Diocesan President Rene Pettiford OAM About Rene

The Diocese of Riverina is geographically the largest in New South Wales covering an area of thirty and a half million hectares. The Diocese stretches from the Murray River/Victorian border in the South to Queensland in the North and the South Australian border to the West and almost to Wagga Wagga to the East, covering one third of New South Wales.

Our Diocese is very diverse in industry with mining of silver, lead and zinc and opals in the North at Broken Hill where the children in the outback are educated on School of the Air, and Station people attended to by the Flying Doctor. Sheep for their fine wool and the fat lamb industry, and cattle are the main income over much of the diocese to the Food Bowl of NSW where rice, fruit, vegetables, oranges, and a very big wine industry, chickens are also a major export from the areas and dairy farming to the south. As well as large areas of wheat, oats barley and canola are grown in the Riverina.

MU in Riverina Diocese consists of six branches and a number of Lone Members - 

• Cathedral Griffith

• Finely-Tocumwal,

• Coolamom,

• Leeton,

• Hay,

• and Broken Hill in the far west of the diocese. 

As one would imagine, in our large diocese, opportunities for members to gather are precious, and members look forward to meeting annually at our Annual Gathering. Rotating from North (Broken Hill 8-10 hours drive from the other branches) to south (Finley Tocumwal) East to Coolamon. Leeton, Hay and Griffith are fairly central to the diocese. 

These six branches remain very active, enthusiastic and are constantly looking for new ways to encourage marriage and family life in their parishes.

VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AT ANY BRANCH IN THE DIOCESE

Life in rural Australia can be difficult and lonely especially in drought conditions which we have been facing the last 2 or 3 years, but, as has been the case since the first MU branch opened in Riverina, MU members continue to seek to support one another, their churches and their communities in the development and strengthening of marriage and Christian family life.

MU members strive to assist others in their efforts to promote Christian family life.

RIVERINA MEMBERS WORK IN THE COMMUNITY:

• Visiting the sick in hospital, especially mothers in maternity units,

• Providing premature babies with tiny garments and grieving gowns, 

• Supply Comfort Cushions to Breast Cancer patients

• Participating in baptismal programmes, 

• Provide Court Care at local Court Houses, 

• Hold regular meetings for teaching and discussion, 

• Pray daily for each other, for linked and worldwide members, 

• Help in the weekly upkeep of the Cathedral and churches by cleaning, flowers, brass, sacrecent duties 

• Help in the Op-Shops and Bookshop

• Hold regular Pram Services

• Share the love of Jesus

Our Members visited West Wyalong (in the Bathurst Diocese) in October 2002 as it was the Year of the Outback

We have held Retreats, encouraging young mothers to participate for the last 2 years and hope to continue these Retreats.

Members in the diocese continue to uphold Mary Sumner's vision of Christian women working to win homes for Christ and choose to be involved for His sake and really do the work of being socially responsible.

May our work together bear fruit that lasts.

Rene Pettiford
President