Catholic Outlook October 2016

CatholicOutlook
The official publication of the Diocese of Parramatta | www.catholicoutlook.org | VOLUME 19, OCTOBER 2016
Social Justice Statement 2016-17
A Place at the Table:
Social justice in an
ageing society
BISHOP VINCENT
SPEAKS TO THE
CHALLENGE OF BEING
CHURCH TODAY AT
ANN D CLARK LECTURE
page 12 page 17
DESIGNER AKITA
SANCHEZ SHARES
HER REFRESHING
PHILOSOPHY OF
'DRESSING UP FOR GOD'

DEAR FRIENDS,
For two weeks in September, I was in
Italy attending a silent retreat, which
was organised by the Congregation for
Bishops. Though it was difficult for me
to be away from the Diocese and its
many demands, I felt the retreat was
much-needed time to review, refocus and
recharge my spiritual life.
Jesus gave us that example of unmitigated
commitment to prayer and renewal even
when others were making demands on him.
We must try and seek that better portion
like Mary did even in the midst of the flurry
of activities.
One of the things I learned, or became ever
more conscious of, is the utter gratuity with
which God has loved me and enabled me to
be his instrument despite my unworthiness.
I don’t mean to say this just because I got
to sit next to Pope Francis at dinner. That
was an utter fluke or, better, an absolutely
unexpected blessing.
Out of the blue, I was given a seat next
to his Holiness like the beloved disciple
at the Last Supper. In fact, when I look
back my whole life has been a series of
unexpected blessings.
It is like God wrote a straight line on
crooked dots ,which has been characteristic
of my life. It is this gratuity of God’s love
towards me, this unmerited grace that has
shaped me that I am compelled to proclaim.
The readings this 25 th Sunday in Ordinary
Time also remind us of our duty to imitate
the God of utter magnanimity, graciousness
and forgiveness.
In the first reading, the prophet Amos
sternly cautions the people about the unjust
practices that go against the heart of their
religion. The lowering of the bushel, the
raising of the shekel and the tampering with
the scales etc … are some of these practices.
They betray the very purpose of the
Exodus, which was the liberation of the
people from their slavery and oppression.
They betray the very God that liberated
them and formed them into a new society
of justice, solidarity and equality.
BISHOP’S DIARY – OCTOBER 2016
4 Meets with the Provincial of Opus Dei.
THE BISHOP'S HOMILY
Most Rev Vincent Long OFM Conv
Homily for 25 th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, and Celebrating the Journey,
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, 18 September 2016
6 Blessing of the Diocesan Ministry Centre, Blacktown.
7 Retreat Day with Chancery Staff.
8 Celebrates Mass for the General Chapter of the Sisters
of Mercy, Parramatta.
9 Celebrates Mass of the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
with the Installation of Fr Giovani Gaviria as Parish
Priest at Sacred Heart Church, Warragamba, at 9.30am.
13 Celebrates Mass at Australian Catholic University,
North Sydney.
14 Attends a meeting of the Bishops of the Province
of NSW.
The Gospel confirms this message, albeit
in a way that may not be so obvious to us. It
tells of the parable of the unfaithful servant
who has failed his duty of stewardship.
He faces the prospect of unemployment,
reduced status and even ridicule.
He was given one more roll of the dice
and he does it wisely. He calls the master’s
debtors and writes down the debts. In other
words, he banks on his master’s generosity.
By writing down the debts, he actually
makes the claim that his master cannot fault
him: that the master forgives those who owe
him, that he is generous and magnanimous.
For banking on this defining virtue of his
master, the dishonest servant was praised.
The Word of God thus challenges us
about our relationship with God and with
one another. If God is so generous and
forgiving to us, we too must be generous
and forgiving with one another.
We cannot be the disciples of Jesus and
think and act merely in terms of the raw
justice of the world. None of us could be
saved if God applied the strict justice on the
basis of our merits.
The parable is actually designed to prod
at our sense of entitlement and merit. It
challenges us to think and act in the way
that God in Jesus has shown us, which is not
a raw justice of the world but the justice of
the Kingdom and the very mercy of God.
All of this helps us understand what
we are really celebrating today. It is about
more than your toughness, durability or
tenacity of putting up with each other for a
half century. You are not here as those who
have “survived” marriage, as if it were an
endurance test!
To be sure, your resilience and hardiness
is admirable and a great witness to us all, but
even more important is the faith that allowed
you to detect the grace of God working in
you since the day it was promised to you.
Yours is faith that believes that it is
precisely in the limited circumstances and
the limited relationships of your life that
God has called and graced you.
Today is about acknowledging and
‘Whatever path
we walk in our
journey of giving
and receiving love,
we are not meant
to be alone.’
celebrating that you have been able to keep
your promises because God has kept His
to you.
In all of that, let God leave you today
with a sense of wonder and awe as you
think of all the many moments He has
pulled you back from the edge of danger,
saving you from the full consequences of
your mistakes sinfulness.
Today is a day to congratulate you for
keeping your promise, but you know
better than I that it is even more so a day
to thank and praise God for keeping his
promise to you.
Whatever path we walk in our journey
of giving and receiving love, we are not
meant to be alone. We need community,
and it is here that the church has a key role,
in supporting us as we strive to build love
and in supporting us when our efforts to
collapse about us.
Whenever we find ourselves in our
relationships, let us remember the good
news that God is love, and that all God’s
grace is now being offered us to find the
truth that will set us free.
Everyone in this church, whatever our
past history, is capable now of loving and
receiving love. We must not compare
ourselves to others, or attempt to measure
our love.
Knowing that we are not meant to be
alone, let us take whatever small steps of
love present themselves to us and we will be
astonished at the results.
God is love and so love, any real love, is
the stuff of which miracles are made.
16 Celebrates Holy Mass of the 29 th Sunday in Ordinary
Time with the Rite of Candidacy to Holy Orders at St
Monica’s Parish, Richmond, 9.30am.
20 Convenes a meeting of the Council of Priests and
College of Consultors.
21 Celebrates Holy Mass for SREs followed by
presentation, Padre Pio Parish, Glenmore Park,
at 11am.
21 Celebrates Mass for the conferral of the Sacrament of
Confirmation at Holy Name of Mary Parish, Rydalmere,
at 7.30pm.
23 Celebrates Holy Mass of the 30 th Sunday in Ordinary
Time at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, 11am.
CONTENTS
THE BISHOP'S HOMILY
..................................................................... 2
NEWS & EVENTS
........................... 3, 4, 8, 10,17, 18, 22,23
SOCIAL JUSTICE
.............................................................. 5, 11
LIFE, MARRIAGE & FAMILY
..................................................................6,7
PASTORAL PLANNING
..................................................................... 9
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
............................................................ 12-14
CATHOLICCARE SOCIAL SERVICES
...................................................................15
PARISH PROFILE
...................................................................16
CATHOLIC YOUTH
...................................................................19
YEAR OF MERCY
...................................................................20
DIOCESAN NEWS
...................................................................21
CatholicOutlook
The official publication of the
Diocese of Parramatta
Publisher:
Most Rev Vincent Long OFM Conv
Bishop of Parramatta
Tel (02) 8838 3400
Fax (02) 9630 4813
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
Email: bishop@parra.catholic.org.au
Website: www.parracatholic.org
Editor:
Jane Favotto
Tel (02) 8838 3409
editor@parra.catholic.org.au
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
Journalists:
Adrian Middeldorp
Elizabeth McFarlane
Jordan Grantham
Designers:
Mathew De Sousa
Sarah Falzon
Chris Murray
School news:
Catholic Education Office
Tel (02) 9840 5609
news@parra.catholic.edu.au
Deadlines:
Editorial and advertising
– 10th of the month prior to publication
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40,500 copies of Catholic Outlook are
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2 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
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NEWS & EVENTS
Dr Susan Timoney from the Archdiocese of Washington addresses
The Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Wuerl, with Broken Bay’s
The Bishop of Broken Bay, Most Rev Peter A Comensoli, welcomes
delegates. Photos: Adrian Middeldorp.
Daniel Ang.
delegates to PROCLAIM 2016.
Parishes the heart of the New Evangelisation
By Adrian Middeldorp
and Jordan Grantham
AN OPTIMISTIC MESSAGE of
hope and the challenge to parishes
to become the centre of evangelisation
was the central message of the
PROCLAIM 2016 Conference on the New
Evangelisation, held at the Concourse in
Chatswood from 1-3 September.
This national gathering was hosted by
the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay in
partnership with the Australian Catholic
Bishops Conference.
PROCLAIM 2016 drew more than
520 delegates from across Australia, New
Zealand and the Pacific, seeking new ways
to build on the strengths and charisms of
the faith community.
The keynote speakers were: Archbishop
of Washington, Donald Cardinal Wuerl;
Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Auxiliary
Bishop of Westminster in the UK;
Dr Susan Timoney, Secretary for
Pastoral Ministry in the Archdiocese of
Washington in the US, and Daniel Ang,
Director of Evangelisation in the Diocese
of Broken Bay.
The program included workshop sessions
covering diverse areas, from marriage to
new media.
Cardinal Wuerl said that parishes “tell the
story of Jesus”. He presented evangelisation
as a warm and prayerful task. He explained
that evangelisation begins at the individual
level, through strengthened faith and taking
personal responsibility for evangelisation,
then engages the wider community with
conversation and new media.
“The goal at the parish level is to get as
many people as possible engaged in the
simple task of telling the story of Jesus,”
he said.
Cardinal Wuerl warmly endorsed social
media engagement: “The new media has to
be at the heart of our method of getting the
word out.”
Dr Susan Timoney called on delegates to
make parishes more accessible to those who
may want to encounter Christ by becoming
more inviting.
“We are the eyes, the hands, the heart of
Jesus in our homes, in our workplaces” so
we must “go, invite, welcome”.
Dr Timoney said those in the parishes
are not “just the buildings” but “what goes
in them”.
Her work in the Archdiocese of
Washington includes helping assess
parishes by their “indicators of vitality”.
The indicators include five key areas of
parish life.
Worship: The vitality of the parish’s
liturgical life with special emphasis on the
importance of the Eucharist.
Education: The ability to provide faith
formation for parishioners of all ages.
Community: The ability of a parish to
evangelise, reach out to the community
and welcome all people into the mission of
the parish.
Service: The parish calls parishioners to
help all who are in need.
Administrators: The parish has sufficient
leadership, management of resources and
decision-making processes.
Daniel Ang said that parishes should
not be afraid to have a vision and that they
could no longer rely on the “conveyor belt
of Catholicism”.
He said that evangelising parishes created
disciples in the midst of the church that
“opens individual lives to more possibilities
for the life of faith, vocation and holiness”.
He stressed the importance of parishes
having a vision, “When we communicate a
vision of the parish, how we seek to respond
to God in this context, in this time, in this
local community, when we can articulate a
vision of the kinds of spiritual growth we
are seeking to raise up in our people, this
passionate purpose becomes the heartbeat
or pulse of a parish.”
In the final keynote, Bishop Nicholas
Hudson said parishes should become
oases of mercy, “‘I learnt from my dad
when I was six years old. He used to
take me out to visit the neighbours
who were elderly or alone. He wasn’t
self-consciously teaching me to make
our family or our parish an oasis of
mercy, but I realised that he was, for
those vulnerable people around us, an
oasis of mercy.
Bishop Hudson also talked about the
benefits of a team for evangelisation: “The
Lord himself needed a team.”
In describing how mercy should be the
centre of parish evangelisation, he said
that “mercy is a christo-centric lens, if we
proclaim mercy, we proclaim Christ”. He
explained that the Latin word for mercy is
misericordae, which means literally to have
a “heart of pity”. He said the best way to
proclaim mercy was to “start doing it”.
Bishop Hudson said that we should
look at opportunities for kerygma,
“the preaching or proclamation of the
Christian Gospel”, not to “proselytise” but
to “lovingly inquire”.
PROCLAIM 2016 keynote addresses
can be viewed online at www.xt3.com/
proclaim2016/
With ACBC/Diocese of Broken Bay.
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NEWS & EVENTS
New ACN Secretary General visits
By Elizabeth McFarlane
and Jordan Grantham
A
NUMBER OF DECADES ago, a
South American priest on a study
tour in Germany visited the international
headquarters of Aid to the
Church in Need. This priest went on to
become a bishop, whose diocese received
support for aid projects from Aid to the
Church in Need.
Today, that priest is Pope Francis and
he continues to hold Aid to the Church in
Need (ACN) close to his heart.
Philipp Ozores is ACN’s new Secretary
General and on a recent visit to Australia
he shared his experience of Pope Francis’
support with Catholic Outlook.
In a private audience in June, the Holy
Father agreed to film a message supporting
ACN’s Year of Mercy campaign. “The Pope
said … let’s just do it now. So Fr Hans
Stapel (ACN Brazil’s President) pulled out
his iPhone and the Holy Father recorded a
message off the cuff,” Philipp said.
Prior to becoming Secretary General
of ACN, Philipp Ozores was Assistant to
the Chief Financial Officer for the Order
of Malta’s massive operations in Cologne,
which is perceived in Germany as “like the
Red Cross in a Catholic way”.
The Secretary-General of ACN, Philipp Ozores
with National Director Phillip Collignon (right).
Photo supplied.
Aid to the Church in Need is now the
Church’s largest pastoral charity, annually
receiving the equivalent of $A175 million
for aid projects, primarily for the poor and
persecuted Church around the world.
Support for Middle Eastern countries
increased significantly in response to the
chaos of the ‘Arab Spring’ and violence
of ISIS.
Aid to the Church in Need’s approach
is to support local projects through the
existing structures of the local Church. This
saves money and uses local expertise.
Last year, 6200 projects were funded, an
increase on the 5600 projects funded in the
previous year.
“The standard in ACN’s program is very
hands on for pastoral needs. But it also
could be very specific – it could be a car for
a priest, it could be building or renovating a
church or chapel,” Philipp said.
The Australian Office of Aid to the Church
in Need has one of the network’s most
efficient fundraising operations. It is led by
the National Director, Phillip Collignon,
who manages the operations from an office
located in Seven Hills.
Aid to the Church in Need Australia
raises about $4 million each year, from
10,000 benefactors.
The Mirror is ACN’s newsletter and
it is the main fundraising tool. Stories
about the varied projects and incredible
challenges of Catholics across the globe
regularly engage readers.
For World Youth Day Krakow this year,
ACN launched the app version of DOCAT,
the new youth catechism on Catholic
Social Teaching. It aims to energise a
million young Catholics in building a more
just and compassionate society. The book
was free to download.
The DOCAT app includes a quiz after
each section and links to Facebook
forums for further questions. This takes
ACN’s mission into the era of social
media and engages a new generation in
their vital aid work.
To support the work of ACN please go to the
Australian website www.aidtochurch.org
or contact the office tel (02) 9679 1929.
Bishop Vincent enjoyed a ‘John the Beloved Disciple’ moment with Pope Francis. Photo supplied.
The Pope who came to dinner
GUESS WHO SAT NEXT to Pope
Francis at the dinner table during
a recent retreat organised by
the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops?
Parramatta’s Bishop Vincent Long OFM
Conv was on a retreat in Italy with fellow
bishops from 2-16 September when the
Holy Father paid a visit.
“I spent two weeks in a mountain near
La Verna, which is the place where St
Francis received the sacred stigmata,”
Bishop Vincent said. “While I did not
witness the Transfiguration or receive
the stigmata, I can assure you that it was
wonderful to be there. The retreat was
hosted by the Sisters of the Divine Master
and preached by three wise Jesuits.
“It was bookended by the canonisation
of Mother Teresa at the beginning and
the Papal Audience at the end. I got lucky
when, unwittingly, I was given a prime
position (well, a bit of quick thinking and
pushing helped). I got the best seat in the
dining room at Santa Marta.
“While enjoying my ‘John the Beloved
Disciple’ moment (pictured), I spoke to
his Holiness about a few things close to
my heart. I introduced myself to him
as Bishop of Parramatta and a former
boat person. I raised the issue of asylum
seekers in Australia and our government’s
harsh offshore detention policy.
“The Holy Father commended the way
Italy handles the asylum seeker crisis and
grieved the cold-heartedness with which
some other countries act towards them.
“I also spoke to him about the opposition
both from within the Church and the
secular forces in respect of his leadership
on a number of issues such as climate
change, the person-centred economy and
concern for the marginalised.
“His simple answer and his gesture
left a deep impression on me: ‘I seek to
be authentic.’
“Pope Francis made me feel completely
at home and without fear. When he asked
me if I wanted wine and then poured
it into my glass, it was as though the
Servant Jesus came to life for me there
and then.
“It was a privileged moment and an
unforgettable experience. I thank God
for it and I am more determined to follow
the example of the Servant Leadership of
Pope Francis.”
Celebrate the Holy Year of Mercy by supporting priests, religious sisters and brothers wherever the Church is poor, persecuted or threatened
A priest visiting the sick in Peru
*
4 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
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SOCIAL JUSTICE
2016-17 SOCIAL JUSTICE STATEMENT
Call for communities of compassion as population ages
AS MORE AND MORE Australians
are living longer, we should celebrate
the great ‘success story’ of our
ageing population and, as a fair and compassionate
nation, foster solidarity among
all generations, Bishop Antoine-Charbel
Tarabay from the Australian Catholic Social
Justice Council said at last month's
launch of the Australian Catholic Bishops
2016-17 Social Justice Statement, A Place at
the Table: Social justice in an ageing society.
"Australia must protect older people who
are most vulnerable to hardship and who
are at risk of feeling they are a burden on
society," Bishop Tarabay said at the launch
in Sydney on 6 September.
The statement highlights the significant
contribution that older people continue
to make to the life of the community. The
number of Australians aged 65 and over
will more than double from 3.6 million
today to 8.9 million by the middle of
the century.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv is
the Chairman of the Australian Catholic
Social Justice Council. In the statement,
Bishop Vincent said the journey into
old age presented both challenges
and opportunities.
"Retirement, changing health and
altered living conditions can be
confronting for individuals and their
families. Our society, too, needs to adjust
as it deals with a community with an
increasingly higher proportion of older
people and comparatively fewer people of
working age.
"However, these changes bring gifts
too, and this is the time for families,
communities and society as a whole to
explore them. In the words of Pope Francis,
old age is a vocation, not a time to ‘pull in
the oars’, but ‘our societies are not ready,
spiritually and morally, to appreciate the
true value of this stage of life’.
"We are seeing a new vision of ageing, one
where many people enter their 60s and 70s
in good health and with plenty of skills and
energy to offer our communities. Indeed,
governments have seen this change and
have started calling for people to remain
in the workplace beyond the traditional
retirement age.
"For many, that is a realistic expectation;
but for it to be realised, governments
and employers must recognise the true
capacities of older people. They must also
acknowledge that not all older people are
healthy or well-off.
"Old age and frailty will come to us all
eventually, and we will need the help and
support of others. This is a time when
we must see a just society in action. We
must challenge the individualism and
consumerism of modern society that gives
rise to what Pope Francis calls a ‘throwaway’
culture. Stereotypes of older people
as doddering, out of touch or dependent
are false and dehumanising.
"People are not commodities, to be
valued only for their productivity or
purchasing power. They are human beings
in the fullest sense, precious in their own
right, possessing a dignity that was given
them by God. Furthermore, their wisdom
and lived experience are priceless treasures
that can enrich our lives.
"At this time in Australia, we face a
threefold challenge: to work for an inclusive
society that brings older people into the
heart of the community; to ensure the
dignity and care of people who are frail and
most vulnerable to neglect or abuse; and
to foster solidarity among all generations,
recognising the special affinity that exists
between young and old.
"We must never forget that
the older person before us is
a spouse, a parent, a brother
or sister, a friend and, most
importantly, a son or daughter
of God. All of us are created
in the image and likeness of
God, and are called to have our
rightful place at the table he
has prepared."
About 75% of men and
85% of women are reaching
retirement in good health and
with about 20 years of life
ahead of them.
However, there is a risk
that a society ill-prepared
for demographic change
may assess these trends as an
economic threat.
Already, we hear divisive
terms such as ‘intergenerational
theft’ or invidious comparisons
between ‘productive workers’
and ‘burdensome retirees’.
Our community must ensure
that both the costs
and the great benefits of
an ageing population are
shared equitably.
Where policies encourage longer working
lives, we must ensure that vulnerable groups
share the benefits of employment and are
protected from poverty in their later years.
Where aged-care sectors are being
opened to market competition, we must
ensure that those with limited means
receive the dignified and adequately funded
care all are entitled to.
The statement points out that particularly
vulnerable people can be exposed to
loneliness, ageism and elder abuse.
The bishops challenge a ‘throw-away’
a place at the table
SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AN AGEING SOCIETY
S o c i a l J u s t i c e S t a t e m e n t 2 0 1 6 – 1 7
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
culture that casts older people as being
burdensome or even dispensable.
They strongly affirm the sanctity of life
and call for a culture of compassionate care
that values and protects people in their
final years.
The bishops call for communities that
foster solidarity among the generations
and ensure older people have their rightful
place at the table.
The 2016-17 Social Justice Statement
can be downloaded from the Australian
Catholic Social Justice Council website:
www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au
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CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 5

