WYD Pilgrim Booklet a Reflection: 150 Years of the Diocese of Maitland
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WYD Pilgrim Booklet A Reflection: 150 Years of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle May the road rise up to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face The rains fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again May God hold you in the palm of His hand An Irish Blessing An Invitation to Reflect This booklet has been designed to help pilgrims from the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle to reflect prayerfully on the Catholic heritage of this place in our country. It is intended that this booklet will help to stir up “the voice of the Spirit” in the minds of its readers - whether through seeing the historical images of our past or reading the insights from key sources of wisdom in our global church. To encourage this, each page has a space allocated in which brief comments and personal reflections can be recorded. It is hoped that each pilgrim will take time to sit with the content in this booklet; slowly connect with the story of our diocese celebrating its 150 years, and then continue to imagine how they might contribute to the mission of the diocese in the future. Some questions readers might like to contemplate include: How do I fit into the story of this diocese? What might God be inviting me to do at this time? What kind of picture would I like to be in when the diocese reaches its 200 years celebrations? The members of the 150 Years Celebrations committee, wish you a safe and meaningful pilgrimage, and the prayers of our diocesan community go with you on your journey. 2008 World Youth Day Pilgrims Arrival, Kilaben Bay. A Brief Historical Timeline (1821 -1995) 1821-Father Connolly visited Newcastle and Port Macquarie. 1830-At East Maitland, St. Joseph's Church built by Rev. Father Therry (stone). First church built north of Sydney. 1835-October 25. Father James Watkins arrived in East Maitland as first resident priest. 1838-Parochial district of Newcastle established and Father Dowling transferred to Newcastle to become first resident priest there. 1841-Dean Lynch began building St John the Baptist Cathedral. 1846-St John the Baptist Cathedral completed and opened. 1847-Diocese of Maitland established as Titular See of the Coadjutor to the Archbishop of Sydney. 1848-Consecration of Bishop Charles Henry Davis, O. S. B. 1854-Death of Right Rev. Dr. Davis, Titular Bishop of East Maitland. 1864-Foundation of first Convent of Nuns (Good Shepherd) in West Maitland -situated in eastern end of High Street. 1865-November 14. Consecration of the Right Rev. Dr. Murray, Bishop of Maitland. 1866-April 14. Diocese of Maitland established. 1866-November 1. Dr. Murray arrived in Diocese of Maitland and took possession of St. John Baptist Church, West Maitland, as Cathedral. 1873- Bishop Murray took possession of the Newcastle end of his Diocese from the Archdiocese of Sydney. 1873-Consecration of Diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Rosary Sunday. 1873-First Diocesan Synod celebrated to promulgate Decrees of the Provincial Council of Melbourne. 1875-At Hamilton, Sacred Heart church opened (brick). 1875-At Campbell's Hill, foundation of the Sacred Heart College for Boys. Bishop Murray established residence there. 1882-At Singleton, foundation of Redemptorist Fathers from Clapham, England. First mission preached in Australia at Lambton and Wallsend. 1883-December 23. Father James Flynn ordained at Maitland by Dr. Murray. He was the first native of the Diocese of Maitland to become one of its Diocesan priests; trained at St. Charles' Seminary, Bathurst. 1883-At Lochinvar, foundation of the Sisters of St. Joseph from Bathurst. 1883-At West Maitland, Bishop's House erected at a cost of £4,000. 1884-Parochial district of Hamilton established. 1885-January 5. At Merriwa, Sisters of St. Joseph opened their first branch foundation. 1887-Diocese reduced in size by exclusion of Coonamble, Gunnedah and Tamworth districts. 1897-June 6. At West Maitland, Rev. P. V. Dwyer consecrated Coadjutor Bishop to Dr. Murray by Cardinal Moran in St. John's Cathedral. 1909-August 8. Opening and blessing of the completed Mother house of the Sisters of Mercy at Singleton by His Eminence Cardinal Moran. 1917-October 2. The Bishop of Maitland consecrated the new altar in the Church of the Dominican Convent, West Maitland. He was assisted in the ceremony by seven of the local clergy. This was the first fixed altar to be consecrated in the Diocese. 