Bishops tested by students online.
About half of Western Australia’s Catholic primary and secondary schools tuned into LifeLink’s interactive webcast via Westnet on Wednesday last week.
The annual webcast was held to launch LifeLink Day through which schools raise funds for LifeLink, the organisation the Archdiocese uses to fund 13 social service agencies which last year helped about 37,000 West Australians with a wide range of support needs, regardless of their religion.
In two separate sessions, primary and secondary students were able to ask questions of Archbishop Barry Hickey and Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton by sending in their questions by email and listening to the answers in real time.
There were more than 1000 questions submitted, but it was impossible for the bishops to handle more than about 50 of them.
The secondary schools session opened with the Archbishop being asked, “Who created God?”. He replied that while everything else, and everyone else, came from or was caused by another source, God alone was different and was not caused by anything else. God is a pure spirit and he alone “always was and always will be”.
Later, Bishop Sproxton was asked how to get someone who did not believe in God to have faith. He replied that if they looked back over their life quietly, they would see signs of unexpected help and unidentified guidance at various points. He suggested that everyone has such experiences at some time even if they did not immediately recognise it. “That is God,” he said.
Asked whether he believed in extra-terrestrial life, Archbishop Hickey said there was no evidence of it yet, but extra-terrestrial life could exist, although it would not be human. “Scientists will answer that one for us,” he said.
In reply to another question, whether he had read the book or seen the film ‘Angels and Demons’ he said he had read the book, but might not see the film. “If you see it,” he said, “enjoy it, but don’t believe a word of it.”
Asked about women priests, the Archbishop replied that at the Last Supper Jesus appointed only men. “We believe he wanted it that way and so we don’t have the power to change it.”
Asked for his favourite passage from the Bible, Bishop Sproxton said there were many wonderful passages, but he especially liked the Old Testament line “I have carved you on the palm of my hand”, which described our special relationship with God which started at the moment we came into existence and continues forever. “This awareness of God’s love gives me great comfort,” he said.
When asked by a primary school pupil which saint he had chosen for his confirmation name and why, Archbishop Hickey said his choice was St Joseph, the husband of Mary because he was a good and strong man “who did all that God asked him to do”.
In response to other questions he said his favourite song was ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess (and broke into song to prove it) and his favourite “celebrity” was Pope Benedict XVI.
“He’s my boss and he’s a very good man,” he said.
Bishop Sproxton said he found World Youth Day in Sydney a wonderful experience and he particularly remembered his catechesis sessions with groups of pilgrims from the US, Fiji and Tonga. “I’m very keen to go to Spain in 2011,” he added.
The LifeLink target for its schools appeal this year is $70,000.
The LifeLink Day launch was again hosted by Westnet and iinet from their premises in the Central Park building in St George’s Tce.
The technical operations were handled by IT Operations man Ross Fawcett.
Archbishop Hickey – who established LifeLink 15 years ago – and Bishop Sproxton – who is now chairman of the management committee – expressed their thanks to the managers and staff for their continued and very generous support for LifeLink over the last 10 years.