Quarterly magazine of the National Council of Priests of Australia The Swag theswag.org.au | Vol. 25 No. 1 | Autumn 2017 REGULARS NCP CONTACTS From the NCP Chairman...... 3 Editorial...... 4 Letters to the Editor...... 32 News...... 33-36 Reviews...... 37-39 Returned to God...... 40-42

FEATURES Chairman Secretary Treasurer Seminary formation and the Rev Jim Clarke Rev Mark Freeman Rev Wayne Bendotti 44 Margaret St Royal Commission...... 5 2 Taylors Lane PO Box 166 Rowville VIC 3178 Launceston TAS 7250 Dardanup WA 6236 Enemy inside the gate...... 6-7 P: (03) 9764 4058 P: (03) 6331 4377 P: (08) 9728 1145 Young people to set agenda for Synod...... 7 F: (03) 9764 5154 F: (03) 6334 1906 F: (08) 9728 0000 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Burdens of office...... 8-9 Association of Catholic Priests...... 10-11 Bishop Mulkearns – canonist and friend...... 11-12 Towards a change of parish contours...... 12-14 Back to following the way...... 14-15 New body to test Church resolve on professional standards abuse and intercessory prayer...... 15-16 Having a say in selecting our Bishop...... 16-17 Why is the liturgy boring?...... 18 Committee Committee Editor Larger fears fuel cardinals’ divorce beef...... 19 Rev Boni Buahendri SVD Rev Paddy Sykes Rev Peter Maher Discovering the joy of love...... 20-21 100 Albion Rd 103 Fernleigh Rd 109 Lennox St Box Hill VIC 3128 Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Newtown NSW 2042 Jerusalem – the city of Shalom...... 21 P: (03) 9890 0065 P: (02) 6925 2111 P: (02) 9557 3197 The man caught committing effrontery...... 22 F: (03) 9899 1937 F: (02) 6925 6116 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Ordination Anniversaries 2017...... 23-26 New councillors wash feet...... 27 On carrying a scandal biblically: a response .....28-29 Trinity: It’s all about family...... 30 Woolman’s spirituality and ending slavery...... 31

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples are respectfully advised that this Executive Officer Administrative Officer publication may contain the words, names, images and/or descriptions of Ms Sally Heath Mrs Christine Moore [email protected] people who have passed away. [email protected]

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The NCP has continued to support the a revamp of the current edition of the initiatives of the Bishops of Australia as Roman Missal and hopefully the The Official Directory of the Catholic Church they endeavour to implements strategies restoration of the 1998 ICEL translation in Australia is published by the NCP as a and protocols to ensure that there will which was never revealed. service to the Church in Australia. This never be a repeat of this blight on our directory contains information vital to the Church. We support and applaud the work Our organisation continues to serve the efficient administration of our parishes and Church and the presbyterate of Australia. of Francis Sullivan in his leadership of the we encourage each of you to ensure that Truth Justice and Healing Council. As We are concerned that a number of your parish/es and school/s purchase a overseas priests ministering in our dioceses Pope Francis tells us; “Challenges exist to copy annually. 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the swag 3 EDITORIAL Priests: life-long learners PETER MAHER And in 4.2 it goes on: The document calls for future priests to be • ‘regularly undertaking appropriate skilled in the ‘art of pastoral discernment’ professional development; by staying open to the way ‘fullness of truth sprouts gradually in the real life of a • keeping up-to-date with the literature human being and in the signs of and developments relevant to their history’(#120). ministry; ‘In listening closely, respectfully and without • active membership of relevant prejudice, the pastor becomes able to read professional associations’. the lives of others without being superficial The need to correct the excesses of Vatican or judgemental. ....He learns how to offer II by some in influential positions has left spiritual and pastoral possibilities that are clergy training and in-service emphasising attainable, and that respond to the life of clerical authority and power. Where the faithful and the socio-cultural context professional accountability has been in which they are found.’ mentioned it fails to emphasise external ‘He will exercise his ministry with a pastoral supervision as a normal way disposition of serene openness and professionals enhance accountability attentive accompaniment in all situations, in the helping professions. even those that are most complex, showing Thearchbishop of Sydney recently wrote the beauty and the demands of the Gospel to his priests noting ways priests can learn truth, without falling into legalistic or from the Royal Commission findings. He rigorist obsessions.’ (#120) s The Royal Commission on the mentioned ‘human, spiritual, intellectual While there is recognition of the need for a Institutional Response to child and pastoral formation’ and suggested this ‘community of formators’ (#132), there is sexual abuse winds up, the be acted upon by attending clergy days, CommissionA has begun to produce the still no mention of professional reflective diocesan events, reading, retreats and practice as in the 2002 Australian document. final report of the Commission on the renewal leave. There was no mention of Catholic Church. pastoral supervision or a professional With Easter approaching as you receive this edition, I hope you will find the One of the key issues is to find ways to reflective practice whereby clergy engage in a learning from experience model of articles in this edition will assist you in improve priests’ accountability. This has your reflective practice as we each been recognised since 2002 in the message accountability as suggested in the 2004 document quoted above. endeavour to become Easter people of the Australia Bishops (Nov 29, 2002) responding creatively and hopefully The Congregation for the Clergy produced where they note a ‘concern to respond to each challenge presented. 2 adequately to issues of sexual abuse within a document in December 2016 on priestly the Church’, and they commit to ‘renew formation called The Gift of the Priestly The following Media Release by our resolve to follow our agreed procedures’ Vocation in which the three areas of by ‘accept[ing] the need for accountability formation are outlined – philosophical, the NCP Executive was issued on and consistency in all that we do’ and to theological and pastoral. The principles of 8 February 2017. ‘propose that the National Committee for philosophical and theological formation Professional Standards continue to assess provide no surprises, but the pastoral, or – MEDIA RELEASE – and refine these procedures”. ‘Vocational Synthesis’ stage talks The blight of sexual abuse in the eloquently about accompaniment in a Catholic Church has caused This commitment led to the document, pastoral community by priests suitably Integrity in Ministry (2010), which outlines inexpressible pain and suffering to trained and suitable preparation time with the victims and their families. It has how clergy should maintain accountability formators but no reference to becoming a (4.1 p10) as: been a cause of shame and disgrace reflective practitioner on pastoral encounters. for the Catholic faithful. • ‘keeping abreast of literature in the area The document suggests ways of ongoing of pastoral care; formation including priestly fraternity, With humility we acknowledge the spiritual and psychological support and a strength of character and courage of • attending seminars/in-services related to those individuals who came forward pastoral care; spiritual director. Any sign of lacking ‘the heart of the shepherd’ is to be addressed by with evidence for the work of the • reflecting regularly on one’s pastoral closer bonds with priest confreres. While Royal Commission. practice with a competent supervisor or offering advice on the challenge of colleague; We, the Executive of the National contemporary culture, riches and celibacy, Council of Priests of Australia, • ongoing development of one’s knowledge it once again lacks mention of mentoring support and endorse the initiatives and understanding of Scripture, Church or reflective practice with the people of of the Bishops of Australia in their tradition and teaching; God. There is mention of the centrality of endeavors to eradicate the scourge the community of faith as a context for of sexual abuse in our Church. • remaining updated in the social sciences formation but little about learning from and disciplines that contribute to the community the way of pastoral care We applaud the work of Francis pastoral skill.’ (#90 and 91). Sullivan and the Truth, Justice and Healing Council.

4 autumn 2017 FEATURES Seminary formation and the Royal Commission PETER MAHER Three NSW seminary representatives gave evidence at the Commission on what is happening in the seminaries to minimise paedophilia. Peter Maher, editor of The Swag, reports. he Royal Commission focused on according to a series of documents on seminary formation on February 14 priestly formation concluding with the in the hearings to assist the latest in December 2016. However a man Commission’sT response to the Catholic with “deep seated heterosexual tendencies” Church. Sr Lydia Allen (Good Shepherd would not. If both were required to live Seminary psychologist), Fr Peter Thompson celibacy what was the difference, (Rector, Wagga seminary) and Fr John Commissioner Justice Peter McClellan Hogan (Rector, Parramatta seminary) enquired. offered some very interesting insights into Sr Lydia explained: ‘it has to do with what their practice. the laws of nature are and how the human There were a surprising number of person needs to follow the laws that God responses that were “don’t know” or “not has embedded within us. According to sure”. These were not side stepping issues these natural laws, we have a human body, but a genuine expression of the truth – the masculine, or the male, body and the they didn’t know. female body, and according to, also, other The tricky issue of “the seal of confession” deeper theological principles.’ was ably dealt with the day before by Fr. And later in her evidence: ‘The issue is Frank Brennan and Professor Ian Waters whether it is a deep-seated issue of: this is who pointed out that the seal only applies what I am, this is who I am, and I want to to sins confessed. This led to two belong to the gay community, et cetera, et TARRAWARRA important points. If the seal were dispensed cetera. That’s the issue. And it’s a lack of with, Brennan pointed out that would willingness to be formed, to be in one heart EUCHARISTIC mean no perpetrators would confess, ruling and one mind with the Church. That’s the out the possibility that a confessor could issue. It’s very different from the way – I’m BREADS encourage a paedophile to report to not sure that I can explain it to you clearly. authorities as a condition of absolution. The natural law according to Catholic And there was a discussion about how a teaching is that the male, in terms of his priest might accompany a child who says male sexuality, is masculine. So it’s a male in confession that he/she was being abused, sexuality. So it has to be the genetic – the Tarrawarra Abbey is a as this does not come under the seal. genetic code of the male is masculine, is contemplative, monastic The three seminary representatives were male, and so he’s masculine, male. And the surprisingly unprepared. They had failed woman, the female, is feminine, all right? community of the Cistercian to ensure they were informed on matters And so there is a clear distinction between Order situated outside Melbourne already canvassed in the hearings on the two, all right? And it is based in natural in the Yarra Valley. previous days which would relate to law. So that’s the basis of this teaching.’ what they might be asked, and it was Justice Peter McClellan also asked how Self-support is a tradition of problematic how little they knew about is it that the testing for homosexuality is monastic life. Since 2000, the these areas and how little they understood ‘urgent’ in the church document but monks have been supplying about what the seminarians were being paedophilia is not even mentioned. eucharistic breads to parishes and taught. The commissioners were told by The answer was offered that the issue communities all over Australia. the seminary representatives that it wasn’t of homosexuality had been worked on their area and that they had left this to the over 14 years since a time when some For further information on our moral theologians. Two seminary rectors seminarians were acting inappropriately. range of eucharistic breads, agreed that they are the responsible persons When reminded that Integrity in Ministry please contact Fr Joseph Chua: and should have known what the was published in 2004 partly to address seminarians are taught in this critical area, the already serious problem of paedophilia, Tarrawarra Eucharistic Breads but were not aware. the answer offered was that it was not Tarrawarra Abbey, In trying to understand the screening mentioned in the Vatican documents Yarra Glen, Victoria 3775 process, the commissioners were concerned because it was assumed it would be dealt that the prospective seminarians underwent and they are working on it now. Sr Lydia Tel/Fax: 03 9730 2362 psychological testing in respect of their said: ‘but they do not have, as far as I’m Mobile: 0408 447 345 homosexuality but not paedophilia. While aware, anything that says, ‘You must assess the means of testing was not clear, it was [paedophilia].’ However, I would think it’s www.eucharisticbreads.com.au very clear that a man with a “deep seated an unspoken rule. I don’t think it needs to [email protected] homosexual tendency” would be excluded be stated explicitly, because it’s so obvious.’

the swag 5 FEATURES Enemy inside the gate CHRISTOPHER LAMB continuation and revitalisation of the reform movement that began with the Christopher Lamb asks how Pope Francis might deal with the opposition from within Second Vatican Council. The Church, the church in 2017. Published in The Tablet: The International Catholic News Weekly Francis explains, is an inverted pyramid, of 7 January 2017. Reproduced with permission of the Publisher: www.thetablet.co.uk with the people of God at the top and its priests and bishops, including the Pope, below: a Church that sees leadership as service, that engages in a dialogue with the world and offers it the medicine of mercy. It should not be forgotten that the servant-Pope of dialogue is also the most politically astute of men. He bides his time, waits patiently for his opponents to retire and in the meantime simply sidelines them. Cardinal Burke’s opposition to him, for example, is likely to be neutered thanks to a row that is bitterly dividing the Order of Malta. The American prelate, whom Francis appointed as patron of the Knights, is facing what is likely to be an awkward investigation he opposition to the attempts by What an “act of correction” looks like is into the sacking of a senior figure in the Pope Francis to reinvigorate the anyone’s guess. It would appear to have no order, Albrecht von Boeselager. Done reforms that the Second Vatican basis in canon law. Would it be a Luther- apparently with his approval, it is a CouncilT initiated does not come from style nailing of theses to the door of St possible breach of the order’s own rules. outside the Church but from some of Peter’s? But what Burke and his supporters The row demonstrates again that it is here those closest to him. have succeeded in doing is to make it look in Rome, at the very centre of the Church, to outsiders as if – once again – the Church Pope Francis will face the toughest test yet that the Pope faces his toughest test. Just is squabbling over a less than vital matter. over the next 12 months for his vision of a before Christmas, Francis spoke candidly compassionate, pilgrim-like Church, which The conservative opponents are in fact a about the malicious internal resistance he refuses to take refuge in old certainties but small minority; the vast majority of faces, some of which, he said, is motivated instead takes the Gospel message out into Catholics are fully behind Francis’ reform by the devil “taking refuge in traditions”. the mess of a deeply divided world. programme. Like most people outside the In that speech, delivered to the Roman Church, they see in this Pope’s compassion As he approaches the fourth anniversary of Curia, the Pope also listed the reforms that and concern for the poor and the his election, Francis faces stiff resistance to had been achieved so far, which range from marginalised the authentic ring of the his fragile Vatican reforms from inside the merging departments to cleaning up the Gospel, as well as something profoundly Church’s headquarters, while a group of Vatican bank. However, he knows that authentic and attractive. furious conservatives bang on his door, structural reforms will be merely cosmetic demanding crisp answers to their accusations Francis has said he wants to win over his unless there is a culture shift inside the that his blurry pronouncements are opponents “lovingly”. He prefers to avoid Church’s administration, a genuine allowing the faithful to drift into heresy. head-to-head clashes: this explains his conversion of heart. refusal to reply to the letter with the The early part of 2017 could well see The Pope’s reform of the governance of the celebrated dubia – confrontational Francis’ chief critic, Cardinal Raymond universal Church is rooted in the principles questions on the possibility of divorced Burke, issuing a “formal act of correction” of synodality and collegiality. This means a and remarried Catholics returning to against him for letting local bishops’ turn towards the greater involvement of Communion – that Cardinal Burke and conferences issue guidelines that, without the local churches and a more attentive three other cardinals sent him last autumn. changing Church teaching, would make listening to the experience of bishops and it possible in some cases for remarried He is also determined that his reforms priests, and lay men and women on the divorcees to receive Communion. should not be personal projects but a ground, and a Roman Curia that serves the

6 autumn 2017 FEATURES needs of dioceses rather than issuing diktats to them. Young people to set agenda for Synod Francis has shown he makes his big ROBERT MICKENS decisions collegially, either through the C9 – a tight-knit council of cardinals Instead of working through episcopal conferences as has been done traditionally, the representing different parts of the world Synod on Young People in 2018 will seek input directly from young people around the – and the Synod of Bishops, which the world writes Robert Mickens, English-editor of La Croix International, 13 January Pope would like to see become a key 2017. Reprinted with permission: https://international.la-croix.com/ structure of Church governance. In a sign of how important he sees the synod, n an unprecedented move, the Vatican Francis recently chaired a meeting of its has decided to by-pass national episcopal conferences and give the governing council, which discussed the Iworld’s young people a unique opportunity questionnaire to be sent out to Catholics to help set the agenda for the next major throughout the world to help in the meeting of the Church’s international preparation of the next synod. Synod of Bishops. This synod, to be held in October 2018, Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, head of the will focus on young people and vocations. Rome-based secretariat that coordinates The declining numbers of priests in most the Synod’s activities, told journalists on of the Western world and Latin America, Friday that his office was launching a gatherings of 2014 and 2015, which with many calling for the ordination of website in March that will allow youngsters discussed all manner of issues regarding married men, will surely come in for lively to honestly raise questions and share their marriage and the family. Many people were discussion. But it would be a mistake to views about life and faith inside the caught off guard when he ordered Cardinal assume that Francis is going to give Catholic Church. Baldisseri’s office to draw up a permission for this on a whim – it is up to He said their input – in addition to a questionnaire to “take the pulse” of the local bishops’ conferences to petition him questionnaire sent to bishops and heads people. This was sent to bishops’ on the matter. of religious orders – would then form a conferences around the world, which were While more married priests is a real substantial part of the working document then left to decide how and to what extent they would directly involve the lay faithful. possibility for 2017, a green light for the (instrumentum laboris) that will frame the ordination of women as deacons would be discussions when Pope Francis convenes A fairly large number of these conferences the XV General Assembly of the Synod in a bigger surprise. A papal commission on seem to have involved them only October 2018 around the topic, “Young the issue is to hold further meetings during marginally, drawing answers from People, the Faith and Vocational committees or from the testimony of their the year and, given the overwhelming Discernment”. historical evidence from the early Church, priests and bishops. However, some a recommendation to restore a female “The Church has decided to examine conferences, like that of England and diaconate is likely. Whether anything herself on how she can lead young people Wales, put the questionnaire on their web concrete happens will depend on other to recognize and accept the call to the site and allowed for anyone to share his/her views. internal fires Francis might be fighting. fullness of life and love, and to ask young But, whatever happens, a discussion on people to help her in identifying the most Nonetheless, the responses were filtered the role of women has been opened that effective ways to announce the Good News through the bishops. This time the today,” says the preparatory text (http:// it will be difficult to close down. responses will be made directly to the tinyurl.com/j5z956p) that the cardinal’s Synod secretariat’s website. The bishops Away from Church infighting, Francis office has sent to the Church’s bishops will have no opportunity to vet them. will continue to show the world a Church and heads of religious orders. Not all is rosy, however. that is not afraid to roll up its sleeves and Giving such a prominent voice to the bind the world’s wounds. The Pope will young people themselves (which the For example, the site’s URL is to be www. maintain his mediatory roles in Colombia Vatican identifies as between ages 16-29) sinodogiovani2018.va. And, so far, there is and Venezuela, while a peace-seeking trip could open up a can of worms. In fact, the no indication that URLs in other languages to Africa – possibly to South Sudan – is Internet initiative has the potential of will be set up to link to the Italian-named also being planned. soliciting a whole range of opinions and address. criticism that the Church’s pastors may This year sees a papal visit to Fatima in It is not a minor point. not want or be prepared to hear. Portugal for the 100th anniversary of the “We need to modify our language,” apparitions of Mary there, and a trip to But, no doubt, that’s what the pope wants. Cardinal Baldisseri admitted on Friday. India and Bangladesh, where his focus on And he may see the younger generation as the poor and his desire for inter-religious a resource and ally in bringing change to a “We will do this with the help of young harmony will be to the fore. Expect Church that too often seems stuck in stale people,” he promised. Francis, who is now aged 80 and conscious formulas from a bygone period that no It is now up to the young people that time is not on his side, to press on longer have meaning for contemporary themselves. Like no other time before, they with his reforms in what is likely to be an people. have been given a voice in a major Church action-packed 12 months with more than Francis already took a stab at including the affair. We must encourage them to use it. its fair share of surprises. 2 views of ordinary Catholics in the Synod And use it boldy. 2

the swag 7 FEATURES Burdens of office MEGAN CORNWELL problems. It is trying to reinvent the role of the laity, a crucial antidote to the culture Megan Cornwell discusses the challenges priests face and the danger to mental health. of clericalism that is found in younger Published in The Tablet: The International Catholic News Weekly of 3 December 2016. members of the clergy, in particular. Reproduced with permission of the Publisher: www.thetablet.co.uk “For so long ‘collaborative ministry’ atholic priests are feeling under churches are closing; dioceses are being meant some women doing flowers on the pressure, and increasing numbers restructured; and bishops are spending sanctuary – which is an insult,” he said. are suffering from depression and more time on administration and less on “Now, particularly in this diocese, with the Canxiety. But support for clergy with pastoral care. Change management is concept of ‘stewards of the Gospel’ – all lay mental-health problems is patchy and difficult at the best of times and, sure people, who work with clergy and lay piecemeal. enough, the cracks are starting to show. across the diocese and across deaneries – there’s a new sense that the Church is In September a 65-year-old priest in Essex Fr David Clemens, a parish priest in the people and that people not only have to told his bishop he was unable to take on Diocese of Brentwood who is also an have their voice, but have to take responsibility for another two parishes, analytical psychologist, said: “There are responsibility.” after the elderly clergy looking after those lots of stresses which rub away at a priest’s communities had either retired or died. He psychological well-being in a way that According to Fr Jonathan Stewart, a parish felt overwhelmed. He was celebrating four perhaps doesn’t happen in other lines of priest in the Plymouth diocese, it is not Masses every weekend, providing support work – for example, the expectations that only inevitable but necessary for a to local schools, hospitals and hospices, one finds oneself having to live up to. functioning body of Christ for the laity to and there was no other priest in the diocese “There are lots of expectations put upon take on more roles within the parish. He available to assist him. the priest by other priests, by the parish, experienced personally the need for greater by the diocese, by parishioners especially. lay involvement, when he was asked by his The problem is not confined to England bishop to run two additional parishes. and Wales. In Ireland, the dwindling clergy The parishioners regard the priest as the numbers and the resulting malaise is so centre of the parish – it should be Christ, One of the pressures he describes was the extreme that, according to the Association of course, but often it’s the priest.” enormous amount of administration that of Catholic Priests, suicide has claimed the Fr Clemens told me how he was once came with serving three distinct lives of at least five priests in recent years. unable to answer a parishioner’s telephone communities. At 55, the relatively young parish priest admits it was a challenge, Over the past few decades, Catholic priests call immediately. When he finally got to the phone, he apologised for the delay, saying: “Lots of my time was spent have come under enormous psychological thinking about buildings.” strain in Britain and Ireland. The fallout explaining he had been in the bathroom. from the scandal of child sex abuse has “Oh, Father!” she exclaimed. It is almost While he appreciates that bricks and certainly been a big factor, but the decline as if, Fr Clemens said, chuckling, there are mortar are important, taking responsibility in church attendance, the collapse in still some in the parish who think that for the drains did not play to his strengths vocations and the Church’s fading their parish priest, like the Queen, does as a pastor, as he explained: “The tendency influence and prestige – the wearying not go to the bathroom. Such attitudes are for a lot of priests is to say, ‘I’ll come and effects of creeping secularisation common unhealthy, he added. They risk perpetuating do that’, but we must realise that to all the Churches across Europe – have any tendencies a priest might have to delegation is the key. We have to stop added to the sense of being embattled. perfectionism and neurosis. talking about priests ‘running parishes’. Parish priests are often arranging more Fortunately, Fr Clemens said, his diocese I simply couldn’t do what I do in this funerals than baptisms or weddings; has begun to take steps to address such parish without my parish administrator.”

