newsletter Summer 2013 .pdf - Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide

27 Pages·2013·3.42 MB·English

Catholic Resource & Information Service
112 Kintore Street Thebarton SA 5031
PO Box 179 Torrensville Plaza SA 5031
Ph: 8301 6869
Email: [email protected]
www.adelaide.catholic.org.au/our-faith/catholic-resource-and-information-service

Summer 2013-2014

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths;
all people shall see the salvation of God.
Lk 3:4,6

The Jesse Tree

www.se7en.org.za/

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;
he sent me to bring Good News to the poor
(Lk 4:18)

“Nativity”121412
A stroke of genius studio
www.paintwinestudio.com/gallery

CONTENTS: C.R.I.S. 2013 CLOSURE DATES:
 New Catholic Truth Society Resources
 Friday December 13th full day
 Book Reviews
 Friday December 20th full day
 Focus:

Resources for Advent and Christmas

HOLIDAY CLOSURE:
 New Resources

20th December 2013– 20th January 2014
OPENING HOURS:

Monday - Friday 9:00 – 5:00 Reopening 21st January.

Closed weekends and public holidays.
Selected Titles from the new CTS booklets range:

Pope Francis Large print Stations of the Ways of New rosary Little way of St
biography prayer book Cross forgiveness book Therese of
(St Alphonsus) Lisieux
New hospital Finding life’s Little book of What Catholics New Thinking of
prayer book* purpose consolations believe companion to becoming a
Lent Catholic?
A way of life The essential Learning to Praying with Pope Benedict Christian love
for young Creed pray Jesus XVI on Faith
Catholics
Catholic Credo How to Being a parent Faith in the Effective
Christianity discover your today family parenting
vocation
Gospel True love – New Practising the Prayer in Vatican II
according to passion and companion to Presence of sadness and documents
Matthew purity prayer God* sorrow
*see booklet reviews
A New Hospital Prayer Book
Ed. Fr Peter-Michael Scott and Fr Paul Mason.
Catholic Truth Society, 2010.
242.2 NEW

This is a Catholic Truth Society (CTS) booklet of tradition devotions and prayers first
published in 1986 and revised in 2010. It has an attractive, coloured cover, high quality
paper, with well-loved prayers suitable for people in hospital, or going into hospital and
for people visiting the sick. It includes the Stations of the Cross, scripture readings, brief accounts of the
lives of saints who cared for the sick e.g. St Camillus de Lellis, how to prepare for the Sacraments of the
Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Communion of the Sick and Night Prayer. This booklet is a handy size
and will fit easily into a handbag or shirt pocket. Inside the back cover is a list of similar CTS booklets
which may be of interest. This booklet would be useful for family members and those who take
Communion to the sick after Parish Masses.

CTS are Publishers to the Holy See, website:www.cts-online.org.uk The CRIS library has on display a
range of such CTS pamphlets located just inside the front door on the left. This is in a prominent position
but could easily be missed as when you enter the library you naturally look towards the serving desk. A
second display is at the top of the stairs. CTS pamphlets are published in London as well as some e.g.
‘Effective Parenting’ by James B. Stenson, published with permission from CTS (N.Y.) and elsewhere.
Each booklet lists when it was first published and when it was revised, updated and republished. Inside
the back cover of this pamphlet is a list of similar CTS devotions and prayer books.

Br Michael Flaherty cfc

Practising the Presence of God with Brother Lawrence
Jennifer Moorcroft.
Catholic Truth Society, 2011.
248 MOO

In today’s Christian world where much importance is placed on Prayer and Prayer
leading to a Contemplative life style, we are presented with a Carmelite Brother Lawrence who found
great freedom and joy in a growth that led him to a deeper life style that enabled him to grow and lead
others to a depth of life through his simple attention to the Presence of God. Usually referred to as
INTENTION, this is the heart of the Contemplative search and the milieu which wraps the praying
contemplative person – aware of God’s presence and action within.

The pamphlet gives a sketch of Lawrence’s life as a simple lay brother in a Contemplative Community
where he finds fulfilment in cooking etc as his gift to the Community.

Prayer through presence dominates his day. It is placed in the time when quietism was considered a
danger and could have affected his quest but his gentle and sincere abandonment to the will of God kept
him on track.

