St John the Baptist Catholic parish in Woy Woy recently welcomed Father Johnson Gonsalves, the Provincial of Pune Province of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS).
St John the Baptist is part of the Broken Bay Diocese and is ministered by the Fransalians from India.
Bishop Anthony Randozza is the head of the diocese and guides priests and parishioners along their faith journey.
Parish priest Father Timothy Raj and his two assistants, Father Alex Peter and Father Vincent in Woy Woy and Philp T in Warnervale, belong to the same province of Pune, India.
The congregation was founded in 1838 in France and in 1845, six pioneer missionaries were sent by the founder Father Peter Mermier from France to India.
In Australia the missionaries began the ministry in 1998 with the arrival of Father Mani Malana to the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Today, there are 17 confreres from three provinces in India, working in dioceses across Australia.
The congregation now has about 1,500 missionaries working in about 30 countries.
The Provincial has visited all seven members of his province.
On Sunday, December 8, he was welcomed at a mass in St John the Baptist Church, Woy Woy, and chatted with parishioners over a cup of tea.
Be the first to comment on "St John the Baptist parish welcomes special visitor"