8 autumn 2017 FEATURES More priests are finding that the “It’s not that nobody cares. I just don’t empowerment of the laity can also help think anyone is really thinking about it. If address the isolation they sometimes face. I wanted help with something,” he added It can bring companionship and teamwork quietly, “I would just go and find someone to what can otherwise be a lonely job. privately, to be honest.” Fr Stewart pointed out that a priest must always look for answers in God: “Our Meanwhile in Wrexham – itself ultimate investment is in God … he is undergoing an extensive restructure – the person we have to rely on, and a priest Fr Charles Ramsay, chair of the diocesan should model that.” Commission for Ongoing Ministerial Formation, said there are very few But forgoing marriage and children can resources in his diocese and that it relies on sometimes be a great sacrifice, and to services available in wealthier dioceses. He maintain freshness and commitment to a told me that retired priests are particularly vocation to the priesthood needs friendship and support as well as a healthy prayer life vulnerable and that other dioceses – such and ongoing spiritual formation. as Southwark – have more than twice the retirement provision to support these men. As a trained counsellor and the human development coordinator at Oscott College Although Wrexham has a programme – the seminary of the Archdiocese of for priestly formation and some one-day Birmingham – Peter Smallwood, a layman, events and retreats, priests who are is passionate about clergy formation. experiencing more complex problems are He runs one-to-one sessions and group sent to St Luke’s Centre in Manchester – workshops that give seminarians the space the facility set up by the Bishops’ to explore concepts of self and identity, Conference of England and Wales 10 years as well as issues they will confront after ago – where counsellors and clinical ordination, such as bereavement, loss and psychologists provide professional sexuality. assessment and treatment for Catholic He believes that if you train seminarians clergy. well in self-care, they will thrive as priests. So despite some very positive moves to Under Smallwood’s watch, the programme respond to mental-health issues among the has grown exponentially over the past eight clergy, the provision of appropriate care is years, and it is not just seminarians who something of a postcode lottery, depending benefit, as he explained: “We have started on the wealth of the diocese and the to see priests from the archdiocese for initiative of individual bishops. counselling. When priests are in crisis, they want to speak to a counsellor and we are a Bishop Richard Moth, responsible for the safe bet.” Church’s Mental Health Project (which is not specifically focused on clergy), told me The gently spoken Smallwood explains that he believes “the local model is best”. But as his diary began to fill up with appointments with priests finding it difficult to cope with some priests are falling through the cracks. the levels of stress they were under, he When I asked Fr Clemens whether there realised that something more was required. was a need for a national strategy to This is how the “John Paul II network” was address clergy stress, he said he was not born – an association of 30 counsellors sure which side of the fence he was on, but trained to work with clergy and listed in an added: “Do I think there should there be online directory for the diocese to access. some general guidelines that all dioceses throughout the country should follow, The diocese now runs pastoral whatever their current procedures? accompaniment programmes for priests Yes, I do.” and is about to launch a mentoring scheme, he said, adding: “And there’s a Whether it is an annual conference that growing interest. Other dioceses are brings together all who work in this area interested in this model.” to discuss and share best practice, or each Birmingham, Brentwood, Plymouth and diocese appointing a full-time person with Salford are reaching out to clergy in a responsibility for the health and well-being variety of ways; some dioceses have asked of priests and those in training for the the Jesuits to provide their priests with ministry, it seems there is a need for a spiritual directors. But there are also coherent response. Otherwise, the less well- dioceses where little support is provided. resourced dioceses will be left behind and A priest from the Menevia diocese who some priests will not receive the support preferred to remain anonymous told me they need to flourish in what they do best: that if he were struggling, he would not serving God and the faithful in whatever know where to turn. context they find themselves. 2

the swag 9 FEATURES Association of Catholic Priests The US Association of Catholic Priests has produced a proposal for lay pastoral care Prophetic Importance in priest-less parishes. Experience shows we need personal presence of authorized pastoral ministers, ordained or non-ordained, working in collaboration and within the These Lay Pastoral Leaders will provide principle of subsidiarity. Here is the document, Proposal for Pastoral Care In & Thru a very important proving ground for the Priestless Parishes. USA Church because we would learn what men and women, married and unmarried, can accomplish as pastoral leaders, and what kind of persons we need. We will gain a great deal of wisdom about what works and what doesn’t work. In a larger framework, it would show how the priesthood of the future might discern proven individuals. A special urgency to begin nowarises from the fact that presently, due to the large number of retiring priests, we have many sacramental ministers available on a flexible part-time basis. This will be true for the next ten to fifteen years. This is a providential time to initiate Pastoral Leaders of Priest-less Parishes. With many sacramental ministers, available for part time service, we can ensure Sunday Eucharist and basic sacramental ministry Key elements of The Pastoral Task will be appointed by the bishop and be for most of the parishes who are without a 1. Leadership: to create a vision with the under the supervision of a canonical pastor resident priest as pastor while we work out parish community: “the purpose for nearby, while still having the flexibility to the dynamics for the future. It is which we are here,” and form persons make ordinary decisions and actually lead unquestionable that time, creativity and in the faith and train them for ministry the parish according to its gifts and needs. courage will be needed to make all the and service. Canonical Pastors, too will need training adjustments. Time will also be needed to properly train Pastoral Leaders. 2. Care: To visit the faithful, especially in and a desire to embrace this manner of time of sickness and death, but as much ministry. Diocesan Offices must be Background as possible, know and be known by all included in this training also. Most especially, the people of God in a parish The Experience of some dioceses: The and to be present to the whole experience of various dioceses (including community. must be involved in this process and own it or it will be a failure from the outset. Jackson, Baltimore, Seattle, Saginaw, 3. Governance: To take responsibility for Scranton, Harrisburg and Camden) with the day to day coordination of parish Training and formation wouldbe as needed lay or diaconal pastoral leadership of activities, and take initiative as need to in individual cases. This is primarily a parishes has been varied. Some bishops motivate, to correct, and to affirm Pastoral Role which demands spiritual and began it, but a successor closed it down persons who work in the parish pastoral preparation as well as managerial where it existed in an early stage. Time is ministries; and where needed, provide skills. Persons would in some cases, have needed for a new process to take hold and conflict resolution and reconciliation. To quite a bit of spiritual formation and there will be challenges to embrace along be a true pastoral leader he/she must lead managerial expertise, while others may the way even as in parishes with resident worship where appropriate, and likewise have little. priests. break open the Word. In short, he/she How are they remunerated and what The most extensive effort seems to have would be in the role of pastor, excepting is their status been Saginaw’s under Bishop Kenneth sacramental ministry, and under the Untener. supervision of the canonical pastor. Pastoral leaders who are expected to be (per Canon 517.2) involved five or six days in the work should “Basically, they took the diocesan be paid a commensurate salary, with proper Deaconate Training program and opened Who are the potential pastoral benefits. They should have the job tenure it up to both men and women. It consisted leaders? that other professional ministers and of two to three years of academic studies There are many persons presently active Church employees do. Statutes created and conducted on weekends once a month, in our parishes, whether pastoral staff approved by the USCCB should protect followed by a practicum year in which members, deacons, or members gifted with the status of these ministers from dismissal the candidate committed to a specific charisma for ministry. We speak of proven without cause, or because a new ordinary ministerial program in the parish. After individuals. Given the local nature of this or pastor would not accept the program. the completion of the program, and with ministry, it would be advisable to choose Those who would accept the presence the recommendation of their pastor, they from the involved parish itself, or a of this form of ministry and accept would be commissioned by the Bishop as a neighboring one. The pastoral leaders formation/training would be best suited Lay Minister for a three-year period. Their to continue it. commission could be renewed every three

10 autumn 2017 FEATURES years. After twelve years, they could request different catechist. All such ministers are risk is involved belongs to our mission permanent Lay Ministry status. During expected to take part in periodic formation of bringing the Gospel to all people. their Lay Ministry, they were expected to weekends at deanery or diocesan level. The participate in an annual retreat and to formational training must be provided by a If USA Church leadership postpones attend some on-going workshops. Most person who him or herself is well prepared dealing with this issue, the window of of the Lay Ministers served as volunteer for this role. While on-the-ground realities opportunity will slowly close. Then we will ministers in their parishes; a few were in our part of the world are greatly different, experience a greater collapse of parishes employed in paid positions. A few of the this is an established model of the lay than we are currently experiencing, a loss lay ministers obtained Masters Degrees in pastoral care that we in the First World of morale and health among priests, and Theology or Pastoral Ministry.” can learn from. further decline of the morale and trust of people who depend upon us to meet their Normal practice in many Third World For the reasons given above we offer this spiritual needs. As our Catholic presence parishes, especially in Africa and Latin plea: that our bishops corporately, with the diminishes, so will our presence in society America, is to have a larger parish, usually collaboration and assistance of those with in all of its aspects. rural, with many “out-stations” (Uganda) experience in this area, formulate a plan or “chapels” (Guatemala) which are visited now to meet this emerging crisis. Some dioceses may rush into a crash by the parish priest four, six or twelve times Depending on circumstances, such a plan program of pastoral leadership. Others may a year for Mass and sacraments. Weekly or may be applied at once by some dioceses, declare that is God’s plan that we become a bi-weekly services are conducted by a more slowly by others, but a nationwide smaller remnant in order to give a stronger catechist or ideally by a trained lay reality is unfolding which demands action witness to a faithless world. It is difficult to preacher. Training in those parts of by our whole Bishops’ Conference. Pope view either response as what the Spirit is the world is much more difficult to Francis has urged this very kind of action. saying to the Churches, or as obedience to accomplish. Leadership of the community Faith tells us that this crisis is also an Christ’s command to “Go out and make may be vested in this individual or a opportunity. Hope tells us that whatever disciples of all the nations.” 2 1 Bishop Mulkearns – canonist and friend MICHAEL COSTIGAN

Michael Costigan was a priest of the Melbourne Archdiocese from 1955 to 1969. He is married and retired and an Adjunct Professor, Theology and Philosophy Faculty, Australian Catholic University. Here he reflects on the life and commitment of his colleague and friend, Ron Mulkearns. he late Bishop Ronald Mulkearns least some of the widespread criticisms was my friend from when we were directed at his handling of clerical sexual both eighteen, my seminary abuse cases in his diocese and with further classmateT and room-mate, fellow canon accusations against the most notorious law student in Rome, travel companion to abuser in the news, people attempting to other parts of Europe and, during most of speak well of Mulkearns or to defend him the 1960s, my associate in the priestly from scapegoating, are likely to be met by ministry in Melbourne. The friendship, the accusation, as in Margaret Callinan’s which then lasted through Ron’s forty- comments on Father Flanagan’s article, that eight years as a bishop, until his sad death they “don’t get it” or even that they lack on 3 April 2016, was, at least on my side, appropriate sympathy for the victims of greatly valued. abuse. I have read with both appreciation and I took that risk myself last September Father Owen Oxenham of Brisbane, Ron understanding the articles about Mulkearns when, as a founding member of the Canon Mulkearns and Bishop Geoffrey Robinson in recent issues of the Swag by Michael Law Society of Australia and New Zealand, (who was at the conference). Morwood (Winter 2016) and Patrick J. I accepted an invitation to reminisce at the Flanagan (Spring), as well as the letters by Society’s Golden Jubilee annual conference In speaking about Ron, I said a little about Bishop Paul Bird (Spring) and Margaret about my early, brief association with that our 67 year friendship and summarised his Callinan (Summer). organisation and about some of my other noteworthy involvement in the new Society’s early days, as its first Secretary, More time will need to pass before a fair involvements over the years in matters of the keynote speaker at its first annual and balanced evaluation can be made of law (canon and civil) and social justice. conference, in Brisbane in 1967, and as the the man Ron Mulkearns and of all that he Introducing my 12,000 word, largely organiser of the following year’s gathering, did, mistakes included, as a Melbourne autobiographical, paper, I dedicated it in Melbourne, shortly before his priest for twelve years, as Bishop of Ballarat to the Society’s other founding members, appointment as Coadjutor Bishop of for twenty-six and as a retiree, troubled at most of whom have departed this life. Ballarat. I then took the opportunity to times by controversy and poor health, for I singled out for special mention three make the following observations about nineteen. founders who had played major roles in what I called ‘the tragic and unfortunate At this moment, unfortunately, with the creating and fostering the Society during circumstances preceding and following Royal Commission likely to endorse at and after the late 1960s. They were the late Ron’s death on 3 April’: Continued page 12

the swag 11 FEATURES ‘He came under strong criticism in the ‘For now, I would like to quote a few ‘Speaking from my knowledge of Ron media and even from other members of the words written about Ron by his younger Mulkearns during the sixty-seven years in hierarchy when the Royal Commission on cousin, the theologian and former priest which we knew each other, I completely the sexual abuse of children heard about Michael Morwood. In a tribute in the endorse his cousin’s tribute to this his managing, as Bishop of Ballarat, of the Swag, the quarterly journal of the National ‘thoroughly decent man’. May his memory cases of some of Australia’s worst clerical Council of Priests (Winter, 2016), Morwood be treasured by the now flourishing Society abusers, especially Gerald Ridsdale. This describes him as ‘a thoroughly decent man’ which he helped to create.’ referred mainly to the reassigning of in whom ‘there was not an ounce of evil’. Many of the 130 or more Society members abusers like Ridsdale, after psychological ‘He does not try to excuse Ron for what he treatment, to parishes where they and visitors at the conference, including calls ‘any of his decisions and actions that several bishops, thanked me afterwards for committed further offences. This was have caused immense pain to so many my paper – and in particular for what I undeniably a bad mishandling of the people’. But he does deplore what he calls situation, which Ron came to acknowledge ‘the great injustice and hypocrisy that is had said about Ron. after learning more, as most of us have, being cloaked over as this and other cases In writing as I have, I was not intending to about the nature and consequences of of bishops handling sexual abuse are take issue with Margaret Callinan’s letter, pedophilia. investigated’. which expresses so passionately her ‘Bishop Mulkearns came under such heavy ‘I know, from conversations I had with strongly held views about these matters. I criticism, especially from the victims of Ron in the last period of his life (we spoke do not, however, go along with her adverse abuse and their supporters, that it was on the phone a few times during his final judgment on what Patrick Flanagan had to decided that his Requiem Mass and burial weeks in Nazareth House, Ballarat) and say in his spirited defence of Bishop in April should take place privately, away from what he said to the Royal Mulkearns. I think he should be thanked from the cathedral where he had Commission early this year, that he for detailing some of the previously administered the Ballarat diocese for recognised and greatly regretted mistakes unpublished ways in which the Bishop twenty-six years. made when he thought he was doing and acted. Sincere as the approach to the was obliged to do the only thing that the ‘One of the few bishops present, and I problem might have been, it was tragically Institution, meaning the Pope and the flawed. praise and thank him for attending and Roman Curia, required of him. This meant acting as the principal celebrant of the giving abusive priests, even the worst of May I offer a final word on the subject Mass, was another of the Canon Law them, a certain precedence over their of forgiveness, which may be the most Society’s most distinguished founding victims while, if possible, trying to prevent important and difficult of all the virtues members, Ron’s good friend Archbishop their evil deeds causing scandal by expected of a Christian? It must be Frank Carroll, who was unfortunately becoming public knowledge. especially hard for those who have suffered prevented at the last minute by illness so dreadfully and unjustly at the hands of from being at this Conference. ‘Of the late Bishop’s unquestioning and constant devotion to the papacy I have abusers, above all when those in a position ‘In my opinion, the degree of hostility clear memories. Nevertheless, he did admit to prevent their criminal actions have directed at Ron Mulkearns from some to me in conversation when I stayed with failed. In his Introduction to The Book of directions was unwarranted if in some him in Aireys Inlet several years ago that Forgiving, written jointly with his daughter, instances understandable. I hope and his regard for Pope John Paul II diminished the Reverend Mpho Tutu, the great pray that in due time and in a calmer after the Polish pontiff had turned a deaf Archbishop Desmond Tutu expresses what atmosphere the failure to give this servant ear to his request for advice about the way he calls two simple truths: ‘there is nothing of the Church due honour when he died to handle clerical sexual abuse in his that cannot be forgiven’ and ‘there is no will be corrected. diocese. one undeserving of forgiveness’. 2 1 Towards a change of parish contours AENGUS KAVANAGH and missionary creativity of the pastor, and the community (Evangelii Gaudium # 28) The chapter, ‘Catholic Parish 2030’, appeared in the book Will Catholic Schools be Advocate of greater evolutionary Catholic in 2030 co-authored by Patrician Brother, Aengus Kavanagh, and Ursuline consciousness in the church, Ilia Delio Sister, Leone Pallisier. The following article is an updated and nuanced extract of that (Making All Things New, 2015:185), sees chapter written by Aengus Kavanagh. Pope Francis as a model for emergent Ecclesia semper reformanda est – Catch- parish as a place with great evangelisation Catholicity: cry of Pope Francis and a crying need of potential on the presumption that … it is His awareness of the human person, our time really in contact with the homes and lives of its especially the poor and the suffering, has people, and does not become a useless structure been inspirational … His charism is to n so many ways, Pope Francis has out of touch with people or a self-absorbed bring the good news of God’s love to all entreated reform and renewal, structure made up of a chosen few… Francis those who feel excluded from this love. He Iconsistently warning that a ‘more of the further believes that: The parish is not an realises that the law serves the spirit not the same’ mindset is an obstacle in a church outdated institution; precisely because it other way around. The law is not to stifle wishing to remain relevant in the lives of possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite the Spirit of God but to liberate the Spirit its people, and in society. He envisions the different contours depending on the openness to do new things.

12 autumn 2017 FEATURES It is true that there are many factors the Nuncio’s, and the Pope’s, ‘end-game’, challenge that parishes assume ‘quite in our Western societies especially that an encounter with the person of Jesus different contours ... [for] missionary combine to militate against religious Christ. Likewise, there would probably be creativity’, despite his call for dialogue and consciousness and practice. However, consensus that such encounter would be devolution of decision-making in a more simultaneously spiritual and moral hunger most likely to happen through some form synodal Church, and despite the echoing abound more than ever and the old of religious affiliation within a life-giving of these sentiments by increasing numbers saying – people go where they are fed, still parish community? of church leaders, there is little evidence of retains some wisdom. significant institutional Despite such awareness, changes at diocesan or most committed Catholics parish levels. Yes there is the find it disappointing that, structural change of merging nation-wide in Australia, or amalgamating parishes almost 90% of baptised which raises unsettling Catholics no longer have questions. In most cases such any ongoing affiliation change seems to be but an with their parish. The expedient reaction based on figure is close to 95% for the short-term probability that Catholic youth signalling a one able-bodied pastor will bleak future for church now be available to offer membership, as we lament pastoral ministry and lost generations. A harsh governance in two or more reality seems to be that previously separate parish current pastoral policies communities. Apart from and practices of the increasing the work-load and institutional church no stress levels on the ‘able- longer find resonance in bodied pastors’, what is the long-term future of this policy? More the hearts of a vast majority of Catholics, Archbishop Eamon Martin was installed as especially the young. Sure we can talk important, what does this practice say Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All about the inability of leadership at about nominal Catholics, lapsed Catholics, Ireland on 8 September 2014 adopting as etc. but maybe an honest admission is due diocesan and parish levels to enable a his motto: Cantate Dominum Canticum realization of Pope Benedict XV1’s that all the problems may not be ‘out Novum … Sing A New Song To The Lord. there’ and that the need is urgent to revisit exhortation to International Forum for outdated paradigms, jaded ways of being In a theme that has become increasingly Catholic Action (23.8.2012) that the laity and doing, within our own fold, within our common among senior church leaders, should not be considered as collaborators with own leadership ? from the Pope down, he re-iterated a call the clergy, but as people truly co-responsible for a root and branch re-imagining that for the life of the Church. So, surely it is timely at every level in the church for dialogue, creative thinking, might help in the reclaiming of the Such co-responsibility and shared and courageous venturing forth in the relevance of the Catholic Church in the leadership requires two major shifts, interest of confident movement towards modern world. The loss of such relevance starting with big paradigm shifts, a a preferred future rather than predictable in Ireland in recent decades has been letting-go by clergy and a taking-up by the drifting into a probable future? And surely dramatic, with similar scenarios evident in laity. These shifts in turn demand urgent too, it is time to accept as starting point Europe and throughout the Western world pro-activity in education and in formation practical responses to present realities generally leading to collaboration in re-imagining rather than launch into further highly It is time for us to ‘sing a new song to the the essence of the church’s mission of aspirational plans shaped by nostalgic Lord’. To re-imagine parish and diocese in evangelization, in a re-conceptualisation of adherence to norms and frameworks whose Ireland…we are in a transition time ministries, and in re-configuring diocesan and parish governance. Ideally, dioceses, fruits include massive alienation from faith between the relative security and certainties or small clusters of dioceses, would have and church. New wineskins – not just an of past times and discovering what the option, an imperative? their own Centre For Faith Formation Spirit wants from the church in Ireland and Ministry Development. The Centre Perceived conservative, Papal Nuncio to to-day and tomorrow. The parishes of would be high profile and would be Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, picked tomorrow will be ‘communities of well-resourced. Its primary focus would up on this theme in a recent interview on intentional disciples’ sustained by not be academic, with more emphasis on Irish National Television, RTE 1 (The committed and formed lay people … It formation than on information. It would Meaning of Life. interview with Gay Byrne, will be impossible for us to hold onto the offer specially tailored programs to help Dublin 20.11.2016): ways we lived parish in the past … (this) participants to grow in their own faith, will mean a certain amount of ‘letting go’ Citing doctrine or quoting Canon Law or spirituality and understanding of by bishops and priests (Archbishop Eamon ecclesiology. It would also offer the a rule-based kind of theology is not going Martin speaking about parish and to appeal to people today. People want to development of leadership attitudes and diocese in context of a gathering at skills to enhance effectiveness in encounter the person of Jesus Christ, and Bellaghy Co Derry, 4.12.2016). that is what Pope Francis is all about, strengthening the life of the parish and in encounter with Christ. So, why the inertia? supporting outreach initiatives to baptized Catholics who no longer have ties with a Few Catholics, so-called conservatives or Despite the Pope’s persistent call for parish. Such a centre would also be a progressives, would hardly disagree with reform, and his Evangelii Gaudium forum for the induction and ongoing Continued page 14

