St Anthony of Padua Parish, Toongabbie will be receiving a first class relic of St Anthony of Padua.
The first class relic of St Anthony of Padua will be presented to St Anthony of Padua Parish, Toongabbie on June 21 2018. In 2017, two relics of St Anthony visited the parish creating much interest. The custodians from Padua in Italy will give the Toongabbie parish a relic of its own this year.
The reception of the relic will take place on Thursday 21 June at 6.30pm at St Anthony’s School, Targo Rd, Girraween. This will be followed by a solemn candle light procession to St Anthony’s Church, Toongabbie where Mass will be concelebrated by the Bishop of Parramatta, Most Rev Vincent Long OFM Conv and other priests.
Fr Joe Manjaly MS, Shirley Stewart and Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv. Photo: Diocese of Parramatta.
The “Conventual Franciscan Friars of the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua” are the custodians of the remains of St Anthony. Fr Floretta from Padua, Italy will bring the relic, which is a small part of the body of St Anthony, to Toongabbie. The relic will be accompanied by a second relic, a small piece of skin of the saint, after visits to one parish in Adelaide and one parish in Melbourne.
Fr. Jose Manjaly, the Parish Administrator of the Toongabbie parish said, ”A long-awaited dream of our parish community will be fulfilled on that day. It is going to be a milestone and blessing for our community and friends of St Anthony’s”.
The relic of St Anthony of Padua.
Parishioners and friends of St Anthony are invited to join the celebrations commencing with Mass and 9 days of Novena on St Anthony’s Feast day, Wednesday 13 June 2018, culminating in the reception of the Holy Relic on Thursday the 21 June and Masses and public veneration of the Relics on Friday 22 June.
Devotion to St Anthony of Padua is strong in the parish community, with a popular Tuesday night Novena to St Anthony of Padua after the 7pm Mass.
With thanks to St Anthony of Padua Parish, Toongabbie.
