Last Mass at St Brigid’s Church – Greta
On Wednesday of this week, January 26 we celebrated Australia Day. It is a day to stop a while and reflect on what makes us a nation. It is a day of celebration of the amazing blessed style that we enjoy as a nation. It is a celebration of our values and ideals as Australians. It is also a day when we remember all the great men and women who have contributed and are still contributing so magnificently to the welfare of our country. It is truly important to remember. When we remember we keep a sharp focus on who we are and it also gives us the necessary strength and courage to move forward with hope.
The people of Israel lived on memory as they waded through all kinds of persecutions, trauma and incredible adverse odds. Over the centuries they were scattered and persecuted in exile but they kept praying “next year Jerusalem”. They believed deep down in their hearts that God had made a promise to them to eventually settle in their own land with Jerusalem as their prime city. It might have seemed just wishful thinking. It might have seamed a dream. The fact is that today they are in Jerusalem.
This is the essence of the first reading which we have just listened to from the prophet Ezekiel. This was written in a time of confusion and bitterness. The Jewish nation had been conquered by the Assyrians a totally foreign nation. They were taken into exile. They lost what was dear to them, their land, their culture, their temple, their pride, their identity as a nation. They felt abandoned, rejected and without hope. Yet in the midst of all this, we have the prophet Ezekiel speaking on behalf of God saying. Do not worry. I am still here. I will take care of you. I will not abandon you. In this reading we find God saying, “I myself shall take care of my flock. So do not give up”.
St Brigid’s church was built around 109 years ago to help people of this area remember who they are in God. We have a God who has made a promise to love us and to take care of us and he will never back off from this promise. This church for 109 years has been a significant reminder that Jesus Christ became a human person lived, suffered, died, rose again and that now he is empowering, loving, forgiving and encouraging us. This church has stood for the values, principles and attitudes which are so important to us as a Catholic community and which ahs helped this community to live as people created by God and destined by eternity.
All of this did not happen by chance. The church of St Brigid has been such a powerful sign because of the people who have been part of this community and because of those who are still part of this community. In the second reading we hear St Paul saying to the people of Corinth, a sizable town in Greece “By the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations on which someone else is doing the building” (1Cor 3:10). Therefore it is very important to recall today and to pray for all those women and men who as a result of great faith, and faithfulness to their various responsibilities have made this community so rich and deep in their values and principles. We remember all the families who have toiled the land and other related activities and who have helped to generate a hard working and faith filled community. Irish stock which brings with it qualities of faith, hard work and family life.
We recall with gratitude all the times which the community of St Brigid’s gathered in this church to celebrate the most important moments of their lives, the Baptisms, first Holy Communion, confirmations, marriages and funerals. We recall with a joyful heart all the great characters that have lived in this community over 109 years. It was such a joy to read about the stories of some members of the community in the Age Newspaper in an article written by Paul Daffey. Stories recalled by Paul O’Brien, Dan Ryan and Mary Tanner. We remember the priest who served this community Fr Bill Bachelor, Fr Bill Grogan, Fr John Leahy, Fr Lourensz, Fr Stockdale, Fr Paul Ly and today Monsignor John White, Fr Frank Hart and Fr Peter Ferwerda who together with so many others provided hope where there was despair, encouragement where there was depression, life in times of turmoil and friendship in times of loss and grief. Yes we remember with gratitude all those who have made the community what it is today.
Indeed there is a sense of achievement and of pride. At the same time there is also a tinge of sadness. There are too many memories here, too many stories, too many experiences of people whom we know and who have been such an important part of our lives. It is therefore sad to see that this will be the last Eucharist celebrated in this church. This does not mean that the mission is ended. This does not mean that there is no more story and life for this community.
As catholic people we have an incredible call upon us. We are called to change the world based on the values and teachings of Jesus Christ. We are not going out of business. We are for the very long haul because Jesus Christ is with us. At times as in every day life, we have to take stock of where we are, and rearrange our plans to meet present day needs. As a diocese we also need to take stock. We need to consolidate, we need to plan and we intend to keep moving forward knowing that God is with us. So we remember the past with gratitude, we remember the present with courage and we continue our journey in the future with the sure hope that what has been celebrated in St Brigid’s church over 109 years will continue to permeate in the lives of the people who live in this area as well as in the whole of our Diocese.
