20 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst Year in Review 2022 There is now a semblance of normality in the liturgical, pastoral and social activities of our parishes and our Diocese as we emerge from the rigours of Covid restrictions. While the effects of the pandemic on the health and welfare of many people are still quite real, we have seen in the last twelve months an easing of restrictions and particularly the removal of the QR check-in system in our churches. Congregations are returning to our churches. Covid has been a “wrecking ball” through our social and liturgical lives over the last several years. For me, one of the haunting images of the impact of Covid on our worship was that of our Bishop celebrating Mass in the Cathedral, the congregation gathered on the sanctuary and looking into the vast emptiness of the dark Cathedral itself. As I indicated in my 2021 report, the Diocese has been engaged over the last several years in developing a suite of policies on the welfare and care of the priests. This care on the part of the Diocese needs to be intentional, focused and comprehensive. The policies and their implementation are some of the principal ways of ensuring this care takes place. The documentation includes policy on the care and formation of priests; program for the welcome, support and acculturation of overseas priests working in the Diocese; policy for the support of recently ordained priests; ministry appraisal and review forms; and, policy on clergy remuneration and support. These documents all received careful scrutiny by the Sandhurst priests at the 2021 in-service at Wangaratta. This documentation is now approaching final form and approval. An annual feature of the priest’s spiritual life is the retreat, an opportunity to step back from busy pastoral engagement and devote quality time to an essential aspect of his priesthood, namely his relationship with Christ. Our practice in Sandhurst is to have an organised priests’ retreat every alternate year and priests making their own arrangement the other year. In 2021 our retreat was conducted online because of Covid restrictions on gatherings. In 2022 the responsibility for a retreat rested with each priest. As the Director I arranged for a copy of a recent book on John’s Gospel to be sent to each priest as a possible resource for a retreat. The book was Come to the Light: Reflections on the Gospel of John by the eminent Australian biblical scholar, Fr Brendan Byrne SJ. This resource was warmly received. The book consists of some eighteen short reflections on key aspects of the Gospel of John and, as such, quite suitable for retreat reflection and prayer. The priest’s relationship with Christ is primary in his identity and mission. The annual retreat is an established feature for sustaining that relationship. Another regular feature of priestly professional development is the annual in-service. In 2022 we gathered at Cadell On The Murray at Moama, NSW, from 15-18 August. Sandhurst priests are now quite familiar with this resort as the facilities and location suit our purposes very well. A number of clergy gatherings have now been held in Moama. For 2022 the theme of the priests’ in-service was An Integral Ecology of Life: An Invitation to Ecological REV. BRIAN BOYLE From Director, Diocesan Clergy Life and Ministry
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