Welcome to Country

Elsie Heiss NSW Councillor, Chairperson NATSICC

Welcome

Sr Mary Quinlan, Provincial Leader

Sisters of St Joseph NSW

Bishop Terence Brady, ex-student and long time friend of the Sisters presided at the Eucharist and preached the Homily.

Sr Kathleen Clifford

proclaimed the First Reading from the Book of Samuel.

Sr Katherine Tyrrell, Cantor

I will celebrate your love forever Yahweh.

Age on age, my words proclaim your love.

For I claim that love is built to last forever,

Founded firm your faithfulness.

Sr Jean Cain from the Perthville Josephites proclaimed the Second Reading from St Paul to the Romans.

Rev Ross O'Brien, Parish Priest of West Tamworth in the Armidale Diocese, proclaimed the reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.

Presentation of the Gifts by the Dinh family

- Dominic & Truc and their children Anthony & Emilie

The liturgy was enhanced by a very dedicated group of fifty people who came together for a number of practices under the direction of Sr Jeanette Foxe. They were accompanied by some student violinists with Mr Peter Kneeshaw as organist.

Bishop Geoff Robinson & thirty priests concelebrated the Mass.  We chose to use as the main chalice a century old solid gold chalice used by Cardinal Moran because of his lingk with Mary MacKillop.  He visited her just before her death and uttered the prophetic words that he believed he had been at the deathbed of a saint.

Final Blessing

In St Joseph's care I leave you.

Mary MacKillop 1873

Feedback from a cross section of the congregation

Congratulations on the beautiful liturgy for Saturday's celebration.  And what a crowd!  All went smoothly especially the feeding of the 'five thousand' so to speak!

Please convey our thanks for the most beautiful Mass and celebration at St Mary's Cathedral last Saturday.  St Joseph and Mary MacKillop were certainly looking after us.

The Mass on Saturday was a beautiful tributeand I was so pleased to have the opportunity to attend.  After it was nice to enjoy the lunch and meet with many other Associates. I thought of my aunt, Sr M Imelda, a Josephite in Melbourne, who died in 1984; how she would have enjoyed such a momentous occasion!

Saturday was a great celebration!

It was, for me, such a wonderful and truly inspirational occasion. I spoke with some of the sisters from way out in the "Bush". I am so very grateful that you invited me. The memory and the prayers will remain with me. I pray that Our Lord bless you and all in the wonderful work that you all do.

The celebration was inclusive of so many honouring the wonderful qualities of Joseph that we seek to embody today.

I felt so proud to walk with the Sisters of the NSW Province.

Many thanks for the invitation passed on to me by my cousin, to attend the inspiring Massat St Mary's Cathedral.  Both socially and spiritually it was a great success and I was honoured to be in attendance.  I found that while Bishop Brady was a little boy downstairs with Sr Bonaventure, I was upstairs with Sr columba studying for my Intermediate Certificate at St Declan's Penshurst.  Small world!  A lovely lunch well thought out too.

Thank you for the invitation to celebrate St Joseph's feast with Mass.  The atmosphere was warm and inspiring.  Great to see so many who feel a connection with St Joseph and continuing in the footsteps of Mary MacKillop.

My attendance at St Mary Satr of the Sea Church at Miranda on Sunday 22 March held an unexpected bonus.  Fr Kelvin began his homily with a reference to his attendance at St Mary's Cathedral the day before.  He commented enthusiastically in general terms on the experience and began his homily in the way that Sr Mary had spoken.  He spoke of the memories that her reference to the meticulous ruling of the margin (something that had many in the church nodding outwardly) had conjured up and followed with his reference to Nicodemus in the gospel of the day.  He explained that he was marginalised by his lack of courage to come out in his support of Jesus.  I thought this was a wonderful way to tie his obvious positive experience from the Mass at the Cathedral into his homily and allow us who were not there to gain some insights as well.

Thorough preparation was obvious.  Inclusiveness was obvious.  Bishop Terry & choir were great.  Lunch distributionwell done, really tast, healthy.  The station for the non-stair capable was very thoughtful.  Great vibes!

Congratulations to all who were involved inthe preparation and celebration of the Mass to nonour St Joseph.  From the first note on the organ 'til the last sound every aspect was so beautiful.  There was such an aura of peace and calm throughout the Mass.  That each was doing his/her very very best was evident.  Every aspect of the celebration was carefully planned - even including the lunches and the students assisting.  Sr Mary spoke so well and thanked everyone.  I would like to add my thanks to everyone also.  It was a great tribute to all.

Thank you to the Sisters of the NSW Province for including so many who share the spirit of Joseph.

A sincere thank you to all the Sisters for giving us the chance to be involved with the singing at the celebration Mass at the Cathedral last Saturday.  We all felt very privileged and loved every minute ... including the practices.  There was such a spirit of joy reflected in every part of the Mass ... from the first hymn to the spontaneous applause at the end.  Thank you also for preparing the little lunch boxes for us - much appreciated.  I hope the joy of the celebration permeates the rest of 2009 for everyone ... including our priests and Bishops who were there on the sanctuary leading us.

Thank you so much for inviting our family to be part of your beautiful reflective Mass last Saturday.  How wonderful the readings - so clearly delivered allowing us to ponder and think of our faith and our role in this lenten journey.  We loved the inspiring music, the cantor guiding us through the responses and the overall atmosphere of that huge gathering.  We are privileged in our association with the Josephites.

There was a lot of faith inthe celebration.

It was a prayerful celebration that had been well planned.