Catholic Outlook February 2016

CatholicOutlook
The official publication of the Diocese of Parramatta | www.catholicoutlook.org
VOLUME 19, FEBRUARY 2016
JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY
"In passing through the Holy Door, then,
may we feel that we ourselves are part of
this mystery of love, of tenderness."
Pope Francis
page 4
CECILIA ZAMMIT:
SUPPORTING
CATECHISTS IN
SHARING THEIR
FAITH
page 6
CHRIS LEE’S
CONVICTION TO
CURB STREET
VIOLENCE
Cover Photo: Art In Images

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Lent comes early this year, and perhaps in some
ways we should see this as a gift as we continue
to celebrate the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of
Mercy.
A lot has already been written about this
observance but I thought given that we are
about to commence the great penitential
Season of Lent it might be worth reflecting on
one of the subjects most focused on during this
time – the matter of sin.
Now this little three letter word in English is
not exactly popular! In Rugby League when a
player incurs a serious penalty on the field for
bad behaviour they are often sent to the “sin
bin”. The term is used in relation to other sports
as well, particularly ice hockey.
Some social scientists believe that sin is a
construction of religious people and that
religious organisations use the notion of sin as a
way of social control or as a form of oppression
by determining who can and can’t obtain
forgiveness.
Of course, even a cursory glance at the
behaviour of people who inhabit the planet
(whether of any faith or none) will tell you
something very different. It is one of the major
quandaries of the human condition and one
that St Paul in a state of frustration expresses in
a way that we can all identify with:
“I do not understand my own actions. For I
do not do what I want, but I do the very thing
I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree
that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer
I that do it, but sin that dwells within me …
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I
do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do
not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that
dwells within me.” (Rom 7:15-18)
But might it be worthwhile for us to actually
think more seriously about what sin really is?
Catholics are well known (or so it is thought)
for having an obsession with sin. In reality, I
think that Catholics are good at recognising
particular “sins” rather than sin itself.
Because of early catechesis in preparing for
the Sacrament of Penance, as children we were
taught even if at a rudimentary level, to identify
certain actions and thoughts as constituting sin.
FROM THE DIOCESAN ADMINISTRATOR
Very Rev Peter G Williams
Ash Wednesday Mass times
and Reconciliation during Lent
Ash Wednesday is a day of penance, fasting and abstinence
from meat.
Ash Wednesday Mass times and Reconciliation during Lent
across the Diocese of Parramatta will be published at:
www.catholicoutlook.org
But as I have often reflected on with penitents,
sins are the result of a much more deep-seated
state of alienation, and sins are the symptoms
rather than the cause.
Paragraphs 1849 and 1850 of the Catechism of
the Catholic Church provide a very clear and
comprehensive definition of sin and its effect
on human beings:
1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth,
and right conscience; it is failure in genuine
love for God and neighbour caused by
a perverse attachment to certain goods.
It wounds the nature of man and injures
human solidarity. It has been defined as "an
utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the
eternal law."
1850 Sin is an offense against God: "Against
you, you alone, have I sinned, and done
that which is evil in your sight." Sin sets
itself against God's love for us and turns our
hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is
disobedience, a revolt against God through
the will to become "like gods", knowing and
determining good and evil. Sin is thus "love
of oneself even to contempt of God". In this
proud self-exaltation, sin is diametrically
opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which
achieves our salvation.
Thus sin then is an innate part of us and to fully
understand this alienation from God as the
Catechism reminds us we go back to the story
of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in the
book of Genesis.
At the heart of our confrontation with sin it
comes down to making a choice – to follow
self-will, or to follow the will of God?
Of our own volition we can of course achieve
nothing, but it is God’s mercy and love for
us seen most perfectly in the person of Jesus
Christ that is the source of our remedy. As
2 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
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A Lenten Message
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus destroyed sin and death and invites us to embrace the new life
that comes through repentance, conversion and Baptism.
much as we would like to think that we can
permanently rid ourselves of the debilitating
effect of sin, the reality is that we can’t.
This Jubilee Year of Mercy affords everyone the
opportunity to find healing and forgiveness,
and the opportunity for a new start, and to
confront the fact that while original sin cannot
be removed from human nature, the sinful
actions that result from original sin can be
expunged and that our baptismal character can
be restored.
The Good News we encounter in Jesus Christ
reminds us that through His death and
resurrection, Jesus destroyed sin and death and
invites us to embrace the new life that comes
through repentance, conversion and Baptism.
All this is possible because of the rich mercy of
God who never fails to love us, even when we
are at our worst. That is precisely the message
that Pope Francis is conveying to the Church
and the world in this Jubilee Year.
Lent 2016 provides an opportunity to
experience this mercy in new and richer ways.
It is also incumbent on each of us to show that
mercy to others by the quality of our Christian
witness and to radiate God’s love to all we
encounter in our day-to-day lives.
Catholics are greatly blessed that the
Sacrament of Reconciliation is a vital part of
the sacramental economy of the Church. In
this sacrament we meet Christ who lavishes
the Father’s mercy on the repentant soul. It is
a moment to rejoice – not to lament – God’s
mercy freely given, available to all!
May this Lent be time of real conversion for all
of us in the Diocese of Parramatta.
Very Rev Peter G Williams
Diocesan Administrator
CONTENTS
NEWS & EVENTS
3
DIOCESAN
4, 6, 21, 22, 23
NEWS
CATHOLIC YOUTH
5
DIOCESAN
7
PASTORAL PLAN
PARISH PROFILE
8-9
FAMILY & LIFE
10
YEAR OF
11
CONSECRATED LIFE
YEAR OF MERCY
12-13
CATHOLIC
14-16
EDUCATION
CATHOLICCARE
17-24
SOCIAL SERVICES
DWF APPEAL –
18-19
FAITH AT WORK
SOCIAL JUSTICE
20
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 23
CatholicOutlook
The official publication of the Diocese of Parramatta
Publisher:
Very Rev Peter G Williams
Diocesan Administrator
Tel (02) 8838 3400
Fax (02) 9630 4813
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
Email: diocese@parra.catholic.org.au
Website: www.parra.catholic.org.au
Editor:
Jane Favotto
Tel (02) 8838 3409
editor@parra.catholic.org.au
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
Journalists:
Adrian Middeldorp
Elizabeth McFarlane
Designer:
Aphrodite Delaguiado
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
Advertising:
Tel (02) 8838 3409
Accounts:
Alfie Ramirez
Tel (02) 8838 3437
ARamirez@parra.catholic.org.au
Printing:
Rural Press Printing, North Richmond
40,500 copies of Catholic Outlook are
distributed monthly through 47 parishes and
86 schools. All material in this publication
is copyright and may not be reproduced
without permission of the editor. Catholic
Outlook is a member of the Australasian
Catholic Press Association.

New chapter for Australian Church music
By Adrian Middeldorp
After nearly a decade of
work, revising a resource
more than 30 years old, a
comprehensive new worship resource
for the Catholic Church in Australia,
Catholic Worship Book II, has just
been completed and is ready to be
launched in Lent this year.
In layman’s terms, Catholic
Worship Book II is to Catholic
musicians and liturgists what The
Force Awakens is to Star Wars fans.
In fact, Catholic Worship Book II
(CWBII) took many more years of
production than the epic film.
CWBII is a project of the National
Liturgical Music Board, which is the
consultative body on liturgical music
to the Australian Catholic Bishops
Conference.
It is the first monumental work
of its kind in Australia to have been
compiled by a group of musicians
and consultants under the auspices
of the Church, rather than a
commercial publishing enterprise,
for specific use in the Church.
The book encourages the vision
of the Second Vatican Council that
reaffirms music as an integral part
of all liturgical rites and, therefore,
proper worship of God.
It is a response to the 2001 Vatican
document, Liturgiam Authenticam,
which called for a more faithful
translation of texts and clear
guidelines for the establishment
of sacred music repertoires within
dioceses and local parishes.
CWBII consists of more than 650
musical items, explanatory notes
on principles for choosing and
using liturgical music, and rubrical
instructions.
It includes hymns, chants and
other liturgical music from a
variety of Australian and overseas
composers, past and present. Taize
chants are well represented among
plainchants along with more
contemporary styles of music.
It contains not only music for Mass
but also music for the sacraments,
with a comprehensive section for the
stages of the RCIA (Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults) and the Divine
Bernard Kirkpatrick completes his final checks before sending CWBII to the
printers. Photo: Elizabeth McFarlane.
Office (Liturgy of the Hours).
Each piece of music has been
meticulously chosen; the essential
selection criteria being: musical
quality, text quality and pastoral
considerations.
Two key contributors and
collaborators in the creation and
collation of this resource will be
very familiar to those in the Diocese
of Parramatta: our Diocesan
Administrator, Very Rev Peter
Williams, and the Director of Music
at St Patrick’s Cathedral, organist,
conductor and composer, Bernard
Kirkpatrick.
Fr Peter said the CWBII is a
comprehensive liturgical music
resource as it contains music for
the complete range of liturgical
celebrations in the Roman rite, both
old and new.
“Most parishes tend to get locked
into a fixed repertoire because their
resources are limited. This book
will provide the opportunity for all
Catholic parishes to extend their
repertoire, retaining what is tried
and true, and also introducing new
compositions,” Fr Peter said.
For Bernard Kirkpatrick, the book
is just one part of the culmination of
a life dedicated to Church music.
“Ever since I was a young child, I
had a particular interest in the music
of the Church, it is something I’ve
just fallen into, something that has
unfolded before me,” he said.
“In a sense, it is something akin
to a vocation, you’re led by the Holy
Spirit, you’ve got the gifts, and you
put them into action and people call
on you to assist.”
Bernard hopes the book will be
the beginning of a larger project
to educate and strengthen Church
music in Australia and beyond.
“The book itself is one aspect of
the CWBII project. It was felt that we
needed to go down the track of first
producing a hard copy resource, to
be followed by a digital download
facility, especially for the melody
edition, for those places where data
projection is used or special Order
of Service booklets are required,” he
said.
“After the book is released, we
will have workshops and forums
where the content of the book can be
explored and demonstrated.”
A longer-term project of the
resource is to record and provide prerecorded
accompaniments of selected
items, for those communities where
musicians are scarce or unavailable.
DIOCESAN NEWS
CLERGY APPOINTMENTS
The Diocesan Administrator, Very Rev Peter G Williams, has
confirmed the following appointments in the Catholic Diocese of
Parramatta:
Rev Fr Binu Pullukattu Abraham: Assistant Priest, Padre Pio
Parish, Glenmore Park, from 12 January;
Rev Fr Eugene Szondi: Assistant Priest, St John Vianney’s Parish,
Doonside, from 1 March.
NEW BOOK BY POPE FRANCIS
The Name of God is Mercy is the title of a new book in which Pope
Francis reveals his vision of God’s mercy in a series of interviews with
Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli.
“The Pope is a man who needs the mercy of God,” the Holy Father says.
“I said it sincerely to the prisoners of Palmasola, in Bolivia, to those
men and women who welcomed me so warmly. I reminded them
that even St Peter and St Paul had been prisoners. I have a special
relationship with people in prisons, deprived of their freedom. I have
always been very attached to them, precisely because of my awareness
of being a sinner.”
Available from St Pauls Books & Gifts Centre tel (02) 9126 8912,
bookcentreparra@stpauls.com.au
APP FOR YEAR OF MERCY
A new app has been developed for the Jubilee Year of Mercy to
assist with daily reflection and prayer practice aimed at supporting
attentiveness to the movement of Mercy and the many ways that we
receive and respond to this movement in the everyday circumstances of
our lives.
The ‘Mercy-ing’ app provides users with a morning inspiration and an
evening reflection to frame their day and to be attentive to the events,
interactions, relationships and circumstances of each day within the
context of ‘being Mercy’.
The app is an initiative of the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta, Australia &
PNG and NZ. Download the app from iTunes or get it on Google Play.
Title: Catholic Worship Book II (Two
editions: Peoples edition and Full
Music edition)
Publisher: Morning Star Publishing
Available: Lent 2016
For more information:
http://morningstarpublishing.net.au/
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CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 3

