Blessings for Baldivis: Archbishop Tim visits new Mother Teresa Church
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB with Fr Geoff Aldous and members of the Baldivis Parish Council, standing in front of the alter in the newly completed Mother Teresa Catholic Church on 27 June. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.
By Eric Martin
Church growth and parish renewal are two topics that should always inspire – and the recent announcement that the Mother Teresa Church in Baldivis has almost been completed and is open for service is an exciting and encouraging reminder that God and his Church are an active presence across the Archdiocese of Perth.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB visited the new Church, with Parish Priest Father Geoff Aldous and Baldivis Parish Council and Building Committee members taking him on a comprehensive tour, all while conveying their energy and excitement with which they have achieved their goal.
“It is an absolute pleasure to be here this morning and to share in the great achievements of Fr Geoff and the team here at Baldivis Parish, they have crafted a new spiritual home for the Baldivis community, one that will shelter them and welcome others as they go about the work of sharing Christ’s message,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“When people see this building, they will see a place where they can come to find others who show personally and communally that Jesus lives in and among them.”
The Baldivis Parish lawn was laid on Tuesday 7 July. Photo: Sourced.
Fr Geoff and the committee were thrilled at the opportunity to share their new home with the Perth Archbishop, located at 739 Eighty Road, Baldivis, next to the recently completed Mother Teresa Catholic College, where the parish’s Masses were celebrated for the past six years while they waited for the completions of their new building.
“It’s so good to have a place that we can call home,” Fr Geoff beamed.
“The building committee really has done a great job, it’s no easy task to build a church and they’ve worked hard over the past three years to get this achieved.
The gradual process of “fitting out” Mother Teresa Church continues, but it is now just the last finishing touches that are being applied, many of which owe their existence to the generosity and hard work of parishioners, local artists, sculptors, and members of the religious orders.
The Tabernacle was donated by Rockingham Parish Priest Fr Pierluigi Vajra CRS of Our Lady of Lourdes Church; the statue of the church’s namesake, Mother Teresa, was gifted by sculptor Gerard Darwin, with the Blessed Virgin Mary statue carved by Phil Somers on behalf of the Brigidine Sisters; the altar frontal lacework was donated by Joanne Hart; and the vestments by Port Kennedy Parish Priest Fr Francis Nguyen of St Bernadette’s Church Port Kennedy Parish.
Other items vital to the running of a parish, were also provided by the generosity of various donations – for example: the kitchen equipment was gifted by Graham Napier. Fr Geoff is still accepting financial donations.
Parishioners stand on the foundation of their new upcoming Church after Mass on 7 July. Photo: Supplied.
Baldivis is one of the fastest growing residential areas in Perth (following Wanneroo in the northern corridor) with the population growth between the 2011 and 2016 census almost doubled from 15,883 to 31,635 and it has continued to flourish even during post boom period.
Some 40 per cent of the population (which has its origins mainly from Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa) has no religious affiliation, but Catholics make up the second largest group at 17.2 per cent.
Fr Geoff is keen to continue evangelising, especially now that the church has been completed, freeing him and other parishioners from the more labour intensive setup and pack-down procedures that were needed for every Mass celebrated without the benefit of church and its dedicated, sacred spaces.
Mother Teresa’s implements, icons and statues have been generously donated by parishioners, local artists and members of the religious orders, as explained to Archbishop Costelloe in this image taken on 27 June. Photo: Jamie O’Brien.
Baldivis is one of the fastest growing residential areas in Perth (following Wanneroo in the northern corridor) with the population growth between the 2011 and 2016 census almost doubled from 15,883 to 31,635 and it has continued to flourish even during post boom period.
Some 40 per cent of the population (which has its origins mainly from Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa) has no religious affiliation, but Catholics make up the second largest group at 17.2 per cent.
Fr Geoff is keen to continue evangelising, especially now that the church has been completed, freeing him and other parishioners from the more labour intensive setup and pack-down procedures that were needed for every Mass celebrated without the benefit of church and its dedicated, sacred spaces.