Category Archives: Uncategorized

The following item, which appeared in the Tablet earlier this month, is nowhere near the normal standard of articles published in that venerable journal. It is riddled with errors and misinformation, which could readily have been avoided had an attempt been made to look at both sides of the story.

Police called to Aboriginal church demonstration.

Police have been called to a Sydney church that was at the centre of an innovative ministry to Aboriginal people only days after a bishop warned parishioners against disrupting the liturgy.

Parish clergy who are members of the Neocatechumenal Way … Continue reading →

Marnie Kennedy has received literally hundreds of letters and phone calls from well-wishers from, one might say, the highest to the lowest in the land and beyond.

There has, however, been no communication from the Archdiocese of Sydney save Auxiliary Bishop Fisher’s expression of “sincere sympathies to you all” in the introductory paragraph of his appalling and uninformed letter to the Parishioners of St Vincent de Paul Church Redfern.

Reproduced below is a letter from Bob Carr, NSW State Premier.

The following message comes from a young lady who has been part of our community all her life.

Hi All,

I’ve been wanting to write for a couple of weeks since Ted’s funeral and the increasing physical violence.

It’s really lovely to see a few old (sic) faces returning and hopefully there are more to come! At Ted’s funeral, seeing so many familiar faces, I was reminded of the strong physical presence of our community that was so vibrant during Ted’s years.

With the Neocat population steadily increasing we must continue to stand our ground as a community. It would … Continue reading →

He came to Redfern by choice. With two other priests he elected to go where he could form a ministry following Jesus in companionship and solidarity with the poor and dispossessed. Here he made his first contact with aboriginal people. He was shocked and appalled by the violence done to their lives. Encountering their poverty was transforming. He spoke of finding in aboriginal people a nobility and gentleness that had been wrought by suffering. Father Ted Kennedy died on 17 May after a long illness. Parish Priest at St Vincent’s Church Redfern for thirty years … Continue reading →

I write to let you know that I support your endeavours during what has been a painful and challenging time for the Community at St Vincent’s Redfern since the appointment of Neo-Catechumenate priests to that church.

As a priest, I worked from the beginning of 1994 to the end of 1996, in a parish in western Melbourne, where the Neo-Catechumenate had been asked to leave my predecessor because of a whole range of painful issues that had divided the parish community, caused heartache to so many and resulted in those entrusted with the leadership of the parish being “snubbed” by … Continue reading →

St Joseph’s Catholic Church Newtown
9.6.05

Dear Bishop Fisher

Having received no return call to my messages left with two of your secretaries on Tuesday I assume I will not get one now – thus this letter.

I have worked in this archdiocese for 35 years since going to the seminary and 20 years before that as a parishioner, catechist, member of the Legion of Mary and active Catholic on the school campuses and places of work I have attended.

I have been visiting Redfern parish for 18 years on a weekly basis to attend the gospel discussion group … Continue reading →

7 July 2005

Bishop Fisher,

I appreciate the fact that you have only been an auxiliary bishop of the Sydney Archdiocese for just under two years and that we have not met.

I have been a priest of the Archdiocese for over 47 years and have had appointments in a great variety of parishes and much pastoral experience; assistant priest in Eastwood, Annandale, Penrith, Liverpool – where I was also ministering as an army chaplain during the Vietnam War and managed the Catechetics for eighty state school classes each week – Castle Hill, Kogarah, St Mary’s Cathedral; I was Director … Continue reading →

Redfern Reconciliation Bridge Walk

Candle Light Vigil

Tonight: THURSDAY 9TH JUNE 6.30-7pm

Meet at 6.00pm
in front of Redfern Waterloo Authority office,
Regent St & Lawson Sq (old TNT building)

Support Aboriginal housing on The Block

This land was given to the Aboriginal people for housing by the Whitlam Labor government
It’s time that the housing was built
Until recently the Carr Labor government supported this vision
The state government’s Redfern Waterloo Authority no longer supports Aboriginal housing on The Block
Take the next step for reconciliation in Redfern

Organised by Redfern … Continue reading →

The Church Mouse received the following letter from an abused Good Shepherd parishioner, with a request that it be published here. The Good Shepherd Parish in Kelmscott, Perth, Western Australia has also been damaged by the Neocats. You can read more about it here.

8 June 2005

Archbishop Barry Hickey
Bishop’s House
25 Victoria Avenue
PERTH

Your Grace

I must report to you about the most offensive behaviour of Fathers Richard Tomelty and Melvin Llabanes.

On 18 May, I was invited to visit Father Melvin so as to discuss the dates available for … Continue reading →

Perhaps it was the sheer numbers who came for Fr Ted Kennedy’s funeral. Perhaps a riot was brewing. Whatever it was, the Sydney Archdiocese has authorised the pp to call the police on his community.

A few days after last month’s funeral of former Redfern parish priest Ted Kennedy, NSW Deputy Premier Dr Andrew Refshauge paid tribute to the great man in State Parliament. Referring to the “fast track to sainthood” that Pope Benedict XVI is using to expedite the cause for the canonisation of his predecessor … Continue reading →