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RupanyupOUR DIOCESANCOMMUNITYNews around the Diocese No. 37 August 2012Fr. Paul Bird CSsRHamiltonWarrnamboolSwan HillHis Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointedFather Paul Bird CSsR as the next Bishop ofBallarat upon the retirement of Bishop PeterConnors. The Diocese welcomes him and looksforward to his Ordination and Installation asBishop on October 16, 2012.We are the Catholic church of the Ballarat Diocese.We gather in the name of Jesus from the Murray to the Sea in interwoven faith communities.Spirit-filled, we celebrate and share our journey; reaching out to nurture all God’s people.Draft Vision Statement for the Diocese

IN THIS ISSUENew BishopSchools in ActionYoung VinniesNazareth HouseYear of GraceCraft CommunityWelcome & FarewellTen minutes with JohnFrom the ArchivesYouth MinistryParish NewsFrom CentacareLeadership in ParishesGodStartLiturgy SeminarWith East TimorHamilton ParishClergy NotesVisit of RelicsFrom the Resource CentreFROM BISHOP CONNORSIn March 2011, shortly after my 74th birthday, I tenderedmy resignation from the office of Bishop of the Diocese ofBallarat. This was a year earlier than the usual age of 75,and was prompted by a number of health concerns thatremain with me till this day.Having just completed fifteen years of ministry as Bishop ofthe Diocese of Ballarat, I am grateful that Pope Benedict XVIhas accepted my resignation and appointed my successor.I am full of joy and thanks to God that Father Paul BernardBird CSsR has been chosen as the eighth Bishop ofBallarat. He will bring with him wonderful gifts of personality,of spirituality and of academic excellence. Our Diocese is being specially blessed duringthis Year of Grace. I ask that you pray for him as he prepares for his Ordination onTuesday 16th October. Meanwhile, at the request of Pope Benedict XVI, I shall be theApostolic Administrator of the Diocese.In my letter of resignation, I mentioned that I had met personally with a considerablenumber of victims of sexual assault inflicted by priests and religious of the Diocese, priorto my coming to the Diocese. The current Parliamentary Inquiry into the handling of childabuse by religious and other organisations will no doubt examine how the Church inBallarat has responded to these victims, and I remain committed to assisting that inquiryas it examines this disturbing and complex issue.I will continue to live in Ballarat, and I look forward to participating in the life of theDiocese as a retired Bishop. I wish to thank all the priests, religious and lay people whohave worked with me during my ministry in the Diocese of Ballarat, and who contributeso much to the many communities of the Diocese. It has been a great privilege to serveas Bishop of the Diocese over the last fifteen years, and I have every confidence in God’scontinued blessing for our Church.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BISHOP CONNORSOUR DIOCESAN COMMUNITY (ODC)A joint publication of theCatholic Diocese of Ballarat and the CatholicEducation Office of Ballarat.The Editorial Committee of ODC wishes tothank the many people who have contributedto this issue. We also acknowledge thesupport through sponsorship of the BallaratCatholic Development Fund, Catholic Super& Australian Catholic University - AquinasCampus.EDITORIAL BOARDSr. Anne McMillan, Mr. Allen Moloney, Sr.Geraldine Mugavin, Mr. Peter Schreenan,Mrs. Julie Boyd, Ms. Kate Lawry, Ms. FionaTonkin, Dr. Susan Crowe, Mrs. Jane Collins.The next ODC will be in November 2012.All contributions to ODC may be forwardedto:OUR DIOCESAN COMMUNITY,PO Box 576, Ballarat 3353.Phone: (03) 5337 7179 Fax: (03) 5333 5148Email: odc@ballarat.catholic.org.auWeb: www.ballarat.catholic.org.auThe editorial of the Ballarat Courier, Wednesday, August 1, entitled “BISHOP PRESIDEDOVER A TURBULENT PERIOD FOR CATHOLICISM” offers an insight into the commitmentof Bishop Peter Connors over his time as Bishop of Ballarat.The conclusion of Bishop Peter Connors’term as head of the Catholic Churchin Ballarat is a major marking point ina tumultuous period for the church.He was ordained Auxiliary Bishop forthe Archdiocese of Melbourne on May21, 1987 – at the same time as anotherprominent Ballarat Catholic, GeorgePell – and resided in the western regionof the Archdiocese until he was installedas Bishop of Ballarat on July 23, 1997.May 21, 2012 marked Bishop Connors’25th anniversary of his ordination as abishop and, true to his style, he reflectedon his position as being one he hadaspired to during his formative years.“As I have said on more than oneoccasion, for as long as I can rememberI wanted to be a priest in a countryparish. Perhaps it was because of theparish in which I grew up and becauseof the influence of the local parish priestthat I formed this childhood dream. ButGod had the last laugh. He gave me acountry diocese instead with a host ofcommunities to be their chief pastor.”But he also alluded to difficult times. “Iwould be dishonest if I were to suggestthat being a bishop has been a breeze.In fact it has been very difficult at times.As someone once said, life was not meant tobe easy, and that is certainly the case in beinga bishop particularly in this modern age.”It has been Bishop Connors who has becomethe public voice responding to allegations andfindings of past sexual abuse in the region,an unenviable task given the significantimpact such events have had not only onthe individuals involved but the churchcommunity generally. He will completehis tenure with these matters continuingto be high on the agenda, particularly inregard to the state government inquiry.That Bishop Connors has not shied awayfrom the church’s past handling of the matteror the need for resolution has defined histenure but also, publicly, overshadowedhis steadfast commitment to the positionhe took on more than 15 years ago andhis work in many other areas of church life.The challenge is now to find a person to replaceBishop Connors who can work to continueto mend the ills of the past and secure thefuture prosperity of the church into the future.Just as these past years have been difficult,there remain many hurdles yet to overcome.Acknowledged with thanks and reprinted with thepermission of the Editor - Ballarat Courierwebsite: www.thecourier.com.au2Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

From Craft to Community in HorshamTwo years ago a suggestion was made to Fr Peter Sherman(the former Parish Priest), about starting up a craft groupfor people within the parish of Ss Michael & John’s who likedoing craft work, thus providing a chance for people to get toknow one another and develop a community of friends andsupport.It began with a small number of ladies coming each Mondaymorning, with their craft in hand. The enjoyment was greatas they all had a shared interest. Crafts included knitting,crochet, quilting, bead making and many more. It wasn’t longbefore patterns were being exchanged; learning knitting andcrotchet from those who could do it and the list goes on. Oneof the ladies, who had been in the parish for approximatelyfive years, made the comment that she was finally meetingpeople that she had seen in church, but had no idea of theirnames. Soon the group took on an ecumenical character,with ladies from other churches joining in.Now the morning craft group has grown to have up to over twenty ladies each week. It has also given the opportunity for many elderly,who are often house bound, to come along with a friend and be a part of the morning. The ladies even arrange to pick up those whoare unable to drive.The group has even raised money for Cancer by holding the ‘Biggest MorningTea’; they make bonnets for premature babies in the hospitals in Melbourneas well as locally, and are knitting squares for overseas charities. They alsoraise money for “The Shared Table” in Peru. Recently they celebrated the81st birthday of one of its members. They have presented a display of theirwork so that other parishioners could see what was happening within thegroup. During one school holidays, they organised craft classes for primaryaged school children, which was very well attended.When the parish was holding a luncheon for new Parishioners, the ladies fromthe morning group got together and made seventy-five cards for each of thenew parishioners who attended the luncheon. They wanted to give each aspecial token of the parish.As the morning group grew, the requests came for a group for those whoworked. So a night group was formed. Although not as big as the morning group, they are all professional ladies and find this a timeto set aside for their craft work, enjoy each other’s company, etc., and for many it is just a great opportunity to unwind from a busy dayat work. The night group have now got a “Stamping Club”, with a Stampin’ Up demonstrator coming once a month to teach the ladiescard making. This little club has been very popular and even has ladies who are not parishioners come along. One focus of the nightgroup is to make Sympathy Cards for the parish to send to former parishioners who may have lost a loved one.Both groups have special luncheons/teas for Christmas and Easter as well as special occasions, or even just to support someone whois going through a tough time. The friendship that all the ladies have amongst each other has developed into a special bond and hadcertainly filled a void for some, and this can be seen on the smiling faces.The whole aim of the group was to have a place where ladies could come along to, find friendship, build a community as well asinteracting through a common interest, and also allow those who lived on their own or were housebound, to come along and have acouple of hours of fun and laughter. This we now have.Anita Masiero - Horsham parish10Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

