Franciscans International in Asia and
Oceania
An assembly of Franciscan leaders who met in Bangkok, 3-7 July,
discussed the future direction of the Franciscan commitment to human
rights recognition in the Asia Pacific region. The Assembly
unanimously agreed to strengthen the work of Franciscans
International, a non-government organisation represented at the
United Nations, by opening an office for Franciscans International
in Bangkok, the regional headquarters of the United Nations in Asia
and the Pacific.
The meeting was organised and
facilitated by Julie Morgan, Holy Spirit Province Promoter of
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, who had already spent two
years of work on the project and months preparing for this
particular meeting. Australian representatives included the
following leaders of their respective entities or groups: Stephen
Bliss OFM, Helen Britton SFO, Judy Dynan FMM, Julian Messina OFM
Cap, Carmel Spratt FMDM, and Friar Donald Campbell SSF and Ms
Suzanne Chapman from the Anglican Franciscans. The Executive
Director of the Franciscans International office in Geneva, John
Quigley OFM, also attended as a sign of support and encouragement
for this new venture.
Over the last two years, Franciscan
friars, sisters and Secular Franciscans from Asia and the Pacific
have engaged in consultations with regional Franciscan leadership,
conducted exhaustive studies into the needs of grassroots
Franciscans in the region and made an assessment of four cities as
possible sites for a regional Franciscans International office.
At a meeting in Singapore in June 2005,
a Steering Committee was established and funded by twelve Franciscan
leaders from the region. They called for a Feasibility Committee to
make a study over six months and interview dozens of Franciscans
throughout Asia and the Pacific.
Fifty Franciscan sisters and brothers,
including eleven leaders from 35 entities in twelve countries in
Asia and the Pacific, called unanimously for the opening of the
office and collectively assumed responsibility for the project. The
decision is to be implemented in three phases, as follows:
1. A skilled and experienced project
officer will be sought from within the region to work with
Franciscans International in Geneva in order to master human rights
mechanisms and coordinate the project’s establishment in Bangkok and
will be assisted by an intern from the region;
2. The Asia project coordinator will
recruit two Franciscans from the region and one local administrative
assistant to find an office, housing and establish contacts with
Franciscans in Asia and the Pacific; and
3. The staff will engage in advocacy at
the United Nations and run training programs in Bangkok and in the
field, throughout the region.
The International Board of Directors of
Franciscans International approved the proposal from the Bangkok
meeting during a meeting in Geneva in September attended by Stephen
Bliss, Julie Morgan and Paskalis Syukur (Provincial Minister of
Indonesia Province).
Julie Morgan has been invited by Franciscans International to take
up the position of Asia Pacific Project Co-ordinator and will begin
her new job, initially in Geneva, early in 2007. It is hoped that
the physical office will be established in Bangkok after one year’s
preparation. This means that Julie completes her role as JPIC
Promoter with Holy Spirit Province on 21 December 2006
This decision to establish the Bangkok
office reflects a major development in the history of Franciscans
International, the only common ministry of the Franciscan Family,
and an important, new inter-Franciscan endeavour at the
international level.
“Franciscans
International
is a non-governmental organisation (NGO)
with General Consultative status at the UN, uniting the voices of
Franciscan brothers and sisters from around the world. We operate
under the sponsorship of the Conference of the Franciscan Family (CFF)
and serve all Franciscans and the global community by bringing
spiritual, ethical, and Franciscan values to the United Nations and
international organisations.
We closely follow the tradition of Saint Francis and Saint Clare,
striving to put Franciscan ideals into practice at the international
level. We are guided by the Saints’ loving concern for the poor,
care of creation, and peacemaking. As the poorest people are being
exploited in systemic ways, and global peace is increasingly
threatened, Franciscan commitment is needed more urgently than ever.
Our programmes at FI bring grassroots
Franciscans to the United Nations forums in New York and Geneva,
influencing international human rights standards and bringing
witness to human rights violations. FI’s advocacy programmes are
designed in response to Franciscan needs worldwide.” For further
information:
♦ Paschal Chang’s project to Help the Wounded Church in China
has seen five priests arrive from China recently for further
theological education. The young priests, mainly from dioceses where
the bishop is Franciscan, are living at Asiana Centre, Ashfield NSW.
