Father Bernard Dowdell is the chaplain to the Wollongong Hospital. His responsibility is a great one. There are some parishioners who assist him in this ministry: they visit the Catholic patients and bring them Holy Communion. There are also parish visitors who reach out to the Catholic residents in the following local care facilities:

• Coniston Nursing Home, Coniston
• Horizon Nursing Home, Wollongong
• Diment Towers, Mangerton
• Bishop McCabe Retirement Village, Towradgi
• Towradgi Nursing Home
• Olunda Nursing Home, North Wollongong

The sacraments are brought to these residents by the parish visitors. In some of these facilities the Mass is also celebrated. For many of these residents the parish visitor is their tangible connection with the Church. The parish bulletin helps them to stay informed about “what’s going on” in the communities which have been so vital to their lives. We need to continue to minister to the Catholics in our pastoral region who cannot get to Mass.
There are also many parishioners who are housebound. Because of old age or illness they are unable to get to Sunday Mass. Again, parish visitors bring Holy Communion into their homes and in gentle conversation connect them with parish life. As our parishioners continue to age, we also need willing parishioners who will visit them in their homes. We also need our parishioners to inform the offices that loved ones are housebound or have been admitted to hospital or care facilities.