Parish Morning Tea

Once a month, our Parish has a morning tea after Sunday morning 9am Mass. These morning teas are hosted by different Parish entity’s each month. They are a great way to meet felloe parishioners and employees of our Parish. So come and join us for a cuppa and a chat. For more information please contact the Presbytery Office 6583 1024.

October 12th 2008 – morning tea host Centacare.

November 2nd 2008 – morning tea host St Vincent de Paul.

December 7th 2008 – morning tea host St Peters Primary School.

St Agnes Feast Day

As a parish we celebrate the feast of our Parish Saint, St Agnes on the last Sunday of August each year. The universal church celebrate this Feast Day in January. We have special permission to have our celebration on the last Sunday of August. We know something of the life of Agnes thanks to Pope St Damasus whose tribute to her can be found on the marble plaque in the northern porch of St Agnes Church.

She was a young girl of about twelve or thirteen years of age, a Christian in times when it was dangerous to be a Christian. She is also mentioned by St Ambrose and a certain writer named Prudentius. Both of the latter say she was beheaded, Damasus says she was burnt to death for refusing the son of the governor of Rome and was reported as a Christian for her refusal. Brought before the judge she was condemned and executed and buried on the Via Salaria in Rome. A nearby catacomb was subsequently named after her. A basilica was built over her tomb by Empress Constantina in 349AD. Representations of her in the fourth century, represented Agnes as an orant, arms outstretched in prayer. From the sixth century she was portrayed as a young girl with a lamb in her arms – a representation which we are accustomed to.

Before the ninth century her tomb was opened and her relics removed to the Lateran Palace. When her relics were examined in 1903 her head was identified as that of a twelve year old girl. Her remains now rest in the Church of St Agnes in Agony in the Piazza Navona in Rome.

We are fortunate to have St Agnes as our Patron Saint. The example of the fruitfulness and courage of one so young is inspirational, particularly for the youth of our times who search for role models. There is an old saying that people who believe in nothing, end up believing anything. So many young people today have no fixed abode spiritually. They are nomads who tend to fasten on to the flavour of the day. The steadfastness of St Agnes, her courage when her beliefs were challenged in the shadow of imminent death stands through the centuries as a challenge to all of us, old and young.

Mass of the Angels

The Mass of Angels held in St Agnes Church provides an opportunity for parents and grandparents to remember the little ones in their lives who are no longer with them. The children may have died as infants or prenatal. All are invited to come together to pray for one another and for all who grieve the loss of a child. The Mass of the Angels is traditionally held on the last Wednesday in October. For more information please contact the Presbytery Office on 6583 1024.