The Catholic Church in China

The Catholic Church in China
presented by Sean Donovan

The Holy Father issued, in late May 2007, his letter to Chinese Catholics calling for unity between the 'underground' and 'state sanctioned' members of the Church.

Sean Donovan has recently returned from two months study in Chinese International Relations at Fudan University in Shanghai where he wrote two papers on China's position in the globalised group of nations. As part of this work he completed a case study looking at the current situation of the Catholic Church in China. He also experienced the Catholic Church life in Shanghai and Beijing.

You are invited to come to a presentation and discussion of the history and status of the Catholic Church in China. Sean will discuss the  operation of the communist system in controlling Church activities and the ongoing persecution of Church members.

Where: St John's Hall Meeting Room
When: Sunday, 2nd September
Time: 6:30pm

WYD08 Meeting Notes

Notes from the WYD08 Meeting
Sunday 26 August 2007 at 6pm
St John's Parish Hall Meeting Room

Please let me know if there are any amendments required.
Next Meeting Date:  Sunday 9th September at 6pm


1. "Receive the Power" anthem - lyrics distributed and sung

2. The home stay co-ordinators will be Pat and Mick Webb. Anyone wishing to offer their homes for visiting pilgrims should contact Pat or Mick.

3. Calendar - Upcoming events

***  8th September Saturday - Youth Leadership Training

Youth Leadership Training - a day to inform and train people of any age interested in Catholic youth or young adult ministry. This is particularly important for those currently involved in leading a Catholic youth group, youth events or youth retreats or those intending to be involved in leading in the future.

Saturday 8 September 10.00am - 4.00pm at Xavier Centre Bond Street Bellambi

The day will include: Child Protection Information for youth groups, youth weekends & youth events, and Public Speaking and witnessing to your faith - a workshop on sharing your faith journey. Cost – gold coin donation. Lunch is provided. Contact Christy Honeysett for further information on youth@dow.org.au


*** 22nd September Saturday - St John's Fete

A stall is to be organised and manned through the day. Carolyn Baragry will make enquiries about getting a stall. Youth required to man on the stall.


*** 26th March 2008 Wednesday - Journey of the Cross (Heads Up)

The WYD cross will be in the Campbelltown area from 24th to 28th March 2008, but specifically in Campbelltown on 26th March. It will move from St Gregory's in the morning, to UWS at lunch, St Patrick's in the afternoon, then the Art Gallery for the main celebrations at 6pm, and then overnighting at St John the Evangelist. The cross will then move on to Narellan.



4. Support Teams - Co-ordinators

Home Stay - Pat and Mick Webb
Publicity/Fundraising - Greg Simoni - simoni1@iinet.com.au
Auxilliary/Functions - Carolyn Baragry - cbaragry@marsden.net.au

Positions still to be filled
Treasurer - Anyone good with accounts?
Transport - Arranging transport for those with no car

5. Promotions

*** Kerry McDonald will investigate contacts and opportunities for in-school promotions. Past WYD attendees to be asked to speak (please contact us if you know anyone who has attended).

*** Shirts - The WYD shirt selection was viewed and it was agreed that Campbelltown would use the bright blue collared shirts. These stand-out and will be readily identifiable as WYD. The Youth Group will also use these shirts until after WYD for consistency. Sean Donovan will lodge a request for a fundraiser code which will entitle us to a discount (percentage to be confirmed).

*** Greg Simoni tabled a draft WYD letter to be sent. We will apply for approval to use the WYD logo for the youth group. Greg advised that the Youth Group will meet next Sunday at 3pm. Greg will also contact the youth group co-ordinators at neighbouring parishes to find out what they are doing and arrange joint events.


6. Other items

*** Various newsletters and notes distributed
*** Prohibited Persons declaration forms will be available at the next meeting
*** It was agreed that meetings will be held each fortnight on Sunday at 6pm

Next Meeting Date:  Sunday 9th September at 6pm


PS.
Following the WYD meeting there was a talk by members of Cursillo ahead of their retreat next weekend. It was suggested that this may also be a good option for those wishing to experience grass-roots Christianity. The WOLLONGONG CATHOLIC CURSILLO will be running a weekend for MEN from 30 August to 2 September, and for WOMEN from 28 September to 1 October. Further details ring Kevin & Margaret French on 4628 9250.

Sad news - please read

I am forwarding this note that relates to one of my work colleagues. She worked a couple of desks up from my office and would often be first in the office each day. I would see her most mornings down at the Gym with her husband. She was a regular at our weekly Catholic masses on campus. Your prayers are requested. She is 32 years old.

 

Sad News and a Request

A lot of you may not know Thi Bui, who works on level 9 in the neo development team, but even so I ask that you please read through this email and consider the request.



The short story
Thi had her 2nd child in May but unfortunately the cancer that she was diagnosed with in about the 20th week of her pregnancy has become terminal and she is not expected to live very long. Her husband Peter is devastated and faced with raising their 2 young daughters alone.

