Sophie's Chronicle

  “For men this is impossible, but for God everything is possible.” (Matthew 18:26).  This is the belief of the congregation at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Maylands.  Situated in Perth, Western Australia, this institution has withstood ongoing changes and still stands strong on its 100 th birthday on 12 July 2025. On Sunday 13 July, the Parish Council ceremoniously celebrated this milestone with its congregation and visitors.  The morning began with a drum roll on the church grounds and the church service began with a Thanksgiving Mass led by Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe SDB who was joined by Auxiliary Bishop of Perth Don Sproxton VG and Parish Priest Fr Stanislaw Tomasiak OFM.  This was followed by an ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ delivered by Parish Councillor Teresa Ferguson (nee Taverniti).  Teresa is a long-standing member, who during the last 65-years, has witnessed five generations of her family receive at this Church their sacraments – Baptis...

Cooking at home is a chore for some; for others it is a hobby.   However, for siblings Sandra Jones and Shirley Hopkins, cooking at home is a necessity and a life skill – complete with technical proficiency, kitchen equipment and a high standard of food hygiene. Known for their authentic Burmese style of cooking and use of homegrown/homemade ingredients, Sandra’s and Shirley’s cooking is addictive. Immediate and extended family members, and the Burmese Association of Western Australia (BAWA) members, have been their loyal consumers.   Each has been appreciative of their time, thoughts and efforts. States 94-year-old Noreen Vallis, “When my daughter Cheryl (Morris) told me that Sandra and Shirley were preparing the meals for our upcoming event, I knew I had to attend because their preparations remind me of my time in Burma.”   Noreen was in hospital for heart palpitations and discharged two weeks before the BAWA June luncheon. The menu comprised rice, dhal (vegetable-c...

  Living on the streets is tough without food, water, clothing and a home.   And gets tougher when in winter.   Though strangers, communities and charities extend their help, yet a lot more   is needed to get the homeless people through their most difficult time of isolation   It is in this context that Saint Peter the Apostle Church in Inglewood, Perth, has emerged as a watchtower of hope. Every first Saturday of the month, Saint Peter’s hosts at its Parish Hall an elaborate hot meal; complete with soft drinks, dinner, dessert, tea, coffee, milk and biscuits.   Such is the organising standard that its select 12-18 homeless persons travel by public transport from the inner city and the distant suburbs to the venue for a taste of warmth and for the comfort of companionship. According to event coordinator and former school teacher Angela Bird, “We are a What App group of around 20 adult volunteers who, a week in advance, begin planning our mixed ethnic me...

  Executive Assistant/Personal Assistant Conferences are tailored to equip administrative professionals to cope with their rapidly evolving profession.   This is best done by selecting guest speakers who make the most of the time allocated to them and through their presentations that match the emerging needs of the Executive Assistant.    It is in this regard that the recently concluded Western Australia Executive Assistant Congress at the Parmelia Hilton Perth deserves special mention. Held between 28 th, and 30 th May, the three-day conference was complete with two half-day workshops and two full-day presentations covering highly relevant topics - the use of Artificial Intelligence, the change in career direction, the mastering of overwhelm, being drunk on confidence and thriving as an exceptional executive assistant; to name the few.   Keynote speaker and PR Coach Heidi Anderson’s presentation, which addressed her struggles with mental health and her deter...

At an age when most would stay at home or holiday on land or sea,   74-year-old Prakash Bal Joshi continues to travel extensively; following his work to wherever it leads him.   A journalist and painter, Prakash has made impressions; both with pen and brush, respectively.   When working in the Times of India for 25 years, this Mumbai-based journalist has travelled throughout India.   And since painting on canvas, 15 years ago, Prakash has flown to the USA, the UK, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf to display his works of art. Born in Achalpur, and raised in Igatpuri; both districts in Maharashtra, Prakash’s transformational journey from writing to painting began as an exploration of his potential.    It is in this regard that his   curation of a booth for an Indian Art Gallery deserves special mention.   It earned Prakash the 2018 New York ArtExpo’s Art Director’s appreciation.   Art enthusiasts in the USA and the UK found captivating Pr...

When 98-year-old Irene Marie Jones moved to the Opal Care Nursing Home in Alfred Cove, it was a new chapter in her life. The loss of her beloved Edward Lloyd Jones; who she was married to for 71 years and shared her age, led her to be in a place that was most close to one of her children.  “I felt all alone.  I had to relocate to the Opal Care Nursing Home; a three-minute drive away from my daughter Michelle.  However, I stayed self-confident.” Born on 09 May 1927, and raised in Rangoon (Burma), Irene has been fiercely independent.  In 1966 when 39, the then stenographer relocated to Sydney (Australia) and began her career in the private sector.  Irene’s favourite hobby was baking and making cake decorations.  She baked her son’s wedding cake and carried with her the two-tier delight on the flight to Perth. In 1980 when 53, Irene relocated from Sydney with her family and settled in Ferndale.  The love for her growing family of three sons and four daugh...