Year in Review - Reflection

Just keep going. That has been the way it has felt this year. Keep moving, and just manage what we have in front of us.

At the start of the year, following a long and damaging bushfire season, we were faced with the prospect of having to close everything due to COVID-19; churches, schools, early education centres, OOSH services, parishes and our offices.

But we forged ahead, and where it was safe and possible to do so, we kept our doors open to serve those who, amidst the turmoil, needed us to keep going.

It seems there is only one way to really determine resilience, and that is, to test it. That is what 2020 provided; a complete test of the resilience of the Diocese; its parishioners, agencies, services and people. In reflecting on the year, I think we passed that test.

As we came out of lockdown, there was a sense we had achieved a great deal.

CatholicCare had continued to work with the many people who needed support. The dedication and commitment of staff meant that the Beyond the Gates program continued to help young people and also to expand to support schools, students and families in the Upper Hunter and Manning regions; the Permanency Support Program restored children to their families or entered into open adoption or guardianship arrangements, and; with the generous support of volunteers and donors, the social services arm of our Diocese served more meals than ever before through our community kitchens and food programs ensuring no one went hungry.

Despite significant challenges, teachers, principals and staff across Diocesan schools managed to provide remote learning to thousands of students, while simultaneously continuing to support children of essential workers on school grounds. Our focus on education was strengthened, as we explored new ways to engage students. As restrictions began to ease and face-to-face learning resumed, I am sure many of our staff were still concerned about COVID-19, but they showed up to support our students. They demonstrated genuine commitment in adversity, and for many, faith formation was sustained.

I am pleased the Diocese was able to support more than 2,500 families with school fee relief as a direct result of the pandemic. It has always been our priority to ensure that no child is denied a Catholic education because of a family’s genuine inability to cover the fees, and 2020 has been no exception.

Despite restrictions to traditional modes of worship, Bishop Bill Wright became adept at live streaming mass from Sacred Heart Cathedral. Hearing the word of God on a Sunday morning in isolation became a beacon of hope for many; and this online broadcast enabled our Diocese to connect with the community in a new way, including reaching out to people who tuned in from around the world. And while the second session of the Diocesan Synod was postponed, work has continued with plans for next year now taking shape. Perhaps it was fortuitous to allow more time for discerning and planning?

Our St Nicholas Early Education services saw some families reconsider the need for OOSH and early education centres as parents faced an uncertain future.

Despite the turmoil, we managed to open new early education centres in Branxton and Maitland and continue to keep our before and after school care services open; welcoming new families who were turned away from other services when they needed care. Staff showed great flexibility and made sure we remained ready for children to be cared for in a nurturing environment despite what was happening around them. We also opened a St Nicholas Pathways training facility in Maitland, which has already seen the program and participants recognised with multiple awards.

Amidst lockdown, the Office of Safeguarding launched the provision of online compliance training, ensuring we were able to continue to put in place stringent practices to protect vulnerable children and adults. This process led to significant efficiencies and community-focused outcomes, as did the successful launch of the Alternative Dispute Resolution program in our schools, and later in CatholicCare.

We are incredibly fortunate to have skilled professionals working in the Diocese who ensured that technology was ready for work to continue online, that staff were paid during a period when job security was paramount, and that work could continue on construction projects such as Catherine McAuley Catholic College in Medowie.

Our communications team made sure people heard the important messages, and somehow an amazing group of people across every facet of the Diocese ensured that we could be there for our community in a time of crisis and need. New staff joined at the start of the pandemic and were soon making a difference.

As I reflect on what was a very challenging 2020, the strength shown throughout the year has left me with a sense that we have grown closer, despite being apart.

The sentiment of Pope Francis in Laudato si’ that we should not only care for our planet but pursue a simpler life has resonated with me, and perhaps with others. This year, we have seen what is important and what we value. As it turns out, we seem to value relationships with the people around us, those close and those who we may not have appreciated until recently.

We value spending time close to home or going out sharing a meal. I hope that in 2021 we will strengthen those connections that we came to appreciate in 2020.

I want to thank my colleagues across the Diocese in a public way. What you achieved this year was beyond expectations. The work and commitment you showed through extremely trying times is testament to the values we hold close as a Catholic community. Keep going!