Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In a couple of weeks’ time, we will celebrate Holy Week and Easter. With this newsletter I send my prayers and greetings of the Risen Christ to you and your families. Peace be with you all.

As we move into Easter it is a marvelous time to reflect of the presence of the risen Christ who is in our community and who welcomes each of us at this time to continue the mission of the church. This newsletter, which is being assembled by Sr Kym, once again outlines the marvelous happenings in our Diocese.

Last week I was in Bundaberg and I was among a group of Year 12 students who were commissioned for their leadership roles within Shalom College. It was a joy to meet up again with Mr Dan McMahon, the principal and his leadership team and then later to bless the solar farm that has been built at Shalom College. The solar farm powers the entire College and adds power to the grid. Congratulations to our Catholic Education Office and to Shalom College in this remarkable achievement of sustainable energy for our future.

Recently I gathered with the CentacareCQ leadership staff at the Haven for their annual reflection. Once again, we refocus the mission of Centacare being a Catholic ministry of the Diocese of Rockhampton and bringing the beautiful gift of Catholic care to many in our community. I thank Robert and congratulate him and his wife, Danella on the recent, safe arrival of their son, John Robert.

Just last week I met again with all the Centacare ministries for their day of formation and it was a great joy to be with our Centacare people as they continue to be Christ to our people in the various communities from Mackay to Rockhampton, Capricorn Coast, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Emerald, Blackwater and Longreach.

This week I begin Confirmations in the parishes of North Mackay. As I begin visiting the various parishes of our Diocese and celebrating confirmations, I ask for your prayers for the children who will be receiving the Sacrament.

Next week, our priests will gather for their pre-Easter reflection and on Thursday 25^th March 2021, we celebrate the Mass of the Oils where we Bless the Oils of the Sick and Baptism and consecrate the sacred Chrism for Confirmation. When the priests gather together, I thank you for your generosity for allowing them to spend a few days in prayer as we prepare together to celebrate the Easter Sacraments. The Easter Triduum is the most beautiful ceremony which commences on Holy Thursday night with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, on Good Friday the 3.00pm Passion and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night, where some of our parishioners will be receiving Baptism and Confirmation, and coming to the table for Eucharist for the first time. May this be a wonderful time of blessing to celebrate the Triduum in your Parish communities. 

The excitement around Rockhampton is Beef Week which is from 2nd to 8th May 2021. The Beef Week President, Ian Mill, invited me to a function with local businesses in preparation for Beef Week, in which I prayed God’s blessing upon the City of Rockhampton, all the organisers of Beef Week and the many visitors who will join us for the event. It will be a marvelous week showcasing the great produce we have in our Diocese. Towards the end of that week, I will be gathering with Bishops of Australia to commence our Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. With COVID restrictions we are all looking at gathering together in Brisbane with the Provincial Bishops of Queensland.

I gathered with the Bishops of Queensland last week in Brisbane and we had our first day of meetings at the Holy Spirit Seminary. It was good to catch up with our two Seminarians, Peter Doherty and Grant Sutherland, after Mass on Monday in the Seminary chapel. In 2008 when Cardinal Levada opened the beautiful seminary chapel he referred to it as the workshop of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for our Seminarians, Peter and Grant, who have commenced their academic studies for this year and their spiritual formation. Pray that Mr Michael Otto, as Vocations Director for the Diocese of Rockhampton, gathers many more young people for the ministry of the church in the future. Our Deacon, Ashwin, is in Emerald and enjoying life in the ministry and I admire him for his energy and enthusiasm as he goes about doing God’s work. Please pray for Deacon Ashwin in these months leading up to his Ordination as a Priest.

At our Queensland Bishops’ meeting we discussed the very possibility of gathering our delegates for the Plenary Council in October. We are still considering how we will gather in Queensland as the Plenary Council has moved to the electronic platform for interaction. We are very much aware that life can change very quickly in these COVID days however, the Plenary Council will go ahead. This newsletter has an attachment Instrumentum Laboris which is the working document for the Plenary Council. I encourage you to read it and to be familiar with the discussions so far, together with the document Light of the Southern Cross. These two formative documents will form the basis for the discussion in October for the Bishops and the members coming from the various Dioceses.

