REGENTS Park parishioner and former lifesaver John McClelland was among several Catholics who were recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Mr McClelland joined fellow Catholics honoured including Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer Li Cunxin, former Australian rugby union captain Stephen Moore, education leader Dr Bill Sultmann and Fr Robert Sheridan, from New South Wales. Mr McClelland said he was ... Read More »
Category Archives: Local
Hendra parishioners on a high celebrating 90 years of faith-filled history
HENDRA parishioners have always been sitting closer to Heaven than others. In July 1929, Brisbane archdiocese secured the most elevated portion of land in Hendra – a flat and aluminium-rich farming suburb. Ninety years later, the parish was still on a high when it celebrated its anniversary Mass on June 9 at Our Lady Help of Christians Church. “It’s nice ... Read More »
Emphasising the importance of boys and men looking after their physical and mental health
THE biggest killer of Australian men between the age of 15 and 45 was suicide in 2018 – a number which was higher nationwide among police officers, North Brisbane CIB Detective Sergeant Andrew Ayres said. It was seeing these numbers rise among his fellow police officers that spurred Det Sgt Ayres on to start his police-centric mental health support organisation ... Read More »
Toni Janke is making a difference ‘one family at a time’ by getting out of the way and letting God work
HOW’S this for a job description – “My job is to get out of the way, and let God do His work”? That’s what it boils down to for Toni Janke in her role as Indigenous Services co-ordinator within Centacare Family and Relationship Services’ Brisbane Metropolitan Region. Day to day she’s supporting people in crisis, sometimes facing the toughest time ... Read More »
Visionary priest Fr Leo Donnelly remembered as a pillar of the Port Macquarie parish community
FATHER Leo Francis Donnelly’s life was big – he was a big man with a “big heart” and “big achievements”. Lismore Bishop Gregory Homeming said Fr Donnelly exemplified megalopsychia – his body was not big enough to contain his soul. His capacity for goodness was so great it burst out of him, Bishop Homeming said. “Such people do exist, but ... Read More »
Churches mark 10th anniversary of historic ecumenical covenant in south-east Queensland
CATHOLIC leaders in south-east Queensland have celebrated a decade-long reaffirmation of a “covenant of understanding” with the local Anglican church – part of an ecumenical journey described as “urgent”. “We are in new territory where everything, even the ecumenical journey, looks different than it did,” Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge said during a homily at St John’s Anglican ... Read More »
Archbishop Mark Coleridge tells newly ordained priests they must be a living sign of God-with-us
This is Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s homily at the priestly ordination of Brendan Gormley and Joshua Whitehead at St Stephen’s Cathedral on May 31. John and Jesus – Brendan and Joshua –an odd pairing, you say. But consider both John and Jesus were born against the odds. Elizabeth was too old and Mary was too young or at ... Read More »
Vinnies’ CEO Kevin Mercer ready for a cold night on the streets to raise awareness at a corporate level
ST Vincent de Paul Society’s Queensland chief executive officer Kevin Mercer is getting ready to sleep rough on the streets of Brisbane for the annual Vinnies CEO Sleep Out. One-hundred-ninety Brisbane CEOs will sleep on the streets of Brisbane the night of Thursday, June 20 in an effort to raise funds and awareness about Brisbane’s homelessness and homelessness services. $432,396 ... Read More »
Speaking truth – Australian bishops ready to depart on an Ad Limina visit to meet with Pope
BRISBANE Archbishop Mark Coleridge understands the complex moment for the Church in Australia as he prepares to lead more than 40 bishops on an Ad Limina visit to meet Pope Francis. “I think we are a Church that is suffering, is anxious about the future, dismayed by the past – and all of this will be said to the Pope,” ... Read More »