A memorial vigil hosted by Childers church leaders will bring the community together to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Palace Backpackers fire.
The public service on Saturday 21 June will begin the weekend of remembrance ahead of a private service for families of victims, survivors, and other invited guests on Monday 23 June.
Sacred Heart Church Parish Priest Father Jack Ho said the service was intended to provide a time of quiet reflection for the community to mark the anniversary.
“This memorial service it is about a space and a time where everybody can come together,” Father Jack said.
“Although it is held in a church, this service is about embracing of people from all walks of life, from all different beliefs, from all difference circumstances of life who wish to gather to remember and to celebrate.
“We remember the moments of grief, but we also celebrate the community uniting with each other through this experience.
“Remember the lives of those who have been lost, but also to celebrate the solidarity of people that came out of the event, that’s something beautiful.”
The ecumenical service has been planned by Father Jack Ho, Anglican Church Father Iain Furby and other local clergy, with support from a community working group.
Father Jack said the Sacred Heart Church would remain open 24 hours a day for the community all weekend, much as it was at the time of the tragedy.
“We want to provide a public sacred space of remembrance and reflection, and people are welcome to spend some time here to reflect and to help process their feelings,” he said.
“When people come in, they’re free to light a candle or write a prayer request and there will be a memorial candle burning for the duration of the weekend.
“Through the whole weekend, people are welcome to come anytime for that moment of reflection.”
Father Jack said the memorial service was a way of showing the Childers community that the church was a public space of reflection, prayer and quietness for all.
“We’ve really started to see this space becoming a welcoming sanctuary for the public,” he said.
“In the last 12 months, we’ve challenged our parishioners to reengage with our faith and to look at what does it mean to be a Catholic in the 21st century.
“The Church can engage and be relevant in the lives of the broader community, not just those who walk through our doors on Sundays.
“You may not necessarily subscribe to the faith beliefs or the practices of the Catholic Church, but the Church can still be here contributing in various ways to the whole community.
The Memorial Vigil will be held 11 am on Saturday 21 June at Sacred Heart Church, 44 Bruce Highway, Childers.