LIFE, MARRIAGE & FAMILY
www.parrafamlife.org.au @parrafamlife parrafamlife
Image courtesy Steven Buhagiar.
Put on your sacramental lenses
By Meg Griffin,
Life, Marriage & Family Office
“
YOU MUST UNLEARN what
you have learned” were the
words of the wise Jedi Master
Yoda in Star Wars V, The Empire Strikes
Back. These words were echoed by International
Retreat Master, Fr Thomas Loya,
“learning is really about unlearning”, as he
began the first session of the Theology of
the Body Retreat hosted by Parramatta’s
Life, Marriage & Family Office at the picturesque
Mt Schoenstatt Retreat Centre
from 9-11 September.
Clarifying the intended application
of this “unlearning”, Fr Loya went on to
explain what it means to be Catholic. Often
misunderstood to be a religion of rules,
“Our Faith is about a way of seeing … and
living according to that vision.”
A sacrament brings together the infinite/
invisible and the tangible/visible – the
sacraments are part of what distinguishes us
from other religions, the invisible becomes
visible through something physical.
Hence, rather than simply dealing with
“religious stuff ” on Sundays at Mass, we can
begin to see all that is around us through
the lens of sacramentality, that is, seeing
the invisible (God) incarnated through his
creation and integrated into the order of
creation, all with a harmonious role to play
in God’s plan. To be Catholic is to be and
see sacramentally.
Fr Loya called it, “seeing with two Is”.
The wearing of these “Catholic,
sacramental lenses” through which we
view all things around us was a recurring
Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy
Penrose Park
Fatima Day: Thursday 13 October
A day of prayer with our Apostolic Nuncio His Excellency Most Reverend Adolfo Tito
Yllana! Come and offer prayers with us for the salvation of the world.
Exposition 10am, Holy Mass 11am, After Lunch; Procession and Devotions at
Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Principal Celebrant: His Excellency
Monthly Divine Mercy Sunday
2 October
11am: Solemn Mass followed by Devotions
including Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
motif throughout the weekend for the
retreat’s 35 participants.
Fr Loya represented this concept
physically by the continual clicking on and
off of his magnetic, black-rimmed glasses.
Having established the way in which
to see, Fr Loya proceeded to apply this
to human beings, beginning with Adam
and Eve.
We are all created as sexual beings, man
or woman, and we are all called to a spousal
love, no matter what our vocation.
Spousal love, simply put, is the complete
gift of self, which can be demonstrated
sacramentally through the physical union
of man and wife, as well as by priests
and religious in the giving of themselves
through their service to the Church.
The blessing of having Fr Loya present
the authentic roles of men and women as
intended by God was his unique perspective
in having a background in the field of art.
Seeing the world with both an artist’s
eye and a theologian's eye resulted in his
ability to communicate the deep meaning
of St John Paul II’s work through the use
of images, including iconography and
traditional Western art.
Being a Catholic priest of the Byzantine
rite, Fr Loya had an enriching knowledge
of the theology of iconography, especially
present in the Eastern Church.
Retreatants departed with a real sense of
the beauty of the human person, body and
soul, free from lust or prudishness, and the
way it is a living icon of the Holy Trinity.
Fr Loya showed that looking through
our sacramental lenses, the way in which
the human body was designed reflects the
Most Reverend Adolfo Tito Yllana
Fatima Family Sunday
16 October
11am: Holy Mass with Renewal of Wedding
Vows, followed by Devotions.
Upcoming celebrations in Our Shrine
Friday 7 October: Our Lady of the Rosary
11am Holy Mass followed by Exposition and Benediction.
Pauline Fathers’ Monastery
Address: 120 Hanging Rock Road, Berrima, NSW, 2577 Phone: 02 4878 9192
Email: paulinefathers@yahoo.com.au
Website: www.penrosepark.com.au
Pictured with Fr Thomas Loya are retreatants (from left): Liza Alimangohan, Arnel Alimangohan, Ben Smith,
Mary Ann Mamon and Levi Mamon.
very role and nature of men or women and,
hence, aspects of God.
The shape of a woman can be presented
artistically with circular lines, reflecting
her nature as relational; someone who
brings the family together, who nurtures.
She is also created to receive, as evidenced
physically by her womb.
By contrast, the man can be represented
artistically with triangular lines moving
outward. As the protector and the leader,
his actions are directed outward, dealing
with the external world.
Attesting to his authority on the topic,
COUPLE EVENING
FRIDAY, 28 OCTOBER, 7.30PM
St Paul the Apostle Parish Hall | 40 Buckleys Rd, Winston Hills
DVD Presentation titled “Communication
101” by author and couple counsellor
Dr Gary Chapman well known for his work
“The 5 Love Languages.’
For further information, or to register,
please contact Marriage, Education, Support
and Enrichment in The Life, Marriage and
Family Office ph: (02) 8838 3460.
Fr Loya learned his Theology of the Body
directly from St John Paul II, and was
present the moment he was shot, as well as
at his first reappearance after recovery.
Fr Loya’s conclusion was that if St John
Paul’s Theology of the Body could be spread
all over the world, and people taught to see
all around them sacramentally, the entire
face of the world would be changed.
With several school teachers from
the Diocese of Parramatta attending the
retreat, our Diocese can look forward to
the good fruits that will flow from this
nourishing experience.
6 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

