Bishop of Parramatta


	Each month Bishop Manning writes a Letter to the Catholic Community of Parramatta Diocese, which is published in 'Catholic Outlook', the official diocesan newspaper. Click here to view a pdf of the latest issue. To review previous letters from the Bishop visit the archive.
	*November* 2003 The Bishop's Letter From Bishop Kevin Manning Catholic Outlook, November 2003 My Dear People, Union leaders can be Saints ONE of the legacies that Pope John Paul II will leave with the Church is a clear knowledge that every human being is a potential Saint. He shows a remarkable optimism in human nature, which can be brought to perfection through the grace of God. And his conviction is well borne out - who would ever have thought that a dedicated unionist, through his opposition to the Nazi regime in Germany, would be beatified? That is irony at its best: a simple dedicated Christian editor bent on defending truth confronts one of the most powerful and evil regimes that has ever existed - he is beatified, and the regime is history. Nikolaus Gross on 2 October 2001 was beatified as a martyr. His was a life of humble service to his own family and to his fellow human beings. It is not often that we hear of a son of a colliery blacksmith being declared blessed. Gross was a member of the Christian Miners' Trade Union in Germany. At the age of 22, after five years at the coalface, became the Union Chief Secretary and then Assistant Editor of the union newspaper The Miner. His was a spirituality that might well be imitated: "The majority of great achievements come into being through the daily performance of one's duties in the little things of everyday routine. Our special love here is for the poor and the sick," he said. A dedicated husband and father of seven children, this Editor-in-Chief of the West German Workers Newspaper guided workers on social and labour questions, always emphasising that spiritual reform was an essential prerequisite to the solution of political and social problems. One can only imagine the controversial nature of Blessed Nikolaus' work in a period of immense social and political upheaval. Germany's defeat in the First World War had fractured industry, increased unemployment and opened up avenues to Hitler's madness. Blessed Gross was adamant in his opposition to Nazism: "as Catholic workers we reject Nazism not only for political and economic reasons, but decisively resolutely, and clearly on account of our religious and cultural attitudes". His courageous stand, of course, was his undoing. Hitler banned legitimate trade unions and declared his newspaper an enemy of the State. It was inevitable that the beatus was brought to trial, but his faith never wavered: "If we do not risk our life today how do we then want one day to justify ourselves before God and our people." His last written words reveal the man: "If a generation must pay the highest price, death, for its short life, we look for the answer in ourselves in vain. We find it only in him in whose hands we are safe in life and in death ... if we know the best thing in us, the soul, is immortal then we also know that we shall meet each other again." Following the assassination attempt on Hitler in 1944 Nikolaus was falsely accused and imprisoned. It was not long before he was hanged. The prison chaplain who accompanied him to his death said: "His face seemed already illuminated by the glory into which he was getting ready to enter." What an excellent exemplar for unionists as they strive for justice, truth and for the well-being of their fellow human beings! Maintaining identity IN a September 2003 address to a group of Latin Rite Bishops from India, the Pope commented that many of their schools had large percentages of teachers and students who were not Catholic. He said their presence in Catholic institutions could help to increase mutual understanding between Catholics and those of other religions at a time in which misunderstandings can be a source of suffering to many. He said it could also be an opportunity for non-Catholic students to be educated in a system that has proven its ability to form young people into responsible and productive citizens. The Pope added that one of the greatest contributions educational facilities, and all Catholic institutions, can offer society today is their uncompromising Catholicity. "Catholic schools must aim," he said, "to create an atmosphere enlivened by the Gospel spirit of freedom and charity, striving to relate all human culture eventually to the news of salvation, so that the light of faith will illuminate the knowledge which students gradually gain of the world, of life and of the human family." For this reason the Pope said that it is essential that educational institutes maintain a strong Catholic identity, which calls for a curriculum marked by participation in prayer and celebration of the Eucharist. It also requires that all teachers be well versed, not only in their fields of study, but also in the Catholic faith. The Holy Father's comments are pertinent to education in the Diocese of Parramatta for they affirm, firstly, that the Catholic education system can offer real advantages to a non-Catholic student, and secondly, that their presence challenges their fellow students to authentic witness of the Catholic faith and challenges Catholic and non-Catholic teachers alike to live, and to present in its entirety, the Christian faith and Christian example. Yours sincerely in Christ, Bishop Kevin Manning, Bishop of Parramatta.

