Diocesan C.W.L.A Conference

On Saturday June 15^th the Bundaberg CWL members hosted the 61^st Annual Diocesan Conference at Shalom College in the Loyola Centre.

The conference commenced with a mass celebrated by Fr John Daly and concelebrated by Fr Peter Tonti. The theme for the conference was “Come as You Are”. Morning tea was served after mass giving everyone a chance to meet and greet.

Fr John, our guest speaker, spoke on the conference theme which he linked to the CWL ideals and work. Fr John challenged us to consider this carefully and to share this with others. This talk was well received. Reports from the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations liaison officer and from the Social Justice Co-ordinator were tabled.

We were pleased to welcome our state President, Mrs Veronica Box, to the conference. She spoke about her appearance at the Euthanasia enquiry. There was a suggestion that we should all complete Advance Health Directives, so that our wishes are known.

The new Diocesan CWL Executive - Jan Webb (President), Doris McSherry(secretary) and Pat Elgey (Treasurer), was elected. A project for the coming year is, “How can we make it known that there is support available to those women who have had an abortion?”.

Next year the state CWL Conference will be held in Mackay in September.

NET Ministries

Our young NET ministers enjoyed a mid-year break after their first five months in the parish. They do a magnificent job of encouraging the youth and young children of the parish to think and talk about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and their faith.  Each week they are out and about amongst the children of St Joseph’s and St Mary’s primary schools and Shalom College. On weekends they meet with young adults and teens for Youth Group activities. 

Recently they were spotted at the Wednesday morning Blanket Buddies group receiving a gifted crocheted blanket. This group has been meeting each Wednesday for 8 years, crocheting away while catching up with each other and solving the problems of the world. Their

 blankets, beanies and scarves are sent to many in need across the nation. Their latest dispatchments were sent to the Salvation Army in Hobart, the Bundaberg Meals on Wheels organisation to be given to the housebound as needed and to a Soup Kitchen in Coffs Harbour that distributes warmth to the homeless.

Faith Formation

Each month Fr John Daly has offered his time and knowledge to assist us in forming our faith and understanding of Catholic traditions and practices in a session entitled “Why Do We Do What We Do?”  This month he leads us in our understanding of the Holy Spirit – what we know about the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit affects our lives and Church. Other topics have been relevant to the Church year or to the liturgy e.g. Mary, the Creed, Lent, Easter, baptism.

Fr Peter Tonti meanwhile has been presenting a monthly session on the Scriptures, taking the participants through the history of the Bible and its various publications, the geographical and cultural contexts of the writers and writings, from the Old Testament to the New.

We are blessed to have our priests offer such sessions.  Both sessions are well attended and allow time for participants to ask questions and discuss answers that arise.

New Catholic Kindergarten to open in 2020

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Principal Kaye Beston and

Director Catholic Education,  Leesa Jeffcoat with Augustus Marsellos, Khyra Padayao, Elise Collins and Gabriel McPhee.

Bundaberg’s first Catholic kindergarten will open in January 2020 adjacent to St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Bundaberg.

“I am delighted to be able to share this exciting news with the St Joseph’s and wider Bundaberg community following consultation with the School Board, and with the support of Catholic Bishop of Rockhampton, Most Rev Michael McCarthy DD and the Bundaberg Catholic Parish,” Miss Jeffcoat said.

Construction of St Joseph’s Catholic Kindergarten will commence on the site in Woondooma St in coming weeks and will continue during the remainder of the 2019 school year ready for opening next year.

 “Catholic Education in Bundaberg commenced over 140 years at St Joseph’s and it’s very pleasing that we are able to continue to grow our services in this area to offer a quality educational choice for Bundaberg families from early learning through to Year 12,” Miss Jeffcoat said.

The new Catholic kindergarten will offer the endorsed Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline providing opportunities for children to engage, through a play-based approach, learning across the   intellectual, language, emotional, physical, social and spiritual dimensions.

 “In addition, our new kindergarten will implement the Framework for Early Years Spiritual Development in the Catholic Tradition developed by Catholic Education which provides an early year's program that nurtures each child's innate spirituality and relationship with God,” Miss Jeffcoat said.

 Miss Jeffcoat extended thanks to St Joseph’s Principal Kaye Beston for her active support and enthusiasm for development of the kindergarten to further serve St Joseph’s families. 

 “We are very excited and looking forward to welcoming our first cohort of children to the kindergarten in January 2020,” Miss Jeffcoat said.

 Further information about enrolment at St Joseph’s Catholic Kindergarten is available on the Rockhampton Catholic Education website or by contacting Catholic Education Early Learning and Care on 49948095.