In these last few weeks, in a new roll for me as Administrator of the Cathedral while I wait until mid-year to appoint a new Administrator, it has been with sadness that Jo Whitfield has resigned as Manager of the Cathedral Bookstore. The Cathedral Parish is now advertising for a manager part time for the Bookstore. It is a hope that the Bookstore can continue, but that will be only with the support of the various parishes and people of the Diocese. Hopefully as we move the Bookstore to an electronic online platform the manager’s role will be to order books and resources as required rather than carrying a lot of stock. I ask for your support in the various sacramental programs, liturgical books and religious items that you may have a need for in your parish communities and the various entities of our Diocese. Thank you for your support.

Finally, May the Risen Christ be with you and your families during this Easter Season.

God Bless

Archbishop Aspinall, Bishop Michael, Bishop Peter Grice

Bishop Michael welcomed Bishop Peter Grice at his Installation as the 13^th Anglican Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Rockhampton. 

Bishop Michael was extended an invitation by the Venerable Tom Henderson-Brooks, Administrator of the Anglican Diocese and invited to give a formal welcome on behalf of the Catholic Church and the other Christian denominations of the city at the end of the service. 

Bishop Peter had served as the Dean of Geraldton Cathedral in the diocese of North-West Australia since 2015.  As a family, Peter, Virginia and their five children, have ministered previously in the Dioceses of Armidale and North West Australia. 

Peter was born in Newcastle, NSW and completed High School in Wollongong, NSW. Attending the University of NSW he studied a Bachelor of Commerce/Law before working as a solicitor in Sydney. Later he would go on to complete Post Graduate theological studies. 

Bishop Peter with his wife, Virginia

Bishop Michael welcomed Bishop Peter and his family and assured him of his prayers for all God’s blessings. He also passed on to Bishop Peter an encouragement that he received on becoming a Bishop regarding ‘What a Bishop Does’. He relayed that a Diocesan Bishop will sometime, ‘Go before the flock pointing the way and keeping their hope vibrant; at other times, he will simply be in their midst with an unassuming merciful presence; other times, he will need to walk behind – helping those who have fallen behind; and, above all he allows the flock to strike out on new paths. Bishop Peter welcome, and may our time together be a wonderful time of cooperation as we work together, as in the prayer of Jesus, "May they be one as we are one".'

We join with Bishop Michael in welcoming Bishop Peter Grice and his family to the region.

Bishop’s House said thank you, on Friday 13^th March, to the beloved Gaby Nagel, who has been looking after the special Sunday meals for the priests in Rockhampton for over 30 years. Gaby, together with her late husband, Gary, have dedicated their lives to the service of others and the Church. They would volunteer to prepare food during Diocesan events in Rockhampton, such as the Cathedral Fair, Mother’s Day Celebration, ANZAC, Australia and Multicultural Days. Gaby has tirelessly prepared food for the Cathedral Christmas Banquets for the homeless, those living alone, the refugees and new migrants. She also continues to collect day-old bread and distribute them to indigent families in Rockhampton. Gaby is also an active member of the Diocesan Catechists Group. 

Bishop Michael thanked her for the many years of service and the many years of looking after all the Priest’s: “We say thank you for all the good work you have done in the Diocese and for the love you have of the Church”.  

Gaby, you have touched the hearts of so many.

Eighty-nine Year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from Catholic colleges across the Diocese gathered in Rockhampton recently, for a two-day program to celebrate and acknowledge the year ahead. The program consisted of leadership and career focused workshops held at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre with a formal dinner at the Frenchville Sports Club, with guest speaker Allan Wilson, teacher at The Cathedral College.  The Year 12 Commencement Mass was celebrated at St Joseph’s Cathedral with Bishop Michael presiding. The event provided students with an opportunity to come together, be inspired and feel supported by all within Catholic Education. It was fantastic to have Bishop Michael join the group for each of the sessions. 

