Western Link
Issue No. 50 February 2019
Contents:
1. Servicing a need for good communication
Launched in October 1997, as the official newsletter of the Catenian Association in Western Australia the Western Link has come a long way in the last 21 years of continuous publication. Read more >>
2. Catholic Education performing arts
The 29th Annual Performing Arts Festival for Catholic schools and colleges concluded at the Perth Concert Hall on Monday 10 September 2018 with the presentation of awards and scholarships. Read more >>
3. Wonderful support for Commemorative Mass
Provincial President Kevin Hefron presented the first reading, pictured with Vice President Keith Morgan and St Mary's Cathedral Dean Father Sean Fernandez More than 130 Catenian Brothers, wives and guests attended the 11.00 am Mass celebrated by Cathedral Dean Father Sean Fernandez Read more >>
4. Honorary Life Memberships awarded
Honorary Life Memberships of Province 20 have been awarded to two Catenian brothers, Patrick McManus (Como Circle) and Rolf Bank (Joondalup Circle) who have both given outstanding service to the Province and the Catenian Association over many years. Read more >>
5. Kevin Brady award heads home to Mandurah
Congratulations to the City of Mandurah Circle; the 2018 winner of the annual Kevin Brady Award presented to the Province 20 Circle that recruits the most new members in the 12 months ended 30 September each year. Read more >>
6. Planning for survival
In April 2018 the Central Council of the Catenian Association established the Strategy Working Group (SWG) to address the challenge of an ever-increasing ageing membership, which threatens the very survival of the Association. Read more >>
7. The Holy Spirit is visiting Australia
In October 2017 the Australian Catholic Bishops announced, through the Archbishop of Brisbane The Most Reverend Mark Coleridge, a Plenary Council to be conducted in Australia with the first session in 2020; scheduled for 11 – 17 October 2020 followed by a second session in Sydney in 2021. The last Plenary Council in Australia was in 1937. Read more >>
8. Renewal – National conference sets the scene
In his opening address to the Australian National Conference of the Catenian Association in Melbourne from 19 to 21 October 2018, ANC President, Ralph Fitzpatrick reminded delegates of a challenge issued by the then National President, George Kazs two years ago Read more >>
9. Ideas for change - A summary of Renewal Workshop outcomes
Following the 2016 Australian National Conference held in Perth, the ANC invited all circles and provinces in Australia to undertake a two-year renewal process based on fulfilling the proposed Mission Statement launched at the conference by the then ANC President, George Kazs: Read more >>
10. Second scholarship awarded
The Catenian Charity Inc. has awarded its second scholarship of $5,000 to a young lady, Karri Thomas who is studying at Aquinas College in Adelaide. Aged 19, she qualifies for a scholarship due to her financial circumstances. Read more >>
11. Celebrating 50 years of happy marriage
Swan Valley Catenian Kevin Parker and Lorraine tied the knot at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth on 12 October 1968 after a courtship and engagement of three years and three months. Read more >>
12. Swan Valley's Day of Reflection
Members of Swan Valley continued their privileged tradition of uniting with the Community at St Charles' Seminary in Guildford for the circle's annual day of reflection on Sunday 9 September 2018. Read more >>
13. Pilgrimage to Italy
In October 2018, Harry Muller (who is the Province 20 Provincial Secretary and Secretary of Darling Range Circle), along with a group of young people from Holy Cross College in Ellenbrook, witnessed the Canonisation ceremony of Archbishop Oscar Romero in St Peter's Square in Rome during a pilgrimage to Italy. Read more >>
14. Letter of appreciation from scholarship winner
Anna Bakogianis, the recipient of the 2018 Youth Support Fund scholarship of $4,000, writes from London where she is completing her final elective placement at St Thomas' Hospital prior to her graduation with a medical degree from the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame Fremantle. Read more >>
15. The story of a WWI Military Medal recipient
Dianella Brother John Gartner and his wife, Clare have for a long time harbored a yearning to take part in a commemorative tour of some of the World War One battlefields in northern France and Belgium, particularly to visit those places in which Australian soldiers served. Read more >>
18. Catenian lady's passion for arts and crafts
Barbara Pannell, the wife of Bouvard Circle Brother John Pannell and a very active parishioner of St Damien's Catholic Church at Dawesville was a lady with a love of arts and crafts, a skill she put to good use throughout her adult life. Read more >>
17. Obituaries
Ray Polglase from City of Mandurah, John O'Neil from City of Mandurah and John Lowe from Fremantle Circle Read more >>
1. Servicing a need for good communication
The 50th edition, a Western Link milestone
Launched in October 1997, as the official newsletter of the Catenian Association in Western Australia the Western Link has come a long way in the last 21 years of continuous publication.
The very first edition, a rather slim black and white newsletter of just eight pages (see opposite), was produced by an editorial committee of City of Perth brothers, Brendan McGurk, Derrick Flynn and Tom Hadfield (all deceased) and was printed by Graham Pittaway's Cyprus Print.
The Provincial President in 1997/98 when the Western Link was conceived was Dianella Circle's Brother Donald McKechnie who subsequently took over as the Director from 1999 to 2008 and was awarded Life Membership of Province 20 in 2012.
The Director of Province 20 in 1997 was Brother Jim Kenny of City of Perth Circle, also awarded Life Membership of the Province in 2009.
Both of these Catenian brothers were complimentary about the decision taken by the 1997/98 Provincial Council to initiate the newsletter.
A message in the first edition written by Province 20 Director Jim Kenny, complimented everyone associated with the production of Volume 1 of the Western Link.
Jim wrote: "The advancement of the Association depends on its ability to adapt to current and future requirements.
Essential to this end is the need to communicate and to be informed of the needs and expectations of our Catholic Community, and in particular those members of our Catenian Province."
"This publication – a Provincial newsletter – will add considerably to the togetherness of brothers and those interested in our objectives. In particular it will progressively become a useful medium where brothers can communicate and contribute."
"The presence of a Provincial newsletter gives us all an opportunity to further understand the respective responsibilities of the various officers and councillors."
"It will also hopefully provide an avenue, missing for so long, to enable all Catenian brothers to contribute, outside meetings, to the advancement of the Association."
In celebrating this 50th edition, we should acknowledge the tremendous efforts of the Western Link's first editor, the Late Brendan McGurk who devoted an enormous amount of his time from 1997 to 2012 writing, editing and producing two editions of the newsletter, without fail, each and every year.
During that time, Brendan was the Editor of 30 editions growing from a flimsy eight-page black and white newsletter to his final edition in March 2012 of a magazine quality publication of 28 pages read throughout the Catenian world in Province 20, Eastern Australia and the United Kingdom.
Brendan was awarded Life Membership of Province 20 in 2007, not only for his commitment to the Western Link, but in recognition of his outstanding overall service in the advancement of the Province and the Association.
In the last seven years, the magazine has continued to prosper with the support of Publicity Officers from all 13 Circles in Province 20. Now in full colour, a further 20 editions have been produced, the magazine has grown to 36 pages and continues to meet the aspirations of its founding Catenian brothers 21 years ago.`
2. Catholic Education performing arts
The 29th Annual Performing Arts Festival for Catholic schools and colleges concluded at the Perth Concert Hall on Monday 10 September 2018 with the presentation of awards and scholarshipThe 29th Annual Performing Arts Festival for Catholic schools and colleges concluded at the Perth Concert Hall on Monday 10 September 2018 with the presentation of awards and scholarships.
The Performing Arts Festival in Western Australia was established to help students of Catholic schools and colleges experience the spirit and tradition of the performing arts.
The Festival seeks to provide students with specific 'performance platforms' where they have the unique opportunity to give of their very best and perform to a public audience.
Open to both primary and secondary school students, the performance categories encompass choral, drama, musical, instrumental, vocal and dance aspects of the performing arts.
