December   2003 AN ADVENT PRAYER Eternal God, ever faithful to your promises, hasten that long-awaited day, when you will establish justice in the land. Lift from our hearts the weight of self-indulgence, and strengthen us for holiness. Amid chaos and confusion, let your people stand secure. Raise our heads to greet the redemption that is drawing near, the coming of Jesus Christ with all his saints. Your Son who was, who is and who is to come, and who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. And how do we offer the age old greeting?. Maybe very simply!!!: May you and your families be blessed with the joy of Christmas and with peace and happiness in the New Year.     A MOMENT OF NEW IMPETUS AND A MOMENT OF NEW GRACE The November 2003 issue of the INTERNATIONAL UAC NEWSLETTER has just reached this side of the world by the wonder of E mail. Let us share the first item, a letter from the General (i.e. International) secretariat: It begins: Dear friends, For all of us this is a time of great joy. The vision of St. Vincent Pallotti continues to gain increased life with the canonical erection of the Union "as an international public association of the faithful " and the approval of the General Statutes by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. This is for us a historic moment. Perhaps not so important in itself, as the Church had formally recognized Pallotti's work in his own lifetime, but it is an important moment for us who are called to bring that vision to the people and the Church of the 21st century. It is a moment of new impetus and a moment of new grace, grace to go about the mission of the Union with new confidence and with new creative energy. The presentation of the decree took place in a formal ceremony on 14th November. For the scripture reading for the ceremony, Fr. Seamus Freeman chose the text of Jesus' final discourse in the Gospel of St. John, telling us that He is the vine, we the branches, branches that are meant to bear much fruit. In his day, St. Vincent bore much fruit in the vineyard of Rome in the many varied apostolic works that he found necessary and opportune in the situation of his day, his city. We now have a new challenge to look at our time and our 'cities' to see how the Union of Catholic Apostolate can best serve the needs of the Church today. Let us go forth with new enthusiasm and new confidence to embrace this historic moment with faith and charity. General Secretariat of UAC Presentation of the Decree. Rome   November 14,  2003   Keeping! up the momentum from Perth. Many blessings have flowed, and I'm sure will continue to flow from the time some of us were able to spend in Perth at the Pallottine Assembly. Not the least were the opportunities to get to know, in person, people whose hearts and minds are also directed towards making the vision of St. Vincent known. It is good to know also that the UAC Co-ordination Committees - the Eastern Group (Melbourne) and the Western (Perth) Group have both had the opportunity to meet with the members of the Pallottine Council, Frs. Ray Hevern, Michael McMahon and Dean Bradbury. At those meetings, some very concrete steps were taken towards implementing the decisions agreed on at the Assembly. We can take to ourselves, at this significant time, the words of Fr. Freeman, quoted above: "Let us go forth with new enthusiasm and a new confidence to embrace this historic moment with faith and charity". There have already been opportunities to maintain contact. For example, Patricia Wisolith (Tricia), who acted as secretary for the Assembly and is secretary of Queen of Apostles parish, also provided musical input. At my request, she sent me a copy of the Mass we sang, "Joyous Hearts" whose composer (Patricia Spencer) is not fussed about copyright but just wants her music used!!! That led me to tell her about the Mass we, in my Ivanhoe parish, are singing in Advent: Missa Emmanuel. We've heard also, from Tricia and from John Nagle about the way the parishioners of Queen of Apostle's parish, Riverton, have enthusiastically taken part in the Cafe program. At last report - in week 5 of 7 weeks, the momentum was well and truly being maintained with a constant 150-180 parishioners taking part. Congratulations! Could we have some feedback, please?     NEWS AND GREETINGS Sr. Eileen Bolger who spent a couple of 'special' years as a member of the team at Pallotti College writes from Queensland. She was specially interested to hear about the assembly and recall the Fathers and Brothers whom she had met 'along the way' . Mary McGowan remembers that she met several Pallottines 'years ago' when they served in her parish (St. Thomas' Blackburn). She often drops a note, with a generous newsletter subscription) and this time, sends greetings for Christmas Josie and Jim Cooper nowadays live at Safety Beach and don't get so far a field these days. They recall how much they enjoyed the time they spent at Pallotti College, the time-shared, the friends they made and are delighted to keep the bond of belonging by tuning in for the blessings at 9 am and 9 pm. They hope to renew their acquaintance with the 'mountain' one of these days. From Margo and John Doherty, who are well and truly New South Wales people again. You might have met them while they were living at Box Hill, having responded to the possibility to become lay missionaries. In the wonderful ways these things can happen, John remembered a retreat given by a Pallottine priest when he was a schoolboy. They were delighted to renew the connection again during the time they were in Melbourne.   