"..WITH JOYFUL STRENGTH WE MOVE.."

St.Benedict's Church Broadway,Sydney

Sunday Mass -it is necessarily the hub around which the wheel of Catholic religious observance turns, and, through a longish life the source of so much spiritual nourishment and growth ( and it must be said, the occasional spiritual, and devotional disturbance).

As my devoted reader will know, my wife and I now live in the Sacred Heart Parish at Pymble on Sydney's "leafy North Shore"as the papers accurately love to call it. The church there is "modern"with the Blessed Sacrament reserved off to one side and the Celebrant the focus of attention enthroned behind the Altar under the hanging crucifix which survived from the grand old Spanish Mission style Church out on the Pacific Highway. The latter had become untenable due to Highway traffic, and the modern replacement across the road is hidden from the Highway by being dug into the hillside and further obscured by trees - removed from sight it claims no attention , gives no witness before the passing throngs.

Anyway, this Sunday there was only one Parish Mass to be celebrated on the School Oval . My wife and I decided this was not likely to be conducive to devotion Accordingly we elected to attend the 10.30 am Solemn Mass at St Benedict's Broadway. In any case, we will be attending Mass out of the Parish at least once a month on account of the abysmal music at the monthly "Family Mass", leaving the "HAR LAY, HAR LAY HAR LAY LOOOO YARRS" and whining smarmy American songs to others whose musical development has been arrested by them. 

St. Benedict's as it originally existed.

St Benedicts is a W.A.Pugin designed Church. Originally it was somewhat longer than it is to-day. In 1948, the traffic on the Great Western Road (now more prosaically called Parrramatta Road) had grown so much that the Road had to be widened and that was done at the expense of St.Benedict's.

The legendary Father Terry Purcell

The delightful Organ of St.Benedict's which, along with the peal of Bells(gift of Father Purcell) do much to complement worship in this grand church. 

For many years through the dangerous period of the post-Conciliar turmoil, St.Benedict's was preserved largely intact by the redoubtable , famed and much-loved Father Terry Purcell  ,a holy and wholly orthodox Catholic Priest, who kept at his post despite trendy inclined Ordinaries and in later years the great cross of the loss of his sight. Better times came in due course, when George Pell became Archbishop of Sydney in 2001. Father Purcell went to his reward in 2007. In the ensuing years, the adjoining school buildings became a Campus of Notre Dame University and pastoral need began to swirl vigorously about St. Benedict's once again. Cardinal Pell had the right man for the job. He is Father Michael de Stoop a young, athletic , holy and devout Priest of undoubted Orthodoxy and much loved by Parishoners wherever he has gone  be it Liverpool, the Cathedral or St. Benedict's. He is the author of a widely distributed book "The Gift of Confession". He is quietly-spoken and his homilies are solid and delivered without theatrics. His celebration of Holy Mass is deeply devout and exemplary in every respect.

Father Michael de Stoop Administrator of St. Benedict's.

Cardinal Pell - who recognised the potential of St.Benedict's and its location.

The liturgical East interior (true North) of St.Benedict's

Are you surprised? We came away with joy in ou hearts for a Holy Mass "actively participated in" from our place in the pews with delightful Gregorian Chant ( Missa Orbis Factor) from the small but impressive choir, glad of the professional and unobtrusive servers , the warm tones of the Organ, the welcoming peal of the bells, and a good holy Priest. - the Catholic Church "semper reformanda'- yes! - but well on her way here at least and sure of her identity as ever . Thanks be to God for this opportunity to participate and to receive Him in Holy Communion.


The are many stories surrounding the church and the personalities and I hope to return to them soon.