 June 2003 |
| Dear Volunteers in Action Doesn't time slip away when life is exciting. I'm keen to keep you up to date with what's happening in the Pallottine family around here. We've just celebrated Pentecost, that wonderful fullness of the Easter mystery which sends us out as apostles. The Spirit takes our struggles and groans and transforms them into prayer before God and for one another. Mary, Queen of Apostles, the patroness of the Pallottines, is our model of faith and intercessor in all our work.
Year 12 boys recently took part in a two day retreat
Lay Volunteers Erin Gordon is back after a year at Tardun, busy
studying medicine at Monash, and enjoying it. Daniel Bren-Clarke and David
Ryan have gone over to take her place.
Pallotti College: a weekend "Ancient Wisdom, New Directions: a Celtic and Aboriginal Weekend" begins on Friday October 10th, 7.30pm. until Sun, October 12th 3.30pm. Charismatic Weekend on the theme of 'Mission" will also be held on 17-19, at Pallotti College, led by Fr Pat
YOUR PRAYERS, PLEASE: for Fr Gerhard Christoph who suffered a stroke down his left side on February 26th. Gerhard wants to get back to his beloved students and staff at Wandalgu and is having occupational therapy at Geraldton Hospital. The Tardun staff and students miss him and pray for his recovery.
Br Eddie Wishart, known to many Lay Missionaries, died
on the 10th of
Indian Pallottines We've always been an international community here in Australia, but its becoming more so. Fr Paul, an Indian Pallottine is already two years with us at Riverton parish. We now have the welcome news of another Indian Pallottine joining us soon. His name is Fr Jude Joseph D'Rozario. He has served in several parishes in India, established an Industrial Training Centre in Raipur, and his most recent appointment was in 1999 in Spain. Our Polish Pallottines are in Queen of Apostles parish, Stafford, Queensland and, at present, we have a young parishioner from that parish staying at St Christopher's.
HOLD ON TO YOUR FORK A young Italian woman was dying. She asked the priest to come and anoint her and pray with her. They talked and during a pause, she asked him if she could he buried with a fork in her hand. He asked her why? She said that when she was young, after the main course, her mother would say, "Hold on to your fork." She knew something delicious was coming and grew excited. "When I die, I am expecting something wonderful still to come" As people filed past her open casket, they asked "Why the fork?" The priest told her story during his homily.
KEW At Pallottine Community, Kew, Susan Bosisto last year gave two inspiring and informative talks on St Therese of Lisieux. These have been taped and are available from Fr John Winson. Taize Nights at Kew will begin on July 1st at 7.30pm. Bill and Mary-Anne Henderson will conduct these Taize nights at Kew as an extension of the Taize weekends at Pallotti College.
SYNDAL The Monash Choral will perform again at St Christopher's on 17th August at 2.00 pm.. They enjoyed our welcome hospitality, we enjoyed their music!
Our thanks to Al Wanders and Bernadette Douglas for all their work at Casa after a year's service. The new staff are a family with four children, Phil and Kerry Lee from St Stephen's parish, East Reservoir. Their role is one of welcome to campers and retreatants, and general care of the place and campsite, such as lawns, and minor repairs.
Capital Work at Casa:
Vincent Moar and his son, Patrick have generously donated their time and
labour to put down a durable surface in the shower areas and kitchen;
other projects are the replacement of carpet in the hall, July 14th, and
in the house, July 18th; and leaf guard around the gutters. The committee
is looking for a volunteer plumber for Casa. Casa-Care Leadership Course: Casa Care is a group of young adults who formed to meet the needs of youth and adults on respite care from their families. They run week-long camps for them. The team of leaders are magnificent in their generous service. The Casa Care team will hold a leadership weekend, 5-7 September, and a camp 1-3 August.
Lay Missionaries at Donegal, NSW 'I never saw him. I never heard him. I never touched him. But there were those who did. And they told others, who told others, who told others still, who eventually told me. And now, in my turn, I tell you so you too can tell others. And so, there will never be an end to the life and message of Jesus.' This was the story of John Shea which John and Margo Doherty made their own. They came to train as Pallottine Lay Missionaries seven years ago. 'We continue Making Apostles' was John's telephone message yesterday from their country home at Donegal. Don't forget the Vocation Exhibition, 'Hearts on Fire' October 16-18, in the Exhibition Buildings Melbourne. Do you have photos that could go towards a Pallottine Family presentation??
