Here are the announcements for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the 13th of July:
FATIMA DAY
A very big THANK YOU to Bishop Michael Kennedy for accepting the invitation to be today’s main celebrant and homilist. His inspiring words are greatly appreciated. Please keep praying for him as he continues to minister to the people in the Diocese of Newcastle-Maitland.
WELCOME
A very warm welcome to Fr Isidore Enyinnaya, who has entered the Pauline Fathers and Brothers. Fr Isidore is a Priest of some 27 years serving in various positions in Nigeria and working as Parish Priest of Nerang (Queensland). He brings to the Order much experience and will be based here in Penrose Park whilst completing his Canonical Noviciate in the Order. Please keep Fr Isidore in your prayers as he commences this great millstone in his vocation and please make him feel very welcome.
WORKING BEE
Thank you to everyone who comes along and participates in the monthly working bee. A lot is always achieved and the Shrine continues to look beautiful and cared for. All efforts are truly appreciated. The next working bee will be on Saturday 19th July 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.
JUBILEE VISIT BY BISHOP BRIAN MASCORD & PAPAL BLESSING
Bishop Brian will be coming to the Shrine on Saturday 2nd August 2025, for a visit to the Shrine as well as to impart the Papal blessing upon all the faithful as part of the Jubilee year celebrations. As this is also First Saturday the usual First Saturday schedule will be followed. For the Solemn Mass at 11am the Brazilian community, who also have their pilgrimage day, will be joining the Mass to make one big celebration at the Shrine and after the Mass they will head off for their procession whilst the usual First Saturday devotions take place in the Shrine Church. This ceremony is open to all so please come along and celebrate the Jubilee here at the Shrine. ALL WELCOME!
READERS AT MASS
This is a periodic run looking for volunteers. We are looking for people interested in reading at the Sunday Masses and other times during the Liturgical year. It is always good to have a few people and if this is achieved a roster can be created for each of the Masses. Please speak to one of the community or please email the office and specify which particular Sunday Mass you would like to read at and the regularity you can offer.
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.
WINTER SEASON – WEEKDAY MASSES (COMMENCING 1st JUNE 2025)
Weekday Masses (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) during the winter season will be celebrated at the Old Monastery. Friday (with devotions afterwards), Saturday (with devotions afterwards) and Sunday Masses will be celebrated in the Shrine Church as usual. Please note: If there is a Solemnity or a large group booked to come then Mass will be celebrated in 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.
PILGRIMS PASSPORTS
Pilgrims passports for the Diocese of Wollongong are available at the Mass intention stall and at the side table of the Shrine Church. The passport is used to help in pilgrim visits to the designated places of pilgrimage in the Diocese and when a visit is completed they are stamped as a recognition of the visit. For those wishing to get their passport stamped please enquire at the Monastery.
YEAR OF JUBILEE 2025
The Diocese of Wollongong’s celebration of the Jubilee year of the Universal Church is from Sunday 29th December 2024 – 28th December 2025. During this time the faithful are encouraged pilgrimage to the designated sites in the Diocese and in doing so can gain a plenary indulgence. Pilgrim passports have been produced for people to take to get stamped that they have visited one of the sites, these are available on the side table of the Church. Penrose Park is one of the designated Pilgrimage sites, the other 5 sites for the Diocese are as follows:
ST FRANCIS XAVIER CATHEDRAL, WOLLONGONG
36 Harbour Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, UNANDERRA
48–50 Princes Hwy, Unanderra NSW 2526
OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS, ROSEMEADOW
80 Demetrius Road, Rosemeadow NSW 2560
ST MARY STAR OF THE SEA, MILTON
Lot 1 Corks Lane, Milton NSW 2538
ST JOSEPH’S, KANGAROO VALLEY
130 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley NSW 2577
