W E S T E R N A U S T R A L I A’ S A WA R D - W I N N I N G C AT H O L I C N E W S P A P E R S I N C E 1 8 7 4
THE RECORD
We d n e s d a y, 8 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0 T H E
P A R I S H . T H E N AT I O N . T H E W O R L D .
$2.00
THERECORD.COM.AU
The scourge of Sacro-Pop Tracey Rowland on the gormlesness of trite, embarrassingly bad liturgical music. PAGE 9
celebrates the diversity of NFP educator Thornlie Parish nations that is theirs numbers on the rise Perth agency sets cracking pace in communicating vital information to assist students, teachers and parents for life. And there’s plenty to do. BY ANTHONY BARICH THE Archdiocesan Natural Fertility Services agency is set to have 10 fully accredited Family Life educators working in primary and secondary Catholic schools around the Archdiocese - an unprecedented number for the agency and for Catholic schools. The agency has had its largest intake of trainees this year, reflecting success and acceptance of the importance of its work among teachers, parents, tertiary institutions and the wider community. In recent years NFS has had to decline pleas from a number of schools requesting visits from its educators. The new intake will allow NFS to accomodate these. NFS will also have two educators stationed in country areas; educators are re-accredited every two years. NFS is one of several Catholic Archdiocesan organisations undertaking key work promoting the benefits for marriages and relationships of natural methods of family planning; it focuses on promotion of the sympto-thermal method of assessing women’s fertility. Growing numbers of Church leaders and thinkers in recent decades have identified support for marriage, the institution of the family and family life as a vital work for the Church in the modern era; key to this is the promotion of formation and education in delicate areas such as sex and relationships which run counter to an increasingly sharply defined culture of death.
Children of Sacred Heart Parish and Primary School and their families added an explosion of colour and life when they dressed in their national costumes of origin for the Thornlie parish celebration of Migrant Sunday on 29 August. National Migrant Sunday is an initiative of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. PHOTO: COURTESY SACRED HEART PRIMARY SCHOOL, THORNLIE
BY JILL HALL Sacred Heart School, Thornlie SUNDAY, 29 August was a wonderful celebration of the various ethnic communities that go to make our parish community. There was our special music with the Children’s Choir led by Sandy Louis. She got us into the mood with He’s got the whole World in His hands, Heal the World
and Malo Malo; through to our gospel read in Burmese by our Assistant Priest, Fr Noel Latt; then the very pertinent sermon from our parish priest, Mgr Tim Corcoran. “The annual celebration of Migrant and Refugee Sunday highlights the challenges faced by people from all over the world who have had to leave their homeland and come to Australia whether through conflict or persecution or voluntarily,” he said.
“The continual arrival of migrants and refugees in particular gives rise to strong emotions. “Just a few years ago, people complained about the influx of Vietnamese boat people to Australia. “Now, just a few years later, we have so many priests from Vietnam who go to make up and serve the spiritual needs of people in our diocese. “Similar things could be said about other ethnic
groups now, for example, from Africa and India. We are all made in the image and likeness of God.” A large number of our wonderful parishioners embraced and honoured their country of origin by wearing their traditional costumes. We had a multicultural morning tea after Mass with an opportunity to appreciate a different range of cultural foods.
Langford joins Margaret for 100th A Natural Planning Poster produced by the US Bishops’ Conference. The work done by agencies such as NFS in the field of natural family planning and relationships is regarded PHOTO: CNS by the Church as vital.
Aside from working with couples already in relationships or preparing for marriage, agencies such as NFS, Billings and others offer virtually the only alternative to youth bombarded by a media-led culture of promiscuity and moral relativism which accepts abortion as the fallback safeguard when contracepted promiscuity fails. NFS also offers support, education and counselling to couples with infertility problems and to menopausal women and provides teaching programmes to couples preparing for marriage, secondary students and others. NFS educators are fully accredited by the Australian Council of Natural Family Planning. This “new blood” is bringing new life to the agency’s programmes as it constantly upgrades and expands its ideas to meet the needs of parents, teachers and students, NFS manager Chris Fernandez told The Record. Please turn to Page 6
The parish of St Jude’s in Langford came together to celebrate the 100th birthday of Miss Margaret Alexander on 6 June. The list of those who sent congratulations or commendations for the occasion read like a who’s who of Australian life: Queen Elizabeth, Governor General Quentin Bryce, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Opposition Leader (as The Record went to press) Tony Abbott, and Premier Colin Barnett among them. A papal blessing from Pope Benedict XVI was also presented to Miss Alexander. Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton was on hand to concelebrate a special Mass of Thanksgiving for the
Family and friends, including Langford Parish Priest Fr Terry Raj, Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton and niece and longtime carer Clotilda Conkers, second from left, joined Miss Margaret Alexander for her 100th birthday. PHOTO: COURTESY FR TERRY RAJ
occasion together with parish priest Fr Terry Raj. Over 200 family and friends joined
Miss Alexander, a midwife who came to Australia from Burma in 1990. Miss
Alexander delivered many babies in Burma during the war years and right up until the 1970s. She never married but has twin nieces who, together with their husbands, have cared for her since she came to Perth. She is the first family member to reach 100 years of age although her father lived well into his 90s. Miss Alexander lived with her niece Clotilda Conkers until she was 98 before moving into Gracewood Baptist Nursing Home in Salter Point. Fr Raj told The Record that Miss Alexander is a devout Catholic who, although her memory is failing, says her morning and evening prayers every day.