the swag 13 FEATURES formation of the ever increasing numbers have presentations from at least a few • How can we develop a diverse program of laity involved in Catholic agencies, apart parishes at the 2020 Synod highlighting of lay-led prayer gatherings to mark from Catholic schools. Likewise, it would instances where committed and special events in the lives of Catholics provide a forum to strengthen all Catholic empowered laity, under enlightened and living in the parish? Was not the early agencies in the diocese as Gospel supportive leadership have re-vitalised the church adept at ‘catching something that communities in the Catholic tradition, lives of parishes? This would give the was in the air’ and sacralising it? and to strengthen their alignment with Synod initiatives worthy of recognition the mission of the Church. and affirmation, showing what is possible • Can we make an inventory of ‘all the where there is vision and courage, and things that Father does’ with a view to an The envisioning of a preferred future for would allow an element of bottom-up the Church needs to be situated in an identification of the many activities that reform. The Synod mode could then evolutionary consciousness and a genuine engage the priest’s time and energy but assume an inspirational as well as an openness to what the Spirit may be saying whose discharge is not the exclusive aspirational model. to us now in multiple and eloquent signs. domain of ordained priesthood? How While respecting traditions and core Carpe Diem…Seize the Day might duties and roles be re-configured teachings, creative re-imagining and and re-allocated accordingly? Given the obvious preference of Pope striving will be stifled if compliance with Much of the agenda emerging from such existing juridical boundaries and mind-sets Francis for a ‘field hospital’ model of of a former era are a starting point. church ahead of the ‘faithful remnant’ conversations would surely have serious model, now is a favourable time to push implications. It is best to avoid knee-jerk In announcing a 2020 Synod for the the boundaries in quest of a more reactions and to plan a process of research Australian Catholic Church, Archbishop missionary and more relevant church. and renewal to give fresh impetus to the Mark Coleridge said that the Synod would It may not be always thus. Rumour has life of the parish. discuss ‘profound cultural changes’ that the it that many of the culture warlords and church must address. The announcement increasing numbers of senior clerics are The notion of any change in policies and of a national synod is a heartening first heard to murmur ‘Wake me up when this practices at diocesan and parish level may step towards a broadening of dialogue Papacy is over’. evoke in some an unease over implicit and collaboration in an exploration and Maybe it’s time to get a core group of criticism. Well-known author, Richard response to the ‘profound cultural changes’ thinking and committed parishioners Rohr ofm, has a sobering reflection on that impact on our way of being church. together. Start conversations on issues arising restlessness in the quest for authentic Church Synods and Councils can play a from questions such as the following: Christian living: It’s a kind of sacred role in sowing seeds which may lead to discontent, a holy dissatisfaction, and a holy • On week-ends: Who are here? Why are reform but genuine reform cannot be desire for more life, love, and generativity they here? Who are not here? Why are decreed. Decrees sometimes cause hostility, (Richard Rohr OFM and Michael Morrell, they not here? frequently evoke varying levels of The Divine Dance, 2016:102). compliance, but rarely engender • How can we broaden the umbrella of commitment. The winning of hearts and inclusion in acknowledgement of degrees Surely, the time is ripe for a fresh flow of minds, the re-culturing essential to reform of believing and belonging? After all did spiritual and religious generativity within is a slow process and takes place most not some of the First Disciples oscillate our church? Conventional wisdom in our effectively in small local communities, in in and out of those categories? How 21st century world confirms that a ‘business parishes. Mindful of present realities in the many of them were under the Cross on as usual’ mind-set is a recipe for irrelevance Australian Church would it not be great to Calvary? and possible further demise. 2 1 Back to following the way ERIC HODGENS 2nd and 3rd century culture was swirling with ideas and this had an impact on the Eric Hodgens, retired Melbourne priest, scans the history of faith life of a fast-growing Christian movement. and its articulation and finds that Pope Francis is engaging in They adopted a Stoic approach to sex. The articulating faith in a new way in an age of secularism. Desert Fathers evidenced a fascination with asceticism. The Fathers of the Church – efore they The early followers of The Way believedin leaders of the movement in Rome, Asia were known Jesus and his way of living. Over time ideas Minor, Northern Egypt and North Africa as Christians crystallized. They came to believethat Jesus – developed a fascination for theological theyB were Followers was a prophet, the messiah, the saviour, the debate. Constantinople became the new of The Way. Now, after fifteen centuries, Son of God, the Word that was with God Rome and the Christian Church was the Church is trying to return to walking from the very beginning. The commitment catapulted from being a suspect sect to that way again. There are two definitions came first. Ideas followed as they articulated being the spiritual wing of an empire. of faith: what that commitment entailed. Cultures change bringing new realities calling for By the end of the 4th century Christianity • commitment to someone or something; had moved to being heavily doctrinaire believing in; the heart dominates. new applications of the way to live. Theology, precisely because it attempts to rather than existential. Theology was king. • accepting an idea as true; believing that; articulate that changing reality, is always a The Way had become secondary. Gradually the head dominates. work in progress. even the way of living became codified in

14 autumn 2017 FEATURES the form of law and regulation. Logos exercised. Doctrine and law are sacralised procedures. It will use new concepts and replaced mythos as Karen Armstrong has as the teaching of the Church – or even the images expressed in different literary forms. pointed out. teaching of God. As the early Church grew, the cultural A member of the Jesus Movement of the Then along comes a pope who says imagination changed. The allegorical and 1st century would have found it hard to “Who am I to judge?” He has a dictum: rhetorical style of the Fathers differed from recognise the institutional Christianity of reality is more important than the idea. that of the evangelists. With the advent of the end of the 5th century. Ideas, ideology, doctrine, law must be Christendom doctrinal formulations and evaluated in the context of the wider life laws replaced the discussion and parables Ideas and laws have been front and centre of the community. For the theologian and of Jesus and the Fathers. Now the secular to Christianity ever since. Christendom the legislator ideas determine and control culture of the modern world calls for a was born under Constantine and reigned reality. For the pastor a changing reality further re-articulation. supreme till the 20th century. The Great calls for constant adaptation of our ideas Schism in the 11th century and the A yearning for the “good, old days” is and rules. Reformation in the16th century left it natural; especially if you believe that the fractured but still powerful. It was the This reversal of priorities coincides with a community was stronger then. But reality 18th and 19th century democracy new-found self-confidence in the people. is relentless. Matthew knew that the scribe movements which saw the loss of the The People of God have their own mind trained for the Kingdom of Heaven brought Church’s political power with the rise of and heart on matters of faith and morals. new and old out of his treasure chest. Pope secular states. Christianity became just Pope Francis sees the faith of the people Francis is a realist with a romantic one faction in competition with others. as the most basic source – and more imagination. He is re-visiting ideas and important than the idea. Past articulations rules which have been canonised as if they Power is still the Church’s stumbling block. may have reflected the faith of the time. are God-given. But, much more important, Mind you, Jesus warned us: The gentiles But times change, language changes, he has already reversed the predominance lord it over their subjects – not so with th circumstances change, culture changes. given to doctrine ever since the 5 century you. The Church’s power to “lord it over” It follows that the following of Jesus’ Way with a pragmatic way of following Jesus’ society has been curtailed by today’s will change in the new cultural context. Way. We are heading back to our pluralism but is still jealously guarded beginnings. That’s real conservatism. within the institution. And ideas and laws A new articulation of the new way will are the instruments by which power is differ from the old in its priorities and 2 1 New body to test Church resolve on professional standards abuse and intercessory prayer MICHAEL MULLINS significant source of vulnerability and abuse for many young people in the way Michael Mullins asks how the Church can move forward in the wake of child sexual that civilian populations are subject to the abuse and then asks does intercessory prayer work. Reprinted with permission from his whims of warlords in Somalia, Yemen, and blog: michaelmullins.org 23/11/16 and 02/01/17. other failed states. esterday I watched last week’s Four I believe that abuse does not have to be What I like most about the announcement Corners episode ‘Broken Homes’ active interference with a vulnerable is that the body’s attention is not confined on the child protection system for individual. To fail to make a child feel to sexual abuse because much, or most, of childrYen in residential care. The moment special is neglect and abuse. the abuse in Catholic and other that stayed with me, and no doubt many institutions was not specifically sexual. Last This is relevant to the recent announcement others, was former Victorian children’s week I wrote about my own experience of of the establishment of Catholic Professional what I called the ‘culture of disrespect’. I commissioner Bernie Geary talking about Standards, an agency set up to monitor the case that affected him the most – ‘the think that Bernie Geary’s criterion of a and report on child and vulnerable adult child being made to feel special – or not – child who said “I’m not special in the eyes protection standards. of anyone”’. is the obvious gold standard that should The media release suggests that the new underscore everything else in the new The program was about vulnerable children body’s responsibilities are broad – ‘the body’s standards checklist. who need to be removed from their protection of children and vulnerable My fear was that Catholic Professional parental homes for their protection. But adults across Church entities particularly Bernie Geary’s words in particular were Standards would have a remit to focus on in areas where there are no current relevant sexual abuse exclusively. But it’s much also relevant to children from loving homes standards’. whose care is entrusted to institutions, broader. However there’s not enough in the such as Catholic and other boarding It does not indicate that Catholic announcement to reassure me that it is interested in institutional reform rather schools. Professional Standards will have a remit for redressing past non-compliance. But it is than merely eliminating the ‘bad eggs’. In In effect it established this as a criterion very encouraging that it acknowledges that other words scapegoating pedophile priests for determining whether a child is or was the body will give particular attention to who, in many cases, are just as vulnerable receiving adequate care in the institution, areas where standards are lacking. The lack as the children they abuse. I’ve often felt or whether he or she the victims of abuse. of standards is effectively lawlessness and a that putting them in prison is akin to Continued page 16

the swag 15 FEATURES jailing those suffering from mental illness. Standards is about no more than window- in the right places, we will. The key is that A convenient distraction from having to dressing and the Church is not serious it will be a result of our own actions. take responsibility for the source of the about ending abuse. My previous rejection of intercessory problem. Does intercessory prayer work? prayer was probably more in line with the Relevant to this is a post on the Child reformed Protestant Calvinist doctrine of Sexual Abuse Royal Commission at John I remember when I was a Jesuit novice in predestination, which rejects intercessory Menadue’s blog (21.11.16: johnmenadue. the late 70s, that we would drive around prayer out of hand. com/blog). Catholics for Renewal Chair Sydney in an orange VW Kombi van. I’ve always found it hard to understand Peter Johnstone gets it right when he When we needed a car parking space, two how predestination is any different to insists that ‘the Church’s institutional of the seven in my year believed we would fatalism, which is defeatist and leadership must publicly acknowledge that find one if we said a prayer to St Gerard undermining of human possibility. It’s like its dysfunctional governance was at the Majella. Two – including myself – thought the Filipino bahala na ‘leave it up to God’ heart of its immoral response to the abuse that was rubbish, while the other three laid-back attitude that could be responsible of children in its care’. He compellingly were somewhere in between. for that country’s perennially poor spells out the nature of this dysfunctional We would always get a park in the end, and economic performance. governance and suggests that any attempt it remained a moot point whether we had to address abuse in the Catholic Church St Gerard to thank. I was never convinced. This is in contrast to that of the US, where will be a waste of time unless its I’m less hard line in my skepticism these it was the father of free enterprise dysfunctional governance is corrected. days, though I believe that intercessory Benjamin Franklin who said ‘God helps those who help themselves’. The paradox is The claim in the media release about the prayer works if it is not seen as a ‘get out of that this self-seeking attitude contradicts new Catholic Professional Standards body jail free’ card but more akin to the power the selflessness that is at the heart of the is that it is an ‘independent’ agency, of positive thought and initiative. We don’t message of the Christian Gospel. operating at arm’s length from the Catholic expect St Gerard to do the heavy lifting for us. He’s there more to encourage us. Church and its hierarchy. If that is really My thoughts about intercessory prayer the case, we can expect that Catholic Oprah Winfrey said: ‘The greatest were prompted by a friend from many Professional Standards will discovery of all time is that a person can years ago who wrote to me on Saturday comprehensively address the Church’s change his future by merely changing his about the tough time she’s had in recent dysfunctional governance, and do all in attitude.’ She would have been referring to years. Sadly her Catholic faith has not whatever power it has to correct this. major life goals and not trivial matters like delivered at her time of need. She said: Anything less than this and it will be plain car parking. But, according to her doctrine, ‘I have stopped praying as not one prayer for all to see that Catholic Professional if we believe we can find a park, and look has been answered’. 2 1 Having a say in selecting our Bishop RICHARD CURTAIN the work they do. The survey results clearly show the strong desire of Catholics to have Richard Curtain, Catholics for Renewal, writes on latest research about appointing a greater role in the selection of their bishops. bishop and in the governance of their diocese and local parish. atholics, both priests and laity, have themselves freely. This required detailed too few opportunities to have their analysis but was worth the effort because it Response to the survey voices heard within the Church. has yielded valuable insights in how The total number of respondents was 146, CThe lead up to the appointment of a new Catholics think on important issues related of these 77 were from parishes in the bishop is an obvious example of when this to their local Church. Archdiocese of Melbourne. As the survey should occur. Instead we have a highly Overall, the concerned Catholics who was designed to identify first the pressing secretive process, carried out by the responded to the survey showed needs of a specific diocese and then the representative of the Vatican in Australia. widespread dissatisfaction with the current qualities expected of the presiding bishop, This selection process is going on in six state of their local diocese and parishes. the results make more sense if they focus dioceses at 31 March 2016. Other dioceses Their dissatisfaction referred to current on a specific diocese. While respondents are expected to become vacant in the not governance arrangements, the need for a from all vacant and other dioceses were too distant future as more bishops reach stronger pastoral focus and more effective invited to respond to the survey, Catholics the retirement age of 75. leadership from their bishop based on his for Renewal put additional effort into What do informed Catholics have to say willingness to consult widely. The survey publicising the survey in the Melbourne about the current state of their local church results also suggest that concerned and Archdiocese by writing to each parish and what qualities they think a new leader informed Catholics believe that many priest and some 80 pastoral associates. for their diocese should have? Catholics for bishops do not recognise or understand the Melbourne is the focus of the main report. Renewal set up an online survey to provide realities of the contemporary world. Many The 64 usable responses from 20 other this opportunity. Specific attention was respondents believe that bishops live and dioceses are reported in a separate focussed on the Archdiocese of Melbourne. work in a separate world, without close attachment, also available from the The questions were simple and asked for engagement with the laity at parish or Catholics for Renewal website. open-ended replies to enable respondents diocesan level. Some respondents from the Why only a small number of respondents to use their own words to express clergy also feel a strong lack of support for to the survey? A mailout addressed

16 autumn 2017 FEATURES personally to each of Melbourne’s Parish The results bring together the priests, religious and Priests and a letter to pastoral associates laity to express their views on matters appeared to produce little or no publicity Nine out of ten responses on the needs of proposed by the bishop and important to for the survey. The Catholic Church’s lack the Melbourne archdiocese called for a the local church. Need to do this as soon as of a tradition of open participation in the change from current custom and practice. possible to prepare for the National Plenary process for selecting a new bishop meant Half of the responses called for a change of Council proposed for 2020. that few parish priests were prepared to approach in general and 40 per cent endorse the survey. referred to the need for specific changes in Other proposed changes to governance institutions. The remaining one-in-ten were directed at how parishes operate. One The low response rate was influenced by responses called for a return to simple respondent placed the blame for the other factors as well. The time-consuming values or to the past in some way. The full difficulties parishes are experiencing on the nature of the open-ended responses report lists the detailed responses under a lack of interest and support from the requested made it likely that only the most number of themes. hierarchy. One comment provides a good interested respondents would do the summary of how many respondents felt: survey. Other Catholics who knew of the survey may only Relations between the church have a parish centric view of hierarchy and the parishes need to the Church and felt they be significantly improved. lacked knowledge of or interest Parishioners by and large regard in the needs of the archdiocese. bishops and the church hierarchy as The absence of an annual remote figures who hand down report for the archdiocese orders to priests and people without means that it is hard for engaging with them at any human Catholics to form a view on level. There is a high degree of the general state of their local mistrust of the hierarchy by many Church. Catholics, especially following the findings of Royal Commission. Some interested in the topic of the survey may have been Desired qualities of the new reluctant to do the survey for fear of Some 94 responses were categorises under archbishop retribution from Church authorities. the governance theme in relation to the The predominant tone of the replies about Evidence for this is that several respondents most pressing need of the archdiocese. the desirable qualities of a new archbishop did not complete the questionnaire once These included specific mention of was critical of current practice (31 per they were asked to provide their personal ‘empowering the laity’ (20 responses), need cent). The next most important tone details, which we had requested to show to address clerical sexual abuse (14 identified was the need to be inclusive (19 that the respondent was acting in good responses), for church leaders to consult per cent). Only 17 per cent of responses faith. This response suggests that some before making decisions (9 responses), the have been categorised as traditional. The Catholics are afraid to express their views need to have women participating in the responses on the desirable qualities of a on Church matters, especially if they hold Church at all levels (5 responses) and the new archbishop covered the following an official position within the church and need to reduce clericalism (2 responses). issues: the need for a more pastoral fear that their responses could in some way The theme of need for a greater pastoral approach, the need to return to basics, the have been identified. If this was the case, focus included 22 responses that need to address governance issues, and to this is not a healthy situation for any specifically mentioned this. In addition, 14 speak out on public issues. Other responses organisation seeking to operate in an open responses referred to the need for a social wanted a new archbishop to make a radical and transparent way. justice focus, 9 responses called for parish break with the past and to show a greater However, even official surveys, endorsed by life to be revitalised, 5 responses wanted understanding the contemporary world. the Bishops themselves, have produced low greater efforts to engage with non-active Catholics and 3 responses requested greater Often mentioned was the need for the new response rates, as shown by the archbishop to be open to consulting with questionnaires seeking to provide input to support from the Archdiocese for the clergy. others, to show a willingness to be the first and second Synod on the Family accountable and to lead in a collaborative (http://tinyurl.com/jlmr8f7). This was in The proposed governance changes way. Another way this was expressed was part to do with the complex nature of the respondents wanted referred to the need to the need for the new leader to be inclusive issues canvassed. It was also due to the address clerical sexual abuse and its of a range of groups within and outside the language of the questions for the first cover-up. But this was not the major issue church. The word ‘vision’ was also used as Synod survey which Archbishop Coleridge identified for change. Many more made well as the need to ‘be open to a variety of described as ‘opaque’ (2016 Cardinal Knox the call for greater involvement of the laity possibilities for our ever-diminishing church’. Lecture, From Wandering to Journeying: in the life of the Church at all levels, Another key attribute mentioned by some thoughts on a Synodal Church ). However, including in the selection of bishops. Calls was the need for the archbishop to speak the low response rates were also, no doubt, for greater lay involvement in the Church out publicly on moral and social justice due to the lack of experience that the often included a call for a range of greatly issues. hierarchy of the Catholic Church has had expanded roles for women in the Church. with consultation exercises of any sort. As Specific suggestions for greater lay This summary cannot do justice to the rich Archbishop Coleridge noted: ‘… the participation included the need to establish detail of the responses themselves. These questionnaire seemed the work of people a pastoral council to develop a pastoral are reported in full in the reports available who simply weren’t used to this sort of plan, and the need to hold regular diocesan from the Catholics for Renewal website. thing’. synods or assemblies: 2

the swag 17 FEATURES Why is the liturgy boring? LAURIE BENT meaningful, understandable, in touch with the realities of daily life in the parish. Laurie Bent, retired priest of Canberra and Goulburn, writes in response to Pat Further, they must be prayed slowly and Flanagan’s article on liturgical reform distinctly so that people may make them their own. Lectors/Readers have an important place in the liturgy and must prepare thoroughly. Hence prayers should be given to them well before the weekend Masses. When possible, someone may be appointed to be responsible for checking that the readers are able to pray these prayers well. This applies also to the Lectors. How well do they proclaim the readings? And how many celebrants and their congregation bow at the words of the creed, ‘and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man’? Do we need to remind our congregations of these Sacrosanctum Concilium #30 states: By way straight from the book. But, thinking later, symbolic gestures? Do we include the of promoting active participation, the people what impressed this grandfather was the whole congregation in the Kiss of Peace, by should be encouraged to take part by means of fact that he understood what was being extending our hands to all present getting acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, said and done. I had short explanations of eye contact as we do so? and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and the various elements such as the anointing How well does the celebrant enunciate the bodily attitudes. And at the proper times all with Chrism, the white garment, and the words of consecration? I have heard some should observe a reverent silence. candle. who rush through these words in a at Flanagan in his recent excellent With respect to the Mass itself, it must be matter-of-fact way that does not seem to article referred to the fact that people celebrated with fervour. I am not suggesting properly portray the wonderful, awe-filled used to come ‘to hear’ Mass. Likewise piosity, but celebrating in a way that moment. The presentation here should not Pthe priest ‘said Mass’. Even today people demonstrates that the celebrant understands be overdone but so often it is underdone. ask, ‘Who’s saying Mass?’ The quotation fully what is occurring and is taken up into During the Our Father, do we lift our eyes above from Sacrosanctum Concilium makes the solemnity of the moment. towards the heavens as we pray the first it clear that all, priest and faithful, are About silence! How many celebrants at the part of praise to the Almighty? Then, as we celebrating Mass. But how well has this pray, give us this daily our daily bread, do filtered down to the troops? Collect say, ‘Let us pray’ and immediately pray the prayer? The call is for the people our eyes travel down to the sacred species I have personally found that if people to pray silently in their hearts. There on the altar? And as we ask the Lord to understand exactly what is being said at should be a moment of silence for this to forgive us our trespasses, do we lower our Mass and other liturgies, things are much occur and then the priest gathers these heads in humility, deeply acknowledging better. As an ex-school teacher, I always silent prayers together in the Collect. our own sinfulness? articulate the words of the Mass and Maybe rituals like this could be explained As a child, I followed the old Latin Mass Sacraments as well as I can. People, who in to the congregation so that they could from the translation in my missal. I got to the past may have experienced the Mass as participate with understanding. know and understand it because I made boring, will often come to me later and say the effort. Unfortunately, today, not too that was a good Mass. Gestures are important. I note that some of our young priests coming out of the many even have a missal so the words are I recently celebrated a Baptism during seminary hold their hands during prayer not seen, only heard. It is, therefore, Mass. Much of the early part of the between the shoulders, never beyond; very important they be understandable. Sacrament I performed prior to Mass, much as in the Latin missal of old during And if the words of the Mass are articulated such as the blessing of the water, the first which a priest could commit anything up slowly and distinctly, parishioners may anointing on the chest, which left the to 300 mortal sins during Mass by being come to a deeper understanding of their profession of faith, the actual Baptism, the slack with the rubrics. Whole body beauty and meaning. This applies anointing with Chrism, white robe and gestures, encompassing the earth, the particularly to the Eucharistic Prayer. This candle with the prayer over the ears and congregation, the Communion of Saints, should never be rushed. I prefer, even on mouth for all to participate in. The blessing and the Divinity Itself, draw the People of Sundays, to use the Second Eucharistic of mother and father and the faithful God into the Liturgy. Prayer because of its simplicity. Long replaced the final blessing of the Mass. Are the Prayers of Intercession really drawn out prayers leave the listeners lost. An old parishioner, a grandparent of the related to the congregation present and our Words wash over them and do not impact. child, congratulated me after the Mass on local parish? While the parish priest may Pat Flanagan’s article is entitled, What’s an “extraordinary Baptism”. He said he had have a parishioner or group of parishioners wrong with the Mass? There is nothing never seen anything like it. I simply said prepare these prayers, they should be wrong with the Mass, simply the way it is that it was according to Hoyle; it came thoroughly checked to see that they are presented. 2

