Since the “bosses” gave me a short term contract from now till 2012 (early 2012), well intentioned people, sometimes friends, sometimes people on the streets, have been offering me retirement advice.

“You haven’t got two and a bit years, you’ve got one year. Start planning for the end of 2010!”

I’m temperamentally unsuited for this stuff.

A priest whose job it is to check up on the welfare of fellow priests dropped in. He asked how I was sleeping. That was nice. I must learn to fade away gracefully.

That could be my late vocation – to spend whatever time is left to me to scatter rose petals and be socially environmentally friendly.

Maybe there are at least two catholic churches. I’ve been in one since baptism, Thornbury, 1934.

Confirmed into that same one by Archbishop Mannix round about 1944, Armadale.

I volunteered for life long clerical service at Werribee, 1953, and was commissioned at Melbourne cathedral, 1960.

My tour of duty began in 1960 at Belgrave, continued through six suburban parishes until I volunteered to be a full-time army chaplain in 1970.

Gough Whitlam brought home Australian troops in 1973. My chaplaincy went, in 1973, from full-time to part-time. South Melbourne took over my life in 1973 until the time of writing.

That’s the catholic church I know. It includes mainly lay people but the occasional cardinal and bishop. Commissioned fellow clerics, of course. I’ve known a few.

I’ve sniffed traces, over 75 years, of the other catholic church. I was reminded of its existence last week when the Herald-Sun ran a brief story about Cardinal Boyle visiting St. Pat’s cathedral for the investiture of some catholic laymen into the equestrian order of the knights of the holy sepulcher. (I’ve lost the paper, so this may not be an exact rendition of the title.)

That’s reminded me of yet another catholic order of Knights of Malta, whose membership and activities are unknown to me and, if to me, probably to you, dear reader.

There is another group of “hospitallers” of St. Lazarus, who are personally known to me and whose activities, both here and abroad, are directed to the relief of poverty without discrimination.

Like the immense array of catholic lay and religious orders of men and women which has served the human family, including the church, over two millennia, these specialist orders of “knights”, equestrian, military and hospitaller had their origins as ready response units to a localised, urgent need.

Dawkins and Hitchens may scoff at these orders as examples of catholic/religious toxicity. Like the rest of us, these two critics of all things beyond reason, indulge in what’s known in the “trade”, as historical retrofitting – “We weren’t there but this is what we would have done better”.

All I am saying is that it would be better for the human family, including the Church, one, holy, catholic and apostolic, if the two levels of catholicism, equestrian and pedestrian, would form a catholic “commonwealth” of resources, material goods and people power, for the glory of God both in the highest and the lowest. R.J.M.

Christmas Pudding Days are here again! All ingredients provided, just bring a bowl and wooden spoon (and some Christmas Cheer). Pudding is approximately 12 serves.
Dates: Saturday October 24 & Saturday November 7 Time: 2 – 4pm Cost: $40 (payment required 1 week prior)
RSVP: Be early! 9690 1203

St Joseph’s Church, Cnr Stokes & Rouse Sts., Port Melbourne, Wednesday 21st October at 7.30pm Plenty of parking is available at the rear of the church, enter from front driveway at corner of the street. Supper & refreshments will be available after our Mass celebration. Please come along and join us for our 3rd Central Deanery Mass. More information DRC Bernadette Andrews 9529 3514 or 0417 543 155

Paul in Art: The New Bay Hotel, cnr Bay & New Sts., Brighton, Wednesday 28th October, talk from 7.30pm. Dr Claire Renken teaches at Yarra Theological Union. Her presentation will involve the use of multi-media techniques. All welcome to gather for a meal from 5.30pm. For more details, contact Kevin 9776 2705 or Francesca 9593 8653

Sacred Heart Church, 83 Grey St., West St Kilda, Wednesday October 14, 8-9pm (2nd Wed every month) Come along and experience TAIZE Ecumenical Prayer. Contact Kerrie Haines 0417 310 836 for more information.

Our Lady of Mt Carmel Parish, Middle Park Saturday 31st October, 6pm. To remember all those who have died. Will be celebrated in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Those attending are invited to light & place a candle of remembrance in the sanctuary as part of the Liturgy. You are also invited to send in the names of those whom you wish to be remembered at this Mass, to Nancy Mercurio at the Carmelite Provincial Office, 75 Wright St., Middle Park. All are welcome to attend. For more information please ring 9690 8822.

