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March 2016

PALM SUNDAY

Walk for Justice for

Refugees

Bring a Palm Frond

to

St George’s Cathedral

38 St Georges Terrace, Perth.

1.00pm, Sunday 20 March

2016

PLEASE COME JOIN

US

Prayer of St Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen

Aboriginal Catholic Ministry

5 Baker Avenue, Perth WA 6000, Australia

Mail: PO Box 8111, Perth WA 6849

Tel: (08) 9328 7529 Fax: (08) 9227 0732

FATHER EMIL

CIECIEREGA THANK

YOU FROM THE

ABORIGINAL

COMMUNITY OF PERTH

FOR YOUR SERVICE AND

LOVE OVER 7 YEARS!

SUNDAY MASS AT EMBLETON

HAS STARTED BACK AT 11AM,

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC

CHURCH WITH BEAUTIFUL

MUSIC LED BY SR MARGARET

SCHARF.

Vicky’s reflection

Kaya ACM Community

My name is Vicky Burrows and I am the new Coordinator of Aboriginal Catho-

lic Ministry now that Fr Emil has been appointed Parish Priest at Balcatta

Parish. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Fr Emil for his service to

the community over 7 years and I am looking forward to working with the

community to support this new era of ACM in the Perth Archdiocese, one

where the voices, faith and experiences of Aboriginal people is embraced in

the Catholic community. I will be working in cooperation with the rest of the

ACM team, Donna, Reg and Sr Frances as well as our new part time Chap-

lain Fr Joseph.

As a Wadjella I come to this role with a passion for our shared Catholic faith,

a deep commitment to reconciliation and a desire for Aboriginal leadership in

our church and wider community. I hope that I will get to meet many of you over the next few months, however I thought some

of you might want to now know a little bit about me. I am Perth born and raised and have lived here most of my life apart from a

few years as National Coordinator of the Young Christian Students Movement where I lived in Townsville (QLD), Shepparton

(Victoria) and regional South Australia. I am the eldest of two children to Debbie and Glenn who are/were both nurses and the

sister to Harry. I haven’t always been Catholic but was inspired by the faith witnesses of teachers and students at Chisholm

Catholic College who seemed to really live the Gospel of love, justice and compassion in their work in the community. I am a

singer and loved joining in the choir at Mass and decided to join the church when I was 14.

This began my journey of faith and community development. When I finished school I worked for the Australian Young Christian

Students for 6 years, first as a Perth Coordinator and then National Coordinator. Here I worked with high school students on

putting their faith into action in their communities (I hope that I might be able to use some of these experiences for the ACM).

When I returned to Perth I began to complete my Uni degrees (Youth Work, Politics and Theology) and began working as a

Youth Worker for Save the Children Australia’s Aboriginal youth programs in Armadale/Thornlie. I had a ball while working here

and then also worked as an Outreach Worker for the Fremantle Street Doctor at the Ottey Centre South Lake and St Patricks

Freo. From there I did some work with the church in the Social Justice Office and then worked with the team to bring the Austral-

ian Indigenous Mentoring Experience to Western Australia specifically in the southern suburbs from the Kulbardi Aboriginal

Centre at Murdoch Unit and the University of Notre Dame Fremantle. These were some great years working with some deadly

Aboriginal leaders, students and staff. However most recently and previous to joining the ACM team I was working as a Catholic

Prison Chaplain at Bandyup Women’s Prison and Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centre and as a manager for Reconciliation

Western Australia focusing on reconciliation journeys in faith communities as well as campaigns around over representation of

aboriginal people in the criminal justice system.

When I am not working I am researching my Masters into the intersection of faith and politics, or I am enjoying my local beach,

South Beach in Fremantle. You might even catch me on stage doing a bit of improvisation acting at the Brisbane Hotel as part

of the Big Hoo-ha.

Over the last few weeks I have been taking the time to get my head

around the history of ACM, meet as many people as possible and

start to learn where the ministries opportunities lay. As Coordinator of

ACM I hope I can work with you towards bringing Pope John Paul II

words further into the life of Perth Catholic Community. ”The church in

Australia will not be fully the Church Jesus wants her to be until you

have made your contribution to her life and your contribution has been

joyfully received by others.’” This is the church of reconciliation, inclu-

sion, culture and faith.

Over the next few months we will be working with Council to consult the wider community and develop new ideas and continue

old good initiatives to help our community grow in faith. We will be sharing these thoughts with the whole community, however if

you would like to catch up with me please give me a call at the office or on my mobile 0412529656.

In the spirit of Christ

Vicky

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Perth Archdiocese Aboriginal Catholic Council

The newly formed Aboriginal Catholic Council will hold its first meeting

on Wednesday the 2nd of March and start to look at the Ministry’s plans

for the year. The role of the Council is to guide and assist the ACM and

the Archdiocese in the Aboriginal apostolate and in this changing year,

their work will be very important. Current members are: Karen Ryder,

Billy Ah Chee, Donnella Brown, Shirley Quaresimin , Cheryl Lennox-

Bradley, Charon Ryder., Rose Walley and Christine Taylor. Stay tuned

for more information.

