THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN VEMA

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1 THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN VEMA The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece Tel. (02) Fax: (02) Commemorative photo of delegates and guests following the Opening of the Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre, constructed with the assistance of the Federal Government 10 TH NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE A HUGE SUCCESS Hundreds of youth and young adults gathered in Brisbane for one of the largest Youth Conferences ever held by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. The 10th National Youth Conference was organised this year by the Parish and Community of the Dormition of the Theotokos at Mt Gravatt. As part of the Youth Conference over 400 guests from around Australia attended the Blessing and Official Opening of the Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre at Woorim on Bribie Island. *** Full report pages 10/28 and 11/29 $10 million donated to Estia Foundation On the 27th September 2013, the Estia Foundation of Australia held it's biennial Fundraising Dinner at Le Montage, Lilyfield. The highlight of the evening was the unprecedented announcement that $10 million was being donated by an anonymous Estia supporter. It was a historic moment for the Estia Foundation and indeed the Greek-Australian community in Australia. *** PAGE 2/20

2 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA $10 million to ESTIA from anonymous donor! By George Hatzivasilis IF YOU STOP THE TEAR OF JUST ONE PERSON, THE HEIGHT OF HUMANITY IS RAISED - YIANNIS RITSOS If there is one initiative that our community has embraced warmly and supports in every possible way, this of course is the ESTIA Foundation of the Archdiocese. An indication of this is the almost unbelievable donation of $10 million from an anonymous great benefactor, which was announced at the official dinner of the Foundation on 27 September. People with disabilities are the most vulnerable, but also the most likeable and the most lovable members of our society, which I had the good fortune to discover through the Elpida Association. When we, the able-bodied cry and carry on for the smallest misfortune in our lives, people with special needs not only do not complain about their difficult situation, but they respond to it with the sweetest smile, with the unspoiled purity with which they were born, and no matter how great their disability, the grandeur of their soul is just as great and they LOVING CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS show this with such love towards their fellow human beings. These people do not ask much from life except for the necessary care and affection which they receive from their families, but also their participation in society, which is encouraged by special organisations that educate them even in the most elementary Premier Barry O'Farrell addressing the ESTIA Foundation Dinner tasks so that they feel useful and create social relations among themselves. People with special needs are a great responsibility for their families. Many times when I would go to the meetings of Elpida, I would hear the concerns of parents for the future of their children with disabilities, for when they will no longer be able to care for them and protect them. With such concerns, and because the community did not help Elpida as much as it should have when its members found themselves in a difficult position, they very correctly requested care for their children from the Archdiocese. The Church accepted their proposal and on 29 November 1994 the ESTIA Foundation was established with the b- lessings of Archbishop Stylianos and the property of Elpida. In the beginning the ESTIA Foundation continued the work of Elpida by caring for young Greek Australians with special needs every weekend. However, it quickly became apparent that their parents or carers also needed respite, when they could choose to leave their child for one or more days in a centre with a family environment. For this reason the St Andrew s House was built next to the church of St Andrew, Gladesville, through the support of the government of Bob Carr and the Greek community. It opened its doors on 17 April In addition, on 22 October 2000, Elpida House in Roselands commenced operation as a respite centre for parents and carers, with funding from the government following intense lobbying and the generosity of our community. However the need for permanent care of people with special needs had now become pressing as the parents and carers grew older. The first step was taken with the donation of a building by a family from Cephalonia in 2004; this is Lixouri House in Sydney, which permanently cares for four young people with intellectual disability in a pleasant family environment. The ESTIA Foundation offers its services to disabled people of every ethnicity and creed 24 hours per day every day with five regular beds, and a sixth for emergency cases. In every home there are permanent cooks to prepare the food, while there are also carers at all times of night and day to serve the residents. ESTIA therefore offers its respite services to 150 families every year. I should also add that ESTIA offers a programme of care on the weekends which includes activities such as excursions and visits to the sites of Sydney, music and dance, crafts, and various therapies, such as hydrotherapy. The income of ESTIA comes from donations, appeals and government grants which are necessary for its survival. In the 19 years of its operation, the ES- TIA Foundation has been highly respected by government services, organisations, families and society in general for its high standard of care and facilities. The year 2012 was a milestone for the Foundation which successfully achieved two goals. The first goal was the recurrent funding of $1.16 million from the state government of New South Wales for the permanent residence of 10 people with intellectual disability. The second success of ESTIA was the decision of the Supreme Court in favour of the Foundation for a 25,000 m² property in Blakehurst, in accordance with the will of Carolyn Milne Williams. The achievements of ESTIA honour not only the hard-working Father Angelo Alifierakis and his worthy co-workers, but also the Archdiocese and the Greek community in Australia generally. In my opinion it proves how necessary harmony is within an organisation in order for it to flourish, and how ESTIA, with its professionalism, meets the requirements of disabled people with overflowing love. It also makes our Church a pioneer in the provision of such specialised services in Australia. I imagine that these also were the reasons that convinced the great benefactor to entrust the ESTIA Foundation with the enormous donation of $10 million, knowing that this will make a big difference. The community in general and above all the families of people with special needs are deeply grateful both to the great benefactor and to ESTIA for its God-pleasing work. Source: O KOSMOS newspaper, kindly reproduced by permission, translated by DK

3 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 By Mario Baghos Associate Lecturer in Patristic Studies and Church History, St Andrew s From 3-5 October the Very Revd Dr Doru Costache, Senior Lecturer in Patristic Studies, and I represented St Andrew s at the Early Christian Centuries I conference, hosted by the Centre for Early Christian Studies, in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Early Christian Studies Society, at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. The conference was on the theme of Men and Women in Early Christianity, yet it covered additional topics including Patristics, Hagiography, The Byzantine Church, Byzantine Architecture, Asceticism, etc. With no less than three keynote addresses by Professors Elaine Wainwright (University of Auckland), Mathijs Lamberigts (KU, Leuven), and Claudia Rapp (ÖAW, Vienna), and a plenary address by Professor Andrew McGowan (Trinity College, University of Melbourne), the event was well attended by exceptional scholars in the fields of late antiquity, Byzantine studies, patristic studies, and other disciplines. Especially significant for Fr Doru and I was the welcoming presence of several friends and supporters of the College. It was a great joy to be able to converse again with Professor Pauline Allen, FA- HA (ACU, Brisbane), keynote speaker at this year s Patristic Symposium. Professor Allen s paper at the Early Christian Centuries I conference was entitled: How, if at all, to write to a woman in Christian Late Antiquity? Equally enjoyable was to meet Dr Bronwen Neil, FAHA (ACU, Brisbane), programme director for the Early Christian Centuries conferences. Dr Neil was keynote speaker at our 2011 Symposium on St Gregory of Nyssa and will offer another keynote at our upcoming 2014 Symposium. Her paper at this conference was entitled: Dreaming of men and women in Gregory the Great s Dialogues and a Byzantine dream key manual. Another friend of St Andrew s who welcomed us was Dr Adam G. Cooper (JP II Institute, Melbourne), who gave a keynote paper at our 2012 Symposium and will be co-convening the 2014 Symposium together with Fr Doru. His paper at this conference was entitled: Nuptial mystery or sacrament of sin? Maximus the Confessor on marriage and sexual intimacy. Last but not least, it was a great pleasure to meet again Dr Anna M. Silvas, FAHA (UNE, Armidale), who gave keynote presentations for St Andrew s 2010 and 2011 Symposia. Her paper at this conference was entitled: Basil of Caesarea, his silence about Macrina and his attitude to women. After the plenary address on day one of the conference, Fr Doru chaired the short paper session on Patristic Exegesis on the Creation of Male and Female. During the lunch-break, Dr Cooper and Dr Silvas generously invited us to the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family for a coffee, where enlightening conversation ranging from patristics to scriptural exegesis ensued. In the afternoon, I presented my paper on The Christocentricity of ecclesial art in Early Byzantium in a session on The Byzantine Church. A highlight for Fr Doru was a conversation with Professor Hubertus R. Drobner (Theologische Fakultät Paderborn), whose critical edition of St Gregory of Nyssa s Apology for the Hexaemeron he used in the publication of two recent Phronema articles. Likewise, I was thrilled to meet Professor Claudia Rapp, who made some important suggestions for my current PhD research on the city of Constantinople. Continuing this note, on day two of the conference we were overwhelmed to meet the erudite and humble Revd Professor Angelo Di Berardino, EARLY CHRISTIAN CENTURIES: A CONFERENCE TO REMEMBER Director of the Institutum Augustinianum in Rome. Fr Doru recounted with joy the fact that he uses Professor Di Berardino s monumental Patrology: The Eastern Fathers from the Council of Chalcedon to John of Damascus in his patristic studies units at St Andrew s. The Professor also shed light on some questions pertinent to my thesis topic, spending the one hour lunch-break with Fr Doru, Dr Adam Cooper, and myself, much to the enrichment and gratitude of all. After lunch, Fr Doru delivered his paper entitled Saintly perceptions of gendered humankind: Ambigua 10 and 41 in a session on Byzantine Perspectives on Gender and the Will chaired by Dr Cooper. At the end of the session, Fr Doru was invited by Professor Mathijs Lamberigts and other attendees to further expand on aspects pertaining to the wisdom of St Maximus the Confessor; this resulted in a very lively conversation. The conference was tremendously successful, and congratulations must be extended to all involved; organisers, presenters, and delegates. As a final note, for Fr Doru and I this conference reinforced the significance of such events for academics who, in the presence of their esteemed peers and in a spirit of mutual learning, are made to feel part of a community that is truly making a difference to our intellectual, and why not spiritual, culture. THE KYTHERIAN ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA A PROUDLY PRESENTS S WITH HELEN ZEREFOS OAM Sponsored by PETER & HELEN MAGIROS & FAMILY- FRUTEX AUSTRALIA Poems By S. HARKIANAKIS (H.E. ARCHBISHOP STYLIANOS) Music By EVAGGELOS PAPAGEORGIOU AGEORGIOU Sung By HELEN ZEREFOS OAM Date Sunday 3rd November 2013 Time Venue Address Ticket Cost 3.00pm for a 3.30pm start Westside Reception Lounge 265 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville $20.00 per ticket Bookings Kathy Samios RSVP 25th October 2013 Limited seats available so book now to secure your seat. CDs available at the event for $25.00 each. Proceeds supporting Alzheimers Research earch & KAA Aged Care Trust

