150 bells to echo

The sound of St Mary's Catholic Church bell will echo across Young 150 times on November 5, marking a milestone for one of the town's most recognisable landmarks. The historic bluestone church, officially opened in 1876, will celebrate its 150th anniversary with nine days of services, religious relics and community gatherings beginning on Saturday 31 October. Parish priest Father Rofin Raphel IV Dei said the celebrations would recognise generations of faith and community connections, with around 12 teams of parishioners helping organise the program. The celebrations will begin with an inauguration Mass on 31 October, followed by nine days of special devotional prayers, known as a novena, and Mass. One highlight will be the opportunity to view relics associated with four Catholic saints during the opening weekend. Among them is St Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died aged 15 and used his computer skills to share his Catholic faith. Fr Rofin has obtained a first-class relic containing a small piece of Carlo's hair and hopes his story will inspire local schoolchildren. "He was very good in IT, so he used his talents," Fr Rofin said. Relics associated with Australia's first saint, St Mary MacKillop, St Vincent de Paul and St Ignatius of Loyola will also be displayed. On November 2, All Souls' Day, parishioners will remember loved ones through a memorial wall featuring photographs of deceased members of the parish. The anniversary itself, Thursday, November 5, will feature a 6pm Mass followed by a community barbecue, with schoolchildren ringing the church bell 150 times and 150 cupcakes marking the occasion. A parish assembly on 7 November will bring members together before celebrations conclude with Mass and morning tea on 8 November. The celebrations offer the wider community an opportunity to share in a significant chapter of Young's history, recognising the generations who have contributed to St Mary's. Read about the remarkable history of St Mary's Church on page 6.