Director of the Office of Life and Faith, John Donnelly, speaking at the Annual Catechist Mass on 5 February, said, “Tonight we honour those upon whose shoulders we stand.”
Presider Bishop Bill was joined by several diocesan priests and many catechists and members of the community at the Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral. In his homily, Bishop Bill explained that while the terms ‘catechist’, SRE (Special Religious Education) teacher and scripture teacher have been used almost interchangeably, there was a time when the catechist was the one who called the people together in between the visits of the priest to remote locations. Perhaps history is beginning to repeat itself?
Bishop Bill also described the catechist as a “permanent and vital element of the mission of the Church….There are always efforts to communicate the deeper realities of the gospel. We pray for the catechists who bring to our parishes the richer, deeper, truer knowledge of Jesus.” And of course, “Instructing others is one of the works of mercy.”
Invoking the scripture of the day, Bishop Bill drew a parallel with the current deplorable situation regarding those refugees who stand to be returned to Nauru under the latest High Court ruling. “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord….Them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer….For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Is 56: 6-7). (You may like to read “Offers of sanctuary brighten Australia’s refugee dark age” by Justin Glyn SJ).
A feature of the occasion was the presentation of Recognition of Service Awards and Accreditation Awards. Maureen Mahoney of Blackbutt North was recognised for 35 years of SRE Ministry. The full list of awardees appears below.
Recognition of Service Awards:
5 years:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Susan Huurdeman | SRE | Forster Tuncurry |
| Gloria North | SRE | Raymond Terrace |
| Sr Maria Yen Nguyen | Sugarloaf | |
| Sr Lucie Trang Le | SRE | Sugarloaf |
| Paula Carter | SoI | Myall Coast |
10 years:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Vivian Allen | SRE | Forster Tuncurry |
| Margaret Pile | SoI | Myall Coast |
| Patricia Dunn | SoI | Scone |
| Sr Lucie Trang Le | SoI | Wallsend-Shortland |
| Kylie Armstrong | SoI | Myall Coast |
15 years:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Marsha Donkin | SRE | Raymond Terrace |
| Monika Sneddon | SRE | Sugarloaf |
Papal Blessing for 20 years service:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Margaret Johnson | SRE | Chisholm Region |
| Rose Smith | SoI | Myall Coast |
| Joan Oliver | SRE | Wallsend-Shortland |
| Gail Hill | SoI | Blackbutt North |
| Maureen Rak | SoI | Blackbutt North |
| Colleen McCormack | SRE | Blackbutt North |
25 years:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Carl Nolan | SRE | Blackbutt North |
| Sharyn Roche | SRE | Sugarloaf |
30 Years:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Christine McNab | SRE | Cessnock |
| Rose Smith | SoI | Myall Coast |
| Helen Gibson | SRE | Raymond Terrace |
| Bernadette Royan | SRE | Sugarloaf |
35 Years:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Maureen Mahoney | SRE | Blackbutt North |
ACCREDITATION CERTIFICATES:
RENEW SRE Training:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Norman Chapman | SRE | Forster Tuncurry |
| Patricia Cornish | SRE | Forster Tuncurry |
| Frances Fischer | SRE | Wingham |
| Pauline Williams | SRE | Wingham |
BASIC SRE Training:
| Name | Ministry | Parish |
| Julie Owens | SRE | Kurri Kurri |
Follow mnnews.today on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.