One of the highlights was the student reflection provided at the conclusion of Mass, by Year 12 student Jordan Bliss, from St Patrick’s College Mackay. Jordan acknowledged her Torres Strait Islander heritage and her family, who have supported her and contributed to the strong, independent, resilient young woman she is today. She spoke of many highlights, as well as adversities, which included being regularly questioned about her identity as an Indigenous Australian based on her skin colour. Some of her highlights included sporting achievements in hockey, representing Queensland fifteen times, and gaining selection in the Australian team. Jordan stressed the importance of the relationships formed through her Catholic Education; with peers, teachers, and Indigenous Education workers, strengthening her cultural identity and sense of belonging. Her message to other students, was to know the power of education and its ability to shape their lives and create their own chapter books – to strive for excellence and to follow their dreams. She concluded with the reminder that each were part of the oldest surviving culture in the world, and to celebrate this and acknowledge the resilience and hope that exists throughout Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

 Russell Leonard (MC), Pat O’Driscoll (Beef Australia, Community Activation
Committee Chair), Bishop Michael McCarthy, Ian Mill (Beef Australia, CEO) and Grant Cassidy (Beef Australia, Vice Chairman)

Bishop Michael attended the launch of Beef Australia’s Beef21 Club at The Red Lion recently. The Beef21 Club is an initiative of Beef Australia’s Community Activation Committee. It highlights Beef Australia’s partnership with a broad section of Central Queensland’s businesses during and on the lead up to the main event, May 2-8. Beef Australia invited Bishop Michael to share a few words and give a blessing. Bishop spoke about how great it was to have the premier event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, which offered, ‘a week of beautiful warm weather, fun, entertainment, culture, and the best beef on the hoof and on the plate’ right here in Rockhampton. He commended the work and collaboration of all present in their efforts to support Beef 2021. In conclusion, he gave a blessing to the local businesses in attendance and a safe and successful Beef 2021 moving forward.

Margaret Whitchurch given Living Treasure Award by Zonta Club

The Zonta Club of Rockhampton has awarded an annual Living Treasure Award since 2003. A local woman is identified each year who has made a significant contribution to the community over many years. The Living Treasure Award is judged on the basis of the recipient’s achievements in any of the following area(s): social, environmental, economic, professional, financial, political, cultural, spiritual, sporting, education and business.
The criteria used in selecting the recipient include:
• the contributions to the community and achievements of the nominee
• how the nominee has brought about positive change
• how the nominee has inspired or influenced others by her achievements
• how the nominee has shared, empowered and or lead others by her achievements and skills
• other community activities that the nominee is/has been involved with
• how long and with what frequency the nominee has been involved in her community activities.

Marg Whitchurch learnt the importance of community early in life as. Although
she was born in Brisbane, her family moved to the small township of Yeppoon when she was two years of age. She was enrolled at St Ursula’s College and completed her entire education there, experiencing first-hand the sense of community that Boarding School develops. Marg’s care and concern for others was evident in her subsequent career choice; she trained as a nurse at the Mater Hospital in Rockhampton.

Married life presented Marg with two sons – and a move to Emerald but, while there, Marg’s first marriage ended so she returned to nursing at the Emerald Hospital. She subsequently met her second husband, Charlie and, with his two daughters, they formed a family of six.

With this extended family, Marg no longer worked full-time but any spare time she had was soon spent volunteering. The school tuckshop, Charlie’s Rotary Club, the local Ambulance and Agricultural Show were beneficiaries of her time and generosity, as was the newly formed Inner Wheel Club.

In 1986, with their children grown, Marg and Charlie moved to Rockhampton where Charlie started work in Accident and Emergency and Marg took up work in Real Estate, while also devoting time to a small business she had started with a friend. Nevertheless, her efforts with Inner Wheel increased and in time she became President of Inner Wheel Australia and also served on the International Board.

Marg’s outstanding efforts earned her the prestigious Margarette Golding Award for community service – but her efforts didn’t stop there. When Charlie started working for the RFDS, Marg volunteered with the Auxiliary and went on to serve as President for 10 years.

Sadly, Charlie passed away in 2007 – but, instead of feeling sorry for herself, Marg poured more time and energy into community service. Her efforts have been amazing. She has been Lifeline Volunteer Counsellor for 27 years and has also been a Team Leader with Lifeline Community Recovery, deployed to assist with the personal aftermath of natural disasters.  Her efforts with the victims of floods, cyclones and bushfires were recognized with a National Emergency Services Medal.

For the last 26 years also, Marg has volunteered her time for Christmas gift wrapping on behalf of the Heart Foundation. She has also given great service to her ‘old’ school, recently completing a six year 2 of 2 term as a Director of the St Ursula’s College Board – an honorary position. Marg is also active in her Church and is a member of the Bereavement Team of St Joseph’s Cathedral Parish.

