West Wagga Parish Serving: Ashmont, Collingullie, Glenfield, Lloyd, and San Isidore The West Wagga Wag

September 2019 Coming Events New Baptism Font at Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Trinity Holy Trinity! - 6 to 7am daily; - overnight from 9pm Friday After a great fund raising effort, our new Baptism font through to 7am Saturdays was installed on the 16th of August by Paul Hallett, whose family have been stone masons working in Monthly Cuppa, after 9am Mass on last Sunday of the month. churches for 5 generations.

St Gregory the Great Tue 3 The bowl in our new font is St John Chrysostom Fri 13 from our original font, so the The Exaltation of the bowl that caught the baptism Holy Cross Sat 14 water poured over the heads of St Robert Bellarmine Tue 17 those baptised decades ago will Sts Andrew Kim Taegon, be the bowl that catches the and Companions Fri 20 holy water for years to come. St Matthew, Apostle Sat 21 St Pius of Pietrelcina Mon 23 St Vincent de Paul Fri 27 Our first baptisms using the new font on Saturday August 17 - St Jerome Mon 30 Aliyah Elizabeth Rose Wray 8th Sept (left)

and Mariusz Ethan Forro (below)

Inside this issue:

3 September Sillies 5 Farewell Tim Fischer Movie Unplanned in Wagga! 6 Pro-Life Work to do! 7 The Blessing of the Parish Baptism Font

Wag Contacts will take place during 9am Mass on September 8. We invite everyone to come, Email: [email protected] especially those who have made generous donations Web Page: westwaggaparish.com Phone: 6931 3601 to provide our Font.

The date for submissions for the next Morning tea afterwards, cake, slice or biscuits Wag is: Wednesday October 2nd. gratefully received. PAGE 2 THE WEST WAGGA WAG

P’ P ‐ B " N F S H S" font when it was made at the "Every baptized person should Gosford Quarries include the Alfa consider that it is in the womb of and Omega (Jesus is the beginning the Church where he is transformed and the end, the centre of our life); from a child of Adam to a child of the Chi-Rho (first Greek letters in God." - St. Vincent Ferrer the name Christ); and of course the "Just as a man cannot live in the Cross, reminding us that it is flesh unless he is born in the flesh, through Our Blessed Lord's saving even so a man cannot have the death that Baptism has the power to spiritual life of grace unless he is save us. born again spiritually. This Baptism is the door to the Church; regeneration is effected by Baptism: through this Sacrament we are first ‘Unless a man is born again of 7th Century washed clean from Original Sin, water and the Holy Spirit, he and of personal sins of older cannot enter into the kingdom of In every parish Church, one of the converts. At the very same moment, God" (Jn 3:5)’" - St. Thomas most significant furnishings is the new life is poured into our souls, a Aquinas Baptism Font. In many ancient very share in the Life of God. churches across Europe the font is "Baptism is not the work of man but as old as the altar, and touching it of Christ, and this sacrament is so today we can think of the thousands holy that it would not be defiled, of people who have at that place even if the minister were a entered into the life of Christ. There murderer." - St. Isidore, Doctor of God's life was poured into their the Church soul. “Baptize first the children; and if Most of these fonts, like the altars, they can speak for themselves, let are made of stone. This indicates them do so. Otherwise, let their that the seal of baptism is forever, parents or other relatives speak for and the grace baptism gives is the them.” - St. Hippolytus of Rome same grace which, if maintained or Finally, to those who have been restored during this life, enables us baptised, St Leo the Great said in a to live forever in heaven. The Christmas homily, "Christians, Psalms tell us that God is "the Rock remember your dignity!" who saves us", and that we are to 12th Century build our house on solid rock. We Supernatural Virtues of Faith, Hope do that when we build on the Faith, and Divine Love are ours, a created Fr Thomas Casanova Hope and Charity we receive in share in the uncreated holiness of CCS Baptism. God. We become children of God the Father, through the Son, in the Our new baptism font will be Holy Spirit. blessed on September 8 (and maybe again when our diocese gets a new Here are some quotes on Baptism ). This blessing is an by the Saints: occasion to thank God for our own "The Lord was Baptized, not to be baptism, and to recommit to live our cleansed Himself, but to cleanse the share in the life of the Blessed waters, so that those waters, Trinity. cleansed by the flesh of Christ One of the features of our font is the which knew no sin, might have the symbol of the Most Blessed Trinity power of Baptism." - St. Ambrose in the form of the three leaf of Milan shamrock. It is told that St Patrick "If, therefore, there is any grace in used a shamrock to explain the the water, it is not from the nature mystery of the Trinity to the leaders of water but from the Spirit's of Ireland. The other symbols presence there." - St. Basil the carved into the sandstone of our Great 15th Century THE WEST WAGGA WAG PAGE 3

