Parish and Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Unanderra.

I promised in a previous post to publish something about the parish i am staying at during this 1st visit to Australia. So today being the Memoria of the Queenship of Mary ,I would like to dedicate this post to the Parish and Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Unanderra. The parish is in the Diocese of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

Parish Founded – 16 November 1952

Church Blessed and Opened – 21 November 1954

The sanctuary of the church.

When the church was 1st built, the statute of Our Lady was above the tabernacle.
Then in July 1972 the statue of Our Lady was removed to the shrine
and it was replaced with a large Crucifix
and later, the statues of Mary and the Beloved Disciple.

The church was declared the Diocesan Shrine to Our Lady – 25 March 1993.

This large painting embellishing one bay of the ceiling of the nave
is of the Coronation of Our Lady surrounded by the Blessed Trinity.
(The feast day today)

The Presbytery (parish house) was blessed on 19 May 1957.
The window on the top left is my room window.

The prayer room (Oratory) at the Presbytery (parish house).

I am so amazed with this particular statues of the scene
of 'at the foot of the cross'.
It is the same scene as in the church,
but these figurine is so unique
that every morning when i look at it during my prayer,
it makes me think and reflect on the figurine's facial and body gestures
esp the hands of Mary and the Beloved Disciple.
It also makes me wonder what they are thinking
at that moment looking at the crucified Christ.
I always ask myself what was the intention of the sculptor
when he made this figurine, what was in his mind.

Prayer

Almighty God, our Father,
you have given us Mary, the Mother of your Son,
to be our Mother and Queen.
Grant that, supported by her prayers,
we may come to the kingdom of heaven
and to the glory destined for your children.
(Concluding prayer from the DO for the Memoria)