Marian Centre (WA) Marian Centre PO Box 60 HILLARYS 6025

Phone: 9402 2480 NEWSLETTER 9447 9819 9402 0349 NO: 90 DECEMBER 2002

The Year of the

ON THE HOLY ROSARY. ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE. (RVM)

On the 24th anniversary of his election as , the Holy Father, John Paul II, has issued a letter on the Rosary. He has declared this 25th year of his pontificate as THE YEAR OF THE ROSARY. Last year, in his letter introducing the new millennium, he called us all to strive for holiness by “contemplating the face of Christ.” He now gives us a practical means to set out on this path. “With the rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depth of his love.” (RVM #1) He tells us how important the rosary has been in his own life. “From my youthful years this prayer has held an important place in my spiritual life… The rosary has accompanied me in moments of joy and in moments of difficulty.” (RVM #2).

Objections to the Rosary. The Pope takes up some of the objections to the rosary prevalent today. He mentions those who stress the centrality of the Liturgy in Vatican II implying less importance to the rosary. He also speaks of those who see the rosary as not ecumenical enough. I confess to being swayed by this mentality for a number of years and stopped saying the rosary. This opinion also suits our slothfulness well, as it means we have to find less time for prayer. It was while doing a theological course in Rome that I had the privilege of concelebrating Mass with Pope John Paul in his private chapel, after which he gave the 40 missionary priests present an audience. He had a gift for each one: a pair of rosary beads. This made me re-think my neglect of the rosary. Now he has answered those objections: 1. He quotes Pope Paul V1 to say that far from being in conflict with the liturgy, the rosary sustains the liturgy, “enabling people to participate fully and interiorly in it and to reap its fruits in their daily lives” (#4) 2. The rosary, properly understood and prayed is truly ecumenical. It is “a devotion directed to the Christological centre of the Christian faith, in such a way that when the Mother is honoured the Son is duly known, loved and glorified”. “If properly revitalized, it is an aid to ecumenism” (RVM #4)

Hints To Say The Rosary Better The Holy Father gives us several suggestions as to how to say the rosary more devoutly. 1. Announce each mystery, perhaps using a suitable to portray it. This can help “concentrate the mind on the particular mystery”. (RSV #29) 2. Read a scripture passage, immediately after the announcement of the mystery. The passage can be long or short, according to circumstances. “No other words can ever match the efficacy of the inspired word. As we listen, we are certain that this is the inspired word of God spoken for today and spoken for me.” (RSV #30) 3. In public recitation the word of scripture may be followed by a brief commentary. (RVM #30) 4. Silence. “It is fitting to pause and focus one‟s attention for a suitable time on the mystery, before moving on to vocal prayer”. (RSV #30) 5. Give due emphasis to the name of Jesus. “The centre of gravity in the is the name of Jesus. Sometimes, in hurried recitation this… can be overlooked. Yet it is precisely the emphasis given to the name of Jesus and to his mystery that is the sign of a meaningful and fruitful recitation of the Rosary”. (RVM #33) 6. Addition of a short phrase after the name of Jesus. When I was a Redemptorist novice, many years ago, we had the custom of inserting a phrase within the Hail Mary. For example, in the first Glorious mystery, “ …thy womb, Jesus, who rose from the dead”; third Glorious mystery, “…Jesus, who sent the Holy Spirit.” Pope John Paul praises and recommends this method in his letter, particularly in public recitation. “It is at once a profession of faith and an aid in concentrating our meditation.” (RSV #33) 7. A concluding short prayer after the Glory be. Here the Pope is quite revolutionary. “Such a final prayer could take a legitimate variety of forms.”(#35). He calls for experimentation and a wide circulation of the new prayers “so that the People of God may benefit from an abundance of authentic spiritual riches.” (#35) As a guideline for these new prayers he suggests “to conclude each mystery with a prayer for the fruits specific to that particular mystery.” (# 35) Following the Pope‟s suggestion a prayer for the 3rd Glorious mystery could be “Jesus, pour out your Holy Spirit on us today, enrich us with His gifts so that we can give witness to you in our world today”.

What I have written up to now is only a small sampling of the riches of the letter on the Rosary. I hope it will inspire you all to want to read it in full for yourselves. In a few weeks it will be available in pamphlet form at Catholic bookstores; the Record in Perth has begun to publish it in installments in the Marian section of the paper, or you can download it immediately from the Internet from Mother Angelica‟s site: www.ewtn.com.

Fr. Hugh Thomas CSsR.

Our thanks to Father Hugh for writing our opening letter in the midst of his busy schedule. In conversation, Father mentioned the traditional “giants” of Marian devotion in the Church‟s history were St Bernard, St Louis de Montfort, St Alphonsus Ligouri, St Maximillian Kolbe and now, in our own time, John Paul II. At the Marian Retreat in Perth in October, Father recommended that we renew our consecration to Our Lady, by saying upon rising each morning and throughout the day “I am all yours, my Queen, my Mother, and all that I have is yours”

THE MYSTERIES OF LIGHT In proposing a Year of the Rosary, Pope John Paul II also offered the Christian community five new Mysteries, to be called the Mysteries of Light, which come from the public teaching life of Jesus. He observed that the current form of the rosary, formalized in 1569, had a big gap between the end of the Joyful Mysteries and the Sorrowful Mysteries. The new mysteries emphasized the Christological and scriptural nature of the rosary without reducing its Marian nature, and each is a of the Kingdom now present in the very person of Jesus.

1. Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan This event, extraordinary in itself, saw the revelation of the Blessed Trinity. As Christ descended into the waters to take on the burden of our sin, the voice of the Father declared Him the beloved Son and the Spirit descended on Him to invest Him with the mission He was to carry out.

2. Christ’s Self-revelation at the Marriage at Cana Here Jesus changed water into wine thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers. This mystery presents Mary as teacher with her instruction to all of us „Do whatever He tells you‟. The mystery also shows that He will turn our water into wine our negativity into love, our sorrow into joy, our sin into salvation.

3. Christ’s Proclamation of the Kingdom of God and His Call to Conversion This encompasses all of Jesus‟ teaching about the mystery of God and the mystery of man. He forgives the sins of all who draw near to him in humble trust in that ministry of mercy which He continues to exercise until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

4. The Transfiguration This ultimate mystery of light which showed Peter, James and John who Jesus really was, strengthened them for what was to come, and foreshadowed the transfiguration of their lives and ours both in this life and the next if we allow the Spirit to dwell in us. During the Transfiguration the Father again was heard and this time, in a sense, echoed the words of Mary at Cana when He told the Apostles “Listen to Him”

5. The Institution of the Eucharist When Jesus first appeared on earth He was laid in a manger, a feeding trough, as a symbol that He was the food with which God nourishes creation. This symbol became reality in the Eucharist that is now known as the source and summit of the spiritual life of the Church. It is also the permanently present sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery – the saving power of Jesus‟ death and resurrection brought about for us and in us.

The new order of saying the Rosary To accommodate the new mysteries, the Pope suggested a new order for saying the Rosary: The Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, the Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday, and the Mysteries of Light on Thursday. From “The Record” October 31, 2002 Perth, WA HOLY FATHER CARRYING SUFFERINGS OF THE CHURCH At the Marian Movement of Priests Annual Retreat for Priests, at Collevalenza, in June this year, Fr Gobbi said, “I would like to make comments about the Holy Father. The MMP is a non-juridical movement, but is of great spiritual importance and an asset to the Church. It is founded on three basic points:- Consecration to the Immaculate Heart. Unity with the Pope Living our Baptismal Vows This unity to the Pope is expressed by recognising the disciplines of the Church, and staying anchored to the truth of the Faith, especially on the level of morality. How many times has Our Lady told us, this is her Pope, formed and shaped in her heart and a gift for the times in which we live. I met a lady doctor from Tuscany, who made the comment on the number of priests that she knew contesting the ability of this Pope, and why he does not resign immediately. These people remind me of those who were under the Cross at Calvary, who kept calling out `Why don‟t you come down from the Cross, and then we will believe in Your God.‟ Paradoxically, Jesus remained on the Cross to fulfil the Will of the Father. The same cross from which He quoted, `I shall draw all men unto Me‟. How can we understand the value of this Pope, who is carrying the weight of such a cross? We should thank God for him every day because while he is still with us he is keeping many events at bay. I myself have had many sleepless nights concerned by the weight of this cross of the Holy Father. Our Lady enlightened me in the understanding of how he is the Vicar of Christ, and in the personage of Christ, he is carrying the sufferings of the Church. He is bearing them for the good of the Church. I then started to examine the 5 illnesses of the Pope: 1. The attempt on his life. He was saved, using his own words, by the intervention of Our Lady. 2. The tumour in his stomach that was operated upon. 3. The fall that injured his shoulder. 4. Breakage of his femur. Since they operated on his leg, he has never been able to walk properly. 5. The progressive Parkinson‟s Disease. All these illnesses are almost a reflection of an interior battering and persecution in which the Church finds herself. Historically, it has been said, that there have been more martyrs for the Faith in the last century than there have been in the last 300 years. When the Holy Father spoke in Fuldh, , he was quoted as saying: „The Church will evolve from this crisis of faith with the shedding of blood. For the Church to be released of this cancer, it will need to shed blood. It will come in the form of persecutions. This great trial for the Church can be lessened by prayer, but it cannot be entirely avoided.‟ The wound on the Pope‟s shoulder: What do the shoulders represent? Symbolically in the Church the Religious Orders have been its shoulders. Do you recall the great of St Francis of Assisi? It seems that he was supporting with his shoulder the wall of the Basilica which was crumbling, when Jesus spoke to him and said, „Go and rebuild My Church which is falling down.‟ Sadly this crisis of faith appears to have entered into many religious orders. The mandate given to the Church by Christ is to go and preach the good news to the four corners of the earth. There is no other name under Heaven under which humanity can be saved, except that of Jesus Christ! This truth must be proclaimed above all others without counting the cost. That cost will include persecution and martyrdom. These truths are offered in the documents published by Cardinal Ratzinger: „Christus Dominus‟. There is no other saviour other than Christ! Who were first to contest this document? Some Bishops and many theologians. This is the broken femur of the Holy Father, where the flow of the Church is intercepted and broken. Lastly, we speak of the debilitating and humiliating disorder of Parkinson‟s Disease. This is like a symbolic disease that the Church suffers. The nervous impulses that come from the brain, no longer co-ordinate with the peripheries and the organs of the body. Some Bishops and Priests no longer want to follow in obedience the directives given by the Vicar of Christ. They in turn, operate in an autonomous manner. Therefore, disunity and confusion reigns within the Church. Instead of the body being in harmony with the head, the body is dysfunctional, running in every direction. This disunity attacks the body of the Church and attacks the face of the Church. We are not seeing the reflection of the Bride and the Bridegroom. The harmony that ought to exist, with the resonating of the truths of the Vicar of Christ, through the mouthpiece of the Apostles/Bishops and in turn the Bishops united with the Pope is no longer portrayed. These sufferings that are interiorly tearing the Church apart, seem to be reflected in the very physical being of the Holy Father. His victimhood is a great sign of reparation to make up what is wanting in the passion of Christ. Therefore in the depths of the MMP there needs to be born a profound love and unity with this Pope, so that what comes from our mouth creates unity and never disunity. Very recently during my travels in France, I repeatedly heard and saw in print, that for his birthday coming up in May 2002, the Pope was preparing the text of his alleged resignation. The media were preparing the people at large for the resignation of this Pope. Instead, the Holy Father during the same period, and on three separate occasions reiterated his sentiments by saying: „I wish to remain in my position until Jesus comes to take me!‟ Therefore we have come to know especially through the MMP, that this Pope is a gift to the Church, in the times in which we live. Until He is here with us, let us give praise to the Lord, and continually pray for him and know how to close our ears to all forms of attack and criticisms of this Pope, without even wanting to know where they are coming from.” Fr. Stefano Gobbi JOHN PAUL II’s SECRET Monsignor Vincent Tran Ngoc Thu who served as Papal Secretary for eight years until 1996, reveals the source of the Holy Father‟s strength and charisma. We reprint part of an interview given to “Inside the Vatican”. “The foundation of this Pope‟s spiritual life, in my opinion is the Mass. In his entire life he has never missed a daily Mass, even when he was sick. Whenever he is hospitalised in Rome, he has his own small private altar installed beside his sick bed. A priest comes to celebrate the liturgy, and the Pope, lying in bed in his vestments, surrounded by doctors, nurses and visitors, assists as concelebrant.”