18 autumn 2017 FEATURES Larger fears fuel cardinals’ divorce beef ANDREW HAMILTON SJ probable evidence, even if it is less probable than the opposing evidence. Others Andrew Hamilton SJ, consulting editor of Eureka Street, reminds us that there is a claimed that the evidence must be more 17th century precedent for the kind of passionate debate that Pope Francis’ Apostolic probable than that for observing the law. Exhortation Amoris Laetitia has aroused. Reprinted with permission from Eureka Others insisted you must follow the safest Street 24.11.16. course of action and so obey the law regardless of probability. n the years after the Second Vatican public disagreement with him. Council many theologians gave public This fairly abstract debate, which however lectures to Melbourne audiences on They also argue that it is vital for any had large consequences, raged strongly, Irenewal. Jesuit moral theologian Arnie community organisation to focus on what with all sides demanding that the Pope Hogan encouraged the move from a matters: the cause it represents and the adjudicate in their favour. Perhaps the command and control approach to people it serves. The cardinals’ action most revealing contribution was that of the Christian living, to an approach based on switches the focus to politics as politics – French polymath Blaise Pascal in his personal responsibility. the disagreements and power relationships satirical Lettres Provinciales. He portrayed between its leaders – to the detriment of the Jesuit backed probabilist case as lax and Many of his hearers thought he was not the Catholic Church. worldly – a rent-an-opinion-and-you-can- renewing but selling out faith. They justify-anything job. flocked to his lectures to grill him. One evening someone Pascal was a recent convert to a asked him whether it was a rigorist Catholic group, influenced mortal sin to miss Mass on by a reading of St Augustine, which Sundays. (Mortal sins were a opposed frequent communion. This ticket to hell, and in Church suggests that underneath the debate teaching to miss Mass on about moral decision making was Sunday was a mortal sin). the anxiety that if personal responsibility were not put under In response he began to strong restraint it would lead to explain the importance of free licence and to the dilution of consent, grave matter and Catholic faith. mature decision etc. His questioner interrupted him, Pascal’s rigorism reflects two aspects demanding a yes or no of the inheritance that St Augustine answer. Arnie again took the left to the Church. First, Augustine conversation to a broader emphasised the extent of the level, only to be told, “You corruption of human minds and are evading the question, hearts as a result of the sin of Adam. Father. Is it, or is it not, a This generated fear that left to mortal sin to miss Mass on Sunday?” The four cardinals argued that they were themselves, people will not make merely accepting the Pope’s invitation to trustworthy judgments about right and Arnie paused for a moment and said, open discussion of the issues raised in wrong. “Well, for you, it would be!” Amoris Laetitia. Certainly, an open exchange The second aspect of Augustine’s I was reminded of this story when reading of views can allow the truth to appear. It inheritance derives from his portrayal of that four cardinals had sent a letter to the also allows people to assess which of the the Church as a school within which Pope demanding yes or no answers as to participants in the debate are trustworthy people can learn to live just and ethical whether his reflectionAmoris Laetitia was in their pursuit of truth. Demanding yes or lives. This image can lead people to make faithful to Catholic tradition in its no answers to complex questions may put paramount obedience to Church teaching, treatment of the reception by divorced lead in your saddlebags in that respect. and so can engender in them fear of moral Catholics of communion. On not receiving The second question raised by the collapse if it is disregarded. a reply they published their letter, and one cardinals’ letter is why making space for Large fears of this kind fuelled the passion cardinal followed it up with murmurs some married and divorced couples to about impeachment. evident in the 17th century debates. They receive communion should arouse such may also underlie the peremptory demands The incident prompts reflection on the anxiety. The fact that space already exists in made of Pope Francis by the four cardinals. propriety of cardinals questioning a pope much Catholic pastoral practice may in this way and on the reasons why suggest that the concern is symbolic of a Ironically the Pope also draws on discussion of communion for the divorced more general anxiety. Augustine’s heritage. When he speaks of should raise such passion. the great joy and energy that comes from I find illuminating a 17th century precedent knowing yourself to be a sinner who is I am in two minds about the cardinals’ for this kind of passionate debate. It loved by God and chosen to share that joy action. Those who consider it inappropriate concerned the conditions under which it with others, he echoes Augustine’s argue that cardinals are chosen to act as a might be lawful to act contrary to a law. experience. In moral decision making, too, pope’s consultants. They cannot exercise Some argued that any judgment that the he may resonate with Augustine’s aphorism: this role effectively if they are involved in law does not apply may be based on “love, and do what you will.” 2

the swag 19 FEATURES Discovering the joy of love JOHN HILL The arrogant surety that outside the church there is no salvation doesn’t have a place in John Hill reflects on the Church and the priesthood today as one who lived through the Vatican II church. That of course was Vatican II as a priest of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. He looks at how the until the advent of John Paul II and the renewal agenda is going. Vatican reformers of the initial reform. They sought to impose an authority and a control to steer the bark of Peter in the right direction. A new reform was needed to purify an institution badly damaged by Vatican II. These new reformers wanted to negate what the Council espoused. But what it meant back then in the late 1960s was that as Catholic priests we had two options. The first was to recommit ourselves at a deeper and more personal level of faith and belief. The second option was to isolate ourselves from the new understanding of church. We could ignore new trends of thought and bury our heads in the sand while clinging to the certainty of supposed tradition. In this way we would solve the issues of faith. It would be by negating or hiding from the insecurities that plague any form of reform. For such insecurity would make changes in the priestly and sacramental roles obvious. Ultimately the life blood of a living Catholicism in large part lies with an educated laity. The laity is crying out for Vatican II to be a lived experience. client came to see me a day ago and an appendix in a book by Michael Parer Unfortunately in the short term the path she left behind a copy of The Swag. I called Prophets and Losses. of denial is easier to take. Holding onto the read it almost from cover to cover. I certainties and water tight proofs of the becameA absorbed by the openness and the There was a section in the thesis on the past then becomes an escape from what a humanity expressed in the articles. I was influence of relativism on dogma and the prophetic priesthood has to offer. A vital left with the sense that the strong anti- effects on priesthood. It is relevant today priesthood has far more to give than just clericalism that so easily comes to the for we have been constantly reminded by sticking to the security of the past where surface in the minds of ordinary people, Pope Francis’ predecessor and the recent dogma, authority and certainty become the can be answered. It is the fragile and cardinal of Sydney about the need for a accepted norm. Keeping the old mantra surreal world of a Trump presidency that pure church. Such a church would move that outside the church there is no scapegoating becomes an easy option. The away from the cafeteria catholic mentality salvation serves no purpose. Security so Royal Commission and its finding are that a supposed secular world offers. often excludes mercy. The mercy presented proving such. Somehow the critics of the way the church by the old school would not be the mercy is heading seemed to have forgotten that of what Jesus lived and what Pope Francis It is hard to penetrate the juggernaut the process of so called relativism began at writes about in Amoris Laetitia. nature of any powerful Institution and the the turn of the 20th century. That was when Catholic Church is no exception. This has scripture scholars subjected scripture to Somehow we tend to forget that security is been observed in the findings of the Royal scientific research. It was found that much mostly a superstition. Conditioning and Commission. If you cannot deal with the of what was written in the Bible was brain washing are the basis of superstition. top brass then it is much easier to pour our written in documents outside of the Bible Yet it does not exist in nature nor do we as chagrin on its employees. It is precisely at a previous date. a whole experience it. As I heard someone here that the clergy have copped it in heaps once say that avoiding danger is no safer in and where judgements can be made in a With the advance of the physical sciences the long run than outright exposure. Our very facile way. and the data on evolution there seemed no faith can either become a daring adventure other alternative than to relativise or nothing at all. If it is no longer an Having reflected on the writings inThe interpretations. This was evident with the adventure it becomes like what my novice Swag I was brought back to 1969 when I birth of the Ecumenical movement where master of nearly 60 years ago continually was a Catholic Chaplain at the UNSW. Catholics were invited to acknowledge the reminded us novices that such a faith is Two colleagues and I wrote a thesis based heritage and truth of other faiths. We as nothing other than veneer peeling off on a sociological research entitled Why Catholics no longer had a monopoly upon under the midday sun. It will in time priests leave the ministry. It was later used as religious truth. catch up with us.

20 autumn 2017 FEATURES ‘The reform of the reform’ is a catch phrase so often used by the supposed pallbearers Jerusalem – the city of Shalom of orthodoxy for they want the imposition of authority to be the basis of faith. What TONY DOHERTY they are telling us is that they have the answers. They have made themselves the Tony Doherty, retired Sydney priest, writes about Jerusalem, a sign of division restorators of Tradition as they subjectively and the city of Jesus’ heartbreak after a recent visit. Reprinted with permission from Tony’s blog: http://tinyurl.com/zhj6zz7 interpret it. So they will tell us there is no need to worry and all will be well, just do uring my travels to the Middle as we say. East, I savoured the magic of the A favourite novel of mine in the seminary ancient Jordanian city of Petra, the Dmystery of the Valley of the Kings in years was the Brothers Karamazov and it contained one of the most remarkable Luxor, Egypt and the majesty of the Grand pictures of the conflict between ethical Mosque in Muscat with its stunning design and colour. But it was a chapel on sensitivity and the Catholic Church. It Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives that deeply touches on the anxiety that ethical freedom touched my heart. brings. Jesus came back to life during the Spanish Inquisition and the Cardinal had I first journeyed to Jerusalem 40 years ago. him taken to prison. For 15 hundred years Among the many images of that the church had been struggling to correct pilgrimage, fixed clearly in my memory Jesus’ original mistake in giving man was a visit to a modest chapel situated freedom. For the inquisitor Jesus respected outside the walls of the Old City on the struggle that continues to shape the man too much and that people needed to Mount of Olives. This shrine was simply political history of our time? be treated like children and led by named ‘Dominus Flevit’, ‘The Lord wept’. How can it be that the tangled and twisted authority. He should have given them At this place, it is claimed, Jesus history of Israeli – Palestinian tension is bread as the devil suggested. It would be approaching the city of Jerusalem and such a running sore at the heart of the them saying, ‘just make us slaves but feed overwhelmed by the beauty of its Temple, turmoil of the Middle East? us.’ the destruction of which he predicted, Perhaps tears are not such a crazy response. Can priests trust their flock with freedom weeps openly. This young teacher from or must they hand it over for the comforts Nazareth weeps without restraint. There will be no peace in the world until of security at all costs? That would mean there is peace between religions. And there This September, I returned to Jerusalem will be no peace between religions until we living a life free from the ambiguities of the and the same remarkable chapel. For the human condition? The grand inquisitor enter into genuine conversation and listen second time, with a small group of pilgrims to one another finishes with a rhetorical question, ‘Why I was able to celebrate the Eucharist at its hast Thou come back to hinder our work?’ altar. For the second time I was profoundly Much is at stake. Priesthood has so much to offer our fragile moved. In the four decades since my last visit I world. Back in the 60’s the story was The stunning feature of this chapel is a found the city both familiar yet transformed. somewhat different when large numbers large clear-glassed window which cleverly Familiar with tourists still rubbing shoulders were leaving the active ministry. The frames a view of the ancient city. As Mass with Arab and Jewish merchants pressing openness of the Council documents, the is celebrated, the dominant image in front hot bread and fresh orange juice, leather uncertainty of what lay ahead and the of the group, is not some stained-glass sandals and tee shirts, rosary beads and question of vocation itself in the light of biblical story, but an unobstructed view of crucifixes. Yet transformed by the increased an enlightened and educated laity were all the walled city of Jerusalem itself. hostility and everyday apartheid that factors in decisions made. characterise life there, with Palestinians It is all there. The mount of Calvary; the quarantined behind walls and checkpoints; Today the scenario is somewhat different. Temple that the young teacher of Nazareth transformed too by the expansive The questions touching on the survival of challenged now lying in ruins; the Via construction of settlements which now the planet, climate change, the build up Crucis with its crowds and cobbled streets; surround the outskirts of the city and the Wailing Wall sacred to Jewish tradition of the armament factories, etc. are clear. penetrate deep into their traditional lands. and the dazzling roof of the mosque of But what precedes these questions is the Dome of the Rock. The words of Luke’s gospel have a powerful underlying question, what does it mean to resonance still. be a human being? If we can search for the These wordless images contains questions. answers and live them then we have made a They demand our attention. As Jesus came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had start. The joy of love,Amoris Laetitia, may How is it that this tiny corner of the world start us on the trek. only recognised on this day the things that can be the source of spiritual sustenance of make for peace…’ (Luke 19.41) I go back to my starting point in my the three of the dominant faiths on Planet reading of the Swag and sensing deeply Earth? Judaism, Islam, Christianity. What Tears are words that the heart cannot that the priest as prophet has much to say radio-active element of religious genius lies speak. Our little group of pilgrims left that chapel that morning with heavy hearts and to a world still in denial. That became hidden beneath those stones? tears which they could only thinly disguise. apparent in the openness and honesty of How is it that the adherents of these three 2 the articles. For that I say thank you. 2 traditions can be engaged in an internecine

the swag 21 FEATURES The man caught committing effrontery PETER DAY gracious to his victor, Andreas Seppi, by taking the time to embrace him at the net Peter Day, Canberra & Goulburn priest, reflects on society’s need for heroes and – more often than not such exchanges anti-heroes. feature a perfunctory handshake at best; but as he walked off the arena he warmly Early in the morning he came to one of the I was concerned my walking might have tapped Seppi on the shoulder in further nation’s most popular temples, Rod Laver embarrassed umpire Rudi Koertzen by going acknowledgment of a match well played. Arena. All the people came to him and he sat against his call, so when we took the field I I’ve never seen a tennis player do that before. down and began to teach them. The newspaper made eye contact with him at square leg just Further, he regularly compliments his scribes and some upstanding tennis aficionados before the first ball was bowled. He nodded opponents during points: “too good; well brought a man who had been caught his head and sort of clapped his hands. That played; good serve.” There is bigness to committing effrontery; and making him made me feel a bit better. him. stand before all of them, they said to him, Sure, he needs a good kick-up the backside “Teacher, this man was caught in the very act While not all approved of Gilchrist’s ‘walking’, notably, a lot of his peers; his every now and then from those who care, of committing effrontery. Now in our sporting but the lynch mob mentality that prevails code and culture we are compelled to condemn moral courage inspired many. It was a moment of rare transcendence: a moment also needs to be called out and put in its such men. Now what do you say?” He turned place. around and wrote on a whiteboard. When in which a professional athlete became a Nick is no Roger, nor is he a Rafa; but they kept on questioning him, he said to point of reference, allowing the spirit of compared to the vast majority of his peers them, “Let anyone among you who is without fairness and humility to override the ‘win he is no Robinson Crusoe either: think a fault be the first to condemn him.” When they at all costs’ narrative that pervades elite young, obnoxious Lleyton Hewitt; or a heard it, they went away, one by one, sport. sulking, box abusing Andy Murray; or a beginning with the most seasoned scribes; and As a society, we have a collective appetite combustible, bad tempered Novak Jesus was left alone with the man standing for moral leadership, for someone to look Djokovic; or a racket busting Marcos before him. He said to him, “Mate, where are up to and inspire us – just like Gilchrist. Baghdatis; not to mention that ancient they? Has no one condemned you?” He said, This is a laudable thing, but needs to be king of on court misery and tantrums, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I tempered by common sense and fairness. John McEnroe. condemn you. Go your way, and from now After all, sporting fame not only affords on do not act in an unsportsmanlike way.” our champions great privileges and Like the rest of us, Nick needs time: time to mature; time to know himself; and time “What’s he doing?” his team mates an opportunities, it also imposes upon them a to sort out the wheat from the chaff – as onlookers exclaimed with puzzlement; significant burden because, along with regards the latter, I think he’s already “This is the World Cup, for god’s sake… highlighting their abilities and successes, worked out that the media is mostly full of what’s he doing?” fame spotlights their frailties and failures as well – and very publicly: just ask Nick chaff… and don’t the media hate it, love it, On 18 March, 2003 Australian wicket- Kyrgios. know it, resent it, milk it. keeper batsman, Adam Gilchrist, did Perhaps, deep down, he’s also worked out something you are not supposed to in Indeed, I found it genuinely sad watching that the tennis circuit itself is full of chaff: cricket: he walked. It was during the yet another one of Kyrgios’s ‘office’ a generally superficial, billion dollar semi-final of the World Cup in South meltdowns at the Australian Open recently industry that commodifies players as Africa and Australia was taking on arch because, among other things, I reckon he is products to market and sell. rival Sri Lanka. an inherently decent and intelligent young As hard as it is to witness, I reckon Nick’s This is how Gilchrist described the moment man; if a bit of an anti-hero in this era of vulnerability and naked honesty are in his autobiography, Walking to Victory: ‘Saints’ Roger and Rafa. teaching us how not to play the sterile, I was going well on 22 off 19 balls, seeing it While many might say I’m stage managed game of elite sport and like a football, when [Aravinda de Silva] clutching at straws here, culture – one that Roger and Rafa seem came in for the second ball of his first over. amidst the on court far more adept at playing. He pitched it up and I went for an aggressive turmoil and tension, I And while it makes for uncomfortable sweep... I got a thick, loud bottom edge. It noticed something that viewing, there’s nothing like an bounced off my pad and I had no idea where explains why so many of anti-hero to reveal the ugly underbelly it went. Kyrgios’s playing peers, of a pretty product. Catch it! Catch it! I heard. I stood and unlike the If, in four years’ time, however, these turned to see that [Kumar] Sangakkara had hyper-critical meltdowns persist, then we’ll need to it. I knew I was done. It was so obvious. commentariat re-assess. Then, to see the umpire shaking his head, and social For now, “Go mate!” meaning, ‘Not out’, gave me the strangest media, speak so May love and time feeling… The voice in my head was well of him. allow your inner emphatic: ‘Go. Walk’… And I did. Not only talents to match It was a really weird sensation to go against after the your outer the grain of what ninety-nine per cent of devastation ones. 2 cricketers do… and what we’ve been doing of match for our whole careers. point was he

22 autumn 2017

Ordination Anniversaries 2017

Congratulations and Thankyou!

