Catholic Outlook Magazine Ordinary Time Spring Edition 2022

M A G A Z I N E 

Parramatta heads to World Youth Day 2023 I Season of Creation in the Diocese 

Meet Fr Vincy of The Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton I Deep listening with Dadirri 

Our November traditions I Inner pilgrimages 

Season of Creation | Spring 2022

M A G A Z I N E 

Parramatta heads to World Youth Day 2023 I Season of Creation in the Diocese 

Meet Fr Vincy of The Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton I Deep listening with Dadirri 

Our November traditions I Inner pilgrimages 

Imprimatur and Publisher: 

Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv 

Bishop of Parramatta 

(02) 8838 3400 

PO Box 3066, 

North Parramatta, NSW, 1750 

bishop@parracatholic.org 

www.catholicoutlook.org 

Editor & Vicar for Communication: 

Br Mark O’Connor FMS 

(02) 8838 3400 

PO Box 3066, 

North Parramatta, NSW, 1750 

comms@parracatholic.org 

Communications Manager: 

Christina Gretton 

Communications Officer: 

Mary Brazell 

Nihil Obstat: 

Very Rev Peter G. Williams AM 

Accounts: 

Alfie Ramirez 

(02) 8838 3437 

alfie.ramirez@parracatholic.org 

Printing: 

IVE Group Australia Pty Ltd 

All material in this publication is copyright and 

may not be reproduced without permission 

of the publisher. 8,500 copies are printed and 

distributed to 47 parishes and more than 80 

schools, after school care centres and early 

learning centres in Western Sydney and the 

Blue Mountains. 

Catholic Outlook is a member of the 

Australasian Catholic Press Association. 

© Diocese of Parramatta 2022 

Jenny Kuchta and Elyse Provest worked with Aboriginal students at 

Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary Greystanes to create this Rainbow 

Lorikeet artwork. Many local schools are adopting totems in the 

lead-up to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Education 

NSW State Conference in Leura in October 2022. This event will be 

proudly hosted by Catholic Schools NSW and Catholic Education 

Diocese of Parramatta. 

The Diocese of Parramatta reaffirms the 

wise axiom attributed to Saint Augustine of 

Hippo, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, 

freedom; in all things, charity.” In this spirit, 

Catholic Outlook publishes a variety of 

Catholic viewpoints. They are not necessarily 

the official views of the Diocese of Parramatta. 

Season of Creation | Spring 2022 

Cover Image: Sunset on the road to Santiago de Navarra, 

Spain. The Camino de Santiago is one of the world’s 

greatest pilgrimages. Image: Shutterstock.

From Bishop Vincent 

Dear Sisters and Brothers, 

Only the Kingdom therefore 

is absolute and it makes 

everything else relative. 

As we enter into Spring and see God’s creation 

bursting forth into new life, let’s remind ourselves that 

the Kingdom of God is shining forth all around us! 

We are all pilgrims of faith, on a journey to spread the 

Good News that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified but 

is now risen from the dead. 

Sometimes, however, we are blinded from living 

our joyous faith and noticing God’s Kingdom 

breaking through. 

We are like the masses in Jesus’ day, who were 

yearning for God to send a messiah to rescue 

them but were looking in all the wrong places. 

Yes, there are many things in our chaotic 

contemporary world that can blind and depress 

us and threaten our hope. We can be tempted to 

despair at so much injustice, rampant greed, the 

destruction of our environment and especially 

the horror of war and the suffering of innocents in 

places like Ukraine. 

But let’s never forget that Jesus proclaimed the 

Kingdom and insisted that God’s reign could begin in 

people’s lives any time they are ready to awaken to 

this presence. 

Jesus still speaks to us today: 

St. Pope Paul VI 

Do not look for God to 

appear in the desert or on a 

mountaintop, because the 

Kingdom is not about location. 

Instead, the Kingdom of God 

is within you. 

If, however, we can resist the temptation to despair 

and overcome the delusion that we can save 

ourselves, we can discover this divine presence. 

As the Anglican biblical scholar N. T. Wright puts 

it: “...we need to discover that when God wants to 

take charge of the world or the Church, he does 

not send in the tanks. Instead, he sends in the 

poor and the meek.” 

That is what Pope Francis has also been tirelessly 

saying for the last ten years. Our salvation is not 

achieved by ‘circling the wagons’ and seeking refuge 

in some supposed ‘Golden Age’ of the Church. 

Our recent Plenary Council was a moment of hope 

and new life for many of us Australian Catholics. 

Why? Because it rightly discerned that we Australian 

Catholics need to march on in our journey of 

synodality, to make the Kingdom a reality in the 

Australia of today. 

We, the People of God in the Diocese of Parramatta, 

are sent on mission as ‘kingdom people’ to the 

‘peripheries’. As a pilgrim people, the poor and meek 

are our salvation and our guides, the 'anawim' of 

God who live their witness in the world and in history. 

With them, we go on a journey to form a community 

of ‘kinship’ for God longs for us to encounter him at 

the margins. 

This season of Spring 2022, we are called then to 

open our eyes to see the Kingdom of God breaking 

through all around us: “for the vision still has time, 

presses on to fulfillment, and it will not 

disappoint; and if it delays, wait for it” 

(cf. Habakkuk 2:3). 

Let's continue our pilgrimage of 

hope. For: Only the kingdom 

... is absolute! 


Bishop of Parramatta 

This was not a message most people of Jesus’ time 

wanted to hear. I suspect it is not something we want 

to accept deep down either. 

We can be tempted to want a Kingdom even a 

Church where we are in ‘control’. 

01

CATHOLIC EDUCATION 

DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA 

Enrolling now 

for 2023 

Belong. 

BE WELCOMED | BE VALUED | BE CONFIDENT 

Visit www.parra.catholic.edu.au today to find your local Catholic school and join one of our 

caring, faith-filled communities.

44 

22 

14 

9 

On the Inside 

Season of Creation | Spring 2022 

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04 OutlookLooks 

08 Short & Sweet 

09 Dadirri 

10 Spring awakens our care 

for refugees and our 

common home 

12 Sustainable gardening 

harvests a strong community 

14 Diocese of Parramatta 

announces pilgrimage to 

World Youth Day 2023 

16 The impact of saying ‘yes’ to 

God through World Youth Day 

18 Being a World Youth Day 

witness eleven years on 

20 A renewed era of pilgrimage 

21 Saints to inspire young people 

on their WYD pilgrimage 

22 Nurturing a child’s 

cultural heritage 

24 A servant leader 

26 Speak up, speak out 

and speak on 

28 A reflection on the 

Plenary Council 

32 Looking Deeper 

34 The journey within 

36 Journey to Emmaus 

38 Living in the monastery 

of the heart 

40 The Pilgrim Church 

42 Our traditions for those 

who have died 

44 Fr Vincy D’Costa OFM Cap, 

Parish Priest The Good 

Shepherd, Plumpton 

46 Parish Profile: The Good 

Shepherd Parish, Plumpton 

48 Quest to know sets 

a life in motion 

50 Let us care for those who 

have cared for us through 

their lifetime of service 

52 Watch, Listen, Read, Think 

54 Kid's Corner 

56 Directory of services 

57 Latest appointments 

57 Diocesan Award 

Recipients 2022

OutlookLooks 

A time for journeying 

With the announcement of the Diocese of Parramatta’s World Youth Day 2023 pilgrimage, we’ve asked pilgrims 

young and old what being on pilgrimage is like. Check out the testimonials throughout this edition of Catholic 

Outlook on how you can grow through pilgrimage, no matter your life stage. You don’t even need to leave home. 

Support our 

HSC students 

Our HSC students are soon 

to sit their final exams. Parish 

communities in the Diocese will be 

holding Masses to pray for our local 

students and show them support 

and encouragement. 

Find the Mass for students in your 

parish at bit.ly/HSCMass22 

Year 12 Students from Emmaus Catholic College, 

Kemps Creek with Bishop Vincent in June 2022 

Sustainability tips from Ambrose Early Learning 

The start of our Spring in September is also the Season of Creation. 

Throughout the month, we are encouraged to take action and care 

for our common home. The children of Ambrose Early Learning in the 

Diocese of Parramatta are learning how to reduce their impact on the 

environment. 

Here are their top tips: 

Children at Mary Queen of the Parish 

Ambrose Early Learning learn about 

recycling. Image: Ambrose Early Learning. 

• Get a worm farm and feed your worms food scraps. 

The ‘worm juice’ is great fertiliser. 

• Recycle water through the use of rain tanks. 

• Grow things in the garden rather than buy them, 

especially your own food. 

• Recycle plastic soft drink and milk bottle lids. 

The ‘Lids for Kids’ project collects plastic bottle lids 

to be recycled to help make mobility aids for children. 

Sign up as an 

Earthcare Family 

Catholic Earthcare has a program 

to help your family live more 

sustainably. There's a program for 

parishes and schools too. Find out 

more on page 10. 

Signup at 

catholicearthcare.org.au 

Earthcare 

Family Game 

Combine learning about 

ecological care with fun and 

play the Catholic Earthcare 

Game. Image: Supplied. 

You can purchase the 

Earthcare game through 

earthcaregame.org 

04


Soul Cakes 

Image: Cath Family website 

Baking for All Souls 

Following All Saints Day on 1 November, we 

commemorate All Souls Day on the 2nd, when we 

pray for those who have died. It is a centuries-old 

tradition, originally accompanied, in England and 

Ireland, by the baking and distribution of ‘soul cakes’ 

for the poor. Try one of the recipes and talk with your 

families about the tradition of All Souls Day, and 

loved ones who have died. 

Check out this recipe on the Cath Family website 

at bit.ly/allsoulscake 

Season of Creation 

Spring camping 

Take time out from your busy lifestyle for 

a few days to camp in nature with friends, 

family and other members of the Christian 

community to celebrate the Season of 

Creation. To be held at Wooglemai Catholic 

Bush Retreat Centre, Oakdale from 

30 September to 2 October. 

Details seasonofcreationcamping.org 

Speaking out against 

violence and abuse 

The Australian Catholic Church launched its social 

justice statement for 2022/23 in August. The 

statement, Respect: Confronting Violence and 

Abuse looks at family and domestic violence and 

explains that using religious teachings to excuse 

violence or exert control over others is wrong. The 

Australian Catholic bishops call for all people to do 

their part, so all people can live in safety and peace. 

Social Justice Statement Image: The Office for Social Justice, 

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference 

Download the statement at bit.ly/SJS22-23 

Supporting our retired clergy 

Our clergy accompany us during some of the most important times of our lives. Having given a life of service 

to others, when it comes to retirement or illness, sometimes they need our help. 

You can contribute to the Bishop's Father's Day Appeal at catholicoutlook.info/csfFathersday 

05


Active4Vocations 

Did you see our team with Bishop Vincent, priests, 

seminarians and parishioners who ran the City2Surf in 

August this year? They hope you'll join them next year 

to help promote vocations. 

You can still donate to their campaign raising 

funds for Holy Spirit Seminary, Harris Park at 

catholicoutlook.info/City2SurfA4V 

What’s On in the Diocese? 

1 SEPTEMBER TO 4 OCTOBER 

Season of Creation. Find resources at 

parracatholic.org/seasonofcreation 

25 SEPTEMBER 

World Day for Migrants and Refugees. 

25 SEPTEMBER 

Diocesan Journey... Walking with Refugees 

event celebrating the gifts and contributions of 

refugees in our community. Find out more at 

parracatholic.org/socialjustice 

8-9 OCTOBER 

Parish HSC Masses. Our parishes invite you to 

Mass to support our students. Find a Mass at 

bit.ly/HSCMass22 

6 AND 13 OCTOBER 

Sacraments, Blacktown. A short course on 

the Sacraments for your parish community. 

Details at MET@parracatholic.org 

13 TO 15 OCTOBER 

National Deacons’ Conference, Baulkham 

Hills. Details at catholicoutlook.info/ 

deaconsconference22 

Seminarian Tom Green (right), Fr Pawel Barszczewski OP 

(centre) and Head of Clergy Wellbeing in the Diocese of 

Parramatta, Mark Buhagier (left) run in the Active4Vocations 

campaign in the City2Surf 2022. Image: Diocese of Parramatta 

Talking about the Church 

The National Deacons’ Conference 

is being hosted by the Diocese of 

Parramatta 13 to 15 October. All 

interested parishioners are invited 

to attend and hear the lineup of 

great speakers. 

Find out more at 

catholicoutlook.info/deaconsconference22 

20 OCTOBER 

LIFTED Live in the Forecourt. Join the largest 

outdoor youth festival in the Diocese at St 

Patrick’s Cathedral Precinct Parramatta 7-10pm. 

Register at parracatholic.org/liftedlive 

26 OCTOBER 

The FaithFeed for those aged in their 20s to 40s. 

Details at MET@parracatholic.org 

9 NOVEMBER 

Peace, Justice and Ecology Sharing Online. A 

sharing opportunity for those interested in Social 

Justice, Care for Creation or Global Peace. 

Email MET@parracatholic.org for a Zoom link. 

20 NOVEMBER 

World Youth Day Parramatta. Each year Pope 

Francis celebrates young people around 

the world! Join us for an outdoor mass and 

celebration. 6pm St John XXIII Catholic 

College, Stanhope Gardens 

25 NOVEMBER 

Mass for Deceased Clergy in the Diocese of 

Parramatta. Mass will be followed by prayers at 

the graves of deceased clergy buried in Castle 

Hill Cemetery. 10.30am St Bernadette’s Parish, 

Castle Hill. 

Members of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of 

Parramatta and their wives at their formation weekend in 2021 

Image: Diocese of Parramatta 

06 

STARTING NOVEMBER 

• Scripture and Socials for young adults 

20’s-40’s online courses. 

• Spirituality for beginners 

• Interpersonal Skilling for Ministry 

Details at pfparra.org.au or 

MET@parracatholic.org

Image: Shutterstock 

World Day of Migrants and Refugees 

On 25 September, the Catholic Church around the world celebrates the World Day of Migrants and 

Refugees. On this day, we express concern for vulnerable people on the move, pray for them as they face 

many challenges, and increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers. In 2022, Pope 

Francis invites us all to join in “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees”. One practical step is to hold 

a food drive for the local refugees in our midst. 

