Is this St Joseph’s tomb? Ancient site fleshes out Christ’s story
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God’s precious gift Archbishop Barry Hickey appeals for prayers for children as they struggle through a world hostile to their faith - and life BY BRIDGET SPINKS PARENTS are the first educators of their children in the ways of faith and children receive the best possible start in life when their parents take these obligations seriously, Archbishop Barry Hickey has said in a Pastoral Letter released this week. Entitled Pray for Children, God’s precious gift, the letter takes up some of the issues he addressed in his recent Pastoral Letter on the importance of Christian marriage, A pearl of great price (August 2010). It comes in response to families’ requests for prayers for their children growing up in a world fraught with potential harmful influences. The contemporary influences and situations which impact on children’s faith as well as their healthy emotional and psychological growth include family instability, divorce, poverty, commercialism, pressure on children, especially girls, to dress provocatively, sexual abuse, drugs, pornography and abortion. “Children need the love, guidance and example of a father and a mother,” he says. It is simply commonsense, backed by much social research, that children flourish best when raised by a father and a mother married to one another. “Divorce may be common in our society, but it is by no means the easy answer to marital problems it is often considered to be. “Children desire and deserve the love of the family that brought them into the world. “The widespread acceptance of abortion today only magnifies the problem,” he states in the Letter. The Church reaches out with love to women faced with an unex-
pected pregnancy with all its fearful consequences, and is ready to help. “Love and unconditional practical support are the answer to fear, not abortion.” The Pastoral Letter has been released to coincide with United Nations Universal Children’s Day on 20 November. Archbishop Hickey explains that the privilege and duty to provide the early physical and spiritual needs of a child belongs to the parents. He urges parents to do all they can through their own prayer life and witness to educate and form their children in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. On this occasion, the Archbishop asks all parishes and Catholic communities for prayers for children this weekend, 20-21 November. Next weekend, the Archbishop urges everyone to pray for nascent life. On 27 November at 6pm, the Archdiocese of Perth will hold a Vigil Mass in the Cathedral followed by a Holy Hour of prayer and Eucharistic Adoration for the protection of “nascent life,” the unborn children. This prayer vigil comes in response to a letter every Bishop in the world received from Pope Benedict XVI who asked them to join him in this significant prayer intention he has termed “Vigil for All Nascent Human Life”. Archbishop Hickey urges all parishes to join together in praying for a Culture of Life where every human being is precious and their lives sacred. ● The full text of Archbishop Hickey’s Pastoral Letter on children is on Page 3.
Archbishop praises SyroMalabar devotion, culture
Women in traditional dresses with flowers and lights in hand awaiting the opening procession for the special Mass with Archbishop Barry Hickey. The large Holy Family Church in Maddington was packed to the rafters, with people PHOTOS: NAVEEN JOSEPH also standing outside, for the special occasion.
Archbishop Barry Hickey joined 500 members of the SyroMalabar Catholic congregation for Mass in the traditional SyroMalabar Rite at Holy Family Church, Maddington on 7 November. The Syro-Malabar Rite is one of more than 20 sui iuris (Latin for “of one’s own laws”) Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Catholic Church. Parish Priest Fr Varghese Parackal celebrated the Mass with Indian priests who serve various parishes of the Perth Archdiocese namely, Fr Sunny Peackal, Fr Rojan George, Fr Sabu Jacob and Fr Thomas Joseph. For liturgical reasons, the
Archbishop did not concelebrate the Eastern Rite Mass. Men, women and children in traditional attire, with flowers and lights, gave Archbishop Hickey a traditional welcome on arrival. Students of the Catechism classes greeted the Archbishop with rose flowers, singing songs and exhibiting their class works. While addressing the congregation, the Archbishop expressed his happiness to see the devotional and cultural activities and he reiterated the importance of practising and spreading the Good News. The Syro-Malabar Church is an Oriental (Eastern Rite) Catholic Church. With its deeprooted spirituality and high rate
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of vocations to the priesthood, it is considered the most vibrant Catholic Church in the world, and has over 3.8 million believers. It is the second largest of the 21 Oriental Catholic Churches. Firm devotion, indomitable faith and rich traditions make the Syro-Malabar Church markedly special and vividly alive, making it an integral part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Syro-Malabar Church is the major community of ancient St Thomas Christians in India. The St Thomas Christians trace their origins and their faith to the missionary efforts of St Thomas the Apostle who landed at Kodungallur in Kerala, India in 52AD.