Broken Bay News December 2016 by bbcatholic

Closing the door

on the Year of Mercy

Wyong Catholic Parish A caring community Prepare the way for Advent The Renaissance of Marriage

BROKENBAYnews

BROKEN BAY NEWS PUBLICATION OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE 185

HEART TO HEART

A New Renaissance

The European Renaissance, originating in the 14th century and extending through to the 17th century, was one of the truly great periods of intellectual and cultural flowering in human history.

ithout a doubt it gave future generations some of the most magnificent creative thought and powerful works of art and architecture. Think of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Think of the dome of St Peter’s Basilica or the façade of the Duomo in Milan. Think of Dante’s Divine Comedy and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Think of the sacred music of Thomas Tallis and Palestrina. Think of Erasmus’ politics; Galileo’s telescope; Gutenberg’s printing press. The Renaissance was a revolutionary time of human thought and creativity. This remarkable period of human flourishing got its name from the French word for rebirth. Such intellectual and cultural origins came from a rediscovery of the works and thinking of classical antiquity, which had become lost as a source of human illumination during parts of the medieval period. As a rebirth, the Renaissance was both a time of returning to

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the deep sources of human flourishing coupled with a new way of thinking about them. We only have to look at the art and architecture of the time to realise this was no bland repetition of what had gone before. By renewing the roots of human civilisation – and not just blindly repeating it – something creative and invigorating flowered. In 2016, Pope Francis, in an open letter to the world called Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), invited humanity to undertake a new renaissance, the renaissance of marriage and family life. Why the need for a renaissance of marriage and family? Because Pope Francis has recognised the telling signs of the stresses and strains under which many marriages and families find themselves today as leading to a deep loss of the immeasurable value and goodness that these bring to humanity. For him, only a thorough-going renaissance – a return and renewal of the sources of our human flourishing – can rescue humanity from losing itself. The family – in all its various manifestations – has been at the core of human civilisation from the beginning. Whether in tribal or nuclear or blended form, the family has been the living cell of human society and the enduring environment by which we all have flourished individually. This deepest of human realities has also been at the centre of the religious sensibilities of the world. The family and religious belief go hand-in-hand. As Pope Francis has noted:

The Bible is full of families, births, love stories and family crises. This is true from its first page, with the appearance of Adam and Eve’s family with all its burdens of violence by also its enduring strength to its very last page, where we behold the wedding feast of the Bride and the Lamb. (The Joy of Love: §8) At the heart of every family is the story of a couple, be it a happy story or a sad one. Certainly, love – from its fullest expression to its tragic absence – is what chiefly tells the story of every couple who ever formed a family. Long before Jesus ever spoke of marriage and family, the love stories of couples have shaped and determined human history. Then the Man said: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” Therefore, a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Gen 2.23-24) It has always been the stories of marriage and family life that have been the ancient sources from which every person has learnt to live our humanity. It is when the telling of these stories dry up, and are replaced by political theories and social ideologies, that we begin to flounder. It strikes me that we are living through such a dry period. Marriages and families are under enormous pressures to conform to artificially constructed models and theories that have precious little to do with how to live well and flourish. These engineered ideologies are being asserted with ever greater intemperance and imposition. Such upheaval is leading to a loss of respectful listening and dialogue. Into the midst of this upheaval, Pope Francis is encouraging Christian families (and us Christian leaders who ourselves are born into, and are members of families) to find encouragement to tell again their stories of marriage and family life, and to accompany one another along the journey of love and life. As Pope Francis has said: “The welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the Church.” (The Joy of Love: §31) So, we Christians are called to a time of renaissance, of rebirth. How might we do this? There will be many, many ways – that is the beauty of creativity. For my part, I have just one story to tell in this short article: it is the story of how a marriage lived faithfully and fruitfully is the first chapter in the story of the world reconciled to one another. In our Catholic tradition we tend to name the Sacraments of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick as the two sacraments of healing. But for me, marriage is the principal sacrament of reconciliation and healing, because it is the

HEART TO HEART best sign of forgiving love. Marriage begins with two individuals – as different as Adam and Eve – who choose each other to become one flesh. That’s a massive task to undertake, but couples have been doing it from the beginning of time, so it is possible. But to remain married – to always be ‘one flesh’ – a couple needs to

constantly choose to be reconciled, to forgive, to say sorry. And in that task, they learn to love: in the words they speak to each other, in the actions they do for one other, with their bodies in love-making, and through the gift of caring for their children. Marriage, therefore, is the best sign of healing

we have at our disposal, because it is the most intimate way for two people to be reconciled. And if two people can do this, then so can four; and if four, then eight; and if a number, then a community; and if a community, then a nation; and if a nation, then the world. Marriage, for me, is our God-given path away from war towards peace among peoples, and our best hope for the future. In this time of Advent and Christmas, when the married love of Mary and Joseph and the divine gift of God tells us the story of the Holy Family, may we get to work to make marriage and family life work. Now is our time for a New Renaissance. Your sincerely in Christ Jesus,

Most Rev Peter A Comensoli Bishop of Broken Bay

NOTE: For further information read Page13 on the recent Renaissance of Marriage Conference held in Sydney or visit: https://www.rom.org.au and https://smartloving.org

Christmas Mass Times All are invited to join us this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, 23 Yardley Ave, Waitara Saturday 24 December 5pm Vigil Mass 12am Midnight Mass (Carols from 11.30pm) Celebrant Bishop Peter A Comensoli

Sunday 25 December 8am Mass 9.30am Mass NO EVENING MASS

For a full list of Christmas Mass Times in the Diocese of Broken Bay, please visit:

www.dbb.org.au BBN

DECEMBER 2016

ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Closing the door on the Year of Mercy The Feast of Christ the King, Sunday 20 November saw the official closing of the Year of Mercy in the Catholic Church.

n this day the Holy Door at St Mary and St Athanasius Manly was officially closed by Bishop Peter at 10.30am and at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Waitara at 6pm. In the bull announcing the jubilee, Pope Francis wrote: “The Jubilee year will close with the liturgical Solemnity of Christ the King on 20 November 2016. On that day, as we seal the Holy Door, we shall be filled, above all, with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving to the Most Holy Trinity for having granted us an extraordinary time of grace. We will entrust the life of the Church, all humanity, and the entire cosmos to the Lordship of Christ, asking him to pour out his mercy upon us like the morning dew, so that everyone may work together to build a brighter future. How much I desire that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach everyone, both believers and those far away, as a sign that the Kingdom of God is already present in our midst!” “All year, Pope Francis has called us Christians to unleash a revolution of mercy in the world,” said Bishop Peter in his homily at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Waitara. “He has shown us how to do this by his own actions. Now, at the conclusion of this Holy Year, he will close that great door of mercy at St Peter’s, not to bring

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DIOCESE OF BROKEN BAY Most Rev Peter A Comensoli Bishop of Broken Bay Diocesan Office: Tel (02) 9847 0000 Fax (02) 9847 0201 Caroline Chisholm Centre Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Rd Pennant Hills NSW 2120 (Access off City View Rd) PO Box 340 Pennant Hills NSW 1715 officeofthebishop@dbb.org.au

CHANCERY OFFICES Office of the Bishop Private Secretary: Nigel Zimmermann Vicar General: Very Rev Dr David Ranson VG Diocesan Financial Administrator, Director, Office for Stewardship: Emma McDonald Director, Office for Evangelisation: Daniel Ang Director, Office for Communications: Annie Carrett Director, Marriage Tribunal: Adrienne Connaghan Tel: (02) 9847 0458 Safeguarding Jodie Crisafulli Tel: (02) 9847 0212 Catholic Development Fund: Chris Field Tel: (02) 9847 0748 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) Alison Newell

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE Director: Peter Hamill Tel (02) 9847 0000 PO Box 967 Pennant Hills NSW 1715

CATHOLICCARE Executive Director: Trish Devlin Tel: (02) 9481 2600 PO Box 966 Pennant Hills 1715 Children’s Services: Tel: (02) 9481 2660 Family Centres: Brookvale – Tel: (02) 8968 5100 Naremburn – Tel: (02) 8425 8700 Waitara – Tel: (02) 9488 2400 Warnervale – Tel: (02) 4356 2600

an end to mercy – as if it can be arbitrarily turned on and off – but to send us out as missionaries of mercy. The Holy Door is meant to be closed behind us, as we go out carrying mercy to others. “But what of us now, as the door closes? Do we simply let it shut, putting the memory of this past year behind us? Or do we now embrace mercy as our mode of living, just as mercy has embraced us? In answering these questions, can I give you another word that has been spoken insistently by Pope Francis: accompaniment. As we go out the Door of Mercy one last time, may we accompany one another in the

struggles and hopes, the failures and blessings of our daily lives. “You already know that to accompany someone is to walk with them, to be their companion along the way. How, then, might we be companions of mercy? How can I put aside my hardness of heart, to take up the behaviour of a tender-hearted person? How can you do this? This is the purpose of closing this Holy Year of Mercy, and the Door that symbolises it. Not to close off mercy, but to open it up and out, as the permanent mark of our lives: to become people who are tender-hearted companions with others on the journey to God.”

