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DEACONS OF LIGHT
CENTREPOINT FAMILY PEOPLE
“It’s not good How to make a mar- Heartwrenching story
enough!” Religious riage really work: telling makes truth
demand better alter- “There is still a way come alive...
natives for asylum even if will has fad-
seekers. ... ed” ...
P 12-13 P 18 P 20

Called to serve: Deacons Ivan Ortiz, Peter Pellicaan, Adam Walk and Chad Hargrave were ordained to the permanent diaconate on November 30 at St Stephen’s Cathedral. Photo: Alan Edgecomb
MORE COVERAGE PAGES 6-7

For 90 years, The Catholic Leader has

covered the lives and events of our Church at
home and abroad. See pages 14-15 for the
feature highlighting news from 1929 to 2019.
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 2 News

FAITH IN LIFE BY MARY MARROCCO

Following the light

“Your light has come, the glory of the
Lord shines upon you” (Isaiah 60:1).

NIGHT was falling at the end of

a grey day. A few dozen silent,
shabby figures were sitting at round
tables waiting.
I walked through the dining hall into the little

P8 chapel beyond, for the door was wide open.

Nobody was required, everybody invited, to
attend the vespers service before the neighbour-
hood meal was served.
The 15 people gathered in the darkened chapel
Contents were singing, in various degrees of relation-
ship to the melody, for vespers was already well
underway.
NEWS Some were volunteers, some “regulars” who
came to eat at this urban mission to the poor.
4 News The priest lit a tall beeswax candle. Holding
it high above our heads, he proclaimed: “Behold
5 News
the light of the universe.”
6 News And the light of the candle illuminated every-
7 News thing: the worn-out coats and equally worn-out
faces, the eyes intent on prayer books or raised
8 World to the flame, the insignificant little huddle of
Wise ones: This is an image of Italian artist Andrea Mantegna’s 15th-century painting “Adoration of
humanity in the midst of a restless modern city. the Magi”. “We saw his star at its rising, and have come to do him homage,” explain the wise ones.
The light illuminated equally the beauty and
CENTREPOINT scars, pain and hope, poverty and wealth. The
Photo: CNS photo/courtesy The J. Paul Getty Museum

light of a candle is like that; the light of Christ is
9 News
like that.
11 Evangelisation Sometimes we shy away from the light, afraid
of what it will reveal; sometimes we long for it
14-15 The Catholic Leader turns 90
to show us what is going on and help us find the
21 Regional way.
22 Education “Flood the path with light”, my mother used
to pray when it was hard to figure things out; she
had read this prayer of St Augustine and was not
TALKING POINT afraid to use it.
The light of Christ shines on whatever is in our
23 Your Daily Bread
hearts so we may be seen as we really are – not
24 Conversations for our shame and detriment, though we may
feel that way at times, but for our healing and
ENTERTAINMENT salvation.
Physical light shows what is. Divine light
shows also what is possible. Faith receives and
25 Arts & Entertainment
follows the light.
26 Extra When we see with faith, we see things as they
really are – though we grasp them only brokenly.
CLASSIFIEDS 27 When we will meet God face to face, St Paul
tells us, we will see clearly what we now can get
only a glimmer of (1 Corinthians 13:12).
PEOPLE It is faith that gives us that glimmer.
And as our faith grows, so does our inner vi-
28 Humans of the Church sion: Our hearts grow, too.
It is those who are clean of heart, the Gospel
tells us, who will see God (Matthew 5).
“We saw his star at its rising,” the wise ones
from the east told the government leader of their
day, after Jesus’ birth.
The Magi were following the “star of wonder,
star of night”, of which we sang at Christmas.
That star shone on all, on the Magi, on King
Herod, on Joseph and Mary.
How differently they moved under its light.
The Magi, who were wise enough to seek the
truth, took advantage of the star to move farther
on their journey.
They followed the star’s light to the hidden,
lowly place where an insignificant Jewish woman
was caring for her little child.
“We saw his star at its rising, and have come to
do him homage,” explained the wise ones.
They did not follow power and wealth, which
would have brought them back to Herod.
He too was moved by the light, once it was
shown to him, but he was moved to violence and
brutality, for the purpose of shoring up his own
position and power.
Following the light means moving.
We cannot stay where and as we are; we must
prepare to be changed.
In the epistle for the feast of Epiphany (Ephe-
sians 3), St Paul points out that those who were
thought to be outside Christ’s promise are now
revealed to be “co-heirs, members of the same
body and co-partners”.
It would be hard to imagine a greater intimacy
than these terms suggest.
The light might show us something new about
those we are inclined to think of as outsiders, as
“the other”, or as “less than” ourselves.
Following it might mean coming closer to
them.
Following the light means doing.
“He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor,”
says the psalm of the day (72).
Like the Magi, and even like Herod, we cannot
follow Christ’s light without moving closer to
those who are lowly in the world.
What will we do then?
Herod attacked them; the Magi honoured them.
Pope Francis has asked us to encounter the
poor person, to see each one as they really are, “to
discover their inner goodness” and “true needs” –
in short, to learn to love.
That is the kind of work the light enables us to
do.
Following the light ultimately, in this life,
will mean having the courage, like the priest at
vespers, to profess against evidence that the light
enlightens all.
The light of Christ illuminates all, equally.
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star,” Mat-
thew’s Gospel tells us of the Magi.
How we follow the light is up to us to find out.
Mary Marrocco is a theologian, writer and psy-
chotherapist. She is involved in spiritual forma-
tion of seminarians and lay pastoral workers.
CNS

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www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 News
3
Lights of Christ to shine out Church determined to do everything
possible to protect all, ACBC says
BRISBANE Archbishop Mark Coleridge says
removing legal protections for the sacramental
Seal of Confession would prove “ineffective,
counter-productive and unjust”.
Light of faith: State and federal attorneys-general meeting in
Brisbane Adelaide on November 29 backed an agree-
families will ment to standardise laws making it mandatory
flock to see the for priests to report child sexual abuse revealed
stonework of St during confession.
Stephen’s Ca- Archbishop Coleridge, president of the
thedral beam
to life again
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said
with the Lights the Church was determined to do everything pos-
of Christmas, sible to protect children.
which goes live “Therefore it supports nationally consistent
on Wednesday, mandatory reporting regimes and reportable con-
December 11 duct schemes that include ministers of religion as
and can be mandatory reporters,” he said.
seen every
night up to De- “However it does not consider the removal
cember 24. of legal protections for the sacramental Seal of
Embrace the Confession to be helpful or necessary.
Advent season “The removal of protections at law would be Safeguards: A priest listens to confession.
with a digitally- ineffective, counter-productive and unjust. Photo: CNS
animated tale “Ineffective because abusers do not seek out
celebrating the
confession and certainly would not seek it out if The unified position means priests across
true spirit of
Christmas pro- they knew that their offences would be reported; Australia would be required to break the seal of
jected onto the counter-productive because the rare opportunity confession in cases of child abuse.
walls of the ca- a priest may have to counsel abusers to turn In June 2018, the ACT became the first juris-
thedral while a themselves in and amend their life would be lost; diction to introduce laws forcing priests to break
kaleidoscope of and unjust because it would establish as a matter the seal of confession in cases where child abuse
moving colour of law a situation where a priest would not be was disclosed.
will transform
St Stephen’s
able to defend himself against an accusation Victoria followed last November, however
Chapel beside. made against him.” confessional privilege remains protected in
The Lights of The attorneys-general base their support for Queensland, New South Wales and Western
Christmas is a the removal of protections on the grounds that Australia.
free event open “confessional privilege” cannot be relied upon to The Church has insisted priests would be
to the public avoid a child protection or criminal obligation to obliged to defy the laws, with Melbourne Arch-
that will delight report beliefs, suspicions or knowledge of child bishop Peter Comensoli previously stating he
families with
music, food
abuse. was prepared to go to jail rather than break the
and children’s They also dictate that clergy would not be confessional seal.
activities. able to use that defence to avoid giving evidence “For Catholics, confession is a religious
against a third party in criminal or civil proceed- encounter of a deeply personal nature. It deserves
ings. confidentiality,” he said in August.

Saintly trio to
visit Brisbane
By Joe Higgins
VENERATION of the
relics of St Therese of
Lisieux and her par-
also a time of blessing for the diocese
too,” Fr Stanhope said.
The writings of St Therese were
much loved by Catholics across
the world, he said, and had been
part of his life since he joined
4 Catholic
Charities 1 Church

ents, Sts Louis and the Carmelites in the 1970s.

Zelie Martin, will “She’s been a good compan-
ion over many years,” he said.
be held in Brisbane “As Carmelites in Australia,
churches in early Febru- we’ve embraced the mission of
ary 2020. Timor Leste and really Therese was
The first Brisbane parish to receive the the inspiration in many ways for that
relics will be Our Lady of Mt Carmel, Coorpa- outreach because she herself wanted to be a

Our Living Faith

roo, which is in the care of Carmelites
– the order St Therese belonged to
in life.
Parish priest Carmelite Father
Wayne Stanhope said the parish
had the privilege of receiving
the relics of St Therese during
her previous tour in 2002, but
this was the first time her par-
ents were joining her.
Fr Stanhope said he went to
Lisieux some years ago and had a
chance to visit the graves of Sts Louis
and Zelie.
“So the fact that her parents are coming with
her for the first time, for us as Carmelites,
it’s a wonderful occasion,” he said.
“The community here of Mt Car-
mel have really responded well.”
The parish will have a wel-
coming and concluding Mass,
time for lay Carmelite sisters
and brothers to present her
missionary in the Asia Pacific region.
“So as Carmelites, we saw her
as a really inspiration for our
work beginning in Timor and its
flourished since then.”
• HO LY S PIR IT S EM INA RY • TH E PR IES TS FO UNDATIO N
St Therese and Sts Louis
and Zelie will be available
• CENTACA R E • M A RY M ACKILLO P FUND
to the public from February
1, first arriving in St Mary’s With your regular gift, you join a dedicated group of donors
Cathedral, Sydney. expanding and enhancing the good works of the Church.
The final itinerary spans Febru-
ary to May 2020 from Brisbane to You become part of the Living Faith Society.
Hobart and across to Perth. No matter the size, your donation helps put the mission of
The Easter Triduum will be spent at the Car-
melite convent in Kew, Victoria. the Church into action where it’s needed most. You prepare
The relics travel to Brisbane on seminarians for the priesthood. You provide a Catholic education
February 5 and leave for New for kids in financial and emotional need. You take care of our
South Wales again on Febru- elderly and unwell priests in retirement and you support people
ary 15.
and families experiencing hardship.
To see local church appear-
ances and the full itinerary,
please visit catholicmission. POST: Living Faith Society, GI
FTS OV

$
2
writings and reflect on them, GPO Box 282, Brisbane, Qld 4001
ER

org.au/relics.
and plenty of prayer time for the
whole community too. VISIT: catholicfoundation.org.au/livingfaith AR
DEDUE TAX
CTIBL
“I just think it’s a wonderful CALL: 07 3324 3200 E

event for the diocese and I hope it’s

MORE PAGE 21

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 4 News

Springfield just can’t ACU investing in

online tech group

contain its generosity

By Emilie Ng
PLASTIC bottles that
would normally end up in
the recycling bins of Spring-
field homes and businesses
have become a tool for local
Catholics to raise money for
the poor.
Parishioners from Our Lady of the
Southern Cross Parish in Spring-
field, on Brisbane’s west, with help
from numerous local businesses,
raised $16,000 for returning 160,000
plastic drinking bottles through the
Queensland Government’s Contain-
ers for Change scheme, which offers
10 cents per refunded bottle.
But instead of keeping the money
in the parish, which took out a large
loan to pay for the building of a new
church, the community has given it
away to those who need it more.
Parish priest Fr Mauro Conte said
when the Government introduced
the scheme, one parishioner saw an
opportunity to use the refunds to help
charities and ministries that serve the
poor.
“We could have used the money to
pay off the loan for the new church,
but we decided to give it to the poor
rather than keep it for ourselves,” Fr
Conte said.
The total $16,000 raised was
donated to three charities – Catholic
Mission received $8000 for its Ghana
Church appeal, the local St Vincent
de Paul Society conference received
$4000, and Catholic grassroots
ministry Blind Eye Ministries, which
serves homeless people in South
Brisbane, received $4000.
For parishioner Sarah Marsh,
who is a mother of five children, the
project was a chance to give back
to a community that ended years of
personal soul-searching.
“Initially when I was getting
involved in the project, I had just
finished the Alpha program and just
wanted a way to give back,” Ms
Marsh said.
Although she was raised Catholic,
Ms Marsh said she “was a little lost”.
“I did the parish’s Alpha program
and I had my life absolutely turned
around,” she said. “I was struggling
for a place to belong and I came out
here to Springfield parish and I felt I
belonged.”
To say thanks, Ms Marsh volun-
teered her family’s trailer and offered
to drop off the plastic container
donations to their local refund point
each week.
She said the first donation she
unloaded amounted to less than $50,
but it wasn’t long until that number
reached into the hundreds.
“The largest refund we had was for
$507,” she said. “That was over 5000
containers that week.”
Changing lives: Sarah
Marsh and two of her
children, from Our
Lady of the South-
ern Cross Parish in
Springfield, with the
overflowing donations
for the parish’s Con-
tainers for Change
project. The parish is
donating all refunds
of recyclable plastic
drinking containers to
charities and organi-
sations that serve the
poor.
Photo: Springfield Parish
The parish has received a govern-
ment grant of $8000 to continue the
project in 2020.
The money will be used to buy
a trailer, build a shed to store the
donated containers, and buy new
bins for collecting people’s donations
securely outside the church.
Fr Conte said he never expected
the community to reach such a large
amount in refunds after one year.
“Now it’s becoming a part of the
culture of the parish – people have
kept coming to the parish every now
and then to donate,” he said. “What’s
important for us is that it’s an offer-
ing, an ongoing routine for the poor.
“We are dreaming big, and next
year hope to reach $20,000.”
AUSTRALIA’S largest Catholic tertiary
institution has announced a nation-first
deal to invest a significant stake in local
online learning platform OpenLearning
Limited.
The investment represents ACU’s first
strategic investment in an initial public of-
fering (IPO) and its first direct investment
in a technology company for many years,
according to ACU chief financial officer
Scott Jenkins.
A statement released by ACU said the
investment aligned with the university’s
plan to focus on innovation, student-cen-
tred learning, research-informed learning
and teaching, and lifelong learning.
The announcement also coincides with
discussions by ACU’s Banyo campus
peer-to-peer ministry team, to consider
ways of evangelising students who engage
with the university through online learning
portals.
OpenLearning was founded in Sydney
in 2012 and delivers a software as a ser-
vice (SaaS) to education providers.
It is engaged with 1.65 million students
primarily in Australia and South-East
Asia.
ACU deputy vice-chancellor for educa-
tion and innovation Professor Zlatko
Skrbis said the investment was strategic
and aligned with the university’s innova-
tion agenda.
“We are exploring a range of further in-
vestment opportunities that have a positive
impact on our staff, students, partners and
communities,” Prof Skrbis said.
“We are excited to support OpenLearn-
ing, a company which we believe shares
our commitment to the pursuit of knowl-
edge by creating opportunity and fostering
innovation and ethics to bring a unique
perspective to higher education.”

RAP push:
BCE RAP
Working
Group
members
(from left)
Hannah
Curran, Eric
Ellis, Na-
talie Dean,
Kevin East-
ment, Jodie
Roach
and Tom
Hannawi
with a copy
of BCE’s
Reconcilia-
tion Action
Plan.

11 -
Decem2b4 BCE commits to reconciliation
er
FREE BRISBANE Catholic Education’s inaugural
Reciliation Action Plan has been officially
endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.
The BCE RAP was developed to grow
employees’ understanding and appreciation of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
Gather on the lawn at St Stephen’s Cathedral beliefs, spirituality and cultures.
to celebrate the joy of Christmas with an The plan will strengthen BCE reconciliation
initiatives and create further opportunities for
arols extraordinary sound and light show. The Lights
p m c Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees
6:30 ht show of Christmas is a free event open to the public and students.
g
7pm li 2 minutes)
BCE education officer Mary McMurtrie, a
that will delight families with music, food and Kalkadoon woman from the Kalkatungu Lan-
1
(every
childrens’ activities every evening guage Group, created the BCE RAP artwork to
tell the story of the reconciliation journey so far.
11 - 24 December, 6:30 - 10:30pm. It tells a story of recognition, respect and
healing through action.
BCE executive director Pam Betts said the
RAP went hand-in-hand with BCE’s mission
to teach, challenge and transform the lives
of students in 141 schools across Brisbane
archdiocese.   plan, BCE recognised that our First Nations
Miss Betts said it was important everybody
engaged with the RAP to create and maintain
an organisational culture that was welcoming
and culturally safe for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples.
“Disparities in education and employment
249 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane www.brisbanecatholic.org.au/lights are two of the key issues creating a gap in the
outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples compared to non-Indigenous
Australians,” she said.
“We are in a strong position to address these
issues by developing and embracing our own
Reconciliation Action Plan.”
Miss Betts said BCE’s vision for the future
centred around the celebration of faith, where
each person gave witness to God’s hope of
promoting dignity for all people by advocating
for equity and justice.
“This RAP is an important tool to assist
each of us in realising this vision and provid-
ing greater support, understanding and op-
portunities for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students and staff,” she said.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge said BCE’s
RAP was another step in the Church’s work
towards reconciliation.
Archbishop Coleridge said by embracing the
people needed space for healing, acknowl-
edgement of past injustices and a commitment
to move forward as a community.
“It is a commitment to ensuring Aborigi-
nal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and
traditions are not lost – but are protected and
allowed to thrive,” he said.

