THE RECORD Love your neighbour the Parish. the Nation. the World.
Western Australia’s award-winning Catholic newspaper - Wednesday February 6, 2008
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Perth, Western Australia $2
Priests, Religious and parishes have much work ahead to embrace those wounded by abortion
Vincentians to strengthen healthcare
Compassion the key ■ By Anthony Barich
Listening and restoring their humanity is the key in the Catholic Church ministering to women and couples who have experienced abortions. Addressing 24 priests and two deacons at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Highgate, Abortion Grief Counselling Association national director Julie Cook said on January 30 that compassion and empathy must form the basis of pastoral care for women who have suffered abortions. She said women and men who have experienced abortion “often run away from the Church, but they should be running to the Church”, where compassion and forgiveness is found. Ms Cook urged a “communityfocused” approach to caring for the suffering women and men who have experienced abortion, stressing that anyone judging them for either getting pregnant outside of marriage or for having the abortion “only adds to the punishment they are already giving themselves”. “Some Catholics confuse compassion with condoning abortion,” she said, but nothing could be further from the truth. Redemptorist Fr Hugh Thomas, present at the talk, noted that the fall in church attendances has coincided with the rise of the use of the Pill since its introduction in 1960 and subsequent rise in abortions and related problems. While familiar with the content of Mrs Cook’s presentation, Fr Thomas said the issue is an extremely tough subject to even broach with parishioners, and requires careful consideration. Redemptorist Fr Joe Carroll also said that even if women (or the men involved) have been forgiven through the Sacrament of
■ By Anthony Barich
Religious life looking up: While there are exceptions, Religious life is a shadow of its former self. We examine what went wrong and how it can regain precious ground to be a visible witness to Christ and once again be a force in society to help bring people to God. See Vista 1-4. Photo: CNS
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The Vincentian Congregation has arrived to strengthen the Archdiocese of Perth’s healthcare ministry and has brought with it its charism of priestly training and formation. Inspired by St Vincent de Paul, the Vincentian Congregation was founded by Fr Varkey Kattarath in Kerala, India in 1904 and, with 398 priests around the globe, focus their energy mainly on spreading the Good News to the poor in the mission fields of India and East Africa. A thanksgiving and votive Mass in honour of St Vincent de Paul “who continues to inspire us all” was concelebrated by Archbishop Barry Hickey with Vincentian Superior General Varchese Puthessery, Provincial Superior Jose Vettyankal and Perth’s Vicar General Fr Brian O’Loughlin on January 30 at St Aloysius parish, Shenton Park. Shenton Park’s presbytery will be the Vincentian Congration’s first Australian base. Also celebrating the Mass were Vincentian Frs Francis Nadiviledath (mission councillor), Augustine Mundackattu (Vicar Provincial) and Sabu Kalapurackal, who will be in charge of the Congregational House until Vincentian Frs Varghese Parackal, Thomas Mankuthel and Joseph Poonattu arrive towards the end of March to form the Archdiocese’s healthcare ministry team. Assisting him will be diocesan priest Fr Benedict Lee, in charge Continued on Page 4
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JUNO PRAISED BY PRO LIFERS Showing a teen getting pregnant isn’t the best model of Christian life, but one offbeat movie dares to make it ok for a girl to have her baby.
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