Parish Office: St Anthony’s 45 Railway Place, Alphington 3078   

Phone: 0394842907 

Email:  adminANT@cam.org.au   or   financeANT@cam.org.au 

[Please Click here to access the Amalgamation bulletin - week 1 for 9 August 2026 Year A]

[Please Click here to access the Amalgamation bulletin - week 2 for 16 August 2026 Year A]

[Please Click here to access the Amalgamation bulletin - week 3 for 23 August 2026 Year A]

[Please Click here to access the Amalgamation bulletin - week 4 for 30 August 2026 Year A]

[Please Click here to access the Amalgamation bulletin - week 5 for 6 September 2026 Year A]

THE LAUNCH OF PARISH AMALGAMATION HOMILY 

“one body with many parts” 1 cor 12:12-27

The human body has many parts, and many parts make up one body.  So, it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptised into the one body by one spirit. The message is, that the church is one in Christ but wonderfully diverse in its members and gifts. No one is unnecessary and no one is self-sufficient. So, we need each other in journeying forward in mission.

With these thoughts and prayers let us together journey into this new initiative of our partnership parishes, as we officially launch today the canonical process of parish amalgamation.

WHAT AMALGAMATION IS NOT:

Let me begin by saying what amalgamation is not:

Amalgamation is not taking someone or something away from the parish. It is not moving priests away from the parish or priests are getting a transfer. It’s not! 

Your priests are not moving out. We are staying here.

It is not erasing local history or traditions of each community.

It is not closing churches or schools or selling parish properties.

WHAT AMALGAMATION IS:

It is an opportunity to strengthen our common mission, to share our resources, it is a chance to reduce the duplication, it is also an opportunity to build our leadership capacity and to create a sustainable structure for the future generations.

WE HAVE BEEN IN A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP SINCE 2022:

For the last four years we have moved to a very positive and more collaborative partnership between our parish communities.  We have come together in many activities, we have taken on very productive initiatives to make our parishes vibrant, vital, and viable communities of faith.

We have celebrated together, shared our resources and ministries, collaborated in our parish faith and begun building relationships across our four communities. It didn’t happen organically or naturally; we all have worked hard to make it possible. We walked together towards this goal. Many activities that happened in the last four years have not been just isolated events, they have been signs that the Holy Spirit has been drawing us closer together.

Today, after four years of working together, we have a good pastoral, social, spiritual, liturgical, and administrative structure built in our communities: with one administrative parish office at St Anthony Alphington, a good quality liveable house for clergy and guests at St Mary’s Thornbury, we have 3 dedicated parish staff members and hundreds of wonderful volunteers. We also have a combined parish pastoral leadership team, liturgy team, professional standard committee, finance committees, school board, school parish leadership team, RCIA team, RCIS team, baptism preparation teams etc.  Also, to make our parishes financially viable, from the beginning of the partnerships we have rented out our buildings. This shows that we have been journeying together in a more collaborative and synodal way since 2022.

GOSPEL TODAY: the gospel of this Sunday recommends to us that God continually calls his people to trust him and journey together in faith. Trusting in God as we set off on this new journey in our parish communities, we depend on Him completely as we launch this canonical process of amalgamation today.

Amalgamation is a process of merging parishes together to become a single parish entity. It is a process of parish renewal that seeks to ensure that all faith communities be vibrant, vital, and viable communities of faith. 

Early this year I received a letter from our former northern region Bishop, Bishop Rene. In his letter, he commended our communities for everything that has already been achieved. He recognised the strong partnership that has already developed between our parishes and acknowledged the generosity, openness, and the commitment that so many have shown. Based on what he has already seen being built together, Bishop Rene believes our communities are now ready to begin the formal process towards becoming one parish.

After much discussion, reflection and prayer, our parish committees such as the PPLT, the LITURGY COMMITTEE, the FINANCE COMMITTEES AND PARISH STAFF have endorsed and recommended that we begin this process.

I have, as the parish priest accepted those recommendations, because I believe it reflects where the Holy Spirit has been leading us. This is not the end of the journey; it is the beginning of a new journey in our parish community.

WHAT THIS MEANS: 

Beginning the process does not mean that everything changes overnight. Rather, it means we now enter a period of prayerful CONVERSATION, CONSULTATION, LISTENING AND DISCERNMENT TOGETHER. There will be opportunities for everyone to ask, questions, share hopes, express concerns, and contribute to shaping our future. This whole process might take 6 to 12 months. 

INTRODUCING TRANSITION TEAM: 

To help, to guide this process a transition team has been established with representatives from each community.

Jim Coffey and Donna Malony from Holy Spirit

Margaret Dimech and Naomi Brammer from St Joseph’s 

Margaret Harrington and Aris Imbardelli from St Anthony’s 

Ross Italiano and Elena Cafasso from St Mary’s 

Mary Kearney principal rep for our 4 schools.

Their role is to listen, communicate, guide the consultation process, and help ensure every voice has the opportunity to be heard. They are here not to make decisions on behalf of our parishes, rather, they are helping us walk this journey together in a true synodal way.

INVITATION TO THE COMMUNITY:

I invite and encourage you to get to know the members of the transition team. They will be available after the Mass today and throughout the coming months, if you have any questions, ideas, and concerns. Please pray for them as they undertake this important ministry on behalf of all of us.

CONCLUSION:

Every significant moment in the life of the church begins with prayer and trust in God’s guidance. We do not know every step that lies ahead but we know the one who walks with us.

Let us ask the HOLY SPIRIT to fill us with wisdom, courage, patience, understanding and hope. May we continue to listen deeply to one another, discern together, and remain focussed on our shared mission of proclaiming the Gospel. 

Let us entrust this journey to the Holy Spirit and to the intersessions of Our lady of Lourdes, St Joseph, and St Anthony our parish patrons confident that God who has begun this good work among us will continue to guide us into the future.

Please email Margaret.harrington@cam.org.au if you want to ask a question or share a thought.