On Sunday 26th No-vember, the Parish cele-brated the Feast of Christ the King. The Parish also took the op-portunity to welcome all the young people that have received the Sac-raments for the first time this year. I quote Mgr Swann, “It is not only important to welcome them as members of our Parish, but as members of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth. There are so many distractions in our world today and it is not always easy to be faith-ful to Jesus, so we pray for their parents that they will always support and encourage our young people in the prac-tice of their faith”.

The Mass was organised by the Parish Youth and all were invited to a BBQ on the lawns after Mass.

A huge cake was baked for this wonderful feast.

More photos on p10.

Kingly Feast

Special dates of interest: ⇒ 24th December - 4th Sunday of Advent, 9:30am

Mass Only.

⇒ 24th December - Children’s Mass, 6:30pm. All children invited to take part.

⇒ 24th December - Christmas Vigil Masses at 8:30pm and Midnight (with carols beginning at 11:30pm)

⇒ 25th December - Christmas Day Mass, 9:30am Only.

⇒ 1st January - New Year’s Day Mass, 9:30am Only.

Tom Spinks Recognised for Good Works 2

Iannaces Celebrates 50 Years 2

The Christmas Tree 3

Pakistani Problems 4

Christmas and Genealogy 5

A Cry For Help 7

School Report 9

Inside this issue:

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Volume 7, Issue 5

December 2006

The Norwood Christ-mas Pageant has come and gone. It was held on the 25th of Novem-ber and was again dominated by the col-lective effort of the Churches of the East-ern Suburbs. Parish-ioner Des Newton held the Christian Churches banner. Pictures on p7.

Christmas, T’is Here!

Iannaces Celebrate 50 Years

Congratulations Tom Spinks for re-ceiving an Award of Recognition dur-ing the National Day for Older Austra-lians. The Recognition Award 2006 was for his significant achievement in the community of the Federal Seat of Sturt.

The award ceremony was held at The Hon. Christopher Pyne’s office on Magill Road. Photo on the right shows Tom and his wife Toni with Mr Pyne after the presentation.

Tom is very active in the Parish com-munity, particularly with the Parish Finance Committee and the Parish Newsletter, Tranmere Times. Please keep up the good work.

Congratulations!

Terence Yeow

Raffaele and Aurelia Iannace recently celebrated their 50th Wedding Anni-versary in Tranmere parish on the 1st October 2006. They were also invited to a special Mass for Jubilarians on Sunday 13th September at the Cathe-dral to receive a special blessing from His Grace Archobishop Wilson.

Aurelia and Raffaele have been pa-rishioners of Tranmere for over 40 years. All four children attended St.Joseph’s School Tranmere and this tradition is continuing today with the grandchildren.

Page 2

Tom Spinks Recognised for Good Works

TRANMERE TIMES

When I was in high school, many years ago, I recall that there was great devotion to Mary and great interest in her apparitions. There was particular stress on the apparitions at Fatima and I recall the message that the world was so sinful that a great punishment would occur if people did not reform their lives and pray more. Further, we were urged to pray for the conversion of Russia, after which there would be peace. This was a bit scary so I prayed hard and often as I am sure many other students did.

It was years later, after I began to read the Bible regularly and to participate in courses and discussion groups, that I realised that there was something wrong in these predictions of punish-ment. They were not consistent with the Gospel message of a God who loves. The parable of the Prodigal Son tells us that God forgives the most se-rious of sins. Further, John’s Gospel tells us that “God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son” to

save us.

One day I met Fr Denis Edwards and asked him about this. He replied that God’s message is received by human beings and is interpreted through their hopes and fears and culture and his-tory. The apparitions at Fatima oc-curred at the end of the First World War and after the Russian Revolution. People lived in fear of more world strife and so interpreted the Fatima message in a very negative way. Fr Edwards told me that all must be inter-preted in the light of the Gospel.

Just as the Prophets of Israel’s history regularly called people back to God, so Mary in her apparitions does the same. If we turn to God we will natu-rally want to pray more, in whatever ways we choose. We will be more pa-tient and loving persons and the world will be a better place.

At school we were also urged to pray for the conversion of Russia but it was much later that I realised that the peo-

ple of Russia were like people every-where, they had families and children and friends. The worries that they had were similar to the worries of Austra-lians or Americans. The apparent in-struction to pray for the conversion of Russia came from fear.

There are fears in the world today. In Australian we recently had the great fear of refugees. Some people have a fear of Muslims. Iraq was invaded on the basis of a false fear, yet we see that above all it is women and children and innocent people who are suffer-ing. True, there are violent people in the world, there are terrorists, and we need to protect ourselves against them but we must be certain who we need to fear and who is simply differ-ent.

No doubt Mary would advise us pray for peace, but a peace based on mu-tual respect for all peoples and their needs.

Frank Fahy

Understanding God

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5

One of the long standing traditions as-sociated with Christmas is the erection of a Christmas tree – sometimes a true tree, but more often one of the plastic variety.

The decorated tree has become something of an icon in many homes, business establishments and other organisations. Since 1970 they have appeared in our churches too.