Ten minutes with John MoloneyWhere were you born? Tell us about your childhood.I was born in Donald, the eldest of 8 children to Michael and VinaMoloney. Dad was a truck driver and Mum was kept busy in thehome, which would be no surprise. I was lucky to have a beautifulmother and father, along with many relations. We spent a lot oftime with extended family. I have very many happy memories ofmy childhood - truck rides with my father and trips all over Victoria.Trips from Donald to Melbourne would take 8-9 hours. Our motherwas a good cook and cared for the family very well. My schoolingwas at both St Mary’s in Donald and St Michael’s in Wycheproof.Both were excellent schools, but due to my father passing away in1965, I left St Mary’s during October, whilst doing Grade 8 (Form2).When did you know you wanted to join the Police force? Youmay have done something else before joining up …..As I said, I left school once I turned 15 years and due tocircumstances, Mum and I headed to the Post Office in Donaldwhere the then Postmaster, a lovely gentleman by the name ofFrank Callahan, gave me a job as a postman. By the age of 15I had decided that I would like to be a policeman, something Ihave never regretted. It was the local policeman, Frank O’Shea,who had influenced this decision. In 1970 my marble was drawnout, as it was in those days for National Service. In April 1971 Icommenced my two years National Service, during which I wasselected to go to Vietnam, but three days before embarking thewar was cancelled. Having completed the required 18 months ofNational Service, I returned to the Post Office for about 8 monthsbefore resigning to join Victoria Police.If you were a colour what would it be? Why?Red, this was what I am known as in Donald. This goes back tomy childhood as I had red or auburn hair and I was called “Red”.What was the best thing about joining the police force andwhat would you say was the most difficult?There were many things that were great about joining the PoliceForce. These included assisting people and the communityin times of need and joining with them to celebrate communityevents. The most difficult times would sadly be death. Being atthe Russell Street bombing and putting Angela Taylor into anambulance and her subsequent death would be my saddest timein the Police Force.If you chose a song, which most represented you at this time,what would the song be? Why?Imagine by John Lennon. It makes us dream that the world couldbe a better place.You were in the force for 38 years and would have seen manychanges; could you share any reflections on those?There have been many changes, brought about by differentcircumstances. I often talk about my early days in the PoliceForce, when I was stationed at Collingwood and during this timeyou could do a foot patrol along Smith Street, where one side ofthe street was Collingwood the other Fitzroy, with Richmond andClifton Hill either end. You would do the foot patrol by yourself,with your standard equipment (handcuffs and baton) and nothingelse and everyone would talk to you. How things have changed!Today you see the police members in pairs, clad in ballistic vestsand carrying their standard equipment (handcuffs, baton, gun,radio, torch, capsicum sprays and taser gun). Whilst changeis unavoidable it is sad to see the lack of respect for ourselvesand each other, along with the forgotten art of looking after ourneighbour and/or the community.You were working in the Ballarat area for some time. Couldyou comment on your favourite memories of that time and thetimes you may have spent in one or two other areas?There are quite a few favourite memories. Community projectssuch as the “Copsnkids” program, which has been running 17years and has brought great fun and enjoyment to over 1500children/families, along with countless police members’ andcarers/volunteers, would be amongst my proudest memories.Over the years I was lucky enough to work with many high profilevisitors, both here in Ballarat and back in Melbourne. Thesevisitors included Prince Charles, Lady Diana, Raymond Burr andTorvil & Dean.If you could choose anyone from any time, with whom wouldyou most like to hold a short conversation?Walt Disney. There was a man that had a dream, was neverscared to follow that dream and has made the world a better placefor both children and adults.“They” say that Catholics know how to deal with death in theway we celebrate with Mass – the prayers, readings ….. youmay have a comment/reflection …..I believe that the key word is celebration of a life. This was nevermore true than at my mother’s funeral where Father MarcelloColasante officiated.You have been involved in the funeral ministry (as a side line).A comment?True, I have been assisting my brother and sister-in-law since theycommenced their funeral business. I always felt that it was verybeneficial, both personally and with my police career. With mypolice career, I found that I become more understanding of theneeds and answers for the family of the person that had passedaway, and hopefully that time spent with the family assisted themin coping with that sad time. Since retiring from the Police Forceand spending more time working in the funeral ministry, I find theroles have been reversed and my time in the Police Force hasbeen very beneficial in many of the everyday roles. I have madesome very good friends throughout my working life.Finally, anything else you would like to add?I have been lucky enough to have had the support of my wife andthree daughters throughout my police career. It did not matterwhat sort of day I’d had at work, it was always good to have myfamily to go home to. Now I have been blessed with son-in-lawsand two grand-daughters.Geraldine Mugavin rsmOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 13

From the ArchivesOver the past twelve months the Diocese has been reviewing the collection held by Ballarat Diocesan Historical Commission and thediocesan archive. This has necessarily also taken us across the diocese to visit parishes and examine items that are important in relatingthe history of far flung communities. In the coming Year of Faith we acknowledge our debt to those who have preserved their Catholic faithand for whom every day and every year has been one of faith. Others may have recently entered a new relationship with the communityand be interested in the background of the people whom they now bless and invigorate with their presence and vitality.In the early years of Western Victoria’s European Catholic occupation, Bishop Goold travelled across the region administering thesacraments and providing a link for those pioneering faithful to the wider church community. The Bishop also donated gifts to thosecommunities in the knowledge that they could rarely afford to embellish their church schools and gathering places with vessels orpaintings. In 1874 the region became the Diocese of Ballarat and the earlier record of gifts from the chief pastor in Melbourne was lost.After Vatican II some of those material, visible links were discarded as were many of the old Latin Rite objects. This putting of the pastbehind us is often necessary in all aspects of our lives as we move forward. It is not until a generation later, when grandparents are notavailable to tell the stories, that we regret not documenting them. Material objects often then have to tell the story of our journey throughtime.Translating this family image to the family of church is a part of the role of the Diocesan Historical Commission and the archivist. Today’sstory from the archive centres on the Mallee and stretches to Ballarat. Older members of the communities across the diocese willremember Fr Gerard Payne and his love of a good clearing sale. Our story however has more to do with his prayers for rain, Eucharisticand Marian processions, gatherings and expressions of faith that involved and enveloped whole communities. He brought people togetherin a region where distance could have kept people apart. The images here recently donated by parishioners from Culgoa recall some ofthese events. Together with the objects portrayed, the photographs together with the items used, give a great picture of the era and theimpact on and involvement of the whole community in the Mallee.At Ballarat, the procession at the Feast of Christ the King brought Catholics together in a celebration of faith. While such public gatheringsstill occur on a smaller scale today, these 1950s large events tend to be remembered especially by the ‘baby boomers’. Ballarat withits large Catholic boarding schools was important in that these events brought families together from throughout western and northernVictoria to celebrate and, apart from other considerations, share their common faith.Today in another century, another millennium, we are called by the Pope to share a Year of Faith concurrently with our Australian Year ofGrace. It is up to all faith commuities to embrace the opportunity to look to those things which bind us together. Coming together to prayis a great start and, in preserving the memories of this time, I wonder what images will resonate with the community sixty years downthe track. Will it be a dinner where a community comes together? A special Eucharistic celebration, a great memory of a good moment intime! Will someone take photographs that record such moments, label them and place them in a parish archive with copies to us here?Indeed these are the very things contained in this magazine.Not all archives are preserved on paper or electronically so we need to preserve physical objects also. These articles also tell a story andcontain memories. Discrimination is especially insidious in our selection of what should be preserved and what should not. The imagesof gatherings are great, but the vestments and other objects (often gifts) are important also. In the Year of Faith I invite every parish to beconscious of the need to preserve as fully as possible all aspects of our shared faith and history. Please contact us and help preserve ourcommon heritage for future generations.Michael Taffe - Diocesan ArchivistThe CulgoaEucharisticprocession &Fr. Payne’sCope14Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

Youth Ministry ReviewRecently, Bishop Connors announced that theDiocese would undertake a review of its Ministryto Young People and appointed Damien Brennanof Damien Brennan & Associates to undertake thereview.The purpose of the review was to explore the recentand current orientation to youth ministry in thediocese to ascertain:1. Understanding of and clarity about the philosophyand intent for this ministry in the diocese;2. The focus towards and impact upon the respectiveage groups in the broad categories nominated underthis ministry (e.g. school aged, post school & tertiary aged, young adult);3. Its association with the pastoral/formational/educational approaches of the diocese, regions and parishes;4. Practices and processes that might inform future directions in regional and rural contexts;5. Future resourcing of youth ministry, including the impact of initiatives and events such as World Youth Day.The process of the review consisted of a series of individual interviews and focus groups with individuals drawn from diocesan and/orparish role holders and those engaged with or familiar with youth and young adult ministry in a range of settings in the diocese. Overforty people were engaged in providing observations to Mr Brennan during the week of July 16 - 20. They are each to be commendedfor the open and constructive manner in which they engaged in the process.Mr Brennan has now presented his report to the Bishop. The report will offer a very thorough and objective analysis for the next stepsregarding Youth Ministry in the Diocese. It provides a range of considered options to be explored and includes ten recommendationsfor the future. We look forward to more developments in the future.DIOCESAN CWL CONFERENCE HELD IN ARARATMembers of the Ballarat Diocese Catholic Women’s League of Victoria & Wagga Wagga Inc. (CWL) gathered together for their AnnualConference, in Ararat at St Mary’s Hall, on Wednesday, May 30.One of the highlights of the day was the Celebration of Mass in the Church of Immaculate Conception. Bishop Peter Connors concelebratedthe Mass with Fr Brendan Davey PP and Fr Matthew Thomas, Diocesan Chaplain. The Marian College Choir led the singing. At theend of Mass, Fr Matthew presented Bishop Peter with an inscribed Plaque of Appreciation on behalf of the CWL members in recognitionof his support of them over the years.The Conference, after being opened by Deputy Mayor Mrs Gwenda Allgood, settled into the day’s program. Reports were given as partof the annual meeting however, there was also time for the members to discuss the issue of membership, with branches sharing ideas ofpromoting the League prior to enjoying a lovely lunch prepared by Ararat, the Host branch. There was an incredible buzz in the Hall andit was also special to have six priests sharing lunch with us.In the afternoon a reflection by Sr MareeHolt on our 2012 theme ‘Things both Newand Old’ Matthew 13:52, was followed byour Guest Speaker, Fr Kevin Lenehan,Diocesan Coordinator of the Year of Grace,who presented an overview of the wonderfulinvitation from the Australian Bishops tostart afresh with Christ. General President,Jewell Start spoke about the CWL Vic &WW website, noting that it also has a largefollowing on its Facebook and Twitter sites.Website www.cwl-vic-ww.org.Members travel distances to attend andhave been doing so for many, many years socatching up with each other is as important ascontinuing the work of the League.Jewel Start - General PresidentDiocesan Committee 2012-2013L-R: Margaret Rowe, Jewell Start, Bishop Peter, Kate Daffy, Frances Rowe, June Raeburn,Fr Matt Thomas.Our Diocesan Community - August 2012 15

