Farewell Griffo

Griffo (Garry Griffiths) died after a long illness on 5 October 2011 in Kempsey.

His life was celebrated at St Vincent’s, and then at the Redfern Community Centre at The Block, last Wednesday. (Photos)

Griffo was a great friend of the community and of Ted Kennedy. (see Griffo’s tribute to Fr Ted, and Griffo’s grief ).

The emu and goanna on the church mural are a part of his legacy (see The great St Vincent’s break-in).

Redfern goes to Marrickville

A brief reflection on Marnie’s funeral by long-time member of the St Vincent’s community, Sr Dom.

Those who attended Marnie Kennedy’s funeral at St Brigid’s Church, Marrickville, on 21st March witnessed the flame of Redfern re-lit in the hearts of those who understand the true spirit.

The celebration was one fitting for a truly valiant woman – Uncle Max performing the smoking ceremony around Marnie’s coffin, Pruney welcoming us to country, Helen, Kevin, Maria and Peter providing music, Ralph ministering the Eucharist to us, and the many other symbolic gestures that were given.

Shireen Malamoo uplifted us with her … Continue reading

Marnie Kennedy

I saw Marnie at the Hospice two weeks ago last Saturday. We talked about the gospel for today’s mass. Marnie said she had thought about having the Beatitudes, but on reflection she preferred today’s reading from Matthew. I asked her why.

She said with clarity and purpose, ‘It is more explicit and more demanding’. That’s how Marnie thought.

Ted would often say during his Eucharistic prayer, ‘We thank God for people who come into our lives and challenge us to grow’.

In the more than twenty years that I knew Marnie she set … Continue reading

My tribute

In composing a tribute to Marnie, it was very difficult to know where to start. How does one begin to sum up the life of such a woman, this wonderful and unusual aunt of mine?

I decided to start at the beginning:

Margaret Mary Kennedy, from early times known as “Marnie’’, was born on 2nd December 1927, the second child of Peg and Jack Kennedy, and grew up in their home, Montrose, the house standing on the corner opposite this church, where her father established his medical practice.

Over the … Continue reading

Tribute to Marnie

If you read the obituary notice in the newspaper you probably realised that it gave a portrait of Marnie and an outline of her life. Today we celebrate and give thanks for her life.

Marnie was loved by family, students, friends, by those she guided … by all who came into her life.

She in turn cared deeply about people and made each feel special and one writes:

… ever since we left Redfern I have had a picture of Marnie on my bedside table and her brother Ted on our fridge, constantly reminding me of the worthiness of me. … Continue reading

Homily at Funeral of Sister Marnie Kennedy, rscj

Marnie has surely been a person to whom we have all looked up to for a whole host of reasons, and others will speak to us later, reflecting on her life. Her spirituality in directing those who sought her wisdom of Spirit, her thirst for justice, especially concerning our indigenous sisters and brothers but not exclusively, her seeking of peace among people of all classes and in all circumstances and her great ability to relate to everyone with gentleness and humility. All these among other things. Marnie’s greatest task, among others, since coming to Redfern in 1987 was to be … Continue reading

Pat Durnan – letter to Stephanie

Stephanie was in Year 3 in 1995, and had been given a letter writing assignment. The project required that she write a letter to a grandparent asking specific questions about the older person’s childhood. Because Stephanie’s grandmothers both lived very close by (one in fact in the family home) she thought to write to Pat, a person of the same age group.

This is Pat’s reply.

Continue reading

Sister Pat Durnan – Danny Glibert

Three priests, Fr Ted Kennedy, Fr Fergus Breslan & Fr John Butcher arrived at St Vincent’s Redfern at the end of 1971. Their vision was to establish a new way of priestly life where each was equal, where they would be free to engage in community life and where their house, the presbytery, and for that matter, the Church, would be open houses of welcome for all, particularly the poor and marginalised.

Sister Pat Durnan or Sister John, as she was then known, was a woman drawn to that vision of Church. Although by nature quite conservative, Vatican II and … Continue reading

The First Supper

One of the Church Mouse banner images – those at the top of the page that keep changing – that seems to attracts more attention than all the others is from a photograph of a framed image hanging in the back of the church.

 

It is a print of a work entitled “The First Supper” by Australian artist Susan Dorothea White, who says:

I was inspired to paint The First Supper after Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, by the narrative drama and magnificent composition of Leonardo’s painting. I wanted to … Continue reading