Red dust storm Sydney dropped tonnes of nutrients into Pacific Ocean, just as it has been designed to do over millennia.

Tsunami across Pacific Ocean destroys human life and property and underwater animals and vegetables, as it, too, has done for millennia.

Seems something pretty big is going on, has been going on and will continue to go on, forever and ever.

A Samoan man, returning home from Australia to check upon his family (extended, of course) made a prophetic statement at the airport: “Some of my family will be dead, others injured. Many will have lost homes. They’ll just move on and get on with their lives.”

No drama there. No pages and pages of newsprint. “They’ll just move on and get on with their lives.”

This is a descendant of an earlier civilisation speaking. We westerners need much more time and space to indulge our anguish when nature strikes.

We in Australian cities aren’t in the middle of disasters very often, except Darwin. We’ve had only a few lifetimes of urban living. We’re a younger, sophisticated civilisation. We’re more afraid of bombs and epidemics, power blackouts and traffic chaos. Rain and wind discomfort us.

A bloke wrote last week that we Australians need less, more businesslike, charities to respond to urban poverty of body and mind; the root of lawlessness. Thousands of young men and women “living” in Australian cities, have no connection with a healthy family or neighbourhood tribe. They’re disconnected and, therefore, flawed members of society.

The rest of us don’t know what to expect from them, especially at night and affected by mind altering substances.

I think we need more, smaller, ready response charities to keep an eye on this, relatively recent, urban epidemic of alienation.

They may be inefficient to the trained eye of my learned friend, an expert in the $ market predictions. But, I bet they’ll be efficient investors in neighbourhood social capital.

Michael Carr Gregg, psychologist and social commentator (one of many secular prophets in this country) just today suggests reviving interest in the scouting movement as one way of learning “anger management”. Of course, he’s right. Goodness is caught not taught, same as religion.

Nature has its own rhythms. So has “supernature”. That’s the other www inhabited by the angels of our better nature. There’s more to us than meets the eye.

I was moved this week at the Carlton HQ of Melbourne Storm. The players were being farewelled to play Parramatta in the NRL grand final. Hundreds of men, women and children were there. Nothing flash expected. Just respect from players and connectedness with them. “Wherever 2 or 3 gather for a good purpose, I’m there”, says the Lord.

Red dust storm Sydney dropped tonnes of nutrients into Pacific Ocean, just as it has been designed to do over millennia.

Tsunami across Pacific Ocean destroys human life and property and underwater animals and vegetables, as it, too, has done for millennia.

Seems something pretty big is going on, has been going on and will continue to go on, forever and ever.

A Samoan man, returning home from Australia to check upon his family (extended, of course) made a prophetic statement at the airport: “Some of my family will be dead, others injured. Many will have lost homes. They’ll just move on and get on with their lives.”

No drama there. No pages and pages of newsprint. “They’ll just move on and get on with their lives.”

This is a descendant of an earlier civilisation speaking. We westerners need much more time and space to indulge our anguish when nature strikes.

We in Australian cities aren’t in the middle of disasters very often, except Darwin. We’ve had only a few lifetimes of urban living. We’re a younger, sophisticated civilisation. We’re more afraid of bombs and epidemics, power blackouts and traffic chaos. Rain and wind discomfort us.

A bloke wrote last week that we Australians need less, more businesslike, charities to respond to urban poverty of body and mind; the root of lawlessness. Thousands of young men and women “living” in Australian cities, have no connection with a healthy family or neighbourhood tribe. They’re disconnected and, therefore, flawed members of society.

The rest of us don’t know what to expect from them, especially at night and affected by mind altering substances.

I think we need more, smaller, ready response charities to keep an eye on this, relatively recent, urban epidemic of alienation.

They may be inefficient to the trained eye of my learned friend, an expert in the $ market predictions. But, I bet they’ll be efficient investors in neighbourhood social capital.

Michael Carr Gregg, psychologist and social commentator (one of many secular prophets in this country) just today suggests reviving interest in the scouting movement as one way of learning “anger management”. Of course, he’s right. Goodness is caught not taught, same as religion.

Nature has its own rhythms. So has “supernature”. That’s the other www inhabited by the angels of our better nature. There’s more to us than meets the eye.

I was moved this week at the Carlton HQ of Melbourne Storm. The players were being farewelled to play Parramatta in the NRL grand final. Hundreds of men, women and children were there. Nothing flash expected. Just respect from players and connectedness with them. “Wherever 2 or 3 gather for a good purpose, I’m there”, says the Lord.