DIOCESAN NEWS
NEW DIRECTOR OF CCD
CECILIA ZAMMIT
Supporting catechists
in sharing their faith
Death of Rev Fr Brian
Clement Larkey
14 August 1932 – 7 December 2015
By Elizabeth McFarlane
Cecilia Zammit: “I feel blessed and privileged to be leading the CCD." Photo: Elizabeth McFarlane.
Standing in front of a class
of 20-40 students in a state
school, sharing your faith and
love for God with the children,
can be a daunting task. But for
many catechists in the Diocese of
Parramatta, it’s less of a task and
more of a passion.
Cecilia Zammit is the new
Director of the Confraternity
of Christian Doctrine (CCD),
succeeding Paul Worthington who
retired in December last year.
Part of Cecilia’s role will be
supporting these catechists or Special
Religious Education (SRE) teachers
by providing opportunities for
their own faith formation and for
curriculum training.
“Most people are so modest. They
think, ‘What do I know?’ But it’s
not about having a theology degree.
We are relaying to children the
unconditional love of God through
Scripture and personal faith, and a
lot of people can do that,” she said.
For Cecilia, her work in the
Diocese has come full circle.
From being a teacher in state
schools for 18 years and at St Agnes
Catholic High School for six, she has
also had experience as a catechist and
was part of the Spiritual Formation
Team and Religious Education Team
at the Catholic Education Office
(CEO).
While working for the CEO,
Cecilia liaised closely with the
Institute for Mission (IFM) for the
accreditation of teachers. In 2012,
she became the Acting Director for
IFM before joining the Chancery
in the area of Parish Support and
Development.
As Director of CCD, Cecilia is
entering the classroom again through
her support of the catechists and
believes her experience will help in
this new role.
“Working with teachers has
given me a greater appreciation of
the commitment of the volunteers
and also an understanding of their
frustrations,” she said.
“I have always believed that you
start with the person, the teachers
themselves, feeding them and
nourishing them so they can give.
It’s a shared experience; I learn from
them and we journey together.”
Cecilia intends to visit parishes
across the Diocese of Parramatta
to hear from catechists about their
experiences.
Another part of the role
of Director of CCD is to liaise
with CCD coordinators in other
dioceses and to keep abreast of
NSW Government guidelines and
comments regarding Scripture in
state schools.
“We need to defend the right of
children in state schools to religious
education and make sure that
classroom teaching standards are
maintained,” Cecilia said.
“In the Diocese of Parramatta, we
are grateful to the 900 mature SREs
and the 450 secondary student SREs
who give witness to their faith daily
in state schools from Granville to
Katoomba.”
“They are all very different but
what they share is a belief in the
importance of passing on their faith.
They feel strongly that every child
should have the opportunity to learn
about God,” Cecilia said.
“Each year, CCD has a focus on
training and the faith formation of
SREs. Great facilitators have again
been lined up in 2016, starting with
the Parish Coordinators meeting on
5 February where Sr Leone Pallisier
OSU will lead us in prayer with a
Year of Mercy focus.”
Cecilia said she is encouraged
by the experience, commitment and
skills of the Regional Coordinators
who, together with office manager
Maree Collis, form the Parramatta
CCD Team.
“I really am looking forward
to the new role,” Cecilia said. “I’m
grateful to God for the way it’s
panned out. It’s an amazing journey
so far.
“I feel blessed and privileged
to be leading the CCD and I look
forward to working with Parish
Priests and SREs in my new role.”
Rev Fr Brian Larkey: 1932-2015.
A
retired priest of the
Diocese of Parramatta, Fr
Brian Larkey, died on 7
December last year in Concord
Hospital. He was 83.
A Mass of Christian Burial
was celebrated in St Patrick’s
Cathedral, Parramatta, on 11
December.
The son of Clement and
Mary Larkey, he grew up in the
Sydney suburb of Belmore with
his sisters Imelda and Pauline
and brother James.
The young Brian was
educated at St Joseph’s Primary,
Belmore, and by the Christian
Brothers at Chatswood.
He entered St Columba’s
Seminary, Springwood,
before going on to St Patrick’s
Seminary, Manly.
On 20 July 1957, he was
ordained to the priesthood by
Cardinal Gilroy in St Mary’s
Cathedral, Sydney.
When the Diocese of
Parramatta was established
in 1986, Fr Larkey read the
mandate of appointment at the
Mass of installation of Bishop
The young seminarian at St
Columba's, Springwood in 1951.
Bede Heather. Fr Larkey was
Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral
from 1986-1991.
He was NSW Director
of the 1986 Papal Visit when
Pope John Paul II came to the
newly established Diocese of
Parramatta.
During his time as Parish
Priest of St Finbar’s Parish
at Glenbrook, Fr Larkey was
responsible for having the new
church built and installing the
beautiful pipe organ.
Fr Larkey’s other priestly
appointments included the
parishes of Chatswood, Rozelle,
Bondi Beach, Carlingford,
Avalon, Maroubra, Neutral
Bay, Lewisham, Golden Grove,
Parramatta, Glenbrook and
Baulkham Hills. He was
Director of the Catholic Family
Life Centre from 1973-83.
Fr Larkey retired from parish
ministry in 2002. He is buried in
Rookwood Cemetery.
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4 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
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77-97 Franklin Rd
Cherrybrook NSW 2126
Phone 9680 4844
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855 Old Northern Rd
Dural NSW 2158
Phone 9651 4066
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3 Elliott St
Belfield NSW 2191
Phone 9758 7444
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100 Fox Valley Rd
Wahroonga NSW 2076
Phone 9487 1298
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Montgrove College
140 Bringelly Rd
Orchard Hills NSW 2748
Phone 4736 5977
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Wollemi College
4 Gipps St
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Phone 9833 0499
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*Pricing is indicative and subject to minimum group size and itinerary changes.
6
CatholicYouthParra @cyp_parramatta @CatholicYouthParra
Countdown to WYD 2016 Krakow
By James Camden, Director of Catholic Youth Parramatta
CATHOLIC YOUTH
It’s now less than 200 days until 300 young people from the
Diocese of Parramatta make their pilgrimage to meet Pope
Francis in Krakow, Poland, for World Youth Day 2016.
The Diocese has spent 18 months planning and preparing
our two diverse pilgrimages, which we hope will meet the
spiritual needs of our 16 to 35-year-olds. For itineraries, see
panels at right.
COSMOS, the ACBC approved tour operator for pilgrims
travelling to WYD from Australia, has been extremely
professional, personal and sensitive to our needs in ensuring that
this will be a safe, affordable and genuine experience for them.
We also hope that our young people will be blessed with
the opportunity to meet and get to know our new Bishop on
pilgrimage, if an announcement is made in the first half of this
year.
Pilgrimage 1 gives youth and young adults of all ages the
opportunity to take up Pope Francis’ call to serve disadvantaged
youth in the Philippines after a devastating earthquake in 2013.
Pilgrimage 2 gives our young adults in university or working
life the chance to explore and appreciate the life and spirituality
of St John Paul II – founder of WYDs.
It’s important to recognise and appreciate that a diocesan
approach to World Youth Day enhances a sense of local Church
and ensures that this unique opportunity is as safe and life giving
as possible for all involved.
There has been a rigorous selection process and induction
course for our diverse Group Leaders and Chaplains.
Beginning in May, a quality formation program for
pilgrims will take place over three months. These are being held
simultaneously in three sites across the Diocese.
We are conscious of ensuring the development of future
leaders within our structure and using their witness to formally
connect young people from various parts of our church mission.
We are planning key community-building events before and
after WYD, which encourage positive relationships supporting
local ministry.
Another key component of our overall planning has been
to link both pilgrimages together on arrival in Krakow to visit
the German concentration camp, Auschwitz, and then reflect
together at Kalwaria, a UNESCO world heritage site with 42
churches and shrines on the slopes of Zar Mountain.
The following day our entire pilgrim group will spend time
sharing about their journey to this point before the WYD week
even begins.
A new addition to our pilgrimage will be a day-long retreat
in the countryside, a short journey from Krakow, to translate the
WYD experience into a local response back in the Diocese of
Parramatta before our flights home.
Only a few more months to register and join us! Go to www.
parrawyd.org
The WYD raffle will be drawn at the Palm Sunday Youth
Mass & Festival on Sunday 20 March.
On behalf of young Catholics in Western Sydney and the
Blue Mountains, thank you to all those who are supporting and
putting Faith in the Future of this Diocese through World Youth
Day.
World Youth Day 2016
PHILIPPINES
MISSION EXPERIENCE
+ WORLD YOUTH DAY KRAKOW 2016
20 DAYS from $7,180 *
DEPARTING 15 JULY 2016
Youth and young adults are invited to join the pilgrimage of a
lifetime on a mission experience to Bohol Island in the Philippines
which was devastated by an earthquake in 2013. Pilgrims will
spend four days working with young people in parishes, schools
and orphanages.
Auschwitz
POLAND
Kraków
Following this mission experience, the group travels to Krakow,
Poland with millions of young people ready to pray in solidarity
with Pope Francis at World Youth Day.
‘Blessed are the merciful; for they shall receive mercy.’ Matt 5:7
Cebu
Bohol
Panglao Island
World Youth Day Krakow 2016
KRAKOW
17 DAYS FROM $5798 *
DEPARTING 20 JULY 2016
Young adults are invited to join the pilgrimage of a lifetime in the
footsteps of a Saint. In 1986 Pope John Paul II visited Western Sydney
and founded the Diocese of Parramatta. In 2016, you can journey, as he
did so often in his homeland, through all of the places he loved and lived
before you arrive in Krakow, Poland with millions of young people ready
to pray in solidarity with Pope Francis at World Youth Day.
*Pricing is indicative and subject to minimum group size and itinerary changes
AUSTRIA
Vienna
Warsaw
1
9
Czestochowa
Jasna Gora
1
Auschwitz
▼
Kalwaria
PILGRIMAGE
ONE
Krakow
Includes airfares,
Accommodation,
Tour Director
and some meals
For further Information
Phone 3324 3440
wyd2016@bne.catholic.net.au
1
▼
▼
10
1
Wadowice
PILGRIMAGE
TWO
FOLLOWING SAINT JOHN PAUL II
TO WORLD YOUTH DAY KRAKOW 2016
Warsaw
POLAND
Kraków
Blessed are the merciful; for they shall receive mercy. Matt 5:7
Kalwaria
FEBRUARY
11 Diocesan Youth Council Meeting #8
11 WYD Leaders & Chaplain’s Formation #5
19 WYD Gala Dinner Fundraiser
25 Parra-Matters! - Roaming Formation for
Youth Ministry Night
MARCH
3 WYD Leaders & Chaplain’s Formation #6
17 Diocesan Youth Council Meeting #9
20 Palm Sunday Procession
WYD Mass & Celebration
25 Good Friday Walk
31 WYD Leaders & Chaplain’s Formation #7
APRIL
21 Diocesan Youth Council Meeting #10
28 Parra-Matters! - Roaming Formation for
Youth Ministry Night
MAY
3/4/5 WYD Pilgrim Formation Sessions #1
7 Keeping our Young People Safe Summit
10/11/12 WYD Pilgrim Formation Sessions #2
17 WYD Combined Pilgrim Formation
Sessions #3 – Jason Evert
26 Parra-Matters! Home from the Front
31 WYD Pilgrim Formation Sessions #4
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DIOCESAN NEWS
Chris Lee’s conviction to curb street violence
By Elizabeth McFarlane
A
violent altercation in the
early hours of Easter Sunday
in 2012 left Chris Lee blind
in his left eye.
The then 18-year-old was
on a night out in Kings Cross,
farewelling his roommate who was
leaving to join the army (a path
Chris had hoped to follow).
The notorious nightclub
precinct became the scene of a
disturbing alcohol-fuelled assault
against Chris by a complete
stranger.
A fight broke out between the
pair on William Street and the
stranger pulled out a knife and
stabbed Chris in the eye. The man
proceeded to stomp on Chris’s
head, leaving him to lie reeling in
pain on the pavement.
Chris was taken by ambulance
to the same hospital where his
father had died of cancer just two
months earlier.
As he lay in hospital, his army
case officer called and explained the
sobering reality that Chris’s lifelong
dream of serving in the Australian
Army was now impossible due to
his partial blindness.
The harrowing experience had
dealt yet another blow.
The assailant has not been
identified but this lack of closure
hasn’t defeated Chris, rather he
has chosen to focus on preventing
others from experiencing similar
attacks.
Chris is an Ambassador for
both the Thomas Kelly Youth
Foundation and the Wake Up
Foundation. Thomas Kelly
died in July 2012 after he was
coward-punched by a man under
the influence of alcohol. Both
foundations aim to curb this type of
violence.
Chris has also co-founded
Conviction Group, an organisation
that provides mentoring services
and forums for male students on
mental health, drugs, body image,
alcohol-fuelled violence, bullying
and leadership.
“I’d like to invite more young
adult men to volunteer for the
forums. When you’re asked to lead,
you push yourself to heights you
never thought you could reach,”
Chris said.
It was a lot of self-reflection that
helped Chris fulfill his call to lead.
“I was in hospital for a month.
I was very angry with myself and
with the situation I had put myself
in. There was a lot of regret there,”
he said.
It was during his recovery that
Chris realised he was being directed
Chris Lee: “After the attack I started going back to Mass and understanding my faith
more.” Photo: Elizabeth McFarlane.
down a new path in life.
“My eye doctor was treating
the producer of the SBS forumbased
television show, Insight, and
I was asked to be a guest. We met
others who had been involved in
alcohol-fuelled violence. From
there I was able to get in contact
with the Kellys to become an
Ambassador.”
Chris believes the timing of his
attack was no coincidence.
“What happened to me was too
weird for it not to be saying, ‘Look
Chris, you have been put in this
position to take responsibility,’” he
reflected.
Chris’s mother and sister are
heavily involved in the parish life of
St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta.
Chris believes it was their support
that helped him through his
recovery. It was their love and care
that renewed his interest in his
Catholic faith.
“When I was 18 and before
the attack I was questioning my
faith. A lot of people blame God
and push their faith away in those
moments, but there were too many
coincidences for it to not be a force
pushing me to change my life,” he
said.
“I started going back to Mass and
understanding my faith more. God’s
impact in your life sometimes has to
happen through weakness.”
Chris is one of the diocesan
Pilgrim Leaders who will mentor 300
young people from Western Sydney
who are heading to Poland for World
Youth Day in July this year. For more
information about WYD Krakow,
visit: www.parrawyd.org
For more information about
Conviction Group, visit: http://www.
convictiongroup.org.au
6 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

How are we planning to be a light for the world in 2016?
By Richard McMahon, Director of Pastoral Planning & Implementation
DIOCESAN PASTORAL PLAN
the disciples on mission by twos. If we are
isolated in our goal, perhaps it is time to
reach out for support. Journey through this
year with a companion or small group of
like-minded people.
Mr Richard McMahon
The pastoral planning wraparound
cover on this issue of Catholic Outlook
features an explorer venturing through
a cave, perhaps in the Blue Mountains.
A new year can seem a little like
venturing into a dark cave, unsure of where
we are heading, and if we will find a way
through!
Caving, or spelunking, offers five great
tips for beginners (see http://tinyurl.com/
caving2016), and these can be applied to
planning for ourselves individually, with our
loved ones, and with our local community:
• There’s strength in numbers
We are not alone. Our planning begins
with God. Rather than asking, “How will
I get through 2016?” why not ask, “God,
how will we get through 2016 together?”
Jesus possessed the wisdom to send out
• Know your limits
A new year brings fresh enthusiasm,
and the danger of taking on too much! How
might we seek to prioritise what we want to
achieve? Rather than trying to take on five
big caves or challenges and getting lost, let’s
chat with God about the one important thing
we need to address in 2016, and put our
efforts into bringing light to one dark place.
• Have the right gear
Don’t jump in unprepared! There is a
wealth of resources to support us. In our
personal lives, many government and nongovernment
organisations can assist. In our
church life, there are many good agencies,
communities and groups willing to walk with
us and share their wisdom (contact me if you
are seeking a place to start).
• Stay warm
Caves can be cold places, and so can
planning. We stay warm when we remain
centred in prayer, in our sacramental life,
and through taking time out with a good
meal, laughing in the company of friends,
and caring for our health and wellbeing.
• Don’t drown
Flash flooding is a danger in many caves.
Outside forces sweep away the best laid
plans. We cannot foresee every eventuality,
and people and events can knock us off our
feet. How do we stop from going under when
our best efforts falter? It helps to remember
that we are not Christ, not the one who saves,
and to continue to place our trust in God’s
goodness, particularly in this Year of Mercy.
Our Diocesan Pastoral Plan, Faith in Our
Future, invites us to grow in faith and share
our faith. We do this best when following the
Light of the World, who guides us in all our
wanderings, leading us to new life, inviting
us to be a light to others through our walking
in the light of Christ.
Richard McMahon
Director of Pastoral Planning &
Implementation
Tel (02) 9831 4911
rmcmahon@parra.catholic.org.au
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CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 7

