As you are aware, we are in transition – the Marists will be leaving St Patricks on
31 December 2025. A new group of priests will be ministering here after that. This is a special time for us to walk together and listen to what the Spirit is asking of us all. So, we are organizing a series of Synodal Gatherings.

Our focus in those Gatherings will not be the exiting of the Marists. Nor the organizational consequences of that exit. Our focus will be the continuing presence and guidance of God and what God is asking of us at this time.

In the Synodal Gatherings, we will take up the Word of God. Together we will listen to that Word. We will listen to each other. We will take Mary as our guide: “You see before you the Lord’s servant. Let it happen according to your word!” (Luke 1:38).

The facilitators of these Gatherings will be those who have been guiding our transition since the Archbishop made his public announcement on 21 August 2022, that the Marists would be relinquishing the entrustment of the Parish of St Patricks on 31 December 2025 – Paul Bullen, Sr Therese Carroll RSJ and Br Ian Cribb SJ.

Fr Michael Whelan SM, Parish Priest
Palm Sunday 24 March 2024