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 News
5
‘I would never want to go through the flood again. It is heartbreaking’
Compensation prompts prayers
of thanksgiving for Eddy Delsorte
By Mark Bowling
A LANDMARK class action in
favour of victims of the 2011 south-
east Queensland floods is reason for
Brisbane’s Eddy Delsorte to reflect
on the day his Sherwood home went
under nearly nine years ago.
“I would never want to go through the flood
again. It is heartbreaking,” Mr Delsorte said, the
memories of the murky Brisbane River floodwa-
ters still alive.
Last week the Supreme Court of New South
Wales ruled that the Queensland Government
had failed to manage its dams properly during
the event.
But unlike almost 7000 Queenslanders who
will receive a hefty compensation cheque for
their troubles, Mr Delsorte took no part in the
class action.
Instead of relying on lawyers, Mr Delsorte,
who retired from working for the Archdiocese
of Brisbane earlier this year, said his family was
taken care of “with the Lord’s provision” – start-
ing with the generosity of daily Massgoers to St
Stephen’s Cathedral.
“A lady turned to me during one Mass and
said ‘I’d like to give you some money towards
your kitchen’,” he said.
“At that stage we were just struggling to cope
and to get the money we needed.
“And then there were people within the
(Archdiocese of Brisbane) precinct who gave Damage bill: The 2011 Brisbane flood inundated the Delsorte family home, inset, Eddy Delsorte and wife Anne today.
us money, and then the staff club, and our own
friends as well. did give a gratias payout of $12,500,” he said.

“It was just unbelievable how the money came
in.
“All our repairs were covered by donations or
from the state government… ”
One of the first jobs needed was the repair on
the Delsorte family’s ruined bathroom.
Again, friends stepped in to do the work.
“That was needed to happen before we could
get back into our house,” he said.
Even on the day of the flood, Mr Delsorte
recalls how his daughter and friends saved fur-
niture from their house, with a Good Samaritan
neighbour “up the road” offering a place to store
the goods.
“And we got out about 75 per cent of our stuff
out of the house before our house was inun-
dated,” he said.
“Again, it could have been worse. It was the
provision of the Lord at the right time.
“There was the house, it looked like it was just
in the middle of a lake.”
Months after the floodwaters receded, Mr
Delsorte said he received money from the state
government.
He also received a small payout from his
insurance company, but like many, it was not
adequate to cover the enormous damage bills.
“Everyone was under the understanding that
they did cover flood, but they didn’t, and they
Peaceful Living
Mr Delsorte said he was pleased for the
thousands of flood victims – part of the Maurice
Blackburn Lawyers class action – could now
look forward to big payouts.
The action alleged the operators of the
Wivenhoe and Somerset dams failed to use
rainfall forecasts in making decisions about op-
erating strategies and to preserve a reasonable
amount of the dams’ storage capacity to protect
homes from flooding.
“When you look at some of the areas – like
at Goodna – they had no insurance, they were
totally inundated, they’ve just struggled and it’s
been an ongoing struggle,” Mr Delsorte said.
“It was just such extreme circumstances.”
“We are just extremely grateful for the house
that we’ve got and that it’s in a far better state
than it was before the flood.”
Mr Delsorte, who retired from working with At Canossa we are committed to caring by fostering the core
the Archdiocese’s Office of Financial Adminis- values of respect, justice, love and compassion.
trator in April, said he was now using some of
his spare time working on his home, improv- Canossa Village is a twenty minute drive from the Brisbane CBD overlooking 13
ing, retrofitting and preparing for any future hectares of serene bushland providing a relaxing setting and a great place for
disaster. family and friends to visit.
“We looked at the idea of raising the house, We have the following accommodation options:
but it would have meant a lot more steps,” he • 1 and 2-bedroom Serviced Apartments
said. • 1, 2 and 3-bedroom Independent Living Units
“Really we are preparing the house to try and
make us able to live here for the next 20 years.” Canossa offers all the amenities to maintain an active lifestyle and facilities that
include a Library, Hairdresser, Heated Pool and on-site chapel.

Residents enjoy easy access to public transport visiting shopping centres and
recreational activities in the City, Mt Ommaney, Indooroopilly and surrounding
suburbs without the worry of driving or parking.

Positioned adjacent to Canossa Private Hospital, Medical Centre and Canossa

Aged Care Services residents have access to the entire range of health and
clinical support services giving peace of mind. Safety and security are a priority at
the Village.

Canossa has a team of highly qualified staff across our range of health and
residential services to assist people receive care and accommodation. Canossa
Village provides a community of caring Canossian Sisters in pastoral care and
nursing and is a registered Retirement Village.

There are currently 2 & 3-bedroom independent living units and

1-bedroom serviced apartments available for sale!
For further information please contact Heather Clarke (07) 3717 5552.

Canossa Village www.canossa.org.au

Recovery: Eddy Delsorte and wife Anne one year after the 2011 flood.

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 6 News
The new white-collar
By Emilie Ng
FOUR Catholic professionals with
impressive resumes are white-collar
workers of a different kind after be-
ing ordained deacons last week.
Financial economist Adam Walk, technology
expert Ivan Ortiz, head of the Archdiocese of
Brisbane’s evangelisation arm Peter Pellicaan,
and scientific researcher in the mining industry
Chad Hargrave were ordained deacons on No-
vember 30 at St Stephen’s Cathedral.
All four men have established careers in Bris-
bane but, after prayer and consultation with their
wives, took up the call to serve the Church in the
sacrament of Holy Orders as permanent deacons.
The white-collar workers now have the op-
portunity to don another white collar, the Roman
collar, an item reserved for all ranks of clergy
including deacons.
While permanent deacons aren’t expected to
wear the collar in their day jobs, they continue to
represent the Church as mission.
During their ordination, the deacons also re-
ceived a stole and dalmatic, important vestments
for deacons.
They were vested for the first time by their
wives Megan Walk, Liliana Ortiz, Leone Pel-
licaan and Cathy Hargrave.
It was an emotional moment for Deacon Har-
I think that
dawning
realisation of being a
deacon, but happening
with Cathy there,
was great because it
was a sense of being
together rather than it
being all about
me.
Archbishop says ordination means a call to the cross
Prostrate: Peter Pellicaan, Ivan Ortiz, Chad Hargrave and Adam Walk during the ordination Mass.
www.catholicleader.com.au
Archdiocese welcomes four more
Before ordination: Ivan Ortiz, Peter Pellicaan, Adam Walk and Chad Hargrave outside St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane before their ordination to
the permanent diaconate on November 30.
grave, who is based at St Stephen’s Cathedral.
“It was the sense of us being there together,”
Deacon Hargrave said.
“I think that dawning realisation of being a
deacon, but happening with Cathy there, was
great because it was a sense of being together
rather than it being all about me.”
The permanent diaconate is a state of clerical
life that was common in the Church until the
Middle Ages, when it went into hibernation
within the Roman Catholic Church.
It was reinstated to the sacrament of Holy
Orders in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church
News
7
married deacons and their wives
workers of Brisbane
FROM PAGE 6
All four deacons are married and, on top of that,
Deacon Pellicaan has five children, while Deacon
Ortiz is a father of three young boys.
Out of the four deacons, Deacon Pellicaan is the
most experienced in the clerical life, having spent
10 years as a Protestant pastor in Toowoomba be-
fore resigning to become a Catholic in 2013.
During his diaconate studies he has been assisting
Monsignor Peter Meneely at St Luke’s Church,
Buranda.
Through his ordination, he can now officially
return to proclaiming the Word of God through the
Gospel and the homily at Mass.
“Scripture is so powerful, beautiful and timeless,”
Deacon Pellicaan said.
“The opportunity to preach, it is a great gift.”
Deacon Ortiz’s first Mass as a deacon was a small
family affair – his sons were altar servers and his
wife was an extraordinary minister, while the Mass
itself included the Confirmations of his nephews,
who live in Finland.
The Mass was organised by his local community,
the Latin American Catholic Community, which is
based in Ashgrove.
Deacon Ortiz is the community’s first deacon, a
fact that has members counting their blessings loudly.
He is now navigating life as a dad and deacon,
saying all deacons were called to be diaconal in
every aspect of life.
It will no doubt make watching his sons in a
gruelling weekend soccer game more sacred.
“I can say to them, ‘If you’re losing by two at
halftime, I can give you guys a blessing, and turn
around the scores’,” Deacon Ortiz said.
“It’s a great testimony that we are a normal fam-
ily, but we’re not.”
Deacon Walk, an investment advisor and member
Latin blessing:
(Above) Deacon Ivan
Photos: Alan Edgecomb
of many boards across Brisbane archdiocese, said
his ordination was a day he would never forget.
and Liliana Ortiz and
family, after Deacon
during the Second Vatican Council 50 years ago. industries, all four have come to the faith that led
“The ordination was an incredibly moving experi-
ence, especially during the laying on of hands and
Ortiz’s ordination in St
Stephen’s Cathedral.
He and his family are
The rank of Holy Orders includes the diaco-
nate, the presbyterate, or priesthood, and the
them to the diaconate from different angles.
Deacons Pellicaan and Hargrave converted to
when the saints were invoked as we lay prostrate,”
he said.
members of the Latin
American Catholic
episcopate, reserved for bishops, but all bishops
and priests remain deacons for their clerical life.
Catholicism from Protestant backgrounds within
the past two decades, while Deacon Walk,
“I felt a strong connection to the Church in Bris-
bane in all its diversity, as well as to the Church back
Community in Bris-
bane.
Brisbane’s first permanent deacon Deacon
Peter Olsen was ordained in 2005, and the previ-
who briefly trained in the Australian army, was
baptised into the Church in 2001 by Bishop John
in time. I thought about the original seven from Acts
and imagined all the deacons that had been ordained
ous ordination before the ones last week was for Gerry. through the ensuing 2000 years.”
Deacon Andrew O’Brien in 2017. Deacon Ortiz is the only homegrown Catholic, Deacon Walk will be affiliated
The ordination of Deacons Walk, Ortiz, Pelli- originally from Mexico City, and his parents and with St Mary’s
caan and Hargrave takes the number of perma- sister were privileged to sit behind him at his Church,
nent deacons in Brisbane to 20. ordination. South Bris-
And just as they work in widely diverse CONTINUED PAGE 7 bane, the
parish he Return to ministry:
attends
(Left) Deacon Peter
with his and Leone Pellicaan
wife. and family. Deacon
Pellicaan was a Prot-
BRISBANE’S newest deacons have signed a blank cheque that will estant pastor before
becoming a Catholic
eventually lead them to die on the cross, in the same way as the first in 2013.
four disciples did, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said.
In his homily for the diaconate ordination of Adam Walk, Ivan Ortiz,
Peter Pellicaan and Chad Hargrave, Archbishop Coleridge said all four Photos: Alan Edgecomb
deacons had said yes to a life full of risk for the sake of the Gospel.
Even during his own ordination to the diaconate, Archbishop Col- Called to evangelise:
eridge thought he knew the life Christ had prepared for him. Deacon Adam and
Megan Walk.
“In fact I know now, and I say to these brothers, you’re signing a
blank cheque,” the Archbishop said.
“Just sign it. Someone else will fill in the cheque. It is risky but it
must be done.”
He reminded the new deacons, who were ordained on the feast day
of martyr and first disciple St Andrew, coinciding with the last day of
the liturgical year, that the first four followers of Christ were called to
die on the cross.
The new deacons would eventually end up there too, he said.
“Andrew may die on a cross of a different shape – tradition has it
that he was crucified on a cross that was shaped like an ‘x’,” Arch-
bishop Coleridge said.
“I’m not sure how it’s going to happen, brothers, but it is going to
happen. This is certain.
“You are called to the cross, in one way or another; it’s only a ques-
tion of which way.”
To say yes to this is to understand the deep call on a deacon’s life.
The word “deacon” comes from the Greek, diakonos, which, accord-
Blessed
ing to the Archbishop, literally means “through the dust”. day:
“What is the dust? The dust of death,” he said. Deacon
“They are sent by Christ as messengers through the dust of this Chad
world that is always shrouded in the dust of death and sent as what? Hargrave,
Precisely as witnesses to the Resurrection, the only thing that dispels the wife  1300 721 561 / 03 8839 6615
dust and leads us to beyond it, to the bright light of Easter morning.” Cathy and
 pilgrimage@magiholidays.com.au
his mum,
– Emilie Ng Susanne.
 www.magiholidays.com.au
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019 www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 8 World

Let us be witnesses of peace, Cardinal Tong Hon urges

By Mark Bowling
CLOUDS of tear gas, and pepper spray once
again filled the air of Hong Kong’s bustling
business district of Tsim Sha Tsui after police
stepped in to disperse thousands of marching
protesters.
Protesters carried posters that read “Never
forget why you started” and black flags with the
logo “Revolution now”, proof of their steely re-
solve for a campaign that started in June against
a bill to allow extradition to mainland China.
“Peace must first be interior,” the Bishop
Emeritus of Hong Kong Cardinal John Tong
Hon said addressing the months of violence that
have plagued the city.
“Let us cultivate ourselves first by our prayers
and then let us be witnesses of peace,” the Cardi-
nal said, in an aside of Pope Francis’ recent Mass
in Tokyo.
Hong Kong’s weekly protests recently
descended into street chaos, with ordinary city
residents in the police firing line, and more radi-
cal students battling violently with riot squads.
“The police are out of control, that’s one of
the fundamental problems there right now,”
Columban Father Jim Mulroney, former editor
of the Sunday Examiner, the newspaper of the
Diocese of Hong Kong, said.
“And people really do hate the police right
now.
“ They couldn’t be more despised and dis-
liked.
“While a lot of people will say ‘I don’t like the
violence and I wish the violence wasn’t happen-
ing’ they’ll tolerate it because they agree with
the agenda.”
While the extradition bill was withdrawn in
September, demonstrations continue with the
anti-government protesters now demanding full
democracy for Hong Kong and an inquiry into
police actions.
Clashes between police and activists have
become increasingly violent, with police firing
live bullets and protesters attacking officers and
throwing petrol bombs.
Police have arrested nearly 4500 people,
spurring Cardinal Tong Hon’s call for prayers of
peace.
“According to the social doctrine of the
Church, peace comes always from Our Lord
Jesus Christ,” Cardinal Tong Hon said.
“We can be architects of peace by our words,
by our behaviour to influence others so that
peace can spread.
“Then, persons in conflict must sit and talk
together.
“Finally, we can reach reconciliation so that
we can implement what the Lord asks us to
do – to love one another and to forgive others’
offences. Peace will result.”
As a keen Hong Kong observer, Fr Mulroney
who now resides at the Columban house in
Melbourne, says the unique relationship between
Hong Kong and the mainland China’s govern-
ment in Beijing is being severely tested.
Hong Kong transferred from British sover-
eignty to China in 1997, and now under the “one
country, two systems” framework, the island Call to peace: People in Hong Kong run from riot police tear gas
city enjoys some autonomy, and its people more . Photo: CNS
rights than on the mainland.
“I think this one country two systems is the up with. that at times, has caused the closure of govern-
key,” Fr Mulroney said. “This is still quite precious to China, and ment offices, businesses, schools and even the
“The big fear so far is will China send in China desperately wants this to succeed.” international airport.
troops… and I think it has always been clear, no, Fr Mulroney concedes it is a stern test of the The actions of protesters were further buoyed
China will not send in troops because that would Chinese Government’s patience to tolerate Hong last week when US president Donald Trump
be to destroy this one country two systems which Kong as a disobedient and defiant territory on its signed into law congressional legislation that
is a most precious symbol to them. doorstep. supported Hong Kong protesters despite angry
“I think they wanted to develop Hong Kong as Local elections on November 27 delivered an objections from Beijing.
a showpiece to the world of liberal trade under overwhelming victory to pro-democracy, anti- “Thank you President Trump for your big gift
the guidance of a single party state. It showed government candidates. to Hong Kong and God bless America,” shouted
the world it is a more profitable system than a Activists pledged, however, to maintain the a speaker holding a microphone as he addressed
liberal democracy or anything else you’ve come momentum of the anti-government movement, a crowd at the start of last Sunday’s march.

