THROUGH MANY DANGERS

S.PIETRO

"Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures."

Extract from the Spiritual " AMAZING GRACE"

The music at our Parish Church is usually fraught with all manner of risks from Marty Haug's horrors to the St.Louis Jesuits equally trivial offerings. But this morning we were treated to "Amazing Grace"with a few gratuitous trills thrown in. Nevertheless, though not suitable as Liturgical music its peculiar power holds.

 I thought the above two verses especially  helpful considering life's sometimes trying vicissitudes and God's constant, generous Providence despite our repeated failings. How blessed beyond measure we are to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion and His forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. 

Even on the Battlefield He comes to the Soldier-
his"..shield and portion as long as life endures"..

"DEO GRATIAS"

1950s CHILDHOOD - SOCIAL REALITIES - WORLD WAR I

MOTHER'S MATE CALLS

I have tried to identify the point in my life at which I began to take the family, community and national memory of World War I seriously , so far without success. Perhaps in writing this post I shall stumble across it.

My earliest memories of the "idea"of the first World War are of images of rather absurd looking flickering figures walking in a jolting fashion in odd uniforms. There was always at my Grandma Dixon's  house among the large depressing photo portraits around the Lounge Room wall a young soldier, left profile ,eyes raised slightly as if gazing on some distant scene. I believe his name was Patrick Boyd and that he was my Grandma Dixon's brother who died in 1919,just after the War.The family spoke as if he had died because of the War, I have yet to prove that.I wonder now if his death had any influence on my Grandad's later heavy drinking and brutish behaviour.There was never any talk of him serving in that War.

Then too, I saw in many places War Memorials, most small with names I came to realise were the dead , inscribed below, and surmounted by a soldier standing at attention and resting on arms reversed , and in the heart of Sydney City the solemn Cenotaph which I always had learned to respect

SYDNEY CENOTAPH  DAWN SERVICE  ANZAC DAY

Even in my early teens,  as other histories more remote came to  attract my reading attention, World War I seemed to strike a stubborn streak in my mind - it was boring, old-fashioned, irrelevant. Perhaps this had something to do with the fact that my early years were spent in the midst of World War II still the great reality of my early teens, filling movie houses, books, magazines . Maybe it made World War I seem as it did. 

Do you know? I think writing in order to think something through, works. That was obviously it. 

Off on my first visit to Canberra ,the National Capital in  1957/58.
The diesel railcar set was the latest thing operating as the Canberra-Monaro Express.
Rail fans of the time spoke of its speed as low flying! Lol! I doubt it passed 80 mph.

But as time went on,WWII 's colours began to fade, and I visited our Nation's Capital Canberra for the first time. There I visited the great War Memorial, which at the time was still principally concentrating on World War I in its magnificent displays.Now, I began to understand the terrible reality of that "War to end all Wars", and what it had meant to the infant Australia and the World.

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, CANBERRA

Australia lost 61,966 Military Deaths or 1.38% of her total population of 4.5 millions at the time.
United States 116,708    "            "       "  0.13%  "  "     "            "        "  92        "       "   "    "  .

That visit drew the veil away ,the psychological barrier in my mind ,and I came at last  to rationally think  about the Great War. I was then about 17 and working for the Solicitor for Railways . I travelled to Canberra on my Railway Employee's once a year free Pass. I got more value out of that journey than I could have hoped for.

As the years have gone by, with the advent of television and growing publishing interest in World War I and then the arrival of the Internet ( how blessed we are to live in the Internet era!) my interest has grown and grown. And I have discovered Private Billy Wilson , my maternal Grandmother's brother , whom I knew had called his beautiful young sister "Doll's eyes", was blown to pieces at Armentieres.

And as if by magic, young Australians and older ones, are flocking to Anzac Day Services around the World each year in GROWING numbers at Gallipoli, Villers Bretonneux and now Fromelles. Just as I have , over the years come alive to that great tragedy,and its significance, so have many others and their children and their children's children.

Truly, of those who gave their lives, it can be said::

                                   'THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE"

" WITH JOYFUL STRENGTH WE MOVE"

St.Benedict's Church Broadway,Sydney

Sunday Mass -it is necessarily the hub around which the wheel of Catholic religious observance turns, and, through a longish life the source of so much spiritual nourishment and growth ( and it must be said, the occasional spiritual, and devotional disturbance).