4 4/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA By Fr. Peter Mavrommatis PEACE IN THE FAMILY Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. (Rom 12:17) As we discussed in last month s column, the sanctity of marriage is under attack. While the Church has responded officially to the attacks from the outside, it is important to say just a few words in order to empower married couples as they navigate the sometimes stormy waters of a healthy and happy marriage. This is not a contradiction in terms! A happy, healthy and longstanding marital relationship will no doubt encounter varying degrees of difficulties which all serve to strengthen the bond and allow husband and wife to learn, practice and exercise virtue. There can be no doubt that a number of virtues and qualities contribute to the healthy state of a marital relationship, but I would like to draw our attention to peace. Saint John Chrysostom observes that if there is a peaceful coexistence between husband and wife, and consequently between all members of the family, this will not allow anything nasty or hurtful to penetrate into the life of the family. Even when the external pressures become difficult to bear, the peace that prevails does not allow them to penetrate into the body of the family. To achieve this communal peace and harmony however, spouses need to have peace within themselves. In this way, one is able to help the other and the internal family peace is not disturbed, regardless of the ferocity of the waves outside. When spouses are not at peace with themselves, there is confrontation and conflict between them. This spreads to other members of the family and so children (and grandparents) are also troubled. One of the main causes of conflict in the family, according to Saint John Chrysostom, is excessive and lingering concern for material things. While this has always been the case, there can be no question that our times are characterised by growing materialism, secularism and consumerism. Of course, the suggestion is not that one becomes lazy with regards to work or indifferent to the needs of those for whom we are responsible, but to do so without stress which causes distress. Let us not forget that Martha, the sister of Lazarus who was fussing over cleaning and serving was reminded by the Lord that one thing is needed (Luke 10:42). Her sister was praised for having chosen the better portion, that being, listening to the Word of God. Martha s worries did not warrant any affirmative action from the Lord because they were directed at the present - jobs to do, food to prepare and people to entertain, and had no eternal significance. They contradicted the Lord s instruction to not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. (Luke 12:22-27, 31). How is it then that one can attain this peace? First and foremost, we must pray that God gives us unity and peace as He gave to His disciples and accept that it is through Him only that we can have peace in ourselves and our lives. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:27), again the Lord says, in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33), while after His glorious resurrection He appeared and comforted His confused and frightened disciples saying, Peace be with you (John 20:19). The greatest challenges to peaceful interactions are selfishness and stubbornness. Insistence and persistence in one s own opinion and will without any compromise are the causes of many quarrels, and failure to see things from the other s perspective lead to heal rifts because both partners seek the upper hand and try to come out on top. The cause of this is a failure to understand that marriage provides two people with the opportunity to work out their salvation with a helper. When we are able to understand that in a marriage there is no longer a man s will and a woman s will but one will, that being God s Will, then both husband and wife have the same goals and direction and consequently no quarrels. This oneness of mind and soul is a basic prerequisite for the prosperity of the entire family. Saint John Chrysostom compares the unity of the soul and body with the union of husband and wife. Just as the soul is united with the body, so spouses need to be united with each other. And as body and soul need to be in unison for the salvation of a person so too, spouses need to be in oneness of mind as they follow the Lord or the relationship will die, just like the body does when it is separated from the soul. Another important consideration is drawn from the words of Saint Paul who reminds us that no man ever hates his own flesh (see Ephesians 5:25-33). Highlighting the need for spouses to love and cherish each other, he reminds us that husband and wife are one body. By doing harm to the other, one hurts him/herself. The old adage cutting one s nose to spite one s face holds true in this instance. Unfortunately, too many spouses are more than happy to mistreat the other because of past wrongs against them. This is not only un-christian, but self-harming! While most would naturally agree with what has been stated, we cannot deny that there are circumstances that attack the peace of the family. At these moments, we ought to recall the words of Christ Who says, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, (Matt 11:28-30). Christ Himself is the Prince of Peace, the source and model of peace from Whom we are called to learn. Orthodox church set on fire in Calabria An Orthodox Church located in the district of Sbarre in Reggio Calabria, Southern Italy, was set on fire in broad daylight. Sbarre is one of the most densely-populated districts of the southern part of the city. The episode has shocked the believers and the citizens, who rushed to the scene as soon as they heard the news. This city is very good at throwing mud at itself, the pastor Daniel Castrizio said. We do not want anything from anyone but the city cannot leave its children in this state of ignorance and total anarchy. How can you speak well of a city burning churches? I believe that this is the case to give a sign, not for the Orthodox Church, but for ourselves, for the region, for the chance to pick ourselves up.

5 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23 Our Primate s View By ARCHBISHOP STYLIANOS OF AUSTRALIA 10 th NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE ADDRESS THE TERMINOLOGY AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MODERN TIMES A) INTRODUCTION The previous National Youth Conference, which was also held here in Brisbane between 25th-28th of January, 2007, had the general topic The responsibility of Youth in modern Society. This year s National Youth Conference likewise, as we shall see below, will attempt to offer deeper insight into the problem of the responsibility of Youth. Consequently, we will try to see how the names and their corresponding meanings are differentiated (in various periods of time), in order for our current theme to arise: The terminology and the psychology of socio-political developments in modern times. And it becomes apparent that the mentioned integrated theme should not be considered as a problem of Youth exclusively. This is because the twin terms signifier (that is, the word as such) and signified (that is, whatever the word refers to) had already occupied the thought of the ancients - especially Parmenides, in whose footsteps we must say that the renowned modern Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (with his unique dissertation Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus) followed. Yet, the major characteristic features of Youth make them, in any historical period, the closest subject of thought, being the most vulnerable section of society, which undergoes the changes that occur in the twin terms signifier and signified. Let us then first see the major characteristic features of Youth, so that we can understand why young people should be considered a subject of terminology and psychology more than any other age group. However before mentioning the major features of Youth, we must define the age-bracket that normally corresponds to this term. In today s society, Youth are normally considered to be between 13 and 20 years of age, known internationally as teenagers. However, in our special Conferences, we consider Youth to include young people of 25 or 30 years of age, to ensure that they have the necessary maturity for a serious dialogue, which is the goal of all our Youth Conferences. 1. The first and most likeable feature of Youth, in every historical period, is of course their honesty and unreserved manner when dealing with every situation. A young person lacks the experience of life, but precisely for this reason he or she has not learnt to be hypocritical, and therefore speaks with optimism and enthusiasm and with the confidence of being capable of any task. 2. Another characteristic (closely related to the previous one) is the rush - or what we normally call impatience - of young people to know and become familiar with, or rather to conquer, everything around them. Deep down, this desire to rush ahead is really the boundless optimism of the age group to which the child or adolescent belongs within the miracle of life. In most cases this self-confidence of the young person is neither self-deception nor audacity. When biological reflexes are still fresh and in full strength, a person thinks that everything can be achieved in record time. Today, with modern technology, especially with the means of digital communication and information, we see how quickly children and young people in particular familiarise themselves with it, as they always have greater flexibility in adapting to new situations. 3. A third basic, yet complex, feature of Youth, is their willingness to wake up to themselves and the speed with which they can rectify their former life which, due to superficiality, involved wasting valuable time and energy on vain things or completely non-existent values - much like the Prodigal Son of the Gospel reading. A classic example of youthful frivolity was the Youth Movement in France in 1968, under the fiery leadership of the anarchist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, which caused turmoil not only for Europe and America, but rather for the entire planet. Using surrealistic slogans such as imagination in government and down with authority together with other irresponsible expressions, they managed in just a few hours to set up roadblocks and to dissolve every notion of order or sense of responsibility throughout the entire terrified society of Paris. The foolishness of such enthusiasm - coupled with the fear felt by the multitude of peace-loving citizens who were all very unjustly and demeaningly called names such as compromised or sold out or slaves of the establishment etc - naturally gave rise to two diametrically opposed extremities, from which the modern world is yet to be redeemed. That is to say, on the one hand, movements under various names, that were usually leftist or anarchist, spread everywhere and grew. On the other hand, reactionary groups of excessive conservativeness and fear also sprung up, which even led to phenomena of unacceptable fascism. It is at any rate noteworthy that many of the wellknown instigators of that burst of anarchy in Paris were, only two decades later, appointed to positions of central power in public organisations, and they admitted their regrets in interviews. These are the fruits of maturity! Those who have responsibility for the upbringing of young people from childhood to advanced adolescent years must admit, then, that there are two areas that we should not overlook for the good of all humanity: - On the one hand there are the studies in humanities, which can monitor and direct any progress made by science and technology - On the other hand, equally necessary - if not more so - is the worship of the divine in general, regardless of which religious tradition the modern person belongs to. Otherwise, the one-dimensional person inevitably arises. And whenever this kind of person speaks of development and progress, he or she always means economic and technical comforts and improvements. But the human person is of course more than just the stomach! Our observation concerning the one-dimensional person leads us, already, to a few characteristic examples in which the spoken words do not have a balanced analogy with what is meant. In such cases, the result is ironically the exact opposite of what was intended! B) SEVERAL CHARACTERISTIC EXAMPLES OF THE SIGNIFIER AND THE SIGNIFIED Following the above introduction, which was so necessary for our topic, we shall attempt to present several characteristic instances of the signifier and signified, which clearly show how thinking has been decisively steered in recent times. (Cont. page 6/24)