Many Americans support life

in prison over death penalty
MOST Americans support life
imprisonment over the death penalty,
according to a Gallup poll, revealing
a shift in the majority opinion on this
issue for the first time in 34 years.
The poll, based on results from telephone
interviews conducted with a random sample of
1526 adults in the United States, showed 60 per
cent prefer that convicted murderers receive a
sentence of life imprisonment, while 36 per cent
said capital punishment would be better.
This view marks a shift in Americans’ opinion
over the past two decades.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the majority opinion
leaned toward the death penalty.
The survey also is just the second time more
people said they thought life in prison was a bet-
ter punishment than the death penalty; in 2007
they did so by one percentage point, with 48
per cent favouring life in prison and 47 per cent
favouring the death penalty.
The current poll, with a margin of sampling
error of plus or minus three percentage points,
breaks down respondents by age, sex and party
affiliation.
Within these groups there were differing opin-
ions: Women showed stronger support for life in
prison (66 per cent) than men (53 per cent).
Younger people also were more likely to show
support for life in prison (68 per cent) than older
people (57 per cent).
Along party lines, 58 per cent of Republicans
supported the death penalty over 38 per cent who
said life in prison was the better option, and 79
per cent of Democrats preferred life in prison
while 19 per cent preferred the death penalty be
administered.
Five years ago, the American Values Survey
by the Public Religion Research Institute showed
Death
that 48 per cent of Americans preferred life march:
without parole as the punishment for murder and Demonstra-
44 per cent preferred the death penalty. tors march
This poll revealed religious divides on the to protest
the death
issue and showed that Catholics, Jews, members
penalty dur-
of other non-Christian religions and the reli- ing a rally
giously unaffiliated preferred life without parole organised
as a punishment over the death penalty. by Catho-
Only white evangelicals (59 per cent) and lics Against
white mainline Protestants (52 per cent) ex- the Death
pressed majority support for the death penalty. Penalty –
Southern
Catholics in the 2014 survey were sharply California.
divided by race: Among white Catholics, 45 per
cent favoured the death penalty and 50 per cent Photo: CNS
favoured life in prison.
In contrast, only 29 per cent of Hispanic penalty with Catholic bishops, Archbishop Paul He said with the popes – St John Paul II and
Catholics favoured the death penalty while 62 Coakley of Oklahoma City said: “It’s really Popes Benedict XVI and Francis – there had
per cent said convicted murderers should be important for our Catholic people to really dig been “a steady movement toward a greater clar-
given life imprisonment sentences. into and learn, study, read the teachings of the ity in terms of the morality and the inadmissibil-
In a roundtable discussion about the death magisterium of the Church” on this issue. ity of the death penalty”. CNS

Irish abuse inquiry erred on number of children in homes

ANTON BROWN FUNERALS MORE than a decade after its final report,
Celebrations of Life arranged Anton Brown
the commission set up by the Irish Govern-
ment to investigate claims of abuse in
with trust and sensitivity FunerAls
religious-run institutions has admitted it
at an affordable cost over-estimated the number of children in the
Proudly Queensland Owned
homes.
When Family Matters 3217 3088
The Commission to Inquire Into Child
Abuse said the number of children housed
100% Queensland Family Owned in the institutions was about 42,000, about
a quarter of the 170,000 previously cited in
All Areas 24 Hours • 1800 689088 the 2009 Ryan Report.
www.antonbrownfunerals.com.au
www.catholicleader.com.au
The commission reported on the extent
of abuse in institutions supervised by the
state but run by 18 religious congregations.
It found physical abuse was widespread and
sexual abuse was endemic in many institu-
tions for boys run by religious.
More than 1.4 billion euros has been paid
in compensation to people who say they
suffered abuse while living in the homes.
Justice Sean Ryan said, “The com-
mission’s report published in May 2009
contains a seriously erroneous statistic
according to the general agreement of rel-
evant experts and bodies.” After consulting
experts, Justice Ryan said he was now “of
the view that the number stated in the report
is not correct”. “It appears that the total
given in the report was derived by adding
the yearly figures for the population in the
institutions, but that did not take account of
the fact that children were counted in each
year of detention,” he said. CNS
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 News
9
Escaping persecution and violence, Anthony is following God’s call

Path to the seminary

filled with obstacles
By Mark Bowling
FORMER refugee Anthony Gawlu
feared that if he had not escaped
from Myanmar he would have been
recruited as a child soldier and used
as a frontline fighter against his own
ethnic people.
Instead, years later, the 31-year-old has just
completed his first year of study at the Holy
Spirit Seminary, Brisbane.
“Despite all that darkness and struggle and
tough times I found my hope which is my God,
my saviour, Jesus Christ,” he said.
Mr Gawlu fled his native Kachin State in the
northern-most state of Myanmar that borders
with China, when he was 17.
He grew up in a large, extended Christian fam-
ily, uncles and aunts and about 20 children on a
small farm.
His father died when he was young and his
mother became the family breadwinner.
“It was a happy and a crowded house, and
all the children related as if we were biological
brothers and sisters,” Mr Gawlu said.
“At home every day we had different duties
for everyone and a time for reading the Bible,
Rosary and hymns in turn.”
Mr Gawlu was baptised in St Paul Catholic
Church, in the Kachin capital, Myitkyina, which
means “close to the big river” – the Irrawaddy.
“Every Sunday, I went to the church with my Blessed opportunity:
family and I was quite curious about the act of Anthony Gawlu finds
the priest at the altar,” he said. university studies at ACU a
“I wanted to be an altar boy but I was too privilege.
Photo: Mark Bowling
small.
“In our country, we give high respect to the
priests and nuns.”
Even with his religious upbringing, Mr Gawlu
admits faith was “inherited from my family …
and I didn’t have any personal relationship with
God”.
“According to our culture the first boy is of- corruption of Malay police, and lack of safety,” surrounded by priests and nuns, and I always
fered to become a priest and the first girl, a nun,”
he said.
Despite all that he said. admired what the priest does at the altar.
“All migrant refugees had to work tolerantly “And I thought maybe God wants me to join
“My older brother went to the seminary, but darkness and without any complaints as we did not have any the seminary – but I can’t join the seminary in
he left. identifications and human rights in Malaysia.”
“They always want one family member to struggle and tough He felt alone, and watched other refugees
Malaysia. I have no identity, no educational
background.”
serve God, to devote their whole life.
“When I left home, I didn’t have that feeling times I found my hope in similar circumstances lose hope – some at-
tempted suicide.
Mr Gawlu witnessed the fruits of praying and
waiting.
that it would be me.”
Kachin has long been one of Myanmar’s
which is my God, my “Their life was such a struggle. They didn’t
get a job, they are arrested by police many times,
He was granted UNHCR refugee status and
given the right to come to Australia.
troubled states.
It is bordered by China to the north and
saviour, Jesus all their hard work trying to save money,” Mr
Gawlu said.
“The priest wrote me a recommendation let-
east; Shan State to the south, and government Christ. ‘They applied to the UN (for refugee status)
ter,” he said.
“In Australia, I went to TAFE and studied,
Burmese soldiers have waged war with ethnic again and again and they didn’t get it.
and when I was ready to join a seminary I gave
Kachin rebels for decades. “And I prayed to God ‘Why is this happening
border into northern Thailand. that letter to the parish priest (in Coffs Harbour)
While in high school, government soldiers to my people? Give them hope’.
confiscated Mr Gawlu’s small family farm. He stayed for six months, and then with his “In that moment, somehow I felt God speak- who introduced me to the vocational director (of
“The military put the flag in front of our farm mother’s consent, journeyed alone to Malaysia ing to me: ‘You have something that I want you Lismore diocese, in NSW).”
and forced us to leave within a month,” he said. to register for UNHCR refugee status. to do’,” he recalls hearing. Mr Gawlu was sent first to Vianney Col-
“The military not only confiscated our land but He stayed in Kuala Lumpur for six years, “I found this a defining moment. I had the lege seminary in Wagga Wagga, and later to St
also the lands of many others. struggling to survive by holding down illegal and courage to go out and attend Mass, even without Anthony’s Parish, Kingscliff, in northern New
“Year by year, the civil war became worse. poorly paid jobs. a UN identity card – because it’s very dangerous South Wales.
“The worse things were; Kachin and other eth- Life was hard – working in a spray-painting to go out without any identification. “And this year, my bishop sent me to Bris-
nic women were raped on purpose and Christians shop without any protective gear, forced to work “I had a girlfriend and somehow the girlfriend bane, much closer to my diocese, and here I have
were persecuted by military soldiers. late into the night when other workers had left to left me and then I met a priest and told him my the privilege to study at uni,” he said.
“The Burmese military collected young chil- go home to their families. whole story. Mr Gawlu completed his first-year studies at
dren and forced them to become soldiers.” When Mr Gawlu finally got home at night he “And he said (to me): ‘Well, God might be Holy Spirit Seminary and Australian Catholic
To escape being recruited, Mr Gawlu, together would read the Bible and pray the Rosary. calling you to something, so just pray and wait’. University this year and is looking forward to
with his brother and mother, slipped across the “I experienced racism, discrimination and the “When I thought about my childhood I was starting his second year.

The most enduring gift this Christmas

Giving through your Will is the perfect way to support the future
of our Catholic faith. For more information visit
www.brisbanecatholic.org.au/life/bequests

Contact: Ph: 07 3324 3211 E: giving@bne.catholic.net.au Office: Level 6, 229 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane Q, 4000

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 10 News

Queensland artist inspired

to paint Deacon Boniface
By Mark Bowling
MARGARET Marshman has a good eye for a
painting.
Earlier this year, the Emerald parishioner who attends St Pat-
rick’s Church opened The Catholic Leader to read about the death
of Australia’s first Deacon Boniface Perdjert, aged 82.
She was struck by Deacon Perdjert’s unique story as an indig-
enous Church leader.
The story was accompanied by a striking portrait photo of
Deacon Perdjert, with flowing white hair and beard – a wizened
study of a profoundly respected Aboriginal elder in his Northern
Territory community.
There was also a photo of Deacon Perdjert embracing Pope
Benedict at the 2006 World Youth Day in Sydney.
“A friend of mine paints and has a long connection with
Indigenous people mainly in Broome and Dalby in Western
Australia,” Mrs Marshman said.
“I thought the deacon’s face was a good subject for her to
paint.”
Mrs Marshman handed over a clipping of The Catholic Leader Inspired:
story to her artist friend Jackie Knox, who was keen to take up Margaret
Marshman
the painting challenge.
proudly
Mrs Knox painted from the photo in the paper, then entered displays
her work in the Emerald Show. the portrait
Not only did she win a prize, Mrs Marshman bought the paint- of Deacon
ing from her. Boniface
“However, what to do with such a painting?” Mrs Marshman Perdjert.
said, proudly displaying her portrait of Deacon Perdjert.
She wondered if Deacon Perdjert’s parish – the remote com-
munity of Wadeye in the Northern Territory, would be interested “The church is where the original photo of Deacon Perdjert was “He was strong in his culture, but also spent his life, beginning
in hanging it. taken. It just happened to be that a little bit of light was shining as a catechist and then teaching the faith,” Fr Wearden said.
The Wadeye parish, in the Territory’s north-west, certainly was. on his face, through the window. “(He) was just able to articulate it. It takes a long time to get
“That’s good. We can certainly put that up in a very prominent “It was a really nice shot.” that sort of knowledge, and he did it very well.”
place, even the church,” parish priest Missionaries of the Sacred Deacon Perdjert was widely regarded for his preaching in his During his lifetime of work, Deacon Boniface travelled to
Heart Father Leo Wearden said. native language and developing the faith community in Wadeye. Rome, the Holy Land and met three popes.

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www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 The Church ‘exists in order to evangelise’ – St Paul VI 11
Called to share the Gospel
St Paul’s struggles at challenging time for Catholic book centres
Catholic bookshops are pulpits
and the pews are getting empty
By Joe Higgins
A CATHOLIC treasure trove sitting
outside St Stephen’s Cathedral has
nourished evangelisation in Brisbane
archdiocese for 23 years, but now
faces “big problems” that could shut
the automatic door forever.
St Paul’s Book Centre, which sells Bibles,
spiritual books and religious items, was a city-
favourite and cultural hub for many Brisbane
Catholics.
But dwindling vocations and soaring costs
were behind talks going around that management
might shut in the near future.
Pauline Father Thomas Manimala, who over-
sees the Brisbane store from his office in Sydney,
said the shop was essential to evangelisation in
the archdiocese.
“Our bookshops are pulpits,” Fr Manimala
said.
Every St Paul’s Publication book had a note
written on the inside of the cover, which said the
members of the society placed at the centre of
their lives “the mission of evangelisation through
the modern means of communication”.
Fr Manimala said the society just wanted to
reach out through Jesus Christ.
“He is the Way, the Truth and the Light,” he
said. “That’s our whole message.”
St Paul’s has closed stores in Toowoomba and
Parramatta in recent years, and each time there
was a community outcry after the store was shut.
Now at Elizabeth Street, Fr Manimala wanted
Brisbane to know about the problems before it
was too late.
“There are big problems,” he said.
Reading up: Pauline Father Thomas Manimala was in Brisbane doing work from the St Paul’s Book Centre in Brisbane’s CBD recently.
Fr Manimala said the media outlet of the Photo: Joe Higgins
Church was difficult to run but was vital to the
ongoing survival of Catholicism.
It was the canary in the coalmine. or hospitals, St Paul’s relied on narrow margins online, the online store could not save them.
If Catholic bookshops were suffocating, the and no support from governments or others. One thing Fr Manimala would like to see was
faith tradition would follow. Catholic schools were in high demand better reading habits among parents.
(Bookshops) The issues struck both supply and demand.
A decrease in vocations for the Society of St
because children always needed quality educa-
tion; Catholic hospitals were in high demand
He said if Catholic parents were not reading
Catholic books, Catholic children would not

build up the Paul caused a spike in costs because without

religious to run the stores and write the publica-
tions, the society had to pay salaries for shop
faith and help in managers and fees to authors.
A decrease in general vocations also de-
evangelisation, creased demand from seminaries and institutes
for updated theology texts or new works.
and they have to Another difficulty he said was that without
the presence of their members in the book
make some centre, it was hard to ensure the continuation of
the quality and care the members of the Society
contributions. of St Paul offered with their presence.
The decline in vocations was common to
many orders but, unlike orders who ran schools
because people always got sick.
A United States online monopoly could not
either.
Encouraging and cultivating reading habits
deliver your child’s physical education class or among Catholic parents and children through
an x-ray scanner to your door. parish ministry could make a difference in
But online giant Amazon could deliver books ensuring the survival of Catholic book centres,
and make price competition almost impossible.
“Competition from Amazon and e-books eats
he said.
Fr Manimala said in the present situation
up our bookshops,” Fr Manimala said.
The reason Amazon could get away with
greater collaboration and contributions from the
archdiocese was essential to ensure the continua-
selling so cheaply was because of its high-
volume trade across all publication genres,
tion of their book centre ministry.
“You see this (bookshop) builds up the faith
including religion.
Religious publications in isolation were not
and helps in evangelisation, and they may have
to make some contributions,” he said.
in high demand so, even though St Paul’s moved “It’s the same with media everywhere.”

