The Archdiocese of Sydney has established the new Sydney City South Parish that merges Redfern Catholic Church with Rosebery and Waterloo. Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has created a decree recognising the amalgamation after consultations with various communities.
The new Sydney City South Parish will comprise St Joseph in Rosebery, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo, and St Vincent de Paul in Redfern with Fr Paul Smither as the parish priest. Fr Paul said that whilst mergers may be difficult, it’s an important step to make the parishes viable.
The churches in Waterloo and Rosebery are within walking distance whilst the Redfern church is around three kilometres away. Fr Paul said that as these small parishes integrate, the community will cover a bigger area as well, allowing the Catholic faithful to participate in various activities of the three churches.
Members of the parish might leave as a result of these changes but Fr Paul is also optimistic that new people will be encouraged to join.
Redfern local Ralph Townsend welcomes the change as an Aboriginal Elder because he believes this merger will not only make the new parish the church for Indigenous but the church for all people.
As a long-time parishioner, Mr Townsend said that the Redfern church embraces diversity and a multi-cultural community. The change will reinforce the thrust of the Catholic Church as one big community.