A Musical Interlude, Cardinal Pell's visit & the Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart .

Dear All,

Last Sunday afternoon, I headed off as planned to the Anglican Cathedral, down Smith Stret - only a 10 minute walk - to hear the combined Darwin Chorale and the Sydney Pilgrim Singers. You can see the Cathedral interior in the picture on the left - much more 'friendly' and small than St Mary's which I find fairly barren, with cement everywhere. The smaller 'Cathedral' (no bigger than a Parish church) has excellent acoustics. Helen, the new staff-member, has joined the Chorale and she told me about the performance there. The Principal and his daughter also came and gave Helen a lift home. It only took an hour or so from 5 pm and was very enjoyable - all reflective and religious music. Beautiful harmonies and rhythm
The singers started as a combined group and then sang separate items until the second half of the program, which was mostly combined. The program told us that 'The Sydney Pilgrim Singers began as an offshoot of a Catholic parish choir in Maitland NSW in 1989 and has continued with a Sydney base". It has 36 voices and began this 8th 'pilgrimage' the previous Wednesday. It is worth quoting the program again: "The most memorable experience in the traditional setting was in the Church of the Sacred Heart in Alice Springs last Saturday evening when a power failure caused the time to go back several centuries and the Singers participated in the Mass by candlelight and human voice alone, to great effect." The are led by a Dominican Sister, Helen Ryan. The Darwin Chorale is a younger group and had an extra depth and vibrancy because of this, but both were very good. The Chorale is also a permanent group and their level of professionalism was very high. Here are a few pics:

1). The Darwin Chorale Leader, Nora Lewis, who I remember clearly from back in the 80s, conducts the combined group; 2) Sr Helen Ryan conducts the Pilgrim Singers 3) One of the Darwin Chorale members conducts the group. Our Nungalinya staff member is the last head (reddish hair) behind the one on the right - enlarge to see! She looks like an innocent choir boy with her round mouth and choir-boy hair style!

This week has been full of the Cardinal Pell events I outlined in last week's blog. On Monday night the Cathedral was full for the Mass for everyone and a choir had worked hard - with singers from all over - to give a very good lead. There were priests galore and you'll see that in the pics also. Cardinal Pell's voice was inclined to croak at times and later he admitted he had a bit of a 'throat' but assured us it wasn't swine flu! It seemed to improve during the week. One interesting thing you won't see in the photos was an aboriginal man, very tall, thin, and dignified - and very 'tribal' in appearance - who appeared up the front, 'mid-Mass', bowed in the centre of the aisle at the front, signed himself with the sign of the cross, and inserted himself into the front seat, where he sat solemnly for the remainder of the Mass. During a song after Communion, Firmly I Believe and Truly, for which we stood (!!!?!!!) he did very reverent arm movements at appropriate times. He came to 6.30 am Mass one morning the week before - I think he had been sleeping on the top step outside during the night.

(1) Before Mass I came across a group of aboriginal men ready for their liturgical role. They told me they were from various places, Gove, Port Keats, Darwin, Alyangula etc - not from one community - and were very keen to pose. The Deacon leading them to the entrance of the Cathedral ready for their role offered to take a photo with me in it.

(2) Here you can see the collated choir with their youthful conductor, who had an excellent voice and seemed quite expert with her conducting moves. You can also see a bit of the side aisle in the Cathedral with the Marian shrine.

(3) Fr John Kelleher, msc, as the local Administrator gave an address of welcome to the Cardinal at the outsel of Mass. Lined up across the back you can see Bishop Eugene Hurely, the Darwin Bishop, Cardinal Pell, Bishop Ted Collins, the retired Bishop of Darwin Diocese, and Deacon John Bosco who is from Bathurst Island (he's very black).

(1) You can see the aboriginal dancers leading Cardinal Pell and his assistants back after they had been around the Cathedral blessing all the renewed Crosses which adorn it. Step One in its renewal!

(2) I sat with this group who came from St Martin de Porres Church where I go every Sunday They sat near the choir to lead the Aboriginal Our Father.

(3) Fr Morgan Blatt and Jan Simpkins (Weston) . The former was curate at Browns Plains when I was at Daisy Hill. Then he was lent to Hobart Diocese for a year and was posted to the Parish which contains Port Arthur during the year which contained the massacre. This changed his life forever. He returned to Brisbane and did various things associated with Youth - including getting very fit and climbing in the Everest foothills etc. Now he is a Defence Force (Army?) Chaplain up here and he must like it because he went and put his uniform on after Mass to join us all at supper. Jan knew him too, so we all had a chat. Jan, as a member of the Parish Council, was helping with the supper.

