for the fulfilment of his ministry, was Garvey, who throughout the convention were major reasons for the absence of approved by only 26 votes to 25. That was wore his R.S.L. badge even on his overcoat. violence and the achievement peacefully the situation when the resolutions came A member of the Roman old boy net of major social reforms in Britain at a time before the final plenary session on Continued page 6

the swag 5 FEATURES Thursday night. Because of the weight drama, as when a Sydney Parish Priest people away from Mass and the sacraments. of business and because time had been denounced an unnamed priest whom he “Why are you wearing an R.S.L. badge consumed by hours of discussion of the said had been sitting around presbyteries then?” he was asked. “That would turn off new national association, it was proposed for five years trying to make up his mind many of us in the labor movement, since that the separate commission reports whether to stay–which led to some the R.S.L. national president attacked the should be forwarded to the bishops and speculation. In the end the convention Moratorium.” This divergence came to a priests without being debated or voted resolved to ask the bishops and religious debate on the second day when Father on the floor of the plenary session. superiors to give urgent consideration to Gavan Fitzpatrick of Geelong put a motion the question of experimental ministries and Two things happened to bring the matter to the Commission on the Secular and to draw their attention to the Corrigan/ Social Involvement of priests: “It is of the experimental ministry before the Butler resolutions. session. Halfway through the plenary imprudent and unwise for priests to take session a French priest-worker arrived as This was not the only issue to stir the sides publicly on issues where there is a a fraternal observer. He worked on a ship convention. On the wings the Vietnam division amongst Catholic people.” The that had docked in Sydney harbour and War sat waiting to rush on to centre-stage, latter phrase was amended to read “division was brought to the convention by Sydney but the call never came, As the priests filed amongst reputable Catholic moralists”. port chaplain, Father Vic Doyle. He into the hall for the plenary session on the Those for the motion instanced the Labor received the greatest single ovation of first night they were handed Moratorium Split of the 1950’s as an example of how anyone at the convention. Probably this material by Fathers Val Noone and Tony public stances by priests can alienate many was mainly from a sense of hospitality. Newman and others. After the formal Catholics. They felt, rather, that a priest’s But his presence reminded the Australian proceedings of the night, a low-level job was to educate his people in ideas and priests that there were more ways of being discussion of current Church problems principles and not to take unfair advantage a priest than the Australian parochial emanating from Canberra-Goulburn of the pulpit. Those opposing the motion set-up. An Australian priest-worker absent archdiocese, the Sydney Parish Priest said that the non-leadership of priests in from his diocese, who had given up his Father Roth Delaney was first to the public issues was a failure of Christian current job to attend the convention, microphones. He denounced in strongest witness. Many people were disillusioned commented that he did not think he terms the Vietnam peace priests and when priests failed to speak out: silence suggested that they were members of the would get quite the reception his on certain public issues does not mean Communist Party. Father Delaney then French confrere had received. neutrality but consent. turned to a dramatic presentation of issues The second thing that changed the confronting the Church which had just The motion was defeated in the Commission: temperature of the water was a petition been performed. “It was,” he said, 8 votes for, 29 against, 11 abstentions. circulated during the convention by Hobart “a diabolical, sacrilegious farce. But such a sectional debate could not hope curate Father Denis Corrigan and Dominican It was clever, but so is the devil.” to heal the rift that was obvious between Father Terry Butler. Their petition was the Vietnam peace priests and the army Next the venerable Brisbane pastor Msgr, signed by some 80 priests. It asked the chaplains and others who viewed them Owen Steele also attacked the proceedings Church superiors to allow priests to engage with real disfavour, yet the convention itself as derogatory of the Church’s best interests. in experimental ministries outside the proved to be an occasion of reconciliation. Then Father Darcy O’Keefe of Sydney, a present parish structures, even outside Part of this was because there were ample their diocese. Parish Priest, apologised for his part in the dramatic presentation and attacked those supplies of drink (Hamilton’s Ewell It suggested that priests involved in a responsible. Most agreed that it was a Moselle and Lindeman’s Pophyry were reassessment of their role be allowed to pretty dull presentation, following absurdly on the table at the two main meals each remain within the pastoral ministry with short papers, but this looked like turning day and the bar had plenty of Black and the approval of the Church, until some the night into a disaster. The tide began to White and Toohey’s Pilsener). solution was reached. The petition called turn, however, with the speech of Sydney On the last night a white-haired priest for greater flexibility in clerical living TV priest Father John O’Neill, who stood drinking with younger colleagues: arrangements: perhaps priests could live attacked the Vietnam peace priests and “You know”, he commented, “if someone away from presbyteries in communities defended the dramatic presentation. had asked me about the long-haired radical of similar ages or interests, or in flats or priests a fortnight ago I would have been houses as part of the general community. This left the way for Bishop Frank Carroll of Wagga to enter a plea for toleration and livid; yet here I am standing here drinking The final session on Thursday night was a sense of humour. The finest speech of the with you and enjoying your company now.” running down to a close. It had just approved night came from a Sydney Moratorium Other advances of the convention were with acclamation a fraternal reply to 16 marcher Father John Butcher. It was a less likely to get into the newspapers. ex-clerics who had addressed a letter to the winning call for tolerating divergent points The Commission on the Inner Life of convention asking for greater understanding of view within the Church: “Let’s pretend the Priest, reflecting on the fact that of their problems. This letter from the to love one another”, said Father Butcher. some members said they felt no obligation ex-clerics was never discussed; although The importance of this extraordinary to recite the daily Office, called for a John Yeomans of The Sun-Herald later episode on the first night was that it drew modification of the obligation as a way claimed that its discussion was “a high spot the pus from a lot of conservative wounds. of avoiding harmful psychological effects of the convention”. Then young Father The basic issue was whether a priest should of a duty-approach to the Christian Corrigan got the call and presented his do anything that would jeopardise his religion. On sexuality the Commission petition to the plenary session. It grabbed sacramental ministry. In a War sub- stated that priests’ affections must be the attention of the weary priests and kept commission, for example, onetime local allowed to show, otherwise they would them there until 11.30 pm. It proved to be R.S.L. president Father John Garvey was come out in deviant ways. In general, they a useful issue to bring together various proposing that a priest should never take found less dissatisfaction amongst priests poles of thinking and was not without a stand on a public issue if it would keep than talk of dissatisfaction.

6 spring 2020 FEATURES Although “the battlements of Rome are not Little Sir Echo role of priests’ senates: convention on the subject. This was printed dismantled in one day”, the Commission “Priests’ Senates should be fully elected, and was to have been circulated during on Improving Communications in the should elect their own Chairman, and the final plenary session. When news of Church, attended by Bishops F. Carroll allow for a regular interchange of it came out, however, the survey was (Wagga), L. Faulkner (Townsville), and H. information and ideas between senate scrapped for fear of alienating priests and Kennedy (Brisbane), suggested some things and the general body of priests: and that bishops who were not at the convention. that might speed the process. They wanted they should acquire the necessary skills As Melbourne’s Father John Lanigan put dioceses to be sub-divided, so that a of communication, administration and it: “We all know what the papers are like diocese would have no more than management.” (applause) – this would be interpreted 150 priests working in parishes. They The In-Service Training Commission as the opinions of the whole Australian recommended that “Each priest should recommended a National Pastoral Institute priesthood.” The opinions of the Australian be accepted as a mature and responsible to which priests could go for six-months priesthood, however, will be canvassed in person, able to choose his particular area refresher courses. It wanted to see a band a national survey commissioned by the of pastoral activity, and so serious of roving experts at the service of the convention. Probably the single most consideration should be given to his Australian dioceses. The celibacy question stimulating suggestion during the whole preferences when allocation of work nearly got to the debating stage. The convention came from Sydney’s Father was made”. Another resolution reflected Future of the Ministry Commission John Butcher. He suggested a moratorium dissatisfaction in some diocese with the decided to conduct a short survey of the on all Church law. 2 1 Eucharist: The Resurrection gift ROSE MARIE CROWE hungry. They stop for refreshment and beg their new-found friend to join them. He is Rose Marie Crowe offers a reflection on how we might reimagine Eucharist in light of happy to do so. He blesses the food, breaks the recent COVID-19 experience. bread into pieces and invites them to eat. Their eyes are opened. It‘s the Lord! He he church is in lockdown. Shamed springing from incomprehensible love, is lives! He’s here! With us! Brimming over and fearful, we survey the devastation. creative and permeates the entire universe with joy, they run to tell of their discovery; Our dreams of power and glory and, indeed, their own hearts; that they they must share the good news. They find smashed,T our followers decimated, our can assent to join in God’s plan for this that the Lord has preceded them there. mission blighted, our paucity of spirit love to spread into a worldwide community What happens here? They know him in displayed for all to see. We are paralysed of compassion, justice and peace; that they the breaking of the bread. In breaking and poor. We have been brought to our knees. have the power to do so; that their open the Lord’s word with one another Through closed doors, the risen Lord enters, commitment begins with forgiveness; that and, by this very act, they can perceive his and says, “Peace!” they are protected from despair and from living presence among them. They receive all evil; and that every day God gives them And here begins our Easter story his healing power so that they can take it bread and drink for the journey. to the sorrowing multitudes on their doorstep. On the road to Emmaus, two disciples The two disciples realise that they are very They are full of thanks. Eucharist! are travelling together. Who are they? Could they be those women who stood at This is the scenario that encapsulates the foot of the cross, who hastened to the our mission. Eucharist is an Easter gift: tomb to anoint the Lord, who gathered the new life in community. It is the hallmark run-away apostles and brought them back of the followers of Christ, the way we into community? celebrate his presence among us, the way he impels us to mission. Let’s take it to They are deep in conversation, heart; let’s have a closer reflecting on the look. signs of these catastrophic times. The power of A stranger joins two or three them. Now there are three. He asks It needed only them why their two disciples to hearts are troubled, kick-start this listens to their grief living drama. It was and begins to necessary for them, explain how the first, to become wisdom of God has immersed in the given them a way Lord’s purposes by to make things whole. listening to him intently. Then, in telling their own story, they But first, he wishes to remind them discovered its meaning in light of his that they must acknowledge to one loving purpose. They hungered for daily another that God is like a loving parent sustenance: God’s Word: the Bread of Life; who is all-holy; that this holiness, Continued page 8

the swag 7 FEATURES God’s Love: the Life-Blood coursing To set the downtrodden free, and to proclaim through the veins of all that is. the Lord’s year of favour. They were transformed: ‘transubstantiation’. For Jesus, the call was imperative and The Body of Christ. Real presence. They immediate. He resolved to bring others knew that the Lord was present in their into his mission. community, giving them his own strength and courage to step up and carry on his They remembered that, at the last supper, work. They were filled with joy and Jesus did not linger at the table. He got up, thanksgiving. invited them to do what he was doing; and, singing, set out to give his life. They did not linger to contemplate the bread on the table. They ran to tell Is this our year of favour? others the good news. This is a story of Lockdown has left many fretting for the pure action: walking, talking, listening, lack of Eucharist. Somehow, we know that eating, drinking, laughing, thanking, Eucharist is essential, but what is available jumping up, running, sharing. to us is a private devotion. We long to sit God’s Word is alive and active. in quiet adoration of the Real Presence What did they need? A temple? contained in the host. We hasten to sign A mansion? Property? Wealth? Silken up to attend Mass, leaving others outside tassels? Stretch limousines? Status? the doors. We watch online as the priest Pedestals? A hierarchy? A cohort of goes through the motions of Mass and voiceless underlings? Programs, policies declare that it is even more edifying. We and systems of governance? A hard line? keep un-consecrated hosts at home so that Rules? Regulations? Condemnation? we can pretend to give ourselves communion. Punishment? Little empires? They Meanwhile, others of us are afraid to touch remembered that Jesus had warned the consecrated host with our hands; after against these things. all, only the priest is allowed to do this. When he is absent, we go without. They needed only to go back to the Or make a ‘spiritual communion’. TARRAWARRA beginning, to the Spirit of Jesus, their How is any of this sustainable? founder. They began to remember other EUCHARISTIC things that he had said and done, for Despite this hunger for Eucharist, there example: they remembered that one day, is no movement to ensure its survival. BREADS Jesus had a revelation of God’s love for The number of priests is dwindling; parishes him: You are my beloved child, in whom are being amalgamated without consulting I am delighted! the people; other parishes are far-flung and many are disappearing. A majority of He found this so astounding that he had faithful parishioners are growing old and to go off on a forty-day retreat to make dying out. In consultations for the Plenary Tarrawarra Abbey is a sense of it. Council, only six out of 28 dioceses contemplative, monastic They remembered considered the Eucharist, and none of them made it a priority. The reason for this community of the Cistercian They remembered that, upon seeing Order situated outside Melbourne is that, even when churches were full, our the widespread suffering of the poor, attendance at Mass was largely as passive in the Yarra Valley. the outcasts, and those condemned as spectators. Many are no longer willing to sinners, he was moved to pity. He wanted accept this failing model as the status quo. Self-support is a tradition of them to know that they, also, were God’s monastic life. Since 2000, the beloved children, as he was. He wanted Shining throughout the thousands of monks have been supplying to show them what God is really like: submissions made to the Council, pearls eucharistic breads to parishes and compassionate, forgiving, all-loving. of hope can be discerned: We want the communities all over Australia. So he walked with them and struck up easy church to heal the hurts it has caused. conversations with them. He blessed them, We want to be authentic and transparent. For further information on our healed them, feasted, laughed and cried We want to cut the trappings of privilege. range of eucharistic breads, with them. He forgave them many times We want to drop the word ‘laity’, which please contact Fr Joseph Chua: over and patiently tried to teach them to implies that we are non-professional, do the same. All the while, he had nowhere though we have been consecrated as Tarrawarra Eucharistic Breads to lay his head. ‘priest, prophet and king’. Tarrawarra Abbey, They remembered that his plan of action, We want men and women to be Yarra Glen, Victoria 3775 his mission statement, was derived after acknowledged as equal missionary much consideration, not from corporate disciples. We want to participate in Tel/Fax: 03 9730 2362 guidelines, but from the prophecy of decision-making. We want to learn from Mobile: 0408 447 345 Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord has been given the wisdom of our Indigenous sisters and www.eucharisticbreads.com.au to me, for he has anointed me! He has sent brothers. We want to reach out to a needy [email protected] me to give good news to the poor; to proclaim world and an ailing planet. We want to liberty to captives and to the blind, new sight! work across the aisle with other

8 spring 2020 FEATURES enlightened Christians, and to join in with Catholic or not, to meet in twos or threes needful people we have met, and for our the many out there who, without wearing and imitate the disciples on the road to brothers and sisters everywhere. badges, are doing God’s healing work. We Emmaus. We begin to realise that what we are doing want to be an adult, responsible, communal, The meeting is intentional; it’s not a tea is Eucharist, because the Lord has kept his caring, joyful, merciful, serving, missionary party. It should not take more than an promise to us! He is present in a special church. We intuit that these desires can be hour. We can have tea and cakes at a way when we keep our promise to him, to fulfilled. different time. Gathering in our homes, meet in his name and make well-considered But how, with the landscape so bleak and we have no need for big buildings or big decisions about the part we are to play in our knees so weak? budgets. Rotating the leadership, we avoid advancing his work of love and compassion. There is a way! arrogating power to ourselves. Simplicity We are learning that we are all inter- is the key, humility a safeguard. connected and that, like wind and ocean After two thousand years, now is our time Pondering on the Gospel and the daily currents circling the globe, our thoughts to remember: Jesus wanted everyone to news together, we see that the Lord’s and actions go viral, for good or bad. know that they are cherished by God. words and actions are ever new, ever fresh, He had a vision of a universal loving We seal our commitment in song and with amazingly accurate to the needs at hand, the prayer he taught us, which spells out community and turned to his followers always based on love. We are filled with to help him perpetuate it. the substance of all liberating truth. Our joy; love and mutual respect grow. We are participation has been truly ‘full, conscious He sent them out two by two. He assured energised to go out and spread that love and active’ as we know it ought to be. where it is most needed. Not preaching, not them that they could do it; that they Gradually, these Eucharistic communities proselytising; only seeking to demonstrate would, in fact, do greater works than he. proliferate, like spot-fires catching alight, that each person is loved and holy. He would show them how. He promised the Lord’s presence flaming all over the he would continue to help them. We find that the Lord has preceded us world! God’s reign indeed seen as universal. It would be very simple, a source of great there. We see him in every one we meet Does this sound unrealistic? delight: When two or three of you meet in on the street, struggling to do the best they my name, I am there with you! When two or can; many working to heal one another Improbable, if not impossible? Heretical? three of you decide anything at all, my Father and the planet; not knowing, perhaps, Let’s take our qualms to the Lord: How in heaven will fulfil it! that they are, in fact, keeping the one large is his vision? What does he want us and only rule Jesus gave us: The promise is ours. The invitation is ours. to do? How has he equipped us to do it? The power is in our hands. And we never Love God, yourself, your neighbour and How trustworthy do we think he is? knew. your enemy, as I have loved you! How trustworthy does he think we are? How brave are we? 2 Until now. We’re at a world-wide crossroads, Often, it is the young who are leading the a universal pause, an emptying out, when way, many of them our own children. They we can review our reason for being, recover will ask one day, When, Lord, did we feed our values, discern our discrepancies, and you, clothe you, bind up your wounds? take stock of our communal strengths. We come to realise that the Easter power This is our time to realise that the church to forgive is a consequence of Eucharist. is, in fact, a community of concentric Here again, we find that it is a gift available living cells, two or three in his name, to everyone. with the Lord’s living presence at its core, empowered to carry forward his wish to Recently, an Australian medic, traumatised bring God’s healing love and freedom of by his wartime experience in Afghanistan, spirit to all humankind. wished to apologise to the children of a civilian murdered by another soldier. The Putting it into action: a proposal medic had bound up a non-life-threatening for a new beginning wound on this man and was appalled to The first step. No fanfare. No official learn, minutes later, that he had died; it pronouncements. No scrambling to devise was discovered that he had been trampled programs. No hurry. Rather, we open to death. For eight years, the medic the Living Word to eat and drink it in suffered with the guilt that he had not together. We devote a long, long period done enough at the time. of time humbly contemplating the Finally, he was able to have a meeting by Gospel message and all that it entails: Skype with two of the man’s young sons. Repent! And believe the good news! He wondered if they would rage at him, In light of what we are seeing and feeling demand compensation. As he spoke, they around and within our present reality, how looked at him intently and then said: is God’s timeless Word clarifying the road Thank you for telling us about our father. ahead? What does believing the Good News Thank you for what you did for him. evoke in us? And where is it leading us? Now, look after yourself. You have suffered enough. The next step. Start small; all new birth starts small. Begin with whoever is willing. We come back to our community with Invite us, women, men, married or not, stories like these, to pray together for the

the swag 9 FEATURES May the global church discover light from the Southern Cross RICHARD R. GAILLARDETZ responsibility, collaboration and genuine consultation between Church leaders (bishops Part one of an analysis of Australian Church governance report, The Light from the and others) and the lay faithful (11). Southern Cross: Promoting Co-Responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in At the same time, the GRPT clearly Australia, by Richard R Gaillardetz, the Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic hopes the document will contribute to the Theology at Boston College and the current chair of the BC Theology Department. deliberations of the Plenary Council for Reprinted with permission from La Croix International, 3 June 2020. Part two is the Church of Australia now likely to take published elsewhere in this edition of The Swag. place late in 2021 and continue into 2022. failures in Church governance and The Catholic ecclesiology undergirding this management structures. The commission document draws substantially from the was convinced that these were a major teaching of the Second Vatican Council contributing factor in the scourge of (1962-65) and Pope Francis. It is thoroughly clerical sexual abuse. missiological in its orientation. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference The Church does not exist for its own sake, (ACBC) and Catholic Religious of but rather for the sake of its mission to Australia (CRA) instituted the proclaim and embody the Gospel (25). Implementation Advisory Group to All mechanisms for Church governance, respond to the Royal Commission Report. the report insists, must be assessed in light of their service to the Church’s mission. That group, in turn, created the Christ calls us to a life of discipleship in Governance Review Project Team (GRPT). service of the coming kingdom of God. This team was tasked with crafting, ‘in light of Catholic ecclesiology,’ a The report invokes the council’s comprehensive response to the Royal teaching on the Church’s fundamental Commission’s critique of Church sacramentality, thereby highlighting the governance. interplay between the Church’s divine and human dimensions. This sacramentality After a year of study and reflection, that extends to the Church’s ‘structures and team delivered to the ACBC a potentially forms of governance’ which are both s the entire world struggles with the ground-breaking document, The Light mediations of grace and human constructs challenges, tragedies, and constraints from the Southern Cross: Promoting Co- that can impede God’s grace; as such they imposed by the current COVID-19 Responsible Governance in the Catholic are subject to reform. pandemic,A the Catholic Church finds itself Church in Australia. Mission-oriented and Synodal in the midst of an altogether different kind The Australian bishops have decided to delay of global pandemic, one of a distinctly the release of this document for six months The missiological orientation is spiritual and ecclesial nature, the clerical while they engage its recommendations accompanied by a pneumatology that sexual abuse scandal. themselves. Fortunately, the editors at evokes the work of the Spirit in the life of Although its import is certainly not as La Croix International have obtained a the Church, a work that unites all believers dire, the spiritual life and credibility of copy and have asked for a review and while affirming that rich diversity manifested the Church are at stake. This, too, is a analysis of its contents. so powerfully at Pentecost. The reach of pandemic of global dimensions and, that Spirit is universal, extending beyond This is a remarkable and, in many ways, an sadly, there is no vaccine on the horizon. the community of the baptized to include unprecedented document. It is impressive ‘all people of good will’ (27). No, this pandemic must be addressed with in its scope, depth of analysis and detailed a kind of comprehensive, ecclesial hygiene: recommendations. It is also quite long; This Church lives in history as the pilgrim unflinching ecclesial self-reflection and including a glossary, bibliography, and People of God. As pilgrim, it ‘will reach its patient, courageous ecclesial reform. appendices, the report comes in at 200 completion only in the glory of heaven’, as pages and includes 86 specific the council put it. This frees the Church to The Church of Australia has been one honestly assess its own failings. of this ecclesial pandemic’s most public recommendations. hotspots. Sadly, it was not the Church’s Consequently, this summary will be As the People of God it is oriented toward own vigilance that brought the pain selective in consideration of the document’s the world as what the council termed the and scope of the scandal to light, but a contents and principal contributions, ‘seed and beginning of the kingdom on government mandated Royal Commission focusing on what might have greater earth.’ And it is here that the report begins charged with investigating child sexual import for the global Church beyond to integrate themes central to the present abuse in Australia. Australia. pontificate, particularly Pope Francis’s call for a Church that is synodal in character. That commission’s report directed sweeping The teaching of Vatican II and criticisms at the Catholic Church of vision of Pope Francis Synodality requires that we become a Australia. It called on the Church to listening Church. All the baptized must address a series of problems, principal The project takes as its starting point be invited into the Church’s corporate among which was the systemic, institutional Pope Francis’ call for a synodal Church, discernment and mission. This theme one marked by the imperatives of co- runs through the entire document.

