Western Link - Vol 2 No 5 October 2009 - Province 20 Catenians of ...

ANNUAL DAY OFREFLECTIONOUR DAY AT THE REDEMPTORIST MONASTERYMOST SUCCESSFUL... A SUMMARY BY OUR PROV.PRESIDENT.Brothers,Thanks to Brother Terry Pilcher for organising anothersuccessful Day Of Reflection.The theme gave the 43 Brothers the tools, applicationsand attitudes for their daily and weekly prayer lives intheir relationships with Almighty God. We were given thewisdom from saints and some anonymous writers from the14th century onwards, for most prayer situations. We alsolearned it is normal to have doubts.Monsignor Long (now Rector of St Charles Seminary) wasas forthright as ever, and also answered the hard questionsdirectly and also with extra thought provoking insights. Forinstance we now have extra insights on Judas as revealedby Pope Benedict 16th. This also provoked interestingviewpoints from some of the Brothers.Some of us who missed the Day Of Reflection will notnotice any benefit from their other activities on this day, intwo weeks time.Many of those who attended will notice the benefits daily forthe rest of their lives.The fellowship, chats with friends from other circles, a mealand a couple of glasses of wine; comfort of the venue andlovely grounds were a pleasing bonus.Fraternally,,David BoyleANNUAL DAY OF REFLECTIONREDEMPTORIST MONASTERY SUN 6THJULY 2009.L TO R. Mons.Kevin Long, Rector St. Charles Seminary,Retreat Master. Bros. Sylvester Lane ( Como), B. McGurk(C of Mandurah, C of Perth and Bouvard), Leo Croll ( Ourlongest serving Catenian, Ftle), and Prov V. Pres. TerryPilcher ( Swan V) (apologies for picture quality.. a phonephoto!! ) all enjoyed a day of Spirituality and Fellowship.AN AUSSIE CATENIANABROAD...A personal perspective.We all have our unique experiences and impressions when we travel andhere are some of mine after five weeks in Britain, Germany and Turkey.The Abergavenny Circle in Wales made me very welcome at their Circlemeeting but even though in Wales they were all Englishmen! One ofthem, however, did have a Welsh mother so he was native. When theyquestioned me about my origins and I disclosed that I had been born inEngland and had a Welsh grandmother and a German grandfather theydoubted that I was a real Australian!My wife, daughter and I were in Wales for the wedding of an Australiannephew to an English bride and the event went very well conducted bya competent lady priest (Church in Wales – Anglican Communion) veryprogressive. But in Perth we also have progressive developments. At ourNotre Dame Australia University we have ladies on academic staff whoare teaching theology and philosophy to seminarians aspiring to becomepriests.Liturgical music being an interest of mine, I was delighted to hearthe choir in York Minster sing Evensong and also to listen in on apractice session of the Winchester Cathedral choristers working on thePoulenc Mass), The latter was thanks to Alan Quadros, music teacherat Winchester Preparatory School, who is the son of our Darling RangeCircle Brother, Dr. Francis Quadros. New sacred music of great power isbeing composed in Britain by composers such as John Taverner and theWelshman, Carl Jenkins.The British are progressive in visual religious art as well. In my oldParish Church of St. Brides in Pitlochry, Scotland (I was there for threeyears 1981-1984), there is now a beautiful risen Christ crucifix behindthe altar. I also saw a magnificent risen Christ in a great window inBrecon Cathedral in Wales.In Perth there is now a very fine risen Christ crucifix in the new St.Benedict’s Church, Applecross. These icons are very positive expressionsof Christianity compared with the old Italian/Spanish baroque agonyfigures of Christ, and should do more to interest the young generation. Itwill be modern sounds and sights that appeal to the younger generation.Paradoxically, the best meditative religious places I found, quiet andpeaceful, were a small and simple Lutheran church in Cracow (it helpedthat the organist was softly playing Bach), and a small mosque in Istanbulwhere I squatted on the carpeted floor. The famous Blue Mosque wasimpressive in size and decoration but noisy with visitors. The huge, oldChristian Basilica, Hagia Sofia, had a one and a half thousand years ofhistory in every stone and icon. Everywhere in old Constantinople therewere hints of ancient Christian Mysticism and Islamic Sufiism. In KielGermany, Catholic, Lutheran and Evangelic bishops and ministers held alarge ecumenical service and resolved to work together to stem the driftaway from practice of Christianity.In the English Catholic Weekly paper, The Universe, the editorialcomment (14th June) was on a theme of Religion and Politics. Yes,there should be separation of Church and State but Church is in Societyand has much to say which Church people must try to effectivelycommunicate.I am not alone in believing that there are political processes in ourChurch organisations in which we lay people should be more involved.Retired Australian Bishop, Geoffrey Robinson, in his recent book“Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church”, recommends thatlay people, through their organisations (e.g. Catenians!), have a say inthe appointment of bishops and governance of our Church.We are urged to present our Christian moral values to the secular worldand we need to have a say in the expression and dissemination of thesevalues in the ever changing modern world that we live in.Throughout the Western World, Christianity is struggling to have itsFaith and Practice find relevance to people so it is up to as committedChristians to become better and more active messengers.Gerard Tonks, President, Darling Range circle.ANOTHER CONSCIENCE TICKLERDO YOU INCLUDE OUR DECEASED MEMBERS IN YOURDAILY PRAYERS?.IT’S LATER THAN YOU THINK!!October 2009 Western Link 19