6 6/24 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Letter from Maroubra Who is the most famous painter of the 20th century? You would be wrong if you said something like a Picasso or a Warhol. According to the New York Times in 1994, Warner Sallman ( ) was considered the best known artist of the 20th century. You have probably seen this image many times. It is called the Head of Christ (1941). It is the work of Sallman and it is a fitting tribute that more than 500 million have been sold. you can feel Christ s presence I see righteousness, strength, power, reverence, respect, fairness, faithfulness, love, compassion. From the way the hair in the image is highlighted in the back and highlights around the front of the head and face there seems to be a holy radiance emitted from the image (Correspondence file, Sallman Archives, Anderson University). How powerful is his work? The New York Times reported - Immediately after the earthquake in Los Angeles in January, newspapers across the country carried an Associated Press photograph of a woman who, as the tremors levelled her house, managed to escape with her children, her rosary and Sallman s painting. Sallman was an immigrant from Finland. He trained as a commercial artist at night school in Chicago. He sang in the church choir. Other paintings by Sallman include Christ at Heart s Door, Christ in Gethsemane, the Lord is my Shepherd and Christ our Pilot. They are very familiar. Here is a testimonial about Christ at Heart s Door from the website. Neighbours took me to Sunday School when I was a child. It was a small church, and there was a large portrait of Christ at the Door. In my teens I wandered away from God. One night in my early twenties I lay in bed sorrowing over the path I had taken and wondering how to get right. Then I remembered that painting and that verse from Revelation. I asked Christ to come into my heart and forgive my many sins. That was over 50 years ago... I thank God for that painting. (Nadene Cheney, Dec. 21, 2012) These works speak to many hearts. As a kid I always loved these images because they allowed me to relate to the goodness of Christ. The constant theme is the assurance of Christ and his love. Head of Christ A copy used to hang in our dining room at the Maroubra Mansions for many years. This was a time when Byzantine iconography was scarce in Australia. I used to think it was an actual picture of Jesus. Somehow or other I had the vague impression it was Catholic. The Head of Christ was originally a charcoal sketch for the cover of an evangelical magazine. Later several different versions were painted in oil. It was handed out as wallet-sized cards to servicemen during the war. In 2010 it was even released as a postage stamp for the Aland Islands, an autonomous province of Finland. Quoting from one admirer: Christ in Gethsemane The Lord is my Shepherd Christ at Heart s Door Christ our Pilot always impressed me and for some reason I always thought that it was Greek in origin. It is a bold statement. It says that no matter what troubles occur and no matter what storms there are in life, Christ is at the helm. Sallman once said of his work, I give God the glory for whatever has been accomplished by my efforts to bring joy and happiness to people throughout the world. Thank you Mr Sallman! The collection of Sallman s works is held at the Jessie C Wilson Art Gallery at Anderson University in Indiana. See letterfrommaroubra@gmail.com 10 th NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE ADDRESS THE TERMINOLOGY AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MODERN TIMES Cont. from previous page When this imbalance is striking, then we only use names euphemistically. A common example of this is the Black Sea, which in the Greek language is called the friendly sea (εὔ-ξεινος πόντος) only with obvious irony, so as not to call it what it really is: an unfriendly sea (ἄ-ξενος πόντος). We have the same situation with the Pacific Ocean, which is everything but pacific (i.e. peaceful). In political life, there is normally a Department that deals with the strategic relations between various countries. And while this has to do with matters of war, we do not call the relevant portfolio the Department of War, but simply the Department of Defense! Similarly, in post-war Greece, when various political Parties were formed, the new Party of Andrew Papandreou used the emblem of a green sun (thereby monopolizing hope and optimism). And the Left which broke away from the Communist Party was called The Coalition of the Left and of Progress (!), as if that Party had an exclusive hold on humanitarian sensitivities and progressiveness among all other Parties. Yet, despite all the intrigues that politicians of so-called modernity engage in, so as not to be committed to all their statements towards their electorate, they were eventually obliged to invent in their vocabulary the term politically correct. This was in order to avoid any negative criticism in their discussions, something which undoubtedly comprises, to some degree, an element of sincerity. A more recent example of our times, which shows how deep the connection between signifier and signified can be, is the term same sex marriage. Those who are attempting to impose the marriage of homosexuals within the various Parliaments of western nations, are really trying to force a change in the traditional definition of Marriage, which has been in existence since the time of Roman Law. As we know, the definition of Marriage, according to Roman Law (which was also adopted by European systems of Law subsequently) was expressed as the union of man and woman, for the sharing of their entire life. In closing this exploration concerning the signifier and the signified in modern times, we should perhaps not overlook the philosophical irony with which the tragic English writer George Orrwell made a sharp critique of such correlations, especially in his famous work Animal Farm. As a summary of all that we have said thus far, what becomes clear is the value of Ethics - especially Christian Ethics. The foundation for this was of course proclaimed in the most categorical way, to both the wise and the unwise, through the famous command of God incarnate, who is Jesus Christ: Let your Yes be Yes and your No, No ; for whatever is more than this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37)

7 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25 Growing up fast and furious Media s impact on our children: Into the Minds of Babes: How Electronic Media Affects your Young Child: Part 2 By Fr George Liangas Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Parish priest, St Nectarios Church, Burwood, NSW My son, hear the instruction of your father And do not forsake the law of your mother. Proverbs 1:8 This month we continue reviewing Lisa Gurnsey s book Screen Time 1, which looks at how electronic media affects preschool children s cognitive, emotional and educational development 2. Which videos are too scary for my child? It is disturbing that many young children are allowed to watch violent films. Do the parents not believe that their children will be affected by this violence? What does the scientific research say about this? Very young children do not think logically like we do. Therefore their interpretation of what they see will be widely different from how we will see it. For example, in one study after the terrorist attack of September 11, young children did not believe that it was just 2 planes that crashed into the towers. Having seen the endless replays of the terrorist footage, they were convinced that many more planes were involved. If that s the case of news coverage of a real event, how would they interpret fantasy or other non-fiction? It is not until after age 4 that children start to realise that things they see on the screen may not be able to happen in real life. Therefore, any fearful scene that they see at that age (even in a G -rated cartoon, such as Toy Story) may be leaving traces of anxiety that are hard to erase. These findings are enough to befuddle any parent, especially when they can readily purchase for their toddlers pyjamas, underwear and other merchandise of figures such as Spiderman, Madagascar and Shrek, all of which are of films with scary scenes not recommended for the under-4 age group. Guernsey makes the point that different children have different sensitivities, and parents ought to be tuned in to those, shielding them from seeing things they would struggle to cope with. Parents should be especially wary of movies that show characters separated from their loved ones - this is a toddler s worse fear. The overall recommendation is that children under 5 years should be exposed to no scary scenes. If these children are to be inadvertently exposed to such scenes, removing them temporarily, using comforting language, giving them a hug and perhaps asking them about their fears are all helpful strategies to minimise the harm. What is Educational about Educational TV? There are some so-called educational films aimed at pre-schoolers, such as Baby Einstein s Baby Mozart and Language Nursery that do not have good evidence of educational value. And there are other shows, including Sesame Street and Barney that do have such good evidence. What makes a show truly educational for pre-schoolers? Guernsey notes that they should be tested with real children and they should work on specific goals, such as recognising letters and matching sounds with instruments. They should be reviewed and approved by childhood experts to ensure they are developmentally appropriate. The stories should be linear and easy to follow, and the pace should be slow and steady. Furthermore, research should be undertaken after a show goes on air to find out if children are really learning from it. Admittedly, most of that information, if available, is difficult to attain for the average parent. Research has also shown that whether the child learns from electronic media depends on how the family uses it overall. If the family uses it purely for entertainment, the children glean very little educational value from it. In families that use it for more serious purposes, children are able to exert the necessary mental effort trying to learn from what they see on screen, and are able to retain this material better. Could the Right DVD Teach my Child to Speak? Developmental psychologists and other experts all a- gree on one point: that language development in preschoolers requires real, person-to-person contact: this interaction is something that televisions, DVDs or even 7 OUT OF 10 GREEK ORTHODOX CHILDREN IN STATE SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE A SCRIPTURE TEACHER interactive computer programs cannot replicate. And yet, parents are often anxious about their child development. Some parents even feel compelled to do anything to try and accelerate children s development, and may try these educational DVDs, even though the authors of these materials themselves caution against such use of these materials. These materials, however, can be useful when they provide ideas to parents for using language with their children. Again, context is everything. What about using DVDs to learn a second language? After all, aren t pre-schoolers better able to learn a second language than adults? Again, while pre-schoolers can pick up occasional foreign words when embedded in a show (e.g. in Dora the Explorer), this is not the same as learning language. While pre-schoolers can pick up a second language through direct communication with another person, the research has shown that electronic media has little role to play in such contexts. Can Electronic Media Enrich my Child s Vocabulary? It is often the case that pre-schoolers do learn new words from television and other media; depending on their age and type of show. Does this phenomenon translate into meaningful effects on their education and development? In a landmark study, what made the most difference to pre-schoolers vocabulary growth and subsequent IQ was the amount of talking at home. Children from middle- and upper-income families had higher vocabulary and IQ scores simply because they talked more at home; about feelings, plans, present activities, past events, etc. Words on shows such as Sesame Street seemed to make an impact if there was repetition of them inside the house. Comment A major challenge for today s parents is to juggle the parenting tasks together with their job and so many other commitments. Unfortunately the parenting tasks often get a lesser priority, at an era when children have the greatest need for guidance. The science reinforces that the safest and best tutors for pre-schoolers are the parents. The electronic media are shown to be very poor substitutes for parents when it comes to learning. While these parenting tasks possibly get the least recognition on earth, they certainly get the greatest recognition in heaven, as they are a work of love. Our good Lord requests of us to follow His instructions, but firstly He gave so much to us, above all His sacrifice on the Cross. And if we expect our children to follow our own instruction, we need to first sacrifice to them - not just to meet their basic physical needs, but just as important to meet their emotional, developmental, spiritual and all other needs. Hopefully these thoughts will help us when making decisions as to how we allow electronic media to influence our children. Volunteer to become an assistant in 2014 see your parish priest 1 Gurnsey L. Screen time: How electronic media - from baby videos to educational software - affects your young child. New York: Basic Books; Astute readers would have noticed that last month s article referenced Gurnsey s book Into the mind of babes rather than her book Screen time. In fact, Screen time is simply a newer edition of Into the mind of babes. This column has kept the subtitle Into the minds of babes, but will be referencing the newer book from here on.