September Sillies Apparently I snore so loudly that it In my attempt to kill a fly, I drove scares everyone in the car I'm into a telephone pole. driving. I had been shopping for plants all A man decided that he was going to day and was on my way home. As I ride a 10-speed bike from Wagga to reached an intersection, a hedge to Cabramurra. He got as far as sprang up, obscuring my vision and Adelong before the mountains I did not see the other car.

became too much and he could go I had been driving for forty years no farther. when I fell asleep at the wheel and So he stuck his thumb out and after had an accident. One day John got yet another one of 3 hours hadn't gotten a single person those calls. "What happened this to stop. Finally, a guy in a Corvette My car was legally parked as it time?" he asked. pulled over and offered him a ride. backed into the other vehicle. "My brakes went out," Jill said. Of course, the bike wouldn't fit in "Can you come to get me?" the car. The owner of the Corvette As I approached the intersection a "Where are you?" John asked. found a piece of rope lying by the sign suddenly appeared in a place "I'm in the chemist shop," Jill road and tied it to his bumper. He where no sign had ever appeared responded. tied the other end to the bike and before, making me unable to avoid "And where's the car?" John asked. told the man that if he was going too the accident. Jill replied, "It's in here with me." fast, to honk the horn on his bike and that he would slow down. I was thrown from my car as it left Car-Pool Everything went fine for the first 20 the road, and was later found in a A man learned shortly before knock kms. ditch by some stray cows. -off time that he had to attend a meeting. He tried unsuccessfully to The guy was all over the road. I had locate his car-pool members to let to swerve a number of times before them know that he would not be I hit him. leaving with them. Hastily he scribbled a message to An invisible car came out of one fellow and left it on his desk: "I nowhere, struck my car and have a last-minute meeting. Leave vanished. without me. Dave." At 7:00 p.m., the man stopped at his Suddenly, another Corvette flew An auto mechanic received a repair desk and found this note: "Meet us past them. Not to be outdone, the order that read: “Check for clunking at the bar and grill across the street. Corvette pulling the bike took off sound when going around corners." You drove today, you dodo." after the other. A short distance Taking the car out for a test drive, down the road, the Corvettes, both he made a right turn, and a moment After spending 3-1/2 hours enduring going well over 170 km/h, flew past later he heard a ‘clunk’. the long lines, surly clerks, and a parked police car. He then made a left turn and again insane regulations at the department The police officer noted the speeds heard a ‘clunk’. of motor vehicles, I stopped at a toy from his radar gun and radioed Back at the shop he opened the car’s store to pick up a gift for my son. ahead to the other officer that he trunk, and soon discovered the I brought my selection - a baseball had two Corvettes headed his way at problem. bat - to the cash register. over 170 km/h. Promptly he returned the repair "Cash or charge?" the clerk asked. He then relayed, "...and you're not order to the service manager with "Cash," I snapped. Then, going to believe this, but there's a the notation, “Removed bowling apologizing for my rudeness, I guy on a 10-speed bike honking to ball from trunk". explained, "I've spent the afternoon pass." at the motor-vehicle bureau." "Shall I giftwrap the bat?" the clerk Accident Reports asked sweetly, "or are you going The following are reported to be back there?" taken from actual insurance claims:

Coming home I drove into the My wife is so negative. I wrong house and collided with a remembered the car seat, the tree I don't have. stroller, AND the nappy bag. Yet all she can talk about is how I forgot I collided with a stationary truck the baby. coming the other way.

