In response to a request from the Multicultural Communities Council of the Illawarra, there is now located on the Cathedral Precinct a garden that is being farmed by recently arrived Afghani refugees.
There are a number of ethnic communities which continue to enrich church life in the Pastoral Region. The Italian Community celebrates Sunday Mass at FairyMeadow at 10am, the Vietnamese at FairyMeadow at 4pm, the Spanish-speakers at Gwynneville at 11.30am, the Dutch every six weeks at Gwynneville at 1pm. There is a significant presence of Polish, Tongan, and Philipino people in our parishes. A stained glass window honouring Catholics “who have come from across the seas to share our boundless plains” is located at the southern side entrance of the Cathedral.
The Verbum Dei Sisters conduct the chaplaincy in the University. Two Sisters live in the Cathedral Precinct. During semester time there is a weekly University Wednesday Mass.
Under the leadership of our Pastoral Associate, a vibrant team of Catechists bring the word of God’s love to the Catholic children in our local government primary schools:
- Keiraville Primary School
- Gwynneville Primary School
- Pleasant Heights Primary School
- Balgownie Primary School
- Fairy Meadow Demonstration School
- Towradgi Primary School
- Coniston Primary School
- Mt St Thomas Primary School
- Wollongong Primary School
- Para Meadows Special School, North Wollongong
How do we ensure that the Word and the Sacraments will continue to be brought to the children in these schools?
Each of our three parishes has an active Saint Vincent De Paul Society. Meeting the needs of the neediest of our local communities is foremost in the outreach of SVdP members. Our conferences are always looking for new members to help them continue the work of Frederick Ozanam.
The Archives of Lumen Christi, Catholic Parish
The Archives Office is responsible firstly for the collection, preservation and management of memorabilia, parish registers, books and documents relating to the history of Lumen Christi, Catholic Parish Wollongong and secondly, is responsible for the education of parishioners and students in this collection.
Research
Archive material (from parish registers, books, documents and histories) may be requested by bona fide researchers, within the restraints of privacy, using the attached application form. If approved, the requests will be researched by the Archivist at a cost of $60.00 per hour or $35 per half hour or part thereof.
Amateur researchers of family history seeking information from parish registers should direct their request to the Archivist for consideration. The research is conducted by the Archivist at a cost of $35 per enquiry of an individual.
History
Currently the Archivist is writing the history of the Catholic Church in Lumen Christi Catholic Parishes, Wollongong from the first European settlement in the Illawarra to 1935. To date this history is recorded in two publications:
By the Light of Christ: How Catholicism came to the Illawarra (2013) and
The Illawarra Flame: The Catholic Church in the Wollongong District, 1838 to 1889 (2015)
A third book, The Light of the World: The Catholic Church and the Parish of St Francis Xavier, 1890 to 1935, should be published in late 2016. Copies of these publications may be purchased from Parish Office, 36 Harbour Street, Wollongong.
The Archivist writes occasional articles for the Parish Bulletin to commemorate significant events or anniversaries in the history of the parish.
Contact: Neil Dwyer & Michael Dwyer
36 Harbour Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Application for Access to the Archives of Lumen Christi Catholic Parish Wollongong
Articles from the Archivist
- pdf [Download] ANZAC Day 2024: Remembering Fabian Patrick Gregory Dwyer (479 KB)
- pdf [Download] 135th Anniversary of William Bernard Ullathorne (318 KB)
- pdf [Download] Mc Cabe Anniversary (509 KB)
- pdf [Download] The 185th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Reverend John Rigney in the Illawarra (1.72 MB)
- pdf [Download] Anzac Day 2023 (353 KB)
- pdf [Download] 120 Years of the Mt Kembla Mining Disaster, 31 July 1902 (497 KB)
- pdf [Download] Anzac Day 2022 To those who went away (425 KB)
- pdf [Download] 70 years of the Diocese (971 KB)
- pdf [Download] The Centenary of the Death of Fr John Dunne Part I (309 KB)
- pdf [Download] The Centenary of the Death of Fr John Dunne Part II (501 KB)
All parishioners in our Pastoral Region ensure the safety and protection of children and the vulnerable as a priority. Anyone employed by the Church in the Pastoral Region, as well as parishioners who volunteer in our parishes, will need to check with our Office regarding their need to have a Working With Children check.
