Marayong – The Heart of Poland in Australia’s Multicultural Landscape Marayong is often called “a little Poland far from Poland.” This western suburb of Sydney has been a gathering place for Polish people since 1954 when they flock to Sunday masses in Polish and various meetings and the youngest to scout meetings and the Polish Saturday school The center is also home to many permanent residents primarily seniors who have found a home in their later years “They come back here to feel at home,” says Sister Grace Rocławska Mission Director at Holy Family Services in Marayong The Holy Family Services complex includes a daycare center a 24-hour aged care home with over 150 places “We’re here for families at every stage of their lives no matter what their family is like,” says Sister Grace in an interview with Family News Service It all began with the Polish Children’s Home Not everyone in the large post-war Polish immigrant community found it easy to adapt in Australia Help was needed for Polish children who were often left without care due to challenging family circumstances “This was the greatest need at the time,” explains Sister Joanna Zarzyczna the Polish community purchased land and sought someone to look after the children Our sisters responded and came to Australia.” The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth also opened a primary school followed by a high school for local children “Children from the orphanage could study at this school,” says Sister Joanna the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.” the demographics of Poles in and around Sydney changed significantly The generation of post-war immigrants and those who came during the 1980s “Solidarity” wave now faced new challenges these children and their families began turning to us for help with sick and elderly family members,” says Sister Joanna a longtime director of the Brother Albert Home and now in pastoral care for residents You can’t treat older adults as if they were children even if they have dementia or other health issues,” she adds and only when you see them that way can you build meaningful relationships.” The architecture of Marayong’s Polish War Memorial Chapel is striking spire-like tower recalls both the Jasna Góra Shrine and Sydney’s famous Opera House a nod to the Polish people who have settled here after life’s storms was consecrated in the millennium year on December 27 and has since served Poles from Sydney and across New South Wales “Marayong is a place where faith is practiced where we can connect with our roots,” says Sister Grace Rocławska Priests from the Society of Christ serve the church while the Nazareth Sisters run a Saturday school for Polish children from Sydney and nearby areas “The school isn’t just a place of learning but a community where being Polish feels natural,” says Sister Agnieszka Misiak “Their parents want them to cherish Polish culture and language They also need a sense of belonging with others who share their heritage,” she adds The spacious John Paul II Hall hosts Polish community gatherings “We have over 6,500 catalogued books,” he says with pride the Polish Center in Marayong continues to thrive even as the original post-war and Solidarity-era immigrant communities shrink and fewer young people from Poland are moving to Sydney A walk around the expansive grounds – between the church and retirement village – reveals the diverse and open community that has grown around Marayong “Holy Family Services now employs 193 staff from 27 nationalities,” says Sister Grace The residents represent 26 different nationalities “We do everything we can to foster mutual respect and respond to people’s needs,” she stresses but we also observe holidays of other cultures.” citizens of the United States with Polish roots also recognized the needs of the local English-speaking community Could they have imagined that this place would one day welcome so many different nationalities while remaining a “little Poland” for countless Polish families “Marayong is more than a place; it’s a haven where we find peace and a sense of belonging,” says Sister Grace Rocławska it’s the final stop on their life’s journey; for younger generations it remains a lively reference point and a testament to Polish history in Australia Reflection by Bishop Enrique Díaz: I will praise you Paris Marks 400th Anniversary of the Congregation of the Mission Reflection by Bishop Enrique Díaz: The Lord’s mercy is eternal Tweets by Pontifex This is probably not the page you’re looking for is renowned as one of the school’s most important cultural celebrations It’s an annual experience giving students and staff the opportunity to share their musical and creative talents “I just love this event,” said Antonio Chiappetta St Andrews College Leader of Learning Music & Performance and CAN Coordinator “I get such a buzz out of seeing all these students able to express themselves creatively and feel like rockstars performing on stage.” After a three year hiatus due to COVID-19 lockdowns pre-sales of tickets to the 2022 event were incredibly strong with a big crowd turning up early to get through the gates and secure the best vantage points “If I could sum up the whole night in just one word it would be ‘momentous’,” added Mr Chiappetta Attendees were certainly well taken care of as they enjoyed a number of food outlets including ice cream The school’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) students also played a big part in the event organising and managing all the lighting and audio equipment for the evening Many of the performances focussed on pop-culture hits from the 2000s performed their dance routine to huge cheers although the biggest cheers of the night went to the teacher act which was filled with a variety of songs from classic movies The audience went wild for both the student and staff acts Some even held up large