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Emmanuel CentreA SELF HELP CENTRE For People with Disabilities25 Windsor St Perth WA 6000Tel: (08) 9328 8113 (Voice)(08) 9328 9571 (TTY)

SMS 0401 016 399 Fax: (08) 9227 9720Email: [email protected] Emmanuel https://www.facebook.com/Emmanuel-Centre-Perth-431678073532315/ Catholic Ministry with Deaf and Hard of Hearinghttps://www.facebook.com/CADHOPWA

EMMANUEL NEWS – JULY 2018(Check before coming, could be changed. Look inside for more info.)

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WED THU FRI SAT15 Jul

9.30am: Mass at St Francis Xavier Church (Interpreter & PowerPoint)

16 Jul9.45-10.45am: Music

(Challenger)11-12.30pm: Cooking;

Spinning (Judy) gardening

17 Jul9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11-12.30pm: Community Activities 1-2pm: Music & Singing/ Bible Study

18 Jul 19 Jul 20 Jul 21 Jul

22 Jul 9.30am: Mass at St Francis

Xavier Church (Interpreter & PowerPoint)

23 Jul9.45-10.45: Dance(Challnger)11-12.30pm: Cooking;


24 Jul9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11-12.30pm: Scrapbooking (Sharon)1-2pm: Games/ Bible Study

25 Jul 26 Jul 27 Jul 28 Jul

29 Jul 9.30am: Mass at St Francis


30 Jul9.45-10.45am: National Tree

Day (Challenger)11-12.30pm: Cooking;


31 Jul9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11am-12.30pm: Community

Activities 1-2pm: Bible Study

1 Aug 2 Aug 3 Aug 4 Aug

5 Aug9.30am: Mass at St Francis

Xavier Church (Interpreter & PowerPoint) followed by morning tea

6 Aug9.45-10.45am: International

(Challenger)11am-12.30pm: Cooking;


7 Aug9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11am-12.30pm: Community



12 Aug 9.30am: Mass at St Francis








19 Aug9.30am: Mass at St Francis





21 Aug9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11-12.30pm: Scrapbooking (Sharon) 1-2pm: Music & Singing (Mary)/

Bible Study

22 Aug9.30-11.30: CMHN Meeting

23 Aug 24 Aug 25 Aug9.30-11.30: CMHN Meeting

26 Aug 9.30am: Mass at St Francis






Activities 1-2pm: Games/Bible Study

29 Aug 30 Aug 31 Aug 1 Sep

2 Sep9.30am: Mass at St Francis

Xavier Church (Interpreter & PowerPoint) followed by morning tea

3 Sep9.45-10.45am: Board Games



4 Sep9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11am-12.30pm: Community

Activities 1-2pm:Games/ Bible Study

5 Sep 6 Sep 7 Sep 8 Sep

9 Sep 9.30am: Mass at St Francis


10 Sep9.45-10.45: National Bilby

Day (Challenger)11-12.30pm: Cooking;


11 Sep9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11am-12.30pm: Community

Activities 1-2pm:Games/ Bible Study


16 Sep9.30am: Mass at St Francis


17 Sep9.45-10.45am: Country to the

City (Challenger)11am-12.30pm: Cooking;


18 Sep9.30-10.30am: Painting (Geoff)11-12.30pm: Community Activities 1-2pm: Music & Singing /Bible Study


NO PROGRAMMES DURING THE 2 WEEK TERM HOLIDAY.ACTIVITIES WILL START AGAIN ON MONDAY 8 OCT 2017.

WHAT IS GOD ASKING OF THE CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA?

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Recently we have been hearing about the Plenary Council 2020 and the Bishops of Australia want to invite all Australians to reflect on the question, “What is God asking of the Church in Australia for the future?” The last Plenary Council in Australia was held in 1937. Without focusing on writing a 20 page document on Plenary Councils I spent some time reflecting on what I think are important questions or areas for me to think about for the future. The questions are: “Who is God for Me?”; What is significant about Australia?”; Who is the Church?”

