Papal Mass in Saint Mary's Cathedral Sydney

On Saturday morning, 19th July, His Holiness Pope Benedict was received at Saint Mary's Minor Basilica Sydney and celebrated Mass for Seminarians and young Religious from around the world. This Mass was also the occasion for the dedication of a new marble free-standing altar, the creation of sculptor Nigel Boonham. The most prominent feature of this altar is a depiction of Christ lying dead in the tomb. The choice by Cardinal Pell of such a representation of Christ has not been without criticism. Two years of restoration works preceded the arrival of the Pope to the Sydney Cathedral, but the predominant internal works were the provision of new timber furnishings and screens in the chancel and a splendid new floor of terracotta-coloured stone over the nave, transepts and ambulatories of the Cathedral.

The Mass itself was a most glorious celebration, easily surpassing other Masses celebrated by His Holiness outside the City of Rome. Music was provided by Saint Mary's Cathedral choir and a schola of seminarians. The Gregorian Propers of the Mass, together with the psalms for the dedication of an altar were rendered beautifully. Simply splendid and inspiring were the other hymns (Australian compositions from the early 1960's), polyphonic anthems and parts of the Ordinary. It was hard not to draw the conclusion that this was the Cathedral choir's finest hour. Most moving, however, was the gusto with which the entire congregation sang Credo III, the Pater Noster and the Te Deum, all in Latin to the Gregorian settings.

We are pleased to include these photographs, some by courtesy of the Papa Ratzinger Forum and the (Sydney) Daily Telegraph. One photo of interest shews the Papal vestments laid out in the sacristy prior to the Mass:

A seminarian and religious being presented to His Holiness:

The Sprinkling with Holy Water:

His Holiness preaching from the Cathedra:

During the singing of the Litany of the Saints:

His Holiness anointing the new altar:

At the Offertory:

The Procession leaving the chancel of the Cathedral:

A general view of the Cathedral chancel (all the timber-work shewn is new):

Detail of the new altar, designed and sculpted by Nigel Boonham:

Reform of the Reform of the Reform

Performers
"Eucharistic Celebration on the Occasion of the 23rd World Youth Day"
Royal Randwick Racecourse, Randwick, NSW, Australia - July 20, 2008

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Images:
AP/Andrew Brownbill - Reuters/Mick Tsikas - AFP/William West

This is Catholicism

In a few words, a Catholic view of the world.

False “gods”, whatever name, shape or form we give them, are nearly always associated with the worship of three things: material possessions, possessive love, or power. Let me explain what I mean.

Material possessions, in themselves, are good. We would not survive for long without money, clothing and shelter. We must eat in order to stay alive. Yet if we are greedy, if we refuse to share what we have with the hungry and the poor, then we make our possessions into a false god. How many voices in our materialist society tell us that happiness is to be found by acquiring as many possessions and luxuries as we can! But this is to make possessions into a false god. Instead of bringing life, they bring death.

Authentic love is obviously something good. Without it, life would hardly be worth living. It fulfills our deepest need, and when we love, we become most fully ourselves, most fully human. But how easily it can be made into a false god! People often think they are being loving when actually they are being possessive or manipulative. People sometimes treat others as objects to satisfy their own needs rather than as persons to be loved and cherished. How easy it is to be deceived by the many voices in our society that advocate a permissive approach to sexuality, without regard for modesty, self-respect or the moral values that bring quality to human relationships! This is worship of a false god. Instead of bringing life, it brings death.

The power God has given us to shape the world around us is obviously something good. Used properly and responsibly, it enables us to transform people’s lives. Every community needs good leaders. Yet how tempting it can be to grasp at power for its own sake, to seek to dominate others or to exploit the natural environment for selfish purposes! This is to make power into a false god. Instead of bringing life, it brings death.

The cult of material possessions, the cult of possessive love and the cult of power often lead people to attempt to “play God”: to try to seize total control, with no regard for the wisdom or the commandments that God has made known to us. This is the path that leads towards death. By contrast, worship of the one true God means recognizing in him the source of all goodness, entrusting ourselves to him, opening ourselves to the healing power of his grace and obeying his commandments: that is the way to choose life.

Benedict XVI
Address - Meeting with disadvantaged people - Sydney
July 18, 2008

Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega

[R]eligion, by reminding us of human finitude and weakness, also enjoins us not to place our ultimate hope in this passing world. Man is "like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow". All of us have experienced the disappointment of falling short of the good we wish to accomplish and the difficulty of making the right choice in complex situations.

The Church shares these observations with other religions. Motivated by charity, she approaches dialogue believing that the true source of freedom is found in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Christians believe it is he who fully discloses the human potential for virtue and goodness, and he who liberates us from sin and darkness. The universality of human experience, which transcends all geographical boundaries and cultural limitations, makes it possible for followers of religions to engage in dialogue so as to grapple with the mystery of life’s joys and sufferings. In this regard, the Church eagerly seeks opportunities to listen to the spiritual experience of other religions. We could say that all religions aim to penetrate the profound meaning of human existence by linking it to an origin or principle outside itself. Religions offer an attempt to understand the cosmos as coming from and returning to this origin or principle. Christians believe that God has revealed this origin and principle in Jesus, whom the Bible refers to as the "Alpha and Omega".