Foster and Residential Care: Tel: (02) 4340 0786 Mission, Hospital Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care (02) 9481 2658

BROKEN BAY NEWS Editor: Melissa Loughlin Tel: (02) 9847 0722 Fax: (02) 9847 0721 news@dbb.org.au PO Box 340 Pennant Hills, NSW, 1715 Design: Chris Murray

21,000 copies of the Broken Bay News are distributed monthly through 26 parishes and 44 schools in the Diocese of Broken Bay. The Broken Bay News is a member of the Australasian Catholic Press Association. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply diocesan endorsement of products or services advertised. www.dbb.org.au

Our Neighbourhoods of Grace Exploring our missionary outreach

Wyong Catholic Parish A caring community By Debra Vermeer Wyong Catholic Parish is home to a beautiful, historic church and a caring community which seeks to show God’s mercy to everyone, especially those who need it most, through the activities, events and the day-to-day life of the parish.

ituated on the Central Coast, not far from the M1 Motorway, Wyong Parish takes in the two communities of St Cecilia’s Wyong and St John Fisher, Tumbi Umbi. Parish Priest, Fr Raul Balute SOLT, who is assisted by Fr Alex Barnedo SOLT, says while the area has a large retirement population, the proximity to the Sydney freeway means that more and more young families and people from multicultural backgrounds are moving into the area. “We’re starting to see more young faces at Mass, and more people from different nationalities, including Africa and India, because this area is a growing area, with lots of housing development,” he says. The Filipino and Tongan communities are also well represented in the parish, and are known and loved for their contribution to the music ministry among other things. “On the first Sunday of the month, the Tongan choir sings here at St Cecilia’s and they have recently volunteered to do another Mass at St John Fisher,” says Fr Raul. “And every third Sunday, we have a Filipino Mass in the parish.” History plays a big part in the life of the parish, with St Cecilia’s Church having celebrated its centenary in 2008. The WyongLake Macquarie Parish was proclaimed in 1914 and then in 1926 it became Wyong Parish. A long link with the Sisters of St Joseph is still evident today, with the much-loved presence in the community of Sr Sylvia Markulin rsj.

“Many of our parishioners are long-standing members of the parish, with their families having come here for generations,” says parish staff-member Helen Bath. “So there’s a real sense of belonging.” The Tumbi Umbi Mass Centre is in the school hall of St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, one of two Catholic primary schools in the parish.

Principal, Barry Shanley, says the relationship between the school and the parish is a close one in many ways. “We feel very lucky to have the priests that we have in our parish,” he says. “They are just so humble and accommodating about the way they go about things. They are great spiritual leaders in the community. “We really value their presence in our school.

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Our Neighbourhoods of Grace Exploring our missionary outreach

They come here nearly every day, even though the school is quite some distance from the parish centre, but they’re here each day to say Mass at the school for the parish, and our students attend on Mondays and Fridays. “There is a very strong rapport between the parish and the school and because our school hall is used as a parish Mass Centre the students identify it as a place of worship. I think the school and the parish really work hard at building that sense of community.” Yvette Owens, Principal of St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary School, agrees that there is a special, family relationship between the school and the parish. “Our priests are wonderful the way they give their time to come and spend time with our kids,” she says. “They have to split their time between three schools in this parish, but they still find time to be here.” Sharing in the liturgical life of the parish is important for St Cecilia’s school, with Fr Raul and Fr Alex celebrating whole-school Masses at the school, while students join in grade Masses

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one Sunday a month with parishioners as well as regular class Masses. “And we do whatever we can to share in the life of the parish community, by promoting parish events in our newsletter and generally getting involved in parish things,” says Yvette. Both St Cecilia’s and St John Fisher schools are feeder schools for St Peter’s Catholic College Tuggerah Lakes, which also lies in the Wyong Parish. Principal of St Peter’s, Michelle Peters, says the physical location of the school and the parish centre means that there is “both a close and a distant relationship”. “What I mean by that is that even though the parish church is not on site at the school, we have still forged a really close relationship, which we value a great deal,” she says. “The parish priests are here once a fortnight to say Mass with the students and they come to share with us our special events through the year, such as the Opening Mass and the St Peter’s Day Mass. We also have lighter times together, such as when the priests joined us

for a ‘students versus staff ’ basketball game and I know our World Youth Day pilgrims this year really enjoyed the time they spent on pilgrimage with Fr Raul. “Our students also join in parish life in various ways, like when they visit the parish primary schools in Lent to assist with the distribution of ashes, so it’s just a very comfortable, easy relationship, built on respect and a sense of what the parish can add to the Catholic identity of our school.” Fr Raul says he enjoys spending time at the schools in the parish, and says the parish also has a close relationship with the local State schools, thanks to a committed team of catechists. In fact, volunteers are the lifeblood of Wyong Parish, with parishioners helping out in a broad range of ministries and support roles, from cleaning the church and providing flowers, to laundry, maintenance, gardening, and working bees. There are also strong teams of volunteers on the Pastoral Council, the Finance Committee,

Our Neighbourhoods of Grace Exploring our missionary outreach

Social Justice Committee, and the Liturgy Committee as well as people engaged in hospitality and greeting, senior and junior servers, special ministers of communion, music and choir, lectors, collectors and counters, children’s liturgy, sanctuary and altar preparation, data projector operation, RCIA/ RCIC, St Vincent de Paul, baptism welcome, and sacramental formation. “We are blessed with our parish volunteers,” says Fr Raul. “In fact, we have a special Reflection Day coming up for our volunteers soon, to thank them and nurture them in their roles.” The prayer life of the parish is also strong, with morning prayer and adoration taking place in the church every morning, from Monday to Saturday. “It started out with just Fr Alex and myself,” says Fr Raul. “But now we have a few people joining us every day and we hope that it will grow.” The Legion of Mary is also present in the parish and the Rosary is prayed once a week.

The shared prayer life of the parish underpins its outreach, both to parishioners and the wider community. “This parish is a very caring community,” says parish secretary Joanne Helm. The parish has recently shown its care for local people in need with a project known as the Shoebox Revolution, where parishioners put together shoeboxes or little bags of items, including personal hygiene items for people who are doing it tough. The first collection went to the local Coast Shelter for homeless people and the second collection was given to the Shoebox Revolution who distributed the items through its local network of needy people. Parishioners are now in the process of putting together Christmas hampers for the homeless. With a large retired population in the parish, Fr Raul and Fr Alex are kept busy visiting local retirement villages and nursing homes for Mass and the sacraments. Fr Alex is also chaplain at Wyong hospital and a team of parishioners visit the housebound, with Holy Communion.

“We have a get-together cup of tea for seniors on the first Monday of the month and that is getting bigger and bigger,” says Joanne. “It started off with just a cuppa and then someone brought crafts along and now it’s a nice morning out for anyone who might be lonely or bereaved to come and sit and talk and have some company.” Fr Raul says the parish enjoys celebrations and social events too, with a very successful Christmas in July event this year. Many of the social events have an ecumenical nature, given that St James Anglican Church is literally right next door. “We do a lot together,” says Fr Raul. “Last year for our Christmas Dinner, we invited the Parish Pastoral Council and volunteers of St James to join us and this year they’re inviting us to theirs. And we take it in turns to put on the annual Christmas Carols, which is always a beautiful event. “There is a strong community feeling in our parish, which is a really nice thing and something we are always trying to foster.”

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EVANGELISATION

Advent: Preparing the Way The Gospels of the Advent season this year put before us different images. At the beginning, we hear a strong message of the need to stay awake and to repent, and the consequences for not doing so. As we move through Advent, the tone changes to one of expectation of the Messiah – John the Baptist who heralds him; and the birth of Jesus himself. The following reflections are from the Diocese of Broken Bay Advent lectio divina resource, which can be downloaded at www.dbb.org.au

Week 1 Nov 27 Preparing the way by staying awake

Week 3 Dec 11 Preparing the way by having a hopeful expectation

Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is Coming. (Mt 27:42)

What then did you go out to see? (Mt 11:8)

At every moment, for each person and for the Church, there is the danger of not hearing the One who comes – the One who knocks in order that we might be awakened, that we might become alert, that we might hear the call of the Spirit, that we might receive the Christ.

Week 2 Dec 4 Preparing the way by turning back to God In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Mt 3:1-2) Repentance goes beyond an understanding of error or simply being sorry for our transgressions; it embraces a heartfelt response to actively turn to God in right relationship.

