On October 11th a farewell morning tea will be held for Sr. Joyce. As most of you know Sr. Joyce has played the organ for us for many years and has been involved and contributed so much to our parish life, sadly however she has decided to retire from playing the organ at Sts. Peter & Paul. Everyone is invited to stay for a ‘cuppa’ on the day, to help with the catering we would be grateful if you could bring a long a plate of food to share.

The Montesano family’s major fundraiser for 2009 will be held in aid of the Father Bob Maguire Foundation.
Venue: ‘The Ballroom’, Melrose Reception Centre, Melrose Drive, Tullamarine
3 course luncheon including beer, wine and soft drinks
On: Sunday 8th November
Time: 12pm – 4:30pm Cost: Adults $50.00, Children 5-12yrs $25.00, Children under 5yrs free. Tables of 10 are available. RSVP 20th October Cath or Lianna on 9390 2177
Tickets will be distributed upon receipt of payment. Strictly no entry without a ticket. Raffles, Auctions

Few things happening around here. http://www.fatherbob.com.au/

Please remember in your prayers and Masses Leonie Giuffrida and her family. Leonie’s Dad, Charles has been unwell for some time, last weekend he suffered a stroke and passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning, his funeral Mass was held in Ballarat on Saturday.

Also, for the family of Mavis McCormack who passed away last Saturday. For many years Mavis and her friend Lil Bracken looked after the Church flowers, each week many vases of flowers were beautifully arranged on the marble Altars and throughout the Church . On the days that weddings were held here, they would sweep and mop the front entrance as well as making sure the Church was looking the best. Later on they became the ‘Op Shop Ladies’ spending each Monday serving at the South Melbourne Community Chest Op shop, their work was much more than just serving in the shop, their pastoral outreach reached out in to all corners of the community, many lonely people were given a cuppa and the opportunity to have a chat, and both Mavis’s husband Ted and Lil’s husband Joe were called in to drop off purchases too large to be carried home or to give a sick person a lift home. Mavis and Lil were truly living examples of Peter & Paul.

On Monday 14th September,(Fr Bob’s Birthday) 14 members of the Open House Hospitality team and Fr Bob celebrated his 75th Birthday with a dinner at Lamaros Hotel, (formerly the Bayview) in Cecil Street. Many thanks to Pam Lamaro, who although travelling overseas at the weekend arranged everything for us before leaving. We recommend the venue to all parishioners who enjoy fine dining in very pleasant surroundings.

Dear Parishioners,
As the events of last week subside a little, we would like to give you an update on the present situation concerning the future of Fr Bob as the parish priest of Sts Peter & Paul, South Melbourne.
As you may recall, the Archbishop requested that Fr Bob tender his resignation by no later than 17 September, 2009. Fr Bob will reply to that request on the due date. We do not profess to speak for Fr Bob, but he has indicated publicly that his response will be to not offer his resignation.
In the meantime, your Parish Council wrote to the Archbishop informing His Grace of the support of the parish community for Fr Bob to remain as our Parish Priest, and requesting him to engage in dialogue with the Parish Council before he made any determination as to the position of Parish Priest. The Archbishop has replied saying that he intends to wait until such time as he receives a reply from Fr Bob before having any further discussion with the Parish Council.
We continue to emphasise that this situation is different from the recent events of St Mary’s, South Brisbane and that the response of the parish will be different. We are fundamentally wishing to see a resolution within the parameters that Church doctrine and Canon law provide, and the parish – including Fr Bob – remains committed to the orthodoxy of the Catholic Church (even if we veer towards the unconventional some of the time).
For those that were not able to make it to mass last Sunday at 10am, the parish community (swollen in numbers by the influx of a large number of supporters - not to mention media) celebrated Fr Bob’s 75th birthday in style. Frank O’Connor delivered the statement set out below on behalf of the Parish Council.
There continues to be a great deal of goodwill and support towards Fr Bob.
There is nothing more to report than that at this point in time. We will, of course, continue to keep you informed as matters progress. Your prayers for the Archbishop, Fr Bob, the parish community and the people of South Melbourne and surrounding districts would be greatly appreciated.

