Month: August 2025

Here are the announcements for the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mercy / Częstochowa, the 24th of August:

SOLEMNITY OF OUR LADY OF MERCY / CZSTOCHOWA (26th August)
The Solemnity of Our Lady of Mercy will be celebrated for the wider Pilgrim community today, Sunday 24th August 2025, Solemn Mass at 11am.

The Solemnity proper is, Tuesday 26th August 2025, there will be a Solemn Mass at 11am. All are welcome to come and participate in these Solemnities and to render Thanks to God through the powerful intercession of Our Lady.

WORKING BEE
Thank you to everyone who came along and participated in the working bee last week. A good amount of work 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 20th September 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.

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF MERCY / CZESTOCHOWA
The novena to our Lady of Mercy is taking place as usual commencing on Sunday 17th August – Monday 25th August 2025. Thank you to everyone for sending in your intentions and donations, these are being prayed for and they are very much appreciated. Our Lady of Mercy, Pray for us.

FATIMA DAY
A Huge THANK YOU to Fr Wojciech Sliwa OSPPE, Parish Priest of St Margaret Mary’s, Merrylands for accepting the invitation to be the main celebrant. It was a lovely day and always a big THANK YOU to all who helped make the day a success. God bless you all.

The main celebrant for Fatima Day in September is Fr Richard Green OSPPE, Prior & Rector of Penrose Park. Please come along and celebrate Fatima day with us.

MORNING TEA AFTER 8AM MASS AT THE OLD MONASTERY
The next morning tea will be on Sunday 19th October 2025.

SAD NEWS
On Sunday 17th August, Luigi Zanatta one of the locals and regular pilgrims at the 8am Mass passed away. His funeral was held in the Shrine on Friday 22nd at 11am. Our condolences to his family and friends and we assure them that he will be prayed for by the Shrine community. Rest in Peace.

Here are the announcements for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 17th of August:

FATIMA DAY
A Huge THANK YOU to Fr Wojciech Sliwa OSPPE, Parish Priest of St Margaret Mary’s, Merrylands for accepting the invitation to be the main celebrant. It was a lovely day and always a big THANK YOU to all who helped make the day a success. God bless you all.

The main celebrant for Fatima Day in September is Fr Richard Green OSPPE, Prior & Rector of Penrose Park. Please come along and celebrate Fatima day with us.

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF MERCY / CZESTOCHOWA 

The novena to our Lady of Mercy will take place as usual commencing on Sunday 17th August – Monday 25th August 2025. For anyone wishing to include their intentions during this novena, slips can be found on the side table of the Church, alternatively they can be submitted electronically via the Shrine website, donations can be made in the same way. Our Lady of Mercy, Pray for us.

SOLEMNITY OF OUR LADY OF MERCY / CZSTOCHOWA (26th August)
The Solemnity of Our Lady of Mercy will be celebrated for the wider Pilgrim community on Sunday 24th August 2025 at the 11am Mass and on the Solemnity proper, Tuesday 26th August 2025, there will be another Solemn Mass at 11am. All are welcome to come and participate in these Solemnities and to render Thanks to God through the powerful intercession of Our Lady.

WORKING BEE

Thank you to everyone who came along and participated in the August 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 20th September 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

The next morning tea will be on Sunday 19th October 2025.

Here are the announcements for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 10th of August:

JUBILEE VISIT BY BISHOP BRIAN MASCORD & PAPAL BLESSING
A Huge Thank You to Bishop Brian Mascord and to all who came out (2nd August) for the Diocesan gathering to celebrate the Jubilee Year at Penrose Park. It was a lovely day and a great success all round. Thank you as well to all who helped out in some way to make the day run smoothly. God bless you all.

ANNUAL LEAVE
Welcome back to Br Augustine who has returned rejuvenated from annual leave.

FATIMA DAY (13th August)
The main celebrant for Fatima Day in August is Fr Wojciech Sliwa OSPPE. Parish Priest of St Margaret Mary’s, Merrylands. Please come along and celebrate Fatima day with us.

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION (15th August)
This Solemnity is a Holy day of Obligation, meaning that we should treat it like a Sunday and attend Mass in honour of Our Lady. In addition to the usual Mass at 11am there will be a Mass celebrated at 6pm in the Shrine Church. All welcome to attend.

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF MERCY / CZESTOCHOWA 

The novena to our Lady of Mercy will take place as usual commencing on Sunday 17th August – Monday 25th August 2025. For anyone wishing to include their intentions during this novena, slips can be found on the side table of the Church, alternatively they can be submitted electronically via the Shrine website, donations can be made in the same way. Our Lady of Mercy, Pray for us.

WORKING BEE

Thank you to everyone who came along and participated in the July 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 16th August 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).

WINTER SEASON – WEEKDAY MASSES (COMMENCING 2nd JUNE 2025)
Weekday Masses (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) during the winter season have been celebrated at the Old Monastery. As from Monday 11th August, all Masses will move back to the Shrine Church.

OFFICIAL YEAR OF JUBILEE PRAYER

Father who art in heaven, the faith that you have given us in your Son Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity infused into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, awaken in us the blessed hope in the coming of your Kingdom. Your grace transforms us into dedicated cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel let humanity and the cosmos ferment, confidently waiting of the new heavens and the new earth, When the forces of evil are defeated, Your glory will be manifested forever. The grace of the Jubilee revive in us, Pilgrims of Hope, the longing for heavenly goods and spread throughout the world joy and peace of our Redeemer. To you, eternally blessed God, be praise and glory forever. Amen.

Here are the announcements for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 3rd of August:

JUBILEE VISIT BY BISHOP BRIAN MASCORD & PAPAL BLESSING
A Huge Thank You to Bishop Brian Mascord and to all who came out yesterday (2nd August) for the Diocesan gathering to celebrate the Jubilee Year at Penrose Park. It was a lovely day and a great success all round. Thank you as well to all who helped out in some way to make the day run smoothly. God bless you all.

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF MERCY / CZESTOCHOWA 

The novena to our Lady of Mercy will take place as usual commencing on Sunday 17th August – Monday 25th August 2025. For anyone wishing to include their intentions during this novena, slips can be found on the side table of the Church, alternatively they can be submitted electronically via the Shrine website, donations can be made in the same way. Our Lady of Mercy, Pray for us.

ANNUAL LEAVE
Br Augustine is on annual leave. We pray that he has a wonderful time and comes back rejuvenated.

WORKING BEE

Thank you to everyone who came along and participated in the July 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 16th August 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).

WINTER SEASON – WEEKDAY MASSES (COMMENCING 2nd JUNE 2025)
Weekday Masses (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) during the winter season have been celebrated at the Old Monastery. As from Monday 11th August, all Masses will move back to 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.