The Catholic Weekly 19 July 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 3 19, July, 2020 Looking for a new Job? www.catholicjobsonline.com.au UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, humility and forgiveness while putting the Lord first, are the secrets to a long and happy marriage according to the Arulswamys. The Liverpool couple, who are this year celebrating 57 years of wedded bliss, agree it’s not enough to just call yourself Catholic but to prac- tice the faith together and your marriage can last forev- er. Amal and Lourdemary joined around 100 couples who took part in this year’s annual Marriage Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral presided over by Archbishop Antho- ny Fisher OP, an occasion to thank God for the gift of mar- riage and to honour married couples for their life-giving love and faithfulness. Representing almost 2000 years of married life, couples of all age groups celebrated anniversaries from one to a remarkable 60 years as well as a special fraternity of cou- ples who were married at the cathedral. Held on 12 July, tradition- ally the feast day of the pa- trons of married life – Saints Louis and Zelie Martin (also the parents of St Therese of Lisieux) - mass-goers lined up for hours to venerate their relics. The Martins were the first couple to be canonised to- gether and to have a child canonised before them. Archbishop Fisher said he hoped married couples could gain inspiration from the saints, especially from Saints Louis and Zelie Martin. “They were great ambas- sadors for Christ, attending daily Mass, visiting elderly and sick neighbours and wel- coming the poor into their homes,” he said. “Five years ago, Pope Fran- cis canonised Louis and Ma- rie-Azélie Martin, the parents of St Thérèse of Lisieux: were it not a Sunday, today would be their feast day. “Starting with Mary and Jo- seph, many married couples through history have been saints, and many more have had a child who was a saint. “Indeed, 12 July was cho- sen for their feast day because it is the anniversary of their wedding in 1858. They had ¾ ¾ Debbie Cramsie Couples fill Cathedral to celebrate ‘I do’ Lourdemary and Amal Arulswamy, left, were marking 57 years of marriage while Raymond and Reah Ramir, at right, have notched up their first 12 months of wedded bliss. Every couple needs a third partner – Jesus, say the Ramirs. PHOTOS:ALPHONSUS FOK Significant numbers turned out for the Marriage Mass, filling the cathedral in accord with social dis- tancing provisions. nine children and must have expected many grandchil- dren, but God’s ways can be strange: four died in infancy and the remaining five en- tered religious life! “They knew that a parent’s love must allow their child to follow their own path, even if, as Mary knew, this can sometimes pierce the par- ent’s heart. “May they continue to in- spire all married couples, helping them grow closer to Christ.” Mrs Arulswamy said it was a huge honour to not only be blessed by Archbishop Fisher but be in the presence of so many happy married cou- ples. “It was such a beautiful Mass, so amazing and to have the relics of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin there made it that bit more special,” she beamed. Among the younger couples celebrating one year of marriage were Reah and Raymond Ramir. Reah said they decided to attend the Marriage Mass to remind each other of their commitment “to each other and to God”. “Marriage is a sacrament God only gives to people who can commit to each other and to their faith,” she said. “Along with your partner, Je- sus needs to be the third party in all marriages to ensure it is long-lasting andalways loving.” ARCHBISHOP‘S HOMILY P8 Inquiry hears call for more housing THE SOCIAL and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pan- demic has made adequate social housing a more urgent need than ever, Catholic wel- fare organisations have told a government inquiry. The federal parliamenta- ry inquiry into homelessness was launched in Canberra this month to examine the factors that contribute to people be- coming homeless, identify op- portunities to prevent home- lessness, and examine ways to better support the homeless and those at risk. The St Vincent de Paul So- ciety National Council told the inquiry that while it appreciat- ed governments’ responses to COVID-19 to prevent home- lessness and temporarily house the homeless, such as a moratorium on evictions and rental assistance, it was con- cerned about the longer-term welfare of those who may find themselves back on the streets as the pandemic wanes. The Society believed a ‘housing first’ but not ‘hous- ing only’ approach was most effective in preventing and ad- dressing homelessness, chief executive officer Toby O’Con- nor said. “Strategies are needed to transition people to appropri- ate and long-term accommo- dation, with case-managed support,” he wrote in a sub- mission. “Housing cannot be ad- dressed in isolation - access to health and other social sup- port services is essential.” However with 190,000 households already on wait- ing lists for social housing, the shortfall meant that the coun- try had “gone backwards” with respect to meeting the exist- ing demand, let alone being able to respond adequately to projected growth, the Society warned. Jesuit Social Services is calling on the Australian Gov- ernment to recognise the im- portance of social housing as social and public infrastruc- ture. “The rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the wake of the bushfire crisis has both highlighted and exacer- bated the existing structural inequalities across Australia with regard to the well-docu- mented undersupply of public and community-based social housing stock,” it said. ¾ ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues Five years ago, Pope Francis canonised Louis andMa- rie-AzélieMartin ... May they continue to inspire all married couples, helping them grow closer to Christ.” Archbishop Fisher OP NEWS