We acknowledge, with gratitude, permission to reprint news from Kimberley Community Profile. Congratulations Leonie Kelly of Beagle Bay who has been elected to represent Western Australia on NATSICC (National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Catholic Council). The four dioceses of Western Australia sent two representatives to Perth for a State conference and Leonie was chosen as the state representative. The national council is the primary advisory body to the Australian Bishops' conference on indigenous affairs. Leonie was among the 13 Kimberley representatives who attended the NATSICC triennial Assembly in Adelaide in October 2003 ).The 250, mostly indigenous, participants knew there was a special purpose for their being together. They wanted to reflect on and celebrate the theme: "The time for Rebirth is Now" and to respond to Lowitja O'Donohue's challenging question: "What would Jesus ask of this group?" People came from every state and territory-young and not so young. They drove in buses from Darwin; they came by car from NSW, SA and Victoria; they flew in from Tasmania, North Queensland and the Kimberley. Highlights of the gathering were many and varied - the Youth Liturgy, the closing liturgy, a healing service... All helped to forge unity among Aboriginal people, bonded as they were by their love for the church, for the Gospel and for each other. Outgoing NATSICC chairperson, Ms Vicky Walker hailed the Assembly as a great success. Ending six years as leaders of the nine person Council, Ms Walker said: "This has been a wonderful experience for us all as Aboriginal Catholic people. We have shared wonderful stories and now we leave with a great sense of hope for the future. It has been a positive time of rebirth for all of us - giving us energy to find new ways for Aboriginal people to play their rightful part in the Catholic Church."   Further from Kimberley Community Profile.... Secondary students from St. Mary's College have just spent three weeks on exchange at Xavier and Genazzano Colleges in Melbourne. This annual event follows the visit of students from Xavier and Genazzano to the Kimberley in July 2003.     "A CHURCH WTHOUT SPECTATORS!!!" Visionary words from St. Vincent! A realistic expression of the way we, as members of the Pallottine family, are called to live 'being church' by enriching the community through our own unique giftedness and our willingness to look anew and beyond Vatican 2 "The Church in the Modern World" reminds us: "The Church exists for a solitary goal, and that is to carry forward the work of Christ under the lead of the befriending Spirit. And Christ came into this world to give witness to the truth, to rescue and not sit in judgement, to serve and not be served" From Pope John Paul II's wonderful encyclical 'Novo Millenio Inuente': 'At the beginning of the New Millennium'. "As a new stage of the church's journey begins, our hearts ring out with the words of Jesus when one day, after speaking to the crowds from Simon's boat, he invited the Apostle to 'put out to the deep' for a catch. Peter and his first companions trusted Christ's words and cast the nets. " When they had done this, they caught a-great number of fish". These words ring out for us today, and they invite us to remember the past with gratitude, to live in the present with enthusiasm, and to look to the future with confidence: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.   Richard Lennan, Priest Theologian, (Compass Vol 365 Winter 2002) states the challenge boldly, truthfully!!! "While there are no magic answers to such a question (What is happening to the church?), one thing that is essential is the readiness to acknowledge that 'business as usual' is no longer possible, to acknowledge that the usual has actually ceased to exist. We can either face the death of the 'usual', or we can die trying to maintain it. The latter offers no future; the former includes the hope of the resurrection"     85 STUDLEY PARK RD, KEW.. Mass at Christmas eve at 8.30 pm. The Evenings of Taize prayer will continue next year. 8 pm on the first Fridays of each month, starting on February 6th . In Preparation for the 'Hearts on Fire' vocations Congress in October 2003, Fr. John Winson collected stories from women and men who are living a consecrated life. The book is, aptly titled, Pilgrims making! Progress.. Copies ($20) are available from Fr. John (03) 9 853 8506.   CAN YOU HELP? Wandalgu Hostel at Tardun needs urgently Staff for the Hostel. The areas are:     Administrator(s), houseparents (3), bus driver and tutors/ relievers. Please contact Fr. Pat Jackson at St. Christopher's, Syndal, tel.: (03) 9802 8538. The Primary School has shut down. Staff needed is for secondary students boarding at the Hostel.   PALLOTTI COLLEGE, MILLGROVE. The Perth Assembly also gave us, from the East, the opportunity to get to know one of the Indian Pallottine priests - Fr. Paul Manickathan. Fr. Paul spent two years at the Queen of Apostles Parish, Riverton and, after a 'home' holiday, has taken up the role of parish priest of Yarra Junction-Warburton. Both places are very familiar to the Pallottine family because Millgrove is in that parish. Welcome to the East, Fr. Paul. Yes, there will be Mass at Pallotti College on Christmas Eve 8.30 pm. Looking ahead to next year, why not 'pencil in' some of these possibilities in your 2004 diary? Bookings: Phone: 5966 2585. Fax 5966 9380, Email: pallotticollege@bigpond.com Taize weekends 2-4 April, 25-27 June, 12-14 November. Full Easter Liturgy: Holy week: Palm Sunday  04 April, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday 11 April Vincent Pallotti weekend: 23-25 April Pallottine Family Weekend 17-19 September Ancient Wisdom 15-17 October Celebration of life: exact date to be confirmed.   EDITOR PALLOTTINE FAMILY UAC NEWSLETTER 85 Studley Park Rd Kew  Vic  3101 Email:   merle.gilbo@blaze.net.au  past editions December 2007  June 2007  March 2007   December 2006  September  2006  June 2006  March 2006 December 2005  September 2005   June 2005   March 2005 December 2004  September 2004   June 2004   March 2004 December 2003  October 2003  June 2003  March 2003 Extracts from 2000 - 2002   [ Top of Page ]