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The 2023 Sandhurst Calendar includes key diocesan events. It can be downloaded as a pdf. 

A group of newly ordained priests from the Sandhurst, Ballarat and Sale Diocese's are gathering for an in-service with the topic, 'Reflections on Lived Experience of our Priestly Ministry.' The inservice gathers priests, who have been ordained five years or less, and is taking place in Moama from March 6-9. 

The Central Victorian Irish Association and City of Greater Bendigo Library will help to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a 'Golden Hour of Irish Music, Culture and Song', showcasing the richness of Irish musical and literary culture.  Performances from five solo singers sharing folksongs, art songs and heartfelt ballads will be interspersed with the high energy of Irish dance, haunting instrumental music and readings from Irish literature. 

Not many priests can say they’ve concelebrated Mass at a Cathedral while a Mass setting they have composed is debuting. This, however, is the lived experience of Jesuit Fr Christopher Willcock when his composition ‘Mass: Our Common Home’ was recently sung publicly for the first time at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

The new Mass setting was led by Sarah Gould (Cantor), Thomas Heywood (Organist) and members of the Cathedral Choir (directed by Paul Taylor) at the 11.00 a.m. Mass on Sunday 19 February 2023. 

St Joseph’s Benalla and St Mary’s Mooroopna have been identified by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) as high-performing schools. Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Education Sandhurst, Mr Paul Desmond said he was enormously proud of all Sandhurst schools.

Bishop Shane has appointed Fr Jackson Saunders as Chaplain for the Sandhurst Pilgrimage to World Youth Day (WYD) in Portugal.  

Fr Jackson says that as Sandhurst WYD Chaplain he will, amongst other things, provide spiritual direction, celebrate Mass, give opportunities for Reconciliation and be an encouraging presence to Sandhurst Pilgrims. “I’m looking forward to getting to know our young adults more and to supporting them in their faith journey as I grow in my own faith. This is a great blessing for which I am very grateful.” 

While gathering in Suva last month, the Bishops of Oceania prepared a statement, The Oceans of the World are Interwoven with the Future Hopes of all Peoples, the statement speaks of the need for “deeper ecological conversion” and to embrace “the challenge of integral ecology” recognising that "our economic systems need to be in balance with the pulse of life". 

Dr Elissa Roper threw a skipping stone into the waters of Sandhurst catalysing infinitely expanding ripples of synodality throughout the Diocese at the inaugural Sandhurst Assembly in Kialla on 15 February. In her keynote address, Dr Roper presented imagery of the Church as a series of ever-expanding and continuous concentric circles of inclusion and expansion. The inner circles, representing the Church looking into itself for nourishment in Christ and in Communion; the outer ever overflowing circles representing where the Church moves beyond itself in missionary and evangelising ways. 

Three students who graduated from Sandhurst Schools in 2022 have been awarded the prestigious Hansen Scholarship from Melbourne University. The trio graduated from their respective Colleges last year, achieving academic success and demonstrating a commitment to their communities.