PARISH PROFILE
A Bridge over troubled water
By Joseph Younes
Parish Priest of St Anthony of Padua, Toongabbie,
since September 2014, Rev Dr Arthur Bridge AM is
perhaps one of the better known members of clergy
in the Diocese of Parramatta.
Newcastle-born and schooled in Parramatta, Fr Arthur
felt called to ministry from a young age, and pledged to
devote himself to a life of service.
At 18, he was told he would not be accepted into
theological studies until he had familiarised himself with
the “affairs of man and the world”.
Undeterred, Fr Arthur immersed himself in social
work in order to serve Christ – a passion that has been
a constant in his life. Along with music (in particular
classical) and the fine arts, Fr Arthur has maintained this
devotion to the Church and social work.
This work has led him to become acting Chairman
of CatholicCare Social Services Council – Diocese of
Parramatta. He has also worked on education programs,
various arts initiatives, been a Sydney Opera House
Trustee, a prison inspector and served on the Australia
Council for the Arts.
Baptised in the Anglican Church, Fr Arthur was
drawn to the structure of the Catholic Church with its
rules, regulations and pursuit of perfection. The same
admiration for structure and perfection perhaps explains
Fr Arthur’s love for music and the arts.
As the Catholic Church is governed by canon law, so a
musical composition has rules and laws that make it work.
That appeals to “the heart and soul of any human being”
Fr Arthur said.
Readily admitting he is not and “cannot be a priest
for everyone” Fr Arthur continues to serve the Church
faithfully. Previously parish priest at Harris Park,
Blacktown, and assistant priest at Marayong, Windsor and
Guildford parishes, Fr Arthur describes his parishioners at
Toongabbie as “energetic, hardworking and holy”.
One of the oldest sites of Catholicism in Australia
(dating from the late 1700s), Toongabbie today is a multiethnic
congregation predominately of Maltese, Indian and
Sri Lankan backgrounds.
His parishioners have a particular devotion to St
Anthony of Padua which is reflected in the swelling
church attendance rates on Sunday and Tuesday night
devotions in particular.
“They turn up to Mass on Sunday and their attendance
at Tuesday night devotion is extraordinary,” Fr Arthur
said.
Fr Arthur has been heavily involved in Ars Musica
Australis (AMA). AMA is partly funded through the sale
of Indigenous canvas art. Fr Arthur personally makes
contact with the Indigenous artists (a majority of whom
are based in central Australia), collects their work and
helps facilitate sales to lawyers, bankers, politicians and
art lovers across Australia and the world.
The artist receives a fee for their work and any left over
funding is reinvested into AMA.
This unique philanthropic model has helped dozens
of artists while providing scholarships to more than 200
people since it was founded in 1996.
Fr Arthur will celebrate the silver jubilee of his
ordination to the priesthood on 29 November 2016.
Now in his 25th year as a Catholic priest, it is safe to
say Fr Arthur Bridge has familiarised himself with the
“affairs of man and the world”.
In November, Fr Arthur Bridge will celebrate the silver jubilee
of his ordination to the Catholic priesthood.
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8 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

PARISH PROFILE
A warm welcome at St Anthony’s in the Market Place
By Elizabeth McFarlane
Nestled among the shops and within walking distance of
Toongabbie Station, St Anthony’s in the Market Place
plants the faith at the feet of everyday shoppers and
commuters.
Shirley Stewart has been the Parish Secretary for the vibrant
and welcoming community for more than 30 years. “In that time,
I’ve worked for four priests, three bishops and three pastoral
associates!” she said.
Shirley knows many of the parishioners personally and it is
her simple gesture of greeting them by name that helps to make
St Anthony’s a spiritual home.
Deacon James Phelan, who was appointed to the parish
in September 2014, believes it is the lifelong commitment of
parishioners at St Anthony’s that has contributed to the sense of
community.
St Anthony’s unique depth of history is held by many of the
ageing parishioners.
“What is surprising is that so many of the parishioners
went to school here,” Deacon James said. “It’s pretty unusual for
someone to be educated in a parish, married in a parish, to have
stayed in a parish and then to have raised their children in the
same parish.”
The parish hall was used for many social activities, helping to
build the community that parishioners have felt connected with
for most of their lives.
“The hall is heritage listed. The hall would be a school during
the week, have a picture theatre running on a Saturday and
then Saturday night would be bingo and then Mass on Sunday
morning,” Shirley explained. “In those early days it must have
been an amazing time to be able to do that.”
Deacon James said the older parishioners have a strong link
with the parish. “It’s a very friendly parish. You see that with the
different activities. Different groups will put on a morning tea on
Sundays so the people stay behind for a cup of tea and a biscuit.”
“We’re very fortunate and
blessed to have such wonderful
parishioners who give of their
time to look after their ‘Spiritual
Home’.”
It is this community that Shirley said was a blessing for
the Church. “We’re very fortunate and blessed to have such
wonderful parishioners who give of their time to look after their
‘Spiritual Home’."
It was a call from Fr McNamara over the pulpit 30 years ago
that led Shirley to take on the role of parish secretary.
“Fr McNamara asked if there was anyone who could help Sr
Helen Law RSM two mornings a week. I thought, ‘I can do that!’
So I told him and he asked, ‘Can you start this week?’ And that’s
how it all started,” Shirley said.
What began as just five hours a week became three days
a week. She started off with a Remington typewriter then
progressed to an electric one and then to a computer.
In the early days, she used a Gestetner machine to run off
the bulletin and now has advanced to sending the bulletin from
computer to photocopier.
The duties of a parish secretary can be daunting but St
Anthony’s welcoming community makes it all worthwhile.
“I could have a full-time job just answering the phone and the
door!” Shirley said.
“I can even lie in bed at night and note down all the things I
want to get done the next morning, and it’s not till mid-afternoon
that I start on them.
“But I love this parish and I love the people.”
Deacon James Phelan and Parish Secretary Shirley Stewart
love the strong sense of community in St Anthony’s Parish.
Photo: Elizabeth McFarlane.
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CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 9

FAMILY & LIFE
2016 LENTEN/EASTER PROGRAM
Cleansing our Hearts with Your Mercy
By Ben Smith, Director, Family & Life Office
www.parrafamlife.org.au @parrafamlife parrafamlife
On Ash Wednesday 1983, a huge bushfire ripped
through South Australia and Victoria. This event
forged in my young mind a connection between
bushfire and Lent.
As Australians our experience of living though
major bushfires, either personally or as a community,
illustrates clearly the transitory nature of our lives, houses,
communities, flora and fauna.
However, after a fire the bush will soon regenerate.
Likewise, the Australian spirit is resilient and this trait helps
communities to rebuild after a tragedy. Our Diocese has
witnessed this resilience and regeneration in Springwood
following the tragic bushfires of 2013.
This cycle of fire and regeneration is relevant to Lent and
Easter. The ashes distributed on Ash Wednesday remind us
that life on Earth is transitory and that we need to focus our
mind on things eternal.
However, through mercy and forgiveness we can
experience conversion, new life and grow in hope for our
own resurrection in Christ on the last day.
It is easy for us to be distracted by our busy lives so that
the seasons of Lent and Easter can come and go before we
really get focussed on spiritual renewal.
Consequently, we can miss out on the graces and renewal
that Lent and Easter can bring. One way to avoid this trap
is to take part in a Lenten program, but sometimes it is too
hard to attend mid-week meetings in our parish, especially
for those with young children.
To address this challenge the Family & Life Office has
developed a Lenten/Easter program called Cleanse our
Hearts With Your Mercy for families to use at home. The
program is mainly aimed at families with primary school
aged children but it could be used by families with infants or
older children.
This program combines the traditional Lenten approach
of focussing on the cleansing of our hearts with the key
themes of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Last year on the 3rd Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis
addressed this topic when he said: “Do we allow Him (Jesus)
to ‘cleanse’ our hearts and to drive out the idols, those
attitudes of cupidity, jealousy, worldliness, envy, hatred,
those habits of gossiping and tearing down others? … Jesus
cleanses with tenderness, with mercy, with love. Mercy is His
way of cleansing.”
CLEANSE OUR HEARTS
WITH YOUR MERCY
Family Lenten/Easter Program 2016
JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY
The program includes resources for living the five weeks
of Lent with children’s activities, family scriptural reflections,
vegetarian recipes and some colouring pictures of saints.
Each week focuses on a particular set of the works of
mercy, including practical suggestions for performing works
of mercy as a family. The program also covers Holy Week
and includes some follow-up activities for the beginning of
the season of Easter.
The program will be available in parishes on Sunday 7
February. An electronic copy and other resources for helping
your family in your Lenten and Easter journey is available at
www.parrafamlife.org.au/lent2016
Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv leads the rosary
procession to the shrine.
Pro-life Mass for the Feast
of the Holy Innocents
On 28 December last year, the Conventual Franciscan friars
held their 22nd annual pro-life Mass for the Feast of the Holy
Innocents at their parish and shrine in Kellyville.
This year’s celebration was a joyful homecoming for the
principal celebrant, Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM
Conv. Currently an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of
Melbourne, he ministered at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in
Kellyville from 1995-2002.
Bishop Vincent presided at the Eucharistic liturgy in the
parish church, and then led the faithful on a rosary procession to
the Shrine of the Holy Innocents for devotions and benediction.
The Franciscan community’s first Holy Innocents Mass was
offered in 1993. The first Bishop of the Diocese of Parramatta,
Most Rev Bede Heather, was the principal celebrant in 1994, and
Cardinal Edward Clancy when Archbishop of Sydney presided
in 1996.
Since then, each bishop of the Diocese of Parramatta has
celebrated the annual Mass in Kellyville. During his time as
the shepherd of this Diocese, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP
gave tremendous support for the continued development of the
shrine, culminating in his blessing and dedication of the new
shrine Chapel of the Holy Innocents on 7 June 2013.
The shrine continues to be a place of healing for anyone
who has lost a child to miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, accident,
illness, or any other cause.
As a further extension of this ministry, the shrine has been
designated by the Diocese as a pilgrimage site for the Year of
Mercy. Pilgrims may pass through the Holy Door of the shrine
chapel every day from 6am-6pm.
Mass is offered in the chapel on weekdays at 6.45am,
followed by prayers for the Jubilee Indulgence. The Sacrament of
Reconciliation is available immediately after Mass.
For further information, please contact the Parish Office tel
(02) 9629 2595, 9629 9499, admin@olorparishkellyville.org.au
Mercy and the Feminine Genius
Feast of St Joseph
Men’s Breakfast
Saturday 19 March
St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall,
1 Marist Place, Parramatta
Starts with Holy Mass at 8am
followed by breakfast with speaker
in the Cathedral hall, ending at 10.30am.
The Anima Women’s Network invites you to explore how women can
make a unique contribution to the Year of Mercy.
Saturday, 12th March 2016
Keynote Speaker: Karen Doyle
St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall, Parramatta
Time: 9:30 am -12 pm
Cost: $5 for students & $10 for adults
RSVP to famlife@parra.catholic.org.au by Wednesday, 9th March 2016.
For more information, please go to: http://goo.gl/2nFQFp
Karen Doyle is a registered nurse and the co-founder of CHOICEZ MEDIA. She has studied at the John
Paul II Institute, authored two books and produced “The Genius Project”—an online Catholic women’s
resource. Karen is a sought after speaker on a number of topics including the feminine genius, the
impact of pornography, sexuality and relationships. She has been involved with the Sisterhood
movement since it began and is passionate about seeing women reach their full potential in God.
Karen is married to Jonathan and they have three children.
Anima aims to enrich the lives of women by addressing the issues that women face in their faith, families, relationships, workplaces
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Speaker’s topic
‘Learning from St Joseph: Living
purity of heart in a porn saturated
culture.’
Speaker Paul Ninnes
Paul Ninnes is the Managing Director of Real Talk Australia, an organisation
that focuses on the topics of sex, relationships and personal identity
from a Christian perspective. He is married to Emma and they have two
beautiful daughters. Paul uses his powerful life story and builds on 10
years’ youth ministry experience to present a life-changing message on a
variety of topics to more than 10,000 young people each year.
Men’s groups from across the Diocese will also be present at the breakfast.
Cost: $15 for students; $20 for adults.
RSVP by 16 March to famlife@parra.catholic.org.au
www.parrafamlife.org.au/category/events/
10 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

