EASTER WITH BENEDICT Record Bookshop - Pages 16,17, 18
Modern Mission
How one mission family from overseas gave up everything to come to Perth to preach the Gospel to our neighbours. Pages 12-13
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
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Tweets at St Pete’s What happens when bloggers and the Vatican meet VATICAN CITY (CNS) Some things just can’t be done online. Like shake the hand of a blogging Benedictine nun (aka @Digitalnun on Twitter) and get her advice on how to create a profitable app with no start-up money. Or drink prosecco, nibble on focaccia and discover while chatting with a scientist who blogs about biology and religion that he is a Protestant married to a Muslim and couldn’t believe he was invited to a Vatican event. At a landmark “Blog Meet,” the pontifical councils for culture and for social communications brought together 150 bloggers - in the flesh - from all parts of the world on 2 May to get a sense of their hopes and concerns.
P a r i s h . t h e N at i o n . t h e W o r l d .
therecord.com.au
Easter 2011: Across State, many find renewed meaning recalling a crucifixion - and a resurrection
Thousands across WA remember and rejoice
Rockingham remembers
This year, Catholics and Christians across WA and around the world gathered to remember in faith and then celebrate in joy the sacrifice of Christ and the vistory of His resurrection. All celebrated the same thing, yet every parish event was marked by unique contributions from national background, spirituality and locale.
Vatican to address Caritas ‘identity’ issue VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The general assembly of Caritas Internationalis in late May is shaping up as a defining moment for the confederation of 165 national Catholic charities, at a time when the Vatican is insisting on greater control over Caritas operations. The agenda of the 22-27 May meeting reflects the Vatican’s moves toward closer collaboration and supervision: On the assembly’s first full working day, four Vatican officials will speak on the crucial topics Please turn to Page 11
Archbishop Barry Hickey baptised six adults using a form of full immersion at St Mary’s Cathedral in a historic moment charged with symbolism at the 23 April Easter Vigil Mass. It was the first time such baptisms have taken place in the Cathedral’s history. The six new Catholics were also confirmed together with four adults already baptised in other denominations during the ceremony; all want to start a Bible study group to learn more about their faith, together with three others who prepared with them over the past year but could not attend on the day. “The baptism was the most moving part of the Easter Vigil; it captured the very essence of Easter – Christ is risen and they become new creations, went from death to life, from darkness to life - all the images we were celebrating that night. That’s the miracle of Easter,” said Cathedral assistant priest Fr Jean-Noel Antoine Marie who had prepared the new Catholics over the past year. “They have changed now; they have this glow about them when I see them every Sunday when they all come to the Cathedral for Mass. “On the night, they were living proof that Christ is risen. We made a point of them entering the baptismal pool from the west and emerging to the east – symbolising Jerusalem in the east where the sun, Christ, rises from. “The Adult Baptism with full immersion into the newly designed Baptismal Font was a momentous and very moving experience, not only for the Catechumens and Candidates but for the whole assembly gathered into the Please turn to Page 2
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The Ukrainian Way
By Anthony Barich
Once again, the Church insisted the virtual world should only be a tool, not a substitute, for real human contact, even when the meeting underlines the extraordinary powers of new media. Greeting people face-to-face also broke down some barriers and suspicions that have built up over the years between some bloggers and the sometimes communication-challenged Catholic hierarchy. And create communion they did; the St Petermeets-tweeters blognic was a real coup - a mini Berlin Wall knock-down - as calling cards, emails and hugs were exchanged. “The Church has something to learn from bloggers,” Archbishop Claudio Celli, president of Vatican’s communications council, said in an interview with L’Osservatore Romano on 5 May. By listening to inhabitants of the blogosphere, the Church can learn not only what people in the pews are thinking and feeling, Church leaders can get a sense of how important it is to speak about the faith in a language that is less “ecclesial” and more “understandable,” he said.
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erth is home to the Ukrainian Catholic community. Because they follow a different calendar, Eastern-rite Catholics often celebrate the major events of the Christian year on different dates to Roman Catholics. This year, however, Fr Wolodymyr Kalinecki and his Maylands congregation were celebrating their distinctive Ukrainian ceremonies at the same time. PAGE 10
Chrism, the sign of priests, prophets and kings Archbishop Barry Hickey pours oil to be consecrated for three uses in Church life over the coming year: Oil of the Sick, Oil of the Catechumens and Oil of Chrism. The most important, Chrism, olive oil infused with balsam, signifies Christ’s role as priest, prophet and king. All are called share in the priesthood of Christ through Baptism, Confirmation and, for some, Holy Orders. The Oil of Chrism will be used to baptise, to confer Holy Orders and to consecrate churches. The Chrism Mass, as this unique Mass in the Church year is referred to, focuses on the sacramental and ministerial priesthood. PHOTO: ANTHONY BARICH
Easter in Rome: BXVI refocuses attention on Christ’s resurrection
Denominations gather in City
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hristians of many denominations walked the streets of the city in a public display of faith and unity, Mark Reidy reports. PAGE 7
‘The entire cosmos rejoices at this moment’ At Easter, Pope prays for peace, freedom in world trouble spots By John Thavis
A statue of the Risen Christ is carried through the town of Cospicua during an Easter Sunday procession on the island nation of Malta. PHOTO: CNS/DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI/REUTERS)
VATICAN CITY - In an Easter blessing to the world, Pope Benedict XVI prayed that Christ’s resurrection may open paths of “freedom, justice and peace” for troubled populations of the Middle East and Africa. The Pope urged an end to violence in Libya and Ivory Coast, assistance to refugees flooding out of North Africa and consolation for the victims of the Japanese earth-
quake. He prayed for those persecuted for their Christian faith, and praised their courage. He spoke from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on 24 April in his blessing urbi et orbi (to the city of Rome and to the world), after celebrating Mass for nearly 100,000 people in St Peter’s Square. Broadcast to many countries and live-streamed on the Internet, it was the last major event on the 84 year old Pontiff’s heavy Holy Week schedule. Pope Benedict said the resurrection of Christ must not be viewed as “the fruit of speculation or mystical experience.” Please turn to Page 18
Taking it to the streets
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part from parish-based services, Catholic communities like the Disciples of Jesus presented spectacular displays commemorating the passion of Jesus Christ in the streets of Fremantle and Perth. PAGE 6
Books, DVDs, music Resources for Catholic families - Page 20