Some may argue that the Christmas tree has no place in the sanctuary of our church, esp. as the custom is said to have its origins in Germanic pa-ganism. The Church in its development of imagina-tive images and mosaics has always drawn on ele-ments of various cultures with which it interacts. To claim otherwise would be a dangerous form of fundamentalism. Apart from that we can always give new and addi-tional meaning to various symbols.

The Christmas tree, with its various decorations and lights etc speak to us of joyful celebration – and that’s ex-

actly what Christmas is about. In our church we do not usually add the decorations until right on Christmas. Before hand we often speak of it as a Jesse Tree – linking the birth of Jesus with his Old Testament forebears stemming from Jesse, the father of King David. The Jesse tree will usually have symbols and names from the Old Testament, again reminding us that

the birth of Christ was foretold by the various prophets of the Old Testa-ment.

The other important sym-bolism we attach to the tree is that it serves as a reminder of our obliga-tions as servants of the poor and needy. For some years now we bring gifts along during Advent and these gifts pass to the St

Vincent de Paul Society who then dis-tribute them to needy families just be-fore Christmas. If you have a tree at home and you erect it early in the Ad-vent season you may like to put these gifts under or beside your own family tree and then bring them to the church

on the SECOND AND THIRD SUN-DAY OF ADVENT.

It is of course important that these gifts do not include any perishable items.

The Christmas tree can be a way to remind us all that while we as Chris-tians can rejoice because God is with us, our rejoicing is always tinged with a note of sadness and disquiet be-cause of the suffering and poverty ex-perienced by so many in our world to-day. So let us be mindful and gener-ous towards those who are less fortu-nate.

Christmas this year falls on the Mon-day – which makes it a very busy time, especially for us priests who have to celebrate so many Masses. So please note the change in the times for Sun-day Mass.

On Sunday 24th December (Christmas Eve) there will be only one Mass at 9.30 and not the usual 8.30 and 10.30 Masses.

I wish all of our families a very happy and holy Christmas Season.

John F Swann

Page 3

The Christmas Tree

I often wonder how much Pakistan has changed since I last visited the country in the mid-90s. One hears much news of the nation, but little of it is good news. Democracy is no nearer, living standards are still appalling, settle-ment of the 60 year old dispute with India over Kashmir continues to fuel terrorist activities, fire-brand clerics continue to stir up frenzied jihad fun-damentalism, Osama bin Laden has reputedly found refuge in Pakistan. Pakistani nationals and their children are constantly on charges of terrorism in western countries to which they emigrated and where they live and work.

To anyone accustomed to the modern technology, obvious economic pro-gress and outstanding educational de-velopment of India, a visit to Pakistan was like stepping back 30 years in time. The old-fashioned and dilapi-dated railway system, the down-at-heel cities, the poor standards of ac-commodation, and especially the stricken and hopeless situation of most of the population, were all de-pressingly evident. To understand all this, one has to be aware of how and by whom Pakistan is ruled. Basically the country is owned and run by four groups; the large landowners, the armed forces, the big industrialists and the civil service. This sounds strange to people in modern countries, but it is all too true. Huge agricultural and in-dustrial concerns are in the posses-sion and control of the army, air force, government ministries, lauded aristoc-racy and export industries. What chance does the poor peasant or small business owner have? It is a small wonder that Islamist fundamen-talists can win support so easily.

The unspeakable madness, where young children are made to repeat parrot-fashion not only the Qu’ran but crude anti-western propaganda, are fertile breeding grounds of mindless terrorism. Of course, the majority of the people are functionally or totally illiterate. Few, though some women are employed, and traditional female subservience to husband, male rela-tives and men in general is horrifyingly clear – a grotesque contrast to the situation in Muslim Malaysia, where women are in a dominant position in Universities, professions, even in busi-nesses.

Karachi, the visitor’s first port of call, is large, impoverished, dirty and often

ugly. I met some friendly and courte-ous people and the huge St Patrick’s Cathedral was always well attended and well cared for. Many men wore western dress, and many women close to discard the Burqa in favour of a less severe form of head-covering. I found that speaking Hindi was per-fectly acceptable, for the differences from Urdu are not that important. La-hore was my next destination, where I arrived in a black-out caused by flood-ing rains. I managed to join a group which was guided to some fine build-ings, mainly palaces and mausoleums of royal families. The feeling of de-parted glory was strong. It was ex-tremely difficult to locate any particular place in Lahore, for not only are the shops, businesses, etc. not sequen-tially numbered, but the numbers are changed without warning, and street names are often written only in Urdu script, which I am slow in reading. An impressive building was the Courts of Justice, but I am afraid I questioned how much justice would be dispensed there.

I was glad to find a minibus whose destination; I was able to read in Urdu, was Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province, which I was determined to visit. One driver was most friendly and welcoming and insisted that I take a seat next to his, away from any seats where women might sit. The drive was nearly always extremely exciting, for we would al-ways head at break-neck speed straight at an oncoming vehicle until one of the two give way (chicken!). Oddly, we did not have a head on col-lision. We arrived in Peshawar only 3 hours late, and before I alighted, the driver wished me good Kismet (fate). I thought that I had already had that, but did not say so.