A total of 20,910 students entered the festival in 2018 and their dedicated teachers from 120 Catholic schools and colleges from within the State of Western Australia presented 2,546 entries to be adjudicated by a panel of experts.
As the individuals and groups performed their items at the final concert on 10 September, the brilliance and breathtaking skills of the performers and their teachers thrilled and enthralled the audience time and time again.
From massed choirs from colleges to solo items from primary school students it was an evening of stunning, emotional, extraordinary performances.
Brian Kerman (Dianella Circle) accompanied by his daughter, Allison Bielby and Colin and Liz Broun (Swan Valley Circle) represented the Catenian Association in Western Australia at the final concert.
Brian and Colin are trustees and vice presidents of the Catenian Association Youth Support Fund, which awards an annual scholarship.
Brian presented the winner, Emily Sullivan with the Catenian Association prize of $500 for her excellence in the secondary school solo/duet woodwind/brass category.
Emily had previously impressed the adjudicator when she played the Flute Concertino in D major Op.107 by Cecile Chaminade. Emily is the third winner of the Catenian arts prize in the category of woodwind or brass instrument.
She is a Year 11 student at Iona Presentation College and has kept that college to the fore in musical accomplishment.
Brian and Colin both agreed that the final concert was a night to remember; an event that the Catenian Association in Western Australia is privileged and proud to support.
3. Wonderful support for Commemorative Mass
Provincial President Kevin Hefron presented the first reading, pictured with Vice President Keith Morgan and St Mary’s Cathedral Dean Father Sean Fernandez
Provincial President Kevin Hefron presented the first reading, pictured with Vice President Keith Morgan and St Mary's Cathedral Dean Father Sean Fernandez More than 130 Catenian Brothers, wives and guests attended the 11.00 am Mass celebrated by Cathedral Dean Father Sean Fernandez on Sunday 14 October 2018 at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth in memory of deceased Catenian brothers, including 11 members who passed away during the past 12 months.
This commemorative Mass is held annually at the Cathedral to remember departed Catenian members since the Association was first established in Western Australia on 8 February 1977.
This year the Mass was attended by the Australian National President, Ralph Fitzpatrick and his wife Liana and the Great Britain Grand President, John Hogan and his wife Pauline and other Catenian visitors from the United Kingdom enjoying a sixday stopover in Perth on their journey to attend the Australian National Conference held in Melbourne from 19 to 21 October 2018.
In his homily Father Fernandez said he was pleased to welcome the Catenians as they came together to pray for their deceased brothers.
"The support they offer each other in living their faith within the Church is very important," he added.
Provincial President Kevin Hefron (Fremantle Circle) described the occasion as one of the best Masses that we've had for some years.
"The beautiful High Mass was just out of this world," he said. Kevin said that the annual commemorative service is an important component of the Association's ethos, remembering its late brothers and providing life-long support to the departed ones' families.
"This support is offered, not only at the annual Mass but is ongoing," he said, "embracing widows and extended families of deceased brothers in social activities and at any time when support is needed."
He highlighted the need for Catholic social groups to continuously strive to be closer to the Church.
"We try to get our members in Western Australia to work with parishes performing ministries and encourage them to reach out to retired priests and spend time with them."
The Mass was followed by the traditional Provincial luncheon, this year held at the Swan Yacht Club in East Fremantle where a special welcome was extended to the UK visitors.
A highlight of the luncheon was the awarding of honorary Province 20 Life Memberships to two outstanding members, Rolf Bank (Joondalup Circle) and Patrick McManus (Como Circle) in recognition of their service, dedication and commitment to the Province and the Catenian Association over many years. They were each presented with a framed certificate and a citation outlining their history of service.
A presentation was also made to the City of Mandurah Circle; the 2012 winner of the annual Kevin Brady Award presented to the Province 20 circle that recruits the most new members in the 12 months ended 30 September each year.
The award presented to City of Mandurah President, Wayne Wright comprises a perpetual trophy in Kevin Brady's honour plus a signed citation. The City of Mandurah Circle won the award with five new brothers installed in 2017/18.
4. Honorary Life Memberships awarded
Pictured left to right: Pat McManus, Rolf Bank and Provincial President, Kevin Hefron at the Provincial luncheon on 14 October 2018Honorary Life Memberships of Province 20 have been awarded to two Catenian brothers, Patrick McManus (Como Circle) and Rolf Bank (Joondalup Circle) who have both given outstanding service to the Province and the Catenian Association over many years.
Certificates were presented at the Provincial President's luncheon at the Swan Yacht Club on Sunday 14 October 2018 following the Provincial Commemorative Mass for deceased brothers held at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth attended by more than 130 brothers and wives, including the Grand President of Great Britain John Hogan and his wife, Pauline and other visitors from the United Kingdom. Pat and Rolf join a list of nine other brothers in Province 20 who have been honoured with Life Membership since the Catenian Association was established in Western Australia in 1977.
Pat McManus
Pat joined Como Circle in 1995 making an immediate contribution to the circle and the Association. As Vice President of the circle in 1998 and 1999 he was very active in developing Project 2008, which sought to give Australian circles more autonomy.
Then, as Circle President in 2000, he supported a proposal to twin Como Circle with Canterbury Circle in the United Kingdom. Grand President, Brian Hargreaves, proposed this initiative during a visit to Western Australian and Como President, Peter Colleran and the Director of Province 20, Donald McKechnie, formerly endorsed the twinning.
Between 2001 and 2005, Pat served as Como Circle's Provincial Councillor and worked on a Provincial Sub Committee to develop a Vision and Mission Statement.
In 2006 Pat held the position of Como's Treasurer and in 2007 was appointed Provincial Vice President. He served as Provincial President in 2008/09 and at the same time was Como's President in the year that Grand President, David Taylor visited Western Australia.
During 2009 and 2011 Pat served as Como's Provincial Councillor and then was appointed Provincial President for a second term in 2013/14. He took over the position of Como's Secretary for a year in 2013 and again in 2016 and still serves in that capacity.
Pat is well known by brothers throughout Province 20 and finds time to visit all circles on a regular basis. He is a most active brother in recruiting other Catholic gentlemen to the Association and is extremely hospitable to all visiting brothers and their ladies, including the inclusion of widows who he always make welcome at ladies nights and social functions.
Pat is an active parishioner at St Thomas More Catholic Church in Bateman where he has served as an acolyte for many years and has been a member of the Knights of the Southern Cross for over 30 years.
A widower with three daughters, Pat is a retired school principal who has demonstrated exceptional organisational and leadership skills throughout his career as a Catenian brother. He is extremely kind and patient with a good sense of humour and is committed to young people's welfare and education.
Rolf Bank
Working and living in Northam with his wife, Christine, Rolf's interest in the Catenian Association was first aroused soon after the Avon Valley Circle was inaugurated in 1988, but it was a few years later on 28 April 1992 that he joined and was installed. In the following 1993/94 Catenian year he served as Vice President and was the Avon Valley Circle President in 1994/95.
After his term as President, Rolf served for the following six years as the Avon Valley Circle Provincial Councillor. By then Rolf and Christine were living in Karrinyup and Rolf had been installed as a full member of Liwara Circle on 4 November 1993. Then a joint member of Avon Valley Circle, Rolf continued to strongly support Avon Valley firstly in his year as President and then as its representative on Provincial Council.
Rolf was installed as Provincial Vice President in 1999/00 in the year that the Late Joe Coffey was President and in 2000/01 he was Provincial President.
During his year as President, Rolf Bank was responsible for several very important initiatives (source Western Link Vol. 7 October 2000):
- The re-establishment of a Provincial Membership and Expansion Committee under the leadership of Brian Preston; an initiative which bore fruit a few years later in 2005, then under the leadership of John Monkhouse, when the drought was broken with the inauguration of two new circles at Bouvard and Joondalup;
- The establishment of a Province 20 website, which Rolf continued to administer until about 2016 when the Catenian Association restructure was adopted; and
- A successful itinerary of meetings and functions for a United Kingdom visiting party, led by Grand President, Brian Hargreaves and his wife, Noreen.