The next day, Cardinal Pell, together with Bishop Eugene and Fr Jim Knight, PP of Alice Springs who is the Vicar General, visited Nungalinya for an hour before they left for Port Keats (Wadeye) for the rest of the day. I tagged along and joined in the cuppa around the table in Lee's office. Cardinal Pell was very interesting in what contribution the Catholic church made financially to the work of Nungalinya. He was director of Caritas for 9 years, and they always gave it funds. We went on a little tour after that before I took an 'official' photo of the goup out the front before the big sign.

(1) This shows some of the CIF group (Creating Indigenous Futures) who were doing an Art course. One of the teachers is working with one.

(2) Evelyn, on the left, is the Coordinator of the CIF program, and she is talking to the Principal and Cardinal Pell.

(3) Here is the official Nungalinya College photo for the record: Rev. Dr Lee Levett-Olson, Principal, Rev. George Cardinal Pell, Bishop Eugene Hurley, and Fr Jim Knight, svd, who is also the Vicar General and is PP of Alice Springs.

(4) A fourth photo shows a little bit of Pat O'Brien who was taking official photos (although not this one) and Lorraine and the Cardinal looking at something I am pointing out - I think it was Rob, the Theology Coordinator (an Anglican Priest) who was coming down the passageway. I look as though I am scratching the Cardinal's back, but I am not!

I didn't take the camera to two other occasions, both of which were very relaxing and were a good chance to mix and mingle. On Wednesday evening, we were invited to the gather (+finger food) in the Courtyard of the Parish/Bishop's house with the Cardinal, the local Clergy and Heads of other churches in Darwin. The other heads of churches came with wives, mostly, so I suppose we 5 sisters made up the shortfall of women! Anyway, it was a good chance to chat with a lot of people and get to know the Anglican Bishop, the Uniting Church Moderator and others.

This morning, we had 6.30 am Mass for all the religious and clergy in Darwin and, my, what a lot of 'species' there are. I will treat you to the list on the back of the Mass Program (in super-small print!) *Divine Word Missionaries, *Christian Brothers, *Claretien Missionaries, *Diocesan Clergy, *Jesuits, *Marist Brothers, *Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, *Missionaries of God's Love, *Military Ordinariate of Australia, *Diocesan Deacons (the list so far covers the men); and (the women) *Canossian Daughters of Charity, *Dominican sisters (Holy Cross Congregation), *Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, *Good Samaritan Sisters, *Handmaids of Our Lord, *Little Sisters of Jesus, *Loreto Sisters, *Missionaries of Charity, *Missionary Dominican Sisters of the Rosary, *Sisters of Charity of St Anne, *Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, *Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny, *Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Not all would have been there, but there must have been 40 or more at breakfast in our courtyard. The courtyard is very pleasant and has the most marvellous grass which caused a lot of comment - not a weed, fine, thick and soft! It is like walking on cushions! No thanks to moi - I just admire it.

On the left you can see half of the courtyard

On the right you can see the grass!

On the personal front, my new glasses were ready early - on Wednesday in fact. They are fine and no one even notices I have new glasses, so they mustn't look much different even though I got a different style - steel frames with little nose rests (for want of a better word).

Today I received 'Competent' for two more Assessments. Eureka! Only 11 to go!!!!! However, that covers the whole of the 'Environment' section. Work at the College in trying to sort out new programs with all the criteria and set out and .... and .... and ... continues. I get so bored I could collapse with ennui some days.

Tomorrow is the Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and we have quite a full day with Mass with the Cardinal for Youth at 11.30 am (I believe it will be a Mass of OLSH anyway) followed by the lunch with the Associates followed by a Prayer Session in the Chapel. After that, we'll put things away and no doubt 'colapse' until it is time to go out to a special tea at Cullen Bay.

On Sunday, Pat and Hartley Smith from Rochedale are going to come to the St Martin de Porres Mass at 10 am then we'll go for lunch somewhere. It will be really lovely to see them - they have been doing the 'grey nomad' thing and are in a Caravan Park down Palmerston way, having spent a week or more in Kakadu. I am looking forward to catching up with them.

I was very mindful that today, May 29th, Mum would have been 102. We celebrated so many birthdays with her. She had no desire to live longer than she did - didn't care if she never got the telegram from the Queen etc.! May she rest in peace with Dad.

Must close

Love from Rita.

A Little Teaching, Falling Apart, Mindil Beach Markets.

Dear All,

I hope you are intrigued by my title this week. My titles are mostly detrmined by what pictures I have taken during the week. There are many other things of course, for which there are no pictures!