8 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA The Kytherian World Heritage Fund A concept devised by Angelo Notaras and George Poulos The Kytherian World Heritage Fund is a concept devised by Angelo Notaras and George Poulos in Briefly the objectives of the Kytherian World Heritage Fund are for: Preservation of Greek and Kytherian Heritage for the benefit of all Raising funds to publish books in the English and the Greek language All profits of book sales to be used to finance, publish and stock more books and literature including translations where required To finance and support the Kytherian website To date they have translated, printed and published the sale of fifteen books with 4 more now being prepared for publication early next year. The Book launch will cover four new titles: Kytherian Surnames was published in the Greek Language about 15 years ago. The translation and historical additions took the last 10 years to complete. It is 800 pages and covers the history of over 250 family names from the Island of Kythera going back to the times of antiquity. It was written by Emmanuel Kalligeros as a labour of love over many years. Emmanuel is one of Greece s prominent, if not the most eminent scholar for names, not only of people, but also of places. Two more books will be published soon covering his academic efforts. He was recently honoured for his work. The second book to be translated is Potamos which is by Kosma Megalokonomos. Kosma is a noted surgeon and spent many years on Kythera attending to the island s needs, as it will be of great interest to future generations to know of their ancestors. Potamos was written about 4 years ago and covers the history of the principal town of Potamos on the island of Kythera. There are many hundreds of photos which most readers will find to be most interesting and informative as to the past history of the area. The third book to be launched is One Year on Kythera It is about a young lady, Kristina Williamson, who visited Kythera for a short holiday, fell in love with the place and spent more than a year there as a Fullbright Scholar to photograph and record her impressions in an artistic manner. It is a beautiful book with scenes of the Island and its people as never seen before. The fourth book called Kythera from the Air was a great project undertaken by James Prineas who is the designer and manager of website, which over the years has gained international fame and is used by Universities in Germany and England and many other countries as a model of the history of a group of people. Overseas universities have sent students to visit Sydney to do their PHD thesis on this website. It contains over 19,000 entries and would take at least a year to read and digest all of its contents. This website also goes from strength to strength. Recently James turned his energy to photographing Kythera from the Air and then producing a 270 page large coffee table book that is brilliant in its photography and concept. Each page carries a panorama of over 105 individual villages and places on the island. There is no other Greek publication that can match the brilliance of this book. The production of these last two books also has a benefit for the island of Kythera in promoting Tourism and bringing income to the island, during this very stressful financial problem Greece is having. Other books on sale including Hugh Gilchrist s Australians and Greeks Volumes 1,2 and 3, the bible of Greek and Australian togetherness from 1826 to George - all about a Greek migrant who walked away from his family and earthly possessions, with the aim to raise funds to build a Home for the aged and sick in Byron Bay in the 1970 s. From this humble beginning, we now have 14 Feros Aged Care Homes in NSW catering for thousands of older Australians. A most wonderful book written by his daughter Ruby Feros, who is a well-known author and cook with many of her recipes included. As it incorporates a cook book, it is excellent value. Many other books such as Life in Australia, the first Greek book published in Australia in 1916 and now in the English language. Diggers and Greeks about the Second World War and Crete, and many more. Please come to our Book Launch and support our activities to bring these books to all of us for our enjoyment. Ten per cent of the proceeds will be going to St Spyridon College. (02)

9 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/27 GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AUSTRALIA Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Sts Anargyri Oakleigh The Parish Priest, Reverend Father George Adamakis, Management Committee, Principal of Oakleigh Grammar, Board of Trustees, Philoptohos and Fellowship invite you to: Oakleigh Greek Glendi Unity through Diversity Sunday 27 October Our Community together with our partners the Victorian Multi-Cultural Commission and City of Monash; our generous sponsor Delphi Bank and the Traders Association of Oakleigh is hosting a free multi-cultural event. The Glendi is designed to celebrate Oxi Day, when Greece denied the Italians right of passage through Greece, and thus led Greece into World War II and the Battle of Crete; and to bring various cultures together in celebration, unity and harmony. At the completion of Liturgy, we will parade from Oakleigh Grammar, through Eaton Mall to Warrawee Park, where a wreath will be laid. The celebration will continue at a performing arts stage throughout the day, involving local businesses and showcasing folkloric dance, performances by young people, traditional music and a multicultural program celebrating performance traditions of many cultures. Mark this day in your diaries as it promises to be a cultural and social highlight of the local Community and a celebration of fun and tradition. Sts Anargyri Feast Day events 7:00pm, Thursday 31 October: Great Vespers presided by His Grace Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis and inclusive of a large participation of Parish Priests from other Melbourne Parishes am, Friday 1 November: Orthros and Divine Liturgy, presided by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis and inclusive of a large participation of Parish Priests from other Melbourne Parishes am, Sunday 3 November: Orthros and Divine Liturgy presided by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis. To celebrate our Feast Day this year (in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of our Community and 30th Anniversary of our School) we will be holding a luncheon in the Community Hall. There will be Greek dancing from our students and music by DJ George Ross for what promises to be a great afternoon for all. Tickets will be limited and will be allocated on a first in basis. For ticket reservations please contact members of the Management Committee through the Church Office on (03) Cost is $50 for adults and $30 for children under 12 years inclusive of food and drinks.

10 10/28 TO BHMA - The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA - 11/29 From the Blessing of the Water Plenary session (from l to r) Presvytera Dr Kokkinos, Bishops Seraphim, Ezekiel, Nikandros and Dr Kariatlis 10 th National Youth Conference a huge success Over 500 guests from around Australia attended the Blessing and Official Opening of the Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre at Woorim on Bribie Island. As part of the 10th National Youth Conference, youth from around Australia gathered to witness the Blessing of the Centre and enjoy the facilities of our Centre. The day commenced with a Divine Liturgy at the Panagia Theotokos Chapel. The Blessing and Official Opening commenced at 11am. His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Apollonias blessed the Centre on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos in the presence of their Graces Bishops Ezekiel and Nikandros. Many dignitaries were present to witness this special event. They included Mr Wyatt Roy MP, Federal member for Longman and Jenny Harrison, Lynne Nicholas and Darren Hooper, Federal Government departmental represenatives. Other guests included Mr Tsambico Athanasas, Deputy Consul of Greece in Queensland (representing the Consul-General of Greece, Mr Jim Raptis) Harry Jordan from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Theo Bacalakis and Michael Anastas from the Archdiocesan Council, Dr Eve Fesl - Elder of the Gubbi Gubbi people, Parish Presidents and Mrs Athena Vafeas. Following the speeches His Grace Bishop Seraphim unveiled the commemorative plaque with the assistance of Jenny Harrison - a milestone in the development of this Centre. Lunch followed with guests being able to view the cabins and facilities. Ladies from the Auxiliaries and Philoptochos of the four SE Qld parishes prepared and served the food. After lunch youth gathered and walked the 100m to the beach to enjoy the afternoon by the sea. The guests were overwhelmed with the facilities and look forward to their return when their parishes and communities organise to book the Centre. For more information or to make a booking, please contact Helen Passaris on (07) or Lexie Poteri on SPEECH OF HIS GRACE BISHOP SERAPHIM AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF BRIBIE ISLAND Your Graces, Bishops Ezekiel and Nikandros, the Honourable Wyatt Roy - Federal Member for Longman, Mr Tsambico Athanasas - Deputy Consul of Greece in Queensland representing the Consul-General of Greece, Mr Jim Raptis, Ms Jenny Harrison - Branch Manager, Federal Government, Department of Employment, Ms Lynne Nicholas - Assistant Director, Federal Government, Department of Employment, Mr Darren Hooper - Qld State Manager, Federal Government, Department of Employment, Reverend Father Dimitri Tsakas - Vicar- General for Queensland, Dr Eve Fesl - Elder of the Gubbi Gubbi peoples, Mr John Panaretos - Chair of the Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre Management Committee, Reverend Clergy, Presidents and Repre-sentatives of the Various Parish-Communities of Queensland, other distinguished guests, delegates of the 10th National Youth Conference of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Ladies and Gentlemen. It was indeed a great honour and joy today to conduct the Agiasmos service for the official opening of this Centre. Very shortly, we will open this wonderful Retreat and Recreation Centre here on Bribie Island - this multi-purpose youth and community facility which will encourage the spiritual, social and cultural development of our youth in an Orthodox Christian framework. A truly historic moment for our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia! I m sure that I speak on behalf of all here present today, in expressing our sorrow, that His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, due to a small health issue, was not able to be present with us here today. His Eminence always had a dream that such a Centre for our youth be established - but for many years, due to financial constraints this could not be realized. Today, however, we see that His Eminence s dream and vision has become a reality! His Eminence was responsible for making direct contact with the then responsible Minister, the Honorable Anthony Albanese and requesting if there was any possibility of assisting us in developing such a Centre. Finally, after many meetings with the Minister, His Eminence was successful in securing a federal government grant to complete what we see in front of us here today. It was these actions by His Eminence, which have brought us to this wonderful moment to be here today and to be opening this first-class Centre in an official way. On behalf of His Eminence, our Archdiocese, and all the faithful throughout Australia, I would like to express our thanks to the Federal Government for the generous grant of 1.9 million dollars. There are many people who have assisted in this endeavor from the very beginning: from when we first received the land to today. But, I do not wish to talk about the long history of Bribie island. Only I would like to mention the Tom Lemnos family. What I would like to do, however, on behalf of His Eminence, is to thank all those who have worked so hard, firstly for the Church to be built followed by the construction and completion of the modern self-contained accommodation cabins together with maintaining the wonderful surroundings here. Moreover, I would like express warm thanks to all Bishop Seraphim those who, from last year in May, when the federal grant was first announced and received, have worked tirelessly, sacrificing their time, their families in order to make this happen today. I do not wish to mention names here because there are so many people who have helped and I am afraid I will leave somebody out. I have to refer, however, to: - Mr John Panaretos, the current Chair of the Centre Management Committee and the members of his committee; - the Architect, Mr Steve Costi, who submitted the original plans; - but also to Mr Theo Bacalakis, President of the Parish of Cairns and and his son-in-law, Mr Costas Stratikopoulos, the Project Manager who has been instrumental with Government compliance issues. Cabins at the new Bribie Island Centre Mr John Panaretos I would also like to thank the priests of Brisbane and more broadly of Queensland who, in different ways, have helped in keeping the Bribie Island project alive in organising Retreats, celebrating Liturgies and so many other events, responsible for frequently bringing people together here at this place. Moreover, I would like to thank the representatives, from the various Government departments who, throughout the entire work, helped us, so that this Centre could comply with Government policies. From today, therefore, my beloved youth, you, who are all present here today, it is with great pleasure that we will declare this Centre open; and it will remain open for all the youth of Australia. It will be our joy to see characters and personalities formed in a way that our Church wants, but also in a way that will be for the good of the community at large, namely a place where our youth will learn their yes to be a yes, and their no a no, to recount the passage from the Bible which so beautifully summarised what was said yesterday during the Conference deliberations. A sincere thank you to everybody; and I end by conveying to you all the paternal love and blessings of our Archbishop and Father of our Church, His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos. Thank you! SPEECH OF JOHN PANARETOS CHAIR, BRIBIE ISLAND RETREAT AND RECREATION CENTRE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Welcome to the Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre at Woorim on beautiful Bribie Island. I welcome you on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos. I welcome Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis, Bishop Seraphim of Apollonia and Bishop Nikandros of Dorileou. I would also like to welcome the Honourable Wyatt Roy, Federal Member for Longman, Mr Tsambico Athanasas, Deputy Consul of Greece in Queensland representing the Consul-General of Greece, Mr Jim Raptis, Ms Jenny Harrison, Branch Manager, Federal Government, Department of Employment, Ms Lynne Nicholas, Assistant Director, Federal Government, Department of Employment, Mr Darren Hooper, Qld State Manager, Federal Government, Department of Employment, Reverend Father Dimitri Tsakas, Vicar-General for Queensland, Dr Eve Fesl, Elder of the Gubbi Gubbi peoples, Reverend Clergy, Presidents and Representatives of the Various Parish-Communities of Queensland, other distinguished guests, delegates of the 10th National Youth Conference of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Ladies and Gentlemen. We thank His Grace Bishop Seraphim for the Opening Blessing (AGIASMOS) of this Centre on behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos. We welcome you all with open hearts and with the generous support of our Queensland parishes and the State Philoptohos Society of Qld that today will be a highlight of your Conference. This journey started some 40 years ago when Tom Lemnos, a humble man and not a wealthy man, was inspired by a vision of the Panayia to leave his worldly wealth to the Church for the benefit of future generations. Despite difficulties, this nest egg was shepherded by the Vafeas and Costi families and with the foresight of His Eminence and people such as Jim Fouras, Stathi Efstathis and Harry Jordan, the idea for a youth camp was conceived. Father Gregory formed the original committee that was instrumental in finding this magnificent seaside acreage. Stage one - the Church of Panagia Theotokos, the infrastructure and amenities block was then completed. The number of people who have contributed to its success makes me reluctant to list them all. Nevertheless, I have to mention a few and beg forgiveness of those I neglected: Fr Dimitri Tsakas and the Greek Community of St George who have donated equipment, furniture and time as well as financial help The Reverend Fathers from all parishes in South East Queensland who along with their parishioners have donated money and time and who support us by organising Divine Liturgies and other events The 10th National Youth Conference Organising Committee - Dormition of the Theotokos, Mt Gravatt Kastellorizian Association of Qld The Philoptohos Societies who work tirelessly for us Parish of St john the Baptist in Cairns AHEPA Assoc of Qld All the Associations including the Rhodians, Cretans, Samos and others Families who have directed donations to Bribie at funerals of their loved ones And of course, my Committee, the countless number of volunteers and helpers who are here come rain or shine, including Helen Passaris and her mother Stella, Peter and Barbara Cassimatis and Ann Dommett, and all who support our events. At this point I make mention of Peter Antonopoulos of Le Sands Restaurant in Sydney who facilitated the meeting with His Eminence and the then federal Minister for Infrastructure Mr Anthony Albanese, who both had the belief in the project and faith in its potential to unite people in a common cause along with the youth of today and future generations. They have inspired us to look beyond ourselves and generously give of our time to inspire our youth to greater things. The centre provides cabin accommodation for 54 and a hall catering up to 250 people. We look forward to the energy and drive of young people filling this Centre with their activities, discussions and music. You will agree this is $1.9 million well spent. But look outside!! With this money we ve built half a circle of cabins. We intend to complete the circle to cater for groups of over 100. We need your help to fit out the hall and to complete the vision. Delegate, all we ask of you is when you return to your homes in the various parts of the country, that you tell your communities and your parishes and schools about Bribie Island Retreat and Recreation Centre, inspire them to bring their youth to support the activity programs that this Centre will host. This project was delivered in partnership between the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and the federal government of Australia which provided the $1.9million grant. We thank them both.

