News from the Capricorn Coast
15 June, 2021
Safeguarding Training
The Capricorn Coast Parish religious and volunteers met with the Diocesan Safeguarding team for their annual training on the policy and procedure for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
The presentation by Kate Moore, the Diocesan Safeguarding Pastoral Response Coordinator, was informative, helpful and clearly outlined the steps to be taken in responding to concerns or issues relating to the safeguarding of our community members.
We were reminded of the necessity for each Parish to have a designated Parish Safeguarding Representative to promote parish activities in a safe way. Currently, Capricorn Coast Parish have 2 representatives, Joan Ellaway and Barbara Kirwan, should you wish to discuss any safeguarding issues with them.
The Safeguarding Diocesan Office is also a point of call should any parishioner or volunteer wish to discuss an issue that relates to the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults. You can call 1800 830 113 between the hours of 8.30 am and 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.
Thank you to Kate for a comprehensive presentation.
Alpha Group
Our Alpha Discussion Group held at Mary Immaculate Church, is almost at an end. We have one session left and have gathered for twelve previous sessions. We commenced on February 23rd and have had a couple of breaks for schools holidays and participants being away. The sessions have been a lot more than we imagined and we didn’t want to miss any by not being present. A few of the titles are: – Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? How does God guide us? Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do?
The videos for these sessions were very well presented and full of great information. They opened our minds and hearts to what we really already know, but we need to have reinforced once in a while. I am not good at putting things into words, but simply – God loves us unconditionally and sent us the Holy Spirit, who is a very powerful gift. The Holy Spirit does a variety of things including giving new life, a newfound sense of family and unity, and a new power to follow Christ. The Holy Spirit not only transforms our character but gives us the ability to be a blessing to others as well. We spent the day together as a group on Pentecost Sunday, to view and discuss the sessions on the Holy Spirit and finished with a time of prayer.
Thank you to all the participants who shared and journeyed together.
Mass at St Ursula’s for National Reconciliation Week
St Ursula’s College Madden House members came together on Thursday 3 June for Mass, led by Capricorn Coast Parish Priest, Fr Matthew Moloney.
The Mass marked the end of National Reconciliation Week and was held in the College’s Yarning Circle.
This year’s National Reconciliation Week (NRW) theme was ‘More than a word. Reconciliation takes action’ which connects with the 2021 College theme, ‘When Compassion meets action, lives change.’
Thanks to Indigenous Education Officer, Mrs Krista Vatubua, Inclusive Curriculum Coordinator, Mrs Jenny Balanay, and Head of Creative and Practical Arts, Mrs Nicole Francis-Leah, the staff and students had the opportunity to contribute to a Graffiti Language Wall which was proudly displayed during Mass.
Please also see letter from one of our parishioners, who wanted to share her experience.
Mother’s Day Corsages
It has become a tradition in our parish to present the women of the parish with corsages on Mother’s Day. This year Tess Beard and Cecily Pickett and their team produced a beautiful variety of arrangements with which were presented to all women, those who were mothers and those who served by their caring lives.