MilduraOn Saturday evening April 28, the Tongan CatholicCommunity gathered at Sacred Heart Church,Mildura to celebrate their Patronal Feast of PeterChanel.Great effort had been made to decorate the Churchand to welcome all parishioners to join with them intheir celebration. The members of the Choir were infull voice and were given an enthusiastic round ofapplause at the end of the celebration.After the Mass, parishioners were invited to SacredHeart Hall to partake of a Tongan feast of roast pig,seafood, taro, sweet potato, chicken and salads.We were entertained with more dancing andsinging from the younger members of the TonganCommunity and a good time was had by all.Rosemary Graham rsm - Mildura ParishThe Filipino Community in Sunraysia celebrated theirannual day in honour of Mary, Mother of God, ‘Flores deMayo’ with their usual Mass on Mother’s Day - May 13,2012. Afterwards all parishioners were invited to take partin typical Filipino food.Children were dressed in costumes to depict the storyof the true Cross found by St Helena, and we heard thestory of how the Roman Empire became Christian underConstantine.The Filipino Choir led the singing and many flowers hadbeen gathered by the Filipino Community to decorate OurLady’s statue.St Joseph's Parishioners, Ouyen were delighted on Sunday, June10 to witness the unveiling of a replica model of the old St Joseph’sChurch, meticulously hand crafted by local parishioner Juck Puglisi.Many of the parishioners have fond memories of their own weddings,children's baptisms and other special occasions held in the old churchwhich was built in 1914, replaced in 1996 with a new brick church,proving to be a haven of peace and tranquillity. It is a lovely reminderto have in the new church building.OuyenAROUND THE PARISHESThe previous Sunday five children received the Sacrament ofConfirmation at St Joseph's Church. Father John Monaghanconferred the Sacrament to children from the Parish.Confirmation is the next stage of initiation in the CatholicChurch. It completes what is begun in baptism.Lyn McIntyre - ParishionerL-R: Ned Scott, Aden Pengelly, Riggs Lanigan, Hollie Munro and Sebastion Bakerwith Father John Monaghan and Marie Shaddock Sacramental Leader.16Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

In recent times two events were celebrated in Robinvale ParishLife. The first was a Mass celebrated on the feast of the SacredHeart when the whole school attended and was offered for FrBrendan Smith, who was Parish Priest here from 1999-2002.Fr Brendan also helped out at Robinvale after his retirementwhen Fr Bill Melican went on his annual holidays. There werea number of other parishioners present at this Mass, includingschool staff who fondly remember him. The children whowere born between 1999-2002 were told that he would havebaptised many of them over that time. Fr Brendan was alsoremembered as a person who had a deep spirituality and wasalso very competitive at sport, be it tennis or lawn bowls, whichhe played in teams locally in the area. The idea for this Masscame from the school staff who wished to remember him in aspecial way.RobinvaleThe second event was the First Communion Day for fourteenof our school children on Sunday, June 17 at the 11.00amMass. These children were mostly from St Mary’s School, aswell as a number from Euston Primary School across the NSWborder that is part of the Robinvale Parish. All these childrencompleted a four week program and in the last week prior totheir First Communion, practised after school for four daysfor an hour at a time. If we use today’s language, we wouldrightfully say ”they were most professional’’ in the way theyacted on this important day of their faith development.I would like to thank Mrs Clare Jury and all who helped thechildren to prepare for this special day, including the children’sparents, and the children themselves. I would also like to thankthe St Mary’s School Choir who led our congregational singingvery well. This was truly a joyous occasion for the Parish ina place that is richly multicultural, and it is hoped that theseyoung children will continue to deepen their faith as the futureunfolds for them, nurtured by their parents as well as throughparish life.These two events were special moments of grace in the Year ofGrace called for by the Catholic Bishops of Australia.Fr Denis Ryan - Administrator - St Mary’s Parish, RobinvaleRupanyupIt was a bright sunny day as over 200 peoplegathered at the Rupanyup Showground Pavilionto celebrate one hundred years of the Catholicfaith community in Rupanyup, a community of theparish of Horsham.Mass was celebrated by Bishop Peter Connorsand concelebrated with Frs Peter Hudson,Patrick Lim, Kevin Arundell and Les Sheahan.Also welcomed were people from Horsham andMurtoa, and the Anglican and Uniting Churchcommunities who shared in the special dayFollowing Mass the Bishop launched the“Living Faith” book, which featured stories fromparishioners both past and present. CarmelDunstone, who compiled the book, said that shefelt that this book had a lot to offer as it was eachperson’s personal story, with lots of laughter andeven a few tears.Luncheon was supplied by the Rupanyup LadiesHall Committee - no one went hungry! Manypeople chatted to friends who they had not seenfor some time and others met people who hadstories to tell of Rupanyup in the early years.Many of the local sites opened their doors forpeople to visit and this showed the spirit of a smallcountry town.“The Living Faith” is still available through theParish Office, ph. 03 5382 1155.Right:Bishop Peterlaunching thebook, “LivingFaith”Front cover:Group photo of allin attendanceOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 17

The ministry district Parishes of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat, St Aloysius Parish, Redan & Delacombe and St James Parish Sebastopol& Rokewood have five Catholic Parish Primary Schools. Each of these schools has a School Advisory Council (formerly called SchoolBoard). Members of the Parish School Advisory Councils of St Patrick’s, Ballarat (Drummond Street), St Thomas More, Alfredton, StAloysius’, Redan, Lumen Christi, Delacombe and St James’, Sebastopol gather annually for formation.In 2011 at St Thomas More, Alfredton, Br Loughlan Sofieldand Sr Carroll Juliano facilitated the combined SchoolAdvisory Council gathering, with a focus on CatholicIdentity. This year at Lumen Christi, Delacombe onTuesday, June 26 the Director of Catholic Education inthe Ballarat Diocese, Audrey Brown, led the gathering ofover fifty School Advisory Council members. This was thefirst opportunity many Council members have had to meetAudrey. We were joined at this gathering by members ofthe School Advisory Councils of St Alipius’, Ballarat East, StMichael’s, Springbank, St Patrick’s, Gordon and St Brigid’s,Ballan.Audrey built on a presentation by Dr Maureen Cleary ata Governance workshop held in Ballarat earlier this yearattended by many Catholic School Principals and CanonicalAdministrators. Catholic Schools are religious organisations,in which their effectiveness as a religious organisation isindicated by the degree to which its religious meaning system has organisational integrity at every level of the organisation - leaders,council, staff, students, families. Organisational Integrity, the quality or state of completeness of the religious meaning system betweenthe people and structures of the organisation, is how we reflect our Catholic Identity across every aspect of school life. Meaning systemsare part of the core culture of every group. Group norms, values, interests, behaviours and customs make no sense to an outsideruntil these meaning systems are understood, because they define the why and wherefores of the group life. Religious organisationsneed ‘faith sense makers’ of the religious meaning system, who are people of faith of that particular tradition. They are the people inthe organisation who are able to mediate and define “the whys and wherefores” of the religiousness of that organisation. Audrey’spresentation was interactive, giving each School Advisory Council opportunities for discussion on these issues.It was also highlighted that Catholic Parish Primary School Advisory Councils require:Some Council members who can articulate and authorise the “faith” interpretation from the perspective of the Catholic Church…..ANDSome Council members who can also understand this particular interpretation…..ANDAll Council members who are willing to try.In accepting School Advisory Council membership there has to be a fundamental acceptance by all Advisory Council members that inthis particular organisation THE BOTTOM LINE is the religious meaning system.Good Shepherd SundayTo celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday a group of around twentypeople, including children, gathered for several weeks on Saturdaymornings at St Joseph’s Church in Warrnambool to ‘make a sheep’.Most of the sheep were sculpted from Mount Gambier Stone. Thegroup was inspired and led by Merran Koren, a parishioner of StJoseph’s. Merran is a sculptor and she generously passed on herskills to members of the group.“I really love to sculpt and wanted to share it with others. Warrnamboolis a rural community and sheep are simple so I thought the farmanimal was an ideal project. The project aims to bring the communitytogether as well as be educational. Every sheep’s mother knows it isan individual but they all look the same to us. I hope the project alsoenhances our understanding about humans”The resulting flock is pictured on Good Shepherd Sunday morning.Many of the sheep have now ‘scattered’ (having been taken homeby their creators).Mary LancasterPS: The sheep can be seen on the front cover!Fr Justin Driscoll, Administrator - St Patrick’s CathedralIN WYCHEPROOFThree young parishioners were the latest to receivethe sacraments at St Michaels Catholic Church,Wycheproof. The candidates Imogen Noone, CharliStapleton and Lucas Grant were presented to FatherEugene McKinnon at Mass on July 8th, 2012 and acelebration party followed afterwards.18Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