As we prepare to meet Christ at Christmas, what do we hope to see? The second reading tells us that “the coming of the Lord is at hand”. So we can be confident in our expectation. Ultimately, we should expect an encounter of sorts, a deeper realisation of Jesus-with-us.

Week 4 Dec 18 Preparing the way by resting in the Lord Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Mt 1:20) Joseph’s openness to God has released him from the restriction of fear and blessed him with assurance, compassion and the courage to not be afraid to change his plans, and to embark on a life journey with Mary and Jesus with the confidence that God is indeed with them.

Christmas Being open to new beginnings And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7) On this most holy day we dare to proclaim that God has become a child. We celebrate that God has not only emptied himself of divinity to become one of us so as to share our humanity but that God has become a child. Childhood remains in God eternally. For God is an eternal beginning, an infinite possibility, an unquenchable awakening, pure presence.

Faith, Hope, Love and Mercy Prayer Cards In closing the Jubilee Year of Mercy and anticipating the seasons of Advent and Christmas, the Office for Evangelisation of the Diocese of Broken Bay has made available four prayer cards for the use of parishioners.

he weeks prior to and throughout Christmas can be a time of great hope and joy for many but it can also be a time of difficulty, loneliness or need for others. These prayer cards have been produced as a form of

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outreach to people who may be in particular need of God’s grace and friendship at this time. Encompassing the themes of faith, hope, love and mercy, there is a prayer card for every circumstance, with messages drawn from Scripture and Pope Francis. These cards provide a simple, practical means to engage with others, ‘churched’ and ‘un-churched’ alike, by way of a simple hand-written message. Space is provided on the reverse of the cards for heartfelt expressions. In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis counsels us to “find ways to communicate Jesus wherever [we] are…” and that “all of us are called to offer others an explicit witness to the saving love of the Lord…” (EG 121). The cards are not intended to tell a person what his or her faith should or should not be. It is simply our own witness to Christian

faith by promising a thoughtful gift of prayer for something or someone important to that person. It is hoped in some small but powerful way that the prayer cards will help the lay faithful to intentionally share their lives and communicate their faith to a world hungry for love and connection; indeed, hungry for the peace of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that each will be received as a sign of Christian love, of encouragement and hope, as we reach out to others in the spirit of the Gospel. These free cards are an easy means of communicating our concern for family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues. Please consider who you might send a card to this Advent, possibly as an insert into a traditional Christmas card you might send. Look out for them in your parish today!

EVANGELISATION

The Advent of our Christian Lives By Daniel Ang, Director, Office for Evangelisation

s the year draws to a close, the season of Advent brings us before the expectancy of Christian life itself. We anticipate together the birth of Jesus, the man who is God, in the city of Bethlehem to a woman named Mary. Indeed, as persons baptised into this life and sharing this life as disciples, we continuously anticipate God’s action and intercession in the intimacy of our own lives. We are a people who await God’s plan for our life to unfold and we await this future in a particular way, not by a passive indifference or by being carried into distraction, but by choosing to live each day in faith with a trust and confidence in God’s abundant love and embracing care, come what may. In short, our waiting for the future is marked by hope. As we journey through the weeks of Advent in anticipation of the great Christmas Feast, the mystery of the Incarnation, we are presented with the choice as to how we might wait with hope.

As our readings throughout Advent underscore, our waiting is to be watchful and attentive to the signs of God’s coming and his invitation to live in his ways. We are called to prepare ourselves for Christ’s arrival by a change of heart and, in the way of John the Baptist, by announcing the Good News of God’s favour and blessing in the One who comes. In radical contrast to the Bethlehem inn of the nativity scene, we are to prepare and ‘make room’ for the Christ-child in the depths of our own heart, opening a space for him to grow and shape us from within. This is especially so in a world that does not always recognise his coming or open its doors to his presence. As the ancients recognised in that congested inn, full on account of the Census of Quirinius, we risk closing ourselves off from what God offers when our hearts are occupied and crowded with conventional and material concerns. With the arrival of this child

arrives our call to a greater authenticity, the call to put aside distraction and the commotion of the year’s end and instead look into the countenance of the One who is our life, who is both the way and our destination, and to begin to truly live in him. In short, the birth of Christ is the birth of our selves; the birth of his humanity is the birth of ours, if only we allow it to be, not only in principle but in fact. The birth of this man-who-is-God announces a new creation, our new creation in the new freedom that Christ invites. As the year comes to a conclusion we give thanks for the fruit of the year – the hundreds who participated in the Jubilee Year of Mercy through prayer and pilgrimage, the many youth and young adults that journeyed to Krakow, the city of Mercy, as a part of WYD16, as well as the families and communities that supported their pilgrimage; those who shared their hopes and ideas for parish renewal at PROCLAIM

2016, from our Diocese as well as from across Australia, New Zealand and Oceania; those who took part in faith formation events on themes including strategies for parish evangelisation, the consistent ethic of life, and the teachings of Pope Francis on marriage and the family; the army of catechists who undertook training as they took the Word into our State schools with passionate commitment; and the parish pastoral councils and parish leaders with whom we worked this year to build up our communities in discipleship and outreach. The hundreds who have taken up initiatives and opportunities for Christian learning and holiness this past year are testament to the Gospel alive in our Diocese of Broken Bay. It is the life of the Gospel that the Office for Evangelisation is privileged to serve. This Advent might we continue to make room for the One who comes and ready ourselves to receive the new freedom given in Jesus Christ.

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NEWS & ISSUES

The Art of Dying Well

www.artofdyingwell.org

For Catholics the month of November is traditionally associated with remembering those who have died.

o mark the occasion this year, the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales produced a new online resource entitled ‘The Art of Dying Well’. ‘Dying well’ means different things to us all. Death is an individual experience, but a

community of accompaniment on the journey can help us prepare by bringing consolation and spiritual peace. Launched on 1 November, the new website draws on the experience of hospital chaplains, medical staff, bereavement

counsellors and individuals who share their insights into the beautiful art of dying well. In England and Wales, as well as many countries including Australia, there has been intense debate in recent years about assisted suicide. In the context of this discussion

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about how to die, the bishops wanted to make a contribution about “how to die well” in the light of Church teaching. Originating in the Middle Ages, traditions developed to assist people in understanding how they should prepare for death. Known as the “ars moriendi”, or the art of dying, manuscripts provided practical guidance for the dying and those attending them. The ‘art’ taught that other people have climbed the same slope that you find yourself climbing and have fallen in the same way that you fall, and that other people whose loved ones are dying, have learnt how to support them. They were written as illustrated manuals, providing advice not only for the person dying, but also for the family, and for all the carers including the priest. After centuries of ministering to the dying, the bishops sensed that it was an important time to look afresh at this rich tradition, bringing forth new resources in the technological age to give people strength and hope as they face death, and in helping them to feel supported spiritually. Bishop John Sherrington, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Westminster, describes the website as “a labyrinth” offering over 30 videos and articles, with sections for the terminally ill, for carers and for those facing bereavement. Above all, he says, it encourages people to go and talk to their priests, chaplains, or other spiritual guides. He says that throughout the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis reminded us that the Church’s role is to be an “agent of mercy” to help people find reconciliation, especially if they have been away from the Church. The site, said Bishop Sherrington, is just the beginning of a project which the bishops hope will “stimulate a conversation” about death, eternal life and the Christian message of hope. It is an open-ended manual with unlimited room to expand and add layer upon layer of material to support those who visit the site for help.

NEWS & ISSUES

Photos by Giovanni Portelli. Used with permission Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

God’s Grace in Prison Chaplaincy By Selina Hasham, Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney

n the middle of maximum security Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre, Sydney, a converted demountable classroom has been transformed into a chapel. Bishop Terry Brady, Australian Catholic Bishops Delegate for Prisoners, along with 50 inmates, volunteers and prison chaplains, gathered to celebrate Mass on Sunday 6 November, the Jubilee for Prisoners. During a moving service, the inmates and the chaplains held up the struggles of life in prison to God’s care and sought help to endure. Through the hymns and prayers, the prisoners who came voluntarily, readily participated in the service and expressed their gratitude for the opportunity. Bishop Brady assured the women there is hope for them, no matter what circumstance they find themselves in. “My prayer today is that you know how loved you are by God,” said Bishop Brady. “We’ve all made mistakes,” he said. “You can hold your head high, because of God’s love and mercy for each and every one of you.” A 23 year old inmate shared that she looks forward to coming to chapel each week.