www.parrafamlife.org.au @parrafamlife parrafamlife LIFE, MARRIAGE & FAMILY
St Teresa of Kolkata: a saint for most but not for all
By Ben Smith,
Director of the Life, Marriage
& Family Office
THERE WAS GREAT JOY in the
world on 4 September when Mother
Teresa of Kolkata was proclaimed a
saint. She is a glowing example of charity,
inspiring not just Catholics but people all
over the world.
But for some she is a fraud and an
ideological fanatic.
How is it possible for these two
contradictory views to exist? Could it be
due to Mother Teresa’s outspoken approach
on a number of moral issues?
In her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance
speech on 11 December 1979, she said
that “the greatest destroyer of peace today
is abortion.” This is because “if a mother
can kill her own child – what is left for
me to kill you and you to kill me – there is
nothing between.”
In 1982, she spoke to students at a number
of US universities, including Harvard, about
the importance of the virtue of chastity.
These were challenging words for her
audiences and they remain a challenge to us
in our time.
One of Mother Teresa’s most vocal
critics was British journalist Christopher
Hitchens, considered the founder of the
New Atheism movement. He viewed the
concept of a god as a totalitarian belief that
restricts human freedom.
Many of his disciples emerged on social
media around the time of Mother Teresa's
canonisation to reiterate his ideas.
One of the charges he made against
her was that: “She spent her life opposing
the only known cure for poverty, which
is the empowerment of women and the
emancipation of them from a livestock
version of compulsory reproduction.”
In terms of the empowerment of women,
the order she founded, the Missionaries
of Charity, run a number of schools,
orphanages, health clinics, soup kitchens
and family counselling programs. So this
criticism is hard to justify.
However, Mother Teresa’s forthright
views on abortion and sexual morality
conflict with Hitchens’ charge concerning
“reproductive emancipation”.
Her response to abortion was to set up
adoption agencies to help find homes for
unwanted children with those who had
trouble conceiving children.
Her order taught natural family planning
(NFP) to the poor of Kolkata. In her
Nobel Prize speech, she recounted that the
response she received from the poor who
used NFP was: “Our family is healthy, our
family is united, and we can have a baby
whenever we want.”
These approaches respect the human
dignity of all, including the unborn, and they
also respect the dignity of the generative
dimension of marriage by the promotion of
responsible parenthood.
They go against the conventional wisdom
that often ties foreign aid to population
control programs for the developing
world. The fertility of poor women in the
developing world is seen as a problem that
needs to be cured by programs that often
involve levels of coercion to encourage
abortion, contraception and/or sterilisation.
China’s one-child policy is an example.
There are other criticisms of Mother
Teresa’s work that I have not addressed
here, but they generally involve judging
with a secular Western world view the work
of an organisation with a Catholic world
view operating in extreme conditions in
developing countries.
Members of her order do amazing work,
to the best of their ability and with scarce
resources to help people who no one else
will help. It is easy to criticise from the
comfort of an air-conditioned apartment,
but it is harder to solve the complex
challenge of poverty.
Mother Teresa's response to abortion was to set up
adoption agencies to help find homes for
unwanted children.
Mother Teresa’s canonisation was a
wonderful occasion for the Church and the
world. Her example will inspire people in
both the present and the future, but these
efforts will need to contend with various
opposing world views that are becoming
increasingly vocal and intolerant.
To contact the Life, Marriage & Family
Office in the Diocese of Parramatta tel (02)
8838 3441 or send an email to
lmf@parra.catholic.org.au
BBI awarded new status as Higher
Education Provider
On 1 September 2016, BBI
was accredited as a Higher
Education Provider (HEP) by
the Tertiary Education Quality
Standards Agency (TEQSA)
– Australia’s independent
national regulator of the
higher education sector.
In its capacity as a HEP, BBI is
accredited to confer higher education
degrees which are recognised as
meeting national higher education
standards and are benchmarked with
universities, colleges and other tertiary
institutions throughout the country.
Leadership & Theology
Religious Education
Theological Studies
Governance & Canon Law
Postgraduate degrees in these
disciplines will be available in 2017.
To register your interest, phone BBI Student Services on: 02 9847 0030 • www.bbi.catholic.edu.au
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 7

NEWS & EVENTS
NEW
APPOINTMENTS
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv
has confirming the following
appointments in the
Diocese of Parramatta:
Rev Fr John Rizzo
Assistant Priest
St Patrick’s Parish, Guildford
Commencing 14 October.
Mr Martin Lugod
Director
– Diocesan Property
Services
Commencing 5 October.
Mr Michael Mendieta
Director
– Fundraising Strategy
& Development
Commencing 26 September.
From left: Joe Cashman, Executive Director, CatholicCare Social Services, Parramatta; Trish Devlin, Executive Director, CatholicCare, Broken Bay; Morgan Childers, Cluster
Manager, CatholicCare Sydney; Mark Boffa, SMOM; Dr Robert Costa, SMOM; Bernard Boerma, CEO, CatholicCare Sydney; and Richard Haddock AM, Chair CatholicCare
Sydney Board. Photo: CatholicCare, Sydney.
CatholicCare shares Coats for the Homeless
CATHOLICCARE Social Services –
Diocese of Parramatta thanks the
Knights of Malta for their generosity
and compassion in providing 100 Coats
for the Homeless in our Diocese. It is only
through such help that we are able to meet
the needs of the most vulnerable in Western
Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
The custom-designed coats were
donated by the NSW branch of the
Order of Malta to CatholicCare Sydney,
along with CatholicCare Parramatta,
Wollongong and Broken Bay. Homeless
men and women enthusiastically received
the coats from CatholicCare.
As miserable winter weather assailed
Sydney, most people buried themselves
under the covers – grateful to be warm and
safe. However, Sydney’s homeless huddled
in train stations, public parks and anywhere
they could find shelter.
The shocking fact is that homelessness is
increasing. Robert Costa, from the Order of
Malta, explained the grim reality: “In NSW
there are 28,190 homeless people, and that’s
an increase of 20.4% since 2006.”
Homelessness Australia statistics state
that one in 200 people in Sydney was
homeless during winter.
The Executive Director of CatholicCare
Parramatta, Joe Cashman, said the
Coats for the Homeless program
provided an opportunity to help at a very
fundamental level.
“Can you imagine living on the streets of
Sydney in the cold without a coat to keep
you warm? These coats offer protection
against the cold and I like to believe they
also gave people a feeling of hope and
dignity,” Mr Cashman said.
“Catholic Social Teaching on human
dignity and homelessness tells us that
each member of the human family has
equal rights because we are all children of
one God. We are sisters and brothers to
each other.
“The missions of the Order of Malta
and CatholicCare network are perfectly
aligned in our aim to break the cycle of
homelessness and reduce the number of
homeless people on our streets.”
To find out more about the Coats for the
Homeless program, please visit the Order
of Malta website http://orderofmalta.org.au/
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www.catholicoutlook.org

PASTORAL PLANNING
So what are parishes
like today?
By Richard McMahon,
Director of Pastoral Planning
& Implementation
THIS SEEMINGLY innocent question
asked by a friend at a recent
party goes to the heart of parish life
and ministry.
Firstly, there is a presumption that things
have changed. I always smile when I meet a
friend whom I have not seen for 10 years,
and they say, “You haven’t changed a bit!”
Perhaps this comment does something
for our vanity, but if they are speaking
about our maturity, our attitudes, or the
way we live our lives, we would hope for a
different comment.
Parishes, like people, are called to grow
and change, to “assume quite different
contours depending on the openness and
missionary creativity of the pastor and
the community.” (Pope Francis, Joy of the
Gospel, 28). In short, do our parishes change
or do we cling to the way we have always
done things?
Secondly, the question causes us to reflect
on how we would define our parish. There
is a temptation to speak simply of Sunday
Mass, of whether there is a good welcome,
good preaching and good music.
Certainly, such elements are significant
for Sunday worshippers, but how else might
we share our sense of parish?
Saint John XXIII describes the parish as “a
village fountain to which all have recourse
in their thirst”. Pope Francis echoes this
sentiment in the Year of Mercy, calling upon
each parish to be an “oasis of mercy”.
How do our parishes measure up against
this standard? How might our parishes
engage with families, young people, those
who are housebound, those who are
suffering, ethnic communities, refugees and
asylum seekers, those living alone, those
living with a disability?
In short, how do our parishes connect
with the very life of the suburb or suburbs
in which many of their parishioners live?
As important as it is for us to have a ready
response when people ask us why we believe
in God and follow Jesus, it is also important
for us to be able to invite people into the
Pope Francis echoes this sentiment in the Year of Mercy, calling upon each parish to be an “oasis of mercy”.
Photo: Diocese of Parramatta/Art in Images.
life of our parish, to be able to confidently
articulate why our parish matters, and what
the questioner may gain from involvement
in our parish life.
Finally, as we seek to grow as disciples in
our parishes, serving God’s mission, how
do we go about growing and renewing our
parish life? One way we enrich our parish life
is through inviting our parish representatives
and members of our community to reflect
together on our strengths, to consider the
needs of our local area, and to prioritise and
plan for the future.
When we listen to the Holy Spirit, and
listen to one another, and when we plan
together, we are putting our best energies
towards the future we believe God is calling
us to embrace.
Our Pastoral Planning Office offers
parishes a range of services in support of
reflecting and renewing parish life. This
year, I have had the privilege of facilitating
sessions with parish pastoral councils and
some larger groups.
In these sessions, we often renew our
focus on Jesus Christ and his mission,
reflect on the strengths of our community,
present and future needs, and plan for the
next few years.
Where needed, sometimes parishes also
articulate a vision and major goals for their
next few years.
If you believe your community would
benefit from support via our Pastoral
Planning Office, please do not hesitate
to contact us, tel (02) 8838 3460 or send
an email to pastoralplanning@parra.
catholic.org.au
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www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 9

