The. Witness. Journal of the Diocese of Port Pirie. Volume 60 Number 1 - April from the deserts the prophets come

Transcription

1 The Witness Journal of the Diocese of Port Pirie Volume 60 Number 1 - April from the deserts the prophets come

2 2 EDITORIAL Over the next twelve months we are going to be hit with a deluge of propaganda that originates in the Centenary of the Gallipoli landing: I fear it will be politicised with each side of politics trying to capture the Anzac spirit for themselves. Still, a bit of research reveals that the legend of the six-foot bronzed Anzac was political from the start. It was first propagated by British journalist Ellis Ashmead- Bartlett, and later the theme was taken up by C.E.W. Bean and others. It was hoped that it would become a self-fulfilling prophesy; that those who saw themselves as such, would volunteer for active service. Most modern nations were forged in war, and the Australian Government of the day manipulated this nationalist sentiment in order to obtain volunteers. Whilst it is a fairly convoluted scenario, I tend to agree with Melbourne Archbishop, Daniel Mannix, who maintained that it was an economic war. Germany, being a recently industrialised nation, was starved of markets; the British had its many Colonies to exploit for both raw product, and markets. Germany s war aim was to set up something like the European Union. But is it all just history? I believe not. For those who think that the Anzac Spirit is dead, all I can do is direct their attention to the recent bushfires, where ordinary volunteers risked life and limb to protect the lives and property of others. Fr Chris Warnock from the Bishop s Diary April 1st Centacare Exec Meeting Port Pirie 3rd Blessing and Opening of Xavier Complex Samaritan College Whyalla 5th Tertians Dinner with Archbishop Wilson, West Tce 7th Gathering of Diocesan Religious and Congregational Leaders Pt Pirie 8th Diocesan Assembly Visit of Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev Paul Gallagher 9th Diocesan Assembly: Port Pirie Chrism Mass: Clergy Assembly 10th Opening and blessing of Star of the Sea Home for the Aged: Wallaroo 13th Palm Sunday 18th Good Friday 20th Easter Sunday May 5th BCJED Meeting: Sydney BCCE Meeting: Sydney 6th-10th ACBC Plenary Meeting: Sydney 11th New Zealand 12th-15th FCBCO New Zealand 16th~19th New Zealand 21st [Teleconference] BBI Board 23rd Keynote Speaker Tasmanian Catholic Education Conference: Hobart 24th Keynote Speaker Tasmanian Catholic Education Conference: Hobart 25th Mary, Help of Christians Patron of Australia 26th Port Pirie Priests Golf Day, Port Augusta 27th DFC Meeting Priests Sustentation Fund Port Pirie Priests Dinner 28th Priests In Service: Port Pirie 29th Reception: Adelaide Mary MacKillop Foundation 30th APCSS Dinner: Adelaide 31st Diocesan Pastoral Council, Port Pirie CONTENTS 2 Editorial 3 Bishop s Message 4 Spirituality 5 Missionary Sisters 6 St Joseph s Pt Lincoln Welcoming Liturgy 7 Alpha at Crystal Brook 8 Traineeships at Pt Lincoln Sister Mary Laurencia 9 Regional Pastoral Councils Meet 10 Fr Tony Gittins in Adelaide 11 Cultural Revolution 12 Suicide Response 13 Jamestown Farewells Mgr Quirk 14 Commissioning Masses - School and Parish 15 Proclaim Vale Fr Joe Hassan 17 Peterborough Pilgrimage 18 CWL Turns Parish Times Editor CONTACT Producer Fr Chris Warnock Phone thewitness@bigpond.com Pirie Signs and Designs 7 Pt Germein Rd Port Pirie 5540 Advertising Mr Neil Davidson O Reily House 105 Gertrude St Port Pirie 5540 Phone The Witness is a Bi-Monthly Publication of the Catholic Diocese of Port Pirie. Issued every February, April, June, August, October and December. Subscriptions $30 per annum posted Circulation Readership 1,750 Readers Target Audience Catholic Faith Education, Adult and Children in Regional South Australia

