THE parish of Our Lady Queen of Apostles in Riverton celebrated its 60th anniversary on 25 March with a Mass led by Perth Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton.
The parish was established on Easter Sunday, 25 March 1951,with a Holy Mass celebrated in a Riverton public hall.
The newly formed parish, run by the Pallottines, had just 220 parishioners. The parish has been blessed over the years and today comprises a beautiful church building, an expanding parish school, a large parish hall and a storeyed parish house – all of which are set in beautiful surroundings with an oval attached, and cater to the needs of almost 5,000 parishioners of diverse backgrounds.
On 25 March 2011, Fr Eugene San SAC, Regional Leader of the Pallottines, Fr Poulose Manickathan SAC, parish priest, and other members of the Pallottine Community concelebrated a special Mass with Bishop Sproxton commemorating this history.
The congregation included representatives of various organisations which have been, and continue to be, involved in the development of the parish, and their participation was marked by the lighting of special candles at the altar.
Candles were lit by Bishop Sproxton, Fr Eugene San SAC, Sr Georgina Heger, Superior of the Schoenstatt Sisters in Armadale, Sr Charla Fernando OSM, Superior of the Servite Sisters in Australia based in Riverton, Queen of Apostles School principal Shaun O’Neill and UAC president Trish Wisolith.
The students of the Queen of Apostles School presented a dramatic performance during the Mass, after which Bishop Sproxton joined the priests, nuns and parishioners in the Fr John Luemmen Hall for refreshments and camaraderie.