1921-December 8. The Mater Misericordiae Hospital at Waratah was opened for the reception of patients by the Sisters of Mercy from Singleton. 1929-September 15. In St. John's Cathedral, West Maitland-Consecration of the Right Rev. Edmund Gleeson, C.Ss.R. , as Titular Bishop of Vatarba and Coadjutor to the Bishop of Maitland. Consecrator, Most Rev. Michael Kelly, Archbishop of Sydney. 1931-October 1. First publication of the "Sentinel." First editor: Very Rev. J. O'Donoghue. 1933-August 13. At East Maitland, last Mass said in the original St. Joseph's Church, the oldest church in Australia. 1933-November 19. At East Maitland, foundation stone of new St. Joseph's Church blessed and laid by Bishop Gleeson. 1938-February 16-20. At Newcastle, Regional Missionary and Eucharistic Congress held. 1941-September 12. At Hamilton, Sacred Heart Church consecrated by Bishop Gleeson. 1948-April 4. At Maitland, Rev. John Toohey was consecrated Co-adjutor Bishop of Maitland by His Eminence, Cardinal GiIroy. 1955-February 25.At Maitland major flood in Hunter River. Water entered Bishop's House and Pro-Cathedral (depth four feet) for first time; Dominican Convent Chapel (11 feet). 1966-January 1. By special Brief of Holy See, the parishes of Belmont, Boolaroo, Morisset, Swansea and Toronto were transferred from the Archdiocese of Sydney to the Diocese of Maitland. 1968-Publication of the closing issue of the Sentinel. 1989-Pro-Cathedral suffered damage as a result of an earthquake and was closed. It was decided to convert the Pro-Cathedral to its former use as a hall and re-open St John’s as a Chapel for the Central Maitland area. 1994-Bishop Leo Clarke conducted a ceremony of the Dedication of a Church and thus St John’s became a Chapel for the area. 1995-Sisters of Mercy Convent at Hamilton and former Sacred Heart Parish Primary School, Hamilton, were purchased and consolidated into the diocesan administration offices. 1995-June 14. By Papal Brief, the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle was created. 1995-July 16. Sacred Heart Church in Hamilton became the Sacred Heart Cathedral. 1996-First issue of “Aurora” published. Map of the Diocese Our Bishops Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. Isaiah 42:1 Bishop Murray Bishop James Murray, 1865-1909 Bishop Patrick Vincent Dwyer, 1909-1931 Bishop Edmund Gleeson, CSsR, 1931-1956 Bishop John Toohey, 1956-1975 God has created me to do some definite service; God has committed some work to me which has not been committed to another… I am a link in a chain, a bond of connections between persons. God has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do God’s work… If I do but keep the commandments and serve God in my calling. John Henry Newman Bishop Michael Malone, 1995-2011 Bishop Leo Morris Clarke, 1976-1995 Bishop William Wright, 2011-ongoing Our Chancellors I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. Mother Teresa Sr Beverly Zimmerman rsj, 2004-2012 Sr Patricia Egan rsj, 1994-2003 New Beginnings I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 3 1886 Sisters of Saint Joseph (RSJ) Arriving at Merriwa Convent. 1908 Sisters of Saint Joseph (RSJ) Convent at Wingham. The Influence of the Religious 1909 Sisters of Mercy (RSM) Opening of Convent at Singleton. Seek first the kingdom of God. (Mt 6:33) The Kingdom of God is like a treasure hidden in a field (Mt13), like a net that gathers fish of every kind (Mt 20:1) ... The blind see, the deaf hear, the sick are healed, the hungry are fed, the lowly are exalted, the mourners are comforted, prisoners are set free ... The Kingdom of God is within you. (Lk 17:21 ) First Theological Principle, Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle 5 February 1961 Our Lady Help of Christians, Boolaroo Opening of Church Large Group of Clergy and Nuns. If you are what you should be, then you will set the world on fire. Saint Catherine of Siena The People c. 1900 Sacred Heart College, Campbell’s Hill Bishop Murray Memorial Orphanage, Crowd. All baptised in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ. Galatians 3:27 5 March 1922 Blessing of new school and convent at Taree Group of visiting and local priests, Bishop PV Dwyer of Maitland, Bishop J W Dwyer of Wagga Wagga and Church Committee. 5 March 1922 Laying of foundation stone and blessing of Sisters of St Joseph Convent and school at Taree. Jesus has shown me the only way that leads to the fire of divine love. It is that of a little child who, full of trust, falls asleep in its father’s arms. Saint Therese of Lisieux Every form of catechesis would do well to attend to the “way of beauty” (via pulchritudinis).