♦ Austen Crapp, Franciscan Bishop of Aitape, was awarded a
CBE in the Papua New Guinea Honours List several months ago. He was
awarded the title of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire for services to the Church and the country.
♦ Jivan Daniel was ordained for priestly ministry in Kuala
Lumpur on 17 June. A strong representation of friars and two
busloads of parishioners and friends from Singapore attended the
celebration during which Jivan’s brother, Ravi, was also ordained as
a Jesuit priest. So as not to make the ceremony ‘religious only’,
the bishop ordained a diocesan seminarian from the same parish on
the same occasion. Jivan is now parish assistant at St Mary of the
Angels parish, Singapore.
♦ Mario Debattista, will attend the international council of
Formation Secretaries to be held in Nairobi in February 2007. For
Mario, the unexpected bonus is the opportunity to re-connect with
friars of the Africa Vice-Province where he ministered 1992-2000.
The meeting has been called by the Order to prepare for the second
international congress of all Ongoing Formation Directors to be held
in Assisi in October 2007. Noel Fauth will attend the latter
meeting.
♦ Christopher Gardiner has been appointed by Cardinal George
Pell as the spiritual director of Good Shepherd Diocesan Seminary,
Homebush (Sydney), effective from February 2007. Christopher has
almost completed five years as spiritual director at Corpus Christi
Seminary, Melbourne. He will reside at Homebush and be assigned to
Star of the Sea friary, Waverley. By request of the Holy Land
Custody in Jerusalem, Christopher preached the annual retreat for
the English-speaking friars of the Holy Land Custody, 24-30
September at Mount Tabor.
♦ Paul Ghanem left Waverley parish on 21 August for a
one-year term in the Holy Land which will also include the
opportunity to visit family north of the border in Lebanon. Paul has
taken up some of Fabian Adkins’ duties in Nazareth and is involved
with pilgrimage groups, Masses and other ministries in the Nazareth
Basilica and in nearby St Joseph’s church.
♦ Christopher (Francis) Goulding provided a good reason to
have a double celebration on the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, 4
October. Over thirty friars in Victoria gathered at St Paschal
friary, Melbourne to celebrate St Francis Day ... and Christopher’s
90th birthday.
♦ Romuald Green retired from Franciscan research work in USA
and returned to Melbourne at Easter due to illness which affected
his vision. He now lives at St Paschal friary in Melbourne.
♦ Patrick Henigan had a successful exhibition of his art in
Watson Place Gallery, Melbourne, in April. All but one of the eleven
drawings of incidents in the life of Francis sold quickly. “It was
his first show in twelve years and it’s a marvel” quoted one
reviewer. “The images do not berate the viewer with proselytising
... all one has to do is stand in front of the raw, powerful images
and absorb the message as translated by their passionate
interpreter, the artist Patrick Henigan.”
♦ Julian Mariaratnam co-ordinated a big celebration for 125
years of the parish of St John dal Bastone in Sri Lanka, 12-13
August. This is the parish where Julian first met the Franciscans
before joining the Order in Singapore. The Philippines Province has
been given care of this new Foundation; currently, Julian is the
pastor. The Sri Lanka Post Office issued a commemorative stamp for
the occasion during a franking ceremony in the church , a rare
public acknowledgement of Christian religious groups.
♦ Peter Michael was a key person in bringing the pictures of
the General Chapter to friars across the world. Peter’s video skills
and the work of the Communications Office provided excellent
coverage of the Chapter. Peter’s three-year term has been extended
to mid 2007, after which he will return to Singapore. A full report
of the General Chapter can be found on the Order ‘s website
www.ofm.org
♦ Joachim O’Brien has put pen to paper and fingers to the
keyboard yet again to produce a book of allocutios (spiritual
presentations) for lay leaders of the Legion of Mary. “Witness To
Love” is a series of spiritual presentations for use at the Legion
meetings at various levels. He is contemplating a similar production
for the SFO.
