21 December 2010
Lord, you have done marvels for us and we praise and thank you on this occasion of our 25 years (1984 - 2009) of mission in Australia.
The preparation for this occasion started 12 months ago and a small committee was set up to work on the Souvenir Booklet and the Thanksgiving Mass. We invited Mother Myriam, Mother Jacqueline, the Bishops, Priests to contribute their words of encouragement to our souvenirs booklet– of this we are most grateful and honored.
The occasion has a twin celebration: the first one was held in Brisbane on 23 May 2009 with more than 200 guests attending. The second part of the celebration was held in Moss Vale with friends who have been supporting the sisters in their mission in Australia throughout these years.
The following article written by Sister Catherine Wong will give you a share in the happy event.
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Mission of the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres in Australia at St Paul’s International College (SPIC)- may my spirit rise like the flames that go heavenwards, forever giving Him praise and thanks.
We (SPIC) desired to lay once again the red carpet for the celebration of our mission in Australia for 25 years. As the holy scriptures says-if there is anything to boast, it is the Lord we are to boast. We raised our hearts to Him our Lord, with love and praise and we thanked Him for what He did through us. To the students, staff of SPIC and parishioners at Moss Vale where we are, we would love to share with them this joy. On 26th of June 2009, this celebration took place. The main issue of the day’s program was certainly the Eucharistic Sacrifice. The Most Rev. Bishop Peter Ingham of the Wollongong diocese together with 13 priests- mostly the Parish Priests within these 25years- concelebrated the Mass.
To begin with, Miss Anne-Marie Scott, our staff and the chief speaker for the occasion, gave a very warm welcome to all who had come. Following this, was a 25 minutes power-point show of “Behind The News at St Paul’s” given by Miss Fiona Donagh, also our staff. All who attended had a clear vision of our presence and work done within these 25 years. As well, it gave people the idea how the great Lord worked through us, from developing the cradle at Moss Vale, to the spreading out at Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
The Mass went on with angelic singings of the school choir conducted by Mrs T. Rheinberger, again our staff and she was one of them who had planned the program for the whole occasion. The Chinese dragon and lion dances by the students acted as a forerunner to the moving in and out of the SPC Sisters for the holy Mass as well as for the moving back and forth of the party, headed by Rev Bishop Peter Ingham and the priests to bless our third and new boarding houses named as “St Paul’s Residence.”
After all these, all the people went into the school dining Halls where a ceremonial cake was cut and partaken. About 200 visitors attended the celebration. It was a great day.
By Sister Catherine Wong, spc