All Saints Liverpool celebrates 60 years of love and caring The ...

All Saint’s church in Liverpool has seen many weddings over the last six decades, beginning with Nanette Geoghegan’s.

She and her late husband Ian Geoghegan married in the modern new church with a gleaming white spire on 23 September 1964, days after it had been officially blessed and opened by Cardinal James Freeman.

Returning for the 60th anniversary Mass on 22 September and taking part in the offertory procession was “very special” she said.

“At the time we weren’t sure where the wedding would be, the old All Saints church up the road or this one, but I was really happy I was able to have it here.”

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP presided at the Mass to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the heritage-listed church located at the crux of the suburb’s life alongside the local Westfield shopping complex, All Saints’ College and Liverpool Hospital.

After blessing and dedicating its new entrance doors, the archbishop told the overflowing congregation that the Catholic community in Liverpool was already well-established when pioneer priest Fr John Joseph Terry arrived in 1820.

“For more than 200 years the Catholics in this district have been baptised, communicated, confirmed, married and buried at All Saints. They built a genuine Christian community of care, to serve and be served in so many ways. You can all be very proud.”

Concelebrating clergy included Bishop Terrence Brady, current parish priest Fr Paul Monkerud and other current and former Liverpool priests and migrant chaplains. Months of preparations and celebrations were rounded off with a multicultural fiesta of food and performances.

All Saints was founded by Fr Richard Marum 1838 with its original, smaller church serving the community for more than a century before it was demolished.

The Sisters of Charity and Patrician Brothers both have a long history with the parish, running Liverpool’s St Mary’s and Patrician Brothers schools, while the sisters also operated the former St Anne’s orphanage until it closed in the late 70s.

Sr Gaye Reynolds RSC was present for the blessing and opening of the church in 1964.

“There’s always been a lovely spirit at the parish that continues today,” she told The Catholic Weekly.

Also present for the occasion was Peter Turner, the interim executive director of Sydney Catholic Schools, Federal member for Werriwa Anne Stanley, State member for Liverpool Charishma Kaliyanda, State member for Holsworthy Tina Ayyad, and current and former college principals.

Stanley told The Catholic Weekly she had a personal link to the parish as her mother had been one of the children cared for at St Anne’s.

“Also, I know Fr Paul does amazing things in our community and I’m so happy to be here, as this is just a wonderful place to be,” she said.