NEWS & EVENTS
Bishop Manning Lecture
addresses the oldest oppression
By Jordan Grantham
MORE THAN 100 people attended
the fourth Bishop Manning Lecture
delivered by Melinda Tankard
Reist on 20 September at the Kirribilli Club.
The Catholic Commission for Employment
Relations (CCER) hosts the biennial
lecture, which has been delivered by such
eminent figures as Noel Pearson, Saul
Eslake and the Hon Bob Hawke.
CCER advises Catholic employers on
industrial relations and also advocates for
the rights of employees.
The Manning Lecture is named in
honour of Bishop Emeritus of Parramatta,
Kevin Manning. Bishop Kevin is well
known as a social justice advocate and was
in attendance.
Anthony Farley, Executive Director of
CCER, said the Commission did not shy
away from difficult conversations and gave
an overview of Melinda’s career as author
of five books, a frequent commentator in
print, radio and television, and co-founder
of the grassroots campaigning movement
to end the sexualisation and exploitation of
women, COLLECTIVE SHOUT.
Melinda presented the confronting
facts about prostitution and said it should
not be considered “a job like any other”.
In mounting her case, Melinda drew, in
part, from research she undertook for her
new book, Prostitution Narratives: Stories
of Survival in the Sex Trade (Spinifex Press,
2016). The book contains testimonies from
women who have escaped prostitution.
Shocking rates of violence, sexual
abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, mental
illness and sexually transmitted diseases
accompany prostitution.
Melinda compared the professional
recommendations for prostitution to crisis
management protocols in a hostage situation.
Advice included checking under the bed
for knives, having unobstructed access
to exits and shoes that are practical for
running. Handbags straps were presented
as potential strangulation hazards and
“pillows are a murder weapon”.
Towards the end of the lecture, Melinda
quoted American academic Catharine
MacKinnon, to leave the audience with a
powerful question: "If prostitution is a free
choice, why are the women with the fewest
choices the ones most often found doing it?”
From left: Anthony Farley, Melinda Tankard Reist, Bishop Kevin Manning and CCER Chair John Fernon SC.
Photo: Jordan Grantham.
The Acts of the Apostles: Taking the Gospel to a Wider World
From 14-15 October 2016
The Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay is delighted to host the 2016 Broken Bay Bible
Conference, The Acts of the Apostles: Taking the Gospel to a Wider World at the Caroline
Chisholm Centre, Pennant Hills.
Bringing together Australian biblical scholars and educators Dr Michele A Connolly, RSJ
and Dr Laurie Woods, the two-day event will explore the birth and growth of the very early
Church, and the journey of Peter, Paul and the other disciples as they take the message of
Jesus to the wider world.
Topics include: The Beginning of the Christian Community; Luke as Storyteller and Historian;
Christianity Catches on in the Greco-Roman World; Peter and Paul; and Women in
Early Christianity.
Registrations close 7 October. For further information and registration details go to
www.dbb.org.au Tel (02) 9847 0448, registrations@dbb.org.au
BACK TO
McAuleyDay
SUNDAY 6 TH NOVEMBER 2016, 12 NOON – 4.30PM
Put those you love
in the hands
of those who care
All past students, staff, parents and
friends of Catherine McAuley Westmead
(formerly known as Catherine McAuley
Girls High) are invited to return to school
to celebrate our 50th anniversary.
Golden Jubilee Mass to
commence at 12 noon,
Morley Centre,
Catherine McAuley Westmead
Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen
OFM Conv DD
Bishop of Parramatta
Following Mass enjoy a ‘trip down
memory lane’ with memorabilia,
displays, hospitality and performances.
Further information please contact
School Reception: 9849 9100 or
mcauleywestmead@parra.catholic.edu.au
Catherine McAuley Westmead
2 Darcy Road, Westmead
www.mcauley.nsw.edu.au
Sydney (02) 9519 5344 | Parramatta (02) 9687 1072
wnbull@wnbull.com | www.wnbull.com.au
10 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

Moving together – Towards a Culture of Nonviolence
By Sr Louise McKeogh FMA,
Social Justice Coordinator
PACE E BENE aims to promote the
spirituality and practice of active
nonviolence. On 10 September,
Pace e Bene hosted a seminar in Sydney
with the aim of empowering participants
to reflect on Jesus and his message of
nonviolence contained in the scriptures.
Rev Claude Mostowik MSC, the
Australian President of Pax Christi, an
international Christian peace movement,
shared his reflections and responses on
his participation in a ground-breaking
international conference hosted by the
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
The conference, with the theme
'Nonviolence and Just Peace: Contributing
to the Catholic Understanding
of and Commitment to Nonviolence',
was held in Rome from 11-13 April
this year.
Fr Claude was the only delegate from
Australia and he shared with us some of
the important outcomes and actions.
The background to the conference was
in recognition of the Year of Mercy and
the 50th anniversary of the release of St
John XXIII’s encyclical Peace on earth
(Pace in terris).
Conference participants represented a
broad spectrum of Church experience in
peacebuilding and creative nonviolence
in the face of violence and war. They
included delegates from the Middle
East, West Papua, the Philippines, Latin
America, Sri Lanka and Africa.
The conference produced a guiding
document titled 'An Appeal to the
Catholic Church to Re-commit to the
Centrality of Gospel Nonviolence'. There
was also a request to Pope Francis to write
an encyclical on peace and nonviolence.
Fr Claude said that in a message of
support for the conference, Pope Francis
encouraged discussion on the tools of
nonviolence and on creative and active
nonviolence action in particular, stating
that conflict must be faced and not
ignored or concealed.
Fr Claude’s input was followed by
interactive workshops that focused on
Jesus' message of nonviolence in the
Gospel. This stimulating session was
led by Rev Michael Barnes from the
Uniting Church.
We looked at several Gospel passages
within their historical and cultural
contexts and engaged in how Jesus was
actively encouraging a proactive and
creative nonviolent response.
Gill Burrows of Pace e Bene led workshops
on responses to conflict; conflict in
the broadest sense of the word.
As I travelled home after the seminar,
the international news of the day was
of increased bombing in Syria. Locally,
a fatal shooting had occurred in my
neighbourhood the previous evening.
The violence we read about in
newspapers and see on the television
news can lead us to become desensitised
to the impact it is having on each of us.
This includes the reports of violence
and trauma from Nauru and Manus
Island and juvenile detention centres
like Don Dale in the NT.
The seminar convinced us that we
need to be committed to building a
world of creative nonviolence within
ourselves, our families, neighbourhoods,
nationally and internationally.
It is not an easy task, but one that we
as church are called to.
An appeal to the Catholic Church to
re-commit to the centrality of Gospel
nonviolence can be found at: http://
www.paxchristi.net/document/5856
To contact Sr Louise McKeogh FMA
in the diocesan Social Justice Office
tel (02) 8838 3458 or send an email to:
LMckeogh@parra.catholic.org.au
SOCIAL JUSTICE
UPCOMING EVENTS
5th Annual Rosalie Rendu Lecture
‘The Changing Face of Poverty'
20 October from 6pm-7.30pm
During Anti-Poverty Week, the Society of
St Vincent de Paul NSW presents this year's
Rosalie Rendu Lecture.
Keynote speaker the Hon Susan Ryan AO will present
Homelessness in Older Women as one aspect of ‘The
Changing Face of Poverty’ followed by a Q&A panel
discussion. A networking event with light refreshments
will follow.
The lecture honours Blessed Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter
of Charity who was a leading worker and social organiser
to assist people in the slums of 19 th Century Paris.
At Wesley Conference Centre
220 Pitt Street, Sydney
Register by 13 October.
Further details and registrations at
www.mavs.vinnies.org.au or tel (02) 9568 0282.
Bringing Laudato Si’ to Life: From Vision to Action
10 & 11 November
With Fr Sean McDonagh SSC, Irish eco-theologian and
Columban missionary who will contribute to bringing
the vision of Laudato Si’ to life and action in churches
and the wider community, in dialogue with other faiths
and with environmentalists.
10 November: Public Event
Time: 6pm for 6.30pm start – finishes at 8.30pm
Venue: ACU, Gleeson Auditorium, Barker Rd, Strathfield
11 November: Priests & Parish Workers
Time: 1pm for 1.30pm start – finishes at 3.30pm
Venue: ACU, Tenison Woods House, Napier St,
North Sydney
Further details at www.columban.org.au
or contact Anne Lanyon tel (02) 9352 8021,
admin.cmi@columban.org.au
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CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 11