Find out more at parracatholic.org/diocesanfooddrive 

AFRICA IS FACING 

A FOOD CRISIS 

You can help deliver 

urgent humanitarian aid to 

communities facing hunger 

www.caritas.org.au | 1800 024 413

Short & Sweet 

I thank God that the Plenary Council had the humility 

and courage to not go home with a false unity but 

a deep and new awareness of God’s unfolding 

revelation and our evolving maturity. At least 

that is the indication of the majority. The synodal 

journey can be messy, painful and uncertain. But 

it can lead to renewed and 

deepened commitment and even 

transformation. 


on the Plenary Council 17 July 2022 

I believe some people – lots of people – pray to the 

witness of their lives through the work they do, the 

friendships they have, the love 

they offer people and receive from 

people. Since when are words the 

only acceptable form of prayer? 

Dorothy Day Image: Wikimedia Commons 

Noel Pearson also said Australians have an epic story. 

It’s one of the greatest epic stories of this planet. 

We will recognise the scale of our story when we 

recognise each other. 

Image: Wikimedia Commons 

Federal Opposition Leader Peter 

Dutton at the opening of the 

Australian Pariament 26 July 2022 

The use of digital media, especially social media, 

has raised a number of serious ethical issues that 

call for wise and discerning judgment on the part 

of communicators, and all those concerned with 

authenticity and the quality of 

human relationships. 

His Holiness Pope Francis 

to the lay communication network 

SIGNIS August 2022 Image: Shutterstock. 

The teaching of Christ urges us to promote 

relationships marked by respect and freedom 

rather than coercion and control. The message of 

the Gospel is not a message of domination of one 

person over another but a message of mutual 

esteem and kindness. 

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB 

launching the Australian Catholic 

Bishops’ Social Justice Statement 

for 2022/23 Respect: Confronting 

Violence and Abuse Image: ACBC. 

The profit-driven and self-oriented model that 

undergirds our consumerist, economic system is 

no longer viable going forward. We will perish under 

these conditions unless we return to the roots of 

nature and rewire ourselves to be part of nature. 

For we humans belong to nature; 

nature does not belong to us. 


Tri Diocesan Social Justice evening, 

July 2022 

Pope’s Prayer Intentions 

This Spring, Pope Francis asks us to pray 

together as a worldwide community: 

SEPTEMBER | For the abolition of the death penalty 

We pray that the death penalty, which attacks the 

dignity of the human person, may be legally 

abolished in every country. 

OCTOBER | For a Church open to everyone 

We pray for the Church; ever faithful to, and 

courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church 

be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, 

always living in an atmosphere of synodality. 

Pope Francis at World Youth Day 2016 in Poland 


NOVEMBER | For children who suffer 

We pray for children who are suffering, especially 

those who are homeless, orphans, and victims of 

war; may they be guaranteed access to education 

and the opportunity to experience family affection. 

08


Dadirri 

Our Aboriginal culture has taught us to be still and to 

wait. We do not try to hurry things up. We let them 

follow their natural course – like the seasons. We 

watch the moon in each of its phases. We wait for 

the rain to fill our rivers and water the thirsty earth… 

When twilight comes, we prepare for the night. 

At dawn we rise with the sun. 

We watch the bush foods and wait for them to ripen 

before we gather them. We wait for our young people 

as they grow, stage by stage, through their initiation 

ceremonies. When a relation dies, we wait a long 

time with the sorrow. We own our grief and allow 

it to heal slowly. 

We wait for the right time for our ceremonies and 

our meetings. The right people must be present. 

Everything must be done in the proper way. Careful 

preparations must be made. We don’t mind waiting, 

because we want things to be done with care. 

Sometimes many hours will be spent on painting the 

body before an important ceremony. 

We don’t like to hurry. There is nothing more 

important than what we are attending to. There is 

nothing more urgent that we must hurry away for. 

We wait on God, too. His time is the right time. We 

wait for Him to make His Word clear to us. We don’t 

worry. We know that in time and in the spirit of dadirri 

(that deep listening and quiet stillness). 

His way will be clear. 

We are River people. We cannot hurry the river. We 

have to move with its current and understand its ways. 

We hope that the people of Australia will wait. Not so 

much waiting for us – to catch up – but waiting with 

us, as we find our pace in this world. 

There is much pain and struggle as we wait. 

The Holy Father understood this patient struggle 

when he said to us: 

“If you stay closely united, you are like a tree, 

standing in the middle of a bushfire sweeping 

through the timber. The leaves are scorched and 

the tough bark is scarred and burnt; but inside the 

tree the sap is still flowing, and under the ground 

the roots are still strong. Like that tree, you have 

endured the flames, and you still have the power 

to be reborn”. 

An excerpt from Dadirri by Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr 

To read the full reflection go to 

miriamrosefoundation.org.au/dadirri/ 

Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr, 

(left) 2021 Senior 

Australian of the Year, 

will visit the Diocese 

of Parramatta for the 

Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander Catholic 

Education Conference in 

Leura in October 2022. 

Image: Salty Dingo 

09

Spring awakens 

our care for 

refugees and our 

common home 

STORY SEBASTIAN SALASKE-LENTERN 

AND JAMES ATANASIOUS LUKERE 


September is a special time for social and 

environmental justice in the Catholic Church. 

Sebastian and James from the Mission 

Enhancement Team (MET) explain why. 

Each year, the Season of Creation and the World 

Day of Migrants and Refugees fall in the month of 

September. It’s a time when Catholics around the 

world are particularly reminded to care more deeply 

for God’s creation and for people seeking refuge in 

their community. 

Where to start 

Sometimes, knowing how to start can be confusing 

or overwhelming. To help you, Catholic Earthcare, the 

ecological advisory agency for the Catholic Church in 

Australia, has a special program for families, parishes 

and schools to take them through the steps, from 

understanding our connection to nature, to taking 

stock and taking action. 

Take action in the Season of Creation 

Coinciding with our Australian Spring, the Season 

of Creation is a worldwide ecumenical initiative from 

1 September to 4 October. Concluding on the Feast 

of St Francis of Assisi, considered the patron saint 

of our natural environment, it is a time when Pope 

Francis and the Australian Bishops encourage all 

Catholics to prayer and action in caring for God’s 

creation, our common home. 

In April this year, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, 

Bishop of Parramatta launched our Diocesan 

Laudato Si’ Action Campaign, aimed at achieving 

the seven Laudato Si’ Goals set by Pope Francis. 

All Catholic schools, parishes, families, and 

organisations in the Diocese of Parramatta are 

invited to join us on the journey. 

Watch the video at parracatholic.org/laudatosi 

Image: Supplied 

Parishes will learn how to audit where your parish 

is at regarding sustainability, and help you plan 

for the future, including how to build and motivate 

your community. 

Already four parishes have signed up from the Diocese 

of Parramatta including The Good Shepherd at 

Plumpton, and St Madeleine Sophie Barat at Kenthurst. 

Find out more about the Diocesan Laudato Si’ 

action campaign and the Laudato Si’ Goals at 

parracatholic.org/laudatosi 

The Good Shepherd Parish responds to 

Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor 

The Good Shepherd Parish in Plumpton has 

envisaged and actioned their response to the 

Diocesan Laudato Si’ Action Campaign. In January 

2022, the parish’s social justice group initiated a 

discernment process, resulting in the decision to 

join Catholic Earthcare’s Parishes Program and to 

undertake an Earthcare audit. 

10

Parishioners from The Good Shepherd, Plumpton raised money for refugees at a special concert. Image: Supplied 

They have taken stock of the ways in which the 

parish is responding to “the cry of the earth and the 

cry of the poor.” Actions include using solar energy, 

regular food drives for the refugee organisation the 

House of Welcome, and holding a concert to raise 

funds for refugee families. 

Read more about the parish’s actions on page 46. 

The Laudato Si’ Goals 

Respond to the Cry of the Earth 

Response to the Cry of the Poor 

Ecological economics 

Adoption of sustainable lifestyles 

Ecological education 

Ecological spirituality 

Community resilience and 

empowerment 

Details at laudatosiactionplatform.org 

Find more opportunities to get involved 

with social and environmental justice at 

parracatholic.org/socialjustice and subscribe 

to the Peace, Justice, Ecology Newsletter at 

bit.ly/pjenews 

World Day of Migrants and 

Refugees 25 September 

Celebrate and support refugees in the 

Diocese of Parramatta 

The Catholic Church celebrates the World Day 

of Migrants and Refugees in 2022 on Sunday 25 

September. It is a time to pray and raise awareness 

of the challenges of vulnerable people on the move. 

In the Diocese of Parramatta, our network of refugee 

organisations and parishes come together in the 

Diocesan Journey... Walking With Refugees to 

support and keep the conversation going. 

You're invited... 

Celebrate the gifts refugees bring us all, 

at a special event 

25 September 

Details parracatholic.org/socialjustice 

As a former refugee myself, I 

understand the sufferings, destitution, 

and cry for prosperity of those who 

are seeking a place of safety where 

they can rebuild their lives. I want 

you to be hopeful and prayerful, for 

the Lord will provide. No condition is 

permanent, and change is possible. 

James Atanasious Lukere 

Sebastian Salaske-Lentern and James Atanasious Lukere are 

members of the Diocese of Parramatta’s Mission Enhancement 

Team (MET) focusing on Peace, Justice, Ecology. 

11

Margaret (left) and Hanna (right) in the garden 


Sustainable gardening harvests 

a strong community 

STORY MARY BRAZELL 

The Season of Creation coincides with our 

Australian Spring weather. In Blacktown, a 

group of gardeners are sustainably growing their 

favourite vegetables and following the call to 

care for each other and our common home. 

It’s Thursday morning and Margaret Bayoa has 

finished her night shift. 

After getting home at 7am, she gets her kids ready 

for school and drops them off. 

But instead of heading home to rest after work, 

she is pulling weeds and cultivating her garden bed 

alongside other Sudanese women in the community 

garden at the All Saints of Africa Centre, next to St 

Patrick’s Church in Blacktown. 

I ask her why she isn’t at home taking it easy. “My 

heart is here,” she replies with a beaming smile, 

looking over the beds of traditional African crops. 

Catholic Care Western Sydney and the Blue 

Mountains Family Support Worker Rafa Godo 

explains that the All Saints of Africa Centre was 

established as a central hub for members of the 

African community to gather and to socialise. 

Originally established for young people, over time, 

local Sudanese women have become the main 

group of gardeners. They grow okra, black beans, 

white corn, sukuma and sugar cane – crops that 

are Sudanese staples and remind the gardeners 

of home. 

Although it is an overcast day when I visit the garden, 

it fails to dampen their spirits as the women chat 

as they pick from the existing plants and begin 

preparations for Spring. 

Each woman has her own garden bed, but if 

someone is not around, the other members of the 

community are allowed to harvest their crops. 

The food is also shared amongst the community 

members free of charge. 

12

“We often have a lot of people asking for the food 

from the garden,” one of the women explains. 

“My kids ask me when I am cooking whether the food 

is from the garden. When I say ‘yes’ they get excited.” 

The garden is a living example of sustainability. The 

women harvest their own seeds from the crops, and 

the only item they pay for is water. Any leftovers are 

frozen for use throughout the year. 

“It’s really encouraging that we are planting our own 

seeds, and it’s organic and healthy for us to eat,” 

Esther Kenyi says. 

As well as tending to the garden, the women are also 

nurturing their relationships with one another and 

with their community. 

“On Thursdays, we have playgroup and then 

afterwards, I go and do garden work,” Hanna Abadia 

says. “Working in the garden is exercise for me and it 

feels really good.” 

Helping out in the garden is beneficial for older 

members of the community too, says Hanna. “For 

some of them, it is the only way to get them out of 

the house, out exercising and keeping them busy 

during the day,” she says. 

The women feel that they are embracing Pope 

Francis’ call to care for creation and care for the 

earth through their traditional gardening practices 

and also by sharing the food with others. 

Sukuma with ugali and chicken. Image: Shutterstock 

A recipe for sukuma 

• Wash sukuma and cut finely 

• Chop onions and tomatoes 

• Cook onion in oil until it browns then 

add sukuma 

• Cook for five minutes 

• Add tomatoes 

• Flavour with salt, seasoning or finely 

cut onion leaves 

• Add a small amount of water to 

prevent it burning 

• Cook it on slow until you are happy 

with the taste 

• Serve with meat and ugali 

Growing their own food helps the members of the 

community save money. Their native vegetables are 

often hard to find in markets, and, as the women 

explain, don’t taste as good. 

As the garden remains a staple for the community, 

the gardeners hope to find a bigger plot of land 

around Western Sydney and expand their garden. 

Tips from the All Saints of Africa gardeners: 

• Keep older crops in for longer – it enriches the 

soil for new planting in the spring. 

• Use grass clippings, manure and homegrown 

compost, instead of fertiliser. 

Gardener Night Drania 


• If you have leftovers after your harvest, freeze 

them for use throughout the year. 

• Sharing your harvest builds community! 

13

Diocese of Parramatta announces 

pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2023 


Young people across Western Sydney and the 

Blue Mountains are invited on a once-in-alifetime 

spiritual experience. 

Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of 

Parramatta has launched the official Diocese of 

Parramatta pilgrimage to the 16th International World 

Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023. 

The 22-day pilgrimage takes place from 21 July to 

11 August 2023. Across four countries. young people 

will walk in the footsteps of saints who changed the 

course of history. Starting in Paris, the young pilgrims 

will travel to Spain before the official WYD event 

in Lisbon, Portugal, and conclude with a retreat in 

Assisi, Italy. 

World Youth Day is a gathering of young people 

from all over the world with the Pope: a celebration 

of youth, an expression of the universal Church 

and an intense moment of evangelisation for the 

youth world. 

It was created in 1986 by Pope St John Paul 

II and is hosted in a different international city 

every few years. 

To find out more information and to register 

your interest in attending World Youth Day, visit 

www.parrawyd.org 

The image (on facing page) for the Diocese of Parramatta 

WYD 2023 pilgrimage depicts the Blessed Virgin running, 

indicating her haste and honouring the WYD 2023 theme 

“Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39) – the third 

chapter in Pope Francis’ Marian-based themes for 

World Youth Day. 

The elements of creation depicted remind us of St Francis 

of Assisi’s love and care of the natural world and the Lisbon 

lettering is reminiscent of local Portuguese art styles, with a 

yellow tram and flamenco guitar nods to the host city. 