3 BISHOP S MESSAGE 3 From the Bishop We are going to hear a lot of trumpeting as the centenary of Gallipoli draws near in What ANZAC Day commemorates has become part of our national soul. Other battles in Europe cost many more Australian lives, but ANZAC was the first enormous bloodletting for a then population of less than 5 million, in a nation just fourteen years old. To cope with it we made it a national event of pride, celebrated as was a victory, not a humiliating defeat. Anzac Day borders on being a sacred day for me, a day that puts all Australians on an equal footing as we celebrate the courage and heroism and self-sacrifice for so many young men. The emotions it stirs in me are pride anger and sadness. These are stirrings that take us back into our soul, to ask again, What is it to be a human being? What we vaunt on Anzac Day can make little sense to unbelievers. With no God, then self-preservation is the only logic. What point to self-sacrifice, and heroism leading to young death or massive injury if this life is all that there is? Believers and unbelievers alike can share the revulsion at the folly, the senseless massacres, the inept leadership, some thousands of young men on both sides pushed into a slaughterhouse built by the demons of narrow politics and distorted nationalism. But what of the positive? Laying down one s life for another echoes deeply for the Christian. We see the example of Jesus, and following Him in history the Church has acclaimed its martyrs in all ages, including our times. The believer can have a faith that this was a deeply human act, allowing values and love of others to guide one to a supreme act. The Anzac Diggers were not Christian martyrs, but showed they had lives based on human values deeper than self-preservation. Australian Christians can take out of Anzac Day a reinforcement not only of our anger at the evil of war, but also a strengthening of our faith-conviction that is the heart and soul of a person that counts, not just our material well-being, that to be human can mean that integrity can demand sacrifice, if one is to be truly human. Anzac lights up other things about us. If asked to name one person associated with Gallipoli, most would know of no one except, like all of us, a somewhat flawed individual named Simpson and his donkeys. He is the hero we all know, who died at the age of 22, assisting others, a hero without a gun. There is also the esteem our men developed for Johnny Turk. It was mutual, indicated by the wonderful memorial built in 1934 by Ataturk, who had commanded the victorious Turkish forces at Gallipoli and was later the Turkish President. It is addressed to the mothers of the killed, and tells them that their sons have become our sons as well after having lost their lives in this land. And at the end of it all, it is our faith that supports us when contemplating tragedies like war. This illustrates what Gen Richter quotes in her article, that paying attention to our spiritual selves, our interior life, giving the space and time to allow God to be God for us, can transform us as we allow God s grace to show to us and heal our biases, our prejudices, our limitation of heart. And at the end of it all, it is our faith that supports us when contemplating tragedies like war. When the cemeteries of World War I were being established, families were invited to submit a line for the headstone of their dead son or spouse. It chokes one to see the number of graves, the youthful ages of the dead, and the sentiments of the dead, and the sentiments of the bereaved. The thousands of headstones of the unidentified carry the moving and profoundly comforting faith message, Known unto God. It reminds us of St Paul s words, Love never comes to an end.

4 4 Spirituality - Just What is It? Spirituality might be described as looking for the sacredness in our lives, searching for meaning in our busy world. Time is of the essence, in the twentyfirst century, and no one seems to have enough of it. We are constantly putting off things that we will do when we have more time; how do we develop and nourish the within, our spirituality, when we live in this world? As if we have the time to sit and contemplate! If we are honest with ourselves, we will discover that there probably is time. I didn t think I had the time to write this article but after sitting around a few nights, I decided I had better: once you decide you have time, there it is. If we were to take time to be with God, on a regular basis, we would find that we change of that I am convinced. We become better people. The Desert Fathers, of the fourth century made a decision to move into the desert and commit themselves to an isolated life, seeking salvation. We cannot abandon our homes and commit to a hermit s life as these men did we have responsibilities we are busy people with mortgages to pay, children to educate and retirement to prepare for the list is endless. Yet these men of the desert found something so why not look to them for the wisdom they gained and see what they have to offer? Thomas Merton, a modern day hermit, tells us these Fathers sought a way to God, which they could not find in an increasingly corrupt society; that is far too extreme for us, in the twenty first century. So, what did these fathers discover? They learnt to rest in solitude and silence they learnt to live simply in everything they did. They really experienced each moment of their lives. They prayed they were contemplative. Can we do this? Merton notes The realities of the interior life are there already [in us]: faith, humility, charity, meekness, discretion (and) self-denial. This is common sense. The essence of our Christian faith is a message of charity and unity in Christ. It appears that the Desert Fathers were able to approach their lives and their relations with others, in a positive way, because of the overall way they were living their lives finding their true selves, and plunging into the unknown with no fear to hold them back. The poet A.D. Hope asked us Australians in his poem of the Depression era, whether If still from the deserts the prophets come. If we were to take time to be with God, on a regular basis, we would find that we change of that I am convinced. We become better people. We begin to notice more clearly what is happening in our lives. We become better people, because we approach life from a different point of view. I subscribe to Richard Rohr s Daily Meditation and recently, he has been on a theme of personal discovery through spirituality. He says, Much of the work of spirituality is becoming aware of the biases, prejudices and limitations through which you see the [ now the immediate moment]. It is a lifetime of painful work. Please do not be put off by that last phrase! Remember, God is with us on our spiritual journey: I am with you always [Matt 28:20]. Certainly there are difficulties, but there are also rewards grace and union with God. We need to learn from these men of the fourth century how to ignore prejudice, defy compulsion, and strike out fearlessly into the unknown. Mrs Genevieve Richter

5 Missionary Sisters 5 The Missionary Sisters of Service [MSS] celebrate the seventieth anniversary of their foundation this year. In conjunction with this milestone, the newly formed John Wallis Foundation, founded by the Missionary Sisters, invites applications for its first round of grants. The Missionary Sisters of Service were founded in Launceston on the on the 8th of July, 1944 by Tasmanian Diocesan priest, Fr John Wallis and four women, Gwen Morse, Kathleen Moore, Alice Carroll and Joyce O Brien, who were the first to commit themselves to go beyond Parish boundaries where others could not go. In the seventy years, missionary fields spread throughout Tasmania, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Melbourne and Singapore. The John Wallis Foundation seeks to continue the mission of the Sisters, by journeying with people in hope, love and support; creating opportunities for personal and spiritual formation, building community and developing leadership. The Foundation will make funds available to individuals or groups for work in line with the aims and charism of the Missionary Sisters of Service. Preference will be given to projects that are small, local and completed within twelve months. Individuals working within voluntary or church outreach services may see these grants as a way to initiate a particular project within the overall work of the service. Full details and application guidelines are available at the website: For further information or to submit an application please contact the Executive Officer of the John Wallis Foundation, Liz McAloon on johnwallisfoundation@gmail.com or phone Applications for this round of grants closes on 31st MAY 2014 OPEN 7 DAYS Main Road, Port Pirie Ph pirie 114 Main Road, Port Pirie Ph Pavers & Retaining Wall Bllocks Tiles & Sanityware S.D.CAPUTO AND SONS Fresh Seafood South Australian Seafood Retailer of the Year Award Winner Ph all the best appliances Kitchen Appliances Come in and see our stylish showroom and friendly staff today. For all sales enquiries please sales@pirietiles.com.au Delivery available to your local area. Find us on facebook Fisherman's Wharf, Port Pirie Delivering all your Fresh & Frozen Seafood to WHYALLA - PT AUGUSTA - CLARE THE COPPER COAST - PT BROUGHTON Phone our Friendly Staff for Further Details