CATHOLIC EDUCATION www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
Our students prepare to
‘launch into the deep’
Bishop Vincent recently
called for the Catholic
Church to ‘launch into
deeper waters’ at Catholic
Education’s annual Ann D
Clark lecture. He echoed the
call of Pope Francis ‘to move
beyond the security of the
status quo and take the risk
of going to the periphery’. I
was reminded of this at the
recent Student Excellence
Awards, which recognise an outstanding Year 12
student from each of the Catholic secondary schools
in the Diocese of Parramatta.
These students who received awards have made
significant contributions to their school and
community. They have not been satisfied with the
status quo and it was a privilege to witness the
culmination of their efforts at the award ceremony.
The call of our Bishop to ‘leave the familiar or the
comfortable, to go to the unknown destination’ is
not an easy task. Yet all of our Year 12 students are
preparing to do exactly that as they come towards the
end of their schooling.
It is at this time of the year that we recognise the
support and encouragement that our families have
given Year 12 students. Although it is not always easy
to push ourselves, to launch into the deep, it is made
easier by the realisation that we are not asked to do
this alone, but as a community. For our students, the
support they receive from their families is invaluable.
Bishop of Parramatta speaks to the challenge of
being church today at 2016 Ann D Clark Lecture
Most Rev Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of
Parramatta, delivered the 17 th Annual Catholic Education
Ann D Clark Lecture on 18 August to more than 500
educators, principals and staff at the Evan Theatre,
Penrith Panthers.
In his thought-provoking lecture titled, ‘Pope Francis
and the challenge of being church today,’ Bishop Vincent
explored four key challenges: to offer a hopeful vision, to
go to the margins, to be a merciful church, and to be an
inclusive church.
“In Australia, we seem to have reached a critical
juncture,” Bishop Vincent said. “Not only are we afflicted
by such things as the decline in Sunday worship, the fall
in religious practice, the dearth of the priesthood and
religious life, etc … we also face the biggest challenge to
date, which is the loss of our moral credibility and trust
capital due to the sexual abuse crisis.
“I believe that we are living in a watershed and a privileged
moment in the history of the church. Just as the biblical
exile brought about the most transforming experience
that profoundly shaped the faith of Israel, this transition
time can potentially launch the church into a new era of
hope, engagement and solidarity that the Second Vatican
Council beckoned us with great foresight.”
Bishop Vincent spoke of the necessity for the church and
its people to launch into deeper waters.
“My personal story of being a refugee, my struggle for
a new life in Australia, coupled with my Franciscan
heritage have all contributed to the sense of hope which
was the legacy of the exile of old and which should
inform and enlighten our present exile experience,”
Bishop Vincent said.
“Like the prophets who accompanied their people,
interpreted the signs of the times and led them in the
direction of the kingdom … we must do the same for our
people in the context of this new millennium.
“This was what Mary MacKillop did when she rallied
her sisters behind the poor and vulnerable in colonial
Australia. She took a prophetic stance, not simply in
providing affordable quality Catholic education and health
care to the poor masses, but fundamentally in meeting the
great cultural challenges of their times.
“Like her, we are called to be channels of hope and to meet
the challenges of our times. In what ways can we follow her
prophetic vision and apply it to our context? Who are the
people without hope and how can we reframe the harsh
realities that they experience into a hopeful future?”
Executive Director Greg Whitby presented the Ann D
Clark medallion to Bishop Vincent at the conclusion of
the lecture. Now in its 17 th year, the Ann D Clark Lecture
is an annual event held to honour the memory of the
founding Executive Director of Schools in the Diocese of
Parramatta, Ann D Clark, who was a visionary educator.
Past speakers have included Prof Stephen Dinham OAM,
Dr Peter Hill, Prof John Hattie, Prof Vivianne Robinson,
Prof Michael Fullan, Senator Patrick Dodson and Prof
Yong Zhao.
To read the full text of Bishop Vincent’s lecture, visit
http://parracatholic.org/bishop/
As we approach World Teachers Day on 30 October,
we also thank and recognise the dedication and hard
work of our staff in forming our students as young
disciples of Christ, ready to face the challenge of
the unknown. Every day we also ask our teachers
to ‘launch into the deep’. We ask them to challenge
their own teaching practice and to personalise the
learning for every student. Through their faith and
action, our teachers model for students what it
means to be a disciple of Christ in the 21 st century,
equipping them with the knowledge and skills they
need to be successful.
There are 2,788 Year 12 students preparing for
the ‘unknown destination’ as they reach the end
of their schooling journey. The prayers of their
families, teachers, friends and school communities
accompany them as they prepare for their final
exams. Bishop Vincent commented in his lecture
that ‘even though the journey ahead of us is
daunting, we are bolstered by the fresh energy that
the Holy Spirit has given to us’. These words are of
utmost relevance to our students, as they begin their
journey beyond their school communities. We wish
them all the very best.
Greg Whitby
Executive Director
@gregwhitby
blog: bluyonder.wordpress.com
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv delivering the annual Catholic Education Ann D Clark Lecture.
12 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
Recipients of the 2016 Bishop of Parramatta Awards for Student Excellence.
Awards recognise student excellence
The annual Bishop of Parramatta Awards
for Student Excellence, which recognise
the religious and academic achievement
of Year 12 students across the Diocese,
were presented at St Patrick’s Cathedral
on 8 September.
The award acknowledges the contribution
of one Year 12 student from each Catholic
secondary school towards their school
and local community, as nominated by
their principal.
Episcopal Vicar for Education and
Formation Rev Chris de Souza EV and
Executive Director of Schools Greg
Whitby presented the awards on behalf of
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv.
To watch the Student Excellence awards please visit: https://youtu.be/b2uNf-rHsto
Congratulations to the following students:
Emily Tyrrell
Bede Polding College,
Windsor South
Chantelle Al-Khouri
Caroline Chisholm College,
Glenmore Park
Roanne Gonzales
Catherine McAuley
Westmead
Amelia Menouhos
Cerdon College,
Merrylands
Rachel Tuala
Delany College,
Granville
Klong Athum
Emmaus Catholic College,
Kemps Creek
Liam Ferreira
Gilroy Catholic College,
Castle Hill
Samuel Verceluz
Loyola Senior High School,
Mt Druitt
Jodie Klopf
Marian Catholic College,
Kenthurst
George El Bazouni
Maronite College of the Holy Family,
Parramatta
Olivia Armstrong
McCarthy Catholic College,
Emu Plains
Isabel Pinaroc
Montgrove College,
Orchard Hills
Angelica Tabone
Nagle College,
Blacktown South
Matthew D’Souza
Oakhill College,
Castle Hill
Rebecca Castor
Our Lady of Mercy College,
Parramatta
Caleb Toevai
Parramatta Marist High School
Delahoya Manu
Patrician Brothers’ College,
Blacktown
Jessica Hostiadi
St Andrews College,
Marayong
Liam Holmes
St Columba’s Catholic College,
Springwood
George Tartak
St Dominic’s College,
Kingswood
Cormac Lamb
St John Paul II Catholic College,
Schofields
Chloe Nguyen
St Marks Catholic College,
Stanhope Gardens
Jewelay Azar
St Patrick’s Marist College,
Dundas
Pierre Saba
St Pauls Catholic College,
Greystanes
Belinda Griffin
Tangara School for Girls,
Cherrybrook
Kristian Vulcik
Wollemi College,
Werrington
Brayden Farnham
Xavier Catholic College,
Llandilo
We would like to
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Study tips for the HSC
The 2016 HSC is fast approaching and more than 2788 students within the Diocese of
Parramatta will sit their final exams – the culmination of 13 years of schooling. It can be
a pressured time for students and parents alike. The following tips are provided to help
students approach their study in a calm and measured way.
How to make the most of study notes
The Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) offers students
access to their HSC subject syllabus, which can be a great guide to assist in studying and
preparing for exams. Use visuals such as mind maps and different colour highlighters to
help you review and recall your study notes.
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/syllabus2000_lista.html
When and where to study
Look for quiet spaces with lots of natural light; libraries and study specific work spaces in
the home can be conducive to quality study time. Avoid writing or typing in a hunchedover
position: sitting with good posture will allow you to study for longer periods of time.
Stress can often come from a lack of planning and structure, but this is easily avoidable
with an inclusive timetable. Don’t forget to include your extracurricular activities/
commitments and short breaks.
It is important to discuss your study plans with your family. Displaying your timetable on
the fridge is a great way for everyone to know when you will need quiet study-time.
Study buddies
Find a study buddy; this will be someone who shares your study goals and ethics. Utilise
your designated school study times or plan after-school study sessions to review your
notes together.
Set goals
We all know knowledge is its own reward but sometimes we need a little extra
motivation and positive reinforcement. Setting specific study goals prior to social
commitments, sporting activities or those ever-tempting chocolate breaks, is a good way
to ensure you stay on task, maximise your time and avoid procrastination.
Fuelling yourself
Remember all the mental and neurological
benefits that come from good health.
Keep up your regular exercise and sporting
commitments; eat healthy and wellbalanced
meals; and, of course, drink lots
of water.
Take a break
It’s OK to admit that the HSC is hard work.
So be kind to yourself and remember it is
OK to take a break. Relaxation comes with
many benefits, especially when you have a
structured study plan.
Your parents, teachers and friends want
you to do your best, and want you to be
happy and healthy while you are doing
the HSC.
Source: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/hsc-smart-study-adviceand-top-10-student-tips-20150526-gh9rxk.html
wish our
2778 Year 12 students
GOOD LUCK
as they prepare to sit for their Higher School Certificate examinations.
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 13

CATHOLIC EDUCATION www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
St Andrews student
wins Training Award
On 8 September, Year 12 St Andrews
College, Marayong, student Erin Gray won
the NSW VET in Schools Student of the
Year at the 2016 NSW Training Awards
state level competition. Curtis Miller
from the Catholic Education ICT Trainee
program was also nominated in the NSW
Trainee of the Year Awards.
Erin will now represent NSW at the
Australian Training Awards to be
held in Darwin next month. Erin has
been studying for a Certificate III Live
Production and Services.
College Prinicipal Nic Vidot said
he was immensely proud of Erin's
accomplishments. "Erin is an exemplary
VET student who works diligently for the
service of others," Nic said. "She is a great
role model for the vast benefits of studying
a school based VET course."
Meet Penrith's new Youth Deputy Mayors
Two Catholic school students are starting
their local government careers early,
having recently been selected as Youth
Deputy Mayors for Penrith City Council.
Year 7 students, Alannah Hader from
Caroline Chisholm College, Glenmore
Park, and Niamh O'Keefe from Emmaus
Catholic College, Kemps Creek, were
selected from 11 finalists in the 2016 Youth
Mayor Competition.
Held earlier this year, the competition
challenged local secondary school
students from Years 7 to 9 to come up
with their best Penrith adventure idea, in
line with Penrith’s proud tourism claim as
the state’s ‘adventure capital’.
Alannah Hader said she was thrilled
with the opportunity to represent her
local council and learn more about local
government, leadership and democracy.
Principal Nic Vidot and Erin Gray at the 2016
NSW Training Awards.
Erin said she was honoured to receive the
award and had gained enormously from
her VET study.
"It was a privilege enough to be
nominated in the first place, but to
be recognised for my hard work in a
typically Plan B style of learning really
allows me to be an ambassador for
Vocational Education," Erin said. "To say
I'm grateful would be an understatement,
i'm simply overjoyed at the platform
this award has given me to further my
education, and the preparation it has
provided me for joining the workforce."
From left: Penrith Mayor Cr Karen McKeown, Youth
Deputy Mayor Alannah Hader Youth Mayor Billie
Kuczynski from Cranebrook High School, and Niamh
O'Keefe.
“What goes on in our community does
not only affect adults, it affects the youth,”
Alannah said. “It’s good for the voices of
young people to be heard.”
Niamh O'Keefe said good leaders
encourage others to speak up. “A leader
listens to the people and gives the
community a voice,” Niamh said. “No
matter who you are, you can be a leader.”
YOU DON’T NEED TO LEAVE SCHOOL
TO START A TRADE ... DO BOTH!
CATHOLIC TRADE TRAINING CENTRES AT EMU PLAINS AND MOUNT DRUITT
Students in Years 11 and 12 can complete their Higher School Certificate and start a trade qualification in
Automotive, Hairdressing, Hospitality, Metals and Engineering, Brick & Block Laying, Plumbing, Childcare, Carpentry,
Shopfitting and Electrotechnology.
PLEASE CALL TO DISCUSS TRADES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
Cerdon students win WSU Science and
Engineering challenge
On 29 June, 32 Year 9 and 10 students
from Cerdon College, Merrylands, won
the Western Sydney University Science and
Engineering challenge. The challenge saw
students from local high schools working
in groups of four across eight different
science and engineering challenges.
Students from Cerdon built hovercrafts,
bionic hands, an all-terrain rover, hydrofoils,
circuits, bridges, tables and chairs, and paper
towers. All projects built on the day had to
withstand endurance and weight testing.
Catholic Education’s Project Leader,
Mathematics and Science K-12, Paul
Stenning said the girls showed strong
problem-solving abilities and persistence
when faced with new challenges.
“Their ability to collaborate as a team
worked strongly in their favour,” Paul said.
“It was clear that the girls demonstrated
exceptionally strong problem-solving
abilities, which are necessary in the field
of STEM.”
Year 10 Cerdon student Amanda Awad
said she found the experience challenging
and rewarding.
“I found the experience incredibly
empowering,” Amanda said. “I usually
find there is an assumption that males are
better at STEM subjects but our ability to
accomplish these challenges disproved this
for me.”
Catholic secondary students dive
into Rio 2016 Paralympics
Two students from Catholic schools in
the Diocese of Parramatta embarked on a
journey of a lifetime representing Australia
in the Paralympic swimming squad at the
2016 Rio Paralympics.
Year 10 student from Patrician Brothers’
College, Blacktown, Tim Hodge, who was
born with a lower leg deficiency and had to
have his right foot amputated at only four
years of age, developed a love of swimming
from a young age, catching the attention of
Australian Olympic selectors.
At the World Championships in Berlin
in June this year, Tim set a new World
Record in the 400m individual medley.
He also competed in the MCS Carnival,
taking the gold against a number of ablebodied
swimmers.
The challenge saw students working in groups
across eight different science and
engineering challenges.
What makes Year 9 student Jenna
Jones’ story incredible is that she was
diagnosed with rod-cone dystrophy, a rare
degenerative eye disease, while
in Kindergarten.
Jenna said despite feeling nervous and
excited about the trip to Rio her nerves for
racing hadn’t quite hit her yet.
“My parents were always incredibly
supportive and encouraged my passion for
swimming and my love of sports,” Jenna
said. “If anyone is dedicated and trains hard
then they can achieve their dreams.”
Tim said he was looking forward to
competing in Rio but not without nerves.
“I am blessed to have been given this
opportunity and I just hope I don’t let
anyone down,” Tim said.
FOR COURSE AND ENROLMENT INFORMATION CONTACT THE CATHOLIC TRADE TRAINING CENTRES AT:
McCarthy Catholic Trade Training Centre
75 Mackellar Street Emu Plains
T:4728 8129 E: mccarthycttc@parra.catholic.edu.au
www.mccarthycttc.catholic.edu.au
mccarthyttc
@McCarthyCTTC
Loyola Catholic Trade Training Centre
91 North Parade Mount Druitt
T:9407 7081 E: loyolacttc@parra.catholic.edu.au
www.loyolacttc.catholic.edu.au
or visit
www.cttc.com.au
Tim Hodges being wished well by his school community before setting off to Rio.
14 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

