Blessing of Extensions to Saint Peter’s Church, Shoreham

Address Given by Archbishop Denis Hart
at Saint Peter’s Church, Shoreham,
on Saturday, 27th November, 2004, at 3.00pm

...

My Dear Brothers And Sisters,

As we come to the start of a new Church Year, I am delighted to be with Father Joe O’Shea and with each of you, here at Saint Peter’s, to bless the extensions to the church.

I have been here a couple of times before with Father John Madden and I have always enjoyed the vibrant love of this community, your sharing as a community, and I am particularly happy that this church in a beautiful setting is now provided with a gathering space. This will enable you to feel that you are brothers and sisters and will allow our entry into the church to be marked by a transition from the world of work to the holiness of the Eucharist.

Pope John Paul has asked us to make this the Year of the Eucharist. After recounting the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and their response, “Stay with us, Lord”, he invites us to pray the Sunday Mass with even more fervour, to see the value of Eucharistic Adoration outside Mass as an invitation that the Lord gives us to bring our personal lives to him. Then follows the consequence of his staying with us as we go to greet our brothers and sisters in this new space and forth into the world of family and work.

At Emmaus they recognised Jesus in the breaking of bread and through it Christ makes present within time the mystery of his death and resurrection, so that we can see the face of Christ in our brothers and sisters.

The beauty which surrounds the church and the skill and hard work which has gone into its extension shows the obvious faith and sense of community that you have.

May Jesus, present in the Eucharist, help you to see each other in the eyes of faith and carry that vision into the world on this day of rejoicing. I thank God for all of you and for all that has been done to make this new project a reality.

+ Denis J. Hart,
Archbishop of Melbourne.