OUR DIOCESAN COMMUNITY - Catholic Diocese of Ballarat

OUR DIOCESAN COMMUNITYNews around the Diocese - No. 22 Spring, 2007CommunicationThis issue of Our Diocesan Communityfocuses on Communication.We communicate in so many ways -through technology, through musicand drama, through involvement withpeople and activities new to us. Wecomunicate through the printed wordand we communicate through theactions of our common shared faith.Let us always strive to reach out andcommunicate to those around us -family, friends, community and thewider world. Then we will always beready to recognise and be with thosein need.We are the Catholic Church in the Ballarat Diocese.We gather in the name of Jesusfrom the Murray to the Seain interwoven faith communities.Spirit-filled, we celebrate and share our journeyreaching out to nurture all God’s people.Draft Vision Statement for the Diocese

BALLARAT CLERGY SUPPORT FUND - Annual Collection for Sick and Retired PriestsCARING FOR THOSE WHO CARED FOR USTHE CHURCH COMMUNITY’S RESPONSIBILITYThe Ballarat Clergy Support Fund provides for retired priests who have spent a lifetime selflessly caring for others, and whodeserve a happy and peaceful retirement. The Fund is currently supporting and caring for fourteen retired priests, at a cost ofover $150,000 per year.Some of our retired priests live privately, some are in units in Ballarat or elsewhere, and others live in supported accommodation.Many of these priests generously continue to assist in our parishes. Over the next few years a number of priests currently inparish ministry will be moving into retirement, and will also need to be supported by the Fund.Creating a secure retirement future for the priests of the diocese is a duty and care in which we can all participate. In caringfor our senior priests, we are continuing to offer them peace, security and independence, as well as a very real sense ofbelonging.This collection has raised over one million dollars since it began in 1991, including nearly $90,000 last year. Along with thepriests’ contribution of approximately $50,000 per year, it has allowed the Support Fund to continue to support our sick andretired clergy. Special envelopes are available in each parish for this collection, which will be taken up throughout September.Contributions over $2.00 are tax-deductible.If you are preparing or changing a will, you may consider making a bequest to the Ballarat Clergy Support Fund. Your familysolicitor can advise on how to consign donations through a family trust or other body.This collection is one very practical way in which priests feel truly supported by their people in these changing times. Thepriests of the Ballarat Diocese are very grateful for your past and ongoing support.Women Through theGospelWe congratulate Dr.Elizabeth Dowling,Australian CatholicUniversity lecturer onthe publication of herbook “Taking Awaythe Pound: Women,Theology and theParable of the Poundsin the gospel of Luke”which was launched atACU Ballarat campuslast week.Dr Dowling, a Biblical Studies lecturer and BallaratEast Sister of Mercy, known to many in the Diocesethrough her work with Biblical Studies, said sheused the parable as a ‘lens’ through which to look atcharacterisation of women in the Gospel of Luke.“Women who speak out in the public context aregenerally silenced (in the gospel text),” Dr Dowlingsaid. She said the book could also inform debates onpower in contemporary society. “I think we need to beaware of whose voices are heard and whose voicesare not being heard.” She said marginalised groupsand the environment were two examples of voices notbeing heard in our culture.Sisters of Mercy Ballarat East Congregational LeaderDr. Veronica Lawson, launched the book, describingit as a “parabolic detective story”. “In Taking Awaythe Pound, Liz has made a major contribution to thefield of Lukan feminist studies,” Dr Lawson said. “Shedeserves to be honoured for her rigorous scholarshipand dedication to her discipline.”Acknowledgement: Text & Photo: The Ballarat Courier 18/8/07Sisters of Saint Brigid Bi-Centennial CelebrationsMaryborough, Sunday, October 14th, 2007The Community of ST. AUGUSTINE’S PARISHMARYBOROUGH Invites you to celebrate 105 years ofBrigidine Ministry in our Schools, our Towns and our Region.Celebrations for the day include;Morning Prayer, at the Brigidine Graves, MaryboroughCemetery; Mass of Thanksgiving; Light Luncheon; OfficialOpening of the refurbished Primary School Junior Wing andnew Administration Area, followed by afternoon tea.RSVP:For catering purposes by 5th October phone: 03 5460 5172or email: maryborough@ballarat.catholic.org.auHeritage and HorizonCELEBRATING THE BRIGIDINE STORY1807 - 2007ST. MARY’S PARISH ARARAT commemorates the Bi-Centenary of the Foundation of the Brigidine Sisters by BishopDaniel Delany in 1807.The Brigidines made their first Foundation in the Diocese in1888 at Ararat. The Ararat Celebration will be on the weekendof 15th/16th September, 2007.Saturday 15th11.00 am Prayer Service at CemeterySunday 16th10.00 am - Noon St. Mary’s Primary Schooland Marian College Open Day2.30 pm Bishop Peter Connors will celebrate Massin the Ararat Town Hall.Mass will be followed by afternoon tea.All most welcomeOur Diocesan Community - September 2007

