Welcome to New Staff | Commissioning Mass | God Rewards in Hidden Ways | 25yr Celebration Updates

Hi everyone! We have hit the ground running into 2013 and here we are in Lent already. NET Training and our Commissioning Mass, presided over by Archbishop Mark Coleridge, were great successes. Archbishop Mark commissioned 51 new NET team members to serve the Australian church and now let’s sit back and watch the Holy Spirit work in the lives of the young people with whom they will be working.

As most of you already know, it is a year of great celebration for NET Ministries. It is our 25th year as a Catholic Youth Ministry in this country, and a very great reason to kick up our heels and praise God for what has been achieved in that time. We are in the process of planning some gala events for the occasion, and I hope that many of you will join us for these special moments in the life of NET. So not only will we be celebrating a quarter of a century for this ministry, but also the inauguration of a new Pope.

I believe we face some great challenges in the Church today, and in the midst of those trials, we are trying to evangelise our youth into the “fold.” This is not an easy task given the confusion and negativity some feel towards the Church. However, there is another facet to this trial, an exciting facet which not only requires change, transparency and accountability by our Church, but also a return to our first love, our first purpose which is to experience and share the love of Jesus Christ.

Pope Benedict in his catechesis on St. Paul, said “We are Christians only if we encounter Christ”. Pope Paul VI reminded us that: “evangelising is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelise”. We look back over 25 years of evangelising ministry in the Catholic Church ...

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NETworks

Address: PO Box 889Paddington QLD 4064

www.netministries.com.auinfo@netministries.com.au

facebook/NETMinistriesAustraliatwitter/NETAustralia

Ph:     +61 7 3217 5299Fax: +61 7 3217 5288

get in CONTACT

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in this mission in which ever way God is placing on your heart. It may be through prayer, financial assistance, informing others, finding recruits for our teams or locating other donors. How ever you can contribute, please be generous and help us to make 2013 a fruitful year in spreading the Gospel message.

Shanelle BennettExecutive Director

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Below are some quotes from the homily of Archbishop Mark during the Commissioning Mass.

... of this nation, praying that we have conveyed an authentically lived experience of Jesus Christ, through us as supervisors and through the lives of the young people we send on mission. I pray with all my heart that this mission continues through the imminent years of struggle we face together as the Church. I hope we as a people can “spring clean,” and move forward to be a greater witness for Christ especially to our young people. Let’s also pray that Pope Francis will be granted wisdom and strength by the Holy Spirit for the journey ahead.

It is vitally important that we keep young people on the forefront of this mission of evangelisation. Please join us, once again,

“You’ve come from all over the place, but you have come to Him, and you’ve come not because you chose, although you might think that, no, you have been

called by Jesus”

“He doesn’t just send you out, He goes with you – in you –

because you have become the one He has called and the one

He commissions.”

“But if the word Jesus appears on your lips and in your heart, then you have the greatest imaginable treasure to offer the people who are often desperately poor,

they may not see Him.”

“...you go with faith, the faith of which St Paul speaks. Don’t forget it. What is the faith? It’s faith in Him. Not some ideological package or some political program - we’ve got lots of both, we don’t need anymore. But what we need is Him, as His

presence and power, and that’s what you become.”

“You are called to actually be the presence and the power of Jesus

Christ crucified and risen.”

“So in that sense, you are the prophecy, you young people commissioned tonight, you

become the word to us”

“We’re at a time where we need a new surge of Gospel energy. That’s not theory, that’s you – flesh and blood. I want to thank you for your generosity for saying yes to the Lord because it is costly, and

it will cost you plenty as you go on mission.”

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Steph Parkin is 20 years old from Port Macquarie NSW. She loves music and misses living so close to the beach

but is enjoying the community she has found living in a bigger city. Steph served on the National Team in 2011 and

at Mazenod College in 2012. This year she is supervising the Melbourne Archdiocesan team and Mazenod College in

Melbourne as well as joining the recruiting team.