10 spring 2020 FEATURES People of God, Body of Christ principle of subsidiarity is vesting involvement Although canon law affords a bishop many and the sensus fidei and decision-making as close as possible to opportunities for consultation before those impacted by the decision (41). making key decisions, few are mandatory As the body of Christ, the Church is built and [w]ithout the wholehearted embrace of a up by baptismal charisms that play a vital Checks and balances culture of synodal decision-making, structures role in matters of Church governance. The Synodality, the report notes, requires that will be ‘simple masks without heart or a face report places ordained ministries within good governance include a robust set of (70). this charismatic economy as well. This checks and balances. Synodal governance, move is decisive for overcoming the in turn, depends on the sustained dialogue Selecting bishops, appointing priests temptation to set the laity and the and participation of the whole People of One of the most important contributions ordained in a competitive ecclesial God in the life of the Church. of this document lies in its focused relationship. Finally, authentic governance presumes consideration of the selection and The report highlights key conciliar texts genuine discernment, a careful, deliberate appointment of both bishops and parish that consider both the theological integrity and prayerful reflection that is sensitive to priests. of the local Church as more than a mere the impulse of the Spirit. The Church in Australia (and many other branch office of the Church Universal and Churches throughout the world) has the bishop’s vital relationship to his local The GRPT considered, as well, principles suffered from ‘inordinate delays’ in the Church. This relationship requires the gleaned from healthy civil governance. appointment of bishops (60). Moreover, bishop to promote synodality in the local Of particular note is the report’s there is little significant consultation in the Church by attending carefully to the needs, recognition of the need to cultivate an current practice. abilities, and insights of his flock. ethical culture. This speaks to a glaring lacuna in current Catholic governance. The report calls for much greater The report situates issues of parish participation of local clergy and laity in governance within a Eucharistic ecclesiology. It is rare that one finds clearly articulated both the creation of the diocesan profile When the faithful gather at the Lord’s norms for professional conduct in the that serves as the basis for an episcopal Table, the reception of the Body and Blood Church. Many who work in the Church appointment and in the discernment of Christ effects as well the transformation labour without clearly articulated job process leading to the appointment itself. of the gathered community into the descriptions and few benefit from regular ecclesial Body of Christ. performance appraisals. Indeed, the latter Regarding the assignment of priests to a are almost non-existent for clergy. parish, the document encourages a fuller The report recalls the council’s teaching that the whole Christian faithful are Strengthening episcopal accountability implementation of canon 524, which recipients of God’s revelation. All the allows the bishop to consult the lay faithful Authentic synodality, the report insists, prior to making priest assignments. faithful possess a supernatural instinct for requires far more developed structures of the faith (sensus fidei). Consequently, all the accountability than can be found in the In current practice, of course, this rarely baptized participate in the traditioning Church at present. goes beyond placing a few phone calls. This process of the Church. All synodal structures, could be enhanced by allowing select lay but particularly those present in parish life, Episcopal accountability has traditionally persons to participate in meetings of the must be attentive to their witness. presented difficulties for Catholicism since college of consultors or ‘clergy appointments in current Church law the bishop is only Church governance and the panel’ when priest assignments are under accountable to the pope, who alone can consideration. necessary change of the current appoint and remove bishops and intervene in ecclesial culture the affairs of all particular Churches, Reforming the seminary system Beyond reflection on these ecclesiological including dioceses (57). The Royal Commission had singled out foundations, the bulk of the report offers a One recommendation for global governance flaws in current seminary practice as a perceptive and informed consideration of calls for incorporating more robust significant factor in clerical sexual abuse. Church governance at all levels of Church accountability mechanisms into the bishops’ In response, the GRPT strongly encourages life: the global Church, the diocese, and ad limina or quinquennial visits to Rome. a far greater role for lay men – and the parish. The report frankly admits the problematic particularly women – in the screening and According to the report, “governance nature of an exercise of episcopal power formation of seminarians. They should also comprehends the framework of rules, that is almost entirely without meaningful be included in any final decision regarding relationships, systems and processes within checks and balances. This contributes the acceptability of a candidate for and by which authority is exercised and considerably to a pervasive clerical culture. ordination. controlled in the organisation (38). Clericalism is not only an attitude that Again, given the historical and pastoral Governance mechanisms always function denotes a distorted perception of context of this report, the widespread within a larger ecclesial culture. You can’t relationships in the Church. It is also a clerical sexual abuse in Australia and change ‘governance practices and processes behaviour that fails to reflect the equality elsewhere, it is not surprising that concern without a change in culture’ (39). That of all disciples of Christ, an equality that for the selection and formation of culture must be informed by key ecclesial the New Testament underscores (64). candidates for the priesthood was given principles: subsidiarity, stewardship, such attention. The only adequate antidote, the GRPT synodality, dialogue, and discernment. contends, lies in cultivating consistent The GRPT insists that having an individual The report contends that a consistent practices of consultation and co- charism is not sufficient for ordination. application of the principle of subsidiarity is responsibility, features proper to an The priest today must be able to work vital to good governance: At the heart of the authentically synodal Church. collaboratively, celebrating the gifts and Continued page 12

the swag 11 FEATURES contributions of lay ecclesial ministers in ongoing formation, both spiritually and these synodal structures is realized. ways appropriate to a synodal Church. culturally for service in this country (85). Finally, one of the most consistent themes Seminarians should be given more time in Pastoral councils and a greater role in this document is the persistent call for pastoral placements prior to ordination and for women in Church governance a greatly expanded incorporation of lay have more extended opportunities for women in key governance structures. communal living outside the seminary. As the report notes, further development of mechanisms for synodality at both the The document speaks poignantly The document also embraces the Royal diocesan and parish levels is clearly required. and directly regarding the negative Commission’s call for the establishment of consequences that follow from the lack a National Protocol to govern the screening The document proposes a change in of full inclusion of women in Church of candidates for priesthood and religious Church law that makes diocesan pastoral leadership, including ordained ministry. life throughout Australia. councils mandatory in every diocese and it There is much more of value in this The GRPT is to be commended for suggests that the role of these councils in extraordinary document, but I have tried tackling a particularly sensitive pastoral diocesan decision-making be significantly to focus on aspects of the document of reality for the Churches of Australia (and expanded. There is a similar proposal to interest to the Church beyond the elsewhere!), namely the role of international also make parish pastoral councils Australian shores. priests for ministry in local Churches. mandatory. In Part Two [found elsewhere in this The drafters call for greater consistency and Adequate formation should also be edition of The Swag] I will offer a broader rigor in the inquiries concerning the history provided for clergy and pastoral council assessment of the contributions of the and suitability of international priests for members at both the diocesan and parish document and situate it within the Francis ministry in Australia and attention to their levels to ensure that the full potential of pontificate. 2 1 Vale Noel Connolly SSC JIM MULRONEY SSC

Fr Jim Mulroney SSC is the former Editor of the Sunday Examiner in Hong Kong. He writes about Fr Noel Connolly’s life. Noel died on 6 June 2020. Reprinted with permission from St Columban Mission Society website on 10 June 2020. ather John Noel Connolly was a a showcase of the breadth of his interests. storyteller. Never cavalier in his A visitor was warmly welcomed, then choice of tales, the Queensland treated to a knowledgeable dissertation on Fgold-mining town of Gympie, where the art displayed on the walls, aspects of he had been ushered into this world on philosophy, literature, history, theology 24 January 1945, was a starting point for or politics retrieved from notes scattered short years there as a struggle against many a yarn delivered in the classroom, across his desk and floor, teetering on the his own ignorance, but also as a time of from the pulpit or around the dinner table bookshelf or strewn under the bed. learning and developing a love of and from which he would pull a poignant appreciation for the rectitude of a people On a different bent, but with equal insight, salient lesson or obscure gem born into a cultural and religious enthusiasm although with a less credible of wisdom. environment not his own. It was an air, he would regale on Queensland’s experience he carried with him for the Stories of Church life often began with chances against New South Wales in remainder of his life and evidenced in his his father’s relationship with the parish the State of Origin rugby league clash. ministry as a priest, teacher, administrator priest. Experiences as an altar boy, life at In welcoming people, he forsook the gritty and writer. the parish school and education at the aggression he showed in the rugby scrum Christian Brothers’ St Patrick’s College In 1974, he went to study moral theology in favour of a gentility, acceptance and were not only further grist for his stories at the Alphonsianum University in Rome, affirmation, which in later life allowed but also the foundation of the life that before returning to Australia to teach in him to drive sometimes unpopular and brought him to the Columban seminary the seminary from which he had graduated controversial policies without alienating at Sassafras in Victoria in 1963. some six years previously. His disciplined personal affection or respect from those and enquiring mind saw him take further It was the beginning of a journey from with whom he disagreed, during his studies in economics, anthropology and gold-mining Gympie to coal-mining 12-year stint as vicar to the Columban business studies, while at the same time Hambaek, deep in the mountainous superior general. becoming a founding father of the Korean regions of South Korea, and onwards Ordained in Gympie by Bishop Henry Catholic Community of Sydney. towards a future not imagined. Kennedy on 8 July 1969, he immersed In 1979, he became rector of the seminary As a seminarian at North Turramurra in himself in a life that he described as a and director of the Pacific Mission Institute Sydney’s northern suburbs, he delved deep vocation to inspire holiness and hope, (later Columban Mission Institute) and at into his lifelong studies of the mysteries through witness to the presence and the tender age of 34 was faced with the that fascinated him. activity of God in human affairs. challenge of organising an institution that Although belying the pithy tenet that a The following year he sailed to Seoul in would accommodate seminarians, men and tidy desk reflects a tidy mind, his room was South Korea. His own words describe his women religious, as well as laypeople in an

12 spring 2020 FEATURES atmosphere of prayer, reflection, study and recreational life. A promising roadmap for ecclesial reform It was a daunting task and one for which and conversion there was no model, but his leadership qualities came to the fore in an atmosphere RICHARD R GAILLARDETZ that required a combination of strict focus, compassionate reconciliation, flexibility, Part two of an analysis of Australian Church governance report, The Light from the sociability and conviviality, as well as a Southern Cross: Promoting Co-Responsible Governance in the Catholic Church in tutored imagination. Australia, by Richard R Gaillardetz, the Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic In 1988, he was elected vicar general of Theology at Boston College and the current chair of the BC Theology Department. the society and during the following years Reprinted with permission from La Croix International, 4 June 2020. travelled widely throughout areas of Columban commitment in the Americas, he Australian Catholic Bishops It offers a frank admission of the failings Asia, Europe and the Pacific region. Conference (ACBC) and the of Church governance at every level, and it Commitments to mission education and as Catholic Religious of Australia dares to offer very specific recommendations (CRA)T instituted the Implementation for moving forward substantive ecclesial regional director of the Columban region of Australia and New Zealand followed, in Advisory Group to respond to the Royal reform. Commission Report. what transpired to be a build-up to what The drafting team included persons was arguably the biggest and most difficult That group, in turn, created the Governance experienced in corporate and ecclesial challenge of his packed life—promoting a Review Project Team (GRPT). This team governance – clergy, lay pastoral ministers, new paradigm for the Church in Australia. was tasked with crafting, ‘in light of Church and school administrators, and Although he had been struggling against a Catholic ecclesiology,’ a comprehensive leaders of Church reform groups. response to the Royal Commission’s cancer growing within his body for nearly It also included several respected critique of church governance. two decades, he readily agreed to postpone theologians and experts in canon law. retirement and take to the road as part of After a year of study and reflection, that This breadth of perspective and range of the preparation for Australia’s fifth Plenary team delivered to the ACBC a potentially expertise paid dividends in the overall Council. ground-breaking document, The Light from quality of the text. He listened with patience during his many the Southern Cross: Promoting Co-Responsible engagements in the spirit of the listening Governance in the Catholic Church in The path to decentralization Church he believed in, and encouraged Australia. and synodality people to listen to what the Spirit is saying. The Australian bishops have decided The document builds on important He spoke with enthusiasm of the sense of to delay the release of this document themes central to this pontificate. Indeed, faith possessed by the community of for six months while they engage its it represents the most thoroughgoing souls that make up the Church, quietly recommendations themselves. consideration to date of what healthy explaining the difference between the Church governance ought to look like well-known Church that teaches and the However, La Croix International was able to obtain a copy. I have already provided a in the light of Pope Francis’ dream for less-known, but more desirable one that a synodal Church. discerns. summary in a previous article, looking at the points that have a value for the wider Its frequent ecclesial application of the It was a mission tailor-made for the Church beyond Australia. principle of subsidiarity is particularly storytelling missionary. Although the significant since both St. John Paul II and elusive line between fact and fiction in Here, in this essay, is my analysis of The Light from the Southern Cross. Benedict XVI had questioned whether it his yarns could rival the best of parables, was appropriate to apply this principle – the poignant insight, salient lesson and Admitting failure and daring to first articulated in Catholic social teaching gems of wisdom continued to emerge from offer a way forward – to matters of Church governance. even the messiest and diverse discussions. It is perhaps surprising that we have given Yet Pope Francis’ repeated calls for the Known as John to his family, he was Noel so much attention to what is ultimately decentralization of Church authority to the world, but remained the loving son nothing more than a committee report. suggest that he has fully embraced the of the late Noel John and Sarah May principle. Connolly, faithful brother to Anthony and In different times, and in a healthier deceased sister, Mary, devoted priest and Church, such a report would have received The Argentinian pope has also insisted Columban, until his life ended on the little attention, largely because it would that synodality be enacted at every level evening of 6 June 2020 with his death have been unnecessary to begin with. of Church life. This document offers a raft in Concord Hospital in Sydney. But today we have a Church wracked by of concrete reforms that would go a long scandal, yet led by a pope with a bold way toward making that a reality. Noel loved the world and loved people. vision for ecclesial conversion. He believed in the bounty of the It would be difficult to exaggerate the blessings received from investing in In this time of ecclesial crisis, The Light consequences for the pastoral life of the the truth and above all, he loved God, from the Southern Cross report may offer Church if the baptized members of a local the trace of whose finger in the arena a road map for key elements of what such Church were given genuine input into the of human affairs he spent a lifetime a conversion would require. appointment of bishops and the assignment discerning. of parish priests, as the report proposes. This report holds considerable promise. May he rest in peace. 2 It is grounded in sound ecclesiology. Continued page 14

the swag 13 FEATURES How different would the pastoral life of a their contributions helped ensure the diocese look if diocesan pastoral councils document would offer, at every turn, reflected the diversity of the local Church appropriately expansive readings of what and were regularly called upon for input Church law allowed and opportunities before important pastoral decisions were within current law that had been made? underutilized. This would represent not only a check on Probing the parameters of the unfettered episcopal power, it would move laity exercising jurisdiction the Church well along the path toward becoming a genuine community of One particular example stands out. ecclesial discernment. The report consistently advocates for greater participation of the laity in Sexism in the Catholic Church Church governance. However, this Without ever using the term, the advocacy has to contend with a school document recognizes the rampant sexism of canonical interpretation insisting that in the Catholic Church and emphasizes, laypersons may not exercise the power time and again, the need for a much of jurisdiction. greater incorporation of women in The report offers an unexpected excursus Church governance, particularly at the on this debate and ultimately sides with higher levels of church decision-making. an opposing school of interpretation, It briefly mentions the Pan-Amazonian finding sufficient warrant in the tradition Synod’s request for the consideration of for the lay exercise of jurisdiction. This the ordination of women to the diaconate interpretation would considerably expand and speaks forcefully of the negative the ecclesiastical offices to which a impact that has come from the exclusion layperson could be appointed. of women from ordained ministry. One can argue that this measured The drafters are to be applauded for a approach to doctrine and Church law has consistent call for the inclusion of women greatly enhanced the chances for its actual that refuses to rely on Pope Francis’ implementation. But there are limits to misguided appeals to some ‘feminine this approach as well. genius’. It is to the equal dignity of The accountability of bishops women and to their many gifts and abilities that the document appeals in For example, the report simply accepts rectifying this scandalous Church failing. Church law’s claim that a bishop is only accountable to the pope. Unfortunately, Some may be disappointed that the current law in fact relies on a problematic document does not push harder in equivocation at the Second Vatican certain areas. Council. Cautious and respectful of the law While the report invokes conciliar One of the notable features of the text teaching linking the ministry of the is its determination to stay within the bishop to the local Church, in reality parameters of Church doctrine and, the council’s teaching was somewhat with but a few exceptions, Church law. ambiguous on this point. Regarding the latter, the GRPT does It is true that there are important texts propose an emendation to canon 391 in both Lumen gentium and Christus that would require bishops to consult the Dominus that emphasize the link between diocesan pastoral council and the council the bishop and the local Church. But of priests before making particular law. there are also texts that seem to ground the ministry of the bishop much more in A second proposal called for amending his membership in the episcopal college canon 513 to grant that diocesan pastoral and his obedience to the head of that councils would continue to function when college, the pope. a see is vacant. It is the second view that has dominated There were also calls for changes to post-conciliar Church law and custom. particular law, mandating, for example, Yet those conciliar texts that stress the the establishment of diocesan and parish bishop’s relationship to the local Church pastoral councils in every Australian find considerable support from the diocese and parish. ancient tradition. In the early centuries of The document is clearly much the better Christianity, bishops were elected by the for the contributions of not just the local Church and prelates like St. Cyprian ecclesiologists appointed to the team, but of Carthage insisted that bishops were also the experts in canon law. Presumably accountable to their local flock.

14 spring 2020 FEATURES The need to engage deeper Amazonia. That document can be justly Although some have raised quite legitimate ecclesiological problems with scored for its failure to respond adequately concerns that the reformist energy of this current law to synodal pleas for a greater role for pontificate may have dissipated, there may women and for the ordination of viri yet be substantive opportunities for lasting At some point this ambiguity in Church probati to the priesthood. ecclesial reform. If so, The Light from the teaching will have to be addressed if Southern Cross Church law and custom are to buttress the But those failings should not allow us to could make a considerable bishop’s relationship to the local Church. ignore an inspiring series of social, cultural, contribution by offering a blueprint for a ecological and ecclesial “dreams,” and the much healthier exercise of governance. Doing so would challenge the current practice of offering episcopal ordination as conversions necessary to make those However, for that to happen, this an honorific for those granted bureaucratic dreams a reality. document cannot remain simply a or diplomatic posts. It would also challenge Francis has just promulgated a motu committee report. the frequent transfer of bishops from proprio’ that would clean up procedures How will the ACBC and CRA respond Church to Church or, if you will permit for Vatican procurement of goods and to this document? One hopes that it will me, from ‘See to shining See.’ This services. It may sound arcane, but this find its way into the deliberations of the common practice encourages ecclesiastical represents a significant achievement in forthcoming plenary council. careerism and, for that very reason, was the long-awaited enactment of Vatican prohibited in the early Church. financial reforms. And were it to actually implement the bulk of these recommendations, the plenary My point here is that a program for And we are expecting soon the long- Church reform that is reluctant to engage council of the Church of Australia could awaited apostolic constitution Praedicate mark the beginning of a genuine renewal deeper ecclesiological problems with Evangelium on more comprehensive curial current Church law will face certain limits of Catholicism on the Australian reform. Analysis of an earlier draft suggests continent. regarding the scope of possible Church the constitution may actually have some reform. So, what is the larger import of this reforming ‘teeth.’ It might also contribute to translating Pope document? We will have to wait and see. Francis’ soaring rhetoric about a synodal Translating the rhetoric of synodality For example, in that earlier draft there Church into an institutional reality. was a consistent emphasis on incorporating into an institutional reality the laity in Church decision-making, Either way, the Australian bishops should Earlier in the year Pope Francis released his particularly with respect to episcopal be mindful: the global Church will be post-synodal apostolic exhortation Querida appointments. watching. 2 1 Vale Denis Hitchens FRANK MARRIOTT Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Many are the stories that can be told of n the mid to late seventies, I convened first Clergy Contact List – “The Green that development! a small meeting in Heathcote, Victoria Book”, a challenge he accepted on a to discuss the lack of a current Official pro bono basis, with the NCP funding After some years of indifferent health, IDirectory of the Catholic Church – Denis Hitchens died on 7 July at Olivia the essentials. the “Red Book”. Whatever the reasons, Newton John Hospice in Heidelberg, Over the years the book grew in information. The Official Directory had not appeared. Victoria. In the beginning getting the basic Communications amongst the clergy information from Diocesan sources was I was able to celebrate the Mass at St John were being hampered and obtaining not without some drama. The NCP the Evangelist Church Mitcham on accurate information about Church developed contacts in all Dioceses to 14 July and under current COVID-19 institutions was difficult. It was a time of effect accuracy; in modern terms, a rules a small congregation of 10 attended. growth and great changes. Fax machines supply chain emerged firstly from the Denis leaves his loving wife Mary and were on the market! pens of priests and secretaries via the their children Richard, Genevieve, Caroline resources of H/P to the Hitchens’ living The late Fr Brian Bainbridge, then and Emma and their families to continue room and then to Australia Post. associated with the Chaplaincy at the to celebrate his life. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Much later a more professional approach The Australian Church owes a great big had been invited to the meeting. Brian was developed when MediaCom took thanks to this family for their tolerance in knew of a young recently married over the printing. As a side line, The days past – often their house was invaded graduate, Denis Hitchens, who had just Green Book database was able to produce by 3,000 plus copies of The Green Book. been employed by Hewlett Packard in mailing labels and this helped with the their recently established Melbourne office distribution of NCP publications. As is The NCP was and remains grateful for and reported that Denis knew a thing or said, “Out of little things, big things grow”. the contribution this enterprise made two about the new industry of computers. to its mission of being “A Sign of Unity Since 1998 The Official Directory of the and an instrument of Peace”. So Denis was approached and he took the Catholic Church in Australia has been job of designing and getting printed the published by the NCP on behalf of the Denis, rest in peace. 2

the swag 15 FEATURES Women – seen and not seen during a pandemic PATTY FAWKNER SGS It is a shame that more attention has not been given to encourage families and Sr Patty Fawkner SGS is Congregational Leader of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. communities to pray the Liturgy of the This article was first published in the May 2020 edition of The Good Oil, the e-magazine Hours and family Scripture-based prayer of the Good Samaritan Sisters www.goodsams.org.au services, rather than watching Father “say Mass” online. Christ is present where two The female leaders appear to or three are gathered in his name. Christ is have garnered a high level of present in the Word. public trust and are able to A week before the lockdowns in Australia, urge their citizens to adopt a group of 20 or so Good Samaritan Sisters real sacrifices for the came together from interstate and abroad common good. Their for a weekend gathering. On Saturday strength, compassion and evening we conducted a Liturgy of the warmth have come to the Word, and because we had a number of fore. Who will ever forget hosts in the tabernacle in our chapel, we Jacinda Ardern reminding could have communion. We chose a Sister her Kiwi citizens that the to lead our celebration. Cometh the Easter Bunny and the Tooth moment, cometh the leader. Fairy were essential services! After the Gospel, which happened to be To become a political that wonderful story of the Samaritan leader, a woman has to be Woman at the Well, we sat in silence, and ometh the moment, cometh the exceptional. A female leader endures extra then turned to each other in small groups, leader. Around the world, in scrutiny and critique far beyond those of sharing our reflection on the Word. Oceania, Asia and Europe, we have her male counterparts. Just pause and We recited the Creed, prayed our Prayers witnessedC displays of fine leadership in ponder for a moment, what the media and of Intercession, and then picked up the response to the coronavirus pandemic – public response may have been if Theresa ritual at the Our Father. We received consider New Zealand, Taiwan and May was still Prime Minister of Britain communion; our presider blessed us; Germany. What do they have in common? and had boasted of shaking hands with we sang our final hymn and departed. They are led by women. coronavirus patients as did Boris Johnson, It was simple, it was beautiful, and it who later contracted the disease and was was nourishing. NZ’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, near death? Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen and When the gifts of women and men – Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel have In leading the response to the pandemic, equally made in God’s image and likeness contained the pandemic with early decisive women are highly visible – the high – are brought together there are great action informed by the best that science percentage of women in the essential outcomes as evidenced by the actions of and medicine could offer. services of nursing, aged care and child political leaders and health experts during care, not to mention teachers who, with the pandemic. Look at what happens when Here in Australia, New South Wales dedication and innovation, have become women have the opportunity to lead. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has received masters of teaching in a digital world. It is This last week, I have had the privilege bouquets for her state’s response to the sadly ironic that these key professions are pandemic. The NSW Chief Health Officer as a member of the Executive of Catholic historically underpaid and undervalued. Religious Australia of attending the Kerry Chant and Victoria’s Health Minister Let’s not forget the working mothers who Jenny Mikakos have emerged as Australian Catholic Bishops Conference have added home schooling to their already Plenary – 11 Zoom sessions in all. I was authoritative, trusted sources of crammed daily schedule. information. highly visible as the only female attendee Unfortunately, with the increase of with 30-plus Bishops! I enjoyed being with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau domestic violence, women are also bearing these fine men; I was included; my opinion and the French President Emmanuel a high level of pandemic lockdown pain. was respected; and I shared their concerns Macron have been praised for their quick and hopes for our Church. actions to reduce the spread of the deadly It occurs to me that the welcome growing disease. Even our Prime Minister, Scott visibility of women in the public sphere at The recommendations contained in the Morrison, has seen a dramatic lift in his this time, highlights their near invisibility Royal Commission’s final report for the approval rating, which had plummeted in the realm of religion. Church to achieve better outcomes for following the bushfire crisis earlier this people at risk highlight an increased The image of Catholicism as clerical year. In a recent Newspoll that asked how role for women’s voices to be heard. and male has been magnified during the well Australia’s leaders were handling the Encouragingly, more and more women pandemic. This was especially evident over coronavirus pandemic, Morrison scored are being appointed to positions of real a 68% approval rating. Easter when virtual community numbers influence in the Church, but from the swelled to watch streamed Easter ceremonies. perspective of the wider congregation, The leadership of these women and men Various levels of social distancing women Church leaders remain invisible has been outstanding when juxtaposed restrictions will be in place for some time and silent. Would that the “new normal” with that of the ‘strongmen’ of Brazil, and the availability of online Masses will on the other side of the pandemic be the Philippines, Russia and the USA. continue. otherwise. 2

16 spring 2020 FEATURES Indigenous sovereignty and peaceful co-existence PETER GRIFFIN This forms part of the Truth passionately called for in the Uluru Statement From Peter Griffin, a member of Pax Christi New South Wales, reflects on the history of The Heart. It is worth noting that the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australia on the occasion of Anzac Day 2020. weaponised hostility from the colonial settlers toward the Indigenous people dates from the earliest contact in 1770. Peter Fitzsimons in his book James Cook reveals that in his own journal, Cook records that the entry of a strange vessel entering Botany Bay received an agitated response from the local people. Cook states that he fired three musket shots and one of these shots wounded an Indigenous man in the leg. So, from the very first encounter of ‘discovery’, the unannounced and mysterious visitors made their intentions known with the force of arms. Needless to say, none of this reaches beyond archival records to educate Australian children about their country’s actual history.

