Every year, the Diocese of Broken Bay, through Pastoral Works Broken Bay, provides support to members of our Diocesan community, helping to educate young people and support vulnerable people.
The May Appeal is a chance for parishioners of the Diocese to support ministries within their own community, particularly the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) and Hospital Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care Program.
Through the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD), the Diocese sends more than 700 volunteer catechists into primary and secondary schools to provide religious education to 12,000 Catholic students within the public education system, with the local parish communities.
Through weekly classes, these volunteers provide key Catholic education to thousands of young people who would otherwise go without.
Without the support of parishioners through Pastoral Works Broken Bay, the thousands of young Catholics within the public school would go without a Catholic education.
Pastoral Works Broken Bay also supports the work of the Hospital Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care Practitioner Program.
Through this ministry, priests and lay pastoral care volunteers visit seven hospitals in the Diocese to provide a listening ear, sacraments, and support for people often in their most vulnerable times.
Every year these people visit more than 3,000 individual patients in seven different hospitals. They are there in end-of-life situations, when people are feeling lonely and afraid, or when parents are faced with enormous challenges when a child or baby may be seriously sick.
Through Pastoral Works Broken Bay, the Diocese supports the hospital chaplains to make sure no one facing the turmoil of illness or end-of-life situations, needs to suffer alone.
Pastoral Works Broken Bay also supports the works of St Lucy’s School and St Edmund’s College, schools for students with disabilities. It also supports the work of the Ephpheta Centre, which supports the deaf community.
Overall, these ministries provide hope to people, through education, the Sacraments and support. They are a way to show and spread God’s love to people living within our community.
You can support Pastoral Works Broken Bay’s May Appeal by donating using the envelopes at your parish or donate online at bbcatholic.org.au/pastoralworks.
All donations made to Pastoral Works Broken Bay over $2 are 100% tax deductible.
Visit the March 2024 edition of Broken Bay News (Pages 14/15), to meet the people working in Pastoral Works Broken Bay ministry and the people they support thanks to your generosity.