Young woman receives special birthday call from the Vatican

ON her birthday last month, 28-year-old Carina
Baumgartner, from Austria, received the news
that she had been nominated to the newly estab-
lished International Youth Advisory Body.
Made up of 20 young people from five conti-
nents, the group will advise the pope on matters
surrounding youth ministry and other topics
related to young people.
“I was surprised by the nomination, and I
didn’t expect it,” Ms Baumgartner said in an
interview with Vatican News.
“I had many questions as to what the tasks
would be.
“Now, step by step, I am getting to know what
the nomination will entail, and I’m really look-
ing forward to it.”
www.catholicleader.com.au
While completing a master’s degree as a
theatre teacher, Ms Baumgartner works as a
kindergarten and after-school teacher.
She has previously studied social work, and
has been involved as a consultant for the Sale-
sians of Don Bosco in Austria.
Drawing on her experience, she said “I think it
is very important to give young people this sort
of responsibility, and to show them that what
they have to say is important”.
“With this youth body, they now have a
place to share their experiences, as well as their
thoughts on various topics,” Ms Baumgartner
said, adding that “it will be important to reach
out to those who are still far from the Church
and who have not experienced it as a place
where they can feel at home”.
One of Ms Baumgartner’s concerns is that
young people must get involved in their local
church on every level.
She was also involved in the launch of Gen-
eration Laudato Si’, a campaign aimed at getting
young people involved in taking care of our
common home.
The campaign was launched during World
Youth Day in Panama earlier this year.
Despite the common impression that the faith
was not easily communicated to the new genera-
tion, Ms Baumgartner said, “Through my work,
I see so many young people who are engaged,
and they show others that the Church is young
and that it is a place they can call home”.
As a young, engaged woman herself of a
largely secularised generation, she said “my faith
and the Catholic Church are both very important
to me”.
“The Church is a community for those who
wish to deepen their faith, and I see this every
day,” she said.
“This is what I want to share with others, to
invite others into this community, and to share
with them the Good News.”
Ashleigh Green, of Broken Bay diocese in
NSW, is also among those chosen to form the
advisory body.
She is a social worker at CatholicCare in
Sydney archdiocese.
Vatican News
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 12 News
‘Cooking priest’ gives teens recipe to get to heaven
KNOWN as “the cooking priest”, Fr Leo Patal-
inghug has a reputation for creating meals that
have been described as heavenly.
During a November 22 session at the National
Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis,
United States, the Filipino American priest
provided listeners with a different kind of recipe:
“Five Steps to Become a Teenage Saint”.
Fr Patalinghug, who travels across the country
leading parish workshops and speaking about the
need for families to celebrate not just Catholic
feast days but everyday meals together, said the
recipe was meant to help young people get to
heaven.
Before he offered specific steps during one of
the many workshop sessions at the conference,
Fr Patalinghug stressed three points.
The first he shared was “Being a saint is our
calling in life”.
His second point began with a question for the
young people: “Do you want to get to heaven?
Then you’d better be a saint”.
He then stressed that everyone could become a
saint if they followed five steps:
l Reach out to God. “The first step in
becoming a saint is realising that you are not
a saint and you need help. How are you going
to be a saint if you’re not trying to reach out to
God? Try!
“Maybe you can try by reaching out to a sin-
ner or someone who is poor.
“Or how about this? Reach out and call up
your priest and say, ‘You know what, I’m strug-
gling. Help me.’ Reach out.”
l Call out for God: “You got to say, ‘God
save me’. God is going to give you the greatest
gift you can ever imagine – the gift of himself.
“At Christmas, God comes out of heaven and
into this ugly, messy world” for everyone.
l Be sanctified: “Let God come into your life
and cut sin away. You do not have that power,
but God does.
“We have a sacrament to help us to become
saints.
Pope Francis honours martyrs,
missionaries, bombing victims
Peaceful light: Pope Francis lights a candle as he leads a meet-
ing for peace at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Hiroshima,
Japan, on November 24.
Photo: CNS/Paul Haring
www.catholicleader.com.au
“You want to find saints? Look for them in the l Be a bridge to God for others: Become “a
confessional. bridge, not a barrier” for other people in their
“For it is there that they tell the truth, and the relationships with God.
truth sets them free.” Summarising, Fr Patalinghug said, “That’s
l Be bound to God: “God can interpret the what you can do. It’s that easy, but also that
groans of our hearts. God understands us. God difficult.
can give life to us all.” “Let’s be honest. It’s not as easy as saying,
AT the end of his trip to Thai-
land and Japan, Pope Francis
said he found truth in the say-
ing, “Lux ex oriente, ex occi-
dente luxus”, or, as he roughly
translated it, “the light comes
from the East, and luxury, con-
sumerism from the West”.
Not wanting to be too harsh on the West,
Pope Francis told reporters returning to
Rome with him on November 26 that he did
sense in the two Asian countries a different
concept of time and a greater sensitivity to
contemplation than he found in the West.
“I think we Westerners need to slow
down a bit,” he said.
The “culture of hurrying” often meant
losing the ability to contemplate and that,
in turn, meant losing sight of beauty and
poetry.
Pope Francis’ own trip to Japan was
delayed by decades.
Several times during his stay from
November 23-26, he spoke about how, as a
young Jesuit, he had hoped to be sent as a
missionary to Japan.
His superiors thought that with his his-
tory of lung problems, he was not healthy
enough.
So, he did not make the trip until he was
pope, almost 83 years old and about to cel-
ebrate his 50th anniversary as a Jesuit priest.
With his visit to Thailand on Novem-
ber 20-23 before going on to Japan, Pope
Francis flew more than 25,700km and gave
about 20 speeches.
He celebrated a small Mass with his
Jesuit confreres in Japan and Masses with
tens of thousands of people in stadiums in
Bangkok and Tokyo.
He met the Thai king and the Japanese
emperor and used as his official translators
Cooking
a feast:
Celebrity
chef Fr Leo
Patalinghug
displays
a Lenten
seafood
pasta meal
he pre-
pared in his
Baltimore
kitchen on
February 24,
2016. Dur-
ing a No-
vember 22,
session at
the National
Catholic
Youth Con-
ference in
Indianapolis,
Fr Pataling-
hug, better
known as
the “the
cooking
priest”, pro-
vided a dif-
ferent kind
of recipe,
Five Steps
to Become
a Teenage
Saint, to
help youths
get to
heaven.
Photo: CNS
‘God save me’, and it comes so quickly.
“It requires us to be willing to practise our
faith and to be faithful in practising our faith.
“It requires us to be consistent, and to make
sure you surround yourself with all of the right
people. It’s a total stretching.”
CNS
a nun who was his cousin and a Jesuit who ing to the billions of dollars spent each
was a former student. year on maintaining nuclear stockpiles and
The formal and the personal came developing new weapons when millions of
together in a special way on November 24 people were starving and dying in poverty.
when he visited Nagasaki and Hiroshima, But Nagasaki also was the site of the
the two cities destroyed by the United martyrdom of St Paul Miki and 25 others
States atomic bombings in August 1945. in 1597, the first of hundreds of Christians
In Hiroshima, the Pope heard the testi- persecuted for their faith over the course of
monies of an elderly woman and an elderly close to 200 years.
man who were teenagers when the bombs The Pope told people gathered at the
fell. martyrs’ memorial that the story of St Miki
On the flight back to Rome, he told re- and other Jesuit missionaries sparked his
porters that it was “a real human catechesis youthful dreams.
on cruelty, cruelty”. Care for one another and care for the
After the sun had set at the Hiroshima environment were recurring themes in both
Peace Memorial and after the Pope had laid Thailand and Japan, where the Catholic
a bouquet of white orchids and prayed in communities make up less than one per
silence, he said, “With deep conviction I cent of the populations, but where they
wish once more to declare that the use of exercise significant influence, especially in
atomic energy for purposes of war is today, the field of education.
more than ever, a crime not only against While Pope Francis described himself
the dignity of human beings but against any as a “missionary pilgrim” and encouraged
possible future for our common home.” Catholics in both countries to be “mission-
“The use of atomic energy for purposes ary disciples”, he made it clear he was not
of war is immoral, just as the possessing of talking about preaching on street corners or
nuclear weapons is immoral,” he said. passing out pamphlets.
“We will be judged on this. Missionary disciples were experts at
“Future generations will rise to condemn dialogue and witness – both done with im-
our failure if we spoke of peace but did not mense respect for the other’s religion and
act to bring it about among the peoples of culture, he said repeatedly throughout the
the earth.” trip.
On the flight back to Rome, Pope Fran- In Thailand to celebrate the 350th an-
cis signalled that he considered the speech niversary of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam
to be a formal part of Church teaching, Mission, Pope Francis said the first mission-
often called “the magisterium”. aries to the country discovered they were
He said the immorality of the use or pos- not among strangers, but among brothers
session of nuclear weapons should be added and sisters they hadn’t realised they had.
to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “A missionary disciple is not a merce-
In Nagasaki he also decried the horror of nary of the faith or a producer of pros-
what happened, and pleaded with govern- elytes, but rather a humble mendicant who
ment leaders to get serious once more feels the absence of brothers, sisters and
about arms control and disarmament. mothers with whom to share the irrevoca-
The use of nuclear weapons was not the ble gift of reconciliation that Jesus grants
only threat the arms posed, he said, point- to all,” the Pope said. CNS
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

Middle East Catholic
leaders call for peace
AMID deadly protests in Iraq, a
people’s uprising in Lebanon and
continued suffering in Syria, Catho-
lic leaders of the Middle East called
upon officials of their homelands to
“ensure safety, peace and tranquility
and stability for their citizens.”
Meeting in Cairo November 25-29, the Coun-
cil of Catholic Patriarchs of the East addressed
political, economic and social difficulties that
many countries are suffering as a result of unrest,
violence, extremism and terrorism as well as the
situation of displaced people and the inevitability
of returning to their villages and homes.
Massive demonstrations against the political
ruling class have plagued Iraq since October 1
and Lebanon since October17.
Despite some confrontations with security
forces and supporters of established parties,
protesters in Lebanon have largely been spared
the violent crackdown seen in Iraq.
There, about 400 people have died and thou-
sands have been wounded in protests.
In their final statement, the patriarchs called on
the political authority in Iraq “to take courageous
action to get the country out of this great crisis so
that the bloodshed will stop and life will return
to normal by building a strong state on sound
foundations, in which true democracy, justice and
human dignity prevails, combating corruption.”
They also called for “revealing who killed and
kidnapped peaceful demonstrators” and asked au-
thorities to hand the killers “over to the judiciary.”
The patriarchs appealed to all to work to “up-
root the terrorist ideology of the Islamic State.”
While acknowledging the “adversity and tribu-
lation” in Iraq, the patriarchs encouraged Iraqi
Christians “to take root in their land and preserve
the heritage” of their ancestors.
Turning to Lebanon, the patriarchs said they
“support the demands of the Lebanese people
in general and the youth in particular, in their
movement,” expressing their hope that peace and
patriotism be maintained.
The Middle Eastern patriarchs urged Lebanon’s
political authority to expedite the formation of a
new government “whose first task will be to re-
Regional youth bringing community feel to festival
TRY telling a regional young Catholic that the
Church has more than one billion people in it.
Townsville diocese youth co-ordinator Helen
Melarekere said coming from a regional area
and often feeling alone, the Australian Catholic
Youth Festival in Perth this weekend was the
perfect opportunity for young people to experi-
ence something bigger than themselves.
Townsville diocese mustered a group of 78
pilgrims, including Mount Isa parish fielding 23
and Ingham parish another 26.
In Perth, those 78 would encounter thousands
of other motivated young Catholics and engage
in workshops, talks and liturgy.
Ms Melarekere, who had been to ACYF twice
before, said it was important for their young peo-
ple to see the scope of the Church in Australia.
“This is what the Church is and you’re part of
that,” she said.
She said she wants “to just really fire them up
and get them excited about their faith, so they
can come back to our communities and… bring
that into our communities”.
She said it was also important to make their
experiences apply to a regional area and engage
with the events without “losing our identity”.
Staple to the regional experience was hard-
ship.
Ms Melarekere said the floods and the drought
were good examples where their young people
had lived hardships.
“We experience hardship but we have this
togetherness spirit that when someone’s down,
we’re going to pick you up and we bring that to
ACYF,” she said.
“We bring that community feel of –­­ we might
be small and we might be far out but the com-
munity spirit is so big.
www.catholicleader.com.au
Call to peace: Iraqi demonstrators carry a wounded man during ongoing anti-government pro-
tests in Baghdad on November 29.
spond with the popular movement to find radical
solutions to the current situation, by transcend-
ing personal and factional interests and working
to achieve the common good, and freeing the
national will from all outside interference.”
The patriarchs also stressed the need for the
return of refugees and displaced persons to their
homelands.
Lebanon is host to some one million Syrian
refugees.
While council members said they “are opti-
mistic about the stability achieved in Syria in
most of the country,” they expressed their pain
regarding human suffering and damage caused
by bombings.
The patriarchs called on “all components of
the Syrian people to join hands” to rebuild what
is destroyed and to promote the economy.
They also called on “global decision-makers
to stop interfering” in Syrian affairs and to help
“all the good Syrians to work hard to recover
Townsville youth: Members of Townsville diocese’s youth at the Townsville group preformation in Charters Towers.
“And I think especially in our diocese, we’re
big on social justice… about going out and be-
ing the face of Christ to others.”
She said this was especially important in the
high-crime areas, which the diocese youth saw
as a call to action.
ACYF was a unique opportunity to be “refu-
elled and re-energised because you need to be
strong in your faith and to be centred in that”.
It was also a chance to build networks, Ms
News
13
OFFICIAL
ENGAGEMENTS
FOR BRISBANE’S
BISHOPS
ARCHBISHOP MARK COLERIDGE
December 9: Australian
Catholic Youth Festival,
Perth
December 10: Aus-
tralian Catholic Youth
Festival, Perth
December 11: 6pm
Launch of the 2019 Lights of
Christmas, Cathedral
of St Stephen
December 12: 8am Mass, Cathedral of
St Stephen;
Annual Clergy Golf Day, St Mary’s,
Beaudesert
December 13: Episcopal Council
meeting; 5.10pm Mass, Cathedral of St
Stephen
December 14: 11.30am Mass, Cathe-
dral of St Stephen
December 15: 10am Mass, Cathedral
of St Stephen.
BISHOP KEN HOWELL
December 9-11: Austral-
ian Catholic Youth Festival,
Perth
Photo :CNS
December 12: Annual
Clergy Golf Day, St Mary’s,
Syria from its long-standing ordeal.” Beaudesert
The council expressed “full support for the December 13: Episcopal
Palestinian people tormented by the occupation.” Council meeting
“We reiterate our call on the international December 14: 10am Mass, Christian
community to recognize the Palestinian state, Brothers Jubilees, Holy Trinity Church,
with Jerusalem as its capital, within the frame- Nundah; 6pm Mass, Candidacy for Ordi-
work of the two states, and the return of Palestin- nation ceremony, St Mary’s Ipswich
ian refugees to their homes,” the patriarchs said. December 15: 9am Mass, St Joseph’s,
Kangaroo Point.
As for Egypt, the Catholic leaders commended
the Egyptian state’s achievements “that have
contributed effectively to improving the situation
of Egyptians” at all levels, including “practi- Visit brisbanecatho-
cal steps” in consolidating the foundations of
citizenship and society. lic.org.au/multimedia/
During the meeting, the patriarchs met with web-cast/ to see
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and
urged him to work toward reconciliation and Archbishop Mark
dialogue in the countries of the Middle East,
especially in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
Coleridge’s
They also met with Coptic Orthodox Pope homilies
Tawadros II. CNS
Melarekere said. young people’s networks of evangelisation and
The biggest obstacle for Townsville was cost. faith because of the financial struggles and the
“It’s really expensive, we didn’t know how efforts they made to overcome them.
we’re going to get the funds,” Ms Melarekere Another important member of the group was
said. newly ordained priest Fr Emene Kelemete, who
“But the community came through, families went to ACYF 2017 as a seminarian.
came through, the young people worked to pay Ms Melarekere said it was exciting to have
for those funds to get there and then just to see him joining now as a priest.
them grow in faith.”
She said there was a ripple effect through the – Joe Higgins
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 14 In Depth
Decades of headlines: From news of the scourge of Nazism during the Second World War in the June 18 edition of 1942 (above left) to the dawn of the new millenium celebrated in 2000 (above right), The
Catholic Leader has been covering the world’s major stories and events for the Church for 90 years. Other significant events in the Leader’s archives include the death of US President John F. Kennedy,
covered in the November 28, 1963 edition (above second from left) and the Apollo XI moon landing in 1969.
Catholic journalism
covering 90 years
By Joe Higgins
THE Catholic Leader has covered the
lives, events and opinions of gen-
erations of Brisbane Catholics
and – with this 5581st edi-
tion – we commemorate 90
years since the inaugural
publication on December
5, 1929.
Pre-dated by Brisbane Catholic
publication The Catholic Age, later
The Age, first published in 1892,
The Catholic Leader remains Aus-
tralia’s longest-serving Catholic
newspaper.
Brisbane Archbishop Mark
Coleridge said 90 years was quite
something in this part of the
world, and through all that time
the story of The Catholic Leader
has continued to unfold.
“The Leader has seen not only
many changes of format but
also massive cultural shifts – in
the world, in the Church and in
print media,” he said.
“But through all the flux The
Leader and its staff have pro-
vided news and comment, facts
and their interpretation, not
only as a service to the Church
and the wider community but
also a service of the Gospel.
“As the age of fake news has
appeared, the Leader has continued
to tell the truth and to do so with a wonderfully
varied human face.
“Congratulations to all who have been part of
the journey in the past and all who ensure that it
continues now.”
Historian and retired priest Fr Chris Hanlon ech-
oed the archbishop that the church had changed.
A timely example of this was the Plenary Coun-
cil 1936, where unlike today, the laity were all but
excluded from the process, he said.
Managing editor Matt Emerick said the history
of The Catholic Leader was the history of Bris-
bane archdiocese.
“The Catholic Leader has covered the lives of
Catholics around Queensland for 90 years.
“Times have changed – media consumption
and production – but our stories will always point
www.catholicleader.com.au
towards eternal truth.
“We will continue to strive for the best in
Catholic journalism.”
June 18, 1942 edition
The Second World War raged and Nazi-occu-
pied Europe was pinned between the Allied D-Day
invasion force and the Russian forces in the east.
The Church was waging a war of the mind
against the propaganda machine of Nazi Germany
and their sympathisers.
The Catholic Leader reports Spanish Bishop
Fidel Martinez was warning about the “special
danger” Nazism posed on Spain.
He described the ideology as “anti-Christian”
and made the state their god.
On the same front page, Pope Pius XII said like
a shining beacon the “moral law must direct by the
light of its principles the course of action of men
and of States, and they must all follow its admon-
ishing, salutary and profitable precepts”.
He goes on to outline the rights of smaller states
in a world broadcast on the war.
June 29 and November 9,
1950 editions
Saint Maria Goretti was canonised on June 24,
The Catholic Leader reported.
The little peasant girl saint was offered as a saint
for the modern youth of the time.
She was martyred for her chastity and died on
July 6, 1902.
Later that year, The Catholic Leader reported
on the proclamation ex-cathedra of the dogma of
Mary’s Assumption by Pope Pius XII.
“To a humanity oppressed by darkness and
beset by doubts, the Father of Christendom gave
a message of light and of certainty to be pointed
to that bright gem in the Crown of Mary, who was
conceived without sin, whose virginity remained
inviolate in her divine maternity and who was
taken to Heaven body and soul when the earthly
pilgrimage had ended,” The Catholic Leader
reported.
October 4, 1962 edition
Five Queensland bishops were sent to
represent Brisbane archdiocese in Rome for
the Second Vatican Council, only the “third
world council of the Catholic Church in the
last 400 years”.
The sixpence edition of the paper was a
“complete guide” to the historic assembly,
which would later bring the Church the
liturgical and structural changes Catholics
know today.
November 28,
1963 edition
United States President John F Kennedy, the
first Catholic president, was assassinated by Lee
Harvey Oswald, The Catholic Leader reported.
Pope Paul VI and the Catholic Church mourned
his death.
The Catholic Leader reported Pope Paul went
straight to his private chapel to pray following the
news of President Kennedy’s death.
Pope Paul’s message of condolence to America
was broadcast on Vatican Radio in several lan-
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
In Depth
15
Survivor: The May 24, 1981, edition of The Catholic Leader carried wide coverage around the shoot-
ing of Pope John Paul II in Rome on May 13 of that year. Fortunately the Polish pope survived the
attack and soldiered on for another 24 years.
guages. October 16.
“We profoundly rue this terrible event, which The Catholic Leader reported the familiar scenes
has struck the leader of a great nation and we of papal mourning and electing on October 8.
grieve over the great sorrow of Mrs Kennedy, her “A magnificent Polish cardinal is now Vicar of
children and all the family,” Pope Paul said. Christ on earth,” The Catholic Leader reported
Pope Paul also cabled messages to Mrs Ken- about Pope John Paul II on October 22.
nedy, President Kennedy’s parents, and He was the first non-Italian pontiff in 455 years.
brother Robert.
On the following Sunday, Pope Paul ad- October 17, 1982 edition
dressed 30,000 pilgrims in St Peter’s Square
and spoke of the hate and wickedness that Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who was martyred in
still existed in the world. Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp in 1942, was
“Let us pray, as Jesus has taught us, not to canonised by Pope John Paul II on October 10,
be led into temptation, but to be delivered from 1982.
all evil.” The Catholic Leader reported Saint Maximilian
Kolbe’s devotion and total commitment was “an
August 3, 1969 edition inspiration for parishioners to live every moment
of their lives conscious of being in God’s pres-
Pope Paul VI hails Apollo XI landing on the ence”.
moon and warns of the need to end war and Papal death:
It was reported that in the death chamber, Kolbe
poverty. The death
consoled and encouraged his companions as they
He told pilgrims at his Castelgandolfo villa that of Pope
the spaceflight was “a triumph of man’s ability to died one by one. Paul VI, the
dominate the universe.” When after two weeks, Kolbe alone remained, election of
“We must not forget man’s need and duty to he was killed with an injection of carbolic acid. Pope John
Paul I as
dominate himself,” he said.
“It is absolutely necessary that the heart of man Christmas 2000 edition his suc-
cessor and
should become freer, better, more religious as the The Catholic Leader reported on the millen- John Paul
power of his machines, his weapons and his instru- nium, celebrating 2000 years since the birth of I’s subse-
ments becomes greater and more dangerous.” quent death
Christ.
are part of
Pope John Paul II led the Catholic Church into the story
October 8 and 22, 1978 the second millennium AD. covered on
editions the front
page of The
Papal history: 1978 year was a monumental one
The year of the three popes – Pope Paul VI died in the Catholic Church with the death of Pope Catholic
on August 6; Pope John Paul I was elected on Leader of
Paul VI, the election and death of Pope John
October 8,
August 26 and died thirty-three days later on 28 Paul I (inset left) and the election of Pope John 1978.
September 1978; Pope John Paul II was elected Paul II (inset right).
www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 16 Q&A
Archbishop Tarcisius
Isao Kikuchi
Archbishop of Tokyo
Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi of
Tokyo warns some of his population risks
extinction due to cultural standards and has
made a strong appeal to recognise protect-
ing life from conception to natural death.
In an exclusive interview with Zenit, he ex-
pressed this concern. The archbishop was
with Pope Francis at all of the Pope’s major
events during his recent visit to Japan.
Q: How would you describe the atmos-
phere in Japan, as it prepared to wel-
come the Pope? And what do you hope
Pope Francis will leave Japan?
A: Catholics, or even the entire community
of Christians, are a tiny minority in Japan,
thus, the Holy Father is not well known to
the general public.
We rarely see or hear Japanese media
mention the Holy Father.
Even among government officials or politi-
cians, the importance of the Holy Father in
international relations as a moral authority is
not deeply understood.
For many, the visit has been considered
yet another trip made by one of these “fa-
mous” religious leaders.
So, what the Catholic Church in Japan
has been doing is to try as much as pos-
sible to disseminate information on the
Holy Father, the role of the Holy See in
international relations and, of course, on the
Catholic Church in general.
I hope the Holy Father would leave a
deep impact in the hearts of many through
his message of love, peace and hope so
that many would find the key to choose the
better way to reach hope for the future.
Q: The motto of the trip to Japan is
a call to promote and protect life. To
what is this motto addressed? And
why is this necessary?
A: Today, the “Gospel of life (the term
by Pope John Paul II)” is truly needed in
Japanese society where human life is not
respected, human beings are valued by
how much they could contribute to the
development of the society.
And disabled people are marginalised, or
sometimes even the right to live for disa-
bled people is not protected.
Today in Japan, so many people are lost
in finding hope for the future, feeling iso-
lated or marginalised.
Economic boom is a tale of the past.
With few exceptions, the majority of the
youth cannot find stable jobs even after
going through a number of years of higher
studies.
Young and old are isolated in the society
because no one cares for them.
Such beautiful tradition as community
support has also become tales of the past,
especially in big cities where population is
growing rapidly.
In rural areas, population is aging and
communities are facing danger of extinction.
Isolation, poverty, no respect for human
life and inability to find hope for the future
are killing people in modern Japan.
That is why we have to promote and
protect life.
Q: In Japan, the Catholic Church suf-
fered a long and cruel persecution in
www.catholicleader.com.au
Loving life in Japan
past centuries. What has that experi-
ence left Japan’s Catholic Church?
Also, can you tell us more about the
small community of Japanese Catho-
lics in the nation?
A: Recently, we are promoting veneration of
martyrs during the time of persecution start-
ing with 188 martyrs who were beatified in
2008 and Just Ukon Takayama beatified in
2017 who was a Catholic “kirishitan daimyo”
and “samurai” who lived and was exiled to
the Philippines in the 17th century.
We want to learn from these holy martyrs
not only how bravely they adhered to the
faith but also how they lived as witness of
the Gospel among majority of non-Christians.
These are people who did not preach the
Gospel in words but through how they lived
and interacted with others especially with
people in need of help.
Because of their benevolent action, such
as the 53 martyrs in Yonezawa, Christians at
that time, though under persecution, were
well accepted by many.
We want to imitate these examples of
martyrs.
We are also a small minority in Japanese
society but we want to show others how
we should live as children of God who
are good through our words and actions,
through our relationship with others.
Q: How could one observe these good
works?
A: For example, after the March 11, 2011,
disaster in Tohoku area, Caritas Japan
together with the entire Catholic commu-
nity in Japan set up eight volunteer centres
at the coastal area to support victims and
contribute to the rehabilitation of the local
communities.
We still maintain five bases and are well
appreciated by local people who, some of
them, call the volunteers “Mr Caritas” or “Ms
Caritas”.
That is our evangelisation through our
contribution to the society in giving helping
hands to those who are facing difficulties in
life and also re-create human relationships
to rescue people from isolation.
Q: What are some of the greatest chal-
lenges for Japanese society?
A: In July 2016, the killing of 19 disabled
people at the Tsukui Yamayurien revealed
that respect for human life is missing from
our society.
A young man who killed the 19 claimed
that those disabled people have nothing
to contribute to the society and, therefore,
should be terminated.
Adding to this atrocity, we found out quite
many people showed their approval to his
action and expressed their appreciation to
the crime through the Internet.
That was shocking to me who have been
talking about the importance of protection
of human life.
Human life is facing great danger in Japa-
nese society.
Human life has to be protected from its
beginning to the end.
And this message is completely missing
from the present Japanese society.
Q: Can you share some examples of
how one could observe this danger in
Japan?
A: We also should not forget the imminent
danger of human life in our society.
Since 1998 till today, more than 20,000,
sometimes more than 30,000, commit sui-
cide in Japan.
In this modern and advanced country, full
of material goods, people are cornered to
take their own lives.
Today, we have quite a number of resi-
dents coming from other countries.
Some of them are filling the shortage of
manpower in this aging society with few
kids.
Many have decided to live in Japan for
long term. Therefore, they are no more
guests here but part and parcel of our com-
munity.
However, we hear that many of them
have difficulties to integrate into the Japa-
nese society and are isolated.
Some of them even experience maltreat-
ment by their employer.
Refugees are generally not welcomed
both by government and the general public.
Japanese government is understood
by many that they are reluctant to grant
refugee status to those who reached Japan
for safety.
All these issues or realities could be clas-
sified as life-threatening issues.
Human life is facing great challenge in
this country, and protection of human life
should be given priority.
Q: What do the Japanese people gen-
erally know, about Catholicism and the
Pope?
A: People do not know much about the
Holy Father as he does not draw attention
of Japanese media as such.
The Catholic Church is well known be-
cause of the existence of Catholic educa-
tional institutes starting from kindergarten to
universities.
There are numerous numbers of such
institutions all over Japan.
So many had the opportunity to meet
with Christ at least during school time.
Q: There is much anticipation for the
Pope’s stops in Hiroshima and Na-
gasaki, the only places where so far
Pope in
Japan:
Pope Fran-
cis kisses
a baby
before
celebrating
Mass in To-
kyo Dome
in Tokyo on
November
25.
Photo: CNS/
Paul Haring
nuclear weapons have been used.
What does it mean having a visit of
the Pope to those places? And what
do you expect from the Pope’s visit to
those places?
A: Sending out messages of peace from the
actual cities hit by atomic bombs would have
a deep impact over people all over the world
and over the general public in Japan.
I think that the government of Japan is
also wanting someone like the Holy Father
with a strong moral voice to take a clear
position against the nuclear weapons and
speak out from there.
So, the Holy Father visiting Hiroshima and
Nagasaki has significant meaning for the
visit of Japan.
I hope the message of the Holy Father
would inspire both the Japanese govern-
ment and the general public to once more
make serious commitment to non-pro-
liferation and complete abolition of nu-
clear weapons when international tensions
among neighbouring countries are reaching
alarming level.
Q: This journey to Japan will be one
of the longest for the Pope up to now,
with the purpose to meet a very small
Catholic community. What is the sig-
nificance of this travel?
A: I do believe that the Holy Father is com-
ing to Japan to show us how we should do
evangelisation in Japan. As the successor
of Peter, the Holy Father is trying to fulfil
his prior mission which is to proclaim the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, he is coming to us to remind us of the
mission as Christians and himself will show
how we should do it through his words and
actions during his stay in Japan.
Q: Pope Francis Bergoglio has always
had an affinity for your country. How is
his personal attachment to your coun-
try significant, and what does this visit
mean to all of Asia?
A: Of course, there are so many mission
territories in other areas of the world but
Christians are a tiny minority in most of the
countries in Asia.
We are all struggling not for our own sur-
vival but for being witnesses of the Gospel.
We do appreciate the Holy Father’s love
for Asia and especially his love for Japan.
That is great encouragement for all of us
in Asia.
In Asia, we have been trying to dialogue
with culture, religion and people, especially
with the poor, and this triple dialogue is defi-
nitely needed in our mission efforts.
So, we would be happy to welcome the
Holy Father who pays respect to other
cultures and religions and who shows deep
compassion to people in need.
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

