Welcome to Fr. Kazimierz Szalaj SVD

We are very happy to welcome our confrere Fr. Kazimierz Szalaj SVD to St Mary-on-the-Quay. He is usually called “Father Casimir”. He is from Karolewo, in the North East of Poland, and will be staying with the SVD Community. We hope that his time with us will be blessed by the Lord.

International Carol Service

Congratulations to St Mary-on-the-Quay’s children’s group and Filipino music group, both of whom represented the parish in the International Carol Service at St Bonaventure’s Church and gave accomplished and enjoyable performances. Special thanks to Lisa, Helen & Simon who have done amazing job to train the children patiently. Thanks also to members of our parish community who came to give their support at this event.

A Week in Water Buffalo Country

(John Prior reflects on his trip to Indonesia)

I had never been to a water-buffalo market before. Yes, we have a few surviving buffalos on Flores, and many more wallowing in the mud on neighbouring Sumba isle, but nothing to compare to Tana Toraja in southern Sulawesi on market day. I counted over two hundred of the beasts. They were selling at astronomical prices too – from a mere seven million rupiahs (AUD 929) for a baby to 150 million (AUD 19,905) for a prize beast with 70 million (AUD 9,286) as average. Beside the buffalos were the pigs – also in their hundreds, tied onto bamboo mats or singly onto bamboo poles as they raced down the road as pavilion passengers on the back of motor cycles. No wonder Tana Toraja is tied to Bali as one of the “must see” tourist spots of Indonesia. And I haven’t mentioned the photogenic ancestors’ graves hanging precariously off cliff sides.

I wasn’t quite the tourist, though. Some 131 pastors of the Toraja Protestant Church were at a two-week ongoing formation workshop (15-29 September 2008) for those ordained during the past five years. Over 50% of the ordained pastors are women. I was invited to accompany them for much of the first week.

Protestant pastors live more simple lives than their Catholic colleagues. Married with children and 100% dependent on their small congregations for their livelihood, unsurprisingly some were not given permission to attend by the local congregation who had to find the cost of travel and accommodation from their slender resources.

We began each morning at 5:30 with lectio divina in contemplative mode. While the pastors were professional students of the bible and able preachers, very few had prayed the scriptures meditatively. Some were very struck by the morning exercises, mostly the women. (Overuse of the bible to instruct and advise, I expect.)

I took the pastors through the “pastoral circle”. First they identified key experiences that give rise to fundamental questions; then they undertook a social-cultural analysis of the issues raised. This analysis was then correlated with their faith tradition and theology; social analysis sharpens our biblical insights while our biblical faith gives meaning to the social issues. This process then challenges them to take a stand, a clear option, which in turn should lead to our identifying further key issues and so the pastoral cycle or spiral continues. In a congregation the pastor positions her/himself as facilitator of the process. In the workshop most of this work was done in ten groups as we engaged in “doing theology” contextually.

How many of the pastors will be willing to give up full-time “routine” pastoral work to engage the elders and people in the “pastoral circle” remains to be seen. Many of them honestly stated that when they are 100% financially dependent upon the congregation, they are inclined to please the “sponsors” rather than lead them to question, probe and critique which process might well put one’s livelihood on the line. What freedom we Catholic clergy have, if only …

The singing was fantastic; all in local Torajan melodies, many in the local tongue. In Tiku Rari the church has a first rate musician and composer. The workshop was run by the “Institut Teologi” – a centre for ongoing formation run by Pastor Ery Hutabarat-Lebang. She is the daughter of one of the first locally ordained pastors. Her father had just primary schooling and was ordained at the age of 16 after a crash course in theology during the Japanese occupation (1942-45) when the Dutch missioners were interned. (The Catholic Church was run by village catechists during the occupation; when the Dutch priests returned they reverted to their previous subservient role.) His daughter has a doctorate in theology from the USA and spent ten years in Hong Kong coordinating theological education for the Asian Churches. Such is the leap made by the church, as also by the country, within a short generation.

In Indonesia old labels are confusing. This is meant to be a “Calvinist” Church and yet they invite a Catholic priest to update their pastors. On Sunday I joined in one congregation who were celebrating a harvest festival (they celebrate harvests three times a year!); I have never returned from a Catholic Sunday liturgy, even in alcohol-drenched Flores, with my belly full of potent palm wine (tuak putih). However much Rome is reaffirming “Catholic” identity and attempting to “re-Hellenise” our theology, Protestant-Catholic distinctiveness is dissipating at the grassroots. Deo gratias.

John Prior svd

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Fr Jiji: Farewell and congratulations to Fr Jiji who leaves us on Tuesday to return to Taiwan after successfully completing his studies at Bristol University. He will be greatly missed not only by us but also by the Indian community around the diocese for whom he has regularly celebrated Mass in the Syro-Malabar Rite. We wish him every blessing in the future.

International Carol Service: This event at St Bonaventure's Church, Bishopston at 7.00 pm this Friday 9th January will include contributions from two of our SMQ Parish groups: our children's group and also the Filipino music group. Please come along if you can to support them and enjoy music from Bristol's international communities followed by refreshments. The church is at the top of Egerton Road, Bishopston (entry to the car-park is via Berkeley Road).

Sunday Bulletin: Third week of Ordinary Time (B)

Induction: The date of Fr. Nico’s Induction as Parish Priest of St Mary-on-the-Quay has been set for Sunday 22nd February. It will take place at the 5.15pm Mass. The induction will be led by Dean of Bristol South, Rev Michael Fountaine. The provincial of the Irish-British Province of the Society of the Divine Word, Fr. Brian O’Reilly, will be present for the celebration. All are welcome.

St Joseph Freinademetz: Thursday 29th of February at 12.15pm Mass, we celebrate the feast of St Joseph Freinademetz. He was born in Oies, South Tyrol, on April 15, 1852. He joined the Society of the Divine Word in 1878. Saint Arnold commissioned him to China in 1879. He worked in Hong Kong and South Shantung as a pioneer founder of new Christian communities. After 30 years of ministry in China, Joseph died of typhus he contracted while ministering to the sick. “I am more Chinese than Tyrolese, and I want to be Chinese in heaven also.” – St. Joseph Freinademetz

Clifton Diocese Newsletter: Please sign up for this useful round-up of news, views, events and other information from around our diocese. It is easy to do, just go to our website www.cliftondiocese.com and register your email address. The newsletter links readers to our website which publishes news about life in our diocese. Please also contribute your news of local Catholic life to our award-winning website.

News from Saint Brendan’s College: “An Open Evening is being held at Saint Brendan’s College on 4th February 2009 from 6pm-8pm, offering advice and guidance about further education courses at the College starting September 2009. All are welcome; no appointments are necessary. Telephone 0117 903 9967 for further details.”