Feast of the Assumption The Feast of the Assumption on 15 August is a holy day of obligation. Catholics are to attend Mass either on the feast or its vigil.
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DARDANUP: parish now more than a century-and-a-half old Pages 2-3
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GREEK VISIT: Orthodox seminarians’ visit is a privilege for Perth Page 5
WANTED: men and women of faith for evangelisation Page 10
Eucharistic miracle Priest recalls Dardanup chaplain’s war experience
A publication for Australian soldiers who fought in New Guinea in World War II has revived memories of a war-time eucharistic miracle associated with a former Parish Priest, Mgr Charles Cunningham, who was a famous WW2 padre with various Army units, but particularly the 2/16 Battalion, AIF. The chalice associated with the miracle was presented to the 2/16 Battalion (AIF) Association last year by Fr Noel Fitzsimons and Fr Bernie Dwyer, in accordance with Fr Cunningham’s wishes. As well as presenting the chalice, Fr Fitzsimons, who is PP at Waroona-Yarloop, handed over his written account of the miracle as told to him by Fr Cunningham. The story was published in the Association’s journal “Pigeon Post” in June 2004. It reads: “Before the assault on Gona Beach, November 1942, Padre Cunningham told the battalion he was going to offer Mass for them all. The assault against the entrenched Japanese soldiers would be a bloody battle and he knew that many of those men he addressed would be killed or wounded. “Padre Cunningham selected a site for the Mass nearby where the battalion were stationed and about 120-150 soldiers followed him to the Mass site. He preceded the Mass with a general absolution, and began the Mass setting aside the approximate number of hosts for the men who had followed him. “At Communion time, because in those days Communion was received under the form of bread alone, he purified the chalice and
UK man loses case to receive food and water ■ By Simon Caldwell
Faithful: Fathers Anton Hesse, left, Dan Foley and Michael Brown OFM bless themselves at the commencement of Mass in Lockridge on Monday evening to collectively celebrate each reaching 50 years of priesthood. Reports: Vista 2-4
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Evangelii Nuntiandi
30 Conference
YEARS September 22 Willetton
How can the church better proclaim the Gospel to the people of the 21st century? Suggestions will be offered at a one-day conference to be held in Perth on September 22 and all are being invited. The conference, to be held in the Sts John and Paul Parish centre in Willetton, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s apostolic exhortation on evangelisation, Evengelii Nuntiandi, one of the landmark documents of the
modern Church. The closing Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Hickey with bishops and clergy from around WA. Internationally-acclaimed writer, scholar and missionary Father Stephen Bevans, SVD will be among the speakers offering perspectives on the way forward. Fr Bevans is based at Chicago Theological Union and will encourage questions about what mission means in the Australian context today. The one-day conference will
also include local responses to the presentation, small-group discussion, and space for sharing participants’ missionary experiences. It will run from 9.30am-4.30pm and the cost is $25 waged or $10 unwaged. Lunch and refreshments will be provided For more information contact Francis Leong on 9422 7933 or cath olicmissionperth@bigpond.com.
INDEX
BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG Finding faith-inspired reading for young people can be difficult. The Record offers readers the chance to obtain some beautiful books for the young - and not so young!
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Letters Busselton students in Timor The World Reviews Classifieds
Fr John Thornhill reviews Stephen Bevans’ book on evangelisation - Page 10
A terminally-ill Englishman has lost a legal battle to uphold his right not to be starved and dehydrated to death after he loses the ability to communicate. Leslie Burke, 45, a Catholic from Lancaster, England, suffers from cerebellar ataxia, a degenerative disorder of the nervous system that causes unsteadiness and lack of coordination. Burke, a former postal worker, knows eventually he will not be able to communicate; he fears doctors may withhold artificial nutrition and hydration when that time comes. He also is worried that he consciously may suffer a prolonged and agonizing death. A three-judge panel on the Court of Appeal ruled on July 28 that patients did not have the right to request treatment. “Where a patient indicates his or her wish to be kept alive by provision of artificial nutrition and hydration, any doctor who deliberately brings that patient’s life to an end by discontinuing the supply of artificial nutrition and hydration will not merely be in breach of duty but guilty of murder,” said Lord Phillips, the head of the panel. “Ultimately, however, a patient cannot demand that a doctor administer a treatment which the doctor considers is adverse to the patient’s clinical needs,” he said. Burke told CNS he welcomed the “extremely strong language” of Lord Phillips in defense of his right to life during the time he is able to communicate. But he said the ruling still leaves him feeling entirely vulnerable. “When I am no longer able to communicate, power is going to swing back wholly to the hands of the treating doctors,” Burke said. “Even if I made an advance directive, it makes no difference. It’s not binding on the doctor to take any notice.
WHO CHOOSES? - Page 6 - Vista 4 - Pages 8-9 - Page 10
End of life decisions are increasingly appearing in the news. Bioethicist Fr Joseph Parkinson commences the first in a series looking at the complexities.
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Vista 1