NEW DIOCESAN WEBSITEBishop Peter Connors formally announced the establishment of the new website for the Diocese of Ballarat onWednesday, August 1, 2007, the Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, who was the founder of the Redemptorist Fathers.This day was seen as most appropriate, for in the history of the Ballarat Diocese, the Redemptorist Fathers havecontributed greatly to the work of spreading the gospel message. Over the years, they travelled to the ruralcommunities to preach the gospel and spread the faith and this indeed is the purpose of the new website, to spreadthe good news of the gospel and to assist the people of the Diocese in their journey of faith.The launch of the new Diocesan website marks the end of a long period of planning and development. The impetusfor the change from the previous diocesan website to a new and interactive resource for the people of the Diocesebegan as one of the directions to emerge from the Diocesan Assembly of 2004. In his Pastoral Letter following theDiocesan Assembly, Bishop Connors wrote:“In our time, more and more people turn to the Internet for information, communication and education. Many of theAssembly recommendations made reference to the need for a Diocesan website that would provide resources, informationand education for the people of the Diocese. A planning process will now be put in place for the setting up of an interactivewebsite for the Diocese. For a Diocese as extensive as ours, this project deserves high priority.”In mid-2005 the Diocese began the planning for the provision of the new website for the communities of the Diocese.As part of the transition from the old website to the new one, a microsite replaced the old site and the Diocesecommenced publication of a fortnightly Diocesan E-News.The new Diocesan website comprises of three sections: 1. the Public site which provides current information andnews regarding the Diocese; 2. Parish pages with the facility to develop these into a micro website for each parishcommunity; 3. the Diocesan Network – a place for the provision of resources, communication groups and otherfacilities for the Diocesan community. Over the next twelve months the Diocese will provide communication andtraining regarding use of the website and the Network for parishes and groups of the Diocese.The new website has been developed by Fraynework Multimedia and will greatly assist communication andresourcing around the Diocese into the future.www.ballarat.catholic.org.auOur Diocesan Community - September 2007

CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR THECATHOLIC DEVELOPMENT FUND (CDF)The successful operation of the Catholic Development Fund continues to provide a reliable source of income for the pastoralinitiatives and services offered by the Diocese of Ballarat. The Fund maintains solid financial growth with another recordsurplus and distributes half its annual operating surplus to the Diocese for pastoral and other works. The distribution for lastyear was $450,000, taking the total amount to over $2.7 million over the past 10 years. The Fund also sets aside funds for theprovision of accommodation facilities for our senior clergy.Other highlights for the year included –• $5.7 million lent to schools, colleges and parishes• Loan balances up by 8%• Assets exceeded $63,000,000• Deposit holdings up by 14%• Reserves increased by 11%• CDF Online up and runningDeposits with the CDF are not a donation. While every dollar youdeposit works for the benefit of the Diocese, at the same time it earnsyou a healthy return, free of administrative fees and charges.The success that the CDF has achieved has been due to the supportand loyalty that we receive from depositors, clergy, parishes, schools and colleges and other catholic entities. Thank you foryour support in making the CDF such an integral part of the Diocese.Please feel free to contact the Fund on 1800 134 100 or see the new web site www.ballarat.catholic.org.aufor further information.Inspiration for a BookOn 20th July, St. Brigid’s Catholic Primary School in Ballan conducted a special Book Launch evening at school as a ‘fundraiserwith a difference’. It was organised to celebrate the publication of Yvonne Horsfield’s first children’s book. Yvonneis a member of the teaching staff and the book is dedicated to the students of St. Brigid’s whom, Yvonne claims, were theinspiration for writing the book in the first place.It came about because Yvonne found two baby Magpiechicks who had fallen out of their nest. With expert advicegained from the local Wildlife Shelter, Yvonne managed tosuccessfully raise them to adulthood, much encouraged by thechildren at St. Brigid’s, who were eager for news of them eachweek when she arrived for class. At the children’s’ insistence,the Magpies were given the names of ‘Meg and Mog’ andYvonne promised that she would write a story about themafter they flew away.The story eventuated as “Meg, Mog and Miss Molly”, withaccompanying