11 12/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA September 2013: A peak month at St Andrew s College For the fifth year in a row, the month of September proved to be another richly blessed, kairotic time in the life of St Andrew s Greek Orthodox Theological College. Indeed, due to the annual St Andrew s Patristic Symposia, traditionally organised since 2009 in the beginning of the Orthodox liturgical year, the month of September has become for us, those loving the Fathers of the Church, a space of renewal, a time of joy and enrichment. Thank God, this year s September brought us perhaps more enjoyment than ever before. The College was visited by a number of awesome scholars, good friends and supporters of our undertakings, which in recent years have added their gracious and competent input to the growth of our small community in a variety of ways, from sharing with us their advice and wisdom to actively contributing to our efforts. The blessing represented by their presence among us was completed this September, as grace upon grace, by the delight of making new friends through the intermediary of the fifth patristic symposium. But let s have a look at the events as they unfolded. Having just arrived in Sydney that very morning of Wednesday 18 September, Professor David Bradshaw from the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY USA), with his wife, Mrs Mary Bradshaw, a teacher of English in Lexington, expressed their arduous desire to pray together with us, fellow Orthodox, in the chapel of St Andrew s. And they did. Fighting the jetlag, they joined me, the members of the Faculty present, Mr Dimitri Kepreotes and Mr Mario Baghos, and our students, for the evening prayer. Our communal joy increased with the arrival of Dr Adam Cooper, from John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family (Melbourne, VIC), who joined the group during the inspiring moments when both David and Mary shared with us their travel impressions into Orthodoxy. As readers might know, Dr Cooper, a senior lecturer in theology and patristics, has visited our College numerous times in recent years - after several more years in which he competently and gracefully assisted us with the peer review process of many articles submitted to Phronema, the College s theological journal, and as a contributor to our collective volume, Cappadocian Legacy: A Critical Appraisal (Sydney: St Andrew s Orthodox Press, 2013), which I co-edited with my colleague, Dr Philip Kariatlis. More precisely, Adam was our keynote speaker for the fourth St Andrew s Patristic Symposium (2012) and recently contributed to the forum held at the College this year in July, on St Maximus the Confessor. In turn, with the blessing of our Dean, His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, Professor Bradshaw, an eminent scholar of classical philosophy who is deeply immersed in the patristic Byzantine tradition, visited St Andrew s, and indeed Australia, for the first time. Nevertheless, there are several years now that David has been with us - from a distance - through his wise advice, the patient and competent review of our journal articles, as a member of Phronema s editorial board and by his contribution to the same volume, Cappadocian Legacy. Thursday 19 September. Both Professor Bradshaw and Dr Cooper gracefully accepted to join me in introducing the students enrolled in the course unit Early Christian Patristic Theology to the fascinating universe of St Athanasius the Great. The pleasant surprise of the students at the sight of the two eminent guests was exceeded only by the quality and freshness of the latter s crash-course in the Athanasian corpus. Indeed, whilst David treated the On the Incarnation and the soteriological teachings therein, Adam addressed the complexities pertaining to St Athanasius Orations against the Arians. A highlight of this encounter - alas, all too brief - was the lively dialogue that erupted at some point between the three speakers, which referred to the Athanasian cosmological thinking. I concluded the intense, one-hour lecture, by notes on Against the Gentiles, its specifics and Psalm-founded worldview. The three speakers then moved to the Main Hall of St Andrew s for the longawaited and, thankfully, well-attended round table on The Christian Transformation of Philosophy in the World of the Fathers. The starting point of the forum was the selection of patristic texts (from St Justin Martyr, Clement the Alexandrine, St Neilos the Ascetic and St John Damascene) offered by Professor Bradshaw, which dealt with the meaning and usefulness of philosophy within the Christian tradition. The speakers analysed the significance and implications of the passages, highlighting the various ways in which the Church Fathers and other early Christian authors addressed philosophical thought. Whilst allowing our guests space to develop their views, I concluded the evening by pointing out how, alongside more radical early Christian writers who demonised philosophy, the mainstream Fathers illustrated a complex approach which entailed the elements of continuity, appropriation and transformation of the philosophical ideas in the process of theological reflection and proclamation of the Gospel within given cultural contexts. The one and a half hours allocated for the round table could not suffice, of course, and so the three speakers freely interacted with the audience one more hour after the closure of the event! Friday 20 and Saturday 21 September. Round Table Forum 19 September Professor Pauline Allen, Professor David Bradshaw and I. 20 September Professor Bradshaw together with the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Eusebios Pantanassiotes (right), and Fr Arsenios (left) The highlight of the month was undoubtedly the fifth St Andrew s Patristic Symposium, dedicated to St Cyril of Alexandria and co-convened by the under- Cont. page 15/33

12 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31

13 14/32 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Gallipoli Before and Beyond Anzac: Part II By Dr Panayiotis Diamadis* The first part of this series on Gallipoli Before and After Anzac provided a broad overview of the issues as they have developed. The focus of Part II is how educators may develop an understanding among their students of the relationship between the Anzacs and the indigenous Christian peoples of Gallipoli and the rest of the Ottoman Empire. Studies by scholars such as Peter Stanley, John Williams, Vicken Babkenian and others are demonstrating that the Genocides of the Hellenes, Armenians and Assyrians are as much part of Australian history as the landings at Anzac Cove. The challenge now is for educators - of all levels and across subject areas - to integrate this into teaching programs. From 2014, all Year 9 students across the country will have to undertake study of Australia s involvement in World War One. This study includes an overview of the causes of the wars, why men enlisted and where Australians fought. In The Ethnic Cleansing of the Greeks of Gallipoli, John Williams documents how the Ottoman Turkish state systematically destroyed the indigenous Hellenic population of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Williams summarises the study in the following words: Once the peninsula ceased to be a war zone, Turks could return. But not Greeks. Some reached Greece but most died; either way, a thriving Greek community of 32,000 dating back 2,000 years, had its population obliterated and was expunged from history. 1 Waiting on Lemnos, a young Colonel John Monash stated that the liberation of Gallipoli first, then Constantinople, would be a victory which will stir the whole world. 2 The young Anzacs assembled on the Hellenic island of Lemnos believed they were on a mission to liberate the great city of Constantine, in service of freedom and democracy. Seven years later, at the height of the global campaign to rescue survivors of the Hellenic, Armenian and Assyrian Genocides who had managed to reach Hellas, Loyal Lincoln Wirt, International Commissioner for the New York-based Near East Relief organisation, recorded the following: Four thousand bags of Australian flour passed tragic Gallipoli, where many brave Anzacs from Australia and New Zealand had laid down their young lives, face to the foe. And now the unhappy victims of this same foe were to be fed with bread from their homeland, as if to complete the work for which they died. Anzac bread! 3 Macedonia, April Three Diggers ride donkeys along mountain roads near Florina. Negative by George Silk. The link between Anzacs and Hellenes was clear from the outset. Educators have the duty to promote these links, across curriculum areas and across years. In the History classroom, the syllabus dictates the teaching of Anzac. In the Modern Greek classroom, the syllabus incorporates aspects of Australian Hellenic heritage including the importance of symbols to create a sense of identity, changes that occur in language and customs through cross-cultural contact, the importance of tradition to a sense of cultural identity, and identifying and reflecting on representations of culture. Australian heritage in the Hellenic World provides opportunities for crosscurricular teaching and learning. It makes learning about Hellenic language and culture relevant to other subjects considered to be core, especially English and History. Thousands of Anzac servicemen passed through Athens, Lemnos, Thessalonike and elsewhere, documenting in word and image what they saw and experienced. Women such as Stella Miles Franklin and Jessie McHardie-White were nurses in Macedonia during World War One. Others served on Lemnos, nursing back to health the sick and wounded from Anzac Cove. Primary school students could respond in Hellenic to simple questions derived from photographs Anzacs took during their time in places such as Lemnos, Crete or Macedonia. Year 9 students could develop an Anzac Day tribute in Hellenic. The senior syllabus includes a theme on the individual as well as the Greek-speaking communities - special traditions (festivals, celebrations and national days). Both of these are designed for the exploration of the Australian-Hellenic symbiosis by Australian-born Hellene students. This rich collection of written documents, photographs and film is being developed for use in Australian classrooms to teach Anzac across the curriculum. 4 The Genocide Education website (www. armeniangenocide.com.au) is where educators may find a range of activities for Australian secondary students on the Genocides of the Armenians, Assyrians and Hellenes: download, print and deliver it to your students. Hellenic studies (language, culture, history) must adapt to this reality. Hellenic Studies constitute ONE continuum of teaching and learning across primary, secondary and tertiary education. If we are to maintain Hellenic studies at all levels of education in the Antipodes, we must make these studies relevant to our students. We must draw upon their experiences to ensure we are able to pursue our own research interests. Part III will continue the education theme, looking at the unique story of the Lochs and their place in inter-war Australian history. From their home at Ouranoupolis landmark medieval tower in the shadow of Mount Athos, Joice and Sydney dedicated their lives to groups of Hellenic Genocide survivors who had been left there. 1 John Williams The Ethnic Cleansing of the Greeks of Gallipoli Quadrant April 2013 No 495 Volume LVII No 4, page Jim Claven The Constantinople Spirit Neos Kosmos English Edition 11 May 2013, page 16 3 Loyal Lincoln Wirt The world is my parish Los Angeles: Warren F. Lewis 1951, p Australian War Memorial Collections database ( * Dr Panayiotis Diamadis lectures in Genocide Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney. He also serves as President of the Australian Hellenic Educators Association NSW-ACT-QLD.

