Catholic Outlook June 2016

FROM THE DIOCESAN ADMINISTRATOR
Very Rev Peter G Williams
CONTENTS
DIOCESAN NEWS
NEWS & EVENTS
3
4, 12, 13, 19,
21, 23
DEAR BROTHERS and sisters,
By now all of you will have heard that
Pope Francis has appointed Bishop
Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv as
the fourth Bishop of Parramatta. He will be
installed following a liturgical reception in
St Patrick’s Cathedral on Thursday 16 June at
7.30pm.
Happily, the 30th birthday of the
establishment of the Diocese of Parramatta
almost coincides with the beginning of
Bishop Vincent’s episcopal ministry in this
Diocese. So it seems a good time to look back
and also to look forward with faith and hope
as we commence the next chapter of the story
of this Local Church.
When Bishop Bede Heather was appointed
the first Bishop of Parramatta in 1986, the
Chancery operated out of a converted house
in Blacktown.
Initially, the staff comprised the Bishop,
the Diocesan Financial Administrator, the
Diocesan Secretary, and a receptionist. The
Catholic Education Office was located in
what is now the Diocesan Assembly Centre
on Flushcombe Road in Blacktown.
When McGovern House was purchased on
Victoria Road in Parramatta, the Chancery
occupied a small suite of offices on Level 1 of
10 Victoria Road.
In the current Chancery there is a photo of
the clergy of the Diocese who attended the
first clergy conference. Some of those faces
are still serving in the Diocese, though they
now look slightly older!
The foundations laid in those early years
were critical as the Diocese got a sense of itself
with an amalgam of very old and established
parishes that dated back to the 19th Century,
while more recent parishes were building
their infrastructure, and new parishes were
being planned to cope with the growing
population in Western Sydney.
At the same time, the Catholic school
system was expanding with increasing
demand from parents to place their children
in Catholic schools. There were many
initiatives in the areas of social outreach and
care for the disadvantaged, often spearheaded
by religious congregations.
When Bishop Kevin Manning was
appointed the second Bishop of Parramatta
in 1997 the Diocese began to consolidate that
which had been achieved in the first 10 years.
As the Diocese grew, there was an
increasing need for extra support services,
both administratively and also in terms
of specialised ministry, and these were
established and flourished.
The Parramatta Pastoral Institute was
renamed the Institute for Mission and a
myriad of courses was developed to meet the
desire of many lay men and women to receive
spiritual and theological formation.
The destruction of St Patrick’s Cathedral
by fire in 1996 was not only a catalyst for the
building of a contemporary new Cathedral,
but also happily assisted the clergy and the
people to “own” the Diocese of Parramatta
rather than see themselves as an extension of
the Archdiocese of Sydney.
For Bishop Manning the re-opening and
dedication of the Cathedral in 2003 was a
milestone in history.
When Bishop Anthony Fisher OP came to
the Diocese as the third Bishop in 2010, we
continued to see prodigious growth in both
the north-west and western parts of the
Diocese.
Of particular note during Bishop Anthony’s
time was the substantial increase in the
number of young men offering to join the
priesthood and becoming seminarians.
This necessitated the relocation of Holy
Spirit Seminary from St Marys to Harris Park,
the refurbishment of Kenilworth House and
the construction of an accommodation wing
for 20 seminarians.
Allied to this was an emphasis on ministry
to youth, which has seen the burgeoning of
youth groups throughout the Diocese. Bishop
Anthony was very dedicated to the support of
young people and their faith development.
During the time of the third Bishop we also
an increase in the number of clergy coming
to the Diocese as either diocesan or religious
order priests to meet the growing pastoral
need.
Perhaps the hallmark of Bishop Anthony’s
time was the consultation and development
of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan, Faith in Our
Future. Here the people, religious and clergy
in their parishes and agencies reflected on
what direction and goals should be identified
to expand the mission of the Catholic Church
in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.
What now of the future?
Bishop Vincent arrives at a pivotal moment
in our 30-year history. Borrowing from
another current leader and slightly altering
the remark: “It is an exciting time to be a
Catholic in Western Sydney!”
We give thanks to God for all the blessings
we have received, for the dedicated leadership
of Bishops Bede Heather, Kevin Manning
and Anthony Fisher, for the priests, deacons,
religious women and men, and all the lay
faithful both young and old who have made
the parishes their spiritual homes and have
given witness to the truth of Jesus Christ
by lives lived based on Gospel values and
in communion with one another and the
Church.
We are also thankful for those who have
laboured in the work of Catholic school
education, those in the social welfare sector,
and all who have contributed to building up
the life of the Diocese.
But there is still much to do. We pray as a
Diocese that Bishop Vincent will now lead us
confidently into our future and that we have
the capacity to respond to the aspirations and
needs of all who reside in Western Sydney
and the Blue Mountains.
Finally, I would like to express my thanks
to the clergy, religious and lay people of the
Diocese for the support you have given me
as Diocesan Administrator over these past 18
months.
I have always been conscious of your
prayers and goodwill, and I look forward to
sharing the future with you as we embark on
the next decade of our journey.
With prayerful remembrance as we prepare
to receive Bishop Vincent,
Very Rev Peter G Williams
Diocesan Administrator
AFRICAN CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY
FAMILY & LIFE
CATHOLIC YOUTH
DIOCESAN PASTORAL
PLAN
PARISH PROFILE
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
CATHOLICCARE SOCIAL
SERVICES
SOCIAL JUSTICE
OBITUARIES
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CatholicOutlook
The official publication of the Diocese of Parramatta
Publisher:
Very Rev Peter G Williams
Diocesan Administrator
Tel (02) 8838 3400
Fax (02) 9630 4813
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
Email: diocese@parra.catholic.org.au
Website: www.parracatholic.org
Editor:
Jane Favotto
Tel (02) 8838 3409
editor@parra.catholic.org.au
PO Box 3066,
North Parramatta, NSW, 1750
Journalists:
Adrian Middeldorp
Elizabeth McFarlane
Designers:
Mathew De Sousa
Sarah Falzon
School news:
Catholic Education Office
Tel (02) 9840 5609
news@parra.catholic.edu.au
5
6, 7
8, 18
9
10-11
14-16
17
20
22
23
Deadlines:
Editorial and advertising
– 10th of the month prior to publication
Liturgical Reception and Mass of Installation of
Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv
as the Fourth Bishop of Parramatta
to be held at
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Marist Place, Parramatta
Thursday 16 June 2016 at 7.30pm
Advertising:
Tel (02) 8838 3409
Accounts:
Alfie Ramirez
Tel (02) 8838 3437
ARamirez@parra.catholic.org.au
Printing:
Rural Press Printing, North Richmond
Please keep Bishop Vincent and his future ministry among us in your prayers.
2 CatholicOutlook | JUNE 2016
www.catholicoutlook.org
40,500 copies of Catholic Outlook are
distributed monthly through 47 parishes and
86 schools. All material in this publication
is copyright and may not be reproduced
without permission of the editor. Catholic
Outlook is a member of the Australasian
Catholic Press Association.