By Bridget Spinks
IT was standing room only at St Bernadette’s in Glendalough on 3 April as the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary with Archbishop Barry Hickey.
The Archbishop, parish priest Fr Doug Harris and his assistant, Fr Joseph Remi Asnabun, concelebrated 9am Mass to mark the occasion.
More than 300 parishioners attended the Mass and about half of those attended a celebratory morning tea for the parish at the nearby Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged afterwards.
A painting of St Bernadette, painted by Rockingham daily communicant Joe Faihley, was unveiled during the morning tea. He had painted it as a gift for the parish, “not knowing about our anniversary,” parish priest Fr Doug said.
At morning tea, Archbishop Hickey spoke about the history of the word ‘Glendalough,’ pronounced, ‘Glendalock’.
Glendalough – which means ‘between the two lakes’ – was named by Archbishop Redmond Prendiville after the town in Ireland.
Ted Brindle gave a history of the parish followed by Glendalough’s parish priest of eight years, Fr Harris, who focused on its future.
“Where is the parish going?” he asked, and encouraged people to get more involved in the Legion of Mary but also in basic ecclesial communities. He asked if someone would volunteer to organise small groups to encourage people within their own area to come Mass.
“Someone who lives in that geographical area would take that role of reaching out to people in that area with the intention of bringing them back to Mass,” he said, and encouraged people not to be shy and to step forward and help.
Apart from being parish priest, Fr Doug is involved in other initiatives, including being a member and chaplain to the Pioneer of Total Abstinence Society and the founder of the Apostles of Perpetual Adoration.
In 2006, Fr Doug founded the apostolate with the charism to promote Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in parishes. This organisation has been granted permanent canonical status by Archbishop Hickey as a public Association of Christ’s faithful.
Fr Doug introduced Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration at the parish in 2005. Every week since then, around 300 adorers have visited Christ in the Eucharist, round the clock. Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration at the parish has seen an increase in the level of faith and spiritual growth of parishioners, Fr Doug said.
“One fruit is daily Mass attendance; a large proportion of the parish now attend Mass every day,” Fr Doug said.
“The aim of every parish priest is to have people come and receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist because it is the greatest food that Our Lord has to offer.”
According to Fr Doug, average weekend Mass attendance across the parish’s Saturday 6.30pm vigil, and 9am and 7pm Sunday Masses is around 250.
At least 50 parishioners attend daily Mass at either 7.30am or 5.45pm, Monday to Friday at the parish.