illustrations by Yvonne’s artist son Garth. Themain theme of the story is based upon the values of ‘nurturing,loving and caring’. It was with the encouragement from St.Brigid’s principal, Peter Johnson, that Yvonne showed thebook to the local business partners of Connorcourt Publishing, who were prepared to give their support for publication.The book has been read and endorsed by the Director of Catholic Education, Mr. Larry Burn, who officially launched thebook recently at the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, citing it as a particularly appropriate reader for children in the middleprimary years of schooling. The book also has accompanying worksheets which can be accessed via the website indicatedon the back cover.Our Diocesan Community - September 2007

Pirates in MARYBOROUGHLock your doors everyone, the pirates are coming to town! Pepperedwith unforgettable melodies and tongue-twisting songs, The Piratesof Penzance is one of the most popular operettas ever written. So it’shigh time for a new production from the top-notch team at St Augustine’sPrimary School in Maryborough.In spite of being apprenticed to a Pirate King as a child, Frederic hasled a very sheltered life. So when he arrives in Penzance with hisboisterous shipmates, there are a few surprises in store for him! It allends happily though, but not before he’s dodged the Old Bill, fallen inlove and made some rather inconvenient discoveries.September’s swash buckling adventure is a first for St. Augustine’sSchool, Maryborough and is the launch pad for future productionsof its kind. Of course this production wouldn’t be possible withoutthe tremendous encouragement of our community, who through theirsupport have assisted with the preparation, design and presentationof the musical.All at St. Augustine’s wish the children the very best for their performance, their hard work, dedication andgrowth in theatre has been a privilege to witness. Have fun! The Pirates of Penzance promises to be ariot from the moment the ship reaches shore. Tarantara!Nic McTaggart - Principal.Making Links in School & CommunityProjects in COLACAt Sacred Heart School in Colac, our Grade 5/6 class has beenengaged in organizing a number of Passion Projects that build aconnection between our school and the wider community. Eachstudent chose a project they felt passionate about and workedwith others in the class to coordinate and organise everything.These are their reports:WOOD WORK 4 KIDSOur group is starting a lunch time club on Tuesdays called WoodWork 4 kids. Zac Wilson, Zac Shaw and Alex Williamson haveorganized a team of students to make wooden toys for everyoneto play with in the sand pit at recess and lunchtimes. We thoughtof using kits but discovered Terry McCarthy’s trucks which webelieve are stronger and better for us to build. We organized thegroups and have asked Mr McCarthy to come and help build thetrucks. We started this week!A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AFTER ALLThis term, five girls have put together 54 shoeboxes filled withitems that the school community has generously donated, to sendto poor children in Cambodia. The boxes are filled with items forhealth, hygiene, teddies to love, toys to play with, clothes to wearand something to read or write with. Grace Langdon, CourtneyGarner, Emily Murfitt, Katie McBroom and Sarah Baulch are veryexcited about having made 54 boxes, when their original aim wasonly 28 boxes.REVEGETATING OUR COMMUNITYMorgan Eldridge, Alannah Bloomer, Chris Lee and IsobelCarmichael have organized our class to plant trees in thecommunity on two local farms to assist with salinity prevention andskink protection. We made phone calls to the farmers and handedout Oz Tree booklets. We successfully applied for a Coles/Mitre10 Junior Land Care Grant and now we will receive $500 for theschool, which will pay for all our basic needs like buses and treeplanters. We will be planting out in early September!Our Diocesan Community - September 2007COOKING TREATEdwina, Ashleigh, Darcy and Chris have organised their Grade5/6 class to work with groups of grade 2s until September20th, cooking some healthy snacks to show how to make morehealthy choices that taste great. We wrote letters asking for help,searched for easy recipes, organized a roster coordinated withteachers, arranged for equipment and checked for allergies. Wewill be making fruit kebabs, smoothies and mini pizzas with fruitand vegetable donations from the garden of Eden.READING ROCKSAll the Grade 5/6 students have prepared picture books forthe kindergarten children in Colac, to inspire a love of reading,and we plan to deliver them in early September. This projectwas organized by Esther Crowley, Ruby Ennor, Jesse Everett,Rebecca Devlin and Josh Sutherland over a period of a month, aspart of the Passion Projects. As part of the process, we contactedthe kindergartens and decided on a suitable date, organized forSue Lawson to give a speech on picture books and arrangedtransport to the locations. We are excited about the visit becausethis is the first time we have planned it all ourselves.