signs to show their support The night concluded with the traditional musical fireworks celebration Music is a big part of the school community at St Andrews Not only does the CAN event traditionally attract large crowds the school celebrates and encourages engagement and excellence in music in various ways such as opening Junior Campus music rooms during breaks and hosting student bands at many College events who will be the new Principal of Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary Greystanes Information about working in or operating early childhood education services including outside school hours care information for parents including how to choose a service and supporting your child for their transition to school Skills NSW helps post high school students find courses in vocational training across a wide variety of industries and course providers The NSW Department of Education is committed to employing the best and brightest teachers who can teach and make a difference in NSW public schools NSW Department of Education's information on curriculum taught in NSW schools Aboriginal education and communities & personalised support engaging families early ensures children have the best start to their lifelong learning journey mutually respectful relationships with families well before the first day of preschool is central to the philosophy of Marayong Preschool Kindergarten families are encouraged to join educators as active partners who work together to create a nurturing dynamic and inclusive environment in which children can thrive Director of Marayong Preschool Kindergarten Julie Bawden has worked at the service for 36 years forming relationships with families prior to preschool starting has enabled Julie and other educators to be responsive and adaptive to children’s needs Marayong Preschool Kindergarten delivers early childhood education to 80 children each week at least 16 of which are identified as having a disability or additional needs The initial connection between families and educators at Marayong Preschool Kindergarten begins when children and their families visit the service for orientation days or pre-planned visits These visits usually occur in the November prior to children starting preschool by sitting down with children and families at the beginning of the new year the staff at Marayong are able to foster a collaborative and inclusive culture I chat with parents about how they'd like us to help them with their child's goals aims or whatever they’d like them to learn throughout the year,” Julie said things they dislike and what they thrive at so we can aim to have play-based activities around those particular needs.” These conversations set the foundation for a strong feedback loop between families and educators at Marayong Preschool Kindergarten Both parties consistently keep each other informed of the child’s progress so they can adopt learning practices and strategies tailored for the child “We use communication books for parents and send home visuals so they can see what their child has done during the day or to prompt language from the child,” Julie said Educators also share resources with families to support children’s learning at home all of our preschoolers get a visual timetable and a visual book about what happens from when they walk in the door right through to the end of the day “They also get visual resources on how to tell us something's wrong if they can't verbalise it And at least the children are familiar with them before they come to the centre.” Families also contribute to this transition and programming by sharing information and tools with educators at the preschool “A couple of our children use communication devices like Proloquo2Go so we've had to learn how to use those,” Julie said “Parents and carers walk us through that journey of how to use these devices on a weekly basis as they add more features to them.” Julie considers this two-way support essential in helping children reach learning outcomes Therapists are also central to these collaborative partnerships at Marayong Preschool Kindergarten as they share advice on what families and educators can do to support the children’s ongoing development in the areas they are working on Julie recognises that the special connection between young learners and their families with educators at Marayong Preschool Kindergarten is key to creating an inclusive learning environment and achieving quality outcomes for children “My staff are just so in tune with these children – even just little achievements are magnificent achievements,” she says “One particular boy a couple of years ago was non-verbal for first Then suddenly in fourth term he just began to talk And it was the most wonderful experience for all of us and with the family as well We recognise the Ongoing Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education Sydney’s north west has a new suburb home price record A Quakers Rd new-build sold for $1.827 million at a McGrath Blacktown auction last weekend conducted by Peter Mochrie MORE: Gangster home no one is willing to buy Agent Joel Hollings had the listing of the five-bedroom, three-bathroom house that comes with study MORE: TV sports star’s blue chip home for sale ‘I ignored Kerry Packer’s advice and paid the price’ The 737sq m holding came with an attached two-bedroom custom-designed luxury home that effortlessly blends sophistication and style,” the listing for the home read the home is a testament to meticulous craftsmanship and modern living study nook and a double lock-up garage with off street parking for 6 vehicles this residence stands out for its thoughtful design and modern functionality 1 bathroom granny flat offers versatility for extended family or investment.” According to PropTrack, the median house price in Marayong is $920,000 That’s up 8.2 per cent over the past 12 months MORE: Alan Jones makes an easy $1m Telstra’s ‘unrepeatable’ trophy homes sell off Steve Smith’s glam side hustle pays off big time third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. An ugly brawl between parents at a children's football match has highlighted a worrying rise in clashes at junior games Video footage has shown parents storming onto the pitch during an under-eights match between Quakers Hill Tigers and Marayong Football Club in Sydney's west and pushing each other over, forcing the two clubs into crisis talks.  