Parramatta Diocese has purchased land to build a new church and state-of-the-art Catholic precinct in the heart of Blacktown. Source: Catholic Outlook.
Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv made the announcement on Sunday at a Mass for Mary, Queen of the Family Parish, Blacktown.
Bishop Long announced that the diocese has purchased land in the centre of Blacktown City, directly adjacent to Blacktown Quarter – a $2 billion redevelopment from Walker Corporation and Blacktown City Council that will create a vibrant new heart for one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in Australia.
Bishop Long made the announcement with parish priest Fr Wim Hoesktra and guests Blacktown Mayor Brad Bunting, Blacktown City Council chief executive Kerry Robinson and chief executive of Walker Corporation, David Gallant.
“From this new spiritual home, the parish will be able to welcome new families and reach out more effectively to those on the margins; strengthen liturgical, catechetical, and community life; deepen partnerships for service with organisations in the civic centre; and be a daily visible sign of God’s presence in the heart of the city,” Bishop Long said.
“It will ensure our Catholic community will remain visible, accessible, and engaged in the life of the city for generations to come,” he said.
Upon completion, the Parish of Blacktown – Mary, Queen of the Family – with its strong and diverse history and faith community, will be relocating its two sites (St Patrick’s and St Michael’s) to return to the civic centre where St Patrick’s Parish was originally located.
The parish will be a vibrant space where faith, community and city life come together for more than 10,600 Catholics and all who call Blacktown home.
In his address, Fr Hoesktra acknowledged the rich and diverse history of the parish, including the significant changes faced by the parish over the past two decades.
“Our previous parishes of St Michael’s and St Patrick’s have gone through a lot of change over the last few decades. In 2014, the two parishes were merged into one, and there was talk of a new basilica in 2016 to be situated near the Bishop Bede Heather Centre,” he said.
He expressed the desire for the parish to journey together to help shape the new Church.
“For some, this might seem like too much change, for others it’s an exciting opportunity to be part of the new city of Blacktown. And for others, this might seem like the fruition of the conversations in 2016 about a new Blacktown Church.”
Mr Bunting affirmed the council’s commitment to the project and the parish.
FULL STORY
Diocese of Parramatta to build state-of-the-art Catholic precinct and Church in fastest growing city, Blacktown (Catholic Outlook)