Benedict XVI
Address to representatives of other religions
Read also: Address in ecumenical meeting
July 18, 2008

Social Environmentalism

...what of our social environment? Are we equally alert to the signs of turning our back on the moral structure with which God has endowed humanity? Do we recognize that the innate dignity of every individual rests on his or her deepest identity - as image of the Creator - and therefore that human rights are universal, based on the natural law, and not something dependent upon negotiation or patronage, let alone compromise? And so we are led to reflect on what place the poor and the elderly, immigrants and the voiceless, have in our societies. How can it be that domestic violence torments so many mothers and children? How can it be that the most wondrous and sacred human space – the womb – has become a place of unutterable violence?

My dear friends, God’s creation is one and it is good. The concerns for non-violence, sustainable development, justice and peace, and care for our environment are of vital importance for humanity. They cannot, however, be understood apart from a profound reflection upon the innate dignity of every human life from conception to natural death: a dignity conferred by God himself and thus inviolable.

Benedict XVI
Address - Sydney, Australia
July 17, 2008

Indulgences during Pope's visit to Australia

For Catholics in Australia and elsewhere (Decree in English).

Juventutem's Sydney launch: Countdown to WYD

Members and friends of Juventutem Australia converged at St Augustine's Church Balmain (Sydney) last Saturday (24th May), to mark the final preparatory phase before World Youth Day. Appropriately, Our Lady Help of Christians (24th May), is the patronal feast of Australia and the 4th anniversary of the founding of the Juventutem movement in 2004.

Solemn Mass was celebrated at St Augustine's Church Balmain by Fr Glen Tattersall (Spiritual Director of Juventutem Australia), assisted by Fr Terence Naughtin OFM Conv, and Fr Michael McCaffrey FSSP.

The beautiful church of Saint Augustine, built in 1907 in the arts and craft style, is conveniently located in an historic inner suburb minutes by bus, car or ferry from Sydney's CBD. St Augustine's will be the official Church of Juventutem during WYD in Sydney. For further photos and a history of the church, please visit the parish website .


A magnificent program, commencing in Melbourne on Thursday 10th July, and continuing in Sydney from Tuesday 15th July, is now in place for Juventutem. Highlights include:

Week 1: Days in the Dioceses in Melbourne
(St. Aloysius' Church, 233 Balaclava Rd, Caulfield North)

Thursday, 10th July
Chant Workshops, 7.30pm Solemn Pontifical Mass (Bishop Basil Meeking), Exposition of Blessed Sacrament overnight until Friday morning.

Friday, 11th July
Low Masses, Chant workshops, Exposition of Blessed Sacrament and Compline.

Saturday, 12th July
11.00am Solemn Pontifical Mass at the Throne (Archbishop Denis Hart).

Sunday, 13th July
11.00am Solemn Mass (Fr Glen Tattersall), 4.00pm Solemn Vespers.

Week 2: World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney
(St. Augustine's Church, 3 Jane St, Balmain)

Tuesday, 15th July
Chant workshops, 7.30pm Solemn Mass (Fr Denis Buchholz ICK).

Wednesday, 16th July
9.00am Catechesis, 11.00am (approx) Solemn Pontifical Mass (Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett), 2.00pm Chant Workshop, 4.00pm Solemn Pontifical Vespers at the Throne (Cardinal Pell).
Thursday, 17th July
9.00am Catechesis, 11.00am (approx) Solemn Pontifical Mass (Bishop Peter Elliott), Compline.

Friday, 18th July
9.00am Catechesis, 11.00am (approx) Solemn Pontifical Mass (Bishop Basil Meeking), 8.00pm Solemn Mass (Maternal Heart Chapel, Lewisham), Compline

Juventutem is not only for those already committed to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, but also seeks to introduce young Catholics who have not yet experienced this liturgy to their own heritage of worship, and the spirituality and culture that are part of this. This will be done in a way that is “user friendly”, with talks and literature aimed at educating and assisting those who are experiencing this liturgy for the first time. Everyone is welcome!

A special feature of Juventutem at this WYD will be chant workshops led by Scott Turkington. In particular, on Wed 16th July at 2.00pm, Mr Turkington will be conducting a special chant workshop for all pilgrims at St. Augustine's, an official WYD Youth Festival Activity. In preparation for this, Juventutem Australia will be holding a series of introductory chant workshops in Sydney during June titled “The EnCHANTment Project” which all are invited to attend – please visit www.juventutem-australia.com for further details.


In addition to pilgrims from around Australia, Juventutem now has participants registered for its WYD chapter from New Zealand, France, the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, the Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda. We are still waiting to hear from our friends in the UK and Ireland, and a few other countries! It is still - barely! - not too late to register, but we need you to act now!

To register with Juventutem, go here.

Venite, fratres et sorores in Christo! Let us rendezvous in Melbourne, and then gather around our beloved Pope Benedict in Sydney. Godspeed!