As my devoted reader will know, my wife and I now live in the Sacred Heart Parish at Pymble on Sydney's "leafy North Shore"as the papers accurately love to call it. The church there is "modern"with the Blessed Sacrament reserved off to one side and the Celebrant the focus of attention enthroned behind the Altar under the hanging crucifix which survived from the grand old Spanish Mission style Church out on the Pacific Highway. The latter had become untenable due to Highway traffic, and the modern replacement across the road is hidden from the Highway by being dug into the hillside and further obscured by trees - removed from sight it claims no attention , gives no witness before the passing throngs.

Anyway, this Sunday there was only one Parish Mass to be celebrated on the School Oval . My wife and I decided this was not likely to be conducive to devotion Accordingly we elected to attend the 10.30 am Solemn Mass at St Benedict's Broadway. In any case, we will be attending Mass out of the Parish at least once a month on account of the abysmal music at the monthly "Family Mass", leaving the "HAR LAY, HAR LAY HAR LAY LOOOO YARRS" and whining smarmy American songs to others whose musical development has been arrested by them. 

St. Benedict's as it originally existed.

St Benedicts is a W.A.Pugin designed Church. Originally it was somewhat longer than it is to-day. In 1948, the traffic on the Great Western Road (now more prosaically called Parrramatta Road) had grown so much that the Road had to be widened and that was done at the expense of St.Benedict's.

The legendary Father Terry Purcell

The delightful Organ of St.Benedict's which, along with the peal of Bells(gift of Father Purcell) do much to complement worship in this grand church. 

For many years through the dangerous period of the post-Conciliar turmoil, St.Benedict's was preserved largely intact by the redoubtable , famed and much-loved Father Terry Purcell  ,a holy and wholly orthodox Catholic Priest, who kept at his post despite trendy inclined Ordinaries and in later years the great cross of the loss of his sight. Better times came in due course, when George Pell became Archbishop of Sydney in 2001. Father Purcell went to his reward in 2007. In the ensuing years, the adjoining school buildings became a Campus of Notre Dame University and pastoral need began to swirl vigorously about St. Benedict's once again. Cardinal Pell had the right man for the job. He is Father Michael de Stoop a young, athletic , holy and devout Priest of undoubted Orthodoxy and much loved by Parishoners wherever he has gone  be it Liverpool, the Cathedral or St. Benedict's. He is the author of a widely distributed book "The Gift of Confession". He is quietly-spoken and his homilies are solid and delivered without theatrics. His celebration of Holy Mass is deeply devout and exemplary in every respect.

Father Michael de Stoop Administrator of St. Benedict's.

Cardinal Pell - who recognised the potential of St.Benedict's and its location.

The liturgical East interior (true North) of St.Benedict's

Are you surprised? We came away with joy in ou hearts for a Holy Mass "actively participated in" from our place in the pews with delightful Gregorian Chant ( Missa Orbis Factor) from the small but impressive choir, glad of the professional and unobtrusive servers , the warm tones of the Organ, the welcoming peal of the bells, and a good holy Priest. - the Catholic Church "semper reformanda'- yes! - but well on her way here at least and sure of her identity as ever . Thanks be to God for this opportunity to participate and to receive Him in Holy Communion.


The are many stories surrounding the church and the personalities and I hope to return to them soon.

A BOUQUET OF MOTHERS

A BOUQUET OF MOTHERS

My Dad's Mum - Eleanor Margaret "Mag"Dixon - taken 1911

My dear wife Robyn,with our  three children : Marianne, Justine and Matthew at Mount Wilson - Autumn  1980 (?)

My dear Mum Elsie Georgina Beckmann (R) and her Mum Louisa Beckmann (Standing) with Grandad Edward Beckmann and sisters Charlotte (L) and Ernestine "Kate" (centre) in 1910 - 1911

Our daughter Justine with 2 mths premature son Daniel (born 1st June, 2009) now a charmer & picture of robust  good health

Here I am surrounded by a pictorial  bouquet of Mothers !( I think "bouquet"is a suitable collective noun for a group of Mothers!) Each one of them I have had the privilege and joy to share my life with, and each one has been a remarkable example of love and kindness in action, even in the gravest difficulty. The pictures are in no particular order. Obviously the first Mother I knew was my very own dear Mum,who led a life of self- sacrifice , love and loyalty in the most adverse circumstances.Her love was generous and kind, never in the least demanding. She was the ideal example of her Father's philosophy that love and respect go hand in hand : if you have not got love you will show no respect, if you show no respect, you have no love. Grandad hit the nail on the head, and my dear Mum had absorbed the lesson and lived it out.

