Working Bee – Saturday 21st of October

During our monthly working bee on the 3rd Saturday of the month (21st of October) we are looking to begin cleaning up the dead wood around the chapels at the back of the property. See attached photos to get an idea of what we are going to do. The goal of doing so will be:

  • We want our Shrine to look as beautiful as possible to be spiritually uplifting to the pilgrims that come.
  • It is said to be a high-risk fire season coming, so we want to be as prepared as possible.
  • The general safety of those that walk around the Shrine property.

The program for the day would be:

  • Mass at around 8:15am in the Shrine Church
  • Begin work at 9am at the back of the property
  • BBQ lunch around 1:30pm
  • Finish around 5:30pm (for those that can stay the whole day).

The work will be everything from collecting small branches to large logs, loading them in a trailer and putting them in an open field where they can be burnt next winter.

Solid shoes and gloves would be a must. Anyone who can bring a chainsaw to help cut up logs or a tailer to help move them is encouraged to bring them.

Working Bee, Thank You

We would like to greatly thank the 15 generous volunteers that came to our working bee on the 15th of July. We were able to begin the process of cleaning up around the Annunciation Scene at the entrance of the property (you can now see our Lady and the Angel). A huge amount of work was done removing the overgrowth. We will soon be able to replant it so it really looks beautiful. The photos don’t do it justice, but as your drive in now, the difference is very noticeable.

The next working bee will be Saturday, 19th of August, and we will continue the cleanup around the entrance of the property.

Funeral of Fr Gabriel Taylor

The Church at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy is now ready for the arrival of Fr Gabriel Taylor for his funeral tomorrow.

We would like to advise that there will be no live streaming of the funeral because of technical difficulties due to the remoteness of the Shrine and the lack of a reliable internet connection.

However, the funeral will be recorded, and the video uploaded to our website after.

REST IN PEACE FR GABRIEL TAYLOR OSPPE

Fr Gabriel passed away peacefully on Thursday 8th June at about 3:30pm at Holy Family Services nursing home in Marayong. Fr Gabriel recently celebrated his 32nd anniversary of Priestly Ordination. He is known for his gentle and approachable nature, a man both of God and of the people. He was always one for a smile and a laugh. Fr Gabriel was a very well renowned confessor with many pilgrims coming especially on Fatima Day (13th of each month) just so as they can go to him to confession. Fr Gabriel has been in Penrose Park for the past 12 years filling various offices and roles within the monastic community. Due to his declining health in 2016, he resigned as Prior of the Monastery and Rector of the Shrine. Over the past year he has battled with a cancer on his head which had gone through to the bone and exposing the brain thus making it untreatable. In November 2022, Fr Gabriel was given 2-5 years depending on the spread of the cancer and in December 2022, he was admitted into Holy Family Services, Marayong to receive the full care that he deserved. Unfortunately over the past 4 months the cancer spread rapidly and was found to be untreatable and affected him physically, causing paralysis and slowly shutting his body down. Fr Gabriel will be truly missed both as a member of the Shrine community and the Pauline Province of Australia. May he Rest in Peace!

VIGIL & VIEWING OF FR GABRIEL
The Solemn Reception of the Body of Fr Gabriel and Vigil Liturgy will be on Monday 19th June at the Old Monastery commencing at 3pm and concluding around 7pm.
The Order of Service will be the following:
3pm: Reception of the Body, procession into the Old Monastery Chapel and opening of the coffin along with the Funeral Vigil Liturgy.
4pm: Rosary (Joyful Mysteries)
5pm: Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries)
6pm: Solemn Vespers and closing of the coffin.

Refreshments will be available in the conference room in the Old Monastery.

SOLEMN REQUIEM FOR FR GABRIEL
The Solemn Pontifical Funeral Mass for Fr Gabriel will be in the Shrine Church on Tuesday 20th June commencing at 11am.
The Order of the day is as follows:
8am: Reception of the Body and procession into the Shrine Church
8:30am: Solemn Morning Prayer of the Church
9am: Viewing in the Shrine Church
9:30am: Rosary (Luminous Mysteries)
10:15am: Closing of the coffin and Rosary (Glorious Mysteries)
10:40am: Singing of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
11am: Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass

Burial will follow the Mass and will take place at St Patrick’s cemetery, Sutton Forest.

