The Catholic Weekly 13 September 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 3 13, September, 2020 Looking for a new job? www.catholicjobsonline.com.au THE GENESIAN Theatre Company will be moving from its historic location at St John the Evangelist Church, Kent Street, to a much larger home at St Joseph’s parish, Rozelle, by mid-2021. The company, which has entertained generations of Sydneysiders, has also nur- tured the talents of world-re- nowned actors and directors including Bryan Brown, Judi Farr, Nick Enright and Baz Luhrmann. In 2017, the Catholic Church advised the Genesians that they had sold the building to a developer. The company later negotiated with the new owner of the building to re- main at Kent Street until 2020. The heritage-listed St John’s Church dates from 1868 where it served as a church and a school until 1932 when it be- came the Kursaal Theatre, housing the Sydney Reper- tory Company, and then the first Matthew Talbot Hostel in 1938. The Genesian Theatre opened at St Johns in 1954. Despite the location change, the Catholic Archdio- cese of Sydney will continue to support the Genesians in their new location. The Administrator at Saint Joseph’s, Rozelle, Fr Richard Waddell, said his parishioners were looking forward to wel- coming the Genesians, who would add a fresh, exciting dimension to parish life with a 132-seat theatre auditorium planned. Subject to approval, con- struction on the proposed Popular troupe now planning a new home at St Joseph’s in Rozelle ¾ ¾ David Ryan New theatre and a new story for Genesians St Joseph’s Rozelle administrator, Fr Richard Waddell, left, actor Sandra Bass and Elizabeth McGregor, Genesians Board member and Relocation Committee convenor, enjoy the stage in the theatre company’s new surroundings. PHOTO:ALPHONSUS FOK auditorium will commence in early 2021, with theatre per- formances planned to com- mence by mid-year. The President of the Gen- esians, Mr Barry Nielsen, thanked the Archdiocese for their ongoing support and is hopeful for the future of the Genesians. “It is really exciting to see the proud traditionof theGenesian Theatre continue in this new venue at St Joseph’s Rozelle,” he said. Veteran actor Ms Sandra Bass who has worked with the Genesians since 1983, is look- ing forward to the next step in the history of the Company. “I am really looking forward to seeing productions resume againat Rozelle.TheGenesians now have an exciting opportu- nity to expand our audience at a great new location. It’s very much the start of a new era for us”, she said. Although the theatre is cur- rently closed due to COVID-19, the Company is considering options to reopen in a COV- ID-Safe way as soon as restric- tions on performance venues are lifted. The Genesians are named in honour of the patron saint of actors, Saint Genesius; a Chris- tian theatrical performer who was martyred under the Dio- cletian Persecution in ancient Rome. Membership is open to all members of the community over the age of 18 with oppor- tunities to engage in all aspects of theatre production; acting, designing, back-stage work, di- recting and administration. The Genesians now have an exciting opportunity to expand our audience at a great new location. It’s very much the start of a new era for us.” Ms Sandra Bass In brief Bishops list key election concerns Complaint upheld QUEENSLAND’S BISH- OPS have called on Catholics to consider school funding, access to palliative and health care, and employment and support services in the lead up to a state election in October. Their election state- ment is a first for the state, and called for a “new kind of solidarity” to cope with the effects of COVID-19. The Common Good in a COVIDworld also urged political leaders to focus on Indigenous issues, aged care, mental health and climate change. “We don’t think we can or should tell people how to vote or tell poli- ticians how to govern,” said Archbishop Mark Coleridge, launching the statement at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane last Monday. He said the bishops are community leaders interested in the common good. In the statement the bishops wrote that “no political party fully aligns with Catholic teaching, but we can point to clear and enduring principles which can help us make the kind of responsible judgements that allow us to be both faithful Catho- lics and good citizens.” SYDNEY RADIO station KIIS 1065 breached de- cency standards with comments by shock jock Kyle Sandilands about the Blessed Virgin Mary, an investigation has found. However the Australi- an Communications and Media Authority said the statements made on air last September did not breach rules against incit- ing hatred and severe rid- icule because of religion. “Mr Sandilands over- stepped the mark,” said ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin. NATIVE WILDLIFE – includ- ing endangered koalas – has been reappearing around the Benedict XVI Retreat Cen- tre in the foothills of the Blue Mountains owing to the ab- sence of visitors due to COV- ID-19. “We discovered that we ac- tually have a number of koalas on site,” retreat centre caretak- er Phillipe Sanders-Agius told ¾ ¾ David Ryan Koala nursed back to health The Catholic Weekly . One spe- cial Koala – named Ernie by staff at the centre – was found and nursed back to full health after being discovered with a debilitating eye infection. “One of the neighbours had spotted him near the drive- way,” Mr Sanders-Agius said. To help treat their suffering friend, the centre mustered the assistance of the Blue Moun- tains Koala Project for treat- ment. “He had an infection in his eye so they had to remove one of his eyes,” he said. Ernie has since been re- leased with a tracking collar and is now seen from time to time around the area. The Benedict XVI Retreat Centre is now collaborating with the Blue Mountains Ko- ala Project to protect and fos- ter koala numbers in the area - especially in the wake of the devastating 2019-2020 bush- fire season which killed large numbers of koalas across the country. “Because they are endangered it is so important to preserve them in their wild habitat,” said Phillipe. “They are just such beauti- ful creatures to have around the place. “We are hoping to encour- age people to come to the centre and do a little bit of bushwalking on site and have something to look for when they are walking through.” Ernie the one-eyed koala enjoys his new life. NEWS