Author Archives: Church Mouse

Presbytery to be re-vitalised

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The derelict St Vincent’s presbytery, next to the church, is to be given a new lease of life as a Jesuit school for Aboriginal children, it was announced during the week. The article in Province Express is reproduced below.

This posting by Danny Gilbert on CathNews expresses support for the initiative far more eloquently than the Church Mouse could manage:

The much loved Fr Ted Kennedy made St Vincent’s Redfern, especially the Presbytery, a place of welcome, refuge and unconditional love for the poorest of Aboriginal people. For many years, Ted shared his home with … Continue reading →

Trouble in the Phillipines

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The Neocatechumenal Way in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan

Lights and Shadows
The seeds of the NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY were first sown in the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in 1981 in the Parish of Saint Gabriel the Archangel in Bonuan Boquig. Since then, it has been born in other Catholic communities in the archdiocese – Bonuan Gueset, Calasiao, Calmay, Dagupan, Laoac, Lingayen, Mapandan Santa Barbara and San Jacinto. The Neocatechumenal Way has brought innumerable blessings to the Christian faithful in our archdiocese. It has profoundly changed many lukewarm lives. It has rebuilt many wounded families and has yielded many religious and … Continue reading →

A couple of letters

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Here are a couple of letters sent to Cardinal George Pell 5 or 6 weeks ago.

10 March 2010

The Archbishop of Sydney
Cardinal George Pell
Polding Centre
133 Liverpool St
Sydney 2000

Cardinal Pell,

At Mass last Sunday, only the host – no consecrated wine – was distributed at Communion. The Eucharistic minister approached the altar and was dismissed. This sort of thing happens regularly at St Vincent’s Redfern, but I just can’t get used to it.

I spoke to the celebrant, Fr Miguel Zavarese, after Mass. In six long years he is the … Continue reading →

Peter Kennedy book launch

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The book PETER KENNEDY: THE MAN WHO THREATENED ROME will be launched:

  • in Sydney on Tuesday 23rd February 6pm at Glee Books, 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe by Phillip Adams (RSVP 02 9660 2333), and
  • in Melbourne on Thursday 25th February 6:30pm at Readings Carlton, 309 Lygon Street, Carlton, Victoria by Martin Flanagan with Fr Bob Maguire and Michele Gierck in conversation with Peter Kennedy (RSVP 03 9347 6633 or events@readings.com.au)

In February 2009 Father Peter Kennedy, of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in South Brisbane, was sacked by his Archbishop for contravening aspects of … Continue reading →

SMH report – Jan 19

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The following article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week.

Two Catholic worlds collide as church disagreement deepens


Hot spot … Ralph Townsend, a long-term Aboriginal parishioner of St Vincent’s in Redfern. Photo: Edwina Pickles

The fight, ostensibly, is over a baptismal font and some words in chalk on a wall, but the latest in a series of rows at St Vincent’s Catholic Church in Redfern shows the conflict runs much deeper.

A recent clash between the parish priest, a conservative Catholic from Brazil, and … Continue reading →

Christmas Meal, 2009

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Suffer the Little Children

A small miracle is taking place at “Sharing the Meal” every Tuesday at St Vincent’s Church, Redfern.

Community Services (formerly DoCS) agreed to allow an access visit between a grandmother and mother of two children – a 4 month old baby and a small 3 year old boy – while their custody case is being investigated. The Church is a familiar place especially for the little boy, and the environment is much less stressful for the family – … Continue reading →

Wreckonciliation

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This report has been assembled rather hastily in the interest of exposing the latest unpleasantries at St Vincent’s. Given that a detailed submission regarding the restoration of the Baptismal Font was lodged with Cardinal George Pell earlier last week (and copied to Mendes), a question needs to be asked: Was this an act of revenge?

Sunday Mass-goers yesterday were saddened to find that the church had been defaced.

The Neocats had acted to remove Jim Considine’s iconic words chalked across the front of St Vincent’s church:

crucified on every city sidewalk
the aboriginal Christ should be free
in … Continue reading →