Despite all her accomplishments, however, Marg says she feels privileged to serve the community and believes she has gained more than she has given. We sincerely thank and congratulate you, Marg.

Marg was presented with her award by Zonta Club of Rockhampton President, Catherine Dunbar, at the Zonta International Women’s Day Breakfast on March 8.

Chapter Closes on the Cathedral Bookstore

The Cathedral Bookstore has for many years served the Rockhampton Catholic Community as well as the wider Diocese. For the past six years, these communities have been served by Jo-Anne. Jo as she is more affectionately known, has diligently worked at The Cathedral Bookstore, becoming a familiar and very friendly face to clergy and parishioners around the Diocese and beyond. We are sad to report that those six years of service will come to end as Jo moves on from the role.

Whilst serving customers and stock management are major aspects of The Cathedral Bookstore Manager role, there are many other essential elements such as bookkeeping, financial reporting and website design that must also be kept on top of to ensure the Bookstore continues to operate efficiently. However what is far more important than any of the above tasks is the human side to running the bookstore. Jo-Anne's ability to connect and develop a personal relationship with customers and suppliers has been a priceless gift that has meant the Cathedral Bookstore has been able to continue in an increasingly challenging retail environment.

The Cathedral Bookstore receives a great deal of assistance in the form of our generous volunteers, many of which have been serving for several years. Upon commencing work at the Bookstore, Jo was able to form close bonds with the volunteering team and together they have worked closely to deliver excellent service to the Rockhampton Diocese.

A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the future of the Bookstore now, but one thing is certain; Jo-Anne's friendliness, kindness, humour and heartful service to our community will be sorely missed. We wish Jo-Anne all the best in her new position and all of her future endeavors.

A few things have been happening in our parish since I last wrote:-

• On the first Sunday of Lent we introduced an additional Mass to be held at 5pm at Sacred Heart Church. This was decided after consultation with many groups within the Parish. Interest has also been shown for a “youth group” to begin and this maybe connected to the Sunday evening gathering time.

• The Sacramental Program has also commenced with over 60 participants, after being unable to be held last year.

• Stations of the Cross are being held throughout Lent at both Sacred Heart and Mary Immaculate churches.

• Two discussion groups have commenced – Alpha, which is an 11 week course, where people gather to have a conversation about faith life and God. As well, Sycamore, which is a new Catholic program developed to provide a flexible resource for formation of parishioners.

• World Day of Prayer was held in Yeppoon and Emu Park on March 5^th and was hosted by the Uniting Church this year. Due to numbers the Emu Park gathering was held in Mary Immaculate Church, where approximately 31 men and women gathered. The service this year was written by the women of Vanuatu, and the Vanuatu Committee’s prayer is that they will “lift up the voice of Vanuatu women across the world”. The theme being – Build on a Strong Foundation.

• Christine Davids, who was a volunteer overseas with Palms Australia, gave us a short talk after Mass last Saturday and Sunday. Christine volunteered as a Pre-school Teacher Mentor in Timor-Leste (East Timor) from March 2018 to March 2020 when she returned to Australia due to Covid-19. Christine is looking forward to when she can return to Timor-Leste.

• Lastly we will hold our next Meet in the Middle (parishioners gathering from both sides of the parish) on Monday April 12^th at The Benedictine Monastery, Tanby. Everyone is very welcome.

As we near the end of our Lenten journey, may we look forward in joyful anticipation to our Easter celebrations, where we hear – “ALLELLUIA! HE IS RISEN”.

Our Parish would like to wish each one of you a joyful and glorious Easter.

Helen McIntyre

In Loving Memory: Shirley Kruger

Our Capricorn Catholic Parish has been saddened these past couple of weeks at the passing of four of our Parishioners. Shirley Kruger was one of these ladies. Shirley was an astute and pleasant business woman who owned and managed a select ladies clothing shop in Yeppoon.  What Shirley did was more than run a business: she offered a gentle, listening ear to the many who dropped into her shop in need of kindness.  

Shirley was a tireless worker who in a very capable way helped to organize an Annual Melbourne Cup Day function for over 37 years.