“It gives us strength to stay happy in gaol,” she said. “The worst thing about being here is that your freedom is taken away. Our sense of value in God makes us stronger, makes it easier to cope.” Chapel gives the women real strength to face difficult situations. An inmate of four years revealed “it’s not the most pleasant place to be. You come across different types of women. I got beat up pretty bad the other week. I know God protects me and I won’t hit back. Yesterday I had mediation with her and I told her ‘I forgive you’”. A number of volunteers from EppingCarlingford parish in the Diocese of Broken Bay attended the Mass and come regularly to assist the prison chaplaincy. Many women in prison bear the burden of separation from their children, and the chaplain ministry plays a crucial role in meeting the many needs that arise in the inmates’ families. “We organise a wishing tree for Christmas which allows the inmates to give a gift to their children,” a 28 year old parish volunteer explains. “Without this, Christmas which is

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painful anyway for those in prison, would be even worse.” The ministry to women inmates in Silverwater prison is headed by lay chaplain Margaret Wiseman from Epping-Carlingford parish. She has been involved in prison ministry for over 25 years and is currently assisted by Fr Peter Carroll MSC, Chaplain to the Corrective Services who also works in the men’s prisons. “No one is so bad, so far away from God or so evil, that the Grace of God cannot penetrate,” Margaret says. “Divine justice is not based on the law but on love. God’s justice extends beyond the law. And so should ours.” The help they provide is practical and spiritual in the times of greatest need. “I missed my mum’s funeral,” said one inmate, “but Margaret and Fr Peter held a memorial service here at the same time, so I was able to be there in spirit.” During the prayers of the faithful, prisoners prayed spontaneously, many thanking the chaplains for their kindness and generosity, without whom, the women know, such help would simply not be available.

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NEWS & ISSUES

A Hero’s Christmas The festive season can be anything but merry for people going through hard times.

he St Vincent de Paul Society NSW runs its annual Christmas Appeal so that people in need have someone to turn to. St Vincent de Paul Society NSW President Denis Walsh launched the 2016 Christmas Appeal with a plea to the public to give generously. “Every day Vinnies assists over 5000 people, but this number increases substantially over the Christmas period. Last year this figure exceeded 26,000 people. So while most of us are out having fun, for others this time can be a stark reminder of their difficult circumstances,” says Mr Walsh. Stories like Anna’s, who fled her abusive, alcoholic husband but remained the hero in her children’s eyes, is a harsh reminder about those who do it tough. Anna lived in the affluent Northern Beaches of Sydney. When she decided to leave, she had nothing and was forced to live

in her car at a public beach with two small children. As Christmas approached, Anna knew she could not offer her children the Christmas they used to enjoy and contacted Vinnies. “I just kept thinking to myself ‘how am I going to provide for my children?” Anna says. “Vinnies listened and made a plan to assist us to get back on our feet, and that was the most important thing. It wasn’t just generosity, it was that they helped me improve my situation.” Food, including vouchers and hampers, made up nearly 50 per cent of the total spend of over $2.7 million during the 201516 festive season. In addition to this, the Society assisted with the distribution of $920,944 worth of EAPA vouchers across the state for electricity bills. The Broken Bay Central Council assisted over 2,700 clients last Christmas. Over $345,000

of material assistance was given to help ease the stress for people experiencing disadvantage in the local area. Jack de Groot, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO, says these figures are very confronting. “People are battling to pay the rent, put food on the table and pay for their energy usage. We are experiencing a homelessness crisis in NSW because of the lack of affordable housing. The stress of not being able to afford the rent is growing, placing families under greater pressure than ever before,” says Mr de Groot. “Having no place to call home, being unable to afford a basic Christmas meal or even small gifts is humiliating and often devastating for families. The funds we raise through the Christmas Appeal allow us to restore dignity at Christmas.” Please donate to the 2016 Vinnies Christmas Appeal so

that we can continue to change lives every day. It can make all the difference and turn a time of unhappiness into a Christmas to remember. “My children’s birthdays are around Christmas so Vinnies was able to provide Christmas presents and birthday presents. It was a prayer answered for me,” says Anna. To show your support and make a donation visit www.vinnies.org.au or call 13 18 12.

Insurance that gives back to the Catholic community When you choose CCI Personal Insurance, you not only get great insurance at a great price, you’re also supporting the Catholic community. Each year we give back via a range of Catholic community programs. We also support worthy initiatives and causes, all with the objective of making a positive contribution to the Catholic community. So when you choose CCI Personal Insurance, you’re not the only one who benefits. Visit our website or call us to learn more about CCI’s dedication to the Catholic community.

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Catholic Church Insurance Limited (CCI) ABN 76 000 005 210, AFS Licence No. 235415 is the promoter of the insurer Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Allianz) ABN 15 000 122 850 AFS, Licence No. 234708. Travel Insurance is issued and managed by AGA Assistance Australia Pty Ltd ABN 52 097 227 177 AFS License No. 245631 trading as Allianz Global Assistance as agent of Allianz. Policy terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply. Before deciding please refer to the Financial Services Guide and relevant Product Disclosure Statement for more information available by calling 1300 655 003; or online from www.catholicinsurance.org.au

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NEWS & ISSUES

Conference proclaims a renaissance of marriage While a culture of marriage may appear to be in decline, there are signs that the time is ripe for its renaissance; that was the message of several keynote speakers at a recent conference.

atholic marriage educators, counsellors, and married couples from across Australia and New Zealand renewed their commitment to proclaim the truth and beauty of marriage and the family at the two-day Renaissance of Marriage conference in October. More than 180 delegates attended the national conference hosted by the Marriage Resource Centre. Christopher West, St John Paul II Theology of the Body expert, author, and founder of the Cor Project, spoke on the gender identity crises that confront every human person. He explained, using Scripture, popular culture, and modern relationship trends, how we ultimately find our true identity in relationship with God. “The Theology of the Body is good news, but to know how good the good news is, we have to know how bad the bad news is,” he said. “This identity crisis we are facing in the modern world is as deep in the human heart as original sin,” he said. “Each and every human being has an identity crisis as part of the human condition. Christ’s words cut though this confusion of human identity: ‘Haven’t you, read’, Jesus said, ‘that in the beginning, God made them male and female?’ “St John Paul II says this is a fundamental fact of human existence, and yet that fact today could not be more contested. When we are confused about sex we are confused about human identity.” David Lejeune, founder of OPUSfidelis, a US-based strategic communications and marketing agency, presented a session on the effective use of social media to promote marriage. In his keynote speech he urged delegates to evangelise by opening their homes and inviting people in to see the real joys and challenges of marriage and family life as it is lived in reality. Kevin Andrews MP and author of Maybe I Do: Modern Marriage and the Pursuit of Happiness, debunked some common myths about modern marriage – pointing out that the situation is not as dire as is often supposed. Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane gave an opening keynote address, speaking of the Synods on the family and the pastoral leadership of Pope Francis, particularly as expressed through the document Amoris Laetitia. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney spoke at the conference dinner on the challenges and opportunities facing young people and married couples today. More than 30 speakers presented TED-style talks for marriage and youth educators, teachers, counsellors, evangelists, and married couples.

Byron and Francine Pirola invited marriage educators to consider adding a fifth stage in the traditional four-stage model of marriage formation – that of empowering married couples to themselves work for a reform of the culture in their spheres of influence. Other presenters included Peter Shakhovskoy, a co-founder of the Men Alive movement; Karen and Jonathon Doyle of Being Catholic; Paul Ninnes, co-founder of Real Talk Australia; and Drs Ron and Mavis Pirola, Synod on the Family attendees. The event was a response to Pope Francis’ call in the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia for a renewed and revitalised approach to equipping young people for Catholic marriage and supporting married couples. The closing Mass, fittingly for the feast of St John Paul II, was concelebrated with a number of priest delegates led by Bishop Peter Comensoli. “The great gift of St John Paul was to give us a language to speak of, and way of seeing, our humanity as utterly grounded in the bodily life of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer,” he said in his homily. “Our bodies – male and female – have a purpose and meaning that takes us into the very life of God. St John Paul gave us a roadmap for our destiny. “May the renaissance of the nuptial meaning

of our humanity be evident in the way we accompany each other home in Christ.” The conference was also an opportunity to formally honour the closing of the Catholic Society for Marriage Education after 43 years of promoting and supporting marriage and family life marriage and relationship education throughout Australia. Conference hosts Bryon and Francis Pirola said the conference represented a “passing of the baton” from the CSME to the many groups and organisations which exist to support and promote marriages today, and invited them to continue to innovate and work collaboratively. If you missed the Renaissance of Marriage 2016 conference, watch highlights, keynotes, listen to podcasts and access articles at www.rom.org.au. You can also access podcasts at www.xt3.com/marriage

ALBERT & MEYER FUNERAL DIRECTORS

…serving the Diocese of Broken Bay since 1967 Rebecca Pincott Michael Bolton

Australian Family Owned & Operated 301-303 PENNANT HILLS ROAD, THORNLEIGH

9484 3992 ALL SUBURBS 24 HOURS www.albertmeyer.com.au BBN

DECEMBER 2016

ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Immersed in the World of the First Christians Broken Bay Bible Conference 2016

By Pina Bernard

The Acts of the Apostles is a unique text within the New Testament which tells the story of the Apostles and the mission of the early Church.

his story was proclaimed again with much enthusiasm at the 2016 Broken Bay Bible Conference “The Acts of the Apostles: Taking the Gospel to a Wider World,” held on 14-15 October, 2016, and presented by Dr Michele A. Connolly RSJ, Dr Laurie Woods and Bishop David Walker. Acts was written by Luke as a second volume following on from his Gospel. We were treated to an overview of the story of the early Church, starting from the birth of the Church at Pentecost, through persecution and initial expansion

around Judea; to hearing about Peter and the acceptance of the Gentiles into the community, the expansion of the faith via Paul into Asia Minor, what is now Greece, and ultimately the journey to Rome. We were then immersed in the first century Greco-Roman world with the Christian community beginning as an offshoot of Judaism and slowly developing its own identity and self-understanding. The early Christians represented a crosssection of society and gathered at least weekly on the first day of the

week (so as not to clash with the Sabbath) in the homes of the most affluent members who had space to accommodate them. Other similar ‘associations’ or ‘guilds’ developed at the time. Interestingly, onethird of the population in many towns were slaves, with the rich comprising only three per cent of the urban population. These communities supported each other, including the poor, and so were very attractive to outsiders for the care they showed. The Christian community grew, and endured its share of persecution.