 Next I got to know my Grandma Dixon who lived on the next block one street behind us. Hers was also a tough life coping with a difficult husband and who gave herself to helping many human strays in the family orbit. She was very loving in her treatment of me and in early primary school days I used to walk home via Grandma's place, where she would always be seated on the verandah - waiting for me with a One Shilling piece( with its Merino Sheep Head image on it) clutched in her hand which she gave to me for treats. I can still recall its warmth from her hand, to-day.

My Mum's Mother, Grandma Beckmann, was a very special lady too. She was more self - confident and outgoing within the family group than my Mum or Grandma Dixon and her love was open-hearted and generous, her hugs big and strong. She was totally devoted to her husband "Ted"Edward Beckmann and in the family circle she would refer to him as "Daddy"( they had 9 children!). When I knew him his health was failing, and though she would firmly proclaim that "Daddy and I are going to live on into the (Biblical) Millenium", looking back ,I can see her anxiety that he was slipping away. She was a wonderful example of love and affection and that ,constant and reliable.She had had a tough life with never a lot of money around , and when some windfall occurred an adverse development would sweep it away. She suffered a lot for marrying a  "German" especially in World War I as did the older girls, reproached for being "Germans".I recall her unconditional love of me ,and those strong, generous hugs to-day.And, as she lay close to death in Hospital  , I can recall her calling out "Mummy" - my Grandmother, at the end of her life - calling out for Her Mother!

Then we come to the full colour Mums. My dear wife Robyn and those three beautiful children, what fun we had that day in the bracing air and rich autumn tones of Mount Wilson! What fun we have had over all the years - and how much of that is due to Robyn , loving loyal, devoted wife and Mother. I guess we have had more good times than all the predecessor Mothers and their families combined and yet we have had a ton of tough times, but Robyn has been a constant source of love and loyalty through thick and thin, and even thinner!No - one could ask for a better Wife or ,the children, a better Mother.

The latest Mother in the family blood line is our dear daughter Justine, Mother to Emily, Christopher and Daniel. Words nearly fail me (nearly! I always have a few left!) As parents we could not be prouder of this thoroughly modern Mother. She is an exemplary model of love and devotion in effective action , handling even the strain of tiny Daniel's birth when this tiny literal handful of life seemed to us too fragile , she brought him to the fullness of healthy life with dedication and love, without skipping a beat in the care of Emily and Christopher and husband Paul.And like her paternal Grandmother she is a stalwart strength for her parents.

So Mothers of mine, I salute you and honour you , but most of all, I love you unfailingly.

MY DAD AND NOW IT IS TWENTY FIVE YEARS

AND NOW IT IS TWENTY FIVE YEARS

TWENTY YEARS HAVE PASSED 

JOHN JOSEPH DIXON (L of Photo) around 1911
WITH HIS MOTHER, ALBERT (R)
AND BABY BROTHER BILL WHOM DAD GREATLY ADMIRED

To-day , Friday 11th May, 2012 is the Twentieth Anniversary of my Father's death just three weeks short of his 85th Birthday. He survived the death of my Mother by almost 21 years .

Sent to work at age 11 years in a metal foundry, he had a pretty tough life.

HERE, IN 1927 DAD LOOKS LIKE THE TYPICAL YOUNG BANKER OR CIVIL SERVANT
WHICH HE WAS NOT, HE ALWAYS WORKED IN BLUE COLLAR OCCUPATIONS

His life experience together with his local social network, made him a lifelong Labor Party voter. He persevered in this even after he said he was convinced that the Labor Party was riddled with Communists whom he despised - he just could not bring himself to desert the "working class party". And in fact he did see the world and the nation in those Victorian era Class terms.

My Dad was born a Catholic and educated in a Convent School, but for long periods did not practise his religion. Yet when his "kind eyes"won the heart of Miss Elsie Georgina Beckmann a petite and beautiful,modest girl from a devout Evangelical Protestant family , he required that they be properly married in the Catholic Church. Miss Beckmann was instructed in the Faith and duly became a Catholic, and they were married in 1927.

To-day's cynicism might suggest that he was being hypocritical. But in those days people were honest about doing wrong  - he knew it was wrong not to practise his religion, but he also knew that there are absolutes of such importance that you don't abuse them : he would notbetray his Religion, even if he did not practise it - that Truth was bound to him for life.

