Sunday, 15 January

It has been a while since I blogged and the New Year is getting older.  I was away in Toowoomba with the clergy on their annual retreat.  It was a wonderful experience for me.  I was deeply impressed by the priests, their welcome, dedication and openness to the retreat.  Recent events in the diocese have affected them deeply.  It was uplifting to meet Bishops Bill Morris and Brian Finnegan and to see their pastoral care for the priests.  I had known Bill in my time in Brisbane but had not met Brian previously.

After the retreat I visited the OCD nuns in Ormiston and met with the Brisbane OCDS community.  Of course it was not a holiday for me.  Nonetheless, before I left, Paul prayed at morning prayer for me and all going on holidays!  The thought was appreciated.

Gabriel, Paul, Shemil and Gerard watching tawny frogmouths

Just before I left I was sitting on the porch of St Teresa's hermitage when I became aware of a family of tawny frogmouths in the she oak opposite me.  They do a great imitation of wooden branches and so are hard to see or photograph.  When they became aware of my presence they stretched out to appear even more branch like.  The brethren came and were impressed as you can see above.

The building takes shape

The steel framework is almost complete

In my absence the brickies came back to work early in the New Year.  Then last week they were joined by lots of tradies.  The pace of work was fast.  The steel frame is almost completed.  The electricians are continuing steadily,  the plasterers are putting up ceilings.  And more.. no doubt.

Framework to the north of the common room

The common room faces south with a lovely view over the property  all the way to St Gregory's College on the hill in the distance.  Across the corridor is a covered area looking north.  This will be a very pleasant area.  The framework for this area has now gone up and can be seen in the photo above and the one below.

Looking over the community courtyard

One of the big differences now is that the oratory has taken shape.  In the photo below you can see the three big windows.

Looking towards the oratory

The tabernacle for reservation of the Blessed Sacrament will be in a special place in the centre of this alcove.

Blessed Sacrament alcove

Here is the view from the library over the community cemetery.

From the library looking over the cemetery to the chapel

This is a time of change for us as a community.  Shemil is now in Mandurah, Western Australia where he will be part of the new Carmelite community working in that parish.  He won many friends in his time with us.  Gabriel is also away supplying in the parish of Bowen, Far North Queensland.  He will return for our annual gathering at the end of the month.


On a sadder note: Greg Chee has announced that after 6 years as the zealous parish priest of Varroville he is seeking time away from religious life while continuing ministry as a priest.  He has sought and received a period of 'exclaustration' from the Carmelite superior general.  We feel his departure and will certainly miss his presence in community.