Shrove Tuesday Celebrations On Tuesday 17 February, the BBQ area of our Parish Administration Centre was filled with warmth, laughter and the delicious aroma of freshly cooked pancakes as we gathered to celebrate Shrove Tuesday. Parishioners, staff, families and members of our neighbouring St Thomas’ Anglican community came together to share a tradition. It was heartening to [...]

Generations unite to create memoirs that honour a lifetime On Tuesday afternoons at Emmaus Village, the room would fall quiet. Not with silence — but with listening. Over the course of one school term in 2025, fifteen students from St Joseph’s Regional College chose to spend their after-school hours sitting across from older members of their community [...]

Compassionate nature leads Lauren to Parish traineeship in Aged Care When Lauren finished her HSC at St Columba Anglican School in 2020, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do next. “I knew I wanted to do something I was passionate about and that was rewarding,” she says. “So I took a gap year to really think [...]

The John Henry Institute salutes its graduates at 2025 graduation ceremony John Henry Institute (JHI) marked the achievements of its 2025 graduates at a ceremony held on Thursday, 20 November, at St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Hall in Port Macquarie. Students completed nationally recognised qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework. Graduates received AQF Certificate III and IV qualifications, including: [...]

Zac attends Renaissance Australia: A creative encounter with Christ Zac Parnell, St Agnes’ Catholic Parish Youth Coordinator attended Renaissance Australia – a two-day experience of inspiration, worship, creativity, imagination, and encounter – held in Brisbane in mid-October. Hosted by Newlife and supported by Alpha Australia, the Renaissance movement began in the United Kingdom in a church in [...]

Community Day highlights growing strength of Parish A sense of belonging filled St Joseph’s Regional College on Sunday, 23 November as families, friends and neighbours gathered for the St Agnes’ Catholic Parish’s’ second Community Day. People came to reconnect. To enjoy a day made for togetherness. To celebrate the strength of a community that continues to welcome, [...]

Painting of chapel the perfect gift to remind Sr Anne of her time at Emmaus Sr Anne Hannigan RSM who recently stepped back from her position as Team Leader of the Pastoral and Spiritual Care team, was presented with a beautifully framed original painting of the St Teresa of Kolkata Chapel by Henry Field, Emmaus Village’s resident [...]

Gospel retreat offers precious chance to meet Jesus at the well An enthusiastic group of 35 participants attended the ‘Returning to the Simplicity of the Gospel’ retreat on Saturday 11 October at The Francis Retreat in Bonny Hills. The retreat was ably led by Deacon Shane Hyland and his wife Leanne, who are members of both St Agnes’ [...]

A Steady Hand and a Compassionate Heart: Mick Gilmour’s Work at the Community Hub As Youth & Community Hub Manager, Mick Gilmour is not only a welcoming presence—he’s a lifeline for many who walk through the Hub’s doors. With a background that includes 24 years in the NSW Police Force, 20 of those as a detective, and [...]

John Henry Institute Passes Registration Renewal with Flying Colours John Henry Institute (JHI) is proud to announce the successful renewal of its registration as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 7054), now valid until 2032. This achievement follows a comprehensive internal audit conducted in 2024, which prepared the JHI team to meet the updated compliance requirements introduced by [...]