MSC Australian Province Annual Report for 2020
Each year, the General Administration asks for an account of life in the Province2020, so:
2020 the year that was, and that wasn’t!
2020 was the year of the pandemic, of lockdown, of unprecedented, of unpredictable, of uncharted waters… It was a year of infections. Millions. And, sadly, it was the year of deaths. And 2021 has inherited it.
The Australian Province was blessed with no infections of covid-19. Our sympathies to those provinces which experienced infections and deaths.
FORMATION
However, our province grew in 2020. December 12th saw the profession of two students, Trieu Nguyen Daniel Magadia, Trieu who migrated to Australia a few years ago, Daniel from Adelaide, his parents from the Philippines.
Two students joined the formation program in January, Vincent, in his 40s, engineer, who had spent some time in the Parramatta seminary, and Anh, from Vietnam who had lived in the house at Blackburn in 2019 while studying English at the Yarra Theological Union. Their year was unusual insofar as Melbourne spent months in Stage Four lockdown and much of the formation communication was by Zoom, and minimal opportunities for ministry during those months, but the two contributing to the weekly online masses from St Thomas’s, Blackburn.
Vincent and Anh began their novitiate in November at Douglas Park. Peter Harvey Jackson continued as novice master.
Kenji Konda, who made his profession in December 2019, was the only student. He returned to Blackburn, continued his Masters in Theology studies – again, by Zoom. Mark Hanns was appointed as director of post-novitiate formation.
The MSC Directory reminded us that confreres were celebrating 65, 60 and 55 anniversaries of ordinations and professions. (Bill Cunningham 75th anniversary of profession.) Golden Jubilees celebrated of ordination: John Graham, John O’Connor, Greg McEnnally, Michael Reis, Paul Jennings. Golden Jubilees of profession: Paul Browne and Colin Sinclair.
ZOOM
Speaking of Zoom, Philip Malone taught courses from home by Zoom for the YTU, Moral Theology and Liturgy. While there were some initial face-to-face sessions at the Heart of Life Centre, by March, the mode was Zoom, making it a very difficult year, especially for the Siloam, Spiritual Direction program, the Centre offering only the full-time program. Paul Castley continued on the team for the Spiritual Leaders Program, and using Face Time and Zoom for spiritual direction and supervision. Peter Malone presented the Religious Experience course via Zoom. There was a pleasing postscript to the year where the students could not meet face-to-face, the day that some restrictions were led lifted in Melbourne, there was a graduation ceremony where participants and staff could actually be present physically. Seven graduates full-time, four completing their part-time program. Participants were from India, Philippines, Pakistan, East Timor as well as locals (one of whim is Greek Orthodox).
At the end of 2019, the Franciscans at Box Hill decided to terminate Heart of Life’s presence on the St Paschal’s property. Providence provided a welcome from the Anglican Church, St George’s, in Malvern. Heart of Life moved in but in terms of action on the site, minimal for the year. However, the Provincial, Paul Beirne, director of Heart of Life, other interested parties met early in the year and a contract was drawn up with the Bridgidine Sisters for Heart of Life to rent part of their Kildara Centre in Malvern for five years.
Retreat and spiritual direction activity at St Mary’s Towers Douglas Park was also limited by pandemic lockdown – but, with some possibilities for activities via Zoom.
DEATHS
However, as might be expected, there were several deaths throughout the year. Des Moore (officially known as Bishop Sir Desmond Moore) and worked as a missionary in Port Moresby and then as Bishop of Sideia, Eastern Papua. There was the death of Neville Dunne, a missionary in PNG for all his ministry, becoming provincial of the PNG province. Both men were resident of Sacred Heart Monastery, Kensington. Ted Merritt was a missionary for most of his ministry in the Northern Territory, a Brother who could turn his hand to all kinds of work, even to flying a plane. At the end of the year, Brother Kevin Guthrie died. He had spent some time in the missions, Fiji, PNG, but who worked in MSC schools and at Kensington monastery. RIP.
The deaths remind us that Australia is an ageing province. Our doyen is Harold Baker, aged 97. There are a number of, confreres in the their 90s and late 80s. There have been more members of the province in hospital during 2020 and we remember those who had to retire to St Joseph’s Nursing Home in Kensington.
LIFE
During the year, there was a postal vote in the Province as Chris McPhee was in the third year of his term. He was re-elected for a second term of three years which begins, January 2021.
