23rd August 2026 | Bulletin Notices
Caritas teams are on the ground assessing the scale of the disastrous Nepalese floods and how to respond. It is expected that the needs will most likely include: emergency shelter and essential items, access to clean water and sanitation, access to food and immediate and long-term recovery. If you are able to support Caritas Australia’s Nepal Floods Appeal, visit www.caritas.org.au/nepal.
Loving God,
Be close to all those caught in the devastation of the floods in Nepal and Tibet.
Comfort those who have lost loved ones, strengthen those waiting anxiously for news, and guide rescuers and emergency workers as they search for survivors.
Give courage to displaced families and compassion to communities offering shelter, food and care.
May those who are missing be found, and may those who mourn know they are not alone.
God of mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.
Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.
Pray with the Pope:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amén.
Lord of Life, You have given us the gift of water, source of fruitfulness, freshness, and hope. It quenches thirst, nourishes the earth, and heals wounds.
We thank You, because it is also a symbol of your grace and love that renews us through Baptism. Today we ask You to teach us to safeguard it with gratitude, justice, and responsibility.
Forgive us for turning it into a commodity, forgetting that it is a universal gift, a right without borders, meant for all your children. We see with pain so many brothers and sisters who lack clean water, who walk for miles to find it, who become ill due to its scarcity.
May your Spirit make us pilgrims of the essential, able to live with simplicity, denouncing waste and pollution, defending the right of every brother and sister to drink without fear and without inequality.
May our care for water be a sign of love for the Creator and a commitment to the lives of the poor, educating new generations to value and protect the Earth’s resources. Amen.
Safe childbirth shouldn't depend on luck. But in Papua New Guinea, many women still face pregnancy and childbirth without access to the care, equipment and support they need. Health centres are often under-resourced, and distance, cost and extreme weather can make reaching care a challenge. By supporting Caritas Australia’s Women for the World appeal, you can help upgrade rural health centres, giving women a safer chance to bring new life into the world. Your gift today can help support safer pregnancies, safer births and healthier futures for mothers and babies.
Learn more or donate today at www.caritas.org.au/wftw
Celebrating the Eighth Centenary of the Death of St Francis of Assisi
Bishop Greg Bennet invites all parishioners across the Diocese of Sale to join in a special pilgrimage celebrating the Franciscan Jubilee Year.
This sacred journey is not about physical distance, but a journey of the heart. Together, we will travel to Benambra—nestled amidst the scenic Omeo High Plains—home to the only church in our diocese dedicated to St Francis of Assisi.
Schedule of Events
Friday, October 2nd
Saturday, October 3rd
Location Information
All are warmly welcome to be part of this unforgettable diocesan pilgrimage. Please organise own accomodation and transportation. To help the parishioners at Benambra plan the sausage sizzle, please register your interest to come at cdsale.org.au/year-of-saint-francis-of-assisi
All youth and young adults aged 13 to 30 are warmly invited to the upcoming LAMP Youth Festival, themed "Faith in Action: Change Starts with You." Join us for a full day of games, dance, food, Adoration, Reconciliation, and Mass.
The Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited (DOSCEL) is seeking a World Youth Day Project Officer who will ensure the success of the pilgrimage from planning and preparation through to operation, debrief and evaluation, helping ensure the pilgrimage is purposeful, well governed, financially responsible, safe, inclusive and grounded in Catholic mission.
This role will work collaboratively with the DOSCEL Office and school leaders, Staff of Sion House and external stakeholders to support a pilgrimage experience aligned with the World Youth Day 2027 theme: “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). More information, visit https://www.doscel.catholic.edu.au/positions-vacant/
In the lead-up to Social Justice Sunday, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has released its latest Social Justice Statement, Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division. The bishops call on all faithful to help foster a more cohesive and peaceful Australia by cultivating a "culture of encounter"—choosing forgiveness over enmity, hospitality over isolation, and active listening across differences.
To read the full statement, access resources, and watch the launch recording, visit:
Primary and secondary students are invited to take part in Catholic Earthcare’s Annual Art Competition, exploring the theme of 'Living Water'.
Art supply vouchers will be awarded as prizes.