Who is my God? My idea of God has changed over the years. When I was younger, God for me was an old man who was always watching me to catch me out doing something wrong. I operated then out of fear of God rather than love. I had no experience of a triune God. God was just God. God and the church were really part of the same package. Catholics were not really encouraged to read the Bible for themselves as Catholic teaching came through the Catholic Church. There was no real understanding of God’s Story and his ever-present love, the life of Jesus, or the power of the Holy Spirit.

I remember the priest used to drive me home [in the back seat lest I tempt him] after morning Mass so he could have breakfast with my parents. (He had no housekeeper.) One day I forgot my head covering and I ran all the way home to get one and back to the church so Father would not see me without my head covered.

That fear of God stayed with me a long time. When I was in my twenties I didn’t really want to belong to the church but I still felt an obligation under the pain of Hell to go to Mass on Sunday. I thought, “I have to go to Mass but I don’t need to understand it.” And so I would attend the Italian Mass in the parish. That continued for some time until one Sunday I heard the sermon in English. I went to the priest after Mass and asked why he preached in English today. He said he didn’t, he preached in Italian as usual. I then explained to him what I thought the sermon was about and he confirmed that I had listened to the sermon. That’s when I went back to Mass not because of fear, but because I knew that God understood me and in the Mass I would be fed with God’s Word. I never did work out how I heard the sermon in English, Experience and and my reflection tell me that God loves me beyond anything that I could imagine and Jesus, God and man shows me how to truly live. Through the power of the Holy Spirit I can call God, “Daddy”.

What is significant about Australia?The last Plenary Council was held in 1937.The population of Australian was approximately 6,850,000 people. There were Assimilation policies and the destruction of Aboriginal identity and culture, justification of dispossession and removal of Aboriginal children together with the White Australian policy advocating an Australia for the white man, get the coloured man out and let the white man in. Only males attended that Plenary Council. Today we have a very different Australia with a population of approximately 24,8000,000 people. Nearly half of Australians have been born overseas or one or both parents have been born overseas. Our world is different now. Australia is multicultural now. In 2016 there were over 300 separately identified languages spoken in Australian homes. Twenty-one percent of Australians spoke a language other than English at home. Marriage in Australian Law is different now too.

Who or what is the Church?When I was a child, the local parish was where our social life centred, too. Not so today. The latest Census data highlights that Australia is a religiously diverse nation with Christianity at 52% the most commonly reported religion, with “no religion,” increased to 30%. There are almost as many different experiences of church community as there are people who attend church today.When the Plenary Council was called in 1937, Television, social media, facebook, podcasts, twitter, snapchat, were not thought of. Vatican II however, from 1962 to 1965, saw 2,800 bishops from 116 countries produce 16 documents that set the Roman Catholic Church’s course for the future. Its proceedings were closely followed in the media, bringing the church into the homes of hundreds of millions of ordinary Catholics on nearly a daily basis and the Catholic Church into the world. Vatican II turned our lives upside down, its documents on Liturgy, the Church, on Religious Freedom, Mary, the role of laity and the faith community were explored.

The Committee steering the Plenary Council wants to invite EVERYONE to have a voice in shaping the Plenary Council. The question in my mind is, “If we want to invite everyone, then surely the invite needs to be accessible to all.”

I have been very fortunate to be involved in the Emmanuel Community over the last 37 years. The steering committee for the establishment of Emmanuel spent many many months discerning what was seen as the call for Emmanuel’s existence and development. This is expressed in the following:“We are all made in the image and likeness of God. We are all part of the Body of Christ and we are all on a journey of life together”. At the same time this has been expressed in society as “we are all differently abled, differently gifted and talented”. Discovering how this all fits together for a better world is the challenge we need to face.

The Holy Spirit has not changed. I must not allow myself to get bogged down in what I cannot control. The Holy Spirit, I believe, will want us to acknowledge the changes and ask, “How can we spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in a culture increasingly adverse to Christian values?” How can we step out of our comfort zone of a cosy church of the past to a vibrant, spirit filled church that is truly inclusive and accepts diversity?