The people of Israel lived on memory as they waded through all kinds of persecutions, trauma and incredible adverse odds. Over the centuries they were scattered and persecuted in exile but they kept praying “next year Jerusalem”. They believed deep down in their hearts that God had made a promise to them to eventually settle in their own land with Jerusalem as their prime city. It might have seemed just wishful thinking. It might have seamed a dream. The fact is that today they are in Jerusalem.
This is the essence of the first reading which we have just listened to from the prophet Ezekiel. This was written in a time of confusion and bitterness. The Jewish nation had been conquered by the Assyrians a totally foreign nation. They were taken into exile. They lost what was dear to them, their land, their culture, their temple, their pride, their identity as a nation. They felt abandoned, rejected and without hope. Yet in the midst of all this, we have the prophet Ezekiel speaking on behalf of God saying. Do not worry. I am still here. I will take care of you. I will not abandon you. In this reading we find God saying, “I myself shall take care of my flock. So do not give up”.
St Brigid’s church was built around 109 years ago to help people of this area remember who they are in God. We have a God who has made a promise to love us and to take care of us and he will never back off from this promise. This church for 109 years has been a significant reminder that Jesus Christ became a human person lived, suffered, died, rose again and that now he is empowering, loving, forgiving and encouraging us. This church has stood for the values, principles and attitudes which are so important to us as a Catholic community and which ahs helped this community to live as people created by God and destined by eternity.
All of this did not happen by chance. The church of St Brigid has been such a powerful sign because of the people who have been part of this community and because of those who are still part of this community. In the second reading we hear St Paul saying to the people of Corinth, a sizable town in Greece “By the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations on which someone else is doing the building” (1Cor 3:10). Therefore it is very important to recall today and to pray for all those women and men who as a result of great faith, and faithfulness to their various responsibilities have made this community so rich and deep in their values and principles. We remember all the families who have toiled the land and other related activities and who have helped to generate a hard working and faith filled community. Irish stock which brings with it qualities of faith, hard work and family life.
We recall with gratitude all the times which the community of St Brigid’s gathered in this church to celebrate the most important moments of their lives, the Baptisms, first Holy Communion, confirmations, marriages and funerals. We recall with a joyful heart all the great characters that have lived in this community over 109 years. It was such a joy to read about the stories of some members of the community in the Age Newspaper in an article written by Paul Daffey. Stories recalled by Paul O’Brien, Dan Ryan and Mary Tanner. We remember the priest who served this community Fr Bill Bachelor, Fr Bill Grogan, Fr John Leahy, Fr Lourensz, Fr Stockdale, Fr Paul Ly and today Monsignor John White, Fr Frank Hart and Fr Peter Ferwerda who together with so many others provided hope where there was despair, encouragement where there was depression, life in times of turmoil and friendship in times of loss and grief. Yes we remember with gratitude all those who have made the community what it is today.
Indeed there is a sense of achievement and of pride. At the same time there is also a tinge of sadness. There are too many memories here, too many stories, too many experiences of people whom we know and who have been such an important part of our lives. It is therefore sad to see that this will be the last Eucharist celebrated in this church. This does not mean that the mission is ended. This does not mean that there is no more story and life for this community.
As catholic people we have an incredible call upon us. We are called to change the world based on the values and teachings of Jesus Christ. We are not going out of business. We are for the very long haul because Jesus Christ is with us. At times as in every day life, we have to take stock of where we are, and rearrange our plans to meet present day needs. As a diocese we also need to take stock. We need to consolidate, we need to plan and we intend to keep moving forward knowing that God is with us. So we remember the past with gratitude, we remember the present with courage and we continue our journey in the future with the sure hope that what has been celebrated in St Brigid’s church over 109 years will continue to permeate in the lives of the people who live in this area as well as in the whole of our Diocese.
