By Olivia Keating 

After a start-stop start-stop start to the year, Foundation students at St Peter’s Primary School in North Bendigo have just celebrated 100 days of learning in an ingenious and fun-filled way.  No doubt these students are thrilled to back in a school environment and with such amazing teachers: what student wouldn't be?

By Jackson Saunders

St Therese’s Kennington parishioner, Barb Anglin, has been officially commissioned as the North East Central Council President of St Vincent de Paul Society. Her role encompasses an area including the Sandhurst Diocese and beyond.

By Bishop Shane Mackinlay

October 2020
The first anniversary of a new home, a wedding, a new job or a new school often prompts two contrasting responses: ‘Where did the year go?’ and ‘Before this, feels like another world away!’  

SANDHURST ‘CARE FOR CREATION’ STATEMENT AND RESOURCES

To encourage a greater appreciation of Creation, a deeper understanding of our responsibility for its care and commitment to action in the Sandhurst Diocese, Bishop Shane Mackinlay has endorsed the first Sandhurst Diocese ‘Care for Creation’ Statement. pdf Download Bishop Shane's letter here (108 KB) .

The Covid pandemic has graced us with an opportunity to continue the process of prayerful discernment as we prepare for the Plenary. Sandhurst Diocese responded enthusiastically to the first phases of consultation and discussion. The responses of all the Australian dioceses have now been gathered into six thematic papers which now guide this stage of further prayerful discernment. A suggested program for our Diocese on how we can prayerfully reflect with these papers has been formulated.

A world that looks beyond a global pandemic with no roadmap can find one in Pope Francis’ new encyclical, which Archbishop Mark Coleridge says “is not just for believers but for the entire human family”.

Published on 4 October, the Pope’s third encyclical is entitled Fratelli Tutti (Brothers and Sisters All) – words taken from St Francis of Assisi, who the Pope says has inspired what he writes.

By Fr Andrew Fewings 

St Therese's in Kennington Parish has started celebrating Mass outdoors in line with Victorian Government Restrictions. It's disapointing that Churches are only allowed ten people at an outdoor Mass, while hospitality venues are permitted up to fifty people. Nevetheless, Parishioners are to be commended on their willingness to 'share' Mass times with others and follow all of the government pandemic guidelines withough much fuss.   

By Kerry Stone

The Catholic Earthcare Convocation lived up to its promise, taking participants on a journey of formation, foundation and action throughout the Season of Creation in September. There were around 100 participants at each session. Faces on the Zoom screen regularly included Sandhurst parishioners and teachers. Sandhurst Caritas/Justice Coordinator, Kerry Stone, was one of a panel of speakers who shared their responses on the final day of the Convocation.

The Catholic Bishops of Victoria have written an open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews raising concerns of unfairness in COVID restrictions to people of faith."Catholic communities have shown their commitment to acting responsibly and cooperatively throughout the pandemic, and they will be greatly encouraged in this if they can see that people of faith are being given the same consideration as other sectors of the community.”