NATISCC Update

NATSICC Councillors are currently

meeting update the next edition.

Thanks Shirley for being a deadly

representative from WA. Did you

know that in 2018 we will

be hosting the NATSICC

Assembly, bringing up to

300 Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander

Growing in Grace Conference- 13th-17th of April

Experience a conference with a difference. GIG is based upon the charism

and spirituality of Pope St. John Paul II whose contemplative, joyful, personal

and heuristic approach to the faith brought countless people to Christ. The

conference is designed to create an opportunity for participants to encounter

the Lord, to receive formation and to experience a great sense of community.

More info at http://mg.org.au/growing-in-grace-conference/

PICNIC MASSES

11:00am Mass will be held on

3rd April 2016 @

Tomato Lake (Belmont)

WE have had a few

request’s for Com-

munity Members

who would like to

become a Eucharis-

tic Ministers, Please

feel free to contact

Vicky on 93287529.

Palm Sunday

Come walk with Aboriginal Catholic

Ministry at the Walk for Refugees

March on the 20th of March. We will

car pool from Embleton or you can

meet us there. Contact Vicky

0412529656 for more info.

Safeguarding Office

The Archdiocese of Perth is the first of Australia's Catholic dioceses to begin to establish Safeguarding Officers across its network of parishes. The Safeguarding Office is responsible for ensuring the safety of children, young people and the vulnerable within the confines of the Catholic Church across the Archdiocese of Perth, educating the Catholic communi-ty on child protection and protective behaviors, and establishing Safe-guarding Officers within Perth's metropolitan and rural parishes.

Safeguarding Project Coordinator:

Andrea Musulin

29 Victoria Square, Perth WA 6000 Telephone: +61 (0)8 9221 7762 Fax: +61 (0)8 9325 7459 Email: safeguarding@perthcatholic.org.au

Fr Joseph Rathnarag

Hello my name is Fr Joseph and I have been a Priest for 45

yrs. During this time I have been in Australia for 15 years

and have worked at Kalgoorlie for 5 yrs.; Newman 5yrs;

Moora 2 yrs., I have been the parish priest for Embleton

Parish for the past 2 years. During this time I have also

been part-time priest for the Aboriginal Community at the

Embleton Parish.

I have a simple outgoing nature. I am open to forming new

friendships and love for anyone who needs support or spir-

itual guidance. I am ready to serve the Aboriginal communi-

ty.

As the Spiritual Guide Support to the ACM I offer Weekly

Masses at 11:00am on a Sunday, Picnic Masses and also

ACM Office Weekday Mass.

I am available for Home Visits and other Spiritual services

on a Thursday. I would like to request the collaborations of

the Aboriginal Catholic Community in the hope of having a

beautiful Catholic Community within Perth

Fth Joseph Rathnarag—Aboriginal Spiritual Guide..

Veritas Youth Festival Perth 22-24th

April "Blessed are the merciful, for they

will receive mercy" Mt 5:7

Centre for Faith Enrichment

Would you like to learn more about your faith? The check out the

courses at the new Centre for Faith Enrichment by visiting

www.cfe.org.au

This is a jam packed weekend for young people 15-

30 full of faith, fun, social justice and workshops and

music. The conference brings together hundreds of

young people from Perth and this year has a justice

focus and one of the key note speakers is our new

Coordinator Vicky Burrows. More information can

be found at www.veritasperth.com

Aboriginal Catholic Ministry is keen to get a group of

young people along to attend this weekend? If you or

your family are interested contact Vicky on 0412529656.

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SUNDAY MASS AT EMBLETON HAS STARTED

BACK AT 11AM, HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC

CHURCH WITH BEAUTIFUL MUSIC LED BY SR

MARGARET SCHARF.

What’s happening around the Archdiocese

The Record is now an online weekly newsletter,

to receive it in your inbox visit http://

www.therecord.com.au/ and sign up. There is

also a weekly update of events across the Arch-

diocese that you can receive by emailing com-

municaions.media@perthcatholic.org.au

Some other Perth Facebook Pages to keep up

to date with Church are:

Centre for Faith Enrichment

Catholic Youth Ministry Perth

The Record

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Have an email address or mobile number?

We are trying to get more tech savvy at ACM, so please send us your email address so we can stay up to date with you. Email acm@perthcatholic.org.au also if you have a new

Vonika Whalley and Sr Veronica

Coming Home Together Event 2015

http://www.therecord.com.au/news/local/perth-agencies-work-together-towards-reconciliation-and-healing/

Reconciliation

Reconciliation Australia has launched the State of Rec-

onciliation Report to mark 25 years of the movement.

https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/

uploads/2016/02/The-State-of-Reconciliation-

report_FULL_WR.pdf

ACM Staff attended Reconciliation WA’s Apology

Day Commemoration Event, with a welcome from

Rev Uncle Sealin Garlett

Sr Veronica Willaway’s Farewell from community.

2015 All Souls Day at Guildford Cemetery.

NAIDOC MASS Embleton Parish.

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