Sandhurst seminarian, Jackson Saunders, offers this final article in his three-part series on the life of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. We reflect on Mary’s travels in the Sandhurst Diocese and the work of the Sisters in Numurkah, Eaglehawk, Nagambie, Rushworth, Pyramid Hill, Tallangatta and Corryong.

Each year, Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum holds a National Week of Prayer and Action (NWPA) to engage with the Australian Catholic to take action and stand in solidarity with people seeking asylum. This year the NWPA will begin on 26 September 2021 the day of World Migrant and Refugee Sunday and run through to 1 October 2021.

Just over sixty years ago, stalwart Cathedral parishioners Wilma and John McCormack, were married at Wilma’s home parish of St Joseph’s in Ouyen. Their diamond anniversary was acknowledge  Sunday Mass on Sunday 12 September after Mass at St Joseph’s Quarry Hill, with a Blessing from Bishop Shane and presentation of a Papal Blessing parchment.

By Michael Chisholm

In August 2021, members of the Aboriginal Education Team from  Catholic Education Sandhurst Pty Ltd were invited to speak and present at the 2021 Sandhurst Priests’ Inservice.

Sandhurst Disability Contact Coordinator, Mary Pianta, thoroughly enjoyed the Tokyo Paralympic Games. While Tokyo was fighting off a COVID-19 curse of over 5000 new infections a day, the Games opened eyes, won hearts and fulfilled the dreams of many. That the games went ahead at all is a cred to all involved writes Mary. 

Disability Contact Coordinator, Mary Pianta visited PepperGreen Farm recently. It stuck her that the vision of this social enterprise is very much in-line with Pope Francis’ concerns for our environment and people living with a disability, as expressed in “Fratelli Tutti, 98” and reiterated in the Australian Bishops’ Social Justice Statement 2021 “Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor.”

By Kerry Stone

Caritas India has given Caritas Australia this report about what has been achieved through the recent support from Australians. “Each day was a nightmare for me after my return to the village with the lost job due to pandemic. The worries of livelihood and sustaining family disturbed me each day,” said Dileep, one of the migrants from Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.

By Kerry Stone

Caritas Australia has launched its annual Women for the World Campaign. Join Lulu Mitshabu, Caritas Australia’s Program Coordinator in Africa, for a virtual talk and Q&A session on Tuesday, 21 September. Lulu will speak about how your support is empowering women in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the skills they need to take control of their lives and forge a path out of poverty. 

Tasmanian Anna Murchison has won Australia's richest poetry prize with her poem 'Child of Gath-hepher'.  Murchison did not start writing poetry until she was 50 and now, at age 54, still considers herself a “new and unschooled” writer.

Sunday 10 October

The Marian Festival will again be held online in 2021. Mass will be followed by a programme of the Crowning of Our Lady, Act of Consecration, Rosary, Litany, Reflection, and Adoration, concluding with Benediction.