Visit of South African chaplain for the Deaf

by Su Goh“He spoke in a quiet, conversational tone. But there was no mistaking Fr Mark James’ passion and commitment to his Ministry to the Deaf in his homeland of South Africa. And it was for the sake of that mission that he took time out from visiting family in Brisbane to make the cross-country journey to Emmanuel Centre in May – to learn how another Catholic organisation ministers to their deaf community.Fr Mark, a South African-born Dominican priest started the Deaf ministry in his hometown of Springs in 2006 and eventually took on the role of ministering to the Johannesburg deaf community. He took courses in South African Sign Language to improve his signing ability and by 2014 his mission extended to the Catholic deaf people in Soweto and Swaziland.

However, as he told his rapt audience of about 30 at EC - comprising people with disabilities who had come for the day’s program, staff and volunteers - even having a good knowledge of South African sign language still has its challenges: many regional communities have different signs for certain words so he often has to make a mental switch in the midst of celebrating Mass! During his visit to EC, Fr Mark spent a morning observing the various programs run for people, with disability including those who are deaf or hearing impaired. He was impressed by how the programs integrated people with different disabilities - and abilities - and enabled each person to work at his/her own level. Fr Mark was particularly interested in the wheatgrass program where a group of deaf people have been taught how to grow, harvest and juice wheatgrass, the nutrient-rich sprouts of the wheat plant. He was assured that EC will be very happy to share their knowledge and resource materials with him should he decide to start a similar program in his community.Fr Mark has returned to South Africa to take up his new role as chaplain to the deaf community in Swaziland, joining three other chaplains who minister to the deaf communities in Durban/Marianhill, Cape Town and Lesotho. When asked what the Church can do for people with disabilities, Fr James said, “I think the main thing is not to do “for” them but to work with people. “People have gifts, talents, abilities [and] when they are given a platform to allow to shine, it’s amazing”.“Give people who are deaf and have disabilities space to show who they are, to appreciate the gifts they have, the talent they have and include them in the liturgy. “He also said that he found his experience of ministering to the deaf and hard of hearing is humbling. “We discover something different about our humanity when we recognise the way deaf people are in the world,” he said. “I don’t need to do anything for them. All I need is to do is unlock the power already existed, and if we can do that, things that we have never imagine possible can happen.”

PLENARY COUNCIL 2020On 26th of May 2018, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe launched the 2020 Plenary Council during the Vigil Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Perth. A Plenary council candle was provided to each Catholic Parish, agency and other groups in the Archdiocese. Archbishop Costelloe blessed these candles as part of the ritual during Mass.The Plenary Council invites all Australians to engage in an open and inclusive process of listening,

dialogue and discernment about the future of the Catholic Church in Australia.Emmanuel Centre was represented by Debbie and Geoff Scott, who jointly collected the candle on behalf of the Emmanuel Centre and the Catholic Ministry with Deaf and Hard of Hearing People.

If you would like to receive Emmanuel Centre’s Newsletter; give us your name and address and tell us how you want it

in: *Mail/Email, *Large Print, *Audio CD, *Braille Or other format.Email: [email protected] Website:www.emmanuelcentre.com.auSMS: 0401 016 399 VOICE: 08 9328 8113

“What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?”

Listen to people’s experiences and to their stories

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mailto:[email protected]

LITTLE UN

The United Nations (UN) is an organisation tasked to promote international cooperation and maintain international order. It is the most internationally represented intergovernmental organisation in the world, which means it has more nation members than any other organization in the world.

We at Emmanuel Centre of course cannot compare to that. We are a small organization operating out of a disused school building in Perth. And yet every time I turn my head, I’d see someone from a different heritage/ culture, which makes me think we are indeed like a little United Nations here.