Clubs are concerned by an escalation in violence at the under-eights competition between parents, while the referee for last weekend's game was also just 12 years old.  Marayong president Naji El-Kazzi said: 'The incident itself was disappointing. It's not something we tolerate.' A concerned local resident also told 7News: 'These are role models for these children and it's just not acceptable.'  Blacktown District Soccer Association director Bill Owen described the unsavoury scenes as unacceptable.  'No eight-year-old should be subjected to that type of violence, to be anywhere near it or to see it on any level,' he said, with crisis talks held on Tuesday. Owens also revealed that COVID has seen a change in parents' behaviour at youth football matches.  'Since COVID has come on, there's been a slow ramping up of violence,' he said. 'There has to be a level of accountability and responsibility and, knowing that, there will be consequences for those members that breached our rules and regulations,' Owen said. 'They come first, because everybody's entitled to play the game.' The governing body is now investigating the moments leading up to the brawl and vowed to hand out short-term suspensions to those involved.  No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} It was a special moment in time on the evening of 16 May when 88 men and women from Consecrated life in the Diocese of Parramatta met at Our Lady of Czestochowa Queen of Poland Church to share in the Eucharist followed by a special meal The gathering provided an opportunity to celebrate our unique identity and role within the Church described more dynamically as the People of God reminded us that Consecrated life calls us to visualise the radicalness of Christian discipleship by the witness of our lives Members of the gathering for Consecrated life at Marayong Image: Alphonsus Fok/Diocese of Parramatta He encouraged us to continue to be catalysts for renewal and pioneers who clear the pathway for others Bishop Vincent noted a current experience of this way of being is the decision made by the religious sisters in Gaza who are being tested to the limits of their endurance yet remain totally committed to God’s people They are living as pilgrims of hope in the most radical way The theme of Jubilee threaded the evening and echoed the presentation by our two guest speakers a member of the Company of St Ursula – Secular Institute of St Angela Merici a member of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart shared with us some of their experiences from the international conference for people in Consecrated life there were 200 delegates from the various forms of Consecrated life representing 63 countries Their four reflective days together focused on what it means to be pilgrims of hope on the road to peace as we journey towards the Jubilee year of 2025 “there were stories of heartbreak and stories of resilience “our stated mandate as we returned to our countries was to be pilgrims of peace by living as hope-filled people “There was an appeal for Consecrated men and women to keep the flame of love burning in our hearts and whatever the joys and sorrows that accompany our lives – personally geographically and culturally – was to be beacons of hope and so affect peace.” We heard that intrinsic to the program was the synodal process – listening deeply to each other and to the Spirit From our recent Parramatta diocesan experiences we could resonate with the synodal round table experience and sharing that each one described each of our 17 jubilarians was named and came forth to receive a card and gift from Bishop Vincent It was a joy for all of us present to honour the jubilarians applauding their years of faithful service The Jubilee milestones ranged from 25 years through to 40 with Sr Marilena of the Schoenstatt sisters and Sr Joan of the Poor Clare sisters celebrating 70 years of dedication and faithfulness to their calling It was good to experience solidarity with each other and give thanks for the encouraging friendships we share Such positive energy nourishes and strengthens us as we continue our mission which is to build and enhance the spiritual capital in our Church Name                                                                 Jubilee (years) Fr Artur Botur SChr                                                  25 Sr Rita Apura CSFN                                                  25 Sr Sally Brady RSM                                                   40 Sr Anne Porter RSJ                                                   50 Sr Isabella Huynh CMR                                           50 Sr Susanne Nguyen CMR                                        50 Fr Dave Austin OSA                                                  60 Sr Maureen Elliot FMM                                           60 Sr Naomi Smith RSJ                                                 60 Sr Susan Ward RSJ                                                   60 Inez Strnad ISSM                                           60 Br Joe Vassallo CFC                                                  60 Br Barry Donaghue CFC                                          60 Sr Louise Hume OSC                                                60 Sr Joanne Fitzsimons OSC                                      60 Sr Joan Murphy OSC                                                70 Sr