Sophie drawn to smiling Sisters’ ministry to the family
By Elizabeth McFarlane
YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE
It’s 5am and 24-year-old Sophie
Boffa is beginning her day with
half an hour of prayer in the chapel
of the Queen of Poland Convent in
Marayong.
The flames of the Holy Spirit are
envisioned on the chapel windows,
symbolic of the ignited flame in
Sophie’s heart as she journeys to
become a Sister of the Holy Family
of Nazareth from the Holy Spirit
Province.
But Sophie hasn’t always felt called
to become a Sister and, like many
young women, had imagined a life as
a mother.
“I had always wanted to get
married and I always believed that
I’d make a good mother,” Sophie
explained.
But in 2012, while she was
studying English, History and
Theology at The University of Notre
Dame Australia, Sophie decided that
during Lent, she would challenge
herself to pray the rosary every day.
It was during this time that Sophie
began to think about the consecrated
life.
When persevering with her
discernment, she was struck by the
sisters’ devotion to the Holy Family
when looking over a list of religious
orders online.
“I saw Sisters of the Holy Family
of Nazareth and I thought, ‘Wow, I
really like that; that’s a nice name,’” she
explained. “I had been growing in my
love for the Holy Family.”
Sophie has always felt a deep
connection with family. “I’m one of
four children. Dad is from Malta. He
came to Australia when he was 12.
Mum is Australian. Their love, support
and presence has been a real blessing.”
Life for Sophie has not been
without its struggles but her family has
always encouraged her and instilled in
her a great faith.
Sophie was born with facial palsy.
The rare neurological condition
affects cranial nerves and causes facial
paralysis.
“A lot of my nerves don’t work
or are missing so most of my face is
paralysed,” she said.
“I was diagnosed with unilateral
Moebius Syndrome quite early in
life. I have had surgery to give some
movement in the left side of my face.”
Sophie had her first ‘smile surgery’
when she was just seven years old.
This gave her the ability to smile, a
gift many take for granted. It was the
joyous smiling of the Sisters of the
Holy Family of Nazareth that caught
Sophie’s eye.
“I opened the webpage and I was
greeted with this beautiful picture of
smiling faces and I thought, ‘Wow,
they look amazing!’
“I read about their charism and I
thought, ‘This is something touching
my heart.’ The biggest surprise for me
was they were having a retreat the
following week.”
Sophie attended the retreat and
was given the opportunity to meet
the Sisters and learn more about their
charism.
“I saw them as being women who
were incredibly honest and they were
just so real. What you see is what you
get. I love how caring and considerate
they are,” she said.
Living in the spirit of the Holy
Family, whose lives were centred in
the love of God and one another,
the Sisters give witness to this love
through their ministry to the family.
Their charism and welcoming
and genuine nature set the path for
Sophie’s vocation.
When asked what she would say to
those discerning the consecrated life,
Sophie had two pieces of advice.
“Your life is a gift and it’s so
important to be thankful every day
for your life. And because life is such
a great gift, we need to use it to our
best ability and use it to serve God,”
she said.
“The first thing you have to do is
to trust. God is always inviting us and
all we have to do is trust Him.
“Be thankful for your life and trust
God.”
To learn more about the Sisters
of the Holy Family of Nazareth visit:
www.csfn.org.au
Sophie also generates content for
their Facebook page: Sisters of the
Holy Family of Nazareth – Holy Spirit
Province
The Sisters’ charism and welcoming and genuine nature set the path for Sophie’s vocation.
Photo: Elizabeth McFarlane.
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CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 11
16/09/2015 12:48 pm

YEAR OF MERCY
JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY: 8 December 2015 – 20 November 2016
www.mercyhasaface.org.au
#mercyhasaface
Offering thoughtful prayer as a simple means of evangelisation
By Rev Paul Roberts, Director of the Institute for Mission
Decisions to share faith
Late last year I heard some Year 11 students
from Patrician Brothers’ College at Blacktown
saying they wanted to be the best example of
faith for the Year 7s and encourage them to
believe in themselves.
Last month I heard some parents designing
a new prayer approach at home, wanting to
make faith more meaningful for their children.
Last week I heard my colleagues talking
of ways to better support young adults as they
share faith leadership in the world.
Last weekend I heard a man who had
started a Scripture reflection group while
in prison speak of still being in touch with
inmates.
Last night I heard a 21-year-old saying
he wanted to use his study of law to serve the
most unnoticed people of Australian rural
communities.
I could continue with countless stories
that have struck me about the ways in which
ordinary people, much like you or me, are
deciding intentionally to share their lives and
communicate their faith.
Pope Francis talked of these decisions,
this work of evangelisation, (a Greek word
which means to share the Gospel) in his great
reflections in 2013 entitled Evangelii Gaudium
(The Joy of the Gospel).
In fact, he first said that we need to let
others evangelise us! We need to keep being
moved in our faith by what we witness in
others.
And then Pope Francis said that each of
us needs to “find ways to communicate Jesus
wherever we are …” and that: “All of us are
called to offer others an explicit witness to the
saving love of the Lord …” (Paragraph 121)
Each of us is an
evangeliser
As I wrote this article, a parishioner
from a Hills parish visited my workplace and
shared about her ministry. She said that in
a sacramental program she’d been trying to
help people appreciate that their personal
participation in faith is as significant as the
personal faith participation of their priest. How
true.
One of the good and ongoing questions
for each of us during this Jubilee Year of Mercy
could be about our participation in faith and
how we can be the best evangelisers possible;
how we can communicate Jesus and witness
to the saving love of the Lord, as Pope Francis
expressed it.
Our diocesan Year of Mercy Committee
talked about how it could do something to
encourage people in this question and ways in
which many people of the Diocese could share
in a simple evangelising action.
The committee also talked of how easily
people can be turned off by those who come
on too strong with their faith! Who wants to be
seen like that? And so, what could be offered
that wouldn’t have that effect?
300,000 messages to share
beyond our faith circles!
For starters, we have produced three business
card-sized messages and printed 100,000 of
each card.
One side has an inspiration. The other side
has the space to complete a relevant message,
preferably to someone outside of your circle of
faith.
It might be someone in your workplace
or social network who is Catholic but not at
home in the Church. Or it might be someone
who is not baptised or who is from another
background.
The card is not intended to tell the person
anything about what his/her faith should or
shouldn’t be. It’s simply our own witness to
faith by promising a thoughtful gift of prayer
for something important to that person.
It would be easy to just write a name on the
card BUT let’s make more of this opportunity
and of the cards that have been specially
prepared.
For example, you might choose one of the
cards and carefully word something like:
For information and updates
about the Year of Mercy in the
Diocese of Parramatta:
www.mercyhasaface.org.au
#mercyhasaface
Dear Emily,
#mercyhasaface
#mercyhasaface
mercyhasaface.org.au
Just letting you know that you’re in my prayers for your important decision about
your job. I’m asking God each day to bless you to find the best use of the amazing
gifts you have.
Warm wishes, from Nathan
OR
Dear Steve,
Just letting you know you’re in my prayers for your mum’s difficulty right now.
She’s obviously so special to you and no doubt you are to her. Really thinking of you
in this sensitive time.
Go gently, from Geraldine.
mercyhasaface.org.au
THE
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VISIT: harvestjourneys.com
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AIRFARES
JOURNEY OF CHRIST
A 16 day pilgrimage departs 24th
April 2016 with Fr Angelo Ison OFM
– Holy Land Pilgrimage Specialist
Experience the very land where Jesus lived and
worked His ministry and gain a privileged insight
into His life as the child of Nazareth, healer of
Galilee and our Saviour on Calvary.
Featuring: Dead Sea • Bethlehem • Nazareth
• Sea of Galilee • Jerusalem
Also departing 29th May, 4th September and 14th October.
Petra extension available.
Bulk Billing for GP Services
MEDICAL CENTRE OPENING HOURS
Monday-Friday 8.00am-6.00pm
Saturday & Sunday 9.00am-2.00pm
Public Holidays to be advised
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY
DOCTOR HOME VISITS AND AFTER
HOURS SERVICES AVAILABLE
Parking on-site available
Pathology on premises
DENTIST
(DR GARIMA MALHOTRA)
• Free initial check-up • 10% discount for seniors
• Veterans’ Affairs cover and pensioners
• Dental X-rays
• Patients from all funds welcome
• Medicare Bulk Billing - Health fund claims on the spot
- for eligible children aged
between 2 and 17 years of age
Benefits up to $1000/child
DOCTORS AND PHYSIOTHERAPIST
DR. ARUNTHA JESUTHASAN (Female GP)
DR. CHARLES HAYES (Male GP)
DR. VAN NGUYEN (Male GP)
DILHAN JAYAMANNE (Physiotherapist)
• Children’s/Women’s/Men’s Health
Immunisations Health Assessment
• Heart and Lung Assessment
• Prevention of Chronic Illnesses
• Weight Loss Programme
• Skin Diseases Management
- including Skin Cancer
• Minor Surgical Procedures
• WorkCover
• Pre-employment Medicals
• Travel Medicine
MEDICAL CENTRE
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12 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

www.mercyhasaface.org.au
Imagine if 300,000 messages for different
intentions were thoughtfully given! Depending
on your feedback, we can print more of these
cards or create other designs.
The cards are purposely minimalist in their
Church content, using instead the diocesan
Mercy social media access for those who might
link further.
But by either their image or their quote,
they make a faith link by capitalising on the
positive vibe about Pope Francis that also exists
beyond direct Catholic circles.
#mercyhasaface
mercyhasaface.org.au
Coming to parishes during
Lent
Best wishes as you might choose to
participate thoughtfully in this united
diocesan action of evangelisation. Let’s pray
for us as a Diocese of the Church to use this
action meaningfully during Lent when the
first 300,000 cards will be made available
throughout our diocesan parishes and schools.
It’s a simple gesture, but if we do it with
thought and care, who knows how God might
bless it?
www.mercyhasaface.org.au
#mercyhasaface
#mercyhasaface
YEAR OF MERCY
Holy Doors in the Diocese of Parramatta
The Jubilee Year of Mercy
proclaimed by Pope Francis
began on 8 December 2015
and concludes on 20 November 2016.
Within the Diocese of Parramatta there
are four Holy Doors that will be open
throughout the year.
The Diocesan Administrator, Very
Rev Peter Williams, opened the Door
of Mercy in St Patrick’s Cathedral on
13 December. Holy Doors are also at
the Schoenstatt Shrine, Mulgoa, the
Shrine of the Holy Innocents, Kellyville,
and Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish
Chapel, Marayong.
Schoenstatt Shrine
The Schoenstatt Shrine is a place
of pilgrimage and grace where each
week many pilgrims come to pray and
spend time with Our Blessed Mother,
writes Shirley Hall of the Schoenstatt
Movement – NSW.
“They come because they love
the shrine and find in it a prayerful,
peaceful place where they can feel at
home. They believe that our Merciful
Mother will answer their prayers and
petitions and grant us to accept the gifts
and challenges that God sends us.
“We believe that with the help of
Our Lady and her Son, we will come
to know and believe that we have a
merciful Father who loves us and only
wants what is best for us.
“The Diocese has nominated the
shrine as one of the special places where
a Door of Mercy will be open for the
duration of the Holy Year, so that all
who enter ‘will experience the love of
God who consoles, pardons and instils
hope’. (Pope Francis)
“In this Year of Mercy, the Holy
Father is also encouraging each one
of us to go on pilgrimage because, ‘it
represents the journey each of us makes
in this life’. (Pope Francis)
“He sees this as a sign, ‘that mercy
is also a goal to reach and requires
dedication and sacrifice. May pilgrimage
be an impetus to conversion: by crossing
the threshold of the Holy Door, we
will find the strength to embrace God’s
mercy and dedicate ourselves to being
merciful to others as the Father has been
with us.’
“So in this Year of Mercy, you are
invited to come on pilgrimage to the
Schoenstatt Shrine at Mulgoa. You
might consider organising a pilgrimage
from your parish, or come along
privately with your family and friends.”
St Patrick’s Cathedral
St Patrick’s Cathedral at 1 Marist Place, Parramatta, is open every day from 6.30am-7pm. Mass
is celebrated on weekdays at 6.45am & 12.30pm, on Saturdays at 8am, 9.30am (Latin) & 6pm, on
Sundays at 8am, 9.30am, 11am & 6pm, on public holidays at 8am. Visit: www.stpatscathedral.com.au
The Holy Door in St Patrick’s Cathedral is the central door gate at the top of the entry steps.
For more photos by Art in Images visit: www.flickr.com/parracatholic/albums
Schoenstatt Shrine
The Schoenstatt Shrine at 230
Fairlight Road, Mulgoa, is open each
day from 7am-8pm, except Mondays. To
bring a pilgrimage group, please contact
the Schoenstatt Spirituality Centre tel
(02) 4773 8338. Visit: www.schoenstatt.
org.au
Shrine of the Holy Innocents
The Franciscan Shrine of the Holy
Innocents is at 8 Greyfriar Place,
Kellyville. The shrine is open every
day from 6am-6pm. Mass is celebrated
at 6.45am, Monday to Friday, with
Reconciliation available afterwards.
Visit: www.franciscanfriarsaustralia.org
Our Lady of Czestochowa Chapel
Our Lady of Czestochowa Chapel
is at 116-132 Quakers Road, Marayong.
Mass is celebrated on weekdays at
7.30am and on Sundays at 9am, 11am,
6.30pm. Confession before and during
Sunday Masses. Visit: https://marayong.
wordpress.com/about/
There’s a warm welcome from Fr Robert
Melnick OFM Conv and the Franciscan
Friars at the Shrine of the Holy Innocents
at Kellyville.
The Schoenstatt
Shrine at Mulgoa
caters to pilgrimage
groups.
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 13

