Hilton parishioners have this month celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and in preparation for the following week’s celebration of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.
The Hilton Parish Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Mt Carmel, a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order.
Commencing with the 9am Mass, Sunday 16 July, the celebrations continued with a celebratory cutting of the cake by long-time parishioners, including 84-year-old Marian Randall, 84, Portio Curton, 83 and Rose Pearce, 83.
Ms Randall, Ms Curton and Ms Pearce have each spent more than 30 years at Hilton Parish, and the celebration was enjoyed by all with many parishioners networking till after 11am.
World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly was celebrated internationally, Sunday 23 July, with Parish Priest Fr Paul Raj emphasised that all grandparents and the elderly were acknowledged during the homily and prayers of the faithful.
Fr Paul continued by highlighting that the elderly parishioners of Hilton have worked hard in making the parish their home.
“For the last 10 years, our parishioners have chosen the motto, ‘Hospitality is our Special Care” and as such have extended a designated area for hospitality in front of the church,” Fr Paul explained.
“A team of parishioners work together each week to organise and co-ordinate morning tea for all after 9am Mass.
“This works well here in Hilton, especially for elderly parishioners,” Fr Paul concluded.
Prior to the celebrations on 16 July, several parishioners committed to nine days of novena, praying for peace, families, youth, victims of violence and abuse, the sick and the elderly.