Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 February 2005 08:06:53
I returned from Western Australia yesterday morning. I think I managed to get two hours sleep on the four hour fight back. I slept through a friend's birthday dinner and missed church today due to oversleeping. I wonder how productive I'll be at work tomorrow.
I'm gradually adding photos here should you be interested in looking at some.
A brief run-down on the places I visited:
New Norcia
New Norcia is Australia's only monastic town. It was settled in 1846 to establish a mission to the Aborigines in the region. Dom Rosendo Salvado and Dom Joseph Serra, two monastics from Spain, led the party. They named the site New Norcia after the birthplace of St Benedict.
The monks originally had trouble getting the Aborigines to come to church. One hot day a fire flared up and was threatening the monastery. Salvado placed a painting of Our Lady of Good Counsel in the path of the fire. The wind changed and the fire blew back on itself and was extinguished. The next day the church was full, the Aborigines saying if this woman was that powerful they wanted to be part of it!
Throughout the history of the town orphanges and colleges were set up in the town, and the monks built a guesthouse (now a Hotel) for parents to stay at when the visited their children. The buildings are beautiful, and done in a Spanish style, and the interiors and chapels within are wondrous. It is fascinating to see such a place in the middle of the bush.
15 or so guests were staying each night, so there was always new people to meet. I took dinner [lunch] and tea [dinner] with the monks, and attended as many services as I could. It was easy to slip into living by the bell, rather than the clock, and it did not take long to settle in. I spent a great deal of time reading my own books and books in the Guesthouse Reading Room, and I helped out a little in the orchard at the back of the monastery. I was sad to leave, and I know I will return.
Bunbury
Bunbury is a port city about 180kms south of Perth. I'm not one for the sea, but it was beautiful to wander along the cliffs and beaches. Seeing dolphins close up and swimming with them was another joy. They did not come very close to us when we had donned our wetsuits and were bobbing up and down in the sea, but it was wonderful to see them in their native habitat and learn a bit about them as well.
On Ash Wednesday (Feb 9) I attended St Boniface's Anglican Cathedral for a Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes morning service. I find the placing of ashes in the form of a cross on one's forehead a very moving service.
Perth
I last visited Perth in 2001. Perth is a wondrous city, and a place I think I could live. Sydney is a bit too hectic for me, despite the great variety of cultures and attractions. On this trip I took a look at the Perth Mint, the two Cathedrals [St George's & St Mary's], took a Swan River cruise with wine tasting and seafood buffet, wandered around the city, and met some people from Ship of Fools for a very nice Malaysian dinner.
In the next few days I'll blog about different aspects of New Norcia Benedictine monastery: prayer, services, meals, etc. If you have any questions, please ask and I'll try to answer as best I can.