St Felix de Valois celebrates its 22 May dedication
Commemorating the feast of Augustinian nun St Rita of Cascia, every parish around Sydney will be celebrating 22 May as a memorial…except for one.
For St Felix de Valois in Bankstown, the day marks the anniversary of the church’s solemn dedication and as such becomes a Solemnity for the parish.
Though built in 1932, the Bankstown parish was never solemnly consecrated and so, like many parishes when first opened, was not officially dedicated.
In 2001, Cardinal George Pell along with Bishop Peter Ingham and 25 other priests concelebrated Mass and solemnly dedicated the church.
“During the dedication ceremony, the church building goes through many rituals that are akin to those found in all the sacraments of initiation when we become temples of the Holy Spirit,” said Bankstown assistant priest Fr Ronnie Maree.
“Once the church has been blessed with Holy Water, anointed with holy oils and the prayers of dedication have been recited, the altar is adorned in white and Mass can be said on it for the first time.”
From that day forward, only for St Felix de Valois parish would 22 May be celebrated as a solemnity, the highest form of feast.
The parish celebrated a vigil Mass and will be celebrating Masses throughout the day to commemorate the anniversary.
“We celebrate and give thanks for our beautiful Church, a dwelling place of God, where we can pray, worship and find Him.” said Fr Ronnie. “We pray that we will one day be able to gather again in God’s dwelling place in Bankstown very soon.”
All are welcome to watch a live-streamed Mass at 6pm from St Felix de Valois’ Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/stfelixdevaloisparishbankstown/live_videos/
Related articles:
Bankstown youth get a lesson in Lent
Brother Bernard brings St Maximilian to Bankstown