The key theme within this New Testament text, of the Spirit working through the Apostles to proclaim an inclusive Gospel to all people, is the same as the mission of Christians today. We, too, are challenged to be witnesses to Christ, and encouraged to persevere despite disagreements and persecutions knowing that the Spirit is present and active in our midst. Bishop Peter offered a prayer and blessing at the end of the two day conference to strengthen us to do exactly this.

BIBLE OFFER

Children’s Bible Through the generosity of Fr Harry Davis’ estate, the Diocese of Broken Bay is able to offer Your Young Christian’s First Bible at a subsidised cost. This hardcover Bible uses the Contemporary English Version which is a translation of the whole Bible for children. It means that children of primary school age are able to read all the stories of the Bible themselves. The Bible contains 34 pages of full colour illustrations, maps, a chronology of the Bible and a mini-dictionary.

Handel’s Messiah

An ecumenical combined massed choir performance of the best-loved highlights of Handel’s Messiah will again be presented in Hornsby’s Cathedral Church, Our Lady of the Rosary. Now in its eighth year, the Choir has raised over $37,000 towards the provision of facilities for the welfare of homeless people in our community. Once again all proceeds from the performance will aid the Hornsby & Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter. Time & Date: Thursday 8 December at 8pm Venue: Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral Church, 23 Yardley Avenue, Waitara

COST: $18.00

To place an order, please contact Pina Bernard on 9847 0474 or pina.bernard@dbb.org.au

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Musical Director, Phillip Linquist, organist Heather Boyd and the choir will be joined by an ensemble of musicians and young professional soloists singing favourite arias.

In aid of the & Hornsby gai Ku-ring’s Women Shelter

Tickets available on: Trybooking.com Please use the ‘Buy tickets’ tab and event name: Handel’s Messiah Hornsby 2016 or purchase tickets at the door prior to event.

CATHOLIC YOUTH BROKEN BAY

CYBB – A year in review By Kelly Paget, Team Leader, Catholic Youth Broken Bay

2016 has most definitely been the biggest year yet for Catholic Youth Broken Bay.

nderpinning all that took place has been of course, our incredible journey to the city of Mercy, Krakow for World Youth Day 2016. Pope Francis did not disappoint the 3 million young people that gathered, including the 230 Broken Bay pilgrims. With our pilgrim pathways stretching across the Planet from the Holy Land to Italy and Greece, our young people have had an experience with Christ and His Church that they will remember for a lifetime. Outside of WYD, 2016 has also seen the establishment of our first CYBB Hubs at

Terrigal and Manly. Although still in their development stages, these hubs have already proven to be lively gathering places for fellowship and formation. Our regular Twilight Talks and Praisefest evenings are growing in strength and number; in fact our September Praisefest at Chatswood was the largest event that we have ever held with over 350 vibrant young people in attendance. Therefore, it is with much excitement, that we look forward to 2017. PJ Almendras has recently moved from a part-time to a full-time position within the team which is tremendously

exciting. We will be continuing to grow Twilight Talks and Praisefest, begin CYBB training days to be held once a term as well as prepare for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival which will be held 7-9 December at Sydney Olympic Park. We look forward to working with our local hubs as they strengthen in their task of growing missionary disciples as well as the establishment of new Hub venues. The CYBB team wishes you a safe, holy and joy-filled Christmas. May it fill us all with God’s loving spirit to take forward into the year ahead.

Fundraising album to bring the gift of PEACE Uniting people through faith and music For the past four years, the communities of Letefoho in Timor Leste and Sydney’s Lower North Shore have celebrated Christmas in a very special way.

ver 200 people aged from six to 76, from the Catholic Parishes of Letefoho and the Lower North Shore (LNSP) have been working feverishly in recent weeks to put together the fourth annual LETS (Letefoho East Timor Support) charity fundraising music album. Their goal is to give a very special Christmas present this year – raising vital funds to support the 25,000 people in the developing community of Letefoho in Timor Leste. “We have come full circle,” says LNSP Music Director, Lisa Lewis who has spearheaded the initiative for the past four years, along with her husband, professional musician, composer and music producer, John Lewis. “We have had JOY and HOPE, and this year we are bringing PEACE. This album is a celebration of faith, music and connectedness. We especially celebrate the music of our sister parish in Letefoho as this CD features their fantastic choir and musicians,” Lisa adds. Priced at $15, the PEACE CD will be on sale at all LNSP masses from 12 November.

Funds raised through sales of this year’s PEACE music album will go to improve access to clean water, sanitation, education and community development projects in Letefoho. “Our two communities have reached out to each other – helping to support the people of Letefoho in surmounting the difficulties of their war-torn past brings the people of LNSP the extraordinary joy of giving,” says LETS Chairperson, Georgina Loughnan. “On behalf of LETS, I would like to thank all of the very special people who have come together to make PEACE a reality this year. It truly is a celebration of the power of the human heart to overcome the troubles in our world,” Georgina adds. “So many people have given their time and talents – thank you especially to Lisa and John Lewis for the enormous contribution they have made over the past four years. John made a special trip to Letefoho this year to record the local choirs. Huge thanks also to Fr Helio, Parish Priest of Letefoho and Fr Brian Moloney, Parish Priest of the Catholic Parish

of the Lower North Shore (LNSP) for their support,” says Georgina. LETS also extends heart-felt thanks to the many people who contributed to PEACE – members of Letefoho Choir, Northbridge Children’s Choir, St Thomas’ School Choir, St Philip Neri School Choir and the Combined Choirs of the LNSP; countless musicians and singers; composer/arranger, Jessica Wells; songwriters – Michael Mangan, and Casey and Lewis for donating recording rights; Raymond Cripps for designing the CD cover; and Dianne Cripps for overseeing production. BBN

DECEMBER 2016

Jonn realises his dream By Deborah Walters, Disability Futures, Central Coast

Jonn Christie came to CatholicCare as a participant of our Disability Futures Program in 2015.

e is lovely 26-year-old man that has had an avid interest in photography, art, poetry, yoga and nature. It has been through our individualised funding program on the Central Coast that he has had his dreams and aspirations come to fruition. CatholicCare Broken Bay have been able to provide

motivated and creative activity support partners that have developed his skills and interests in these areas.

drive and commitment are inspirational. Recently his goal was achieved with his book “Through My Eyes”!

Jonn’s goal in life was to prove to himself and to others that he could achieve anything that he put his mind to. The ultimate goal was to create a book and have it published, making it available to everyone. His passion,

I was privileged to meet this inspiring, talented and humble young man at his book launch at Mingara Recreation Club on 8 September, 2016. The launch was well-attended and Jonn sold many copies

of his book, which he was extremely excited about. For anyone interested in purchasing Jonn’s book “Through My Eyes”, you can email him at Jonnrchristie@gmail.com

How does your garden grow?

