The month of May - We honour Mary

Mary has a special and honoured place in salvation history and in our Church.  

The month of May is a wonderful opportunity to come to know Mary through experience. We can understand the radical nature of a young Mary’s ‘Yes’ to the Archangel Gabriel by practicing contemplative imagination or unpacking the meanings of icons. We can begin to comprehend what Mary meant to the early Church through reading or viewing her story. We can draw on her strength by praying the rosary and calling Mary, our Mother.

 Let us pray for ...

• We thank all essential workers for their continued presence at their jobs. We pray for nurses, doctors, paramedics, and other medical staff in developed and developing worlds who continue to manage and make do with the resources they have to care for the sick and dying.
• We pray also for our political leaders who are now balancing the community's public health needs with the needs of the economy, business and workers.
• We pray for those who are having to find new ways of providing for themselves and their families as a result of job losses
• We prayer for the children at The Eden Gardens Children’s Home in India, a place where 250 children from remote and disadvantaged backgrounds are given access to education, as well as a safe home that fulfils their physical and spiritual needs. This work is one of many for Catholic Mission, perhaps, if you are able, you might consider supporting those in crisis, like Nathaniel and hundreds of other vulnerable children. [The good works of Catholic Mission​ can be found in the link provided] 
• We pray for our fragile earth, may this time of quiet in the skies and industry, provide her the means and the space to begin to heal; may we use this time to reflect more deeply on how we can take greater care of our Common Home.​

(Disclaimer: The material is produced by the CES Identity & Outreach Directorate, and is influenced by their filters).​

National Reconciliation Week 2020 –   27^th May to 3^rd June

At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. National Reconciliation Week (NRW) started as the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation in 1993 (the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples) and was supported by Australia’s major faith communities. In 1996, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation launched Australia’s first NRW.

In 2000, Reconciliation Australia was established to continue to provide national leadership on reconciliation. In the same year, approximately 300,000 people walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of NRW, to show their support for reconciliation.

Today, NRW is celebrated by businesses, schools and early learning services, organisations, and individuals Australia-wide. Hundreds of NRW events are held each year.

On 28 May, Cairns Catholic Education will be Virtually launching (in the era of Covid-19) the Catholic Education Community Reconciliation Action Plan. More information will be made available in the coming weeks.

May the Grace of God be with you,

Kath Kennedy