200th Anniversary Church of the Assumption Tullaroan
By Fr Mark Condon PP
In a recent homily given at Tullaroan church Fr Mark Condon looked back on the history of The Church of The Assumption in Tullaroan. Enclosed are a selection of his words.
Today is a very special day for the people of Tullaroan as we gather to celebrate two hundred years of the Church of the Assumption. Since 1826, people from Tullaroan and the surrounding area have crossed these doors in every circumstance of life. Generations of families have brought their children here for Baptism, have celebrated First Communion and Confirmation, have come here on their wedding day, and have gathered here in moments of sadness to pray for those they loved. Christmas and Easter have been celebrated here, ordinary Sundays and great occasions, moments of great joy and moments when people have needed the strength that only faith can give.
We remember the priests who served this community, and all those parishioners who gave their time and energy to the life of the church — those who cleaned and cared for it, prepared for celebrations, served at Mass, sang, organised, maintained and supported the parish in so many different ways. Much of what makes a parish strong is never recorded in history books; it is found in the ordinary goodness and generosity of people who simply get on with what needs to be done. The faith of Tullaroan has been carried forward in that way, from one generation to another, and today we are the grateful recipients of that inheritance.
Faith
The greatest achievement of the past two hundred years is not simply that this beautiful building has remained standing; it is that the faith celebrated within these walls has continued to be lived in the lives of the people of Tullaroan.
That is why the theme chosen for this anniversary is so appropriate: Rooted in Christ, Growing in Faith. To be rooted means that we remember where we have come from.
The Gospel also speaks about a vineyard, and Jesus reminds us that ultimately the vineyard belongs to God. We are its stewards. That is an important thought for us on this anniversary because this church has been entrusted to us for our generation. We did not build it, and we will not be the last people to worship here. We have received it from those who came before us, and our responsibility is to care for it and, more importantly, to care for the faith that gives this building its meaning.
That is what it means to be rooted in Christ. It means that whatever changes around us, we know where our strength comes from. It means that Christ is not simply part of the history of this church; he is at the centre of its present and its future. The challenge for us is therefore not simply to ask how we preserve what we have inherited, but how we allow Christ to continue to shape the life of this community. How do we make sure that children and young people know that they have a place here? How do we welcome families and those who may be searching for faith?
St Paul gives us a beautiful message in the second reading when he encourages the people to bring everything to God in prayer and to focus on what is true, honourable, just, pure, lovely and worthy of praise. It is a message that can give us confidence as we look towards the future. There will always be challenges for the Church and for parish communities, but we do not face the future simply by worrying about what has changed or what might be lost. We face it with faith, with prayer and with trust in God. The same God who has accompanied the people of Tullaroan through two hundred years will continue to accompany this community in the years ahead.
Gratitude
So today we look back with gratitude, we look around us with appreciation for the community we have inherited and are part of, and we look forward with hope. We give thanks for the generations who have prayed in this church and for all that their faith has given to Tullaroan. We pray for those who are part of this parish today, that we may have the courage and generosity to live our faith and to share it with others. And we pray especially for the generations who will come after us, that when they gather in this church many years from now, they too will be able to say that the faith was handed on to them as something living, something precious and something worth cherishing.
Foundation
Two hundred years ago, the people who built this church could not have imagined the Tullaroan of today, and we cannot know what the Tullaroan of another hundred years will look like. But we can be confident about one thing: Jesus Christ remains the foundation. Rooted in Christ and growing in faith means that we honour the past without living in the past, that we live our faith faithfully in the present, and that we entrust the future to God with hope.
May this Church of the Assumption continue to stand at the heart of Tullaroan for generations to come, not simply as a monument to the past but as a living place of prayer, welcome and faith. May children continue to be baptised here, young people encouraged here, families strengthened here, and those who are grieving or struggling find comfort here. And may everyone who crosses these doors discover something of the peace, mercy and love of Jesus Christ.