hat Aboriginal people ask is that sides) and a whole gamut of genocidal The Frontier Wars the modern world now makes the practices (dispossession of land including Much evidence exists to back up the claim sacrifices necessary to give us a sacred and hunting grounds, devastation that this initial antagonism set the tone Wreal future. To relax its grip on us. To let us from introduced diseases, food poisonings and the template for the fighting which breathe, to let us be free of the determined etc.) all occurred on Australian soil. The first took place several months after the control exerted on us to make us like you. irony is that none of the wars into which landing of the First Fleet in Botany Bay And you should take that a step further Australia has been drawn via one or other in January 1788 and ended with the last and recognise us for who we are, and not who alliance in the name of ‘defence’ and clashes which occurred as late as 1934. you want us to be. Let us be who we are – ‘democracy’ has occurred on mainland Aboriginal people in a modern world – and Australia. The fact that the Frontiers According to Henry Reynolds, a minimum be proud of us. Acknowledge that we have Wars have been disputed and are still not of 40,000 Indigenous people and between survived the worst that the past had thrown officially recognised, only adds bitterness 2,000 and 2,500 settlers died in these wars. at us, and we are here with our songs, our to the injustice of denial. The impact of colonisation on the Indigenous ceremonies, our land, our language and our population is even more dramatic. Before people – our full identity. What a gift this is The primary focus of this essay will be on 1788 there were an estimated 300,000 to that we can give you, if you choose to accept the difficult journey towards the recognition 1 million Indigenous people in Australia. of Aboriginal sovereignty from the time of us in a meaningful way. (Galarrwuy By 1920, this number may well have Captain James Cook’s landing in Botany Yunupingu, ‘Rom Watangu’ in Final Report dropped to as low as 80,000. Bruce Elder, Bay on 29 April 1770 to the present. of the Referendum Council, 17 June 2017, p. 53) in the preface to his book Blood on the Wattle, states that the massacres of Aborigines If you have come here to help me you are Indigenous versus British settler perspectives … should be as much a part of Australian wasting your time, but if you have come history as the First Fleet, the explorers, because your liberation is bound up with Fundamental to Aboriginal and non- the gold rushes and the bushrangers. mine, then let us work together. Aboriginal relations in Australia is the Indeed, for some years now a large and (Quote from Lilla Watson). divisive issue between those who view vigorous contingent of Aboriginal and the British Crown’s claim to the eastern Every year, the Anzac remembrance Aboriginal supporters have been a frustrated seaboard of Australia as an act of settlement, gathering at the Marrickville Peace Park (blocked) presence at the annual Anzac compared to the First Nations people who (Richardson’s Lookout) in Sydney has Memorial Service in Canberra. Australia is see it as an invasion. The Final Report of always included the Frontier Wars. These still not ready to accept the truth of its own the Referendum Council refers to a wars refer to the violent conflicts between colonial history. Eventually the Frontier division between ‘old’ and ‘new’ Indigenous Australians and white settlers Wars came to an end around 1934. from the earliest days of the colony. It is Australians. However as one form of violence and fitting on Anzac Day to look more closely The invasion that started at Botany Bay is control subsided, governments employed at the significance of both the physical the origin of the fundamental grievance new policies of control and discrimination. conflicts between Aboriginal and non- between the old and new Australians. This As stated in the Final Report, Aboriginal Aboriginal Australians and also their is a land that was colonised without the people were herded to missions and deeper, seemingly endless repercussions. consent of its rightful owners. As the Final reserves on the fringes of white society and Report states, ‘their land and sovereignty Acknowledgment of the Frontier Wars the Stolen Generations were taken from was annexed without consent and without is associated with an ineradicable truth, their families. This was the policy of treaty with the country’s rightful owners.’ namely that the wars, massacres (on both assimilation. As emphasised by Australians Continued page 18

the swag 17 FEATURES Together, the assimilation approach proposed Lack of a Treaty One pinioned arm represented property, that ‘full blood’ Indigenous people should be the other sovereignty. Australia is the only Commonwealth allowed to ‘die out’ through a process of With great courage the High Court natural elimination, while ‘halfcastes’ were nation where a treaty does not exist between the colonisers and the Indigenous people. recognized native title in the Mabo judgment encouraged to assimilate into the white and released one arm from its shackles. The community. An Indigenous Treaty was first promised by Prime Minister Bob Hawke back in 1988 other remains as firmly secured as ever and White Australia Policy after receiving the Barunga Statement from seems destined to remain there for some Aboriginal elders which called for such a time but in the long run the situation will Coinciding with the latter years of the treaty to be concluded. No treaty eventuated. prove unstable. What is more, the resulting Frontier Wars, non-Aboriginal Australia The absence of a treaty is at the very heart legal pose will become increasingly had formed itself into a Federation under of the historical injustice in Australia. uncomfortable as time passes. a Constitution which, among other things, was heavily influenced by the White The continued lack of a treaty with In Australia, critics claim that the formal Australia Policy. Indigenous Australians shows an ongoing reconciliation process was a further stage denial of the prior occupation and in the colonial project of assimilating the This policy, based upon the assumption dispossession of Indigenous people and Aboriginal population into the colonizing of the superiority of whiteness over non a general disregard for their rights and society. Against reconciliation, many whiteness, allowed for the passing of the aspirations. It is a reminder that oppressive Aboriginal people insist that their sovereignty Immigration Restriction Act 1901 which colonial attitudes still have not been was never ceded. This claim represents effectively stopped all non-European addressed. both an assertion of the right to self- immigration into the country and determination and a refusal to recognize contributed to the development of Sovereignty the legitimacy of the settler-colonial state a racially insulated white society. In the 1990s, Australia sought to redress its that has incorporated them as citizens. While this legislation sought to protect colonial origins by instituting a policy of Henry Reynolds claims that in any discussion whiteness from without, the Constitution reconciliation. Reconciliation processes are about the ongoing evolution of Australian sought to protect whiteness from within. often criticized for demanding that the nationalism, the issue of sovereignty is inescapable. From the beginning, white Australia victims of state repression relinquish their believed that the Aboriginal people were legitimate claims to justice for the sake of But this discussion comes with a caveat. a dying race and the Constitution only national unity. One notable Indigenous This common word belies the fact that made two references to them. spokesperson, Kevin Gilbert, expressed his for each collective, Aboriginal and non- view this way: What are we to reconcile Aboriginal, sovereignty refers to a reality Section 127 excluded Aboriginal and ourselves to? To a holocaust, to a massacre, comprising different values. For Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people from the to the removal of us from our land, from the Australia, sovereignty predates the arrival Census and Section 51 (xxvi) regrettably taking of our land? The reconciliation process of the First Fleet and has never been ceded. gave power over Aboriginal people to the can achieve nothing because it does not… According to the Uluru Statement from the States rather than to the Federal promise justice. It does not promise a Treaty Heart, sovereignty is a spiritual notion, a government. and it does not promise reparation for the concept that is unfamiliar to non-Aboriginal taking away of our lives, our lands and our It took 66 years and a referendum in 1967 Australia. Rather than being a philosophical economic and political base. Unless it can requiring a majority of the voters in a notion, it is the ‘ancestral tie between the return to us those very vital things…what majority of the States to include Aboriginal land, or ‘mother nature’ and the Aboriginal have we? A handshake? A symbolic dance? people in the Census of their own country. and Torres Strait Islander peoples’. And An exchange of leaves and feathers or again, as the Uluru Statement emphasises, The Aboriginal people and their calls for something like that? recognition, in contrast to official and Aboriginal sovereignty ‘has never been unofficial expectations, refused to go away. For Gilbert and many others, the possibility ceded or extinguished’. of breaking with the colonial past depends Postscript People of particular note who have fought on the recognition of Aboriginal sovereignty. for Aboriginal rights, include William But there is an elephant in the room, namely Fiona Nicoll argues that Indigenous Cooper who was one of eleven signatories that the legitimacy of the Australian State sovereignty claims come less from a desire to the Maloga Petition in 1887. rests on the presumption that there was no for European concepts, institutions and values During the 1930s, William Cooper and recognisable legal or political organisation than from a refusal to recognize the legitimacy other leaders from the Australian Aborigines’ on the continent prior to the arrival of the of the sovereignty in the name of which (the League collected 1,814 signatures and British Crown. British) invasion was and continues to be justified. In other words, the quest for petitioned Prime Minister Joseph Lyons Consequently, the insistence on Aboriginal and King George VI to intervene on behalf Aboriginal sovereignty challenges non- sovereignty fundamentally contests the Indigenous Australia to let go of its right of Indigenous Australians ‘for the basis of the constitutional order i.e. it is the preservation of our race from extinction to define just what sovereignty is and for polar opposite of terra nullius. A common whom. This, I suggest, is the reason why and to grant representation to our race in misunderstanding from a legal perspective the Federal Parliament.’ the Uluru Statement includes the assertion is that the Mabo decision of 3 June 1992 that Indigenous sovereignty ‘co-exists with Other Aboriginal activists such as Fred recognised Aboriginal sovereignty. the sovereignty of the Crown.’ Sovereignty Maynard and Tom Lacey founded the It did not. [While] the court demolished then has a dual character: one that is Australian Aboriginal Progress Association the concept of Terra Nullius in respect of non-Indigenous and another that is in February 1925 which advocated for the property, it preserved it in relation to Indigenous. The search for liberation right of Aborigines to determine their own sovereignty ... For 200 years Australian law through sovereignty can only be achieved lives. was secured to the rock of Terra Nullius. by both sides working together. 2

18 spring 2020 FEATURES Reflections on an Ordination Diamond Anniversary ERIC HODGENS observed ‘principles’ look more like Victorian prissiness. Mere habits were Eric Hodgens was ordained in 1960. Here he reflects on major often disguised as values. anniversaries synced with the decades. Eric published A Golden Finally, the decade has ended with the Anniversary Reflection in 2010 which you can read at – disruption of a fearsome pandemic. Social https://tinyurl.com/y2jrzjut distancing plays havoc with communal institutions. Participation patterns are he decades since my ordination hard left. Reality is more important than fractured. Will they ever return? Some will, might be styled as: The awakening the idea. Restorationism is over. many won’t. It may not be the end, but the 60s; The exciting 70s; The suspicious A second reversal grew out of the long- threat is there. T80s; The depressing 90s and The imploding simmering problem of child abuse by Meanwhile, as Francis confidently gives the Noughties. Ten years later we have added clergy and religious institutions. Priests the Counter-intuitive Teens. lead, bishops are not to be seen. Synodality and religious had been criminally abusing energises the pope but seems to hold no This decade has been notable for unexpected children and the Church institution had attraction for most bishops. Episcopal disruptions and reversals both good and doggedly covered it up. That was old news, conferences appear limp when everyone bad but all remarkable. but this was the decade secular society knows they are divided and lack decisive First there was the election of Pope Francis. decided the Church could not be trusted leadership. They are not entirely to blame This brought a reversal of the 45 years of to clean itself up. Australia, Ireland and because conformity, not creative the USA were in the forefront. It was the Restorationist policy under JPII and imagination, was a condition of episcopal secular state that was calling the Church to Benedict. Francis brought a pastoral mind selection under the Wojtyla/Ratzinger account. Post-enlightenment democracies and style of conversation which broke the regime. The more reflective component of paid greater respect to transparency and formal kabuki-style image of the papacy. the Church is crying out for imaginative accountability than the Church. They, leadership on the ministry crisis and People heard the Jesus message in story and rightly, won the high moral ground. image as Jesus told it. Francis wanted to institutional re-organisation. But episcopal replace a self-referential church with one The Church was shamed and its hierarchy conferences seem paralysed. No imagination that looked outward and dealt with reality deauthorised. Who can forget the picture limits freedom to move. as it is. His vision was to replace a juridical of four bishops answering to the Royal Pastors tend to service their flock as best institution with a pastoral community of Commission – all speechless bar one? they can with depleted numbers in service. His way to get there was synodal Who can forget Chile’s Fernando constricted circumstances. Some stalwart – with everyone equally walking the Way Karadima? Or Mexico’s Marciel Marcial? and sophisticated laity maintain hope together. Or the film “Spotlight” and the Boston because of their love of the community Globe’s expose of church corruption? This disrupted the whole Roman that believes and hopes in Jesus of administration and the episcopacy around Who can forget one cardinal being Nazareth and the loving and merciful the world. They were the pope’s pretorian defrocked while another cardinal became God whom Jesus calls ‘Father’. What shape guard – but now, the pope wanted them to prisoner in the dock? Twelve well- will the phoenix rising from these ashes change tack. Some were delighted. More instructed jurors were convinced he was take in the coming Twenties? 2 were alarmed. The culture wars had been guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The final going on for decades, but now the leaders appeal court judged that they should have of the right swung into action with passive had some doubt. But would those jurors and overt resistance. Francis, though less be any the less convinced by that finding? familiar with Vatican politics, was the Rank and file Catholics reacted variously. Can we experienced veteran of South American Some left in disgust, others organised intrigue. He skilfully made progress against reform groups, others joined proxy opposing winds and gradually built up his resistance causes such as same-sex marriage. own team. The opposition continues but Catholics started to have second thoughts Francis, following his own mantras, is still about the Church during the baby boomer ahead. revolution starting in the 60s. Paul VI’s After years in pastoral leadership and condemnation of contraception in find administration, he had developed four 1968 was a turning point. It began the rules of thumb: deauthorisation of papal and episcopal leadership. JPII’s insistence on conformity you? • Unity is more important than conflict. to his hard line, especially on sexuality, • The whole is more important than the deepened the divide and set up the culture Make sure your details part. wars which persist today. Rejection of are correct. Contact the NCP papal teaching showed in dropping Mass National Office • Time is more important than space – attendance. The next step was disaffiliation gently, gently. with any changes. which went on relentlessly during the teens • Postal address • Reality is more important than the idea. decade as attested by census data. • Street address He is not an ideologue. Pastoral experience The arrival of growing secularization has • Email address has softened rigidity and dogmatism. He made disaffiliation easy. Society in general • Phone and Fax numbers has no time for the hard right, nor for the is more relaxed and many formerly strictly

the swag 19 FEATURES First Provincial Council of Melbourne, 17-24 November 1907 PETER WILKINSON

This is the final article by Peter Wilkinson in the series looking at the various particular councils (provincial and plenary) convened by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Australia between 1844 and 1937. It examines the First Provincial Council of Melbourne held in Melbourne from 17-24 November 1907. Provincial Councils decrees. Provincial councils do not require the Holy See’s approval for validity, but Provincial councils are assemblies of bishops normally do seek approval. of an ecclesiastical province, convened and presided over by the metropolitan archbishop Provincial Councils in Australia to discuss ecclesiastical matters and to Australia’s first two provincial councils were legislate for the province. the 1st Provincial Council of Sydney in Ecclesiastical provinces emerged in the 1844 and the 2nd Provincial Council of early life of the Church. Their boundaries Sydney in 1869. were usually co-terminus with the Until 1874 Sydney was the sole Australian provinces of the Roman Empire. ecclesiastical province encompassing all The Councils of Nicaea I (325 CE) and dioceses, so both these councils had a Antioch (341 CE) initially mandated plenary character with their decrees bi-annual provincial councils. The applicable in all dioceses (12 in 1873). Archbishop Thomas Carr Councils of Trullo (692) and Nicaea II A third council for the Province of Sydney (787) reduced them to annual. The 4th was planned for 1888, but as three other Trent’s mandate of annual diocesan synods Lateran Council (1215) reaffirmed this, ecclesiastical provinces – Melbourne, was various observed in Australia. From but it was largely ignored. The Councils of Brisbane and Adelaide – had been 1887 onwards, Melbourne’s bishop held Basle (1433) and Trent (1545-63) mandated established by 1887, the proposal council them annually, but other bishops less a 3-year cycle, but that too was disregarded. morphed into a ‘national synodal conference’ frequently. In the 19th century, the Sacred Congregation with bishops from dioceses across the de Propaganda Fide revived provincial When they were convened by the diocesan country attending. It was not a plenary councils in the mission territories of bishop, on his own authority, to discuss council. Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, and decide on matters relating to faith, and USA, but without Trent’s rigour. Melbourne Provincial Council morals, and discipline in his diocese, he always presided and had the sole decisive Trent gave metropolitan bishops the right Two years after the 1905 3rd Australian vote on the matters under consideration. and duty to convoke provincial councils, Plenary Council, the Metropolitan set their agenda, and to preside over them. Archbishop of the ecclesiastical Province Their decrees did not require the Holy See’s They were to call all their suffragan bishops of Melbourne, Thomas Carr, decided to approval, and once promulgated, bound to attend as well as those entitled “by right convoke a provincial council for the four the clergy and laity of the entire diocese. or by custom”. dioceses of the Province – Melbourne, The Province of Melbourne in 1907 Ballarat, Sandhurst and Sale – for the At the council they did not have an In 1907, the 4 dioceses of the Melbourne overriding voice, and could only adjourn purpose of formulating “one harmonious body of provincial laws” to replace “the Province had a Catholic population of or close the council with their suffragans’ 263,710, or 21.4 per cent of the total consent. numerous and divergent decrees” of the 40 diocesan synods that had been held within Victorian state population of 1,232,807. Provincial councils can deal with matters the Province up to 1906: 21 in Melbourne, The Archdiocese of Melbourne had more of faith, morals, and discipline, promote 11 in Ballarat, and 4 each in Sandhurst Catholics than the other 3 dioceses the Christian life of clergy and laity, settle and Sale (Table 1). combined, but they had more ‘districts’ disputes and make laws binding on all (akin to ‘parishes’). The Province had 275 dioceses of the province. Though individual These diocesan synods had usually been priests – 221 diocesan and 54 religious – bishops can dispense from council decrees held after the annual diocesan priests with an average one priest for every 960 in their own dioceses, they cannot abrogate retreat. Until the 1917 Code of Canon Law, Catholics. Table 1: Diocesan synods held in the Province of Melbourne, 1875-1906

Diocese Established Year in which Synods were held Melbourne 1847 1875,1885, 1887-1906 (3rd-21st held annually) NCP exists for you Ballarat 1865 1881, 1885, 1889, 1890, 1892, 1894, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1906 and because of you! Sandhurst 1874 1881, 1888, 1893, 1901 Sale 1887 1898, 1901, 1905, 1906 Sources: Acta et Decreta of the various synods: The Advocate, Summary and Index 1868-1990; information supplied by diocesan archives.

20 spring 2020 FEATURES Table 2: Demographic and ecclesiastical data for the Province of Melbourne in 1907

Diocese Year Catholic Bishop Districts Priests: Relig. Relig. Catholic Estab. Pop’tion (Country of Origin: IR (not Diocesan/ Brothers Sisters Schools/ – Ireland) parishes) Religious Students Melbourne 1847 145,333 Thomas Carr (IR) 56 104/39 50 761 160/24,918 Ballarat 1865 59,488 Joseph Higgins (IR) 31 65/9 17 221 81/4,900 Sandhurst 1874 45,368 Stephen Reville (IR) 22 34/6 6 200 51/4,500 Sale 1887 13,521 James Corbett (IR) 8 18/0 0 61 10/875 Totals 263,710 117 221/54 73 1,243 302/35,193 Source: Australasian Catholic Directory for 1908. Note: The Catholic population for the 4 dioceses in the Melbourne Province published in the 1908 Directory was the same for the years 1902-1909. In the same period the total population increased from 1,208,231 to 1,277,022 (+68.791).

It also had 73 religious brothers and archbishop’s residence and all priests The bishops published aPastoral Letter to 1243 religious sisters, with most teaching were assigned to one of three committees the Clergy and Laity of the Province and in 5 Boys’ Colleges, 36 Girls’ Boarding dealing with Sacraments, Discipline, decreed that another provincial council be Schools, 56 Superior Day Schools, and and Education. One suffragan bishop held in 1910, unless they changed their 205 Parish Primary Schools with a total appointed to preside at each committee. mind. enrolment of 35,193 students (Table 2). The Solemn Opening Session was The Council decrees were sent to the Just 50 years earlier, the whole Colony of celebrated on Sunday 17 September Holy See on 3 March 1908 and examined Victoria had one diocese, 60,000-70,000 1907 in St Patrick’s Cathedral, with the by the Commission for the Revision of Catholics, 25 churches, 36 priests and 74 committees meeting privately on Monday, Provincial Councils. Apart from 18 minor Catholics schools educating 4000 students. Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by two amendments and the removal of Decree 33 public sessions in the Cathedral on on reserved sins, they were found to accord Convoking the 1907 Council Thursday and Sunday 24th. fully with the general laws of the Church and the decrees of the previous Australian Before his appointment as Archbishop of The Council produced 112 decrees, plenary councils. Pope Pius X approved the Melbourne by Leo XIII in 1886, Thomas with many derived from the previous 21 decrees on 2 June 1909 and the decree of Carr had been vice-president of Ireland’s Melbourne diocesan synods. Most dealt approval was issued on 12 July 1909. premier seminary, Maynooth College, and with the life and discipline of priests (e.g. Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh. dress, residence, remuneration, etc.) and The Acta et Decreta were printed in 1909, On 14 September 1907, Carr convoked the administration of property and money including 27 appendices with various the 1st Melbourne Provincial Council, (e.g. offerings, debts, special collections, documents issued by the Holy See during calling his three Irish suffragan bishops – wills, bequests, and inventories); 51 the previous decade. The decrees came into Joseph Higgins (Ballarat), Stephen Reville concerned administration of the sacraments; force shortly after. 2 several promoted sodalities and the Catholic OSA (Sandhurst), James Corbett (Sale) – Acknowledgment: In preparing this article Truth Society; and the sole decree on to attend, as well as 23 priest ‘theologians’ many primary and secondary sources were education mandated priests in the ‘districts’ (17 diocesan and 6 religious). consulted. However, special acknowledgment to make weekly visits to nearby schools and is given to the original research of Dr Ian B It was to be held in Melbourne from 17-24 monthly visits to distant schools to teach Waters in his unpublished doctoral thesis November 1907 with its prime purpose to or supervise the teaching of the catechism ‘Australian Conciliar Legislation prior to the harmonize the various diocesan laws of the and church history. The Council also 1917 Code of Canon Law: A Comparative province for administrative, disciplinary planned common policy on teacher Study with similar Conciliar Legislation in and pastoral reasons. training, teacher and school registration, Great Britain, Ireland, and North America’, and a Catholic college at the University On 16 September 1907, the eve of the St Paul University, Ottawa, 1990. Council, all those called met at the of Melbourne.

The Swag Summer Edition Closing date for letters and articles is Monday 26 October 2020. Please email submissions for consideration to: [email protected] Normal Articles: 700 words | Major Features: 1,400 words.

the swag 21 FEATURES A jubilee wish for the Church HENRY HUU DUC TRAN their sacred moment of Ordination according to their wish. Henry Huu Duc Tran, Seven Hills, NSW offers a reflection on the occasion of his Silver The years following my Ordination saw a Jubilee, which was celebrated on 21 April 2020. shift in the Church landscape in multiple ways, especially when he suddenly left the n Tuesday 21 April 2020, the 25th paid his visit to the place called MacKillop scene due to unknown reasons. I hope one anniversary of my ordination, one House. This was where I was staying to beautiful day the man himself shall of my relatives sent me a text from absorb as much of the language and culture enlighten the people of God in Parramatta OVietnam, saying ‘25 years, what a difficult of this land as I could, in preparing myself the whole truth about this saga. journey accomplished!’ It sounds rather for mark II of my formation journey. His departure was quickly replaced up with prophetic to me, though I never told him He looked and sounded every bit charming about the challenging side of the journey, a new trend in the Church, both local and and inviting as he truly was, and completely universal. I smelled it, felt it and shared my which required me to work twice as hard won me over in our first encounter. I eagerly as my local mates. concerns with my first Parish priest, who put my hand up for the yes, when he asked wisely advised me, ‘Don’t worry about The first part of my journey discreetly for volunteers to go to his young and them; focus on our Parish works and began in Vietnam sometime after Easter multicultural diocese, which had still been preach the Gospel message.’ 1984 and was happily completed three unknown to me then. I have been always months later at a small coastal town in the grateful to him, because he cared for and I followed his advice, but couldn’t help to South of Thailand, thousands of kilometers stood by me at numerous occasions, feel frustrated at times, as I was witnessing away from the seminary, my last residence especially when honesty and boldness the ugly side of human nature unfolding in Vietnam. Sandwiched between those landed me in trouble with certain Church before my eyes through people, who were three crazy months, taking the twenty-six- authorities. surprisingly capable of adapting themselves to suit the new environment. year-old me through so many places in Just a few years ago, I asked him again such a Wild West-like Cambodia in the about whether he remembered the time I didn’t know exactly what it was at first, early 80s, were days in hiding, Sundays when he summoned me to his office and except the realization that it very much with no Mass, moments of despair, fear tabled my seminary report, which was so bore elements reflecting the world I nearly and uncertainty, and worst of all, a period venomous, enough to kill not just one paid with my life to run away from, many of imprisonment. single vocation but ten at once, given it years before. Elements that the Australian When the original plan of cutting through fell in the hand of another bishop. In his Royal Commission recently detailed as the Cambodian jungle by foot failed and typical style, he said with a fatherly smile, ‘a sense of entitlement, superiority, and prison became the alternative, I was kind ‘of course, how can I ever forget that exclusion, and abuse of power.’ In a nutshell, they have a real name called of telling the Lord, ‘You know what I document.’ Instead of terminating my clericalism, and in its name, even a lay deeply want, just have my life and take vocational thirst and kicking me out of the person could bark at the Parish priest, me wherever you like… but Vietnam.’ office that day, he gave me a very helpful ‘No, you can’t have this hymn for your I completely placed my life in the Lord, survival tip, ‘Don’t get into any trouble Installation Mass and I think you’d better and simply ‘walked by faith’ with him, with them (meaning the authority) again.’ not knowing what was going to happen go and do a Liturgy course again’ – even Survived after such a major scare and a few though this same hymn had been selected tomorrow. The Lord, however, was an more hiccups later on, I was ordained by efficient wheeler and dealer; he mysteriously previously for his Thanksgiving Mass, and him to the Diaconate in April 1994 and has been sung again and again in English- opened another door for me to enter to then to the priesthood on 21 April, 1995. meet with people, who were able to speaking churches around the world for a smuggle me out of the Killing Fields I remember, in the book called The Election long time. with their families by boat from the then of Pope Francis by Gerard O’Connell, the However, the reign of clericalism seems to fishing village of Sihanoukville – known author mentioned this common feeling be over, thanks to the crusade introduced as Cambodia’s city of Casinos today. among people when they met the Pope by Pope Francis, despite a strong resistance After almost a year living in three various both before and after his election, that the both visible and invisible from certain refugee camps in Thailand and waiting for man naturally gave the same impression to pockets within the Church both local a chance to start a new life somewhere in people talking to him, that they were special and global. the free world, a Redemptorist priest named and important to him, and the inaugural My Silver Jubilee wish is about a true Patrick O’Neill, whom I met during his Pastor of the diocese, I guess, seemed to conversion of heart from all Church trip to recruit vocations for the Australian share the same quality and charism. members, especially from those who Church, convinced me that Australia More than just a sincere and humble pastor, have tried to hang on to the vain and would be the best choice for me, if I was he also had the courage to place his trust insignificant remnants of the triumphant serious with my priestly formation. His was and confidence in others by allowing and Church of old. My wish is that, consequently, the invitation I said yes to, which initiated encouraging people to take initiative and a renewed Church shall be reborn to reflect the sponsorship process to formalize my be creative and accountable, the very more authentically the essential qualities re-settlement in Australia. I got through concepts that have just been allowed to of the Gospels, such as the agape love, the interview and arrived in Sydney on re-surface in the Church by Pope Francis humble service, compassion, mercy and 8 October, 1985, one and a half years after recently. The telling example of that spirit simplicity – qualities that are the core of I left home. The first Bishop of Parramatta was his permission granting freedom the Church’s preaching, and that the world became single-handedly instrumental to to candidates for the Diaconate and is waiting for the Church to put into my association with the diocese, when he Priesthood to arrange the liturgy for practice. 2