How does the Pope pray? “...He prays passionately, his eyes closed, with frequent invocations, such as: „Oh my Lord! Oh, my God!‟ He often passes his hand over his forehead. Sometimes he supports himself with both arms and his head upon the altar. He takes this position to show his total filial faith in the Lord.” He prays intently, stopping after every remembrance, eyes tightly closed, lost in contemplation. His abandonment to prayer is total, a kind of ecstasy.”

Does the Holy Father intercede for mankind’s suffering in his prayers? “Exactly. The Pope is Christ‟s Vicar on earth…. His every act is inspired and protected by God‟s will… When he was Archbishop of Cracow, Wojtyla had a desk in the chapel, and he wrote his pastoral letters before the Holy Eucharist, asking the Lord‟s counsel for every text he composed. Once a cardinal told me that during the last Conclave, every time a participating cardinal entered the Sistine Chapel, even in the deepest night, he would find Wojtyla in one corner, kneeling in prayer.”

Can you describe the Pope’s usual mood throughout the day? “The Pope remains serene and tranquil because he has established a communion with the Lord from the very first moment of his day. I will give you an example. I have observed that the Holy Father kneels before the Eucharist each time he descends for his 11 am audience, and also when he returns…. It is this spiritual power which renders him fearless before every task, and every person. After living with this Pope for over eight years, I fully understand why he exclaimed „Be not afraid!‟ in the first message of his pontificate.”

How does John Paul II react to his own physical suffering? “He offers this suffering for the good of the Church…This Pope is strong; he approaches physical suffering with a contemplative attitude; he bears his physical pain as an act of positive acceptance… John Paul II has a great sense of humour and a quick wit; he never avoids direct or unpleasant questions… People approach him without timidity. Even small children love him and speak with him freely.”

Please comment on John Paul ll’s great devotion to Mary “It is true, he has a special devotion to the Virgin Mary. Wojtyla wrote his doctoral thesis on St John of the Cross. He studied the writings of many “Marian” saints who deeply influenced his thought and faith. Once, around 11.30am, we realised that the Holy Father had not left for his 11am audiences. We found him in the hall, gazing intently, with his hands crossed on his chest at an image of the Madonna on the wall. At that moment he seemed a little child gazing lovingly at his mother. These moments, when the Pope has a strong need for prayer, are not infrequent. Furthermore, I have seen that when he writes encyclicals or sermons, there is always a small invocation to the Mother of God in one of the margins.”

Does the Pope go to Confession? “Yes, the Pope confesses every week. The Pope‟s confessor is an elderly Polish Monsignor who comes on Saturdays. John Paul II is very rigorous concerning his spiritual duties. He makes the Stations of the Cross once a week, fasts on the appointed days, and recites the Rosary daily. During the annual Curia retreat, he listens to the Meditations and takes notes on every sermon.”

Is the Pope a good listener? Does he read a lot? “He dedicates a full hour every day to his personal reading. He reads the last hour before he goes to bed, that is, from 10 to 11pm. This Pope is, indeed a good listener. Every Tuesday he invites five or six professors in different fields – theology, philosophy, sociology, politics, culture or science. For an hour and a half, from 12 to 1.30pm, the experts (who are expected to be well prepared) speak, then proceed to lunch with the Pope. During his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, he invites a total of 15 experts from different fields to be his guests for the entire season. Thus, he can discuss with them at his leisure and be informed of the latest developments, in physics, for instance, or nuclear weapons – or even unidentified flying objects.”