Her gentle manner and wisdom helped to make these events run smoothly. Her sincerity and professionalism made her a valued and respected friend to all of us who knew her. She will be sadly missed when we are able to resume our Cup Day Functions

Vale Shirley, valued friend

Joan Ellaway

Welcoming a new school year at St Ursula’s College

New staff and students of St Ursula’s College, Yeppoon, were formally commissioned during a Welcome Mass on Thursday 11 February.

Fr Matthew Moloney presided over the Mass, and promoted the College’s theme for 2021, ‘When compassion meets action, lives change’.

“Go and make a difference in 2021; as Christ said, ‘Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you did to me’,” Fr Moloney said.

After the Mass, Mrs Deborah Ryan was formally commissioned into her role as Principal of St Ursula’s College. As part of this ceremony, all Year 12s gathered on stage and made their pledge as Seniors of the College; they also extended a blessing over their parents, who joined our celebrations via livestream. New staff were commissioned, and elected members of the Student Representative Council were presented with badges. All new students were received by their peers with a Guard of Honour as they processed out of the Ballygriffin Cultural Centre.

Altar adds new life at St Brendan's

In a bid to have the historic SBC amphitheatre utilized more frequently, Assistant Principal - Identity Mr Shane Peers has begun several improvements to bring the site back to its former glory. One of which was to add a new altar. This has enhanced the weekly Tuesday mass that began for boarders late last year. 

Supporters of the College, Capricorn Sandstone Quarries generously donated a tonne of sandstone which has been commissioned into a new altar.  The sandstones buff and brown bandit were shaped by our very own Grounds and Maintenance Team onsite.

The outdoor theatre dates back to the late 1960s and was popular for showing the latest movies on a Saturday night. Speech Day was held here for the first time in 1968 providing seating for 300 with additional viewing areas on the grassy banks. The retaining wall was erected the previous year by a large squad of students.  The amphitheatre continued to be used until 1978 when the area near the swimming pool became more popular. 

On 23 February 2015 “Cyclone Marcia” caused severe damage to the area. For the safety of students, the amphitheatre was decommissioned for use.  

We look forward to more events in this beautiful, relaxed setting.

Our first Men’s dinner for 2021 was held on Monday 22^nd February. 24 men enjoyed a pleasant night. Having Fr Alex and Fr Jayanthi there made it extra special.

Chairman Kevin McEvoy welcomed everyone and gave us the sad news our guest speaker was recovering in hospital and unable to attend.

Rex Fraser gave us a reflection titled ‘Get Better Acquainted With God’. Do we recognise how great God really is? Then you will stop analysing or reducing Him to your level of thinking. You will also stop trying to manipulate His will or His Ways to suit you.

God says plainly, “My ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)   He is the shepherd; we are the sheep. He is the vine; we are the branches.  Jesus prayed, “Not My will but Yours be done.” Perhaps it would be wise for us to pray that prayer too – every day! Take time, sit silently, be in His presence, catch a glimpse of the One who is truly awesome and unfathomable. Job says, “Agree with God and be at peace: thereby good will come to you,” (22:21). Do you know God well enough or would you like to know Him better?  It doesn’t just happen. Put it at the TOP of your priority list and PURSUE Him daily. You will not be disappointed because God’s Word says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) 

Peter Robins, Fr Jayanthi, Bill Connors

Kevin McEvoy led the Patrons Prayer and then Fr Jayanthi said Grace. After dinner was served  and because we had no guest speaker, conversations flowed and camaraderie has grown stronger.  Des Crow told a few jokes, also mentioned our Secretary Rex Fraser has got engaged. His fiancée’s father is one of our members.  Graham read a humorous reflection on putting ‘wilderness’ experiences in context. 

Peter Sheedy, Fr Alex, John Vella, Tony Vella, Vic Camilleri, Joe Camilleri.

Our next dinner will be held on Monday 29^th March. We look forward to welcoming Nathan Harding, Community Engagement Manager, Diocesan Office, Rockhampton as our Guest Speaker.”    

Graham Featherstone

Another month has passed, one step closer to the Easter Triduum celebrations, and no doubt most parishes are, like us, wondering what our Easter liturgies will look like in these times. As at Christmas, we will adapt. Meanwhile, life in the parish continues.

