Father Yacub Barkat was officially installed as Parish Priest of St Mary MacKillop's Parish, Rockdale City at a special service last month
Parishioners from the twinned Parishes of St Gabriel's Bexley and St Mary MacKillop, Rockdale,which serve the communities of St Gabriel's, Bexley, St Joseph's, Rockdale City; St Francis Xavier's, Arncliffe) gathered at the 10:30am Mass on Sunday 22 December 2019 to celebrate the Installation of Fr Yacub Barkat as Parish Priest of St Mary MacKillop's Parish, Rockdale City.
The Principal Celebrant at the Installation Mass was the Most Reverend Bishop Richard Umbers.
Concelebrating with Bishop Umbers was Fr Yacub, Fr Frank (Assistant Priest, St Mary MacKillop's), Fr Ureta (Dean, St George Deanery) and Fr Brendan Quirk (Army Chaplain, 2nd 14th Light-horse Cavalry).
The Most Rev. Anthony Fisher, Archbishop of Sydney appointed Fr Yacub as Parish Priest for six years from 1 October 2019.
Fr Yacub had come to the Parish as Assistant Priest to Fr Brendan on 15 June, 2017 and when Fr Brendan left to serve as Army Chaplain in February 2018 Fr Yacub was appointed Parish Administrator.
During the Mass Fr Yacub was formally welcomed as Parish Priest by representatives from St Mary MacKillop Parish schools: John Riordan, Principal, Marist College Kogarah and Kevin Bryson
Principal, St Francis Xavier's, Arncliffe (on behalf of St Francis Xavier's and St Joseph's Primary Schools).
David Rooney gave the welcome on behalf of Arncliffe, Bexley and Rockdale parishioners. David spoke of the formation of St Mary MacKillop's Parish in 2008, bringing together the previously separate Arncliffe and Rockdale parishes.
He noted that research has revealed that Fr Yacub is: the 7th Parish Priest of the previously separate St Joseph's Parish, Rockdale, the 8th Parish Priest of the previous separate St Francis Xavier's Parish Arncliffe, and the 2nd Parish Priest of the merged St Mary MacKillop's Parish, Rockdale City.
Many parishioners remember previous parish priests and the fact that each faced unique challenges relevant to their time.
Fr Yacub will face his own unique challenges leading parishioners into this new decade of the 21 st Century and David Rooney assured Fr Yacub of the support of his parishioners, saying, "We parishioners are from many, many different backgrounds. However, we are united in our
faith and as a parish community. You have our support and I know that you also have the support of our twinned parish St Gabriel's. May God bless you, and all of us, as we move forward together on our faith journey."
As of 1 October 2019, Fr Yacub was also appointed Administrator to St Gabriel's Parish, Bexley which was 'twinned' with St Mary MacKillop's Parish in 2014.
Fr Yacub noted after the Installation Mass how pleasing it was to see so many parishioners come together to celebrate.
He estimated that about one third of those attending were from St Garbiel's Parish. Fr Yacub passed on his sincere thanks to all those who helped to organise and participated in the celebration and especially noted the magnificent choir, led by Kathryn Phillips from St Gabriel's.
