If you turn west from Rockhampton and then drive for 673 km, you will come to Longreach, the biggest of the western towns in this Diocese. A turn to the south and a journey of 215 km will bring you to the little town of Jundah. Although it feels as if you’ve driven in a straight line for that couple of hours, a check of the map shows that rather than being due south of Longreach, Jundah is a further 100 km to the west. On Sunday, Fr Raj made the journey from Longreach (where he lives with Fr Shaiju) to celebrate the Mass.

Living through these months of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the major outcomes for all of us was the closure of our churches not only preventing us from going for private prayer, but even from gathering for the celebration of Sunday Mass. What a relief and joy it was as there was a gradual relaxation! The restrictions in numbers, the need to record details, the social distancing and requirements around sanitization, personal and place, these were challenging but something which we were happy to manage if it meant that we (at least some of us) could once again come for the celebration of the Mass, the reception of the Eucharist.

On Sunday, the little community who gathered at Jundah fulfilled the necessary (Covid) requirements. It had been two months since their last Mass with Fr. Shaiju. However, this was not unusual. Sunday Mass isn’t a weekly event but is scheduled for once every two months. Given that there are only two priests in the central west where in years past (more like twenty years ago) there were priests in a number of the little towns this isn’t as surprising as it may sound. Over the years since I have been in the western pastoral ministry (2006) it has not been unusual for one of the Masses to be cancelled for a good reason. In such years, there would have been just five even four Masses over the twelve months. 

It is always good to come together even on days when there may only be four people present. Yesterday there were ten of us and three people sent apologies. Not everyone who comes is Catholic. As I’ve written elsewhere in the past, ecumenism is significant in rural areas, especially in those places that are more remote. If a Christian minister comes to a little town (or a property) for a service, Christians are glad to come together to worship, to share their faith. I have no doubt that Jesus would approve!

Sr. Mary Farrelly SM