I was deeply shocked to read of the events at Redfern Church this week. Since Ted’s retirement we have had troubled personalities inflicted on us. These personalities have been empowered to perform "priestly duties". Regrettably they have been totally inept in performing any function that bears a resemblance to the gospel values. So inept in fact have they been that the community has found it necessary to provide its own liturgy and to minister to each other.
New carpet The first thing to strike worshippers as they entered St Vincent’s for Mass yesterday was the tawdry "Persian" carpet freshly installed under the altar and up the podium. Designed and crafted by Tom Bass, the altar was presented to Ted Kennedy by the artist decades ago – one of many expressions of love and appreciation for Ted by artists over the years. Gerry might have been aware of this if only he engaged with the community sometimes: someone would have been able … Continue reading
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
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
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’?
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
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