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MILDURAFourteen people gathered at St Joseph’s College totake part in the innovative, first ever online E-Conference. It was wonderful to have access tosuch credible scripture scholars, without having tomove far from home. All presentations were easy tolisten to and the speaker’s knowledge and love ofPaul as presented to us, encourages us to return toa more profound reading of Paul’s letters, with somehandy hints as to how to go about it.We came away with a greater understanding of themeaning of Paul’s conversion on the road toDamascus; his work as an apostle of God’s limitlesslove and his sense of God as Grace, Spirit and Hope.We trust that this innovative experience will be repeated again and we would like to suggest that Evangelisation and theChurch’s Social Justice Teachings could be topics which would be well received.Thank you to those who organised this experience for so many Catholics seeking to increase their knowledge and love ofScripture.Rosemary GrahamSWAN HILLThree ladies from Quambatook travelled to MacKillop College, Swan Hill to be a part of the E-Conference, “St Paul in the 21stCentury”. It was a most historical and spiritual lesson on the life and journey of Paul. Sr Michelle Connolly RSJ, Fr. BrendanByrne SJ and Fr Richard Leonard were easy to listen to and understand, and have helped us to appreciate the life and writingsof St Paul. We also enjoyed very much listening and sharing thoughts with others at discussion times.Thank you to our facilitator Catherine, who was most proficient and Jules for the cuppas. A wonderful educational day.Judy CameronWARRNAMBOOLThe E-Conference revealed Paul to me as a real person. There was great value in watching the presentations as a group andbeing able to discuss amongst ourselves between each session. It was good to hear the insights others had gained and themany further questions the talks had elicited. I have always relished the parts in Paul’s letters where he talks of Grace and theSpirit, but have tended to shut out the Sin and Law parts - not really understanding the significance as regards negatives andpositives. I now see that the negatives actually give more meaning to the positives of Grace and the Spirit. There was addedvalue for us in knowing that we could go home and listen to the talks again – and further digest. There is a desire within me toknow more of Paul and to really think about the man, his vision and his mission. I did enjoy the day and Mary Delaney was agreat facilitator.Mary LancasterACU National Appoints Dean of Theology and PhilosophyAustralian Catholic University (ACU National) has appointed Professor Anne Hunt asFaculty Dean of Theology and Philosophy.The recent appointment of Professor Hunt as Faculty Dean makes her the first womanat a Catholic university in Australia to receive the title.Professor Hunt has been Rector of ACU National’s Ballarat Campus since 2002 whilecontinuing her academic roles as lecturer, thesis supervisor and examiner.“I’m honoured to be appointed to the role of Dean of this new and exciting Faculty ofTheology and Philosophy,” she said. “I am looking forward to assisting theology andphilosophy to thrive and flourish within ACU National - these two disciplines lie at thevery heart of what we strive to be and do as a distinctly Catholic university.”“Theology is one of the great loves of my life and I feel very privileged to serve theUniversity, the Church, and theological education more broadly in this way.“I particularly look forward to collaborating closely with other theological educationproviders, nationally and internationally, to promote and advance theologicaleducation in Australia.”ACU National’s Faculty of Theology and Philosophy was established this year. The Faculty has a distinctive role in fostering anever deeper understanding of the Catholic intellectual tradition through its research, scholarship and teaching in the areas ofTheology and Philosophy and to making explicit the values and beliefs which lie at the heart of Australian Catholic University.
Sovereign Hill celebrated Catholic Education Week with twoevents. In the Gold Museum we invited teachers, interestedstaff members and the general public to listen to two Ballaratnotables. Jill Blee, Board Member of the Ballarat MechanicsInstitute and novelist, spoke about the beginnings of CatholicEducation in Ballarat. Michael Taffe, Secretary of the BallaratCatholic Diocesan Historical Commission and Archivist for theDiocese of Ballarat, spoke about the material culture of theCatholic Church in Western Victoria.As a finale to Catholic Education week, a Mass was said in StAlipius Diggings Church at Sovereign Hill, celebrated by FrAdrian McInerney from St Alipius Parish, Ballarat East. TheSovereign Hill Diggings Church is a recreation of St AlipiusChurch in 1853, featuring dirt floor, rough wooden seats,timber sides and a canvas roof.Jill Blee gives a colorful explanation of Catholic education.Jill began by setting the scene in early Victoria when theCatholic population was overwhelmingly Irish, as was theclergy. She read out comments made by the district Inspector:“Much pleased with the honesty, morality and intelligence of theteachers”. The same inspector commented that there was afailure of parents to pay fees especially at the St Alipius school.A few years later, St Alipius was described as “dilapidated andbarely habitable”. A report in 1858 stated there was muchimprovement and that desks had been obtained for the children,but no blackboard and a shortage of maps, there was howevera “handsome sundial” in the school yard. Jill explained that thishad the dual purpose of teaching the children and getting theirparents to church on time on Sundays. Jill painted aninteresting and comprehensive picture of early Catholiceducation in Victoria.Michael spoke about the objects in the Gold Museum andDiocesan collections, some of which were on show on the night.The collections held by the Ballarat Diocesan HistoricalCommission, as with those relevant artifacts in the GoldMuseum, are not maintained simply for gratification or hordingpurposes. They have an important story. Michael gave somecolourful explanations of the various vestments on display. Hemanaged in his talk to draw together the theme of educationweek – ‘Walking in the Footsteps of St Paul’ and the materialculture.Paul’ and the material culture.There was a flag raising ceremony (as was the habit of FrMatthew Downing and later Fr Patrick Smyth in the 1850s)before the Mass began. Lighted candles lined the walls of theDiggings Church which created a wonderful atmosphere, asthe students sang modern known songs. Fr McInerney mademention of the faith of the Catholics on the goldfields andtheir hope for a better life. Mass began with a little Latin andexplanation of priests saying Mass with their back to thecongregation.The Sovereign Hill Education team hopes this inaugural eventwill become part of Catholic Education Week celebrationsand an opportunity for schools to have student leadershipteams involved in a bit of Catholic faith history.Annemarie Kierce, Sovereign Hill Education Officer“Paul was a tent maker - he worked in leather and textiles - atextile worker. In Ch 18 of Acts, Paul is in Corinth where hestayed with Aquila and Priscilla. We are told ‘Paul went to visitthem and when he found they were tentmakers, of the sametrade as himself, he lodged with them and they workedtogether.’”
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