Blessed are the la
Notre Dame Deputy Vice Chancellor HAYDEN RAMSEY on why Catholic universities place such a high premium on justice.
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"Be indefatigable in your purpose and with undaunted spirit resist iniquity and try to conquer evil with good, having before your eyes the reward of those who combat for Christ." -BISHOP MATTHEW GIBNEY 1874
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Happiness allround as two more deacons ordained
Western Australia's award-winning Catholic newspaper since 1874 - Wednesday, November 25, 2009
In parish speech, Archbishop sketches crisis of Europe's increasing attacks on children, families, parents, Church and urges Christians here to become...
BY ANFHONY BARICH National Reporter
Archbishop Barry Hickey blesses a meal prepared by parishioners at Good Shepherd Parish in Kelmscott in early November during a three-day pastoral visit to the parish. Standing next to the Archbishop is Good Shepherd Catholic School Chair, Loreto Bennetts. During a talk before the meal Archbishop Hickey described the deeply troubling rise in secularism and hostility to Christianity he had encountered during a recent trip to Europe. PHOTO: PETER ROSENGREN
BY ANTHONY BARICH National Reporter SPENDING a year as deacons will give Rodrigo Tomala and Benny Calanza a solid foundation for the life of service that is the priesthood, Perth Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton said at the pair's ordination to the diaconate at St Lawrence Church, Balcatta on November 22. Rodrigo, 39, from Ecuador and Benny, 38, from the Philippines, are members of the Neocatechumenal Way and undertook their training at the Archdiocesan Redemptoris Mater Seminary, run under the auspices of the Way in Morley. During the Mass, the first time he has ordained deacons, Bishop Sproxton said the diaconate sometimes loses standing when compared with priestly and episcopal (bishop) ordinations, but is in fact foundational for the priestly ministry. "To experience the deacon's ministry of service sets the foundation for these men to have learned that the priesthood is also a ministry of being there - especially for the poor and marginalised. It's the reason why the diaconate was Please turn to Page 3
Bishops to reclaim Valentine's Day focus Parishes, schools urged to focus on centrality of lifelong marriage and real meaning of love
Latest ordinations see future shepherds of Perth continue to roll out, both for needs of the Church and for those seeking meaning in their lives
Newly ordained deacons Rodrigo Tomala, at left, and Benny Calanza enjoy the moment with Bishop Donald Sproxton after last Friday's ordination. PHOTO ANTHONY BARICH
Perth, Western Australia $2
AUSTRALIA'S Bishops have launched a "bold initiative" to reclaim the sacred from the secular in St Valentine's Day, urging every parish and school in the country to promote a new resource that strengthens life-long marriage and romantic love. Bishop Eugene Hurley of Darwin, Chairman of the Bishops' Commission for Pastoral Life, launched Celebrating St Valentine: Honouring life-long marriage and romantic love on November 19.
.. THE LEAVEN .OF PUBLIC LIFE The Church, he said, confronts a crisis in Europe where hostility to the Catholic faith is growing. At least one government has begun issuing y any standard, it was a sobering, if guidelines for such unpalatable practices as parents informal, talk given by Archbishop sexually stimulating their children from the earliest Barry Hickey to parishioners at Good age to determine whether they are 'straight' or 'gay.' Shepherd Parish in Kelmscott on the For the time being, he said, such practices are evening of November 8. still considered in Australia to constitute sexual The occasion was a common meal organised abuse of children. by parish priest Fr Francis Recent decisions such as the Sundararajan for parish volunteers I one on crucifixes in Italian public The main problem] is the in the parish hall at the conclusion schools indicated national soverinstability and breakdown of a three-day pastoral visit by the eignty is now seriously under attack of family life. It goes with Archbishop. from larger political organisations attacks on the family, the While Archbishop Hickey began such as the European Union. undermining of parental his comments setting out the parOther measures include removrights, and the work of ish as a school for growth in love of ing the rights of parents to be the international agencies and others and in faith, his comments educators of their children in such secular governments to quickly moved to the global dimendelicate and vital life matters as sex sions of the rise of secularism and hasten the disappearance education. hostility to religious faith most, but While there are numerous public of the Christian family and not exclusively, visible in Europe. calls for action in areas from global to take over the role of parOn a recent visit to the continent warming to swine flu, the main ents. This is serious stuff, on Church business he had encounthe breakdown of marproblem, but lam not tered numerous reports of measures riages and family life, is ignored exaggerating." initiated by various national or panalmost everywhere, he said. - Archbishop Hickey speaking at European governments. Among the measures needed Kelmscott on November 8 The scale and extent of the grownow in Australia, it was critical for ing hostility to marriage, the famChristians, especially young people, ily, children and the Church had left him "shak- to consider entering politics and public life to help en and a little stunnecr he told his audience at rebuild a humane society, he said. the parish. ARCHBISHOP'S SPEECH - VISTA 2-3
BY PETER ROSENGREN Editor
B
Australia's Bishops are seeking to reclaim the true dignity of marital love and marriage with their new initiative for St Valentine's Day next year.
"In recent years, St Valentine's Day has become increasingly secularised," Bishop Hurley said. -Saint' has been dropped from the title and the emphasis has shifted from romantic love in the context of life-long marriage, to romantic relationships of any persuasion. "This parish initiative is a bold attempt to reclaim the sacred from the secular and use the innate joyfulness of the feast to promote and affirm marriage and life-long romantic love." Few would question the gift that a loving, stable marriage brings to the family and wider commuPlease turn to Page 6
-AM