On July 1 the WYD CROSS AND ICON OF OUR LADY arrived in Sydney and were handed to the young peopleof Australia by the young people of New Zealand, thus beginning their journey throughout the Great SouthLand of the Holy Spirit. The national tour of the WYD Cross and Icon will go through every diocese, in everystate, in Australia. They will visit over 400 communities.In our Diocese, the Cross and Icon will arrive on Saturday, October 20, into Mildura. This is our chance to feelthe spirit of WYD, to add our own steps and prayers to the 21 year-long pilgrimage of young people who havecarried these symbols of Christ’s love for humanity in every corner of the world.Follow the Journey of the Cross and Icon on their own blogspot http://jci-wyd2008.blogspot.com and view theDiocesan journey at www.ballarat.catholic.org.auArrival of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon in AustraliaSunday, July 1, 2007 is a date firmly etched in my memory. As an infamousfootball commentator says, ‘It was special’. You may wonder what it wouldtake to get this sleep-hungry girl out of bed before 6am on a Sunday morningin winter. Was it the promise of an exciting day ahead, the chance to be partof something historical, the opportunity to represent the young Catholics ofmy Diocese or a stroll across one of our countries most famous landmarks?No, it was two simple planks of wood.As the group of young Australians representing the Dioceses of Australiagathered in the Qantas hanger to receive the Cross and Icon from the youngpeople of the Church of New Zealand, it was obvious that I was not the onlyone who watched the alarm clock or had a few butterflies in their stomach.I have been learning and talking about this Cross in my role for nearly 8months. I could not believe that I was finally going to be seeing and touchingit like the thousands of other young people in the world who had encounteredthe Cross and Icon. What an important occasion! The Prime Minister, theNSW Premier, Archbishops and the media - they were all there. However, itwas the opportunity to be part of a group representing the young Catholics of Australia that really gave me goose bumps. The hauntingfarewell Haka of the New Zealand group preceded the handover and then it was entrusted to us! Young Australians! Where will we takeCross and Icon? What adventures will it have?The tomb of Mary MacKillop was a fitting place to start. Mary Mother of the Cross,who was devoted to her faith and her relationships with all people, had a special bondwith the Cross. We entrusted the pilgrimage to her and then promptly took the Crossout into the world, just as John Paul II imagined when he gave the Cross to the youthof the world 23 years ago. The Cross has not stopped since.The delegates representing Australia andNew Zealand processed with the Crossand Icon from North Sydney, across theSydney Harbour Bridge, to Tumbalong Park,Darling Harbour. What an honour to carrythis Cross and this Icon. However, it waswhen we stopped halfway across the bridgeand prayed together that I felt the power ofthese two planks of wood. We prayed thatWYD will be a bridge in the lives of youngpeople and then we prayed the Our Fatherwith amazing energy.From the prayerful moment on the bridgeI was not prepared for the energy andexcitement at Tumbalong Park. Six thousandpeople had gathered to witness the arrivalof the Cross and Icon in Australia. Theanticipation had obviously built throughoutthe day and they were ready for the celebrations to begin. Receiving the Cross from the NewZealanders in the public handover was a fantastic individual moment for me and an importantone for our country. For the next twelve months this Cross will travel throughout the Great SouthLand of the Holy Spirit. It will visit over 400 communities and already it has received the prayersand veneration of thousands in our country.The time of the pilgrimage of the Cross and Icon in the Ballarat Diocese is now very near. Ihave no doubt after what I witnessed on Sunday, July 1 that this can be a very special time forour Diocese. Please join us!Stacey Atkins – WYD08 Diocesan CoordinatorOur Diocesan Community - September 2007

JOIN THE JOURNEYOctober 20 - October 29, 2007HORSHAM STUDENTS TO MAKE WYD SYMBOLAs part of their celebrations with the WYD Cross and Iconof Our Lady, the students of St Brigid’s Horsham and thesurrounding Primary Schools are planning to create theWYD symbol for Sydney 2008 with themselves by dressingstudents in different coloured t-shirts. This moment will becaptured with an aerial shot. The creation of the symbolis part of a bigger celebration including reflections on WYDand good old fashioned fun and games. Approximately700 students will gather at the event from as far away asEdenhope and Warracknabeal.WYCHEPROOF PARISH PLANThe Wycheproof Racecourse will play host to the Cross andIcon as well as Catholic people from the local parish andsurrounding parishes. A fantastic opportunity for everyoneto get together.WARRNAMBOOL GATHERINGThe Year 5/6 students in the Warrnambool area will celebratethe arrival of the Cross and Icon at Lake Pertobe with a dayof fun and games. At the end of the day, the students willexchange Crosses they have made with students from otherschools. This is a really unique opportunity for schools in thearea to get together and mix.Acknowledgement of CCICATHOLIC CHURCH INSURANCES have made a substantialfinancial contribution to the Diocese and Religious Orders ofAustralia to assist with their events leading up to WYD08 and theWYD week in Sydney, contributing 7 million dollars in total. CCIalso made a very significant contribution to the WYD08 office. TheBallarat Diocese is extremely grateful for the $50,000 grant given tous by CCI. This money will help run leadership formation courses,host international pilgrims during Days in the Diocese, as well asassisting us in making the pilgrimage to Sydney.To register to be part of the BallaratGroup travelling to World Youth Daygo to www.wyd2008.org and followthe REGISTRATION links. Our GroupName is Ballarat1 and our Groupnumber is 102.If you want more information please contactStacey Atkins phone: 5337 7172 or email:stacey.atkins@ballarat.catholic.org.auOur Diocesan Community - September 2007