♦ Paul Rout has been teaching philosophy at Yarra Theological
Union, Melbourne, during the second semester of 2006. He will return
to England after Christmas. Paul commits himself to YTU for a
semester every second year to teach his specialty, philopsophy.
♦ Theophane Rush has almost completed a three-month
Franciscan Spiritual Direction program in Canada. In December, Theo
will take a vacation overseas and reconnect with a number of friends
and associates from his many years in Washington, as well as
spending Christmas with his sister (Sr Josephine mfic) who is
working in Egypt. He returns on 5 January 2007.
♦ Paul Smith
attended the international meeting of Commissaries of the Holy Land
in Jerusalem, 19-25 November, representing Noel English (commissary)
who was unable to attend. Paul was commissary 1999-2004. Texts of
the presentations and photographs are available on the website of
the Custody of the Holy Land
www.custodia.org
Provincial
Chapter 2007
The venue and dates for the triennial
Provincial Chapter of Holy Spirit Province have been set: 24-28
September 2007 at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney. Friar Tom
Nairn of the Sacred Heart Province USA has been appointed as the
General Visitator for the 2007 Provincial Chapter. Tom lectures at
Catholic Theological Union Chicago and at other academic
institutions. His CTU biography says that “although interested in a
wide range of ethical issues, most of Thomas Nairn’s research has
been in the area of health care ethics. His current work has been in
areas such as end of life issues, genetics, the inter-relation
between religious and cultural values in health care decision
making, and organizational ethics. He consults for a variety of
Catholic health care systems and helped develop the health care
mission leadership certificate program”. Tom taught at Yarra
Theological Union, Melbourne, for a semester in 1986 and lived at
the formation friary in Elgar Road, Box Hill North.
“On A Cragged Hill”
... is the title of the history of Padua
College, Kedron, written by John Boyd-Boland for the college’s
golden jubilee year. The 68-page book was launched at a college
fund-raising function with old boys on 27 October. Using college and
Order archives, previous publications and personal knowledge, John
tells how: “Padua College’s history has moved from one of
uncertainty and unease to confidence and clarity. It began as the
vision of a number of dedicated local Catholic parents and a few
friars, it proceeded initially with shaky and uncertain support from
the powers-that-be in Sydney. It passed through a confident decade
or two with the friars determined not to let the vision die. Now it
has been left to the care of those who have inherited that
Franciscan spirit ... staff who have been pleased to take on being
lsquo;Franciscan’ themselves ... What has been accomplished has only been
possible because of the creative energies, imaginative input and
dogged persistent hard work of so many parents, staff, friars and
the boys working together.”
Tasmania: Fifty Years, Fifty Friars
The West Tamar Catholic parish in
Launceston, Tasmania, celebrated fifty years of the Franciscan
presence in Tasmania over the weekend of 8-10 September. In 1956,
Archbishop Guilford Young invited the Franciscans to minister in the
small church at Trevallyn (Launceston). Claver Munday was the first
parish priest.
In 1962 as the parish grew, a church
hall and friary was constructed further up the road at Riverside and
this became the centre of parish activities for the next 45 years.
Now, with an amalgamation of parishes in the Launceston area, the
Franciscans have been given care of the whole West Tamar area
encompassing also the previously separate parishes of Beaconsfield
and Glengarry. Brian Lester is assisted by Sr Frances McShane mss
who is based in Beaconsfield.
A jubilee committee arranged a variety
of celebrations which included a tour of the parish school, a formal
dinner at the local Golf Club for nearly 150 people and Sunday
Eucharist celebrated by Archbishop Adrian Doyle with a dozen
visiting Franciscans, some of whom had ministered in the parish
previously. Present and past parishioners, friars and other visitors
renewed friendships over an informal lunch in the friary garden.
In many ways over the weekend,
parishioners expressed their appreciation of the friars’
contribution to their parish life, often asking about particular
friars who have left a good impression on their families. Since
1956, fifty friars have been appointed to Riverside.