At the time of writing, we have a priest of German-American ancestry, a coordinator who is a true blue Perthian--her family has been in Perth from before Wanneroo Road existed and in fact her family helped established the St. Denis Church in Joondanna Parish, our learning program coordinator is from former Yugoslavia, our wheatgrass supervisor is from India, our administrative assistant has a Chinese Indonesian heritage, and we have a house coordinator from Keny, workers from Ireland, England and others with aboriginal heritage, volunteers from all corners of the world, from Singapore to Macedonia, from Ireland to New Zealand to name just a few.

And working in such a multi-cultural environment, I notice quite interesting similarities between seemingly unrelated cultures. For example, one time during Bible Study we talked about how the Jew did libation (pouring of a drink as an offering to God) and our volunteer from Singapore who has Chinese heritage remembered how her mother used to do that as well, pouring rice wine on an altar as offering to their God. Another example: Once a volunteer from Macedonia with Christian orthodox religion brought red-coloured boiled eggs for lunch. She explained that in their culture, they do that for Easter. And I just had to mention that in my culture, we also have a tradition of eating red-coloured boiled eggs, but for birthdays, not Easter.I guess the purpose of this observation is just to say how these small experiences, each seemingly insignificant on its own, but together has enriched my life. And I wish everyone has had that opportunity of observing and experiencing other cultures. If you’re fortunate enough you could gain that experience by traveling to other countries, but if that is not possible then at the very least by talking to and befriending people from different background, right here in our own backyard.

(by Judith Wirawan)

FROM BOWSER TO PAUL

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=un+logo&id=A6800E81E64134A9A1125F2B422BE3CB26EDF59A&FORM=IQFRBA

You might wonder what the above two items have to do with each other. Well, you’re going to find out.

Our fancy was tickled by the Burning Question in the West Australian newspaper dated 10th December 2015. The question goes, “What’s the origin of the word bowser that describes the pumps at petrol stations?” And the answer starts, “A fuel dispenser is a machine at a filling station that is used to pump petrol, diesel, CNG, CGH2, HCNG, LPG, LH2, ethanol fuel, biofuels such as biodiesel, kerosene, or other types of fuel into vehicles. Fuel dispensers are also known as bowsers (in Australia), petrol pumps (in Commonwealth countries), or gas pumps (in North America).

“The first gas pump was invented and sold by Sylvanus Bowser in Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 5, 1885. This pump was not used for cars, as they had not been invented yet. It was instead used for some kerosene lamps and stoves. He later improved upon the pump by adding safety measures, and also by adding a hose to directly dispense fuel into cars. For a while, the term bowser was used to refer to a vertical gas pump.

“Although the term is not used anymore in the US, except as a term for trucks that carry and dispense fuel to large aircraft at airports, it still is used sometimes in Australia and New Zealand.…”

The answer goes on for another paragraph but we have already had our key words (in bold italics) for understanding the title of

this article. So in one sentence: The bowser or fuel pump was invented by Mr. Bowser in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and that’s where young Paul was originally from before he moved to Australia! You could say this piece of trivia information is Father Paul’s contribution to this edition of the Emmanuel News .

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REFRESH OUR MEMORYCatholic Mental Health

