YP parishioners gather for anniversary
Local
The Yorke Peninsula parish celebrated the 100th anniversary of St Margaret Mary’s Church at Edithburgh on Pentecost Sunday (May 28), the birthday of the church.
Officiating at the anniversary Mass, Vicar General Fr Dean Marin said just as the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost had united the early followers of Christ, St Margaret Mary’s Church had provided the means for the community to come together in faith.
He acknowledged all those who “have gone before us in faith” on Yorke Peninsula, particularly those who built the church and sustained it as a place of worship for 100 years.
During the Mass, a special feature was the blessing of salt that was added to the holy water. With about 100 salt lakes in the Edithburgh/Yorketown district, salt became the lifeblood of the town as it was exported throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The church’s foundation stone was laid and blessed by Archbishop Robert Spence, alongside the parish priest Fr Martin McNamara, on May 27 1923.
Fr Marin said people of different classes and faith persuasions from all over the Peninsula were there that day. Archbishop Spence encouraged all to ‘raise the wind’ in reference to raising money to pay for the building of the church.
Margaret Manning of Yorketown is said to have left a significant amount through her estate to fund the building.
Fr Marin was assisted by four altar servers, three of whom are the great great great grandsons of Mrs Manning. The other altar server was the great great great grandson of an early parishioner and donor of a stained glass window, James Byrne.
The celebratory lunch which followed the Mass featured history boards, memorabilia and a special acknowledgement of the birthday and the good works of long-time church cleaner Marlene Brinsley.
Yorketown Parish Pastoral Council chair Chris Collins congratulated the local parishioners for providing a memorable occasion for the important parish milestone.
“Many thanks are due to all who helped ready the church and grounds, prepare the liturgy and music and collate the memorabilia,” he said.
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