“Francis Haven” celebrates 25 Years, and more
The Province feast of Pentecost this
year (4 June 2006) was exactly twenty-five years since the friars
took up residence at Yandoit (near Guildford VIC) in the farmhouse
on the property which had been left to the Order by Dick and Laura
Molloy. The first community comprising James O’Meara, Ronan
Kilgannon, Francis Say and Anthony Boughton were “allowed to go to
the Molloy property at Guildford for four months on an experimental
basis to judge its suitability as a possible permanent site for the
House of Prayer”.
This year, on the feast of Pentecost,
the Spirit descended on approximately fifty friends and supporters
who joined the resident community and visiting friars at Francis
Haven for afternoon tea. Bishop Peter Connors of Ballarat Diocese
called in briefly en route to another engagement. The guests renewed
contact with the early friars, Christopher Goulding and Mario
Ferlazzo, as well as sharing stories about their association with
many friars over the years. Each of the guests had given significant
time and energy to help the friars establish themselves, including
the building of the San Damiano mud-brick accommodation annexe for
retreatants. On the previous day (Saturday), Stephen Bliss
celebrated Eucharist for the Francis Haven community who later
hosted the Melbourne friars to an early winter barbecue lunch.
The history of the gift of Francis Haven
to the Province is documented in the recent FranciscanNews (Vol 8 No
2). There, it is acknowledged that the celebration of 25 years would
not have been possible without the faith, vision and generosity of
the previous owners who were imbued with the Franciscan spirit long
before they met their first friar in 1955 - Stephen Pearson. Dick
Molloy died in February 1981 and Laura died in December 1992 after a
long period in a Bendigo Nursing Home.
“The apostolate of this
community is to live a life of prayer and hospitality ‘witnessing to
the contemplative life that flourishes in our Order’” (GC 31.1)
[Guidelines of the House of
Prayer and Hospitality, art 2]
'Queensland Great’ Awards
The ‘Queensland Great’ Awards are
distributed annually in the lead up to the official Queensland Week
celebrations and recognise Queenslanders who have made a lifelong,
significant contribution to the State.
The Brisbane Mater Hospital and Health
Services was awarded the first ever ‘Queensland Great’ award for an
organisation. It acknowledges the vision and work of the Sisters of
Mercy who established the Mater Hospital one hundred years ago.
Friar Cassian Double is pleased to have been a part of that
tradition of ‘Greats’ for one-fifth of the century as chaplain to
the hospital.
Minto Friars on TV
The friars of Minto NSW , Kevin Goode,
Andrew Granc and Mario Debattista , featured in the special ABC-TV
lsquo;Compass’ program on 8 October about their ministry in the area.
After many months in the making, the program gave a balanced insight
into the humble service and commitment of the friars to the people
of Minto and surrounding districts and their collaborative ministry
with people of all ages and faiths.
East Timor students
The four East Timorese students who
arrived in Australia in May, primarily for English language courses,
returned to Dili (East Timor) on 16 October. With their English
language skills improved after daily classes over five months with a
professional tutor at Maryfields friary NSW, the students are now
preparing for their novitiate. They have already spent three years
with the friars, including two years at the local minor seminary.
Paulino, Adelino, Sylvester and Mario
will join the 2007 novitiate in Singapore after this special
arrangement was confirmed between the Provincial Ministers of Holy
Spirit Province and St Michael Province (Indonesia) which has care
of the guardianate and formation house in Dili, and the Custody.
While in Australia, the students also
had the opportunity to visit Brisbane for a week where they were
each billeted out with Padua College families. Before leaving
Australia, all spoke of their enjoyable times with the Brisbane
familes and their gratitude for all the opportunities given to them
by the friars while in Australia. Besides improving their English
language, they have also learnt new computer skills - which may be
more useful in Singapore than in Dili.
Kuching (Malaysia) Parish Expansion
St Ann Mission, Kuching, in the care of
the Franciscans since 2001, is growing. From its beginnings as an
out-station of the city church in the 1940s, the parish now
comprises over 45 kampungs (villages), 14 schools, 20 housing
estates and over 18,000 Catholics. Eucharist is celebrated daily in
the kampungs on rotation.
The main centre at Ten Mile was
originally constructed as a ‘baruk’ (an open air prayer hall) for
400 people and now serves as the make-shift parish church. Today, an
average attendance at Sunday Masses is 1000 people and growing. The
recent Confirmation ceremony was celebrated twice in the parish with
the archbishop administering the sacrament to more than 300
candidates.