First, a couple of interesting little pictures taken on the foreshore at Nightcliff. I could see no sign of the wreck, but there was a ship sailing into Darwin. They will both enlarge further with clicks.

Life settled a little this week, but promises to be 'tricky' to manage next week with a several gatherings during the visit of Cardinal Pell to launch the Cathedral Renewal fund. I will participate in several events. Perhaps I'll have some photos next week. The first event (for me) is a Mass in the Cathedral on Monday evening at 7.30 pm followed by supper over at the Bishop's house. Before that (I have decided I won't go to this) we (the Sisters) are belatedly invited (someone noticed we weren't on the list) to the book launch at Parliament House of the History of St Mary's Primary School here (with finger food).

On Tuesday, Cardinal Pell is visiting Nungalinya, but I don't think that will be a 'bells & whistles' visit because the Pricinpal has just mentioned it with no details. It think that is 1.30 pm so he will probably just walk around and see things and chat to people - like the Chief Minister did last Tuesday.

On Friday morning Cardinal Pell is saying the 6.30 am Mass for all the Religious and Clergy in the area followed by breakfast (catered, thank God) in our courtyard. It think I will definitely be at that! Then, on Saturday (which is the Feast of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the 150th year of the adopting of that title) he is saying the 11.30 am Mass as a Youth Mass and it is right out of our hands, but it won't be a Mass of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. The Associates will come and afterwards join us for lunch as usual - Very non-weight-watcher food! Party pies etc etc. Sigh!! Life defeats me every now and again - like every day.

During the last couple of weeks, when possible, I have been giving a hand in the FACS class which is mostly working on literacy. I think this group of people is from Mullingimbi and they would speak language at home (Yolgnu), so English is like a second language in every way and they need intensive work to get up to scratch on all their English skills, so they come in for this intensive literacy as part of the FACS course. You can see them getting individual and group tuition and help. I would be in the photo except I was behind the camera - but not sitting on the floor! I am not skilled at that! If you look carefully in some of the photos, you will see evidence of ipods in ears and mobile phones lying about They are not backward with modern technology, these young (and older) people!

1) I am not sure who the helper in pink is - perhaps one of the ladies training for being a teacher aide? She is a lovely-looking girl.

2) That's Helen (Milmindjaark) helping Lawrence at the table and there is one of the FACS Teachers on the floor at the back (legs) with a student. In between you can see Gamarritj with another student.

3) You have father and son here: Robert (Dad) and son Desmond. Robert is an excellent guitarist and leads morning Chapel songs. Desmond plays the keyboard/sythesizer that I was gazing at the other day and couldn't fathom. But he showed me what to press to get various sounds. They are both very musical and he plays very well himself. He is shy, but very keen. Dad is very proud of him - you can even see that in the photo.

4) I don't know the names of these two girls and the older lady but the one working with them is a staff member, Helen, lately arrived from Sydney. She is the coordinator of Cross-Cultural-Awareness which starts in June and will also teach some Theology. She is a Uniting Church Minister as well.

5) I don't know this good-looking young man's name, but it is a lovely photo of him, for which he willingly posed.

6) The Chief Minister of the NT - Hon. Paul Henderson - dropped by to see what was happening at Nungalinya and here he is talking with a couple of the students and staff. I had forgotten he was coming so it was just good luck I had the camera there, in action, for the event. The Principal was very impressed with the way that Paul Henderson related to the young people.

I only stayed for a short while at this class and helped Lawrence with a form.

Part of my 'falling apart" this week was my glasses, as I cleaned them in the morning on Tuesday - they broke in halves across the nose! Very hard to use in two pieces. Luckily I still have my previous pair, although they were made on a earlier script. I managed to get a 2 pm appointment at OPSM so had to head off to that. All is fixed up and the new glasses will arrive in 7-10 days. I might get so used to the old script that I will have trouble with the new ones by them! I have gone a bit more modern with these - metal frames and little supports on the nose. Same price - $0 for Pensioners as long as you are able to get an Orange Card. I had to do a lot of running round to get one, but was successful. There is a limited choice of frames, but - do I care?

The other way in which I 'fell apart' this week was with a tooth (No. 15, I believe! - fifth from the centre at the right top) which succumbed to a Vita Wheat Biscuit and the entire front fell off. Two days later most of the large filling - a bit like a volcanic cone - came adrift in two pieces as I munched on something else. Luckily it wasn't aching or tender, and I was able to get an emergency appointment at the Dental Clinic (Public) so the tooth is no longer a gaping hole. It instead is now back in one piece - at least temporarily, because the white filling may not last! We'll see.