Father Bob Maguire - Statement from Archbishop Denis Hart
9.00 am Friday, 25 September 2009
As Archbishop of Melbourne, I have pleasure in announcing that I have agreed with Father Bob Maguire that he continue as Parish Priest of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in South Melbourne until 1 February 2012 when his resignation which I have accepted will take effect.

The Parish of Saints Peter and Paul will continue to be responsible for its financial obligations in the same way as other parishes in the Melbourne Archdiocese. Father Bob and I have also agreed he will hand over all financial management of the Parish to the Archdiocese so that he can continue as he has already said on national television “to spend more time looking after the
poor and needy of the Parish”.

Under the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law all parish priests are invited to offer their resignations in writing, upon turning 75. In January this year, I wrote to all priests due to turn 75 in 2009, alerting them to the position of the Church.

After receiving an offer of resignation, it is then the Archbishop’s decision as to whether a priest’s resignation will be accepted, or his term extended. Because Father Bob was due to turn 75 on 14 September, I met with him prior to that date and again explained the position of the Church.

Subsequent to this I received Father Bob’s written response last Thursday, 17 September in which he said he did not wish to resign. Since then we have met to discuss the matter and I have extended his term as parish priest until 1 February 2012 when his resignation will take effect.

I am pleased that we have found a way forward, to our mutual satisfaction, that will allow

Father Bob to continue his work in the Parish and for the disadvantaged in our community.

I believe this decision will be welcomed by Father Bob’s parishioners, and his supporters throughout Victoria.

Most Rev. Denis Hart DD
Archbishop of Melbourne

I pinched this from “The Far East” magazine because it is akin to how we are feeling and have been feeling over the past few weeks:

“THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN

If I was thinking of running away this would be a good week to do it as the circus has set up in our local park at Avalon and “running away to join the circus” is one of the associations that its arrival evokes. The traditional circus also evokes very different reactions in people. Some people love them but others have a great aversion to them; for some this is because they have a dislike of clowns; others take issue with the way the circus animals are trained and treated. Since the circus arrived I have been seeing some parallels between the circus and mission. When I was growing up there were a couple of options available if one wanted to get away from home and see the world.

If joining the circus was one, becoming a missionary was another.

In the 50s and 60s the missionary was presented as an intrepid, heroic individual, often on horse-back, taking the gospel to the remotest areas of the world.

It was an exotic and exciting vision to set before young men and women of faith, a splendid cause which caught the imagination of many at that time. The travel element does not to tell the whole story of vocation but I have come to believe that God uses all sorts of means to draw people into the divine plan for them.

Things have changed greatly since the 60s. I did not meet my first Filipino person until I went to the Philippines in 1975. Today it is rare enough to be part of a Catholic community anywhere in the world that does not have an active and energetic Filipino contingent as well as a good mix of other nations and cultures.

That is certainly true of many parishes around New Zealand. These days it is common to meet young people who have been to many of the remotest areas of the world. The missionary life does not appear as exciting and exotic as it once was. Like the old style circus it has lost something of its appeal.

We have seen the emergence of a new form of circus in the Cirque du Soleil. I have yet to experience this version but the impression I get is that it builds on the acrobatic element of the older style circuses and largely drops the animals and clowns. This again is a pointer to how sensibilities and perceptions have changed. Fewer people now want to see wild animals tamed and doing tricks. This form appeals also to people who are put off by clowns.

Changed perceptions and sensibilities have also been instrumental in bringing about significant shifts in the understanding and practice of mission. Sadly there were examples in the past where there was a lamentable lack of respect for the cultures and religious traditions of mission-receiving countries. They were wild elements needing to be tamed (Christianised) of forms of foolishness that could be discredited or ignored. Since Vatican II there is a renewed respect for other cultures and religious traditions and so mission as a dialogue with these is one of the new forms that mission has taken in our time.

The Cirque du Soleil continues the tradition of the circus but with a changed format that takes account of new sensibilities. It has managed to generate a new and powerful appeal. The old style circus is still doing the rounds of the towns and cities but for how long? As missionaries we are still in that period between the passing of some old forms and the emergence of new ones. Like the circus we are looking for forms that will take the missionary tradition forward and present it in a way that will appeal to a new generation with different sensibilities and experiences.”

Fr. Patrick O’Shea lives at St. Columban’s. Lower Hutt, New Zealand