14 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33 Health HEALTH NEWS WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * MEASLES There have been several cases of measles reported in Australia in the last two months. The measles virus is therefore circulating in the community and so there is ongoing risk of transmission of measles. What is measles? Measles is an acute viral illness. Measles is highly contagious. Due to immunisation, measles infection has not been common in recent years. The complications of Measles can be dangerous, and the threat of illness must be considered serious. Who is at risk of measles? Those at risk of measles are children or Adults born during or since 1966 unless they have received two doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or had confirmed measles in the past. Adults and children planning or returning from overseas travel who have not received two doses of MMR and people who report recent contact with measles who have not received two doses of MMR. The symptoms of measles The illness starts like a heavy cold; and for the first three days, the person is miserable with a high fever (>38 degrees), runny nose, red and watery eyes and a dry hacking cough. On the third day, tiny white spots (called Koplik s spots) appear inside the mouth. By about the fourth day, a blotchy red rash appears which usually starts behind the ears, and on that day may spread to the face and by the next day, to the body and then to the limbs.by about the sixth day, the rash starts to fade. Usually all the symptoms will disappear after a week. How is measles spread? Measles is one of the most easily spread of all human infections. It is usually spread when a person breathes in the measles virus that has been coughed or sneezed into the air by an infectious person. Once inside the body, the virus has an incubation period of about ten to fourteen days. The patient is infectious for about five days before and five days after the rash appears. What are the risks? Most patients recover from an acute measles infection with lifelong immunity. Some patients may develop secondary complications affecting the ear or chest. Unfortunately, a few patients may develop measles encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which can lead to permanent brain damage. How is an acute measles infection treated? The patient must rest in bed at home. The fever should be treated with paracetamol. The cough can be treated with cough linctus. There is no specific treatment and antibiotics are not required unless the patient develops a secondary infection, such as an ear infection or pneumonia. Exclusion from school Children with measles should be kept away from school until they have recovered, or at least five days from the appearance of the rash. How is measles prevented? While a person is infectious with measles (ie: up to five days after the onset of the rash) it is important that they remain at home to reduce the possibility of spread to other people. The best protection against measles is thorough immunisation measles-mumpsrubella vaccine (MMR). This vaccine provides protection against infection with measles, as well as against mumps and rubella. MMR vaccine should be given to children at age twelve months and a second dose was previously given at four years of age. However from 1 July 2013 the National Immunisation Program Schedule was changed so that children now receive a second combined Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine with a new combined Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella (Chicken pox) vaccine at eighteen months of age. Children who turned eighteen months prior to 1 July 2013 and who have already received their eighteen month Varicella vaccination should still be immunised for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) at four years of age. So the four year old scheduled Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination point will remain until all children aged between eighteen months and four years of age as at 1 July 2013 reach the age of 4 years - that is 31 December MMR vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine that has been used worldwide for many years. It is safe to have the vaccine even in those who have had previous measles or vaccination. While many older adults are immune to measles because they were infected as children, young adults may have not either had measles or received measles immunisation. Anyone born in or after 1966 who is not immune to measles should have two doses of MMR immunisation. In light of the recent outbreak of measles, discuss your family s immunisation status with your doctor today. * The information given in this article is of a general nature and readers should seek advice from their own medical practitioner before embarking on any treatment. Cont. from page 12/30 signed together with Dr Philip Kariatlis. Officially inaugurated by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis, who conveyed the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, the conference took as catalysts the keynote papers offered by Professor Pauline Allen, FAHA, from the Australian Catholic University (Brisbane, QLD), and Professor David Bradshaw. The Queen of patristic studies in Australia, as I introduced her, Professor Allen offered the first keynote paper, which explored aspects pertaining to the personality, work and pastoral ministry of St Cyril within the framework of episcopal pastoral strategies in Late Antiquity. In turn, Professor Bradshaw addressed matters pertaining to St Cyril s Against Julian, focusing on the use of philosophy therein and the significance of the Cyrilline typological understanding of the relationship between scriptural metaphors and realities. Needless to say, both Pauline and David stirred the audience, which resulted in a range of questions addressed to them both within the respective sessions and during the breaks. The two keynotes were followed by a series of challenging papers offered - a- longside those of our Faculty members - by old and new friends of the symposia. Among the former, it is my pleasure to mention the contributions of Dr Adam Cooper, Fr Jonathan Hicks and Andrew Mellas; among the latter, the contributions of Fr Hugh Bowron, Rebecca Burgess, Dr Bernard Doherty, Fr Jeremy Krieg, Dr Anita Strezova, Kevin Wagner and Archimandrite Fr Kyrillos Zisis. A number of friends of the College, such as Associate Professor Daniel Anlezark and Rev Dr Joseph Lam, who could not present their papers, were sorely missed. I concluded the event by thanking Philip for all the support he gave me toward organising the annual patristic symposia until now, and wishing him all the best with convening the first ever St Andrew s Theology Symposium, in September I also welcomed Adam as my co-convener of the St Andrew s Patristic Symposium 2014, and thanked the two keynote speakers, the other presenters and the participants, for their love toward the Fathers and our College. Last but not least, I thanked our registrars, Tasos and Steven, the ladies of the Philoptochos Committee of the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and our students, for their tireless and selfless support of the event. Sunday 22 September. One by one, our guests returned to their own business... As for my St Andrew s colleagues and myself, we extended some more hospitality to David and Mary in the remaining days of their visit. I shall mention here only the other spiritual landmark of their trip to the Antipodes, namely, the visit to the Monastery of Panagia Pantanassa in Mangrove, Central Coast, and the warm welcoming on the part of the Abbot and the Fathers. Is September the month of all blessings for St Andrew s? By all means. Δόξα τω Θεώ! Protopresbyter (Dr) Doru Costache Senior Lecturer in Patristic Studies St Andrew s Greek Orthodox Theological College