www.ccss.org.au
CCSSParramatta
CATHOLICCARE SOCIAL SERVICES
COURSES & EVENTS
Project Elizabeth: pregnancy and
early parenthood support
BECOMING A PARENT for the
first time is both a wonderful and
a challenging experience. Parenting
can be one of the most rewarding
but demanding roles a person can undertake.
No baby is born with a manual
outlining their temperament, nature or
what they will do in life.
CatholicCare provides support for
families and/or individuals who are
expecting a baby, have lost a baby or
who have a child aged from 0-3 years.
If you feel the need to talk to a
professional who listens and provides
support, then Project Elizabeth’s
counsellors may be able to help. Their
aim is to find solutions and build
skills to overcome personal obstacles,
cope better with life transitions and
unexpected events, and work to improve
relationships with others.
Project Elizabeth can assist by
offering:
1. Counselling;
2. Practical support according to
individual and family goals;
Based at our picturesque Mamre House
and Farm, offering 200 acres of tranquil
gardens, farm land and orchards
✓
✓
OUR SERVICES
✓
Choices Wellbeing offers therapy
services under the NDIS including
family counselling, carer counselling
and support coordination.
Choices CreateAbility Day Options
provides a holistic service offering
opportunities and programs in
community participation, life skills
and active ageing that are tailored
to fulfill individual needs and
aspirations.
✓
3. Information and referral to health and
community service organisations;
4. Visits in your home, at the centre
office or another place where you
feel comfortable;
5. An opportunity to attend parenting
groups run through the service; and
6. Parenting strategies.
Project Elizabeth can help if you are:
• Concerned about any pregnancy
issue, either a current or past
pregnancy, and wish to talk about it;
• Unsure of the best options for you
and your baby;
• Experiencing difficulties in caring for
children aged from 0-3 years;
• Unfamiliar with the local health and
welfare services;
• Anxious about your wife, partner,
girlfriend or daughter who is
pregnant; or
• Needing to talk about miscarriage,
abortion, adoption, assumption by
Family and Community Services,
having your child fostered, or a
pregnancy that you had in the past;
NDIS
APPROVED
PROVIDER
Choices Training is a registered
training organisation offering
customised learning in hospitality
and horticulture.
Choices Garden Services provides
supported employment for
individuals over the age of 16 in
receipt of the disability support
pension.
For further information
P: (02) 8822 2222 | E: choices@ccss.org.au
Project Elizabeth can help if you are unsure
of the best options for you and your baby.
For more information about Project
Elizabeth, please contact CatholicCare
tel (02) 8822 2266.
Mamre House would like to thank
THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE COMMEMORATION COMMITTEE
for their generous donation to our Refugee Program
A place of
Hope, Peace and Promise
MAMRE HOUSE IS A PLACE WHERE MIGRANTS
AND REFUGEES FEEL WELCOMED, SAFE AND
SUPPORTED WITH THEIR SETTLEMENT JOURNEY
INTO AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY.
A MODEL OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND A SPECIAL
PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY.
Mamre House & Farm
181 Mamre Road, Orchard Hills, NSW 2748
Phone (02) 9670 5321 | enquiries@ccss.org.au
www.ccss.org.au | www.facebook.com/CCSSParramatta
REACH Wellbeing Group – Do you have
depression or bipolar disorder? Are you looking for
strategies to manage your illness and wellbeing?
Come along to the REACH Wellbeing Group, nineweek
program held on Tuesdays (25 October – 20
December), 7pm-9pm, MMNC, 9 New St, Lawson.
Cost: $22 for workbook. (Suitable for people over
18 years.) To register, tel 0451 385 931,
reach@mmnc.org.au
Responsible Gambling Support Group is free and
on every Saturday, 9.30am-11am at CCSS Centre,
38 Prince St, Blacktown. Tel (02) 8822 2222.
Younger Widowed Support Group – Third Tuesday
of each month, 7pm-9pm. Please note new venue –
Institute for Mission, 1-5 Marion St, Blacktown.
Fee $5 per meeting. For further information tel
(02) 8822 2222, soloparentservices@ccss.org.au
All Saints of Africa Playgroup/Mums’ Group
– Thursdays during term time, 10am-noon, All
Saints of Africa Centre, 63 Allawah St, Blacktown.
For mums with children who have not started
primary school. Activities for children include
craft, storytime and singing, plus social interaction,
friendship and support for mums.
Tel (02) 8822 2250.
Stepping Beyond: Support for those separated
or divorced – last Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm-
9.30pm, CCSS Centre, 38 Prince St, Blacktown.
Fee: $5 per meeting. Tel (02) 8822 2222 or
soloparentservices@ccss.org.au
Aboriginal Catholic Services – Groups include
Problem Gambling Support Group, Tutoring Time
– free Literacy Tutoring for Kindergarten – Year
6, Playgroup, RECOVER Wellwbeing Groups –
including Sew4Wellbeing, Create4Wellbeing,
Dance4Wellbeing, Habit Breaking4Wellbeing. Holy
Family Parish, 254 Luxford Rd, Emerton.
Tel (02) 9628 0084.
Bringing Up Great Kids – Promote positive
relationships with children. Held over six Tuesdays
from 24 October, CCSS Centre, 38 Prince St,
Blacktown, 6pm-8pm. Bookings essential,
tel (02) 8822 2222.
Keeping Kids in Mind – For separated parents who
are experiencing ongoing conflict. Held over five
Mondays from 31 October, 6pm-8.30pm, CCSS
Centre, 38 Prince St, Blacktown, 6pm. Fee: $100.
Bookings essential, tel (02) 8822 2222.
Circle of Security – enhance attachment security
between parents and children. Thursdays from
20 October – 8 December, 10am-12.30pm,
CCSS Centre, 38 Prince St, Blacktown. Gold coin
donation. Bookings essential, tel (02) 8822 2222.
Recover Wellbeing – recovery oriented program
and support groups for people living with mental
distress. Monthly get-togethers 4 Wellbeing
include: Art and Writing Group 4 Wellbeing, Visual
Arts & Crafts Group 4 Wellbeing, Bead4Wellbeing
Drum4Wellbeing, Dance4Wellbeing,
Create4Wellbeing, Walk4Wellbeing, Breaking
Habits4Wellbeing. For further information
tel (02) 8822 2222.
Offices at Blacktown, Emerton, Parramatta, Penrith, Springwood, tel (02) 8822 2222
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 15

PARISH PROFILE
Parishioners (from left): Ernie and Edith Gartner with Mary and John Jordan.
Seven Hills Parish: a jewel in Our Lady’s crown
By Jordan Grantham
PRAYER AND COMMUNITY sustained
Fr Henry Huu Duc Tran as he
escaped war-torn Vietnam and Cambodia.
Today, prayer and community are
the pillars of his thriving parish, Our Lady
of Lourdes at Seven Hills.
In 1984, Fr Duc escaped to Cambodia
after being conscripted to the Vietnamese
army. “In Cambodia, we were living in
constant fear. There were people with guns
everywhere and you were worried about
getting killed,” he said.
There was no longer a Catholic Church in
Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital city.
“The only thing we could do to sustain us
in faith was to get together as a group and
pray the rosary and all the prayers that we
could remember.”
Fr Duc believes these experiences
“kept us together and helped us survive
our ordeal”. This ordeal included being
imprisoned for two weeks with the other
former seminarians.
Rescue came in the form of a refugee visa
to Australia, after making it to a refugee
camp in Thailand. “I was a prisoner and
was set free,” Fr Duc said.
In Australia, Fr Duc found the freedom to
practice his faith and continue his studies.
Here, Fr Duc met Bishop Long, a fellow
ex-boat person, while they were both
seminarians: “I was privileged to know
him before ordination to the priesthood,”
Fr Duc said.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish is a strong
community. “Not just the parish, not
just the school; we are one community,”
Fr Duc said.
Many members of the parish spend long
hours serving the Church and the needy.
John and Mary Jordan have opened and
closed the parish church almost every day
for the past 50 years. They form a team with
Ernie and Edith Gartner.
When pressed for inspiration about such
dedicated service, John said, “It’s just the
Catholic way.” John clearly loves the parish,
“Everybody who comes here says this is
a friendly place and they like the church
building as well.”
Mary points to St Mary of the Cross
MacKillop as a personal inspiration.
Both help organise the lively Over-50s
group, whose 70 members meet regularly
for fellowship.
Recently, a former refugee spoke to
the group about his experiences. He
learned English from the University of
Sydney Vinnies group, which visits the
parish regularly.
Debra Price has been the parish
secretary for more than eight years.
She goes above and beyond to care
for parishioners in times of grief
and hardship.
Debra realised that she could save
the refugee students money by cooking
dinner for them. Others were inspired by
her initiative and now an organised roster
exists to cook for those in need.
During the Year of Mercy, the parish
is raising funds for an East Timor
parish with the Mercy Box program.
The students from Our Lady of Lourdes
Primary School drew designs for the
boxes, which were selected and produced
en masse. So far, more than $2000 has
been raised.
Judy Kendall is the Youth and Sacramental
Coordinator. She produced hundreds of
these colourful boxes. A special moment
for Judy was when her daughter made one
of the selected designs.
The unity of the community is expressed
most of all in their commitment to Christ
Judy Kendall and Debra Price with the Mercy Boxes. Photos: Jordan Grantham.
Fr Henry Huu Duc Tran is Parish Priest of Our Lady of
Lourdes Parish at Seven Hills.
and living according to God’s plan. “Here,
we are just starting to prepare the young
people for mission and helping the poor,”
Judy said.
A regional Way of Mercy celebration
will be co-hosted by St Bernadette's
Parish at Lalor Park, St Anthony's Parish
at Toongabbie and Our Lady of Lourdes
Parish at Seven Hills from Friday 7 to
Sunday 10 October. It commences on
Friday at 6.30pm with a special Mass,
followed by a BBQ, testimonies, rosaries,
Divine Mercy chaplet and benediction.
Inquiries to Deacon James Phelan
tel 0425 213 832, secretary@stanthonyschurch.org.au
16 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

