Author Archives: Church Mouse

Thankyou, pilgrims

By | | Sharing the meal
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Sharing the Meal co-ordinator Kate Gavan was presented with a green bag this morning after the 9am Mass by Clesio Mendes and Joe Pelle. They told her that the World Youth Day pilgrims who attended St Vincent’s saw what was being done for the poor and wished to offer some support.

So impressed were the pilgrims with the Sharing of the Meal that they collected $1600 in loose coins and notes – the contents of the bag.

They also offered their assurance of continuing prayers for the poor, and for peace in our community.

Police at Mass

By | | Our pastors
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Sr Dom has been absent from St Vincent’s for some time, recovering from the dreadful physical and psychological abuse that she was subjected to in the church earlier this year – see Violence at St Vincent’s.

This morning she returned, attending the 10am Mass at St Vincent’s for the first time since those vicious attacks. Her presence was acknowledged, not by the parish clergy, but by a member of the local constabulary, who stopped by to ensure that Sr Dom was safe.
This was a welcome change from the norm. The parish clergy, in … Continue reading →

Neocats eclipse the Pope

By | | General
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An article entitled Los ‘kikos’ eclipsan al Papa by Miguel Mora, El Pais 19/07/08, and translated by Joe C.

Kikos make up the vast majority of the 4,200 Spanish pilgrims that, according to the Spanish Episcopal Conference, have gone to the 23rd World Youth Day, celebrated in Sydney. The leader of the NeoCatechumenal Way, painter and singer Kiko Arguello, looks to these mass excursions for fresh vocations to nourish the 52 seminaries of his community. On Monday the leader will … Continue reading →

Friends in Spain

By | | Miscellaneous
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Encomun is a Spanish collective of some 30 Christian communities from Madrid. Their blog is intended to serve as a virtual meting place for the communities. Intrepid translator, Joe C., has produced this English version of Part 2 of a recent article entitled WYD08 in Sydney and the parish of Redfern that the Mouse stumbled across during the week.

Many thanks for your support, members of Encomun.

It’s some time now, a couple of years, that I have been following the vicissitudes of a small Australian parish community, that of St Vincent’s in Redfern, a poor suburb … Continue reading →

Kiko, the Wrath of God

By | | General
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Joe C. has translated an important article entitled Kiko, la Colera de Dios, by Jesus Rodriguez, in the Madrid newspaper, El Pais, 29/06/08.

He says:
It’s a scary document. Shows what we’re up against, and just what Pell has aligned himself with – though he seems such a dill I doubt he understands much of what is going on, except in so far as religion is all about power and career, and an ignorant laity’s homage to the hierarchy and obedience to their rules. I’d like to think that Benedict isn’t a complete fool, or villain; and that … Continue reading →

Saturday night mass

By | | Morsels
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A newsflash just received from Michael G:

There was mass at St Vincent’s tonight with approximately 80 WYD pilgrims from Spain. The door was locked but three of us knocked on the door and managed to get in.

The mass was extraordinary, the sign of Peace was just like ours, the young people shared their ideas of the gospel spontaneously, and they even had a big dance around the altar for the final song.

During communion the priest went within the seats and gave the Eucharist. Everyone held onto it until the priest returned to his seat and devoured … Continue reading →

An Excluded Faithful

By | | Morsels
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Imagine the irony of this!  St Vincent’s Redfern is a small Catholic Church in the heartland of the Archdiocese of Sydney, which is in the control of Cardinal George Pell.   For years the loyal parishioners have been running a ‘Sharing the Meal ‘ Program which provides cooked, fresh and delicious meals for hundreds of marginalised people each week.  For over six years they have been asking the Parish Priests of the church for running water, maybe a toilet and even perhaps a sink.  Alas to no avail.

This week work began, without notice to the parishioners, the erection … Continue reading →

Bishop David Cremin’s visit

By | | Sharing the meal
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Bishop David Cremin came to St Vincent’s this morning to show his support for the community and dedicate a photo of Fr Ted Kennedy mounted in the church foyer as a sign of welcome to all.

The bishop chose Naidoc Day in post-Apology Australia to visit Redfern, unveiling the picture of Ted as another gesture of the community’s recommitment to Reconciliation with Aboriginal brothers and sisters.

Aboriginal member of parliament Linda Burney last week said that many Aboriginal people regard that Apology in a manner similar to the "coming-down" of the Berlin Wall.

The community also wanted to make a … Continue reading →

Secret WYD at St Vincent’s

By | | Latest
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There have been some unannounced and unexplained activities in recent weeks that suggest the Neocats are preparing St Vincent’s for some kind of World Youth Day involvement, despite the parish clergy’s repeated refusals to discuss the matter.

For a start, parts of the church that have not been touched for years have suddenly been cleaned. The Church Mouse’s favourite haunts are now barely suitable for murine habitation. Furniture has been moved, a couple of old heaters (which will be sorely missed by the Friday evening meditation and discussion groups) and some of the Community’s liturgical artefects have disappeared, the choir … Continue reading →