Thousands of Scientologists, dignitaries and guests from across the nation celebrated a milestone—the opening of the first Ideal Scientology Church in Australia.
Auntie Joy Murphy Wandin, senior elder of the Wurundjeri people, opened the dedication with the traditional “Welcome to Country” ceremony, welcoming Scientologists to the lands of her ancestors.
Scientologist, Melbourne native and award-winning singer and songwriter Kate Ceberano performed a moving rendition of her original composition “This Song is You,” written in honour of the occasion and the heritage of the city and all that Australia holds dear.
In tribute to the significance of the occasion Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, travelled to Melbourne from the United States to officiate at the dedication. He acknowledged the long parade of accomplishments by Australian Scientologists that culminated in the new Church.
“It is my honour to join you this evening and commemorate a moment that will live on in history for a long time to come. Not that you haven’t loomed large in history before, not that you haven’t triumphed over great adversity in years gone by, not that you didn’t stand firm for the dignity of Man, and not that you didn’t indeed uphold the God-given rights of all religions all over this world.
“But having triumphed today in the name of our religion, you just flipped this planet all the way around so that Melbourne now sits on top of the globe. And that’s what it means to build an Ideal Org beneath the Southern Cross.”
Mr. Miscavige also spoke of Melbourne’s hallowed place in Scientology history, noting that Founder L. Ron Hubbard himself came to Melbourne in November 1959 to deliver a series of lectures to its founding Scientology community. As Mr. Miscavige explained: “Those November 1959 lectures marked a turn in the path and a rise in the road, from which the whole panorama of human potential came into focus. Whence, the highest levels of Scientology and the whole vista of spiritual enlightenment and freedom.
“So you wonder where you stand in the history and legacy of LRH and our religion as a whole? None of it would exist were it not for what began right here—and that’s both the heritage and legacy, which is indelibly woven through the brickwork of your new Ideal Org of Melbourne.”
Acknowledging the Church for its many contributions to the community were Melbourne Lord Mayor the Honourable Robert Doyle, Moonee Valley City Councillor Paul Giuliano, Shadow Minister for Tourism and Major Events, the Honourable Justin Madden, Sociologist Professor Gary Bouma and former Indigenous Person of the Year Uncle Bob Randall.
Praising the Church’s active role in community life, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle told those assembled: “Today marks an historic occasion for Scientology. The building you see before you is the first of its type in Australasia, and the re-birth of an historic Melbourne building. This is a unique space. I hope benefits flow in partnerships, community connection and goodwill. I invite you to celebrate this opening in the heart of our exciting, welcoming and diverse Melbourne.”
Moonee Valley City Councillor Paul Giuliano welcomed the congregation to his metropolitan Melbourne community where the Church is located: “I know that I speak for many when I say thank you so very much for restoring this beloved landmark to its former glory. I cannot think of a better custodian than the Church of Scientology.”
The occasion was a reunion for teacher, football icon and Victoria Shadow Minister Justin Madden, who attended the Catholic University within the walls of what is now the new Scientology Church. He commended the Church for its historic preservation as well as its literacy and drug education initiatives: “Unselfishly, you work to provide ways and means to uplift our society. You have set the standard for the community with your restoration of this building and with your social programs—an example I will point to for others to follow. Your new Church is as Melbourne as Melbourne gets.”
Human rights activist Bob Randall, whose award-winning documentary, Kanyini, exposed the plight of the Aboriginal “stolen generations,” thanked the Church and its Scientology Volunteer Ministers program for its commitment to the indigenous people of Australia: “Scientology Volunteer Ministers have come to my country and given us hope that we can deal with these problems and we will make a difference in the near future. The Volunteer Ministers I’ve met have become my friends. The fellowship between us has been fun and I look forward to continuing that relationship to continue on to the present into the future. On behalf of me and my people, I thank you.”
Melbourne has long held importance for the Scientology religion. Within months of L. Ron Hubbard authoring Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health in 1950, the first Dianetics group in Australia was formed here and in 1955 the first Scientology Church in Australia opened in this city.