Marilena Voeller ISSM                                        70 Sr Patty Andrew OSU is the Vicar for Consecrated Life in the Diocese of Parramatta For more photos from the event, click here Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time The mother and sister of Mert Ney returned home to a neighbourhood struggling with the same questions as the rest of Australia about the accused killer On Tuesday afternoon Mr Ney allegedly stabbed a women to death before running through Sydney's CBD brandishing a knife and injuring another woman Afterwards his family were taken into questioning by police On Wednesday morning they returned to the Marayong family home Mr Ney's mother quickly entered the house as TV crews massed The sister of Mert Ney speaks with reporters outside the family's Marayong home His sister stopped to address the reporters "You are going to have to wait and please get off my property," she said a chaplain arrived at the home carrying a small bunch of flowers A chaplain arrives at the home of Sydney stabbing suspect Mert Ney He spent about half an hour inside talking to the mother and sister He was asked to comment as he left the property but declined to say anything Neighbours struggled to offer much of an insight into Ney on Wednesday morning described the 20-year-old as a "nerd" "He was incredibly quiet," he said "I saw the mum out the front [yesterday] She just came out the front and police took her away "There were never any visitors coming or going." It's a shock to have this as your neighbour Mert Ney is arrested after being detained by members of public "We thought he was a complete nerd to be honest." Jeff said he'd lived in the street for 12 years and the family next door had been there the whole time the neighbour on the other side of Ney's house said she had met his sister at the local job search agency on a few occasions The mother and sister of Mert Ney returned home to a neighbourhood struggling with the same questions as the rest of Australia about the accused killer.\\u00A0 Why On Tuesday afternoon Mr Ney allegedly stabbed a women to death before running through Sydney's CBD brandishing a knife and injuring another woman Mr Ney's mother quickly entered the house as TV crews massed \\\"You are going to have to wait and please get off my property,\\\" she said.\\u00A0\\\"Come on described the 20-year-old as a \\\"nerd\\\" \\\"I saw the mum out the front [yesterday] \\\"There were never any visitors coming or going.\\\" It's a shock to have this as your neighbour \\\"We thought he was a complete nerd to be honest.\\\" Jeff said he'd lived in the street for 12 years and the family next door had been there the whole time the neighbour on the other side of Ney's house Job title: Principal of St Andrews College Marayong (dual-campus co-educational college inSydney’s Blacktown area) Stephen Kennaugh is principal at St Andrews College I am a morning person so I get into school at 4.30am as this is uninterrupted time parents and the wider community to enable the spiritual and emotional development of each member of our community I focus my energy on the development of a shared vision with teaching staff to support our student body to do more and go beyond Presence is a large focus for me as I endeavour to build strong and respectful relationships with all members of the community How long have you been doing this job and what first sparked your interest in thisarea I moved towards teaching rather than my other passion due to the wonderful teachers I had at school and the impact I saw that they had on myself and many of my friends I was educated at St Paul The Apostle Primary in Winston Hills and Parramatta Marist Brothers as well I really enjoy the diversity that it brings the witnessing of student and teacher engagement in learning Strategic thinking goes with the position and that has a significant impact on student learning the best part of the job is creating and sustaining a community of learners I have been supported in further studies in both my Masters degrees as well as my PhD I have had the opportunity to present in America and New Zealand as well as travel with student groups to Vietnam and Singapore Education offers many opportunities: the real challenge is deciding to make the most of them What is the worst thing you have had to do Responding to a tragic situation where a student lost their life in a sporting accident What challenges have you faced during the pandemic The first thing was to accept the reality of the situation we were in and are still dealing with it has also been an opportunity to reshape our profession and how we educate Supporting both staff and students with their mental health was a real focus I believe the skills we share relate to all areas of learning The flexibility that we need to demonstrate on a daily basis enables teachers to move into many fields of employment What advice do you have for people wanting to get into teaching Teaching is a highly rewarding career/vocation choice especially in the early years as you are building experience and resources What skills and personal skills do people need for teaching coupled with a solid work ethic will ensure success Marayong (dual-campus co-educational college inSydney\\u2019s Blacktown area) Just short of the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood Reverend Monsignor Ron McFarlane says he initially wasn’t sure about his call to the vocation “I didn’t think I particularly wanted to become a priest I’ve got to give it a go on the possibility that there is a vocation there Monsignor Ron has been parish priest of St Andrew the Apostle Parish being only the second parish priest since the parish was founded in 1961 Fr Kenneth Byrne was the founding parish priest “The intention was not to stay here this long even though permanent placements weren’t a thing I didn’t even realise that until years