Compassionate Care

Many students or staff members experience life-threatening illness or death in their families.  The Chaplain will usually call the family, visit the hospital or funeral home, attend the funeral Mass, and send a Mass card obtained from St. Leonard's or St. Anne's parishes.

Information is only shared with the wider community with the consent of the student or staff member involved - all details are handled as discreetly as possible.  E.g. Names are not announced in the morning prayer/announcements unless the student has given the go-ahead. 

Student Council has allocated a large sum of money to pay for Mass cards and care packages for students in need.  Our Hearts and Flowers rep, Mary Ferlisi, pays for the staff Mass cards.  Attendance secretary, Gina Gelsomini, informs the chaplain of student absences due to reported illness or death in the family.

The Book of Remembrance available in our chapel in the month of November. The annual staff mass at the start of November for All Souls Day is a major initiative in this bereavement ministry. (Monday, November 1 prior to the monthly staff meeting)