Following his year as President, Rolf took over the onerous and responsible position of Provincial Secretary, a role he filled with distinction for seven years from 2002/03 until 2007/08. During that period Rolf also took over responsibility from Brother Gerry Emslie for the Province 20 Catenian Golf Society, which at that time was extremely active with several Provincial events each year.
Honorary Life Memberships awarded (continued) In about 2003 under the leadership of John Monkhouse, Rolf was a member of a select group of Liwara brothers who were responsible for the development of a circle at Joondalup, firstly as a Group then as a Circle when it was inaugurated on 25 February 2005. Rolf was a Founder and joint member of Joondalup until he resigned as a member of Liwara Circle on 11 December 2010 when Joondalup became his home circle. He subsequently served for three years as Joondalup Circle Secretary
Seven years later Rolf also became a joint member of the City of Busselton Circle after its inauguration on 20 October 2012. He has since resigned as a member of that Circle.
As an active member of the Catholic Church, Rolf has served 39 years as an acolyte, firstly at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Northam and at Our Lady of Good Council Catholic Church in Karrinyup.
Synopsis of Provincial Council positions held by Rolf Bank: Six years as Provincial Councillor representing Avon Valley Circle Provincial Vice President 1999/00 Provincial President 2000/01 Seven years as Provincial Secretary 2002/03 until 2007/08 Three years as Provincial Councillor representing Joondalup Circle
Honorary Life Memberships of Province 20
Laurie Shervington (deceased) – City of Perth Circle (2007) Cliff Holloway – Fremantle Circle (2007) Brendan McGurk (deceased) – City of Mandurah and City of Perth Circles (2007) James Kenny – City of Perth Circle (2009) Terry O'Neill – Swan Valley, Avon Valley and City of Busselton Circles (2010) Donald McKechnie – Dianella Circle (2012) Reg Hill (deceased) – City of Perth Circle (2014) Gerry Barton – Liwara Circle (2016) John O'Neil (deceased) – City of Mandurah and City of Busselton Circles (2017) Patrick McManus – Como Circle (2018) Rolf Bank – Joondalup Circle (2018)
5. Kevin Brady award heads home to Mandurah
City of Mandurah President, Wayne Wright pictured with Provincial President, Kevin HefronCongratulations to the City of Mandurah Circle; the 2018 winner of the annual Kevin Brady Award presented to the Province 20 Circle that recruits the most new members in the 12 months ended 30 September each year.
With five new brothers installed by the seaside circle in 2017/18, the award was presented to a delighted President, Wayne Wright at the Provincial luncheon held at the Swan Yacht Club on Sunday 14 October 2018. It is the third time that the City of Mandurah Circle has won the keenly contested award with previous wins in 2007 and 2014. The only other multiple winners are Liwara and Dianella who have both won the award twice.
Kevin Brady passed away in 2005. A member of Como and Fremantle Circles, he is remembered as a hard-working, committed brother who embraced the spirit of the Catenian ethos and was a regular visitor to all circles in the Province.
The award given by Province 20 comprises a perpetual trophy in Kevin's honour plus a signed citation.
6. Planning for survival
Strategy working group
Contributed by Graham Mahony
In April 2018 the Central Council of the Catenian Association established the Strategy Working Group (SWG) to address the challenge of an ever-increasing ageing membership, which threatens the very survival of the Association.
The SWG is chaired by Past Grand President and Past Chairman of the Central Council, Peter Woodford (Reigate Circle in the United Kingdom) and includes two brothers from Province 20, Gerard Tonks (Darling Range Circle) and Graham Mahony (Fremantle Circle). The SWG also has two members from Province 21, one each from Victoria Area Council, Malta and India. Great Britain has nine members, including the Chairman.
The SWG is charged with the task of producing a series of position papers for discussion and consultation by members of the Association on topics that will form a final document. The consultative process and the production of the final document for the Central Council is to be produced by April 2019.
The process began with consideration of The Sense of Mission, comprising three issues; namely, who we are, what we are about and what makes us different from other Catholic organisations.
Attention was then focused on four of the six topics designed to guide the research, gathering of information and discussions as part of the SWG group responses.
In summary the six topics nominated by the Central Council were:
Ethos
Identifying the essentials and defining elements for faith-based friendship
Context for the Association
Supporting the Church
Relationships
The needs and expectations of young Catholics and families
The principals
Vision, mission and purpose – are they real and containable?
Further modernization of the Catenian Association
Desirable changes to the current model - meetings and procedures
International development
Identification of areas for future expansion and how they might be developed
Analysis of the six topics is currently being undertaken from which draft position papers will be prepared for consideration of the SWG before they are issued to Provinces and Areas for review by all Circle members.
7. The Holy Spirit is visiting Australia
Plenary Council update
Contributed by Graham Mahony
In October 2017 the Australian Catholic Bishops announced, through the Archbishop of Brisbane The Most Reverend Mark Coleridge, a Plenary Council to be conducted in Australia with the first session in 2020; scheduled for 11 – 17 October 2020 followed by a second session in Sydney in 2021. The last Plenary Council in Australia was in 1937.
The theme of the Plenary Council 2020 is "Listen to what the Spirit is saying."
Pope Francis in October 2017 stated: "A Synodal Church is a Church which listens, which realises that listening is more than simply hearing. It is a mutual listening in which everyone has something to learn. The faithful people, the College of Bishops and the Bishop of Rome; all listening to each other and listening to the Holy Spirit."
Catenian subcommittee
In November 2017 Province 20 of the Catenian Association established a Plenary Council 2020 subcommittee with the objective of canvassing input from all Catenian families. This subcommittee comprises Provincial President, Kevin Hefron, Past Provincial Presidents, Gerard Tonks and Stephen Williamson and Graham Mahony (Fremantle Circle).
The objective set by this subcommittee was to support the work of Catholic parishes in which Catenian members, wives and families belong by encouraging input to the Plenary Council.
Based on the mandate for the Plenary Council as adopted by the bishops of Australia, and to help generate ideas, the Catenian subcommittee suggests that members, wives and their families consider the following questions, which may be of assistance in framing their responses through the Archdiocese website:
- What changes, if any, are required in the Church to ensure its future in Australia?
- What leadership roles in the Church should the laity be entrusted with?
- What is required to address the changing face of the Episcopate (Church hierarchy)?
- Are there any other issues confronting your family and the Church in multi-cultural and secular Australia?
- What do these issues mean for your personal faith and for the life of the Church?
- Why have people, especially 20 to 60 year-olds, left the Church and what can be done to get them back again?
- How can we better engage with other Christians? Members of the Province 20 subcommittee have visited ladies nights of all circles to promote the Plenary Council 2020 and to encourage members, wives and families for their input through the Archdiocese website: www.plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au
The deadline for responses is 26 April 2019.
8. Renewal – National conference sets the scene
In his opening address to the Australian National Conference of the Catenian Association in Melbourne from 19 to 21 October 2018, ANC President, Ralph Fitzpatrick reminded delegates of a challenge issued by the then National President, George Kazs two years ago at the conference held in Perth to undertake a renewal process based on fulfilling the Catenian Mission for the Association in Australia.
He said that the proposed Mission Statement was "To contribute to the realisation of Christ's mission by strengthening the spiritual and family lives of Catholic laymen through the personal and collective example of faith-based friendship." Ralph said that the challenge issued was to assess how and to what extent the proposed Mission Statement reflected or should reflect the activities of members.
Ralph said that over the past two years this assessment had been facilitated through a series of workshops developed and run by Phil Murray of Canberra Circle. He said that members from all Australian circles have had the opportunity to participate in one or more of these workshops, which provided a valuable forum to share ideas for ensuring the future of the Association.
