Author Archives: cmadmin

The letter reproduced below was handed out by Denis Sudla, who officiated at today’s Mass at St. Vincent’s Redfern, on behalf of the Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney’s Catholic Archdiocese, Anthony Fisher OP.

You will see that it threatens NSW Police action if the Catholic liturgy at the church is “disrupted” by people “doing things”.

It might be noted that:

• Fr Ted Kennedy, who worked at the same church for 30 years, formed the current community and devoted his life to the poor, especially Aboriginal people, died only last week, and the community is still in grief about this;

… Continue reading →

The following transcription is a little easier to read:

3 June 2005

To the Parishioners of St Vincent de Paul Church Redfern

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

First, I write to express my sincere sympathies to you all on the recent death of Fr Ted Kennedy who served your parish for many years and was, I know, deeply loved by many of you. I know that you will want to carry forward his legacy by ensuring that there is a vibrant and holy Catholic community in Redfern for many years … Continue reading →

The Church Mouse has it on very good authority that work will begin in the next few weeks on restoring the presbytery as a residence for the Neocats. The Archdiocese is in the process of signing contracts.

There will be no provision for a community centre or space for the local community, neither black nor white. The cost will be in the $100,000s.

You may recall that it was Fr. Ted Kennedy’s plan and hope that this building be restored and given over in justice and restitution to the Aboriginal people. Ted had opened the building to the Aboriginal people … Continue reading →

Legislative Assembly
THURSDAY 26 MAY 2005
DEATH OF FATHER TED KENNEDY

Dr ANDREW REFSHAUGE (Marrickville—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs) [2.22 p.m.]: Father Ted Kennedy died last week. For more than three decades he was parish priest at St Vincent’s Catholic Church in Redfern. Ted Kennedy’s conscience was a goad to the mighty and a balm to the needy. It led him to where, before him, many would not go. It made him a landmark and a local hero. It drove him long miles to funerals in far-off … Continue reading →

A sampling of links to miscellaneous websites carrying tributes to Fr Ted Kennedy:

Death of Fr Ted Kennedy, RE Online

LisaJ’s Homepage – Blog

Micah Projects Inc

NSW Synod – Uniting Church in Australia

Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart

Mission and Justice

Fr Ted Kennedy’s strongest message was “his understanding of the primacy of the poor in Jesus’ teachings”, says his sister, Sr Marnie Kennedy.

Fr Ted, parish priest of St Vincent’s, Redfern, for more than 30 years and dear friend of the country’s indigenous people, has died after a long illness. He was 74.

Tributes and letters have poured in to honour a champion of the poor and marginalised and defender of the indigenous people; a man who read and thought deeply and lived what he preached.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, said that Fr Ted was a “good … Continue reading →

From time to time the Church Mouse receives fan mail, offering finely honed theological arguments in support of the Way.

Here are some examples, reproduced in full:

—–Original Message—–
From: francis mcdowell [mailto:australia28@optusnet.com.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 25 May 2005 10:22 PM
To: mail@church-mouse.net
Subject: slander & distress

You did your best to wreck something that came from the heart of the church. Fortunately you didn’t succeed and the way still brings hope to many people who do not share your sorry views which are based on an inadeqaute understanding of the catholic faith.

put this on your … Continue reading →

Dedicated to Ted Kennedy who was buried yesterday

Charles Curran, the first recipient of the John Courtney Murray Award of the Catholic Theological Society for distinguished achievement in Catholic theology, recently reflected on his disappointment at the election of Benedict XVI. This was not so much an expression of concern for the state of the church or its future, but it recalled the decision of Ratzinger who concluded a seven-year investigation of Curran’s theological writings in 1986 with the judgment, approved by John Paul II, that “one who dissents from the magisterium as you … Continue reading →

I visited your website today in an endeavour to get some feed back on the funeral yesterday of our friend. If ever there were a testament needed to the results of our friend’s work the content of your website and the courageous way that you are confronting the attempted further exclusion from the life of the church of Aboriginal people then this community website stands tribute. Alas your fight is reflected in many parishes around the country and the exclusion that many of us feel as catholics who believe in a gospel of inclusion, justice, charity and hope – the … Continue reading →

More than 1,000 mourners have turned out to farewell a former Sydney priest renowned for his social justice work for the Aboriginal community in Redfern since the 1970s.

Father Ted Kennedy presided over Saint Vincent’s Parish for more than 20 years, retiring in 2002 due to ill health.

His funeral combined Catholic ritual with a traditional Indigenous smoking ceremony and Catholic hymns with didgeridoo music.

Richard Green, who gave the Indigenous welcome at the funeral, said Father Kennedy was much loved for his open style of preaching.

“He got down with everybody, he spoke to everyone, he ministered to everybody … Continue reading →