What follows is a summary of a talk given by two representatives of
The Abbey Church at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 21-Nov-2017
Known as The Abbey Church at St Michael’s, Caboolture
The Orthodox Catholic Church is a Christian community which broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1870 and has links with the Old Catholics in the Netherlands and the Orthodox Church in Syria. Therefore they see themselves as bringing Eastern and Western Christianity together.
The Abbey Church Community to day consist of four primary areas of work;
- The Abbey Church
- St Michael’s College and Early Learning Centre
- The Abbey Museum
- The Abbey Farm
The Abbey Church
Throughout the Liturgial year the Abbey Church celebrates Holy Eucharist on Sunday morning and Evensong completes the day in the evening. Also regular Church services are offered for the local community including Baptisms, Funerals and Weddings and spending time with people in need.
The Abbey Church performs these services as an inclusive Church and welcomes all people to its doors, believing that we are all children of GOD and equally loved and valued by the maker of us all.
The Abbey confraternity is devoting a large component of their time to visiting the sick and infirm, undertaking charitable work, giving public lectures and counselling adolescents.
St Michael’s College
St Michael’s College is a well-established school community built on Christian values that nurtures indi8viduals and inspires quality learning. St Michael’s College provides outstanding education for boys and girls and has over the last 30 years developed an excellent reputation beyond its local boundaries.
The Abbey Museum
Established in 1986 the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology houses an extensive collection, spanning the last 500,000 years of human kind.
The Abbey Museum delivers a variety of educational programs attracting large numbers of students from local and regional schools, thereby contributing to their educational, cultural, social and spiritual development.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Museum has been the hosting of the Abbey Medieval Festival for many years which has become the largest and most authentic medieval living history re-enactment in Australia.
The Abbey Farm
After its arrival in Queensland in 1965 the Abbey Community cleared its 135.2 hectare property calling it St Michael’s and transformed the estate into a productive agricultural enterprise. Over the years the overall focus of the Abbey Farm has changed, resulting in the development of a successful dairy.
The Abbey’s Involvement in Multi-Faith
This involvement began two years ago.
Consistent with its Constitutional Aims and by following its convictions expressed in its Statements of Belief, the Abbey Church expects to launch a Multi-Faith & Cultural Dialogue Centre at the Abbey early next year. Significant progress has been made towards this goal with the Queensland Police Commissioner agreeing to partner with the Abbey holding a suitable Multi-Faith event.
The Centre will offer a place where Queensland Faith Communities Council (QFCC) members and the wider Multi-Faith community can come together to explore and learn from each other and develop a deeper understanding of each others’ faith tradition.
With this in mind the Abbey contributes to build a basis of mutual trust and respect which will allow members of the QFCC and the wider Multi-Faith community across the Abbey’s catchment areas to work towards their common goals.
By establishing the Abbey Multi-Faith & Cultural Dialogue Centre, primarily covering the Moreton Bay Regional Council area and the Sunshine Coast, means to live and actively promote the Constitutional goals of the QFCC as well as the aims enshrined in the Abbey Church Vision and Mission, thereby enriching and enhancing them both.