"Details of the process, the issues raised and the conclusions reached have been summarised in a report presented to this conference and will be made available to all Australian circles after this conference," Ralph said.
"This consolidated outcomes document will provide all Australian circles with ideas for change," he said, "and I stress that each circle can take from the summary the ideas it believes can best be implemented within their circle or Province."
"What is vital is that each circle decides to do something to improve the way it operates and the way its members live out the Catenian mission." Ralph suggested a shift of focus to publicising what we have to offer.
"Our support for men and their families on their faith journey is ongoing and long term," he said. "It's for life and it's vital that this good news is spread wider than just the Catenian community and even wider than the Catholic community. We need to find good news to share in the parish newsletters, circle newsletter, Catena and the press generally."
9. Ideas for change - A summary of Renewal Workshop outcomes
Following the 2016 Australian National Conference held in Perth, the ANC invited all circles and provinces in Australia to undertake a two-year renewal process based on fulfilling the proposed Mission Statement launched at the conference by the then ANC President, George Kazs: "To contribute to the realisation of Christ's mission by strengthening the spiritual and family lives of Catholic laymen through the personal and collective example of faith-based friendship."
The ANC subsequently asked Phil Murray (Canberra Circle) who had conducted a workshop at the 2016 conference at which the proposed Mission Statement was first exposed, to facilitate a series of renewal workshops extending over two years providing an opportunity for all Australian Catenians to participate sharing their experiences and ideas.
When completed, around 20 per cent of Australian Catenians representing almost all Australian circles had participated and Phil's report on the process and outcomes was presented to the 2018 Australian National Conference held in Melbourne from 19 to 21 October. This report providing ideas for change has now been distributed and made available to all Australian Catenians.
In the appendix to his report, Phil provided an extensive list of outcomes to strengthen spirituality and opportunities for developing faith-based friendships; ideas generated with the energy and enthusiasm that all of the organisers and workshop participants brought to the process.
Edited extracts of these ideas are reproduced here, but it has been recommended by ANC that councils and circles consider the complete document including summaries of workshop discussions, analysis, the challenges and outcomes.
Opportunities for developing faith-based friendships
Meeting attendance and interaction
- Whilst attendance and interaction at meetings was considered satisfactory, support of other circle and province events were not well attended and the challenge is to persuade members to give priority to such events;
- Achieving high attendance rates at meetings was dependent upon informality, cost, promotion, encouragement, trying new things to raise interest levels and attracting good speakers as drawcards;
- Non-attendees need to be targeted, persuaded and helped to attend meetings and functions;
- The rising age profile of members precludes many from being involved;
- Younger members (under 50s) tend to have family and work commitments that restrict involvement;
- Interaction at meetings can be improved by random assignment of members to dining tables;
- Circles are experimenting with occasional luncheon and even breakfast meetings to meet the needs of busier members;
- Dinner talks by members about their careers, family, travels and interests help brothers to get to know each other better; and
- Encourage discussion with one another and respond to the Australian Bishops call for comments and ideas from the laity in preparation for the Plenary Council 2020.
Social events and interaction
A wide range of functions and events were identified in the workshops for circles to consider, expanding these events to include prospective members and parishioners, where appropriate, rather than just limited to circle members and their wives:
- Daytime meetings and functions (lunches and breakfasts) especially for older and physically challenged members;
- Participation in and managing parish events such as Lenten groups and morning teas after Mass;
- Theatre and movie nights;
- Christmas dinners;
- Participation in parish barbecues and other parish functions;
- River cruises;
- Weekend, day trips and retreats;
- Promotion of Provincial and other circle events;
- Picnics, sundowners and walking groups;
- Sons and daughters events;
- Golf, bowls or croquet events; and
- Trivia nights.
Personal support
- Mentoring new members and their wives is a very important duty, normally the responsibility of the circle Membership Officer and President, but shared by all brothers; and
- Appointing a circle Welfare Officer to organise needed support for widows, widowers and members, wives and their families who are not well.
Involvement of ladies
- The involvement of wives at ladies nights and in the organisation of and participation in social functions and other events was identified as being most important.
Membership eligibility
- Invite non-regularly practising Catholics to circle meetings and dinners to provide them an opportunity to renew their faith and practice; and
- On ladies nights invite practicing Catholic ladies with their non-Catholic husbands who regularly accompany their wives to Mass.
This is an edited extract from Phil Murray's Australian renewal workshop report presented at the Australian National Conference held in Melbourne from 19 to 21 October 2018 and subsequently distributed to all Australian circles.
10. Second scholarship awarded
The Catenian Charity Inc. has awarded its second scholarship of $5,000 to a young lady, Karri Thomas who is studying at Aquinas College in Adelaide. Aged 19, she qualifies for a scholarship due to her financial circumstances.
The inaugural Catenian Charity scholarship of $5,000 was awarded at the beginning of 2018 to Ashleigh Habkouk who is reading Biomedical Science at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle Campus. The search for a second recipient began Australia-wide with the second round of applications closing on 3 October 2018.
Karri's application was vetted by the Charity's Scholarship Master and unanimously recommended by the three members of the Catenian Charity selection panel. Their views are set out hereunder:
"Karri is an amazing young person with envious school and first year University academic performances. I recommend that Karri be awarded a scholarship based on her obvious needs, her outstanding academic record, potential and necessitous circumstances."
"Karri ticks all the boxes. She is highly motivated, smart and a worthy applicant."
"Karri has demonstrated commitment to her studies and a strong will to succeed academically despite her financial need and, more recently, her cancer diagnosis. I highly recommend her as the recipient of the scholarship."
Karri was born in June 1999 and grew up on a sheep farm near the small town of Manoora about 120 kilometres north of Adelaide.
Baptised at St Anthony of Padua Church in Manoora in September 1999, Karri attended local schools for both her primary and secondary school education. She recognised that education was a critical part of her future and in 2017 she enrolled at Aquinas College (a Catholic residential college attached to the University of Adelaide) to commence a science degree. In 2017 she achieved either high distinctions or distinctions in each of the units she was studying.
Her first year of university in 2017 went smoothly, but in the first week of the first semester in 2018 she was diagnosed with stage two kidney cancer. She made the decision to defer further university attendance because her treatment would mean that she would miss many compulsory practical units.
Recommencing study in the second semester she slowly began to get back on top of things.
She has been unable to take on any paid work on top of her study commitments, which together with the cost of her medical treatment has left her facing a difficult financial position in 2019.
Her parents agreed to pay the difference between her Centrelink payments and her college fees for the first two years at college, as they did with her three older siblings, but the agreement is for her to pay for herself each year afterwards.
She would love to stay at Aquinas College in 2019 because of the high level of support she receives.
When Karri finishes as an undergraduate her wish is to undertake honours and then a Phd in the life sciences sector. She has an ambition to undertake a research project and eventually start her own business from which she can make a difference to the world.
Karri's teacher in Year 12 writes of her inter alia: "I have known Karri Thomas for seven years and during this time she has consistently presented a dedicated, motivated and aspirational attitude towards her studies and extra curricula activities."
"She is one of the few students I have taught that has the capacity to achieve anything she puts her mind to without exception. Karri has developed sound time management, prioritisation and academic skills. She consistently performs to a very high academic and moral standard, which demonstrates her capacity to learn and achieve at a high level."
"Throughout her time at high school, Karri was "Dux" in every year; demonstrating her continuous commitment to excellence. She is also highly athletically driven as she participated and was successful in all sports offered by the school."
"Karri's attention to detail is unfailing in all aspects of her life, where she exhibits her drive for achievement and accomplishment. When faced with challenges she faces them head on and problem solves solutions until a positive outcome is achieved."
