Here are the announcements for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 2nd of August:
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CORONATION
OF THE ICON OF THE BLACK MADONNA CELEBRATIONS
The Solemnity will be celebrated on Sunday 23rd August 2026 for the good of the Pilgrims
8am: Mass in the Shrine Church
9am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Lauds in the Shrine Church
9:30am: Usual Mass is CANCELLED!
10:30am: Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and singing of the Pauline Litany of the B.V.M (Kleczki)
11am: Solemn Reception of the Most Rev Brian Mascord DD and Solemn Mass of the Anniversary
The Solemnity Proper is celebrated on Wednesday 26th August 2026
9:30am: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Lauds in the Shrine Church
10:30am: Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and singing of the Pauline Litany of the B.V.M
11am: Solemn Mass of the Solemnity / Anniversary celebrated by Very Rev Jaroslaw Zan OSPPE
FATIMA DAY
The Main Celebrant for Fatima Day in August will be Fr Isidore Chidi Enyinnaya OSPPE. Newly professed members of the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit.
PHOTO ALBUM OF THE CORONATION 2001
To mark the occassion of the 25th Anniversary of the Coronation of the Icon, a commemorative photo album has been put together and is available for sale in the piety shop. The album is $25 each.
A big Thank you to the Shrine Archivist, Jess Molloy for her hard work in putting together the album and making an important piece of histroy available to us.
SUPPLY IN BOWRAL PARISH
During the month of August the Fathers will be assiting in Corpus Christ Parish, Bowral/Mittagong, while Fr Sean Cullen, Parish Priest is on annual leave. We pray that Fr Sean has a great holiday and returns refreshed and rejuvenated.
If anyone is wishing to see any of the Father’s, especially Fr Richard, please make an appointment by contacting the Monastery office.
SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION – 15th August
The solemnity of the Assumption, 15th August is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass times at the Shrine will be as Follows:
Vigil Mass (14th August): 5pm
Mass of the day (15th August): 8:30am & 11am
NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF MERCY/JASNA GORA The novena to our Lady of Mercy will take place as usual commencing on Monday 17th August – Tuesday 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.
VOTIVE CANDLE STANDS
This is a periodic reminder that the votive candle stands are a unique burning system therefore ONLY the candles provided are to be used in them and not other forms of tea lights or candles as this is a fire hazard as well as it damages the glass holders and clogs them with wax. If you wish to make an offering of tea lights or candles please give them to someone in the Monastic community or leave them unlit on one of the side Altars.
LEAVING OF RELIGIOUS ARTICLES
It is requested that people do not leave flyers, leaflets or other devotional items on the side table of the Church without permission from either Fr Joseph Maria Buckley or Fr Richard Green.
It is also requested that people not leave broken or damaged religious items they no longer want around the chapels or shrine grounds. And ABSOLUTELY NO lighting of candles during summer outside due to the Fire Hazard of doing so.
JUBILEE YEAR OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
We are in the midst of the Jubilee Year of St Francis, commemorating the 800th anniversary of the death of
the beloved Poor Man of Assisi. The Jubilee Year extends from 10 January 2026 to 10 January 2027.
The Apostolic Penitentiary has decreed that a Plenary Indulgence be granted to all the Faithful, “who, with a heart detached from sin, participate in the Year of Saint Francis by visiting, in the form of a pilgrimage, any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship anywhere in the world dedicated to Saint Francis or connected to him for any reason […] concluding with the Our Father, the Creed and invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Clare and all the Saints of the Franciscan Family” (Decree, 16 January 2026).
To gain the special Jubilee indulgence within the Diocese of Wollongong, you are encouraged to make a pilgrimage, on any suitable day, to St Francis of Assisi Church, Warrawong or to St Michael’s Church, Thirroul and observe the conditions given above.
Special Masses will be celebrated in both parishes for
the Feast of St Francis on Sunday 4 October. May St Francis – whose life of holy simplicity renewed the Church and changed the course of history – intercede
for us and inspire us to live the Gospel with our whole
heart. Please contact the above parishes for further information.