The Mary, Queen of the Family Parish, Blacktown community gathered on Sunday, 23 August, to celebrate its Feast Day, to honour Mary as their Queen and Mother and to entrust their families and parish community to her loving care and powerful intercession.
The celebration brought together parishioners from across the diverse and vibrant parish community, with the Feast Day Mass followed by a joyful fiesta filled with food, music, dancing, the children’s choir, fellowship and family celebration.
A celebration of Mary and her “Yes”
Opening the Mass, Parish Priest Fr Wim Hoekstra welcomed the community and reflected on Mary’s willingness to say “yes” to God.
“It’s really wonderful that we gather here in the name of Mary and, of course, her Son, to celebrate this Mass,” Fr Wim said.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
He thanked God for the gift of Mary’s response, which enabled the coming of Christ and, through Him, the life of the Church.
“As we celebrate this Mary, Queen of the Family, I’d like to acknowledge my co-workers and all of you who are here today, just to give thanks to God for the ministry, for the mission, for the gift that God has given to us of being called God’s children.”
An old devotion
In his homily, Assistant Priest Fr Tom Green explained that while the Feast of the Queenship of Mary was formally established by Pope Pius XII in 1954, devotion to Mary as Queen reaches back to the earliest generations of Christians.
“Even though it’s a new feast, it’s an old devotion,” Fr Tom said.
He explained that Mary’s queenship is rooted in her unique relationship with Jesus, the King of the Universe, and in the biblical tradition of the mother of the king.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
Reflecting on the Old Testament example of Bathsheba, the mother of King Solomon, Fr Tom explained how the mother of the king held a special place beside her son and could bring the needs of the people before him.
“This role is being fulfilled in Mary, because Jesus is this true Davidic King,” he said.
Mary, therefore, is not simply honoured as the mother of Jesus, but as the Queen who shares in His reign of goodness and love and intercedes for His people.
Queen of families
Fr Tom then connected Mary’s queenship with the particular patronage celebrated by Blacktown Parish: Mary, Queen of the Family.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
He reflected on the personal devotion of St John Paul II to Mary, particularly after losing his mother, brother and father at a young age.
“It is so providential, I think, that this title, Queen of the Family, has come to us in this day and age where the family is so under attack,” Fr Tom said.
He encouraged parishioners to turn to Mary with confidence, particularly amidst the struggles experienced within family life.
“She sees all of the troubles that we have in our own families,” he said. “She sees everything and wants to look after us. She wants to step in and provide where there’s lack with her motherly and tender love.”
A Parish united in faith
The multicultural character of Blacktown Parish was beautifully expressed during the Mass, with the Prayers of the Faithful proclaimed in Maltese, Filipino, Arabic, French, Hindi and English.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
The celebration continued beyond the church as parishioners gathered in the school grounds for the Feast Day fiesta.
Parish Business Manager Sarah Canete-Damole described the Feast as “a moment of deep grace for our parish and community”.
“By honouring Mary as Queen and our parish patron, we acknowledge her maternal care, her powerful intercession, and her guiding presence over our parish family,” she said.
She also praised the parishioners whose generosity and service made the celebration possible.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
“Every contribution – whether seen or unseen – became part of the beautiful offering we presented to God,” Sarah said.
Food, fellowship and family
Parishioners shared food from across the world, including Filipino, Indian, Sudanese, African, Maltese, Pacific Islands, Burmese and Australian cuisine, alongside many other dishes.
Emcees Trevor Brewty and Kiran Saldanha encouraged everyone to stay, eat and take the opportunity to meet fellow parishioners.
“We are here to celebrate our mother, our Queen, Mother Mary, but also to have this time of fellowship and celebration,” they said.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
The afternoon featured live music, children’s entertainment, a kids’ choir, a jumping castle and plenty of opportunities for parishioners to enjoy one another’s company.
Deacon John Cinya described the celebration as even more impressive than the previous year, while Fr Stephen Onyekwere summed up the spirit of the day simply: “Happy Feast Day, everyone! For me, I’m just happy and joyful.”
The music for the mass celebration was provided by Celebrate II, headed by Marianne Fernandez, music director of the Be The Witness musical play. Many members of the group are also part of the Be The Witness choir.
“This is not the end”
As the Mass concluded, Fr Wim reminded the community that the celebration was about more than a single day.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
“As you know, this is not the end; it’s just the beginning,” he said, inviting everyone to continue the celebration together at the fiesta.
He expressed his gratitude to all who had prepared the liturgy, decorated the church, organised the novena, supported the various ministries and contributed to the Feast Day behind the scenes.
“Please pray to Our Lady today for our parish, for our community, and especially to thank all those once again who have made this festival, this fiesta, this day of special prayer, reflection and celebration.”
For Blacktown Parish, the Feast of Mary, Queen of the Family was a joyful expression of what it means to be one parish family: diverse in culture, united in faith, and gathered under the loving protection of Mary, Queen and Mother.
Image: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
Images: Alfie Ramirez/ Diocese of Parramatta
This celebration aligns with the Diocesan Pastoral Plan priorities of Prayer, Mission, and Community. Visit Synodality to learn more.
View the photo gallery for more images from the day.