"Even in the face of serious illness in 2018, Karri was determined to utilise her time to learn, so she focused her time on learning a language while in recovery. I am proud of the way that Karri dedicates herself to her studies, personal pursuits, interests and ethical standards. I am also grateful to know an individual who inspires me to aim high every day and to challenge myself to ensure there is no pathway left untraveled." Donations are tax deductible
All donations of $2 and above made to the Catenian Charity Inc. are tax deductible.
If you are interested in supporting this most worthy cause please contact the Treasurer, Geoff Prendergast (City of Mandurah Circle) on 9535 9785 or by email on pleasant@westnet.com.au
11. Celebrating 50 years of happy marriage
Swan Valley Catenian Kevin Parker and Lorraine tied the knot at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth on 12 October 1968 after a courtship and engagement of three years and three months.
It was an earth shattering time for them because just two days later on 14 October 1968 an earthquake hit the Western Australian wheatbelt town of Meckering with far reaching consequences for many parts of the State including St Mary's where a heavy stone cross was vibrated off and fell to the ground and all sides of the Cathedral were littered with shattered masonry.
Would you believe it? Kevin's young brother, Ross had been forewarned by their father that the day he walked into a church it would fall down. It was a shaky start to married life, remembered by Catenian Brother Colin Broun on the occasion of Kevin and Lorraine's 40th wedding anniversary when he sent a card asking if the earth was still moving for them.
Lorraine and Kevin survived this bumpy start and on 12 October 2018 they celebrated 50 years of marriage with Mass and the renewal of their vows at St Anthony's Catholic Church in Greenmount and the church is still standing, Kevin reports. Father Richard Sadowski concelebrated the Mass with Father Marian Brzozowski, ably assisted by Fred Miltrup who was the acolyte and Melissa Doyle did an excellent job providing the music.
The Mass and supper afterwards was attended by the Great Britain National President, John Hogan and his wife Pauline, Peter and Andrea Callaghan from Didsbury Circle in England, the Australian National President, Ralph Fitzpatrick and his wife Liana and Graham and Muriel Mahony from Fremantle Circle. Other Catenians in attendance were Terry O'Neill, Des Thompson, Colin Broun, Fred and Jean Miltrup, Patrick and Melissa Doyle, Andy and Dawn Yukich, Tom Polich and his partner Nola and Taiwo Sanusi and his fiancé Juanita.
Due to ill health good friends from the Catenian Association in England Michael and Mary Connoly and Peter and Margaret Kerr were unable to attend, however they sent cards and emails congratulating Kevin and Lorraine.
Other long distant attendees were Mike and Helen Moir (Lorraine's pen friend) from Scotland, Tom and Margaret Wright from Bridgetown and Kevin and Lorraine's daughter Michelle and one grandson, Alex from Sydney. Young Alex, who is 11 years of age, was an excellent MC who captured everyone's hearts. Kevin and Lorraine's children Michelle and Scott did an excellent job organising the night, which was a great occasion. Other attendees included Mal and Joy Brown and Lee and Shirley Powell. Mal was a groomsman and Shirley was a bridesmaid at Kevin and Lorraine's wedding. "Many other friends and family were also in attendance including Lorraine's father Bernie who is 93," Kevin writes, "but it will take too much space to mention them all."
Kevin and Lorraine's first residence after their marriage was a flat at the side of Kevin's parents home in Bassendean, then in October 1970 they moved into their own home also in Bassendean.
June 1972 saw the birth of their son, Scott and at his Christening his Godfather, Kerry Lehane who unfortunately has now passed away, did the readings. As with other big occasions, just as Kerry was performing this function thunder and lightning struck, marking this as another memorable event. Kevin's father seized the opportunity to point out that this was another message. The church was later damaged by fire. March 1975 saw the arrival of beautiful daughter Michelle and she stole the hearts of everyone.
Her christening thankfully was not as eventful as her brother's. In February 1977, Kevin was transferred to Karratha in his employment. Living in the northwest was quite an experience, which the family thoroughly enjoyed, particularly as during this period they purchased a boat, which was used extensively for providing the family and others with seafood delights including fresh oysters and delicious mud crabs. In June 1978 Kevin was transferred back to Perth and to their home in Bassendean.
Kevin and Lorraine celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in October 1993 with a home Mass and renewal of vows celebrated by Father Anton Hesse alongside the family swimming pool and under the surrounding pergolas and garden. Kevin recalls that it felt like being in a tropical paradise.
In December 1993 they moved to West Swan where they operated their own business, Lorraine's Flowers. Running this business kept them busy for the ensuing 12 years until May 2005.
It was during this time that Kevin joined the Swan Valley Circle of the Catenian Association where he has been an active Council member for over 16 years, currently serving as the circle's Provincial Councillor and as the Province 20 Membership and Expansion Officer.
In May 2005 Kevin and Lorraine moved into their current home in Jane Brook and two wonderful grandson's Alex and Luca and Luca's mother Jude, entered their lives.
Kevin retired from the motor industry in 2011, only to enter the field of human resources two years later in 2013, assisting people to gain employment. He finally retired in 2015.
Kevin and Lorraine are both active members of St Anthony's Catholic Parish in Greenmount. Kevin serves as an acolyte and Lorraine is involved in preparing the church flowers.
12. Swan Valley's Day of Reflection
Members of Swan Valley continued their privileged tradition of uniting with the Community at St Charles' Seminary in Guildford for the circle's annual day of reflection on Sunday 9 September 2018.
A total of 21 Catenian brothers and wives joined the five Seminarians, Rector Father Phillip Fleay and Vice Rector Father Mark Payton to share a most rewarding and thought-provoking day.
The day began with a wonderful Mass officiated by Father Fleay assisted by Father Payton with the Seminarians providing some amazing singing.
Faith and works
Then, after a delicious morning tea, Father Payton led the group through a reflection on the topic of "Faith and Works", concluding the session with a lively period questions and answers. In his presentation Father Payton spoke about the extensive scriptural basis and meanings of faith and works, applying his reflection to life as a Catenian brother. He said that each community of the Church faithful, such as the Catenians, has an important part to play in the mission of the universal Church.
"Each community helps form its members in the faith and takes the Gospel into the world in a particular way, through particular works," he said.
"Our faith drives us to perform particular acts of charity and the Catenians do this by making their primary purpose to establish a network of friends, which enhance their family life, strengthens their faith and sustains them in difficult times."
"The Catenians are an extension of the parish community by providing a support network of friends based on shared faith," Father Payton said. "I believe this is an important need for our parishes because faith is spread through friendships. People commonly become members of the Church through friendships, which are developed through shared interests and Catenian friendships are founded on a shared faith."
Father Payton spoke about the internal works of the Catenian community, deepening the faith of its members:
- Monthly meetings, which provided a forum to share faith and encourage the practice of the faith;
- Social events, strengthening bonds of goodwill; and
- Supporting brothers and families in difficulty or as needs arise
Father Payton also cited some of the external works of charity that are performed for the wider community:
- Supporting clergy and vocations;
- Developing young Catholics and helping to guide their careers;
- Supporting various charities;
- Making rosaries; and
- Training catechists
"These active works will be fruitful when they flow from the foundation of faith," Father Payton concluded. "These works will encourage new Catenian members as they come to see the good fruits flowing from a lived faith as a Catenian. Your community provides a structure to live the faith well."
Father Mark Payton's complete presentation is available on the website: www.stcharlesseminary.org.au (click on St Charles hosts the Catenians 9 September 2018)
13. Pilgrimage to Italy
Contributed by Harry Muller
In October 2018, Harry Muller (who is the Province 20 Provincial Secretary and Secretary of Darling Range Circle), along with a group of young people from Holy Cross College in Ellenbrook, witnessed the Canonisation ceremony of Archbishop Oscar Romero in St Peter's Square in Rome during a pilgrimage to Italy.
"I have done quite a bit of research on Archbishop Romero," Harry writes, "and find that he is someone who is a role model for all those who see social justice as a vital part of living like a true Christian in today's world."
