The Parish Pastoral Council met last Wednesday evening in the school staff room.

Prior to the meeting we were taken on a tour of the school building site to see how well the works are progressing.

The meeting started with a reflection on “Respect for Life", initiated by the fact that as we met, our State Parliament was meeting to vote on the Euthanasia Bill. We spoke of the fact that there has been desensitization to so many issues concerning the moral ecology of our country, and then prayed for all involved in making these decisions.

Our discussions included

• A follow up of our enquiries about a child protection policy for the parish. Those parishes we had spoken to had not yet written their policy either, and Paul Halliwell offered to follow this up.

• The splintering in the Hall floor has been repaired and should last at least another five years.

• New doors for the Hall, paid for with the School Pride Government grant, are proving difficult to source, and quite expensive. The school is working on this, and new Exit signs ( a legal requirement) will be installed at the same time.

• Quite a lot of time was spent discussing, and preparing for a PPC Strategic Planning Day, probably 14^th February next year, when we can plan for the coming year, with our new priest.

• There are still a few outstanding Police checks to follow up, and this is being done.

• A team representing our parish attended the Magill Interchurch Council Quiz night…and won! The quiz night, which was most enjoyable and very well run, was to assist in the funding for Chaplains to the nearby State schools.

• The PPC passed a vote of thanks to Ron Hoogland, for the wonderful job he does keeping the Parish website current. We are most fortunate to have a person with the skills and willingness to undertake this important function.

• The meeting closed with prayer