Here are the announcements for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 6th of July:
FATIMA DAY – SUNDAY 13TH JULY
The main celebrant for the day will be the Most Reverend Michael Kennedy DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Newcastle-Maitland. We look forward to welcoming him along with pilgrims to the Shrine for the monthly Fatima day celebrations. Please note: As this day is a Sunday the following schedule will be in place:
- 8am – Mass in English
- 9:30am – CANCELLED
- 11am – As usual – please refer to the usual Fatima day schedule.
WORKING BEE
Thank you to everyone who came along and participated in the monthly working bee. A lot was achieved and the Shrine continues to look beautiful and cared for. All efforts are truly appreciated. The next working bee will be on Saturday 19th July 2025. Please consider coming along and helping to keep the Shrine beautiful for our local area and the pilgrims that visit. This Shrine is a treasure to the Order, Diocese and country, any help and forms of talent are always most welcome. Please speak to Fr Joseph Maria, Subprior for more information or specifics.
MORNING TEA AFTER 8AM MASS AT THE OLD MONASTERY
Due to the groups coming today morning tea has been cancelled as the Old Monastery is being used. The next morning tea will be scheduled after winter (around September/October).
JUBILEE VISIT BY BISHOP BRIAN MASCORD & PAPAL BLESSING
Bishop Brian will be coming to the Shrine on Saturday 2nd August 2025, for a visit to the Shrine as well as to impart the Papal blessing upon all the faithful as part of the Jubilee year celebrations. As this is also First Saturday the usual First Saturday schedule will be followed. For the Solemn Mass at 11am the Brazilian community, who also have their pilgrimage day, will be joining the Mass to make one big celebration at the Shrine and after the Mass they will head off for their procession whilst the usual First Saturday devotions take place in the Shrine Church. This ceremony is open to all so please come along and celebrate the Jubilee here at the Shrine. ALL WELCOME!
WINTER SEASON – WEEKDAY MASSES (COMMENCING 2nd JUNE 2025)
Weekday Masses (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) during the winter season will be celebrated at the Old Monastery. Friday (with devotions afterwards), Saturday (with devotions afterwards) and Sunday Masses will be celebrated in the Shrine Church as usual. Please note: If there is a Solemnity or a large group booked to come then Mass will be celebrated in the Shrine Church.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHRINE REGARDING CHAPELS
Fr Richard is currently undertaking an audit of all the Chapels that are onsite at the Shrine. The International shrines we originally begun as a means for a community to come together to build a devotional chapel which would also become a place of pilgrimage. As the years have gone by, more chapels have been built varying in size and usage. Along with the passing of time groups have dropped in numbers due to death, retirement and moving away or lack of transport. Permission to build chapels were granted to groups so as there is a succession plan to look after it as well as it doesn’t fall on just one person plus the added numbers would help in the maintenance of the Shrine at large. Due to the declining number for some groups they have fallen into disrepair right through to outright neglect. In the event of a group folding, disbanding or neglecting a chapel, it returns to the custodianship of the Pauline Fathers for the community to decide to whom and for what the future of a chapel has in store.
Fr Richard is slowly getting in touch with the contacts and the groups that run the various chapels but he has also made the decision that until all is clarified, there will be absolutely NO MORE chapels built and custodianship will not be given to a group until it is clear that there is no one else assigned to care for the chapel. This decision is not easy but it will also allow the community and those who help at the working bees to focus on maintaining and updating the current chapels and especially the surrounds / landscaping which again is in desperate need for TLC. For more information of to put yourself forward to help in any way please speak to Fr Richard or Fr Joseph Maria.