15

The impact of saying ‘yes’ to God 

through World Youth Day 


We hear the stories of four of our young adult 

pilgrims who attended World Youth Day in 

Panama in 2019. 

In his invitation to young people across Western 

Sydney and the Blue Mountains to join him in 

journeying to World Youth Day, Bishop Vincent says 

for young people, the worldwide celebration of faith 

has a “profound impact on their relationship with 

Jesus, their prayer life, their lived mission and their 

relationship with others”. 

Qwayne Guevara, Manager – Catholic Youth 

Parramatta, explains that “past World Youth Day 

pilgrims have returned to their local communities 

taking up leadership and service opportunities 

in their schools, parishes, workplaces, pursuing 

further theological study and some discerning 

their vocation.” 

As the youth of Western Sydney and the Blue 

Mountains consider journeying with Christ on World 

Youth Day, we asked pilgrims from previous World 

Youth Day pilgrimages to reflect on what called 

them to this amazing mountain-top experience, 

and how they share the love of God with their 

local faith communities. 

Chantelle Ocsan, parishioner of 

Holy Family Parish, Emerton 

While I entered World Youth Day hoping to always be 

surrounded and be comfortable with people I already 

knew, throughout the pilgrimage, WYD taught me 

the beauty in virtuous friendships. WYD allowed me 

to create friendships with the other pilgrims knowing 

that we were all on the same faith journey but just at 

different points in our lives. 

On pilgrimage, I learnt how much I love serving 

the people around me, and it is through making 

sure I showed a Christ-like joy every day, even 

when I wasn’t feeling 100%. It was the ability to 

recognise that in any circumstance, God is trying 

to call out to me. 

World Youth Day is a continuous pilgrimage where 

every day, I learn how God is trying to call me to be 

His servant. My faith was strengthened throughout 

World Youth Day to emulate this unwavering yes 

Mama Mary gave to God; inspiring me to do 

what I can to make sure I answer His call in my 

day-to-day life. 

Qwayne Guevara (back far left), Kathleen (middle right) and 

Chantelle (front right) at WYD 2019 with other pilgrims from 

the Diocese of Parramatta. Image: Supplied 

16

Dale Ahern 


Dale Ahern – Head of Learning, 

St Clare’s Catholic High School, Hassall Grove 

There are people that I would not have met without 

this experience who are people in my life I can count 

on for anything. I very much cherish the friends I 

have made along the way, some I know will be in 

my life forever. 

I remember in Panama being near the beach with 

two other groups and in that moment, we decided 

to share how we were feeling in that moment and 

prayed together. After we prayed, I remember feeling 

this calm come over us – I felt like Christ was with 

us. It felt as if we were all meant to be there in that 

moment, sharing and appreciating the world around us. 

As a teacher, I have had many opportunities to share 

my experiences and my own faith journey after WYD. 

Kathleen Hernadez 


Kathleen Hernandez, parishioner of 

St Aidan’s Parish, Rooty Hill 

During WYD week in Panama city, there was a 

‘Fiat Night’ which centred around the theme of 

WYD. There were talks and a time of Adoration of 

the Blessed Sacrament. When I looked at Jesus in 

the tiny host in the monstrance, I felt His gaze upon 

me. In my vulnerability, I knew deeply that God’s love 

was for me. 

In the procession of the Blessed Sacrament that 

followed, I heard deeply in my heart the words, 

“Come back to me, my love. Come back to me, my 

love. Come back to me, my love.” It felt as if Jesus 

and I were speaking the words to each other – heart 

to heart – and I was drawn into a deeper intimacy 

with Him. 

Abigail Diaz 


I entered a new season of my life after World Youth 

Day. I gave the year to God, fell more deeply in love 

with Him, and felt called to step out to join a religious 

community. I discerned Religious Life for two blessed 

years and recently felt called to come back home. 

Abigail Diaz, parishioner of 

Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton 

No day was the same on pilgrimage – there was 

time for prayer and reflection, great friendships and 

fellowship being developed with each experience, 

lots of food, excitement, music, learning, moments 

of laughter, vulnerability, tears of sorrow and 

tears of joy. 

During the pilgrimage, I crossed paths with some 

fellow parishioners whom I only ever knew as a face 

in the pews prior to WYD. Our encounters during the 

pilgrimage soon lead the way for deeper friendships. 

These friends are a source of hope and continue to 

inspire me and my faith journey. 

17

Claire Brown (second from left) 

at the WYD lunch she attended 

with Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 


Being a World Youth Day witness 

eleven years on 

STORY CLAIRE BROWN 

A World Youth Day pilgrimage can bring 

experiences you never imagined, as Claire Brown 

found out. 

I experienced my first taste of what a pilgrimage 

would be like at World Youth Day Sydney, 2008. 

I, along with 350,000 pilgrims from here and 

around the world, attended the final Mass 

which Pope Benedict XVI celebrated. It was an 

unforgettable time. 

When the Pope announced that WYD 2011 would be 

in Madrid, Spain, I remember thinking very clearly, 

“I wonder if I’ll be there?” and praying about it there 

and then. 

Turns out God had some amazing things in store 

for me on that journey. 

Not only did I attend WYD in Madrid, but I also had 

the great privilege of being chosen, with eleven 

others, to have lunch with Pope Benedict! 

The Pope was a very kind, humble, gentle person 

who showed such care and concern for the youth of 

the church. Meeting him was incredible and certainly 

a highlight of my pilgrimage. Although, God’s hand in 

that circumstance has been even more incredible. He 

has used that experience for me to be able to bless 

and witness to many people over the years. 

Another highlight for me was experiencing over three 

million people gathering together to celebrate our 

faith. When my pilgrim group first arrived in Spain, 

we spent some time in a town called Cáceres. The 

parishioners there made us all feel so welcome. It felt 

like a home away from home. There were the older 

ladies preparing home-cooked meals, the parish 

dads being our tour guides, families inviting us into 

18

their homes and the local priests hanging out, playing 

games and praying with us. 

What really struck me was that even though our 

cultures were so different – a lot of us didn’t speak 

Spanish and most of them couldn’t speak English 

– but our faith and connection with God surpassed 

all of that. We are all the same in Christ. We share 

similar joys, struggles, heartaches, and triumphs. 

It was also a wonderful experience sharing the 

journey with my pilgrim group. It was great getting 

to know them, hearing their stories and sharing the 

same experiences together. 

Pilgrimages aren’t always easy. Sometimes we 

think that a pilgrimage will be a holy, adventurous 

time where nothing goes wrong and we become 

enlightened and grow deeper with God. 

Don’t get me wrong, that does happen. But there 

were a lot of times when it was hard and exhausting. 

We sometimes got on each other’s nerves, things 

didn’t always go to plan and there were sicknesses 

and injuries. We were reminded a lot that we were on 

pilgrimage, not a holiday, and to offer everything up 

as prayer. 

Of course, with those struggles also came many 

wonderful times. From the amazing moments 

when the Holy Spirit touched our hearts in so many 

different ways, to playing games, sharing meals and 

many discussions. We were all so blessed to share 

it together. 

Pilgrimages don’t stop affecting your life once you 

return home. I had many profound moments on the 

trip, but also so many when I got home. It took years 

to process and unpack the journey. 

Even though it’s been 11 years since Madrid, I’m still 

seeing the effect of it in my Faith and walk with God 

and my ministry with the youth and young adults of 

our parish and diocese. 

Also witnessing the effect it has had on the other 

pilgrims, many of whom have taken incredible steps 

in their various vocations. 

I encourage anyone who is discerning going on 

a pilgrimage to go for it! To be able to journey 

and experience God in new and deeper ways is 

something that you will never regret. 

Claire Brown is a parishioner and youth ministry leader at 

St Finbar’s Parish, Glenbrook.

A renewed era of pilgrimage 

STORY SELINA HASHAM 

Engraved in marble along the side of St Mary of 

the Cross MacKillop’s tomb at her shrine in North 

Sydney are her words “Remember we are but 

travelers here”. 

Sage words from a woman who made a pilgrim 

of herself while on earth, travelling the length and 

breadth of Australia to fulfil her mission of serving 

the poor and remote, often on horseback in the most 

challenging conditions. 

Pilgrimage has long been part of our spiritual heritage 

as the people of God. As the prophet Jeremiah (6:16) 

reminds us: 

Stand at the crossroads, and look, 

and ask for the ancient paths, 

where the good way lies; 

and walk in it, 

and find rest for your souls. 

In Australia, the profile of a typical pilgrim is 

dynamic, and varied. Many pilgrims are young like 

those who attend World Youth Days, and many 

are older who have the time and means to travel; 

some are workers, professionals, parents, and 

students seeking to walk a pathway that will lead to 

meaningful and spiritual encounters. 

Some are religious including priests and consecrated 

women and men. Others are not as engaged in 

the Church and come as seekers, open to all 

the experiences that pilgrimage provides. Many 

are looking for friendship and fellowship, and an 

enriching break from the everyday. In recent years 

there has been an increase in the number of pilgrims 

from Church agency sectors (particularly Catholic 

Education) for the purposes of faith formation and 

professional development. 

Whatever a typical pilgrim might look like, the 

wonderful thing about pilgrimage is, that it is a great 

leveller. We are all pilgrims on the journey and walk 

the sacred pathways together. 

Embarking on a pilgrimage to a holy place, for a 

sacred purpose, reminds us that we are but travellers 

in this life, and like every Christian pilgrim before us, 

are wanderers without permanency, destined for an 

eternal home. 

After an extraordinary two years, with international 

travel interrupted on a global scale as never before, 

the appetite for travel, and for travel with meaning 

and purpose, is bouncing back. 

Well-worn pilgrimage paths, such as the Camino 

in Spain, the via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, and the 

entrance to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, smooth with 

the footsteps of the faithful over hundreds of years, 

after a pandemic reprieve, are once again receiving 

pilgrims. 

Lesser-known pilgrimage paths in our own country, 

such as the footsteps of Mary MacKillop from 

Melbourne to Adelaide, or the outback trail to the 

Red Centre, are revealing themselves and being 

discovered by a new cohort of Aussie pilgrims eager 

to walk the pathways of the Great South Land of 

the Holy Spirit. 

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20

Saints to inspire 

young people on their 

WYD pilgrimage 

On their journey to World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, 

Portugal, young people from across the Diocese of 

Parramatta will be walking in the footsteps of 13 Saints 

that changed the course of history. 

We ask these holy men and women to pray for our 

pilgrims, group leaders, chaplains, Bishop Vincent, and 

young people across the Diocese and around the world. 

Our Lady of Lourdes 

Feast Day: 

11 February 

“I do not promise 

you a happiness 

in this world, but 

in the next.” 

St Bernadette 

Feast Day: 

16 April 

“Enjoy God's amazing opportunities bestowed 

on us. Have faith in Him always.” 

St Dominic 

Feast Day: 

3 August 

“I am not capable 

of doing big things, 

but I want to do 

everything, even 

the smallest things, 

for the greater 

glory of God.” 

St Ignatius of Loyola 

Feast Day: 

31 July 

“Whatever you are 

doing, that which 

makes you feel the 

most alive... that is 

where God is.” 

St Thérèse of Lisieux 

Feast Day: 

1 October 

"Holiness consists 

simply in doing 

God's will, and being 

just what God 

wants us to be." 

St Clare of Assisi 

Feast Day: 

11 August 

“We become what 

we love and who we 

love shapes what 

we become.” 

Our Lady of Fatima 

Feast Day: 

13 May 

“My Immaculate 

Heart will be your 

refuge and the way 

that will lead you 

to God.” 

St Vincent de Paul 

Feast Day: 

27 September 

“Love the poor. 

Honour them, 

my children, as 

you would honour 

Christ himself.” 

St Francis of Assisi 

Feast Day: 

4 October 

“Do all you can to 

preach the gospel 

and if necessary 

use words!” 

Blessed Carlo Acutis 

Feast Day: 

12 October 

“The only thing we 

have to ask God for, 

in prayer, is the 

desire to be holy.” 

St Teresa of Ávila 

Feast Day: 

15 October 

“Trust God that you 

are exactly where you 

are meant to be.” 

St John of the Cross 

Feast Day: 

14 December 

“In sorrow and suffering, go straight to God 

with confidence, and you will be strengthened, 

enlightened and instructed.” 

St Catherine of 

Labouré 

Feast Day: 

28 November 

“One must see God 

in everyone.” 

21

Nurturing a child’s 

cultural heritage 

Sarah with a student at 

Ambrose Winston Hills 


STORY CHRISTINA GRETTON 

Are your children shy about their cultural heritage? 

Our educators in the Diocese of Parramatta have 

some tips to keep children connected with this 

part of their lives. 

Sarah Prego, Assistant Coordinator of Ambrose at 

St Paul the Apostle Primary School, Winston Hills, 

already sees some differences in how children today 

see their cultural heritage compared to when she 

was a child. 

With a South American heritage, she was reluctant to 

learn Spanish, her family’s language. Sadly she also 

experienced some teasing around this. 

“I just wanted to take Vegemite sandwiches to school,” 

she says, instead of the delicious pastas, schnitzels 

and other foods her mother prepared for her. 

Still only in her mid-twenties, she is thrilled to see the 

children at Ambrose embracing their cultural heritage. 

Ambrose Winston Hills, like most of the Diocese 

of Parramatta, has a varied cultural makeup. She 

counts around nine different nationalities represented 

at the centre. 

While part of her own experience was due to, 

attitudes that had been around under previous 

immigration policies, Sarah credits the change in 

attitude to a more intentional approach to children’s 

cultural heritage today. 

“We’ve incorporated food from the countries our 

students come from,” she says, as an example of 

the strategies they use at Ambrose. “We’ve served a 

South American bread called alfajores, and children 

have told me how their grandma also makes it. We’ve 

also served roti bread which was very exciting for a 

student from Malaysia. When we served butter chicken, 

one of our students with an Indian heritage was very 

proud to tell us it is what his mum makes at home.” 

The centre keeps the conversation going throughout 

the activities. “We play lots of soccer,” says Sarah, 

and we tell one of our students who’s a great player, 

that he’s sure to represent Lebanon one day! 

We also read and discuss 

books, such as those on 

Aboriginal culture, which 

a child brought to read to 

the other students about her 

family’s heritage. 

Sarah cautions that children need to find their own 

pace, particularly around the age group of 9 to 13 

years old. This is when they will be finding out who 

they are as people, so it’s natural they might ‘push 

back’ at times. She reassures parents that as long as 

the connection to culture is there, young people will 

pick it up again when they are developmentally ready. 

