A Small Voice from St Vincent’s Redfern

Church Mouse is currently being rebuilt from the ground up using the latest versions of WordPress web publisher and Coppermine photo gallery, with every attempt being made to restore all the original content.

The Church Mouse website is an eclectic public record of the history and curious goings on in the parish of St Vincent’s Redfern, an inner city suburb of Sydney, Australia.

Launched in 2004 as Church Mouse Journal, it first appeared as Church Mouse at the end of 2006, and subsequently underwent several upgrades. Since late 2015 the website has been dormant, becoming a little more … Continue reading

Important Reminder! or How’s this for a load of pseudo sanctimonious drivel?

The following notice appeared on the back page of last Sunday’s church bulletin. It is full of mistakes and misinformation.

The Church Mouse has added a few clarifications and corrections.

Come to the 6 pm Mass next Sunday, the Solemnity of All Saints, with our very own(1) Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP to consecrate our new altar. It will be once in a life time celebration. Bring food and drink to share after the event.

No regular Masses next weekend.

Perhaps you wonder: Why such major restorations and renovations including the installation of the new liturgical signs, furniture … Continue reading

The Spirit of Redfern’s Ted Kennedy a Decade on

Here is the text of Fr Frank Brennan’s homily for Ted Kennedy’s tenth anniversary mass.

The Spirit of Redfern’s Ted Kennedy a Decade on
Fr Frank Brennan SJ
Pentecost Sunday 2015

Acts 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13
John 20:19-23

Thank you for the privilege of being your preacher this morning here at St Vincent’s Redfern as we come together on Pentecost Sunday to honour the memory of our beloved Fr Ted Kennedy who died 10 years ago. I first came here to Redfern in 1976 as an impressionable young Jesuit novice. I … Continue reading

Remembering Ted – 10 years on

A mass will be held at St Vincent’s, Redfern, at 10am on Sunday, 24 May 2015, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the passing of Fr Ted Kennedy.

Ted-seaofhands2-300

The parish priest, Melvin Llabanes, has kindly agreed to have Fr Frank Brennan concelebrate and deliver the homily.

All are welcome.

Morning tea will be served after mass – please bring a plate if you can.

The following is a condensed version of an article written by Val Noone on the occasion of Ted’s funeral, and published in Táin Edition … Continue reading

Pell’s successor announced

The new Archbishop of Sydney – a man with a big appetite for justice – see letter to St Vincent’s from 2005.

Not only did he call on the police to intervene in liturgical disturbances at St Vincent’s, but his vile comments towards the Foster family, destroyed by clerical abuse, makes one question his suitability to lead the Sydney diocese. (Back in July 2008, he enraged sex abuse victims and their supporters when he stated that  people were “dwelling crankily on old wounds”  – The Age.)

Have the intervening years had any mellowing effect?

Continue reading

Mural restoration has begun!

Good news!

After many months of delays, and only(?) about a year after Cardinal Pell instructed the parish priest that the mural was to be restored, today the restorer finally was allowed to begin work.

It should take some 4-6 weeks, working Mondays to Thursdays, and fitting in around morning Masses and Sharing the Meal.

More details will be posted soon.

Memories of Tom Hammerton

On Monday 11 August 2014 at St Vincent’s Redfern we farewelled Tom with a wonderful celebration of his life. Details will be posted soon.

In the mean time, you are invited to email your memories of Tom to Peter Kearney for collation into a tributes booklet to be given to Tom’s wife Jan, and daughters Alexis and Kimberley.

Tributes will also to be shared with the wider Redfern community through the Church Mouse website.

Peter’s email address is: peterkearney87@gmail.com

The Mural saved – ?

 

Parishioners have been asking the parish priest for a clear statement of his position on the Aboriginal Mural since rumours of its impending removal began to circulate. On one occasion, when particularly pressed, he reluctantly said he would not remove the Mural, but added, sotto voce, that someone else might.

Just before the Parish Advisory Committee meeting last month, a petition was hurriedly circulated around the local Aboriginal community. It read:

Save the Mural – September 2013

Petition to Fr Melvin Llabanes, Parish Priest of St Vincent’s Redfern

We Aboriginal people respectfully request … Continue reading

The Pope: how the Church will change

 

Dialogue between Francis and Repubblica’s founder, Eugenio Scalfari: “Starting from the Second Vatican Council, open to modern culture”. The conversation in the Vatican after the Pope’s letter to La Repubblica: “Convert you? Proselytism is solemn nonsense. You have to meet people and listen to them.”
by EUGENIO SCALFARI

Pope Francis told me: “The most serious of the evils that afflict the world these days are youth unemployment and the loneliness of the old. The old need care and companionship; the young need work and hope but have neither one nor the other, and the … Continue reading