Network is a group of volunteer mental health first aiders spread in parishes across Perth. We have completed a course in Mental Health First Aid at various times. As some of us did our course quite a few years back, our kind instructor Tasha Broomhall from Blooming Minds offered to conduct a refresher session to remind us on what Mental Health First Aid is all about.First off, we need a reminder on what a mental illness is. In Australia, the most common mental illnesses are: (1) Stress/ Anxiety Disorders; (2) Depression; (3) Substance Misuse. We all have times when we feel stressed or moody or take drug (eg painkiller). However, it only becomes a clinical illness when it’s ongoing (doesn’t stop after a few days/ weeks) and it impacts our functioning (eg can’t work/ do our daily activities).As first aiders, our purpose is to connect people in need to professional help that is already available out there. Because sadly the statistics show that although most Australians know that mental illness is real and help is available, a large proportion of us would not seek help until it is suggested by someone we trust. So first aiders need to connect with those people in need and encourage them to seek professional help.To assist us in being first aiders, Tasha provided us with a few tools. One that I think is most useful in daily life is the conversation we use to connect with someone we are concerned about, but not in crisis. As a conversation opener, we could say, “I’ve noticed… (and mention here what you’re concerned about, for example “…you haven’t been going to netball practice” or “…you seem very disappointed with what happened.” At this point, it is important to stick to behaviours and feelings only, and avoid making a judgement, so don’t say things like “I notice you don’t seem yourself lately.”After mentioning what you notice, follow that up with the second part of the conversation, which is the question “Have you noticed?” This is to give the person the control in the situation, whether or not they want to connect with you. They may agree with your observation, or they may disagree. For example the may say, “I’m not disappointed. I’m angry!” And that brings us to the third part of the conversation, which is to allow them to tell their story, so as Tasha put it: Shut up and listen!The final reminder Tasha gave us is to take care of ourselves. It could be exhausting caring for others, so it’s important to prioritise our self care. She recommends everyone to do four positive nurturing things for ourselves every week, it could be a walk in the park, sunset on the beach, flowers for yourself, etc. And this means having boundaries. We can’t help everyone, so if someone asks you to do a favour, you don’t have to always say yes. You could give yourself time to think by saying, “Let me get back to you” or “I’ll let you know.” Useful advice indeed.

Growing Luscious Wheatgrass – Thinking outside the Box Here at the Emmanuel Centre we have successfully grown and juiced wheatgrass for nearly a year and a half. We are now researching new and innovative methods of growing the seed. We are excited to announce that we successfully grew the wheat seed hydroponically. The flavour and taste has been exactly the same as grown in

“It doesn't really matter how much

of the rules we accept if we're not really living by the

fundamental of the Church, which is service to others

and finding God in ourselves and

then seeing God in everyone—

including our enemies.

--Martin Sheen

You will never be in control of your life

circumstances, but you can relax and trust in

God’s control. Instead of striving for a predictable,

safe lifestyle, seek to know God in greater depth and breadth.

soil. The difference being that this has proved to be a no mess, no fuss method, not to mention the cost savings from not having to buy soil. We are currently experimenting on growing wheatgrass with minimum soil and raising the tray of sprouts in a tray of water below. So far the trial seems to be going remarkably well. We harvested and juiced this grass last week and were delighted with the results. The colour of the grass and the taste of the juice were very similar to the grass grown in a tray full of soil.We would be happy to provide anyone with the knowledge we have on growing wheatgrass or if you would like to taste test our grass nectar, please feel free to contact Rachel Felix at the Emmanuel Centre on 93288113.

OTHER LEARNING PROGRAMS AT EMMANUEL CENTREWe have also been experimenting lately with growing a combination of some microgreens including Clover, Alfalfa. They are very small edible plants that are harvested when they are very young instead of being allowed to grow to full size. We even sprouted some chic peas and broccoli.Sprouts are considered a good source of proteins, antioxidants and minerals. Studies found a 10x increase in antioxidants like rutin from only three days of sprouting. Sprouting increases the amino acid content, especially of certain beneficial amino acids like Lysine.

Jessica is a passionate dog loving groomer who runs a Mobile Home Dog Grooming service. She can be contacted on

0452348718

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EXPERIMENTING

Celebrating the Megan and Harry Wedding morning tea in the Challenger Program

Keeping the Trains moving on the Train Track

experience

KEVIN shows off his latest “painting with Geoff”

“The house where I live.

Shane and Debbie dancing.

Daniel shows off his latest “painting with Geoff”

Project.

UNITED WITH THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN

Wayne was member of the St Francis Xavier Parish Community next to Emmanuel Centre and very generous to Emmanuel Centre. At his funeral, it was evident that Wayne’s love for others touched many people. The crowd filled even the choir loft. One of the last things Wayne did was to give an Alex Steinbach piano to Emmanuel from his company Command Plumbing and Gas in Osborne Park. Rachel is pictured playing “When the Saints come Marching In” with Ryan and Debbie joining in the singing.

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