6 6 ACCOUNTING & BUSINESS ADVICE Group St Joseph s, Port Lincoln Celebrates Welcoming Liturgy On Friday 14th February, the St Joseph s School community gathered in the school gymnasium for the Beginning of Year Welcoming Liturgy. This was a chance to welcome all new students and their families to our School Community. The Year Twelve students welcomed our new Foundation students through the traditional Shake and Take ceremony. In this ceremony are the shaking of hands and the taking of a gift; at the beginning of the year the Year Twelve students gives a gift to the Foundation students and welcomes them to the school. At the end of the year the Foundation student gives the year twelve a gift to farewell that person from the school. Boarding House Leaders, Primary and Secondary Sports Captains and Music Captains were also presented and blessed. Our 2014 theme, Who is my Neighbour? was launched by Principal, Bernadette Lacey, who encouraged students to be the best person they can be, and to look for ways that they can help all those around them, their neighbours. 19 Norman Street, Port Pirie Phone Fax info@pisanigroup.com.au Structural, Mechanical & Civil Contractors Coded Welding Steel Fabrication Steel Construction Crane & Access Hire Rigging / Scaffolding Port Pirie Ph: Whyalla Ph: Alex McEvoy (Year 12) with Huey Cliff (Foundation)

7 7 Alpha at Crystal Brook On Friday 29th November last year Jackie Hayes of Redhill energetic member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council for the Cathedral Region hosted a highly successful Barbecue Tea at the Redhill Bowling Club attended by people from Redhill and surrounding parishes. Following a Year of Grace and a Year of Faith, the aim was to look forward to a local Year of Hope, by taking even small steps to bring Strategic Direction Number Three To enable all members of the diocesan community to exercise their gifts in response to God s call to a particular form of service. Where to start? Aware of the reality that no parish can stand alone, but that together we can achieve much, it was agreed that David and Janette Willson would offer the Alpha Program at Crystal Brook. The program commenced on Wednesday 29th January with a welcoming meal at which nineteen participants gathered from Redhill, Port Broughton, Narridy and Crystal Brook. Attendance over the weeks has been regular, strong and enthusiastic. There is general agreement that the DVD presentations are relevant and down to earth. One response to the question How is it going? noted the appreciative and engaged hum that is over the room at each session. The discussion groups have been interactive and good fun. The Holy Spirit day held at Mary Knoll on the 15th March was a significant high point of the program. The day of retreat culminated with Mass celebrated by Fr Francis. ABOVE Brian Fogarty and Jackie Hayes This Year of Hope, Alpha, will conclude on 9th April with a celebratory dinner. And there is more the next Alpha will commence in Port Pirie on Wednesday 9th July and go through until Wednesday 10th of September. Smith s Betta Deals Betta Service Betta Advice 84 Ellen St, Port Pirie Ph: Appliances Audio Visual Computers

8 8 Traineeships Begin in Port Lincoln St Joseph s School, Port Lincoln, welcomes Misty Bassham and Justin Thompson to the staff this year. This is a new initiative where two previous year twelve students who have deferred their University course and have taken a gap year, complete a twelve month traineeship at the school. Misty is working in the Administration, Finance and Marketing areas and said, I am enjoying the variety of different work offered. Misty remarked that having been a student at the school, and also being around familiar faces, both staff and students, has certainly made her experiences so far very positive. Justin who is assisting in the Physical Education Department said, the traineeships offered at St Joe s are a great opportunity for people such as myself, who are completing a gap year before heading to University. Once completed I plan to attend University to study to become a P.E. Teacher. He also commented that, completing the sports traineeship is going to give him many valuable experiences he Misty Basshan and Justin Thompson would not have been able to gain anywhere else, and will further his knowledge within his chosen field of work. Both trainees mentioned that the St Joseph s staff and students have made them feel very welcome and comfortable in their transition from students to staff members. Director of Catholic Education in the Port Pirie Diocese Ms. Brenda Keenan, congratulated St Joseph s School on being the first Catholic School in the Diocese to offer this valuable opportunity. Sister Mary Laurencia Liturgy 136 years on and we carry the story, the past, into the future. Sr Laurencia Honner s story is part of our Colleges rich heritage, and goes back to We had been established only six years, when Sr Laurencia, who had been professed a Sister of St Joseph in 1877, was sent at age eighteen to teach in Port Augusta. Tragedy struck after Sunday evening devotions while extinguishing the sanctuary Sister Laurencia Honner s story is part of our College s rich heritage, and goes back to lamp, which was lit, it spilt on her, she suffered severe burns and died a week later. She had pleaded for Mary MacKillop to come, and Mary was with her at her death, and no doubt accompanied her body to the Stirling North Cemetery. On the 11th of March, 136 years on, our senior students and SRC gathered around her grave, as we do each year, to celebrate and give thanks for the life of this young woman who so generously came to our town so that children of Port Augusta would have educational opportunities. May we be inspired by the way she responded to the needs of others through education and so continue our journey of JOY in belonging, PRIDE in achieving and HOPE in serving.