15 16/34 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Windows to Orthodoxy Out of the Depths I Have Cried to You, O Lord By Guy Freeland* So begins the vesperal Psalm 130 (129 LXX). But what are the depths? Depths of what? And what can come out of them? Now, regular readers will know that I like to shoot from the hip, tell you what s what in the first couple of sentences; and so save you from having to read the article. But not on this occasion. This article is about a puzzle to which there seem to be no satisfactory answers. Sometime in the future science will almost certainly provide answers, but for now all I can do is try to throw a little more light than I have in previous articles into a murky area. I will turn to an analogy to introduce my topic. The Strange Behaviour of the Bosporus As anyone will know who has had the enjoyment of taking a ferry from Istanbul up the Bosporus, vessels plying northeastwards in the direction of the Black Sea past stately palaces and defensive forts have to struggle against a continuous strong current flowing southwards. A number of rivers, five of them very large, flow into the Black Sea. The amount of fresh water from the rivers collecting in the Sea, combined with rain, exceeds loss of surface water through evaporation. But while there are many inlets there is only one outlet, that through the narrow 27km channel of the Bosporus which separates Asia and Europe. The consequence is that a turbulent river continuously flows through the Bosporus from the Black Sea, maintaining its level. But now one comes to the weird bit. It has been known from time out of mind that not one but two rivers flow through the Bosporus, one above the other. At some time in the remote past a boatman discovered that when some heavy object was lowered into the water attached to a rope the boat, instead of moving south with the current, started to ply north east. Beneath the surface river there must be another river strongly flowing from south to north. Boatmen from then on lowered a basket of rocks from their vessels when proceeding northwards and sat back and puffed at their hookahs. How this strange phenomenon came about is that c.5600 BC the rising level of the Mediterranean resulted in the sea breaking through the previously blocked Bosporus and flooding the land-locked Black Sea basin until the water reached the level of the Mediterranean. In all likelihood, it was folk memory of this catastrophe which formed the basis of the story of Noah in the Old Testament (see Article 1 in Windows to Orthodoxy*). Salt water from the Sea of Marmara has continued to flow through the Bosporus till this day. But much fresher water from the surface level of the Black Sea flows in the opposite direction above the lower river. The phenomenon was first studied scientifically by Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli in Marsigli fed out a weighted line from an anchored boat to which were attached white-painted cork markers. At first the markers flowed south west with the surface current, but then he saw markers which had dipped below the surface level flow in the opposite direction with the deeper current and pass under the boat. Experimenting with water of higher and lower salt concentration corresponding to the heavier Mediterranean water and the Black Sea surface water with half the concentration of salt, Marsigli found, when allowed to mix, the more concentrated water accumulated at the bottom of a tank and the less salty at the top. The heavier water flowing from the Mediterranean displaces the Black Sea water flowing in the opposite direction. Now, the two rivers of the Bosporus seem to me to provide a pretty good analogy for: The Conscious and the Unconscious Most (if not all) of us have moments in life when light suddenly breaks through, dispersing the darkness of ignorance. One such personal disclosure event is relevant to the present topic. Having spent much of my university student years studying experimental psychology, it wasn t until a couple of decades later that in a sudden flash of insight I realised that all of our cognitive/ mental processes take place below the level of conscious awareness. (Had I been taking a bath at the time I would certainly, like Archimedes, have bounded out and run naked down the street shouting eureka.) It was so incredibly obvious (and probably seems so to readers) but it had never occurred to me. When I hit a block; in writing or in trying to fathom a cryptic passage in the Bible, Kant or Maximus the Confessor, I usually wander out into the garden and pull out a few weeds, prune a rose or two or change the water in the birdbath. My mind will be preoccupied with dark thoughts about onion weed, the search for an outwards facing bud, or the technicalities of bird-bath maintenance. As far as the problem solving is concerned, I will not be aware of any mental The Bosporus, Turkey activity whatsoever. Yet, I will know by a certain feeling of tension, and an even greater degree of absent mindedness than usual, that I am thinking, and when I return indoors I find, even if I haven t got the solution to the problem, at least I will have some idea in mind. What goes for problem solving goes for creative acts. Some interesting comments, which fit snugly with our Bosporus analogy, were made by my favourite contemporary composer, Philip Glass, in a TV interview: My experience of music is that it is like an underground river that is always there, and like an underground river you don t know where it comes from and you don t know where it is going I don t think of [my music], I listen to it. In other words, it is already there, it is not something that has to be imagined, it has to be written down What I have become content with is to see music as a mystery. The same is true, Glass observes, with drawing, dancing or poetry - the artist, choreographer or poet is simply attentive to the conscious reverberations or echoes of the unconscious flow. Of what is going on in the hidden river we are unaware, but images, ideas, impulses, decisions and emotional reactions rise up and penetrate the upper river, the stream of consciousness. Fortunately, however, we can train ourselves to be selectively attentive to unconscious swells. It is rather like my straining my ears to hear the gurgling of the creek below our garden after heavy rain. There is a consensus amongst neuroscientists and psychologists that only a small fraction of our total cognitive activity surfaces into consciousness. It is increasingly looking as if our conscious experience is, as a number of philosophers have held, simply an epiphenomenon, a sort of film show produced by unconscious processes; like marsh gas given off by a bog which can suddenly ignite as a ghost-like will-o -the-wisp. In a previous article on the heart (Vema, February 2011) I referred to recent scientific work which suggested that a significant portion of the hidden processing is performed by what has been dubbed the little brain in the heart. However, little is known at present about the actual neurophysiological processes. Fully understanding the processing, however, will elucidate only half the mystery as the lower river possesses content: the ideas, images, tunes and sensations which bubble up into consciousness. This deep river content can be singularly bizarre, as we know from dreams. Whether we are born content-free, as what the philosopher John Locke called a tabula rasa, a blank slate, and the marine life of our hidden river is entirely derived from sensory input, or whether there is a sort of ancestral memory is one of the mysteries science needs to solve. Christianity and the Hidden River In the Eastern Christian tradition the heart is seen as the seat of a person s inner being and knowledge of the heart, cardiognosis, intrinsic to spiritual enlightenment. Christ knew the secrets of the heart (Mark 2:68, John 2:25) and in Mark 7:20-22 declares that it is the evil that comes out of the heart that defiles a person. But lest one thinks that this text lends grist to the Augustinian doctrine of original sin, in Luke 6:45 Christ, in a point echoed by Eastern Fathers of the Church, observes that it is not only evil which issues from the heart but also good. So it would seem that if there were such a thing as original sin, there would also have to be original righteousness: The good man out of the treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks (RSV). But the Gospel texts leave undetermined the issue of the extent to which the contents of the heart, if at all, are innate. The contents of the hidden river seem seriously disorganised. On to this disorder we impose order, transform psychic chaos into comprehensible cosmos. It is perhaps in this way that conceptions of Heaven and Hell have arisen in many cultures. By imposing moral categories onto this maelstrom what is good and holy is distinguished from that which is evil and diabolical, creating two opposing realms of being. These conceptual realms of course have a subjective reality; Heaven and Hell are realities which humans experience in the depths of their inner being. Indeed, so strong is this conception that we naturally objectify or reify that which is intrinsically subjective. Hell is not some fiery furnace in the bowels of the earth, Heaven is not some aerial domain where angels perch on clouds twanging harps. Heaven and Hell, though allegorically pictured in the Bible as places, are not places but states of being. Anyone who really wishes to understand all of this could do a lot worse than dip into Dante s Divine Comedy. Heaven and Hell (also Purgatory, as Dante adheres to Catholic teaching) are depicted

16 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35 Windows to Orthodoxy Parish & Community of Sts Constantine & Helene (WA) 2013 SHORT COURSE IN ORTHODOX STUDIES A Short Course in Orthodox Studies will be held every Sunday evening from 27 October until 8 December 2013 at the Church of Sts Constantine & Helene (Corner Francis & Parker Streets, Northbridge, WA). Time: pm All Welcome to Attend All Talks Delivered in English For more information contact Fr Elpidios at p.karalis@bigpond.com or on The Bayeux Tapestry. The appearance of Halley s Comet. Photo: Wikipedia. Cont. from previous page in the most realistic images imaginable; yet Dante conceives of the whole poem as an allegory of the realities of the human condition and destiny, not a description of physical objective reality. Dante s graphic constructed cosmos forces us to confront the existential dividing of the ways on which our salvation hangs. Christ s descent into Hades likewise is not a physical but a mystical descent into the deep river that flows through our inner being; it s a mystical reality, not a description of the destruction of a physical place. It is this inner Hell which Christ lays waste through the Paschal Mystery of His Crucifixion, Descent into Hades and Resurrection. It has been suggested that the heart is the seat of an intuitive emotional intelligence which balances the rational intelligence of the brain. Highly spiritual persons do seem to be able to access the deeper river below the turbulent river of our everyday conscious experience. In rare cases, the gift of spiritual insight, which Christ frequently manifests in the Gospels, amounts to clairvoyance. A deeper knowledge that goes beyond that which can be acquired through the senses of sight, hearing, touch etc, can, it would seem, be accessed. So, our hidden river might not be entirely subjective and unique to the individual, but might constitute a tributary of a mighty river running deep below the everyday world of all humankind. Certainly, there has been an all but universal belief that there is a hidden world of influences that underpins and gives meaning to mundane phenomena. Also, there has been a virtually universal belief, though the form it takes is culturally determined, that the universal river can be accessed to a degree by spiritual individuals or through special techniques. This is a massive, confused, speculative and controversial area and I will pursue it no further, other than to take a single illustration. The famous Bayeux Tapestry (actually an embroidery) was produced following the Norman invasion of England of Approximately 70m long and 50cm high, it tells a continuous story of the background to the Conquest and William s victory at Hastings. The historical narrative forms the central band but above and below there are narrower continuous borders. In the borders there are numerous birds and animals, and little scenes of human activity. The creatures are obviously symbolic and some have been interpreted. Both these and the human scenes clearly relate and give meaning to the events that are going on in the central band. The Tapestry netherworld, however, is, in accord with Christian cosmology, divided into an upper and lower region bordering the historical narrative. The illustration depicts Halley s Comet which was visible in 1066 shortly before the Battle of Hastings. The comet would have been understood as a portent of bad things to come. What was portended is revealed in the lower border by the depiction of invasion boats. But there is more to spirituality than simply acquiring the ability to lower a weighted basket down into our hidden river. Profound spiritual insight is achieved through ascetic struggle, long years of prayer of the heart and life in Christ. The heart is also, the Bible teaches, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. For the heart to be filled with the Holy Spirit - though of course one mustn t forget that the Spirit interpenetrates the whole of our personhood, indeed the whole creation - a space must be cleared for both the Spirit and the presence of Our Lord by purifying the heart of evil. That our Bosporus analogy is in harmony with New Testament thought is borne out by a significant verse (v.38) in the Gospel passage prescribed for the Liturgy of Pentecost/Trinity Sunday (John 7:37-52, 8:12) in which Christ speaks of the Holy Spirit: He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. And it is in the Spirit, welling up from the deeps, that the believer cries out to the Father, with all the anguish of the human condition: Lord, hear my voice For there is mercy with thee (Psalm 130:1b,4a BCP, 129 LXX). *Guy Freeland is a member of the Faculty of St Andrew s Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney. A collection of his Vema articles, Windows to Orthodoxy, has been published by St Andrew s Orthodox Press and is available for purchase. An e-book edition will be available shortly. Apology In transmitting photos for the September issue of the Vema two adjacent similar-looking photos on our computer were unfortunately confused; the illustration whose caption declares it to be that of the interior of St Paul s, Jarrow is in fact of the predominantly nineteenth-century interior of St Peter s, Monkwearmouth. Sorry. Sunday 27 October 2013 Topic: Why are we here? What is our purpose on earth? Rev. Fr John Athanasiou Barrister & Solicitor Graduate of St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College (NSW) Sunday 3 November 2013 Topic: Taking a tour through an Orthodox Church Very Rev. Archimandrite Elpidios Karalis Teacher - St Andrew s Grammar (WA) Graduate of St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College (NSW) Sunday 10 November 2013 Topic: Bishop Nectarios of Madagascar: An Orthodox Missionary Worker. His life in Adelaide- Athens-Madagascar: A Man of God. Dr George Frazis Manager of Modern Greek at St George College (SA) Coordinator of Modern Greek Studies at Charles Darwin University Sunday 17 November 2013 Topic: I believe in Jesus Christ, so why do I need the Church? Mr. Angelo Karantonis Retired Associate Professor in Land Economics at the University of Technology (NSW). Graduate of St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College (NSW) Sunday 24 November 2013 Topic: Protecting our children from the dangers of the online world: medical, psychological and spiritual perspectives. Rev. Fr George Liangas Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist (NSW) Sunday 1 December 2013 Dual Presentation Topic Part One: The inclusion of children with Special Needs within our community. Ms Maria Gogos Clinical/Educational Psychologist and Lecturer in Education & Psychology Topic: Part Two: Role Balance for the Working Sandwich Generation Ms Kiah Evans Occupational therapist and researcher at Edith Cowan University (WA) Sunday 8 December 2013 Dual Presentation Topic: Depression & Anxiety; Today s Epidemic Rev. Fr Dimitrios Tsakas Mental Health Social Worker Graduate of St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College (NSW) Presvytera Michelle Tsakas Mental Health Social Worker