This is exactly what happened to her. 

22

It's an experience that the school community of St 

Andrews College at Marayong can relate to. With 

over a dozen nationalities at the school at any one 

time, the school comes together to celebrate with 

a ‘Unity Day’ celebration, also attended by around 

1,000 family members. At the event, students can 

showcase their culture in music, dance, clothing, 

food, sport and more. Leader of Learning Music 

and Performance, Antonio Chiapetta, sees not only 

the enjoyment it brings the students, but also the 

confidence and school spirit it fosters. 

“Students realise it’s cool to embrace their story, and 

perhaps share their vulnerability,” he says. “It’s great 

to see them comfortable in their own skin.” 

Manager - Catholic Youth Parramatta, Qwayne 

Guevara sees the impact of accepting our cultural 

heritage in her work with young people’s faith. 

“When we embrace our multicultural reality, we send 

a message that faith is not just for a few, but for all,” 

she says. 

“This is important in our work in youth ministry. We 

want each young person to know that they belong 

- in all that they are, even in the way their culture 

expresses faith, builds community, and engages in 

service and mission.” 

Tips to help your 

children embrace their 

cultural heritage: 

• Be patient – make your culture 

accessible to your children. 

• There may be culturally-based activity 

groups in your community your child 

might enjoy – check them out. 

• Understand where your child is at 

developmentally. From ages 9 to 13, 

children are finding out who they are. At 

this age they tend to be resistant to lots 

of things, including pressure to conform 

to the family. Don’t worry, it’s a natural 

stage of child development. 

• Be proud yourself – set an example of 

living your cultural heritage with pride. 

Students at St Andrews Marayong celebrate their 

cultural heritage at their annual Unity Day celebration 

Image: St Andrews Marayong

From left: Geoffrey Kemmis (Assistant Principal), 

Jeanette Holland (Principal), Julia Freeman (School Captain), 

Abhishek Maharaj (School Captain), Gavin Hilder (Assistant Principal 

Image: CEDP 

A servant leader 

STORY CATHOLIC EDUCATION DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA 

St Agnes Catholic High School Principal Jeanette 

Holland loves the Rooty Hill community she 

serves, her staff and most importantly, students. 

Yet when asked about her role as a school leader, 

she quickly turns the conversation to those 

around her. 

“I’d prefer to talk about the school, the students 

and our great teachers rather than me front and 

centre. I want to celebrate the things that we all do,” 

Jeanette said. 

St Agnes Catholic High School is a proudly culturally 

diverse co-educational Years 7 to 12 school. From 

its humble beginnings in 1962, St Agnes Catholic 

High School has grown from a school of just 27 

girls to a vibrant community of 865 students. With 

a strong focus on sharing their Franciscan charism 

through all they do, the school looks to serve the 

community, others in need and seeks to make a 

genuine difference. 

Leading this community requires the type of leader 

who not only has a deep understanding of learning 

and teaching but who values the importance of 

building relationships to bring people together for a 

common purpose. 

“It is not just about me,” Jeanette said. “My role is 

to serve the community, that is really important. The 

work we do in schools is relational, whether it is in 

the classroom or in the staffroom, so it starts with 

getting to know each other as people,” she said. “It’s 

all about caring about others, not being removed 

from them. It is about being on the ground, building 

relationships, working things through and being 

present to the students, the staff and the parents. 

It’s not leadership, it’s leading,” she said. “Anyone 

can talk themselves up, you need someone who 

walks the talk.” 

24

It’s all about caring about 

others, not being removed 

from them. It is about being 

on the ground, building 

relationships, working things 

through and being present to 

the students, the staff and the 

parents. It’s not leadership, 

it’s leading. 

Jeanette also comes to supporting teachers with this 

same view. Her colleague Lauren Walters, who just 

won the Australian Schools Plus Early Career Teacher 

Award in the Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards, 

says Jeanette is the best boss she’s ever had. 

“Jeanette is a truly inspiring leader. Since coming 

to St Agnes, Jeanette has taken the time to get to 

know each and every one of her staff, learning their 

professional interests and strengths, and providing 

opportunities for us to explore those interests, Lauren 

reflects. “She has a real team mentality, welcoming 

and appreciating our input into decisions. What's in 

the best interest of the students underpins everything 

that she does.” 

As Jeanette herself reflected: “Leadership isn’t about 

being centre stage, it is about putting other people 

forward and giving them a voice and an opportunity 

to lead. It is about building capacity in others, 

working with and assisting them in their leadership.” 

“I guess you could call that being a servant leader.” 

Careers Advisor and teacher Nashwa Karafotias, 

who leads many of the school’s outstanding 

programs to support students from culturally diverse 

backgrounds, said this approach instills a positive 

culture of mutual respect at St Agnes. “Jeanette 

treats staff and students on an equal playing 

field bringing consistency and a new perspective 

to all that she does,” said Nashwa. “She is the 

true definition of a servant leader leading at the 

ground level.” 

Jeanette previously served as Assistant Principal 

and Acting Principal of Marian College Kenthurst 

and most recently worked within the Learning team 

at Catholic Education but said she was drawn to St 

Agnes because of the community. “I thought I could 

make a difference here and the students are lovely, 

so respectful and grateful,” Jeanette said. “For our 

school, we have to be very aware of cultural context 

and communication because of the diversity. We 

offer pathways leadership opportunities looking at 

the students wholistically, identifying where they 

are at, opening their worlds to where they can go, 

guiding them to achieve their goals.” 

Being an advocate for students and building their 

confidence to achieve is a top priority. “Self efficacy 

is really important and we really look at how we can 

help to build that up in the students so they can look 

at themselves as learners and know that they can 

do anything – work hard, overcome obstacles and 

achieve,” she said. 

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25

Speak up, speak 

out and speak on 

Sr Joan Chittister at a speaking 

event in Parramatta in May 

2022. Image: Diocese 

of Parramatta 

STORY MARGURITE O’CONNOR 

Prophets are the heroes 

of the day. They keep one 

eye on society's will for a 

few and the other eye on 

God’s will for everyone. 

The time is now to be people who are committed 

and have courage to speak the word of God. The 

roar of silence is no longer acceptable and we 

need to take steps to determine the future of our 

planet and our people. 

This was the message of American Benedictine 

nun, theologian and author Sr Joan Chittister as 

she addressed her audience at Monte Sant’ Angelo 

Mercy College North Sydney on 30 May 2022. 

Sr Joan spoke with passion about our need to be 

challenged by the example of Jesus and to be people 

who speak out against injustice. Speaking about 

the prevalence of violence, she shared her fears 

for the modern world, where people come second 

to personal profit and advancement and where the 

planet is carelessly used and not protected. 

Taking action for change 

• Get involved in the conversations 

that matter through blogs, petitions 

and groups. 

• Study the issues that threaten life and 

justice by reading and engaging in 

dialogue with others. 

• Seek solutions that are not the trusted 

old way but are innovative, capable of 

making real change and taking us into 

the future. 

Her concern, she said, is for the choices that 

we make when faced with challenges. Sr Joan 

suggested that we are people who choose to ignore, 

leaving it to others to answer the problems. We are 

people who surrender and eventually just accept the 

situation, taking on the values of society rather than 

the Faith. Her response is to not ignore or surrender, 

but rather disrupt. She suggests we become prophets 

who speak up against all that goes against the voice 

and vision of God so loudly it cannot be ignored. 

Sr Joan acknowledged that being a prophet is 

not easy. She recounted the stories of the Biblical 

Prophets who were afraid to accept the call from 

God, not wanting to have their lives interrupted, and 

so made a list of all the reasons why they could not 

accept the call, including their personal limitations. 

God’s answer was that He needed them now, 

demanding that they be courageous and committed, 

trusting they had something great to offer. 

The reluctance to be a prophet in the modern world 

has not changed. We too feel that we are unavailable 

to do the will of God for all the same reasons – too 

busy, not skilled enough, or afraid. Just like the 

prophets of old, God needs us now. God wants us 

to disrupt rather than ignore and challenge rather 

than surrender. 

26

On a personal level, I felt inspired to learn more about 

the issues that threaten the equality of people and 

the planet so that I would no longer be a passive 

observer but rather someone who was able to 

contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way. Sr 

Joan’s suggestions made me think that the call to be 

a prophet in the modern world was possible, stating 

that even the smallest of acts have the potential to 

seed change and make life better for everyone. 

...we must show our 

students the way to a 

Gospel-centred culture 

of love and compassion, 

solidarity and service in 

the world where there is so 

much fear, indifference and 

marginalisation... 

Bishop Vincent Long, 

CEDP System Leaders’ Day, January 2018. 

Margurite O’Connor is a member of the Mission Team, 

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta. 

Schools leading the way 

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta 

schools work with various agencies to 

actively live out the message of Sr Joan to 

be prophets who speak up, speak out and 

speak on. Examples of initiatives include: 

• The Winter Appeal and Winter Sleepout 

(St Vincent de Paul) 

• Project Compassion Fundraising (Caritas) 

• Socktober (Catholic Mission) 

• Food Drives (Jesuit Social Services) 

• Interfaith Education (Together for Humanity) 

• Catholic Earthcare Summit 

(Catholic Earthcare) 

• Recycling and sustainability initiatives 

(Catholic Earthcare) 

Through such initiatives, our students and 

staff are invited and are accepting the call 

to be prophets who say NO to everything 

that goes against God and YES to equality, 

justice and life. 

Children and their families at Our Lady of the 

Nativity Primary, Lawson recently slept out in 

the cold in solidarity with the homeless as part 

of the Winter Sleepout for St Vincent De Paul 

Image: CEDP

The Second Assembly of the 

Plenary Council of Australia 

on Wednesday 6 July 2022 


A reflection on the 

Plenary Council 

Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of 

Parramatta, wrote this reflection on 17 July 2022, 

following the conclusion of the Second Assembly 

of the Plenary Council of the Australian Catholic 

Church which took place 3 to 9 July 2022. 

Dear friends in Christ, 

BISHOP VINCENT OFM CONV, 

BISHOP OF PARRAMATTA 

Last week, nine delegates from our Diocese, 

including myself, participated as members of the 

Plenary Council in the Final Assembly in Sydney. 

This was a historic event in the life of the Church in 

Australia. We gathered to pray, listen, discern and 

make decisions, mindful of the voice of the Holy 

Spirit through God’s Word, tradition, the magisterium 

and the signs of the times. We were conscious of 

your communion with us through personal interest, 

prayers and loving support. As at the first gathering 

on the feast of St Francis of Assisi in 2021, we were 

stirred by the call issued to us as once to him: “Go 

and rebuild my Church that is falling into ruins”. We 

earnestly sought to address the many challenges 

we face as a community of disciples and map out a 

better future for the Church going forward. 

I am pleased to say that the Plenary Council has 

been a moment of grace, a celebration of hope and 

a conviction of God’s enduring accompaniment. Like 

the disciples with Mary in the Upper Room, we were 

bonded in one common faith, one baptism and one 

Lord. Despite our differences, which were many and 

intense at times, we came together with the best 

interest of the Church at heart. 

Of the many issues discussed, debated and voted 

upon, the Plenary Council showed strong support for 

the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Catholics have 

largely been ahead of the general community on First 

Nations concerns. We have long learned to honour 

Indigenous language, culture, wisdom, sovereignty 

28

and way of life. Calling for a First Nations Voice to 

Parliament to be enshrined in Australia’s constitution 

is indeed a momentous step. 

On ecology, there is a recognition of the urgency in 

addressing the environmental crises of our times and 

a commitment to join the Laudato Si’ Action Plan. 

This call to action obliges us not only to care for our 

common home as a matter of planetary sustainability 

but also a sense of God-given stewardship. In 

other words, ecological conversion in all of its 

manifestations is a deeply spiritual concern arising 

from our love of God and all of his creation. Our 

response to the cry of the poor and the cry of the 

earth is inextricably linked together. 

One of the most contentious issues was the motion 

concerning the equality and dignity of women and 

men in governance structures, ministry and decisionmaking 

mechanisms. The discussion took place at a 

half-way point and proved to be a pivotal moment. 

Providentially, the reading for that day was part of the 

Pentecost story. It read “and suddenly from heaven, 

there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind 

and it filled the entire house where they were sitting”. 

We did not expect a kind of “violent wind” that 

disrupted, changed the group dynamic and led to a 

moment of profound revelation. 

When the initial motion failed to receive the majority 

of the deliberative votes, the bishops realised we 

could not continue business as usual. There were 

tears, deep sorrow and hurt in the room, especially 

among those who staged a silent protest. This 

caught me totally unawares at first but I eventually 

walked around and shared the pain. Later on, the 

bishops held crisis talks, agreed on the re-drafting 

and the assembly passed the re-worked motion. 

Like the disciples with Mary 

in the Upper Room, we were 

bonded in one common faith, 

one baptism and one Lord. 

For some, the protest might have been judged as 

a stunt and an act of intimidation. For many others, 

myself included, it was a respectful and powerful 

gesture of dissent, rooted in the prophetic tradition. 

29

There was a 

profound sense of 

being together and 

working together 

even if we have 

distinct roles in 

the Church. 

Bishop Vincent casts a vote 

at the Second Assembly of 

the Plenary Council 

Image: Fiona Basile/ACBC 

The assembly could have walked away with a 

superficial unity had we not addressed this iconic 

issue of our time. I believe that the Church cannot 

have a better future if it persists in the old paradigm 

of clericalism and male dominance. So long as 

we continue to exclude women from the Church’s 

governance structures, decision-making processes 

and institutional functions, we deprive ourselves of 

richness of our full humanity. 

I thank God that the Plenary Council had the 

humility and courage to not go home with a false 

unity but a deep and new awareness of God’s 

unfolding revelation and our evolving maturity. 

At least that is the indication of the majority. 

The Synodal journey can be messy, painful and 

uncertain. But it can lead to renewed and deepened 

commitment and even transformation. The mood 

of the assembly changed after the matter had been 

dealt with. For many, it was like a paschal moment 

that brought a ray of hope out of despair. 

The Plenary Council was an act of enormous trust, 

or perhaps in betting terms, a massive gamble. 