November 2003

The Bishop's Letter
From Bishop Kevin Manning
Catholic Outlook, November 2003

My Dear People,

Union leaders can be Saints
ONE of the legacies that Pope John Paul II will leave with the Church is a clear knowledge that every human being is a potential Saint. He shows a remarkable optimism in human nature, which can be brought to perfection through the grace of God.

And his conviction is well borne out - who would ever have thought that a dedicated unionist, through his opposition to the Nazi regime in Germany, would be beatified? That is irony at its best: a simple dedicated Christian editor bent on defending truth confronts one of the most powerful and evil regimes that has ever existed - he is beatified, and the regime is history.

Nikolaus Gross on 2 October 2001 was beatified as a martyr. His was a life of humble service to his own family and to his fellow human beings. It is not often that we hear of a son of a colliery blacksmith being declared blessed.

Gross was a member of the Christian Miners' Trade Union in Germany. At the age of 22, after five years at the coalface, became the Union Chief Secretary and then Assistant Editor of the union newspaper The Miner.

His was a spirituality that might well be imitated: "The majority of great achievements come into being through the daily performance of one's duties in the little things of everyday routine. Our special love here is for the poor and the sick," he said.

A dedicated husband and father of seven children, this Editor-in-Chief of the West German Workers Newspaper guided workers on social and labour questions, always emphasising that spiritual reform was an essential prerequisite to the solution of political and social problems.

One can only imagine the controversial nature of Blessed Nikolaus' work in a period of immense social and political upheaval. Germany's defeat in the First World War had fractured industry, increased unemployment and opened up avenues to Hitler's madness.

Blessed Gross was adamant in his opposition to Nazism: "as Catholic workers we reject Nazism not only for political and economic reasons, but decisively resolutely, and clearly on account of our religious and cultural attitudes".

His courageous stand, of course, was his undoing. Hitler banned legitimate trade unions and declared his newspaper an enemy of the State. It was inevitable that the beatus was brought to trial, but his faith never wavered: "If we do not risk our life today how do we then want one day to justify ourselves before God and our people."

His last written words reveal the man: "If a generation must pay the highest price, death, for its short life, we look for the answer in ourselves in vain. We find it only in him in whose hands we are safe in life and in death ... if we know the best thing in us, the soul, is immortal then we also know that we shall meet each other again."

Following the assassination attempt on Hitler in 1944 Nikolaus was falsely accused and imprisoned. It was not long before he was hanged. The prison chaplain who accompanied him to his death said: "His face seemed already illuminated by the glory into which he was getting ready to enter."
What an excellent exemplar for unionists as they strive for justice, truth and for the well-being of their fellow human beings!

Maintaining identity
IN a September 2003 address to a group of Latin Rite Bishops from India, the Pope commented that many of their schools had large percentages of teachers and students who were not Catholic.

He said their presence in Catholic institutions could help to increase mutual understanding between Catholics and those of other religions at a time in which misunderstandings can be a source of suffering to many.

He said it could also be an opportunity for non-Catholic students to be educated in a system that has proven its ability to form young people into responsible and productive citizens.

The Pope added that one of the greatest contributions educational facilities, and all Catholic institutions, can offer society today is their uncompromising Catholicity. "Catholic schools must aim," he said, "to create an atmosphere enlivened by the Gospel spirit of freedom and charity, striving to relate all human culture eventually to the news of salvation, so that the light of faith will illuminate the knowledge which students gradually gain of the world, of life and of the human family."

For this reason the Pope said that it is essential that educational institutes maintain a strong Catholic identity, which calls for a curriculum marked by participation in prayer and celebration of the Eucharist. It also requires that all teachers be well versed, not only in their fields of study, but also in the Catholic faith.

The Holy Father's comments are pertinent to education in the Diocese of Parramatta for they affirm, firstly, that the Catholic education system can offer real advantages to a non-Catholic student, and secondly, that their presence challenges their fellow students to authentic witness of the Catholic faith and challenges Catholic and non-Catholic teachers alike to live, and to present in its entirety, the Christian faith and Christian example.