By Bridget Spinks
SAINT Simon Peter parish in Ocean Reef celebrated its 25th anniversary with Perth Archbishop Barry Hickey offering Mass and blessing a new chapel for Eucharistic adoration and two new stained glass windows on 19 June.
Regional superior of Salvatorians in Australia, Fr Karol Kulczycki and Salvatorian parish priest Fr Dariusz Krysztalowicz concelebrated Mass on the feast of Trinity Sunday.
The Salvatorian community of priests were entrusted with the parish in 2001 and members Fr Bronislaw Pietrusewicz SDS, Fr Ryszard Sadowski SDS, Fr Roman Wroblewski SDS and Fr Zygmunt Smigowski SDS attended at Mass as did former parish priest Fr Richard Rutkauskas and former assistant parish priest Fr Phong Nguyen.
Archbishop Hickey described the occasion during his homily as a 25th anniversary of “God’s providence, His love for the community and your response to that”.
“We live in a society that takes people away from the Church; we need to draw them into a parish so they never want to leave,” he said.
In reference to St Paul’s greeting to the Corinthians, which is said at the beginning of each Mass – “May the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” – the Archbishop remarked on the unity or “fellowship of the Holy Spirit” that the parish enjoys with its three affiliated schools.
Prendiville Catholic College, the first school connected to the parish, was built in 1985 and opened in February 1986; St Simon Peter Catholic Primary School was established in 1988 with Mercy Sr Breda O’Reilly the first principal and Fr Simon Carson as first parish priest. Currambine Catholic Primary School, also connected to the parish, was established in 1995 with Sue Groves as the first principal.
The Archbishop added that he has come to realise that the most important element of the diocese is the parish and that the lifeblood of the parish is “so important”.
Prayer such as the Rosary and prayer to the saints were also essential, he said, because without it, “we’re just a secular organisation”.
“Prayer life is necessary for our spiritual formation but it is also necessary to go back into the world,” he said, reinforcing the mission of the laity, which he addressed in his recent Pentecost Pastoral Letter.
“The parish provides that formation. You are little apostles of Jesus by the way you treat others, by the way you act, by the way you talk in conversations,” he told the 400 parishioners who filled St Simon Peter’s Ocean Reef for 10am Mass.
After Mass, the parish reminisced the last 25 years spent building a firm foundation for the future of the parish as they watched a slide show presenting historical parish moments including various celebrations of First Holy Communions and Confirmations for the school children; Fr Bronislaw and Fr Dariusz’s 40th birthdays; karaoke nights and theatrical productions the parish has hosted over the years. The parish also hosted a dinner dance on 18 June as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations for close 250 parishioners in Prendiville Catholic College gym and took orders for commemorative bottles of Port at its celebratory morning tea after Mass.
The two new stained glass windows blessed by Archbishop Hickey were of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
THE new chapel for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St Simon Peter parish Church in Ocean Reef was formed by removing the outside wall of what used to be the altar servers’ and acolytes’ room and adding another room with access from the sheltered area on the western side of the church.
Eucharistic Adoration will occur at the chapel from 9am to 9pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Rosters for these times have been in effect for several months, using the crying room in church. An adoration period from 5pm to 7pm, which has been available for many years in the church, will continue on Thursdays.
The new chapel has been equipped with kneelers and seats, which were brought to Perth some years ago from a convent in Geraldton.
Ocean Reef Parish Council Chairman John Hollywood said it was hoped that the chapel would attract more committed adorers, leading eventually to longer periods of adoration.
People from neighbouring parishes were welcome to join the rosters.
To sign up for a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration at St Simon Peter’s Ocean Reef,
call 9300 4885.