ORDAINED 71 YEARS Rev Michael Doherty, Adelaide, 21/12/1957 Rev Mgr William McCarthy, Melbourne, 21/12/1957 Rev Geoffrey Schneider SJ, 5/01/1946 Rev Grove Johnson, Rockhampton, 17/03/1946 Rev Joseph Kearney SAC, 28/07/1946

ORDAINED 50 YEARS Rev Don Grant SVD, 11/01/1967 ORDAINED 70 YEARS Rev Kenneth Boland SSS, 22/02/1967 Rev Marcellinus Meilak OFM, 11/03/1967 Rev Dunstan Mellors CP, 28/04/1947 Rev Denis Carabott MSSP, 11/03/1967 Rev Gerard Mahony CP, 14/08/1947 Rev Tarcisio Micallef MSSP, 11/03/1967 Rev John Hill SM, 27/07/1947 Rev Michael Ledda SDB, 20/03/1967 Rev Mgr Michael Berbari, Sydney, 26/03/1967 Rev Paul Pitzen, Perth, 27/03/1967 Rev Noel Mansfield MSC, 10/06/1967 ORDAINED 65 YEARS Rev Mgr Timothy Corcoran, Perth, 11/06/1967 Rev Patrick Harney OCarm, 13/01/1952 Rev Francis O’Dea, Brisbane, 29/06/1967 Rev Carthage O’Dea OCSO, 25/01/1952 Rev Jack MacGinley, Toowoomba, 29/06/1967 Rt Rev Lawrence Ayoub BSO, 17/02/1952 Very Rev Patrick Cassidy, Brisbane, 01/07/1967 Rev John Raccanello CS, 22/05/1952 Rev Christopher Austin SM, 01/07/1967 Rev Leo Long, Melbourne, 08/06/1952 Rev Andrew Dembicki OSPPE, 01/07/1967 Rev Finian Perkins OFM, 30/06/1952 Rev Brian Ahearn, Geraldton, 07/07/1967 Rev Denis Callahan, Broken Bay, 19/07/1952 Rev Michael Grace, Sandhurst, 08/07/1967 Rev Kevin Muldoon, Sydney, 19/07/1952 Rev Marcellus Glynn SSS, 08/07/1967 Rev Mgr Robert Aitken, Adelaide, 22/07/1952 Rev Leon Czechowicz, Adelaide, 08/07/1967 Rev Allan Connors SM, 23/07/1952 Rev Vincent Conroy, Perth, 08/07/1967 Rev James Kierce, Melbourne, 27/07/1952 Rev Peter Woodruff SSC, 14/07/1967 Rev Keith Turnbull CM, 26/11/1952 Rev Denis Uhr MSC, 20/07/1967 Rev F Edward Burns, Melbourne, 21/07/1967 Most Rev Denis Hart, Melbourne, 22/07/1967 Rev Barry Swift, Sydney, 22/07/1967 ORDAINED 60 YEARS Rev Barry Caldwell, Melbourne, 22/07/1967 Rev Mark Ryan OCSO, 03/01/1957 Rev Mgr Gerard Diamond, Melbourne, 22/07/1967 Rev John Walsh SM, 04/01/1957 Rev Edward Teal, Melbourne, 22/07/1967 Rev Reginald Ahearn CSsR, 10/03/1957 Rev Herman Hengel, Sale, 22/07/1967 Rev Francis Gilbert, Rockhampton, 29/06/1957 Rev Noel Short, Sydney, 22/07/1967 Rev Kevin Caldwell, Brisbane, 29/06/1957 Rev Anthony Caruana MSC, 22/07/1967 Rev Cormac Nagle OFM, 29/06/1957 Rev John Pickering OFM, 22/07/1967 Rev John Briffa SDB, 07/07/1957 Rev Douglas Smith MSC, 22/07/1967 Rev Michael Cantwell MSC, 17/07/1957 Rev Francis Devoy, Lismore, 22/07/1967 Rev James Duck, Broken Bay, 20/07/1957 Rev Peter Karam, Lismore, 23/07/1967 Rev Peter Malone, Maitland-Newcastle, 20/07/1957 Rev Paul Mercieca CP, 24/07/1967 Rev Mgr John Swann, Adelaide, 20/07/1957 Rt Rev Mgr William Fuller, Military, 25/07/1967 Rev George Connolly, Sydney, 20/07/1957 Rev Alister McLean, Wilcannia-Forbes, 26/07/1967 Rev Mgr Robert Egar, Adelaide, 27/07/1957 Rev John Jago SM, 19/08/1967 Rev Mgr Peter McCrann, Perth, 27/07/1957 Rev Anthony Corcoran SM, 19/08/1967 Very Rev Sir Desmond Moore MSC, 27/07/1957 Rev Robert Bruce SJ, 01/12/1967 Rev Robert Matthews OFM, 28/07/1957 Rev Renato Paras, Parramatta, 03/12/1967 Rev Terence O’Neill OFM, 28/07/1957 Rev Ian Howells SJ, 09/12/1967 Rev Donald Hughes OMI, 15/09/1957 Rt Rev Mitrat Chorkawyj, Ukrainian, 17/12/1967 Rev John O’Keefe CM, 19/10/1957 Rev Theodore Gillian OFM, 23/12/1967 Rev Louis Molloy SM, 13/12/1957 Rev Kevin Murphy, Ballarat, 21/12/1957 Rev John McKinnon, Ballarat, 21/12/1957 Rev John Carey, Armidale, 21/12/1957 Rev Dr Terence Johns, Broken Bay, 21/12/1957 ORDAINED 40 YEARS Rev Mgr Anthony Ireland, Melbourne, 19/09/1987 Rev Raphael Vo, Melbourne, 19/09/1987 Rev Tomasz Zaremba SChr, 09/05/1977 Rev Mgr Stuart Hall, Melbourne, 19/09/1987 Rev Robert Carrillo, Perth, 14/05/1977 Rev Gary Jones, Ballarat, 02/10/1987 Rev Peter Kerin SDB, 14/05/1977 Rev Martin Maunsell, Sydney, 14/11/1987 Rev Michael Goonan SSP, 28/05/1977 Rev David Gilbey, Lismore, 20/11/1987 Rev Michael Kelly CSsR, 04/06/1977 Rev Dean Bradbury SAC, 21/11/1987 Rev Ivo Zlatunic, Melbourne, 29/06/1977 Rev John Tran, Canberra & Goulburn, 27/11/1987 Rev Denis Scanlan, Brisbane, 30/06/1977 Rev Anthony Hennessy, Bathurst, 27/11/1987 Rev Franco Filipetto, Toowoomba, 08/07/1977 Rev Joseph Tran, Canberra & Goulburn, 27/11/1987 Rev Wayne Stanhope OCarm, 05/08/1977 Rev John McEnearney, Mait-New, 28/11/1987 Rev Kevin Gallagher SSS, 06/08/1977 Rev Peter Hosking SJ, 28/11/1987 Very Rev Brian Boyle, Sandhurst, 06/08/1977 Rev Richard Rutkauskas, Perth, 05/12/1987 Rev Stephen Dives MSC, 13/08/1977 Rev Max Davis, Armidale, 08/12/1987 Rev Amado Canaveral, Townsville, 14/08/1977 Rev David Ryan SJ, 19/12/1987 Rev John Reilly, Hobart, 19/08/1977 Most Rev William Wright, Mait-New, 20/08/1977 Rev Kevin Brannelly, Can & Goulburn, 20/08/1977 Rev Michael Nilon, Lismore, 20/08/1977 Very Rev Anthony Kerin, Melbourne, 20/08/1977 ORDAINED 25 YEARS Rev William Attard, Melbourne, 20/08/1977 Rev Christopher O’Neil, Port Pirie, 08/02/1992 Rev Greg Trythall, Melbourne, 20/08/1977 Rev Dermid McDermott, Can & Goulb, 13/03/1992 Rev Lawrence Cauchi, Sydney, 20/08/1977 Very Rev Peter Williams, Parramatta, 19/03/1992 Rev Stephen de Bono, Sydney, 20/08/1977 Rev Paul Chanh, Brisbane, 29/03/1992 Rev Robert Slattery, Sydney, 20/08/1977 Rev Eric Skruzny, Sydney, 24/04/1992 Rev Michael Bogusz, Melbourne, 20/08/1977 Rev Mark Okarma CSMA, 01/05/1992 Rev Paul Browne MSC, 20/08/1977 Rev Hugh Dowdell, Wollongong, 02/05/1992 Very Rev Kieran Adams OP, 20/08/1977 Rev Miroslaw Knap CR, 02/05/1992 Rev Bernard Patterson, Can & Goulburn, 20/08/1977 Rev Maher Gurges, Chaldean, 02/05/1992 Rev Denis Travers CP, 03/09/1977 Most Rev Peter Comensoli, Broken Bay, 22/05/1992 Rev Dr Gerard Stoyles, Wollongong, 10/09/1977 Rev Dominik Jalocha OP, 24/05/1992 Rev Glenn Humphreys CM, 12/10/1977 Rev Graeme Malone SSS, 06/06/1992 Rev Carl Mackander, Bathurst, 19/11/1977 Rev Noel Brady, Melbourne, 19/06/1992 Rev Anthony Smith SJ, 03/12/1977 Rev Mario Zammit MSSP, 03/07/1992 Rev Charles Gauci, Adelaide, 10/12/1977 Rev Artur Wojtowicz, Sydney, 04/07/1992 Rev Dean Marin, Adelaide, 10/12/1977 Rev Joe Dinh SDB, 11/07/1992 Most Rev Donald Sproxton, Perth, 17/12/1977 Rev Gregory Chee OCD, 18/07/1992 Rev Anthony Kennedy SM, 01/08/1992 Rev James O’Gara, Darwin, 04/08/1992 Rev Lachlan Coll, Canberra & Goulburn, 07/08/1992 Rev Mgr Greg Bennet, Melbourne, 22/08/1992 ORDAINED 30 YEARS Rev Paul Stuart, Military Ordinariate, 22/08/1992 Rev Deacon John Pugh SSS, 19/03/1987 Very Rev Denis Stanley, Melbourne, 22/08/1992 Rev Gregory D’Almeida, Perth, 01/05/1987 Rev Arsenio Tuazon, Melbourne, 27/08/1992 Rev Peter Miller, Canberra & Goulburn, 08/05/1987 Rev Manuel Santiago, Sydney, 27/08/1992 Rev Dr Barry Craig, Cairns, 14/05/1987 Rev Gregory Tait, Ballarat, 28/08/1992 Rev Stanislaw Bendkowski SDS, 16/05/1987 Rev Peter St John, Perth, 01/09/1992 Rev John Murray OSA, 21/05/1987 Rev Remy Bui, Sydney, 10/10/1992 Rev Mark O’Keefe, Wollongong, 23/05/1987 Rev Brian Mascord, Maitland-Newcastle, 31/10/1992 Rev Jan Walenciej SDB, 26/05/1987 Rev Timothy Harris, Brisbane, 18/11/1992 Rev Sinisa Mikulek, Wagga Wagga, 29/06/1987 Rev Bruce Little, Rockhampton, 18/11/1992 Rev Peter Jones OSA, 01/07/1987 Rev John Fitz-Herbert, Brisbane, 18/11/1992 Rev Andrew Robinson, Parramatta, 03/07/1987 Very Rev Dr David Ranson, Broken Bay, 21/11/1992 Very Rev Robert Bossini, Parramatta, 11/07/1987 Rev Deacon Graeme Ramsden, Military, 27/11/1992 Rev Christopher Shorrock OFMConv, 25/07/1987 Rev Mark Franklin, Brisbane, 28/11/1992 Rev Mgr Shora Maree, Maronite, 14/08/1987 Rev Steven Tynan MGL, 04/12/1992 Rev Andrew Wise, Sale, 05/09/1987 Rev Aloysius Lamere MSC, 06/12/1992 ORDAINED 20 YEARS Rev Elias Matta, Melkite Eparchy, 28/07/2007 Rev Geoffrey Agu, Brisbane, 28/07/2007 Rev Michael Kyumu, Adelaide, 01/01/1997 Rev Deacon Celestino Dias, Adelaide, 29/07/2007 Rev Kenneth Cafe OFM, 07/02/1997 Rev Deacon John Tipiloura, Darwin, 03/08/2007 Rev Joseph Pham OP, 22/02/1997 Rev Mark Whybrow, Wagga Wagga, 18/08/2007 Rev Mark Croker, Canberra & Goulburn, 28/02/1997 Rev Deacon Graeme Davis, Lismore, 28/08/2007 Rev Christopher McPhee MSC, 07/03/1997 Rev Francis Montero, Port Pirie, 03/09/2007 Rev Stephen Byrnes, Brisbane, 04/04/1997 Rev Danai Penollar, Sydney, 22/09/2007 Rev Martin Ngwe, Hobart, 06/04/1997 Rev Mark Podesta, Sydney, 22/09/2007 Rev Dr Paul McGavin, Can & Goulburn, 02/05/1997 Rev Brian Ahern SDB, 27/10/2007 Rev Declan O’Brien, Melbourne, 29/06/1997 Rev Deacon Ray Pardo, Brisbane, 04/11/2007 Rev Pham Anh-Hao, Adelaide, 05/07/1997 Rev George James, Perth, 16/11/2007 Rev Joseph Pelle, Perth, 25/07/1997 Rev Manoel Borges, Perth, 16/11/2007 Rev Burns Huggan, Melbourne, 23/08/1997 Rev Arnel Taracina, Perth, 16/11/2007 Rev Andrew Jekot, Melbourne, 23/08/1997 Rev Aleki Piula SDB, 06/12/2007 Rev Deacon Paul Naggar, Sydney, 23/08/1997 Rev Deacon Des Neagle, Brisbane, 12/12/2007 Rev John Healy, Melbourne, 23/08/1997 Rev Dr, Max, Vodola, Melbourne, 23/08/1997 Rev John Robson, Broken Bay, 06/09/1997 Rev Phillip Fleay, Perth, 13/09/1997 Rev Richard Ross, Hobart, 19/09/1997 Rev Peter Hoang SDB, 27/09/1997 Rev Peter Hoang OP, 04/10/1997 Rev Adrian Beloqui, Sydney, 15/10/1997 Rev Anthony Mellor, Brisbane, 12/11/1997 Rev Paul Kelly, Brisbane, 12/11/1997 Rev John Herd, Adelaide, 15/11/1997 Most Rev Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE, 22/11/1997 Rev Darren Howie, Sale, 27/11/1997 Ordination dates supplied to NCP Rev David Tremble MGL, 05/12/1997 by individual clergy. Rev Wally Kevis, Bunbury, 08/12/1997 Rev Peter Dwyer, Armidale, 12/12/1997 Rev Deacon Francis Feain, Perth, 13/12/1997 Rev Ihor Bakay, Ukrainian Eparchy, 21/12/1997

ORDAINED 10 YEARS Rev Ernesto Cerutti, Perth, 16/01/2007 Rev Elmer Ibarra SVD, 03/02/2007 Rev Andrew Doohan, Mait-Newcastle, 09/02/2007 Rev Asad Gill OMI, 24/03/2007 Rev Robert Stickland, Ukrainian Eparchy, 25/03/2007 Rev Anthony Dunne, Wagga Wagga, 13/04/2007 Rev John Paul Santiago, Melbourne, 15/04/2007 Rev Christopher Brennan, Hobart, 28/04/2007 Rev Kevin Cummins, Melkite Eparchy, 29/04/2007 Rev Taisali Leuluai SDB, 23/06/2007 Rev Ibrahim Sultan, Melkite Eparchy, 23/06/2007 Rev Sacha Bermudez-Goldman SJ, 30/06/2007 Rev Kevin Kiem, Maitland-Newcastle, 06/07/2007 Rev Rahal Dergham, Sydney, 07/07/2007 Rev Thomas Renshaw SJ, 14/07/2007 Rev Deacon Russ Nelson, Brisbane, 21/07/2007 FEATURES New councillors wash feet

MATTHEW MOLONEY At the swearing in ceremony, with them were their families and the CEO and Matthew Moloney, Parish Priest, Emerald Queensland, was asked to officiate at the council secretary. Arriving we all sat down inauguration of the newly elected local Council. He suggested a foot washing ceremony and we watched the councillors take their with surprising results. oath of office and the swearing of allegiance to the queen. After this I was asked to share some time of prayer. I read the above Scripture of the scene of the ‘washing of the feet’. They had each just spoken of how they were committed to serve their community and I shared what that could mean for them. I picked up the bowl and towel and asked each of them to come to the front of their desks and I asked them to take off their shoes and socks and said that we were going to wash their feet in an act of service. The three church leaders then one at a time washed the feet of the twelve council men and women gathered. The feet of all were washed. As we finished I asked them as they committed to serve their communities: ‘do you understand what I have just done to you?’ With that I gave a final blessing to them all. As I looked around the room, I saw members of their families in tears. Something deep within “...he got up from table, removed his outer ‘blessing or something’ for the new them all was touched and awoken. garments and, taking a towel, wrapped it councillors and for the new term. At such Afterwards I was approached by nearly all round his waist; he then poured water into short notice I was a little overwhelmed and members including the mayor who said a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet asked myself what would be appropriate? how profoundly emotional it was for each and to wipe them with the towel he was My initial reaction was to ask my peers in of them. With reverence, emotion and wearing. When he had washed their feet and faith they all understood the sacred action. put on his outer garments again he went back ministry from the other churches who I to the table. ‘Do you understand’, he said, had just gathered the previous week for a As an Emerald Churches Together Group ‘what I have done to you? You call me Master Good Friday Service with. Firstly speaking we united in our ministry and washed the and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the with the local Uniting Church minister I feet of our brothers and sisters in washing of the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you said “What about we do the ‘ government. Some weeks later I asked one feet’” must wash each other’s feet. I have given you and would you like to join in with me of the councillors how the new council was an example so that you may copy what I have to do it. His jaw dropped a little and was going and he said: “there have been a few done to you...” John 13:3-15 (NJB) not so sure. I then spoke with my Anglican teething problems, but nothing like a washing brother priest and he wasn’t so sure either. of the feet incident.” They were still The Local Council elections had just been “This is the local Council here, they are not reflecting upon and discussing within completed and it was only a few weeks church people.” But they both said they themselves how profound it was. after Easter of 2016. The Central would support whatever I chose to do and Highlands results came in reasonably would help out. In our churches sometimes we can get quickly and the final results were called stuck on this or that and yet not know how I then thought I would speak to my and the time had come for the first simple and profound it is to dive into the parishioner who was on the Council, and meeting and induction of the local deep and let God be a part of our work as he was a bit hesitant too. What to do now? Regional Council. The Council Chambers well. For this group of people, ministers of Was I going too far, was this too much to are centred in Emerald, approximately different faiths included, it was God at ask for, the church intruding on secular 300 kilometres west of Rockhampton in work in our world. Not only was it men affairs? A restless night was had, tossing Central Queensland. and women whom we washed the feet of, and turning and not a lot of sleep. but people of different faiths, beliefs, and After many years there was a new mayor The decision was to go ahead with the no beliefs as well. It was even done by three and there was a mix of old and new ‘washing of the feet’ ceremony for the leaders from three different churches. Let’s councillors, male and female and they induction and prayer service for the new open the doors and not close them because represented nearly all of the large area council. Unbeknown to the Councillors we think we can’t walk through them. It which it represents. There was one member themselves as to what was going to happen, touched us all and I offer it as a sign that of the Council Team who was a practicing my peers had our wash bowls and towels God certainly does work in mysterious catholic and local parishioner of Emerald. and we arrived at the council chambers at ways, ways that go beyond our church I was called the day before the induction the allotted time. doors to the doors of the world inwhich ceremony and asked to ‘do something’, a we live. 2

the swag 27 FEATURES On carrying a scandal biblically: a response ERIC HORNE

Eric Horne, parishioner of St Leonards, Glen Waverley, responds to the article by Fr Ronald Rolheiser published in The Swag (Spring 2016). YOU CAN LEAD have read and studied a long and who in 1971 found evidence of several comprehensive article, On Carrying A instances of sexual abuse of children by a YOUR PARISH ON A Scandal Biblically (The Swag, Spring, Monsignor John Day, the local parish I2016), at least three times. My first priest. His attempts to charge Day were PILGRIMAGE TO ROME reaction was one of disbelief that Father frustrated by his immediate superior, a Rolheiser, OMI, a theologian should write Detective Sergeant in league with the local Our pilgrimages, organised by such an article which at first appears to be magistrates clerk. Day’s Bishop, as well as the Archdiocese of Sydney in intended to ameliorate the culpability of senior police at the highest level threatened conjunction with Domus Australia, priestly pedophiles and a significant Detective Ryan with punitive action if he offer a comprehensive itinerary at number of the Church’s hierarchy. A third persisted in his attempts to charge Day. a very affordable price. Departures reading and study of the article confirmed This led to his resignation from the throughout the year. for me this opinion. The sexual abuse of Victoria Police. No mention by any Parish Priest leaders travel with children is a criminal enormity but the authority involved suggested to Ryan that groups of 15 or more at no cost. systematic concealment of the crime and Day was suffering from a disease. One the protection given to the offenders for at wonders if pedophilia viewed as a disease Your group will stay at the highly least three decades, is an almost is a Texan or American theological and rated Domus Australia, your home inconceivable criminal enormity. Crimes medical view and has assisted the away from home. Your group will be committed by bishops, cardinals and at widespread sexual abuse in that country. In expertly cared for from the first to least two popes have created what the Australia it has always been viewed as an the last day. Features full breakfast author Thomas Keneally has described abominable crime. The question arises that daily, specialty night meals, as the great crisis in the Catholic Church. if Day had been prosecuted in 1971 how transfers, top English speaking local His recently published novel, Crimes of the many hundreds, or thousands maybe, of guides as well as a friendly tour Fathers, will only add to the ‘dark night of Australian Catholic children would have manager, tips and admissions. the soul ‘ to use Rolheiser’s words. This been spared a life of misery and in some book and the forthcoming report by the cases suicide. Our 7-night Catholic Rome Australian Royal Commission into Father Rolheiser’s essay really refers to a Pilgrimages include: Institutional Responses to Child Sexual criminal scandal and advises how it can be Abuse will both add to the existing carried biblically. The serious view that St Peter’s Basilica; Vatican Gardens damaged reputation of the Catholic Christ took of sexual abuse by people, let tour; Vatican Museums and the Church and other institutions in Australia. alone ordained priests, is that ‘it would be Sistine Chapel; Castel Gandolfo It will be, as Rolheiser writes referring to better for you if a great millstone were papal apartments and gardens; the United States, ‘a massive crisis of Catacombs; Colosseum and Roman fastened round your neck and you were credibility for a young church’. Forum, Walking tour of Rome; drowned in the depth of the sea’, (Mat. Basilicas of St John in Lateran, My second reading of the article led me 18:6). Did not Day and his protector Mary Major, St Paul Outside the to think that its author meant well from a Bishop O’Collins of Ballarat know of Walls, Holy Cross in Jerusalem; viewpoint of compassion for the victims, Christ’s words or did he obey the 1962 Holy Stairs; the Pantheon; Papal the perpetrators and the bishops, cardinals papal instruction Crimen Sollicitationis Audience or Sunday Angelus. and popes involved in concealing clerical on how to handle priests soliciting crimes. All trying to protect the good parishioners for sex. Rolheiser writes that PHONE 1800 753 959 reputation of the church. Of course as ‘carrying something biblically means a and discuss how you can lead a Christians we must forgive the churchmen number of interpenetrating things’. He parish pilgrimage. of whatever status who committed the says that these ‘things’ are described in nine crimes involved. Notably, the author sections each titled and well argued: they www.romepilgrimages.com stresses that pedophilia is not a celibate or suggest a need for understanding , other human disease but ‘It’s a disease pure compassion and humility. I have selected and simple’ caused me much concern. This three for comment. statement, particularly the use of the words Part 3 is headed Healing, not self-protection ‘pure and simple’ caused me to delve more and security. Here he asserts that our deeply into the message the author was primary preoccupation is to protect the trying to convey to the reader. innocent and to bring about healing and Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney A third reading and subsequent reflection reconciliation. The care of victims of on the Australian church’s pedophile priestly sexual abuse is obvious, but the experience called to my mind the case of investigation of the perpetrator and his Senior Detective Denis Ryan of Mildura identification and the dissemination of his