22 spring 2020 FEATURES Survivor France – a different kind of pilgrimage GREG TRYTHALL myself, I wonder how many dogs have barked at me today (there were many) and For his sabbatical, Fr Greg Trythall from Williamstown, Victoria, chose a 1,000 kilometre an older strong Labrador (with a mongrel walk through the French countryside. He tells of some of his experiences here. streak) jumped through an opening in its fence and came straight at me with teeth 3pm. I found a little hotel open and bared. In preservation for my life like a I asked the waiter where Chateau Lazat French fencer, as he came at me, I lunged was in this town of La Souterraine! at him striking my professional steel He came back 5-10 minutes later capped walking stick right into his mouth. and said: It is 10 kilometres away! He came at me a second time but seemed reluctant to experience ‘the stick in the He must have seen the shocked look on mouth’ trick again! I slowly backed up the my face and he said: You could hitchhike! road towards my intended destination as Now as I was going some distance off he was still intent on giving me a nasty my intended beaten track when the town taste of his type of French medicine, but was originally listed in Booking.com as luckily the Australian this time was just too La Souterraine, I gritted my teeth and illusive! There are many dogs on farms and I marched 3 ½ kms on. As I was walking in little villages along the way – so you on the outskirts of another town, I said have to have your wits about you at times. Bonjour Monsieur to a guy raking leaves across the road from his parent’s place Now after 600kms of walking, my steam in a little town called Bussiers Madeleine. train is still on its tracks but who knows He not only replied ‘Bonjour Monsieur’ what is around the corner as several people but walked very directly across the road I pass are having serious problems with towards me and said some things in shin soreness or blisters. One lady I passed French, but soon realised the stranger two days ago had decided to terminate her mostly spoke English. journey as she had 4 blisters on each foot – ouch! He said to me in broken English: Do you want some water? (I happened to be out On Wednesday 25th September I travelled of water by then) and after he showed me 33 kilometres from quite a large town in into his front garden and was about to sit Mussidan to the once thriving town of me down he said: Would you like some Sainte Foy-la-Grande on the magnificent coffee? I needed that hospitality more than river, La Dordogna. It had been raining survived ‘Survivor France’ and I lived anything. I got more than hospitality! and the boots were starting to have a good to tell the tale! Maybe if you want some When I had said something to his biscuit amount of mud on them. Little did I know danger and adventure (and some stories request he insisted I keep the whole pack in the late afternoon that I would, due to Ito tell your parishioners or community) of biscuits, and he not only brought me rain mainly, encounter a lucky escape from then this could be the one for you! In fact, one bottle of water but 3 small bottles. serious injury. I don’t see why priests should get fixated I journeyed more happily on my way. on walking through Spain especially to In my Dutch Association of St James Santiago de Compostella when arguably On Sept 14th after about 18 kilometres travel booklet, it stated: ‘Careful, steep and prettier pilgrimage walks exist through I ran out of water as it was much hotter dangerous descent’! Actually a video could France! than expected for that time of year. only fully describe the difficulty. Indeed, Added to this there was nothing open the descent of 200-300 metres before one There are four main pilgrimage walks in in what looked like a big village to me, entered the town of Saint Foy-la-Grande France, usually culminating at the French/ Le Chatenet-en-Dognon. But like many was more than doubly difficult as not only Spanish border at St Jean Pied de Port in French villages more than half the homes had it been raining steadily, but the rain France: Arles, Tours, Le Puy en Velay and seem to be unoccupied. I was surprised combined with the type of rock meant one Vezelay. From these routes many long- that nothing was open and as I got to the was aquaplaning when stepping on the distance walkers go on to Santiago de end of the village I noticed these twin rocky surface which formed half of the Compostella in Spain. Le Puy en Velay males of about 25 years of age. I said L’eau, total of the downhill surface. Twice I sailed is the best I think. s’Il vous plait? One of the young French into mid-air but luckily my backpack and By Wednesday 11th September on my men not only gave me water but brought shorts were the main victims of the 10th day of walking on the Vezelay – one jumbo bottle plus filled my medium physical shaking of one’s senses and Bourges route, I wanted to beat constant bottle and said in reasonable English – hurt pride! It is hot; you should pour some of this 28 – 32-degree afternoon heat of that Saturday 5th October is a day I am not water over your hat. particular week, and also needed to wash sure whether I should remember or forget! socks, jocks etc. Accordingly, I pushed That extra water and the water to cool me As it was going to be 35 kilometres to the hard to end early as only 24.5 km to over the hat made a big difference that very pretty and rather extraordinary La Souterraine. It was a mini castle, afternoon. Just nearing accommodation medieval village of Sauveterre-de-Bearn, Chateau Lazat, but no dearer than normal another 10 kilometres down the road and I made what I thought at the time was the accommodation. Left at 7:45am – arrived at a particular time when I was saying to wise decision to go only 31 km to Continued page 24

the swag 23 FEATURES Barraute-Camu – a smallish village just before Sauveterre. After about 13 km there A sower went out to sow – the voice of God was a major town Orthex with a rather beautiful 13th century bridge to cross. BRIAN GLEESON CP I decided with the beautiful setting to have an early lunch. Unfortunately, 10 kilometres Brian Gleeson, a Passionist priest and Doctor of Theology, explores the parable of down the track there had been a great deal the sower. of rain and I was soon up to my ankles in mud as there were two small streams to he Parable of the Sower (Matthew silence, in sunshine, in rain, on a beach, cross. 13;1-9), more accurately the Parable on a mountain, by a river. God may have of the Soil, contains a complaint, a something to say to us in a play or a movie, After 30 kilometres I was now approaching seriousT complaint. It’s aimed at us, at you in a song or a piece of music. God may my intended destination of Barraute-Camu and me. Jesus is telling us that God’s word speak to us in the readings at Mass or in but 10 minutes later found out that the is often less fruitful, less productive in our the homily about them. It’s quite likely crossing of a river called Le Gave d’Oloron lives than it ought to be. It gets trampled that God will speak to us especially in the on my map was no crossing at all! I now underfoot, it dries up, it gets choked, or it richness of a loving relationship. As Jean had to find a way of crossing this very does not grow. It deserves to make more Valjean sings in Les Misérables, “to love steadily flowing river – 100 metres wide! difference to us than it does. Too often another person is to see the face of God”. As I studied the map further, the only way we fail to see the traces and signs of his The messages of God are so many and so was to go another 4 kilometres up stream presence which God puts into our lives. different that the poet, Gerard Manley to the town I had not intended to go to We do not see, hear, feel, touch or Hopkins makes the claim: “The world in the first place,Sauveterre-de-Bearn . recognise them. Because they pass us by, is charged with the grandeur of God”. Here I am approaching dusk, walking the they cannot therefore change us, change But how often do we notice? How often 35 kilometres I had not intended to walk, us into better people. do we see, hear or feel God speaking to us? walking another kilometre over the bridge It’s deeply disappointing to the heart of And if we do, how often do we stop and and town, with a walk back in the same God when we fail to recognise the traces of say back: “Hello, God! Thank you, God! direction over the other side of the river of his presence and the traces of his messages. What would you want me to do, God?” 4 kms – along a major road with glaring It’s far more disappointing than when we Perhaps all too often we live like those who car traffic lights the last 2 kms and trying either ignore our fellow human beings or have eyes but do not see, like those who not to be killed in the process! fail to notice them. A young man had a have ears but do not hear. Not only as far After a shower, I had this magnificent meal misunderstanding with his girlfriend – a as God is concerned, but also as far as the of a bread baguette I had in my backpack very serious one. He tried to phone her, people around us are concerned. We may from the day before. I found some jam but when he heard her voice, he did not be like the first man, not the second, in the inside the kitchen in my outhouse know what to say. So he hung up. He tried famous quip: “Two men looked out from accommodation they had for guests. to write her a letter. But when he finished prison bars; one saw mud, the other saw it, the letter sounded silly, and so he tore I was the only one there! I enjoyed my stars” (Frederick Langbridge). As our it up. Then he remembered that she liked shower immensely and I really enjoyed the response to the gospel message of Jesus, roses, deep red roses. He bought her such bread, butter and jam. It was like winning it would be worthwhile to ask ourselves a rose – only one, because roses were very a few matter-of-fact questions: tattslotto! What a day though: doing expensive at that time of year. The woman 40 kms instead of 30; mud up to my in the flower-shop added some ferns to the How strongly do we believe that God ankles; no bridge over the river as I rose and wrapped it for him in some crisp speaks to us through a series of signs – discovered to my amazement and tissue paper. e.g. through other people? through things headlights glaring in your face. All in all that happen to us? through things that are one of the main reasons I went to France The young man went to his girlfriend’s flat. said to us? and through such marvels of was for surprise and adventure and I got it! He put the rose down in front of her door. nature as “the wonder and the glory of the He then hid round a corner, and waited for everlasting stars” (Banjo Paterson)? Monday 7th October – THE LAST DAY! her to come home. Right on time she I was able to raise my arms in triumph as arrived from work, looking as lovely as How convinced are we that all around us I marched through the UNESCO Heritage ever. His heart leaped in his throat, and his there are many traces of God’s loving and Gates at that wonderful unique style village mouth suddenly went dry. He watched her caring presence, and that like an electric of St Jean Pied de Port. Tired but not as she opened her purse, took out her key current flowing through it, “the world is defeated and 995 kilometres later – and turned it in the lock, pushed the door charged with the grandeur of God”? Survivor France. I survived and in many open, stepped inside and closed it behind Do we fully believe that when we get ways I thrived. Viva La France! 2 her. But she did not bend down to pick together for the Eucharist, God speaks up his beautiful expensive rose. In fact, to us in quite special ways – in the people she did not seem to even notice it. we meet and greet, in the readings, in the What a disappointment! What a let-down! homily, in the consecrated bread and wine, What a missed opportunity! What a in Holy Communion, and in the priest heart-break! What a tragedy! who leads our celebration? “We are priests best Every day of our lives God gives us signs, Next, let us pray: Speak to us, Gracious trying to get our attention. It might take God, and open our minds and hearts with when we are the form of a flower, a thought, a feeling, your gentle love, so that the precious seed a dream, a child, a news story, a chance of your word may produce abundant fruit priests together.” meeting, a friend, a colleague, some pangs in our lives. We make our prayer through of pain or even of guilt. God has all sorts Jesus Christ, Your Word and Our Lord. of wake-up calls. God may speak to us in Amen. 2

24 spring 2020 FEATURES Post pandemic church and the Plenary Council AENGUS KAVANAGH FSP Time of grace and opportunity for our church? Aengus Kavanagh, Patrician Brother and editor and co-author of Reset the Sails (April Is it providential that the whole COVID-19 2020), reviewed in this edition of The Swag, discusses how the pandemic might lead us phenomenon has emerged as a backdrop to to greater opportunities for church reform if we grasp the opportunity. the Plenary Council in Australia? At a ‘Unprecedented’ has become an over-used tolls is both interesting and chilling. number of levels it poses invitations to take word in recent times. The word was a good In the USA, Donald Trump has constantly a closer look at our ways of being church descriptor for Australia’s long and crippling down-played the COVID-19 threat, in the world. Its coincidence with the drought, and an even better descriptor for reaching a new low in his 4 July assertion Paschal Season forced church changes in the prolonged and devastating bushfires. from the White House that the virus was a policies and practices always deemed as However, if there is a superlative to comparatively harmless infection resulting fundamental to the Catholic celebration ‘unprecedented’ apply it to COVID-19, in death for only about 1% of the victims, of Easter. Closed churches throughout which has caused such havoc across the while adding that bizarre dismissal – ‘with the world ruled out participation in such world, but simultaneously has provided less testing we would have fewer cases’! celebrations. And yet, hasty improvisations us with profound questions about who by parishes helped to fill the void. Many we have become as society. Another one locked into denial has been parishes suddenly became proficient in Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonairo, marshalling the potential of modern Never in living memory has our world describing the pandemic as ‘just a little flu’. technology. Steaming of Masses and of been so enveloped in fear, anxiety, So too for the UK’s Boris Johnson in his other religious services became popular, and sadness as it has since the serious cavalier obfuscations. One-time member bringing spiritual comfort to many and unleashing of the deadly virus from of the Government’s medical advice team evoking positive responses from February 2020. The clichéd phrase ‘gone and leading epidemiologist, Professor Neil unexpected constituents. viral’ takes on a whole scary and sinister Ferguson, told a committee of MP’s, on meaning in the wake of COVID-19. British Catholic magazine, The Tablet, 10 June 2020, that the introduction of April 25 (p.28), recounts a heartening Gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions ‘lockdown measures a week earlier would have scenario: Shrewsbury Cathedral has recorded is frequently greeted with the comforting reduced the final death toll by at least a half’. the largest congregations in its 170 year hope of ‘getting back to normal’. A more What anxiety, fear and sorrow might have history….. On Easter Sunday, 11,446 people discerning and challenging aspiration been spared millions had these leaders like watched Mass online, more than 10 times to however might be a quest for a ‘new New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda usual attendance of 1,000 people. The highest normal’ at a number of levels. There is a Ardern, and other national leaders of number of service views was on Good Friday growing realisation that the ‘old normal’ similar disposition, by their – ‘went in when 13,594 watched the liturgy. No doubt to which we had become accustomed has early, went in hard’, with testing, tracing, many other Catholic churches in a variety been a contributing factor to the malaise treatment and lockdowns? The harrowing of settings could similarly attest to record in which we now find ourselves. And this statistics tell the story of gut-wrenching numbers of ‘hits’ to their ‘streamings’ over malaise extends beyond the health ravages pain and sorrow inflicted on millions,’ the Easter period especially. This is not to caused by the virus, beyond the economic suggest that digital alone is the way to go. consequences, to our ways of being with Coronavirus death statistics at July 2020 is There are a few possible learnings however. each other in the world, within families, USA 140,150, Brazil 74,260, UK 45,210. These include thirst for the religious and within communities, within nations, and Almost a quarter of a million! the spiritual is much more widespread than internationally. USA, Brazil and the UK present a current might be assumed from regular church Covid has put the spotlight anew on window into a possible impact of leadership attendance data; that the common manner leadership, most glaringly so where characterised by a mix of narcissism, in which liturgies are celebrated in high profile of some world leaders have ignorance, intransigence, denial, defence churches does not find resonance among exhibited varying mixes of deceit, and self-justification. Such leadership many of the baptised; that the church is ignorance, arrogance, denial and self- shadows leave trails of dysfunction and way behind in responding to the signs of justification. Wuhan doctor, Dr Li Wenliang, misery across nations, organisations and the times, and especially in its use of digital issued a warning about a strange new virus institutions. In its global attack on technology to bring the message of the early in February 2020. He was then humanity, COVID-19 has invited a global Gospel into the lives of many. summoned to a meeting of medical re-embrace of new paradigms, paradigms Another reflection raising itself in this officials and police and forced to sign a more focussed on human dignity across context is whether as Catholics we have statement denouncing his warning as an boundaries, paradigms anchored in the become over-reliant on customs and unfounded and illegal rumour. He died enduring values of the Gospel. practices of the institutional church to shortly afterwards in front-line service to In the context of the impending Plenary express and nurture an authentic Catholic Wuhan virus victims. Since him, thousands Council it is apt to hope that leadership identity? It is not a matter of either/or but of front-line Covid health workers have shadows do not hinder serious address of it is to propose that on a ‘compliance died, including at least one hundred the ‘virus’ that so erodes religious faith in -commitment’ continuum we may be disproportionately displaced towards doctors in Italy. We are inspired by these our times, that so diminishes the capacity beacons of humanity. to the compliance end? of our church to reclaim a Christian A brief recall of links between leadership humanism to elevate and make holy our If this is so it may be a product of a time and countries of highest coronavirus death ailing society. when priests were far more plentiful, when Continued page 26

the swag 25 FEATURES Catholics were less educated and less And, from the preacher to the papal the church is effectively achieving its mission. questioning, and when religion drew more household in the papacies of St John Author and leader of the pre-Council from a consciousness of fear rather than of Paul 11, Benedict XV1 and now, Francis, Canberra-Goulburn Concerned Catholics’ love? While preserving what is best in a Raniero Cantalamessa consultation, Terry Fewtrell laments that Catholicity that is devotional, sustainability the papers lack the courage to break open of our church into the future will require OFM Cap: I believe there is a grace in the key issues to enable honest consideration more intentional discipleship along with current pandemic situation: that of the of meaningful reform ideas. They lack the deepened personal spirituality. In part, Eucharist being removed from its worst imagination, relevance, urgency and cohesion this may lead to diminished co-dependence enemy, which is being turned into just a (Pearls and Irritations website, 29 June 2020). on the institutional church with a routine habit, into something we take for Besides, there are rumours that, in some consequent up-take of co-responsibility granted, or reduced to no more than a pious instances, the selection of Council for the true mission of the church. practice (The Tablet, 30 May 2020). And from The Tablet (8 April 2020), in an delegates, and the composition of writing In April 2020, Teresa Pirola from the interview with Austin Iverleigh, Pope groups, lead towards a ‘dumbing-down’ of Office of Evangelisation and Faith Francis warns: We are now living in a place Council expectations. A best rebuttal of Formation in Broken Bay diocese wrote a of metanoia, and we have the chance to such criticisms would be an inspirational timely and challenging article, The Hour of begin. So, let’s not let it slip; let’s move ahead’. document clearly articulating a range of the Domestic Church Is Now. Writing in the specific recommendations, authentically time of complete church lockdown, she reflecting the hopes of the faithful and invited fresh thinking and practice: Think credibly naming a pathway towards about it: we are living through a moment in overdue transformation. history when, in every parish and diocese around the world, the domestic space is the In fairness, the Writing Groups faced a only place where most Catholics can be fully daunting task in seeking to identify and present to one another in celebrating their appropriately capture the key issues in the sensus fidelium Catholic traditions. In fact, the terrible 17,500 submissions. Given necessity of enforced home isolation has that, the writing groups have impressively opened up an extraordinary opportunity: to developed underpinnings for each Theme, call the faithful, family units of every kind including an articulation of a Theological and configuration, to rediscover their power Vision and Major Challenges in each case. to ‘be’ church, each within their unique Perhaps an overall weakness in the domestic context. The time is right for transformation document is its lack of courage and clarity in its identification of proposals for change, It is time to move beyond the initial crisis The unheralded advent of the pandemic especially institutional change. management period (with its focus on the in the midst of the Plenary Council and provision of online Masses), to intentional lay the consequent postponement of the first The pages abound in exhortations and empowerment. Our conversations can be less assembly could be providential in terms of aspirations but are light on specific about the pros and cons of ‘virtual’ Mass altered perspectives and added time in the recommendations that do justice to the attendance and ‘private Mass’, and more shaping, or re-shaping, of agenda. Most many heartfelt yearnings of the Listening filled with talk of ‘home-based spirituality’. readers will know that the shaping of and Dialogue phase. One could get the Council agenda is well underway with the feeling that the document is pitched The resounding message from our ecclesial publishing of the work of the discernment towards a Roman gallery, especially with leadership, surely, has to be:‘Now is the time and writing groups in their exposition of the reminder thrown in that formation for the lay faithful to step up. Your home is a the six Council themes. realities need to include ‘the influence of holy place, you are ‘priest’ in your own home; the magisterium’. This is a time for the your meal table is your ‘altar’; your family is It is encouraging that the President of the development of a framework, along with the church in miniature, the domestic church. Plenary Council, Archbishop Timothy policies and strategies, for reform of the Costelloe SDB, in his Foreword asserts that Australian church. This compellingly attractive vision this publication: is not in any sense the final proposed by Teresa Pirola, as well as word on the six thematic areas. In late June With one exception, all theme papers recapturing elements of the early church, of this year representatives of seventeen finish with series of dot point proposals is far removed from device-regulated and groups joined in a Zoom forum of the but too many of these have a ‘somebody ‘time-poor’ families of our times. Besides, Australian Catholic Coalition for Church should do something’ whiff about them. there is scant evidence in our institutional Reform to discuss the product of the The Inclusive, Participatory & Synodal church of paradigms, policies, programs Council writing groups. A consensus writing group, while surfacing many and structures which might enable emerging from the forum is less than proposals in general form, did not give movement towards the scenario outlined. enthusiastic: we are deeply concerned that any clear recommendations while adding the disclaimer all the above proposals are Many voices are urging us to seize the the bishops’ discernment papers fail to suggestive rather than prescriptive. Surely pandemic’s disruption of long-held marshal reform ideas into a framework for a this theme, especially in its inclusive/ securities to boldly reimagine a more meaning Council agenda. A writer in the participatory focus could have given hope-filled future. Czech intellectual and Conversion, Reform and Renewal theme multiple recommendations for reform 2014 Templeton Prize winner, Monsignor group, Garry Everet, went public (8 July in this area? Tomas Halik gives a grim warning: More 2020, Pearls and Irritations website), with and more churches will be closed for good in a dissenting voice: it has not really An obvious starter might be the the not-too-distant future, not because of successfully addressed what evidence we elimination of the Nicene Creed’s outside forces like the current pandemic, but would accept, that would allow us to know, exclusion of women simply by because of an the unwillingness to reform. measure and demonstrate, in the future, that replacing ‘for us men’ with ‘for us’?

26 spring 2020 FEATURES Ditto for all other obvious sexist language ceremonies in 2018, the numbers of requests mainly to governance and management in liturgies. A plea for greater inclusion of for them have gone up every year. In 2019, structures and processes in dioceses and Indigenous Australians is rightly made. 97 different wedding venues were requested parishes, the report is wide in its scope of With that exception, the emphasis is and approved. Most of the outdoor ceremonies issues pertinent to a re-culturing of the mainly on a maintenance church, focusing consist of a Liturgy of the Word with church. Early on in the report, there are on the faithful remnant. No mention is exchange of consent and blessings. eight pages of recommendations. In made of broadening the umbrella of Throughout the Themes document, general, they are quite specific, all inclusion for the millions of baptised beginning with ‘That’. For example No 85: Catholics who remain Catholic at heart, formation is mentioned as an essential dimension for improved policy and That each diocese is to have a program of but who now walk in exile. A ‘field ongoing formation and training for pastoral hospital’ model of church is not raised practice in pastoral ministry at diocesan associates and lay leaders in parishes. throughout, a model advocated by Pope and parish levels. And rightly so, since Francis and seeking to bring Christ to the it could reasonably be contended that The report was given to the bishops just a people in their lived realities, rather than role-appropriate formation is among the few days before their May Conference and bringing the people to our traditional and top priorities for a church wishing to obviously they have not had time for a remain viable into an uncertain future. secure settings to meet Christ. formal response yet. However, the report is Yet, the document is weak in specific Enlightened leadership and a culture recommendations to embed a focus rich in potential for institutional reform conducive to creative imagination would on this priority. and needs to be integrated into Plenary probably come up with many initiatives to Council agenda. On May 1, 2020, The Light from the broaden the umbrella of pastoral outreach. This is an exciting time in the history The Archdiocese of Baltimore in the USA Southern Cross report was handed down. of the church in Australia, a time to seems to have picked up on one such This is a comprehensive 200 page report missionary thrust as testified in a website commissioned by the Australian Catholic re-imagine a new normal. Time for shared extract: The Baltimore Archdiocese has Bishops’ Conference, a response to a openness to the many ways in which the permitted outdoor weddings on a case-by-case recommendation of the 2013-2017 Royal Holy Spirt may move the church from basis since 2018. The locations have varied Commission. The Report was written by a beyond mere change, to transformation. throughout the archdiocese. Nightclubs, bars mainly lay panel with an external advisory Let us imagine Pope Francis addressing and casinos aren’t allowed, but museums, panel of experts: two theology professors, the Australian church directly in his plea: barns, fields, homes, and high school or a professor in canon law and a priest with We are now living in a place of metanoia, college chapels are all acceptable. Since the much experience in pastoral ministry. and we have the chance to begin. So, let’s archdiocese began approving outdoor wedding Though the terms of reference point not let it slip; let’s move ahead. 2 1 Spirit musings CHRISTA MURPHY SSPS