Pope prays for Albania after earthquake kills 40
POPE Francis led prayers for the people of Alba-
nia after the country was struck by a magnitude
6.4 earthquake.
“I would like to send my greetings and my
closeness to the dear people of Albania who
have suffered so much in these days,” the Pope
said on November 27 before concluding his
weekly general audience.
“Albania was the first country in Europe I
wanted to visit. I am close to the victims. I pray
for the dead, for the wounded, for the families.
May the Lord bless this country that I love so
Nicaraguans call on world to
open eyes to country’s plight
OUTSIDE the Organisation of
American States in Washington on
November 25, Estela Callejas and
Romy Rojas pleaded with the man
in the suit for help.
“We’re tired. We’ve been here in the rain,
cold and snow ... the business sector has got
to step in and put pressure,” Ms Callejas said
in Spanish, as she and Ms Rojas pleaded with
American Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce
president Mario Arana outside the OAS, as he
headed inside the building to continue negotia-
tions trying to find a peaceful solution to the
volatile political situation in Nicaragua.
“Take our voice inside there,” Ms Rojas said
to Mr Arana.
The women, Nicaraguans living in the United
States, were outside on one of Washington’s
busiest streets, near the White House, holding
signs and calling attention to what they said was
a violation of human rights, including the right to
protest, expression, and even to gather for wor-
ship taking place in Nicaragua, where govern-
ment supporters have recently been accused of
attacking crowds inside Catholic churches.
That’s where some anti-government protesters
have gathered, including a group of mothers with
sons detained for political reasons by the admin-
istration of President Daniel Ortega Saavedra,
who seems intent on holding on to power.
Opposition against Mr Ortega and his wife
Rosario Murillo, who doubles as first lady and
vice-president of the nation, has been rising
since April 2018, when their government an-
nounced an austerity plan to reduce pensions as a
cost-cutting measure while increasing employee
contributions to the social security system.
The plan didn’t go over well, and even though
the government rescinded the proposal, massive
protests began, leading to hundreds of deaths and
thousands of injuries after police and pro-gov-
ernment forces clashed with civilians.
Following the bloodshed, the country’s
Catholic bishops attempted to dialogue with the
government.
The Ortega administration and its supporters,
however, intensified the clampdown.
One of the country’s prelates, Managua
Auxiliary Bishop Silvio Baez was physically
attacked by pro-government groups for speaking
www.catholicleader.com.au
much,” he said.
The earthquake struck in the early hours of the
morning of November 26 and was felt as far away
as Serbia. According to Albanian news agency
Shqiptarja, authorities said the death toll was at
least 40 people and an estimated 650 wounded.
First responders worked throughout the day to
recover bodies and rescue survivors from crum-
bled buildings. Rescue workers from neighbour-
ing Greece and Italy assisted with the efforts.
Soon after the Pope’s call for prayers, the
Vatican released a condolence telegram sent
out against the Ortega administration and left
the country in April headed for Rome but his
destination was unclear.
Many suspect he left because of credible death
threats.
“To carry the flag, it’s a crime. To go into a
(Catholic) church, it’s a crime,” Ms Callejas told
Catholic News Service on November 25.
“We’re here to support the exit of a dictator
and we’re tired.
“We want the world to know the situation and
we want them to support us.”
Ms Callejas, a member of the Neocatechume-
nal Way, said she wanted to call Catholics’ atten-
tion to what had been happening inside churches
in Nicaragua, including recent attacks on and
around November 21 in the capital of Managua
and the nearby city of Masaya, where Catholics
were forced to barricade doors as a mob tried to
enter, and where a church was taken over by pro-
government groups, leaving trapped inside its
pastor, a nun and a group of women on a hunger
strike demanding the release of their sons.
“We want solidarity with our people as they
go through this horrible situation from a repres-
sive, assassinating government,” Ms Rojas, a
Nicaraguan living in Virginia, told CNS outside
the OAS building.
“We will not rest. The message against Ortega
is clear.”
That message was for Mr Ortega to leave, she
said.
As a Catholic, she said she was concerned
about the violence taking place inside places of
worship, “but we know the Church will perse-
vere”.   But even the US Department of State publicly
Almost since the conflict began, the Washing-
ton-based OAS, an organisation of 35 independ-
ent states in North, Central and South America,
has been trying to broker a peaceful solution to
no avail.
“I promise you, I will keep insisting,” ne-
gotiator Mr Arana told the women outside the
building, as he headed to a meeting where the
body was set to hear the report of a High Level
Commission on Nicaragua.
Even after OAS general secretary Luis Alma-
gro called for Nicaragua’s civil and political free-
doms to be restored, and for the return of peace
and justice, the country’s representative rejected
during the meeting the assertions of repression.
“We reiterate the official position of the
News
17
Albania suffers:
Emergency
personnel
carry the body
of a victim
from rubble
in Thumane,
Albania, on
November 27,
the day after a
magnitude 6.4
earthquake.
Injured and
grieving: (Right)
A woman is
comforted
following the
earthquake in
Durres, Albania,
on November
26.
Photos: CNS
by secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin to the supreme patriarch of Thailand’s Buddhist
Albanian President Ilir Meta. community Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong,
Pope Francis, the message said, “invokes the Pope said he was “continuing on the path of
blessings of strength upon the emergency mutual esteem initiated by my predecessors, so
personnel in their relief efforts and entrusts the that compassion and brotherhood may grow in
people of Albania to the loving providence of the world”.
the Almighty”. He also noted the Catholic Church’s presence
In his general audience talk, the Pope reflected in Thailand, particularly in its service to the sick
on his November 20-26 visit to Thailand and and the witness given by the country’s laity,
Japan which, he said, “increased my closeness priests, consecrated men and women, and bishops.
and affection for these peoples”.
Recalling his November 20 meeting with CNS
Nicaragua plea: Estela Callejas (right) and Romy Rojas speak with American Nicaraguan Chamber
of Commerce president Mario Arana in Washington on November 25. Mr Arana is involved in nego-
tiations trying to find a peaceful solution to the volatile political situation in Nicaragua. Photo: CNS
Nicaraguan government to consider the so-called were called to do and it was not a crime.
OAS High Level Commission as non-existent,” Ms Ramirez said she would continue to par-
the country’s ambassador Ruth Tapia said. ticipate in any demonstrations to pressure the US
“Therefore, something that does not exist and anyone to help her native Nicaragua because
cannot produce reports or opinions, much less if those outside didn’t try to call attention to the
recommendations or impositions.” problem, “there is no hope for those inside”.
“We’re their voice,” she said.  
criticised what had happened inside one of the Catholic organisations, including the Ignatian
Catholic churches. Solidarity Network, along with other Jesuit-af-
“The Ortega regime’s siege of a place of wor- filiated groups, and various bishops’ conferences
ship is unacceptable, as are the arrests of more in Latin America, also have called for something
than a dozen individuals who were attempting to be done.
to aid the hunger strikers,” spokesperson for In a November 25 statement, the Ignatian
the State Department Morgan Ortagus said in a network urged the US government to support the
November 21 statement about those who were people of Nicaragua.
trapped inside the church in Masaya. “We call on the government of the United
Patricia Ramirez, a Nicaraguan who lives in States to condemn these acts of violence by the
Arlington, Virginia, and was with the group out- government of Nicaragua against its own people
side the OAS, said that without the Church, there and to support peaceful efforts to restore democ-
was very little support or protection for those racy and civil rights, including freedom of speech,
inside the country. freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and
Ms Rojas said if the priests were protecting freedom of religion,” the statement said.
people inside the church, that was what they CNS
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 18 News
Explaining Scripture, Venezuelan
priest becomes social media hit
UNDERSTANDING the Bible
can be challenging, but Catholics
in Venezuela are becoming more
familiar with Scripture through the
work of a tech-savvy friar.
Capuchin Franciscan Father Luis Antonio
Salazar is breaking with traditional ways of
preaching and bringing the Gospel to thousands
of mobile phone users each week through an
Instagram video series called Vivir el Evangelio,
or Living the Gospel.
In the one-minute videos, the priest waves his
arms and points his finger to the sky as he dis-
cusses key passages of the New Testament with
the help of electronic music and special effects.
Fr Salazar, 34, described himself as a “Catho-
lic influencer”.
He started posting videos to Instagram in
2018, after a 19-year-old member of his parish
convinced him it would be a good idea and of-
fered to help with the editing and special effects.
Each video gets thousands of views and hun-
dreds of comments.
And in a year, Fr Salazar’s account has grown
from 5000 to more than 120,000 followers.
“The motive behind this is to help people
understand the Gospel,” Fr Salazar, who cel-
ebrates Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Chiquin-
quira Church, the largest church in Venezuela’s
capital, said.
“I want to take those stories that happened
2000 years ago with the pharisees, the scribes
and the rest of the characters in the Bible and
show people what they teach us about being
good Christians.”
Parishioners credit the videos and Fr Salazar’s
energetic personality with bringing more people
to the pews as Sunday Mass is now attended by
hundreds of people. But Fr Salazar said the
videos also had helped him to connect
with young Catholics in other cities
and even in other Spanish-speaking
countries, forming a “digital parish” to
which he tried to tend daily.
“Recently a catechist who I didn’t
know reached out to me asking
how to teach her pupils
about Moses, Abraham
and the alliance of
the people of Israel
with God,” he said.
Fr Salazar said
he also had been
messaged by peo-
ple with problems
such as depression
and tried to provide
them with prayers
and guidance.
“I am approached
with sensitive
Cameroon bishop says youths threatened to kidnap him
A BISHOP in Cameroon has described how local
youth have kidnapped three priests in his diocese
and that their main target is himself.
Bishop Andrew Nkea said “boys” from vil-
lages in his Mamfe diocese were behind the ab-
duction of the priests and had told their victims
that unless the bishop paid the youths money
they would kidnap him too.
The bishop has responded by threatening the
youths with excommunication.
In a pastoral letter, Bishop Nkea said the
youths were “venting their anger” against him
after he attended the Grand National Dialogue in
Yaounde, called in response to the conflict be-
tween the Anglophone and Francophone regions
of the country.
“The youths told the priests that their target
was the bishop and, until I paid my fine of
500,000 CFA francs ($1250), they would track
me down and kidnap me,” he said.
“The truth is I don’t have this kind of money
to pay anybody.”
On October 20, parish priest of Afap Fr Felix
Sunday was abducted by gunmen claiming to be
Ambazonian separatists, who are seeking seces-
www.catholicleader.com.au
issues, so I have to answer all the messages
myself,” he said.
“I’m not just any influencer coming up with
crazy videos.”
He said the videos were part of a broader
effort to make the Church more present in
the lives of the Venezuelan people at a
time that the country continued experi-
encing a harrowing economic crisis.
Hyper-inflation and food shortages
have forced more than four million
Venezuelans to leave the country
in the past five years, accord-
ing to the United Nations.
Hundreds of people
have been imprisoned
for protesting against the
ruling socialist party and
street demonstrations
have been met with police
repression.
Fr Salazar has attended
several of the anti-gov-
ernment protests himself,
wearing his habit and
comforting protesters who
sion for Anglophone Cameroon from the rest of
the country.
He was released a day later.
That same day, two other priests narrowly
escaped abduction.
On November 1, four gunmen entered the
presbytery of Kembong parish and held the
parish priest and the assistant priest at gunpoint,
demanding one million CFA francs ($2500).
“The boys claimed that they took up guns to
protect the population and it is a great contra-
diction that these guns are now being used to
terrorise the very population they claimed to be
protecting,” Bishop Nkea said.
“We all joined to decry the brutality of the
military against the people but now it is our
own children who have turned against their own
people and they think it is normal?”
The conflict between Francophone and An-
glophone Cameroon has simmered for decades,
reigniting in 2016 when teachers and lawyers
protested the use of French in schools and courts,
the subsequent fallout claiming 3000 lives and
displacing 500,000 people.
Following the abductions, Bishop Nkea
Sharing
God’s
word:
Capuchin
Friar Luis
Antonio Sa-
lazar greets
a man in
Caracas,
Venezuela,
who
received a
free meal
at the Our
Lady of
Chiquin-
quira Par-
ish. Every
Saturday
the parish
organ-
ises free
meals for
hundreds
of needy
people.
Photo: CNS
suffer from the effects of tear gas. tion facing Venezuelan migrants who arrive in
“I’ve been to other countries, like Spain or South American countries.
Colombia or Peru, and I know there are other In a recent video, he discussed a passage from
ways to live,” he said. “So I also head out into the Gospel of Luke that talks abut how Jesus
the street to tell the world that what is going on cured 10 lepers that he found on the road to
in Venezuela is wrong. Jerusalem, including a Samaritan.
“And that we deserve something better.” It turns out that the Samaritan was the only
Fr Salazar mentions that some of his superi- leper who returned to Jesus to thank him for the
ors have asked him to not wear his robe during miraculous deed.
marches, but he maintained that doing so would “Interesting,” Fr Salazar said in the video. “Je-
betray his philosophy as a priest. sus cured a foreigner. That’s because he doesn’t
“I think that it is important for the Venezuelan suffer from xenophobia.”
people to see that the Church is with them,” he As the priest continues to churn out his
said. weekly videos, the demand for them appears to
When there are no protests taking place, Fr be growing.
Salazar’s parish helps the local population by Five television stations in Venezuela are
organising a weekly soup kitchen that has served showing the Living the Gospel series and
up to 800 people in a day. Catholics from the United States and Brazil have
Dishes are served with proper silverware and contacted Fr Salazar to ask if he could translate
on ceramic plates to show those going through the videos into English and Portuguese.
rough times that they are worthy of a better Fr Salazar said he would need more volunteers
standard of living. to help him with that.
Fr Salazar avoids discussing politics in his “These videos are something that has come
homilies, but he tried to bring the Bible home to from the spirit,” he said. “People like them be-
his audiences by referring to everyday situations cause they are thirsty for the Word of God.”
in his Instagram videos, such as the discrimina- CNS
Under
threat:
Bishop An-
drew Nkea
(right) on a
motorcycle
Photo: ACN
withdrew priests from the parishes of Kembong, with their children and give me a written guar-
Ossing and Eyumojock until further notice. antee of the safety of the pastors who work for
“These boys who harass the priests are from them, the parishes will remain without pastors,”
these villages and, until the population dialogues he said. ACN
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 Options
19
GOLD IN THE DAWNING SUN BY TERRY LEES

