THURSDAY ISLAND COMMUNITY
Imagine an Island that would probably
fit comfortably between Mt Eden Road and Royal Oak or perhaps fit neatly
onto Cornwall Park or Bluff Hill! That would be about the size of Thursday
Island. They say you can walk around the island in about an hour.
If there is no helicopter available, one reaches Thursday Island by a
2 hour plane trip from Cairns to Horn Island, followed by a 15 minute
ferry trip. In contrast to the rather barren and un-interesting Horn Island,
Thursday Island is an attractive little island with hills, interesting
vegetation, well sealed roads with gutters and most of its houses suggest
a degree of first world comfort.
Our brothers are in the building which has been home to communities of
Mercy Sisters and Patrician Brothers over many decades. The Catholic Education
Office in Cairns has renovated the house to the standard of that of the
lay teachers they are providing for. They are comfortably set up.
Brian Tanguan from Papua New Guinea had difficulty getting a work visa
and arrived on the same day that I went there. Brian is community and
project leader. Laurie Toohey (Melbourne) is presently the home-making
brother. Tim Beencke (Sydney) is assistant principal at the nearby Catholic
primary school and he is responsible for religious education there. Our
Damien Shutt has been teaching a group in the local public school at a
time when members of other churches go in to take their children for religious
education.
Damien has been supporting Fr Tom Mullins. Tom describes the coming of
the brothers as "a refreshing easterly breeze that has swept through
the parish!" The Island is 10° south so the image carries its
own cool message!
Thursday Island is part of Australia and the administrative centre for
the Torres Strait Islands. Over a long period of time there has been considerable
intermarriage of the islanders with pearl divers who came in from Pacific
countries and such places as Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia. They say there
are 3,500 people on TI and most are of mixed ethnic origin and others
-- “outsiders” -- seem to be government contract workers.
For the present, the community members are hoping to reach the local community
through the school and Tim's involvement there. They plan to find ways
to reach out to the youth on the island and are also to train the local
community to take responsibility for the Church on the islands -- the
parish includes several other Torres Strait Islands together with a community
on Cape York which is about 40 km away.
This development is an historic one in many ways with representatives
of four administrative units coming together in this Oceania Region project.
It follows the many years of regional team involvement in the formation
area. It could well flow on to other similar projects.
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