The Archdiocese of Brisbane, while witness to much of the rain and flooding over the past week, has been fortunate to escape with many of its outreach services, particularly Catholic Schools and  Centacare social services sites, suffering only minor or nil damage.

As at 4pm January 29 only four schools within the Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) system were definitely set to be delayed in commencing the school year.

These schools are St Joseph’s Primary at Gayndah, which due to substantial damage won’t open until February 4; St Mary’s Primary at Maryborough; St Mary’s Primary in Laidley and St Pius X at Salisbury.

Some other school’s opening will be dependent upon the restoration of power – the three schools in this situation are St Francis College, Crestmead; Our Lady of the Rosary Primary at Kenmore and St Peter Chanel Primary at The Gap.

St Patrick’s at Gympie will be open for certain years on Thursday January 30, and then to all classes on Friday February 1 but please consult the BCE website ( http://www.bne.catholic.edu.au/Pages/default.aspx  ) as the best source for all updates to school closures or commencement times for semester 1.

Likewise Centacare service closures have been very limited, and in all cases were restricted to Child Care services in the form of Outside School Hours Care and Kindergartens.

The following services were due to be closed on Tuesday January 29:

Outside Hours School Care

Emmaus, Jimbooma; St Bernardine’s, Regent Park; St Mary’s, Ipswich; St Francis Xavier, Goodna; Holy Cross, Scarborough; Our Lady of Lourdes, Sunnybank; Sacred Heart, Sandgate; St Augustine’s, Currumbin Waters; St Peter’s, Rochedale; Corinda Graceville Parish and St Peter Chanel, The Gap

Kindergartens

St Mary’s, Warwick (part of Toowoomba Diocese) and Windsor Neighbourhood Child Care Centre at Windsor

The Centacare website news and events section (http://www.centacarebrisbane.net.au) is the best source for all updates on any closures or restrictions to Centacare services.

Released by the Catholic Communications Office

January 29, 2013