From the Parish House

In his message marking the 60th Anniversary of the World Day of Social Communications on 17 May, Pope Leo chose the theme of Preserving Human Voices and Faces. He encourages those who are involved in the work of communication to promote forms of communication that always respect the truth of the human person and urge them to facilitate spaces where genuine encounters with one another can happen. He stresses that “our faces and voices are unique, distinctive features of every person; they reveal a person’s own unrepeatable identity and are the defining elements of every encounter with others.”

Pope Leo refers to the ancient wisdom of using terminology that defines what a human person is. The Greeks used the word “face” (prosopon), which expresses etymologically what is before one’s gaze—the place of presence and relationship. Meanwhile, the Latin term used to describe a person is derived from per-sonare, which evokes the idea of sound—not just any sound, but the unmistakable sound of someone’s voice.

The Holy Father also re-emphasises that our human faces and voices are sacred, as God created us in His own image and likeness. On our faces, God imprinted a reflection of His love so that we may fully live our humanity through that love. Pope Leo stresses that “each of us possesses an irreplaceable and inimitable vocation, which originates from our own lived experience and becomes manifest through interaction with others.” Therefore, preserving our faces and voices means preserving that indelible reflection of God’s love.

Creating genuine spaces for communities to gather and facilitating opportunities for authentic encounters are not only the responsibilities of those involved in communication but also of all those who desire to build community.

The growth of any Christian community through genuine relationships and friendships depends on these personal encounters and conversations with the true and real faces and voices of each member. I truly appreciate the opportunities for activities and events that are happening in our parish community, where we can gather to celebrate and encounter one another.

Most recently, we celebrated together our parish feast, the Solemnity of Pentecost. It was inspiring and heart-warming to experience such a rich expression of Pentecost through the diversity of languages, the Word of God, and especially the Eucharist. Moreover, the diverse intergenerational and multicultural participation of parishioners across our parish was truly encouraging to witness. I was also very grateful to those who organised and contributed generously to the refreshments, offering food from different cuisines to share after the liturgical celebration. Occasions like these provide ample opportunities for connection and meaningful encounters among our parishioners.

An even more recent event that still fills my heart with joy was the gathering of all the religious in our parish, regardless of geographical or personal boundaries. It has always been my desire to meet and connect with all these religious women and men in our parish, so I wish to express my deep gratitude for all the wonderful work they have done and continue to do in building our communities—not only ecclesiastically but also socially—through their many different areas of service.

Looking back to the mid-19th century in Australia, when there were no unemployment benefits, no public healthcare, and no compulsory education, it was the religious who responded to these needs through their provision of education, healthcare, orphanages, and refuges. They established numerous schools, educational institutions, hospitals, nursing homes, and charitable organisations. Throughout the history of our country and across many generations, these religious women and men have built institutions grounded in wisdom and vision. Many people have benefited not only from the facilities themselves but also from the strong foundations of evangelical spirit and generous service upon which they were established.

The occasion for the Consecrated Religious began with a celebration of the Eucharist, honouring the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, followed by a shared meal. The dynamic conversations among the religious were truly beautiful. One of the highlights was hearing about their Orders, ministries, work, and charisms. If I counted correctly, representatives from fifteen different female and male religious Orders were present. I could not have asked for more. It was a gathering that enabled us to appreciate the opportunity to meet, to encounter one another, and to support each other in our lives of service through the vocations with which God has blessed us.

By Fr Sang Ho