The request
Please consider contributing to a collection that will be sent to her husband Peter. We expect that the money will go towards funeral expenses. Drew is creating a card for Pat with a picture of Thi and we will circulate that to ITD staff in the Tower. Please consider donating to the collection, even if you didn't get a chance to know her, because it can make a difference, even if its a small one, to the family to know that her work colleagues are thinking of her. Money can also be left with ITD Reception, or given to Pat or Julie.
 
The longer story
Thi is a lovely, gentle, quiet woman who adores her family. She started work at UTS in June 2005 and at that time she had a daughter, Gabrielle, who is now 4. Earlier this year, during her 2nd pregnancy, Thi was diagnosed with bowel cancer and she was faced with the impossible decision of continuing the pregnancy or terminating it. She continued as long as she could so that her daughter could be born with the best chance of survival. Annabel was born prematurely by caesarean but is now a healthy baby. After recuperating from the caesarean, Thi had been undergoing chemotherapy but it was not successful. She underwent an operation to remove the growth last week but the cancer had spread and they could not continue the operation. Thi is currently in hospital but has been taken off life support.

Greetings Leatherjackets!

Greetings Leatherjackets!

I have returned from the the land of the Great Wall and Banquets. Time to update on things happening at Liverpool Masters Swimming.

* Kate Travelling: Kate will be away for several weeks travelling. Bon Voyage and come back safely! In Kate's absence she has left us a set of programmes to keep us honest.

* New Memberships for 2008: Masters Swimming has opened new memberships for 2008 with the usual 15 months for the price of 12 deal. If you know anyone who might be interested, let them know. We will be putting some posters up at the pool as well.

* Upcoming carnivals:
- Warringah Carnival Saturday 22nd September. Entries close next week.$18.
- NSW Short Course Championships at Tuggeranong in the ACT on 20-21 October. Entries close 26th September. $20 + $3 per swim
- Hills Carnival Saturday 3rd November. Entries close 12th October. $12.

* Social Events: I have finally put the photo's from the June BBQ up at http://picasaweb.google.com/SMP.Donovan/2007JuneBBQ
Time to start planning the next event! Come to training next week armed with ideas. :-)

* FINA World Master Swimming Championships are only eight months away! 15-25 April in Perth. Start training now!!


See you in the pool!
Sean

Cursillo Talk

Cursillo

Information Evening
Sunday 26th August at 6:30pm
St John's Parish Hall
Cordeaux Street, Campbelltown

If you are wondering about the Cursillo course, and would like to know a little bit more before committing to a full weekend, then please come along this Sunday evening to hear what it is all about and have your questions answered.

The Cursillo is "little course in Christianity" which is intended to give a deeper insight to our relationship with God, our vocation in the church and the importance of an Apostolic Christian Community.

This international movement founded in Spain in the late 1940's and begun in Australia in 1965 offers short courses ('cursillo' in Spanish) in Christian spirituality with ongoing small Christian community development.

The WOLLONGONG CATHOLIC CURSILLO will be running a weekend for MEN from 30 August to 2 September, and for WOMEN from 28 September to 1 October. Further details ring Kevin & Margaret French on 4628 9250.

Beijing Photo's

Hi!

I have posted my Beijing photo's at http://picasaweb.google.com/SMP.Donovan/Beijing

Enjoy!
Sean

FaithWorx - WYD 2008

world youth day sydney 2008
campbelltown team meeting

You are invited to join the Campbelltown WYD08 team this Sunday at 6pm, right after 5pm mass, in the St John's Parish Hall Meeting Room.

There are only 329 days to go before WYD08 in Sydney. Be a part of this global event of praise and worship. Use your talents for God!

Youth and adults are welcome to participate. Perhaps someone you know or someone in your family might also like to join in. Don't be afraid to ask.

Check out the web site at http://www.wyd2008.org

Welcome to Beijing

Welcome to Beijing!

 

I flew to Beijing last Saturday morning. Against my better judgement, as I had so much booty to take back for friends and relatives, I checked some luggage on the flight. Checking luggage is something I don't, as a rule, do because it is such a hassle. This was no exception. We landed at around 11:50am and made our way to the baggage carousel. I was chatting with a fellow traveller from San Francisco who was in China on business. After about an hour his bag made it out and he said his goodbyes. Some time later my flight scrolled off the list and into oblivion. People from other flights arrived at the carousel and started collecting their bags. I went over to the domestic luggage enquiries counter where a number of staff were milling about avoiding eye contact with the many people trying to make enquiries. After several attempts I finally engaged a lady (I use this term under advice) who tapped on a computer and then pointed at the carousel again, simply saying "more coming".

 

Morosely I watched as more passengers came to besiege the carousel. After perhaps another hour and a half my small case made it up the travelator.

 

Then I went to meet the tour guide who was to take me to my hotel. I was assured by the travel agent in Sydney that this would be easy and they would have my name on a placard. There were indeed many placards, with many names. But sadly, none were mine. Finding a relatively quiet spot (underline relatively) and fending off curious children I called the travel agent contact number in Beijing to explain that I had not been able to find my contact at the airport. She asked my name, which provided another 15 minutes of fun. She asked my booking number, then asked me to wait. What else would I do but wait? She then asked at what hotel I was staying. It was at this point that it began to dawn that all was not as it should be. The very helpful lady apologised, but was not able to find my file. She helpfully suggested that I might like to catch a taxi to my hotel. And even more helpfully suggested that I only get into one that has a sign reading "taxi" and that has a meter at the front. I was to call her again when I arrived at the hotel.