How does the Holy Father treat those who work under him? “He is very sensitive towards others‟ feelings and is always very respectful. To give an idea of this, I should mention that the Holy Father has two telephones, one on his office desk and one in his bedroom, in order to contact us for any necessity. Nevertheless, during the entire eight years in which I have worked as his private secretary, he never once called me. If he needed something, he came to me in person. He often came to our offices just to ask for paper or pencils. He never raised his voice. We never experienced an outburst of bad temper. And he always asks sincerely how we are. He is a very paternal Pope.” From “Inside the Vatican” December 1996 AMAZING BROWN STORY by Archbishop Carnana I was riding in the car with Cardinal Dougherty, through Fairmont, part of Philadelphia, when we noticed an excited crowd milling beside the muddy waters of the Schuylkill River that paralleled the road we were traveling.

Thinking of an accident in which the services of a priest might be needed, the Cardinal at once told the chauffeur to stop the car. An excited man from the fringe of the crowd ran over to us. “It‟s a girl,” he said, “she walked right into the river and disappeared…right out over her head, and disappeared.” It struck me at once that no one appeared to be doing anything about it, the crowd was staring at the murky waters, some in awed silence, some in excited voices corroborating the story of the few witnesses who saw what had happened.

Without thinking further, and with an impulse I do not try to explain, I immediately jumped from the car and as I ran to the river, I peeled off my clerical coat, vest and collar, asking where the girl had entered the water. The Schuylkill has for many years been a notoriously polluted river. As I entered the shallow, cold water, I sank to my knees and then to my thighs in the black smelly mud.

“A little more to the right!” people shouted from the shore. I fell into the water and began to swim to free myself from the restraining mud. “Right there. She disappeared there!” came the shouts. Taking a breath, I plunged beneath the water and groped in the moving blackness. My hands struck nothing but the murky water…and soft, slimy mud. I surfaced for air.

Would it be possible to find a body in that blackness? Might not the current have carried it off? I did not know how long ago the accident had occurred. After so long, could I not give conditional absolution over the corpse through the water?

With another breath, I dove again. This time my hand caught on to what seemed to be a reed, or a piece of string. My lungs were bursting for air, and as I surfaced I clutched it in my hand. Something heavy seemed to give away with it. It was the body. In the black waters my hand had caught the string of a pair of . The Brown Scapular of Mt Carmel…and with it came the water-soaked, mud covered body!

Greater shouts rose from the shore. Swimming, I tugged the body until I was near the bank, and then I tried to rise to my feet Soon strong hands were lifting the dead weight above me and helping me from the mud. Little attention was paid to me as I fell exhausted on the grass, black and smelly with mud. Artificial respiration was being given to the girl in the feeble hope that she might still be alive. I heard the rasping of a burly policeman, “Aw, leave well enough alone,” he growled, “I know her kind. Suicide it is. She‟s dead, leave well enough alone.”

A wave of resentment swept through me. Somehow I knew. Whether just because of the Scapular by which she was found or by the peaceful expression on her face…that the officer did not know her “kind”. I don‟t remember just what I said, but I berated the officer and urged the continuation of artificial respiration. Suddenly, through the awed hush of the crowd there came the sound of a tremendous gasp. Soon it came again and again, loud and rhythmic. She was breathing! This girl who had been submerged for many minutes in water and mud – was alive!

That was many years ago. The young girl had gone to Holy Mass and Communion in downtown Philadelphia and afterwards, not feeling well, she had taken a walk to the park and sat on a bench to rest. There, she went into a coma and rose from the bench and walked straight ahead into the river. The fact that she was walking in a coma, or semi- consciousness, explains why her windpipe automatically closed when she entered the water and hence she did not drown. It was a temporary illness, and as far as I know, she is well and alive today. But this experience I shall never forget. It could not have been mere chance that we happened along that road and that, without having seen the accident, I not only found the spot but my groping hands felt through the dirty water, caught her Scapular, and its fragile strings lifted her. Seven hundred years ago, the Blessed Virgin promised that whosoever dies clothed in the Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire. That girl, whose last conscious act was the reception of Holy Communion, would certainly have gone to Heaven, but the Scapular is also Our Lady‟s sign of special protection. Reprinted from “Ave Maria”

WE GO TO HEAVEN WHEN WE GO TO MASS One of the books that most delighted me in recent years was Scott Hahn‟s “Rome, Sweet Home” the autobiographical story of a very anti-Catholic Calvinistic seminary professor who wanted to find out what were the beliefs of Catholics in order to refute them and be perfectly fair in so doing. (His wife Kimberley, no mean scripture scholar herself, was deeply involved as well.) If you haven‟t read the book, give yourself a treat and do so.

