The parishioners at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Warburton gather for a photo with Archbishop Denis Hart.
By Mara Pattison-Sowden
VISITORS came from across Melbourne to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Warburton.
Archbishop Denis Hart was a special guest and he welcomed each member of the congregation to the celebrations on Sunday 29 January.
Anniversary celebration committee member Margaret Marshall said there had been a great response from the community and the church was packed for the occasion.
“It was very hot and humid but otherwise everyone thought it was a great success and the Archbishop was great,” she said.
She said his theme for the celebrations was “if not today you hear His Voice harden not your hearts”, drawing on the theme of encouraging constant renewal.
During the service he paid tribute to all the priests who had served the parish over the years, with special attention given to the much loved and respected Father Charles Cerini.
Mrs Marshall said Father Cerini was also a master builder who built the convent for the Sisters of St Joseph, and then built the St Joseph’s School – a unique building designed by him.
“Many of the local community helped him make and lay the bricks for the constructions,” she said.
Gembrook MP Brad Battin attended and there were also guests representing the Anglican and Seventh Day Adventist Churches, parish priest Father Eugene Ashkar and many other guests.
The celebration moved on to the Cerini Centre where displays of historic photographs sparked off conversations from another time. St Joseph’s School students put together a presentation with the help of their teacher Karen McQuade, while Rosemary Crowley and Ellena Biggs took visitors on a tour of the Catholic section at Wesburn Cemetery.
Mrs Marshall said a few interesting artifacts and stories had come out during the celebrations, including a Woori Yallock man who found an old newspaper story of Diana Trask’s wedding, which the well-known singer celebrated at the Warburton church, after he ripped up his kitchen lino several years ago.
“We had a few wedding photos that came through and we hope to try and display them together,” she said.
“The whole day was a wonderful tribute to the people who live here now and those who’ve gone before us and established it in the first place.”