9 Regional Pastoral Council 9 From January to March, the Regional Pastoral Councils of the four Regions Riverland, Cathedral, Western [Eyre Peninsula] and Northern have gathered to reflect on the pastoral reality of their region, to consider the possible workings of Councils [Diocesan, Regional and Parish], to hear some feedback from the Vatican Survey on the Family in the context of Evangelisation, to set up a Diocesan Liturgy Network, to learn of and plan for coming events and to elect representatives to the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The words of Pope Francis to Council members gathered at Assisi on the 4th of October 2013, offered both encouragement and direction for Councils of our LEFT Ann-Marie Power, Coober Pedy representative for the Regional Pastoral Council BELOW At Port Augusta Regional Pastoral Council, March 6 (Standing) Sr Sonia Wagner SGS, Genevieve Richter (Seated) Fr Paul Crotty, Sr Elizabeth Young RSM, Fr Chris O Neil diocese. After affirming the importance of Councils at all levels, Pope Francis highlights these dynamics within the community; Listen to the Word, Walk Together and Proclaim the Gospel to the Outskirts. Communication is a huge challenge in our diocese separated as we are by vast distances. Some Regional Council members travel for hours to gather for meetings. The Northern Region Port Augusta, Quorn, Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy meets via WebEx video-conferencing from Caritas College, Port Augusta. ABOVE Roxby Downs Regional Pastoral Council [L R] Sr Pat Hogan OLSH, Karina Lloyd, Fr John Folkman, Kaye Doyle, and Bishop O Kelly Crash Repairs Caravan Repairs Mechanical Repairs Spray Painting CONTRACTOR ROAD SERVICE Ph (08) Fax: (08) Main Rd, Port Pirie SA 5540

10 10 Father Gittins in Adelaide Fr Tony Gittins with the Religious of the Port Pirie Diocese It was an unexpectedly refreshing day of meeting, greeting and reconnecting with so many others living a publicly committed religious life in the Adelaide and Port Pirie Diocese on Saturday 15th February, at Morphettville. It was nice to enjoy the hospitality of Archbishop Phillip Wilson, and be welcomed by our respective Vicars for Religious, Sr Marie Ralph and Sr Kerry Keenan rsj (with a message from Bishop Greg O Kelly sj). Holy Spirit`priest, Fr Tony Gittins, spelt out very clearly how mission is a job description for God; evangelisation a job description for Jesus; and discipleship, a job description for the people of God. He discussed how Baptism is our co-missioning for participating in God s mission, by following Jesus. SAMANT HOME IMPROVEMENTS Specialising in internal and external linings pergolas verandahs fencing re-roofing guttering alterations renovations HOMES DESIGNED TO YOUR NEEDS Sam Salvemini - Builder/Carpenter lic # GL Port Pirie Mobile It was an unexpectedly refreshing day of meeting, greeting and reconnecting with so many others living a publicly committed religious life in the Adelaide and Port Pirie Diocese Basically our church, our parishes, our communities and individuals are chosen by God to be instruments in bringing forth the Kingdom ; it is not my mission, it is God s mission, and I am caught up in it: not the other way around. To enthuse us a little more Fr Tony broke open several scripture passages in which people encountered Jesus. The rich young man [Mark, [10:17 22] Bartimaeus, Mark [10: 46 52], and more. He spoke of the nature of encounter, and how these encounters turned peoples lives upside down upside down because Jesus valued equality and inclusivity. These values clash with many of the values prevailing in our twentyfirst century world; values that emphasise ME, as the most important person to be concerned about, and xenophobia, which is fuelled by current political rhetoric and policies. By the end of the day, participants were calling for more, more of the same, and more often. I can only echo those sentiments. Sr Anne Foale RSM ALEX S MEAT SERVICE Pan Ready Meats Bulk & BBQ Packs Club Supplies Senate Rd, Port Pirie

11 Be a Part of this Cultural Revolution Harvest INROADS is proud to offer the graduating Class of 2014 the opportunity to mark the end of their schooling in a fun yet meaningful way. Motivated by the images we see every year, of celebrations on the Gold Coast, and other centres, we have decided to create a valuable alternative for students. This alternative takes the students to Fiji where they can unwind, relax and enjoy the attractions of this island paradise, while also having the opportunity to get involved with the locals and make a difference. Based on the highly successful model of 2013 Rio World Youth Day mission projects, INROADS Schoolies will be immersed in local culture and work alongside community partners, on established and ongoing service projects. Under eighteens are welcome to join the Harvest INROADS experience as it is strictly Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Free. Activities during the INROADS Schoolies Experience will include: Helping with various building and infrastructure projects within nearby villages. Teaching English to primary school students alongside their teachers. Preparing traditional meals with the villagers and delivering them to families in need. What you need to know: Where: Fiji When: November 29 December 6 Cost: $1860 plus airfares All other details can be found at 11 Insurance Brokers For all your general insurance needs Farm Crop Business Home & Contents Motor Vehicle Boat Personal Accident & Illness mga.com 25 Norman St, Port Pirie AFSL