28 autumn 2017 FEATURES Ridsdale and others by two bishops resulted in hundreds of victims. Whilst there is much that is good and helpful of a theological nature in this essay the overall impression I receive is that it is intended to reduce the gravity of sexual abuse by clerics by labelling it a disease pure and simple. At best this is a poor choice of words from a theologian of the Church. At worst it is a misunderstanding of the gravity and lifelong consequences of criminal acts by men trained for years in holiness and the scriptures by a priest and theologian who has the task of teaching the gospel. Professor Patrick Parkinson, in his book Child Sexual Abuse and the Church, writes that, perpetrators of sexual abuse have a powerful motivation to minimize their offending behaviour and to explain it away as an aberration. That popes, cardinals and bishops should not deal with the abuse over three decades is reprehensible. It is encouraging, I think, that the strength of the Catholic Church, the priests, laity and the members of the hierarchy that have “got it’ follow Pope Francis’s exhortation that the Church must look with penetrating eyes within herself…ponder the mystery of her own being. He also advised that the Second Vatican Council presented ecclesial conversion as openness and constant self-renewal born of fidelity to Jesus Christ, (Evangelii Gaudium 26). Perhaps the main lesson that Father Rolheiser has missed is that the laity and priests of the Church in education, charities , missionaries and other good works, together with the bishops, cardinals and a Pope who has “GOT IT’, do not identity for the protection of others is an Public evidence from a number of sources have a dark night of the soul. 2 imperative. The concept applicable here is suggest that on a global basis at least two that any complaint of sexual abuse of a popes, numerous cardinals and bishops are child must be investigated and dealt with suspected of complicity in the concealment by rendering, in the context of Christ’s of crimes. Of course as Christians we in exhortation, to render unto Caesar that the Church will forgive and not judge which is Caesar’s, i.e. the state police. This them. We should also know and remember takes precedent over any authority of a the good christian activities of their lives. The Swag bishop or church bureaucracy. Part 9 is headed, We must patiently stay Part 4 is headed Carrying the crisis is now with the pain. Rolheiser writes, This pain Winter Edition our primary ministry and not a distraction to will stay with the church until we learn what our ministry. I disagree. As a member of the we are meant to learn from it, pain of the Closing date for letters Catholic Church I believe that we must heart never leaves us until “we get it”. My and articles Monday identify those members of the church opinion is that he has not ‘got it’. For most hierarchy who clearly and evidently priests and laity, cardinal and bishops, 1 May 2017. covered up the activities of pedophiles and/ there is no need to feel pain. But they may or protected them from being treated as feel righteous anger as Christ did when he Please email submissions required by the laws of Caesar. This applies cleaned out the temple. Anger at those for consideration to: whether we view it as a disease or a crime. who have not admitted their errors and There is a presumption of law that an act faults against children and the Church. [email protected] of sexual abuse of a child is a crime until a These lessons have yet to be formerly civil court decides otherwise. Until the identified by the royal commission into Articles – 700 words identification of who, how and why child abuse although evidence given to the pedophiles were protected by members of commission already indicates systemic Major Features – 1,400 words. the church the stain of systematic failures of the Catholic Church. In Victoria sinfulness and criminality will remain. the green light given to priests like Day,

the swag 29 FEATURES Trinity: It’s all about family

ARNOLD HEREDIA relevance to our lives. After the creation of Adam and Eve, God said: ‘This is why a Arnold Heredia, retired Melbourne priest, shares his homily for Trinity Sunday. man leaves his father and mother and joins He explains why the Trinity may not be beyond our comprehension. himself to his wife and they become one flesh.’ (Gen 2:24) Jesus added: ‘So then, and our Father what God has united, man must not too. He also divide.’ (Mt 19:6) told us that he We are all aware that divorce takes place in would send us our society. In fact, it is said about half our the Holy Spirit, marriages end in divorce. However, I know who would that every divorce is a very traumatic enlighten us. At process and experience. In fact, I also know his Baptism, a of couples who are not living in harmony, heavenly voice and they won’t divorce. Why? Because they said: ‘This is my know that it is a painful experience. Why is Son, the it a painful experience? Not because of the Beloved….’ (Mt material assets which have to be divided, 3:17) So there but the inexplicable and irreversible trauma you are – The and violence the children experience. Why Holy Trinity! do the couple and children experience this However it may trauma? They are totally unaware and still baffle us as unable to explain it, because they are to how do three unaware of the actual reality. The actual distinct persons reason is because they are breaking up, constitute one shattering the mould, the template, the God? Let me paradigm, the dye in which marriage and sk anyone for a feedback about the give you an analogy. What is H2O? Can the family is moulded – the image and Holy Trinity and you will most you see or feel H2O? God is like that. likeness of the Holy Trinity, who are probably get these answers: ‘It’s a We know what is H2O and know of its inseparable! No wonder that Jesus mysteryA of our faith.’ ‘The Trinity is about existence, yet we cannot see it except in the enhanced the words of the bond of one God and three Persons’ or ‘Three form of a formula. However we can see it marriage: “… they become one flesh’ to … Persons who are one God.’ How to make as water, as vapour, as solid ice. All three ‘what God has united, man must not sense of this? distinct and very different realities and yet divide.’” If you open the bible to the very first all three of them are H2O at the same Hopefully we will no longer say that the chapter, in the first three verses you will time. So you see that Father, Son and Holy Holy Trinity is a mystery beyond our find a cryptic reference to the Holy Trinity. Spirit, each are distinct and different comprehension, but that it is a reality to be ‘In the beginning God created the heavens realities and yet they are one God. lived here, lived above all in the sanctity of and the earth.’ We know this refers to the We know that although Adam was master marriage and family. This, for me, is the Father. ‘… the earth was a formless void … of the fish, birds, reptiles and beasts, he felt reason why Jesus chose to be born and live and God’s Spirit hovered over the water.’ lonely. Why? Because there was no one of in a family. To reiterate the sanctity of the Who does this ‘Spirit’ refer to? Yes, the his nature he could relate to. It was only Holy Trinity in heaven and on earth. He Holy Spirit! “God said, ‘Let there be after the creation of Eve that Adam was used to living as a family in heaven. light.’” In other words whichever Word rejoiced and said: ‘This is bone of my He spoke of the unity of the Father and God uttered that thing became a reality. bones, flesh of my flesh.’ (Gen 2:23) The Spirit and himself, and the gospel tells us In the opening words of John’s gospel we love of Adam and Eve begot Cain. What that Jesus lived with his parents and ‘lived read: ‘In the beginning was the Word; the do you see in this? Adam and Eve, the under their authority.’ (Lk 2:51) Jesus Word was with God and the Word was parents, are a personification of God the couldn’t but live in the context of family – God.’ A little later John says: ‘The Word Father, Cain a personification of the Son the Trinity on earth. became flesh and dwelt among us.’ and the spirit of their love which binds the Without doubt this Word who became The Feast of the Holy Trinity is not just the family as the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit flesh and dwelt among us is Jesus! (Gen feast of those up there, but also of families of life and bonding! In other words what 1:1-3, Jn 1: 1-3, 14) down here, who share in the life of those already existed in heaven, was now also up there. So, a very happy Feast to the Isn’t it amazing to see that in the very first been created on earth. The Holy Trinity in Holy Trinity in heaven and the Holy chapter and in the first three verses of the heaven was replicated in the Human Trinity in each and every family of the bible there is a reference to the Holy Family – the Holy Trinity on earth. This is parish. 2 Trinity? Note the analogy: Chapter One … what is meant by ‘God said, Let us make Three Verses … One God … Three man to our own image, in the likeness of Persons! ourselves.’ (Gen 1:26) Note theplural trinitarian form. However it was Jesus who revealed the Holy Trinity to us. It was Jesus who Let me take you one step further to revealed that God is Father – his Father understanding the Holy Trinity and its

30 autumn 2017 FEATURES Woolman’s spirituality and ending slavery TOAN NGUYEN ownership, liberated them from their greed which, in turn, liberated others. He wrote John Woolman was a Quaker preacher who fought for the abolition of slavery in North in his journal: ‘Here we have a prospect America in the 18th Century. Toan Nguyen, parish priest of Ashbury in Sydney, looks of one common interest from which our at his life and some implications for spirituality today. own is inseparable, so that to turn all the treasures we possess into the channel of t the first US presidential debate in while others were financially struggling. universal love becomes the business of our late September last year, when the This is a rare, supreme act of charity – lives.’ Democratic nominee, Hillary sharing what we have rather than holding For Woolman, there are two elements Clinton,A challenged her political opponent, onto what we don’t need. Woolman was of a Christian life which often are not so now President-elect Donald Trump, for also concerned for the poor and dedicated successfully well integrated: activities and refusing to release his tax returns and for his entire life to easing their plights. contemplative prayer. He was convinced boasting that he did not pay federal Woolman crisscrossed the new-found land that in any religious community, there are income taxes, Trump snapped, ‘that makes of milk and honey to liberate the slaves. It people who are inclined towards prayer me smart’. and meditation, and those whose Smart? Sounds like the ‘Queen energies are drawn in remaking of Mean’, Leona Helmsley, who the world, reforming society and is notoriously remembered for promoting a better and more just this arrogant statement: We world. These two groups don’t pay taxes. Only the little complimented each other, but people pay taxes. Many Woolman went further arguing Americans quickly sharpened persuasively that a genuine their pens. Someone in Toledo, Christian who embraced an Ohio, quipped, ‘Toledo is the activist life should constantly kind of place where people ground their work in a work hard, look after one contemplative spirituality. another and, yes, pay their Recently, Pope Francis cited St taxes’, while another said, ‘If we Teresa of Calcutta as a perfect are ‘smart’ like Trump, we example of the balance of an would be billionaires!’ active and contemplative life. She We are living in a ‘dog-eat-dog’ ‘did not speak, and was able to society. The online dictionary listen in silence’ and yet, she ‘has defines it is a do-or-die sales done so much,’ the Pope said. Do competition ‘where everyone is people in trouble need our wordy trying to make the most sales, advice, or ‘an ear that will listen,’ even if they have to lie and as Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests? cheat to do it’. This challenging question may already have an answer in Andy Now just imagine Apple Stanley’s insightful words: ‘As recommending its customers to leaders, we are never responsible buy its rival Samsung’s for filling anyone else’s cup. Our products! Or in our familiar responsibility is to empty ours.’ environment, Woolworths inviting its loyal customers to Two years before his departure to shop in Coles’ stores! Or eternity, John Woolman had a Qantas encouraging its frequent flyers to was his ingrained belief that the slaves were dream in which an angel solemnly fly Virgin Australia! Simply unthinkable, to created in the image of God and their pronounced that he was dead. Then he say the least! intrinsic value had to be fully restored, penned these memorable words: ‘At length their human dignity respected and their I felt divine power prepare my mouth that In the 18th century, a gentleman did just external freedom liberated. As an I could speak, and then I said, I am that. His name was John Woolman, a influential voice in the anti-slavery crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live yet North American merchant, tailor, movement in America, he became the not I, but Christ lives in me.’ journalist, and itinerant Quaker preacher. ‘voice of the voiceless’. His great friend Thomas Kelly said, ‘John What a man! What a life! 2 Woolman never let the demands of his Woolman believed that not only slaves business grow beyond his real needs. When were to be liberated but also slave-traders too many customers came, he sent them and the English colonists themselves who elsewhere.” profited handsomely from the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ of the victims of We can be forgiven for thinking that his oppression. He invited them to look most generous, openhearted gesture was intensely at their inward life, persuaded fictional! But amazingly, this great man them convincingly about the evils of slave could not feel at ease with his extra profits

the swag 31 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Church in Dubai Australian Head of State and flag suggest is that we have a green flag with a gold southern cross. Last June I was given the opportunity to Like many other Australians I await the visit the United Arab Emirates. It is unlike day we have an Australian Head of State A new flag would be a great way of any other place that I had ever been to in (hereafter called President). Both the prime celebrating Australia becoming a Republic. so many ways. For a start the heat had to minister Malcolm Turnbull and the leader Tony Callinan, Melbourne be experienced to be believed, of a night of the opposition Bill Shorten are time it was usually 35 degrees and then of republicans. Why can`t they get together a daytime about 42 degrees. It was also and organise a referendum on the issue? To Message from The Tablet regarding during the Muslim holy month of do it properly we`d probably need two recent mailing difficulties Ramadan so it was frowned upon to drink referendums. water in public. We are aware of a number of reports It could proceed as follows. The first relating to delays in The Tablet reaching our The population of the UAE is about question would be “Do you want an Australian readers. If this has affected you, 9 million people, of which about 275,000 Australian head of state?” If the `yes` vote we would like to issue the following people are Christian and of that number wins then the second question would be explanation and apology. about 250,000 people would belong to the triggered which would be “How do you Catholic Church. The Catholic Church in want the President appointed ?” The First and foremost, we wish to assure you the UAE is under the Apostolic See of options would be either by a joint sitting that your copy of The Tablet is being Southern Arabia as is the country of Oman of federal parliament or by Australian handled by a leading and trusted UK-based and Yemen. The Cathedral is in the capital people directly electing the president. mailing agent. Our agent, in turn, uses its city of Abu Dhabi and the bishop is a own supplier to deliver copies to Australia, Swedish born man whose name is Paul On the appointment, I’m strongly in one that not only enjoys a very good Hinder. At the moment there are 8 favour of proposal A. The process would be reputation but, through the principle of parishes in the UAE, 4 in Yemen and sadly that the prime minister and the leader of expedient routing and ongoing because of terrorist activity none in the the opposition would get together and monitoring, is under constant review. come up with one nominee who would be country of Oman. Most of the priests who The Tablet is printed and mailed every live in community are of the Capuchin submitted to a joint sitting of the federal parliament. This joint sitting would need Wednesday afternoon UK time (3.00am order who come from India or the Thursday AEDT), ensuring delivery to Philippines. to ratify the nominee by a two-thirds majority. your nearest Australian city (Sydney, The only way that a Church is able to be Melbourne, Perth or Brisbane) by the established in this part of the world is due When you look at governors-general of Friday. Handover to the Australian Post to the benevolent attitude and action of recent decades they have been Australians Office then occurs by no later than the the reigning Muslim political leader of the of the highest calibre – all nominated by following Tuesday, with an expected, local time that the approval is given. When this one person, the prime minister of the day, delivery time of one to two days later happens there are strict prohibitions that to the Queen. One important principle within metro areas, or between two to need to be enforced such as no visible would be that power must stay in the three days to more rural areas. parliament. The role of the President outside crosses and also there is no bell Following extensive testing and research, would be primarily ceremonial, with some tower so no bells would be heard outside of we regret to conclude that, wherever these reserve powers. The process I’m suggesting the Church precincts. delivery times are not being met, Australia has obviously more built in safeguards. We Post themselves appear to be responsible. The vibrancy of the Church in Dubai and I couldn’t end up with a dud. am told in other parts of the UAE has to This is a local problem that, unfortunately, be seen to be believed. From Monday Proposal B would be messy. Candidates neither we, nor our mailing agent are able through to Thursday there are 4 Masses would need to campaign like any to control. politician. Would we have preferential beginning at 6 am then 6.45, 12 noon and To those of you affected, we are sorry. We voting like we are used to in Australian then 7 pm. On average 5,000 people regret that this message does not – and elections? Also, we’d be asked to vote for attend Mass each day and I regularly cannot – present a general solution. people many of whom we know nothing counted 6 altar servers and then at least 15 However, we want you to be assured of our much about. On top of this, many suitable extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist at concern and ongoing attempts to monitor people would not want to immerse each Mass. Then the Sabbath Masses begin and wherever possible improve the themselves in this process. Scrub it. on a Friday where on average 15, 000 situation that affects some readers and people attend each day! Most people At the present state governors are the subscribers. participate in the Mass in the massive Queen’s representatives in their particular We would be grateful, if possible, if you courtyard where there are huge screens to states. In a Republic their roles would be could check that your postal address watch the Mass. Most of the people who similar. They would be the President’s conforms to the Australian ‘ideal’ format. attend the liturgies have a background representatives. from India or the Philippines. We will review our database and make Australia needs a new flag. When we appropriate alterations as needed. How I wish we could see such parish compete internationally it is with colours Should you have any questions or vibrancy in our lucky country of Australia! green and gold. When we win a gold concerns, or to obtain advice on how to medal at the Olympics a red, white and Martin Maunsell, Sydney read The Tablet online, please feel free to blue flag is raised – it looks a bit ridiculous. contact me. A simple flag would be appropriate. We could learn from the flags of countries like Ian Farrar, Marketing Manager, Canada, Japan and China. What I would The Tablet [email protected]

32 autumn 2017 NEWS Fr Frank Brennan becomes worked as a lawyer in a Sydney law firm marry should be allowed to return to CEO of CSSA from 1981 to 1985. ministry reported Christa Pongratz-Lippitt in The Tablet on Jan 7, 2017. In the report Boff is quoted saying: ‘I have recently heard that the Pope wants to grant them this request – by way of an experimental preliminary phase confined for the moment to Brazil’. Boff points out how the extreme shortage of priests leaves many Catholics without Eucharist meaning many leave the Catholic church to join evangelical churches . Boff said he would certainly continue in ministry. He noted that he continues even now to baptize, bury and even celebrate Eucharist. At the end of 1985, Fr Homeming joined Boff said he was encouraged in this the Discalced Carmelite Order making his practice by Cardinal Arns. first profession on 1 February 1987. He then studied a Bachelor of Theology at The new CEO of Catholic Social Services Melbourne College of Divinity and a Australia, Fr Frank Brennan SJ, said he has Masters in Philosophy at the University of a clear plan for what he needs to do to Melbourne. change Australia for the better in a press Fr Homeming was ordained a priest on 20 release by CSSA on February 6, 2107. July 1991. As a Discalced Carmelite, he ‘I have spent many years dedicated to the has held the positions of Major Superior, enhancement of Aboriginal rights and the Novice Master, Prior and Retreat Director. rights and entitlements of refugees and Fr Timothy Harris was born in Brisbane in asylum seekers. I have seen it as my moral 1962 and ordained a priest in November duty to stand up for those in our society 1992. who are marginalised and disadvantaged,’ Fr Brennan said in the statement. Boff also commented on the criticism from within the church, particularly some US ‘While our elected politicians have the hierarchy, saying: ‘The way [Cardinal responsibility for budget repair ensuring Raymond] Burke has behaved is that the national debt handed on to future extraordinary but not entirely generations is manageable, policy unprecedented in church history. One can initiatives and economic measures have to criticise the Pope and argue with him. I be both equitable and sustainable. Poor have done so myself often enough. But for and marginalised people living in Australia cardinals publicly to accuse the Pope of are finding it increasingly difficult to affect spreading erroneous theology, let alone the policies of major political parties’ he heresy, is too much. That is an affront the said. Pope cannot tolerate.’ ‘I also intend to call out those politicians He has been associate pastor in the parishes Meanwhile Cardinal Arns, Archbishop of and media who systematically misrepresent of Grovely and Caboolture, and as parish São Paulo, Brazil, from 1970 to 1998, the most vulnerable and poorest in our priest in Corinda Graceville (1996-2010) during the harshest period of Brazil’s society as people who deserve their plight’ and Surfers Paradise (2010-2017). He has military dictatorship dies on December 14 he said. also served the Archdiocese of Brisbane as 2016 aged 95. He was known as ‘the pastor the dean of Western Deanery and the of human rights’ and accompanied New Bishops – South Coast Deanery, as chair of the Leonardo Boff to Rome when Boff was Frs Homeming OCD & Harris Taskforce for Pastoral Planning, and as a under investigation over his book, Church: member of Personnel Board, the Clergy Charism and Power. The Pope has appointed Fr Gregory Appointment Advisory Board and the Homeming, currently the Regional Vicar Council of Priests. NCP 2017 Bursary Recipient of the Discalced Carmelite Friars in Sydney to Lismore and Surfers Paradise parish Frank Jones, Archdiocese of Brisbane, has priest, Fr Timothy Harris, to Townsville. Boff – married priests return to been awarded a bursary to assist him with ministry his planned sabbatical studies in Spain, Born in Sydney on 30 May 1958, to a during June and July of this year. We wish Australian Chinese family, Fr Homeming According to the liberation theologian him well and look forward to reading completed his primary education in Leonardo Boff, Pope Francis may soon about his sabbatical in the Spring edition Shepparton, Victoria and secondary school respond to the Brazilian bishops’ special of The Swag. at St Aloysius College, Milsons Point. He request that – on account of the drastic took degrees in Economics and Law (B.Ec shortage of priests – thousands of priests in Applications for 2018 bursaries close on 31 and LLB) at Sydney University and then Brazil who have left the priesthood to December of this year. Continued page 34

