The Rural Ministry Formation Program  is now under way in the South-East Deanery.
In February of this year, seven women from Millicent and four women and two men from Mount Gambier began a Course in distance education mode that will qualify them with a Diploma in Theology.
Archbishop Wilson commissioned them by decree to commence their studies, with the support of the Dean of the South-East and Parish priest of Mt Gambier and Millicent, Father Richard Morris.

In October Bishop Greg O'Kelly commissioned three women and two men from Penola and four of eight people from Naracoorte who will commence their studies in February of 2009. Two of the Naracoorte people are young people who participated in World Youth Day in July of 2008.  Father Vinh Tran, their parish priest, is also very supportive of their endeavours.

The Office for Worship personnel - Jenny O'Brien and Sr Ilsa Neicinieks rsm are also conducting a four-year Liturgy Practicum program for the people
This year - 2008 - they are focusing on:

• Infant Baptism
• Liturgy of the Word with Holy Communion and
• the Pastoral Care of the Sick and Dying.

The Coordinator of the Rural Ministry Formation Program is Sr Elizabeth Morris rsj

 Liz can be contacted by phone at Catholic Theological College 

 +61 8 8416 8471  or by Email:      liz.morris@flinders.edu.au

For the last eighteen months seven people have been studying "Beginning Theology" in the Murray Bridge parish and two people in Tailem Bend have been completing "Foundations One", which is a Certificate IV in Theology, a nationally accredited award  from the Brisbane Institute of Faith Education. The Tailem Bend couple - a husband and wife team - are inter-church, the wife being an active member of the Lutheran Church, the husband actively involved in the Catholic church.

One of the men who has just completed "Beginning Theology" wrote a reflection on his journey. You might like to read this reflection by clicking on the link below.

The final Practicum proved to be a very fruitful meeting and gradually I will post the reflections from the group. The first is focused on the implications of Catholic Bishops' 2008 Social Justice Statement.