It was an Abrahamic journey from the start. We 

gambled on the invitation of Pope Francis to be 

the People of God, walking together, sharing the 

burdens of humanity, listening to the voice of the 

most marginalised, reforming its structures and ways 

of doing things. We did not set out to resolve every 

question of importance. For instance, on matter of 

sex and gender, there was very little on the agenda. 

The acceptance of LGBTIQ+ as the reference to nonbinary 

brothers and sisters was perhaps not a small 

consensus among the members. 

In the end, the significance of this synodal exercise 

was much more than what was decided. What was 

highly symbolic and paradigm-shifting was the 

fact that we met as equals. The emphasis on the 

superiority of the ordained gave way to an ecclesial 

communion based on common baptism. Bishops, 

priests, religious and lay were all addressed by our 

first names. No one’s voice counted more than 

another’s. There was a profound sense of being 

together and working together even if we have 

distinct roles in the Church. 

30

Dear sisters and brothers, 

In today’s Gospel, Martha was occupied with serving 

her guests, while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened 

to his teaching. Martha wanted her sister to help 

with the serving, but Jesus gently informed her that 

Mary had chosen the better portion, which would 

not be taken from her. This stance was more radical 

than modern readers may realise. In Jewish culture, 

women weren’t allowed to study theology, and the 

student’s place at a rabbi’s feet was reserved for men 

only. By welcoming Mary as a pupil, Jesus flipped 

that cultural script on its head. 

There were many other stories of how he treated 

women with kindness and respect, affirming their 

value and dignity as those made in the image of 

God. He welcomed them, defended them, freed and 

empowered them to find their identity as daughters 

of God. He included women in his ministry team and 

welcomed them as disciples, to follow and learn from 

him – actions unheard of for a Jewish rabbi. 

Inspired by the example of Jesus and the guidance 

of the Holy Spirit on the Plenary Council, may 

the Church learn to embody a way of being 

together, sharing responsibility and proclaiming 

God’s Kingdom. We must continue to embody the 

alternative relational paradigm that Jesus taught. 

This counter paradigm turns the world’s system of 

power structures on its head because it is rooted in 

the biblical narrative of the new social order of radical 

inclusion, justice and equality. 

All things considered, the Plenary Council has 

moved decisively towards the vision of Vatican II. I am 

heartened to say that most of its insights have already 

been captured by our unique “Parramatta Way”. 

Women, in particular, are indispensable in our synodal 

structures and decision-making processes such as 

the Diocesan Curia. We hope to keep the momentum 

going and implement all the endorsed decrees. 

As we move into a new era, may we grow to be a 

more fit for purpose Church, so that we can be a more 

effective vehicle for the Good News. May the Holy 

Spirit “lead the Church in Australia into a hope-filled 

future, that we may live the joy of the Gospel, through 

Jesus Christ our Lord, bread for the journey from 

age to age.” Amen. 

Read the motions and decrees from the Plenary 

Council at plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au 

Have you been considering 

broadening your faith 

understanding? 

Wondering where to next in your pastoral activities? 

What paths study may lead to? 

• Many tertiary theological degrees to choose from 

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99 Albert Road, Strathfield NSW 2135

Looking Deeper 

The following articles encourage deeper reflection, 

prayer and personal learning. 

Lisbon, Portugal, the location of World Youth Day 2023 

Image: Shutterstock

Looking Deeper

The journey within 

Gospel Pointers 

STORY DR ROBYN REYNOLDS OLSH 

As persons on pilgrimage, we engage in the 

quest for meaning, and in the movement towards 

spiritual health and maturity. 

We strive, individually and together, for human 

wellbeing, and for the flourishing of all life on 

Earth. Whether or not we may identify ourselves as 

‘pilgrims’, we are all members of the global family, 

moving onwards in a world of continuing war and 

violence, of dramatic and increasing climate change, 

and of a continuing COVID culture. 

This brief reflection will consider some of the 

questions Jesus Himself faced in relation to His own 

human journey, as well as some of the questions 

He poses to those He invited to ‘Come, follow me’ 

(Lk 18:22). As ones beloved by our Creator God, we 

yearn and strive for life within the daily pilgrimage of 

the unfolding of our life’s story. And as disciples of 

Jesus, we remember that all is grace: 

No one can come to me unless 

the Father who sent me, 

draws him. 

(Jn 6:44) 

In the fullness of time, the Divine Pilgrim began His 

journey: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among 

us’ (Jn 1:14). And as we know ‘He emptied Himself… 

becoming like us in all things’ (Phil 2:7). He struggled, 

questioned, agonised. Being the beloved Son of God 

did not remove Him from the doubts, temptations 

and challenges faced by us all. 

A query (perhaps something like ‘Why should I 

help you’?) was implied in Jesus’ response to the 

Canaanite woman’s plea (Mt 15:24). Similarly at Cana 

– before his public journey began – with the question 

to His mother: ‘Woman, what does this have to 

do with me?’ (Jn 2:4). Experiencing and reflecting 

integrity includes voicing the questions along the 

way, looking for answers, struggling with the truth: 

the truth of who I am, to what (and to whom) I am 

called. Jesus experienced these challenges. 

Along the way He Himself took, we may ask what 

were His own deep feelings and queries behind such 

questions as ‘Who do they say I am?’ (Mt 16:13) 

Along with the scholarly biblical commentaries on 

such passages, may we also surmise that Jesus 

had hopes and fears about his reputation? And what 

were His feelings behind the sad, quiet question? 

34 

Image: Shutterstock


‘Where are the other nine?’ (Lk 17:17). He too, 

experienced disappointment, ingratitude, dismissal. 

His integrity however, did not depend on the approval 

or admiration of others. 

Jesus’ integrity was reflected in His daily living 

and dying. ‘I am the Way’ (Jn 14:6), He told us. We 

witness in His living an everyday engagement and 

unfolding of the paschal mystery. Yes, there was a 

price to be paid for proclaiming and witnessing to the 

Kingdom. What sustained Him all along the way? He 

told us: ‘My meat is to do the will of Him who sent 

me’ (Jn 4:34) and furthermore, as faithful pilgrim, we 

hear Him say: ‘I came forth from the Father and have 

come into the world; I am leaving the world again 

and am going to the Father’ (Jn 16:28). 

Such profound and total belonging did not cancel 

out that final deep cry from the heart: ‘Why have you 

abandoned me?’ (Mt 27:46). Jesus’ walk with the 

Spirit, and with His Abba, along with His faithfulness 

to the human condition and struggle remained to the 

end when, with the Resurrection, His transformation 

was accomplished. 

And what of His questions to us, as we ourselves 

continue on our way and strive for personal integrity, 

and for that freedom of spirit which it brings? 

‘Who do you say I am?’ He asks. So how do I name 

who He is for me. And His later stark question: ‘Do 

you love me?’ Such a direct question invites us to 

respond truthfully, and in so doing to recognise and 

name the nature of our relationship. The question 

may move us to face our insecurities perhaps, or our 

duplicity, our hypocrisy, our lack of integrity. 

Another challenging question Jesus poses ‘What do 

you want me to do for you?’ invites us to sit with the 

question awhile and then to respond with humility 

and honesty. Similarly, with the even more specific 

invitation: ‘Do you want me to wash your feet?’ which 

may encourage us to sit quietly with our own reality 

– and with our relationship with the One we call 

‘Lord and God’. 

To own and address these – and other questions, to 

address them with sincerity – this is our on-going 

task. It is one that requires courage, but one that 

can bring freedom – and ultimately, deep peace. 

We hold on to those encouraging words of the Divine 

Pilgrim: ‘I am going away and I will come to you.’ 

(Jn 14:28). On our own pilgrim way, we trust in the 

loving presence and guidance of the Spirit (Jn 16:7). 

We walk on together. 

Dr Robyn Reynolds OLSH spent many years living and 

working in remote Aboriginal communities in northern and 

central Australia. She now teaches at the University of 

Divinity in Melbourne (Yarra Theological Union) and also at 

‘Heart of Life’, Centre for Spiritual & Pastoral Formation. 

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Journeying to Emmaus 

STORY BR MARK O’CONNOR FMS 

Many of us like to travel. But Christians are not 

just tourists but pilgrims on a faith journey deep 

into God’s loving presence. 

Of course, it’s great that we can literally walk ‘in the 

footsteps of Jesus’ when we visit the Holy Land. 

It’s also wonderful for us to encounter the sacred as 

we pray and meditate at such holy places as Rome, 

Assisi and Lourdes. Such pilgrimages are often 

the highlight of many people’s spiritual lives. And 

certainly, World Youth Day pilgrimages have helped 

energise many young people’s faith lives in our own 

recent times. 

But Jesus of Nazareth calls us to go far deeper than 

these external physical pilgrimages. 

There is a little verse from the early Irish Church 

that points this out: 

Who to Rome goes, 

Much labour, little profit knows. 

For God, on earth though 

long you sought him. 

You’ll miss in Rome 

unless you brought him. 

Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, in reality, 

our inner journey of faith can actually be quite 

confusing! We can often experience moments of 

despair (“we had hoped”) before recognising that the 

Risen Jesus has been there all along! 

Karl Rahner, the great Jesuit theologian, helps us 

pilgrims navigate that spiritual journey. 

Rahner once wisely observed that there are 

essentially two types of spirituality in the Church 

today. One is a ‘summertime’ spirituality where 

people find God easily accessible and understood. 

Such people are gifted with a sense of certainty and 

a conviction that the beauty and truth of God is very 

nearby. Perhaps this more external style of faith was 

easier to live in a culture that was thoroughly Catholic 

like in the medieval period. 

The other spirituality however is a ‘wintertime’ style 

of faith where people, battered and bruised by the 

chaos and suffering of the world, need to go an inner 

pilgrimage to address the mystery of pain and chaos 

all around them. 

Rahner argued that this is the more typical journey 

of contemporary Catholics struggling to believe. It 

is a difficult pilgrimage that goes on inside our own 

souls, as we seek to discover the hidden Christ who 

mysteriously dwells in our very own hearts. 

Not surprisingly, that’s a pilgrimage we are all too 

often very reluctant to undertake. For it can involve 

loneliness, depression and even tempt some 

to self-hatred. 

It inevitably demands navigating a ‘dark night of the 

soul’. For at some point in all our lives, like Jesus, we 

each have our own personal ‘agony in the garden’. 

Then the demons of our inner life come to the fore 

and wreak havoc. Old obsessions and wounds, 

perhaps even guilt and shame at past failures rush in. 

Martin Laird OSA, in his wonderful book Into the 

Silent Land, describes it poetically as “the liturgy 

of our wounds”. Unquestionably, it is a long and 

demanding task for most of us. It certainly is for me. 

Laird explains that there is a deeply ingrained 

tendency to recoil from our own brokenness, to judge 

it as others have judged it, to loathe it as we have 

been ‘taught’ over a lifetime to loathe it. In doing 

this we avoid what God, in Christ, draws close to 

and embraces. 

Like the companions of Jesus on the road to 

Emmaus, our Resurrection moments can come as 

quite a shock to us! Like them, as we ponder the 

Scriptures and break bread with our Risen Lord, we 

can be often surprised, even shocked, by grace. 

36


Supper at Emmaus, 

detail of high altar by 

Sieger Koder in Church 

of Our Lady of Sorrows in 

Rosenberg, Germany 

For at such moments of epiphany we discover, 

alongside the depressed and despairing disciples 

of Emmaus, how God interrupts our lives. For our 

God meets us at that precise point where we are 

most in need, in our poverty and brokenness. And 

paradoxically, this costly acceptance of Christ's 

compassionate love, opens our eyes to the reality 

that 'all is grace'. 

As Gerald Manley Hopkins S.J divined: 

I say móre: the just man justices; 

Keeps grace: thát keeps all his goings graces; 

Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is – 

Thank God we are each given many ‘resurrection’ 

moments on our Emmaus like journey of faith. 

They console us on our pilgrimage home to the 

Father of all mercies. 

For as the early Irish mystics would say: 

Let your feet follow your 

heart until you find your 

place of resurrection. 

 

Chríst – for Christ plays in ten thousand places, 

Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his 

To the Father through the features of men's faces. 

Br Mark O’Connor FMS is the Vicar for Communications 

in the Diocese of Parramatta. 

37

Living in the monastery 

of the heart 

STORY SR PATTY ANDREW OSU 


Historians note that when the period of Christian 

martyrdom ceased around the beginning of the 

4th Century A.D, the phenomenon that we know 

as Christian monasticism began to sprout and 

flourish. It was as Tertullian, an early Christian 

writer said, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed 

of the Church.” Martyrdom transformed the 

person into the perfected, complete, full and 

whole image of the divine. 

Such a process of transformation is the hope and 

goal of our Christian life. St Paul expresses this 

central reality of our faith journey in the third chapter 

of his second letter to the Christian community in 

Corinth. Using the beautiful image of the mirror, he 

describes our transformation into Christ in terms of 

light. Paul portrays our life journey in faith, as one 

in which we reflect like mirrors the brightness of the 

Lord. In doing this faithfully, we all grow brighter and 

brighter until eventually we are transformed into the 

image of the one that we reflect (2 Cor:18). 

The spiritual movement of the Desert Fathers and 

Mothers which formed the foundations of Christian 

monasticism, was grounded in this Pauline belief of 

the divinization of the human person. St Athanasius, 

Bishop of Alexandria from 328, said “that God 

became man in order that man might become God.” 

In a short biography of Anthony of Egypt one of the 

earliest of the desert fathers, Athanasius shows how 

only God incarnate can transform human nature into 

divine likeness. To participate in this transformation, 

certain spiritual practices were adopted by those in 

the monastic desert communities. One of these was 

a simple focussed mantra called “The Jesus Prayer.” 

This prayer is founded on the biblical view that God’s 

name is conceived as the place of God’s presence. 

The Vatican II Council (1962-1965) called us all 

to renewal in the light of the foundational story of 

Christianity. In current times, many books are being 

written and programmes created which reflect the 

grounded spirituality of the early centuries of our 

Christian tradition. One of these is a book titled, 

Joy in God - Rekindling an Inner Fire by Joachim 

Hartman SJ and Annette Clara Unkelhäußer. 

They propose a method which is titled the “Gries 

Path.” It is based on a contemplative approach to 

prayer characterised by simplicity, silence and an 

attentiveness which enables God in the present 

moment, to be revealed. 

The authors have developed a consistent approach 

structured in conversational style, to assist those 

who wish to deepen this way of enabling God to 

illuminate and transform their lives. 