Towards the end of his investigations, which were turning his world upside down, he decided “to witness my first Mass” but not at all sure that he was doing something not dishonourable. He was impressed by the diversity of people and their concentration in prayer. They all stood up when a bell rang and the priest came in. “Unsure of myself, I remained seated. For years, as an evangelical Calvinist, I‟d been trained to believe that the Mass was the ultimate sacrilege a human could commit. The Mass, I had been taught, was a ritual that purported to “re-sacrifice Jesus Christ” So I would remain an observer. I would stay seated, with my Bible open beside me.” However, as the Mass proceeded what he heard astonished him. “My Bible wasn‟t just beside me. It was before me – in the words of the Mass! One line was from Isaiah, another from the Psalms, another from Paul. The experience was overwhelming. I wanted to stop everything and shout, “Hey, can I explain what‟s happening from Scripture? This is great” still, I maintained my observer status. I remained on the sidelines until I heard the priest pronounce the words of consecration: “This is My body…This is the cup of My blood.” Then I felt all my doubt drain away. As I saw the priest raise that white host, I felt a prayer surge from my heart in a whisper: “My Lord and my God. That‟s really You!”

I was what you might call a basket case from that point. I couldn‟t imagine a greater excitement than what those words had worked upon me. Yet the experience was intensified just a moment later, when I heard the congregation recite: “Lamb of God… Lamb of God… Lamb of God,” and the priest respond, “This is the Lamb of God…” as he raised the host. In less than a minute, the phrase “Lamb of God” had rung out four times. From long years of studying the Bible, I immediately knew where I was. I was in the Book of Revelation, where Jesus is called the Lamb no less than 28 times in 22 chapters. I was at the marriage feast that John describes at the end of that very last book of the Bible. I was before the throne of heaven, where Jesus is hailed forever as the Lamb…

I would return to Mass the next day, and the next day, and the next. Each time I went back, I would “discover” more of the Scriptures fulfilled before my eyes. Yet no book was as visible to me, in that dark chapel, as the Book of Revelation, the Apocalypse, which describes the worship of the angels and saints in heaven. As in that book, so in that chapel, I saw robed priests, an altar, a congregation chanting “holy, holy, holy.” I saw the smoke of incense; I heard the invocation of angels and saints;… More and more, they seemed to be the very same action.

I plunged with renewed vigour into my study of ancient Christianity and found that the earliest bishops, the Fathers of the Church, had made the same “discovery” I was making every morning. They considered the Book of Revelation the key to the liturgy and the liturgy the key to the Book of Revelation. Something powerful was happening to me as a scholar and a believer. The book of the Bible that I had found most perplexing – the Book of Revelation – was now illuminating the ideas that were most foundational to my faith: the idea of the covenant as the sacred bond of the family of God. Moreover, the action that I had considered the supreme blasphemy – the Mass – now turned out to be the event that sealed God‟s covenant. “This is the cup of My blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.”…

Now, after two weeks of daily Mass attendance, I wanted to stand up during the liturgy and say, “Hey, everybody. Let me show you where you are in the Apocalypse! Turn to chapter 4, verse 8. You‟re in heaven right now.”

Behold, God makes all things new. The Book of Revelation is not as strange as it seems, and the Mass is richer than we‟d ever dreamed. Revelation is as familiar as the life we live; and even the dullest Mass is suddenly paved with gold and glittering jewels. You and I need to open our eyes and rediscover this long-lost secret of the Church, the early ‟ key to understanding the mysteries of the Mass, the only true key to the mysteries of the Apocalypse.

We go to heaven – not only when we die… We go to heaven when we go to Mass. This is not merely a symbol, not a metaphor, not a parable, not a figure of speech. It is real. In the fourth century, St Athanasius wrote, “My beloved brethren, it is no temporal feast that we come to, but an eternal, heavenly feast. We do not display it in shadows; we approach it in reality.” Scott Hahn The above is only a brief part of Scott‟s conversion story that can be found on the internet at: www.chnetwork.org/scottconv.htm Reprinted from News Sept/Oct 2002

DOES GOD TALK TO US? Paul Sheffield, a 22 year old, living in Mercer, Ohio, was feeling down, having just left his best friend at the train station. His friend had got a job with a large financial centre in New York, and Paul felt he might never see him again. Paul was a spiritual person, but at that moment he felt let down by the Lord because he had not passed the test which would have qualified him for a job in the same company as his friend. As he started home he met another classmate, John Forth, who was a member of the same prayer group as he, but with whom he had not had much contact. Feeling the need of company, he invited John to come with him, offering to buy him a drink. John said, “Not at the moment, thanks. This is our prayer meeting night. I haven‟t seen you there for a while.” Paul had not attended the meeting for about 6 weeks because he felt his prayers had not been answered. He felt like saying No, he would not go, but he did agree in the end, to accompany him. After the usual beginning prayers, the priest talked about listening to God and answering the Lord‟s call. Paul felt he had communicated with God a lot about this job, but he had had no reply. The priest continued, “You know, you may not hear a voice, but there are lots of ways that God communicates. Maybe not in the way you expect, but if you are loyal to God, He will be loyal to you, and you will always get a sign. When I say we do not listen to God, I mean we do not look for the signs. It may seem mundane at the time, but sometimes we are ignoring God if we don‟t observe the signs.” When the prayer meeting was over, Paul and a few of the group went for a coffee. They talked about Father‟s sermon and how they had heard God‟s voice in their lives. About 11.00pm, Paul began to drive home. He found himself talking to God: “God, why don‟t You speak to me, or give me a sign? If you speak to the others, why don‟t you speak to me?” Not wanting to go home straight away, Paul drove around the town for a while, mulling things over. He remembered suddenly that his mother had asked him to bring home a carton of milk. He was lucky, as the shop he pulled up at was just closing. However, there were no cartons left – just a gallon container. This seemed a bit much, but having no alternative, he bought the gallon of milk. He laughed to himself as he got back into his car. “This is ridiculous,” he thought, “Is this Your doing, God? Is this gallon instead of a carton a sign?” Suddenly, as he stopped at a red light, he thought he heard a voice telling him to turn right. He was in a part of the city he did not recognise. The lights changed and he drove on. Thinking about the priest saying sometimes you can ignore the voice of God, which may seem mundane at the time, he turned back at the next intersection. He turned into the street he felt God was leading him to, feeling a bit of an idiot following an imaginary voice.