Harry continues his story: "Our group landed in Rome for an eight day pilgrimage on 9 October 2018. The experience began with two full days on the Way of St Benedict, walking into Monte Cassino."
"Holy Cross College has a strong connection to the practice of pilgrimage. All students complete the Camino Salvado from Subiaco to New Norcia in 10 stages by the time they complete Year 12. There are also opportunities to do the last section of the Camino Portugues into Santiago de Compostela. This is the same route that Dom Rosendo Salvado would have taken from his birthplace, Tui, to Santiago de Compostela where he entered the Benedictine Monastery. This year a small group flew to Rome to attend the Canonisation Mass for the College's patron, St Oscar Romero. It was an opportunity to walk and experience a pilgrimage into a site started by St Benedict and which is his burial site."
"The first day was spent walking approximately 19 kilometres from a beautiful little town, Arpino, to Roccasecca, the birthplace of St Thomas Aquinas. On entering Roccasecca there was a huge statue of the saint. We were privileged to have his church opened for us to visit that evening.
The hospitality along the pilgrimage route was exceptional."
"The second day was the last section of this Camino and in the last few kilometres the route took us through the fields and forests where some heavy battles were fought during the Second World War. The group walked in this area in silence and with some small shrines for the fallen, one could imagine the difficult terrain the soldiers would have encountered. We eventually walked into the monastery of Monte Cassino. The monastery, which was completely destroyed in the war, was rebuilt in the 1950s and is now a complete replica of the original buildings."
"After this we made our way back to Rome to witness the canonisations on 14 October. Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey had organised tickets for us in one of the seated areas and he joined us for the day. There were seven new saints being canonised with a young man added to the group relatively recently to help celebrate the Year of Youth."
"In the year that Holy Cross College in Ellenbrook was opened in 2010, Oscar Romero was chosen as the College patron. In the intervening years, he has moved from Archbishop to Saint due to the intervention of Pope Francis. Many believe that Archbishop Oscar Romero should have been made Blessed many years before, but because of the controversy that revolved around 'liberation' theology he was never considered.
His work for the poor and marginalised in El Salvador where he witnessed many of his friends and fellow Catholics being murdered by the army has inspired many. In Rome we were privileged to also meet up with a man who had escaped El Salvador when his name appeared on a list of those who had known and worked with Oscar Romero during his lifetime.
The list meant that he was targeted for assassination. He now lives in Brisbane. One quote we found about St Oscar Romero is written here:"Romero was once asked to explain that strange phrase, "option for the poor".
He replied: "I offer you this by way of example. A building is on fire and you're watching it burn, standing and wondering if everyone is safe. Then someone tells you that your mother and sister are inside that building. Your attitude changes completely. You're frantic, your mother and sister are burning and you'd do anything to rescue them even at the cost of getting charred. That's what it means to be truly committed. If we look at poverty from the outside, as if we're looking at a fire, that's not to opt for the poor, no matter how concerned we may be. We should get inside as if our own mother and sister were burning. Indeed it's Christ who is there, hungry and suffering.
"There was a choir and small orchestra with pipe organ inside the Basilica, which, when amplified out into the square still had the magical 'Cathedral' sound," Harry continues. "People had started arriving at 5.00 am and we were seated by 8.00 am. After a wait of about an hour and a half, they started to recite the rosary in Latin to help bring the tens of thousands of people in the square into a prayerful state.
Mass started at 10.15 am and went for just over two hours. The music was wonderful and some of the interesting elements to a Mass here was that the whole Gospel was sung first in Latin and then again in Greek. The logistics behind distribution of Communion must be something that they now have completely under control. There were dozens of priests sent down from the altar to do this. The Pope, although maybe a little slower to his feet, was very alert and spoke well throughout the Liturgy."
"After the Mass the Pope travelled through the whole square in his 'Popemobile' so the majority of people were able to see him from a close range of less than 15 metres."
"The last mission for the week was a visit to the town of Subiaco in the hills to the east of Rome. Here we walked part of the Way of St Benedict up to the Monastery of St Scholastica (St Benedict's sister) where we had lunch in the old refectory before completing the climb up to St Benedict's 'Sacro Speco' – the sacred cave that St Benedict lived in as a hermit for three years in the early sixth century."
"Again, I have discovered that when one walks into a place like this, the overall impression and experience that you have is amplified as you find you are walking along the same paths that those who made the place a place of pilgrimage walked. It also gives you the time to reflect on the experience. We were there just at opening time and had the place to ourselves. Sitting inside the grotto that of course doesn't look the same 1500 years later, but gave the group a memorable experience. The two monasteries are definitely worth visiting."
"A fitting way to complete the pilgrimage to Rome," Harry writes. "I was very proud of the reverence shown by the young people who took part on the trip. The pain and joy of walking in all sorts of terrains and experiencing the entry into sacred spaces shows that the journey of experiencing spirituality in its true sense can be obtained. It follows the path that Jesus took and anyone who has been there will agree that there are many ways to experience the presence of God in our lives."
14. Letter of appreciation from scholarship winner
Anna Bakogianis, the recipient of the 2018 Youth Support Fund scholarship of $4,000, writes from London where she is completing her final elective placement at St Thomas' Hospital prior to her graduation with a medical degree from the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame Fremantle. The following extract of a letter of thanks from Anna was addressed to the Catenian Association.
Dear Catenians,
I feel very fortunate as I sit in a London café writing to you. I am here in London completing my final elective, a placement in intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital facilitated by Kings College. It has been a whirlwind trip and I can't believe it's coming to an end.
Less than 48 hours after finishing my first semester exams in mid 2018 at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle campus I was on a plane to London where I am completing my last ever placement as a student. It has been an incredible opportunity. The scholarship so generously provided to me by the Youth Support Fund of the Catenian Association has greatly assisted me on this journey and I am extremely thankful.
There are many intensive care units at St Thomas' because it is a very large hospital. I have spent my time with the consultant caring for the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) patients. These are the patients who are on machines acting as external lungs and/or hearts during a time where their own are not functioning as they should. It is a very specialised service and Australia does not have large specialised units just dedicated to ECMO such as this. It has been so interesting and I have learned a great deal.
Additionally I have been able to spend my weekends touring England and catching up with friends and family living in the UK.
However, very soon I will be on a plane back home for graduation.
Although I am ready to no longer be a student, I also can't really believe it's happening after all this time. Next year will be very different but a good and necessary change. I am excited that my family is travelling over from Victoria for the graduation events then afterwards I will go back with them for Christmas. When I return to Perth in early January I start my internship at Royal Perth Hospital, which I really look forward to.
I don't feel that I am truly able to express my gratitude to you all for this scholarship. Financial stress is a concern of many students and the Catenian Association has greatly assisted in alleviating that worry from my shoulders this year. It is something I will always remember as my career journey progresses.
Sincerely,
Anna Bakogianis
15. The story of a WWI Military Medal recipient
Dianella Brother John Gartner and his wife, Clare have for a long time harbored a yearning to take part in a commemorative tour of some of the World War One battlefields in northern France and Belgium, particularly to visit those places in which Australian soldiers served.
Their dream was finally realised in 2018, the centenary anniversary year marking the end of the First World War when John and Clare travelled to Europe in May/June 2018 to visit friends in England, Ireland and Moscow. Their trip included a 14- day cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam and finished with a tour of the battlefields.
John found from his research that a number of his forebears had joined up to serve in the First World War, including his great grandfather and Clare's great uncle, Vincent Thomas Stone. In preparing for the tour, John had researched the history of Vincent Stone and had the unique opportunity to relate his story to the tour group at his gravesite.
