Immaculate Conception Unanderra Parish

24/09/2026

What a blessed evening this was for our own parish, and a wonderful source of inspiration for the whole Diocese, as reported here. St Carlo Acutis: pray for us!

Thousands of people have attended events across the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong during the Australian mission of Saint Carlo Acutis's Major Pilgrim Relic.

The four-month Mission is visiting more than 50 cities and towns across every state and territory.

St Carlo was an Italian teenager who used his computer skills to share his Catholic faith before dying from leukemia in 2006, aged 15.

Churches and schools across the diocese have reported a particularly strong response from young people.

Hear Kelly Fuller's report for ABC's Australia Wide: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/australia-wide/australia-wide/107165162

19/09/2026

There are a number of ways to make a tax deductible donation to this vital cause for our seminarians and retired clergy. Please also keep them in your prayers, and pray for more young men to hear and respond to the call to serve as priests for our Diocese!

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞.

This year’s Bishop’s Annual Appeal supports the retirement and health of our clergy, and the sound and holistic formation of our seminarians.

Your generosity helps provide dignified care for those who have given years of service to our communities, while also supporting those preparing for priestly ministry.

You can also hear directly from Fr Patrick Vaughan and seminarian Anthony Rewak in this year’s appeal video, as they reflect on priestly service, formation and the people supported through the appeal.

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨: https://dow.sh/baa26

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞.

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift today.

𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰: dow.org.au/giving

18/09/2026

Excited to welcome the relic of St Carlo Acutis to our parish 6:30pm to 8:30pm this evening! Come along for any part of the evening, commencing with welcoming of the relic, a talk about St Carlo, veneration of the relic, then Eucharistic Adoration and prayer intentions that can be written and taken to the tomb of St Carlo

11/09/2026

𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐕 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐇

With great joy, the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong warmly invites you to celebrate the Ordination to the Priesthood of Rev Seth Harsh, to be conferred by Bishop Brian Mascord.

📅 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟎𝐚𝐦, 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟐 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
📍 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰

All are welcome to join us for this joyful occasion as Seth is ordained to serve the people of God as a priest of the Diocese of Wollongong.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, 1 September:
rsvp.dow.org.au

𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒

You are also warmly invited to attend a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Fr Seth:

𝟗:𝟑𝟎𝐚𝐦, 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟑 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
St Finbar's Catholic Church
46-52 Levy Street, Glenbrook NSW

𝟓𝐩𝐦, 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟑 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
All Saints Catholic Church
19 College Avenue, Shellharbour City NSW

As Rev Seth enters these final weeks of preparation, please keep him in your prayers, that the Lord may strengthen him in faith and fill him with joy as he prepares for priestly ministry.

𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐕 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐇

Almighty and ever-living God,
look with love upon your servant Seth
as he draws near to the day of his priestly ordination.
Kindle in him a heart aflame with love for you and your people.

Make him gentle in compassion yet firm in faith,
humble in service yet courageous in preaching the Gospel.

Purify his mind and heart,
strengthen him in fidelity to the promises he will soon make,
and let the joy of Christ be his constant strength.

May he become a living reflection of your Son,
a shepherd who leads with wisdom, holiness and hope,
so that all who encounter him may encounter Christ himself.

Amen.

15/06/2026

A great speaker, and a wonderful opportunity to delve more deeply into an important topic especially for our young people today - as well as connect with other young adults of faith!

We're excited to announce the return of our Guest Speaker series - and who better to kick things off than Fr Greg Morgan, a well-known presenter and academic from the Archdiocese of Sydney. 🙏 We can't wait to see you there.
📍 𝟕𝐩𝐦, 𝐓𝐡𝐮 𝟐𝟓 𝐉𝐮𝐧, 𝐒𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞

01/06/2026

Are you a young man, looking for help in hearing God's voice in the big and small decisions of life? This event is for you! dow.sh/Ephphatha

𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥
—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞.

How can we become more open to his quiet voice in the big and small decisions of life? How do we know if we are called to marriage, priesthood or religious life,
and how do you live your baptismal vocation more fully as a single young man?

We invite all unmarried young men aged 18-35 who are open to discerning God’s call in their lives to join Bishop Brian Mascord, the priests of the Vocations team and our Seminarians for lunch, formation, Q&A, and Eucharistic Adoration.

