|
|
|
It hasn’t been our practice to have an editorial but I feel it’s appropriate this time. For one thing, our readers deserve an explanation for the absence of the December 2002 edition. In my defence, I can say that this is the first omission in over 30 years. The truth of the matter is that I just ran out of time. It certainly was ‘that time of the year’ and I do enjoy the gatherings that celebrate what has been undertaken during the year. But the major activity that contributed to the busyness of the time is the activity that is important, and involving, all the year. That is, playing a responsible part in the life of my parish and the wider church. For me, here in Ivanhoe, Victoria, it means being a member of one parish community, ‘clustered’ with two others. One priest, a part time priest, a pastoral associate and many parishioners serve them. It means for me, also, being part of the Yarra Deanery – a grouping of 10 local parishes to support and to encourage each other and do the things that are more effectively done by several parishes, working together. For example, an initiative of our Deanery is ‘Spirituality in the Pub’ at the Tower Hotel in nearby Alphington. The focus this year will be some of the topics from Vatican II, the first, the document on ‘The Church. I’ll be forever grateful that my encounter (in 1951) with St. Vincent Pallotti, opened my eyes to a different vision of church than I had grown up with. St. Vincent’s insistence that we must be ever open to the signs of the times brought a church out of ‘history’ and into the ‘here and now’. As long ago as 1835, he set out his understanding that ‘we are all church’, that lay women and men, religious, priests are all called to use their giftedness for the growth of the kingdom. We, who knew of this vision, recognized that he was far ahead of his time---as confirmed in many ways by the second Vatican Council. The outcomes of the Council were a source of great rejoicing. Yet, there seemed to be, in many ways, a time when the momentum was lost. I don’t remember or I didn’t take any notice of the 10th, 20th or 30th anniversaries of it. Maybe, we are now listening to ‘befriending Spirit’ and are ready to hear the call of Vatican II, forty years on. I’m so glad it has been revisited, and in many creative and thought provoking ways, including the ‘Tower’ Spirituality in the Pub. For all that, I feel it’s important that we, who are members of the far-flung Pallottine family, have a way of communicating with each other. It’s inspiring and empowering to share each other’s faith and vision. An opportunity to actually be together will be the Congress—16th-18th May at Pallotti College Millgrove. . —See the details nearby. Another way, available wherever you live, is through the pages of this newsletter. I would very much like to hear from YOU. In fact, I regret that I haven’t, often enough, invited you to share your life, as apostle. Please contact me DEAD LINES!! 22nd. May,. 22nd August, 12th November.
CONGRATULATIONS!! IRENE MUNSEY. Irene’s long and generous service to her community has been acknowledged by her nomination as the Shire of Yarra Ranges Citizen of the Year and her reception of an Australia Day award. Those of us who know Irene associate her very much with the ‘little ones’, a love she had fulfilled as a maternal and child care nurse. She saw another need, too, some years ago, and founded the Upper Yarra Toy Library. I’m sure this alone has made her remembered by many families. Responding to the needs of the wider community, she has been foundation member and secretary of the Cerini Community Centre in Warburton and continues to work actively to purchase the Cerini Centre building. There are others of our readers who will remember Irene as hostess, cook, confidante of those who needed the rest and relaxation of Montserrat. Thank you, Irene!!! We wish you many more years of good health and the ability to serve the people you love.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS… Thanks to the Kimberley Community Profile for permission to bring this story - so significant for the Kimberley now and so much a part of Pallottine history in Australia. The title words, which some of us associate with a film, had a much greater significance on 3rd November 2002 because they described a great achievement for Beagle Bay, the Kimberley and beyond. On 8th September 2000 disaster had struck - the historical bell tower at Beagle Bay had collapsed. Built in 1917 of handmade bricks and lime extracted from burnt seashells, it had truly been a monument to the hope and trust of the pioneers. The tolling of many years and cyclonic rain on the previous wet season finally caused the bricks in the lower part of the tower to crumble. To quote Bishop Chris Saunders: "When I was first told of the disaster, was stunned, as were many people". Bishop Chris went on to say that the first shock was followed by a clear determination to rebuild it. Mr. George Dann, a Beagle Bay elder was quick to suggest an appeal for funds. His insistence and encouragement was inspiring and led to a great groundswell of enthusiasm and support, all expressing, in a variety of ways, that it is too valuable a part of Beagle Bay heritage and that of Kimberley to be forgotten. .We have to do something". That ‘something’ was far-reaching - in the support it gained and in the kind of work needed to bring about the restoration. Fund raising - donations came from rich and famous and poor and unknown, approaches were made for grants. Nothing could start until the mass of ruble was removed, nothing could be started until the plans were drawn up!! Eventually, 8500 bricks were required, big and heavy ones too, which often had to be cut to the required shape for the windows and the doorway. Overall, the need to monitor and co-ordinate! No wonder 3rd November 2002 was a day of thanksgiving and celebration and great rejoicing as the bells tolled again… To quote Bishop Saunders again: "The restoration of the Sacred Heart Church Bell Tower at Beagle Bay has been a triumph of co-operation and community endeavour. Many thanks to all those who have helped in any way with the conservation of this prime Kimberley heritage building. To this may be added our prayers for God’s special blessings on this significant achievement."