Plans are in progress to construct a new
church, parish offices, classrooms, a hall and presbytery in stages
over ten years. Joseph Goh, pastor, says that the church concept
proposed by the building committee is “breathtakingly beautiful but
simple, modern but reverential, large but kind on maintenance ... it
evokes images of Assisi architecture but with practical structures.”
Franciscan Parishes Pilgrimage
Thirty-five people, mainly associated
with the friars through the Franciscan parishes in Australia and
retreat house in Auckland, encountered St Francis of Assisi as they
journeyed for nine days in May through Rome, Perugia, Greccio,
Gubbio, La Verna, Siena and other places sacred to the life of
Francis. The “unofficial tour guides” and spiritual assistants were
Friars Peter Clifford, Giles Setter and Anthoni Samy Selvaraj.
Peter Clifford said that “by the time we arrived in Assisi, we were
a Franciscan family looking forward to being in the places Clare and
Francis loved ... Our liturgies from the grandeur of St Peter’s
Basilica to the peacefulness of the Carceri inspired us.”
A bond developed between the pilgrims
and it was not long before there was talk of a reunion at the
Retreat Centre in Auckland. One pilgrim wrote of her experience, “We
all had the same thing in common, a linkage to Francis and a
yearning to know and understand him more. That certainly happened
for me ... You can’t but admire the tenacity, determination and
single-mindedness as you get to know Francis more ... Assisi was
stunning and I remember the tears swelling in my eyes.” Another
wrote, “It was a time of prayer, reflection and relaxation in the
Franciscan spirit.”
Fresco fragments finally fixed
At the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi,
restorers have finally replaced the last fresco fragments, nine
years after the earthquake which sent parts of the ceiling crashing
to the floor, killing four people. With the aid of computer
technology, experts were able to recompose most of the damaged
images, including an archway with Sts Francis and Clare and a rib
vault with a depiction of St Jerome at his desk.
Cimabue’s fresco of St Matthew above the
main altar did not fare so well. It had faded over the centuries,
making it difficult to match the edges of 120,000 fragments by
computer technology. Twenty percent only of the original pieces
could be replaced. The unused pieces are being stored but there is
little hope of further re-composition.
The state-funded restoration of the
ceiling frescoes took 160,000 hours of work. Conventual Franciscan
Friar Vicenzo Coli, Custodian of the Basilica, reported that there
were many emotions, “anguish at the original event, hope raised by
the people’s response and the technicians’ ability, and joy at
seeing the restoration finished although not complete.”
“Praised be you, God, for Sister Death from whom no-one living can
escape”
St Francis of Assisi
Please remember in your prayers these
friars who have died during 2006:
Alban Mitchell
(Brisbane, 2 March), Clement Kain (Melbourne, 19 March),
Francis Aisher (Melbourne, 12 August), Godfrey Ainsworth
(Sydney 29 August), Philip Carroll (Auckland, 4 November) and
Emilio Lattenero (a former PNG missionary who died in Italy).
May these friars and all our deceased friends, families and
benefactors rest in peace.
Franciscan Calendar 2007
The Australian-produced Calendar features twelve images of
people and places to complement ‘The Praises of God’ composed by
Francis of Assisi on the mount of La Verna. Each month focuses
on an inspirational verse of Francis’s prayer. The calendar
shows all Church feasts and highlights Franciscan feasts. School
holidays, public holidays, phases of the moon and daylight
saving dates are also noted.
For yourself or for your friends, the Franciscan Calendars are
great Christmas gifts that will last all year round. Only $6.00
each and available from the Franciscan Provincial Office, 47
Victoria Street, Waverley NSW 2024. Telephone (02) 9369 9300.
Email
office@franciscans.org.au
Wallet sized calendars (approx. credit card size), also with
lsquo;The Praises of God’, are available from St Francis Xavier
parish office: 1087 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill VIC 3128. Tel (03)
9890 2231. Email
sfxbh@celestial.com.au
Cost is five cards
for $1.00.
