Author Archives: Church Mouse

Redfern Church without a priest, but no loss of spirit

By | | Our pastors
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The Catholic community of Redfern, with the largest indigenous congregation in Australia, prays without a resident parish priest. But this could not stop yesterday’s celebration.

The Sydney Morning Herald this morning reports on the situation at St Vincent’s Parish, Redfern in inner-suburban Sydney which has been without a resident parish priest for a month.

State MP, Linda Burney, the first indigenous member of the NSW Parliament, told the congregation of the historical significance of their church, St Vincent’s: "We celebrate the truth of Australia here, warts and all. This is the history we share. This is an honest … Continue reading →

Parish priest moves out of ‘intolerable’ position’ at Redfern

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Fr Bob Irwin, provincial of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, has asked the parish priest of St Vincent de Paul Church, Redfern, Fr Peter Carroll, to withdraw from the parish.

“I believe Fr Peter has been placed in an intolerable position that is most unreasonable for any parish priest,” he said.

Fr Bob said he had asked the priest to withdraw “after much careful reflection and prayer, and conversations with many people, including the archdiocese”.

Congregation rejects priest’s disruption of Aboriginal ministry

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One of Australia’s largest and most historic indigenous church congregations wants its parish priest of eight months dismissed because he allegedly alienates Aborigines.

The dispute began when Fr Peter Carroll MSC demanded the removal of Aborigines gathered on the footpath outside St Vincent’s Catholic Church in Redfern, Sydney, before Sunday mass.

Under his predecessor, the legendary Fr Ted Kennedy, it was a tradition to disburse collection money to those waiting outside the church.

Letter to Fr Bob Irwin, MSC Provincial

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Father Robert Irwin
Provincial
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart

Dear Father Irwin

We have been authorised to write to you on behalf of those members of the community of St Vincent’s Redfern who attended the meeting on May 4, 2003 to discuss the future of St Vincent’s, and in particular the role of Father Peter Carroll as parish priest. Father Carroll was invited to attend but declined to do so. We understand that you were also invited.

The meeting was convened in the context of increasing concern for the spirit and charism of … Continue reading →

Riots in my mind

By | | Morsels
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Wherefore art thou, the Catholic Church in Redfern if it ignores the presence of ‘the other’? "Love one another as I have loved you" — the practice of Jesus. If the ‘Catholic Church’ in Redfern ignores the lives of the people in ‘the Block’ in Redfern, then who is it trying to reach? The comfortable? The alms-giver? Can we recognise the faces around us? Who really is ‘the other’?

light years

By | | Morsels
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ah St Mary’s! arching to-the heavens
built from the meagre pennies of migrants
where mitre rules amidst candles, incense
and the ushered solemnly devour the divine
while on park benches outside, in the sub-ways
Jesus sleeps, uncovered, unloved

crow-fly to Redfem, a mixed bag
walking bare boards, well trod, respectfully
joining the aboriginal Christ at the banquet table
sometimes jostling with kids
a community overspilling, cheerfully
at even the most sacred times

St Vincent’s, St Mary’s, parallel lines
following the same ancient ritual
eat, drink, … Continue reading →

sign of the cross

By | | Morsels
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crossing rail lines at Redfern
past run down tenements
scoured by broken glass, beer cans, graffiti
shades of Derry, beautiful but scarred
sensing a rare spirit around St Vincents
with Ted’s seeds of hope sprouting
compassion, generosity , justice
alive-in the people, within and without

for them no longer the gleanings of harvest
in essence, all they have ever had
they stand solid with the poor, with Jesus
facing the power of the Church incorporated
fighting Pharisees over property, assets
spirit staunch, courage undimmed
their challenge to … Continue reading →

A Prayerful Story

By | | Morsels
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My prayer is in the form of a simple story about a key and a platform.

Once upon a time, there was a priest who the people loved. In his church, he found no need to stand on a platform. He didn’t need to put on the clerical vestment to command respect. But he got old and sick and regretfully, he had to leave.

He got replaced by a man who needed to stand on a platform. So a platform was installed behind the altar. Alas, the platform kept being stolen. This had to … Continue reading →

Reclaiming our Right to Wholeness

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We are 29 women who have gathered on 8-14 September 2003 in Chiang Mai, Thailand in a Workshop on Asian Indigenous/Dalit/Aboriginal Women Overcoming Violence organised by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and the World Council of Churches (WCC), hosted by the Women’s Department of the Church of Christ in Thailand, and sponsored by the Fellowship of the Least Coin, the World Day of Prayer-German Committee and the United Church of Christ in Canada.

We are from indigenous communities in Asia and the Pacific – Aborigine, Bunun, Dalit, Ibanag, Igorot, Kachin, Karen, Lahu, Lawa, Naga, Orang Asli, Papuan, Rungus, … Continue reading →

30 years at Redfern

By | | Reflections
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My first memory of St Vincent‘s, Redfern, is etched indelibly on my mind and goes back to 1971. It coincided with my release from enclosure as a Religious of the Sacred Heart in the wake of the reforms of Vatican II. I made an early visit to Redfern where Aboriginal people had already received hospitality in the Presbytery and Convent. What a royal welcome I received as I moved among the Aboriginal people being introduced as “Father Ted’s sister”! My first conversation with one of the men is still with me. He told me of … Continue reading →