It is framed within what they term, as a spiritual 

conversation concentrated around two central 

questions. These echo the experience of the 

Emmaus Disciples (Luke: 24:13-35) 

Why was my heart burning? 

Where were my eyes opened? 

38


In all the reflections there is an accent on awakening 

the senses. They are seen as significant doorways 

leading us to become more aware of the presence of 

God in us, in our lives and in all that is. The chapters 

are focussed on the following foundational themes 

relating to the life of the human spirit; 

Gratitude and Joy 

Emptiness and Fullness 

Healing and Wholeness 

Suffering and Consolation 

Forgiveness and Reconciliation 

Vocation and Mission 

The pairing of these themes with what appears to 

be oppositional movements, enables a perception of 

spiritual wholeness wherein as Richard Rohr (2003) 

says “everything belongs.” Our journey to wholeness 

or as the Vatican II Document, Lumen Gentium 

(1964) says “holiness,” is about integrating these 

apparent opposites. 

In recent years, Lawrence Freeman osb, Director of 

the World Community for Christian Meditation, spoke 

of this contemplative way of prayer as being for all. 

He described those who are engaged in the prayer 

of the heart as the new monks of the modern world. 

Noting that “some live in traditional monasteries 

but the majority do not. Many are integrating what 

previously seemed impossible to reconcile – deep 

spiritual practice, and conjugal love, solitude and 

social responsibility.” 

Through our Baptism, we are 

all called into this “way of the 

pilgrim” wherever life finds us. 

Just as the pilgrim travels lightly, 

this small accessible book gives 

us the essentials to find and 

remain dwelling in the heart of 

God, thus enabling our inner 

divine spring, to continue to well 

up within us to the fullness of life. 

The book can be used in a 

supportive way both personally or 

with small faith sharing groups. 

Sr Patty Andrew osu is an Ursuline 

Sister in the Diocese of Parramatta. 

Images: Messenger Publications and 


Let us care for those who have cared 

for us through their lifetime of service 

Please give generously to the Bishop’s Father’s Day 

Appeal supporting our retired and sick clergy 

parracatholic.org/fathersdayappeal

The Pilgrim Church 

STORY DR ANTONIA PIZZEY 

After almost three years without travelling 

anywhere, I embarked on my first international 

journey. I was struck by the vulnerability of being 

a traveller. 

The language, customs and food were foreign, and I 

felt uncomfortable and out of place. Even with those 

who spoke English, my accent immediately betrayed 

my foreignness. Even the night refused to come, as 

the Scandinavian midnight sun stayed up 23 out of 

24 hours. I was no longer “at home”, a jarring feeling 

after endlessly “being at home”. I could not take 

anything for granted. Even simple conversations 

required effort to bridge the language and cultural 

gaps. I was confronted with how much easier it is to 

be at home – and how challenging to be a foreigner. 

This sense of strangeness, of “not-being-at-home” 

evokes something of what St Augustine meant when 

he called the Church peregrinatio. Notoriously hard to 

translate, peregrinatio means “foreigner”, “stranger”, 

“exile”, “migrant” – and “pilgrim”. 

What does it mean to call the Church “pilgrim”? 

To be a pilgrim Church is to be a journeying people, 

continually on the move. More than this, it is to be a 

“home-less” people. This understanding resonates in 

Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium, article 6: “The Church, 

while on earth it journeys in a foreign land away from 

the Lord, is like in exile.” The pilgrim travels far from 

home, facing many dangers, moving without rest. 

Dr Antonia Pizzey 

Image: ACU


This sense of Church as pilgrim is also central to 

Pope Francis. In Evangelii Gaudium, he insists that 

the Church is “first and foremost a people advancing 

on its pilgrim way towards God.” In a 2021 address, 

he says, “When the Church stops, she is no longer 

Church, but a beautiful pious association which 

imprisons the Holy Spirit.” Journeying is part of our 

nature as Christians – Church is not a “what,” it is 

who we are. We are pilgrim. Being pilgrim means to 

be not at home; to be vulnerable, but also enriched 

by the journey. 

Pilgrim Church is not meant to be an individualistic 

image; pilgrims travel together. In Christian thinking, 

we travel with the entire communion of saints. This 

sense of “journeying together” is being evoked by 

Pope Francis’ concept of synodality. The Preparatory 

Document for the 2023 Synod states: “Our 

‘journeying together’ is, in fact, what most effectively 

enacts and manifests the nature of the Church as the 

pilgrim and missionary People of God.” To be pilgrim 

is to be synodal. 

Aside from this, the Church as pilgrim highlights two 

key dimensions of being Church. Firstly, it refers to 

the living Church in history, the Church here and now. 

The Church is not a great ark sailing untouched and 

impervious over the choppy and dangerous waters of 

history. Instead, the Church is a pilgrim people, living 

in and with the world. This understanding is reflected 

by the opening lines of Vatican II’s Gaudium et Spes: 

Understanding the Church as pilgrim reminds us of a 

certain “now-but-not-yet” that is part of being Church. 

As Gaudium et Spes states, in article 48, “The 

Church…will attain its full perfection only in the glory 

of heaven.” As such, the Church is called always to 

conversion and repentance. Repentance is a key part 

of being pilgrim, along with the humility to recognise 

that we are not yet what the Spirit calls us to be. 

Of course, we do not know what the Kingdom will 

be like. But Scripture gives us an idea: “See, the 

home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with 

them; they will be His peoples, and God Himself will 

be with them and be their God; He will wipe every 

tear from their eyes.” (Rev 21:3-4). For now, we are 

a wandering people; but we are walking homeward. 

Under the circumstances, what else can we be but a 

pilgrim Church? 

Dr Antonia Pizzey is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Australian 

Catholic University’s Research Centre for Studies of the 

Second Vatican Council. Dr Pizzey has a PhD in Theology 

from ACU and is a lecturer at the university’s School of 

Theology. Her research focuses on Receptive Ecumenism 

and the Church as “pilgrim”. 

“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties 

of the people of this age, especially those who 

are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the 

joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the 

followers of Christ.” 

As pilgrim, the Church journeys within history, not 

outside of it. This Pilgrim Church must be humble, 

open to recognising the Spirit at work in other 

cultures and languages, not just reinforcing the status 

quo. Walking a pilgrim path is one of hardship and 

struggle – but also of rebirth through conversion. So, 

the image of “pilgrim” reflects the historical nature of 

the Church. 

Secondly, the Church as pilgrim highlights the 

connection between Church and Kingdom. The 

Church is not moving purposelessly, like a mouse 

running on a wheel, going nowhere. The Church is 

journeying always towards the Kingdom of God. 

This is what brings hope to the sometimes dark 

and suffering journey of the pilgrim people. There 

is a destination, a home where we belong, and that 

destination is with God. 

41

Our traditions 

for those who 

have died 

On 2 November, we commemorate All Souls Day, 

a day we pray for people who have died. This 

year, the Diocese of Parramatta also invites you 

to its first official Mass for our deceased clergy to 

be held 25 November at St Bernadette’s Parish at 

Castle Hill, followed by prayers at the gravesides 

of clergy buried in Castle Hill Cemetery. 

We look at some of the Catholic traditions around 

death and new life. 

Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical (letter) on hope, 

Spe Salvi writes about our encounters with Christ 

on our deaths and how it is a chance to shed the 

trappings of our earthly existence and heal. 

“Before His (Christ’s) gaze, all falsehood melts away. 

This encounter with Him, as it burns us, transforms 

and frees us allowing us to become truly ourselves. 

All that we build during our lives can prove to be 

mere straw, pure bluster and it collapses. Yet in the 

pain of this encounter, when the impurity of sickness 

of our lives become evident to us, there lies salvation. 

His gaze, the touch of His heart heals us through an 

undeniably painful transformation.” 

Pope Benedict continues, “The belief that love can 

reach into the afterlife, that reciprocal giving and 

receiving is possible in which our affection for one 

another continues beyond the limits of death – this 

has been a fundamental conviction of Christianity 

throughout the ages and it remains a source of 

comfort today. Who would not feel the need to 

convey to their departed loved ones a sign of 

kindness, a gesture of gratitude or even a request 

for pardon?” 

How then, do we show our love to those who have 

left us? 

Spe Salvi November 2007 

A funeral Mass commends the soul of those who 

have passed to God as well as consoling family and 

friends. Masses can also be offered for the repose of 

their souls, whether on the anniversary of their death 

or at other special times of the year. This is a gentle 

way to pray with our parish communities for our 

loved ones. 

We can light an offertory candle at our parish church 

and ask the intercession of Jesus, Mary, and the 

Saints. Visiting our loved one's grave and offering 

special prayers is beautiful, and we can keep 

photographs of them in our homes or place of work 

to prompt us to say a prayer for them. 

Praying the Rosary is particularly powerful. Each 

Hail Mary concludes with a petition for grace in 

death: “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of 

our death.” 

All Souls Mass in November 2020 at St Patrick's 

Cathedral, Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta 

Our God is an incredibly merciful and loving God. 

He longs to be with each of us. He welcomes our 

prayers for the living and the dead, and He will 

certainly reward them. 

42


You are invited 

The Mass and prayers for the 

deceased clergy in the Diocese of 

Parramatta commence at 

10.30am 

25 November 2022 

St Bernadette’s Parish, 

Castle Hill. 

You are invited to attend and give 

your gift of prayer to those whose 

lives were dedicated to bringing 

us all closer to Christ. 

Bishop Vincent celebrates All Souls Mass in November 

2020 at the St Francis Chapel in St Patrick’s Cemetery, 

Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta 

SUPPORT 

Religious Sisters 

Photo © ACN International 

Sister Rita Kurochkina was born 

in Kazakhstan and joined the order 

of the Sisters of the Immaculate 

Conception of the Blessed Virgin 

Mary, which was founded in Poland in 

the 1850s to support both the spiritual 

and the intellectual formation of 

women and girls. 

To this day, the congregation is 

primarily active in Poland, but 

can also be found in a number of 

Eastern European countries, such 

as Kazakhstan. The religious sisters 

run schools, kindergartens, and 

children’s homes, teach catechesis 

in parishes and give religious 

instruction at public schools, take 

care of poor children and support 

impoverished families. They provide 

pastoral care to prisoners and also 

organise retreats. 

Three sisters, all of them born in 

Kazakhstan, work in the house 

of St. Clara. They currently take 

care of 18 children with difficult 

family situations. Sister Rita says, 

“Spiritually, the communist system 

devastated the people in this 

country. Many stopped believing in 

God, which led to addiction problems 

and dysfunctional families. And the 

children suffer the consequences. 

The children who come to us have 

experienced trauma and tragedy.” 

ACN helps one in every 34 of the 

630,099 religious Sisters in the 

world today! Can you help provide 

subsistence aid to religious sisters in 

countries throughout the world so they 

can continue to live their vocation 

and help keep the faith alive through 

their physical and spiritual aid? 

To watch a video on Sr Rita and the 

Sisters and to make 

a donation visit 

www.aidtochuch. 

org/helpsisters or 

scan the QR Code. 

Founded in 1947, ACN is the only international 

Catholic Charity dedicated to the pastoral 

support of suffering and persecuted Christians.

A cuppa with the priest 

Fr Vincy D’Costa OFM Cap, Parish Priest 

The Good Shepherd, Plumpton 


When Fr Vincy D’Costa OFM Cap, Parish Priest of 

The Good Shepherd, Plumpton, was growing up 

in Goa, India, all he knew about Australia was its 

national cricket team. Meanwhile, he had plenty 

of time to observe the local Capuchin Franciscan 

Friars who were based close to his home, and 

was drawn into their simple, welcoming and 

dignified approach to life and faith. 

It was not until a few weeks before his ordination to 

the Capuchins that he would make any connection 

between the two. Having been told he would be sent 

to Australia from his homeland where he loved the 

natural beauty including mountains and beaches, he 

slept little that evening. 

“I had nightmares,” he said. “I didn’t know anything 

about Australia. They had a cricket team that was 

going through its ‘golden era’,” he says, but that was 

about it. 

On arriving in Australia, one of the first events 

he was taken to was ‘Theology on Tap’, a talk on 

faith held in a pub in Parramatta, a completely 

new experience, he admits. 

Since then, he’s discovered a lot he likes about 

Australia. Starting as Assistant Priest under Fr Gerard 

O’Dempsey OFM Cap at The Good Shepherd, he 

became Parish Priest only four years later when Fr 

Gerard was elected Provincial of the Capuchins. 

“I never expected it,” he says of his appointment 

which, at 34, made him the youngest Parish Priest in 

the Diocese. “I expected my hair would turn grey,” he 

laughs, “but five years later, I’m still ok.” 

There are a few secrets to his success in ministering 

a parish of around 13,000 that sees some Masses 

attended by around 600 people, he says. 

The parish community 

has supported me from the 

very beginning,” he says. 

“They respect how I run the 

parish, allowing them (lay 

parishioners) to lead and I 

support and guide them. 

When asked what this means to parishioners, he 

reflects. “They feel it is their parish, they belong. They 

are doing things for themselves.” 

He is delighted how this plays out in practice as 

he tries to follow the example of St Francis of 

Assisi. St Francis set the example of ‘poverty of 

spirit’ meaning, he explains, letting go of pride and 

allowing guidance by the Holy Spirit. While following 

this example himself, he also sees it in the Good 

Shepherd parishioners. “They come to me with 

humility,” he says. “If I see something, I can approach 

them and talk to them about it,” he says. “I feel this is 

how Christ would have wanted the Church to be,” he 

says. “Christ asked us to serve.” 

44


Fr Vincy D’Costa OFM Cap, Parish Priest of The Good Shepherd, Plumpton 


This gentle approach saw the parish stay together 

during the pandemic, when there were limitations 

on how many people could attend Mass. Along with 

livestreaming, they prayed the Rosary of an evening, 

allowing everyone to participate and feel like they 

belonged, he says. 

Fr Vincy’s lifelong love of nature sees him 

bushwalking whenever he can in the Blue Mountains. 

And it has seen him enthusiastically support the 

parishioners who were keen to turn around the 

Good Shepherd’s ecological footprint. They have 

purchased solar panels and LED lights and are 

already seeing big savings. “It’s Pope Francis’ 

ecological economics in action,” says Fr Vincy. He 

recalls that even in his homeland of Goa, the words 

of Pope Francis “the cry of the earth” resonated with 

him. “I could sense Mother Earth weeping,” he says. 

