PARISH NEWS Bentley school debate •............. P2, 4 1 14 HIGHGATE 5 Dateline — New priest: / Pathways of Spirit8, 9 K ALAMUNDA....... — New priest; PERTH, WA: NUMBER: 2311: Frail aged hostel ...10 NOVEMBER 4— NOVEMBER 10, 1982 ADDRESS. 26 John Street, Perth, WA, 6000 14 Wed 50 years 3: QUEENS PARK PO Box 50, Aberdeen Street, Perth, WA, 6000 — New priest: Catholics and TM 16
P6 1: FREMANTLE — Father Max Davis:
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Children stay put at anta Clara
In spite of the massive publicity surrounding Santa Clara school last week the issue appears to have had little, if any, immediate effect on parents and there have been no further developments in the enrolment policy.
The acting principal Sister Thomas, who is annual general meeting of doing is what they want — "They are from parents Because it was a full-day ian parents. and I have seen dozens of who are really concerned pre-primary and not a The effect of the publicity of the school Sister temporarily replacing the October 26. the Bentley Thomas OP said only school principal Sister Dr Richard McSweeney, their circulars saying this and want something done. h alf -day they were surroundingstill hard to currently in of the Catholic Education over the years." Local parents have said approached for enrolment school is one family who had IDolores, reland, said enrolment C ommission, met with by all kinds of people in the gauge. to pay they are prepared a lready intended plans or programmes were the price of a drop in enrol- local area and beyond. Father Hewitt last Friday, moving to another not yet formulated for next principally to ask that the ment even if it means a These children were autoarea, had withdrawn y ear because a new discussion matically phased into Year Heavy support reduction in facilities. Not welcomed be taken out of children.
principal, Sister Anne OP, t he public arena. "In the letters people have 1 of Santa Clara school. The One non-Catholic parent would be taking over the Record was told this week said they would do the Sister Thomas said the Sources say the publicity had misunderstood the school. Two committed that the CEC would be Father Hewitt said he had same rather than have pre-primary had become which has been circulated matter and withdrawn the non-Catholic families had making no further way they things stay the only a baby-minding situa- through the Eastern States state- received heavy support folchildren. already been interviewed ments or making its moves lowing his press story. He are." tion for some of these is not welcomed by ComFather Hewitt, priest in for next years enrolment. public. had taken over 100 phone Father Hewitt said he was parents. charge of Bentley, said a not concerned at the issue She said that even a with- monwealth education cirFather Hewitt said he was calls personally and there cles which are worried at couple of other parents of the quality of Catholic drawal of pupils now the influence that restricstill dissatisfied, following were as many taped mes- education had indicated to him that in Catholic the CEC statement of last sages. Only three had been schools and that the Ben- would not affect the stabil- tive enrolment policies will they might be withdrawing School board week against him. ity of the 240 pupil school (see page 2). at the end of the year. tley staff were good which already had full have of funding for private "They are definitively "If anything the CEC has He said he was leaving the teachers and "100%" com- enrolments in Years 1, 2, 6 schools. , in the iaith. A random sampling of issue to sort itself in the six The Bentley school been at fault in giving the supportive. Usually people mitteu faith. and 7 and only a few parishes this week revealed remaining weeks of the board, which has five impression that it is only ring if they are pro- "I have had letters from vacancies in other classes. either guarded comments year and that another members plus Father opposed to what I am testing angrily but rarely do teachers of religion in they ring in support." There already had been a or that the Bentley move circular would be sent to Hewitt and Sister Tho- doing whereas they should Catholic schools who say parents about enrolment mas, has had no further have given a positive affir- He said he also had they dare not complain at study of the possibility of had produced little or no meeting since the dramatic mation that what I am received "heaps" of letters. the lack of faith in some of grouping classes following reaction among school for 1983. the offer of a grant for a authorities; most said they the students they are migrant teacher post had enrolment policies teaching." which would be taken over w hich were effectively Father Hewitt said there by one of the existing staff. operating without the difwere nearer 70, rather than Santa Clara already had ficulty found at Bentley. the reported 40, parents at 13 children in the new- One priest said he had the general meeting where arrival category and Polish ventured a process similar his circular to parents was is the largest of the new to Father Hewitt's but had discussed. arrival nationalities fol- been , over-ruled by the The parents were from lowed by Rumanian and a Catholic Education Comboth the committed and heavy background of Italmission. the uncommitted sectors. who were not corn_ AIAIAMINNIIM111111111/41Ir 411I Air 4E4 Many . d were not suffimitte ciTly interested to come to , he meeting, he said.
NEw HONDAS
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St. Paul's church Mt Lawley was 25 years old this month and after Mass, celebrated by , Archbishop Goody to mark the event, Monsignor James Bourke, the fifth pastor, was ' pictured being filled in on the story by veteran parishioner (L to R) Witt McNamara, and former parishioners Moira and Frank Egan.
Sunday Mass had been said in the area since 1935 in the top floor of what is now St. Paul's school. Father William Clery, who attended last Sunday's With the appointment of the late Monsignor Wallace as the first parish priest of the ceremony, was parish priest from 1961 to 1969 and area in September, 1956, the nave of the was succeeded by the later Father McCaul who was responsible for the re-modelling of the sanctuary for church was ready for opening by Bishop Raf- the new liturgy, the re-location of the baptistry and ferty in October 1957. later the terracing of the area surrounding the church.
By then the late Monsignor Thomas Lenihan had Monsignor Bourke took charge of the parish in become parish priest. September, 1977. Twenty months later the sanctuary of the church was Sunday's ceremony brought many parishioners added with a meeting room below and a new porch at back for a social re-union held in a marquee erected the entrance. beside the church for the occasion.
Remove children In the circular (see page 2) Father Hewitt said that he proposed "... to remove many children of little or no faith commitment"; later in a press report he said: "I would be far happier if in the next 12 months we can teach parents and children what faith is all about rather than kick the children out. But if parents don't seem to be trying we will ask them to take their children out of the school. As part of his education programme for parents Father Hewitt said he had begun Renewal of Faith courses this week and later intended to introduce the programme for inactive Catholics. These were parish programmes but they w ere being promoted through the school as well. Father Hewitt said he had received strong support from parishioners who on Sunday had put 200 signatures to a statement of support sent to Archbishop Goody. Sister Thomas said this week that she believed the Bentley problem had its origin several years ago when numbers were dropping and a pre-primary class was added.
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