Parish History

Our Lady of the Angels, Rouse Hill is the newest parish in the Diocese of Parramatta and probably in Australia.  For several years there had been talk of the establishment of a new parish, with the development goal of a church and school community.  Land had been purchased and ideas had been floated.  In May 2007, Bishop Manning wished to see the project move ahead and so appointed Rev Warren Edwards, giving him the task of starting a worshipping community in this new growth area, and establishing the new parish of Rouse Hill. It has been a wonderful challenge to form this new part of the Body of Christ, as it is not often we get the opportunity to build up a community and church from scratch in a new suburb.  We hope to form a vibrant, close knit worshipping community and build a Church which is faithful to the tradition as well as being relevant to the present and future. It is also a great opportunity to build a parish and school together in a communion which is, social, spiritual and formative.   From the beginning there was an energetic and enthusiastic worshipping community who met for masses at St. Gregory’s Armenian School hall. We started with one Mass on Sunday morning with about 150 people. This foundation group developed a parish formation council and moved things along quickly. We chose a name based on its simple beauty and the Franciscan background of the parish; “Our Lady of the Angels”. Due to demand, the services expanded to three masses each Sunday while still at the school hall. A need for a place of our own drove us to build a temporary church on the site of our future development. In February 2009 this church and car park were completed and worship has commenced in the new church. We now have three masses every weekend with about 500 attendees, mostly young families typifying the demographic of the area. The great involvement of the parishioners in ministries and social events speaks well of a positive future for the fledgling parish. The primary school will officially open on site in 2010 but has already commenced as a satellite kindergarten class at OLOR school. The first principal, Eva La Rocca, has been appointed and given the task to build up this new school.

PARISH PRIESTS & Administrators
Rev Warren Edwards
2007 - present

~ o ~

WELCOME
A big welcome and thank you to Fr. David Maguire and Fr. Peter Williams for celebrating mass for us while Fr. Warren Edwards is away on holidays.

~ o ~

THANK YOU
Our warm felt thanks to Fr. Benedict La Volpe, from OLOR for celebrating daily Mass for us here at Rouse Hill.

~ o ~

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHILDREN THAT RECEIVED THE SACRAMENTS OF CONFIRMATION & 1ST EUCHARIST
Alexander Barbara, Jessica Marie Botfield, Emma Kate Brown, Johanna Mae Callcut, Lachlan George Callcut, Armando Rosario Colosimo, Katelyn Del Rosario, Julia Lee Dolahenty, Adrian Luke Epifanino, Marcus John Eric Epifanino, Eboney Taylot Grieve, Jonathon Antonios Habib, Lauren Fauz Habib, Aoife Marie Hogan, Christopher Patrick Hogan, Cameron Jack Joyce, Liam Jason Joyce, Olivia Frances Joyce, Breeanyn Paige Murphy, Nicholas Joseph Muscat, Ashlyne Cara Ocampo, Peter Joel Osterlund, Esther Pancorbo-Mena, Porsha Victoria Pupo, Mathew Cesare Puteri, Jordan Lia Richards, Mitchell Charles Sayer, Nicholas Frederick Sayer, Aaron Anrew Simpson, Alexandra Mae Simpson, Laura Simpson, Melissa Jane Lee Stanton, Chloe Louise Staveley, Tara Jayne Turner, Alexandra Van Dyke, Luke Williamson, Jake Gordon Yates, Chloe Jill Yates

~ o ~

COMMON POSTURE IN MASS
Reminder of the important ways that we pray together
both in word and posture:

During "I confess...", all strike their breast
at the words "through my own fault"

During the creed, all bow at the words "by the power of the Holy Spirit,
He became incarnate of the Virgin Mary and was made man"

A common posture, to be observed by all participants,
is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community
gathered for the sacred Liturgy; it expresses and fosters
the intention and spiritual attitude. GRIM 42

~ o ~

SACRED SPACE REVERENCE
Please be attentive to keeping the atmosphere of silence and prayer before, during and after Mass inside the church. Please keep social talk to before you enter and after you leave. Thank you.

~ o ~

PARISH DINNER DANCE
The committee organising the Parish Dinner Dance
NEEDS YOUR HELP - PLEASE!
We want to raise lots and lots of money for our new parish and in order to do this, we need lots and lots of prizes to raffle off or auction.

If you can help in any way by donating prizes big or small, cheap or expensive, we would very much appreciate it. All monies raised will benefit everyone of us in the parish. If you can assist by either yourself a friend or a company donating products or services, we would be very grateful.

If you cannot offer a product, then perhaps you could consider offering your time for services, for example, a beautician offering a free treatment, a tradesman offering a day's free labour, a photographer offering a free photoshoot, anything at all.

Maybe you can get tickets for a hot air balloon ride, white water rafting, sky diving, motor car racing, or some other thrill seeking experience.

Think outside the square and I'm sure you will come up with something really different or interesting. Any physical prizes can be left at the sacristy after any Mass. Should you need to contact someone, call Liz Gough on:
(02) 9836 1385, 0410 459 406, or pegough@pacific.net.au

~ o ~

CHURCH BLESSING
Bishop Kevin Manning came over to celebrate Mass and bless our temporary church structure at Rouse Hill. Pictures in the gallery section of the parish website.