Bateman Parish St Thomas More Church has recently celebrated the official blessing and opening of a new Columbarium.
A significant milestone in the pastoral life of the parish, the columbarium provides a sacred resting place for the ashes of the deceased.
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB led the celebration that included the blessing, opening and a community Mass.
Reflecting on the occasion, Archbishop Costelloe said the columbarium was a significant and symbolic addition to the Bateman parish community that provided a sacred resting place and lasting connection to the parish for generations to come.
Parish Priest, Fr Phong Nguyen, said the columbarium was a long-awaited blessing and a meaningful addition to parish life, offering a sacred space for remembrance, prayer, and ongoing connection between the living and the dead within the parish community.
He said the project was a collaborative achievement that reflected the strong engagement and leadership within the parish, and one that symbolised faith, remembrance, community continuity, and a lasting spiritual resource for current and future generations of parishioners.
Highly symbolic, the columbarium comprises three limestone towers that are open to the sky and linked by tear-drop shaped paving. Each tower is octagonal in shape to reflect the shape of the baptismal font within the church. A pentagonal-shaped seat made from solid Spotted Gum hardwood sits at the centre of each columbarium tower. The entire structure resides within an expanded parish garden containing peppermint and almond trees.
Recessed niches within each tower will contain cremated remains and it is intended the columbarium will be available to parishioners, their families and those with a meaningful connection to the parish.
Following Mass, parishioners and guests gather for a shared meal – further reinforcing the sense of community within the parish.