Peshawar is the heart of Pakistan’s most traditional province and is the home of ethnic minorities such as the tall, big-built Pashtun people. Red hair and blue eyes are often seen; some, I think due to the lively social life of sol-diers in British Raj times! Women were always hidden beneath stifling burqas, though a few modern, educated girls wore jeans and bare heads.

I went by local bus up the stony, bar-ren hillsides bordering Afghanistan to a tribal town called Darah Adamkheil. Here the Pakistani government has no authority, and it was extremely inter-esting to view countless small work-

shops where perfect replicas of every sort of gun from pistols to howitzers were made by highly skilled craftsmen. In some shops, a large choice of hash-ish varieties was freely on sale. Of course, road-blocks stopped such wares from entering Pakistani territory.

What of religion? Well, the good Lord set me down in a hotel just around the corner from a large mosque and you’ll never believe it – a small, beautiful Catholic Church with daily mass at-tended by many Pakistani children at-tending the convent school!

Actually, I felt it wise to wear the local Shalwar-Kameez rather than Western attire, which was little worn in Pesha-war. So I was able to pass unnoticed through markets, streets and stalls.

I was quite sorry to leave Peshawar and take the ghastly 30-hour train jour-ney back to Karachi, but it had to be. When I boarded my Philippines Air-lines flight, I was so unfortunately forced to accept a seat in first class, owing to a mix up in bookings. After I took my seat, s charming Filipino host-ess asked me; “Mr Pereira, would you like a glass of wine?” I had no difficulty in replying, “Oh yes, please, I’ve just been 2 weeks without one in Paki-stan!”

John Pereira

Page 4

Pakistani Problems

TRANMERE TIMES

The Christmas Story

It was on the first Christmas morn,

That the Lord Jesus was born,

Mary lulled him as he lay,

On a manger full of hay.

Angels were to shepherds sent,

To herald this hallowed event,

Magi came with their presents,

Gold and myrrh and frankincense.

Joseph stood meekly aside,

And let all laud his child and bride,

Christ’s redemption had begun,

And life from death was won.

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5

When my mum died a few years ago I inherited her desk and tucked away in a bottom drawer I discovered bundles of large envelopes and a couple of manila folders. I thought I’d better look through them before depositing them in the recycle bin. What I found were birth, death and marriage certifi-cates and notes on her grandparents and great grandparents – and thus was born my latest hobby – but as any genealogist will tell you it is not a hobby it is an addiction!

Researching the family tree soon be-came much more than just recording a series of dates. These were real live people. People, who loved, worked, cried and laughed just as we do. I cannot claim any great artists, scien-tists, statesmen or royalty amongst my ancestors – a couple of political con-victs, a pair of runaway teenagers, one suspected case of bigamy (still work-ing on this one), two Bishops (Anglican), one nun (Catholic but niece to one of the Bishops) and a great many hard working law abiding citizens.

One of the most fascinating parts of

this hobby is discovering how our an-cestors lived. I am very lucky in hav-ing ancestors with a rather unusual surname which made research a lot easier but it was still incredibly exciting to discover that from 1602 there have been at least 12 generations of the same family baptised, married in, and buried from the same church.

What was also fascinating was the number of weddings that took place on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Not just from my family but records from the church show at least three or four weddings on each of those two days right up to the beginning of the First World War, and it wasn’t only in that particular church. I’ve examined parish records from a number of churches from Chichester to the Isle of Skye and in each one Christmas Day Weddings were very popular. But I have never been able to find out why.

Was it because Christmas Day was a holiday for almost everyone and thus friends and family could attend? How-ever, under Oliver Cromwell the cele-bration of Christmas was officially banned in 1647 and despite riots the

ban wasn’t ended until 1660. So why during this time was 25 December still a popular wedding day?

Was it a carry-over from the days be-fore Christianity, when the Winter Sol-stice was a pagan celebration herald-ing the end of the long cold winter nights?

Or is one of my cynical friends right – it was one way of making sure you didn’t forget!

Whatever the reason can you imagine the look on Mgr John’s or any priest’s face today if someone asked to be married on Christmas Day!! Imagine being the “mother of the bride” plus coping with all the other Christmas preparations! I think I’m rather glad that this genealogical oddity is a thing of the past.

Christmas has another genealogical oddity – which date was set first – Christmas Day as the Birthday of the Christ Child or 25 March, the Feast of the Annunciation, nine months earlier?

Carol Galbraith

their number that they blotted out the sun as they flew around, higher and higher until the sound disappeared. At a great height - almost out of s i g h t - t h e y o n c e again together suddenly plum-meted down, descending at fr ightening, unbelievable speed, sounding like an enor-mous wind. The green gums turned white again as the cockatoos settled into them in great flashes. For a moment there was a deafening si-lence. The sky was filled with falling, moulted feathers - the red earth became a white car-pet.

