Goya Dmytryshchak
Archpriest Michael Kalka and his Altona parish, Mary Help of Christians, will this month mark two milestones.
It will be 40 years since he became a priest on Sunday, August 8, which is St Mary MacKillop’s Feast Day. The parish will celebrate the dual occasion at a mass led by Bishop Les Tomlinson.
Saturday, August 14, will mark 100 years since the first Catholic mass in Altona.
The local Catholic community emerged in early 1921, using temporary halls at different locations.
It obtained independent status as a parish in 1942 and a permanent church building was completed in 1965 on the present site at 97 Railway Street North.
“For August the 14th, the Archbishop of Melbourne will be leading the Saturday night mass because a hundred years ago the first priest to say mass in the Altona area was the administrator of St Patrick’s Cathedral,” Father Michael said.
“It’s not the centenary of the parish because in the early days Altona was looked after by the priests from Williamstown.”
These two public gatherings will be limited to 100 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Father Michael said there were lessons to be learnt from the pandemic.
“I suspect we need to become more reliant on one another rather than reliant on things,” he said.
“I believe we need to open our hearts and minds to one another because we have, unfortunately, become a very materialistic society.
“My guess is that it would also be the message of St Mary MacKillop: that we love people and use things to help us in showing that love, rather than loving things and using people.”
People planning to attend either celebration should check for updates closer to the date.
Bookings are required.
For further information, visit www.altonacatholic.org.au or call 9398 2964.
