Category Archives: Morsels

A newsflash just received from Michael G:

There was mass at St Vincent’s tonight with approximately 80 WYD pilgrims from Spain. The door was locked but three of us knocked on the door and managed to get in.

The mass was extraordinary, the sign of Peace was just like ours, the young people shared their ideas of the gospel spontaneously, and they even had a big dance around the altar for the final song.

During communion the priest went within the seats and gave the Eucharist. Everyone held onto it until the priest returned to his seat and devoured … Continue reading →

Imagine the irony of this!  St Vincent’s Redfern is a small Catholic Church in the heartland of the Archdiocese of Sydney, which is in the control of Cardinal George Pell.   For years the loyal parishioners have been running a ‘Sharing the Meal ‘ Program which provides cooked, fresh and delicious meals for hundreds of marginalised people each week.  For over six years they have been asking the Parish Priests of the church for running water, maybe a toilet and even perhaps a sink.  Alas to no avail.

This week work began, without notice to the parishioners, the erection … Continue reading →

Back in October last year, our friends in Toukley on the Central Coast of NSW (see Church Mouse Journal) were shocked by a letter from our dear friend and caring pastor, Cardinal George Pell. In due course they replied with the following:

Small Church Community Toukley
Postal address c/o. PO Box 278, BUDGEWOI NSW 2262

27th November 2006

His Eminence
George Cardinal Pell
Polding House
133 Liverpool Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Dear Cardinal Pell,

We have taken some time to assimilate your letter to us of 6th October last.

… Continue reading →

The following was received today from "Concern lot of students at University of Sydney & UTS"

From: usyd.uts@australiamail.com
Sent: Tuesday, 20 March 2007 4:53 PM
To: church-mouse@lanuera.com
Subject: Church Mouse: An Open Letter of Support

Dear friends at St. Vincent’s Redfern,

We have been observing and keeping our watch on all that is happening at your church, many of us had in different times visited the church and participated in some of the liturgies and fellowship alongside the common people of your community.

In all those events, we have not met any … Continue reading →

Assistant pp Mendes was hamming his way through another inane and barely intelligible homily as a clearly unhappy J…e entered the Church.

She quietly approached a few of the regulars and told them that Mendes had insulted her and a group of Aboriginal friends by calling them heathens.

She asked why this should be so and added "you’ve got no idea how he treats us when none of you whities are around".

No one could answer on behalf of the one charged with her pastoral care, so, fed up with the shabby, abusive treatment to which she and her … Continue reading →

The Church Mouse was struck by an overwhelming sense of déjà vu upon reading the letter from the bishops of the Holy Land to the Neocats,  and felt compelled to adapt it to the St Vincent’s situation by shifting the geographical context from Jerusalem to Redfern.

Redfern, March 08, 2007

Brothers and Sisters of the Neocatechumenal Way:

1 May the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. We, ordinary Catholics of St Vincent’s Redfern, address this letter to you in Lent, in the context of the common pastoral plan for this … Continue reading →

One rule for the community, another for the Neocats.

The pews were filled for last Sunday’s 10am Mass with people who had come for the launch of poet Noel Davis’ latest work, "The Heart Waking – and breaking into dance". Back in October 2003, gathered here to launch an earlier publication, "From the Wilds of the Heart…Comes the Singing of the Quiet".

They came to share the 10am Eucharist with us before hearing Marist Br Charles Howard launch the book, and then be treated to the poet’s own words as part of the community’s "Sharing the Journey" … Continue reading →