Year in Review 2024 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 29 150th Anniversary For tens of thousands of years, the First People of what we now call Victoria, lived on and cared for the land and waterways, fashioning a culture and spirituality that endures to this day. For more than 170 years, our faith has been lived out and handed on in the part of Victoria that became the Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst. Our Diocese grew from five Catholic missions (Bendigo, Beechworth, Echuca, Heathcote and Wangaratta) established between 1852 and 1874. In late 1851, the discovery of gold in Bendigo triggered a rush of migration into the region. Despite isolation and harsh conditions miners, pastoralists and others formed faith communities and soon after pioneering priests arrived to minister to the people, many of whom were living far away from their homelands. Initially, Mass was celebrated on the banks of waterways, under trees, in tents and in family homes. Later, settlers worked and fundraised to build churches and the church communities themselves attracted more people to the mission areas. The growth of the missions led to the formation of our Diocese in March 1874 and influenced the building of our nation. Our Catholic communities we celebrate our diocese . have also contributed significantly to the health and education of our broader society through the ministries of Catholic education, health and social services. Often it was the women and men of religious congregations who led these ministries. Through drought, fire, flood, war and pandemic, the people of God in our Diocese have gathered to share sorrow and celebrate in joy, grateful for the generations of the faithful who built the foundations for our living faith today. From the beginning, the Spirit of God has been present with us. May the Spirit renew us in our commitment to proclaiming and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ entrusted to us.
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