Good News
+ Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
17 May 2009
Two recent Catholic celebrations showed off the Church at her best.
One was a farewell Mass in St. Mary's Cathedral to thank Brother Kelvin Canavan, a Marist brother, who had been director of the Sydney Archdiocese Education Office for 22 years. The Cathedral was packed with adults, teachers, parents, senior politicians of both sides, union officials and representative students from each school for a wonderful act of worship and expression of thanks. Twelve bishops and many priests also attended. The Marist brothers are unmarried men, a group founded by St. Marcellin Champagnat in 1817 in France to serve God and educate the poor. Brother Kelvin taught at every level of schooling before becoming an administrator.
Many of the primary and secondary students at the Mass had to sit on the Cathedral's new marble floor because of the crush, but they knew it was good to be saying "thanks", and many, young and older, thanked me afterwards for a "great celebration" or "a lovely Mass".
The other celebration was very different, a concert at the Sydney Entertainment Centre by "The Priests", three country parish priests from near Belfast in Northern Ireland, first-rate singers and entertainers. 9,000 people were present. Their recent CD "The Priests" has sold 1.3 million copies and is a top-seller on the charts in 32 countries.
Mark Vincent, a 15 year old tenor from De La Salle, Caringbah, winner of Australia's Got Talent also sang. Magnificent. We shall hear more of him.
Perhaps the best short-hand way to describe both events is to explain that the atmosphere was like that of World Youth Day; happy and joyful.
Christ did not come among us to make life miserable. While the Scriptures tell us there is a time for weeping, and a time for fighting, joy and good fun are more regular priorities.
Christians are not encouraged to wear false smiles, nor to pretend that following Christ is cost free.
The rewards for Christians are long-term, sometimes out of this world, but begin in the here and now.
Christ came to teach us how to make life better and therefore happier and Christianity has spread during its 2000 year history because this is true.
I don't know how many Australians today know that the four main books which tell us of Christ are called "gospels". But I am sure that a smaller number would know that the word "gospel" originally meant "good news".
Fathers Eugene and Martin O'Hagan are brothers, who were at school with the third member Father David Delargy. At the seminary together, they completed their studies for the priesthood at the Irish College in Rome.
Their £1,000,000 contract with Sony BMG is unusual for a couple of reasons. The music must not interfere with their parish duties and their profits will go to charity.
For a change these are two good stories about the Church, showing her best, not the worst.