He is thrilled the parish is surrounded by nature, and 

that children love to come and discover insects and 

wildlife in the parish grounds. At the same time, they 

heed “Cry of the Poor” and he is overwhelmed by the 

generosity of his parishioners in their support of the 

House of Welcome and St Vincent de Paul. 

Fr Vincy wants to keep growing the parish and 

extending that sense of welcome the Capuchins 

extended to him. 

Regardless of where they come 

from,” he says “All people are 

welcome. We always want to 

be a welcoming parish. 

 

45

The Good Shepherd Church, Plumpton 

Image: Mary Brazell/Diocese of Parramatta 

Parish Profile 

The Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton 


The Good Shepherd is a parish hearing the 

cry of the earth and cry of the poor and whose 

parishioners are taking action in response. 

Patricia (Trish) Pacleb has been a parishioner of The 

Good Shepherd Parish, for most of her life. However, 

it wasn’t until her experience at the 2019 World Youth 

Day in Panama that she felt called to become more 

active in the parish community. 

“I wanted to keep the WYD spirit strong, and 

promised to say ‘yes’ to wherever God wanted to 

take me,” she says. 

In strengthening her faith and connection to her 

parish community, Trish is part of the parish’s Antioch 

youth group, and is a former member of the Good 

Shepherd Youth Choir. 

These are just two of the dozens of active, dedicated 

and passionate groups in what is one of the largest 

parishes in the Diocese. 

In speaking with Trish and a few of her fellow 

parishioners, I ask why they think so many other 

parishioners have put their hands up to get actively 

involved in the parish. 

“Being a part of a community that takes care of you give 

you a sense of hope, it strengthens you and makes 

your relationship with Christ stronger,” Trish says. 

“Everyone in the parish is always so welcoming 

and encouraging. As long as you have an open 

heart and willingness to serve, you will always 

find a part in the community.” 

Sacramental coordinator Priscilla Corpuz adds, 

“Serving our church community is a gift and we need 

to share that gift. 

“The parish is my spiritual home and the 

parishioners, who have become friends, are my 

extended family. 

“The Good Shepherd is always alive and active 

through the dedication and involvement of 

each parishioner.” 

Another passionate ministry of the parish is the social 

justice group, which started three years ago following 

the parish’s involvement in the ‘Diocesan Walking 

with Refugees’ initiative. 

46


Sr Colleen Foley osu has been connected to the 

parish since 1991 and has been a social justice 

advocate for a similar length of time. She is the selfdescribed 

“grandmother” of the social justice group. 

“We’re a small group, but whatever we discuss as a 

group, we take to [Parish Priest] Fr Vincy [D’Costa] 

and the rest of the parish. 

“Fr Vincy is very easy to work with. He is open and 

willing to engage with the initiatives of the social 

justice group. He is very busy with such a large 

parish, but makes time to listen. 

The social justice group’s latest project is 

channelling their Franciscan roots and enacting 

Pope Francis’ call to listen to the “cry of the earth” 

and the “cry of the poor” . 

A few months ago, the parish signed up to the 

Catholic Earthcare Parishes Program, which 

provides assistance for parishes on their journey to 

enacting the Laudato Si’ Action Platform’s 7 Goals 

for 7 sectors over 7 years and to become a living 

Laudato Si’ community. 

The parish has started small by opting for 

environmentally friendly products including wooden 

and paper cutlery in their kitchen, eliminating the 

use of single-use plastics as much as possible 

and encouraging the children of the parish to 

create messages of hope to be displayed during 

Season of Creation. 

In the future, the parish hopes to begin planting local 

species and more trees on church grounds, switching 

to a renewable energy provider and committing to 

using locally-sourced produce and suppliers. 

Anthony Matthews, a parishioner of four years, and 

Religious Education Coordinator at St John XXIII 

Catholic College Stanhope Gardens, is one of the 

driving factors of the Catholic Earthcare process. 

“When my family moved to Plumpton, through my 

social justice involvement in schools, I was able 

to connect with an action the parish held through 

which I was already connected on a school level,” 

he explains. 

“From here, I was able to continue to work with and 

accompany the social justice team to serve those 

most vulnerable.” 

Sr Colleen says that the parish has been very 

receptive of the changes they are implementing 

with the Catholic Earthcare plan, saying that even 

15-year-olds are coming to the social justice group 

full of energy and passion and hoping to make the 

world better. 

“The young people and children of the parish are 

the ones who love this stuff. They’re really aware of 

sustainability, which gives me a lot of hope,” she says. 

Trish adds, “It is our duty to preserve God’s creation 

because it is a gift, worthy of our care and protection. 

How we take care of our environment shows how we 

value God’s gift.” 

When asked what other parishes across the 

Diocese can do to be proactive in social justice, the 

parishioners recommended by starting small. 

“Having the opportunity to listen to stories of the 

most vulnerable and asking them what they need 

most – this drives your discernment process, and 

then action,” Anthony says. 

“Mary MacKillop said, ‘never see a need without 

doing something about it.’ Let us practise her words 

and put it into action,” Priscilla says. 

Trish adds, “it only takes one person to say yes to 

an opportunity for others to be empowered and be 

inspired to take action too. Be that one person to 

start the chain reaction.” 

(L-R) Parishioners of The Good Shepherd Parish, Plumpton, Priscilla Corpuz, Patricia (Trish) Pacleb, Anthony Matthews, 

Parish Priest Fr Vincy D’Costa and Sr Colleen Foley osu. Image: Mary Brazell/Diocese of Parramatta 

47

Quest to know sets 

a life in motion 


If planning her life was up to Dr Anne Benjamin, 

an Honorary Professor of Australian Catholic 

University, who has written several books, 

travelled the world and worked at senior levels 

of education, she thinks it would have turned 

out quite uninteresting. 

“I find my plans for myself are fairly unimaginative, 

and if I had the total say, life would have been quite 

dull,” she says. 

Dr Anne Benjamin 


Anne has recently published a book After All 

This Time: Reflections on Jesus sharing her inner 

pilgrimage, an idea that sprang from being on 

pilgrimage on the Camino in Spain. In the book 

she calls on Gospel readings, deep insights gained 

through her many life experiences, and neat 

engrossing ‘tankas’ - short poems of precisely chosen 

words which set an otherworldly mood. The aim of 

the book, she says, is to help people look at Jesus 

in a new way and perhaps make connections with 

scripture they would not have otherwise have made. 

She was a young person when the Second Vatican 

Council took place and its message of a church that 

is engaged with the world resonated with her. It led 

her to travel to the USA to study religious education 

– the start of her life’s quest to seek experiences that 

enhance her sense of meaning. 

Working with her husband in India for a number of 

years enriched her with the experience of being “an 

unknown” and an “outsider”. “When we returned to 

Australia,” she added, “I had a small taste of being a 

migrant, which is the experience of many people in 

our society.” 

For Anne, pilgrimage is “seeking home and coming 

together in wholeness”. It helps her understand 

and feel closer to the scriptures she has studied to 

answer the question: “Who was Jesus?” 

48

Anne’s top tips for pilgrims 

A trip to the Holy Land brought her in touch with land 

that Jesus would have walked on. “To be in the land 

and to be on the soil, to be on the lake and to try and 

absorb the feeling of being on the hillside and to be 

alone in the desert. That was powerful,” she says. 

“You get an immediacy.” 

“You think what it would have been like for Christ to 

be praying in the desert.“ Later in the discussion, she 

returns to the power of the desert, “To me the desert is 

an image of searching for God – a place of healing and 

redemption. It is a place where you can discover God.” 

“Being there awakened in me the need to understand 

Jesus better, the need to answer the question “Who 

is this Jesus and how did He work out His mission?” 

On the Camino, pilgrims walk at their own pace. 

You may therefore have several different walking 

companions along the way, and need to adjust your 

speed. “I thought that was one of the biggest lessons 

for me, to walk through life at my own pace,” she says. 

“As I walked, I would encounter different people for a 

couple of hours. They were wonderful encounters.” 

For Anne, Vatican II was life changing, and 

encouraged her to seek further formation. She is now 

hearted by Pope Francis’ insistence on synodality as 

THE way of being church. “Today we are walking a 

synodal path – what’s that if not pilgrims searching, 

going forward together?” 

• Be open to possibilities – there is mystery and 

uncertainty in every journey. Without space for 

mystery, the search is cut short. 

• Come with a mindset that the searching is 

more important than the answer. 

• Be brave enough to walk alone. 

• There is immense freedom in carrying only 

what you need on your back. 

• Pilgrimages can be done with others – 

it doesn’t need to be a lonely journey. Those 

with you can help you find gems along the way. 

• Keep a journal – you don’t have to write 

everything, just whatever you can. 

• Read the daily Mass readings – sit with the 

readings each day and note the thoughts that 

come into your head. 

• Invite others to reflect and pray with you – 

reflection together creates special bonds. 

• Can’t go overseas? Walk where you can – 

and be present to your walk. 

Dr Anne Benjamin is a parishioner of St Anthony of Padua 

Parish Toongabbie. She is a former Executive Director of 

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, and was one 

of the co-creators of the recently launched Biographical 

Dictionary of Australian Catholic Educators, a website for 

researchers and those wanting to learn about Catholic 

education. Her book After All This Time: Reflections on 

Jesus is available from Coventry Press. 

Classifieds 

To place your ad in Catholic Outlook and reach over 

8,500 families in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains 

contact Christina Gretton at comms@parracatholic.org 

Toongabbie Legal Centre provides free legal services to 

vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised persons. 

NALL DONATION ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLEN 

Support 

TLC’s 15 th Annual Dinner 

& Crowdfunding 

Campaign Launch 

Saturday 26 November 2022 

Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope Gardens 

Ticket $100 includes dinner & entertainment – 

more details see www.tlc.asn.au 

WHAT’S ON 

AT MAMRE HOUSE 

Mondays: 

Tuesdays: 

Shared reading group 

English classes and Crafty Kritters 

Wednesdays: English classes and Seniors day activities 

Thursdays: 

Seniors tech classes 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TOO! 

181 Mamre Rd, Orchard Hills 

Contact Lisa on (02) 8843 2514 or email lisa.malcher@ccss.org.au

Let us care for those who 

have cared for us through 

their lifetime of service 

STORY CLERGY SUPPORT FOUNDATION 

As we prepare to celebrate the father figures 

in our lives this Father’s Day, the Diocese of 

Parramatta’s family of faith is also being urged 

to care for our spiritual fathers, priests now 

living in retirement after a lifetime of caring 

for parish communities. 

The Clergy Support Foundation supports the 

Diocese of Parramatta’s ageing priests and those 

in ill-health, providing the necessary care and 

guidance for them to transition to a well-deserved, 

spiritually fulfilling retirement. 

Diocese of Parramatta’s Head of Clergy Health 

and Wellbeing, Dr Mark Buhagiar, is supported 

by Clergy Healthcare Coordinators, Elizabeth 

Hanrahan and Ellen Small in caring for retired and 

ill priests across Western Sydney and the Blue 

Mountains. 

“As well as supporting our priests’ healthcare and 

wellbeing, Mark and his team keep an eye on their 

mental health and attend to their practical needs,” 

said Fr Wim Hoekstra from the Clergy Support 

Foundation. 

“This includes important daily tasks like organising 

meals, taking them to appointments and making 

sure they are taking their medicines. They also put 

a lot of care into ensuring that our priests’ social 

networks are maintained.” 

Other ongoing assistance includes organising 

independent retirement living and aged care or 

nursing home accommodation. 

Mark said the work of the Clergy Support Foundation 

recognises the fatherly spiritual and pastoral care 

that the Diocese’s priests have given to people for 

many decades. 

“Our priests have looked after us in parishes for their 

whole life, including the important moments such as 

Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and 

Marriage,” he said. 

“So, this is our opportunity, as Catholics and as 

parishioners, to show our gratitude and care for 

those who have cared for us, when they need us. 

This speaks very strongly to me and it’s why I love 

what I do.” 

Retired priests, Monsignor John Boyle and Fr Chris 

Dixon now live in accommodation set up by Diocese 

of Parramatta’s Clergy Support Foundation. 

Mons John said he is deeply grateful for the care 

being bestowed on him in his retirement, thanks to 

the support of the Diocesan community. 

“It brings out a huge sense of gratitude in me, that 

we’re able to live in this comfortable place, and have 

people who come to make sure we’re safe and well,” 

he said. 

Fr Chris agreed, saying he recognises the support of 

so many for the Clergy Support Foundation: 

It’s a joy to be able to 

retire and to live as we do. 

It’s quite a privilege. 

50

Fr Chris Dixon (left) with Clergy Healthcare Coordinator Ellen Small and Monsignor John Boyle. Image: Diocese of Parramatta 

I’m deeply thankful for the 

generosity of the people 

in our Diocese. 

Another big aspect of the Clergy Support 

Foundation’s work is making sure the Diocese’s 

retired priests stay involved in parish life. 

Both Mons John and Fr Chris are still very active in 

the Diocesan community, celebrating Mass most 

weekends and stepping in when priests go on leave. 

“I’m regularly invited out to dinner by my former 

parishioners,” said Mons John. 

“They’re keen to look after me. I feel like I’m still 

in their community even though I’m no longer 

there 24/7.” 

For Fr Chris, it’s providing ongoing spiritual guidance 

and sharing the faith, that he finds to be life-giving. 

“The privilege of being able to tell people your own 

experience of getting to know Jesus, that, to me, is 

sharing something sacred and wonderful.” 

The Clergy Support Foundation’s Father’s Day 

Appeal is an opportunity to care for the priests who 

have cared for us all through a lifetime of service to 

our faith community. 

To donate, please call 

(02) 8838 3482 or visit 

parracatholic.org/ 

fathersdayappealcsf 

51

Play it 

Check out our latest spirit-filled recommendations to 

add to your daily mix! 

Watch, Listen 

Read, Think 

Books, movies, music 

and more for Spring 

Há Pressa No Ar 

the official World Youth Day 2023 theme song 

Receive the Power 

(Sydney WYD 2008 theme song) 

by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto 

Every Little Thing 

Hillsong Young & Free 

Garden 

Matt Maher 

Soul on Fire 

Third Day 

Welcome Here 

by Fr Rob Galea featuring Michela 

Watch it 

St Francis of Assisi: Sign of Contradiction 

With his feast day on 4 October, here’s a movie that 

explores more than just St Francis of Assisi’s faith 

and appreciation of creation. This film is about a 

sinner and a saint who was on a lifelong journey 

animated by grace. St Francis of Assisi was a real 

person with real struggles, temptations, and doubts. 

