catholicweekly.com.au 6 NEWS 12, April, 2020 WHILE MANY parishes have turned to livestreaming ser- vices, Fr Mick Court at the Parish of St John Bosco Enga- dine decided to take things a step further. Asking his parishioners to send in photos of themselves and their families, Fr Mick has filled his church with near- ly 150 photos sticking them to the pews and positioning them in their usual seats. “I thought of getting pa- rishioners to read at home and send me a video which we then could include in the mass,” said Fr Mick. “And then I saw a picture of a priest sayingMass with pho- tos. I thought that is a power- ful way to crowd source! So, I copied his idea and invited parishioners.” Over 100 parishioners IF YOU need a break from jig- saw puzzles John Foulcher says that this is as good a time as any to start or revisit read- ing or writing poetry. It may even be better. “Poetry is somehow our deepest language, it is the lan- guage of the soul, it helps us to explore our deepest selves and right now all of us are actually being thrown back upon our own inner resourc- es,” says the Canberra-based poet. “This time we are going through is a time for poetry and I think that’s a really good thing. “It’s an awful thing to see people losing their jobs, peo- ple dying, but I’m appreciat- ing this time where everyone is slowing down, everybody is looking at themselves just that little bit more clearly. “Poetry helps you do that.” Last year the former teach- er took out first place and $10,000 in the Australian Catholic University’s Prize for Poetry and said it was a great honour and confidence boost to win one of the country’s most coveted poetry prizes. Entries are now open for the 2020 competition, which will be awarded for outstand- ing poetry with the theme of ‘Generosity’, reflecting on the author-poet Katerina Stoyko- va Klemer’s supposition that “If truth doesn’t set you free, generosity of spirit will”. Entries close on 6 July, poems will be judged by em- inent poet Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM with winners to be announced in September. The annual prize It’s rapidly becoming a landmark achievement in the Australian literary scene ¾ ¾ Benjamin Conolly ¾ ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues Virus can’t deter ACU Poetry Prize for 2020 Photos fill the pews Pictures of parishioners and their families are stuck to the pews at St John Bosco parish in Engadine. obliged in the first week send- ing in their family photos dig- itally for Fr Mick and his team to print out and display. Many more have been coming in the weeks since. “Their response has been amazing!” said Fr Mick. “If they have a regular posi- tion in the church, I have tried to put them near their regular area. Although some come fromour church at Heathcote, so they are scattered among the Engadine regulars!” Fr Mick says that his parishion- ers are responding well to the changed circumstances, though it is a challenging time for all. “We are working hard to do what we can with the tools of technology to continue to nurture their faith and con- nections,” he said. “There are some who are appreciating the slower pace allowing them to reflect more and make deeper connec- tions in their family.” No time to be complacent, Fr Mick and the parish are working tirelessly to ensure everyone in the community can con- tinue their connection with the church, through phone calls, emails, resources on the parish website and video meetings, despite the special circumstances. “We are setting up phone networks for those who do not have email, trying to check in regularly to see how they are doing. “We are now sending out our bulletin on email to about 400 families and trying to find those who don’t have email and posting the bulletin to them.” “My theme from the begin- ning were some words that came out of a conversation with one of my PPC mem- bers- we are not closed… we are operating differently.” is sponsored by ACU’s Office of the Vice-President led by Father Anthony Casamen- to csma, who said the com- petition aimed to continue the tradition of the Catholic Church as a key patron of the arts. “Australian Catholic Uni- versity is delighted once again to be sponsoring the now re- nowned ACU Prize for Poetry in 2020,” Fr Casamento said. “As a university, and a Catholic university, it is fitting that we support this critical prize for the creative arts com- munity in Australia.” Mr Foulcher said anyone interested should have go at entering this year. “You’ll never get anything out of it if you don’t give it a go,” he said. For enquires email prizefor-
[email protected] or visit the ACU Arts and Culture website for details. And then I saw a picture of a priest sayingMass with photos! I thought that is a powerful way to crowd source! So, I copied his idea and in- vited parishioners ... Their response has been amazing!” Fr Mick Court, St John Bosco Engadine In brief Landlord waives rent Rapid response priests A NEW York landlord has waived April’s rent for his tenants. “I told them not to worry, not to pan- ic,” said Mario Salerno of Brooklyn. “My Catho- lic faith brought it upon me to make this decision. The value of a life, and I pray every day, and when I have extra time, when I’m in quarantine, I pray and ask the good Lord to please conquer this vi- cious virus.” THE ARCHDIOCESE of Chicago has assembled a team of 24 priest volun- teers — all under age 60, and without pre-exist- ing medical conditions — to administer sacramen- tal anointing of the sick to Catholics with COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic. Fr Matthew O’Donnell, Parish Priest of St Colum- banus Parish on the city’s South Side, has been a part of the team for about three weeks, and told CNA that so far he has anointed two people with COVID-19. “I know that all of us who are doing this minis- try in Chicago right now aredoing it becausewebe- lieve that this is what we’re called to do as priests, to be present to people,” Fr O’Donnell told CNA. “And I think all of us are knowl- edgeable of the risks, but the importance of the sac- rament outweighs that.” Canberra poet John Foulcher says to those interested that you’ll never get anything out of it if you don’t give it a go. PHOTO:ACU NEW