Vincent Thomas Stone (seated) with his older brother, Joseph Stone taken prior to Vincent's embarkation for Europe Vincent enlisted with the Australian Army on 25 September 1915, stating he was born in South Australia, was 19 years of age and his occupation was a postal worker. He was 5ft 9 in (1.75m) in height, chest measurement was 31/34 inches (78/84cm), weighed 155 lbs (70.5kg), had light brown hair, was of fair complexion and his religion was Roman Catholic. Later his medical examiner stated that he was under 18 years of age and subsequently, his mother gave permission for him to join the army.
He did some basic training at Black Boy Hill in the eastern suburbs of Perth and left Fremantle on the "Borda" disembarking at Suez and then travelling over land to Alexandria to join the "Transylvania" finally arriving in Marseilles in France on 5 April 1916. Vincent joined the 1st Entrenching Battalion on 26 June 1916 and then on 4 August 1916 joined the 12th Battalion, which was deployed to the Somme about this time. There is no record of his involvement in any action prior to April 1917, however the 12th Battalion was involved in actions in the Somme and Pozieres during that period.
Vincent was involved in an action at Lagincourt on 15 April 1917 when the Germans counter attacked with 16,000 troops. Fewer than 4,000 men of the 1st and 2nd Australian Divisions repulsed this attack and in the action Vincent was wounded in the thigh. For his part he was awarded the Military Medal and his citation reads:
"For pluck and tenacity under heavy machine gun fire. At Lagincourt at dawn on 15 April 1917 when the enemy attacked in force, Private Stone was in charge of a Lewis gun. Under direction of Lieutenant Roper he took up a position in rear of the sunken road and succeeded in turning back a strong German attack against our rear, being all the time under intense fire from two enemy machine guns. Although wounded, he continued firing until relieved by his No. 2 gunner."
The medal was noted as being awarded in person by General Birdwood.
Vincent took a long time recuperating from his wound, being treated in various military hospitals in Havre and Boulogne. He left hospital on 16 November 1917 arriving at the 12th Battalion on 24 November 1917. Between being wounded and returning to the Battalion he was promoted to lance corporal and then demoted the next day, having been absent without leave; probably celebrating his promotion.
On the night of 15 January 1918, Vincent was a guide for a ration party proceeding to "D" Company. When the party returned to base, Vincent was reported missing. He was subsequently found drowned in a bomb crater. Witnesses stated that he would have been unable to get out of the crater unassisted and his death was recorded as accidental drowning by the military inquiry. He is buried at this spot at the Ration Farm (La Plus Douve Annex) cemetery, Reference 111.B.19. His mother was supplied with three photographs (postcards) of the original grave marking and the wooden cross has subsequently been replaced with the headstone that stands today.
Vincent's grave is set in a small Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery on a farm where he is buried with about 60 other soldiers of the Great War.
In searching for his grave, John and Clare had to walk a short way through a field with dairy cattle looking on. Visiting the grave made the tour very personal for John and Clare, overshadowing the commemorative Last Post service at Menin Gate, Ypres and other memorials, museums and cemeteries of the Great War that were part of the tour. Their visit to the other Australian war memorials and the Sir John Monash Centre were also significant highlights.
16. Catenian lady's passion for arts and crafts
Barbara Pannell, the wife of Bouvard Circle Brother John Pannell and a very active parishioner of St Damien's Catholic Church at Dawesville was a lady with a love of arts and crafts, a skill she put to good use throughout her adult life.
Sadly, Barbara passed away on the morning of 30 September 2018 at Peel Hospital in Mandurah with John at her side. Her ashes will rest in the columbarium in the grounds of St Damien's Church. Barbara Pannell (nee Loring) was born on the Feast of the Assumption in 1938. She grew up on a dairy farm in Kentdale, west of Denmark in the lower southwest of Western Australia, the youngest of four girls and a brother. Her parents had migrated from England where her father had been a professional soldier having fought in the First World War and in Russia during the Russian Revolution.
She was educated at Denmark State School and, later, at St Joseph's in Albany after which she helped on the farm and in the house. Her happy memories of this time included dances in the local halls that scattered the region.
Moving to Perth to live with her eldest sister, Barbara worked at Avery Scales for a time and then at the State Library where she developed a great love of books.
She married Allan Beaton, an engineer whose work included the commissioning and maintenance of power stations in towns distant from Perth. When that involved long stays away, Barbara moved with him to towns like Derby and Port Hedland. They had two daughters, Frances and Carolyn.
Eventually settling in Perth, Barbara taught fabric crafts at the local TAFE. They holidayed in Mandurah and eventually bought a holiday house in Falcon and after Allan was diagnosed with cancer they moved there and ran a lunch bar in Mandurah.
When Allan passed away Barbara was just too young to claim a widow's pension so, with her elder daughter's help, she set up a business marbling silk fabrics for use as scarves and the like, which were sold in tourist outlets statewide. She also taught the techniques in towns all over the State sponsored by the WA Arts Council.
Meanwhile, John Pannell who also had been widowed, was organising community workshops under the auspices of TAFE, teaching activities of many kinds, largely to retired people of the district. He invited Barbara to run a workshop in marbling and she came on board enthusiastically and joined the organising group. They were married in our Lady's Assumption Catholic Church in Mandurah.
Barbara continued and expanded her teaching activities and, with John's assistance, organised activities where local arts and crafts practitioners could come together for a community based project (e.g. The Masks of Mandurah). Each year a theme was chosen; The Estuary, The Shore, The Forest and in this way local artists who normally worked in isolation, came together and shared ideas and techniques.
Barbara was keen to establish in Mandurah an event that had proved very successful in New Zealand; a Wearable Art competition. From small beginnings it has now grown into a major event that attracts entries worldwide.
For these and other initiatives, Barbara was twice nominated as Mandurah's Citizen of the Year.
Later in life, Barbara and her great friend Judith Gardiner, the wife of City of Mandurah and Bouvard Circles' Brother Max Gardiner, started a knitting group in Mandurah where ladies can spend time together and knit for welfare organisations such as Wheelchairs for Kids.
Barbara was a very active parishioner in St Damien's Parish in Dawesville. She and Judith Gardiner made fabric furnishings for the church, ran craft stalls and raised the money for, among other things, the slumped glass doors at the entrance of the church and the windows above the altar. She headed the flower arrangement group and started another group called "The Anything Club" where people, mainly ladies, could do their own thing, share knowledge and skills or just enjoy the company.
Sadly, Barbara developed the same kind of cancer that killed her husband, Allan. Complications set in and she passed away on 30 September 2018. She will be sorely missed, not only in the parish but also in the wider Peel Region.
Contributed by John Pannell Bouvard Circle
17.Obituaries
Ray Polglase
1942 – 2018
City of Mandurah brothers and wives were saddened by the loss of Ray Polglase who passed away on 7 September 2018 at the age of 76. His Requiem Mass was held at Our Lady's Assumption Catholic Church in Mandurah on 12 September 2018 attended by family, friends and a large number of Catenian Brothers who formed a guard of honour as the hearse was driven away.
Ray joined the City of Mandurah Circle in 1994 serving two terms as Treasurer, Vice President in 2000/01, President in 2001/02, Welfare Officer and Provincial Councillor. He was President when the circle won the prestigious Province 20 Visitors Cup in 2001 and was the driving force behind the establishment of a scholarship called the Christian Leadership Scholarship with an annual award of $500 provided to a student of the Mandurah Catholic College.
Ray grew up in Beaconsfield in Western Australia and attended the Christ the King Primary School and then CBC Fremantle through to year 12. His first job was with Cooperative Bulk Handling, before moving to the country to work on the wheat bins in the Eastern wheat belt.
Just before his 21st birthday, Ray went to Darwin and worked in the accounts section of the Department of Health. He loved the Darwin life style and enjoyed the hot tropical weather and the sporting life, especially the camping.
When his mother passed away in 1967 leaving his father alone, Ray left Darwin and returned to Perth joining accounting firm Francis A Jones and Associates where he was made a partner after qualifying as an accountant.