When I was born, Dad was 32 years old ,he was never unkind to me, but not outgoing or physically demonstrative of his love. ( The Poet James Macauley writes powerfully of his own Father's inability to physically express any affection.) He worked on the construction of the great Garden Island Graving Dock, for the Navy. This was a protected employment category, which stopped him being sent on labour battalions to Darwin when he received the call-up. He could not be in the regular forces because of faulty eyesight resulting from an accident at the Foundry when he was about 13 yrs old.

As I grew up, all my interests were largely alien to my Dad except Politics, and even then we were on opposite sides of the fence!Only after many years did  I hear that Dad was very proud of my progress in Banking  and in other areas and used to regale his regular drinking mates at the hotel in Lidcombe with my latest efforts. We almost never got to talk at any length on  any subject , conversation being limited to brief exchanges of statements never pressed too far lest the heavy crunch of disagreement should wreck things.

In my twenties and thirties , I could perceive all my Father's faults with clinical efficiency, whilst making every allowance for any tendency  to deficiency on my own part. As the years went by my Dad evolved, particularly after he came to see the devastating effect on my Mum's fragile mental health following a Hysterectomy. He came to see in time how cruel was the effect of stubborn,sullen silences - sometimes lasting 3 days - over some exaggerated "offence", on someone so vulnerable. He was transformed.

He also returned to the practise of the Faith which was very pleasing to see and took great delight in his three grandchildren, Marianne, Justine and Matthew and never ceased urging me to look after my wife!

But still he could not freely and easily communicate either emotions or ideas.Whether or not this disability stemmed from the treatment he received from his brutish and drunkard Father, I cannot say for sure, but if I were a betting man......

Dad's later years were plagued by troubles with his heart - suffering from an "enlarged heart"which caused recurring build-ups of fluid around the heart, these required repeated hospitalisation to relieve them but there could be no cure.

In fact he had just successfully completed one such routine and was about to be released when he suffered a heart attack and died. The Catholic Chaplain to the Auburn Hospital where Dad died was quickly on the spot to minister to  his poor body and pray for his soul. His name was Father Stephen Swift and I was most impressed by the card he left endorsed with all that needed to be done to ensure a proper Catholic burial - for he knew nothing of the family.

We were living in Brisbane at the time and I received a call from my Brother Pat telling me of Dad's death and saying that the Hospital  wanted to perform an autopsy. I was on the first plane down next morning and went straight to see the Doctor in Charge -  a young Asian gent. He was prompt to offer condolences and almost as prompt to proffer a form authorising an autopsy for signature. When I objected that they clearly knew the cause of death, and that  this was unnecessary, the form quickly disappeared into the pocket of his white coat. I informed him that after the long periods of my Dad's health problems, I did not want his body used for training purposes. This is a matter which I believe the Hospital handled very badly to say the least.

So John Joseph "Jack"Dixon I love you dearly and hope we have the opportunity to understand each other far better in Paradise.My prayers for the repose of your soul and of Mum's are daily made.

Posted 12th May 2012 by vexilla regis

1940 EX LIBRIS "FIVE DAYS IN LONDON MAY, 1940"

Amazing what goes on when you are in the cot!

There I was just 1 month and fifteen days old, all comfy and being fussed over in my Cot, and on the other side of the World the British  Cabinet was meeting to discuss what should be done about the encircled British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk, more than 300,000 men.

In this excellent Book of 236 pages, the Professor of History at Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia at the time he wrote, John Lukacs explores the five days history of that War Cabinet Meeting.

It is an eye opener. He reveals how delicately the Cabinet was balanced between those who wanted to extract the BEF in order to be able to fight on, and those German sympathisers who wanted to come to terms with Hitler.Winston Churchill had been Prime Minister for 18 days when the crucial point of decision was reached during meeting commencing on 24th May, 1940 and concluding on 28th May, 1940 which just happened to be my Mother's 35th Birthday.

Churchill had himself briefly considered what might be the result of negotiations with "THAT MAN" - the loss of the Fleet, the Army , a puppet Government , possibly under Moseley, and decided it was intolerable and ultimately unthinkable. He believed that at best they might be able to rescue 50,000 of the BEF's men.