the swag 33 Rome revisits ‘Liturgiam a way forward. The way to begin is by method “opens the possibility of receiving Authenticam’ trusting our own people and our own the sacraments of reconciliation and the wisdom concerning prayer in our native Eucharist.” The tightly controlled and highly tongue’ Ferrone concludes in her report. centralized approach to the translation of The statement was approved by the council, which numbers 27 out of the 66 liturgical texts that has reigned in the Confraternities of Catholic Roman Catholic Church over the past German bishops, The Catholic Herald fifteen years is likely coming to an end Clergy ask Pope to clarify adds. The bishops say that the remarried reports Rita Ferrone in LaCroix Amoris Laetitia teaching can receive Communion without resolving to live “as brother and sister”. International on January 28, 2017. The International Confraternities of Catholic Clergy (Australia, Ireland, Britain and USA) released a statement in February, Catholic Church Reform 2017, calling for the Pope to issue ‘an International challenge People authoritative interpretation of the apostolic of God to action exhortation Amoris Laetitia in line with In an Open Letter published on January the constant teaching and practice of the Church. 26, 2017, Rene Reid, Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI) Director, ‘This .. comes in light of continuing compared national civil rights to church widespread divergence of understanding rights. and growing divisions in practice. A clarification is clearly needed to correct the She said ‘It is amazing how similar the misuse of the Apostolic Exhortation to battle for national rights parallels the battle undermine sacred Tradition’ the statement for church rights. This week I received an reads. email from civil rights activist and Georgia ‘In a move that is widely expected to open house representative, John Lewis. He was a the door to more pastoral guidelines and They thank the group led by Cardinal friend of Martin Luther King and was approaches, Pope Francis has inaugurated Burke for their dubia to the Holy See. The brutally beaten by police in Selma, a review and re-evaluation of the 2001 statement reiterates the need for practice to Alabama, in 1965 while marching for civil document Liturgiam authenticam’ she follow dogma and notes that ‘conscience is rights. In his email, he said: “While we noted. not a law unto itself replacing the holy law have made progress toward a vision of a of God with private judgment, but rather more fair, just and open country, the Ferrone explains in the report that the an echo of the voice of the Creator’. majority of Americans are afraid this unsatisfactory results of the English country is headed in the wrong direction.... translation of the Missal had bishops’ While it is not surprising to hear this from Some leaders reject decades of progress and conferences from the non-English speaking the Confraternities, it is interesting that want to return to the dark past, when the countries of the world postponing any this is the same group that avowed any power of law was used to deny the introduction of texts using the same statement from the previous two popes, freedoms protected by the Constitution, method, even when instructed and lectured and was only too keen to name those the Bill of Rights, and its Amendments.” to by the Congregation for Divine questioning some Vatican statements in Worship head, Cardinal Sarah. They saw that time in the strongest apostate terms. The Letter continues: Does that sound the problems with the English missal as a familiar for those of us who are working warning not to proceed. Admit remarried divorces to steadily for the reform of our Church? Could we not utter these very same words? In response Pope Francis has created a new Communion say German ‘While we have made progress toward a body through the revamped Congregation bishops vision of a more fair, just and open for Divine Worship. Consultation has [church], the majority of [people] are begun with a group that includes a range In a statement yesterday, the German afraid this [church] is still headed in the of bishops from across many language Bishops’ Conference says Francis’s wrong direction....Some [church] leaders groups to try to find a way forward document, “The Joy of Love”, sets out how reject decades of progress and want to according to Ferrone. pastors can provide “differentiated solutions” to individual cases through a return to the dark past, when the power of ‘What all this will mean for the English process of accompaniment. They said that law was used to deny [the message of Jesus liturgy over the long run remains to be that is recorded in the Gospels.] seen. I certainly hope that those texts that Lewis went on to say: ‘It took massive, have been translated according to well-organized, non-violent dissent and Liturgiam authenticam but never criticism of this great nation and its laws to implemented (RCIA, Baptism, etc.) will be move toward a greater sense of equality in placed on hold until church leaders discern America....Often, the only way we could a future direction under Francis’s guidance. demonstrate that a law on the books As for the Missal we have now, the U.S. violated a higher law was by challenging bishops will no doubt be loath to revise it. that law. By putting our bodies on the line But just as the experience of the English- and showing the world the unholy price we speaking world helped other language had to pay for dignity and respect.’ groups to see what they had to do, so the insights and experience of other groups Has not the time come for us, who are may help English-speaking bishops to find fighting for equality in the church, for a

34 autumn 2017 NEWS more just, inclusive and welcoming have always been” and explore with members that the (ACP) represents heard church, to do the same? This week, several progressives how “things could be.” This Hoban explain how the implosion of our million people organized in major cities means, while the other is speaking, we are church in the wake of the abuse scandals around the world to stand up for women’s actually listening with heart and soul to had made them realize that they were, in rights. How timely it would be for men what he or she is saying’. author Fr. Donald Cozzens’ words, ‘the last and women to piggyback on that march Read more of this letter with suggestions priests in Ireland.’ and speak out for women’s rights in the for action at www.ThePeopleSpeakOut.org Roman Catholic Church!, Reid said. Stark statistics were cited, such as the plight of two very prestigious dioceses in Reid asks: ‘What is holding our various Pope Francis reverses Vatican Ireland, Dublin and Killala, both of which groups back from coming together to course on Caritas have just one diocesan priest under 40 demand the change we want and know is years of age. In 20 years’ time, both right for our Church? Fear of losing our Pope Francis created a stir during a dioceses will have one or maybe a few unique cause or individual integrity? Fear Thursday meeting with Caritas priests under age 60 to cover 199 parishes of someone or some other group usurping Internationalis leaders by leaving aside his in Dublin and 22 rural parishes spread our power? Fear of losing our financial prepared speech to open up a wide-ranging over a distance in Killala. resources?’ impromptu discussion with his audience. ‘You can listen meekly to my talk then I Hoban said priests need to find a voice and will go, or I could first listen to what is in the courage to name their truth. ‘As the last your hearts before I speak. Let the most priests in Ireland, we have a right to courageous begin,’ the pope told the consideration, acknowledgement, support, participants, who initially seemed hesitant encouragement and, above all, respect,’ to ask questions. Hoban continued. ‘Priests who have served the church for so long deserve no less and He then turned to the statutes of Caritas it’s time to start a reasonable conversation Internationalis, saying ‘I don’t want Caritas about this.’ to be an institution dependent on the pope, on the Holy See, on Cor Unum, on He also highlighted how many priests are Justice and Peace’, reported Nicolas Senèze struggling at a pastoral level with issues on November 18, 2016 in La Croix beyond their training and competence, International. such as how to minister to parents of same-sex couples who may be upset or Irish priest warns of depression confused, how to respond to an invitation among overworked clerics to a same-sex marriage of parishioners, and ‘Hasn’t the time come when, if any reform what does pastoral care mean in these is to come about, we must do this – model Irish priests’ ever-increasing workload is situations? a new way of being church among threatening to turn this aging, demoralized and declining group into “sacrament- Hoban claims that the burden on Irish ourselves? And ‘new’ may mean going back dispensing machines” who find pastoral priests is complicated by bishops willing to to our roots, going back to the early church work less and less satisfying, a co-founder manipulate their elderly clergy into when there were simply followers of Jesus of Ireland’s Association of Catholic Priests postponing retirement beyond 75. – no institution, no hierarchy with ranking (ACP) has warned. titles, no monarchy. Together with Francis, The distrust between rank-and-file priests the one thing we all hold in common is In his address to the association’s annual and the leadership of the Irish church is that we are seeking a decentralized church general meeting in Athlone Nov. 16, Fr. “exacerbated,” according to Hoban, by the – one in which the people have a Brendan Hoban highlighted how suicide is selection policies pursued by the present deliberative voice in its governance. on the rise among Irish priests, a group he nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, which Perhaps the time has come when we should said was also increasingly prone to have resulted in “unhappy” and sometimes stop putting money into the basket, which depression, reported Sarah Mac Donald on “bizarre” choices of bishop. only demonstrates our allegiance for a Dec. 1, 2016 in the National Catholic church that discriminates against women, Reporter. The policy of bishops automatically against gays, against those whose lives do reporting any anonymous accusations of With the vast majority of Irish priests now not comply with the moral standards set by child abuse against priests to the police age 70 or over, elderly diocesan priests are the church hierarchy. But how would we authorities was roundly condemned by the living increasingly isolated and lonely lives ever get people to act with such boldness?’ leader of the priests’ association, who said and are constantly ‘reminded that we no he asked. the practice would be “unconscionable” longer really matter, that at best we’re now and much resisted if applied to teachers, Reid suggests a way of listening might little more than a ceremonial presence on lawyers, police or any other professional help. ‘One possible way to enter into these the sidelines of life,’ Hoban said. group. kinds of discussions – traditionalists and The 68-year-old parish priest said that progressives – is by getting Catholics and though we feel we’ve done our best to carry ‘The reputation and peace of mind of former Catholics of all age groups to gather the good news, an avalanche of criticism in priests, it now seems, can be damaged in small groups in homes or parish halls the media meant they were ritually forever by someone with a grievance, a and speak up about what they feel they presented as bad news people, controlling, sheet of paper and a ... stamp,’ Hoban need from the church, what drove them oppressing, limiting, obsessing. warned. away, what would bring them back. Invite conservatives holding on to “the way things More than 150 of the 1,000 priest Continued page 36

the swag 35 REVIEWS Trusted Vatican news source this, Bishop Jacques Blaquart soon in English recommended the adoption of a Early Bird Special community way of life by his 350 priests. Laudato Si’ Symposium One of the best ways to get an insider’s ‘Obviously it is not compulsory. In fact, view of the thinking and priorities of the the only obligatory aspect is to develop Catholic Earthcare Australia pope and the Vatican is to read La Civiltà invites you to St Clement’s community life among the priests of each Cattolica (LCC) reported Robert Mickens hub,’ he explained at the time, a point he Retreat Centre in Galong, NSW, in La Croix International magazine on Feb reiterated in his recent pastoral letter. for a Symposium for clergy, 4, 2017. As the territories that priests are responsible religious and lay people seeking The Jesuit journal, founded 167 years ago for has increased, the risk of isolation that to understand and integrate by a group of Italian Jesuits, has built a sometimes results in problems such as Laudato Si’ into their way of reputation for its good ties with the alcoholism and depression has become a being on Earth. Vatican. It has the stamp of quasi- significant point of reflection for leaders officialdom and has allowed its Jesuit of the French Church. The Symposium is being held editors to push the limits on issues in a way Sept.17th – 22nd 2017. that the Vatican itself could or would not Cardinal Koch and Ecumenism Early Bird Price: $1200 for single do officially. ensuite including all meals. While till recently it has only been Pontifical Council for Christian Unity published in Italian, under its new editor, president, Cardinal Kurt Koch, during the Contact: Sue Rolfe (02) 6380 celebrations in Strasbourg, France, marking 5222 or manager@stclement. Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ, it now has a French version and will soon publish in English, the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, com.au by April 18th 2017 for Spanish and Korean. In the coming days spoke on the prospects for ecumenism early bird price. La Civiltà Cattolica will officially launch reported Nicolas Senèze, on December 5, www.catholicearthcare.org.au a monthly edition of its prestigious journal 2016 in LaCroix International. in English. It will be published by the Cardinal Koch said the year was successful Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN), for ecumenism recalling ‘the meeting in Mickens notes. Lesbos with Patriarch Bartholomeos and the archbishop of Athens, a very strong ‘That is really good news. Because while the Secretariat of State has always played sign of solidarity with the refugees, a discreet role in reviewing LCC’s work in showing that they had not been forgotten the past, it appears that now Pope Francis in the ecumenical world. Another highlight is also involved in vetting some of the key of the year was the PanOrthodox Council articles’, Mickens wrote. in Crete and the plenary of the Orthodox- Catholic Dialogue Commission, which showed that even after nine years of Diocesan priests living in difficulties it was possible to publish a community common text. There were also the Pope’s Three years ago Bishop Jacques Blaquart visits to Armenia and Georgia.’ of Orleans requested his 350 priests to Commenting on the 500th anniversary undertake “a community conversion” in of the Reformation, he said, ‘We are order to reduce isolation reports Xavier emphasizing first our gratitude for a history Renard on January 5, 2017 in LaCroix that was formed not only by 500 years of international. conflicts but also marked by 50 years of Instead of simply reorganizing its territory, intensive dialogue. The dialogue with the the aim of the Orleans Diocese initiative Lutherans was the first dialogue started to create missionary hubs was to rebuild after the Council and in 1999 it resulted fraternal links among priests. To achieve in “The Common Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.’ Koch is concerned that a lack of a common vision of the objective of ecumenism, leaves us without a plan for action. ‘This is why, together with the Lutherans, I proposed the preparation of a new common declaration on the Church, the Eucharist and ministry’ he said. ‘We need to do in common everything that it is possible to do together. This is how we will be able to resolve problems. We cannot wait for these issues to be resolved in order to act! Pope Francis’ motto in ecumenical matters is that unity is made along the path together. It does not fall down from heaven once and forever’ he said.

36 autumn 2017 REVIEWS Sevenhill: rich fruits from a small seed

The Vine and Branches: The fruits of the Sevenhill Mission by Fr Michael Head SJ, Paul McKee and Fr Paul Fyfe SJ tells the story of the Jesuit winery in South Australia. pp224. ATF Press. Available through www.sevenhill.com.au or www.atfpress.com The formidable story of the Jesuits of humble beginnings of the Jesuits when Sevenhill in South Australia’s Clare Valley they took up residence at Sevenhill in April is told in a new book which documents 1851, living in a small thatch hut built by their remarkable contribution to religion, Br Schreiner, who had carried all his spirituality and the wine industry. possessions and tools to their new home in a wheelbarrow. The Vine and the Branches: The fruits of the Sevenhill Mission provides a fascinating So began the Jesuits’ notable presence insight into the Jesuits’ presence at through the establishment of a community Sevenhill over 170 years, an involvement residence, training centre for priests that that began following the arrival of a young also operated for a period as a secondary Austrian priest in South Australia in 1848. college for boys, construction of St Aloysius’ Church and crypt, and the Fr Aloysius Kranewitter travelled to development of a parish and program of Australia as one of the chaplains to a group spiritual retreats. Vineyards were planted of 146 immigrants seeking a new life away and a winery established to produce from the religious and political oppression sacramental wine. Valley, an industry of Europe. for which the region now has an St Aloysius’ Church was built at Sevenhill The group was led by Franz Weikert, an international reputation. between 1864 and 1875, its substantial enterprising Silesian farmer who decided to Gothic style making it an imposing It was a determination to provide settle near Clare in South Australia’s Mid landmark and a focus for the growing Mid sacramental wine for the emerging parishes North, a decision which led to Fr North community which had a strong within the new colonies that began Kranewitter travelling north with them on Catholic component with its high number Sevenhill’s rich winemaking history. The the advice of the first Catholic Bishop of of Irish and Polish members. As the first vines were planted in September 1851 Adelaide, Francis Murphy, who was keen number of Jesuits steadily increased, the from cuttings obtained from Bungaree for the church to have a presence in the reach of Sevenhill began to expand Station, north of Clare, by Br Schreiner, emerging rural communities. throughout the northern regions, with who became the first Jesuit winemaker. In addition to their pastoral care for the missionary journeys to the emerging towns The Vine and Branches was written by community, the Jesuits’ determination and and isolated communities in remote areas, authors Fr Michael Head SJ (Archivist for work ethic provided much needed income such as the Flinders Ranges. This led to the the Australian Jesuit Province), Fr Paul from selling produce. This allowed Fr creation of churches and mass centres, and Fyfe SJ (parish priest for Sevenhill and Kranewitter, with the help of some also paved the way for the Sisters of Saint Riverton/Manoora) and Paul McKee financial assistance from Austria, to Joseph to establish schools in many (marketing manager, Sevenhill Cellars). purchase 100 acres (40 hectares) of land, communities. The 224-page book was more than two part of a property known as Open Ranges, Sevenhill’s winemaking tradition also years in the making with collaboration which he renamed Sevenhill after the Seven receives extensive coverage in The Vine and from the Australian Jesuit Archives and Hills of Rome. the Branches, underlining its importance as features a vast collection of historic and The Vine and the Branches documents the the foundation of winemaking in the Clare contemporary photographs. 1 Apostasy and endurance in a hostile Japan

Silence is Martin Scorsese’s version of Shiraku Endo’s novel, Silence. Reviewed by Peter This is evident in Silence, in its portrayal of Malone MSC the Jesuit priests, their missionary endeavours, the persecutions, torture and Scorsese is often quoted as stating that he film about Catholic laity. executions. The ethos of martyrdom is that is a Roman Catholic, first and last, and Scorsese was born in 1942 and the of the period of Scorsese’s childhood and that he has seen his role as film director as Catholicism that he grew up with, an adolescence, a long tradition of heroism in akin to that of the priest, incarnating Italianate New York Catholicism of the giving up one’s life for the faith, witnessing transcendent values in his films. 1940s and 1950s, has been absorbed by the to faith in suffering and death, reinforced At a time when so many people have lost director. He turned 20 at the time of the at the time by the Church’s experiences in interest in religion, questioning it as well as first session of the Second Vatican Council Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, questioning faith in God, the Catholic but he seems to have moved away from and the well-known stories of Cardinal Church is treated with some scepticism day-by-day Catholicism at this period and Mindzenty in the 1950s. Martyrdom is and, because of abuse scandals, priests his later comments and reflections do not based on conviction, courage, considered with hostility, it is a surprise to echo the renewal instigated by Vatican II. identification in suffering and death with find such a deep exploration of the priest In many ways, Scorsese’s Catholicism is a the passion of Jesus. and priesthood in 2016. Silence is also a past Catholicism. Continued page 38

the swag 37 REVIEWS Since the 1960s, many priests and religious have moved to lay life after years in vows. This is a theme that has preoccupied Catholics for almost half a century in a way that was not so explicit previously. Silence raises the issue of commitment to vocation, challenge to vocation, mental and emotional pressure, the experience of feeling “forsaken”, intellectual arguments, and the crisis of conscience of renunciation to save others’ lives. The film does not end as we might have expected and the audience finishes watching Silence silently, reflecting, puzzled, hopeful. Especially with one final image of Father Rodriguez as he dies and his body ceremonially burnt in the 1680s. Silence is a film of beautiful images of land and seascapes, dark and hidden sequences, and very much a film of words, articulated questions of faith, articulated prayers, and, towards the end, an emphasis on rational argument about religion, faith, comparative religions, the possibility of doubt. What Scorsese presents in the first two It is in the final 40 minutes that the film Scorsese has made the film for himself, hours, echoing Endo’s exploration of faith, moves its audience, faithful as well as a reflection on his own life, his beginnings is a sympathetic portrait of two earnest non-Christian, sympathetic or not, to in faith, young dreams of becoming a priests, Rodriguez (Andrew Garfield) and consider questions about priesthood that Maryknoll missionary, his memories of Garrpe (Adam Driver), their ministry to have arisen since the Vatican Council. the year he spent in the junior seminary the Japanese laypeople who have survived The word that is used throughout the in New York City and the example of the persecution, hidden in villages in the vicinity screenplay, which we are not used to using youth minister priest who inspired him, of Nagasaki, who welcome the priests, eager in Christian circles now, is ‘apostasy’. of his moving away from the institutional to have Mass and the opportunity for The Japanese authorities, originally church, of his life and career, of his confession, and keep the priests hidden. sympathetic to the coming of Christianity, deep-seated interest in the basic themes The priests respond earnestly, the screenplay but then moving towards persecution, of sin, guilt, repentance, suffering, giving them many lines of reflection on assertion of Buddhist traditions, and redemption and the language of paradise. their evangelisation, to spread the Gospel pressure on the priests to give up their 2 teaching, principally a Gospel of love, on faith, all Christians being asked their spirituality as Jesuits, the love for the symbolically to step, physically, on a Gospel stories which they quote with religious image or to spit on the crucifix. fervour, and the person of Jesus, their prayer. These temptations for the priests are a The priests refer to the work done by reminder of the key theme of The Last Francis Xavier, refer to the Spiritual Temptation of Christ, Jesus being asked to Exercises for their discernment in decisions come down from the cross and live an NCP Bursaries 2018 and, the prayer of Father Rodriguez is very ordinary life, the last temptation being the strong in his identifying with Jesus in the temptation to ordinariness. In this case, for Bursaries are offered to Gospel sequences, the composition of place the priests to become Japanese citizens, members (financial for recommended by Ignatius Loyola. absorbing Buddhist traditions, studying 5+ years as per NCP policy) science and language, with wives and Convert men and women are prominent in to assist with further study families. their living of their faith, sacramental life, in Australia or overseas. support of the priests, and their willingness Does the film suggest that the no greater Application forms to suffer for their faith – including a long love is not necessarily laying down life in and harrowing sequence where four men death but in sacrificing one’s own life in are available at: are tortured, crucified at the water’s edge, living so that others may live? nationalcouncilofpriests.com.au or and partly drowned as the waves and tides by contacting the National Office. One of the villagers who brings the priests sweep over them. “Why are their trials so to Japan, whose family have been executed terrible – and our answers so weak?”. but who has survived, seeing himself as a There are other sequences of torture and Judas (and frequently being a Judas) but execution which are powerful reminders of Applications for 2018 who wants to confess and to be forgiven, the reality of this suffering (suffering which challenging Father Rodriguez who does close on the we can read about and absorb but which give him absolution to wonder how Jesus 31 December 2017. can be shocking when presented visually could love this kind of man. on screen).

