Rockhampton Mercy Associates High Tea Fundraiser for Mercy Works.

Members of the Mercy Associates, with invaluable assistance from The Cathedral College (TCC) students and staff, hosted a High Tea in September 2019 as a fundraiser for Mercy Works as well as a way to raise awareness and appreciation of the people they assist. Following the success of our previous High Tea in 2018, this afternoon did not disappoint!

The historic Range Middle Hall rang to the sounds of laughter and chatter as those who gathered enjoyed entertainment provided by TCC students who also served the refreshments to 120 thirsty guests! This is quite an accomplishment for a Sunday afternoon in Term Time and our appreciation of their skills and efforts is great.

Donations of the variety of quality prizes for our Multi draw Raffle saw many people head home with big smiles but the best gift of the afternoon was the presentation that Kingsley Edwards, Donor development manager of Mercy Works, shared – the stories of just a few of those whom Mercy Works is currently assisting.

He spoke of Samuel in PNG who is a fourth year Med student now on a Mercy Works scholarship. Samuel had managed to study for the first 3 years of his degree using his savings but would have been unable to continue his studies without the help of this scholarship. Kingsley shared that Samuel is committed to completing his degree so he can return to his home town and provide much needed life saving medical attention which he knows will save many of their lives.

Batool is part of the Mercy Connect program in Sydney where she studies as a mature age student and is mentored by caring volunteers. Her story tells of living as a refugee as part of her family’s experience of fleeing from war in Afghanistan to Iraq, deportation to Syria and fleeing to Iran as a third generation refugee, finally making to Australia after being separated from most of her family and where she is now considered ‘stateless’ i.e. not having a country to call home.

The stories of these, and a variety of others, touched the hearts of those gathered and it was with great joy that the proceeds, tallying $3530, were handed over to Mercy Works so they can continue their ministry to so many who deserve our admiration and our assistance.

Barbara Lunney

Restoration of the Pipe Organ in St Joseph’s Cathedral.

The pipe organ was built in 1925-26 by Whitehouse Bros of Brisbane.  The installation in Rockhampton was in progress till late April .

In the late 1970s, the organ was disassembled.  While it has been subjected to vandalism it still remains intact. There have been proposals since around 2010 for restoration of the pipe organ by Max Thompson, a senior airline pilot (retired) from Bowral, NSW and Doug Milne, a retired school teacher.  Doug has worked with two organ builders.  In 2016, they, along with Karen Milne who is a research chemist and a qualified pianist, were invited to commence restoring the pipe organ.

The pipe organ had pneumatic action, the only electric parts being the blower and the light over the music. Almost everything must be repaired. Many parts have been repaired and are stored in boxes. The keyboard was the finest quality ivory with ebony sharps. However, the restoration of the keys will be plastic.

All the front half of the organ pipes are now working.  Max and Doug are currently on the back half of the organ called the swell. On this trip it was discovered that the bellow would not fill with air because the dry weather had opened cracks in the bottom. This has been rectified.

The original blower was supplied by a rotary blower, driven by a three-phase electric motor. As we no longer have a three- phase electric motor, a new blower will need to be purchased.

Max and Doug visit Rockhampton three times a year to continue the restoration of what was an exceptionally fine pipe organ.  The dream is to eventually link the pipe organ to the new Roland digital organ placed at floor level near the sanctuary.

National Police Remembrance Day

National Police Remembrance Day is observed annually in September as it marks the Feast of Saint Michael (the Archangel), Patron Saint of Police, who was always fighting evil. In 2019, the 30-year anniversary of National Police Remembrance Day was celebrated.

This year St Joseph’s Cathedral was the host and it was a time to pause, honour and remember as well as thank those police officers whose lives have been lost in the line of duty.

The service commenced with the reception of flags.  Father Bryan Hanifin, Vicar General of St Joseph’s Cathedral welcomed all to the service.  All were encouraged to care and support one another.

A symbolic lighting of candle ceremony was performed as the names of those who had lost their lives in the line of duty read out. Police officers gathered and prayed the Police prayer together: “Help us in knowing when to enforce and when to relax the letter of the law. Help us to be a personal example of the honesty, the goodness and the justice which it is our duty to maintain and grant that our actions will inspire in our community, confidence in its police officers”.

 WITH HONOUR THEY SERVED

 Marg Hallinan