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No. 1991. PERTH, THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1976
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THE ABORIGINES LOT
pro tectiv e • ment made to 'an insult'
The pigment of the Aborigines that was o sign of God's protective love had been turned into on insult and o sign of degradation, Sister Bernardine, Sister of Mercy, told congregations in St. Mary's Cathedral last Sunday.
I 50 years a singer in the Cathedral Last Tuesday, veteran Cathedral choir identity Jack McCann (right in the picture above) was handed by Archbishop Goody a special Papal Blessing to honour his fifty years of singing service to St. Mary's Cathedral.
who later added the boys' section.
Mr. McCann remembers only one other, the late Peter Roxby, ever having attained a similar fifty years of service. Jack McCann was a young man of 26 when
Mass Timetable The second of the thrice-yearly publication of the Mass timetable for Perth, Bunbury, New Norcia and Geraldton dioceses will appear in the issue of August 5. Any alterations to the last publication in April MUST be in the hands of The editor, The Record, G.P.O. Box R1279, Perth 6001, by Monday; July 26, in WRITING (no phone details accepted) signed and dated for reference. Where inaccuracies have been reported parish entries will be abstracted forthwith. Since people depend on accurate information especially whcn travelling during the coming school holidays, parishes are recommended to extend the Courtesy of providing this important servke to travellers.
he arrived in Australia in 1926 from England. He joined the Cathedral choir immediately and on his first holiday in Australia he met his late wife, Peggy Brennan, also a singer and choir soloist with the late Lorna Sydney Smith. Mr. Sydney Smith was then conductor of the choir and Theo Taylor was the organist. The choir was a mixed body of 40 voices, singing the 11 a.m. Mass each Sunday and often giving additional concerts.
FATHER LYNCH The St. Mary's Cathedral choir became -an all-male group in 1938 under the direction of Father Albert Lynch.
In his fifty years, Jack McCann remembers affectionately the talents of Mrs. Elsie Clear. contralto; Walter Ruse and Bill Ginivan, basses; and Frank Atkinson, the father of present choir bass singer, Joe Atkinson.
Other singing activities of Jack McCann included singing with the University Choral Society and Arthur Buss and the Ross Memorial Orotories.
ON INSIDE PAGES 4 Calendar C lassified 10 A dvertising 8 Letters 4 News In Pars Sister Philomena Earle 9 10, 11, 12 Sport 9 T.V. & Radio
She said that in the popu"What would we feel if Sister Bernardine listed lar mind white had become a bulldozer tore up the the little hurdles that were equated with light and ground in which our mother great barriers to this race. goodness and black with was buried and in which, in • Pension cheques that evil and dirt. some way, her spirit lived could not be cashed in reon?", she said.. These were among her respectable food and clothmarks -when she spoke at This was some indication ing stores but were very acthe morning and evening of the Aboriginal approach ceptable over the counters Masses in the cathedral on to land. of wine saloons. Aborigines Sunday. The Aborigines were a • Embarrassment caused The rare appearance of a sharing people, down to the by illiteracy — inability to woman Religious speaking last cigarette, she said. read simple signs in hospifrom the steps of the sancttals, etc. — and sweating uary during the homily was "GIVE HIM MINE" over fixing a simple cross the result of an invitation as their signature on official When she had no more by the Administrator for papers. Sister Bernardine to share extra food to give a caller • Not being allowed to with the congregation her asking help for a friend the try on clothes in shops the views On work for Aborigi- caller had replied: -Then way other people were pergive him mine." today. nes "There are saints in East mitted. APPLAUSE Perth and miracles do hap- APPEAL Her 20-minute address at pen," Sister Bernardine said. A continual rejection had the two Masses was greetTo a drunk whom she brought about a deep feeled with applause on each could not allow to stay in ing of inferiority, so much occasion. her hostel she had diffident- so that for many Aborigines She opened with a refer- ly given a blanket, half ex- the cry was: "I don't want ence to Captain Cook's re- pecting him to die. In the to cause trouble." mark on arriving in Austral- morning he was back and Sister Bernardine concludia when he saw the Aborig- she asked how he had sured with a forthright appeal: ines as 'a most degraded peo- vived. "I did not come to ask ple but asked whether they "I looked up to heaven for money, but if you have had a happiness that we and saw Jesus and the any special talents, offer would never know. warmth of His life remained them to your Archbishop That was in 1788. with me all night," he , re- for his continuing work among the Aborigines." For 1976, she quoted plied. Kath Walker: Though baptised, blessed and Bibled We are still tabooed and libelled; You devout salvation sellers Make us equals, not fringe dwellers. She referred to the difficulty in identifying with Church congregations.
"I STOPPED GOING" A t a recent meeting the Archbishop had asked a woman why she .did not come to Mass. She replied that, when she did go, nobody sat near or talked to her. "So I stopped going tc church," the woman added Sister Bernardine referred to the Aborigines' deep spinituality, relating it to their quest for land rights.
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