ARCHBISHOP John Bathersby of Brisbane has started a major prayer campaign for vocations to the priesthood and religious life with visits to parishes in the archdiocese’s North Country Deanery.
On a mid-week swoop of the deanery from June 22-25, the archbishop celebrated Masses in Murgon, Gayndah, Childers, Gin Gin and Maryborough.
He also visited the Mass centre at Mundubbera in Gayndah parish.
It was the start of a campaign Archbishop Bathersby announced in a letter to priests and parishioners in April.
He said, with the help of Auxiliary Bishops Brian Finnigan and Joseph Oudeman, he would visit every parish in the archdiocese to lead prayers for vocations after Pentecost Sunday.
Murgon was the archbishop’s first stop, where he celebrated Mass with parish priest Fr Paul Kelly and about 20 people, young an old.
In Gayndah, parish priest Fr John Khoai said he was struck by the archbishop’s great hope in the face of great need.
In Maryborough, parish priest Fr Anthony Mellor, who is North Country dean, said it was good for the people to have time with the archbishop and for him to express his desire for them to pray for vocations.
