St Mary MacKillop Parish Launches 10th Anniversary Year with Mass and Multicultural Fiesta
June 26, 2025
Parish life, Bishop Brian Mascord
On Sunday 22 June, St Mary MacKillop Parish in Oran Park gathered in joyful thanksgiving to celebrate the first event marking its 10th anniversary as a parish in the Diocese of Wollongong. The parish community came together for a special Mass, followed by a vibrant multicultural Fiesta—a joyful expression of faith, unity, and cultural richness.
The anniversary Mass was held in the School Hall of St Benedict’s School and was co-concelebrated by Bishop Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong; Fr Feleki Tautunu, Parish Administrator; newly ordained Deacon Sinh Le; and Deacon Sam Gennaoui. A highlight of the liturgy was a video message from Fr David Catterall, the parish’s founding priest, who shared heartfelt reflections and offered his blessings from afar. Students from the parish community also contributed to the celebration with a reverent liturgical dance.
The hall was filled to capacity, with families, students, and parishioners from across the community in attendance, united in prayer and gratitude for ten years of growth, faith, and service.
Following the Mass, the school grounds came alive with a colourful Fiesta. Reflecting the parish’s cultural diversity, attendees enjoyed a wide array of international foods lovingly prepared by parishioners. The celebration also featured musical and dance performances from various cultural groups, further highlighting the vibrant character of the community.
Children enjoyed the festivities with activities including a jumping castle and face painting, making it a day of joy and celebration for all ages.
This special gathering was a meaningful way for the St Mary MacKillop Parish community to honour its history, celebrate the present, and give thanks to God for the many blessings received over the past decade.
The Diocese of Wollongong congratulates St Mary MacKillop Parish on reaching this milestone and continues to pray for its ongoing mission and ministry in the years to come.
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Our diocesan logo is theologically rich and very succinct. As a hand, it depicts our mission as a diocese and as individuals within the diocese, of bearing (bringing, carrying) Christ’s love to one another and to the world around us. In this, we are the hand of Jesus Christ, and we are offering ourselves to him so that he might work through us.
We can be the bearers of his love only as a response to his call and in the strength of his grace. We are reminded of this in two ways—through the symbol of the dove (the Holy Spirit) also present in the logo, and by the incorporation of the cross that segments the logo. The presence of the cross is a reminder that bearing the love of Christ will inevitably cost us if we live it authentically. However, in the way that the Cross is the portent of redemption and life—an echo of the tree of life in the book of Genesis—so becoming bearers of the love of Christ will also bring us to life.
The four fingers of the hand also represent the four regions of our diocese. The first is bluerepresenting the beautiful water of the Shoalhaven. The second is a blue and green combination representing the waters and escarpment of the Illawarra. The third is greendepicting the hills and plains of the Macarthur. The fourth is dark green illustrating the forests of the Southern Highlands.
