OUR CHAPLAINCY
Saint Elias Catholic Church
160 Elizabeth Drive, Ashcroft NSW 2168
Ministered by the Scalabrinian Fathers
Catholic Parish of All Saints Liverpool
Monthly Mass: 1st Sunday, 12noon
Social / Outreach: Thursdays afternoons
The Chapel of Our Lady of Aitara
The Shine of Our Lady of Mercy of Jasna Gora
120 Hanging Rock Rd, Sutton Forest NSW 2577
Ministered by the Pauline Fathers
A chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Aitara
Inaugurated on 14 November 2015
Comunidade Católica Timorense
The Chaplaincy is a Catholic communion in the Archdioses of Sydney under the pastoral leadership of the Missionaries of St. Charles - Scalabrinians. The Chaplaincy owes its exisitance to the Scalabrinian Fathers in particiular to Fr Luciano Toldo who celebrated the first Mass at Saint Elias Catholic Church Ashcroft.
The activities of the Chaplaincy are religious and social community based. The main religious activity is the monthly Mass. The community have been able to particupate and gain a better understanding of the Mass by having it celebrated in their own language. The community have also learnt of the Scalabrinian founder Saint Giovanni Battista Scalabrini’ and of his spirituality.
Social activities fulfil two roles; to provide social and cultural interaction within the community and to fundraise for charitable and religious purposes.
Saint Scalabrini - Father to the Migrants
"[...] I left there deeply moved.[...] I thought to myself - the accumulated privations and misfortunes making such a painful decision seem so sweet to them! [...] I picture the poor wretches landing in a strange land, among people who speak a language they do not understand, easy victims of inhuman exploitation. [...] Faced with this lamentable situation, I have often asked myself: how can it be remedied?
St. Scalabrini, L’emigrazione italiana in America, Piacenza 1887, pp. 3-6.
History in Australia
The Scalabrinians arrived in Australia on 2 November 1952. The history of their presence in this nation reflects the development of the Italian community and of migration in Australia. In the initial phase they reached out to scattered communities of Italians, from the cane and tobacco plantations in Queensland to the groups in Tasmania, and New South Wales.
In a second moment they contributed to the formation of communities in the urban areas, particularly in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Newcastle and Wollongong, but also in smaller cities like Shepparton and Red Cliffs.
A third phase was marked by the involvement with the assistance to the ageing immigrant communities, particularly through the establishment of nursing homes and hostels, like the Scalabrini Village in NSW and Villaggio San Carlo in Victoria. At the same time the group reached out to other ethnic communities, particularly those from South America.
Currently, the Scalabrinians have further diversified their presence with immigrant groups, particularly the Filipinos and those of Portuguese and Spanish language, and have continued in a variety of services for migrants.
Pastoral Council
Administration
Chaplain: Fr Reinaldo Vassoler CS
CCT Coordinator: Sebastiana Saldanha and Madalena Silva
CCT Secretary: Hian Sin Lay
CCT Finance: Miriam De Almeida
Committees
Safeguarding: Miriam De Almeida and Madalena Silva
Liturgy: Madalena Silva
Music: Ligia Inacio
Hospitality:
