IT’S been a summer of mixed blessings for many in Queensland’s Central West parishes – for some it’s beautifully wet and for others miserably dry. Graziers in that region have been battling through drought for almost a decade, one of the worst on record, and parishes have been praying for rain. Some parishioners have had their prayers answsered while others ... Read More »
Tag Archives: drought
Western regions rejoice as rain falls on drought-stricken farming communities
RAIN has brought hope to some of the country’s hardest-hit farm communities. “It’s like a miracle. It is absolutely. Everyone is so happy,” St Mary’s Warwick parishioner Trish Seaby said after watching the Condamine River rise. “Within two days, up came the grass. “It’s been absolutely life-changing, but we do need it to continue.” On Queensland’s Southern Downs the Condamine ... Read More »
Government offers more help for drought-stricken families with children in Catholic schools
DROUGHT-affected families with children enrolled in Catholic schools will continue to receive Federal Government support with a further boost of $8.2 million announced last week. As the nation’s largest non-government education provider with 1746 schools, Catholic schools have been allocated a further $8.2 million on top of the initial $10 million in funding announced by the Government on November 7 ... Read More »
Farmer leans on his Catholic faith as he witnesses the driest conditions in his lifetime
Radio personality Donna Lynch sat down with farmer Lyle Winks to talk about faith, family and hard times in drought-ridden country. Q: Tell us about your property, what do you do? A: Well, we just buy steers from the sale yard, then I grow them out to slaughter condition and weight, and then sell them to the abattoir in Ipswich. ... Read More »
Heavens open up on farms in first week of national prayer campaign for rain
MUCH-needed rain has fallen on parched regions of Queensland and New South Wales – bringing temporary relief and lifting spirits. Battling farm families celebrated as the heavens opened, just as the Church entered a month of prayer for rain, and for those touched by the crippling drought. Some rural kids witnessed their first major downpour, splashing in puddles and playing ... Read More »
Centacare employees filled two buses and a trailer with water for desperate Stanthorpe residents
NICOLE Morgan read a news story about Stanthorpe’s water threat, which reported the town’s dam was nearing five per cent capacity and the situation was getting “pretty dire”. It sparked a call to action for Ms Morgan. Ms Morgan, who works for Centacare as a business development manager, thought to herself, “You know, we have 1700 staff at Centacare, if ... Read More »
Catholic Church to dedicate November as month to pray for drought-busting rain
ACROSS a parched Australia the Church is dedicating November as a month to pray for those touched by crippling drought, and to pray for rain. Parishes, schools, families and Catholic communities across the country are being encouraged to take part in the National Prayer Campaign for Drought, which also invites people to dig deep and provide assistance to those in need. ... Read More »
PM Scott Morrison names Vinnies among administrators of new drought support program
THE St Vincent De Paul Society is playing a big part in new drought-support programs – that will allow rural families to access financial counselling, and pay for groceries and power bills as they fight one of the worst droughts on record. Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited Dalby on Queensland’s Western Downs on September 27 and named the St Vincent ... Read More »
Troubled waters for holy site – the Sea of Galilee recedes to its lowest level in a century
In a country where water is key to security and survival, Israeli authorities are rallying to save the shrinking Sea of Galilee that has reached its lowest level in a century CHRISTIAN pilgrims flock to the shores of the holy Sea of Galilee to visit the sites where Jesus performed healing miracles and walked on water. Yet when they ... Read More »