Paul Wappett
Parish Communications









Statement by Frank O’Connor to 10am Mass – Sunday 13th September 2009
Thanks for being here. And the great turnout is indicative of the esteem in which Bob is held, not just by this Parish for the last 36 years but also by the much wider community, and certainly inclusive of people of all religions and beliefs and of all strata in society. And today is really meant to be the celebration of Fr Bob’s 75th birthday so we intend doing that celebration at the end of this liturgical celebration.
On the other very public matter, let me reassure all of you that there is plenty of work going on in relation to the Archbishop’s proposal to force Bob to resign. And let me be very clear on this. Although the theory is that when Bob turns 75 he is required to submit his offer to resign and then the Archbishop will consider it, there is plenty of evidence in both Archbishop’s letter and other communication and in his discussion with Bob that he has already made up his mind. We would not expect that to be so and hence our request to meet with him to discuss these issues.
And now we have the new issue in today’s media which suggests that the Archbishop wants Fr Bob out not because he’s turning 75 but because he doesn’t like how he spends money on the poor.
Fr Bob has been accused of selling off assets to fund his charitable works. Now let’s be very clear about asset sales. Only the Archbishop can approve the sale of any Parish assets hence any sales that have occurred over the past 30 years have been done at the Parish’s instigation but with the full knowledge and ultimate approval of the Archdiocese.
And why would the Parish want to sell such assets? Clearly they were excess to requirements and the Parish needed to generate cash, not just for its charitable works but also for normal day to day running. The reality is, and the Archdiocese knows this and parishioners have been regularly informed of it, the revenue we receive leaves us about $120,000 per year short of essential expenditure. And let’s not forget that the Parish spent more than $800,000 on restoring this historic church and a further $200,000 on the heritage Parish House, from our own resources and with no external funding or support. All this shows that Fr Bob has managed things extraordinarily well given the circumstances.
Bob himself is of course running a magnificent PR campaign in relation to the Archbishop’s desire to see him resign, just as over the years he has used the media to promote and fight for the cause of the disadvantaged and the dispossessed, irrespective of whether people were the deserving or undeserving poor – judging people to decide whether to help them has never been in Bob’s approach.
Besides Bob’s PR work, there are many others including the Parish Council here in South Melbourne and local community, political, media and industry figures who have or will be writing to the Archbishop urging him to leave Bob here in South Melbourne as Parish Priest. That’s so he can continue his magnificent work with those who need his support and equally important so that he can continue to inspire others with his ability to preach the message of the Gospel as it needs to be applied to life and living in this day and age.
But let me though give you a particular piece of advice. This Parish of Sts Peter & Paul South Melbourne is not another South Brisbane. Fr Bob is orthodox, even if a little unconventional at times, and hence this Parish has been moulded that way. We have no plans to man the barricades or storm the Cathedral. We believe that the very broad support that Bob has, as evidenced by today’s turnout, together with the fact that at 75 years of age he is still fit and well and sharp of mind, ought to be enough evidence for the Archbishop to make the decision that Bob can continue here as Parish Priest.
However, it may be that more will be needed to convince the Archbishop. In that case we may well continue to call on your support. So we ask you to keep an eye on the Parish website or follow Fr Bob’s blog. So to quote Fr Bob “No more us and them, just we”, let’s reassure Bob that WE want him to continue as Parish Priest of this Parish and WE need to convince Archbishop Hart that this is the right outcome.

Dear Parishioners,

The news that Fr Bob has been asked by the Archbishop to tender his resignation on his 75th birthday has been covered intensively in yesterday's electronic media and today's print media.

We want to assure you that:

1. Fr Bob is feeling okay - a little weary, but overall, very strong;

2. your Parish Council (consisting of Geraldine Crawford, Leonie Giuffrida, Sue Kidd, Carol Leahy, Frank O'Connor, Andy Sattler, Paul Wappett and me) is ensuring that the Archdiocese understands that the Parish is a vital player in the situation and that our views will need to be taken into account;

3. Fr Bob is receiving advice from those that are best qualified to give him that advice - on matters of Canon Law as well as generally.

We know that your natural inclination may well be to do something to help Fr Bob. Please understand, however, that the situation is a delicate one and that the response from the Parish will be most effective if it is coordinated, united and well thought out. We will continue to keep you informed of any developments and will invite you to meet with members of the Parish Council at mass on the weekend to provide you with any further information that you may require. What will certainly help is your prayers for a resolution to this situation that is good for the Church, for the Parish and for Fr Bob.

