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Visit of Karl Schultzto the Ballarat DioceseOctober 2-22, 2009Karl A Schultz is the Director of the Genesis Personal Development Centre in Pittsburgh. He is anauthor, speaker and retreat leader on personal and organisational development and biblicalspirituality, particularly the practice and application of lectio divina to such topics as:Parish and Family SpiritualityPotential Fulfilment and WellnessGender Relations and CommunicationsTime and Stress ManagementCare-giving and SufferingJournalingTheology of the BodyThe teachings of Pope Paul VIKarl has presented programs in diocesan, Church, retreat, corporate, hospital, hospice, association and conventionenvironments throughout the United States and Canada. He has discussed his work on numerous television and radioprograms, including several EWTN programs.Karl will spend weekends in three major centres in the Diocese - Hamilton (October 2-5), Horsham (October 9-12) and Ballarat(October 16-19). There is also a possibility for him to visit other centres during the week. The program for the Ballarat Dioceseis yet to be fully finalized, but it is expected that sessions will include a full day on using Lectio Divina, a Retreat for Men,Christian Time Management, Spirituality for Busy People and a gathering for Youth.Parishes will receive a final copy of the Karl’s timetable and some promotional material by the end of August. Further enquiriesto Vin Dillon (ph. 53377125) or vin.dillon@ballarat.catholic.org.auNew Statue for MaryboroughLast August Fr Ed Moloney and Fr Marcello Colasante from the Dioceseof Ballarat, together with Fr Brendan Hogan and Fr Michael Williamsonfrom the Diocese of Sale, accompanied Fr Lihn Tran and Fr Nhan Le fora holiday and visit to their homeland of Vietnam. Fr Nhan Le and FrLihn Tran, who both came from Vietnam as Refugees when theywere teenagers, are both now working as priests in the Archdiocese ofMelbourne.Whilst in Vietnam, the priests attended a celebration to mark the Feastof the Assumption of Mary into heaven to which over 600,000 attended.The gathering was larger than World Youth Day, which had been held inSydney a month earlier. During the trip, Fr Nhan Le purchased a statueof St Joseph to be placed in the Church at Emerald and Fr Edpurchased a statue of Our Lady to be placed in the gardens of theChurch and school grounds of St Augustine’s, Maryborough. A numberof hurdles were encountered along the way in transporting the statuesby sea from Vietnam to Australia. There was even a suspicion from custom authorities that Mary and Joseph containeddrugs!!! A reminder that all things were not smooth sailing for the real Mary and Joseph when they escaped to Egypt!!Many parishioners helped out in preparing the place for Mary. BrendanDwyer and Peter Weir built the grotto to house the statue and Frank andMichael Fitzgibbon collected the statue from Melbourne. The Crameri,Dridan and Pascoe families also helped with the lighting and installation ofthe Grotto and statue. Blue stones were provided by the Moloneybrothers from Kolora and the Maryborough Council. Finally after ninemonths of preparation and negotiations, parishioners from St Augustine’sgathered around a newly erected Grotto to Bless the statue of Mary afterthe Saturday evening Vigil Mass on April 24 . A few hours after Mary wasinstalled in the Grotto, rain began to fall. Hopefully a sign of things tocome!May Our Lady watch over and protect the people of Maryborough andbeyond.