Spring 2020 REGULARS NCP CONTACTS from the NCP Chairman
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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