Emmanuel College student Michael Craigwith Lyndoch resident, John.Communicating through the SensesHumanity’s first glimpse of God happened in a garden and contributing to a community gardenis one the ways in which students at EMMANUEL COLLEGE, WARRNAMBOOL are living theschool’s Mission to, “serve and act with justice and compassion in Church, local and globalcommunities.” A project that two groups of students are working on to serve the community isto contribute to the building of a sensory garden at Warrnambool’s Lyndoch Residential andCommunity Care. Lyndoch is the largest provider of aged and extended care services in SouthWest Victoria.Julie Poi and Bec Nevin of Allied Arts have designed the garden and Emmanuel’s VictorianCertificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) students, along with other community groups, are buildingstructures that will form an important part of the garden. The VCAL students are working withthe Lyndoch Men’s Group to build 2.5 metre tall sensory tunnels that they will later install. Thesewill be fitted with a variety of objects and art works that will stimulate all of the senses of sight,hearing, taste, smell and touch. The men are all former tradesmen and are contributing towardsto building the students’ trade skills. The finished garden will be available for use by the generalpublic along with Lyndoch residents. For VCAL students, the project is tied in with the PersonalDevelopment Skills strand, where students are required to adopt a community focus and providea community benefit.The Transition Education students have been working with female Lyndoch residents in designingand making mosaic stepping stones for the garden. They will also take part in the planting ofnative plants and will participate in afternoon teas with the ladies. The project is part of theVoluntary Work and Creative Options units of study. Other students are working on producing adocumentary film about the project, which will develop their skills in multimedia. When finished,the students will present DVD films to the project’s major stakeholders.Emmanuel’s Applied Learning Coordinator, Carmel Dalton, said, “This project has been great for our students - not just for building tradeskills and personal skills. There has been so much incidental learning. They have learned a lot about communicating with and relatingto older people and also about aged care in general. After the project is completed the students will be contributing to the ongoingmaintenance and my hope is that it will add to the culture of volunteering that we foster in our students. We would like to continue todevelop the partnership between Lyndoch and Emmanuel College through the Adopt-A-School program and, amongst other things,participate in work placements at Lyndoch.”Jean ChristieBroadening Horizonsfor DisadvantagedHorizons are broadening in Sebastopol because for the past 18months, the St. Vincent de Paul Society St. James (Sebastopol)conference has run the ‘widening horizons’ program in the area.This initiative is made up of a range of services aimed at strengtheninglocal disadvantaged families. Funded through the Federal Government’sstronger families and communities strategy, widening horizonsincludes after school tutoring for primary pupils, holiday activities,family budgeting assistance and positive parenting programs.St. Vincent de Paul Ballarat regional president Anne Dark said theprogram offered an important service to Sebastopol families. “We sawa great need for such a program through our daily contact with theneedy and disadvantaged in our area,” Ms Dark said. Some servicesare run by local Vinnies volunteers – including many former schoolteachers – while others are outsourced to groups such as BESTCommunity Development and Centacare. Ms Dark said needy familieswishing to access these services could be referred through BallaratVincent de Paul outlets or local schools.Acknowledgement with thanks: Story and photo from the “Ballarat Courier” 18/8/07First Communion CelebrationsAfter completing successful and enjoyable family group FirstCommunion preparation meetings in venues around St.Augustine’s Parish, Maryborough, there were special timesof celebration over the third weekend in June. Maryborough,Ampitheatre and Avoca were the centres for the children toreceive their First Communion. Family and friends gatheredat each church at the Masses for these significant events inour community’s life and worship.Ampitheatre candidatesFr. Gregory Tait with DemiCossar, Chantelle Mills,Abbey Shannon.Avoca candidatesFr. Tait with James Brown,Alex Diaz, Rae Herd.Program coordinator Sr. Marie Vagg RSM, right, with from Left, Anne Dark, JanSchaper, Lorraine Box & Mohanna Maity.Our Diocesan Community - September 2007

