BRISBANE Church leadership piled onto a minibus at 10am, among them Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge and new Vicar of Administration Fr Peter Dillon, for a morning’s mission immersion into some of the most rewarding and challenging environments of Centacare’s ministry.
Spirits were high and the group were excited to see what the day held.
Centacare executive director Peter Selwood said the mission awareness morning, held every second month, is a great opportunity for new staff members, especially those in senior governance roles, to see the work that Centacare does on the ground.
He said mission was “everything” at Centacare.
“If we don’t follow what the Gospel asks us to do, if we don’t communicate that clearly, if we don’t display that in the work we provide, then there’s no mission and no need for Centacare,” he said.
The itinerary had the group of nine visit Centacare Post Release Services, Centacare Family and Relationships Services and Pastoral Ministries, St Cecilia’s Long Day Care and Kindergarten and a lunch at the Northgate Social and Community Hub.
Mr Selwood said the ministries under Centacare’s umbrella were diverse and rewarding.
“We can really help people in so many different ways and it creates a great environment to live out that mission,” he said.
He said he was grateful for everyone in Brisbane archdiocese’s leadership who gave their time and who “believe in what we do”.
He said it meant a lot to the staff and clients for them to know the leaders are communicating and engaged with them.
The group finished the day with a lunch at Northgate Social and Community Hub, where they shared a sausage sizzle with disability and aged care clients.
Service delivery manager Linda Abbott said it was fantastic that people who do not ordinarily have that connection with clients get to see the ministry firsthand and “why we do what we do”.
She said it means a lot “just to see the clients – how happy they are, where they’re coming to, places that are very nice and friendly”.