Our diamond mine

DIAMONDS are attractive because
of their appearance and value. If you
discover hectares of diamonds, you
can accumulate vast wealth.
The wonderful thing is, we can all find dia-
monds. They exist everywhere.
Surprisingly, they are very close by.
Lawyer turned clergyman Dr Russell Conwell
was inspired by a true story with a timeless moral.
He toured the United States extensively, tell-
ing the story and attracting enormous audiences.
As a result, he raised enough money to start a
university for underprivileged students.
The story was about an African farmer who
became tremendously excited about finding
diamonds.
He sold his farm, wandered all over the conti-
nent, constantly searching for diamonds, which
he never found.
He died broke and penniless.
Meanwhile, the new owner of the farm found
an unusual rock, the size of an egg and put it on
his mantle.
A visitor saw the rock and told him the funny-
looking rock was the biggest diamond ever found.
The new owner said, “Heck, the whole farm is
covered with them” – and sure enough it was.
That farm became the Kimberly Diamond
Mine, the world’s largest diamond mine.
The original farmer was literally standing on
“Hectares of Diamonds” until he sold his farm.
Each of us has our own “Hectares of Dia-
monds”, if only we would realise it and develop
the ground upon which we stand before charging
off in search of greener pastures.
The diamonds we possess are our talents and
skills, the gifts we have been given by God.
Everyone can put to good use their own lit- Our own
tle bits of time, talent, influence, ambition and diamonds:
energy, and weave them into lives of beauty, “The origi-
goodness and rare value. nal farmer
Our lives can be like that – no matter how was literally
standing
small we may feel, or that we have only scraps
on ‘Hec-
to offer to God, God can still help us to use tares of
every bit of time and energy and love we do Diamonds’
have, to build a life that is beautiful, and which until he
will reflect the glory of God to others. sold his
I vividly recall an early-morning chat with farm. Each
God, as I pondered a call to “Put out into deep of us has
water …” (Luke 5:4). our own
‘Hectares
Through the contemplative journalling that
of Dia-
followed, I wrote of my deepest desire to serve monds’, if
and honour God by using the gifts, talents and only we
skills so generously endowed upon me, and to would re-
only do God’s will – always. alise it and
As I listened, I heard this response: “I know, develop
Terry. And it pleases me. You have come so the ground
far in your journey of faith and trust. You have upon which
we stand
come to depend fully on me.”
before
Although the chat went further, that positive charg-
response was all the encouragement I needed to ing off in
put out into deep water, by undertaking a new, search of
challenging task to which I had been called. greener
Indeed, I have not looked back and continue to pastures.”
row even deeper.
Too often in the past I allowed myself to get
bogged down with planning – the how, the what, just for ourselves but to help those around us. God will take the little we do and, just like can recognise the other diamonds in our lives.
the when, the where, the why. We benefit from other people’s talents. the two fish and five loaves of bread that fed Soon, our gifts and talents, just like diamonds,
None of that matters. We benefit from Steve Jobs’ Apple creations, thousands of people, God will bless and multiply will shine brightly and will serve God and us
God has already done the planning. God has Edison’s light bulb, Ford’s automotive ideas or it so that what we do reaches far beyond our well in the long run.
gifted me. It’s up to me to honour God by using our mum’s cooking. wildest imaginings. Have a golden day and treasure life.
the gifts, talents and skills I have. Almost everyone around us contribute to our God is God – nothing is impossible with God.
I do that by listening to the Holy Spirit who welfare in one way or another. Our talents, gifts or strengths are our diamonds.
guides me, every step of the way. We can choose to think that the little we do is We need to dig them. Nobody can dig them
Author Leo Buscaglia wrote, “Your talent is far too small to make a difference, so why bother? for us. BY TERRY LEES
God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your Or, we can change our attitude to accept we Once we find them, remove the dirt. Terry Lees is a member
gift back to God.” are chosen by God, called to work in God’s Keep polishing them. of the Mount Isa Catholic
Our gifts or talents are purposely created not service, and called to do all we can do. The more we take care of them, the more we parish.

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www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 20 Regional News

Goodbye
Marists:
Marist Fa-
thers and
Brothers
with many
grateful
colleagues,
fellow
religious
and parish-
ioners of
Gladstone.

Thanks for Marist memories

GLADSTONE parish said farewell
to the last Marist Fathers who served
the parish for 118 years at celebra-
tions on November 23 and 24.
Since 1901, there had been a succession of
priests who ministered to the people of the city
and the outlying towns and communities.
Rockhampton Bishop Michael McCarthy
said the presence of the Marist Fathers in the
diocese was notable because in the early years
of the 1900s life was difficult for the pioneering
families and the priests alike.
“The priests travelled the region on horseback,
spending many hours in the saddle to reach far-
flung parts of the parish,” he said.
“The history of the Church in Gladstone, and
indeed the history of the Marist priests, brothers
and sisters was a vital part of the history of the
city itself.
“Gladstone would indeed be a different place
without the Marist presence over so many years.
“Their pastoral work, their administrative tal-
ents, their deep spirituality carried on until 2019
has left an indelible imprint on this community,
and the diocese
“They will be fondly remembered.”
On Friday morning Bishop McCarthy, many
priests of the diocese, representative of the
superior general in Rome Fr Ben McKenna, and
Marist Brothers provincial Fr Paul Corcoran
gathered in the Star of the Sea Church for a con-
celebrated Thanksgiving Mass for all the priests
and religious who have worked in Gladstone.
Also present were many Marist Fathers,
Marist Brothers and Marist Sisters as well as
many parishioners.
Parish priest Marist Father Kevin Redmond
thanked the parishioners for all the support, en-
couragement and patience they had contributed
over the past six years.
About 150 parishioners gathered at the Yaralla
Sports Club on Saturday night for the parish
dinner.
Many priests who have served in Gladstone
in recent years attended, along with their society
leaders.
“The atmosphere of the night was experienced
as one of love, joy, hospitality and friendliness,”
Mercy Sister Beryl Amedee said.
“Speeches were made by the Mayor Matthew
Burnett, Bishop Michael McCarthy, (Marist)
Fr Anthony Corcoran, Warren Fellowes and Fr
Kevin Redmond.”
“Seventy-five priests have served in the Glad-
stone parish over the 118 years and all of them
spoke so affectionately of the parishioners,” Fr
Corcoran said.
He thanked the people for all they had been
and done for the Marist Fathers, and apolo-
gised for any scandal or betrayal they may have
witnessed.
Mr Fellowes discussed the parish history and
thanked the Marists for their presence, dedica-
tion and self-sacrifice in their service over the
years.
The evening also featured a slide show of
significant moments for many of the priests and
parishioners, which was well received.
“The spirit of happiness and joy permeated the
atmosphere and an enjoyable night was had by
all,” Sr Amedee said.
Fr Andrew Chase, who recently returned from
study in Rome, will take up the responsibilities
of Gladstone parish priest in January.

Learning about falls the fun way

MINIMISING the risk of falls becomes ever more and Spinal Physiotherapy and the support of the CCA
important as we age. pastoral care team.”
The staff and residents of Emmaus took this issue Ms Vicary said Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy ran
into their own hands by running a fun, informative falls-prevention exercise demonstrations, “encourag-
Everyone’s Falls Prevention Expo across the Catholic Care of the ing everyone to have a go, and organised a falls-relat-
business: Aged facility, in Port Macquarie, NSW, on November ed scavenger hunt as well, which was great fun”.
Organisers 14. “The St Agnes’ Pastoral Care team hosted a session
and par- CCA clinical leaders at Emmaus Carolyn Rooney for the Carers Support Group, which was popular with
ticipants got and Tahlia Vicary were keen to promote falls preven- the relatives of residents,” she said.
involved in a
fun, informa- tion education and set about planning a practical but Three weeks before the expo each house was given
tive falls fun learning experience for residents, relatives and a brief of the day, which was to include prizes for best
prevention care staff. decorated area, most interactive individual house,
program “The key aspects of falls prevention revolve around most extreme outfit, a scavenger hunt, and other fun
at Port footwear, exercises to maintain balance and strength, and games.
Macquarie’s
Catholic
wearing aids such as hearing aids and glasses, and Everyone embraced the theme enthusiastically.
Care of the correct use of equipment such as walkers,” Ms With great prizes on offer, the competition to outdo
Aged facility Rooney said. each other was fierce but friendly, as staff and resi-
on Novem- “We planned the day’s activities around these dents got involved with decorating their area based on
ber 14. things and enlisted the professional expertise of Sports the “Falls Prevention” theme.

