ST. CANICE NEWS
March 2023
Railaco 2023
It’s a quantum step forward for our relationship with Railaco to have a group of interested people around a table at the new St Canice Hub. They are keen to know more about how our Railaco relationship works and curious about how we raised a million dollars in a small parish environment since the start of the program. Railaco - 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 From our perspective, it’s important to have a representative group of new people of different ages to come on board to better understand the achievements in Railaco, and hopefully to get personally involved.
2022 Railaco Report for St Canice’s
𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 We’re backing a winner with Railaco. The whole St Canice Railaco project is a combined success story. The Feeding Program, Medical Clinic and Secondary School have ultimately been about social empowerment. Starting from pure handouts when they really needed it after the departure of Indonesian occupiers, the Railaco project has been evolving towards empowerment. It’s a winner and it’s going somewhere. The Railaco parish needs us more than ever to maintain the momentum.
February 2023
Vision for St Canice’s Parish
A Vision for St Canice’s Parish ‘Doorways to the Heart’ Parish Priest Fr Dave Braithwaite SJ writes: "On my first Sunday as parish priest of St Canice’s I was energised and acknowledged that the parish always had ‘outreach’ at its heart - not only within in St Canice’s Kitchen, but also reaching out to serve people like in our sister parish in Railaco Mission East Timor, and the marginalised friends from David’s Place. With falling church attendance globally it’s clear to me that we need to reinvigorate the parishioners of old to return, and at the same time to look outside the box to find new ways to get people of all ages to want to be part of the St Canice community. I am working closely with the Parish Financial team to develop plans and to take the necessary steps to make the parish sustainable. I write this ‘Vision’ document to give you an idea of what I am thinking. I look forward to meeting more of you personally to listen what may be on your minds, and to answer any questions that you may have.
December 2022
Gaudete ‘Joyful’ Sunday
𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒔! And with good numbers at the special Gaudete ‘Joyful’ Sunday Mass st St Canice’s this morning, it’s beginning to feel a lot like ‘community’ once more.
Schola Cantorum
Young Adult 𝓢𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓪 𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓾𝓶 Past Students of St Aloysius College will join us and sing at our 6pm Vigil Mass Saturday 17th December. We invite you to come along.
November 2022
Fr Dave . . . thankful to ‘ride the wave’ of so many good Jesuits before him
At his first Sunday Mass at St Canice's today, Fr Dave Braithwaite SJ expresses his thanks and gratitude on being appointed as new parish priest at St Canice’s. Fr Dave acknowledges that the parish has always had ‘outreach’ at its heart, not only within in St Canice’s Kitchen, but also reaching out to serve people like in our sister parish in Railaco Mission East Timor, and the marginalised friends from David's Place.
Word from Boston from our new Parish Priest – David Braithwaite SJ
I am delighted to have been appointed Parish Priest of St Canice’s. The parish holds a very special place in my heart not least because it is such a quintessentially Jesuit parish, with a wonderfully urban blend of worship and service to people from all walks of life. As best I can, I intend to build on that very special foundation laid by so many good and faithful people over the decades. Our first mission is to pray together, and only from that flows the good works we do – of which there are so many. We are a small community “powered” by a Eucharistic heart – the Sacred Heart of Jesus – all loving, all compassionate, and all-embracing.
September 2022
Farewell to Lynelle L
Our St Canice Parish Manager of six years, the smiling, 'can-do' Lynelle Lembryk, is moving on to a position that allows her to spend more time with family and be a first-time grandmother to new baby Ryan. Lynelle leaves big shoes to fill. There are so many aspects to what Lynelle contributes to the success of the parish. Attention to administration, bookkeeping, facilities management of many buildings on the property, and parishioner communications duties is to be expected in such a position. But, perhaps even more importantly here in a parish like St Canice’s, Lynelle brings a special gift of a ‘listening ear’ to the many who telephone, or knock on the door of the parish office every day, or who are guests in Canice Kitchen. True to the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preferences, Lynelle patiently accompanies and comforts so many troubled people.
Our new Parish Priest – Dave Braithwaite SJ
We are pleased to announce that, in consultation with our Jesuit Provincial, Fr Quyen Vu SJ, Most Rev. Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, has appointed Fr David Braithwaite SJ as the next Parish Priest of St Canice’s. Fr Dave is no stranger to the Parish as he has been living here for over a year while writing his doctoral thesis on Systematic Theology. Previously, Father David was involved in the Jesuit Australian Province’s ministry with young adults for about ten years.
August 2022
St Canice’s raise over $1 million for Railaco
Thank you to the incredible generosity from the Sydney based Jesuit parish, St Canice, who has been a phenomenal supporter and companion to its sister Parish in Railaco, Timor-Leste since 2004. During their recent St Ignatius Feast Day appeal, St Canice’s was able to reach a significant milestone of raising over $1 million for Railaco – thanks to 18 years of commitment and steadfast support from the St Canice’s community. “St Canice community, thank you! You found us at our rock bottom and you lifted us by feeding our hungry, providing service for our sick, and providing education to our youth! Thank you and God bless you for following Him in the mission," said Fr Bong Abad Santos SJ, who runs the mobile medical clinic in Railaco.
Farewell to Fr Paul Fyfe SJ
Paul’s Jesuit brothers, Fr Sacha and Fr Dave joined Paul in celebrating the Mass, before our musicians Claudine, Graham, and Robyn provided a touching musical farewell. So many people came to the mass and stayed around afterwards to eat so many roast lamb and pickle sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, homemade cakes and goodness knows what else - in between bidding their personal good wishes.
Generosity beyond bounds – Thank you.
Fr Bong writes to us from Railaco: St Canice community, thank you! You have made us millionaires! We are your poor sister community that by God's grace made rich! Our relationship goes back to 2004 when you found us at our rock bottom and you lifted us by feeding our hungry, providing service for our sick, & providing education to our youth! Thank you & God bless you for following Him in the mission!!!