Parish Feast and First Solemn Communion in Perth
June 27, 2024
On Sunday, June 23, the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Perth celebrated its Parish Feast, which was complemented by the joy of the first Confession and Solemn Holy Communion. It was a magnificent and memorable day for all parishioners and guests.
The feast began with the Divine Liturgy, which was celebrated by Fr. Ihor Holovko, Administrator of the Parish of St. John the Baptist, and co-celebrated by Fr. Richard Charlwood, Assistant Priest.
Fr. Richard Charlwood delivered an inspiring homily, focusing on what St. Augustine wrote: “Become what you receive!” “St. Augustine thought that, if we really understood the meaning of these words, the way we speak and act would be very different. We are meant to give life to everyone we meet when we walk out of the church today! Be bread, broken, and given to nourish the lives of those around us. Give of ourselves, our time, and our energy. Breathe life and hope into others, into our family members, our friends, our work colleagues, and the strangers we meet,” urged Father Richard.
As shared by Fr. Ihor Holovko, “This feast was special and solemn for the whole parish. Children, as always, surround us with joy, give us light, and fill us with a wonderful feeling of life in the church.” From the beginning of the school year, on Sundays, after the Divine Liturgy, the children stayed to study at the Catechetical School, which was conducted by Fr. Ihor, and it is good to prepare for these important Sacraments. Therefore, on Saturday, June 22, 10 children went to their first Confession, and on Sunday, during the Divine Liturgy, to solemn Communion.
After the Liturgy, a celebratory lunch was held at the Bayswater tennis club, which provided its premises for the event. More than 130 parishioners and guests gathered together to celebrate this important event in the life of the church.
The clergy and parishioners are sincerely grateful to all who participated in the organisation of this holiday, as well as to all who came to share this joy, in particular the Mayor of Bayswater, Ms. Filomena Piffaretti, Father Vasyl Olevych from the Orthodox Parish of Perth, and all Ukrainian organisations that were present and continue to support a parish in Perth. This day will remain in the memory of everyone who joined the celebrations as a symbol of unity and spiritual enrichment in the community.













