By Michael Crutcher NANANGO’S “little cathedral in the bush” has celebrated its centenary, relishing the good weather that deserted the town on the same day in 1917. Under clear skies, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge blessed a centenary plaque which was mounted on the right-hand side of Our Lady Help of Christian’s main entrance. On the left-hand side stands the ... Read More »

PLAYING football at the 2017 AFL International Cup for his native Ireland at the MCG and finishing third in the world was an unforgettable experience for Yeppoon primary school teacher, Robert McElhone. Mr McElhone and his Irish team joined 20 other nations for the two-week amateur carnival in Melbourne from August 5-19. A teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School ... Read More »

LISMORE Bishop Gregory Homeming blessed and opened a new lifestyle gateway for Catholic Care of the Aged services for St Agnes Parish in Port Macquarie in August. For more than 40 years Catholic Care of the Aged in Port Macquarie has championed the mission of St Agnes’ Parish to be the face of Christ in our community through serving others. ... Read More »

VOLUNTEERS in Vinnies Stanthorpe, within Toowoomba diocese, were thinking outside the donation box. In recent weeks the Creek Street outlet displayed a treasure trove of photo memorabilia found mostly “within books and furniture drawers” over the last six years. Centre co-ordinator Debbie Craven hoped visitors would assist to return the photos to rightful owners. “If we recognise anyone (in the ... Read More »

FR Pat Cassidy’s days of milking cows are long gone, but the farm boy in him was remembered when he returned to his home town of Nanango recently for a special celebration of his priesthood. Fr Cassidy, who is parish priest at Gympie, is celebrating his 50th anniversary of ordination. He was ordained by Brisbane Archbishop Patrick O’Donnell on July ... Read More »

TOWNSVILLE leaders have come together to officially launch the Bishop Michael Putney Fellowship. In 2014, the Tropical Brain and Mind Foundation was formed and launched locally in response to the growing statistics of mental health, mental illness and suicide rates in North Queensland. The foundation aimed to raise funds to engage research into this area, in particular some of the ... Read More »

RUGBY league star Matthew Scott has joined forces with social services organisation Centacare North Queensland to tackle the region’s gambling crisis. Working in the community as its official Gambling Help ambassador, Mr Scott was out and about in Townsville and Mount Isa to raise awareness of responsible gambling as part of Responsible Gambling Awareness Week held nationally from July 24-30. ... Read More »

MEMBERS of the St Joseph’s Primary School community in Blackall celebrated the school’s 100th anniversary with a host of events on July 21-22. The Sisters of St Joseph started the school in 1917 when Blackall was still part of the Archdiocese of Brisbane. It became part of Rockhampton diocese in 1930. “The charism of the Josephites is very much a ... Read More »

ROCKHAMPTON priest Fr Chris Schick died, surrounded by his family at Yeppoon, on July 30 after a short battle with cancer. He was 59 years old. More than 1000 mourners gathered at his funeral at St Joseph’s Cathedral at Rockhampton on August 3 to pray and thank Fr Schick for his gifts to his communities. The crowd was so large ... Read More »