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Once imprisoned, Chinese woman now guides others to the Catholic faith Catherine Sheehan Providing them one-on-one faith She was only 25 when she was formation in their own language — arrested. She was newly engaged to Cantonese or Mandarin — she has her future husband at the time. guided hundreds into entering the Prior to their engagement, she had , said Father Janusz wanted to become a Carmelite nun Bieniek, pastor and a member of the but changed her mind when John Congregation of St. Michael the Bosco Liu told her that he loved her. Archangel. Liu spent some of her sentence in “She is very supportive of all the same prison as her husband, but initiatives in the parish, especially the couple had only fleeting the work of evangelization with glimpses of each other during that people from who are thinking time. Speaking or showing any signs A woman who spent 20 years of becoming Christian,” Father imprisoned in China for being a of affection would have meant Bieniek told CNS. “She gathers severe punishment for both. faithful Catholic has helped them, talks to them, personally hundreds of Chinese migrants keeps contact with them and As soon as she was free, she wrote convert to the faith in Australia. encourages them.” to him expressing her love. They Teresa Liu, now 86 and living in were married in 1979 after John Liu has sponsored numerous people Bosco Liu’s release. Sydney, was imprisoned in who have been baptized into the from 1957 to 1977 by faith and she is often asked to be Their marriage lasted just 10 years, the Chinese communist government. godmother to their children. however. John Bosco Liu died of a She was never given a trial and heart attack immediately after Recently she was invested as a receiving holy Communion during spent some of her sentence in dame in the Equestrian Order of St. solitary confinement — at one point Mass. Liu was by his side at the Gregory the Great in recognition of time. for a period of seven months. her “outstanding commitment to Denied access to the sacraments and faith” demonstrated “through her “I’m very grateful to God that he the Bible throughout her Christian outreach to and died peacefully and after receiving incarceration, Liu kept her faith conversion of many people in the holy Communion,” she said. alive by praying secretly in her cell. Archdiocese of Sydney.” Liu also lost her eldest brother Paul “I could say the rosary only after I Investiture in the order is the to the communist regime. He died in lie down in bed, secretly,” she told highest honor the church bestows prison after serving a 15-year Catholic News Service. “I felt very on laypeople and is given in sentence, leaving behind a wife and close to God at that time because in recognition of extraordinary service eight children. my heart I said, ‘Jesus, now I have to the church. Priests and nuns from Guangzhou nothing but you. Don’t let me leave Father Bieniek described Liu, a also were imprisoned, including you.'” daily Mass attendee, as a “person of Dominic Tang Yee- Liu’s crime was being a member of prayer.” ming, who spent 22 years behind bars without a trial. a Catholic lay organization, the “She is a very credible witness to Legion of Mary, which was the faith and at the same time very Liu said all people have the right to considered an “anti-revolutionary” quiet and unassuming. People know freely practice their faith, which she group by the Chinese leaders. about her past, her experiences and called “the natural law.” Her other crime was remaining sufferings, but she doesn’t boast She expressed gratitude that God faithful to the pope by refusing to about this,” he said. had granted her a long life so she join the state-run Chinese Patriotic “She is very positive and never has could tell her story as well as “the Catholic Association. any kind of talk about revenge or story of many, many people in Following her release, Liu hatred. She has no anger so that China.” immigrated to Australia in 1980 makes a very big impression on “Pray for China. The situation in with her husband, John Bosco Liu, people.” China now in some ways is worse who had been in prison for 22 years. Liu said she has forgiven her than it was for us. … They want to Now a devout and active parishioner captors. destroy every religion,” she said. at St. Michael Parish in Hurstville, “Those people were just doing their “Thank God I still have the chance in southern Sydney, Liu has spent duty, their job. They also are to speak about my experience today. decades catechizing Chinese victims of the communist system,” In the beginning, at first, I said, migrants. she said. ‘Thank God.’ And my last word also is, ‘Thank God very much.'” THE WEST WAGGA WAG PAGE 5