On Sunday 30 October, the Hornsby Community Garden was launched. located in C(a entrally Edgeworth David Park historic site in Hornsby) the garden promises to become an important social

and community hub in the near future. Julian Baez from CatholicCare Disability Futures has been working closely with Hornsby

Council and chairing the garden’s committee since September 2015. Julian sees this as an opportunity for CatholicCare to reflect its mission in the community as well as an opportunity for social inclusion of the people we support. It is expected that this garden will provide our clients with a disability the opportunity to develop hands on gardening skills, grow vegetables and help other members with their maintenance of the garden as a meaningful social contribution. It is estimated that more than

60 community members attended the launch, including Hornsby’s Deputy Mayor Cr Nathan Tilbury and the Federal member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher. The Garden has officially received a $13,000 Grant from Paul Fletcher (MP for Bradfield) to kick-start the project. A number of other fundraising events are also being carried out to match this amount. If you would like to get involved or have any queries about the garden, please contact Julian on baezavellaneda@dbb.org.au

FAMILY CENTRES: Central Coast • Naremburn • Waitara DISABILITY FUTURES: Central Coast • Northern Beaches • Northern Suburbs OUT OF HOME CARE: Foster Care • Therapeutic Group Care EARLY LEARNING AND CARE: Forestville • Lake Munmorah • Terrigal • Waitara

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Project Ripe Project Ripe is a program run by CatholicCare Disability Futures in Waitara.

ur program runs in conjunction with Harvest Hub, a grass-root fresh produce provider that sources local spray-free produce and delivers it, within 48 hours of being harvested, to our packing shed. As Project Ripe members we receive the produce, check its quality, pack it according to order and deliver it to areas surrounding Waitara (including CatholicCare

offices in Pennant Hills and Waitara) at no extra cost. Many community members and local neighbours access our service picking up their produce orders directly from the packing shed.

independence, and be active participants in our community. In the process, we are also helping local farming communities and the environment.

Packing and delivery takes place every Wednesday. Our involvement in the program gives us the opportunity to develop new skills (organisation, teamwork, quality assurance),

Recently, some of the Project Ripe team came to the Broken Bay Charity Race Day at Gosford, with their fruit and vegetables displayed on each table for guests to win on the day.

If you would like to become a customer of Project Ripe and help us build our program so that more members can get involved… send us an email at baezavellaneda@dbb.org.au or call 9481 2672. We will be delighted to have you on board.

Case Study – Family and Youth Services

The Family and Youth Services team at the Waitara Family Centre worked with a lovely family in the Early Intervention and Prevention Programme earlier this year.

the time of referral, the AverytMum and Dad were both anxious, due to the

Dad being between jobs, a medically challenging pregnancy and the sad loss of a previous pregnancy. This previous loss greatly affected both parents and the anticipation of the upcoming birth meant that this family were in need of additional support. Throughout our time supporting this family, we were able to engage them

with numerous supportive services at the Waitara Family Centre. Initially the family engaged in casework, where they were supported through the challenging time leading up to the birth of their baby. The team also secured financial assistance for the family, which meant that the family could safely bring their baby home. As the family continued to engage with our services, they became more equipped to navigate the challenges of having a new baby in the home.

Following the birth of the baby, the family engaged in the Infant Massage Classes offered at the centre. It was really heart-warming to see how both parents were able to bond with their baby through this process, build friendships with other parents in the local area and also learn new skills. The Mum learned how to recognise and respond to the baby’s needs, while the Dad gained the confidence to become more involved in the care of the baby, which

helped him understand his importance in the baby’s life. The Mum and baby now attend the Supportive Play Group offered by CatholicCare, and they continue to grow and thrive. Through the ongoing support and care of the team here, as well as the family’s persistence and courage, the family have managed not only to persevere through a particularly trying time, but to emerge with newfound confidence and strength.

OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE: Carlingford • Collaroy Plateau • Davidson • East Gosford • Forestville • Freshwater Lake Munmorah • Manly • Mona Vale • Narrabeen • Pymble • Waitara • West Pymble HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY: Gosford • Hornsby • Manly • Mona Vale • Royal North Shore • Wahroonga (SAN) • Wyong BBN

DECEMBER 2016

EDUCATION

Br Tony Whelan Public Speaking Competition The Br Tony Whelan Public Speaking Competition for Year 6 students is in its 19th year in the Broken Bay Diocese and has been excellently organised over all that time by Anne Vans Colina who despite having retired generously returned to run it this year.

he Diocesan Grand Final was again held at St Patrick’s Catholic School at Asquith where students presented a three-minute prepared speech. They were then given ten minutes to compose a oneminute speech. Topics included a

Good Friend, With Just One Click and Lowering The Voting Age From 18 to 11. Adjudicators on the night were Jane Sulis, a teacher at Santa Sabina College where she is responsible for the social justice outreach program,

John McCosker, teacher and adjudicator over the last 22 years for the Catholic Schools Debating Association and Matt Kean, State Member for Hornsby. In what was described as a close result, Olivia Macoustra from Our Lady of the Rosary

Catholic School, Waitara won the competition, with Scarlett Wadham from St Cecilia’s Catholic School, Balgowlah receiving second place, and Edward Carmody from Holy Family Catholic School, Lindfield coming third.

Year 12 Students Graduate

As the year draws to a close, our Year 12 students prepare to leave college and begin their adult lives.

ur colleges celebrated with final assemblies and special Masses held with the graduating class playing a significant role. At St Leo’s Catholic College in Wahroonga, Principal Anthony Gleeson told the students: “You have been given a set of values by your family and by the College: integrity, hope, dignity, respect and justice, that will enable you to be confident, competent Catholic young women and men of conscience.” St Leo’s also acknowledged the contribution of the Cantrell family over the years, who have schooled all eleven of their children through the College since their first daughter Gabrielle began in 1998. Petrea Cantrell,

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who is a prefect, and their final child to attend the College, is graduating this year. The St Leo’s Medal, which is the premier award of the College, recognising high achievement in studies, significant involvement in the religious dimension of the College, representation in sporting or cultural activities at the highest level and a willingness to serve the College or wider community, was awarded this year to Carmen-Mary Maatouk. At Mercy Catholic College in Chatswood, a beautiful evening Mass was held as a tribute to all that the graduating class had achieved and loved during their time at the College. Prayers of Intercession were

read by different girls in their first language including Armenian, French, Tagalog, Japanese, Persian and Tamil. The students celebrated and thanked those who had helped guide them through their schooling life, and also recognised their cultural heritage. The students sang their favorite hymns for the last time as a group, and the Mass concluded with those graduating receiving candles as a token of their time at Mercy. The light of the candle flame representing the spirit of Mercy that will be forever with them. Meanwhile up on the Central Coast at St Peter’s Catholic College, Tuggerah Lakes their Year 12 Graduation ceremony

took a surprising turn with Mr Czes Lawicki, Year 12 Co-ordinator, becoming a local radio celebrity as a result of his speech. Not only did his speech illustrate how the staff at St Peter’s ‘Live the Faith’ and lead with their core values of Courage, Compassion and Commitment, but it also provided advice to students for their future. The speech resonated strongly with Julie Goodwin, former MasterChef winner and current presenter at the local radio station Star 104.5FM. Julie’s third son was in the Year 12 cohort graduating from St Peter’s and on her radio show she recounted the speech the morning after the graduation ceremony.

EDUCATION

Grand old Witness to Faith continues into the future at Terrigal For countless years, students and staff at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School at Terrigal were lucky to have a dear parishioner, Jack Costa join them each Tuesday for a few hours.

ven when well into his nineties, Jack faithfully attended each week to share his love of woodworking and craftsmanship with the amazed children. Jack shared his talents learnt over a lifetime, but even more poignantly shared his deep love of his Catholic faith, and in particular the Rosary. The affection was mutual as children flocked to pray with Jack, and learnt about the Rosary through this incredible

witness to faith. This included an annual Rosary Procession held each October. Last January, Jack passed away at the ripe age of 94. Such was his impact on the community, the school felt he could continue to witness, albeit in a new way. Principal Robert Peers explains. “Jack was an incredible witness to our Catholic faith all through his life. It is only fitting we continue this for new generations of students so they too can learn

to love their faith in the way Jack inspired countless of students when he came each week.” This year’s Rosary Procession included the first ever ‘Jack Costa Awards for Catholic Life & Mission’. The awards were presented to a small number of students who themselves act as a faith witness. Jack’s family were present to give out the awards and the rosary procession this year took on huge significance, as it will over the many years ahead.

Space Travel becomes reality Children at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School in Forestville were in all likelihood the first in Australia to experience virtual reality in the classroom when fifteen pairs of state-of-the-art goggles were on loan for a day.

very child in the school had the chance to use the goggles, which have been used in classrooms in Britain. Staff and children helped design space travel programs for the goggles based on the curriculum. “We’re looking at building a futuristic perspective on learning,”

said Meredith Tomkins, the Principal. “When the children put on the goggles to go into space, they’re aware of the child next to them – and that child was also dressed in a space suit. It’s very exciting.” “There is a strong student voice in this,” Ms Tomkins said.

“The whole focus is the children predicting how this will bring value to their own learning.” The children designed a survey to capture their expectations and reflected afterwards on whether the reality had lined up with these. The school is part of

Elevate, a higher-learning program which includes fourteen schools Australiawide. Elevate aims to lift the learning potential of “gifted and talented” students, although at Our Lady of Good Counsel, the principles are applied through the whole school.