CATHOLIC EDUCATION
HSC students do Diocese proud
with outstanding results
NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli with some of the Top Achievers in the 2015 HSC.
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Parramatta have achieved some exceptional results in the 2015 Higher School Certificate
(HSC) with a number of schools making significant improvements in their overall results.
More than 2300 students from the Diocese were among more than 70,000 students from across NSW who sat for the 2015 HSC.
Executive Director of Schools Greg Whitby congratulated the students and their teachers on the impressive results. “We are
proud of the overall improvement our schools are showing in the HSC,” Greg said.
“The Diocese is committed to the transformation of learning and teaching and these results are a testament to the collective
efforts of students, their families and teachers over the past 13 years.”
Year 11 Emmaus student tops HSC
Retail Services Course
Year 11 student, Crystal-Lee
Smithers from Emmaus Catholic
College, Kemps Creek, has
achieved first in the state for Retail
Services Examination in the 2015 HSC.
Accompanied by her proud dad,
Crystal joined First in Course Award
students from across NSW at an awards
ceremony at Technology Park on
Tuesday, 15 December 2015. The awards
were presented by NSW Minister for
Education Adrian Piccoli MP.
Crystal studied the Retail Services
Examination through early
commencement, which is a program that
allows students to begin an HSC subject
in Year 10.
Recently completing Year 11, Crystal
still has a year at school to consider
career options, including Psychology
and Law. Crystal is also the recipient of
a Western Sydney University Academy
Access Scholarship for when she begins
university next year.
Executive Director of Schools Greg
Whitby commended Crystal on her
exceptional result.
“This is an outstanding result from a Year
11 student,” Greg said.
“Congratulations to Crystal, her teacher
Melissa Else and all those who supported
Crystal in her studies,” he said.
Crystal-Lee Smithers was congratulated on her achievement by NSW Minister for Education
Adrian Piccoli.
A focused student, Crystal also works
part time in retail as a register supervisor
at Target, St Marys Village, where she
enjoys helping customers.
“Working in the industry gave me the
practical side of things so I could apply
my knowledge from work to the exam,”
Crystal said.
“It hasn’t really sunk in that I came first
in the whole state but it feels really good,"
she said.
Crystal was supported in her studies by
experienced Vocational Education and
14 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org
Training teacher Melissa Else who has 22
years’ experience working in retail.
“I’m so proud of how hard Crystal
worked in order to reach such a fantastic
achievement,” Melissa said.
Minister Piccoli said securing first place
was an outstanding achievement that
students should be incredibly proud of.
“There are more than 70,000 HSC
students across NSW this year and
topping a course is an exceptional
achievement,” Minister Piccoli said.
www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
Nagle College HSC student
an inspiration to her peers
Nagle College,
Blacktown South
student Patrisha
Domingo’s HSC journey
has been nothing short
of inspirational. Patrisha,
who was diagnosed with
cerebral palsy as a child,
recently completed her
studies despite chronic pain
in her hips and needing to
take time off for doctor’s
appointments.
Patrisha said sitting the HSC
was “a bit scary” for two
main reasons.
“The first is that it’s a bit
hard not knowing what the
questions are,” Patrisha said.
“It was also scary because I had hip surgery scheduled for a
few weeks after the HSC finished.
“I wouldn’t have been able to get where I am today without
the support of the Catholic school system and the teachers
I have had from Kindergarten to Year 12.
“I had such a wonderful learning support team who were
great at accommodating for my needs and helped me when
I needed it," she said.
Patrisha hopes to go to the University of Technology
Sydney to study a double degree in law and journalism.
Principal Delma Horan said Patrisha was a bright young
student who was always willing to give anything a go.
“The Nagle community is so proud of what Patrisha has
accomplished in all her years of schooling,” Delma said.
“She is a courageous young lady who will do great things in
her life, I am sure of it,” she said.
Luke Brame, a recent
graduate of St
Columba’s Catholic
College, Springwood spent
the last two years of his
schooling balancing his
HSC studies with a rigorous
program of training and
competition in world-class
mountain biking.
Luke spent 16 weeks
travelling around Australia
(to Perth, Victoria and
Brisbane) and around
the world (Germany,
Czech Republic, Andorra,
Switzerland and France)
while studying to complete
his HSC.
Nagle College, Blacktown South HSC
student Patrisha Domingo.
Blue Mountains student’s
HSC tour de force
Luke Brame with his PDHP/E teacher
Greg Malone.
Luke said the HSC exams started just seven weeks after the
Mountain Biking World Championships where he placed 61st in
the men’s juniors.
“It took a lot of organising with the teachers and a lot of out-ofhours
communications via email and Edmodo,” Luke said.
“I would also have morning classes and lunchtime classes to
make up the time I missed.
“The teachers at St Columba’s are so helpful and I have now
completed the HSC and I feel like I did a good job,” he said.
Luke hopes to pursue a career in mountain biking but has also
applied to study Business at the University of Technology Sydney
in 2016.

www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Well done to the following students who placed in the
top 20 students in NSW in a course
Jack Barham
Bede Polding College, South
Windsor, 7th in Construction
Examination.
Jasmine Neal
Caroline Chisholm College,
Glenmore Park, 3rd in Mathematics
General 2.
Sarah Richter
Caroline Chisholm College, Glenmore
Park, 4th in Primary Industries
Examination.
Illeana Prieto
Illeana Prieto, Cerdon College,
Merrylands, 6th in Drama.
Martina Gambacorta
Martina Gambacorta, Cerdon
College, Merrylands, 4th in Italian
Continuers and 2nd in Italian
Extension.
Marianne Chemuel
Cerdon College, Merrylands, 10th
in Studies of Religion I.
Athanasia Valsamou
Cerdon College, Merrylands, 4th
in Modern Greek Extension.
Emma Willoughby
Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps
Creek, 3rd in business Services
Examination.
Crystal-Lee Smithers
Emmaus Catholic College, Kemps
Creek, 1st in Retail Services
Examination.
Sophie Mack
Gilroy Catholic College, Castle Hill,
2nd in Ancient History and 16th in
Legal Studies.
Alysia Conditsis
Gilroy Catholic College, Castle Hill,
9th in Senior Science.
Alannah Rees
Marian Catholic College, Kenthurst,
9th in Personal Development, Health
and Physical Education and 6th in
Senior Science.
Mikaela Mandato
Nagle College, Blacktown South,
3rd in Community and Family
Studies.
Carlos Dela Cruz
Parramatta Marist High, Westmead,
7th in Industrial Technology.
Alexander Baiada
Parramatta Marist High,
Westmead, 5th in Information and
Digital Technology Examination.
Tony Lahoud
Parramatta Marist High,
Westmead, 17th in Personal
Development, Health and Physical
Education.
John Khoury
Parramatta Marist High, Westmead,
10th in Senior Science.
Shannon Dias
St Andrews College, Marayong,
10th in Design and Technology.
Chris Kim
St Patrick’s Marist College, Dundas,
7th in Mathematics.
Brodie Naughton
St Patrick’s Marist College, Dundas.
12th in Mathematics General 2.
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 15

CATHOLIC EDUCATION www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
Creative and performing
arts success for Catholic
schools
Tysha Parashko performs her Individual Project Performance The company of wolves.
Jessica Cunningham’s rendered graphite drawings Life.
Creative and performing arts students from across the
Diocese of Parramatta shared in great success in 2015.
A number of students had outstanding HSC results in
creative and performing arts, including being nominated for
the prestigious Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational
Standards (BOSTES) ARTEXPRESS Exhibition and Onstage
drama and Callback dance showcases.
Four Visual Arts students from Caroline Chisholm College,
Glenmore Park, had their HSC artworks selected to feature in
the annual ARTEXPRESS Exhibition based at the Art Gallery of
NSW. Nominated students included Kayla Galea, Cara Pemble,
Tysha Parashko, Brooke Tavares, Kristy Tebbutt and Sarah Toan.
Visual Arts teacher Karen King said the students in creative
and performing arts had a great result in this year’s HSC
examinations.
“Two students in Drama, Chloe Sheridan and Ebony
Humphrey, each received a Band 6 and the cohort overall was
10 marks above the state mean,” Karen said.
“Seven Visual Arts students received Band 6 in their final
marks,” she said.
In Dance, three students were nominated for the Callback
Showcase held at the Seymour Centre for four works in
the Dance Examination; core performance, major study
performance and major study composition components.
HSC dance student Michaela Clarke was nominated for both
her core performance and her major study performance works.
Year 12 student Tysha Parashko was nominated for her Major
Study Composition.
Year 12 student Tayla Hui was nominated for her Major Study
Performance work and received a Band 6 for her Dance results
overall.
2760 1245
Total number of
students enrolled
male students
in Year 12
In Drama, Tysha Parashko was nominated for the Onstage
Showcase, also held at the Seymour Centre, for her individual
project performance The company of wolves. Tysha was
nominated for the HSC showcase exhibitions for each of her
three creative arts subjects.
St Columba’s Catholic College, Springwood, students Lillian
Gerlach and Jessica Cunningham had their HSC practical
submissions in Drama and Visual Arts nominated for the
Onstage Showcase and ARTEXPRESS Exhibition respectively.
Leader of Learning in Performing Arts Carmen Noonan
said Lillian’s performance titled FISH was adapted from Kate
Lutherborrow’s short story.
“Lillian’s individual performance was a poignant exploration
of a girl coming to terms with the loss of her mother at sea
by transforming into a fish and returning to the ocean to be
reunited,” Carmen said.
Leader of Learning for Creative Arts Margaret Rust said Jessica’s
submission was a series of rendered graphite drawings.
“Jessica’s series of skilfully rendered graphite drawings titled,
Getting a Handle On Life portrays key aspects of her parents’
work and leisure interests through intimate viewpoints of their
hands,” Margaret said.
“To be nominated for any of the BOSTES HSC showcases and
exhibitions indicates that the student’s practical submission is
considered to be exemplary.
“Recognition in this manner is acknowledgement of your
considerable talent and commitment to your studies in Creative
Arts.”
1515
female students
Brooke Tavares’s ARTEXPRESS piece Those Crazy Kids.
Kayla Galea’s ARTEXPRESS piece 21st Century Afterlife.
Ccgratulati
all our
Year 11 &
12 students
18% speak languages other
than English
3.2 % additional needs
15 % born overseas
55% female
45% male
20 high schools to Year 12
who sat their Higher School Certificate
examinations in 2015 for all their effort
and achievements
16 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

www.ccss.org.au
CCSSParramatta
CATHOLICCARE SOCIAL SERVICES
Providing compassionate, professional and relevant support to the people in our diverse community
Rollout of CatholicCare
clothing bins underway
By John Kelly, Executive Director
In a first for CatholicCare
across Australia, the Diocese
of Parramatta has rolled
out a number of distinctive
CatholicCare clothing bins in
parishes.
The brightly coloured bins in the
corporate colour of CatholicCare
Social Services (CCSS) display
a list of the many programs that
the agency undertakes on behalf
of your Church in the Diocese.
Also included are contact details
for CCSS offices and the website:
www.ccss.org.au
Branding the bins with a list of
CCSS programs will raise greater
awareness of the work the agency
and your Church does in the
community, and where some of
the funds collected through this
month’s Diocesan Works Fund
Appeal are directed. Parishes and
diocesan schools may wish to
use our services, or may know of
someone who could benefit from
these services.
Donations of clothing will be
gratefully received into the
WE HAVE MOVED
Our new head office address is:
38 Prince Street Blacktown
(corner of First Avenue)
Please confirm the address of your next
appointment when you call to book
(02) 8822 2222
NEW LOCATION
Offices at Blacktown, Emerton, Parramatta, Penrith, Springwood, call (02) 8822 2222
CCSS Executive Director John Kelly with the distinctive CatholicCare clothing bins.
bins. All proceeds from your
donations will go back into the
Blue Mountains and Western
Sydney community by financially
supporting CCSS programs.
In addition, CCSS will support
parishes and schools by giving
back to those communities a
percentage of the monies raised.
TEXT, TWITTER, TWEET
Couples, the Internet and Social Media
COUPLE EVENING
Friday, 18 March at 7.30pm
St Paul the Apostle Parish Hall, 40 Buckley’s Rd, Winston Hills
The evening will be addressed by Shane Smith on the topic:
“Text, Twitter, Tweet – Couples, the Internet and Social Media.”
Shane Smith is the Director of Prepare/Enrich Australia and Vice President of the
Marriage and Relationship Educators Association of Australia. He is an enthusiastic
presenter who actively promotes and facilitates marriage and family relationships. He has a
broad understanding of digital technology and his presentation will focus on the impact of
the internet, mobile technology and social media on couple relationships, and how digital
technology matters in the lives of Australian couples.
Come along and find out the latest research on how this technology affects relationships
and how it can be managed in your relationship.
Free entry and a light supper will be served.
Please register your attendance to:
marriage@ccss.org.au
or ring Lyn Keane on 8822 2222
These funds can be used for
a range of purposes such as
scholarships and purchasing
equipment.
Keep an eye out for the bins,
and when the time comes to
clear out your wardrobe, please
think of donating the contents to
CatholicCare.
COUPLE EVENING
COURSES
& EVENTS
REACH Wellbeing Group. Do you have depression or bipolar? Are
you looking for strategies to manage your illness and wellbeing?
The REACH Wellbeing Group might be for you. REACH stands
for Recovery, Education, Acceptance, Commitment, Hope. Starts
on Thursday 11 February in St Patrick's Cathedral Hall, 1 Marist
Plc, Parramatta, 6.30pm-8.30pm, once weekly for nine weeks. To
express your interest, contact Anna Weilche tel (02) 8822 2222,
Anna.Weilche@ccss.org.au
Responsible Gambling Support Group is free and on every Saturday,
9.30am-11am at CCSS Centre, 38 Prince St, Blacktown. For more
information, tel (02) 8822 2222.
Blacktown Neighbour Aid - Can you volunteer one hour a fortnight
to brighten the life of an elderly person in Blacktown? To find out
more contact Blacktown Neighbour Aid, tel (02) 8822 2222, bna@
ccss.org.au
Living Skills Program is offered to young parents and young people,
25 years and under, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Topics include money, housing, education & training, employment,
health & wellbeing, daily living skills, personal & social development,
and legal rights & responsibilities. Locations include Highfield
Rd, Quakers Hill, and Prince St, Blacktown – 2016 dates to be
confirmed. For further information, tel Youth Rezolutions (02) 9680
1201
Post Separation Recovery Program – seven sessions weekly from
Wednesday 17 February 2016, 7.30pm-9.45pm. CCSS Centre, 38
Prince St, Blacktown. Fee $80. Bookings essential, tel (02) 8822
2222, soloparentservices@ccss.org.au
Stepping Beyond – Post Separation Support – last Tuesday of the
month, 7.30pm-9.30pm. CCSS Centre, 38 Prince St, Blacktown. Fee:
$5 per meeting. Bookings, tel (02) 8822 2222, soloparentservices@
ccss.org.au
Younger Widowed Support Group – Third Tuesday of each month,
7pm-9pm, CCSS Centre, 38 Prince St, Blacktown. Fee $5 per
meeting. Bookings, tel (02) 8822 2222, soloparentservices@ccss.
org.au
Springwood Drop In Centre – Drop in for a cup of tea and a
chat, public use computers, WiFi and study space, community
information, volunteering and bushfire support, counselling services
and referral. To arrange an appointment for counselling, tel (02)
4751 4956 or visit the Drop In Centre, Shop 3, 163 Macquarie
Rd (right next to Blooms chemist), Springwood, Monday-Friday,
10am-4pm. Join us on Facebook: CatholicCare Social Services Blue
Mountains.
The Healing and Support Service is a therapeutic case management
service for people affected by childhood sexual abuse or any other
abuse, perpetrated by a person or persons working for the Catholic
Church in the Diocese of Parramatta. The service involves providing
information, an assessment of need, appropriate referrals for
counselling or other services, crisis intervention and assisting the
affected person determine what would constitute an appropriate
healing response from the Diocese. Tel (02) 9933 0233.
Recover Wellbeing - recovery oriented program and support groups
for people living with depression and bipolar and their families.
Monthly get-togethers 4 Wellbeing include Drum4Wellbeing,
Dance4Wellbeing, Sew4Wellbeing, Create4Wellbeing,
Splash4Wellbeing. Further information, tel (02) 8822 2222, julie.
webster@ccss.org.au
Houses to Homes (previously known as Catherine Villa) transition
housing and support for pregnant girls and young mothers aged
25 years and under. See the CatholicCare website for more
information.
CreateAbility Day Options provides a service for people with
disabilities. Offers opportunities and programs tailored to fulfil
individual needs and aspirations. For further information, email
createabilityenquiries@ccss.org.au
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 17