The day includes lunch, formation, Q&A, and Eucharistic Adoration.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟑 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
𝟏𝟐:𝟑𝟎𝐩𝐦, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝐩𝐦, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝟒𝐩𝐦
𝐒𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐠

Register as soon as you can!
dow.sh/Ephphatha

19/04/2026

This Easter we had the great joy of welcoming 21 adults into full Communion with the Catholic Church through our two parishes - 15 who were baptised at the Easter Vigil at St Therese, and 6 who had already been baptised welcomed through Confirmation and Eucharist at Immaculate Conception on Easter morning. Let us thank God for these our brothers and sisters in Christ, and continue to pray for them as they continue to deepen their closeness with Jesus and his Church in our parishes.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in exploring the Catholic faith, please contact us at [email protected] and we will be in touch with you to let you know the next steps. Everyone is welcome!

16/03/2026

Did you know the Vinnies Youth Conference runs out of our Parish?! If you at a young person, or know a young person who would be interested in making a difference and living out their faith swing by on Thursday night!

Young people wanted! Get involved with Vinnies 💙

Are you aged 16-35 and passionate about helping your community? We’re looking for youth volunteers who want to make a real difference with Vinnies.

Join us for a relaxed information evening to learn more about how you can get involved.

Thursday 19 March 2026 - 6:30 pm – Vinnies Support Hub, 12 Miller St, Coniston

Come along, bring a friend, and enjoy FREE pizza while you:
- Meet the Vinnies team
- Take a tour of the Vinnies Food Van
- Learn more about Coniston Homeless Services
- Discover ways you can volunteer and support people in need in your local community

We’d love to see you there! RSVP: [email protected]

10/03/2026

🕊️𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 🕊️
In response to the escalating violence and growing humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, a Mass for Peace will be celebrated by Very Rev Bernard Gordon, Parish Priest of Lumen Christi Parish.

📍 St Francis Xavier Cathedral Wollongong
🗓 Wednesday, 11 March 2026
⏰ 12:10pm

During this season of Lent, Pope Leo XIV has urged the faithful to pray for peace and to “fast from words and acts of hatred and conflict,” rediscovering the peace that Christ offers to the world.

In a statement from Timothy Costelloe, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the bishops expressed deep alarm at the escalating violence now engulfing the Middle East.

The loss of life, the fear experienced by ordinary people, and the destabilisation of an already fragile region weigh heavily on our hearts. As Pope Leo warned this week, we stand “faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions.”

The Holy Father has appealed to all parties to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss. Violence only multiplies suffering; war is never the answer and is always a defeat for humanity.

We remember especially the innocent: those who have lost their lives, the injured and traumatised, families separated or displaced, and communities living in fear. We also pray for Australians currently in the region, including those serving in peacekeeping and humanitarian roles, and for their families who wait anxiously at home.

We pray for leaders across the world, that their decisions may be guided by human dignity, the common good, justice and peace.

All people of faith and goodwill are warmly invited to join us in prayer for peace and healing in a region that has suffered far too long.

🙏 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW INVITE TO PRAY FOR PEACE
https://lumenchristi.org.au/630-260306-lumen-christi-pastoral-invitation-pray-for-peace/file

07/03/2026

Let's get a parish team (or more than one parish team) to register for (and win) this sports festival! Ages 15-35 years old, lots of ways to get involved:

- if you'd like to join a parish team contact us on here or at [email protected]; OR
- register your own team; OR
- register as individuals to join a team on the day; OR
- come along for some relaxed table tennis or just cheer along and enjoy the company (we still need you to register for this so we know numbers)

Spread the word to everyone who you think might be interested! 😃

🔥🏆 GAME ON 🏆🔥

We’re bringing young people from across the diocese together for our very first Diocesan Youth Sports Festival — and it’s going to be BIG.

📅 Saturday 18 April 2026
⏰ 9:30am – 3:30pm
📍 Holy Spirit College

Grab your mates, youth group, young adult crew, cousins, teammates — anyone keen for a challenge — and form a team of 7+ players to battle it out in a fast-paced round-robin tournament.

⚡ The twist?
When you register, your team votes for the main sport of the day. So choose wisely… and start training 👀

Not into high-intensity competition? No stress 🙌
🏓 A table tennis tournament will run all day with plenty of chances to jump in.

🍳 Morning tea + 🌭 BBQ lunch included
⛪ We’ll finish the day together at Mass celebrated by Brian Mascord

Expect big energy, good banter, healthy rivalry, and unreal community vibes. Whether you’re playing, cheering, or just soaking it all in — this is a day you don’t want to miss.

🎉 Fun. Faith. Competition. Community.
⚠️ Places are limited — register your team or yourself now and get involved!
dow.sh/youthsportsfest