later when I looked back at the letter of appointment and it was without limits.” “My family were all very Catholic,” he said “We lived about 400 metres from the church [St Peter and St Paul which used to seem very big when I was growing up We went to Mass each Sunday and as I got older I went a couple of times a week because my brothers and I were altar servers “We were connected to the local community through our schooling and our parish We started playing in various sporting teams for the parish and then played for the college teams after that When television started in Australia in 1956 the local priests used to drop in to watch the football [AFL] on a Saturday afternoon.” Monsignor Ron joined St Columbans Mission Society as he didn’t feel called to religious orders or to a diocesan priesthood The Columbans are a missionary society of priests who work in 16 countries in co-operation with lay people from a standpoint of solidarity with the poor and integrity of creation The Columbans help local Churches grow into evangelising communities open to all peoples and help grow a culture of peace “I can’t say enough about the training and the formation that the Columbans offered to me The Columban focus on the empowering of the people had a tremendous impact on my approach to priesthood and to parish life.” He began his seminary journey in 1964 in the Victorian Dandenongs and completed his studies at the Columban Seminary in North Turramurra “The whole seminary was like a family and that family atmosphere was emphasised all the time,” Monsignor Ron said He was ordained as a priest by Cardinal James Knox His hopes of missionary ministry were cut short so that’s when the Columbans decided I wasn’t going overseas at that stage The rector of the seminary said if I went home to Victoria I would be working at the Far East Magazine office in Melbourne His first posting was at St Charles Borromeo in Ryde for two years where he met an “incredible” and inspirational figure to him “He would sit you down for a review about two or three times a week and ask ‘what have you been doing What did you come up with for those people but he was showing that you need to look for different options and different ways of handling situations “Doing that review was helpful because he was stressing the importance of each individual person but also to think things through and not to jump to the immediate result.” Monsignor Ron was incardinated to the Archdiocese of Sydney at the request of then-Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal James Freeman Monsignor Ron would serve in various parishes in the Archdiocese he was Chaplain for the Young Christian Students movement (YCS) for the whole Archdiocese His time at Belmore came to an abrupt ending when a replacement priest was urgently needed at St Anthony of Padua Parish “I always remember my first morning in Toongabbie waking up and finding that the water pipes were broken not knowing anybody in the parish either.” Bishop Bede Heather approached Monsignor Ron to start the ministry for Solo Parents and their families for the western region of Sydney With help from Sister Roseanne Smith and a core team of nine lay people After Sister Roseanne Smith left the ministry she was replaced by Sister Roseanne Sinclair Monsignor Ron would stay with the ministry until 1994 with the total support of Bishop Bede Heather which would eventually become the CatholicCare Houses to Homes program Catherine Villa was opened by Bishop Bede in January 1991 “After a few years of the solo-parent ministry Sister Roseanne was coming home from the train station and she found these pregnant girls living at the station She got talking to them and she took them home “Sister Roseanne and I had a talk about it and decided to ask Bishop Bede to build a house initially for homeless teenagers Bishop Bede got us the land and Sister Roseanne got us the funding from the government “At Deacon James Phelan’s funeral on January 4 2019 Bishop Bede said one of the things he was really happy with as bishop was the setting up of Catherine Villa.” Monsignor Ron says one of the biggest challenges during his solo parent chaplaincy was to “get people to see that because you are separated or divorced doesn’t make you a second-class Catholic It was important to educate the solo parents and the broader community that they are still fully-fledged members of the Catholic Church “The Solo Parent Ministry was a great learning curve People were going through life crises and it is a great blessing how well many of them came out through it at the end All we had to do was be there to support them and encourage them to keep searching for options There were regional meetings and a regular newsletter for support.” Monsignor Ron reached Marayong on October 19 we had a whole series of meetings so that I could learn about the parish and about the people It wasn’t my job to dictate what we were to do “I wanted to get everybody on the same playing field but I wanted us to work out together concerning what direction to take the parish “I see my job as facilitating and empowering people to take responsibility for the life of the parish.” Monsignor Ron says that one of his joys in his ministry is the people that he has come to know at Marayong and in all the parishes he has been appointed to “The priests I have worked with have been fantastic I’ve had over 20 assistant priests since I’ve been here We’ve had priests from all around the world all of whom have added to my understanding of priesthood and also have added to the culture of the parish Each of them has brought their own gifts and talents “I see myself as a member of the parish family My greatest support structure are the people in the parish because they’re there all the time “The parish is a wonderful cultural mix of people from everywhere who get along together and who love their faith It’s a wonderful