1 - 3 September 2021

Senior Australian of the Year, Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM, former Socceroo Craig Foster, prominent Australian author, Hugh Mackay Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See, Chiara Porro, and Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle will speak at this virtual conference.

8-10 JULY 2021  

This  conference offers over thirty workshops exploring areas such as best practice for RCIA; how we engage beyond the margins of our faith communities; planning for mission and renewal; supporting pastoral care; social justice initiatives and much more. Presenters are drawn from experienced pastoral ministers in Australia and New Zealand who offer practical, down-to-earth wisdom, resources and avenues of new life.  

Prior to their departure from the Dioceses in March 2021, the Poor Clare Colettines gifted the diocesan archives with a wealth of material. Diocesan archivist, Dr Donna Bailey used this material to create a book of their memoirs of the sisters'  time at the Monastery of the Holy Ghost in Bendigo.  This book was created to commemorate the Poor Clares' departure and to share their legacy. 

A nationwide schools engagement program is again shooting for success, using the game of soccer to educate and encourage support for mission projects around the world. Socktober aims to engage Catholic school students’ heads, hearts, and hands in key issues of mission and social justice through powerful metaphors found in sport, especially the world game of soccer. The program, run by Catholic Mission, will kick off nationally this week.

The agenda of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia calls those attending the Council assemblies to “develop concrete proposals to create a more missionary, Christ-centred Church in Australia”.

The Council agenda, which has emerged from three years and several layers of prayer, listening, dialogue and discernment, will shape the program of the Council’s assemblies – the first of which opens on October 3 this year.

The Diocese of Sandhurst is pleased to present our annual Year In Review publication which includes reports, financials, and reflections on the past year.  2020 was a year of challenge and change, in which we prepared to 'Go Forth' with our Catholic mission; ever thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit amongst us. We hope you enjoy reading the 'Year in Review 2020'.

The Catholic bishops of Australia met for their week-long biannual plenary meeting in early May. Bishops in some provinces gathered in hubs to participate in the video-conferencing sessions, while others participated from their home diocese. Bishop Shane Mackinlay was elected vice-president of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia.

At the May 2021 Bishops Plenary, Australian Catholic bishops approved three priorities specifically to help the work they undertake as a college of bishops. These priorities are:- formation, collegiality and a missionary disposition.

Caritas Australia welcomes the commitment made Wednesday night by the Australian Government to pledge an additional $50 million to the international vaccine effort, COVAX, which aims to provide much needed vaccine doses to lower-income countries to combat global vaccine inequity. 

By Mary Pianta

We know that people with a learning disability are up to twice as likely to experience mental health problems, due to many factors like discrimination and social isolation. Learning Difficulty Week 2021 will take place online from 14 to 20 June. This year’s theme is Art and Creativity. 

On Sunday 2 May a luncheon was held to congratulate Mr John Hogan on his retirement, to celebrate his legacy and thank him for 40 years of service to the Diocese. Mr Hogan was the seventh Cathedral organist, ninth Director of the Choir, the Diocese’s first Organist and Director of Music and our first lay Diocesan Director of Sacred Music at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

On Sunday 6 June, the Feast of Corpus Christie, Altar Server Mason Crosier was inducted into the Guild of St Stephen by Bishop Shane before delighted parishioners at Mary’s Church in Mooroopna. Mason has shown great devotion to the ministry of serving at the Altar of the church.

On 26 of May something very special happened at St Patrick’s Primary School. Six of our students were baptised before a congregation of over 300 students, teachers and parents.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Max Davis, the Military Ordinary for Australia.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Sr Irene McCormack’s death, Catholic Mission Perth Office invited student leaders from various Catholic schools and colleges to share their reflections on her incredible story and legacy, at St Joseph’s Convent Chapel in South Perth, WA.

Fr Rom Hayes celebrated 50 years of priesthood on Pentecost Sunday. On the invitation of Fr Junray Rayna, he returned to his former parish of St Kilian’s to celebrate Mass and enjoy a barbeque with people from all over the diocese who had joined the celebrations.

The Installation Mass of the Wangaratta Parish cluster’s new Pastoral Ministry Team was live-streamed from St Patrick’s Church, Wangaratta on Sunday 16 May on the Feast of the Ascension. The Pastoral Ministry Team includes Fr Des Welladsen, Fr Nathan Verallo, Fr Shibu Pezhumthottathil and Mr Dan Murphy. The Mass was celebrated by Most Rev. Shane Mackinlay, Bishop of Sandhurst.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has formally convoked the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia, with its president, Archbishop Mark Coleridge, signing the required decree on Pentecost Sunday.

By Jenni Kennedy

There were 200 reasons to celebrate on Monday, May 24 as every diocese in the country held a Mass to mark the bicentenary of Catholic Education in Australia. The Sandhurst Diocese gathered at St Kilian’s Catholic Church, the site of the first Catholic school in our diocese, established in 1853. The event was live-streamed so that all Sandhurst communities were able to join in the celebrations.

By Kerry Stone 

Sandhurst Youth Ministry team joined over sixty teachers and students from eight Sandhurst secondary colleges at the annual Justice Matters Camp at Beechworth over 3-days in May. The theme this year was ‘We Can Be More’ and focused on global justice concerns, such as our environment, sustainable eating, human trafficking, fair trade, refugees, and racism through a Catholic Social teaching lens. Justice Matters is a joint initiative of Catholic Education Sandhurst and Caritas Australia – partners in Justice Education. This year our theme was ‘We Can Be More’.

By Jenni Kennedy

On Thursday April 29 a much anticipated spectacular new mural by Indigenous Australian artist Troy Firebrace, and co-designed by school students, was unveiled at Holy Rosary Primary School in White Hills.

On Friday May 7, the Catholic Education Sandhurst community celebrated the outstanding contribution of ten committed staff who have given 25 years plus service to Catholic Education.

By Jenni Kennedy

More than 70 senior secondary students from 11 secondary schools in the Sandhurst Diocese came together on Tuesday May 18 for a forum on ethical leadership. The senior students travelled to Shepparton to participate in

Friday 18 June 6.00 – 9.00 p.m.
Wangaratta

Sandhurst Youth Ministry’s next Stronger Rally is just around the corner and we are excited to again be able to invite Secondary School students and young adults to attend!

Bendigo Winter Night Shelter (BWNS) works with local churches, community groups, businesses and individuals to provide support for people (our guests) who are experiencing crisis homelessness during winter in the Bendigo area. It is an organisation run 100% by volunteers and is seeking your assistance.