New shrine was born in stormy seas

Sydney
28 April 2002

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New shrine was born in stormy seas

Fr John Knight at the altar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

By Chris Hook

A storm at sea more than 140 years ago has led to a new shrine being decreed in Sydney - the Church of Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Waterloo.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop George Pell, decreed the Waterloo church a diocesan shrine following a request from the parish priest, Fr John Knight.

The priest said the request was based on the history of the church, which he discovered when he was appointed there in May 2000.

In his decree, dated March 25, 2002, Archbishop Pell noted the importance of the church in the public housing dominated suburb.

“The area in which the Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Waterloo, is located comprises many people who are socially and materially disadvantaged and such people look toward the Church for hope and stability,” he said.

“The raising of the parish church to a shrine would enhance the faith of those who persist in their religious practice.”

The church was the first in Australia to be dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in 1859. Its ded ication - with the laying of the foundation stone - was an act of thanksgiving by Archbishop Polding.

The church was intended to be second in size only to St Mary’s Cathedral.

The archbishop had been returning from an overseas trip with the diocesan vicar-general, Fr Dom Gregory, when their ship ran into a heavy storm. The heaving seas and strong winds buffeted the ship, which began to list worrisomely from side to side. The men were apprehensive.

“Father,” the archbishop asked. “Are you wearing your scapular?”

“Yes, Your Grace,” came the reply.

“Well let us throw our scapulars overboard, pray to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and, if we survive, we’ll dedicate a church on the nearest hill to the city,” Archbishop Polding said.

Survive, they did.

The nearest hill to the city was Hungry Hill - later renamed Mt Lachlan after Governor Lachlan Macquarie - in Waterloo.

The request for the dedication of the church as a shrine came in the 750th anniversary year of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s appearance to the Carmelite St Simon Stock on July 16, 1251.

He had asked for help for his oppressed Order, which faced obstruction and intolerance from others.

She gave him a scapular and told him: “Take, beloved son, this scapular of thy Order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant.”

Since then the popularity of the brown scapular has grown well beyond the Carmelites.

Fr John Knight realised the importance of the anniversary - as well as the popularity of his parish church - and decided to make the case for it to be declared a shrine.

“I wanted to encourage young people, they are searching for God in their own way,” he said. “It’s a place of quiet, a shrine is where we can come into contact with God.”

Many people who have had an association with the church often returned to visit, adding an extra motivation to the idea, Fr Knight said.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is held the first Sunday of every month from 2-4pm. An inaugural pilgrimage walk from St Mary’s Cathedral to the Shrine takes place on July 14.