Restructure and Renovations for the Parish and Diocese
Dear Parishioners,
We are aware that His Excellency Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay has been able to secure a Government Grant to Build a new and large Aged Care Facility for our elderly with hopefully 60 beds on the site of the former Hostel on Alfred Street adjoining the Church carpark. This project is expected to commence around July 2015 and going well into 2016.
To make way for this important Diocesan Aged Care Facility for our Community we need to provide a permanent Presbytery/Residence for the priests serving the par-ish. After consultation and planning, doc-uments have been submitted to Parra-matta Council and a DA obtained to con-struct an 11 Bedroom Presbytery on top of one half of the Community Centre as you can see from the Plans.
The cost of construction of the New Pres-bytery will be covered at least 50% by the Diocese/Chancery and the remainder by the Parish without the Parish borrowing any further, once details have been reviewed by the new Stewardship Committee and the Bishop and the Diocesan Finance Council and College of Consultors. The Diocese/Chancery will be covering at least 50% of the cost as the Bishop and Chancery Offices are being relocated to Level 2. The 50% cost of con-struction is to reimburse the Parish for this space. The Parish will cover the other half of the expected costs through some Parish funds that are currently held in reserve, budgeting and cutting costs, and its current ongoing fundraising events including Feast week and Parish Committee events.
Also you will notice that members of the previous and new Stewardship Committee are working on the construction of a new disabled toilet in the hall whose costs are covered by a State Government Grant as well as renovation of all the hall toilet amenities and renovation of the old hall Offices for a meeting room, covered by donations, to make up for the meeting area given to the Diocese for the Bishop and Chan-cery Offices.
His Excellency, with the good record of the Parishioners' in their commitment and generosity and our loan repayment and fundraising program set up by the previous Stewardship Committee, has been able to secure the Parish a reduced interest rate from the Catholic Development Fund and the Bank of Sydney for our 3 Parish loans currently totalling $7,190,000.
These renovation projects and Diocesan restructuring are all to help the Parish and Diocese serve all our Parishioners and wider Maronite Community well into the future.
We trust in God's Grace and your on-going support and participation in the parish and her mission. Should you have any queries or suggestions, you are most welcome to contact me through the Parish office 9689 2899 or email me:
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