A good read and some interesting extracts challenge us in our similar search.

Br Ben McCabe.
Buying the Field : Catholic Religious Life in Mission
to the World
Sandra Schneiders I.F.M.

Paulist Press, New York, 2013
255.9 SCH

Buying the Field’ by Sandra Schneiders I.F.M. is sub-titled ‘Catholic Religious Life
in Mission to the World’. It could just as well be ‘Catholics in Mission to the World’; for this
extraordinary book (three volumes in one) deals with the Religious Life’s mission to the world, especially
to the lay people called by the Council ‘ The People of God’, and to those not directly attached to the
Church.

When a religious received the Habit in preconciliar days, the renouncing of the ‘world’ was very much
part of the formula of the Habit Day (for the Christian Brothers our formula very much amused my father.
It called us to renounce the ‘old man’ with his bad habits and evil inclinations). Today the modern
religious, following the embracing of the ‘world’ by the Council, is called upon to follow the God who so
loved the world that He sent his only Son into the world. Therefore, Schneiders’ first approach is to
examine the many meanings of the term ‘world’ and how this meaning becomes so different after the
Council than before.

The Second Vatican Council, through Perfectae Caritas (Decree on the Up-to-Date renewal of Religious
Life) changed the old life-form. The modification of habits and the rejection of much of the unnecessary
baggage followed (though many, even today, want to call a halt there) but something not anticipated
happened: religious read this Decree through the lens of Gaudium et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on the
Church in the Modern World) and Lumen Gentium (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church). To quote
Schneiders:

“Religious moved rather quickly through a brief period of updating but soon realised they were being
called to a much deeper transformation in response to their sense of participating through Profession in
the call for the Church to be in, with, and for the world. This response has involved the dismantling the
“total institution” of monasticism-at-home and their development of their ministries of world
transformation in more individualised and de-institutionalised ways. Their commitment is much less to
collective apostolic works and much more to the transformation of Church and society toward the Reign
of God.”

Schneiders will call this new life-form Ministerial Religious Life and state that it is not a displacement or
replacement of apostolic Religious Life, but is a new and different form of the life. The religious who
followed this new life-form came to see that it wasn’t lack of personnel, nor changing society that had
forced the changes but what had now surfaced was a new life-form altogether, inspired by the Spirit - an
entirely new approach to Religious Life! She traces the development and changes from the early models
of Religious Life through to newer models and their influence on the life. First she deals with the Familial
Model of St .Benedict or communitarian model; then the Military Model (e.g. Knights Templar) to defend
the Holy Land; then the Monarchical Model, that deals with the canonical and juridical aspects of the life
in the Church.

“For many reasons the monarchical model is losing its hold on the imagination of ministerial Religious as
well as of an increasing proportion of lay people in the Church. Its decline is being vigorously resisted by
the hierarchical institution, and by some laity whose faith is heavily invested in a monarchical papacy as
virtually identical with “the Church.” The point of entry of the hierarchy’s challenge to Religious on this
point is “obedience,” specifically obedience in virtue of the vow to authority outside the Institute.”
(Schneiders)
Schneiders writing on Obedience will tackle this question further, particularly in the light of the Visitation
imposed by the hierarchy on North American Women Religious. However, this is not the purpose of the
book, written over a period of ten years. (It must be said that she acknowledges her gratitude to some
bishops who supported her so much throughout the years). The change of emphasis and apostolate to the
world has meant a need to examine the three vows at a deeper level to see how they are to be lived in this
modern world.

To us who have lived through the changes this deepening has been a vital necessity. When, for example,
State Aid arrived for our schools, the need for piano teaching after school etc. disappeared. For the first
time finance allowed Religious to attend shows or visit restaurants. Abuses did occur. Eventually came
the credit cards, the paid salary, and the car for ministry. Most Religious have worked through all these
changes with their Congregation and as individuals. The question they were and are now called to answer
is, where does the vow of poverty come in? Schneiders tackles all these questions at great depth, writing
on these matters in a brilliant way. Religious have a new Catechism of the Vows that can be offered to
any aspirant, as well as being used in the on-going formation.