On Thursday evening I whipped down to Mindil Beach Market to have a quick look and pick up a takeaway. As expected, it was a milling throng walking through multiple aisles of a wide variey of stalls. I took a few pics, so I will see if they download.

1) Hope the unknown man in the foreground does not mind having this close-up on my blog!

(2) I could hear this rhythmic drum beating as I arrived and htis is what caused it.

(3) A typical aisle between stalls.

(4) There are some lovely objects on display at some of the stalls.

(5) I have no idea what price the didgeridoos were - but there was interest there.

(6) There is a picnic area on the grass - I think poeple might bring their own chairs. Others go down onto the beach to watch the sunset. It was fairly early when I walked down, so the crowd was only just beginning to build up. Kath and John, keep your Thursday night free for this - very relaxing place.

Work is fairly constant but there have been interruptions. On Friday we had a visit from a chap who was instrumental in founding the place - when they just lived in tents and tried to bring forth their vision. He is elderly now, but a fine fellow. We had lengthy discussions with him - mostly memories and stories. I can't remember one at the minute, but he was very interesting.

The dry is well and truly here and this morning I gave the car I use its first wash! It did not die immediately, but I had a good look at all its 'scars' - mostly from shopping centres I would think. I am not aware of having added to them - yet! But, anything can happen when you park your car and go away!!!!!

I must sign off for this week. I said I would write blogs for 6 months so this one won't keep going forever. I think when the pressure of work gets going I will find it hard to squeeze in the time to do them. However, I've discovered the secret of downloading the photos in a reasonable time. I view them in My Pictures and go to Edit. There is a facility there for re-sizing and I reduce them to 40%. That seems to do the trick and they don't look much different on the blog. Madness has been averted for another week.

God bless you all. Love from Rita

The Bushwalkers and the Bush Band with Ballads + Surfing in Darwin!

Dear All,

Must do a little blog. Yesterday, I met up with an old bushwalker (like myself, but a bit younger) from Brisbane and we went off looking for a cup of coffee to sit down and chat. She suggested Myilly Point, where I went for arvo a couple of weeks ago, but we went to a different area because yesterday from about 3 pm - 7 pm all the Heritage buildings were open to the public and there were refreshments and a Bush Band. We got some coffee and cake (home made) - or rather, I got that. Jan had a can of soft drink. We sat on collapsible chairs in the shade of a tree and chatted over old bushwalking days, much to our mutual pleasure. Meanwhile, the Bush Band started up and they were very good. I forgot to take any photos, except I did take a photo of the band. It was a most relaxing afternoon.

Earlier on Sunday, I had a cut lunch on my way home from the Aboriginal Mass at St Martin de Porres Church, and went to that great lunch haunt of mine - Dripstone Cliffs. Surprisingly, for a Sunday, there was nobody on the beach and almost no one in the car park. But, lo and behold, there was a large group of what looked like board surfers in the water out from the beach further along. I got such a shock I took a long distance photo which turned out reasonably well. I also tried to take a photo of the 'surf' (the final swell breaking gently onto the sand!). The tide was out.

1) Can you see all the 'surfers' on their boards - and the long boat. Try enlarging it - 2 clicks.

2) Here is a close up of the raging surf!11

3) On the way home I pass by the entry to Charles Darwin University which is really a next door neighbour to Nungalinya.

I must take some photos of the Children back from their Liturgy at the Aboriginal Mass. There were about 12 last Sunday and they all line up and do this action song with their leader in front to follow the action. They are very cute - especially the very smallest ones. They get a big clap when they finish and then we go on with the Offertory at Mass. We have the sign of Peace at the end of the Homily and the children return during what is a bit of a 'break' during the Liturgy, which works rather well. It takes about 10 minutes and everyone moves around and meets and greets each other. At Communion time we don't stop and it is much more peaceful then. I actually like it. No photos, but you can use your imagination.

I'll try to download a couple of photos now and post this. Not much happened last week, but this week we have the Hon Paul Henderson, Chief Minister, coming out to the College, so I'll see if I can get a photo of that. I have also been helping with some English Literacy lessons for some of the young people in for the FACS course for five weeks. They speak Language at home (from Millingimbi, I think) so their English skills don't get much practice. They have to be admired for tackling this for 5 weeks - boys and girls in their late teens, I would say. I'll see if I can get a photo. The two teachers' Aides, Gamerritj (Gummeritch) and Milmindjaark (Helen) keep telling them things in language to ensure they uderstand, and then help with the English skills. I've been doing one-on-one as the need arises.

That might be enough of a little 'byte' for tonyte!