Stay informed with the important Subscribe:

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Phone: 07 3324 3555
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Keeping Faith with You

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 Regional News
21
Relics of saints Louis, Zelie
and Therese Martin to visit
This was a letter written by Lis-
more Bishop Gregory Homem-
ing (pictured below) about the
lives of Saints Therese, Louis
and Zelie Martin and how
parishes and communities can
venerate them in Australia.
THE relics of St Therese of Lisieux
and her parents St Louis and St
Marie-Azelie (Zelie) will be taken
through a number of dioceses early
in 2020.
Many people
wonder why
the Church
persists in
what seems
to be a medi-
aeval piety,
an archaic
practice.
Why tour the
remains of saints
and make them avail-
able for the veneration of
the faithful?
Is this an out-dated superstition?
Despite the scenes of intense religious devo-
tion around relics, there is certainly nothing
magical or talisman-like about the relics of
saints.
Of themselves relics are not holy.
It is more correct to say, they are the remains
of a holy person, a saint, and on account of their
Faith boost: People pray near the relics of St Therese of Lisieux inside St John’s Cathedral in Portsmouth, southern England. The relics of St Ther-
connection to that holy person are revered. ese of Lisieux (below left) and her parents (also below) St Louis and St Marie-Azelie (Zelie) will be taken through Australian dioceses in 2020.
In Australia we are used to caring for and
respecting sacred sites.
A place may be sacred for a number of rea-
sons.
It may be a place of spiritual significance to
a people who identify with and are defined by
that place; as is the case with many indigenous
Australians.
It may be a place where an important event
took place and now is part of the national iden-
tity, such as Gallipoli.
It may be a building in which over hundreds
of years people have prayed and worshiped, such
as a church or cathedral.
We all have souvenirs of people we have
loved, insignificant items of little value, but to
us they are treasured gems which move us to
remember a loved one or an event.
When the item attaches to a person it can
bring to mind the attributes and goodness of the
person.
In some cases it can even encourage us to live
according to higher values.
The relics of saints fall into this category.
Relics are physical remains which connect us
with the goodness and holiness of the saint.
They remind us of the saint and through the
saint move us to live better lives.
The saints who are “visiting” Australia are a
mother, a father and their daughter.
St Louis and St Zelie are the only married
couple to have been canonised, and they have a
daughter who was called by Pope St Pius X, the
greatest saint of the modern times.
St Therese, who died in 1897, was a woman
of precocious virtue and prayer.
She says, “For me, prayer is a surge of the presume that this goodness comes through the In this they are of great relevance for us.
heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, parents. They have been where we are, and have
it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing Jesus was taught by Mary and St Joseph. together allowed God to perfect them.
Relics are both trial and joy.” St Therese is the daughter of holiness. Being a family, the Martins prove that the
She shows us that holiness is simple and The Church recognised that goodness is family is the seed ground of holiness and good-
physical remains hidden, it does not seek recognition but turning caught, and so investigated her parents, and ness.
away from self to God, it makes within the hu- found two saints. We can learn from them.
which connect us man heart a place for Jesus. These three saints show us the integrity of Visit one of the churches which will host the
As is the case with Jesus, holiness and good-
with the goodness and ness does not exist in a vacuum.
virtue and holiness.
The path to holiness is the path of struggle and
relics.
Pray and experience the saints.
holiness of the It has a context.
In Jesus’ case the context was the holy family.
ordinary life.
It is carried and lived with love, and depend-
You will experience God and perhaps your
life will change.
saint. Extraordinary goodness does not exist in
isolation.
ence on God.
They experienced the mercy of the Father and
As with a sacred site or souvenir, you can,
through the saint, experience and connect with
If you see a good child, you can generally this mercy crafted the way they lived and loved. the holiness of God.
www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 22 Education
Teachers go bush to learn
A GROUP of 19 early-career
teachers experienced a journey
with a difference as they connect-
ed through two days of wellbe-
ing and professional learning in
Murgon.  Tanya Roberts, from Star of the Sea
In unseasonable heat, the group journeyed
in spirit with one another through a tradi-
tional smoking ceremony before walking
10km along the challenging South Burnett
Rail Trail.
At the end of the first day the group united
for a cool drink and meal at the Dusty Hill
Tavern on the outskirts of town.   rience for the group.
Brisbane Catholic Education manager of
organisational development Stephan Hart said
walking together allowed the group time and
space to talk with unfamiliar colleagues from
across the region.
Mr Hart said the surrounds and movement
gave traction to open and informal discussion.
“Coming together outside the work envi-
ronment stimulated personal conversation
based on raw emotions and reflective think-
ing,” he said.  journey of BCE School Service Centre North
“The context reflected the elements of the
well-being wheel through spiritual, emo-
tional, physical, workload and cognitive
St Augustine’s unveils hub of progress
ST Augustine’s College, Augustine Heights, was
“punching well above its weight” with the open-
ing of its new Senior Years Hub.
Brisbane Catholic Education executive direc-
tor Pam Betts opened the contemporary learning
space following a blessing by Springfield parish
priest Fr Mauro Conte.
Since opening in 2003, the college had ex-
perienced rapid growth and the blessing of the
Senior Years Hub was another big step.
Featuring modern facilities and flexible furni-
ture usually reserved for tertiary campuses, the
open and unique learning environment will help
students in Years 10-12 plan their futures.
The senior students will enjoy the benefits of
seminar rooms, meeting rooms, an auditorium,
a recharge zone with a kitchen, and a deck over-
looking the campus with support from Career
Pathways, guidance counsellor and pastoral staff
located in the same building.
Miss Betts and 2019 college captain Alex
Banlusack unveiled a contemporary painting of
St Augustine by artist Jen Norton.
Assistant principal for
religious education Years
7-12 Simon McAn-
drew said the painting
reflected the vision of
the Senior Years Hub as
a place of welcome and
pathways.
“We wanted
to capture
this by
embrac-
ing the
story of
Augus-
tine
www.catholicleader.com.au
well-being.”  
St Joseph’s School, Murgon principal
Tracey Gerrard said the group was full of life,
smiling, laughing and, despite the exercise, full
of energy upon their return to school.
She said she was “… witness to the transfor-
mational effect of this wonderful initiative”.  
School, Hervey Bay, said she felt supported
and cared for throughout the two days.
“It was just what I needed and a valuable
experience,” she said.
Ashley Crowley, from Xavier Catholic
College, Hervey Bay, said it was an unusual,
but valuable professional development expe-
“All the girls from Hervey Bay appreciated
the time to focus on ourselves and also con-
nect with other teachers in the same position
as us,” she said. 
On the second day the group participated in
a professional learning forum.
This provided a positive and relaxed
environment to engage in inclusive practices,
“well teachers well students”, positive pre-
ventative practices, and to hear the educative
senior leader in Learning and Identity Karen
Harrison, who had walked the footsteps in
rural settings herself.   On the way: Early-career teachers get to know each other on the South Burnett Rail Trail.
– who in his own life faced many choices,
pathways and restlessness,” Mr McAndrew said.
“This image aims to inspire our senior-years
students who are also searching.”
Fr Conte also blessed a First Nations and an El
Salvadorian cross that will find a home in the hub.
Principal Graham Meertens said with modern
teaching practices creating a shift in education
and the way curriculum was delivered, there was
a need to provide more accessible, collabora-
tive and visible learning spaces to engage all
students. Staff and students were invited to share described as a mystical touch from God.
their ideas and opinions on the new facility prior Occurring around the time he was baptised,
to construction. Augustine then returned to North Africa where
Many participated in workshops run by a he would set up his community, become a priest
Brisbane consulting agency with feedback used and later a bishop.
by architects who also integrated the college’s Mr Meertens said with students also learning
Augustinian values into the design. holistically in the new facility, it was important
The seminar rooms – Ostia one and two – to have this Catholic connection in the Senior
were named after the town in Rome where St Years Hub.
Augustine had a spiritual religious experience he Miss Betts said the Senior Years Hub was
a wonderful example of both educational
design and community connection that was
about creating a better future for students
and staff.
She said the hub showcased how BCE
schools were embracing change and
identifying innovative ways to best support
students, so they succeeded in both school
and life.
“I hope all who pass through this hub
will be inspired too as they completed their
education at St Augustine’s College in this
wonderful new facility,” she
said.
Hub opening: Brisbane
Catholic Education execu-
tive director Pam Betts
and St Augustine’s College
2019 college captain Alex
Banlusack unveiled
a contemporary
painting of St
Augustine that
hangs in the
college’s
newly
opened
Senior
Years
Hub.
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

‘Full of grace’
is her name
This is a reflection given by
Pope Benedict XVI at the An-
gelus in St Peter’s Square on
December 8, 2008, for the so-
lemnity of the Immaculate Con-
ception of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
THE mystery of the Immaculate
Conception of Mary, which we are
solemnly celebrating today, reminds us
of two fundamental truths of our faith:
original sin first of all, and then the
victory over it through Christ’s grace, a
victory that shines in a sublime way in
Mary Most Holy.
The existence of what the Church calls “original
sin” is unfortunately glaringly obvious, if we merely
look around us and first of all within ourselves.
The experience of evil is in fact so consistent
that it imposes itself and raises in us the question:
where does it come from?
Especially for a believer, this question is even
more profound – if God, who is absolute Goodness,
created all things, where does evil come from?
The first pages of the Bible (Genesis 1-3) respond
precisely to this fundamental question which chal-
lenges every human generation with the narrative
of Creation and of the fall of our first parents – God
created all things so that they might exist and in
particular he created the human being in his own
image; he did not make death but death entered the
world through the envy of the devil who, rebelling
against God, deceived men and women, and induced
them to rebel as well.
This is the drama of the freedom which God
Your Daily Bread
23
accepts to the very end for love, but promises that
a woman’s son will crush the head of the ancient
serpent (Genesis 3:15).
From the beginning, therefore the “Eternal
Design” as Dante would say, has a “fixed goal”
(Paradise, XXXIII, 3): the Woman predestined to
become Mother of the Redeemer, Mother of the
One who humbled himself unto death to restore us
to our original dignity.
In God’s eyes, this woman has always had a face
and a name: “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), as the An-
gel addressed her when he visited her at Nazareth.
She is the new Eve, the Bride of the new Adam,
destined to be Mother of all the redeemed.
This is what St Andrew of Crete wrote: “The
Theotokos, Mary, the common refuge of all Chris-
tians, was the first to be liberated from the primi-
tive fall of our first parents” (cf. Homily IV on the
Nativity, PG 97, 880 A).
And today’s liturgy says that God “prepared the
Virgin Mary to be the worthy mother of his Son ...
and kept her sinless from the first moment of her
being ... to let her share beforehand in the salva-
tion Christ would bring by his death” (cf. Opening
Prayer for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Concep-
tion).
Dear friends, in Mary Immaculate we contem-
plate the reflection of the Beauty that saves the
world: the beauty of God resplendent on the Face of
Christ. Mary Most
In Mary this beauty is totally pure, humble, free Holy: The
from all pride and presumption. Immaculate
Thus the Virgin showed herself to St Bernadette, Concep-
150 years ago, in Lourdes, and thus she is vener- tion,
ated at numerous shrines. painting by
Giovanni
This afternoon, in accordance with the tradition, Battista Tie-
I too will pay homage to her at the monument dedi- polo, 1767-
cated to her in the square near the Spanish Steps. 1769, in
Let us invoke the Immaculate Virgin confidently, the Museo
repeating with the Angelus the words of the Gospel del Prado,
that today’s liturgy proposes for our meditation. Spain.

SAINTLY LIFE 3rd Sunday of Advent

December 15
2nd Sunday of Advent
December 8
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
St Lucy Second Reading: Romans 5:7-10
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11
Second Reading: Romans 15:4-9
Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

ST Lucy is the patron saint of Syracuse, Sic-

ily, where she was born in 283.
She also died there in 304. It is thought
that she was martyred as part of the persecu-
tion of Christians that happened at the time.
Because of the traditions associating her
name with “light”, she came to be thought
of as the patron of sight and was depicted by
mediaeval artists carrying a dish containing
her eyes.
This depiction could also refer to the
legend which tells that Lucy’s eyes were
removed by Diocletian as part of her torture.
The legend claims that God restored Lucy’s
eyes.
St Lucy’s feast day is December 13.
FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK
Monday - Immaculate Conception of BVM
Feast of universal Church
Wednesday - St Damasus I
Elected pope in 366
Thursday - Our Lady of Guadalupe
Patron of the Americas
Friday - St Lucy
Patron of the blind
Saturday - St John of the Cross
Patron of mystics
Sicilian saint: Saint Lucy, painting by Franc-
esco del Cossa.
Next Sunday’s readings
NEXT Sunday’s Gospel Reading, from
the Gospel of Matthew, for the Third Sun-
day of Advent time teaches us three great
truths of our Christian lives.
When John from his prison sent his
disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the
true Messiah or Christ, Jesus as he usually
did gave no direct answer.
Jesus wanted these disciples of John to
discover for themselves who Jesus really
was by seeing and hearing what he was
doing. Only then could they become his
disciples.
We become disciples of Jesus, and that
is what the being a Christian means, not
only by knowing something about Jesus,
what Jesus taught and what he did.
We become disciples of Jesus only
when we discover who he is for our lives
today, how our lives in our times can be
like his and joined with his life today as the
Christ of God.
We become more and more graced by
God’s love through Jesus as the Christ to
do in our lives today what John’s disciples
heard and saw Jesus doing in his times.
The second great truth we can learn
from the Gospel is the greatness of John
the Baptist, and why Jesus heaped such
praise upon him as one who was more
than a prophet.
John had a unique role, Matthew be-
lieved, to prepare the way for a new com-
ing of God into the world.
God was coming into the world not only
through what he creates and continually
holds in existence, and especially through
the lives of holy people and prophets.
In Jesus, God came personally into the
world in our own humanity.
In Jesus as the risen Christ, God contin-
ues to be personally active in the world.
God is personally present in the human-
ity of all Christians and those who live by
BY FR JOHN REILLY SJ
the power of that same Holy Spirit of love
by which God raised Jesus from death.
The third great truth is the wonder of
this loving presence of God in the lives of
Christians and all who live lives of love.
These are all those who open their lives,
even in the least way, to God’s love for
them, the loving influence of God, which
Jesus called the Kingdom of God (or of
Heaven). They are all persons who live
lives of love.
They do this either consciously in union
with Christ as Christians do, or as persons
unaware of this union with Christ that their
lives lived in love already link them.
The First Reading is pure poetry
from Isaiah, an 8th century BC prophet in
Jerusalem. He describes the joy all those
experience who feel the love of God for
them in their lives, as Jesus himself did so
wonderfully.
They make visible, that is, they glorify,
by their lives the reality of God’s hidden
mystery working in our world. They do not
fear for themselves, for God to whom they
are open comes always with gifts to give,
though not always what we expect.
They recognise God as the one who re-
moves blindness to world and deafness to
others. The joy and gladness of God, that
Jesus felt so deeply, mark their lives.
In the Second Reading, the Letter of
James asks us as Christians to learn from
farmers the grace of patience, who pa-
tiently wait for their crops to grow and their
fruit to appear and ripen.
We all need to learn to wait patiently for
the unfolding of God’s faithful love in our
lives.
The late Fr John Reilly SJ wrote this
commentary in 2013.

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 24 Conversations

POPE Francis is encouraging all Catholics to prepare a nativity scene

Retweet in the days leading up to Christmas and to become enchanted by the
meaning and importance of the scene.
Prayer List
THIS MONTH
POPE’S INTENTIONS
The Future of the Very Young –
That every country take the measures
necessary to prioritise the future of the very
young, especially those who are suffering.

POPE FRANCIS
Pontiff
With this Letter, I wish to
encourage the beautiful fam-
ily tradition of preparing the
nativity scene in the days
before Christmas, but also the
custom of setting it up in the
workplace, in schools, hospi-
tals, prisons and town squares.
MARCUS STEAD
Journalist
Shops and shopping centres
in the UK are terrified of putting
up nativity scenes nowadays
for fear of ‘upsetting people of
other faiths’. In reality, you rare-
ly meet anyone of other faiths
who finds the nativity scene or
Christmas offensive. It’s the PC
do-gooders to blame.
CINDY WOODEN
Journalist
#PopeFrancis is praying in
the chapel built into the cave
in Greccio where St. Francis of
Assisi set up the first Nativity
scene in 1223.
ARCHBISHOP LEO CUSHLEY
Edinburgh archbishop
The annual Nativity Carol
Concert in Edinburgh is a won-
derful event, and the Nativity
scene on The Mound reminds
passers-by about the true
meaning of Christmas.
THIS WEEK
Iraq – Pope Francis has prayed for
hundreds of people killed or wounded in
protests in Iraq in the past two months.
Mali – The United Nations remains con-
cerned about deadly terror attacks in Mali.
Mexico – Violent clashes between police
and suspected cartel gunmen in a northern
Mexican town killed 21 people recently.
Syria – An airstrike on a market in a
rebel-held town in north-west Syria recently
killed 13 civilians.