Tony Long
Chairman SSPP Parish Council

Big Week for me. Phone rang Wednesday a.m. 'It’s the archbishop. I’ll be there in 20 minutes.' I didn’t have time to think or call for help.
Luckily, Judy, the office manager, was present to take notes.
By the time he left, I was feeling 90 years of age, not 75, the age of statutory senility.
He gave me two dates for compliance. One was my birthday. He expects a letter of resignation. The other is a month later. He expects me to vacate the premises.
No good whingeing about lack of courtesy or respect for a senior field officer.
Power makes some people less restrained than they naturally are. Jesus warned about power, especially among his disciples.
Someone, later, allegedly said: 'Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely'.
It’s not a universal absolute. I’ve known leaders, both civil and military, endowed with enormous power who presented as humble as doormats. They were great leaders for all of that.
I’ve handed the issue over to the local 'elders'. It’s not between me and the archbishop, as far as I’m concerned and he denies.
It’s got to be between South Melbourne catholics, their neighbourhood associates and the Head Office executive, including the archbishop.
By the way, I read in ‘The Age’ this morning that Collingwood catholics are on a collision course with Head Office, including the archbishop, over the demolition and rebuilding of their church building, recently destroyed by fire. God help them in their struggle. Short of that they’ve written to the Pope!
I’ve already warned off several friendly “stirrers” who would like to publically protest about the 'predicament'.
I’m an institution man despite what anyone says. I wouldn’t do anything to make it harder for church to be a 'mother'. I see it as part of my mission to reassure insiders and outsiders that the Catholic church is here for them, like a mother at her best, unconditional and non-judgemental, self-sacrificial.
I believe that’s the message of Pope Benedict 16’s recent pen letter (encyclical) 'Caritas in Veritate' (True Love).
I’m an institution man. I’m orthodox and, to some, unconventional. For example, I received a beautifully crafted letter last week: 'I admire your work BUT I was shocked by your espousal of Good Friday football.'
It was written by an eminent knight who has held high office in both church and state.
He was firing a warning shot. The rich and powerful catholic neo-cons have had enough of my style, valued as it may be by secular society.
Vatican 2 ordered all catholics into secular society as an environment equally sacred as the religious, clerical environment. That’s my preferred field of dreams, chosen for me not by me.
Nine out of ten catholics either do or would choose to read 'the signs of the times' and act accordingly, become social activists.
One out of ten prefers devotional Catholicism, becoming even more passionate in prayer and worship.
Spare a thought as we work this thing out. A parish and a neighbourhood deserve a positive outcome. If that leaves me here as parish priest, all the better. RJM

Next weekend we will celebrate Fr. Bob’s 75th birthday, and as well hold an appeal for the Fr Bob’s Foundation. After Mass we will hold a morning tea to celebrate Fr. Bob’s birthday.

Friday 2 October 2009 6.30pm, St Kilda Town Hall
The Carmelites will host their Inaugural Charity Ball and Auction to raise funds to establish a safe drinking water system in Zumalai, East Timor. The evening will feature entertainment by well known band 'Fire & Theft', Pavarotti Live and the Timorese Choir 'La Loran’. VIP Guests will include the Hon John Thwaites, Mr Richard Wynne, Mr Michael Danby, Hon Consul General for East Timor Mr Kevin Bailey and Bishop Hilton Deakin. This is a good opportunity for people to interact socially and learn more about the Carmelites and their work. This event will be great value, fun, entertaining and enlightening. Please consider coming along and making up a table with friends to support the Carmelites and their work in East Timor. Tickets:$120, which includes a three course meal, beer, wine and soft drinks. Book directly on line at www.trybooking.com/BHP or call 03 9690 8822

Dear Supporters of the Central Deanery, I write on behalf of our Asylum Seekers’ Committee to send you our warmest thanks for the wonderful supply of food and household goods and MET Cards which were brought here today. The generosity and compassion of people like you is the principal reason that their project has been sustained over the past eight years, and we have been able to respond to many different needs. May you all be richly blessed, sincerely Margaret Cassidy (for the Committee)

Peter Mac has four opportunities available for people with a passion for Pastoral care. This is a nine-month full-time education program commencing 22 February 2010 and concluding November 12, 2010). The program comprises three units of CPE accredited by ASPEA Inc. Details: Paula Donnoli, 9656 1301 or email paula.donnoli@petermac.org Applications close: Friday 9th October, 2009 www.petermac.org