A balancing act…
1 February 2026
We hope that you all had a good start to the year and had time to rest, review and set goals for 2026.
Here at CLMO we welcome Fr Anthony Girolami to the role of Clergy Life and Ministry Coordinator for active clergy. Fr Anthony starts his full-time duty from the 1st February. Please drop in to say hi to Fr Anthony and to all of us here at CLMO if you happen to be at Cardinal Knox Centre.
We would like to remind you all of the four pillars of health: Nutrition, Movement, Sleep and Relaxation. A balance of these four aspects is proven to keep our body reasonably healthy and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Through this newsletter we will keep updating you with evidence-based information around these topics so that you can make informed choices to maintain or improve your health and wellbeing.
This year in the Australian Health awareness calendar, February is dedicated to the REDFEB campaign, which aims to raise fund for heart research into prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
Heart disease is still the #1 cause of death worldwide. There were 16,275 Australian deaths due to heart disease in 2024. Currently it is estimated that 1.3 million Australians have one or more conditions related to heart, stroke or vascular disease (Heart Research Australia, 2026). The statistic is clear that we should do more to prevent heart disease related death and disability.
Physical activity (movement) is one important aspect of heart disease prevention. It is recommended that adults should be active most days, preferably every day. Each week, adults should do either:
2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity – such as a brisk walk, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming
1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity – such as jogging, aerobics, fast cycling, soccer or tennis
An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activities.
(Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, 2026)
If you find it difficult to motivate or work out what is an appropriate physical activity program for you, you can join your local gym and request an assessment for a tailored program; or discuss with our very own PriestFit Program personal trainer Fr Jaycee Napoles by email: Jaycee.Napoles@cam.org.au
Finally, we would like to share a comment from Fr Greg Trythall whom we had the honour to chat to before Christmas 2025. Fr Greg’s reflection on his health status was:
“I am in the unusual category at 78 years of age, fully fit and taking no medication as none needed. I am totally healthy as I am a semi fitness fanatic swimming 4 days a week in the Ocean. Yes, guys need to be challenged in the right way. It is important people like you do this. Christ is calling them to be responsible not only spiritually but also physically. Then with better health and sufficient battery reserves under pressure they can perform the job and mission called them for in the first place.”
We look forward to support you in 2026 and beyond so that you can enjoy and thrive in your ministry and life in general.
For more information, please contact CLMO on 9287 5541 or Trinh Nguyen – Wellbeing Advisor: 0403 560 873 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.