St Dominic's is a welcoming community of devoted Catholic Christians looking towards evangelisation and justice.
Over the more than forty years I have spent in Melbourne at St. Dominic's, one of my treasured memories is the Stations of the Cross service that is held every Good Friday in Highfield Park. I am not sure when this began but it has been and remains in my view a memorable event in the yearly life of the parish.
What makes this event particularly memorable is that it is ecumenical, an initiative of a group of Cantebury and Camberwell churches; it is open to all the public in that the service takes place in Highfield Park and so beyond the confines of each of our denominational churches; it has been well attended over the years and continues to be well attended; and it is enhanced by singing that is led by the wonderful Tongan choir.
Fr Mark O'Brien, OP - Former Prior
Fr Paul Rowse, OP - Parish Priest
St Dominic’s had a special role in my discernment to become a friar. After some years of uncertainty and hesitancy, I made a visit here from Sydney one weekend in November 2002. But as soon as I walked into the choir area of our beautiful church, I had a spiritual insight given me: this place was home. In fact, the insight was so clear that I audibly gasped. Ever since then, however my day might have gone, to come to St Dominic’s for prayer is to come home. Thanks be to God.
Bishop Gregory Bennet, Bishop of Sale
No doubt the centenary celebrations of St Dominic’s, East Camberwell will be a time of great joy of the many achievements of the Dominican Friars and the faithful people who have called the parish home. The Bennet family has a long association with the parish. I have my own strong memories of going to Mass at the parish as a child and my short time at the primary school. The enduring connection remains through the family business on Maling Road!
Maureen Salter - Parishioner
I and my family always had a wonderful relationship with our Parish Priest, Fr. Kevin Condon, particularly when my two children were growing up.
My husband was not a Catholic but joined and became a close member of the St. Dominic’s community. Fr. Kevin and Sr. Margaret Mary were a strong team that set up many different interest groups, gatherings in people’s homes, in the Parish Centre and elsewhere which gave so many in our Parish opportunities to connect with and be active individuals in the whole Parish.
Fr. Kevin reached out to and encouraged us all to have closer connections to other denominations in our local area. Our Parish was strong, active, inviting and all encompassing. We all felt encouraged to talk about our faith, Fr. Kevin regularly visited all families in our Parish in order to give a deep sense of connection for us all.
I recall on one occasion when Fr. Kevin was going on some sabbatical leave to America for a couple of months, my children responded by saying that we couldn’t go to Mass on Sundays while he was away because he was St. Dominic’s.
Sr Margaret Fields, OP
I remember, while still at school at St Dominic’s or “Siena”, we would ring the Priory doorbell and ask for one of the priests -Fr Declan Geraghty, Fr Walter O’Brien, Fr Damian Campbell, Fr Steve McCormack, Fr Greg Butler or Fr Dominic Meese - to invite them to our basketball matches or sporting events, to our concerts, to our parties or to our picnics. They always came to see us in the parkour - and they came t the event to which they were invited! I still marvel t their interest, their concern, and their willingness to be part of our lives.
I remember, as a young girl, running home to tell my mother, ‘The priests are coming!’/ In the distance, I had seem two priests, who we would later know well - Fr Eusebius Crawford OP, and Fr Bernard Curran OP, both recently arrived in the Parish from Ireland. This day, they were walking the streets and visiting along the way.
Whilst going through my father’s things, following his death in 1998, I discovered a letter he had kept, and obviously treasured - a letter of sympathy written to him by Fr Declan Geraghty on the death of his mother in 1965. This was a small gesture and a kind thought - one which my father never forgot. I have the letter still.
Helena - Parishioner
My first experience of a Catholic Mass was at St Dominic’s when I was around eight years old. The large and boisterous Catholic family who lived next door to me just offered to take me to Mass with them one Sunday.
From the moment we walked into the church and my neighbours geneflucted one by one, I was aware that this was a special place. The Church building itself is beautiful and lends itself to reverence, but it was more than an instinctive recognition of a sacred space; I instantly felt that I belonged here.
As a small child observing what was going on, I remember wondering at all the outward signs of reverence, seeing the parishioners make the Sign of the Cross, seemingly knowing what to say and when to say it, so they all clearly had a shared knowledge and belief...and then everyone knelt in total silence at the Consecration, so something big was going on, for sure, and it made such an impression on me. I knew without a doubt that ‘this was it’ and that I would be a Catholic one day. Such a gift of grace!
I visited St Dominic’s every time I was in Melbourne during the nearly twenty years I spent overseas, and now I am actually a parishioner and member of staff here; it is a source of daily delight to me that I am ‘home’. This Parish is truly blessed to have such a wonderful community of Friars and parishioners.
