The Catholic Weekly 13 June 2021

catholicweekly.com.au 2 NEWS 13, June, 2021 FROM PAGE 1 “There are wonderful people who have served this minis- try in many ways and they’ve lived with a period of uncer- tainty for long enough. “It’s time to provide the certainty they need so they can continue their great work of respectfully caring for the sacred remains of loved ones and helping support those who are grieving.” At the time of print, more than 16000 people had signed a petition asking Premier Gla- dys Berejiklian to reverse the decision to place the Catholic trust into administration and amalgamate it with the other four trusts into a government one named OneCrown. Tension within the state cabinet over the issue was reported to have come to a head last Monday, prompting a request for Minister Pavey to work out an alternative solu- tion. Last weekend new state La- bor leader Chris Minns said the government take-over should be cancelled in favour of a “common sense” solution with faith-based and other cemetery operators. “The government has no right to push religious organ- isations out of the burial of the dead,” he said. “I think keeping the Catho- lic trust in the sector provides contestability in the market place to drive down prices, and to be frank with you the other crown trusts are the ones with the liability prob- lems Mr Casey slammed the decision “made without any consultation” with faith groups. Catholic operator hails Premier’s decision as amajor step forward NSW burials backdown “Any way we look at this de- cision by the premier it is hos- tile to religion,” he said. “It only makes sense for two reasons, one is to cover up mess and mismanage- ment by the government, and the second is because, as is evident in the government’s independent report, there is a plan to privatise cemeteries going forward. Melinda Pavey, the NSW Minister for Water, Property and Housing, will now renegotiate the manage- ment of funerals in this state with the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust. PHOTO: GIOVANNI PORTELLI “Privatisation and govern- mental control of cemeteries means one thing: higher pric- es for the community.” Mr Casey explained that of the three options given by the Government’s review “first was this one chosen without any consultation with us, the second was that the church could operate the trusts, the third option was to be left alone to do what we’ve done well for 150 years”. “We’ve been given no brief- ing on why the Premier’s cho- sen to do the first option and discounted the second two.” Recently bereaved wid- ower Frank Cudmore of Pad- stow Heights wrote to The Catholic Weekly expressing his concerns about the future of Rookwood Catholic Ceme- tery. My wife of over fifty years who recently died is being in- terred [there],” he wrote. “We paid for a plot that in- cludes the interment, a me- morial plaque and most im- portantly maintenance of the site in perpetuity. “Now I fear the government will use the trust money for other purposes.” I n this edition Faith in the trajectory of life catch it now at: thiscatholiclife.com.au Our story begins in 1839 with the Australasian Chronicle, continuing with the Freeman’s Journal in 1850. Level 13, Polding Centre, 133 Liverpool Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Phone (02) 9390 5400 | Vol 73, No 5188. The Catholic Weekly is published by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney ABN 60 471 267 587 and is printed by ACM Australian Community Media, 159 Bells Line of Road, North Richmond NSW, 2754. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Kenny (02) 9390 5348 EDITOR Peter Rosengren (02) 9390 5400 REPORTERS Marilyn Rodrigues (02) 9390 5410 Debbie Cramsie (02) 9390 5396 SUBSCRIPTIONS Rita Ng (02) 9390 5411 ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Steve Richards (02) 9390 5404 Katie Clarke (02) 9390 5402 DESIGNERS Renate Cassis Mathew De Sousa News Movies, books Archbishop’s homily Editorial & Letters 1-7, 10-13 8-9 19 24-25 LEAVE A GIFT Archdiocese of Sydney Catholic CHARITIES Order your FREE Wills and Bequests Guide today 1800 753 959 or [email protected] myWill SUPPORTINGTHE MINISTRIES OF THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY Leaving a gift in a Celebrating loved ones for over 90 years Trevor Lee & Son is a family business that has helped families celebrate and remember their loved ones for over 90 years. ♦ Intimate and personal funeral services ♦ Professional, compassionate staff, available 24 hours a day ♦ On site or in the comfort of your own home ♦ Servicing all areas of Metropolitan Sydney and Country NSW ♦ Pre-Paid Funerals available Contact Bernadette (nee O’Hare), Trevor or Darren Lee on 9746 2949 to arrange an appointment. While we have been very disappointed by this whole situation, we’ll set that aside and look forward to entering these discussions in good faith to come to a sensible conclusion.” Danny Casey, Governor of Catholic Metropoli- tan Cemeteries Trust