Joseph R. Garreffa

Up near Wilmington in South Austra-lia on the road to Alligator Gorge, untold thousands of yellow crested cockatoos were gathered. The na-tive gums were covered white and the incredible noise of their scream-ing calls could be heard for miles. For a change, the winter rains had been heavy and now in early Spring the cockatoos had plenty of food. Their harsh, raucous cries continued as they moved from tree to tree. Suddenly, as if by mys-terious command they took off, ris-ing in a great mass, criss-crossing each other at great speed, never colliding. They formed an enormous cloud as they began to circle with their unique style of flip/flop fly-ing. Dipping their wings first one way then the other, twisting their bodies, dodging one another. Still screeching as they flew in enormous circles, the cloud became white, then black as they acrobatically changed positions. So great was

Page 5

Christmas and Genealogy

Moments When I Am Most Aware of God

In an earlier issue of "Tranmere Times" Alan Tyson wrote an article entitled "A Little Piece of Heaven" after he read the words in our Hesed Visitor's Book at our 20th birthday celebration. That was in 2003.

Alan is the President of our Hesed Community Council - a group of peo-ple who are a support to us in Hesed Christian Community Inc. As a regis-tered incorporated body. We thank God for them and for those who have supported us and enabled us to keep going for 23 years as we have fol-lowed what we heard as God's call to build "a haven for the lost" in prayer 25 years ago.

As we had no financial backing at the time we stepped out in faith - Sr.Rose Casey R.S.M. (then on an age pen-sion) and me on a varied stipend from the Catholic Charismatic Re-newal, with Sr. Philomena Thomas OP, from the Dominican Sisters - then working with the deaf. There were dire predictions that we would not survive financially -"could not" - to which we replied - if God wants this venture we will survive and if God does not want it then we don't want it either. We accepted that in a sense we were being called to walk on wa-ter with Jesus -like Peter. We had the support of a faithful group of women and men from the Catholic Charis-matic Renewal with whom we met

regularly for prayer and practical sup-port.

Soon people in need of a home, help to cope with life, and prayerful sup-port knocked on our door and we were able to practise our open door policy. They were mentally ill, strug-gling with addictions of different kinds or family breakdown - lost in the world in one way or another. We sim-ply asked them to contribute from the social security payments (pensions) or whatever they had and Hesed Christian Community began in Sep-tember 1983 at 40 Portrush Road, Payneham.

At a Mass celebrated with Father (now Monsignor) Jim O'Loughlin we made a six month commitment to each other and we have gone on from there. Together in sharing groups, we shared life together, prayed and read Scripture, developed rules and guidelines, and teachings, then a constitution, managed to pay our rent for one house, then two, then three and then four. Residents came and went - helpers, including Sisters of Mercy, supported us practically and we managed for ten years until the Housing Trust door opened and the opportunity came to rent our pre-sent block of units at 19 Ellis Street, Magill in March 1994. We have been in this Parish now for over twelve years and have managed to be self-

supporting but with rising costs of housing, power, food and transport we have reached a "crunch time" and are appealing for financial help.

Over the years we have learned to live as a community and God has indeed blessed us. We share prayer, share meals, teachings and ordinary living with its ups and downs and we thank God for the hundreds of people who have come through our doors - each one a beautiful child of God. Many of them have recovered their lives and are living "life to the full" as Jesus came to give each of us. But now we can only continue to make this possible if we receive outside financial help.

That is our cry -please help us with your donations. "God will not be out-done in generosity"

May our bountiful God bless you all this Christmas.

(Sr.) Pat Kenny R.S.M.

Donations may be sent to Hesed Christian Community

PO Box 17, Magill 5072

(Donations are tax deductible)

Or you may like to call and visit us at U14 No 19 Ellis Street, Magill.

You have to be prepared for the con-sequences. I honestly do not know if civil disobedience has any effect on the government. I can promise you it has a great effect on the person who chooses to do it.”

He believes that "Your faith has to cost you something; otherwise you have to quest ion i ts va lue. Once you follow a path of non-violence and social justice, it won't take you long before you come into conflict with the culture, with the soci-ety. You can't know what is at stake or how much it is going to cost you until you get in the game. That's the only way, and the level of cost is equal to the level of involvement.”

He calls himself a radical Catholic;

Martin Sheen is a well known actor. I found this story about him quite inter-esting.

He has been for many years a pacifist, a social and political activist who has not shied away from putting his body on the front lines, and a devout Catho-lic. After rediscovering his faith twenty years ago, he began his activist work in earnest.

He is so active in social justice and peace issues, because “I can’t seem to live with myself if I do not.”

He believes that non-violent civil dis-obedience is one of the few tools that is available to us where we “can ex-press deeply personal, deeply moral opinions and be held accountable.

“someone who follows the teachings of the non-violent Jesus and takes the gospel personally, and then pays the price. I fall into that category.”

His reaction to critics in the media:

“Their opinions are very lucrative to them; mine are very expensive to me and my family. That is the difference. That is why I can't get involved in this debate. Because we are talking about two different things.”

He is coming from a more humanistic and spiritual perspective; “the critics get paid for their opinions, and mine cost me.”