NATIONALCHURCH LIFESURVEYDo you remember filling in aSurvey Form one Sunday lastOctober? You were one of the52 parishes in the Diocesewho participated in theNational Church Life Survey(NCLS).On that day, Mass attenders were asked to respond to a surveywhich covers questions concerning personal faith, parish life,leadership and direction, ministry involvement and churchattendance. This survey which takes place across Australiaevery five years, measures the attitudes of approximately500 000 church attenders in more than 7000 churches in 22denominations. From the research nine core qualities of anactive Church Life have been identified and measured – faith,belonging, worship, leadership, innovation, vision, service,faith-sharing and inclusion.Each parish that participated in the Survey has now receivedits Church Life Profile which is a compilation of the responsesgiven by the members of that parish. The Profile providesa summary analysis as well as a detailed analysis for eachcore quality. It also provides a detailed analysis of churchattendance. If you are interested in the results, enquire at yourparish centre.As with all data, the Parish Profile is a starting point forplanning the future rather than an end in itself. The NCLSpackage which accompanied the Parish Profile has a numberof quality planning tools which might be utilized by such groupsas a Parish Council. These planning tools range from a simpletwo hour Profile Analysis session to a very comprehensiveplanning process leading to the establishment of a ParishVision and Parish Pastoral Plan which may take up to a yearto complete.Parishes around the Diocese are starting to use the Surveyas a tool for planing for the future. Ballarat East and Horshamare two parishes who have recently begun the comprehensiveplanning process.The resources of the Diocesan Pastoral Ministry Officeare available to assist parish communities in working withtheir NCLS Profile. Sr Anne McMillan and Vin Dillon can becontacted on 53377179.Regional Gatherings2007The Diocesan Pastoral Council hosted Regional Gatheringsfor 2007 in Colac, Ballarat and Horsham during July.Representatives from parishes in each of the Regionsgathered to hear updates on Diocesan matters and to shareissues and developments in parish life.This is the third yearthat the DiocesanPastoral Councilhas hosted thesegatherings andthey have provedvery helpful forCouncil members.Previous gatheringshave taken placein Warrnambool,Hamilton, Ouyen,Swan Hill, and Redan. Along with Council meetings inArarat, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Mildura, they providemembers with a comprehensive picture of the life of theDiocesan Church.The next full meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council is inPortland on September 7 - 9, 2007.The Ballarat Diocesan CATHOLICWOMEN’S LEAGUE (CWL) iscelebrating 90 years of active servicewith Mass celebrated by BishopConnors at 11 am on WednesdayNovember 14th 2007 at St. Alipius Church, Ballarat East,followed by lunch and entertainment in the church hall.We invite all members and ex-members to come andkeep the spirit of the CWL alive. There will be time toreminisce and hope many of you will come. Our Chaplain,Father Bohan, says that this is a celebration of gratitudefor many wonderful women of different generations whohave been the voice of fidelity to the Church and generouscontributions to parish life.The Ballarat Cathedral Branch is hosting this event socould you please contact:Mrs Gertie Mangan, 8 Cedar Avenue, Alfredton 3350Phone 5334 1670; Mrs Margaret White, 10 Almurta Road,Alfredton 3350 Phone 5334 1551. Cost for the day $10.C.P. Carey Publicity OfficerBallarat Committee Phone 5382 3518our diocesan communityA joint publication of the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat and the Catholic Education Office of Ballarat.The Editorial Committee of Our Diocesan Community wishes to thank the many people who have contributed to this issue.We also acknowledge the support through sponsorship of the Catholic Superannuation Fund, Catholic Church Insurances and theBallarat Catholic Development Fund.EDITORIAL BOARDFr. Gerry Baldock, Sr Anne McMillan, Mr Allen Moloney, Sr Geraldine Mugavin, Mr Peter Schreenan, Mrs Carla Woodruff.During 2007, ODC will be published quarterly, March, June, September and December.All contributions to ODC may be forwarded to:OUR Diocesan community,PO Box 576, Ballarat 3353Phone: (03) 5337 7159 Fax: (03) 5333 5148 Email: odc@ballarat.catholic.org.auOur Diocesan Community - September 2007

TIMBOONBishop Connors has announced he hasaccepted the resignation due to ill health ofFather Barry Strickland as the Parish Priestof Timboon.It has also been decided that there will nolonger be a resident priest at Timboon.In responding to this changed set ofcircumstances, the parish community,assisted by the Pastoral Ministry Office, isparticipating in a process of planning for thefuture.The initial step in this process will be thefirst of two Parish Assemblies on SundaySeptember 16th following a 10.30am Massat Timboon.Ministry ChangesOUYENBishop Connors has announced theappointment of a new Parish Leader for St.Joseph’s Parish, Ouyen.Sister Patricia Day RSJ, present ParishLeader of the Parish, will conclude hertime as parish leader at the end of 2007in order to take up an appointment to workas a missionary in Peru along with