BLUEPRINT

BLUEPRINT is a series of workshop days organised by the Archdiocesan Office for Youth. The workshops seek to inspire and support leaders in youth ministry - be it in parishes, schools or communties. Spread throughout the year, each workshop day will focus on the various elements of ministry, from formation to resource sharing, recruiting and networking with other youth leaders.

Our office recognises that there are plenty of people out in parishes, schools and communities who work tirelessly to involve their peers in the life and mission of the Church. Sometimes it can be a challenging road ahead! Therefore, we hope that youth leaders who attend these sessions can walk away feeling refreshed, re-energised and motivated to continue in their ministry.

Saturday 27 March from 10am - 4pm

Get more info from Archdiocesan Office for Youth website here.

Degradation of the Environment

a moral problem threatening peace and human life

Benedict XVI:  On 15 December, Pope Benedict issued a message to world leaders for World Peace Day…..’Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated  with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of  natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions’? the Pope asked.  ‘It is becoming more and more evident that the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our lifestyle and the prevailing models of consumption and production, which are often unsustainable from a social, environmental and even economic point of view’, the Pope said (full story Catholic News Service 15 Dec 09).

The World’s Largest Humanitarian Organisation
-bringing hope to millions!-

In Australia, through 1,700 schools, more than 80 hospitals, more than 30,000 aged care beds and at home services, St Vincent de Paul, Centacare (now CatholicCare in some dioceses) and the myriad of outreach provided by religious orders, parishes and dioceses, the work of the Catholic Church is perhaps 50 times that of the Red Cross in Australia and around 40% of all the charitable work of non-profit organisations nationally.

Internationally, the Catholic Church is the largest or close to largest provider of humanitarian services in the Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America. It is a major provider in Asian countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, even though the Catholic population is relatively small. Hundreds of millions of people rely on the Catholic Church every day for a wide range of services including primary, secondary and tertiary education, basic health services, clinics and hospitals, orphanages, welfare support, pastoral care and family support, job creation, advocacy against injustice and so much more.

Most importantly, but in a much more hidden way, inspired by the risen Jesus, every day a billion ordinary Catholics reach out to their neighbours, parishioners, school families, and others in need in huge but hidden ways every day. Spiritual supported humanitarian acts, whether formal through institutions or informally through everyday relationships, creates a Church which succeeds in providing hope in Australia and around the world.
That Church is worth joining and celebrating this Easter.

Martin Teulan
National Director
Catholic Mission
www.catholicmission.org.au
www.evangelisingparish.com.au

Saint Vinnies Youth

100 home visits per month.
distributes $4000-$5000 per month in food vouchers.
distributes free furniture & free clothing.
provides petrol vouchers e.g. for medical appointments etc out of Sunbury
provides rent assistance because while motgages have dropped, rents haven't.
provides assistance with electricity, gas, telephone bills and water rates.
supports families with return to school costs.
helps with the cost of high medical bills.
helps with social justice issues.
is an advocate for those who need one most.

Archdiocesan Office for Youth

Guiding the Archdiocesan Office for Youth are the words: PRAY, WITNESS, SERVE, encapsulating the mission of every young Catholic today.

The Office is headed by Teresa Wilson, a long-time volunteer of the St Vincent de Paul Society and during World Youth Day 2008 dined with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The team also includes Blair McWhinney, Tiffany Orbien, John Rhynehart and Tim Davis. All of the team previously worked on World Youth Day and Days in the Dioceses initiatives, and saw firsthand the great rewards of working with the young people in Melbourne parishes, schools and communities.

The Archdiocesan Office for Youth looks forward to working with many newly strengthened parish and school youth groups, assisting where it can and providing a wide range of opportunities to ensure that young people continue to harness the energy ignited by WYD08

Try the website here:
http://www.aoy.org.au

There is a mountain of information, howto's, net links etc.