Ron Hoogland

Page 6

A Cry for Help

Martin Sheen and His Stand

TRANMERE TIMES

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5

Have you wondered why the medical profession, which is dedicated to heal-ing the sick, have a snake on a rod as their symbol?

The history of this symbol is believed to have originated from the time of the Israelites exodus from Egypt. After the oppression and slavery the Israelites had suffered at the hands of the Egyptians, the Lord had mercy on them. He led them out of the land of Egypt to freedom and the Promised Land. They had to march through the desert to do this.

Before long, the people grew weary of this laborious march and at Meribar began assailing God and Moses with such com-plaints as these: Why didst thou ever bring us away from Egypt, only to die in the desert? We have neither bread nor water here; we are sick at heart, sick of the unsatisfying

food thou givest us. Upon this, the Lord sent serpents among them, with fire in their fangs that struck at many and killed many of them till they came

to Moses and confessed, We have sinned by making com-plaints against the Lord and against thee; entreat Him rid us of the serpents.

So Moses made intercession for the people; and the Lord made him fashion a serpent of bronze and set it up on a staff, bringing life to all who should look to-wards it as they lay wounded. Moses made the bronze serpent and set it up on a staff, and the wounded men had but to look towards it and they were healed. After this the Israelites marched on.

Now in Greece around 1200BC, a skilled physician named Asclepius (described in Homer’s Iliad) began healing people. Eventually through

myth and legend, he came to be wor-shiped as Asclepius the Greek God of Healing. Medical schools developed which were usually connected to tem-ples and shrines dedicated to Ascle-pius. His symbol was a single serpent curled around a staff, which was known as The Staff of Asclepius.

Since then, professional and patient organisations (such as the AMA, in fact most medical Associations around the world including the World Health Organisations) use the traditional sym-bol of medicine; the staff of Asclepius with a single serpent encircling a staff.

“And the Lord said unto Moses, make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten when he looked upon it shall live”. Numbers 21:8.

(Sincere thanks to Anne and Leo for their help in this research.)

Brian Carter

Page 7

The Staff of Asclepius

Christmas, T’is Here!

Name: Paul Timson

Where you were born/grew up: Brit-ish Military H o s p i t a l , Hostart, Ger-many.

Early School M e m o r i e s : Being an ‘army b r a t ’ a n d dragged from

school to school every two years or so, as my father was posted to various trouble spots throughout the world. Aden, Borneo, East Africa, India.

Earliest memories of the Church: Singing (very poorly!!) in a choir in a church my parents attended in Aden, Saudi Arabia. They said they could hear me singing “in my boots” from the back row, where they were.

Memories of first Communion: As an adult at St. Ignatius Norwood, some four years ago. It was a culmina-tion of first becoming a truly believing Christian in 1988.

Most recent book read : ‘Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The Best from all his Works.’ Although somewhat hostile to Roman Catholicism, you cannot help but get the impression that he truly was ‘The Prince of Preachers’ and honestly loved God. Some fantas-tic Sermons, much better than a lot of the wishy washy tripe that often drib-bles from pulpits these days!

Favourite movie and song: Movie: Ghandi. Song: Amazing Grace

Hobbies/Interests: Computers, Read-ing (non-fiction), Christian Apologetics

Favourite Place in South Australia: Adelaide! It’s the only ‘real’ home I have ever had.

An unusual place you have at-tended Mass: No particularly unusual place really

Some thoughts on future direction of Tranmere Parish: To be a strong Catholic Parish, not afraid of our an-cient apostolic faith, or to be bold about teaching and preaching it. It’s what our young people want, and need to hear. (Who wants to listen to negatives; shrinking numbers, lack of priests, the need to be re-evangelised by priests from the third world…. Who wants to attend a Church like that !!!)

Name: Paul Murphy

Where you were born/grew up: P l y m p t o n , South Austra-lia

Early School Memories: I found school a tough experi-ence – this was my inspi-ration to be-

come a teacher – I wanted to find a better way for teaching and learning to happen for young people.

Earliest memories of the Church: I remember Latin Masses, fasting, First Communion breakfasts, the Holy Name Society, Sacred Heart Sodality, Missions.

Memories of 1st Communion: A big event. Fasting was important. I was terrified that I would eat something and miss out on communion because we had been told a story like that. We dressed up in our school uniform and gathered in the classroom for a huge breakfast. I remember coke being a special treat and the bottles were decorated with angel wings! It was a special day.

Most recent book read: C Paolini, Eragon

Favourite movie and song: My fa-vourite movie is a children’s movie called “Holes”. It is an adaptation from a book with the same name. I love the multi-layered stories that link into the one adventure. The moral of the story is very positive. My all time favourite is the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. I love the imagination in these films. Favour-ite songs: any song by Andrea Bocelli.

Hobbies/Interests: Gardening, read-ing, films, walking, riding, travelling.

Favourite Place in South Australia: Victor Harbour

An unusual place you have at-tended Mass: Victoria Park Race-course – for the Mass with Pope John Paul II in 1986.