12 12 Regional Response to Suicide Bereavement in South Australia Introducing the StandBy Response Service Centacare Family Services Country SA are very pleased to partner with United Synergies and deliver one of Australia s leading suicide post vention programs dedicated to assisting people and communities affected by suicide. StandBy Response Service. StandBy Response Service [SBR] is leading the way in many areas but the major strength is its skilled Crisis Response Team strategically positioned across the state to be able to assist not only individuals but also schools and whole communities; businesses and immediate responders. Families and communities in Australia are often ill-prepared for the emotional and social impact that occurs following the suicide death of a friend, loved one, or colleague. Suicide has a significant and dramatic effect causing distress and concern across the whole community. StandBy utilizes existing emergency and community support mechanisms to assist people bereaved by suicide, regardless of when or where the suicide occurred. StandBy Response provides an immediate to people bereaved by suicide via a locally based 24 hour crisis response telephone number People can receive face-to-face support provided by skilled StandBy crisis response members and referrals to a centrally coordinated system of local support services matching their needs. Local SA StandBy Coordinator, Chez Curnow says, This is a significant social issue that we can address together to provide support and improve the wellbeing of people we know who are bereaved by suicide. We look forward to delivering this program in SA and to how we, as a community respond to the tragedy of suicide and its impact. Often those bereaved by suicide are concerned with how the church will perceive, and/or the deceased. StandBy Response Service is respectful of these important relationships between the church and the bereaved, we are also mindful of the importance of both the social and spiritual connectedness in the grief process said Chez Curnow. Community groups, health providers and agencies are invited to contact Chez Curnow and learn about the StandBy approach, how to refer to the StandBy Service and the role of local health and community services can play in supporting those bereaved by suicide. Chez is in discussions with the South Australian Police and near finalising a state wide Memorandum of Understanding to ensure smooth and timely notification. Chez and her team will also work closely with mental health teams, emergency responders, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and both health and human service providers across the state. National StandBy Response Coordinator, Jill Fisher says Providing an integrated and comprehensive locally based response using existing emergency and community support mechanisms results in bereaved people accessing the support they need, at the time of their greatest need, from their own local community. We are pleased that other Australian communities are joining this internationally recognised program and making a difference in the lives of those bereaved by suicide. For further information about SA Country North StandBy Response Service, please contact the StandBy Coordinator, Chez on or standby@centacarecdpp.org.au To seek support after suicide call the Suicide Call Back Service on: or Lifeline on

13 Jamestown Parish Thanks and Farewells Fr Paul Quirk V.G. 13 Recently the Parish and school of St James said farewell and thank you to our parish priest of nine years, Fr Paul Quirk. In this time, Fr Paul ministered to many Parishioners, staff, students, families, and people of the wider Jamestown community and beyond. Fr Paul has moved to Port Pirie to continue his ministry in the Parish there and his role Vicar General of the Diocese of Port Pirie. Holding the official title of Monsignor, a recognition of his life and service in the Church, Fr Paul preferred still to be known as Fr Paul; testament to his humble and unassuming manner. Fr Paul has been and will continue to be a strong and constant support to so many in their faith experiences. He has been there for so many in the sacramental celebration of Baptism, Marriage, Funerals, and of course regular celebrations of the Eucharist. Fr Paul led the St James School community in so many celebrations of most significant moments; the celebration of Feast Days, Year Seven Graduations, School Masses, Sacraments (First Communion, Reconciliation, and Confirmation), just to name a few. The three Catholic Schools in this mid-north area, come together for the celebration of St Mary MacKillop s feast day, and Fr Paul has been the celebrant, each year at Mass on this day. Fr Paul was fundamental in maintaining and developing the partnership between St James Catholic Parish, Catholic School and families. Fr Paul was farewelled, at a Commissioning Mass on the January twenty fifth, when staff from the three Catholic Schools of St James, Jamestown, St Joseph s Peterborough and St Joseph s Gladstone. Bishop Greg O Kelly (Bishop of the Port Pirie Diocese) and Ms Brenda Keenan, (Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese) were present. St James School said thank you to Fr Paul at their Beginning of Year Mass on Friday the 31st of January, and the parish of St James said their farewell, and thanks on Sunday the second of February. It was a series of celebrations that demonstrates the high esteem that Fr Paul is held in.

14 14 Northern Agencies MANUFACTURER'S AGENTS, WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS, STOCKISTS & PROCUREMENT SERVICES YOU WANT IT, WE'LL GET IT Telephone: Fax: Ayliffe Street, WHYALLA, SA, 5600 prests for Quality, Service & Value for Money SPECIALISING IN. Made to Measure Curtains. Blinds & Window Accessories. Discounted Curtain Fabrics Fax: Ellen St, Port Pirie (08) All the time... Every day Commissioning Masses for School and Parish Masses of Commissioning began in the Riverland, at Berri on 22nd January. After the Riverland and over an eight week period, Bishop O Kelly and Brenda Keenan, Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese, have travelled to all the regions of the Diocese to Jamestown Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Wallaroo, Whyalla, Port Lincoln and then, last of all, to Roxby Downs on 14th March. This year the commissioning included both the school and parish, and all those who serve in any capacity in either place. In this way it is hoped that the bonds that exist between school and parish might be enhanced and strengthened, and that new expressions of partnership may emerge. Whyalla commissioning Mass was a significant occasion for the parish, as Julie Andriessen was blessed and welcomed as Pastoral Associate. LEFT Julie Andriessen and Bishop Greg BELOW Tony Hayes (Principal, St Barbara s, Roxby Downs) with Bishop Greg and Fr John Folkman Pre-planned and Pre-paid Services At need Funerals Repatriations Signature Service since Wakefield Street, Adelaide 100% South Australian family owned Proprietor & Manager B Siebert