 

To put this in perspective, when I arrive at Shanghai six weeks ago, getting a taxi was a dream. You exit unencumbered from the terminal to the taxi rank where a gentleman asks you your destination, hails the cab, tells the driver where to drive, and puts you inside. Wonderful!

 

By contrast, as soon as you move away from the customs area at Beijing airport you are surrounded by dubious gentlemen (and women) offering you special taxi services to the city for the very special rate of ... think up a large number. And they will not go away short of threatening immediate amputation of their more precious appendages. The only safety is to be found in the heaving mass of humanity crowded into the taxi rank. To be sure, Beijing is under construction ahead of the Olympics, and Beijing airport is no different. If the officials and locals are to be believed then all of these construction projects will be magically completed on our about the same date in December this year.

 

But I digress. After spending some further quality time getting to know my fellow travellers in a more intimate way, I finally made it to the front of the queue. As at Shanghai there was a person in a uniform standing to assist. Unlike in Shanghai, this guy was clueless. A vehicle pulled up that could, when viewed from a certain angle, be considered a taxi. Memories of reading about the "Celebration Liberation Machine" filled my mind. It is funny how small essays come back to you at these times.

 

In any case, the individual in the grey, ill-fitting uniform gestured at the piece of metal in front of me as something appeared from the drivers compartment to assist with my meagre posessions. I showed him the hotel details. He looked blankly. I showed him a picture of the hotel. He looked blankly. I said the magic word "Novotel". He looked blankly.

 

Turning to the grey man again, who was now busying himself picking his nose, I sought assistance. He also stared blankly at the paper I held out to him, but in a moment of inspiration called to one of his fellow grey men who came over. He looked at the paper and then told the driver the address in perfect Chinese. The driver looked blankly. As the three of them stood in deep conversation, scratching various parts of their anatomy, I considered other options. Throwing my things into the cab and waving my mobile phone at the driver I cried: "zuo ba" which means either let's go or let's get a beer, I'm not sure which. In either case it had the desired effect on the hulking individual as he re-entered his drivers seat and I phoned the helpful lady at the travel agency again.

 

Explaining to her that I was now in some mode of transport, I gave the phone to the driver so that she could direct him. A flicker of recognition crossed his eyebrow (just the one) and we were off!

 

The helpful lady had checked with the hotel that they had my reservation. I, myself, certainly had reservations. The enjoyment of the hotel will be revealed in the next installment.

 

More Photo Updates

Hi!

 

New photo's from China uploaded at http://picasaweb.google.com/SMP.Donovan/China2007Part3 and some added to http://picasaweb.google.com/SMP.Donovan/China2007Part2

 

Enjoy!

 

Ten More Small Facts About Shanghai

Here are ten more small facts about visiting Shanghai that you may not find in the travel brochure:

1. Always carry toilet paper.
2. The sky is sometimes blue (really).
3. The cicada's look a little different to those in Australia, but they make the same sound.
4. Using the bus and train system is quite good once you know how they work.
5. No one seems to be able to tell you how the bus and train system works.
6. Electronic equipment, such as computers, are more expensive than in Australia.
7. Bicycles are frequently stolen.
8. Bicycles are frequently in poor condition.
9. Watson's seem to be the only store to stock after-shave and deodorant.
10. Nobody seems to sell handkerchiefs.

Another Busy Week in Shanghai

It has been another busy week in Shanghai! This week I played with the folk group in a few masses at St Peter's Church, we had our Chinese written test, and had to give our presentations for our papers! I have yet to start on the second paper, which is due in a week or so, although I have started finding additional references and adding to my bibliography. Anyway, for the most part the course is complete and we had a debrief session today.

I am off to Beijing tomorrow! Exciting, isn't it? The early flight isn't quite so exciting, however, as it means that I will have to be up at the crack of dawn to get to the airport. Should be good to be on the move again.

The Resident Director for the study programme bought my guitar (slightly discounted from the purchase price). I am glad it is going to a good home and hope that he and his wife get plenty of enjoyment out of it. I also gave away a lot of other odd-and-ends that I had collected here, such as a basketball, some books, a bag, and some clothes. They were useful while I was here, but it isn't practical or useful to be carrying these extra things around to Beijing or back to Sydney.

The other night we had a fair-dinkum flood around the hotel. It had rained heavily, but not much more so that previous nights. However I think these regular downpours over a few days gradually backed everything up and .... At the moment I am trying to upload some more photo's so that you can have a look, but the link is a little flakey.

I'm not sure what facilities will be available in Beijing. Hopefully I will have a way to post notes, but probably not upload more photo's until I get back to Oz.

Peace

More Photo's Uploaded

Hi!

I have uploaded some more China trip photo's to http://picasaweb.google.com/SMP.Donovan/China2007Part2 for your viewing pleasure. Previous ones also at http://picasaweb.google.com/SMP.Donovan/China

Enjoy!
Sean