Some thoughts on future direction of Tranmere Parish: I am very keen that we begin to explore how to invite more of our children and families to be involved in their Parish. As a Parish Councillor my thoughts are about stra-

tegic planning for our parish as we face the future. I think now is the time for dreaming and planning for what is to come so we are well prepared with a plan. There is great energy and ownership in that process.

Name: Chris Clohesy

Where you were born/grew up: Born in Hobart Tasmania. Went to St Virgil’s Christian Broth-ers School in Tasmania and St Ignatius in Ade-laide.

Early School Memories: In

Hobart: Nuns, free milk and the class having to take iodine tablets each week to avoid thyroid disease.

Earliest memories of the Church: Going to Mass in Hobart when there was no roof on the Church as it was undergoing renovations and thinking, as a child, how odd that was.

Memories of first Communion: Ice cream and jelly afterwards and the medal we got to wear.

Most recent book read: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

Favourite movie and song: Movie is One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest; Song is You’ll Never Walk Alone by Jerry and the Pacemakers

Hobbies/Interests: Chickens, cycling and spending time with my family.

Favourite Place in South Australia: Kangaroo Island. The lucky thing about KI is that it’s too far to build a bridge to, so it keeps its rural isolated feel.

An unusual place you have at-tended Mass: Christmas Eve 2003 Nhulunbuy on the East Coast of Arn-hem Land in the Northern Territory

Some thoughts on future direction of Tranmere Parish: Hopefully, more of the same. The Tranmere Parish is a great community of people with a shared faith. With the difficulties of life around us, we all gather strength from each other and our common faith.

Page 8

Parish Pastoral Council Member Profiles

TRANMERE TIMES

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5

BEING A CATHOLIC SCHOOL: we continue to place a high priority on being a Catholic community in our practice and teaching. In this semester we have continued our practice of attending parish Masses each week. Our students connect with their local community and witness the practice of other Christian people and participate in the central core of Catholic life. We also celebrated school Masses for Mary MacKillop, All Saints and will finally honour the year with a Mass of thanksgiving in the final week of the term.

Our sacrament program culminated in the beautiful Masses for Confirmation/Eucharist and a Mass to celebrate the conferring of certificates on the Feast of Christ the King. Sacrament cele-brations are a high point in our school year as we celebrate an important journey with our families.

Mrs Burford has continued to work with our teachers on the development of a R-7 Curriculum statement to guide the topics covered in each year. This document will be completed by next year.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: over 100 children participated in out of school hours sport. We are extremely grateful to our parent volunteers who coach and manage teams and provide our students with such wonderful opportu-nities in netball, basketball, volleyball, cricket, soccer, football.

Students enjoyed several specialist clinics this semester: basketball, soc-cer, tennis. Our senior students en-joyed the Netball Carnival and Athlet-ics carnivals. Fitness continues to be central in our week with many creative opportunities to develop skills. In Week 5 we were involved in PE Week activities. I thank Mr Colagrossi for his never ending enthusiasm for sport and for his management of these opportu-nities for our students. We are very grateful to our coaches for their atten-dance at several meetings to support the year of sport.

MUSIC: we commend the work of our senior Festival Choir who participated again in the annual Catholic Schools Music Festival. The commitment of our students is to be commended as they joined students from many other schools to make a choir of 450 voices. Our middle primary choir supported our school at Masses, and at the Tap-pinear Court fete.

Ms Natalie Faggionato has created a wonderful program for our students in Arts and Music this semester. Her enthusiasm has been appreciated.

Our music tutors culminated their work by bringing their students together for a special Tranmere Music Recital. The recital is a new event in our school allowing students who have been learning instruments to gather for a performance night. In this way we provide an opportunity for students to share their new learning.

OUR SCHOOL CELEBRATES: our first school performance night at Mary MacKillop College was a fantastic time of celebration and entertainment. We were so proud of all our students. We had nearly every family watching our school present a wide range of enter-tainment which came out of the class learning program for Book Week. This was a very memorable night for us. Well done to our students and staff.

TEACHING AND LEARNING: The learning program continued to build onto the skills and programs of Se-mester 1. We continued our emphasis on targeted support programs. These programs included the MacQuarie Spelling Program, LAP, The Listening Program, Rainbow Reading, small group focus work and teacher directed programs. The teachers have been involved in a support program to man-age targetted work. This project has been an important part of professional learning.

Our Senior Unit students were in-volved in a unique opportunity to at-tend Zoo School late in Term 3. The students were involved in an investi-gative process as a learning task look-ing at the work of the zoo.

Our new computers in classrooms have provided students access to IT on demand and as part of integrated class work. Classes use the com-puters for many purposes: investigat-ing information through the internet, word processing, Maths and Spelling Programs, and access to new Learn-ing Objects.

Our Year 7 students are to be com-mended for their investment in the annual program of Business Studies. The students produced imaginative and clever projects to sell to the school community. The funds raised were able to fund their zoo school experience and the supper at the cul-

mination of reporting the Business projects to their parents.

The Years 3, 5, 7 LaN results showed steady improvement.

OUR SCHOOL MASTER PLAN has gained approval from the Catholic Education Office and from the Design Review Committee from Catholic Church Office. We now move forward to finalise the costing and building of Stage 1 and will have this project in place for early 2007.

