VINNIES:  A REGRESSIVE TAX FOR GREEN ENERGY ?

MELBOURNE, May 14, 2008 (theage.com.au):  Gavin Duffy reports for The Age concerning the effect of energy policies in Victoria on the less well-off  -  "The St Vincent de Paul Society welcomes strategies that are designed to combat climate change. But the State Government's announcement of an electricity "feed-in tariff" flags the introduction of a socially regressive tax or subsidy that has the potential to harm the broader retail energy market. The design of the tariff ensures it is regressive.

 
Those in a position to benefit from this subsidy are those with the financial resources to own a home and purchase and install photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. The energy these units will produce will be subsidised - through increased energy costs - by those not fortunate enough to own their home...."     READ FURTHER

MICHAEL WHELAN:  ACBC STATEMENT ON  GEOFF ROBINSON'S BOOK

SYDNEY, May 13, 2008 (aquinas-academy.com):  Fr Michael Whelan SM of the Aquinas Academy in Sydney reflects on the recent statement by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) concerning Bishop Robinson's book - "The statement raises many questions for me. One question in particular puzzles me: What are the bishops intending by this statement? I think there are probably several hands and several intentions at work in the development of the statement. The result is a bland and defensive piece that is likely to confirm those who are unwilling to read Bishop Robinson’s book and alienate those who find it worth reading.  The statement is a sad and discouraging reflection on the leadership of the Catholic Church in Australia at this time.   ."  READ FURTHER

MAX CHARLESWORTH ON DEMOCRACY IN THE CHURCH

 
AUSTRALIA,  May 14, 2008 (abc.net.au):  In  ABC Radio's  The Religion Report, Stephen Crittenden speaks with Max Charlesworth - "Well a new series of Quarterly Essays on religion in Australia has been launched this month from John Garrett Publishing. The inaugural essay in the series is by one of Australia's leading public intellectuals, Emeritus Professor Max Charlesworth AO. It's entitled 'A Democratic Church', and in typically Australian style it focuses on the need for a more egalitarian and tolerant culture in the Catholic church.  

The essay may be of interest to Sydney's newest Auxiliary Bishop, Terry Brady, who told a group of parishioners recently that the church is a dictatorship, not a democracy. Apparently the parishioners in this parish wanted some say in appointing their parish priest....".  READ TRANSCRIPT

ACOSS:  FEDERAL BUDGET DOWN PAYMENT ON SOCIAL INCLUSION

 
SYDNEY, May 14, 2008 (acoss.net.au):   The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) has called this year’s Budget a down payment on social inclusion and was pleased that low income and disadvantaged people were spared from most of the cuts.  Areas of spending that progressed the social inclusion agenda and that will assist the 2.2 million Australians living in poverty included: housing and homelessness, Indigenous health and housing, child care and early childhood education, dental care, vocational education and training, public hospital funding, and carer payments. READ FURTHER

FALZON:  ROBIN HOOD'S FIRST ARROW

CANBERRA, May 13, 2008 (vinnies.org):  “Robin Hood may have just fired off his first humble arrow”, said Dr John Falzon, CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society.  "More, however, must follow. Either we strongly invest in excluded Australians or we continue to make  them pay. And in the end we will all pay the price for their continued exclusion....".   READ MEDIA RELEASE

See also related item in CathNews (May 14), 2008

NO SCHOOL NO SHOP POLICY IN HERMANNSBURG

HERMANNSBURG NT, May 13, 2008 (abc.net.au):  A Central Australian Aboriginal community has introduced a 'no school, no shop' service policy to help stop petrol sniffing and youth crime.  The Ntaria community store and Finke River Mission store at Hermannsburg will not sell goods to school aged customers during the day when they should be at school.  The policy has not been introduced under the welfare quarantining, but the community have gone out and done that element of the quarantining themselves.    READ FURTHER

WYD  AT ASHFIELD AND MARSFIELD

SYDNEY, May 14, 2008:   World Youth Day Celebrations (WYD) are getting closer (62 days to go says the RTA sign on Epping Highway, also known as Epping Lane since the construction of the Lane Cove Tunnel and associated Bus Lanes),  and so is the pressure on parishes.  The two Parishes in Sydney under the pastoral care of the Vincentians are of course involved.  St Anthony's Parish at Marsfield have been notified that 147 pilgrims will live in the parish school during the week prior to World Youth Day, and up to 575 pilgrims will be attending the Catechesis sessions in the Parish Church on each of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in that week.  At St VIncent's Ashfield,  360 pilgrims will be billeted at Bethlehem College, 320 at De La Salle College, and 230 at St Vincent's Parish School.  Arrangements for Catechesis sessions at Ashfield have not yet been finalised. 

 
Ashfield Parish has been asked  by WYD to find 320 homes for Home Stay, and Marsfield 64.  So far, Ashfield has been able to find 5, and Marsfield 19, though a number of those volunteering through Marsfield have come from the Eastwood area.    Actual formal registrations for attendance at WYD through both parishes are low at this stage.    Breakfast and Lunch for all pilgrims on site at the Schools and Parishes are being supplied by WYD, but the Schools and Parishes are asked to organise the serving of meals.   Portaloos and Portashowers are being arranged by WYD.  It will be a fun week !

VINNIES:  WYD,  OZANAM BAKEHOUSE,  AND THE MEN'S SHED

SYDNEY, May 12, 2008 (catholicweekly.com.au):  The eyes of the world are on Sydney for World Youth Day in July and two of the St Vincent de Paul Society’s facilities are helping in a very special way.   Ozanam Industries, a workshop for people with disabilities, has been given the great honour and responsibility of producing approximately one million Communion Hosts for the World Youth Day Papal Mass and celebrations in July. 

