We continue to pray for the Shoalhaven region that encompasses the parishes of St Michael’s Nowra (including the church communities of Vincentia, Culburra Beach, Bombaderry, Berry and Kangaroo Valley) and St Mary Star of the Sea Milton (including the church communities of Ulladulla and Sussex Inlet) in our diocese. We invite all in our diocese to pray this prayer over the next 24 hours as they brace for worsening conditions on Saturday. Practical support can also be given through the St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal.
Almighty God,
Who alone created the beauty and the bounty of our land, who cares and loves everyone—from the farmers on the land to the families in our homes—be with your people in the Shoalhaven now in the midst of the bushfires.
Bring an end to the loss of lives and the loss of homes. Bring aid to the firefighters who, by serving others, serve you. Give them courage and strength to persevere, to find the ability in their bodies and souls to keep working for another day or hour or minute. Ease the winds that spread the flames and disperse the smoke that covers the sky.
Bring hope to the displaced and the homeless. Keep alive inside their minds and hearts memories, the physical traces of which may be lost. Remind us that you are the promise of a new tomorrow.
Bring rest and peace to those who have been lost, and let their souls find eternal life with you. Be a comfort and relief to the grieving.
As the towns and communities are rebuilt, may no one be left behind. May all be remembered as you remember all. As you led the Hebrew people through the desert, lead your people now, God. From locals and holiday makers who face unique obstacles evacuating the region; to families who have lost loved ones; to those who have lost everything they have built over a lifetime, may all be included and cared for as we rebuild, guided by your Spirit.
May our hearts never turn away from you or from each other in our time of need. May we see you in the faces of those in need. May we see your work in the hands of all those who reach out to help and in the green—the life!—that will soon return, by your hand, to our land.
Amen.
St Patrick, pray for us.
St Mary Star of the Sea, pray for us.
St Catherine of Siena, pray for us.
St Florian, pray for us.
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It is your responsibility to ensure that there are sufficient clear funds available in your account to allow a debit payment to be made.
If there are insufficient clear funds available in your account to meet a debit payment:
you or your account may be charged a fee and/or interest by your financial institution;
you or your account may be charged a fee to reimburse us for charges we have incurred for the failed transaction;
you must arrange for the payment to be made by another method
Please check your account statement to verify that the amounts debited from your account are correct.
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If you believe that there has been an error in debiting your account you should call us on 1800 047 703 and confirm the details in writing with us as soon as possible so that we can resolve your query quickly.
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You should check:
with your financial institution whether direct debiting is available from your accounts offered by financial
your account details which you have provided to us are correct by checking them against a recent account statement; and
with your financial institution before completing the direct debit request if you have any queries about how to complete the direct debit
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However, we may use your contact details to provide information about the fund. Should you wish this not to be the case, please advise the fund in writing.
Our diocesan logo is theologically rich and very succinct. As a hand, it depicts our mission as a diocese and as individuals within the diocese, of bearing (bringing, carrying) Christ’s love to one another and to the world around us. In this, we are the hand of Jesus Christ, and we are offering ourselves to him so that he might work through us.
We can be the bearers of his love only as a response to his call and in the strength of his grace. We are reminded of this in two ways—through the symbol of the dove (the Holy Spirit) also present in the logo, and by the incorporation of the cross that segments the logo. The presence of the cross is a reminder that bearing the love of Christ will inevitably cost us if we live it authentically. However, in the way that the Cross is the portent of redemption and life—an echo of the tree of life in the book of Genesis—so becoming bearers of the love of Christ will also bring us to life.
The four fingers of the hand also represent the four regions of our diocese. The first is bluerepresenting the beautiful water of the Shoalhaven. The second is a blue and green combination representing the waters and escarpment of the Illawarra. The third is greendepicting the hills and plains of the Macarthur. The fourth is dark green illustrating the forests of the Southern Highlands.
We continue to pray for the Shoalhaven region that encompasses the parishes of St Michael’s Nowra (including the church communities of Vincentia, Culburra Beach, Bombaderry, Berry and Kangaroo Valley) and St Mary Star of the Sea Milton (including the church communities of Ulladulla and Sussex Inlet) in our diocese. We invite all in our diocese to pray this prayer over the next 24 hours as they brace for worsening conditions on Saturday. Practical support can also be given through the St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal.