E-mail & News: We were glad to receive these two letters from Anne and Harold and Kerry: 'My name is Anne Daly, (nee O'Connor) and I served at Derby 1967-69 as a lay Missionary. I read with interest the 'Volunteers in Action' as it arrives. I am always interested to read about the missions in 'the West' even though I only visited La Grange, Rossmoyne and Albany. My brother, Stephen, helped out at Tardun in the late '60s and my sister in-law, Heather (nee Prentice) was also at Derby between 68-70 and still feel an affinity towards it as they were special years to me." Kerry and Harold Owers wrote: 'Thanks for the Volunteers in Action newsletter. It's great to hear what is happening in the Pallottine Community of which we were a part for a very enjoyable and grace-filled years.' Harold and Kerry have run an Alpha course and are in training to run a CaFE course this year (Catholic Faith Exploration). It is good to hear from you, too, Anne, and Harold and Kerry. Also in the recent Salesian Bulletin there was an article on Judge Frank Walsh and his wife, Mary who met at a Pallottine Younger Set picnic to Hanging Rock. It is an inspiring article.
Conferral of Doctor of Ministry Degree.
Fr Eugene San has been staying with the Irish Pallottines in Dundrum, Dublin for almost a year, and is near the completion of his degree in Pastoral Leadership. He is putting the finishing touches to his dissertation and has done very well. We are looking forward to his return later this year. He wrote that he went with his Palatine confreres to the Shrine at Knock and had never prayed so many rosaries. It is preparing him for a stay at St Patrick's Purgatory in Lough Derg. I knew there was always something of the penitential pilgrim in Eugene. The Pallottine UAC Congress (May 16-18) was held as a Pallottine Family Weekend; missed were the young people who had been so visible at the last Congress. Where there is an issue critical for young people, then they rise to the occasion.
Sr Joy still heads the Pallottine Outreach to Warrigal on the first Saturday of the month with her team from the Family of God. Prayer Guides are held every second Saturday of the month at Syndal parish from 2-4 pm. Cenacle Nights are held every 22nd of the month, from 8-9 pm, with guided meditation and healing prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
MEN'S BREAKFASTS Held at Kew on the first Wednesday of the month from 7.00-8.30am. The Syndal Men's breakfast has started again under the enthusiastic lead and cookery of John Staunton and Nick van Grunsven. We never know what John is going to cook up next. Syndal Men's Breakfast will meet 7.30-9.00am. At St Christopher's, Syndal, we have had successful adult education programmes: one was Alpha which the participants thoroughly enjoyed; (Judy Monda gave us helpful advice regarding Alpha from her experience of running it at St Francis' Mill Park. Judy is now pastoral associate at Our Lady of Victories, Camberwell). The other course was on Pastoral Care and Bereavement conducted by. our parishioners, Avril Regan and Anne Neville. We look forward to what will develop from both these initiatives.
SERENITY
That's all the news from this end. As we journey
into the second half of the year may God bless you and guide your ways.
E-mail: Fr Pat Jackson sac
|
The
Pallotti spirit springs up in unexpected places. A priest from the Diocese
of Awka in Nigeria, Fr Martin Ezeokoli, came to know about Pallotti during
his studies in Rome. He was especially inspired by Pallotti's call for the
"action of all" (priests, religious and lay people). When he returned to
Nigeria he wanted this spirit for his students: "Pallotti for Action -
Action for Christ" became his slogan. It was heard all over and became
the hallmark of about the thousand students who went through this school
as active members of this new movement which included: Formation in Lay
Apostolate, bible-sharing and action groups. Nine from this group have
joined the Pallottines. We pray that this slogan will become a growing
reality in Africa.
ming in and I am confident that God will provide
March
this year from cancer. He was a person of great joy and a great devotee of
St Therese of Lisieux.
On
April 11th, I received a degree of Doctor of Ministry at the Wilson Hall,
Melbourne University. My thesis was entitled 'Barrier to Intimacy or Path
to Love? A Journey Towards Celibacy of Early Adult Male Religious.' It
dealt with the five cries of Generation X and Y; scriptural foundations
and history of celibacy, the spirituality, motivation for, and the
psycho-sexual integration of the celibate lifestyle. I had a pilot group
of young male religious whose insights were honest and open. As I wrote, I
was constantly aware of the terrific young people and young adults I have
known over the years. I hope this work can be of benefit to others, and
especially to young men in religious formation or others choosing a
committed single life.