By Bridget Spinks
ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey expects he will still be in his current role at Christmas, he revealed to Catholic students during a live web chat on 8 June at WA iinet headquarters in Subiaco.
The web chat was part of the annual LifeLink launch that has included a live web chat since 2001. Archbishop Hickey replied to a question about his retirement by saying he was waiting for an answer from Rome and said he would “probably be around at Christmas” but as for what happens next year, he said, who knows?
The Archbishop handed in his letter of resignation to Pope Benedict XVI on his 75th birthday on 16 April.
The Archbishop also revealed his own fears when Pope John Paul II appointed him the fifth Archbishop of Perth in 1991.
He recalled having a “sinking feeling” when he received the letter of appointment.
“How can I do it? I didn’t put in for it,” he said. “You hope the people and priests will accept you.”
He said the actual task of being an Archbishop was the most challenging thing as well as having to show a lot of courage at times such as speaking on the steps of Parliament House on legislation with which he disagreed.
In a lighthearted moment, he conceded that sitting and chatting with students online was “among one of the most pleasant” things he has done as Archbishop.
Students from 60 primary and secondary Catholic schools across the Archdiocese also asked Archbishop Hickey and his Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton about translation changes to other rites besides the Mass, the duty of care towards asylum seekers and how to maintain a friendship with people of other faiths. Shane Mauger, outgoing chief executive of identitywa, also sat in on the panel session.
Students from schools including Holy Cross College in Ellenbrook, Prendiville Catholic College in Ocean Reef and John Paul College in Kalgoorlie sent in questions and tuned in to see and hear the live chat.
After taking the questions, the Archbishop told The Record that he was impressed by the students’ awareness of need in our community. “They obviously see it as part of their faith that they must respond to people in poverty and to people in difficulty,” he said.
Once retired, he said, he might drop in at LifeLink agencies such as Shopfront or identitywa and be a chaplain. Time permitting, he hopes to get to the football. He has been a long-time supporter of the West Coast Eagles.
The LifeLink webcast “linkup” with schools was used to launch the Archbishop’s LifeLink Day Initiative, which sought to educate students on the Church’s response to welfare need in the State and which raises funds for 13 social welfare agencies funded by the Archdiocese, including identitywa.
For the first eight minutes of the webcast, students watched a video clip, which showed the work identitywa does to look after children with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Lifelink-supported agencies provide care and professional services to more than 31,000 West Australian families and individuals each year, delivering $41 million dollars of services and programmes throughout WA.
These agencies assist the unemployed, homeless, migrants and refugees, people with disability, those suffering with HIV/AIDS, families in crisis, men and women battling drugs and other addictions, and abused women and children.