otherJosephites in early 2008. We assure SisterPatricia of our prayers for her forthcomingassignment.The Sisters of Saint Joseph have kindlymade it possible for the appointment ofSister Joyce White RSJ as Parish Leader ofthe parish of Ouyen, commencing in 2008.Sister Joyce has been a Pastoral Associatein the parish of Belgrave in the Archdioceseof Melbourne for the past sixteen years.She is well known in the parish of Ouyenfor she taught in the Parish Primary Schoolthirty years ago.We look forward to Sister Joyce being partof the life of the Diocese.The 21st Annual General Meeting of the Ballarat Catholic DioceseFoundation was held in July. This was a significant milestone for theFoundation and extracts from the President’s report follow -The Foundation continues to grow and again we have set a record.It was hard to imagine being able to better the growth of last yearbut this has been achieved with an increase in the capital of fundsunder our management of almost $1M. The Foundation now hasover $6.4M of capital under management.With this significant amount of money under trust, it is importantthat the Board understands its duties to ensure the Foundationsinvestments are secure and continue to grow. The experience,dedication and enthusiasm of the Board members along with thehard working and professional staff give me as Chairman theconfidence knowing that our duties and obligations as Trustees ofthe funds are followed.We recognize the importance of keeping the members of ourDiocese fully informed on what the Foundations was set up forand what we have achieved. This is important so that those whohave given generously can feel confident that: a) their donation willcontinue to be a significant benefit to the Diocese, and b) they canfeel confident that the funds are secure and growing.This year we were able to substantially increase our contributionto the Diocese from $200,000.00 to $225,000.00 - another record.This money is used to assist the Diocesan fund, the pastoral workof the Diocese, including Centacare and the costs for SeminaryEducation. A total of $1,441,533 has now been distributed to theDiocese over the 21 years of the Foundation.The Foundation and its members can be proud of very importantpart they play in the life of the Diocese.Andrew Byrne - PresidentBallarat Catholic Diocese FoundationWATAC Conference10L - R:Kath Leonard, Yvette Nesire-McNeil, Val Bourke, Rosalie Molloy-Myers,Doreen Roache, Pauline Howard.On the weekend of 21st and 22nd of July, a group of Ballaratwomen attended the Women and the Australian Church(WATAC) Conference in Sydney.The theme of the conference was “Making the Vision Happen”and the keynote speaker was Joan Chittister CSB, whospoke powerfully on the topics “Women Power and Peace”and “Spirituality and Culture”. The workshops and liturgies,reflected many of the issues facing the Church in Australiaand across the world.The weekend inspired a spirit of hope and a renewed vision forour church in the world, as well as a great sense of solidaritywith the women and men present at the Conference. May wecontinue the conversations begun at the Conference as wereturn to our lives in the Ballarat Diocese.Kath LeonardOur Diocesan Community - September 2007

Reflections on Forty YearsWarracknabeal/Hopetoun Catholic Parish Priest Fr. Peter Claridge recently celebrated a special milestone, 40 years in thepriesthood. At this time he reflected on his time as a priest of the Diocese.Father Peter was ordained in his home town of Ararat at the Immaculate Conception Church on July 22, 1967 by the thenBishop, James O’Collins. With a love for the country and rural communities, Fr. Peter’s first appointment was as assistantpriest in Ballarat East which was then followed by Warrnambool, Maryborough and Colac. He became a parish priest in 1975 atApollo Bay. Throughout his 40 years, Fr. Peter also spent time at the parishes of Koroit, Edenhope, Hopetoun, Timboon, EastWarrnambool, Beaufort, and Charlton before arriving in Warracknabeal in August, 1999.Not one for wanting to be referred to as only the “priest”, Fr. Peter has been an active member at all his parishes, most notablythrough sport. “Living in rural communities,” he said, “I have always enjoyed the contact and friendships I have made, not justthrough the church but also through participating in sport. Since arriving in Warracknabeal, I have become involved with theWarrack Eagles Football/Netball Club as an interchange steward for the reserves and I also enjoy a hit of golf. Just recently Iaccepted an invitation to join the Minyip Lions Club.” Also, while he was in Maryborough, Fr. Peter and the Anglican ministerco-founded the town’s Highview Christian Community College. “That would have to be one of the highlights of my 40 years asa priest,” he said.When discussing his reasons behind joining the priesthood, Fr. Peter said he knew it was his “calling” from a young age. “I alwaysbelieved that the life we have here is not limited to the years we have been given on earth. But for every human being to havethat God-intended happiness of eternal life, I am happy to have given my life to help people reach that goal and that makes mylife meaningful and worthwhile,” he said.But, being a priest certainly doesn’t come without its challenges. Fr. Peter is responsible for two parishes which encompassesfive communities, including Warracknabeal, Hopetoun, Beulah, Rainbow and Minyip. “Distance is one of the main challenges. IfI was to do