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When the procession arrives at the Sanctuary, the Bishop without
kissing or incensing the altar, venerates the first class relic of St Mary
MacKillop that has rested in the new church, and is on loan from the
Sisters of St Joseph for this official opening and blessing of the new
church and southern Mass centre. This reliquary, made from River Red
Gum from Penola, contains some strands of St Mary MacKillop’s hair.
After the veneration of the relic, the Bishop goes immediately to the
chair; the other ministers go to the places assigned to them. The Bishop
puts aside the pastoral staff and mitre and when the singing is finished
he greets the people, saying:
Then the Bishop blesses water with which to sprinkle the people as a
sign of repentance and as a reminder of their baptism, and to purify the
walls of the new church.
The water to be used for the blessing was drawn by Fr David and
parishioners from the well beneath the Chapel that Mary MacKillop
had built, now the Tenison Woods Room at Mary MacKillop Place,
North Sydney.
Bishop:
The grace and peace of God
be with all of you
in his holy Church.
All:
And with your spirit.
Bishop:
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is a day of
rejoicing. For we have come together to offer this new
church to God. We ask that he bless us with his grace
and, by his power, bless this gift of water.
BLESS ING AND SPR INKL ING OF WATER