Dear Members of St Patrick’s Parish Community,

A few weeks ago I wrote about issues relating to some changes in the Chapel, but was unable in subsequent weeks to follow up on these matters and to place these before you for your comment. Bishop Anthony has asked that I do so again.

Proposed Chapel Changes

The deterioration of the paint layers on the Madonna and Child in the Marian Shrine (due to its current position in the west chapel), St Mary of the Cross MacKillop being named the Patron of our Diocese and the sometimes unbearable humidity in the Chapel in the summer months are driving the
changes.

The changes will mean that:

• The current Chapel of Reparation (the east chapel) will become the Marian Chapel. Graham Eadie’s image of the resurrected Christ will be moved to Murphy House and the chapel redesigned to match the current west chapel. The Madonna and Child in the west chapel will be moved to the east chapel and a small 24-hour a/c unit (linked with the air conditioning unit) will serve to keep the sculpture at an appropriate temperature.
• As patron of the Diocese, the Mary MacKillop statue will be moved to the west chapel, and thereby given more prominence.
• An air-conditioning unit is planned to be installed in the tower with the vertical screens hiding the fan coil units. This will serve to air condition the chapel and will operate during the summer months.

Cathedral Marian Image

Bishop Anthony has also expressed a desire that a Marian image be prominent in the Cathedral. It has been proposed that such an image be
situated above the Choir Area over the link.

The Bishop and I would be interested in suggestions for such an image – a statue? An icon? A mosaic? A painting? Please contact me if you have any
thoughts or ideas on this matter, and thank you to those who have done so.

Financial donations to assist with these projects would be greatly appreciated.

Appointment of Deacon Robertus Kim

Bishop Anthony has appointed Deacon Robertus Kim to the Cathedral effective from December 10th. We welcome Deacon Robertus to our community. He has been working at Baulkham Hills South with inter alia the Korean community.

Diocesan Works Fund

Thank you for your donations to the DWF over recent weeks — a total of $7,925 has been transferred to the DWF account—just on $4,500 short of our quota. Further donations - always welcome!

Fr Wim