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Dominican Ordinations, 2 priests, 1 deacon at St Benedict's Broadway 9 Jul 2016

15/7/2016

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​Recent days have been full of rare treats, an Ordination Mass for two Dominican priests and a Dominican deacon, and one of the first Masses of Fr Matthew Boland O.P.
 
Treats like that deserve to be shared, so here are some of my amateur photos and some notes from the homilies:
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​The Ordinations took place at St Benedict's Broadway on 9 July 2016. It is a beautiful church, with a lot of history and currently part of Notre Dame University campus. Some of the WYD Sydney events took place here (for anyone who thinks it looks familiar).
 
Ordained Priest were Matthew Boland and James Baxter, and ordained Deacon was Robert Krishna.
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​The readings were from Jeremiah 1:4-9 Do not say 'I am a child', go to those whom I send you ; Psalm 89 I will sing forever of the goodness of the Lord / I have chosen David my servant and with oil anointed him ; 2 Corinthians 5:14-20 The love of Christ overwhelms us. He gave us the work of handing on the news of reconciliation ; Luke 22:14-20, 24-30 The Last Supper narrative, Here am I among you as One who serves.
 
The homily was given by Archbishop Anthony Fisher O.P. and this is a rough transcript:
 
'What does it mean to be a priest of Jesus Christ? If we look at some of the great Hollywood movies from the 1950s onward, the priestly characters are depicted in a romantic and heroic light. A bit too far from reality in places, but they did manage to capture the spirit of sacrifice with some accuracy. Jesus turns our notions of leadership and greatness up-side-down when He reveals that He is among us as one who serves. Every priest is called to serve after the example of Jesus. If this is how Jesus acts, then we must do the same; we must empty ourselves and empty ourselves for others. Thus we may preach Him as His ambassadors. We are members of the Dominican order, called to preach Him, an order that is essentially clerical, but hopefully not clericalist. This year we mark the 800th anniversary of the Dominican order, and see these three as a special gift to us. Dominicans made their mark in the colonial period of Australia, even before the Benedictines. There is a patch of land nearby that is still called Blackfriars Estate. By the 1880s much of the original land was taken by the education office and acts of parliament. Those school buildings and the former teachers college now form part of the UTS campus (University of Technology Sydney). A Dominican is currently chaplain at UTS and our newly ordained Fr Baxter will be chaplain to Notre Dame campus. There is a story about how St Dominic spent all night in a pub conversing with a heretic, in order to convert him. Who knows, perhaps Matthew's experiences of working in a pub might prove advantageous as well. James had an experience in Year 2 of primary school of the truth and reality of the resurrection of Jesus. Time spent in his Year 11 days with an elderly priest caused James to ponder on the worthwhile life this priest had lived. He went off to Uni to study law, and it was only then that he started questioning whether law was the right path. An end of year retreat in 2003 started him thinking more seriously about the mission of the Church and what his own role in that might be. Matthew studied Maths and Physics and walked the Camino. The influence of Fr Dom Murphy began his attraction to the Dominicans. We know that Matthew has a particular passion for introducing others to the thought of St Thomas Aquinas. Robert has had a long journey too. At various times he has been a Hindu, an agnostic, an atheist, Anglican and finally a Catholic after a long intellectual search. For him, too, that end of year retreat in 2003 was a turning point in his vocational journey. Aquinas said that we should be awestruck that God should grant such graces in sacraments through human agency. No one can fully express the sweetness of this Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is the Sacrament of Sacraments. It is not just a sign of Christ's love, but Christ Himself, present body and soul, humanity and divinity to bring about communion with us. The hour has come for the three of you to take your place in a new way at the altar of the Lord. You are called to be heroes, to self-sacrifice, to put others first. You are called to serve, for that will prove your true greatness.'
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​One of Fr Matthew Boland's first Masses as principal celebrant was at St John the Baptist, Woy Woy, on 11 July 2016. This parish was home base for him during his early adult years and the long process of discerning God's vocational call. He was often at morning Mass at Woy Woy when visiting his parents on study breaks.
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​11 July was the memorial of St Benedict, and the readings were from Monday Week 15 of Ordinary Time Year II : Isaiah 1:10-17 God desires worthy sacrifice from hands clean of evil deeds : Matthew 10:34-11:1 Turn away from things not worthy of Me.
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Again, this is only a rough transcript of Fr Matthew Boland's homily:

​'Some may think of St Benedict as a remote and distant figure from 6th century Norcia, but his story still resonates today. As a young man Benedict went to Rome to study, and saw the dissolute life of the city. His response to that was to begin a search for silence and a search for God. After a while a dying monastery asked for his help in getting it healthy again. The monks there were living a rather loose monastic life, and Benedict came to them bringing added strictness to their lives. Unhappy some of the monks tried to poison Benedict. However as he said the blessing, the cup containing the poison broke. That's a good reminder to pray grace before meals – just in case – isn't it? St Benedict is not without his influence in Australia. We have the monastic town of New Norcia near Perth together with the AFL Oval at Subiaco. The first archbishop in Australia was Bede Polding, a Benedictine. What can St Benedict teach us today? That we need silence in our lives in order to hear the Word of God and His message to us. That we need time to be with Him in silence, to listen. The prophet Elijah had his own search for God, going up a mountain (whenever the scriptures talk about going up a mountain, that's code for 'something really important is going to happen – pay attention'). It was in the gentle breeze that Elijah met God. If we don't give time to God, it is very hard to hear what He has to say. God has to be number 1 – even above family – and then everything else will fall into place. Take advantage of the silent moments at Mass, at adoration and at other times of prayer. Lectio Divina is a good way of meeting God in His Word. We ask that through the intercession of St Benedict before God, that His peace may come into our lives. Let us imitate St Benedict and include a bit more silence in our lives.'
 
St Benedict, pray for us.
St Dominic, pray for us.

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Divine Renovation Conference - Monday 13 Jun 2016 - Plenary Session Part 1 

7/7/2016

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​On Monday 13 June and Tuesday 14 June 2016, the parish of St Benedict's Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, ran a 2 day conference to share their experiences of successful parish renewal. Using #DR16 will get you an overview of the conference via Twitter or Facebook.
 
I wasn't able to attend in person, but I was able to participate through the Livestream video of the plenary sessions which were uploaded to the internet. http://livestream.com/accounts/6379109
 
It is worthwhile watching them all, there's no question about that. But you will have a greater appreciation if you have read the Divine Renovation book first: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Renovation-Bringing-Maintenance-Mission/dp/1627850384
 
You will find a lot of references made during the conference to something called Alpha. In essence it is a course run over several weeks which helps people come to a personal decision about who Jesus is. If you know nothing about Alpha, then these links might be helpful:
 
https://catholics.alpha.org/
http://australia.alpha.org/context/catholic
http://alphausa.org/catholic/
 
This Monday 13 Jun 2016 Plenary Part 1 had a few technical difficulties. The best way to see it is through YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb6VuTroUb4
 
Here follows a rough transcript of that Plenary Part 1 and then my own response to it.

Why bother? Not everyone likes getting their information via video, and going through the process of taking notes and typing them up enables the message to take deeper root – and there's no guarantee how long the Livestream option will be available for. Good stuff deserves longevity.
 
This session was entitled 'Vision, Passion, Hope'
 
Fr James Mallon, the parish priest of St Benedict's, began the session by welcoming the international participants to the conference, and those who had come from other Christian communions. As part of that introduction he said that it is good for us to get out of our everyday boxes for a while, and that Unity follows Mission, and not the other way around. Unity is a fruit of the Mission.
 
What is vision? Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion in us. Having a vision is essential for leadership, but it is not enough just to have the vision, you have to communicate that vision to others and you can't communicate the vision without passion.
 
In the account of the feeding of the 5000 by Mark, we see Jesus and the apostles seeking some quiet time only to find when they come ashore a huge crowd. Mark tells us that Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw them. At other key pivotal moments in the life of Jesus we see this happen, before He acted He was moved with compassion. The root of this word refers to the intestines or the guts, 'splankna'.
 
Splankna is the disposition of God towards ourselves. If our parishes are to become the missionary disciple making machines that they are called to be, then it has to start with spankna.
 
If we are not feeling it, we are not going to lead it.
 
The chapter in Divine Renovation called House of Pain was written after listening to many priests. Those who are able to maintain passion have an underlying reality of hope.
 