He drove quite a long way down the empty street. It wasn‟t the best of neighbourhoods he was in now, and he was a little afraid. It was just after midnight. He stopped his car, not having a clue where he was. He sat for a minute or two then decided to ask the people in the house outside which he had stopped for directions. He rang the bell. A man‟s voice yelled out angrily. “Who is it? What do you want?” “I‟m lost I wonder could you help me?” He waited a long minute then decided as the man was hostile, he would not come to the door. So he turned to go back to the car. The door opened before he had taken many steps. The man looked as though he had got out of bed. He looked agitated, and rather annoyed with the stranger on his doorstep. Paul could hear a baby crying loudly in the background. “What do you want?” asked the man. “I‟m lost and looking for directions,” said Paul. “Directions?” he said. “You knock me up in the middle of the night for directions? Go knock on someone else‟s door. I‟ve enough troubles.” He slammed the door in Paul‟s face. Paul turned to walk down the path, but before he got to the gate the door opened again and the man called him back. “I‟m sorry,” said the man, “but I‟ve had a baby crying all night. I lost my job and we haven‟t a penny to buy milk this evening for the baby.” “Milk!” said Paul. “I‟ve got a gallon of it in my car. Hold on a minute.” Paul ran to his car and came back with the gallon of milk. He thrust it into the man‟s hands. The man rushed down the hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. A woman emerged carrying the milk towards the kitchen. The man came back to Paul with tears streaming down his face. “We were just praying for our baby when you rang the doorbell, just praying and asking for God‟s mercy, at least for our baby.” The woman called out from the kitchen: “I was asking God to send an angel. Are you an angel?” “Not me!” said Paul, reaching into his wallet and giving the man all the money he had in it. The woman said: “You are an angel! You will be forever in our prayers.” She handed Paul a little leaflet and said: “This is the prayer we were praying for help. I think you should have it.” Paul was given directions, he said goodbye, then walked back to his car. He looked at the little leaflet the woman had given him. It was a prayer called the Chaplet of . Paul knew then he had tested God and God had answered. Was that why he did not get the job with the big corporation in New York? Because this family needed milk? Next morning he opened the paper. It was 11th September 2001. From Medjugorje Herald, Feb 2002

THE DIVINE MERCY APOSTOLATE - Celebrates 10 years of devotion in Perth “Whoever sincerely says, Jesus I trust in you, will find comfort in all his fears. There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy” (Pope John Paul II-Krakow, 7June 97) Recently, the Holy Father on a four day trip to his Polish homeland from August 16th-19th, 2002, recalled that before her death in 1938, St Faustina proclaimed that people should open their hearts to God‟s Merciful Love, which is stronger than even the greatest sin. He received his longest applause when he formally entrusted the world to Divine Mercy – one of St Faustina‟s deepest desires.

All are invited to attend the Divine Mercy Holy Hours which continue at the following locations:- Sts. John & Paul Church, Willeton - Wednesday mornings 11.00am – 12 noon.

St Francis Xavier Church, East Perth - Saturday afternoons 2.30pm – 3.30pm. (Except on the Sat preceding the First Sunday of the month)

Our main celebration of the Divine Mercy Devotions :- St Mary‟s Cathedral, Victoria Sq Perth - Every first Sunday of the month 1.30pm – 3.30pm.

SOCIETY FOR - NEW VIDEO On the evening of Friday August 3 “The Eucharist”, a documentary by Willesee and Ron Tesoriero was premiered at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. The film was shown at three sessions, with 1800 people present l,000 copies of the video were sold that night. After having viewed the film, hundreds spent prayerful hours before the exposed Blessed Sacrament at St Michael‟s College Chapel of the Resurrection close by. A video of the Film is available for $14.50 including postage from Trans Media Productions P/L on 02 8923 0659. “HEART” BOOKS - Plant a seed for the Lord We need books to pass exams. We also need books that touch our hearts. Once while training to be a priest I became fed up with boring study, early rising, lengthy meditation. On an overcast December day I climbed wearily to the top of the farm haystack and began reading Chesterton‟s St Francis of Assisi. That slim book put fire back into my heart. 6th Century St Benedict told his monks to read books that spoke to their hearts if they desired a deepening, satisfying prayer life. Recently I met a seminarian, close to ordination, who told me: “I left school, lived fast and loose, stopped Mass and prayer. My worried Dad gave me a book on Our Lady. I had no intention of reading it. Six years later, living alone I went down with a shocking virus, running a high temperature. I was scared I was dying, and felt desperate. I unearthed Dad‟s book, began reading – and it changed my life.” Since 1980 I‟ve been publishing such “heart” books – A Song for Nagasaki; Psalms (Songs for the Way Home); and Healing Fire from Frozen Earth. They sell at $10 each and all profits go to the poor – so far over $500,000. Are you now thinking of Christmas presents? Why not give one of these books, especially to family members or friends who have given up going to Mass. Doing this you will help the poor in East Timor, and plant a seed for the Lord. When will it germinate? God is sometimes late but always on time! Order from Marist Fathers Books, 1 Mary St, Hunters Hill, NSW 2110. Fr Paul Glynn S.M.