At 5.00pm he adjourned the War Cabinet and summoned a meeting of the full Cabinet of 29 and announced his intention that England should proceed to retrieve the BEF and fight on.No one demurred and at 7.00 pm he returned to the War Cabinet ( 5 persons) and told them what he had done. The "opposition"especially Lord Halifax was silent. The issue was resolved - the fight continued. As we now know, not 50,000 were saved but 338,626 were saved in the most extraordinary effort in defeat in the whole War. So extraordinary, saving the British Army and very many French soldiers as well, by the greatest muddling through ever, that it came to have the same morale boosting effect as many victories and has been remembered as a triumph.

Meanwhile, in far away Berala I slept on! And grew up to think it IMPOSSIBLE that we would do anything but WIN the War!

DUNKIRK -ABANDONED MILITARY EQUIPMENT

DUNKIRK - CHAOTIC BUT SUCCESSFUL EVACUATION

DUNKIRK - POSTAGE STAMPS - DEFEAT INTO TRIUMPH

This is an exceptional book, which will reward any reader and give them pause, to think what might have been. 

TAKING WING

The Royal Australia Air Force's Acrobatic team "The Roulettes"
were a great "opening act".They fly Swiss built Pilatus PC 9 Turbo props.

It was a remarkable day! 

   Retired in recent years, the Royal Australian Air Force's former workhorse transport the amazing Caribou.

About two hours drive South of Sydney, we had come to the "Wings Over The Illawarra" Air Show at St. Albans, along with the estimated 4,000 other people.It was a very professionally run and prepared Air Show  with huge numbers and variety of Aircraft, Military and civil, historic and ultra modern.

NAZI FW 190 Fighter

There were , we were told, approximately 4,000 people present and that was a grand tribute to the very smooth , professional organisation that characterised the event. The airport is large enough to handle the landing of a Boeing 747  Jumbo Jet which is one of its static exhibits. The atmosphere of the Air Show is one of a relaxed family affair and dozens of marquees house all man of stalls from souvenir vendors, to Armed Forces representatives and food and drink vendors.

The glamour girl of the event was sadly a "no show". The Constellation four engined airliner had been sent away for a re-paint, but, contrary to promises made to the owners, it was not returned on time for the Show.

So we had to make do with the dowager glamour girl which started civil aviation - the Douglas DC 3  also known during the War as the Dakota. These planes were incredibly numerous around the world and their robust construction, reliability and  versatility made them the very foundation of all civil aviation. In WW II they also became the universal workhorse for transport of men and supplies throughout the world from Europe to the jungles of the Pacific theatre.

The legendary DC 3. 

The PBY Catalina was built in prodigious numbers as served brilliant;ly in WW II as a patrol and anti-Submarine sea plane. The stories around them are many, but my favourite is of a particular Royal Australian Air Force Catalina whose aircrew found that they were all Catholics, so as the long hours of their patrols at low speed went by, they began to regularly say the Rosary as they plodded through the air looking for submarines below.

The port side of a Catalina taken from under its huge wing.Note the trailing end of the sea plane shape and also the wheels which enabled the plane to make its way out of the water and onto land ramps.

The business end of the Catalina's nose. If you enlarge the triangular window you can see the bullets in the Machine Gun feed belt for the gun above the window.

                                              Pilot's Seat in Canberra Bomber.

The two jet engined Canberra Bomber was also used by the United States Air Force as the B 57. The Canberras were superseded in the RAAF by the F 111 swing wing Bombers which represented a quantum leap in technology and performance and became the backbone of the RAAF for decades.

          Vampire Jet foreground and ORION Anti Submarine plane background.

The two aircraft in the above photo. are oddly paired. The Vampire jet , with it twin hulled fuselage was a product of the immediate post war period and nothing especially exciting. The ORION anti Submarine plane was a military version of the civilian Lockheed Electra  a particularly noisy passenger aircraft as I remember them.

                 U.S.NAVY Chance Vought CORSAIR famous for its gull wing.

The above photograph is disappointing for what we cannot see . The famous gull wing s are folded as they are when the planes are saving space on the Flight Deck and Hangar Deck of an Aircraft Carrier. A big plane the CORSAIRS were brilliantly successful in operation with the United States Navy and its large Aircraft Carriers .They were also a very good looking aircraft, in part because of their gull wings and in part because of their proportions.

In the photograph, to the left of the CORSAIR, we can see the Royal Australian Air Force's "Roulettes" Pilatus PC 9 Aircraft. and to the right and beyond the CORSAIR we see a variety of other aircraft on display.

                    The general scene - note the Neptune Anti Submarine Aircraft 

                                                             doing a sedate fly past

                                  The stunning beauty of the FA 18  Super Hornet.

