In a spirit-filled celebration of the Season of Creation, parish and school communities gathered on Friday 6 September at Huntly Streamside Reserve for an Outdoor Mass embracing this year's theme, "To Hope and Act with Creation." 

In his Homily, Bishop Shane spoke of hope being an active force and how we must listen to God and “the Cry of the Poor” to know what action to take because we ultimately live in God’s world.
Reflecting on the first Reading from a Letter of St Paul to the Romans (8:18-25) Bishop reiterated St Paul’s description of the suffering and longing of all creation waiting for liberation and redemption. He acknowledged that news about creation is often bleak, filled with reports of environmental degradation, climate-induced disaster, and government refusal to commit to sustainability targets.

However, he emphasised that this year's theme calls us to be people of hope, not with naive optimism, but with a steadfast commitment to action. He encouraged everyone to advocate for the environment and those most impacted by climate change; to make sustainable choices; to live by example; and in so doing, show that hope is an active, dynamic force.

Bishop Shane said to be people of hope, we must place our ultimate hope in God.

“If we are to be people of hope, we must start with faith that this is God’s world; it’s not just us on our own here; we are all part of God’s story, a story that goes back millions of years before us and will go on long after us.”

“This doesn’t mean standing back and doing nothing ourselves, of course. It means being committed to looking for His presence around us … listening for His wisdom; seeing the world in the way He sees the world; and doing what he calls us to do.”

The day itself was a powerful symbol of hope. A warm spring day with a gusty wind reminding us of the Holy Spirit’s presence. School children, resilient and determined, waded through a stream to get to Mass and were joyfully greeted by the waiting congregation.

The Welcome to Country delivered by Dja Dja Wurrung traditional custodians, Peta Hudson and her son James, acknowledged the wisdom and practices of Bendigo’s Indigenous people and reminded us, as Bishop Shane said in his Homily, that we need to listen to and learn from First Nations Peoples to care for our planet.

Bishop Shane presided over the Mass with Fr Joe Taylor, Fr Brian Boyle and Fr DJ Suguitan as concelebrants. After Mass, participants enjoyed a sausage sizzle and planted 100 seedlings, a tangible act of hope and renewal. Bishop Shane blessed the seedlings before they were planted, reinforcing the sacredness of caring for creation.

Bishop Shane’s message was clear: we must listen to what God is telling us through creation’s groaning. By being people of hope, we acknowledge the reality of our world’s suffering while committing ourselves to the work of healing and restoration. The community left the Mass inspired, ready to act with hope and determination in their hearts.

We are thankful for:

• Bishop Shane Mackinlay, Fr Joe Taylor, Fr Brian Boyle, Fr DJ Suguitan and altar server Andrew Howe, for helping us to celebrate the Season of Creation with this special Mass.
• Our Musicians and school choirs, who enhanced the beauty of the Liturgy.
• The students, teachers and parishioners, who brought so much joy to the celebration.
• Our first aid, barbeque and set-up volunteers; the Knights of the Southern Cross for traffic marshalling and Ken from the Northern Bendigo Landcare Group for digging holes and preparing the seedlings.
• Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Corporation; Parks Victoria.
• And most of all, for God’s world which sustains our lives.