FIRST COMMUNION: Benedict tells children his own story Page 8
‘TEEN’ DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN ‘HELL’ A new approach to parenting VISTA 3
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New cathedral vote Bunbury wants ‘old and new’ for St Patrick’s
A survey has revealed that a new Cathedral for the diocese of Bunbury should be built on the same site as St Patrick’s, have a traditional exterior and a modern interior. The survey revealed that 54 per cent of people want a traditional style for the new Cathedral, while 15 per cent want a modern open spaced interior with semi-circular seating around the sanctuary and altar. Only 6 per cent said that they would like the same interior as St Patrick’s. Bishop Gerard Holohan of Bunbury revealed the results of the survey on October 17, which was conducted to find out people’s views on the future Catholic Cathedral for Bunbury. Hundreds of people expressed their views verbally and in writing. In his statement for the release of the survey, Bishop Holohan said that further consultations on various questions would be held in the near future. “Let me say from the outset how grateful I am to all who went to the trouble of answering the questionnaire,” Bishop Holohan said. “The result took longer than expected to analyse because of all that people wrote and we did not want to lose any ideas.”
Handmade with lots of love and affection
Busy hands do saintly work: Clare Alexander, left, and Margaret Anthony put together their handmade rosaries for sale at their parish, Our Lady of the Missions in Whitfords. See story on page 2 Photo: Jamie O’Brien
Perth women choose new path ■ By Jamie O’Brien
Two women from Perth have become the first Australians to join a new ecumenical order of religious sisters. Sr Vedette, from Good Shepherd parish Lockridge and Sr Teresa, from St Anthony’s Greenmount were last year received as Postulants in the Sisters of the Servants of the Sacred Cross. Archbishop Hickey officially blessed the two women at a Mass at
■ By Jamie O’Brien
He’s a Parish Priest for nearly 50, 000 people, 43 primary schools, three junior high schools and three orphanages - and he’s the only one. Fr Marcos De Olivera sdb, couldn’t be busier, but he wanted to thank Australians, especially students from Chisholm Catholic College in Bedford, for donating funds to his lonely work. Fr Marcos, a priest from Laga, 150km north of Dili, in East Timor, visited Year 10 students at the school last week to thank them for the donation which they raised during an annual fundraising day earlier this year. Fr Marcos explained that Timor is one of the world’s newest countries and one of the poorest in Asia, with most people surviving on meagre rations. “Our schools receive no help from the government,” he said. Most schools are small and based in local villages, said Fr Marcos and if they did not exist the children would have no education: it would be too difficult to go to school in another village, because of Timor’s mountainous geography. Continued on page 5
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Perth nuns are (a) married and (b) first in Australia
Students win priest’s gratitude
Good Shepherd Parish on October 9. The order is an international ecumenical congregation of religious sisters who feel they have been called to take up their cross and follow Christ in a life of prayer and service. Based in Novia Scotia, Canada, the order is open to women, single or married, who are baptised and confirmed members of the Anglican, Catholic or Orthodox Churches. So far nine women from around the world have joined. The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church allows the faithful to enter such ecumenical communities.
Sisters carry out a variety of ministries in their parishes and local communities, using their individual gifts and talents but are also allowed to live a more contemplative expression of service in a life of solitude and prayer, should they so choose. Married sisters live in their own homes and communities while pursuing their vocation of obedience to their vows and the congregation. Sr Vedette and Sr Teresa are both married with children and work at Mercedes College in Perth. Formation of the sisters begins with postulancy, lasting for six months to a year as a period of discernment and training while
INDEX
FAILING OUR MIGRANTS? Are the needs of migrant communities being adequately met by the Church in Australia? Perhaps, perhaps not, writes migrant chaplain Fr Tony Paganoni CS.
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professing a promise to live in the spirit of the vows of simplicity, purity and obedience. This is followed by the novitiate, a further two years of training, study and time to live their vows. Only then are the clothed in the habit of the order. Finally, the vows of simplicity, purity and obedience are made and the sister is referred to as Professed. Sisters renew their vows every five years. Obedience is followed firstly to discerning the will of God and then to the rule of the congregation. The rule of the congregation
Letters I say, I say The World Reviews Classifieds
Gospel of life anniversary ■ By Jamie O’Brien
Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life) provided us with a Christian approach to life, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton said in his homily at St Mary’s Cathedral last Sunday. Bishop Sproxton was speaking about The Gospel of Life, which was released on March 25 1995, in order to promote the encyclical in the year of its tenth anniversary. The encyclical covered all aspects of the value of human life, and was dedicated to all in the Church and all people of good will who value human life.
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HELP FOR THOSE HANGING ON - Page 6 - VISTA 4 - Pages 8-9 - Page 10
Pope John Paul II’s last document was a message to the Church for WORLD MISSION SUNDAY, this Sunday October 23. He urged us to help our struggling fellow Catholics around the world.
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