The static beauty and apparent simplicity of the FA 18 Super Hornet entirely belies its incredible performance, electronics sophistication and weaponry. I was entirely awestruck by the planes demonstrated ability in performance at the Show - not only its absolute speed (which is published at 1,915 kmph.) Its Show appearance included among other things a low pass at sped then a near vertical climb ending in what I might describe as a "lean'' backwards and twist to head off in an entirely unexpected direction. Obviously very handy in air to air combat.

All things considered it was  an absolutely splendid day, in great company. And I have not even mentioned the frightening stunt flying by Paul Bennett in his specially designed tri-plane. It was awesome beyond belief even to the point of seeming foolhardy. I could go non forever, but I hope you begin to get the picture that I had a great day.

2012 EASTER IN MY LIFE

In my life of 72 years minus one day, Easter has always played an important , joyful and defining role.

Preparing for Procession to Altar of Repose

My earliest recollections of Easter stand on two bases, as I am sure , do the recollections of very many Sydneysiders - Church and Royal Easter Show. It would be in 1947, that I could place those earliest recollections of Easter.Holy Thursday was the 3rd of April, 1947 and I attended the Mass of the Last Supper on the morning of that day , and recall being captivated, as would always be the case, by the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose and the singing of the beautiful "Pange Lingua"which I have loved ever since.

EVIDENTLY A MAJOR FEATURE OF THE 1947 EASTER SHOW
THIS LEFT NO IMPRESSION ON MY MEMORY

Following my return home, I went out with my  Dad, to the Royal Easter Show.I don't know why my Mum did not come. Maybe she did not have happy memories of the Show - for this was the first Royal Easter Show since the War - or maybe Mum & Dad could not afford it, but on balance, I think it was just that all the crowds did not attract her.

For me,the entry through the  West Gate of the old R.A.S. Showgrounds at Moore Park (now FOX Movie Studios etc.) after our train to Central and tram ride to the Showground, was like wonderland! At the particular gate we used, and continued to use for years later, after passing through the turnstile entrance booth , the ground sloped down gently, so that one had the sense of surveying the vast complex of Pavilions and rides from an ideal platform.Dad knew his way around the Showground which was all entirely new  to me. The whole theme of everything was that of progress after the late war, ended only two years before.

R.A.S. SHOWGROUND NSW GOVERNMENT PAVILLION BUILT 1938

 The two things that impressed me most were : a Spitfire fighter hanging from the roof supports of one of the two Pavillions on the East side of the Showground (they are still there one in red brick, the other cream painted. The other item, was a brand new air -conditioned Railway Carriage for the Newcastle Flyer.Oh! And of course Sample Bags as they were then mostly called, since then they have gradually become Show Bags, as their original purpose was largely lost and they became merely items for sale in their own right. But at that time, the payment made was nominal and the products were supplied often in specially packaged sizes to provide samples of companies'wares. I have always been interested in glassware and I recall one of the sauce manufacturers putting up a Sample Bag that had about 6 or7 miniature sized bottles of their various sauces - one was HP, one Worcestershire and obviously a Tomato Sauce etc. It proved a little difficult to get home safely. The Sample Bags were all made of tough paper at the time, which created further problems whenever it rained.

1947 SHOWBAGS

As I grew and the years passed, I took the Show for granted, but my interest in the Liturgies of Holy Week grew and grew, even though I was never exposed to their celebration in the fullest quality of say Cathedral celebration. 

Then came Marriage and three children and the Easter Show became something else, or perhaps what it had originally been : a source of wonder for our child, and then, our children. At the same time, little children have little patience for , nor of  course, comprehension of lengthy liturgical celebrations. Again , times change and we were able to experience the Easter Liturgies at Cathedral level in Brisbane - mostly a great source of devotion and growth.Here it was free of any Easter Show distractions.

ST.STEPHEN's CATHEDRAL BRISBANE

Times continue to evolve and now once again we live in Sydney and in a Parish in which the celebration of the Holy Week Liturgies is a "Curate's Egg"experience! And tomorrow, on my 72nd Birthday we shall travel by train to the Royal Easter Show at its newer Sydney Olympic Park venue and meet there our daughter Justine and husband Paul and three of our seven Grandchildren as they experience the Show as it now exists.

We have always to keep accommodating to change and enjoying the phenomenon which is the essence of life, while holding on to the truths and principles that never change.The fact and Celebration of the Resurrection is at the very heart of my Faith and Life.