PALLOTTI COLLEGE PROGRAMME The 2003 programme interweaves a range of topics offered for ‘ all comers’ and some which will be of special interest to teachers. What appeals to YOU? St Vincent Pallotti. Man for our time. April 25 - 27 The Gospel of Mark. May 30 - June 1. Making the Bible live in the classroom (yr. 5-8) June 5 - 6 UAC 2003 Congress May 16 - 18. Women’s weekend (Mary Model for today) June 20 - 22 Eucharist: Faith development August 4 - 5 Open your Bible for today. August 29 - 31. Mosaic of Prayer September 12 - 14 Ancient Wisdom, New Directions October 10 - 12 Celebration of life October 24 - 26 Taize weekend November 7 - Prayer styles and enrichment. November 27 - 28 The ethos of the Catholic School. December 11 - 12 Bookings: 80 McNamara’s Rd Millgrove Vic 3079
About people and places. Let us remember in our prayers, Brother Eddie Wishart who died
on March 10th in Perth, W.A. Before Eddy entered the Society he worked as a clerk with W. A.
Railways. He joined the Society on 24 February 1964. As a true son of
St. Vincent Pallotti he used his gifts and talents in a variety of
services: in the dairy farm in Wesburn, as a sheep farmer and later as
administrator at Tardun, as house master at Casa Pallotti, Millgrove, as
Regional Bursar in Kew, as English teacher with Vietnamese refugees in
Melbourne, as Regional Bursar at Rossmoyne, as chaplain at the Murdoch
university in Perth and as Regional Councillor till the time of his
death. We are very grateful to Eddy for his generosity and his humble
and cheerful contribution to the life of the Church and the Pallottine
Community.
Veteran Brother William Schreiber, aged 90, is recovering after surgery. You can’t keep a good man down!!
Let us pray too for Fr. Gerhard Christoph who had a stroke recently. It is good to be able to say that he is making progress, albeit slow. Fr. Gerhard has, for years, gathered the material and arranged the ‘putting’ together of Tardun News. For the families of children who live there, it has served to keep them in touch with the life of the school and to pass on practical details of term dates, trips, pick up times etc. For the rest of the Pallottine Family, it has been a realistic way of keeping in touch. Just below, I have quoted from a recent edition. Yes, we know Australia has been in a state of drought. Hearing the situation at Tardun makes it real, doesn’t it? Thank you, Gerhard, for this and for the multiple ways you have served the Tardun, and the wider, Pallottine community.
From Tardun News — coping with drought. Everybody now agrees that Brother John (Phillis) made the right decision when he did not put in any crops this year. Farmers, who did not ‘bite the bullet’ at seeding time, lost it all. In a further development, Br. John sold of most of the sheep and agisted the few remaining lambs and ewes. This is a very costly business but they would all have died of starvation in our tinder dry and empty paddocks. The whole landscape is under stress. The trees are dying. The water level in the bores has dropped dramatically. How long will we have water for our daily needs? The dead and dry bush is causing us real concern about bushfires. Br Gunter is working hard to set up a second fire fighting unit. We must be prepared!!
Let us pray too for Tom Fitzgerald who died on the feast of the Solemnity of Mary, 1st January 2003. Tom was born in Co. Galway, Ireland in 1925, the youngest of 11 children. During the war he became a radio operator and afterwards migrated to Canada where he became a Redemptorist brother, serving the people of Montreal for many years before he felt a call to serve God in the wider world. That led him to Australia where he met his wife, Patricia who was working as a volunteer at Montserrat (Millgrove). After their return to Canada they settled on Mayne Island, British Colombia., becoming very much part of the community. Tom ‘urged’ the bishop to send a priest to the island; he and his friends built the chapel of St. Francis of Assisi and he and Patricia helped to care for Catholics living on Mayne Island or coming as visitors. He also served the people (and supported his family) by working as a house painter, as a caretaker of the health centre and the local park. Tom died after a short illness, on the feast of the solemnity of Mary, 2003 Patricia says that she and Tom have felt connected to the Australian Pallottine family by this little newsletter. They have always kept in touch and it was good to meet them when they visited Australia a few years ago. It speaks volumes of Tom’s life to say that the entrance hymn for his funeral Mass was
Also from North America . We regularly exchange newsletters with ‘Mother of God’ Province, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A (People of God) and with the Pallottines in Canada who publish In Via (On the Way). So far we know the people in Canada only ‘on paper’ but realise that we have much in common with them. In the case of the Milwaukee community, some of us met Fr. Leon Martin S.A.C and Betty and Dick Reichertz and Joan and Jack Finley at the Pallottine Convention in Rome in 1995 .We’ve been keeping in touch with them ever since and we’d been urging each other to come to the International Congress.
About the International Congress. The original plan was for it to take place in September 2003 in Poland and much preparatory work had been done, including the development of a theme and input from Coordinating Councils all through the world about their contribution. Near the end of last year, we were asked to consider a number of factors which suggested a deferment, not a cancellation and the decision was that this was the wise course of action. On our present understanding, it will proceed in 2005, still in Poland.
THAT BOTTLE OF GRANGE HERMITAGE!! It seems, and is, along time since the winners of the raffle heard of their good fortune. Maybe the winning bottle has been enjoyed by now. Who were the lucky winners? What was the particular pull of the Mornington Peninsula that ALL the prizes went there? Maybe they just bought more tickets. Anyhow, congratulation to Sincere thanks from all at Pallotti College for the support.
Your Church? Your Call!! Join us for a weekend as we seek new ways of living God’s creativity. All welcome to the 2003 Biennial Congress of the Pallottine Family in Australia. Where? Pallotti College, Millgrove. Facilitator. Brendan McKeague
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 Extracts from 2000 - 2002 [ Top of Page ] |