There is so much more that can be written about this real classic but I think that Sandra’s main message
would be: this is an evolving life-form that is truly inspired by the Spirit of God and, in spite of the
suffering the Religious must endure - especially at the hands of a hierarchy that refuses to dialogue - it is
a gift to the Church and the world and will continue, even if it has to become non-canonical.

Reg Whitely cfc

CRIS also holds copies of Sandra Schneiders two previous volumes in this ‘Religious Life in a New
Millenium’ series:

Finding the Treasure : locating Catholic religious life in a new
ecclesial and cultural context (2000)

Selling all : Commitment, Consecrated Celibacy, and
Community in Catholic Religious life (2001)

Some of Schneiders other books available at CRIS include:
The Revelatory text : interpreting the New Testament as sacred scripture
Beyond patching : faith and feminism in the Catholic Church. rev. ed.
Prophets in their own country : women religious bearing witness to the Gospel in a troubled church
Peace Behind Bars – A Peacemaking Priest’s
Journal from Jail.

John Dear S.J.

Shed & Ward Franklin, Wisconsin, 1999
271.5302 DEA

John Dear is a Jesuit priest, peace activist and author of a dozen books on peace
and nonviolence. He lives in New York City and is well known in Australia and
his writings are good examples of liberation theology in practise. The journal
was written during his eight month’s imprisonment in North Carolina jails for
his participation with three others in a ‘Plowshares’ anti-nuclear disarmament action. They broke into the
USA Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina, eluded guards and security cars,
and used hammers on one single F15E fighter bomber standing unguarded among 30 such planes, at 2
a.m. Tuesday 7th December 1993. The group was 70-year old peace activist Philip Berrigan (brother of
Daniel Berrigan SJ), 30-year-old homeless advocate Lynn Fredriksson, 24-year-old Catholic Worker
Bruce Friedrick (friend of Dorothy Day) and John Dear SJ. Eventually they were spotted and arrested.

At first the men were housed in separate prison cells but a petition to authorities and the help of a chief
prison officer they were housed together in a six persons’ cell and had to adjust to a constant stream of
other prisoners coming and going. Lynn was isolated in a women’s jail but, by almost daily letters, they
kept contact and supported each other. This journal tells how they coped and survived in prison. They met
each day to discuss the scriptures, pray together, share Eucharist, and keep a routine of daily walks as
exercise and openly shared their deepest thoughts and feelings. Through the Bible, the Eucharist and
contemplative prayer they built community and found Christ present among the imprisoned poor. They
cherished visits from family members, other Jesuits, supporters and friends. The few negative comments
and letters they received hurt them deeply. They discovered personal nonviolence was crucial if you want
to survive jail. They received and wrote back many letters most days. “I was a prisoner and you visited
me.”

Jail is awful. The fear, isolation, violence, powerlessness, constant noise, frequent unannounced strip
searches, monotony and boredom, irritations, inability to sleep, greasy, unhealthy food, the yelling, over
representation of non-whites, the fear of being hurt by a prisoner or guard, hours spent just waiting
around, endless noisy TV, the use of hand cuffs and shackles on legs, orange jumpsuits and sandals, had
to be coped with.

Many prisoners suffer from mental illness, have few coping skills, are illiterate, have been abused in
childhood, use drugs, cannot cope outside jail, and are therefore repeat offenders. Approximately two
million are currently in USA jails and more jails are being built. Many have experienced jail but few have
written about being inside bars. This journal is rather unique as it is written by a highly qualified
‘voluntary’ prisoner experiencing prison firsthand.

On June 7th 1994 the jailers awoke the four at 4.30am to come before Judge Boyle for sentencing. The
early awakening meant their supporters were unable to greet them at the courthouse. John Dear was the
last to come before the Judge and when asked if he wished to say anything before sentencing he offered a
long reflection (p.222) which is an excellent summary of his thinking and acting as a peace activist. The
judge was livid and exploded with anger. John was sentenced to two more weeks in jail on top of eight
months already spent, four and half months under house arrest and three years of supervised probation

Our press gives us a daily dose of violence, murders, terrorists’ attacks, civil wars, refugee camps,
displaced peoples, asylum seekers, and domestic violence. This journal reminds us there are alternatives,
there are people advocating non-violence, that enormous sums of money can be better spent than on arms,
that disarmament is still a priority and that violence breeds violence and the poor are the ones who suffer
most in wars.

