Arrival of the Message Stick

To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Ballarat Diocese, five Message Sticks were gifted to carry the message to:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).

In Aboriginal culture, Message Sticks were passed between different clans and language groups to establish information and transmit messages. They were often used to invite neighbouring groups to corroborees, initiation ceremonies, right of entry to country and invitation to religious rituals.

These Message Sticks are being carried from school to school to remind us of the interconnectedness of all our school communities - from the Murray to the Sea. The message stick is displayed in our front office, together with an explanation of the symbols depicted in its art. Yesterday we gathered for a  Liturgy to celebrate the arrival of a Message Stick that is travelling across our Diocese in honour of 150 years.