15 15 Scooter City Bishop Peter Ingham announced recently that the Proclaim 2014 Conference on the New Evangelisation [Thursday 21st to Saturday 23rd of August 2014] will be held at The Concourse, Chatswood NSW. The theme of the conference is Living the Joy of the Gospel in Parishes drawing on Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelli Gaudium. The keynote speakers will be Fr Michael White and Mr Tom Corcoran, Parish Priest and Pastoral Associate of the Church of the Nativity, North Baltimore, who have co-written the book Rebuilt: Awakening the Faithful, Reaching the Lost and Making the Church Matter. Through their missionary efforts they have built their dying Parish and have brought Catholics back to a living faith. Their personal experience will provide invaluable support, ideas and pastoral initiatives for Parishes around Australia. More information can be found about them at or purchase their book from the National Office for Evangelisation: phone Over the three days of the Conference, participants will be able to share practical ideas to make parishes healthy and evangelizing. Participants will network extensively with other spirit-filled evangelisers, from parishes, diocese, groups and movements across Australia. More information will be coming, so stay tuned! fun service friends reflections justice leadership prayer celebration action reconciliation H HUNTER FINANCIAL SERVICES PO Box 49 JAMESTOWN, SA, 5491 B/L G9148 Wheelchairs Walkers Domestic Mobility Aids Mobile King Street, Port Pirie SA 5540 Inspection by appointment REDDEN BROTHERS T/A SHED BOSS MID NORTH P: Fax: H F G HFG LENDING SERVICES

16 16 The Catholic Women s League 100 Not Out! On October 26th 2014, the Catholic Women s League celebrates a hundred years of commitment to the South Australian community, promoting the spiritual, cultural, intellectual and social interests of Catholic women. Many people would be aware ABOVE Hannah Buckley of the charitable and social welfare involvements of the CWL. Fewer would realise its formation. The Catholic Women s League was founded in 1906 in England to enable lay women to participate more actively in the Catholic Church and to contribute to social, national and international activities. In 1914 Miss Betty Leworthy received permission from the CWL in England to copy this initiative and the Catholic Women s League was inaugurated at a meeting on the 25th of October 1914, attended by more than a hundred and fifty women from Adelaide and the suburbs, the first such League in the Southern hemisphere. The League s motto was Charity, Work, Loyalty and its intention was To unite Catholic women in a bond of common fellowship for the promotion of religious and intellectual interests and social work. Many women today connect the CWL with their Grandmothers, and that s a good thing! However, young women also see the need to reach out to others and do social work, and in doing so they nourish a deep spiritual need of their own. Betty Leworthy MBE [ ] was a church and community worker. She trained as a shorthand/ typist at the Remington Agency Ltd s business college in Adelaide, then opened a small copying agency in Waymouth Street. She was the founding Principal of the Remington Training College that later merged with the Muirden College Ltd. She was the founding Honorary Secretary of the Catholic Women s League. The League at that time undertook a range of war work. Over a period of thirty years she broadened the League s activities in the field of social work and extended the religious and intellectual interests of its members by involving them in organisations outside their own denomination. In recognition of her work she was awarded an MBE in Hannah Buckley was a young woman, one of six inaugural students at the South Australian Board of Social Study and Training in 1937, the first Catholic Graduate in the field of social work. In early 1942 Archbishop Matthew Beovich appointed Hannah the first employee of the Catholic Social Service Bureau (now Centacare Catholic Family Services), with the main focus of coordinating the activities of Catholic orphanages and other charitable institutions. The evacuation of civilians from Northern Australia in the early years of the Second World War saw large numbers of families and unaccompanied children arrive in Adelaide. Hannah provided essential support to many of these families. Her personal empathy and careful assessment of the needs of children brought a new level of professionalism to the referral process to the orphanages. To honour these remarkable women, the Catholic Women s League is presenting two awards to mark their centenary, open to women who have made significant contributions in the social work area. The Betty Leworthy Award for women of all ages, and the Hannah Buckley Award for women under thirty-five years of age. For further information contact the CWL at cwl-sa@adam.com.au or phone