An Adelaide Catholic Prison Ministry Committee (CPMC) has operated for many years to support
Catholic Chaplains visiting local prisoners. Their presence is significant even though they are few in
number. The prison conditions John Dear writes about have not changed. In Adelaide recidivism is 60%,
rehabilitation is not happening, Aborigines are 2% of the population but 25% of prisoners and at any one
time more than half the prisoners are on remand waiting for their trials.

“I was in prison and you visited me.” Do read this book.

Br Michael Flaherty cfc.

Yes, And … Daily Meditations
By Richard Rohr

Franciscan Media, Cincinnati, 2013
242.2 ROH

I’m sure this book will be a favourite at the Resource Centre and I can easily
recommend it, but I’m just as sure I’d like to make it a permanent place on my
bedside table. It is written as a book of Daily Meditations.

Really it is a compilation of articles from many of his publications which Rohr prays will leave as “wiser,
holier, more compassionate and more able to love our suffering world”.

As we have grown to expect, there is a lovely wisdom in all these pages expressed in beautiful
challenging words that make us think and ponder. How do you get from “I think the Reign of God
includes both love and power in a lovely dance” to “I think that is what Jesus means when he tells us to
be, “Cunning as serpents but gentle as doves”. (Mt 10:16) adding “It is a beautiful combination of
authority and vulnerability”.

The book is not haphazardly thrown together but has its clear plan such as ‘METHODOLOGY’,
‘FOUNDATION’, ‘FRAME’, ‘ECUMENISM’, ‘TRANSFORMATION’, ‘PROCESS’, ‘GOAL’,
‘RESOURCES’.

Thanks be to God for this wonderful man who wants to faithfully spread the good news. The pages are
full of wonderful scripture references.

If you have read “A Lever and a place to stand”, you’ll wonder again at these words, “God’s one-of-a-
kind job description is that God actually uses our problems to lead us to the full solution. God is the
perfect recycler, and in the economy of Grace, nothing is wasted, not even our worst sins nor our most
stupid mistakes. God does not punish our sins but uses them to soften our hearts towards everything.”

What a wonderful Franciscan love that images God as humble and self-emptying. Jan Novotna calls it
“Shimmering Presence”.

Happy reading. Take it slow

Br Ben McCabe, cfc.
Annotated Bibliography of selected Advent and Christmas
Resources held at CRIS

Daybreaks: Daily reflections for Advent and Christmas by Ronald Rolheiser
(Liguori Press) 2005. 242.33/ROL

Daybreaks is a journey through the seasons of Advent and Christmas. Ronald
Rolheiser guides the journey with searching insights and daily reflections on the
mystery of the Incarnation. He notes that the season of Advent is a time to get in
touch with our longing, and desire in this waiting for the coming of Christ.
Rolheiser says we spend 98 per cent of our lives waiting for something else to
happen to us and rarely do we find ourselves in what Henri Nouwen called a fully
pregnant moment where we are happy where we are right now.

This small book of daily reflections starting on the first Sunday of Advent
and finishing with Epiphany presents us with a wealth of anecdotes for
reflection and meditation. Ron Rolheiser, OMI Speaker, Columnist, Author

The first Christmas: What the Gospels really teach about Jesus’s birth by Marcus J
Borg & John Dominic Crossan (HarperOne Press) 2007. 232.921/BOR

Marcus Borg and John Crossan set the nativity stories and their meanings in their
first century context historically and, secondly, focus their meanings for Christians
in the light of contemporary theology and understanding. The book is divided into
three parts. Part I entitled Parable, Overture and Context looks at the stories of
the First Christmas, parables and the context of the Christmas stories. Part II
focuses on the Genealogy, Conception and Birth and outlines genealogy as destiny,
the visit of Gabriel to Mary and David’s city of Bethlehem. Part III entitled Light,
Fulfilment and Joy explores light against darkness, Jesus as the fulfilment of prophecy and joy to the
world.

