Category: Announcements

UPDATE: After just over 24 hours power is back.

Dear pilgrims to the Shrine we had a major thunderstorm this afternoon that has taken out power to the Shrine and sounding properties. Endeavour Energy has been and assessed the situation and given the prediction that along with all the other jobs around the area that it could be 12-24 hours before power is restored. Therefore we are altering all pilgrims that there will be inconvenience at the shrine and recommend if you are planing to visit that you postpone the trip. When the situation changes you will be duely alerted. All means of communication are down (no phone and internet). Please share this post so we can reach as many people as possible. – Fr Richard

The December Working Bee will be on Saturday 16th December and will conclude at about 1 pm. After this, we invite all volunteers and their families of the Shrine to come along for a Christmas BBQ at the Monastery. This is a chance to get together before the busy time of Christmas and for the Pauline Community to THANK YOU for all your wonderful service throughout the year. Please RSVP to Fr Richard asap.

During our monthly working bee on the 16th of December, we are going to continue the work begun last month cleaning up the dead wood around the chapels at the back of the property. 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 who walk around the Shrine property.

The program for the day would be:

• Mass at around 8:15 am in the Shrine Church
• Begin work at 9 am at the back of the property
• BBQ lunch around 1 pm

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 trailer to help move them is encouraged to bring them.

The proposed sand quarry, which is to be located behind the grotto and will affect five properties along Hanging Rock Road and many others between Penrose Park and Sally’s Corner, is submitting for approval a revised development application. This quarry is for 30 years and will be in operation 24/7. This is something we oppose along with many of the local residents for several important reasons, such as pollution of the water table, silica dust, noise, increased traffic, devastation to the local flora and fauna, especially wildlife and, of course, the ruination of this beautiful part of the state. We ask you to please help us oppose this quarry as we only have until 04/12/23 to submit concerns/objections. Individual and collective submissions can be made on the Department of Planning and Environmental portal at:
www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/sutton-forest-sand-quarry
More information can be found on the side table in the Church, as well as the brief from the “Save our Sands” local action group.

More information on saveoursandsalliance.com.

Also, we have a ready formatted submission that can be used. See the following file.

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.

We would like to congratulate Br Augustine Apolloni, who renewed his religious vows for another year last Sunday, the 6th of August. This is a very important moment for him during his formation and discernment of his vocation with the Order of St Paul the First Hermit. We ask you to continue to keep him in your prayers.

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.

Fr Richard has purchased two golf buggies for the benefit of pilgrims coming to the Shrine, especially for Fatima Day or any major solemnity. He is looking for people interested in driving them. For anyone interested, please speak to Fr Richard or one of the community.

Recording of the June 20th Funeral Mass for 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.