THE BENEDICTINE MEDAL: A LONG HISTORY OF DEVOTION With the possible exception of the , there is no other medal in Catholic piety with such a long history of devotion as the medal of St Benedict. It is also perhaps the only medal that carries with it an exorcism against the power of Satan. The origin of the medal goes back to the days of St Benedict himself (6th Century) - not that he made such a medal, but his reliance on the power of the cross of Christ is the main feature on the medal. The short life of St Benedict, as dictated by Pope St Gregory the Great, relates many instances when Benedict performed astounding by invoking the power of the cross. One such example occurred when, against his will, he was chosen to be abbot of a monastery whose monks left a lot to be desired. Wishing to get rid of him because they found him too strict, the evil monks poisoned his cup of wine, which was immediately shattered “as if a stone had been thrown at it” when he blessed it with the sign of the cross. On another occasion, the monks found it impossible to lift a certain building block of stone and called upon St Benedict for help. When he came he immediately saw Satan standing on the stone. With the sign of the cross the devil departed and the monks found they could lift the stone with ease. For several centuries no one knew what the cryptic letters on the medal stood for. It was only in 1647 that a manuscript was discovered in a Bavarian monastery that unraveled the mystery. The letters stood for an ancient exorcism that has now been incorporated into the medal, thus adding weight and power to the medal itself. A new design of the medal was struck in 1880 under the supervision of the monks of Monte Cassino to mark the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St Benedict. On the face of the medal is the image of St Benedict. In his right hand he holds aloft the cross as the symbol of salvation. On a pedestal to the right of St Benedict is the poisoned cup and at his left is a raven, a typical Benedictine symbol, about to carry away a poisoned loaf sent by a jealous enemy. Written by Fr Fabian Duggan, OSB, from the Wagga Wagga Diocese. WHY IS SHE CRYING? Archbishop Hickey has appointed a Commission to investigate the weeping of the Virgin Mary at Rockingham. The phenomenon has been occurring continuously for three months. “The faithful and the community at large are entitled to as clear a statement as I can make about whether the tears can be explained by some natural process or human intervention, or whether they defy scientific explanation” he said. (The Record Nov 21 2002)

Many have been profoundly moved at seeing this image of Our Lady, whose face is streaming with tears. It seemed to one person like the face of a grief- stricken woman, about to break into sobs. Why is she crying? Surely it is because she is our Mother and her heart is breaking for us. We can ask ourselves, “How much have I contributed to her grief? How much have I grown spiritually? Do I ignore her Son present in the tabernacle? What can I do to ease her sorrow and help to bring a smile to her face? Some readers may like to send us your stories of spiritual growth.

CATHEDRAL KNIGHTS are spearheading the “Re-Evangelising the Baptised” program to promote Archbishop Hickey‟s 10 Point Plan to revitalise the Archdiocese. You are invited to participate in the program by attending or by sending for audiotapes. Tape M1- Is Christ God? Tape M2- Is He Risen? Tape M3- Did Christ Found a Church? If so, which one? Tape M4- How is Jesus‟ Real Presence in the Eucharist? Tape M5- Catholic …or pagan idols? Tape M6- Is the Rosary a prayer of “vain repetition”? Tape M7- Is the Mass a meal…or a sacrifice? Tape M8- How can Mary be called “Mother of God”? Didn‟t she have other children? Tape M9- How can Mary be sinless since all humans need a Saviour? TapeM10- Who is the rock: Peter…or Jesus? Tape M11- Ex Cathedra…what‟s that? Tape M12- Does God have any rights in society? Contact PO Box 201 Burswood WA 6100, Tel (08) 92021300 [email protected] THE REAL PRESENCE WEBSITE - www.therealpresence.com Resources on this site include a database of eucharistic adoration sites across . There are saint quotes for parish bulletin use, and the Manual of the Real Presence Association in the US. Monsignor Peter Elliott asserts that a lay-inspired revival of Eucharistic Adoration is sweeping the Catholic world.

HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE : Come and hear how you can help keep your children and grandchildren faithful to Christ and His Blessed Mother. Cost $10 (family $15), BYO lunch. On Saturday November 30th at the Holy Name Church Hall, Carlisle, 9.30am – 3.00pm. Details: Philip Haydon (9446 9682)

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE FEAST DAY CELEBRATION Thursday 12TH December, from 4.00PM 5.00pm procession and Holy Mass at All Saints Chapel, Allendale Square, Perth. The Feast of highlights the rights of the unborn and the Gospel of Life preached by the Holy Father. Placing ourselves with dedication to Our Lady in this manner provides spiritual enrichment needed for the challenges that we face in these times. Bringing a plate is greatly appreciated. Please come!