community where people get up and do things Being able to be a part of this developing journey has been fabulous.” Monsignor Ron has been involved in many different ministries and held several different titles including Dean of Blacktown and Episcopal Vicar for Clergy as well as being parish priest of Marayong he is one of the two Chancellors for the Diocese He was sworn in as Chancellor five years ago during the height of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse The role of Chancellor changed dramatically with the Royal Commission and continues to evolve.” He was made Monsignor at Archbishop Anthony Fisher’s last Mass as Bishop for the Diocese of Parramatta on September 18 “The title Monsignor is given for service to the church I knew that something was happening at that Mass because everyone was being secretive about it Monsignor Ron remained optimistic despite the dark times faced during the child abuse scandal “The numbers going to Mass and sacraments may initially drop off but I’m very confident about the future of the church and the formation we are offering to our young priests it’s going to rely more on the laity to take more responsibility There’s a lot of positive signs in our young people I believe the acceptance by the laity that they are the Church is growing and this is vital for future development and evangelisation “One of the blessings of the Diocese of Parramatta is its multiculturalism We have received so much from people coming from overseas They’ve given us a gift that people have grabbed onto in their journey of faith They have added broader forms of spirituality “I think Pope Francis has opened up the doors in many ways I think Pope Francis is more in the spirit of what Vatican II was on about I’m tremendously impressed by Bishop Vincent Long and that he’s prepared to get out there amongst the people and the reaction of people to him is wonderful too “I believe that more people have a calling to be priests but don’t accept it because they’re not prepared to take the risk and it is a risk We need to remember that whatever path we choose in life is a risk I hope that the example of our four new priests will encourage other young people.” Having clocked up his 30 years at Marayong Monsignor Ron shows no signs of slowing down in 2019 “This year is going to be an interesting challenge I’ve got two new principals for the primary and secondary schools and I will work with them so that we are on the same page because the parish has always had a good relationship with the schools and this is so important We are fortunate with the physical closeness of the school and parish complexes it is up to the Bishop as to what my future path will be it is important that it is what is best for the Parish of Marayong and the Diocese Monsignor Ron has given and received advice that he wished to share with readers “Recognise the individuality of each person and the value of each person This means that there’s no set answer that fits everybody as every person and situation is different “Jesus comes to me in every single person I meet every encounter I have and in everything I do I’m living and acting my life in the presence of Jesus “We need to see the individuality of each person but also to see them as bringing Jesus to you.” “I’m still coming to understand the priesthood and I’m still growing as a priest The main thing is that you do your best all the time taking one day at a time,” he says with a smile Andrzej Duda shot to prominence in Catholic news when he rescued a host of Holy Communion that had fallen to the ground during a national pilgrimage On Monday 20 August 2018 President Duda and First Lady Kornhauser-Duda visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa Marayong in their only NSW community event during the first official visit to Australia of the leader of a free Over 800 Polish-Australian community members gathered in the John Paul II Hall to see the President and First Lady The presidential couple spent several minutes in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa before President Duda was shown the side chapel-mausoleum containing urns with earth from battlegrounds and places Poles were executed during World War II First Lady Kornhauser-Duda visited residents of the adjacent Brother Alberts Home of the Residential Aged Care of Holy Family Services RELATED: Polish Chaplaincy a social and faith hub President Duda presented Polish-Australian community leaders with state honours who runs the Holy Family Polish Saturday School the oldest Polish language and cultural school in NSW “This is an award for all the sisters,” Sr Agnieszka said President Duda thanked members of the Polish diaspora for keeping Polish culture and traditions alive for future generations President Duda thanked the clergy and religious for “strengthening the spirit for enabling us to practice our Catholic faith which is the foundation of our culture and identity.” could come to the Church and get spiritual support.” His well-received address recognised the successes of members of the Polish diaspora in Australia, which numbers close to 180,000 people “You are loyal citizens of Australia that you give such an account of our country,” he added Several Polish troupes of young people then performed dances wearing spectacular traditional costumes Small children also sang songs and read poems about Poland The President and First Lady mixed with large crowds of enthusiastic community members before departing “It was a historic visit. For the first time, the President of Poland came to Australia,” Fr Andrew Fornal OP said. Fr Fornal is part of the Polish Dominicans and parish priest of St Joseph’s, Kingswood “That was a good and uplifted visit and people felt connected again with their roots especially the young people who had a chance to present and show that their Polish heritage is important to them