John Bostock, Parishioner
Jan and my experience of St Dominics started fifty years ago when the parish was celebrating it’s Half Century. We were to be married but, because I am not a Catholic, we were directed to St Dominics for what they called Instruction. Father F.X. Brown was the priest at the time and we had a few enjoyable sessions with him. Because I went to private Anglican school that viewed other churches non-judgmentally, he didn’t have to tell me too much.
We were living in South Yarra at the time and eventually moved to Middle Park and then more recently ended up in Hawthorn. Janet had a stroke there in 2011 which reduced her to needing a wheelchair. This made us move again and we found an ideal unit in Camberwell. I then had to find a church that was suitable for Janet in her wheelchair and I checked nearby churches and found St Dominics perfect with the disabled parking and access to the church via the ramp.
In our unit, we have found many occasions when a tradesman was needed and we have used several people and businesses listed on the back of The Dominican.
Alicia Tiller, Parishioner
The highlight of my early years attending Mass at St Dominics was when the Friars appeared, could have been at least 20 of them, hiding under their white hoods/gowns, and sung the Gregorian Mass. I still reflect on those special Masses. Is my memory playing tricks? St Dominic’s Church built the Tower as part of the extension, late 1940’s or early 1950’s And the ‘new central alter’ was constructed at about the same time?
Fr Paul Rowse, OP. Parish Priest
Memories of St Dominic’s are easily made because our beautiful church is so distinctive. The tower alone was once described by Brian Andrews, an expert in Australian architecture, as “a defiant finale to the Gothic Revival in Australia.” More importantly, the magnificent tower of our church is a message to the people around of their destiny: together we are pointed towards the heaven of unending joy.
What stands out in my mind is that this was a time just following Vatican II. It was an exciting time implementing the concept of the People of God and the inclusion of all, especially women! Folks were eager to be involved. It was easy to encourage people to volunteer in all aspects of the parish. Families were key. The parish prided itself in having a keen sense of community. One such activity that I can recall were the parish picnics out back in the garden of the priory. There was a lot of fun always in the air, with plenty of food and sharing. Even the Dominican students participated.
People were suddenly interested in knowing more about the Scriptures and their faith and so we had study circles and Bible study and folks who could help plan the liturgies. The youth club was also one of my enjoyable activities.
I can recall how busy I was, with hardly time for myself from morning til night. Often after the community evening prayer it was the only time of the day that i could meet with couples who were getting married. I was always appreciative of the married couples who volunteered to assist me in preparing these couples for their marriage. I was busy organizing Mass schedules, preparing homilies, and being present to the students and friars in the community. Fr Kevin Toomey reminded me about how on Sundays immediately following all the Sunday Masses, as busy as that time was, I would be in the kitchen roasting lamb, making gravy and getting Sunday lunch ready for the community. Also, often on Saturdays I enjoyed going to the footy and taking different parishioners with me. The parish council and the St Dominic School parents' committee were key. I was lucky to have very smart people advising me in these areas.
As I look back, I know I had much to give the parish, but in the end, I had a lot more to receive. I am grateful to all who knew me at that time, who worked along side me in shaping the community, who generously shared their gifts. I was particularly appreciative of the Melbourne Archdiocesan leadership all of whom were very supportive: Archbishop Frank Little and Vicar General Fr Peter Connors, who later became a bishop. The parish has permanently benefited, and it is an era that will shine forever in the history of the Church of Melbourne Australia.
Congratulations St Dominic's Parish on celebrating 100 years! May the next 100 years continue to be a bright and shining contribution to the Church of Australia.
Fr Nicholas Punch, OP
Parish Priest 1972-1980
My appreciation of St Dominic's parish goes way back to when my family arrived from the UK in 1948 and I was a student in the parish school. Had my family settled in another part of the city I would not be associated with the parish: I would not be a Dominican priest and I would not be writing this reflection. All true!
I have to say that my time as parish priest of St Dominic's parish was one of the happiest times of my ministry as a priest. I would have to say that, because of the people and my Dominican brothers and students in the priory during that time, it was really the height of my pastoral outreach and ministry. I loved the pastoral work. I loved collaborating with the people. I enjoyed working with the two schools: St Dominic's primary and Siena College, the students, the staffs and the parents. I was interested in working closely with the Dominican Sisters and they played an important part in collaborating in the pastoral ministry and outreach to the people. Sr Rosemary Lewins, principal at Siena, gave the students permission to cross over the road to visit me in my office. Many of the girls had important family issues they wanted to sort out. I also worked closely with Sr Ann Keys, principal in the primary school. All wonderful memories. We worked hard together but also had fun and lots of laughs!