It was during this time that Ray and Irene married and had two children, Mark and Kathryn. He remained with Francis A Jones for 18 years after which he and Irene purchased a caravan park in Geraldton, which they operated for four years before returning to Perth. In 1992 Ray purchased a tax agency, ITP in Mandurah and the family has enjoyed living in this part of the world ever since.
Ray was introduced to Reg Newman who was the Founder President of the City of Mandurah Circle and he joined the circle in 1994. He became a faithful and popular Catenian for 24 years. In recent years Ray suffered from Alzheimer's disease and lived in Mandurah in high care. He was no longer able to attend meetings, but retained his status in the Association as a Catenian "friend."
In eulogies given at their father's Requiem Mass, Mark and Kathryn related memories of the camping and caravan holidays that the family enjoyed: swimming, crabbing and fishing. Kathryn said that it was the simple things that made her father happy. His favourite holidays were in caravans and tents; ideally sitting around a fire or a barbecue and a bonus was if there was water nearby so that he could go fishing.
John O'Neil
1935 – 2018
Just eight months after the death of his beloved wife, JoAnn, John O'Neil passed away peacefully in Mandurah on 21 September 2018 after a long illness. A member of the City of Mandurah Circle for 23 years, in 2017 John was honoured with Life Membership of Province 20 in recognition of his 12 years of service on Provincial Council. John joined the seaside circle in 1995, serving as Membership Officer, Vice President and President for two years before his election as the circle's Provincial Councillor in 2001.
He was then appointed Provincial Membership Officer, a position he held for two years before taking over the important role of Records Officer in 2004, serving in that role until 2011. During this time John was instrumental in the enhancement and development of the Province database. In his last year on Provincial Council in 2011/12 he held the office of Provincial Secretary.
John was an active Catenian, strengthening the Association through his willingness to work hard and promote membership.
He made a significant contribution to the formation and inauguration of new circles at Bouvard and the City of Busselton and was a Founder member of both.
John was also active in the parish life of the Catholic Church. He served as an acoloyte at Our Lady's Assumption Catholic Church in Mandurah for many years and with his wife JoAnn had a long involvement in the Catholic Marriage Encounter program, which was an important part of their lives for over 40 years.
Born in the USA on 27 August 1935, John grew up in Los Angeles. He met JoAnn in 1963 when he was working for the Sanoma State College managing the student records system. They were married on 4 April 1964 at the Catholic Church in Cotati in California and lived in Sebastopol in California. About 11 months after their marriage in March 1965 their son Bill was born and soon after that they adopted two children from JoAnn's first marriage, Kristi and John and the family moved to Sydney in 1968.
John had a number of teaching positions including time at the Toowoomba Institute of Technology in Queensland before moving to Western Australia where he had secured a lecturing position at the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University) where he worked for several years.
Prior to their move to Halls Head in Mandurah, John and JoAnn lived in Bunbury for two and a half years where John worked for the Bishop of Bunbury. On moving to Mandurah they immediately became active in Our Lady's Assumption Parish where they successfully obtained Federal Government funding and formed Quality Relationships Australia, which sought to enrich family lives of people living in the Peel Region.
Both John and JoAnn will be remembered as a loving couple, completely devoted to each other and their family and for their outstanding contribution to the Church and community in which they lived.
John Lowe
1933 – 2018
Fremantle Circle lost one of its longest serving and committed brothers with the passing of John Lowe on 5 October 2018. John joined the circle in 1984, not long after it was inaugurated in February 1981 and was a loyal member for 34 years. He will be sadly missed and remembered by his fellow brothers for his amazing general knowledge. In his eulogy at John's Requiem Mass held at Mater Christi Catholic Church in Yangebup, his long time friend and Fremantle Brother, Dick Finucane said that a limit of two prizes had to be set for the traditional quiz conducted at monthly meetings, otherwise John would have answered all the questions and scooped the prize pool.
Dick said that John was the kind of person you could trust your life with; very organised, loyal, totally honest and trustworthy, but although he possessed all these excellent qualities, he was also a remarkably humble man.
A family eulogy written by his daughter, Brenda with the help of her three sisters, Donna, Marie and Carla was read by Brenda's husband, Adam on behalf of John's wife of 52 years, Yvonne, his four daughters and their partners and his eight grandchildren.
Brenda wrote: "Dad was the third of five children. His two brothers have already passed away and his surviving sisters, Mary and Shirley, were unable to attend his Requiem Mass due to their own ill health."
"Dad was always there for us in our childhood. An accountant, he worked hard during the week, but his weekends were devoted to his wife and daughters, whether this involved ferrying us all to netball in the winter or having a game of backyard cricket in the summer. He was a very devout Catholic and made sure that we all attended Mass every Sunday and developed our faith. Afterwards he would cook us a bacon and chip breakfast, which became a great family tradition."
"Like many men of his generation, Dad had a real sense of community, decency and integrity, holding committee positions either for his sporting clubs or the Catenians."
"In his younger days Dad had a great love of fishing, taking his family on trips to Woodman's Point, Albany, Kalbarri and Port Gregory, amongst other places. After he retired fishing became a great source of enjoyment for Dad and he took many trips to the Abrolhos. He was also a keen cricketer, playing with the CBC Cricket Club until well into his 40s and then coaching at the club.
He loved soccer and always followed the English football league, listening to the radio roundup on Sunday evenings. Dad also enjoyed golf and played for many years until eventually having to give it up due to ill health."
After his daughters had all left home, John retired and he and Yvonne enjoyed travelling on cruises and taking other holidays.
Reg Newman
1920 – 2018
A large number of Catenian brothers and wives joined with family and friends to celebrate the life of Reg Newman at our Lady's Assumption Catholic Church in Mandurah on 27 November 2018.
Reg passed away peacefully on 13 November 2018, the dearly loved husband of Mavis, loving father of Paul, Kathleen, Gregory and Rosemary adored Pop of nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
At the age of 98 Reg was the oldest Catenian in Province 20. He joined Como Circle in 1987, about two years after the circle was inaugurated, and was instrumental in the formation of the City of Mandurah Circle where he was the Founder President when it was inaugurated in 1991. He remained a loyal and committed brother for 31 years in his latter years as a "friend" when no longer able to attend meetings. His fellow Catenian brothers formed a traditional Guard of Honour after the Mass in recognition of his outstanding service and friendship.
Reg was born in England on 1 July 1920 and migrated to Australia in 1931, spending his early life working as a jackaroo on sheep stations at Carnarvon and Dalwallinu. Later he managed a citrus farm in Gosnells at the same time attending night school to gain qualifications in commercial law, bookkeeping and business principles.
In 1940 Reg enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and had a distinguished record with the 1/16th Infantry serving in India, Palestine, the Western Desert, Mersa Matruh, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon during the following two years. He was promoted to Corporal in the Intelligence Corps, and his battalion was moved for jungle training in Queensland where he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. When he learned that the 2/16th was going to be sent to New Guinea, Reg applied for a transfer back to his old unit where he assumed the rank of Corporal and headed for Port Moresby. He was on active service in Papua New Guinea from 1942 to 1944, including on the legendary Kokoda Track.
Returning to civilian life he joined the Public Service and was employed as District Employment Officer at Bridgetown where he met and married the love of his life, Mavis in 1948. Reg and Mavis celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in August 2018. Over the 55 years of his working life, Reg found time to be the Founder President of the Bunbury Jaycees, was a representative on State Council for Government Aid for Catholic Schools, a member of the Holy Name Society, a member of the Knights of the Southern Cross and the Catenian Association.
After his retirement Reg and Mavis moved to Mandurah where he became active in church activities at our Lady's Assumption Parish in Mandurah.
Reg will be remembered as a high achiever and a hard worker who had to fend for himself at a young age; a devoted husband to Mavis and loving father, grandfather and great grandfather.
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