ARTISTIC PROJECTS: Mrs Amanda Herbert returned from leave to help us create a series of figures to place around the fence line of the school to promote the school, and develop a large mural which was created by our SRC students to illustrate the work and life of the school.

SCHOOL PROJECTS: We were fortu-nate to receive a grant to upgrade our furniture in most areas of the school: new tables for Reception, R/1 and Year 3, new library display shelving, new pinboards, new classroom book display units.

Our Resource Centre has been up-graded with new pinboards and dis-play units, new borrowing computers.

This report paints a positive picture of the broad and exciting opportunities on offer as St Joseph’s and reflects our own continuous learning about how to be an excellent school. We are a learning community and learning encompasses many dimensions in a school environment. We are endeav-ouring to provide many learning oppor-tunities that are relevant and child centred, and learning that caters for the variety of learners, interests, tal-ents and learning styles in our commu-nity. I thank our Parishioners and Par-ish Pastoral Council Members for their tremendous support and encourage-ment this year. Next year we cele-brate our 80th Year. I will write details about events in the Parish Newsletter and Parish Magazine next year. We have much to give thanks for over these 80 years.

A happy and Holy Christmas wish to all.

Mr Paul Murphy

PRINCIPAL

Page 9

Semester 2, 2006 School Report

Then open your eyes, nurse, You're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding, As I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of ten With a father and mother, Brothers and sisters, Who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen With wings on her feet Dreaming that soon now A lover she'll meet.

A bride soon at twenty, My heart gives a leap, Remembering the vows That I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own, Who need me to guide And a secure happy home.

A woman of thirty, My young now grown fast, Bound to each other With ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons Have grown and are gone, But my man's beside me To see I don't mourn.

At fifty once more, Babies play round my knee, Again we know children, My loved one and me.

Crabby Old Woman comes to you courtesy of the News Magazine of the North Ireland Association for Mental Health. When an old lady died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Dundee, Scotland, it was believed she had nothing left of any value. Later when nurses were going through her meagre possessions they found this poem. Perhaps you will be as im-pressed with its quality and content, as they were.

Crabby Old Woman

What do you see, nurses? What do you see? What are you thinking When you're looking at me?

A crabby old woman, Not very wise, Uncertain of habit, With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food And makes no reply When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"

Who seems not to notice The things that you do, And forever is losing A stocking or shoe?

Who, resisting or not, Lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding, The long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?

Dark days are upon me, My husband is dead, I look at the future, I shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing Young of their own, And I think of the years And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old woman And nature is cruel; 'Tis jest to make old age Look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles, Grace and vigour depart, There is now a stone Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass A young girl still dwells, And now and again, My battered heart swells.

I remember the joys, I remember the pain, And I'm loving and living Life over again.

I think of the years All too few, gone too fast, And accept the stark fact That nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people, Open and see, Not a crabby old woman; Look closer . . . see ME!!

Submitted by Lino and Pia Beltrame

Page 10

Crabby Old Woman

TRANMERE TIMES

Kingly Feast

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 5 Page 11

Merry Christmas and our sincere thanks to

you all.

New President At the last meeting of September the president of Tranmere Conference, Nick Carusi, completed his 3 year term. We thank Nick for his leadership during those 3 years.

We thank Arpad Fekete for his willingness to lead us for the next 3 years.

Testing Times For parents on a tight budget Christmas can be a major trial. Naturally parents want to do the best for their children at Christmas. Tight budgets are stretched well beyond their normal limits. The pressure to spend is often aggravated by advertising bombardments and ch i ld ren ’s expectations as a result of peer group influences.

Perhaps the top tip is this:

Give yourself spending limits, try and take time out for yourself, and don't try to do everything on your own.

Plan a Budget well before Christmas and stick to it.

Avoid using credit.

Focus on the real meaning of Christmas and build activities around it.

Involve the children in planning Christmas and holiday activities.

Hire a video for some ‘quiet time.’

Get together with friends and share the celebration of Christmas in the park, at the beach….

organise a day out together

A useful source for information is a South Australian website:

Parenting and Child Health

Christmas Appeal Once again we hope to distribute about 30 Hampers before Christmas.

♦ Christmas Hamper suggestions:

♦ Tinned Ham

♦ Tinned Tuna

♦ Tinned Christmas Pudding

♦ Christmas Cake

♦ Bon-Bons

♦ Mince Pies (pkt 6)

♦ Tinned Fruit

♦ Jelly

♦ Cans of Soft Drinks

♦ Custard Powder Cordial

♦ Milk (1L Long life/UHT)

♦ Instant Coffee(50g/100g)

♦ Tea Bags(pkt 25 or 50)

♦ Biscuits (no chocolate)

♦ Nuts/Lollies

♦ Tinned Vegetables

♦ Voucher for a Chicken

♦ Voucher for Meat

♦ Gift Vouchers

Please do not donate:-

• Chocolate or other items that melt,

• out of date food,

• dented tins or broken packets.

• Due to OH&S rules we cannot accept used toys.