There is also life, especially in Vietnam, growth from the beginnings in 2003, several priests, brother, novices (in the Philippines) and students in Vietnam itself. A number of our Vietnamese confreres have come to Australia, Thang now Vocations Director, Dahn working in the Tiwi Islands, Quy who will move to Suva and the Pacific Regional Seminary, when border restrictions allow (in the meantime at Kensington parish).
On the one hand, lockdown and the closing of international borders, and many limits on moving across state borders in Australia, meant that there was minimal visitation by the provincial leadership. This was especially difficult with traditional visits to Vietnam for ordinations and professions, to the Philippines for professions. Once again, social media provided some solutions, including Provincial Council meetings via Zoom. Zoom was the means for some community meetings, especially for MSC in Melbourne and Tasmania.
Parishes also rose to the pandemic situation, many of them providing celebrations, including Easter, and weekly masses online. They were well attended – and available on You Tube. Ceremonies from Randwick parish, especially, appear on the province Facebook Page.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Another online feature consisted of webinars. This was the case for Henley Beach Parish and a week’s celebrations of MSC presence, held midyear, masses, talks, celebrations.
The principal webinars, for local and international participants, were conducted by the Chevalier Institute, on social and religious issues, especially the environment, hosted by the Institute, with a range of speakers, including from the province, Krish Mathavan and Claude Mostowik. In a more recent webinar, students representing the MSC colleges also spoke and contributed.
Director of the MSC Mission Office, Roger Purcell, began a continuing series of View Tube talks, of five minutes plus, Mission Alive. Other MSC participated and several OLSH Sisters with mission stories from PNG and South Africa.
PERSONNEL
Since the strictness of lockdown varied from state to state, the MSC colleges experienced different restrictions, closures, freedoms, openings. Once again, social media was significant, especially with each college having very active Facebook pages. By the end of the year, many more activities were possible, end of year celebrations, cadet passing out parades, retreats away from the school campus…
At the beginning of 2020, Monivae had a new principal, Jonathan Rowe, and a deputy, Fiona Mulhall, who moved from Chevalier College. The previous principal, Mark McGinnitty, took up his position as MSC Education Director. There are three MSC resident at Chevalier, Gerry Burke, John Franzmann, John Mulrooney, with Vince Carroll at Downlands, Ted McCormack who does parish supply lives at Monivae. There are no resident MSC at Daramalan – ministry from Kimi Vunivesilevu, parish priest of Kippax.
Rene Balboa completed his term as Bursar/Manager, his successor, Andrew Mir. Provincial Assistant, Gloria Macinante, retired for health reasons. Bridget Hawthorne moved into this role. Meta Jackman is Senior Advisor – Professional Standards and Safeguarding, while Anne-Marie Snelling is Administration Officer – MSC Professional Standards Office. Phil Reilley completed his time house Assistant Bursar and has moved to Erskineville Parish. Maria Oei serves as Accountant.
The Province website completed ten years in its current life – and continues. Site items also appear on the Province Facebook page. Brett Adamson, Chevalier Institute, was responsible for a re-designing and simplifying of the site, accessible to Current News, the MSC Magazine, our ministries and highlighting the importance of Safeguarding issues.
The Chevalier Family has its own section of the MSC website, incorporating international letters, the writings of Hans Kwakman, local information, especially with Alison Mackenzie as the international secretary. Under this heading are links for the OLSH Sisters and the MSC Sisters.
The annual directory lists local Lay MSC groups around Australia – though lockdown has limited meetings.
Speaking of media, with cinemas closed in Melbourne from March to November, there was quite some limitation for Peter Malone’s ministry of film reviewing. (Smaller companies assisted in ‘job-keeping with Vimeo links for watching some releases. There was also Netflix and other streaming services). Many Australians relied on the streaming services during lockdown.
His reviews have been part of the work of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting. However, late in 2020, news was received that the Office was to be closed due to financial difficulties. Director of the Office, Fr Richard Leonard SJ, consulted with the management of Jesuit Communications and the reviews, along with those of Peter Sheehan and Callum Ryan, appear on the Jesuit Communications site.
AND 2021
As this report is being written, January 2021, covid-19 infections are on the increase, especially in Sydney and New South Wales, some in Victoria. Some border closures are in force – especially difficult for MSC is the NSW-Victoria border is closed, confining some of the MSC working in Victoria (including formation personnel and the newly professed) to Sydney for the foreseeable future.
Watch this space in 12 months’ time!