There are many ways to lose hope:
• been hurt
• fatigue/tired/exhaustion
• disillusioned
• cynical
• contentment
 
Renewal does not come about without pain. Cynicism is wisdom stripped of hope. Our hope is in Jesus, in Him who can restore our hope.
 
Picasso said that good artists copy, and great artists steal. That's what we did, we went looking for things that were working elsewhere and tried them. Some worked for us, others didn't.
 
Renewal has to involve a cultural shift, and culture is composed of the values we hold dear to us.
 
It is possible for parishes of any size and in any location to be healthy.
 
Just like in the battle scene of Braveheart where a warrior can't get his head around the fact that William Wallace isn't 7 foot tall, in these days of the conference may you be underwhelmed by us and overwhelmed by God.
 
Testimonies
 
Flavia told us that 5 years ago her life was empty, she felt lost and without meaning, even though she was going to Mass regularly. In 2010 she signed up to do the Alpha course, as a team member. On the Holy Spirit weekend she experienced God's love in an overwhelming and life changing way. This enabled her to invite God to take control of her life. This almost didn't happen, because 3 weeks into the Alpha course she wanted to quit it completely. Following this powerful encounter with God's love, she had a desire to share His love with others. She became aware of a fire in her heart, and a call to serve, but she had no idea how God wanted that to happen. Things became clearer after Flavia and her husband attended an Alpha conference, and she knew she was called to serve in a prison. So with the support of the parish, that's what she has been doing. The first Alpha in a local prison was run in 2013, and so far 5 have been run for women in prison and 5 have been run for men in prison. Her vision is to bring Christ to all the prisoners in Nova Scotia and a neighbouring state. Her husband isn't here with us at the conference, because he is in Kuwait to bring Alpha there.
 
Flavia has invited hundreds of people to Alpha. One person she invited 7 times before he came.
 
Robert told us that at that time he wasn't really interested in God, and he was experiencing a lot of pain and grief. Flavia said that I would feel peace if I came to Alpha. Finally, Robert decided that he'd either have to try this Alpha thing or leave the parish. 'If I go, will you leave me alone?' Going to Alpha was amazing. I went in with lots of doubts and cynicism. At the Holy Spirit retreat weekend, God introduced Himself to me. My whole life has changed. I used to be sad and depressed, now I am happy, I'm 100% different. I have a relationship with Jesus, which to me is amazing. Now I am leading an Alpha group in a pub.
 
Rosemary and John were attending Mass in the parish, it was routine for them and they weren't involved in the parish. Fear, though, was a part of their lives. After 27 years in the pews trying to stay awake through the homilies, with Fr James around it was easier to stay awake. We started seeing the positive fruits of Alpha in those who had done the course, and we wanted that for ourselves. The weekend away gave us a sense of connectedness and purpose. All the fear I had has been washed away, and the love of God has filled me.
 
……………………………………………………………………
 
My own response
 
It was good news to hear that passion is good, and that it is necessary to bring about the changes God wants in parish life. But to be a lone wolf with passion, that's not going to end well. If you have that 'splankna', then you have to find others who have it too, together you can make things happen.
 
In order to retain both hope and passion in ministry, you need reminders that God is still active even if you can't see the evidence in your patch of the world. That's why some kind of yearly conference is necessary. That's why I get my weekly dose of The Journey Home from EWTN, to hear a conversion story. That's why the quarterly Ave Maria magazine is 'must read' material for me (to subscribe write to PO Box 118, Midland, WA, Australia, around $20 per year for Australians, a bit more for the rest of the world).
 
We need, as the good song says, to be reminded that
 
'God can do it again, and again and again
He's the same God today as he always had been
Yesterday and forever, He's is always the same
There's no reason to doubt, God can do it again.'
 
As much as this session at DR16 gives me hope, I grieve for the many priests in my own region who have lost hope through at least one of the reasons Fr Mallon gave us. Who will bring the fire, the splankna, back to our priests? Without them engaged we can do so very little. We need to pray every day for them, asking the Holy Spirit to work in them.
 
Lots of us need healing. Just about anyone who serves in parish ministry gets hurt and gets hurt badly. Ecclesiasticus 2:1-2 is real. Rarely do those hurting ones find anyone who cares that they are hurting. We need to lift our game in supporting and caring for one another.
 
Alpha, Alpha, Alpha. It is certainly working for them. What would it take for it to work here?

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