38 autumn 2017 REVIEWS The deeply human Jesus rediscovered

José Pagola, Jesus: An Historical Approximation, Revised Edition (Sixth Printing), grant Jesus’ anguished plea in Gethsemane. translated by Margaret Wilde, Convivium Press, 2015. Reviewed by Michael Whelan ….. This ‘crucifixion-resurrection’ is the SM, parish priest of Church Hill, Sydney. supreme revelation of God’s love. No one could have imagined it. In the ‘crucified- of where he stands in the field of risen’ Jesus God is with us, thinking only scholarship: “Along with more prestigious about us, sufferinglike us, dying for us’ scholars, I subscribe to the conclusion (page 409). expressed by the eminent scholar J P Meier: ‘I do not believe that the rabbinical Joseph Ratzinger, reflecting on the parable material, the agrapha, the apocryphal of the Good Samaritan, captures for me gospels and the codices of Nag Hammadi the spirit of José Pagolas book when he (especially the Gospel of Thomas) offer speaks of ‘The risk of goodness (as) new and reliable information or authentic something we must relearn from within sayings independent of the New ….’ (Jesus of Nazareth, translated by Adrian Testament’.” J Walker, Bloomsbury, 2007, 199). Our understanding of Jesus needs to grow – The breadth of Pagola’s scholarship is to be ‘relearned from within’ every day – remarkable. His style is eminently readable. especially if we have any Docetism in our There is a huge amount of information and bones or moralism and legalism in our heads. detail, all well footnoted. Yet I never felt as Pagola’s portrait of the Galilean is to be though I was wading through an academic heartily recommended as a healing remedy. tome. His presentation of Jesus and his historical and cultural milieu is clear, You can get a taste something of Pagola’s credible, useful and inspiring. I get the thinking at the Association of Catholic distinct impression this man loves Jesus. Priests web site where he comments on the Beatitudes – http://tinyurl.com/hy5k8t7 In his book, Jesus the Christ (Paulist Press, 2 very young monk once asked a 1976, 46), Cardinal Walter Kasper writes: very old monk: “What is a monk?” ‘It is undeniable that in generally current The old monk replied: “A monk is ideas of Christianity, Jesus Christ is often Asomeone who asks himself every day, thought of more or less as a God ‘What is a monk?’” Christians are those descending to earth whose humanity is who ask themselves everyday: “Who is basically only a kind of clothing behind Can we Jesus?” There can be no final answer to which God himself speaks and acts’. Pagola that question. But there can be growth in offers a gentle but firm antidote to the understanding and intimacy – or not. widespread Docetism that Kasper and others have recognized. Pagola’s Jesus is About three years ago, a friend of mine – deeply human. He is an attractive person, a retired magistrate, intelligent, thoughtful one in whom the mighty acts of God’s love Catholic – mentioned Pagola’s book. He are manifest. ‘The reign of God is coming find thought it was very good. Just recently and that changes everything. …. It is not another friend, from our parish – also an enough for the people to ask what it means intelligent and thoughtful Catholic – to be faithful to the law. Now they need to mentioned Pagola’s book. She too thought ask what it means to be faithful to the God it was very good. I bought a copy. I am of compassion’ (page 242). For God – and you? very glad I did. This book is stimulating, therefore for Jesus – people and packed with useful information and the relationships are to be the central focus. most credible account of “the historical Jesus” I have read. The reflection on the crucifixion on pages 407-412 epitomises the theological Make sure your José Pagola completed his theological substance and the deep humanity that studies in 1962 at the Gregorian University emerges throughout this book. Pagola details are correct. and his studies in Sacred Scripture at the writes: ‘The first Christians said this in Papal Biblical Institute in Rome in 1966. amazement: ‘God so loved the world that Contact the NCP National He also studied Biblical Sciences at the he gave his Son’. On the cross, no one is Office with any changes. Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem. He is making an offering to God so that he will currently a Professor at St Sebastian show a more benevolent face to • Postal address Seminary and at the Faculty of Theology of humankind. It is God who is offering what Northern Spain. Pagola has dedicated his he loves most: his own Son. His love comes • Street address life to Biblical studies and Christology and first. …. This love of God is unheard of. has done research on the historical Jesus for • Email address He doesn’t do or say anything while Jesus is more than 30 years. dying. He doesn’t intervene. He respects • Phone and Fax numbers On page 19 he gives us a good indication what they are doing to his Son. He doesn’t

the swag 39 Returned to God MICHAEL JOHN BONNER 30/06/1931 – 26/11/2016 Michael was born in Cairns and on finishing school worked for Queensland Railways in various parts of the state. While stationed in Babinda he was active in the Catholic Youth Movement and eventually went to Pius XII Provincial Seminary at Banyo as a seminarian for the Diocese of Cairns. He was ordained a priest in St Monica’s Cathedral on 29 June 1963. He was known as Mick to his fellow priests. His first appointment was to Atherton in 1964 for a year, then to North Cairns from January 1965 to April of 1966 and again back to Atherton till April 1968. In that same month he was appointed parish priest of Ravenshoe, where he remained until 1973. His next move was from the Southern Tablelands in Ravenshoe back to the coast to Silkwood from 1974 to 1979 as parish priest. Mick’s next move was to the Stratford parish, in 1979 when the centre or the parish was shifted to Reed Road at the Northern Beaches. Mick bought property in the area on which he supervised the construction of the present church, presbytery, and school buildings. Mick’s final parish was Gordonvale from 1993 to 2012. Towards the end of his time at Gordonvale his health started to become a serious problem, which ultimately caused him to eventually become a resident at Holy Spirit Bethlehem Home. Mick was able to say Mass there initially, then found it necessary to concelebrate and finally simply attend Mass. While active in parish life Mick formed friendships with many people and relished their visits, especially when taking him out to their homes or to restaurants. Mick never complained. When he was asked how he was coping he would simply say he had a lack of balance, despite frequent falls with broken bones and Bell’s palsy added as well. Mick was conscious to the last hour of his life and went peacefully to his eternal reward on 26 November 2016. His funeral was from St Monica’s Cathedral on Saturday 3 December and he is interred in the Martin Street Cemetery.

JOSEPH MICHAEL MCMAHON 19/02/1936 – 20/01/2017 Joe was ordained a priest at St Patrick’s Cathedral, East Melbourne on 21 July 1962. After a temporary appointment at Belgrave, he was appointed Assistant Priest at the parishes of Fawkner and North Melbourne and then served in the youth division of the Social Welfare Department. Joe served as the Acting Prison Chaplain and in many other roles, including that of Vice-Rector, at Corpus Christi College Seminary between the years 1976-1989. From 1989 he served as Parish Priest at Newport and then, in addition, Spotswood, from 2000. Joe was appointed Pastor Emeritus in 2015, commencing as Senior Priest in Residence at Corpus Christi College, Carlton. Joe will be remembered for his extraordinary service to the Archdiocese of Melbourne and beyond. He truly lived the Beatitudes throughout his ministry; to the sick, sorrowful, to those in prison, in support of those who were merciful to the vulnerable, he was compassionate, empathetic and above all a man whose life reflected a deep friendship with Jesus. He was a devoted shepherd to his parishioners at Sacred Heart and St Margaret Mary’s encouraging the gifts of others. His life was centred on the Eucharist, it was the source and summit of his life as a priest. In recent days his nephew, Fr Joe Caddy and he were able to celebrate Mass together mindful of the presence of Christ in this time and eternity. Joe’s life intersected with Corpus Christi College at Werribee and Glen Waverley (student), Clayton (Vice-Rector-Formator) and more recently at Carlton (Senior Priest in Residence). He had a profound influence on generations of students. He could recognise genuine goodness and he also could see deeply into the frailty of men. He never wished to offend, but desired to allow students to grow in their personal integrity, in their faith and in their service of the Church. He could pose the difficult question, identify a potential problem and create a rapport where trust could lead to truth. To his many priest, religious and lay colleagues he will be remembered for his care, insight, prayerfulness and dedicated presence. Joe was humble and down to earth. He loved people and wanted them to grow and flourish. He was a man of prayer, deeply aware of his own humanity, attentive to the movement of God and open to manifestations of grace. In 2016 his collection of spiritual writings, Of Those I met along the way and other reflections, Joe describes with wonderful insight the many and varied people who have inspired him throughout his life; family, friends, priests, pastoral associates, parishioners, witnesses of love and public figures who in many and varied ways have been a revelation of the beauty of God. It seems his years of illness and treatment provided another lens for him to see the image and face of God. The collection reflects a man who understood his life as blessed, enriched by others and who was able to articulate his spirituality as a Diocesan priest founded in his love for Melbourne and the marvellous people of God. Joe was a voracious reader of theology, psychology and spirituality. He always had a book on hand, often with his musings in the margins and his slips of paper recording insights. For his personal simplicity of life he had an attentive eye for beauty in word, image, art, film and poetry. He had no pretention, but was able to honour the ability of others. Throughout these years of illness Joe has been accompanied by his loving siblings and their families, deep and personal friendships and the prayerful love of so many. He was grateful for the care of his treating specialists, doctors and staff at St Vincent’s Health and his respite stay at Justin Villa. Joe was never afraid to share his fears, questions and his life with others. His loss of independence and the struggles of sickness were a heavy burden for him. He learned to allow others to carry him and to care for him. Even in hospital he never turned anyone away, but made them welcome at his bedside. Joe loved to pray and he humbly sought God’s blessing from everyone.

40 autumn 2017 RETURNED TO GOD The Archdiocese of Melbourne will mourn his loss, together with our friends across the Province and in Hobart. Joe’s suffering is over and we pray that he will enjoy the eternal reward of a life well lived, loved and given in service of The Lord. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

JOHN (JACK) MICHAEL MORONEY 8/07/1934 – 14/07/2016 Jack, born in Cardiff, NSW, and a priest of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, was the second son of Bill and Rose Moroney. His elder brother, Bill, was also a priest of the same diocese. Jack was educated by the Sisters of Mercy in Parkes and Broken Hill as well as the Marist Brothers in Forbes and Broken Hill. In 1951 Jack entered the Springwood Seminary and then spent two years at Manly Seminary, where he was approached by Bishop Fox to study in Rome. In 1955, he arrived at Propaganda College, Rome and was ordained on 23 November 1958 by Cardinal Agagianian. He completed his Licentiate in 1959. Jack served in many parishes throughout the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes – Broken Hill, Bourke, Brewarrina, Deniliquin, Wentworth, Warren, Cobar and Parkes. He was Vicar General for several years. He was an inspirational leader of his parish communities, believing the laity, religious and clergy have equal value in the Church. He had a special passion for ecumenism and worked with the indigenous throughout the diocese. He was a great story teller with an infectious laugh. As young curate he edited a magazine The Curate’s Quarterly which he sent to every curate in Australia. There were four or five editions and copies are at the Sydney Diocesan Library, as an example of a periodical commenting on the Vatican Council. After suffering a stroke in 2000, Jack retired to Parkes to live with his brother Bill. Jack had a serious fall in 2015 and was unable to return to his home in Parkes. He moved to an Aged Care Facility in Ballarat to be close to his two sisters, Rosalie and Mary and his extended family. Jack died peacefully at St John of God Hospital, Ballarat on 14 July, 2016. Rest now in peace dear Jack.

SEAN PATRICK O’CONNELL 24/09/1940 – 18/12/2016 Sean died at the Austin Hospital on Sunday, 18 December 2016 aged 76 years. Ordained a priest at St Patrick’s Cathedral, East Melbourne on 23 July 1966, Sean served as Assistant Priest at the parishes of Flemington, Werribee and Clifton Hill. He was appointed Parish Priest of Coburg in 1979, preceded by four years as an Assistant Priest – a total of nearly 42 years at the parish. During this time, Fr Sean was Director of Australian Catholic Relief and was also Acting Director of Catholic Immigration. News of Sean’s death has come as a terrible shock to his family, friends, and parishioners. Diagnosed with a serious illness in recent days, his life slipped quickly and peacefully away. He was a tireless pastor wedded to the people of St Paul’s and the many who were welcomed there over generations for family baptisms, weddings and funerals. Sean learned to speak Italian in order to minister to his people. He respected the Italian sense of sacramentality: prayerful touch, procession, emotional expression and devotion. He not only spoke Italian but thought like an Italian. He approached pastoral decisions as an Italian would approach traffic lights in Rome. At the time of his Golden Jubilee, Sean did not want to receive any gifts from his parishioners. He chose to give them a gift of a fountain recalling the ‘Tre Fontane’ of Rome, which marks the place of St Paul’s martyrdom. The fountain at St Paul’s outside the walls in Coburg flows today as a symbol of the generous priestly service of Sean O’Connell whose deep faith, commitment and pastoral love has flowed over generations of the Catholic faithful in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

THOMAS O’HARA SJ 17/12/1932 – 12/11/2016 Having been a Jesuit for 66 years and a priest for 50, Tom O’Hara (84) died of a brain haemorrhage at St Peter’s Green, Lane Cove North. Born in Dalby, Qld, he was raised by an aunt from the age of three after the death of his parents, and educated by the Christian Brothers in Melbourne, where he entered the Society of Jesus in 1950. During his formation he taught for five years at St Aloysius’ College and St Ignatius’ College in Sydney. He was ordained in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne, in December 1966. After Tertianship at St Beuno’s in Wales, he was assigned to the General Curia in Rome as Regional Secretary for East Asia. That led to studies in Spiritual Theology and Scripture at the Gregorian University. In 1976 Tom returned to Australia. For the next forty years he was based in Sydney, where he dedicated himself to the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius and retreat-giving. An expert guide, he wrote accessible texts on the spiritual life, including At Home with God, At Home with Jesus and At Home with the Spirit. He wanted to share the home he had found in the life of the Trinity, furnished by the insights of Ignatius. Tom’s own insights were grounded in the earthiness of his life and the lives of those whom he Continued page 42

the swag 41 RETURNED TO GOD The Official Directory of the befriended particularly through weddings, baptisms and regular parish Masses at North Sydney, where his last two books will be launched in February 2017. He spent many years as director or assistant director of the Ignatian Centre of Spirituality at Canisius College, Pymble, where many Religious benefited from the renewal courses that he sponsored. He also spent three years living at De La Catholic Church in Australia 2017-2018 Salle, Castle Hill, while promoting spiritual renewal in the Parramatta Diocese. He was sharply aware of the spiritual landscape and had a knack for connecting with those at a loose end. His nephew, Frank Brennan SJ, presided and preached at his Funeral Mass at North Sydney. Rest now in peace dear Tom. The essential resource for every Catholic Parish, School & Organisation PETER BERNARD QUIN SJ 11/04/1930 – 22/11/2016 A remarkable, much loved pastor who partook fully of the banquet of life, which he loved to share with others, Peter The “who’s who” and what they do Quin died peacefully at Wesley Hospital, Auchenflower (Brisbane), having been a Jesuit for 66 years and a priest for 52. in the Catholic Church in Australia. Born in Echuca,Victoria, he was educated at Xavier College in Melbourne and entered the Jesuits in 1950. His formation followed the usual course, culminating with tertianship at Paray-le-Monial in France. Thereafter Complete and revised listing of all ministries and services. he worked for 16 years in schools, providing energetic leadership at St Louis School (Perth), Xavier College c ++900 pages containing over ++Ecclesiastical Organisations

(Melbourne) and most notably at St Ignatius’ College, Riverview (Sydney), where he was Headmaster in 1974-81. aThOlic T irecTOry 24,000 records he D + Personal Prelature of the Apart from a return to Xavier as Rector for 4 years, he spent the rest of his life working in Jesuit parishes. He was The Official +

Parish Priest at Lavender Bay (Sydney) for 6 years, at North Sydney for 12 years and at Toowong (Brisbane) for 12 O of the ++30 Dioceses, 3 Eparchies Holy Cross & Opus Dei

c fficial ausTralia hurch in years. He was still Parish Priest at the time of his death at the age of 86. hurch c and 2 Ordinariates caThOlic ++Societies of Consecrated Life of the A free spirit, Peter was passionate about sacramental ministry, marrying and baptising around 15,000 people. Imaginative and creative, 2017-2018 D ++Parishes and Personnel ++Health and Aged Care

he initiated Women’s Nights of Spirituality in North Sydney and Toowong: they remain a source of strength for the hundreds who irecTOry in ++Educational Institutes Social Welfare attend annually. He also founded an organisation called PIFA to help young parents care most effectively for their infants. a ++ usTralia (Primary, Secondary A keen cook, avid golfer and surfer, afficionado of meaningful European cinema, daily devourer of theological writing and Sudoku ++Retreats and Conference puzzles, Peter was a life-enlarger par excellence. He will be sorely missed. and Tertiary) Centres ORDER ++Priests and Chaplains ++Catholic Press JOHN NEWMAN 24/06/1932 – 22/01/2017 ++Institutes of Religious ++Official Statistics NOW! Women and Men + Associations of Christ’s John Newman responded to an invitation from Bishop Tom Cahill while as a Seminarian at Pius X11When Seminary the care you Banyo, seek is to unconditional serve in - + talk to us. (Nuns and Brothers) Faithful and much more! the Cairns Diocese. His appointments in Cairns exceeding fifty years saw him placed at St Monica’s Cathedral, Thursday Island, ++The Roman Curia Mossman and Atherton. 1 JULY 2017 30 JUNE 2018 “You can take the boy out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the boy” fitted John Newman. He remained always a Country Pastor while utilising his pre-seminary skills as a drover, bridge builder and carpenter, remaining a ‘hands-on’ and practical [email protected] | (02) 9519 5344 | www.wnbull.com.au priest. He loved music and was well known for his capacity to harmonise, play the trumpet and enjoy a party. 11/04/2016 12:48 pm Available in print and online (www.catholicdirectory.com.au) Priestly Ministry took him around the Diocese and into the lives of many as a Chaplain, to Calvary and CairnsDirctory Cover ad_NCP 2016.inddBase 1 Hospitals, St Over 20,000 changes made annually. For the complete picture of the Australian Augustine’s College, Pontifical Missions and in particular to the Army and the Police. Church and to keep connected ... order now! Renewal took place in John’s life while recognising aging and diminishing numbers of clergy with the message of the Second Vatican Council for pastors to work with and empower the laity. John read widely and did not hesitate to bring resource people to his parish, many will recall in Liturgy we are encouraged to have ‘full, conscious and active participation’ – that became his norm; hospitality and a COMPLETE THIS SECTION AND RETURN WITH YOUR PAYMENT TO: welcoming attitude are hallmarks of his parish. He embraced Stewardship and the concept of Discipleship for parishioners to grow as a National Council of Priests, PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216 ‘community of disciples.’ P: (03) 5244 3680 | F: (03) 5244 4762 | E: [email protected] | www.catholicdirectory.com.au John had an innate sense of where people were at, their struggles and needs, for them to be honoured and respected, with that sense of ‘the other’ like he had walked in their shoes. Name ______Pope Francis and his reform of the Church was music to John’s ears, the challenge for clergy to ‘get the smell of the sheep’ rang true. His family, parishioners, clergy, service groups and the community paid their respects while attending the Vigil and Funeral Mass at St Organisation (if applicable) ______ABN ______Joseph’s Atherton, John was given a Guard of Honour and Police escort to be laid to rest at the Atherton Cemetery, not far from his beloved friend Fr Dave Mc Kenzie. Address ______Suburb ______Postcode ______

Phone ______Email ______Returned to the Father but no obit received. We hold them in prayer. Ex GST prices are only available to Catholic Organisations registered under the Catholic GST Religious Group. Frank Birrell (Diocese of Broome)...... 17/11/2016 Timothy Crowley (Diocese of Parramatta)...... 07/02/2017 Print Directory $88.00 (inc GST) + $10.00 postage & handling Number ordered Keith Gorman SSCColumban Fathers...... 19/12/2016 $80.00 (ex GST) + $10.00 postage & handling Number ordered Andrew Quinn (Archdiocese of Sydney)...... 29/01/2017 Print & Online Package $154.00 (inc GST) + $10.00 postage & handling Number ordered Please email obits to Sally at: [email protected] Specifications:Text as a Word Document (max. 200 words) $143.00 (ex GST) + $10.00 postage & handling Number ordered Digital photos not less than 300 KB sent as a separate .jpg file (not to be included in the Word Document). You are most welcome to email detailed obituaries as a separate document and these will be published in full on Payment by Cheque: Cheques made payable to National Council of Priests. The Swag website (www.theswag.org.au). Payment by Credit Card (MasterCard or Visa) Visa MasterCard

Card No. Expiry ______/ ______CSV 42 autumn 2017 Name on Card ______Signature ______The Official Directory of the Catholic Church in Australia 2017-2018

The essential resource for every Catholic Parish, School & Organisation

The “who’s who” and what they do in the Catholic Church in Australia. Complete and revised listing of all ministries and services.

c ++900 pages containing over ++Ecclesiastical Organisations

aThOlic T irecTOry 24,000 records he D + Personal Prelature of the The Official +

O of the ++30 Dioceses, 3 Eparchies Holy Cross & Opus Dei

c fficial ausTralia hurch in hurch c and 2 Ordinariates caThOlic ++Societies of Consecrated Life of the 2017-2018 D ++Parishes and Personnel ++Health and Aged Care

irecTOry in ++Educational Institutes Social Welfare a ++ usTralia (Primary, Secondary ++Retreats and Conference and Tertiary) Centres

ORDER ++Priests and Chaplains ++Catholic Press ++Institutes of Religious ++Official Statistics NOW! Women and Men When the care you seek is unconditional - ++Associations of Christ’s talk to us. (Nuns and Brothers) Faithful and much more!

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[email protected] | (02) 9519 5344 | www.wnbull.com.au 11/04/2016 12:48 pm Available in print and online (www.catholicdirectory.com.au) Dirctory Cover ad_NCP 2016.indd 1 Over 20,000 changes made annually. For the complete picture of the Australian Church and to keep connected ... order now! COMPLETE THIS SECTION AND RETURN WITH YOUR PAYMENT TO: National Council of Priests, PO Box 295, Belmont VIC 3216 P: (03) 5244 3680 | F: (03) 5244 4762 | E: [email protected] | www.catholicdirectory.com.au

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