Things might be looking up for Australia's fledgling neighbour, East Timor. International aid agencies are helping people to put the past behind them and, given the country's tumultuous history, that is no small feat. “I have a story,” she says quietly. Aged 33, Dirse Desilva Soares’ future looks bright - she is currently completing a teaching practicum in Perth - but the story she tells is ...

There are moments of genuine holiness to be found in some British television series, Guy Crouchback explains. I have recently obtained by mail order two rather elderly DVD collections of British television series featuring Catholic priests – Bless Me, Father, starring Arthur Lowe, and a collection of GK Chesterton’s Father Brown stories, starring Kenneth More. Both are excellent. In contrast ...

“God has given us tremendous wealth and influence ... what are we doing with it?” So, what are we doing, Catholics? I had never watched a film that claimed it could change the world – I have now. 58, which premiered across Australia in late May, aims to trigger a global Christian movement that will eradicate extreme poverty within one generation. It is no doubt a goal many may believe to ...

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Song and colour abounded at the inaugural Africa Day Mass with many of the continent’s 50 plus countries represented at the North Perth Monastery The inaugural Africa Day Mass on May 25 was never going to be a sedate affair. Standing before several hundred people at the North Perth Monastery, the woman who first suggested the event, Patience Sakonda, exhorted the congregation to the right...

Kelmscott boy Quinton says it feels great to get confirmed in the Year of Grace Surrounded by friends, family and teachers, the Year 6 class of Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School in Kelmscott was confirmed into the Church on Sunday morning, coinciding with the Year of Grace. The Confirmation Mass began with students placing gifts at the altar - a basket of fruits to symbolise the fruit...

Over one hundred years of perseverance, kindness and hospitality in the Kimberley has culminated in a prestigious WA Heritage Award recently for the Sisters of St John of God. The order’s Heritage Centre in Broome stole the award for their outstanding contribution to heritage by a community-based organisation. In coming to their decision, award judges said the centre was “A shining ex...

Not many couples celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in hospital, with one of them suffering from pneumonia. Pat and Frank Hackett, of Success, did just that on Thursday, May 17, with Pat visiting Frank in St John of God Murdoch and patiently sitting with him at his bedside. Two of their four daughters, Donna and Bernadette, brought a huge arrangement of roses to the hospital, wh...

Prayers in Latin and Greek were offered on the fifth anniversary of the passing of Father Gerard Beeson in a moving ceremony in the Lady Chapel of St Mary's Cathedral. Fr Beeson was the first convener of the Catholic Archdiocesen Taskforce for Catholic-Orthodox Bridge-building under the patronage of The Very Reverend Robert Healy (dec), former Auxiliary Bishop of Perth. It was establi...

Dear Father, The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the Akathistos in connection with devotion to Our Lady. I have never heard of it. Can you tell me what it is? The Catechism mentions this prayer in Part Four, dealing with Christian prayer, in Article Two on “The Way of Prayer”. After commenting on the words of the Hail Mary, the Catechism goes on to say: “Mediaeval piety in the We...