Making a Significant ChangeCentacare Ballarat’s MASC (Making A Significant Change) program is a residential rehabilitation service that provides intensivepsychosocial rehabilitation support to young adults in a residential setting, prior to participants moving to more independent living options.Participants are primarily aged between 18 to 24 years of age with a diagnosed mental illness and who are in need of medium to highlevel support as they seek to re-establish their lives.Participants may reside for up to 2 years in the community residential setting. Outreach support is also provided to participants as theyprogress through the program. The MASC program also provides an outreach service to support young adults with dual diagnosis issues(drug and/or alcohol and mental illness). Participation in the program is voluntary.The Mother Support Program (MSP) provides flexible homebased outreach support and community case management for women whoare living with a mental illness, who have dependent children in their care and who live within the local government area of the City ofBallarat. The Mother Support program playgroup and other special interest groups are run regularly for the benefit of mothers and theirchildren. Participation in our program is on a voluntary basis. Mother Support is a free service.To further improve the communities understanding of and access to these services, Centacare’s MASC and Mother’s Support held anOpen Day as part of National Youth Week. Luckily the notorious Ballarat weather behaved for the outdoor event, which saw members ofthe community, as well as various community service organisations like CAFS, Uniting Care and Ballarat Community Health, all take partin a variety of activities.The activities included street art, flagdecorating, inspirational ribbons, hand printingand chalk art to name a few. There was alsolive music, an information station, play doughface painting and show bags. Approximatelysixty people came to learn more about theprograms and meet the staffVisitors had the opportunity to look throughone of the MASC units, getting a good ideaof the quality of support offered onsite. Localmedia turned up and promoted the event andthe importance of mental health within thecommunity. Clients of both the MASC andMother’s Support programs were there toparticipate and become involved and lead byexample. The day was a massive success,with planning for next year already started.Centacare Executive Director, David Beaver,said these events were an important part ofincreasing awareness and understanding.“These events provide a safe communityenvironment which is also supportive and fun.We give our clients and their families a safeplace to explore issues that affect their livesand to rebuild confidence, self-esteem and hope for their future.”Melanie Schoo - Communications & Development ManagerINVEST IN THE FUTUREThe CATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FUND - DIOCESE OF BALLARAT (CDF) is an integral sourceof income for the pastoral services offered by the Church across the Diocese. The CDFallocates half of its annual operating surplus to the Diocese for pastoral and welfare work.In addition, the CDF also provides funding for accommodation for retired priests. The CDFenables your investment to combine with those of other parishioners and catholic agenciesand assist the Diocese through loans to parishes, schools and other diocesan entities.For more information please contact:Catholic Development Fund, ‘Free Post’ PO Box 576, Ballarat 3353Phone: 1800 134 100 Email: cdf@ballarat.catholic.org.auOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 19

The pilot project in Parish Leadership is now in its fifth year in thePARISH OF COROROOKE and the new Coordinating Team wasrecently commissioned by Bishop Connors.Since the departure of Sr Margaret Carmody sgs as Parish Leaderin January 2008, the coordination of the parish pastoral life has beenentrusted to three laypersons in conjunction with the Parish LeadershipTeam.There were twelve nominations from the Parish Community for thetwo new coordinators required. After an evening of discernment onMarch 18, the decision was made by the community that CarmelFinlay, Margaret Allan and Kathleen O’Donnell would form the nextCoordinating Team.At Saturday evening Mass on April 21, Carmel Finlay wasrecommissioned as Moderator and with responsibility for administrationand stewardship, Kathleen O’Donnell was commissioned a Coordinatorwith responsibility for community matters and Margaret Allan wascommissioned with responsibility for Liturgy and Sacraments. Thankswere expressed to Veronica Roache, a previous coordinator and allwho have assisted over the past two years.Also attending the Mass was Vin Dillon, with his wife Sandra. Vin,recently retired from the Bishop’s Office, has supported the parish inpastoral matters over the past five years and thanks were expressedL-R: Kathleen O’Donnell, the Bishop, Margaret Allan, Carmel Finlay for his generous assistance over that time. The evening concluded withsupper.Although only a small parish located close to a regional centre, the Cororooke parish community continues to expand its vision, invitescommitment and involvement from all, takes seriously their young people and as a result is a community full of hope and joy.Parish Leadership &Pastoral Ministry- new ways in Cororooke &Gordon -In our time, the Church looks to an evolving and broadening of the ministry of the laity totake a shared responsibility in sustaining and growing our faith guided by a vibrant Spirit.With the departure of Sr Pam Barlow at the end of 2012, the PARISH OF GORDONfaced the challenge of assuming greater responsibility in building the everyday life ofthe Parish or else consider the possibility of significantly diminished services, activities,and losing the warmth which a close faith community brings. After two and half years ofsearching and discussion, a Pastoral Ministry model piloted in the Parish of Cororookeand operating since April 2008 was adopted for a future model for the Parish of Gordon.The Parish of Gordon is now blessed to have identified three coordinators at a discernmentgathering in Gordon on Sunday 22 July 2012. The coordinators will work closely with allparishioners, learn the ropes from Sr Pam during a transitionary period, and strengthenliaison within the Parish and the Diocesan Office in Ballarat. They are clear as to theirroles preferring to work with all members of the parish rather than be seen as leaders.The three coordinators, Sue Daly, Lin Bowers and John Fabre were commissioned byBishop Peter Connors at a Commissioning Ceremony at St Brigid’s Church, Ballan onSunday 29th July 2012. The Parish of Gordon is strong, welcoming and supportive.Together, we have an opportunity to look forward to the future and with the guidance ofthe Spirit to empower each other, in our journey of faith.John FabreDates foryour DiaryMonday, October 1Farewell Mass for BishopPeter, 6.30pm at St Patrick’sCathedral, Ballarat.Wednesday, October 10eConference: “Vatican II -An Event of Grace”Thursday, October 11 toSunday, October 14:Relics of St Francis Xavier inthe Diocese.Tuesday, October 16Ordination of Fr. Paul BirdCSsR as Eighth Bishop ofBallarat, 11.30am at St Patrick’sCathedral, Ballarat.Friday, October 19Ordination to the Diaconatefor James Kerr, 7.30pm at StPatrick’s Cathedral.L-R: Lin Bowers, SueDaly, Bishop Connors,Sr. Pam Barlow rsm,John Fabre.Friday, October 19 toSunday, October 21Women’s Reference Group -Diocese of Ballarat SpiritualRetreat Weekend:“Women - Pilgrims of Grace”at The Pinnacle – Halls Gap.Contact: Mandy Parkerph: 0437 622 19820Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

There are NO spectatorsin good Liturgy…On Saturday 21st July, over one hundred people from around the BallaratDiocese gathered to hear how they could Enhance the Liturgy throughMusic and Song. The Liturgy Committee of St Patrick’s Cathedral sawa need for Parishioners to have the opportunity, in this Year of Grace, todiscover how they could enrich our liturgical celebrations and make themmore meaningful. As they felt that this would be an issue common to otherParishes, an invitation was extended to all in the Diocese.The gatheringwas privileged tohave speakersand workshoppresenterswho wereknowledgeable,passionate andgifted in theirarea of expertisein Liturgy. SophyMorley – theDiocesan PastoralCo-ordinator andCo-ordinator ofLiturgy in theDiocese of Sale,delivered the firstaddress whichwas “Giving theAssembly a Voice”. She highlighted the different aspects of the Liturgyemphasising that Liturgy means ‘belonging to the people’ and is the ‘summittoward which the activity of the Church is directed’. This overview of theLiturgy and the importance of the Faithful being led to ‘full conscious andactive participation’ was the introduction to a day where the voices of thosein attendance were raised in many a joyful song.Workshops were presented by Br Michael Herry Musical Chants whichEncourage Congregational Participation, Michael Mangan Feasts andSeasons and Sophy The Singing Parish. Each workshop emphasisedthe importance of music in Liturgy – but also the importance of it beingattainable for all members of the congregation.During the lunch break groups were formed at the different tables wherea Café Conversation was held. Each table group had a facilitator: Sophy,Michael, Br Michael, Sr Deidre Browne (IBVM), Fr Gary Jones, Mrs DeneiseWalsh, Mrs Sue Searle and Fr Justin Driscoll with each group having adifferent topic for discussion. This proved to be a very worthwhile aspectof the day as participants were able to ask questions and present their ownviewpoints on aspects of music in Liturgy.After a third workshop – which ensured that all were able to attend eachworkshop of the day, an opportunity was given to ask an expert panel(Sophy, Br Michael, Michael, Sr Deidre) and question or express anyconcerns about liturgical music practice in the different parishes. The mostimportant element which came out of the day for all those who choosemusic as part of their role in Liturgy, is the utilising of the three judgementsfor liturgical music:• Is the music technically, aesthetically and expressively good?• Does the musical style and lyrical content of chosen music fit thiscelebration and fit the action of the different parts of the ritual?• Does the music in this celebration allow these people to express theirfaith in this place in this age, in this culture?Just as the day began with a prayer (organised by Br Michael) – the dayended with a prayer of thanksgiving. The Cathedral Liturgy Committee andhelpers from the Parish organised and catered for the day and are to bethanked for its success.Sue Crowe - Cathedral Parish22Farewell toFr Patrick LimWhen Fr Patrick Lim decided to take asabbatical from his duties in WesternAustralia, he never envisioned that he wouldend up in a country town in the Wimmera.Fr Patrick arrived in Horsham at the parishof Ss Michael & John’s in May 2011 withthe intention of staying for six months andthen heading to Jerusalem with Fr JohnThornhill. Sadly, Fr John’s health declinedand the trip was postponed and Fr. Patrickended up assisting in Horsham for twelvemonths. During his time, he was veryquickly recognized by his Ipad on the altar.The students at St Brigid’s College just asquickly nicknamed him “Fr Ipat”, a name thatremained during his stay.Fr Patrick’s knowledge of anything IT saw himbeing called upon when things got sticky on acomputer or sound system both in the churchand at the schools. Due to his knowledge,the Principal of St Brigid’s consulted withhim before the introduction of Ipad’s for allthe students in the college. This new wayof teaching has been embraced and bothteachers and students are now conversantwith their Ipad’s. Fr Patrick was also loved forhis jokes at the beginning of each homily thatalways related back to the Gospel. His senseof humour meant that he always wore a smileon his face.To farewell Fr Patrick, the parish put on aluncheon and it was well attended. The parishgave Fr Patrick a parting gift and wished himall the best for his future.L-R: Mr. Bill McGrath, Fr Peter Hudson & Fr PatrickLimA singer starts by having one’sinstrument as a gift from God... Whenyou have been given something in amoment of grace,it is sacrilegious to be greedy.Marian AndersonOur Diocesan Community - August 2012