Wake and Refreshments to follow at St Paul’s Parish Hall (24 Garrett Street, Moss Vale).

Announcements from the Bulletin for the Feast of Corpus Christi

Here are the Announcements from the Bulletin for the Feast of Corpus Christi:

FATIMA DAY

This Fatima Day is also the Feast of St Anthony. So Mass will also be the conclusion of the Novena to St Anthony with the blessing of Bread. Otherwise, everything will continue according to the regular Fatima Day Schedule.

VIGIL & VIEWING OF FR GABRIEL
The Solemn Reception of the Body of Fr Gabriel and Vigil Liturgy will be on Monday 19th June at the Old Monastery commencing at 3pm and concluding around 7pm.
The Order of Service will be the following:
3pm: Reception of the Body, procession into the Old Monastery Chapel and opening of the coffin along with the Funeral Vigil Liturgy.
4pm: Rosary (Joyful Mysteries)
5pm: Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries)
6pm: Solemn Vespers and closing of the coffin.

Refreshments will be available in the conference room in the Old Monastery.

SOLEMN REQUIEM FOR FR GABRIEL
The Solemn Pontifical Funeral Mass for Fr Gabriel will be in the Shrine Church on Tuesday 20th June commencing at 11am.
The Order of the day is as follows:
8am: Reception of the Body and procession into the Shrine Church
8:30am: Solemn Morning Prayer of the Church
9am: Viewing in the Shrine Church
9:30am: Rosary (Luminous Mysteries)
10:15am: Closing of the coffin and Rosary (Glorious Mysteries)
10:40am: Singing of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
11am: Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass

Burial will follow the Mass and will take place at St Patrick’s Cemetery, Sutton Forest.

Wake and Refreshments to follow at St Paul’s Parish Hall (24 Garrett Street, Moss Vale).

WORKING BEE

On Saturday 17th of June we will have a working bee to clean up the front of the property. It will start at 8am with Mass before volunteers move to the front of the property to begin work. Please bring gardening gloves, solid shoes and any gardening tools you might want to help with.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDS
Fr Richard is looking for volunteers to assist on the day of Fr Gabriel’s funeral (Ushers, greeters etc). Please see him if you are able to help.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA
Please refer to the website which is regularly updated, please encourage others to check it out to find out info about events happening in the Shrine. The Shrine also uses FaceBook and YouTube, please like, follow and subscribe for more information.

VOTIVE CANDLE STANDS
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 light 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 light candles please give them to someone in the Monastic community or leave them unlit on one of the side Altars.

Funeral of Fr. Gabriel Taylor

The details for the Funeral of Fr. Gabriel Taylor are as follows. The Vigil will be on the 19th of June at 3 pm. The Funeral Mass will be on the 20th of June at 11 am. The full program for the vigil and funeral are as follows:

VIGIL & VIEWING OF FR GABRIEL

The Solemn Reception of the Body of Fr Gabriel and Vigil Liturgy will be on Monday, 19th June, at the Old Monastery, commencing at 3 pm and concluding around 7 pm. 

The Order of Service will be the following:

  • 3  pm: Reception of the Body, procession into the Old Monastery Chapel and opening of the coffin along with the Funeral Vigil Liturgy.
  • 4 pm: Rosary (Joyful Mysteries)
  • 5 pm: Rosary (Sorrowful Mysteries)
  • 6 pm: Solemn Vespers and closing of the coffin.

Refreshments will be available in the conference room in the Old Monastery.

SOLEMN REQUIEM FOR FR GABRIEL

The Solemn Pontifical Funeral Mass for Fr Gabriel will be in the Shrine Church on Tuesday, 20th June, commencing at 11 am. 

The Order of the day is as follows:

  • 8 am: Reception of the Body and procession into the Shrine Church
  • 8:30 am: Solemn Morning Prayer of the Church
  • 9 am: Viewing in the Shrine Church
  • 9:30 am: Rosary (Luminous Mysteries)
  • 10:15 am: Closing of the coffin and Rosary (Glorious Mysteries)
  • 10:40 am: Singing of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  • 11am: Solemn Pontifical Requiem Mass

Burial will follow the Mass and will take place at St Patrick’s Cemetery, Sutton Forest.

Wake and Refreshments to follow at St Paul’s Parish Hall (24 Garrett Street, Moss Vale).

Please continue to keep Fr. Gabriel in your prayers.