There is always a certain emotion and a particular enthusiasm in visiting a country for the first time. And so also the travel to Australia, the first in the fifth continent, indeed, had something singular and undeniably unique.We left on the 26th of August, feast of the seven Joys of the Bleesed Virgin Mary, from the Philippine Islands, where we stayed for a visit at the blossoming mission for about three weeks.
During the flight that took us from Manila to Perth, the biggest city of Western Australia, I tried to bring back to memory some far away reminiscences of the geography studied at high school. But, alas, my geographical knowledge is indeed scarce! I remembered only that Australia is the biggest state of Oceania and that this is called the newest continent since it is the last, in the order of time, to be discovered. I remember also the Australia is an enormous island situated between the pacific and Indian ocean and there are still the famous "Aborigines". But my geographical knowledge stopped here. All the way, without being discouraged I entrusted everything to the Immaculate (even my ignorance!) because in this newest continent She will arrange everything according to Her salvific and sanctifying will.
We arrived at one o'clock in the morning according to the expected schedule. The landing was very enthusiastic. In fact, at the emotion from which one is captured in visiting a country for the first time, one is joined by an expected emotion given from the unusual fact that viewed from above, Perth is a city incredibly well-lit.
At the airport we were met by three friars (Father Joseph, Father Rafael and Fra Pio), who arrived in Australia last December, composing the first local community. It is difficult to describe the joy of the friars and the enthusiasm of some benefactors who even at that late hour, came to welcome us. There smiles in an instant removed the fatigue and tiredness of the travel. We started to go on our way towards the first Marian house on Australian soil, which is about 90 km. from Perth. The little suburb where the friars live is called Toodyay and has no more than 800 inhabitants. The name seems taken back from the aborgines and can have two interesting meanings: "place of peace" or "place of plenty", both very expressive, specially if taken in the spiritual sense.
 |
Toodyay is a small village very pleasing and typically Australian, with houses low and wide, very vast area, which equals to that of the United States. But with a population that is less than a third of the Italian. It is evident, therefore, that the residences extend more in width rather than in height giving to all the view a very peculiar aspect.With the passing of the days my geographical conditions is slowly enriched, thanks, above all to the conversation with Father Joseph who is very interested and well informed on Australian facts. In this way I have learned that Australia was discovered in 1788 by the Americans who transformed it as deportation place. Nevertheless, there was already a local population constituted by the said "aborigines," who according to the last scientific studies, would be the oldest men of the world. The first evangelization, on a large scale, seems to be done by the Salesian missionaries, who put Australia under the special protection of their Immaculate, Help of Christians, now the Patroness of Australia. Other than the aborigines the population is constituted by immigrants from different countries.
The most beautiful surprise
The day after our arrival in Australia I notice in the choir two young men who, together with the Friars, recite the Lauds. I could not believe that they could have been two vocations. And instead, they are really the first two fruits of the mission of the Friars who started only last December. They are Adam and Patrick, the most beautiful surprise in the Australian land, because it is unexpected and also because there is nothing more beautiful and precious to whomever wants to donate themselves completely to God in the religious life
After some days a spiritual daughter of Father Joseph, Theryn, asks me to be accepted among our Sisters. And she was decisive and determined, in spite of her young age of seventeen years, who has willed to introduce me to her parents for the last agreement before coming to Italy.
The meeting with the Archibishop
The Archbisop of Perth, His Eccellency Barry Hickley, is a very spiritual person and is kown for resolving the sad fate of the Austalian priests.The most unrestrained practice of modernism, in fact, has spread in Australia even among the priests and religious. In fact, it is very rare to find priests who wear clerical clothing and almost impossible to find Sisters who wear the religious habit. But, above all, modernism has affected their faith and doctrine, with the diffusion of absolutely distorted and dangerous ideas. As for example, the widespread use of general absolution and the difficulty find available priests to hear confessions of the faithful individually.
However, one of the biggest wounds of the Australian Church, is the ruthless "feminism" of the Sisters brought from America. This phenomenon is contagiously spreading errors. In one of the places, in the convent of Sisters, there was a Crucifix with a woman on the Cross which the feminist sisters call "the woman Christ"-- Crista.
Speaking of feminism, a priest ironically said that if it is difficult to see a priest in clerical, it is not difficult to find some sisters in clerical garb (naturally the feminists are fighting for the ordination of women)!
In this "bitter" atmosphere, the Archbishop tempted intelligently to be surrounded by priests and religious . . . who are Catholics, Apostolic and Roman to defend himself and to respond to the attacks of the modernists. This is the reason why he wanted our Friars. But to do this he has to uphold his authority against the numerous priests who were opposed to his initiative. As a matter of fact, at the arrival of the Friars, two priests resigned from the presbyterial Council. "Omelet cannot be cooked without breaking the egg", commented the Archbishop shrewdly using an efficacious and typical English expression.