A Blessing in Mortlake . . . . .In the last four years St Colman’s School, Mortlake has rebuilt its playgroundthrough the Commonwealth Government’s Investing in our Schools Program,rebuilt its classrooms and library through the Commonwealth Government’sBuilding the Education Revolution Program and last year rebuilt the Arts andAdministration Area through the Victorian Government’s Needs Based CapitalAssistance Program. To complete the rebuild the parish, local community andschool, along with a generous donation from the Tatira Family, combined tolandscape the front of the school.In May St Colman’s School was honoured to have the Minister for Education,Mr Martin Dixon, join it for the Arts & Administration Official Opening alongwith Mr Terry Mulder, Member for Polwarth and Minister for Public Transportand Roads, the Principals of the Hampden Catholic Schools Network, Mr GrantRau, Regional Director, Barwon South Western Region and many friends of StColman’s.The Blessing was lead by Fr Gerry Prunty and involved students, staff andparents. After the unveiling, to mark his visit, Mr Dixon presented the school witha reproduction of a design of an early Victorian School to school captains ScarletRous and Tristan Gray.Principal, Michael Saunders, in his presentation noted that “Our School Vision states ‘We Welcome ~ We Learn ~ We have Faith~ We Care.’ Our wonderful new entranceway is welcoming, our improved art room helps our learning in the important area of theArts, the beautiful blue glass cross in the foyer reminds us of our faith and our streamlined administration facilities helps us to care.Pope John Paul II once said ‘Catholic Schools exist to give saints to the world’ – our new facilities help us to embrace this mission.”The last word belongs to the Education Minister, Martin Dixon, who observed, “What I’ve seen here, and what I understand aboutMortlake, is that everybody is working together for these children; and that’s what it’s all about. Thank you to everybody who makesthis school, the great school that it is.”Michael Saunders - PrincipalA Retreat in Penola . . . . .On Thursday, June 21 the staff of St Patrick's Primary School, Camperdown boarded the bus for their biannual staff retreat. This yearthe school decided to head on a pilgrimage to Penola to learn more about Australia’s first saint, St Mary MacKillop, her life journey,her trials and successes and about her core values and gifts. It was also a chance for the staff to reflect on how we can be more likeMary and to reflect on the gifts and talents that we bring to the community in Camperdown.Our first stop was at St Joseph's, Penshurst, to have a quick chatwith former staff member Ben van de Camp. We then travelledto Hamilton to visit St Mary's new school. The staff enjoyed theopportunity to explore the open plan classrooms and to see themaths curriculum in action. They came away with lots of ideasand the discussion surrounding the visit was very rich indeed forthe remainder of the retreat. Thanks to Jo Bond and her staff andstudents for letting us explore their lovely school.After a stop in Casterton for lunch, we were ready to head toPenola. We arrived at Chardonnay Lodge where we were tostay the night and we enjoyed a lovely meal and a chance to rest,relax and spend some quality time reflecting with our colleagues.On Friday morning we rose and after breakfast joined togetherto celebrate Mass with our leader, Fr Matthew Thomas. We thenheaded to the Mary MacKillop Centre. Our tour guide, Margaret,joined us on the bus to give us a guided tour of Penola and wasable to tell us lots of information about Mary's life in Penola. We then returned to the centre for morning tea, before we were able toperuse the informative displays about Mary's life. It was a chance to really get to know who Mary MacKillop was and to walk in someof the same steps she walked herself all those years ago.The experience was different for each staff member, however overall it was a real chance to learn more about St Mary MacKillopand in particular how we can learn from her example in our everyday lives as teachers and leaders in our own schools. We thank Fr.Matthew and the Retreat Team for organising a wonderful, spiritually uplifting experience.Photo: Staff at the Mary MacKillop Centre- original classroom.Kellie Lee - Religious Education CoordinatorOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 23

Working For East TimorDuring May the Mercy Associates held a verysuccessful Morning Coffee Party at St Alipius Hall asa major fundraiser to assist the work of BernadetteCullinan, one of the Mercy Associates, who iscurrently working in Maternal and Child Health inEast Timor.Despite the freezing conditions, a very warmwelcome greeted more than one hundred peoplewho braved the elements to attend. It proved to bean excellent opportunity for people to both catch upwith their friends and renew acquaintances from thepast, while enjoying the Devonshire Morning Teaand entertainment provided by Clare Milesi. The hallwas filled with a lovely buzz of chatter and laughter.We were thrilled that Bernadette's mother, MaryCullinan, was able to attend and she was elatedto see the level of support being provided for herdaughter's work in East Timor. The Trading Table,Silent Auction and Raffle were extremely successful.People enjoyed browsing and were able to findbargains galore!! These activities proved to be greatfundraisers. Once all costs were deducted, a grandtotal of $3700 was made, which delighted everyone.The success of this day was largely due to thewonderful work of the organising committee. Manyhours were spent ensuring the day ran smoothly.Committee members included Eileen O'Meara, ValAllan, Kath Buttler, Margaret McDonald, MonicaMcKeegan, Jean Cherry, Lyn Conaughty, CarmelHanrahan, Sister Rita Hayes, Barbara Melican,Ursula Diamond-Keith, Helen Smith, Mary Moran,Stephanie Kent and Valerie Tonkin. The Committeewas also very grateful for the assistance receivedfrom the Sisters of Mercy, Associates, familymembers, friends, Our Lady Help of Christians(Bernadette's own parish), staff at the Mercy CentreOffice and Jim Moran at Parish Office of St Alipius. Ittruly was a great team effort.Article courtesy of Margaret Stewartand the Mercy Associates NewsletterBernadette Cullinan writes in response to Sr Rita Hayes rsmMercy Associates Coordinator:Sr Rita,It was very good to hear from you. What an amazingeffort of the Associates to raise that sum of money!I am slowly getting to understand what areas wouldbe a priority for the money. The Government hasallocated Ainaro more midwives who are to work in theCommunity Clinics, but we find that some of these clinicsdo not have any water supply connected to them. It ishoped that the Government will budget this service forthese clinics but when is always the question. I am hopingto get some type of budget on the cost of connectingwater.This might be an area that the good people of Ballaratwould like to see their money go to as it means thewomen can birth in the clinics, especially those thatare geographically challenged and cannot make it tothe hospital. The situation remains that we are losingmothers who have had seven and more babies fromhaving home births and haemorrhaging. I am doinga home visiting program seeing the mums and newborns.This takes me into some interesting places. Manypeople only have tin and bamboo houses with dirt floors,however they are very house proud and I find the housesclean and organised. The majority of them are doingwell but the babies that are bottle-fed struggle. A firsttime mum, who could not breastfeed and tried bottlefeeding, lost her baby at 10 days old. They are still veryaccepting of losing mothers and babies.It is truly a special country to be involved with and I amenjoying myself greatly. I hope you are well. Please sayhello to all for me.Love from BernadetteRecently, St Joseph’s College Mildura celebrated the Feast Day ofJoseph the Worker. St Joseph is our Patron Saint and each year thestudents and staff have a whole College Mass followed by our schoolcross country, fete day activities and the amazing student Carpenter’sClassic Concert.The carnival focuses on St Joseph being an excellent role model foryoung people and workers today. It brings the whole College together toshowcase the wonderful spirit of hospitality and community that existswithin our school.The Liturgy for this special feast was a very reflective time, with studentsshowing great respect. Particular thanks to Mr Menhennett and MissCircosta, who are building a deep understanding of liturgy within theirmusic students and passing on these talents at our celebrations. FrMichael McKinnon again celebrated our Mass and we thank him for hiscontinued guidance and support.Thank you to all the students and staff at the College for helping this dayto be a great success. We all look forward to next year’s celebrations.Andy Higgins - St Joseph’s College MilduraSt Joseph the Worker - Patron Saint24Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