The Visitation Ministers are overjoyed to be able to visit and distribute Holy Communion to the housebound and nursing homes. Masses are once again being celebrated in some nursing homes which gives the feeling of normal. The visitiation group meets monthly and were recently introduced to Ms Alana Jacoby, the Mater Hospital’s Chief of Mission. Alana spent a short time with the visitation group and Fr Peter outlining the Mater’s Mission and its new state-wide restructuring.

The Children's Sacramental Program has resumed where we left off last year, on track to celebrate the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist on April 27th & April 29th with Bishop Michael.  This group of parishioners are also very excited to be back together.

Holy Rosary Church Renovations, while a little behind schedule, are progressing well.  All fingers and toes are crossed that the church will be opened for Easter. 

Air conditioning is being installed into this grand old lady, powered by solar panels. At the same time, the statues of Our Lady of Fatima, usually standing in the choir loft overlooking her people, and the Pieta in the foyer of the church are having face lifts.

Welcome New Parishioners

Each year the Parish Stewardship Council and Parish Team host a Meet & Greet evening for new parishioners. Last Thursday, 11^th March, we welcomed eight people to our parish, some who have come for work, some for retirement. Over drinks and nibbles, introductions were made and a brief outline of who-does-what in the parish was given. We give a Welcome Kit to each new parishioner and hope that, once settled, they feel comfortable to be involved in the life of the parish.

Bishop Visits Shalom College

Thursday, 4th March, saw Bishop Michael and Miss Leesa Jeffcoat visit the school for the Year 12 Induction and the Blessing of the new Waterford building and Solar Farm. The Shalom solar farm is the largest of its kind in an Australian private education facility. The Waterford building is a new flexible learning centre with all the mod-cons to make learning interesting. These two new facilities are a far cry from the learning styles and classrooms of earlier times, opening up so many possibilities for young people.

May this Easter bring our diocesan family blessings of joy and hope that come from the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life. Happy Easter!

Anne Sheehan

On 27^th February our parish RCIA team-in-formation attended a workshop led by Anne Sheehan from Bundaberg Parish. Anne was able to share her learning from many years of involvement with RCIA ministry. Our group of six wonderful parishioners, who have been working on re-forming our RCIA ministry, greatly appreciated her advice, especially the emphasis on RCIA as a ministry that embraces the whole parish. Our team is now in the process of planning how to best organise this important ministry, looking especially at the different roles and tasks involved. We are really looking forward to having a vibrant team leading the whole parish in the work of drawing people to faith in Christ and welcoming new members to our Church.

Below is a statement from our Catechumen,  Charlise Falconer, Chanel College Captain.

'I have been preparing for my Baptism and sacraments of initiation for some time now through reading about their importance and learning more about the Catholic faith. I was baptised as a baby into a different Christian denomination but since maturing and through my schooling life at a Catholic school I have discovered my own faith and what it means to be a Catholic. This lead me to discover my own faith and want to become part of the Catholic Church. It was then through the help of Ms Kristi Bourke, Ms Geraldine Dyer, Bernadette Ariens and Father Andrew that my journey really began. They helped me to understand what it was to be part of the Catholic faith and set a great example. Through their guidance I have begun my Lenten journey, just like you all only slightly different as I am participating in a series of rituals before my Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. I am excited and eager to be part of the Catholic faith and looking forward to entering God's big family. I hope to encourage other young people like myself to discover their faith. " 

We are so proud of Charlise and her commitment to the journey. She is an exemplary model for our young people and the whole parish. God bless you Charlise. 

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Kindergarten, Springsure

Watch As Our Lenten Flowers Grow....?

The kindergarten children and staff gathered for Ash Wednesday to commence the season of Lent.

The children were thrilled to have Fr. Yon return for our service, he clearly made a lovely impression with the children at the 'blessing service’ three weeks ago through his inclusiveness of practice.

In the Catholic tradition, Lent is a time of turning away from worldly distractions and instead shifting our focus to our relationship with others and our relationship with God as we prepare for the joyous celebration of Easter. 

Fr. Yon visited the kindergarten after Mass to distribute the ashes. Special care was taken to ensure the action was carried out in a COVID safe manner, while also maintaining the deeply moving symbolism of the tradition. 

Fr. Yon and Miss Belinda spoke with the children about the three elements in Lent. 

