Images: Alexandra & Michael Vainauskas
On December 18, Father blessed the device known by bellringers as a “spider”. The spider is hung from the middle of the ringing chamber and is usually on a pulley to allow it to be pulled up or down. The spider is the device bellringing ropes are hung on when they are down to keep them all out of the way. The OLHC spider was made by woodturner Keith Smith who attended the blessing with his wife Margaret and Ron Shepherd who was behind the installation of the bells at OLHC. The OLHC Bellringers presented Keith with a thank-you gift.
Images: Frank Bugeja
In July 2019 (July 15 - July 28), in his role as chaplain, Father Sarkis led a 10-night pilgrimage to the Lands of St Paul. The pilgrimage followed Saint Paul in his missionary journey through ancient Greece and Turkey. There was an optional extension to Malta where Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome for trial which ended in his martyrdom.
Highlights of the pilgrimage included the journeying by land and sea along the ancient paths of Saint Paul and his companions; the focus on the trials and triumphs of the various people groups and communities of the early church; the visit to Ephesus where Saint Paul lived and preached for more than three years; the visit to the island of Patmos to enter the actual cave where Saint John wrote the Book of Revelation; the visit to the Byzantine Monasteries of Meteora spectacularly suspended atop rocky pinnacles and occupied by hermits since the 11th Century; the visiting of the very places of Saint Paul’s preaching and exploration of the preserved ruins of ancient Corinth, Philippi and Thessaloniki; and the visit to Malta where Saint Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome for trial.
Yesterday the bells were rung at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Church by a lot of experienced bell ringers. The Bell Ringers from Manuka Tower in Canberra did a “tower-grab”, meaning they went from tower to tower ringing as they went! They rang in four towers along the way: Bowral, Ingleburn, Rosemeadow and Camden. A few friends from Sydney towers, new trainees from Ingleburn and the still-learning Camden ringers all joined in. A fun day was had by all!
The consensus of opinion was that the Rosemeadow Bells were lovely to ring! Feel free to contact the Parish Office if you would like to find out more about bell ringing at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish Church.
Images & Text: Alexandra Vainauskas
Eric Genuis, internationally acclaimed composer, virtuoso pianist and inspirational speaker, was a visitor to Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in 2009 when he held a concert in the John Therry Catholic High School Hall.
Eric has just completed his 2019 Australian Tour Concert Program (20 February – 20 March) which held concerts in a number of parishes in the Diocese of Wollongong. Owing to the building of the new church, a concert was not held in the parish.
A number of parishioners did attend the 2019 concert series and the images above, taken from the concert held at Saint Anthony’s Parish Church at Tahmoor on 18 March, are memorable reminders of the talent of Eric and the musicians that perform with him.