IMMERSION IN EAST TIMOR - TIMOR LESTEDamascus College Ballarat has a long association with East Timor and it’s people and on 22nd June another chapter in thisassociation began when the DAMASCUS COLLEGE TIMOR-LESTE IMMERSION 2012 landed at Nicolau Lobato Airportin the capital, Dili, at about 7.30am local time, after a sleepless night at the Darwin Airport. Working on Timor time and thepersistent adaptability of the locals, the group found its way down the south road arriving at the front door of Santa Maria,Ainaro over twelve hours later. Tired, but already being challenged by a different world, the team settled into life in the mountaintown. The importance of the time spent there can be heard in the following comments from the students.Joanna - ‘The mountain town’ suits Ainaro. It is surrounded by hugemountains and is so beautiful and the people are so friendly. The languageisn’t much of a barrier, smiles and waves from EVERYONE. This trip so faris beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before.Paddy - The locals of Ainaro have a strong sense of community, it’s cohesiveand everyone gets along considering the few luxuries they have. Their historyis devastating, and the suffering was a little more than ten years ago. It isgreat how they are building themselves up again.Ellie - Seeing how happy all the locals are and how satisfied they look withwhat they have makes you appreciate even more the life we have in Australia.The Timorese are gorgeous people and so welcoming. They really make youfeel like a local rather than a tourist. This trip has been the best thing I haveEVER done.Jordan - Life in Timor is bitter sweet. The town is full of laughing children andelders with cheesy grins on their faces. This is contrasted against the few resources they do have. The people of Timor aresomething special: they have no worries, they are free to do as they wish. They block out the bad and fill it with their specialsense of happiness.Shelby - It is great that we have already made many friends and met people who really want to come home with us to seeBallarat. On our first day in Ainaro we were approached by many teenagers who tested their English on us. We have metpeople who need English just to get a job. It is hard to grasp that we are really here and how much we are actually helpingthem.Madison - A life changing experience! It is very rare to see people with so little give so much. The life style, not only towitness but live, changes your perspective on what is important. Everyone is eager to learn and among some of the nicest andoutgoing people I have met.Charlotte -This experience is opening my eyes so much. To see people with so little being so happy is truly amazing. Theway they are so happy to share everything they have with you, even though that might not be much, is incredible. It just makesyou think about how we live our life the way we do and how we can change to be more like them.Carmel – There is an amazing sense of community here! There are children everywhere playing in the streets, playing soccer,basketball, volleyball. Everyone is so friendly and happy. They love us “malae” (foreigners), giggling as they look and pointat us. We have been made to feel very special and just like locals, part of one big family. We have also adapted very quicklyto ‘Timor’ time where things just happen when they happen! 36 hours to get here and 40 hours without sleep, was well andtruly worth it!!Jenny – we worry so much about whether we have the ‘right’ stuff, eg. if our jacket is the right colour or right brand, whenpeople over here are just happy to have a jacket to keep them warm. You realise you can be happy with very basic things.We’ve also met a lot of other ‘malae’ all over here to do their bit to make Timor a better place – a nurse, Bernadette, fromBallarat, lots of UN people from all over the world. Everyone is welcome.Tony Haintz - Damascus College BallaratOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 25

CLERGY NOTESFR. KEVIN ARUNDELLFather Kevin Arundell celebrated his 50th anniversary of his Ordination with a Mass at St Mary’s Church and lunch at Colac Golf Cluband the former Colac parish priest says religion is more important today than ever.Fr Arundell was Colac’s Catholic Parish Priest for fifteen years and spent ten years on the Victorian Catholic Education Commission.He also served at Inglewood, Koroit, Horsham, Ararat, Maryborough, Landsborough and Portland parishes. Although retired as a parishpriest, Fr Arundell still offers spiritual direction, mentors four priests and is “on the interchange” for churches around the diocese. He saidhe had enjoyed his fifty years as a priest. “I’ve done lots of marriages, baptisms, funerals – so my life has been about people,” he said.“It’s been a privilege to be a part of that.” “I’ve been very happyin the role and still happy in the jobs that I’m doing.” Census2011 figures show the number of Catholics in the Colac OtwayShire has increased by more than 200 since 2006 to 5525, butthe total number of Christians has fallen by about 500 to 12,338.The number of people who said they had “no religion” rose forthe second straight Census to 5149. Fr Arundell said he wasoptimistic about Catholicism’s future and he expected the timesbetween the different Christian faiths to strengthen. “Withinchurch, I see the Spirit guiding areas of growth and betterecumenical relationships, it gives us hope in the future,” he said.Fr Arundell said people thought God was less relevant to theirlives in modern culture. “I would think today’s lifestyle hasmeant many people have built a world where God hasn’t beenas necessary or important as we have seen in the past.” Hesaid, “We can build, we can go to the moon, there doesn’t seemto be any limit to what we can do and have.”Fr Arundell said hindsight had taught him the value of religion.“I see God as more important than ever,” he said. “I supposewhen you get to my age in life, you see the different threads inlife come together and you’re not caught as much in the chaseof wanting more. “Whereas the biggest thing in life is to loveand be able to love and we get away from that.”Story: Jennifer Chiu & the Colac Herald. Reprinted with permission.FR. NEVILLE STANISLAUSFr. Neville Stanislaus has finally been incardinated into the Diocese of Ballarat. This basically means that Fr. Neville is no longersimply on loan to our Diocese but a part of the clergy of the Diocese. Fr. Neville has been in the Mildura Parish for the past two orso years, and has recently just moved to Horsham. The Diocese is thankful for Fr. Neville’s past years of service and looks forwardto his continued ministry with us.Words from Fr. Neville on his moving to Horsham:Thank you very much for welcoming me into this lovely active parish community. I am from Ceylon (Sri Lanka).I came to Australia in 2002 and started my ministry as a Chaplain to the Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil communityof the Archdiocese of Melbourne. My family migrated to Canada during the civil war, that has been going onbetween Sinhalese and Tamils for the last forty years in Sri Lanka. Being a Tamil from the northern part of thecountry, we were very much affected by the civil riots and later by civil war.Towards the end of 2007 I was to go back to Sri Lanka however, I requested from my Bishop of Jaffna (home)to give me two more years to continue my ministry in Melbourne. This was because I was afraid to go back tomy country at that time, where the Tamil people had been fleeing the country to save their lives. I didn’t haveany positive reply from my home Diocesan Bishop.I decided to stay in Australia and approached Bishop Peter Connors and made a request to work in thisDiocese in 2008. He welcomed me and accepted me to do priestly ministry. I have two religions - one is theCatholic Church, which I love, honour and respect. The other religion is football, the Brisbane Lions. The year I came to this countrythe Brisbane Lions won the premiership, so I started to barrack for them.I enjoy the country people’s hospitality, support and friendliness. I hope to continue this friendship and support of this parish community.Go Lions!26Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

FR. TOM BROPHYOn Sunday, May 20 the Our Lady Help of Christians Parish,Wendouree, gathered to celebrate the 40th Anniversary ofOrdination to the Priesthood of the Parish Priest, Father TomBrophy. Father Tom was ordained a priest by Bishop Mulkearnsin St Patrick’s Cathedral on May 20, 1972. Many members ofFather Tom’s family and extended family, as well as a number ofparishioners from parishes in which he has ministered over theforty years, joined with the Wendouree parishioners in celebratingthe anniversary. There was even a past student of Tom’s from histeaching days at Sebastopol Technical School prior to his enteringthe seminary.Father Frank Smith CSsR, who works with the Exodus Communityin the Wendouree Parish, concelebrated the Mass with Father Tom.In an appropriate coincidence the first reading was proclaimed byHarry Kennedy who, with his wife Coralie, was celebrating the 40thanniversary of their wedding. In his homily Father Tom thanked Godfor allowing him to share in priesthood which does belong to God.He acknowledged the support of his family and the parishioners inall the parishes in which he has served, and reflected upon whata privilege it had been to be allowed to share in the lives of somany. Father Tom reflected that through understanding his ownweaknesses, he was able to identify with people who too struggleon occasions. Finally Father Tom pointed out how happy he wasto be in OLHC parish where the presence of God is clearly evidentin the commitment, cooperation and care in the community. AfterCommunion a PowerPoint presentation provided an outline of Tom’sforty years as a priest in the parishes of Mildura, Warrnambool,Cathedral, Robinvale, Penshurst, Terang, Sea Lake, Ouyen,Ballarat North, Mildura, Hamilton and Wendouree.Following the Mass, over one hundred and eighty people sat downto share in a delicious three course celebratory luncheon whichwas provided by the parishioners. It was a very happy occasion forfamily, friends and parishioners alike. Trish Pora spoke on behalf ofthe parishioners noting that like 1972, this too was an Olympic yearand Trish drew a number of insightful and humorous analogies toFather Tom as an ‘Olympian priest’. In response Tom expressedhis appreciation to the Wendouree parish community for organisingsuch a meaningful celebration particularly as “I have only been herefive minutes!” A beautiful anniversary cake was cut and all presenthad an opportunity to write a written congratulatory message as amemento of the occasion. Ad multos annos Tom.Vin Dillon -OLHC ParishAt around quarter to six each morning - rain or shine, in lightor dark - Fr Marcello Colasante laces up his jogging shoesand sets off from his home at St Mary's Parish in Swan Hill.The early morning walk, which takes Fr Colasante aroundthe town and down to the river, is his favourite time of the day."There's just something in the air at that time of the morning,it seems to be better for you or something," he says. Thedaily walk also helps Fr Colasante to familiarise himself withthe town. He is still relatively new to Swan Hill, having movedto the region to take on the position of parish priest just oversix months ago.FR.MARCELLOCOLASANTEBorn in Melbourne, Fr Colasante grew up in Ballarat, after he,his parents and three younger brothers packed up to followhis father's job with a manufacturing company when he wasten years old. Growing up he was involved with scouts andloved being outdoors, but says we wasn't a sports person"by any stretch of the imagination". "I was never into sport - Ijust wasn't gifted with the ability to kick a ball like Chris Judd,"he says.His weekend interests lay in looking to pick up bargains atauctions and white elephant sales, a hobby which he stillpartakes in whenever he can fit it in. While he usuallywasn't looking for anything in particular when he went headmits he had a soft spot for coloured glass finds, and saysa big drawcard was meeting the interesting people whowere regular faces at auctions. "Part of it was the peopleyou met there, you'd see the same groups of people atdifferent places, and compare finds or just share what youwere interested in," he says. "Most auctions take place onSaturdays and Sundays though, and I don't really have muchspare time on the weekends anymore."Fr Colasante says he has also spent time over the yearstravelling to Vietnam, Indonesia, and United States. Andwhile he has moved around and travelled a lot since he wasyoung, he says he is still getting used to his new lifestyle inSwan Hill. It takes a while... for everything to feel comfortable."It's not easy breaking into small communities. It takes awhile for people to get used to the change." Fr Colasantesays he appreciates the richness of diversity in Swan Hill,adding that it has been called the most multi-cultural parishin the diocese. "It's amazing just how diverse the populationis here," he says. He says he has a lot on his plate here, andis involved with the catholic schools and other communitiesin the area, including Piangil, Nyah, Ultima and Lake Boga,as well as looking after the main church. "There is a lotof responsibility because the church has such a dominantpresence in the town," says Fr Colasante.Text by Clair Morton. Article courtesy of The Guardian, Swan HillOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 27