10 Tips to Green your Parish

1. Use recycled or part-recycled paper for your parish bulletin. This is now
possible, as the quality is now vastly improved so that brightness is improved; the
products are approved for photocopiers while prices now are quite close to that of
regular paper. Subtly advertise your move to recycle at the bottom of your
newsletter.
2. Apply for Greenpower, which is electrical power from sustainable sources such
as solar, wind and hydro. If you are not contracted at present, and agree to go
on a contract with a supplier, there may not even be a cost for Greenpower. A
small increase may apply in some cases. Once you are using at least 10%
Greenpower you will be able to use the logo on your building, newsletter and
letterhead. This will show your commitment to the environment. To find out more
go to  http://www.catholicearthcare.org.au/  or  www.greenpower.gov.au
3. Replace your existing incandescent (standard) light bulbs with energy saving
compact fluorescent globes. Make sure you trial the compact fluorescent
globe for brightness as the light is different to that of incandescent globes.
4. Turn your lights off in the Church where possible. If you have your church
open, then leaving all lights on may be a major energy use. It may not be
necessary to have all lights on in many churches during daylight hours.
5. Replace security lights with sensor lights, where appropriate. This will continue
to provide security, but may reduce light usage by 90%.
6. Consider the cars parish staff are driving. Cars are a major contributor to
greenhouse emissions by churches. Converting to a hybrid such as a Toyota
Prius is good PR, but ordinary fuel-efficient vehicles such as a Toyota Corolla,
Nissan Tiida or Mitsubishi Lancer make a more cost-effective difference. Small
diesels are worth examining, but are costly and cause more smog.
7. Undertake an energy audit to provide ideas for you to reduce your energy use.
This may examine how you use energy, and suggest changes to reduce your
energy use on an ongoing basis such as fitting reflectors to fluorescent lights and
master switches to easily turn off all lighting and air-conditioning.
8. Turn the air-conditioner off when it’s not needed. Open the window and let the
fresh air in, especially during the milder months of the year, from March to May,
and from September to November. If you are in a permanently air-conditioned
building, use your blinds to reduce the effect of morning and afternoon sun on
your windows. These measures could reduce your air-conditioning bill by half.
9. Turn off computers overnight. This not only saves up to 10% of a church’s
energy bill, it makes your computers less open to infiltration by viruses.
10. Recycle everything possible. This may mean using recycling bins around the
Church and also within the Church Office and Presbytery. The easiest way is to
have a separate recycling bin under each desk and in the Church foyer.

Martin Teulan
National Director, Catholic Mission

www.catholicmission.org.au
www.evangelisingparish.com.au

Faith Doing Justice

Our Parish has just been doing a Faith and Prayer and letter drop (by our Parish Posties) promotion to make us all aware of the Dignity of each one of us.

Here is an extract from the Faith Doing Justice website:
The principle of the dignity of the human person reminds us that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God and has an inalienable and transcendent human dignity which gives rise to human rights.
It is the bedrock of all Catholic social ethics. It follows that people are always more important than things. People must never be treated as a means or an instrument to be used for the benefit of another.
Every human person is equal in dignity and rights. Every human community, every race and culture is equal in dignity and rights. The human family is one because we are all children of the one God. This aspect of human dignity is sometimes referred to as the principle of the unity of the human family.

The Catechism explains it this way:

“Created in the image and likeness of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all persons have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 193

Go to this website and pick up discussion guides for groups large or small, liturgy and scripture items, and masses of material for ACTION:  http://www.faithdoingjustice.com.au

Ecology-----a Key Area of Mission

To be authentic disciples of Jesus, we need to be authentic in our understanding of and
our respect for the integrity of Creation. The liturgy, prayer and sacramental life of parishes, the basic foundation of Christian faith formation, would naturally make the link between faith and caring for the natural world. Our churches would be vibrant Christian communities living out their understanding of the connection between peace, ecology and justice through Gospel eyes. There are many environmentalists who turned from religion and became involved in the environmental movement because they found in the past that concern in the Church for environmental degradation has not matched theirs. Now many see that the Church has a significant contribution to make.

Anne Lanyon
Columban Mission Institute
Centre for Peace, Ecology and Justice

 If you are interested in making this an area for focusing your efforts, have a look at the information available at this website:   http://www.catholicearthcare.org.au/

See, Judge, Act.
The YCW post WYD. The "Be My Witnesses" book is here.
The YCW website is here.
The Australian Young Christian Students website is here.

Liturgy Lines

(Liturgy Lines are short 500-word essays on liturgical topics written by Elizabeth Harrington, The Liturgical Commission's education officer. They have been published every week in The Catholic Leader [Brisbane] since 1999. They may be reproduced by parishes for private non-commercial use, provided that the copyright line is retained.)