DWF APPEAL - FAITH AT WORK
INSTITUTE FOR MISSION
Programs and resources for life in faith
The Institute for Mission
(IFM) exists in and for the
support of the Diocese of
Parramatta, to facilitate formative
means for life in faith, and
for the furthering of capacity
in the personal and ecclesial
participation in God's mission.
Programs and resources
produced and facilitated by the
IFM draw from four key areas:
the Catholic faith, the world as
it speaks to faith, spirituality of
personal and ecclesial living, and
the call and capacity for mission.
The IFM's various formation
initiatives are planned to engage,
encounter, extend and equip life
in faith.
IFM Programs nourish
belonging in God’s mission for
adults — young adults through to
seniors.
Whether you have an hour or
a year, or whether you’re hot,
cool or curious in your God
connections, we want to offer
something for you.
These programs are highlighted
from the growing collection:
Certificate in Pastoral Formation (CIPF)
A one-year, part-time program for all who desire to deepen their
knowledge and faith formation as well as enhance their participation
in ministry and mission.
Certificate in Beginning Theology (BT)
A one-year program with some similar content to the CIPF program
but BT has less group attendance and is structured with mostly
self-learning. BT allows you to soak up some nourishing theology at
home and also to meet periodically with a supportive group of fellow
participants and a mentor.
Home From the Front, with Catholic Youth Parramatta
Offering life and faith nourishment to generous young adults
by hosting them for a night stepping back from the front line of
commitment to service in their faith mission; a time to allow others to
serve them and their development.
Reflections
Reflection sessions are part of the IFM ‘Life in Faith’ initiatives and
are most typically offered as mini-retreat experiences, either onsite at
the IFM’s Blacktown centre or at parish and deanery venues.
To find out more about the IFM’s programs and resources visit: www.
ifm.org.au
Donations to this month’s Diocesan Works Fund (DWF) Appeal
help to fund the work of the Institute for Mission. Visit www.
faithatwork.org.au/donate
www.faithatwork.org.au
Liturgical Ministry
Formation Courses
Course enrolments are now open for all those interested
in becoming:
• Readers of the Word
• Ministers of Holy Communion
• Ministers of Communion to the Sick and Dying
• Adult Servers and/or Acolytes
Commencing 22 February
Mondays from 7pm-9pm, Institute for Mission Hall, 1-5
Marion St, Blacktown
Commencing 24 February
Wednesdays from 7pm-9pm, St Nicholas of Myra Parish
Meeting Room 1, 326 High St, Penrith.
Courses are FREE.
To obtain the enrolment form send an email to the
Office for Worship ofw@ifm.org.au, tel (02) 9831 4911
or visit www.parra.catholic.org.au
Bookings close 18 February.
Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Executive Officer is the delegated leader of Jesuit Mission’s
operations who works actively with the Board, the staff of the Jesuit
Mission Office and the various supporters and recipients of the
organisation’s work nationally and internationally for the continued growth,
development and welfare of the Jesuit Mission enterprise.
Responsibilities
Under delegated authority from the Board, the CEO Jesuit Mission will
have day-to-day responsibility for all aspects of the enterprise, in particular,
the CEO will lead:
• The effective working of the administrative and organisational
aspects of the Jesuit Mission Office;
• Effective collaboration with the Board; and
• The fundraising and assistance enterprise of Jesuit Mission.
A salary competitive with that available in comparable positions in not-forprofit
organisations will be offered.
Applications
Information about Jesuit Mission and this position, including the position
description, selection criteria and the application form, is available at
www.pathwaysic.com.au (positions).
For further information about the position please contact Dennis Doherty,
Principal Consultant, Pathways International Consulting, tel 1300 722 076
or 0412 636 899, or send an email to dennis@pathwaysic.com.au.
Interested applicants will need to complete the online application form
not later than close of business on 15th February 2016.
18 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

www.faithatwork.org.au
CreateAbility Day Options is
supporting people with disability
DWF APPEAL - FAITH AT WORK
All Saints of Africa Centre is
helping to build community
The All Saints of Africa Centre provides affordable activities in a safe place for families to come together.
Melissa Caldwell, CatholicCare Parramatta’s Disability Services Manager, with CreateAbility participants, Kylie and
Mark. Photo: Elizabeth McFarlane.
CatholicCare Social Services Diocese
of Parramatta recently started a
new service specifically tailored
to individuals living with a disability.
CreateAbility Day Options provides
opportunities and programs that enable
people with disability aged 18-65 to maintain
their independence and participate as valued
community members.
Members of the CreateAbility team work
alongside participants, identifying what is
important to the person, thereby engaging
them in programs, activities and experiences
that meet individual needs and aspirations
with a holistic service.
Melissa Caldwell is Disability Services
Manager at CatholicCare Parramatta. “All the
programs we offer are based on empowering
people to create their own futures and
maintain independence,” Melissa said.
“It is important to support individuals in
developing their skills so they can actively
participate within their local community and
feel valued and needed.”
Within CreateAbility, there are various
options depending on the age of participants.
Community Participation supports young
people with disability, Life Choices assists
adults and Active Ageing helps mature age
adults.
Many activities such as artistic, cultural,
physical and social interests are available to
participants within the service. There are
opportunities to focus on developing skills,
continued education and preparing for work
There is flexibility and choice for
individuals to create a program that will
meet their specific needs.
Programs are offered in the beautiful
grounds of Mamre Homestead and
Farm, located at Orchard Hills. The site is
surrounded by 200 acres of tranquil gardens,
farms and orchards.
CreateAbility staff undertake extensive
training in all aspects of supporting people
with disability with a strong focus on a
person-centred approach.
For further information about
CreateAbility Day Options please contact
Melissa Caldwell tel (02) 9670 5321.
This month’s Diocesan Works Fund
(DWF) Pastoral Appeal has the theme
‘Faith at Work’. Your donations will help to
support the programs and services provided
by CatholicCare Social Services to the Blue
Mountains and Western Sydney community.
Donation envelopes are available from
your parish or donate online at
www.faithatwork.org.au/donate
In March 2013, CatholicCare Social Services
established the All Saints of Africa Centre
to address the growing needs of the African
community living within the Blacktown Local
Government Area and surrounding areas in the
Diocese of Parramatta.
The centre provides a voice for the African
people and models Africans and Australians
living and learning in harmony together.
The centre aims to support African refugees
and migrants in areas such as trauma and loss
of family, resettlement issues, language and
cultural barriers, behaviour management of
children, unemployment, and lack of financial
skills.
The service has three staff, two of whom
are African. Staff member Rafa Godo has
worked for the centre from when it opened.“It
is wonderful being able to help people with a
similar background to me,” Rafa said. “I feel a
strong connection and due to this am able to
show empathy. They instantly feel safe, knowing
that I have been in their position and have come
out smiling.”
The programs run at the centre include:
Mums’ group
This group assists mums by providing
information on a range of topics that support
families with the settlement process into
Australian society. Topics include but are not
limited to:
• Women’s health;
• Centrelink information sessions;
• Australian Taxation Office information
sessions; and
• Healthy eating.
Supported playgroup
This group meets weekly during school
term. Parents learn the importance of play and
interacting with their children in a positive way.
Community Hub
The Community Hub works directly with
primary schools and African families. The
program assists families with learning how the
education system works and the importance
of how parents interact with the schools and
teachers.
Many families have not experienced
schooling growing up in their homeland.
As a result of this program, families are now
comfortable with being more involved with
their children’s education and the children are
becoming more confident within the schools.
Sacramental programs
Faith plays an important part for the families
accessing our services. The All Saints of Africa
Centre offers Bible study groups, dance groups
and choir. One program that has created a very
strong sense of belonging within our hub is the
dance group for parents and children.
This dance group, which is run once a week
by volunteers, has created a place for families
to feel less isolated and experience a sense of
togetherness. It gives them a space where they
can relax, share their personal stories, and feel
they are accepted for who and what they are.
To find out more about how the All Saints of
Africa Centre can be of support to you and your
family, please contact Lisa Foster tel (02) 8822
2250.
Donations to this month’s DWF Appeal
will help to support the work of the All Saints
of Africa Centre. Visit www.faithatwork.org.au/
donate
THE FATHER OF MERCY
Presented by:
Rev Fr Hugh Thomas CSsR, Maria Hyson,
Gerry Galam & Dr Nidarshi Fernando
19, 20 & 21 Feb 2016
Fri: 7.00pm - 9.30pm Stations of Cross followed by Mass
at 7.30pm led by CCR Youth Team
Sat: 9.00am - 4.00pm Holy Spirit Mission
Sun:11.00am - 5.00pm Holy Spirit Mission, closing Mass at 5pm
Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 7 Grantham Rd, Seven Hills
Everyone most welcome
Free entry, donations accepted. Reconciliation (1pm to 2pm)
and Children’s Ministry available Saturday & Sunday
Lunch available for purchase - Coffee and Tea provided
Catholic Charismatic Renewal Parramatta Diocese
Enquiries: 0404 093 118 or (02) 9896 3711 www.ccrparramatta.org
HOLY
SPIRIT
MISSION
ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL
1 Marist Place, Parramatta
MASS TIMES AND REGULAR SERVICE
Weekend Masses
Saturday 8am, 9:30am
(Mass in the Extraordinary Form
– Latin), 6pm (Vigil) Sunday 8am,
9.30am (Family Mass), 11am
(Solemn Mass), 6pm
Weekday Masses
Monday to Friday 6.45am,12.30pm
Public Holidays 8am
Adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament
Monday to Friday 11.15am-12.20pm
First Friday of the month 6pm-7pm
Sacrament of Penance
Weekdays 11.15am-12.20pm
Saturdays 8.30am-9am, 5pm-5.30pm
Devotions
Morning Prayer of the Church
Monday to Friday 6.30am
Saturday and Sunday 7.30am
Angelus
Monday to Friday noon
Rosary
Monday to Friday after Angelus at
noon
Canticle of Our Ladyʼs
Marian Movement
Friday 1pm
Christian meditation
Tuesday 9.30am-10.15am
Baptism - Sunday 12.45pm
by appointment
Marriages - By appointment
Contact the Parish Secretary
tel (02) 8839 8400 or email
secretary@stpatscathedral.com.au
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 19

