I came across this site for the Normanhurst parish, and thought I would use it to share some good news with Fr Vaughan and with my former parish that I loved. So please pass this on if you think fit.
My name is Anna Silvas, and my dear Mum and Dad, Margaret and Theo Silvas were parishioners at Normanhurst, and so was I when I came back home to them from 1994-1996. I then came up to Armidale to do a doctorate and Mum and Dad themselves had to leave Thornleigh for the Central Coast in mid 1997. Mum died after a tragic accident in February 1998 and was buried from Normanhurst parish church.
My news is that I have passed my PhD exam with very good results. Two of
the examiners said it was the best PhD they had ever examined. My field is the early Church Fathers, specially the ‘Cappadocian Fathers’, e.g.
St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen. I was particularly studying the emergence of monasticism in their part of the world from the
tradition of devout Christian families.
Anyway on Saturday 13 October will be the ceremony for the conferral of
the Doctorate, up here in Armidale at the University Campus. I am pleased to say that two Normanhurst parishioners, Paul and Kathryn Walsh
are going to come. My love and appreciation to all.
My warmest regards to Fr Vaughan and Joan McCoy and Thelma Henry and others whose faces are dear and familiar but whose names are just over the horizon of memory. My Mum and Dad may be remembered from 'Molly, the good Catholic dog' whom they used to bring when they attended week-day Masses. They would put her leash over the tap near the top of the driveway.
Mum and Dad were always on the Thornleigh borders of Normanhurst parish, my association with the parish goes way back. In fact I was present on the Sunday the parish was inaugurated in the Loreto College Chapel. Now when was that, 1970 or so?
I used to love to pray in Queen of Peace parish church. It seemed to preserve a prayerful quality so devoid in many modern churches. I think that may have something to do with the spirit of Fr Vaughan as it was translated, with the help of the architect into the new church. Having the Blessed Sacrament in the centre was a real help.