Australia similarly long held a place near to L. Ron Hubbard’s heart, beginning with his service “Down Under” as a United States Naval Officer through the first days of World War II. Principally stationed in Brisbane, but also operating from Melbourne, then Lieutenant Hubbard was charged with organising relief efforts for Allied troops trapped in the Philippines. He also proudly served with Australian gunnery units for the defence of Brisbane.
As Scientology Founder, L. Ron Hubbard returned to Australia in 1959 to deliver two historic lecture series: The Melbourne Congress and the 1st Melbourne Advanced Clinical Course. Remembered today for his delineation of the highest spans of the Scientology Bridge, Mr. Hubbard’s Australian lectures will forever hold a cherished place in the religion.
Today, the Melbourne Scientology Church is the first Ideal Church of Scientology Organisation in Australia, realising Mr. Hubbard’s vision for what Scientology can provide for its congregation and community.
The Church now stands on the site of the 19th century estate of Robert McCracken, leading businessman and founder of the legendary Essendon Bombers football team. After the turn of the 20th century, this building became the home of Mercy Teachers’ College, later part of the Catholic University. The original name of the estate is “Ailsa” for Ailsa Craig, an island off the west coast of Scotland from where the McCracken family sailed more than 150 years ago.
Melbourne’s Public Information Centre offers more than 450 informational films illustrating Scientology beliefs, the life and legacy of Founder L. Ron Hubbard, and the full array of Church-sponsored social betterment and community outreach programs.
The Chapel seats hundreds, the library contains all Church Scripture. Course rooms and counselling rooms accommodate Scientologists from throughout Victoria. Seminar rooms, film rooms and Life Improvement Course rooms make effective solutions to the most pressing challenges people face today easily available to Scientologists and non-Scientologists alike. Workspaces for volunteers stand open and ready for use by parishioners and the community.
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Under the guidance of Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, 23 Ideal Churches have been dedicated and opened since 2003, including those in world cultural capitals—The National Church of South Africa in Johannesburg; the National Church of Scientology of Spain in Madrid; the Church of Scientology of New York, just off Times Square; the Church of Scientology of London, located in the epicentre of the city; the Church of Scientology of Italy in Rome; the Church of Scientology of Washington, D.C., just blocks from the White House on “Church Row”; the National Church of Scientology Mexico, in Mexico City; and the Church of Scientology of Berlin, near the Brandenburg Gate. Another 60 Ideal Churches are in design, planning or construction phases.
The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in the United States in 1954 and has today expanded to more than 9,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 165 countries.
Labels: Australia, David Miscavige, L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, scientology volunteer ministers
¶ 9:02 AM
Traditional ceremony and ritual welcomes Australian Scientology Volunteer Ministers on Goodwill Tour to the Island of Vava’u in the kingdom of Tonga.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers South Pacific Goodwill Tour is continuing its work in the Kingdom of Tonga, with a grand opening on the island of Vava’u. Tonga is an archipelago of 169 islands one-third of the way between New Zealand and Hawaii.
Local performers welcomed the Scientology Volunteer Ministers with a prayer and songs and the chief magistrate of the island, on behalf of the people of Vava’u, thanked the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for coming to their island.
A dancer performed the ‘Tulou kihe niu vakai’—a traditional greeting for honored guests and friends—before cutting the ribbon in front of the big yellow tent where the volunteers will provide courses, seminars and one-on-one help.
Having opened the tent in the capital city of Vava’u, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are offering their services on a grassroots level by visiting the local villages. The first place they went to was Talihau, a fitting first stop as its name means “to welcome the Chief,” coming from the days when any boat arriving from other islands would land and be welcomed by this village first.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers began their visit to Tonga on the island of Tongatapu, where they found that drug and alcohol abuse were a major concern of the local officials and community leaders. They provided drug-education lectures, using information in the Scientology Handbook which is based on the research of Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard.
