House debates

Monday, 26 October 2009

Statements by Members

avid’s Catholic Church

6:47 pm

Photo of Tony ZappiaTony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

On Sunday 25 October I attended the special 40th anniversary church service at St David’s Catholic Church in the Makin electorate. The service was led by Father George Ryan who is presently one of the parish priests, along with Father Andrew Chen and Father Slawek Plonka, who administers at St David’s Church and at Our Lady of Hope Chapel at Greenwith, also located within the Makin electorate.

St David’s Church was officially opened in 1969 by Archbishop Beovich and in 1977 St David’s Catholic School was subsequently established adjacent to the church. Over the years St David’s parish has been served by some 32 oblate priests and through their leadership the parish has grown and become an integral part of the north-east community of Adelaide. Today St David’s parish has grown further to include not only Our Lady of Hope Chapel School at Greenwith but also Gleeson Secondary College at Golden Grove and St Francis Xavier’s school at Wynn Vale.

Through the church and school communities St David’s parish today is associated with extensive educational, humanitarian and spiritual services both locally and overseas. I particularly mention that amongst its humanitarian activities St David’s parish has taken a special interest in supporting orphaned children in China. I take this opportunity to collectively acknowledge and thank the many people who 40 years ago conceived and, with much hard work, built the St David’s parish church and in the years that followed all the people who over the past 40 years have contributed to its service to humanity, providing services which are needed today no less than they were 40 years ago as we face global challenges arising from climate change, political unrest in many nations and rising poverty associated with the global economic downturn.