• Pray - During Lent, we are encouraged to pray more.
• Fasting - During Lent, we give up the food we love as a sacrifice. Miss Belinda is giving up 'sweets' for Lent.
• Almsgiving - During Lent, we must think about giving more to those who are in need. We can give money to charities, give old clothes, make hampers etc. St Francis of Assisi said, “in giving we receive.” 

At Kindy we spoke about how 'sharing' and being 'kind' are ways of preparing for Lent. 

We have some flowers that we're going to watch grow over the next 40 days. 

• Pippa - I will help to clean up and to pack my toys away.
• Indie - I will try to work better with Kaleb to pick up our toys.
• Zoe - I will help mummy get ready for kindy. 

Through this experience, we observed the children as confident and involved learners.

Ashwin Acharya is a Deacon of our Diocese, currently doing his pastoral year in the Parish of Emerald.  Here he describes a new project he began this year: offering a weekly podcast on the Sunday Readings

Suspended in the Word is a weekly podcast with the intention of bridging the Sunday readings for a pilgrimage Church making its way through the Liturgical Year.

The first episode situates the listener in-between the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and commencement of Ordinary Time in 2021.

This is an exciting and fruitful project for me. At one level, it’s a practical way to do some thorough Sunday homily preparation. It has also helped me gain a sense of the trajectory of the Liturgical story as it unfolds – I’ve become quite intrigued to see what we are reading from and for how long, as this invariably leads to a deeper understanding of what the Church happens to be doing at a given time. Aside from homily prep, though, I think the podcast is a welcome gift for those who would like to enter more deeply into God’s Word and our Catholic intellectual tradition. So the episodes will always begin by looking back on the previous Sunday’s readings and position the listener well for what they will encounter in the Word at the coming Sunday Mass.

Presently, I am taking things week by week, but I would like to continue publishing episodes for the next three years, to complete the Sunday Lectionary for Years A, B (which we are currently in) and C. After that, perhaps shorter weekday reflections would be good. I would also be interested in delving into the Psalms. But all of that can wait. For now, I just need to prepare Episode 10!

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3qHAVur

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3p88eXp

Greetings from Rockhampton,  

Another year, more challenges and more good memories to make. 

Our committee gathered on 15th January, 2021 and put forward our ideas for our gatherings this year,  it is looking like a wonderful year with great spiritual input by faith-filled people. 

A few of us met with Margaret and Paul Treventhan for afternoon tea when they were travelling south, it was too good an opportunity to miss and friendship was enjoyed by all.  Hopefully, Margaret will return later in the year for a Retreat. 

Our first gathering was on Saturday, 13th February.  We began with Mass in our beautiful Cathedral, St. Joseph's, we then just had to walk across the courtyard to the Cathedral Centre for our meeting.

After a Covid friendly morning tea, Ailsa warmly welcomed us.  We had four new, interested ladies in attendance.    

As mentioned in the last edition,  Sister Jo-Anne Molloy spoke at our last meeting on the Mercy Sisters arrival here in Rockhampton and their growth into various parts of the community, particularly education and health.  Sister's account was greatly appreciated by all. 

Following on from this,  Sister Beryl was our guest speaker at this meeting, her topic, "The Mercy Story",  which of course, began with Catherine McAuley.  This story was well researched and well received.  Questions were welcomed along the way. 

We are looking forward with faith and hope, to 2021.

Kathleen Winter

Traditionally, the collection at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday goes to the support of the Church in the Holy Land. Attached is information and a report on how these funds are used, including a financial report. As you can see from the financial statement, the Rockhampton Diocese has been quite generous towards this collection and your support is greatly appreciated.

The Holy Land Collection will take place again across our parishes this coming Good Friday.

Donations can be made via the Diocesan Website: https://rok.catholic.net.au/# 

The Instrumentum Laboris (working document) provides an account of what the People of God have expressed primarily through the listening and dialogue and listening and discernment phases of the Plenary Council journey, but also other avenues.  A significant feature of the consultation process has been the high level of engagement by the People of God.  These contributions give voice to a variety of understandings of the nature of the Church and hopes for the future of the Church.  The significant challenge for the Church in Australia at this time is how are we to catch the voice of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the many voices to which we are all listening?  This document seeks to bring the voices of the Church together and provide material for discernment for the next phase of the Plenary Council.