C16 M0 Y13 K0
#daede2 - Mint
Fashionable, faithful and Filipina
NEWS & EVENTS
By Jordan Grantham
AKITA SANCHEZ is a young
Filipina-Australian fashion designer
who was profiled by
SBS Radio on 12 September. Akita regularly
attends Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral
in Parramatta. In the radio interview, she
shared her refreshing philosophy of ‘dressing
up for God’ with a wide audience.
Akita spoke in her beautiful and gentle
voice about the truth of the faith and
the impact that has on her fashion. This
included fashion tips in general and at
reverent occasions, especially the Mass.
“A priest told me to go to daily Mass
and said it would change my life,”
she said. “You are presenting yourself
to royalty – Christ the King, he is
really present.”
Akita said fashion informed by faith
continues from Mass and into daily life
“by exposing the beauty of a woman,
not through her body, but by designing
clothing she will feel confident to wear”.
She advocates that when dignified design
accentuates a person’s personality, it has
been successful in a Catholic sense.
“There is a balance in designing for
fun but also designing to accentuate
personality. That is where the faith part
comes in.”
Akita’s inspirations include designers
Issey Miyake and Kenzo, childhood
memories of folding origami, the colour
of nature and incorporating the faith in
subtle ways. Eastern culture has provided
many influences, such as simple and
fluid silhouettes.
The strong faithful following in Filipino
culture is interested in the topics of the
Catholic faith and fashion. This can seem
like a “contradictory spectrum” according
to Akita.
Some current fashion trends are too
revealing, which requires creativity to
harmonise with the requirements of faith.
“To be able to combine these two together,
it's as if something has to be overridden in
the place of the other, so when a balance is
achieved, it has a unique effect.”
Other popular trends, such as folksy
dresses, are more modest and require less
adaptation to avoid being compromising.
“As a Catholic, I believe your faith is
something that cannot be compromised.”
Akita was the NSW sector head of Youth
for Christ and involved in youth ministry.
Giving ministry talks was a regular part of
her life.
At present, she is taking a break from
commercial design and is focusing on
curating her own style. Feedback from
friends, both male and female, has been
helpful to discern what works.
The SBS interview was brief but received
wide coverage because it was shared across
social media and positive feedback has
flowed in from many people. “It has been
quite humbling to know that people have
actually listened to it,” Akita said.
Models: Ynez Ruiz and Alyssa Santiago. Hair & Make Up: Carmel Villanueva. Photography: Charlie Coe.
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CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 17
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NEWS & EVENTS
An invitation to
‘Come and See’
High school students from the Diocese of
Parramatta and beyond have the chance to
experience tertiary education for one day at
Campion College’s ‘Come and See Day’ on
5 October.
Campion College is the first Liberal Arts
College in Australia, providing a Bachelor
of Arts degree in an authentically Catholic
environment, as well as a Diploma of Liberal
Arts and a Diploma of Classical Languages.
Dozens of students are expected from the
Augustine Academy, a liberal arts school
offering courses for secondary students.
The day will commence with Mass and
a free catered lunch either in the Dining
Hall or on the beautiful outdoor deck
area. This will be followed by lectures,
tours, Mass with the students, and
information about scholarships.
Students can apply to attend Campion
College and go through an interview on
the day.
The event commences at noon and finishes
at 4.30pm. Registration and further details
can be found at: www.campion.edu.au/
admissions/comeandsee or
tel (02) 9896 9300.
Come and experience tertiary education at
Campion College.
Miriam and Mark Makowiecki met and fell in love while studying at Campion College.
This year the couple were blessed with a baby boy.
Learning and yearning for life, love and eternity
By Jordan Grantham
FIVE YEARS AGO, Miriam Makowiecki
was a small-town girl from
rural Queensland. Little did she know
her life would be transformed at Campion
College, Australia.
Miriam was attracted by the deep
study of the humanities provided, which
focuses on the wisdom and truth within
Western civilisation.
Despite being dux of her school, she was
yearning for deeper learning that nourished
her mind and soul.
“The educational philosophy of the
Liberal Arts made far more sense than the
utilitarian nature of education I experienced
in high school,” Miriam said.
Highlights of her time at the
college include Campion trips to Italy
and India, working with St Mother
Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, and
leading the social activities of the student
association.
“Most importantly, I met my husband,
Mark, at Campion and I'm certainly not the
only person who has been blessed to find a
spouse,” she said.
In a practical sense, Miriam found that
“the Liberal Arts were in fact the perfect
preparation for teaching”.
The daily Mass at the college is the
only event at noon. Students are free
from classes and lunch, allowing them
to attend. This experience deepened
Miriam’s faith, facilitating personal
growth and love of Christ.
“Having the Mass as the central point of
the whole experience led to a lot of selfreflection
and this, in turn, changes one's
perception of the world – at least it did for
me,” she said.
Miriam is now the President of the
Alumni Association, which held the
annual Alumni Reunion from 9-11
September. Forty people attended from
as far afield as Melbourne, Brisbane,
Canberra, Adelaide, Wagga Wagga and
Albury. This coincided with the college’s
10 Year Anniversary celebrations.
Events included a night at the historic
Cricketer’s Arms Hotel, Prospect, and an
alumni football match. A special highlight
was the Solemn Mass at St Patrick’s
Cathedral on Sunday morning.
Many alumni joined the Campion
Schola for the Mass. Several Campion
Schola alumni are ongoing members of
the Cathedral Schola, both of which are
conducted by St Patrick’s Director of Music,
Bernard Kirkpatrick.
A ‘Ten Years of Talent Show’ concluded
the weekend, showcasing an astonishing
range of talent. Campion alumni have
received offers to the Conservatorium
of Music, scholarships to the University
of Wollongong, job offers at Cirque du
Soleil, performed in the Sydney Youth
Orchestra and won national partner
dancing competitions.
Post-Campion, most pursue postgraduate
study, with multiple students winning
faculty medals, valuable scholarships and
pursuing doctorates.
“The degree is completely nonprescriptive
in terms of postgraduate
activities, so there is a lot of variety,”
Miriam explained.
Multiple alumni are working in
education, media, politics, academia,
law and managerial roles. There are also
alumni in formation for priesthood and
the religious life and many alumni who
married each other.
“My husband proposed to me on New
Year’s Eve, a few weeks after graduation,”
Miriam said. Suffice to say, there
were fireworks.
“I'm now a mum and my experience at
Campion plays a part in how I journey down
this new path in my life. The education at
Campion permeates all aspects of my life,
not just my teaching.”
18 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

CatholicYouthParra @cyp_parramatta @CatholicYouthParra
CATHOLIC YOUTH
WYD 2016 Krakow: one-month reunion
By James Camden, CYP Director
LAST MONTH AT Blacktown, 80% of
our World Youth Day pilgrims were
able to reunite for an extensive Saturday
evening of reflection and reconnection
at Nagle College on 3 September.
The night kicked off with a medley of
WYD anthems learnt during our time
in Krakow and led by the LIFTED Band.
Pilgrims were then treated to eight video
clips that captured the ‘hinge’ moments of
our time away and created opportunities
for small groups to further reflect on the
impact those moments have had on them,
one month on.
Very Rev Chris de Souza EV continued
to inspire the group with his invitation that
‘to be merciful is to open the eyes of our
heart’ and challenged pilgrims to continue
searching for opportunities to show mercy
and be open to receiving mercy in our lives.
Pilgrims ended the reunion by making
a commitment to their school, parish or
workplace that will be followed up with
them by the group leader.
Over the coming months we will be
able to share some data and feedback
more publicly about the overall impact the
World Youth Day experience has had on
our young people in the Diocese as they
complete a comprehensive survey and
reflection exercise.
LIFTED Live! in the Forecourt
This month our largest and final LIFTED
Live! of 2016 comes to the St Patrick’s
Cathedral forecourt in Parramatta. The
event marks the feast day of St John Paul II,
founder of our Diocese and father of World
Youth Days.
A huge outdoor concert featuring
bands, solo artists, and dancers alongside
testimonies from young people, food stalls
run by youth groups, a drama by NET
Team Australia and an inspirational first
appearance and message by Bishop Vincent
Long OFM Conv.
This is an event not to be missed and
is open to all but especially young people
from our schools and parishes. See it as an
opportunity to invite that friend or family
member who isn’t quite sure about what we
do and why we do it.
LIFTED Sports Day on 13 November
For almost 10 years the Nepean Deanery
has hosted the only long-lasting, post-
WYD08 Sydney program in the Diocese
of Parramatta.
This year, to consolidate our resources,
branding and finances, it becomes the
LIFTED Sports Day, recognising that
its success has made it truly a diocesanwide
Catholic event for young people
exhibiting sportsmanship, teamwork and
community building.
It's still Parish V Parish for 16- to 35-yearolds
representing 16 teams
Here's what you need to know:
It's recommended that you have at least
12 team members; combine with another
parish if you're short;
• Two females must be on the field for all
sports at any one time; and
• Two registered members of your team
must be a secondary school aged young
person 16-18 years of age. Reach out to
your local secondary school and make
this truly a parish mission event
Captains are currently registering
their teams with Sr Rosie Drum MGL:
rdrum@parra.catholic.org.au
There's not many places left. No need to
confirm your team members until a later
date. Just register your team.
Last month’s WYD pilgrim reunion was an opportunity to reconnect. Photos: Adrian Middeldorp.
The death of a family
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LIVE MUSIC, SINGERS AND DANCERS
CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF JPII
Saturday 22nd October | 7 - 10pm
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta
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CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 19

YEAR OF MERCY www.mercyhasaface.org.au #mercyhasaface
The community of Sacred Heart Parish at Westmead gathered in St Patrick’s Cathedral for the Mass on
5 September.
Schools in Way of the Cross procession
CATHERINE MCAULEY Westmead
joined with Parramatta Marist
High, Sacred Heart Primary School
and Mother Teresa Primary School (all
schools in Westmead Parish) in a meaningful
and reverent procession with the Mercy
Cross and Relics on 5 September.
This was a tangible expression of our
devotion to our faith, to living mercy and
to the memory St Teresa of Kolkata and St
Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
In the preceding weeks, representatives
from each school met on a number of
occasions to plan the celebrations, which
coincided with Mother Teresa Primary
School’s celebrations of the canonisation of
Mother Teresa.
The celebrations began with a welcome
to country and some beautiful prayers at
Mother Teresa Primary where the Cross
and Relics were received by the older
schools and handed to the newest schools
on the site.
The procession moved through Mother
Teresa Primary into Parramatta Marist
High and then into Catherine McAuley
Westmead. Students from the three schools
lined the path of the Cross.
The Cross and Relics were then
transported to St Patrick’s Cathedral where
students from Sacred Heart Primary
formed a guard of honour as the procession
continued into the Cathedral where it was a
focal point for Mass.
PILGRIMAGE OF
MERCY CROSS & RELICS
A
PILGRIMAGE WITH the Mercy
Cross and Relics of St Mary of
the Cross MacKillop and St Teresa
of Kolkata is underway in the Diocese
of Parramatta.
During October and November, the
Cross and Relics will be at Regional
Gatherings hosted by the parishes of Seven
Hills, Quakers Hill, Plumpton, Penrith,
Springwood and Parramatta.
The pilgrimage will conclude at
St Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday
13 November when the four Holy
Doors within the Diocese of Parramatta
will close.
The Holy Doors are located in the
Cathedral, the Schoenstatt Shrine at
Mulgoa, the Shrine of the Holy Innocents
at Kellyville and Our Lady of Czestochowa
Chapel at Marayong.
The Jubilee Year of Mercy called by Pope
Francis will end on the Solemnity of Our
Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, on
Sunday 20 November when the Pope will
close the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica
in Rome.
Regional Gatherings in October & November
8-9 October
Hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes
Parish, Seven Hills, with St
Bernadette’s Parish, Lalor
Park, and St Anthony’s Parish,
Toongabbie. Information: Seven
Hills Parish tel (02) 9622 2920.
15-16 October
Hosted by Mary Immaculate
Parish, Quakers Hill, with St John
XXIII Parish, Glenwood-Stanhope
Gardens, Our Lady of the Rosary
Parish, Kellyville, and Our Lady
of the Angels Parish, Rouse Hill.
Information: Quakers Hill Parish
tel (02) 9626 3326.
Parish, Penrith, with Corpus
Christi Parish, Cranebrook, St
Joseph’s Parish, Kingswood, Our
Lady of the Rosary Parish, St
Marys, and Holy Spirit Parish, St
Clair. Information: Penrith Parish
tel (02) 4721 2509.
5-6 November
Hosted St Thomas Aquinas Parish,
Springwood, with Sacred Heart
Parish, Blackheath, St Mary of the
Cross MacKillop Parish, Upper
Blue Mountains, and Our Lady
of the Nativity Parish, Lawson.
Information: Springwood Parish
tel (02) 4754 1052.
22-23 October
Hosted by The Good Shepherd
Parish, Plumpton, with St Aidan’s
Parish, Rooty Hill, Holy Family
Parish, Mt Druitt, and Sacred
Heart Parish, Mt Druitt South.
Information: Plumpton Parish
tel (02) 9832 4461.
30-31 October
Hosted by St Nicholas of Myra
12-13 November
Hosted by St Patrick’s Cathedral
Parish, Parramatta, with
St Monica’s Parish, North
Parramatta, St Bernadette’s
Parish, Dundas Valley, Christ
the King Parish, North Rocks,
and Holy Name of Mary Parish,
Rydalmere. Information:
St Patrick’s Cathedral
tel (02) 8839 8400.
Students from Catherine McAuley Westmead, Parramatta Marist High, Sacred Heart Primary School and Mother
Teresa Primary School taking part in the Way of the Cross Procession at Catherine McAuley.
For more information about the Way of Mercy, please contact the
Pastoral Planning Office, tel (02) 8838 3460, pastoralplanning@parra.catholic.org.au
theLMent.com
Our retired Priests have always been a part of
your FAMILY,
in your celebrations, unions,
happiness & sadness
CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA CLERGY SUPPORT FOUNDATION
In their retirement,
they can still remain a part of your
FAMILY
CARING FOR THOSE WHO CARED
Please support our sick and
retired Priests through the Clergy
Support Foundation.
Donations are welcome at any
time – amounts of $2 or more are
tax deductible.
If you are preparing or changing
a Will you may consider
bequeathing a donation to the
Foundation.
For more information please call
(02) 9639 0598 or donate online
at www.parra.catholic.org.au
20 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