Ballarat – A Day at the BeachThe Ballarat Young Vinnies hit the beach on March 17 with seven kids and twelveleaders! Saturday morning dawned grey and chilly, but the weather warmed up asthe bus and two cars headed down to Torquay. The children ate McDonalds as thebus drove down, with Mark McOwan and Alex van der Linden valiantly entertainingthem and keeping order.The first part of the day went off very smoothly, with only a short detour required tobuy towels and bathers for some of the children. Once everyone was assembled,the group hit the beach.With such a surplus of leaders, many of the Vinnies could also enjoy themselves inthe water and on the sand. Water, sand, beach balls and jokes flew all day, lunchbringing everyone up onto the grass for a lovely midday repast of rolls, donuts andsoft drink.After lunch the young boys went to explore the rock pools, while the little girls playednear the surf. Later, tired and still slightly sandy, the whole group were bussed backdown to Nazareth House for pick up.Once the bus was cleaned and the children home, some of the leaders gathered at a friend’s house for a games night. Overall, the daywas a success with kids and leaders alike having a grand day out at the beach.Left to right: Robert Muirhead, Thomas Mennen, Mark McOwan and Alexander van der Linden.YOUNG VINNIES . . . . .helping othersWarrnambool – Looking to AssistThe Young Vinnies group at St Joseph’s Primary School, Warrnambool, is a junior division of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Our groupconsists of Grade 5 and 6 student volunteers who take an interest in helping others in their own community, as well as those impacted bynational and global issues. The Young Vinnies group aims to help people in need through fundraising and building awareness of issuesaffecting people who live in poverty.Over the years we have assisted many groups in need. This includes raising over $700.00 to assist in repairing the flood damage of StJoseph’s Primary School in Charlton. This year alone we have raised money for a young student at our school battling with leukemia.This was achieved by holding a Rainbows for Regan Day, which involved all students wearing their favourite coloured clothes for a goldcoin donation. Money was also raised for Tour de Cure, who visited the school on this day as a part of their fundraising journey.Furthermore, we have raised money to help reduce the risk of maternal neo-natal tetanus. To achieve this, classrooms were providedwith sheets which when filled with five cent pieces to the value of two dollars, would provide mothers with a vaccination to protect themand their unborn child against tetanus. Other projects undertaken by Young Vinnies include providing the soup kitchen with a donation tocontribute towards the purchase of a new refrigerator, purchasing cutlery and crockery for the guests staying at the St Vincent de Paulhouse in Warrnambool, and participating in several masses including the Mass for the Poor.Overall our Young Vinnies group has assisted many people experiencing difficulties. It is our aim to continue to help and support thosein need in the spirit of the Year of Grace.Ebony Marris and Kirra O’Keefe.28Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

MUCH TO CELEBRATETwo recent events in St. Mary’s Parish, Hamilton enabled the Parish to celebrate a number of important things, one event being the recentParish Dinner which provided the ideal occasion for one hundred parish members to welcome in the new and farewell the not so old.Fr John Corrigan was introduced to the St Mary’s Parish earlier this year and is a young newly ordained priest, eager to commence his lifeof ministry at Hamilton where he has acknowledged being overwhelmed by the warmth of his first church community. A newly designedSt Mary’s website was launched at the dinner by Bishop Peter Connors, with Fr John’s technical knowledge and ability to build on the sitebeing another welcome feature of his introductory placement.With the recent closure of the Parish of Penshurst, MC John Hockey ensured the dinner was an ideal social opportunity to welcome theSt Joseph’s community back to St Mary’s Parish. In 1907, the Bishop of the time transferred the community of St Joseph’s out of theHamilton Parish as it was then situated, along with two other neighbouring churches from their respective parishes, to create the newParish of Penshurst. All three have now been transferred back to their original communities, where it is thought they have the closestgeographic and social relationship. Sunday Masses will continue on alternate Sundays at Penshurst and a team of dedicated membersotherwise ensuring a continuance of faith, expressed through Lay Led Sunday Assemblies.Other occasions highlighted at the Parish Dinner were the imminent retirements ofBishop Peter Connors and Mrs Marie Cook, the St Mary’s Secretary whose employmentat the Parish spanned over twenty years. Bishop Peter’s response included a humorousreflection of the fifteen years spent throughout the Ballarat Diocese and the privilegeof sharing countless memorable events with parish communities during his fifty yearssince realising his dream for the priesthood.Parishioner Ted Oliver spoke of Marie Cook’s outstanding qualities and her ability todevote time and welcome to all who attended the Parish Office, regardless of need.Her spiritual strength and personal commitment devoted as Parish Secretary wasrecognised and Marie will fondly be remembered with gratitude by many parishioners.During presentations, Parish Priest Fr Pat Mugavin, added that Marie selflesslyundertook countless tasks over the years that were not within her assigned role.Fr Andrew Hayes of Casterton once again shared his love of music and wit andcaptivated the audience with a flawless and entertaining rendition of Australian poetry.Fr Andrew’s many talents are well known throughout his own demanding ministry ofservice to nine churches in four parish communities across Western Victoria.L to R: Lia Mailes, Marie Cook & Di SoulsbyCelebration of a Multicultural Mass recently welcomed members of the local Indian community to St Mary’s Parish, who have settled wellin Hamilton and into their respective professions and lifestyles. Fr Peter Jose travelled from Ballarat to join with Fr Patrick Mugavin inconcelebrating the special service. Parishioners experienced Mass by way of the Indian culture as they ministered through music, prayerand stories. They willingly participated in the Sunday service readings and parishioners were treated to a number of hymns regularlyplayed at an Indian Mass.Following the service, a large St Mary’s community extended a further welcome with a shared morning tea where many were keen to tryand enjoyed the variety of Indian food that had been prepared. It is planned to offer further Multicultural Masses in the future, focusing oninclusiveness for all parishioners from diverse cultural backgrounds. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to share with us their music,lifestyle and traditions.Anne Slattery - ParishionerL to R - John HockeyParish Manager,Fr John Corrigan &Bishop ConnorsThe St Mary's Orana Ladies Group memberswho hosted the dinner are L to R - Val Lovell,Marie Cook Jenni Bourke, Anne Slattery, DiSoulsby and Trish Irving.L to R: Peter & Helen Brown & MargaretEales From PenshurstOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 29

The Relic of St Francis XavierDuring the Year of Grace, a relic of St. Francis Xavier will be on pilgrimage throughout thecountry and will visit the diocese between October 11 - 14.The word ‘relic’ comes from the Latin word for ‘remains’ or ‘what is left behind’ – the sameword which gives us ‘relinquish’. In its religious sense, it refers to some object which offersa tangible and visible connection to a holy person who has died. This might be the person’sbody, or a part thereof, in which case it is called a first-class relic. Or it might be somethingintimately associated with the saint – a part of their clothing or their rosary beads, forexample. This is known as a second-class relic.The practice of honouring relics is familiar to many people but may seem strange toothers. Certainly the desire to remain connected with people who’ve died by honouringtheir remains is common to most cultures and a normal part of human life – visits to thegraveside, treasuring of the ashes, keeping a lock of hair or a favourite book. These all helpus, who are embodied beings, to recall and stay connected with the reality of the person welove. This natural instinct is based on our awareness that, while the body is not the whole ofour reality as human beings, it is a significant and integral part of who we are.Devotion to the relics of saints is grounded in this human instinct but takes it to another level.For saints are those the Church recognizes as having been receptive to the grace of Christ in particularly striking ways. In honouringtheir relics, our focus is not meant to be simply on the person themselves but on the person as having been transformed by Christ.Thus in honouring them, we honour the One whose life, death and resurrection enabled them to live the Christian life in the transparentand heroic way they did. At heart, the devotion is an expression of the value Catholics put on the bodily – on what is tangible andvisible. This actual physical connection to a saint reminds us that these holy people were not angels, but flesh and blood (and bone!)human beings like ourselves, living out their imitation of Christ in the real world in their time and place.Such devotion is a venerable tradition in the Church, dating back to the earliest centuries of the Church’s life, especially in relation tothe remains of martyrs. It’s important to note, though, that there is no obligation for any person, even any Catholic, to engage in thisdevotion if they do not consider it helpful for their own spiritual journey. The Church offers a wide range of devotional practices andspiritualities, and each person will find some helpful and others less so. Cultural background and the way that death is handled indifferent cultures will likely be factors in this matter.Having said that, this visit to Australia of a significant relic of St Francis Xavier provides the province with a unique opportunity to makethe story of Francis Xavier better known. Through this physical connection, we are invited to remember the life of this great saint,and especially to remember how his life was transformed by grace. Like all genuine grace, that which Xavier received showed itself inaction. In his case, this was manifest in his incredible energy and zeal for bringing others to Christ. The particular relic we have - hisright forearm, with which he baptised many thousands of people - is symbolic of this zeal. Millions have been touched for the good byhis work and its legacy over many generations. His evangelising zeal invites us to reconnect once more with our baptismal mission,to be evangelisers in our time and place - to freely pass on what we have freely received, the Good News that God so loved the worldthat he sent his only Son to be our Saviour (Jn 3:16).St Francis Xavier did this in a holy and heroic way, full of creativity, energy and courage, and according to the lights and understandingsof his time. We are called to follow him, also with creativity, energy and courage, according to the lights and understandings of ourtime. But while his frontiers were geographical, those of our time may be spiritual, cultural, religious. Yet the mission is the same - toset the world on fire. This visit gives us a unique opportunity to call on Xavier’s intercession as we carry out that mission in our day,and to imitate him, as he imitated Christ.Robin Koning SJ - 2012‘Annie’In July 2012, Damascus College Ballarat added yet another page to its significanthistory of school productions with its musical ‘Annie’. The popular musical firstopened on Broadway in 1977 and has been a timeless classic ever since. ‘Annie’tells the story of the spirited and mischievous orphan Annie who sets about tryingto locate her real parents and along the way, finds herself living with a millionairewho pledges to help her.Over fifty students participated in this year’s musical, with the cast being headedup by two sisters. Year 9 student Annie Nankivell played the aptly named ‘Annie’and her older sister Zoe (Year 12) played her stage nemesis, the orphanagematron ‘Miss Hannigan’. Annie and Zoe delighted audiences with their wellportrayedcharacters and strong vocals. The girls were incredibly well supportedby a stunning cast, who kept the audience entertained and engaged throughoutthe performance. Months of hard work and effort had gone into preparing theshow, and this was evident in all facets of the production. The sets transformedthe College auditorium, the orchestra performed the score beautifully, thestudents sang and danced and added their own flare to the characters and even Mollie the dog (playing Sandy) did as shewas told on cue. ‘Annie’ was performed to five sold out shows as well as a primary school performance and the smiles andchatter of the audience members at interval demonstrated how thoroughly they were enjoying the show.Now that the stage has been packed down after yet another fantastic Damascus production, the Performing Arts team arealready dreaming of what lies around the corner in 2013.Corrina Dichiera - Development Officer30Our Diocesan Community - August 2012

