IN Kingaroy, community spirit is running high as Church, care agencies and businesses reach out to help the vulnerable during the pandemic period. “Community looks after community,” Kingaroy Centacare Community Services operations manager John Stevenson said. “We had two (COVID-19) cases here, six weeks ago … people who came from overseas, and they were isolated straight away. So we have ... Read More »
Category Archives: News
Catholic parents of ‘lockdown babies’ describe bringing new life into a socially distanced world
JONATHAN Ries had quit his job as a hospital theatre nurse just as Australia was on the brink of declaring COVID-19 a national health emergency. The former parishioner at the Brisbane Oratory in Annerley quit his job as a theatre nurse at the Queensland Children’s Hospital to study medicine at Flinders University, Adelaide, starting in February. On top of packing ... Read More »
Australian doctor in East Timor warns of impact coronavirus could have if it spreads there
AN Australian doctor on the frontline of treating COVID-19 in East Timor, has called on his trust in God to help him, warning of the “devastating” impact if the virus spreads in the vulnerable nation. East Timor, a predominantly Catholic country of 1.2 million people, has been in a state of emergency since the end of March, and is relying ... Read More »
Former Claivaux MacKillop College NRL star remembered as an outstanding man
THE Brisbane Catholic Education community is remembering one of its brightest former students who passed away suddenly last weekend. Mitch Cronin, a former Clairvaux Mackillop College student who excelled at rugby league, died suddenly after a suspected medical condition, leaving his family and many friends in mourning. Mitch would have celebrated his 28th birthday this Saturday. He was the captain of ... Read More »
Livestreamed Masses have been successful, but not meant to become future of church
BRISBANE families have swapped out church pews for living room couches as thousands tuned in to watch livestreamed Masses across Lent and Easter amid coronavirus lockdown. Most of the Brisbane parishes that had livestreaming capabilities had hundreds of households engaging with Easter Masses. Kedron parish priest Franciscan Father Mario Debattista said he had some trouble getting the livestreamed Masses up ... Read More »
Supporting seniors with technology difficulties during a pandemic
HAVE you tried turning it off and on again? It’s a common solution to a persistent tech issue, but when it comes to providing IT support to seniors during the pandemic, Rod Bush says families can’t just rely on the wonders of a power button. Mr Bush is the president of the Pastoral Healthcare Network Australia, a health ministry founded ... Read More »
Reprieve for Tamil family, two-year-old daughter ‘not afforded procedural fairness’ in visa application
AFTER a partial victory in the Federal Court a Tamil mother has asked the government to give her family a normal life at home in the Queensland town of Biloela after two “depressing” years in detention. Priya Murugappan, her partner Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika, 4, and two-year-old Tharunicaa, remain on Christmas Island and could yet be deported to ... Read More »
Selina Venier writes about online offerings, family and butterflies in the time of pandemic
IS it only at our place but are the butterflies in full flight and form, where you live, too? Perhaps it’s part of some scientific phenomenon that I’m not aware of but I’ve been noting daily, the presence of countless and constant butterflies from the kitchen window especially. So much so, for this writing venture I’ve moved a much humbler ... Read More »
Free resource keeps families connected through fitness and faith
LIVING room fitness is the newest trend keeping children active during the pandemic lockdown but a global movement of Christians including a Brisbane Catholic has taken the idea one step further. Family.fit is a free online resource that not only encourages families to break a sweat in their living room but also provides opportunities for families to connect with each ... Read More »