However, the Archbishop is not discouraged nor will he give up. On the contrary, he is also disposed to welcome our Sisters, knowing that the repercussions on the local priests will be stronger due to the horrible feminism.
Monsignor Hickley shows himself very contented at the presence of the Friars who, with their patched habits, short hair, sandals on their bare feet, constitute an inexorable insult for the modernists, while the people love and esteem them, content to see finally friars "clothed as friars".
Furthermore, the Archbishop put to the disposition of the Friars, for free, not only the use of the convent where they already dwell, but also the other three buildings nearby, which, together with the Convent, constitute as one property. Here, with time, let us hope that a small City of the Immaculate can be built. In the meantime the Friars use the said buildings for the meetings of the M.I.M., which is flourishing, and for the retreats of priests and seculars.This offering (unexpected!) from the part of the Archbishop has been a true work of Providence. Naturally, one can start to think that the Immaculate must have in Australia plans of salvation which we ignore because Her ways are not our ways.
The meeting with the Archbishop is concluded with the solemn blessing and wishes of going forward inexorably, notwithstanding the inevitable obstacles which life (specially the religious life!) always presents.
After the meeting the Archbishop we saw and admire the beauty of the Indian Ocean, where the "luminous" city of Perth stands in its seashore. It is a wonderful sight. The ocean has the most intense blue color, broken here and there by the white color of the foam. The ocean really gives the idea of the Infinity of God and of His Supreme Beauty which pervades all things.
The inauguration
On August 30 the official inauguration of the Convent of the Friars was held in Toodyay, the first in the Newest Continent, with the name House of the Immaculate "Help of Christians" in honor of the Patroness of Australia, Mary Help of Christians.With the great surprise of the Friars about 400 persons have participated in the event wherein, after the Holy Mass, followed the blessing of a beautiful frame of Our Lady "Help of Christians", that was processed to the friary of the Friars. The Archbishop presided the blessing and guided the procession in every part of the friary while the crowd (who did not enter the "cloister") sang hymns and praises to Immaculate.
In the said occasion, the Archbishop addressed sincere and kind words of thanksgiving to the Friars for their presence and their apostolate in Toodyay.
Australia really needs witnesses, who, under the patronage of the Immaculate "Help of Christians", will bring back Australia to the true faith, that authentic one, which the Salesian missionaries had worked hard in the past.
Air of Rome
In a mysterious but providential divine plan, we met in Perth a high official of the Roman Curia in his visit to the local Church.
A really spiritual person, this priest of the Church has spoken to us so much about the Pope, to whom he is very close, recounting us different "unedited" stories about the Holy Father.
The Pope - recounts the Prelate - is above all a master of spiritual life. Prays seven hours daily, reciting faithfully the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary and the Way of the Cross every three o'clock in the afternoon, wherever he is. If he is traveling, as soon as he arrives at the destination, he prays always privately the Way of the Cross. Even when he was still in Poland, everyday he makes the meditation and writes it at every first page of his Diary with an invocation or a Marian expression.
His love for the Immaculate is indescribable. It happened one time that, being too tired and exhausted due to the precarious conditions of his health, told him: "Holy Father take a rest!". But the Pope calmly answered: "I do not belong to myself anymore. I have given my life to Her (to the Immaculate), therefore I cannot decide anymore about myself. With regards to tiredness, I will rest in Paradise".
Another time the Pope, traveling by plane, was praying the Breviary. One of his companions got near him (also he is a high Prelate in the Church) and remained standing beside him because he had something urgent to discuss with him. The Pope glanced at him through the corner of the eye and continued to pray. A little later, seeing that he is still there, the Pope asked him: "Is it important?" "Yes, Your Holiness," was the answer. But the Pope, without saying anything, continued to pray. The Priest still remained there. A little later, the Pope asked again: "Is it really urgent?" "Yes, Your Holiness" was the response. "That is why I must continue to pray", concluded the Pope. After the prayer the Pope called the Prelate and told him: "Listen. If there is something of real urgency and importance, what can the Pope do other than to pray?", giving him a masterly lesson of life. Extraordinary wisdom of the saints!
Speaking then of the situation of the Church in general, the high Prelate of Rome confided to us that the greatest preoccupation of the Holy Father are the priests. When he must sign the dispensation from the Holy Orders or, as they defined more properly, the state of laicization, the Pope used to put the paper containing the dispensations under the Tabernacle and pray intensely, even for some days, before signing. More often he was seen signing with tears in his eyes. These are the greatest sorrows of the Pope, who for the priests, prays and sacrifices without sparing himself.
Let us thank the Immaculate for having given us this extraordinary Pope, the right Pope for our most difficult times, who certainly will merit to be described as "Magnus" (the great).
This air of the Roman Curia has been particularly helpful. In a furious atmosphere of modernism and slightly philoprotestantic, like that of the actual oceanic Church wherein we were immersed, to hear about the Pope and of his Holiness was like to breathe pure air and to consolidate the chains, already very tight, which unite us to Him, Vicar of Christ and Head of the Universal Church.
