St Luke’s, Marsden Park, will be formally recognised as the newest parish of the Parramatta Diocese on January 1, 2025. Source: Catholic Outlook.
The parochial district, which is the first stage of development of a parish, was established by Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv on December 22, 2017, as a response to the exponential growth in Sydney’s northwest.
Over the past six years, St Luke’s has shown financial stability as well as growing from a community of 150 people to over 600 as evidence to formally establish the parish.
Deacon Tony Hoban was appointed pastoral director in January 2018 for a three-year term, working alongside his wife Annette and an advisory board of lay volunteers to build relationships and provide pastoral care to Catholics in Marsden Park.
Fr Chris de Souza, the diocese’s former vicar-general, was the community’s supervising priest.
Fr Gayan Thamel has been appointed as St Luke’s first parish priest from January 1. This follows his appointment as supervising priest of the community earlier this year while he was parish priest of Richmond.
Since the beginning, the community has been using the facilities of St Luke’s Catholic College for their weekend Masses as well as for significant celebrations. Over the last few years, parishioners have raised $500,000 for a permanent place of worship.
Over the next 12 months, in partnership with the diocese, the community is hoping to build a new hall on the designated church site that will serve as the initial place of worship before their church is formally erected.
With the transition to a parish, the Hobans will step down from their pastoral duties.
Bishop Long said the pair had done a stellar job in relationship and community building at Marsden Park.
FULL STORY
Announcing the Diocese’s newest parish (By Mary Brazell, Catholic Outlook)
