News from Bundaberg
09 March, 2022
Stewardship
The process of renewal of our Stewardship of Time and Talents program began on the weekend of 7th February.. For three consecutive weekends we viewed a short video, presenting ministers from three different ministries explaining their ministry and the personal benefits of the ministry. We’re encouraging people to pray the Stewardship Prayer together at each Mass to discern their own gifts and talents for service in our parish.
On the weekend of 26/27th February we took time during Mass to discern our gifts and talents with the aid of a questionnaire & booklet. Commitment Sunday, when we are all encouraged to nominate a ministry or ministries in which we can use our gifts and talents, will take place towards the end of March.
Ritual of Remembering Baptism
Our sacramental program for children preparing for the sacraments of Confirmation, Eucharist and Reconciliation has begun. The first few sessions for both parents and children concentrate on the sacrament of Baptism and the implications the sacrament has for us as Christians. The first ritual we celebrate with the children and their families, therefore, is centred around remembering their baptism and promising to move forward in preparation and living our baptism daily. This occurred during all Masses on the weekend of 19/20th February.
Rite of election and Enrolment of Names
This was celebrated on Sunday, 6th March, the first Sunday of Lent, for our catechumens preparing for the Easter sacraments. Normally held in the cathedral with the Bishop as presider, this year we were unable to travel to Rockhampton and celebrated with the 5.30pm Mass community. The rite is the community attesting to the catechumens’ readiness for initiation. The Church “elects” (chooses and admits) those it deems ready to advance towards initiation. The catechumens pledge fidelity by signing their name in the Book of the Elect. Our role is to assist them by prayer, welcome and example.
Our Elect are: Emma Johnson and her children Charlotte, Emily, and Joshua; Nevaeh, Roman, Hudson and Arizona Faupula; Tanaya, Rodney, and William Behan, with their father, Rodney, as a candidate for reception into full communion of the Church. It’s going to be a very wet Easter Vigil!
Tongan Volcano and Tsumani Appeal.
We are very lucky here in Bundaberg to have the Kaufusi family living and worshipping in our community. For many years they have brought their cultural style to our 5.30pm Mass, to the Easter Vigil, multi-cultural events, and even ordinations. With the devastation that occurred at the beginning of the year to their homeland, it was only fitting that, not only our parish, but the entire Bundaberg community rallied to support their families.
Antonio Kaufusi, Shalom College teacher, organised an appeal for donations to the families of his homeland in conjunction with the Bundaberg Regional Council. The parish, at the same time, were having a clean-up and clean-out of unused furniture and planned a Garage Sale. The funds raised from this were given to the Tongan Appeal.