Michelle Pyke is 22 years old and is from Toowoomba. Michelle served on the Melbourne Archdiocesan team in

2011 and on the MSB school team in Herberton QLD in 2012. This year she is supervising the Canberra diocesan

team and the St Fidelis parish team in Melbourne as well as being the host home coordinator.

Justin Mourits is 20 years old and is from Mt Maunganui, New Zealand. He is a huge sports fan and loves the

beach. Justin served on NET for two years on the Sydney Archdiocesan team in 2011 and the Mazenod College

team in 2012. This year he is supervising the National and Ingham teams.

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NEW STAFFWhile our team members are the shining lights of NET Ministries, behind the scenes we have our committed, talented and hard working staff members. Being on NET Staff is a calling – the hours are sometimes long and budgeting on staff wages can be tough. Those who answer the call fill a wide variety of pastoral and administrative roles – management, supervising teams, training (both delivering training and the remarkable logistics effort), finance, fund raising, recruiting, developing and choosing new ministry material, liaising with local areas and many more tasks. They are a mixture of staff fresh out of the ministry, staff who have had a couple of years to learn the ropes in the office and management staff (including a few grey hairs).

We present the NET Staff of 2013.

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COMMISSIONING 2013The year began as usual with the Beat school of music and our incredible 5 week training program. This period includes a huge range of things including many sessions on everything from ‘who is Jesus’ to ‘how to mingle’, 3 days of separate men’s and women’s formation and the hotly contested inter-country volleyball competition. All this culminated in the commissioning day celebrations.

This year we were abundantly blessed to have Archbishop Mark Coleridge join us for the first time to celebrate the commissioning of 51 Netters, 5 Freedom staff and 18 NET staff. The day was a joyful event including a great afternoon tea and a collection for NET Uganda which raised $1168.

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Peter McAuliffe, Denis Nuwagaba, Jason HummelAimee Hanratty, Carly Forsyth, Jessica Lehnhoff

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Joshua Walsh, Gerard LaiJessica Buchanan, Jessica Schmidt, Amy Yaremcio

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Will Aupito Iuliano, Luke SchoenfelderJessica Cooney, Allyson Cantin, Alyson LeBlanc

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RNArnaud Hurdoyal, Trevor Tye

Charlotte Ning, Naomi Schick, Anais Prosper

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Lachlan Wilson, Fred MunbodeJessica Donnelly, Dana Bulger, Ursula Ioata

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Claire Tomlin, Dominic MacAndrews, Benjamin Lagace, Dominic Dougherty, Hogan Rogers, Katie Wilson

Maria van Kampen, Marie Burns, Melissa de Sieno, Amanda Halbach

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Gabriel Tipnis, Robert LuceroKatie Gray, Rebecca Quinn, Maddie Wilson

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Simon McKinlay, Travis Schoenfelder, Katrina Jackson, Brigid Todd, Erica Shapka

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Joseph Sherry, Justin TarchiusRozlyn Kelly, Christine Sealy, Robyn Pashula

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Shawn Pang, Robert Schroeders, Grace Rutty, David Nightingale, Renee DoyleAbsent: Meera James

NET Ministries Australia has being serving the young people of Australia and beyond for 25 years. To give thanks for NET Ministries and to celebrate this significant occasion, a series of events is in planning for November 2013. All alumni, supporters and friends are invited to come celebrate with us.

DatesFriday 22 November – Sunday 24 NovemberN.B. In replacement for events scheduled in June.

What to expect » Family friendly – activities and events planned for kids

» Cocktail evening for alumni and partners on Friday

» Series of options planned for Saturday afternoon

» 2013 Thanksgiving Mass and Banquet with this year’s Netters

» 25th Anniversary Dinner Saturday night

» 25th Anniversary Mass with Archbishop Mark Coleridge on Sunday morning

Steering Committee » Mary Dougherty

» Mark Lysaght

» Michael Mollard

» Arthur Wilson

» Kath Gilmore

» Kathryn Curtis

» Caitlyn Bennett

» Justin Mourits

» Mikey Otto

» Nikki Lysaght

» Shayne Bennett

Personal invitations to come in following weeks with full programme of events.

