The Catholic Weekly 11 October 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 4 NEWS 11, October, 2020 Helping build a brighter future for children and families in crisis. Dunlea Centre 35A Waratah Road Engadine NSW 2233 Phone 02 8508 3900 AUSTRALIA'S ORIGINAL BOYS' TOWN A place for change... www.dunleacentre.org.au CATHOLIC MISSION Aus- tralia marked the beginning of World Mission Month in October with the feast day of St Therese of Lisieux; patron- ess of the missions. World Mission Month is a time when Catholics all over the world join together to support and celebrate global missionary work. “October is an opportu- nity for us to give particular attention to the work of mis- PROFESSOR TRACEY Row- land of the University of No- tre Dame Australia has won the Ratzinger Prize for The- ology, often described as the field’s equivalent to the No- bel Prize. The award is a stunning win for the Melbourne-based academic who is the first Australian and only the third woman to receive the prestig- ious award. Born in Ipswich, Queens- land, in 1963 Professor Row- land holds the St John Paul II Research Chair of Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia and teaches at both its campuses in Fremantle and Sydney. The Prize is awarded to two individuals each year regard- less of their denomination and comes with A$125,000 in prize money. Pope Francis announced on 1 October that Professor Rowland would share this year’s award with French phi- losopher Professor Jean-Luc Marion. Established by Pope Ben- edict in 2010, it recognises those who perform promis- ing scholarly research relat- ing to or expounding upon his work. Professor Rowland told The Catholic Weekly she was “surprised but not total- ly shocked” to find she had been chosen for the award given that she has published much about the theology of Joseph Ratzinger, including two books that have been translated into other lan- guages. She was unsure of the rea- sons for her win but thought it may be her work on the the- ology of Joseph Ratzinger and Prof Tracey Rowland’s win is a stunning recognition for decades of scholarship ¾ ¾ David Ryan ¾ ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues UNDA academic wins theology’s ‘Nobel Prize’ World Mission month Prof Rowland, centre, with former Australian Ambassador to the Vatican, John McCarthy QC, Australian Catholic Students Association President Christopher Wilks, Christine McCarthy and Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett, the former Bishop of Lismore, at the ACSA Conference din- ner in 2019. PHOTO: GIOVANNI PORTELLI sion,” said Catholic Mission National Director Fr Brian Lucas. World Mission Month “connects more than 30 missionaries and mission partners based in over 25 different countries, speaking their own languages and the languages of those they work with,” said Fr Brian. This year World Mission Month focuses on the essen- tial work of priests, religious and lay missionaries in Cam- bodia, supporting people with disability and their fam- ilies. “Through our prayerful support and solidarity, and through our generosity we are able to make available resources to those mission churches,” says Fr Brian. The Arrupe Centre and Outreach Program, run by Bishop Enrique “Kike” Fig- aredo Alvargonzalez in the Apostolic Prefecture of B at- tambang in the north-w est of Cambodia is a locati on where the work of World Mi s- on the theology of culture, or what might be called the re- lationship between faith and culture. University of Notre Dame’s Vice Chancellor Professor Francis Campbell said he was “delighted” for Professor Tracey. “For many years she has made a wonderful contribu- tion to the discipline of The- ology and to our Notre Dame community,” he said. “While Tracey has had many achievements during her career, which have been recognised internationally, to be the first Australian to re- ceive this award is surely one of the highest honours. “I personally congratulate Tracey and I know her col- leagues and the wider Univer- sity community were thrilled to hear the news.” Archbishop Anthony Fish- er OP described his former colleague as “an intellectual champion of the new evange- lisation” and said the award was a great honour both for her personally and for the whole country. “I’ve known Tracey for decades and worked closely with her at the John Paul II Institute,” he said, noting that she is also Australia’s only member of the International Theological Commission that advises the Pope. “She is an example of a theologian who does her theology on her knees rather than on her posterior – to use a distinction of Pope Francis,” For many years she has made a wonderful contribution to the discipline of Theology and to our Notre Dame community” Francis Campbell, Vice Chancellor UNDA In brief Port Pirie bishop ordained FATHER KAROL Kulczy- cki SDS was consecrated as the new Bishop of the remote South Australi- an diocese of Port Pirie a world away from where he will lead it. The Polish Salvatorian priest was consecrated Bishop in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Trzebinia Poland on 29 September. The COVID-19 pan- demic prevented Bishop Kulczycki from returning to Australia for his episco- pal ordination. A map showing the vast Port Pirie Diocese and the Australian flag were displayed in the Ba- silica with ribbons draped from the ceiling for the special occasion. Live-streamed on Pol- ish Catholic television, the three-hour service was conducted in English but with translated ad- dresses and Polish com- mentary throughout. The Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, said it was “truly a fitting day to celebrate with great joy an extraordinary event of grace in recognising and acknowledging God’s work in man, choosing a priest to share in the fullness of Christ’s priest- hood as bishop of the Catholic Church”. “Fr Karol, as you em- bark on your mission in the land of Australia, where you served the lo- cal Church as a mission- ary for about 20 years, we pray to the blessed Moth- er to whom you have devoted your entire life as a faithful son that she may continue to guard you, protect you and lead you towards her son, the eternal priest and Good Shepherd,” he said. he added. “That is, she writes from a heart full of love for Christ and his Church, from a soul united to God in prayer, and from a mind informed by our Catholic tradition. “Theology is not just intel- lectual gymnastics for her, not just novelty for its own sake or for popularity amongst peers. “I think she is also some- one who understands the trends in our culture and the ways people can be inoculat- ed to faith today.”The Dean of the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family in Melbourne until its controversial closure by Arch- bishop Denis Hart in Decem- ber 2018, Professor Rowland has long been recognised as a leading scholar specialising in the thought and writings of Joseph Ratzinger who served as Pope Benedict XVI from 2005 until 2013. She is also recognised as a leading expert on the Second Vatican Council. Past winners include Mar- ianne Schlosser, a Catholic professor of Spiritual Theol- ogy at the University of Wien who is also a member of the International Theological Commission and the Com- mission on the Female Di- aconate, Mario Botta, a Swiss Catholic architect and Arvo Pärt, an Orthodox classical music composer. Read the full Q&A with Prof Rowland at: www. catholicweekly.com.au sion Month will find support by helping sick children re- ceive care and access to ed- ucation. “These COVID times are challenging for everyone but the missionaries of the church are still present, still available in service of the people,” says Fr Brian. You can help Catholic Mis- sion support people with dis- abilities and their families. Visit www.catholicmis- sion/cambodia for more in- formation.