Tonga is the third South Pacific nation of this goodwill tour, which began in Fiji and moved next to Samoa. On completing their work in Tonga, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers will move on to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Labels: Australia, church of scientology, Scientology, scientology volunteer ministers
¶ 10:23 AM
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We delivered the Volunteer Ministers Disaster Response Specialist Course, which focuses on six chapters from the Scientology Handbook. That's me in front left of the photo. |
First stop Calcutta!
When I arrived in Calcutta the Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour was about to start training the officers in charge of West Bengal's Civil Defence at the request of the Minister of State West Bengal Civil Defence. This was the first training programme that I was part of. So, I started off with a BANG.
We delivered the VM Disaster Response Specialist Course which focuses on six chapters from the Scientology Handbook: The Technology of Study, Communication, Assists for Injuries and Illness, Basics of Organising, Solutions for a Dangerous Environment and The Cause of Suppression. First, I trained on these courses myself so I could be ready in time.
I was in India for just over eight months so there's so much I could say and so many great stories to tell. The three major cities that I travelled to were Calcutta, Delhi and Bombay. In each city we distributed thousands of booklets, trained hundreds of individuals, gave seminars to hundreds of people and trained government agencies, disaster response agencies, companies, hospitals and schools on VM technology. We helped people with whatever they needed and wanted, since there is Scientology technology to help in any situation.
I helped in the training of the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, National Disaster Response Force, National Fire Service College, Bombay Fire Brigade, Bombay Government Disaster Management Department and the Bombay Education Department.
What an Experience!
It's hard for me to express how much this experience has meant to me, and how wonderful it has been to share the wins of the people I have helped since being here.
One example is a man I met on a train. I knew I had to get off in two more stations so I told him about the Scientology Volunteer Ministers tour, told him about a course I knew would help him and gave him the address of the VM tent and told him to be there the next day. Didn't think anymore of it but the next day there he was on course. He had tremendous wins from the course I recommended and continued to do more. And now he has become a Volunteer Minister himself and is helping others with this technology.
Another example is a store owner who had a sore back from a motorbike accident in which his son had also burnt his hand. I showed him and his son how to do the assists from the chapter on Assists for Illness and Injuries. Scientology assists are techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard that help people recover faster from illnesses and injuries by bringing the spiritual element into the healing process. They gave assists to each other. They were both so excited about this simple yet effective technology that they told all their friends about Scientology and the Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour. The store owner now tells his customers they should learn how to do assists and shares the technology that he has learned with them.
It's very exciting to be able to introduce this powerful, simple and effective Scientology technology to individuals and see the life changing results and their eagerness to pass it on to as many other people as they can. The Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour truly is a grassroots movement and I really feel like a pioneer.
There were a couple of other cool things that really stand out for me.
One was giving a seminar on Scientology at an annual business convention to over 4,000 businessmen at one time. We also helped open a Free School in the slums of Calcutta that is using the study technology developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and which is now expanding and is run by local Volunteer Ministers. There are now thousands and thousands of Volunteer Ministers in India because of the Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour.
What I learned
India is definitely different from Australia, that's for sure. India is a very intriguing culture with a long tradition and heritage of religion and knowledge: Buddhism, Hinduism, the Veda scriptures. It is a place of such diversity and you really have to experience the people and the culture to fully understand and appreciate the beauty of India. The people of India really know they need to change the conditions in their lives and their society. And with the effective tools that Scientology offers they are making these changes.
What you can do
It's going to take a lot of Volunteer Ministers to get the job done.
I had such an amazing and life changing experience in India myself. I met leaders in government, education, disaster response and even a few Bollywood actors and models to round it off!
From the experience of being a member of this team I've had a massive increase in personal ability, certainty, and courage and I've seen individuals change their lives for the better. So much so that I am now organising to be back in India and will be by the end of August 2007.
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It was an honour to be part of providing this training to the West Bengal's Civil Defence Department. |
I invite you to join me. It's a blast.
As Mr. L. Ron Hubbard said "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."
Contact the Volunteer Ministers Consultant. She can help you get started.
Labels: assists, Australia, church of scientology, Scientology, scientology volunteer ministers, volunteer ministers
¶ 12:39 PM