Borg and Crossan acknowledge that the stories of the first Christmas are both personal and political.
They challenge the status quo of most times and places. They note that they are not concerned with the
factuality of the birth stories but rather what did and do these stories mean? The stories of the first
Christmas contain the gospel in miniature. The authors note that they are parabolic overtures to
Matthew and Luke and run parallel to the stories of Christ’s last week- Holy Week, Good Friday and
Easter. Here just as darkness sought to extinguish the light in Herod’s plot to kill Jesus, so they do at the
end of his life with his execution. But their success is superficial for his crucifixion is followed by Easter
glory. The first Christmas adds to our understanding of Jesus, the meaning of his birth and life what it
meant for the early church and what it means for us today.

Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas
by various authors including Aquinas, Bonhoeffer, Rahner, Merton, Romero,
Underhill, Eckhart, Nouwen and others
(Plough Pub House) 2001. 242.33 WAT

This book offers reflections from the 24 November through to 7 January, the day
after Epiphany . The introduction states that “the essence of Advent is expectancy
[and] it is also readiness for action – watchful for every opening and willingness to
risk everything for freedom and a new beginning”. The contributors of this book
offer us a guide for reflection, gratitude and readiness for action.

Conversing with God in Advent and Christmas: Praying the Sunday Mass
readings with Lectio Divina by Stephen Binz
(The Word Among Us Press) 2012. 242.33 BIN

Stephen Binz writes “If you often feel like your December calendar is more of a
frenzied list of details to accomplish rather than an Advent calendar of holy
anticipation, you might consider taking up the practice of lectio divina during
these days. If the pre-Christmas rush is not balanced by the sacred waiting of
Advent, you may find yourself physically and emotionally exhausted and
spiritually empty by the time Christmas arrives. Make time to pray and listen to
God and his word. As he changes your heart, you will experience the peaceful joy
of the Incarnation.” This book provides practical ways for us to treasure within our hearts the word of
God proclaimed in Advent and Christmas, and be transformed into people of joyful expectation.

Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from St Vincent De Paul: daily Scripture and
prayers together with Saint Vincent de Paul’s own words compiled by John
Rybolt (Liguori Press) 2012. 242.33 RYB

In this book each day’s passage begins with the words of Saint Vincent de Paul.
Next is a related excerpt from Scripture which is followed by a prayer built on the
ideas from the two preceding passages. Finally, an Advent or Christmas action
suggests ways to apply the messages to daily life. Because the length of Advent
varies, this book includes material for twenty-eight days. The daily readings make
up Part I of the book. Part II begins with Christmas Day and contains materials for
twelve days of the Christmas season. Part III proposes two optional formats for
using each day as a part of a longer liturgical observance similar to Night Prayer combined with a version
of the Office of Readings. The books offers ways to enrich the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany season of
the liturgical year and set up a means by which individuals, families or groups can observe the true
meaning of the season.
The Birth of Jesus according to the Gospels by Joseph Kelly (Liturgical Press) 2008.
232.92/KEL

This book focuses on a very limited area of the Scriptures – a total of four chapters
from all of the New Testament, two each from two Gospels (Matt 1-2 and Luke 1-
2). Both of these four valuable chapters contain the only accounts of Jesus’ birth
and scholars call them the infancy narratives. Thanks to the feast of Christmas,
they are the most widely known of all New Testament passages. Kelly’s book
highlights the issues facing the early Christians as the gospels were being written,
shows the difference between Matthew’s approach to an audience of Jewish
converts and Luke’s writing for a primarily Gentile audience and offers an
invitation to meet Jesus Christ arrived to fulfil God’s plan on earth for all people.

The Christmas Story from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke Pictures from the
Metropolitan Museum of Art (Abrams Books for young readers) 2009.
755.56074/CHR

This picture book offers illustrations from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is
interesting to note that artists from the period often portrayed members of the
Holy Family and other important biblical figures in European dress of the time.
This helped make their works of art immediately accessible to contemporary
audiences.

Plates include the Madonna and Child from the workshop of Giovanni Bellini, the Annunciation to the
Shepherds by the Limbourg Brothers, The Annunciation attributed to Petrus Christus, The Arrival in
Bethlehem attributed to Master I.C. among other beautiful pieces.

Rediscover Advent
by Matthew Kelly 2011/ 242.332 KEL

Advent Storybook : 24 Stories to share before Christmas
by Antonie Schneider, 2005/263.91

Holding Jesus : Reflections on Mary the Mother of God
by Alfred McBride, 2012/ 232.91 MCB