Around 250 people attended the event at St Joseph’s Parish on Sunday, November 9, to mark the 40th anniversary of the church building and the 114th anniversary of St Joseph’s Parish.
Bishop Les Tomlinson from Melbourne assisted Monsignor Frank Marriott from Bendigo and Cobram’s parish priest Father Junjun Amaya in the celebration of mass.
Afterwards, Bishop Tomlinson blessed an outdoor area adjacent to the church, which is being developed as a place for private prayer and reflection.
The blessing was followed by a pig on a spit served in St Joseph’s School assembly hall, the Josephinum, with entertainment including singing and dancing.
Veronica Perra has been going to St Jospeh’s ‘all her life’ and said this was the first celebration the parish has had.
“It was a big task because we had to find all the people who had worked in the parish, the priests, the nuns,” Ms Perra said.
“A lot of them have passed on, and we did have two nuns, one was previously the principal at Saint Joseph's about 40 years ago and the other nun was from Yarrawonga, they were both Mercy Nuns who started the Saint Joseph's school in Cobram.
“It was lovely, we had 400 at the church, and we had a choir from Wodonga who come regularly to our church, and they provided the songs.
“We had Filipino dancing, Italian dancing and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day, so it was beautiful.”
Ms Perra thanked everyone that organised the celebration and all the people who took the time to attend.
“This was a lovely celebration and I hope somebody in the future can do another one,” she said.
Ms Perra also mentioned another possible celebration next year, reflecting on yet another milestone.
“We have a time capsule in the bell tower which is due to be opened...it will probably be about 20 years since it (was sealed),” she said.
“I can remember putting a letter and a photo of my parents in there, so that'll be nice to get that back again.”
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