St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Parish Primary School Milton
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Corks Lane
Milton NSW 2538
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Email: info@sosmdow.catholic.edu.au
Phone: 02 4455 2328

RELIGION

Third Sunday of Lent 19 & 20 March

Sometimes you hear Indigenous people refer to Jesus as a ‘person of Country’. What might this mean? It is hard to imagine the Gospels without the connection of Jesus to the sea, the river, the desert, the fields and the mountain. His teaching often featured seeds and birds and sheep and corn. In today’s Gospel, we hear the parable of the fig tree. The impatient person wants to cut it down. A wiser person is prepared to work with nature by putting manure on the tree and looking after it. This is a story of growth. God is creative. God is patient with us. God gives us another chance.

We have so much to learn from the depth and resilience of Australian Indigenous culture and spirituality, both of which are intimately linked to Country. This week, Project Compassion features the story of Janice, a Wagilak woman from the Northern Territory. Janice, who lives in a remote community, is part of the Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, supported by Caritas Australia. Janice is among those overcoming many obstacles to keeping their culture strong. She does this through dance. She honours the generations who have come before her and taught their community how to respect the land and live in harmony with it. Our response to Project Compassion is providing practical support for the blossoming of Indigenous culture for all future generations.

Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow For All Future Generations. Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au

Bishop Brian has established the Bishop’s Flood Relief Appeal 2022 in direct response to calls for support from the Lismore Diocese and from parts of our own diocese.

A message from Bishop Brian is provided below. Our CEDoW community is encouraged to support this appeal.

My Sisters and Brothers in Christ

My prayers and thoughts are with you all as this flood disaster continues. In recent days we have had towns in our diocese cut off; a number of our schools closed, non-operational or on alert; church buildings and agency offices affected by flooding and heavy rain; and clergy, staff, families, students and friends from our extended community experiencing another trauma. And while the rain is set to ease, authorities are warning it doesn’t mean the state’s flooding emergency is over.

In a heartfelt video message to his flock (see below), Greg Homeming OCD, Bishop of Lismore, said it had been “a very tragic few days”. To those who had “lost everything” in these floods, Bishop Greg said that everyone across the diocese was suffering with them. “This has all happened at a time when we were hoping that 2022 would be a year of hope, a good year,” he said.

As a diocese, I would like to provide practical support for the people of Lismore. I also want to provide pastoral and practical support for the people in our own diocese who have been, and will continue to be, impacted by these floods. I am inviting you to donate to my Flood Relief Appeal 2022 https://www.dow.org.au/giving/ so that, with your support, we can meet this goal

Yours in Christ

Most Rev Brian G Mascord DD

BISHOP OF WOLLONGONG

9 March 2022

Finally, if you are available to participate in the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 10am, please contact me. We  are looking for volunteer students to take on acting roles and participate in this beautiful event.

 

Ann-Marie Wilson