Christa Murphy SSpS reflects on how the Spirit of God is embodied in each child of God. ne of the simplest definitions of Which actually expresses the basic question spirituality is ‘the Spirit in our for all Christian disciples, doesn’t it? re-ality’. Or, re-stated: the presence And it highlights the deepest dimension of andO action of the Spirit within us and the Jesus’ Good News. That the experience of realities of our everyday living. And as we Jesus, our Brother and Lord, is potentially grow in consciousness of the Spirit’s that of every human person. Each of us is presence within us, and how her graces breathed into life by the Spirit in our work through us, the more we become God. Everyone everywhere is God’s mother’s womb. We are each given our ‘led by the Spirit’ in everything. We see Beloved Son or Daughter! own unique share of the Spirit of Life and this in Jesus’ own life. Love. (1Cor.12:4-7) And that same Spirit What a foundation for believing in the Jesus stepped into the Jordan, surrendered continues to grow us as human persons, dignity, equality, and destiny of every to the Yahweh God he knew, seeking to whether we are conscious of that or not. person ever born! This is the ‘Good News’ know his life’s mission. He experienced we disciples of Jesus carry in our very Raised by devout Jewish parents, Jesus an Abba God naming him Beloved Son; beings. Do we really believe it ourselves? grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining and the Spirit, within him from the very favour with God and people. (Luke 2:52). But it was to us that God made known his beginning of his life, welling up within And saying that he grew in wisdom is the secret by means of the Spirit. The Spirit him, taking total possession of him. He same as saying he was growing in the Spirit. searches everything, even the hidden depths of came out a man ‘on fire’. Led by the Spirit’. Wisdom and Spirit are inter-connected in God’s purposes. It is only our spirit within us Empowered by the Spirit. With the inner Hebrew literature. Until that day in the that knows all about us; in the same way, authority of the Spirit in all he said and did. Jordan, when he experienced in his whole only God’s Spirit knows all about God. We Those who knew him growing up just person, body, soul and spirit (1Thess.5:23), have not received this world’s spirit; instead, couldn’t believe what they saw and heard. the Spirit’s overwhelming presence and we have received the Spirit sent by God, so Where did this man get all this? they asked, power. And recognised and claimed, his that we may know all that God has given us.” when he returned to Nazareth. (Mark 6:2) own, and everyone else’s, belovedness by (1 Cor.2:10-12) 2

the swag 27 FEATURES Reflections on Religious Education from UNIQUE being a student to a teacher ARTIFACTS ADAM CIBICH Adam Cibich, Deputy Principal and Religious Education Co-ordinator at Gleeson FOR SALE College, Adelaide, reflects on the impact of Catholic education on students? n the innocence of my childhood, on earth and become extinct? Was Goliath I believed that all schools were the really a giant similar to all the fairy-tales THIS IS YOUR same. Learning about God and we read like Jack and the beanstalk? IJesus was something that was engrained What kind of whale swallowed Jonah? OPPORTUNITY TO throughout my junior years at primary PURCHASE IMPORTED Catholic secondary education was seamless school. The presence of religion within the and I didn’t think much about it. The MARBLE STATUES, home was evident, as it was at my primary exception was when the students were school and therefore there was no ‘gap’ to COLUMNS, new to the Catholic school system and the customs and teachings of the Catholic struggled to make the connections that TILES, PEDESTALS, faith. Church on Sundays with the family those who attended Catholic primary and involvement in the Mass was held in TABLETS AND MORE school could make. This provided evidence high regard. So was strong commitment that early Catholic faith education assisted attending sports training and games. Life as STARTING AT $24.00, parents to teach in the home. RE provided a young Catholic child attending Catholic a suitable environment for students to FOR HALF THE primary school led me to recognise the learn more theology. place and presence of God in my life. PURCHASE COST! Teenage years are challenging enough and Religious education (RE) at primary school perhaps even more challenging as things was full of religious and joyful experiences. such as self-awareness become heightened, As young children we tended to be free These beautiful items, the significance and fear of being judged of self-doubt and therefore we joined by peers, the natural desire to challenge originally imported for enthusiastically in singing during Mass, our teachers that took place in RE, a church renovation will prayerful reflection and prayers for all we participating in Eucharistic celebrations add a distinctive touch loved. There was excitement in taking part and charity events. It was the teachers that in charity events, which provided great assisted us during this time and provided to any setting. satisfaction doing things for others. lessons that drew upon our past learnings, To fully appreciate the These memories return more strongly as our prior knowledge and build upon the connections already made. Our literal works of art on offer, visit I now listen to the experiences of my daughter as she navigates her first year at the local understanding of the Bible began to our website at Catholic parish primary school. The become more spiritual and our values that opportunity to participate in sacramental we had acquired from our families, our sawtellcatholicchurch. preparations and celebrate the sacraments education and our religious experience com.au/ with our classmates was also something began to form foundations as we entered artifacts-for-sale/ that was valued above all things. I may young adulthood. During high school it not recall what year I began learning my was the strength of RE teachers to accept timetables, but I can recall the years that our inquisitive questioning about what we or email us on I celebrated the sacraments, the priest, learned and try and re-contextualise our [email protected] the teachers and the students involved and learning to develop meaningful lives. for more information. the inclusion of my family and friends. University was for me without doubt a Learning religion at primary school and challenging time. The safety of the school participating in the traditions and rituals grounds and the familiar faces of students felt safe and familiar and provided a good and teachers had gone. Also gone was introduction in theology without really the classroom prayer to start the day and realising that it was theology. Although RE the school organised Mass celebrations. was engrained throughout the curriculum It was my Catholic education that aided there were those moments in which the me during my education degree. My goal was to return to Catholic education as an subjects were separated as we learnt more educator. Upon reflection, I realise I am about History, Geography, Mathematics, still a student of Catholic Identity, but as English and Science. It was then that our MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS an educator, I am creating opportunities learning began to challenge our prior PARISH SAWTELL for my students to find religious meaning, learning and literal understanding. For guidance and presence in their lives. (02) 6658 3544 instance, how was the world created in 7 days? What day were the dinosaurs created Recently I was discussing with my wife,

28 spring 2020 FEATURES also a Catholic educator, about the lives. RE becomes significant when the at the heart of their discovery, with an successful retreats we had experienced graduating students, who recall the retreats aim of filling their minds and hearts with with our students. As significant as they as their fondest memory, choose a life wisdom to be students who are deeply are for our students, a true testament to a that continues their faith journey in which connected, thriving people, competent successful retreat is that staff connect with they attend regular Mass, although not a and capable learners who are just, merciful the students with authenticity, honesty popular choice amongst their friends. and humble leaders for a world that God and spirituality. We love the moments of They then choose a partner and take part desires. collaboration amongst the staff and the in the Sacrament of Marriage and then It is truly a privilege to have the students, the search and discovery of God continue welcoming their children with opportunity to teach in a Catholic School, in their lives and the success evident when the Sacrament of Baptism and share this but even more so to teach RE. As a teacher at graduation the students recall their experience with their friends and family, I need to be ready to allow students to retreat experience as their fondest memory and coming full circle choose Catholic discover, lead the conversation in lesson so of high school life. Education for their children. that it allows for open learning that supports The majority of students will recall that It is the teaching of St Mary of the Cross open dialogue in a recontextualised way their retreat experience is their fondest MacKillop that we must teach more by that connects our students understanding memory of their high school life. It is example than by word. This has become of faith, spirituality and God. I feel it is a evident that the religious experience of significant in not only my life as an truly exciting time to be at an educator the retreat gave them the opportunity educator but also as a husband and father. and part of our faith and spiritual journeys to reflect, to find meaning, to learn An educator is in a state of delusion if they within a Catholic Community. To spirituality and to invite the presence of do not understand the significant example conclude I can draw upon an example of Jesus into their lives. It is the experience they are to the students in their care. As explaining the Trinity to my students, so of Catholic Education that is the point educators and the experiences we present that they can visualise and connect to this of difference compared to education to our students, we also become an important aspect of our Catholic tradition. philosophies in Government and other example to our peers. As Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in non-denominational independent schools. the same, for our students, parents and In 2019 with support from my school, Catholic educators; Home, Church and In my 15 years of educating, there has been Gleeson College and Catholic Education School are one in the same. 2 significant change on the landscape of SA, I had the opportunity to attend schools. A quick example is that 6 years Belgium to undertake a two week intensive ago we were still writing absent student course delving into Catholic Identity. names in a book that was then taken to the This is an ongoing journey as a College front office; today we simply use an online in keeping our Catholic identity alive in learning platform that not only documents our community and I have been formally absenteeism but generates data of student working with Katholic University Leuven movement, records student achievement (Belgium) for 2 years. As a College we both academically and pastorally and, as took the opportunity to be involved in this proven significant this year of 2020, an study to review and recontextualise for our online platform for teachers to present students the importance of our Catholic lessons to students remotely. It is the Identity. influence of technology and the day to day As I continue my studies in this area, I am use of mobile phones which gives more continually thinking how we can educate access to emails, messages and social media. students in religion lessons in a 21st This has changed the environment of the Century context. We need to continue to classroom and the access to immediate create meaningful experiences where our information for students. students and staff can enter into dialogue, The gap between the generations seems to a moment in their growth that interrupts have widened in certain areas in Australia. them, a moment to pause and reflect. In For example, Sunday shopping, amongst dialogue we must tell history, it is an other things, has resulted in religious important part of who we are and how we education being the way students develop have become the community we are today. their faith. Some students rely on school Just like we hear the stories during the to provide their church experiences. Month of November about our war heroes we too need to stop and tell our story, the When I discuss and lead staff teams in RE, Christian story, the Catholic school Story the successful teachers that are confident (depending on the tradition of that school) in leading their students through a faith and our community story. journey are those who understand the term re-contextualisation, that is having the skill As our students enter into a complicated of creating a classroom environment in world where they are searching and which students participate in activities, discovering; We at Gleeson College with discussions and forms of learning in the support of our families are working which they individually and collectively with them in order to recontextualise our determine the Catholic Identity in their community. Dialogue with one another is

the swag 29 FEATURES Australian Catholic Coalition demand reform in governance and a woman Co-chair for Plenary Council AUSTRALIAN COALITION FOR CATHOLIC CHURCH REFORM (ACCCR) A woman co-chair is a matter of justice. If the bishops were to reject this move, ACCCR has recently held two zoom meetings with around 100 participants then it would be incumbent upon them to representing 17 reform movements in the Catholic Church in Australia and thousands explain clearly why more than half of the of their members. The media releases from these meetings give an idea of key issues active faithful should be excluded from they consider important. Here are some key extracts. leadership of the Plenary. Exclusion of for a meaningful Council agenda, Professor women in this way would be a powerful Warhurst said. symbol of business as usual. The most prominent theme emerging from This issue is a matter of urgency given the 17,500 submissions is greater Inclusion the bishops intend to submit the for all, especially women and minority ‘Instrumentum Laboris’, the key document groups. But the issue appears to have been that will determine the Plenary agenda, to sidelined in the discernment papers, he said. the Vatican for approval this September. Why are they rushing this? The Plenary has Concerning the recently leaked governance been deferred for 12 months. When would document, it was noted that far from being this have been done if the PC had not been an ‘interim report’ as subsequently described deferred from this October? in an official response to the leak, this Governance Report was the final contribution There also needs to be clarity in the agenda of eminent national and international concerning priority for other necessary experts who delivered 86 recommendations, reforms including the establishment of many of which could be enacted in Diocesan Pastoral Councils and Assemblies before the Plenary. Even though the Andrea Dean parishes and dioceses across the country immediately. Plenary has been postponed until October t the forefront of those concerns are 2021, we wish to give the Vatican, through issues of good governance and the Andrea Dean (pictured), President of our bishops, plenty of notice of the reforms culture of clericalism in the church, Women and the Australian Church and we seek. also co-Chair of the forum, said the particularlyA the need for inclusion and The Plenary Council will be judged on gender equality. Governance Report is a progressive, wide-ranging report with implications whether it ensures future accountability Speaking shortly after the forum, ACCCR which reach well beyond the remit of and integrity and listening in the Church’s Convener, Peter Johnstone, said that the the Plenary Council. decision making – that can’t occur without coalition is increasingly harnessing the accepting the equality of women and energy for renewal Australia-wide: Peter Johnstone said that the attempt introducing effective accountability in Catholics want a Church that lives and to keep the governance report secret Church governance, Ms Dean and Professor models the teachings of Jesus. Catholics is clear evidence of the Church’s lack of Warhurst said. are insisting that the now deferred Plenary transparency and reinforces the Royal Commission’s condemnation of the A woman co-chair for the Plenary Council Council, when it does meet, addresses the is essential. 2 real issues of a debilitated Church and Church’s governance and culture. failed Church leadership. Catholic bishops urged to appoint a Presentations at the meeting included woman as co-chair of Plenary Council several overviews of the Plenary Council Australia’s Catholic bishops must appoint process to date, reviews of the six official a woman as co-chairperson of the church discernment papers meant to shape Plenary Council if they wish the summit NCP Convention the Plenary Council agenda, and the meeting to be taken seriously, the ACCCR Implementation Advisory Group’s recent has declared. Melbourne governance report, The Light from the Southern Cross. Women play a leading role in the day-to-day support of Catholic Church liturgies and in John Warhurst, Emeritus Professor of running its health, education and social 13-17 September 2021 Political Science at the Australian National services, but are excluded by church law from University and Chair of Concerned executive governance. For there not to be a Catholics Canberra Goulburn, was woman chair of the Plenary and for women Further details co-Chair of the Coalition’s forum. not to have equal representation in the We trust in the sense of faith of the preparation of discussion documents for the will be published in faithful that has emerged from the Plenary would expose the Plenary as an the Summer edition. submissions, but we are deeply concerned anachronism with compromised credibility that the papers which have been written and relevance for the Australian community, for the Plenary Council fail to marshal Ms Dean (pictured) and Professor reform ideas into a relevant framework Warhurst, Co-chairs said.

30 spring 2020 FEATURES The ANZAC Spirit and church mission GARY STONE Spiritual Deacon Gary Stone served for 48 years in the Army and Australian Federal Police, with multiple deployments in seven different peacemaking missions. He now leads the Veterans Care Association in a mission of rehabilitating wounded, ill and injured Leaders veterans. Picture: Gary Stone (far right) with sons, Michael, Paul and family. Program 1 year Part-time (Fridays)

Focusing on personal integration of the theory and practice of a contemplative and discerning approach to pastoral ministry.

e celebrated Anzac Day in the Kokoda track. Courage, mateship, This formation program is unusual circumstances this year. endurance, and sacrifice were hallmark designed for priests, ministers, The energy and camaraderie of qualities that emerged from these times gatheredW activities was not possible, but of trial. Our forebears certainly laid a lay ecclesial ministers, the Spirit of Anzac still moved millions of foundation of service, social cohesion and community and spiritual leaders, Australians to participate actively in their national unity before self, characteristics local streets. The Prime Minister called upon that blossomed in our nation post-war. chaplains, pastoral carers, and the ANZAC Spirit to be our inspiration in But the Anzac Spirit has continued those in health and education. dealing with Coronavirus. Indeed, in laying to develop since then, especially in the a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, past 30 years when more than 80,000 he called Anzac Day our most spiritual of troops have served in peacemaking and days. • Applications open for 2021 peacekeeping missions in many, many parts In a time when both participation in church of the globe, let alone supporting efforts in • 36 pts toward University and interest in vocations show little signs recent bushfires and Coronavirus response. of Divinity Awards of improving, can we look to the energising Last year the Australian War Memorial spirituality of the ANZACs for a way forward created a new major gallery called, The • Fee-Help is available to for our church. As it happens, RSL Courage for Peace. Much of the gallery sub-branches and other veterans’ groups – qualifying students displays video interviews with veterans of bearing that Anzac Spirit – are active in recent conflicts. A wonderful 30-minute every parish area despite veterans For more information, visit documentary, titled “The Courage for Peace” representing a small percentage of showing these interviews, is available on www.heartoflife.melbourne Australian society. YouTube. Both my son Michael and I were Courage, endurance and sacrifice interviewed in making this. Those of us who are veterans of armed Michael, who spent 8 years overseas in conflict would certainly want to inspire the his 20-year military service, is recorded as broader community as well as the church saying (to armed rebels confronting him in at this time through our reflection on the Timor) … I wouldn’t be here risking my life ANZAC Spirit and what it is that energises unless I really cared for you ... and in another us. For some people, talk of the ANZAC place: the soldier’s role is all about being spirit may conjure up images long past of willing to sacrifice your life for someone you Tel: (03) 9890 1101 young men scaling the cliffs of Gallipoli or don’t know. Continued page 32

the swag 31 FEATURES It’s not just about the soldier next to you. Underpinning all of this was and is a deep It’s about being ready to put your life on spiritual confidence that God was and is the line for another human being; in many with us in Peacemaking. We just have to Pastoral cases for another human being who doesn’t do our best and never, never, never give have the power to protect themselves. up. This is our Anzac Spirit in full bloom, That powerful statement ushers in a whole seeking out and loving neighbours whom sUPErVIsIoN new dimension to the Anzac Spirit. It’s not we have never even met before, even at risk just about being victorious in war, or of death. God blesses such activity, and caring for your mates, important as that is. that indwelling Spirit of God underpinning It’s about caring for others, loving your the Spirit of ANZAC is why veterans today neighbours, especially the defenceless, and display such camaraderie and passion for Heart of Life seeking to help them find peace. We have peace. Indeed, Easter and ANZAC are a whole generation of peacemakers, who partner-celebrations of life, death and invites you to have a lived experience of dealing with resurrection, inspiring and giving us the most ghastly of world catastrophes. HOPE. More importantly they must inspire us to mission to those in need. experience the Jesus said Blessed are the Peacemakers. And what a blessing our troops have been Largely speaking, mission to the powerless to hundreds of thousands of defenceless and vulnerable in our church has been richness that people from the Middle East to the Pacific contracted out to specialist agencies. over the past 30 years! Moreover, many of If we can be truly honest with ourselves, comes from those veterans, like our Vietnam veterans what remains of the Catholic Church in before us, have gone back to these places Australia, founded and once thriving with afterwards and assisted in their missionary zeal, has gradually become a sharing your reconstruction, invigorating their comfortable church, looking after the peoples’ health and wellbeing. people that come to it. Yet every parish area is a mission field where people are pastoral journey, Many of these troops have become seriously in need. wounded, ill or injured as result. But and increasing we are transforming our wounds by Jesus witnessed to a mission of personal continuing a mission to those in need. engagement with the needy, the vulnerable skills and Our Veterans Care Association has and the marginalised. supported many thousands of veterans. There’s little evidence of him spending It has facilitated over 300 of our most his priority time on ‘church stuff’. The sensitivity wounded, ill and injured veterans and long-term impact of Coronavirus has their partners to participate in two-week opened up a vast mission space. Ironically, through rehabilitation programs in Timor, where we might now grow the church by we have also helped many struggling rediscovering and intentionally re-engaging Timorese veterans and their families. in the mission it has always had. The professional We are even in the process of building a ‘roaming’ and ‘not yet’ Catholics might Veterans University! Our veterans are join with us if they see us more guidance. getting healthier by transforming their own intentionally engaged in an outgoing crises into opportunities to help others. mission of mercy. As we have found with Restoring peace veterans, being engaged in mission moves people’s hearts. In the military we dealt with situations by uniting in a common purpose, focussed on Soldiers learn that in the midst of adversity a primary mission of protecting life and we can grow and be blessed with Courage, restoring peace. Personal preferences laid Character, Commitment and Compassion to aside, the good of all took priority over any become better people, and the world and individual freedoms or comfort that we our churches better places for all. The might have desired. Leaders at all levels challenge now is to seize this opportunity were actively present in the greatest areas to be the people and become the church of need, to lead and inspire visibly their that the world needs at this time. These troops, and to use innovation to find local current crises are presenting us with solutions to problems. opportunities to display the ANZAC Spirit 296 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, Vic. in reaching out to those who don’t have the Indeed, everyone was expected to be a power, resources or ability to protect E: [email protected] leader using their initiative and taking themselves. risks to achieve the mission. T: (03) 9890 1101 We pray Lord God that you will inspire us But the mission was always about going to seek them out and embrace them. www.heartoflife.melbourne out of our way to seek out and save those most at risk. Soldiers of Christ arise! 2

32 spring 2020 NEWS USA priests assembly: our challenge of standing up to the powers in On the feast of St Peter and Paul, Pope Catholic faith in the political the church who opposed the Affordable Francis called for healthy disagreement and Health Care Act, so that 20 million of the prayerful unity reported Gerard O’Connell world 40 million without health care coverage in America Magazine on June 29, 2020. might have some coverage. The principle In his homily, Francis first spoke about the of moving towards a better outcome for need for unity in today’s church. He noted the poor must come first. The bishops that Peter and Paul were ‘two very different who opposed the Bill because it included individuals: Peter, a fisherman who spent abortion, failed to realise that affordable his days amid boats and nets, and Paul, health care for the poor reduces abortions a learned Pharisee who taught in because the disadvantaged can get support synagogues.’ When they went forth on for their sexual health before abortion mission, ‘Peter spoke to Jews, and Paul to seems to be their only option. pagans. And when their paths crossed, they Sr Carol Keehan and Father Les Schmidt could argue heatedly,’ which can happen were awarded AUSCP’s Saint John XXIII in close-knit families ‘where there may be award. Sr Carol received the award “for frequent arguments but unfailing love.’ exercising her baptismal priesthood by Departing from his prepared text, Francis promoting affordable health care for said, complaints are the second door closed every person and serving prophetically The Association of US Catholic Priests to the Holy Spirit: the first is narcissism, as President of the Catholic Health (AUSCP) held their assembly via Zoom on the second is discouragement, the third is Association of the United States from pessimism. Narcissism leads one to continually June 23-25. Sr Carol Zinn SSJ, Executive 2005 to 2019, witnessing to Church and Director of the Leadership Conference of look at oneself in the mirror, discouragement society in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, leads to complaints, pessimism [leads] to Women Religious, facilitated a reflection St. Louise de Marillac, and Vatican II.” on the first day on the topic Living the darkness, obscurity. These three attitudes Fr Schmidt received the award for his close the door to the Spirit. Gospel in the Public Square. Sr Carol work with workers’ rights, mountain-top invited participants to think about the way removal, and criminal justice. Then in words that appeared directed to ahead as a way that must prioritize love his critics in the church, Francis recalled over fear, mercy over judgement and On the final day Archbishop John Wester, that those (first) Christians did not cast inclusion over exclusion. Archbishop of Santa Fe, spoke of priest, blame; they prayed. In that community, preaching and political. He noted that all no one said: ‘If Peter had been more careful, Sr Carol explored a spirituality that might have a priestly role to participate in the we would not be in this situation’. No one! assist people to engage with the political baptismal vocation and all preach every Peter, humanly speaking, had reasons to be world. The themes included accompaniment time witness is given and to be political is criticized, but no one criticized him. They which must resist individualism; mutuality essential if it means injecting the gospel did not complain about Peter; they prayed with others not like me; vulnerability – values into public life, rather than being for him. They did not talk about Peter open to all life; hospitality inclusion of all party political. Bishop Wester offered a few behind his back; they talked to God. and reverence that welcomes the sacred in tips for homilists, one being that the use if everything. the term ‘you’ should be replaced by ‘we’. Pope Francis then suggested we should That change alone can invite the people pray for one another rather than complain. The talks included reflections on presence, He went on to speak about the need for effects of polarisation and some responses into the human challenge we all share in embodying the gospel, rather than the prophecy in the church today, saying to it and how to develop relationships. A prophecy is born whenever we allow ourselves authority telling the subordinates what to do. key point was how to foster transformation. to be challenged by God, not when we are This happens when starting from the concerned to keep everything quiet and under present moment, looking to the future Pope Francis emphasizes the control. When the Gospel overturns certainties, and not harping on the past, committing need for unity and prophecy prophecy arises. Only someone who is open to to the journey, embracing the unknown in the church God’s surprises can become a prophet. and maintaining openness to new forms of being church to match the new emerging Supporting seminaries overseas Recently, realities of people’s lives. Fr Brian Lucas, National Director of Catholic Mission, had a phone call from A summary of the strategy for helpful Rome from Archbishop Giampietro Dal and transformative action was offered: Toso, President of the Pontifical Mission if you have a choice to be right or be in Societies. He began by asking him to pass relationship, choose relationship. on to the people of Australia his appreciation John Carr, the longtime director of the for their generous support for the Pontifical U.S. bishops’ domestic and international Mission Societies. Per capita Australia ranks policy programs and Sr Carol Keehan very well in terms of support for the (pictured), ninth President and CEO Societies. of the Catholic Health Association of The main purpose of his call was to advise the United States from 2005 to 2019, that with the COVID-19 pandemic and spoke on the second day. While Carr the total lockdown imposed by the civil concentrated on the principles of Catholic authorities in most countries, many local Social Teaching, Sr Carol recalled the churches were unable to follow their Continued page 34

the swag 33 NEWS custom to take a collection for the Society Liturgy in lockdown: Rumsey said: we decided that, all things of St Peter the Apostle on Good Shepherd The Paschal Mystery without considered, our celebration of the Paschal Sunday (4th Sunday of Easter). This Mystery had been extremely satisfactory, and Society supports the training of priests in a presbyter in many ways, the meaning of it all had come the mission territories. Last year it assisted home to us perhaps more clearly than ever. 23,138 major seminarians in mission countries to an average amount of It certainly convinced us that a woman could US$460. With the dramatic loss of preside at the celebrations just as effectively as income, the situation in 2021 is likely a man, she said, and, bearing in mind the to be very precarious. role the women played during the very first Holy Week, perhaps even more appropriately. The Archbishop mentioned the special bond between priests and the training of Austrian liturgists argue for the next generation, and wondered if it might be possible that the clergy in ‘benediction’ of same-sex Australia would like to contribute couples something to assist in meeting these needs. The Austrian Catholic bishops’ liturgy He noted that it is likely that many of the office commissioned a book on gay unions foreign-born priests working in Australia reported Christa Pongratz-Lippitt in La were themselves educated in seminaries Croix International on June 17, 2020. supported by the Society of St Peter Apostle. The book argues for the sacramental Through the good offices Theof Swag, if blessing of same-sex couples. The first half you were able to make a donation you can of the text is concerned with same-sex do so on line www.catholicmission.org.au/ marriages in Austria from an ethical and theswag or phone 1800 257 296. If you biblical point of view. The second half want to discuss this with Fr Brian please A Poor Clare monastery in London offers liturgical suggestions for blessing call 0419 243 959. celebrated creative liturgies during Easter and resisted engaging presbyters recalled celebrations for same-sex couples. Patricia Rumsey, a member of the Poor Volgger, a priest of the Order of Germany Vincentians open Divine Retreat Clare Monastery in Arkley (North Centre on Central Coast NSW (or Teutonic Knights), said the decisive London, UK) in La Croix International question for him is whether same-sex The centre at Somersby NSW was established (June 22, 2020). partners who love each other can pursue by the Vincentian Congregation, a Catholic ‘As a monastic community, liturgy is very their baptismal vocation for a life together religious order under the patron saint important in our life. In fact, it forms the and receive the Church’s official blessing. St Vincent de Paul in 2013. The main structure of our daily lives’ she said. charism of the Vincentian Congregation He said the Church could show its is evangelisation to the poor – spiritual, Having talked about live streamed Mass in appreciation of this partnership, which social or economic. The centre is part of community, they decided not to regress to symbolically expresses God’s love for the Vincentian global response to Saint Pope liturgies where participants were reduced human beings, by offering an official John Paul II’s call for new evangelization. to ‘observers’ of a screen liturgy. blessing – that is, a benediction. Although run independently, Divine They decide they would concentrate in ‘A great deal of disappointment and Retreat Centre Somersby is a part of the the Liturgy of the Hours, the community’s suffering would be avoided and Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay. daily prayer rhythm. discrimination rescinded,’ he said. Our main goal is to assist children of God to But when Easter arrived they had a new “If Church teaching respects a same-sex experience a renewal of life by encountering question of how would they celebrate. relationship as a common unfolding of our the love of God. We help people of all faiths They decided to celebrate Palm Sunday baptismal vocation, this expresses that God live joy-filled, wonderful lives and walk in with a simple palm blessing and dramatic is present and works in Jesus Christ. That freedom – only known through Jesus reading of the Passion. Holy Thursday constitutes the sacramental character of the Christ. More than 28,000 visitors have presented a greater challenge. They relationship,” he said. had an experience of the heart at Divine. celebrated the Word of God and the Volgger recalled that Bishop Georg The centre runs spiritual programs, events washing of feet and then gathered for a Bätzing, president of Germany’s episcopal and retreats guided by fathers of the simple meal where the abbess served each conference, had only recently said he Vincentian Congregation for the spiritual sister broken homemade bread and wine. hoped that there would be coalitions renewal of individuals, couples, families, While Good Friday was easy to replicate between dioceses who wanted to recognize groups and church parishes. It also offers the liturgy themselves, the Easter Vigil was homosexual partnerships and remarried a charismatic healing ministry as well as another story. Rumsey noted starting with divorcees. targeted ministry for youth and young the fire and candle and then the Exultet. Among the considerable feedback he’s adults. Our prayer centre is family-friendly The readings followed and they renewed received after the book was published, he as we offer children and teenage ministry our baptismal promises. said many letters approved of his initiative at most of our events. Easter Sunday began with a glorious and emphasized how important it is to Find out more by visiting the website: celebration of Lauds (Morning Prayer) discuss and advance this issue with the aim https://divineretreatcentre.org.au and then a very festive breakfast! of changing Church law.

