Three members of the Bentley conference of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) are working hard to help the underprivileged people of their area. Their efforts are a lesson in how the little local chapters of the Society – known as conferences – can do a huge amount of good work, often unnoticed and unseen. Tom and Pat Thomas, of Santa Clara Parish in Bentley and Flo Robinson, of ...

Among the experiences for Perth pilgrims in Rome for Archbishop Timothy Costelloe’s reception of the pallium was Mass concelebrated on June 27 by a contingent of Perth clergy in the Chapel of Santa Lucia in Tinta. The historic chapel, dating from at least 1002AD and rebuilt in the 16th century, is attached to Fraterna Domus where Perth pilgrims stayed while in Rome. Among those concel...

People are often uncertain how to handle a request for money from someone begging on Perth’s streets but the Holy Spirit of Freedom Community’s Outreach worker Mark Reidy says “the signs are a sign” and these people are desperate for help. “When seeing beggars on the streets asking for money, don’t ignore them, look away and put them at the back of your mind. Acknowledge them and give...

During the 1990s, in my former parish of Manning, I instructed, baptised, received into the Church and confirmed some 60 young people, mostly students at Curtin University or other educational colleges, from Indonesia or other parts of South East Asia. This special pastoral work introduced me to many new friends.  It also created the need for a support group to help with the religious in...

Perth musicians, Pipe Organ Plus will perform the upcoming concert, Terrae, on September 23 at the Basilica of St Patrick in Fremantle. The concert will focus on the music of France from the Renaissance to the end of the 20th century. It will be held at 2.30pm at the Basilica on the corner of Parry and Adelaide Streets in Fremantle. To wrap up the afternoon’s entertainment, organis...

St Luke’s Parish in Woodvale has a thriving Friendship Group of over-60s who meet in the parish hall for activities and get together regularly for other events. Its president, Judy Anderson, told The Record the group has been going for 17 years and has 40 members who meet once a month. The membership fee is $5 and the monthly meeting is held at noon on a Monday, with the annual genera...

St Emilie’s kicks off participation in Year of Grace and makes it a cause for multiple celebrations It was a grace-filled start for the Parish of St Emilie, Canning Vale when it launched its “Year of Grace’ on Sunday 17 June - also the Feast Day of St Emilie de Vialar, the parish patroness and foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition. Parishioners at all...

The students of Immaculate Heart College honoured Mary last month with a procession and crowning ceremony on May 25, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians, Patroness of Australia. The students were filled with anticipation as a month of preparation edged towards its fruition as parents, grandparents and family members began gathering in the College chapel. Students joined the congr...

South Perth parish dedicated and consecrated on the feast of Corpus Christi by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB 75 years after it was opened. It had been a long wait, but St Columba’s South Perth was finally dedicated and consecrated last Sunday, 75 years after it was blessed and opened. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB joined Parish Priest Monsignor Brian O’Loughlin and long-serving Pari...

Wild Weather not enough to drown out the choir at Holy Cross Parish in the celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi. Hundreds staved-off the wild weather to celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ at Holy Cross Parish, Hamilton Hill last Sunday, swapping streets for the interior of the church for the Portuguese-led annual Corpus Christi procession. Men and women of the Portu...