RAINS have stopped and thousands of Townsville residents begin the task of picking through their homes to count the cost of an historic flood disaster. Pope Francis offered his condolences after the floods in a letter penned by Holy See secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Townsville Bishop Tim Harris. “Having learned of the loss of life and destruction ... Read More »

STUDENTS and staff at St John College, Woodlawn, are busy settling into the new school year but someone special is missing. Eighty-seven-year-old Fr Paul Pidcock is not among them this time, for the first time in about 60 years. He’s in Sydney, having retired from the college late last year. As he adjusted to the idea of not returning to ... Read More »

A HUMBLE man who lived his life in service of God and others – this was how Fr Leo Donnelly was remembered at his Requiem Mass on Friday, February 1. More than 1500 people attended his funeral and it was broadcast live on St Agnes’ parish website and streamed on Facebook, with viewers as far as the United States and ... Read More »

FLOODS have inundated thousands of homes across Townsville Diocese and left many more without power, leading to experts declaring the weather a “once in a century event”. Townsville Bishop Tim Harris said he reached out to parishes across the diocese via text message, telling them to “stay safe”. While Bishop Harris wishes to get out there to the parishes, he ... Read More »

HEAVY rains and rising floodwaters have cut off roads and bridges across North Queensland, quenching a long drought and even forcing the opening of the Ross River Dam floodgates for the first time since 2014. A disaster situation was declared by Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and ordered the closure of Townsville schools and childcare centres for Friday, February 1.  However, ... Read More »

FOUR Cairns Catholic Education women have trekked their way to Panama to celebrate World Youth Day 2019. Catholic primary school teachers Jenai Stone, Natalie Jensen and Kara Martin set off with CCE identity and outreach director Sharon O’Keeffe to engage and explore their faith. Ms O’Keeffe said in a reflection that it had been a blessed journey so far. “While ... Read More »

PILGRIMS from the Sunshine State have gathered in droves and entered Panama City to celebrate World Youth Day 2019 with Pope Francis and hundreds of thousands of Catholics from around the globe. WYD 2019, which ran from January 22 to 27 (today), was the 16th World Youth Day since its inception in 1984. While journeying to Panama City, pilgrims representing ... Read More »

THIRTY-one pilgrims, including Rockhampton Bishop Michael McCarthy, found themselves humbled and spiritually reawakened walking the roads Jesus walked. Fr Noel Milner, who has worked with parishes from Brisbane to Blackall, led the group with Bishop McCarthy to the Holy Land. “It is always a great spiritual privilege to go on pilgrimage – to walk where Jesus walked, as they say,” ... Read More »

CATHOLICS across the world are preparing their final checks as they board their flights to Panama for World Youth Day 2019, and among them are 21 from the Mount Isa WYD group. While the majority of the group are Mount Isa parishioners, four are seminarians – two from Toowoomba and two from Townsville – as well as a mother-daughter pair ... Read More »