• Any gifts should not be gift-wrapped.

Parishioners who would prefer to make a monetary Christmas Appeal

donation to the Society can do so by using the POOR BOXES at each porch.

The Poor Box at the main entrance is attached to the Stairs rail.

If you would like a receipt please place your donation in an envelope and include your name and address with your donation

Thank You Tranmere There is so much good news to celebrate!

Thank you for the support that we have received throughout the year and at this time with donations towards Christmas Hampers, in the way of foods, toys, gift vouchers and money.

Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by the struggles that people here and elsewhere around the world have to cope with, that we forget what marvellous work is done by so many among us.

Thinking about New Year Resolutions?? Here is a ‘really simple’ one!!!!

Today I will not try to change, or improve, anybody but me.

The wisdom in Proverbs. W h a t w i l l b e , w i l l b e . Life is what you make it.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Out of sight, out of mind.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Better safe than sorry.

MAKES YOU THINK???

THAT’S LIFE!!

PARISH PERSONNEL

EDITORIAL TEAM

Terence & Grace Yeow, Tom Spinks

♦ John McNamara, son of David and Margaret on 25 Nov

♦ Thomas Varricchio, son of Ferdi-nando and Michelle on 26 Nov

May They Rest in Peace

Our sympathy goes to fami-lies & friends of recently de-

ceased parishioners: ♦ Brian Whaley of Burnside on 29

Aug ♦ Aluisia Castigilione of Kensington

Gardens on 1 September ♦ Karoly Matoricz of Rostrevor on 11

September ♦ Giuseppe Iasiello of St. Morris on

26 Oct ♦ Danuta Kresnicki of Magill on 30

Oct ♦ Jessica Nesci of Magill on 30 Oct

Weddings ♦ Joseph Nesci and Denyse Elliott

on 10 Sept

Personal Notices

An elderly man in Adelaide rang his son in Sydney and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty years of misery is enough.”

“Dad, what are you talking about?” the son screams.

“We’re sick of each other and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Brisbane and tell her”, and he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister who ex-plodes on the phone. “Like hell they are getting divorced,” she shouts, “I’ll take care of this”.

She calls her dad immediately and screams at the old man, “You are not getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I am calling my brother back, and will both be there tomorrow. Until then don’t do a thing. Do you hear me?” and hangs up.

The old man hangs up and turns to his wife. “Its okay” he says, “they’re coming home for Christmas and paying their own airfares.”

Brian Carter

Home for Christmas

BAPTISMS We welcome into our Parish faith community the recently

baptised: ♦ Chloe Brain, daughter of Christo-

pher and Sally on 10 September

♦ Nadia Feltracco, daughter of Dino and Marisa on 8 Oct

♦ Alexander Pertl, son of John and Jenny on 15 Oct

♦ Hudson Kelly, son of Matthew and Tanille on 29 Oct

♦ Patrick McGinn, son of Peter and Suzanne on 11 Nov

♦ Sophia McGinn, daughter of Simon and Dolly on 11 Nov

♦ Jade Sylaidis, daughter of Peter and Anita on 12 Nov

♦ Nicolas Alvaro, son of Francesco and Lina on 12 Nov

♦ Tahlia Briffa, daughter of Stephen and Marissa on 18 Nov

♦ Henry Knight, son of Daryl and Mi-chelle on 19 Nov

♦ Alexandra Noble, daughter of Stuart and Donna on 19 Nov

Tranmere Times is the bi-monthly parish newsletter of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

Tranmere. This church serves the people living but not entirely in the Adelaide suburbs of

Kensington, Magill, Newton, Norton Summit and Hills, Rostrevor, Rosslyn Park, St. Morris,

Tranmere and Woodforde.

Parish Priest: Mgr. John Swann Pastoral Associate: Mr Frank Fahy

Parish School Principal: Paul Murphy Parish REC: Annka Goioisa

Parish Secretary: Carol Galbraith

St. Joseph’s Church 484 Magill Rd, Kensington Gdns 5068

phone: 8431-6932, fax: 8361-3086 email: stjostrmr@picknowl.com.au

Parish Website

http://homepages.picknowl.com.au/stjostrmr

TRANMERE TIMES

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES

4th Sunday of Advent:

Saturday 23rd Dec: 6.30pm Vigil

Sunday 24 Dec: 9.30am ONLY

CHRISTMAS EVE: Sunday 24 Dec:

Children’s Mass 6.30pm

Christmas Mass 8.30pm

Midnight Mass (Carols from 11.30pm)

CHRISTMAS DAY: Monday 25 Dec:

Christmas Mass 9.30am

NO EVENING MASS ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Weekday Masses: NO MASS Tues 26 or Wed 27 Dec

Thurs, Fri & Sat: 9.15am

Feast of the Holy Family:

Saturday 30 Dec: 6.30pm Vigil

Sunday 31 Dec: 8.30am, 10.30am

New Year’s Day:

Monday 1 Jan: 9.30am ONLY

EDITORIAL TEAM Terence Yeow & Tom Spinks

PARISH PERSONNEL