17 A Pilgrimage to Peterborough ABOVE (L-R) Ms Brenda Keenan Fr Rob Galea, Les Billings, Mgr Paul Quirk and Damian Smith. Late last year St Joseph s, Peterborough had the privilege of hosting a group of year eleven students from Notre Dame College, Shepparton, Victoria for a week. Each year a group of students makes the pilgrimage across to Peterborough to partake in a faith and pastoral care program organized by their school. The students are accompanied by two teachers, and for the last three years Fr Rob Galea has taken part in the trip. Fr Rob is a renown singer and song writer; he has released several CD s and performed in front of thousands of people. He is particularly passionate about youth ministry. On the first night of their visit, the school welcomed our friends from Notre Dame College with a community BBQ. The event was well supported by the school and wider community. Ms Brenda Keenan and several other Staff from the Port Pirie Catholic Education Office also attended. Fr Rob put on a performance in front of about eighty people; it was a faith filled evening that inspired everyone who attended. Throughout the week the students from Notre Dame College worked around the schoolyard doing gardening and maintenance. They also facilitated a leadership camp at Pekina for year seven students from three Mid-North Josephite schools. Before departing, they presented a kind donation of $1,000 to our school which will go towards purchasing new resources for our school. As a school community we look forward to this wonderful tradition continuing each year; the relationship between our two schools is mutually beneficial and fosters good things for all those involved. Temptation in the W i lderness Across the stony silent desert Comes, upon whispering wind, Evil voices tempting Resonating within; Calling to his hunger As he wondered alone, If you are the Son of God Make bread of this stone. Then, above the breeze was heard, But my hunger is for the Word. Babelling voices now As the wind begins to howl Through the parapets of the Temple Comes the thought so simple, Subtle and profound, Cast yourself to the ground, For the angels are in your charge So lightly you will rest But sternly came the reply, Put not God to the test. Like sirens screeching, On mountain-top gales Gehenna s cacophony piercing Fall down and greet me with Hails And these Kingdoms will be yours Then a true messiah be, Anointed with a cause Be off now Satan came the command, To serve and worship God alone, Is what scripture does demand. Silent stars reach out of the blackness, White light of the Father s care While Angels watch over him As he lays sleeping there. Enfolded in exhaustion Upon the desert sands He rests on without caution Still and dreamless and deep Until next time on Golgotha They are destined to meet. Wm. Bonnie 17

18 18 Vale Fr Joe Hassan sj Fr Joe Hassan sj, was called to God on 9th February 2014 in his ninety-ninth year, a month short of that birthday, in his eightieth year as a member of the Society of Jesus, and his sixty third year as a priest of the Lord. To the end he was gifted with an alert mind and wit. It seems to me that there are particular graces that the very old can give us. Those who were able to visit Joe Hassan in recent years will recall the delight and pleasure he showed the visitor, and would have heard his usual parting comment, Good on you; live long. One of the gifts the very aged can give us is the witness of joy and delight, in the company of others. They also show us a faithfulness, distilled by the years, a faithfulness to God, as God has been faithful to them. They gift us with their witness to this. At the Chrism Mass, priests renew their commitment, in response to the Bishops questioning; Are you resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conform to him Are you resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, in the Holy Eucharist, and the other Sacraments, and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching, from Christ the Head and Shepherd, and not seeking signs - screen printing - custom printing GROW YOUR BUSINESS any gain, but moved only by zeal for souls? In Fr Joe Hassan we celebrate one who lived those promises. It is not as if he was without any flaws. He could be quite stubborn, and had some pieces of philosophy, such as You can think more clearly if you are not wearing shoes. Today, years after he left Georgetown in 1998, there is still much affection for him, in the hearts of many of our priests and parishioners and seems to have been loved by nearly everybody and stories about him abound. What made him a welcome guest, I believe, was his constant cheerfulness and obvious dedication in the frugality and simplicity of his life. He lived something of a ministry of affirmation; even to the very end, one of his last utterances from his deathbed was, You re a good nurse! His Jesuit Superior in Sydney during Joe s last years recalls that when asked if he would like Communion his answer was always, Oh yes and out would come the hands with great reverence. Fr Ryan recalled that they were taken aback when Joe s response after communion, was simply Ineffable presence, but we must make it more so! Almost totally blind in his last few years, his disposition was always Oh yes to anything offered him, whether it was an update on Jesuit news, or a walk around the grounds. Every time the Witness arrived from our Diocese, the Jesuit superior had to read every word to him. As one walked down the corridor towards his room, you would hear him singing a mixture of Gilbert and Sullivan, and old hymns. And he had a wonderful love for the country, and his last years at Georgetown were very precious to him; he referred to them time and again; he left a lot of his heart in this Diocese. We thank God For Fr Joe, his sixty three years of Priesthood, eighty years of being a Jesuit and just on ninety-nine of life; for his witness of fidelity and charity, of joyfulness and prayerfulness, a loving steward of the mysteries of God. from the Sermon of Bishop Greg O Kelly SJ

19 19 Retreat House on Wheels Fr Richard Shortall SJ comes to Port Pirie as a welcome visitor from his Jesuit community at Xavier College in Melbourne. Fr Richard has developed a Retreat in Everyday Life program dubbed The Retreat House on Wheels especially to suit rural and remote parishes. Fr Richard, the son of a sheep farmer, is well aware of the lack of resources in a rural diocese and has offered the Retreat in Everyday Life in the dioceses of Sandhurst, Newcastle-Maitland as well as Port Pirie. Visits to the country include Reflection Days, Spiritual Direction and support for priests. Apart from his work in rural Australia, Fr Richard has acted as Retreat Director at Retreat Houses overseas at Manresa in Dublin, St Beuno s in Wales and at Maranatha in Kuala Lumpur. The Port Pirie Retreat will culminate on Friday 11th of April with Mass, discussion and dinner together. Thank you Fr Richard; it is good for us that you are here. P & J PISANI KERB & GUTTER SPECIALISTS AND ALL CONCRETE WORK Driveways & Paths Raft Foundations & Floors Continuous Garden Edging Concrete Boom Pump Available for All Concrete Pours PORT PIRIE & SURROUNDING AREAS Mobile EST. SINCE 1983 Lic No. RL 22473