a round trip to all my parishes, I would easily clock up 250 kilometres. Looking after five communities also makes ithard to be present at all events. I always do my best to attend significant events in the communities but I sometimes wish therewere two of me, “he said.Fr. Peter said with a decline of priests in the Ballarat Diocese, he said the distance will only increase and will most likelyincorporate a wider area. “But these changes are positive for the communities and the one thing about living in a rural area ishow adaptable the congregation is to change,” he said. Fr. Peter said he has also been impressed with how people living inrural areas have shown extreme courage surviving the recent drought. “I have witnessed two situations of drought, 1982 and thepresent period and although they have been bad years, it has been a privilege to be among people who through their resilience,continue to show much courage,” he said.Having grown up in the country, Fr. Peter said while he is in good health, he will be here to stay, well into the future. “Residents inWarracknabeal and neighbouring communities have been extremely friendly and welcoming and they certainly appreciate havinga priest appointed to their area. I have no intention of leaving any time soon,” Fr. Peter said.Friends and parishioners joined Fr. Peter for the celebration of 11.30 am Mass on Sunday, July 22 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church,Warracknabeal, to mark his 40th Anniversary of Ordination. This was followed by lunch together where representatives of thecommunities of Warracknabeal, Minyip, Hopetoun, Rainbow and Beulah made presentations to Father.Father Peter said he really appreciated the combined social occasion and concluded by saying “I would like to thank everyonewho was involved for their kindness in acknowledging my 40 years in the priesthood. It certainly was a wonderful occasion.”Fr. Claridge cuts his Jubilee cakewith community representativesL - R Kath White (Rainbow);John Hallam (Beulah); JamesMcFarlane (Warracknabeal); LeoWhite (Minyip) and Kevin White(Hopetoun).Acknowledgement: Lauren Downes and the Warracknabeal Herald.Our Diocesan Community - September 200711

The Last Word . . .In 2001 Pope John Paul II wrote an Apostolic Exhortation to the Local Churches in Oceania. The Popedrew attention to the recommendations drawn up by the Bishops of Oceania at their meeting inRome in November – December 1998.The Bishops drew attention to the power of the media, which “offer an excellent opportunity for the Church to evangelize, tobuild community and solidarity”. They went on to say that the media often provide the only contact the Church has with nonpractisingCatholics or the wider community. Therefore they should be employed in a creative and responsible manner.Our Diocesan Assembly in 2004 made a strong recommendation that the Diocese of Ballarat should develop an interactivewebsite for the Diocese and that a Website Development Committee be established to implement this within a timeframe andbudget. It was with great pleasure therefore, that I launched the new website for the Diocese of Ballarat on the feast of SaintAlphonsus Ligouri, 1st August this year.Whilst this is a big step forward in building communication and providing resources for our communities, there is still muchto be done before every parish and organization in our Diocese are able to utilize the opportunities provided on the websitefor delivering up to date information. Eventually parishioners will be able to communicate with those who share a commoninterest in a particular aspect of church life.I wish to thank Sister Anne McMillan RSM and her associates in bringing this project to fruition. We are also indebted toFraynework Multimedia in Melbourne for their expert assistance and guidance.I strongly recommend that we all become involved in ensuring that our Diocesan Website (www.ballarat.catholic.org.au) willevangelize and strengthen our shared faith and develop community and solidarity amongst us all.+ Peter ConnorsBishop of BallaratINTERNATIONAL WATER WEEKOctober 13th is the beginning of International Water Week 2007.It is often said that future wars will be fought over water rather than oil, so perhapsduring this week we could take stock of how responsibly we use God’s gift ofwater. The media has endeavoured to draw our attention to the seriousness ofthe situation in many ways, e.g. TV’s recent programme, “Carbon Cops”.The continuing drought, numerous lakes around the Diocese dry now for severalyears, Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree dry for the first time in years and the reducedflow of our rivers, are stark reminders of the need to change our lifestyle, if weare to stem the present serious water shortage.A statement by Catholic Earthcare, endorsed by the Catholic Bishops of theMurray Darling region, says that we need “a renewed spirituality of water thatrecognises its centrality for all life”, and that we need to “ treasure it as a life-giving gift of God, and a beautiful sign of God’s lifein us.” Elsewhere it states that “the use of the gift of water, whether on farms or in towns and cities, is a matter of conscience, ofright and wrong action before God.”Let us then use Water Week as a time to examine our use of water and make any changes that are necessary in our lifestyle inorder to preserve this precious gift.Diocesan Environment Working Party12Our Diocesan Community - September 2007