Love from Rita

Opening of the Arafura Games and miscellaneous things

Dear All

Last week, one lunchtime, I went backt to Dripstone Cliffs and actually got out of the car and walked a little way along that path. I discovered a stairway to the beach, and also that the path led to a lovely grassed, shady picnic area at the next beach.

1) Here are the very stable steel steps to descend to the beach at Dripstone Cliffs.

2) And here is the view to the left when you descend.

3) Here is my first look at the nice shady, grassed picnic are which also houses a Surf Lifesaving Club!!!!! It didn't look very active during the week.

Prior to that, late on Monday afternoon (the public holiday) I watched the Labour Day March for Darwin which started at 4.30 pm down the town. Quite a sensible time, given the climate. The major retailers were open until about 4 pm

1) The local constabulary keep the traffic at bay while the marchers get ready (out of sight to the right mostly)

2) It was all very casual. No floats, only people with banners.

3) I had to put in the Education Banner! I took a lot more photos but this is a sample

Then I wandered on to the Darwin Harbour area and discovered a lot of things I hadn't noticed when we went to Stokes Wharf the week before.

1) Here you can see the lagoon where swimming can be done safely. The building on the right is under construction - apartments, I guess. In the rear you can see Stokes Wharf. In between there is an expanse of 'definitely unsafe' water - crocs, stingers, etc. It is all public space and I took this photo from the top of a lift which takes you to a walkway that goes across the to main street of Darwin, Smith Street. There I met the priest from the Cathedral, Fr John msc, who was on his way down for an afternoon dip. If you enlarge the photo you can see a walkway across from a middle wall to the grass area. I came around that way.

2) This was taken looking across that lagoon from where I was walking up towards the lift mentioned below the first picture.

3) Darwin has a 'wave' pool now and this is it, but unfortunately the wave generator is turned off every hour or so for a rest, which was when I took the photo. That pool is beside the lagoon. It is very popular and looks like a lot of fun. Three lifeguards patrol the area and children under 100 cm (I think) must be accompanied by an adult. If you enlarge this picture (double click) you will see the lift I was referring to in the glass area on the left of the building at the rear.

On Saturday evening we Darwin Sisters (5 of us) went to the opening of the Arafura Games. Our seats were in O -about the middle of the alphabet coming down from the top of the stand at Marrara Stadium.

(1) You can see us going in (except for me, that is).

(2) That was the view inside. We were on some of the red seats at the left side of the photo.

(3) The official cameras swept around the stands and showed people 'in situ' (literally) - here you can see me, taking a photo! On the screen!

(1) The next photo below shows the young girl dancers at the beginning with their flags. They looked lovely in their flowing costumes

(2) The girls help the parachutist who arrived - with much anxiety in the crowd that he might not be able to get down in the right place - he was up in the air and looked as though he would land on the roof. In this photo, the girls are picking up the big Aratura Games flag which was attached to him and are helping him get loose from his harness.

(3) The athletes came out next. I was pleased to see that these games are 'mixed' - with both able-bodied and disabled athletes all together.

(1) The next picture shows one of the banners carried by each country. These were prepared by Schools in Darwin and elsewhere in the Territory and the kids made a wonderful job of them. Each had a symbol such as an animal or something for the country. This was one of the smaller groups. The Australian one was huge and had groups from each State. Timor Leste had a large group, which was pleasing because we had heard they had had trouble with visas. The smallest was one person from a European country - Latvia? She still had her flag and support group. I believe there are about 5000 athletes. As I go for my morning walk, they are very much in evidence.
(2) Australia even had this group of Sports Medice people - most not looking terribly 'athletic'! Right at the end of the Australian States and the Defence Force groups.

(3) During this last section, a lot of costumed dancers did all sorts of things int he centre together with the young girls who were out earlier, and then went to this 'shrine' at the side where they lit flames. I have other photos showing lines of performers carrying torches. The song was about 'Light the Fire' or similar (Jon Stevens).

(1) The children's choir was beautiful with two young soloists there in the midde.

(2) This was the beginning of the multi-cultural/Asian dance item I mentioned in the 3rd photo above.

(3) Jon Stevens was still blasting out and the fireworks started and kept going. I have lots of photos, but this one will suffice.

This has been a marathon, because I have had so much trouble loading the photos. It has really used up all my spare time this weekend! Future blogs will be simpler. Hope you can follow it all. I finally got my first Certificate IV Assignment in and was pronounced 'Competent'. That is one down, thirteen to go. Actually, I have sent a second one in, but it has not been assessed yet.

Lots of love from Rita