34 spring 2020 NEWS New Vatican instruction on council is to be established in each parish’, The 200-page report, titledThe Light from Catholic parishes enshrines but only if the diocesan bishop ‘judges it the Southern Cross: Promoting Co-responsible opportune’. And such a council ‘possesses Governance in the Catholic Church in clericalism a consultative vote only’, Mickens notes. Australia, was handed to the Australian The bishops. The priests. All men. They Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) make the final decision. and Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) I’ve known of parish priests who have on 4 May 2020. It contained 86 refused to even meet with the parish or recommendations and according to pastoral council. And they have also made the ACBC, makes a ‘substantial and decisions contrary to the advice of the comprehensive contribution with far- financial board or council. They boast reaching implications for the Church’s life proudly of their right to do so, said Mickens. and mission. It identifies, according to ACBC president, Archbishop Mark The change called for by Pope Francis, a Coleridge, key principles of good ecclesial reform of structures, is missing. The law governance, such as subsidiarity, stewardship, must be changed. More adequate structures synodality, dialogue, discernment and and avenues must be created to favour, leadership [and] offers important ideas on encourage and reflect the new mentality. how the Church might enhance the leadership See full article here: https://tinyurl.com/ role of lay people and ensure appropriate y59nwv57 co-responsibility at parish and diocesan levels. This decision to withhold this important Historic Church Governance document is the antithesis of everything The Congregation for the Clergy caused a Report locked down by recommended in the report on transparency bit a surprise and a whole lot of consternation Australian Bishops and co-responsibility. It is a failure to earlier this week when it issued a new recognize and accept the new paradigm from document on ‘the pastoral conversion of On 4 May 2020 the Project Team the word ‘go’, and a reneging on Coleridge’s the parish community at the service of the commissioned by the Australian bishops earlier pledge that ‘business as usual’ cannot Church’s evangelizing mission’ reports and religious superiors to review the continue, reported Wilkinson. Robert Mickens in La Croix International Catholic Church’s governance and on July 24, 2020. management structures, presented its 200-page final report. Its 86 recommendations Two new Bishops – The document deals with the theme of the include the need for greater transparency Wagga Wagga and Sale pastoral care of parish communities, the and co-responsibility. various clerical and lay ministries, with a view to greater co-responsibility of all the The decision of the bishops to withhold baptized, the congregation said in a press the report from public view for at least release. 6 months has shocked many Catholics, reported Peter Wilkinson, a missiologist, in While this new document begins Pearls and Irritations (johnmenadue.com) promisingly with the fresh and creative on May 26, 2020. language the Jesuit pope employs with such courage and foresight in his 2013 The report is part of the Catholic apostolic exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, bishops’ response to the Australian Royal the text quickly hits the proverbial Commission into Institutional Responses canonical speed bump. Instead of proposing to Child Sexual Abuse. ‘The Commission Bishop Mark Edwards & Bishop-elect Greg Bennet creative changes for re-envisioning the finally grasped that ‘clericalism’ – a belief diocese-territorial parish structure that is by priests and bishops that they are On 26 May 2020, Pope Francis appointed no longer sustainable, it actually goes on to superior to the lay faithful – and systemic Bishop Mark Stuart Edwards OMI, who reaffirm this Tridentine model, Mickens dysfunctional governance on a massive had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of comments. scale were at the root of the problem’ said Melbourne, the sixth Bishop of Wagga Wilkinson. The document makes it quite clear that Wagga. the parish priest is the ‘proper pastor’ and An Implementation Advisory Group (IAG) Pope Francis also appointed Monsignor no one else can take that role including was set up to conduct a national review of Greg Bennet, a priest of the Archdiocese deacons, religious or laypersons. The titles the governance and management structures of Melbourne, as the 10th Bishop of Sale. of pastor, leader or co-pastor must not be of dioceses and parishes, including in relation used for other than the parish priest. Lay to issues of transparency, accountability, Bishop Edwards was born in Balikpapan, people assist but are clearly cast in the role consultation and the participation of lay Indonesia in 1959 and moved to Australia of working in the world as their evangelising men and women (Royal Commission in 1962. mission, while being excluded from any Recommendation 16.7). He has a Bachelor of Science degree at governance reform. The IAG identified the essential elements Monash University in Melbourne. In 1980 There is nothing new or creative in the of good governance as integrity, transparency, he entered the Novitiate of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, document to encourage a Vatican II accountability, risk management, culture and ethics, consultation, inclusiveness, and studying at the Catholic Theological co-responsibility or synodal approach. the participation and genuine responsibility College in Melbourne and the Melbourne For example, canon 536 says ‘a pastoral of men and women. College of Divinity. Continued page 36

the swag 35 NEWS He was ordained a priest in 1986. There is now a genuine public procurement Where did Amy Cooper learn this, where He obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy code based on common principles and do we all learn this? Massingale argues it is and a Baccalaureate in Literature and Catholic social teaching, reported Nicolas absorbed through the reality of living white Education. He has worked in schools, as Seneze in La Croix International on June 2. privilege. Novice Master and Professor at Catholic Theological College in Melbourne. It covers awarding public contracts with He says: That’s the reason for the grief, ethical integrity and greater transparency. outrage, lament, anger, pain and fury that In 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2011 he was have been pouring into our nation’s streets. elected Provincial Councillor of the White privilege and systemic Because folks are tired. Not only of the Australian Oblate Missionaries Province. racism individual outrages. But of the fundamental He is a Member of the Committee for assumption that ties them all together: that The assumptions of white Catholic Education for the Australian In an article, black lives don’t matter and should not Bishops Conference. privilege and what we can do about it, matter – at least not as much as white ones. published in the The National Catholic Read the full article at: https://tinyurl.com/ Bishop Edwards was installed on Reporter June 1, 2020, Bryan Massingale, yb42yvye Wednesday, 22 July 2020. priest and theology professor at Fordham Bishop-Elect Bennet is currently the parish University in New York, argues that while US Catholic priests’ group tells priest of St Joseph’s, West Brunswick. He privilege is embedded in us and we all know it and know how it works either in voters to create society based has held several leadership positions within on Jesus’ values the Archdiocese of Melbourne, including our favour or against us depending on race as director of Ministry to Priests and later and colour. Do not be afraid to confront reality and as inaugural director of the Office for Massingale takes the case of Amy Cooper, vote to bring our country leadership that Evangelisation. After additional parish who called police saying her life was reflects our faith, says Association of U.S. ministry, he served as vicar general from threatened because a black man had Catholic Priests (AUSCP) reports La Croix 2012 to 2019. asked her to leash her dog in Central International (June 17, 2020) Bishop-Elect Bennet was born in April Park, New York as the law requires. AUSCP has come out in support of 1963, and after working in banking for Massingale argues that Amy Cooper knew Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington several years, he entered Corpus Christi she would be believed because of the way for saying that a political candidate should College in 1986 and was ordained priest white privilege works in dominant white not misuse worship places, and has also in 1992. America. He notes that she knew what she pointed to how Catholics should vote in Following a number of parish appointments, was doing. And so do we. Why did she act November, said the report. Bishop-Elect Bennet undertook postgraduate as she did? Massingale said: Archbishop Gregory criticised the use of study, gaining a master of science in She assumed that her lies would be more holy places for partisan political purposes. pastoral counselling from Loyola College credible than his truth. AUSCP statement said: Gregory’s brave and in Baltimore and a licentiate in sacred She assumed that she would have the prophetic witness to the truth when needed, theology from the Angelicum University presumption of innocence. especially during this most challenging in Rome. She assumed that he, the black man, would political year, is worthy of our support as have a presumption of guilt. priests and friends throughout the United The Vatican decrees financial She assumed that the police would back her up. States. Thank you, Archbishop Gregory for reform She assumed that her race would be an the strength of your commitment to racial advantage, that she would be believed justice, your care for social justice and your because she is white. (By the way, this is what courage to speak out to our church and society. we mean by white privilege). It recalled that in Forming Consciences for She assumed that his race would be a burden, Faithful Citizenship, U.S. bishops stated even an insurmountable one. that Catholics often face difficult choices She assumed that the world should work for about how to vote. This is why it is her and against him. important to vote according to a well- She assumed that she had the upper hand in formed consciences. this situation... She assumed that if he protested his innocence As we look at our society, racism (white against her, he would be seen as “playing the privilege), sexism, immigration, climate control, COVID-19 testing availability in all In an apostolic letter, issued on June 1, race card.” She assumed that no one would accuse her neighbourhoods are all violations of human Pope Francis promulgated new rules for respect and dignity leading to abuse of its financial accountability including: of “playing the race card,” because no one accuses white people of playing the race card government authority and public violence, sustainable use of internal funds, ... the statement said. ethics in the orientation of economic choices, when using race to their advantage...... programming and rationalization for She assumed that a black man had no right It went on: If we do not take the time to expenditures, ... competitive tendering, ... to tell her what to do... promote our Catholic social teaching, rooted transparency of tender procedures, ... She assumed that Christian Cooper could in Christ, and vote, our country will continue which must be objective and impartial, ... and would understand all of the above. to move toward more inequality through equal treatment and non-discrimination of (And she was right. He clearly knew what white privilege, more climate deterioration, candidates, ... combating conflicts of interest was at stake, which is why he had the more sexism, more fear, all leading to violence and distortions of competition... presence of mind to record what happened). and race riots in our streets.

36 spring 2020 NEWS Vatican document views laity Australia would like to contribute 5th Anniversary of Laudato Si as having no role in governance something to assist in meeting these needs. He noted that it is likely that many of the ‘If life’s events, with all their bitterness, A 22-page document, titled The pastoral foreign-born priests working in Australia sometimes risk choking the gift of prayer conversion of the parish community in the were themselves educated in seminaries that is within us, it is enough to service of the evangelizing mission of the supported by the Society of St Peter contemplate a starry sky, a sunset, a church, was promulgated by the Apostle. flower... in order to rekindle a spark of Congregation for Clergy on 20 July thanksgiving’, Pope Francis said during (https://tinyurl.com/y4nvm65l). If you are able to make a donation you can Laudato Si Week, May 16-24, a celebration do so online www.catholicmission.org.au/ of the 5th anniversary of the encyclical. He Its purpose seems to be to dismiss any theswag or phone 1800 257 296. If you made an ‘urgent appeal for a new dialogue notion that reform of structures and want to discuss this with Fr Brian please about how we are shaping the future of governance in the church would include call 0419 243 959. our planet’, reported Robert Mickens in lay people, and thus women. La Croix International (May 22). The usual arguments are put forward that Christianity more than The pope said:The first page of the Bible the ordained priest has jurisdiction over doctrine, says Pope resembles a great hymn of thanksgiving. The parishes and the rights and responsibilities narrative of Creation has a rhythm with of pastoral care are solely under the pastor. refrains, where the goodness and beauty of To underline the distinction and the power every living thing is continually emphasized. relationship, the document is very clear With his word, God calls to life, and every about roles and appropriate terms noting: thing comes into existence. With his word, it is the responsibility, first of all, of the God separates light from darkness, alternates diocesan Bishop and, as far as it pertains day and night, interchanges the seasons, opens to him, the Parish Priest, to see that the a palette of colours with the variety of plants appointments of deacons, religious and laity and animals. In this overflowing forest that that have roles of responsibility in the Parish, quickly vanquishes the chaos, the last one to are not designated as “pastor”, “co-pastor”, appear is man. And this appearance inspires “chaplain”, “moderator”, “coordinator”, an extreme exultation that amplifies God’s “Parish manager”, or other similar terms satisfaction and joy: ‘God saw everything that [141] reserved by law to priests,[142] he had made, and behold, it was very good’ inasmuch as they have a direct correlation (Gen 1:31). Very good, but also beautiful: to the ministerial profile of priests. the beauty of all creation can be seen! ‘Christianity is not only an ethic. Yes, of The Pope’s encyclical invokes the image Supporting seminaries overseas course, it has moral principles, but one is of St Francis of earth as sister and our not a Christian only with an ethical common home. Francis noted that ‘this Recently, Fr Brian Lucas, National viewpoint’ the Pope said in his homily sister now cries out to us because of the Director of Catholic Mission, had a on May 7 during his early morning Mass harm we have inflicted on her by our phone call from Rome from Archbishop at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, reported irresponsible use and abuse of the goods Giampietro Dal Toso, President of the La Croix International (May 7). with which God has endowed her’. Pontifical Mission Societies. He began by asking him to pass on to the people Christianity is not a set of moral principles, The urgent challenge to protect our common of Australia his appreciation for their but is the story of God’s love for his home includes a concern to bring the whole generous support for the Pontifical Mission people, Pope Francis said. human family together to seek a sustainable Societies. Per capita Australia ranks very In his homily, the pope reflected on the and integral development, for we know that well in terms of support for the Societies. day’s first reading from the Acts of the things can change, Francis says in the encyclical. The main purpose of his call was to advise Apostles in which Paul preaches at the Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of that with the Covid19 pandemic and the synagogue about Jesus by recounting the believers, can range from denial of the problem total lockdown imposed by the civil history of salvation, beginning with the to indifference, nonchalant resignation or authorities in most countries, many local Israel’s exodus out of Egypt. In choosing to blind confidence in technical solutions,” churches were unable to follow their begin his preaching of the faith in this way, Francis acknowledges in the encyclical. custom to take a collection for the Society the pope explained, Paul emphasizes that of St Peter the Apostle on Good Shepherd Christianity is not just a doctrine, but ‘a Should Protestants receive Sunday (4th Sunday of Easter). This history that carries this doctrine, which is Communion at Mass? Society supports the training of priests in God’s promise, God’s covenant, of being the mission territories. Last year it assisted elected by God. David Knight, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis (USA) recently wrote 23,138 major seminarians in mission ‘Christianity is not only an ethic. Yes, of in La Croix International (July 23) looking countries to an average amount of course, it has moral principles, but one is at the tradition of the who can receive US$460. With the dramatic loss of not a Christian only with an ethical communion. He said: the simple truth is income, the situation in 2021 is likely viewpoint,’ he said. ‘It’s more than that. to be very precarious. that it is not against Catholic doctrine for Christianity is not an ‘elite’ group of Protestants to receive Communion at Mass. The Archbishop mentioned the special people chosen for the truth.’ Despite bond between priests and the training of being ‘a sinful people,’ he added that true All baptised Christians are in the ‘state of the next generation, and wondered if it Christians carry ‘the scent of being a grace’ by virtue of their baptism. This is might be possible that the clergy in chosen people.’ clear from many church statements and Continued page 38

the swag 37 NEWS practices. For example we do not re-baptise Christ’s will because we continue to focus on Protestants; Pope Pius X wrote in our differences, … our shared Baptism is December 20, 1905: No one who is in the more important than our differences. state of grace and comes to the table of the SILOAM Yon read the full article here: Lord with a good attitude and devotion can be prohibited from receiving Communion; https://tinyurl.com/y5ewmh2k Pope John XXIII said: We address, then, as Spiritual brothers and sisters all who are separated Pope Francis finally makes from us, using the words of Saint Augustine: bishops accountable for “Whether they wish it or not, they are our Director brothers and sisters. They cease to be our cover-ups brothers and sisters only when they stop saying Kieran Tapsell in John Menadue – Pearls ‘Our Father’ (Ad Petri Cathedram, 86)”, and Irritations (July 24, 2020) comments Formation noted Knight in the article. on the advances the Vatican has made with How can we deny Protestants, our brothers the manual published on July 16 to deal Program and sisters in Christ, a place together with with allegations of child sexual abuse us at our table? against Church personnel. Knight says that while there are official Tapsell points out that in Pope Francis’ policies that seem to deny Communion to Apostolic Letter, Vos Estis Lux Mundi on non-Catholics, Bernard Häring, one of the 7 May 2019 made some changes to canon greatest moral theologian of modern times, law over child sexual abuse to be applied when reflecting on a Mass as army chaplain universally throughout the Church but noted that: on the eve of the outset of the Russian war, I took it upon myself to celebrate made no mention of the pontifical secret the Eucharist and grant general absolution to being abolished, and did not impose soldiers of all faiths, most of whom participated. mandatory reporting to the civil authorities He went on to note it would have been outside the Vatican City. 1 year Full-time unthinkable and abhorrent to do otherwise. On 17 December 2019, Pope Francis Then Knight points out instances where abolished the pontifical secret for child or 2 years Part-time Popes have offered communion to non- sexual abuse so that bishops were no longer Catholics: John Paul II gave communion prohibited by canon law to report to the in the Vatican to Tony Blair, Prime Minister civil authorities. of England, while he was still an Anglican. Enliven the divine spark At John Paul’s funeral, Pope Benedict XVI The new manual for dealing with child through contemplative gave Communion to Brother Roger, a sexual abuse allegations against Church Presbyterian founder of the ecumenical personnel says: Even in cases where there formation monastery of Taizè. is no explicit legal obligation to do so, the ecclesiastical authorities should make a Knight asks how can we ban from the table report to the competent civil authorities if those who are accepted as brothers and • Applications open for 2021 sisters by the Catholic Church and this is considered necessary to protect the children of the same God. person involved or other minors from the • May be studied as a Graduate danger of further criminal acts. (clause 17) Denying Communion to our Christian and says: subject to civil laws, the Church Diploma in Spiritual Direction siblings goes against theology of baptismal authorities are to respect the wishes of the status but also against Vatican II statements • Fee-Help is available to complainant not to report (clause 48). This on unity. Knight says we can focus on the reflects the exception under the New South mystery of the shared communion in the qualifying students body and blood of Christ or we can focus Wales and Victorian Crimes Acts on on doctrinal expression and disciplinary mandatory reporting. See brochure and application form at practice. Tapsell notes that this is probably enough www.heartoflife.melbourne Knight says: Which of these two perspectives to make a bishop accountable for a cover up. would make us more aware of the mystery of The manual indicates an interesting change the Mass: going up to Communion with of culture because canon law for the last others who are not Catholic, but who have 100 years was more concerned about become the body of Christ by receiving the providing immunity for abusive priests divine life of God through the mystery of Baptism; or going up segregated and leaving than the welfare of children. our doctrinally confused brothers and sisters Even the “repressive regimes” excuse was behind as if their Baptism had never based on concern about priests being happened and God’s life is not in them? harshly punished and not about the welfare Tel: (03) 9890 1101 Knight concludes his reflection with Pope of children. Full article can be found here: Francis’ comment: We are sinning against https://tinyurl.com/y5locpdc 2

38 spring 2020 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Australian bishops should resign their respective resigning bishops. If Rome where new opportunities are sought and The Autumn issue ofThe Swag contained did not accept any particular resignation, implemented. four interesting articles on the upcoming the continuing bishop should appoint a At St Joseph’s Malvern our investigations Plenary Council in relation to the vicar-general on the advice of his presbyters into greater roles for women activities recommendations contained in the and go on indefinite sick leave or some (are) include: other concocted leave. report of the Royal Commission. 1. Sunday sermons delivered by women – Such a mass resignation approach would in progress: women deliver Sunday mass In the first, on the implementation of these certainly grab the public’s attention and recommendations, John Warhurst refers to sermons quarterly (with increasing demonstrate that the Church finally is frequency after Covid restrictions lifted). the need to ‘focus to rebuild trust and serious about regaining its lost credibility. credibility’ in the conduct of our Church 2. Worship activities led by Women in leaders. The suggested high proportion of church (awaiting lifting of restrictions): resignations will reflect how seriously Communion services for women and In the second, in his article on Catholic the crisis is being taken. formation, Greg Crafter, a former SA men; Adoration – women leading prayer Minister for Education, refers to the My other point is that the near complete whilst the Blessed sacrament is exposed; sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed the absence of the role of women in the Bible Study and Prayer Groups for other Church, which he states has ‘weakened Church’s leadership is also a disgrace and women. the community standing of our bishops’. should be urgently addressed. The starting 3. Funeral services conducted by women He notes the high public recognition and point ought to be the ordination of (under consideration). women, married or unmarried, to the support that our schools, hospitals, and 4. Seminars/women’s interest groups diaconate. The question of their ordination aged care services enjoy, and laments that run by women (under consideration). to the priesthood should be held in such is not the case for the Catholic Church On topics of interest to other women, abeyance and left to a future pope further as an institution. In his opinion we are at on line, or face-to-face. ‘a low point in our history’ and the removed from Saint John Paul II. This is what a fresh start should look like. With 5. Pastoral Services by women to other standing of our leaders is suffering. He women (under consideration): support struggles to see the Church in Australia women in leadership positions a solid platform will be in place for further reform, for women seeking pastoral care from rebuilding itself without a much greater women. participation of competent, committed, if required, over the coming decades. and deeply formed laity. He rejects the Ted Fennessy, Balnarring Beach VIC To better equip laywomen and men for notion that our present lot of bishops greater involvement in church life, some are our ‘lead public advocates’. Women’s roles in ministry now theological training and knowledge, we believe would be very useful. St Joseph’s The time is now. Recent parish discussions In the third, in his article (which is in is examining training options currently. a similar vein to Greg Crafter’s), John have vigorously reiterated the long overdue Scanlon states the clerical sexual abuse crisis case for women in church life. We know These are essentially, little steps taken by has caused a massive reduction in the level of worthy, talented Catholic women are St Joseph’s Malvern, to bridge the gap. trust that our fellow-Australians are prepared repeatedly denied a seat at tables of church If other parishes can take similar small, to place in Catholic institutions and their power, tables where the big decisions are made. meaningful steps to promote meaningful spokespeople. We know that even at local parish level, involvement of their women in parish life, In the fourth article, Chris Geraghty worthy women are denied opportunities would that not eventually, collectively, accuses many of our bishops and to serve, despite ever declining number harness a groundswell of support, loud archbishops of living in ‘a parallel universe’ of priests and men entering the seminary. enough, that Rome would take notice? and he recommends the Plenary Council We know amongst us, there are many Let’s us pray for courage and boldness passes a motion of profound gratitude to generous devout women able to take to take action. former PM, Julia Gillard, for initiating positions of leadership, preach, provide Eventually our goal is to lead more people the RC. His most stinging criticism is, pastoral care to fellow parishioners. to God. But without an open and inclusive however, reserved for ‘not one bishop Passive acceptance of the status quo is approach, our beloved Catholic Church, or archbishop took the time to attend not an option. But the question remains – with its unique theology and traditions the final, solemn session of the RC’. what can be done now, bottom up from would struggle to endure into the future. He describes this omission as ‘a disgrace’. local parishes, given the slow momentum The time to act is now. I agree with the sentiments expressed in of change, top down from Rome? What Ms Nalis Miranda, Malvern VIC these four articles. The credibility of our small reasonable steps can parishes take? bishops has been shot to pieces. I find it Do parishes have courage to step boldly There is no distinction between amazing that there is not already a universal into a fairer future for our women in male or female cry for all of them to resign. Even so, for all church life? Longer term, ordination of My name is Father Rex Hackett of the of them to resign simultaneously would women priests is desirable to maintain Diocese of Lismore NSW, now retired probably be a bit much. My idea is for all vigorous parish life. But realistically, this from parish responsibilities. I was ordained the archbishops to resign, and for all but may not happen for a very long time. in 1966 in Grafton. I experienced the seven of the remaining bishops to then At St Joseph’s Malvern, thanks to our Latin Mass from 1941 and I was in the follow with their resignations. enlightened Parish Priest and Parish Seminary at Springwood and Manly from The ‘seven’ could be determined by the council, inclusion of Women is a “hot 1960 to 1966, during the Second Vatican current group of 23 by some exhaustive button issue”, and has been for quite some Council. ballot process. The papal nuncio definitely time. We aim to “walk the talk” to the I would like to share with you an insight should be excluded from this process and extent we are able to. Inclusion of women which I received in 1986, when attending all relevant vicars-general should follow is a topic at our monthly Parish council a three month sabbatical at Notre Dame Continued page 40