Many of you are probably aware that Jenny Kingston hasretired from running our Resource Centre and that sheand Tom are enjoying grandchildren and making plans fortravel. I am aware of Jenny’s presence over my shoulder asI stumble through each day, learning new tasks and tryingto remember what I was instructed to do: ‘Just do it Kate!’From the Resource Centreweb: http://web.ceoballarat.catholic.edu.au-resource centrephone: 5337 7149Presently I have a dual role within the Catholic EducationOffice, working as both the Resource Officer in theLibrary and as an Educational Officer within our schoolsacross the Diocese. This means that I may be away afew days a fortnight supporting teachers and students.On these occasions the Library should still be open forborrowing but there may not be anyone at the end of theLibrary phone to receive a call when I am absent. If thisis the case, please leave a message and I will attend toit on return.The Year of Grace has commenced (Pentecost Sunday)and there are offerings on the Year of Grace website(www.yearofgrace) that suggest various methods ofparticipation. Our library also has new resources theymay nurture reflection.Following the path: the search for a life of passion andpurpose and joy (2012) by Joan Chittister, is aboutresponding to the magnet within us—that great, deeppassion for life toward which our hearts leap up at everyturn.In God among us: Australian images of Jesus (2011),Marie Farrell seeks to introduce to a wider audiencesome representations of Jesus that are well knownlocally but less so generally. The ancient prayer practiceof viewing icons could sit beautifully whilst contemplatingthe artwork within this book.On the Year of Grace website under ‘resources’ there isan article by Fr. Simon Ckuj offering an insight about therelationship between icons and prayer.A friendly guide to prayer (2011). Michael Whelan’svery accessible and beautifully presented book, guidesreaders to find enormous riches and complexity of theCatholic prayer tradition to begin, refine or deepen,their practice of prayer. It encourages the possibility ofextending prayer to family and the wider community.And remember ‘Grace is poured upon your lips: thereforeGod has blessed you forever’ (Ps.45:2)Kate LawryCommunicating the WordTwo Diocesan staff - Jane Collins and Julie Boyd, were recently inattendance at the 2012 Media Congress, “Communicating theWord – Timeless Message, New Media” hosted by the AustralianCatholic Media Council, an advisory body of the Australian CatholicBishops Conference. Approximately one hundred and fifty peopleattended the Congress in Sydney and represented a vast range ofCatholic agencies. Also in attendance were a number of Bishopsand Clergy from around the country. Bishop Peter Ingham, Bishopof Wollongong, welcomed all to the Congress and set the tone forour time together. Fr Rob Galea, a singer and songwriter based inShepparton, shared his musical gifts with us at Morning Prayer.The Congress focussed on social media such as Facebook andTwitter and how the various church agencies can use these in theirarea of work. Some agencies have embraced the new media andused it effectively to support their mission, but there were also manypeople who remain unsure.The first keynote speaker was Monsignor Paul Tighe, an Irishborn priest who is the Secretary to the Pontifical Council for SocialCommunications at the Vatican. He spoke about the potential of themedia – new and old – as a means of evangelisation and strategiesfor its implementation. Other keynote speakers were Khoa Do andMelinda Tankard-Reist. Khoa, a refugee from Vietnam, shared hisstory which was told with much humour, but was heart-rending.Khoa is now a film director and his focus is on helping marginalisedpeople through the media. Melinda is a founder of “Collective Shout:For a world free of sexploitation” [www.collectiveshout.org] and shepresented a very confronting and compelling session on the way girlsand women are sexually portrayed in the media. Her organisation hasbeen successful in stopping many inappropriate media campaigns inAustralia.There were many speakers, panellists and workshop presentersat the Congress, all sharing their experience of how many differentways there are of communicating with each other - using traditionalmeans and the ever more popular online methods. There was alsowine tasting, which proved very popular with many.During the Closing Panel, we were challenged to learn bothpersonally and professionally from the sessions that were presentedand to take these challenges back and try to implement them intoour work lives. The Congress Mass, held at St Patrick’s, Church Hill,was celebrated by Archbishop Philip Wilson and concelebrated byother Bishops and Clergy in attendance. It was a great celebrationin beautiful surroundings.At the end of a very busy few days, we were all reminded thatwherever we come from and whatever we do, we are all workingtogether to spread the Good News of the Gospel.Julie Boyd - Pastoral Ministry OfficeL-R: Frank Stuart – Executive Officer, Office of Catholic Partnerships,Marketing and External Relations, ACU Ballarat, Jane Collins – DiocesanOffices, Associate Professor Joe Fleming, Campus Dean ACU Ballarat, JulieBoyd – Diocesan OfficesOur Diocesan Community - August 2012 31

The ‘LAST’ Last WordThe Year of Grace is a blessed time for us to focus our attention on God who has calledus into life and who wants us to share forever in the communion that is God.I rejoiced when a brother priest told me that a woman in his parish wanted him to knowhow much joy and peace her little daughter had brought into their home when she askedthem to sit around a lighted candle on the kitchen table and pray together. What the littlegirl experienced in her group at school radiated out to her parents. She was certainly agrace for them. The little seed that was planted a few years ago when the Bishops ofAustralia decided to celebrate a Year of Grace throughout our nation is starting to grow inour parishes, our schools and in our homes.This is a time for us to allow the Holy Spirit given to us at our Baptism to make us awareof our relationship with God. The National Prayer for the Year of Grace is worthy ofpraying more than just the one time every week when you may pray it at Mass or in yourclassroom. It is a prayer that is worthy of constant reflection and response. It capturesthe theme of the Year of Grace which is the time for us to start afresh from Christ.We may not hesitate to call ourselves Christians. Surely we must strengthen our awareness of what it means to strive tobe another Christ, our essential vocation in life. We can imagine the many times in the Gospels when people focussed theirattention on the face of Jesus Christ and found that their lives were changed forever. We can identify with the foreignerswho said that they wanted to see Jesus. Their request echoes down through the ages and we cannot respond to theirneeds until our own gaze is firmly fixed on the face of Jesus.The Gospels were written to assist people to deepen their knowledge and their love for Jesus. The four who wrote theaccounts must have often reflected on the words and the actions of Jesus, whom they came to know to be the Risen Lord.During this Year of Grace let us take up the practice of every day finding a few moments of quiet to be alone and ponderthe face of Christ portrayed in the Gospels.As you now know, the Year of Grace also brings to the Diocese a new Bishop - Fr. Paul Bird. This is indeed a blessing forus all. Let us pray for our new Bishop and for each other that we will reflect the love and grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ toall we meet.+ Bishop Peter ConnorsIcon and Prayer for the Year of GraceThe Cathedral Parish recently hosted a first novena of prayer for the Year of Grace. The focus for this week of prayer wasenhanced by the icon of Christ that Diane Micich has written. The icon of Christ known as the Mandylion (Holy Towel) “Notmade by human hands” was originally painted in approximately 1447 by a monk called Serapion. The icon was considered to bemiraculous when first ordered by Abgar, King of Edessa, to cure him from a disease. It is now in the Trejakov Gallery in Moscow.Praying with icons is a particular focus of the Year of Grace. Accordingto Fr. Simon Ckuj who is Parish Priest of St Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholicparish in Lidcombe, Sydney “praying with icons is an ancient prayerpractice that involves keeping our eyes wide open, taking into our heartwhat the image visually communicates. We focus not on what is seenin the icon, but rather on what is seen through it -- the love of Godexpressed through God’s creatures”. (Year of Grace website)Another interesting fact concerning icons is that icons are said to be“written” not painted when an iconographer creates an icon. This isbecause it is a prayerful exercise in humility before God. They arehighly symbolic using shapes, colours and forms to symbolize differentspiritual realities. (Year of Grace website).Iconographer – Diane MicichThis icon was blessed at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ballarat, in 2011.