Week Three: Archbishop’s Pastoral Parish visits
(Left to right) Present and former parish secretaries of Merimbula Patricia Field and Sandra Bray
PARISH OF ST PETER’S, PAMBULA
South Coast parishioners of St Peter’s, Pambula/Eden/Merimbula were excited to welcome Archbishop Christopher.
At Mass celebrated at St Joseph’s, Merimbula, on the Feast of St Jerome, a 4th century saint who translated the Bible from Greek into Latin, Fr Pale welcomed Archbishop Christopher
The Archbishop spoke of the example of St Jerome and the importance of the Word of God and the Eucharist. In the Mass we are called to both the Word of God and the table of the Eucharist. From Latin we have the word Viaticum, being the Eucharist given to a person near death. Its translation is food for the journey. This is the food we need, both at the end of life and on our journey now.
The journey of people in this Parish has been touched by two bushfires as well as COVID-19. During the fires the Parish lost the church of Our Lady of the Princes Highway, Kiah. Most people in the area were touched in many ways by bushfires as well as by isolation and loneliness caused by COVID-19 restrictions. However, we are people of hope and that hope persists.
After Mass, Archbishop Christopher spoke to individual parishioners about the difficulties of the year as well as their hopes and joys. A number of aged care residents and many of the elderly do not feel comfortable using technology. Ministries at nursing homes and aged care residences have been suspended due to COVID-19. This is frustrating, but we continue to build up our Parish by prayer and being present to each other and keeping in contact in creative ways.
A special moment was shared when Archbishop Prowse spoke with two Parish Secretaries, our former Sandra Bray and our current Patricia Field.