SOCIAL JUSTICE
2016: A year of Mercy and Justice
By Sr Louise McKeogh FMA, Social Justice Coordinator
Caritas works with communities in Malawi to help them to harness their unique strengths,
skills and natural resources. Photo: Caritas.
In his message for World Day of
Peace on 1 January, Pope Francis
was clear, “with the present Jubilee
of Mercy I want to invite the Church
to pray and work so that every
Christian will have a humble and
compassionate heart, one capable of
proclaiming and witnessing to mercy.
It is my hope that all of us will learn
to ‘forgive and give’, to become more
open to those living on the outmost
fringes of society.”
Caritas Australia’s Project
Compassion is just one way that we
in the Diocese of Parramatta, our
families, parishes and schools, will be
reaching out to the fringes.
On 7 February, Caritas Australia,
the international aid and development
agency of the Catholic Church, will
launch its annual Project Compassion
appeal – one of Australia’s largest
humanitarian fundraising and
awareness-raising campaigns.
This year we will be reaching
out to countries like Malawi. Martin
Mazinga is National Programs
coordinator of the Catholic
Development Commission in Malawi
(CADECOM).
In the Diocese of Parramatta,
he will be visiting the school
communities at St Mark’s Catholic
College, Stanhope Gardens, on
Monday 8 February and Holy
Family Primary, Granville, on Ash
Wednesday on 10 February.
Martin and his team ensure
that Caritas Australia’s programs
create meaningful and sustainable
development opportunities for the
most marginalised communities, with
a focus on food and water security.
His work tackles inequality at its
roots, empowering people to develop
livelihoods, earn an income, to learn
new skills and access education.
Through Caritas Australia’s
partnership with Caritas Malawi,
Martin works with communities to
harness their unique strengths, skills
and natural resources and to release
their vision of a just and equal world.
More information and a short
video of this program can be found
on Caritas Australia’s Project
Compassion website: www.caritas.org.
au/projectcompassion
The year ahead for the social
justice office and for us all in the
Diocese is abounding in opportunities
for reaching out to the margins.
The Feast of St Josephine Bakhita
on 8 February is also a Day of Prayer,
Reflection and Action Against Human
Trafficking. Many parishes will be
observing the day at weekend Masses
on 7 and 8 February.
Australian Catholic Religious
against Trafficking in Humans
(ACRATH) has a wealth of
information about how this important
issue affects us locally and leads us to
some valuable resources for our own
education and awareness: www.acrath.
org.au
Many of our diocesan agencies
involved in reaching out to asylum
seekers and refugees continue to be
that credible message of Mercy and
Justice.
In July, hundreds of our young
people will continue to witness to
reaching out to the margins through
their mission work in the Philippines
on their pilgrimage to World Youth
Day in Krakow.
Pope Francis’ apostolic
exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, his
encyclical Laudato Si’ and his message
for this year’s World Day of Peace
are alive and active in the hearts
and hands of people throughout the
Diocese.
We echo the message for World
Day of Peace 2016: “it is absolutely
essential for the Church and for
the credibility of her message that
she herself live and testify to mercy.
Her language and her gestures must
transmit mercy, so as to touch the
hearts of all people and inspire them
once more to find the road that leads
to the Father. The Church’s first truth
is the love of Christ. The Church
makes herself a servant of this love
and mediates it to all people: a love
that forgives and expresses itself in
the gift of oneself. Consequently,
wherever the Church is present, the
mercy of the Father must be evident.
In our parishes, communities,
associations and movements, in a
word, wherever there are Christians,
everyone should find an oasis of
mercy.”
Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy
Penrose Park
Fatima Day: Saturday February 13
Main Celebrant: Fr Peter Zytka, osspe
Administrator of the Shrine
Divine Mercy Devotions - First Sunday of the Month
Fatima Family Sunday: February 21
PROJECT COMPASSION: DONEY’S STORY
Learning more,
creating change
Doney and her son, Junior, with the hand-washing facility they learnt to use
through the CADECOM program in Malawi. Photo: Caritas.
Doney is a quiet and humble
woman, but thanks to
an innovative program
supported by Caritas Australia, she’s
creating big changes – in her life –
and in her village.
Doney beams when she talks
about how much her life has changed
in the past five years. “My life has
been transformed,” she smiles. “I
am now more knowledgeable on a
number of issues and I have a vision.”
Located in East Africa, Malawi
is one of the poorest countries in the
world. Over half the population is
living below the poverty line, with
more than 80% of people living
in rural communities and relying
on farming small plots of land to
produce adequate food to live on.
In Doney’s remote village in the
Blantyre region, her family have often
gone months without enough food.
Yet, when Caritas Australia and
the local Caritas, called CADECOM
(the Catholic Development
Commission in Malawi), began a
program in Doney’s village, they
didn’t simply see poverty, isolation
and food shortage, they saw
potential.
CADECOM worked with
Doney’s community to identify their
strengths, so they can build on them
to meet their needs.
Empowering the community
to make the most of their land,
CADECOM trained families in new
farming techniques, so they can
produce more plentiful and reliable
crops. ”The problem of malnutrition
in my household is an old song now,”
she said.
Doney’s skills and passion for
education were quickly recognised.
“I was chosen by the community
and after that CADECOM took me
for training in adult literacy as a
facilitator,” she said.
Despite only finishing primary
school, Doney’s training gave her the
skills to teach literacy and numeracy
to adults in the village. “In the past
people didn’t know how to read and
write. They didn’t even know the
direction of the bus as they didn’t
know how to read the signposts,” she
said. “Now many are able to read and
write as well as know how to count
money.”
Doney and her husband, Nedson,
are determined that their five
children complete secondary school.
Even though just 7% of 15 to 24-yearolds
in Malawi complete secondary
education, Doney has strong hopes.
“I encourage my children to
attain education so that they can be
independent in the future,” she said.
“This would make me proud!”
Upcoming celebrations in Our Shrine:
February 3: St Blaise
(Traditional blessing of Throats following the 11am Mass).
February 11:
Our Lady of Lourdes (World Day of Prayer for the Sick) Solemn Mass at
11am. Followed by devotions.
Pauline Father’s Monastery
Address: 120 Hanging Rock Road, Berrima, NSW, 2577 Phone: 02 4878 9192
Email: paulinefathers@yahoo.com.au
Website: www.penrosepark.com.au
20 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

Commitment in service of the Faith
By Elizabeth McFarlane
DIOCESAN NEWS
Faith, family and music make
up the tripartite nature of
the Samoan way of life or
‘Fa’asamoa’. The weaving of the three
elements into parish life and the
Diocese of Parramatta is a gift that
the Samoan people give joyfully.
The musical flair and talent that
is attributed to the Polynesian culture
is heard in the seamless harmonies of
the parish choirs they join.
Rhythmic and rich, the voices
in the choirs could be said to pay
homage to the ebb and flow of the
tides of their homeland, washing
over parishioners in a lively display
of their devotion to Christ.
Fa’asamoa has transcended
borders, enriching Western
Sydney with its vibrant culture and
dedication to the faith.
This is personified in the
charity of Aleki Fa’amausili Ailua,
the groundskeeper for St Oliver
Plunkett’s Parish, Harris Park.
Mr Fa’amausili Ailua was born
in Apia, Samoa, and has served
Harris Park Parish since his arrival in
Australia 24 years ago.
He was awarded the Diocesan
Medal of Honour in 2014 for his
longstanding service to the parish
and the Samoan community, in
serving as sacristan and acolyte,
maintaining the church and grounds,
and communicating with his
Samoan community to organise their
involvement in the parish.
Before he arrived, St Oliver’s
Church and the parish grounds were
not being maintained.
“There was no one here before
I came. I knew something had to
be done and that I would give my
service freely,” he said.
Mr Fa’amausili Ailua decided
he would volunteer his time to the
service of the church.
“I mow the lawn, set up the
church for Mass and I make sure
everything is locked up after events,”
he said.
After many years volunteering for
the Diocese, Bishop Kevin Manning
offered him paid employment.
Mr Fa’aumausili Ailua reflects
on his time at the parish with great
fondness. “I enjoy working with the
priests. I had the honour of working
for Fr Peter Williams for seven years.
He is a very good man.”
This high regard is reciprocated,
with the Diocesan Administrator
describing Mr Fa’amausili Ailua as a
“quiet achiever”.
“Many years ago there was an
advertisement on television that
made reference to the ‘quiet achiever’.
That description is most apt for
Aleki, who has provided unstinting
service to the Parish of Harris Park
for decades,” Fr Peter said.
“He unassumingly does many
things but above all has taken
responsibility for the custody of the
church in ensuring that it is open
and closed, and also during my seven
years at St Oliver's, set up for daily
Mass. He is a fine man and a devout
Catholic.”
Mr Fa’amausili Ailua said it is
the support of his family that allows
him to serve, as they are also heavily
involved in the parish life.
His wife and five children are
a part of the Samoan Catholic
community, joining in the choir and
activities.
Moving from Samoa to New
Zealand, and later from New Zealand
to Australia, his faith, family and
culture have provided him with
stability and comfort wherever he
travels.
This is founded in the
universality of the Mass, which is
supported by its translatability:
I le suafa o le Tama, ma le Alo,
ma le Agaga Pa’ia. Amene.
In the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mr Fa’amausili Ailua’s passion
for his work is displayed in how he
devotes his time. He works seven
days a week, coming in after-hours
and on weekends to ensure the parish
is secure.
Aleki Fa’amausili Ailua is proud to have received the Diocesan Medal of Honour in 2014
for his longstanding service to St Oliver’s Parish and the Samoan community. Photo:
Elizabeth McFarlane.
This generosity is not unfamiliar,
with the Samoan Catholic
community playing an active
role in the social and economic
development of parishes and schools
in the Diocese, providing mutual
support networks for its members
and engaging in social activities,
which include sporting and cultural
performances. Their choirs also
perform regularly at church services.
The Diocese of Parramatta
has three communities based at
St Oliver’s Parish, Harris Park, St
Aidan’s Parish, Rooty Hill, and Our
Lady of the Rosary Parish, St Marys.
St Marys and Rooty Hill choirs
are combined and they can be heard
singing at Our Lady of the Rosary
Parish on the second Sunday of every
month at 10.30am and at St Aidan’s
Parish on the fourth Sunday of every
month at 10.30am.
St Oliver’s choir sings at Harris
Park Parish on the first Sunday of
every month at 10.30am.
SAVE THE DATE
Mass for World Day of the Sick
Diocesan Development Fund
Catholic Diocese of Parramatta
Supporting the
growing needs of the
institutions and agencies within
the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta
www.parra.catholic.org.au/ddf
in acknowledgment of carers
and those for whom they care
Thursday 11 February 2016 at 10.30am
Including the Sacramental Rite of Anointing of
the Sick and Prayers for Healing
Please join us for a light lunch at the conclusion
of Mass
St Patrick’s Church, 51 Allawah Street, Blacktown
All welcome
Disclosure Statement
The Diocesan Development Fund Catholic Diocese of Parramatta (DDF) is not subject to the provisions of the Corporation Act 2001 nor has it been examined or approved
by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Deposits with the DDF are guaranteed by CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for this purpose.
We welcome your investment with the DDF rather than with a profit oriented commercial organisation as a conscious commitment by you to support the Charitable,
Religious and Educational works of the Catholic Church.
Neither the DDF nor the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Parramatta are prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority;
contributions to the DDF do not obtain the benefit of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959; the DDF is designed for investors who wish to promote
the charitable purposes of the DDF.
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 21

DIOCESAN NEWS
Brendon D’Souza
from
Plumpton
By Elizabeth McFarlane
The Smiling Chef, Brendon D’Souza.
Cheerily chopping and stirring,
and springing between
simmering saucepans, it’s
obvious why Brendon D’Souza is
called The Smiling Chef.
The food blogger and chef
from The Good Shepherd Parish in
Plumpton is busily making a Mussel
and Sweet Corn Chowder, detailing
ingredients and cooking tips to the
camera.
Brendon has been an avid lover
of all things food since he was just
six years old, when he turned on the
television to see the fresh-faced Jamie
Oliver, affectionately dubbed ‘The
Naked Chef ’, mixing a salad.
“With messy brown locks and a
heavy cockney accent, he was the first
person I ever saw toss a salad with his
bare fingers, adding a swirl of olive oil
that zigzagged in the air as he poured
it, and always a bit extra right at the
end,” Brendon said.
‘The Naked Chef ’ refers to Jamie
Oliver’s cooking style, working with
simple, fresh ingredients, ‘naked’ of
rich and hearty spices and stripped
back to the bare essentials to bring out
their natural qualities.
Young Brendon was hooked
and keen to cultivate his skills in the
kitchen.
“Dad walked in and asked me
what I was watching, to which I
replied, The Naked Chef. Dad told
me to turn the TV off immediately,
refusing to listen when I continued
to ask why,” Brendon recalled with a
laugh.
"Within Catholicism,
food is central to so
many aspects of our
faith. We have the
feasts, the Passover
and the Last Supper.
Jesus even feeds the
5000 with loaves
and fish, bringing
people from all walks
of life together."
“A few nights later I found
Mum and Dad watching the same
show. When I explained that
it was the program I had been
watching, everything clicked
and we all started watching The
Naked Chef together.”
Being from Goa in India,
Brendon’s family cooked
traditional dishes, mostly
seafood-based and influenced
by the state’s Portuguese
colonisation. The rich spices
were a staple, but Brendon
was inspired by Jamie Oliver’s
simplistic approach to cooking,
finding himself drawn to Italian
food.
“I’ve grown up being
obsessed with Italian food.
It was the Italian culture
that I found enticing. I liked
the fresh take that Italian food had
compared to Indian food. Italian food
was like a step back. It was really fresh
with tomatoes, basil, herbs and really
fresh ingredients.”
Moving to Australia and being
a part of Plumpton Parish has given
Brendon many opportunities to try
other cultural cuisines.
“On feast days in Plumpton we
hold multicultural days. We celebrate
twice a year on Good Shepherd
Sunday and in October for the
anniversary of the parish.
“When you finish getting your
food, you have to sit next to someone
you don’t know.”
Ingredients
• 1kg farmed, fresh Australian
Blue Mussels
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 med onion, peeled, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 200g potatoes, diced
• 100g bacon, diced
• 500g whole sweet corn, husks
removed (or 250g frozen corn)
• 1L chicken stock
• 600ml thickened cream
To serve
• Chopped chives and crusty
bread
Method
Clean the mussels. Scrape off any
barnacles using a sharp paring knife.
De-beard each mussel. Rinse, drain
and set aside while you prepare the
base. Skip this if you are using frozen
mussels.
Make the chowder. Heat the oil in
a large casserole pan or saucepan
over a medium heat. Add the onion,
garlic, potatoes and bacon. Cook,
stirring until the bacon is crisp. You
Food for Brendon is central to
building relationships within the
community.
“When we first came to Australia,
we were invited to someone’s house
and were asked to bring a plate.
We didn’t understand the concept,
thinking we would have to actually
bring just a plate.”
"Needless to say, the
misunderstanding gave everyone a
good laugh and broke down barriers.”
“There is a joke among my friends
that if you’re visiting the D’Souza’s
house you don’t have to eat anything
beforehand because if you come to the
Prep time:
30 mins
Cooking time:
30 mins
Serves 6-8
The Smiling Chef’s
delicious Mussel and
Sweetcorn Chowder
recipe.
Photo:
Elizabeth McFarlane
can add 1-2 tsp smoked paprika to
taste and season with a little salt, but
not too much as the mussels will add
a salty flavour. Take each corn cob
and holding it carefully, slice off the
kernels. Add the corn to the saucepan
along with the stock and simmer over
a medium heat until the potatoes are
tender. Stir through the cream, cover
and reduce heat to low.
Cook the mussels. Cook the mussels
in a large lidded saucepan or dutch
oven with 250mL water for 10-15
minutes or until they start to open
wide. Throw away any that haven’t
opened. Allow to cool then remove
the flesh and place into the chowder.
Strain the mussel juice and add to the
chowder for more delicious flavour.
To serve. Ladle the soup into bowls
and serve warm with crusty bread.
Leftover soup can be used as a
delicious sauce for pasta. For a vegan
twist replace the mussels with 500g
diced pumpkin or sweet potato, the
chicken stock with vegetable stock,
leave out the bacon and swap the
cream for almond milk.
door, the first thing that you’re going
to be greeted with is food,” he said.
Brendon believes food is at the
heart of his culture and faith.
“Within Catholicism, food is
central to so many aspects of our
faith. We have the feasts, the Passover
and the Last Supper. Jesus even
feeds the 5000 with loaves and fish,
bringing people from all walks of life
together. I think Jesus had the right
idea.”
Brendon has been blogging for
three and a half years. You can access
his recipes, cooking tips and reviews
at: http://brendonthesmilingchef.com
St Paul’s World 2 Pilgrimage
Greece, Malta and Rome with Fr Wim Hoekstra
Information afternoon
Sunday 28 February
You are invited to an information afternoon with
Fr Wim Hoekstra, Parish Priest of St Michael’s
Parish at Baulkham Hills, who will be escorting this
pilgrimage to Greece, Malta and Rome.
Leaving 24 September and returning 14 October.
The information session will be at 2pm
for 2.30pm start .
St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall, 1 Marist Place,
Parramatta
For more information contact Fr Wim:
wkh367@gmail.com
22 CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org