17 18/36 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Arts, Food & Wine Editor: Imogen Coward Écoutez! Arts Review Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music by Basilios Psilacos (Sydney, 2010) This is a little gem for everyone interested in Byzantine ecclesiastical music, and especially for anyone who wants a practical introduction to Byzantine music theory and notation as it is used today. It is also noteworthy as it is written in English and, although rudimentary ability to read Greek is an advantage, it is one of the few truly accessible publications for English speakers who don t speak or read Greek fluently. Psilacos, who was born in Australia and has studied both here at St Andrew s Greek Orthodox Theological College and in Greece at the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his book. His practical exercises for learning the Greek musical alphabet (equivalent to sol-fa), rhythm, duration and so on, and to read the notation for these, are clear, carefully structured and accessible for anyone with a rudimentary understanding of music. This is especially so if one assumes, as Psilacos does, that the book will be used in conjunction with taking lessons from a chanter. On a more academic level, Psilacos explanations of the theoretical aspects such as tuning and modes are some of the clearest I ve encountered and are to be recommended to musicians, researchers and especially musicologists interested in Byzantine chant. It is a significant asset for any English-speaking researcher wanting to derive their understanding of the field not merely from older academic texts (the English language ones being somewhat scarce and also sometimes questionable in their accuracy), but also from scholarly practitioners such as Psilacos, who are part of the living tradition of Byzantine ecclesiastical music. Perhaps reflecting the fact that Psilacos was also trained as a violinist, he clearly expects that English speaking students of Byzantine music are likely to be familiar with Western notation/theory. He frequently gives Western notation/theory equivalents where it is possible to do so, greatly aiding the understanding of someone such as myself, who, despite being Orthodox, of Greek descent and used to hearing Byzantine chant, has been trained in Western music theory and tradition. For anyone interested in the origins of Western music theory, and also in the descriptions of rhythm used for example in discussing poetry, there is also much food for thought. I hope that we might see an audio CD to accompany this publication in the near future, as it would add to its usefulness, especially within a tertiary education or research setting. Dr Imogen Coward Musicologist & Music Teacher Never Judge a Book... By Dr Ann Coward A media release, drawing attention to a new book by Australian writer Lana Penrose, recently appeared on my computer screen. The title of this, her third memoir, is Addicted to Love. Neither this, nor the title of her previous book, Kickstart My Heart, signalled to me that either publication would hold any interest. However, the title of her first book did capture my attention: To Hellas and Back. However, unlike the contradictory cover image of To Hellas and Back, the titles, I found as I read each of the three books, are very apt. The cover image of the first book, appropriately coloured blue and white, shows a smiling Lana against an unmistakable Greek background. The smile is misleading and neither the image, nor the back cover upbeat blurb, prepares the reader for the book s contents. I d like to draw attention to these memoirs in the hope that you will read them, but be warned: you won t enjoy them. They re not that sort of books. Lana (an Australian of Maltese and British background) writes well, but leaving Sydney with her Australian-Greek boyfriend to live in Athens was, quite literally, more than she could bear. There is no happy ever after. Possibly had I the insight of a migrant, I may have been more patient with the way Lana responded to living amongst strangers. Instead, as I continued to read about the disintegration of her life and relationship, I found myself increasingly irritated by her failure to cope, her spiralling depression, and self-destructive behaviour, particularly the recurring binge drinking. Try as I may, being a witness by virtue of reading her memoirs, to what is essentially a time in her life which has since passed, my constant attempts to find answers to her dilemmas by asking, what if...she had done this, not done that, or done the other, only served to highlight for me the sense of helplessness Lana, herself, experienced. These books don t contain answers. One problem possibly lies in the fact that a memoir, by its very nature, is only one person s view of a situation, and this, I think, is the key to the many problems Lana s books raise. While they include the familiar and obvious ones relating specifically to migrants (lack of language skills, distance from family members and friends, and so on), it is ultimately responsibility (to oneself; between friends, acquaintances, colleagues; between parents and parents-in-law and their adult children; and between spouses), or rather, a lack of responsibility, which the book highlights. What does responsibility entail? What happens when freedom to do as one or one s spouse likes is not matched by an equal sense of responsibility? How useful, really, is it for a friend to simply be there? Despite the publisher s attempts to promote a contrary image, these books are serious. A cover quote for To Hellas and Back states that, You ll laugh til you cry. Wrong. This first memoir in the trilogy, set variously in Sydney and Athens, describes the almost total destruction of Lana s mind, and along with it, her sense of hope. The publisher s subtitle for Kickstart My Heart, set in London, is A Carnival of Dating Disasters. Wrong again. Lana s determination, fuelled by alcohol, to destroy what remains of herself, results in anything but a carnival. While, certainly, the rules of dating may be modern (with partners relating - if that s the right term - via text messaging), the characters are familiar regardless of the generation. The final book, Addicted to Love, is set on the island of Kythera (Cerigo). Unlike the first two books, this one s back-cover blurb is more accurate, describing the book as a haunting page-turner. The ten years outlined so vividly by Lana in her memoirs may very well be described as a Greek tragedy, yet she is to be recommended for her skill and courage in writing about her experiences. Although the final memoir, Addicted to Love, deals with specific instances in her life, all three books are possibly best summed up by her final sentence, directed to the reader:...although I don t have any answers, I guess I just wanted you to know that you re not alone. Lana s books are of our time, and the issues they raise are important. While there are sprinklings of self-deprecating humour throughout, these memoirs could not be described as easy or enjoyable to read. But they are worth reading and worth contemplating.

18 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37 Greek inscription on Hiroshima Peace Bell Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, in the center of Hiroshima, Japan, is a park dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack, and to the memories of the bomb s direct and indirect victims (of whom there may have been as many as 140,000). Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park has three bells. One of the three, called the Peace Bell, was built out in the open on September 20, The surface of the bell is a map of the world, and the sweet spot is an atomic symbol, designed by Masahiko Katori. But why should a Bell in Japan be interesting to Greeks? An ancient Greek quote is written there along with its translations in Japanese, and in Sanskrit. The inscription says ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ which means Know thyself. The Greek embassy donated the bell to the Peace Park and picked out the most appropriate ancient Greek philosophical quote of Socrates. The Sanskrit was translated by the Indian ambassador, and the Japanese by a university lecturer. Aged Care Car Raffle The Kytherian Association of Australia recognises that we have an ageing population and that it is time for a greater investment to be made in aged care-related facilities. To this end the Kytherian Association Aged Care Trust was established and registered under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, to raise funds for the establishment of a suitable Aged Care Centre or other Aged Care support, in New South Wales. For many decades Greek-Australians have had a desire to establish Aged Care services for their relatives, friends, and associates from the Greek community. This initiative by the Kytherian Association will provide us all with the opportunity to try and help fulfil this aim, benefiting all fellow Greek-Australians, now and into the future. The trust aims to generate enough funds to be able to look at various possibilities and options as to how best to provide different types of aged care support. This might be in the way of professional home care support or simply providing basic member to member support or any other way that would benefit the aged. Help us to achieve this, by purchasing a ticket in our Aged Care Car Raffle and you will be in the running to have a chance to win one of three great prizes. ONLY 1,000 will be sold. A Dinner dance will also be held on the 15 February 2014, at The Grand Roxy, Brighton, to draw the prizes. If interested in attending please call Kathy Samios on (02) and book a table. Any funds donated or raised for the Aged Care Trust Fund will be retained solely for this purpose. The Trust is independently audited. Kotsiras wants Parthenon Marbles returned The Greek community of Australia is keeping alive the issue of the return of the Parthenon Marbles, stolen property housed in the British Museum, which refuses to give them back and claims they belong now to England. Minister of Energy and Multicultural Affairs of Victoria Nicholas Kotsiras raised the issue again, futilely, in a recent trip to London. Entreaties from Greece and Philhellenes around the world continue to fall on deaf ears as British Museum officials don t want to give up their lucrative draw. Kotsiras went to the museum to see the marbles stolen from Greece by a British diplomat, Lord Elgin, nearly 200 years ago and heard a speech about them at the Hellenic Club. Although he visited London in his capacity as a Minister of Energy and Resources, however, Kotsiras had contacts with the Orthodox Archbishop of Britain, the executives of Diaspora and Spyros Merkouris (brother of late famed Greek actor and Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri) and others. The Second World Congress for the Return of the Parthenon Marbles, entitled Parthenon, an Icon of Global Citizenship, will be held Nov at the University of Sydney and will attract scholars, speakers and activists from around the world. The topics of the conference will consist of four main sections: Education, Activism, Economy and Law/Legal. According to the coordinator of the conference, Dennis Tritaris said: In the first topic, the training, we will examine the role of the education community to understand the importance of the Parthenon. It will also examine the role of the museum as an educational tool.

19 20 /38 TO BHMA ST The Greek Australian VEMA SPYRIDON COLLEGE P & F Spring Fair 2013 Live Mus Music. Musi ic. c. Dance Dance. Rides. d s. Po Pony ony Rides R Rides. es. An Animal nima nimal BBQ Octopus. Octopus Sizzlin Sizzling S zz z ng sausa sausages. sages es. Greek Gr k cakes. Farm. Christm Christ mas as Novelties. Nov s Fac ace ce e Pai ainting intin ng. g. Stalls Sttalls Christmas Face Painting. de ja jam ms.. Fair airy ry floss. flo fl ss Hom Ho om me memade Homemade jams. Fairy Homemade great more. with gr eat gift gift ft ideas deas and an much mu uch ch mo m mor ore. e. lemonade. Gourmet Coffee. lemonade em nade. de Gou urm urmet m Cof C ffe ffee ee ee. distinctive Greek This his is iss a Fa Fair Fa r with a distin d distinctiv s ve Gr reek e flavour. flavour. Gr eat att food. food ffood d. d Gr G eat music. music. c Lamb Lam mb souvlakia. o akia. Great Great what great See Se S e just wh hatt a gr hat e College eat o e you have here, her e right ig in n the th he heart h o Kingsford. K Kingsfo sfo ord. here, of Sunday S u n d ay a 27 27th, th, O October c t o b e r Gardeners Gardeners R Road, oad, K Kingsford i n g s f o r d am a m 5 pm pm Forr mor more e information info i ormation r a rm visit vs www r on.nsw n ns.edu.au du