  
The St Vincent de Paul Society’s Mary MacKillop Outreach Men’s Shed is also playing an important role in World Youth Day preparations.   The Men’s Shed is a social group for men who have retired and semi-retired and still wish to remain active, in a workshop situation, with people with intellectual disabilities.  A recent special task that the Men’s shed just completed was the production of 500,000 miniature crosses for World Youth Day, for distribution throughout the journey of the Cross and Icon and during the World Youth Day itself.   READ FURTHER

ACOSS:  SOCIAL INCLUSION AND THE FEDERAL BUDGET

SYDNEY, May 12, 2008 (acoss.org.au):  The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) has issued the following statement - "In the lead up to the Federal Budget, ACOSS is calling for people on low incomes to be protected from spending cuts.   Any savings in the Budget should come from curbing high income earners access to Government payments and closing tax loopholes rather than cutting spending on supports and services for people living on low and middle incomes....".  READ FURTHER

VISIT OF ASSISTANT GENERAL TO AUSTRALIAN CM PROVINCE

MARSFIELD NSW, May 12, 2008:  Currently visiting the Australian Province of the Congregation of the Mission is Fr Gerard Du CM.  Fr Gerard is an Assistant to the Superior General of the CMs and a member of the CM General Council  in Rome.  He has been at Marsfield since last Thursday, speaking with the confreres, and learning about our Province.  He will visit the other houses of the Province during his stay.

JOHN O'KEEFE CM:  LAY LED LITURGIES UPDATED

MARSFIELD NSW, May 13, 2008:   The Lay Led Liturgies, Reflections, and Intercessions provided by Fr John O'Keefe CM for the Sundays of the Year have now been updated till the end of June.  All are available on this site through the link:

Lay Led Liturgies

ACBC STATEMENT ON BISHOP ROBINSON'S BOOK

SYDNEY, May 8, 2008 (acbc.catholic.org.au):  The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) has issued a statement regarding Bishop Geoffrey Robinson's book entitled “Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church: Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus.”  which was published in 2007  -"We are grateful for the contribution Bishop Robinson has made to the life of the Church. We are deeply indebted to him for his years of effort to bring help and healing to those who have suffered sexual abuse and for what he has done to establish protocols of professional standards for Church personnel in this area. In responding to the issues raised in the book, we do not question his good faith.

   
However, people have a right to know clearly what the Catholic Church believes and teaches, and the Bishops have a corresponding duty to set this forth, as we seek to do in this statement...".    READ FURTHER

VINNIES:   NO SHELTER FROM INCREASING HOMELESS FIGURES

MELBOURNE, May 11, 2008 (vinnies.org.au):  New figures from the St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria show homelessness in the state continues to rise in 2008, with an alarming spike in demand for short-term housing.  The Society’s General Manager for Community Services, Netty Horton, says demand for homeless services has reached a new high.  READ FURTHER

NEW PARISH CENTRE IN SOLOMONS

RED BEACH, SOLOMON ISLANDS, May 3, 2008:  Fr Peter Reedy CM sends news and photos of the new Parish Center of Good Shepherd Parish at Red Beach in the Solomon Islands where the Congregation of the MIssion has an International Mission.   The first Mass was celebrated in the new Church on May 4,  the feast of the Ascension. 
    
   

In the new Church at Red Beach,  the floor of the building was still being cemented when the photo above was taken by Peter Reedy on May 3, This was  just the day before the celebration of the first Mass in the Church on the Feast of the Ascension. 

VINNIES WINTER APPEAL:   THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL.....

CANBERRA, May 11, 2008 (vinnies.org.au):  The St Vincent de Paul Society has launched it's Winter Appeal in Australia with the title "This Time It's PersonaL...."   A summary of the difficulties  in which many people in our country now find themselves can be seen by visiting  the link The Facts which gives details of needs involved in the areas of Cost of Living, Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health, Migrants and Refugees,   Any assistance that can be given through VInnies will be greatly appreciated.  Donations can be made online by going to the link Vinnies National -  then click on the changing graphic on the page and follow the prompts.

JOHN ALLEN JR:  LESSONS FROM THE PAPAL TRIP

NEW YORK, May 9, 2008 (ncrcafe.org): John Allen Jr reports for National Catholic Report this week on the recent papal visit to the US - With regard to the press, the problem is not bias against Catholicism or religion, although one can find isolated cases. The real problem is that religion is not taken seriously as a news beat, which means that it does not draw the same systematic, daily coverage as politics, finance, sports and even entertainment. The secular press covers big religious events, in addition to controversy or scandal, but often ignores the daily warp and woof of religious life.  READ FURTHER

VINNIES:   HUB PROPOSAL FOR DISADVANTAGED  GETS PM SUPPORT

SYDNEY, May 11, 2008 (catholicweekly.com.au):  The St Vincent de Paul Society has called on the Federal Government to establish community hubs in areas of concentrated disadvantage around Australia.    Dr John Falzon, chief executive officer of the Society’s national council, proposed to the 2020 Summit the idea of community hubs, which was cited  positively by the Prime Minister in his summing up at the end of the Summit.  Dr Falzon said the idea of community hubs in disadvantaged areas is “very practical” and has been implemented around the world in various forms.  “The model I am suggesting has three main features....” he said.    READ FURTHER