4 seminarians instituted as acolytes
Acolytes have a special role in the Church’s ministry. Parramatta seminarians (from left): Jack Green, Joe Murphy, Shinto Francis and
Chris del Rosario. Photo: Art in Images.
Four seminarians for the Diocese
of Parramatta were instituted as
acolytes during the celebration
of Mass at Our Lady of the Angels
Church, Rouse Hill, on 6 December
2015.
Parramatta's Bishop Emeritus
Kevin Manning instituted Shinto
Francis, Joe Murphy, Jack Green and
Chris del Rosario. The men are in
formation for the priesthood at Holy
Spirit Seminary. As each candidate's
name was called, they rose to indicate
their willingness for ministry.
In his homily, Bishop Manning
said the young men offering
themselves for the ministry of acolyte
and had a special role in the Church’s
ministry.
“Since the Eucharist is the summit
and source of the Church’s life, which
builds up the Christian community
and helps it grow, it will be your
responsibility to assist priests and
deacons in carrying out their ministry
as special ministers to give Holy
Communion to the faithful at the
liturgy and to the sick.
“Because you are specially called
to this ministry you must strive to live
more fully by the Lord’s sacrifice and
to be moulded more perfectly in its
likeness.
“Be obedient to
the commandment
which the Lord gave
to His apostles at
the last supper: ‘Love
one another as I also
have loved you’.”
“You must seek to understand the
deep spiritual meaning of what you
do, so that you may offer yourselves
daily to God as spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to Him through Jesus
Christ.
“In performing your ministry,
bear in mind that as you share the one
bread with your brothers and sisters,
so you form one Body with them.
“Show a sincere love for Christ’s
mystical body, God’s holy people, and
especially for the weak and the sick. Be
obedient to the commandment which
the Lord gave to His apostles at the
last supper: ‘Love one another as I also
have loved you’."
As with other liturgical ministries,
the acolyte has a specific role, that is,
to assist the priest or deacon in the
service of the altar, preparing the altar
and the sacred vessels.
Sacrosanctum Concilium states:
"Those who serve at the altar exercise
a genuine liturgical function. They
ought to discharge their office
therefore, with the sincere devotion
and decorum demanded by so exalted
a ministry and rightly expected of
them by God's people.
“Consequently, they must all
be deeply imbued with the spirit of
the liturgy, in the measure proper to
each one, and they must be trained to
perform their functions in a correct
and orderly manner." (Second Vatican
Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 29)
Acolytes undergo specific training
and formation. They should familiarise
themselves “with everything which
pertains to divine worship and should
endeavour to understand its spirit
and its inner meaning." (Pope Paul
VI, Ministeria Quaedam, 15 August
1972, #6)
The Mass was concelebrated by
the seminary's Rector, Very Rev John
Hogan, Our Lady of the Angels' Parish
Priest, Rev Warren Edwards, and
Assistant Priest Rev John Rizzo.
For more images of the event,
please visit: www.flickr.com/
parracatholic/albums
FEBRUARY CALENDAR
11
14
18
20
21
27
MASS FOR WORLD DAY OF THE SICK
In acknowledgement of carers and those for whom they
care. Includes Sacramental Rite of Anointing of the Sick
and Prayers for Healing. Mass at 10.30am in St Patrick’s
Church, 51 Allawah St, Blacktown. Light lunch to follow.
RITE OF ELECTION
The Rite of Election closes the Period of the
Catechumenate for those taking part in the RCIA. Starts
2pm in St Patrick's Cathedral, followed by afternoon
tea.
HOLY HOUR FOR VOCATIONS
Adoration, prayer, music and quiet time from 7pm-
8pm in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St Patrick’s
Cathedral. To find out more about priesthood contact
the Director of Priestly Vocations, Fr Warren Edwards,
tel 0409 172 700, vocations@parra.catholic.org.au
RCIA REFLECTION DAY FOR
CATECHUMENS AND CANDIDATES
A time to stop, pause and reflect on the RCIA journey
towards the Catholic Faith and the Scrutinies. From
9.30am-3pm at the Institute for Mission, 1-5 Marion
St, Blacktown. No charge – morning tea and lunch
provided. RSVP 17 February: Adelle tel (02) 9831 4911,
ofw@ifm.org.au
CHRISTIAN MEDITATION INTRODUCTION
& RENEWAL DAY
Introduction to Christian Meditation, two periods of
meditation, Eucharistic Celebration and information
exchange. Arrive 10am for 10.30am, concludes 3pm.
St Benedict's Monastery, Arcadia Rd, Arcadia. Inquiries:
Ann Bergman (02) 9498 2625, anniebergman@hotmail.
com or Ann Lomas (02) 9456 4775, atlomas@bigpond.
com
GRACE & SILENCE RETREAT FOR YOUNG
WOMEN
Includes vocation discernment to marriage & family
life, single life or consecrated life. Cost $30 includes
morning & afternoon tea, lunch and materials. Mt
Schoenstatt, 230 Fairlight Rd, Mulgoa. Registrations: Sr
M Julie Brcar ISSM, tel 0408 728 334, juliebrcar@gmail.
com
For more events visit:
http://catholicoutlook.org/event/
Free e-book for computer, e-reader, tablet or iPhone
Son of God:
The Daily Gospel Year C-2
This e-book is authored by Father Ted Tyler, Parish Priest of St
Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish, Upper Blue Mountains. Copies
may be downloaded free of charge to a computer or e-reader or
tablet.
The e-book offers the Gospel for every day of this Liturgical Year
C-2 (Sundays Year C, weekdays Year 2), together with a reflection
of some 750 words on each daily Gospel. This Liturgical Year C-2
continues till November 2016.
The e-book contains the Gospel passages not only for this present
Liturgical Year, but for any C-2 Liturgical Year in the future,
together with their reflections.
It may be passed on to friends or acquaintances as desired. It
carries the Imprimatur of Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop
of Sydney.
Son of God: The Daily Gospel Year C-2 may be accessed at:
www.catholic-thoughts.info/ebook/
“The most beautiful
and visually
compelling film
I have ever seen. I did
not want it to end.”
Kim, Brisbane.
Filmed and Edited by
Michael Luke Davies
A unique inside portrait of
the world of the Tyburn Nuns.
“This film takes you into
another realm…”
What is life in a cloistered Benedictine
community really like? Let the Tyburn
Nuns take you to their 9 monasteries
around the world. Witness the nuns’ holy
life of prayer and work, centred on the
Eucharist, in this remarkable film.
ORDER ONLINE:
www.tyburnconvent.org.uk
or send cheque/money order for $25
payable to:
Tyburn Priory, 325 Garfield Road East
RIVERSTONE NSW 2765
Name ........................................................
..................................................................
Address .....................................................
..................................................................
..................................................................
..................................................................
www.catholicoutlook.org
CatholicOutlook | FEBRUARY 2016 23

COURSES AND SUPPORT PROVIDED
BY CATHOLICCARE SOCIAL SERVICES
2016
COUNSELLING AND EDUCATION
supported by
HOMELESSNESS
Houses to Homes – For pregnant girls
or parenting young women, 25 years
and under, who are homeless or at
risk of homelessness in the Blacktown
and Hills LGAs call 02 9837 2095.
Living Skills – CCSS partners with Youth Rez for the
Living Skills program offered to young parents and
young people who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness, 25 years and under to strengthen
their capacity to meet the challenges of maintaining
a tenancy.
FAMILY SERVICES
Family Support – in home or centre support to families.
The service supports families with young people and
children to meet their physical, social, emotional needs
and developmental milestones.
Project Elizabeth – Pregnancy related counselling,
case management and group work service providing
support for individuals and families that are expecting
a baby, have lost a baby or who have a child 0-3.
Contact Penrith office.
Baulkham Hills Family Daycare –
unique home based child care service
providing quality care for children
02 9639 1346 or 02 9686 1494
www.facebook.com/hillsfamilydaycare
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Recover Wellbeing provides a service
for adults in Western Sydney who are in
recovery from mental distress. It reduces
social isolation and promotes positive
messages of hope and recovery.
Contact Blacktown.
Family and Relationship counselling for anyone seeking support when struggling
through couple, parenting, family or individual issues at Blacktown, Springwood, ACS
Emerton, Penrith, Parramatta. Day and evening sessions in some locations.
Keeping Kids in Mind post separation
parenting program which is designed
to focus on what’s best for children
and includes KKIM parenting groups
and KKIM family support post
separation. Contact Blacktown.
Rollercoasters for Kids experiencing
family changes such as adjusting to
their parents separation. This can be
run in school and other settings on
request.
Cool Kids for preschool, primary,
adolescents and their parents experiencing anxiety.
My Kids and Me a program for those parents whose children are currently being parented
through FACS departmental supervision
Bringing Baby Home – a John Gottman seminar designed to support expectant and new
parents. BBH can also be run in parishes on request.
External Contracted Services in which qualified supervisors can offer clinical supervision
to other staff and services.
Available to present workshops in the community on issues such as parenting teens
and children in multicultural Australia, or strengthening family and couple relationships.
For enquiries contact your closest office as below.
Financial and problem gambling services – counselling and education.
Contact Blacktown office.
SOLO PARENT SERVICES
Bereavement Support Program –
for those who have been widowed,
with educational input and
opportunities for shared experiences.
Younger Widowed Support Group –
a monthly Support Group for those
widowed at a younger age.
Post Separation Recovery Program
– for those who have been separated
or divorced, on topics pertaining to
personal growth and development.
Stepping Beyond – Monthly Post Separation Support Program, with focus on issues that
arise out of the breakdown of the family unit.
Seminars – Understanding the Annulment Process, Dealing with the Legal System,
Understanding Family Law.
Individual Counselling particularly for those dealing with loss, grief and bereavement
following the death of their spouse or breakdown of their marriage relationship.
Courses and individual couple preparation
available for engaged couples preparing for
Marriage
Celebrating the Early Years Mass & Lunch
Sunday, 1 May 2016 at the Cathedral
Celebrating the Journey Mass & Lunch
Sunday, 18 September 2016
Faith in Marriage Conference is set for
Friday, 26 August, 2016
Marriage Enrichment evenings held during
the year.
Natural Fertility Services – information, seminars and one on one teaching of natural
fertility methods. For enquiries contact Blacktown.
Healing and Support Services – for adults affected by child sexual abuse.
For enquiries contact Blacktown.
FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS – BLACKTOWN,
PENRITH AND SPRINGWOOD
For more information on dates and locations, please contact your closest office listed below.
REACH is a nine-week psycho-educational wellbeing group program for individuals with a
mood disorder, run by qualified Black Dog Institute trained Facilitators.
Bringing up Great Kids – A fun parenting program that focuses on how parents
communicate with their children.
Managing the Bull – A 6 week course for
bullied teenagers in years 7, 8 & 9. This course
aims to build resilience and self esteem in
bullied teens through games, activities and
discussions.
123 Magic and Emotion Coaching –
A series of 3 seminars offering a behaviour
management program for children 2-12 years
that can be used by both parents and teachers.
TripleP Positive Parenting Groups and
Seminars – Runs for 8 weeks and looks at
simple routines and small changes that can
make a big difference to your family.
Young Mums Group and Playgroup
Circle of Security – This is an 8 week early intervention program designed to
enhance attachment security between parents and children.
Engaging your Adolescent – A series of 3 seminars providing parenting skills
for resolving teenage behaviour problems.
For bookings, enquiries and dates contact Blacktown.
Keeping Children Safe – A protective behaviours course.
goodnews@ccss.org.au
volunteer@ccss.org.au
Parramatta: (02) 9933 0222 Blacktown: (02) 8822 2222 Penrith: (02) 4721 5331 Springwood: (02) 4751 4956 Mamre House: (02) 9670 5321
Visit www.ccss.org.au www.facebook.com/CCSSParramatta
BAULKHAM HILLS
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Volunteers
needed
If you are interested
in making a difference
for local services, email
You are not alone
in your loss and grief
Aboriginal Catholic Services (Emerton)
supports Indigenous people through
comprehensive and culturally appropriate
services and programs designed to
contribute to their social wellbeing.
www.facebook.com/ACSEmerton
(The historic) Mamre House and Farm
– provides a range of programs and
services to benefit people in Western
Sydney. Also offers:
• On-site café
• Catering and venue hire for events
and functions
• Mamre Plains Ltd is a Registered
Training Organisation and offers Hospitality,
Horticulture and Business courses
• Garden services for schools, industrial sites and homes
• Fresh produce for sale
• Migrant and refugee English and settlement sessions.
For more info contact Mamre House.
CreateAbility day options –
provides a holistic service with
tailored programs and opportunities
for individuals 18-65 living with a disability to achieve
aspirations. For information please call 02 9670 5321.
Blacktown Neighbour Aid – Provides
a home visitation and support service
for the frail, aged or younger people
with a disability and their carers in the
Blacktown LGA. Contact Blacktown.
Springwood Drop-in Centre – Supports the needs of
the Blue Mountains Community. Provides counselling,
community information, referral and outreach
activities including a Community Garden.
All Saints of Africa (Blacktown) is a
Community Hub providing homework
programs, cultural celebrations and much
more for African migrants. Contact Blacktown.
Subscribe to our
monthly enewsletter
Aboriginal Catholic Services
CALL TO
ORGANISE
A SCHOOL
EXCURSION