Bishop Michael McKenna, together with Fr Greg Bellamy, Fr Augustine Mathew, and Fr Duong Ha, celebrated the final Mass at St Patrick’s in Cargo on Saturday 14 June. The Mass and morning tea were very well attended by parishioners, past and present, who came from near and far. The spirit on the day was of thanksgiving, hope, and also sadness. Here are Fr Greg’s final remarks at the conclusion of the Mass: 

Dear friends, today is a deeply emotional moment for many of us. We have gathered not only to celebrate Holy Mass here for the last time, but also to honour the hard work and sacrifices of the generations of faithful who built this much-beloved church and who prayed within its walls.

For over a century, St Patrick’s here in Cargo has stood as a concrete symbol of Catholic life. From the earliest Masses in the Hartigan’s home in the 1860s, through the building of the first timber church in 1875, 150 years ago this month, to the opening of this brick church in 1907, and the new school and convent in 1940 – this building has witnessed the joys and sorrows of countless families and has been a place where their lives were sanctified: baptisms, First Communions and Confirmations, Confessions, Weddings, Funerals, and most importantly the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist.

We remember especially the Sisters of St Joseph, whose hard work, witness, and teaching shaped the lives of so many children. We remember the pioneer families – the Hartigans, the Middletons, the Gallaghers, the Fishers, and so many others – who gave sacrificially so that the Gospel could take root here in the bush.

It is right that we should feel sadness today. This church has been a sacred place for our community, and letting it go is not easy. Yet our faith teaches us that the Church is not just a building — it is the living Body of Christ, and Jesus is present wherever and whenever we gather in his name, whether it be a Cathedral or a bush community hall.

We thank God for the many blessings he has poured out in this place. We commend this church community to His ever-faithful care. May the memory of all that has happened within these walls inspire us to remain faithful to Jesus, joyful in mission, and united in love, as those who have gone before us would want us to be.

I want to finish by thanking the small active worshipping community that has continued to gather here week-in and week-out. Our eyes may have been drawn to the empty pews, but Jesus’ eyes are always drawn to those who are here. I can’t give a gift to everyone, but I want to offer this small token of thanks to our loyal sacristan who today also represents the other wonderful sacristans no longer with us.