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‘DEALER OF THE YEAR’ 1996 ❙ ‘WA OVERALL EXCELLENCE’ 1996, 1998, 2003 ❙ ‘WA SALES EXCELLENCE’ 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
The Parish. The Nation. The World.
DL0891
Three parishes to become one Three Perth parishes will merge into one by Walking the Walk Archdiocesan agency celebrates 10 years of helping women through their most the end of the year difficult moments
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http://thecatholicrecord.org
Lies, deceptions and kidnappings: just your average Chinese ordination ceremony? Pages 10-11
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Perth, Western Australia ● $2
Western Australia’s Award-winning Catholic newspaper
Cracks widen on abortion Study finds Australians deeply uncomfortable with abortion’s extent ■ By Anthony Barich
Australians are “deeply conflicted” about the morality of abortion according to a wide-ranging and indepth study by leading bioethicist Fr John Fleming. In an extensive survey of Australian attitudes on the issue, the South Australian researcher found Australians want the option for legal abortion to continue to exist - but they believe it should not generally be exercised because of the moral implications. Twelve hundred Australians aged 18 and over were interviewed by phone by Adelaide-based Sexton Marketing Group on both legal and personal morality viewpoints, then the same questions were asked of 1200 people by Newspoll. Both surveys returned similar results. The study went beyond asking respondents whether they supported the principle of abortion’s availability, delving into their personal moral views and which moral and legal criteria they believed made abortion justifiable. While there was community support for abortion on demand, it was “softer than anticipated”, Fr Fleming told The Record, but there was also strong community support for a reduction in abortion numbers without restricting access. The majority of Australians think that the rate of one abortion per four pregnancies is far too high – 87 per cent of those surveyed wanted the number of abortions to be reduced, but by non-coercive means. “Australians are deeply, deeply conflicted on abortion,” said Fr Continued - Page 2
Second chance: Ex-working girl Tanya with son Brandon is one of the many who have been helped by Linda Watson to escape prostitution.
PHOTO: ANTHONY BARICH
House of Hope stares poverty in the face ■ By Anthony Barich
Linda’s House of Hope in Cannington, which has helped over 200 women out of prostitution and drug addiction since 1999, is on the brink of folding. Linda’s House of Hope started when Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey bought two houses on the same street for Linda Watson, a former prostitute and crusader against the legalisation of the trade, to help rehabilitate women
and help desperate families affected by it. Ms Watson’s initiative is not in the red but, on top of the $2550 a month she gets from the archdiocese, she relies on donations. She needs not just one but a regular source of money to support her work. Ms Watson works as a volunteer, and with her occupational therapist Natalie (who earns just $200 a week), they work alone at the House of Hope. Four donated
Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Turkey has displayed a mastery not only of words but gestures, observers say. Among those most impressed were the country’s Muslims.
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Two more priests have been ordained for the Archdiocese of Perth. At a time when vocations to the priesthood are low in many parts of Australia, Perth continues to ordain priests for the Church and for the world. The two men gave their lives to Christ’s call to follow
him when they were ordained by Archbishop Barry Hickey in Balcatta last Friday. They were more fruits of the Neocatechumenate, which, together with St Charles Seminary, has provided wonderful numbers of priests in recent years. Full story - Page 5
Continued - Page 14
INDEX
HEALING THE RIFTS
Two more Perth priests
Editorial/Letters I say, I say The World Reviews Classifieds/Panorama
ERODING THE ENVIRONMENT - Page 6 - Page 11 - Pages 12-13 - Page 14
A bishop in the US has issued a pastoral letter on one of the main threats to human life - not on landmines or polution - but on our insatiable appetite for pornography.
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