He was a disciple, perhaps, the greatest disciple. 

Francis is known as a lover of peace and of 

nature, and this is true. But he also went against 

all social norms. All that the world said would lead 

to happiness, he abandoned for something else, 

something more. It wasn’t until he encountered 

Christ that darkness and confusion were replaced 

with light and peace. 

His life was marked by an unwavering openness to 

the Holy Spirit and a deep call to live penance. 


Watch it on Amazon Prime or the subscription 

service 4pmmedia.com 

52

Read it 

A Wide and Open Land – Walking the Last of 

Western Sydney’s Woodlands 

By Peter Ridgeway 

This Season of Creation, find out about the hidden beauty 

and fragility of the lands on which our Diocese sits. In 

the Winter of 2019, Peter Ridgeway set out to walk 179 

kilometres across the Cumberland Plain, the region 

of rural land west of Sydney, and home to the Darug, 

Gundungurra and Dharawal people. Carrying his food and 

water and camping under the stars, he crossed one of the 

least-known landscapes in Australia, all within view of its 

largest city. This book recounts a unique journey across a 

landscape few Australians will ever see. 

Peter shares many wonderful places across Western 

Sydney including Wivenhoe at Camden, conserved by the 

wisdom of the wonderful Good Samaritan congregation. 

This book provides an immersion in the history, wildlife, 

and culture of one of Australia's most rapidly vanishing 

landscapes, and reveals how the destruction of 'the West' 

is erasing not only itself, but something central to the 

identity of all Australians. 


A Wide and Open Land – Walking the Last of 

Western Sydney’s Woodlands 

By Peter Ridgeway 

Published by Peter Ridgeway April 2022 

ISBN : 9780645308914 

Listen in 

Little Green Pod with Fiona Poole ABC Listen App 

Little Green Pod is a podcast for busy people who know 

they could do more to help protect the world and save the 

environment. Join mother-of-two Fi Poole on her quest to 

find quick and easy ways to live a little greener in these 

bite-sized episodes. 

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/little-green-pod 

The Average Shepherd 

A weekly homily podcast dedicated to opening, exploring, 

and living the Word of God, produced by young priest 

Fr Sam French from the Diocese of Broken Bay. 

Apple/Spotify/Google Podcasts 

Images: From podcasts 

53

KIDS’ CORNER 

Design a border around this prayer 

using nature as inspiration. 

Cut it out, stick on recycled 

cardboard and hang it up. 

Dear God, 

you are in the 

whole universe and 

in every tiny creature. 

Help us protect your world, 

which gives us life. 

Thank you God for being 

with us each day. 

Amen. 

These activities are from our catechists in the 

Diocese of Parramatta. Melissa McDonald, 

Regional Catechist Coordinator for the Blue 

Mountains, says that looking after God's creation 

often comes naturally to children and they love 

talking about the topic. 

To find out more about becoming a 

catechist in the public schools in the 

Diocese of Parramatta contact Maree at 

maree.collis@parracatholic.org 

Prayer adapted from Pope Francis' 

Prayer for the Earth. 

Images: Shutterstock

WHY DOES POPE FRANCIS' LETTER 

LAUDATO SI' EFFECT EVERYONE? 

Using the clues below, complete the words going across. 

The answer will be revealed in the blue boxes running down the page. 

1. First words of the the Bible : In _ _ _ beginning when God created the 

heavens and the earth 

2. The third person of the Trinity who is present in all Creation. H_ _ _ S_ _ _ _ _ 

3. The name of our planet _ _ _ _ _ 

4. I became man to show God's endless love for all his creatures _ _ _ _ _ 

5. The Latin name of the Pope's letter to everyone on Earth aboutcaring for our 

common home. L_ _ _ _ _ _ S_ 

6. Instead of throwing paper products away we should _ _ _ _ _ _ _ them. 

7. Too often we W_ _ _ _ resources instead of using less, reusing and recycling. 

14 

7 

8 

17 

22 

23 

4 

5 

10 

11 

15 

18 

20 

21 

1 

2 

3 

6 

9 

12 

13 

16 

19 

8. In theLord's prayer we call God 

'Our F_ _ _ _ _ ' 

9. In the Bible Creation story we 

see that people are made in 

God's _ m _ g _ 

10. From the Lord's prayer: "Thy 

kingdom come, thy will be done 

on Earth as it _ _ in heaven. 

11. When we burn fossil fuels it 

causes air p_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ which 

contributes toclimate change. 

12. It is up to all of _ _ to work 

together to look after the Earth. 

13. At Easter we celebrate that Jesus 

has r_ _ _ _ from the dead. 

14. Pope _ _ _ _ _ _ _ took the name 

of this saint, the patron saint of 

animals and the environment. 

15. In the Bible story, after creating 

all things, God looks at it and 

sees that it is all very G_ _ _ _ 

16. This lights up our night sky and in 

his poem 'Canticle of Creation' Saint 

Francis called it our sister _ _ _ _ 

17. C_ _ _ _ _ _ C_ _ _ _ _: Pope 

Franciscalls this "one of the 

principle challenges facing 

humanity in our day" (LS25) 

18. The Pope calls for an Ecological 

C_nv_rs_ _n. This means 

changing our ways and taking 

better care of the Earth. 

19. One important way to feel 

God's presence is to spend 

time outdoors in n_ _ _ _ _. 

20. Jesus says "I am the Good 

S_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _" who loves 

and cares for his sheep. 

21. "Climate change affects us all but 

it is the P_ _ _ _ _communities 

that will suffer the most." 

22. We are called to live s_ _ _ply 

and not take more than we need 

of the Earth's resources. 

23. Caring for the Earth, wasting less 

and consuming less is being a 

good st_ _ _ _ _ _ of the Earth. 

55

Directory of services 

(02) 8843 2500 or visit catholiccarewsbm.org.au 

Chancery Office 

www.parracatholic.org 

(02) 8838 3400 

diocese@parracatholic.org 


(02) 8838 3400 

bishop@parracatholic.org 

Catholic Education 


parra.catholic.edu.au 

(02) 9840 5600 

communityliaison@parra.catholic.edu.au 

Catholic Diocese of Parramatta 

Services Limited 

(02) 9407 7044 

enquiries@cdpsl.org.au 

www.cdpsl.org.au 

Ambrose Early Years Education 

and School Age Care 

(02) 9407 7044 

enquiries@ambrose.org.au 

www.ambrose.org.au 

Catholic Care Western Sydney 

and the Blue Mountains 

(02) 8843 2500 

catholiccarewsbm.org.au 

Mission Enhancement Team 

(MET Parramatta) 

Catholic Youth Parramatta 

Marriage, Family and Natural Fertility 

Pastoral Formation 

Peace, Justice and Ecology 

Worship 

met@parracatholic.org 

parracatholic.org/met 

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine 

(02) 8838 3486 

ccd@parracatholic.org 

Tribunal Office 

(02) 8838 3480 

tribunal@parracatholic.org 

Vocations 

(02) 8838 3460 

vocations@parracatholic.org 

Parramatta Catholic Foundation 

(02) 8838 3482 

yourfoundation@parracatholic.org 

Diocesan Development Fund 

(02) 8839 4500 

enquiries@parraddf.org.au 

Holy Spirit Seminary 

(02) 9296 6300 

Office for Safeguarding 

(02) 8838 3419 

safeguarding@parracatholic.org 

Ageing Well 

Whatever your age, you will never be invisible to the people at Catholic Care. Our range of 

supports aim to keep you living independently in your own home for as long as possible, 

while staying connected with your friends and community. 

Our Commonwealth Home Support Program support elderly people to stay living 

independently at home, while our Community Visitor’s Scheme aims to reduce loneliness 

and enrich people’s lives through fortnightly visits to residents at aged-care facilities. 

Bringing a baby into the world 

There are few things more important than caring for a newborn child. Our programs have helped 

many young women who are feeling lost or have been excluded from their community and are 

at risk of homelessness, to get the support they need. Our parenting support program supports 

new parents finding the challenges of a newborn overwhelming. 

Chaplaincy 

Our chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support for patients and inmates, their 

families and staff in the seven hospitals and three correctional centres throughout the 

Diocese of Parramatta. An inclusive ministry available to all faiths, our 15 chaplains work 

alongside others involved in the care of patients and inmates. 

Children 

Catholic Care offers a range of support services to ensure children are taken care of in any 

situation. It starts with early years learning and childcare — our home-based early learning and 

parenting program for families with young children helps them and their parents develop skills, 

and our family day care helps kids get a good start with their education. Our creche is a thriving 

early learning centre, providing care for children of Sudanese refugee women enrolled in English 

classes offered on the grounds of Catholic Care. 

Connecting with my Community 

Our drop-in centres provide a safe place for people to belong and connect with others. 

They are a place to be, a place to get information, join a group, and be accepted. 

In Emerton, Aboriginal Catholic Services is a drop-in centre led by Aboriginal people for 

Aboriginal people. In Blacktown, culturally and linguistically diverse families are accessing 

support to settle into life in Australia by the team at All Saints of Africa. And at our Springwood 

Drop-in Centre, established to support the community after the 2014 bushfires, clients stop by 

for a chat, join a reading group or seek support with their mental health. 

Living well with Disability 

We all need a support network to live our lives to the fullest. Our disability support team, can 

help you with living, learning and overcoming obstacles on your journey, whatever they may 

look like. We can help you set goals, and achieve them, and help you build a brighter future. 

As a registered National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider, we support clients 

at home and in the community, whether you want to learn how to cook, need support with 

personal care, or want to play sport. 

Support for my Family 

When life gets tough for our families, the people we care about most can suffer. Our range 

of family support services can support you to better relate to your spouse and understand 

their behaviour, to deal with dependence or gambling problems, single parenting, or just 

connecting with your kids. 

We support families who are going through the most difficult of times to cope through 

separation, and with grief and loss. We help parents deal with all the stresses that can 

impact your family, from anxiety and depression to money worries, gambling—we have the 

people, the resources and the support to help you make it through. 

56

Latest appointments 

Most Rev Vincent Long OFM 

Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, has 

confirmed these appointments in 

the Diocese of Parramatta: 

Deacon Jack Elkazzi 

Deacon Assisting 

St Bernadette’s Parish 

Castle Hill, from 25 July 2022 

Fr Paul Gurr OCarm 

Part-time Assistant Priest 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish 

Wentworthville, from 27 July 2022 

Bishop Vincent (centre) with recipients of the Diocesan Awards, presented on 8 August 2022. Image: Diocese of Parramatta 

Diocesan Award Recipients 2022 

On the feast of St Mary MacKillop, 8 August 2022, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, presented the 

following members of our faith community with Diocesan Awards at St Patrick’s Cathedral Parramatta. 

Diocesan Medal of Honour 

Sylvia Belsey, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Kellyville 

Juan Caceres, St Nicholas of Myra Parish, Penrith 

Vincent Connelly, St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill 

Joseph Doyle, St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong 

Enrico Enriquez, St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong 

James Eves, Mary Immaculate Parish, Quakers Hill-Schofields 

Maureen Fearnside, St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill 

Annette Hartman, St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Parramatta 

Norman Heffernan, St Nicholas of Myra Parish, Penrith 

Roderick Hilliker, St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Parramatta 

Dudley Littlewood, Holy Spirit Parish, St Clair-Erskine Park 

Deirdre Said, Diocese Development Fund, Diocese of Parramatta 

Helen Steyns, Diocese Development Fund, Diocese of Parramatta 

Annette Tan, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Kellyville 

Citation of Merit for Youth 

Mindy Mercado, St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Parramatta 

Patrice Moriarty, Holy Spirit Parish, St Clair-Erskine Park 

We congratulate all our recipients and thank them for 

their dedicated service to our faith community. 

You can read more about them at 

catholicoutlook.info/Awards22

THE DDF: AN INVESTMENT IN GOOD 

FAITH AND A SOUND FUTURE 

The parish of St Aidan’s Rooty Hill is undergoing a church extension and renovation project. The building works include an extension to 

the church foyer, installation of external sunshades, recarpeting the church and refurbishment of the sanctuary including the installation 

of a baldacchino. The foyer extension is to accommodate the increasing number of parishioners attending St Aidan’s - the flow-on 

effect of the rapid development of the suburb of Rooty Hill. However, projects aren’t always smooth sailing; building works were halted, 

parishioner numbers fell, and costs rose rapidly due to the impact of the pandemic. “Hopefully, the Parish will be able to complete the 

project in the near future,” said Fr Alan Layt, Parish Priest of St Aidan’s. 

The DDF provided finance for the project which was flexible enough to support the changing needs of the parish as the project 

unfolded and moved to completion. 

The Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) provides financial services that helps to promote the continued growth and development of a 

vibrant and evangelising Catholic Church in the Diocese of Parramatta. 

The DDF’s services include: 

• Providing loans to assist Catholic agencies to further their Mission. Loans are available for any worthwhile purpose including 

construction, renovation, land purchase, furnishings, and equipment. 

• Facilitating transactional services to Catholic agencies such as parishes and schools. 

• Operating efficiently to generate income for the Diocese to support the Mission of the Church, pastoral priorities, and ministry 

programmes. 

• The development of deep long-term relationships with all Catholic entities within the Diocese. 

To contact the DDF please phone (02) 8839 4500 or email enquiries@parraddf.org.au 

Visit the DDF website at www.parracatholic.org.au/ddf 

Disclosure Statement The Diocesan Development Fund Catholic Diocese of Parramatta (DDF) (the Fund) is required by law to make the following disclosure. 

The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities 

and Investments Commission. An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or thedepositor protection provisions in the 

Banking Act 1959 (Cth). Investments in the Fund are intended to be a means for investors to support the charitable, religious and educational works of the 

Catholic Diocese of Parramatta and for whom the consideration of profit are not of primary relevance in the investment decision. The investments that the 

Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by Australian Securities and Investments 

Commission. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and an of the Fund are not comparable to 

investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed at https://parracatholic.org or by contacting 

the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.

Catholic Outlook Magazine Ordinary Time Spring Edition 2022

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