|
|
大家好： 今天讓我簡單介紹一下聖莫尼加堂的歷史。 我希望大家從中領悟到一些東西。 一切都始於我們堂區以南兩英里的巴拉馬打。現在是一個城市﹐而正是在那地方﹐天主教信仰的種子首次播在澳洲的土地上。事實上﹐澳洲的第一臺公開彌撒﹐就是在那裡由一名囚犯神父主持﹐日期是1803年5月22日(主日)。在巴拉馬打的聖博德(St Patrick’s)堂區內﹐你可找到全澳洲最古老的天主教學校﹐天主教墳場﹐修道院和堂區出生﹐死亡及婚姻登記。 聖博德的第五任主任司鐸﹐Rigney蒙席﹐為在北巴拉瑪打建立一個教堂覓址。距離巴拉瑪打以北兩英里有一座曾被稱為Green Gate, The Rising Sun ﹐最後被名為Waitematta House的公共房舍。優秀的蒙席以300鎊把它買下﹐成為第一座神父宿舍﹐未來聖莫尼加堂區學校和教師院舍之所在。後來在1889年建成的第一座教堂就坐落其旁﹐矗立了71年。 1894年聖莫尼加成為一個獨立的堂區﹐James Joseph Mahoney神父為其首任主任司鐸。其後﹐ Wynne神父於1957來到﹐現在我們所見到的教堂則是在1960年建成。 在“舊”聖莫尼加堂拆卸前的最後一臺彌撒﹐是令人難忘的﹔一些老教友深情的回憶起早期神父和修女的名字﹐並繪形繪聲的敘述他們年輕時是什樣生活的﹐使年輕一代驚嘆不已。 新教堂啟用不久﹐樞機便建議下一個大目標應該是建設一個接近教堂的神父宿舍。“神父”﹐他語氣堅定的說﹐“是聖體的守護人﹐Dunlop Street的宿舍﹐遠了些。” 就這樣﹐一俟財務安排妥當﹐神父宿舍藍圖便馬上擬出﹐17,000鎊的建築合約也交給Spark Bros. 負責﹐ 並於1963年2月10日竣工。 主內平安 莫靖龍神父 (此乃莫神父書信之翻譯﹐內容以英文原稿為準) |
|
Hello Everyone: Today my memo is a brief history of St Monica’s. I hope you all get something from it. Peace in Jesus Fernando It all began in Parramatta two miles south of our Parish. It was in that place, now a city, that the seeds of the Catholic faith were first sown in Australia. In fact, the first public Mass on this continent was said there on Sunday, 22nd May, 1803, by a convict Priest. St Patrick’s Parish, Parramatta contains the oldest Catholic School, Catholic Cemetery, Convent and Parochial Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Australia. Monsignor Rigney, the fifth Parish Priest of St Patrick’s, was looking to build a church in North Parramatta. Just two miles north of Parramatta was a public house variously known as the Green Gate, The Rising Sun and finally Waitematta House. The good Monsignor bought it for 300 pounds and it became the first Presbytery, School and Teacher’s residence of the future St Monica’s Parish. Later on in 1889 the first church was built beside it and stood there for 71 years. In 1894 St Monica’s was made into an independent Parish with Fr James Joseph Mahoney as its first Pastor. Then Fr Wynne came in 1957 and in 1960 the present church was built on the site of the Ancient Inn which had been pulled down. The celebration of the last Mass in the “old” St Monica’s prior to its demolition, was made the occasion of an unforgettable demonstration of affection and piety as old-timers lovingly recalled the names of early priests and sisters and awed the younger generation with graphic descriptions of what life was like when they were young. Soon after the opening of the new church the Cardinal suggested the next major objective should be the building of a presbytery closer to the Church. “The priest”, he insisted, “is the guardian of the Blessed Sacrament, the presbytery in Dunlop Street is too remote”. Accordingly, as soon as finances could be arranged, plans were drawn and the contract given to Spark Bros. (17,000 pounds) who had the building up and ready for opening on Sunday 10th February, 1963. |