Remembrance Day: The Eleventh Hour
November 8, 2023
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we have the great pause to remember the signing of the Armistice in 1918. The “war to end all wars” did not live up to its name, and the formality on that November day was merely an agreement between the warring nations of World War I to stop fighting.
Twenty-one years later, using the impossible reparations imposed upon Germany after the Great War as one of his excuses, the vicious and ridiculous Adolf Hitler plunged the world into chaos once again.
I Can, I Will
Trish and Vin Hindmarsh – Eco-Heroes Profile
Caring for Earth and finding a sense of the sacred in all things are concepts dear to our Eco-Heroes of the month – Trish and Vin Hindmarsh.
“This beautiful green, blue and brown planet we call our common home has been shaping my life and learning since I was a small ’free range’ kid, spending my early most impressionable years in Burnie, Tasmania,” says Trish Hindmarsh.
“My siblings and I sensed awe and wonder as we ran free along the beach. Exploring the thick bush beyond our back yard and lighting small camp fires to cook our pretend meals taught us the value of silence, the calls of the birds and a duty of care for nature, including our own self-preservation, as we tested new limits of climbing, diving, wandering and observing.”
Vin and Trish Hindmarsh are great examples of ‘I CAN, I WILL’ and committed eco-heroes.
Communion: Feasts of All Saints and All Souls
October 23, 2023
The liturgical cycle invites us to walk through the Paschal Mystery each year. As it draws towards an ending and a new beginning, we are also invited to reflect on the mystery of the whole living community of which we are a part.
Christine Valters Paintner (2023) suggests remembering those who walked this earth before us; we have that in the Christian tradition, but I think it’s something we need to reclaim and revisit as a beautiful fullness and gift knowing ourselves as part of this greater communion.
140th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Josephites in Temuka, ANZ
On 1 November we will be remembering 140 years since Mary MacKillop sent three Sisters to Temuka to set up the first foundation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart in Aotearoa New Zealand (ANZ).
We acknowledge that three years earlier, another Josephite Congregation had travelled from Perthville, NSW to Whanganui (ANZ). At that stage we were two separate congregations, however thankfully in 2013, the congregations fused.
Music in Timor-Leste: A Special Student
October 20, 2023
The huge amount of work in justice and charity organised for our northern neighbour, Timor-Leste, by Sisters Josephine Mitchell and Susan Connelly is well known. Less known are the individual cases of people they helped.
In response to Bishop Belo’s request for assistance in literacy and health needs, Sr Josephine established the Mary MacKillop Institute of East Timorese Studies (MMIETS). Sr Susan, a competent musician and author, was Sr Josephine’s ready first assistant.
Santusa is breaking the cycle of poverty!
October 17, 2023
On 17 October we observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a day which presents us all with the opportunity to acknowledge the struggles and marginalisation that many people here in Australia and around the world experience.
The theme for 2022-2023 observance is Dignity for all in practice, a core underlying value that’s intrinsic across all of Mary MacKillop Today’s vital work, including our Vocational Training for Women and Young People in Rural Communities’ project in Peru. We know the cycle of poverty can be broken when people access learning and training to build their skills for better employment opportunities or to create a small business. This not only increases their income, but also improves the living conditions in their home and community.
Our project works alongside our local partners CCAIJO and the Quispicanchi Centre for Technical Productive Education (CETPRO) to provide people with accredited vocational training courses based on the needs of their community. The project trains teachers, equips classrooms with resources, and allows young people to join courses at a subsidised rate. Students also develop practical life skills and gain experience with the local business sector — to overcome marginalisation and be contributing members of their communities.
Sustainability Squad Takes Action
October 16, 2023
Students from Mount St Joseph Catholic College Milperra share their sustainability initiatives and plastics project – a great example of T – TAKING ACTION!
“As a school we were looking at different sustainability practices and how we could incorporate this into our school community,” says Angelina, a student and member of the STEAM Club and Sustainability Squad.
“We are Taking Action by collecting plastics from the school community and turning them into new products.”
Taking Action
October 13, 2023
Sister Mary-Ann Casanova PhD – Eco-Hero Profile
Teacher, author, photographer, ecologist, student, farmer, and a Sister of Saint Joseph for almost 40 years… these are just some of the professions held by Sr Mary-Ann Casanova PhD.
Growing up in rural South Australia, Sr Mary-Ann spent her younger days cultivating in the solitude of a sheep station surrounded by iconic Australian flora and fauna. This was her first call to environmental advocacy.