> www.netministries.com.au/25years

To register your interest or update your details please email: justin@netministries.com.au

N.B. Moree 2002 Team photo unavailable

25th Anniversary Celebrations

Many people have often asked why I gave 4 years of my life, 2 on team and 2 on staff, to serve with NET Ministries. I am a teacher by trade so in monetary terms that equates to about 150k in so called lost wages. What I can not put a price on is the way that volunteering and working for NET has impacted my career as a teacher. From being trained in the difficult conversations through to assuming the best in people there are a multitude of small things that I believe grace my life thanks to my NET experience. I have recently been appointed year 9 coordinator and I am now responsible for pastorally caring for about 200 teenagers. I firmly believe that I would not have been ready to tackle this new role if it had not been for NET staff (they know how they are) whose wisdom and guidance I now use on a daily basis. So as it has often been said on NET training “God does not call the equipped, he equips the called” a promise that has not ended with my NET experience. Thank you and God BlessSteve CzaprackiNational 04, Hoppers Crossing 05, Staff 09 & 10

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MARRIAGES

Phil Dyer (National 05) to Bernadette King

Ema-Lee Langford (Melbourne 10) to James Rowe (National 10)

Karlee Williams (Lismore 09) to Damon Guest

Dan Saban (Melbourne 04, Uganda 05, Staff 06/07) to Talia Standing

BIRTHS

Robert Schroeders (Adelaide 03, Warwick 04, Uganda 05/06, Staff 07 – pres) and wife Danielle welcomed their

second child, Levi, on 20th January

Luke (National 01, Staff 02 – 07) and Carrie (National 02, Staff 03/04) McCormack welcomed their 4th child, Xavier

Gilbert, on 12th February

Michael Forbes (Staff 09 – pres) and wife Lisa, welcomed their first grandchild Harrison Michael, on 27th December

VOCATIONS

Fr Ben Johnson OFM Cap (National 03) ordained to the Priesthood on 9th February.

ENGAGEMENTS

Nattasha Pennington (National 09, Port Macquarie 10, Staff 11 – pres) is engaged to Stephen Mierendorf (Staff 12)

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My gift today: $1000 $500 $250 $100 $50 $ _________

Frequency: Once only Monthly Quarterly Yearly

Method: Cheque (Payable ‘NET Ministries’) Direct Deposit Credit Card

EFT Bank Account BSB: 034 010 ACC: 162 527 Ref No: SURNAME 2013–1

Credit Card Visa MasterCard Amex

Card Number __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ Exp Date __ __ / __ __ Signature __________________________

25th Anniversary Gala Fundraising Dinner

His Eminence Cardinal George Pell

Date Saturday 6th July, 2013Time 6:30pm for 7:00pmDress Dinner attire

100% of proceeds go to NET’s vital ministry | www.netministries.com.au

Venue Tattersall’s Club, Edward St, BrisbaneEnquiries email: dinner@netministries.com.au ph: (07) 3217 5299

for NET Ministries, featuring special guest speaker

Issue 1, 2013

If undeliverable return to:NET Ministries Australia

PO Box 889PaddingtonQLD 4064

Personal DetailsName ___________________________________

Postal Address ___________________________

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City / Suburb _____________________________

State ____________ Postcode ____________

Ph _____________________________________

Email ___________________________________

Please send me more information about:

Tax-effective Family Trust Donations Gifts-in-kind [e.g. office equipment, fuel costs, catering etc.] Including NET in my will by making a bequest

And as always, please pray for us as we seek to fulfil our mission. We hope to see young hearts transformed as they encounter Jesus. That’s why we exist.

Thank you for your generosity.

NET Ministries Australia relies on the support of our community. Are you able to help?