DIOCESAN NEWS
Celebrating the Journey at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 18 September 2016
The Life, Marriage and Family Office organised last month’s Celebrating the
Journey Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta. At the Mass, 42 couples,
who were celebrating their 25 th , 30 th , 35 th , 40 th , 45 th , 50 th and subsequent
anniversaries, renewed their wedding vows.
The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, who praised the
couples by acknowledging that: “Today is about acknowledging and celebrating
that you have been able to keep your promises because God has kept His to you.”
To read Bishop Vincent’s homily visit
http://parracatholic.org/category/bishopvincent/bishophomilies/
To view a gallery of photos by Alphonsus Fok visit
https://www.flickr.com/photos/parracatholic/albums
Supporting families in a time of
need is what Allan Drew Funerals
has done best for over 25 years.
Thanksgiving Mass for RCIA
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Friday 4 November at 7.30pm
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv will celebrate the annual Thanksgiving
Mass for RCIA teams and Sacraments of Initiation teams and facilitators.
Please RSVP by Wednesday 2 November:
Tel (02) 8838 3456, alobo@parra.catholic.org.au
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 21

NEWS & EVENTS
Catholic media converge in Sydney for annual conference
CATHOLIC EDITORS and communication
professionals working
in Church media came together in
Sydney last month for the annual conference
of the Australasian Catholic Press Association
(ACPA).
To celebrate the Jubilee Year of
Mercy, the theme of the conference
was ‘Channels of Mercy’, reflecting the
important role Catholic media plays in
helping to ensure God’s mercy is spread
throughout the world.
The conference was held over three
days, from 5-7 September, and featured
a program that included people working
at the grassroots to address injustice
and inequality, focusing on how Church
communicators can best tell their stories.
Delegates shared ideas and knowledge
through panel discussions and presentations
on the latest trends in media
and communication.
In a first for ACPA, the program included
the launch of the 2016-17 Social Justice
Statement, A Place at the Table: Social
justice in an ageing society.
The keynote address was given by
Rev Dr Kevin McGovern, Emeritus
Director of the Caroline Chisholm Centre
for Health Ethics.
A highlight was the conference dinner
at Mary MacKillop Place in North Sydney
when the guest speaker was the actor and
author William McInnes.
On the night, the ACPA Awards for
Excellence were presented by Bishop
Anthony Randazzo, Auxiliary Bishop of
Sydney, who was the principal celebrant for
the Conference Mass.
The aim of the ACPA Awards is to
encourage and reward excellence in the
field of Catholic publishing and the media.
Judges are professionals working in Church
and/or the mainstream media who are
qualified to give a critical appraisal of the
work presented.
Awards were presented in 26 categories
with the premier honour going to
the The Southern Cross, which received
the Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial
Award for Overall Excellence in a
Catholic Publication.
The conference program began with an
acknowledgement of country by Elsie Heiss,
a Wiradjuri woman and founding member
of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Sydney.
The opening address was given by Senator
Malarndirri McCarthy from the Northern
Territory, who is a former journalist/
presenter with SBS/NITV News.
Marcelle Mogg, CEO of Catholic Social
Services Australia, gave the keynote address,
‘Advocating mercy in a land of judgement’.
This was followed by a discussion on
‘Sharing stories of mercy’ with panelists
Margaret Wiseman (prison chaplaincy),
Margaret Ng (human trafficking) and Mary
Leahy (seafarers’ chaplaincy).
The program included sessions on the
role of Catholic media and the Mission of
Mercy and latest trends in communications.
Delegates visited the convent of the
Missionaries of Charity in Surry Hills where
they met some of the sisters of the order
founded by Mother Teresa of Kolkata, who
was canonised in Rome two days before the
conference started.
More than 50 delegates and partners
attended this year’s conference, which was
made possible through sponsorship from
InvoCare, The University of Notre Dame,
Caritas Australia, Australian Catholic
University, WN Bull Funeral Directors,
Catholic Super, The Broken Bay Institute,
Catholic Mission, Fraynework Multimedia
and Doran Printing.
Our diocesan magazine, Catholic
Outlook, is a member of ACPA. The
Communications team in the Chancery are
grateful to the many people who contribute
to Catholic Outlook from parishes and
schools, Catholic Education Parramatta,
diocesan ministries and Church agencies,
groups and individuals across the Diocese.
The aim of this monthly magazine
distributed through parishes and schools
is to communicate the ‘good news’ of the
Catholic faith.
The editorial focus is on local issues and
people living faith-filled lives, to support
the mission of the Church and its outreach
through education, social justice, social
welfare, and aged care.
The publication has a key role in the
‘New Evangelisation’ called for by St John
Paul II through supporting the Catholic
community as it grows in faith and shares
the faith.
The print edition is complemented by an
online edition and free e-news subscription:
www.catholicoutlook.org
Through its website, Catholic Outlook
is networked to a range of diocesan
communication channels, including
parish and ministry websites and social
media platforms.
Catholic Outlook’s print and online
archive is a rich source of information
about the Diocese of Parramatta and the
Catholic Church in general.
Guest speaker for the conference dinner
was the actor and author William McInnes.
Photos: Melissa Loughlin & Annie Carrett.
Bishop Anthony Randazzo presented the Award for Best Print Magazine to the Broken Bay
News team (from left): Annie Carrett, Melissa Loughlin and Chris Murray.
Delegates visited the convent of the Missionaries of Charity where they met some of the
sisters of the order founded by Mother Teresa.
22 CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

NEWS & EVENTS
OCTOBER CALENDAR
5 'COME AND SEE' AT CAMPION COLLEGE
Campion College invites Year 11 and 12 students to experience a day in the life of a Liberal
Arts student. Meet current students – Attend a lecture – Explore the campus. Come and
see what a Bachelor of Arts in the Liberal Arts can do for your future. From noon-4.30pm
(lunch provided) at Campion College, Old Toongabbie. See website for program details
and registration: www.campion.edu.au
8 PRAYING WITH POETRY
With facilitator Glenda Bourke SGS. Share ways in which poetry can lead to prayer by
exploring the thoughts, feelings & experiences in selected poems as well as their images,
rhythms & capacity to surprise. There will be time for quiet reflection. Participants are
invited to bring a favourite poem to share. From 10am-3.30pm at the Mount St Benedict
Centre, 449D Pennant Hills Rd, Pennant Hills (entrance off Hull Rd). Cost: $25. Book by
3 October: tel (02) 9484 6208, mtstbenedict@bigpond.com
Members of the altar server ministry at St Paul the Apostle Parish.
Winston Hills celebrates patron’s feast day
THE FAITH COMMUNITY of Winston
Hills gathered for a liturgical
celebration of their parish patron, St
Paul the Apostle, on 26 June.
Following the Sunday morning Mass ‘the
Hills came alive with the sound of music’
and song provided by the parish youth
group for the celebration of the feast of St
Paul and St Peter.
About 200 people enjoyed a BBQ and an
array of dishes provided by parishioners
from diverse cultural backgrounds,
reflecting the multicultural nature of
the community.
As part of the feast day liturgy
we celebrated members of our altar
server ministry. We have 46 children
actively serving, more than half of whom
are siblings.
During the Mass we welcomed and
blessed 12 children to this ministry and
presented another eight with the Guild of
St Stephen medal in recognition of their
service as altar servers.
Since at least 2010, we have presented
medals to more than 40 of our longerserving
children. This is a testament to their
commitment and devotion to supporting
our parish in this ministry.
The Guild of St Stephen is an association
for those who are involved in the ministry
at the altar. Through its activities, the guild
encourages all who serve at Mass and at
other liturgies to grow in their ministry and
to grow in their Catholic faith.
The guild was established in London
in 1905 and approved by Pope St Pius X
that year. Fr Rex Donohoe introduced
the guild to Australia in 1954 in the
Archdiocese of Hobart.
The guild’s patron saint, Stephen, was a
deacon in the early Church and the first
martyr, giving himself to the truth of the
Gospel and to the service of people.
The object of the guild is to advance
the Catholic faith in its sanctification
of those who serve at the altar. It exists
to encourage the highest standards
of serving and to provide servers with
a greater understanding of what they
are doing.
It unites servers of different parishes and
dioceses and helps to foster vocations to the
priesthood and religious life.
14-16 YOUNG MEN OF GOD NATIONAL CONFERENCE
The conference is an annual gathering of young men from around Australia who come
together to be further formed in faith through engaging sessions with speakers including
Fr Rob Galea, Karen Doyle and Fr Ken Barker MGL. Venue is The Tops Conference Centre.
Register at www.ymgmovement.org
20 HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS
Everyone is welcome to join the Holy Hour for Vocations from 7pm-8pm for adoration,
prayer, music and quiet time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St Patrick’s Cathedral,
1 Marist Plc, Parramatta.
21-22 RENAISSANCE OF MARRIAGE
Renaissance of Marriage 2016 National Marriage Conference. For the first time in five
years comes an opportunity for you to be part of reviving and strengthening the marriage
culture in Australia. Get inspired, be energised and connect with others over two days of
national and international speakers, including Christopher West. For more information on
the conference, fee schedule and speakers, visit the website www.rom.org.au
21-23 RACHEL'S VINEYARD HEALING RETREAT
This weekend retreat in Sydney is designed to bring psychological and spiritual healing
to anyone who has been affected by an abortion experience including women, men,
couples and grandparents. Rachel's Vineyard Ministries Australia is supported by the
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Confidential inquiries: tel or SMS 0400 092 555,
info@rachelsvineyard.org.au For more information visit: www.rachelsvineyard.org.au
23 DIOCESAN FAMILY SUNDAY
Theme: ‘Family – An Oasis of Mercy’. Afternoon family gathering with Bishop Vincent Long
OFM Conv and Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. From 2pm-5pm at the Shrine
of the Holy Innocents, 8 Greyfriar Place, Kellyville. Be part of the Way of Mercy with
the Mercy Cross and Relics of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and St Teresa of Kolkata.
Hosted by the Life, Marriage & Family Office, Parramatta. Family Sunday will be celebrated
at Masses throughout the Diocese of Parramatta. Inquiries tel (02) 8838 3441, email
lmf@parra.catholic.org.au
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CatholicOutlook | OCTOBER 2016 23

DIOCESAN FAMILY SUNDAY
Sunday 23rd October 2016
Hear from Mother
Teresa’s own
Missionaries
of Charity
AFTERNOON FAMILY GATHERING
Time: 2:00pm-5:00pm
Place: Shrine of the Holy Innocents,
8 Greyfriar Pl, Kellyville
Parking available in Our Lady of the
Rosary Parish Kellyville Carpark
WALK THROUGH THE
HOLY DOORS!
Be part of the way of Mercy,
with the travelling relics of
St Mary of the Cross and
St Teresa of Calcutta
Meet our Bishop
Vincent Long
Van Nguyen
OFM Conv
PARISH CELEBRATIONS
Family Sunday will be celebrated at Masses in the
parishes throughout the Parramatta Diocese
Enquiries: Life, Marriage and Family Office, Parramatta lmf@parra.catholic.org.au
(02) 8838 3441 or www.parralmf.org.au