12 DAY TOUR OF FRANCE: Leaves Perth on 18th Sept 2003. Fr Paul Fox will be the Spiritual Director. For details contact Francis 9459 3873.

BOVE FARM – ROY RD BUSSELTON is open to all 24 hours per day – Bring friends to this prayerful of Our Lady of the Rosary. Tel 9755 7554

IVAN FROM MEDJUGORJE with Fr Tim Deeter 6th February at St Lawrence Church, Balcatta, 6.00pm - 9.30pm A Medjugorje Replica

A WINDOW to HEAVEN St Therese of Lisieux, recently proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, is truly a Saint for our time. Her ardent wish was to be able to preach the Good News of the Gospel on every continent simultaneously. Her dream has become a reality! Twenty years ago a sister in a contemplative order in America, devoted to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament launched a Catholic TV Network, that is now accessible in every part of the world, and reaches millions of homes world wide. Her name is Mother Angelica, Foundress of The Eternal Word Television Network. What an answer to our prayers to find an antidote to anti-Christian propaganda so rampant in the secular media! EWTN is indeed a beacon of the Light of Christ in a dark world! Pope John Paul II has called upon us to embrace the New Evangelisation with courage and confidence, to ensure that the “voice of the Church is not marginalised or silenced in the modern arena of the media – “It is not enough to wait for things to happen, or to act in a random way” Our own Archbishop Hickey, in introducing his Ten Point Plan to revitalize the Archdiocese has placed much emphasis on evangelisation. He says, “New initiatives that we have not even thought of yet, need to come from our common consideration of the problems the Church is facing. This is the time to listen to God speaking to us, and to respond in new and pioneering ways – if we continue to do what we are at doing, the drift from the Church will continue”. Totally loyal to the Holy Father and to the of the Church, the Global Catholic Network teaches the Faith through live talk shows, documentaries music, drama and programs for children and youth, as well as regular broadcast of the Mass celebrated with great reverence, Benediction, the Rosary and Scripture studies. There is a wonderful selection featuring devotion to the Holy Eucharist and to the Blessed Mother via the internet through the EWTN web site: http://www.ewtn.com/ In several States of Australia faithful Catholics are endeavoring to bring this heaven-sent television into our homes by distribution of video tapes. Secular providers of cable TV will not include this free network in their repertoire, on the ground that religious belief is “irrelevant” to the lifestyle of modern viewers. The only way they could be persuaded to change their minds is for numerous prospective customers to state that EWTN is the only channel in which they are interested. Please help us by phoning: Foxtel Customer Enquiries 13 1999. A lay apostolate, based in Brisbane the Rosary Christian Tutorial Association, is providing one hour of EWTN each Sunday on community television, Briz 31 in Brisbane and Access 31 in Perth is 1 – 2 pm every Sunday. The cost per week is $300. In order to keep this program going your prayerful and financial support is urgently needed. We have launched an EWTN Three Hundred Club. See below

Yes. I want to help keep the Global Catholic Network on Access 31, and pledge $1 weekly.

Name…………..…………………………Address…………………………………………………………..……………………

Please circle and specify method of payment or other option. Cheques to be made payable to the Rosary Christian Tutorial Association, and sent to P O Box 1270. Booragoon W.A. 6954.

Weekly Monthly Semi-annual Annual REGIONAL WEEKLY CENACLES 2003 All are invited to attend the Mass and Cenacle at 10.30am each Tuesday. We are privileged to have many priests who in turn celebrate Mass, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and give inspiring homilies on these days. After the Cenacle we share a light lunch and listen to a guest speaker. Please note the change of venue for the second Tuesday of each month.

1st Tuesday St. Anne‟s, Hehih St. Belmont 2nd Tuesday St. Bernadette‟s, Jugan St. Glendalough 3rd Tuesday St. Paul‟s, Fraser St. Swanbourne 4th Tuesday All Saint‟s, Liwara Pl. Greenwood 5th Tuesday A day of reflection. Check with Marian Centre for location.

NOTICE If you have noticed that the printing of our newsletter has improved it is due to the purchase of a reconditioned printing machine. Our Lady has as always, through her children, provided the means to continue the publication and distribution of this newsletter, which we dedicate to her for the glory of God. Thank you all for your financial support.

Would you please let us know if you receive more than one copy of our newsletter in error? Also, If you receive incorrect or partial address, (eg “The Occupier“) please send incorrect label with correction to us

We wish to apologize to anyone who did not receive the September issue of the newsletter. Due to our address file being overloaded on computer, some addresses were missed. If you did not receive it please contact us at: Marian Centre, P O Box 60, Hillarys, WA. 6025 and we will gladly forward you a back copy.

MESSAGE FROM OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, MEDJUGORJIE October 25, 2002 “Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. Little children, believe that by simple prayer miracles can be worked. Through your prayer you open your heart to God and He works miracles in your life. By looking at the fruits, your heart fills with joy and gratitude to God for everything He does in your life and, through you, also to others. Pray and believe little children, God gives you graces and you do not see them. Pray and you will see them. May your day be filled with prayer and thanksgiving for everything that God gives you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

“In this Year of the rosary which we have just begun, I invite you to rediscover the efficacy of the prayer of the rosary for peace in the world and in families,” and “to rediscover communion with the Virgin Mary through this noble prayer.” Pope John Paul II

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