By Harry Argus
ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey’s pastoral visit to the Goldfields earlier this month to bless a new residential convent for the Missionary Sisters of Charity proved to be a moment of renewal for the local faithful.
In an open-air Mass he concelebrated in the rear garden of the new convent on Roberts Street in Kalgoorlie, Archbishop Hickey said the very fact the new convent was built is testament to God’s providence, the charity of the locals and the power and growth of the Sisters of Charity’s apostolate. Their original convent in Kalgoorlie – their home since 2005 – was a State Housing Commission Home in the suburb of Golden Grove.
About forty parishioners gathered with the Missionary Sisters as the Archbishop concelebrated with Frs Joseph Rathnaraj and Chris Alambe in the open-air setting as the new convent chapel proved too small for the grand occasion which drew over 40 people.
In his homily, the Archbishop said that due to God’s Providence and the gratitude and the love that the parishioners and the city’s population have for the Missionary Sisters of Charity’s “wonderful work” of caring for the Goldfields community, they needed a larger and more secure residence for them to stay in the parish for their future ever growing apostolate.
He added that Jesus continues His Father’s will down through the centuries; and that by the faithful today, through the aftermath of Easter and Pentecost, the love of God will continue to grow in the 2000’s through the witness, love and trust in God of the faithful. The Archbishop stressed that he was so grateful that the Missionary Sisters of Charity were stationed in the Archdiocese and helping the poor in the Goldfields and in Perth. He said that through the Australian Province of the Missionary Sisters of Charity, they had also started a new Home of Care in East Timor last year. After the Mass, the Archbishop blessed the convent and chapel, then the Blessed Sacrament was placed in the chapel’s tabernacle.
Sr Maria Lucy MC, the Australian Provincial also came from Sydney for the Mass and home blessing. The Sisters purchased the larger home through a bequest given to them. In the evening, Archbishop Hickey celebrated a moving 6.30pm Saturday Parish Mass in St Mary’s Church in Kalgoorlie for about 150 parishioners. In his homily, he said he knew many priests over the years that had served the faithful in the parish.
The Archbishop, who was born at Leonora in the Goldfields in 1936, was educated by Presentation Sisters and Christian Brothers at Wiluna and Kalgoorlie before attending St Charles Seminary in Guildford in 1950. Reminding the faithful that the Catholic Church is now celebrating the “Year for Priests,” he said they “must pray very hard for our priests and more vocations”.
He said that many good priests needed prayers and support, as the Church has been severely wounded by sex scandals over the years.
He encouraged the faithful by saying that the Holy Spirit will eventually purify the Church from “these terrible, sinful crimes, and the sorrow and pain they have caused to so many families and innocent people”.
At 9am the next morning, Archbishop Hickey concelebrated Mass with Fr Joseph in St John Vianney’s Church in Kambalda for about 30 parishioners. In his homily, the Archbishop told the faithful that while he was now visiting the Goldfields, he wanted to come to Kambalda to meet the parishioners and to celebrate in their church a special Mass for all the priests of the Archdiocese during the “Year for Priests.”
He noted that their church was named after St John Vianney – patron of the Year for Priests – and is the only church in the Archdiocese named after the patron saint of priests.
Urging the faithful again to pray for many vocations on the feast day of the Ascension of the Lord, the Archbishop told them that the Resurrection and the Ascension of Our Lord are similar in meaning.
Christ’s Resurrection into new life meant that His work of salvation on earth was complete. The Ascension of the Lord meant that now that His work on earth was complete; He now returns to the Father, the Archbishop said.
The Archbishop told the faithful that Christ promised the Apostles before He ascended into Heaven that He would send the Holy Spirit to enlighten their minds, and for them to spread the good news of God’s love and salvation everywhere; which today has spread even as far as Kambalda. He said they must prepare themselves to receive the Holy Spirit the next week at Pentecost Sunday, and that they must live holy lives in the future thanking God for their faith and the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments, Masses, and by helping others in the community.
Archbishop Hickey also told the small Kambalda congregation that he was about to begin an evangelisation programme in the Archdiocese where a centre will be set up for the “lost sheep,” of the Church to return. He said that through prayer, the media, publications, emails and willing helpers, he hoped for a successful outcome of the programme.
On his return to Kalgoorlie, he also caught up with many of the parishioners who had just been to the 10am Mass at St Mary’s Church in Kalgoorlie.