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EDUCATION

Bishop’s Religious Visual Art Prize winners The 2016 Bishop’s Religious Visual Art Prize has provided the opportunity for hundreds of students throughout Broken Bay Diocese to showcase their artistic talents and the way they are able to express their faith through art.

he theme for this year was “A scriptural person, passage or theme” with the extra invitation to express their interpretation of Mercy in the Scriptures. This allowed students to make connections between the scripture and their own lives as well as the global Catholic community responding to Pope Francis’ call to action in this Jubilee Year of Mercy. Judging was performed by

Ms Laura Dickson, Religious Education Coordinator at St Rose, Collaroy, Mrs Jane Lennon, Visual Arts Teacher at Mercy Catholic College, Chatswood and Mr Joshua McPherson, 2015 finalist in Doug Moran Portrait Competition and 2013 Finalist – The Archibald Prize. The judges were impressed with the variety of techniques used as well as the ability of the students to make personal connections with

the scriptures and to convey that message through art. Prize winners and their families gathered for an exhibition and awards giving ceremony on 25 October at the Caroline Chisholm Centre with the awards being presented by the Vicar General Rev Fr David Ranson on behalf of Bishop Peter Comensoli. All the entries can be viewed at

www.dbb.org.au

2016 Award winners are: Early Stage One • First Prize $100 “The Good Samaritan” Matt Ferris St Mary’s, Manly • Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “The Good Samaritan” William McNamara St Mary’s, Manly • Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “The Parable of the Good Samaritan” Jacinta Perry St Joseph’s, Narrabeen Stage One • First Prize ($100): “Mercy in Sydney” Declan McKee St Rose, Collaroy • Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “The Good

Samaritan” Mathias ArangoRincon St Patrick’s, Asquith • Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “The Mercy of Jesus” Thomas Blight Our Lady of the Rosary, Wyoming Stage Two • First Prize ($200): “Noah’s Ark” Vanesa Hein-Ramos St John the Apostle, Narraweena

Stage Three • First Prize ($200): “My portrayal of the Scriptures: PS 25, My soul languishes for your salvation, PS 119:8188, and, O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, PS 136” Sofia Sourakas Our Lady of Good Counsel, Forestville

• Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “Jesus” Ethan Hunt St Thomas’ Willoughby

• Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “Mercy: Ps 51 Have mercy on me O God” Rebecca Maurino St Rose, Collaroy

• Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): “Psalm 25: Psalm of Mercy” Annabelle Reed Our Lady of Good Counsel, Forestville

• Honourable Mention ($30 art supplies voucher): ”God reaching to someone in need” Mia Young Our Lady of Dolours, Chatswood

Stage Four • First Prize ($200): St Mary” Chelsea Wong Mercy College, Chatswood • Honourable Mention ($50 art supplies voucher): “The Blind Leading the Blind” Abbey Johnston Mercy College, Chatswood • Honourable Mention ($50 art supplies voucher): “Sunset” Isabelle Kendal Stella Maris College, Manly Stage Five • First Prize ($300): “Contemporary Mary” Isabela Gollan Stella Maris College, Manly Stage Six • First Prize ($300): “Windows to the Soul” Anna McGrath Stella Maris College, Manly • Honourable Mention ($50 art supplies voucher): “Bundanoon” Rachel Driessen Stella Maris College, Manly Caroline Chisholm Staff Awards In addition to the formal awards announced above, an informal judging of the artworks by Caroline Chisholm Centre staff, resulted in the award of two additional prizes Primary • Caroline Chisholm Centre Staff Award: ($30 art supplies voucher) “Peace in the World” Cadence Barnett Prouille, Wahroonga Secondary • Caroline Chisholm Centre Staff Award: ($50 art supplies voucher) “Windows to the Soul” Anna McGrath Stella Maris College, Manly

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EDUCATION

Science Showcase ignites imagination Students at St Gerard’s Catholic School in Carlingford ignited their imaginations by participating in their Science Showcase.

t is the second year of the project, which is run by Year 5 teachers Ms Koeverden and Mrs Belic. Projects entered into the showcase could be done individually, or in a group of three. A design brief was provided to assist students generate ideas for their projects with a record 104 entries from Years 2 to 6.

“We were thrilled by the energy, enthusiasm and high standard of all the entries,” said Ms Koeverden. “Students showed comprehensive scientific knowledge and a real sense of wonder and curiosity.” Eamonn from Year 6 commented “Science week is a great opportunity to learn more and

have fun” with Ted from Year 5 stated, “every child has a chance to show their knowledge about science. Everyone can do it!” The showcase was on display over a couple of days so that parents, students and visitors to the school could admire the projects.

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EDUCATION

Ready, Steady, Go! Sports Star and former Olympian Matt Shirvington made a guest appearance recently where it all began.

e visited St Martin’s Catholic School, Davidson to present the Matt Shirvington Perpetual Shield which goes to the fastest 100m runner in the school. This year’s winner was Year 6 student, Nicholas Ozaltin.

It was the Primary school’s large grassy playground that was the catalyst for his running career, ‘the PE lessons I had there and foot races with friends,” Matt fondly recollected.

Young Writers Competition Winners of the annual Northern Beaches Young Writers Competition were announced recently and with over four hundred entries making the panel of six judges’ (including Patrick Loughlin, author of Football High) decision very difficult.

“N

o two stories were alike,” according to a statement from the Northern Beaches Council Library. “We would like to thank each and every one of the young writers who entered the competition.” Owen Gleeson in Year 1 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic

School at Forestville won the Year 1-2 prize for his story Minecraft, which is about a boy who walks through a forbidden doorway and finds himself inside a video game. In the same category, Aurelia Bedford from St John the Apostle Catholic School at Narraweena and Jared Tedesco from St Rose

Catholic School, Collaroy received encouragement awards for their stories, The Kitten Mystery and My New Life respectively. Lillian Hamilton in Year 3, also from Our Lady of Good Counsel, received an encouragement award for her story Trapped, as did Eliza Buxton in Year 6

Erin aims for Tokyo 2020 When Erin Waagan started archery, she could not have guessed that within three years she would go on to win an international championship.

“I

was surprised that I was so good at it,” says Erin, who attends St Joseph’s College at East Gosford. “I still get a shock each time I win competitions and make teams.” When she began in 2013, she did not know anyone else who did archery. “It seemed something so different and unique,” says Erin. In 2015 she was selected for the

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NSW State Junior Team and this year was made Team Vice Captain. Since then, Erin has competed in six national competitions as well as at the international championships in New Zealand this year, where she took out first place. “I try to practice in and around school and work,” says Erin. “It’s hard when you compete against other archers who are fulltime

competitors who practice all day long, but it gives me great confidence when I can compete against Olympians and do as well as I have.” Her coach, Kelvin Heath, is confident that Erin will achieve her goal for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “It requires skills and discipline because it’s so challenging,” Erin says. “You really need accurate goal setting skills.”

at St Joseph’s Catholic School, Narrabeen for her story A Doorway Through Time. You can read all the winning stories in an ebook on the Northern Beaches Council website http://www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/ library/kids-space/young-writerscompetition-winners

ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Broken Bay Hosts Gathering of Permanent Deacons By Deacon Paul Simmons, Kincumber Parish

Over many years the permanent deacons of the Sydney Basin have come together, in each other’s diocese, as a diaconal family in prayer and conviviality.

n Saturday 8 October 2016, Bishop Peter Comensoli and the deacons of Broken Bay Diocese hosted another gathering of diaconal communities from the Dioceses of Bathurst, Parramatta, the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Melkite Eparchy, at St Agatha’s Parish in Pennant Hills. Nineteen deacons, two candidates and five aspirants for the permanent diaconate, along with a number of their wives, gathered at St Agatha’s for a day of prayer, formation and friendship. The parish priest Fr Paul Durkin, who is also the Diocesan Vocations Director, made us all very welcome and, along with Fr Brian Moloney, EV for Clergy, and Fr Jim McKeon, Director of Formation for the Permanent

Diaconate, were a great assistance in making our day so successful. We began with morning prayer, followed by morning tea and a presentation by Fr Michael McEntee, from the Archdiocese of Melbourne, on the Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons and the Guidelines for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons. Fr Michael had previously been the Director of Formation for the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Melbourne; and was requested by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference to do the final editing of the document, for their approval, prior to being sent to Rome for Recognitio. The document received approval in Rome in June 2016.

Fr Michael’s presentation was well received and solicited a number of questions. Following the presentation on the Norms, we gathered in the church for the celebration of Eucharist with Bishop Peter. Bishop Peter made the point, in his homily, that deacons minister as a consequence of the bishop’s ministry and they serve those “whom the service of the Word has gathered”. He went on to say “They have a unique place within the differentiation of the Sacrament of Holy Orders and

the service of God’s people is at the heart of that difference”. Following Mass we moved to the parish hall for lunch and lots of talk and laughter. It was truly a great day and we look forward to our next gathering in Parramatta next year. If you feel you are being called to a vocation, or know someone you feel may have a vocation, as a permanent deacon, please speak with your parish priest, any one of the deacons in your diocese, and your vocations director.

