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No. 2006. PERTH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1 1, 1976
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Vocations in life; decline
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ROME (NC). — The concept of full commitment to a vow or promise is not a very popular one today among many people in all walks of religious and lay life occordinq to Cardinal Wright, Prefect of the Vatican CongregatIon for the Clergy. Years ago, the American "It has become a comcardinal assigned to Rome monplace to lament that • Bishop Myles McKEON and Father G. CROCETTI with the newly arrived Thai Carmelites Sisters at Nedlands Carmel this week. said, "vocations to the there is a serious shortage priesthood and religious life of vocations to the priestWere taken for granted as hood. permanent. "I am far from convinced "Defections were unheard that this is the case or that, of (or rarely heard of) and if it is, it is in any way then for clear reasons, be- peculiar to the priesthood." cause the vocations had inConceding that there are volved honest-to-God 'fun- priest shortages in some deand evening; the remainder A strange twist to a damental options' and par- veloping nations, the car- series of events and a of the time is made up of took of the stability of Him dinal said that "if it is true two-hour rush for "work, sleeping and eating" the to whom they were respon- in the present stage of our according to one Sister. airport characterised sese," he explained. Work is the traditional social and historical devel- the h;storic entry of opment that there is a tem- ten Thai contempla- departure from Bangkok, occupation of making altar "NO ACCIDENT" the archbishop's secretary breads and vestments, also a porary shortage of priests fives into Australia last said that "It is no accident that an this was the time little gardening — but for in some areas of society, it age of defections from reliwhen East was sending its the latter "there is very litis also true that there is. a week. gious vocations is also an The group of Discalced Christian envoys to the West tle time." shortage of teachers, docage of quickie divorces," he Any question about their tors, technicians, poets, en- Carmelites were welcomed reversing the pattern by pointed out. gineers and useful people last week by Bishop Mc- which Christian missionar- need to be in touch with "The key word is comKeon who has arranged for ies had brought the faith to newspapers, radio or televigenerally. mitment to a call from them to establish a com- Thailand. sion can be met with a God." munity in the former Mercy "MISLEADING" The ten Sisters come swift laughing reply that He maintained that the Convent at Dardanup. from the two communities "there is no time for these "All of these callings . • diminishing number of reliUp till two hours before at Bangkok and Chantaburi. distractions;" some of them vocations," stresshe involve gious vocations today was saw a television set for the departure, final clearance merely symptomatic of mod- ed. 50 YEARS OLD first time at Bangkok air"Accordingly, the talk had not been obtained for ern times when people no The Thai Carmelite foun- port but it is a minor event sisters, they but two of the shortage of special a longer looked for vocations about dation is 50 years old, hav- in their life. vocations in the priesthood were prepared for the rush ing been founded from Caof any type. Their prompt answer is permission was minute the "Today, they are looking is somewhat wide of the mbodia, which in turn was that they are more in touch caught they the and secured, misleading." for jobs, careers, even rack- mark and founded from Saigon and with the world than most Instead, he maintained plane on time. ets," he wrote. originally from Lisieux. people realise: coincidence, two the a By "The idea of a special that. the overall shortage of The 17 Cambodian CarPerth in been had Sisters be could call from God to do some- vocations today melite Sisters had to flee "IN THE WORLD" years ago when a thing that no-one else is attributed to "the fact that several last year and are now in "People come along and CarmelThai of called to do is a rare phe- the very sense of vocation succession Belgium. join us at Mass; they ask ites spent time at Nedlands Of the ten who have come for our prayers; they tell nomenon in our day." (CONTINUED PAGE 2) learning English. to Australia, one is a con- us of their problems; their -vert to Catholicism, the oth- sorrows become our sorU.S. PRESENCE ers being of families of two rows. urged The step had been or three generations of Ca"We are not of the world, by the Carmelite Father Ge- tholicism; nine. are Thai neral in view of the big born and one joined from but we are in the world; are free to go if we number of American civil- Singaporelike. ian and military personnel "We love people, we who were in Thailand at the THREE-YEAR TRIAL know their problems, we Membership of a Carmeltime. If the visitors to Aust- ite community is generally don't keep them out; some ralia ever thought of re- permanent but in this case, people have very little time turning. it .was a distant the Sisters, all finally pro- to pray and we pray for fessed and four of them them. dream. The old chestnut about Bishop McKeon approa- over 25 years in religious silence in the contemplative ched the Thai Sisters sever- life, will be on a three-year al years ago about coming trial to see if the Dardanup convents is shattered by the remark that the two hours to Australia, but according conditions suit them. They live the standard allowed each day for speakto their superior, it was "out of the question." way of life of the some ing "is not enough". bishop rethe the 15,000 Carmelite contemtime By ASK FOR GEOFF CHURACK, peated his request in Oct- platives around the world. "TALKATIVE" PETER FENNESSY OR PAT MURPHY. "We are not silent by Their diet is without meat, ober .last year, there had in fact we are very nature, change. but fish food is allowed. been a Formal prayer is made up talkative; you cannot force "It set me thinking if this was the will of God," of Mass, the full recitation silence from the outside, it grows CANNINGTON: 1308 Albany H/Way. 68 1826 of the Office and an hour is something that she said. MELVILLE: Canning H/Way. 39 1711 lic 0891. •(CONTINUED P. 2) On the occasion of their of meditation at morning
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