Honouring a community of enduring faith
News
More than 300 people packed St Joseph’s Church at Brighton for the parish’s centenary Mass on March 16.
The focus of the Mass marking the start of a year of celebration was on the contribution of all parishioners to the life of the parish.
Representatives of its 21 groups of volunteers formed the entrance procession, together with representatives of the three Catholic schools (McAuley Community School, Christ the King School and Sacred Heart College) and two Religious orders which have had a presence in Brighton from before 1925 to today.
Archbishop Patrick O’Regan was the main celebrant with concelebrants Emeritus Bishop Greg O’Kelly SJ, parish priest Fr Michael Kyumu, Fr Prathap Katta SdM, retired priests including former parish priest Mgr Ian Dempsey and clergy from other parishes.
In his homily, Archbishop O’Regan said “a century ago, our forebears laid the foundation of not just a church but a beacon of faith, a refuge for weary hearts, a sanctuary where generations have met Christ in the sacraments, in prayer, and in one another”.
“Imagine the world of 1925: a time of transition and hope,” he said.
“The scars of World War I were still healing, and the world stood on the threshold of modernity…in 1925, Brighton, like much of the world, was growing and changing.
“Yet, here in Brighton, something more enduring than politics or technology was taking root – a community of faith.
“Families gathered, priests served, children were baptised, couples exchanged vows, and the Eucharist was celebrated. The seeds sown then have borne fruit in abundance, and today, we are the heirs of that faithfulness.”
Before the Sisters of Mercy (of the Wilcannia Diocese) from Broken Hill arrived in Brighton in 1915 at the request of Archbishop Spence, there was no Catholic parish, church or school. People had to walk to Glenelg for Sunday Mass.
From their arrival, the Sisters were provided with Sunday Mass at the convent and their chapel became the first Mass centre for the Brighton area.
Sr Marietta cuts the cake with the help of young parishioner Olivia Trayhorn.
The Sisters opened a primary school, St Teresa’s, in 2016 and through contact with the families and visitation of the sick and elderly fostered a Catholic community in Brighton.
In 1918 Archdeacon Connelly, an Indian-born priest of the Wilcannia Diocese became honorary chaplain at the Brighton Convent of Mercy and provided Mass every Sunday for the Sisters and Catholics of the district.
In 1925 the Brighton parish was officially established with the first parish priest Fr Giuseppe Minetti from Italy.
Parish Pastoral Council chair Peter Whelan said the Mercy Sisters had remained an integral part of the parish, including Sr Marie Ralph and Sr Marietta Green.
Mr Whelan also referred to Marist school Sacred Heart College which was established at Somerton Park in 1914.
Christ the King School was established in 1958 by the Good Samaritan Sisters to cater for the growing number of families in the Warradale area.
McAuley Community School opened in Hove in 2020 with St Teresa’s students transitioning to the new site.
Mr Whelan said the development of the parish over the past 100 years could not have happened without
the support and efforts of its
members, who had “contributed in many ways including through physical effort, giving time and energy and through financial contributions”.
“Many people have made sacrifices in their personal lives to support the parish including its churches, schools and other parishioners,” he said.
Sr Marie, who was responsible for the centenary liturgy, said the organising committee wanted to ensure there was a large involvement of parishioners in the Mass.
Along with the 26 entrance procession participants, five people shared the commentator’s role, seven people read the universal prayers and three generations of one family brought up the offertory gifts.
St Marie said every musician from weekend Masses was involved in accompanying the singing, coordinated by Jenny O’Brien, which “stirred the whole congregation in lifting their hearts and voices in all the hymns of the Mass”.
Bookmarks featuring a Centenary and Jubilee Year Prayer, invoking parish patron St Joseph, were distributed at the Mass.
Fr Kyumu expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to making the parish’s centenary a resounding success.
“Your committed participation in the event is truly inspirational. We all feel blessed to be part of such a vibrant and friendly family,” he said.