the swag 39 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR University in Indiana USA attended by We had been through five decades: publicised) through the internet and 50 other priests from around the world. The awakening 60s, The exciting 70s, specifically via YouTube. And yet at a time The first module was presented by a The suspicious 80s, The depressing 90s, in our history when church attendance bi-ritual priest who made the statement The imploding noughties. It’s fascinating, has significantly decreased – and in my that the Pope would never allow women enthralling and absolutely essential reading. experience, so has knowledge and to be priests because in the Eastern Rite Later that day I had a delightfully understanding of the faith and certainly Church the icon of the priest stood in surprising visit from the prophetic Dr Val of the rituals – I wonder if there has been ‘persona Christi’: the Person of Christ. Noone OAM, historian, social activist and a missed opportunity? In the last module on Saint Paul the former Melbourne priest. Val’s latest book I wonder if this painful separation from presenter made the following statement: is Dorothy Day in Australia. He was so the Eucharist, from Jesus present as human the ordained priest could never be a pleased that I ordered multiple copies of and divine, might not be an occasion for woman if he stood in ‘persona Jesus his book that he personally delivered them renewed teaching on the mind-blowing of Nazareth’ who was a man. to me. reality of the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity? This was an important part of However, Saint Paul in Galatians 3:28 Val was co-editor with Garry McLoughlin Jesus’ teaching. The gift of Jesus’ presence says, ‘in The Christ there is no distinction of the pioneering magazine Priest Forum in Eucharist is most wonderful. No less so between Jew and Greek, slave or free, male 1968-1972, in conjunction with Ted is the gift of our God’s presence within us, or female....for all of you are one in Christ Kennedy. Val and Garry convened the loving, sustaining, enabling. Since living in Jesus’. first independent meeting of Australian Catholic priests at Coogee on 6/7 October rural Queensland and privileged to So the ordained priest stands not in 1969 which in turn led to the national minister to those in remote areas of the ‘persona Jesus of Nazareth’ but in ‘persona conference at Hunters Hill in May 1970 diocese for whom celebration of the Christi’ in whom there is no distinction and the formation of the National Council Eucharist even if regular, is far from between male or female according to of Priests. weekly, my own appreciation of the great Paul in Galatians 3:28. mystery of the indwelling Trinity has The church of Australia should rejoice in Therefore, the obvious conclusion is that deepened. While daily Mass is no longer its many heroes with abiding gratitude. a woman could be an ordained priest or possible, this awareness is a source of joy I thank our Creator God for the depth deacon in ‘persona Christi’. and confidence in the challenges of of humanity, faith, dynamic vision and everyday living. I wonder if this opinion would ever see pastoral energy of prophetic leaders such as the light of day should the question of Peter Maher, Eric Hodgens and Val Noone. Mary Farrelly SM, Central Western Queensland ordaining women as priests or deacons Kevin F Burke, Sandringham VIC arise at the Plenary Council? Rex Hackett, Diocese of Lismore NSW Missed opportunity? Vatican II revisited I have just read Eric Hodgens’ reflective In the Catechism of the Catholic Church article on the reception of Vatican II. It Vatican II, Dorothy Day 1324 we read: The Eucharist is the source took me back a long way. I was a teaching and the NCP and summit of the Christian life. The quote religious from the early ‘50s. Waiting for my chiropractor, I started of course, comes from the Vatican II reading The Swag (Winter 2020). I was document, Lumen Gentium. In his It was in 1960 that I attended some deeply moved by Peter Maher’s editoral response to this document, Dr. Albert courses run by local priests in Sydney on especially his insightful reflections as he Outler says that it (LG) may rightly be catechesis being developed as a result of undergoes treatment for cancer. I couldn’t regarded as the masterpiece of Vatican II Vatican II. I had been trained by the best but be inspired by his beautifully poetic (Walter Abbott S.J. edited the publication catechetical trainers of the time but it was statement: My values have been pared in 1966). In the intervening half century largely based, of course, on the Catechism. down to concentrating on my health, popes, priests and lay people in books, This new approach opened my eyes and I dancing with a playful God who darts homilies and other addresses have used loved it. in and out of my consciousness through these or similar words to describe the I bought myself a Bible, the Jerusalem things known and unknown… letting go Eucharist. Bible. I had never had a Bible! When I and sorting things out so others can take To the person in the street, what is most went into the Training College as a young up where I am no longer able. Isn’t that likely to identify a Christian as Catholic is teenager, my father had given me a New superb? Realism merged with humility his or her attitude to Eucharist, to God’s Testament. I have just checked that and wisdom. presence therein. Since COVID-19 edition. It was printed in 1919! But that was just the start! Next I read resulted in the closure of churches here Admittedly, it has a few references in Eric Hodgens’ personal reflection onThe in Australia and around the world, footnotes to both Old and New Testaments, reception of Vatican II in Australia. It blew technology has been used to an extent but nothing in the order that my new Bible my mind out of the park! I’ve never come as never before in live-streaming and had with its marginal references. across such an expansive and in-depth recording the celebration of the Mass. Interestingly, as a teenager in the Training analysis of how Vatican II impacted the Though a poor second-best so to speak, College, there was a Bible in the library in Australian church. Admittedly Eric was in there are multiple options available to us a section where there were books that one the right places at the right times especially to watch and ‘join in’ when one or a small had to get permission to read. On a as Director of Pastoral Formation in the number of the ordained say Mass. Many particular occasion, I wished to check a great Archdiocese of Melbourne at a crucial of us have gratefully taken advantage of Biblical reference I had come across in a period in its history. Eric’s brilliant mind, this opportunity. In fact, a whole range of scientific book. I got permission to look at pastoral vision and linguistic skills are on resources to nurture our faith has quite this Bible. The reference was to one of the full display. I love his incisive statement: quickly become available (or been Psalms. I looked up that particular Psalm

40 spring 2020 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR but it did not seem to be the same as the Something beautiful for God rather than contributors to women’s quote I had read. I put the Bible back – a new missal displacement. The problem is not too mystified. many deacons but rather too few. When the new transliteration of the Missal Had I looked at the very next Psalm was promulgated, I used to enjoy going to Vatican II emphatically recognised all the I would have found the quote. lectures and listening to the liturgists baptised as fully responsible members of But, back then, I knew nothing of the attempting to defend the indefensible. the People of God with a direct apostolate differing psalm numbering in various I suspect that the hope of the translators of preaching the Word of God and Bibles. was that tarting up of the text with obscure reframed the role of the priest as fully In the ‘60s and 70s, I used the Bible and holy words would lead to an increase men, not separated from the people but in mass attendance. The jury has returned with them in life and work. (Apostolicam extensively in my catechesis. I loved reading to the students of the Capture its verdict on that one with their feet. actuositatem/ Presbyterorum ordinis) of Jerusalem by David that we find in Students of language talk about the various And they restored to the church the 2 Samuel and the later buying of the Englishes we have now; English English, ancient and neglected order of diaconate threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite American English, Indian English, to address its modern needs (Gooley, A. by David in order to build a temple to Australian English to name a few. Those Deacons Today, Coventry Press 2019). The God. It was some years later that I entered who were asked to produce a mass text leaders of the embryonic church (Acts 6:17) Hezekiah’s tunnel linking the Spring of which was suitable for all the speakers of laid hands on the first deacons, gracing Gihon outside the walls to the Pool of different kinds of English were obviously them with that particularly diaconal Siloam within the walls of Jerusalem. on a hiding to nothing from the beginning. characteristic of identifying and addressing Not far in you see the blocked tunnel Lewis Delmage, a Philadelphia Jesuit wrote otherwise unmet needs. Many of the that David had used to enter Jerusalem insightfully on translation back in 1978: (Vatican II) bishops saw that the ministry of and I was able later, also, to look down The novice at translation is limited, say, to his deacon could be a way of doing something into this tunnel from the other end. experience of elementary language courses and new and inserting the Gospel into new thinks of translation as transliteration and situations (Gooley, A. Deacons Today, I also enlightened the students on the Coventry Press 2019). true nature of the creation account. especially of cognate substitution as ‘accuracy.’ However, the choice of words and phrases Pope Francis recently reiterated that This wonderful development of Catechesis depends on the context, sometimes the total deacons are called to ‘be faithful in service continued on in the ‘70s. But Eric well context, even the historical context, plus the to the Word and to the poor, not as capsulates the progress in his article where total context into whish the translation is second-level priests’ but as part of the he writes: being made. Oftentimes too, it is not a matter clergy living their vocation in and with their We had been through five decades: of choosing the best word but rather of family. They are dedicated to the service of the The awakening 60s, The exciting 70s, recasting the entire sentence. poor, who carry within them the face of the The suspicious 80s, The depressing 90s, Our faithful little brand of mass goes has suffering Christ. They are the guardians of The imploding noughties. suffered enough. It is time to end their service in the Church (Vatican News, 5th How sad that so much wonderful work pain. It is time to produce an elegant mass May 2020). The deacon’s ministry is was being undone by conservatives, who text in Australian English. We need people complimentary to rather than displacing were frightened by God’s attempts to open who understand that liturgy is theatre. of presbyteral and lay ministries. our minds to the wonders of Scripture by We need people who understand words Vatican II challenged us to embrace our gracing so many wonderful exegetes. that have to be said not read. We not only primary baptismal call, to de-clericalise And what is happening now? Pope Francis need linguists but also poets, actors and the priesthood and to enlist the restored theologians on the team. has attempted to open the wonders of diaconate, particularly in the gaps. Vatican II to us once more but there are All languages are in constant flux so our We might ask how well we Australians too many conservative Cardinals in the texts will need to be revised every ten years. have taken up the Vatican II torch over Vatican and his attempts are being The new order will be totally digital of the half century. Unfortunately, much of stymied. I wonder what lies in our future. course and I regret to say that those expensive our Australian church still sees ordination altar missals will have to go the way of the as being about maintaining Eucharistic I can look back on the wonders of what maniple. It is time we did something supply to the faithful masses (pun Vatican II did for Catechesis. The later beautiful for God. intended) rather than bringing the gospel imploding, as Eric puts it, didn’t affect Harry Moore, Kyogle NSW to the margins! That may be at the core of my Catechesis, but if the implosion has Margaret’s problem with diaconate (a affected our Training Colleges and our How many Masses can ya do? perspective she shares with not a few Seminaries, I fear for the future. I don’t priests and bishops). Margaret Callahan (The Swag, Autumn like the look of some of our newer priests Of course, even in Australia, there are these days who seem to live in a culture 2020) disparages Permanent Diaconate as further evidence of misogynist clericalism. many exceptions. Some Australian bishops of clericalism, about which I wrote in an and their consulting priests (and their earlier edition of The Swag. What does it I acknowledge her pain at the sidelining of ‘women’s ministry’, and I eagerly anticipate congregants) have embraced the three-fold say about the leadership in the Church orders as envisaged at Vatican II. these days? Hopefully, the upcoming the day when women will join me in diaconal ministry. Margaret seems soured Nonetheless, we markedly trail the US in Synod may help us see the error of our fostering diaconal vocations. On average all ways and bring us back to what the by the church’s failure to recognize and promote responsible roles for women in US parishes have a deacon assigned to Fathers of Vatican II saw as important. them whereas Australian parishes have a May the Spirit be with us. the church, but it’s a bit much to blame this on Deacons. Deacons are fellow one in ten chance of a diaconal appointee. Laurie Bent, Goulburn NSW casualties of half-hearted church reform Continued page 42

the swag 41 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The ordination of deacons contains a computers. The intention of their creators this?’ God saw all that he had made, and sacramental grace for the life of the Church is always bad, ranging from mischievous to found it very good. But viruses seem to be (Gooley p57). By far the fastest growing malicious, so these viruses are bad news, all very bad. They arenot all bad. area of formal ministry, in those parishes and, of course, they aren’t living. Last year after Notre Dame lost its roof to and dioceses where the diaconate is I was told recently that COVID-19 is fire, I was asking God to just give that great embraced in the spirit of Vatican II man-made. That would mean that cathedral a new roof himself, thus telling restoration, it flourishes. scientists deliberately engineered changes all the atheists to put that in their pipe and Beyond parish ministries lie many other in the genetic code of some virus or other, smoke it. Obviously, God refused to do as roles, niches and functions, not exclusively to produce this damaging product. I ordered. Well, for a while I was asking but particularly diaconal. Graced with As a matter of fact, I received an e-mail God to step in and overcome COVID-19 ordination as deacon, my years of diaconate purporting that COVID-19 was created by with one fell swoop – the same kind of have given me insight into the diaconate’s Chinese scientists so as to throw the rest of request. In the major church in Rome unique and liberating characteristics. the world into turmoil, and the question called St Mary Major, there is an icon of Freedom from the total parish responsibilities was asked: how come it has done no damage Our Lady with Jesus called ‘Salus populi of a parish priest I have been able to minister in China itself, apart from Wuhan? In other Romani’- Saviour of the people of Rome. in chaplaincy, youth ministry, emergencies words, the email alleged that it is germ Soon after the virus hit the north of Italy, ministry, various ecumenical endeavours, warfare. That email belongs to the same Pope Francis went to St Mary Major to RCIA, men’s prayer groups, choir and class as those that reveal that 9/11 was pray before that icon. Did his praying communion breakfasts and encouragement jointly engineered by the CIA & Israelis. make any difference? For the Vigil of of men into parish ministries. Deacons and In regard to COVID-19, the many scientists Easter in St Peter’s, Rome, Francis had bishops have a particular symbiosis (1Tim who have studied its genetic make-up are that icon brought from St Mary Major 3) and I have been able to represent the quite certain that it is the product of a and placed near the small altar where he bishop on a number of diocesan, provincial natural mutation from another virus. celebrated the Vigil Mass. Did that change and state wide bodies. Deacons are a plus It is a product of evolution, not ingenuity. anything? Doubtless, when the virus that for the whole church! Still, we never hear of good viruses. is holding the world to ransom has been Margaret doesn’t deny the efficacy of the So, here we go again. We have protective overcome there will be plenty of stories Sacrament of Holy Orders and I assume viruses in our bodies. They are part of what to be told of God or his saints stepping in she distinguishes it from the Sacraments is generally referred to as our immune to help, sometimes in the form of small of Baptism and Confirmation so she isn’t system. That term covers a lot of different miracles, especially miracles of grace. We suggesting all the baptised be ordained. So actions our bodies engage in to protect us can’t though, ask God to sweep it all away her issue is one of gender unfairness, with from outside invasion. One of these are by magic, as I asked, because we have to which I sympathise. Certainly, ordination some of our white cells known as killer live in faith, and that means God leaving of women to diaconate seems to remain in cells. Some varieties of the Herpes virus us free. God can’t intervene in such a way the balance. It is said to be a strong theme help these cells identify cancer cells and as to remove all possibility of the human to be put to the first session of the Plenary cells infected by pathogenic viruses. race doubting him from then on. Council. All people do need grace in the Bacteriophages are viruses that eat up and But we can ask: Why did God allow the performance of their work, yet the church destroy dangerous bacteria. We have such Coronavirus to get going in the first place? mediates a special grace to those in viruses in the mucus membranes (mucus One of the Catholic bishops in Switzerland ordained church ministries. Before the is a thick jelly-like material that provides a announced that Coronavirus was God’s Holy Spirit we might all pray for a more physical barrier against invading bacteria) punishing the world for its faithlessness. equitable manner of dispensing that grace. that line our digestive, respiratory and The rest of the Catholic bishops in Deacon Mark Kelly, Diocese of Sale VIC reproductive system. Some viral infections Switzerland jumped on him very quickly. when we are young help us to develop our Earlier this year, a priest in outback New Good viruses immune system. There are beneficial South Wales announced to his people that Some advertisements would give the viruses in our gut, skin and blood. God had sent the bushfires to punish NSW impression that bacteria equals bad. Most In the future, we may be looking for for extending the circumstances under bacteria are not harmful at all. There are viruses to help us defeat bacterial infections which abortion is de-criminalised. His bacteria in our stomachs that play a vital that have, because of misuse, and especially fellow-priests didn’t jump on him, because part in digesting our food for us. Remove over-use – feeding antibiotics holus bolus they didn’t hear about it. I learned of it them and we’d be in big trouble. One of to farm animals – become immune to from a bemused parishioner. It is foolish the big baddies is E-coli. There are various many antibiotics. Antibiotics, by the of us to be attributing to God what we E-coli bacteria. One is harmful, causing way, are used to treat bacterial infections. might like to do. diarrhoea. It gets into our system usually They are not used to treat viral infections. The only thing we can say is that any through contaminated water or food. But Recently in the UK, a teenager who was suffering that comes our way is part of there is another E-coli that plays a needed close to death because of serious infection God’s good purpose. The suffering of role in our bowels. by a bacteria that was immune to all his Son had a good outcome; and any Viruses are much smaller than bacteria, antibiotics available, was saved by being suffering God allows us to endure can about 100 times smaller, the smallest living bombarded with bacteriophages, viruses. make the person within a better person. creatures, although, for a technical reason, Just about everything I have written here, You will find when the Coronavirus is some scientists don’t classify them as living. I found out by googling Good Viruses and history, that many human beings became They are only ever mentioned in contexts then following up various leads. It is not better human beings through it. Most of of harm; so it is easy to think that Virus the result of genius at work, at least not my all though, God is with us in all our equals Bad. There are man-made viruses genius. I started wondering ‘Are Viruses All sufferings, whether little or great. created to do damage inside our Bad?’ by thinking about ‘Where is God in all Patrick J Flanagan, Red Cliffs VIC 2

42 spring 2020 BOOK REVIEWS Resetting the sails on the Australian church

A Call to Reset the Sails, Plenary Council 20/21, Australian Catholic Church (2020). Aengus Kavanagh FSP, An initiative of the Provence of the Patrician Brothers. Published privately. To order – email: [email protected] indicating number of copies required. Include your full postal address. $25 per copy plus postage. Reviewed by Peter Maher. his handsome looking volume filled that might have us looking to the future with wisdom, image and poetry for a while to come. opens the reader to a wealth of The quote is by Sr Carol Zinn, director meanderingsT and pathways along which to the Leadership Conference of Religious dream and imagine ways the church might Women in the USA. She says: undertake transformation rather than mere Change is typically that kind of activity sailing bravely into a world not made by us change. where you stand in the present moment, but shaped by the way the world interplays The book is co-authored by a delightful and you look to the past and you make some with the Jesus of the gospels. If we don’t and well experienced range of Catholic changes. Transformation is that process where expect something surprising or totally thinkers: lay, religious and clerics from you stand in the present moment but look to unexpected, we will miss what God is calling Australia and New Zealand. The main body the future. You look to something that doesn’t forth in the Australian church, the first of work is written by Aengus Kavanagh. have a shape or image, or something that question of the Plenary Council process. cannot be defined, but you commit to moving Leone Pallisier OSU in her article Woman Many of the authors have written for in that direction and knowing that whatever The Swag Called to Sing a New Song, (p.40) quotes a . I guess that conflict of interest is going to happen in the future, if it is result The poem by Kate Compston from is now declared by me, the editor of of transformation, it will be a new form and Swag. Therefore, you won’t be surprised Bread of Tomorrow: a new function. (p.9) to know the basic stance of this book is O God, who am I now? progressive. What Kavanagh has brought together in Once I was secure in familiar territory this book plays at ways of transformation in my sense of belonging That declared, it is very balanced – three – a chance to set sail again and form a unquestioning of the norms of my culture, bishops are among the authors, Cardinal future church where form follows function. the assumptions built into my language, John Dew, Bishop Vincent Long and There must be new forms of being church the values shared by my society. Bishop Bede Heather, along with writers because everything is change in the real But now you have called me out and away Anne Benjamin, Kevin Treston, Leone world and a relevant church must engage from my home Pallisier and Tania Rimac. Being locals, in dialogue and compassion with this and I do not know where you are leading. they are eminently qualified to comment ever-changing world opening us to a I am empty, unsure and uncomfortable. on the way forward to the Plenary Council church we cannot imagine now, it emerges I have only a beckoning star to follow. 20/21. from the life source of the universe imbued That is the spirit of transformation and it is I was taken by the image quoted in a box, with the divine. It’s coming if we let it in; the sail setting for the reader of Kavanagh’s Change versus Transformation, which I feel but in ways we don’t dare to imagine. book. Enjoy but expect to be in for an captures the underlying method Kavanagh Imagination however is the tool for unsure, uncomfortable ride. But what a has used to draw his writers together to opening and forging the way; for glorious adventure arriving at a new place fashion a delightfully engaging discussion navigating the unknown seas ahead; for still strangely familiar! 2 on a wide range of topics and perspectives 1 Gospel women find their voice

My Cry is to all that Live, Voices of Women and Earth in the Gospels, Mary R Burke, She dares not disobey the mystery presented Coventry Press, 2020. Reviewed by Peter Maher. in the gospel, egged on by a host of feminist scholars and writers carefully ike the pilot in Saint-Exupery’s crafting their exegesis of the texts The Little Princesaid , ‘sometimes containing women characters with a when a mystery is too overpowering, healthy dose of a hermeneutic of suspicion. oneL dare not disobey’. How do we face the mystery of Jesus in the gospel as he barges The bibliography reads like a list of the best his way into dismantling the social and feminist scholars on the planet. Writers cultural norms of his day? For most in the include Elizabeth Johnson, Amy-Jill two thousand years since, scholars, spiritual Levine, Barbara Reid, Sandra Schneiders, writers, preachers and ordinary Christians Elizabeth Schussler-Fiorenza and Elaine have chosen to domesticate the text in Wainwright. These, among others, form favour of shoring up the status quo and the background for a canvas carefully thus obscure the mystery altogether. crafted by Burke. The reader need not be a scholar because Burke’s gift is to use This is not the case in Mary Burke’s book. this library and translate their work into Continued page 44

the swag 43 BOOK REVIEWS a language that invites the reader into a woman’s role of hospitality; what happens spirituality book, think again. This book spiritual moment of grace in everyday when Jesus breaks the boundaries not just will engage every reader in a series of language. She uses story, imagination, of personal space but of the way women ground-breaking liberating moments of joy poetry, icons and play to give all access to are called from being hidden and laid low and challenge as it works to bring insight the liberating spirit of a modern feminist to ministry. Peter’s mother-in-law is taken to women and men equally so that we may reading of the gospel texts. by the hand and called forth, not to serve grow as a faith community. This book will benefit the whole faith community that is I have used the chapter called The Call of afternoon tea, but to serve Jesus and the seeking a pathway that leads to all God’s the Mother-in Law of Peter (p80-85) for a community. She is the first disciple Jesus giftedness being recognised, honoured and project I am doing. To give an example of called to serve, just as Jesus did when he daringly practised. the way Burke is able to make available the says he came to ‘serve, not to be served’. mystery of this moment in the life of This book is full of colour, imagination, ‘Sometimes when a mystery is too Peter’s family, she invites the reader to storytelling and reflective exercises. It is overpowering, one dare not disobey’. explore what has laid up the widow in bed; beautiful to look at and it even feels Immersing oneself in this book will bring how does she feel when there are guests luxurious. There are full colour icons you face to face with the mystery in a way and she is unable to be hospitable; what throughout, many painted by Mary Burke. you will not want to disobey. There is a call calls her to life; how does she find a voice; to new insight that will liberate us all. I can what happens when Jesus assumes the And if you think this is a women’s thoroughly recommend this book. 2 1 Rethinking the mission of the Church

The Struggle For Justice, Kate Dempsey, Coventry Press (2020). Reviewed by Peter Worland retired Executive Director, Uniting NSW/ACT. f you are tired of looking at empty pews phenomenon? Her Ted Talk on ‘vulnerability’ and being told the church is irrelevant has had 45 million views. She is one of and that’s why young people in particular only a hand full to have reached these Iaren’t coming, then this book might be for heights in the history of social media. you. How it can help may not be immediately So, in the mind of the average millennial obvious, so permit me to explain. this represents relevance with a capital R. What’s she on about that makes her such First you may need to look past the fact a draw card? that it’s published by a non-Catholic Christian denomination and that its Brown’s research has led her to identify a format involves a series of conversations narcissistic malaise in our everyday lives. between an agnostic social researcher Kate She calls it ‘a shame-based fear of never Dempsey and an ordained Uniting Church feeling extraordinary enough to cultivate a Minister, John Bottomley. sense of purpose.’ Millions are hungry to put purpose into their lives but find it It analyses Bottomley’s 40 years of disappointingly difficult and so are flocking extraordinary service and the constant to Brene Brown. The narcissistic epidemic struggles he has had with Christian notions she describes cannot continue without of justice and work. It commences with serious consequences. It’s making people concepts and theory from Socrates to sick. Credit Swiss Wealth report shows St Augustine then it dives into lived Australia to be the third richest population experience and practice. The latter includes in the world behind NZ and Switzerland finish up feeling they are failures. a wide variety of experiences from working yet we are amongst the highest per head Bottomley suggests true purpose will never at the Williamstown Naval Dockyard to consumers of anti-depressants in the world. be found at work but rather in following heading up the Creative Ministry Network We are wealthy – but – we – are – not – Jesus’ example of fighting for the rights of where he spent many hours grieving with happy. the poor. He is critical of churches for losing families of those who had died or had been their nerve and asks the reader to consider injured at work. So what are our churches doing about this yawning chasm in peoples’ lives – this loss ways each of us can put ourselves forward At the end of each chapter there is ‘gold’ to of ‘purpose’? and personally challenge the status quo. be found by anyone wishing to lead a study Harvard philosopher, Michael Sandel, has group or retreat. A series of questions that What is the biggest church which educates 25% of Australia’s young doing about it? tens of millions of viewers logging into his dig deeply into the reader’s personal course on ‘Justice’, so he too passes the responses are ready made for challenging More particularly what are Parish Priests doing about it? relevance test here. Sandel’s contributions discussion and transformational thinking. are acknowledged in The Struggle for Justice. That’s the set up, but what of the book’s Bottomley’s thesis is that we’ve been ‘sold a His seminal work The Moral Limits of content? How do conversations about pup’ in that most of us find our purpose Markets laments the fact that many justice and work in the context of primarily in our work, believing hard work institutions have outsourced their core Christian faith tick the relevance box? will win for us the promise of a ‘good life’. purpose and so have lost their direction. Yet for many this ‘idol of hard work’ as he Churches have not escaped. In the call to Well, have you heard of the Brene Brown calls it, is false. Those who lose their job

44 spring 2020 BOOK REVIEWS help the poor many of us have provided In response to this the reader is asked compelling issues the church can help with. monetary donations instead of offering directly: is this call to mission for churches For example, in the first chapter, there are a ourselves, thus outsourcing Christ’s from the Pope something you can relate to? series of probing questions about how to compassion to others. In doing so we What does it mean for you? What do you navigate big changes in our work lives. have negated the positive feedback we feel about the need for adaption in either These are of serious concern given the real receive from acts of grace and also sadly your personal sense of mission or in your possibility that in a post COVID 19 world squandered our own sense of purpose. work environment and why? there may be many who will lose their jobs. The really pleasing aspect of the questions Returning to the current malaise that We are not left daunted or abandoned for discussion after each chapter in this text Brene Brown alerts us to – the paucity of however. In the final chapters we are is the personalised nature of the challenges purpose infecting our western world – how introduced to methodologies that have presented. There’s no ducking it. There’s no willing might Parish Priests be to take Pope proved the test of time. Amongst these room to obfuscate. Each of us is charged Francis’ advice and adapt, follow some readers are tutored in how to embrace with changing the world as Jesus should different approaches? Could facilitating St Ignatius of Loyola’s Reflection Cycle have us do. local Parish study groups to focus on issues and to follow his example by engaging in of work/justice/purpose be an appropriate This point is well exemplified in chapter deep contemplation prior to taking action adaptation? four which references Pope Francis: saying in the world. he does not think the parish is an outdated From first to last this text engages the If your community of faith needs such institution if it is capable of self-renewal and reader’s mind on issues that the world says an opportunity to rethink these profound adaption, but it has to ensure it does not it cares about and is hungry to feed on. questions of our time maybe The Struggle become a self-absorbed group made up of a What’s the purpose of my life? What’s a for Justice is for you. 2 chosen few. Importantly he also notes it has sustainable and reasonable approach to capacity for dialogue with the world whereby work? How can I play a part in bringing the Church can be renewed. justice to our world? These are relevant and 1 Liturgies for the planet’s survival

