God is three, and one, and ... Love
Breaking through
social media superficiality KATIE HINDERER
Exploring Christianity’s fundamental belief in the Trinity
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Fr Sean Fernandez - Page 20
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THE RECORD THE
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New report vindicates ‘Swedish approach’
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Simone hits the right note for students
Sweden’s review of innovative prostitution law’s first decade in operation poses thorny questions for WA’s Attorney General who previously dismissed it outright BY ANTHONY BARICH The Swedish model of reforming prostitution laws written off by WA Attorney General Christian Porter has been declared an outstanding success following a review of its first 10 years of operation in the Scandinavian country. Street prostitution has been halved in Sweden since it criminalised the purchase of sex in 1999, and the law has also proven a barrier to human traffickers setting up shop in the country, a major Swedish government inquiry found. The evaluation of the prohibition of the purchase of sexual services from 1999 to 2008, led by Chancellor of Justice Anna Skarhed and submitted to Sweden’s Government on 2 July 2010, throws a fascinating new light on the effectiveness of the country’s highly original approach to solving the exploitation of women and girls in prostitution. Please turn to Page 2
Simone Bailey-Hough and Geraldton Nagle Catholic College students are all smiles after the music teacher won a national award for excellence as an exceptional teacher of music. Part of the reason for her win: her vision for and implementation of the school’s music programme. However, Simone also has found ways to engage students with hearing difficulties in music education. PHOTO: COURTESY CEO CIRCULAR
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eraldton’s Nagle Catholic College music teacher, Simone BaileyHough, has received national acclaim for her outstanding contribution to music education. Simone, who has taught at the College for the past 10 years, was judged by the national Awards for Excellence in School
Music Education as being exceptional in her ability to articulate a vision for a school music programme. “When I first started at Nagle there was barely a music programme but within three years students were studying at TEE level,” she said. Simone has also opened music up to
students with hearing difficulties. Nagle Principal Declan Tanham believes what Simone has achieved is truly remarkable. “Simone has created a music environment in a regional setting that would be the envy of many metropolitan schools,” Declan said. CATHOLIC EDUCATION CIRCULAR
In India or Australia, journey of priesthood has been one of joy and fulfilment Kalgoorlie parish priest Fr Joseph Rathnaraj reflects on his 40 years in the priesthood In a Christian context, a 40 year journey would always refer to the great journey of the people of Israel, led by Moses through the Sinai Desert and the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea as described in the Book of Deuteronomy. The journey I refer to now is my own journey, having completed 40 years since receiving the gift of priesthood in 1970. The good God has led me in His mysterious ways in the journey of my priesthood. I gratefully and
joyfully remember the day of my ordination on 18 December 1970. It happened in the small coastal town of Tuticorin in South India. Having been born on 19 September 1945 in a family of six children to devoted parents, I was a young man of 25 when I received the grace of priesthood. Previously, upon completion of my high school studies, I spent a year in pre-university class and later, after two years of Latin studies, I spent seven years of study in philosophy and theology at St Peter’s Pontifical College in Bangalore which was run by the Paris Foreign Missionaries (MEP). I graduated with a Bachelor of Theology in March 1971 as a newly ordained priest. From April 1971, I started my priestly ministry as an assistant
Then and now: Fr Rathnaraj as a young, newly ordained priest in India and the parish priest of Kalgoorlie today.
in three parishes and later as parish priest in nine different parishes until 1985. Throughout the years,
the loving hands of God led me through. Later, obtaining a Diploma in
Communications, I undertook a Communications Ministry at our Diocesan Pastoral Centre and later in the Diocesan Laity Centre for formation of laity. On completion of that ministry, I had the privilege of travelling to Rome, to other European countries and the Americas, opening up for me many other opportunities. A dream of having a mission experience in a different milieu was fulfilled thanks to Archbishop Barry Hickey as the then-Bishop of Geraldton. After about five years in the Pilbara region, I returned to my diocese in India where I continued my Communications ministry. I had the privilege of administering the Diocese of Tuticorin for a year in 2004 in the absence of a Bishop in Please turn to Page 6