Despite a population drain from the country to the city in recent decades, over 80 people celebrated a 50th anniversary mass in mid-October for St Michael’s Catholic Church in the wheatbelt town of Beacon.
Given that Beacon, situated about 320 kilometres north east of Perth and 70 kilometres south of the emu-proof fence, has a population of about 100, the turnout was a particularly significant.
In true rural Australian style the mass was followed by a luncheon and cutting of a special cake at the Beacon Country Club.
Members of the congregation restored the frames of the Stations of the Cross that used to hang in the former Trayning convent for the anniversary, while a beautiful new banner to hang in the church was sewn by Cheril Blokland (Walke).
The anniversary was marked on Sunday 16 October, 50 years and one day after the blessing and opening by Abbot Gregory Gomez of the Benedictine monastery of New Norcia on 15 October 1961.
Part of a sprawling parish administered from Bencubbin, St Michael’s continues to see Mass celebrated in a five week rotation.
Other mass centres in the parish include Our Lady Help of Christians in Mukinbudin and Our Lady of the Assumption in Koorda; parish priest Fr Chien Quyet Nguyen oversees the parish from the Lord of the Harvest church and presbytery at Bencubbin.
Catholic families who have resisted the drift from the country maintain the Church and a sacramental program is conducted in most years.
Despite, or perhaps because of, their relatively small numbers, parishioners feel fortunate to have a priest living in Bencubbin approximately 40 kilometres to the south so that regular weekly masses continue throughout the parish.
Abbot Gomez’s blessing in 1961 continued a long association with the Benedictine monastery.
The railway to Beacon was opened in 1931; the first mass was celebrated in the old town hall in 1935 by Fr Benedict Baranco OSB.
Regular mass was discontinued when the town’s Catholics became too few in number.
In 1953 mass was celebrated in the town’s CWA rooms; the hall was also used for the first mission given at Beacon in the same year.
The building of St Michael’s was instigated by Fr Placid Sesma OSB; the project was supported by six Catholic families. In 1961 the cost of the building and furnishings was 4000 pounds, with 1400 pounds being saved by volunteers.
Tom and Shirley Mulcahy, who moved to Beacon in 1964, recall hearing stories of the generosity of Mr Dick Shadbolt from Mukinbudin who lent vehicles to haul bricks for the building.
Fr Chien was given the honour of cutting the 50th anniversary cake at the Beacon Country Club.
Parishioners also thanked him for his assistance and enthusiasm in caring for the parish and their needs as members of the Church.