Farewell Tim Fischer

the most northern settlement in country and family with integrity. Western Australia. After serving the nation as a Tim Fischer served our country parliamentarian, he was invited to as a farmer from Boree Creek. be the Australian Ambassador to the As a military conscript, he was , Rome. wounded in battle serving in At the end of the civil ceremony, Fr . He was a politician for Tony Percy led a most fitting prayer both state and national for Tim. He also informed those governments, the leader of the gathered for the occasion that Pope National Party and a Deputy Francis paid tribute to Tim by As the nation mourns the death of Prime Minister. He was also a honouring him with the Medal of the Honourable Tim Fischer, we too dedicated rail enthusiast and made the Order of St Gregory the Great as a parish express our prayerful his last run on Thursday from Junee (Pope St Gregory’s feast day is condolences and sympathy to Vicky Yards to Albury in a vintage train. Tuesday, September 3). May Tim’s and Yves Baudry. Vicki was Tim’s On Thursday, August 29 at the soul and all the souls of the faithful sister. Albury Entertainment Centre, Tim departed rest in peace. In her own way, Vicky has made a was honoured with a State significant contribution to the Service of Celebration and parish over many decades by her Farewell. During this family’s presence and her celebration, which was attended generosity of time to the music by over 800 people, the Prime ministry, playing the organ during Minister the Honourable Scott the 9 am Sunday Masses. For Morrison spoke highly of Tim, several years more recently, Vicky as did other politicians, friends and Yves have served as volunteers and family, all of whom paid at the Kalumburu Mission in the fitting tribute to Tim as a man of Diocese of Broome. Kalumburu is deep faith who served his

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The movie UNPLANNED is coming to Wagga! Powerful pro-life movie that can change hearts! Unplanned is the inspiring true story of one woman’s journey of transformation. All Abby Johnson ever wanted to do was help women. As one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation, she was involved in upwards of 22,000 abortions and counselled countless women about their reproductive choices. Her passion surrounding a woman’s right to choose even led her to become a spokesperson for Planned WEDNESDAY 9TH OCTOBER, 6:30 PM Parenthood, fighting to enact FORUM 6 CINEMA 77 Trail St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 legislation for the cause she so deeply believed in. Purchase tickets online only, at Until the day she saw fan-force.com/screenings/unplanned-forum-6-cinema-wagga-wagga/ something that changed everything. Possible second screening depending on demand. Please note this film is for More info phone presbytery, 6931 3601 mature audiences.

THE WEST WAGGA WAG PAGE 7

Important message from pro-life politician

Thank you for your continued To provide an idea of a proper Throughout the next few weeks I support in advocating for the community consultation in the also urge you to contact as many Reproductive Health Care Reform NSW Parliament, the Animal members of the Legislative Council Bill to be rejected. Thank you to Cruelty Laws were given 5 months as possible and ask them to reject those who lodged submissions to for public consultation. The this bill. the Social Issues committee and Reproductive Health Care Reform signed the petition calling on the Bill has only been given 5 days. Warm Regards, Legislative Council to reject the Tanya Davies MP I urge you to call on the Premier State Member for Mulgoa Abortion bill. and Deputy Premier to express your As a result of your support we were opposition to this bill and call for a able to lodge the petition to the proper community consultation [An easy way to email all members Parliament with close to 100,000 before this bill passes the of the Legislative Council can be signatures, and over 13,000 Legislative Council. found here: www.acl.org.au/ submissions were made to the Gladys Berejiklian (Premier) take_action_on_abortion_today] Social Issues committee. As a result of this advocacy the Bill has been (02) 8574 5000 delayed for three weeks. [or https://www.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/ It will now be debated and voted on contact-the-premier/ ] in the Legislative Council from the John Barilaro (Deputy Premier) 17-19 September. (02) 8574 5150 Over the last week I have been calling on the Premier, Gladys [or https://www.nsw.gov.au/your- Berejekilian, and the Deputy government/ministers/deputy-premier- Premier, John Barilaro, to intervene minister-for-regional-new-south-wales- by stopping this bill and reinstating industry-and-trade/ ] the proper consultation process.

The West Wagga Wag

West Wagga Parish

Serving: Ashmont, Collingullie, Glenfield, Lloyd, and San Isidore

Find the words below hidden in the 225 letters to the right. THOUSAND TOWER TRAVELING FINISH COMPLETE LARGE ESTIMATE CROSS DISCIPLE PEACE CROWDS BUILD ENOUGH JESUS FOLLOW KING MONEY COST CARRY WAR

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