Have your Say
Post: GPO Box 282,
Brisbane, QLD 4001
The views expressed in the Letters to the Editor are
not necessarily endorsed by and do not necessarily
represent the views of The Catholic Leader or the
Archdiocese of Brisbane. Letters are submitted on
the condition The Catholic Leader may edit them in
a manner which meets publication and style require-
@ ments.

editor@catholicleader.com.au
No-name letters
THE Catholic Leader reminds writers to Have
Your Say that letters should carry a name, ad-
facebook.com/TheCatholicLeader Deep in
dress and contact telephone number.
prayer:
“Praying We receive many letters from anonymous writ-
twitter.com/TheCatholicLead for God to ers requesting publication. Without your name
intervene and contact details this is not possible.
directly We will not usually publish a letter that has al-
in natural ready appeared in another newspaper, neither

Life and death processes

JUST over a year ago, we
saw the sickening spectacle
Peter
Davidson of female Queensland par-
Ashgrove, liamentarians hugging and
Qld congratulating one another
for their success in legalis-
ing the killing of unborn
babies for any reason and
by any means necessary, even up to the moment
of birth.
More recently, this scene was repeated in New
South Wales.
Now, we see outpourings of grief over the
deaths of two small children in an overheated
car, and murder charges laid against the mother,
charges which do not even require proof that she
intended their deaths.
The clear message is that if you want to kill
your child, do it before she takes her first breath,
and the law will support you all the way, and
taxpayers will pick up the bill.
There is a deep sickness in a society
which refuses all legal protection for its small-
or human
will we normally publish anything which is more
than 400 words.
We routinely edit contributions for defamation,
affairs is
grammar, prolixity, coherence and style.
always
question-
able.”
When it comes to this present terrible drought,
est members, simply because we have not yet I think that deep in our hearts we all know that change in people might lead to charity in
seen their faces. where the answers to those kinds of prayers
helping drought-stricken families and their local
lies.
What to pray for The answers lie in us, human beings, God’s
children, God’s walking-around-every-day
townspeople; wisdom in accepting the reality
of climate change and making long-term plans
to factor severe droughts into life on the land;
I AM surprised that the images.
Baptised Christians add “other Christs” to creativity in instituting projects to provide water
Australian bishops have
this description of themselves and many of their to drought-prone areas without damaging existing
Gerard Hore instituted a national prayer
neighbours. ecosystems; and prudence in recognising that
Toowoom- campaign “for the gift of
ba, Qld Whether we are seeking world peace, help in agriculture, even pastoralism, is untenable some
rain ...”.
Doesn’t that imply that, drought time or a win for our team, we know areas.
somehow, God has slipped they all become more likely if a change begins Growth in those virtues is something for which
up by allowing drought to and is nurtured in people. we Christians have always prayed.
come upon the land? Let’s pray for openness to that kind of We can pray for them with real hope of success
Does God now need a reminder to get the change. everywhere.
divine mind back on the job? Our prayers are humble ones; we know we That’s very different from a situation where,
Praying for God to intervene directly in natural can’t make the changes ourselves, only the say, the people of Longreach could be seen as
processes or human affairs is always question- Holy Spirit can do that but the Spirit needs our closer to God, if it rained there, than their fellow
able. co-operation. Christians in Dalby who missed out.

from

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www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

Cool musical adventure
FROZEN 2: Starring voices BOTH the filmmakers and the central
of Idina Men- voice cast of the much-loved 2013
zel, Kristen Bell, original are reunited in Frozen 2.
Josh Gad, Jona- They deliver an exuberant animated musical
than Groff, Even
Rachel Wood.
Film adventure that’s suitable for a wide demographic.
While generally wholesome, however, this
sequel is not appropriate for all.
Directed by Jen- Too scary for the littlest patrons, the film’s na-
ture mythos – which deals, among other things,
nifer Lee and with the “spirits” of the four elements, earth,
Allison Schroeder. Rated PG air, fire and water – may also be confusing for
(Some scenes may scare impressionable movie-goers.
Teenagers solidly instructed in the faith, by
younger children). 103 min- contrast, will easily let such ideas go.
utes Queen Elsa of Arendelle (voice of Idina
Menzel), having succeeded her father on the
throne and healed the breach with her younger
By John Mulderig sister Princess Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), is
reigning contentedly over her realm and has little
Dominican’s answers are fresh, Christ-centred
WHAT IS THE POINT OF BE- The relevance of every reference is clear and
a concise explanation accompanies each just in
ING A CHRISTIAN? case elucidation is needed.
Timothy Radcliffe OP; Blooms- His treatment of the Mass is augmented in a
bury Pic, London; 2018 similar manner.
Peter Carey’s unique perspective of Ned
Kelly makes a surprise appearance.
WHY GO TO CHURCH? The avowed atheist, Richard Dawkins figura-
Timothy Radcliffe OP; tively rubs shoulders with Karl Marx.
Bloomsbury Pic; 2008 The Australian Jesuit Father Gerry O’Collins
probably forgets he distracted me from my ba-
Reviewed by Terry Oberg sic theological studies by appearing
one Saturday morning with a prized
FATHER Timothy Radcliffe is the only Eng- possession – a ticket to Princes Park
lishman to be Master of his famous religious to see my then beloved Carlton
overwhelm a neighbouring mob
congregation, the Order of Preachers, more
called Collingwood.
popularly known as the Dominicans.
Jesaulenko suddenly became
At least nine books bear
more attractive than St Augustine.
his name.
The same world-famous theologi-
He has written for The
an, Fr O’Collins, graces these pages.
Tablet and, while leading
his fellow friars, he com-
posed more than a dozen
Book The great poets are enlisted to cast
light on the drama that is the Mass.
That few if any of our Catholic
letters aimed at specific
schools promote the glorious work
aspects of the active reli- of Gerard Manley Hopkins has not
gious life.
prevented his appearance here.
These two titles are complementary in many
The temperamental Jesuit evokes God’s sac-
ways.
ramental presence as he celebrates “the dearest
Both are reliant on the author’s wide reading
freshness deep down things”.
and his astute use of quotes from diverse sources.
Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden find
The parade of authoritative figures in the
their ways into this superb cavalcade of litera-
larger work embraces a range from Aristo-
ture to which our author appends his own very
tle, Aquinas and the early Church fathers to special, very human, Christ-centred spirituality.
his countryman, novelist and TV personality
Melvyn Bragg. lll
Australia’s Raymond Gaita and Patrick White In replying to the question about the point of
are welcome presences. Christianity, Fr Radcliffe emphasises the dif-
So too are some of the prolific writers of his ference between the joy that should identify the
own order with Bede Jarrett and Herbert Mc- followers of Christ and the confused state that
Cabe being foremost. is the consequence of “the climate of mistrust
www.catholicleader.com.au
Arts + entertainment
use for the magical power to create ice and snow
with which she’s endowed.
But such placidity will never do, so a compli-
cation necessarily arises.
Elsa begins to hear a mysterious voice calling
her into the wilderness beyond Arendelle and
holding out to her the prospect of discovering the
origins of her supernatural gift.
Rather than consult a psychiatrist, she re-
sponds by embarking on a quest.
Along with Anna, Elsa is accompanied on her
journey of discovery by Kristoff (voice of Jona-
than Groff), the iceman who would like to make
Anna his own, and by merry sentient snowman
Olaf (voice of Josh Gad).
As the quartet, together with Kristoff’s faith-
ful reindeer sidekick Sven, become entangled in
a long-standing conflict between the Inuit-like
Northuldra tribe and some exiles from Aren-
delle, Kristoff’s repeated attempts to propose go
and suspicion” that some agents of modernity
engender.
The secular media and consumerism are
specifically mentioned as being inimical to the
values of Christ.
On the road to Jerusalem, the apostles bicker
about which of them is the greatest.
Using “ordinariness” as the measuring stick,
the nature of the Christian vocation is analysed.
The Church is also examined as a strong fac-
tor in uniting humanity.
The following chapter
specifies how this unity
can be a panacea for
many of our contem-
porary ailments: social
injustice, avarice, the
absolute value placed
on private property and
money, and the use of
language to exclude
groups and offend those
who may appear to be
unacceptably different,
are issues targeted.
The tensions within
Christianity are painted
in dark, forbidding colours accompanied by the
stark suggestion that there may be little point in
being Christian if we promote and even exploit
internal wrangles that often are superficial and
self- indulgent.
The sub-title of his work relating to church
attendance is “The Drama of the Eucharist”.
In keeping with this appropriate metaphor, his
ideas are structured along the lines of a theatre
script.
Each of the three sections is divided into acts
which, in turn, produce six, four and five scenes.
Following a foreword from the former
25
Charming
again:
Elsa (voice
of Idina
Menzel)
and other
animated
characters
appear in
the movie
Frozen 2.
Photo: CNS
disastrously – and amusingly – awry.
Irrepressible Olaf provides further comic relief.
Screenwriter and co-director Jennifer Lee and
her partner at the helm Chris Buck stress team-
work, family solidarity and upright values.
But, along with the somewhat unscriptural
outlook on the natural world Lee’s script estab-
lishes, at least some adult viewers may find its
exaltation of the life of indigenous people over
industrialised societies heavy-handed.
But why look beyond the obvious charm of
Frozen 2 and the fun it evokes?
Its flaws are ultimately outweighed by sym-
pathetic characters, visual flair and skillful, if
sometimes overly complicated, storytelling.
The film contains stylised combat and consid-
erable peril.
John Mulderig is on the staff of Catholic
News Service.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams,
the reader journeys through a chronological
explanation of the Mass.
Never far from the surface is the “why” of
the title.
Father’s answers are fresh, Christ-centred and
expertly presented.
“Here I am”, introduces a study of the
importance of the daily Gospel reading and its
essential role in the eucharistic mystery.
Allusions to Webster’s Dictionary and Trol-
lope’s Barchester Towers lead into a
dissertation on the homily’s part in
the Mass.
The Mother of God is the cen-
trepiece as the homily is further
dissected.
The analysis of the creed is also
deemed worthy of two scenes.
In this manner the Mass is mi-
nutely explained from start to finish,
always linked to his thesis about
church attendance.
These days Fr Radcliffe often
writes for the independent, Catholic
media.
Occasionally his columns have
ruffled some conservative feathers, although
rarely, if ever, could he be considered wilfully
divisive.
These two books present a spirituality that is
uncomplicated, immensely attractive and spiced
by the aesthetics of well-chosen literary refer-
ences that delight as well as enlighten.
The Dominicans have contributed much to
the development of the Church. These two
treatises are proof positive that their valuable
ministry continues to blossom.
Both books are available at St Paul’s Book
Centre, 277 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City.
The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019
 26 Extra

PET OF THE WEEK IN THE KITCHEN

IT is the feast of St John of the Cross on
December 14. He was born in Spain so
here’s a Spanish recipe to try.

COLOUR OF LIFE Luke 1:26-38

Gospel, December 9

“The angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a
virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s
name was Mary.” – Luke 1:26-27

BELLE is a four-year-old female domes-

tic medi-um-hair cross cat. A spokesper-
son for Animal Welfare League Queens-
land said Belle was a “sweet, lovely
girl” who “loves people” and “will melt
your heart”. Call AWLQ on 3631 6800
to arrange a meeting, or search Animal ARROZ CON LECHE
Welfare League Queensland website to (Spanish Rice Pudding)
see all animals which are available for Serves 4
adoption.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups milk

IN THE GARDEN
1 cinnamon stick
3 strips lemon rind
Pinch of salt
TREAT camellias, gardenias, roses and 1/2 cup short-grain white rice
orchids against magnesium deficiency. 3 medium egg yolks, beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan, slowly bring the milk,
cinnamon stick, strips of lemon rind and salt
to a boil. With a slotted spoon, remove the
cinnamon and lemon rind. Stir in the rice and
egg yolks, reduce the heat and allow the
rice to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring
constantly.
When the rice is soft, add the sugar and
butter and combine well. Pour the mixture
into a serving dish, sprinkle with nutmeg, and
WIN A PRIZE PACK Name
serve warm. (Can be served cold.) Address
Send your entry to: New Generation, The
Catholic Leader, GPO Box 282, Brisbane, P/C
Qld 4001. Entries close on December 9.
This week’s winner is Bethany McLindon, 7,
Phone
of Oxley, Qld. Age

CROSSWORD
Across 7 Made a rooster noise (6) 19 The Good Samaritan,
8 Encounters (5) the Prodigal Son etc. (8)
1 Goes past the limit (7) 12 Of an ordered religious 22 Article (5)
5 Hit forcefully (6) understanding (11)
23 Translated the bible into
9 Unawareness (9) 14 ___ of God, you take
10 They found that the ___ away the sins of the world Latin (6)
had been rolled away from (4) 26 Night-time imagining (5)
the tomb (5) 16 Husband of Eve (4) 27 Category (4)
11 ____ Stein: died at Aus- 18 Event (8) 30 Guided (3)
chwitz; canonised 1998 (5)
12 Inform (4)
13 Written words (4)
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
15 Holy war (7)
17 Parsimonious (4)
20 Israelites often turned
from God to worship ___ (4)
21 Mother of Jacob (7)
24 ___ and you will find (4)
25 Easter gifts (4)
26 Theatrical story (5)
28 ___ in the garden: sor-
rowful mystery (5)
29 Ecclesial ministry has a
___ nature (9)
31 Make known (6)
32 Insists (7)

Down

1 Used to support a claim
(8)
2 Carry on (8)
3 On ____ as it is in heaven
(5)
4 Jesus: __ of God (3)
5 Star of the Sea (6,5)
6 Go upwards (4)

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

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www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019

 28 Humans of the Church
‘You say you want to be the best teacher, you want to be this
and you want to be that, but I just want you to be you’

Teaching with Gospel passion

By Joe Higgins
LUKE Thomsen repeated his wish
over in his head: “Make me the best
teacher I could possibly be”.
The boy from Mackay was a long way from
home.
He had climbed up to Santa Maria de Mont-
serrat Abbey in Catalonia while on World Youth
Day 2011 in Spain to see the Black Madonna
statue.
He had been told it was “like a genie”.
Ask it for something and the ancient statue of
Mary and Child might just grant you your wish.
Wading his way to the head of the queue of
pilgrims, he uttered his wish to the Black Ma-
donna and he walked down out of the shrine area
feeling “just empty”.
“And fake,” he said.
“I just asked a random statue to do something
supernatural for me and I don’t even know who
it is or why I did it.
“I was just trying to get something out of it.
“I felt like I was completely aimless, like
driftwood.”
He turned from the shrine and, around the
corner, he discovered a chapel cave with a
crucifix.
He knelt down before the crucifix and said,
“Alright, I might as well aim this at who these
people are claiming God to be”.
He knelt before the crucifix and said again,
“Make me the best teacher I can be”.
The more he repeated his request, the more
he wrestled with what he wanted – not, “Make
me the best teacher I can be”, but “Make me the
best man I can be”, then, “Make me the best of
myself”.
He broke down in tears, saying God was
calling him to be something “so much more
humble” than what he aspired to be.
“‘You say you want to be the best teacher,
you want to be this and you want to be that, but I
just want you to be you’,” Luke said of what he Loving Jesus: Assistant principal for religious education at St Stephen’s Primary School, Algester, Luke Thomsen wants to help others “intensely
develop” their relationship with Jesus. Photo: Joe Higgins
heard God saying in prayer.
“That was the shifting point for me.”
But Luke was wary of language like “shift- coffee or milkshake together afterwards. guy’,” he said. through their relationship with Jesus, it’s worth
ing points” or “surrender” moments; it relegated He was led far from Christianity in his forma- Luke was “humanistic and social justice- sharing,” he said.
the lifespan of little influences that were not as tive years, delving into eastern philosophies and minded”, concerned with his carbon footprint Luke said he was recently listening to atheist
obvious. religions, before returning to Christ in that little and making sure his clothes were sourced from biologist Dr Richard Dawkins and podcaster Joe
Instead of seeing it as the moment of change, chapel cave in Catalonia. slavery-free chains. Rogan talk about the Bible, and their fundamen-
he saw it as the culmination of changes settling He had a brief stint as a bricklayer before he “I was kind to people and nice to people but talist reading of it astounded him.
in his heart – the “centre of his rose window” found his passion in teaching. interiorly, I was living such a selfish life and a
“Any sensible person reads the Bible in its
had taken root in Jesus. He started teaching in Beaudesert, and met lot of my motives were heavily influenced by
It was in hindsight he saw those little influ- full context, and the values that come out of the
his wife Sarah, “a strong and constant inspira- a desire to want to look good and want to feel
ences. tion”, and, after some other jobs, he joined St good about myself,” he said. Bible that we’re all made in the image and like-
One of them was a guitar hanging below a Stephen’s. “Before, I was at the centre of that rose win- ness of Gods – those values weren’t around in
run of crosses – overlooked by pictures of his Two years in and he loves it. dow and everything was around it. any ancient Greek philosophy,” he said.
wife Sarah and children John, Mary and Sophia Without a parish church nearby, Luke focused “Now, Jesus is at the at centre, and everything “That’s an incredible philosophy, that every
– in his office at St Stephen’s Primary School, on a program that nourished the children’s faith in my life is around Him.” person you see is made in the image and likeness
Algester. lives through sacramentality, outreach, prayerful- And it came at a cost. of God.
Luke’s dad died when he was 12 years old and ness and formation. “I’d say I’ve lost more friends becoming “And who is God? God is pure love.
Mercy Sister Denise Hinton came to teach him He said he had personally seen changes in the Christian, people who think I’m bigoted, narrow- “When you’re looking at someone else,
guitar. students. minded, all those sorts of things because of my anyone, you’re looking at love manifest in the
“She just taught me the basics of how to play The program included Eucharistic adoration faith,” he said. world.
guitar and I didn’t think anything of it,” he said. and engaging with the Word. “Which is sad, when in actual fact, God has “To live by that value alone is just so life-
“I didn’t think she was trying to evangelise me “If it’s allowed one child to have a deeper just shifted my whole purpose and focus in life
giving, that’s what Jesus talks about when he
or form me, but she was. understanding of what living a sacramental life from me to Him.”
says, ‘I have come that you may have life and
“So those things that people do throughout the is, or be more interested in learning who Jesus Teaching now was easy.
years that you don’t attribute your conversion to, is in their lives, I would call that success,” he “I think when you know what the message is have it to the full’.
they really have a massive impact.” said. and you know how helpful it is, from your own “Those values are worth sharing.”
His mum was a great support in his life too. Luke said spreading the Gospel was not his experience but also from the experience you see Luke said it was a blessing to see those values
In senior school, Luke was discovering original reason to get into teaching. in others, the witness you see in other people’s manifest in children’s lives at his school.
Christianity and made a deal with his mum – she “In those years before 2010, anyone who lives, the way that people are changed and the The Black Madonna might have granted him
would come to church with him if they had a did know me would say, ‘Luke’s a really good way people are living their lives to the full his wish after all.

www.catholicleader.com.au The Catholic Leader, December 8, 2019