Letters

Australia's Patroness? (letter)

Rev W.J. Robley Adm

Contents - Jul 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Archbishop Pell receives the pallium - Peter Westmore New Vatican guidelines call for sound, accurate liturgy translations - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World AD2000 makes impact on the Internet - Francis Young Thomas More Centre Winter Schools 2001 for Ballarat and Brisbane Education: National Catholic Education Conference: but who chose the guest speakers? - Michael Gilchrist Carnivale Christi: an inspiring display of Christian culture - Angela Smith Archbishop Carnley: controversial Primate - Dr Ian Spry QC Basic Ecclesial Communities - Archbishop Leonard Faulkner Report on Marins BECs workshop in Ballarat - Peter Finlayson The case for more Church History in Catholic schools - Michael Lynch First Tetum-language New Testament for East Timor Letters: Australia's Patroness? (letter) - Rev W.J. Robley Adm Letters: Ballarat Diocese (letter) - Peter Jenkins Letters: Ambiguities (letter) - Philip Robinson Letters: Mass media (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: New Testament books (letter) - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: De facto relationships (letter) - Deirdre Lyra Letters: Church land (letter) - Charles Haber Books: Testimonies to the Glory of God: World Youth Day Pilgrimage AD2000 - Catherine Sheehan (reviewer) Books: 'Five Loaves and Two Fishes' by Archbishop F. X. Nguyen Van Thuan - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: The Gift of the Rosary: How to make and How and Why to Pray, by Brian Peachey - Barry Morgan (reviewer) Music: From the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit: - John Miles (reviewer) Corpus Christi Seminary Inquiry Day Reflection: An Australian World War II hero - Ron Cowban

Mary Help of Christians has been our Patroness, the Patroness of Australia, for 150 years, since 1844 to be precise, and has been honoured by Australian Catholics, proudly, all that time.

But, in the (Sydney) Catholic Weekly of 2 May 2001, she is referred to as "Mary, Help of Christians, Patron Saint of Australia." This is in reference to the re-dedication of Australia to her under this new title on 24 May 2001 in this Federation year.

Mary, Queen of Angels, Queen of all Saints, Queen of Peace, Queen of Families (Litany of Loreto), is now placed over Australia as - Patron Saint.

How did this happen? How could it come about? I suspect that the bishops of Australia have been conned by the Liturgical Commission in Brisbane, feminists and the purveyors of inclusive language. They say "Queen" is inappropriate, so, let us do away with the title as well as the Sceptre (see the official version of the picture); so, not Queen, but patron - certainly not Patroness - but simply Saint.

How can our bishops do this to us? Catholics of Australia, you who love Mary under her venerable title, stand up and object! Write to your individual bishop and to the Bishops Conference and voice your outrage.

Let us all dedicate ourselves to her as Patroness of Australia. Do not let our Australian Catholic heritage be taken away from us by a small minority of dissidents.

REV W.J. ROBLEY ADM
Sylvania, NSW

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 6 (July 2001), p. 14