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Bulletin for 4th Sunday of Easter 2022

Click HERE for the Bulletin.

Happy Mothers’ Day for 2022.

The Bulletin has items drawing attention to today as the World Day of Prayers for Vocations – and that is for every vocation for each of us, clerical and religious and lay men and women. Each vocation is from God and to be valued as our ‘talent’ as described in the Gospel which we will return to God at the Last Judgement as enhanced or diminished.

Another item is the news that our Archbishop was this week elected the President of the Conference of Australian Catholic Bishops (ACBC) replacing Archbishop Coleridge. He will be the first Western Australian president of the ACBC and the first from a religious order, in his case the Salesian Order.

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Covid 19 – New Level 1 Restrictions Apply

As from 12.01am Friday 29th April 2022 WA Health requirements relating to Covid-19 will be relaxed. With respect to the Parish Church,

  • Masks are no longer mandatory
  • Congregation numbers and spacing limits are removed

Common sense would indicate

  • Do not attend with Covid or flu-like symptoms
  • Maintain physical distancing and/or masking if you are concerned

See the State government website HERE for full details and the Archdiocesan guideline HERE

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Covid Level 2 requirements – 3 March 2022

The Vicar General has issued the full requirements applicable to places of worship throughout the Archdiocese of Perth dealing with Covid-19 level 2 measures as determined by the WA Government, effective Thursday 3 March 2022 and ongoing.

The requirements can be read in full by linking HERE

In brief,

  • Do not enter the church if you have any flu-like symptoms or have had close contact
  • Masks are required within the church and parish centre
  • Register attendance by QR code or written registration
  • Individuals (or family groups) are to maintain 1.5m separation
  • Church capacity is limited to achieve 2m2 per person and maximum 150 people
  • For sacraments, funerals, weddings and other ceremonies, see text HERE

Your continuing compliance with these public health requirements will be greatly appreciated.

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2021 Archbishop’s LifeLink Appeal

The ARCHBISHOP’S CHRISTMAS APPEAL FOR LIFELINK will be held the weekend of 13/14 November 2021.

Please collect your copy of Archbishop Costelloe’s letter at Mass this weekend, read his message and please give generously to support the valuable work of our Archdiocesan social service agencies.

You may mail your donation in the reply- paid envelope provided, or return your envelope and donation for a Special Collection which will be held at Mass next weekend.

You may also donate (securely) online by credit card at
www.lifelink.com.au

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Archbishop Responds to WA Legislation on Confessions

Perth Archbishop Crest

The Western Australian parliament has recently passed into law legislation ostensibly to protect minors from abuse, which provides for criminal penalties for confessors who do not break the seal of confession and report any abuse they become aware of through the confessional.

The full text of his response can be found HERE

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Covid-19 Transitional Restrictions: 6 – 12 July 2021

Perth Archbishop Crest

Conforming to the transitional restrictions issued by the WA Health Department, there will be a partial relaxation of restrictions for the period 6th to 12th July 2021.

From Tuesday 6th July, there will be a maximum limit of 150 attendees at church and complying with the 2m2 rule. Masks must be worn; attendees must register their attendance (QR code or manual register) and no-one who is unwell and with flu-like symptoms should attend.

The complete text of the Archbishop’s notice of these transitions can be found HERE

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Archbishop’s Pastoral Letter regarding VAD

Perth Archbishop Crest

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe has issued a Pastoral Letter for the benefit of the Western Australian community regarding new legislation.

The voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) legislation will become effective in WA on 1st July 2021.

Simply stated, this will permit certain persons to access medications designed to cause their death. Also, the law will permit another person to provide assistance where the person choosing to die is unable to self-administer.

Be clear, The Catholic Church’s perennial teaching and tradition is firmly opposed to VAD.

“(T)he Church’s position rests on its constant interpretation of the fifth commandment of the Mosaic law: you shall not kill. This is, we believe, a commandment from God, the giver and sustainer of life. It is a law which pre-exists any government or any parliament. Governments have the power, given to them by those who elect them, to determine what rules are expedient in the societies they govern.”

The Catholic community really faces a two step response to the new law.

Firstly, we must prepare ourselves, recommit to our spiritual goals to see Jesus in ourselves and everyone we meet, particularly those in need such as the sick, suffering and elderly.

Secondly, we can learn how to support these people, and especially those in our own families. The Church has many healing and caring ministries and the community can foster, promote and actively support them.

“(The) conviction about the sanctity and inviolability of human life is one of the most foundational values by which we as Catholics live. We believe that every human life, from its earliest beginnings at conception to its final moments leading to death, is precious and sacrosanct. No-one has the right to “step in” and bring to an end a life that has begun under God’s providence and will come to its end under God’s providence.”

Archbishop Costelloe concludes,

“The VAD legislation has been passed and is about to become operative in Western Australia. I believe this is a tragedy for our society but I fully understand that not everyone sees it this way. For those who do, however, and for whom this is a question of conscientious belief about a matter of life and death, it is essential that we be able to live out our beliefs freely and with integrity.”

The full text of the Pastoral Letter can be found HERE

A copy of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 is linked HERE

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Archbishop responds to the call of Hon S.McGurk MLA

The Hon Simone McGurk MLA, Minister for Child Safety, called on the Archbishop to support the proposed legislation which would force priests to report information regarding child sexual abuse revealed in the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). That is, the Minister called on the Archbishop to signal that the church puts child safety first by supporting the legislation which violates the Seal of Confession.

Archbishop Costelloe has responded with a letter to the Minister (the Premier and the WA Cabinet) which can be read HERE . He points out that he cannot in good conscience support the law and also there is no reason for saying that he (and the Church) do not put child safety first AND conform to centuries of belief and practice of the secrecy of the confessional. It is evident that recent changes have been formulated and carefully put into effect to ensure that children are now safe in the care and support of the church bodies. To say or imply otherwise is malicious.

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Proposed WA law to force priests to report confessions

The State Government of WA has introduced legislation which will require priests to report any information of child sexual abuse arising from the sacrament of Reconciliation (or Confession). This is contrary to the long established teaching and practice of the Roman Catholic church.

In response to a call by the Minister, Ms Simone McGurk, for the Archbishop to state the Perth Catholic position on the matter, the Perth Archbishop, Timothy Costelloe SDB has issued a detailed statement. The full text can be found HERE.

The text should be read in its entirety to fully appreciate the situation, but in simple terms, Archbishop Costelloe points out that it is false to say that the church must place either child safety or church teaching first. The church in faith and in practice does both, in that child safety is embedded in the very teachings and practice of the church, particularly in Western Australia.

Take the opportunity to read and understand the Archbishop’s reasons and be prepared to counter any simplistic criticism of the sacrament.