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.
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).
Thank you very much to the few volunteers who turned up to help. Despite limited numbers, a lot of work was completed in tidying up the front entrance of the property. It is planned to have a working Bee on the third Saturday of each month. Next working bee: Saturday 15th July.
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.
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:
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:
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.
With great sadness, I announce that today, 08/06/2023, at around 3:30pm Fr. Gabriel Taylor passed away at Holy Family Services Residental Aged Care.
Please pray for the repose of his soul, and keep the whole Pauline community in your prayers during this difficult and sorrowful time.
Details on his funeral will follow soon. They will be posted on the Shrine website, so to keep up to date on what is happening, please look there. You can also subscribe to the email list to get notifications.
Fr Richard and Fr Joseph Maria are looking for volunteers to help with the running and maintenance of the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy Penrose Park. This includes volunteers to help on days when large crowds are expected, volunteers to help with the cleaning of the church, but especially volunteers to help with the cleaning up and maintenance of the grounds.
We are looking for volunteers that would be interested in helping either on a regular bases or on occasions such as when we organise working bees. We are now looking at starting some regular working bees to tidy up the grounds, especially at the main entrance of the property and around the chapels and Grotto. This is a mammoth task! For anyone interested in helping please let us know in the comments or reach out to us via email at penrosepark@osppe.org.au.
Today, on the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker, we celebrate the name’s day of Fr. Joseph Maria the Subprior at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy – Penrose Park.
We pray for every blessing on him in his ministry.
Today, Friday the 28th of April, was the 11th Anniversary of the Priesthood of Fr. Richard Green, the Prior of the Monastery and Rectory of the Shrine at Our Lady of Mercy Penrose Park.
We thank him for all that he has done for the Shrine and the Pauline Community and pray that God will give him every blessing in his future ministry.
Weekly notices for the Shrine Bulletin:
UPDATE ON FR GABRIEL
Fr Gabriel is officially on Palliative care. He can still talk and interact but it is very strenuous for him. He is on heavy pain medication but not yet on morphine. Fr Richard has gone everyday and kept him company from about 10am to 7pm. The members of the community have all visited and spent time with Father. Fr Gabriel’s health is declining fast. He is paralysed in the left side of his body. Please keep him in your prayers for strength and perseverance and especially as he prepares to return home to the Father.
Fr Gabriel thanks everyone for their prayers, love and support at this time.
If you would like to write or visit Fr Gabriel, the following are his details:
Holy Family Services Retirement Village
116-132 Quakers Road, Marayong NSW 2148
If you would like to phone him (02) 9678-8200 (This is to the front desk) Please call ahead to make an appointment to visit him.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA
The Shrine Website has had a facelift and is regularly updated. Please refer to it and encourage others to check it out to find out info about and events happening in the Shrine. The Shrine also uses FaceBook and YouTube, please like, follow and subscribe for more information.
9:30am SUNDAY MASS
There has been a change to the Mass celebrated at 9:30am each Sunday which is usually celebrated in Polish. With the decline in numbers of congregants for the Polish Mass and many of the younger ones attending the English Masses, as well as no-one turning up for Easter Sunday, Fr Richard has made the following decision and change:
Commencing in May 2023
1st & 3rd Sundays of the Month, Mass will be celebrated in Polish
2nd, 4th & 5th Sundays of the Month, Mass will be celebrated in English
VOLUNTEERS NEEDS
There is still a need for helpers in the Shrine. If you would like to assist in any way or would like more information, please see Fr Richard.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Fr Joseph Maria is incharge of the Shrine photos and social media. He needs assistance as he cannot take photos when he is celebrant of the Mass or leading devotions. For anyone interested please speak to either Fr Joseph or Fr Richard.
PASCHAL PRECEPT
A reminder that all Catholics are obliged to go to Confession and Holy Communion at least once a year between Ash Wednesday and Trinity Sunday (4th June).