Bishop's Award (primary and secondary):
1st $300 | 2nd $200 | 3rd $100
People's Choice Award: $300 (primary and secondary)
FATHER'S DAY APPEAL FOR THE PRIESTS' WELFARE FOUNDATION OF THE DIOCESE OF SALE: Today the Special Collection is for the Priests' Welfare Foundation and the proceeds will go towards the support of the sick and retired clergy (including priests from overseas and deacons wives) of our Diocese. By clicking on https://www.cdsale.org.au/priestswelfarefoundation it will make it easy for you to make a donation. All donations of $2.00 and over are tax deductible and a receipt for tax deduction purposes will be automatically sent, if an email address is provided. Donations may also be made through your local Parish.
This fund supports the priests and deacons of our Diocese in times of sickness or retirement. At present the Foundation is supporting nine priests and three deacons and their wives in retirement and is responsible for the other clergy (including priests from overseas) and deacons’ wives in time of sickness. The budgeted expenditure of the Foundation for the next year will be over $200,000. This includes wages for Kelly, our clergy care nurse (two days per week).
Online donations can now be made at https://www.cdsale.org.au/priestswelfarefoundation and the foundation is most appreciative of your support and any donation you can afford. All donations of $2.00 and over are tax deductible and a receipt for tax deduction purposes will be automatically sent, if an email address is provided. Donations may also be made through your local Parish.
“A prayer today… A shepherd tomorrow…”
Come and spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life across our diocese.
Upcoming Dates (2026):
Saturday, 5 September | St Mary’s Church, Cowes
10:00 AM: Holy Hour
More dates across the diocese to follow. All are warmly welcome to join us in prayer!
Join us online to better understand what Pope Francis calls “integral ecology,” and to explore how, as people of faith, we are called to care for the Earth—our common home—in practical ways, as both a spiritual and ethical responsibility.
Every ritual in the Mass has a purpose. Join us to explore what we do and why we do it—from the Sign of the Cross to the Final Blessing—so we can listen, respond, and be transformed by God’s presence.
Choose a Session:
Register Today:
You’re invited to the Catholic Earthcare Season of Creation Gathering 2026, a two-day national online event bringing together Catholics from across Australia to Listen, Reflect and Act in care for our common home.
Join us on 3–4 September 2026 for two inspiring days of learning, connection and action.
Be inspired by keynote speakers from leading voices across the Church, engage in practical workshops to support your actions, and explore how faith, ecology and justice can come together in your community.
Whether you're from a parish, school, diocese, ministry or religious community, or are just getting started on your own earthcare journey, this gathering is for you!
Register now and be part of a growing movement for hope-filled action: www.caritas.org.au/soc-gathering
The Catholic Earthcare Season of Creation Gathering is an endorsed Caritas Australia initiative, with the support of the Bishops' Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service and in partnership with @Catholic Religious Australia.
Clergy, RCIA Coordinators, RCIA teams, and interested parishioners are warmly invited to an upcoming workshop that aims to deepen your understanding and share experiences of the RCIA journey.
The Inverloch Catholic Women's League warmly invites you to a spiritual Reflection Day. Come along for a day of prayer, community, and deeper insight.
Join Br Tony Clark FMS for an online reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addressing the protection of the human person in the age of AI. This will be held on 10th September 2026 from 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm. To register, email newsonline@sale.catholic.org.au.
Join the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (Sale Diocese) at St Mary's Church & Parish Hall, Bairnsdale, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm on the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary. The day includes Rosary (9:30 am), Mass (10:00 am), followed by Praise, Worship, and Teaching with Fr Joseph Abutu, Fr Mark Hughes, and Fr Francis Otobo. Please bring a plate of finger food to share. For inquiries, contact Leo and Maureen at St Mary's Parish on 5152 2942.
Celebrate Culture, Heritage, and Unity!
Join us at St Mary’s Cathedral as our parish family comes together to honor our diverse community.
Event Details
Highlights
All Are Welcome! Bring family and friends to celebrate with us.
The Australian Academy of Liturgy invites you to their National Conference from September 28–30, 2026, at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney. Explore worship, culture, faith, and spirituality in our Australian and regional context.
To register, visit trybooking.com/events/landing/1591194.
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