Celebrate the Holy Year of Mercy: ACN by supporting priests and religious wherever the Church is poor or persecuted Through their hands, God’s hand caresses the earth... A complimentary Year of Mercy rosary designed by the Priests and religious are above all the apostles of Divine Vatican rosary makers and blessed by Pope Francis will Mercy - and not merely during the extraordinary Year of be sent out to all those who give a donation of $15.00 or Mercy that Pope Francis has proclaimed for the whole more to support this cause and tick the box below. Church. They feed the hungry, comfort the grieving, en- Rosary design: Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s Mercy dure injustice. They promote reconciliation and absolve Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the the repentant from their sins. Day by day, through the parable of the prodigal son. Confessors are called to embrace works of spiritual and corporal mercy, they show people the repentant son who comes home and to express the joy of the Face of the Merciful God. ‘They’ are the priests and having him back again. religious of the Catholic Church. Chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God, Mary, from the Throughout the world wherever the Church is poor or outset, was prepared by the love of God to be the Ark of the persecuted, there are tens of thousands of priests and re- Covenant between God and man. She treasured divine mercy ligious daily living the ‘Yes’ they have already given to in her heart in perfect harmony with her son Jesus. The red and God. It is vital that the indispensable work of priests and white beads represent the rays of light of the Divine Mercy. religious in Christ’s Holy Catholic Church continues.

Send to: Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 7246 Baulkham Hills BC NSW 2153 Tel No: (02) 9679-1929 Email: info@aidtochurch.org Web: www.aidtochurch.org I/We enclose $_________ to support the work of Priests and Religious for the poor and persecuted Church.

I enclose a cheque/money order payable to Aid to the Church in Need OR please debit my Visa or Mastercard:

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AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED...a Catholic charity dependent on the Holy See, providing pastoral relief to needy and oppressed Churches BBN

DECEMBER 2016

NEWS & ISSUES

Photos by Giovanni Portelli.

Celebrating Silver Jubilee of Religious Life By Sr Margaret Kozub CSFN, Vocation Officer, Diocese of Broken Bay

Pope Francis asked consecrated men and women to look at the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion and to embrace the future with hope, and we do it.

n 29 October, Sr Grace Roclawska, Sr Paula Volchek and I celebrated our Silver Jubilee of religious life. I can’t miss this opportunity to share a little bit of my vocation story with you. So… I wasn’t born wearing a habit. I was my parents’ baby, a sister for my siblings and a friend of many. I had my dreams and plans and they were not connected with religious life at all. But I met Jesus and he changed my life. He wanted my heart without reservation. His loving gaze touched my heart so deeply that I couldn’t resist His call. And all I treated as my

treasure and success become worthless. He was gently inviting me: come, follow me, be mine, be like me and love like me. At age 19 I entered the congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and so started my religious life: the real adventure with Jesus. Now here I am, 25 years in religious life and still full of joy and God’s blessings. I let go of many things and dreams but I have received so much. I am sure of His love and I’m grateful for that every day. God’s grace always was ahead of all my efforts. Every

vocation is a pure gift of God’s love. God is not calling us because we are special, perfect and holy. He calls us because he wants us and He is able to bring out the best in us. And after all these years I know there is only one place I can put my roots to be happy and joyful in my consecrated life. This place is God’s heart. If your heart was being deeply touched by the love of Jesus be not afraid to cling to His heart. You can trust Him. Listen to Him, discern your vocation and have courage to fulfill it with joy.

Put those you love in the hands of those who care

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Celebrating our Catechists On Saturday 5 November 2016 at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, catechists from across the Diocese of Broken Bay came together for their annual Mass with Bishop Peter Comensoli.

“C

atechists are the courageous ones in our Church who boldly go out to instruct our young ones,” said Bishop Peter, “but someone cannot be sent unless they first hear the call. Thank you for hearing the call of Christ.” Service Awards were given to many catechists at the Mass. Those who have served 20 years received a Papal Blessing. A

special 40 year service award was presented to Valerie Donovan of the Lakes Parish. Special mention must be made to two catechists who were not present on the day, but received awards. Susan Southwell of Terrigal Parish who also received 40 year service award and Helen Ann Sullivan who has been volunteering as a catechist for 45 years! An amazing achievement.

The Confraternity of the Christian Doctrine (CCD) is a very special and important ministry. It is completely reliant on volunteers, who give up their time to teach children in State schools about the Catholic faith. If you would like to volunteer and become one of these amazing catechists, please call Sharon Da Roza on 02 9847 0492.

Mass for Religious On Tuesday 15 November, Bishop Peter Comensoli welcomed all the Religious men and women in the Diocese of Broken Bay to their annual Mass and dinner to celebrate and honour the work they do.

ver 70 order sisters, brothers and priests joined Bishop Peter for Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral. Bishop Peter commented in his homily that he was always struck by the diversity of charism in our Diocese, with all the different Religious

Orders, but they all had the call from God and served Him well. “Thank you for all you do,” said Bishop Peter. Following Mass, guests joined the Bishop for a lovely dinner at the Light of Christ Centre. The youth from the Hornsby

Cathedral Parish helped by serving dinner to the guests. Thank you to Libby McManus and Margaret Smith in the Bishop’s Office who coordinated the evening and of course thanks to the volunteers and staff who helped on the night.

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Woods Cottage

A Community Project in the Lindfield-Killara Parish By Adrienne Connaghan Woods Cottage was established in the parish of Lindfield in 1981 (the “Year of the Disabled”) as a supervised group home for young adults with an intellectual disability.

he cottage is named in honour of the previous owner, parishioner Tom Woods, who assisted the parish to purchase his home for this important community need. The purpose of the Cottage is to provide community living for residents, rather than institutional style housing. The Catholic community of the parish, (now Lindfield-Killara Parish), responded and has catered for the needs of the facility. The home has been jointly funded for more than

thirty years by the Woods Cottage Foundation, which was established with generous fundraising contributions from the community, and the NSW Government department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC). Service management and the ongoing maintenance at Woods Cottage have been managed by Board members of the Woods Cottage Trust, who are a dedicated group of volunteers from the parish. In 2014 the Woods Cottage Trust

entered into an agreement with CatholicCare, Diocese of Broken Bay, so that the staff transferred to employment by CatholicCare and the service management is fully administered by CatholicCare, still receiving funding from the NSW Government. Woods Cottage continues as a community project of the parish. The Woods Cottage Trust Board remains responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the property. In 2016 the roof of the cottage has been replaced and new floor

coverings installed. Four residents live at the cottage, which is their home. The professionalism of the staff was recognised in a recent NDIS verification audit which highlighted the superior quality of the case notes and documentation, with the auditor stating that the case files were the best they had seen in the State. On Friday 11 November, Bishop Peter Comensoli visited Woods Cottage as part of his Episcopal Visitation to Lindfield-Killara Parish.

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ACROSS OUR DIOCESE

Annual Charity Race Day raises more money than ever! Thanks to the generous donations of sponsors, supporters and guests, the Diocese of Broken Bay Annual Charity Race Day at the Entertainment Grounds, Gosford was able to raise in excess of $30,000 this year!

or the first time, the Charity Race Day’s fundraising went directly to Mary Mac’s Place, Woy Woy. Mary Mac’s Place at Woy Woy, run by St John the Baptist Parish and CatholicCare, provides nutritious, hot lunchtime meals for the homeless, a place to shower and wash their clothes on week days, and a place to build relationships and connections amongst the community. Mary Mac’s provides social, community and friendship opportunities for men, women

and families, young people, the elderly and the socially and economically disadvantaged. Mary Mac’s is supported by CatholicCare in collaboration with St Vincent de Paul and other community partners. “ Thank you so much for the effort that has gone into making sure it was a great day,” said Trish Devlin, Executive Director of CatholicCare. “Mary Mac’s began to benefit on the day with businesses pledging assistance, let alone the heightened awareness of the service on the Central

Coast. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” The Charity Race Day would not be possible without the generous help from our official Race sponsors Avium, New England Constructions, Makinson d’Apice, Modular Building Systems, B-Mac Constructions, Pitcher Partners, WN Bull Funerals and Paynter Dixon. Special thanks also to Blue Moon Finance, Lowes Schoolwear, Harvest Hub, Virtunet and all other organisations who donated prizes to our wonderful raffle.

Harvest Hub and Project Ripe provided a lovely tray of fruit and vegetables for each table as the centre piece, with the opportunity for guests to win them and take them home. Fortunately for Mary Mac’s, the majority of the trays were donated back to Mary Mac’s. The Diocese of Broken Bay Annual Charity Race Day is always a great day, and Bishop Peter Comensoli, who attended his first Race Day this year, committing the Diocese to continue hosting the event, and told all guests on the day “see you next year!”

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DECEMBER 2016