Cosmic Sparks, Margie Abbott RSM, Coventry Press 2020. Reviewed by Robyn Worland. ollowing the Papal encyclical Laudato action through the many and varied Si, we find in Margie Abbott’sCosmic thoughtful and consciousness–raising Sparks a series of liturgical rituals activities which are often grounded in Fwhich call us to reflect on and contemplate everyday actions and thoughts. Users are our place, as humans, in our relationship asked to ‘get in touch with the Earth, with the Earth. breathe it’, ‘focus on the sacredness of creation’; ‘weep, and wonder why’. The format of the book is very accessible The four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and and deceptively simple, but cleverly and Water serve both as points of reference thoughtfully constructed as it draws on for keeping participants in touch with the and utilises a wealth of resources, including wider Earth community and as headings biblical, indigenous, poetic and musical for separate sections of the text. ones, to enhance the personal participation called for in each liturgy. A contemporary, imaginative and flexible book, Cosmic Sparks would suit both Opening prayers and other stimulus ask personal and group use as it draws on our us to reflect upon ourselves and upon the physicality, intellect, inner feelings and physical relationship with the Earth, which Earth and its sacred place in the cosmos. thoughts. It throws us one of the great is, above all else, sacred. Participants are also urged to reflect on challenges we Christians cannot ignore: we We need to be ignited and this may well be our role in having caused it great damage. are part of the Earth, we will return to the the fuel. 2 We are called to lament. We are called to Earth and we must enter into a nurturing, 1 Meditation resources

Sayings for the Soul: Now I have put My Words in Your Mouth, Jeremiah 1:9. Themes He offers 160 biblical texts and sacred for Personal and Communal Meditation, Kevin Treston (2020). Creation Enterprises. writings to use as mantras or entry points Available: [email protected] $12 plus postage. Mob: 0408 192 123. to meditation and then a wide range of Reviewed by Peter Maher. references to articles, websites, songs and videos that will support those seeking to evin Treston has produced many This book of just over 50 pages provides an know more about meditation and its resources, mostly in adult faith introduction to meditation in the Christian practice. A useful volume especially for education. On this occasion he has meditation tradition and a few pages on beginners and meditation groups. 2 producedK a small book to guide those who the mantra method. Treston then offers a wish to develop their meditation practice. large range of resources for meditation. Continued page 46

the swag 45 BOOK REVIEWS Bullying gays in Catholic schools

Fourteen by Shannon Molloy (Simon and Schuster, 2020) is a memoir of the author’s entrust to young lives in the name of the experience of bullying as a 14 year old boy in a Catholic school. Reviewed by Peter church. Maher. Shannon comments at one point that hen Shannon was 14, he lived in hell. Shannon goes home in tears not just he liked the bible stories about God’s love Yeppoon, a Queensland regional humiliated by the experience but now and especially the Jesus stories that showed town, where he attended the all knows God doesn’t love him either. This is he cared about the outcast and the hurt. Wboy’s catholic school. He was different and not in the 1950’s, this happened in 2000. But he could not square that with the that meant he was a prime target for the treatment he received by the ‘educators’ other boys to mock, bash, vilify, humiliate I know some Catholic schools and and ‘formators’ in his catholic experience and to call names. While the young Shannon churches have come some way to being and so found religion not only no longer was still coming to terms with his sexuality, more pastoral to LGBTIQ kids. I work helpful but he realised he needed to protect he was branded with all the nasty schoolyard with young LGBTIQ people and I can himself from those entrusted with his names for gay kids. assure you it is far from a safe place for religious education because of the resulting many kids. The church’s teaching on on-going trauma. He was routinely bashed and set up by sexuality is still taught including the the boys for humiliation and treated with ‘intrinsic evil’ and ‘objective disorder’ of This book is a painful but exhilarating unprofessional callousness by the teachers, homosexuality, while failing to underline read. Shannon survives. Advice from a the school counsellor, the principal, the catechism teaching that there is to be couple of friends and his mum reassures doctors and others in the school that no discrimination on the basis of sexual him that things will get better and they do, should have known better. A note written orientation. not due to his religious upbringing but due by the bullies about his sexual activities to caring people from his family, the We do need to change the church’s with men and signed in Shannon’s name entertainment world, his house mum when teaching, or if you like, the way it teaches was passed to a teacher, who proceeded to boarding with a family, gay youth forums on sexuality, especially homosexuality read it out aloud in front of the class to the and counselling services. For the Catholic because the two teachings are confusing jeering crowd who had written it. Shannon church this book is a wake-up call – we and dangerous to LGBTIQ kids, and also sat through a class where a boy asked need to do better for LGBTIQ kids in adults for that matter. This book is a classic the religion teacher if homosexuals go to Catholic families and in Catholic schools. hell whereby the teacher replies in the real-life example of the serious religious, affirmative. The same boy then asks will spiritual, emotional, relational and This book is recommended reading for Shannon go to hell because he is gay. The psychological damage these teachings can all catholic pastoral carers, educators, teacher reaffirms all homosexuals will go to cause in the hands of some people we formators, priests and bishops. 2 1 The reforming Pope Francis

The Outsider, Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Church,2020, Christopher survey of Francis’s reforms and his colourful Lamb Orbis. Reviewed by Fran Spora. opponents is hard to beat. y husband, John, and I were in March 2013 when Cardinal Jorge As the Church in Australia prepares for introduced to The Tablet by our Bergoglio, the outsider, was elected pope. the Plenary Council, this book provides friend Helen Jagoe. At the time Lamb says: My book seeks to tell the story insights into the universal Church. In our HelenM was editor of our diocesan paper. Dubbo parish our parish priest, Fr Greg of this pontificate. It is one that examines She frequently shared pieces from The Tablet, why a prophetic and bold pope, widely Kennedy, has printed out the six discussion which led to my taking out a twelve-month considered to be the Catholic Church’s papers for distribution prior to group subscription as a birthday present for John. best asset in helping repair its battered discussion. Having looked forward to its arrival week credibility, has been the subject of bitter Our hope is for fruitful discussion, by week over a year, there was no possibility and sustained opposition. balanced against our understanding of governance from Rome, a sense that we of doing without it. Twenty-five years on, Austin Ivereigh, author and contributor we still enjoy the arrival of the magazine. may be one with the universal Church, to The Tablet, writes of The Outsider: and indeed beyond Church. As I write I We particularly appreciate the window on Christopher Lamb has fast earned a the universal Church. Spoilt for choice, a am reminded of a report from a bishop’s name as one of the sharpest chroniclers synod in Rome, where Cardinal Basil column we enjoy, and discuss, is Christopher of the Bergoglio era. Lamb’s View from Rome. Hume reflected on the difficulty for The Outsider is everything his readers have legislating for a universal church. This year Christopher Lamb has published come to know him for: shrewd analysis, He reflected on the situation whereby in a book, The Outsider, Pope Francis and His accessible reportage, great stories, Battle to Reform the Church. And what a some developing countries women are theological literacy, and a sense of the treated as chattels, whereas in the UK battle! absurd. Dispassionate, but never detached, their prime minister was Margaret The book opens with a description of the reminding his reader through judicious Thatcher, a woman! God’s Foolishness reaction of the crowd in St Peter’s Square Gospel quotes what’s really at stake, Lamb’s by Brian Gallagher msc 2

46 spring 2020 BOOK REVIEWS Prophetic Spirits explored

God’s Foolishness – A Spirituality of Heart, Brian Gallagher MSC, 2020, Coventry Press. Reviewed by Khoi Doan Nguyen MSC od’s foolishness is wiser than human our ways God’s ways. (Is 55:8) wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Cor Secondly, though the book is technically 1:25).G Between human and God, there is and academically not a systematically no competition to prove who is wiser and theological book, the way the topic of who is foolish, who is strong and who is God’s Foolishness is approached is weak. Only among humans do we need to purposely thematically systematic. divide, compete and distinguish between Brian explores different dimensions this and that, what is good and what is of God’s Foolishness, all in the context bad, what is wise and what is foolish. of God’s foolish ‘self-bestowing’ love. This book is a reflective attempt, not to Thirdly, when I read the book as a whole, distinguish, divide or compete, but to not as a collection of stories, I noticed a discern God’s ways in human life. spiritual development in me personally. I find most of Brian’s books accessible My expectation about the book, prior to and succinct but also delicately pointed reading it, differs from my conclusion and insightful. This book is no exception. about it after encountering it. My initial It is accessible to all kinds of reader and expectation had been an illustration of it serves different purposes of reading, God’s foolishness through the prophetic Overall, the book is experientially humane whether for information, curiosity or figures discussed, but my reading the book – from the way it is presented to the reflective exercise. I recommend reading became an invitation. There is a personal content and message it is endeavouring to in all of these ways in order to absorb the invitation in this book that readers can contribute to human discernment on the depth and beauty inside the book. explore and discern for themselves. experiences of a genuinely biblical and ‘everyday’ God. I enjoyed the book in many respects. I enjoyed savouring the striking richness Firstly, the author embarks on the and depth of the book in many places. Only an artist can recognise the beauty journey of exploring and discerning God’s I particularly feel drawn to where the hidden in the painting. Only a prophet Foolishness through stories – his own and author aligns the restless, wrestling and can see another prophet wrapped in the stories of other prophetic women and deeply dividing sentiment of Teresa of foolishness. But the grace to see is God’s men whose writings have impacted his Avila with Augustine’s classic confession pure gift. This book is the climax of a experience of God. Brian tells the stories of his inner torment. This is a dilemma in life-long experience of reading and selectively in order to illustrate how God’s human nature of which the mystics have reflecting. Reading the book is to thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are always been aware. encounter this experience. 2 1 Irish monk in the Kimberley

Val Noone, From Roscrea to Beagle Bay, Dan O’Donovan, priest and hermit, 2020. To order copies and pay by EFTPOS contact [email protected] Cost $10 + $5 post/ packing. his slender volume is a tribute to an Broome. Val Noone, a friend of Dan, Irish monk who has lived much of records Dan’s story with text and pictures. his life in Australia. It records aspects of Dan’s life, prayer and T work. Born in Berlin in 1934 of Irish parents, Father Dan O’Donovan joined the Cistercian Much of the book is about Dan’s life in order of monks at Roscrea, County Tipperary. Western Australia exploring his relationship He then went to Tarrawarra Abbey, and life with Aboriginal communities. Victoria, and in 1972 he responded to a Dan somehow married his hermit life style need in the north of Western Australia with effective and impressive pastoral from the Benedictines of New Norcia. relationships with Aboriginal people. Dan then lived and worked for 47 years as Dan was formed by his monastic tradition, a Cistercian monk and later, a priest of the the desert mothers and fathers and his Broome diocese. Dan lived and worked as Celtic spirituality. a hermit with Indigenous communities at This little book makes good reading for Lombadina and Beagle Bay. all interested in a spirituality and pastoral Australians. Reading it is an uplifting This rather handsome book is a tribute to practice deeply embedded in the Australian spiritual experience. 2 Dan who is now retired and living in context and in relationship with first

the swag 47 Returned to God WAYNE BYRON-SQUIRE 27/03/1951 – 20/06/2020 Wayne Squire was born in Adelaide. His parents Leslie and Ruth Squire had five children but sadly only Wayne and his sister Cerrie survived. He was raised as an Anglican but the age of 19 he was received into the Catholic Church on 3 July 1970. Wayne worked for some years with the Immigration Department in the passports section and because of his interest in cooking ran a catering business for some time. For a number of years Wayne expressed an interest in becoming a Catholic priest. He entered St Francis Xavier Seminary and was ordained priest in St Francis Xavier Cathedral on 29 January 1994. He served as Assistant Priest in the Cathedral parish where he remained for four years and was then appointed Parish Priest of Strathalbyn. Due to ill health he left Strathalbyn at the end of 2002, returned to live in the Cathedral parish until 2005 when took up residence in the Southern Cross Care where he remained for the rest of his life. At some stage while exploring his family background he discovered that on his mother’s side he was a descendant of Lord Byron and as the last living relative he was entitled to adopt the title of ‘Lord’, and attach the ‘Byron’ to his name, which explains why on his Funeral booklet he had the title Rev Fr Lord Wayne Byron-Squire. Wayne died in St Andrew’s hospital and his funeral Mass was celebrated in St Francis Xavier Cathedral on 1 July 2020. A good gathering of fellow priests joined in the concelebrated Mass and according to Wayne’s wishes, the funeral Mass was followed by cremation. May he rest in peace.

ARTHUR JOSEPH HACKETT 09/08/1931 – 24/05/2020 Arthur, who was ordained in Rome on 7 December 1954 for the Diocese of Port Pirie, ministered in the parishes of Port Lincoln, Hawker, Quorn, Cleve, Jamestown, Loxton, Inland Mission, Whyalla West, Kadina, and Gladstone. From the time of his ordination until his peaceful passing, Arthur was a loyal priest to his God and to his people. He remained faithful to the gifts he received. (Pastores Dabo Vobis). Sr Bernadette Corby remembered this much loved priest of the Diocese of Port Pirie. “Arthur was ahead of his time in his openness and large-heartedness in his ministry, as a priest and a parish leader. He was able to work closely with women and men who made up his community of faithful followers, using the gifts they were willing to offer. He was a good listener, able to be flexible, adaptable, a compassionate and generous pastor. His humour and capacity for enjoyment in the company of others was infectious. Above all, Arthur was a man of prayer – who had a relationship with his God and Mary that enabled all of the above qualities to be lived out.” May he rest in peace.

LEO (PATRICK) HARNEY OCARM 26/03/1921 – 17/07/2020 Today the Carmelites of Australia & Timor-Leste are mourning the loss of Fr Leo (Pat) Harney who died peacefully in the early hours of 17 July. He was 99 years old and had been a Carmelite for 73 years and a priest for 68. Born in 1921 in Elmore (Victoria), Pat was the second of eight children. He remembered his home life as filled with daily rosary, morning prayer and Sunday Mass. “Our faith was just part of our lives,” he once recalled. It was this faith that led Pat to decide to become a priest. At 25 years of age, Pat started his Novitiate and by January 1952 was ordained in the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo (Victoria). As a Carmelite, Pat served communities near and far across Australia and New Zealand as Pastor, Prior, Assistant Novice Master, Chaplain at Sacred Heart College, Glen Innes, in New Zealand. He also served for 16 years as Chaplain at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne (Victoria). “I’ve been everywhere, man!” he loved to quote from the famous song, when asked about his many places of ministry. Pat was not only well-known but much loved by so many people and communities, having served at every parish the Carmelites ever held in Australia and New Zealand and having filled in for priests who were on leave. Pat’s journey in life was intrinsically connected to his faith and love of God. “Throughout my life, the hand of God has guided me in a remarkable way and still does.” Not one for slowing down even after retiring from active service in 2010, Pat continued to celebrate morning Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Middle Park (Victoria) until the COVID-19 restrictions forced the suspension of daily mass. He will be greatly missed.

TERENCE KELLY SJ 1935 – 03/07/2020 An alumnus of two Jesuit schools, St Louis in Perth and Xavier College in Melbourne, Terry Kelly joined the novitiate at Loyola College, Watsonia in 1954. He remained there for his philosophy studies. From 1959 to 1964, interspersed with teaching, he studied science at Melbourne University, before undertaking theology at Canisius College, Pymble in Sydney. He was ordained a priest in St Patrick’s Cathedral, East Melbourne, by Archbishop James Knox, on 9 December 1967. Terry’s love of science, teaching, sport and priestly ministry grounded his Jesuit life. On the one hand, he was the quintessential “schools man”, teaching for nine years at Xavier College in Melbourne as a young priest, and then for over forty years at Saint Ignatius’ College Senior School in Adelaide, where he became the longest-serving Jesuit

48 spring 2020 RETURNED TO GOD member of staff in the College’s history. On the other hand, he brought to these roles rare gifts of scientific knowledge and the ability to explain it and to relate it to the religious world in entertaining and practical ways. A voracious reader, Terry produced a number of books on science and religion, notably Reason and Religion in an Age of Science (used as a school textbook); Stars, Life and Intelligence: Being a Darwinian and a Believer; and The A-Z of People of Faith and Science. Terry had a great rapport with students and staff, who were touched by his kindness and compassion, responded to his humour and were taken by his topical, imaginative, thought-provoking homilies, which he took great care over. Indefatigable in making himself available for weekend Mass supplies around South Australia, he later became a mainstay of the Athelstone Eucharistic Community, where he is much missed. He reached out to Catholics away from the mainstream, enabling them to come together for worship and maintain their connection with the Church. On a lighter note, he had a playful, mischievous side, ever ready to devise limericks and mimic Jesuits past and present. Blessed with a prodigious memory, he delighted in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, whose lyrics he could perform at length well into old age. Growing ill health forced Terry to leave the schools ministry towards the end of 2018. He died peacefully in Melbourne at the age of 85.

DESMOND CHARLES MOORE MSC KBE 12/05/1926 – 02/06/2020 IDesmond Charles Moore, MSC Priest and Bishop Emeritus of Alotau-Sideia, Papua New Guinea, was born in Thebarton Adelaide on 12 May 1926. It was his “desire to go to foreign missions”, and the constant presence of MSCs throughout his childhood, that drew him to the MSC order. After ordination in 1957, he was posted to Douglas Park as assistant to the novice master and Bursar of the monastery. His first overseas posting in 1960, was to Post Moresby, PNG, where he worked with the Bishop and the parish priest for a year before becoming the Superior of the MSCs there. He was then posted to Milne Bay and in 1970, was appointed Bishop of Sideia diocese and there he ministered for the next 31 years. In 1996 Bishop Moore was knighted for his work in Papua New Guinea. Bishop Moore was a man without any pretensions to be anything else but himself. A dedicated shepherd who cared personally for all his sheep, his house was always open to anyone in need and he was always available on the mission radio network. Quoting a priest in his fold, “I have never met anyone so charitable and so witnessing to God’s love in his life-style. He was a man of definite opinions, but he had a remarkable tolerance for those who disagreed with him”. Well done good and faithful servant of God.

JOHN BERNARD O’KEEFE CM 09/04/1932 – 19/06/2020 In his early education John found himself in Penshurst, Hurstville, Coolabah, Barmedman and Cowra. His secondary education took him to St Stanislaus College Bathurst. He joined the Vincentians in 1950 and was ordained in 1957 at St Stanislaus College Bathurst by Bishop Norton. He worked initially in the Vincentian’s College in Bendigo, the last four years as President of the College and Superior of the Community. He then undertook the role of Spiritual Director in Seminaries, first at St Charles Seminary, Guilford in Western Australia, followed by St Francis Xavier Seminary, Adelaide, South Australia. He then spent a decade at Holy Cross College Mosgiel, New Zealand. 1986 is a significant year for John. He took study leave and went to Nicaragua. The experience changed him. The compulsion to see something of the Third World had been growing within John, to see something of the poor: “I was convinced that the Word of God was enfleshed in the poor, and needed to be heard”. What John saw and the people he met set John on a life time’s quest to sift through the Faith he had inherited and to find its most authentic articulation. John spent his later years working among the poorer or struggling parishes both in Diocese of Geraldton, Western Australia, and in Western Queensland in Barcaldine. John retired in 2002. John died in the sixty-third year of Priesthood. He will be sadly missed by his family, friends, his Vincentian confreres and colleagues. May he rest in peace.

KENNETH PETERSEN OCARM 17/09/1938 – 13/06/2020 After 58 years as a Carmelite and almost 52 years as a priest, Ken died peacefully in the early hours of 13 June. Ken served the Province and the People of God in the parishes of Coorparoo (QLD), Hilton (WA) and Middle Park (VIC), in formation ministry, as Lay Carmelite National Chaplain and as Prior Provincial before establishing the Sancta Sophia Meditation Community at Warburton (VIC) with Sr Kathleen Murphy OP in 1996. Sancta Sophia Meditation Community was founded to promote Inter Religious Dialogue, social justice and human dignity through the practice and teaching of meditation, days of prayer, retreats and spiritual counselling. In the words of Fr Paul Cahill, Prior Provincial, “Fr Ken died in the same peaceful manner as he had lived his last days, completing a life dedicated to peace and justice. Throughout his life, Ken both rejoiced in and generously shared his experience of God’s spirit at work in his own life and helped others recognize it at work in theirs and others. We commend him to the God of mercy, love and peace. May Ken now flourish in the eternal embrace of God’s love. Continued page 52

the swag 49 RETURNED TO GOD The Official Directory of the JOHN NORMAN RASMUSSEN 01/07/1938 – 10/01/2020 Catholic Church in Australia 2020-2021 Kindness, gentleness and generosity were the hallmarks of John Rasmussen. A delightful man with whom to spend time and considerate to a fault. He was a priest to his back teeth, always available to those in need in his parish. A man of simple faith and with bags of good humour. The essential resource for all who work John was the fifth of seven children of Catherine and Arthur Rasmussen of Mackay. After primary school at the Sisters of Mercy and the Christian Brothers in his home town, John went to boarding school at St Joseph’s College, within the Catholic Church in Australia. Nudgee in Brisbane. He was an exceptional athlete, setting records in the Mile and 880yds. His times were better –––––––––––––––– than John Landy’s at his age! He became School Captain in 1956 and then went to Banyo Seminary. He was ordained in St Patrick’s Church, Mackay on 28 June 1963. Compete listing of all contact details All John’s appointments were around the Rockhampton diocese, except for one year at Burleigh Heads in 1976. He helped start the Credit Union Movement in Rockhampton in the 60s. He was a chaplain to the CMF for eleven years and Administrator of the and personnel for parishes, schools Cathedral Parish during its completion in the early 1980s. John did a sabbatical at Nungalinya College in Darwin and served the Aboriginal community at Woorabinda alongside Fr Mick Hayes. John was a member of GROW and a supporter of Dignity, a group and organisations. that works to support homosexual Catholics. –––––––––––––––– John loved the ocean. On his holidays and whenever he could he was out on the water. He spent his retirement at Eimeo Beach near Mackay and would be seen walking the beach collecting shells every day. His last three years were spent at St Francis Home, Mackay, Available in print or online in the care of the Franciscan Sisters. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote what John Rasmussen believed at the core of his being: Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God. (www.catholicdirectory.com.au)

–––––––––––––––– GERALD SCOTT CM 28/01/1931 – 19/01/2020 Following Ordination and studies in Rome, Gerry began his life’s work of teaching in seminaries across Australia: Over 40,000 changes made annually. St Joseph’s Seminary, Eastwood, Holy Cross College Mosgiel, New Zealand, St Charles Seminary, Perth and St Francis Xavier’s College Adelaide. He held many different positions in these seminaries including that of Rector –––––––––––––––– in Perth and then in Adelaide. For the complete picture of the Australian One of the great joys of those years, apart from his teaching, was his interaction with other priests in the local Archdiocese. As a keen golfer, Gerry quickly became friends with many priests who thoroughly enjoyed his company Church and to keep connected ... order now! through the eighteen holes and especially on the nineteenth. These men and his students who were ordained as priests became his friends for a lifetime and in his later years Gerry would enjoy nothing more than travelling back to NZ, Perth or Adelaide and enjoying the company of so many clergy. Gerry was in many ways, a priest’s priest. Gerry loved belonging to a community of priests; the Vincentians whom he had known from his childhood in Ashfield in Sydney. In 1982 Gerry was elected to take on the most difficult role in the Province, that of Visitor/Provincial. He served in this role for nine DO NOT SEND PAYMENT WITH THIS ORDER years. They were tough years, but he entered into them with enthusiasm enjoying the company of his Brother Vincentians here and throughout the world. WHEN WE RECEIVE YOUR COMPLETED ORDER A TAX INVOICE (WITH POSTAGE Gerry loved sharing his faith through homilies at Mass, proclaiming the message of God. He would prepare well taking every ADDED) WILL BE EMAILED TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED BELOW. opportunity to adapt the message of the Scripture to the Congregation. His homilies were never frivolous but they were often filled with little asides or light moments. The people of Ashfield lovingly recall the occasion when suddenly in the middle of giving a homily COMPLETE THIS SECTION AND RETURN TO: he heard a mobile phone ring. Realising that it was actually his own phone, he quickly ‘answered’ and said, “Oh, it’s you, Jesus. I was just talking about you!!” National Council of Priests, PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216 Gerry died whilst he was attending Mass on a Sunday morning at St Anthony’s Marsfield. Well planned – with his beloved People P: (03) 5244 3680 | F: (03) 5244 4762 | E: [email protected] | www.catholicdirectory.com.au of God, whom he had served so faithfully all his life. Name ______

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Our organisation is registered under the Catholic GST Religious Group: YES NO Print Directory $85.00 (ex GST) + postage & handling Number ordered $93.50 (inc GST) + postage & handling Number ordered Print & Online Package $155.00 (ex GST) + postage & handling Number ordered $170.50 (inc GST) + postage & handling Number ordered Lord, may your love and light shine in and through me today in a way that no mask can hide. May my eyes dance with laughter and joy, replacing my hidden smile. May my actions of care and concern speak louder than my muffled voice ever could. And may the generosity of my heart radiate out through who I am and how I respond to the world around me, so that others may not see my mask but your image shining out, moving in and through me today. Amen. Written on the first day masks became compulsory in Metropolitan Melbourne, by a teacher on bus supervision, who noticed how much is lost from our encounters when our faces are hidden.