Official opening of Emmaus Village and Community Centre marks new era in dementia care  Emmaus Village and Community Centre, which offers an innovative alternative mode of care for people living with dementia, was officially opened at 16 Colonel Barney Drive in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 2 October 2024.   Based on best-practice models such as the world-leading The Hogeweyk® [...]

Whole of community gathering scheduled for 24 November, the Feast of Christ the King One of our parish values is ‘United as one body’, yet we rarely get the opportunity to come together in one group as ‘one body’. This year’s celebration of the Feast of Christ the King on 24 November is set to change that. [...]

Colouring Competition highlights the importance of Safeguarding For National Child Protection Week the Learning & Development team at St Agnes’ Catholic Parish in Port Macquarie led a Colouring Competition (open to children and adults) to highlight the need for ongoing awareness regarding Safeguarding. The winners, announced on 25 September, received a small prize for their efforts. Congratulations [...]

Bishop Greg asks ‘What if a brick was missing?’ as he blesses newly renovated chapel at Emmaus Bishop Greg Homeming OCD, Bishop of Lismore, concelebrated Mass with Fr Paul Gooley, Parish Priest of St Agnes’ Catholic Parish, at the St Teresa of Kolkata Chapel at Emmaus on Tuesday, 17 September. The Mass was held to bless the [...]

1,345 years of service celebrated at Parish Long Service Awards Well over a millennium of service (1,345 years) was recognised at the 2024 St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Long Service Awards presented on Wednesday 4 September, after the celebration of Mass by Fr Paul Gooley. In total, 74 staff members were acknowledged for reaching significant 10, 20, 25, [...]

Three long-serving staff members reflect on their time working with the Parish After the Long Service Awards presentation and Mass on Wednesday 4 September, we caught up with three staff members, Denise Smith, Claire Gerke and David Gerke, who celebrated 35 years of service at that event. Below are their reflections on their time working with the [...]

Joyful celebrations for Vanuatu Independence Day spent far from home Our team of 25 Ni-Vanuatu workers celebrated the most significant day for their nation, National Independence Day on 30 July far from their homeland and families.  For many of them this was the first time they had been away from home for this special day. Parish leaders [...]

Over 500 delegates get inspired at Luminosity Youth Summit Over 500 delegates attended the recent Luminosity Youth Summit held at the Port Macquarie Glasshouse on 25-26 July, gaining inspiration and insight from an outstanding program of motivational speakers. Luminosity engages local youth (aged 15-25 years) through presentations by keynote speakers such as Layne Beachley and Andrew Morello, [...]

Our team from Vanuatu to celebrate their nation’s Independence Day on 30 July The Republic of Vanuatu celebrates the anniversary of its independence every year on July 30. This year it will be 44 years since Vanuatu gained its independence from the joint rule of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and France in 1980. This Tuesday [...]

'For our Elders’ book - a labour of love The recent publication of the book ‘For our Elders Living on Biripi, Birpai Birrbay country’ is the result of a labour of love for the St Agnes Care & Lifestyle’s Family, Children and Youth Pathways team. This is especially true for Stacey Carney, the Family Support Team Leader [...]

Parish sponsorship supports Luminosity Youth Summit Fifteen secondary students, six from MacKillop College and nine from St Joseph’s Regional College, will have the opportunity to attend the Luminosity Youth Summit at the Glasshouse in Port Macquarie on 25-26 July as part of St Agnes’ Catholic Parish’s sponsorship of the event. With the theme of ‘Purpose + Possibility’, [...]