A Joyful Parish Visit from Bishop Martin Ashe
Last weekend, our parish was blessed to welcome Bishop Martin Ashe for a three-day pastoral visitation from 25–27 July. It was a time of connection, encouragement, and reflection as the Bishop spent time with our schools, ministries, and wider community.
The visit began on Friday with Mass, followed by visits to Christ the Priest and St George Preca Catholic Primary Schools, where Bishop Ashe met with staff and students and experienced the vibrancy of Catholic education in our community. He also spent time with our Parish Priest Fr Richard Rosse and the parish staff, including our Parish Leadership and Finance Committee sharing a meal and meaningful conversations about the life and mission of our parish.
On Saturday, Bishop Ashe had a meeting with many of our ministry leaders and members. Another key highlight was the Parish Forum, where parishioners had the opportunity to speak openly with the Bishop about our hopes, challenges, and future direction.
Bishop Ashe encouraged us to be a parish that moves from maintenance to mission, deepening our own relationship with Jesus while reaching out to a world in need. He reminded us that many people today are sacramentalised but not yet evangelised, and that discipleship must go beyond programs to foster real relationships with the Lord. He affirmed the importance of small groups, catechesis, and evangelisation efforts in helping people encounter Christ and grow in faith.
He also spoke about the broader mission of the Church: to respond to pressing needs such as poverty, care for the environment, and building authentic community. Referring to Pope Francis’s call for a more outward-looking Church, Bishop Ashe invited us to become an evangelising community. One that lets Christ shine through us into the world.
Bishop Ashe encouraged us to stay alert to opportunities across the Diocese and online, and to collaborate with others doing similar work. He noted with hope that more people are being drawn to the Catholic Church, and asked, “Are we ready to respond to that hunger?”
Later in the day, he met with some of our young adults, listening to their personal experiences in the parish as well as their hopes and dreams for reaching more young people. He encouraged them to continue growing in their personal relationship with Christ and to be a joyful, authentic witness to others. He then celebrated our usual 6:00pm Vigil Mass.
The weekend concluded on Sunday with Bishop Ashe celebrating all our parish Masses and warmly engaging with parishioners between liturgies, offering more moments for informal conversation and fellowship.
We thank Bishop Ashe for his warm, pastoral presence and for taking the time to walk with us. His visit was a source of inspiration and affirmation as we continue to grow together as a missionary parish community.
