SOME 850 students, teachers, parents, parish priests and Catholic Education Office staff flocked to St Mary’s Cathedral on 9 November to receive Archbishop Barry Hickey’s thanks for their outstanding contribution to the appeal for the restoration and completion of the Cathedral.
The Archbishop was supported by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton, Cathedral Dean and Cathedral restoration and completion appeal committee chair Mgr Michael Keating, Vicar General Mgr Brian O’Loughlin and Mgr Thomas McDonald who was Dean of the Cathedral throughout the appeal and restoration.
The Archbishop led a liturgical service of thanks in the Cathedral, then led representatives outside for the formal dedication of the Schools’ Memorial Garden in the south-east section of the Cathedral gardens. While the preparations for the thanksgiving and dedication were in progress and the invitations were being sent out, CEO director Ron Dullard suggested to schools that they consider making another effort to help reduce the $2.7 million still required to complete the appeal.
The schools responded with $106,000 and made a colourful contribution to the liturgical ceremony by presenting coloured boxes to Mgr Keating and piling the gifts high in front of the altar.
Following the ceremonies, all were invited to the underground facilities for refreshments which included the cutting of a first birthday cake to celebrate in advance the first anniversary of the re-opening of the Cathedral on 8 December last year.