Sydney’s largest parish is a thriving, multi-cultural community comprising 90 per cent first generation migrations.
Filipinos, Indians and South Sudanese parishioners make up the bulk of the Catholic congregation in Blacktown with 11,950 faithful.
Parish priest of Mary, Queen of the Family Parish, Blacktown, Fr Peter Confeggi said he wasn’t at all surprised by the figures and was very confident of retaining the No 1. title – in the short term at least.
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“We are certainly holding our own here, our numbers are very strong and we are seeing them growing all the time,” he said.
“Our congregation is mostly made up of first time migrations, people who are devotional and who traditionally come from very strong Catholic families.
“In fact, many in the Filipino community in particular are very proud of the fact we are one of the most Catholic countries in Asia.
“However I can’t predict what the parish will look like in 20 years once the children of the current parish matures.
“They will be encouraged by an increasingly secular society so who knows what will happen, and that is the reality.”
Blacktown comprises two churches – St Michael’s and St Patrick’s – five schools and on average has 2,300 people attending Mass every week.
With thanks to Debbie Cramise and The Catholic Weekly.
