Brisbane’s Vietnamese Catholic Community fulfilled a dream that has been 45 years in the making this month with the opening and dedication of its new church.

About 2000 people attended the opening of the Queen of Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church at Inala.

In his address to members of the Society of the Divine Word during their General Chapter last month, Pope Francis encouraged the missionaries to follow “the way of the Spirit” in the footsteps of their founder and to be prophets of hope in a war-torn world.

Pope Francis’ address came as the SVD prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of foundation of the congregation in 2025.

The historical church on Wurrumiyanga – Bathurst Island – which featured in the popular movie, ‘Top End Wedding’ is set to star in a new follow-up television series, further cementing its reputation for being a beacon of faith and cultural heritage.

The church made its film debut in ‘Top End Wedding’, and is now set to star in the sequel TV series, ‘Top End Bub’.

This month, I returned from the SVD General Chapter in Rome just in time to attend the celebrations marking 100 years since the first Mass took place on Palm Island.

The two events could not have been more different in many ways, but they were also intertwined, because at the Chapter we prayed, discerned and talked about mission and tending to the wounds of humanity, and on Palm Island we are part of God's mission in action.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Today's Gospel tells us about Jesus feeding the five thousand. The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is probably familiar to us.

There was a company, which was working in the forest and looking for a woodchopper. One day, two woodchoppers applied for the job. The manager said that they would only accept one. So, he invited both of them to a test.

The Lord Jesus, in the Gospel passage today, inaugurates the victory over evil by organising his “crew,” that is to say, the apostles, into specific modes of acting in order to be victorious over the forces of evil and anything which is not of God. Jesus gathers his followers together and gives very clear instructions.

"For it is when I am weak that I am strong." St Paul in today’s second reading makes this extra ordinary statement which sounds a bit weird to the modern ear.

To borrow again a story from my friend, Fr Bel San Luis, there was a very devout man who is in his house when there was a huge deluge in town. The flood waters were already at the first floor so he went up.

The recent formal approval of the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit by Australia’s bishops has been welcomed as a ‘big moment’ not only for the Indigenous Catholic communities of the Broome Diocese, where it originated, but also for other First Nations communities around the country.

Australia’s Catholic bishops have approved a liturgy which incorporates elements of Aboriginal language and culture.