20 DIOCESAN INFORMATION Parish Contacts and Mass Times Around the Diocese Berri Fr Steve Ardill Phone Fax Sunday Mass 9.00am & 6.00pm Barmera Fr John Stuart-James Sunday Mass am Waikerie 1st,3rd & 5th Sunday 9.00am 2nd & 4th Sunday 11.00am Blanchetown 2nd Sunday 4.00pm Morgan 1st, 3rd 5th Sunday [Vigil] 5.00pm 2nd & 4th Sunday 6.00pm Booleroo Centre Fr Julius Chamlungu Phone/Fax Sunday Mass 8.30am 5th Sunday 10.00am Laura 1st Sunday 10.00am Pekina 2nd Sunday 10.00am Wirrabara 3rd Sunday 10.00am Orroroo 4th Sunday 10.00am Burra Fr L J Quinn PP Phone Fax Cleve Fr Adrian Head PP Phone agh1112@bigpond Cleve 1st Sunday 11.00am 2nd Sunday 8.30am 3rd Sunday [Vigil] 6.00pm 4th Sunday 8.30am 5th Sunday 11.00am Cowell 1st Sunday 8.30am 2nd Sunday 11.00am 3rd Sunday 9.00am 4th Sunday [Vigil] 6.00pm 5th Sunday 8.30am Kimba 1st Sunday [Vigil] 6.00pm 2nd Sunday 9.00am 3rd Sunday 8.30am 4th Sunday 11.00am 5th Sunday [Vigil] 6.00pm Wudinna 1st Sunday 9.00am 2nd Sunday [Vigil] 6.00pm 3rd Sunday 11.00am 4th Sunday 6.00pm 5th Sunday 6.00pm Coober Pedy Fr Paul Bourke PP Phone Fax inlandmission@bigpond.com Sunday Mass [Vigil] 6.30pm 10.00am Cummins Fr Kevin Matthews PP Phone Mob cumminsparish1@bigpond.com kev.mat@bigpond.com Cummins 1st & 4th Sundays 8.00am 2nd Sunday 10.30am 3rd & 5th Sunday [Vigil] 6.00pm Winter [Vigil] 7.00pm Summer Tumby Bay 1st & 4th Sunday 10.30am 2nd Sunday 8.00am 3rd & 5th Sunday 5.00pm Elliston 1st, 2nd & 4th Sunday 5.00pm 3rd & 5th 10.30am Lock 3rd & 5th Sundays 8.00am Gladstone Mgr Arthur Hackett Phone ajbhackett@bigpond.com 1st, 3rd & 5th Sunday 9.30am Georgetown 2nd & 4th Sunday 9.30am Jamestown Mgr Leon Quinn PP Phone stjacobi@bigpond.com Sunday Mass [Vigil] 6.00pm & 9.00am Kadina Fr Adrian Noonan PP Phone sacheart@internode.on.net Kadina 10.30am Moonta 8.30am Wallaroo [Vigil] 7.00pm Loxton Phone Fax kunambi@hotmail.com 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays 11.00am 2nd & 4th Sunday 8.00am Peterborough Fr Leon Quinn PP Phone Sunday Mass 11.00am Pt Augusta Fr Paul Crotty Fr Khalid Marogi Fr Jimmy Pantin Phone Fax allsaintspt.a@bigpond.com Sunday Mass [Vigil] 6.30pm 10.30am Wilmington 8.30am Pt Lincoln Fr Brian Matthews PP Phone smoa@bigpond.com Sunday Mass [Vigil] 6.00pm 9.00am Coffin Bay 1st Sunday 6.00pm Fr Benjamin Mkuchu Pt Pirie Mgr Paul Quirk VG Phone Fax Fr Francis Montero cathedralpirie@bigpond.com Sunday Mass Cathedral [Vigil] 6.00pm 10.30am Solomontown 5.00pm Crystal Brook 8.30am Quorn Fr Chris O Neil PP Phone frcj@bigpond.com Sunday Mass [Vigil] 6.30 pm 2nd & 4th Sunday 8.30 am Carrieton [Vigil] 2nd & 4th Sunday 6.30 pm 1st 3rd & 5th Sunday 8.30 am Hawker am Leigh Creek 1st Sunday 3.30 pm Renmark Fr Medard Kunambi Phone Fax thereseren@bigpond.com Sunday Mass [Vigil] 6.30 pm & 9.00am Roxby Downs Fr John Folkman PP Phone Office Fax Roxby Downs [Vigil] 6.00pm 9.00am Woomera 2nd, 4th & 5th 11.30am Andamooka 1st & 3rd Sunday 11.00am Snowtown Mgr Ray Pope PP Phone/Fax Streaky Bay Fr Matthew Newman fr.matthewnewman@gmail.com Sunday Mass 11.00am Ceduna [Vigil] 6.00pm Chandada 9.00am Smoky Bay 1st Sunday 5.00pm Minnipa 2nd Sunday 5.00pm Wirrula 3rd Sunday 5.00pm Wudinna 4th & 5th Sunday 6.00pm Whyalla Fr Jim Monaghan PP Phone Fax jgmon7@hotmail.com Fr Arno Vermeeren whysaint@internode.on.net Sunday Mass St Teresa s [Vigil] 7.00pm 8.30am Our Lady s 10.30am & 5.30pm